title: Reproductive health diagnoses of women veterans using department of Veterans Affairs health care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known regarding the reproductive health needs of women Veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the reproductive health diagnoses of women Veterans using VA health care, how these diagnoses differ across age groups, and variations in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics by presence of reproductive health diagnoses.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a cross-sectional analysis of VA administrative and clinical data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included women Veterans using VA health care in FY10.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive health diagnoses were identified through presence of International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision (ICD-9) codes in VA clinical and administrative records. The prevalence of specific diagnosis categories were examined by age group (18-44, 45-64, ≥65 y) and the most frequent diagnoses for each age group were identified. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were compared by presence of at least 1 reproductive health diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent reproductive health diagnoses were menstrual disorders and endometriosis among those aged 18-44 years (n=16,658, 13%), menopausal disorders among those aged 45-64 years (n=20,707, 15%), and osteoporosis among those aged ≥65 years (n=8365, 22%). Compared with women without reproductive health diagnoses, those with such diagnoses were more likely to have concomitant mental health (46% vs. 37%, P<0.001) and medical conditions (75% vs. 63%, P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women Veterans using VA health care have diverse reproductive health diagnoses. The high prevalence of comorbid medical and mental health conditions among women Veterans with reproductive health diagnoses highlights the importance of integrating reproductive health expertise into all areas of VA health care, including primary, mental health, and specialty care.
authors.affiliation: *Health Services Research and Development (HSR&D), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA †VA Office of Patient Care Services, Women's Health Services, Washington, DC ‡University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA §VA HSR&D Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation and Policy, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System ∥University of California Los Angeles Jonathan and Karin Fielding School of Public Health ¶VA HSR&D Center for Innovation to Implementation (Ci2i), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto #Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA **VA Central Western Massachusetts, Leeds ††University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA ‡‡Yale School of Medicine, Medicine New Haven §§VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT ∥∥Health Economics Resource Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA ¶¶New York University Langone Medical Center, NY, NY.
authors.forename: Jodie G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Katon
authors.forename: Katherine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Hoggatt
authors.forename: Vidhya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Fay S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Saechao
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Frayne
authors.forename: Kristin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Mattocks
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Feibus
authors.forename: Ileana V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Galvan
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hickman
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Sally G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Haskell
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Ciaran S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Phibbs
authors.forename: Laurie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Zephyrin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans; D058014:Veterans Health; D016387:Women's Health