This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Veterans

Commentary: Increasing Rural Veterans' Access to Care Through Research
Summarizes the challenges of delivering quality healthcare to rural veterans. Discusses the role of research and innovation as a means of meeting those challenges.
Author(s): Thomas F. Klobucar
Date: 08/2017
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
view details
Veteran Suicide: A Growing Problem in Colorado
A suicide prevention brief demonstrating how rural veterans and active duty service members in Colorado are disproportionally affected by suicide. Discusses the mental health status of veterans and barriers to accessing mental health services. Describes several strategies and prevention programs to help prevent veteran suicide.
Author(s): Karam Ahmad, Jaclyn Zubrzycki, Ashlie Brown, et al.
Date: 07/2017
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Institute
view details
Prevalence of and Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities in Vulnerable Veteran Populations: A Map of the Evidence
Identifies studies that examine disparities in utilization, quality of healthcare, or health of veterans, those that evaluate interventions that mitigate disparities in the Veterans Health Administration, and those examining health disparities. Features statistics on topics including health disparities according to rural residence or distance from a VHA Medical Center.
Author(s): Karli Kondo, Allison Low, Teresa Everson, et al.
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
view details
The Association Between Neighborhood Environment and Mortality: Results from a National Study of Veterans
Details a study on the connection between neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) and health, specifically mortality, among veterans. Looks at VHA data by demographic information, such as age, sex, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Karin Nelson, Greg Schwartz, Susan Hernandez, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 32(4), 416-422
Date: 04/2017
view details
Veterans Health Administration: Actions Needed to Better Recruit and Retain Clinical and Administrative Staff
Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Health and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs detailing the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) challenges in attracting, hiring, and retaining top healthcare talent, including in rural locations. Also discusses the VHA's capacity to perform key human resources functions and makes recommendations for future improvements.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Veterans' Health Care: Preliminary Observations on Veterans' Access to Choice Program Care
Reports on the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans to receive care from non-VA providers if certain conditions are met. Outlines the process the VA has established for scheduling appointments, discusses what is known about the timeliness of appointments for routine and urgent care, and lays out plans to improve the timeliness of the Choice Program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2017
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Veterans' Location in Health Professional Shortage Areas: Implications for Access to Care and Workforce Supply
Details a study on veterans that live in Health Professional Shortage Areas and their access to care. Focuses on the workforce demands of serving this population.
Author(s): Jamie Mihoko Doyle, Robin A. Streeter
Citation: Health Services Research, 52(s1), 459-480
Date: 02/2017
view details
Which Veterans Enroll in a VA Health Information Exchange Program?
Details a study focusing on the veterans who enroll in the VA's voluntary Health Information Exchange Program, which connects Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data with non-VHA facilities. Breaks down data by age and rural vs. urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Brian E Dixon, Susan Ofner, Susan M Perkins, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 24(1), 96-105
Date: 01/2017
view details
Remote Eye Care Screening for Rural Veterans with Technology-Based Eye Care Services: A Quality Improvement Project
Highlights the improvement in access to eye care and screening services for veterans as a result of the Technology-based Eye Care Services (TECS), a quality improvement project developed by the Atlanta Veterans Affairs (VA). Provides data on patient demographics, eye care service, and diagnoses broken down by Rural Urban Commuting Area.
Author(s): April Maa, Barbara Wojciechowski, Kelly Hunt, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 17(1), 4045
Date: 01/2017
view details
Veterans in Rural America: 2011-2015
Reports detailed demographic, social, and economic characteristics of rural veterans, based primarily on 2011–2015 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates. Includes comparisons of rural veterans to both urban veterans and rural nonveterans. Topics addressed include health insurance coverage, disability status and service-connected disability, and use of VA healthcare.
Additional links: Rural Veterans State Tables
Author(s): Kelly Ann Holder
Date: 01/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
view details