Prevention services received by veterans visiting VHA facilities.

OBJECTIVES: This paper presents rates with which veterans report receiving 13 recommended health promotion and disease prevention services. Results were compared with the U.S. Healthy People 2000 goals. METHODS: Random samples of 300 men and 150 women visiting primary care clinics in six Veterans Health Affairs facilities were drawn. A 66% adjusted response rate was achieved after two mailings (n = 1,703). Weighted averages for each prevention service were calculated. RESULTS: For preventive services targeted to all age groups, both male and female veterans currently exceed the Year 2000 goal in hypertension detection and tobacco counseling. Female veterans also exceed the Year 2000 goal in "almost always" using seat belts. For prevention services targeted to specific age-gender subgroups, both male and female veterans currently exceed the Year 2000 goals for four of the six primary and secondary prevention services. CONCLUSIONS: Both male and female veterans exceed Year 2000 goals for the receipt of nearly half of the preventive services. Nevertheless, additional screening and counseling services should be made available to veterans of all age categories.

Duke Scholars

Author Robert Joseph Sullivan Jr. Family Medicine and Community Health, Family Medicine