Access to multiple sclerosis specialty care.
BACKGROUND: Health care providers recommend an annual visit to a multiple sclerosis specialty care provider. OBJECTIVE: To examine potential barriers to the implementation of this recommendation in the Veterans Health Administration. DESIGN: Observational cohort study. SETTING: Veterans Health Administration. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were drawn from the Veterans Affairs Multiple Sclerosis National Data Repository and were included if they had an outpatient visit in 2007 and were alive in 2008 (N = 14,723). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Specialty care visit, receipt of medical services. RESULTS: A total of 9643 (65.5%) participants had a specialty care visit in 2007. Veterans who were service connected, had greater medical comorbidity, and who lived in urban settings were more likely to have received a specialty care visit. Veterans who were older and had to travel greater distances to a center were less likely to have a specialty care visit. CONCLUSIONS: Access to care in rural areas and areas at a greater distance from a major medical center represent notable barriers to rehabilitation and other multiple sclerosis-related care.
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- Veterans Health
- United States
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neurology
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Middle Aged
- Male
- Humans
- Hospitals, Veterans
- Hospitalization
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Veterans Health
- United States
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Neurology
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Middle Aged
- Male
- Humans
- Hospitals, Veterans
- Hospitalization