The Health Status of the US Veterans: A Longitudinal Analysis of Surveillance Data Prior to and during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ABSTRACT: Chronic diseases affect a disproportionate number of United States (US) veterans, causing significant long-term health issues and affecting entitlement spending. This longitudinal study examined the health status of US veterans as compared to non-veterans pre- and post-COVID-19, utilizing the annual Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS) survey data. Age-adjusted descriptive point estimates were generated independently for 2003 through 2021, while complex weighted panel data were generated from 2011 and onward. General linear modeling revealed that the average US veteran reports a higher prevalence of disease conditions except for mental health disorders when compared to a non-veteran. These findings were consistent with both pre-

SUBMITTER: Betancourt JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10378995 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature