Examining the Utility of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Traumatic Brain Injury Screening among Women Veterans: Recommendations for Expansion to Include Interpersonal Violence.

ABSTRACT: Women veterans (WVs) are more likely than men veterans to experience traumatic brain injury (TBI) from causes unrelated to deployment. Yet, current Veterans Health Administration (VHA) TBI screening focuses on deployment. This study examines the utility of the VHA TBI screening tool for WVs. Using the Boston Assessment for TBI-Lifetime (BAT-L) as the gold standard, sensitivity and specificity of the VHA screen were identified for deployment and non-deployment injuries. Injuries missed by the screen were thematically described. Sensitivity and specificity were compared by context (research, clinical). Ninety WVs were included; fifty-three (60.9%) met TBI criteria per the BAT-L. For TBIs occurring during deployment, sensitivity was higher in research (89.1%) compared to clinics (61.7%); spec

SUBMITTER: Pebole MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11352346 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature