Special Issue of Health Equity devoted to veterans issues

A special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Health Equity titled “Improving Care for Veterans Through Health Equity Research” includes 13 articles that discuss issues vital to Veterans. These articles range from highlighting the importance of expanding the scientific workforce to promoting health equity within the Veterans Administration. Click here to read the issue now.

Rachel Ramoni and Carolyn Clancy, from the Department of Veterans Affairs, coauthored the article titled “Improving Care for Veterans Through Health Equity Research.” To improve Veterans’ well-being, “we must actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across the full range of domains, including the research workforce, representation in research, and funding DEI research,” state the authors. In the article, they highlight examples of health equity research conducted by Veterans Affairs (VA) investigators, as well as DEI efforts by the VA community.

In the article titled “Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the VA Scientific Workforce Through Mentored Experiences,” Shakeria Cohen, PhD, from the VA Office of Research and Development, and coauthors, describe the work of the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Working Group (DEIWG), which has been meeting biweekly for nearly 3 years. Its mission is to develop a diverse scientific  workforce by providing training and funding opportunities to investigators who are currently underrepresented in the health sciences.

Stacey Whitbourne, PhD, from the VA Boston Healthcare System, and colleagues, coauthored the article titled “Overview of Efforts to Increase Women Enrollment in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program.” The VA Million Veteran Program (MVP) aims at increasing access for women Veterans to participate in research. The MVP Women’s Campaign, which included a combination of print and digital outreach tactics and direct email recruitment resulted in more than a 5-fold increase in women Veteran enrollees during a 7-month period.

About the Journal
Health Equity is a peer-reviewed open access journal that meets the urgent need for authoritative information about health disparities and health equity among vulnerable populations. With coverage ranging from translational research to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of disease and illness, the Journal serves as a primary resource for organizations and individuals who serve these populations at the community, state, regional, tribal, and national levels. Complete information is available on the Health Equity website.

About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a global media company dedicated to creating, curating, and delivering impactful peer-reviewed research and authoritative content services to advance the fields of biotechnology and the life sciences, specialized clinical medicine, and public health and policy. For complete information, please visit the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.