The physical demands on U.S. service members have increased significantly over the past several decades as the number of military operations requiring overseas deployment have expanded in frequency, duration, and intensity. These elevated demands from military operations placed upon a small subset of the population may be resulting in a group of individuals more at-risk for a variety of debilitating health conditions. To better understand how the U.S Veterans health outcomes compared to non-Veterans, this study utilized the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset to examine 10 different self-reported morbidities. Yearly age-adjusted, population estimates from 2003 to 2019 were used for Veteran vs. non-Veteran. Complex weights were used to evaluate the panel series for each morbidity overweight/obesity, heart disease, stroke, skin cancer, cancer, COPD, arthritis, mental health, kidney disease, and diabetes. General linear models (GLM’s) were created using 2019 data only to investigate any possible explanatory variables associated with these morbidities. The time series analysis showed that Veterans have disproportionately higher self-reported rates of each morbidity with the exception of mental health issues and heart disease. The GLM showed that when taking into account all the variables, Veterans disproportionately self-reported a higher amount of every morbidity with the exception of mental health. These data present an overall poor state of the health of the average U.S. Veteran. Our study findings suggest that when taken as a whole, these morbidities among Veterans could prompt the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to help develop more effective health interventions aimed at improving the overall health of the Veterans.

Background: Chagas disease is a zoonotic infection caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which affects an estimated 8–11 million people globally. Chagas disease is almost always associated with poverty in rural areas and disproportionately impacts immigrants from Latin America living in the United States. Approximately 20–30% of people who are infected with Chagas disease will develop a chronic form of the infection that can be fatal if left untreated. Chagas disease is vastly underestimated in the United States, often goes undiagnosed and is not well understood by most U.S. healthcare providers. One of the most important ways at reducing barriers to improving diagnostics of Chagas disease in the U.S. is giving healthcare providers the most up-to-date information and access to leading experts. Methods: An online webinar was conducted for healthcare providers, veterinarians and public health professionals using Chagas disease expert panelists. Pre and post tests were administered to participants (n = 57) to determine the efficacy in raising awareness and to determine key focus areas for improving knowledge. A Wilcoxon rank-sum was used for non-parametric variables equivalent and for questions that assessed knowledge the McNemar’s Chi-Square test was used. Results: There were statistically significant learning increases in multiple categories including transmission (p = <.001), clinical presentation (p = 0.016), diagnostics (p = <.001), and treatment (p = <.001). Conclusion: Providing easily accessible learning opportunities using validated testing and evaluations should be further developed for rural healthcare providers in the U.S. as well as healthcare providers serving under represented populations such as immigrants. There is a clear lack of knowledge and awareness surrounding Chagas disease in the United States and just by raising awareness and providing education on the topic, lives will be saved.

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- and post-COVID-19; however, both groups reported a higher prevalence of mental health issues during the pandemic years. The findings suggest that there have been no improvements in reducing veteran comorbidities to non-veteran levels and that COVID-19 adversely affected the mental health of both populations.

The obesity epidemic in the United States has been well documented and serves as the basis for a number of health interventions across the nation. However, those who have served in the U.S. military (Veteran population) suffer from obesity in higher numbers and have an overall disproportionate poorer health status when compared to the health of the older non-Veteran population in the U.S. which may further compound their overall health risk. This study examined both the commonalities and the differences in obesity rates and the associated co-morbidities among the U.S. Veteran population, utilizing data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). These data are considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be the nation’s best source for health-related survey data, and the 2018 version includes 437,467 observations. Study findings show not only a significantly higher risk of obesity in the U.S. Veteran population, but also a significantly higher level (higher odds ratio) of the associated co-morbidities when compared to non-Veterans, including coronary heart disease (CHD) or angina (odds ratio (OR) = 2.63); stroke (OR = 1.86); skin cancer (OR = 2.18); other cancers (OR = 1.73); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR = 1.52), emphysema, or chronic bronchitis; arthritis (OR = 1.52), rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or fibromyalgia; depressive disorders (OR = 0.84), and diabetes (OR = 1.61) at the 0.95 confidence interval level.

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in ambulatory care to meet new healthcare demands. Materials and Methods: A review of 21 articles focusing on patient co-creation initiatives during the pandemic shows that integrating patient feedback was crucial in transforming care delivery. Results: Joint efforts between healthcare professionals and patients led to new patient-focused telemedicine platforms, more efficient appointment systems, and improved safety measures. These adaptations overcame care barriers and maintained continuity of care. Key themes identified include monitoring community health standards, combining technology with patient–provider communication, and enhancing patient participation in health research. Conclusions: These co-creation efforts not only boosted patient satisfaction and outcomes but also demonstrated the potential for long-term healthcare innovations beyond the pandemic. The review further illuminates that co-creation in healthcare, particularly in tracking community health trends, is a practical strategy that involves diverse stakeholders in shaping healthcare delivery. The widespread adoption of co-creation in outpatient care during the pandemic highlights its role in driving patient-centered behavioral changes through innovative methods like crowdsourcing and dialogue conferencing. The review also recognizes that co-creation has been instrumental in responding to demographic changes, enhancing resources, creativity, and problem-solving in municipal-volunteer collaborations. Additionally, the evolution of technology in patient–provider communication, from initial resistance in the 1990s to its current critical role, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores its importance in enhancing healthcare service delivery and patient data communication. The review also emphasizes the need for ethically and accessibly designed technology, especially for vulnerable groups, and highlights the significance of patient involvement in healthcare research, advocating for user-centered design and shared decision-making to create truly patient-centric interventions.

Background and Aims: Obesity and adolescent obesity are international problems that have increased three‐fold since 1975. Adolescent obesity is highly correlated with long‐term health consequences. Sedentism and diet are mostly to blame for this condition. Telemedicine offers solutions, but other systematic reviews do not link telemedicine efforts to health outcomes. The objective of this systematic literature review is to analyze the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in adolescent obesity through analysis of data over the last 10 years internationally. Adolescents were defined as ages 10 to 19. Interventions of telemedicine included mHealth, eHealth, and video conferencing. Methods: Four research databases were queried with a Boolean search string. The systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with a published protocol and reported in accordance with PRISMA (2020). Research articles were accepted if they used a telemedicine intervention to address adolescent obesity. Results: Three interventions (mHealth, eHealth, and video call) were identified in 17 RCTs that originated in nine countries. Interventions reported improvements in BMI, zBMI, weight loss, waist and hip circumference, physical activity, cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein, triglycerides, fasting blood sugar, symptoms of food addiction, health knowledge, muscle mass, strength, agility, body fat, behavior change, adherence to weight‐loss programs, life perspectives, global lifestyles, nutrition, psychological impacts, stress, and depression. Conclusion: Telemedicine offers interventions in the management of adolescent obesity that address both physical and mental health, however, not all interventions reported statistically significant or long‐term results. Successful designs engaged parents, the school system, and adolescents through mHealth and eHealth apps.