Differences In Health Conditions Research Articles

Navigating Sex-Specific Disease Dynamics in Incident Dementia.

Dementia is among the leading causes of cognitive and functional loss and disability in older adults. Past studies suggested sex differences in health conditions and progression of cognitive decline. Existing studies on the temporal trajectory of health conditions for patient characterization after dementia diagnosis are scarce and ambiguous. Thus, there's limited and unclear research on how health conditions change over time after a dementia diagnosis. To this end, we aim to analyze the shift in medical conditions and examine sex-specific changes in patterns of chronic health conditions after dementia diagnosis. We centered our analysis on a 15-year window around the point of dementia diagnosis, encompassing the 5 years leading up to the diagnosis and the 10 years following it. We introduce (i) MedMet, a network metric to quantify the contribution of each medical condition, and (ii) growth and decay function for temporal trajectory analysis of medical conditions. Our experiments demonstrate that certain health conditions are more prevalent among females than males. Thus, our findings underscore the pressing need to examine differences between men and women, which could be important for healthcare utilization after a dementia diagnosis.

Inequities in Health Care Services Caused by the Adoption of Digital Health Technologies: Scoping Review.

BackgroundDigital health technologies (ie, the integration of digital technology and health information) aim to increase the efficiency of health care delivery; they are rapidly adapting to health care contexts to provide improved medical services for citizens. However, contrary to expectations, their rapid adoption appears to have led to health inequities, with differences in health conditions or inequality in the distribution of health care resources among different populations.ObjectiveThis scoping review aims to identify and describe the inequities of health care services brought about by the adoption of digital health technologies. The factors influencing such inequities, as well as the corresponding countermeasures to ensure health equity among different groups of citizens, were also studied.MethodsPrimary studies and literature, including articles and reviews, published in English between 1990 and 2020 were retrieved using appropriate search strategies across the following three electronic databases: Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus. Data management was performed by two authors (RY and WZ) using Thomson Endnote (Clarivate Analytics, Inc), by systematically screening and identifying eligible articles for this study. Any conflicts of opinion were resolved through discussions with the corresponding author. A qualitative descriptive synthesis was performed to determine the outcomes of this scoping review.ResultsA total of 2325 studies were collected during the search process, of which 41 (1.76%) papers were identified for further analysis. The quantity of literature increased until 2016, with a peak in 2020. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Norway ranked among the top 3 countries for publication output. Health inequities caused by the adoption of digital health technologies in health care services can be reflected in the following two dimensions: the inability of citizens to obtain and adopt technology and the different disease outcomes found among citizens under technical intervention measures. The factors that influenced inequities included age, race, region, economy, and education level, together with health conditions and eHealth literacy. Finally, action can be taken to alleviate inequities in the future by government agencies and medical institutions (eg, establishing national health insurance), digital health technology providers (eg, designing high-quality tools), and health care service recipients (eg, developing skills to access digital technologies).ConclusionsThe application of digital health technologies in health care services has caused inequities to some extent. However, existing research has certain limitations. The findings provide a comprehensive starting point for future research, allowing for further investigation into how digital health technologies may influence the unequal distribution of health care services. The interaction between individual subjective factors as well as social support and influencing factors should be included in future studies. Specifically, access to and availability of digital health technologies for socially disadvantaged groups should be of paramount importance.

Sex Differences in Health Conditions Associated with Sexual Assault in a Large Hospital Population

Introduction: Sexual assault is an urgent public health concern with both immediate and long-lasting health consequences, affecting 44% of women and 25% of men during their lifetimes. Large studies are needed to understand the unique healthcare needs of this patient population. Methods: We mined clinical notes to identify patients with a history of sexual assault in the electronic health record (EHR) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), a large university hospital in the Southeastern USA, from 1989 to 2021 (N = 3,376,424). Using a phenome-wide case-control study, we identified diagnoses co-occurring with disclosures of sexual assault. We performed interaction tests to examine whether sex modified any of these associations. Association analyses were restricted to a subset of patients receiving regular care at VUMC (N = 833,185). Results: The phenotyping approach identified 14,496 individuals (0.43%) across the VUMC-EHR with documentation of sexual assault and achieved a positive predictive value of 93.0% (95% confidence interval = 85.6–97.0%), determined by manual patient chart review. Out of 1,703 clinical diagnoses tested across all subgroup analyses, 465 were associated with sexual assault. Sex-by-trauma interaction analysis revealed 55 sex-differential associations and demonstrated increased odds of psychiatric diagnoses in male survivors. Discussion: This case-control study identified associations between disclosures of sexual assault and hundreds of health conditions, many of which demonstrated sex-differential effects. The findings of this study suggest that patients who have experienced sexual assault are at risk for developing wide-ranging medical and psychiatric comorbidities and that male survivors may be particularly vulnerable to developing mental illness.

Gender Differences in Mental and Physical Health: Implications for Aging With a Traumatic Brain Injury

Early life experiences can influence later life outcomes such as physical, mental, and cognitive health. Previous research investigated the effect of childhood socioeconomic status in relation to mid-to-later life cognition (Liu & Lachman, 2019); however, the effects of childhood emotional adversity on cognition have not been examined. Controlling for age, education, sex, and race, the current study investigated the influence of childhood emotional adversity and later life friend solidarity on change in later life episodic memory, executive functioning, and subjective memory (i.e., perceived memory compared to others same age). Utilizing the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) database, we studied 2,752 participants (50-75 years, M=60.09, SD=6.97, 53% female, 84% White) with completed measures on MIDUS 1 retrospective childhood adversity, MIDUS 2 friend solidarity, and MIDUS 2/3 cognition. Multilevel modeling (Mplus) was used. Higher friend solidarity was associated with higher executive functioning (b=0.122, p<.01) and higher subjective memory (b=0.267, p<.001), suggesting the positive impact of supportive friendships. Higher childhood emotional adversity was associated with lower perceived subjective memory (b=-0.037, p<.05). There was no significant friend solidarity by emotional adversity interaction. Together, these findings suggest that later life friend solidarity may be important for objective and subjective cognition; whereas, childhood emotional adversity may play a role in subjective cognition. Given the associations in prior research between lower perceptions of memory and lower mental well-being and quality of daily life, experiencing childhood emotional adversity may increase risk of lower perceptions of well-being, including cognitive functioning.

Gender Differences in Mental and Physical Health: Implications for Aging With a Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability and death in the U.S., and survivors often experience temporary or life-long health effects as a result of their injury. While risks and outcomes of fall-related TBI in older adults have been well-documented, the intersection of TBI-related health challenges and the experience of aging with a TBI is less well understood. This project explores gender differences in health outcomes among TBI survivors. A Needs Assessment survey was conducted in early 2020 with adult TBI survivors in Missouri (n=150). The mean age of respondents was 46 and 58% identified as male. Bivariate analyses reveal gender differences in health conditions among TBI survivors before and after injury. Significantly more males than females reported substance use disorder for alcohol (20.7% and 7.9%, p < .05) prior to injury, whereas twice as many females reported developing chronic pain after injury than males (68.3% and 31.0%, p < .001). Further, while about 21% of both male and female respondents reported experiencing other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, prior to injury, over 35% of males and almost 58% of females experienced mental health concerns after injury. Additionally, balance/mobility issues, sleep disorders, sensory issues, and cognitive challenges were frequently identified post-injury conditions. Co-morbidities impact our experiences, capabilities, and quality of life as we age. Policies and programs to support TBI survivors and their families may better address the co-occurring health conditions among TBI survivors by considering gender differences in the experience of aging with a TBI.

Examining Health of Wetlands with Multiple Ecosystem Services as Targets in China’s Coastal Regions

Coastal zones are key interconnectors of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Due to the degradation and fragmentation of coastal wetlands, there is an urgent need to develop assessment methodology to compare the health of wetland ecosystems at different spatial scales. This will help efficiently develop and implement protections using easy-to-access ecosystem health data. This study aims to understand the spatial distribution of coastal and inland wetland health for China’s coastal regions. A Wetland Health Index (WHI) was developed to provide a basis for policy and decision making. Four utilization models—Long Term Model, Open Model, Nature Reserve Model, and Protected and Economic Model—were defined in the context of China’s coastal regions to specifically examine wetland health. Results show that the average WHI score was 63.6 with the range of 44.8–84.3 for 35 National Nature Reserves (NNRs), and the southern NNRs generally performed better than the northern NNRs. The wetlands in the southern provinces/municipalities are relatively healthier than their northern counterparts. The competent authority has slight influence on WHI scores but duration of conservation establishment does not show a clear correlation. With increasing economic activity, the differences in health conditions (WHI scores) of China’s coastal regions also increase. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or economic intensification does not relate to WHI scores. Appropriate trade-offs between wetland management and economic development could contribute to improve health conditions, conservation and utilization of coastal and inland wetlands.

Health behaviour among bilingual Swedish speaking patients in the Finnish healthcare setting.

Objective:We assessed the prevalence and consequences of discordant language communication between bilingual Swedish speaking emergency patients and general practitioners (GPs) in Finnish healthcare. We compared the results with Finnish speaking emergency patients provided with language concordant healthcare.Materials and Methods:A researcher-designed questionnaire was used to collect data about both Swedish and Finnish speaking emergency patients' health and socioeconomic status, reason for emergency visits and use of healthcare. Furthermore, the Swedish speakers' nonnative language proficiency and preferred communication language were examined. The study was performed in 16 healthcare centers and outpatient departments in bilingual regions in Finland.Results:The Swedish speakers (n = 139) visited healthcare centers less than the Finnish speakers (n = 736) (P = 0.001) and communicated less frequently with the GP in their native language (P < 0.001). The Swedish speakers more often planned to revisit their assigned GP (P < 0.001) after the emergency visit. No differences in health conditions and socioeconomic status between the language groups were observed.Conclusion:Although Swedish and Finnish speaking emergency patients report a similar prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, Swedish speakers make fewer annual visits to a physician. We suggest that discordant language communication might relate to decreased healthcare visits among bilingual Swedish speaking emergency patients.

Aging and the Hidden Costs of Going Home to Mexico.

Data from the Mexican Census reveal that between 2005 and 2015, nearly two million migrants returned voluntarily to Mexico from the United States. Currently, high rates of voluntary-return migration to Mexico continue at the same time that migration flows to the U.S. steadily decline. This return migration trend presents serious challenges for Mexico, a country that has long struggled to satisfy the health care demands of its population. However, little is known about return migrants' health care needs. In this study, we examine the health risk profiles and healthcare utilization for Mexican return migrants and the non-migrant population. We examine how these outcomes are affected by both the migration and return migration experience of the returnee population, while paying close attention to age-group differences. We employ inverse probability weighting regression adjustment (IPWRA) and logistic regression analysis of a sample of 348,450 respondents from the 2014 National Survey of Demographic Dynamics (ENADID) to test for differences in health conditions between those Mexican return migrants and non-migrants. We then turn to the Survey of Migration at Mexico's Northern Border (EMIF Norte, for its Spanish acronym) for the 2014-2017 period to further assess whether certain characteristics linked to aging and the migration experience influence the prevalence of chronic health conditions, and health insurance coverage among 17,258 returned migrants. Findings reveal that compared to non-migrants, returnees are more likely to be physically impaired. These poor health outcomes are influenced by the migration and return migration experience and vary by age group and duration of residence, the time that has elapsed since returning to Mexico. We do not find an association between return migration and mental or emotional distress. Policy implications are discussed in light of immigration reform and restrictions on eligibility for health insurance coverage for older adults in Mexico.

Health Inequality between Migrant and Non-Migrant Workers in an Industrial Zone of Vietnam.

Vietnam has experienced massive internal migration waves from rural to industrialized zones. However, little efforts have been made to understand differences in health conditions and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between local and migrant industrial workers. This study aimed to examine the inequality in health status and HRQOL between these workers. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 289 Vietnamese workers at three industrial areas in Hanoi and Bac Ninh. Self-reported health status and HRQOL were measured using the EuroQOL-5 dimensions-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L) instrument. Sociodemographic, working, and environmental factors were also investigated. Overall, the mean EQ-5D index was 0.74 (SD = 0.21) and the average number of health problems in the last 12 months in our sample was 1.91 (SD = 1.63) problems. Migrant people had a lower EQ-5D index (β = −0.08, p < 0.01) and more health problems (β = 0.20, p < 0.05) compared to local workers. Those being male, working in the same posture more than 60 min, and exposed to more hazards at work were correlated with a lower EQ-5D index and higher number of health problems. The results highlighted inequalities in health status and HRQOL between migrant and local workers. Reinforcing regular health check-ups, ensuring sufficient protective equipment and working conditions may help improve the health outcomes of the workers.

Health status and support needs of low-income people admitted to supportive housing in urban areas of Japan: Research on new residents across several age groups

Objectives The aim of this study is to report on the health status of residents in supportive housing in urban areas of Japan, and to explore the differences in health conditions across different age groups within this population.Methods The participants were 341 residents who had newly been admitted to supportive housing managed by a nonprofit organization. We examined their admission records and documented their health conditions. Differences in health conditions across age groups were also explored.Results More than 90 percent of the participants were single men, aged 40 or older, and living on welfare. The main reasons for their utilization of supportive housing were the lack of accommodation after leaving a hospital or facility, decrease in physical function, and progression of dementia. A high proportion of participants under 40 years had an addiction problem, schizophrenia, intellectual disorders, or developmental disorders. Participants aged 40-59 years had high rates of lifestyle-related diseases in addition to mental illnesses. Furthermore, for those aged 60 years and older, the prevalence of geriatric syndromes such as dementia, hearing impairment, and visual impairment was high. Additionally, there was a high proportion of elderly participants whose health status was unknown when they were admitted to supportive housing.Conclusion Most residents who had been admitted to supportive housing in the urban areas of Japan had physical or mental illnesses, and their life and support needs varied by age group. These findings suggest that it may be necessary for residents living in urban supportive housing in Japan to receive not only increased medical and psychological care but also age group-specific care.

Large Cohort Data Based Cost-Effective Disease Prevention Design Strategy: Strong Heart Study.

Background and Objective:A multitude of large cohort studies have collected data on incidence and covariates/risk factors of various chronic diseases. However, approaches for utilization of these large data and translation of the valuable results to inform and guide clinical disease prevention practice are not well developed. In this paper, we proposed, based on large cohort study data, a novel conceptual cost-effective disease prevention design strategy for a target group when it is not affordable to include everyone in the target group for intervention.Methods and Results:Data from American Indian participants (n = 3516; 2056 women) aged 45 – 74 years in the Strong Heart Study, the diabetes risk prediction model from the study, a utility function, and regression models were used. A conceptual cost-effective disease prevention design strategy based on large cohort data was initiated. The application of the proposed strategy for diabetes prevention was illustrated.Discussion:The strategy may provide reasonable solutions to address cost-effective prevention design issues. These issues include complex associations of a disease with its significant risk factors, cost-effectively selecting individuals at high risk of developing disease to undergo intervention, individual differences in health conditions, choosing intervention risk factors and setting their appropriate, attainable, gradual and adaptive goal levels for different subgroups, and assessing effectiveness of the prevention program.Conclusions:The strategy and methods shown in the illustrative example can also be analogously adopted and applied to other diseases preventions. The proposed strategy provides a way to translate and apply epidemiological study results to clinical disease prevention practice.

City and Health: An Exploratory Overview of Research Issues

&lt;p&gt;The bottom line of welfare on our planet and its people is not only dependent on traditional economic measures, but also on knowledge and education and – last but not least – on human health. Human health is a critical factor for the welfare and prosperity of society. Many parameters appear to play a role in a health equation, even though the empirical measurement of health is fraught with many conceptual and empirical problems. As a consequence, we observe many disparities in empirical health conditions in a heterogeneous society; an appropriate definition and measurement of 'good health' are far from easy. Next to health disparities caused by a heterogeneity among the population, there is also an important geographical component in the spread of health patterns of the population as a result of differences in environmental quality-of-life, spatial density, quality of and access to health care facilities, and social stress conditions. From this perspective, geography matters in the field of human health. Although geographic differences in health conditions are not the only reason for people to reside or stay in a certain place, they are certainly an important decision parameter, often in combination with wellness conditions and environmental quality conditions. The aim of the present paper is to provide an overview of the literature on the geography of health and wellness, while the study is concluded with some lessons for research and policy.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Purpose:&lt;/strong&gt; The aim of the present paper is to provide an overview of the literature on the geography of health and wellness.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methodology/Approach:&lt;/strong&gt; Literature review. We will outline the geography of human health, through a concise literature survey of the geographical patterns in human health outcomes to address the general research findings on spatial differences in health in relation to urban-rural patterns of life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Findings:&lt;/strong&gt; The measurement of human health is fraught with many difficulties, as it is often not clear whether a correction is made for supply factors (such as health care facilities) or for individual characteristics of the people concerned (such as age or gender). In the social-medical research literature this has led to an increasing popularity of meta-analytic methods.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Research Limitation/implication:&lt;/strong&gt; Meta-analysis may be seen as a collection of quantitative research techniques that aim at providing a synthesis of previously undertaken impact studies in a given field. Clearly, and ideally, both the response and the moderator variables would have to be identical, but in reality this is not the case. Besides, the quality of the research may be difficult (often reflected in the quality of the journal in which the results are published), while also the contextual conditions may be completely different (such as physical-geographical conditions or socio-economic or poverty conditions). This makes the results of meta-analytic studies somewhat ambiguous, but nevertheless it is a valuable method that may shed more light on the determinants of health outcomes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There is clearly a case for more detailed spatial data on individual health situations. There may be a self-selection (or sorting) mechanism in the locational decisions of households so that there is a need for a more systematic data collection and analysis in this area.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Originality/Value of paper:&lt;/strong&gt; The paper aims to unravel the various forces that determine human health, in particular from the spatial perspective of places of residence.&lt;/p&gt;

Educational Differences in Health Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Brazil and Mexico.

This study examines educational differences in health conditions among middle-aged and older adults in Brazil and Mexico. Cross-sectional data from the 2013 Brazilian National Health Survey and the 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey were used in the analyses. We used multivariate Poisson regressions to examine the relationship between educational level and prevalence of common health conditions (obesity, abdominal obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and hearing and visual impairments). Socioeconomic and sex inequalities persist in both countries. In general, low levels of education were associated with higher risk for having health conditions. However, men of lower education had a smaller risk of abdominal obesity and hypertension. Brazil and Mexico have expanded public health actions aimed at improving health behaviors, diagnosis, and access to treatment of chronic conditions. However, important social disparities remain. Improving lifestyle behaviors, such as physical activity and dietary habits, could benefit both countries.

Severe physical violence and Black women's health and well-being.

We evaluated the association between intimate partner violence and the mental and physical health status of US Caribbean Black and African American women. We used 2001 to 2003 cross-sectional data from the National Survey of American Life-the most detailed study to date of physical and mental health disorders of Americans of African descent. We assessed participants' health conditions by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (Washington, DC; American Psychological Association) Composite International Diagnostic Interview. We found differences in health conditions between abused African American and Caribbean Black women. There were increased risks for lifetime dysthymia, alcohol dependence, drug abuse, and poor perceived health for African American victims of partner abuse, and binge eating disorder was associated with partner violence among Caribbean Black women. Severe intimate partner violence was associated with negative mental and physical health outcomes for US Black women, with different patterns between African American and Caribbean Blacks. Understanding intimate partner violence experiences of US Black women requires recognition of key intragroup differences, including nativity and immigrant status, and their differential relationships to women's health.

AB1179-HPR Associations between Occupational Balance and Immunology: Differences in Health Conditions, Employment Status Und Gender

BackgroundOccupational therapists are health professionals focusing on activities of daily living as a means, but also as an outcome of therapy. A balance of activities, the so-called “occupational balance”, including...

Health conditions in regions of Eastern and Western Europe

We report health conditions in the regions of the European Union (EU) from both objective and subjective perspectives and verify whether drawing conclusions regarding the health conditions in different countries without considering the countries' sub-national variability may lead to inaccurate results. To depict health conditions in the EU regions, two classification methods are used: (1) hierarchical clustering with Ward's method and squared Euclidean distance and (2) k-mean clustering. To illustrate the intra-country variability of health conditions, the coefficients of variation are computed. Health conditions are considerably better in the western regions of the EU. Objective and subjective health measures do not always coincide. Extensive within-country differences in health conditions exist. The EU is clearly split into the EU-15 and Central and Eastern European countries; however, this division is observed with respect to objective health conditions only. Inclusion of self-perceived health status in the analysis measures considerably changes this picture.

Gender differences in health conditions and socio-economic status of adults with congenital heart disease in a developing country

Providing appropriate care for adults with congenital heart disease requires the evaluation of their current situation. There is limited research in Iran about these patients, particularly in relation to gender differences in the demographic/socio-economic and lifestyle factors, as well as disease parameters. The sample consisted of 347 congenital heart disease patients in the age group of 18–64 years, including 181 women, assessed by an analytical cross-sectional study. The patients were recruited from the two major heart hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using questionnaires. The mean age of the patients was 33.24 years. Women were more often married and more often had offspring than men (p < 0.001). Educational level and annual income were similar between women and men. Unemployment was higher among women (p < 0.001), but financial strain was higher among men (p < 0.001). Smoking, alcohol, and water-pipe use was higher among men than among women (p < 0.001). Cardiac factors, for example number of cardiac defects, were similar among women and men, except that there were more hospitalisations owing to cardiac problems, for example arrhythmia, among men. Disease was diagnosed mostly at the hospital (57.4%). Most medical care was provided by cardiologists (65.1%). Only 50.1% of patients had knowledge about their type of cardiac defect. Gender differences exist in the socio-economic and lifestyle characteristics of adults with congenital heart disease, in some cases related to the disease severity. Our findings also point to the need for interventions to increase patients’ knowledge about, and use of, healthier lifestyle behaviours, irrespective of gender. Furthermore, providing appropriate jobs, vocational training, and career counselling may help patients to be more productive.

Abstract ED04-02: Are we moving beyond race in clinical care? Lessons from the RACE Project

Abstract Physicians hold attitudes about the causes of racial differences in health conditions, and they use race as a heuristic in their clinical practice. The presentation will explore the interaction of patient and provider characteristics on health care providers’ use of genetics and genomics knowledge in their clinical practice. Advancing this field of study requires research to assess how clinicians use and think about race and human genetic variation. Understanding physicians’ perceptions of race and genetics and its use in the clinical encounter as a context to shed light on contributors to racial and ethnic health disparities and the role genetic screening programs and genomic medicine may or may not have in reducing those racial and ethnic health disparities. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):ED04-02.

Social Services Viewed Through New Lenses: Agency Problems in Education and Health in Latin America

Latin America spends large amounts of resources on social services, yet its life expectancy and education levels are low compared to other regions with similar levels of income. A key reason is the inherent difficulty of making social services produce efficiently in response to demands and needs. This working paper shows how improving the organization of these service systems can make a significant difference in health conditions and student learning. A general framework applying the lessons of theories of the firm to the particularities of social services is developed, followed by a summary of case studies which assess the impact of organization on performance in education and in health. The paper shows that the relationships and rules followed by governments, service providers, and consumers can mean the difference between success and failure. It also describes a wealth of approaches that point toward better ways of organizing social services and ultimately improving health and education in the region.

The Burden of Illness in the First Year Home: Do Male and Female VA Users Differ in Health Conditions and Healthcare Utilization

Background We sought to describe gender differences in medical and mental health conditions and health care utilization among veterans who used Veterans Health Administration (VA) services in the first year after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Methods This is an observational study, using VA administrative and clinical data bases, of 163,812 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans who had enrolled in VA and who had at least one visit within 1 year of last deployment. Results Female veterans were slightly younger (mean age, 30 years vs. 32 for men; p <.0001), twice as likely to be African American (30% vs. 15%; p <.0001), and less likely to be married (32% vs. 49%; p < .0001). Women had more visits to primary care (2.6 vs. 2.0; p < .001) and mental health (4.0 vs. 3.6; p < .001) clinics and higher use of community care outside the VA (14% vs. 10%; p < .001). After adjustment for significant demographic differences, women were more likely to have musculoskeletal and skin disorders, mild depression, major depression, and adjustment disorders, whereas men were more likely to have ear disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder. Thirteen percent of women sought care for gynecologic examination, 10% for contraceptive counseling, and 7% for menstrual disorders. Conclusion Female veterans had similar rates of physical conditions, but higher rates of some mental health disorders and additionally, used the VA for reproductive health needs. They also had slightly greater rates of health care service use. These findings highlight the complexity of female Veteran health care and support the development of enhanced comprehensive women’s health services within the VA.