Jeremy D. Crisp/United States Army, via Getty ImagesIn this photo made available by the U.S. Department of Defense, Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, stands at attention before receiving the Silver Star at Camp Liberty in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2005.
Do women feel more pain than men? For years, researchers have puzzled over that question, and more often than not, have answered the question yes.
So one might expect a study of pain among women in the military to reach a similar conclusion. Not quite, researchers in New Haven found.
In a review of the records of veterans of the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan, researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine and Veterans Affairs Connecticut Health Care System found that women were less likely than men to report any pain, 38.1 percent to 44 percent.
By a smaller margin, 18 percent to 21.2 percent, the women veterans were also less likely than the men to report having persistent pain.
However, in a finding that did correspond to gender studies of pain among civilians, the researchers found that among veterans with pain, women more often reported significant (as opposed to mild) pain, 68 percent compared to 62.6 for men.
“The findings were surprising to us,” said Dr. Sally Haskell, an associate professor of medicine at Yale who was the lead investigator.
The study was published in the journal, Pain Medicine; the article is available here.
Dr. Haskell, who is also works in women’s health care for the veterans affairs system, said more study would be needed to determine why women veterans might report less pain than men. But she said one possibility is that women are barred from serving in combat units where painful-causing injuries are common.
“Though they get some combat exposure, overall they are getting less than men,” she said.
Dr. Haskell also pointed out that the study was based only on veterans who used the Veterans Affairs health system. But women tend to use the system less than men, which might have skewed the results.
There is also some evidence that women in basic training refuse to report pain out of concerns that they will be kicked out of the military. But Dr. Haskell said there was not enough information to know whether that trend persisted among veterans.
The study entailed reviewing standardized questionnaires filled out by 153,212 veterans who entered the veterans health system within one year of their final deployments. The questionnaires include questions about whether a veteran feels pain, and if so, asks them to rate that pain on a scale of one to 10.
Dr. Haskell said the pain report is part of a larger study comparing the mental health and medical needs of women compared to men returning from war, as more women are seeing combat than ever before. She said the study will eventually look at the persistence of pain over time among women and at gender differences in treatment.
“There is a lot more work to do,” she said. “This is the tip of the iceberg.”
Last Updated on Tuesday, 20 July 2010 16:34
Multi-Symptom Pain Disorders
Written by Tanya- medina.net
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 16:12
Multi Symptom Pain Disorders Observed in War Veterans Returning From the Middle East
For veterans, both men and women, who have returned from Continual Afghanistan, researchers have blamed their increased exposure to recurring blasts, cognitive issues, and deep emotional impacts for the acute and chronic pain that they suffer from now.
The finding was discussed at the American Pain Society's annual scientific meeting.
"These Middle East conflicts, with their very high level of blast injury survivors, call for the military, the VA and the civilian health system to treat post-injury pain as a priority after military discharge to prevent pathophysiology, with a focus of providing effective pain control and rapid restoration of function and social networks to prevent disability and secondary negative health and personal consequences of chronic pain," said Rollin M. Gallagher, M.D. MPH, deputy national program director for pain management for the VA and clinical professor of psychiatry and anaesthesiology, Penn Pain Medicine, University of Pennsylvania.
These disorders are aggravated for some because of multiple tours of duty, especially those who are older and have families.
VA clinicians are now challenged to manage pain in blast survivors with one or several other consequences of blast, such as head injuries causing mild to severe TBI, physical disfigurement and social stigma, emotional trauma, and often post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These problems are overlapped with evidence of sleep problems, substance abuse and depression, which make it harder to treat them with traditional interdisciplinary pain treatment.
The Veteran Administration plans to start cognitive behavioral therapy interventions targeting PTSD, pain, mild TBI, sleep and substance abuse, typically in combination, and with a physical training component.
"Our objectives are to maximize function and life adjustment, prevent symptom
development or exacerbation, and reduce stress through a single team effort," said Dr. Clark, Ph.D., clinical director of the Veteran Administration's largest and most comprehensive pain management and rehabilitation program in Tampa, and associate professor, department of psychology, University of South Florida.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan announced today that nearly 8,000 homeless veterans will get permanent housing assistance through a HUD rental assistance program that connects homeless veterans from local Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) with rental assistance vouchers provided by local public housing agencies. HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Program (HUD-VASH) will provide local public housing agencies with $58.6 million in funding specifically targeted to assist homeless veterans in their area.
For a local breakdown of the rental vouchers announced today, visit: HUD VASH.
“Though they served and sacrificed so much for our country, too many of our veterans find themselves on the streets and in homeless shelters,” said Donovan. “Thankfully, these vouchers will provide a more permanent solution to housing and services these veterans need.”
“Today, the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA) and HUD are making a critical, long-term investment toward ending homelessness among veterans,” said VA Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. “The most effective option to providing veterans permanent shelter is HUD-VA Supportive Housing — HUD-VASH — the Nation’s largest permanent housing initiative for Veterans. We owe every man and woman, who has worn our Nation’s military uniforms, a level of courage and determination that matches theirs as we work to end veteran homelessness. HUD-VASH is immensely important and effective to reaching our goal.”
The grants announced today are part of a $75 million investment to support the needs of homeless veterans. HUD expects to announce a second round of funding for another 1,355 rental vouchers next month and an additional 400 project-based vouchers later this summer. Local public housing agencies that administer HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV) work closely with VAMCs to manage the program. In addition to the rental assistance, VAMCs provide supportive services and case management to eligible homeless veterans.
HUD allocates the housing vouchers to local public housing agencies, which are specifically targeted to homeless veterans based on a variety of factors, including the number of reported homeless veterans and the proximity of a local VAMC with the capacity to provide case management. Local communities that receive HUD homeless assistance will work with local VAMCs to identify eligible participants. VAMC case managers will also work directly with local housing agencies that are administering the HUD-VASH program to determine income eligibility and help participants find suitable housing. Veterans participating in the HUD-VASH program rent privately owned housing and generally contribute no more than 30 percent of their income toward rent. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers eligible homeless veterans clinical and supportive services through its medical centers across the U.S and Puerto Rico.
This is the third year HUD is supporting the housing and service needs of homeless veterans across America through HUD-VASH with a total investment of $225 million that will sustain approximately 30,000 rental assistance vouchers.
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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.
You know, I love Facebook and the camaraderie I share with all the other bulldog lovers and pet owners. It was through a Facebook encounter that I came upon Pets for Vets.
Our family has always had pets and I pushed for a dog for my son who I thought should learn to care for a pet. While I have been unemployed, I have had over 5 dogs stay with us. We took careful consideration choosing each one, and some worked with our lifestyle, some did not. As we are empty nesters I decided that having a pet to care for, something that actually needed me-even as I had become almost helpless myself-gave me a sense of belonging.
Animals can give you a great feeling, the feeling of being needed and loved. If you choose the right pet, they become part of the integral family and we treat our dogs as our children. They have learned to love and listen to us, and they can understand so much just by the tone in your voice, rather than the words you speak. The picture of the bulldog above is our latest "baby" and he is so well mannered, gentle and sweet, that we treat him just like a child and he loves all the attention. If you are not capable of loving an animal, please do not try to befriend one. There are many people out there who need a sense of worthiness that a pet can bring and no animal should be euthanized.
If you feel your home would be a happy, welcoming home for a pet, please access the following link to learn how you can earn your very own pet-free of charge. The gifts you receive from your pet are so plentiful and they can really repair broken hearts, hopes and dreams. They give you a sense of pleasure, another being needs your support and love. This is one of those; "why didn't I think of that?" moments
William S Middleton Memorial Peer Support Group for Veterans in Pain
Written by Administrator
Tuesday, 16 March 2010 17:19
Do You Live Near Madison Wisconsin?
If so, a new support group is forming and all you have to do is register and attend!
If you are a person living with pain, or a family member of a person with pain, you are eligible to attend the meetings.
They will be on Wednesday mornings after the pain clinic-room to be announced
Our meetings are peer facilitated-which means there are no health care professionals in the room.
Meetings are strictly confidential, and no information is recorded or transcribed.
We want you to feel perfectly comfortable and relaxed.
You can share a wealth of information with everyone in the group.
Referrals and information exchange is the base of our goals.
If you feel as if you can not leave your home, if you feel "out of touch" and want somewhere to start-this is the place!
We cover information important to you-the person with pain. The facilitator has been in your shoes and is a US Veteran.
We understand what it means to live with pain
We show ou what it could be like, living in spite of the pain.
Let's face it, we all fear that if we get better, we will lose our compensation. The fact is-your diagnosis is still the same, whether you are able to live with the pain or not.
You have nothing to loseand plenty to gain by learning to live a quality lifestyle in spite of the pain.
Sign up NOW! Register on this website and we will give you all the toos you need to manage your pain.
Yo are not committed to come every week, chose the subject matter that is most important to you.
