Accessing VA Healthcare During Large-Scale Natural Disasters. Issue 1 (2nd January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Der-Martirosian, Claudia; Pinnock, Laura; Dobalian, Aram
• Is Part Of: Hospital topics. Volume 95:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2017-01-02
• Subjects: Access to care -- natural disasters -- survey -- VA users -- Veteran's Affairs; Hospitals -- Administration -- Periodicals; Hospitals -- Periodicals; 362.11068
• DOI: 10.1080/00185868.2016.1276748
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0018-5868

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Natural disasters can lead to the closure of medical facilities including the Veterans Affairs (VA), thus impacting access to healthcare for U.S. military veteran VA users. We examined the characteristics of VA patients who reported having difficulty accessing care if their usual source of VA care was closed because of natural disasters. A total of 2, 264 veteran VA users living in the U.S. northeast region participated in a 2015 cross-sectional representative survey. The study used VA administrative data in a complex stratified survey design with a multimode approach. A total of 36% of veteran VA users reported having difficulty accessing care elsewhere, negatively impacting the functionally impaired and lower income VA patients.