Medical News Vietnam

Share |

Summary

Medical News Vietnam @beautyvn.net: Latest medical news from Vietnam

Description

References

Latest News

Department of Veterans Affairs compensation and medical care benefits accorded to veterans with major limb loss.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
This article describes veterans with service-connected disability for major lower- and/or upper-limb loss resulting from combat-field-associated injuries sustained in the Vietnam war, Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF). Using the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Compensation and Pension Mini-Master file, we identified 2,690 veterans who in August 2007 received compensation for loss of one or more limbs. More than 97% sustained their injuries in Vietnam; most were young men who served in the U.S. Army or Marine Corps. All but 5% had at least 50% combined service-connected disability and nearly half had a 100% rating. In addition to limb loss, one of the most prevalent compensable conditions was posttraumatic st...

Prosthetic cost projections for servicemembers with major limb loss from Vietnam and OIF/OEF.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
This study projects prosthetic- and assistive-device costs for veterans with limb loss from Vietnam and injured servicemembers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) to inform the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for these veterans' future care. The 2005 Medicare prosthetic device component prices were applied to current prosthetic and assistive-device use obtained from a national survey of 581 veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic amputations. Projections were made for 5-year, 10-year, 20-year, and lifetime costs based on eight Markov models. Average 5-year projected costs for prosthetic and assistive-device replacement for the Vietnam group are lower than for the OIF/OEF cohort due in part to use of fewer and less technologically a...

Quality of life for veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss from Vietnam and OIF/OEF conflicts.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: Epstein RA, Heinemann AW, McFarland LV The goals of rehabilitation after major limb loss include not only functional restoration but also a return to a high quality of life (QOL). Few studies have identified which factors are associated with QOL in veterans and servicemembers with combat-associated major limb loss. We enrolled Vietnam and Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) veterans and servicemembers in a national survey on prosthetic device use. In the Vietnam group, multivariate analysis found multiple limb loss (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-6.02) and satisfaction with current prostheses (aOR = 1.2, 95% CI = 1.05-1.38) are associated with better overall QOL, while a higher amputation impact rank (aOR = 0.66, 9...

Comparison of satisfaction with current prosthetic care in veterans and servicemembers from Vietnam and OIF/OEF conflicts with major traumatic limb loss.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: Berke GM, Fergason J, Milani JR, Hattingh J, McDowell M, Nguyen V, Reiber GE Prosthetic care is a vital aspect of healthcare and rehabilitation for veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss. Our survey queried 581 veterans and servicemembers with limb loss from the Vietnam and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) conflicts. Among survey participants, 78.2% from the Vietnam conflict and 90.5% from the OIF/OEF conflict currently use prosthetic devices. In Vietnam respondents, 78% received prosthetic care from private sources, 16% from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) prosthetic laboratories, 0.9% from Department of Defense (DOD), and 5% from multiple sources. In OIF/OEF respondents, 42% received prosthetic care from private sources, ...

Wheeled mobility: Factors influencing mobility and assistive technology in veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss from Vietnam war and OIF/OEF conflicts.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: Laferrier JZ, McFarland LV, Boninger ML, Cooper RA, Reiber GE Returning wounded veterans and servicemembers to their highest level of function following traumatic injury is a priority of the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs. We surveyed 245 veterans from the Vietnam war and 226 servicemembers and veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) conflicts with at least one major traumatic lower-limb loss to determine their use of mobility assistive technology (AT) and patterns of limb abandonment. Prosthetic device use without wheelchair use is found in 50.5% of Vietnam and 42.8% of OIF/OEF groups. Prostheses and supplementary wheelchairs are used by Vietnam (32%) and OIF/OEF (53%) groups (p < 0.01). Exclusive wheelchair use is more frequ...

Multiple traumatic limb loss: A comparison of Vietnam veterans to OIF/OEF servicemembers.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
This article compares the Vietnam and the Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) groups with war-theater-associated multiple-limb loss to document significant changes in health status, prosthetic-device use, and long-term prognosis. During 2007 and 2008, a national survey queried 73 Vietnam veterans and 61 OIF/OEF servicemembers sustaining multiple-limb loss. Average years since limb loss are 39 for Vietnam veterans and 3 for OIF/OEF servicemembers. Self-rated health status was excellent or very good in 38.9% of the Vietnam group and 60.7% of the OIF/OEF group (p = 0.01). More of the OIF/OEF group than the Vietnam group reported performing high-impact aerobic activities, 18% versus 3% (p = 0.005). The OIF/OEF group currently uses more diverse prosthetic-device types t...

Unilateral lower-limb loss: Prosthetic device use and functional outcomes in servicemembers from Vietnam war and OIF/OEF conflicts.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: Gailey R, McFarland LV, Cooper RA, Czerniecki J, Gambel JM, Hubbard S, Maynard C, Smith DG, Raya M, Reiber GE Rehabilitation goals following major combat-associated limb loss in World War II and the Vietnam war focused on treatment of the injury and a return to civilian life. The goal for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) servicemembers is to restore function to the greatest possible degree and, if they desire, return them to Active Duty, by providing them with extensive rehabilitation services and a variety of prosthetic devices. Our study determines the usefulness of these diverse types of prosthetic devices for restoring functional capability and documents prosthesis use and satisfaction. We compare servicemembers and veterans with major combat-as...

Unilateral upper-limb loss: Satisfaction and prosthetic-device use in veterans and servicemembers from Vietnam and OIF/OEF conflicts.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: McFarland LV, Hubbard Winkler SL, Heinemann AW, Jones M, Esquenazi A Prosthetic use and satisfaction in wounded servicemembers and veterans with unilateral upper-limb loss has not been thoroughly explored. Through a national survey, we enrolled 47 participants from the Vietnam conflict and 50 from Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) with combat-associated major unilateral upper-limb loss. Upper-limb prosthetic devices were used by 70% of the Vietnam group and 76% of the OIF/OEF group. Mechanical/body-powered upper-limb devices were favored by the Vietnam group, while a combination of myoelectric/hybrid and mechanical/body-powered devices were favored by the OIF/OEF group. Upper-limb devices were completely abandoned in 30% of the Vietnam and 22% of the...

Servicemembers and veterans with major traumatic limb loss from Vietnam war and OIF/OEF conflicts: Survey methods, participants, and summary findings.
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:00:03 +0100 | J Rehabil Res Dev
Authors: Reiber GE, McFarland LV, Hubbard S, Maynard C, Blough DK, Gambel JM, Smith DG Care of veterans and servicemembers with major traumatic limb loss from combat theaters is one of the highest priorities of the Department of Veteran Affairs. We achieved a 62% response rate in our Survey for Prosthetic Use from 298 Vietnam war veterans and 283 servicemembers/veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) who sustained major traumatic limb loss. Participants reported their combat injuries; health status; quality of life; and prosthetic device use, function, rejection, and satisfaction. Despite the serious injuries experienced, health status was rated excellent, very good, or good by 70.7% of Vietnam war and 85.5% of OIF/OEF survey participants. However, ma...