Artificial Intelligence in the U.S. Military Health System: Forging a New Frontier for Clinical Care and Efficiency.

The Military Health System (MHS) has historically been at the forefront of innovation in medicine and science, but it has also historically struggled to implement battlefield innovations or civilian technologies for wider domestic use. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force in health care with civilian health systems and institutions at the forefront of these innovations. While these tools have the potential to support resolution of military health's most pressing issues, the MHS is behind its civilian counterparts in advancing AI. Adoption of AI could benefit the MHS in such areas as service member and beneficiary access to care; more precise allocation of medical personnel and resources; improved operations of military treatment facilities; early detection of emerging threats to health; and force multiplication of existing telehealth capabilities. This evolving and highly visible technology also presents challenges in the military context above those in the civilian context, such as additional levels of privacy and security, integration with purpose-built secure systems, and additional regulatory obligations. To address these, the MHS should engage in three lines of effort to advance AI: establishing governance, education and training of medical personnel, and engaging in research, development, testing, and piloting of AI applications. This will require dedicated personnel and resources for a substantial initial outlay to be recouped later through more effective administration and care. By leveraging lessons learned from civilian systems, the MHS can design, adopt, and implement AI solutions to improve care for service members in both domestic and operational contexts, and for their beneficiaries.

Analysis of Telehealth Equity Within the Military Health System During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Telehealth care expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, although previous studies show racial, gender, and socioeconomic inequalities in its usage. Racial disparities are known to be mitigated in the Military Health System (MHS), whose 9.6 million beneficiaries are universally insured and nationally representative. This study investigated whether known disparities in telehealth usage were mitigated in the MHS. Methods: This study performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of TRICARE telehealth claims data from January 2020 to December 2021. Beneficiaries aged 0 to 64 years were identified with Common Procedural Terminology code modifiers 95, GT, and GQ, which indicated procedures that were delivered through either synchronous or asynchronous telecommunication services. Visits were defined as one encounter per patient per day. Analyses included descriptive statistics of patient demographics, number of telehealth visits, and differences between military-provided and private sector care (PSC). Military rank was used as a proxy for socioeconomic status (SES), generally combining income, education, and occupation type. Results: A total of 917,922 beneficiaries received telehealth visits during the study period: 25% in direct care, 80% in PSC, and 4% in both care settings. The majority of visits were received by females (57%) and associated with a Senior Enlisted rank (66%). The visits by racial category were proportional to the percentage of each category in the population. The lowest number of visits was for those older than 60 years, potentially receiving Medicare instead, and those associated with Junior Enlisted rank, a potential disparity that may also reflect access to leave or smaller family size. Conclusions and Relevance: Within the MHS, telehealth visits were equitable by race, in line with previous findings, but not by gender, SES, or age. Findings by gender are reflected in the greater U.S. population. Further research is needed to assess and address potential disparities associated with Junior Enlisted rank as proxy for low SES.

The Comparative Effectiveness and Provider-induced Demand Collaboration Project: A Pioneering Military-Civilian Academic Partnership to Build Health Services Research Capacity for the Military Health System.

INTRODUCTION: Like civilian health systems, the United States Military Health System (MHS) confronts challenges in achieving the aims of reducing cost, and improving quality, access, and safety, but historically has lacked coordinated health services research (HSR) capabilities that enabled knowledge translation and iterative learning from its wealth of data. A military-civilian academic partnership called the Comparative Effectiveness and Provider-Induced Demand Collaboration (EPIC), formed in 2011, demonstrated early proof-of-concept in using the MHS claims database for research focused on drivers of variation in health care. This existing partnership was reorganized in 2015 and its topics expanded to meet the need for HSR in support of emerging priorities and to develop current and HSR capacity within the MHS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A Donabedian framework of structure, process, and outcomes was applied to support the project, through a core of principal investigators, researchers, analysts, and administrators. Within this framework, new researchers and student trainees learn foundations of HSR while performing secondary analysis of claims data from the MHS Data Repository (MDR) focusing on Health and Readiness, Pediatrics, Policy, Surgery, Trauma, and Women's Health. RESULTS: Since 2015, the project has trained 25 faculty, staff, and providers; 51 students and residents; 21 research fellows across multiple disciplines; and as of 2022, produced 107 peer-reviewed publications and 130 conference presentations, across all five themes and six cores. Research results have been incorporated into Federal and professional policy guidelines. Major research areas include opioid usage and prescribing, value-based care, and racial disparities. EPIC researchers provide direct support to MHS leaders and enabling expertise to clinical providers. CONCLUSIONS: EPIC, through its Donabedian framework and utilization of the MHS Data Repository as a research tool, generates actionable findings and builds capacity for continued HSR across the MHS. Eight years after its reorganization in 2015, EPIC continues to provide a platform for capacity building and knowledge translation.

Filling the Gaps in the Pandemic Response: Impact of COVID-19 on Telehealth in the Military Health System.

Introduction: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth use became widespread, allowing for continued health care while minimizing COVID-19 transmission risk for patients and providers. This rapid scale-up highlighted shortcomings of the current telehealth infrastructure in many health systems. We aimed to identify and address gaps in the United States Military Health System (MHS) response to the COVID-19 pandemic related to the implementation and utilization of telehealth. Methods: We conducted semistructured key informant interviews of MHS stakeholders, including policymakers, program managers, and health care providers. We recruited respondents using purposive and snowball sampling until we reached thematic saturation. Interviews were conducted virtually from December 2022 to March 2023 and coded by deductive thematic analysis using NVivo. Results: We interviewed 28 key informants. Several themes emerged from the interviews and were categorized into four defined areas of obstacles to the effective utilization of telehealth: administrative, technical, organizational, and quality issues. While respondents had positive perceptions of telehealth, issues such as billing, licensure portability, network connectivity and technology, and ability to monitor health outcomes represent major barriers in the current system, preventing the potential for further expansion. Conclusions: While the shift to telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated robust potential within the MHS, it highlighted shortcomings that impair the utility and expansion of telehealth on a level comparable to that of other large health systems. Future focus should be directed toward generating and implementing actionable recommendations that target these identified challenges in the MHS.

The burden of vestibular disorders among military health system (MHS) beneficiaries, fiscal years 2018-2019.

INTRODUCTION: Vestibular disorders affect an estimated 33 million adults and 3.5 million children and adolescents in the United States. Previous research relying on self-reported symptoms versus actual diagnosis has limited the ability to provide prevalence estimates for specific vestibular disorders at the population level. This study seeks to describe the burden of vestibular disorders among children and working-age adult beneficiaries in the Military Health System (MHS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the MHS Data Repository (MDR), we conducted a cross-sectional study of all TRICARE Prime and Plus MHS beneficiaries aged 0 to 64 years from fiscal years (FY) 2018 to 2019. Study analyses included descriptive statistics of patient demographics and assessing the prevalence of vestibular disorders in pediatric and working-age adult beneficiaries. RESULTS: Of the 5,541,932 TRICARE Prime/Prime Plus MHS beneficiaries, 52,878 (0.95%) had a diagnosis of vestibular disorder during fiscal years 2018 to 2019, of which 1,359 were pediatric and adolescents (aged 0 to 17 years) and 51,519 were working-age adults (18 to 64 years). Vertigo was the most common diagnosis in both age-group populations (11.46 per 1,000 working-age adults; 0.52 per 1,000 children and adolescents), with benign vertigo being the most prevalent of the three diagnoses and occurring at a seven times higher rate in adults versus pediatric and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of using medical claims data to estimate prevalence compared to self-reported survey data and supports prevalence estimates of vestibular disease in <1% of children overall, but indicate much higher prevalence for adolescents.

Trends in Telehealth Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Military Health System.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic generated a major shift from in-person to telehealth care in efforts to reduce the spread of infection. This study assesses the effects of COVID-19 on the provision of telehealth in the United States Military Health System (MHS), a universally-insured, nationally representative population of beneficiaries who may receive direct care (DC) at military facilities or in the private-sector care (PSC). Methods: Under a cross-sectional study design, we queried the MHS Data Repository for all telehealth services in the MHS from January 2019 to December 2021, using common procedure terminology code telehealth modifiers GT, GQ, and 95. Analyses were stratified by clinical, provider, and facility characteristics, and comparisons were made between telehealth rates before and during the COVID-19 period using a percent change. Results: Telehealth usage increased by 20-fold in 2020 versus 2019, whereas provider types shifted from predominantly physicians to advanced practice nurses and physician assistants. Patterns of task shifting were different between DC and PSC. Tele-mental health visits showed a 118% change in DC and -20% change in PSC, suggesting recapture of care to military facilities. Decreases in DC telehealth visits for metabolic, endocrine, and musculoskeletal disorders were not compensated by increases in PSC, suggesting care deferred, delivered by another modality, or sought outside the MHS. Conclusion: The increase in telehealth usage and behavioral health is in line with other published studies, whereas the shift in provider types aligns with MHS goals focused on increasing access through telehealth. More research is needed to answer questions of care deferral, which are relevant to national health care discussions.

Changes in body mass index and behavioral health among adolescents in military families during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Widely published findings from the COVID-19 pandemic show adverse effects on body mass index (BMI) and behavioral health in both adults and children, due to factors such as illness, job loss, and limited opportunity for physical and social activity. This study investigated whether these adverse effects were mitigated in adolescents from military families, who are universally insured with consistent access to healthcare, and who generally have at least one parent who must adhere to physical and mental fitness as a condition of employment. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study using two groups of adolescents receiving care in the U.S. Military Health System during the COVID-19 pandemic; one for changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) and the second for changes in behavioral health diagnoses, using TRICARE claims data. Beneficiaries (160,037) ages 13 to 15 years in fiscal years 2017-2018, were followed up during October 2020 to June 2021. RESULTS: Among the BMI cohort, 44.32% of underweight adolescents moved to healthy weight, 28.48% from overweight to obese, and 3.7% from healthy weight to underweight. Prevalence of behavioral disorders showed an overall 29.01% percent increase during the study period, which included in mood (86.75%) and anxiety (86.49%) disorders, suicide ideation (42.69%), and suicide attempts (77.23%). Decreases in percent change were observed in conduct disorders (-15.93%) and ADD/ADHD (-8.61%). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents in military families experienced adverse health outcomes during the pandemic at approximately the same rates as those in non-military families, suggesting that universal insurance and military culture were not significantly mitigating factors. Obesity and underweight present significant opportunities to intervene in areas such as exercise and food access. Decreased conduct disorders and ADD/ADHD may reflect lower prevalence due to favorable home environment, or lower rates of diagnosis and referral; however, increased rates of anxiety, mood disorders, suicide ideation and attempt are especially concerning. Care should be taken to ensure that adolescents receive consistent opportunity for physical activity and social interaction, and those at risk for suicide should receive active monitoring and appropriate referral to behavioral healthcare providers.

Opioid prescribing and use in the Military Health System: a framework synthesis, FY2016-FY2021.

BACKGROUND: Opioid misuse is a nationwide issue and is of particular concern with regard to military readiness. The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act charges the Military Health System with greater oversight of opioid use and mitigation of misuse. METHODS: We synthesized published articles using secondary analysis of TRICARE claims data, a nationally representative database of 9.6 million beneficiaries. We screened 106 articles for inclusion and identified 17 studies for data abstraction. Framework analysis was conducted, which assessed prescribing practices, patient use, and optimum length of opioid prescriptions after surgery, trauma, and common procedures, as well as factors leading to sustained prescription opioid use. RESULTS: Across the studies, sustained prescription opioid use after surgery was low overall, with <1% of opioid-naïve patients still receiving opioids more than 1 year after spinal surgery or trauma. In opioid-exposed patients who had undergone spine surgery, sustained use was slightly lower than 10%. Higher rates of sustained use were associated with more severe trauma and depression, as well as with prior use and initial opioid prescriptions for low back pain or other undefined conditions. Black patients were more likely to discontinue opioid use than were White patients. CONCLUSIONS: Prescribing practices are well correlated with degree of injury or intensity of intervention. Sustained prescription opioid use beyond 1 year is rare and is associated with diagnoses for which opioids are not the standard of care. More efficient coding, increased attention to clinical practice guidelines, and use of tools to predict risk of sustained prescription opioid use are recommended.

Telehealth in the Military Health System: Impact, Obstacles, and Opportunities.

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Military Health System (MHS) pioneered the use of telehealth in deployed environments in the early 1990s. However, its use in non-deployed environments historically lagged behind that of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and comparable large civilian health systems, due to administrative, policy, and other obstacles that slowed or blocked its expansion in the MHS. A report was prepared in December 2016, which summarized past and then-present telehealth initiatives in the MHS; described the obstacles, opportunities, and policy environment; and provided three possible courses of action for expansion of telehealth in deployed and non-deployed settings. METHODS: Gray literature, peer-reviewed literature, presentations, and direct input were aggregated under the guidance of subject matter experts. RESULTS: Past and then-current efforts demonstrated significant telehealth capability in use and in development for the MHS, mainly in deployed or operational settings. Policy from 2011 to 2017 demonstrated an environment favorable for MHS expansion, while the review of comparable civilian and veterans' healthcare systems showed significant benefits including increased access and lower cost from use of telehealth in non-deployed settings. The 2017 National Defense Authorization Act charged the Secretary of Defense with promoting telehealth usage for the Department of Defense, including provisions for removing obstacles and reporting progress within 3 years. The MHS has the ability to reduce burdensome interstate licensing and privileging requirements, but still requires an increased level of cybersecurity, compared to civilian systems. DISCUSSION: The benefits of telehealth fit with the MHS Quadruple Aim of improving cost, quality, access, and readiness. Readiness is particularly served by the use of "physician extenders," which allows nurses, physician assistants, medics, and corpsmen to provide hands-on care under remote oversight and to practice at the top of their licenses. Based on this review, three courses of action were recommended: to focus largely on developing telehealth in deployed environments; to maintain focus in deployed environments and increase telehealth development in non-deployed environments to keep pace with the VHA and private sector; or to use lessons learned from military and civilian telehealth initiatives to leapfrog the private sector. CONCLUSION: This review serves as a snapshot in time of the steps leading to telehealth expansion before 2017, which helped to set the stage for later use of telehealth in behavioral health initiatives and as a response to coronavirus disease 2019. The lessons learned are ongoing and further research is expected to inform additional development of telehealth capability for the MHS.

Prevalence of Eye and Vision Disorders in the Military Health System, Fiscal Year 2018.

INTRODUCTION: Eye and vision disorders are estimated to impact 7.08 million people in the United States, including 1.62 million under the age of 40. This study uses the Vision and Eye Health Surveillance System (VEHSS) case definitions to assess the burden of eye and vision disorders in a universally insured, nationally representative population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study applied the VEHSS case definitions to TRICARE claims data collected from the Military Health System Data Repository and Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System during 2018. Beneficiaries aged 0-64 years during the fiscal year 2018 were identified with inpatient and outpatient codes matching to the VEHSS diagnostic case definitions, which were organized into 17 categories of eye and vision disorders classified by the ICD-10. Beneficiaries were recorded only once per category but allowed to match to multiple categories. Analyses included descriptive statistics of patient demographics and prevalence of eye disorders. RESULTS: We identified 4,548,897 TRICARE Prime/Plus beneficiaries (54.86% men and 45.14% women), of whom 22.93% were diagnosed with at least one disorder in 2018. Of those with a diagnosis, the majority were men (50.13%), adults (74.91%), and of or sponsored by a senior enlisted rank (57.83%), used as socioeconomic proxy. Disorders of refraction and accommodation were most prevalent, followed by infectious and inflammatory diseases. Potentially preventable and treatable conditions, including amblyopia and strabismus, infectious and inflammatory disease, and diabetic complications, affected up to 22% of those with vision disorders. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents the first use of VEHSS measures in a universally insured, socioeconomically diverse population. Identification of potentially treatable or preventable conditions indicates significant opportunity to mitigate the burden of eye and vision disorders in the Military Health System.

Pregnancy Weight Gain and Postpartum Weight Retention in Active Duty Military Women: Implications for Readiness.

INTRODUCTION: Weight gain in pregnancy is expected; however, excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention (PPWR) can cause long-term changes to a patient's body mass index (BMI) and increase the risk for adverse health outcomes. This phenomenon is understudied in active duty military women, for whom excess weight gain poses challenges to readiness and fitness to serve. This study examines over 30,000 active duty military women with and without preeclampsia to assess changes in BMI postpartum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of claims data for active duty military women, aged 18-40 years, and experiencing pregnancy during fiscal years 2010-2014. Women with eating disorders, high-risk pregnancy conditions other than preeclampsia, scheduled high-risk medical interventions, or a second pregnancy within 18 months were excluded from the analysis. Height and weight were obtained from medical records and used to calculate BMI. Women with and without preeclampsia were categorized into BMI categories according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classification of underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), or obese (>30.0). Linear regressions adjusted by age and race were performed to assess differences in prepregnancy weight and weight gain, retention, and change at 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: The greatest number of pregnant, active duty service women were found among ages 18-24 years, White race, Army service, junior enlisted rank, married status, and with no mental health diagnosis. Overall, over 50% of women in normal and preeclamptic pregnancies returned to their baseline BMI postpartum. Women in both populations more often gained than lost weight postpartum. Preeclampsia strongly affected weight retention, with 40.77% of overweight women and 5.33% of normal weight women progressing to postpartum obesity, versus 32.95% of overweight women and 2.61% of normal weight women in the main population. Mental health conditions were not associated with significant weight gain or PPWR. Women with cesarean deliveries gained more weight during pregnancy, had more PPWR, and lost more weight from third trimester to 6 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Most women remain in their baseline BMI category postpartum, suggesting that prepregnancy weight management is an opportunity to reduce excess PPWR. Other opportunities lie in readiness-focused weight management during prenatal visits and postpartum, especially for patients with preeclampsia and cesarean sections. However, concerns about weight management for readiness must be carefully balanced against the health of the individual service members.

The collaborative research and service delivery partnership between the United States healthcare system and the U.S. Military Health System during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the military-civilian collaborative efforts which addressed the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in areas including provision of supplies, patient and provider support, and development and dissemination of new vaccine and drug candidates. METHODS: We examined peer reviewed and grey literature from September 2020 to June 2021 to describe the relationship between the U.S. healthcare system and Military Health System (MHS). For analysis, we applied the World Health Organization framework for health systems, which consists of six building blocks. RESULTS: The strongest collaborative efforts occurred in areas of medicine and technology, human resources, and healthcare delivery, most notably in the MHS supplying providers, setting up treatment venues, and participating in development of vaccines and therapeutics. Highlighting that the MHS, with its centralized structure and ability to deploy assets rapidly, is an important contributor to the nation's ability to provide a coordinated, large-scale response to health emergencies. CONCLUSIONS: Continuing the relationship between the two health systems is vital to maintaining the nation's capability to meet future health challenges.

Racial Disparities in the Military Health System: A Framework Synthesis.

INTRODUCTION: Racial disparities in health care are a well-documented phenomenon in the USA. Universal insurance has been suggested as a solution to mitigate these disparities. We examined race-based disparities in the Military Health System (MHS) by constructing and analyzing a framework of existing studies that measured disparities between direct care (care provided by military treatment facilities) and private sector care (care provided by civilian health care facilities). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a framework synthesis on 77 manuscripts published in partnership with the Comparative Effectiveness and Provider-Induced Demand Collaboration Project that use MHS electronic health record data to present an overview of racial disparities assessed for multiple treatment interventions in a nationally representative, universally insured population. RESULTS: We identified 32 studies assessing racial disparities in areas of surgery, trauma, opioid prescription and usage, women's health, and others. Racial disparities were mitigated in postoperative complications, trauma care, and cancer screenings but persisted in diabetes readmissions, opioid usage, and minimally invasive women's health procedures. CONCLUSION: Universal coverage mitigates many, but not all, racial disparities in health care. An examination of a broader range of interventions, a closer look at variation in care provided by civilian facilities, and a look at the quality of care by race provide further opportunities for research.

Prevalence of Polytrauma Clinical Triad Among Active Duty Service Members.

INTRODUCTION: The polytrauma clinical triad (PCT), encompassing traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and chronic pain, has been identified as a significant concern in the Military Health System (MHS). Conditions in this triad mutually reinforce one another and can pose a significant challenge to treatment for patients and providers. Polytrauma clinical triad has previously been studied in deployed veterans but remains understudied in the active duty military population. Therefore, this novel study seeks to determine the prevalence of PCT among active duty service members and to identify the subpopulations most at risk for PCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-section study used the MHS Data Repository in order to retrospectively review all administrative claim data for active duty service members within the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps from fiscal years 2010 to 2015. Specific ICD-9 codes were extracted that correlated with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, and chronic pain to determine the risk of PCT. We used logistic regression to compare individuals presenting with the PCT conditions to those service members without any of the PCT diagnoses codes. RESULTS: The study identified 2,441,698 active duty service members eligible for inclusion. The prevalence of all three conditions of PCT was 5.99 per 1,000 patients. Patients with PCT were most likely to be 20-29 years old (52.15%), male (89.83%), White (59.07%), married (64.18%), Junior Enlisted (55.27%), and serving in the Army (74.71%). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to identify the risk of PCT in the active duty military population. Awareness of the risk and subsequent prompt identification of the triad will enable treatment through an integrated, team approach, which should alleviate potential patient suffering and improve the efficiency of care and readiness of service members.

Analysis of Telehealth Usage and Trends in the Military Health System, 2006-2018.

Background: Telehealth in the Military Health System (MHS) has long been an important tool for delivering care in deployed settings. However, the scope of nondeployed telehealth usage in the MHS has not previously been published, making full evaluation difficult. This study aims at addressing this gap by assessing trends over time, demographics, provider types, and diagnoses most associated with telehealth usage in the MHS. Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted on health care claims from the MHS Data Repository for all telehealth services provided from fiscal years 2006 to 2018. Telehealth services were identified by using Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) code modifiers GT, GQ, and 95. Patient demographics, provider type, and major diagnostic category were assessed for all telehealth services in both direct (military provided) and purchased (private sector) care. Results: Usage of telehealth services in the MHS rose ∼19-fold, from 2,549 to 48,667 occurrences, from 2006 to 2018. Physicians provided ∼60% of telehealth services overall, and the greatest usage was for mental health diagnoses. Purchased care (PC) showed differences from direct care (DC), including a greater level of expansion, greater inclusion of children and adolescents, and lower usage of telehealth for non-mental health services. Conclusions: Telehealth usage in the MHS has increased substantially from a total 2,549 occurrences in 2006 to 48,667 occurrences in 2018, demonstrating greater acceptance and usage by both DC and PC providers. Future directions include assessing provider types, diagnosis codes, and patient demographics associated with telehealth use, especially in the emerging COVID19 clinical practice environment.

Does Universal Coverage Mitigate Racial Disparities in Potentially Avoidable Maternal Complications?

OBJECTIVE: Potentially avoidable maternity complications (PAMCs) have been validated as an indicator of access to quality prenatal care. African-American mothers have exhibited a higher incidence of PAMCs, which has been attributed to unequal health coverage. The objective of this study was to assess if racial disparities in the incidence of PAMCs exist in a universally insured population. STUDY DESIGN: PAMCs in each racial group were compared relative to White mothers using multivariate logistic regression. Stratified subanalyses assessed for adjusted differences in the odds of PAMCs for each racial group within direct versus purchased care. RESULTS: A total of 675,553 deliveries were included. Among them, 428,320 (63%) mothers were White, 112,170 (17%) African-American, 37,151 (6%) Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 97,912 (15%) others. African-American women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02-1.08) were more likely to have PAMCs compared with White women, and Asian women (aOR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89-0.95) were significantly less likely to have PAMCs compared with White women. On stratified analysis according to the system of care, equal odds of PAMCs among African-American women compared with White women were realized within direct care (aOR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00-1.07), whereas slightly higher odds among African-American persisted in purchased (aOR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.10). CONCLUSION: Higher occurrence of PAMCs among minority women sponsored by a universal health coverage was mitigated compared with White women. Protocol-based care as in the direct care system may help overcome health disparities.

The Mitigation of Racial Disparities in Cervical Cancer Screening Among U.S. Active Duty Service Women.

INTRODUCTION: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular cervical cancer screening for women aged 21-65 years. Such screening is key to reducing mortality and morbidity. Despite improvement in the screening rate, cervical cancer still disproportionately affects women of minority groups because of access to quality health care. The Military Health System (MHS) mitigates this barrier through universal healthcare coverage for all active duty service members and their families. However, such racial/ethnic disparities, seen in civilian population, have not been studied in the MHS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study utilizing fiscal years 2011-2016 claims data obtained from the MHS Data Repository for 112,572 active duty service women aged 21-64 years. Study analyses included descriptive statistics on patient demographics, calculations of the proportion of patients who received cervical cancer screenings as well as the proportion of patients in compliance with USPSTF guidelines, and unadjusted odds ratios for the likelihood of compliance by race and military service. RESULTS: Of the study population, 50.0% of active duty women were screened for cervical cancer. When compared to White women, Black (1.05 OR, 1.03-1.08 CI), Native American/Alaskan Native (1.26 OR, 1.15-1.39 CI), and Other (1.12 OR, 1.06-1.18 CI) women were significantly more likely to receive cervical cancer screenings. The proportions of 3-year compliance were relatively equal within each race category (ranging from 43% to 45%), with no significant findings for the odds of compliance in any race when compared to White active duty women; however, proportions of 3-year compliance by service ranged from 11.7% in the Marines to 84.4% in the Navy, and active duty women in the Navy were six times more likely to be in compliance with guidelines than women in the Army. When looking at 5-year compliance in active duty women aged 30-64 years, women in the Navy were more likely than women in the Army to meet compliance guidelines (1.24 OR, 1.14-1.36 CI), while women in the Air Force were slightly less likely (0.90 OR, 0.82-0.98 CI). CONCLUSIONS: The women in our population demonstrated similar or lower compliance than other studies conducted in the U.S. general population, and racial disparities for cervical cancer screening were partially mitigated in active duty service women. While our research demonstrates that universal insurance can help provide equal access and care, investigation into the factors that encourage greater usage among members of different military branches may help to understand and develop policies to improve health care systems.

Child Health As A National Security Issue: Obesity And Behavioral Health Conditions Among Military Children.

To build and maintain an effective, agile force that is ready at a moment's notice to deploy for national security missions, the US military must recruit approximately 150,000 new personnel annually while adhering to stringent medical standards. Given a target recruitment population of young adults ages 18-24, the health of the nation's children is critical to US national security. Maintaining a fit population of military dependents is particularly important because this group has a greater propensity to serve than does the broader population of US children. Using TRICARE claims, we examined body mass index and behavioral health diagnoses among adolescents ages 13-18 covered by the Military Health System for fiscal years 2017-18. Prevalence of conduct disorders, which prevent enlistment, was low overall. However, overweight and obesity combined prevalence estimates were more than 30 percent in every census division, and the prevalence of behavioral health disorders ranged from 18.53 percent to 22.90 percent. These prevalence rates are similar to those found in the civilian sector but are high enough to pose barriers to the military's efforts to meet recruitment goals. Interventions to improve nutrition, fitness, and behavioral health among school-age children may improve fitness to serve and guarantee the future readiness of the armed forces and the security of the nation.

COVID-19 Self-Reported Symptom Tracking Programs in the United States: Framework Synthesis.

BACKGROUND: With the continued spread of COVID-19 in the United States, identifying potential outbreaks before infected individuals cross the clinical threshold is key to allowing public health officials time to ensure local health care institutions are adequately prepared. In response to this need, researchers have developed participatory surveillance technologies that allow individuals to report emerging symptoms daily so that their data can be extrapolated and disseminated to local health care authorities. OBJECTIVE: This study uses a framework synthesis to evaluate existing self-reported symptom tracking programs in the United States for COVID-19 as an early-warning tool for probable clusters of infection. This in turn will inform decision makers and health care planners about these technologies and the usefulness of their information to aid in federal, state, and local efforts to mobilize effective current and future pandemic responses. METHODS: Programs were identified through keyword searches and snowball sampling, then screened for inclusion. A best fit framework was constructed for all programs that met the inclusion criteria by collating information collected from each into a table for easy comparison. RESULTS: We screened 8 programs; 6 were included in our final framework synthesis. We identified multiple common data elements, including demographic information like race, age, gender, and affiliation (all were associated with universities, medical schools, or schools of public health). Dissimilarities included collection of data regarding smoking status, mental well-being, and suspected exposure to COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: Several programs currently exist that track COVID-19 symptoms from participants on a semiregular basis. Coordination between symptom tracking program research teams and local and state authorities is currently lacking, presenting an opportunity for collaboration to avoid duplication of efforts and more comprehensive knowledge dissemination.

Use of low-value pediatric services in the Military Health System.

BACKGROUND: Low-value care (LVC) is understudied in pediatric populations and in the Military Health System (MHS). This cross-sectional study applies previously developed measures of pediatric LVC diagnostic tests, procedures, and treatments to children receiving care within the direct and purchased care environments of the MHS. METHODS: We queried the MHS Data Repository (MDR) to identify children (n = 1,111,534) who received one or more of 20 previously described types of LVC in fiscal year 2015. We calculated the proportion of eligible children and all children who received the service at least once during fiscal year 2015. Among children eligible for each measure, we used logistic regressions to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for receiving LVC at least once during fiscal year 2015 in direct versus purchased care. RESULTS: All 20 measures of pediatric LVC were found in the MDR. Of the 1,111,534 eligible children identified, 15.41% received at least one LVC service, and the two most common procedures were cough and cold medications in children under 6 years and acid blockers for infants with uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux. Eighteen of the 20 measures of pediatric LVC were eligible for comparison across care environments: 6 were significantly more likely to be delivered in direct care and 10 were significantly more likely to be delivered in purchased care. The greatest differences between direct and purchased care were seen in respiratory syncytial virus testing in children with bronchiolitis (AOR = 21.01, 95% CI = 12.23-36.10) and blood tests in children with simple febrile seizure (AOR = 24.44, 95% CI = 5.49-108.82). A notably greater difference of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing was seen in purchased versus direct care. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences existed between provision of LVC services in direct and purchased care, unlike previous studies showing little difference between publicly and privately insured children. In fiscal year 2015, 1 in 7 children received one of 20 types of LVC. These proportions are higher than prior estimates from privately and publicly insured children, suggesting the particular need to focus on decreasing wasteful care in the MHS. Collectively, these studies demonstrate the high prevalence of LVC in children and the necessity of reducing potentially harmful care in this vulnerable population.