OHSU study: veterans with cancer face ongoing suicide risk. Recent data published in JAMA Oncology from a large, national study found that veterans diagnosed with cancer face an increased, lasting risk of suicidal self-directed violence. The highest risk was seen in the first 6 months after cancer diagnosis, but the elevated risk persisted for up to 5 years. There was an especially pronounced risk among veterans who were younger than 45 years of age, women, unmarried, or American Indian or Alaskan Native. Certain types of cancer, such as cancers of the brain and central nervous system, pancreas, head and neck, liver, and thyroid were also associated with greater risk. Veterans with chronic mental illness, high pain levels, or severe frailty were also among those at highest risk. Veterans who received palliative care had a lower risk of suicide-related events.
Visit https://news.ohsu.edu/2026/05/28/ohsu-study-veterans-with-cancer-face-ongoing-suicide-risk to read more.
Finding a better way to treat chronic pain in veterans. Findings published in JAMA showed that an interdisciplinary, individualized whole health model of care may reduce the impact of chronic pain in veterans. Researchers randomly assigned 764 patients from the United States (US) Department of Veterans Affairs with chronic pain to the following groups: a whole health team intervention with a wellness coach and a clinician trained in integrative therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy in a group setting, or usual care. After 12 months, the whole health model of care was associated with a significant improvement in pain interference vs both cognitive behavioral therapy and usual care.
Visit https://medicine.yale.edu/internal-medicine/news-article/finding-a-better-way-to-treat-chronic-pain-in-veterans/ to read more.
Medications initiated in 30% of hospitalizations for alcohol use disorder among veterans. Data from a retrospective cohort study showed that 30.8% of hospitalized veterans with alcohol use disorder (AUD) received medications for AUD (MAUD) as an inpatient or within 7 days of discharge. Most MAUD initiations (69.6%) occurred during an inpatient stay and the remainder were within 7 days of discharge. Patients hospitalized with a specialty addiction consultation and those receiving psychiartic care were more likely to receive MAUD vs those receiving medicine service. Patients who were aged 65 years or older, men, American Indian or Alaskan Native, frail, diagnosed with opioid use disorder, and in the intensive care unit were less likely to be MAUD-initiated. At the hospital level, the median rate of MAUD initiation was 29.9%.
Visit https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-medications-hospitalizations-alcohol-disorder-veterans.html to read more.
Approximately half a million post-9/11 US veterans had high blood pressure. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, approximately 500,000 post-9/11 US veterans accessing care at the Veterans Health Administration (average age: 33.5 years) had high blood pressure. Among them, about half were undiagnosed and a quarter were untreated. Men were more likely to have high blood pressure and risk factors such as smoking, alcohol or drug use, obesity, and diabetes vs women. However, women were 17% more likely to be undiagnosed vs men. Black veterans were 9% more likely to have high blood pressure vs White veterans. Black veterans also had more primary care visits and were less likely to have their high blood pressure be undiagnosed and untreated vs White veterans. Hispanic veterans were more likely to have undiagnosed and untreated high blood pressure vs White veterans.
Visit https://newsroom.heart.org/news/approximately-half-a-million-post-911-u-s-veterans-had-high-blood-pressure to read more.
