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VA Cooperative Studies Program (CSP)

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National Health Study for New Generation of U.S. Veterans (NewGen)

 

Investigator Access

What's Available





Check with the study contact and publications for information on a public dataset, data archive, data enclave, or website where data might be available.

Available Documentation 

Dates Data are Available 

Access Criteria

Study Characteristics

Objectives

To determine if the health status of Veterans who were deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) or Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq) is better, worse, or the same as military service members who were not deployed but served during the same era

Era of Service

Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)

Population

  • Deployed and nondeployed OEF/OIF era Veterans from each branch of the military, Active duty, Reserve, and National Guard members
  • Male and female Veterans who served in the military between October 2001 and June 2008

Study Design 

Population-based cohort 

Time Period 

August 2009 - January 2011

Setting 

National

N

20,563 participants

Response Rate

34.3%

Recruitment Method    

60,000 Veterans were randomly sampled from:

  • Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) at the Department of Defense (DoD) for deployed Veterans
  • VA/DoD Identification Repository for non-deployed Veterans who were not in the DMDC roster

Women were oversampled by 20%. Veterans were mailed a questionnaire package with the option to complete the survey on-line.

Compensation

$10 check sent to those who completed the web-survey after the first point of contact. Veterans who didn't complete the survey online within 6 weeks got a packet containing a $10 incentive check with survey.

Data Collected

Data collected on sociodemographic information and a range of topics such as:

  • Self-reported mental health
  • Chronic health outcomes
  • Reproductive health outcomes
  • Environmental exposures
  • Functional status
  • Activity limitations
  • Health perceptions
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Military sexual trauma
  • Health behaviors (tobacco/alcohol use, risky driving behavior, and sexual risk-taking behaviors)
  • VA health care utilization

Data Collection Methods

  • 16-page, 72-item survey completed by mail
  • Computer-assisted telephone interview or
  • Online

Funding Source 

Department of Veterans Affairs 

Investigators

Primary Investigator: Shannon Barth, MPH
Secondary Investigator: Aaron Schneiderman, PhD

Contact

Unconfirmed

Selected Publications 

Eber S, Barth S, Kang H, Mahan C, Dursa E, Schneiderman A. The National Health Study for a New Generation of United States Veterans: methods for a large-scale study on the health of recent veterans. Mil Med. 2013;178(9):966–969.

Barth SK, Dursa EK, Bossarte RM, Schneiderman AI. Lifetime prevalence of respiratory diseases and exposures among Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans: Results from the National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans. J Occup Environ Med 2016; 58:1175-1180.

Dursa EK, Barth SK, Bossarte RM, Schneiderman AI. Demographic, military, and health characteristics of VA health care users and nonusers who served in or during Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom, 2009-2011. Public Health Rep 2016; 131:839-843.

Katon J, Cypel Y, Raza M, Zephyrin L, Reiber G, Yano EM, Barth S, Schneiderman A. Deployment and adverse pregnancy outcomes: Primary findings and methodological considerations. Matern Child Health J 2017; 21: 376-386. 

More Information

Study website