Why the study?
US veterans have a high burden of cardiovascular risk and low attainment of ideal cardiovascular health shaped by military service. Evaluating the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system can clarify current gaps and inform broader strategies for promoting veteran cardiovascular health.
How do Department of Veterans Affairs programs impact cardiovascular health promotion and outcomes among US veterans across the expanded Life's Essential 8 framework?
How do Department of Veterans Affairs programs impact cardiovascular health promotion and outcomes among US veterans across the expanded Life's Essential 8 framework?
This AHA Scientific Statement evaluates cardiovascular health among US veterans using an expanded Life's Essential 8 framework, highlighting the effectiveness of coordinated VA care models while identifying critical gaps in lifestyle, metabolic, sleep, and mental health management.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
VA care models merit emulation for veterans; extends Life's Essential 8 evaluation with domain-specific gaps.
US veterans represent a large and diverse population with distinctive demographic characteristics, comorbidity profiles, and social determinants of health shaped by military service. These factors contribute to a high burden of cardiovascular risk and low attainment of ideal cardiovascular health. At the same time, the Department of Veterans Affairs, which operates the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, provides a unique infrastructure for delivering population-level cardiovascular disease prevention for veterans. Understanding its successes and ongoing challenges can inform broader strategies across all health systems for promoting health among veterans. This scientific statement applies the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 framework, expanded to include mental health and substance use, to evaluate veteran cardiovascular health. For each domain, we review guideline recommendations, barriers to achieving optimal health, and major Veterans Affairs programs such as Patient Aligned Care Teams, the MOVE! Weight Management Program for Veterans, Whole Health, telehealth-based interventions, and integrated mental health and substance use disorder services. Across domains, veterans receiving Veterans Affairs care often achieve outcomes that are equal to or better than those of their non-Veterans Affairs counterparts, reflecting the strengths of the system in coordinated, team-based care and research-driven implementation. Despite substantial progress, opportunities remain to improve veteran lifestyle behaviors, metabolic health, lipid and blood pressure control, engagement in mental health and substance use care, and detection and management of sleep disorders. Addressing these challenges at the Veterans Affairs will require continuing to expand care access, enhancing digital data integration, tailoring interventions to high-risk subgroups, and strengthening implementation strategies to improve uptake and engagement across Veterans Affairs services.
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Yuan et al. (2026) conducted a review in Cardiovascular health and disease prevention in US veterans. Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare programs (Patient Aligned Care Teams, MOVE! Weight Management Program, Whole Health, telehealth, integrated mental health and substance use services) vs. Non-Veterans Affairs care was evaluated on Attainment of ideal cardiovascular health across the AHA Life's Essential 8 framework (expanded to include mental health and substance use). Veterans Affairs care programs achieve cardiovascular health outcomes equal to or better than non-VA care, though gaps remain in lifestyle, metabolic, sleep, and mental health domains.
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