The Vietnam Era Health Retrospective Observational Study (VE-HEROeS) is a nationwide study that will assess the current health and well-being of Vietnam veterans, Blue Water Navy veterans, and veterans who served elsewhere during the Vietnam Era (1961-1975).
This study will also compare the health of these veterans to similarly aged U.S. residents who never served in the military. Researchers will look closely at neurologic conditions and hepatitis C infection as a part of this study. VE-HEROeS will begin in the fall of 2016.
This study includes a questionnaire for everyone and medical records review for a smaller group of participants. The VE-HEROeS questionnaire includes the following topics:
• Military service: service experience, combat experience, chemical and other exposures, re-entry into civilian life, or no military service
• General health: neurologic conditions, infections, presumptive conditions, cancer, hypertension, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression
• Aging: memory, reasoning, and limitations
• Lifestyle: tobacco use, health care use, living arrangements, and health experiences of descendants
VA is invited approximately 43,000 Vietnam and Vietnam Era veterans, and approximately 11,000 members of the general population to participate in VE-HEROeS. Volunteers for the study were not sought. If you have been selected you will represent many people and have a vital role to play.
Your answers will be kept strictly confidential, combined with other participants and used to improve veterans’ health and well being. (Source: VFW Action Corps Weekly | November 4, 2016)