Who receives DXA in VHA direct care vs. community care? Insights into bone health care for veterans
Authors' conclusion
CC-DXA reduced travel burden but was associated with longer referral-to-DXA time.
Study context
- Population
- Veterans receiving DXA via VHA direct care or community care, October 1, 2019-July 1, 2023
- Exposure
- VA-based DXA vs community care DXA
- Outcome
- Odds of receiving VA-DXA vs CC-DXA; travel burden, time from referral to DXA, and sociodemographic factors
Methodological detailsmixed-effects logistic regression, adjusted for clinical and demographic factors
- Mixed-effects logistic regression
- Adjusted for clinical and demographic factors
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Travel distance, veterans living < 40 miles from a VA DXA site
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Travel distance, veterans > 40 miles from a VHA facility
Time from referral to DXA, < 40 miles
Time from referral to DXA, < 40 miles
- VA-DXA had shorter elapsed time from referral to DXA regardless of proximity
Predictors of CC-DXA use (adjusted models)
- Living > 40 miles from a tertiary VA facility (strongest predictor), aOR
- 4.86
- Female, aOR
- 1.60
- Rural, aOR
- 2.01
- Black vs White, aOR
- 0.50
- Asian vs White, aOR
- 0.57
- Hispanic vs non-Hispanic, aOR
- 0.84
- Low/moderate frailty: more likely
Original publication
Who receives DXA in VHA direct care vs. community care? Insights into bone health care for veterans. Osteoporos Int. Published 21 April 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →