VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on heart fealth, reintegration therapies, and health care access

This week, VA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) published three new articles spotlighting research that advances care for Veterans in heart health, mental health and health-system navigation.

A VA study highlighted the potential benefits of magnesium supplements in reducing the risk of heart failure among Veterans with diabetes. Researchers analyzed the health records of nearly 95,000 Veterans using natural language processing to compare those who took magnesium with those who did not. The study found that 8% of Veterans in the magnesium group experienced heart failure, compared to almost 10% in the non-magnesium group. Supplement users also saw a reduced risk of major cardiac events. This work lays the foundation for future randomized controlled trials. Read the original ORD article | View the full study in “Journal of the American Heart Association.”

Another study examined a clinical trial comparing two therapies for reintegration stress among combat Veterans: Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction Therapy (TrIGR) and Supportive Care Therapy (SCT). Both therapies were effective, but TrIGR showed sustained benefits over six months. The trial included 145 Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans. Read the original ORD article | View the full study in “Military Psychology.”

The third study focused on a collaboration between VA Greater Los Angeles and the RAND Corporation to simplify how Veterans access care. The team developed pamphlets and brochures using human-centered design, including a tool called “Save a Trip,” which clearly explains different types of care needs. After testing in 12 VA clinics, the tools led to thousands of webpage visits and QR code scans, enhancing care coordination. Read the original ORD article | View the full study in “PEC Innovation.”

For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.

A portion of this story was generated by AI. None of the data we reported included personal or sensitive information, and it was fact-checked and edited by a human copy editor prior to publishing.