Supporting Veterans' Health and Resilience

This Veterans Day we encourage you to honor the service and sacrifices of our nation's veterans with action that supports improving their health. Many veterans encounter long-term health issues, often related to their service, which require special attention to prevention, education, and access to care. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) translates science into policy and provides vital programs and guidance that helps all everyone in the United States, including veterans, maintain and improve their health and build greater resilience. 

At the heart of ODPHP’s mission is Healthy People 2030, which sets health promotion and disease prevention objectives for the nation. Healthy People tracks progress on 358 core objectives with 10-year targets – all to be achieved by the end of the decade.  Healthy People topic areas address variety of challenges and conditions directly related to veterans’ health including Access to Health Services, Environmental Health, Cancer, Respiratory Diseases, Mental Health and Mental Disorders. Healthy People objectives focus attention on progress related to appropriate preventive care including screenings for cancer, respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health, as well as treatment of conditions impacting veterans. Across Healthy People’s 42 topic areas, more than 200 objectives contain data that can be segmented by veteran status. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential for managing the breadth of chronic health conditions, faced by many veterans. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans offer practical advice to help veterans in managing weight, improving mobility, and enhancing their overall health, well-being, and resilience, which is critical for preventing and limiting the progression of chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease. 

ODPHP’s MyHealthfinder tool provides personalized, easy-to-understand health advice. Veterans can use it to find recommendations for screenings, vaccinations, and preventive measures based on their unique health profiles. This tool helps veterans stay informed about essential health services, improve their ability to discuss these services with health care providers, and empower them to take control of their preventive care.

Veterans often return from their service with unique health concerns, including long-term effects from exposure to hazardous substances. The health risks posed by such exposures can be substantial, and can lead to respiratory illnesses, chronic conditions, and even cancers that can develop long after veterans return home. For example, veterans exposed to toxic substances, such as burn pits and Agent Orange during their military service may require additional screenings and treatments beyond those recommended for the whole of the population.

Embracing exposure-related care further tailors health care to the unique needs of veterans. A promising recent example responding to this need is the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act). Enacted to expand healthcare benefits for these veterans, the PACT Act provides much-needed healthcare coverage for veterans who have been exposed to dangerous toxins while serving their country. It addresses these additional service-related health risks by expanding access to care and benefits specific to such exposures and ensures veterans receive timely screenings and treatment. While ODPHP does not work directly in support of the PACT Act, ODPHP’s work complements the law by providing vital resources and programs that promote preventive care, improve health literacy, and offer guidance on best practices for healthcare providers.

This Veteran’s Day join ODPHP in honoring the service of our veteran’s by ensuring they receive the care and support they deserve and reaffirming our commitment to their health. Together, we can promote preventive care, enhance resilience, support informed decision-making, and provide access to essential services for veterans—this month and throughout the year.

To learn more about the Pact Act visit PACT Act Overview (va.gov).  To learn about health disparities facing veterans visit our blog Veterans Are not Immune to Health Disparities.