Utilization of Home Modification-Related Durable Medical Equipment: Rural-Urban Veterans Disparities.

IF 1.4 4区医学 Q3 REHABILITATION

Otjr-Occupation Participation and Health Pub Date : 2026-07-01 Epub Date: 2025-10-15 DOI:10.1177/15394492251370687

Jaewon Kang, Mi Jung Lee, Sergio Romero

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Abstract

Home modification services, including durable medical equipment (HM-DME), are crucial for helping veterans age in place. While the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) provides these services, rural veterans may face limited access due to health care disparities. This study analyzed HM-DME service use in VHA facilities within Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8, focusing on the proportion of veterans who received the service, common medical conditions, and specific types of HM-DME, using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square tests. The results showed that 19.7% of veterans received at least one HM-DME, with most of these services focused on improving bathroom safety. Despite the higher prevalence of health issues among rural veterans, there were no significant differences in service utilization between rural and urban veterans. These findings highlight possible gaps in service delivery in VISN 8 and emphasize the importance of enhancing continuous access to HM-DME services, especially for veterans living in rural areas.

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家庭改装相关耐用医疗设备的使用：城乡退伍军人差异

家庭改造服务，包括耐用医疗设备（HM-DME），对于帮助退伍军人适应环境至关重要。虽然美国退伍军人健康管理局（VHA）提供这些服务，但由于医疗保健差距，农村退伍军人可能面临有限的机会。本研究分析了退伍军人综合服务网络（VISN） 8内VHA设施中HM-DME服务的使用情况，重点关注接受服务的退伍军人比例、常见医疗状况和HM-DME的具体类型，采用描述性统计和Pearson卡方检验。结果显示，19.7%的退伍军人至少接受过一次HM-DME，其中大部分服务的重点是改善厕所安全。尽管农村退伍军人中健康问题的发生率较高，但农村和城市退伍军人在服务利用方面没有显著差异。这些发现突出了visn8在服务提供方面可能存在的差距，并强调了加强持续获得HM-DME服务的重要性，特别是对于生活在农村地区的退伍军人。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Otjr-Occupation Participation and Health REHABILITATION-

CiteScore

2.60

自引率

7.10%

发文量

期刊介绍： The aim of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health is to advance knowledge and science in occupational therapy and related fields, nationally and internationally, through the publication of scholarly literature and research. The journal publishes research that advances the understanding of occupation as it relates to participation and health.