Data Trends 2023: Respiratory Illnesses

Slideshow below.

Studies of Gulf War-era and post-9/11 veterans have confirmed that factors like deployment and blast exposure put these individuals at a higher risk for developing respiratory illnesses like COPD and asthma compared with their peers.^1,2 The prevalence of COPD is expected to increase as these veterans age, and understanding their related physiological, physical, and psychological health outcomes will become increasingly critical.³ Research conducted within the VHA has played an integral role in improving outcomes in veterans with COPD, and will continue to do so in the years ahead.