Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans

Abstract Background Identifying patient‐, facility‐, and environment‐level factors that influence the initiation and retention of comprehensive lifestyle management interventions (CLMI) for urban and rural Veterans could improve obesity treatment and reach at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. Aims T...

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Main Authors: Vijayvardhan Kamalumpundi, Jessica K. Smith, Kathleen M. Robinson, Assim Saad Eddin, Aiah Alatoum, Ghena Kasasbeh, Marcelo L. G. Correia, Mary Vaughan Sarrazin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-10-01
Series:Obesity Science & Practice
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.70014
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author Vijayvardhan Kamalumpundi
Jessica K. Smith
Kathleen M. Robinson
Assim Saad Eddin
Aiah Alatoum
Ghena Kasasbeh
Marcelo L. G. Correia
Mary Vaughan Sarrazin
author_facet Vijayvardhan Kamalumpundi
Jessica K. Smith
Kathleen M. Robinson
Assim Saad Eddin
Aiah Alatoum
Ghena Kasasbeh
Marcelo L. G. Correia
Mary Vaughan Sarrazin
author_sort Vijayvardhan Kamalumpundi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Identifying patient‐, facility‐, and environment‐level factors that influence the initiation and retention of comprehensive lifestyle management interventions (CLMI) for urban and rural Veterans could improve obesity treatment and reach at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. Aims This study identified factors at these various levels that predicted treatment engagement, retention, and weight management among urban and rural Veterans. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 631,325 Veterans was designed using VA databases to identify Veterans with class II and III obesity during 2015–2017. Primary outcomes were initiation of CLMI, bariatric surgery, or obesity pharmacotherapy within 1 year of index date. Secondary outcomes included treatment retention and successful weight loss. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationships between factors and obesity‐related outcomes, with rurality differences assessed through interaction terms. Results Patient characteristics associated with increased odds of initiating CLMI included female sex (p < 0.001), black race (p < 0.001), sleep apnea (p < 0.001), mood disorder (p < 0.001), and use of medications associated with weight loss (p < 0.001) or weight gain (p < 0.001). Facility use of telehealth was associated with greater odds of CLMI initiation in urban Veterans (p < 0.001) but lower retention in both populations (p = 0.003). Routine consideration of pharmacotherapy was associated with higher CLMI initiation. Environmental characteristics associated with increased odds of CLMI initiation included percent of population foreign born (OR = 1.03 per 10% increase; p < 0.001), percent black (p < 0.001), and high walkability index (p < 0.001). The relationship between total population and CLMI initiation differed by rurality, as greater population was associated with lower odds of CLMI initiation in urban areas (OR: 0.99 per 1000 population; p < 0.001), but higher odds in rural areas (OR:1.01, p = 0.01). Veterans in the south were less likely to initiate CLMI and had lower retention (p < 0.001). Conclusion Treatment and retention of CLMI among Veterans remain low, highlighting areas for improvement to expand its reach both urban and rural Veterans.
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spelling doaj-art-5b23cb1b0b724310b3dd242f02cf0aff2025-08-20T02:12:11ZengWileyObesity Science & Practice2055-22382024-10-01105n/an/a10.1002/osp4.70014Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US VeteransVijayvardhan Kamalumpundi0Jessica K. Smith1Kathleen M. Robinson2Assim Saad Eddin3Aiah Alatoum4Ghena Kasasbeh5Marcelo L. G. Correia6Mary Vaughan Sarrazin7Department of Internal Medicine Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota USADepartment of Surgery Division of Gastrointestinal Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery University of Iowa Healthcare Iowa City Iowa USADepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Iowa Healthcare Iowa City Iowa USADepartment of Surgery University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas USADepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Iowa Healthcare Iowa City Iowa USADepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Iowa Healthcare Iowa City Iowa USARoy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa USADepartment of Internal Medicine Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Iowa Healthcare Iowa City Iowa USAAbstract Background Identifying patient‐, facility‐, and environment‐level factors that influence the initiation and retention of comprehensive lifestyle management interventions (CLMI) for urban and rural Veterans could improve obesity treatment and reach at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities. Aims This study identified factors at these various levels that predicted treatment engagement, retention, and weight management among urban and rural Veterans. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 631,325 Veterans was designed using VA databases to identify Veterans with class II and III obesity during 2015–2017. Primary outcomes were initiation of CLMI, bariatric surgery, or obesity pharmacotherapy within 1 year of index date. Secondary outcomes included treatment retention and successful weight loss. Generalized linear mixed models were used to evaluate the relationships between factors and obesity‐related outcomes, with rurality differences assessed through interaction terms. Results Patient characteristics associated with increased odds of initiating CLMI included female sex (p < 0.001), black race (p < 0.001), sleep apnea (p < 0.001), mood disorder (p < 0.001), and use of medications associated with weight loss (p < 0.001) or weight gain (p < 0.001). Facility use of telehealth was associated with greater odds of CLMI initiation in urban Veterans (p < 0.001) but lower retention in both populations (p = 0.003). Routine consideration of pharmacotherapy was associated with higher CLMI initiation. Environmental characteristics associated with increased odds of CLMI initiation included percent of population foreign born (OR = 1.03 per 10% increase; p < 0.001), percent black (p < 0.001), and high walkability index (p < 0.001). The relationship between total population and CLMI initiation differed by rurality, as greater population was associated with lower odds of CLMI initiation in urban areas (OR: 0.99 per 1000 population; p < 0.001), but higher odds in rural areas (OR:1.01, p = 0.01). Veterans in the south were less likely to initiate CLMI and had lower retention (p < 0.001). Conclusion Treatment and retention of CLMI among Veterans remain low, highlighting areas for improvement to expand its reach both urban and rural Veterans.https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.70014obesity treatmentrural populationveterans Affairs
spellingShingle Vijayvardhan Kamalumpundi
Jessica K. Smith
Kathleen M. Robinson
Assim Saad Eddin
Aiah Alatoum
Ghena Kasasbeh
Marcelo L. G. Correia
Mary Vaughan Sarrazin
Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
Obesity Science & Practice
obesity treatment
rural population
veterans Affairs
title Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
title_full Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
title_fullStr Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
title_full_unstemmed Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
title_short Patient, facility, and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in US Veterans
title_sort patient facility and environmental factors associated with obesity treatment in us veterans
topic obesity treatment
rural population
veterans Affairs
url https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.70014
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