Pain Management, Opioid Safety, and PDMP (PMOP)
For Providers - Specific Populations - Pain in Women Veterans
This section provides tools addressing "Pain in Women Veterans," developed for providers.
An increasing number of women are serving in the military and as a result the population of women Veterans is increasing. Chronic pain is more common in women Veterans compared to male Veterans, particularly headaches, facial pain, musculoskeletal pain, and abdominal pain. Women Veterans have higher rates of risk factors for chronic pain including injuries in basic training and active duty, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and higher rates of sexual trauma. Women Veterans may also experience additional barriers to receiving effective pain care including stigma, lack of social support, higher levels of responsibility for home and child-care duties, limited transportation, and lack of access to gender-specific or trauma-informed care. Many women will do best in a clinic setting that helps to address some of the unique needs of women veterans including receiving trauma-informed care.
Please see the links below for additional resources specific to women Veterans
- https://www.womenshealth.va.gov/topics/chronic-pain.asp
- https://www.spreaker.com/show/she-wears-the-boots-a-podcast-for-women
- https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/for_researchers/cyber_seminars/archives/2350-notes.pdf
Providers Pain Management - Resource Topics
Literature Alerts for VA Staff
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