VA Launches New Health Care Website Devoted to Women Who Served

The Department of Veterans Affairs now has a health care website devoted strictly to women.

Here are a few interesting facts about women veterans that help explain why a greater emphasis on women veteran’s healthcare is so desperately needed:

1.  The average age of women veterans in 2009 was 46 compared to male veterans at age 63;

2.  Females make up over 8% of the overall U.S. veteran population but that number is expected to increase dramatically as more Iraq and Afghanistan soldiers begin returning home;

3.  In FY 2009 and FY 2010 PTSD, hypertension, and depression were the top three diagnostic categories for women Veterans treated by the VA;

4.  About 1 in 5 women seen in VHA respond “yes” when screened for Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

On the Women Veterans Health Care website, visitors can find more statistics plus tools and resources for and about women veterans.  The site also features tips on wellness and healthy living, recent news, and links to publications and products.  The new website offers information on the VA’s Health Awareness and Culture Change campaigns, and links to VA’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

While on the on the site be sure to check out the Women Veterans Outreach Toolkit, which includes fact sheets on VA care and benefits.