Melissa Skanderson
Biographic Data
| ID | 5536029 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Melissa Skanderson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Melissa |
| FAMILY NAME | Skanderson |
| SIGNATURE | SKANDERSON M |
| AFFILIATIONS | VA Connecticut Healthcare System |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-5539-8680 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 16 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
LGBTQ+ status and sex of record in Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: Demographics, comorbidities, and outpatient encounters
Objectives: This study aims to analyze differences between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) and non-LGBTQ+ Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in terms of demographics, comorbidities, and medical care usage, including differences by sex of record, including separate analyses for transgender and non-transgender Veterans. Methods: -test, ANOVA Welch one-way testing, and absolute standardized difference analyse…
Leveraging Electronic Health Records to Assess Residential Mobility Among Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration
BACKGROUND: Residential mobility, or a change in residence, can influence health care utilization and outcomes. Health systems can leverage their patients' residential addresses stored in their electronic health records (EHRs) to better understand the relationships among patients' residences, mobility, and health. The Veteran Health Administration (VHA), with a unique nationwide network of health care systems and integrated EHR, holds greater pot…
Temporal and Geographic Patterns of Documentation of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Keywords in Clinical Notes
OBJECTIVE: Disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity correlates with better outcomes, yet data may not be available in structured fields in electronic health record data. To gain greater insight into the care of sexual and gender-diverse patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we examined the documentation patterns of sexual orientation and gender identity through extraction and analyses of data contained in unstructured …
Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study
Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adj…
Twelve-Month Retention in Opioid Agonist Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Among Patients With and Without HIV
Alcohol Use and Antiretroviral Adherence Among Patients Living with HIV: Is Change in Alcohol Use Associated with Change in Adherence
Receipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care
Associations Between Provider Designation and Female-specific Cancer Screening in Women Veterans
BACKGROUND: In 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA) implemented policy to provide Comprehensive Primary Care (for acute, chronic, and female-specific care) from designated Women's Health providers (DWHPs) at all VA sites. However, since that time no comparisons of quality measures have been available to assess the level of care for women Veterans assigned to these providers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the associations betw…
Association between Women Veterans' Experiences with VA Outpatient Health Care and Designation as a Women's Health Provider in Primary Care Clinics
Sex Differences in Patient and Provider Response to Elevated Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol
Antiretroviral Adherence Among Rural Compared to Urban Veterans with HIV Infection in the United States
The Burden of Illness in the First Year Home: Do Male and Female VA Users Differ in Health Conditions and Healthcare Utilization
Rural Residence Is Associated With Delayed Care Entry and Increased Mortality Among Veterans With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
CONTEXT: Rural persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face many barriers to care, but little is known about rural-urban variation in HIV outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between rural residence and HIV outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective cohort study of mortality among persons initiating HIV care in Veterans Administration (VA) during 1998-2006, with mortality follow-up through 2008. Rural residence wa…
Comparison of Two VA Laboratory Data Repositories Indicates That Missing Data Vary Despite Originating From the Same Source
BACKGROUND: Assessing accuracy and completeness of data is an important component of conducting research. VA Healthcare System benefits from a highly developed electronic medical information system. The Immunology Case Registry was designed to monitor costs and quality of HIV care. The Decision Support System was developed to monitor utilization and costs of veterans in care. Because these systems extract data from the same source using independe…
Delayed Presentation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Care Among Veterans: A Problem of Access or Screening
BACKGROUND: Despite the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, nearly half of patients entering human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care have advanced disease. Many attribute this delay to poor access to healthcare. Others argue that delays will persist until routine screening is adopted. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) is a unique laboratory to examine whether access to comprehensive health benefits results in earlier entry into HIV car…
Development and Verification of a “Virtual” Cohort Using the National VA Health Information System
BACKGROUND: The VA's integrated electronic medical record makes it possible to create a "virtual" cohort of veterans with and without HIV infection to monitor trends in utilization, toxicity, and outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We sought to develop a virtual cohort of HIV-infected veterans by adapting an existing algorithm, verifying this algorithm against independent clinical data, and finally identifying demographically-similar HIV-uninfected comparators…
Medical Disease and Alcohol Use Among Veterans With Human Immunodeficiency Infection: A Comparison of Disease Measurement Strategies
BACKGROUND: Many people with human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection drink alcohol. We asked whether level of exposure to alcohol is associated with medical disease in a linear or nonlinear manner, whether the association depends upon the proximity of alcohol use, and whether it varies by source used to measure disease (chart review vs. ICD-9 Diagnostic Codes). METHODS: The Veterans Aging 3 Site Cohort Study (VACS 3) enrolled 881 veterans, 86% of …
Alcohol Problems and Health Care Services Use in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Veterans
BACKGROUND: Although alcohol problems are common in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, their impact on health care services use in HIV-infected patients is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the association between alcohol problems and health care services use in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND SUBJECTS: We undertook a prospective analysis of 16,048 HIV-infected veterans and 32,0…
Understanding Racial Disparities in HIV Using Data From the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study and VA Administrative Data
Objectives. We identified race-associated differences in survival among HIV-positive US veterans to examine possible etiologies for these differences. Methods. We used national administrative data to compare survival by race and used data from the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study (VACS 3) to compare patients’ health status, clinical management, and adherence to medication by race. Results. Nationally, minority veterans had higher mortality rate…
Delay in Presentation for Cardiac Care by Race, Age, and Site of Care
BACKGROUND: Racial differences exist in the management of coronary artery disease. One hypothesis is that black patients delay seeking care and that this delay may influence the management of coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVES: To assess delay in seeking care for heart disease. RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: One thousand six hundred and fifty-two patients awaiting coronary angiography at three VA and one non-VA Medical Center…
Understanding Racial Disparities in HIV Using Data From the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study and VA Administrative Data
Objectives. We identified race-associated differences in survival among HIV-positive US veterans to examine possible etiologies for these differences. Methods. We used national administrative data to compare survival by race and used data from the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study (VACS 3) to compare patients’ health status, clinical management, and adherence to medication by race. Results. Nationally, minority veterans had higher mortality rate…
Delay in Presentation for Cardiac Care by Race, Age, and Site of Care
BACKGROUND: Racial differences exist in the management of coronary artery disease. One hypothesis is that black patients delay seeking care and that this delay may influence the management of coronary artery disease. OBJECTIVES: To assess delay in seeking care for heart disease. RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS: One thousand six hundred and fifty-two patients awaiting coronary angiography at three VA and one non-VA Medical Center…
Understanding Racial Disparities in HIV Using Data From the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study and VA Administrative Data
Objectives. We identified race-associated differences in survival among HIV-positive US veterans to examine possible etiologies for these differences. Methods. We used national administrative data to compare survival by race and used data from the Veterans Aging Cohort 3-Site Study (VACS 3) to compare patients’ health status, clinical management, and adherence to medication by race. Results. Nationally, minority veterans had higher mortality rate…
Development and Verification of a “Virtual” Cohort Using the National VA Health Information System
BACKGROUND: The VA's integrated electronic medical record makes it possible to create a "virtual" cohort of veterans with and without HIV infection to monitor trends in utilization, toxicity, and outcomes. OBJECTIVES: We sought to develop a virtual cohort of HIV-infected veterans by adapting an existing algorithm, verifying this algorithm against independent clinical data, and finally identifying demographically-similar HIV-uninfected comparators…
Medical Disease and Alcohol Use Among Veterans With Human Immunodeficiency Infection: A Comparison of Disease Measurement Strategies
BACKGROUND: Many people with human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection drink alcohol. We asked whether level of exposure to alcohol is associated with medical disease in a linear or nonlinear manner, whether the association depends upon the proximity of alcohol use, and whether it varies by source used to measure disease (chart review vs. ICD-9 Diagnostic Codes). METHODS: The Veterans Aging 3 Site Cohort Study (VACS 3) enrolled 881 veterans, 86% of …
Alcohol Problems and Health Care Services Use in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Veterans
BACKGROUND: Although alcohol problems are common in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, their impact on health care services use in HIV-infected patients is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to examine the association between alcohol problems and health care services use in HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND SUBJECTS: We undertook a prospective analysis of 16,048 HIV-infected veterans and 32,0…
Delayed Presentation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Care Among Veterans: A Problem of Access or Screening
BACKGROUND: Despite the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy, nearly half of patients entering human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care have advanced disease. Many attribute this delay to poor access to healthcare. Others argue that delays will persist until routine screening is adopted. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) is a unique laboratory to examine whether access to comprehensive health benefits results in earlier entry into HIV car…
Comparison of Two VA Laboratory Data Repositories Indicates That Missing Data Vary Despite Originating From the Same Source
BACKGROUND: Assessing accuracy and completeness of data is an important component of conducting research. VA Healthcare System benefits from a highly developed electronic medical information system. The Immunology Case Registry was designed to monitor costs and quality of HIV care. The Decision Support System was developed to monitor utilization and costs of veterans in care. Because these systems extract data from the same source using independe…
The Burden of Illness in the First Year Home: Do Male and Female VA Users Differ in Health Conditions and Healthcare Utilization
Rural Residence Is Associated With Delayed Care Entry and Increased Mortality Among Veterans With Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
CONTEXT: Rural persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) face many barriers to care, but little is known about rural-urban variation in HIV outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between rural residence and HIV outcomes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: Retrospective cohort study of mortality among persons initiating HIV care in Veterans Administration (VA) during 1998-2006, with mortality follow-up through 2008. Rural residence wa…
Antiretroviral Adherence Among Rural Compared to Urban Veterans with HIV Infection in the United States
Association between Women Veterans' Experiences with VA Outpatient Health Care and Designation as a Women's Health Provider in Primary Care Clinics
Sex Differences in Patient and Provider Response to Elevated Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol
Receipt of Prescription Opioids in a National Sample of Pregnant Veterans Receiving Veterans Health Administration Care
Associations Between Provider Designation and Female-specific Cancer Screening in Women Veterans
BACKGROUND: In 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA) implemented policy to provide Comprehensive Primary Care (for acute, chronic, and female-specific care) from designated Women's Health providers (DWHPs) at all VA sites. However, since that time no comparisons of quality measures have been available to assess the level of care for women Veterans assigned to these providers. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the associations betw…
Alcohol Use and Antiretroviral Adherence Among Patients Living with HIV: Is Change in Alcohol Use Associated with Change in Adherence
Twelve-Month Retention in Opioid Agonist Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder Among Patients With and Without HIV
Self-Reported Cannabis Use and HIV Viral Control among Patients with HIV Engaged in Care: Results from a National Cohort Study
Background: The association between cannabis use and HIV-1 RNA (viral load) among people with HIV (PWH) engaged in care is unclear. Methods: We used data collected from 2002 to 2018 on PWH receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate associations between self-reported past-year cannabis use and detectable viral load (≥500 copies/mL), with and without adj…
Temporal and Geographic Patterns of Documentation of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Keywords in Clinical Notes
OBJECTIVE: Disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity correlates with better outcomes, yet data may not be available in structured fields in electronic health record data. To gain greater insight into the care of sexual and gender-diverse patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), we examined the documentation patterns of sexual orientation and gender identity through extraction and analyses of data contained in unstructured …
Leveraging Electronic Health Records to Assess Residential Mobility Among Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration
BACKGROUND: Residential mobility, or a change in residence, can influence health care utilization and outcomes. Health systems can leverage their patients' residential addresses stored in their electronic health records (EHRs) to better understand the relationships among patients' residences, mobility, and health. The Veteran Health Administration (VHA), with a unique nationwide network of health care systems and integrated EHR, holds greater pot…
LGBTQ+ status and sex of record in Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder: Demographics, comorbidities, and outpatient encounters
Objectives: This study aims to analyze differences between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) and non-LGBTQ+ Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in terms of demographics, comorbidities, and medical care usage, including differences by sex of record, including separate analyses for transgender and non-transgender Veterans. Methods: -test, ANOVA Welch one-way testing, and absolute standardized difference analyse…
Medicine (20 works) · Internal Medicine (13 works) · Family medicine (10 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (10 works) · Demography (8 works) · Gerontology (8 works) · Internal Medicine (8 works) · Health care (7 works) · Psychiatry (7 works) · Veterans Affairs (7 works)