Authors: Peiris, Alan N.¹; Bailey, Beth A.²; Manning, Todd¹

Source: Military Medicine, Volume 173, Number 12, December 2008 , pp. 1214-1218(5)

Publisher: AMSUS - Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Abstract:

Vitamin D deficiency is often unrecognized and has been linked to many chronic diseases. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to ameliorate these chronic diseases and may reduce the prevalence of some cancers. We analyzed the health care costs associated with vitamin D deficiency in Veterans in Northeast Tennessee. A retrospective electronic chart analysis of the relationship of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status to health care costs, services, and utilization was done in 886 veterans. The overall costs were higher by 39% in the vitamin D-deficient group. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with increased service utilization in many areas including more frequent emergency room and clinic visits as well as increased inpatient stay and inpatient services. The serum level of vitamin D was also related to health care costs, although to a lesser extent. Vitamin D deficiency is closely linked to increased health care costs in veterans.

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Mountain Home VAMC, Medicine Service-111, Mountain Home, TN 37684; Alan.Peiris@va.gov. 2: Department of Family Medicine, East Tennessee State University, P.O. Box 70621, Johnson City, TN 37614.

Publication date: 2008-12-01

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• Military Medicine is the Association's official monthly journal. The objective of the Journal is to promote awareness of Federal medicine by providing a forum for responsible discussion of common ideas and problems relevant to Federal healthcare. Its mission is: To increase healthcare education by providing scientific and other information to its readers; to facilitate communication; and to offer a prestige publication for members' writings.
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