Veterans

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to determine whether a virtual reality (VR) training program can help healthcare providers improve their skills in discussing suicide prevention and safe storage of firearms and medications with Veterans. The study will test whether VR training increases providers' self-efficacy, confidence, and comfort in conducting lethal means safety counseling, and whether it improves their intention to use these counseling practices in their clinical work. Researchers will compare healthcare providers who complete the VR training to those who complete a 2D video training to determine whether the VR approach is more effective. Participants will complete online surveys before and after the training and again three months later. They will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: VR training group: Participants use a VR headset to interact with a virtual Veteran patient in a simulated rural clinic and practice suicide prevention counseling skills; Video training group: Participants use the same headset to watch a \~10-minute 2D video depicting the lethal means safety counseling session. After the training, participants will also provide feedback about their experience, including how realistic and useful they found the training.

In order to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking among Veterans, it is vital that healthcare providers offer effective tobacco treatment to all Veterans who smoke, including those not ready to make a quit attempt. Smoking treatments currently available to Veterans who are not ready to quit are only weakly effective. This project will generate new knowledge about the effectiveness of a promising varenicline-based intervention designed to increase quit attempts and long-term abstinence in Veterans who are initially not ready to quit. This project has great potential to engage Veterans not ready to quit smoking in treatment that increases quit attempts and quitting success, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality caused by smoking in Veterans.

Risk of Veteran suicide is elevated during the first year of transition from military service to civilian life. Most Veteran suicides occur among Veterans who are not connected to VA healthcare. Suicide prevention and connection to care are therefore critical for recently transitioning Veterans. Transitioning Veterans require services to provide them with suicide prevention education, skills to manage their transition effectively, and support in their access to VA healthcare. Convenient, accessible, palatable, patient-centered care options that are cost-effective, easy to implement nationwide, and target domains known to mitigate suicide risk are needed during this critical transition period. This proposal would bridge this important healthcare gap using STEP-Home-SP, a transdiagnostic, non-stigmatizing, skills-based workshop. STEP-Home-SP will provide Veterans with suicide prevention education, skills to improve transition, support to access VA care, and a platform to decrease social isolation early in their military to civilian transition, thereby reducing suicide risk downstream.

Th Stepped-Care Intervention of Music and Imagery to Assess Relief (SCIMITAR) Trial. SCIMITAR builds on our pilot study, the Feasibility and Acceptability of Music Imagery and Listening Interventions for Analgesia (FAMILIA), which demonstrated that telehealth delivery of music listening (ML) and music imagery (MI) interventions is feasible and acceptable to Veterans with chronic musculoskeletal pain. SCIMITAR leverages what we learned from FAMILIA into a fully powered trial, harnessing the benefits of sequential ML and MI into a stepped-care, music therapy intervention via telehealth for Veterans needing relief from pain.

This study is a randomized, controlled clinical trial to examine the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids for treating veterans with PTSD and suicidal ideation.

The veteran population is at increased risk for EAC and its precursor lesion, Barrett's esophagus (BE), due to increased prevalence of disease risk factors compared to the general population. BE is traditionally diagnosed only when patients undergo endoscopy with biopsies. However, due to the high cost of endoscopy and the lack of studies proving efficacy of screening, endoscopy to screen for BE is not routinely recommended. A simpler screening procedure similar to a pap smear would be an ideal way to sample the esophageal tissue for cancer and its precursor condition, BE. This study proposes a non-endoscopic detection method administered in outpatient offices which would increase subsequent endoscopic detection of BE. The study team will be enrolling veterans who do not have history of gastroesophageal reflux but have multiple risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

This clinical trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy (PSTx) for individuals suffering from chronic insomnia, sleep deprivation, and REM sleep disorders. Chronic insomnia, characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep, significantly affects patients and quality of life, mood, and cognitive function. REM sleep disorders, in which the body struggles to enter or maintain restful REM sleep, can worsen these issues. The trial introduces a novel therapy using anesthesia-induced sleep, targeting sleep homeostasis and improving sleep architecture. Objectives: The primary goals of the trial are to determine: 1. Whether PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy increases the quality of REM sleep. 2. Whether PSTx increases the duration of REM and/or NREM sleep. 3. Whether PSTx decreases the time it takes participants to fall asleep (sleep onset latency). Participants will receive ONE (1) PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy session lasting between 60-120 minutes. Each session uses Diprivan/Propofol to induce sleep, and is monitored via an EEG to ensure proper sleep stages, particularly REM sleep. Participant Criteria: Inclusion: Adults aged 18-65 with diagnosed or undiagnosed chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation. Exclusion: Patients with severe obesity, significant cardiovascular, neurological, or psychiatric conditions, or those with an ASA status above II. Study Design: This trial is non-randomized, single-arm and open-label, with all participants receiving the PSTx. The trial does not include a comparison group, as the focus is on evaluating the immediate, direct effects of the therapy. Participants will undergo continuous EEG monitoring during therapy sessions, allowing researchers to track brain activity and sleep stages in real-time. This method ensures that sleep cycles, particularly REM sleep, are optimized for therapeutic benefit. Therapy Methodology: PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy leverages anesthesia to mimic natural sleep patterns and enhance the efficiency of REM sleep. Diprivan/Propofol is used to induce REM sleep, while EEG monitoring tracks and maintains proper sleep architecture throughout the session. The therapy promotes the clearance of adenosine, a compound that builds up during wakefulness and drives the need for sleep. Adenosine is cleared during REM sleep, reducing sleep pressure and improving cognitive function. Outcome Measures: Primary Outcomes: Researchers will measure the increase in REM sleep duration, improvement in sleep quality (via self-reported questionnaires), and a reduction in sleep onset latency. Secondary Outcomes: These include changes in mood, cognitive function, and blood serum uric acid levels. Patient-reported outcomes will also be tracked through tools like the PROSOMNIA Sleep Quiz, which is specifically designed for PSTx. Significance: Chronic insomnia and REM sleep disorders affect millions globally, leading to cognitive impairment, mood disturbances, and poor overall health. Traditional treatments, including pharmacological approaches and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), often provide suboptimal results for many individuals. PSTx offers a novel, therapeutic approach to restoring sleep balance and enhancing the overall quality of sleep, particularly for those who have not responded to conventional treatments. Study Process: Recruitment and Baseline Assessments: Participants undergo a comprehensive sleep assessment, including sleep questionnaires and polysomnography, to establish a baseline for sleep quality and duration. Blood serum uric acid levels will also be measured to track any biochemical changes due to therapy. Therapy Sessions: Only one (1) PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy session will be administered, with the session lasting between 60-120 minutes. Diprivan/Propofol is used to induce sleep, and EEG will monitor brain activity to ensure the proper balance of sleep stages. Post-Therapy Follow-up: Follow-up assessments will occur at 24 hours, 7 days, and 30 days post-treatment. Researchers will analyze the therapy effects on REM sleep, mood, cognitive function, and other health indicators. Potential Implications: If successful, this trial could revolutionize how we treat sleep disorders by targeting the underlying mechanisms of sleep pressure and REM sleep disruption. PROSOMNIA Sleep Therapy may offer a safe, effective, and immediate alternative for patients who have exhausted other treatment options. Key Concepts: Homeostatic sleep drive, (Process S), caused by adenosine buildup during wakefulness, is disrupted by chronic insomnia. This impacts cognitive function health and recovery. Anesthesia-induced REM sleep via PSTx helps regulate this homeostatic sleep stage, offering deeper and more restorative sleep compared to other sleep therapies. The study uses statistical methods like ANOVA and Chi-square to measure outcomes.