Veterans Voice: Providence VA physician studies malnutrition's effect on veterans' health
All of us would probably agree that people who do not get enough to eat are generally less healthy than those of us who are well fed. Dr. Alicia Cohen is a family physician and health-services researcher at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center who has made it her life’s work to attack this problem.
Her research examines the links between not getting enough to eat and poor health. She goes further: How can the VA best address the needs of veterans who find it difficult to put food on the table for their families? How can the VA better identify community resources to help address this issue?
Early findings from her work have been cited in congressional testimony on veterans and military hunger. Last month, her work was recognized nationally when she was named a recipient of a prestigious fellowship from the National Academy of Medicine.
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NAM fellowship
“The fellows were chosen based on their professional qualifications, reputations as scholars, professional accomplishments and the relevance of their current field expertise to the work of the NAM and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine,” NAM stated in a news release.
“I am so humbled and excited about this opportunity,” said Dr. Cohen, who also practices primary care at the VA Providence’s Homeless Clinic and Women’s Health Clinic.
“This is an incredible honor and is perfectly aligned with my research, training and career goals,” Cohen said.
Cohen is one of seven recipients nationwide for 2022. During the two-year fellowship she will collaborate with “eminent researchers, policy experts and clinicians from across the country,” according to NAM.
Fellows continue in their primary academic or research posts while engaging in the National Academies’ health and science policy work. (Cohen is also an assistant professor of Family Medicine and Health Services, Policy, and Practice at Brown University’s Alpert Medical School and School of Public Heath.)
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Dr. Alicia Cohen
She was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Rockville, Maryland. She received her M.D. from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. She continued her training in California at the UCSF Sutter Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program. She was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar at the Univeristy of Michigan, where she earned a master’s degree in Health and Health Care Research.
Today, she serves on several national VA committees and workgroups. She represents the VA on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable on the Promotion of Health Equity.
Cohen lives in Providence with her husband, two children and yellow Labrador retriever. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, camping, kayaking and “pretty much anything else that involves enjoying the outdoors with family and friends.”
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Rep. Cicilline hosts 'Community Conversation' for vets and families
On Aug. 15, some 120 veterans, active service members and their families joined Rep. David Cicilline at Pawtucket’s Slater Park Pavilion for a conversation about issues important to them.
The event, postponed from July 25 due to weather, benefited from a beautiful summer evening as invitees enjoyed hamburgers, hot dogs and soft drinks. They mingled with local and RI National Guard leaders before sitting down for a serious discussion.
This was the fifth Veterans Community Conversation the congressman has hosted and the first since 2019 due to COVID concerns.
“Problems affecting our veterans have always been a very high priority for me,” Cicilline told the Journal. District Director Chris Bizzacco added, “These discussions are an important opportunity for the Congressman to provide an update on what is happening in Washington, and to hear about the pressing issues that veterans and their families think need to be addressed.”
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You can make a difference: Join VA’s Million Veteran Program today
Launched by the VA in 2011, the Million Veteran Program (MVP) studies how genes, lifestyle and military exposures affect health. More than 900,000 veterans have already signed up, making it one of the world’s largest programs on genetics and health. The managers of MVP hope to have 1 million veterans join by Veterans Day.
Understanding differences in our genes can help explain why some people get diseases and others don’t. Such answers can also help health care providers offer better preventive care and treatments.
Current research covers a wide variety of conditions, ranging from cancer to diabetes to traumatic brain injury.
Claudia Gutierrez of the VA’s Office of Research and Development told the Journal, “Imagine going to the doctor and getting health care designed just for you. MVP is working toward that goal, and the VA needs your help. With your support, researchers can move away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach to health care. They can instead develop personalized treatments for veterans like you.”
She also points out that women have been underrepresented in previous biological and medical research. This makes it difficult to make sure new treatments and approaches to medical care work just as well for women as men.
“Women make up about 9% of MVP enrollees,” says Gutierrez. “If you are a female veteran, enrolling will help guarantee women aren't left out of medical research that could improve or save the lives of your fellow female veterans.
“Fifteen minutes and a blood draw are all it takes. You can sign up online at mvp.va.gov or by calling 866-441-6075 to schedule an appointment at the Providence VA Medical Center.”
You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care to sign up.
CALENDAR
Operation Stand Down RI
Thursday and Friday, Sept. 15-16; 8 a.m.; annual Veteran Assistance Event
Operation Stand Down Rhode Island (OSDRI) will host a two-day event at its HQ (1010 Hartford Ave., Johnston) featuring many resources to help veterans. The program will offer help in housing and employment as well as legal assistance, welfare and social services.
Vaccines available will include COVID-19, flu, pneumonia and hepatitis. Thundermist Dental will offer oral care.
Veterans can also enroll in the VA’s Million Veteran Program. The MVP team will be there from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. both days.
Friday, Sept. 16: Representatives from the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal, District Court and RI Superior Court will be on hand beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Veterans seeking to address license reinstatements, traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal matters, expungements and court costs should arrive at 8 a.m. to meet with lawyers.
The Division of Motor Vehicles Operator Control will be present on Thursday and Friday to address license and ID issues.
For details, call (401) 383-4730 or visit www.osdri.org.
Attendees are asked to park across from Tri-County Community Action Agency at 1133 Hartford Ave. Shuttle service from the parking to the headquarters will be provided.
Thursday, Sept. 15, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Learn to surf cast for free. At Scarborough State Beach, the Providence Vet Center is teaming up with the Narragansett Surf Casters to offer a class to 15 service members/veterans. All the equipment you need to learn to catch fish from shore, along with instruction, will be provided. Please sign up with Justyn Charon at (401) 739-0167 or via email at Justyn.Charon@va.gov.
Saturday, Sept. 17, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: RI National Guard Resource Fair, Camp Fogarty, East Greenwich. Resources and Connections to help service members and families.
Saturday, Sept. 17, 10 a.m.: the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host its annual suicide prevention walk at Butler Hospital. To participate, register at: https://supporting.afsp.org/?
The Providence Vet Center will be present.
To report the outcome of a previous activity, or to add a future event to our calendar, please email the details (including a contact name and phone number/email address) to veteranscolumn@providencejournal.com
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence VA physician studies effects of malnutrition among veterans
