STI screening for women Veterans in VA care
Official title: Assessing Trends in STI Screening among Women Veterans in the VHA
Funded at Philadelphia VA Medical Center · NIH-11193237 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how often women Veterans get tested for sexually transmitted infections in VA clinics and how those testing rates have changed over recent years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Philadelphia VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2HX003348-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11193237 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women Veterans who receive primary care or women’s health services within the VA system—especially younger women and those with histories of sexual trauma, PTSD, or substance use—are the primary focus of this work.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not receive care at VA facilities or whose care is not recorded in the VA electronic health record are unlikely to be included or to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze VA medical records to track gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other STI screening patterns among women Veterans across VA clinics. They will examine which groups of women Veterans are less likely to be screened, including factors like age, history of military sexual trauma, PTSD, intimate partner violence, or substance use. The team will also review whether local VA clinics are following guideline-recommended screening practices and how those practices vary over time and by location. Results are intended to highlight gaps in screening and point to where VA care can improve for women Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help VA clinics increase appropriate STI testing, catch infections earlier, and reduce health complications for women Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Public-health research shows STI screening can reduce complications, but few prior studies have specifically measured screening patterns or health-system responses among women Veterans in the VA.
Where this research is happening
-
Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keddem, Shimrit — Philadelphia VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Keddem, Shimrit
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.