VA Encourages Women Veterans’ Wellness for National Women’s Health Week

PHOENIX (May 13, 2024) — For women Veterans, their varied roles as family caregivers, professionals, partners, parents and household managers can often mean putting others’ needs before their own. For many, the demands of their roles can lead to neglect of their own health and wellbeing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is aware of the added demands on women Veterans and the importance of serving women’s unique physical and mental health needs. Today, VA serves more than 800,000 women Veterans — the fastest growing demographic VA serves.

For National Women’s Health Week, VA spotlights women Veterans’ health. VA encourages women Veterans to take time to make their own physical and mental health a top priority. The designated week, held May 12–18, offers women Veterans a special opportunity to focus on wellness and take time for the self-care they deserve.

The VA women’s health care team is also dedicated and prepared to treat health care needs including primary care, fertility, maternity care, menopause and more to address health concerns.

Additionally, VA understands that women Veterans may have had experiences during their service that increased the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. VA prioritizes training its staff and providers to ensure women Veterans feel respected and understood when they seek care — no matter the cause.

VA also emphasizes that suicide has no single cause, but prevention is possible. Women Veterans’ suicide prevention is highly successful when support is accessible before a crisis. Women Veterans are at a higher risk for suicide than non-Veteran women, and VA provides a range of resources, services and support.

During National Women’s Health Week, it’s essential for women Veterans to take time for personal care, wellbeing, and understanding the importance of VA’s many mental health resources to help access appropriate care and services for crisis prevention.