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VA Health Systems Research

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Reports in Progress

ESP Reports    ESP Topic Nomination    ESP Reports in Progress

The following reports are currently under development. If you would like to provide comments about a particular topic, serve as a peer reviewer for the draft report, or know the timeline for completion, please contact the ESP Coordinating Center.

To review the most up-to-date protocols, please visit the PROSPERO or OSF websites. Protocol registration details for individual projects can be found along with the brief abstract for the project, below.




Virtual Reality for Treating Mental Health Disorders and Suicide Prevention

OSF registration

Key Questions

KQ1: What are the benefits and harms of virtual reality (VR) interventions for treating mental health disorders?

KQ2: What are the benefits and harms of VR interventions for suicide prevention?

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Nursing Perceptions of Quality of Care

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251014455

Key Questions

KQ1a: Quantitative associations of nurse work environment characteristics on nurse-rated health care quality and safety

What is the impact of nurse work environment characteristics on nurse-rated health care quality and safety?

KQ1b: Qualitative views about nurse work environment on nurse-perceived health care quality and safety

How do nurses perceive that their work environment impacts health care quality and safety?  

KQ2: Mapping of nurse work environment interventions on nurse-rated health care quality and safety

What nurse work environment interventions or strategies are available to improve on nurse-rated health care quality and safety?

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Wearable Monitoring Devices

Key Questions

KQ1: What is the efficacy of wearable remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices for improving health care delivery and patient outcomes among adult patients transitioning from inpatient to outpatient care?

KQ2: What evidence is available on feasibility, acceptability, and other implementation outcomes for wearable RPM devices for adult patients transitioning from inpatient to outpatient care?

Participants/population: Adults transitioning from inpatient care to an outpatient care setting.

Intervention(s)/exposure(s): Use of platform-agnostic wearable RPM devices for continuous monitoring of vital signs and/or activity for real-time clinical analytics and feedback after discharge from inpatient care. We will exclude studies where the wearable device is one of several components and the effects of the wearable device cannot be isolated.

Comparator(s): KQ1: No use of a wearable medical device after discharge (comparative studies); KQ2: Any or none.

Outcome(s): KQ1: Health care delivery outcomes (eg, continuity of care, access to care, patient-provider communication, etc) and patient outcomes (eg, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, quality of life); KQ2: Feasibility, acceptability, and other implementation outcomes (eg, costs, sustainability, etc).

Study Design: Any, but may prioritize studies to fit timeline based on a best-evidence approach.

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Faith-Based Digital Applications Impact on Mental Health

Key Questions

KQ1: What is the efficacy of faith-based digital applications for improving mental health and wellbeing among adults?

Participants/population: Adults with or without mental health symptoms or diagnoses.

Intervention(s)/exposure(s): Faith-based digital applications (mobile apps that facilitate religious or spiritual practices, including prayer, spiritual meditation, etc) for improving mental health and/or wellbeing. Facilitation of religious or spiritual practices must be a primary component of the intervention.

Comparator(s): Any or none

Outcome(s): Mental health symptoms, stress, and/or wellbeing outcomes assessed with a standardized or formal assessment tool.

Study Design: Any, but may prioritize studies to fit timeline based on a best-evidence approach.

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Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression: A Systematic Review of the Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD) Procedure

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251076612

Key Questions

KQ1: Among adults with lumbar spinal stenosis, what is the effectiveness, comparative effectiveness and adverse events of percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression?

KQ1a: Does the effectiveness, comparative effectiveness and adverse events of percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression vary based on patient characteristics?

KQ1b: Does the effectiveness, comparative effectiveness and adverse events of percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression vary based on whether it is an initial or subsequent procedure at the same lumbar vertebral level?

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Remote Monitoring Technology for Foot Ulcer Prevention in At Risk Populations

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251071267

Key Questions

KQ1a: Among at risk adults, what is the efficacy and safety of remote monitoring devices for prevention of foot ulcers?

KQ1b: Does the efficacy and safety of remote monitoring devices for prevention of foot ulcers vary based on patient demographics, the presence of chronic kidney disease, patient device adherence, or physical activity level?

KQ1c: Does the efficacy and safety of remote monitoring devices for prevention of foot ulcers vary based on the type of monitoring device, frequency of monitoring, or methods of monitoring feedback to patient?

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Percutaneous Ablation for Lung Metastasis-Directed Therapy

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251101842

Key Questions

KQ1: Among adults with metastatic tumors in the lungs, what is the safety of percutaneous ablation compared to stereotactic body radiation therapy?

KQ2: Among adults with metastatic tumors in the lungs, what is the effectiveness of percutaneous ablation compared to stereotactic body radiation therapy?

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Chronic Xerostomia Management Following Radiation Therapy

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251145073

Key Questions

KQ1: Among adults who have undergone radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, what interventions are effective for management of chronic xerostomia?

KQ2: Among adults who have undergone radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, what interventions have been used for management of chronic xerostomia?

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Yoga for Health and Well-Being

Key Questions

The scope of this report is an update of Evidence Map of Yoga for High-Impact Conditions Affecting Veterans from 2014 and will include the following: an evidence map that provides a visual overview of the distribution of evidence (both what is known and where there is little or no evidence base) for yoga for certain high-impact conditions affecting Veterans, and an accompanying narrative that helps stakeholders interpret the state of the evidence to inform policy and clinical decision-making. This update will include more conditions of interest to VA stakeholders.

Participants/population: Adults

Intervention(s)/exposure(s): Yoga-based interventions commonly used in health care research including breathing practices, movement practices, and/or meditative components.

Comparator(s): Comparators include sham, placebo, usual care, other active therapies.

Context: Any health care setting

Outcome(s): Health outcomes and adverse events

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Interventions for Co-Occurring Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder

PROSPERO registration number: CRD420251180370

Key Questions

KQ1: What are the benefits and harms of interventions for co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) or prescription opioid dependence syndrome (PODS) and chronic pain?

KQ2: What are the reported health systems outcomes of interventions for co-occurring OUD or PODS and chronic pain?

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