Bruce, Anita Catherine, August, 1987 - HEALTH CARE CONCERNS OF DISABLED VETERANS IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA: SOME IMPLICATIONS OF CHRONIC PAIN Abstract: This thesis reports on a study of Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization members in the Tampa Bay area. The DAV is a Congressionally-chartered organization which has as its mission to help veterans obtain their benefits. DAV members are veterans with an injury associated with military service. The purpose of this study was to learn some of the health care concerns of DAV Dembers and to ascertain their satisfaction with the VA as a health care provider. Contributions of anthropology to this project include: 1) participant observation and an administered questionnaire to produce an emic view of the VA by DAV members; and 2) elucidation of some psychosocial and cultural factors implicated in reported satisfaction of veterans with health care received from the VA medical system. Eight DAV members served as key informants, providing material from which a questionnaire was devised. There were 101 completed questionnaires from DAV members, including: 28 members attending a Brandon Chapter 83 meeting; 33 members attending a Tampa Chapter 4 meeting; and 44 members from chapter 83 who received the questionnaire with their chapter newsletter and returned it by mail. An analysis of the responses pointed to some dissatisfaction with VA health care as well as a high prevalence of pain among these disabled veterans. Other findings included the role of the DAV in assisting veterans to obtain benefits, the fact that the VA is valued by veterans as a source of health care, and some implications of chronic pain for veterans. Recommendations based on this internship include the importance of determining the meaning of pain for these veterans. Additionally, cultural factors influencing this group are important in their utilization of health care, and should be taken into account in order to provide the most effective care possible, and maximize the valuable and limited resources of the Veterans Administration. .