UNASSIGNED: Our previous analysis showed how in-hospital mortality of intubated patients with COVID-19 in Greece is adversely affected by patient load and regional disparities.
UNASSIGNED: We aimed to update this analysis to include the large Delta and Omicron waves that affected Greece during 2021-2022, while also considering the effect of vaccination on in-hospital mortality.
UNASSIGNED: Anonymized surveillance data were analyzed from all patients with COVID-19 in Greece intubated between September 1, 2020, and April 4, 2022, and followed up until May 17, 2022. Time-split Poisson regression was used to estimate the hazard of dying as a function of fixed and time-varying covariates: the daily total count of intubated patients with COVID-19 in Greece, age, sex, COVID-19 vaccination status, region of the hospital (Attica, Thessaloniki, or rest of Greece), being in an intensive care unit, and an indicator for the period from September 1, 2021.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 14,011 intubated patients with COVID-19 were analyzed, of whom 10,466 (74.7%) died. Mortality was significantly higher with a load of 400-499 intubated patients, with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.22 (95% CI 1.09-1.38), rising progressively up to 1.48 (95% CI 1.31-1.69) for a load of ≥800 patients. Hospitalization away from the Attica region was also independently associated with increased mortality (Thessaloniki: HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.13-1.32; rest of Greece: HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.54-1.75), as was hospitalization after September 1, 2021 (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.36). COVID-19 vaccination did not affect the mortality of these already severely ill patients, the majority of whom (11,944/14,011, 85.2%) were unvaccinated.
UNASSIGNED: Our results confirm that in-hospital mortality of severely ill patients with COVID-19 is adversely affected by high patient load and regional disparities, and point to a further significant deterioration after September 1, 2021, especially away from Attica and Thessaloniki. This highlights the need for urgent strengthening of health care services in Greece, ensuring equitable and high-quality care for all.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of race and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 on disease presentation and overall survival for patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study of patients (n = 51,078) who underwent partial or total thyroidectomy with or without postoperative radioactive iodine (RAI) for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma between 2004 and 2018 in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).
METHODS: Cumulative survival (CS) was assessed with Cox proportional hazard regression analyses.
RESULTS: There were significant disparities in disease presentation at the time of diagnosis, with Black, Asian/Pacific Islander (API), and Hispanic patients were more likely to have metastatic disease (p < 0.001) and higher TNM stage (p < 0.001) at the time of diagnosis compared to White patients. Black patients had significantly increased risk of death (HR 1.147, 95%CI 1.021-1.289) but API patients had improved CS (HR 0.730, 95% CI 0.608-0.877) compared to White patients. Passage of the ACA was associated with lower risk of mortality, regardless of whether patients lived in states that did not expand Medicaid (HR 0.866, 95% CI 0.823-0.910) or whether they lived in expansion states (HR 0.818, 95% CI 0.758-0.884).
CONCLUSIONS: Racial disparities significantly impact thyroid carcinoma diagnosis and treatment in the United States but have improved over time. Both expansion and non-expansion states had improved survival outcomes over time, and suggesting analysis of the ACA\'s long-term impact and ability to address health inequities is still warranted.
METHODS: Level 3 Laryngoscope, 2024.

BACKGROUND: Performing cardiovascular and cancer screenings in target populations can reduce mortality. Visiting a General Practitioner (GP) once a year is related to an increased likelihood of preventive care. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of visiting a GP in the last year on the delivery of preventive services based on sex and household income.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study using data collected from the European Health Interview Survey 2013-2015 of individuals aged 40-74 years from 29 European countries. The variables included: sociodemographic factors (age, sex, and household income (HHI) quintiles [HHI 1: lowest income, HHI 5: more affluent]), lifestyle factors, comorbidities, and preventive care services (cardiometabolic, influenza vaccination, and cancer screening). Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses and multilevel models (level 1: citizen, level 2: country) were performed.
RESULTS: 242,212 subjects were included, 53.7% were female. The proportion of subjects who received any cardiometabolic screening (92.4%) was greater than cancer screening (colorectal cancer: 44.1%, gynaecologic cancer: 40.0%) and influenza vaccination. Individuals who visited a GP in the last year were more prone to receive preventive care services (cardiometabolic screening: adjusted OR (aOR): 7.78, 95% CI: 7.43-8.15; colorectal screening aOR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.80-1.95; mammography aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.69-1.83 and Pap smear test: aOR: 1.89, 95% CI:1.85-1.94). Among those who visited a GP in the last year, the highest ratios of cardiometabolic screening and cancer screening benefited those who were more affluent. Women underwent more blood pressure measurements than men regardless of the HHI. Men were more likely to undergo influenza vaccination than women regardless of the HHI. The highest differences between countries were observed for influenza vaccination, with a median odds ratio (MOR) of 6.36 (under 65 years with comorbidities) and 4.30 (over 65 years with comorbidities), followed by colorectal cancer screening with an MOR of 2.26.
CONCLUSIONS: Greater adherence to preventive services was linked to individuals who had visited a GP at least once in the past year. Disparities were evident among those with lower household incomes who visited a GP. The most significant variability among countries was observed in influenza vaccination and colorectal cancer screening.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in posthospitalization outcomes for people with chronic medical conditions and insured by Medicaid are well documented, yet interventions that mitigate them are lacking. Prevailing transitional care interventions narrowly target people aged 65 years and older, with specific disease processes, or limitedly focus on individual-level behavioral change such as self-care or symptom management, thus failing to adequately provide a holistic approach to ensure an optimal posthospital care continuum. This study evaluates the implementation of THRIVE-an evidence-based, equity-focused clinical pathway that supports Medicaid-insured individuals with multiple chronic conditions transitioning from hospital to home by focusing on the social determinants of health and systemic and structural barriers in health care delivery. THRIVE services include coordinating care, standardizing interdisciplinary communication, and addressing unmet clinical and social needs following hospital discharge.
OBJECTIVE: The study\'s objectives are to (1) examine referral patterns, 30-day readmission, and emergency department use for participants who receive THRIVE support services compared to those receiving usual care and (2) evaluate the implementation of the THRIVE clinical pathway, including fidelity, feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability.
METHODS: We will perform a sequential randomized rollout of THRIVE to case managers at the study hospital in 3 steps (4 in the first group, 4 in the second, and 5 in the third), and data collection will occur over 18 months. Inclusion criteria for THRIVE participation include (1) being Medicaid insured, dually enrolled in Medicaid and Medicare, or Medicaid eligible; (2) residing in Philadelphia; (3) having experienced a hospitalization at the study hospital for more than 24 hours with a planned discharge to home; (4) agreeing to home care at partner home care settings; and (5) being aged 18 years or older. Qualitative data will include interviews with clinicians involved in THRIVE, and quantitative data on health service use (ie, 30-day readmission, emergency department use, and primary and specialty care) will be derived from the electronic health record.
RESULTS: This project was funded in January 2023 and approved by the institutional review board on March 10, 2023. Data collection will occur from March 2023 to July 2024. Results are expected to be published in 2025.
CONCLUSIONS: The THRIVE clinical pathway aims to reduce disparities and improve postdischarge care transitions for Medicaid-insured patients through a system-level intervention that is acceptable for THRIVE participants, clinicians, and their teams in hospitals and home care settings. By using our equity-focused case management services and leveraging the power of the electronic medical record, THRIVE creates efficiencies by identifying high-need patients, improving communication across acute and community-based sectors, and driving evidence-based care coordination. This study will add important findings about how the infusion of equity-focused principles in the design and evaluation of evidence-based interventions contributes to both implementation and effectiveness outcomes.
UNASSIGNED: DERR1-10.2196/54211.
BACKGROUND: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05714605; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05714605.

暂无摘要。

BACKGROUND: Proactive psychiatric consultation services rapidly identify and assess medical inpatients in need of psychiatric care. In addition to more rapid contact, proactive services may reduce the length of stay and improve staff satisfaction. However, in some settings, it is impractical to integrate a proactive consultation service into every hospital unit; on-request and proactive services are likely to coexist in the future. Prior research has focused on changes in outcomes with the implementation of proactive services.
OBJECTIVE: This report describes differences between contemporary proactive and on-request services within the same academic medical center, comparing demographic and clinical data collected retrospectively from a 4-year period from the electronic medical record.
RESULTS: The proactive service saw patients over four times as many initial admissions (7592 vs. 1762), but transitions and handoffs between services were common, with 434 admissions involving both services, comprising nearly 20% of the on-request service\'s total contacts. The proactive service admissions had a shorter length of stay and a faster time to first psychiatric contact, and the patients seen were more likely to be female, of Black race, and to be publicly insured. There were over three times as many admissions to psychiatry from the proactive service. The on-request service\'s admissions had a longer length of stay, were much more likely to involve intensive care unit services, surgical services, and transfers among units, and the patients seen were more likely to die in the hospital or to be discharged to subacute rehabilitation.
CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the results suggest that the two services fulfill complementary roles, with the proactive service\'s rapid screening and contact providing care to a high volume of patients who might otherwise be unidentified and underserved. Simultaneously, the on-request service\'s ability to manage patients in response to consult requests over a much larger area of the hospital provided important support and continuity for patients with complex health needs. Institutions revising their consultation services will likely need to consider the best balance of these differing functions to address perceived demand for services.

UNASSIGNED: Biomarker testing in oncology is fundamental for targeted therapy use and clinical trial participation. Factors contributing to previously identified racial disparities in biomarker testing remain unclear. This study investigated biomarker testing, clinical trial participation, and targeted therapy by race among patients with metastatic lung cancer with Medicaid coverage in the United States.
UNASSIGNED: The Merative MarketScan Medicaid claims database was used for this study to identify patients diagnosed with having metastatic lung cancer between 2017 and 2019 with at least 121 days of follow-up. Racial differences in biomarker testing, clinical trial enrollment, and targeted therapy use were analyzed using chi-square/t tests followed by logistic regression for confounding covariates.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 3845 patients were eligible. A total of 970 (25.2%) patients included in this study were Black. Biomarker testing was observed among 57.0%, targeted therapy among 4.6%, and 2.6% of the study cohort had evidence of clinical trial participation. No significant disparities between Black and White races were identified. Younger age and metastatic disease at initial diagnosis were the strongest independent factors associated with increased biomarker testing. Biomarker testing was positively associated with targeted therapy use (OR = 1.69, p = 0.005).
UNASSIGNED: Patients with metastatic lung cancer with Medicaid coverage were found to have exceedingly low biomarker testing rates; only 57% had evidence of any biomarker testing. Although no consistent differences between Black and White races were identified, this study calls attention to care experienced by socioeconomically disadvantaged patients with metastatic lung cancer in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is a benign breast disease that can have an extended clinical course impacting quality of life and causing breast disfigurement. Granulomatous mastitis has been studied throughout the world; however, less is known about GM patients in the United States. We aim to identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with GM in the United States.
METHODS: An IRB-approved retrospective case-control study was performed of 92 patients with biopsy-proven GM at two institutions in Los Angeles, California: a safety-net hospital and an academic institution. Age-matched controls were selected from patients presenting for diagnostic breast imaging. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were collected. Data were analyzed using univariable test for odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and multivariable conditional logistic regression.
RESULTS: Patients with GM were more likely to prefer Spanish language (OR 6.20, 95% CI: 2.71%-14.18%), identify as Hispanic/Latina (OR 5.18, 95% CI: 2.38%-11.30%), and be born in Mexico (OR 3.85, 95% CI: 1.23%-12.02%). Cases were more likely to have no primary care provider (OR 3.76, 95% CI: 1.97%-7.14%) and use California Medicaid for undocumented adults (OR 3.65, 95% CI: 1.89%-7.08%). In the multivariable analysis, participants who preferred Spanish language had four times higher odds of GM versus those who preferred English language (OR 4.32, 95% CI: 1.38%-13.54%).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GM may have barriers to health care access, such as preferring Spanish language, being an undocumented immigrant, and not having a primary care provider. Given these health care disparities, further research is needed to identify risk factors, etiologies, and treatments for this subset of GM patients.

UNASSIGNED: A growing body of evidence points to persistent health inequities within racialized minority communities, and the effects of racial discrimination on health outcomes and health care experiences. While much work has considered how anti-Black racism operates at the interpersonal and institutional levels, limited attention has focused on internalized racism and its consequences for health care. This study explores patients\' attitudes towards anti-Black racism in a Canadian health care system, with a particular focus on internalized racism in primary health care.
UNASSIGNED: This qualitative study employed purposive maximal variation and snowball sampling to recruit and interview self-identified Black persons aged 18 years and older who: (1) lived in Montréal during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) could speak English or French, and (3) were registered with the Québec health insurance program. Adopting a phenomenological approach, in-depth interviews took place from October 2021 to July 2022. Following transcription, data were analyzed thematically.
UNASSIGNED: Thirty-two participants were interviewed spanning an age range from 22 years to 79 years (mean: 42 years). Fifty-nine percent of the sample identified as women, 38% identified as men, and 3% identified as non-binary. Diversity was also reflected in terms of immigration experience, financial situation, and educational attainment. We identified three major themes that describe mechanisms through which internalized racism may manifest in health care to impact experiences: (1) the internalization of anti-Black racism by Black providers and patients, (2) the expression of anti-Black prejudice and discrimination by non-Black racialized minority providers, and (3) an insensitivity towards racial discrimination.
UNASSIGNED: Our study suggests that multiple levels of racism, including internalized racism, must be addressed in efforts to promote health and health care equity among racialized minority groups, and particularly within Black communities.

Health care routinely fails Indigenous peoples and anti-Indigenous racism is common in clinical encounters. Clinical training programs aimed to enhance Indigenous cultural safety (ICS) rely on learner reported impact assessment even though clinician self-assessment is poorly correlated with observational or patient outcome reporting. We aimed to compare the clinical impacts of intensive and brief ICS training to control, and to assess the feasibility of ICS training evaluation tools, including unannounced Indigenous standardized patient (UISP) visits.
Using a prospective parallel group three-arm randomized controlled trial design and masked standardized patients, we compared the clinical impacts of the intensive interactive, professionally facilitated, 8- to10-h Sanyas ICS training; a brief 1-h anti-bias training adapted to address anti-Indigenous bias; and control continuing medical education time-attention matched to the intensive training. Participants included 58 non-Indigenous staff physicians, resident physicians and nurse practitioners from family practice clinics, and one emergency department across four teaching hospitals in Toronto, Canada. Main outcome measures were the quality of care provided during UISP visits including adjusted odds that clinician would be recommended by the UISP to a friend or family member; mean item scores on patient experience of care measure; and clinical practice guideline adherence for NSAID renewal and pain assessment.
Clinicians in the intensive or brief ICS groups had higher adjusted odds of being highly recommended to friends and family by standardized patients (OR 6.88, 95% CI 1.17 to 40.45 and OR 7.78, 95% CI 1.05 to 58.03, respectively). Adjusted mean item patient experience scores were 46% (95% CI 12% to 80%) and 40% (95% CI 2% to 78%) higher for clinicians enrolled in the intensive and brief training programs, respectively, compared to control. Small sample size precluded detection of training impacts on clinical practice guideline adherence; 100% of UISP visits were undetected by participating clinicians.
Patient-oriented evaluation design and tools including UISPs were demonstrated as feasible and effective. Results show potential impact of cultural safety training on patient recommendation of clinician and improved patient experience. A larger trial to further ascertain impact on clinical practice is needed.
Clinicaltrials.org NCT05890144. Retrospectively registered on June 5, 2023.