Research Articles & Papers
February 2023
Epidemiology and Infection
St Jean DT, Edwards JK, Rogawski McQuade ET, Thompson P, Thomas JC, Becker-Dreps S.
Online ahead of print – abstract to come.
Diabetes Medicine
Qian Y, Emmerling DA, Kowitt SD, Ayala GX, Cherrington AL, Heisler M, Safford MM, Tang TS, Thom DH, Fisher EB.
Diabetes distress is positively associated with HbA1c and may mediate the relationship between depressive symptoms and HbA1c. This study examined these relationships in a geographically, socioeconomically, and ethnically diverse sample of adults with type 2 diabetes. Using data from five US sites evaluating peer support for diabetes management (n=917), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) examined whether diabetes distress (four items from Diabetes Distress Scale) mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms (PHQ-8) and HbA1c. Read more >>
January 2023
Teaching social determinants through geographic information system mapping
Boggs Z, Beck Dallaghan GL, Smithson S, Lam Y.
Many institutions in undergraduate medical education have developed unique curricula to teach social determinants of health (SDOH). Geographic information system (GIS) mapping is one tool that learners could use to understand our built environment and its correlation with health outcomes through data analysis, visualization and active learning. At the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, medical students participate in a 4-year longitudinal curriculum on social and health systems science with the final year dedicated to self-directed learning. This final year course incorporates a GIS-based online module to help students apply their understanding of the health impacts of SDOH. Students create online maps with simulated patient data and identify ‘hotspots’ with map overlays using ArcGIS software. Read more >>
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications
Shikany JM, Safford MM, Cherrington AL, Halladay JR, Anabtawi M, Richman EL, Adams AD, Holt C, Oparil S, Soroka O, Cummings DM.
Racial disparities related to hypertension prevalence and control persist, with Black persons continuing to have both high prevalence and suboptimal control. The Black Belt region of the US Southeast is characterized by multiple critical priority populations: rural, low-income, and minority (Black). In a cluster-randomized, controlled, pragmatic implementation trial, the Southeastern Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control evaluated two multi-component, multi-level functional interventions – peer coaching (PC) and practice facilitation (PF) (separately and combined) – as adjuncts to usual care to improve blood pressure control in the Black Belt. Read more >>
Tonsillitis and Tonsilloliths: Diagnosis and Management
American Family Physician
Smith KL, Hughes R, Myrex P
Tonsillitis, or inflammation of the tonsils, makes up approximately 0.4% of outpati Rent visits in the United States. Tonsillitis is caused by a viral infection in 70% to 95% of cases. However, bacterial infections caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (Streptococcus pyogenes) account for tonsillitis in 5% to 15% of adults and 15% to 30% of patients five to 15 years of age. It is important to differentiate group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus from other bacterial or viral causes of pharyngitis and tonsillitis because of the risk of progression to more systemic complications such as abscess, acute glomerulonephritis, rheumatic fever, and scarlet fever after infection with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus. A variety of diagnostic tools are available, including symptom-based validated scoring systems (e.g., Centor score), and oropharyngeal and serum laboratory testing. Read more >>
Nicotine &Tobacco Research
Hohl SD, Shoenbill KA, Taylor KL, Minion M, Bates-Pappas GE, Hayes RB, Nolan MB, Simmons VN, Steinberg MB, Park ER, Ashing K, Beneventi D, Sanderson Cox L, Goldstein AO, King A, Kotsen C, Presant CA, Sherman SE, Sheffer CE, Warren GW, Adsit RT, Bird JE, D’Angelo H, Fiore MC, Van Thanh Nguyen C, Pauk D, Rolland B, Rigotti NA.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer screening and treatment delivery, but COVID-19’s impact on tobacco cessation treatment for cancer patients who smoke has not been widely explored. We conducted a sequential cross-sectional analysis of data collected from 34 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers participating in NCI’s Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I), across three reporting periods: one prior to COVID-19 (January-June 2019) and two during the pandemic (January-June 2020, January-June 2021). Using McNemar’s Test of Homogeneity, we assessed changes in services offered and implementation activities over time. Read more >>
American Family Physician
Fareedat Oluyadi, MD, Bailey Minish, MD, and Michael Evers, MD
A 36-year-old woman presented with a mass on her labia that she first noticed two years earlier. The mass had recently started to bleed, requiring multiple pad changes per day. The patient reported pain with walking and sitting. She did not have trauma or surgery in the affected area. She was obese (body mass index of 40 kg per m2) and had a history of irregular menses. The physical examination revealed a large pedunculated mass stemming from the left labium majus. Read more >>
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Nolan MB, Piasecki TM, Smith SS, Baker TB, Fiore MC, Adsit RT, Bolt DM, Conner KL, Bernstein SL, Eng OD, Lazuk D, Gonzalez A, Hayes-Birchler T, Jorenby DE, D’Angelo H, Kirsch JA, Williams BS, Kent S, Kim H, Lubanski SA, Yu M, Suk Y, Cai Y, Kashyap N, Mathew J, McMahan G, Rolland B, Tindle HA, Warren GW, Abu-El-Rub N, An LC, Boyd AD, Brunzell DH, Carrillo VA, Chen LS, Davis JM, Deshmukh VG, Dilip D, Goldstein AO, Ha PK, Iturrate E, Jose T, Khanna N, King A, Klass E, Lui M, Mermelstein RJ, Poon C, Tong E, Wilson KM, Theobald WE, Slutske WS.
There is mixed evidence about the relations of current versus past cancer with severe COVID-19 outcomes and how they vary by patient and cancer characteristics. Electronic health record data of 104,590 adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were obtained from 21 United States health systems from February 2020 through September 2021. In-hospital mortality and ICU admission were predicted from current and past cancer diagnoses. Moderation by patient characteristics, vaccination status, cancer type, and year of the pandemic was examined. Read more >>
December 2022
Evaluation of a COVID-19 convalescent plasma program at a U.S. academic medical center
PloS One
Heather B Root, Matt Gilleskie, Chih-Huan Lu, Andrew Gilmore, Mariama Evans, Bridget G Nelson, William Johnson, Brian Gurney, JoAnn Kuruc, Alena J Markmann, Amir H Barzin, David A Wohl, William A Fischer, Yara A Park, Susan Weiss, Sonia Napravnik, Ralph Baric , Aravinda M de Silva, Anne M Lachiewicz, David van Duin, David M Margolis, Michael E Herce, Luther A Bartelt
Amidst the therapeutic void at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a critical mass of scientific and clinical interest coalesced around COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). To date, the CCP literature has focused largely on safety and efficacy outcomes, but little on implementation outcomes or experience. Expert opinion suggests that if CCP has a role in COVID-19 treatment, it is early in the disease course, and it must deliver a sufficiently high titer of neutralizing antibodies (nAb). Read more >>
Current Sports Medicine Reports
Shawn F Kane
The American College of Sports Medicine’s Publications Committee is pleased to highlight the excellent content its journals are publishing and acknowledges authors whose exemplary work provides readers with unique clinical, scientific, and applied content. Read more >>
Families, Systems & Health
Myerholtz L, Roberts C, Ross Dew K, McClester-Brown M, Castro G.
Culturally sensitive behavioral health services are scarce, particularly in rural and underserved areas. To expand integrated behavioral health care training for providers, specifically those working in rural communities and federally qualified health centers, an interprofessional teleconsultation program was developed. Given the desire to focus on culturally informed care training, this was done in partnership with a nonprofit community mental health agency which focuses on behavioral health within Latinx populations. Read more >>
What 65 Years Have Taught Us: Reflections from a Career in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Sloane PD, Zimmerman S.
As editors-in-chief of JAMDA for the past 5 years, we’ve had the good fortune to learn of the cutting-edge research being conducted around the world related to older adults at risk for or receiving post-acute and long-term care at home or in group settings. We’ve brought our own experience to bear on editorial decision-making, but largely held our personal perspectives in check. Until now. Read more >>
November 2022
JAMA
US Preventive Services Task Force; Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Nicholson WK, Cabana M, Caughey AB, Chelmow D, Coker TR, Davis EM, Donahue KE, Jaén CR, Kubik M, Li L, Ogedegbe G, Pbert L, Ruiz JM, Stevermer J, Wong JB.
Menopause is defined as the cessation of a person’s menstrual cycle. It is defined retrospectively, 12 months after the final menstrual period. Perimenopause, or the menopausal transition, is the few-year time period preceding a person’s final menstrual period and is characterized by increasing menstrual cycle length variability and periods of amenorrhea, and often symptoms such as vasomotor dysfunction. The prevalence and incidence of most chronic diseases (eg, cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and fracture) increase with age, and US persons who reach menopause are expected on average to live more than another 30 years. Read more >>
Clinical Microbiology & Infection
González F, Diez-Valcarce M, Reyes Y, Vielot NA, Toval C, Gutiérrez L, Zepeda O, Cuadra EC, Blandón P, Browne H, Bowman NM, Víchez S, Vinjé J, Becker-Dreps S, Bucardo F.
To characterize the timing and genotype distribution of symptomatic and asymptomatic sapovirus infections and re-infections in a Nicaraguan birth cohort. Infants (n = 444) were enrolled at 10-14 days of life and followed weekly until 2 years of age. Stool were collected for each acute gastroenteritis (AGE) episode and routine stool were collected monthly. Stools were tested for sapovirus by RT-qPCR and positive samples were genotyped. Read more >>
North Carolina Medical Journal
Hay S, Hawes EM, Zamierowski A, Hunt SA, Page CP.
Lack of access to high-quality primary care has been shown to contribute to urban-rural health disparities. We describe a model in which an academic health system made targeted primary care investments to address rural health disparities while building the health workforce to ensure sustainability. Read more >>
Sidebar: Creating a Workforce for Health: Next Steps for North Carolina
North Carolina Medical Journal
Lombardi B, Fraher E.
Years of health workforce research, policy, and funding have focused on the question: Do we have enough health care workers? Read more >>
Let’s Rename Nursing Assistants What They Are: Professional Caregivers
JAMDA
Zimmerman S, Sloane PD, Rashik MI.
Terminology evolves with the times, and rightly so. In the not-too-distant past, terms weren’t needed to “take a selfie, write a blog, purchase a wearable, eat an edible, insert an emoji, be a foodie, have a staycation, develop a podcast, avoid spam” or “Google it.” Read more >>
The role of communication research to support policy change: The US menthol ban
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Byron MJ, Enyioha C, Goldstein AO.
A ban on menthol in combustible tobacco products has the potential to directly and dramatically affect the lives of the 19 million people who smoke menthol cigarettes in the US, including 85% of African American smokers.1 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gained authority over flavors in cigarettes in 2009 and was directed by law to form a Tobacco Product Scientific Advisory Committee to review the state of the science on menthol and make a recommendation. Read more >>
October 2022
JAMA
US Preventive Services Task Force; Carol M Mangione, Michael J Barry, Wanda K Nicholson, Michael Cabana, Tumaini Rucker Coker, Karina W Davidson, Esa M Davis, Katrina E Donahue, Carlos Roberto Jaén, Martha Kubik, Li Li, Gbenga Ogedegbe, Lori Pbert, John M Ruiz, Michael Silverstein, James Stevermer, John B Wong
Anxiety disorder, a common mental health condition in the US, comprises a group of related conditions characterized by excessive fear or worry that present as emotional and physical symptoms. The 2018-2019 National Survey of Children’s Health found that 7.8% of children and adolescents aged 3 to 17 years had a current anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders in childhood and adolescence are associated with an increased likelihood of a future anxiety disorder or depression. Read more >>
JAMA
US Preventive Services Task Force; Carol M Mangione, Michael J Barry, Wanda K Nicholson, Michael Cabana, David Chelmow, Tumaini Rucker Coker, Karina W Davidson, Esa M Davis, Katrina E Donahue, Carlos Roberto Jaén, Martha Kubik, Li Li, Gbenga Ogedegbe, Lori Pbert, John M Ruiz, Michael Silverstein, James Stevermer, John B Wong
Depression is a leading cause of disability in the US. Children and adolescents with depression typically have functional impairments in their performance at school or work as well as in their interactions with their families and peers. Depression can also negatively affect the developmental trajectories of affected youth. Major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents is strongly associated with recurrent depression in adulthood; other mental disorders; and increased risk for suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide completion. Read more >>
International Journal of Public Administration
Sapna Varkey, Kara Lawrence, Leila Chelbi, Amanda J. Stewart & Richard M. Clerkin
Providing services for a diverse population requires a shift in paradigms and mechanisms. New Public Governance (NPG) provides insights on the need for collaborative actions between organizations from all sectors. This study applies an NPG lens to investigate a state’s effort to enhance mental health and substance use recovery through building capacity in peer-support service providing organizations (SPOs). Read more >>
An Individualized Approach to Kidney Disease Screening in Children With a History of Preterm Birth
Clinical Pediatrics
Keia Sanderson, T Michael O’Shea, Christine E Kistler
Well-child Bright Futures screenings provide considerable benefits for child health and disease prevention; however, the benchmarks and screening for the many children with medical comorbidities are less well defined. With advancements in pediatric medicine, more children are living well with chronic diseases such as asthma, obesity, and hypertension. For these children, a more individualized approach to screening for comorbidities is needed. Read more >>
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Doyle M Cummings, Alyssa Adams, Shivajirao Patil, Andrea Cherrington, Jacqueline R Halladay, Suzanne Oparil, Orysya Soroka, Joanna Bryan Ringel, Monika M Safford
Because racial disparities in hypertension treatment persist, the objective of the present study was to examine patient vs. practice characteristics that influence antihypertensive selection and treatment intensity for non-Hispanic Black (hereafter “Black”) patients with uncontrolled hypertension in the rural southeastern USA. Read more >>
PLoS One
Vielot NA, François R, Huseynova E, González F, Reyes Y, Gutierrez L, Nordgren J, Toval-Ruiz C, Vilchez S, Vinjé J, Becker-Dreps S, Bucardo F.
Norovirus and sapovirus are important causes of childhood acute gastroenteritis (AGE). Breastfeeding prevents AGE generally; however, it is unknown if breastfeeding prevents AGE caused specifically by norovirus and sapovirus. We investigated the association between breastfeeding and norovirus or sapovirus AGE episodes in a birth cohort. Read more >>
Removing the Financial Barriers to Home-Based Medical Care for Frail Older Persons
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Sloane PD, Eleazer GP, Phillips SL, Batchelor F.
Approximately 7.5 million adults in the United States (US) have difficulty making office visits to physicians, either because they are homebound (2 million) or need transport and other assistance (5.5 million).
Geriatric Care in the Community Setting: When Older Adults Can No Longer Live Alone at Home
Family Physician Essentials
Kistler CE.
Older adults living alone at home are at risk of many adverse outcomes, including injuries from falls, firearms, and driving; adverse drug events due to drug errors; and self-neglect or elder abuse. An estimated 4.5 million Medicare beneficiaries became homebound between 2012 and 2018. Becoming homebound increases the risk of harm for older adults. Clinicians should evaluate the home safety of older adult patients, which requires assessing their medical conditions, home physical environment, and social circumstances. Identified problems should be addressed with interventions that allow patients to live safely in the least restrictive environment possible. Read more >>
September 2022
Residency Learning Networks: Why and How
Annals of Family Medicine
Warren Newton, Gerald Fetter, Grant S. Hoekzema, Lauren Hughes and Michael Magill
One of the most important features of the draft Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) family medicine residency requirements is a call for residencies to participate in learning networks. The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) believes that such networks are vital to residency redesign. Read more >>
Annals of Family Medicine
Timothy P Daaleman
Many years have passed since I visited Donny in the hospital, where he was admitted with a newly diagnosed and terminal lung cancer. Despite years of separation, his wife Rose took him back into her home and cared for Donny at the end of his life. In the months after his death, I learned more about their relationship; Donny’s drinking and infidelities, the emotional and verbal abuse that Rose put up with. At the end of one office visit, I was incredulous in silent amazement and asked her, “Why did you do it?” Rose looked at me and simply said, “Because he was one of us; because he was family.” Read more>>
JAMA Network Open
Sheryl Zimmerman, PhD, Philip D. Sloane, MD, MPH, Christopher J. Wretman, PhD, Kevin Cao, Johanna Silbersack, MSW, Paula Carder, PhD, Kali S. Thomas, PhD, Josh Allen, RN, Kim Butrum, RN, MS, Tony Chicotel, JD, MPP, Pat Giorgio, MPS, Mauro Hernandez, PhD, Helen Kales, MD, Paul Katz, MD, Juliet Holt Klinger, MA, Margo Kunze, RN, Christopher Laxton, CAE, Vicki McNealley, PhD, MN, RN, Suzanne Meeks, PhD, Kevin O’Neil, MD, Douglas Pace, NHA, Barbara Resnick, PhD, RN, Lindsay Schwartz, PhD, Dallas Seitz, MD, PhD, Lori Smetanka, JD, Kimberly Van Haitsma, PhD
Assisted living (AL) is the largest provider of residential long-term care in the US, and the morbidity of AL residents has been rising. However, AL is not a health care setting, and concern has been growing about residents’ medical and mental health needs. No guidance exists to inform this care. Read more >>
PLoS One
Michael C. Fiore , Stevens S. Smith, Robert T. Adsit, Daniel M. Bolt, Karen L. Conner, Steven L. Bernstein, Oliver D. Eng, David Lazuk, Alec Gonzalez, Douglas E. Jorenby, Heather D’Angelo, Julie A. Kirsch, Brian Williams, Margaret B. Nolan, Todd Hayes-Birchler, Sean Kent, Hanna Kim, Thomas M. Piasecki, Wendy S. Slutske, Stan Lubanski, Menggang Yu, Youmi Suk, Yuxin Cai, Nitu Kashyap, Jomol P. Mathew, Gabriel McMahan, Betsy Rolland, Hilary A. Tindle, Graham W. Warren, Lawrence C. An, Andrew D. Boyd, Darlene H. Brunzell, Victor Carrillo, Li-Shiun Chen, James M. Davis, Deepika Dilip, Edward F. Ellerbeck, Eduardo Iturrate, Thulasee Jose, Niharika Khanna, Andrea King, Elizabeth Klass, Michael Newman, Kimberly A. Shoenbill, Elisa Tong, Janice Y. Tsoh, Karen M. Wilson, Wendy E. Theobald, Timothy B. Baker
There is limited information on how patient outcomes have changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study characterizes changes in mortality, intubation, and ICU admission rates during the first 20 months of the pandemic. Read more >>
Viruses
Paul D Brewer-Jensen, Yaoska Reyes, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Fredman González, Michael L Mallory, Lester Gutiérrez, Omar Zepeda, Edwing Centeno, Nadja Vielot, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinjé, Ralph Baric, Lisa C Lindesmith, Filemon Bucardo
There are significant challenges to the development of a pediatric norovirus vaccine, mainly due to the antigenic diversity among strains infecting young children. Characterizing human norovirus serotypes and understanding norovirus immunity in naïve children would provide key information for designing rational vaccine platforms. Read more >>
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Donald E Pathman, Robert G Sewell, Thomas Rauner, Marc Overbeck, Jackie Fannell, John Resendes
Nearly every state offers loan repayment (LRP) and some offer loan forgiveness to clinicians who commit to work in safety net practices. The effectiveness of these programs from the perspective of safety net practices is largely unknown. OBJECTIVES: To assess safety net practice administrators’ assessments of key outcomes for the 3 principal types of state service programs: LRPs funded by states, LRPs funded jointly by states and National Health Service Corps, and loan forgiveness programs. Read more >>
Immune Imprinting Drives Human Norovirus Potential for Global Spread
mBio
Lisa C Lindesmith, Florencia A T Boshier, Paul D Brewer-Jensen, Sunando Roy, Veronica Costantini, Michael L Mallory, Mark Zweigart, Samantha R May, Helen Conrad, Kathleen M O’Reilly, Daniel Kelly, Cristina C Celma, Stuart Beard, Rachel Williams, Helena J Tutill, Sylvia Becker Dreps, Filemón Bucardo, David J Allen, Jan Vinjé, Richard A Goldstein, Judith Breuer, Ralph S Baric
Understanding the complex interactions between virus and host that drive new strain evolution is key to predicting the emergence potential of variants and informing vaccine development. Under our hypothesis, future dominant human norovirus GII.4 variants with critical antigenic properties that allow them to spread are currently circulating undetected, having diverged years earlier. Read more >>
The Supreme Court of the United States, Disability Rights, and Implications for Mental Health Parity
Family Medicine
The Impact of Self-directed Learning on the Future of Family Medicine Education
Family Medicine
Fareedat Oluyadi, D Jason Frasca
The landscape of health care delivery has changed dramatically in the past 2 years. For better or worse, the COVID pandemic and surges in police brutality resulting in the killings of innocent Black individuals have undoubtedly been catalysts for this evolution in health care systems. As we stand on the frontlines of care with our core focus on reducing health care disparities through a biopsychosocial perspective, family physicians are uniquely poised to rise to meet this evolving scope of care. Read more >>
Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
Christopher J Wretman, Marcella H Boynton, John S Preisser, Sheryl Zimmerman, Christine E Kistler
The overdiagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing home residents is a significant public health threat. Using a discrete choice experiment and a diagnostic guideline, we examined which patient-level information was associated with the overdiagnosis of UTIs and found that urinalysis results and lower urinary tract status were most associated. Read more >>
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Thomas M Piasecki, Stevens S Smith, Timothy B Baker, Wendy S Slutske, Robert T Adsit, Daniel M Bolt, Karen L Conner, Steven L Bernstein, Oliver D Eng, David Lazuk, Alec Gonzalez, Douglas E Jorenby, Heather D’Angelo, Julie A Kirsch, Brian S Williams, Margaret B Nolan, Todd Hayes-Birchler, Sean Kent, Hanna Kim, Stan Lubanski, Menggang Yu, Youmi Suk, Yuxin Cai, Nitu Kashyap, Jomol P Mathew, Gabriel McMahan, Betsy Rolland, Hilary A Tindle, Graham W Warren, Lawrence C An, Andrew D Boyd, Darlene H Brunzell, Victor Carrillo, Li-Shiun Chen, James M Davis, Vikrant G Deshmukh, Deepika Dilip, Edward F Ellerbeck, Adam O Goldstein, Eduardo Iturrate, Thulasee Jose, Niharika Khanna, Andrea King, Elizabeth Klass, Robin J Mermelstein, Elisa Tong, Janice Y Tsoh, Karen M Wilson, Wendy E Theobald, Michael C Fiore
Available evidence is mixed concerning associations between smoking status and COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Effects of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and vaccination status on COVID-19 outcomes in smokers are unknown. Electronic health record data from 104 590 COVID-19 patients hospitalized February 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021 in 21 U.S. health systems were analyzed to assess associations of smoking status, in-hospital NRT prescription, and vaccination status with in-hospital death and ICU admission. Read more >>
Creating a Lactation Research Community Through Use and Reuse of Survey Instruments and Scales
Journal of Human Lactation
Ellen Chetwynd
The Journal of Human Lactation contributes to the science that defines the work of lactating people’s bodies. Around the world, from all the places that our researchers, writers, and readers call home, we collectively study human breasts and the process by which that organ is used to feed and nurture human children. Across history and the political milieu, breasts and the process of breastfeeding have been fodder for cultural eccentricities and power dynamics. As scientists, writers, clinicians, and advocates in this field of study and work, our goal is to be unbiased and true to the data that we present. We work hard to speak about the bodies we study—the people we study—in a way that is respectful, transparent, clear, and concise. Read more >>
Being in the room where it happens: Leveraging behavioral scientists’ strengths in leadership
International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
Lauren Penwell-Waines, Linda Myerholtz
Studies of leadership have identified several key traits and skills among successful leaders, including honesty, emotional intelligence, setting a vision, effective communication, and interest in providing feedback and developing others. These attributes, in addition to specific knowledge and skills related to health care systems, medical education, and effective team dynamics can propel behavioral scientists to success in graduate medical education. Read more >>
Impact of pharmacist participation in the patient care team on value-based health measures
American Journal of Health System Pharmacy
Michael Patti, Evan W Colmenares, Anna Abrahamson, Sarah Weddle, Jamie Cavanaugh, Zack Deyo, Mary-Haston Vest
To evaluate whether pharmacist engagement on the interdisciplinary team leads to improved performance on diabetes-related quality measures. This was a retrospective observational study of patients seen in primary care and specialty clinics from October 2014 to October 2020. Read more >>
August 2022
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Le Donne M, Kistler CE, Hanson L, Kiyota A, Matsui T, Abe M, Inoue M.
Despite having the world’s oldest population and highest prevalence of persons living with dementia, Japan lags behind Western nations in rates of advance care planning.1, 2 Advance care planning (ACP) is defined as discussions and documentation of patients’ preferences for future medical treatment.3 The purpose of this letter is to describe the translation and cultural adaptation of a toolkit to increase its relevance to the Japanese primary care clinician. Read more >>
British Medical Journal
Pathman DE, Sonis J, Rauner TE, Alton K, Headlee AS, Harrison JN.
To explore the causes and levels of moral distress experienced by clinicians caring for the low-income patients of safety net practices in the USA during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional survey in late 2020, employing quantitative and qualitative analyses. Read more >>
The impact of the real cost vaping and smoking ads across tobacco products
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Kowitt SD, Sheldon JM, Vereen RN, Kurtzman RT, Gottfredson NC, Hall MG, Brewer NT, Noar SM.
Introduction: Little research has examined the spillover effects of tobacco communication campaigns, such as how anti-smoking ads affect vaping. Methods: Participants were a national sample of 623 US adolescents (ages 13-17) from a probability-based panel. In a between-subjects experiment, we randomly assigned adolescents to view one of four videos online: 1) a smoking prevention video ad from the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) The Real Cost campaign, 2) a neutral control video about smoking, 3) a vaping prevention video ad from The Real Cost campaign, or 4) a neutral control video about vaping. We present effect sizes as Cohen’s d, standardized mean differences, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Read more >>
Cancer Epidemiology
Feuer Z, Michael J, Morton E, Matulewicz RS, Sheeran P, Shoenbill K, Goldstein A, Sherman S, Bjurlin MA.
Tobacco cessation, at the time of cancer diagnosis, has been associated with better oncologic outcomes. Cancer diagnosis has been shown to serves as a “teachable moment,” inspiring tobacco cessation. However, the sustainability of abstinence from smoking is understudied. Similarly, there is a paucity of data regarding the utility of behavioral/pharmacologic intervention to support continued smoking cessation. A systematic literature review was conducted in August 2021 with no date limits. Relevant studies that reported tobacco smoking relapse rates for patients who quit at the time of cancer diagnosis were included. Our literature search identified 1620 articles and 29 met inclusion criteria. Read more >>
History of the relationship between smoking and bladder cancer: A public health perspective
Urology
Weiss KG, Matulewicz RS, Moreton E, Shoenbill KA, Milowsky MI, Rose TL, Kim WY, Goldstein AO, Bjurlin MA.
Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of cancer worldwide and associated with substantial morbidity. Here, we chronicle how the relationship between smoking and the development of bladder cancer came to be understood. We describe the evidence that established the causal effect of smoking cigarettes on bladder cancer and highlight the scientists involved in these discoveries. Using Surgeon General’s Reports, from the mid-1900’s to 2020, we provide a historical narrative of the discovery of the link between cigarette smoking and bladder cancer. Read more >>
Intravenous iron vs. oral iron in iron deficiency anemia
American Family Physician
Mounsey A, Peacock E, Magnusson L.
Is intravenous iron infusion superior to oral iron for avoiding blood transfusion in adults with iron deficiency anemia? No, intravenous iron administration does not reduce the need for blood transfusion compared with oral iron supplementation. (Strength of Recommendation [SOR]: A, multiple meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials [RCTs].) Compared with oral iron, intravenous iron has no effect on mortality. (SOR: B, multiple meta-analyses of RCTs.) Intravenous iron may increase the risk of infection compared with oral iron. (SOR: B, inconsistent evidence from meta-analyses of RCTs.). Read more >>
Rural-urban outcome differences associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina
PLoS One
Denslow S, Wingert JR, Hanchate AD, Rote A, Westreich D, Sexton L, Cheng K, Curtis J, Jones WS, Lanou AJ, Halladay JR.
People living in rural regions in the United States face more health challenges than their non-rural counterparts which could put them at additional risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have examined if rurality is associated with additional mortality risk among those hospitalized for COVID-19. We studied a retrospective cohort of 3,991 people hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infections discharged between March 1 and September 30, 2020 in one of 17 hospitals in North Carolina that collaborate as a clinical data research network. Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptoms and laboratory data were examined. Logistic regression was used to evaluate associations of rurality with a composite outcome of death/hospice discharge. Comorbidities were more common in the rural patient population as were the number of comorbidities per patient. Read more >>
Disability as diversity: educational opportunities for family medicine
International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine
Young KM, Newell KG.
Disability is an aspect of diversity that often receives less attention in healthcare and medical education than other aspects of diversity, such as gender or race. Approximately one in four Americans has some type of disability, and individuals with disabilities have less access to healthcare, greater dissatisfaction with their healthcare, and report being in poorer health than individuals without a disability. Although many factors likely contribute to these disparities, physician perception and understanding of disability have been examined as potential pathways that influence health inequity. Read more >>
The geriatric-focused emergency department: opportunities and challenges
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Sloane PD.
Emergency departments are an important site of medical care for older persons and serve as a gateway to hospital entry. In the United States, persons aged 65 years and older comprise 18% of emergency department visits and a whopping 40% of emergency department-to-hospital admissions. The primary focus of emergency departments is acute, potentially life-threatening conditions, which has led these settings to be characterized by a restive staff mindset, limited history taking, extensive use of laboratory and radiologic tests, and a focus on rapid decision making and patient disposition. This approach is in many ways antithetical to care of older persons, for which the key elements of quality include concern for comfort and homeostasis, understanding of the patient’s complex medical and psychosocial history, avoidance of unnecessary interventions, and observation over time. Read more >>
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
Castellano AK, Powell JR, Cools MJ, Walton SR, Barnett RR, Delellis SM, Goldberg RL, Kane SF, Means GE, Zamora CA, Depenbrock PJ, Mihalik JP.
A high mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) incidence rate exists in military and sport. Hypopituitarism is an mTBI sequela; however, few studies have examined this phenomenon in those with an mTBI history. This cross-sectional study of Special Operations Forces combat soldiers aimed 1) to relate anterior pituitary gland volumes (actual and normalized) to insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations, 2) to examine the effect of mTBI history on anterior pituitary gland volumes (actual and normalized) and IGF-1 concentrations, and 3) to measure the odds of demonstrating lower anterior pituitary gland volumes (actual and normalized) or IGF-1 concentrations if self-reporting mTBI history. Read more >>
The Journal of Pharmacy Technology
Austin CA, Szeto A, Gupta A, Wiltshire T, Crona DJ, Kistler C.J Pharm Technol.
Background: Pharmacogenetics may explain a substantial proportion of the variation seen in the efficacy and risk profile of analgesosedative drugs and the incidence of delirium in critically ill adults. Objectives: Conduct a feasibility study to demonstrate the reliability of collecting and analyzing pharmacogenetic information from critically ill patients and to assess the impact of pharmacogenetics on intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes. Read more >>
Critical analysis of reliability and validity in literature reviews
Journal of Human Lactation
Chetwynd E.J.
Literature reviews can take many forms depending on the field of specialty and the specific purpose of the review. The evidence base for lactation integrates research that cuts across multiple specialties (Dodgson, 2019) but the most common literature reviews accepted in the Journal of Human Lactation include scoping reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Read more >>
Research in Nursing & Health
Beeber AS, Hoben M, Leeman J, Palmertree S, Kistler CE, Ottosen T, Moreton E, Vogelsmeier A, Dardess P, Anderson RA.
Assisted living (AL) communities are experiencing rising levels of resident acuity, challenging efforts to balance person-centered care-which prioritizes personhood, autonomy, and relationship-based care practices-with efforts to keep residents safe. Safety is a broad-scale problem in AL that encompasses care concerns (e.g., abuse/neglect, medication errors, inadequate staffing, and infection management) as well as resident issues (e.g., falls, elopement, and medical emergencies). Person and family engagement (PFE) is one approach to achieving a balance between person-centered care and safety. In other settings, PFE interventions have improved patient care processes, outcomes, and experiences. In this paper, we describe the protocol for a multiple methods AHRQ-funded study (Engage) to develop a toolkit for increasing resident and family engagement in AL safety. Read more >>
July 2022
Clinical Diabetes
Marcella H. Boynton; Katrina E. Donahue; Erica Richman; Asia Johnson; Jennifer Leeman; Maihan B. Vu; Jennifer Rees; Laura A. Young
This study examined whether certain patient characteristics are associated with the prescribing of self-monitoring of blood glucose for patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin and have well-controlled blood glucose. Read more >>
The Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing
Venus Standard, Kimberly Jones-Beatty, Lodz Joseph-Lemon, Ebony Marcelle, Charlotte E Morris, Trinisha Williams, Tracie Brown, Haley Shizuka Oura, Susan Stapleton, Diana R Jolles
Progesterone has been the standard of practice for the prevention of preterm birth for decades. The drug received expedited Food and Drug Administration approval, prior to the robust demonstration of scientific efficacy.
Methods: Prospective research from the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, 2007-2020. Two-tailed t tests, logistic regression, and propensity score matching were used.
Results: Midwifery-led care was underutilized by groups most at risk for preterm birth and was shown to be effective at maintaining low preterm birth rates. The model did not demonstrate reliable access to progesterone. Read more >>
Journal of General Internal Medicine
Ebiere Okah, LáShauntá Glover, Katrina E Donahue, Giselle Corbie-Smith, Gaurav Dave
Using race-a socially assigned identity that does not adequately capture human genetic variation-to guide clinical care can result in poor outcomes for racially minoritized patients. This study assessed (1) how physicians conceptualize and use race in their clinical care (race-based care) and (2) physician characteristics associated with race-based care. Read more >>
Academic Medicine
Maniraj Jeyaraju , Henry Linford, Thiago Bosco Mendes, Christine Caufield-Noll, Sean Tackett
To synthesize the evidence of the factors leading to successful performance on knowledge-based national licensure exams (NLEs) for medical students. The authors conducted a scoping review to summarize the peer-reviewed empiric literature that used United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 1 or Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation scores as outcomes. The authors searched PubMed and Scopus without date restrictions through April 30, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened and selected studies for inclusion. Data were summarized narratively and with descriptive statistics. Read more >>
JAMA
Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Nicholson WK, Cabana MD, Coker TR, Davidson KW, Davis EM, Donahue KE, Jaén CR, Kubik M, Li L, Ogedegbe G, Pbert L, Ruiz JM, Stevermer J, Wong JB.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes heart disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke, is the leading cause of death in the US. A large proportion of CVD cases can be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, including smoking, obesity, diabetes, elevated blood pressure or hypertension, dyslipidemia, lack of physical activity, and unhealthy diet. Adults who adhere to national guidelines for a healthy diet and physical activity have lower rates of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than those who do not; however, most US adults do not consume healthy diets or engage in physical activity at recommended levels. Read more >>
BMC Health Services Research
Oh NL, Potter AJ, Sabik LM, Trivedi AN, Wolinsky F, Wright B.
Individuals dually-enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid (dual eligibles) are disproportionately sicker, have higher health care costs, and are hospitalized more often for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) than other Medicare beneficiaries. Primary care may reduce ACSC hospitalizations, but this has not been well studied among dual eligibles. We examined the relationship between primary care and ACSC hospitalization among dual eligibles age 65 and older. Read more >>
Breadth and dynamics of Human Norovirus-specific antibodies in the first year of life
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Vielot NA, Brinkman A, DeMaso C, Vilchez S, Lindesmith LC, Bucardo F, Reyes Y, Baric RS, Ryan EP, Braun R, Becker-Dreps S.
We measured antibody binding to diverse norovirus virus-like particles over 12 months in 16 children. All had maternal antibodies at 2 months, with estimated lowest levels at 5 months of age. Read more >>
Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Becker-Dreps S, Brewer-Jensen PD, González F, Reyes Y, Mallory ML, Gutiérrez L, Vielot NA, Diez-Valcarce M, Vinjé J, Baric RS, Lindesmith LC, Bucardo F.J.
A birth cohort design was used to understand whether heterotypic ligand-blocking norovirus antibodies provide cross-protection within the GII genogroup. Read more >>
Workplace Health & Safety
Zerden LS, Richman EL, Lombardi B, Forte AB.
Frontline health care workers are particularly vulnerable to burnout and diminished well-being as they endure COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors. While physicians and nurses are the public face of those experiencing burnout in hospitals, these stressors also affect low-wage workers such as food and housekeeping/janitorial service workers whose roles largely remain “invisible” when conceptualizing the essential health workforce and understanding their needs. This study sought to understand the experiences of frontline essential workers to better support them and prevent burnout. Read more >>
The Impact of Cannabis Packaging Characteristics on Perceptions and Intentions
American Journal of Preventative Medicine
Kowitt SD, Yockey RA, Lee JGL, Jarman KL, Gourdet CK, Ranney LM.
As cannabis increasingly becomes a consumer product in the U.S., its product packaging has become critically important to regulators. This study examined the influence of recreational cannabis packaging characteristics. Read more >>
Reducing misperceptions about very low nicotine content cigarettes: insights from adults who smoke
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Ranney LM, Jarman KL, Clark S, Baler G, Gourlay M, Brewer NT, Goldstein AO, Byron MJ.
Many people incorrectly think that very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes are less carcinogenic than current cigarettes. This risk misperception by people who smoke could reduce motivation to quit under a nicotine reduction policy. We qualitatively examined perspectives of campaign messages designed to reduce misperceptions. Read more >>
Nicotine & Tobacco Research
Hohl SD, Shoenbill KA, Taylor KL, Minion M, Bates-Pappas GE, Hayes RB, Nolan MB, Simmons VN, Steinberg MB, Park ER, Ashing K, Beneventi D, Cox LS, Goldstein AO, King A, Kotsen C, Presant CA, Sherman SE, Sheffer CE, Warren GW, Adsit RT, Bird JE, D’Angelo H, Fiore MC, Nguyen CVT, Pauk D, Rolland B, Rigotti NA.
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted cancer screening and treatment delivery, but COVID-19’s impact on tobacco cessation treatment for cancer patients who smoke has not been widely explored. Read more >>
The Journal of Nutrition
Al-Shaer AE, Regan J, Buddenbaum N, Tharwani S, Drawdy C, Behee M, Sergin S, Fenton JI, Maddipati KR, Kane S, Butler E, Shaikh SR.
Specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs), synthesized from PUFAs, resolve inflammation and return damaged tissue to homeostasis. Thus, increasing metabolites of the SPM biosynthetic pathway may have potential health benefits for select clinical populations, such as subjects with obesity who display dysregulation of SPM metabolism. However, the concentrations of SPMs and their metabolic intermediates in humans with obesity remains unclear. Read more >>
The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
Standard V, Jones-Beatty K, Joseph-Lemon L, Marcelle E, Morris CE, Williams T, Brown T, Oura HS, Stapleton S, Jolles DR.
Progesterone has been the standard of practice for the prevention of preterm birth for decades. The drug received expedited Food and Drug Administration approval, prior to the robust demonstration of scientific efficacy. Prospective research from the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, 2007-2020. Two-tailed t tests, logistic regression, and propensity score matching were used. Midwifery-led care was underutilized by groups most at risk for preterm birth and was shown to be effective at maintaining low preterm birth rates. The model did not demonstrate reliable access to progesterone. Read more >>
Academic Medicine
Jeyaraju M, Linford H, Mendes TB, Caufield-Noll C, Tackett S.
To synthesize the evidence of the factors leading to successful performance on knowledge-based national licensure exams (NLEs) for medical students. The authors conducted a scoping review to summarize the peer-reviewed empiric literature that used United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 or Step 2 Clinical Knowledge or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX) Level 1 or Level 2 Cognitive Evaluation scores as outcomes. The authors searched PubMed and Scopus without date restrictions through April 30, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened and selected studies for inclusion. Data were summarized narratively and with descriptive statistics. Read more >>
June 2022
Academic Medicine
Emily M Hawes, Mark Holmes, Erin P Fraher, Alyssa Zamierowski, Judith Pauwels, Louis A Sanner, Jacob Rains, Cristen P Page
Evidence shows that those living in rural communities experience consistently worse health outcomes than their urban and suburban counterparts. One proven strategy to address this disparity is to increase the physician supply in rural areas through graduate medical education (GME) training. However, rural hospitals have faced challenges developing training programs in these underserved areas, largely due to inadequate federal funding for rural GME. Read more >>
Academic Medicine
Erin P Fraher, Brianna Lombardi, Barbara Brandt, Emily Hawes
Health disparities between rural and urban areas are widening at a time when urban health care systems are increasingly buying rural hospitals to gain market share. New payment models, shifting from fee-for-service to value-based care, are gaining traction, creating incentives for health care systems to manage the social risk factors that increase health care utilization and costs. Read more >>
Reduction and persistence of co-circulating respiratory viruses during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic
American Journal of Infection Control
Jason R Smedberg, Lauren M DiBiase, Shawn E Hawken, Anika Allen, Suniti Mohan, Courtney Santos, Tandy Smedberg, Amir H Barzin, David A Wohl, Melissa B Miller
To evaluate the co-circulation of respiratory viruses during the SARS-CoV-2 Alpha surge, we performed a molecular respiratory panel on 1,783 nasopharyngeal swabs collected between January 15 and April 15, 2021, from symptomatic outpatients that tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 in North Carolina. Read more >>
Epidemiology
Nadja A Vielot, Yaoska Reyes, Bryan Blette, Fredman González, Christian Toval-Ruiz, Lester Gutiérrez, Samuel Vilchez, Marta Diez-Valcarce, Jan Vinjé, Sylvia Becker-Dreps, Filemón Bucardo
Norovirus and sapovirus cause a large burden of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in young children. We assessed protection conferred by norovirus and sapovirus AGE episodes against future episodes. Read more >>
Dementia and COVID-19 infection control in assisted living in seven states
Journal of American Geriatrics Society
Sheryl Zimmerman, Philip D Sloane, Johanna Silbersack Hickey, Christopher J Wretman, Selen P Gizlice, Kali S Thomas, Paula Carder, John S Preisser
ssisted living (AL) is the largest residential long-term care provider in the United States, including for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Despite recognizing the challenge of infection control for persons with dementia, this study of 119 AL communities is the first to describe dementia-relevant COVID-19 infection control across different types of AL communities, and to discuss implications for the future. Read more >>
May 2022
PLoS ONE
Sonis J, Pathman DE, Read S, Gaynes BN.
There have been no studies to date of moral distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in national samples of U.S. health workers. The purpose of this study was to determine, in a national sample of internal medicine physicians (internists) in the U.S.: 1) the intensity of moral distress; 2) the predictors of moral distress; 3) the outcomes of moral distress. Read more >>
Staff Attitudes Related to Antipsychotic Prescribing in Assisted Living
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
Christopher J Wretman, Sheryl Zimmerman, Philip D Sloane, John S Preisser
Assisted living (AL) provides the majority of residential long-term care in the United States. 1 Almost 40% of AL residents display behaviors such as aggression and refusing care, 57% of whom receive medications for these behaviors. 2 In nursing homes, concerns about inappropriate antipsychotic prescribing led to initiatives to reduce prescribing, 2 and although there has been concern regarding similar prescribing in AL, 3 there has been no such action to date. Read more >>
Journal of Healthcare Management
Jeffrey Sonis, Donald E Pathman, Susan Read, Bradley N Gaynes, Courtney Canter, Patrick Curran, Cheryl B Jones, Thomas Miller
Perceived organizational support (POS) may promote healthcare worker mental health, but organizational factors that foster POS during the COVID-19 pandemic are unknown. The goals of this study were to identify actions and policies regarding COVID-19 that healthcare organizations can implement to promote POS and to evaluate the impact of POS on physicians’ mental health, burnout, and intention to leave patient care. Read more >>
April 2022
March 2022
Preferences for different features of ENDS products by tobacco product use: a latent class analysis
Chineme Enyioha, Marcella H Boynton, Leah M Ranney, M Justin Byron, Adam O Goldstein, Christine E Kistler
From a public health perspective, electronic nicotine delivery devices (ENDS) use may be beneficial for some populations (e.g., smokers who fully switch to ENDS) but detrimental for others (e.g., nonsmokers). Understanding the importance placed on different ENDS product features by user groups can guide interventions and regulations. Read more >>
February 2022
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Chineme Enyioha, Matthew Hall, Christiane Voisin, Daniel Jonas
Mobile health (mHealth) and web-based technological advances allow for new approaches to deliver behavioral interventions for chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. African American and Hispanic adults experience a disproportionate burden of major chronic diseases. This paper reviews the evidence for mHealth and web-based interventions for diabetes and obesity in African American and Hispanic adults. Read more >>
January 2022
Prevalence and Characteristics of Providers’ Care Coordination Communication With Schools
Academic Pediatrics
Krissy Moehling Geffel, Brianna M Lombardi, Justin A Yu, Debra Bogen
Care coordination between schools and medical providers promotes child health, particularly for children with physical, emotional, and behavioral challenges. The purpose of this study was to assess caregivers’ reports of provider-school communication for their children. Further, the study assessed if communication rates varied by child demographic or health conditions. Read more >>
Overdiagnosis of urinary tract infections by nursing home clinicians versus a clinical guideline
Journal of American Geriatrics Society
Christine E Kistler, Christopher J Wretman, Sheryl Zimmerman, Chineme Enyioha, Kimberly Ward, Claire E Farel, Philip D Sloane, Marcella H Boynton, Anna S Beeber, John S Preisser
To inform overprescribing and antibiotic stewardship in nursing homes (NHs), we examined the concordance between clinicians’ (NH primary care providers and registered nurses) diagnosis of suspected UTI with a clinical guideline treated as the gold standard, and whether clinician characteristics were associated with diagnostic classification. Read more >>