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Pepic L, Markes AR, Sampson H, Soriano KKJ, Wong SE, Zhang AL. Preoperative Hip Injection Response Does Not Reliably Predict 2-Year Postoperative Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement. Arthroscopy 2024:S0749-8063(24)00553-X. [PMID: 39128685 DOI: 10.1016/j.arthro.2024.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 07/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether response to preoperative local anesthetic or corticosteroid intra-articular injections can predict 2-year postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS at a single institution from 2014 to 2020. Patients who underwent preoperative intra-articular hip injections were classified based on injection type (local anesthetic or corticosteroid) and whether they experienced pain relief after injection (responders or nonresponders). Responders were matched 2:1 to nonresponders by age, body mass index, and sex. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS), 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) Mental Component Summary score, SF-12 Physical Component Summary score, and visual analog scale pain score were collected preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively. Mean score change and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) achievement were calculated and compared between groups. RESULTS The matched cohort included 126 total patients (42 nonresponders and 84 responders; 74.6% female sex; age [mean ± standard deviation], 30.9 ± 9.9 years; body mass index, 24.7 ± 3.7) with no differences in demographic or radiographic hip variables. Both groups showed significant 2-year postoperative score improvements across all PROs, except the SF-12 Mental Component Summary score, which remained unchanged. There was no difference in mean score change or MCID achievement across all PROs between the corticosteroid injection responder and nonresponder groups. In the local anesthetic group, MCID achievement was similar across all PROs, except the visual analog scale pain score, which showed a greater percentage of MCID achievement among local anesthetic nonresponders (89.5%) than in responders (55.0%, P = .03). Significant ceiling effects were most readily apparent within the injection responder group, with greater percentages of patients achieving maximal 2-year postoperative survey scores (HOOS-Activities of Daily Living, 36.9%; HOOS-Pain, 19.0%; HOOS-Quality of Life, 15.5%; and HOOS-Sport, 32.1%). CONCLUSIONS Response to preoperative injection with either corticosteroid or local anesthetic did not predict 2-year outcomes after hip arthroscopy in patients with FAIS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III, retrospective matched-cohort study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lejla Pepic
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A
| | - Alexander R Markes
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A
| | - Hayden Sampson
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A
| | - Kylen K J Soriano
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A
| | - Stephanie E Wong
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A
| | - Alan L Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, U.S.A..
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Axson SA, Becker WC, Merlin JS, Lorenz KA, Midboe AM, C Black A. Long-term opioid therapy trajectories in veteran patients with and without substance use disorder. Addict Behav 2024; 153:107997. [PMID: 38442438 PMCID: PMC11080947 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.107997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Sydney A Axson
- Health Services Research & Development, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA; The National Clinician Scholars Program, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, USA; Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Nursing Sciences Building, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - William C Becker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, USA; Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities and Education Center of Innovation, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
| | - Jessica S Merlin
- CHAllenges in Managing and Preventing Pain (CHAMPP) Clinical Research Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Karl A Lorenz
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Amanda M Midboe
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA; Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
| | - Anne C Black
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, New Haven, CT, USA; Pain Research, Informatics, Multimorbidities and Education Center of Innovation, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
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George EL, Jacobs MA, Reitz KM, Massarweh NN, Youk AO, Arya S, Hall DE. Outcomes of Women Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery in Veterans Affairs Compared With Non-Veterans Affairs Care Settings. JAMA Surg 2024; 159:501-509. [PMID: 38416481 PMCID: PMC10902781 DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.8081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Importance Recent legislation facilitates veterans' ability to receive non-Veterans Affairs (VA) surgical care. Although veterans are predominantly male, the number of women receiving care within the VA has nearly doubled to 10% over the past decade and recent data comparing the surgical care of women in VA and non-VA care settings are lacking. Objective To compare postoperative outcomes among women treated in VA hospitals vs private-sector hospitals. Design, Setting, and Participants This coarsened exact-matched cohort study across 9 noncardiac specialties in the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) took place from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2019. Multivariable Poisson models with robust standard errors were used to evaluate the association between VA vs private-sector care settings and 30-day mortality. Hospitals participating in American College of Surgeons NSQIP and VASQIP were included. Data analysis was performed in January 2023. Participants included female patients 18 years old or older. Exposures Surgical care in VA or private-sector hospitals. Main Outcomes and Measures Postoperative 30-day mortality and failure to rescue (FTR). Results Among 1 913 033 procedures analyzed, patients in VASQIP were younger (VASQIP: mean age, 49.8 [SD, 13.0] years; NSQIP: mean age, 55.9 [SD, 16.9] years; P < .001) and although most patients in both groups identified as White, there were significantly more Black women in VASQIP compared with NSQIP (29.6% vs 12.7%; P < .001). The mean risk analysis index score was lower in VASQIP (13.9 [SD, 6.4]) compared with NSQIP (16.3 [SD, 7.8]) (P < .001 for both). Patients in the VA were more likely to have a preoperative acute serious condition (2.4% vs 1.8%: P < .001), but cases in NSQIP were more frequently emergent (6.9% vs 2.6%; P < .001). The 30-day mortality, complications, and FTR were 0.2%, 3.2%, and 0.1% in VASQIP (n = 36 762 procedures) as compared with 0.8%, 5.0%, and 0.5% in NSQIP (n = 1 876 271 procedures), respectively (all P < .001). Among 1 763 540 matched women (n = 36 478 procedures in VASQIP; n = 1 727 062 procedures in NSQIP), these rates were 0.3%, 3.7%, and 0.2% in NSQIP and 0.1%, 3.4%, and 0.1% in VASQIP (all P < .01). Relative to private-sector care, VA surgical care was associated with a lower risk of death (adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23-0.76). This finding was robust among women undergoing gynecologic surgery, inpatient surgery, and low-physiologic stress procedures. VA surgical care was also associated with lower risk of FTR (aRR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.18-0.92) for frail or Black women and inpatient and low-physiologic stress procedures. Conclusions and Relevance Although women comprise the minority of veterans receiving care within the VA, in this study, VA surgical care for women was associated with half the risk of postoperative death and FTR. The VA appears better equipped to meet the unique surgical needs and risk profiles of veterans, regardless of sex and health policy decisions, including funding, should reflect these important outcome differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L George
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, California
- Surgical Service Line, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, California
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, California
| | - Michael A Jacobs
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Nader N Massarweh
- Perioperative and Surgical Care Service, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Decatur, Georgia
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
- Department of Surgery, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Ada O Youk
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania
- Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Shipra Arya
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, California
- Surgical Service Line, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, California
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, California
| | - Daniel E Hall
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Wolff Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania
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Tsui JI, Rossi SL, Cheng DM, Bendiks S, Vetrova M, Blokhina E, Winter M, Gnatienko N, Backonja M, Bryant K, Krupitsky E, Samet JH. Pilot RCT comparing low-dose naltrexone, gabapentin and placebo to reduce pain among people with HIV with alcohol problems. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297948. [PMID: 38408060 PMCID: PMC10896547 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To estimate the effects on pain of two medications (low-dose naltrexone and gabapentin) compared to placebo among people with HIV (PWH) with heavy alcohol use and chronic pain. METHODS We conducted a pilot, randomized, double-blinded, 3-arm study of PWH with chronic pain and past-year heavy alcohol use in 2021. Participants were recruited in St. Petersburg, Russia, and randomized to receive daily low-dose naltrexone (4.5mg), gabapentin (up to 1800mg), or placebo. The two primary outcomes were change in self-reported pain severity and pain interference measured with the Brief Pain Inventory from baseline to 8 weeks. RESULTS Participants (N = 45, 15 in each arm) had the following baseline characteristics: 64% male; age 41 years (SD±7); mean 2 (SD±4) heavy drinking days in the past month and mean pain severity and interference were 3.2 (SD±1) and 3.0 (SD±2), respectively. Pain severity decreased for all three arms. Mean differences in change in pain severity for gabapentin vs. placebo, and naltrexone vs. placebo were -0.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] -1.76, 1.23; p = 0.73) and 0.88 (95% CI -0.7, 2.46; p = 0.55), respectively. Pain interference decreased for all three arms. Mean differences in change in pain interference for gabapentin vs. placebo, and naltrexone vs. placebo was 0.16 (95% CI -1.38, 1.71; p = 0.83) and 0.40 (95% CI -1.18, 1.99; p = 0.83), respectively. CONCLUSION Neither gabapentin nor low-dose naltrexone appeared to improve pain more than placebo among PWH with chronic pain and past-year heavy alcohol use. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT4052139).
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith I. Tsui
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine University of Washington School of Medicine/Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sarah L. Rossi
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Debbie M. Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, Unites States of America
| | - Sally Bendiks
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | | | - Michael Winter
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Natalia Gnatienko
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Miroslav Backonja
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kendall Bryant
- HIV/AIDS Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- Pavlov University, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Addictions, V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Jeffrey H. Samet
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Reid T, Sims KM. (Dis)honorably discharged: identifying policy gaps in military-civilian reintegration. HEALTH AFFAIRS SCHOLAR 2024; 2:qxae021. [PMID: 38756547 PMCID: PMC10986208 DOI: 10.1093/haschl/qxae021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Despite the substantial transition assistance available for honorably separating servicemembers, 75% of US veterans report difficulties with the transition to civilian life. For the 16% of veterans who separate with less-than-honorable discharges, these difficulties are compounded by the lack of structural support from the US military. Social stigma, limited transition programming, and loss of benefits create a perfect storm of barriers for these discharged servicemembers. These barriers compound with post-service mental and physical health challenges to contribute to cycles of misconduct that can result in criminal incarceration. Further, because most of these veterans lack health benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs due to their discharge status, this population is substantially understudied from a public health perspective. However, actionable policy paths forward and federal policy change offer opportunity to soften the landing for these veterans and meet their legitimate needs for care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tavis Reid
- Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, United States
- US Army, Colorado Springs, CO, United States
| | - Kaitlyn M Sims
- Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, United States
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Trenaman L, Guh D, Bansback N, Sawatzky R, Sun H, Cuthbertson L, Whitehurst DGT. Quality of life of the Canadian population using the VR-12: population norms for health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores. Qual Life Res 2024; 33:453-465. [PMID: 37938404 PMCID: PMC10850034 DOI: 10.1007/s11136-023-03536-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate Canadian population norms (health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores) for the VR-12. METHODS English and French speaking Canadians aged 18 and older completed an online survey that included sociodemographic questions and standardized health status instruments, including the VR-12. Responses to the VR-12 were summarized as: (i) a health utility value; (ii) mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS, respectively), and (iii) eight domain scores. Norms were calculated for the full sample and by gender, age group, and province/territory (univariate), and for several multivariate stratifications (e.g., age group and gender). Results were summarized using descriptive statistics, including number of respondents, mean and standard deviation (SD), median and percentiles (25th and 75th), and minimum and maximum. RESULTS A total of 6761 people who clicked on the survey link completed the survey (83.4% completion rate), of whom 6741 (99.7%) were included in the analysis. The mean health utility score was 0.698 (SD = 0.216). Mean health utility scores tended to be higher in older age groups, ranging from 0.661 (SD = 0.214) in those aged 18-29 to 0.728 (SD = 0.310) in those aged 80+. Average MCS scores were higher in older age groups, while PCS scores were lower. Females consistently reported lower mean health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores compared with males. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to present Canadian norms for the VR-12. Health utility norms can serve as a valuable input for Canadian economic models, while summary component and domain norms can help interpret routinely-collected data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Logan Trenaman
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Fourth Floor, Box 351621, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Daphne Guh
- Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Nick Bansback
- Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Richard Sawatzky
- Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Huiying Sun
- Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lena Cuthbertson
- British Columbia Office of Patient-Centred Measurement, Ministry of Health/Providence Health Care, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Daniel AV, Myer GD, Pashuck TD, Smith PA. Low Preoperative Brief Resilience Scale Scores Are Associated With Inferior Preoperative and Short-Term Postoperative Patient Outcomes Following Primary Autograft Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil 2024; 6:100858. [PMID: 38274089 PMCID: PMC10809004 DOI: 10.1016/j.asmr.2023.100858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess preoperative Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) scores as they relate to postoperative patient outcomes following primary autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Methods All patients who underwent primary autograft ACLR from 2016 to 2021 and had a patient-reported follow-up of 1 year and a clinical follow-up of 6 months were included in final data analysis. Patients completed validated PROMs pre- and postoperatively. All patients were objectively assessed with range of motion (ROM) and KT-1000 arthrometer testing. Return to sport (RTS) data were obtained for all applicable patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on ± ½ the standard deviation for the mean preoperative BRS score. Results In total, 170 patients who underwent primary autograft ACLR with a mean age of 20.1 years (range, 13-57 years) and a mean final follow-up time of 2.9 years (range, 1.0-5.8 years) were included in the final analysis. The mean preoperative BRS scores for the high-resilience (HR, n = 67), average-resilience (AR, n = 42), and low-resilience (LR, n = 61) groups were 28.1 (95% CI, 27.8-28.9), 24.5 (95% CI, 24.3-24.6), and 21.1 (95% CI, 20.5-21.7), respectively (P < .001). The HR group demonstrated significantly higher preoperative and postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) compared to the AR and LR groups, with more differences seen with the LR group. The HR group demonstrated better knee extension in postoperative month 3 compared to the LR group (0.6° [95% CI, -1.2° to 0.1°] vs -2.3° [95% CI, -3.3° to -1.3°], P = .006). The HR group demonstrated a faster RTS time compared to the LR group (6.4 months [95% CI, 6.1-6.7] vs 7.6 months [95% CI, 7.1-8.1], P = .002). No differences were seen in RTS rate, knee flexion, or KT-1000 arthrometer measurements between the 3 groups. Conclusions Low preoperative BRS scores were associated with inferior PROMs preoperatively and in the short-term postoperative period compared to those with higher preoperative BRS scores. Additionally, patients with lower preoperative BRS scores demonstrated a higher degree of knee extension loss 3 months postoperatively as well as a slower RTS. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective cohort study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gregory D. Myer
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A
| | - Troy D. Pashuck
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A
| | - Patrick A. Smith
- Columbia Orthopaedic Group, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A
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Song RJ, Larson MG, Aparicio HJ, Gaziano JM, Wilson P, Cho K, Vasan RS, Fox MP, Djoussé L. Moderate alcohol consumption on the risk of stroke in the Million Veteran Program. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2485. [PMID: 38087273 PMCID: PMC10714616 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17377-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is inconsistent evidence on the association of moderate alcohol consumption and stroke risk in the general population and is not well studied among U.S. Veterans. Furthermore, it is unclear whether primarily drinking beer, wine, or liquor is associated with a difference in stroke risk. METHODS The study included 185,323 Million Veteran Program participants who self-reported alcohol consumption on the Lifestyle Survey. Moderate consumption was defined as 1-2 drinks/day and beverage preference of beer, wine or liquor was defined if ≥ 50% of total drinks consumed were from a single type of beverage. Strokes were defined using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes from the participants' electronic health record. RESULTS The mean (sd) age of the sample was 64 (13) years and 11% were women. We observed 4,339 (94% ischemic; 6% hemorrhagic) strokes over a median follow-up of 5.2 years. In Cox models adjusted for age, sex, race, education, income, body mass index, smoking, exercise, diet, cholesterol, prevalent diabetes, prevalent hypertension, lipid-lowering medication, antihypertensive medication, and diabetes medication, moderate alcohol consumption (1-2 drinks/day) was associated with a 22% lower risk of total stroke compared with never drinking [Hazards ratio (HR) 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.78 (0.67, 0.92)]. When stratifying by stroke type, we observed a similar protective association with moderate consumption and ischemic stroke [HR (95% CI): 0.76 (0.65, 0.90)], but a non-statistically significant higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke [HR (95% CI): 1.29 (0.64, 2.61)]. We did not observe a difference in ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke risk among those who preferred beer, liquor or wine vs. no beverage preference. When stratifying by prior number of hospital visits (≤ 15, 16-33, 34-64, ≥ 65) as a proxy for health status, we observed attenuation of the protective association with greater number of visits [HR (95% CI): 0.87 (0.63, 1.19) for ≥ 65 visits vs. 0.80 (0.59, 1.08) for ≤ 15 visits]. CONCLUSIONS We observed a lower risk of ischemic stroke, but not hemorrhagic stroke with moderate alcohol consumption and did not observe substantial differences in risk by beverage preference among a sample of U.S. Veterans. Healthy user bias of moderate alcohol consumption may be driving some of the observed protective association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Song
- MAVERIC VA Boston Healthcare System, Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
| | - Martin G Larson
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - Hugo J Aparicio
- MAVERIC VA Boston Healthcare System, Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
| | - J Michael Gaziano
- MAVERIC VA Boston Healthcare System, Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Peter Wilson
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
- Emory University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kelly Cho
- MAVERIC VA Boston Healthcare System, Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Ramachandran S Vasan
- Section of Preventive Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Matthew P Fox
- Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
- Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Luc Djoussé
- MAVERIC VA Boston Healthcare System, Lafayette City Center, 2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
- Division of Aging, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Gnall KE, Sacco SJ, Park CL, Mazure CM, Hoff RA. Life meaning and mental health in post-9/11 veterans: the mediating role of perceived stress. ANXIETY, STRESS, AND COPING 2023; 36:743-756. [PMID: 36542555 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2022.2154341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Post-9/11 veterans frequently experience diminished mental health following military service. Life meaning is related to better mental health in veterans, yet its mechanism of action is unknown. A meaning-making model suggests that life meaning can reduce perceived stress, thus enhancing mental health. The present study tested this meaning-making model by predicting multiple dimensions of mental health (i.e., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, insomnia, and depression, and mental health quality of life) from life meaning as mediated by perceived stress. DESIGN AND METHODS The present study was a secondary analysis of a 12-month observational study of 367 post-9/11 veterans. Participants completed demographic and health surveys at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups. A multivariate mediation model was created predicting changes in dimensions of mental health from 6 months to 12 months. RESULTS Higher life meaning at baseline predicted changes in all dimensions of mental health between 6 and 12 months, an effect mediated by changes in perceived stress between baseline and 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Across dimensions of mental health, the meaning-making model was supported. Understanding post-9/11 veteran mental health from this theoretical perspective may help better tailor healthcare efforts and enhance veteran health overall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Gnall
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Shane J Sacco
- Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Crystal L Park
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Carolyn M Mazure
- Department of Psychiatry, Women's Health Research at YaleYale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rani A Hoff
- Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
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Wilson R, Cuthbertson L, Sasaki A, Russell L, Kazis LE, Sawatzky R. Validation of an Adapted Version of the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey for Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care Homes. THE GERONTOLOGIST 2023; 63:1467-1477. [PMID: 36866495 PMCID: PMC10581377 DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnad021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12) is a generic patient-reported outcome measure of physical and mental health status. An adapted version of the VR-12 was developed for use with older adults living in long-term residential care (LTRC) homes in Canada: VR-12 (LTRC-C). This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric validity of the VR-12 (LTRC-C). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data for this validation study were collected via in-person interviews for a province-wide survey of adults living in LTRC homes across British Columbia (N = 8,657). Three analyses were conducted to evaluate validity and reliability: (1) confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to validate the measurement structure; (2) correlations with measures of depression, social engagement, and daily activities were examined to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity; and (3) Cronbach's alpha (r) statistics were obtained to evaluate internal consistency reliability. RESULTS A measurement model with 2 correlated latent factors (representing physical health and mental health), 4 cross-loadings, and 4 correlated items resulted in an acceptable fit (root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.07; comparative fit index = 0.98). Physical and mental health were correlated in expected directions with measures of depression, social engagement, and daily activities, though the magnitudes of the correlations were quite small. Internal consistency reliability was acceptable for physical and mental health (r > 0.70). DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS This study supports the use of the VR-12 (LTRC-C) to measure perceived physical and mental health among older adults living in LTRC homes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozanne Wilson
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lena Cuthbertson
- British Columbia Office of Patient-Centred Measurement, British Columbia Ministry of Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ayumi Sasaki
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lara Russell
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lewis E Kazis
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Richard Sawatzky
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Liu LW, Wang M, Grandhi N, Schroeder MA, Thomas T, Vargo K, Gao F, Sanfilippo KM, Chang SH. The Association of Agent Orange (AO) Exposure with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) to Multiple Myeloma (MM) Progression: A Population-based Study of Vietnam War Era Veterans. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3396573. [PMID: 37886452 PMCID: PMC10602142 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3396573/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Background Herbicide and pesticide exposure (e.g., agent orange [AO]) is associated with an increased risk of multiple myeloma (MM) due to the contaminant, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is the precursor state to MM; however, not all patients with MGUS progress to MM. It is unclear whether AO exposure increases the risk of progression of MGUS to MM. Purpose We aimed to determine the association between AO exposure and progression to MM in a nation-wide study of U.S. Veterans with MGUS. Patients and Methods This is a population-based cohort study of Vietnam Era Veterans diagnosed with MGUS. A natural language processing (NLP) algorithm was used to confirm MGUS and progression to MM. The association between AO and progression was analyzed using multivariable Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model with death as a competing event. Veterans who served during the Vietnam War Era from 1/9/1962-5/7/1975 and were diagnosed with MGUS between 10/1/1999-12/31/2021 were included. We excluded patients with missing BMI values, progression within 1 year after MGUS diagnosis date, non-IgG or IgA MGUS, or birth years outside of the range of the AO exposed group, and race other than Black and White. AO exposure and service during 1/9/1962-;5/7/1975 and stratified according to TCDD exposure levels by three time periods: 1/9/1962-11/30/1965 (high), 12/1/1965-12/31/1970 (medium), or 1/1/1971-5/7/1975 (low). The association between AO and progression was analyzed using multivariable Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model with death as a competing event. Results We identified 10,847 Veterans with MGUS, of whom 7,996 had AO exposure. Overall, 7.4% of MGUS patients progressed to MM over a median follow-up of 5.2 years. In multivariable analysis, AO exposure from 1/9/1962-11/30/1965, high TCDD exposure, was associated with an increased risk of progression (adjusted hazard ratio 1.48; 95% confidence interval 1.02-2.16), compared to Veterans with no exposure. Conclusions In patients with MGUS, the high Agent Orange exposure time period is associated with a 48% increased risk of progression to multiple myeloma. This suggests that patients with MGUS and prior Agent Orange exposure or occupational exposure to TCDD (eg. Agricultural workers) may require thorough screening for plasma cell dyscrasias.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mei Wang
- St. Louis Veterans Affairs Medical Center
| | | | | | | | | | - Feng Gao
- Washington University School of Medicine
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12
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Sayer NA, Nelson DB, Gradus JL, Sripada RK, Murdoch M, Teo AR, Orazem RJ, Cerel J. The Effects of Suicide Exposure on Mental Health Outcomes Among Post-9/11 Veterans: Protocol for an Explanatory, Sequential, Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e51324. [PMID: 37751271 PMCID: PMC10565621 DOI: 10.2196/51324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The toll associated with suicide goes well beyond the individual who died. This study focuses on a risk factor for veteran suicide that has received little previous empirical attention-exposure to the suicide death of another person. OBJECTIVE The study's primary objective is to describe the mental health outcomes associated with suicide exposure among veterans who served on active duty after September 2001 ("post-9/11"). The secondary objective is to elucidate why some veterans develop persistent problems following suicide exposure, whereas others do not. METHODS This is an explanatory, sequential, mixed methods study of a nationally representative sample of post-9/11 veterans enrolled in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care. Our sampling strategy was designed for adequate representation of female and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans to allow for examination of associations between suicide exposure and outcomes within these groups. Primary outcomes comprise mental health problems associated with trauma and loss (posttraumatic stress disorder and prolonged grief disorder) and suicide precursors (suicidal ideation, attempts, and planning). Data collection will be implemented in 3 waves. During wave 1, we will field a brief survey to a national probability sample to assess exposure history (suicide, other sudden death, or neither) and exposure characteristics (eg, closeness with the decedent) among 11,400 respondents. In wave 2, we will include 39.47% (4500/11,400) of the wave-1 respondents, stratified by exposure history (suicide, other sudden death, or neither), to assess health outcomes and other variables of interest. During wave 3, we will conduct interviews with a purposive subsample of 32 respondents exposed to suicide who differ in mental health outcomes. We will supplement the survey and interview data with VA administrative data identifying diagnoses, reported suicide attempts, and health care use. RESULTS The study began on July 1, 2022, and will end on June 30, 2026. This is the only national, population-based study of suicide exposure in veterans and the first one designed to study differences based on sex and race. Comparing those exposed to suicide with those exposed to sudden death for reasons other than suicide (eg, combat) and those unexposed to any sudden death may allow for the identification of the common and unique contribution of suicide exposure to outcomes and help seeking. CONCLUSIONS Integrating survey, qualitative, and VA administrative data to address significant knowledge gaps regarding the effects of suicide exposure in a national sample will lay the foundation for interventions to address the needs of individuals affected by a suicide death, including female and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/51324.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina A Sayer
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - David B Nelson
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jaimie L Gradus
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rebecca K Sripada
- Center for Clinical Management Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Maureen Murdoch
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Alan R Teo
- Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Robert J Orazem
- Center for Care Delivery and Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Healthcare System, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Julie Cerel
- College of Social Work, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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13
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Jia-Richards M, Williams EC, Rosland AM, Boudreaux-Kelly MY, Luther JF, Mikolic J, Chinman MJ, Daniels K, Bachrach RL. Unhealthy alcohol use and brief intervention rates among high and low complexity veterans seeking primary care services in the Veterans Health Administration. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE AND ADDICTION TREATMENT 2023; 152:209117. [PMID: 37355154 PMCID: PMC10527472 DOI: 10.1016/j.josat.2023.209117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Brief intervention (BI) is recommended for all primary care (PC) patients who screen positive for unhealthy alcohol use; however, patients with multiple chronic health conditions who are at high-risk of hospitalization (i.e., "high complexity" patients) may face disparities in receiving BIs in PC. The current study investigated whether high complexity and low complexity patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) differed regarding screening positive for unhealthy alcohol use, alcohol-use severity, and receipt of BI for those with unhealthy alcohol use. METHODS Patients were veterans receiving PC services at the VHA in a mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The study extracted VHA administrative and clinical data for a total of 282,242 patients who had ≥1 PC visits between 1/1/2014 and 12/31/2014, during which they were screened for unhealthy alcohol use by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). The study defined high complexity patients as those within and above the 90th percentile of risk for hospitalization per the VHA's Care Assessment Need Score. Logistic regression models assessed if being a high complexity patient was associated with screening positive for unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT-C ≥ 5), severity of unhealthy alcohol use in those who screened positive (AUDIT-C score range 5-12), and receipt of BI in those who screened positive. RESULTS Our sample was 94.5% male, 83% White, 13% Black, 4% other race, and 1.7% Hispanic. A total of 10,813 (3.8%) patients screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use from which we identified 569 (5.3%) high complexity and 10,128 (93.6%) low complexity patients (n = 116 removed due to missing complexity data). Relative to low complexity patients, high complexity patients were less likely to screen positive for unhealthy alcohol use (3.3% vs. 4.1%, AOR = 0.59, p < .001); however, in patients who screened positive, high complexity patients had higher AUDIT-C scores (Mean AUDIT-C = 7.75 vs. 6.87, AOR = 1.46, p < .001) and were less likely to receive a BI (78.0% vs. 92.6%, AOR = 0.42, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Disparities in BI exist for highly complex patients despite having more severe unhealthy alcohol use. Future research should examine the specific patient- and/or clinic-level factors impeding BI delivery for complex patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily C Williams
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, University of Washington, School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA; Health Services Research & Development (HSR&D) Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ann-Marie Rosland
- Center for Health Equity and Research Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - James F Luther
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joseph Mikolic
- StatCore, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System Research Office, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Matthew J Chinman
- Center for Health Equity and Research Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; The RAND Corporation, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Karin Daniels
- Center for Health Equity and Research Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Rachel L Bachrach
- Center for Health Equity and Research Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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14
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Hazelwood RJ, Armeson KE, Hill EG, Bonilha HS, Martin-Harris B. Relating Physiologic Swallowing Impairment, Functional Swallowing Ability, and Swallow-Specific Quality of Life. Dysphagia 2023; 38:1106-1116. [PMID: 36229718 PMCID: PMC10097835 DOI: 10.1007/s00455-022-10532-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many studies include functional swallowing ability and quality of life information to indicate a response to a specific swallowing intervention or to describe the natural history of dysphagia across diseases and conditions. Study results are difficult to interpret because the association between these factors and actual swallowing impairment is not understood. We set out to test the associations between components of physiologic swallowing impairment, functional swallowing ability, and swallow-specific quality of life using standardized and validated measurement tools: Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP), Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS), Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), and Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI). We specifically aimed to understand which factors may contribute to the overall relationships between these measurement tools when analyzed using total scores and item-level scores. This study included a heterogeneous cohort of 273 outpatients who underwent a modified barium swallow study (MBSS). We found significant correlations between MBSImP total scores and FOIS scores and DHI total scores, but not between MBSImP total scores and EAT-10 total scores. Significant correlations were also found between MBSImP item-level component scores and FOIS scores, EAT-10 total scores, and DHI total scores. Detailed item-level analyses revealed the MBSImP components of bolus transport/lingual motion, oral residue, and tongue base retraction were correlated with EAT-10 item-level scores and DHI item-level scores. The clinically modest associations between physiologic swallowing impairment, functional swallowing ability, and swallow-specific quality of life reveal different factors that uniquely contribute to patients' overall dysphagic profile, emphasizing the clinical impact of a comprehensive swallowing assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Jordan Hazelwood
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Beaver College of Health Sciences, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA.
| | - Kent E Armeson
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Elizabeth G Hill
- Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Heather Shaw Bonilha
- Department of Health Sciences and Research, College of Health Professions, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Bonnie Martin-Harris
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Radiation Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
- Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL, USA
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15
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Bendiks S, Cheng DM, Blokhina E, Vetrova M, Verbitskaya E, Gnatienko N, Bryant K, Krupitsky E, Samet JH, Tsui JI. Pilot study of tolerability and safety of opioid receptor antagonists as novel therapies for chronic pain among persons living with HIV with past year heavy drinking: a randomized controlled trial. AIDS Care 2023; 35:1191-1200. [PMID: 33682527 PMCID: PMC8421451 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2021.1896663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03278886.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Bendiks
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine,
Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE)
Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debbie M. Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public
Health, Boston, MA,USA
| | - Elena Blokhina
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St.
Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Marina Vetrova
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St.
Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Elena Verbitskaya
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St.
Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia Gnatienko
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine,
Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE)
Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kendall Bryant
- HIV/AIDS Research, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St.
Petersburg, Russian Federation; Department of Addictions, V.M. Bekhterev
National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St.
Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Jeffrey H. Samet
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine,
Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical
Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA; Department of
Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health,
Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith I. Tsui
- Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine,
University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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16
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Bach RR, Rudquist RR. Gulf war illness inflammation reduction trial: A phase 2 randomized controlled trial of low-dose prednisone chronotherapy, effects on health-related quality of life. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286817. [PMID: 37319244 PMCID: PMC10270619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gulf War illness (GWI) is a deployment-related chronic multisymptom illness impacting the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of many U.S. Military Veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War. A proinflammatory blood biomarker fingerprint was discovered in our initial study of GWI. This led to the hypothesis that chronic inflammation is a component of GWI pathophysiology. OBJECTIVES The GWI inflammation hypothesis was tested in this Phase 2 randomized controlled trial (RCT) by measuring the effects of an anti-inflammatory drug and placebo on the HRQOL of Veterans with GWI. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT02506192. RCT DESIGN AND METHODS Gulf War Veterans meeting the Kansas case definition for GWI were randomized to receive either 10 mg modified-release prednisone or matching placebo. The Veterans RAND 36-Item Health Survey was used to assess HRQOL. The primary outcome was a change from baseline in the physical component summary (PCS) score, a measure of physical functioning and symptoms. A PCS increase indicates improved physical HRQOL. RESULTS For subjects with a baseline PCS <40, there was a 15.2% increase in the mean PCS score from 32.9±6.0 at baseline to 37.9±9.0 after 8 weeks on modified-release prednisone. Paired t-test analysis determined the change was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Eight weeks after cessation of the treatment, the mean PCS score declined to 32.7±5.8. CONCLUSIONS The prednisone-associated improvement in physical HRQOL supports the GWI inflammation hypothesis. Determining the efficacy of prednisone as a treatment for GWI will require a Phase 3 RCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald R. Bach
- Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Rebecca R. Rudquist
- Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
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17
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Mohammed T, Bowe M, Plant A, Perez M, Alvarez CA, Mortensen EM. Metformin Use Is Associated With Lower Mortality in Veterans With Diabetes Hospitalized With Pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 76:1237-1244. [PMID: 36575139 PMCID: PMC10319762 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciac900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that metformin use may be associated with improved infectious disease-related outcomes, whereas other papers suggest potentially worse outcomes in serious bacterial infections. Our purpose was to examine the association of prior outpatient prescription of metformin on 30- and 90-day mortality for older veterans with pre-existing diabetes hospitalized with pneumonia. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study using national Department of Veterans Affairs data of patients ≥65 years with a prior history of diabetes who were hospitalized with pneumonia over a 10-year period (fiscal years 2002-2012.) For our primary analysis, we created a propensity score and matched metformin users to nonusers 1:1. RESULTS We identified 34 759 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 20.3% of whom were prescribed metformin. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was 9.6% for those who received metformin versus 13.9% in nonusers (P < .003), and 90-day mortality was 15.8% for those who received metformin versus 23.0% for nonusers (P < .0001). For the propensity score model, we matched 6899 metformin users to 6899 nonusers. After propensity matching, both 30-day (relative risk [RR]: .86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .78-.95) and 90-day (RR: .85; 95% CI: .79-.92) mortality was significantly lower for metformin users. CONCLUSIONS Prior receipt of metformin was associated with significantly lower mortality after adjusting for potential confounders. Additional research is needed to examine the safety and potential benefits of metformin use in patients with respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Turab Mohammed
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Michael Bowe
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Alexandria Plant
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mario Perez
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Carlos A Alvarez
- Department of Medicine, VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas, USA
- Department of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Eric M Mortensen
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
- Department of Medicine, VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas, USA
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18
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Chen AJ, Yeh SL, Ulloa JG, Gelabert HA, Rigberg DA, de Virgilio CM, O'Connell JB. Frailty Among Veterans Undergoing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair. Ann Vasc Surg 2023; 92:18-23. [PMID: 36690250 DOI: 10.1016/j.avsg.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Frailty is a known risk factor for adverse outcomes following surgery and affects at least 3 of every 10 US Veterans aged 65 years and older. We designed a study to characterize the association between frailty and complications after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) compared to open aneurysm repair (OAR) at our regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center. METHODS Veterans who underwent either OAR or EVAR at our institution between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2020 were identified. We examined medical history, procedure characteristics, perioperative complications, and frailty as measured by the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5). Frailty was defined as an mFI-5 score ≥2. Primary endpoints were postoperative complications, duration of surgery, and length of hospital stay. Tests of association were performed with t-test and chi-squared analysis. RESULTS Over the 21-year period, we identified 314 patients that underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair with 115 (36.6%) OAR and 199 EVAR (63.4%) procedures. Patients undergoing EVAR were older on average (72.1 years vs. 70.2 years) and had a higher average mFI-5 compared to the open repair group (1.49 vs. 1.23, P = 0.036). When comparing EVAR and OAR cohorts, patients undergoing OAR had a larger AAA diameter (6.5 cm, standard deviation [SD]: 1.5) compared to EVAR (5.5 cm, SD: 1.1 P < 0.0001). Fewer frail patients underwent OAR (n = 40, 34.8%) compared to EVAR (n = 86, 43.2%), and frail EVAR patients had higher AAA diameter (5.8 cm, SD: 1.0) compared to nonfrail EVAR patients (5.3 cm, SD 1.2), P = 0.003. Among OAR procedures, frail patients had longer operative times (296 min vs. 253 min, P = 0.013) and higher incidence of pneumonia (17.5% vs. 5.3%, P = 0.035). Among frail EVAR patients, operative time and perioperative complications including wound dehiscence, surgical site infection, and pneumonia were not significantly different than their nonfrail counterparts. Overall, frail patients had more early complications (n = 55, 43.7%) as compared to nonfrail patients (n = 48, 25.5%, P = 0.001). OAR patients had higher rates of postoperative complications including wound dehiscence (7.0% vs. 0.5%, P = 0.001), surgical site infections (7.0% vs. 1.0%, P = 0.003), and pneumonia (9.6% vs. 0.5%, P=<0.0001). Open repair was also associated with overall longer average intensive care unit stays (11.0 days vs. 1.6 days, P < 0.0001) and longer average hospitalizations (13.5 days vs. 2.4 days, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate that frailty is associated with higher rates of adverse outcomes in open repair compared to EVAR. Patients who underwent open repair had higher rates of wound dehiscence, surgical site infection, and pneumonia, compared to those undergoing endovascular repair. Frailty was associated with larger AAA diameter in the EVAR cohort and longer operative times, with higher frequency of postoperative pneumonia in the OAR cohort. Frailty is a strong risk factor that should be considered in the management of aortic aneurysms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina J Chen
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA.
| | - Savannah L Yeh
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Jesus G Ulloa
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Hugh A Gelabert
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
| | - David A Rigberg
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christian M de Virgilio
- Department of Surgery, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA; Lundquist Institute of Biomedical Research, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA
| | - Jessica B O'Connell
- Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Surgery, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA
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19
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Fink DS, Stohl M, Mannes ZL, Shmulewitz D, Wall M, Gutkind S, Olfson M, Gradus J, Keyhani S, Maynard C, Keyes KM, Sherman S, Martins S, Saxon AJ, Hasin DS. Comparing mental and physical health of U.S. veterans by VA healthcare use: implications for generalizability of research in the VA electronic health records. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1500. [PMID: 36494829 PMCID: PMC9733218 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08899-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) electronic health records (EHR) offer a rich source of big data to study medical and health care questions, but patient eligibility and preferences may limit generalizability of findings. We therefore examined the representativeness of VA veterans by comparing veterans using VA healthcare services to those who do not. METHODS We analyzed data on 3051 veteran participants age ≥ 18 years in the 2019 National Health Interview Survey. Weighted logistic regression was used to model participant characteristics, health conditions, pain, and self-reported health by past year VA healthcare use and generate predicted marginal prevalences, which were used to calculate Cohen's d of group differences in absolute risk by past-year VA healthcare use. RESULTS Among veterans, 30.4% had past-year VA healthcare use. Veterans with lower income and members of racial/ethnic minority groups were more likely to report past-year VA healthcare use. Health conditions overrepresented in past-year VA healthcare users included chronic medical conditions (80.6% vs. 69.4%, d = 0.36), pain (78.9% vs. 65.9%; d = 0.35), mental distress (11.6% vs. 5.9%; d = 0.47), anxiety (10.8% vs. 4.1%; d = 0.67), and fair/poor self-reported health (27.9% vs. 18.0%; d = 0.40). CONCLUSIONS Heterogeneity in veteran sociodemographic and health characteristics was observed by past-year VA healthcare use. Researchers working with VA EHR data should consider how the patient selection process may relate to the exposures and outcomes under study. Statistical reweighting may be needed to generalize risk estimates from the VA EHR data to the overall veteran population.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S. Fink
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Malka Stohl
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA
| | - Zachary L. Mannes
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Dvora Shmulewitz
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Melanie Wall
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Sarah Gutkind
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Mark Olfson
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Jaimie Gradus
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA USA
| | - Salomeh Keyhani
- Veteran Affairs, San Francisco, VA USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
| | - Charles Maynard
- grid.413919.70000 0004 0420 6540Veteran Affairs, Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA USA ,grid.34477.330000000122986657University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Katherine M. Keyes
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Scott Sherman
- grid.137628.90000 0004 1936 8753New York University, New York, NY USA
| | - Silvia Martins
- grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA
| | - Andrew J. Saxon
- grid.413919.70000 0004 0420 6540Veteran Affairs, Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA USA ,grid.34477.330000000122986657University of Washington, Seattle, WA USA
| | - Deborah S. Hasin
- grid.413734.60000 0000 8499 1112New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY USA ,grid.239585.00000 0001 2285 2675Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 123, New York, NY 10032 USA
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20
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Sidiropoulos AN, Glasberg JJ, Moore TE, Nelson LM, Maikos JT. Acute influence of an adaptive sporting event on quality of life in veterans with disabilities. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277909. [PMID: 36441761 PMCID: PMC9704555 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Veterans with disabilities can experience poor quality of life following military service due to the associated negative physical and psychological ramifications. However, participation in physical activities has shown to induce both physical and mental benefits and improve the quality of life of this population. Adaptive sports, an innovative approach to address the unique physical and psychosocial needs of veterans with disabilities, are becoming more widely used as a rehabilitation tool to improve the quality of life for these veterans. This study aimed to determine the acute influence of participation in a single-day, veteran-based, adaptive kayaking and sailing event on the perceived overall health, quality of life, and quality of social life of veterans with varying disabilities. It was hypothesized that all three categories and the sum score of quality of life would reflect a positive acute response after participation in the community-based physical activity event. Veterans responded to three quality of life-related questions using a 5-point Likert scale before and directly after participating in the event. Findings indicated that an adaptive sporting event can have an acute positive influence on the quality of life of veteran participants, with improvements observed in all three categories of perceived quality of life. Therefore, it is advantageous for the whole-health rehabilitation of veterans with disabilities for the Department of Veterans Affairs to continue to provide opportunities for veterans to participate in non-traditional, community-based activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis N. Sidiropoulos
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jonathan J. Glasberg
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Timothy E. Moore
- Statistical Consulting Services, Center for Open Research Resources and Equipment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States of America
| | - Leif M. Nelson
- Department of Veterans Affairs, National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jason T. Maikos
- Department of Veterans Affairs, New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York, New York, United States of America
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21
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Recent and Frequent Mental Distress Among Women with a History of Military Service, 2003–2019. J Behav Health Serv Res 2022; 50:119-127. [PMID: 36369432 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-022-09825-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Examining women veterans' self-reported mental health is critical to understanding their unique mental and physical health needs. This study describes self-reported mental distress over a 17-year period among cross-sectional nationally representative samples of women in the USA using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) core national surveys from 2003 to 2019. Nationally representative prevalence estimates of self-reported mental distress were compared between women veterans and their (1) men veteran and (2) women civilian counterparts. In each year examined, women veterans report significantly more days of recent mental distress and significantly higher prevalence of frequent mental distress than their men veteran counterparts. In several years, women veterans also report greater levels of recent and frequent mental distress than women civilians. These findings highlight the long-standing high prevalence of self-reported poor mental health among women veterans and suggest that specific efforts to address mental health among women veterans as a unique population may be warranted.
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22
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Via GG, Brueggeman DA, Lyons JG, Froehle AW, Krishnamurthy AB. Effects of veterans' mental health service-connections on patient-reported outcomes following total joint arthroplasty. J Orthop 2022; 34:379-384. [PMID: 36275490 PMCID: PMC9579445 DOI: 10.1016/j.jor.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Studies report poor outcomes of elective orthopaedic surgeries among civilian patients receiving Workers' Compensation (WC). However, little is known about surgical outcomes in veterans receiving similar benefits through the Veterans Affairs (VA) service-connected (SC) disability compensation program. Methods Veterans undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at a VA Medical Center between 07/2019-12/2021 were analyzed by SC status. Outcomes were evaluated using Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (HOOS-JR) and Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement (KOOS-JR) scores collected preoperatively and at 2- and 12-months postoperatively. Repeated measures mixed models were used to test for the effect of SC on HOOS-JR/KOOS-JR scores, controlling for baseline age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). SC and baseline joint function (stratified into quartiles using baseline HOOS-JR/KOOS-JR scores) were analyzed for effects on achieving substantial clinical benefit (SCB) at 12-month follow-up. Results The analysis included 67 hips and 142 knees. SC and non-SC (NSC) veterans had similar baseline HOOS-JR/KOOS-JR and CCI. HOOS-JR remained similar between groups through 12 months (79.9 ± 19.2 vs. 82.7 ± 18.8) as did KOOS-JR (70.4 ± 15.6 vs. 74.6 ± 15.3). The designation of any SC and mental health SC reached significance for KOOS-JR (P = 0.034 and P = 0.032, respectively). For HOOS-JR and KOOS-JR, baseline function score quartile significantly influenced final score (P < 0.001), with patients in the lowest quartiles (i.e., worst baseline function) exhibiting significantly greater improvements than patients in higher quartiles. Conclusions Mental health SC and high preoperative functional status are variables that may have unfavorable influences on self-reported outcomes of TKA in veteran patients. SC status does not appear to influence the outcomes of THA or the likelihood of achieving SCB after either THA or TKA. Regardless of SC status, most veterans can expect significant clinical improvements after total joint arthroplasty.
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Key Words
- HOOS
- HOOS-JR, Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement
- KOOS
- KOOS-JR, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement
- NSC, Non-Service Connected
- PROMs, Patient Reported Outcome Measures
- SC, Service Connection
- SCB, Substantial Clinical Benefit
- Service connection
- Substantial clinical benefit
- THA, Total Hip Arthroplasty
- TJA, Total Joint Arthroplasty
- TKA, Total Knee Arthroplasty
- Total joint
- VA
- VA, Veterans Affairs
- WC, Workers' Compensation
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrhett G. Via
- Wright State University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 30 E. Apple St, Ste 2200, Dayton, OH, 45409, USA
| | - David A. Brueggeman
- Wright State University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 30 E. Apple St, Ste 2200, Dayton, OH, 45409, USA
| | - Joseph G. Lyons
- Wright State University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 30 E. Apple St, Ste 2200, Dayton, OH, 45409, USA
| | - Andrew W. Froehle
- Wright State University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 30 E. Apple St, Ste 2200, Dayton, OH, 45409, USA
| | - Anil B. Krishnamurthy
- Wright State University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, 30 E. Apple St, Ste 2200, Dayton, OH, 45409, USA
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23
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Kalvesmaki AF, Gonzales E, George RT, Nguyen H, Pugh MJ. Post-9/11 veterans perceptions of the pandemic: Areas of greatest impact on health and well-being. PEC INNOVATION 2022; 1:100096. [PMID: 36348640 PMCID: PMC9635259 DOI: 10.1016/j.pecinn.2022.100096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Objective Assess potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on a subset of Post-9/11 U.S. Veterans included in a study of post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). Methods Two measures were added to a structured health interview for Veterans during temporary pandemic research shutdown: a validated health questionnaire [1] previously completed by survey, and a semi-structured instrument developed to assess whether pandemic conditions affected responses to the health questionnaire and identify unique impacts. Interviews were conducted between August 2020 – February 2021. Scaled items were calculated and t-tests used to compare results. Open-ended items were coded using thematic analyses. Results Veterans identified eight major areas of impact with negative and positive impacts: mental health, family, social, work/employment, access to resources, physical health, finances, and education. Innovation The temporary shut-down of a large health study for Post-9/11 Veterans provided an opportunity to devise an instrument to assess COVID-19's impact on health and well-being. The instrument was accepted as of the first Veteran instrument in a pandemic SDOH research repository [2], and is being used in other studies. Conclusion This study highlights the need to assess and understand interrelated relationships of factors impacting health and well-being, especially as COVID-19 moves from pandemic to endemic with reverberating effects across multiple social determinants of health (SDOH).
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24
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Moeck EK, Takarangi MKT, Wadham B. Assessing Student Veterans’ Academic Outcomes and Wellbeing: A Scoping Review. JOURNAL OF VETERANS STUDIES 2022. [DOI: 10.21061/jvs.v8i3.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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25
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Trivedi AN, Jiang L, Miller DR, Swaminathan S, Johnson CA, Wu WC, Greenberg K. Association of Disability Compensation With Mortality and Hospitalizations Among Vietnam-Era Veterans With Diabetes. JAMA Intern Med 2022; 182:757-765. [PMID: 35696151 PMCID: PMC9194754 DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.2159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE It remains poorly understood whether income assistance for adults with low income and disability improves health outcomes. OBJECTIVE To examine the association between eligibility for disability compensation and mortality and hospitalizations among Vietnam-era veterans with diabetes. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Quasiexperimental cohort study of a July 1, 2001, policy that expanded eligibility for disability compensation to veterans with "boots on the ground" (BOG) during the Vietnam era on the basis of a diagnosis of diabetes; veterans who were "not on ground" (NOG) remained ineligible. Participants were Vietnam-era veterans with diabetes in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Difference-in-differences were estimated during early (July 1, 2001-December 31, 2007), middle (January 1, 2008-December 31, 2012), and later (January 1, 2013-December 31, 2018) postpolicy periods. Data analysis was performed from October 1, 2020, to December 1, 2021. EXPOSURES Interaction between having served with BOG (as recorded in Vietnam-era deployment records) and postpolicy period. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and hospitalizations. RESULTS The study population included 14 247 BOG veterans (mean [SD] age at baseline, 51.2 [3.8] years; 25.7% were Black; 3.3% were Hispanic; 63.6% were White; and 6.9% were of other race) and 56 224 NOG veterans (mean [SD] age, 54.2 [6.3] years; 21.7% were Black; 2.1% were Hispanic; 67.1% were White; and 8.2% were of other race). Compared with NOG veterans, BOG veterans received $8025, $14412, and $17 162 more in annual disability compensation during the early, middle, and later postpolicy periods, respectively. Annual mortality rates were unchanged (prepolicy mortality rates: 3.04% for BOG and 3.56% for NOG veterans), with adjusted difference-in-differences of 0.24 percentage points (95% CI, -0.08 to 0.52), -0.08% (95% CI, -0.40 to 0.24), and -0.08% (95% CI, -0.48 to 0.36), during the early, middle, and later postpolicy periods. Among 3623 BOG veterans and 19 174 NOG veterans with Medicare coverage in 1999, a population whose utilization could be completely observed in our data, BOG veterans experienced reductions of -7.52 hospitalizations per 100 person-years (95% CI, -13.12 to -1.92) during the early, -10.12 (95% CI, -17.28 to -3.00) in the middle, and -15.88 (95% CI, -24.00 to -7.76) in the later periods. These estimates represent relative declines of 10%, 13%, and 21%. Falsification tests of BOG and NOG veterans who were already receiving maximal disability compensation prior to the policy yielded null findings. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this cohort study, disability compensation among Vietnam-era veterans with diabetes was not associated with lower mortality but was associated with substantial declines in acute hospitalizations. Veterans' disability compensation payments may have important health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal N Trivedi
- Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.,Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Lan Jiang
- Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Donald R Miller
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Bedford Healthcare System, Bedford, Massachusetts.,Center for Population Health, Department of Biomedical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
| | - Shailender Swaminathan
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.,Sai University, Chennai, India
| | - Courtney A Johnson
- Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island.,Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Wen-Chih Wu
- Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Kyle Greenberg
- Department of Social Sciences, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York
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26
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Mayr FB, Talisa VB, Castro AD, Shaikh OS, Omer SB, Butt AA. COVID-19 disease severity in US Veterans infected during Omicron and Delta variant predominant periods. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3647. [PMID: 35752687 PMCID: PMC9233663 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31402-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is thought to cause less severe disease among the general population, but disease severity among at-risk populations is unknown. We performed a retrospective analysis using a matched cohort of United States veterans to compare the disease severity of subjects infected during Omicron and Delta predominant periods within 14 days of initial diagnosis. We identified 22,841 matched pairs for both periods. During the Omicron period, 20,681 (90.5%) veterans had mild, 1308 (5.7%) moderate, and 852 (3.7%) severe disease. During the Delta predominant period, 19,356 (84.7%) had mild, 1467 (6.4%) moderate, and 2018 (8.8%) severe disease. Moderate or severe disease was less likely during the Omicron period and more common among older subjects and those with more comorbidities. Here we show that infection with the Omicron variant is associated with less severe disease than the Delta variant in a high-risk older veteran population, and vaccinations provide protection against severe or critical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian B Mayr
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- CRISMA Center, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Victor B Talisa
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- CRISMA Center, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Obaid S Shaikh
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Saad B Omer
- Institute for Global Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Adeel A Butt
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
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27
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Patel N, Dahman B, Bajaj JS. Development of New Mental and Physical Health Sequelae among US Veterans after COVID-19. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11123390. [PMID: 35743461 PMCID: PMC9225186 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11123390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background:COVID-19 sequelae among veterans need evaluation. Design: Propensity-score-matched retrospective cohort study. Participants: A total 778,738 veterans, who were tested for COVID-19 at VA facilities between 20 February 2020−27 March 2021. Main Outcomes: Development of new physical and mental health conditions (incidence) during the follow-up period of 7 days to 3 months after the diagnosis of COVID-19. Results: Out of 778,738 veterans, 149,205 (19.2%) were inpatients and 629,533 (80.8%) were outpatients. 123,757 (15.9%) diagnosed with COVID-19. Mean age was 61 ± 15.4, mostly men (89%) who were White (68%) and non-Hispanic (88%). In hospitalized patients, COVID-19 is associated with significantly higher incidences of physical conditions (venous thromboembolism (5.8% vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001), pulmonary circulation disorder (5.1% vs. 2.9%, p < 0.001), chronic lung disease (8.4% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.001), acute kidney injury (16.4% vs. 9.3%, p < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (6.5% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.001), cardiac arrhythmia (15.2% vs. 10.9%, p < 0.001), complicated hypertension (12% vs. 8.5%, p < 0.001), coagulopathy (6.1% vs. 2.6%, p < 0.001), fluid/electrolyte disorders (24.4% vs. 12.6%, p < 0.001) and neurological disorders (7.1% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001)) and mental health conditions (depressive episode (6.6% vs. 4.3%, p < 0.001), adjustment disorder (2.5% vs. 1.7%, p < 0.001), insomnia (4.9% vs. 3.2%, p < 0.001) and dementia (3.0% vs. 1.9%, p < 0.001)) compared to propensity-matched hospitalized COVID-19 negative patients. In outpatient settings, COVID-19 diagnosis is associated with smaller increase in the incidences of the physical sequelae. Conclusions: In this propensity-score-matched analysis of US veterans, COVID-19 survivors, especially those who were hospitalized, developed new physical and mental health sequelae at a significantly higher rate than those without COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilang Patel
- Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Division of Nephrology, Central Virginia VA Health Care System, 1201 Broad Rock Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23249, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-804-675-5596; Fax: +1-804-675-5159
| | - Bassam Dahman
- Department of Health Behavior and Policy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Senior Health and Policy Analyst (WOC), Central Virginia VA Health Care System, Richmond, VA 23249, USA
| | - Jasmohan S. Bajaj
- Department of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA;
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Central Virginia VA Health Care System, Richmond, VA 23249, USA
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28
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Mellor R, Saunders-Dow E, Mayr HL. Scope of Use and Effectiveness of Dietary Interventions for Improving Health-Related Outcomes in Veterans: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14102094. [PMID: 35631235 PMCID: PMC9147269 DOI: 10.3390/nu14102094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Military veterans often have numerous physical and mental health conditions and can face unique challenges to intervention and management. Dietary interventions can improve the outcomes in many health conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the scope of health conditions targeted with dietary interventions and the effectiveness of these interventions for improving health-related outcomes in veterans. A systematic literature review was performed following PRISMA guidelines to identify and evaluate studies related to veterans and dietary interventions. Five electronic databases were searched, identifying 2669 references. Following screening, 35 studies were evaluated, and 18 were related to a US national veteran weight-loss program. The included studies were critically appraised, and the findings were narratively synthesized. Study designs ranged from randomised controlled trials to cohort studies and were predominantly U.S. based. The intervention durations ranged from one to 24 months. The mean subject age ranged from 39.0 to 69.7 years, with often predominantly male participants, and the mean body mass index ranged from 26.4 to 42.9 kg/m2. Most dietary interventions for veterans were implemented in populations with overweight/obesity or chronic disease and involved single dietary interventions or dietary components of holistic lifestyle interventions. The most common primary outcome of interest was weight loss. The success of dietary interventions was generally moderate, and barriers included poor compliance, mental health conditions and large drop-out rates. The findings from this review illustrate the need for further refinement of dietary and lifestyle interventions for the management of veterans with chronic health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Mellor
- Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, QLD 4021, Australia;
- Correspondence:
| | - Elise Saunders-Dow
- Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, QLD 4021, Australia;
| | - Hannah L. Mayr
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia;
- Centre for Functioning and Health Research, Metro South Hospital and Health Service, Buranda, QLD 4102, Australia
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29
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Wilson R, Cuthbertson L, Kazis L, Sawatzky R. Measuring Health Status in Long-Term Residential Care: Adapting the Veterans RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR-12©). Clin Gerontol 2022; 45:562-574. [PMID: 32299327 DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2020.1752347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives: Measuring the perceived mental and physical health status of older adults living in long-term residential care (LTRC) is central to patient-centered care. This study examined the qualitative content validity of the Veterans RAND 12 Item Health Survey (VR-12) for LTRC and, based on the findings, the authors developed an adapted version of the generic patient-reported outcome measure for this population.Methods: Content validity was evaluated in two steps: (1) initial resident feedback (n = 9) and research team consensus discussions and (2) cognitive interviews with residents (n = 18) and a research team consensus discussion. The cognitive interviews examined comprehension, acceptability, and relevance of the VR-12 items.Results: Two VR-12 items had limited acceptability in the LTRC setting, the reference to "work" in items was irrelevant to residents, and the lack of a frame of reference ("During the past week … ") impacted comprehension of several items.Conclusions: Study findings informed the development of an adapted version of the VR-12 for older adults living in Canadian LTRC homes and provided content validity evidence regarding its relevance and appropriateness for this population.Clinical implications: Measuring the health status of older adults living in LTRC can help to monitor changes in health status over time and support person-centered care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozanne Wilson
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lena Cuthbertson
- Patient-Centred Performance Measurement and Improvement, BC Ministry of Health/Providence Health Care, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,British Columbia Ministry of Health, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lewis Kazis
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Health Law, Policy & Management, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Richard Sawatzky
- School of Nursing, Trinity Western University, Langley, British Columbia, Canada.,Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, Providence Health Care Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Agarwal PD, Haftoglou BA, Ziemlewicz TJ, Lucey MR, Said A. Psychosocial Barriers and Their Impact on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Care in US Veterans: Tumor Board Model of Care. Fed Pract 2022; 39:S32-S36. [PMID: 35929010 PMCID: PMC9346579 DOI: 10.12788/fp.0272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychosocial barriers, including low socioeconomic status, homelessness, alcohol and substance use disorders, and psychiatric disorders are prevalent in US veterans. Our study aims to identify the prevalence of psychosocial barriers in veterans diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and their impact on receipt of cancer care. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed of all veterans diagnosed with HCC at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, whose tumor care was coordinated through a multidisciplinary tumor board. Outcomes included receipt of any HCC-specific therapy and overall survival. RESULTS From January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2016, 149 veterans were diagnosed with HCC. Substance use disorders were reported in 124 (83%) patients, psychiatric illness was documented in 55 (37%) patients, 23 (15%) patients had incomes below the poverty threshold, and 7 (5%) were experiencing homelessness. The mean (SD) distance traveled for care was 207.1 (277.9) km; travel and lodging assistance were accessed by 50 (34%) and 33 (22%) veterans, respectively. Seventy-one patients (48%) had HCC exceeding T2 stage at diagnosis. Curative treatment was offered to 78 (52%) patients, with 127 (85%) receiving any HCC-specific care. Median survival from diagnosis was 727 days (95% CI, 488-966). CONCLUSIONS Psychosocial barriers were common in our veteran cohort. Individualizing care, and coordination of travel and lodging, assisted in enabling high rates of receipt of HCC-specific therapy and improving patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul D Agarwal
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Beth A Haftoglou
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin
| | | | - Michael R Lucey
- University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Adnan Said
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin
- University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
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Health-Related Quality of Life by Gulf War Illness Case Status. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19084425. [PMID: 35457293 PMCID: PMC9026791 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
This study examines how health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and related indices vary by Gulf War illness (GWI) case status. The study population included veterans from the Gulf War Era Cohort and Biorepository (n = 1116). Outcomes were physical and mental health from the Veterans RAND 12 and depression, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), sleep disturbance, and pain. Kansas (KS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) GWI definitions were used. Kansas GWI derived subtypes included GWI (met symptom criteria; no exclusionary conditions (KS GWI: Sym+/Dx−)) and those without GWI: KS noncase (1): Sym+/Dx+, KS noncase (2): Sym−/Dx+, and noncase (3): Sym−/Dx−. CDC-derived subtypes included CDC GWI severe, CDC GWI mild-to-moderate and CDC noncases. Case status and outcomes were examined using multivariable regression adjusted for sociodemographic and military-related characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between GWI case status and binary measures for depression, PTSD, and severe pain. The KS GWI: Sym+/Dx− and KS noncase (1): Sym+/Dx+ groups had worse mental and physical HRQOL outcomes than veterans in the KS noncase (2): Sym−/Dx+ and KS noncase (3): Sym−/Dx− groups (ps < 0.001). Individuals who met the CDC GWI severe criteria had worse mental and physical HRQOL outcomes than those meeting the CDC GWI mild-to-moderate or CDC noncases (ps < 0.001). For other outcomes, results followed a similar pattern. Relative to the less symptomatic comparison subtypes, veterans who met the Kansas symptom criteria, regardless of exclusionary conditions, and those who met the CDC GWI severe criteria experienced lower HRQOL and higher rates of depression, PTSD, and severe pain.
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Gardner J, Brown G, Vargas-Correa J, Weaver F, Rubinstein I, Gordon HS. An assessment of Veterans attitudes and willingness to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine: a mixed methods study. BMC Infect Dis 2022; 22:308. [PMID: 35351029 PMCID: PMC8961481 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-022-07269-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While several safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines have been available since December 2020, many eligible individuals choose to remain unvaccinated. This vaccine hesitancy is an important factor affecting our ability to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods The objective of the study was to examine the attitudes and willingness among US Veterans toward receiving COVID-19 vaccination. The study used a quantitative qualitative mixed methods design with a telephone survey and then in-depth interviews in a subset of those surveyed. Participants were unvaccinated Veterans (N = 184) selected randomly from a registry of patients who had received VA healthcare during the pandemic and had a diagnostic test for COVID-19. The primary outcome was willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination. Survey data collection and in-depth interviews were conducted by telephone. Analyses of the survey data compared the primary outcome with demographics, clinical data, and survey responses using bivariate and multiple regression analyses. A subset (N = 10) of those surveyed, participated in an in-depth interview. Interview transcripts were analyzed to derive themes using qualitative content analysis. Results Almost 40% of participants disagreed they would receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Participants who were younger, female, and had fewer comorbid conditions were more likely (P < 0.05) to disagree with COVID-19 vaccination. In multiple regression analysis, willingness to accept vaccination was associated with reliance on a doctor or family member’s recommendation and with a belief that vaccines are effective. In-depth interviews revealed several barriers to COVID-19 vaccination, including lack of trust in the government and vaccine manufacturers, concerns about the speed of vaccine development, fear of side effects, and fear the vaccine was a tool of racism. Conclusions This study illustrates the complexity of patients’ deliberation about COVID-19 vaccination and may help physicians and other health care providers understand patients’ perspectives about COVID-19 vaccination. The results highlight the importance of patients’ trust in physicians, healthcare organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and the government when making health decisions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07269-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Gardner
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave (151), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Gabriel Brown
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave (151), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Jadisha Vargas-Correa
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave (151), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Frances Weaver
- VA Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA.,Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Israel Rubinstein
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave (151), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA.,Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Howard S Gordon
- Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 820 S. Damen Ave (151), Chicago, IL, 60612, USA. .,VA Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Division of Academic Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. .,Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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George EL, Massarweh NN, Youk A, Reitz KM, Shinall MC, Chen R, Trickey AW, Varley PR, Johanning J, Shireman PK, Arya S, Hall DE. Comparing Veterans Affairs and Private Sector Perioperative Outcomes After Noncardiac Surgery. JAMA Surg 2022; 157:231-239. [PMID: 34964818 PMCID: PMC8717209 DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2021.6488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Importance Recent legislation facilitates veterans' ability to receive non-Veterans Affairs (VA) surgical care. However, contemporary data comparing the quality and safety of VA and non-VA surgical care are lacking. Objective To compare perioperative outcomes among veterans treated in VA hospitals with patients treated in private-sector hospitals. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study took place across 8 noncardiac specialties in the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2018. Multivariable log-binomial modeling was used to evaluate the association between VA vs private sector care settings and 30-day mortality. Unmeasured confounding was quantified using the E-value. Patients 18 years and older undergoing a noncardiac procedures were included. Exposures Surgical care in either a VA or private sector setting. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcome was 30-day postoperative mortality. Secondary outcome was failure to rescue, defined as a postoperative death after a complication. Results Of 3 910 752 operations (3 174 274 from NSQIP and 736 477 from VASQIP), 1 498 984 (92.1%) participants in NSQIP were male vs 678 382 (47.2%) in VASQIP (mean difference, -0.449 [95% CI, -0.450 to -0.448]; P < .001), and 441 894 (60.0%) participants in VASQIP were frail or very frail vs 676 525 (21.3%) in NSQIP (mean difference, -0.387 [95% CI, -0.388 to -0.386]; P < .001). Overall, rates of 30-day mortality, complications, and failure to rescue were 0.8%, 9.5%, and 4.7%, respectively, in NSQIP (n = 3 174 274 operations) and 1.1%, 17.1%, and 6.7%, respectively in VASQIP (736 477) (differences in proportions, -0.003 [95% CI, -0.003 to -0.002]; -0.076 [95% CI, -0.077 to -0.075]; 0.020 [95% CI, 0.018-0.021], respectively; P < .001). Compared with private sector care, VA surgical care was associated with a lower risk of perioperative death (adjusted relative risk, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.47-0.75]; P < .001). This finding was robust in multiple sensitivity analyses performed, including among patients who were frail and nonfrail, with or without complications, and undergoing low and high physiologic stress procedures. These findings were also consistent when year was included as a covariate and in nonparsimonious modeling for patient-level factors. Compared with private sector care, VA surgical care was also associated with a lower risk of failure to rescue (adjusted relative risk, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.44-0.68]). An unmeasured confounder (present disproportionately in NSQIP data) would require a relative risk of 2.78 [95% CI, 2.04-3.68] to obviate the main finding. Conclusions and Relevance VA surgical care is associated with lower perioperative mortality and decreased failure to rescue despite veterans having higher-risk characteristics. Given the unique needs and composition of the veteran population, health policy decisions and budgetary appropriations should reflect these important differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. George
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California,Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, California,Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Nader N. Massarweh
- Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety, Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas,Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas,Section of Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
| | - Ada Youk
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Department of Biostatistics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Katherine M. Reitz
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Myrick C. Shinall
- Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Rui Chen
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Amber W. Trickey
- Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | | | - Jason Johanning
- Department of Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha,Nebraska Western Iowa Veterans Affairs Health System, Omaha
| | - Paula K. Shireman
- Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio,South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio
| | - Shipra Arya
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California,Stanford-Surgery Policy Improvement Research & Education Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California,Surgical Service Line, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Palo Alto, California
| | - Daniel E. Hall
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Wolff Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,Geriatric Research Educational and Clinical Center, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Chan DC, Danesh K, Costantini S, Card D, Taylor L, Studdert DM. Mortality among US veterans after emergency visits to Veterans Affairs and other hospitals: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2022; 376:e068099. [PMID: 35173019 PMCID: PMC8848127 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2021-068099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To measure and compare mortality outcomes between dually eligible veterans transported by ambulance to a Veterans Affairs hospital and those transported to a non-Veterans Affairs hospital. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study using data from medical charts and administrative files. SETTING Emergency visits by ambulance to 140 Veteran Affairs and 2622 non-Veteran Affairs hospitals across 46 US states and the District of Columbia in 2001-18. PARTICIPANTS National cohort of 583 248 veterans (aged ≥65 years) enrolled in both the Veterans Health Administration and Medicare programs, who resided within 20 miles of at least one Veterans Affairs hospital and at least one non-Veterans Affairs hospital, in areas where ambulances regularly transported patients to both types of hospitals. INTERVENTION Emergency treatment at a Veterans Affairs hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Deaths in the 30 day period after the ambulance ride. Linear probability models of mortality were used, with adjustment for patients' demographic characteristics, residential zip codes, comorbid conditions, and other variables. RESULTS Of 1 470 157 ambulance rides, 231 611 (15.8%) went to Veterans Affairs hospitals and 1 238 546 (84.2%) went to non-Veterans Affairs hospitals. The adjusted mortality rate at 30 days was 20.1% lower among patients taken to Veterans Affairs hospitals than among patients taken to non-Veterans Affairs hospitals (9.32 deaths per 100 patients (95% confidence interval 9.15 to 9.50) v 11.67 (11.58 to 11.76)). The mortality advantage associated with Veterans Affairs hospitals was particularly large for patients who were black (-25.8%), were Hispanic (-22.7%), and had received care at the same hospital in the previous year. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that within a month of being treated with emergency care at Veterans Affairs hospitals, dually eligible veterans had substantially lower risk of death than those treated at non-Veterans Affairs hospitals. The nature of this mortality advantage warrants further investigation, as does its generalizability to other types of patients and care. Nonetheless, the finding is relevant to assessments of the merit of policies that encourage private healthcare alternatives for veterans.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Chan
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Kaveh Danesh
- Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sydney Costantini
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - David Card
- Department of Economics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Lowell Taylor
- Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David M Studdert
- Department of Health Policy, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Stanford Law School, Stanford, CA, USA
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Dociak-Salazar E, Barrueto-Deza JL, Urrunaga-Pastor D, Runzer-Colmenares FM, Parodi JF. Gait speed as a predictor of mortality in older men with cancer: A longitudinal study in Peru. Heliyon 2022; 8:e08862. [PMID: 35146168 PMCID: PMC8816678 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Given the increase in incidence and mortality from cancer in recent years in Latin America and Peru, it is necessary to identify frailty older adults at higher risk of disability, hospitalizations and mortality. However, its measure is complex and requires time. For this reason, it has been proposed that frailty can be evaluated by a single measure, as gait speed. We aimed to evaluate the role of gait speed as a predictor of mortality in older men with cancer in Peru. Methods A prospective cohort study was carried out that included military veterans (aged 60 years and older) with an oncological diagnosis evaluated at the Centro Médico Naval in Peru during the period 2013–2015. Slow gait speed was defined as <0.8 m/s. All-cause mortality was recorded during a 2-year follow-up. Sociodemographic characteristics, medical and personal history, and functional assessment measures were collected. We performed Cox regression analysis to calculate hazard ratios with their respective 95% confidence intervals. Results 922 older men were analyzed from 2013 to 2015, 56.9% (n = 525) of whom were >70 years of age. 41.3% (n = 381) had slow gait speed with a mortality incidence of 22.9% (n = 211) at the end of follow-up. The most frequent types of cancer in the participants who died were of the lung and airways (26.1%), liver and bile ducts (23.2%), and lymphomas and leukemias (16.6%). In the adjusted Cox regression analysis, we found that slow gait speed was a risk factor for mortality in older men with cancer (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.55; 95% confidence interval: 1.21–2.23). Conclusions Slow gait speed was associated with an increased risk of mortality in older men with cancer. Gait speed could represent a simple, useful, inexpensive, rapidly applicable marker of frailty for the identification of older men at higher risk of mortality. Gait speed could be useful in low- and middle-income countries, and in rural areas with limited access to health services.
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Huded JM, Lee A, Song S, McQuown CM, Wilson BM, Smith TI, Bonomo RA. Association of a geriatric emergency department program with healthcare outcomes among veterans. J Am Geriatr Soc 2021; 70:601-608. [PMID: 34820827 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.17572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aim to describe the outcomes of Geriatric Emergency Room Innovations for Veterans (GERI-VET), the first comprehensive Veterans Affairs Geriatric ED program. METHODS In this prospective observational cohort study at an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center ED, participants included Veterans aged 65 years and older treated in the ED from January 7, 2017 to February 29, 2020. Veterans with an Identification of Seniors At Risk (ISAR) score >2 were considered eligible for GERI-VET, receiving geriatric screens and care coordination in addition to standard ED treatment. The control group included GERI-VET eligible Veterans who did not receive GERI-VET care. Propensity score matching was used to compare outcomes in the GERI-VET group (N = 725) and a matched control group (n = 725). Key measures included ED resource utilization, outpatient referrals, ED admission, and 30-day admission. RESULTS In the ED, the GERI-VET group received more consults to pharmacy (315 [43.4%] vs. 195 [26.9%], p < 0.001) and social work (399 [55.0%] vs. 132 [18.2%], p < 0.001). The GERI-VET group had higher referral rates to Geriatrics (64 [17.7%] vs. 18 [5.8%], p < 0.001) and Home Based Primary Care (110 [30.4%] vs. 24 [7.8%], p < 0.001). Key outcome measures included lower rates of ED admission (363 [50.1%] vs. 417 [n = 57.5%], p = 0.003) and 30-day hospital admission (412 [56.8%] vs. 464 [64.0%], p = 0.004) without increasing ED length of stay (5.4 ± 2.2 vs. 5.4 ± 2.6 h, p = 0.85) or 72-h ED revisits (23 [3.2%] vs. 16 [2.2%], p = 0.25) in the GERI-VET group. CONCLUSIONS A program designed to screen for geriatric syndromes and coordinate care among at-risk older Veterans was associated with increased multidisciplinary resource utilization and reduced ED and 30-day admissions without increasing ED length of stay or re-visitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill M Huded
- Department of Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Albert Lee
- Medicine Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sunah Song
- Cleveland Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Colleen M McQuown
- Medicine Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Brigid M Wilson
- Cleveland Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Todd I Smith
- Medicine Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Robert A Bonomo
- Medicine Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Cleveland Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Uddin M, Mohammed T, Metersky M, Anzueto A, Alvarez CA, Mortensen EM. Effectiveness of Beta-Lactam plus Doxycycline for Patients Hospitalized with Community-Acquired Pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 75:118-124. [PMID: 34751745 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite clinical practice guideline recommendations to use doxycycline as part of combination therapy for some patients hospitalized with pneumonia, there is minimal evidence supporting this recommendation. Our aim was to examine the association between beta-lactam plus doxycycline and mortality for patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia. METHODS We identified patients > 65 years of age admitted to any United States Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in fiscal years 2002-2012 with a discharge diagnosis of pneumonia. We excluded those patients who did not receive antibiotic therapy concordant with the 2019 ATS/IDSA clinical practice guidelines. Using propensity score matching, we examined the association of doxycycline with 30- and 90-day mortality. RESULTS Our overall cohort was comprised of 70,533 patients and 5,282 (7.49%) received doxycycline. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was 6.4% for those who received a beta-lactam plus doxycycline vs. 9.1% in those who did not (p<0.0001), and 90-day mortality was 13.8% for those who received a beta-lactam + doxycycline vs. 16.8% for those who did not (p<0.0001). In the propensity score matched models, both 30- (odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval, 0.63-0.84) and 90-day (0.83, 0.74-0.92) mortality were significantly lower for those who received doxycycline. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective observational cohort study, we found that doxycycline use, as part of guideline-concordant antibiotic therapy, was associated with lower 30- and 90-day mortality than regimens without doxycycline. While this supports the safety and effectiveness of antibiotic regimes that include doxycycline, additional studies, especially randomized clinical trials, are needed to confirm this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moe Uddin
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Turab Mohammed
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Mark Metersky
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
| | - Antonio Anzueto
- Department of Medicine, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Carlos A Alvarez
- VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas, USA.,Department of Pharmacy Practice, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Eric M Mortensen
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.,VA North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Martin JL, Azizoddin DR, Rynar LZ, Weber J, Oliver T, Weldon CB, Hauser JM. Comprehensive and Equitable Care for Vulnerable Veterans With Integrated Palliative, Psychology, and Oncology Care. Fed Pract 2021; 38:S28-S35. [PMID: 34733093 DOI: 10.12788/fp.0158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective Veterans who live with cancer need comprehensive care. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer guidelines recommend evaluating distress and providing appropriate follow-up to all patients with cancer. Methods We created patient-centered, collaborative clinics to screen for and address cancer-related distress. Medical oncologists received education about available supportive services and instructions on how to make referrals. Participants completed the Coleman Supportive Oncology Collaborative screening questions. Results Patients in this outpatient US Department of Veterans Affairs medical oncology clinic were primarily older, African American men. Most veterans screened positive for ≥ 1 type of cancer-related distress. Patients screened for high levels of distress received in-person clinical follow-up for further evaluation and to make immediate referrals to supportive care services. Conclusions We evaluated patients' needs, made referrals as needed, and helped bring care directly into the oncology clinic. Using a screening tool for cancer-related distress and managing distress with integrated psychosocial providers could improve care coordination and enhance patient-centered supportive oncology care, especially for high-risk patients. A full-time social worker was integrated into the medical oncology clinics based on our program's success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna L Martin
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Desiree R Azizoddin
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Lauren Z Rynar
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Jane Weber
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Tyra Oliver
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Christine B Weldon
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
| | - Joshua M Hauser
- and are Palliative Care Physicians; is a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner; and is a Palliative Care and Hematology Oncology Clinical Social Worker; all at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. is Adjunct Faculty in Hematology and Oncology; Joanna Martin is a Health System Clinician; and Joshua Hauser is a Palliative Care Physician; all at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine in Illinois. Christine Weldon is Director at the Center for Business Models in Healthcare in Illinois. is a Research Scientist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Affiliate Research Faculty, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts. is an Assistant Professor, Supportive Oncology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago
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Juang C, Huh JWT, Iyer S, Beaudreau SA, Gould CE. Feasibility, Acceptance, and Initial Evaluation of a Telephone-Based Program Designed to Increase Socialization in Older Veterans. J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 2021; 34:594-605. [PMID: 32744165 DOI: 10.1177/0891988720944242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Loneliness is a public health issue, particularly for older Veterans. To increase older Veterans' access for socialization opportunities, a community-based telephone-delivered activity program was developed, in which Veterans can call in and engage in social activities through telephone. This paper illustrates the feasibility, acceptance, and preliminary outcomes of this program using a mixed-methods design. Thirty-two Veterans enrolled in the program, with 14 attendees who called in to the program at least once. Attendees were more likely to be depressed than those who did not call in at baseline. Program was acceptable with high client satisfaction. Perceived benefits included a structured program with interesting topics to spend time on and the opportunity to socialize, exchange ideas, and connect with other Veterans. Individual challenges (e.g., hearing difficulty) and program-level challenges (e.g., complicated procedures) were reported during qualitative interviews. Among attendees, a significant decrease in loneliness from baseline to 3-months was found but should be interpreted with caution based on the small sample size. While positive findings emerged regarding feasibility, acceptance, preliminary benefits of this program, further refinement is needed to improve future program implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Juang
- Psychology Service, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - J W Terri Huh
- Psychology Service, San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sowmya Iyer
- Palo Alto Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Sherry A Beaudreau
- Sierra Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Christine E Gould
- Palo Alto Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Ly VT, Coleman BC, Coulis CM, Lisi AJ. Exploring the application of the Charlson Comorbidity Index to assess the patient population seen in a Veterans Affairs chiropractic residency program. THE JOURNAL OF CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION 2021; 35:199-204. [PMID: 33428733 PMCID: PMC8528440 DOI: 10.7899/jce-20-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chiropractic trainees require exposure to a diverse patient base, including patients with multiple medical conditions. The Veterans Affairs (VA) Chiropractic Residency Program aims for its doctor of chiropractic (DC) residents to gain experience managing a range of multimorbid cases, yet to our knowledge there are no published data on the comorbidity characteristics of patients seen by VA DC residents. We tested 2 approaches to obtaining Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores and compared CCI scores of resident patients with those of staff DCs at 1 VA medical center. METHODS Two processes of data collection to calculate CCI scores were developed. Time differences and agreement between methods were assessed. Comparison of CCI distribution between resident DC and staff DCs was done using 100 Monte Carlo simulation iterations of Fisher's exact test. RESULTS Both methods were able to calculate CCI scores (n = 22). The automated method was faster than the manual (13 vs 78 seconds per patient). CCI scores agreement between methods was good (κ = 0.67). We failed to find a significant difference in the distribution of resident DC and staff DC patients (mean p = .377; 95% CI, .375-.379). CONCLUSION CCI scores of a VA chiropractic resident's patients are measurable with both manual and automated methods, although automated may be preferred for its time efficiency. At the facility studied, the resident and staff DCs did not see patients with significantly different distributions of CCI scores. Applying CCI may give better insight into the characteristics of DC trainee patient populations.
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Duan-Porter W, Nelson DB, Ensrud KE, Spoont MR. Physical functioning and mental health treatment initiation and retention for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: a prospective cohort study. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1005. [PMID: 34551770 PMCID: PMC8457897 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07035-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most US adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) do not initiate mental health treatment within a year of diagnosis. Increasing treatment uptake can improve health and quality of life for those with PTSD. Individuals with PTSD are more likely to report poor physical functioning, which may contribute to difficulty with treatment initiation and retention. We sought to determine the effects of poor physical functioning on mental health treatment initiation and retention for individuals with PTSD. METHODS We used data for a national cohort of veterans in VA care; diagnosed with PTSD in June 2008-July 2009; with no mental health treatment in the prior year; and who responded to baseline surveys on physical functioning and PTSD symptoms (n = 6,765). Physical functioning was assessed using Veterans RAND 12-item Short Form Health Survey, and encoded as limitations in physical functioning and role limitations due to physical health. Treatment initiation (within 6 months of diagnosis) was determined using VA data and categorized as none (reference), only medications, only psychotherapy, or both. Treatment retention was defined as having ≥ 4 months of appropriate antidepressant or ≥ 8 psychotherapy encounters. RESULTS In multinomial models, greater limitations in physical functioning were associated with lower odds of initiating only psychotherapy (OR 0.82 [95 % CI 0.68, 0.97] for limited a little and OR 0.74 [0.61, 0.90] for limited a lot, compared to reference "Not limited at all"). However, it was not associated with initiation of medications alone (OR 1.04 [0.85, 1.28] for limited a little and OR 1.07 [0.86, 1.34] for limited a lot) or combined with psychotherapy (OR 1.03 [0.85, 1.25] for limited a little and OR 0.95 [0.78, 1.17] for limited a lot). Greater limitations in physical functioning were also associated with lower odds of psychotherapy retention (OR 0.69 [0.53, 0.89] for limited a lot) but not for medications (e.g., OR 0.96 [0.79, 1.17] for limited a lot). Role limitations was only associated with initiation of both medications and psychotherapy, but there was no effect gradient (OR 1.38 [1.03, 1.86] for limitations a little or some of the time, and OR 1.18 [0.63, 1.06] for most or all of the time, compared to reference "None of the time"). Accounting for chronic physical health conditions did not attenuate associations between limitations in physical functioning (or role limitations) and PTSD treatment; having more chronic conditions was associated with lower odds of both initiation and retention for all treatments (e.g., for 2 + conditions OR 0.53 [0.41, 0.67] for initiation of psychotherapy). CONCLUSIONS Greater limitations in physical functioning may be a barrier to psychotherapy initiation and retention. Future interventions addressing physical functioning may enhance uptake of psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Duan-Porter
- Center for Care Delivery & Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, One Veterans Dr, MN, 55417, Minneapolis, United States.
- University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, Minneapolis, USA.
| | - David B Nelson
- Center for Care Delivery & Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, One Veterans Dr, MN, 55417, Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Kristine E Ensrud
- Center for Care Delivery & Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, One Veterans Dr, MN, 55417, Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, Minneapolis, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, MN, Minneapolis, USA
| | - Michele R Spoont
- Center for Care Delivery & Outcomes Research, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, One Veterans Dr, MN, 55417, Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota Medical School, MN, Minneapolis, USA
- National Center for PTSD, Department of Veterans Affairs, Minneapolis, USA
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Stroupe KT, Nazi K, Hogan TP, Poggensee L, Wakefield B, Martinez RN, Etingen B, Shimada S, Suda KJ, Huo Z, Cao L, Smith BM. Web-based patient portal use and medication overlap from VA and private-sector pharmacies among older veterans. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2021; 27:983-994. [PMID: 34337984 PMCID: PMC10391010 DOI: 10.18553/jmcp.2021.27.8.983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The availability of Medicare Part D pharmacy coverage may increase veterans' options for obtaining medications outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pharmacies. However, availability of Part D coverage raises the potential that veterans may be receiving similar medications from VA and non-VA pharmacies. The VA's personal health record portal, My HealtheVet, allows veterans to self-enter the non-VA medications that they obtained from community-based pharmacies, including those reimbursed by Medicare Part D. The Blue Button medication view feature of My HealtheVet allows veterans to view and download their VA and self-entered non-VA medication history. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the use by veterans of the Blue Button feature of My HealtheVet was associated with less acquisition of similar medications from VA and community-based pharmacies reimbursed by Medicare Part D. METHODS: This study included a national sample of veterans who were new My HealtheVet users during fiscal year 2013 (October 1, 2012-September 30, 2013) and who used the Blue Button medication view feature of My HealtheVet at least once (users). We compared these veterans with a random sample of veterans who were not registered to use My HealtheVet (nonusers). From these groups, we identified veterans who were enrolled in Part D. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the association of Blue Button medication view use with obtaining medications from the same drug classes (with overlap of 7 or more days) from VA and Part D-reimbursed pharmacies. RESULTS: There were 7,973 My HealtheVet medication view users and 65,985 nonusers. During a 12-month period, medication view users received more 30-day supplies of medications (one 90-day supply equals three 30-day supplies) than nonusers, on average (152.1 vs 71.3, P < 0.001). A larger percentage of users than nonusers obtained medications from VA and Part D-reimbursed pharmacies with overlapping days supply from the same drug classes (30% vs 23%, P < 0.001). However, for veterans who obtained greater numbers of 30-day supplies (82 or more), a significantly smaller percentage of users than nonusers obtained overlapping medications from VA and Part D-reimbursed pharmacies. Moreover, controlling for the total number of 30-day supplies that veterans received, the odds of obtaining medications from VA and Part D-reimbursed pharmacies with days supply that overlapped by at least 7 days for the same drug classes was 18% lower for users than nonusers (P=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Veterans who used the Blue Button medication view feature of My HealtheVet obtained a larger number of 30-day supplies of medications from VA pharmacies than nonusers. For veterans who obtained a larger number of 30-day supplies of medications, use of the Blue Button medication view feature of My HealtheVet was associated with less overlap in days supply of medication from the same drug class from VA and Part D-reimbursed pharmacies. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development Service project IIR 14-041-2. The sponsor provided funding but was not involved in the development of the manuscript. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Health Services Research and Development Service. All authors are employed in some capacity with the Department of Veterans Affairs and have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin T Stroupe
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL, and Department of Public Health Sciences, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL
| | - Kim Nazi
- Independent Consultant, Veterans and Consumers Health Informatics Office, Office of Connected Care, Veterans Health Administration, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Coxsackie, NY
| | - Timothy P Hogan
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, and Department of Population and Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | - Linda Poggensee
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL
| | - Bonnie Wakefield
- Center for Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation, Iowa City Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, Iowa City, IA, and Sinclair School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia
| | - Rachael N Martinez
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL
| | - Bella Etingen
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL
| | - Stephanie Shimada
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Bedford, MA, and Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Katie J Suda
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA, and Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Zhiping Huo
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL
| | - Lishan Cao
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL
| | - Bridget M Smith
- Center of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare (CINCCH), Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, US Department of Veterans Affairs, Hines, IL, and Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
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Corcorran MA, Ludwig-Baron N, Cheng DM, Lioznov D, Gnatienko N, Patts G, So-Armah K, Blokhina E, Bendiks S, Krupitsky E, Samet JH, Tsui JI. The Hepatitis C Continuum of Care Among HIV-Positive Persons with Heavy Alcohol Use in St. Petersburg, Russia. AIDS Behav 2021; 25:2533-2541. [PMID: 33730255 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03214-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study describes the self-reported prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection and the HCV care continuum among persons enrolled in the St PETER HIV Study, a randomized controlled trial of medications for smoking and alcohol cessation in HIV-positive heavy drinkers and smokers in St. Petersburg, Russia. Baseline health questionnaire data were used to calculate proportions and 95% confidence intervals for self-reported steps along the HCV continuum of care. The cohort included 399 HIV-positive persons, of whom 387 [97.0% (95% CI 95.3-98.7%)] reported a prior HCV test and 315 [78.9% (95% CI 74.9-82.9%)] reported a prior diagnosis of HCV. Among those reporting a diagnosis of HCV, 43 [13.7% (95% CI 9.9-17.4%)] had received treatment for HCV, and 31 [9.8% (95% CI 6.6-13.1%)] had been cured. Despite frequent HCV testing in this HIV-positive Russian cohort, the proportion reporting prior effective HCV treatment was strikingly low. Increased efforts are needed to scale-up HCV treatment among HIV-positive Russians in St. Petersburg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Corcorran
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, 325 9th Ave, Box 359782, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA.
| | | | - Debbie M Cheng
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dmitry Lioznov
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia Gnatienko
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory Patts
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center (BEDAC), Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaku So-Armah
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Elena Blokhina
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Sally Bendiks
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- First Pavlov State Medical University of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
- Department of Addictions, V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Jeffrey H Samet
- Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Physical health, behavioral and emotional functioning in children of gulf war veterans. Life Sci 2021; 282:119777. [PMID: 34197885 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined whether the prevalence of medical and behavioral conditions is higher in children of deployed veterans (DVs) versus non-deployed veterans (NDVs) after the 1991 Gulf War. METHODS We examined 1387 children of 737 veterans. Children ages 2-18 had physical exams and parental reports of physical history and behavior. RESULTS Physical health was analyzed using GEE models. Behavioral health [total, internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems (TBP, IBP, EBP)] was analyzed with mixed-effects regression models. Analyses were conducted by age group (2-3, 4-11, 12-18), and gender (ages 4-11, 12-18). Children of DVs ages 2-3 had significantly worse dentition (13.9% vs. 4.8%, P = 0.03) and more EBP {least square means (lsmeans) 54.31 vs. 47.59, P = 0.02}. Children of DVs ages 4-11 had significantly more obesity (18.8% vs. 12.7%, P = 0.02). Among children 4-11, male children of DVs had significantly more TBP (lsmeans 70.68 vs. 57.34, P = 0.003), IBP (lsmeans 63.59 vs. 56.16, P = 0.002) and EBP (lsmeans 61.60 vs. 52.93, P = 0.03), but female children did not. For children ages 12-18, male children of DVs had more EBP (lsmeans 63.73 vs. 43.51, P = 0.008), while female children of DVs had fewer EBP (lsmeans 45.50 vs. 50.48, P = 0.02). Veteran military characteristics and mental health, and children's social status and health, including obesity, predicted children's TBP for one or more age groups. CONCLUSIONS Children of DVs experienced worse dentition, greater obesity, and more behavioral problems compared to NDV children, suggesting adverse health effects associated with parental deployment in need of further exploration.
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Hong P, Song YG, Paek S. Possible effects of agent orange and posttraumatic stress disorder on hyperglycemia in Korean veterans from the US-Vietnam war. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e26508. [PMID: 34160471 PMCID: PMC8238358 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000026508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to examine whether Korean veterans from the US-Vietnam War who had a diagnosis of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) as well as past history of exposure to agent orange (AO) are vulnerable to hyperglycemia when receiving intra-articular corticosteroid injection (IACI) for pain relief.The current study included a total of 49 patients (n = 49) who received an injection of triamcinolone 20 or 40 mg to the shoulder under sonographic guidance or did that of dexamethasone 10 mg or triamcinolone 40 mg combined with dexamethasone 20 mg to the spine under fluoroscopic guidance. Their 7-day fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were measured and then averaged, serving as baseline levels. This is followed by measurement of FBG levels for 14 days of IACI. Respective measurements were compared with baseline levels. The patients were also evaluated for whether there are increases in FBG levels depending on insulin therapy as well as HbA1c ≥ 7% or HbA1c < 7%.Overall, there were significant increases in FBG levels by 64.7 ± 42.5 mg/dL at 1 day of IACI from baseline (P < .05). HbA1c ≥ 7% and HbA1c < 7% showed increases in FBG levels by 106.1 ± 49.0 mg/dL and 46.5 ± 3.8 mg/dL, respectively, at 1 day of IACI from baseline (P < .05). In the presence and absence of insulin therapy, there were significant increases in them by 122.6 ± 48.7 mg/dL and 48.0 ± 20.4 mg/dL, respectively, at 1 day of IACI from baseline (P < .05). But there were decreases in them to baseline levels at 2 days of IACI.Clinicians should consider the possibility of hyperglycemia when using corticosteroids for relief of musculoskeletal pain in Korean veterans from the US-Vietnam War who had a history of exposure to AO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pa Hong
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon
| | - Yun Gyu Song
- Department of Radiology, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon
| | - Sungwoo Paek
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Konkuk University Chungju Hospital, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Chungju, Korea
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Kulwin R, Watson TS, Rigby R, Coetzee JC, Vora A. Traditional Modified Broström vs Suture Tape Ligament Augmentation. Foot Ankle Int 2021; 42:554-561. [PMID: 33491480 DOI: 10.1177/1071100720976071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The modified Broström (MB) procedure has long been the mainstay for the treatment of chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI). Recently, suture tape (ST) has emerged as augmentation for this repair. The clinical benefit of such augmentation has yet to be fully established. The purpose of this study was to determine if ST augmentation provides an advantage over the traditional MB. METHODS Adult patients were identified for inclusion in the study based on indications for primary lateral ligament reconstruction for CLAI. The primary outcome measure was time to return to preinjury level of activity (RTPAL). Secondary outcome measures included complications, ability to participate in an accelerated rehabilitation protocol (ARP), patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and visual analog pain scale (VAS). A total of 119 patients with CLAI were enrolled and randomized to the MB (59 patients) or ST (60 patients) treatment arm. RESULTS Average RTPAL was 17.5 weeks after MB and 13.3 weeks after ST (P < .001). At 26 weeks, 12.5% of patients in the MB group and 3.6% of patients in the ST group had not managed RTPAL (P = .14). The complication rate was 8.5% in the MB group vs 1.7% in the ST group (P = .12). Four patients in the MB group failed to complete the ARP vs 1 in the ST group (P = .144). CONCLUSION Results from this multicenter, prospective, randomized trial suggest that ST augmentation allows for earlier RTPAL than MB alone. ST augmentation may support successful accelerated rehabilitation and did not result in increased complications or morbidity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II, prospective comparative study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Kulwin
- Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Libertyville, IL, USA
| | | | - Ryan Rigby
- Logan Regional Orthopedics, Logan, UT, USA
| | | | - Anand Vora
- Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Libertyville, IL, USA
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Bedoya A, Pleasants RA, Boggan JC, Seaman D, Reihman A, Howard L, Kundich R, Welty-Wolf K, Tighe RM. Interstitial lung disease in a veterans affairs regional network; a retrospective cohort study. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247316. [PMID: 33735247 PMCID: PMC7971476 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The epidemiology of Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is presently unknown. Research question Describe the incidence/prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of ILD patients within the Veteran’s Administration Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN6). Study design and methods A multi-center retrospective cohort study was performed of veterans receiving hospital or outpatient ILD care from January 1, 2008 to December 31st, 2015 in six VISN6 facilities. Patients were identified by at least one visit encounter with a 515, 516, or other ILD ICD-9 code. Demographic and clinical characteristics were summarized using median, 25th and 75th percentile for continuous variables and count/percentage for categorical variables. Characteristics and incidence/prevalence rates were summarized, and stratified by ILD ICD-9 code. Kaplan Meier curves were generated to define overall survival. Results 3293 subjects met the inclusion criteria. 879 subjects (26%) had no evidence of ILD following manual medical record review. Overall estimated prevalence in verified ILD subjects was 256 per 100,000 people with a mean incidence across the years of 70 per 100,000 person-years (0.07%). The prevalence and mean incidence when focusing on people with an ILD diagnostic code who had a HRCT scan or a bronchoscopic or surgical lung biopsy was 237 per 100,000 people (0.237%) and 63 per 100,000 person-years respectively (0.063%). The median survival was 76.9 months for 515 codes, 103.4 months for 516 codes, and 83.6 months for 516.31. Interpretation This retrospective cohort study defines high ILD incidence/prevalence within the VA. Therefore, ILD is an important VA health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armando Bedoya
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Roy A. Pleasants
- Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joel C. Boggan
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Danielle Seaman
- Department of Radiology, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Anne Reihman
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Lauren Howard
- Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert Kundich
- Department of Medicine, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Karen Welty-Wolf
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Robert M. Tighe
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Durham VA Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Mahmud N, Fricker Z, Hubbard RA, Ioannou GN, Lewis JD, Taddei TH, Rothstein KD, Serper M, Goldberg DS, Kaplan DE. Risk Prediction Models for Post-Operative Mortality in Patients With Cirrhosis. Hepatology 2021; 73:204-218. [PMID: 32939786 PMCID: PMC7902392 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk of postoperative mortality. Currently available tools to predict postoperative risk are suboptimally calibrated and do not account for surgery type. Our objective was to use population-level data to derive and internally validate cirrhosis surgical risk models. APPROACH AND RESULTS We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Veterans Outcomes and Costs Associated with Liver Disease (VOCAL) cohort, which contains granular data on patients with cirrhosis from 128 U.S. medical centers, merged with the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) to identify surgical procedures. We categorized surgeries as abdominal wall, vascular, abdominal, cardiac, chest, or orthopedic and used multivariable logistic regression to model 30-, 90-, and 180-day postoperative mortality (VOCAL-Penn models). We compared model discrimination and calibration of VOCAL-Penn to the Mayo Risk Score (MRS), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Sodium MELD-Na, and Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) scores. We identified 4,712 surgical procedures in 3,785 patients with cirrhosis. The VOCAL-Penn models were derived and internally validated with excellent discrimination (30-day postoperative mortality C-statistic = 0.859; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.809-0.909). Predictors included age, preoperative albumin, platelet count, bilirubin, surgery category, emergency indication, fatty liver disease, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, and obesity. Model performance was superior to MELD, MELD-Na, CTP, and MRS at all time points (e.g., 30-day postoperative mortality C-statistic for MRS = 0.766; 95% CI, 0.676-0.855) in terms of discrimination and calibration. CONCLUSIONS The VOCAL-Penn models substantially improve postoperative mortality predictions in patients with cirrhosis. These models may be applied in practice to improve preoperative risk stratification and optimize patient selection for surgical procedures (www.vocalpennscore.com).
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadim Mahmud
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Leonard David Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Zachary Fricker
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca A. Hubbard
- Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - George N. Ioannou
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System and University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Health Services Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA
| | - James D. Lewis
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Leonard David Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Tamar H. Taddei
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
| | - Kenneth D. Rothstein
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Marina Serper
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
| | - David S. Goldberg
- Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
| | - David E. Kaplan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Medicine, Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
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Trivedi AN, Jiang L, Silva G, Wu WC, Mor V, Fine MJ, Kressin NR, Gutman R. Evaluation of Changes in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers' Mortality Rates After Risk Adjustment for Socioeconomic Status. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3:e2024345. [PMID: 33270121 PMCID: PMC7716194 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.24345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Socioeconomic factors are associated with worse outcomes after hospitalization, but neither the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nor the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system adjust for socioeconomic factors in profiling hospital mortality. OBJECTIVE To evaluate changes in Veterans Affairs medical centers' (VAMCs') risk-standardized mortality rates among veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia after adjusting for socioeconomic factors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In this cross-sectional study, retrospective data were used to assess 131 VAMCs' risk-standardized 30-day mortality rates with or without adjustment for socioeconomic covariates. The study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2014. Data were analyzed from March 1, 2019, to April 1, 2020. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was 30-day mortality after admission. Socioeconomic covariates included neighborhood disadvantage, race/ethnicity, homelessness, rurality, nursing home residence, reason for Medicare eligibility, Medicaid and Medicare dual eligibility, and VA priority. RESULTS The study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure (98.2% male; mean [SD] age, 71.9 [11.4] years) and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia (96.8% male; mean [SD] age, 71.0 [12.4] years). The addition of socioeconomic factors to the CMS models modestly increased the C statistic from 0.77 (95% CI, 0.77-0.78) to 0.78 (95% CI, 0.78-0.78) for 30-day mortality after heart failure and from 0.73 (95% CI, 0.72-0.73) to 0.74 (95% CI, 0.73-0.74) for 30-day mortality after pneumonia. Mortality rates were highly correlated (Spearman correlations of ≥0.98) in models that included or did not include socioeconomic factors. With the use of the CMS model for heart failure, VAMCs in the lowest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 6.0% (0.4%), those in the middle 3 quintiles had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 7.2% (0.4%), and those in the highest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 8.8% (0.6%). After the inclusion of socioeconomic covariates, the adjusted mean (SD) mortality was 6.1% (0.4%) for hospitals in the lowest quintile, 7.2% (0.4%) for those in the middle 3 quintiles, and 8.6% (0.5%) for those in the highest quintile. The mean absolute change in rank after socioeconomic adjustment was 3.0 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-4.0) among hospitals in the highest quintile of mortality after heart failure and 4.4 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-6.0) among VAMCs in the lowest quintile. Similar findings were observed for mortality rankings in pneumonia and after inclusion of clinical covariates. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study suggests that adjustments for socioeconomic factors did not meaningfully change VAMCs' risk-adjusted 30-day mortality rates for veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia. The implications of such adjustments should be examined for other quality measures and health systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal N. Trivedi
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Lan Jiang
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Gabriella Silva
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Biostatistics, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Wen-Chih Wu
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Vincent Mor
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Michael J. Fine
- Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Nancy R. Kressin
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roee Gutman
- Center of Innovation for Long-term Services and Supports, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, Rhode Island
- Department of Biostatistics, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island
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Mezzacappa FM, Schmidt KP, Tenny SO, Samson KK, Agrawal SK, Hellbusch LC. Review of psychiatric comorbidities and their associations with opioid use in elective lumbar spine surgery. Medicine (Baltimore) 2020; 99:e23162. [PMID: 33217823 PMCID: PMC7676573 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000023162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The opioid epidemic is an ongoing concern in the United States and efforts to ameliorate this crisis are underway on multiple fronts. Opiate use is an important consideration for patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery with concurrent psychiatric diagnoses and more information is needed regarding the factors involved in these patients. That information may help guide opioid prescribing practices for individual patients with certain psychiatric conditions that are undergoing these procedures. This study was done to identify psychiatric conditions that are associated with preoperative and postoperative opioid use in this cohort of veteran patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery.A 3 month preoperative and 3 month postoperative chart review was conducted on 25 patients per year who underwent elective lumbar spine surgery over a 16-year period at the Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Healthcare Center (n = 376 after exclusion criteria applied). The association between psychiatric comorbidities and use of opioids during the 90-day period after surgery was assessed using a linear model that adjusted for surgical type, opioid use prior to surgery, and other relevant comorbidities.Patients are more likely to use opioids preoperatively if they have major depression (P = .02), hepatitis C (P = .01), or musculoskeletal disorders (P = .04). PTSD (P = .02) and lumbar fusion surgery (P < .0001) are associated with increased postoperative use, after adjusting for preoperative use and other comorbidities.Certain psychiatric comorbidities are significantly correlated with opioid use for this cohort of lumbar spine surgery patients in the preoperative and postoperative periods. Awareness of an individual's psychiatric comorbidity burden may help guide opioid prescription use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kaeli K. Samson
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Nebraska Medical Center
| | | | - Leslie C. Hellbusch
- Department of Neurosurgery
- Division of Neurosurgery, Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Center, Omaha, NE
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