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Bloxom Q, Anderson B. Deconstructing Social Work Exam Bias: Advocacy Practice Guidelines to Close the Gap. JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE-BASED SOCIAL WORK (2019) 2024; 21:236-264. [PMID: 37942617 DOI: 10.1080/26408066.2023.2278691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The social work profession is in a precarious situation regarding licensure. Test takers of color are struggling to pass social work licensure exams at rates comparable to their White counterparts, per data released by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). As a nation, we are required to meet the needs of our increasingly diverse population. Yet the recruitment and retention of a diverse body of social workers is unlikely to be actualized if disparities persist in these exams. Given ASWB's monopoly on social work exams and the likelihood that many states will continue to require the exams for licensure, we sought to explore public responses to the data released, using the National Association of Social Work (NASW) as our starting point. As the nation's largest association of social workers, having local chapters within each state, NASW serves as an area of connection between social workers nationwide. METHODS We utilized content analysis to explore emerging themes and conduct a review of the state chapter's public responses to exam pass rate data. RESULTS A variety of state chapter's responses, with few states engaging in advocacy efforts or taking action to facilitate change. DISCUSSION Advocacy efforts play a pivotal role in the restructuring of fragmented systems. This study revisits seemingly ignored disparities diverse test takers may face, while also serving as a call-to-action in advocacy engagement. We conclude with a set of advocacy practice guidelines for use in the promotion of equitable licensing opportunities for all test takers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandi Anderson
- College of Social Work, University of South Carolina, South Carolina, USA
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Sanuade OA, Jacobson TA, Quintana A, Flowers FM, Abbasi H, Vu MH, Baldridge AS, Mejia J, Lazar D, Ciolino JD, Huffman MD, Kandula NR. Process Evaluation of a Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of a Quadruple Ultra-Low-Dose Treatment for Hypertension Within a Federally Qualified Health Center Network (QUARTET USA). J Am Heart Assoc 2024; 13:e032236. [PMID: 38156601 PMCID: PMC10863813 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.032236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This convergent parallel-design mixed-methods process evaluation of the QUARTET USA (Quadruple Ultra-Low-Dose Treatment for Hypertension USA) clinical trial (NCT03640312) explores patient and health care professional perceptions about the use of low-dose quadruple therapy (LDQT) as a novel strategy for hypertension management. METHODS AND RESULTS A survey of all 62 patients enrolled in the QUARTET USA trial was conducted. A subsample of 13 patients and 11 health care professionals, recruited via purposive sampling, took part in semistructured interviews. At enrollment, 68% of participants (mean [SD] age, 51.7 [11.5] years; 56% self-identified as Hispanic: Mexican ethnicity, 16% as Hispanic: other ethnicity, 16% as Black race, 8% as White race, and 1.6% as South Asian race) reported that their current health depended on blood pressure medications, and 48% were concerned about blood pressure medications. At trial completion, 80% were satisfied with LDQT, 96% were certain the benefits of taking LDQT outweighed the disadvantages, and 96% reported that LDQT was convenient to take. Both patients and health care professionals found LDQT acceptable because it reduced patients' perceived pill burden and facilitated medication adherence. Health care professionals stated that a perceived limitation of LDQT was the inability to titrate doses. Steps to facilitate LDQT implementation include introducing stepped-care combinations and treatment protocols, inclusion in clinical practice guidelines, and eliminating patient cost barriers. CONCLUSIONS LDQT was an acceptable strategy for hypertension treatment among patients and health care professionals involved in the QUARTET USA clinical trial. Although LDQT was generally perceived as beneficial for maintaining patients' blood pressure control and facilitating adherence, some clinicians perceived limitations in titration inflexibility, adverse effects, and costs. REGISTRATION URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03640312.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olutobi A. Sanuade
- Division of Health System Innovation and Research, Department of Population Health SciencesSpencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of UtahSalt Lake CityUT
| | | | | | | | | | - My H. Vu
- Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIL
| | | | | | | | | | - Mark D. Huffman
- Feinberg School of MedicineNorthwestern UniversityChicagoIL
- Cardiovascular Division and Global Health CenterWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMO
- The George Institute for Global Health, University of New South WalesSydneyAustralia
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Silva TS, Tavassoli M, Lee E, Annie Nguyen LA, Vu B, Sinjali K, Allison-Aipa T, Molina DC, Lum S. Timeliness of Multimodal Care for At-Risk Breast Cancer Patients at a Safety Net Institution. J Surg Res 2023; 291:367-373. [PMID: 37516043 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2023.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Because limited data exist, we sought to evaluate timeliness of multimodal treatments in a safety net breast cancer population. METHODS Breast cancer patients treated at a safety net hospital from 2016 to 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Time intervals were defined as primary time (PT) from diagnosis to initiation of primary intervention, secondary time (ST) from completion of primary to initiation of secondary intervention, and tertiary time (TT) from completion of secondary to initiation of tertiary intervention. Variables included primary language, insurance type, and race. RESULTS Of 223 patients, 99 (44.4%) primarily spoke Spanish, 29 (13.0%) were of Black race, and 184 (82.5%) had Medicaid or uninsured status. Median (IQR) age at diagnosis was 55 (48-62) years. Primary intervention was surgical in 127/216 (58.8%); secondary intervention was systemic in 38/169 (22.5%); and tertiary intervention was radiation in 67/80 (83.8%). Overall, median days (IQR) for PT were 69 (53, 98), ST were 65 (42, 95), and TT were 69 (43, 88). PT was significantly longer in Black [105 (76, 142) days] patients compared to non-Hispanic White patients [68 (51, 107) days, P = 0.031)] and White Hispanic patients [65 (53,91) days, P = 0.014]. There were no significant differences in PT, ST, or TT by spoken language or insurance type. CONCLUSIONS Black patients remain at risk due to prolonged time to intervention. Spanish-speaking status was not associated with inferior timeliness or completion of multimodal care at a safety net hospital. Identifying safety net hospital barriers to achieving benchmarks for timely completion of all phases of multimodal care warrants further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor S Silva
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Morvarid Tavassoli
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Esther Lee
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Lan-Anh Annie Nguyen
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Brandon Vu
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - Kiran Sinjali
- Department of Radiology, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California
| | - Timothy Allison-Aipa
- Comparative Effectiveness and Clinical Outcomes Research Center (CECORC), Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California
| | - David Caba Molina
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California; Department of Surgery, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California
| | - Sharon Lum
- Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, California; Department of Surgery, Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda, California.
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Smith TE, Corbeil T, Wall MM, Tang F, Essock SM, Frimpong E, Goldman ML, Mascayano F, Radigan M, Wang R, Rodgers I, Dixon LB, Olfson M, Lewis-Fernández R. Community, Hospital, and Patient Factors Contributing to Ethnoracial Disparities in Follow-Up After Psychiatric Hospitalization. Psychiatr Serv 2023; 74:684-694. [PMID: 36651116 PMCID: PMC10329986 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ps.20220110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study used an ecosocial perspective to examine ethnoracial disparities in timely outpatient follow-up care after psychiatric hospitalization in a cohort of Medicaid recipients. METHODS This retrospective analysis used 2012-2013 New York State Medicaid claims data for 17,488 patients ages <65 years who were treated in hospital psychiatric units and discharged to the community. Claims data were linked to other administrative data sets capturing key social conditions and determinants of mental health for non-Latinx White (White hereafter), non-Latinx Black (Black), Latinx, non-Latinx Asian/Pacific Islander (Asian/Pacific Islander), non-Latinx American Indian or Native Alaskan (American Indian or Native Alaskan), and other ethnoracial groups. Regression models were used to estimate the variations in disparities in timely follow-up care that were attributable to community, organization (i.e., hospital), and individual patient characteristics. RESULTS Overall, 60.1% of patients attended an outpatient mental health visit within 30 days of discharge. Compared with the rate for White patients, the attendance rates were 9.5 percentage points lower for Black patients and 7.8 percentage points higher for Asian/Pacific Islander patients. No significant difference in attendance rates was found between Latinx and White patients. Community factors, specifically urban versus rural classification and county poverty status, accounted for the greatest variation in timely follow-up care in all comparisons. CONCLUSIONS Efforts to increase connection to outpatient mental health follow-up care after psychiatric hospitalization should incorporate cultural and structural competencies to address social conditions and determinants of mental health that underly ethnoracial disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas E. Smith
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Tom Corbeil
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Melanie M. Wall
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Fei Tang
- Office of Performance Measurement and Evaluation, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany, New York
| | - Susan M. Essock
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Eric Frimpong
- Office of Performance Measurement and Evaluation, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany, New York
| | - Matthew L. Goldman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Marleen Radigan
- Office of Performance Measurement and Evaluation, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany, New York
| | - Rui Wang
- Office of Performance Measurement and Evaluation, New York State Office of Mental Health, Albany, New York
| | - Ian Rodgers
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York
| | - Lisa B. Dixon
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Mark Olfson
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
| | - Roberto Lewis-Fernández
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
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Garcia-Casal MN, Dary O, Jefferds ME, Pasricha SR. Diagnosing anemia: Challenges selecting methods, addressing underlying causes, and implementing actions at the public health level. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1524:37-50. [PMID: 37061792 PMCID: PMC10880862 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Accurate and affordable tools for diagnosing anemia and its main determinants are essential for understanding the magnitude and distribution of the problem and the appropriate interventions needed for its timely prevention and treatment. The objective of this review is to address methods, equipment, and sample-related and quality control aspects of hemoglobin measurement for anemia diagnosis. Also, other iron-, infectious-, and genetic-related causes of anemia are addressed in individuals and populations. The best practice for hemoglobin determination is the use of venous blood, analyzed on automated hematology analyzers, with high-quality control measures in place. The importance of a correct anemia diagnosis is highlighted by the cost of a misdiagnosis. A false-negative diagnosis may result in missing out and not treating anemia, its causes, and its adverse effects. On the other hand, a false-positive diagnosis may result in the provision of unneeded treatment or referral for expensive laboratory tests to determine a cause of anemia, wasting valuable resources and risking causing harm. At the individual level, clinicians must understand the causes of absolute and functional anemia to diagnose and treat anemia at the clinical level. Actions toward anemia diagnosis and control at public health levels require global, regional, and country actions that should cover general and context-specific characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Omar Dary
- Bureau for Global Health, US Agency for International Development, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Maria Elena Jefferds
- Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sant-Rayn Pasricha
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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Kotwal AA, Batio S, Wolf MS, Covinsky KE, Yoshino Benavente J, Perissinotto CM, O'Conor RM. Persistent loneliness due to COVID-19 over 18 months of the pandemic: A prospective cohort study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2022; 70:3469-3479. [PMID: 36054661 PMCID: PMC9539351 DOI: 10.1111/jgs.18010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness was common early in the COVID-19 pandemic due to physical distancing measures, but little is known about how loneliness persisted into later stages of the pandemic. We therefore examined longitudinal trajectories of loneliness over 18 months of the pandemic and subgroups at risk for persistent loneliness. METHODS We used data from the COVID-19 & Chronic Conditions study collected between March 27, 2020 to December 10, 2021, including 641 predominantly older adults with ≥1 chronic condition who completed six interviews at approximately 3 month intervals. Participants reported loneliness (defined as some, most, or all of the time) during the past week due to COVID-19. We used trajectory mixture models to identify clusters of individuals following similar trajectories of loneliness, then determined subgroups likely to be classified in different loneliness trajectories using multivariable regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical covariates. RESULTS Participants were on average 63 years old, 61% female, 30% Black, 20% Latinx, and 29% were living below the poverty level. There was an overall reduction in loneliness over time (March to April/2020: 51% to September to December/2021: 31%, p = 0.01). Four distinct trajectory groups emerged: (1) "Persistent Loneliness" (n = 101, 16%); (2) "Adapted" (n = 141, 22%), individuals who were initially lonely, with feelings of loneliness decreasing over time; (3) "Occasional loneliness" (n = 189, 29%); and (4) "Never lonely" (n = 211, 33%). Subgroups at highest risk of the "Persistently Lonely" trajectory included those identifying as Latinx (aOR 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2, 5.2), or living in poverty (aOR 2.5; 95% CI: 1.4, 4.6). CONCLUSIONS Although loneliness declined for a majority of older adults during the pandemic in our sample, persistent loneliness attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic was common (1 in 6 adults), particularly among individuals identifying as Hispanic/Latinx or living in poverty. Interventions addressing loneliness can ease pandemic-related suffering, and may mitigate long-term mental and physical health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin A Kotwal
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California, California, USA
- Geriatrics, Palliative, and Extended Care Service Line, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Batio
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael S Wolf
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Kenneth E Covinsky
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California, California, USA
- Geriatrics, Palliative, and Extended Care Service Line, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, California, USA
| | - Julia Yoshino Benavente
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Carla M Perissinotto
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Medicine, University of California, California, USA
| | - Rachel M O'Conor
- Center for Applied Health Research on Aging, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
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Villarruel AM, Richmond TS. Reflections on the Future of Nursing Research. Nurs Outlook 2022; 70:562-563. [PMID: 35810035 DOI: 10.1016/j.outlook.2022.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonia M Villarruel
- Professor and Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
| | - Therese S Richmond
- Professor of NursingAssociate Dean for Research & Innovation, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
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Yárnoz-Esquiroz P, Olazarán L, Aguas-Ayesa M, Perdomo CM, García-Goñi M, Silva C, Fernández-Formoso JA, Escalada J, Montecucco F, Portincasa P, Frühbeck G. 'Obesities': Position statement on a complex disease entity with multifaceted drivers. Eur J Clin Invest 2022; 52:e13811. [PMID: 35514242 PMCID: PMC9285368 DOI: 10.1111/eci.13811] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Academic medicine fosters research that moves from discovery to translation, at the same time as promoting education of the next generation of professionals. In the field of obesity, the supposed integration of knowledge, discovery and translation research to clinical care is being particularly hampered. The classification of obesity based on the body mass index does not account for several subtypes of obesity. The lack of a universally shared definition of "obesities" makes it impossible to establish the real burden of the different obesity phenotypes. The individual's genotype, adipotype, enterotype and microbiota interplays with macronutrient intake, appetite, metabolism and thermogenesis. Further investigations based on the concept of differently diagnosed "obesities" are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Yárnoz-Esquiroz
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain.,Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Laura Olazarán
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain.,Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite Aguas-Ayesa
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carolina M Perdomo
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Marta García-Goñi
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Camilo Silva
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain.,Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | | | - Javier Escalada
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain.,Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Fabrizio Montecucco
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Genoa - Italian Cardiovascular Network, Genoa, Italy
| | - Piero Portincasa
- Clinica Medica "A. Murri", Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Gema Frühbeck
- Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), ISCIII, Pamplona, Spain.,Obesity and Adipobiology Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra (IdiSNA), Pamplona, Spain
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