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Darlington WS, Syed S, Wroblewski K, Lapping-Carr G, Lindau ST, Peddinti R. Food insecurity and quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e31045. [PMID: 38687256 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Little is known about the relationship between quality of life (QOL) and food insecurity (FI) among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). We hypothesized FI is associated with lower QOL in children and young adults with SCD. Overall (N = 99), 22% screened positive for FI. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment was 50 and 71% among people from food secure and FI households, respectively. A higher FI score was correlated with lower overall QOL (r = -0.22, p = .03), specifically lower QOL in worry and communication domains. Interventions for FI beyond SNAP may be important for QOL among people living with SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy S Darlington
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA
| | - Sharjeel Syed
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Kristen Wroblewski
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Gabrielle Lapping-Carr
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA
| | - Stacy Tessler Lindau
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Gynecologic Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Department of Medicine-Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, USA
| | - Radhika Peddinti
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital, Chicago, USA
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2
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Smith M, Tepe KA, Sauers-Ford H, Atarama D, Gilliam M, Unaka N, Beck AF, Shah AN, Schondelmeyer AC, Auger KA. Addressing food insecurity in the inpatient setting: Results of a postdischarge pilot study. J Hosp Med 2024. [PMID: 38837594 DOI: 10.1002/jhm.13421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES With a growing interest in screening for food insecurity (FI) during pediatric hospitalization, there is a parallel need to develop interventions. With input from caregivers experiencing FI, we sought to identify interventions to assist with short-term FI after discharge and evaluate their feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. METHODS We first employed qualitative methods to identify potential interventions. Next, we conducted a pilot study of selected interventions for families experiencing FI. Seven days postdischarge, caregivers rated the intervention's feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness. We also assessed for ongoing FI. We summarized the median and proportion of "completely agree" responses to feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness questions, and we compared in-hospital and postdischarge FI using McNemar's test. RESULTS In the qualitative stage, 14 caregivers prioritized three interventions: grocery store gift cards, grocery delivery/pick-up, and frozen meals. In the pilot study, 53 caregivers (25% of those screened) endorsed FI during their child's hospitalization and received one or more of the interventions. Every caregiver selected the grocery gift card option; 37 families (69.8%) also received frozen meals. Seven days after discharge, most caregivers rated the intervention as "completely" feasible (76%), acceptable (90%), and appropriate (88%). There was a significant decrease in caregivers who reported FI after discharge compared to during the hospitalization (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the feasibility, acceptability, and appropriateness of inpatient interventions to address FI, particularly at the time of pediatric hospital discharge and transition home. Randomized trials are needed to further evaluate the efficacy of interventions employed during hospitalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Smith
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kerry A Tepe
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Hadley Sauers-Ford
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Denise Atarama
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Monique Gilliam
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Parent Partner Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Ndidi Unaka
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew F Beck
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Anita N Shah
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Amanda C Schondelmeyer
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Katherine A Auger
- Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Alvis CE, Mosha M, Amankwah EK, Hernandez RG, Morrison JM. Comparison of Caregiver and Provider Food Insecurity Screening Preferences Within a Health System. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2024; 63:650-658. [PMID: 37559340 DOI: 10.1177/00099228231191926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity is a public health concern associated with poor health. Evidence guiding how to best implement screening for food insecurity across a pediatric health care system is lacking. We performed a single-center, multi-department, cross-sectional study of caregivers and health care providers in outpatient and inpatient settings to describe the beliefs, barriers, preferences, and preferred food insecurity screening location. Most providers and caregivers underestimated the pervasiveness of food insecurity while acknowledging the benefit of screening. Caregivers are overall receptive to food insecurity screening and disagree with feelings of discomfort or shame when disclosing food insecurity status. Providers acknowledged perceived caregiver discomfort, lack of community food resources, and lack of a validated screening tool as barriers to screening. Both caregivers and providers identified the primary care setting as the preferred screening setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney E Alvis
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Maua Mosha
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Ernest K Amankwah
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Raquel G Hernandez
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - John M Morrison
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Islam F, Fiori KP, Rinke ML, Acholonu R, Luke MJ, Cabrera KI, Chandhoke S, Friedland SE, McKenna KJ, Braganza SF, Philips K. Implementing Inpatient Social Needs Screening in an Urban Tertiary Care Children's Hospital. Hosp Pediatr 2024; 14:480-489. [PMID: 38742306 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007486] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening for unmet social needs, and the literature on inpatient screening implementation is growing. Our aim was to use quality improvement methods to implement standardized social needs screening in hospitalized pediatric patients. METHODS We implemented inpatient social needs screening using the Model for Improvement. An interprofessional team trialed interventions in a cyclical manner using plan-do-study-act cycles. Interventions included a structured screening questionnaire, standardized screening and referrals workflows, electronic health record (EHR) modifications, and house staff education, deliberate practice, and feedback. The primary outcome measure was the percentage of discharged patients screened for social needs. Screening for social needs was defined as a completed EHR screening questionnaire or a full social work evaluation. Process and balancing measures were collected to capture data on screening questionnaire completion and social work consultations. Data were plotted on statistical process control charts and analyzed for special cause variation. RESULTS The mean monthly percentage of patients screened for social needs improved from 20% at baseline to 51% during the intervention period. Special cause variation was observed for the percentage of patients with completed social needs screening, EHR-documented screening questionnaires, and social work consults. CONCLUSIONS Social needs screening during pediatric hospitalization can be implemented by using quality improvement methods. The next steps should be focused on sustainability and the spread of screening. Interventions with greater involvement of interdisciplinary health care team members will foster process sustainability and allow for the spread of screening interventions to the wider hospitalized pediatric population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahmida Islam
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Kevin P Fiori
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Michael L Rinke
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Rhonda Acholonu
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Michael J Luke
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Keven I Cabrera
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Swati Chandhoke
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Sarah E Friedland
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
| | - Kevin J McKenna
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Sandra F Braganza
- Department of Pediatrics
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Kaitlyn Philips
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Montefiore Medical Center
- Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian Children's Health, Hackensack School of Medicine, Hackensack, New Jersey
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Suarez L, Armstrong S, Fleming R, Howard J, Cholera R. Families Benefit After Utilization of a Clinic-Based Food Pantry Irrespective of Food Insecurity Experiences in a Pediatric Obesity Treatment Program. Am J Health Promot 2024; 38:661-671. [PMID: 38321414 DOI: 10.1177/08901171241229828] [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] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the congruence between food insecurity screening outcome and clinic-based food pantry utilization and to examine caregiver reported comfort, motivation, and benefits of utilization. DESIGN Mixed-methods study. SETTING Academic pediatric obesity treatment clinic. SUBJECTS Convenience sample of caregivers. INTERVENTION Clinic-based food pantry offered irrespective of food insecurity screening outcome. MEASURES Food insecurity screening (Hunger Vital Sign) and severity, self-rated caregiver health, willingness to disclose food insecurity and receive food, and food-related stress. ANALYSIS Chi-square and t-tests were utilized to examine associations and descriptive analysis explored benefits. Rapid qualitative analysis was utilized to identify themes. RESULTS Caregivers of 120 children were included (child mean age 11.8; 56.7% female, 67.6% Non-Hispanic Black), with 47 of 59 eligible completing follow-up surveys and 14 completing in-depth interviews. Approximately half (N = 30/59, 50.8%) of families utilizing the food pantry screened negative for food insecurity. Families utilizing the food pantry were more likely to report severe food insecurity (N = 23/59; 38.9%) compared to those declining (N = 3/61; 4.9%, P < .001). Caregivers accepting food were able to meet a child health goal (N = 30/47, 63.8%). Caregivers reported feeling comfortable receiving food (N = 13/14) and felt utilizing the food pantry led to consumption of healthier foods (N = 7/14). CONCLUSIONS Families who screened both positive and negative for food insecurity utilized and benefited from a clinic-based food pantry. Clinics should consider strategies offering food resources to all families irrespective of screening outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilianna Suarez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sarah Armstrong
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke University School of Medicine, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Center for Childhood Obesity Research, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rachel Fleming
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Janna Howard
- Duke Center for Childhood Obesity Research, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rushina Cholera
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy, Duke University, NC, USA
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Baker S, Gallegos D, Rebuli MA, Taylor AJ, Mahoney R. Food Insecurity Screening in High-Income Countries, Tool Validity, and Implementation: A Scoping Review. Nutrients 2024; 16:1684. [PMID: 38892619 PMCID: PMC11174716 DOI: 10.3390/nu16111684] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Household food insecurity has significant negative implications across the lifespan. While routine screening is recommended, particularly in healthcare, guidelines are lacking on selection of screening tools and best-practice implementation across different contexts in non-stigmatizing ways. The objective of this scoping review was to synthesize evidence on household food insecurity screening tools, including psychometrics, implementation in a range of settings, and experiences of carrying out screening or being screened. Four electronic databases were searched for studies in English published from 1990 until June 2023. A total of 58 papers were included, 21 of which focused on tool development and validation, and 37 papers described implementation and perceptions of screening. Most papers were from the USA and described screening in healthcare settings. There was a lack of evidence regarding screening in settings utilized by Indigenous people. The two-item Hunger Vital Sign emerged as the most used and most valid tool across settings. While there is minimal discomfort associated with screening, screening rates in practice are still low. Barriers and facilitators of screening were identified at the setting, system, provider, and recipient level and were mapped onto the COM-B model of behavior change. This review identifies practical strategies to optimize screening and disclosure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Baker
- Centre for Childhood Nutrition Research, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia; (D.G.); (A.J.T.)
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Danielle Gallegos
- Centre for Childhood Nutrition Research, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia; (D.G.); (A.J.T.)
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | | | - Amanda J. Taylor
- Centre for Childhood Nutrition Research, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia; (D.G.); (A.J.T.)
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Ray Mahoney
- Australian e-Health Research Centre, CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, Herston, QLD 4029, Australia;
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King N, Molina A, Hanna S, Brand Bateman L. Qualitative Study of Food Insecurity in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic. South Med J 2024; 117:260-265. [PMID: 38701847 PMCID: PMC11073801 DOI: 10.14423/smj.0000000000001684] [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] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Food insecurity (FI) is defined as limited or uncertain access to sufficient food for a healthy and active lifestyle. Our objective was to explore how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected the FI status of pediatric patients and their families through interviewing caregivers who screen positive for FI. METHODS Caregivers of all hospitalized patients at a tertiary children's hospital who screen positive for FI with a two-question screening tool were approached about enrolling in the study. Those who consented completed a presurvey and participated in a semistructured individual interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed according to the guidelines of thematic analysis using NVivo 12. RESULTS Interviews were conducted with 15 caregivers between July 2021 and January 2022. Caregivers were 100% female and 80% Black, 13% White, and 7% Hispanic/Latinx, with a mean age of 33 years. Seventy-three percent did not experience FI until the COVID-19 pandemic. Themes include lost wages, mothers forced out of the workforce due to childcare limitations, inflation and shortages of goods, increased stress/anxiety for caregivers and children, the centrality of extended family support, and the necessity/inadequacy of federal food programs. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic impacted unemployment and poverty and consequently exacerbated FI. Our findings point to the need to focus on proximal societal solutions, such as federal policies aimed at food assistance and childcare. Understanding the challenges related to FI that caregivers and patients experience can improve screening, support, and treatment of patients presenting for care and inform the design of necessary interventions for individuals and communities beyond COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie King
- Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Residency Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham
| | - Adolfo Molina
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham
| | - Samantha Hanna
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Academic Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Lori Brand Bateman
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham
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Vasan A, Negro D, Yazdani M, Benitez L, Virudachalam S, Kenyon CC, Fiks AG. Caregiver Preferences for Primary Care Clinic-Based Food Assistance: A Discrete Choice Experiment. Acad Pediatr 2024; 24:619-626. [PMID: 38403156 PMCID: PMC11212506 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2024.02.008] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatric providers screen families for food insecurity and connect them to appropriate resources. However, it is unclear how clinics can best provide families with resources consistent with their needs and preferences. In this study, we elicited caregiver preferences for clinic-based food assistance. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional discrete choice experiment in which caregivers at 2 pediatric primary care clinics were asked to choose between hypothetical food programs. Programs varied across 4 categories: 1) resources provided (eg, food delivery, food in clinic, assistance enrolling in benefits); 2) support staff providing resources (eg, social worker, community health worker, physician, or nurse); 3) outreach modality (eg, phone, email, text); and 4) outreach frequency. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess caregiver preferences within each category and the relative importance of each category to caregiver decisions. RESULTS We surveyed 142 caregivers who were predominantly Black (87%) and Medicaid-insured (90%). Caregiver preferences for food programs were most strongly influenced by the food resources provided. Caregivers preferred food delivery over other forms of food supports, such as food provided in clinic. They preferred assistance from a benefits enrollment specialist, community health worker, or social worker to assistance from a physician or nurse. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric clinics serving families at risk of food insecurity should use caregiver preferences to inform the design of family-centered interventions. Clinics should consider connecting caregivers with food delivery programs, and pediatric payors should adopt reimbursement models that support multidisciplinary team-based care to address food insecurity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Vasan
- Department of Pediatrics (A Vasan, DR Negro, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - DanaRose Negro
- Department of Pediatrics (A Vasan, DR Negro, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - Mishaal Yazdani
- PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - Lindsay Benitez
- PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa; Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University (L Benitez), Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - Senbagam Virudachalam
- Department of Pediatrics (A Vasan, DR Negro, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - Chén C Kenyon
- Department of Pediatrics (A Vasan, DR Negro, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
| | - Alexander G Fiks
- Department of Pediatrics (A Vasan, DR Negro, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; PolicyLab and Clinical Futures, Department of Pediatrics, (A Vasan, DR Negro, M Yazdani, L Benitez, S Virudachalam, CC Kenyon, and AG Fiks), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pa.
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Leary JC, Bagley H, Chan IT, Coates JL, Foote AM, Murzycki JE, Perkins TA, Landrigan CP, Freund KM, Garg A. Evaluating the Impact of a Pediatric Inpatient Social Care Program in a Community Hospital. Hosp Pediatr 2024; 14:225-232. [PMID: 38463007 PMCID: PMC10965758 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2023-007487] [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] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the impact of implementing a stakeholder-informed social risk screening and social service referral system in a community hospital setting. METHODS We implemented a stakeholder-informed social care program at a community hospital in April 2022. The evaluation included patients aged 0 to 17 years admitted to the pediatric unit between April 2021 and March 2022 (1 year preimplementation) and between April 2022 and March 2023 (1 year postimplementation). For a random subset of 232 preimplementation and 218 postimplementation patients, we performed manual data extraction, documenting program process measures and preliminary effectiveness outcomes. We used χ square and Wilcoxon rank tests to compare outcomes between the preimplementation and postimplementation groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the preliminary effectiveness of the social care program in identifying social risks. RESULTS Screening rates were higher in the postimplementation group for nearly all social domains. Compared with preimplementation, the postimplementation group had higher rates of social risks identified (17.4% vs 7.8% [P < .01]: adjusted odds ratio 2.9 [95% confidence interval 1.5-5.5]) on multivariate testing. Social work consults were completed more frequently and earlier for the postimplementation group (13.8.% vs 5.6% [P < .01]) and median (19 hours vs 25 hours [P = .03]), respectively. Rates of communication of social risks in discharge summaries were higher in the postimplementation group (46.8% vs 8.2% [P < .001]). CONCLUSIONS The implementation of a stakeholder-informed social care program within a community hospital setting led to the increased identification of social risks and social work consultations and improved timeliness of social work consultations and written communication of social risks in discharge summaries for primary care providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana C Leary
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts Medicine Pediatrics with Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Hannah Bagley
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Iris T Chan
- Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Amy M Foote
- Department of Pediatrics, Lowell General Hospital, Lowell, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer E Murzycki
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts Medicine Pediatrics with Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Tiffany A Perkins
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts Medicine Pediatrics with Boston Children's Hospital
| | - Christopher P Landrigan
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karen M Freund
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Arvin Garg
- Department of Pediatrics, UMass Memorial Medical Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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10
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Reid LA, Geraci M, Mendoza JA, Merchant AT, Reboussin BA, Pate RR, Dolan LM, Sauder KA, Lustigova E, Kim G, Liese AD. Household Food Insecurity Is Associated With Physical Activity in Youth and Young Adults With Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Phys Act Health 2024; 21:77-84. [PMID: 37922896 DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2022-0338] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) is essential for optimal diabetes management. Household food insecurity (HFI) may negatively affect diabetes management behaviors. The purpose of this study was to cross-sectionally examine the association between HFI and PA in youth and young adults (YYA) with type 1 (N = 1998) and type 2 (N = 391) diabetes from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. METHODS HFI was measured with the US Household Food Security Survey Module. PA was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Walking, moderate-intensity PA (excluding walking), vigorous-intensity PA, moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA, and total PA were estimated as minutes per week, while time spent sitting was assessed in minutes per day. All were modeled with median regression. Meeting PA guidelines or not was modeled using logistic regression. RESULTS YYA with type 1 diabetes who experienced HFI spent more time walking than those who were food secure. YYA with type 2 diabetes who experienced HFI spent more time sitting than those who were food secure. CONCLUSIONS Future research should examine walking for leisure versus other domains of walking in relation to HFI and use objective PA measures to corroborate associations between HFI and PA in YYA with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Reid
- South College, Atlanta, GA, USA
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Marco Geraci
- University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
- Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Jason A Mendoza
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Eva Lustigova
- Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Grace Kim
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Angela D Liese
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
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Fusaro V, Mattingly MJ. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Food Insufficiency in Families with Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Role of Risk and Protective Factors. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023:10.1007/s40615-023-01881-2. [PMID: 38112918 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-023-01881-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Black and Hispanic households are at elevated risk of food insecurity and insufficiency-correlates of adverse outcomes in areas such as health and mental health-relative to White households in the USA. The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic shock threatened to further exacerbate these issues. Research has identified a number of risk and protective factors for food insecurity and insufficiency. These could relate to racial and ethnic disparities in two ways-through aggregate differences in the distribution of characteristics such as educational attainment and employment or through differences in the degree of risk or protection associated with a factor. We examined the relationship between four factors-household head age, educational attainment, single mother household composition, and employment-and disparities in food insufficiency between White, Black, and Hispanic households with children during the COVID-19 pandemic to consider these pathways. METHODS We analyzed data from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey using bivariate statistics, multivariable regression, and decomposition methods to understand differences in the prevalence and consequences of underlying risk and protective factors for food insufficiency in households with children. RESULTS Consistent with prior literature, we documented higher rates of food insufficiency among Black and Hispanic households compared to White households. Differences in the distributions of education and employment accounted for a substantial fraction of the disparities in risk. Both the distribution and degree of risk associated with single mother household composition also related to disparities, but these differences were muted after accounting for economic resources. Much, though not all, of the relationship between the distributions of education and disparate risk of food insufficiency were also captured by differences in economic resources. CONCLUSION This study provides insight into the structure underlying racial and ethnic disparities in food insufficiency during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of human capital, income, and assets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Fusaro
- Boston College School of Social Work, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
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12
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Ye Q, Devarshi PP, Grant RW, Higgins KA, Mitmesser SH. Lower Intakes of Key Nutrients Are Associated with More School and Workplace Absenteeism in US Children and Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study of NHANES 2003-2008. Nutrients 2023; 15:4356. [PMID: 37892431 PMCID: PMC10609412 DOI: 10.3390/nu15204356] [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: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The influence of individual macro- and micronutrients on absenteeism in the United States is largely unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether nutritional status or nutrient intake were associated with absenteeism from school and work due to illness or injury. Data from NHANES 2003-2008 were used to assess nutrient intake from food and food plus supplements, nutritional biomarker levels, and school and work absenteeism per year in children and adults. Negative binomial regression models were used to predict mean days of missed work per year and to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of absenteeism by nutrient biomarker status. Of 7429 children, 77% reported missing school days (mean 4.0 days). Of 8252 adults, 51% reported missing work days (mean 4.9 days). Children and adults who reported more absent days had a significantly lower intake of protein and several essential micronutrients from the diet. When nutrients from supplements were included, this negative association was retained for protein, selenium, choline, and DHA in children and for protein, selenium, vitamin K, choline, potassium, fiber, octadecatrienoic acid, and lycopene in adults. Future studies are needed to ascertain whether dietary interventions, such as access to healthier food options and/or dietary supplements, can reduce absenteeism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Ye
- Science & Technology, Pharmavite LLC, West Hills, CA 91304, USA; (P.P.D.); (R.W.G.)
| | - Prasad P. Devarshi
- Science & Technology, Pharmavite LLC, West Hills, CA 91304, USA; (P.P.D.); (R.W.G.)
| | - Ryan W. Grant
- Science & Technology, Pharmavite LLC, West Hills, CA 91304, USA; (P.P.D.); (R.W.G.)
| | - Kelly A. Higgins
- Food Components and Health Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Susan H. Mitmesser
- Science & Technology, Pharmavite LLC, West Hills, CA 91304, USA; (P.P.D.); (R.W.G.)
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13
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Choe H, Pak TY. Food Insecurity, Healthcare Utilization, and Healthcare Expenditures: A Longitudinal Cohort Study. Int J Public Health 2023; 68:1605360. [PMID: 37564696 PMCID: PMC10409992 DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study examines the longitudinal association between household food insecurity and healthcare utilization and expenditure. Methods: A multi-wave longitudinal cohort study was conducted using the 2008-2019 and 2021 waves of the Korean Welfare Panel Study. The baseline data included participants aged ≥19 years with valid responses to the food insecurity and healthcare questionnaires in the 2008 wave (n = 12,166). Healthcare outcomes encompassed outpatient visits, inpatient admissions, days hospitalized, and personal healthcare expenditure. Random effects Poisson and linear regressions were estimated. Results: Severe food insecurity was associated with a higher incidence rate of outpatient visits (IRR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.12-1.17), days of hospitalization (IRR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.13-1.22), and inpatient admissions (IRR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.18-1.65). Moderate food insecurity was associated with 10.4% (β = -0.11; 95% CI, -0.14 to -0.07) or 238,276 KRW reductions in personal healthcare expenditures in the subsequent year. Conclusion: Household food insecurity was linked to increased healthcare utilization and reduced personal healthcare expenditure among Korean adults. Our findings present opportunities to identify target populations for healthcare policies and interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tae-Young Pak
- Department of Consumer Science and Convergence Program for Social Innovation, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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14
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Lee WC, Lin S, Yang TC, Serag H. Cross-sectional study of food insecurity and medical expenditures by race and ethnicity. ETHNICITY & HEALTH 2023; 28:794-808. [PMID: 36576145 DOI: 10.1080/13557858.2022.2161090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Food insecurity is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality leading to high medical expenditures, but race/ethnicity was used as adjustments in the literature. The study sought to use race/ethnicity as a key predictor to compare racial differences in associations between food insecurity and expenditures of seven health services among non-institutionalized adults. DESIGN This cross-sectional study used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey that collects information on food insecurity in 2016 (n=24,179) and 2017 (n=22,539). We examined the association between race/ethnicity and food insecurity status and documented the extent to which impacts of food insecurity on medical expenditures varied by race/ethnicity. We fit multivariable models for each racial group, adjusting for states, age, gender, insurance, and education. Adults older than 18 years were included. RESULTS The results show that blacks experienced an inter-racial disparity in food insecurity whereas Hispanics experienced intra-racial disparity. A higher percentage of blacks (28.7%) reported at least one type of food insecurity (11.2% of whites). Around 20% of blacks reported being worried about running out of food and the corresponding number is 8.4% among whites. Hispanics reported more food insecurity issues than whites. Moreover, food insecurity is positively associated with expenditures on emergency room utilization (99% increase for other races vs. 51% increase for whites) but is negatively associated with dental care utilization (43% decrease for blacks and 44% for whites). Except for Hispanics, prescription expenditure has the most positive association with food insecurity, and food insecure blacks are the only group that did not significantly use home health. CONCLUSION The study expanded our understanding of food insecurity by investigating how it affected seven types of medical expenditures for each of four racial populations. An interdisciplinary effort is needed to enhance the food supply for minorities. Policy interventions to address intra-racial disparities among Hispanics and inter-racial disparities among African Americans are imperative to close the gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Chen Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Sherry Lin
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Tse-Chuan Yang
- Department of Sociology, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Hani Serag
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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15
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Lee EK, Donley G, Ciesielski TH, Freedman DA, Cole MB. Spatial availability of federally qualified health centers and disparities in health services utilization in medically underserved areas. Soc Sci Med 2023; 328:116009. [PMID: 37301106 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) improve access to care for important health services (e.g., preventive care), particularly among marginalized and underserved communities. However, whether spatial availability of FQHCs influences care-seeking behavior for medically underserved residents is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships of present-day zip-code level availability of FQHCs, historic redlining, and health services utilization (i.e., at FQHCs and any health clinic/facility) in six large states. We further examined these associations by states, FQHC availability (i.e., 1, 2-4 and ≥5 FQHC sites per zip code) and geographic areas (i.e., urbanized vs. rural, redlined vs. non-redlined sections of urban areas). Using Poisson and multivariate regression models, we found that in medically underserved areas, having at least one FQHC site was associated with greater likelihood of patients seeking health services at FQHCs [rate ratio (RR) = 3.27, 95%CI: 2.27-4.70] than areas with no FQHCs available, varying across states (RRs = 1.12 to 6.33). Relationships were stronger in zip codes with ≥5 FQHC sites, small towns, metropolitan areas, and redlined sections of urban areas (HOLC D-grade vs. C-grade: RR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.21-1.27). However, these relationships did not remain true for routine care visits at any health clinic or facility (β = -0.122; p = 0.008) or with worsening HOLC grades (β = -0.082; p = 0.750), potentially due to the contextual factors associated with FQHC locations. Findings suggest that efforts to expand FQHCs may be most impactful for medically underserved residents living in small towns, metropolitan areas and redlined sections of urban areas. Because FQHCs can provide high quality, culturally competent, cost-effective access to important primary care, behavioral health, and enabling services that uniquely benefit low-income and marginalized patient populations, particularly those who have been historically denied access to health care, improving availability of FQHCs may be an important mechanism for improving health care access and reducing subsequent inequities for these underserved groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Kyung Lee
- Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Gwendolyn Donley
- Institute for Research on Poverty, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - Timothy H Ciesielski
- Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Darcy A Freedman
- Mary Ann Swetland Center for Environmental Health, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Megan B Cole
- Department of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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16
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Brochier A, Messmer E, Wexler MG, Rogers S, Cottrell E, Tripodis Y, Garg A. A cross-sectional study of relationships between social risks and prevalence and severity of pediatric chronic conditions. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:115. [PMID: 36890502 PMCID: PMC9992899 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-03894-6] [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: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To examine the differential relationships between seven social risk factors (individually and cumulatively) with the prevalence and severity of asthma, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and overweight/obesity in children. METHODS Using the 2017-2018 National Survey of Children's Health, we examined associations between social risk factors (caregiver education, caregiver underemployment, discrimination, food insecurity, insurance coverage, neighborhood support, and neighborhood safety) and the prevalence and severity of asthma, ADHD, ASD, and overweight/obesity. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the relationship between individual and cumulative risk factors with each pediatric chronic condition, controlling for child sex and age. RESULTS Although each social risk factor was significantly associated with increased prevalence and/or severity of at least one of the pediatric chronic conditions we investigated, food insecurity was significantly associated with higher disease prevalence and severity for all four conditions. Caregiver underemployment, low social support, and discrimination were significantly associated with higher disease prevalence across all conditions. For each additional social risk factor a child was exposed to, their odds of having each condition increased: overweight/obesity (aOR: 1.2, 95% CI: [1.2, 1.3]), asthma (aOR: 1.3, 95% CI: [1.2, 1.3], ADHD (aOR: 1.2, 95% CI: [1.2, 1.3]), and ASD (aOR: 1.4, 95% CI: [1.3, 1.5]). CONCLUSIONS This study elucidates differential relationships between several social risk factors and the prevalence and severity of common pediatric chronic conditions. While more research is needed, our results suggest that social risks, particularly food insecurity, are potential factors in the development of pediatric chronic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelise Brochier
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St. Floor 2N, Boston, MA, 02119, USA.
| | - Emily Messmer
- Quality and Patient Experience, Mass General Brigham, 399 Revolution Dr., Somerville, MA, 02145, USA
| | - Mikayla Gordon Wexler
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave L. Levy Pl., New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Stephen Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Blvd., Philadelphia, PA, 9104, USA
| | - Erika Cottrell
- OCHIN, Inc., PO Box 5426, Portland, OR, 97228, USA.,Oregon Clinical & Translational Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 3250 Southwest Sam Jackson Park Rd., Portland, OR, 97329, USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, 801 Massachusetts Ave., 3rd Floor, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Arvin Garg
- Child Health Equity Center, Department of Pediatrics, UMass Chan Medical School, UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center, 55 N Lake Ave., Worcester, MA, 01655, USA
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17
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Drought, HIV Testing, and HIV Transmission Risk Behaviors: A Population-Based Study in 10 High HIV Prevalence Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. AIDS Behav 2023; 27:855-863. [PMID: 36066761 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03820-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Droughts are associated with poor health outcomes and disruption of public health programming. Data on the association between drought and HIV testing and transmission risk behaviors are limited. We combined data from Demographic and Health Surveys from 10 high HIV prevalence sub-Saharan African countries with a high-resolution measure of drought. We estimated the association between drought and recent HIV testing, report of condomless sex, and number of sexual partners in the last year. Respondents exposed to drought were less likely to have an HIV test and more likely to have condomless sex, although effect sizes were small. We found evidence for effect modification by sex and age for the association between drought and HIV testing, such that the negative association between drought and HIV testing was strongest among men (marginal risk ratio [mRR] 0.92, 95% CI 0.89-0.95) and adolescents (mRR 0.90, 95% CI 0.86-0.93). Drought may hinder HIV testing programs in countries with high HIV prevalence.
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18
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Ghani F, Wang H, Manning SE, Sambamoorthi U. Interactive association of chronic illness and food insecurity with emergency department utilization among school-age children in the United States: A cross-sectional study. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1123. [PMID: 36814967 PMCID: PMC9940462 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Food insecurity combined with chronic disease conditions is a risk factor for Emergency Department (ED) utilization, an indicator of poor quality of care. However, such an association is not certain among school-age children with chronic conditions. Therefore, we aim to determine the association of food insecurity, chronic conditions, and ED utilization among school-age children in the United States. Methods We analyzed the data from the 2017 Medical expenditure panel survey (MEPS) among children aged 6-17 years (N = 5518). MEPS data was released electronically by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). We identified four groups of school-age children based on the presence of food security and chronic conditions: 1) with food insecurity and chronic conditions; 2) no food insecurity and chronic conditions; 3) with food insecurity and no chronic conditions; and 4) no food insecurity and no chronic conditions. We compared ED utilization among these four groups using incidence rate ratios (IRR) after adjusting children's age, sex, race and ethnicity, household income, insurance coverage, obesity, and geographic region using count data model, specifically multivariable Poison regression. We used SAS 9.4 and STATA 14.2 for all the data analyses. Results There were unweighted 5518 school-age children who represented weighted 50,479,419 school-age children in the final analysis. Overall, 6.0% had food insecurity with chronic conditions. These children had higher ED utilization (19.7%) than the other three groups (13.3%, 8.8%, and 7.2%, p < 0.001). The adjusted IRR of ED utilization among school-age children with food insecurity and chronic conditions was 1.90 (95% confidence interval 1.20-3.01, p = 0.007) compared with those with food security and chronic conditions. Conclusion One in 16 school-age children has both food insecurity and chronic conditions. Food insecurity was positively associated with frequent ED visits in the presence of chronic conditions. Therefore, addressing food insecurity may reduce the risk of ED visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farheen Ghani
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of PharmacyUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Emergency MedicineJPS Health NetworkFort WorthTexasUSA
| | | | - Usha Sambamoorthi
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of PharmacyUniversity of North Texas Health Science CenterFort WorthTexasUSA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In 2020, obesity prevalence among US children reached 19.7%, impacting about 14.7 million children and adolescents. Food insecurity among children is also a public health concern but has largely decreased or remained stable over the past decade, reaching 6.2% of US households with children in 2021. Given food insecurity and obesity's interconnected nature and their negative consequences on children's health, it is of interest to assess the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's (SNAP's) impact on childhood food security, dietary quality, disease risk, and health outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS Evidence suggests that SNAP participants, including children, struggle to meet key dietary guidelines and perform poorly on key health indicators when compared with income-eligible and higher income nonparticipants. Children participating in SNAP were more likely to have elevated disease risk and consume more sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), more high-fat dairy, and more processed meats than income-eligible nonparticipants. However, research suggests that federal food assistance programs with more stringent nutrition standards - the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) - improve dietary quality, increase birth weight and gestation periods, and reduce childhood obesity, infant mortality and healthcare costs. SUMMARY After reviewing the evidence on SNAP's impacts on food insecurity, dietary quality, and health as well as research on the health impacts of other more successful federal food assistance programs, we provide three policy recommendations to strengthen SNAP's effectiveness as a health intervention for children and families.
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20
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Household Food Insufficiency and Chronic Pain among Children in the US: A National Study. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 10:children10020185. [PMID: 36832314 PMCID: PMC9954897 DOI: 10.3390/children10020185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pediatric chronic pain by household food sufficiency status and examine whether food insufficiency would be associated with greater risk for chronic pain. We analyzed data from the 2019-2020 National Survey of Children's Health of 48,410 children (6-17 years) in the United States. Across the sample, 26.1% (95% CI: 25.2-27.0) experienced mild food insufficiency and 5.1% (95% CI: 4.6-5.7) moderate/severe food insufficiency. The prevalence of chronic pain was higher among children with mild (13.7%) and moderate/severe food insufficiency (20.6%) relative to children in food-sufficient households (6.7%, p < 0.001). After adjusting for a priori covariates (individual: age, sex, race/ethnicity, anxiety, depression, other health conditions, adverse childhood events; household: poverty, parent education, physical and mental health; community: region of residence), multivariable logistic regression revealed that children with mild food insufficiency had 1.6 times greater odds of having chronic pain (95% CI: 1.4-1.9, p < 0.0001) and those with moderate/severe food insufficiency, 1.9 higher odds (95% CI: 1.4-2.7, p < 0.0001) relative to food-sufficient children. The dose-response relationship between food insufficiency and childhood chronic pain highlights the importance of further research to identify underlying mechanisms and evaluate the impact of food insufficiency on the onset and persistence of chronic pain across the lifespan.
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Palakshappa D, Garg A, Peltz A, Wong CA, Cholera R, Berkowitz SA. Food Insecurity Was Associated With Greater Family Health Care Expenditures In The US, 2016-17. Health Aff (Millwood) 2023; 42:44-52. [PMID: 36623217 PMCID: PMC10926282 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Food insecurity has been associated with the health care expenditures of individuals, but it can affect the entire family. Evaluating the relationship between food insecurity and family expenditures provides a better understanding of the financial implications of food insecurity interventions. Our primary objective was to evaluate the association between food insecurity in one year (2016) and family health care expenditures-for all members, for children only, and for adults only-in the next year (2017). We also evaluated whether this association varied across types of insurance coverage within families: all private, all public, or mixed (including uninsured). Using nationally representative data, we found that food-insecure families had 20 percent greater total health care expenditures than food-secure families, for an annual difference of $2,456. Food insecurity was associated with greater expenditures across all family insurance patterns, including the 19.1 percent of families with mixed coverage. Our findings suggest that in families with mixed coverage, positive impacts of food insecurity interventions on health care use may accrue to family members other than the targeted beneficiaries and those who have different insurance, benefiting the entire family but potentially discouraging investments on the part of any one payer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Palakshappa
- Deepak Palakshappa , Wake Forest University, Winston Salem, North Carolina
| | - Arvin Garg
- Arvin Garg, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Alon Peltz
- Alon Peltz, Harvard University and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Charlene A Wong
- Charlene A. Wong, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | | | - Seth A Berkowitz
- Seth A. Berkowitz, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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22
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Bouchelle Z, Vasan A, Candon M, Kenyon CC. Food Insufficiency Following Discontinuation of Monthly Child Tax Credit Payments Among Lower-Income US Households. JAMA HEALTH FORUM 2022; 3:e224039. [PMID: 36367738 PMCID: PMC9652756 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance The 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit provided advance monthly payments to many US families with children from July through December 2021 and was associated with a reduction in food insufficiency. Less is known about the effect of the discontinuation of monthly payments. Objective To assess whether the discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments was associated with subsequent changes in food insufficiency among lower-income US households with children. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the Household Pulse Survey, a recurring online survey of US households conducted by the US Census Bureau, from January 2021 to March 2022. This study estimated difference-in-differences regression models for households making less than $50 000, less than $35 000, and less than $25 000 annually, adjusting for demographic characteristics and state of residence. The estimation sample of households making less than $50 000/y included 114 705 responses, representing a weighted population size of 27 342 296 households. Exposures Receipt of monthly Child Tax Credit payments, as measured by living in a household with children during the period of monthly payments from July through December 2021. Main Outcomes and Measures Household food insufficiency, as measured by a respondent indicating that there was sometimes or often not enough food to eat in the household in the previous 7 days. Results Among 114 705 households making less than $50 000/y, respondents were predominantly female (57%); White (71%); not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin (79%); had high school or equivalent education (38%); and were unmarried (70%). Following the discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments, food insufficiency in US households with children increased by 3.5 percentage points (95% CI, 1.4-5.7 percentage points) among households making less than $50 000/y, 4.9 percentage points (95% CI, 2.6-7.3 percentage points) among households making less than $35 000/y, and 6.2 percentage points (95% CI, 3.3-9.3 percentage points) among households making less than $25 000/y. These estimates represent a relative increase in food insufficiency of approximately 16.7% among households making less than $50 000/y, 20.8% among households making less than $35 000/y, and 23.2% among households making less than $25 000/y. Conclusions and Relevance In this population-based cross-sectional study, discontinuation of monthly Child Tax Credit payments in December 2021 was associated with a statistically significant increase in household food insufficiency among lower-income households, with the greatest increase occurring in the lowest-income households.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Bouchelle
- National Clinician Scholars Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,PolicyLab, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Aditi Vasan
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,PolicyLab, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Molly Candon
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,Department of Health Care Management, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Chén C. Kenyon
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia,PolicyLab, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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23
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Rigdon J, Montez K, Palakshappa D, Brown C, Downs SM, Albertini LW, Taxter AJ. Social Risk Factors Influence Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization and Hospitalizations. J Pediatr 2022; 249:35-42.e4. [PMID: 35697140 PMCID: PMC11210599 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To characterize the association of children's social risk factors with total number of emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalization and time to first subsequent ED or hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN This was a retrospective cohort study of patients seen at a general pediatric clinic between 2017 and 2021 with documented ≥1 social risk factors screened per visit. Negative binomial or Poisson regression modeled ED utilization and hospitalizations as functions of the total number of risk factors or each unique risk factor. Time-varying Cox models were used to evaluate differences between those who screened positive and those who screened negative, controlling for demographic and clinical covariates. RESULTS Overall, 4674 patients (mean age, 6.6 years; 49% female; 64% Hispanic; 21% Black) were evaluated across a total of 20 927 visits. Children with risk factors had higher rates of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, failure to gain weight, asthma, and prematurity compared with children with no risk (all P < .01). Adjusted models show a positive association between increased total number of factors and ED utilization (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.18; 95% CI, 1.12-1.23) and hospitalizations (IRR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.26-1.47). There were no associations between a positive screen and time to first ED visit (hazard ratio [HR], 0.95; 95% CI, 0.85-1.06; P = .36) or hospitalization (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.84-1.59; P = .40). CONCLUSIONS Social risk factors were associated with increased ED utilization and hospitalizations at the patient level but were not significantly associated with time to subsequent acute care use. Future research should evaluate the effect of focused interventions on health care utilization, such as those addressing food insecurity and transportation challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Rigdon
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Kimberly Montez
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Center for Biomedical Informatics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Deepak Palakshappa
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Center for Healthcare Innovation, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Callie Brown
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Center for Healthcare Innovation, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Stephen M Downs
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC; Center for Biomedical Informatics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Laurie W Albertini
- Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Alysha J Taxter
- Department of Pediatric Rheumatology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH; Department of Clinical Informatics, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH.
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Sharareh N, Wallace AS, Brintz BJ, Wan N, Guo JW, Wong B. Associated factors with patient-reported unmet food needs among emergency department adult patients - A social need perspective. Prev Med Rep 2022; 29:101974. [PMID: 36161133 PMCID: PMC9502286 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Food insecurity is a complex problem affected by a number of factors from individual to societal. While individual-level demographic information and population-level social determinants of health (SDoH) are commonly used to identify patients at risk of food insecurity and to direct resources, a more comprehensive understanding of food insecurity requires integrating multi-level data. Our goal is to identify factors associated with food insecurity using patient, health system, and population level data. Between January 2019 and April 2020, we screened adult patients visiting an academic health sciences emergency department in Utah using a 10-item social needs screener. Patients' demographic data were linked to their screener responses. ZIP Code-level food-related SDoH such as accessibility to food providers, measured by geographic information systems methods, were assigned to patients. We then applied multilevel logistic regression modeling to identify factors associated with unmet food needs at two different levels-individual and ZIP Code. Unmet food needs were identified by asking patients if they felt there was not enough money for food in the last month, which grossly represents food insecurity. On a sample of 2,290 patients, 21.61% reported unmet food needs. Patient-reported housing, medical care, and utility needs along with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation and primary care provider utilization were highly associated with unmet food needs. Our efforts to identify the population at risk of food insecurity should be centered around patient-reported social needs. Our results suggest that addressing food insecurity in health care settings should include assessing social needs in primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasser Sharareh
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Andrea S Wallace
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,College of Nursing, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Ben J Brintz
- Internal Medicine, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Neng Wan
- Geography Department, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Jia-Wen Guo
- College of Nursing, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Bob Wong
- College of Nursing, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
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Gore E, DiTursi J, Rambuss R, Pope-Collins E, Train MK. Implementing a Process for Screening Hospitalized Adults for Food Insecurity at a Tertiary Care Center. J Healthc Qual 2022; 44:305-312. [PMID: 36036781 DOI: 10.1097/jhq.0000000000000350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Food insecurity has been linked to numerous chronic conditions and higher healthcare costs; however, screening for food insecurity lags behind screening for other social determinants of health, particularly in the hospital setting. Although our hospital serves a population with a high prevalence of food insecurity, no process previously existed to universally screen patients. Our multidisciplinary team developed and implemented a process to screen hospitalized adults for food insecurity and connect them with food resources, which we piloted on a 26-bed hospital medicine unit. We integrated a validated 2-item screen into the electronic health record (EHR) nursing admission workflow, and provided 2 weeks of nursing education before process implementation. Adherence to screening was monitored weekly and adjustments were made using plan-do-study-act cycles. After 28 weeks, 361/587 (61.5%; weekly average 61.1%) encounters were screened (compared with a baseline of 2.2%), with 21/361 (5.8%) identified as food insecure. The implementation of an EHR-based food insecurity screening process in the hospital setting increased screening and identification of food insecure patients. Through improved integration of screening questions into the existing nursing workflow and continued education, success was sustained despite challenges with nursing staff turnover and staff shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Hanna SL, Wu CL, Smola C, Coyne-Beasley T, Orr M, Healy A, Molina AL. Food Insecurity Screening of Hospitalized Patients: A Descriptive Analysis. Hosp Pediatr 2022; 12:e196-e200. [PMID: 35546296 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2022-006549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to describe an advocacy effort to implement a food insecurity (FI) screening during hospital admission and describe characteristics of hospitalized patients with household FI. METHODS This is a descriptive study after the implementation of FI screening at a quaternary-care children's hospital in the Southeastern United States between August 2020 and April 2021. The Hunger Vital Sign, a 2-question screening tool for FI, was added to the intake questionnaire performed on inpatient admissions. A positive screen triggered a social work consult to connect patients with resources. Chart review and statistical analyses were performed on patients with household FI. RESULTS There were 7751 hospital admissions during the study period, of which 4777 (61.6%) had an FI screen completed. Among those with a completed screen, 233 patients (4.9%) were positive for household FI. Patients with household FI were more likely to be Black (P <.001) and have Medicaid (P <.001). Social work documented care specific to FI in 125 of the 233 (56%) FI patients, of which 39 (31%) were not enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children Program/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. CONCLUSIONS This initiative highlights hospitalization as an opportunity to screen for FI using a multidisciplinary approach. Our findings underscore the importance of identifying FI with the goal of reducing FI and mitigating the adverse effects of FI on child health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Hanna
- Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Chang L Wu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Cassi Smola
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Tamera Coyne-Beasley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Mary Orr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
| | - Alexandra Healy
- Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Adolfo L Molina
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama
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Black AK, Pantalone J, Marrone AC, Morell E, Telles R, DeBrunner M. Identifying Food Insecurity in Cardiology Clinic and Connecting Families to Resources. Pediatrics 2022; 149:186904. [PMID: 35490288 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-011718] [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] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity (FI) increases children's risk for illness and developmental and behavioral problems, which are ongoing concerns for congenital heart disease (CHD) patients. In 2020, 14.8% of households with children suffered from FI. The Hunger Vital Signs (HVS) asks 2 questions to assess FI. The global aim of the project is to implement HVS and connect FI families to resources. METHODS Stakeholders identified 6 critical drivers in implementing FI screening at an outpatient cardiology clinic and conducted plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles to implement HVS. Over the 13-month study period, time series analyses were performed to assess our process measure (FI screening) and outcome measure (connection of FI families to resources). Demographics and severity of CHD were analyzed for FI families. RESULTS Screening rates increased from 0% to >85%, screening 5064 families. Process evaluations revealed roadblocks including screening discomfort. FI families were more likely to identify as Black or multiple or other ethnicity. Severe CHD patients were at higher risk for FI (n = 106, odds ratio [OR] 1.67 [1.21-2.29], P = .002). Face-to-face meetings with social work and community partnerships reduced loss to follow-up and our ability to offer all FI families individualized FI resources. CONCLUSION HVS screening can be implemented in a cardiology clinic to improve identification of FI families. A written tool can combat screening discomfort and improve identification of FI families. Children with severe CHD may be at increased risk for FI. A multidisciplinary team and community partnerships can improve individualized resource distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison K Black
- Norton Children's Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky
| | - Julia Pantalone
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Evonne Morell
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Robin Telles
- Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Mark DeBrunner
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Leary JC, Rijhwani L, Bettez NM, LeClair AM, Murillo A, Berrios MR, Garg A, Freund KM. Clinical Stakeholder Perspectives on Pediatric Inpatient Screening for Social Needs. Acad Pediatr 2022; 22:470-477. [PMID: 34600113 PMCID: PMC8964835 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Social determinants of health are major drivers of health outcomes and quality of life. While several social needs screening tools have been created for use in primary care settings, the best procedures to incorporate these tools into hospital workflow remain unclear. This study aimed to elicit clinical stakeholder perspectives on proposed screening for social needs during pediatric hospitalizations, with particular focus on informing implementation strategies. METHODS We conducted 23 semistructured interviews with pediatric clinical stakeholders (physicians, nurses, social workers, and case managers) at 1 tertiary and 2 community hospitals between July 2020 and January 2021, on topics including social needs screening practices, benefits and challenges to inpatient screening, and optimal screening and referral processes within hospital workflow. Interviews were recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed thematically. RESULTS Participants ranged in age from 25 to 62 years, with nearly half working in community hospitals. Regarding inpatient social needs screening, themes emerged about benefits, including enabling clinicians to identify vulnerable patients/moments, and providing clinicians with comprehensive understanding of social context; barriers, including prioritization of medical needs, lack of clinician education surrounding screening, and lack of pre-established relationships; facilitators, including duration of time spent with families, and multidisciplinary clinicians; screening process preferences, including verbal screening, and integration into pre-existing systems; and referral process preferences, including resource provision with family empowerment, and care transition to outpatient clinicians. CONCLUSIONS Clinical stakeholders identified multiple barriers, facilitators, and process preferences for pediatric inpatient social needs screening, which may inform the future development of feasible and sustainable implementation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana C Leary
- Department of Pediatrics (JC Leary), Tufts Children's Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.
| | - Leena Rijhwani
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 125 Paterson St, New
Brunswick, NJ, 08901
| | - Natalie M Bettez
- Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave,
Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Amy M LeClair
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, 800
Washington St, Boston, MA, 02111
| | - Anays Murillo
- Tufts University School of Medicine, 145 Harrison Ave,
Boston, MA, 02111
| | | | - Arvin Garg
- Department of Pediatrics, UMass Memorial Medical Center,
University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 N. Lake Ave, Worcester, MA,
01655
| | - Karen M Freund
- Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, 800
Washington St, Boston, MA, 02111
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29
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Assaf RR, Barber Doucet H, Assaf R, Graff D. Social care practices and perspectives among U.S. pediatric emergency medicine fellowship programs. AEM EDUCATION AND TRAINING 2022; 6:e10737. [PMID: 35493290 PMCID: PMC9045575 DOI: 10.1002/aet2.10737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of social emergency medicine-the incorporation of social context into the structure and practice of emergency care-has brought forth greater embracement of the social determinants of health by medical professionals, yet workforce practices and training have remained elusive. Academic literature particularly in the field of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship training is lacking relative to general pediatrics and adult emergency medicine. METHODS The primary objective of this study was to assess the social care knowledge, perspectives, and training of PEM program directors (PDs) and fellows across a national cross-sectional sample. A secondary aim was to uncover key actionable areas for the development of social care curricula in PEM training programs. A social care practices assessment tool was developed via snowball sampling interviews among clinician researcher experts and disseminated to PEM PDs and fellows nationally in accredited academic PEM training institutions. RESULTS A total of 153 participants-44 PDs (49% response rate) and 109 fellows (28%)-completed the assessment tool. Responses among PDs and fellows were highly concordant. Only 12% reported regular use of a standardized social needs screening tool. The majority felt unprepared to assist families with social needs and less than half felt comfortable talking to families about social need. At the same time, social care was highly valued by 73% of participants. All participants felt that providing social care training during PEM fellowship would be beneficial. PDs and fellows identified five priority areas for PEM curricular development. CONCLUSIONS PEM PDs and fellows have an overall favorable perception of social care yet report significant deficits in current practice organization and training. This study is part of a larger national collaborative advocacy project to organize and advance social care delivery across academic PEM training institutions through evidence-based approaches, best practices, and expert consensus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raymen Rammy Assaf
- Harbor University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Medical CenterTorranceCaliforniaUSA
| | - Hannah Barber Doucet
- Hasbro Children’s HospitalAlpert Medical School at Brown UniversityProvidenceRhode IslandUSA
| | | | - Danielle Graff
- School of MedicineNorton Children’s HospitalUniversity of LouisvilleLouisvilleKentuckyUSA
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Rogers S, Garg A, Tripodis Y, Brochier A, Messmer E, Gordon Wexler M, Peltz A. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation and health care expenditures in children. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:155. [PMID: 35331170 PMCID: PMC8943108 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03188-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has well-established positive impacts on child health outcomes, including increased birth weight and decreased likelihood of underweight status. Studies in adult populations suggest that SNAP is associated with lower health care costs, although less is known in children. METHODS Retrospective analysis of U.S. children (age <18 years) living in low-income households (< 200% of the federal poverty level) in the 2013-2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. We used multivariable regression, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical covariates, to model the effect of continuous SNAP enrollment on health expenditures as compared to non-enrollees at 12 and 24 months. RESULTS The sample included 5,626 children, of whom 49.2% consistently received SNAP for the entire two-year survey period. Compared with SNAP non-recipients, SNAP-recipient households more often had incomes below 100% FPL (78.3% vs 37.9%), and children in SNAP-recipient households were more often publicly insured (94.9% vs 64.5%). Unadjusted expenditures were lower for children in SNAP-recipient households at 12 ($1222 vs $1603) and 24 months ($2447 vs $3009). However, when adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical differences, no statistically significant differences in health care expenditures, including emergency department, inpatient, outpatient, and prescription costs, were identified. CONCLUSION SNAP participant children experience heightened social hardships across multiple domains. There were no differences in short term health care costs based on SNAP enrollment when accounting for differences in sociodemographic and clinical factors. Despite demonstrated child health benefits, we found that sustained enrollment in SNAP over a two-year period did not generate significant short- term health care cost reductions. Our findings suggest that although SNAP is intended to act as a benefit towards the health and well-being of its recipients, unlike among adults, it may not reduce health care costs among children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Rogers
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St 2nd Floor, Boston, MA, 02119, USA. .,Present address is Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3401 Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | - Arvin Garg
- grid.168645.80000 0001 0742 0364Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655 USA
| | - Yorghos Tripodis
- grid.189504.10000 0004 1936 7558Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Crosstown Center, 801 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02118 USA
| | - Annelise Brochier
- grid.239424.a0000 0001 2183 6745Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02119 USA
| | - Emily Messmer
- grid.239424.a0000 0001 2183 6745Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02119 USA
| | - Mikayla Gordon Wexler
- grid.239424.a0000 0001 2183 6745Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, 801 Albany St 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02119 USA
| | - Alon Peltz
- grid.67104.340000 0004 0415 0102Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 401 Park Drive, Suite 401 East, Boston, MA USA
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Tran N, Bellini SG. Validating Food Security Measurement in a Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (Nutristep®). JOURNAL OF HUNGER & ENVIRONMENTAL NUTRITION 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/19320248.2022.2047863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nhi Tran
- Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This article describes the impacts of food insecurity (FI) on child health, outlines clinical and public policy interventions to mitigate FI in children, and defines new paradigms in population health to ameliorate the harmful effects of FI in children. RECENT FINDINGS Rates of FI among children have dramatically increased with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular adverse impact on low-income children. Population health innovations in screening, referral, and social service integration offer new opportunities to address FI. SUMMARY Despite advances in clinical practice and public policy, FI remains a persistent issue for many US children. Clinicians and policymakers have opportunities to leverage clinical and community-based integration to improve service delivery opportunities to ameliorate childhood hunger and racial and socioeconomic inequity in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arvin Garg
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester
| | - Alon Peltz
- Center for Healthcare Research in Pediatrics, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Orr CJ, Ritter V, Coker TR, Perrin EM, Flower KB. Time-Varying Associations between Food Insecurity and Infant and Maternal Health Outcomes. J Nutr 2022; 152:1291-1297. [PMID: 35084466 PMCID: PMC9272420 DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food insecurity (FI) is dynamic for families and adversely affects infant and maternal health. However, few studies have examined the longitudinal impact of FI on infant and maternal health. OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the relation between food insecurity in the first year of life and infant and maternal health outcomes. We hypothesized FI would be associated with poorer infant and maternal health outcomes. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 364 infants 12-15 months and their caregivers receiving care at a single primary care clinic. The exposure of interest was food insecurity measured during well-child checks using a validated 2-item screening tool. The primary outcome was infant weight-for-length z score. Secondary outcomes included infant log-transformed ferritin, infant hemoglobin, infant lead concentrations, and maternal depression, assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Unadjusted and adjusted effects were estimated using generalized mixed linear models, and the linear effect of visit time was tested using likelihood ratios. RESULTS In adjusted models, no overall association between FI and infant weight-for-length z score was observed; however, FI male infants had lower weight-for-length z scores than female infants (P = 0.05). FI infants had 14% lower log ferritin concentrations per month of exposure to FI. FI was positively associated with maternal depression (IRR 5.01 [95% CI 2.21-11.3]). CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity can have longitudinal and demographically-varied associations with infant and maternal outcomes that warrant further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Victor Ritter
- Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tumaini R Coker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Eliana M Perrin
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kori B Flower
- Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Men F, Urquia ML, Tarasuk V. Pain-driven emergency department visits and food insecurity: a cross-sectional study linking Canadian survey and health administrative data. CMAJ Open 2022; 10:E8-E18. [PMID: 35017172 PMCID: PMC8758177 DOI: 10.9778/cmajo.20210056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the leading cause of emergency department visits in Canada, pain disproportionately affects socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. We examine the association between household food insecurity and individuals' pain-driven emergency department visits. METHODS We designed a cross-sectional study linking the Canadian Community Health Survey 2005-2017 to the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System 2003-2017. Food insecurity was measured using a validated questionnaire. We excluded individuals with missing food insecurity status, individuals younger than 12 years and jurisdiction-years with partial emergency department records. We assessed emergency department visits driven by pain at different sites (migraine, other headaches, chest-throat pain, abdomen-pelvis pain, dorsalgia, joint pain, limb pain, other pain) and their characteristics (frequency, cause, acuity and time of emergency department visit) in Ontario and Alberta. We adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle and prior non-pain-driven emergency department visits in the models. RESULTS The sample contained 212 300 individuals aged 12 years and older. Compared with food-secure individuals, marginally, moderately and severely food-insecure people had 1.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-1.68), 1.64 (95% CI 1.37-1.96) and 1.99 (95% CI 1.61-2.46) times higher adjusted incidence rates of pain-driven emergency department visits, respectively. The association was similar across sexes and significant among adults but not adolescents. Food insecurity was further associated with site-specific pain, with severely food-insecure individuals having significantly higher pain incidence than food-secure individuals. Severe food insecurity predicted more frequent, multicause, high-acuity and after-hours emergency department visits. INTERPRETATION Household food insecurity status is significantly associated with pain-driven emergency department visits in the Canadian population. Policies targeting food insecurity may reduce pain and emergency department utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Men
- Department of Nutritional Sciences (Men, Tarasuk), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Consumer Sciences (Men), The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Department of Community Health Sciences (Urquia), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Urquia), University of Toronto; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Urquia), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont.
| | - Marcelo L Urquia
- Department of Nutritional Sciences (Men, Tarasuk), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Consumer Sciences (Men), The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Department of Community Health Sciences (Urquia), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Urquia), University of Toronto; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Urquia), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont
| | - Valerie Tarasuk
- Department of Nutritional Sciences (Men, Tarasuk), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Department of Consumer Sciences (Men), The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Department of Community Health Sciences (Urquia), University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Man.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Urquia), University of Toronto; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute (Urquia), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ont
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Lee AM, Lopez MA, Haq H, Yu X, Manning S, Quiñonez R, Greeley C, Bocchini C. Inpatient Food Insecurity in Caregivers of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Mixed Methods Study. Acad Pediatr 2021; 21:1404-1413. [PMID: 33901727 DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2021.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Among US households with children, 14% are food insecure. Household food insecurity (FI) is associated with poorer health outcomes and increased hospital admissions. There is less known about caregivers' ability to obtain adequate food during hospitalization (inpatient FI). METHODS We conducted a mixed methods study of primary caregivers of hospitalized children 0 to 18 years. A modified US Household Food Security Survey was used to identify inpatient FI. Associated factors were identified using logistic regression adjusted for covariables. Caregiver semistructured interviews were conducted to elicit perceptions on food accessibility and effects of and solutions for inpatient FI. RESULTS The prevalence of inpatient FI was 43%. Household FI was present in 38% of families. Inpatient FI was associated with household FI (P < .01). In multivariable analysis, odds of inpatient FI were increased among caregivers with annual household income <$30,000 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.14), public transportation use (aOR 6.33), living >30 miles from the hospital (aOR 2.80), self-rated fair/poor health (aOR 3.31), maternity leave (aOR 4.75), and past/current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit utilization (aOR 2.52). Qualitative analysis identified barriers to food access, such as lack of affordable options, and found that caregivers made sacrifices for their hospitalized child, including skipping meals. Caregivers viewed their presence at their child's bedside and personal nourishment as important factors affecting their child's care. CONCLUSIONS Inpatient FI may affect a significant proportion of hospitalized children's caregivers. Pediatric hospitals should ensure that caregivers have access to food in order to fully engage in their child's care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (AM Lee, MA Lopez, H Haq, and R Quiñonez), Houston, Tex.
| | - Michelle A Lopez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (AM Lee, MA Lopez, H Haq, and R Quiñonez), Houston, Tex
| | - Heather Haq
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (AM Lee, MA Lopez, H Haq, and R Quiñonez), Houston, Tex
| | - Xian Yu
- Department of Medicine, Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine (X Yu), Houston, Tex
| | - Stephen Manning
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (S Manning), Houston, Tex
| | - Ricardo Quiñonez
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Hospital Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (AM Lee, MA Lopez, H Haq, and R Quiñonez), Houston, Tex
| | - Christopher Greeley
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Public Health and Child Abuse Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (C Greeley), Houston, Tex
| | - Claire Bocchini
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital (C Bocchini), Houston, Tex
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Gonzalez JV, Hartford EA, Moore J, Brown JC. Food Insecurity in a Pediatric Emergency Department and the Feasibility of Universal Screening. West J Emerg Med 2021; 22:1295-1300. [PMID: 34787554 PMCID: PMC8597682 DOI: 10.5811/westjem.2021.7.52519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Children with food insecurity (FI) experience adverse health outcomes due to inadequate quantity or quality of food. Food insecurity may be high among families seeking emergency care. The Hunger Vital Sign (HVS) is a two-question validated tool used to screen families for FI. Our goal in this study was to assess prevalence of FI among emergency department (ED) patients, patient-level risk factors for FI, and the feasibility of screening. Methods This was a cross-sectional analysis of FI in the ED. Parents or guardians of ED patients and adult patients (18 years or older) were approached for screening using the HVS during screening periods spanning weekdays/weekends and days/evenings. All ED patients were eligible, excluding siblings, repeat visits, critically ill patients, minors without a guardian, and families that healthcare staff asked us not to disturb. Families answered the HVS questions verbally or in writing, based on preference. Families with positive screens received information about food resources. We summarized patient and visit characteristics and defined medical complexity using a published algorithm. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess FI risk factors. Results In July–August 2019, 527 patients presented during screening periods: 439 agreed to screening, 18 declined, 19 met exclusions, and 51 were missed. On average the screening tool required five minutes (range 3–10 minutes) to complete. Most families (328; 75%) preferred to answer in writing rather than verbally. Overall, 77 participants (17.5%) screened positive for FI. In regression analyses, FI was associated with self-reported race/ethnicity (combined variable) of African American or Black (odds ratio [OR] 5.21, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13–12.77), Hispanic (OR 3.47, 95% CI, 1.48–8.15), or mixed/other (OR 3.81, 95% CI, 1.54–9.39), compared to non-Hispanic white. FI was also associated with public insurance type (OR 5.74, 95% CI, 2.52–13.07, reference: private insurance), and each year of increasing patient age (OR 1.05, 95% CI, 1.01–1.09). There were no associations between FI and medical complexity or preferred language. Conclusion Food insecurity was common among our ED patients. Race and ethnicity, insurance status, and increasing patient age were associated with increased odds of FI. Efforts to include universal FI screening for ED patients with immediate connection to resources will enhance overall care quality and address important health needs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily A Hartford
- University of Washington, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Seattle, Washington
| | - Jennifer Moore
- University of Washington, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle, Washington
| | - Julie C Brown
- University of Washington, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Emergency Medicine, Seattle, Washington
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Nagata JM, Epstein A, Ganson KT, Benmarhnia T, Weiser SD. Drought and child vaccination coverage in 22 countries in sub-Saharan Africa: A retrospective analysis of national survey data from 2011 to 2019. PLoS Med 2021; 18:e1003678. [PMID: 34582463 PMCID: PMC8478213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1003678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extreme weather events, including droughts, are expected to increase in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and are associated with a number of poor health outcomes; however, to the best of our knowledge, the link between drought and childhood vaccination remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between drought and vaccination coverage. METHODS AND FINDINGS We investigated the association between drought and vaccination coverage using a retrospective analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys data in 22 sub-Saharan African countries among 137,379 children (50.4% male) born from 2011 to 2019. Drought was defined as an established binary variable of annual rainfall less than or equal to the 15th percentile relative to the 29 previous years, using data from Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station (CHIRPS) data. We evaluated the association between drought at the date of birth and receipt of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT), and polio vaccinations, and the association between drought at 12 months of age and receipt of measles vaccination. We specified logistic regression models with survey fixed effects and standard errors clustered at the enumeration area level, adjusting for child-, mother-, and household-level covariates and estimated marginal risk differences (RDs). The prevalence of drought at date of birth in the sample was 11.8%. Vaccination rates for each vaccination ranged from 70.6% (for 3 doses of the polio vaccine) to 86.0% (for BCG vaccination); however, only 57.6% of children 12 months and older received all recommended doses of BCG, DPT, polio, and measles vaccinations. In adjusted models, drought at date of birth was negatively associated with BCG vaccination (marginal RD = -1.5; 95% CI -2.2, -0.9), DPT vaccination (marginal RD = -1.4; 95% CI -2.2, -0.5), and polio vaccination (marginal RD = -1.3; 95% CI -2.3, -0.3). Drought at 12 months was negatively associated with measles vaccination (marginal RD = -1.9; 95% CI -2.8, -0.9). We found a dose-response relationship between drought and DPT and polio vaccinations, with the strongest associations closest to the timing of drought. Limitations include some heterogeneity in findings across countries. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we observed that drought was associated with lower odds of completion of childhood BCG, DPT, and polio vaccinations. These findings indicate that drought may hinder vaccination coverage, one of the most important interventions to prevent infections among children. This work adds to a growing body of literature suggesting that health programs should consider impacts of severe weather in their programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason M. Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Adrienne Epstein
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Kyle T. Ganson
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sheri D. Weiser
- Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Bartek N, Peck JL, Garzon D, VanCleve S. Addressing the Clinical Impact of COVID-19 on Pediatric Mental Health. J Pediatr Health Care 2021; 35:377-386. [PMID: 34078570 PMCID: PMC7988467 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedhc.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic impacts daily lives of families globally. Sequelae are not limited to physical consequences of medical complications but extend into social, emotional, spiritual, and psychological health. Interventions including mask-wearing and physical distancing are intended to prevent viral spread, but have unintended negative effects on mental health and child development. Although it is too early to know the full impact, practicing pediatric clinicians are well-positioned to help young people recover and thrive despite challenges presented. This article will review the impact of COVID-19 on child mental health and give practical interventions to foster resilience in youth and their families.
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Vasan A, Kenyon CC, Feudtner C, Fiks AG, Venkataramani AS. Association of WIC Participation and Electronic Benefits Transfer Implementation. JAMA Pediatr 2021; 175:609-616. [PMID: 33779712 PMCID: PMC8008428 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.6973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Importance The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an important source of nutritional support and education for women and children living in poverty; although WIC participation confers clear health benefits, only 50% of eligible women and children currently receive WIC. In 2010, Congress mandated that states transition WIC benefits by 2020 from paper vouchers to electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, which are more convenient to use, are potentially less stigmatizing, and may improve WIC participation. Objective To estimate the state-level association between transition from paper vouchers to EBT and subsequent WIC participation. Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation of state-level WIC monthly benefit summary administrative data regarding participation between October 1, 2014, and November 30, 2019, compared states that did and did not implement WIC EBT during this time period. Difference-in-differences regression modeling allowed associations to vary by time since policy implementation and included stratified analyses for key subgroups (pregnant and postpartum women, infants younger than 1 year, and children aged 1-4 years). All models included dummy variables denoting state, year, and month as covariates. Data analyses were performed between March 1 and June 15, 2020. Exposures Statewide transition from WIC paper vouchers to WIC EBT cards, specified by month and year. Main Outcomes and Measures Monthly number of state residents enrolled in WIC. Results A total of 36 states implemented WIC EBT before or during the study period. EBT and non-EBT states had similar baseline rates of poverty and food insecurity. Three years after statewide WIC EBT implementation, WIC participation increased by 7.78% (95% CI, 3.58%-12.15%) in exposed states compared with unexposed states. In stratified analyses, WIC participation increased by 7.22% among pregnant and postpartum women (95% CI, 2.54%-12.12%), 4.96% among infants younger than 1 year (95% CI, 0.95%-9.12%), and 9.12% among children aged 1 to 4 years (95% CI, 3.19%-15.39%; P for interaction = .20). Results were robust to adjustment for state unemployment and poverty rates, population, and Medicaid expansion status. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, the transition from paper vouchers to WIC EBT was associated with a significant and sustained increase in enrollment. Interventions that simplify the process of redeeming benefits may be critical for addressing low rates of enrollment in WIC and other government benefit programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Vasan
- National Clinician Scholars Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- PolicyLab and Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Chén C. Kenyon
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- PolicyLab and Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Chris Feudtner
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- PolicyLab and Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Alexander G. Fiks
- Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- PolicyLab and Center for Pediatric Clinical Effectiveness, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
| | - Atheendar S. Venkataramani
- Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
- Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
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Considering Case Management Practice From a Global Perspective. Prof Case Manag 2021; 26:99-103. [PMID: 33507019 DOI: 10.1097/ncm.0000000000000489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Samuels-Kalow ME, Boggs KM, Cash RE, Herrington R, Mick NW, Rutman MS, Venkatesh AK, Zabbo CP, Sullivan AF, Hasegawa K, Zachrison KS, Camargo CA. Screening for Health-Related Social Needs of Emergency Department Patients. Ann Emerg Med 2021; 77:62-68. [PMID: 33160720 PMCID: PMC7755764 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE There has been increasing attention to screening for health-related social needs. However, little is known about the screening practices of emergency departments (EDs). Within New England, we seek to identify the prevalence of ED screening for health-related social needs, understand the factors associated with screening, and understand how screening patterns for health-related social needs differ from those for violence, substance use, and mental health needs. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2018 National Emergency Department Inventory-New England survey, which was administered to all 194 New England EDs during 2019. We used descriptive statistics to compare ED characteristics by screening practices, and multivariable logistic regression models to identify factors associated with screening. RESULTS Among the 166 (86%) responding EDs, 64 (39%) reported screening for at least one health-related social need, 160 (96%) for violence (including intimate partner violence or other violent exposures), 148 (89%) for substance use disorder, and 159 (96%) for mental health needs. EDs reported a wide range of social work resources to address identified needs, with 155 (93%) reporting any social worker availability and 41 (27%) reporting continuous availability. CONCLUSION New England EDs are screening for health-related social needs at a markedly lower rate than for violence, substance use, and mental health needs. EDs have relatively limited resources available to address health-related social needs. We encourage research on the development of scalable solutions for identifying and addressing health-related social needs in the ED.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Samuels-Kalow
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
| | - Krislyn M Boggs
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Rebecca E Cash
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ramsey Herrington
- Division of Emergency Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
| | - Nathan W Mick
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Portland, ME
| | - Maia S Rutman
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
| | - Arjun K Venkatesh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Ashley F Sullivan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kohei Hasegawa
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Kori S Zachrison
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Carlos A Camargo
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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Malnutrition and Food Insecurity Might Pose a Double Burden for Older Adults. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12082407. [PMID: 32796746 PMCID: PMC7468760 DOI: 10.3390/nu12082407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although food insecurity has been associated with a disadvantageous socioeconomic status, especially in older adults, its association with comorbidities is less clear. The scope of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence of food insecurity among older adults and evaluate the association between food insecurity, malnutrition, chronic disease, multimorbidity and healthcare utilization. A total of 121 older adults (mean (standard deviation) age: 72.6 (8.1)) were recruited from a Primary Care Health Center from 10 August 2019 to 10 September 2019. Food insecurity and malnutrition status were assessed by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Mini Nutritional Assessment tool, respectively. Recorded variables included financial, family data and comorbidities. The prevalence of food insecurity in the sample reached 50.4%, with men and older adults malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, exhibiting high risk for food insecurity. Multimorbidity, frequency of health care utilization and medication adherence were not associated with food insecurity, possibly due to the free health services and remunerated medications offered by the Greek government. However, male gender and malnutrition risk were significant predictors of food insecurity in the multiple logistic analyses. This study highlights the need for mainstreaming food insecurity assessment among older adults with comorbidities, especially those at risk for malnutrition.
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High Level of Food Insecurity among Families with Children Seeking Routine Care at Federally Qualified Health Centers during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic. THE JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS: X 2020; 4:100044. [PMID: 32864604 PMCID: PMC7308015 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympdx.2020.100044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To assess food insecurity during pediatric visits to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. Study design Interviews using the validated American Academy of Pediatrics 2-question food insecurity screen were performed with 200 consecutive families presenting for pediatric care to 2 FQHC in Central Texas from April 14 to May 20, 2020, during the initial phase of the pandemic in Texas. Brief qualitative interviews were conducted to determine whether families found a worsening of food insecurity during the pandemic. Results Overall, 47% of families had a positive food insecurity screen. More than 90% of these were worrying about food running out and about 60% were positive for the question related to food not lasting. Among families with food insecurity, 94% indicated this had begun or worsened during the pandemic. Of the 115 families volunteering information about employment, 46% reported job loss during this time period. Both ethnicity (P < .001) and Special Supplementation Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participation (P = .03) were associated with greater levels of food insecurity. Among primarily Spanish-speaking families participating in the WIC program, 64% reported food insecurity. Conclusions Approximately one-half of families receiving routine pediatric care at a FQHC during the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic reported food insecurity and this was associated with loss of jobs during the pandemic. Participation in the WIC program was not protective against food insecurity. Increased frequency of food insecurity was detected in Hispanic and Spanish-speaking families. Screening of families at an FQHC should be strongly considered as a part of routine pediatric care. Knowledge of community resources is important for providers to share with patients. (J Pediatr: X 2020;4:100044). Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04378595
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Vasan A, Kenyon CC, Palakshappa D. Differences in Pediatric Residents' Social Needs Screening Practices Across Health Care Settings. Hosp Pediatr 2020; 10:443-446. [PMID: 32350005 DOI: 10.1542/hpeds.2019-0286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all pediatricians screen for social determinants of health to identify families in need and connect them to available resources. We examined pediatric residents' screening practices for social needs in different clinical settings and explored the influence of electronic health record (EHR) prompts on screening. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, pediatric residents participated in a brief electronic survey assessing (1) screening practices for unmet social needs and (2) perceived barriers to and facilitators of routine screening in the inpatient and outpatient settings. The differences in screening by care setting were assessed by using Fisher's exact test. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to examine the association between EHR prompts and resident screening practices. RESULTS Ninety-two pediatric residents (64% of the residency program) responded to the survey. Respondents reported significantly higher rates of social needs screening in the outpatient as compared with the inpatient setting (98% vs 37%; P < .001). Residents cited time constraints, lack of knowledge about available resources, and discomfort with screening questions as barriers to screening in both settings. Residents were more likely to screen for social needs when screening questions were embedded in the EHR (odds ratio = 9.6; 95% confidence interval: 6.7-13.9). CONCLUSIONS Pediatric residents were more likely to screen for unmet social needs in the outpatient than in the inpatient setting despite reporting similar barriers to screening in both settings. EHR-based social needs screening templates could be used to increase rates of screening and reach additional families in need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditi Vasan
- National Clinician Scholars Program and .,PolicyLab and Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
| | - Chén C Kenyon
- PolicyLab and Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and.,Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Deepak Palakshappa
- Division of Public Health Sciences and Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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Federico MJ, McFarlane AE, Szefler SJ, Abrams EM. The Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Children with Asthma. THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY-IN PRACTICE 2020; 8:1808-1814. [PMID: 32294541 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2020.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
SzAsthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood. Disparities in asthma outcomes have led to international attention on the biologic, social, economic, and other factors that impact the health of children with asthma. Studies indicate that social determinants of health such as housing, neighborhood safety, and access to care significantly impact the health of children with asthma. However, screening for socioeconomic and environmental factors that impact asthma can be difficult to integrate into clinical practice. In addition, it is not yet clear which interventions to address these factors are most effective. This article will review recent studies of determinants and social determinants of health and propose a framework for identifying and addressing them in the care of children with asthma in a clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica J Federico
- The Breathing Institute and Pulmonary Medicine Section, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo
| | - Arthur E McFarlane
- The Breathing Institute and Pulmonary Medicine Section, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo
| | - Stanley J Szefler
- The Breathing Institute and Pulmonary Medicine Section, Children's Hospital Colorado and University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colo
| | - Elissa M Abrams
- Department of Pediatrics, Section of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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