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Zhou Y, Naci H, Chen D, Bai L, Shi L, Guan X, Wagner AK. Overall survival benefits of cancer drugs in the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 2015-2021. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e012899. [PMID: 37775106 PMCID: PMC10546158 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We examined overall survival (OS) benefits for targeted cancer drugs recommended for List of Essential Medicines (EMLs) since 2015. We assessed consistency of decisions in 2019 and 2021 with more specific criteria: OS benefit >4 months and high scores on European Society for Medical Oncology-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS). METHODS We identified applications for cancer drug in WHO EMLs from 2015 to 2021. We extracted evidence of OS benefit documented in WHO Technical Report Series (TRS) and compared it to evidence from pivotal trial(s) documented in Food and Drug Administration-approved labels. We retrieved published ESMO-MCBS scores. We summarised availability and magnitude of OS benefit and ESMO-MCBS scores and assessed consistency of inclusion decisions against WHO criteria. RESULTS 22/54 targeted cancer drug indications were recommended. Among them, 68.2% and 31.8% had OS benefit evidence documented in WHO-TRS and pivotal trials, respectively. Among those not recommended, 59.4% and 56.3% had OS benefit evidence documented in WHO-TRS and pivotal trials, respectively. Of 11 cancer drug indications recommended in 2019 and 2021, 54.5% and 9.1% had evidence of OS benefit >4 months in WHO-TRS and pivotal trials, respectively; 45.5% met ESMO-MCBS criteria. Ten targeted cancer drugs had more than one application for the same indications. Five of those were eventually recommended, including three without new evidence of OS benefit. Additional factors, such as reduced cost, and increased treatment options, seemed to be important factors in the selection. CONCLUSION While WHO has defined approval criteria for cancer drugs EML, we identified areas where adherence of these criteria and communication of the EML approval decision-making processes can be improved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huseyin Naci
- Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Dingyi Chen
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Bai
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Husin M, Teh XR, Ong SM, Lim YMF, Ang SH, Chan CL, Lim MT, Shanmugam S, Khamis N, Jaafar FSA, Ibrahim NI, Nasir NH, Kusuma D, Wagner AK, Ross-Degnan D, Atun R, Sivasampu S. The Effectiveness of Enhanced Primary Healthcare (EnPHC) interventions on Type 2 diabetes management in Malaysia: Difference-in-differences (DID) analysis. Prim Care Diabetes 2023; 17:260-266. [PMID: 36932012 DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the effectiveness of the Enhanced Primary Healthcare (EnPHC) interventions on process of care and intermediate clinical outcomes among type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS This was a quasi-experimental controlled study conducted in 20 intervention and 20 control public primary care clinics in Malaysia from November 2016 to June 2019. Type 2 diabetes patients aged 30 years and above were selected via systematic random sampling. Outcomes include process of care and intermediate clinical outcomes. Difference-in-differences analyses was conducted. RESULTS We reviewed 12,017 medical records of patients with type 2 diabetes. Seven process of care measures improved: HbA1c tests (odds ratio (OR) 3.31, 95% CI 2.13, 5.13); lipid test (OR 4.59, 95% CI 2.64, 7.97), LDL (OR 4.33, 95% CI 2.16, 8.70), and urine albumin (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.12, 3.55) tests; BMI measured (OR 15.80, 95% CI 4.78, 52.24); cardiovascular risk assessment (OR 174.65, 95% CI 16.84, 1810.80); and exercise counselling (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04, 1.33). We found no statistically significant changes in intermediate clinical outcomes (i.e. HbA1c, LDL, HDL and BP control). CONCLUSIONS EnPHC interventions was successful in enhancing the quality of care, in terms of process of care, by changing healthcare providers behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masliyana Husin
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Xin Rou Teh
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Su Miin Ong
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yvonne Mei Fong Lim
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Swee Hung Ang
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Chee Lee Chan
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ming Tsuey Lim
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Sunita Shanmugam
- Institute for Health Management, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Noraziani Khamis
- Institute for Health Management, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Faeiz Syezri Adzmin Jaafar
- Institute for Health Management, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nor Idawaty Ibrahim
- Family Health Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kompleks E, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Nazrila Hairizan Nasir
- Family Health Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Kompleks E, Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62590 Putrajaya, Malaysia
| | - Dian Kusuma
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Department of Health Services Research and Management, School of Health & Psychological Sciences, City University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr #401, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Dennis Ross-Degnan
- Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, 401 Park Dr #401, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Rifat Atun
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Sheamini Sivasampu
- Institute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health, No. 1, Jalan Setia Murni U13/52, Seksyen U13, Setia Alam, 40170 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia
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Knigge P, Lundberg S, Wagner AK, Strange JE, Gislason G, Fosboel E, Zahir D, Andersson C, Butt JH, Koeber L, Schou M. Temporal trends in end-stage renal disease in patients with heart failure with or without diabetes: a nationwide study from 2002 to 2017. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Advances in treatment of heart failure (HF) have increased survival rates. However, whether the improved life expectancy for HF patients has resulted in an increased risk of a significant comorbidity like end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is less clear. Renal dysfunction is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in HF and constitutes an important prognostic factor for HF. Further, diabetes (DM) is closely related to both HF and ESRD, but it is unknown how DM affects the risk of ESRD in patients with HF.
Purpose
To investigate temporal trends in ESRD in patients with HF and the subsequent risk of mortality stratified by DM.
Methods
Using Danish nationwide registies, we identified patients, aged 18 to 100 years, with incident HF between 2002 and 2017. The outcomes were ESRD (defined as dialysis treatment), worsening of HF (wHF, defined as rehospitalization for HF) and all-cause mortality. Three study periods were investigated 2002–2006, 2007–2011 and 2012–2017. We estimated crude 5-year incidence rates (per 1000/person-years) of the outcomes stratified by DM. Multivariate Cox regression models were performed for all outcomes stratified by DM. Further, we computed the 1-year all-cause mortality risk after diagnosis with ESRD.
Results
Of 124,141 patients with HF, 50,690 (41%) were women and the median age was 74.5 years [95% confidence interval (CI) 64.5–82.8]. At baseline DM was present in 20% of the patients. These patients were older, more often men and more comorbid than HF patients without DM. Over time (2002–2006 to 2012–2017) the incidence rates of ESRD (9.0 to 7.9 and 2.1 to 1.9 per 1000/person-years for DM and no-DM, respectively) and wHF (124.0 to 124.8 and 84.3 to 81.9 per 1000/person-years for DM and no-DM) remained stable, while all-cause mortality rates decreased (217.0 to 170.3 and 172.9 to 127.8 per 1000/person-years for DM and no-DM). The incidence of ESRD was lower compared with the incidence of wHF and all-cause mortality [Figure 1]. HF patients with DM had significantly higher associated rates of all three outcomes (in 2012–2017 the rates for DM vs no-DM of ESRD: 3.99 [3.27–4.86], wHF: 1.42 [1.36–1.49], all-cause mortality: 1.36 [1.31–1.41]) compared with patients without DM. We found no significant interaction between time period and DM on the rates of outcomes (p>0.05 for all) [Figure 2]. One-year all-cause mortality risk after diagnosis with ESRD was high both for HF patients with and without DM through all time periods (identical risks and 95% CI in 2012–2017: 32% [0.25–0.39]).
Conclusions
We did not observe a change over time in the 5-year risk of ESRD for HF patients. The incidence of ESRD remained low compared to wHF and all-cause mortality. DM was associated with increased rates of all three events, not changed over time. Conversely, all-cause mortality after diagnosis with ESRD was markedly high, irrespectively of DM. Our analyses suggest that ESRD is a less common, but fatal event in HF patients.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: None.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Knigge
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - S Lundberg
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - A K Wagner
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - J E Strange
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - G Gislason
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - E Fosboel
- Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - D Zahir
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - C Andersson
- Boston University, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine , Boston , United States of America
| | - J H Butt
- Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - L Koeber
- Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - M Schou
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
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Lundberg S, Knigge P, Wagner AK, Strange JE, Gislason G, Andersson C, Biering-Soerensen T, Koeber L, Fosboel E, Schou M. Temporal trends in infection-related hospitalizations in patients with heart failure: a nationwide study from 1997 to 2017. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Over the last 20 years mortality has decreased for patients with heart failure (HF). However, re-hospitalization for HF is still a challenge. Further, whether the improved survival has resulted in increased rates of non HF hospitalization is unknown.
Purpose
This study examined the temporal trends in infection-related hospitalizations among new-onset HF patients and compared it to temporal trends in risk of worsening HF and death.
Methods
The study population included all Danish patients aged between 18 and 100 years old, with new-onset HF (defined according to the ICD10-code system) diagnosed between 1st January 1997 and 31st December 2017. Patients who were diagnosed with any type of cancer up to five years before their HF diagnosis were excluded to avoid cancer related infections.
The outcomes of interest were infections (defined according to the ICD10-code system) and worsening of heart failure (defined as a hospital admission with HF covering at least to dates).
The Aalen Johansen's estimator was used to estimate unadjusted 5-year absolute risk for all outcomes. Furthermore, a multivariate Cox analysis was made, and hazard ratios were estimated for the four time periods presented in a forest plot with the period 1997–2001 being the reference group. Adjustments for sex, age and history of comorbidities were conducted. Additionally, we stratified the infection outcome on different types of infections illustrated in 5-year cumulative incidence curves.
Results
The total population consisted of 147,737 patients. Over time there was a slight decrease in median age (1997–2001: 76.8 years, 2011–2017: 73.1 years) and the patients were more likely to be male (1997–2001: 53.5%, 2011–2017: 60%).
Figure 1 illustrates overall absolute risk of death decreased over time 1997–2001 (62.7% [95% CI 62.2–63.2]) vs. 2011–2017 (57.9% [95% CI 41.5–42.7]). Unadjusted curves for absolute risk showed that patients with HF had a higher risk of infection over time 1997–2001 (16.4% [95% CI 16.0–16.8] vs. 2011–2017 (24.5% [95% CI 24.0–24.9]). In contrast, they have a lower risk of worsening HF 1997–2011 (26.5% [95% CI 26.1–27.0] vs. 2011–2017 (23.2% [95% CI 22.8–23.7]). Adjusted analyses provided the same result for all outcomes illustrated in figure 2.
The risk of infection stratified by infection type, mark the risk of pneumonia infection as the most significant in all subintervals 1997–2001 (11.4% [95% CI 11.1–11.7]) vs. 2011–2017 (16.1% [95% CI 15.7–16.5]). The second most important was the risk of urogenital infection 1997–2001 (3.5% [95% CI 3.31–3.69]) vs. 2011–2017 (7.8% [95% CI 7.52–8.12]).
Conclusion
In this nationwide study, we observed that overall mortality risk and risk of hospitalization for worsening HF decreased from 1997 to 2017. In contrast, an increase in the risk of hospitalization for infection, especially pneumonia infections, increased during the same period. Future HF management programs should include strategies to prevent infections.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: None.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Lundberg
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - P Knigge
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - A K Wagner
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - J E Strange
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - G Gislason
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - C Andersson
- Boston University, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine , Boston , United States of America
| | - T Biering-Soerensen
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - L Koeber
- Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - E Fosboel
- Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - M Schou
- Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Copenhagen , Denmark
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Zhang Y, Katharina Wagner A, Du H, Han T, Gupta S, Denburg AE, Frazier AL, Guan X, Shi L. Childhood cancer drugs in China: An overview and comparison of regulatory approvals in China and the United States. Int J Cancer 2021; 150:482-490. [PMID: 34536294 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Different from less developed countries, 80% of children with cancers in the United States are cured. Traditional chemotherapy drugs are the mainstay of therapies; new targeted medications have become available recently. Using publicly available data, we created a database of cancer drugs with paediatric malignancy indications approved by 31 October 2020 in China and the United States. We compared numbers, type, indications and listing on the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (WHO EMLc) between the two countries, assessed the correlation between paediatric indications and cancer incidences, and described evidence supporting approvals of targeted medications in the two settings. Our study showed that by 31 October 2020, 31 and 39 cancer drugs available in China and the United States were approved for use in children, corresponding to 137 and 102 paediatric cancer indications, respectively. About half of these drugs (17 in China and 18 in the United States) were listed on the WHO EMLc. The correlation between indications and burden of disease was higher in the United States (r = 0.68) than China (r = 0.59). More traditional chemotherapy drugs were approved in China (n = 27) than the United States (n = 19). Of 20 targeted childhood anticancer medicines approved in the United States, mainly on the basis of single arm trials (27/32 indications, 84.4%), only four were approved for paediatric indications in China, at a median of 2.8 years after US Food and Drug Administration approval. A harmonised, evidence-based regulatory framework is needed to ensure approvals of needed, safe and efficacious childhood cancer drugs across the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haoxin Du
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Taisen Han
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Sumit Gupta
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Avram E Denburg
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A Lindsay Frazier
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Centre, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,International Research Centre for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.,International Research Centre for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
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Luo Z, Gyawali B, Han S, Shi L, Guan X, Wagner AK. Can locally developed me-too drugs aid price negotiation? An example of cancer therapies from China. Semin Oncol 2021; 48:141-144. [PMID: 33875231 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Rapid growth in pharmaceutical expenditures and high prices have greatly hampered access to medicines, especially targeted anticancer medicines. Confronted with such difficulties, the Chinese government has put more effort into supporting local research and development of cancer medicines, resulting in locally developed me-too drugs. Since 2016, the government has implemented a central reimbursement-linked drug price negotiation policy aimed at reducing the prices of expensive medicines. Locally developed me-too drugs marketed at lower prices may inject price competition and help negotiate reduced prices of similar internationally-developed products. As an example, we selected 3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) developed for the therapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Descriptive analysis was applied to data from the Chinese Medical Economic Information database to describe the impact on the price and utilization of three TKIs after the introduction of icotinib, a locally developed me-too TKI and two national negotiations regarding the price of EGFR-TKIs in China. After two national negotiations, the daily costs of all three EGFR-TKIs were reduced to around $30. From the first quarter of 2013 to the second quarter of 2016, the market share of the purchasing volume of icotinib, China's locally developed TKI, increased from 13% to 40%, while the market shares of two internationally developed TKIs decreased from 35% to 15% and from 52% to 45%, for erlotinib and gefitinib, respectively. The prices of EGFR-TKIs decreased and China's locally developed TKI accounted for a considerable proportion of market share. Locally developed me-too drugs aid price negotiation by injecting price competition and helping negotiate reduced prices of similar internationally-developed products. Through efforts to develop me-too drugs, combined with national drug price negotiation and reimbursement policies, developing countries might improve access to more affordable targeted cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenhuan Luo
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bishal Gyawali
- Department of Oncology, Department of Public Health Sciences and Division of Cancer Care and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada
| | - Sheng Han
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Huang T, Wagner AK, Bai L, Huang C, Guan X, Shi L. Anticancer medicines in China: Trends in daily therapy cost and relative procurement volume and spending. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:345-348. [PMID: 33609064 PMCID: PMC8045901 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tao Huang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical SciencesPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population MedicineHarvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care InstituteBostonMassachusetts02215USA
| | - Lin Bai
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical SciencesPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Cong Huang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical SciencesPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical SciencesPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
- International Research Center for Medicinal AdministrationPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical SciencesPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
- International Research Center for Medicinal AdministrationPeking UniversityBeijing100191P. R. China
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peter A. Ubel
- Fuqua School of Business, Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - J. Frank Wharam
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
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Sruamsiri R, Ferrario A, Ross-Degnan D, Denburg AE, Frazier AL, Gupta S, Ward ZJ, Yeh JM, Wagner AK. What are the volume and budget needs to provide chemotherapy to all children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Thailand? Development and application of an estimation tool. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e041901. [PMID: 33109678 PMCID: PMC7592266 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Insufficient access to anticancer medicines may contribute to the wide survival differences of children with cancers across the globe. We developed a tool to estimate the volume of medicines and budget requirements to provide chemotherapy to children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). DESIGN Development and application of an estimation tool. SETTING Paediatric oncology hospital departments in Thailand. PARTICIPANTS 318 children aged 0-14 years diagnosed with ALL and 215 children with undiagnosed ALL. INTERVENTIONS Estimates of volume and budget requirements for administering a full course of chemotherapy for ALL and a further course for children who relapse, according to National Treatment Guidelines. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome measures were the volume (mg) and cost (US$) of medicines needed to treat children with ALL. For medicines whose main indication is paediatric ALL (asparaginase and 6-mercaptopurine), we estimated the difference between volume needed and actual sales in 2017 (secondary outcome). RESULTS Ten anticancer medicines and four chemoprotective agents are needed for the treatment of paediatric ALL according to the Thai treatment guidelines. Of these 14 medicines, 13 are included in the WHO essential medicines list for children. All are available as generics. We estimated that essential chemotherapy and chemoprotective agents to treat all children diagnosed with ALL in Thailand in 2017 would cost US$ 814 952 (US$ 1 365 422 for diagnosed and undiagnosed children), which corresponds to 0.005% (0.008%) of the country's total health expenditure. The volumes of asparaginase and 6-mercaptopurine available on the Thai market in 2017 were more than sufficient (2.3 and 1.5 times the amounts needed, respectively) to treat all children diagnosed with ALL. CONCLUSIONS Procuring sufficient quantities of essential medicines to treat children with ALL requires relatively modest resources. Medicine cost should not be a major barrier to ALL treatment in similar settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosarin Sruamsiri
- Center of Pharmaceutical Outcomes Research, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Naresuan University, Tha Pho, Phitsanulok, Thailand
| | - Alessandra Ferrario
- Department of Population Medicine, Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dennis Ross-Degnan
- Department of Population Medicine, Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Avram E Denburg
- Unit for Policy and Economic Research in Childhood Cancer, Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - A Lindsay Frazier
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sumit Gupta
- Unit for Policy and Economic Research in Childhood Cancer, Centre for Global Child Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, Department of Paediatrics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zachary J Ward
- Center for Health Decision Science, Harvard University T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer M Yeh
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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10
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Access to highly priced anticancer medications usually requires insurance coverage. A first step towards coverage of such medications is their inclusion in reimbursement lists. We assessed listing for reimbursement in China between 2009 and 2018 of anticancer medications on the WHO's Essential Medicines List. SETTING AND STUDY DESIGN Using publicly available data, we assessed which anticancer medications listed in the 20th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) were included in China's National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). For five targeted anticancer medications on the WHO EML, we also assessed inclusion in the 31 Chinese Provincial Reimbursement Drug Lists (PRDLs). Logistic regression was used to test whether inclusion of targeted anticancer medications was associated with provincial economic levels. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES Inclusion of five targeted anticancer medications in the NRDL and PRDLs before and after 2017. RESULTS The 2017 NRDL included all anticancer medications on the WHO EML (except for one not approved in China at the time), and by 2018, all 31 PRDLs listed the targeted anticancer medications except for nilotinib; four provinces had covered all five targeted medications before the 2017 NRDL coverage mandate. Provincial economic level and regional incidence of specific cancers seemed unrelated to the inclusion of five targeted anticancer medications in PRDLs. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that by including medications in the national and provincial reimbursement lists, China has taken an important first step in promoting access to targeted anticancer medications. Further research is needed to determine whether inclusion in PRDLs improved the availability, appropriate use and affordability of highly priced targeted anticancer medications in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yichen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Haishaerjiang Wushouer
- Center for Strategic Studies, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dennis Ross-Degnan
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Zhang J, Ung COL, Wagner AK, Guan X, Shi L. Medication Use During Pregnancy in Mainland China: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of a National Health Insurance Database. Clin Epidemiol 2019; 11:1057-1065. [PMID: 31849536 PMCID: PMC6911329 DOI: 10.2147/clep.s230589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose This study aims to illustrate the prevalence and patterns of medication use among pregnant women in mainland China. Patients and methods Hospital and drugstore service data for a nationally representative sample of basic medical insurance (BMI) beneficiaries in 2015 were obtained from the China Health Insurance Association (CHIRA) database. A total of 7946 women who had singleton deliveries in 2015, aged between 12 and 54, and whose records in the CHIRA database covered at least one trimester were included in this study. We conducted descriptive analyses of sample characteristics, medication use prevalence, and number and types of medications used. Results We found that 11.7% of women used at least one medication during the course of pregnancy (median number of medications used = 6.7). Medication use was more common among those who were older, residing in Eastern China, or employed. Most commonly used medication groups by the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System were B (Blood and blood forming organs, 49.3%), A (Alimentary tract and metabolism, 48.1%), G (Genito urinary system and sex hormones, 38.1%) and J (Antiinfectives for systemic use, 31.6%). Intravenous solutions, vitamins and minerals, progestogens, and beta-lactam antibacterials were the most frequently used medications from each of these four ATC groups, respectively. Moreover, 7.1% used at least one medication contraindicated in pregnancy. Conclusion This study showed that around one in 10 women used medication during pregnancy in mainland China and found possible cases of inappropriate or unsafe medication use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyuan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Carolina Oi Lam Ung
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao, People's Republic of China
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Kwesiga B, Wagner AK, Seru M, Ross-Degnan D, Trap B. Costs and effectiveness of the supervision, performance assessment and recognition (SPARS) strategy for medicines management in Uganda. J Pharm Policy Pract 2019; 12:36. [PMID: 31827809 PMCID: PMC6889344 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-019-0196-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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13
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Guan X, Wushouer H, Yang M, Han S, Shi L, Ross-Degnan D, Wagner AK. Influence of government price regulation and deregulation on the price of antineoplastic medications in China: a controlled interrupted time series study. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e031658. [PMID: 31784440 PMCID: PMC6924745 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In October 2012, the Chinese government established maximum retail prices for specific products, including 30 antineoplastic medications. Three years later, in June 2015, the government abolished price regulation for most medications, including all antineoplastic medications. This study examined the impacts of regulation and subsequent deregulation of prices of antineoplastic medications in China. METHODS Using hospital procurement data and an interrupted time series with comparison series design, we examined the impacts of the policy changes on relative purchase prices (Laspeyres price index) and volumes of and spending on 52 antineoplastic medications in 699 hospitals. We identified three policy periods: prior to the initial price regulation (October 2011 to September 2012); during price regulation (October 2012 to June 2015); and after price deregulation (July 2015 to June 2016). RESULTS During government price regulation, compared with price-unregulated cancer medications (n=22, mostly newer targeted products), the relative price of price-regulated medications (n=30, mostly chemotherapeutic products) decreased significantly (β=-0.081, p<0.001). After the government price deregulation, no significant price change occurred. Neither government price regulation nor deregulation had a significant impact on average volumes of or average spending on all antineoplastic medications immediately after the policy changes or in the longer term (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Compared with unregulated antineoplastics, the prices of regulated antineoplastic medications decreased after setting price caps and did not increase after deregulation. To control the rapid growth of oncology medication expenditures, more effective measures than price regulation through price caps for traditional chemotherapy are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Guan
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haishaerjiang Wushouer
- Center for Strategic Studies, Chinese Academy of Engineering, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingchun Yang
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Sheng Han
- International Research Center for Medicinal Administration, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luwen Shi
- Department of Pharmacy Administration and Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Dennis Ross-Degnan
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Oteba M, Wagner AK, Seru M, Embrey M, Trap B. Pharmaceutical system strengthening in Uganda: implementing a holistic, evidence-informed, long-term strategy. J Pharm Policy Pract 2018; 11:23. [PMID: 30356941 PMCID: PMC6192003 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-018-0150-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A strong pharmaceutical sector is a precondition for effective and efficient health care and financing systems, and thus for achieving the best possible health of a population. Supported by visionary, long-term donor funds, in conjunction with mutual trust, the USAID-funded Securing Ugandans Rights to Essential Medicines (SURE) and Uganda Health Supply Chain (UHSC) program engaged in a close, more than 10 year-long (in 2018) collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Uganda. Over time, the partnership implemented numerous multi-pronged comprehensive changes in the pharmaceutical sector and conducted research to document successes and failures. We describe the evolution and key characteristics of the SURE/UHSC interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Oteba
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 71419, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 133 Brookline Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Morries Seru
- Ministry of Health, Pharmacy Department, Lourdel Road, Wandegeya, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martha Embrey
- Management Sciences for Health, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22203 USA
| | - Birna Trap
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 71419, Kampala, Uganda
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15
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Wagner AK, Kumar RG. TBI Rehabilomics Research: Conceptualizing a humoral triad for designing effective rehabilitation interventions. Neuropharmacology 2018; 145:133-144. [PMID: 30222984 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Most areas of medicine use biomarkers in some capacity to aid in understanding how personal biology informs clinical care. This article draws upon the Rehabilomics research model as a translational framework for programs of precision rehabilitation and intervention research focused on linking personal biology to treatment response using biopsychosocial constructs that broadly represent function and that can be applied to many clinical populations with disability. The summary applies the Rehabilomics research framework to the population with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and emphasizes a broad vision for biomarker inclusion, beyond typical brain-derived biomarkers, to capture and/or reflect important neurological and non-neurological pathology associated with TBI as a chronic condition. Humoral signaling molecules are explored as important signaling and regulatory drivers of these chronic conditions and their impact on function. Importantly, secondary injury cascades involved in the humoral triad are influenced by the systemic response to TBI and the development of non-neurological organ dysfunction (NNOD). Biomarkers have been successfully leveraged in other medical fields to inform pre-randomization patient selection for clinical trials, however, this practice largely has not been utilized in TBI research. As such, the applicability of the Rehabilomics research model to contemporary clinical trials and comparative effectiveness research designs for neurological and rehabilitation populations is emphasized. Potential points of intervention to modify inflammation, hormonal, or neurotrophic support through rehabilitation interventions are discussed. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "Novel Treatments for Traumatic Brain Injury".
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, USA.
| | - R G Kumar
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, USA
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16
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Kumar RG, Gao S, Juengst SB, Wagner AK, Fabio A. The effects of post-traumatic depression on cognition, pain, fatigue, and headache after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury: a thematic review. Brain Inj 2018; 32:383-394. [PMID: 29355429 DOI: 10.1080/02699052.2018.1427888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic depression (PTD) is one of the most common secondary complications to develop after moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, it rarely manifests singularly, and often co-occurs with other common TBI impairments. OBJECTIVE The objective of this thematic review is to evaluate studies examining the relationships between PTD and cognition, fatigue, pain, and headache among individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI. RESULTS We reviewed 16 studies examining the relationship between PTD and cognition (five articles), fatigue (five articles), pain (four articles), and headache (two articles). Two studies failed to identify the significant associations between PTD and neuropsychological test performance, while one study found a positive association. Two other studies found that early PTD was associated with later executive dysfunction. Studies on fatigue suggest it is a cause, not consequence, of PTD. Individuals with PTD tended to report more pain than those without PTD. Studies examining relationships between PTD and post-traumatic headache were equivocal. CONCLUSIONS Studies evaluating the effects of PTD on common TBI impairments have yielded mixed results. Evidence suggests PTD precedes the development of executive dysfunction, and a strong link exists between fatigue and PTD, with fatigue preceding PTD. Future prospective studies evaluating PTD relationships to pain and headache are warranted to elucidate causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- R G Kumar
- a Department of Epidemiology , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.,b Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
| | - S Gao
- a Department of Epidemiology , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
| | - S B Juengst
- c Department of Rehabilitation Counseling , University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center , Dallas TX , USA
| | - A K Wagner
- b Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.,d Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Center for Neuroscience, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
| | - A Fabio
- a Department of Epidemiology , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA
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Henry R, Nantongo L, Wagner AK, Embrey M, Trap B. Competency in supportive supervision: a study of public sector medicines management supervisors in Uganda. J Pharm Policy Pract 2017; 10:33. [PMID: 29046810 PMCID: PMC5637320 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-017-0121-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Supportive supervision has been found to be more effective than corrective fault-oriented inspections. Uganda’s Ministry of Health in 2012 implemented a comprehensive strategy (SPARS) to build medicines management capacity in public sector health facilities. The approach includes supportive supervision. This structured observational study assesses supportive supervision competency among medicines management supervisors (MMS). Method The study used structured observations of two groups of five purposely selected MMS—one group supervising facilities with greater medicines management improvement during one year of SPARS and one group with less improvement, based on quantitative metrics. We observed and scored behaviors and skills of supervisors in 11 categories deemed critical for effective and supportive supervision. Results Supportive supervision was not evenly or adequately implemented, with the median supportive supervision competency score for all observed supervisors being 38%. Supervisors’ main strengths were problem identification, data interpretation, education, and providing constructive feedback (45%–47%). Their weakest areas were assuring continuity and setting targets (17%), and most MMS were fair to strong in effective communication, use of tools, and problem solving. MMS of facilities with little improvement in medicines management over time were weak in setting targets and promoting participation. There was a 33 percentage point difference in the median supportive supervision competency scores between MMS of facilities with more versus less improvement (57%–24%) and a 77 percentage point difference in competency between the highest and lowest scoring MMS (77%–0%). We did not find a relationship between MMS experience (number of visits implemented) and their supportive supervision competency or facility improvement in medicines management. However, there is a likely relationship between supportive supervision competency and facility improvement. Conclusion Competency of MMS in supportive supervision among the sampled MMS was generally weak, but with much individual variation. Our results suggest that MMS’ supportive supervision competency is positively related to the SPARS effectiveness scores of the facilities they supervise. We recommend strategies to strengthen supportive supervision behaviors and skills. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40545-017-0121-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Henry
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 71419, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lynda Nantongo
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 71419, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 133 Brookline Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Martha Embrey
- Management Sciences for Health, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22203 USA
| | - Birna Trap
- USAID/Uganda Health Supply Chain Program, Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 71419, Kampala, Uganda
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Trap B, Ladwar DO, Oteba MO, Embrey M, Khalid M, Wagner AK. Article 1: Supervision, Performance Assessment, and Recognition Strategy (SPARS) - a multipronged intervention strategy for strengthening medicines management in Uganda: method presentation and facility performance at baseline. J Pharm Policy Pract 2016; 9:21. [PMID: 27252869 PMCID: PMC4888637 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-016-0070-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Uganda introduced a multipronged intervention, the supervision, performance assessment, and recognition strategy (SPARS), to improve medicines management (MM) in public and not-for-profit health facilities. This paper, the first in a series, describes the SPARS intervention and reports on the MM situation in Uganda before SPARS (baseline). Methods To build MM capacity at health facilities, health workers were trained as MM supervisors to visit health facilities, assess MM performance, and use the findings to provide support and standardize MM practices. Performance is assessed based on 25 MM indicators covering five domains: dispensing quality (7 indicators), prescribing quality (5), stock management (4), storage management (5) and ordering and reporting (4). From the end of 2010 to 2013, MM supervisors assessed baseline MM performance of 1384 government (85 %) and private not-for-profit facilities at all levels of care in about half of Uganda’s districts. Results The overall MM baseline median score was 10.3 out of a maximum of 25 with inter-quartile range (IQR) of 8.7–11.7. Facility domain scores (out of a maximum of 5) were as follows: storage management, median score of 2.9 (IQR 2.3–3.4); stock management 2.3 (IQR 2.0–2.8), ordering and reporting 2.2 (IQR 1.3–2.5), and dispensing quality 2.1 (IQR 1.7–2.7). Performance in prescribing quality was 0.9 (IQR 0.4–1.4). Significant regional differences were found: overall scores were highest in the Northern region (10.7; IQR 9.2–12.4) and lowest in the Eastern region (9.6; (IQR 7.8–11.2) (p < 0.001). Overall scores did not differ by facility ownership; however, government facilities scored lower in dispensing and storage and higher in ordering and reporting. Hospitals scored higher overall and in domains other than prescribing and stock management. Districts classified a priori as having high capacity for implementing SPARS had higher scores at baseline compared to lower-capacity districts. Conclusion Assessing and building national capacity in MM is needed in both private not-for-profit and government facilities at all levels of care. The indicator-based, multipronged SPARS assessment has been described here, while the strategy’s impact has yet to be documented. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40545-016-0070-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birna Trap
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, P.O. Box 71419, Bugolobi, Kampala Uganda
| | - Denis Okidi Ladwar
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, P.O. Box 71419, Bugolobi, Kampala Uganda
| | - Martin Olowo Oteba
- Ministry of Health Uganda Pharmacy Division, Plot 6/Lourdel Rd, P.O. Box 7272 Kampala, Uganda
| | - Martha Embrey
- Management Sciences for Health, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22203 USA
| | - Mohammed Khalid
- Management Sciences for Health, Plot 15, Princess Anne Drive, P.O. Box 71419, Bugolobi, Kampala Uganda
| | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, 133 Brookline Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02215 USA
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Kumar RG, Diamond ML, Boles JA, Berger RP, Tisherman SA, Kochanek PM, Wagner AK. Acute CSF interleukin-6 trajectories after TBI: associations with neuroinflammation, polytrauma, and outcome. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 45:253-62. [PMID: 25555531 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2014] [Revised: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in a significant inflammatory burden that perpetuates the production of inflammatory mediators and biomarkers. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine known to be elevated after trauma, and a major contributor to the inflammatory response following TBI. Previous studies have investigated associations between IL-6 and outcome following TBI, but to date, studies have been inconsistent in their conclusions. We hypothesized that cohort heterogeneity, temporal inflammatory profiles, and concurrent inflammatory marker associations are critical to characterize when targeting subpopulations for anti-inflammatory therapies. Toward this objective, we used serial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples to generate temporal acute IL-6 trajectory (TRAJ) profiles in a prospective cohort of adults with severe TBI (n=114). We examined the impact of injury type on IL-6 profiles, and how IL-6 profiles impact sub-acute (2weeks-3months) serum inflammatory marker load and long-term global outcome 6-12months post-injury. There were two distinct acute CSF IL-6 profiles, a high and low TRAJ group. Individuals in the high TRAJ had increased odds of unfavorable Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores at 6months (adjusted OR=3.436, 95% CI: 1.259, 9.380). Individuals in the high TRAJ also had higher mean acute CSF inflammatory load compared to individuals in the low TRAJ (p⩽0.05). The two groups did not differ with respect acute serum profiles; however, individuals in the high CSF IL-6 TRAJ also had higher mean sub-acute serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels compared with the low TRAJ group (p⩽0.05). Lastly, injury type (isolated TBI vs. TBI+polytrauma) was associated with IL-6 TRAJ group (χ(2)=5.31, p=0.02). Specifically, there was 70% concordance between those with TBI+polytrauma and the low TRAJ; in contrast, isolated TBI was similarly distributed between TRAJ groups. These data provide evidence that sustained, elevated levels of CSF IL-6 are associated with an increased inflammatory load, and these increases are associated with increased odds for unfavorable global outcomes in the first year following TBI. Future studies should explore additional factors contributing to IL-6 elevations, and therapies to mitigate its detrimental effects on outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- R G Kumar
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - M L Diamond
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - J A Boles
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - R P Berger
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - S A Tisherman
- Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - P M Kochanek
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - A K Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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Holloway KA, Ivanovska V, Wagner AK, Vialle-Valentin C, Ross-Degnan D. Prescribing for acute childhood infections in developing and transitional countries, 1990-2009. Paediatr Int Child Health 2015; 35:5-13. [PMID: 24621245 DOI: 10.1179/2046905514y.0000000115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence of global progress in treating acute paediatric infections is lacking. OBJECTIVES To assess progress over two decades in prescribing for childhood infections and interventions to improve treatment by reviewing empirical evidence in developing and transitional countries. METHODS Data were systematically extracted on the use of medicines for diarrhoea, respiratory infections and malaria from published and unpublished studies (1990-2009) in children under 5 years of age. Medians of each indicator were calculated across studies by study year, geographic region, sector, country income level and prescriber type. To estimate intervention effects from studies meeting methodologically accepted design criteria [randomised controlled trials (RCTs), pre-post with control, and time series studies], the medians of the median effect sizes (median MES) were calculated across outcome measures. RESULTS Data were extracted from 344 studies conducted in 78 countries with 394 distinct study groups in public (64%), private (22%) and other facilities to estimate trends over time. Of 226 intervention studies, only the 44 (19%) with an adequate study design were used to estimate intervention effects. Over time, use of anti-diarrhoeals for acute diarrhoea decreased significantly (P<0.01). However, treatment of malaria and acute respiratory infection remained largely sub-optimal. Multi-component interventions resulted in larger improvements than single-component ones. The median MES indicated a 28% improvement with community case-management, an 18% improvement with provider education combined with consumer education, but only 9% improvement with provider education alone. CONCLUSIONS While diarrhoea treatment has improved over the last 20 years, treatment of other childhood illnesses remains sub-optimal. Multi-component interventions demonstrated some success in improving management of acute childhood illness.
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Juengst SB, Kumar RG, Arenth PM, Wagner AK. Exploratory associations with tumor necrosis factor-α, disinhibition and suicidal endorsement after traumatic brain injury. Brain Behav Immun 2014; 41:134-43. [PMID: 24928066 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the relationship of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α to disinhibition and suicidal endorsement after traumatic brain injury (TBI). PARTICIPANTS Adults with moderate to severe TBI (acute serum levels: n=48, n=543 samples; acute CSF levels: n=37, n=389 samples; chronic serum levels: n=48, n=326 samples). MAIN MEASURES TNFα levels (CSF, Serum) from time of injury to 12 months post-injury; Frontal Systems Behavior Scale - Disinhibition Subscale at 6 and 12 months post-injury; Patient Health Questionnaire at 6 and 12 months post-injury. RESULTS Participants with TBI had significantly higher CSF and serum TNFα levels than healthy controls (p<0.05). Acute and chronic serum TNFα was significantly associated with disinhibition at 6 months post-injury (p=0.009, p=0.029 respectively), and 6 month disinhibition was associated with suicidal endorsement at both 6 and 12 months (p=0.045, p=0.033 respectively) and disinhibition at 12 months post-injury (p<0.001). CONCLUSION These preliminary data suggest a biological to behavioral pathway of suicidality after TBI, from TNFα to disinhibition to suicidal endorsement. Future investigation is warranted to validate these findings and clarify what biological mechanisms might underlie these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- S B Juengst
- Dept. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - R G Kumar
- Dept. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - P M Arenth
- Dept. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, United States
| | - A K Wagner
- Dept. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, United States.
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Holloway KA, Ivanovska V, Wagner AK, Vialle-Valentin C, Ross-Degnan D. Have we improved use of medicines in developing and transitional countries and do we know how to? Two decades of evidence. Trop Med Int Health 2013; 18:656-64. [PMID: 23648177 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess progress in improving use of medicines in developing and transitional countries by reviewing empirical evidence, 1990-2009, concerning patterns of primary care medicine use and intervention effects. METHODS We extracted data on medicines use, study setting, methodology and interventions from published and unpublished studies on primary care medicine use. We calculated the medians of six medicines use indicators by study year, country income level, geographic region, facility ownership and prescriber type. To estimate intervention impacts, we calculated greatest positive (GES) and median effect sizes (MES) from studies meeting accepted design criteria. RESULTS Our review comprises 900 studies conducted in 104 countries, reporting data on 1033 study groups from public (62%), and private (mostly for profit) facilities (26%), and households. The proportion of treatment according to standard treatment guidelines was 40% in public and <30% in private-for-profit sector facilities. Most indicators showed suboptimal use and little progress over time: Average number of medicines prescribed per patient increased from 2.1 to 2.8 and the percentage of patients receiving antibiotics from 45% to 54%. Of 405 (39%) studies reporting on interventions, 110 (27%) used adequate study design and were further analysed. Multicomponent interventions had larger effects than single component ones. Median GES was 40% for provider and consumer education with supervision, 17% for provider education alone and 8% for distribution of printed education materials alone. Median MES showed more modest improvements. CONCLUSIONS Inappropriate medicine use remains a serious global problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Holloway
- WHO Regional Office South East Asia, New Delhi, India.
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Leisinger KM, Garabedian LF, Wagner AK. Improving access to medicines in low and middle income countries: corporate responsibilities in context. South Med Rev 2012; 5:3-8. [PMID: 23535994 PMCID: PMC3606933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
More than two billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) lack adequate access to essential medicines. In this paper, we make strong public health, human rights and economic arguments for improving access to medicines in LMIC and discuss the different roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including national governments, the international community, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We then establish a framework of pharmaceutical firms' corporate responsibilities - the "must," the "ought to," and the "can" dimensions - and make recommendations for actionable business strategies for improving access to medicines. We discuss controversial topics, such as pharmaceutical profits and patents, with the goal of building consensus around facts and working towards a solution. We conclude that partnerships and collaboration among multiple stakeholders are urgently needed to improve equitable access to medicines in LMIC.
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Garabedian LF, Ross-Degnan D, Ratanawijitrasin S, Stephens P, Wagner AK. Impact of universal health insurance coverage in Thailand on sales and market share of medicines for non-communicable diseases: an interrupted time series study. BMJ Open 2012; 2:e001686. [PMID: 23192243 PMCID: PMC3533018 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In 2001, Thailand implemented the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), a public insurance system that aimed to achieve universal access to healthcare, including essential medicines, and to influence primary care centres and hospitals to use resources efficiently, via capitated payment for outpatient services and other payment policies for inpatient care. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of the UCS on utilisation of medicines in Thailand for three non-communicable diseases: cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. DESIGN Interrupted time-series design, with a non-equivalent comparison group. SETTING Thailand, 1998-2006. DATA Quarterly purchases of medicines from hospital and retail pharmacies collected by IMS Health between 1998 and 2006. INTERVENTION UCS implementation, April-October 2001. OUTCOME MEASURES Total pharmaceutical sales volume and percent market share by licensing status and National Essential Medicine List status. RESULTS The UCS was associated with long-term increases in sales of medicines for conditions that are typically treated in outpatient primary care settings, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but not for medicines for diseases that are typically treated in secondary or tertiary care settings, such as heart failure, arrhythmias and cancer. Although the majority of increases in sales were for essential medicines, there were also postpolicy increases in sales of non-essential medicines. Immediately following the reform, there was a significant shift in hospital sector market share by licensing status for most classes of medicines. Government-produced products often replaced branded generic or generic competitors. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that expanding health insurance coverage with a medicine benefit to the entire Thai population increased access to medicines in primary care. However, our study also suggests that the UCS may have had potentially undesirable effects. Evaluations of the long-term impacts of universal health coverage on medicine utilisation are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Faden Garabedian
- Drug Policy Research Group and WHO Collaborating Center in Pharmaceutical Policy, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dennis Ross-Degnan
- Drug Policy Research Group and WHO Collaborating Center in Pharmaceutical Policy, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sauwakon Ratanawijitrasin
- Department of Society and Health, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, Salaya, Buddhamonthon, Nakhonpathom, Thailand
| | | | - Anita Katharina Wagner
- Drug Policy Research Group and WHO Collaborating Center in Pharmaceutical Policy, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Wagner AK. TBI translational rehabilitation research in the 21st Century: exploring a Rehabilomics research model. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2010; 46:549-556. [PMID: 21224787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Globally, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and persistent disability. Although improvements in standard of care have reduced the overall mortality rates associated with this disease, there is a paucity of effective neuroprotective therapies. However, some rehabilitation focused strategies have shown promise with enhancing neurorecovery. One major challenge in identifying effective therapies is that TBI is an inherently heterogeneous disease. Despite many patients having similar injury factors and clinical care after their TBI, recovery and outcomes can be very different. This commentary discusses the value of treatment effectiveness research that also incorporates theranostic principles of individualized care. Key to this concept is the utilization of state-of-the-art biomarker platforms and technologies that can identify relevant molecular or physiological fingerprints that can assist rehabilitation practitioners in delineating long term outcome that can be linked to plasticity, treatment response, and natural recovery. This commentary proposes a unique concept of "Rehabilomics" as a field of study involving the systematic collection and study of rehabilitation relevant phenotypes, in conjunction with a transdisciplinary evaluation of biomarkers, in order to better understand the biology, function, prognosis, complications, treatments, adaptation, and recovery for persons with disabilities. Specific Rehabilomics applications to TBI research, as well as relevance to the National Institutes of Health Roadmap, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, USA.
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Boxhammer S, Glaser S, Kühl A, Wagner AK, Schmidt CL. Characterization of the recombinant Rieske [2Fe-2S] proteins HcaC and YeaW from E. coli. Biometals 2008; 21:459-67. [PMID: 18286376 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-008-9134-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2007] [Accepted: 02/05/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Three genes within the genome of E. coli K12 are predicted to encode proteins containing the typical Rieske iron-sulfur cluster-binding motifs. Two of these, hcaC and yeaW, were overexpressed in E. coli BL21 and Tuner (DE3) pLacI. The recombinant proteins were purified and analyzed by UV/Vis- and EPR-spectroscopy. HcaC and YeaW display the typical redox-dependent UV/Vis-spectra of iron-sulfur proteins. The EPR spectrum of reduced HcaC shows characteristic g-values of a Rieske cluster whereas the g-values for YeaW are close to the upper limit for this type of iron-sulfur cluster. Both iron-sulfur clusters could be reduced by dithionite, but not by ascorbate, confirming their classification as low-potential Rieske proteins as derived from the amino acid sequences. A phylogenetic analysis of the two proteins reveals that HcaC clearly segregates with the Rieske ferredoxins of class IIB oxygenases whereas the classification of YeaW remains doubtful.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Boxhammer
- Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Lubeck, Germany
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Chen X, Li Y, Kline AE, Dixon CE, Zafonte RD, Wagner AK. Gender and environmental effects on regional brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression after experimental traumatic brain injury. Neuroscience 2005; 135:11-7. [PMID: 16084663 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2005] [Revised: 05/13/2005] [Accepted: 05/23/2005] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression have been reported in multiple brain regions acutely after traumatic brain injury, however neither injury nor post-injury environmental enrichment has been shown to affect hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene expression in male rats chronically post-injury. Studies have demonstrated hormone-related neuroprotection for female rats after traumatic brain injury, and estrogen and exercise both influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Despite recent studies suggesting that exposure post-traumatic brain injury to environmental enrichment improves cognitive recovery in male rats, we have shown that environmental enrichment mediated improvements with spatial learning are gender specific and only positively affect males. Therefore the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gender and environmental enrichment on chronic post-injury cortical and hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein expression. Sprague-Dawley male and cycling female rats were placed into environmental enrichment or standard housing after controlled cortical impact or sham surgery. Four weeks post-surgery, hippocampal and frontal cortex brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression were examined using Western blot. Results revealed significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the frontal cortex ipsilateral to injury for males (P=0.03). Environmental enrichment did not augment this effect. Neither environmental enrichment nor injury significantly affected cortical brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for females. In the hippocampus ipsilateral to injury brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for both males and females was half (49% and 51% respectively) of that observed in shams housed in the standard environment. For injured males, there was a trend in this region for environmental enrichment to restore brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels to sham values. However, there were robust increases in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression ipsilateral to the injury for injured females in environmental enrichment compared with both sham and injured females placed in standard housing (P<or=0.005). In the hippocampus contralateral to injury, there were also significant injury-related increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression for females (P<or=0.05) that were not further augmented by environmental enrichment. These results show significant, region-specific gender differences in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression with both injury and environmental enrichment that may be important for recovery. However, these data do not support a critical role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor in environmental enrichment mediated improvements with spatial learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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Wagner AK, Sokoloski JE, Ren D, Chen X, Khan AS, Zafonte RD, Michael AC, Dixon CE. Controlled cortical impact injury affects dopaminergic transmission in the rat striatum. J Neurochem 2005; 95:457-65. [PMID: 16190869 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2005.03382.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits of dopamine (DA) agonists after traumatic brain injury (TBI) imply a role for DA systems in mediating functional deficits post-TBI. We investigated how experimental TBI affects striatal dopamine systems using fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV), western blot, and d-amphetamine-induced rotational behavior. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injured by a controlled cortical impact (CCI) delivered unilaterally to the parietal cortex, or were naïve controls. Amphetamine-induced rotational behavior was assessed 10 days post-CCI. Fourteen days post-CCI, animals were anesthetized and underwent FSCV with bilateral striatal carbon fiber microelectrode placement and stimulating electrode placement in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Evoked DA overflow was assessed in the striatum as the MFB was electrically stimulated at 60 Hz for 10 s. In 23% of injured animals, but no naïve animals, rotation was observed with amphetamine administration. Compared with naïves, striatal evoked DA overflow was lower for injured animals in the striatum ipsilateral to injury (p < 0.05). Injured animals exhibited a decrease in V(max) (52% of naïve, p < 0.05) for DA clearance in the hemisphere ipsilateral to injury compared with naïves. Dopamine transporter (DAT) expression was proportionally decreased in the striatum ipsilateral to injury compared with naïve animals (60% of naïve, p < 0.05), despite no injury-related changes in vesicular monoamine transporter or D2 receptor expression (DRD2) in this region. Collectively, these data appear to confirm that the clinical efficacy of dopamine agonists in the treatment of TBI may be related to disruptions in the activity of subcortical dopamine systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
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Abstract
Interrupted time series design is the strongest, quasi-experimental approach for evaluating longitudinal effects of interventions. Segmented regression analysis is a powerful statistical method for estimating intervention effects in interrupted time series studies. In this paper, we show how segmented regression analysis can be used to evaluate policy and educational interventions intended to improve the quality of medication use and/or contain costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Ambulatory Care and Prevention, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Wagner AK, Stewart PJ. An internship for college students in physical medicine and rehabilitation: effects on awareness, career choice, and disability perceptions. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2001; 80:459-65. [PMID: 11399007 DOI: 10.1097/00002060-200106000-00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To show the impact that an internship program in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) for college students has on their knowledge about the field, career choice, and perceptions about people with disabilities. DESIGN Twelve students were selected to participate in the study. Students observed patient therapies and followed faculty and physiatry resident physicians. Students also participated in research studies in rehabilitation research. Group discussions regarding specific projects, research methods, career choice, and perceptions about disability were part of a didactic curriculum. Surveys about PM&R knowledge, attitudes toward people with disabilities, demographics, and course evaluations were administered. RESULTS Results showed that the program increased knowledge about PM&R (P < 0.008). Premedical students missed significantly fewer questions (8.2 vs. 11.7; P = 0.04) on this survey than did other participants. Results also showed that this program affected their attitudes toward people with disabilities and student choice to pursue a career in health care. CONCLUSIONS This type of internship experience provides an educational environment for college students to become acquainted with PM&R, interact positively with people with disabilities, and influence career choice in the allied health professions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15237, USA
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Abstract
The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a physiologic measure of cerebral function that has been used by some to assess coma and prognosticate survival and global outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Surface recordings of the brain's electrical activity reveal distinct patterns that indicate injury severity, depth of unconsciousness, and patient survival. The data produced with traditional qualitative studies, however, does not allow resolution and quantification of the wave frequency spectrum present in the brain. As a result, conventional EEG typically has only been used for gross and qualitative analyses and is not practical for use in long-term patient monitoring or as a sophisticated prognostic tool. One area of investigation that is working to address the limitations of conventional EEG has been the development and implementation of Fourier Transform (FT) EEG which resolves and quantifies frequency bands present in the brain. When FT analysis is applied to EEG, it provides concurrent and continuous monitoring, resolution, and quantification of all frequencies emitted. This review discusses the history and significance of conventional EEG and provides a review of how FT-EEG, commonly referred to as Quantitative EEG (QEEG), is being used in the clinical setting. The specific applications and significance of QEEG methods regarding treatment of patients with TBI are discussed in detail. The advantages, disadvantages, and future directions of QEEG in TBI are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- B E Wallace
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, USA
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Wagner AK, Hammond FM, Sasser HC, Wiercisiewski D, Norton HJ. Use of injury severity variables in determining disability and community integration after traumatic brain injury. J Trauma 2000; 49:411-9. [PMID: 11003316 DOI: 10.1097/00005373-200009000-00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term outcome is important in managing traumatic brain injury (TBI), an epidemic in the United States. Many injury severity variables have been shown to predict major morbidity and mortality. Less is known about their relationship with specific long-term outcomes. METHODS Glasgow Coma Scale, Revised Trauma Score, Injury Severity Score, and Trauma and Injury Severity Score, along with other demographic and premorbid values, were obtained for 378 consecutive patients hospitalized after TBI at a Level I trauma center between September 1997 and May 1998. Of this cohort, 120 patients were contacted for 1-year follow-up assessment with the Disability Rating Scale, Community Integration Questionnaire, and employment data. RESULTS Univariate analyses showed these to be significant single predictors of 1-year outcome. Multivariate analyses revealed that the Revised Trauma Score and Glasgow Coma Scale had significant additive value in predicting injury variables Disability Rating Scale scores when combined with other demographic and premorbid variables studied. Predictive models of 1-year outcome were developed. CONCLUSION Injury severity variables are significant single outcome predictors and, in combination with premorbid and demographic variables, help predict long-term disability and community integration for individuals hospitalized with TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, North Carolina, USA
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Wagner AK, Sasser HC, Hammond FM, Wiercisiewski D, Alexander J. Intentional traumatic brain injury: epidemiology, risk factors, and associations with injury severity and mortality. J Trauma 2000; 49:404-10. [PMID: 11003315 DOI: 10.1097/00005373-200009000-00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intentional injury is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and has been associated with certain demographic and socioeconomic groups. Less is known about the relationship of intentional traumatic brain injury (TBI) to injury severity, mortality, and demographic and socioeconomic profile. The objective of this study was to delineate demographic and event-related factors associated with intentional TBI and to evaluate the predictive value of intentional TBI on injury severity and mortality. METHODS Prospective data were obtained for 2,637 adults sustaining TBIs between January 1994 and September 1998. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine the predictive value of intentional TBI on injury severity and mortality. RESULTS Gender, minority status, age, substance abuse, and residence in a zipcode with low average income were associated with intentional TBI. Multivariate analysis found minority status and substance abuse to be predictive of intentional injury after adjusting for other demographic variables studied. Intentional TBI was predictive of mortality and anatomic severity of injury to the head. Penetrating intentional TBI was predictive of injury severity with all injury severity markers studied. CONCLUSION Many demographic variables are risk factors for intentional TBI, and such injury is a risk factor for both injury severity and mortality. Future studies are needed to definitively link intentional TBI to disability and functional outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, North Carolina, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the association of acute variables with disposition after acute hospitalization. DESIGN Revised Trauma Score (RTS), Injury Severity Score (ISS), and the Combined Trauma Score Injury Severity Score (TRISS(RTS)) were compared with discharge disposition after acute hospitalization of 378 consecutive patients who sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and were treated at a level 1 trauma center between September 1997 and May 1998. RESULTS Logistic regression modeling found TRISS(RTS) to predict discharge to home with or without home health assistance or inpatient rehabilitation vs. nursing home placement or death. Subsequent modeling, excluding patients who died or went to nursing homes, identified RTS and ISS as predictors of discharge to home with or without home health vs. inpatient rehabilitation. A sensitivity of 97.78% and 93.91% were achieved with these two models when tested on a population of 4,625 patients with TBI treated during the last 10 yr at the same facility. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that RTS, ISS, and TRISS(RTS) are predictors of discharge disposition after acute hospitalization with TBI and may be useful measures of rehabilitation services resource planning early in the course of TBI management.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Charlotte Institute of Rehabilitation, Department of PM&R, North Carolina 28203, USA
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Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the health status of patients after a single seizure. METHODS We compared single-seizure patients (SS) with patients who had well-controlled epilepsy (WC), and uncomplicated hypertension (HT). Patients were adults screened from emergency and outpatient units of two urban teaching hospitals using predefined criteria. The 83 patients (SS, 30; WC, 29; HT, 24) were interviewed by phone about functional status (SF-36), comorbid illness, cause of illness, number of visits to health providers, and drug side effects. RESULTS No significant differences were found among groups for health status, SF-36 domain, or occurrence of drug side effects. SS patients had significantly lower scores on vitality (p < 0.03) and a trend toward lower role physical function (p < 0.07) compared with age-adjusted population norms. SS reported more visits to health providers than WC or HT, and the number of visits remained high at interview 1 year later. Patient knowledge of the "reason" for the seizure was not associated with health status or number of visits. CONCLUSIONS Health status of patients within 1 year of a single seizure is similar to that of patients with well-controlled epilepsy or hypertension, but SS patients have greater health care utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A Dworetzky
- Boston VAMC, Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA.
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Wagner AK, Wyss K, Gandek B, Kilima PM, Lorenz S, Whiting D. A Kiswahili version of the SF-36 Health Survey for use in Tanzania: translation and tests of scaling assumptions. Qual Life Res 1999; 8:101-10. [PMID: 10457743 DOI: 10.1023/a:1026441415079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the study was to translate and adapt the SF-36 Health Survey for use in Tanzania and to test the psychometric properties of the Kiswahili SF-36. A cross-sectional study was conducted as part of a household survey of a representative sample of the adult population of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The IQOLA method of forward and backward translation was used to translate the SF-36 into Kiswahili. The translated questionnaire was administered by trained interviewers to 3,802 adults (50% women, mean (SD) age 31 (13) years, 50% married and 60% with primary education). Data quality and psychometric assumptions underlying the scoring of the eight SF-36 scales were evaluated for the entire sample and separately for the least educated subgroup (n = 402), using multitrait scaling analysis. Forward and backward translation procedures resulted in a Kiswahili SF-36 that was considered conceptually equivalent to the US English SF-36. Data quality was excellent: only 1.2% of respondents were excluded because they answered less than half of the items for one or more scales; ninety percent of respondents answered mutually exclusive items consistently. Median item-scale correlations across the eight scales ranged from 0.47 to 0.81 for the entire sample. Median scaling success rates were 100% (range 87.5-100.0). The median internal consistency reliability of the eight scales for the entire sample was 0.81 (range 0.70-0.92). Floor effects were low and ceiling effects were high on five of the eight scales. Results for n = 402 people without formal education did not differ substantially from those of the entire sample. The results of data quality and psychometric tests support the scoring of the eight scales using standard scoring algorithms. The Kiswahili translation of the SF-36 may be useful in estimating the health of people in Dar es Salaam. Evidence for the validity of the SF-36 for use in Tanzania needs to be accumulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Wyss K, Wagner AK, Whiting D, Mtasiwa DM, Tanner M, Gandek B, Kilima PM. Validation of the Kiswahili version of the SF-36 Health Survey in a representative sample of an urban population in Tanzania. Qual Life Res 1999; 8:111-20. [PMID: 10457744 DOI: 10.1023/a:1026431727374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the validity of a Kiswahili translation of the SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) among an urban population in Tanzania, using the method of known-groups validation. People were randomly selected from a demographic surveillance system in Dar es Salaam. The representative sample consisted of 3,802 adults (15 years and older). Health status differences were hypothesized among groups, who differed in sex, age, socioeconomic status and self-reported morbidity. Mean SF-36 scale scores were calculated and compared using t-test and ANOVA. Women had significantly lower mean SF-36 scale scores (indicating worse health status) than men on all scales and scores were lower for older people than younger on all domains, as hypothesized. On five of the eight SF-36 scales, means were higher for people of higher socioeconomic status compared to those of lower socioeconomic status. People who reported an illness within the previous 2 weeks scored significantly lower on all scales compared to those who were healthy, as did people who said they had a disability or a chronic condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Wyss
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Swiss Tropical Institute, Basel, Switzerland.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Minority women and women with low income levels are significantly less likely to practice appropriate mammography and Pap test screening. ENCOREplus is a health promotion program that provides outreach, education, referral, and other service that facilitate breast and cervical cancer screening for medically underserved women. The program is delivered through a network of community-based nonprofit organizations (YWCA of the U.S.A). The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of ENCOREplus in promoting mammography and Pap test screening among women who were nonadherent to screening guidelines. METHODS Baseline data were collected from women participating in the program. Follow-up occurred within six months of baseline to assess whether or not enrollees received recommended screenings. Screening-completion rates were compared to rates from other published intervention studies. RESULTS Data from the program's second implementation year show that 27,494 women participated in the ENCOREplus program. Over half the women were racial/ethnic minorities, over 75% reported annual incomes under $15,000, and 49% reported no insurance. Among women 40 and over, 69.7% were nonadherent to ACS mammography screening guidelines at baseline. Among participants 18 and older, 68.9% were nonadherent to Pap test screening guidelines. Of nonadherent participants, 57.8% received mammograms and 36.5% received Pap tests. Both mammography and Pap test screening-completion rates compared favorably with other programs. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that programs implemented through community-based organizations can be successful in increasing mammography and Pap test screening among low-income and minority women.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Fernandez
- University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, Center for Health Promotion Research and Development 77030-9960, USA
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Hare JM, Wagner AK, McDonough KA. Independent acquisition and insertion into different chromosomal locations of the same pathogenicity island in Yersinia pestis and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Mol Microbiol 1999; 31:291-303. [PMID: 9987130 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.1999.01172.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We show that Yersinia pestis and pesticin-sensitive isolates of Y. pseudotuberculosis possess a common 34 kbp DNA region that has all the hallmarks of a pathogenicity island and is inserted into different asparaginyl tRNA genes at different chromosomal locations in each species. This pathogenicity island (YP-HPI) is marked by IS100, has a G + C content different from its host, is flanked by 24 bp direct repeats, encodes a putative, P4-like integrase and contains the iron uptake virulence genes from the pgm locus of Y. pestis. These findings indicate independent horizontal acquisition of this island by Y. pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis. The two YP-HPI locations and their possession of an integrase gene support a model of site-specific integration of the YP-HPI into these bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Hare
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University at Albany, NY, USA
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Reich MR, Wagner AK, McLaughlin TJ, Dumbaugh KA, Derai-Cochin M. Pharmaceutical donations by the USA: an assessment of relevance and time-to-expiry. Bull World Health Organ 1999; 77:675-80. [PMID: 10516789 PMCID: PMC2557710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper assesses the relevance and time-to-expiry of pharmaceutical donations by the USA by means of a convenience sample of two private voluntary organizations. Data were collected on 16,566 donations shipped between 1994 and 1997 for the two organizations to a total of 129 countries. For three field study countries (Armenia, Haiti, and the United Republic of Tanzania), between 37% and 65% of donated unique drug products were on the recipient countries' essential drugs lists, and between 50% and 80% were either on these lists or were permissible therapeutic alternatives. Between 10% and 42% were not listed on either the national essential drugs lists or the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs, nor were they permissible therapeutic alternatives. For the worldwide data set, the median times to expiry when shipment by the organizations took place were 599 and 550 days; about 30% of shipment items had a year or less of shelf-life, and about 6% had less than 100 days of shelf-life. Although a majority of the donations fulfilled the criteria of relevance and time-to-expiry, a substantial proportion failed to do so. Actions are proposed with a view to improving the relevance and time-to-expiry of USA pharmaceutical donations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Reich
- Department of Population and International Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Wagner AK, Gandek B, Aaronson NK, Acquadro C, Alonso J, Apolone G, Bullinger M, Bjorner J, Fukuhara S, Kaasa S, Leplège A, Sullivan M, Wood-Dauphinee S, Ware JE. Cross-cultural comparisons of the content of SF-36 translations across 10 countries: results from the IQOLA Project. International Quality of Life Assessment. J Clin Epidemiol 1998; 51:925-32. [PMID: 9817109 DOI: 10.1016/s0895-4356(98)00083-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Increasingly, translated and culturally adapted health-related quality of life measures are being used in cross-cultural research. To assess comparability of results, researchers need to know the comparability of the content of the questionnaires used in different countries. Based on an item-by-item discussion among International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA) investigators of the content of the translated versions of the SF-36 in 10 countries, we discuss the difficulties that arose in translating the SF-36. We also review the solutions identified by IQOLA investigators to translate items and response choices so that they are appropriate within each country as well as comparable across countries. We relate problems and solutions to ratings of difficulty and conceptual equivalence for each item. The most difficult items to translate were physical functioning items that refer to activities not common outside the United States and items that use colloquial expressions in the source version. Identifying the origin of the source items, their meaning to American English-speaking respondents and American English synonyms, in response to country-specific translation issues, greatly helped the translation process. This comparison of the content of translated SF-36 items suggests that the translations are culturally appropriate and comparable in their content.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Assessment Lab at the Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA
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Wagner AK, Ehrenberg BL, Tran TA, Bungay KM, Cynn DJ, Rogers WH. Patient-based health status measurement in clinical practice: a study of its impact on epilepsy patients' care. Qual Life Res 1997; 6:329-41. [PMID: 9248315 DOI: 10.1023/a:1018479209369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The objective was to assess the potential benefits of the routine use of the MOS SF-36 Health Survey (SF-36) in the care of ambulatory patients. The design was a longitudinal, prospective, randomized, controlled study set in the outpatient neurology clinic at the New England Medical Center. There were 163 consecutive patients with epilepsy who had 210 follow-up visits with one of two epileptologists. The patients completed the SF-36 before the patient-physician encounter and the forms were optically scanned. The SF-36 results of the intervention group patients were given to the physicians before the encounter and withheld for control group patients. For intervention group patients, the physicians completed a questionnaire assessing the impact of the SF-36 on the process of care. After the visit, all patients completed a satisfaction questionnaire. The main outcome measures were the physicians' responses to standardized questions about the usefulness of the SF-36 for communication with and management of epilepsy patients and the patients' responses to standardized questions about their satisfaction with care. The physicians indicated that the SF-36 provided new information in 63% of the intervention group encounters. A change in therapy was prompted in 13%. The physicians rated the SF-36 as at least moderately useful for communication in 14% of the encounters and to management in 8%. The lower (indicating worse health status) the patients' SF-36 scale scores, the more useful the SF-36 results were rated by the physicians for communication and management. It was concluded that the routine use of health status measures may enhance patients' care.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Wagner AK, Bungay KM, Kosinski M, Bromfield EB, Ehrenberg BL. The health status of adults with epilepsy compared with that of people without chronic conditions. Pharmacotherapy 1996; 16:1-9. [PMID: 8700786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES To examine the feasibility of administering and the psychometric properties of a general health status questionnaire in adults with epilepsy, and to assess the health status of these patients. DESIGN Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. SETTING Neurology clinic of a tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS One hundred forty-eight ambulatory adults with epilepsy. INTERVENTIONS Patients completed the SF-36, a general health status questionnaire. Respondent burden and data quality as well as psychometric characteristics were evaluated. Patients' SF-36 scale scores, adjusted for comorbidities, were compared with those of 641 people without chronic conditions with the same sociodemographic characteristics. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Administering the SF-36 to adult outpatients with epilepsy is feasible and results are psychometrically sound. Compared with those who were not ill, patients had significantly (p < 0.001) lower (0 = worst, 100 = best) scores in six of the eight SF-36 domains: general health perceptions (57.7 vs 82.1), mental health (61.3 vs 79.6), vitality (53.5 vs 67.8), role limitations owing to physical (69.6 vs 95.0) and emotional problems (67.2 vs 88.4), and social functioning (75.2 vs 89.9). CONCLUSIONS Lower SF-36 scores may reflect patients' assessments of the balance among epilepsy, seizures, and antiepileptic drug therapy-related effects. Incorporating health status information into therapeutic decision making may help to attain the ultimate goal of improving patients' health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Department of Pharmacy, Health Institute, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Bungay KM, Wagner AK. Introduction to pharmacist participation in measuring and monitoring patients' health-related quality of life. Am J Health Syst Pharm 1995; 52:S19-23. [PMID: 7552913 DOI: 10.1093/ajhp/52.14_suppl_3.s19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K M Bungay
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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Wagner AK, Bungay KM, Bromfield EB, Ehrenberg BL. Assessing the health status of adult patients with epilepsy. Am J Health Syst Pharm 1995; 52:S29-31. [PMID: 7552916 DOI: 10.1093/ajhp/52.14_suppl_3.s29] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center (NEMC), Boston, MA, USA
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Wagner AK, Vickrey BG. The routine use of health-related quality of life measures in the care of patients with epilepsy: rationale and research agenda. Qual Life Res 1995; 4:169-77. [PMID: 7780383 DOI: 10.1007/bf01833610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Reliable and valid patient-completed questionnaires to assess the health related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with epilepsy are becoming increasingly available. At present, however, they are not routinely used in epilepsy patients' care. The use of HRQOL measurement in clinical practice settings may improve the quality of care for people with epilepsy through (1) increasing the detection of patients' problems with daily functioning and well-being: (2) guiding therapeutic management; and (3) leading to improvements in patients' HRQOL and satisfaction with care. To realize the potential benefits of HRQOL assessment in the care of people with epilepsy, research into the feasibility of the office-based use of HRQOL questionnaires, measurement quality, and the impact of routine HRQOL assessment on the quality of epilepsy patients' care needs to be undertaken. The transfer of HRQOL questionnaires from research tools into clinical tools requires the collaboration of social scientists, health services researchers, and clinicians. HRQOL questionnaires have the potential to become a new clinical tool which could enhance the quality of care physicians are able to provide for their patients with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Wagner AK, Keller SD, Kosinski M, Baker GA, Jacoby A, Hsu MA, Chadwick DW, Ware JE. Advances in methods for assessing the impact of epilepsy and antiepileptic drug therapy on patients' health-related quality of life. Qual Life Res 1995; 4:115-34. [PMID: 7780379 DOI: 10.1007/bf01833606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
We studied 31 previously validated and newly developed generic and epilepsy-specific scales to evaluate their usefulness for assessing the impact of epilepsy and anti-epileptic drug (AED) therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Included were the MOS SF-36 Health Survey, additional measures of mental health, cognition, epilepsy-specific perception of control, behavioural problems, distress, worries and experiences, the Liverpool Epilepsy Impact and Seizure Severity scales, and a patient-completed symptom checklist. Questionnaires were completed twice by 136 patients on AED therapy in a multicentre study in the UK. Validity was assessed in relation to disease severity, defined as time since last seizure, and to patient-reported symptoms. Statistical analyses to estimate the contribution of HRQOL information of each scale relative to that of others were conducted. The 171-item questionnaire could be completed by out-patients with epilepsy with good data quality. With few exceptions, generic and epilepsy-specific measures satisfied psychometric tests of hypothesized item groupings and scale score reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability) and differentiated well between groups of patients differing in time since last seizure and in symptom impact, regardless of time since last seizure. However, scales differed widely in their validity in discriminating between groups of patients known to differ clinically. The SF-36 Role Physical scale best discriminated among groups differing in disease severity. The epilepsy-specific Mastery, Impact, Experience, Worry, Distress, and Agitation scales were among the 10 best measures in discriminating among groups differing in disease severity. Generic measures, especially measures of social and role functioning and mental health, were best at differentiating groups of patients differing in symptom impact. Recommendations are offered for concepts and specific scales most likely to be useful in future studies of the HRQOL burden of epilepsy and the HRQOL benefits of AED therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A K Wagner
- Health Institute, New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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