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Doctor JN, Meeker D, Fox CR, Persell SD, Wagner Z, Bouskill KE, Zanocco KA, Romanelli RJ, Brummett CM, Kirkegaard A, Watkins KE. A call for community-shared decisions. BMJ Evid Based Med 2024:bmjebm-2023-112641. [PMID: 38604618 DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2023-112641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason N Doctor
- University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Craig R Fox
- University of California Los Angeles Anderson School of Management, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Stephen D Persell
- Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Kyle A Zanocco
- University of California Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Chad M Brummett
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Fitzke RE, Bouskill KE, Sedano A, Tran DD, Saba SK, Buch K, Hummer JF, Davis JP, Pedersen ER. Barriers and Facilitators to Behavioral Healthcare for Women Veterans: a Mixed-Methods Analysis of the Current Landscape. J Behav Health Serv Res 2024; 51:164-184. [PMID: 37798569 PMCID: PMC10940443 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-023-09862-3] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Women veterans have historically faced barriers to behavioral health treatment, particularly through the VA. In conjunction, there have been changes in behavioral healthcare delivery resulting from efforts to improve care for women veterans and the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., widespread telehealth implementation). The current study draws on a quantitative and qualitative study centering current perspectives of women veterans in their choices to seek or not seek behavioral healthcare in VA and non-VA settings through interviewing 18 women recruited from a larger survey study on veteran behavioral health (n = 83 women, n = 882 men) on their experiences with behavioral health care access and satisfaction, including barriers and facilitators to seeking care. Quantitative findings are descriptively reported from the larger study, which outlined screening for behavioral health problems, behavioral health utilization, treatment modality preferences, and barriers/facilitators to care. While women in the survey sample screened for various behavioral health disorders, rates of treatment seeking remained relatively low. Women reported positive and negative experiences with telehealth and endorsed many barriers to treatment seeking in interviews not captured by survey findings, including lack of women-specific care (e.g., care for military sexual trauma, women-only groups), reports of stranger harassment at the VA, and lack of female providers. Women veterans continue to face barriers to behavioral healthcare; however, ongoing efforts to improve care access and quality, including the implementation of telehealth, show promise in reducing these obstacles. Continued efforts are needed to ensure diverse treatment modalities continue to reach women veterans as this population grows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reagan E Fitzke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 2250 Alcazar St., Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
| | | | - Angeles Sedano
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Denise D Tran
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 2250 Alcazar St., Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Shaddy K Saba
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Keegan Buch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 2250 Alcazar St., Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Justin F Hummer
- RAND Corporation, 1776 Main St, Santa Monica, CA, 90401, USA
| | - Jordan P Davis
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
| | - Eric R Pedersen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, 2250 Alcazar St., Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA
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Meredith LS, Ahluwalia S, Chen PG, Dong L, Farmer CM, Bouskill KE, Dalton S, Qureshi N, Blagg T, Timmins G, Schulson LB, Huilgol SS, Han B, Williamson S, Watson P, Schnurr PP, Martineau M, Davis K, Cassells A, Tobin JN, Gidengil C. Testing an Intervention to Improve Health Care Worker Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e244192. [PMID: 38687482 PMCID: PMC11061774 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4192] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Stress First Aid is an evidence-informed peer-to-peer support intervention to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of health care workers (HCWs). Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored peer-to-peer support intervention compared with usual care to support HCWs' well-being at hospitals and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants This cluster randomized clinical trial comprised 3 cohorts of HCWs who were enrolled from March 2021 through July 2022 at 28 hospitals and FQHCs in the US. Participating sites were matched as pairs by type, size, and COVID-19 burden and then randomized to the intervention arm or usual care arm (any programs already in place to support HCW well-being). The HCWs were surveyed before and after peer-to-peer support intervention implementation. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was used to evaluate the intervention's effect on outcomes, including general psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Intervention The peer-to-peer support intervention was delivered to HCWs by site champions who received training and subsequently trained the HCWs at their site. Recipients of the intervention were taught to respond to their own and their peers' stress reactions. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary outcomes were general psychological distress and PTSD. General psychological distress was measured with the Kessler 6 instrument, and PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist. Results A total of 28 hospitals and FQHCs with 2077 HCWs participated. Both preintervention and postintervention surveys were completed by 2077 HCWs, for an overall response rate of 28% (41% at FQHCs and 26% at hospitals). A total of 862 individuals (696 females [80.7%]) were from sites that were randomly assigned to the intervention arm; the baseline mean (SD) psychological distress score was 5.86 (5.70) and the baseline mean (SD) PTSD score was 16.11 (16.07). A total of 1215 individuals (947 females [78.2%]) were from sites assigned to the usual care arm; the baseline mean (SD) psychological distress score was 5.98 (5.62) and the baseline mean (SD) PTSD score was 16.40 (16.43). Adherence to the intervention was 70% for FQHCs and 32% for hospitals. The ITT analyses revealed no overall treatment effect for psychological distress score (0.238 [95% CI, -0.310 to 0.785] points) or PTSD symptom score (0.189 [95% CI, -1.068 to 1.446] points). Post hoc analyses examined the heterogeneity of treatment effect by age group with consistent age effects observed across primary outcomes (psychological distress and PTSD). Among HCWs in FQHCs, there were significant and clinically meaningful treatment effects for HCWs 30 years or younger: a more than 4-point reduction for psychological distress (-4.552 [95% CI, -8.067 to -1.037]) and a nearly 7-point reduction for PTSD symptom scores (-6.771 [95% CI, -13.224 to -0.318]). Conclusions and Relevance This trial found that this peer-to-peer support intervention did not improve well-being outcomes for HCWs overall but had a protective effect against general psychological distress and PTSD in HCWs aged 30 years or younger in FQHCs, which had higher intervention adherence. Incorporating this peer-to-peer support intervention into medical training, with ongoing support over time, may yield beneficial results in both standard care and during public health crises. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04723576.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lu Dong
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | | | | | | | | | - Tara Blagg
- RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California
| | | | - Lucy B. Schulson
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
- RAND Corporation, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | - Bing Han
- Department of Research & Evaluation, Southern California Kaiser Permanente, Pasadena
| | | | | | - Paula P. Schnurr
- National Center for PTSD, White River Junction, Vermont
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | | | | | | | - Jonathan N. Tobin
- Clinical Directors Network, New York, New York
- The Rockefeller University Center for Clinical and Translational Science, New York, New York
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Bouskill KE, Fitzke RE, Saba SK, Ring C, Davis JP, Lee DS, Pedersen ER. Stress and Coping among Post-9/11 Veterans During COVID-19: A Qualitative Exploration. Journal of Veterans Studies 2022. [DOI: 10.21061/jvs.v8i1.291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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Rutter CM, Knudsen AB, Lin JS, Bouskill KE. Black and White Differences in Colorectal Cancer Screening and Screening Outcomes: A Narrative Review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020; 30:3-12. [PMID: 33144285 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-19-1537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Racial disparities in colorectal cancer incidence are widely documented. There are two potential mechanisms for these disparities: differences in access to screening, including screening follow-up, and differences in underlying risk of colorectal cancer. We reviewed the literature for evidence of these two mechanisms. We show that higher colorectal cancer incidence in blacks relative to whites emerged only after the dissemination of screening and describe evidence of racial disparities in screening rates. In contrast to the strong evidence for differences in colorectal cancer screening utilization, there is limited evidence for racial differences in adenoma prevalence. In general, black and white patients who are screened have similar adenoma prevalence, though there is some evidence that advanced adenomas and adenomas in the proximal colon are somewhat more likely in black than white patients. We conclude that higher rates of colorectal cancer incidence among black patients are primarily driven by lower rates of colorectal cancer screening. Our findings highlight the need to increase black patients' access to quality screening to reduce colorectal cancer incidence and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy B Knudsen
- Institute for Technology Assessment, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer S Lin
- Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, Oregon
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Lori UP, Bouskill KE, Jessica S, Mimi S, Shira H F. Experiences of Medicaid Programs and Health Centers in Implementing Telehealth. Rand Health Q 2020; 8:RR-2564-ASPE. [PMID: 32582468 PMCID: PMC7302318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite telehealth's potential to improve access to care, it is underutilized by safety-net providers, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), due to a range of policy, organizational, and logistical barriers. Research that facilitates state-to-state learning can inform both Medicaid and Medicare policies going forward and provide lessons learned for FQHCs interested in starting or expanding telehealth programs. The authors conducted telephone discussions with representatives of seven state Medicaid programs and 19 urban and rural FQHCs to address how FQHCs in selected states are using telehealth, how the delivery of telehealth services is structured, barriers and facilitators of telehealth, and how Medicaid policy influences telehealth implementation. Live video telehealth, typically telebehavioral health, was the most prevalent type of telehealth among FQHCs in the sample. Stakeholders highlighted several weaknesses of Medicaid policies in one or more states, including general lack of clarity regarding which services were allowed by Medicaid programs, ambiguity around telepresenter requirements, lack of authorization for FQHCs to serve as distant sites in the federal Medicare program and in select state Medicaid programs, and insufficient reimbursement. FQHC stakeholders also identified multiple barriers to telehealth implementation beyond reimbursement. Nonetheless, FQHC stakeholders generally believed they could overcome these various barriers to telehealth implementation, if reimbursement and the risk of losing revenue in offering telehealth services were improved. While diversity of experiences makes it difficult to generalize about implementation of telehealth in the safety net, the authors identified several common themes and associated considerations for policymakers, payers, and FQHCs.
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Abstract
Vision loss from diabetic retinopathy should be unnecessary for patients with access to diabetic retinopathy screening, yet it still occurs at high rates and in varied contexts. Precisely because vision loss is only one of many late-stage complications of diabetes, interfering with the management of diabetes and making self-care more difficult, Vision Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy (VTDR) is considered a "high stakes" diagnosis. Our mixed-methods research addressed the contexts of care and treatment seeking in a sample of people with VTDR using safety-net clinic services and eye specialist referrals. We point to conceptual weaknesses in the single disease framework of health care by diagnosis, and we use the framework of "cascades" to clarify why and how certain non-clinical factors come to bear on long-term experiences of complex chronic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Smith-Morris
- Department of Anthropology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, United States
| | - George H Bresnick
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
| | - Jorge Cuadros
- School of Optometry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States
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