Ageism as a Source of Global Mental Health Inequity

Ageism manifests as stereotyping of or discrimination against people-usually older adults-because of their age. Since ageism contributes to global mental health inequity among older people, responding to their needs should be a clinical, ethical, and policy priority. This article suggests how relatively simple, low-cost, high-yield interventions can be implemented globally and domestically to improve the well-being and quality of life of older individuals.

International Survey of Antiseizure Medication Use in Patients with Complicated Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A New York Neurotrauma Consortium Study

BACKGROUND

Seizures and epilepsy after traumatic brain injury (TBI) negatively affect quality of life and longevity. Antiseizure medication (ASM) prophylaxis after severe TBI is associated with improved outcomes; these medications are rarely used in mild TBI. However, a paucity of research is available to inform ASM use in complicated mild TBI (cmTBI) and no empirically based clinical care guidelines for ASM use in cmTBI exist. We aim to identify seizure prevention and management strategies used by clinicians experienced in treating patients with cmTBI to characterize standard care and inform a systematic approach to clinical decision making regarding ASM prophylaxis.

METHODS

We recruited a multidisciplinary international cohort through professional organizational listservs and social media platforms. Our questionnaire assessed factors influencing ASM prophylaxis after cmTBI at the individual, institutional, and health system-wide levels.

RESULTS

Ninety-two providers with experience managing cmTBI completed the survey. We found a striking diversity of ASM use in cmTBI, with 30% of respondents reporting no/infrequent use and 42% reporting frequent use; these tendencies did not differ by provider or institutional characteristics. Certain conditions universally increased or decreased the likelihood of ASM use and represent consensus. Based on survey results, ASMs are commonly used in patients with cmTBI who experience acute secondary seizure or select positive neuroimaging findings; we advise caution in elderly patients and those with concomitant neuropsychiatric illness.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to characterize factors influencing clinical decision making in ASM prophylaxis after cmTBI based on multidisciplinary multicenter provider practices. Prospective controlled studies are necessary to inform standardized guideline development.

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Neurotrauma: Research Priorities in the New York Metropolitan Area through a Global Neurosurgery Paradigm

The New York Neurotrauma Consortium (NYNC) is a nascent multidisciplinary research and advocacy organization based in the New York Metropolitan Area (NYMA). It aims to advance health equity and optimize outcomes for traumatic brain and spine injury patients. Given the extensive racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the NYMA, global health frameworks aimed at eliminating disparities in neurotrauma may provide a relevant and useful model for the informing research agendas of consortia like the NYNC. In this review, we present a comparative analysis of key health disparities in traumatic brain injury (TBI) that persist in the NYMA as well as in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Examples include: (a) inequitable access to quality care due to fragmentation of healthcare systems, (b) barriers to effective prehospital care for TBI, and (c) socioeconomic challenges faced by patients and their families during the subacute and chronic post-injury phases of TBI care. This review presents strategies to address each area of health disparity based on previous studies conducted in both LMIC and high-income country (HIC) settings. Increased awareness of healthcare disparities, education of healthcare professionals, effective policy advocacy for systemic changes, and fostering racial diversity of the trauma care workforce can guide the development of trauma care systems in the NYMA that are free of racial and related healthcare disparities.