Mobile Health Apps, Family Caregivers, and Care Planning: Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

People living with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) face substantial challenges in planning and coordinating increasingly complex care. Family caregivers provide important assistance for people with MCCs but lack sufficient support. Caregiver apps have the potential to help by enhancing care coordination and planning among the health care team, including patients, caregivers, and clinicians.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to conduct a scoping review to assess the evidence on the development and use of caregiver apps that support care planning and coordination, as well as to identify key factors (ie, needs, barriers, and facilitators) related to their use and desired caregiver app functionalities.

METHODS

Papers intersecting 2 major domains, mobile health (mHealth) apps and caregivers, that were in English and published from 2015 to 2021 were included in the initial search from 6 databases and gray literature and ancestry searches. As per JBI (Joanna Briggs Institute) Scoping Review guidelines and PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews), 2 authors independently screened full texts with disagreements resolved by a third author. Working in pairs, the authors extracted data using a pilot-tested JBI extraction table and compared results for consensus.

RESULTS

We identified 34 papers representing 25 individual studies, including 18 (53%) pilot and feasibility studies, 13 (38%) qualitative studies, and 2 experimental or quasi-experimental studies. None of the identified studies assessed an intervention of a caregiver app for care planning and coordination for people with MCCs. We identified important caregiver needs in terms of information, support, and care coordination related to both caregiving and self-care. We compiled desired functionalities and features enabling apps to meet the care planning and care coordination needs of caregivers, in particular, the integration of caregiver roles into the electronic health record.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiver needs identified through this study can inform developers and researchers in the design and implementation of mHealth apps that integrate with the electronic health record to link caregivers, patients, and clinicians to support coordinated care for people with MCCs. In addition, this study highlights the need for more rigorous research on the use of mHealth apps to support caregivers in care planning and coordination.

A Pragmatic Approach to Identifying and Profiling Primary Care Clinicians and Primary Care Practices in the USA

BACKGROUND

There are no consistent data on US primary care clinicians and primary care practices owing to the lack of standard methods to identify them, hampering efforts in primary care improvement.

METHODS

We develop a pragmatic framework that identifies primary care clinicians and practices in the context of the US healthcare system, and applied the framework to the IQVIA OneKey Healthcare Professional database to identify and profile primary care clinicians and practices in the USA.

RESULTS

Our framework prescribes sequential steps to identify primary care clinicians by cross-examining clinician specialties and organizational affiliations, and then identify primary care practices based on organization types and presence of primary care clinicians. Applying this framework to the 2021 IQVIA data, we identified 365,751 physicians with a primary specialty in primary care, and after excluding those who further specialized (24%), served as hospitalists (5%), or worked in non-primary care settings (41%), we determined that 179,369 (49%) of them were actually practicing primary care. We identified 287,506 nurse practitioners and 134,083 physician assistants and determined that 88,574 (31%) and 29,781 (22%), respectively, were delivering primary care. We identified 94,489 primary care practices, and found that 45% of them were with one primary care physician, 15% had two physicians, 12% employed nurse practitioners or physician assistants only, and 19% employed both primary care physicians and specialists.

CONCLUSIONS

Our approach offers a pragmatic and consistent alternative to the diverse methods currently used to identify and profile primary care workforce and organizations in the USA.

Guiding Principles to Address the Impact of Algorithm Bias on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care

Importance

Health care algorithms are used for diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, risk stratification, and allocation of resources. Bias in the development and use of algorithms can lead to worse outcomes for racial and ethnic minoritized groups and other historically marginalized populations such as individuals with lower income.

Objective

To provide a conceptual framework and guiding principles for mitigating and preventing bias in health care algorithms to promote health and health care equity.

Evidence Review

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities convened a diverse panel of experts to review evidence, hear from stakeholders, and receive community feedback.

Findings

The panel developed a conceptual framework to apply guiding principles across an algorithm's life cycle, centering health and health care equity for patients and communities as the goal, within the wider context of structural racism and discrimination. Multiple stakeholders can mitigate and prevent bias at each phase of the algorithm life cycle, including problem formulation (phase 1); data selection, assessment, and management (phase 2); algorithm development, training, and validation (phase 3); deployment and integration of algorithms in intended settings (phase 4); and algorithm monitoring, maintenance, updating, or deimplementation (phase 5). Five principles should guide these efforts: (1) promote health and health care equity during all phases of the health care algorithm life cycle; (2) ensure health care algorithms and their use are transparent and explainable; (3) authentically engage patients and communities during all phases of the health care algorithm life cycle and earn trustworthiness; (4) explicitly identify health care algorithmic fairness issues and trade-offs; and (5) establish accountability for equity and fairness in outcomes from health care algorithms.

Conclusions and Relevance

Multiple stakeholders must partner to create systems, processes, regulations, incentives, standards, and policies to mitigate and prevent algorithmic bias. Reforms should implement guiding principles that support promotion of health and health care equity in all phases of the algorithm life cycle as well as transparency and explainability, authentic community engagement and ethical partnerships, explicit identification of fairness issues and trade-offs, and accountability for equity and fairness.

Commentary: Achieving Health Equity - The Role of Learning Health Systems

Achieving health equity, for decades a domain of high-performing health systems, has been elevated to a priority and recognized as a central objective of health system transformation and quality improvement efforts. By prioritizing health equity; developing, implementing and evaluating models of care that optimize individual and population health; developing strong partnerships with patients and communities; conducting research to generate evidence on the effectiveness of interventions across diverse populations; implementing strategies to integrate clinical care, public health and social care; and participating in multisector collaborations to address social needs, learning health systems can play a pivotal role in eliminating health inequities.

Promoting Equity In Clinical Decision Making: Dismantling Race-Based Medicine

As the use of artificial intelligence has spread rapidly throughout the US health care system, concerns have been raised about racial and ethnic biases built into the algorithms that often guide clinical decision making. Race-based medicine, which relies on algorithms that use race as a proxy for biological differences, has led to treatment patterns that are inappropriate, unjust, and harmful to minoritized racial and ethnic groups. These patterns have contributed to persistent disparities in health and health care. To reduce these disparities, we recommend a race-aware approach to clinical decision support that considers social and environmental factors such as structural racism and social determinants of health. Recent policy changes in medical specialty societies and innovations in algorithm development represent progress on the path to dismantling race-based medicine. Success will require continued commitment and sustained efforts among stakeholders in the health care, research, and technology sectors. Increasing the diversity of clinical trial populations, broadening the focus of precision medicine, improving education about the complex factors shaping health outcomes, and developing new guidelines and policies to enable culturally responsive care are important next steps.

Awareness of Racial and Ethnic Bias and Potential Solutions to Address Bias With Use of Health Care Algorithms

Importance

Algorithms are commonly incorporated into health care decision tools used by health systems and payers and thus affect quality of care, access, and health outcomes. Some algorithms include a patient's race or ethnicity among their inputs and can lead clinicians and decision-makers to make choices that vary by race and potentially affect inequities.

Objective

To inform an evidence review on the use of race- and ethnicity-based algorithms in health care by gathering public and stakeholder perspectives about the repercussions of and efforts to address algorithm-related bias.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Qualitative methods were used to analyze responses. Responses were initially open coded and then consolidated to create a codebook, with themes and subthemes identified and finalized by consensus. This qualitative study was conducted from May 4, 2021, through December 7, 2022. Forty-two organization representatives (eg, clinical professional societies, universities, government agencies, payers, and health technology organizations) and individuals responded to the request for information.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Identification of algorithms with the potential for race- and ethnicity-based biases and qualitative themes.

Results

Forty-two respondents identified 18 algorithms currently in use with the potential for bias, including, for example, the Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimation risk prediction tool and the risk calculator for vaginal birth after cesarean section. The 7 qualitative themes, with 31 subthemes, included the following: (1) algorithms are in widespread use and have significant repercussions, (2) bias can result from algorithms whether or not they explicitly include race, (3) clinicians and patients are often unaware of the use of algorithms and potential for bias, (4) race is a social construct used as a proxy for clinical variables, (5) there is a lack of standardization in how race and social determinants of health are collected and defined, (6) bias can be introduced at all stages of algorithm development, and (7) algorithms should be discussed as part of shared decision-making between the patient and clinician.

Conclusions and Relevance

This qualitative study found that participants perceived widespread and increasing use of algorithms in health care and lack of oversight, potentially exacerbating racial and ethnic inequities. Increasing awareness for clinicians and patients and standardized, transparent approaches for algorithm development and implementation may be needed to address racial and ethnic biases related to algorithms.

Primary Care's Challenges and Responses in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Insights From AHRQ's Learning Community

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically disrupted health care systems and delivery in the United States. Despite emotional, psychological, logistical, and financial stress, primary care clinicians responded to the challenges that COVID-19 presented and continued to provide essential health services to their communities. As the lead federal agency for primary care research, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) identified a need to engage and support primary care in responding to COVID-19. AHRQ initiated a learning community from December 2020-November 2021 to connect professionals and organizations that support primary care practices and clinicians. The learning community provided a forum for participants to share learning and peer support, better understand the stressors and challenges confronting practices, ascertain needs, and identify promising solutions in response to the pandemic. We identified challenges, responses, and innovations that emerged through learning community engagement, information sharing, and dialog. We categorized these across 5 domains that reflect core areas integral to primary care delivery: patient-centeredness, clinician and practice, systems and infrastructure, and community and public health; health equity was crosscutting across all domains. The engagement of the community to identify real-time response and innovation in the context of a global pandemic has provided valuable insights to inform future research and policy, improve primary care delivery, and ensure that the community is better prepared to respond and contribute to ongoing and future health challenges.

Association of Early Physician Follow-up With Readmission Among Patients Hospitalized for Acute Myocardial Infarction, Congestive Heart Failure, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

IMPORTANCE

A better understanding of the association between early physician follow-up after discharge and adverse outcomes among hospitalized patients may inform interventions aimed at reducing readmission for common chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether hospitalized patients with early physician follow-up after discharge had lower rates of overall and condition-specific readmissions within 30 days and 90 days of discharge.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study was conducted among Ontario, Canada, adults with first admission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during 2005 to 2019. The exposure was follow-up visit with a primary care physician or relevant specialist within 7 days of discharge. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare patients with vs without early follow-up, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities, weighting by propensity score-based overlap weights. Data were analyzed from January through July 2021.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Primary outcomes were 30-day and 90-day readmissions, cardiac readmissions (readmission for AMI, CHF, or angina) for patients with cardiac conditions, and COPD-related readmissions for patients with COPD. Mortality at 30 days and 90 days was a secondary outcome. All percentages reported in Results are unweighted.

RESULTS

The study cohort comprised 450 746 patients, including 198 854 patients with AMI, 133 058 patients with CHF, and 118 834 patients with COPD; the median (IQR) age was 66 (56-77) years for AMI, 78 (68-85) years for CHF, and 73 (64-81) years for COPD, and there were 64 339 (32.35%) women, 62 575 (47.03%) women, and 59 179 (49.80%) women, respectively. There were 91 182 patients (45.85%), 56 491 patients (42.46%), and 40 159 patients (33.79%), respectively, who received an early follow-up visit. Overall, patients with early follow-up had higher rates of collaborative care (eg, CHF: 20 931 patients [37.85%] vs 11 101 of 76 567 patients [14.85%]) and visits to a specialist within 30 days (eg, CHF: 25 797 patients [45.67%] vs 20 548 patients [26.84%]). Those with early follow-up had lower 90-day readmission rates among patients with CHF (15 934 patients [28.21%] vs 23 121 patients [30.20%]; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.98; 95% CI, 0.96-0.99) and among those with COPD (8784 patients [21.87%] vs 18 097 of 78 675 patients [23.00%]; aHR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98). Among patients with COPD, those with early follow-up had lower 90-day COPD-related readmission rates (4015 patients [10.00%] vs 8449 patients [10.74%]; aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.96), and among patients with CHF, those with early follow-up had lower 90-day mortality rates (4044 patients [7.16%] vs 6281 patients [8.20%]; aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.97). There were no significant benefits at 30 days or for patients with AMI.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that early follow-up in conjunction with a comprehensive transitional care strategy for hospitalized patients with medically complex conditions coupled with ongoing effective chronic disease management may be associated with reduced 90-day readmissions.

Assessing Progress Toward the Vision of a Comprehensive, Shared Electronic Care Plan: Scoping Review

Background

Care plans are central to effective care delivery for people with multiple chronic conditions. But existing care plans—which typically are difficult to share across care settings and care team members—poorly serve people with multiple chronic conditions, who often receive care from numerous clinicians in multiple care settings. Comprehensive, shared electronic care (e-care) plans are dynamic electronic tools that facilitate care coordination and address the totality of health and social needs across care contexts. They have emerged as a potential way to improve care for individuals with multiple chronic conditions.

Objective

To review the landscape of e-care plans and care plan–related initiatives that could allow the creation of a comprehensive, shared e-care plan and inform a joint initiative by the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to develop e-care planning tools for people with multiple chronic conditions.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review, searching literature from 2015 to June 2020 using Scopus, Clinical Key, and PubMed; we also searched the gray literature. To identify initiatives potentially missing from this search, we interviewed expert informants. Relevant data were then identified and extracted in a structured format for data synthesis and analysis using an expanded typology of care plans adapted to our study context. The extracted data included (1) the perspective of the initiatives; (2) their scope, (3) network, and (4) context; (5) their use of open syntax standards; and (6) their use of open semantic standards.

Results

We identified 7 projects for e-care plans and 3 projects for health care data standards. Each project provided critical infrastructure that could be leveraged to promote the vision of a comprehensive, shared e-care plan. All the e-care plan projects supported both broad goals and specific behaviors; 1 project supported a network of professionals across clinical, community, and home-based networks; 4 projects included social determinants of health. Most projects specified an open syntax standard, but only 3 specified open semantic standards.

Conclusions

A comprehensive, shared, interoperable e-care plan has the potential to greatly improve the coordination of care for individuals with multiple chronic conditions across multiple care settings. The need for such a plan is heightened in the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While none of the existing care plan projects meet all the criteria for an optimal e-care plan, they all provide critical infrastructure that can be leveraged as we advance toward the vision of a comprehensive, shared e-care plan. However, critical gaps must be addressed in order to achieve this vision.

Realizing the Dream: The Future of Primary Care Research

Primary care research is central to the successful transformation of care delivery, providing the crucial evidence to overcome the longstanding and widespread threats and challenges to the realization of primary care's full potential. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), as the federal agency specifically charged with conducting and supporting primary care research, plays a pivotal role in supporting the research and generating the evidence needed to advance primary care. Drawing upon decades of AHRQ-supported research studies, extensive stakeholder consultation, and a Primary Care Research Summit held in fall 2020, we discuss the primary care research central to successful primary care transformation and for realizing the vision of a high-performing US health system to effectively serve all Americans and their communities while advancing health equity.Realizing the potential of primary care will require wise investments in primary care research. Newly generated evidence needs to be rapidly incorporated into the design of the delivery system, clinical care, and community interventions. Investments in evidence-informed primary care redesign can catalyze progress to achieving the quintuple aim-improved health outcomes, increased value, better patient and clinician experience, and health equity. Primary care research can provide the evidence to help stem the twin epidemics of clinician burnout and lack of trust in the health system. Actualizing this vision will require a concerted and coordinated effort by policy makers, researchers, clinicians, and community members and a commitment to ensuring people and communities have ready access to primary care.Appeared as Annals "Online First" article.

Health information technology to improve care for people with multiple chronic conditions

OBJECTIVE

To review evidence regarding the use of Health Information Technology (health IT) interventions aimed at improving care for people living with multiple chronic conditions (PLWMCC) in order to identify critical knowledge gaps.

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Compendex, and IEEE Xplore databases for studies published in English between 2010 and 2020.

STUDY DESIGN

We identified studies of health IT interventions for PLWMCC across three domains as follows: self-management support, care coordination, and algorithms to support clinical decision making.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Structured search queries were created and validated. Abstracts were reviewed iteratively to refine inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search was supplemented by manually searching the bibliographic sections of the included studies. The search included a forward citation search of studies nested within a clinical trial to identify the clinical trial protocol and published clinical trial results. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The search yielded 1907 articles; 44 were included. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 35 other studies including quasi-experimental, usability, feasibility, qualitative studies, or development/validation studies of analytic models were included. Five RCTs had positive results, and the remaining four RCTs showed that the interventions had no effect. The studies address individual patient engagement and assess patient-centered outcomes such as quality of life. Few RCTs assess outcomes such as disability and none assess mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a growing body of literature on health IT interventions or multicomponent interventions including a health IT component for chronic disease management, current evidence for applying health IT solutions to improve care for PLWMCC is limited. The body of literature included in this review provides critical information on the state of the science as well as the many gaps that need to be filled for digital health to fulfill its promise in supporting care delivery that meets the needs of PLWMCC.

Measuring Multimorbidity: Selecting the Right Instrument for the Purpose and the Data Source

BACKGROUND

Adults have a higher prevalence of multimorbidity-or having multiple chronic health conditions-than having a single condition in isolation. Researchers, health care providers, and health policymakers find it challenging to decide upon the most appropriate assessment tool from the many available multimorbidity measures.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe a broad range of instruments and data sources available to assess multimorbidity and offer guidance about selecting appropriate measures.

DESIGN

Instruments were reviewed and guidance developed during a special expert workshop sponsored by the National Institutes of Health on September 25-26, 2018.

RESULTS

Workshop participants identified 4 common purposes for multimorbidity measurement as well as the advantages and disadvantages of 5 major data sources: medical records/clinical assessments, administrative claims, public health surveys, patient reports, and electronic health records. Participants surveyed 15 instruments and 2 public health data systems and described characteristics of the measures, validity, and other features that inform tool selection. Guidance on instrument selection includes recommendations to match the purpose of multimorbidity measurement to the measurement approach and instrument, review available data sources, and consider contextual and other related constructs to enhance the overall measurement of multimorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

The accuracy of multimorbidity measurement can be enhanced with appropriate measurement selection, combining data sources and special considerations for fully capturing multimorbidity burden in underrepresented racial/ethnic populations, children, individuals with multiple Adverse Childhood Events and older adults experiencing functional limitations, and other geriatric syndromes. The increased availability of comprehensive electronic health record systems offers new opportunities not available through other data sources.

Gender-Based Differences in Outcomes Among Resuscitated Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

BACKGROUND

Studies examining gender-based differences in outcomes of patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have demonstrated that, despite a higher likelihood of return of spontaneous circulation, women do not have higher survival.

METHODS

Patients successfully resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest enrolled in the CCC trial (Trial of Continuous or Interrupted Chest Compressions during CPR) were included. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between gender and survival after adjustment for age, gender, cardiac arrest rhythm, witnessed status, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, episode location, epinephrine dose, emergency medical services response time, and duration of resuscitation. Do not resuscitate (DNR) and withdrawal of life-sustaining therapy (WLST) order status were used to assess whether differences in postresuscitation outcomes were modified by baseline prognosis. The analysis was replicated among ALPS trial (Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest) participants.

RESULTS

Among 4875 successfully resuscitated patients, 1825 (37.4%) were women and 3050 (62.6%) were men. Women were older (67.5 versus 65.3 years), received less bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (49.1% versus 54.9%), and had a lower proportion of cardiac arrests that were witnessed (55.1% versus 64.5%) or had shockable rhythm (24.3% versus 44.6%, P<0.001 for all). A significantly higher proportion of women received DNR orders (35.7% versus 32.1%, P=0.009) and had WLST (32.8% versus 29.8%, P=0.03). Discharge survival was significantly lower in women (22.5% versus 36.3%, P<0.001; adjusted odds ratio, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.66-0.93]; P=0.005). The association between gender and survival to discharge was modified by DNR and WLST order status such that women had significantly reduced survival to discharge among patients who were not designated DNR (31.3% versus 49.9%, P=0.005; adjusted odds ratio, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.60-0.91]) or did not have WLST (32.3% versus 50.7%, P=0.002; adjusted odds ratio, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.60-0.89]). In contrast, no gender difference in survival was noted among patients receiving a DNR order (6.7% versus 7.4%, P=0.90) or had WLST (2.8% versus 2.4%, P=0.93). Consistent patterns of association between gender and postresuscitation outcomes were observed in the secondary cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients resuscitated after experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, discharge survival was significantly lower in women than in men, especially among patients considered to have a favorable prognosis.

Generalized shared decision making approaches and patient problems. Adapting AHRQ's SHARE Approach for Purposeful SDM

OBJECTIVE

Generalized shared decision making (SDM) describes the involvement of patients in choosing options. However, there are many situations in which patients and clinicians make decisions together that don't focus on choosing between options, e.g. problem-solving dialysis and insulin use while traveling. Poor uptake associated with clinicians' perception that SDM doesn't apply to clinical situations they face may reflect the lack of adaptation of generalized SDM approaches to patients' problems. The Purposeful SDM schema published in 2019 identifies problems for which different kinds of SDM are appropriate.

METHODS

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality developed SHARE as a generalized SDM approach. We sought to adapt SHARE to the different problems that patients face using a matrix to relate SHARE steps and Purposeful SDM modes and describe changes in generalized concepts and practices of SDM across these modes.

RESULTS

Many SHARE communicative behaviors applied across modes, although the meaning of SDM terms and practices, e.g. patients involved as problem solvers versus experts, varied substantially.

CONCLUSION

Aspects of SHARE require adaptation to different patient problems.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

SDM in education, practice, and tools may be supported by adapting generalized SDM approaches to patients' problems.

Universal Drug Coverage and Socioeconomic Disparities in Health Care Costs Among Persons With Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) is a predictor of non-drug-related health care costs among Canadian adults with diabetes and, if so, whether SES disparities in costs are reduced after age 65 years, when universal drug coverage commences as an insurable benefit.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Administrative health databases were used to examine publicly funded health care expenditures among 698,113 younger (20-64 years) and older (≥65 years) adults with diabetes in Ontario from April 2004 to March 2014. Generalized linear models were constructed to examine relative and absolute differences in health care costs (total and non-drug-related costs) across neighborhood SES quintiles, by age, with adjustment for differences in age, sex, diabetes duration, and comorbidity.

RESULTS

Unadjusted costs per person-year in the lowest SES quintile (Q1) versus the highest (Q5) were 39% higher among younger adults ($5,954 vs. $4,270 [Canadian dollars]) but only 9% higher among older adults ($10,917 vs. $9,993). Adjusted non-drug costs (primarily for hospitalizations and physician visits) were $1,569 per person-year higher among younger adults in Q1 vs. Q5 (modeled relative cost difference: 35.7% higher) and $139.3 million per year among all individuals in Q1. Scenarios in which these excess costs per person-year were decreased by ≥10% or matched the relative difference among seniors suggested a potential for savings in the range of $26.0-$128.2 million per year among all lower-SES adults under age 65 years (Q1-Q4).

CONCLUSIONS

SES is a predictor of diabetes-related health care costs in our setting, more so among adults under age 65 years, a group that lacks universal drug coverage under Ontario's health care system. Non-drug-related health care costs were more than one-third higher in younger, lower-SES adults, translating to >$1 billion more in health care expenditures over 10 years.

Neighborhood walkability and pre-diabetes incidence in a multiethnic population

INTRODUCTION

We examined whether adults living in highly walkable areas are less likely to develop pre-diabetes and if so, whether this association is consistent according to immigration status and ethnicity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Population-level health, immigration, and administrative databases were used to identify adults aged 20-64 (n=1 128 181) who had normoglycemia between January 2011 and December 2011 and lived in one of 15 cities in Southern Ontario, Canada. Individuals were assigned to one of ten deciles (D) of neighborhood walkability (from lowest (D1) to highest (D10)) and followed until December 2013 for the development of pre-diabetes.

RESULTS

Overall, 220 225 individuals in our sample developed pre-diabetes during a median follow-up of 8.4 years. Pre-diabetes incidence was 20% higher among immigrants living in the least (D1) (adjusted HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.25, p<0.0001) versus most (D10, referent) walkable neighborhoods after accounting for age, sex, and area income. Findings were similar among long-term residents and across sexes. However, susceptibility to walkability varied by ethnicity where D1 versus D10 adjusted HRs ranged from 1.17 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.35, p=0.03) among West Asian and Arab immigrants to 1.32 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.47, p<0.0001) in Southeast Asians. Ethnic variation in pre-diabetes incidence was more marked in low walkability settings. Relative to Western Europeans, the adjusted HR for pre-diabetes incidence was 2.11 (95% CI 1.81 to 2.46, p<0.0001) and 1.50 (95% CI 1.27 to 1.77, p<0.0001) among Sub-Saharan African and the Carribean and Latin American immigrants, respectively, living in the least walkable (D1) neighborhoods, but only 1.24 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.42, p=0.002) and 1.00 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.15, p=0.99) for these same groups living in the most walkable (D10) neighborhoods.

CONCLUSIONS

Pre-diabetes incidence was reduced in highly walkable areas for most groups living in Southern Ontario cities. These findings suggest a potential role for walkable urban design in diabetes prevention.

Ethnic variation in the conversion of prediabetes to diabetes among immigrant populations relative to Canadian-born residents: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare absolute and relative rates of conversion from prediabetes to diabetes among non-European immigrants to Europeans and Canadian-born residents, overall, and by age and level of glycemia.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort population-based study using administrative health databases from Ontario, Canada, to identify immigrants (n=23 465) and Canadian born (n=1 11 085) aged ≥20 years with prediabetes based on laboratory tests conducted between 2002 and 2011. Individuals were followed until 31 December 2013 for the development of diabetes using a validated algorithm. Immigration data was used to assign ethnicity based on country of origin, mother tongue, and surname. Fine and Gray's survival models were used to compare diabetes incidence across ethnic groups overall and by age and glucose category.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 8186 immigrants and 39 722 Canadian-born residents developed diabetes (7.1 vs 6.1 per 100 person-years, respectively). High-risk immigrant populations such as South Asians (HR: 1.72, 95% CI 1.55 to 1.99) and Southeast Asians (HR: 1.65, 95% CI 1.46 to 1.86) had highest risk of converting to diabetes compared with Western Europeans (referent). Among immigrants aged 20-34 years, the adjusted cumulative incidence ranged from 18.4% among Eastern Europeans to 52.3% among Southeast Asians. Conversion rates increased with age in all groups but were consistently high among South Asians, Southeast Asians and Sub-Saharan African/Caribbeans after the age of 35 years. On average, South Asians converted to diabetes 3.1-4.6 years earlier than Western Europeans and at an equivalent rate of conversion to Western Europeans who had a 0.5 mmol/L higher baseline fasting glucose value.

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk ethnic groups converted to diabetes more rapidly, at younger ages, and at lower fasting glucose values than European populations, leading to a shorter window for diabetes prevention.

Ethnic differences in prediabetes incidence among immigrants to Canada: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Prediabetes appears to be increasing worldwide. This study examined the incidence of prediabetes among immigrants to Canada of different ethnic origins and the age at which ethnic differences emerged.

METHODS

We assembled a cohort of Ontario adults (≥ 20 years) with normoglycemia based on glucose testing performed between 2002 and 2011 through a single commercial laboratory database (N = 1,772,180). Immigration data were used to assign ethnicity based on country of origin, mother tongue, and surname. Individuals were followed until December 2013 for the development of prediabetes, defined using either the World Health Organization/Diabetes Canada (WHO/DC) or American Diabetes Association (ADA) thresholds. Multivariate competing risk regression models were derived to examine the effect of ethnicity and immigration status on prediabetes incidence.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 8.0 years, 337,608 individuals developed prediabetes. Using definitions based on WHO/DC, the adjusted cumulative incidence of prediabetes was 40% (HR 1.40, CI 1.38-1.41) higher for immigrants relative to long-term Canadian residents (21.2% vs 16.0%, p < 0.001) and nearly twofold higher among South Asian than Western European immigrants (23.6%; HR 1.95, CI1.87-2.03 vs 13.1%; referent). Cumulative incidence rates based on ADA thresholds were considerably higher (47.1% and 32.3% among South Asians and Western Europeans, respectively). Ethnic differences emerged at young ages. South Asians aged 20-34 years had a similar prediabetes incidence as Europeans who were 15 years older (35-49 years), regardless of which prediabetes definition was used (WHO/DC 14.4% vs 15.7%; ADA 38.0% vs 33.0%).

CONCLUSION

Prediabetes incidence was substantially higher among non-European immigrants to Canada, highlighting the need for early prevention strategies in these populations.

Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease and Mortality After Dialysis in Adults With Diabetes

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether low socioeconomic status (SES), with or without universal drug coverage, predicts end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and survival after dialysis in patients with diabetes.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada. We used ≥65 years of age as a surrogate for universal drug coverage. Adults with diabetes were followed from March 31, 1997 to March 31, 2011 for occurrence of the composite primary outcome (acute kidney injury, ESRD requiring dialysis or kidney transplantation). Patients on dialysis with diabetes were followed from April 1, 1994 to March 31, 2011 for occurrence of death or transplantation.

RESULTS

SES quintile (Q) was inversely associated with the primary outcome in both age groups; however, the gradient was higher in those <65 years of age (Q1:Q5 hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37-1.49) compared with ≥65 years of age (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.15-1.24). Low SES was associated with a lower likelihood of kidney transplantation among those <65 years of age (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65-0.92). In patients on dialysis, low SES was associated with higher mortality (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.02-1.16) in both age groups. This association was eliminated after accounting for the decreased rates of kidney transplantation in lower SES groups.

CONCLUSIONS

SES is inversely associated with ESRD outcomes in individuals with diabetes, and this disparity is reduced in those ≥65 years of age who universally receive prescription drug coverage. Low SES is associated with a higher mortality after dialysis, largely explained by lower kidney transplantation rates in poorer populations.

Few Americans Receive All High-Priority, Appropriate Clinical Preventive Services

As of 2015, only 8 percent of US adults ages thirty-five and older had received all of the high-priority, appropriate clinical preventive services recommended for them. Nearly 5 percent of adults did not receive any such services. Further delivery system-level efforts are needed to increase the use of preventive services.

The Care and Learn Model: a Practice and Research Model for Improving Healthcare Quality and Outcomes

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality conducted internal work to formulate a model that could be used to analyze the Agency's research portfolio, identify gaps, develop and prioritize its research agenda, and evaluate its performance. Existing models described the structure and components of the healthcare system. Instead, we produced a model of two functions: caring and learning. Central to this model is the commitment to and participation of people-patients, communities, and health professionals-and the organization of systems to respond to people's problems using evidence. As a product of caring, the system produces evidence that is then used to adapt and continuously improve this response, closely integrating caring and learning. The Agency and the health services research and improvement communities can use this Care and Learn Model to frame an evidence-based understanding of vexing clinical, healthcare delivery, and population health problems and to identify targets for investment, innovation, and investigation.

Key factors to consider when measuring multimorbidity: Results from an expert panel and online survey

Background:

There are multiple multimorbidity measures but little consensus on which measures are most appropriate for different circumstances.

Objective:

To share insights gained from discussions with experts in the fields of ageing research and multimorbidity on key factors to consider when measuring multimorbidity.

Design:

Descriptive study of expert opinions on multimorbidity measures, informed by literature to identify available measures followed by a face-to-face meeting and an online survey.

Results:

The expert group included clinicians, researchers and policymakers in Canada with expertise in the fields of multimorbidity and ageing. Of the 30 experts invited, 15 (50%) attended the in-person meeting and 14 (47%) responded to the subsequent online survey. Experts agreed that there is no single multimorbidity measure that is suitable for all research studies. They cited a number of factors that need to be considered in selecting a measure for use in a research study including: (1) fit with the study purpose; (2) the conditions included in multimorbidity measures; (3) the role of episodic conditions or diseases; and (4) the role of social factors and other concepts missing in existing approaches.

Conclusions:

The suitability of existing multimorbidity measures for use in a specific research study depends on factors such as the purpose of the study, outcomes examined and preferences of the involved stakeholders. The results of this study suggest that there are areas that require further building out in both the conceptualization and measurement of multimorbidity for the benefit of future clinical, research and policy decisions.

Estimated Impact of US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on Use and Cost of Statins for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

BACKGROUND

US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released new recommendations on statin use for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) prevention. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandates USPSTF recommendations with an "A" or "B" grade receive insurance coverage without copayment. We assessed the potential impact of these recommendations.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the US population meeting criteria for statin use and factors associated with use, and calculate associated costs.

DESIGN AND MEASURES

We estimated 10-year ASCVD event risk scores from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data using Pooled Cohort Equations from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and applied them to Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data. We estimated the population meeting USPSTF criteria and calculated the number of statin prescription fills and out-of-pocket and total costs. We assessed associations between statin use and sociodemographic and health characteristics and national trends in use from 1996 to 2014.

PARTICIPANTS

A nationally representative sample of people aged ≥ 40 years, representing 150 million people living in the USA.

KEY RESULTS

Of 26.8 million adults recommended for statins, only 41.8% were taking them. Female sex, Hispanic ethnicity, uninsured status, or living in the South was associated with lower odds of using statins. Under ACA, people with private insurance would avoid out-of-pocket cost of $9 for each generic prescription, resulting in savings of approximately $44 in annual costs. ACA's mandate for insurance coverage would result in a $193 million shift in out-of-pocket cost for statins from patients to private insurers.

CONCLUSIONS

New USPSTF recommendations may result in decreased out-of-pocket costs and expanded access to statins. Previous research has shown that eliminating copayments increased adherence and decreased rates of ASCVD events without increasing overall healthcare costs. Future research will determine whether the USPSTF's recommendations will result in similar findings.

Association between quality domains and health care spending across physician networks

One of the more fundamental health policy questions is the relationship between health care quality and spending. A better understanding of these relationships is needed to inform health systems interventions aimed at increasing quality and efficiency of care. We measured 65 validated quality indicators (QI) across Ontario physician networks. QIs were aggregated into domains representing six dimensions of care: screening and prevention, evidence-based medications, hospital-community transitions (7-day post-discharge visit with a primary care physician; 30-day post-discharge visit with a primary care physician and specialist), potentially avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits, potentially avoidable readmissions and unplanned returns to the ED, and poor cancer end of life care. Each domain rate was computed as a weighted average of QI rates, weighting by network population at risk. We also measured overall and sector-specific per capita healthcare network spending. We evaluated the associations between domain rates, and between domain rates and spending using weighted correlations, weighting by network population at risk, using an ecological design. All indicators were measured using Ontario health administrative databases. Large variations were seen in timely hospital-community transitions and potentially avoidable hospitalizations. Networks with timely hospital-community transitions had lower rates of avoidable admissions and readmissions (r = -0.89, -0.58, respectively). Higher physician spending, especially outpatient primary care spending, was associated with lower rates of avoidable hospitalizations (r = -0.83) and higher rates of timely hospital-community transitions (r = 0.81) and moderately associated with lower readmission rates (r = -0.46). Investment in effective primary care services may help reduce burden on the acute care sector and associated expenditures.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Priorities for Prevention Research

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) makes recommendations about clinical preventive services. The USPSTF examines chains of direct and indirect evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of a clinical preventive service. Missing links across the chains of evidence reflect gaps in the research. Evidence gaps can occur for preventive services that receive a letter grade recommendation and those that receive an I statement (insufficient evidence). This article describes the types of evidence gaps that the USPSTF encounters across its various recommendations and how the USPSTF identifies and communicates these gaps to researchers and policymakers, who can help generate the needed evidence. Common types of evidence gaps include limited evidence in primary care settings and populations, a lack of appropriate health outcomes, limited evidence linking behavior change to health outcomes, and a lack of evidence for effective preventive services in diverse populations. The USPSTF annual report to Congress focuses on the evidence gaps of new recommendations from the past year and is sent to leading research funding agencies. The Office of Disease Prevention at NIH uses this report to help direct future funding opportunities that may address these evidence gaps. The USPSTF plays a critical role in highlighting the information needed to advance the science to optimize the use of clinical preventive services in primary care.

Cross-cultural survey development: The Colon Cancer Screening Behaviors Survey for South Asian populations

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this work was to develop a survey that considered cultural relevance and diversity of South Asian populations, with the aim of describing or predicting factors that influence colorectal cancer screening intention and adherence. The scientifically rigorous approach for survey development informed the final phase of an exploratory mixed method study. This initial survey was later cross-culturally translated and adapted into the Urdu language, and thereafter, items were cognitively tested for conceptual relevance among South Asian immigrants.

RESULTS

The initial development of the Colon Cancer Screening Behaviours Survey for South Asian populations was completed using a number of steps. Development involved: the identification of key concepts and conceptual model; literature search for candidate measures and critical appraisal; and, expert consultation to select relevant measures. Five published surveys included measures that covered concepts relevant to South Asians and colorectal cancer screening behaviours. However, measures from these surveys missed content that emerged through parallel field work with South Asians, and additions were required along with item modifications. In the final stage, cross-cultural translation and adaptation into Urdu, and cognitive testing were completed. Future research will require an examination of proposed relationships, and psychometric testing of measures in the survey.

Cognitive testing of the Colon Cancer Screening Behaviours Survey with South Asian immigrants in Canada

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Electronic supplementary material

Social and Geographic Determinants of Hysterectomy in Ontario: A Population-Based Retrospective Cross-Sectional Analysis

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to determine whether social factors (neighbourhood education and income) and geographic factors (urban or rural dwelling and local service area) are associated with hysterectomy rates, proportion of hysterectomies performed minimally invasively, and hysterectomy complication and readmission rates in Ontario.

METHODS

The Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database was used to perform a population-based retrospective cross-sectional study on women who had an abdominal, vaginal, and laparoscopic hysterectomy in 2007 for benign gynaecologic conditions in hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Crude and age-standardized rates of hysterectomy, proportion of hysterectomy performed minimally invasively (vaginal or laparoscopic), and rates of surgical complications were analyzed by neighbourhood educational attainment, neighbourhood income, rural or urban residency, and health service delivery area (Canadian Task Force Classification of Study Design II).

RESULTS

A total of 13 511 women who underwent hysterectomy were included. Age-standardized hysterectomy rates were higher for the lowest neighbourhood educational quartile compared with the highest (relative risk [RR] 1.49; 95% CI 1.39-1.60), higher with rural compared with urban dwelling (RR 1.54; 95% CI 1.47-1.61), varied with local health service delivery area (Local Health Integration Network [LHIN]) (range 133.4-439.5 per 100 000 women), and also varied non-linearly with neighbourhood income quintile. Proportion of hysterectomies performed minimally invasively did not vary with neighbourhood education or income, were higher for rural compared with urban areas (RR 1.10; 95% CI 1.03-1.19), and varied with LHIN (range 30.0-62.9 per 100 hysterectomies). Surgical complications varied with neighbourhood educational quartile, but not with income or urban or rural residence.

CONCLUSIONS

Considerable social and geographic variation exists in rates of hysterectomy in Ontario, whereas only geographic variation is seen in use of minimally invasive routes. Surgical complication rates vary only by neighbourhood education. Such findings suggest inequities in hysterectomy practice in Ontario, and there is a need to evaluate factors influencing patients' decision making, physicians' clinical and surgical practice, and health system policies to help address the observed disparities.

Osteoarthritis-related difficulty walking and risk for diabetes complications

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effect of Osteoarthritis (OA)-related difficulty walking on risk for diabetes complications in persons with diabetes and OA.

DESIGN

A population cohort aged 55+ years with symptomatic hip and knee OA was recruited 1996-98 and followed through provincial administrative data to 2015 (n = 2,225). In those with confirmed OA (examination and radiographs) and self-reported diabetes at baseline (n = 359), multivariate Cox regression modeling was used to examine the relationship between baseline difficulty walking (Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) difficulty walking score; use of walking aid) and time to first diabetes-specific complication (hospitalization for hypo- or hyperglycemia, infection, amputation, retinopathy, or initiation of chronic renal dialysis) and cardiovascular (CV) events.

RESULTS

Participants' mean baseline age was 71.4 years; 66.9% were female, 77.7% had hypertension, 54.0% had pre-existing CV disease, 42.9% were obese and 15.3% were smokers. Median HAQ difficulty walking score was 2/3 indicating moderate to severe walking disability; 54.9% used a walking aid. Over a median 6.1 years, 184 (51.3%) experienced one or more diabetes-specific complications; 191 (53.2%) experienced a CV event over a median 5.7 years. Greater baseline difficulty walking was associated with shorter time to the first diabetes-specific complication (adjusted HR per unit increase in HAQ walking 1.24, 95% CI 1.04-1.47, P = 0.02) and CV event (adjusted HR for those using a walking aid 1.35, 95% CI 1.00-1.83, P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

In a population cohort with OA and diabetes, OA-related difficulty walking was a significant - and potentially modifiable - risk factor for diabetes complications.

Improving Heart Failure Outcomes in Ambulatory and Community Care: A Scoping Study

Despite a large body of literature testing interventions to improve heart failure care, care is often suboptimal. This scoping study assesses organizational interventions to improve heart failure outcomes in ambulatory settings. Fifty-two studies and systematic reviews assessing multicomponent, self-management support, and eHealth interventions were included. Studies dating from the 1990s demonstrated that multicomponent interventions could reduce hospitalizations, readmissions, mortality, and costs and improve quality of life. Self-management support appeared more effective when included in multicomponent interventions. The independent contribution of eHealth interventions remains unclear. No studies addressed management of comorbidities, geriatric syndromes, frailty, or end of life care. Few studies addressed risk stratification or vulnerable populations. Limited reporting about intervention components, implementation methods, and fidelity presents challenges in adapting this literature to scale interventions. The use of standardized reporting guidelines and study designs that produce more contextual evidence would better enable application of this work in health system redesign.

Cancer screening behaviours among South Asian immigrants in the UK, US and Canada: a scoping study

South Asian (SA) immigrants settled in the United Kingdom (UK) and North America [United States (US) and Canada] have low screening rates for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers. Incidence rates of these cancers increase among SA immigrants after migration, becoming similar to rates in non-Asian native populations. However, there are disparities in cancer screening, with low cancer screening uptake in this population. We conducted a scoping study using Arksey & O'Malley's framework to examine cancer screening literature on SA immigrants residing in the UK, US and Canada. Eight electronic databases, key journals and reference lists were searched for English language studies and reports. Of 1465 identified references, 70 studies from 1994 to November 2014 were included: 63% on breast or cervical cancer screening or both; 10% examined colorectal cancer screening only; 16% explored health promotion/service provision; 8% studied breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening; and 3% examined breast and colorectal cancer screening. A thematic analysis uncovered four dominant themes: (i) beliefs and attitudes towards cancer and screening included centrality of family, holistic healthcare, fatalism, screening as unnecessary and emotion-laden perceptions; (ii) lack of knowledge of cancer and screening related to not having heard about cancer and its causes, or lack of awareness of screening, its rationale and/or how to access services; (iii) barriers to access including individual and structural barriers; and (iv) gender differences in screening uptake and their associated factors. Findings offer insights that can be used to develop culturally sensitive interventions to minimise barriers and increase cancer screening uptake in these communities, while recognising the diversity within the SA culture. Further research is required to address the gap in colorectal cancer screening literature to more fully understand SA immigrants' perspectives, as well as research to better understand gender-specific factors that influence screening uptake.

Improving Patient Experience and Primary Care Quality for Patients With Complex Chronic Disease Using the Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes Tool: Adopting Qualitative Methods Into a User-Centered Design Approach

BACKGROUND

Many mHealth technologies do not meet the needs of patients with complex chronic disease and disabilities (CCDDs) who are among the highest users of health systems worldwide. Furthermore, many of the development methodologies used in the creation of mHealth and eHealth technologies lack the ability to embrace users with CCDD in the specification process. This paper describes how we adopted and modified development techniques to create the electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes (ePRO) tool, a patient-centered mHealth solution to help improve primary health care for patients experiencing CCDD.

OBJECTIVE

This paper describes the design and development approach, specifically the process of incorporating qualitative research methods into user-centered design approaches to create the ePRO tool. Key lessons learned are offered as a guide for other eHealth and mHealth research and technology developers working with complex patient populations and their primary health care providers.

METHODS

Guided by user-centered design principles, interpretive descriptive qualitative research methods were adopted to capture user experiences through interviews and working groups. Consistent with interpretive descriptive methods, an iterative analysis technique was used to generate findings, which were then organized in relation to the tool design and function to help systematically inform modifications to the tool. User feedback captured and analyzed through this method was used to challenge the design and inform the iterative development of the tool.

RESULTS

Interviews with primary health care providers (n=7) and content experts (n=6), and four focus groups with patients and carers (n=14) along with a PICK analysis-Possible, Implementable, (to be) Challenged, (to be) Killed-guided development of the first prototype. The initial prototype was presented in three design working groups with patients/carers (n=5), providers (n=6), and experts (n=5). Working group findings were broken down into categories of what works and what does not work to inform modifications to the prototype. This latter phase led to a major shift in the purpose and design of the prototype, validating the importance of using iterative codesign processes.

CONCLUSIONS

Interpretive descriptive methods allow for an understanding of user experiences of patients with CCDD, their carers, and primary care providers. Qualitative methods help to capture and interpret user needs, and identify contextual barriers and enablers to tool adoption, informing a redesign to better suit the needs of this diverse user group. This study illustrates the value of adopting interpretive descriptive methods into user-centered mHealth tool design and can also serve to inform the design of other eHealth technologies. Our approach is particularly useful in requirements determination when developing for a complex user group and their health care providers.

Unintentional Continuation of Medications Intended for Acute Illness After Hospital Discharge: A Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Patients are vulnerable to medication-related errors during transitions in care. Patients discharged from acute care hospitals may be at an elevated risk for the unintentional continuation of medications prescribed to prevent or treat complications that are associated with acute illness but are no longer indicated. We sought to evaluate rates of (primary objective) and risk factors for (secondary objective) potentially unintentional medication continuation following hospitalization.

METHODS

A population-based cohort study of more than one million patients 66 years of age or older who were hospitalized in Ontario, Canada, between 2003 and 2011 and followed for 1 year (2004 to 2012). We created distinct cohorts by identifying seniors not previously receiving four classes of medications typically used to treat or prevent complications of acute illness: (1) antipsychotic medications, (2) gastric acid suppressants (histamine-2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors), (3) benzodiazepines, and (4) inhaled bronchodilators and steroids. After excluding documented indications, we followed patients to ascertain whether these medications were continued after hospital discharge, and assessed risk factors for their continuation using generalized estimating equations. The primary outcome was the new dispensation of any of the selected medications within 7 days of hospital discharge.

RESULTS

Prescription without documented indication occurred across all medication classes, from 12,209 patients (1.4 %) for antipsychotic medications to 34,140 patients (6.1 %) for gastric acid suppressants. Risk factors for unintentional continuation varied across medication groups, but rates were consistently higher for older patients, those with multiple comorbidities, and emergency hospitalizations. The largest absolute risk factor across all medications was a hospitalization > 7 days [OR 2.03 (95 % CI 1.94-2.11) for respiratory inhalers, 6.35 (95 % CI 5.91-6.82) for antipsychotic medications]. These medications were often continued at 1 year of follow-up, and accounted for a total additional medication cost of over CAD$18 million for the study population.

CONCLUSION

Discharged patients are at risk of being prescribed and dispensed medications that are typically intended to prevent or treat complications of acute illness, despite having no documented indication for chronic use.

Using decision trees for measuring gender equity in the timing of angiography in patients with acute coronary syndrome: a novel approach to equity analysis

BACKGROUND

Methods to measure or quantify equity in health care remain scarce, if not difficult to interpret. A novel method to measure health equity is presented, applied to gender health equity, and illustrated with an example of timing of angiography in patients following a hospital admission for an acute coronary syndrome.

METHODS

Linked administrative hospital discharge and survey data was used to identify a retrospective cohort of patients hospitalized with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) between 2002 and 2008 who also responded to the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), was analyzed using decision trees to determine whether gender impacted the delay to angiography following an ACS.

RESULTS

Defining a delay to angiography as 1 day or more, resulted in a non-significant difference in an equity score of 0.14 for women and 0.12 for men, where 0 and 1 represents perfect equity and inequity respectively. Using 2 and 3 day delays as a secondary outcome resulted in women and men producing scores of 0.19 and 0.17 for a 2 day delay and 0.22 and 0.23 for a 3 day delay.

CONCLUSIONS

A technique developed expressly for measuring equity suggests that men and women in Ontario receive equitable care in access to angiography with respect to timeliness following an ACS.

Unintentional Discontinuation of Chronic Medications for Seniors in Nursing Homes: Evaluation of a National Medication Reconciliation Accreditation Requirement Using a Population-Based Cohort Study

Transitions of care leave patients vulnerable to the unintentional discontinuation of medications with proven efficacy for treating chronic diseases. Older adults residing in nursing homes may be especially susceptible to this preventable adverse event. The effect of large-scale policy changes on improving this practice is unknown.The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of a national medication reconciliation accreditation requirement for nursing homes on rates of unintentional medication discontinuation after hospital discharge.It was a population-based retrospective cohort study that used linked administrative records between 2003 and 2012 of all hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada. We identified nursing home residents aged ≥66 years who had continuous use of ≥1 of the 3 selected medications for chronic disease: levothyroxine, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).In 2008 medication reconciliation became a required practice for accreditation of Canadian nursing homes.The main outcome measures included the proportion of patients who restarted the medication of interest after hospital discharge at 7 days. We also performed a time series analysis to examine the impact of the accreditation requirement on rates of unintentional medication discontinuation.The study included 113,088 adults aged ≥66 years who were nursing home residents, had an acute hospitalization, and were discharged alive to the same nursing home. Overall rates of discontinuation at 7-days after hospital discharge were highest in 2003-2004 for all nursing homes: 23.9% for thyroxine, 26.4% for statins, and 23.9% for PPIs. In most of the cases, these overall rates decreased annually and were lowest in 2011-2012: 4.0% for thyroxine, 10.6% for statins, and 8.3% for PPIs. The time series analysis found that nursing home accreditation did not significantly lower medication discontinuation rates for any of the 3 drug groups.From 2003 to 2012, there were marked improvements in rates of unintentional medication discontinuation among hospitalized older adults who were admitted from and discharged to nursing homes. This change was not directly associated with the new medication reconciliation accreditation requirement, but the overall improvements observed may have been reflective of multiple processes and not 1 individual intervention.

The relation between total joint arthroplasty and risk for serious cardiovascular events in patients with moderate-severe osteoarthritis: propensity score matched landmark analysis

STUDY QUESTION

What are the rates of serious cardiovascular events in those who undergo primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) compared with those who do not within three years of initial assessment?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Undergoing elective primary TJA within three years of initial assessment was associated with a significant 12.4% absolute reduction in subsequent risk of serious cardiovascular events.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

Osteoarthritis is associated with increased mortality, particularly secondary to cardiovascular disease, with the risk for mortality proportional to the degree of disability secondary to the arthritis. This study suggests that management of hip or knee osteoarthritis with arthroplasty decreases the risk for subsequent serious cardiovascular events.

Women's strategies to achieve access to healthcare in Ontario, Canada: a meta-synthesis

As part of a mixed methods study on women's access to the healthcare system in Ontario, Canada, we undertook a qualitative meta-synthesis to better understand the contextual conditions under which women access healthcare. An earlier phase of the synthesis demonstrated a series of factors that complicate women's access to healthcare in Ontario. Here, we consider women's agency in responding to these factors. We used meta-study methods to synthesise findings from qualitative studies published between January 2002 and December 2010. Studies were identified by searches of numerous databases, including CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, Gender Studies Database and LGBT Life. Inclusion criteria included use of a qualitative research design; published in a peer-reviewed journal during the specified time period; included a sample at least partially recruited in Ontario; included distinct findings for women participants; and in English language. Studies were included in the final sample after appraisals using a qualitative research appraisal tool. We found that women utilised a spectrum of responses to forces limiting access to healthcare: mobilising financial, social and interpersonal resources; living out shortfalls by making do, doing without, and emotional self-management; and avoiding illness and maintaining health. Across the studies, women described their efforts to overcome challenges to accessing healthcare. However, there were evident limits to women's agency and many of their strategies represented temporary measures rather than viable long-term solutions. While women can be resourceful and resilient in overcoming access disparities, systemic problems still need to be addressed. Women need to be involved in designing and implementing interventions to improve access to healthcare, and to address the root problems of these issues.

Gender differences in the impact of poverty on health: disparities in risk of diabetes-related amputation

AIMS

To assess the combined impact of socio-economic status and gender on the risk of diabetes-related lower extremity amputation within a universal healthcare system.

METHODS

We conducted a population-based cohort study using administrative health databases from Ontario, Canada. Adults with pre-existing or newly diagnosed diabetes (N = 606 494) were included and the incidence of lower extremity amputation was assessed for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2009. Socio-economic status was based on neighbourhood-level income groups, assigned to individuals using the Canadian Census and their postal code of residence.

RESULTS

Low socio-economic status was associated with a significantly higher incidence of lower extremity amputation (27.0 vs 19.3 per 10,000 person-years in the lowest (Q1) vs the highest (Q5) socio-economic status quintile. This relationship persisted after adjusting for primary care use, region of residence and comorbidity, and was greater among men (adjusted Q1:Q5 hazard ratio 1.41, 95% CI 1.30-1.54; P < 0.0001 for all male gender-socio-economic status interactions) than women (hazard ratio 1.20, 95% CI 1.06-1.36). Overall, the incidence of lower extremity amputation was higher among men than women (hazard ratio for men vs women: 1.87, 95% CI 1.79-1.96), with the greatest disparity between men in the lowest socio-economic status category and women in the highest (hazard ratio 2.39, 95% CI 2.06-2.77 and hazard ratio 2.30, 95% CI 1.97-2.68, for major and minor amputation, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite universal access to hospital and physician care, we found marked socio-economic status and gender disparities in the risk of lower extremity amputation among patients with diabetes. Men living in low-income neighbourhoods were at greatest risk.

Single item measures of self-rated mental health: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

A single-item measure of self-rated mental health (SRMH) is being used increasingly in health research and population health surveys. The item asks respondents to rate their mental health on a five-point scale from excellent to poor. This scoping study presents the first known review of the SRMH literature.

METHODS

Electronic databases of Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Cochrane Reviews were searched using keywords. The databases were also searched using the titles of surveys known to include the SRMH single item. The search was supplemented by manually searching the bibliographic sections of the included studies. Two independent reviewers coded articles for inclusion or exclusion based on whether articles included SRMH. Each study was coded by theme and data were extracted about study design, sample, variables, and results.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven studies included SRMH. SRMH correlated moderately with the following mental health scales: Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, mental health subscales of the Short-Form Health Status Survey, Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale, and World Mental Health Clinical Diagnostic Interview Schedule. However, responses to this item may differ across racial and ethnic groups. Poor SRMH was associated with poor self-rated health, physical health problems, increased health service utilization and less likelihood of being satisfied with mental health services. Poor or fair SRMH was also associated with social determinants of health, such as low socioeconomic position, weak social connections and neighbourhood stressors. Synthesis of this literature provides important information about the relationships SRMH has with other variables.

CONCLUSIONS

SRMH is associated with multi-item measures of mental health, self-rated health, health problems, service utilization, and service satisfaction. Given these relationships and its use in epidemiologic surveys, SRMH should continue to be assessed as a population health measure. More studies need to examine relationships between SRMH and clinical mental illnesses. Longitudinal analyses should look at whether SRMH is predictive of future mental health problems.

Trends in incidence of diabetes in pregnancy and serious perinatal outcomes: a large, population-based study in Ontario, Canada, 1996-2010

OBJECTIVE

Women with diabetes in pregnancy have high rates of pregnancy complications. Our aims were to explore trends in the incidence of diabetes in pregnancy and examine whether the risk of serious perinatal outcomes has changed.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed a population-based cohort study of 1,109,605 women who delivered in Ontario, Canada, between 1 April 1996 and 31 March 2010. We categorized women as gestational diabetes (GDM) (n = 45,384), pregestational diabetes (pre-GDM) (n = 13,278), or no diabetes (n = 1,050,943). The annual age-adjusted rates of diabetes in pregnancy were calculated, and rates of serious perinatal outcomes were compared between groups and by year using Poisson regression.

RESULTS

The age-adjusted rate of both GDM (2.7-5.6%, P < 0.001) and pre-GDM (0.7-1.5%, P < 0.001) doubled from 1996 to 2010. The rate of congenital anomalies declined by 23%, whereas the rate of perinatal mortality did not change significantly. However, compared with women with no diabetes, women with pre-GDM and GDM faced an increased risk of congenital anomalies (relative risk 1.86 [95% CI 1.49-2.33] and 1.26 [1.09-1.45], respectively), and perinatal mortality remained elevated in women with pre-GDM (2.33 [1.59-3.43]).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of both GDM and pre-GDM in pregnancy has doubled over the last 14 years, and the overall burden of diabetes in pregnancy on society is growing. Although congenital anomaly rates have declined in women with diabetes, perinatal mortality rates remain unchanged, and the risk of both remains significantly elevated compared with nondiabetic women. Increased efforts are needed to reduce these adverse outcomes.

Near equality in quality for medication utilization among older adults with diabetes with universal medication insurance in Ontario, Canada

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To determine whether demographic, community or health status disparities in cardioprotective medication utilization by diabetes patients exist under a universal drug insurance programme, and whether they narrow or widen during periods of increasing drug utilization.

METHODS

We examined all prescriptions filled by all people with diabetes aged ≥65 years in Ontario, Canada in annual cohorts from 1996 (n = 175 345) to 2010 (n = 504 093). We ascertained whether any disparities in use of three classes of cardioprotective medication (statins, all antihypertensives and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors) existed, and whether disparities changed over time.

RESULTS

Utilization of all three cardioprotective medication classes increased substantially over time, particularly statins (rate ratio per year: 1.13, 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.15). We found no disparities associated with many of the demographic or community characteristics examined (including sex, income or rural residence). Use of statins was lower in those aged ≥80 compared with younger age groups, although this disparity narrowed during the study. Persistently lower use of antihypertensives by minorities and by recent immigrants may be due to lower quality of care, barriers to access, or other patient or provider factors, which highlights the need for ongoing monitoring for disparities even in populations with universal drug insurance. Differences in medication utilization based on health status characteristics such as previous cardiovascular disease were medically indicated.

CONCLUSIONS

Although a universal drug insurance programme was reasonably successful in ensuring few disparities in cardioprotective medication use by older patients with diabetes, disparities persisted for some subpopulations, so additional interventions continue to be needed to ensure equitable care.