Missed Screening Mammography Appointments: Patient Sociodemographic Characteristics and Mammography Completion After 1 Year

OBJECTIVE

Patients who miss screening mammogram appointments without notifying the health care system (no-show) risk care delays. We investigate sociodemographic characteristics of patients who experience screening mammogram no-shows at a community health center and whether and when the missed examinations are completed.

METHODS

We included patients with screening mammogram appointments at a community health center between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Language, race, ethnicity, insurance type, residential ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) poverty, appointment outcome (no-show, same-day cancelation, completed), and dates of completed screening mammograms after no-show appointments with ≥1-year follow-up were collected. Multivariable analyses were used to assess associations between patient characteristics and appointment outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 6,159 patients, 12.1% (743 of 6,159) experienced no-shows. The no-show group differed from the completed group by language, race and ethnicity, insurance type, and poverty level (all P < .05). Patients with no-shows more often had: primary language other than English (32.0% [238 of 743] versus 26.7% [1,265 of 4,741]), race and ethnicity other than White non-Hispanic (42.3% [314 of 743] versus 33.6% [1,595 of 4,742]), Medicaid or means-tested insurance (62.0% [461 of 743] versus 34.4% [1,629 of 4,742]), and residential ZCTAs with ≥20% poverty (19.5% [145 of 743] versus 14.1% [670 of 4,742]). Independent predictors of no-shows were Black non-Hispanic race and ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-2.07; P = .007), Medicaid or other means-tested insurance (aOR, 2.75; 95% CI, 2.29-3.30; P < .001), and ZCTAs with ≥20% poverty (aOR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.14-2.72; P = .011). At 1-year follow-up, 40.6% (302 of 743) of patients with no-shows had not completed screening mammogram.

DISCUSSION

Screening mammogram no-shows is a health equity issue in which socio-economically disadvantaged and racially and ethnically minoritized patients are more likely to experience missed appointments and continued delays in screening mammogram completion.

A scoping review on the nurse scientist role within healthcare systems

BACKGROUND

The role of the nurse scientist in the clinical setting is not well defined, which contributes to variability in role implementation, scope, administration, funding, and affiliation across healthcare sites.

AIMS

The aim of this scoping review was to identify attributes of the clinical nurse scientist role and its operationalization in the clinical setting through available evidence.

METHODS

A comprehensive, computerized search of the literature in PubMed, Medline, and CINAHL was conducted in early May 2020 by a medical research librarian and repeated in July 2021 and April 2022. The 5-step framework described by Arskey and O'Malley guided the review methodology. Two reviewers conducted an independent screen of all articles, followed by a full-text review of eligible articles by two independent reviewers each using a standardized data extraction template. Themes were then organized and synthesized using descriptive content analysis from the included articles.

RESULTS

A final sample of 55 full-text articles were included in the review. Overall, the findings suggest that the nurse scientist role in a clinical setting can be challenging to implement in complex healthcare environments. Successful models include the nurse scientist in a leadership role, alignment of research with institutional priorities, and strong support from senior leadership.

LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION

Findings suggest that standardized guidelines are lacking to govern the implementation of the nurse scientist role in the clinical setting. To succeed, the nurse scientist role must be valued and supported by organizational leaders. Further, access to resources to build infrastructure must be provided. The magnitude and scope of individual organizational support can be tailored based on the resources of the institution; however, the foundation of having institutional leadership support is critical to role success of the clinical nurse researcher.

Nurse-sensitive indicators during COVID-19

Purpose

Nurses are on the forefront of delivering care to patients hospitalized with COVID‐19. Nurses’ impact on patient care can be discerned through assessment and documentation strategies, including structured and unstructured narratives, clinical pathways, flowsheets, and problem‐based approaches. To date, there are no published reports regarding nursing assessment and documentation during the COVID‐19 pandemic using an assessment framework to capture clinical decision making, nursing diagnoses, and key social determinant of health (SDoH) data. Hence, the purpose of this investigation was to conduct an exploratory nursing documentation audit of patients hospitalized with COVID‐19 during the first surge to identify types and frequency of nurse‐sensitive indicators, including SDoH.

Method

This pilot study utilized a retrospective chart review design at a single academic medical center, utilizing Gordon's Eleven Functional Health Patterns (FHP) framework to extract clinical, social, and nursing assessment data for patients hospitalized with COVID‐19. Descriptive statistics were computed for continuous variables and counts/percentages for categorical variables.

Findings

Data from 94 patient records were analyzed. Most patients were male (59.6%), with a mean age of 58 years. Nearly 15% of patients were Black and 12.8% were Hispanic, most residing in four geographic areas. Nine of the 11 FHPs were reflected in nurse‐sensitive indicators documented in the electronic health record. SDoH data were inconsistently documented, including race, education, history of neglect/abuse, and occupation.

Conclusion

The FHP framework captured many nurse‐sensitive indicators during the first COVID‐19 surge, although screening for and documenting SDoH data were limited.

Implications for nursing practice

Findings can influence the development of nursing assessment and documentation during crisis care delivery that are inclusive of distinct sociodemographic factors, in addition to clinical factors, to provide comprehensive, culturally sensitive care. Such documentation will enhance the use of nursing knowledge guided by a nursing framework to make visible the essential contributions of nurses to healthcare delivery.

Comparative Immunogenicity and Effectiveness of mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, and Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 Vaccines

BACKGROUND

Understanding immunogenicity and effectiveness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines is critical to guide rational use.

METHODS

We compared the immunogenicity of mRNA-1273, BNT-162b2, and Ad26.COV2.S in healthy ambulatory adults. We performed an inverse-variance meta-analysis of population-level effectiveness from public health reports in > 40 million individuals.

RESULTS

A single dose of either mRNA vaccine yielded comparable antibody and neutralization titers to convalescent individuals. Ad26.COV2.S yielded lower antibody concentrations and frequently undetectable neutralization titers. Bulk and cytotoxic T-cell responses were higher in mRNA1273 and BNT162b2 than Ad26.COV2.S recipients. Regardless of vaccine, <50% of vaccinees demonstrated CD8+ T-cell responses. Antibody concentrations and neutralization titers increased comparably after the first dose of either vaccine, and further in recipients of a second dose. Prior infection was associated with high antibody concentrations and neutralization even after a single dose and regardless of vaccine. Neutralization of Beta, Gamma, and Delta strains were poorer regardless of vaccine. In meta-analysis, relative to mRNA1273 the effectiveness of BNT162b2 was lower against infection and hospitalization, and Ad26COV2.S was lower against infection, hospitalization, and death.

CONCLUSIONS

Variation in the immunogenicity correlates with variable effectiveness of the 3 vaccines deployed in the United States.

Comparative immunogenicity and effectiveness of mRNA-1273, BNT162b2 and Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccines

BACKGROUND

Understanding immunogenicity and effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines is critical to guide rational use.

METHODS

We compared the immunogenicity of mRNA-1273, BNT-162b2 or Ad26.COV2.S in ambulatory adults in Massachusetts, USA. To correlate immunogenicity with effectiveness of the three vaccines, we performed an inverse-variance meta-analysis of population level effectiveness from public health reports in >40 million individuals.

RESULTS

A single dose of either mRNA vaccine yielded comparable antibody and neutralization titers to convalescent individuals. Ad26.COV2.S yielded lower antibody concentrations and frequently negative neutralization titers. Bulk and cytotoxic T-cell responses were higher in mRNA1273 and BNT162b2 than Ad26.COV2.S recipients, and <50% of vaccinees demonstrate CD8+ T-cell responses to spike peptides. Antibody concentrations and neutralization titers increased comparably after the first dose of either vaccine, and further in recipients of a second dose. Prior infection was associated with high antibody concentrations and neutralization even after a single dose and regardless of vaccine. Neutralization of beta, gamma and delta strains were poorer regardless of vaccine. Relative to mRNA1273, the effectiveness of BNT162b2 was lower against infection and hospitalization; and Ad26COV2.S was lower against infection, hospitalization and death.

CONCLUSIONS

Variation in the immunogenicity correlates with variable effectiveness of the three FDA EUA vaccines deployed in the USA.

Dihydroergotamine infusion for pediatric refractory headache: A retrospective chart review

BACKGROUND

Headaches are a common symptom in children. Children with refractory headaches may be admitted for inpatient treatment with intravenous dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE). However, very few studies have characterized these patients and their treatment outcomes using validated, self-reported, pain scales.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe demographic and clinical characteristics of children admitted for DHE infusion, determine DHE treatment outcomes by means of numeric pain scale ratings, and explore associations between treatment outcomes and clinical characteristics.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was completed in patients ages 5-21 admitted for DHE infusion from January 2013 to July 2018 at a large, pediatric academic medical center and community-based satellite center. All primary headache types were included.

RESULTS

A total of 200 unique admissions for DHE were available for analysis. Overall, patients were predominantly White (87.5%, 175/200) and female (80.0%, 160/200) with an average age of 15.4 years (SD 2.3). Common comorbidities included obesity (42.0%, 81/193), anxiety (41.0%, 82/200), and depression (20.0%, 40/200). The mean length of stay was 2.4 days (SD 1.10; range 1-8 days). Most headaches (65.0%, 130/200) met the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition criteria for migraine, followed by new daily persistent headache (25.5%, 51/200). Mean DHE maximum dose was 5.3 (SD 2.17; range 0.5-14.5 mg) with most patients requiring 3.5-6.5 mg. DHE was typically terminated at six doses (range 1-15). The most frequently reported adverse event was nausea (5.5%, 11/200). There was no difference in pain severity at admission across headache types, with an average baseline pain score of 8.1 (SD 1.6). Posttreatment reduction in pain score was statistically significant (range: -3.2 to -4.9; each p < 0.001) across all headache types. Overall, 84.0% (168/200) of the patients had some improvement in pain. More than half of the patients (53.5%, 107/200) showed at least moderate improvement (≥50.0% reduction in pain score), and 18.0% (36/200) had full headache resolution. Limited patients (16.0%, 32/200) experienced no improvement in pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with DHE resulted in at least some improvement for most patients regardless of headache type or number of doses. Clinical trials stratified by headache type and comorbid factors could help clarify treatment algorithms to optimize patient outcomes.

Nurse-Led Call Back Program to Improve Patient Follow-Up With Providers After Discharge From the Emergency Department

Phone calls to patients after discharge from the emergency department (ED) serve as reminders to schedule medical follow-up, support adherence to discharge instructions, and reduce revisits to already-crowded EDs. An existing, nurse-administered, call-back program contacted randomly selected ED patients 24 to 48 hours following discharge. This program did not improve patient follow-up (48.68%) nor reduce the ED revisit rate (6.7% baseline vs 6.0% postimplementation). Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology tested a modification to the existing program consisting of a second, scripted phone call from a trained volunteer at 72 to 96 hours postdischarge. Volunteers utilized a patient list and script, and nurses provided expertise to eliminate identified barriers to follow-up. Follow-up rate and ED revisit were monitored through the electronic medical record. A total of 894 patients participated between October 2017 and June 2018. Follow-up increased from 48.68% to 65.5% (P < .0001) and ED revisit decreased significantly (4.5% vs 8.6%, P < .001). This innovative nurse-led, systematic postdischarge call-back program utilizing hospital volunteers increased patient compliance with post-ED medical follow-up while significantly reducing the rate of patient revisit to the ED within 7 days of discharge.

Personal health records, symptoms, uncertainty, and mood in brain tumor patients

BACKGROUND

The advantages of patient access to the electronic medical record (EMR) through integrated personal health records (PHR) may be substantial, and foremost is the enhanced information flow between patient and practitioner. Because this is an emerging technology, the actualized benefits to complex patient groups remain largely unknown. MD Anderson Cancer Center provides web-based PHR portal access to the EMR including clinic notes, MRI results, and pathology reports. This study sought to evaluate PHR use by glioma patients.

METHODS

Cross-sectional survey and PHR-derived user data from 186 patients were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Logistic regression assessed disparities between users and nonusers. Dependence of PHR access on treatment stage was tested through linear regression. Path analysis evaluated PHR access, disease-related uncertainty, symptom experience, and mood.

RESULTS

Patients averaged 44.2 years (range 19y-80y), 77% had a high-grade tumor, and 60% had accessed PHR at least one time (range 0-126). Strongest predictors of access included education level (college level or higher), low performance status, middle income, and in-state residency. Patients undergoing treatment were more active users. PHR access was associated with lower disease-related uncertainty and lower symptom severity. Mood was not directly related to PHR use but mediated an association between symptom severity and uncertainty.

CONCLUSIONS

While many reports presume better disease and symptom understanding for patients with EMR access, this study is the first to correlate PHR use to lower patient uncertainty levels. Early examination of PHR provides an important basis for critical evaluation and optimization to better structure this benefit for brain tumor patients.

Validation of the Mishel's uncertainty in illness scale-brain tumor form (MUIS-BT)

The Mishel uncertainty in illness scale (MUIS) has been used extensively with other solid tumors throughout the continuum of illness. Interventions to manage uncertainty have been shown to improve mood and symptoms. Patients with primary brain tumors (PBT) face uncertainty related to diagnosis, prognosis, symptoms and response. Modifying the MUIS to depict uncertainty in PBT patients will help define this issue and allow for interventions to improve quality of life. Initially, 15 experts reviewed the content validity of the MUIS-brain tumor form (MUIS-BT). Patients diagnosed with PBT then participated in the study to test validity and reliability. Data was collected at one point in time. Six out of 33 items in the original MUIS were modified to better describe PBT patients' uncertainty. 32 of the 186 patients in the second-stage of the study were newly diagnosed with PBT, 85 were on treatment, and 69 were followed-up without active treatment. The validity of the MUIS-BT was demonstrated by its correlations with mood states (P < 0.01) and symptom severity (P < 0.01) and interference (P < 0.01). The MUIS-BT measures four constructs: ambiguity/inconsistency, unpredictability of disease prognosis, unpredictability of symptoms and other triggers, and complexity. Cronbach's alphas of the four subscales were 0.90, 0.77, 0.75 and 0.65, respectively. The 33-item MUIS-BT demonstrated adequate select measures of validity and reliability in PBT patients. Based on this initial validation and significant correlations with symptom distress and mood states, further understanding of uncertainty and evaluation of measures to help manage patients' uncertainty can be evaluated which in turn may improve coping and quality of life.