Blacks Research Articles

Black men's health-related quality of life: A qualitative study to understand community-identified perception and needs.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a multidimensional indicator of overall health associated with premature mortality. Black men score low on measures of HRQoL, but it is unclear how Black men conceptualize HRQoL and whether there have been efforts to promote HRQoL among these men. The present qualitative study to understand Black men's conceptualization of HRQoL and strategies to improve HRQoL was based in community-based participatory research and the social-ecological model of health. A community advisory board (CAB) was established, and the need for an effort to promote HRQoL promotion among Black men was assessed and supported. A focus group protocol was developed in conjunction with the CAB and a group of barbers. Seven focus groups were conducted consisting of 56 Black men in the Southeastern United States. The mean age of participants was 45 years. Two reviewers coded each focus group. Reliability ranged from 71% to 76%. A thematic analysis was conducted, and the findings were confirmed with the CAB. Three themes emerged: (a) a holistic conceptualization of health that includes spiritual functioning among Black men; (b) a state of HRQoL among Black men predominately marked by mental health concerns, in addition to physical and social health concerns; and (c) multilevel determinants of HRQoL among Black men. This last theme consisted of three subthemes related to community-level, interpersonal, and intrapersonal determinants of HRQoL. Findings from this study can help inform the development of strategies to improve HRQoL and reduce health disparities among Black men. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Ethnic differences in the relationship between ectopic fat deposition and insulin sensitivity in Black African and White European men across a spectrum of glucose tolerance.

To examine the hypothesis that there would be ethnic differences in the relationship between ectopic fat and tissue-specific insulin resistance (IR) across a spectrum of glucose tolerance in Black African (BA) and White European (WE) men. Fifty-three WE men (23/10/20 normal glucose tolerance [NGT]/impaired glucose tolerance [IGT]/type 2 diabetes [T2D]) and 48 BA men (20/10/18, respectively) underwent a two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp with infusion of D-[6,6-2H2]-glucose and [2H5]-glycerol to assess hepatic, peripheral and adipose tissue IR. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure subcutaneous adipose tissue, visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and intrahepatic lipid (IHL). Associations between ectopic fat and IR were assessed using linear regression models. There were no differences in tissue-specific IR between ethnic groups at any stage of glucose tolerance. VAT level was consistently lower in the BA population; NGT (p = 0.013), IGT (p = 0.006) and T2D (p = 0.015). IHL was also lower in the BA compared with the WE men (p = 0.013). VAT and IHL levels were significantly associated with hepatic IR in the BA population (p = 0.001) and with peripheral IR in the WE population (p = 0.027). The present study suggests that BA and WE men exhibit the same degree of IR across a glucose tolerance continuum, but with lower VAT and IHL levels in the BA population, suggesting that IR may be driven by a mechanism other than increased ectopic fat accumulation in BA men.

Impact of social determinants of health on hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance, treatment, and health care costs.

The impact of clinical factors and social determinants of health on treatment patterns and health care costs among patients with HCC is unknown. Using 100% Medicare Fee-For-Service claims and a commercial multipayor claims database, we identified patients diagnosed with HCC from January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020. Surveillance receipt was defined 12 months prior to HCC diagnosis, whereas treatment and health care costs were assessed post-HCC diagnosis. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between demographics, social determinants of health, and surveillance or HCC treatment. Multivariable generalized linear regression was used to identify factors associated with total health care costs. Of the 32,239 patients with HCC (mean age 68 y, 67% male, 73% White), 70% received surveillance and only half (51%) received any treatment. Curative treatment receipt was higher among those with prior surveillance (24% with CT/MRI and 18% with ultrasound vs. 9% with no surveillance). Curative treatment was independently associated with HCC surveillance and inversely associated with Black race, lower education level, and diagnosis in the year 2020 (COVID-19 year). Higher health care costs were independently associated with Black race, low English proficiency, living alone, and diagnosis in 2018-2020, and inversely associated with CT/MRI-based surveillance. Race and social determinants of health were independently associated with curative treatment receipt and health care costs. Increasing access to high-quality HCC surveillance may improve treatment receipt and reduce health disparities among patients with HCC.

Prostate-Specific Antigen Stratification for Predicting Advanced Prostate Cancer Events in Men Approaching Age Limits for Recommended Screening.

Our goal was to quantify the ability of various PSA values in predicting the likelihood of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer in older men. We used a random sample of patients in the US Veterans Health Administration to identify 80,706 men who had received PSA testing between ages 70 to 75. Our primary end point was time to development of either metastatic prostate cancer or death from prostate cancer. We used cumulative/dynamic modeling to account for competing events (death from non-prostate cancer causes) in studying both the discriminative ability of PSA as well as for positive predictive value and negative predictive value at 3 time points. PSA demonstrated time-dependent predictive discrimination, with receiver operating characteristic area under the curve at 5, 10, and 14 years decreasing from 0.83 to 0.77 to 0.73, respectively, but without statistically significant difference when stratified by race. At PSA thresholds between 1 and 8 ng/mL, the positive predictive value of developing advanced prostate cancer was significantly greater in Black than White patients. For instance, at a PSA > 3, at 5, 10, and 14 years, White patients had 2.4%, 2.9%, and 3.7% risk of an event, whereas Black patients had 4.3%, 6.5%, and 8.3% risk. In men aged 70 to 75 deciding whether to cease PSA testing with borderline-elevated PSA values, the risk of developing metastatic or fatal prostate cancer is quantifiable and relatively low. Risk assessment in this setting must account for the higher incidence of prostate cancer in Black men.

Development of an older adult Nutrition Equity Index (NEI) and association with the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) in older Black and White U.S. adults

ObjectivesWe developed a novel measure for older U.S. adults called the Nutrition Equity Index (NEI), which includes functional ability. We compared both the NEI and food insufficiency with Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores. DesignThe Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study is a prospective, longitudinal cohort of Medicare-eligible, community-dwelling Black and White men and women. SettingPittsburgh, PA and Memphis, TN. ParticipantsParticipants (N = 2468, aged 74.7 ± 2.9 years) had baseline (1997−98) and 1-year follow-up NEI data; and 1 year follow-up for food insufficiency, key covariates, and the HEI (diet quality measure) from a 108-item interviewer-administered food frequency questionnaire. MeasurementsFood insufficiency was defined from a modified validated question on ample food amount/variety from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. NEI was constructed from 8 questions in three subdomains: food insecurity (food insufficiency, hunger, anxiety about limited food, limited money for food), food access (groceries), and food acquisition (difficulty shopping, preparing meals, carrying groceries). Final NEI categories were low nutrition equity (0), moderate nutrition equity (1), and high nutrition equity (2). Multivariable linear regression compared both NEI and food insufficiency with HEI, adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle and comorbidity factors. ResultsOf participants, 13.5% had food insufficiency, 12.1% had low NEI, and 32.5% had moderate NEI. Participants with food insufficiency (vs. food sufficiency) or low NEI (vs. high NEI) were more likely to be Black and have < high school education (both p < 0.0001). In minimally adjusted models, food insufficiency was associated with 2.2 point lower HEI score (p = 0.001), low NEI with 2.6 point lower HEI score (p = 0.001), and moderate NEI with 1.0 point lower HEI score (p < 0.05). Adjusting for race attenuated NEI associations with HEI to non-significance. After multivariable adjustment, food insufficiency was associated with 1.5 point lower HEI score (p = 0.03). ConclusionFood insufficiency was associated with lower dietary quality in this sample of older Black and White U.S. adults. NEI performed similarly to food insufficiency for HEI associations prior to multivariable adjustment and identified more older adults with nutrition inequity, who may be at risk for poor health outcomes.

Increasing disparities in human exposure to perfluorooctanesulfonic acid: findings from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in 1999-2018 NHANES

The disparities in exposure to environmental hazards have fueled the environmental justice movement, which has garnered increasing attention and momentum over the past few decades. However, research addressing exposure disparities pertaining to chemicals remains notably limited. Here, leveraging data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning the period from 1999 to 2018, we unveiled that the perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) exhibited the highest concentration in human biomonitoring in general U.S. population, with a mean value of 14.54 ± 19.59ng/ml. Subsequently, the mean concentrations of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were 3.33 ± 3.19, 2.29 ± 3.13, 1.07 ± 1.30, and 0.34 ± 0.71, respectively. Meanwhile, although females or Non-hispanic White exhibited relatively higher levels for most per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) compared to other groups. The individuals with higher household incomes demonstrated elevated exposure to PFASs. Interestingly, despite lower exposure burdens were observed in Non-Hispanic Black individuals, females, and individuals with low family income, we identified relatively higher exposure disparities in these populations. In particular, exposure disparities for general U.S. population exposure to PFOS exhibited an approximate 50% increase from 1999 to 2018, despite a concurrent decline of 84% in biomonitoring levels. Meanwhile, the population aging has led to an exacerbation of human exposure to PFOS by 12.4%. Our findings underscore the necessity of ensuring equitable protection from PFAS exposure for all populations, although further investigation is required to understand the underlying mechanisms driving these disparities.

Genetic ancestry in Puerto Rican afro-descendants illustrates diverse histories of African diasporic populations.

Genetic studies of contemporary Puerto Ricans reflect a demographic history characterized by admixture between Indigenous American, African, and European peoples. While previous studies provide genetic perspectives on the general Puerto Rican population, less is known about the island's sub-populations, specifically Afro-Puerto Ricans. In this study, the genetic ancestry of Afro-Puerto Ricans is characterized and compared to other Caribbean populations. Thirty DNA samples collected among self-identified Puerto Ricans of African descent in Loíza (n = 2), Piñones (n = 13), San Juan (n = 2), Mayagüez (n = 9), and Ponce (n = 4), were genotyped at 750,000 loci on the National Geographic Genochip. We then applied unsupervised clustering and dimensionality-reduction methods to detect continental and subcontinental African and European genetic ancestry patterns. Admixture analyses reveal that on average, the largest genetic ancestry component for Afro-Puerto Ricans is African in origin, followed by European and Indigenous American genetic ancestry components. African biogeographic origins of Afro-Puerto Ricans align most closely with contemporary peoples of Lower Guinea and the Bight of Biafra, while the European genetic ancestry component is most similar to contemporary Iberian, Italian, and Basque populations. These findings contrast with the biogeographic origins of comparative Barbadian and Puerto Rican populations. Our results suggest that while there are similarities with regard to general patterns of genetic ancestry among African descendants in the Caribbean, there is previously unrecognized regional heterogeneity, including among Puerto Rican sub-populations. These results are also consistent with available historical sources, while providing depth absent from the documentary record, particularly with regard to African ancestry.

The Re-enslavement of Free Black People in Texas, 1858–1864

The Re-enslavement of Free Black People in Texas, 1858–1864

Cardiovascular disease risk reduction for all-cause mortality benefit in low-risk individuals

Background: Current recommendations for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are based solely on 10-year CVD risk assessment. However, CVD mortality is not compared with all-cause mortality, which could provide insights into the potential benefits of CVD risk interventions on overall mortality. Methods: CVD risk for average American white and black males and females is calculated using the 2013 American Heart Association equations. CVD death risk is determined by combining CVD risk with the death rate following a CVD diagnosis. This CVD death risk is then compared with all-cause mortality data from National Vital Statistics Reports. A larger ratio indicates that most deaths are attributed to CVD, suggesting that intervention may be more beneficial. Results: The CVD mortality ratio is highest for white men and lowest for black men, indicating that white male likely to benefit most from CVD risk modification, while black males will benefit the least. Additionally, the ratio, and the potential benefit, decreases with age for all groups, especially after the age of 70. Conclusion: For the average U.S. population without a CVD diagnosis, the potential mortality benefit from interventions targeting CVD risk factors varies significantly based on patient characteristics such as race, age, and gender. The potential benefit is greatest for white males and decreases with age for all groups.

Lipid management among very-high-risk patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes

Abstract Background Patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and type 2 diabetes (DM2) often meet very-high-risk (VHR) criteria for recurrent ASCVD events and are recommended for aggressive low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering in guidelines. Purpose Our study aimed to evaluate the proportion of patients achieving guideline-based lipid goals and identify factors associated with achieving these goals among VHR patients with established ASCVD and DM2. Methods Electronic health record data were used to identify VHR patients with established ASCVD and DM2 across 14 large US healthcare systems between 1/1/2022-12/31/2022 with an available LDL-C measurement. We examined the percentage of patients achieving guideline-based lipid goals based on the 2018 AHA/ACC Multisociety Guideline, defined as either having an LDL-C &amp;lt;70 mg/dL or receiving maximal lipid-lowering therapy (i.e., on a PCSK9i monoclonal antibody (mAb)) at the time of the last LDL-C test, and performed multivariable logistic regression to evaluate factors associated with the achievement of those goals. Results Among 213,380 eligible VHR patients with ASCVD and DM2 (mean age 70.2 years, 42% women), 51.8% (110,452) patients achieved guideline-based lipid goals. This included 50.9% with an LDL-C &amp;lt;70 mg/dL and 1.7% on a PCSK9i mAb. Female sex (odds ratio [OR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.66), Black race (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.63-0.72), Medicaid insurance (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.86-0.97), and non-coronary artery disease forms of ASCVD including peripheral artery disease (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.65-0.69) and cerebrovascular disease (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.77-0.83) were associated with a lower likelihood of achieving guideline-based lipid goals. Conversely, having undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.19-1.43) or coronary artery bypass graft (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.06-1.45) in the previous year, and comorbidities including dialysis (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.23-1.55), atrial fibrillation or flutter (OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.06-1.12), and systolic heart failure (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.08-1.14) were associated with a higher likelihood of achieving these goals. Overall, 24.0% of patients were on no statin, 27.2% were on a low- or moderate-intensity statin, and only 5.8% were on a statin in combination with ezetimibe or a PCSK9i mAb. Conclusion Large gaps in care exist for VHR patients with ASCVD and DM2, particularly among women, Black individuals, and those with Medicaid. Targeted interventions are needed to improve the uptake of evidence-based secondary prevention therapies in these patients.

Liver function tests in patients receiving high-intensity care after hospital admission for acute heart failure: the STRONG-HF trial

Abstract Background/Introduction Episodes of acute heart failure (AHF) unfavorably affect extra-cardiac organs such as the liver due to altered hemodynamics and neurohormonal activation. In AHF, elevated levels of levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total bilirubin (tBil) may reflect congestion and impaired liver function, while lower levels of ALT (which is also produced in muscle cells) correlate with malnutrition and sarcopenia. Thus, the clinical importance of these markers in AHF and the post-discharge period is unclear. Purpose To assess circulating concentrations of ALT and tBil in patients with AHF before discharge and during high-intensity care (HIC) vs usual care follow-up in association with clinical outcomes. Methods ALT and tBil concentrations were measured 1-2 days before discharge in patients hospitalized for AHF (baseline), and again after 90 days of either HIC or usual care according to the STRONG-HF protocol. Baseline values and changes in ALT and tBil were analyzed in association with the primary outcome of all-cause death or HF readmission by day 180. Results At baseline, the median (Q1-Q3) concentrations of ALT and tBil were 21 (15-32) U/L and 14 (10-21) umol/L, respectively. Lower levels of both ALT and tBil were associated with female sex, Black race, lower BMI, higher LVEF, lower hemoglobin, lower creatinine and less frequent atrial fibrillation/flutter, while there were no significant associations with age. Patients with lower ALT, but not tBil, were more likely to have edema, elevated JVP and orthopnea, and used higher loop diuretic doses and less beta-blockers, pre-randomization (Figure, panel A). ALT was inversely associated with risk for the primary outcome (HR 0.81 [95%CI 0.65,1.00) per log increment, p=0.05), while there was no association with risk for tBil (HR 1.04 [95%Ci 0.84-1.28], p=0.73) (Figure, panel B). After 90 days, ALT and tBil concentrations were lower than at baseline, with a greater reduction in tBil in the HIC group vs usual care group (mean -1.7 [95%CI -3.0,-0.4] umol/L, p=0.01), while there was no significant between-group differences in ALT changes (mean -0.6 [95%CI -4.7,3.4] U/L, p=0.75) (Figure, panel C). The treatment effect of HIC over usual care on the primary outcome was consistent across the range of baseline ALT (P-interaction=0.30) and tBil (P-interaction=0.80) (Figure, panel D). Conclusion Contrary to our hypothesis of higher liver function tests with hepatic congestion in AHF, lower ALT was associated with more congestion and worse outcomes among patients hospitalized for AHF in STRONG-HF. There was no prognostic value from tBil levels. This suggests that ALT may be a marker of sarcopenia in these patients. Importantly, the beneficial effect of HIC on clinical outcomes is consistent irrespective of ALT and tBil levels at discharge.Figure

Developing a multi-center registry of peripheral artery disease using natural language processing: unlocking the power of the electronic health record

Abstract Background Although peripheral artery disease (PAD) is common and associated with a high risk of mortality, contemporary PAD research remains limited due to poor accuracy of diagnosis codes in the electronic health record (EHR). We previously developed and validated a novel natural language processing (NLP) algorithm that can extract ankle brachial index (ABI) and toe-brachial index (TBI) values from clinical documents and identify patients with PAD with high accuracy (positive predictive value 92.4%). Purpose Scale the NLP system for developing a nationwide registry of PAD in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the largest integrated health system in the U.S. that provides care to ~9 million Veterans across 130 sites. Describe the baseline characteristics and mortality outcomes among participants and identify predictors of long-term mortality. Methods A total of 1,182,025 documents from vascular and radiology procedures during 2013-2020 were processed by the NLP system. After excluding non-ABI vascular studies, patients with a known diagnosis of PAD prior to 2015, patients younger than 40 years of age, and those who do not regularly follow-up in the VHA, we identified 107,711 patients with newly diagnosed PAD during 2015-2020. Patients were followed longitudinally using the VA’s electronic health record data. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to examine predictors of long-term mortality. Results The mean age was 70.5 years; 97.3% were males, and 18.5% were of Black race. The mean ABI value was 0.78 (SD: 0.26) and the mean TBI value was 0.51 (SD: 0.19). There was a high prevalence of hypertension (83.6%), heart failure (20.8%), diabetes (53.6%), renal failure (22.1%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (32.4%, Table 1). At 1-year, 9.6% of patients had died and this proportion increased to 25.4% at 3 years. Although nearly all patient variables were significantly associated with mortality, older age, severe PAD at diagnosis, diabetes, heart failure, renal failure and COPD were the strongest predictors of long-term mortality. Black race was associated with lower hazard of long-term mortality. Conclusions Using a previously validated novel NLP algorithm that extracts ABI and TBI values from clinical documents, we have successfully developed a registry of newly diagnosed PAD in the VHA. Ongoing studies from our cohort will yield important insights into the association between clinical management of PAD and clinical outcomes, with the goal of identifying opportunities for improving care.

Prevalence of cardiovascular complications and factors associated with higher case-fatality rate among hospitalized patients with sarcoidosis

Abstract Background Cardiovascular (CV) involvement is a serious complication of sarcoidosis with exaggerated morbidity and mortality. However, the prevalence of CV comorbidities and their case-fatality rate have not been established among hospitalized patients with sarcoidosis. Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis were identified. The prevalence of each CV comorbidity and the associated case-fatality rate was determined among this population of patients. Results Data of 406,315 admission cases with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis was analyzed from 2016 to 2020. Of this, 13,950 patients (3.4%) had AMI (STEMI: 0.3% and NSTEMI: 2.3%), 121,515 patients (30%) had HF (HFrEF: 8% and HFpEF: 13%), 7,470 patients (1.8%) had CVA, 8,825 patients had sarcoid myocarditis (2.2%), 8,965 patients (5.6%) had PVD, 71,815 patients had Afib (17.7%), 46,775 patients (11.5%) had cardiorenal syndrome, and 3,905 patients (1%) developed cardiac arrest. Case-Fatality rate was the highest for sarcoidosis patients who developed cardiac arrest (61.4%), followed by STEMI (11.6%), NSTEMI (7.7%), and cardiac tamponade (7.8%). Increasing age (2% for each year), male gender (14% more than females), and black race (25%) but not economic status was associated with increased odds of death among patients with sarcoidosis. While PCI was associated with a lower mortality rate (aOR: 0.4, 95%CI:0.2-0.7, P=0.005), revascularization with CABG (aOR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-1.2, P=0.08) did not reduce the mortality rate. Conclusion Atrial fibrillation, heart failure (HFpEF &amp;gt; HFrEF), and cardiorenal syndrome are the most common cardiovascular complications among hospitalized patents with sarcoidosis. However, case-fatality rate is significantly higher for other less prevalent cardiovascular comorbidities of sarcoidosis, which include cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction (STEMI &amp;gt; NSTEMI), and cardiac tamponade.

Clinical outcomes in patients with unintended pregnancy after liver transplantation: A multicenter registry cohort study.

The consequences of unintended pregnancy in liver transplant (LT) recipients, a growing part of the high-risk obstetric population, remain unknown. To fill this gap, we conducted a retrospective registry cohort study to describe the risk factors, obstetric and neonatal morbidity, and graft outcomes associated with unintended pregnancy after LT. This study utilized the Transplant Pregnancy Registry International (TPRI) and included 565 pregnancies of LT recipients between 1967 and 2019 from 289 hospitals, primarily in North America. The primary outcome of acute cellular rejection (ACR) and secondary outcomes of graft loss, severe maternal morbidity, and neonatal composite morbidity were compared by pregnancy intention. The study population included 60.9% with intended pregnancies and 39.1% unintended pregnancies. Recipients with unintended pregnancy were more likely to self-report as Black race, to be younger, nulliparous, and have exposure to teratogenic immunosuppression. ACR was more common with unintended pregnancy (3.7% vs 1.2%, p=0.047). Unintended pregnancies had lower median birth weight (2806.6 vs 2948.4 grams, p=0.033). Unintended pregnancy was not associated with increased neonatal morbidity or severe maternal morbidity. These findings underscore the importance of family planning counseling, access to safe and effective contraceptive options, as well as multidisciplinary prenatal care in the growing population of reproductive-aged LT recipients.

Socio-Demographical Variables as Predictors of Academic Self-Directedness

This study explores whether a range of socio-demographical factors predict adult learner self-directedness in the context of South African open and distance e-learning higher education (ODeLHE). We observe significant differences between socio-demographical groups in the sub-dimensions of the Adult Learner Self-Directedness Scale. The study advances a theory on adult learner self-directedness in ODeLHE contexts. Educators should consider learners’ support practices, particularly in the cases of women, Black Africans, and younger cohorts. ODeLHE practices should also consider learners’ high school grades and proficiency in English, their library access, number of modules they are enrolled in, and who they support financially as factors influencing their level of self-directedness. Such considerations can be used to address the need for the translation of knowledge into policies and activities that improve educational opportunities for students.

Racial, ethnic, and sex disparities in the utilization and outcomes of tricuspid valve surgery

Abstract Background Data on racial/ethnic and sex disparities in the utilization and outcomes of tricuspid valve surgery (TVS) in the United States are scarce. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the impact of race/ethnicity and sex on the utilization and outcomes of TVS. Methods We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample database from 2016 to 2020 to identify hospitalizations for tricuspid valve surgery. Racial/ethnic and sex disparities in tricuspid valve surgery outcomes were determined using logistic regression models. Results Between 2016 and 2020, 19,395 hospitalizations for tricuspid valve surgery were identified. The utilization rates (defined as the number of tricuspid valve surgery performed per 100,000 US hospitalizations) were lower in Black and Hispanic patients compared with White patients for surgical tricuspid valve repair (331 versus 493 versus 634, p&amp;lt;0.01) and surgical tricuspid valve replacement (312 versus 601 versus 728, p&amp;lt;0.01). Similarly, the utilization rates were lower for women compared with men for surgical tricuspid valve repair (1,021 versus 1,364, p&amp;lt;0.01) and surgical tricuspid valve replacement (930 versus 1,316, p&amp;lt;0.01). Compared to White men undergoing tricuspid valve surgery, all women had lower odds of acute kidney injury (aOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.55-0.78) and higher odds of blood transfusion (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.07-1.59), and Black men had higher odds of blood transfusion (aOR 1.59, 95% CI 1.08-2.35). In-hospital mortality and other surgical complications were similar between all groups (all p&amp;gt;0.05). Conclusions Significant racial/ethnic and sex disparities exist in the utilization of tricuspid valve surgery in the United States. Further studies are needed to understand the reasons for these disparities and to identify effective strategies for their mitigation.

Sex sifferences in lifes essential eight and its association with mortality among adults without known CVD

Abstract Background The American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) score is a helpful tool to quantify cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. Sex differences in relation to LE8 and its association with mortality are not known. Methods The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2009 and 2018 was utilized to evaluate the prevalence of health metrics included in LE8 among adult patients, stratified by sex. Health metrics were further subdivided into health behaviors (diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, and sleep) and health factors (body mass index, non–high density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure). LE8 scores were also evaluated based on age, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between the levels of CVH and risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Results Among 22,761 participants, 52% were female. Overall CVH score was similar in both females and males (65.8 vs. 65.9). Females had higher health factors score (64.3 vs. 63.1, p &amp;lt;0.001) and lower health behaviors score (67.2 vs 68.6, p &amp;lt;0.001). Amongst individual metrics, blood pressure score was higher in females (73.2 vs. 67.7, p &amp;lt;0.001) while males had higher physical activity score (70.6 vs. 54.9, p &amp;lt;0.001). For individuals under 65 years of age, overall CVH and health factors scores were higher in females while in those age 65 or older, males had higher scores. The most prominent sex differences were noted in non-Hispanic Black females who had significantly lower CVH scores than Black males. High or moderate LE8 scores vs. low LE8 scores demonstrated lower all-cause and CV mortality in both sexes (p-interaction 0.98 and 0.9). High or moderate health behaviors scores also demonstrated a significant association with lower all-cause and CV mortality, with the reduction in mortality being more prominent in females (p-interaction 0.01 and 0.03). Conclusions We demonstrate important sex differences in CVH metrics along with notable variations based on age and race/ethnicity. Furthermore, we highlight sex differences in the association of CVH metrics with mortality. These findings underscore the importance of designing and implementing effective strategies for both sexes, aimed at targeting these specific factors.

Disparities in diabetes-related outcomes in prostate cancer patients - role of social determinants of health and race

Abstract Background Prostate cancer (PC) patients on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at increased risk of cardiovascular events (CVE) and all-cause mortality (ACM), with metformin use linked to lower ACM. Purpose To analyze the impact of low socioeconomic status (SES), low educational levels, and Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) race on the relationship between DM, and its treatments, and CVE, cardiovascular mortality (CVm), prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCsm), and ACM within 2 years of PC diagnosis in patients ± ADT. Methods We utilized SEER-Medicare (national database for individuals 65 or older covered under US federal health insurance program merged with multiple state cancer registries with ~50% US cancers covered) to study a cohort of PC patients diagnosed from 2009 to 2017, identifying PC cases with ICD-10 - C61 and DM via the Medicare chronic condition file. CVE included Afib, AMI, peripheral artery disease, ischemic stroke, and heart failure. Two patient cohorts were analyzed: those enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B with PC (cohort 1), and those exclusively on ADT (± diabetic medications) and enrolled in Medicare Part D (cohort 2). Outcomes were evaluated using Fine-Gray and Cox models, with further analysis by subgroups: NHB, SES, and education. Results We analyzed 74,052 PC patients, with 6,682 having comprehensive Part D data. Of these, 35% in cohort 1 and 16% in cohort 2 had DM, with median ages of 73 and 72, respectively. Diabetes was more prevalent among NHB men than Non-Hispanic White (NHW), 49% vs 33% in cohort 1 and 25% vs 15% in cohort 2. In cohort 1, 9% and 8.5% of overall and DM individuals were on ADT. Risk factor details are in Table 1, and CVE, CVm, PCsm, and ACM are included in Table 2, showing higher risks of various cardiovascular outcomes for DM patients, particularly for those with low-education levels. In cohort 1, we demonstrated a higher risk of all outcomes across all subgroups with DM (p&amp;lt;0.001). No significant interaction with race was present except in those with lower education levels, where NHW men with lower education showed an increased risk of CVE (sHR 1.15, 95%CI 1.10-1.21, P&amp;lt;0.001). In cohort 2, compared to metformin, the use of all other DM medications was associated with higher ACM. Additionally, those on other DM medications with lower education levels had higher CVE rates. Non-DM individuals with low SES had lower CVE rates, while NHB non-DM individuals had higher PCsm. Conclusion Our study highlights disparities in PC patients with DM in relation to cardiovascular and ACM, with NHB men and those with lower SES and educational status having worse outcomes. Metformin use in patients with low education levels was associated with reduced ACM and CVE risk, indicating its potential protective effect. These findings emphasize the need for further research on the disparities in PC and effects of diabetes medications across different subpopulations.

Association of race with incidence, characteristics, and mortality from incidental prostate cancer: Analysis of two North American contemporary cohorts.

Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men are at higher risk both for incidence and mortality from prostate cancer (PCa) compared to Non-Hispanic White (NHW) men, but these findings arise from biopsy-detected PCa reports. We aimed to compare the incidence, subsequent management and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) of incidental PCa among NHB and NHW men, using two different North American cohorts. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End-Result (SEER: 2004-2017) and our institutional Henry Ford Health (HFH: 1995-2022) databases were queried to identify men diagnosed with incidental PCa. Cumulative incidence estimates were used to calculate CSM differences between NHB and NHW men. Competing-risk multivariable regression analysis tested the impact of race on CSM, after accounting for all available covariates. A total of 418 and 6,124 incidental PCa cases were recorded in HFH and SEER database respectively. No pathological differences were observed between NHB and NHW men in both the cohorts, except for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value at diagnosis, which was higher in NHB men. At 10-years, the CSM rates were 5.5% vs 7.2% in our cohort and 8.6% vs 10.3% in the SEER cohort for NHW and NHB men, respectively (all Gray's test p-value > 0.05). At multivariable, race was not an independent predictor of CSM in our HFH cohort (HR: 1.46, 95% CI: 0.57-3.71, p = 0.6). In the SEER cohort, NHB men were 34% less likely to die from PCa from 1 year to the next (95% CI: 0.49-0.90, p = 0.008), when compared with NHW men. In the comparison of incidental PCa findings between NHB and NHW men, both groups had similar pathological characteristic and survival outcomes. These findings are different from the 'conventional' screening-detected PCa and suggest that racial differences have minimal to no adverse effects on PCa-specific mortality after incidental diagnosis.

Adapting Group Prenatal Care for Telehealth: A COVID-Era Innovation to Address Barriers to Care for Latinx Clients.

The use of telehealth prenatal care increased exponentially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but there is no literature describing its use for group prenatal care during this time. The COVID-19 pandemic also exacerbated structural barriers to care that disproportionately affect Black and Latinx people. Telehealth enabled pregnant people to access health care and minimize infectious risks. Telehealth group prenatal care (T-GPNC) incorporated the essential elements of CenteringPregnancy with telehealth is an innovative care delivery method borne out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic that has potential to mitigate structural barriers to care. Mary's Center is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in Washington, DC, and Maryland that rapidly pivoted to individual telehealth prenatal care early in the pandemic. Mary's Center used our experience with group care and guidance from the Centering Healthcare Institute on virtual Centering to launch T-GPNC. This new model included home self-monitoring equipment and video classrooms, mixed with in-person individual care visits. We used a team-based approach with nurses, midwives, and community health workers to provide holistic care to pregnant people. Our robust care coordination team also connected them to home visiting, mental health services, and nutrition counseling. The purpose of this article is to describe how Mary's Center modified the CenteringPregnancy model of group prenatal care for telehealth, following the hallmarks of CenteringPregnancy, and met the needs of Spanish-speaking clients, henceforth Latinx clients. A secondary purpose is to demonstrate how telehealth can expand access to health care and remove structural barriers that may prevent pregnant people from attending in-person appointments. We also discuss the structural inequities in digital access and literacy in the context of program implementation.