Health Care Trends Research Articles

Trends in Psychological Distress and Outpatient Mental Health Care of Adults During the COVID-19 Era.

In addition to the physical disease burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, concern exists over its adverse mental health effects. To characterize trends in psychological distress and outpatient mental health care among U.S. adults from 2018 to 2021 and to describe patterns of in-person, telephone, and video outpatient mental health care. Cross-sectional nationally representative survey of noninstitutionalized adults. United States. Adults included in the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, 2018 to 2021 (n = 86658). Psychological distress was measured with the Kessler-6 scale (range of 0 to 24, with higher scores indicating more severe distress), with a score of 13 or higher defined as serious psychological distress, 1 to 12 as less serious distress, and 0 as no distress. Outpatient mental health care use was measured via computer-assisted personal interviews. Between 2018 and 2021, the rate of serious psychological distress among adults increased from 3.5% to 4.2%. Although the rate of outpatient mental health care increased from 11.2% to 12.4% overall, the rate decreased from 46.5% to 40.4% among adults with serious psychological distress. When age, sex, and distress were controlled for, a significant increase in outpatient mental health care was observed for young adults (aged 18 to 44 years) but not middle-aged (aged 45 to 64 years) and older (aged >65 years) adults and for employed adults but not unemployed adults. In 2021, 33.4% of mental health outpatients received at least 1 video visit, including a disproportionate percentage of young, college-educated, higher-income, employed, and urban adults. Information about outpatient mental health service modality (in-person, video, telephone) was first fully available in the 2021 survey. These trends and patterns underscore the persistent challenges of connecting older adults, unemployed persons, and seriously distressed adults to outpatient mental health care and the difficulties faced by older, less educated, lower-income, unemployed, and rural patients in accessing outpatient mental health care via video. None.

A quantitative analysis of Twitter ("X") trends in the discussion of rhinoplasty.

Rhinoplasty is one of the most common cosmetic surgical procedures performed globally. Twitter, also known as "X," is used by both patients and physicians and has been studied as a useful tool for analyzing trends in healthcare. The public social media discourse of rhinoplasty has not been previously reported in the field of otolaryngology. The goal of this study was to characterize the most common user type, sentiment, and temporal trends in the discussion of rhinoplasty on Twitter to guide facial plastic surgeons in their clinical and social media practices. A total of 1,427,015 tweets published from 2015 to 2020 containing the keywords "rhinoplasty" or "nose job" were extracted using Twitter Academic API. Tweets were standardized and filtered for spam and duplication. Natural language processing (NLP) algorithms and data visualization techniques were applied to characterize tweets. Significantly more "nose job" tweets (80.8%) were published compared with "rhinoplasty" (19.2%). Annual tweet frequency increased over the 5 years, with "rhinoplasty" tweets peaking in January and "nose job" tweets peaking in the summer and winter months. Most "rhinoplasty" tweets were linked to a surgeon or medical practice source, while most "nose job" tweets were from isolated laypersons. While discussion was positive in sentiment overall (M = +0.08), "nose job" tweets had lower average sentiment scores (P < .001) and over twice the proportion of negative tweets. The top 20 most prolific accounts contributed to 14,758 (10.6%) of total "rhinoplasty" tweets. Exactly 90% (18/20) of those accounts linked to non-academic surgeons compared with 10% (2/20) linked to academic surgeons. Rhinoplasty-related posts on Twitter were cumulatively positive in sentiment and tweet volume is steadily increasing over time, especially during popular holiday months. The search term "nose job" yields significantly more results than "rhinoplasty," and is the preferred term of non-healthcare users. We found a large digital contribution from surgeons and medical practices, particularly in the non-academic and private practice sector, utilizing Twitter for promotional purposes.

Applying Lean in Healthcare to Reduce Waste: A Literature Review

The high level of competition both in the industry and in the field of services, so it requires every organization to make improvements. For the quality of health services to continue to be guaranteed to patients, efforts need to be made to improve service quality and also reduce operational costs. Therefore, the concept of lean is proposed to address this problem in healthcare. This paper aims to explore lean implementation in healthcare using review literature obtained from the Google Scholar database of 150 articles with publication years from 2019-2023. The findings of this paper provide suggestions for future research regarding lean trends in healthcare, which shows the importance of adopting lean in healthcare for future improvement. In addition, this paper also shows to develop a lean healthcare model in industry 4.0, lean six sigma and also pay attention to the supporting and inhibiting factors of lean healthcare implementation.

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technology in the Health Sector has Several Goals

In a broad sense, artificial intelligence (AI) refers to any computer or system behavior that resembles human behavior. A subfield of artificial intelligence called "machine learning" enables computers to learn from data without explicit human programming. One of the most significant contemporary trends in global healthcare is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in medicine. Technologies based on artificial intelligence are profoundly transforming the world's healthcare system, enabling a dramatic reconstruction of the medical diagnostics system while simultaneously lowering healthcare expenditures. Identifying the class of diseases to which a disease belongs is crucial before treating it. It is feasible to categorize the type of disease based on the feature space of the condition. Algorithms for machine learning can address this issue.

Concierge care and patient reviews: a post-pandemic update

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the US healthcare system in unprecedented ways. In previous work (Nemzer and Neymotin 2020), we examined pre-pandemic differences between online patient reviews of concierge and regular physicians. The present analysis employs new data and sentiment analysis to further explore the evolving relationship between physician concierge status and patient perception. In contrast with our previous findings regarding the time before COVID-19, we identify an inversion in the role of empathy as a key factor predicting patient reviews during the pandemic crisis. Our results shed light on likely trends in healthcare, particularly due to increasing income inequality.

Healthcare utilization is increased in children living in urban areas, with ethnicity-related disparities: A big data analysis study.

This study aimed to investigate differences in pediatric healthcare utilization in Israel over 10 years by examining differences across populations defined by living environment and ethnicity. Data was obtained from the Clalit Health Care data warehouse, covering over 250,000 children residing in Haifa and Western Galilee districts. The population groups were categorized based on ethnicity (Jewish vs Arab) and residential settings (urban vs rural). Healthcare utilization was consistently higher among Jewish than Arab children, irrespective of the specific dimension analyzed. Additionally, urban-dwelling children exhibited higher usage rates than those residing in rural areas in all investigated dimensions. However, Jewish children showed significantly about 18% lower hospitalization rates than Arab children across all years (P < 0.001). No significant differences in hospitalizations were observed between urban and rural children (RR 0.999, CI (0.987-1.011)). Notably, the study revealed reduced antibiotic consumption and hospitalizations over the years for all populations. Additionally, we found that Arab children and those living in rural areas had reduced access to healthcare, as evidenced by 10-40% fewer physician visits, laboratory tests, and imaging (P < 0.001). Conclusion:This study highlights the substantial population-based disparities in healthcare utilization among children in Israel despite the equalizing effect of the national health insurance law. Rural and low socioeconomic populations seem to have reduced healthcare access, showing decreased healthcare utilization. Consequently, it is imperative to address these disparities and implement targeted interventions to enhance healthcare access for Arab children and rural communities. The decline in antibiotic usage and hospitalizations suggests positive trends in pediatric health care, necessitating ongoing efforts to ensure equitable access and quality of care for all populations. What is Known: • Healthcare systems worldwide vary in coverage and accessibility, including Israel, which stands out for its diverse population. • Existing research primarily focuses on healthcare utilization among adults, leaving a need for comprehensive data on children's healthcare patterns globally. What is New: • Investigating over 250,000 children, this study reveals higher healthcare utilization among Jewish and urban children across all dimensions. • Despite Israel's national health insurance law, the study underscores the significant population-based disparities in healthcare utilization.

Trends in health care of patients with vasculitides, including giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis and Behçet’s disease: cross-sectional data of the German National Database 2007–2021

The aim of this study is to present the current care situation of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA), Takayasu arteritis (TAK), ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and Behçet’s disease (BD). Trends over the last 15 years will reflect improvements and remaining deficits in the management of vasculitides. Consecutive cross-sectional data from patients with vasculitides from the German National Database (NDB) of the Collaborative Arthritis Centres between 2007 and 2021 were included. Medication, physician- and patient-reported outcomes on disease activity and disease burden, inpatient stays and occupational participation are compared for different vasculitis entities and over time. Employment rates were compared to German population rates. Between 502 and 854 vasculitis patients were annually documented. GCA and AAV were the most common vasculitides. Median disease duration ranged from 2 to 16 years. Over the years, glucocorticoids decreased in proportion and dose, most markedly in GCA and TAK, while biologic therapies increased up to 27%. Physicians rated disease activity as low for the vast majority of patients, while patients-reported moderate outcomes in many dimensions. PROs remained largely unchanged. The proportion of employed patients (< 65 years) increased from 47 to 57%. In recent years, biologics are increasingly used in patients with vasculitides, while glucocorticoids decreased significantly. PRO’s have not improved. Work participation increased but remains lower than that in the German population.

Research of Golden Investment Opportunity of the Blue-Chip Dividend King

Johnson &amp; Johnson (JNJ) stands as a titan in the healthcare conglomerate sector, having long played a significant role in the global market. This paper undertakes a literature review methodology to delve deeply into JNJ's historical context, diverse business arms, and financial prowess. A Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) and comparative valuation method are applied to assess JNJ's investment potential, supported by a rigorous risk evaluation encompassing various facets from market dynamics to legal challenges. Concurrently, the study gauges the alignment of JNJ's strategies with prevailing pharmaceutical and healthcare trends. Conclusively, the analysis suggests tailored investment recommendations, encapsulating both immediate and future outlooks. The primary objective is to furnish prospective investors with a well-rounded assessment of JNJ's investment promise.

Health Problems among the Elderly in Selected Area of District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh

Estimation of the health problems in developing countries is required from time to time to predict trends in disease burden and health care for elderly. Developing countries have poor track record of equitable distribution of health care. Old age is associated with decline in physical, physiological and cognitive functions affecting quality of elderly population. The robust increase in proportion of elderly has resulted in demographic burden in a developing country like India. To cope up with this burden appropriate and timely intervention is required. The objectives of this study were: to assess of health problems among elderly population and find the association between the health problems among elderly with demographic variables. The study tools were semi structured dichotomous questionnaires. Result revealed that health problems among elderly were arthritis (incidence 68.13%), vision impairment (66.26%), dementia (62.40%), hearing problem (52.53%), sleeping disturbance (49.06%), hypertension (46.13%), constipation (38.20%), diabetes mellitus (36.26%), and urinary tract infection (9.46%).

Mental Health Care in Poland

Abstract Background: Like in other industrialized countries, the development of Polish psychiatry has followed a typical trajectory, initially marked by the establishment of large mental health hospitals using an isolation-based care model. Subsequently, there has been a decline in these institutions, characterized by a reduction in the number of hospital beds, and an ongoing evolution toward decentralized community psychiatry, specifically mental health-care centers. The hospitalizations are for emergency/acute care only. The authors describe how clinical services and personnel training in Poland that have been adjusted in response to societal changes and global trends in mental health care. Methods: The authors collected and critically reviewed information based on literature relevant to the organization of mental health care in Poland. In addition, official government publications such as reports from the Central Statistical Office and Ministry of Health were perused to gather data on the population structure, gross domestic product, and the organizational structure of the mental health care and relevant health-care indices. Results: Mental health care in Poland is evolving and gradually improving, providing more opportunities for collaboration and networking among nongovernmental organizations, patients’ associations, and psychiatrists working toward common goals. Training curricula have been updated and/or modified, with new specialty and subspecialty trainings being offered to meet the demands of health-care professionals and patients alike. Conclusion: Demographic changes, the presence of Ukrainian war refugees, and global trends in psychiatry profoundly influence the delivery of mental health-care services in Poland.

Medical pluralism: A practicing health care trend of indigenous communities with reference to Rajbanshis of Koch Bihar

Medical pluralism: A practicing health care trend of indigenous communities with reference to Rajbanshis of Koch Bihar

Rationale and study protocol of a regional health panel in Saxony, Germany (GEPASA).

The citizens' perspectives on health care are central to the assessment of the health care situation and to regional development. In Germany, however, strategic goals for health care delivery are planned based on population statistics and partly on regional morbidity. Saxony is a German federal state with high average age and low density of physicians which makes the population perspective on quality of health care especially intersting. No existing panel surveys cover issues related to the perceived quality of health care delivery on a regional level in Germany. We aim to conduct a longitudinal panel study of the perceived health status and perceived quality of health care of the Saxon citizens as a basis for the systematic derivation of health care goals/measures and target group-specific, regionally suitable prevention measures. With an anticipated 15% response rate, 15,000 potential participants have to be contacted to achieve a calculated sample size of about 2,250 participants. The questionnaire will be circulated every other year with the option for adaptations depending on insights of each panel wave. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany (ethical approval code BO-EK-320072022) and has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Register as the German WHO primary registry (study registration number DRKS00031229). The results are intended to identify gaps in health care and to develop patient-centered health care goals for the region together with stakeholders in Saxon health care planning. At the same time, longitudinal data allow mapping of perceived health status and perceived health care trends.

Towards voltammetric point of care detection of leucovorin.

Current healthcare trends have seen an increased emphasis on the move towards personalised precision medicine to tailor treatments to the individual and their response to diseases and disease therapies. This highlighting a transition from traditional "one size fits all" to a more nuanced approach. Despite advancements in fundamental knowledge to facilitate personalised prevision approaches, lack of resources to implement such plans remains one of the largest hurdles to overcome. Monitoring of drug therapies is one key aspect that could aid in the evolution of precision medicine alongside the development of drugs and targeted treatment systems. This contribution illustrates the potential of square wave voltammetry (SWV) as a proof-of-concept for monitoring of circulating blood concentrations of treatment therapies within artificial urine, using leucovorin calcium (LV) as a model cancer therapy drug. A low cost, easy-to-use and portable sensor has been developed and successfully employed for the detection of LV over the linear range 0.5-30 μM which represents the therapeutically relevant concentrations for LV within artificial urine without any prior sample preparation required with a limit of detection of 2.63 μM and initial investigations into saliva and serum as biological matrices. The developed sensor describe herein exhibits a proof-of-concept for the engagement of such electrochemical sensors as point-of-care devices, where the sensors ease of use and removal of time-consuming and complex sample preparation methods will ultimately increase its usability by physicians, widening the avenues where electrochemical sensors could be employed.

Comparison of Hyperparameter Optimization Techniques in Hybrid CNN-LSTM Model for Heart Disease Classification

Heart disease, which causes the highest number of deaths worldwide, recorded about 17.9 million cases in 2019, or about 32% of total global deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The significance of early detection of heart disease drives research to develop effective diagnosis systems utilizing machine learning. The advancement of machine learning in healthcare currently primarily serves as a supporting role in the ability of clinicians or analysts to fulfill their roles, identify healthcare trends, and develop disease prediction models. Meanwhile, deep learning has experienced rapid development and has become the most popular method in recent years, one of which is detecting diseases. The main objective of this research is to optimize the hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) model for classifying heart disease by comparing hyperparameter optimization using grid search and random search. Although random search requires less time in hyperparameter tuning, the classification performance results of grid search show higher accuracy. In the test, the hybrid CNN and LSTM model with grid search achieved 91.67% accuracy, 89.66% recall (sensitivity), 93.55% specificity, 92.86% precision, 91.23% f1-score, and 0.9310 AUC value. These results confirm that using a hybrid CNN and LSTM model with a grid search approach is better suited for classifying heart disease.

Reimagining Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Undergraduate Medical Education in the Era of Artificial Intelligence.

The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and its extensive potential for integration into many aspects of health care signal a transformational shift within the health care environment. In this context, medical education must evolve to ensure that medical trainees are adequately prepared to navigate the rapidly changing health care landscape. Medical education has moved toward a competency-based education paradigm, leading the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to define a set of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as its practical operational framework in undergraduate medical education. The AAMC's 13 core EPAs for entering residencies have been implemented with varying levels of success across medical schools. In this paper, we critically assess the existing core EPAs in the context of rapid AI integration in medicine. We identify EPAs that require refinement, redefinition, or comprehensive change to align with the emerging trends in health care. Moreover, this perspective proposes a set of "emerging" EPAs, informed by the changing landscape and capabilities presented by generative AI technologies. We provide a practical evaluation of the EPAs, alongside actionable recommendations on how medical education, viewed through the lens of the AAMC EPAs, can adapt and remain relevant amid rapid technological advancements. By leveraging the transformative potential of AI, we can reshape medical education to align with an AI-integrated future of medicine. This approach will help equip future health care professionals with technological competence and adaptive skills to meet the dynamic and evolving demands in health care.

Физическая доступность лекарственных средств в арктических районах Республики Саха (Якутия)

Access to medicines is intrinsically linked to fundamental human rights to health and life. The need to make medicines more accessible is articulated in strategic planning documents, including the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and National Security until 2035. Enacted in 2023, the law "On the Deliveries of Goods to the Northern Territories" aims to address the situation regarding access to medicines in the Russian Arctic. This study aims to provide a rationale for a set of government regulation mechanisms aimed at improving access to medicines in the region. Guided by axiological principles, the study employs analysis and synthesis, systems analysis, structural analysis, mathematical tools, and statistical analysis. The study utilizes data from official statistics reports, the National Register of Medicines, archives run by the Ministry of Health of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), and local pharmacies. This research contributes to the scientific discourse on social policy issues in Arctic regions, focusing on the unique binary status of pharmaceutical companies caused by the ambiguous roles played by healthcare and federal authorities. Using Yakutia as a case study, the article sheds light on the current situation with access to medicines in regions traditionally populated by indigenous peoples. The analysis of the pharmaceutical market in Yakutia and its Arctic districts from 2009 to 2023 reveals both general positive trends in healthcare and the low effectiveness of existing measures, necessitating a clearer definition of government participation forms. The study gives additional proposals in this domain. Due to the ultidimensionality of interdependent yet separate public (healthcare) and private (pharmacies) sectors, further research can be done into ways to improve the quality of life of the local population in the context of economic and social inequality.

Опорный каркас как основа формирования эффективного пространства социального развития северного региона (на примере Республики Коми)

This article aims to articulate and empirically substantiate the concept of an efficient space for regional social development utilizing the creative potential inherent in settlement patterns. The study is built upon the author's concept of space as a set of conditions for placing material objects and that of spatial development as the region's transformation through changes in settlement patterns. An efficient space is understood as a multilayered space with smooth connections between layers forming a structure that fosters activity and intraregional connectivity. The research represents a novel perspective on the concept of intraregional connectivity and contributes to its advancement. The article describes elements, characteristics, and trends in settlement patterns, healthcare, education infrastructure, and production locations in the Komi Republic. It identifies flaws in intraregional connectivity and their root causes and uses maps to illustrate the compression of the settlement area resulting from a decrease in the number of settlements and a population outflow in the north of the region. Challenges associated with accessibility to medical institutions and lack of access to essential medical services in some areas create a risk zone for public health. The study emphasizes the transformative impact of resettlement challenges on general education institutions, necessitating adjustments in the interface between transport and social service layers. The article explores the evolving city-forming and spatial functions within such areas as Fuel-Based Arctic, Traditional North, Energy-Based Center, and Timber-Based South. It highlights the limited role of corporations and the burgeoning potential of locally focused socially-oriented companies. The findings suggest that future research areas may include the digital transformation of healthcare and education, as well as an exploration of the territorial structure of social cohesion.

Re-imagining of an undergraduate, second-degree entry, accelerated nursing program's curriculum utilizing a postmodern, learner-centred lens and a concept-based framework.

It is necessary to re-imagine nursing curriculums utilizing a postmodern approach, as outdated teacher-centred methods of nursing education with emphasis on memorization versus critical thinking no longer meet the needs of the contemporary learner and the current challenges of the healthcare environment. There is an explicit need to redesign nursing curriculums that are future-oriented, adaptive and flexible and serve the learners' best interests. Distilled from a decade of teaching experience in an undergraduate, second-degree entry, accelerated nursing program, this paper describes the construction of a learner-centred, postmodern, concept-based nursing curriculum that aims to foster learners' inquiry skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, and experiential learning-all which develop learners' autonomy, self-direction, and lifelong learning. The objective is to foster learners' transformational and emancipatory learning and metacognition. An extensive review of the current trends, contemporary nursing knowledge for the past decade (2013-2023), and seminal literature on theories and frameworks paralleled with the review of current and future trends in Canadian and global health care, including the socio-economic, politico and environmental contexts, led to the formulation of a concept-based curriculum. Grounded in the constructivist paradigm, the curriculum applies interperetivist, critical, feminist, and indigenous lenses. The Strength-Based Nursing framework was selected as the core guiding framework. The curriculum's four curricular themes and foundational pillars were adopted directly from the framework to provide a starting point for concept development. These initial themes were then juxtaposed with relevant nursing, and social theories, policies, and frameworks, ensuring a robust coverage of modern nursing knowledge and allowing for the core concepts of the curriculum to emerge. A total of 21 concepts and 192 sub-concepts were developed. Implications for future practice require nursing educators to receive support and professional development opportunities in developing skills and confidence in entering a classroom as co-learners and facilitators.

Change Management and Health Care Culture.

Change management in health care is the process of implementing new policies, procedures, and practices in order to improve the quality of patient care. It involves understanding the need for change, identifying the stakeholders involved, and developing a plan to implement and manage the change. Change management in health care requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach to ensure that changes are properly implemented, communicated, and monitored. It is essential for health care providers to be aware of the current trends in health care and to stay up to date with the latest technology in order to provide the best care possible.

The Necessity of Education in Response to Technological Advancements and Future Environmental Changes: A Comparison of Korean Medicine Doctors and Students

Objectives: The medical field is rapidly evolving with AI and digital technologies like AI-based X-ray analysis and digital therapeutics gaining approval. Telemedicine is becoming prominent, and medical schools are adapting by integrating AI education. Pusan National University leads a talent training project for AI in health. Korean Medicine is incorporating AI with diagnostic systems and chatbots. However, there's a lack of research on education awareness in Korean Medicine Colleges. The study aims to assess opinions on integrating AI, digital therapeutics, and DNA test into the Korean medicine college curriculum for improved education.Methods: We selected appropriate four specific areas: artificial intelligence in medicine, digital therapeutics, DNA test, and telemedicine. The questionnaire developed for this study underwent expert evaluation and was subsequently administered to registered KMDs of the Association of Korean Medicine, as well as students from 12 Korean Medicine universities. The survey was designed to analyze the awareness and perceived importance of the 4 areas.Results: Both KMDs and Korean medicine students exhibited comparable awareness levels across the four objectives. Notably, both groups identified a high educational necessity and importance of artificial intelligence in medicine for clinical settings. Statistically significant differences were observed between KMDs and students in their perspectives on the importance of telemedicine and DNA test in the Korean medicine field, the educational necessity of DNA test within Korean medicine universities, and the need for comprehension of regulations related to digital therapeutics.Conclusion: The survey of Korean medicine professionals and students underscores a strong understanding of key areas such as Telemedicine, medical AI, DNA test, and digital therapeutics. Medical AI is identified as crucial for future education. There's a consensus on the need for curriculum changes in Korean medicine schools, particularly in adapting to evolving healthcare trends. The focus should be on practical clinical application, with a call for additional research to better integrate student and practitioner perspectives in future curriculum reform discussions.