High-volume Facilities Research Articles

Rate and predictors of loss to follow-up in HIV care in a low-resource setting: analyzing critical risk periods

BackgroundPatient loss-to-follow-up (LTFU) in HIV care is a major challenge, especially in low-resource settings. Although the literature has focused on the total rate at which patients disengage from care, it has not sufficiently examined the specific risk periods during which patients are most likely to disengage from care. By addressing this gap, researchers and healthcare providers can develop more targeted interventions to improve patient engagement in HIV care.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study on newly enrolled adult HIV patients at seven randomly selected high-volume health facilities in Ethiopia from May 2022 to April 2024. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 26, with a focus on the incidence rate of LTFU during the critical risk periods. Cumulative hazard analysis was used to compare event distributions, whereas a Poisson regression model was used to identify factors predicting LTFU, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe analysis included 737 individuals newly enrolled in HIV care; 165 participants (22.4%, 95% CI: 19.5–25.2) were LTFU by the end of two years, of which 50.1% occurred within the first 6 months, 29.7% within 7–12 months, and 19.4% from 13 to 24 months on ART. The overall incidence rate of LTFU was 18.3 per 1,000 PMO (95% CI: 15.9–20.6), with rates of 167.7 in the first 6 months, 55.4 in 7–12 months, and 18.1 in 13–24 months. Incomplete addresses lacking a phone number or location information (IRR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.27) and poor adherence (IRR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.28, 2.48) were factors predicting the incidence rate of LTFU.ConclusionLTFU peaked in the first 6 months, accounting for approximately half of total losses, remained elevated from months 7–12, and stabilized after the first year of HIV care and treatment. Address information and adherence were predictors of LTFU. To effectively minimize LTFU, efforts should focus on intensive support during the first six months of care, followed by sustained efforts and monitoring in the next six months. Our findings highlight a critical period for targeted interventions to reduce LTFU in HIV care.

Impact of Facility Volume on Overall Survival in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Undergoing Palliative Treatment.

Treatment at high-volume facilities (HVF) has been associated with improved prognosis of HNC patients undergoing curative treatment. Whether this systemic factor influences survival outcomes of patients with HNC undergoing palliative treatment is unknown. To investigate the impact of palliative treatment facility volume on overall survival (OS) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). The 2004 to 2018 National Cancer Database was queried retrospectively for patients with HNC undergoing palliative treatment. Patients were stratified based on treatment facility volume percentile. Multivariable binary logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression models were implemented. Of 8682 patients included, 1661 (19.1%) underwent palliative therapy at facilities with volume ≥80th percentile. Among 972 facilities included, 643 (66.2%), 182 (18.7%), 85 (8.8%), 44 (4.5%), and 18 (1.9%) had volume <20th, 20-40th, 40-60th, 60-80th, and ≥80th percentiles, respectively. 5-year OS rates of patients undergoing palliative therapy at facilities with volume <20th, 20-40th, 40-60th, 60-80th, and ≥80th percentile was 11%, 13%, 11%, 14%, and 23%, respectively (P < .001). Facility volume ≥80th percentile was associated with higher 5-year OS on multivariable Cox regression (aHR 0.34, 95% CI 0.16-0.69, P < .001). Surgical treatment (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.07-1.68, P = .012) was associated with undergoing treatment at facilities with volume ≥80th percentile. Undergoing palliative treatment at HVFs is associated with higher OS in HNC. The survival benefit derived from high facility volume should be carefully considered in the context of other patient and facility characteristics in end-of-life management, with specific emphasis on patient-directed goals of care.

The Current State of Regionalization in Otolaryngologic Specialized Tumor Care for Tumor Diagnoses.

The current extent of otolaryngologic cancer care regionalization is unclear. This study characterizes case volume regionalization patterns for 4 distinct otolaryngologic tumors-head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), thyroid cancers (TCs), vestibular schwannomas, and pituitary adenomas (PAs). The 2010-2016 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with HNSCCs, TCs, vestibular schwannomas, and PAs. Facility geographic locations were divided into 4 geographical quadrants. High-volume facilities (HVFs) were defined as top 100 by volume facility for ≥1 pathology. A total of 191/1342 facilities (4.2%) were defined as an HVF. Vestibular schwannoma was the most regionalized, with 65.9% of patients treated at an HVF. Thyroid cancer (37.4%) and HNSCC (38.8%) were the least commonly treated at HVFs. Forty-one/191 (21.5%) were classified as HVFs for all 4 pathologies. Factors predictive of treatment at HVFs included age <65, higher income, and private insurance, larger tumor size, and lower American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. Over 20% of HVFs were considered high-volume for all 4 pathologies. Vestibular schwannomas were the most regionalized compared with PAs, TCs, and HSNCCs.

Veterinarian Use of and Sentiment Regarding Standard of Care for Feline Ovarian Pedicle Tie

Ligation of the feline ovarian pedicle is commonly performed via autoligation (“pedicle tie”) by high-quality high-volume surgeons. It is not commonly taught in veterinary school, resulting in general practice veterinarians who are not comfortable with the technique, despite being faster than double ligation with suture, having very low risk of hemorrhage-related complications, and no increased risk for student surgeons. This study aimed to determine the use of and opinions regarding standard of care (SOC) related to the pedicle tie for feline ovariohysterectomy. An anonymous 23-question survey was targeted to private practice veterinarians via social media from September to November 2021. There were 142 respondents, with 77 indicating the use of the pedicle tie and 65 indicating no use. Of those who used the pedicle tie, most reported learning the technique from either a dedicated high-quality high-volume facility (32%) or a colleague/mentor (32%). Nearly half used it in all cases. They had used it for a median of 5 (IQR 3,8) years, and 99% were comfortable teaching the technique to others. Of those who did not use the pedicle tie, 60% reported that it meets SOC, 14% reported that it does not, and 26% reported that it sometimes meets SOC. Over half of the respondents reported using the pedicle tie. Absence from the veterinary curriculum was the most frequently cited reason for not using the technique.

Integrating SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen testing in maternal, neonatal and child health, HIV, and TB clinics in Kenya and Cameroon: outcomes from the Catalysing COVID-19 Action Project

IntroductionEarly diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is key to preventing severe disease and poor outcomes in vulnerable populations, such as pregnant women and people living with HIV or diagnosed with tuberculosis...

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma: Does management differ based on facility variables?

PurposePapillary thyroid carcinoma detection has increased dramatically in the United States. However, the indolent nature of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (mPTC) has led the American Thyroid Association (ATA) to advocate for more conservative management. The 2015 ATA recommendations advocated for observation or lobectomy for mPTC. However, the majority of mPTCs continue to be treated with more aggressive surgical management. In this study, we aim to understand the management of mPTC based on facility variables. Materials and methodsA retrospective observational study of patients diagnosed with mPTC between 2004 and 2018 was performed using the National Cancer Database incidence data. We collected data on patient sex, age, tumor size, race, ethnicity, geographic location, thyroid surgical volume at the facility, and treatment modality for mPTC were collected. Conservative and non-conservative treatment modalities based on patient and facility characteristics were compared both longitudinally and cross-sectionally between pre- and post-2015 ATA recommendations. ResultsTotal thyroidectomy with or without radioactive iodine ablation (RAI) remains the treatment of choice regardless of patient and facility characteristics. Patients treated at low-volume facilities were actually more likely to be treated conservatively. ConclusionsDespite 2015 ATA recommendations advocating for observation or lobectomy for mPTC, patients with mPTC are still more likely to be treated with total thyroidectomy with or without RAI, especially at high-volume facilities.

Do Social Deprivation and Surgical Volume Influence Outcomes Following Distal Radius Fracture Fixation?

Distal radius fractures account for nearly 25% of fractures in adults, with a trend toward operative fixation. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between surgeon and hospital volume with complications following distal radius fixation. A retrospective study was performed using the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database from 2009 to 2015. Outpatient claims were identified for distal radius fractures and surgery. The facility and surgeon's identifier were used to calculate annual procedure volume. The risk for infection, carpal tunnel surgery, and revision/hardware removal was analyzed, and Social Deprivation Index (SDI) was linked to each patient. Patient demographics and rate of complications were compared across hospital and physician volume. A total of 14 748 patients were included, finding Federal and self-pay insurance associated with low-volume (LV) facility care and private insurance with high-volume (HV) facilities. The SDI for patients treated by LV surgeons and hospitals was significantly higher compared with HV providers. Low-volume facilities and surgeons had a higher 3-month risk of infection requiring reoperation. High-volume facilities were less likely to treat Hispanic patients, those with comorbidities, higher SDI, and with Federal or self-pay insurance. Patients treated by LV surgeons and facilities had a higher risk of infection requiring surgery within 3 months than those treated by HV providers. Low-volume facilities were more likely to treat patients who were Hispanic, Federally insured, and with comorbidities and higher SDI than HV facilities, increasing their risk for disadvantaged care. Level III.

Factors associated with severe pneumonia among children

BackgroundPneumonia is one of the leading causes of infant mortality globally, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, pneumonia was the fourth leading cause of death in children <5 years in 2018. Analysis of 2013–2022 data for children <5 years from the District Health Information System indicated a high incidence of severe pneumonia in Kasese District, Uganda. We investigated to identify factors associated with severe pneumonia among children <5 years in Kasese District to inform prevention and control strategies.MethodsWe conducted a 1:1 hospital-based case-control study among children aged 2–59 months presenting with pneumonia at five high-volume facilities in Kasese District from January to April 2023. A case was defined as pneumonia with ≥1 of the following danger signs: low oxygen saturation, central cyanosis, severe respiratory distress, feeding difficulties, altered consciousness, and convulsions. Controls were outpatient children aged 2–59 months with a diagnosis of non-severe pneumonia. We reviewed medical records at facilities and used an interviewer-administered questionnaire with caregivers to obtain information on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with severe pneumonia.ResultsWe enrolled 199 cases and 174 controls. The odds of severe pneumonia were higher among children with diarrhoea only (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.9, 95%CI: 1.7–4.9), or malaria and diarrhoea (aOR = 3.4, 95%CI: 2.0-5.9), than those without a co-existing illness at the time of pneumonia diagnosis. Not being exclusively breastfed for ≥ 6 months (aOR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.1–3.3) and exposure to indoor air pollution from cooking combustion sources (aOR = 2.9, 95%CI: 1.8–4.7) increased odds of severe pneumonia.ConclusionThe findings highlight the significance of comorbidities, lack of exclusive breastfeeding, and exposure to indoor air pollution in the development of severe pneumonia. Promoting exclusive breastfeeding for ≥ 6 months and advocating for the use of clean energy sources, could mitigate morbidity attributable to severe pneumonia in the region.

Utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among young people living with HIV and attending selected HIV clinics in selected sub-counties of Nairobi, Kenya

Background Young people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa account for the largest proportion of the vulnerable population in the world. Kenya has little evidence to showcase the utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among young people living with HIV. Nairobi County has one of the highest HIV burdens among adolescents and youth in the country. Consequently, assessing the factors associated with the utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among young people aged 15–24 years living with HIV motivates this study. Methods A health facility-based cross-sectional study design with convergent parallel mixed methods technique was used. Purposive sampling with predetermined criteria was used to select six high-volume public health facilities in six high-burden sub-counties of Nairobi. A total of 253 participants completed the semi-structured questionnaires on utilization and associated factors.12 purposively selected healthcare workers were in key informant sessions on their perception of young people’s utilization. Stepwise binary logistic regression was used to analyse the quantitative data using Stata version 14. NVivo software was used to code and thematically analyse the data. Results 47 % of the participants had utilized the services. Collection of condoms (45.7%) was the most utilized while treatment of sexually transmitted infections (8.2%) was the least utilized services. Female sex (AOR: 3.60 95%, Cl: 1.67-6.40), increase in age (AOR: 2.27 95%, Cl: 1.1C-4.65), HIV status disclosure to a sexual partner (AOR: 2.00 95%, Cl: 1.11-3.80) and privacy for sexual and reproductive health services at a health facility (AOR: 3.27 95%Cl: 1.42-7.60) were factors significantly associated with utilization. Conclusions Although this vulnerable population has frequent contact with healthcare providers, utilization of sexual and reproductive services is low. Stakeholders are recommended to put more emphasis on behavioural interventions to promote male involvement and HIV disclosure to sexual partners.

Facility Volume and Changing Facilities for Postoperative Radiotherapy in Salivary Gland Cancer.

Changing location of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after treatment at a high-volume facility (HVF) is associated with worse survival in various head and neck cancers. Our study investigates this relationship in salivary gland cancer (SGC). The 2004-2016 National Cancer Database was queried for all cases of adult SGC treated with surgery and PORT with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with multiple cancer diagnoses, metastatic disease, or unknown PORT facility were excluded. Reporting facilities with >95th percentile annual case volume were classified as HVFs, the remainder were classified low-volume facilities (LVFs). A total of 7885 patients met inclusion criteria, of which 418 (5.3%) were treated at an HVF. Patients treated at an HVF had higher rates clinical nodal positivity (18.2% vs. 14.0%, p < 0.001) and clinical T3/T4 (27.3% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.001) disease. Patients at HVFs changed facility for PORT at lower rates (18.9% vs. 24.5%, p = 0.009). Patients treated at an HVF had higher 5-year overall survival (5-OS) than those treated at an LVF (79.0% vs. 72.0%, p = 0.042). Patients treated at an HVF that changed PORT facility had worse 5-OS (60.8% vs. 83.2%, p < 0.001). Radiation facility change was an independent predictor of worse survival in patients treated at an HVF (HR: 8.99 [3.15-25.67], p < 0.001) but not for patients treated at a LVF (HR: 1.11 [0.98-1.25], p = 0.109). Patients treated at an HVF changing facility for PORT for SGC experience worse survival. Our data suggest patients treated surgically at an HVF should be counseled to continue their PORT at the same institution. 3 Laryngoscope, 2024.

Integrating support persons into maternity care and associations with quality of care: a postpartum survey of mothers and support persons in Kenya

BackgroundDespite research that has shown that the presence of support persons during maternity care is associated with more respectful care, support persons are frequently excluded due to facility practices or negative attitudes of providers. Little quantitative research has examined how integrating support persons in maternity care has implications for the quality of care received by women, a potential pathway for improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes. This study aimed to investigate how integrating support persons in maternity care is associated with multiple dimensions of the quality of maternity care.MethodsWe used facility-based cross-sectional survey data from women (n = 1,138) who gave birth at six high-volume facilities in Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya and their support persons (n = 606) present during the immediate postpartum period. Integration was measured by the Person-Centered Integration of Support Persons (PC-ISP) items. We investigated quality of care outcomes including person-centered care outcomes (i.e., Person-Centered Maternity Care (PCMC) and Satisfaction with care) and clinical outcomes (i.e., Implementation of WHO-recommended clinical practices). We used fractional regression with robust standard errors to estimate associations between PC-ISP and care outcomes.ResultsCompared to low integration, high integration (≥four woman-reported PC-ISP experiences vs. <4) was associated with multiple dimensions of quality care: 3.71%-point (95% CI: 2.95%, 4.46%) higher PCMC scores, 2.76%-point higher (95% CI: 1.86%, 3.65%) satisfaction with care scores, and 4.43%-point (95% CI: 3.52%, 5.34%) higher key clinical practices, controlling for covariates. PC-ISP indicators related to communication with providers showed stronger associations with quality of care compared to other PC-ISP sub-constructs. Some support person-reported PC-ISP experiences were positively associated with women’s satisfaction and key practices.ConclusionsIntegrating support persons, as key advocates for women, is important for respectful maternity care. Practices to better integrate support persons, especially improving communication between support persons with providers, can potentially improve the person-centered and clinical quality of maternity care in Kenya and other low-resource settings.

Male breast cancer survival in Mexico between 2007 and 2016: A retrospective cohort.

1116 Background: Male breast cancer represents around 1% of all breast cancers worldwide. Due to its rarity, it is more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages than in women, and survival rates tend to be lower than in female patients. Information about survival in male breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is scarce. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study cross-linking nationwide reimbursement claims for breast cancer cases between 2007 and 2016 treated within the Seguro Popular health financing scheme to a national mortality registry in Mexico. Age, municipality of residence, clinical stage, and year of treatment initiation were described. Facilities were classified according to location, total breast cancer patient volume, and type of funding. We estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) through the Kaplan Meier method and used the log-rank test to compare differences between patient groups. Patients with in situ disease and missing data for clinical stage were excluded from survival analyses. Results: We identified 268,703 claims representing 60,846 patients, from which 328 were male (0.53%). Median age was 56 years (IQR 48-67). At treatment initiation, 20.7% of patients had early disease, 46.3% had locally advanced (LA) disease and 15.5% metastatic disease; clinical stage information was missing in 16% of patients Most patients (86.6%) were treated at public facilities, and 40.5% were treated at high volume facilities. With a median follow-up of 4.1 years, five-year OS in the whole cohort was 64.3% (CI 95% 58.1-71.2). In patients with early-stage disease, 5-year OS was 78.7% (95% CI 67.0-92.4), in LA disease 66.3% (95% CI 58.4-75.3) and in metastatic disease 39.7% (95% CI 27.5-57.5) (p &lt;0.001). Patients with LA disease treated at a private facility had improved 5-year OS (88.9%) compared to those who were treated at a public facility (62.8%) (p=0.033). We did not find any other significant differences in survival according to patient or facility characteristics, including patient volume. Conclusions: These results represent the largest cohort to describe survival in men with breast cancer in Latin America. We found a larger proportion of men diagnosed with metastatic disease than described in women in Mexico, and lower than expected survival in patients with early-stage and LA disease.

Patient- and system-level factors associated with racial/ethnic disparities in the delivery of guideline-concordant therapy among USpatients with gastric cancer.

Disparities in gastric cancer (GC) outcomes show a higher disease burden among minorities. We aimed to evaluate the associations between sociodemographic and system-level factors and guideline-concordant treatment among GC patients. Cohort study with GC patients in the National Cancer Data Base (2006-2018) treated with upfront resection or neoadjuvant therapy (NAT). We used logistic regression to identify associations between deviations from guideline-concordant therapy and patient- and system-level factors, and Cox regression models to assess risk of death. The cohort included 43 597 GC patients treated with endoscopic resection (8.9%), surgery only (47.1%), surgery and adjuvant therapy (20.6%), or NAT followed by surgery (23.5%). A total of 31 470 patients (72.2%) received guideline-concordant therapy. Relative to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs), Non-Hispanic Blacks (NHBs) (odds ratio [OR] 1.19, [95% confidence intervals 1.10-1.28]) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) (OR 1.12 [1.03-1.23]) had an increased risk of deviations from treatment guidelines. Medicare/Medicaid increased the risk of deviations while treatment at high-volume facilities decreased its risk for all races/ethnicities. Deviations from guidelines were associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio 1.56 [1.50-1.63]. Racial disparities in the delivery of guideline-concordant therapy among GC patients are affected by several sociodemographic factors at the patient- and system-level.

Mental health issues associated with the management of tuberculosis in Homabay, Busia and Kakamega Counties, Kenya.

Despite the implementation of patient-centred care, mental health issues remain a significant risk factor and comorbidity for Tuberculosis (TB) disease. Mental health issues being co-morbidities to TB are likely to increase the disease burden of the affected population. This study therefore investigated the prevalence and impact of mental health issues in Tuberculosis (TB) patients. This cross-sectional study design used mixed methods in data collection. The study used structured questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. 127 TB patients were purposively selected from a group of patients who previously recovered successfully, with a history of relapse or are currently on TB treatment in high-volume facilities in Homa Bay, Busia and Kakamega Counties. 30 Key informant interviews were conducted with Healthcare workers. Quantitative data analysis was done using STATA version 14. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze qualitative data using NVivo version 10. The findings showed that the most common mental health issues affecting TB patients were anxiety (66%) and depression (55%), which were commonly experienced during the presumptive stage of TB. Qualitative data revealed that stigma was the main barrier that hindered TB patients from accessing care. TB patients articulated the benefits of support structures ranging from positive encouragement, reminders on taking drugs, accompaniment to the clinic, and financial support in TB management. Furthermore, the study established that the majority of Health Care Workers (HCWs) were not prepared to handle TB patients' mental issues, a gap that is likely to impact the quality of care TB patients receive. The study established that mental health issues impact TB treatment outcomes. Healthcare systems should prioritize the integration of mental health care into TB programs to address the high prevalence of mental health issues among TB patients.

Reconstructive Head and Neck Microsurgery in a High-Volume Cancer Center—Long-Term Impact of an Early Experience

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate a 16-year-long outcome of an evolving practical approach to reconstructive microsurgery in a high volume, resource-constrained, head and neck cancer care setting. Patients and Methods Seventy-three consecutive cases of free flap reconstruction done by the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology team of Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, from October 2004 to May 2020 were prospectively studied for flap viability, cosmesis, morbidity, and oncologic safety. The cases were selected based on their “emphatic” superiority to the conventional alternative as determined by two or more surgeons of the head and neck team or the recommendations of the head and neck tumor board. Results With the long-term results, this article discusses and validates our strategy for controlled patient recruitment for reconstructive microsurgery to ensure the best resource utilization in a tertiary cancer care center. Conclusions Adequate training and optimal application are the key factors determining success in microvascular reconstructive surgery in resource-constrained, high-volume cancer care facilities.

First-line Immunotherapy for Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Analysis of Real-world Survival Data and Practice Patterns.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a promising new therapy for advanced Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC). We investigated real-world utilization and survival outcomes of first-line immunotherapies in a contemporary cohort. Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we identified 759 patients with MCC between 2015 and 2020 with stage IV disease and known status of first-line systemic therapy. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used to determine predictors of immunotherapy usage. Overall survival (OS) was compared for patients receiving immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or no systemic therapies. We identified 759 patients meeting our inclusion criteria: 329 patients received immunotherapy, 161 received chemotherapy, and 269 received no systemic therapy. Adjusting for demographic, clinical, and facility factors, high facility volume significantly predicted first-line immunotherapy use (OR 1.99; P =0.017). Median OS was 16.2, 12.3, and 8.7 months, among patients who received immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or no systemic therapy, respectively ( P <0.001). On Cox multivariable survival analysis, first-line immunotherapy treatment (HR=0.79, P =0.041) and treatment at high-volume centers (HR=0.58, P =0.004) were associated with improved OS. Consistent with clinical trial results, first-line immunotherapy associated with improvement in median overall survival for patients with stage IV MCC, significantly outperforming chemotherapy in this real-world cohort. Treatment at high-volume centers associated with first-line immunotherapy utilization suggesting that familiarity with this rare disease is important to achieving optimal outcomes for metastatic MCC.

High-volume facilities are significantly more likely to use guideline-adherent systemic immunotherapy for metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: implications for cancer care regionalization.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a neuroendocrine skin cancer with a high rate of mortality. While still relatively rare, the incidence of MCC has been rapidly rising in the US and around the world. Since 2017, two immunotherapeutic drugs, avelumab and pembrolizumab, have been FDA-approved for the treatment of metastatic MCC and have revolutionized outcomes for MCC. However, real-world outcomes can differ from clinical trial data, and the adoption of novel therapeutics can be gradual. We aimed to characterize the treatment practices and outcomes of patients with metastatic MCC across the US. A retrospective cohort study of adult cases of MCC in the National Cancer Database diagnosed from 2004 to 2019 was performed. Multivariable logistic regressions to determine the association of a variety of patient, tumor, and system factors with likelihood of receipt of systemic therapies were performed. Univariate Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox survival regressions were performed. We identified 1017 cases of metastatic MCC. From 2017 to 2019, 54.2% of patients received immunotherapy. This increased from 45.1% in 2017 to 63.0% in 2019. High-volume centers were significantly more likely to use immunotherapy (odds ratio 3.235, p = 0.002). On univariate analysis, patients receiving systemic immunotherapy had significantly improved overall survival (p < 0.001). One-, 3-, and 5-year survival was 47.2% (standard error [SE] 1.8%), 21.8% (SE 1.5%), and 16.5% (SE 1.4%), respectively, for patients who did not receive immunotherapy versus 62.7% (SE 3.5%), 34.4% (SE 3.9%), and 23.6% (SE 4.4%), respectively, for those who did (Fig. 1). In our multivariable survival regression, receipt of immunotherapy was associated with an approximately 35% reduction in hazard of death (hazard ratio 0.665, p < 0.001; 95% CI 0.548-0.808). Our results demonstrate that the real-world survival advantage of immunotherapy for metastatic MCC is similar to clinical trial data. However, many patients with metastatic disease did not receive this guideline-recommended therapy in our most recent study year, and use of immunotherapy is higher at high-volume centers. This suggests that regionalization of care to high-volume centers or dissemination of their practices, may ultimately improve patient survival.

Sexual gender-based violence among adolescent girls and young women during COVID-19 pandemic, Mid-Eastern Uganda.

global studies indicate that sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) may increase during pandemics including COVID-19. The Mid-Eastern region in Uganda was of concern due to the high prevalence of intimate partner sexual violence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Due to limited data, we investigated factors associated with SGBV among AGYW during the COVID-19 pandemic in Eastern Uganda, in April 2022. we listed all AGYW 10-24 years who obtained SGBV services at 10 high-volume health facilities from March 2020 to December 2021, the main COVID-19 period in Uganda. We conducted a case-control study among these AGYW. A case was ≥1 SGBV episode experienced by an AGYW aged 10-24 years residing in the Tororo and Busia districts. For every randomly selected case from the health facility line list, we identified two neighbourhood-matched AGYW controls who reported no SGBV. We interviewed 108 and 216 controls on socio-demographics, socio-economics, and SGBV experiences during COVID-19. We conducted logistic regression to identify associated factors. among 389 SGBV cases, the mean age was 16.4 (SD± 1.6: range 10-24) years, and 350 (90%) were aged 15-19 years. Among 108 cases interviewed, 79 (73%) reported forced sex. Most (n=73; 68%) knew the perpetrator. In multivariate analysis, self-reported SGBV before the COVID-19 period [aOR=5.8, 95%CI: 2.8-12] and having older siblings [aOR=1.9, 95%: CI 1.1-3.4] were associated with SGBV during the period. Living with a family that provided all the basic needs was protective [aOR=0.42, 95%: CI 0.23-0.78]. previous SGBV experiences and family dynamics, such as having older siblings, increased the odds of SGBV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda. Conversely, a supportive family environment was protective. Identifying, supporting, and enacting protective interventions for SGBV victims and socioeconomically vulnerable AGYW could reduce the burden of SGBV during similar events.

Study of Surgical and Visual Results and Complications of Manual SICS in a Tertiary Care Medical College in India

BACKGROUND&#x0D; Small-incision cataract surgery (SICS) is a widely practiced surgery in developing nations. Its cost-effective nature and compatibility with high-volume facilities make it a valuable option, offering favorable visual outcomes for most patients. This study was done to evaluate the visual results of SICS procedures performed at a tertiary care center in Urun, Islampur and investigate the factors contributing to suboptimal visual outcomes.&#x0D; METHODS&#x0D; A total of 200 cataract patients were enrolled in this study. The research encompassed a comprehensive analysis of intraoperative and postoperative complications. There was a comparison made between postoperative visual acuity (VA) and preoperative VA, with a dedicated examination of the determinants of diminished visual outcomes. Follow-up evaluations were carried out on days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 30.&#x0D; RESULTS&#x0D; The average age of the patient cohort was 63 years, with a slightly higher representation of females (52%) compared to males. The most frequently encountered surgical complication with 5.5% incidence was striate keratopathy, which was then followed by iris damage which had an incidence of 4.5%. The other common complications included posterior capsular rent (PCR) with vitreous loss (3.5%), hypotony (0.10%), intraocular lens decentration (0.50%), surgically induced astigmatism (0.20%) and endophthalmitis (0.50%). Notably, 98% of the patients achieved visual acuity exceeding 6/18. Complications associated with suboptimal visual outcomes (&lt;6/18) were primarily attributed to posterior capsular rent, surgically induced astigmatism, and endophthalmitis.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS&#x0D; While SICS may carry a certain risk of complications, the majority of patients can attain favourable visual outcomes.

Implementation matters: assessing the effectiveness and sustainment of an obstetric triage program at a high-volume facility in Ghana

BackgroundMaternal mortality remains stubbornly high in Ghana. Current national efforts are focused on improving the quality of care offered in health facilities. Obstetric triage is one intervention that has been proposed to improve the timeliness and appropriateness of care, two key elements of quality. In this study, we describe and evaluate a theory-based implementation approach to introduce obstetric triage into Tema General Hospital, a high-volume maternity hospital in Greater Accra, that blends concepts from implementation science and quality improvement. This implementation project was a first attempt to scale this intervention into a new facility, following initial development in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (formerly Ridge Hospital) in Accra.MethodsThis was a retrospective mixed-methods evaluation of two stages of implementation: active implementation and sustainment. We triangulated monitoring data captured during active implementation with clinical outcome data (timeliness of first assessment, accuracy of diagnosis, and appropriateness of care plan) from direct observation or patient obstetric triage assessment forms at baseline, at the completion of the active implementation stage, and following a 12-month “washout” period with no contact between hospital staff and the purveyor organization. Finally, we assessed embeddedness of the new triage procedures using the NoMad, a quantitative assessment of constructs from normalization process theory (NPT).ResultsPatient waiting time decreased substantially during the study. At baseline, the median arrival-to-assessment waiting time was 70.5 min (IQR: 30.0–443.0 min). Waiting time decreased to 6.0 min (IQR: 3.0–15.0 min) following active implementation and to 5.0 min (IQR: 2.0–10.0 min) during the sustainment period. Accuracy of diagnosis was high at the end of active implementation (75.7% correct) and improved during the sustainment period (to 77.9%). The appropriateness of care plans also improved during the sustainment period (from 66.0 to 78.9%). Per NoMad data, hospital staff generally perceive obstetric triage to be well integrated into the facility.ConclusionsThis theory-based implementation approach proved to be successful in introducing a novel obstetric triage concept to a busy high-volume hospital, despite resource constraints and a short implementation window. Results proved long-lasting, suggesting this approach has high potential for engendering sustainability in other facilities as well. Our approach will be useful to other initiatives that aim to utilize program data to create and test implementation theories.