Institute Of Medicine Standards Research Articles

Gestational weight gain: Toward best practices in managing gestational weight gain in patients with obesity: Comparison of recommendations

Background and aimsIn 2009, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued recommendations for gestational weight gain (GWG) based on body mass index (BMI). Several studies have challenged those recommendations for women with obesity, considering them too liberal and advising more limited weight gain – or even weight loss – during pregnancy to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Our aim was to study how gestational weight gain in women with obesity impacted maternal and fetal complications in the Belgian population. We did this by comparing the results from two groups of patients with obesity: those who met the 2009 IOM standards and those who satisfied the stricter recommendations suggested by other authors. Materials and methodsThis is a retrospective cohort study using data collected at the Centre d’Epidémiologie Périnatale (CEpiP) from obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) pregnant women with live singleton deliveries between 2010 and 2019 in Wallonia-Brussels Federation (n = 65,314). ResultsCompared to obese patients whose GWG satisfied the IOM standards, those with GWG meeting the stricter recommendations had lower rates of gestational hypertension (7.1 % vs. 10.1 %; p = 0.0059), cesarean section (22.1 % vs. 26.3 %; p = 0.0074), and macrosomia (12.0 % vs. 17.7 %; p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the rate of preterm delivery (6.9 % vs 5.8 %; p = 0.12) or small-for-gestational-age births (7.2 % vs. 6.2 %; p = 0.16). ConclusionGestational weight gain below that currently recommended by the IOM appears beneficial to the health of mothers with obesity and their children. These data, from our population, further challenge the standards proposed since 2009.

Health Maintenance and Preventative Care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review of the Overall Quality of Societal Recommendations.

Preventative care plays an important role in maintaining health in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to assess the overall quality, strength, and transparency of conflicts among guidelines on preventative care in IBD. A systematic literature search was performed in multiple databases to identify all guidelines pertaining to preventative care in IBD in April 2021. All guidelines were reviewed for the transparency of conflicts of interest and funding, recommendation quality and strength, external guideline review, patient voice inclusion, and plan for update-as per Institute of Medicine standards. In addition, recommendations and their quality were compared between societies. Fifteen distinct societies and a total of 89 recommendations were included. Not all guidelines provided recommendations on the key aspects of preventative care in IBD-such as vaccinations, cancer prevention, stress reduction, and diet/exercise. Sixty-seven percent of guidelines reported on conflicts of interest, 20% underwent external review, and 27% included patient representation. In all, 6.7%, 21.3%, and 71.9% of recommendations were based on high, moderate, and low-quality evidence, respectively. Twenty-seven percent, 23.6%, and 49.4% of recommendations were strong, weak/conditional, and did not provide a strength, respectively. The proportion of high-quality evidence (P=0.28) and strong recommendations (P=0.41) did not significantly differ across societies. Many guidelines do not provide recommendations on key aspects of preventative care in IBD. As over 70% of recommendations are based on low-quality evidence, further studies on preventative care in IBD are warranted to improve the overall quality of evidence.

Influence of gestational weight gain on the organochlorine pollution content of breast milk

BackgroundTransplacental transfer and breastfeeding are the main transport routes of organic pollutants into children at the beginning of life. Although pollutant transmission through these mechanisms primarily depends on the maternal pollution burden, its impact may be modulated by physiological effects. ObjectivesWe have examined whether gestational weight gain (GWG) exerts an influence on the content of lipophilic low volatile pollutants in breast milk. ResultsColostrum from mothers from the INMA cohorts of Sabadell and Gipuzkoa (n = 256 and 119, respectively) with low GWG as defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine had significantly higher concentrations of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and 4,4′-DDE than colostrum in mothers who gained weight within IOM recommendations or in those who exceeded this threshold. Statistically significant differences were also found in the colostrum:maternal serum ratios of these compounds. Women with low GWG retained higher pollutant amounts in colostrum. These observations are consistent with previously described higher concentrations of these pollutants in infant cord blood from mothers with low GWG by IOM standards. They indicate that mobilization of lipophilic organic pollutants by metabolic pregnant changes not only leads to higher fetal transfer but to higher accumulation into the mammary system upon low GWG. Conclusions: The present results show that insufficient GWG, besides increasing in utero exposure, also enhances pollutant transfer to infants during breastfeeding which considerably extends the significance of this physiological change for the pollutant children intake in early life.

Extra-Colonic Malignancy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: a Paucity of Recommendations with Weak Evidence.

Little data is available surrounding societal recommendations regarding extra-colonic malignancy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As a result, we systematically analyzed these international guidelines to assess their overall quality as well as their adherence to standards for high-quality practice guidelines. A systematic search was performed in multiple databases to identify all guidelines pertaining to extra-colonic malignancy in IBD in April 2020. All guidelines were reviewed for conflicts of interest (COI)/funding, recommendation quality and strength, external document review, use of patient representation, and plans for update-as per Institute of Medicine standards. In addition, recommendations were compared between guidelines/societies. Statistical analysis was conducted using R. A total of 11 recommendations on extra-colonic malignancy in IBD were put forth by 5 guidelines/societies. Zero percent of recommendations were found to be based on high-quality evidence, 36.4% of recommendations on moderate-quality evidence, and 63.6% of recommendations on low-quality evidence. 9.1% were strong recommendations, 0% were weak/conditional recommendations, and 90.9% of recommendations did not provide a strength. No guideline included patient representation or had plans for future update of their recommendations. There is a consistent lack of high-quality recommendations for extra-colonic malignancy in IBD across different societal guidelines. The need for high-quality studies to improve the strength of recommendations is eminent, as this will ultimately lead to high-quality patient care.

Colorectal Cancer Prevention in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Analysis of the Overall Quality of Guideline Recommendations.

Owing to the increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), numerous societies developed preventative guidelines. We aimed to assess the overall quality of CRC prevention guidelines in IBD. A systematic search was performed in multiple databases to identify all guidelines pertaining to CRC prevention in IBD in September 2020. All guidelines were reviewed for conflicts of interest (COIs)/funding, recommendation quality/strength, external guideline review, use of patient representation, and plans for update-as per Institute of Medicine standards. In addition, recommendations were compared amongst societies. One hundred forty-nine recommendations from 14 different guidelines/societies were included. Not all guidelines provided recommendations on key elements surrounding (1) screening initiation and surveillance, (2) screening modality, (3) pharmacological chemoprevention, (4) dysplasia management and follow-up, and (5) molecular marker use. Only 71% of guidelines disclosed COIs, 43% reported industry funding, 14% were externally reviewed, 7% included patient representation, and 36% had plans for update. Of the total recommendations, 7.4%, 23.5%, and 69.1% were based on high,- moderate-, and low-quality evidence, respectively. Additionally, 20.1% of recommendations were strong, 14.1%, were weak/conditional, and 65.8% did not provide a strength. The proportion of high-quality evidence (P = 0.34) and strong recommendations (P = 0.57) did not significantly differ across societies. Many guidelines do not provide recommendations on key aspects of CRC prevention in IBD. Over 90% of recommendations are based on low- to moderate-quality evidence; therefore, further studies on CRC prevention in IBD are needed to improve the overall quality of evidence.

Gaps in COPD Guidelines of Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Scoping Review

BackgroundGuidelines are critical for facilitating cost-effective COPD care. Development and implementation in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is challenging. To guide future strategy, an overview of current global COPD guidelines is required.Research QuestionWe systematically reviewed national COPD guidelines, focusing on worldwide availability and identification of potential development, content, context, and quality gaps that may hamper effective implementation.Study Design and MethodsScoping review of national COPD management guidelines. We assessed: (1) global guideline coverage; (2) guideline information (authors, target audience, dissemination plans); (3) content (prevention, diagnosis, treatments); (4) ethical, legal, and socio-economic aspects; and (5) compliance with the eight Institute of Medicine (IOM) guideline standards. LMICs guidelines were compared with those from high-income countries (HICs).ResultsOf the 61 national COPD guidelines identified, 30 were from LMICs. Guidelines did not cover 1.93 billion (30.2%) people living in LMICs, whereas only 0.02 billion (1.9%) in HICs were without national guidelines. Compared with HICs, LMIC guidelines targeted fewer health-care professional groups and less often addressed case finding and co-morbidities. More than 90% of all guidelines included smoking cessation advice. Air pollution reduction strategies were less frequently mentioned in both LMICs (47%) and HICs (42%). LMIC guidelines fulfilled on average 3.37 (42%) of IOM standards, compared with 5.29 (66%) in HICs (P < .05). LMICs scored significantly lower compared with HICs regarding conflicts of interest management, updates, articulation of recommendations, and funding transparency (all, P < .05).InterpretationSeveral development, content, context, and quality gaps exist in COPD guidelines from LMICs that may hamper effective implementation. Overall, COPD guidelines in LMICs should be more widely available and should be transparently developed and updated. Guidelines may be further enhanced by better inclusion of local risk factors, case findings, and co-morbidity management, preferably tailored to available financial and staff resources.

Advantages of developing clinical practice guidelines using international standards.

The American Psychological Association (APA) recently adopted three clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), including one on the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder that engendered considerable controversy because it recommended several trauma-focused therapies that have been extensively tested but not that widely practiced and not other forms of treatment that are widely practiced but not extensively tested. Concerns have been raised that the guideline hewed too closely to procedures established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and relied too exclusively on efficacy data from randomized controlled trials. Both the IOM model and the APA's evidence-based practice model recommend basing treatment decisions on the best available scientific evidence as channeled through clinical expertise in a manner consistent with patient values and preferences. Despite this shared framework, questions remain as to how to prioritize different sources of evidence and how much weight to give methodologies other than randomized controlled trials. We describe the need for CPGs and the APA's reasons for following the rigorous procedures recommended by the IOM. We also describe our hope that future CPGs will consider a broader range of scientific evidence and better integrate clinical expertise in the guideline text to provide context for applying their recommendations. This will enable discussion of treatments that are often excluded from systematic reviews and recognize the importance of individualizing care. These proposed updates to the guideline development process would allow CPGs to stay true to the rigor reflected in the IOM standards, while more fully recognizing the contributions of a wider range of evidence bases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Weight gain during pregnancy and low birth weight babies: a retrospective cohort study in Gianyar District, Bali

Background and purpose: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major causal factor for neonatal and perinatal mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the risk of LBW incidence in pregnant women with weight gain not in accordance with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards. Methods: This study used a retrospective cohort design with data obtained from three Public Health Centres (PHCs) in Gianyar District over the period of January-December 2017. Samples in this study were 186 pregnant women with the following criteria: complete data on the mother’s medical record, had an antenatal care visit in the first trimester and at the end of the third trimester, at term delivery, not giving birth to twins and no complications during pregnancy. The sample size was determined with 95% confidence level, 80% power, the proportion of LBW in the group of inadequate weight gain of 26%, the proportion of LBW in the group of adequate weight gain of 9% and a relative risk (RR) estimate of 3.0. Data extracted from medical record consisted of weight gain, pre-pregnancy weight, height, upper arm circumference, hemoglobin level, employment, age, parity and birth weight. The cumulative incidence of LBW was calculated to determine the RR. Multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression was conducted to determine the adjusted RR (ARR). Results: The incidence of LBW in the group whose weight gain during pregnancy not in accordance with IOM standards was 59%, while those in accordance with the standards were 8.2% with RR=7.22 (95%CI: 3.96–13.19). The ARR for those with weight gain during pregnancy not in accordance with IOM standards was 15.33 (95%CI: 5.82-40.38). The incidence of LBW in the anemia group was 49% and not anemia group was 10%. The RR and ARR values for LBW in the anemia group were 4.72 (95%CI: 2.66-8.36) and 6.66 (95%CI: 2.53-17.53) respectively. Conclusion: Mothers experiencing weight gain during pregnancy that was not in accordance with IOM standards and anemia were found to increase the risk of LBW. Monitoring of weight gain during pregnancy should be implemented using the IOM standards and anemia prevention among pregnant mothers should be enhanced.

Weight gain during pregnancy and low birth weight babies: a retrospective cohort study in Gianyar District, Bali

Background and purpose: Low birth weight (LBW) is a major causal factor for neonatal and perinatal mortality. The aim of this study is to determine the risk of LBW incidence in pregnant women with weight gain not in accordance with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards.Methods: This study used a retrospective cohort design with data obtained from three Public Health Centres (PHCs) in Gianyar District over the period of January-December 2017. Samples in this study were 186 pregnant women with the following criteria: complete data on the mother’s medical record, had an antenatal care visit in the first trimester and at the end of the third trimester, at term delivery, not giving birth to twins and no complications during pregnancy. The sample size was determined with 95% confidence level, 80% power, the proportion of LBW in the group of inadequate weight gain of 26%, the proportion of LBW in the group of adequate weight gain of 9% and a relative risk (RR) estimate of 3.0. Data extracted from medical record consisted of weight gain, pre-pregnancy weight, height, upper arm circumference, hemoglobin level, employment, age, parity and birth weight. The cumulative incidence of LBW was calculated to determine the RR. Multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression was conducted to determine the adjusted RR (ARR).Results: The incidence of LBW in the group whose weight gain during pregnancy not in accordance with IOM standards was 59%, while those in accordance with the standards were 8.2% with RR=7.22 (95%CI: 3.96–13.19). The ARR for those with weight gain during pregnancy not in accordance with IOM standards was 15.33 (95%CI: 5.82-40.38). The incidence of LBW in the anemia group was 49% and not anemia group was 10%. The RR and ARR values for LBW in the anemia group were 4.72 (95%CI: 2.66-8.36) and 6.66 (95%CI: 2.53-17.53) respectively.Conclusion: Mothers experiencing weight gain during pregnancy that was not in accordance with IOM standards and anemia were found to increase the risk of LBW. Monitoring of weight gain during pregnancy should be implemented using the IOM standards and anemia prevention among pregnant mothers should be enhanced.

Compliance with school nutrition policy in Saudi Arabia: a quantitative study

An evidence-based school nutrition policy that helps increase the availability and accessibility of healthy foods is needed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study investigated the compliance of selected schools with Saudi nutrition policy and assessed the nutritional value of food offered in such schools using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards. A total of 76 boys public high schools were randomly selected from four areas in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Principals and canteen managers were interviewed using validated questionnaires. Schools were observed using a food checklist. Meals offered in Saudis schools come prepackaged with minimal cooking in schools. From a calorie perspective, there was not a significant difference between the food allowed and food not allowed. For the Saudi policy, 94.7% of the schools scored in between category 2 and 3 (moderate compliance). For the IOM standards, 96.1% of the schools scored in category 1 (low alignment). While the Saudi policy is clear on what should not be served in school cafeterias, it fails to provide guidance on what must be served to improve the nutritional value of meals provided.

Developing and Testing the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's National Guideline Clearinghouse Extent of Adherence to Trustworthy Standards (NEATS) Instrument.

In 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (now the National Academy of Medicine) published standards for trustworthy guidelines and recommended that the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC) of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality clearly indicate the extent to which guidelines adhere to these standards. To accomplish this, the authors developed and tested the NGC Extent of Adherence to Trustworthy Standards (NEATS) instrument. The standards were operationalized as an instrument containing 15 items that cover disclosure of the funding source; disclosure and management of conflicts of interest; multidisciplinary input; incorporation of patient perspectives; rigorous systematic review; recommendations accompanied by rationale, assessment of benefits and harms, clear linkage to the evidence, and assessment of strength of evidence and strength of recommendation; clear articulation of recommendations; external review by diverse stakeholders; and plans for updating. After multiple rounds of feedback from experts on clinical practice guideline development, the external validity and interrater reliability of the instrument were evaluated. For each item, 80% to 100% of survey respondents judged it to be a good measure of the IOM standards. All external stakeholders stated that NEATS was suitable for its intended goal. Interrater reliability for the final NEATS instrument had a weighted κ of 0.73. The NEATS instrument is a focused tool that provides a concise evaluation of a guideline's adherence to the IOM standards for trustworthy guidelines. It has good external validity among guideline developers and good interrater reliability across trained reviewers.

Advanced Practice Providers and Survivorship Care: They Can Deliver.

As the number of cancer survivors grows, new models of survivorship care are being implemented, but there is limited evaluation to date. This retrospective review assesses the concordance of care provided to adult-onset cancer survivors by advanced practice providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) with Institute of Medicine guidelines for survivorship care. Records from three survivorship clinics at a single institution were reviewed for frequency of recurrence surveillance, screening for second cancers, symptom management (physical, psychological), health promotion education (alcohol, tobacco, cholesterol, and bone density screenings; diet/exercise discussion), care coordination, and provision of care plan. Data were characterized using descriptive statistics. Over 2 years, 9,052 unique survivorship visits occurred; 210 breast, 208 prostate, and 204 colorectal visits were randomly selected for review. All patients with breast cancer underwent surveillance for recurrence; 99% were screened for new cancers. Discussion of health promotion activities ranged from 83% to 100%; 91% of patients were reviewed for physical symptoms, and 93% were reviewed for psychological symptoms. All patients with prostate cancer underwent recurrence surveillance; 97% were screened for new primaries. Health promotion activities ranged from 70% to 97%, and symptoms were discussed in 89% of visits. All patients with colorectal cancer underwent a surveillance colonoscopy for recurrence; 97% had a carcinoembryonic antigen test. Among women, 97% had mammograms, and 96% had a Papanicolaou test; 83% of men had a prostate-specific antigen test. Health promotion activities ranged from 69% to 100%, and symptoms were discussed in 93% to 97% of visits. Findings suggest that advanced practice providers can provide survivorship care in accordance with Institute of Medicine standards, which provide a normative standard. This assessment is an important step in evaluating survivorship outcomes.

Screening for osteoporosis: A systematic assessment of the quality and content of clinical practice guidelines, using the AGREE II instrument and the IOM Standards for Trustworthy Guidelines.

BackgroundNumerous clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are published to guide management of osteoporosis. Little is known about their quality or how recommendations have changed over time.ObjectiveTo systematically assess the quality and content of the guidelines on screening for osteoporosis, using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards for trustworthy guidelines.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search for osteoporosis CPGs published between 2002–2016, using multiple databases and guideline websites. Two reviewers appraised the quality of eligible CPGs using the AGREE II. High quality CPGs were considered if they scored ≥ 60 in four or more domains including the domain for rigor of development. Non-parametric tests were used to test for the change of quality over time. One reviewer assessed the guidelines with IOM standards. We summarized the different evidence grading systems and extracted and compared the recommendations.ResultsA total of 33 CPGs were identified. The mean scores for AGREE II differed by domain (range: 42% to 71%). CPGs scored higher on domains for clarity of presentation, scope and purpose, and rigor of development. CPGs scored lower on domains for stakeholder involvement, editorial independence and applicability. Assessment of CPGs by IOM standards showed that CPGs scored better on standards for systematic review, establishing evidence foundation and rating strength of recommendation, articulation of recommendation, and establishing transparency. While scored lower on standards for updating, external review, and the development group composition. There was no difference in AGREE II and IOM defined guidelines’ quality before and after the introduction of the two tools (P values >0.05). The IOM identified four more guidelines as high quality compared to the AGREE II. Examining these additional guidelines indicated that the two tools may give conflicting results especially for the rigor of development domain. Recommendations in certain areas showed substantial differences between guidelines.ConclusionOsteoporosis screening CPGs are of variable quality, and their recommendations often differ. Guideline quality as measured by AGREE II and IOM standards has not improved overtime. Guideline developers should work together to improve the quality and consistency of recommendations to improve the likelihood that their guidelines will be used in practice.

Gaps in Guidelines for the Management of Diabetes in Low- and Middle-Income Versus High-Income Countries-A Systematic Review.

The extent to which diabetes (DM) practice guidelines, often based on evidence from high-income countries (HIC), can be implemented to improve outcomes in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) is a critical challenge. We carried out a systematic review to compare type 2 DM guidelines in individual LMIC versus HIC over the past decade to identify aspects that could be improved to facilitate implementation. Eligible guidelines were sought from online databases and websites of diabetes associations and ministries of health. Type 2 DM guidelines published between 2006 and 2016 with accessible full publications were included. Each of the 54 eligible guidelines was assessed for compliance with the Institute of Medicine (IOM) standards, coverage of the cardiovascular quadrangle (epidemiologic surveillance, prevention, acute care, and rehabilitation), translatability, and its target audiences. Most LMIC guidelines were inadequate in terms of applicability, clarity, and dissemination plan as well as socioeconomic and ethical-legal contextualization. LMIC guidelines targeted mainly health care providers, with only a few including patients (7%), payers (11%), and policy makers (18%) as their target audiences. Compared with HIC guidelines, the spectrum of DM clinical care addressed by LMIC guidelines was narrow. Most guidelines from the LMIC complied with less than half of the IOM standards, with 12% of the LMIC guidelines satisfying at least four IOM criteria as opposed to 60% of the HIC guidelines (P < 0.001). A new approach to the contextualization, content development, and delivery of LMIC guidelines is needed to improve outcomes.

Evaluation of Industry Relationships Among Authors of Otolaryngology Clinical Practice Guidelines

Financial relationships between physicians and industry have influence on patient care. Therefore, organizations producing clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) must have policies limiting financial conflicts during guideline development. To evaluate payments received by physician authors of otolaryngology CPGs, compare disclosure statements for accuracy, and investigate the extent to which the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery complied with standards for guideline development from the Institute of Medicine (IOM). This cross-sectional analysis retrieved CPGs from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation that were published or revised from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2015, by 49 authors. Data were retrieved from December 1 through 31, 2016. Industry payments received by authors were extracted using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments database. The values and types of these payments were then evaluated and used to determine whether self-reported disclosure statements were accurate and whether guidelines adhered to applicable IOM standards. The monetary amounts and types of payments received by physicians who author otolaryngology guidelines and the accuracy of disclosure statements. Of the 49 physicians in this sample, 39 (80%) received an industry payment. Twenty-one authors (43%) accepted more than $1000; 12 (24%), more than $10 000; 7 (14%), more than $50 000; and 2 (4%), more than $100 000. Mean (SD) financial payments amounted to $18 431 ($53 459) per physician. Total reimbursement for all authors was $995 282. Disclosure statements disagreed with the Open Payments database for 3 authors, amounting to approximately $20 000 among them. Of the 3 IOM standards assessed, only 1 was consistently enforced. Some CPG authors failed to fully disclose all financial conflicts of interest, and most guideline development panels and chairpersons had conflicts. In addition, adherence to IOM standards for guideline development was lacking. This study is relevant to CPG panels authoring recommendations, physicians implementing CPGs to guide patient care, and the organizations establishing policies for guideline development.

Raising all boats in supportive oncology: Initial impact of the Coleman Supportive Oncology Collaborative (CSOC).

150 Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Commission on Cancer (CoC) recommend systematic delivery of supportive oncology and survivorship care to all cancer patients. CSOC aims to improve the quality of supportive care across Chicago-area providers. Methods: 35 CSOC participating institutions (cancer centers, support centers, hospice) formed care delivery design teams - Distress, Survivorship and Palliative. Teams collaboratively developed solutions to supportive oncology gaps: patient screening tools, care delivery processes, provider training, and quality metrics to assess supportive oncology quality and the CSOC impact. Six implementation centers (2 safety-net, 3 academic &amp; 1 public) reviewed charts at baseline (2014 diagnoses) and after the initial implementation period (2015 diagnoses), compared by frequencies and Fisher’s exact test. Results: Eight metrics contained patient data at 2 time points; improvements were seen in 7/8 metrics. (See Table). Conclusions: CSOC developed supportive oncology screening, and care processes aligned with IOM and CoC standards. Significant improvements were shown after implementation across diverse settings. Ongoing work will further evaluate the impact of CSOC efforts on patient care. [Table: see text]

Use of national standards to monitor HIV care and treatment in a high prevalence city-Washington, DC.

We sought to benchmark the quality of HIV care being received by persons living with HIV in care in Washington, DC and identify individual-level and structural-level differences. Data from the DC Cohort, an observational HIV cohort of persons receiving outpatient care in DC, were used to estimate the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) quality of care measures. Differences in care by demographics and clinic type were assessed using χ2 tests and multivariable regression models. Among 8,047 participants, by HHS standards, 69% of participants were retained in care (RIC), 95% were prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 84% were virally suppressed (VS). By IOM standards, 84% were in continuous care; and 78% and 80% underwent regular CD4 and VL monitoring, respectively. Screening for syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea was 51%, 31%, and 26%, respectively. Older participants were 1.5 times more likely to be RIC compared to younger participants (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.3, 1.8). Participants enrolled in community-based clinics were more likely to be RIC (OR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.0) versus those enrolled at hospital-based clinics. Older participants were more likely to achieve VS than younger participants (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.5, 2.2) while Black participants were less likely compared to white participants (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.5). Despite high measures of quality of care, disparities remain. Continued monitoring of the quality of HIV care and treatment can inform the development of public health programs and interventions to optimize care delivery.

Raising all boats in supportive oncology: Initial impact of the Coleman Supportive Oncology Collaborative (CSOC).

e18205 Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Commission on Cancer (CoC) recommend systematic delivery of supportive oncology and survivorship care to all cancer patients. CSOC aims to improve the quality of supportive care across Chicago-area providers. Methods: 35 CSOC participating institutions (cancer centers, support centers, hospice) formed care delivery design teams Distress, Survivorship &amp; Palliative. Teams collaboratively developed solutions to supportive oncology gaps: patient screening tools, care delivery processes, provider training, and quality metrics to assess supportive oncology quality and the CSOC impact. Six implementation centers (2 safety-net, 3 academic &amp; 1 public) reviewed charts at baseline (2014 diagnoses) and after the initial implementation period (2015 diagnoses), compared by frequencies and Fisher’s exact test. Results: Eight metrics contained patient data at 2 time points; improvements were seen in 7/8 metrics. Conclusions: CSOC developed supportive oncology screening, and care processes aligned with IOM and CoC standards. Significant improvements were shown after implementation across diverse settings. Ongoing work will further evaluate the impact of CSOC efforts on patient care. [Table: see text]

The Cost of a Healthy Diet in Trinidad and Tobago

BackgroundThe chronic non‐communicable diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cancers and cardiovascular diseases) are major contributors to adult illness and death locally. In fact, diabetes mellitus and hypertension account for over half of all annual visits to local healthcare facilities. Healthy dietary practices play important roles in the prevention and management of these diseases. In this study, we evaluated the cost of consuming diets that are consistent with good health.MethodsThe study was a cross‐sectional in nature. Participants (18–65 years) completed a self‐administered questionnaire consisting of socio‐demographic, physical activity and a food frequency questionnaire. The food frequency questionnaire was designed to capture the usual dietary intake of the Trinidad and Tobago population over a one month period. For each food example of serving sizes were given. Serving sizes were multiplied by frequency to estimate the amount the food item consumed. These were converted to number serving per day. For each individual the serving sizes for foods consumed were entered in to the Nutrigenie 7 (Optimum Nutrition Software) and analysed for nutrients and calories. This software uses the 2002–2005 Institute of Medicine (IOM) Dietary Reference Intakes for nutrients and calories to rate overall diet quality. It ranks the overall diet by assigning a star rating from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest in quality. A star rating of 3 or more suggests that the diet has met or exceeded the level for acceptability. Anthropometry was self‐reported with 10% of the population having measurements done according to recommended procedures. The Scofield equation was used to determine basal metabolic rate (BMR). The Goldberg ratio of reported energy intake to BMR was used to determine the level of plausible reporting. Plausible reporters were categorised with a cut‐off point where energy intakes that were 1.21 to 2.39 times BMR. All participation was voluntary. The University of the West Indies Ethics Committee approved the study.ResultsEleven Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty persons participated in the study. Approximately 67% (Females = 4549; Male = 3,300) met the Goldberg criteria for plausible reporting of energy intakes. Based on the Goldberg criteria for plausibility males had significantly higher intakes of calories (2223 ± 652 Kcal vs 1987 ± 594 Kcal; P, 0.001). Forty‐three percent of participants consumed diets that had adequate levels of vitamins while 72.2 had adequate levels of mineral intakes. Only 37% of participants met the IOM of Medicine 2002–2005 criteria for dietary adequacy. Mean BMI was 23.9 ± 4.9 with 36% of participants being overweight and obese. Our calculations revealed that persons consuming a healthy diet (≥ 3 stars) would have to spend on average 10 TT dollars (1.50 US) dollars per day compared to those consuming less healthy diets.ConclusionThe cost of improving diets to ensure compliance with the IOM standards is approximately 45 US dollars per month or 540 US dollars per year. For a family of 4 persons this would represent a substantial cost. This could be easily offset by the cultivation of fruits and vegetables as part of a home garden.Support or Funding InformationNone

Content, Usability, and Utilization of Plain Language in Breast Cancer Mobile Phone Apps: A Systematic Analysis.

BackgroundBreast cancer is one of the leading contributors to preventable illness and death among women. Although mobile phone apps provide unprecedented opportunity to engage women along the cancer continuum, little is known about the availability, content, and usability of breast cancer mobile phone apps.ObjectiveThis study analyzed the content and adherence to literate design standards of all breast cancer-related apps available on the App Store and Google Play, as well as the relationship between their content, user ratings, and price.MethodsFollowing identification and downloading of all available breast cancer mobile phone apps in October 2015, 101 apps were confirmed as focusing on breast cancer. Based on prior research, we adapted and applied a content analysis scheme that was specific to breast cancer apps, including their main purpose, relevance to the cancer care continuum, and adherence to usability standards outlined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM).ResultsThe most common aim of apps was educational (73/101, 72.3%), followed by behavior change (24/101, 23.9%), fundraising (20/101, 19.8%), and advocacy (14/101, 13.9%). On the cancer continuum, primary prevention (strategies to prevent cancer cells from occurring) was mentioned in almost one-third of the apps (30/101, 29.7%). Less than half of the apps (46/101, 45.5%) presented information about mammography and/or breast clinical exam, and 53 apps (52.5%) discussed breast self-exam (which is no longer recommended). Symptoms of cancer prediagnosis, such as a lump, were discussed in almost half of the apps (48/101, 47.5%) and a similar number of apps included information about genetic risk for breast cancer (47/101, 46.5%). Information about breast cancer diagnosis was included in 42 apps (41.58%) and 43 (42.6%) apps discussed treatment options. Survivorship issues were addressed in 17 (16.8%) apps. Only one (1.0%) app discussed hospice. Adherence to usability recommendations was low. The median composite score was 3 (mean 2.60, SD 1.20) of the six recommended usability items. With eight plain language items, the median of the composite health literacy score was 5 (mean 5.06, SD 2.00). Most apps did not use easy-to-understand words (44/101, 43.6%) and few (24/101, 23.8%) defined key terms.ConclusionsCurrent breast cancer apps provide important information about breast cancer, but the most common topic covered is breast self-examination, a non-evidence-based screening strategy. Apps that focus on evidence-based strategies on the cancer continuum are needed, with a notable pressing need for apps that would address survivorship and end of life. Finally, developers of breast cancer apps should adhere to IOM standards to meet the needs of diverse populations and reduce current disparities.