Patient-level Characteristics Research Articles

Financial Toxicity Among Patients With Traumatic Finger Amputation: A Retrospective Study.

Patients face increasing financial toxicity (FT), defined as emotional distress due to the cost of medical treatment. However, little is known regarding FT in the context of upper extremity trauma. We surveyed patients who sustained traumatic finger amputation (October 21, 2011-January 1, 2021). We collected patient-reported financial distress using the Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST-11), where a lower score indicates worse FT. We also collected data of patients' perceptions regarding the costs of their treatment. We used linear regression to assess patient-level characteristics associated with FT as measured by the COST-11 score. Of the 191 eligible patients, 46 patients completed the survey (response rate of 24%). A total of 41 respondents (89%) received an initial treatment of revision amputation, with the remaining patients receiving a semi-occlusive dressing. Patients with commercial insurance had significantly lower COST-11 scores (ie, worse FT) than patients with Medicare (β = 7.5, 95% CI: 0.5 to 14.5) and Worker's Compensation (β = 8.7, 95% CI: 1.8 to 15.6). Patients who were single/never married had significantly worse FT (β = -11.3, 95% CI: -18.7 to -3.9). Approximately 35% (n = 16) reported that the costs were higher than expected. More than a third of patients (39%) reported decreasing spending on basic items, such as food, at least once since surgery. Patients face FT when obtaining surgery following traumatic finger amputation. Variation in the FT is associated with type of insurance and marriage status, highlighting how underinsurance and social support likely affect the overall economic well-being of patients.

Institutional Betrayal in Inpatient Psychiatry: Effects on Trust and Engagement With Care.

Patients' experiences of inpatient psychiatry have received limited empirical scrutiny. The authors examined patients' likelihood of experiencing institutional betrayal (harmful actions or inactions toward patients) at facilities with for-profit, nonprofit, or government ownership; patient-level characteristics associated with experiencing institutional betrayal; associations between betrayal and patients' trust in mental health providers; and associations between betrayal and patients' willingness to engage in care postdischarge. Former psychiatric inpatients (N=814 adults) responded to an online survey. Data were collected on patients' demographic characteristics; experiences of institutional betrayal; and the impact of psychiatric hospitalization on patients' trust in providers, willingness to engage in care, and attendance at 30-day follow-up visits. Participants' responses were linked to secondary data on facility ownership type. Experiencing institutional betrayal was associated with less trust in mental health providers (25-percentage-point increase in reporting less trust, 95% CI=17-32), reduced willingness (by 45 percentage points, 95% CI=39-52) voluntarily undergo hospitalization, reduced willingness (by 30 percentage points, 95% CI=23-37) to report distressing thoughts to mental health providers, and lower probability of reporting attendance at a 30-day follow-up visit (11-percentage-point decrease, 95% CI=5-18). Participants treated at a for-profit facility were significantly more likely (by 14 percentage points) to report experiencing institutional betrayal than were those treated at a nonprofit facility (p=0.01). Institutional betrayal is one mechanism through which inpatient psychiatric facilities may cause iatrogenic harm, and the potential for betrayal was larger at for-profit facilities. Further research is needed to identify the determinants of institutional betrayal and strategies to support improvement in care quality.

Clinical Characteristics of Inpatients with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder Treated with Electroconvulsive Therapy: A Population-Level Cross-Sectional Study: Titre: Caractéristiques cliniques des patients hospitalisés présentant un trouble du spectre de la schizophrénie et traités par électrochocs : Une étude de population transversale.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an evidence-based treatment for schizophrenia when anti-psychotic medications do not sufficiently control symptoms of psychosis or rapid response is required. Little is known about how it is used in routine clinical practice. The aim of this study was to identify the association of demographic and clinical characteristics with administration of ECT for schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). Among psychiatric inpatients with a diagnosis of SSD in Ontario, Canada (2006-2023), patient-level socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were described in those who did and did not receive ECT. We used multi-variable logistic regression to assess the association between patient-level characteristics and administration of ECT during index hospitalization. From 164,632 admissions, 2,168 (1.3%) involved exposure to ≥1 inpatient ECT procedure. Compared to those not receiving ECT, those receiving ECT were older, had higher rates of pre-admission medication use, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, outpatient mental health service use, but lower rates of substance use disorders. In the multi-variable logistic regression model, patient-level characteristics most strongly associated with receiving inpatient ECT were the presence of catatonia (odds ratio [OR]: 5.83; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 4.01-8.46), comorbid depression (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 2.07-2.98), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.55-3.00), while characteristics most strongly associated with not receiving inpatient ECT were myocardial infarction (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.20-0.95) and family conflict towards patient (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.31-0.71). Neither severity of psychotic symptoms, non-command auditory hallucinations nor delusions were associated with administration of ECT. While characteristics associated with the use of ECT are generally consistent with the indications for ECT (e.g., catatonia, mood disorders), ECT is rarely used amongst individuals with SSD. Severity of psychotic symptoms was not associated with the use of inpatient ECT suggesting an opportunity to increase the use of ECT in this population.

HIV Screening in a Sample of US Emergency Departments, 2022-2023.

Despite serving populations emphasized in the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative, emergency departments (EDs) infrequently offer routine HIV screening. The objective of this study was to characterize US EDs by whether they screen for HIV and to explore factors associated with screening. We surveyed a random sample of US ED directors to obtain data on ED-level and patient-level characteristics, as well as information on directors' perceived barriers to implementing preventive health services. Using descriptive statistics and regression modeling, we found that EDs that routinely screen for HIV, compared with those that do not, had higher median visit volumes (21 000 vs 12 600), were more often a teaching hospital (12.7% vs 4.3%), and had more availability of social workers (23.6% vs 9.4% had 24 hour/day coverage); their directors also less often expressed strong worry about costs (5.9% vs 28.2%), all significant at P < .05; in the regression analysis, only worry about costs was significant (relative risk = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.03-0.51). Our findings may reflect a need for additional funding and resources allocated to EDs to promote HIV screening.

Centre-level fluid management practices in the BISTRO trial and their lack of association with participant fluid status and blood pressure in non-anuric haemodialysis patients.

Fluid assessment and management is a key aspect of good dialysis care and is affected by patient-level characteristics and potentially centre-level practices. In this secondary analysis of the BISTRO trial we wished to establish whether centre-level practices with the potential to affect fluid status were stable over the course of the trial and explore if they had any residual associations with participant's fluid status. Two surveys (S) of fluid management practices were conducted in 32 participating centres during the trial, (S1: 2017-18 and S2: 2021-22). Domains interrogated included: dialysate sodium concentration, (D-[Na+]), fluid and salt intake, residual kidney function, use of diuretics, incremental start, approaches to fluid assessment, management and dialysate temperature, (D-oC). Associations of these practices with the closeness of the participant's post-dialysis target weight to their normally hydrated weight, pre- and post-dialysis systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure, (DBP), were analysed using intra-class correlations and multilevel modelling with adjustment for visit, age, sex and comorbidity burden. Variations in centre practices were reported but did not change during the trial, apart from some relaxation in salt and fluid restriction in S2. For our measures of fluid status, measured 2501 times in 439 non-anuric incident haemodialysis patients, centre-level intraclass correlations were extremely low, whereas patient-level correlations ranged between 0.12 and 0.47, strongest for pre- and post-dialysis-SBP, less so for post-dialysis-DBP. Multi-level analysis found no associations between D-[Na+], or assessment methods of fluid status. In S2, one centre, routinely using a D-Co of 35°C had more divergence between the target and normally hydrated weight, but this was not observed in S1, and no other associations were found. Centre-level fluid management practices were stable over the course of the BISTRO trial, and in contrast to patient-level factors, no centre-level associations were detected with fluid status or blood pressure. This may be because the trial imposed a standardised approach to fluid assessment in all trial participants who at least initially had residual kidney function, potentially over-riding the effects of other centre practices. Survey responses revealed substantial scope for developing and evaluating standardised protocols to optimise fluid management.

Dynamics trajectory of patient-reported quality of life and its associated risk factors among hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors: a prospective cohort study

ObjectiveWe aimed to characterize quality of life (QOL) trajectories among patients with intermediate and advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with immunotherapy.MethodsBarcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B-C HCC patients receiving immunotherapy at Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital were included. Trajectories of QOL, assessed using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) questionnaire, were identified through iterative estimations of group-based trajectory models. Associations with trajectory group membership were analyzed using multivariable multinomial logistic regression.ResultsThree trajectory groups were identified (n=156): excellent (35.3%), poor (43.6%), and deteriorating (21.1%) QOL. The deteriorating trajectory group reported a mean QOL score of 124.79 (95% CI, 116.58–133.00), but then declined significantly at month-2 (estimated QOL score 98.67 [95% CI, 84.33–113.00]), and the lowest mean score is reached at month-6 (estimated QOL score 16.58 [95% CI, 0–46.07]). Factors associated with membership to the deteriorating group included no drinking (odds ratio [OR] vs yes [95% CI], 3.70 [1.28–11.11]), no received radiotherapy (OR vs yes [95% CI], 8.33 [1.41–50.00]), diabetes (OR vs no [95% CI], 6.83 [1.57–29.73]), and extrahepatic metastasis (OR vs no [95% CI], 3.08 [1.07–8.87]). Factors associated with membership to the poor group also included body mass index ≤24.0 kg/m2 (OR vs no [95% CI], 4.49 [1.65–12.22]).ConclusionsThis latent-class analysis identified a high-risk cluster of patients with severe, persistent post-immunotherapy QOL deterioration. Screening relevant patient-level characteristics may inform tailored interventions to mitigate the detrimental impact of immunotherapy and preserve QOL.

Health Care Delivery Site- and Patient-Level Factors Associated With COVID-19 Primary Vaccine Series Completion in a National Network of Community Health Centers.

Objectives. To assess multilevel factors associated with variation in COVID-19 vaccination rates in a US network of community health centers. Methods. Using multilevel logistic regression with electronic health record data from ADVANCE (Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network; January 1, 2022-December 31, 2022), we assessed associations between health care delivery site-level (n = 1219) and patient-level (n = 1 864 007) characteristics and COVID-19 primary vaccine series uptake. Results. A total of 1 337 440 patients completed the COVID-19 primary vaccine series. Health care delivery site characteristics were significantly associated with lower series completion rates, including being located in non-Medicaid expansion states and isolated or rural communities and serving fewer patients. Patient characteristics associated with significantly lower likelihood of completing the vaccine series included being Black/African American or American Indian/Alaska Native (vs White), younger age, lower income, being uninsured or publicly insured (vs using private insurance), and having fewer visits. Conclusions. Both health care delivery site- and patient-level factors were significantly associated with lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Community health centers have been a critical resource for vaccination during the pandemic. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(11):1242-1251. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307773).

Trends in All-cause Mortality among U.S. Veterans with Sarcoidosis, 2004–2022

BACKGROUNDSarcoidosis is an idiopathic multiorgan disease with variable clinical outcomes. Comprehensive analysis of sarcoidosis mortality in U.S. Veterans is lacking. RESEARCH QUESTIONSWhat are the trends in all-cause mortality among U.S. Veterans with sarcoidosis, and how are these trends influenced by demographics, Black vs. White racial disparities, and geographic variability in relation to mortality? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSUsing Veterans Health Administration (VHA) electronic health records (EHR), we conducted a population-based, retrospective cohort study of adjusted all-cause mortality 2004–2022 among Veterans diagnosed with sarcoidosis who received care through the VHA. Demographics, region of residence, service branch, tobacco use, and comorbidities were extracted from EHR. Annual trends in all-cause mortality and patient-level characteristics associated with mortality were examined with multivariable ungrouped Poisson regression. We visualized trends and analyzed state-by-state mortality using the marginal means procedure. In subgroup analysis (2015–2022), we considered the impact of neighborhood-level socioeconomic disparities using the area deprivation index (ADI). RESULTSIn all, 23,745 Veterans were diagnosed with sarcoidosis between 2004 and 2019 and followed through 2022. After adjustment, including age and sex, all-cause mortality increased annually by 4.7% (P<0.0001) and was 6.4% higher in Black than White Veterans (mortality rate ratio=1.064, P=0.02). A subgroup analysis comparing models with and without ADI adjustment showed no meaningful change in mortality trends. Risk factors for increased all-cause mortality included older age, male sex, Black race, and Northeast residence, and lower risk with “Other” service branches. Despite distinct geographical variations in mortality rates, no clear patterns emerged. INTERPRETATIONMortality among Veterans with sarcoidosis is rising. Differences identified by service branch and higher risk among male Veterans raise questions about differences in environmental exposures. The narrower racial disparities and smaller impact of ADI than in other studies may highlight the role of universal healthcare access in achieving equitable outcomes.

Differences in non-flow limiting non-culprit plaque characteristics after myocardial infarction in patients with versus without chronic kidney disease

Abstract Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for recurrent cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction compared to patients with preserved renal function. This disparity may be related to differences in plaque morphology. Purpose To compare non-flow limiting non-culprit (NC) plaque characteristics as assessed by optical coherence tomography in patients with versus without chronic kidney disease presenting with myocardial infarction. Methods 438 patients presenting with myocardial infarction with additional non-flow limiting (defined as a fractional flow reserve &amp;gt;0.80) NC lesions were included in the prospective observational PECTUS-obs study after treatment of the infarct related artery. An independent core laboratory performed all quantitative and qualitative OCT analyses. For the present subgroup analysis, patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of CKD, which was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) &amp;lt;60 ml/min/1.73 m². Baseline characteristics were compared between groups on a patient-level and OCT characteristics were compared on a lesion-level while accounting for within-patient clustering. Results Out of 420 patients with at least one analyzable OCT, baseline renal function was known in 416. Among them, there were 55 patients with and 361 patients without CKD (mean eGFR 47.4 ± 9.2 vs 84.7 ± 15.0 ml/min/1.73 m², p&amp;lt;0.001). Patients with CKD were older (mean age 73 ± 9 vs 62 ± 10 years, p&amp;lt;0.001), more frequently were female (29.1% vs 17.2%, p=0.035) and predominantly presented with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (72.2% vs 44.9%, p&amp;lt;0.001). Comorbid disease was more prevalent among patients with CKD, including a higher prevalence of hypertension (p=0.010), hypercholesterolemia (p=0.020), diabetes (p&amp;lt;0.001), history of myocardial infarction (p&amp;lt;0.001), carotid artery disease (p=0.019) and peripheral artery disease (p=0.002). Coronary lesions in patients with CKD on average had a larger maximal calcium arc (188 ± 114 vs 137 ± 87º, p=0.003) and length (11.9 ± 10.3 vs 8.4 ± 7.4 mm, p=0.021). Lipid plaques were less prevalent among lesions in patients with CKD (63.6% vs 78.0%, p=0.016) and less frequently had a lipid arc ≥90º (60.6% vs 76.1%, p=0.018). Although the mean minimal fibrous cap thickness was lower in patients with CKD (p=0.025), no difference was observed in the prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheromas (p=0.984) or high-risk plaques according to the PECTUS-obs criteria (p=0.665). Conclusion Non-flow limiting NC lesions in patients with CKD differ from those in patients without CKD in a cohort of patients presenting with myocardial infarction. Overall, plaques in patients with CKD show more extensive calcification, whereas lesions in patients without CKD more often consist of lipid plaques, but the prevalence of high-risk plaques was comparable.

Evaluating bias of child maltreatment referrals in encounters for unintentional ingestions

BackgroundUnintentional ingestions commonly result in presentation to the pediatric emergency department (PED). No standardized recommendations exist regarding when to call Child Protective Services (CPS) for unintentional ingestions, which allows for the possibility of biased decision-making. ObjectiveIdentify patient and visit level characteristics associated with CPS referral status in unintentional ingestion encounters. Participants and SettingRetrospective cross-sectional study of children ≤6 years old presenting with unintentional ingestion to a metropolitan PED from 2015 to 2021. MethodsICD-10-CM codes were used to identify unintentional ingestion visits in the electronic health record. CPS referral was determined by manual chart review. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models identified patient and visit level characteristics associated with CPS referral. Socioeconomic status (SES) was classified based on zip code, the Child Opportunity Index data, and insurance. ResultsOf 3,836 charts reviewed, 808 met inclusion criteria. CPS referrals were made in 109 (13.5%) visits. Compared to non-Hispanic white patients, non-Hispanic Black patients had 7.37 (95% CI:1.38, 39.26) higher adjusted odds of being referred to CPS after adjusting for triage level, age, and ingestion type. Patients in the Lowest SES group had a 3.01 (95% CI:1.42, 6.40) higher adjusted odds when compared to the Middle/Highest SES group. ConclusionThis study found that CPS referrals in unintentional ingestions occur more often in those identifying as non-Hispanic Black and in those in the Lowest SES group, suggesting clinician bias may impact the decision regarding referrals. To mitigate subjective decision-making, we propose creating standardized, objective CPS referral criteria for unintentional ingestions.

Patient-Level and Hospital Treatment-Level Characteristics Predicting Child Readmissions After Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment.

Patient-Level and Hospital Treatment-Level Characteristics Predicting Child Readmissions After Psychiatric Inpatient Treatment.

Area deprivation index, a marker of socioeconomic disadvantage, may predict severity of COVID-19 in patients and which families may experience worse symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression post-ICU

BackgroundCOVID-19 disproportionately impacted marginalized populations early in the pandemic. Families of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) experienced significant psychological effects. Little is known about whether individual and patient psychological outcomes after a loved ones stay in the ICU differs by socioeconomic status, as measured by the area deprivation index (ADI).MethodsFamily members of patients with COVID-19 respiratory failure admitted to the ICU at twelve hospitals in five US states were enrolled in a larger study looking at rates of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression in the months following their loved one's ICU stay. This secondary data analysis includes eight of the twelve hospitals in four of the five states. Each participant was assigned a number indicating a level of neighborhood disadvantage based on the patient’s zip code. Patient and family level characteristics as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD were assessed among each neighborhood.ResultsPatients from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods had the highest proportion of patients that needed to be intubated (p = 0.005). All the patients in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods were a race other than white (p = 0.17). At 12 months post-hospitalization, there was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of family members who experienced symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression between the ADI groups.ConclusionsADI may be a predictor of COVID-19 disease severity for patients on presentation to the ICU. Patients and family members experience psychological effects after a loved one’s admission to the ICU, and these outcomes vary among individuals of different socioeconomic status’, as measured by the ADI. A larger study of family members’ incidence of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder is needed to understand the extent to which these symptoms are impacted by neighborhood level factors as measured by the ADI.

AI-powered omics-based drug pair discovery for pyroptosis therapy targeting triple-negative breast cancer

Due to low success rates and long cycles of traditional drug development, the clinical tendency is to apply omics techniques to reveal patient-level disease characteristics and individualized responses to treatment. However, the heterogeneous form of data and uneven distribution of targets make drug discovery and precision medicine a non-trivial task. This study takes pyroptosis therapy for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) as a paradigm and uses data mining of a large TNBC cohort and drug databases to establish a biofactor-regulated neural network for rapidly screening and optimizing compound pyroptosis drug pairs. Subsequently, biomimetic nanococrystals are prepared using the preferred combination of mitoxantrone and gambogic acid for rational drug delivery. The unique mechanism of obtained nanococrystals regulating pyroptosis genes through ribosomal stress and triggering pyroptosis cascade immune effects are revealed in TNBC models. In this work, a target omics-based intelligent compound drug discovery framework explores an innovative drug development paradigm, which repurposes existing drugs and enables precise treatment of refractory diseases.

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with rehabilitation services utilization in older women with early-stage breast cancer from SEER-Medicare 2009-2018.

Rehabilitation services are recommended by clinical practice guidelines following breast cancer treatment, yet little is known about how utilization may vary by patient-level characteristics which we aimed to study using SEER-Medicare data. Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database was used to identify non-metastatic breast cancer survivors aged ≥ 66years diagnosed between 2011 and 2016. Rehabilitation services delivered 0-11months post-diagnosis were identified via outpatient or physician visit claims. Descriptive statistics and associations between patient characteristics and rehabilitation services were calculated using modified Poisson models estimating relative risk (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of 55,539 breast cancer survivors, 33% (n = 18,244) had received any type of rehabilitative services. Survivors were a mean age of 75years (SD 6.7), 88% White, 86% urban-dwelling, and 21% Medicare/Medicaid dually enrolled. In adjusted models, patients aged > 75 vs. ≤ 75 were 6% (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.96) less likely to have received rehabilitative services. Survivors in an area with greater educational attainment vs. less educational attainment, White vs. non-White, or living in a rural vs. urban area were 26% (1.26, CI 1.22-1.30), 6% (1.06, CI 1.02-1.11), and 6% (1.06, CI 1.02-1.10) more likely to have received rehabilitative services, respectively. The largest differences in rehabilitation utilization were observed for survivors of differing educational and treatment statuses. Further research is needed on barriers, access, and delivery of rehabilitation services, specifically for breast cancer survivors who are older-aged, non-White, or Medicare/Medicaid dual eligible.

Structural Racism and Treatment Delay Among Black and White Patients With Breast Cancer.

Structural racism (SR) is a potential driver of health disparities, but research quantifying its impacts on cancer outcomes has been limited. We aimed to develop a multidimensional county-level SR measure and to examine the association of SR with breast cancer (BC) treatment delays among Black and White patients. The cohort included 32,095 individuals from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry with stage I to III BC diagnosed between 2004 and 2017 and linked to multipayer insurance claims from the Cancer Information and Population Health Resource. County-level data were drawn from multiple public sources aggregated in the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings database. Racial gaps in eight social determinants across five domains were quantified at the county level and ranked on a 0-100 minimum-maximum scale. Domain scores were averaged to create a SR Composite Index (SRCI) score. We used multilevel logistic regression with random intercepts and multiple cross-level interaction terms to evaluate the association between county-level SRCI and patient-level treatment delays, adjusting for patient-level characteristics and stratified by race. The SRCI score ranged from 21 to 75 with a median (IQR) of 39.0 (31.8, 45.7). For Black patients, a 10-unit increase in SRCI score was associated with increased odds of delay (Adjusted odds ratios [aOR], 1.25; 95% confidence limits [CL], 1.08 to 1.45). No such association was found for White patients (OR, 1.05; 95% CL, 0.97 to 1.15). Area-level SR measured by a composite index is associated with higher odds of BC treatment delays among Black, but not White patients. Increasing county-level SR is associated with increasing Black-White disparities in treatment delay. Further research is needed to refine the measurement of SR and to examine its association with other cancer care disparities.

Evaluation of Statewide Program to Reduce Cesarean Deliveries Among Nulliparous Individuals With Singleton Pregnancies at Term Gestation in Vertex Presentation.

To evaluate the effect of statewide efforts to reduce nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex (NTSV) cesarean delivery rates in California. This was a population-based study of all NTSV births in California from 2015 to 2019. In 2015, all California hospitals with NTSV cesarean delivery rates above the 23.9% Healthy People 2020 target were invited to join a CMQCC (California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative)-sponsored, 3-year, multifaceted collaborative or a system-level quality collaborative to safely support vaginal birth. We examined the cesarean delivery rate overall and by participation or nonparticipation in a collaborative program. Secondarily, for hospitals that started with an NTSV cesarean delivery rate above 23.9%, we compared patient-level, hospital-level, and obstetric management characteristics between hospitals that met the Healthy People 2020 target (cesarean delivery rate below 23.9%) in 2019 and those that did not. There were 758,268 NTSV births at 238 hospitals. Annual mean NTSV cesarean delivery rates decreased among all racial and ethnic groups statewide and among all patients, regardless of payer, maternal age, or body mass index (BMI). The decrease in cesarean delivery was driven largely by a decrease in the frequency of cesarean delivery performed for labor dystocia (14.9% in 2015 to 12.8% in 2019) and from cesarean delivery before the onset of labor (4.2% in 2015 to 3.3% in 2019). For hospitals that started with an NTSV cesarean delivery rate above 23.9%, NTSV cesarean delivery rates among 80 hospitals participating in the CMQCC had a mean±SD decline of 6.9±5.9%, 13 hospitals participating in the system-level collaborative had a 5.0±4.5% decline, and those not participating in any collaborative had a 2.1±6.0% decline. In multivariable analysis, there was no association between meeting the Healthy People target and any of the hospital-level factors or aggregated patient-level characteristics. Rates of induction of labor increased in both groups and were not associated with a change in cesarean delivery rates. Hospitals in California between 2015 and 2019 with a wide variation in institutional and patient characteristics successfully reduced their NTSV cesarean delivery rates. Reduction in the NTSV cesarean delivery rate at hospitals that started above the Healthy People target was not associated with differences in patient characteristics but rather a reduction in cesarean deliveries for labor dystocia and cesarean deliveries performed before the onset of labor.

Differences in the clinical management of shoulder pain by physician specialty: data from the 2007–2019 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify the differences in the clinical management of shoulder pain by primary care physicians (PCPs) and non-primary care physicians (non-PCPs) from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) dataset.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included ambulatory care visits for shoulder pain by using NAMCS data from 2007 to 2019. Descriptive statistics were presented to assess patient-level and visit-level characteristics of the sampled visits. By controlling for patient-level and visit-level covariates, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the influence of primary care physician status on the utilization of health services (pain medications, PT referral, health education/counseling, and diagnostic imaging) for shoulder pain.ResultsThere were 74.43 million ambulatory care visits by adults with shoulder pain during the study period, and nearly one-third of these shoulder visits were made to PCPs. As compared with non-PCPs, PCPs had higher adjusted odds of prescribing narcotic analgesics (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–2.51), skeletal muscle relaxants (adjusted OR = 2.71, 95% CI: 1.65–4.45), other pain medications (adjusted OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.13–3.07), and lower odds of prescribing PT (adjusted OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.21–0.55) and MRI (adjusted OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.25–0.84).ConclusionWe observed significant differences in the services ordered or provided by PCPs versus non-PCPs for shoulder pain in ambulatory care settings. These results may reveal the higher reliance of pharmacological approaches, coupled with the potential under-utilization of PT during the ambulatory shoulder care provided by PCPs compared to non-PCPs in the United States.

The influence of patient, provider, and system level characteristics on anxiety diagnostic specificity in the Veterans Health Administration

This retrospective study sought to identify patient-, provider-, and system-level characteristics associated with anxiety diagnostic specificity in mental health clinics in the Veterans Health Administration. It used administrative data extracted from Veteran Health Administration outpatient records to identify patients with a new anxiety or trauma-related diagnosis in fiscal year 2019 (N = 383,418). Logistic regression was used to model the probability of receiving an unspecified anxiety diagnosis as a function of patient-, provider-, and system-level characteristics. Unspecified anxiety disorder was diagnosed in 27% of the sample, with higher rates in primary care mental health integration clinics (42.6%) than in general mental health clinics (22.4%). Patient demographic and clinical characteristics including gender and comorbid diagnoses; provider type; provider use of an anxiety screening instrument; and facility size, complexity, and location were significant predictors of unspecified anxiety diagnosis. Anxiety diagnosis is a complex process influenced by multiple patient-, provider-, and system-level characteristics. Additional assessment tools and guidance for differential diagnosis are needed to support mental health providers in busy clinical settings to facilitate accurate and timely diagnosis of anxiety disorders.

Intervention Targets to Optimize Antibiotic Prescribing on Discharge from the Hospital to Nursing Homes

Background: Approximately half of antibiotics used in nursing home (NHs) are initiated in acute care hospitals prior to NH admission. Optimizing antibiotic prescribing on hospital discharge to these facilities presents an opportunity to improve NH antibiotic use. We aimed to identify intervention targets to optimize antibiotic use on discharge from the hospital to NHs. Methods: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study across 9 acute care hospitals in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Washington. We selected a 20% random sample of adult (age &gt;18) inpatients prescribed at least one antibiotic on discharge from the hospital to a NH between 2016-2018. We excluded patients discharged from the emergency department or an intensive care unit. Study data were electronically extracted from patients’ electronic health records and supplemented with manual chart review. Antibiotic optimization opportunities were determined by an infectious diseases (ID) physician or ID pharmacist and classified as definitely, possibly, or unlikely. Expert reviewers also recorded the type of optimization opportunity and the rationale for each determination. A gamma lasso algorithm was used to identify patient-level characteristics associated with definite optimization opportunity, which were then included in a logistic regression model. Results: There were 2761 antibiotic prescriptions among 2215 patients. Mean (standard deviation) age was 71.9 (14.3) years and 48.8% were male. Most discharges (83.1%) were prescribed one antibiotic, 15.2% were prescribed two antibiotics, and 1.8% were prescribed three antibiotics. The most frequently prescribed antibiotics were cephalexin (10.4%), vancomycin (9.8%), and amoxicillin clavulanate (8.4%). Among the 2761 antibiotic prescriptions, expert reviewers determined that 18.4% could definitely be optimized, 36.0% could possibly be optimized, and 45.3% unlikely could have been optimized. Among the 508 definite antibiotic optimization opportunities, 25.2% were to subtract the antibiotic, 56.3% were to change the antibiotic, 11.0% were to change the dose, 25.0% were to change the duration, 0.8% were to change the route, and 1.8% were to change the schedule. Patient-level characteristics found to be associated with definite antibiotic optimization opportunity included age over 80 years (odds ratio (OR)=1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI): [1.14, 1.82]), length of stay &lt; 8 days (OR=1.40, 95% CI: [1.09, 1.81]), discharge with multiple antibiotic prescriptions (OR=1.92, 95% CI: [1.39, 2.63]), and discharge with prescription for oral vs intravenous (IV) antibiotics (OR=2.08, 95% CI: [1.49, 2.95]). Conclusion: We identified several patient and antibiotic characteristics which may serve as intervention targets to optimize antibiotic prescribing on discharge from the hospital to nursing homes.

Racial, Ethnic, and Age-Related Disparities in Sedation and Restraint Use for Older Adults in the Emergency Department

ObjectivesOlder adults may present to the emergency department (ED) with agitation, a symptom often resulting in chemical sedation and physical restraint use which carry significant risks and side effects for the geriatric population. To date, limited literature describes the patterns of differential restraint use in this population. Design, setting, participants, and measurementsThis retrospective cross-sectional study used electronic health records data from ED visits by older adults (age ≥65 years) ranging 2015–2022 across nine hospital sites in a regional hospital network. Logistic regression models were estimated to determine the association between patient-level characteristics and the primary outcomes of chemical sedation and physical restraint. ResultsAmong 872,587 ED visits during the study period, 11,875 (1.4%) and 32,658 (3.7%) encounters involved the use of chemical sedation and physical restraints respectively. The populations aged 75-84, 85-94, 95+ years had increasingly higher odds of chemical sedation [adjusted odds ratios (AORs) 1.35 (95% CI 1.29–1.42); 1.82 (1.73–1.91); 2.35 (2.15–2.57) respectively] as well as physical restraint compared to the 65-74 group [AOR 1.31 (1.27–1.34); 1.55 (1.50–1.60); 1.69 (1.59–1.79)]. Compared to the White Non-Hispanic group, the Black Non-Hispanic and Hispanic/Latinx groups had significantly higher odds of chemical sedation [AOR 1.26 (1.18–1.35); AOR 1.22 (1.15–1.29)] and physical restraint [AOR 1.12 (95% CI 1.07–1.16); 1.22 (1.18–1.26)]. ConclusionApproximately one in 20 ED visits among older adults resulted in chemical sedation or physical restraint use. Minoritized group status was associated with increasing use of chemical sedation and physical restraint, particularly among the oldest old. These results may indicate the need for further research in agitation management for historically marginalized populations in older adults.