Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Primary and Secondary Prevention in Latino Subgroups.

BACKGROUND: Studies assessing equity in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) for Latinos living in the USA collectively yield mixed results. Latino persons are diverse in many ways that may influence cardiovascular health. The intersection of Latino nativity and ASCVD prevention is understudied. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether disparities in ASCVD screening, detection, and prescribing differ for US Latinos by country of birth. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort design utilizing 2014-2020 electronic health record data from a network of 320 community health centers across 12 states. Analyses occurred October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. PARTICIPANTS: Non-Hispanic White and Latino adults age 20-75 years, born in Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the USA. EXPOSURES: Ethnicity and country of birth. MAIN MEASURES: Outcome measures included prevalence of statin eligibility, of having insufficient data to establish eligibility, odds of having a documented statin prescription, and rates of statin prescriptions and refills. We used covariate-adjusted logistic and generalized estimating equations logistic and negative binomial regressions to generate absolute and relative measures. KEY RESULTS: Among 108,672 adults, 23% (n = 25,422) were statin eligible for primary or secondary prevention of ASCVD using American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Latinos, born in and outside the USA were more likely eligible than Non-Hispanic White patients were (US-born Latino OR = 1.55 (95% CI = 1.37-1.75); non-US-born Latino OR = 1.63 (95% CI = 1.34-1.98)). The eligibility criteria that was met differed by ethnicity and nativity. Latinos overall were less likely missing data to establish eligibility and differences were again observed by specific non-US country of origin. Among those eligible, we observed no statistical difference in statin prescribing between US-born Latinos and non-Hispanic White persons; however, disparities varied by specific non-US country of origin. CONCLUSION: Efforts to improve Latino health in the USA will require approaches for preventing and reversing cardiovascular risk factors, and statin initiation that are Latino subgroup specific.

Association between ethnicity, language and metformin prescriptions in U.S. community health center patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Metformin treatment is a recommended first-line medication for patients with type 2 diabetes. Latino patients are subject to factors that may modify their level of diabetes care, including medication prescription. We evaluated the odds of and times to metformin prescription among non-Latino whites, English-preferring Latinos, and Spanish-preferring Latinos with diabetes. METHODS: We constructed a retrospective cohort of 154,368 adult patients from 835 community health centers (CHCs) across 20 states who were diagnosed with diabetes during the study. Patients were from non-Latino white, English-preferring Latino, and Spanish-preferring Latino ethnic/language groups. We modeled adjusted odds of metformin prescription and adjusted hazards (time-to-event) of metformin prescription after diabetes diagnosis and high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c > 9) test results. RESULTS: English-preferring Latinos had similar odds of metformin prescription (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.01 (95% CI = 0.93, 1.09)), slightly lower time to metformin prescription after diabetes diagnosis (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.06(95% CI = 1.04, 1.09)), and similar time to metformin prescription after a high HbA1c result (HR = 1.04 (0.99, 1.09)) compared to non-Latino whites. Spanish-preferring Latinos had higher odds of metformin prescription (OR) = 1.42 (95% CI = 1.33, 1.52), and less time to prescription after diabetes diagnosis (HR = 1.18 (1.15, 1.20)) and after a high HbA1c result (HR = 1.15 (1.11, 1.20)). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of metformin prescription patterns among non-Latino whites, English-preferring Latinos, and Spanish-preferring Latinos did not suggest a lower or slower tendency to prescribe metformin in Latino patients. Understanding disparities in diabetes diagnosis may require further investigation of medication adherence barriers, diet and exercise counseling, and multi-level influences on diabetes outcomes in Latino patients.

Association of neighbourhood walkability and haemoglobin A1c levels among Latino and non-Hispanic White patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Neighbourhood walkability can benefit cardiovascular health. Latino patients are more likely than non-Hispanic White patients to have diabetes, and evidence has shown better diabetes-related outcomes for patients living in neighbourhoods conducive to physical activity. Our objective was to determine whether neighbourhood walkability was associated with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels among English- and Spanish-preferring Latino patients compared to non-Hispanic White patients. METHODS: We used electronic health record data from patients in the OCHIN, Inc. network of community health centres (CHC) linked to public walkability data. Patients included those age ≥ 18 with ≥ 1 address recorded, with a study clinic visit from 2012 to 2020, and a type 2 diabetes diagnosis (N = 159,289). Generalized estimating equations logistic regression, adjusted for relevant covariates, was used to model the primary binary outcome of always having HbA1c < 7 by language/ethnicity and walkability score. RESULTS: For all groups, the walkability score was not associated with higher odds and prevalence of always having HbA1c < 7. Non-Hispanic White patients were most likely to have HbA1c always < 7 (prevalence ranged from 32.8% [95%CI = 31.2-34.1] in the least walkable neighbourhoods to 33.4% [95% CI 34.4-34.7] in the most walkable), followed by English-preferring Latinos (28.6% [95%CI = 25.4-31.8]-30.7% [95% CI 29.0-32.3]) and Spanish-preferring Latinos (28.3% [95% CI 26.1-30.4]-29.3% [95% CI 28.2-30.3]). CONCLUSIONS: While walkability score was not significantly associated with glycaemic control, control appeared to increase with walkability, suggesting other built environment factors, and their interaction with walkability and clinical care, may play key roles. Latino patients had a lower likelihood of HbA1c always < 7, demonstrating an opportunity for equity improvements in diabetes care.

The Association of Mobility, Social Deprivation, and Pediatric Primary Care Outcomes in Community Health Centers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how social deprivation and residential mobility are associated with primary care use in children seeking care at community health centers (CHCs) overall and stratified by race and ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN: We used electronic health record open cohort data from 152 896 children receiving care from 15 U S CHCs belonging to the OCHIN network. Patients were aged 3-17 years, with ≥2 primary care visits during 2012-2017 and had geocoded address data. We used negative binomial regression to calculate adjusted rates of primary care encounters and influenza vaccinations relative to neighborhood-level social deprivation. RESULTS: Higher rates of clinic utilization were observed for children who always lived in highly deprived neighborhoods (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.05-1.17) and those who moved from low-to-high deprivation neighborhoods (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09) experienced higher rates of CHC encounters compared with children who always lived in the low-deprivation neighborhoods. This trend was similar for influenza vaccinations. When analyses were stratified by race and ethnicity, we found these relationships were similar for Latino children and non-Latino White children who always lived in highly deprived neighborhoods. Residential mobility was associated with lower rates of primary care. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that children living in or moving to neighborhoods with high levels of social deprivation used more primary care CHC services than children who lived in areas with low deprivation, but moving itself was associated with less care. Clinician and delivery system awareness of patient mobility and its impacts are important to addressing equity in primary care.

The role of language in mammography orders among low-income Latinas over a 10-year period.

INTRODUCTION: Latinas in the United States have higher mortality from breast cancer, but longitudinal studies of mammography ordering (a crucial initial step towards screening) in primary care are lacking. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of mammography order rates in Latinas (by language preference) and non-Latina white women (N = 181,755) over a > 10 year period in a multi-state network of community health centers (CHCs). We evaluated two outcomes (ever having a mammogram order and annual rate of mammography orders) using generalized estimating equation modeling. RESULTS: Approximately one-third of all patients had ever had a mammogram order. Among those receiving mammogram orders, English-preferring Latinas had lower mammogram order rates than non-Hispanic white women (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.89-0.95). Spanish-preferring Latinas had higher odds of ever having a mammogram ordered than non-Hispanic whites (odds ratio = 2.12, 95% CI = 2.06-2.18) and, if ever ordered, had a higher rate of annual mammogram orders (rate ratio = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.50-1.56). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that breast cancer detection barriers in low-income Latinas may not stem from a lack of orders in primary care, but in the subsequent accessibility of receiving ordered services.

Role of ethnicity/language in documented rates of pediatric asthma prescription refills.

OBJECTIVE: Medication maintenance is critical in the management of asthma. We investigated the differences in electronic health record (EHR) documentation of medication refills for Spanish- and English-speaking Latino children and non-Hispanic white children by examining rates of albuterol rescue inhaler refills from 2005 to 2017, and and inhaled corticosteroid refills from 2015 to 2017 in a multi-state network of community health centers (CHCs). METHODS: We used data from the ADVANCE network of CHCs. Our sample consisted of children aged 3-17, with a diagnosis of asthma and either albuterol or inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions (n = 39,162; n = 4,738 children, respectively). Negative binomial regression was used to calculate rates of refills per prescription adjusted for relevant patient-level covariates. Analyses stratified by asthma severity were also conducted. RESULTS: English-speaking Latino children had lower rates of albuterol refills compared with non-Hispanic white children (rate ratio [RR] = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.98), a trend that persisted among children with moderate/severe persistent asthma severity (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). Spanish-speaking Latino and non-Hispanic white children had similar albuterol refills. Inhaled corticosteroid refill rates were comparable between all groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-state network, these findings suggest that CHCs deliver equitable asthma care related to prescription refills between their Latino and white patients, but there is still opportunity for providers to ensure that their English-speaking Latino patients have access to necessary emergency asthma medication.

Use of Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Safety Net Primary Care Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a marked increase in telehealth for the provision of primary care-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. This mixed methods study examines characteristics associated with having the majority of OUD-related visits via telehealth versus in-person, and changes in mode of delivery (in-person, telephone, video) over time. Methods: Logistic regression was performed using electronic health record data from patients with ≥1 visit with an OUD diagnosis to ≥1 of the two study clinics (Rural Health Clinic; urban Federally Qualified Health Center) and ≥1 OUD medication ordered from 3/8/2020-9/1/2021, with >50% of OUD visits via telehealth (vs. >50% in-person) as the dependent variable and patient characteristics as independent variables. Changes in visit type over time were also examined. Inductive coding was used to analyze data from interviews with clinical team members (n = 10) who provide OUD care to understand decision-making around visit type. Results: New patients (vs. returning; OR = 0.47;95%CI:0.27-0.83), those with ≥1 psychiatric diagnosis (vs. none; OR = 0.49,95%CI:0.29-0.82), and rural clinic patients (vs. urban; OR = 0.05; 95%CI:0.03-0.08) had lower odds of having the majority of visits via telehealth than in-person. Patterns of visit type varied over time by clinic, with the majority of telehealth visits delivered via telephone. Team members described flexibility for patients as a key telehealth benefit, but described in-person visits as more conducive to building rapport with new patients and those with increased psychological burden. Conclusion: Understanding how and why telehealth is used for OUD treatment is critical for ensuring access to care and informing OUD-related policy decisions.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Acute Care Use for Pediatric Asthma.

PURPOSE: Previous work has shown that asthma-related emergency department (ED) use is greatest among Black and Latine populations, but it is unknown whether health care use for exacerbations differs across settings (outpatient, ED, inpatient) and correlates with use of routine outpatient services. We aimed to measure disparities by race, ethnicity, and language in pediatric acute asthma care using data from US primary care community health centers. METHODS: In an observational study using electronic health records from community health centers in 18 states, we compared non-Hispanic Black, English-preferring Latine, Spanish-preferring Latine, and non-Hispanic White children aged 3 to 17 years on visits for clinic-coded asthma exacerbations (2012-2018). We further evaluated asthma-related ED use and inpatient admissions in a subsample of Oregon-Medicaid recipients. Covariate-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and rate ratios (RRs) were derived using logistic or negative binomial regression analysis with generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Among 41,276 children with asthma, Spanish-preferring Latine children had higher odds of clinic visits for asthma exacerbation than non-Hispanic White peers (OR = 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.18). Among the subsample of 6,555 children insured under Oregon-Medicaid, non-Hispanic Black children had higher odds and rates of asthma-related ED use than non-Hispanic White peers (OR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.04-1.89 and RR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.09-2.04, respectively). We observed no differences between groups in asthma-related inpatient admissions. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to show that patterns of clinic and ED acute-care use differ for non-Hispanic Black and Spanish-preferring Latine children when compared with non-Hispanic White peers. Non-Hispanic Black children had lower use of clinics, whereas Spanish-preferring Latine children had higher use, including for acute exacerbations. These patterns of clinic use were accompanied by higher ED use among Black children. Ensuring adequate care in clinics may be important in mitigating disparities in asthma outcomes.VISUAL ABSTRACT.

Latino-white disparities in ICD-coded asthma diagnosis among US children.

INTRODUCTION: It is uncertain if disparities in asthma diagnosis between Latino and non-Hispanic white children stem from differences in diagnosis over time among children presenting with similar clinical scenarios suggestive of asthma. METHODS: We evaluated the odds of International Classification of Disease (ICD)-coded asthma diagnosis in Latino (English and Spanish preferring) and non-Hispanic white children, overall (N = 524,456) and among those presenting with possible asthma indicators (N = 85,516) over a 13-year period, using electronic health record data from a multi-state network of community health centers. RESULTS: Among those with possible asthma indicators, Spanish-preferring Latinos had lower adjusted odds of ICD-coded asthma diagnosis compared to non-Hispanic whites (OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.77-0.99); English-preferring Latinos did not differ from non-Hispanic whites. Differences in ICD-coded diagnosis between ethnicity/language groups varied by presenting symptom. CONCLUSIONS: Spanish-preferring Latino children may be less-likely to have ICD-coded asthma documented in the EHR when presenting with certain clinical indicators suggestive of asthma. Clinicians should be cognizant of the need for the follow-up of these indicators in Spanish-preferring Latino children.

Split face randomized, evaluator blinded study on the effect of multiple subcisions on rolling acne scars.

Acne scarring results from a common inflammatory condition present in many people. These scars can have an impact on quality of life by influencing self-esteem and social acceptance. Current acne scarring treatments, such as chemical peels and laser treatments, often have limited success due to their time-consuming nature and the variability of acne scar types. The subcision technique has shown promise for the treatment of rolling acne scars. There are few studies to date that examine the effects of multiple subcision treatments on rolling acne scars. We evaluated whether the use of multiple subcision treatments improved the appearance of rolling acne scars compared to no treatment. Five patients with rolling acne scars on both sides of their face who met inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. One side of the face was randomized to receive treatment, while the contralateral side of the face received no treatment. Subjects underwent five sequential subcision treatments, spaced 4 weeks apart, with two follow-up visits at weeks 20 and 36 from the 1st treatment. Photographs were taken before and after the initial treatment visit and at each subsequent visit. Acne scar appearance was evaluated by the subject, a blinded live rater, and two double-blinded dermatologist raters. Evaluations of treatment outcomes involved overall acne scar appearance on a 5-point scale, acne scar improvement on a percentage scale, a modified quantitative global scarring grading system, and potential treatment side effects. There was a greater decrease in global scarring scores in the multiple subcision side compared to the control side. There was a greater difference in the average acne scar appearance scores between the Week 36 follow-up visit and baseline for the multiple subcision side compared to that of the control side. 50% of patients reported being more satisfied with the treatment side compared to the control side in regard to overall improvement. The study results suggest that multiple subcision treatments may improve the appearance of rolling acne scars compared to no treatment.

Association of Early Childhood Wheeze and Asthma Diagnosis Documentation by Race, Ethnicity, and Language in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether electronic health record (EHR) documentation of certain early childhood risk factors for asthma, such as wheeze differ by race, ethnicity, and language group, and whether these children have different subsequent asthma prevalences. METHODS: We used EHR data from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center (ADVANCE) Clinical Research Network from children receiving care in US community health centers (n = 71,259 children) across 21 states to examine the presence of ICD-coded documentation of early childhood wheeze and its association with subsequent asthma diagnosis documentation in the EHR by race/ethnicity/language. RESULTS: ICD-coded wheeze was present in 2 to 3% of each race/ethnicity/language group. Among the total sample, 18.5% had asthma diagnosed after age 4. The adjusted prevalence of subsequent asthma diagnosis was greater in children with wheeze than those without. Odds of asthma diagnosis did not differ among children in all race/ethnicity/language groups with early childhood wheeze. Non-Latino Black children without wheeze had higher odds of asthma (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.08-1.32) compared with non-Latino White children without wheeze. DISCUSSION: In US community health centers which serve medically underserved populations, EHR documentation of early childhood wheeze was uncommon and did not differ significantly among race/ethnicity/language groups. Differences in asthma diagnosis in Latinos may not stem from differences in early-life wheeze documentation. However, our findings suggest that there may be opportunities for improvement in early asthma symptom recognition for non-Latino Black children, especially in those without early childhood wheeze.

Healthcare utilization for asthma exacerbation among children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

Latino children of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFWs) with asthma are at risk for poor health outcomes due to medical access barriers. We compared differences in acute care utilization for asthma exacerbations among migrant and non-migrant Latino and non-Hispanic white (NHW) children at U.S. community health centers. A retrospective observational study utilizing electronic health record data from the ADVANCE Clinical Research Network of United States community health centers included 13,423 children ages 3-17 with a primary care visit between 2005 and 2017 from eight states. Emergency department (ED) and hospitalization data came from Oregon Medicaid claims. Outcomes included acute clinic visits, ED visits, and hospitalizations for asthma exacerbation. Regression analyses adjusted for patient-level covariates. Latino children had higher odds of acute clinic visits for asthma exacerbation compared to NHW children (MSFW odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.33; without migrant status OR = 1.13, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.23). MSFW children using Oregon Medicaid had fewer ED visits (rate ratio [RR] = 0.72, 95 % CI = 0.52-0.99) and hospitalizations (RR = 0.47, 95 % CI = 0.26-0.86) compared to NHW children. Increased community health center visits may help mitigate disparities in acute asthma care for MSFW children.

Ethnicity, Language, and HIV Screening in Older Adult Safety-Net Patients.

INTRODUCTION: HIV screening should occur for all adults at least once by age 65 years. Older adults have low screening rates. Latinos, with historically low screening rates, have worse HIV outcomes than non-Hispanic White patients. Electronic health record data from a multistate network of community health centers were used to examine whether there are differences in HIV screening for Latino (English and Spanish preferring) and non-Hispanic White older adults. METHODS: Data were from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network Clinical Research Network of PCORnet from 21 states in 2012-2021 among an open cohort of patients aged 50-65 years. Relative odds of ever having received HIV screening comparing Latinos with non-Hispanic Whites using generalized estimating equation logistic regression modeling were calculated, adjusting for relevant patient-level covariates. Analyses were conducted in 2022. RESULTS: Among 251,645 patients, the covariate-adjusted odds of ever receiving HIV screening were 18% higher for English-preferring Latino patients (OR=1.18, 95% CI=1.11, 1.25) and 32% higher for Spanish-preferring Latinos than for non-Hispanic Whites (OR=1.32, 95% CI=1.24, 1.42). CONCLUSIONS: Latinos seen in community health centers, regardless of language spoken, are more likely to be screened at least once for HIV than non-Hispanic Whites. This increased screening may be due at least in part to the community health center setting, a setting known to mitigate disparities, as well as due to participation efforts by community health centers in public health campaigns. Future research can prioritize understanding the cause of this relative advantage.

Quality of Care for Latinx Children with Asthma: Associations with Language Concordance and Continuity of Care.

BACKGROUND: Language concordance between Latinx patients and their clinicians has been shown to affect health outcomes. In addition, there is evidence that consistent continuity of care (COC) can improve health care outcomes. The relationship between language concordance and COC and their association with health equity in chronic disease is less clear. Our aim was to study the moderating effect of clinician and patient language concordance on the association between COC and asthma care quality in Latinx children. METHODS: We utilized an electronic health record dataset from a multistate network of community health centers to compare influenza vaccinations and inhaled steroid prescriptions, by ethnicity and language concordance groups overall and stratified by COC. RESULTS: We analyzed electronic health records for children with asthma (n = 38,442) age 3 to 17 years with ≥2 office visits between 2005 to 2017. Overall, 64% of children had low COC (defined as COC < 0.5) while 21% had high COC (defined as >0.75). All Latinx children had higher rates and odds of receiving influenza vaccination compared with non-Hispanic White children. In addition, Spanish-preferring Latinx children had higher rates and odds of being prescribed inhaled steroids while English-preferring Latinx children had lower odds (OR = 0.85 95%CI = 0.73,0.98) compared with non-Hispanic White children. CONCLUSION: Overall, Latinx children regardless of COC category or language concordance were more likely to receive the influenza vaccine. English-preferring Latinx children with persistent asthma received fewer inhaled steroid prescriptions compared with non-Hispanic White children. Panel chart review and seeing a practice partner might be one way to combat these inequities.

Screening for Hepatitis C Among Community Health Center Patients by Ethnicity and Language Preference.

Introduction: Hepatitis C virus is associated with high morbidity and mortality-chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death among Latinos in the U.S. Screening for hepatitis C virus in community health center settings, which serve a disproportionate percentage of Latinos, is essential to eradicating hepatitis C virus infection. We assessed hepatitis C virus screening disparities in adults served by community health centers by ethnicity and language preference. Methods: This was an observational cohort study (spanning 2013-2017) of adults born in 1945-1965 in the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network electronic health record data set. Our exposure of interest was race/ethnicity and language preference (non-Hispanic White, Latino English preferred, Latino Spanish preferred). Our primary outcome was the relative hazard of hepatitis C virus screening, estimated using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: A total of 182,002 patients met the study criteria and included 60% non-Hispanic Whites, 29% Latino Spanish preferred, and 11% Latino English preferred. In total, 9% received hepatitis C virus screening, and 2.4% were diagnosed with hepatitis C virus. Latino English-preferred patients had lower rates of screening than both non-Hispanic Whites and Latino Spanish preferred (5.5% vs 9.4% vs 9.6%, respectively). Latino English preferred had lower hazards of hepatitis C virus screening than non-Hispanic Whites (adjusted hazard ratio=0.56, 95% CI=0.44, 0.72), and Latino Spanish preferred had similar hazards of hepatitis C virus screening (adjusted hazard ratio=1.11, 95% CI=0.88, 1.41). Conclusions: We found that in a large community health center network, adult Latinos who preferred English had lower hazards of hepatitis C virus screening than non-Hispanic Whites, whereas Latinos who preferred Spanish had hazards of screening similar to those of non-Hispanic Whites. The overall prevalence of hepatitis C virus screening was low. Further work on the role of language preference in hepatitis C virus screening is needed to better equip primary care providers to provide this recommended preventive service in culturally relevant ways.

Comparison of associations of household-level and neighbourhood-level poverty markers with paediatric asthma care utilisation by race/ethnicity in an open cohort of community health centre patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to examine how different measurements of poverty (household-level and neighborhood-level) were associated with asthma care utilisation outcomes in a community health centre setting among Latino, non-Latino black and non-Latino white children. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: We used 2012-2017 electronic health record data of an open cohort of children aged <18 years with asthma from the OCHIN, Inc. network. Independent variables included household-level and neighborhood-level poverty using income as a percent of federal poverty level (FPL). Covariate-adjusted generalised estimating equations logistic and negative binomial regression were used to model three outcomes: (1) ≥2 asthma visits/year, (2) albuterol prescription orders and (3) prescription of inhaled corticosteroids over the total study period. RESULTS: The full sample (n=30 196) was 46% Latino, 26% non-Latino black, 31% aged 6-10 years at first clinic visit. Most patients had household FPL <100% (78%), yet more than half lived in a neighbourhood with >200% FPL (55%). Overall, neighbourhood poverty (<100% FPL) was associated with more asthma visits (covariate-adjusted OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.41), and living in a low-income neighbourhood (≥100% to <200% FPL) was associated with more albuterol prescriptions (covariate-adjusted rate ratio 1.07, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.13). When stratified by race/ethnicity, we saw differences in both directions in associations of household/neighbourhood income and care outcomes between groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study enhances understanding of measurements of race/ethnicity differences in asthma care utilisation by income, revealing different associations of living in low-income neighbourhoods and households for Latino, non-Latino white and non-Latino black children with asthma. This implies that markers of family and community poverty may both need to be considered when evaluating the association between economic status and healthcare utilisation. Tools to measure both kinds of poverty (family and community) may already exist within clinics, and can both be used to better tailor asthma care and reduce disparities in primary care safety net settings.

Disparities in HbA1c testing between aging US Latino and non-Latino white primary care patients.

US Latinos disproportionately face diabetes-related disparities compared to non-Latino Whites. A number of barriers, including linguistic and cultural discordance, have been consistently linked to these disparities. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) testing is used to assess glycemic control among individuals living with diabetes. This study aimed to compare HbA1c levels and corresponding testing rates among non-Latino Whites and Latinos with both English and Spanish preference from a national cohort of primary care patients within community health centers. We analyzed electronic health records from patients who turned 50 years of age (n = 66,921) and were diagnosed with diabetes during or prior to the study period. They also must have been under observation for at least one year from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2017. We calculated the rates of HbA1c tests each person received over the number of years observed and used covariate-adjusted negative binomial regression to estimate incidence rate ratios for Spanish preferring Latinos and English preferring Latinos compared to non-Latino Whites. Spanish preferring Latinos (rate ratio = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.16-1.30), regardless of HbA1c level, had higher testing rates than non-Latino Whites and English preferring Latinos. English preferring Latinos with controlled HbA1c levels had higher rates of HbA1c testing compared to non-Latino whites. Overall, the Latinos with Spanish preference maintained higher HbA1c testing rates and had disproportionately higher rates of uncontrolled HbA1c levels compared to non-Latino whites. Future efforts should focus on understanding effective approaches to increasing engagement among Spanish preferring Latinos and addressing organizational-level barriers, given HbA1c disparities.

Smoking-Cessation Assistance Among Older Adults by Ethnicity/Language Preference.

INTRODUCTION: Although smoking prevalence is lower among Hispanic adults than among non-Hispanic White adults, smoking remains a leading cause of preventable death among older Hispanics. This study examines the differences in tobacco assessment and smoking-cessation assistance among older patients seen in community health centers by ethnicity and language preference. METHODS: Electronic health record data were extracted from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network of community health centers from patients aged 55‒80 years with ≥1 primary care visit between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018. Binary outcomes included tobacco use assessment and, among those with ≥1 status indicating current smoking, having a smoking-cessation medication ordered. The independent variable combined ethnicity and language preference, categorized as non-Hispanic White (reference), Spanish-preferring Hispanic, and English-preferring Hispanic. Multivariable generalized estimating equation logistic regressions, clustering by primary care clinic using an exchangeable working correlation structure, modeled the odds of tobacco use assessment and cessation medication orders by ethnicity/preferred language, adjusting for patient covariates, health system, and clinic location. Analyses were conducted in 2021. RESULTS: The study included 116,328 patients. Spanish-preferring Hispanic patients had significantly lower odds of having tobacco use assessed than non-Hispanic White patients (AOR=0.89, 95% CI=0.82, 0.95). Both Spanish- and English-preferring Hispanic patients had lower odds of having a smoking-cessation medication ordered (AOR=0.53, 95% CI=0.47, 0.60; AOR=0.77, 95% CI=0.67, 0.89, respectively) than non-Hispanic White patients. CONCLUSIONS: Significant disparities were found in tobacco assessment and cessation assistance by ethnicity and language preference among older adults seen in safety-net clinics. Future research is needed to understand the etiology of these smoking-related disparities.

Associations of retention on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder with patient characteristics and models of care in the primary care setting.

INTRODUCTION: Buprenorphine, a medication for opioid use disorder (OUD), can be administered within primary care; however, little is known about characteristics associated with retention on buprenorphine in these settings. This study examines patient correlates of buprenorphine retention and whether an integrated, interdisciplinary treatment model (buprenorphine and behavioral health) is associated with higher odds of buprenorphine retention than a primarily medication-only treatment model. METHODS: Electronic health record data from adult patients with an OUD, ≥1 buprenorphine order and ≥1 visit to either of two primary care clinics between 9/2/2014-6/27/2018 were extracted (N = 494 patients). Two research team members reviewed the medication start and stop dates for each buprenorphine order and classified as retained (≥6 months of orders) or not retained (<6 months of orders). Logistic regressions estimated the odds of retention on buprenorphine by 1) patient characteristics and 2) timing of patient's engagement in buprenorphine treatment (pre- or post-implementation of an integrated treatment model). RESULTS: Of the study sample, 53% had ≥6 months of buprenorphine orders. Almost two times higher odds of retention were found among patients with ≥1 psychiatric comorbidity (versus none) and among those with buprenorphine orders in the post- versus pre-period. CONCLUSIONS: An integrated, interdisciplinary model of OUD treatment was associated with ≥6 months of buprenorphine orders among our study population. Continued research is needed in real-world primary care settings to understand the impact of OUD treatment models on patient outcomes. A more nuanced examination of the associations between psychiatric diagnoses and buprenorphine treatment retention is warranted.

Patient "Catastrophizing" Associated with Expectations of Opioid Prescriptions for Acute Pain Control.

BACKGROUND: The prescription of opioids for acute pain may be a driving factor in chronic opioid abuse. We examined patients' characteristics associated with the expectation of the receipt of opioid prescriptions for acute pain control. METHODS: A 1-time survey was administered to adult patients at family medicine clinics in the Pacific Northwest between November 2018 and January 2019. Logistic regression modeled adjusted odds of expecting an opioid prescription in ≥ 3 of the 4 dispositional acute pain scenarios by patient demographics, opioid use, past-week pain intensity and duration, past-week anxiety, and pain catastrophizing. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 108 patients (62% female, 48% between 30 and 49 years of age, 75% non-Hispanic Whites). Most patients (71%) expected an opioid prescription in ≥ 1 of the 4 scenarios; 26% expected a prescription in ≥ 3 scenarios. Patients with higher levels of pain catastrophizing had more than 3 times greater odds of expecting opioids than those with lower pain catastrophizing (OR, 3.73; P = .032; 95% CI, 1.12-12.46); no other characteristics were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Higher pain catastrophizing was associated with increased odds of expecting opioids in dispositional acute pain scenarios in outpatient settings. Future studies can determine whether addressing pain catastrophizing reduces expectations of opioid prescribing for acute pain control. The finding that most patients expected opioid prescriptions in acute pain scenarios needs further exploration into other potential factors associated with these expectations. Evidence-based guidelines for condition-specific acute pain management are warranted for appropriate opioid prescribing and to guide treatment expectations.