Socioeconomic disparities in alcohol-related depression: a national cohort study of low-income medical aid beneficiaries and national health insurance beneficiaries in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between patterns of alcohol consumption in the past and the risk of depression among medical aid beneficiaries and National Health Insurance beneficiaries in Korea. METHODS: We used data from the National Health Information Database (NHID) of 1,292,618 participants who underwent health checkups in 2015-16 and 2017-18. We categorized alcohol consumption into four groups: continuous high, increased, decreased, and non-consumers. We followed the participants from 2019 to 2021 and identified new episodes of depression. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for depression by alcohol consumption groups and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Medical aid beneficiaries had higher risks of depression than National Health Insurance beneficiaries across all alcohol consumption groups. The highest risk was observed among continuous high consumers (aOR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.36-3.93), followed by increased (aOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.17-1.94), decreased (aOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.18-1.84), and non-consumers (aOR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.22-1.54). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic status and patterns of alcohol consumption in the past are associated with the risk of depression. Public health interventions should consider both factors to reduce alcohol-related depression and health inequalities.

Adherence and persistence to tafamidis treatment among Medicare beneficiaries in the presence of a patient assistance program.

Tafamidis is the only disease-modifying therapy approved to treat patients in the United States with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), which most commonly affects patients aged ≥ 65 years. The manufacturer operates a patient assistance program (PAP) to support access to tafamidis. This study conducted Privacy Preserving Record Linking (PPRL) using Datavant tokens to match patients across Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) and PAP databases to evaluate the impact of PAPs on treatment exposure classification, adherence, and persistence determined using Medicare PDP data alone. We found 35% of Medicare PDP patients received tafamidis through the PAP only; 14% through both Medicare PDP and the PAP, and 51% through Medicare PDP only. Adherence and persistence were comparable between these cohorts but underestimated among patients who received ≥ 2 prescriptions through Medicare PDP and ≥ 1 through the PAP when solely using Medicare data versus pooled Medicare and PAP data (modified Medication Possession Ratio: 84% [69% ≥ 80% adherent] vs. 96% [93%]; Proportion of Days Covered: 77% [66% ≥ 80% adherent] vs. 88% [88%]; mean days to discontinuation: 186 vs. 252; total discontinuation: 13% vs. 11%). Cross-database PPRL is a valuable method to build more complete treatment journeys and reduce the risk of exposure misclassification in real-world analyses.

Road Traffic Injuries in South Africa: A Complex Global Health Crisis.

1.3 million people die each year as a result of Road traffic crashes. Road Traffic Injuries are a global health crisis with 90% of global deaths affecting LMICs. Sustainable Development Goal 3.6 focuses on reducing road injury and death. The global plan is based on the Safe Systems approach. In South Africa, the burden of crashes on the health system and society is particularly high with a population death rate of 20.7 per 100 000 population. Understanding local context and culture is critical. Rurality, distorted urban planning, higher travel exposure and alcohol usage disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minorities. Pedestrian safety is a key priority. There is a critical need for the global health community to take an active role in advocacy in order to achieve SDG 3.6 by 2030.

Utilization of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) in an Inner-City Emergency Department During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT) in an inner-city emergency department during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: Data were abstracted from individual emergency department encounters over 6 weeks. The study compared left without being seen (LWBS) percentage, door-to-provider, and door-to-disposition times for 2 weeks before, during, and after the DMAT. RESULTS: The LWBS percentages for the 2 weeks before and after the DMAT were 16.2% and 11.6%, respectively. The LWBS percentage during the DMAT was 8.1%. Door-to-disposition times for the 2 weeks before and after the DMAT were 7.36 hours and 8.53 hours, respectively. The door-to-disposition during the DMAT was 7.33 hours. Door-to-disposition was statistically significant during the 2 weeks of the DMAT compared to the 2 weeks after the DMAT (7.33 vs 8.53, P < 0.05) but not statistically significant when compared to the period before the DMAT (7.36 vs 7.33, P = 1.00). Door-to-provider time was the longest during the DMAT (122.5 minutes [2.04 hours]) when compared to the time frame before the DMAT (114.54 minutes [1.91 hours]) and after the DMAT (102.84 minutes [1.71 hours]). CONCLUSION: The DMAT had the most positive impact on LWBS percentages. The DMAT showed no improvement in door-to-provider times in the study and only in door-to-disposition times when comparing the time the DMAT was present to after the DMAT departed.

Does a new case-based payment system promote the construction of the ordered health delivery system? Evidence from a pilot city in China.

BACKGROUND: The construction of the ordered health delivery system in China aims to enhance equity and optimize the efficient use of medical resources by rationally allocating patients to different levels of medical institutions based on the severity of their condition. However, superior hospitals have been overcrowded, and primary healthcare facilities have been underutilized in recent years. China has developed a new case-based payment method called "Diagnostic Intervention Package" (DIP). The government is trying to use this economic lever to encourage medical institutions to actively assume treatment tasks consistent with their functional positioning and service capabilities. METHODS: This study takes Tai'an, a DIP pilot city, as a case study and uses an interrupted time series analysis to analyze the impact of DIP reform on the case severity and service scope of medical institutions at different levels. RESULTS: The results show that after the DIP reform, the proportion of patients receiving complicated procedures (tertiary hospitals: ß3 = 0.197, P < 0.001; secondary hospitals: ß3 = 0.132, P = 0.020) and the case mix index (tertiary hospitals: ß3 = 0.022, P < 0.001; secondary hospitals: ß3 = 0.008, P < 0.001) in tertiary and secondary hospitals increased, and the proportion of primary-DIP-groups cases decreased (tertiary hospitals: ß3 = -0.290, P < 0.001; secondary hospitals: ß3 = -1.200, P < 0.001), aligning with the anticipated policy objectives. However, the proportion of patients receiving complicated procedures (ß3 = 0.186, P = 0.002) and the case mix index (ß3 = 0.002, P < 0.001) in primary healthcare facilities increased after the reform, while the proportion of primary-DIP-groups cases (ß3 = -0.515, P = 0.005) and primary-DIP-groups coverage (ß3 = -2.011, P < 0.001) decreased, which will reduce the utilization efficiency of medical resources and increase inequity. CONCLUSION: The DIP reform did not effectively promote the construction of the ordered health delivery system. Policymakers need to adjust economic incentives and implement restraint mechanisms to regulate the behavior of medical institutions.

An opportunity to transform Australia's neo-colonial health system.

The 'modern' value-based healthcare (VBHC) movement provides an opportunity to not only reform health care towards a more equitable, community-centred system, but to also acknowledge, honour and learn from global Indigenous knowledge, systems, and ways of valuing knowing, being and doing. For Australia as a settler-colonial state, efforts to implement VBHC here are doomed to fail until the continued legacy of settler-colonial violence and systemic racism pervading Australia's healthcare system is acknowledged, addressed and ameliorated.

Establishing research impact assessment in Iran: The first report from a non-high-income country.

Background: This study presents the first report on research impact assessment (RIA) in non-high-income countries, undertaken as a pilot initiative in 2021. Within it, we aimed to explore the feasibility of employing the 'payback' model for evaluating the impact of health research and enhancing the accountability of universities. We focussed on three key impact domains: 'production of decision support documents and knowledge-based products,' 'implementation of research results,' and 'health and economic impact.' Methods: We adopted a case study approach to assess the impact of 5334 health research projects conducted by researchers from 18 universities from 2018 to 2020. Researchers were required to submit evidence related to at least one of the specified impact domains; six scientific committees verified and scored claimed impacts at the national level. Results: Only 25% of the assessed projects achieved impact in at least one domain, with the production of decision support documents and knowledge products being the most reported impact. Notably, economic impact was verified in only three projects, indicating room for improvement in this area. Technology research exhibited the highest acceptance rate of claimed impact, suggesting a positive correlation between technology-focused projects and impactful outcomes. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of employing a case study approach and the 'payback' model to evaluate the impact of health research, even within the constraints of a moderately equipped research infrastructure. These findings underscore the potential of integrating RIA into the governance of health research in Iran and other non-high-income countries, as well as the importance of using RIA to assess the accountability of health research systems, guide the allocation of research funding, and advocate for the advancement of health research. The study sets a precedent for future assessments in similar contexts and contributes to the ongoing global dialogue on the societal impact of health research.

La ciencia desde la asistencia médica / Science from medical care

La formación académica sustenta las bases para el desempeño investigativo del egresado. No obstante, en el camino entre la proyección del pregrado y el rediseño del posgrado de los planes de estudio, persisten dificultades en el proceso investigativo. Se propone considerar la utilidad del vínculo asistencia-docencia-investigación, sustentado en la presencia de esta última en cada momento y espacio de la vida del profesional, en función de transformar su entorno y con ello, su desarrollo intelectual, según criterios y experiencia de los autores. Es reconocida, la importante y decisiva integración docente-asistencial-investigativa, elemento característico de las formas organizativas de la educación médica cubana. No es posible llevar a cabo una investigación de calidad, sin una práctica médica de excelencia La investigación clínica mejora la calidad de los médicos y debe fomentarse como actividad esencial. Se deben identificar las necesidades de aprendizaje, y entre ellas estar contenidos los problemas investigativos, en torno a los cuales se erigen las investigaciones científicas. Para un profesional, no es posible que se separen las 3 vertientes interrelacionadas: la asistencia, la docencia y la investigación. Por lo tanto, de su trabajo diario, justamente emerge la ciencia. La formación de recursos humanos en Cuba, en el contexto actual, es transformadora, revolucionaria y a favor del bienestar de la sociedad. El vínculo asistencia-docencia-investigación debe concebirse como un sistema articulado e integral presente en cada momento de actuación del sistema de salud que debe ser aprovechado por los profesionales, los directivos, en función de transformar su entorno, calidad y pertinencia(AU)

Academic training supports the bases for the graduate's research performance. However, on the path between the undergraduate projection and the postgraduate redesign of the study plans, difficulties persist in the research process. It is proposed to consider the usefulness of the assistance-teaching-research link, supported by the presence of the latter in every moment and space of the professional's life, in terms of transforming their environment and with it, their intellectual development, according to criteria and experience of the authors. The important and decisive integration of teaching-care-research is recognized, a characteristic element of the organizational forms of Cuban medical education. It is not possible to carry out quality research without excellent medical practice. Clinical research improves the quality of doctors and should be promoted as an essential activity. Learning needs must be identified, and among them the research problems, around which scientific research is built, must be contained. For a professional, it is not possible to separate the 3 interrelated aspects: assistance, teaching and research. Therefore, science emerges from daily work. The training of human resources in Cuba, in the current context, is transformative, revolutionary and in favor of the well-being of society. The care-teaching-research link must be conceived as an articulated and integral system present at every moment of action of the health system that must be taken advantage of by professionals, managers, in order to transform its environment, quality and relevance(AU)

Cost Analysis of Implementing a 12-Month Recertification Criterion for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program's AIDS Drug Assistance Program in Washington State.

OBJECTIVE: AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) are state-administered programs that pay for medical care and medication for people living with HIV (PLWH) in the United States. In October 2021, the federal policy requiring that clients recertify for the program every 6 months was repealed, giving states the authority to set their own recertification policies. However, little data exist on the costs and health effects of alternative recertification schedules. We assessed the cost of changing the legacy 6-month recertification to a 12-month schedule in Washington State to inform policy decisions on recertification. METHODS: We used a Markov model to simulate the population of PLWH in Washington State who are eligible or enrolled in ADAP. We obtained model inputs and validation data from the Washington State Ryan White database. We estimated the cost of 12-month and 6-month criteria over a 5-year time horizon. Model outputs included annual program costs, population sizes, and number of people virally suppressed, by scenario. RESULTS: Under a continuation of the legacy 6-month recertification criteria, the annual cost of Washington ADAP would be $37 663 000 (95% CI, $34 570 000-$41 686 000) during the next 5 years, with a per-client cost of $7966 (95% CI, $7478-$8494). Under 12-month criteria, the annual cost would be $40 217 000 (95% CI, $36 243 000-$44 401 000) and the per-client cost would be $7543 (95% CI, $7084-$8042). Under the 12-month scenario, 245 more people will have been virally suppressed by the end of 2025. CONCLUSIONS: Switching to a less frequent recertification process may improve health outcomes at a modest increase in cost in Washington State.

Perspectives of Canadian health leaders on the relationship between medical assistance in dying and palliative and end-of-life care services: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in 2016, but coordination of MAiD and palliative and end-of-life care (PEOLC) services remains underdeveloped. We sought to understand the perspectives of health leaders across Canada on the relationship between MAiD and PEOLC services and to identify opportunities for improved coordination. METHODS: In this quantitative study, we purposively sampled health leaders across Canada with expertise in MAiD, PEOLC, or both. We conducted semi-structured interviews between April 2021 and January 2022. Interview transcripts were coded independently by 2 researchers and reconciled to identify key themes using content analysis. We applied the PATH framework for Integrated Health Services to guide data collection and analysis. RESULTS: We conducted 36 interviews. Participants expressed diverse views about the optimal relationship between MAiD and PEOLC, and the desirability of integration, separation, or coordination of these services. We identified 11 themes to improve the relationship between the services across 4 PATH levels: client-centred services (e.g., educate public); health operations (e.g., cultivate compassionate and proactive leadership); health systems (e.g., conduct broad and inclusive consultation and planning); and intersectoral initiatives (e.g., provide standard practice guidelines across health care systems). INTERPRETATION: Health leaders recognized that cooperation between MAiD and PEOLC services is required for appropriate referrals, care coordination, and patient care. They identified the need for public and provider education, standardized practice guidelines, relationship-building, and leadership. Our findings have implications for MAiD and PEOLC policy development and clinical practice in Canada and other jurisdictions.

The work of composition: Situated articulation of visible and invisible work within patient organisations.

Patient organisations (POs) play a significant role in the transformation of contemporary health systems. This article concentrates on the mundane and invisible work that enables and maintains POs, including the contextual inscription of such work and its relational becoming with visible practices. Grounded in ethnographic study within the Russian Multiple Sclerosis Society (RuMSS), I analyse how visible and invisible work are articulated in particular situations. Though this analysis, I bring forth the work of composition - the continuous situated work of putting together a PO, with care for heterogeneity of its visible and invisible practices and without an expectation of a predetermined result. The strategically visible work builds up RuMSS expertise, making it a legitimate mediator between different health actors. Meanwhile, the invisible tactics maintain the internal porosity and flexibility of the PO, allowing its members to escape surveillance and achieve efficacy despite strategic limitations. The articulation of these two streams of work within a given situation is a specific invisible practice performed by the RuMSS members - the composition work. This work requires collective and embodied sensitivity to the effects of making work (in)visible in specific time-spaces or chronotopes, and it manifests a modality of care within POs.

Chapitre 7. L'aide médicale à mourir au Canada et les personnes vulnérables.

The Supreme Court of Canada having declared unconstitutional the legislative provisions prohibiting assisted dying because they were too broad in scope, the law of March 17, 2021 broadened these conditions, however postponing the date of application to March 17,2023 for the mentally ill only. Faced with the difficulties raised to avoid a broad interpretation of the criteria, which could open the way to requests based on weariness in combating difficult socio-economic situations, the law of March 9, 2023 extended this deadline until March 17, 2024.

Care considerations in medical assistance in dying for persons with mental illness as the sole underlying medical condition: a qualitative study of patient and family perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Persons with mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition are eligible to access medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in a small number of countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and Switzerland. In Canada, it is anticipated that people experiencing mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition (MI-SUMC) will be eligible to request MAiD as of March 17th 2024. To date, few studies have addressed patient and family perspectives on MAiD MI-SUMC care processes. This study aimed to address this gap and qualitatively explore the perspectives of persons with lived experience of mental illness and family members on care considerations during MI-SUMC implementation. METHODS: Thirty adults with lived experience of mental illness and 25 adult family members residing in Ontario participated in this study. To facilitate participant engagement, the semi-structured interview used a persona-scenario exercise to discuss perspectives on MAiD MI-SUMC acceptability and care considerations. Framework analysis was used to inductively analyze data using NVivo 12 Pro. Steps, processes, or other care considerations suggested by the participants were charted in a framework matrix after familiarization with the narratives. Key themes were further identified. A lived-experience advisory group participated in every aspect of this study. RESULTS: Six themes were developed from the patient and family narratives: (1) Raising MAiD MI-SUMC awareness; (2) Sensitive Introduction of MAiD MI-SUMC in goals of care discussions; (3) Asking for MAiD MI-SUMC: a person-focused response; (4) A comprehensive circle of MAiD MI-SUMC care; (5) A holistic, person-centered assessment process; and (6) Need for support in the aftermath of the decision. These themes highlighted a congruence of views between patient and family members and described key desired process ingredients, including a person-centred non-judgmental stance by care providers, inter-professional holistic care, shared decision making, and the primacy of patient autonomy in healthcare decision making. CONCLUSIONS: Family and patient perspectives on the implementation of MAiD MI-SUMC offer important considerations for service planning that could complement existing and emerging professional practice standards. These stakeholders' perspectives will continue to be essential in MAiD MI-SUMC implementation efforts, to better address the needs of diverse communities and inform improvement efforts.

Factors Affecting Perioperative Nurse Adherence to Ergonomic Safety Measures.

AORN has identified safety risks unique to the perioperative setting and has developed ergonomic safety measures to help prevent musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. Little is known about adherence to these safety measures or the perceived barriers and facilitators to adherence. This study used a cross-sectional survey to determine the prevalence of pain and occurrence of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. We asked perioperative staff members about their perceived barriers and facilitators to adherence with safety measures. A total of 155 perioperative nurses in one health system completed the online survey (55% response rate). Most (93%) had experienced at least one musculoskeletal injury or disorder or related pain. Years worked as a perioperative nurse and having neck pain were associated with safety measure adherence. The most reported barrier to safety measure adherence was inadequate staffing. Study findings highlight the need for increased attention to the physical workload demands in the perioperative setting.

Integrating rehabilitation into health systems: A comparative study of nine middle-income countries using WHO's Systematic Assessment of Rehabilitation Situation (STARS).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The need for rehabilitation is growing due to health and demographic trends, especially the rise of non-communicable diseases and the rapid ageing of the global population. However, the extent to which rehabilitation is integrated into health systems is mostly unclear. Our objective is to describe and compare the nature and extent of integration of rehabilitation within health systems across nine middle-income countries using available Systematic Assessment of Rehabilitation Situation (STARS) reports. METHODS: Cross-country comparative study with variable-oriented design using available rehabilitation health system assessment reports from nine middle income countries. FINDINGS: The integration of rehabilitation into health systems is limited across countries. Governance and financing for rehabilitation are mostly established within health ministries but weakly so, while health information systems are characterized by no available data or data that is insufficient or not routinely generated. The overall numbers of rehabilitation workforce per capita are low, with frequent reports of workforce challenges. In most countries the availability of longer-stay, high-intensity rehabilitation is extremely low, the availability of rehabilitation in tertiary hospitals is modest and in government supported primary care its almost non-existent. Multiple concerns about rehabilitation quality arose but the lack of empirical data hinders formal appraisal. CONCLUSION: The study sheds light on the limited integration of rehabilitation in health systems and common areas of difficulty and challenge across nine middle income countries. All countries were found to have a basis on which to strengthen rehabilitation and there were often multiple areas within each health system building block that required action in order to improve the situation. Findings can inform governments, regional and global agencies to support future efforts to strengthen rehabilitation. Additionally, our study demonstrates the value of STARS reports for health policy and systems research and can serve as a model for further comparative studies.