Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) concept and access to healthcare delivery in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal, Ghana.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the successes of the community-based health planning and services (CHPS) policy since its inception in the mid-1990s in Ghana, data pertaining to the implementation and use of CHPS facilities in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal is scant. We assessed access to healthcare delivery and factors influencing the use of CHPS in Sefwi Wiawso Municipal. METHODS: An analytical community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the Sefwi Wiawo Municipal from September to October 2020. Respondents for the study were recruited through multi-stage sampling. Information was collected on their socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and use of CHPS facilities through interviews using a structured pre-tested questionnaire. Factors influencing the use of CHPS facilities were assessed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression to generate crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). P ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 483 respondents were recruited for the study. The mean age of the respondents was 43.0 ± 16.3 years, and over 70% were females or married/cohabiting with their partners. Most respondents (88.2%) knew about the CHPS concept and more than half (53.4%) accessed healthcare in the CHPS facilities. Most respondents rated the quality of health services (> 65%) and staff attitude (77.2%) very positively. Significant factors influencing the use of the CHPS facilities were; knowledge of the CHPS concept (AOR 6.57, 95% CI 1.57-27.43; p = 0.01), longer waiting time for a vehicle to the facility, and shorter waiting time at the facility before being provided with care. People who waited for 30-60 min (AOR 2.76, 95% CI 1.08-7.07; p = 0.01) or over an hour (AOR 10.91, 95% CI 3.71-32.06; p = 0.01) before getting a vehicle to the facility, while patients who waited for less than 30 min (AOR 5.74, 95% CI 1.28-25.67; p = 0.03) or 30-60 min (AOR 2.60, 95% CI 0.57-11.78; p = 0.03) at the CHPS facility before receiving care were more likely to access care at the CHPS facilities. CONCLUSION: Knowledge, and use of healthcare services at the CHPS facilities were high in this population. Interventions aimed at reducing waiting time at the CHPS facilities could greatly increase use of healthcare services at these facilities.

Community-based Health Planning and Services programme in Ghana: a systematic review.

Introduction: Ghana established Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) as the primary point of contact for primary healthcare in 1999. CHPS has since emerged as the country's primary strategy for providing close-to-client healthcare delivery, with numerous positive health outcomes recorded as a result of its implementation. There is, however currently a paucity of systematic reviews of the literature on CHPS. The purpose of this study was not only to investigate dominant trends and research themes in Community-based Health Planning and Services, but also to track the evolution of the CHPS intervention from its inception to the present. Method: We adopted a systematic review approach for selected articles that were searched on Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus databases. The study was conducted and guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. We then applied a reflexive thematic analysis approach in synthesizing the results. Results: The search resulted in 127 articles of which 59 were included in the final review. Twenty (20) papers targeted the national level, eighteen (18) for the regional level, sixteen (16) for the district level, two (2) for the sub-district level, and three (3) papers targeted the community. The years 2017 and 2019 were recorded to be the years with the highest number of publications on CHPS in Ghana. Conclusion: Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) is an effective tool in addressing barriers and challenges to accessing quality and affordable health care causing significant effects on health. It provides close-to-client healthcare delivery in the community.

Inclusive and intersectoral: community health improvement planning opportunities to advance the social determinants of health and health equity.

BACKGROUND: Community health improvement plans (CHIPs) are strategic planning tools that help local communities identify and address their public health needs. Many local health departments have developed a CHIP, yet there is a lack of research on the extent to which these plans address root causes of health disparities such as the social determinants of health. This study aims to inventory the social determinants of health included in 13 CHIPs and examine facilitators and challenges faced by local health departments and partners when trying to include the social determinants of health. METHODS: We conducted a comparative plan evaluation by scoring 13 CHIPs on their inclusion of equity orientation, inclusive planning processes, and five social determinants of health: health care access and quality, the neighborhood and built environment, economic stability, social and community context, and education access and quality. To supplement the plan evaluation, we conducted 32 in-depth interviews with CHIP leaders and stakeholders to understand the factors contributing to the inclusion and exclusion of the social determinants of health in the planning process. RESULTS: CHIPs received an average score of 49/100 for the inclusion of the social determinants of health. Most plans addressed health care access and quality and the neighborhood and built environment, but they often did not address economic stability, the social and community context, and education access and quality. Regarding their overall equity orientation, CHIPs received an average score of 35/100, reflecting a relative lack of attention to equity and inclusive planning processes in the plans. Interviews revealed that challenges engaging partners, making clear connections between CHIPs and social determinants, and a lack of capacity or public and partner support often led to the exclusion of the social determinants of health. Recommendations to improve planning processes include improving data infrastructure, providing resources for dedicated planning staff and community engagement incentives, and centering equity throughout the planning process. CONCLUSIONS: Although local health departments can leverage CHIPs to improve population health and address health disparities, they face a range of challenges to including the social determinants of health in CHIPs. Additional resourcing and improved data are needed to facilitate broader inclusion of these determinants, and more work is needed to elevate equity throughout these planning processes.

Establishment and Feasibility of an Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction Program in a Community Health System.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) remains a significant post-surgical complication of breast cancer treatment. Immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) at the time of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) has shown promise in preventing BCRL. While the primary literature supporting ILR comes from academic institutions, the majority of breast cancer care in the USA occurs in the community setting. This study evaluated a preventative lymphedema program performing ILR at a community health system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective database including all patients who underwent ALND with concurrently attempted ILR from 2019 to 2021 was retrospectively reviewed. The historical benchmark lymphedema rate was calculated through retrospective review of electronic medical records for all patients who underwent ALND without ILR from 2011 to 2021. RESULTS: Ninety patients underwent ALND with ILR, of which ILR was successful in 69 (76.7%). ILR was more likely to be aborted in smokers (p < 0.05) and those with fewer lymphatic channels (p < 0.05) or a higher body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.08). Patients with successful versus aborted ILR had lower lymphedema rates (10.9% versus 66.7%, p < 0.01) and improved Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores (8.7 versus 19.8, p = 0.25), and lower lymphedema rates than the historical benchmark (10.9% versus 50.2%, p < 0.01). Among patients with successful ILR, older patients were more likely to develop lymphedema (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Successful ILR after ALND significantly reduced the lymphedema rate when compared with patients with aborted ILR and our institution's historical benchmark. Our experience supports the efficacy of ILR and highlights the feasibility of ILR within a community health system.

Enhancing community health system resilience: lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda through the qualitative inquiry of the COVID Task Force.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the elements of a resilient community health system during the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss whether the frameworks described in previous studies can be applied to real-world situations with those who implemented the Community Engagement Strategy, a strategy to make health systems work in their communities during health crises in Uganda. Methods: Focus group discussions (22 participants in total) were conducted with COVID Task Force members in four districts in Uganda in March 2022. These districts implemented a Community Engagement Strategy to ensure that health systems in their communities continued to function during health scares, and have been evaluated to ensure that the strategies have been implemented. Results: A thematic analysis was applied. From the results some factors which can enhance the resiliency of community health systems were identified: including health "knowledge," "communication," "governance," and "resources" health. The most important elements changed depending on the phase of the outbreak. VHTs are the key players in the transition from knowledge-and resource-oriented initiatives to communication and governance by community residents. Conclusion: COVID-19, a new infectious disease, provides lessons for a resilient community health system. First, the health system should be flexible enough to be able to change the elements on which it is focused, and second, VHTs play an important role in the flexibility of the health system. This suggests that it is time to assess whether VHTs are still able to continue their activities after the pandemic is over, and whether the environment, including financial and non-financial support, has improved.

Availability, stock levels and usage of In-vitro diagnostics in the Bono region, Ghana: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic tests play essential roles in diagnosis, surveillance, and disease management in health settings. Nevertheless, implementation challenges may hamper POC test accessibility. This study evaluated the availability and stock levels of the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified existing in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) for use in health facilities without laboratories. AIM: To evaluate the availability, stock levels, and usage of POC diagnostic tests. SETTING: Bono Region, Ghana. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey involved 102 randomly selected Community Health-based and Planning Services (CHPS), 12 district health depots, and a regional medical depot. Using a survey tool, data were collected on clinic staffing, availability and stock levels of tests, and funding sources. STATA 17 was employed for data analysis. RESULTS: Majority (37.3%) of the respondents were community health nurses, with 4.4 mean years of work experience and 38 working hours per week. Of the 18 existing WHO prequalified POC tests for use at facilities without laboratories, 10 (56%), 2 (11%) and 0 (0%) were found at CHPS, regional, and district depots, respectively. Majority (183 out of 301) stock levels were low. Of the 10 available tests found, 7 scored 111 (36%) of 'high use'. Supply chain management compliance was 5 (31%) out of 16. All CHPS received government funding with 25.5% of them receiving additional donor or internally generated funding. CONCLUSION: This study found poor supply chain management compliance, and low availability of POC tests in the Bono Region of Ghana.Contribution: The study outlines POC tests availability and usage in low-resourced setting.

Implementing patient-public engagement for improved health: Lessons from three Ghanaian community-based programmes.

BACKGROUND: Community-based health interventions have been implemented as a key strategy for achieving improved health outcomes in Ghana. Effectiveness, however, largely depends on the successful implementation of patient-public engagement (PPE). Although several PPE studies have been conducted in Ghana, little research has been done to understand the specific role of PPE in the context of implementing community-based health programmes. This paper, therefore, examines the extent of PPE implementation in three selected community-based health programmes (Community-based Health Planning and Service [CHPS], Community-based Maternal and Child Health and Buruli Ulcer) to understand their specific effects on health outcomes. METHODS: Three focus groups, involving 26 participants, were held in three districts of the Ashanti region of Ghana. Participants were mainly health service users involving community health committee members/volunteers, residents and health professionals. They were invited to participate based on their roles in the design and implementation of the programmes. Participants focused on each of Rifkin's spider-gram components. Data were transcribed and analysed descriptively using NVIVO 12 Plus. RESULTS: PPE implementation was found to be extensive across the three programmes in specific areas such as organisation and resource mobilisation. PPE was more restricted in relation to community needs assessment, leadership and management, particularly for the CHPS and Buruli Ulcer programmes. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that benefits from community-based health interventions are likely to be greater if PPE can be widely implemented across all dimensions of the spider-gram framework.

A importância do Sistema Único de Saúde para o aprimoramento da Saúde Coletiva / The importance of the Unified Health System for improving Public Health

O artigo pretende resgatar a relevância do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) como Política Pública que alicerça a promoção e prevenção da saúde coletiva. A metodologia utilizada foi a revisão integrativa da literatura a partir da busca de artigos em Lilacs, MedLine e Scielo, utilizando os descritores: SUS, Saúde Coletiva e Pública e História da Saúde. Procedeu-se ao cruzamento dos descritores para elucidar as implicações de ações de promoção e prevenção em saúde para o aprimoramento da saúde coletiva.a utilização de escalas como a PUSH na avaliação dos cuidados prestados é essencial para nortear o atendimento.(AU)

This article aims to rescue the relevance of the Unified Health System (SUS) as a Public Policy that underpins the promotion and prevention of collective health. The methodology used was an integrative literature review from the search for articles in Lilacs, MedLine and Scielo databases, using the descriptors: SUS, Collective and Public Health, History of Health. The descriptors were crossed to elucidate the implications of actions with promotion and prevention for the improvement of collective health(AU)

Este artículo tiene como objetivo destacar la importancia del Sistema Único de Salud (SUS) como política pública que sustenta la promoción y prevención de la salud colectiva. La metodología utilizada fue una revisión bibliográfica integradora basada en la búsqueda de artículos en Lilacs, MedLine y Scielo, utilizando los descriptores: SUS, Salud Colectiva y Pública e Historia de la Salud. Los descriptores fueron cruzados para dilucidar las implicaciones de las acciones de promoción y prevención de la salud en la mejora de la salud colectiva.(AU)

Evaluation of Community Benefit Activities Among Nonprofit Hospitals, 2018-2021.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined approaches that nonprofit hospitals use to evaluate community benefit activities in the Community Health Needs Assessment/Implementation Plan (CHNA/IP) process. DESIGN: Content analysis of CHNAs/IPs completed between 2018 and 2021 from a 20% stratified random sample (n = 503) of US nonprofit hospitals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A coding sheet was used to record details about the evaluation content reported by hospitals in their CHNAs/IPs. Evaluation was coded into 4 categories: (1) no mention of evaluation; (2) description of evaluation without reporting any measures; (3) reporting reach (number of people served) only; and (4) reporting social/health outcomes. For logistic regression analyses, categories 1 and 2 were grouped together into "no evaluation measures" and categories 3 and 4 were grouped into "evaluation measures" for binary comparison. Multinomial logistic regression was also used to individually examine categories 3 and 4 compared with no evaluation measures. RESULTS: While a majority of nonprofit hospitals (71.4%, n = 359) mentioned evaluation in their CHNAs, almost half (49.7%, n = 250) did not report any evaluation measures. Among the 50.3% (n = 253) of hospitals that reported evaluation measures, 67.2% (n = 170) only reported reach. Fewer than 1 in 5 hospitals (16.5%, n = 83) reported social/health outcomes. Hospitals that hired a consultant (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-2.43) and system members (AOR = 1.76; 95% CI, 1.12-2.75) had higher odds of reporting evaluation measures. Using hospitals that reported no measures as the base category, system members (AOR = 7.71; 95% CI, 2.97-20.00) also had significantly higher odds of reporting social/health outcomes, while rural locations had lower odds (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.20-0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Although hospitals are required to evaluate the impact of actions taken to address the health needs identified in their CHNAs, few hospitals are reporting social/health outcomes of such activities. This represents a missed opportunity, as health/social outcomes could be used to inform the allocation of resources to maximize community benefits and the expansion of successful community initiatives.

The contribution of community health systems to resilience: Case study of the response to the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

Methods: Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were utilised. Participants included FCHVs, primary healthcare workers, community leaders and mothers, district health managers, representatives from the Ministry of Health and Population, multilateral health organisations, bilateral development partners, local non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, and international non-governmental organisations. We used thematic content analysis to identify emerging themes. Results: Seventy-seven people participated in the study in September 2016 from communities (n = 53, 69%), districts (n = 8, 10%), and national levels (n = 16, 21%). Strong coordination, international and national support, and community engagement and participation were reported as successes of the earthquake response. Challenges included a lack of preparedness and supplies, a lack of earthquake-resistant infrastructure, and the centralisation of the response. FCHVs continued to work, despite being victims of the earthquake themselves. Facilitators of the continuation of the FCHVs' duties included their strong ties with the communities and facilities, international support, and the ability to mobilise existing community resources. Barriers included fear, communities' attitudes, high workloads, large geographic distances, and difficult geography. Participants identified the importance of having strong, connected, and supported communities, adaptable funding and policies, and decentralised decision-making within strong health systems. Conclusions: Building resilience in community-based health systems must start with strong communities that are prepared, trained, equipped, and empowered. Health systems must be decentralised and adaptable, with strong coordination and leadership. Capable community health workers such as FCHVs were an important part of building resilience during the earthquake. These lessons can assist countries in strengthening decentralised health systems to better respond to a multitude of shocks, while still providing essential health services for communities.

Impact of community health interventions on maternal and child health indicators in the upper east region of Ghana.

BACKGROUND: This paper reports on results of a health system strengthening implementation research initiative conducted the Upper East Region of northern Ghana. Transformative interventions to accelerate and strengthen the health delivery were implemented that included empowering community leaders and members to actively participate in health delivery, strengthening the referral systems through the provision of community transport systems, providing basic medical equipment to community clinics, and improving the skills of critical health staff through training. METHODS: A mixed method design was used to evaluate the impact of the interventions. A quantitative evaluation employed a flexible research design to test the effects of various component activities of the project. To assess impact, a pre-versus-post randomized cluster survey design was used. Qualitative research was conducted with focus group data and individual in depth interviews to gauge the views of various stakeholders associated with the implementation process. RESULTS: After intervention, significant improvements in key maternal and child health indicators such as antenatal and postnatal care coverage were observed and increases in the proportion of deliveries occurring in health facilities and assisted by skilled health personnel relative to pre-intervention conditions. There was also increased uptake of oral rehydration salts (ORS) for treatment of childhood diarrhoea, as well as marked reductions in the incidence of upper respiratory infections (URI). CONCLUSIONS: A pre-and post-evaluation of impact suggests that the programme had a strong positive impact on the functioning of primary health care. Findings are consistent with the proposition that the coverage and content of the Ghana Community-based Health Planning and Services programme was improved by program interventions and induced discernable changes in key indicators of health system performance.

Community Health Improvement Plans and Physical Activity Implementation Strategies: Findings From a Cross-Sectional Survey of US Local Health Departments.

OBJECTIVE: Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs) are a foundational public health practice conducted by every accredited health department in the United States. Community Health Improvement Plans may impact community-wide physical activity (PA) by implementing large-scale interventions. However, no studies have evaluated whether, or how, CHIP goals focusing on increasing PA are implemented. This study aims to understand CHIP PA goals, implementation strategies, and implementation outcomes of CHIP nationally. DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional online survey of CHIP implementation. SETTING: A random sample of accredited local health departments nationally. PARTICIPANTS: Local health departments (N = 44) were invited to participate in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Constructs from Proctor's Model of Implementation Research and implementation strategies were the main outcomes assessed. RESULTS: Most CHIPs included PA goals (72.7%). Goals most commonly focused on changing built environment and infrastructure (25.9%), increasing education and awareness (22.2%), increasing PA programming (18.5%), and partnering with health care (18.5%). Common implementation strategies used were designing and evaluating their CHIPs (72.7%) and developing relationships with stakeholders (72.7%). Respondents reported that CHIPS were able to be adopted, acceptable for the community, and feasible. Community Health Improvement Plans were also reported to be safe, yet respondents reported effectiveness lower than other constructs. Participants reported that individual-level PA was unlikely to change due to their CHIP (mean = 3.39, SD = 1.12). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, it seems that communities are choosing easily adopted, appropriate, feasible, and safe interventions that may be less effective over those that may produce large-scale improvement in PA behavior. Future research needs to be conducted on the process of CHIP implementation and the potential long-term outcomes. Community Health Improvement Plans may serve as a powerful tool to improve population health if implemented effectively.

Evaluation of a pharmacist-led penicillin allergy testing service in a community health system.

BACKGROUND: Roughly 10% of the U.S. population has a documented penicillin (PCN) allergy. Among these individuals, over 95% are able to tolerate PCNs. The inability to use PCNs can result in suboptimal outcomes. In August 2019, Lawrence Memorial Hospital Health System implemented a pharmacist-led PCN allergy testing service to assist with delabeling PCN allergies and increase access to this class of antibiotics. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to describe the number of patients who underwent PCN allergy testing and were delabeled from PCN allergy. A secondary objective was to report the number of patients who received and tolerated PCN antibiotics after being delabeled from PCN allergy. METHODS: This retrospective chart review was conducted during the initial 17 months of a pharmacist-led PCN allergy testing service. Eligible patients with a history of an immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated reaction underwent a 3-step test that consisted of a scratch test, an intradermal test, and an oral challenge. Eligible patients who did not have a history of IgE-mediated reaction underwent a 2-step graded oral challenge. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Between August 2019 and January 2022, 70 patients underwent testing, and 66 patients were delabeled from PCN allergy. Four patients who underwent the 3-step test developed reactions of mild to moderate severity. All patients who underwent the graded oral challenge were delabeled from PCN allergy. The rate of PCN allergy was 5.7%, whereas the rate of type I IgE-mediated reaction was 1.4%. All 23 patients who received an antibiotic from the PCN class after a negative allergy test tolerated the PCN antibiotic without an incident. CONCLUSION: PCN allergy testing is an effective way to delabel PCN allergies from most patients presenting with a PCN allergy history. Skin testing followed by an oral challenge or a graded oral challenge alone are safe methods for conducting PCN allergy testing in the primary care setting.

Successful Hepatitis C Birth Cohort Screening and Linkage to Care in a US Community Health System.

CONTEXT: Birth cohort ("baby boomer") screening represents a well-validated strategy for the identification of asymptomatic hepatitis C-infected patients. However, successful linkage of newly diagnosed patients to antiviral therapy has been more difficult to accomplish. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of a systemwide birth cohort screening program in a US community health care system. DESIGN: We analyzed the data from an ongoing hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment program that was established at NorthShore University Health System in 2015. Hepatitis C virus screening by primary care providers was prompted through automated Best Practice and Health Maintenance alerts. Patient visits and screening orders were tracked using a customized HCV dashboard. Virologic, demographic, and treatment data were assessed and compared with those of a cohort of patients with previously established HCV infection. RESULTS: Since program inception, 61 8161 (64.3%) of the entire NorthShore baby boomer population of 96 001 patients have completed HCV antibody testing, and 160 patients (0.26%) were antibody positive. Of 152 antibody-positive patients who underwent HCV RNA testing, 53 (34.2%) were viremic. A total of 39 of 53 patients (73.6%) underwent antiviral therapy and achieved a sustained virologic response. Compared with patients identified through screening, a comparison cohort of patients with previously established HCV had more advanced fibrosis and significantly lower dropout rates. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a decrease in the number of outpatient visits of screening-eligible patients and with a reduction in HCV screening rates. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate the electronic medical records-assisted systemwide implementation of HCV birth cohort screening and successful linkage to antiviral therapy in a community-based US multihospital system.

The contribution of community health systems to resilience: Case study of the response to the drought in Ethiopia.

Background: Ethiopia's exposure to the El Niño drought (2015-2016) resulted in high malnutrition, internally displaced people, and epidemics of communicable diseases, all of which strained the health system. The drought was especially challenging for mothers and children. We aimed to identify salient factors that can improve health system resilience by exploring the successes and challenges experienced by a community-based health system during the drought response. Methods: We collected data via key informant interviews and focus group discussions to capture diverse perspectives across the health system (eg, international, national, district, facility, and community perspectives). Data were collected from communities in drought-affected regions of: 1) Somali, Sitti Zone, 2) Hawassa, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR), and 3) Tigray, Eastern Zone. Data were analysed using a deductive-inductive approach using thematic content analysis applied to a conceptual framework. Results: A total of 94 participants were included (71 from the communities and 23 from other levels). Key themes included the importance of: 1) organized community groups linked to the health system, 2) an effective community health workforce within strong health systems, 3) adaptable human resource structures and service delivery models, 4) training and preparedness, and 5) strong government leadership with decentralized decision making. Conclusions: The results of this study provide insights from across the health system into the successes and challenges of building resilience in community-based health systems in Ethiopia during the drought. As climate change exacerbates extreme weather events, further research is needed to understand the determinants of building resilience from a variety of shocks in multiple contexts, especially focusing on harnessing the power of communities as reservoirs of resilience.

Exploring Models for Youth Engagement in Community Health Planning: The Youth-led Community Health Learning Initiative.

BACKGROUND: Community health assessment and improvement planning processes (CHA/CHIP) are often challenged with developing health actions that reach across a large community, city or county and that incorporate locally informed issues and place-specific strategies. In co-learning about approaches for enhancing CHA/CHIP processes through youth stakeholder input, a partnership of academic and community leaders came together to create The Youth-Led Community Health Learning Initiative (YLCHLI), a 1-year pilot initiative aimed at identifying health needs and assets in partnership with youth leaders and two central Texas communities. OBJECTIVE: To describe our approach, key findings, and lessons learned in implementing the YLCHLI in two different organizational settings: a high school-based setting and a community-based organization setting. METHODS: Guided by a community advisory board and the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships framework, the YLCHLI incorporated a mixed methods design consisting of quantitative community health indicator analysis for topics identified in the Austin/Travis County CHA followed by a youth-led qualitative assessment of selected health issues via methods that included participatory mapping, data walks, and photovoice. RESULTS: Youth-informed findings provided rich insights and context for understanding disparities in selected health issues, including identification of social and environmental barriers to physical activity, healthy eating, health services, and mental health, and locally informed recommendations for community health improvement. CONCLUSION: High school health science tracks and community- based organizations represent promising settings for fostering community partnerships and youth engagement in identifying local health needs and opportunities that can enhance community health improvement planning and contribute to positive youth development.

Data Sharing Between Jail and Community Health Systems: Missing Links and Lessons for Re-Entry Success.

Data sharing and interoperability between jail systems and community health providers are critical for successful re-entry of incarcerated individuals into the mainstream community. Using a case study approach, we present an account of interoperability efforts between jail and community health systems in the County of Orange (California, USA), including the overall infrastructure comprising of the jail management system, jail health system, and the community health system. We also describe outcomes and lessons from the Jail to Community Re-entry Program implemented in the County of Orange, along with recommendations and common data elements required for effective care transitions from custody to community.

Risk Factors for Mortality in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with COVID-19 in a Mississippi Community Health System.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate differences between survivors versus nonsurvivors undergoing mechanical ventilation for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated respiratory failure at two community medical centers. METHODS: This was a multicenter, retrospective cohort analysis of all adult patients mechanically ventilated for COVID-19-associated respiratory failure in two community hospital intensive care units in southern Mississippi from March 15, 2020 through October 10, 2020. RESULTS: Among 56 patients requiring mechanical ventilation, the mortality rate was 75% (42/56). Expired patients were intubated later (2 vs 5 days, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.314-0.8041, P = 0.0983), had lower PaO2:FiO2 ratios (65 vs 77.5 mm Hg, 95% CI 36.08-59.03, P = 0.6305), and tolerated lower levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (7.9 vs 12.6 cm H2O, 95% CI 0.1373-6.722, P = 0.0415) at the time of intubation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that earlier intubation may be associated with reduced mortality in patients with COVID-19-associated respiratory failure and should be further evaluated in the form of a randomized controlled trial.