"They just looked at me like I was human": The experiences of parenting women and providers with substance use disorder treatment.

BACKGROUND: The current US addiction treatment system does not effectively meet the needs of pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder (SUD). The aim of this research was to identify barriers and facilitators to engagement and retention in SUD residential treatment for pregnant and parenting women. This research was part of a co-design process to collaboratively create a more patient-centered long-term residential program. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study conducted semi-structured individual interviews with both parenting women with lived experience (WWLE) in residential SUD treatment and SUD treatment providers. Interviews aimed to elicit participants' experiences either receiving or providing care. The study team analyzed data in NVivo-12 using a deductive codebook based on the six principles of trauma informed care (TIC). RESULTS: We conducted a total of 32 interviews (WWLE =13, SUD providers =19). The study identified four major themes: 1) peer relationships provide inspiration and diminish shame; 2) providing individuals safe space to stumble in recovery creates opportunities for growth and builds self-efficacy; 3) reasonable, clear boundaries create a structured, protective environment for early recovery; 4) nonjudgmental connections facilitate engagement and build trust. We identified small pivotal moments along the continuum of care that showed how the elements in the four themes enhanced engagement and retention in treatment. These interactions, along the care continuum, are either structural (workflow process) or relational (interpersonal). CONCLUSION: This research increases understanding of the interplay of the structural and relational barriers and facilitators to engagement and retention in treatment. These seemingly minor positive or negative interactions along the care continuum are pivotal to fully operationalizing TIC and optimizing women's engagement in treatment. Improvement strategies that integrate the voices of WWLE and collaboratively co-design a more patient-centered system are critical steps to improving engagement in SUD treatment and more equitable SUD treatment services.

Drug resistance profiles of new- and previously treated patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Ibadan, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Information on TB drug resistance profiles and its' associated risk factors are scarce in Nigeria despite the large burden of disease in the country. The study was designed to report drug resistance profiles of new- and previously treated patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in Ibadan, Nigeria. METHOD: Sputum from consenting pulmonary TB patients were collected and cultured for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) at the TB laboratory of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria using standard method. Mtb were stored and sent for drug susceptibility testing against first and second-line anti-TB drugs at the MRC Unit, The Gambia and at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium using BACTEC MGIT 960 and proportion method on solid medium respectively. RESULTS: Of 238 Mtb collected, 124 (52.1%) were viable, 102 (59.65%) non-viable while 12 (7.02%) were contaminated. About half (58.87%) of the Mtb were from previously treated patients, 40 (32.26%) were from new patients while treatment history of 1.1 (8.87%) were unknown. Forty-seven (37.90%) of the 124 Mtb. tested were multidrug resistant (MDR) out of which, 40 (85.10%) were from previously treated patients.. HIV prevalence was 8.69%. Of the 17 MDR-TB from previously treated cases tested for second-line drugs, four (23.53%) were resistant to fluoroquinolones or injectable agents, 13 (76.47%) were susceptible while none was resistant to both of these classes of drugs. CONCLUSION: MDR-TB in Ibadan already demonstrates resistance to second line anti-TB drugs hence management of MDR-TB patients should be strengthened to prevent emergence of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB).

Successful '9-month Bangladesh regimen' for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among over 500 consecutive patients.

SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) program, Damien Foundation Projects, Bangladesh. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the outcome and its determinants of the first treatment for multidrug-resistant TB using a standardized regimen consisting of a minimum 9 months. DESIGN: This was a prospective, observational study of a gatifloxacin (GFX) based directly observed regimen, mainly with initial hospitalization. The 4-month intensive phase was extended until sputum smear conversion. Patients were monitored using culture for up to 2 years after treatment completion. RESULTS: Of the 515 patients who met the study inclusion criteria and were successively enrolled from 2005 to 2011, 84.4% had a bacteriologically favorable outcome. Due to extensive disease with delayed sputum conversion, only half of the patients completed treatment within 9 months; however, 95% were able to complete treatment within 12 months. Eleven patients failed or relapsed, and 93.1% of the 435 patients who were successfully treated completed at least 12 months post-treatment follow-up. The strongest risk factor for a bacteriologically unfavorable outcome was high-level fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance, particularly when compounded by initial pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance. Low-level FQ resistance had no unfavorable effect on treatment outcome. Amplification of drug resistance occurred only once, in a patient strain that was initially only susceptible to kanamycin and clofazimine. CONCLUSION: The excellent outcome of the Bangladesh regimen was largely maintained. Bacteriological treatment failures and relapses were rare, except among patients with high-level GFX resistance, notably in the presence of PZA resistance.

Prevalence of cardiovascular disease and cancer during cross-sex hormone therapy in a large cohort of trans persons: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the short- and long-term cardiovascular- and cancer-related morbidities during cross-sex hormone therapy in a large sample of trans persons. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A specialist center cross-sectional study compared 214 trans women (male-to-female transsexual persons) and 138 trans men (female-to-male trans persons) with an age- and gender-matched control population (1-3 matching). The participants were on cross-sex hormone therapy for an average of 7.4 years. We assessed physical health and possible treatment-related adverse events using questionnaires. RESULTS: Five percent of trans women experienced venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism during hormone therapy. Five of these adverse events occurred during the first year of treatment, while another three occurred during sex reassignment surgery. Trans women experienced more myocardial infarctions than the control women (P=0.001), but a similar proportion compared with control men. The prevalence of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) was higher in trans women than in the control men (P=0.03). The rates of myocardial infarction and CVD in trans men were similar to the control male and female subjects. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was higher in both trans men and women than in their respective controls, whereas the rates of cancer were similar compared with the control men and women. CONCLUSION: Morbidity rate during cross-sex hormone therapy was relatively low, especially in trans men. We observed a higher prevalence of venous thrombosis, myocardial infarction, CVD, and type 2 diabetes in trans women than in the control population. Morbidity rates in trans men and controls were similar, with the exception of the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

Extension of the intensive phase reduces relapse but not failure in a regimen with rifampicin throughout.

SETTING: Damien Foundation tuberculosis (TB) control projects in Bangladesh. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of extending the intensive phase (P1) of treatment by 1 month for patients who are smear-positive after 2 months of a 6-month regimen containing rifampicin (RMP) throughout. DESIGN: Prospective operational study randomising P1 extension for new smear-positive cases with any number of acid-fast bacilli in the 2-month smear (2M+). Smear-defined failures and relapses underwent culture and drug susceptibility testing in addition to DNA sequencing of the rpoB gene before and after treatment. RESULTS: Of 16,708 patients evaluated, 12,967 were smear-negative at 2 months (2M-); 1871 and 1870 2M+ were randomised to no extension or extension. Respectively 0.3% (95%CI 0.2-0.4), 1.2% (95%CI 0.7-1.8) and 2.0% (95%CI 1.4-2.8) smear- and culture-positive failures, and 1.2% (95%CI 1.0-1.4), 2.6% (95%CI 1.9-3.4) and 0.9% (95%CI 0.5-1.4) relapses were detected. Extension significantly reversed the relative risk (RR) of relapse of 2M+ vs. 2M- patients from 2.2 (95%CI 1.6-3.0) to 0.7 (95%CI 0.4-1.2). The RR for failure remained high, at 7.3 (95%CI 4.7-11.5) with and 4.2 (95%CI 2.5-7.2) without extension. More multi-drug resistance was found after extension, but acquired RMP resistance was similar in all arms. The fair sensitivity of the 2-month smear for failure or relapse (40%) was offset by a very low positive predictive value (3%). CONCLUSIONS: Extension of P1 is very inefficient with this 6-month regimen. Operational research should define appropriate algorithms allowing an earlier switch to the next higher regimen for those in need, using follow-up smears for screening.

Severe maternal and perinatal outcomes from uterine rupture among women at term with a trial of labor.

OBJECTIVE: To describe maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with uterine rupture (UR) among women with prior cesarean/s, singleton term pregnancies and a trial of labor after cesarean (TOLAC). STUDY DESIGN: Linked hospital discharge files and birth/fetal death certificates identified potential cases of UR in Massachusetts from 1990 to 1998 with definitive identification by medical record abstraction. RESULT: Among the 347 identified URs, severe outcomes occurred in 86 cases (25%), in 49 (14%) of mothers and 49 (14%) of infants. Of the infants, 25 were discharged with a good prognosis. Maternal age and interdelivery interval <18 months (relative risk (RR)=1.55; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 2.31) were associated with a severe outcome. The type of hospital and labor were not associated with the increased risk of a severe outcome. CONCLUSION: Assuming a 0.7% UR rate among women at term with a TOLAC, the increased rate of severe outcomes related to UR above the baseline risk of elective cesarean is estimated to be 1.3 per 1000 TOLACs.

Extension of the intensive phase reduces unfavourable outcomes with the 8-month thioacetazone regimen.

SETTING: Damien Foundation tuberculosis (TB) control projects in Bangladesh. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a 1-month extension of the intensive phase for smear-positives at 2 months of an 8-month regimen with a continuation phase consisting of isoniazid (INH) and thioacetazone (Th). DESIGN: A prospective study of two cohorts of newly registered smear-positive cases, with extension of the intensive phase for the control cohort, but not for the study cohort. Culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST) of smear-defined failures and relapses and of random samples of new cases. RESULTS: Among 8230 study patients (86.7% 2-month conversion) and 7206 controls (83.4% conversion), smear-defined failure or relapse outcome was 3.0% for 2-month smear-negatives vs. 3.1% for 2-month smear-positives with extension (non-significant, NS), and 8.2% for 2-month smear-positives with no extension (P < 0.00001). Culture-confirmed failure and relapse reached 1.9% in 2-month smear-negatives and 1.6% (NS) in 2-month smear-positives with vs. 3.7% (P < 0.001) in 2-month smear-positives with no extension. The relative risk (RR) of non-extension in 2-month smear-positives was 2.4 (cultures) to 2.7 (smears). The same RR and borderline significance was found for non-extension of patients with pan-susceptible strains. CONCLUSIONS: Extension of the intensive phase considerably reduces failures and relapses with a weaker regimen in patients smear-positive at 2 months. Its effectiveness may vary with extent of initial drug resistance vs. power of the regimen.

Turning liabilities into resources: informal village doctors and tuberculosis control in Bangladesh.

In 1998, the Damien Foundation Bangladesh invited semi-qualified, private "gram dakter" (Bangla for "village doctors") to participate in tuberculosis (TB) programmes in a population of 26 million people in rural Bangladesh. The organization trained 12 525 village doctors to not only refer suspected TB cases for free diagnosis but also to provide directly observed treatment (DOT) free of charge. Source of referral and place of DOT was recorded as part of the standardized TB recording and reporting system, which enabled us to quantify the contribution of village doctors to case detection rates and also allowed disaggregated cohort analysis of treatment outcome. During 2002 and 2003, 11% of all TB cases with positive sputum smears in the study area had been referred by village doctors; the rate of positive tests in patients referred by village doctors was 14.4%. 18 792 patients received DOT from village doctors, accounting for between 20% and 45% of patients on treatment during the 1998-2003 period. The treatment success rate was about 90% throughout the period. Urine samples taken during random checks of treatment compliance were positive for isoniazid in 98% of patients treated by village doctors. Within the framework of Public-Private Mix DOTS, services provided by semi-qualified private health care providers are a feasible and effective way to improve access to affordable high quality TB treatment in poor rural populations. The large informal health workforce that exists in resource poor countries can be used to achieve public health goals. Involvement of village doctors in TB control has now become national policy in Bangladesh.

Performance of variations of carbolfuchsin staining of sputum smears for AFB under field conditions.

SETTING: A field project in Bangladesh. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of commonly used carbolfuchsin staining variations. DESIGN: Routine hot Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) 1% basic fuchsin staining for 15 min in 75 field clinics. Blind reading of duplicate smears stained by ZN 1% vs. 0.3% basic fuchsin applied for 5 min, or by ZN 1% 5 min vs. Kinyoun cold staining. Rechecking of discordant series. RESULTS: For comparable numbers of false positives, sensitivity was significantly lower with Kinyoun than with ZN 1% 5 min (85.6% vs. 93.0%, P < 0.001). Sensitivity with ZN 1% 5 min was not significantly higher than with 0.3% 5 min staining (89.9% vs. 86.5%). Routine examination using 1% 15 min ZN identified more positives than any of the study techniques. CONCLUSIONS: Kinyoun cold staining sensitivity was unsatisfactory in field clinics. The sensitivity of the WHO/IUATLD recommended 0.3% fuchsin for 5 min was not significantly different from the original 1% ZN for 5 min, but 1% 15 min hot staining might be superior. A reduced fuchsin concentration together with a short staining time may leave too narrow a margin for error. TB programmes using hot ZN with a concentrated stain or longer staining time should not be urged to change.

Gender differences in tuberculosis: a prevalence survey done in Bangladesh.

SETTING: Bangladesh national tuberculosis control programme districts supported by the Damien Foundation (population 18 million). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the observed gender difference is epidemiologically true or whether it is due to accessibility barriers for women. DESIGN: Two-stage random sampling population survey. People were interviewed by teams composed of one male and one female volunteer about the presence of symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis. One early morning sputum specimen of all thus identified tuberculosis suspects was examined by Ziehl-Neelsen technique. RESULTS: A total of 266189 people were surveyed, among whom 223 936 (84.1%) could be interviewed. This led to the identification of 7001 tuberculosis suspects (2406 females and 4595 males) and 64 confirmed TB cases (16 females and 48 males). The female/male ratio (0.33:1) of cases found during the survey was not higher than that observed through routine diagnosis (0.42:1). The routine case-notification rate of sputum-positive cases during 2000 was about twice the rate observed during the survey (44.3 vs. 24.0 per 100 000 population). CONCLUSIONS: The gender difference observed in routine tuberculosis diagnosis is real, and is not due to lesser accessibility of women to the health services. The routine notification rate compares favourably with the detection of previously unknown cases found during the survey.

Optimal tuberculosis case detection by direct sputum smear microscopy: how much better is more?

SETTING: A tuberculosis control project in Bangladesh. OBJECTIVE: To define the efficiency of numbers of microscopic fields screened and the sputum collection scheme used for diagnostic smear examination. DESIGN: Quality controllers noted cumulative numbers of acid-fast bacilli per 100 fields screened. The incremental diagnostic yield of different sputum sampling strategies was determined. Doubtful series were re-checked and/or further samples examined. RESULTS: Acid-fast bacilli were found in 99.6% of 1412 positive and in 79.3% of 576 scanty slides in the first 100 fields. Examination of a third specimen yielded a maximum of 2.7% positives incrementally. The most efficient strategy, using three morning specimens, yielded 94.2% positives on the first and 1.0% on the third sputum; although 10% of suspects did not return, only 1.5% of the positives were among them and more cases were confirmed and treated. The positive predictive value of a single positive or scanty smear was very high (99.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Reading more than 100 fields per smear or examining a third sputum has insufficient marginal returns to justify the workload. Examining morning samples only is more efficient, and their collection does not necessarily inconvenience patients. Treatment can be started on the basis of one positive smear. Provided that a well functioning system of smear-microscopy quality control is in place, we propose a strategy based on examination of two morning sputum samples for negative suspects, with the diagnosis based on a single positive result.

Successful treatment of recurrent vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia resistant to interferon and isotretinoin with cidofovir.

Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasias are difficult to eradicate completely without extensive surgical intervention. Cidofovir, a deoxycytidine monophosphate analog, may have a therapeutic role in this disease. A 43-year-old woman with a 20-year history of genital warts presented with extensive vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia III, and refused surgical resection. Topical cidofovir 1% in Beeler base completely eradicated the lesion. Successive treatment applications, however, were necessary. Cidofovir is a promising topical antiviral compound for HPV induced vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia.

Serving women in need: nurse-midwifery practice in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Nurse-midwifery practices in the United States were examined to study the relationship between certified nurse-midwives' (CNMs) demographic, work setting, and practice characteristics in terms of clientele, practice size, and practice type. Factors that might influence the ability of CNMs to serve populations at risk for poor outcomes were given particular attention. METHODOLOGY: A total of 2,405 responses to a 1998 mailed survey of 6,365 nurse-midwives ever-certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives were analyzed. RESULTS: Study results indicated that CNMs continue to serve a population who are, based on a social risk profile, disproportionately at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes, including women who are uninsured (16%), immigrant (27%), adolescent (29%), and women of color (50%). It was also found that clientele varied according to practice settings: CNMs working in non-hospital, nonprofit settings served a clientele that was 65% nonwhite, 44% immigrant, 40% adolescent, and 29% uninsured; these CNMs received 61% of their client payments from Medicaid. CNMs working in private offices or for managed care organizations were less likely to serve women with these characteristics. CONCLUSION: Study results, taken in conjunction with research that documents the safety of nurse-midwifery practice, reinforce policy recommendations that support expanded access to nurse-midwifery services. Findings also indicate a need for further research in the areas of CNM workload and productivity in managed care settings and the association between CNM race and ethnicity and the race and ethnicity of their clients.