A National Database Study on Racial Disparities in Route of Hysterectomy with a Surrogate Control for Uterine Size: A Proposed Quality Metric for Benign Indications.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between race and route of hysterectomy among patients undergoing hysterectomy for abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) in the absence of uterine myoma disease and excluding malignancy. DESIGN: A cross-sectional cohort study utilizing the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample and National Ambulatory Surgical databases to compare abdominal to minimally invasive routes of hysterectomy. SETTING: Hospitals and hospital-affiliated ambulatory surgical centers participating in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project in 2019. PATIENTS: A total of 75 838 patients who had undergone hysterectomy for AUB, excluding uterine myoma and malignancy. INTERVENTIONS: n/a MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 75 838 hysterectomies performed for AUB in the absence of uterine myomas and malignancy, 10.1% were performed abdominally and 89.9% minimally invasively. After adjusting for confounders, Black patients were 38% more likely to undergo abdominal hysterectomy compared to White patients (OR 1.38, CI 1.12-1.70 p = .002). Black race, thus, is independently associated with open surgery. CONCLUSION: Despite excluding uterine myomas as a risk factor for an abdominal route of hysterectomy, Black race remained an independent predictor for abdominal versus minimally invasive hysterectomy, and Black patients were found to undergo a disproportionately higher rate of abdominal hysterectomy compared to White patients.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychiatric Emergency Service Volume and Hospital Admissions.

BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been an increasing number of emergency department visits for behavioral health reasons, even as overall emergency department volumes have decreased. The impact of the pandemic and related public health interventions on specialized psychiatric emergency services has not been described. These services provide high-intensity care for severely ill patients who are likely to be homeless and underserved. OBJECTIVE: We describe the change in total volume and psychiatric hospitalization rates among three psychiatric emergency services across the United States. METHODS: Changes in volumes and hospitalization were assessed for statistical significance using a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average with exogenous factors model from January 2018 to December 2020. RESULTS: The pandemic's impact on volumes and hospitalization varied by site. In Denver (CO), there was a statistically significant 9% decrease in overall volumes, although an 18% increase in hospitalizations was not significant. In New York City (NY), there was a significant 7% decrease in volumes as well as a significant 6% decrease in hospitalizations. In Portland (OR), volumes decreased by 4% and hospitalizations increased by 6% although differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a decrease in volume at these services after the pandemic, but there are substantial variations in the magnitude of change and demand for hospitalization by region. These findings suggest a need to understand where patients in crisis are seeking care and how systems of care must adapt to changing utilization in the pandemic era.

Determinants of Boarding of Patients with Severe Mental Illness in Hospital Emergency Departments.

BACKGROUND: Boarding of patients in hospital emergency departments (EDs) occurs routinely across the U.S. ED patients with behavioral health conditions are more likely to be boarded than other patients. However, the existing literature on ED boarding of psychiatric patients remains largely descriptive and has not empirically related mental health system capacity to psychiatric boarding. Nor does it show how the mental health system could better address the needs of populations at the highest risk of ED boarding. AIMS OF THE STUDY: We examined extent and determinants of "boarding" of patients with severe mental illness (SMI) in hospital emergency departments (ED) and tested whether greater mental health system capacity may mitigate the degree of ED boarding. METHODS: We linked Oregon's ED Information Exchange, hospital discharge, and Medicaid data to analyze encounters in Oregon hospital EDs from October 2014 through September 2015 by 7,103 persons aged 15 to 64 with SMI (N = 34,207). We additionally utilized Medicaid claims for years 2010-2015 to identify Medicaid beneficiaries with SMI. Boarding was defined as an ED stay over six hours. We estimated a recursive simultaneous-equation model to test the pathway that mental health system capacity affects ED boarding via psychiatric visits. RESULTS: Psychiatric visits were more likely to be boarded than non-psychiatric visits (30.2% vs. 7.4%). Severe psychiatric visits were 1.4 times more likely to be boarded than non-severe psychiatric visits. Thirty-four percent of psychiatric visits by children were boarded compared to 29.6% for adults. Statistical analysis found that psychiatric visit, substance abuse, younger age, black race and urban residence corresponded with an elevated risk of boarding. Discharge destinations such as psychiatric facility and acute care hospitals also corresponded with a higher probability of ED boarding. Greater supply of mental health resources in a county, both inpatient and intensive community-based, corresponded with a reduced risk of ED boarding via fewer psychiatric ED visits. DISCUSSION: Psychiatric visit, severity of psychiatric diagnosis, substance abuse, and discharge destinations are among important predictors of psychiatric ED boarding by persons with SMI. A greater capacity of inpatient and intensive community mental health systems may lead to a reduction in psychiatric ED visits by persons with SMI and thereby decrease the extent of psychiatric ED boarding. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICIES: Continued investment in mental health system resources may reduce psychiatric ED visits and mitigate the psychiatric ED boarding problem.

Use of sexual health services among American Indian and Alaska Native Women.

Because use of sexual health services among American Indian/Alaska Native women is understudied we: (1) examined disparities in use of sexual health services between American Indian/Alaska Native and non-Hispanic white women and (2) identified factors associated with service use among American Indian/Alaska Native women. We used data from the National Survey of Family Growth regarding the use of sexual health services collected between 2006 and 2010 from women aged 15-44 years who self-identified as American Indian/Alaska Native (n = 819) and white (n = 6,196). Weighted logistic regression models estimated the likelihood of reporting the use of sexual health services by race and factors associated with use in the American Indian/Alaska Native sample. Compared to whites, American Indian/Alaska Native women were less likely to use birth control services and more likely to use services for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Among American Indian/Alaska Natives, younger women were more likely to use birth control services, and women who had a higher number of sexual partners were more likely to use services for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Our results provide a national baseline against which to assess disparities and changes in the use of sexual health services among American Indian/Alaska Native women over time.

American Indian and Alaska Native Men's Use of Sexual Health Services, 2006-2010.

CONTEXT: American Indian and Alaska Native men experience poorer sexual health than white men. Barriers related to their sex and racial identity may prevent them from seeking care; however, little is known about this population's use of sexual health services. METHODS: Sexual health service usage was examined among 923 American Indian and Alaska Native men and 5,322 white men aged 15-44 who participated in the 2006-2010 National Survey of Family Growth. Logistic regression models explored differences in service use by race and examined correlates of use among American Indians and Alaska Natives. RESULTS: Among men aged 15-19 and those aged 35-44, men with incomes greater than 133% of the federal poverty level, men with private insurance, those living in the Northeast and those living in rural areas, American Indians and Alaska Natives were more likely than whites to use STD or HIV services (odds ratios, 1.5-3.2). The odds of birth control service use did not differ by race. Differences in service use were found among American Indian and Alaska Native men: For example, those with a usual source of care had elevated odds of using sexual health services (1.9-3.4), while those reporting no recent testicular exam had reduced odds of using these services (0.3-0.4). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides baseline data on American Indian and Alaska Native men's use of sexual health services. Research exploring these men's views on these services is needed to help develop programs that better serve them.

American Indian and Alaska Native Cancer Patients' Perceptions of a Culturally Specific Patient Navigator Program.

Lack of access to care, funding limitations, cultural, and social barriers are challenges specific to tribal communities that have led to adverse cancer outcomes among American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN). While the cancer navigator model has been shown to be effective in other underserved communities, it has not been widely implemented in Indian Country. We conducted in-depth interviews with 40 AI/AN patients at tribal clinics in Idaho and Oregon. We developed the survey instrument in partnership with community members to ensure a culturally appropriate semi-structured questionnaire. Questions explored barriers to accessing care, perceptions of the navigator program, satisfaction, and recommendations. AI/AN cancer patients reported physical, emotional, financial, and transportation barriers to care, but most did not feel there were any cultural barriers to receiving care. Navigator services most commonly used included decision making, referrals, transportation, scheduling appointments, and communication. Satisfaction with the program was high. Our study provides a template to develop a culturally appropriate survey instrument for use with an AI/AN population, which could be adapted for use with other indigenous patient populations. Although our sample was small, our qualitative analysis facilitated a deeper understanding of the barriers faced by this population and how a navigator program may best address them. The results reveal the strengths and weakness of this program, and provide baseline patient satisfaction numbers which will allow future patient navigator programs to better create evaluation benchmarks.