Overlap between birth trauma and mistreatment: a qualitative analysis exploring American clinician perspectives on patient birth experiences.

INTRODUCTION: Research exploring the mistreatment of birthing people in the United States is emerging rapidly within the context of increasingly poor maternal health outcomes that include unacceptable racial disparities. Previous research has explored overlap between psychological birth trauma and mistreatment using patient descriptions of birth experiences, but no previous studies have explored these issues from the perspectives of clinicians. The aim of this study was to explore whether maternity care providers' descriptions of patient birth trauma overlap with categories of mistreatment from a globally accepted typology. METHODS: Content analysis was performed on a qualitative data set of 28 semi-structured interviews about patient birth trauma, completed in 2018-2019 with U.S. maternity care clinicians, including obstetricians, family physicians, midwives and labor/delivery nurses. The interviews were part of a larger study exploring maternity clinician perspectives and experiences of patient birth trauma. For this analysis Krippendorff's method of categoric distinction was used, with categories from a globally recognized typology of maternity patient mistreatment. RESULTS: Clinicians' descriptions of their experiences with patient birth trauma mapped onto all seven mistreatment categories, although no interview questions specifically asked about mistreatment. In more than 30 hours of interviews, transcribed to more than 800 pages, the word mistreatment appears only once, suggesting that some healthcare providers may use the phrase "birth trauma" as a euphemism to describe mistreatment. Eighteen of 28 interviews included at least one description that fit into a mistreatment category. "Failure to meet professional standards of care" was the category with the most mapped clinician statements, followed by "Stigma and discrimination" and "Poor rapport between women and providers." CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes new insight into maternity clinicians' conceptualization of patient trauma and how their descriptions of birth trauma overlap with mistreatment. Clinicians implicitly connected mistreatment with some patient experiences of birth trauma, even when they were not specifically asked about mistreatment. Findings point to a need for further research into mistreatment, including routinized "everyday care" that may include mistreatment, particularly for marginalized and historically excluded birthing people. Future research also must explore the potential role of mistreatment in poor and inequitable U.S. birth outcomes.

Many people giving birth in the United States experience poor health outcomes, and there is a wide racial disparity, with people of color more likely to experience poor outcomes. In recent research, birthing people reported that they were mistreated during their labor and delivery, including being shouted at, scolded, or threatened. Mistreatment accounts were more frequent among women of color. Previous research has looked at patient reports about their birth experiences to explore whether their descriptions of psychological trauma include overlap with mistreatment, but no other studies have looked at descriptions of birth trauma from the perspectives of medical clinicians. The objective of this study was to explore whether maternity care providers' descriptions of patient birth trauma overlap with categories of mistreatment from a globally accepted list. This study analyzed the content of 28 semi-structured interviews about patient birth trauma, completed in 2018­2019 with obstetricians, family physicians, midwives and labor/delivery nurses. In the interviews, participant descriptions of patient birth trauma fit into all seven mistreatment categories. Participant descriptions included examples of patients receiving medical procedures or treatments without first giving consent, nurses avoiding the rooms of patients who do not speak English, and other forms of mistreatment. Participants were not asked specifically about mistreatment, but they described birth trauma by giving examples of mistreatment, which suggests that some healthcare providers may use the phrase "birth trauma" when talking about "mistreatment." This study shows a need for further research into mistreatment, including routine "everyday care" that may include mistreatment.

Examining the Supports and Advice That Women With Intimate Partner Violence Experience Received in Online Health Communities: Text Mining Approach.

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an underreported public health crisis primarily affecting women associated with severe health conditions and can lead to a high rate of homicide. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, more women with IPV experiences visited online health communities (OHCs) to seek help because of anonymity. However, little is known regarding whether their help requests were answered and whether the information provided was delivered in an appropriate manner. To understand the help-seeking information sought and given in OHCs, extraction of postings and linguistic features could be helpful to develop automated models to improve future help-seeking experiences. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the types and patterns (ie, communication styles) of the advice offered by OHC members and whether the information received from women matched their expressed needs in their initial postings. METHODS: We examined data from Reddit using data from subreddit community r/domesticviolence posts from November 14, 2020, through November 14, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We included posts from women aged ≥18 years who self-identified or described experiencing IPV and requested advice or help in this subreddit community. Posts from nonabused women and women aged <18 years, non-English posts, good news announcements, gratitude posts without any advice seeking, and posts related to advertisements were excluded. We developed a codebook and annotated the postings in an iterative manner. Initial posts were also quantified using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count to categorize linguistic and posting features. Postings were then classified into 2 categories (ie, matched needs and unmatched needs) according to the types of help sought and received in OHCs to capture the help-seeking result. Nonparametric statistical analysis (ie, 2-tailed t test or Mann-Whitney U test) was used to compare the linguistic and posting features between matched and unmatched needs. RESULTS: Overall, 250 postings were included, and 200 (80%) posting response comments matched with the type of help requested in initial postings, with legal advice and IPV knowledge achieving the highest matching rate. Overall, 17 linguistic or posting features were found to be significantly different between the 2 groups (ie, matched help and unmatched help). Positive title sentiment and linguistic features in postings containing health and wellness wordings were associated with unmatched needs postings, whereas the other 14 features were associated with postings with matched needs. CONCLUSIONS: OHCs can extract the linguistic and posting features to understand the help-seeking result among women with IPV experiences. Features identified in this corpus reflected the differences found between the 2 groups. This is the first study that leveraged Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count to shed light on generating predictive features from unstructured text in OHCs, which could guide future algorithm development to detect help-seeking results within OHCs effectively.

HIV awareness, pre-exposure prophylaxis perceptions and experiences among people who exchange sex: qualitative and community based participatory study.

BACKGROUND: People who exchange sex for money, favors, goods or services, combat higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Understanding barriers to STD and HIV related healthcare from the perspective of this stigmatized and marginalized community may improve access to sexual health services including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).  METHODS: We used community-partnered participatory and qualitative methods to conduct anonymous one-on-one interviews with people who exchange sex to understand their perspectives and experiences related to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV acquisition. We conducted twenty-two interviews and coded them to perform thematic analysis.  RESULTS: We identified five themes: (1) Appreciation of HIV risk and prevention strategies grew from information accumulated over time. (2) PrEP information came from a variety of sources with mixed messages and uncertain credibility. (3) Decision-making about use of PrEP was relative to other behavioral decisions regarding exchange sex. (4) The multi-step process of obtaining PrEP presented multiple potential barriers. (5) Healthcare providers were seen as powerful facilitators to PrEP utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that PrEP education and care needs to be made more relevant and accessible to individuals who exchange sex.

Provider perceptions of medication for opioid used disorder (MOUD): A qualitative study in communities with high opioid overdose death rates.

BACKGROUND: Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) has been shown to be a safe, cost-effective intervention that successfully lowers risk of opioid overdose. However, access to and use of MOUD has been limited. Our objective was to explore attitudes, opinions, and beliefs regarding MOUD among healthcare and social service providers in a community highly impacted by the opioid overdose epidemic. METHODS: As part of a larger ethnographic study examining neighborhoods in Allegheny County, PA, with the highest opioid overdose death rates, semi-structured qualitative in-person and telephone interviews were conducted with forty-five providers treating persons with opioid use disorders in these communities. An open coding approach was used to code interview transcripts followed by thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three major themes were identified related to MOUD from the perspectives of our provider participants. Within a variety of health and substance use service roles and settings, provider reflections revealed: (1) different opinions about MOUD as a transition to abstinence or as a long-term treatment; (2) perceived lack of uniformity and dissemination of accurate information of MOUD care, permitting differences in care, and (3) observed barriers to entry and navigation of MOUD, including referrals as a "word-of-mouth insider system" and challenges of getting patients MOUD services when they need it. CONCLUSIONS: Even in communities hard hit by the opioid overdose epidemic, healthcare providers' disagreement about the standard of care for MOUD can be a relevant obstacle. These insights can inform efforts to improve MOUD treatment and access for people with opioid use disorders.

Barriers to help-seeking among intimate partner violence survivors with opioid use disorder.

Intimate partner violence is common among people with opioid use disorder (OUD), but little research has focussed on identifying barriers survivors with OUD face when trying to leave an abusive relationship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 postpartum women with OUD. Interview questions were designed to identify barriers to help-seeking and facilitators and supports that have helped survivors make positive changes. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed, using a phenomenological approach to develop emerging themes. Most participants were white, 24-29 years old, single, unemployed, Medicaid insured, and used medications for OUD. All participants (n = 40, 100%) shared that a current or past partner physically, sexually, emotionally, or verbally abused them. Participants identified multiple barriers to help-seeking including abusive partner control of money and resources, fear of retaliatory violence, and concerns related to police and child welfare. Participants also described supports that helped them make positive changes, including being treated with care and support from domestic violence shelters and treatment programs. Finally, survivors offered suggestions for ways providers can better meet survivors' needs. Clinicians and policymakers should prioritize overcoming multiple barriers to service access and engagement faced by survivors and their children.

The intersection of intimate partner violence and substance use among women with opioid use disorder.

BACKGROUND: Women with opioid use disorder (OUD) report high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and there is limited understanding of how IPV influences substance use behaviors among women with OUD. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 40 women with OUD participating in an ongoing clinical trial evaluating postpartum contraceptive utilization patterns for this population. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and lasted approximately 45 min. Interview questions focused on women's perceptions and experiences with IPV and how these experiences impacted their substance use behaviors. Transcripts were coded independently in Atlas.ti and qualitatively analyzed using a general qualitative inquiry approach for emerging themes. Results: Participants were aged 24-29, and the majority were white, single, unemployed, had Medicaid insurance and a high school degree. Although personal IPV experiences were not necessary to be selected for this qualitative sub-study, all participants reported some lifetime experience with IPV. Four overarching themes emerged: (1) women attributed physical IPV to their partner's substance use; (2) emotional abuse prevented women from fully engaging in their recovery; (3) financial abuse prevented women from gaining independence from abusive partners; and (4) women coped with IPV experiences through substance use. Conclusions: IPV had a significant influence on women's substance use behaviors including their perceived risk of relapse and treatment discontinuation. These findings demonstrate the need to integrate assessment, evaluation and management of IPV into substance use treatment settings.

"Stories of starting": Understanding the complex contexts of opioid misuse initiation.

Background: The impacts of opioid use disorder and opioid-involved overdose are known, but less is known about the contexts in which people first misuse opioids, and the motivations for continued misuse. Methods: In-depth interviews with 26 individuals in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania with current or past histories of opioid misuse were conducted. Narratives were analyzed to understand the circumstances and influences contributing to initial and continued misuse of opioids. Results: Participants described social and familial contexts that normalized or accepted opioid misuse-this often included their own use of other illicit substances prior to initiating opioids. Participants also described initial use of opioids as related to efforts to cope with physical pain. They also described recognizing and then seeking psychological/emotional benefits from opioids. All three of these themes often overlapped and intersected in these stories of starting opioid misuse. Conclusions: Opioid misuse stemmed from complex interacting influences involving coping with physical and psychological pain, perception that opioids are needed to feel "normal", and acceptance or normalization of opioid use. This suggests a multi-pronged approach to both prevention and treatment are needed.

A rapid-cycle assessment strategy for understanding the opioid overdose epidemic in local communities.

Background: Certain communities in the United States experience greater opioid-involved overdose mortality than others. Interventions to stem overdose benefit from contextual understandings of communities' needs and strengths in addressing the opioid crisis. This project aims to understand multiple stakeholder perspectives on the opioid epidemic in communities disproportionately affected by opioid-involved overdose mortality. Methods: We performed a rapid-cycle qualitative assessment study utilizing in-depth interviews with community stakeholders and observations of community meetings in eight communities in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, disproportionately impacted by opioid-involved overdose mortality. Stakeholder categories included: current and past illicit users of opioids; medical and social service providers; emergency medical services; law enforcement; spouse or other family members of illicit users/former users of opioids; government officials; school officials; community members. Content analysis was utilized to identify themes and answer study questions. Regular feedback to stakeholders was provided to support targeted interventions. Results: We performed semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 130 community stakeholders and 29 community meeting observations in 2018-2019. Participants perceived similar economic and social determinants as origins of the opioid overdose epidemic including lack of economic resources, loss of jobs, transient populations and dilapidated housing. However, they differed in their awareness of and attention to the epidemic. Awareness was dependent on the visibility of opioid use (presence of paraphernalia litter, location of drug users, media coverage, and relationship to users). Overall, there was good knowledge of naloxone for opioid overdose reversal but less knowledge about local syringe services programs. Perceptions of harm reduction efforts were ambivalent. Conclusions: Members of communities impacted by the opioid epidemic perceived that economic downturn was a major factor in the opioid overdose epidemic. However, the varied beliefs within and between communities suggest that interventions need to be tailored according to the cultural norms of place.

Navigating the university transition among women who self-report an eating disorder: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Although developmental milestones have been observed to alter eating disorder (ED) symptom burden, it remains unknown how the transition to university affects symptomatology. To address this gap, we designed a qualitative study to elucidate how students with an ED perceive their general university experience and to describe how the university environment shapes their ED. METHOD: Undergraduate students who self-reported an ED were recruited through fliers, an undergraduate advocacy organization, and local treatment centers. We conducted audio-recorded semi-structured individual interviews. Two investigators separately coded verbatim transcripts using an editing approach, and final themes emerged from the pattern of descriptors. RESULTS: Fifteen undergraduate students participated. Participants endorsed a variety of ED symptoms and sought various levels of treatment. Most participants transitioned to university with an already-established diagnosis. Participants described that ED symptoms tended to worsen in university for a variety of reasons including (a) minimization of ED severity, (b) loss of external accountability, (c) use of ED symptoms as a coping mechanism, and (d) glorification of ED behaviors in campus diet culture. Subsequently, the ED disrupted the university experience by (e) hindering participants' ability to focus on academic responsibilities and (f) leading to social isolation on campus. DISCUSSION: We identified challenges unique to the university experience that can be addressed by ED treatment teams in order to provide anticipatory guidance and patient-centered care. Study limitations include lack of formal diagnostic ED assessment by research team and sampling of students from one university.

Human Services Utilization Among Male IPV Perpetrators: Relationship to Timing and Completion of Batterer Intervention Programs.

Limited information exists on the extent to which male perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are engaged in the use of human services for co-occuringpsychosocial and health issues. The current analysis uses administrative data from one batterer intervention program (BIP) and data from the local Department of Human Services to explore perpetrators' engagement with human services, and the relationship of that use to timing and completion of the BIP. Data for 330 adult male clients referred to the participating BIP from 2010 to 2015 were collected. A majority (63%) had engaged in at least one human service program. The most common kind of service was mental health (46%). The most specific service engagement was child welfare as a parent (41%). Engagement largely concluded prior to beginning the BIP. BIP completers had less service use overall. Future work should explore how these services could be utilized to improve the success of BIPs and reduce perpetration.

Seamless gene correction of ß-thalassemia mutations in patient-specific iPSCs using CRISPR/Cas9 and piggyBac.

ß-thalassemia, one of the most common genetic diseases worldwide, is caused by mutations in the human hemoglobin beta (HBB) gene. Creation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from ß-thalassemia patients could offer an approach to cure this disease. Correction of the disease-causing mutations in iPSCs could restore normal function and provide a rich source of cells for transplantation. In this study, we used the latest gene-editing tool, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, combined with the piggyBac transposon to efficiently correct the HBB mutations in patient-derived iPSCs without leaving any residual footprint. No off-target effects were detected in the corrected iPSCs, and the cells retain full pluripotency and exhibit normal karyotypes. When differentiated into erythroblasts using a monolayer culture, gene-corrected iPSCs restored expression of HBB compared to the parental iPSCs line. Our study provides an effective approach to correct HBB mutations without leaving any genetic footprint in patient-derived iPSCs, thereby demonstrating a critical step toward the future application of stem cell-based gene therapy to monogenic diseases.

Preferred Physical Characteristics of Vaginal Film Microbicides for HIV Prevention in Pittsburgh Women.

Unprotected heterosexual intercourse is the leading cause of HIV acquisition in women. Due to the complex nature of correct and consistent condom use by both men and women, developing alternative female-controlled HIV prevention options is a global health priority. Vaginal films containing antiretroviral drugs are a potential delivery system for the prevention of HIV acquisition through sexual contact. In this study, we explored women's preferences regarding physical characteristics of microbicide vaginal films through questionnaires and focus groups. Eighty-four sexually active, ethnically diverse women 18-30 years of age from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, participated in the study. Women visually and manually examined a variety of vaginal films, as well as three other vaginal products undergoing evaluation for HIV prevention: tablet, ring, and gel. Means and standard deviations or frequencies and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated for questionnaire data. Focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded for content analysis. Women most frequently preferred vaginal films to be smooth and thin (63 %), translucent (48 %), and 2″ × 2″ square size (36 %). Driving these preferences were five major themes: ease and accuracy of use, desire for efficacy, discretion, intravaginal comfort and minimal impact, and minimizing disruption of sexual mood/activities. Women's preferences for various microbicide vaginal film physical attributes represented a balance of multiple values. In general, women desired a comfortable, efficacious, easy to use, and minimally intrusive product.

Seamless modification of wild-type induced pluripotent stem cells to the natural CCR5Δ32 mutation confers resistance to HIV infection.

Individuals homozygous for the C-C chemokine receptor type 5 gene with 32-bp deletions (CCR5Δ32) are resistant to HIV-1 infection. In this study, we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) homozygous for the naturally occurring CCR5Δ32 mutation through genome editing of wild-type iPSCs using a combination of transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) or RNA-guided clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 together with the piggyBac technology. Remarkably, TALENs or CRISPR-Cas9-mediated double-strand DNA breaks resulted in up to 100% targeting of the colonies on one allele of which biallelic targeting occurred at an average of 14% with TALENs and 33% with CRISPR. Excision of the piggyBac using transposase seamlessly reproduced exactly the naturally occurring CCR5Δ32 mutation without detectable exogenous sequences. We differentiated these modified iPSCs into monocytes/macrophages and demonstrated their resistance to HIV-1 challenge. We propose that this strategy may provide an approach toward a functional cure of HIV-1 infection.

Public health messages about perinatal marijuana use in an evolving policy context.

BACKGROUND: Marijuana is a commonly used substance in pregnancy in the United States. It is unknown what public health messages about perinatal marijuana use are being disseminated in the changing policy landscape. METHODS: The authors systematically searched 51 state and 5 federal public health agencies' Web sites in February 2016 for information about perinatal marijuana use. Of these, 1 federal agency and 10 state agencies had published information about perinatal marijuana use. Content analysis was performed by 2 investigators, with excellent interrater reliability (mean κ = 0.87). RESULTS: Most content was targeted to the public, although 3 agencies had content targeted to health care providers. Common messages about health effects included adverse outcomes in infants and children exposed in utero and that marijuana can be passed via breast milk to infants. Eight sites mentioned health effects of marijuana use during breastfeeding, 5 included resources to stop using marijuana, 5 mentioned implications of marijuana use for infant safety, and 3 mentioned potential legal consequences. CONCLUSIONS: The volume of public health messages about perinatal marijuana use is low, content of messages differs across state agencies, and perinatal marijuana is seldom addressed in content published by federal agencies.

Understanding Medical Students' Concerns about Explicit Informed Consent for Pelvic Exams Under Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Medical student involvement in procedures, including pelvic exams under anesthesia (EUAs), is a fundamental part of medical education. While guidelines exist regarding informed consent for medical student participation, there is ongoing debate and uncertainty regarding the requirement and modality of obtaining explicit consent for pelvic EUAs. This study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of medical students who do not favor an explicit informed consent process for pelvic EUAs. METHODS: An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to third- and fourth-year medical students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who had completed their obstetrics and gynecology core clerkship. The questionnaire included both quantitative and qualitative sections. Qualitative analysis was conducted using a mixed inductive and deductive coding approach, with key patterns, categories, and themes identified through content analysis. RESULTS: Among the 201 students included in the analysis, 50 students did not endorse an explicit informed consent process for pelvic EUAs. Themes that emerged from their open-ended responses included: (1) the belief that medical student involvement is implicitly included in patient agreements at teaching hospitals; (2) the perception that pelvic EUAs are an essential first step in gynecologic surgery; (3) the view that pelvic EUAs are comparable to other medical procedures; (4) concern that explicit consent would limit educational opportunities; and (5) the belief that pelvic EUAs are not harmful or traumatic to patients. DISCUSSION: The findings highlight the justifications provided by medical students who do not support explicit informed consent for pelvic EUAs. While some arguments align with previous ethical analyses, this study provides empirical and qualitative insights into students' perspectives. The belief that patients implicitly consent to medical student involvement at teaching hospitals warrants further examination, as patient awareness and understanding may vary. The differentiation between pelvic exams and other EUAs, as well as the perception of minimal harm, should be critically evaluated in the context of trauma-informed care and patient autonomy. Furthermore, the interconnectedness of educational and surgical aspects of pelvic EUAs should be clarified in patient-physician communication. CONCLUSION: Understanding the perspectives of medical students who do not favor explicit consent for pelvic EUAs is crucial for developing and implementing consent processes. The findings emphasize the need for enhanced patient-physician communication, standardized frameworks for learner involvement, and curricular adaptations to address patient perceptions and trauma-informed care. Future research should explore these themes in larger and more diverse cohorts to inform best practices in obtaining informed consent for medical student participation in pelvic EUAs.

An Observational Study of Dialogue about Uncertainty in Clinician-Family Counseling Conversations Following Prenatal Diagnosis of Complex Congenital Heart Disease.

Objective: Families who receive a prenatal diagnosis of complex congenital heart disease (cCHD) often experience severe psychological distress and identify uncertainty as a key source of that distress. This study examined clinician-family conversations during initial fetal cardiology consultations to identify the topics of uncertainty discussed. Methods: In this observational, qualitative study, initial fetal cardiology consultations were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded by two independent coders. A codebook was inductively and deductively developed and applied. This content analysis focused on uncertainty-related codes and associated themes. Results: During 19 consultations including five clinicians, 13 different cardiac diagnoses were discussed (seven with high mortality risk). Median consultation length was 37 min (IQR: 26-51), with only 11% of words spoken by families. On average, 51% of total words spoken focused on uncertainty in relation to cardiac diagnosis, etiology, comorbidities, prognosis, childbirth, therapeutics, and logistics. Family-initiated discussion on uncertainty largely focused on childbirth and pregnancy and postpartum logistics. Conclusions: Half of dialogue within initial fetal cardiology encounters discussed uncertainty surrounding prenatally diagnosed cCHD. Parent and clinician perspectives should be gathered on the essential content and optimal delivery of uncertainty-related topics. Innovation: This study is conceptually and methodologically innovative as one of the first to examine audio-recorded dialogue between fetal cardiology clinicians and families.

Abortion After Pregnancy Occurrence with Contraceptive Use Among Veterans.

Objective: Many people report becoming pregnant while using contraception. Understanding more about this phenomenon may provide insight into pregnant people's responses to and healthcare needs for these pregnancies. This study explores the outcome (e.g., birth, miscarriage, abortion) of pregnancies among Veterans in which conception occurred in the month of contraceptive use. Study Design: We used data from the Examining Contraceptive Use and Unmet Need Study, a telephone-based survey conducted in 2014-2016 of women Veterans (n = 2302) ages 18-44 receiving primary care from the Veterans Health Administration. For each pregnancy, we estimated the relationship between occurrence in the month of contraceptive use and the outcome of the pregnancy using multinomial logistic regression, controlling for relevant demographic, clinical, and military factors and clustering of pregnancies from the same Veteran. Results: The study included 4436 pregnancies from 1689 Veterans. Most participants were ≥30 years of age (n = 1445, 85.6%), identified as non-Hispanic white (n = 824, 51.6%), and lived in the Southern United States (n = 994, 55.6%). Nearly 60% (n = 1007) of Veterans who had ever been pregnant reported experiencing a pregnancy in the month of contraceptive use; a majority of those pregnancies (n = 1354, 80.9%) were described as unintended. In adjusted models, pregnancies occurring in the month of contraceptive use were significantly more likely to end in abortion (aOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.42-2.18) than live birth. Conclusions: Pregnancy while using contraception is common among Veterans; these pregnancies are more likely to end in abortion than live birth. Given widespread restrictions to reproductive health services across much of the United States, ensuring Veterans' access to comprehensive care, including abortion, is critical to supporting reproductive autonomy and whole health.

Creating Healing-Centered Spaces for Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in the Postpartum Unit: Examining Current Practices and Desired Resources Among Health Care Providers and Postpartum People.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) has negative health impacts for pregnant people and their infants. Although inpatient postpartum units offer an opportunity to provide support and resources for IPV survivors and their families, to our knowledge, such interventions exist. The goal of this study is to explore (1) how IPV is currently discussed with postpartum people in the postpartum unit; (2) what content should be included and how an IPV intervention should be delivered; (3) how best to support survivors who disclose IPV; and (4) implementation barriers and facilitators. Materials and Methods: We used individual, semistructured interviews with postpartum people and health care providers (HCPs). Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed using an inductive-deductive thematic analysis. Results: While HCPs reported using a variety of practices to support survivors, postpartum people reported that they did not recall receiving resources or education related to IPV while in the inpatient postpartum unit. While HCPs identified a need for screening and disclosure-driven resource provision, postpartum people identified a need for universal IPV resource provision in the postpartum unit to postpartum people and their partners. Participants identified several barriers (i.e., staff capacity, education already provided in the postpartum unit, and COVID-19 pandemic) and facilitators (i.e., continuity of care, various HCPs) to supporting survivors in the postpartum unit. Conclusion: The inpatient postpartum unit is a promising setting to implement an intervention to support IPV survivors and their infants. Future research and intervention development should focus on facilitating universal education and promoting resource provision to IPV survivors.

Integrating Perspectives on Family Caregiving After Critical Illness: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: To date, no intervention has definitively improved outcomes for families of critical illness survivors. An integrated perspective on caregivers' needs after critical illness could help identify high-priority intervention targets and improve outcomes. OBJECTIVES: To obtain diverse perspectives on the needs, barriers and facilitators, and social determinants of health associated with family caregiving across the critical illness continuum and assess the extent to which successful caregiving interventions in other populations may be adapted to the critical illness context. METHODS: This qualitative content analysis of 31 semistructured interviews and 10 focus groups with family caregivers, health care providers, and health care administrators explored family caregivers' needs during post- intensive care unit (ICU) transitions and the barriers and facilitators associated with addressing them. Trained coders analyzed transcripts, identified patterns and categories among the codes, and generated themes. RESULTS: Caregivers have 3 instrumental needs: formal and informal support, involvement in care planning, and education and training. Only caregivers described their self-care and mental health needs. Social determinants of health are the key barriers and facilitators shaping the caregivers' journey, and caregiving as a social determinant of health was a prominent theme. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers have instrumental, self-care, and mental health needs after critical illness. Adapting hands-on and skills training interventions to the post-ICU setting, while tailoring interventions to caregivers' health-related social context, may improve caregiver outcomes.

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cells using site-specific integration with phage integrase.

To date, a large number of reports have described reprogramming many somatic cell types into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, using different numbers of transcription factors and devising alternate methods of introducing the transcription factor genes or proteins into the somatic cells. Here, we describe a method using bacteriophage ΦC31 integrase to reprogram mouse embryonic fibroblasts and human amniotic fluid cells into iPS cells. These iPS cells showed morphology, surface antigens, gene expression, and epigenetic states similar to ES cells and formed teratomas with three germ layers in nonobese diabetic/severely compromised immunodeficient mice. Importantly, these iPS cells have only a single integration site in each cell line. The locations of integration favor the intergenic regions, and their distances from the adjacent genes extended from several hundred to >1 million bp. The effect of the insertion on the expression of these genes can be studied by RT-PCR. No insertion into microRNA gene loci was detected. Hence, it is possible to select cells in which adjacent gene functions are not affected, or the inserts can be removed if necessary. We conclude that phage integrase-mediated site-specific recombination can produce iPS cells that have undisturbed endogenous gene function and could be safe for future human therapeutic application.