The Feasibility and Acceptability of a Data Capture Methodology in Pediatric Cancer Patients Treated with Targeted Agents and Immunotherapies.

As childhood cancer treatments have improved to include new and innovative agents, the need for more advanced monitoring of their long-term effects and related research has increased. This has resulted in a need for evidence-based research methodologies for the longitudinal care of childhood cancer patients treated with targeted agents and immunotherapies. The rationale for this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a data capture methodology for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients treated with targeted agents and immunotherapy as there is little research to inform this delivery of care. Data were collected from thirty-two patients and two providers for descriptive statistics and thematic analyses. Feasibility was characterized by expected participant attrition. Key drivers of acceptability were (1) providers' language and clarity of communication and (2) convenient participation requirements. Long-term follow-up research practices developed with input from key stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, and providers, can lead to acceptable and feasible research protocols that optimize successful participant recruitment. These evidence-based research practices can result in high participant satisfaction and can be implemented as program development initiatives across centers caring for childhood cancer survivors.

Racial disparities in nephrectomy and mortality among patients with renal cell carcinoma: Findings from SEER.

PURPOSE: To assess racial differences in the receipt of nephrectomy in patients diagnosed RCC in the US. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 2005 to 2015 data from the SEER database was analyzed and 70,059 patients with RCC were identified. We compared demographic and tumor characteristics between black patients and white patients. We applied logistic regression to assess the association between race and the odds of the receipt of nephrectomy. We also applied Cox proportional hazards model to assess the impact of race on cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and all-cause mortality (ACM) in patients diagnosed with RCC in the US. RESULTS: Black patients had 18% lower odds of receiving nephrectomy compared to white patients (p < 0.0001). The odds of the receipt of nephrectomy also reduced with age at diagnosis. In addition, patients with T3 stage had the greatest odds of receiving nephrectomy when compared to T1 (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the risk of cancer-specific mortality between black patients and white patients; black patients had 27% greater odds of all-cause mortality than white patients (p < 0.0001). Patients who did not receive nephrectomy had a 42% and 35% higher risk of CSM and ACM respectively, when compared to patients who received nephrectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Black patients diagnosed with RCC in the US have a greater ACM risk and are less likely than white patients to receive nephrectomy. Systemic changes are needed to eliminate racial disparity in the treatment and outcomes of RCC in the US.

Perspectives on Virtual Care for Childhood Cancer Survivors in Non-Metropolitan Areas during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic paved the way for the widespread use of virtual care for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs). CCSs were virtual recipients of diverse care, including long-term follow-up (LTFU), primary care, mental health care, and several others. Virtual care comes with well-documented benefits and challenges. These are further magnified for CCSs living in rural or non-metropolitan areas. Here, we describe the virtual care of CCSs from two Upper Midwest cities with well-established childhood cancer survivor programs within large comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. CCSs from non-metropolitan areas, especially CCSs with two or more late effects, used virtual care more often during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to CCSs from metropolitan areas. A review of the related literature is also included and the identified challenges in providing virtual care, such as privacy concerns, technology-connectivity constraints, and medical license restrictions. Despite these limitations, the care of CCSs has evolved to leverage virtual care and its ability to increase access for patients and promote continuity of care for CCSs living in rural areas.

The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program (FRPP) Impact on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution During Pandemic: Effectiveness, Limitations, and Implications.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has altered the healthcare landscape for pharmacy practice and continues its global onslaught. As the COVID-19 vaccines began to reach the general population, many were left wondering where and when they would get the vaccine. With 90% of the American population living within 5 miles of a community pharmacy, vaccine distribution to these locations is vital for a successful vaccine campaign. The Biden Administration launched the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program (FRPP) in February 2021, a public-private partnership with 21 national pharmacy partners representing over 40,000 pharmacy locations to help expand the vaccine rollout. Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to fulfill this mission by being a point of contact for the COVID-19 vaccination efforts. The FRPP has experienced some limitations, including the variable vaccine allocation, limited support from the healthcare system, and the lack of overwhelming public confidence in the vaccines. Improving the FRPP would require strong partnership with other healthcare professionals and the adoption of flexible vaccine dissemination. These can stem future pandemics.

Medication Adherence and Compliance: Recipe for Improving Patient Outcomes.

The indices of patients' health outcomes have historically included recurrence of symptoms, number of emergency visits, hospitalization and re-admission rates, morbidity, and mortality. As significant healthcare players, providers can influence these events, including the timeliness of diagnosis and disease management, the cost of treatment, access to health insurance, and medication adherence. Beyond healthcare availability and access, the ability of patients to adhere to providers' treatment recommendations goes a long way to serve as a recipe for improving patient outcomes. Unfortunately, medication nonadherence has been prevalent, culminating in worsened health conditions, increased cost of care, and increased healthcare spending. This article provides some innovative ideas and good considerations for encouraging medication adherence. Improving providers' and patients' education and adopting active and passive communication, including consented reminders, could enhance compliance. Embracing partnerships between providers' organizations and faith-based and community organizations could drive adherence. Adopting an income-based cap on out-of-pocket spending and adapting the physical properties, bioavailability, and dosage regimen of medications to accommodate diverse patient population preferences could encourage refills and compliance. Good medication adherence can culminate in improved patient outcomes.

Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in the Treatment of COVID-19 and Related Respiratory Infections in Ogbomosho South and North Local Government Areas, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has extensively spread worldwide with high mortality. Besides vaccination, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved only one oral medication as a treatment. Medicinal plants with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties could be explored as complementary treatments for COVID-19. Ogbomosho is home to such plants traditionally used to treat infectious diseases in Nigeria, making it relevant in complementary medicine. An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used to treat COVID-19 and related ailments, including cough and flu in Ogbomosho South and North Local Government Areas, Nigeria, was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire. Information was obtained from 56 participants, consisting of different groups of individuals with native knowledge of medicinal plants, and ethnobotanical indices, including the frequency of citation (FC), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and fidelity level (FL) were computed. Twenty-six medicinal plants (17 families) were used to treat COVID-19, 31 (20 families) for cough, and 29 (19 families) for flu. The most cited plant was Zingiber officinale (FC = 10; RFC = 0.18; FL = 18%) for treating COVID-19, Citrus limon (FC = 13; RFC = 0.23; FL = 23%) for cough, and Zingiber officinale (FC = 9; RFC = 0.16; FL = 16%) for flu. Leaves were the most used plant part for treating COVID-19 and flu, while the bark was the most used for cough. Trees and herbs were the most cited plant growth forms. The herbal remedies were mostly prepared by decoction and infusion and were mainly administered orally. Further research should be conducted on the identified species for the scientific validation of their antiviral and immunomodulatory efficacies and safety for use.

Assessing Public Awareness of the Malaria Vaccine in Sub-Saharan Africa.

BACKGROUND: Malaria infection remains one of the leading causes of death in sub-Saharan Africa. Over the years, several measures have been implemented for the prevention of malaria, including vector control with insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and seasonal or traveling prophylactics. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the use of the malaria vaccine in children. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study in three sub-Saharan African countries-Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria-to assess public awareness of the malaria vaccine among the residents of these countries. METHOD: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted between time January 2022 and April 2022 using Qualtrics® software (Version number: April 2022; Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA). A total of 3896 responses were analyzed using SAS OnDemand for Academics software. Linear regression model was used to assess the relationship between the demographic characteristics and awareness of the malaria vaccine, using a level of significance (alpha) of 0.05. RESULT: Overall, there was significant association between the level of education and public awareness of the malaria vaccine in each of the countries studied. Gender and place of residence were associated with awareness in Nigeria and Uganda, while younger respondents were more likely to be aware of the malaria vaccine in Ghana. CONCLUSION: Given the negative impact of lack of awareness and knowledge, misinformation and conspiracy theories on immunization programs, public health campaigns preceding the population-wide roll-out of the novel malaria vaccine should target the less-educated, and those residing in more rural areas, while assuring equitable access to the malaria vaccine across sub-Saharan Africa.

An Understanding of the Drivers of Infectious Diseases in the Modern World Can Aid Early Control of Future Pandemics.

Infectious diseases have been a significant challenge to health and wellbeing from ancient times, with substantial economic implications globally. Despite the advent of technology, infectious diseases continue to affect people of various social statuses and across geographical locations. Understanding some of the drivers of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, vaccination, and vaccine hesitancy is a step towards thriving in the modern world, achieving fewer morbidities and mortalities, and adequately controlling future pandemics. Pharmacists are strategically placed as healthcare team members to promote early disease control through health education, advocacy, cross-professional and specialty collaboration, communal trust-building, research, and global unity. Not forgetting that infectious diseases in the modern world are about people and science, credible crisis communication during the early phases of disease outbreaks paves the way for well-informed guidance globally.

A Rare Case of Hepatic Abscess That Resolved after Drainage of Pleural Empyema.

Empyema has rarely been associated with hepatic abscess. In patients with concurrent empyema and hepatic abscess, hepatic abscess drainage is usually required after drainage of the pleura. We present a rare case of a 91-year-old Caucasian man who presented with a 2-week history of productive cough, fever, shortness of breath, and generalized malaise. The patient was found to have concurrent streptococci empyema and hepatic abscess, and, interestingly, the hepatic abscess resolved after the drainage of the empyema and initiation of antibiotics.