Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Primary and Secondary Prevention in Latino Subgroups.

BACKGROUND: Studies assessing equity in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) for Latinos living in the USA collectively yield mixed results. Latino persons are diverse in many ways that may influence cardiovascular health. The intersection of Latino nativity and ASCVD prevention is understudied. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether disparities in ASCVD screening, detection, and prescribing differ for US Latinos by country of birth. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort design utilizing 2014-2020 electronic health record data from a network of 320 community health centers across 12 states. Analyses occurred October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023. PARTICIPANTS: Non-Hispanic White and Latino adults age 20-75 years, born in Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the USA. EXPOSURES: Ethnicity and country of birth. MAIN MEASURES: Outcome measures included prevalence of statin eligibility, of having insufficient data to establish eligibility, odds of having a documented statin prescription, and rates of statin prescriptions and refills. We used covariate-adjusted logistic and generalized estimating equations logistic and negative binomial regressions to generate absolute and relative measures. KEY RESULTS: Among 108,672 adults, 23% (n = 25,422) were statin eligible for primary or secondary prevention of ASCVD using American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines. Latinos, born in and outside the USA were more likely eligible than Non-Hispanic White patients were (US-born Latino OR = 1.55 (95% CI = 1.37-1.75); non-US-born Latino OR = 1.63 (95% CI = 1.34-1.98)). The eligibility criteria that was met differed by ethnicity and nativity. Latinos overall were less likely missing data to establish eligibility and differences were again observed by specific non-US country of origin. Among those eligible, we observed no statistical difference in statin prescribing between US-born Latinos and non-Hispanic White persons; however, disparities varied by specific non-US country of origin. CONCLUSION: Efforts to improve Latino health in the USA will require approaches for preventing and reversing cardiovascular risk factors, and statin initiation that are Latino subgroup specific.

Association between ethnicity, language and metformin prescriptions in U.S. community health center patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Metformin treatment is a recommended first-line medication for patients with type 2 diabetes. Latino patients are subject to factors that may modify their level of diabetes care, including medication prescription. We evaluated the odds of and times to metformin prescription among non-Latino whites, English-preferring Latinos, and Spanish-preferring Latinos with diabetes. METHODS: We constructed a retrospective cohort of 154,368 adult patients from 835 community health centers (CHCs) across 20 states who were diagnosed with diabetes during the study. Patients were from non-Latino white, English-preferring Latino, and Spanish-preferring Latino ethnic/language groups. We modeled adjusted odds of metformin prescription and adjusted hazards (time-to-event) of metformin prescription after diabetes diagnosis and high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c > 9) test results. RESULTS: English-preferring Latinos had similar odds of metformin prescription (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.01 (95% CI = 0.93, 1.09)), slightly lower time to metformin prescription after diabetes diagnosis (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.06(95% CI = 1.04, 1.09)), and similar time to metformin prescription after a high HbA1c result (HR = 1.04 (0.99, 1.09)) compared to non-Latino whites. Spanish-preferring Latinos had higher odds of metformin prescription (OR) = 1.42 (95% CI = 1.33, 1.52), and less time to prescription after diabetes diagnosis (HR = 1.18 (1.15, 1.20)) and after a high HbA1c result (HR = 1.15 (1.11, 1.20)). CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of metformin prescription patterns among non-Latino whites, English-preferring Latinos, and Spanish-preferring Latinos did not suggest a lower or slower tendency to prescribe metformin in Latino patients. Understanding disparities in diabetes diagnosis may require further investigation of medication adherence barriers, diet and exercise counseling, and multi-level influences on diabetes outcomes in Latino patients.

Association of neighbourhood walkability and haemoglobin A1c levels among Latino and non-Hispanic White patients with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Neighbourhood walkability can benefit cardiovascular health. Latino patients are more likely than non-Hispanic White patients to have diabetes, and evidence has shown better diabetes-related outcomes for patients living in neighbourhoods conducive to physical activity. Our objective was to determine whether neighbourhood walkability was associated with haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels among English- and Spanish-preferring Latino patients compared to non-Hispanic White patients. METHODS: We used electronic health record data from patients in the OCHIN, Inc. network of community health centres (CHC) linked to public walkability data. Patients included those age ≥ 18 with ≥ 1 address recorded, with a study clinic visit from 2012 to 2020, and a type 2 diabetes diagnosis (N = 159,289). Generalized estimating equations logistic regression, adjusted for relevant covariates, was used to model the primary binary outcome of always having HbA1c < 7 by language/ethnicity and walkability score. RESULTS: For all groups, the walkability score was not associated with higher odds and prevalence of always having HbA1c < 7. Non-Hispanic White patients were most likely to have HbA1c always < 7 (prevalence ranged from 32.8% [95%CI = 31.2-34.1] in the least walkable neighbourhoods to 33.4% [95% CI 34.4-34.7] in the most walkable), followed by English-preferring Latinos (28.6% [95%CI = 25.4-31.8]-30.7% [95% CI 29.0-32.3]) and Spanish-preferring Latinos (28.3% [95% CI 26.1-30.4]-29.3% [95% CI 28.2-30.3]). CONCLUSIONS: While walkability score was not significantly associated with glycaemic control, control appeared to increase with walkability, suggesting other built environment factors, and their interaction with walkability and clinical care, may play key roles. Latino patients had a lower likelihood of HbA1c always < 7, demonstrating an opportunity for equity improvements in diabetes care.

The Association of Mobility, Social Deprivation, and Pediatric Primary Care Outcomes in Community Health Centers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how social deprivation and residential mobility are associated with primary care use in children seeking care at community health centers (CHCs) overall and stratified by race and ethnicity. STUDY DESIGN: We used electronic health record open cohort data from 152 896 children receiving care from 15 U S CHCs belonging to the OCHIN network. Patients were aged 3-17 years, with ≥2 primary care visits during 2012-2017 and had geocoded address data. We used negative binomial regression to calculate adjusted rates of primary care encounters and influenza vaccinations relative to neighborhood-level social deprivation. RESULTS: Higher rates of clinic utilization were observed for children who always lived in highly deprived neighborhoods (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.05-1.17) and those who moved from low-to-high deprivation neighborhoods (RR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.01-1.09) experienced higher rates of CHC encounters compared with children who always lived in the low-deprivation neighborhoods. This trend was similar for influenza vaccinations. When analyses were stratified by race and ethnicity, we found these relationships were similar for Latino children and non-Latino White children who always lived in highly deprived neighborhoods. Residential mobility was associated with lower rates of primary care. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that children living in or moving to neighborhoods with high levels of social deprivation used more primary care CHC services than children who lived in areas with low deprivation, but moving itself was associated with less care. Clinician and delivery system awareness of patient mobility and its impacts are important to addressing equity in primary care.

Statin Eligibility and Prescribing Across Racial, Ethnic, and Language Groups over the 2013 ACC/AHA Guideline Change: a Retrospective Cohort Analysis from 2009 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: It is uncertain if the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) 2013 guidelines for the use of HMGCoA reductase inhibitors (statins) were associated with increased statin eligibility and prescribing across underserved groups. OBJECTIVE: To analyze, by race, ethnicity, and preferred language, patients with indications for and presence of a statin prescription before and after the guideline change. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Multistate community health center (CHC) network with linked electronic health records. PATIENTS: Low-income patients aged ≥ 50 with a primary care visit in 2009-2013 or 2014-2018. MAIN MEASURES: (1) Odds of each race/ethnicity/language group meeting statin eligibility via the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III Guidelines in 2009-2013 or the ACC/AHA guidelines in 2014-2018. (2) Among those eligible, odds of each group in each period with a statin prescription. KEY RESULTS: In 2009-2013 (n = 109,330), non-English-preferring Latino (OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.17), White (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.16, 1.72), and Black patients (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.11, 1.42), were more likely than English-preferring non-Hispanic Whites to meet guideline criteria for statins. Non-English-preferring Black patients, when eligible, were no more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to have statin prescriptions (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.88, 1.54). In 2014-2018 (n = 319,904), English-preferring Latino patients (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.96-1.07) and non-English-preferring Black patients (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.98, 1.19) had similar odds of statin prescription to English-preferring non-Hispanic White patients. English-preferring Black patients were less likely (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.91-0.99) to have a prescription than English-preferring non-Hispanic Whites. CONCLUSION: Across the 2013 ACC/AHA guideline change in CHCs serving low-income patients, non-English-preferring patients were consistently more likely to be eligible for and have been prescribed statins. English-preferring Latino and English-preferring Black patients experienced reduced prescribing, comparatively, after the guideline change. Further work should explore the contextual factors that may influence guideline effectiveness and care equity.

The role of language in mammography orders among low-income Latinas over a 10-year period.

INTRODUCTION: Latinas in the United States have higher mortality from breast cancer, but longitudinal studies of mammography ordering (a crucial initial step towards screening) in primary care are lacking. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of mammography order rates in Latinas (by language preference) and non-Latina white women (N = 181,755) over a > 10 year period in a multi-state network of community health centers (CHCs). We evaluated two outcomes (ever having a mammogram order and annual rate of mammography orders) using generalized estimating equation modeling. RESULTS: Approximately one-third of all patients had ever had a mammogram order. Among those receiving mammogram orders, English-preferring Latinas had lower mammogram order rates than non-Hispanic white women (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.89-0.95). Spanish-preferring Latinas had higher odds of ever having a mammogram ordered than non-Hispanic whites (odds ratio = 2.12, 95% CI = 2.06-2.18) and, if ever ordered, had a higher rate of annual mammogram orders (rate ratio = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.50-1.56). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that breast cancer detection barriers in low-income Latinas may not stem from a lack of orders in primary care, but in the subsequent accessibility of receiving ordered services.

Role of ethnicity/language in documented rates of pediatric asthma prescription refills.

OBJECTIVE: Medication maintenance is critical in the management of asthma. We investigated the differences in electronic health record (EHR) documentation of medication refills for Spanish- and English-speaking Latino children and non-Hispanic white children by examining rates of albuterol rescue inhaler refills from 2005 to 2017, and and inhaled corticosteroid refills from 2015 to 2017 in a multi-state network of community health centers (CHCs). METHODS: We used data from the ADVANCE network of CHCs. Our sample consisted of children aged 3-17, with a diagnosis of asthma and either albuterol or inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions (n = 39,162; n = 4,738 children, respectively). Negative binomial regression was used to calculate rates of refills per prescription adjusted for relevant patient-level covariates. Analyses stratified by asthma severity were also conducted. RESULTS: English-speaking Latino children had lower rates of albuterol refills compared with non-Hispanic white children (rate ratio [RR] = 0.88, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-0.98), a trend that persisted among children with moderate/severe persistent asthma severity (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.95). Spanish-speaking Latino and non-Hispanic white children had similar albuterol refills. Inhaled corticosteroid refill rates were comparable between all groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-state network, these findings suggest that CHCs deliver equitable asthma care related to prescription refills between their Latino and white patients, but there is still opportunity for providers to ensure that their English-speaking Latino patients have access to necessary emergency asthma medication.

Use of Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Safety Net Primary Care Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a marked increase in telehealth for the provision of primary care-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. This mixed methods study examines characteristics associated with having the majority of OUD-related visits via telehealth versus in-person, and changes in mode of delivery (in-person, telephone, video) over time. Methods: Logistic regression was performed using electronic health record data from patients with ≥1 visit with an OUD diagnosis to ≥1 of the two study clinics (Rural Health Clinic; urban Federally Qualified Health Center) and ≥1 OUD medication ordered from 3/8/2020-9/1/2021, with >50% of OUD visits via telehealth (vs. >50% in-person) as the dependent variable and patient characteristics as independent variables. Changes in visit type over time were also examined. Inductive coding was used to analyze data from interviews with clinical team members (n = 10) who provide OUD care to understand decision-making around visit type. Results: New patients (vs. returning; OR = 0.47;95%CI:0.27-0.83), those with ≥1 psychiatric diagnosis (vs. none; OR = 0.49,95%CI:0.29-0.82), and rural clinic patients (vs. urban; OR = 0.05; 95%CI:0.03-0.08) had lower odds of having the majority of visits via telehealth than in-person. Patterns of visit type varied over time by clinic, with the majority of telehealth visits delivered via telephone. Team members described flexibility for patients as a key telehealth benefit, but described in-person visits as more conducive to building rapport with new patients and those with increased psychological burden. Conclusion: Understanding how and why telehealth is used for OUD treatment is critical for ensuring access to care and informing OUD-related policy decisions.

Prevalent Multimorbidity Combinations Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults Seen in Community Health Centers.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity (≥ 2 chronic diseases) is associated with greater disability and higher treatment burden, as well as difficulty coordinating self-management tasks for adults with complex multimorbidity patterns. Comparatively little work has focused on assessing multimorbidity patterns among patients seeking care in community health centers (CHCs). OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterize prevalent multimorbidity patterns in a multi-state network of CHCs over a 5-year period. DESIGN: A cohort study of the 2014-2019 ADVANCE multi-state CHC clinical data network. We identified the most prevalent multimorbidity combination patterns and assessed the frequency of patterns throughout a 5-year period as well as the demographic characteristics of patient panels by prevalent patterns. PARTICIPANTS: The study included data from 838,642 patients aged ≥ 45 years who were seen in 337 CHCs across 22 states between 2014 and 2019. MAIN MEASURES: Prevalent multimorbidity patterns of somatic, mental health, and mental-somatic combinations of 22 chronic diseases based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Multiple Chronic Conditions framework: anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autism, cancer, cardiac arrhythmia, chronic kidney disease (CKD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, dementia, depression, diabetes, hepatitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hyperlipidemia, hypertension, osteoporosis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and stroke. KEY RESULTS: Multimorbidity is common among middle-aged and older patients seen in CHCs: 40% have somatic, 6% have mental health, and 24% have mental-somatic multimorbidity patterns. The most frequently occurring pattern across all years is hyperlipidemia-hypertension. The three most frequent patterns are various iterations of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes and are consistent in rank of occurrence across all years. CKD-hyperlipidemia-hypertension and anxiety-depression are both more frequent in later study years. CONCLUSIONS: CHCs are increasingly seeing more complex multimorbidity patterns over time; these most often involve mental health morbidity and advanced cardiometabolic-renal morbidity.

Racial, ethnic, and language differences in screening measures for statin therapy following a major guideline change.

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) disproportionally affects racial and ethnic minority populations. Statin prescribing guidelines changed in 2013 to improve ASCVD prevention. It is unknown whether risk screening for statin eligibility differed across race and ethnicity over this guideline change. We examine racial/ethnic/language differences in screening measure prevalence for period-specific statin consideration using a retrospective cohort design and linked electronic health records from 635 community health centers in 24 U.S. states. Adults 50+ years, without known ASCVD, and ≥ 1 visit in 2009-2013 and/or 2014-2018 were included, grouped as: Asian, Latino, Black, or White further distinguished by language preference. Outcomes included screening measure prevalence for statin consideration, 2009-2013: low-density lipoprotein (LDL), 2014-2018: pooled cohort equation (PCE) components age, sex, race, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, smoking status. Among patients seen both periods, change in period-specific measure prevalence was assessed. Adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors, compared to English-preferring White patients, all other groups were more likely to have LDL documented (2009-2013, n = 195,061) and all PCE components documented (2014-2018, n = 344,504). Among patients seen in both periods (n = 128,621), all groups had lower odds of PCE components versus LDL documented in the measures' respective period; English-preferring Black adults experienced a greater decline compared to English-preferring White adults (OR 0.81; 95% CI: 0.72-0.91). Racial/ethnic/language disparities in documented screening measures that guide statin therapy for ASCVD prevention were unaffected by a major guideline change advising this practice. It is important to understand whether the newer guidelines have altered disparate prescribing and morbidity/mortality for this disease.

Oral corticosteroid use, obesity, and ethnicity in children with asthma.

Objective: Comorbid asthma and obesity leads to poorer asthma outcomes, partially due to decreased response to controller medication. Increased oral steroid prescription, a marker of uncontrolled asthma, may follow. Little is known about this phenomenon among Latino children. Our objective was to determine whether obesity is associated with increased oral steroid prescription for children with asthma, and to assess potential disparities in these associations between Latino and non-Hispanic white children.Methods: We examined electronic health record data from the ADVANCE national network of community health centers. The sample included 16,763 children aged 5-17 years with an asthma diagnosis and ≥1 ambulatory visit in ADVANCE clinics across 22 states between 2012 and 2017. Poisson regression analysis was used to examine the rate of oral steroid prescription overall and by ethnicity controlling for potential confounders.Results: Among Latino children, those who were always overweight/obese at study visits had a 15% higher rate of receiving an oral steroid prescription than those who were never overweight/obese [rate ratio (RR) = 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.26]. A similar effect size was observed for non-Hispanic white children, though the relationship was not statistically significant (RR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.92-1.33). The interactions between body mass index and ethnicity were not significant (sometimes overweight/obese p = 0.95, always overweight/obese p = 0.58), suggesting a lack of disparities in the association between obesity and oral steroid prescription by ethnicity.Conclusions: Children with obesity received more oral steroid prescriptions than those at a healthy weight, which may be indicative of worse asthma control. We did not observe significant ethnic disparities.

Asthma, allergy, and obesity: Examining the relationship among Nevada children.

OBJECTIVE: The majority of pediatric asthma is atopic, but whether pediatric obese asthma is atopic is indeterminate in the literature. In Nevada, children become sensitized to aeroallergens, a risk factor for asthma, at young ages. Additionally, Nevada children have high rates of obesity. Our objective is to determine whether elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with asthma severity, allergen sensitization, and polysensitization. METHODS: Medical records from a pediatric allergy clinic provided BMI percentile, physician-diagnosed asthma severity, skin prick test data, and sociodemographics such as age, race, sex, and insurance status from asthmatic patients. Descriptive statistics and binary and multinomial logistic regression were conducted. RESULTS: In this population (N = 125) aged 1-16, 61% were male, 65% were white, and 74% had private health insurance. Sixty-five percent of children were under/healthy weight and 29% were overweight/obese. Asthma symptoms were moderate in 66% of the population, and severe in 18%. Nearly 85% of this population was atopic, and 82% were polysensitized. Sensitization and polysensitization occurred in all weight categories. Asthma severity and elevated BMI were not associated significantly. Overweight/obese children (≥85th percentile) had lower odds of allergen sensitization (adjusted odds ratio 0.26, 95% CI = 0.85-0.78, p = 0.016) and polysensitization (adjusted odds ratio 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11-0.85, p = 0.023) than healthy weight children (<85th percentile). CONCLUSION: Although overweight children did show allergen sensitization, those who were overweight had lower odds of allergen sensitization and lower odds of polysensitization, as compared to normal weight asthmatic children. Elevated BMI was not a significant predictor of asthma severity.

Mental Health Care Use by Ethnicity and Preferred Language in a National Cohort of Community Health Center Patients.

OBJECTIVE: Disparities in U.S. mental health care by race and ethnicity have long been documented. The authors sought to compare specialty mental health service use among non-Hispanic White, English-preferring Hispanic, and Spanish-preferring Hispanic patients who accessed care in community health centers (CHCs). METHODS: Retrospective electronic medical records data were extracted for patients ages ≥18 years who received care in 2012-2020 at a national CHC network. Zero-inflated Poisson regression models were used to estimate the likelihood of receiving mental health services, which was compared with expected annual rates of mental health service use. RESULTS: Of the 1,498,655 patients who received care at a CHC during the study, 14.4% (N=215,098) received any specialty mental health services. English- and Spanish-preferring Hispanic patients were less likely to have had a mental health visit (OR=0.69, 95% CI=0.61-0.77, and OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.54-0.78, respectively). Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, Spanish-preferring Hispanic patients had an estimated annualized rate of 0.59 (95% CI=0.46-0.76) mental health visits. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who were likely to receive specialty mental health services, Spanish-preferring patients had a significantly lower rate of mental health care use. Although overall access to mental health care is improving, unequal access to recurring specialty mental health care remains among patients who do not prefer to use English.

Association of Early Childhood Wheeze and Asthma Diagnosis Documentation by Race, Ethnicity, and Language in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether electronic health record (EHR) documentation of certain early childhood risk factors for asthma, such as wheeze differ by race, ethnicity, and language group, and whether these children have different subsequent asthma prevalences. METHODS: We used EHR data from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center (ADVANCE) Clinical Research Network from children receiving care in US community health centers (n = 71,259 children) across 21 states to examine the presence of ICD-coded documentation of early childhood wheeze and its association with subsequent asthma diagnosis documentation in the EHR by race/ethnicity/language. RESULTS: ICD-coded wheeze was present in 2 to 3% of each race/ethnicity/language group. Among the total sample, 18.5% had asthma diagnosed after age 4. The adjusted prevalence of subsequent asthma diagnosis was greater in children with wheeze than those without. Odds of asthma diagnosis did not differ among children in all race/ethnicity/language groups with early childhood wheeze. Non-Latino Black children without wheeze had higher odds of asthma (OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.08-1.32) compared with non-Latino White children without wheeze. DISCUSSION: In US community health centers which serve medically underserved populations, EHR documentation of early childhood wheeze was uncommon and did not differ significantly among race/ethnicity/language groups. Differences in asthma diagnosis in Latinos may not stem from differences in early-life wheeze documentation. However, our findings suggest that there may be opportunities for improvement in early asthma symptom recognition for non-Latino Black children, especially in those without early childhood wheeze.

Latino-White Disparities in Identification and Control of Elevated Blood Pressure Among Adults With Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Studies analyzing blood pressure (BP) management using the hypertension control cascade have consistently shown disparities in hypertension awareness, treatment, and BP control between Latino patients and non-Latino White patients. We analyze this cascade using electronic health record data from a multistate network of community health centers. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from 790 clinics in 23 US states from 2012 to 2020, including 1 270 174 patients, were analyzed to compare BP documentation in the electronic health record, clinician acknowledgment (diagnosis or treatment) of incident hypertension (BP ≥140/90), medication prescription, and BP control between non-Latino White patients, English-preferring Latino patients, and Spanish-preferring Latino patients, adjusted for patient-level covariates, and clustered on patients' primary clinics. Among the 429 182 patients with elevated BP (≥140/90) during ambulatory visits from 2012 to 2020, we found that clinician acknowledgment of hypertension was more likely in Spanish-preferring and English-preferring Latino patients versus non-Latino White patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.17 [95% CI, 1.11-1.24]; aOR, 1.07 [95% CI, 1.02-1.12], respectively). In addition, Spanish-preferring Latino patients were more likely to receive a medication versus non-Latino White patients (aOR, 1.21 [95% CI, 1.16-1.28]). Among those receiving medication, Latino patients were as likely as non-Latino White patients to have their BP controlled (<140/90). CONCLUSIONS: In a large retrospective study of community health center patients with incident hypertension, the expected disparities in hypertension management between Spanish-preferring Latino, English-preferring Latino, and non-Latino White patients were not identified. These findings add to the hypertension control cascade by examining robust electronic health record data from community health centers and may provide clues to reducing disparities in hypertension management.

Healthcare utilization for asthma exacerbation among children of migrant and seasonal farmworkers.

Latino children of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFWs) with asthma are at risk for poor health outcomes due to medical access barriers. We compared differences in acute care utilization for asthma exacerbations among migrant and non-migrant Latino and non-Hispanic white (NHW) children at U.S. community health centers. A retrospective observational study utilizing electronic health record data from the ADVANCE Clinical Research Network of United States community health centers included 13,423 children ages 3-17 with a primary care visit between 2005 and 2017 from eight states. Emergency department (ED) and hospitalization data came from Oregon Medicaid claims. Outcomes included acute clinic visits, ED visits, and hospitalizations for asthma exacerbation. Regression analyses adjusted for patient-level covariates. Latino children had higher odds of acute clinic visits for asthma exacerbation compared to NHW children (MSFW odds ratio [OR] = 1.17, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.33; without migrant status OR = 1.13, 95 % CI = 1.03-1.23). MSFW children using Oregon Medicaid had fewer ED visits (rate ratio [RR] = 0.72, 95 % CI = 0.52-0.99) and hospitalizations (RR = 0.47, 95 % CI = 0.26-0.86) compared to NHW children. Increased community health center visits may help mitigate disparities in acute asthma care for MSFW children.

Associations Between High Pain Catastrophizing and Opioid-Related Awareness and Beliefs Among Patients in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: Limited studies are available on patients' perspectives regarding opioid-related awareness, beliefs, and pain management in primary care settings in the US. Pain catastrophizing (PC) is a cascade of negative thoughts and emotions in response to actual or anticipated pain. High PC is 1 of the strongest predictors of negative pain outcomes. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was administered at Family Medicine clinics in the Pacific Northwest, November 2018-January 2019. Logistic regression was used to model the adjusted odds of participants' awareness and beliefs on opioid epidemic issues, side effects/risks, and general beliefs by opioid prescription expectations and PC. RESULTS: 108 participants completed the survey. Compared with participants with low PC, high PC participants were 74% less likely to be aware of opioid epidemic issues (OR = 0.26, P = .005, 95% CI:0.10-0.67), 62% less likely to be aware of opioid side effects/risks (OR = 0.38 P = .040, 95% CI: 0.15-0.96) and had 2.4 times increased odds of holding more positive beliefs about opioids and/or stronger beliefs regarding pain control, yet the latter did not reach statistical significance (OR = 2.40 P = .083, 95% CI: 0.89-6.47). CONCLUSION: Significant gaps existed among our participants with high PC in their awareness of opioid epidemic issues and side effects/risks compared with their low PC counterparts. They may also carry positive beliefs regarding opioids and pain-control in general. In any pain care, it seems important to identify patients with high pain catastrophizing. Doing so may facilitates exploration of their beliefs and expectations regarding pain management and aids in tailoring individualized treatment and prevent adverse side effects.

Ethnicity, Language, and HIV Screening in Older Adult Safety-Net Patients.

INTRODUCTION: HIV screening should occur for all adults at least once by age 65 years. Older adults have low screening rates. Latinos, with historically low screening rates, have worse HIV outcomes than non-Hispanic White patients. Electronic health record data from a multistate network of community health centers were used to examine whether there are differences in HIV screening for Latino (English and Spanish preferring) and non-Hispanic White older adults. METHODS: Data were from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network Clinical Research Network of PCORnet from 21 states in 2012-2021 among an open cohort of patients aged 50-65 years. Relative odds of ever having received HIV screening comparing Latinos with non-Hispanic Whites using generalized estimating equation logistic regression modeling were calculated, adjusting for relevant patient-level covariates. Analyses were conducted in 2022. RESULTS: Among 251,645 patients, the covariate-adjusted odds of ever receiving HIV screening were 18% higher for English-preferring Latino patients (OR=1.18, 95% CI=1.11, 1.25) and 32% higher for Spanish-preferring Latinos than for non-Hispanic Whites (OR=1.32, 95% CI=1.24, 1.42). CONCLUSIONS: Latinos seen in community health centers, regardless of language spoken, are more likely to be screened at least once for HIV than non-Hispanic Whites. This increased screening may be due at least in part to the community health center setting, a setting known to mitigate disparities, as well as due to participation efforts by community health centers in public health campaigns. Future research can prioritize understanding the cause of this relative advantage.

Sedative-hypnotic Co-prescribing with Opioids in a Large Network of Community Health Centers.

OBJECTIVE: When prescribed with opioids, sedative-hypnotics substantially increase the risk of overdose. The objective of this paper was to describe characteristics and trends in opioid sedative-hypnotic co-prescribing in a network of safety-net clinics serving low-income, publicly insured, and uninsured individuals. METHODS: This retrospective longitudinal analysis of prescription orders examined opioid sedative-hypnotic co-prescribing rates between 2009 and 2018 in the OCHIN network of safety-net community health centers. Sedative-hypnotics included benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine sedatives (eg, zolpidem). Co-prescribing patterns were assessed overall and across patient demographic and co-morbidity characteristics. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2018, 240 587 patients had ≥1 opioid prescriptions. Most were White (65%), female (59%), and had Medicaid insurance (43%). One in 4 were chronic opioid users (25%). During this period, 55 332 (23%) were co-prescribed a sedative-hypnotic. The prevalence of co-prescribing was highest for females (26% vs 19% for males), non-Hispanic Whites (28% vs 13% for Hispanic to 20% for unknown), those over 44 years of age (25% vs 20% for <44 years), Medicare insurance (30% vs 21% for uninsured to 22% for other/unknown), and among those on chronic opioid therapy (40%). Co-prescribing peaked in 2010 (32%) and declined steadily through 2018 (20%). Trends were similar across demographic subgroups. Co-prescribed sedative-hypnotics remained elevated for those with chronic opioid use (27%), non-Hispanic Whites (24%), females (23%), and those with Medicare (23%) or commercial insurance (22%). CONCLUSIONS: Co-prescribed sedative-hypnotic use has declined steadily since 2010 across all demographic subgroups in the OCHIN population. Concurrent use remains elevated in several population subgroups.

Trajectories of Chronic Disease and Multimorbidity Among Middle-aged and Older Patients at Community Health Centers.

Importance: Health-related consequences of multimorbidity (≥2 chronic diseases) are well documented. However, the extent and rate of accumulation of chronic diseases among US patients seeking care in safety-net clinics are not well understood. These insights are needed to enable clinicians, administrators, and policy makers to mobilize resources for prevention of disease escalations in this population. Objectives: To identify the patterns and rate of chronic disease accumulation among middle-aged and older patients seeking care in community health centers, as well as any sociodemographic differences. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used electronic health record data from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019, on 725 107 adults aged 45 years or older with 2 or more ambulatory care visits in 2 or more distinct years at 657 primary care clinics in the Advancing Data Value Across a National Community Health Center network in 26 US states. Statistical analysis was performed from September 2021 to February 2023. Exposures: Race and ethnicity, age, insurance coverage, and federal poverty level (FPL). Main Outcomes and Measures: Patient-level chronic disease burden, operationalized as the sum of 22 chronic diseases recommended by the Multiple Chronic Conditions Framework. Linear mixed models with patient-level random effects adjusted for demographic characteristics and ambulatory visit frequency with time interactions were estimated to compare accrual by race and ethnicity, age, income, and insurance coverage. Results: The analytic sample included 725 107 patients (417 067 women [57.5%]; 359 255 [49.5%] aged 45-54 years, 242 571 [33.5%] aged 55-64 years, and 123 281 [17.0%] aged ≥65 years). On average, patients started with a mean (SD) of 1.7 (1.7) morbidities and ended with 2.6 (2.0) morbidities over a mean (SD) of 4.2 (2.0) years of follow-up. Compared with non-Hispanic White patients, patients in racial and ethnic minoritized groups had marginally lower adjusted annual rates of accrual of conditions (-0.03 [95% CI, -0.03 to -0.03] for Spanish-preferring Hispanic patients; -0.02 [95% CI, -0.02 to -0.01] for English-preferring Hispanic patients; -0.01 [95% CI, -0.01 to -0.01] for non-Hispanic Black patients; and -0.04 [95% CI, -0.05 to -0.04] for non-Hispanic Asian patients). Older patients accrued conditions at higher annual rates compared with patients 45 to 50 years of age (0.03 [95% CI, 0.02-0.03] for 50-55 years; 0.03 [95% CI, 0.03-0.04] for 55-60 years; 0.04 [95% CI, 0.04-0.04] for 60-65 years; and 0.05 [95% CI, 0.05-0.05] for ≥65 years). Compared with those with higher income (always ≥138% of the FPL), patients with income less than 138% of the FPL (0.04 [95% CI, 0.04-0.05]), mixed income (0.01 [95% CI, 0.01-0.01]), or unknown income levels (0.04 [95% CI, 0.04-0.04]) had higher annual accrual rates. Compared with continuously insured patients, continuously uninsured and discontinuously insured patients had lower annual accrual rates (continuously uninsured, -0.003 [95% CI, -0.005 to -0.001]; discontinuously insured, -0.004 [95% CI, -0.005 to -0.003]). Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study of middle-aged patients seeking care in community health centers suggests that disease accrued at high rates for patients' chronological age. Targeted efforts for chronic disease prevention are needed for patients near or below the poverty line.