Proactive behaviors and health care workers: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Proactive behaviors at work refer to discretionary actions among workers that are self-starting, change oriented, and future focused. Proactive behaviors reflect the idiosyncratic actions by individual workers that shape the delivery and experience of professional services, highlight a bottom-up perspective on workers' agency and motivation that can influence organizational practices, and are associated with a variety of employee and organizational outcomes. PURPOSE: This systematic review aims to understand the various forms of proactive behaviors in health care workers that have been studied, and how these proactive behaviors are associated with employee-level outcomes and quality of care. METHODS: Systematic review of articles published to date on proactive behaviors in health care workers. RESULTS: Based on the identification of 40 articles, we find that job crafting, active problem solving, voice, extra-role behaviors, and idiosyncratic deals have been investigated as proactive behaviors among health care workers. Among these, job crafting is the most commonly studied (35% of articles), and it has been conceptualized and measured in the most consistent way, including as individual- and group-level phenomena, and as organizational interventions. Studies on active problem solving, which refers to workers accepting responsibility, exercising control, and taking action around anticipated or experienced problems at work, have not been consistently investigated as a form of proactive behavior but represent 25% of the articles identified in this review. Overall, this review finds that proactive behaviors in health care is a burgeoning area of research, with the majority of studies being cross-sectional in design and published after 2010, and focused on workers' job satisfaction as the outcome. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Health care workers and managers should consider the distinct influences and contributions of proactive behaviors as ways to improve employee-level outcomes and quality of care.

Adoption of Electronic Health Record Among Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs: Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Electronic health record (EHR) systems have been shown to be associated with improvements in care processes, quality of care, and patient outcomes. EHR also has a crucial role in the delivery of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and is considered important for addressing SUD crises, including the opioid epidemic. However, little is known about the adoption of EHR in SUD treatment programs or the organizational-level factors associated with the adoption of EHR in SUD treatment. OBJECTIVE: We examined the adoption of EHR in SUD programs, with a focus on changes in adoption from 2014 to 2017, and identified organizational-level factors associated with EHR adoption. METHODS: We used data from the 2014 and 2017 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Surveys. Our analysis included 1027 SUD programs (531 in 2014 and 496 in 2017). We used chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests for categorical and continuous variables, respectively, to assess changes in EHR adoption, technology use, program, and client characteristics. We also investigated differences in characteristics and barriers to adoption by EHR adoption status (adopted EHR vs had not adopted or were planning to adopt EHR). We then conducted multivariate logistic regressions to examine internal and external factors associated with EHR adoption. RESULTS: The adoption of EHR increased significantly from 57.6% (306/531) in 2014 to 69.2% (343/496) in 2017 (P<.001), showing that nearly one-third (153/496, 30.8%) of SUD programs had not yet adopted an EHR system by 2017. We identified a significant increase in technology use and ownership by a parent company (P=.01 and P<.001) and a decrease in the percentage of uninsured patients in 2017 (P<.001), compared to 2014. Our analysis further showed significant differences by adoption status for three major barriers to adoption: (1) start-up costs, (2) ongoing financial costs, and (3) privacy or security concerns (P<.001). Programs that used computerized scheduling (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 3.02, 95% CI 2.23-4.09) and billing systems (AOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.62-3.25) were more likely to adopt EHR. Similarly, ownership type, such as private nonprofit (AOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.31-2.65) and public (AOR 2.14, 95% CI 1.27-3.67), or interest in participating in a patient-centered medical home (AOR 1.93, 95% CI 1.29-2.92), were associated with an increased likelihood to adopt EHR. Overall, SUD programs were more likely to adopt an EHR system in 2017 compared to 2014 (AOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.07-1.94). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlighted that SUD programs may be on track to achieve widespread EHR adoption. However, there is a need for focused strategies, resources, and policies explicitly designed to systematically address barriers and tackle obstacles to expanding the adoption of EHR systems. These efforts must be holistic and address factors at multiple organizational levels.

Addressing Barriers to On-site HIV and HCV Testing Services in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs in the United States: Findings From a National Multisite Qualitative Study.

CONTEXT: Few substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs provide on-site human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing, despite evidence that these tests are cost-effective. OBJECTIVE: To understand how methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs that offer on-site HIV/HCV testing have integrated testing services, and the challenges related to offering on-site HIV/HCV testing. DESIGN: We used the 2014 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey to identify outpatient SUD treatment programs that reported offering on-site HIV/HCV testing to 75% or more of their clients. We stratified the sample to identify programs based on combinations of funding source, type of drug treatment offered, and Medicaid-managed care arrangements. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with leadership and staff in 2017-2018 using a directed content analysis approach to identify dominant themes. SETTING: Seven MMT programs located in 6 states in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen leadership and staff from 7 MMT programs with on-site HIV/HCV testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Themes related to integration of on-site HIV/HCV testing. RESULTS: Methadone maintenance treatment programs identified 3 domains related to the integration of HIV/HCV testing on-site at MMT programs: (1) payment and billing, (2) internal and external stakeholders, and (3) medical and SUD treatment coordination. Programs identified the absence of state policies that facilitate medical billing and inconsistent grant funding as major barriers. Testing availability was limited by the frequency at which external organizations could provide services on-site, the reliability of those external relationships, and MMT staffing. Poor electronic health record systems and privacy policies that prevent medical information sharing between medical and SUD treatment providers also limited effective care coordination. CONCLUSION: Effective and sustainable integration of on-site HIV/HCV testing by MMT programs in the United States will require more consistent funding, improved billing options, technical assistance, electronic health record system enhancement and coordination, and policy changes related to privacy.

Bundling Rapid Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus Testing to Increase Receipt of Test Results: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The overlapping human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemics disproportionately affect people with substance use disorders. However, many people who use substances remain unaware of their infection(s). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of an on-site bundled rapid HIV and HCV testing strategy in increasing receipt of both HIV and HCV test results. RESEARCH DESIGN: Two-armed randomized controlled trial in substance use disorder treatment programs (SUDTP) in New York City. Participants in the treatment arm were offered bundled rapid HIV and HCV tests with immediate results on-site. Participants in the control arm were offered the standard of care, that is, referrals to on-site or off-site laboratory-based HIV and HCV testing with delayed results. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 162 clients with unknown or negative HIV and HCV status. MEASURES: The primary outcome was the percentage of participants with self-reported receipt of HIV and HCV test results at 1-month postrandomization. RESULTS: Over half of participants were Hispanic (51.2%), with 25.3% being non-Hispanic black and 17.9% non-Hispanic white. Two thirds were male, and 54.9% reported injection as method of drug use. One hundred thirty-four participants (82.7%) completed the 1-month assessment. Participants in the treatment arm were more likely to report having received both test results than those in the control arm (69% vs. 19%, P<0.001). Seven participants in the treatment arm received a preliminary new HCV diagnosis, versus 1 in the control arm (P=0.029). CONCLUSION: Offering bundled rapid HIV and HCV testing with immediate results on-site in SUDTPs may increase awareness of HIV and HCV infection among people with substance use disorders.

Advancing theory on the multilevel role of leadership in the implementation of evidence-based health care practices.

BACKGROUND: Top managers' transformational leadership is associated with significant influence on subordinates. Yet little is known about the extent to which top managers' transformational leadership influences middle managers' implementation leadership and, ultimately, frontline staff delivery of evidence-based health care practices. PURPOSE: To test a multilevel leadership model examining the extent to which top managers' transformational leadership, as mediated by implementation leadership of middle managers (i.e., those who supervise direct clinical services), affects staff attitudes toward evidence-based practices (EBPs) and their implementation. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: We used data collected in 2013 from 427 employees in 112 addiction health services programs in Los Angeles County, California. We relied on hierarchical linear models with robust standard errors to analyze multilevel data, individuals nested in programs. We conducted two path models to estimate multilevel relationships with two EBPs: contingency management and medication-assisted treatment. RESULTS: Findings partially supported our theory-driven multilevel leadership model. Specifically, results demonstrated that middle managers' implementation leadership mediated the relationship between top managers' transformational leadership and attitudes toward EBPs. At the same time, they showed the mediated relationship for delivery of contingency management treatment was only marginally significant (standardized indirect effect = .006, bootstrap p = .091). We did not find a mediation effect for medication-assisted treatment. DISCUSSION: Findings advance leadership theory in health care, highlighting the importance of middle managers' implementation leadership in transmitting the influence of top managers' transformational leadership on staff attitudes toward EBPs. The full path model shows the extent to which transformational leadership may influence staff implementation of innovative practices as mediated through staff attitudes toward EBPs and middle managers' implementation leadership. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings have implications for developing a multilevel leadership approach to implementation in health care. Leadership development should build on different competencies based on managers' level but align managers' priorities on the same implementation goals.

Patterns of Substance Use and Arrest Histories Among Hospitalized HIV Drug Users: A Latent Class Analysis.

Using baseline data from the NIDA Clinical Trials Network 0049 study (Project HOPE), we performed latent class analyses (LCA) to identify discrete classes, or clusters, of people living with HIV (PLWH) based on their past year substance use behaviors and lifetime arrest history. We also performed multinomial logistic regressions to identify key characteristics associated with class membership. We identified 5 classes of substance users (minimal drug users, cocaine users, substantial cocaine/hazardous alcohol users, problem polysubstance users, substantial cocaine/heroin users) and 3 classes of arrest history (minimal arrests, non-drug arrests, drug-related arrests). While several demographic variables such as age and being Black or Hispanic were associated with class membership for some of the latent classes, participation in substance use treatment was the only covariate that was significantly associated with membership in all classes in both substance use and arrest history LCA models. Our analyses reveal complex patterns of behaviors among substance using PLWH and suggest that HIV intervention strategies may need to take into consideration such nuanced differences to better inform future studies and program implementation.

Spillover effects of HIV testing policies: changes in HIV testing guidelines and HCV testing practices in drug treatment programs in the United States.

BACKGROUND: To examine the extent to which state adoption of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2006 revisions to adult and adolescent HIV testing guidelines is associated with availability of other important prevention and medical services. We hypothesized that in states where the pretest counseling requirement for HIV testing was dropped from state legislation, substance use disorder treatment programs would have higher availability of HCV testing services than in states that had maintained this requirement. METHODS: We analyzed a nationally representative sample of 383 opioid treatment programs from the 2005 and 2011 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS). Data were collected from program directors and clinical supervisors through telephone surveys. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to measure associations between state adoption of CDC recommended guidelines for HIV pretest counseling and availability of HCV testing services. RESULTS: The effects of HIV testing legislative changes on HCV testing practices varied by type of opioid treatment program. In states that had removed the requirement for HIV pretest counseling, buprenorphine-only programs were more likely to offer HCV testing to their patients. The positive spillover effect of HIV pretest counseling policies, however, did not extend to methadone programs and did not translate into increased availability of on-site HCV testing in either program type. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight potential positive spillover effects of HIV testing policies on HCV testing practices. They also suggest that maximizing the benefits of HIV policies may require other initiatives, including resources and programmatic efforts that support systematic integration with other services and effective implementation.

Determinants of the availability of hepatitis C testing services in opioid treatment programs: results from a national study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined trends and organizational-level correlates of the availability of HCV testing in opioid treatment programs. METHODS: We used generalized ordered logit models to examine associations between organizational characteristics of 383 opioid treatment programs from the 2005 and 2011 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey and HCV testing availability. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2011, the proportion of opioid treatment programs offering HCV testing increased but largely because of increases in off-site referrals rather than on-site testing. HCV testing availability was higher in opioid treatment programs affiliated with a hospital and those receiving federal funds. Opioid treatment programs providing both methadone and buprenorphine were more likely to offer any HCV testing, whereas opioid treatment programs providing only buprenorphine treatment were less likely to offer on-site testing. HCV testing availability was associated with more favorable staff-to-client ratios. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing use of off-site referrals for HCV testing in opioid treatment programs likely limits opportunities for case finding, prevention, and treatment. Declines in federal funding for opioid treatment programs may be a key determinant of the availability of HCV testing in opioid treatment programs.

Challenges in the distribution of antimicrobial medications in community dispensaries in Accra, Ghana.

INTRODUCTION: The dispensation of medicines in some low- and middle-income countries is often carried out by private vendors operating under constrained conditions. The aim of this study was to understand the challenges reported by employees of dispensaries, specifically, chemical and herbal shops and pharmacies in Accra, Ghana. Our objectives were twofold: (1) to assess challenges faced by medicine vendors related to dispensing antimicrobials (antibiotic and antimalarial medications), and (2) to identify opportunities for improving their stewardship of antimicrobials. METHODS: Data were collected in 79 dispensaries throughout Accra, in 2021, using a survey questionnaire. We used open-ended questions, grounded on an adapted socioecological model of public health, to analyze these data and determine challenges faced by respondents. RESULTS: We identified multiple, interlocking challenges faced by medicine vendors. Many of these relate to challenges of antimicrobial stewardship (following evidence-based practices when dispensing medicines). Overall, medicine vendors frequently reported challenges at the Customer and Community levels. These included strained interactions with customers and the prohibitive costs of medications. The consequences of these challenges reverberated and manifested through all levels of the socioecological model of public health (Entity, Customer, Community, Global). DISCUSSION: The safe and effective distribution of medications was truncated by strained interactions, often related to the cost of medicines and gaps in knowledge. While addressing these challenges requires multifaceted approaches, we identified several areas that, if intervened upon, could unlock the great potential of antimicrobal stewardship. The effective and efficient implementation of key interventions could facilitate efforts spearheaded by medicine vendors and leverage the benefits of their role as health educators and service providers. CONCLUSION: Addressing barriers faced by medicine vendors would provide an opportunity to significantly improve the provision of medications, and ultimately population health. Such efforts will likely expand access to populations who may otherwise be unable to access medications and treatment in formal institutions of care such as hospitals. Our findings also highlight the broad range of care provided by shopkeepers and vendors at dispensaries. These findings suggest that the meaningful engagement of dispensaries as valued conduits of community health is a promising pathway for interventions aiming to improve antimicrobial stewardship.

Identifying the Heterogeneity in the Association between Workforce Diversity and Retention in Opioid Treatment among Black clients.

Background: This study investigates the impact of workforce diversity, specifically staff identified as Black/African American, on retention in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, aiming to enhance patient outcomes. Employing a novel machine learning technique known as 'causal forest,' we explore heterogeneous treatment effects on retention. Methods: We relied on four waves of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS), a nationally representative longitudinal dataset of treatment programs. We analyzed OUD program data from the years 2000, 2005, 2014 and 2017 (n = 627). Employing the 'causal forest' method, we analyzed the heterogeneity in the relationship between workforce diversity and retention in OUD treatment. Interviews with program directors and clinical supervisors provided the data for this study. Results: The results reveal diversity-related variations in the association with retention across 61 out of 627 OUD treatment programs (less than 10%). These programs, associated with positive impacts of workforce diversity, were more likely private-for-profit, newer, had lower percentages of Black and Latino clients, lower staff-to-client ratios, higher proportions of staff with graduate degrees, and lower percentages of unemployed clients. Conclusions: While workforce diversity is crucial, our findings underscore that it alone is insufficient for improving retention in addiction health services research. Programs with characteristics typically linked to positive outcomes are better positioned to maximize the benefits of a diverse workforce in client retention. This research has implications for policy and program design, guiding decisions on resource allocation and workforce diversity to enhance retention rates among Black clients with OUDs.

Missed opportunities for hepatitis C testing in opioid treatment programs.

HCV has surpassed HIV as a cause of death in the United States and is particularly prevalent among injection drug users. I examined the availability of on-site HCV testing in a nationally representative sample of opioid treatment programs. Nearly 68% of these programs had the staff required for HCV testing, but only 34% offered on-site testing. Availability of on-site testing increased only slightly with the proportion of injection drug users among clients. The limited HCV testing services in opioid treatment programs is a key challenge to reducing HCV in the US population.

Health information technology capacity at federally qualified health centers: a mechanism for improving quality of care.

BACKGROUND: The adoption of health information technology has been recommended as a viable mechanism for improving quality of care and patient health outcomes. However, the capacity of health information technology (i.e., availability and use of multiple and advanced functionalities), particularly in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) on improving quality of care is not well understood. We examined associations between health information technology (HIT) capacity at FQHCs and quality of care, measured by the receipt of discharge summary, frequency of patients receiving reminders/notifications for preventive care/follow-up care, and timely appointment for specialty care. METHODS: The analyses used 2009 data from the National Survey of Federally Qualified Health Centers. The study included 776 of the FQHCs that participated in the survey. We examined the extent of HIT use and tested the hypothesis that level of HIT capacity is associated with quality of care. Multivariable logistic regressions, reporting unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios, were used to examine whether 'FQHCs' HIT capacity' is associated with the outcome measures. RESULTS: The results showed a positive association between health information technology capacity and quality of care. FQHCs with higher HIT capacity were significantly more likely to have improved quality of care, measured by the receipt of discharge summaries (OR=1.43; CI=1.01, 2.40), the use of a patient notification system for preventive and follow-up care (OR=1.74; CI=1.23, 2.45), and timely appointment for specialty care (OR=1.77; CI=1.24, 2.53). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the promise of HIT in improving quality of care, particularly for vulnerable populations who seek care at FQHCs. The results also show that FQHCs may not be maximizing the benefits of HIT. Efforts to implement HIT must include strategies that facilitate the implementation of comprehensive and advanced functionalities, as well as promote meaningful use of these systems. Further examination of the role of health information systems in clinical decision-making and improvements in patient outcomes are needed to better understand the benefits of HIT in improving overall quality of care.

Predicting and responding to change: Perceived environmental uncertainty among substance use disorder treatment programs.

INTRODUCTION: Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs offering addiction health services (AHS) must be prepared to adapt to change in their operating environment. These environmental uncertainties may have implications for service delivery, and ultimately patient outcomes. To adapt to a multitude of environmental uncertainties, treatment programs must be prepared to predict and respond to change. Yet, research on treatment programs preparedness for change is sparse. We examined reported difficulties in predicting and responding to changes in the AHS system, and factors associated with these outcomes. METHODS: Cross-sectional surveys of SUD treatment programs in the United States in 2014 and 2017. We used linear and ordered logistic regression to examine associations between key independent variables (e.g., program, staff, and client characteristics) and four outcomes, (1) reported difficulties in predicting change, (2) predicting effect of change on organization, (3) responding to change, and (4) predicting changes to make to respond to environmental uncertainties. Data were collected through telephone surveys. RESULTS: The proportion of SUD treatment programs reporting difficulty predicting and responding to changes in the AHS system decreased from 2014 to 2017. However, a considerable proportion still reported difficulty in 2017. We identified that different organizational characteristics are associated with their reported ability to predict or respond to environmental uncertainty. Findings show that predicting change is significantly associated with program characteristics only, while predicting effect of change on organizations is associated with program and staff characteristics. Deciding how to respond to change is associated with program, staff, and client characteristics, while predicting changes to make to respond is associated with staff characteristics only. CONCLUSIONS: Although treatment programs reported decreased difficulty predicting and responding to changes, our findings identify program characteristics and attributes that could better position programs with the foresight to more effectively predict and respond to uncertainties. Given resource constraints at multiple levels in treatment programs, this knowledge might help identify and optimize aspects of programs to intervene upon to enhance their adaptability to change. These efforts may positively influences processes or care delivery, and ultimately translate into improvements in patient outcomes.

A study protocol for Project I-Test: a cluster randomized controlled trial of a practice coaching intervention to increase HIV testing in substance use treatment programs.

Background People with substance use disorders are vulnerable to acquiring HIV. Testing is fundamental to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention; however, in the past decade, there has been a decline in the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs offering on-site HIV testing. Fewer than half of SUDs in the United States offer on-site HIV testing. In addition, nearly a quarter of newly diagnosed cases have AIDS at the time of diagnosis. Lack of testing is one of the main reasons that annual HIV incidences have remained constant over time. Integration of HIV testing with testing for HCV, an infection prevalent among persons vulnerable to HIV infection, and in settings where they receive health services, including opioid treatment programs (OTPs), is of great public health importance. Methods/Design In this 3-arm cluster-RCT of opioid use disorders treatment programs, we test the effect of two evidence-based "practice coaching" (PC) interventions on: the provision and sustained implementation of on-site HIV testing, on-site HIV/HCV testing, and linkage to care. Using the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services data available from SAMHSA, 51 sites are randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: practice coach facilitated structured conversations around implementing change, with provision of resources and documents to support the implementation of (1) HIV testing only, or (2) HIV/HCV testing, and (3) a control condition that provides a package with information only. We collect quantitative (e,g., HIV and HCV testing at six-month-long intervals) and qualitative site data near the time of randomization, and again approximately 7-12 months after randomization. Discussion Innovative and comprehensive approaches that facilitate and promote the adoption and sustainability of HIV and HCV testing in opioid treatment programs are important for addressing and reducing HIV and HCV infection rates. This study is one of the first to test organizational approaches (practice coaching) to increase HIV and HIV/HCV testing and linkage to care among individuals receiving treatment for opioid use disorder. The study may provide valuable insight and knowledge on the multiple levels of intervention that, if integrated, may better position OTPs to improve and sustain testing practices and improve population health. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03135886. (02 05 2017).

A study protocol for Project I-Test: a cluster randomized controlled trial of a practice coaching intervention to increase HIV testing in substance use treatment programs.

BACKGROUND: People with substance use disorders are vulnerable to acquiring HIV. Testing is fundamental to diagnosis, treatment, and prevention; however, in the past decade, there has been a decline in the number of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs offering on-site HIV testing. Fewer than half of SUDs in the USA offer on-site HIV testing. In addition, nearly a quarter of newly diagnosed cases have AIDS at the time of diagnosis. Lack of testing is one of the main reasons that annual HIV incidences have remained constant over time. Integration of HIV testing with testing for HCV, an infection prevalent among persons vulnerable to HIV infection, and in settings where they receive health services, including opioid treatment programs (OTPs), is of great public health importance. METHODS/DESIGN: In this 3-arm cluster-RCT of opioid use disorders treatment programs, we test the effect of two evidence-based "practice coaching" (PC) interventions on the provision and sustained implementation of on-site HIV testing, on-site HIV/HCV testing, and linkage to care. Using the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services data available from SAMHSA, 51 sites are randomly assigned to one of the three conditions: practice coach facilitated structured conversations around implementing change, with provision of resources and documents to support the implementation of (1) HIV testing only, or (2) HIV/HCV testing, and (3) a control condition that provides a package with information only. We collect quantitative (e.g., HIV and HCV testing at 6-month-long intervals) and qualitative site data near the time of randomization, and again approximately 7-12 months after randomization. DISCUSSION: Innovative and comprehensive approaches that facilitate and promote the adoption and sustainability of HIV and HCV testing in opioid treatment programs are important for addressing and reducing HIV and HCV infection rates. This study is one of the first to test organizational approaches (practice coaching) to increase HIV and HIV/HCV testing and linkage to care among individuals receiving treatment for opioid use disorder. The study may provide valuable insight and knowledge on the multiple levels of intervention that, if integrated, may better position OTPs to improve and sustain testing practices and improve population health. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03135886. Registered on 2 May 2017.

Supplementary polio immunization activities and prior use of routine immunization services in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To determine participation in polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in sub-Saharan Africa among users and non-users of routine immunization services and among users who were compliant or non-compliant with the routine oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) immunization schedule. METHODS: Data were obtained from household-based surveys in non-polio-endemic sub-Saharan African countries. Routine immunization service users were children (aged < 5 years) who had ever had a health card containing their vaccination history; non-users were children who had never had a health card. Users were considered compliant with the OPV routine immunization schedule if, by the SIA date, their health card reflected receipt of required OPV doses. Logistic regression measured associations between SIA participation and use of both routine immunization services and compliance with routine OPV among users. FINDINGS: Data from 21 SIAs conducted between 1999 and 2010 in 15 different countries met inclusion criteria. Overall SIA participation ranged from 70.2% to 96.1%. It was consistently lower among infants than among children aged 1-4 years. In adjusted analyses, participation among routine immunization services users was > 85% in 12 SIAs but non-user participation was >85% in only 5 SIAs. In 18 SIAs, participation was greater among users (P < 0.01 in 16, 0.05 in 1 and < 0.10 in 1) than non-users. In 14 SIAs, adjusted analyses revealed lower participation among non-compliant users than among compliant users (P < 0.01 in 10, < 0.05 in 2 and < 0.10 in 2). CONCLUSION: Large percentages of children participated in SIAs. Prior use of routine immunization services and compliance with the routine OPV schedule showed a strong positive association with SIA participation.

Workforce Diversity and disparities in wait time and retention among opioid treatment programs.

BACKGROUND: Workforce diversity is a key strategy to improve treatment engagement among members of racial and ethnic minority groups. In this study, we seek to determine whether workforce diversity plays a role in reducing racial and ethnic differences in wait time to treatment entry and retention in different types of opioid use disorder treatment programs. METHODS: We conducted comparative and predictive analysis in a subsample of outpatient opioid treatment programs (OTPs), who completed access and retention survey questions in four waves of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (162 OTPs in 2000, 173 OTPs in 2005, 282 OTPs in 2014, and 300 OTPs in 2017). We sought to assess the associations between workforce diversity on wait time and retention, accounting for the role of Medicaid expansion and the moderating role of program ownership type (i.e., public, non-profit, for-profit) among OTPs located across the United States. RESULTS: We found significant differences in wait time to treatment entry and retention in treatment across waves. Average number of waiting days decreased in 2014 and 2017; post Medicaid expansion per the Affordable Care Act, while retention rates varied across years. Key findings show that programs with high diversity, measured by higher percent of African American staff and a higher percent of African American clients, were associated with longer wait times to enter treatment, compared to low diversity programs. Programs with higher percent of Latino staff and a higher percent of Latino clients were associated with lower retention in treatment compared with low diversity programs. However, program ownership type (public, non-profit and for-profit) played a moderating role. Public programs with higher percent of African American staff were associated with lower wait time, while non-profit programs with higher percent of Latino staff were related to higher retention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings show decreases in wait time over the years with significant variation in retention during the same period. Concordance in high workforce and client diversity was associated with higher wait time and lower retention. But these relations inverted (low wait time and high retention) in public and non-profit programs with high staff diversity. Findings have implications for building resources and service capacity among OTPs that serve a higher proportion of minority clients.

Does supervision improve health worker productivity? Evidence from the Upper East Region of Ghana.

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether supervision of primary health care workers improves their productivity in four districts of Northern Ghana. METHODS: We conducted a time-use study during which the activities of health workers were repeatedly observed and classified. Classification included four categories: direct patient care; documentation and reporting; staff development and facility operations; and personal time. These data were supplemented by a survey of health workers during which patterns of supervision were assessed. We used logistic regression models with health facility fixed effects to test the hypothesis that supervision increases the amount of time spent providing direct patient care (productivity). We further investigated whether these effects depend on whether or not supervision is supportive. RESULTS: Direct patient care accounted for <25% of observations. In bivariate analyses, productivity was higher among midwives and in facilities with a high volume of care. Supervisory visits were frequent in those four districts, but only a minority of health workers felt supported by their supervisors. Having been supervised within the last month was associated with a significantly higher proportion of time spent on direct patient care (OR = 1.57). The effects of supervision on productivity further depended on whether the health workers felt supported by their supervisors. CONCLUSION: Supportive supervision was associated with increased productivity. Investments in supervision could help maximize the output of scarce human resources in primary health care facilities. Time-use studies represent an objective approach in monitoring the productivity of health workers and evaluating the impact of health-system interventions on human resources.

Strategies to increase downloads of COVID-19 exposure notification apps: A discrete choice experiment.

Exposure notification apps have been developed to assist in notifying individuals of recent exposures to SARS-CoV-2. However, in several countries, such apps have had limited uptake. We assessed whether strategies to increase downloads of exposure notification apps should emphasize improving the accuracy of the apps in recording contacts and exposures, strengthening privacy protections and/or offering financial incentives to potential users. In a discrete choice experiment with potential app users in the US, financial incentives were more than twice as important in decision-making about app downloads, than privacy protections, and app accuracy. The probability that a potential user would download an exposure notification app increased by 40% when offered a $100 reward to download (relative to a reference scenario in which the app is free). Financial incentives might help exposure notification apps reach uptake levels that improve the effectiveness of contact tracing programs and ultimately enhance efforts to control SARS-CoV-2. Rapid, pragmatic trials of financial incentives for app downloads in real-life settings are warranted.

The importance of examining movements within the US health care system: sequential logit modeling.

BACKGROUND: Utilization of specialty care may not be a discrete, isolated behavior but rather, a behavior of sequential movements within the health care system. Although patients may often visit their primary care physician and receive a referral before utilizing specialty care, prior studies have underestimated the importance of accounting for these sequential movements. METHODS: The sample included 6,772 adults aged 18 years and older who participated in the 2001 Survey on Disparities in Quality of Care, sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund. A sequential logit model was used to account for movement in all stages of utilization: use of any health services (i.e., first stage), having a perceived need for specialty care (i.e., second stage), and utilization of specialty care (i.e., third stage). In the sequential logit model, all stages are nested within the previous stage. RESULTS: Gender, race/ethnicity, education and poor health had significant explanatory effects with regard to use of any health services and having a perceived need for specialty care, however racial/ethnic, gender, and educational disparities were not present in utilization of specialty care. After controlling for use of any health services and having a perceived need for specialty care, inability to pay for specialty care via income (AOR = 1.334, CI = 1.10 to 1.62) or health insurance (unstable insurance: AOR = 0.26, CI = 0.14 to 0.48; no insurance: AOR = 0.12, CI = 0.07 to 0.20) were significant barriers to utilization of specialty care. CONCLUSIONS: Use of a sequential logit model to examine utilization of specialty care resulted in a detailed representation of utilization behaviors and patient characteristics that impact these behaviors at all stages within the health care system. After controlling for sequential movements within the health care system, the biggest barrier to utilizing specialty care is the inability to pay, while racial, gender, and educational disparities diminish to non-significance. Findings from this study represent how Americans use the health care system and more precisely reveals the disparities and inequalities in the U.S. health care system.