Geospatial analysis of Mediterranean diet adherence in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aims to describe the Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence across the US regions, and explore the predictive factors of MD adherence among US adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. MD adherence score (0-9) was calculated using the Block 98 FFQ. Hot spot analysis was conducted to describe the geospatial distribution of MD adherence across the US regions. Logistic regression explored predictors of MD adherence. SETTING: Nationwide community-dwelling residency in the USA. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged ≥45 years (n 20 897) who participated in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study and completed baseline assessment during January 2003 and October 2007. RESULTS: The mean of MD adherence score was 4·36 (sd 1·70), and 46·5 % of the sample had high MD adherence (score 5-9). Higher MD adherence clusters were primarily located in the western and northeastern coastal areas of the USA, whereas lower MD adherence clusters were majorly observed in south and east-north-central regions. Being older, black, not a current smoker, having a college degree or above, an annual household income ≥ $US 75K, exercising ≥4 times/week and watching TV/video <4 h/d were each associated with higher odds of high MD adherence. CONCLUSIONS: There were significant geospatial and population disparities in MD adherence across the US regions. Future studies are needed to explore the causes of MD adherence disparities and develop effective interventions for MD promotion in the USA.

Smoking duration alone provides stronger risk estimates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than pack-years.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is the strongest risk factor for COPD. Smoking burden is frequently measured in pack-years, but the relative contribution of cigarettes smoked per day versus duration towards the development of structural lung disease, airflow obstruction and functional outcomes is not known. METHODS: We analysed cross-sectional data from a large multicentre cohort (COPDGene) of current and former smokers. Primary outcome was airflow obstruction (FEV1/FVC); secondary outcomes included five additional measures of disease: FEV1, CT emphysema, CT gas trapping, functional capacity (6 min walk distance, 6MWD) and respiratory morbidity (St George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ). Generalised linear models were estimated to compare the relative contribution of each smoking variable with the outcomes, after adjustment for age, race, sex, body mass index, CT scanner, centre, age of smoking onset and current smoking status. We also estimated adjusted means of each outcome by categories of pack-years and combined groups of categorised smoking duration and cigarettes/day, and estimated linear trends of adjusted means for each outcome by categorised cigarettes/day, smoking duration and pack-years. RESULTS: 10 187 subjects were included. For FEV1/FVC, standardised beta coefficient for smoking duration was greater than for cigarettes/day and pack-years (P<0.001). After categorisation, there was a linear increase in adjusted means FEV1/FVC with increase in pack-years (regression coefficient ß=-0.023±SE0.003; P=0.003) and duration over all ranges of smoking cigarettes/day (ß=-0.041±0.004; P<0.001) but a relatively flat slope for cigarettes/day across all ranges of smoking duration (ß=-0.009±0.0.009; P=0.34). Strength of association of duration was similarly greater than pack-years for emphysema, gas trapping, FEV1, 6MWD and SGRQ. CONCLUSION: Smoking duration alone provides stronger risk estimates of COPD than the composite index of pack-years. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Post-results; NCT00608764.

Effectiveness of Non-Primary Care-Based Smoking Cessation Interventions for Adults with Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects over 25 million adults, many of whom are smokers. The negative health impact of diabetes and comorbid smoking is significant and requires comprehensive interdisciplinary management. The National Diabetes Education Program has identified specific providers, known as PPOD, who include pharmacists, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists, as key individuals to improve diabetes-related clinical outcomes. These providers are encouraged to work together through interdisciplinary collaboration and to implement evidence-based strategies as outlined in the PPOD toolkit. The toolkit encourages healthcare providers to ask, advise, and assist patients in their efforts to engage in risk reduction and healthy behaviors, including smoking cessation as an important risk factor. While individual PPOD providers have demonstrated effective smoking cessation interventions in adults with other acute and chronic systemic diseases, they lack specific application and focus on adults with diabetes. This literature review examines the current role of PPOD providers in smoking cessation interventions delivered to adults with diabetes.

Can a school-based hand hygiene program reduce asthma exacerbations among elementary school children?

BACKGROUND: Viral upper respiratory tract infections have been implicated as a major cause of asthma exacerbations among school-aged children. Regular hand washing is the most effective method to prevent the spread of viral respiratory tract infections, but effective hand-washing practices are difficult to establish in schools. OBJECTIVES: This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a standardized regimen of hand washing plus alcohol-based hand sanitizer could reduce asthma exacerbations more than schools' usual hand hygiene practices. METHODS: This was a 2-year, community-based, randomized controlled crossover trial. Schools were randomized to usual care and then intervention (sequence 1) or intervention and then usual care (sequence 2). Intervention schools were provided with alcohol-based hand sanitizer, hand soap, and hand hygiene education. The primary outcome was the proportion of students experiencing an asthma exacerbation each month. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the difference in the marginal rate of exacerbations between sequences while controlling for individual demographic factors and the correlation within each student and between students within each school. RESULTS: Five hundred twenty-seven students with asthma were enrolled among 31 schools. The hand hygiene intervention did not reduce the number of asthma exacerbations compared with the schools' usual hand hygiene practices (P = .132). There was a strong temporal trend because both sequences experienced fewer exacerbations during year 2 compared with year 1 (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Although the intervention was not found to be effective, the results were confounded by the H1N1 influenza pandemic that resulted in substantially increased hand hygiene behaviors and resources in usual-care schools. Therefore these results should be viewed cautiously.

Measurement characteristics of the pediatric asthma health outcome measure.

INTRODUCTION: The Pediatric Asthma Health Outcome Measure (PAHOM) was designed to measure quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) in children with asthma. Our objective was to compare parent- and child-reported PAHOM scores to each other, to parent-reported scores on the Juniper Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and to physician-rated asthma control. METHODS: A convenience sample of primarily African-American parent-child dyads (N = 261) was recruited from asthma clinics between May 2008 and May 2010. Correlations and differences in scores between the instruments and respondents were compared across variables of interest. The sensitivity and specificity of each, relative to physician-rated asthma control, were estimated. RESULTS: Mean (SD) parent- and child-reported PAHOM scores were significantly different, 0.91 (0.13) and 0.95 (0.08), respectively, (p < .01) and were weakly correlated (0.24). Parent-reported PAHOM and parent-reported ACQ, 5-item version (ACQ5) scores were moderately correlated (-0.69). Both the parent- and child-reported PAHOM scores distinguished between physician-rated well-controlled and not well-controlled asthma (p < .01 and p < .01, respectively). When compared with physician-rated asthma control, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the parent-reported PAHOM and the ACQ5 were similar (p = .11), but both performed better than the child-reported PAHOM (both p < .01). Discussion. The validity of the PAHOM is supported by its moderate correlation with the ACQ and its association with physician-rated asthma control. Although intended to be administered to children, parent-reported scores were better predictors of physician-rated asthma control. CONCLUSIONS: A validation study in a more economically and ethnically diverse population is needed. Until then, we recommend the PAHOM to be administered to both parents and children.

Does Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Mediate the Association Between Food Environment and Obesity Among Non-Hispanic Black and White Older US Adults? A Path Analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aims to test the hypothesis that in addition to a direct effect of food environment on obesity, food environment is indirectly associated with obesity through consuming Mediterranean diet (MD). DESIGN: Cross-sectional secondary data analysis. SETTING: Nationwide community-dwelling residency. SAMPLE: A total of 20 897 non-Hispanic black and white adults aged ≥45 years who participated in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study and completed baseline assessment during January 2003 and October 2007. MEASURES: The Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI; 0-100) was used as food environment indicator. The MD score (0-9) was calculated to indicate the dietary pattern adherence. Body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) was used to estimate obesity. ANALYSIS: Path analysis was used to quantify the pathways between food environment, MD adherence, and obesity. Proper data transformation was made using Box-Cox power transformation to meet certain analysis assumptions. RESULTS: The participants were from 49 states of the United States, with the majority (64.42%) residing in the South. Most of the participants were retired, female, white, married, having less than college graduate education, having annual household income ≤75 000, and having health insurance. The means of mRFEI was 10.92 (standard deviation [SD] = 10.19), MD score was 4.36 (SD = 1.70), and the BMI was 28.96 kg/m2 (SD = 5.90). Access to healthy food outlets (ß = .04, P < .0001) and MD adherence (ß = .08, P < .0001) had significant and inverse relationships with BMI, respectively. Mediterranean diet adherence mediated the relationship between food environment and obesity among a subpopulation who had an annual household income of <$75 000 (ß = -.02, P = .0391). CONCLUSION: Population-tailored interventions/policies to modify food environment and promote MD consumption are needed in order to combat the obesity crisis in the United States.

Association of community food environment and obesity among US adults: a geographical information system analysis.

BACKGROUND: Emerging studies have investigated the contribution of food environment to obesity in the USA. However, the findings were inconsistent. Methodological explanations for the inconsistent findings included: (1) using individual store/restaurant exposure as food environment indicator, and (2) not accounting for non-stationarity assumption. This study aimed to describe the spatial distribution of obesity and examine the association between community food environment and obesity, and the variation of magnitude and direction of this association across the USA. METHODS: Data from 20 897 adults who participated in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study and completed baseline assessment between January 2003 and October 2007 were eligible in analysis. Hot Spot analysis was used to assess the spatial distribution of obesity. The association between community food environment and obesity and the variation of this association across the USA were examined using global ordinary least squares regression and local geographically weighted regression. RESULTS: Higher body mass index (BMI) clusters were more likely to locate in socioeconomically disadvantaged, rural, minority neighbourhoods with a smaller population size, while lower BMI clusters were more likely to appear in more affluent, urban neighbourhoods with a higher percentage of non-Hispanic white residences. There was an overall significant, inverse association between community food environment and obesity (ß=-0.0210; p<0.0001). Moreover, the magnitude and direction of this association varied significantly across the US regions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscored the need for geographically tailored public health interventions and policies to address unique local food environment issues to achieve maximum effects on obesity prevention.

Design of the supervised asthma therapy study: implementing an adherence intervention in urban elementary schools.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled corticosteroids, when properly used, can offer considerable protection against asthma-related morbidity. However, adherence to prescribed inhaled steroids among children is low and rates differ markedly by population. The lowest rates of adherence and highest rates of morbidity are among inner-city and low income populations. PURPOSE: To describe the design of a school-based clinical trial in a largely minority population that is examining the efficacy of a school-based intervention intended to increase adherence to daily inhaled corticosteroids. METHODS: The supervised asthma therapy study is a two-group randomized longitudinal trial. Children were randomly assigned to either school-based supervised asthma therapy or parent supervised asthma therapy. Children were followed longitudinally for 15 months. The primary outcome of the study is the time-averaged difference between the two groups in the percentage of children experiencing at least one asthma exacerbation each month. RESULTS: A web-based data collection system was designed to capture data at school. A total of 295 students, recruited from community and school sites, who attended one of 36 urban elementary schools enrolled in the study and 290 were randomized. The average age of the students was 10.0 years (sd=2.1), 91% were African American, 8% were white, and 1% were of other racial groups. 57% of students were male. The study has been recently completed and results are being analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention studies requiring daily medication supervision and daily data collection can be successfully conducted within the elementary school environment.

Using cognitive mapping to develop a community-based family intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the development of a consumer-oriented intervention for increasing intake of fruits and vegetables (FVs) in families (n=265). METHOD: A cognitive-mapping approach was used to specify intervention performance objectives and a tailoring strategy. RESULTS: MDS and hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that FV perceptions are organized into 6 clusters arrayed along 3 dimensions. In combination with 3 general family-functioning measures, 11 perceptions explained approximately 18% of the variance in parent FVI. K-means cluster analysis revealed 4 types of families. CONCLUSION: Cognitive mapping provides a systematic approach for including qualitative data in the design of tailored interventions.

Efficacy of an HIV prevention intervention for African American adolescent girls: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: African American adolescent girls are at high risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but interventions specifically designed for this population have not reduced HIV risk behaviors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention to reduce sexual risk behaviors, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and pregnancy and enhance mediators of HIV-preventive behaviors. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized controlled trial of 522 sexually experienced African American girls aged 14 to 18 years screened from December 1996 through April 1999 at 4 community health agencies. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and an interview, demonstrated condom application skills, and provided specimens for STD testing. Outcome assessments were made at 6- and 12-month follow-up. INTERVENTION: All participants received four 4-hour group sessions. The intervention emphasized ethnic and gender pride, HIV knowledge, communication, condom use skills, and healthy relationships. The comparison condition emphasized exercise and nutrition. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was consistent condom use, defined as condom use during every episode of vaginal intercourse; other outcome measures were sexual behaviors, observed condom application skills, incident STD infection, self-reported pregnancy, and mediators of HIV-preventive behaviors. RESULTS: Relative to the comparison condition, participants in the intervention reported using condoms more consistently in the 30 days preceding the 6-month assessment (unadjusted analysis, intervention, 75.3% vs comparison, 58.2%) and the 12-month assessment (unadjusted analysis, intervention, 73.3% vs comparison, 56.5%) and over the entire 12-month period (adjusted odds ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-3.17; P =.003). Participants in the intervention reported using condoms more consistently in the 6 months preceding the 6-month assessment (unadjusted analysis, intervention, 61.3% vs comparison, 42.6%), at the 12-month assessment (unadjusted analysis, intervention, 58.1% vs comparison, 45.3%), and over the entire 12-month period (adjusted odds ratio, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.51-3.50; P<.001). Using generalized estimating equation analyses over the 12-month follow-up, adolescents in the intervention were more likely to use a condom at last intercourse, less likely to have a new vaginal sex partner in the past 30 days, and more likely to apply condoms to sex partners and had better condom application skills, a higher percentage of condom-protected sex acts, fewer unprotected vaginal sex acts, and higher scores on measures of mediators. Promising effects were also observed for chlamydia infections and self-reported pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Interventions for African American adolescent girls that are gender-tailored and culturally congruent can enhance HIV-preventive behaviors, skills, and mediators and may reduce pregnancy and chlamydia infection.

A novel iterative-learner simulation model: fellows as teachers.

BACKGROUND: Simulation is an effective method for teaching clinical skills but has not been widely adopted to educate trainees about how to teach. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated a curriculum for pediatrics fellows by using high-fidelity simulation (mannequin with vital signs) to improve pedagogical skills. INTERVENTION: The intervention included a lecture on adult learning and active-learning techniques, development of a case from the fellows' subspecialties, and teaching the case to residents and medical students. Teaching was observed by an educator using a standardized checklist. Learners evaluated fellows' teaching by using a structured evaluation tool; learner evaluations and the observer checklist formed the basis for written feedback. Changes in fellows' pedagogic knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported skills were analyzed by using Friedman and Wilcoxon rank-sum test at baseline, immediate postintervention, and 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: Forty fellows participated. Fellows' self-ratings significantly improved from baseline to 6-month follow-up for development of learning objectives, effectively reinforcing performance, using teaching techniques to promote critical thinking, providing constructive feedback, and using case studies to teach general rules. Fellows significantly increased agreement with the statement "providing background and context is important" (4.12 to 4.44, P  =  .02). CONCLUSIONS: Simulation was an effective means of educating fellows about teaching, with fellows' attitudes and self-rated confidence improving after participation but returning to baseline at the 6-month assessment. The simulation identified common weaknesses of fellows as teachers, including failure to provide objectives to learners, failure to provide a summary of key learning points, and lack of inclusion of all learners.

Interprofessional simulation training improves knowledge and teamwork in nursing and medical students during internal medicine clerkship.

Simulation is effective at improving healthcare students' knowledge and communication. Despite increasingly interprofessional approaches to medicine, most studies demonstrate these effects in isolation. We enhanced an existing internal medicine curriculum with immersive interprofessional simulations. For ten months, third-year medical students and senior nursing students were recruited for four, 1-hour simulations. Scenarios included myocardial infarction, pancreatitis/hyperkalemia, upper gastrointestinal bleed, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation. After each scenario, experts in medicine, nursing, simulation, and adult learning facilitated a debriefing. Study measures included pre- and post-tests assessing self-efficacy, communication skills, and understanding of each profession's role. Seventy-two medical students and 30 nursing students participated. Self-efficacy communication scores improved for both (medicine, 18.9 ± 3.3 pretest vs 23.7 ± 3.7 post-test; nursing, 19.6 ± 2.7 pretest vs 24.5 ± 2.5 post-test). Both groups showed improvement in "confidence to correct another healthcare provider in a collaborative manner" (Δ = .97 medicine, Δ = 1.2 nursing). Medical students showed the most improvement in "confidence to close the loop in patient care" (Δ = .93). Nursing students showed the most improvement in "confidence to figure out roles" (Δ = 1.1). This study supports the hypothesis that interdisciplinary simulation improves each discipline's self-efficacy communication skills and understanding of each profession's role. Despite many barriers to interprofessional simulation, this model is being sustained.

Disparities in lung transplantation before and after introduction of the lung allocation score.

BACKGROUND: In May 2005, the Lung Allocation Score (LAS) became the primary method for determining allocation of lungs for organ transplantation for those at least 12 years of age in the United States. During the pre-LAS period, black patients were more likely than white patients to become too sick or die while awaiting transplant. The association between gender and lung transplant outcomes has not been widely studied. METHODS: Black and white patients aged ≥ 18 years registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) lung transplantation waiting list from January 1, 2000, to May 3, 2005 (pre-LAS, n = 8,765), and from May 4, 2005, to September 4, 2010 (LAS, n = 8,806), were included. Logistic regression analyses were based on smaller cohorts derived from patients listed in the first 2 years of each era (2,350 pre-LAS, and 2,446 LAS) to allow for follow-up time. Lung transplantation was the primary outcome measure. Multivariable analyses were performed within each interval to determine the odds that a patient would die or receive a lung transplant within 3 years of listing. RESULTS: In the pre-LAS era, black patients were more likely than white patients to become too sick for transplantation or die within 3 years of waiting list registration (43.8% vs 30.8%; odds ratio [OR], 1.84; p < 0.001). Race was not associated with death or becoming too sick while listed for transplantation in the LAS era (14.0% vs 13.3%; OR, 0.93; p = 0.74). Black patients were less likely to undergo transplantation in the pre-LAS era (56.3% vs 69.2%; OR, 0.54; p < 0.001) but not in the LAS era (86.0% vs 86.7%; OR, 1.07; p = 0.74). Women were more likely than men to die or become too sick for transplantation within 3 years of listing in the LAS era (16.1% vs 11.3%; OR, 1.58; p < 0.001) compared with the pre-LAS era (33.4% vs 30.7%; OR, 1.19; p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Racial disparities in lung transplantation have decreased with the implementation of LAS as the method of organ allocation; however, gender disparities may have actually increased in the LAS era.

Increasing adherence to inhaled steroid therapy among schoolchildren: randomized, controlled trial of school-based supervised asthma therapy.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the effectiveness of school-based supervised asthma therapy in improving asthma control. The primary hypothesis was that the supervised-therapy group would have a smaller proportion of children experiencing an episode of poor asthma control each month, compared with those in the usual-care group. METHODS: Children were eligible if they had physician-diagnosed persistent asthma, the need for daily controller medication, and the ability to use a dry-powder inhaler and a peak flowmeter. The trial used a 2-group, randomized, longitudinal design with a 15-month follow-up period. A total of 290 children from 36 schools were assigned randomly to either school-based, supervised therapy or usual care. Ninety-one percent of the children were black, and 57% were male. The mean age was 11 years (SD: 2.1 years). An episode of poor asthma control was defined as > or =1 of the following each month: (1) an absence from school attributable to respiratory illness/asthma; (2) average use of rescue medication >2 times per week (not including preexercise treatment); or (3) > or =1 red or yellow peak flowmeter reading. RESULTS: Two hundred forty children completed the study. There were no differences in the likelihood of an episode of poor asthma control between the baseline period and the follow-up period for the usual-care group. For the supervised-therapy group, however, the odds of experiencing an episode of poor asthma control during the baseline period were 1.57 times the odds of experiencing an episode of poor asthma control during the follow-up period. Generalized estimating equation modeling revealed a marginally significant intervention-time period interaction, indicating that children in the supervised-therapy group showed greater improvement in asthma control. CONCLUSIONS: Supervised asthma therapy improves asthma control. Clinicians who have pediatric patients with asthma with poor outcomes that may be attributable to nonadherence should consider supervised therapy.

Internet-based monitoring of asthma symptoms, peak flow meter readings, and absence data in a school-based clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease and has significant impact on morbidity and mortality in children. Proper adherence to asthma medication has been shown to reduce morbidity among those with asthma; however, adherence to medications is known to be low, especially among low-income urban populations. We conducted a randomized clinical trial to examine the effectiveness of an intervention designed to increase adherence to asthma medication among children with asthma that required daily collection of data. PURPOSE: and METHODS: A specifically designed web-based data collection system, the Asthma Agents System, was used to collect daily data from participant children at school. These data were utilized to examine the intervention's effectiveness in reducing the frequency of asthma exacerbations. This study examines the Asthma Agents System's effect on the frequency of missing data. Data collection methods are discussed in detail, as well as the processes for retrieving missing data. RESULTS: For the 290 children randomized, 97% of the daily data expected were available. Of the outcome data retrieved via the Asthma Agents System, 5% of those expected were missing during the period examined. LIMITATIONS: Challenges encountered in this study include issues regarding the use of technology in urban school settings, transfer of data between study sites, and availability of data during school breaks. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the Asthma Agents System resulted in lower rates of missing data than rates reported elsewhere in the literature. Clinical Trials 2008; 5: 31-37. http://ctj.sagepub.com.

Efficacy of an HIV prevention program among female adolescents experiencing gender-based violence.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the efficacy of an HIV prevention intervention among African American female adolescents reporting a history of gender-based violence. METHODS: In this analysis of a subgroup of participants involved in a randomized controlled trial, consistent condom use, psychosocial mediators associated with HIV-preventive behaviors, and presence of sexually transmitted diseases were assessed at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. The intervention emphasized ethnic and gender pride, HIV knowledge, condom attitudes, healthy relationships, communication, and condom use skills. RESULTS: Relative to the comparison condition, participants randomized to the intervention reported using condoms more consistently, had fewer episodes of unprotected vaginal sex, engaged in a greater proportion of protected intercourse acts, were more likely to have used a condom during their most recent intercourse, were less likely to have a new sexual partner, were less likely to have a sexually transmitted disease, and demonstrated more proficient condom skills. CONCLUSIONS: Given the substantial prevalence of gender-based violence among female adolescents and the associations observed between gender-based violence, HIV risk, and HIV infection, it is essential that HIV interventions involving young women address partner violence.