Predictors of seropositivity to SARS-CoV-2 among employees at a large urban medical center.

BACKGROUND: Before SARS-CoV-2 vaccination availability, medical center employees were at high risk of COVID-19. However, risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in medical center employees, both healthcare and non-healthcare workers, are poorly understood. METHODS: From September-December 2020, free IgG antibody testing was offered to all employees at a large urban medical center. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on work and non-work related risk factors for COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was found in 4.7%. Seropositivity was associated with close contact with COVID-19 cases with or without the use of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), (OR 3.1 [95% CI 1.4-6.9] and OR 4.7 [95% CI 2.0-11.0] respectively), never wearing a mask outside of work (OR 10.1 [95% CI 1.9-57]), and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander race (OR 6.3 95% CI (1.6-25)]. CONCLUSIONS: Among workers in a large urban medical center, SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was associated with work-related COVID-19 close contacts and low mask use outside of work, suggesting that non-workplace close contacts are also relevant routes of COVID-19 spread among healthcare workers.

Guardians Looking From Outside: Gendered Experiences of Labor Migration and Psychosocial Health Among Nepalese Migrant Fathers and Left-Behind Mothers.

Nepalese migrant workers are at heightened risk of adverse mental health problems. However, the social mechanisms by which experiences of labor migration create such vulnerabilities are not well understood. Moreover, limited attention has been paid to the experiences of left-behind spouses. This study explores how migrant fathers and left-behind mothers experience labor migration and how migration affects mental health across migrant household members, paying special attention to the role of gender. We conducted 29 in-depth interviews with Nepalese migrant fathers (N = 18) in South Korea and left-behind mothers (N = 11) in Nepal. Labor migration imposes substantial stress on the entire family. Migrant fathers discussed their feelings of guilt and worry regarding their relationships with their children due to physical and emotional distance. Left-behind mothers indicated loneliness and caregiver stress due to additional responsibilities as a single parent. Migrant fathers reported that they felt respected by their communities for their work, while left-behind mothers felt heavily scrutinized. Our findings highlight how labor migration reinforces gender inequalities in domestic responsibilities and norms regarding the expected roles of migrating men and left-behind women. These findings suggest that psychosocial services must be tailored to the unique needs of migrant workers and left-behind families.

Sclerotherapy off the Lower Extremities: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of Veins Treated on the Dorsal Hands and Chest.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the safety and efficacy of treatment of cosmetic dorsal hand and chest/breast veins. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate results of dorsal hand and chest vein foam sclerotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review of dorsal hand and chest vein sclerotherapy patients at a dermatology practice was performed between January 2014 and April 2023. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (54 female and 1 male patients) with a mean age of 55.8 ± 10.5 (31-83) years underwent treatment. Mean number of sessions for dorsal hand ( n = 41) and chest ( n = 14) patients were 1.5 ± 0.9 (1-5) and 1.6 ± 1.2 (1-5), respectively. Both groups were predominantly treated with 0.2% sodium tetradecyl sulfate or 0.5% polidocanol foam. Rate of coagulum formation across all sessions in the dorsal hands and chest was 15.2% and 3.0%, respectively. Vein induration, edema, postsclerotherapy hyperpigmentation, and persistent erythema were rarely seen. No patients experienced superficial venous thrombophlebitis, erosion/ulceration, telangiectatic matting, or neurologic side effects. Seventy-five percent and 63.2% of chest and hand patients, respectively, demonstrated significant clinical improvement at 3-month follow-up, although not systematically evaluated. CONCLUSION: Foam sclerotherapy of dorsal hand and chest veins with detergent sclerosing agents is safe and effective with mild, self-limited adverse events.

Barriers and facilitators to COVID-19 testing among staff and parents from San Diego schools.

COVID-19 testing is an important risk mitigation strategy for COVID-19 prevention in school settings, where the virus continues to pose a public health challenge for in-person learning. Socially vulnerable school communities with the highest proportion of low-income, minority, and non-English speaking families have the least testing access despite shouldering a disproportionate burden of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Through the Safer at School Early Alert (SASEA) program, we investigated community perceptions of testing in San Diego County schools, with a focus on barriers and facilitators from the perspective of socially vulnerable parents and school staff. Using a mixed-methods approach, we administered a community survey and conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with staff and parents from SASEA-affiliated schools and childcares. We recruited 299 survey respondents and 42 FGD participants. Protecting one's family (96.6%) and protecting one's community (96.6%) were marked as key motivators to testing uptake. School staff in particular reported that the reassurance of a negative status mitigated concerns about COVID-19 infection in schools. Participants expressed that COVID-19-related stigma, loss of income as a result of isolation/quarantine requirements, and lack of multilingual materials were the most significant barriers to testing. Our findings suggest that the testing barriers faced by school community members are predominantly structural. Testing uptake efforts must provide support and resources to manage the social and financial consequences of testing while continuously communicating its benefits. There is a clear need to continue to incorporate testing as a strategy to maintain school safety and facilitate access for vulnerable community members.

Mailed Letter Versus Phone Call to Increase Diabetic-Related Retinopathy Screening Engagement by Patients in a Team-Based Primary Care Practice: Prospective, Single-Masked, Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Vision loss from diabetic-related retinopathy (DR) is preventable through regular screening. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test different patient engagement approaches to expand a teleophthalmology program at a primary care clinic in the city of Toronto, Canada. METHODS: A teleophthalmology program was set up in a large, urban, academic, team-based primary care practice. Patients older than 18 years with type 1 or type 2 diabetes were randomized to one of the following 4 engagement strategies: phone call, mail, mail plus phone call, or usual care. Outreach was conducted by administrative staff within the clinic. The primary outcome was booking an appointment for DR screening. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients in the phone, 28 in the mail, 32 in the mail plus phone call, and 27 in the control (usual care) group were included in the analysis. After the intervention and after excluding patients who said they were screened, 88% (15/17) of patients in the phone, 11% (2/18) in the mail, and 100% (21/21) in the mail and phone group booked an appointment with the teleophthalmology program compared to 0% (0/12) in the control group. Phoning patients positively predicted patients booking a teleophthalmology appointment (P<.001), whereas mailing a letter had no effect. CONCLUSIONS: Patient engagement to book DR screening via teleophthalmology in an urban, academic, team-based primary care practice using telephone calls was much more effective than patient engagement using letters or usual care. Practices that have access to a local DR screening program and have resources for such engagement strategies should consider using them as a means to improve their DR screening rates. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03927859; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03927859.

Using machine learning to develop a clinical prediction model for SSRI-associated bleeding: a feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are associated with poor outcomes and increased costs but may be prevented with prediction tools. With the National Institute of Health All of Us (AoU) database, we employed machine learning (ML) to predict selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)-associated bleeding. METHODS: The AoU program, beginning in 05/2018, continues to recruit ≥ 18 years old individuals across the United States. Participants completed surveys and consented to contribute electronic health record (EHR) for research. Using the EHR, we determined participants who were exposed to SSRIs (citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, sertraline, vortioxetine). Features (n = 88) were selected with clinicians' input and comprised sociodemographic, lifestyle, comorbidities, and medication use information. We identified bleeding events with validated EHR algorithms and applied logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, and extreme gradient boost to predict bleeding during SSRI exposure. We assessed model performance with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve statistic (AUC) and defined clinically significant features as resulting in > 0.01 decline in AUC after removal from the model, in three of four ML models. RESULTS: There were 10,362 participants exposed to SSRIs, with 9.6% experiencing a bleeding event during SSRI exposure. For each SSRI, performance across all four ML models was relatively consistent. AUCs from the best models ranged 0.632-0.698. Clinically significant features included health literacy for escitalopram, and bleeding history and socioeconomic status for all SSRIs. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated feasibility of predicting ADEs using ML. Incorporating genomic features and drug interactions with deep learning models may improve ADE prediction.

Minding the gap and the value of metrics: Count of working pharmacists in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses a single Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code (29-1051) that reflects a traditional definition of pharmacist job functions. Pharmacists working in nontraditional roles would be categorized under other SOC codes and not included in the BLS pharmacist count. Knowing the magnitude of how many working pharmacists may not be included in the BLS pharmacist count would help determine whether the gap is a minor margin of error or a significant problem affecting pharmacist workforce projections. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this paper was to estimate the gap between the number of possibly working pharmacists and the BLS pharmacist count in 2019. A secondary objective was to examine BLS pharmacist counts in nontraditional roles and compare with published industry data. METHODS: The annual number of individuals receiving their first professional pharmacy degree from 1965 to 2019 (55 graduation cohorts) was adjusted using the expected survival rate to 2019 by age and gender and workforce participation rate in 2019 for pharmacists for each cohort and then summed across cohorts. Data sources included Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, U.S. Vital Statistics reports, and American Consumer Survey. One-way and scenario-based sensitivity analyses were conducted to vary professional occupation mortality advantage and pharmacist workforce participation rate assumptions. RESULTS: Based on the number of individuals receiving their first professional pharmacy degree between 1965 and 2019 (442,409), there were 356,998 possibly working pharmacists in 2019. This value indicates 45,798 more pharmacists (15%) may have been working in 2019 than the 311,200 employee pharmacists reported by BLS for 2019. A gap of 8000 to 46,000 more working pharmacists (3%-15%) versus BLS persisted after sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of possibly working pharmacists not included in BLS counts warrants further consideration of current pharmacist job projections, methods, and metrics to improve future projections and monitoring of the pharmacist labor force.

Sociodemographic characteristics differ across routine adult vaccine cohorts: An All of Us descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: The National Institutes of Health All of Us (AoU) Research Program is currently building a database of 1million+ adult subjects. With it, we describe the characteristics of those with documented vaccinations. OBJECTIVES: To describe the sociodemographic, health status, and lifestyle factors associated with vaccinations. METHODS: This is a retrospective study involving data from the AoU program (R2020Q4R2, N = 315,297). Five vaccine cohorts [influenza, hepatitis B (HBV), pneumococcal <65 years old, pneumococcal ≥65 years old, and human papillomavirus (HPV)] were generated based on vaccination history. The influenza cohort comprised participants with documented influenza vaccinations in electronic health records (EHRs) from September 2017 to May 2018. Other vaccine cohorts comprised participants with ≥1 lifetime record(s) of vaccination documented in the EHR by December 2018. The vaccine cohorts were compared to the overall AoU cohort. Descriptive statistics were generated using EHR- and survey-based sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle information. The SAMBA (0.9.0) R package was utilized to adjust for EHR selection and outcome misclassification biases to infer sources of disparity for pneumococcal vaccinations in older adults. RESULTS: Cohort counts were as follows: influenza (n = 15,346), HBV (n = 6323), pneumococcal <65 (n = 15,217), pneumococcal ≥65 (n = 15,100), and HPV (n = 2125). All vaccine cohorts had higher proportions of White and non-Hispanic/Latino participants compared to the overall AoU cohort. The largest differences were found in pneumococcal age ≥65, with 80.2% White participants compared to 52.9% in the overall study population. Multivariable analysis revealed that race/ethnic disparities in pneumococcal vaccination among older adults were explained by biological sex, income, health insurance, and education-related variables. CONCLUSION: Racial, ethnic, education, and income characteristics differ across the vaccine cohorts among AoU participants. These findings inform future utilization of large health databases in vaccine epidemiology research and emphasize the need for more targeted interventions that address differences in vaccine uptake.

Impact of virtual visits on primary care physician work flows.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the impact of virtual visits on primary care physician (PCP) work flows. DESIGN: Qualitative semistructured interviews. SETTING: Primary care practices within 5 regions in southern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians representing primary care practices of various sizes and remuneration models (eg, capitation and fee-for-service models). METHODS: Interviews were conducted with PCPs involved in a large-scale pilot project implementing virtual visits (via a Web-based application) into clinical practices. Convenience and purposive sampling were used to recruit PCPs between January 2018 and March 2019. To obtain a representative sample, participants were sought from a variety of practice types and geographic regions. High and low users of virtual visits were included. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed. An inductive thematic analysis was used to identify prominent themes and subthemes. MAIN FINDINGS: Twenty-six physicians were interviewed (n=15 using convenience sampling and n=11 through purposive sampling). Four themes were identified: PCPs employ diverse approaches to integrate virtual care into their work flow; PCPs recognize that implementing virtual visits requires upfront time and effort but have variable perceptions regarding long-term impact of virtual care on processes; asynchronous messaging is preferable to synchronous audio or video visits; and strategies were identified to improve the integration of virtual visits. CONCLUSION: The potential of virtual care to improve work flow is dependent on the way these visits are implemented and used. Dedicated time for implementation, emphasis on using asynchronous secure messaging, and access to clinical champions and structured change management support were associated with more seamless integration of virtual visits.

Redesigning primary care: Provider perspectives on the clinical utility of virtual visits.

OBJECTIVE: To explore primary care physician (PCP) perspectives on the clinical utility of virtual visits. DESIGN: Qualitative design involving semistructured interviews. SETTING: Primary care practices within 5 regions in southern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Primary care physicians representing different practice sizes and remuneration models. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with PCPs who were involved in a large-scale pilot implementation of virtual visits (patient-provider asynchronous messaging, or synchronous audio or video communication). The first phase involved a convenience sample of users in the first 2 regions where the pilot was initiated; after implementation in all 5 regions, purposive sampling was used to ensure diversity within the sample (eg, physicians representing different use frequencies of virtual visits, regions, and remuneration models). Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed. An inductive thematic analysis was used to identify prominent themes and subthemes. MAIN FINDINGS: Twenty-six physicians were interviewed. Fifteen were recruited using convenience sampling and 11 through purposive sampling. Four themes regarding the clinical utility of virtual visits were identified: virtual visits can effectively resolve many patient concerns, with some variation in PCP comfort using virtual visits for specific conditions; virtual visits are beneficial for a range of patients but some patients might overuse or inappropriately use them; PCPs prefer to use asynchronous messaging (eg, text or online messaging) because of its convenience and flexibility; and virtual visits can provide value at the patient, provider, and health system levels. CONCLUSION: While participants believed that virtual visits can be appropriately used to resolve a variety of clinical concerns, they found in practice that virtual visits are fundamentally different from face-to-face encounters. Professional guidelines on appropriate use cases should be established to develop a standard framework for virtual care.

Psychological Distress and Unmanaged Negative Emotions: Examining Resilience Among Nurses Working on COVID-19 Designated Inpatient Units.

Anecdotal evidence suggests nurses are engaging in resilience-based strategies to mitigate increased levels of psychological distress and unmanaged negative emotions they have been experiencing. Nurses' levels of resilience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have not been clearly articulated, specifically in relation to psychological distress and negative emotions. The purpose of the current mixed-methods non-experimental descriptive study was to examine nurses' resilience during the pandemic. Sixty RNs working in acute care hospitals on inpatient units designated to care for patients with COVID-19 completed the study survey and 20 of these RNs completed an interview. Findings indicate moderate levels of resilience among participants, with the need to increase resources and support emerging as a common theme among the qualitative data. Suggestions for integration of resilience-based strategies into the clinical setting, such as creation of a dedicated space for nurses to engage in mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation, were put forward. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 60(9), 24-28.].

A multifaceted intervention improves antibiotic stewardship for skin and soft tissues infections.

OBJECTIVE: Assess the effectiveness of a multifaceted stewardship intervention to reduce frequency and duration of inappropriate antibiotic use for emergency department (ED) patients with skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). We hypothesized the antibiotic stewardship program would reduce antibiotic duration and improve guideline adherence in discharged SSTI patients. DESIGN: Nonrandomized controlled trial. SETTING: Academic EDs (intervention site and control site). PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: Attending physicians and nurse practitioners at participating EDs. INTERVENTION(S): Education regarding guideline-based treatment of SSTI, tests of antimicrobial treatment of SSTI, implementation of a clinical treatment algorithm and order set in the electronic health record, and ED clinicians' audit and feedback. RESULTS: We examined 583 SSTIs. At the intervention site, clinician adherence to guidelines improved from 41% to 51% (aOR = 2.13 [95% CI: 1.20-3.79]). At the control site, there were no changes in adherence during the "intervention" period (aOR = 1.17 [0.65-2.12]). The between-site comparison of these during vs. pre-intervention odds ratios was not different (aOR = 1.82 [0.79-4.21]). Antibiotic duration decreased by 26% at the intervention site during the intervention compared to pre-intervention (Adjusted Geometric Mean Ratio [95% CI] = 0.74 [0.66-0.84]). Adherence was inversely associated with SSTI severity (severe vs mild; adjusted OR 0.42 [0.20-0.89]) and purulence (0.32 [0.21-0.47]). Mean antibiotic prescription duration was 1.95 days shorter (95% CI: 1.54-2.33) in the time period following the intervention than pre-intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: A multifaceted intervention resulted in modest improvement in adherence to guidelines compared to a control site, driven by treatment duration reductions.

Oral fosfomycin use for pyelonephritis and complicated urinary tract infections: a 1 year review of outcomes and prescribing habits in a large municipal healthcare system.

BACKGROUND: The rising incidence of MDR uropathogens has driven increased use of oral fosfomycin for treatment of complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs). However, there are limited data to support its use for cUTI, especially pyelonephritis. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all oral fosfomycin prescriptions between 1 January and 31 December 2017 in the Los Angeles County Department of Health Service system, the second largest US municipal health system. We examined demographics, clinical characteristics, adverse events and 30 day treatment success for patients with cUTI. Follow-up urine cultures till 31 December 2018 were examined for emergence of fosfomycin resistance. RESULTS: Of 154 patients prescribed fosfomycin, 99 (64%) had cUTI. Of these, 39 (39%) had lower tract, 37 (37%) pyelonephritis and 23 (23%) non-pyelonephritis upper tract cUTI. Escherichia coli ESBL producers were the predominant pathogens (73%). Of the 63 patients with 30 day follow-up, 49 (78%) had clinical success, including 16/20 (80%) treated for pyelonephritis. Treatment failure was associated with male sex (P < 0.01), urological abnormalities (P = 0.05), non-E. coli cUTI (P = 0.03) and receipt of <25% IV therapy prior to fosfomycin switch (P = 0.03). Of patients prescribed fosfomycin (n = 154), fosfomycin-resistant E. coli were found in 9/64 (14%) of the patients with follow-up urine cultures >30 days after initial treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of data supporting its use, we found that most patients receiving oral fosfomycin off-label for cUTI, including pyelonephritis, had clinical success. However, emergence of subsequent resistance warrants caution. Prospective comparative studies should be done to better evaluate oral fosfomycin use for cUTI.

Duplex nucleic acid test for the detection of chikungunya and dengue RNA viruses in blood donations.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue (DENV) viruses are primarily mosquito-borne, but transfusion transmission can occur (DENV) or is likely (CHIKV). In the absence of commercially available blood screening assays, a variety of strategies to ensure recipient safety in the face of expanding CHIKV and/or DENV outbreaks have been used. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Performance of cobas CHIKV/DENV, a qualitative RNA detection assay for use on the cobas 6800/8800 Systems, was evaluated at two sites (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. [RMS], and the American Red Cross [ARC]). Analytical sensitivity, genotype inclusion, correlation with other assays, and reproducibility used clinical CHIKV- or DENV-positive samples and secondary standards for DENV Types 1 to 4 and for three CHIKV genotypes (Asian; East Central South African; and West African); each secondary standard was traceable to international reference panels or reagents. Evaluation of analytic specificity assessed other microorganisms for interference and cross-reactivity; clinical specificity was determined by individually testing 10,528 volunteer blood donations from the continental United States. RESULTS: The 50 and 95% limit of detection (LoD) obtained by RMS for CHIKV, Asian genotype was 1.8 and 6.8 Detectable Units (DU)/mL, respectively, and 0.14 and 0.63 International Units (IU)/mL, respectively for DENV-1. No significant differences in detection occurred by testing at a second site, the ARC (2.4 and 10.5 DU/mL for CHIKV and 0.15 and 0.60 IU/mL for DENV). Clinical specificity was 100% (95% confidence interval, 99.965%-100%) for CHIKV and DENV. CONCLUSIONS: The high sensitivity and specificity of the cobas CHIKV/DENV test, as demonstrated in these evaluations, indicate its suitability for blood donation screening.

International survey on the impact of parasitic infections: frequency of transmission and current mitigation strategies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Globally, blood safety interventions have been successful in mitigating risk of the major transfusion-transmitted (TT) viruses. However, strategies that address risk from parasites are comparatively limited. TT parasites are often regional in nature, posing unique challenges; we sought to understand their impact on blood safety. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic questionnaire was distributed to transfusion medicine leaders in 100 countries. The survey focused on specific questions pertaining to four parasitic diseases: babesiosis, Chagas, leishmaniasis and malaria. Respondents provided data on historical TT cases, local epidemiology, policies to mitigate risk and an assessment of public health perceptions for each aetiologic agent. RESULTS: Twenty-eight (28%) surveys were returned from countries in Europe (n = 13), the Americas (n = 6), Africa (n = 4), Asia (n = 3) and Oceana (n = 2). Historically, no cases of TT leishmaniasis were reported, TT babesiosis was exclusive to Canada and the USA, TT Chagas was limited to the Americas and Spain, while TT malaria was cosmopolitan. Mitigation efforts varied widely; malaria was the most frequently tested parasitic disease. The public's perception of risk for parasitic agents was low, while that of health authorities in endemic countries was higher. CONCLUSION: The global impact of parasitic infections on blood safety and related mitigation efforts varied widely by parasite epidemiology, test availability, public health priorities and socioeconomic constraints. While parasites continue to pose a risk to blood safety, the successful mitigation of viral risk has elevated the prominence of TT parasites in many locations, thereby requiring consideration of mitigation efforts.

Extending access to a web-based mental health intervention: who wants more, what happens to use over time, and is it helpful? Results of a concealed, randomized controlled extension study.

BACKGROUND: Web-based mental health applications may be beneficial, but adoption is often low leaving optimal implementation and payment models unclear. This study examined which users were interested in extended access to a web-based application beyond an initial 3-month trial period and evaluated if an additional 3 months of access was beneficial. METHODS: This study was a concealed extension of a multi-center, pragmatic randomized controlled trial that assessed the benefit of 3 months of access to the Big White Wall (BWW), an anonymous web-based moderated, multi-component mental health application offering self-directed activities and peer support. Trial participants were 16 years of age or older, recruited from hospital-affiliated mental health programs. Participants who received access to the intervention in the main trial and completed 3-month outcome assessments were offered participation. We compared those who were and were not interested in an extension of the intervention, and re-randomized consenting participants 1:1 to receive extended access or not over the subsequent 3 months. Use of the intervention was monitored in the extension group and outcomes were measured at 3 months after re-randomization in both groups. The primary outcome was mental health recovery as assessed by total score on the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS-r), as in the main trial. Linear mixed models were used to examine the time by group interaction to assess for differences in responses over the 3-month extension study. RESULTS: Of 233 main trial participants who responded, 119 (51.1%) indicated an interest in receiving extended BWW access. Those who were interested had significantly higher baseline anxiety symptoms compared to those who were not interested. Of the 119, 112 were re-randomized (55 to extended access, 57 to discontinuation). Only 21 of the 55 extended access participants (38.2%) used the intervention during the extension period. Change in RAS-r scores over time was not significantly different between groups (time by group, F(1,77) = 1.02; P = .31). CONCLUSIONS: Only half of eligible participants were interested in extended access to the intervention with decreasing use over time, and no evidence of added benefit. These findings have implications for implementation and payment models for this type of web-based mental health intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02896894 . Registered retrospectively on September 12, 2016.

A Web-Based Mental Health Platform for Individuals Seeking Specialized Mental Health Care Services: Multicenter Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Web-based self-directed mental health applications are rapidly emerging to address health service gaps and unmet needs for information and support. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine if a multicomponent, moderated Web-based mental health application could benefit individuals with mental health symptoms severe enough to warrant specialized mental health care. METHODS: A multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted across several outpatient mental health programs affiliated with 3 hospital programs in Ontario, Canada. Individuals referred to or receiving treatment, aged 16 years or older, with access to the internet and an email address, and having the ability to navigate a Web-based mental health application were eligible. A total of 812 participants were randomized 2:1 to receive immediate (immediate treatment group, ITG) or delayed (delayed treatment group, DTG) access for 3 months to the Big White Wall (BWW), a multicomponent Web-based mental health intervention based in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The primary outcome was the total score on the Recovery Assessment Scale, revised (RAS-r) which measures mental health recovery. Secondary outcomes were total scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 item (GAD-7), the EuroQOL 5-dimension quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), and the Community Integration Questionnaire. An exploratory analysis examined the association between actual BWW use (categorized into quartiles) and outcomes among study completers. RESULTS: Intervention participants achieved small, statistically significant increases in adjusted RAS-r score (4.97 points, 95% CI 2.90 to 7.05), and decreases in PHQ-9 score (-1.83 points, 95% CI -2.85 to -0.82) and GAD-7 score (-1.55 points, 95% CI -2.42 to -0.70). Follow-up was achieved for 55% (446/812) at 3 months, 48% (260/542) of ITG participants and 69% (186/270) of DTG participants. Only 58% (312/542) of ITG participants logged on more than once. Some higher BWW user groups had significantly greater improvements in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 relative to the lowest use group. CONCLUSIONS: The Web-based application may be beneficial; however, many participants did not engage in an ongoing way. This has implications for patient selection and engagement as well as delivery and funding structures for similar Web-based interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02896894; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02896894 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78LIpnuRO).

Blood donor testing for hepatitis B virus in the United States: is there a case for continuation of hepatitis B surface antigen detection?

BACKGROUND: In the United States, blood donor testing for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was initiated in the early 1970s. More recently, testing for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA have been added. The incidence of hepatitis B has been declining. This study reviews the current status of testing and questions the need for continuation of HBsAg testing. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: From July 2011 to June 2015, a total of 22.4 million donations were serologically tested for HBsAg and anti-HBc and for HBV-DNA by nucleic acid testing (NAT). All reactive results were evaluated and a subset of donations that were either potential NAT yield (seronegative) or serologically positive but nonreactive by HBV NAT in minipools (MPs) of 16 were further evaluated by individual donation (ID)-NAT. Samples with detectable HBV DNA were defined as actively infected and considered potentially infectious. RESULTS: Routine testing plus supplemental ID-NAT identified 2035 samples representing active infection including 1965 with anti-HBc, 1602 with HBsAg, and 1453 with HBV DNA by MP-NAT, for respective rates per hundred-thousand donations of 9.10, 8.78, 7.16, and 6.50, continuing the downward trend previously observed. There were 29 HBV DNA-yield samples (1:771,389), 35 HBsAg-yield samples (anti-HBc nonreactive), and 404 with occult hepatitis B infection. There were six samples with HBsAg and HBV DNA detectable only by ID-NAT in the absence of anti-HBc; additional testing was consistent with extremely low or negligible levels of DNA. CONCLUSIONS: Point estimates of HBV infection rates among blood donors continue to decline, as do those for incidence and residual risk. Elimination of HBsAg screening would have negligible impact, with a risk less than 1 per 4 million donations.

Disparities in detection of antibodies against hepatitis E virus in US blood donor samples using commercial assays.

BACKGROUND: Reported hepatitis E virus (HEV) antibody assay performance characteristics are variable. Using a subset of surplus US blood donation samples, we compared assays for detecting anti-HEV immunoglobulin M (Ig)M and IgG or total anti-HEV antibodies. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Samples from 5040 random blood donations, all HEV-RNA negative, collected primarily in the midwestern United States in 2015 were tested for anti-HEV IgM and IgG or total anti-HEV using assays manufactured by Diagnostic Systems, Wantai, and MP Biomedicals. RESULTS: Overall, the percentage of detection for anti-HEV IgG and total anti-HEV was 11.4%, and for anti-HEV IgM was 1.8%. Nine samples were reactive for anti-HEV IgM by all assays, giving a recent infection rate of 0.18%. Anti-HEV IgG/total anti-HEV detection rates increased with age. Interassay agreement was higher among the IgG anti-HEV/total anti-HEV assays (84%) than the IgM assays (22%). Regression analyses of signal-to-cutoff ratios from IgG/total antibody assay were heteroskedastic, indicating no constant variance among these assays, suggesting they may detect different epitopes or were affected by waning or less avid antibodies in the US donor population. CONCLUSIONS: Although similar percentages of IgG anti-HEV/total anti-HEV detection were observed across the three commercial assays, each assay detected a unique sample subpopulation and was heteroskedastic when compared pairwise. Discordance was higher among anti-HEV IgM assays, but a recent HEV infection rate of at least 0.18% was estimated based on assay concordance.

Women's Experiences of Intimate Relationships While Living With Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a chronic digestive disorder that commonly affects women. Research has shown that the illness experience of irritable bowel syndrome can disrupt social relationships. However, the area of intimate relationships has yet to be explored despite the deep involvement that intimate partners often have in the experience of living with chronic illness. Using a critical feminist lens, a narrative methodology was employed to explore women's experiences of intimate relationships while living with irritable bowel syndrome. Data collection methods included semistructured interviews and an arts-informed activity. The women's narrative accounts and artistic pieces reflected the emotional, physical, and interpersonal aspects of intimacy while living with irritable bowel syndrome. The findings indicated that women's experiences were deeply emotional and involved laborious and gendered emotion work. Their body concept complicated their relationship experiences. Women's emotional and social well-being was fostered by their partners' provision of acceptance, understanding, and support. The findings highlighted the need to implement and further explore the inclusion of emotional support and counselling as well as dyadic and gendered approaches to irritable bowel syndrome management.