Palliative Care and Mental Health among Pancreatic Cancer Patients in the United States: An Examination of Service Utilization and Health Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: Palliative care (PC) utilization remains low among pancreatic cancer patients. This study explores the association of PC with mental health service and pharmacotherapy utilization among pancreatic cancer patients. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was conducted on a sample of patients in the United States with newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer using Electronic Health Record data from Optum's Integrated Claims-Clinical data set. Subsequent diagnoses of anxiety and depression and PC consultation encounters were determined using ICD-9/10 codes. Adjusted associations of mental health treatments with PC and patient characteristics were quantified using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients (n = 4029), those with PC consultations exhibited a higher prevalence of anxiety (33.9% vs. 22.8%) and depression (36.2% vs. 23.2%). Mental health service use and pharmacotherapy varied, with the highest utilization among patients having both anxiety and depression. Treatment pattern was also influenced by age (aOR 1.832 for age <55 vs. 65-70 years). Notably, PC consultations showed no significant effect on the likelihood of documented treatment. DISCUSSION: Our study emphasizes underutilization of PC and MH treatment for pancreatic cancer patients. These findings imply a crucial need for further investigation into palliative care's role in addressing mental health concerns among pancreatic cancer patients.

Prevalence and Predictors of Depression in Women with Osteoarthritis: Cross-Sectional Analysis of Nationally Representative Survey Data.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the US and can increase the risk of depression. Both depression and OA disproportionately affect women, yet this study is one of few on depression prevalence, treatment across age groups, and predictors in women with OA. Data were extracted from the 2011-March 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Women aged ≥ 45 years with self-reported osteo- or degenerative arthritis were included. Outcomes were depression (assessed with PHQ-9) and treatment (self-reported pharmacotherapy and mental health services). Logistic regression was used to examine associations between age group, covariates, and outcomes. Overall, depression prevalence was 8%, with higher proportions among those 45-64 years old. Aging was associated with reduced odds of depression (Age 65-79: OR 0.68 (95% CI: 0.52-0.89); Age 80+: OR 0.49 (95% CI: 0.33-0.74); vs. Age 45-54). Of those with a positive depression screen, 21.6% documented some form of treatment. Age group was not statistically different between those treated and those not treated. Women aged 45-64 with osteoarthritis may be at increased risk of depression, and most are not treated. As depression is related to increased pain and risk of rehospitalization, future research should prioritize interventions to increase uptake of depression treatment.

ASCO Ethical Guidance for the US Oncology Community Where Reproductive Health Care Is Limited by Law.

The decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization overturned federal protections for abortion rights, making way for states to enact abortion bans with or without exceptions for the health or life of the pregnant patient. Patient care across many areas of medicine including oncology continues to be affected. Although the change in the legal landscape is widely felt, the core ethical considerations for physicians do not change because of restrictions on the practice of medicine. ASCO offers this guidance to assist US oncologists and institutions who must balance limitations with established ethical duties. This paper articulates principles for cancer care and pregnancy, offers a framework for ethical reflection and action for oncologists who care for pregnant patients, and makes recommendations for individual and institutional action to support evidence-based, patient-centered care in the United States where abortion is illegal or access is limited.

Outcomes for continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion users in young adults from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

OBJECTIVE: Diabetes technology is available and its efficacy and safety have been demonstrated; however, there is little evidence as to how this technology is being utilized and its effectiveness in vulnerable populations. This study evaluated differences in outcomes for young adults in the United States (U.S.) from lower socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds with type 1 diabetes (T1D) managed on continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) versus multiple daily injections (MDI) or fixed-dose insulin (FDI). RESEARCH DESIGN METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS: Utilizing the Optum® de-identified Electronic Health Record data set between 2008 and 2018 to perform a retrospective, cohort study, we identified 805 subjects with T1D aged 18-30 years with Medicaid. We evaluated median difference in HbA1c between CSII and MDI/FDI users for 24 months. Predictors of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)-associated hospitalizations by CSII use were evaluated using logistic regression. RESULTS: CSII users showed statistically significant lower median HbA1c values at 24 months of follow-up compared to individuals on MDI/FDI. Non-white individuals were at lower odds of receiving treatment with CSII. Subjects on CSII were not more likely to be hospitalized for DKA compared to subjects treated with MDI/FDI. Older subjects were at lower odds of being hospitalized for DKA. Males and subjects followed by Endocrinologists were at higher odds of being hospitalized for DKA. CONCLUSIONS: Young adults with T1D from lower SES backgrounds show improved glycaemic control when in CSII compared to MDI/FDI without increases in hospitalizations for DKA.

Disparities in Utilization and Outcomes With Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion in Young Adults With Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate which factors determine utilization patterns and outcomes of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) in young adults with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Utilizing the Optum deidentified electronic health record data set between 2008 to 2018 to perform a retrospective cohort study, we identified 2104 subjects with type 1 diabetes aged 18 to 30 years. We evaluated the effect of race on determining CSII utilization, HbA1c (%), and hospital admission for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Crude and adjusted estimates were computed using logistic regression and linear mixed models. RESULTS: There was low CSII utilization among individuals who were Black, Hispanic, male, and those with governmental insurance. These groups also demonstrated higher HbA1c levels. Subjects who were Black, Hispanic, and those with governmental insurance had higher odds of DKA. Even when commercially insured, Black and Hispanic subjects demonstrated higher HbA1c levels, and Black individuals had higher odds of DKA. CONCLUSION: In a large electronic health record database in the U.S., there was low CSII utilization overall, particularly in Black and Hispanic minorities, despite CSII showing superior HbA1c control without an increase in DKA events.

Realizing Promising Educational Practices in Academic Public Health: A Model for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

This paper presents a conceptual framework and critical considerations for the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in academic public health. Academic education for public health has undergone significant transformation over the last two decades as the demand for responsive and innovative public health pedagogy and training for preparing graduates to deploy an increasing array of skills has grown. The authors suggest that the role of schools, administrators, faculty, and educational staff in developing promising practices for teaching and learning in public health involves an articulated conceptual framework to guide the development and dissemination of scholarly, pedagogical innovations. Building on seminal philosophical foundations of SoTL, the authors conceptualize SoTL from the foundational belief that knowing and learning are communal tasks and that faculty are both scholars and learners in the practice of education. The paper advocates for SoTL as a form of engaged practice and scholarly inquiry that exists in contextually rich, diverse educational environments that abounds with uncertainty. SoTL is guided by an educational philosophy, values, and learning theories that envision educators critically examining themselves, their teaching practice, scholarly literature, and students' learning to improve their teaching, enhance learning, and promote further inquiry. The authors suggest that SoTL involves the search for multiple forms of evidence and fosters dialogues on multiple interpretations and perspectives of the most promising practices of teaching and learning. The authors advocate for the term promising practices as an outcome of SoTL that supports and nurtures ongoing scientific discovery and knowledge generation, instead of supporting the search for best-ness in teaching and learning endeavors. SoTL should occur across formal, informal, and nonformal education.

American Society of Clinical Oncology Road to Recovery Report: Learning From the COVID-19 Experience to Improve Clinical Research and Cancer Care.

This report presents the American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO's) evaluation of the adaptations in care delivery, research operations, and regulatory oversight made in response to the coronavirus pandemic and presents recommendations for moving forward as the pandemic recedes. ASCO organized its recommendations for clinical research around five goals to ensure lessons learned from the COVID-19 experience are used to craft a more equitable, accessible, and efficient clinical research system that protects patient safety, ensures scientific integrity, and maintains data quality. The specific goals are: (1) ensure that clinical research is accessible, affordable, and equitable; (2) design more pragmatic and efficient clinical trials; (3) minimize administrative and regulatory burdens on research sites; (4) recruit, retain, and support a well-trained clinical research workforce; and (5) promote appropriate oversight and review of clinical trial conduct and results. Similarly, ASCO also organized its recommendations regarding cancer care delivery around five goals: (1) promote and protect equitable access to high-quality cancer care; (2) support safe delivery of high-quality cancer care; (3) advance policies to ensure oncology providers have sufficient resources to provide high-quality patient care; (4) recognize and address threats to clinician, provider, and patient well-being; and (5) improve patient access to high-quality cancer care via telemedicine. ASCO will work at all levels to advance the recommendations made in this report.

Nomology, validity, and interprofessional research: The missing link(s).

There are many calls for increased rigor in interprofessional research, and scale validation improvements are particularly needed. Specifically, current validation efforts are limited, as few interprofessional scale development studies report evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. These are core aspects of establishing nomological networks and construct validity, and thus form the foundation of interprofessional theory, research, and practice. This paper focuses on the importance of construct validation for interprofessional measurement tools, reviewing key concepts, extant scales and their validation efforts, and providing recommendations for future interprofessional scale validation. We also provide a step-by-step guide for scale development and validation that we hope will be valuable for future researchers and scale developers in the interprofessional literature.

Renal function and isomers of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS): Isomers of C8 Health Project in China.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are widely-utilized synthetic chemicals commonly found in industrial and consumer products. Previous studies have examined associations between PFASs and renal function, yet the results are mixed. Moreover, evidence on the associations of isomers of PFASs with renal function in population from high polluted areas is scant. To help to address this data gap, we used high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure serum isomers of perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), and other PFASs from 1612 adults residing in Shenyang, China, and characterized their associations with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Results showed that after adjusted for multiple confounding factors, most of the higher fluorinated PFASs, except for PFOA and PFDA, were negatively associated with eGFR and positively associated with CKD. Compared with linear PFOS (n-PFOS), branched PFOS isomers (Br-PFOS) were more strongly associated with eGFR (Br-PFOS; ß = -1.22, 95%CI: 2.02, -0.42; p = 0.003 vs. n-PFOS; ß = -0.16, 95%CI: 0.98, 0.65; p = 0.691) and CKD (Br-PFOS; OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.58; p = 0.037 vs. n-PFOS; OR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.20; p = 0.834). In conclusion, branched PFOS isomers were negatively associated with renal function whereas their linear counterparts were not. Given widespread exposure to PFASs, potential nephrotoxic effects are of great public health concern, Furthermore, longitudinal research on the potential nephrotoxic effects of PFASs isomers will be necessary to more definitively assess the risk.

Incidence of Sinusitis Associated With Endotracheal and Nasogastric Tubes: NIS Database.

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal and nasogastric tubes are recognized risk factors for nosocomial sinusitis. The extent to which these tubes affect the overall incidence of nosocomial sinusitis in acute care hospitals is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To use data for 2008 through 2013 from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to compare the incidence of sinusitis in patients with nasogastric tubes with that in patients with an endotracheal tube alone or with both an endotracheal tube and a nasogastric tube. METHODS: Patients' data with any of the following International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were abstracted from the database: (1) 96.6, enteral infusion of concentrated nutritional substances; (2) 96.07, insertion of other (naso-)gastric tube; or (3) 96.04, insertion of an endotracheal tube. Sinusitis was defined by the appropriate codes. Weighted and unweighted frequencies and weighted percentages were calculated, categorical comparisons were made by χ2 test, and logistic regression was used to examine odds of sinusitis development by tube type. RESULTS: Of 1 141 632 included cases, most (68.57%) had an endotracheal tube only, 23.02% had a nasogastric tube only, and 8.41% had both types of tubes. Sinusitis was present in 0.15% of the sample. Compared with patients with only a nasogastric tube, the risk for sinusitis was 41% greater in patients with an endotracheal tube and 200% greater in patients with both tubes. CONCLUSION: Despite the low incidence of sinusitis, a significant association exists between sinusitis and the presence of an endotracheal tube, especially when a nasogastric tube is also present.

Testing Placement of Gastric Feeding Tubes in Infants.

BACKGROUND: Inadvertent positioning of a nasogastric tube in the lung can cause serious complications, so identifying methods to detect improperly inserted tubes is imperative. OBJECTIVES: To compare the sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of 4 pH cut points (< 4.0, < 4.5, < 5.0, and < 5.5) in differentiating gastric and tracheal aspirates under various treatment conditions and to explore the utility of a pepsin assay for distinguishing between gastric and tracheal aspirates. METHODS: Gastric and tracheal aspirates were collected from critically ill infants undergoing mechanical ventilation who had nasogastric or orogastric feeding tubes. Aspirates were tested with colorimetric pH indicators and a rapid pepsin assay. Information about treatment conditions was obtained from medical records. RESULTS: Two hundred twelve gastric aspirates and 60 tracheal aspirates were collected from 212 patients. Sensitivity was highest and specificity was lowest at the gastric aspirate pH cut point of less than 5.5. Positive predictive values were 100% at all pH cut points less than 5.0. Negative predictive values were higher at the pH cut point of less than 5.0 than at cut points less than 4.5. A higher percentage of pepsin-positive readings was found in gastric aspirates (88.3%) than in tracheal aspirates (5.4%). CONCLUSION: For a desired positive predictive value of 100%, a pH cut point of less than 5.0 provides the best negative predictive values, regardless of gastric acid inhibitor administration and feeding status. The pepsin assay is promising as an additional marker to distinguish gastric from tracheal aspirates.

The Relationship Between Health-Related Quality of Life and Body Mass Index.

Obesity is a chronic, progressive, multifactorial medical condition. It is known that obesity is associated with cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, degenerative joint disorders, and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In addition, there are socio-economic, gender, age, and racial differences in the population distribution of obesity. The extent to which HRQoL is impaired by obesity independent of associated chronic disease and known demographic risk factors is less well understood by nurses. A secondary analysis of the National Health Measurement Study (NHMS) was conducted to illustrate this relationship. Regression analyses were used to assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and HRQol. BMI was categorized as normal, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese. HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D and EQ-VAS. After adjusting for chronic health conditions and demographic factors, lower HRQoL was observed as BMI category increased for both the EQ-5D, F = 40.49, 15 df, p < .001, and EQ-VAS, F = 35.5, 15 df, p < .001.

Joint association of hyperuricemia and reduced GFR on cardiovascular morbidity: a historical cohort study based on laboratory and claims data from a national insurance provider.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We assessed the relationship of increased serum uric acid levels with cardiovascular risk across levels of kidney function. STUDY DESIGN: Historical cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Study data were drawn from administrative records of a national private health insurer (2003-2006). We included all adult beneficiaries with concurrently measured serum creatinine and serum uric acid. Patients with acute kidney failure or undergoing renal replacement therapy at baseline were excluded. PREDICTORS: Serum uric acid concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS: Cardiovascular diagnoses (myocardial infarction, subacute coronary heart disease, heart failure, cerebrovascular disease, or peripheral arterial disease) ascertained from billing claims. Cox proportional hazard models were used to test the association of predictors with cardiovascular morbidity. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, selected comorbid conditions, and laboratory results. RESULTS: In 148,217 eligible patients, mean eGFR was 84 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and the prevalence of CKD stages 3-5 was 6.0%. Hyperuricemia (serum uric acid >7 mg/dL) was found in 15.6% of patients. The 40-month cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events (mean follow-up, 15.3 months) was 8.1%. Cardiovascular risk was associated independently with uric acid level, and this association was stronger in patients with lower eGFRs. LIMITATIONS: Observational design, lack of information for mortality and potential confounders, single creatinine and uric acid assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Serum uric acid concentration was an independent correlate of cardiovascular morbidity, and this association was stronger in patients with severely decreased eGFR. This investigation provides a rationale for further study of serum uric acid-lowering interventions on cardiovascular risk in the general population and patients with CKD.

Narrative communication in cancer prevention and control: a framework to guide research and application.

Narrative forms of communication-including entertainment education, journalism, literature, testimonials, and storytelling-are emerging as important tools for cancer prevention and control. To stimulate critical thinking about the role of narrative in cancer communication and promote a more focused and systematic program of research to understand its effects, we propose a typology of narrative application in cancer control. We assert that narrative has four distinctive capabilities: overcoming resistance, facilitating information processing, providing surrogate social connections, and addressing emotional and existential issues. We further assert that different capabilities are applicable to different outcomes across the cancer control continuum (e.g., prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship). This article describes the empirical evidence and theoretical rationale supporting propositions in the typology, identifies variables likely to moderate narrative effects, raises ethical issues to be addressed when using narrative communication in cancer prevention and control efforts, and discusses potential limitations of using narrative in this way. Future research needs based on these propositions are outlined and encouraged.

Using narrative communication as a tool for health behavior change: a conceptual, theoretical, and empirical overview.

Narrative is the basic mode of human interaction and a fundamental way of acquiring knowledge. In the rapidly growing field of health communication, narrative approaches are emerging as a promising set of tools for motivating and supporting health-behavior change. This article defines narrative communication and describes the rationale for using it in health-promotion programs, reviews theoretical explanations of narrative effects and research comparing narrative and nonnarrative approaches to persuasion, and makes recommendations for future research needs in narrative health communication.