How well do participants in clinical trials represent the U.S. population with chronic neck or back pain?

BACKGROUND: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for assessing treatment effectiveness; however, they have been criticized for generalizability issues such as how well trial participants represent those who receive the treatments in clinical practice. We assessed the representativeness of participants from eight RCTs for chronic spine pain in the U.S., which were used for an individual participant data meta-analysis on the cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulation for spine pain. In these clinical trials, spinal manipulation was performed by chiropractors. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective secondary analysis of RCT data to compare trial participants' socio-demographic characteristics, clinical features, and health outcomes to a representative sample of (a) U.S. adults with chronic spine pain and (b) U.S. adults with chronic spine pain receiving chiropractic care, using secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We assessed differences between trial and U.S. spine populations using independent t-tests for means and z-tests for proportions, accounting for the complex multi-stage survey design of the NHIS and MEPS. RESULTS: We found the clinical trials had an under-representation of individuals from health disparity populations with lower percentages of racial and ethnic minority groups (Black/African American 7% lower, Hispanic 8% lower), less educated (No high school degree 19% lower, high school degree 11% lower), and unemployed adults (25% lower) with worse health outcomes (physical health scores 2.5 lower and mental health scores 5.3 lower using the SF-12/36) relative to the U.S. population with spine pain. While the odds of chiropractic use in the U.S. are lower for individuals from health disparity populations, the trials also under-represented these populations relative to U.S. adults with chronic spine pain who visit a chiropractor. CONCLUSIONS: Health disparity populations are not well represented in spine pain clinical trials. Embracing key community-based approaches, which have shown promise for increasing participation of underserved communities, is needed.

Unmet healthcare needs among midlife adults with mental distress and multiple chronic conditions.

BACKGROUND: Limited attention has focused on midlife health. Yet, this is a time of great change, including onset of chronic conditions and changes in mental health. OBJECTIVE: To examine unmet healthcare needs among midlife adults (50-64 years) in the US with severe psychological distress (SPD) and/or multiple chronic conditions (MCC). METHODS: Nationally representative data for midlife adults (50-64 years) from NHIS 2014-2018 were examined (n = 39,329). Multimorbidity status: no MCC/SPD, MCC alone, SPD alone, or both. We used logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of delayed or foregone care by multimorbidity status. RESULTS: Nearly 40% of midlife adults had MCC, SPD, or SPD/MCC. SPD with or without MCC had higher prevalence of social disadvantage, fair/poor health, activity limitations, and delayed/foregone healthcare. Compared to those with neither, adults with SPD/MCC were more likely to delay care due to limited office hours (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI 3.1-5.5) and had nearly three to four times higher odds of delays for all other reasons. Those with SPD/MCC had higher odds of needing but not getting mental healthcare (AOR = 6.4, 95% CI 4.5-9.1), prescriptions (AOR = 4.8, 95% CI 3.9-5.9), or follow-up care (AOR = 5.0, 95% CI 3.7-6.6), and three to four times higher odds of all other types of foregone care. CONCLUSIONS: Midlife adults with SPD/MCC have substantial unmet healthcare needs. Midlife is a critical time to manage both chronic conditions and mental illness. Coordinated efforts by policymakers and healthcare systems are crucial to address complex healthcare needs of this population at a critical stage of the life-course.

Barriers to Care and Health Care Utilization Among the Publicly Insured.

BACKGROUND: Although the Affordable Care Act has been successful in expanding Medicaid to >17 million people, insurance alone may not translate into access to health care. Even among the insured, substantial barriers to accessing services inhibit health care utilization. OBJECTIVES: We examined the effect of selected barriers to health care access and the magnitude of those barriers on health care utilization. RESEARCH DESIGN: Data come from a 2008 survey of adult enrollees in Minnesota's public health care programs. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate the effects of perceived patient, provider, and system-level barriers on past year delayed, foregone, and lack of preventive care. SUBJECTS: A total of 2194 adults enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs who were mostly female (66%), high school graduates (76%), unemployed (62%), and living in metro areas (67%) were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Reporting problems across all barriers increased the odds of delayed care from 2 times for provider-related barriers (OR=2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-3.3) to >6 times for access barriers (OR=6.2; 95% CI, 3.8-10.2) and foregone care from 2.6 times for family/work barriers (OR=2.6; 95% CI, 1.3-5.1) to >7 times for access barriers (OR=7.1; 95% CI, 3.9-13.1). Perceived discrimination was the only barrier consistently associated with all 3 utilization outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple types of barriers are associated with delayed and foregone care. System-level barriers and discrimination have the greatest effect on health care seeking behavior.

Development of a hospital-based integrative healthcare program.

Public demand for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, often referred to as integrative health (IH), continues to grow. Health systems are now pursing the integration of these therapies with conventional medical care. This article describes the development and evolution of 1 nursing-led model for the integration of CAM services in an inpatient setting and to provide lessons learned for nursing administrators or others interested in developing hospital-based IH programs.

Implementation of a mechanical chest compression device as standard equipment in a large metropolitan ambulance service.

BACKGROUND: We will describe the implementation of the LUCAS™1 chest compression device as standard equipment in the treatment of cardiac arrest across a large ambulance service and provide descriptive data on device-treated arrests and provider experience during the initial 2 years of use. METHODS: Provider training and deployment of 38 devices occurred in our 70-vehicle, 400-provider ambulance service within 3 months. A retrospective case series of device-eligible out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring between May 2008 and June 2010 was analyzed. Clinical data were extracted from an electronic prehospital patient care record and information on provider experience with the device was collected via online survey. RESULTS: LUCAS™1 was used in 79% of resuscitation attempts (498 of 631). Primary reasons for nonuse were resuscitation of limited duration and extreme body size. Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was documented in 35% and 41% of device- and non-device-treated arrests, respectively (p = 0.31), but among arrests where time from arrival at patient to discontinuation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was >5 min, the rates were 26% and 24%, respectively (p = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: A large ambulance service in the United States initiated standard use of a mechanical compression device within 3 months. In an applied setting, the LUCAS™1 device fits most patients and was well received by prehospital providers. Resuscitation of limited duration due to early death or early ROSC frequently precludes device use, and this has important implications for evaluating the association between device use and ROSC in observational settings.

Necessary health care and basic needs: health insurance plans and essential benefits.

According to HealthCare.gov, by improving access to quality health for all Americans, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will reduce disparities in health insurance coverage. One way this will happen under the provisions of the ACA is by creating a new health insurance marketplace (a health insurance exchange) by 2014 in which "all people will have a choice for quality, affordable health insurance even if a job loss, job switch, move or illness occurs". This does not mean that everyone will have whatever insurance coverage he or she wants. The provisions of the ACA require that each of the four benefit categories of plans (known as bronze, silver, gold and platinum) provides no less than the benefits available in an "essential health benefits package". However, without a clear understanding of what criteria must be satisfied for health care to be essential, the ACA's requirement is much too vague and open to multiple, potentially conflicting interpretations. Indeed, without such understanding, in the rush to provide health insurance coverage to as many people as is economically feasible, we may replace one kind of disparity (lack of health insurance) with another kind of disparity (lack of adequate health insurance). Thus, this paper explores the concept of "essential benefits", arguing that the "essential health benefits package" in the ACA should be one that optimally satisfies the basic needs of the people covered.

Delay and nonreceipt of needed healthcare in U.S. adults with household family members with serious health needs.

INTRODUCTION: Households may be primary settings for developing noncommunicable and infectious diseases due to shared lifestyle factors and ease of transmission, rendering multiple family members within a household in simultaneous need of health services. Limited resources may force families to prioritize healthcare for individuals with serious health needs over other family members; however, few studies have examined unmet healthcare needs within family contexts. This study examines the odds of U.S. adults' own unmet healthcare needs due to cost when living with a family member who has serious health needs. METHODS: In this cross-sectional analysis of 2018 National Health Interview Survey data, we use multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the odds of U.S. adults' own delay and nonreceipt of care when living with a spouse or partner, child under age 18, or parent/parent-in-law with a limiting chronic condition or high volume of past-year healthcare use. RESULTS: Of 56,165 adults surveyed, 51.7% were female, and 63.1% were non-Hispanic White. Adults who had a household family member with extensive health needs had 1.5-2.0 times the odds of experiencing delay or nonreceipt of their own needed care. Being female, uninsured, and having a household income ≤ 400% of the Federal Poverty Level was associated with higher risk of having unmet healthcare needs. DISCUSSION: Families with limited resources may be forced to prioritize some members' needed healthcare over others'. Policy and programmatic support for individuals with ongoing and acute health needs may help ensure adequate resources for all family members to seek needed care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Disparities in potentially avoidable emergency department (ED) care: ED visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital care for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) is potentially avoidable and often viewed as an indicator of suboptimal primary care. However, potentially preventable encounters with the health care system also occur in emergency department (ED) settings. We examined ED visits to identify subpopulations with disproportionate use of EDs for ACSC care. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2007-2009 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for 78,114 ED visits by adults aged 18 and older. Outcomes were ACSC visits determined from the primary ED diagnosis. We constructed analytic groups aligned with Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's priority populations. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the odds of all-cause, acute, and chronic ACSC visits. We used Stata SE survey techniques to account for the complex survey design. RESULTS: Overall, 8.4% of ED visits were for ACSC, representing over 8 million potentially avoidable ED visits annually. ACSC visits were more likely to result in hospitalization than non-ACSC visits (34.4% vs. 14.0%, P<0.001). Multivariate models revealed significant disparities in ACSC visits to the ED by race/ethnicity, insurance status, age group, and socioeconomic status, although patterns differed for acute and chronic ACSC. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionately higher use of EDs for ACSC care exists for many priority populations and across a broader range of priority populations than previously documented. These differences constitute disparities in potentially avoidable ED visits for ACSC. To avoid exacerbating disparities, health policy efforts to minimize economic inefficiencies in health care delivery by limiting ED visits for ACSC should first address their determinants.

A Matched Cohort Analysis for Examining the Association Between Slow Gait Speed and Shortened Longevity in Older Americans.

This investigation examined the association between slow gait speed, as defined with newly established cut-points, and all-cause mortality in older Americans with a matched cohort analysis. The analytic sample included 10,259 Americans aged ≥65 years from the 2006-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Walking speed was measured in participant residences. Slow gait speed cut-points of <0.60 and <0.75 m/s were used separately for classifying participants as having slow walking speed. Nearest-neighbor propensity score matching was used to match the slow to the not-slow cohorts separately using both cut-points using relevant covariates. Persons with gait speed <0.60 m/s had a 1.42 higher hazard for mortality (95% CI: 1.28-1.57). Older Americans with gait speed <0.75 m/s had a 1.36 higher hazard for mortality (95% CI: 1.23-1.50). Slow gait speed may represent failing health and addressing how slow gait speed could be improved may help with referrals to appropriate interventions.

Bias in telephone surveys that do not sample cell phones: uses and limits of poststratification adjustments.

OBJECTIVE: To examine how biased health surveys are when they omit cell phone-only households (CPOH) and to explore whether poststratification can reduce this bias. METHODS: We used data from the 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which uses area probability sampling and in-person interviews; as a result people of all phone statuses are included. First, we examined whether people living in CPOH are different from those not living in CPOH with respect to several important health surveillance domains. We compared standard NHIS estimates to a set of "reweighted" estimates that exclude people living in CPHO. The reweighted NHIS cases were fitted through a series of poststratification adjustments to NHIS control totals. In addition to poststratification adjustments for region, race or ethnicity, and age, we examined adjustments for home ownership, age by education, and household structure. RESULTS: Poststratification reduces bias in all health-related estimates for the nonelderly population. However, these adjustments work less well for Hispanics and blacks and even worse for young adults (18 to 30 y). Reduction in bias is greatest for estimates of uninsurance and having no usual source of care, and worse for estimates of drinking, smoking, and forgone or delayed care because of costs. CONCLUSIONS: Applying poststratification adjustments to data that exclude CPOH works well at the total population level for estimates such as health insurance, and less well for access and health behaviors. However, poststratification adjustments do not do enough to reduce bias in health-related estimates at the subpopulation level, particularly for those interested in measuring and monitoring racial, ethnic, and age disparities.

Disparities in public use data availability for race, ethnic, and immigrant groups: national surveys for healthcare disparities research.

BACKGROUND: Disparities in healthcare coverage and access have a prominent place on the national health policy agenda. It is, therefore, essential to understand strengths and limitations of national surveys that provide annual or periodic data for population-based healthcare disparities research and monitoring. Importantly, publicly available data on healthcare coverage and access are needed for disparities populations defined by race, ethnicity, or immigrant group (REI). OBJECTIVE: To document public use data availability for REI groups, insurance coverage, and access to care measures in selected national surveys used for healthcare disparities research. DESIGN: We examined public use data for general population surveys that collect information on healthcare coverage and access on an annual or periodic basis for the nation. Data sources examined include the following: Current Population Survey, Survey of Income and Program Participation, National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), National Health and Nutrition Examining Survey, National Survey of Children's Health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Household Component. RESULTS: Although each survey has strengths for healthcare disparities research, there is no single survey that has detailed REI group identifiers, comprehensive measures of coverage and access, and geographic identifiers. CONCLUSIONS: Current Population Survey and NHIS have detailed REI identifiers. NHIS and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Household Component have comprehensive measures of coverage and access but are limited by smaller samples and no geography. Findings summarized in this article will assist with identifying existing data to examine healthcare coverage and access disparities and highlight areas for improvement in public use data availability.

Healthcare disparities for American Indian veterans in the United States: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine healthcare coverage and access disparities for American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) veterans compared with non-Hispanic white veterans. METHODS: We examined national survey data for honorably discharged veterans in the United States using National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data between 1997 and 2006. NHIS data were obtained from the Integrated Health Interview Series, a web-based data resource containing harmonized NHIS data from 1969 to the present. Our sample included AIAN and white veterans aged 18 to 64 years (n = 34,504). We used multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the odds of being uninsured, reasons for delayed care, and types of foregone care. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, AIAN veterans have 1.9 times higher odds of being uninsured compared with non-Hispanic white veterans (95% CI: 1.6-2.7). Compared with white veterans, AIAN veterans are significantly more likely to delay care due to not getting timely appointments (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-2.6), not getting through on the phone (OR = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.6-5.8), and transportation problems (OR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.1-7.3). In unadjusted models, AIAN veterans have significantly higher odds of having foregone 4 of 5 types of care compared with non-Hispanic white veterans. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and insurance eliminated all significant relations. CONCLUSIONS: AIAN veterans have considerable disparities in healthcare coverage and access compared with non-Hispanic whites. Although barriers to care due to cost are nominal for AIAN veterans, barriers to care due to navigating the healthcare system and due to lack of transportation remain substantial.

The importance of geographic data aggregation in assessing disparities in American Indian prenatal care.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether aggregate national data for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AIANs) mask geographic variation and substantial subnational disparities in prenatal care utilization. METHODS: We used data for US births from 1995 to 1997 and from 2000 to 2002 to examine prenatal care utilization among AIAN and non-Hispanic White mothers. The indicators we studied were late entry into prenatal care and inadequate utilization of prenatal care. We calculated rates and disparities for each indicator at the national, regional, and state levels, and we examined whether estimates for regions and states differed significantly from national estimates. We then estimated state-specific changes in prevalence rates and disparity rates over time. RESULTS: Prenatal care utilization varied by region and state for AIANs and non-Hispanic Whites. In the 12 states with the largest AIAN birth populations, disparities varied dramatically. In addition, some states demonstrated substantial reductions in disparities over time, and other states showed significant increases in disparities. CONCLUSIONS: Substantive conclusions about AIAN health care disparities should be geographically specific, and conclusions drawn at the national level may be unsuitable for policymaking and intervention at state and local levels. Efforts to accommodate the geographically specific data needs of AIAN health researchers and others interested in state-level comparisons are warranted.

American Indian/Alaska Native uninsurance disparities: a comparison of 3 surveys.

OBJECTIVES: We examined whether 3 nationally representative data sources produce consistent estimates of disparities and rates of uninsurance among the American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) population and to demonstrate how choice of data source impacts study conclusions. METHODS: We estimated all-year and point-in-time uninsurance rates for AIANs and non-Hispanic Whites younger than 65 years using 3 surveys: Current Population Survey (CPS), National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). RESULTS: Sociodemographic differences across surveys suggest that national samples produce differing estimates of the AIAN population. AIAN all-year uninsurance rates varied across surveys (3%-23% for children and 18%-35% for adults). Measures of disparity also differed by survey. For all-year uninsurance, the unadjusted rate for AIAN children was 2.9 times higher than the rate for White children with the CPS, but there were no significant disparities with the NHIS or MEPS. Compared with White adults, AIAN adults had unadjusted rate ratios of 2.5 with the CPS and 2.2 with the NHIS or MEPS. CONCLUSIONS: Different data sources produce substantially different estimates for the same population. Consequently, conclusions about health care disparities may be influenced by the data source used.

Psychological Distress and Access to Care Among Midlife Women.

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine unmet health care needs among midlife women (ages 50-64 years) in the United States by level of psychological distress. Method: Using data for a nationally representative sample of midlife women (N = 8,838) from the 2015-2016 National Health Interview Survey, we estimated odds ratios of reasons for delayed care and types of care foregone by level of psychological distress-none, moderate (moderate psychological distress [MPD], and severe (severe psychological distress [SPD]). Findings: More than one in five midlife women had MPD (15.3%) or SPD (5.2%). Women with MPD or SPD had 2 to 5 times higher odds of delayed and 2 to 20 times higher odds of foregone care. Conclusions: Midlife women with psychological distress have poorer health than those with no distress, yet they are less likely to get needed health care. There is a missed window of opportunity to address mental health needs and manage comorbid chronic conditions to facilitate healthy aging.

Health care coverage and the health care industry.

OBJECTIVES: We examined rates of uninsurance among workers in the US health care workforce by health care industry subtype and workforce category. METHODS: We used 2004 to 2006 National Health Interview Survey data to assess health insurance coverage rates. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the odds of uninsurance among health care workers by industry subtype. RESULTS: Overall, 11% of the US health care workforce is uninsured. Ambulatory care workers were 3.1 times as likely as hospital workers (95% confidence interval [CI]=2.3, 4.3) to be uninsured, and residential care workers were 4.3 times as likely to be uninsured (95% CI=3.0, 6.1). Health service workers had 50% greater odds of being uninsured relative to workers in health diagnosing and treating occupations (odds ratio [OR]=1.5; 95% CI=1.0, 2.4). CONCLUSIONS: Because uninsurance leads to delays in seeking care, fewer prevention visits, and poorer health status, the fact that nearly 1 in 8 health care workers lacks insurance coverage is cause for concern.

Gender Differences in Prevalence, Patterns, Purposes, and Perceived Benefits of Meditation Practices in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Meditation is a common type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and the evidence for its usefulness for health promotion is growing. Women have higher rates of overall CAM use than men do, but little is known about gender differences in meditation practices, reasons for use, or perceived benefits. METHODS: Data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used. The NHIS design is a multistage probability sample representative of US adults aged ≥18 (n = 34,342). Design-based F-test and logistic regression were used; all analyses were weighted and were performed in 2017-2018. RESULTS: Overall, 10.3% of women and 5.2% of men reported using some type of meditation in the past year (p < 0.001). Among meditators, a higher percentage of women used meditation with yoga, tai chi, or qi gong, but men were more likely to use specific types of stand-alone practices (e.g., mindfulness) than women (p < 0.001 for each type). The most common reason reported for using meditation was to reduce stress (35%). Although women and men reported similar reasons for meditating, there were gender differences in the prevalence of some reasons. Both men and women perceived meditation to be helpful (90% and 94%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: There are gender differences in prevalence, purpose, and perceived benefits of using meditation. US adults aged ≥18 use meditation and find it helpful. Although currently less prevalent among men, providers can consider meditation as a tool for health promotion in both men and women.

Health Care Disparities Among U.S. Women of Reproductive Age by Level of Psychological Distress.

Background: Reproductive-age women have a high rate of contact with the health care system for reproductive health care. Yet, beyond pregnancy, little is known about psychological distress and unmet health care needs among these women. We examined reasons for delayed medical care and types of foregone care by level of psychological distress. Materials and Methods: We used a nationally representative sample of U.S. women aged 18-49, from the 2015-2016 National Health Interview Survey. Using the K6 screening tool for nonspecific psychological distress, we examined differences in reasons for delayed care and types of care foregone due to cost by level of psychological distress (none, moderate psychological distress [MPD], and severe psychological distress [SPD]). Results: Overall, 20% of U.S. women aged 18-49 had MPD (16%) or SPD (4%), equating to nearly 13 million women of reproductive age living with psychological distress. Women with SPD or MPD are more likely to have delayed and foregone care. Notably, women with SPD have higher odds of needing but not receiving mental health care (adjusted odds ratios [AOR] = 12.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.4-18.4), specialist care (AOR = 3.6, 95% CI 2.6-5.1), and follow-up care (AOR = 3.5, 95% CI 2.4-5.1) due to cost than women with no psychological distress. Cost is the greatest barrier to timely medical care for women with MPD and SPD. Conclusions: Women of reproductive age with psychological distress face considerable structural and cost-related barriers to accessing health care, which may be exacerbated by their psychological state. Despite recent policy advances such as the Affordable Care Act, additional efforts by policymakers and providers are crucial to address the needs of this population.

Perceived Benefits of Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Race/Ethnicity Among Midlife and Older Adults in the United States.

Objective: To describe, for a national sample of midlife and older adults, the types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used for health and wellness and the perceived benefits of CAM use by race/ethnicity. Method: Using data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, we ran multiple logistic regression models to estimate the odds of each perceived benefit among adults ages 50 and older. Results: More than 38% of midlife and older adults used CAM in the past year. For six of seven perceived benefits examined, we found significant differences by race/ethnicity, with each group having higher odds of two or more perceived benefits compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Discussion: Although racial/ethnic minority groups are less likely to use CAM compared with non-Hispanic Whites, those who use CAM perceive great benefit. Future research should examine the potential contribution of evidence-based CAM to promoting health and well-being in a diverse aging population.