Worse Depression Profiles Are Associated With Higher Symptom Burden and Poorer Quality of Life in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a pervasive symptom in patients with gynecological cancer undergoing chemotherapy. OBJECTIVES: Purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct depression profiles and evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, severity of common symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) outcomes among these subgroups. METHODS: Patients with gynecological cancer (n = 231) completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale 6 times over 2 cycles of chemotherapy. All of the other measures were completed prior to the second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was done to identify the distinct depression profiles. Differences were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric tests. RESULTS: Three distinct profiles were identified: low (60.1%), high (35.1%), and very high (4.8%). Compared with low class, the other 2 classes had lower functional status and were more likely to self-report a diagnosis of depression. Patients in the 2 worse profiles reported a higher comorbidity burden, higher levels of trait and state anxiety, sleep disturbance, and fatigue, as well as lower levels of cognitive function and poorer QOL. State and trait anxiety, evening fatigue, and sleep disturbance scores exhibit a "dose-response effect" (ie, as the depression profile worsened, the severity of these symptoms increased). CONCLUSIONS: Almost 40% of our sample experienced high or very high levels of depression across 2 cycles of chemotherapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Clinicians can use the identified risk factors to identify high patients risk and provide tailored psychological interventions aimed to decrease symptom burden and prevent decrements in QOL.

Identification of distinct symptom profiles in patients with gynecologic cancers using a pre-specified symptom cluster.

PURPOSE: Pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression are four of the most common symptoms in patients with gynecologic cancer. The purposes were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct co-occurring pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depression profiles (i.e., pre-specified symptom cluster) in a sample of patients with gynecologic cancer receiving chemotherapy and assess for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as the severity of other common symptoms and QOL outcomes among these subgroups. METHODS: Patients completed symptom questionnaires prior to their second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups of patients using the pre-specified symptom cluster. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate for differences between the subgroups. RESULTS: In the sample of 233 patients, two distinct latent classes were identified (i.e., low (64.8%) and high (35.2%)) indicating lower and higher levels of symptom burden. Patients in high class were younger, had child care responsibilities, were unemployed, and had a lower annual income. In addition, these women had a higher body mass index, a higher comorbidity burden, and a lower functional status. Patients in the high class reported higher levels of anxiety, as well as lower levels of energy and cognitive function and poorer quality of life scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a number of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with membership in the high class. Clinicians can use this information to refer patients to dieticians and physical therapists for tailored interventions.

Cancer-Specific health equity metrics in the United States of America: A scoping review.

Health disparities in cancer care persist, and in some cases are growing, despite decades of research aimed at achieving equal outcomes for all Americans. There is growing consensus that reducing disparities will require a shift from aiming to provide care that is equal, to aiming to provide care that is equitable. The current landscape of metrics and interventions that move beyond equality (i.e., care provided equally to all patients) and towards equity (i.e., care provided variably and justly such that patients achieve equal outcomes) have not been characterized. Thus, the aim of this scoping literature review was to identify cancer-specific health equity metrics and interventions, and to explore current gaps in the field. Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Scopus were searched for studies published in English between 2012 and 2022 that implemented a metric to identify or an intervention to address cancer care inequities in the United States. The search returned 36,724 unique articles, of which 40 articles (1%) included an intervention to advance health equity. Metrics included timeliness of screening and treatment, receipt of goal-concordant care, and survival. The vast majority of articles were cross-sectional or cohort studies that described health disparities using one or more outcome metrics. Gaps identified included research on receipt of guideline-concordant care, interventions addressing multiple levels of structural and social determinants of health, inclusion of children and families, and patient-reported outcomes or other sources of data that could help inform interventions to advance equity.

Immune-Related Adverse Events Among COVID-19-Vaccinated Patients With Cancer Receiving Immune Checkpoint Blockade.

BACKGROUND: Whether COVID-19 vaccination and the associated immune response increases susceptibility to immune-related adverse events (irAEs) among patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) remains unknown. Short-term follow-up can assess the safety of concurrent administration of the vaccine and ICI treatment. METHODS: We conducted an electronic health record analysis of a cohort of 408 patients with cancer receiving ICI therapy and who were vaccinated for COVID-19 between January 16 and March 27, 2021. Patients were seen in follow-up for 90 days from the day of the first dose in this single-institution tertiary care center. We evaluated the incidence of irAEs and the frequency of each event type and grade among patients who experienced an irAE. We also evaluated the incidence of irAEs in patients who began a new immunotherapy agent after vaccination. RESULTS: Among 408 patients with cancer receiving ICI therapy (median age, 71 years; 217 [53%] male), administration of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine within 90 days of ICI treatment was not associated with an increased incidence of irAEs. A total of 27 (7%) patients experienced a new irAE within the observation period. Among patients with previous irAEs from ICIs (n=54), 3 (6%) experienced a recurrent irAE, and of those initiating a new immunotherapy (n=52), 9 (17%) experienced an irAE. No excess risk of COVID-19 diagnosis was seen in this subset of patients receiving ICI therapy, and no breakthrough COVID-19 cases were seen after full COVID-19 vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: These findings should reassure providers that COVID-19 vaccination during ICI therapy is safe and efficacious.

Variable duration of viral shedding in cancer patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In this retrospective study of 105 severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected cancer patients with longitudinal nasopharyngeal sampling, the duration of viral shedding and time to attain cycle threshold >30 was longer in patients with hematologic malignancy than in those with solid tumors. These findings have important public health implications.

Loneliness and symptom burden in oncology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are significant public health problems that are being exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Little is known about the associations between loneliness and symptom burden in oncology patients before and during the pandemic. Study purposes include determining the prevalence of loneliness in a sample of oncology patients; evaluating for differences in demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics between lonely and nonlonely patients; and determining which demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics were associated with membership in the lonely group. METHODS: A convenience sample (n = 606) completed online surveys that evaluated the severity of loneliness, social isolation, and common symptoms (ie, anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive dysfunction, and pain) in oncology patients. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to evaluate for differences in scores between the lonely and nonlonely groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors for membership in the loneliness group. RESULTS: Of the 606 patients, 53.0% were categorized in the lonely group. The lonely group reported higher levels of social isolation, as well as higher symptom severity scores for all of the symptoms evaluated. In the multivariate model, being unmarried, having higher levels of social isolation, as well as higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with membership in the lonely group. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that a significant number of oncology patients are experiencing loneliness, most likely as a result of mandate social distancing and isolation procedures. The symptom burden of these patients is extremely high and warrants clinical evaluation and interventions.

The Oncology Nursing Society Rapid Review and Research Priorities for Cancer Care in the Context of COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To identify research priorities addressing COVID-19 that build on the 2019-2022 Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Research Agenda, in alignment with ONS's mission to promote excellence in oncology nursing and quality cancer care. METHODS & VARIABLES: Priority areas were identified using a multistep approach combining rapid review of the literature; consultation with experts/stakeholders; and review of priorities from other funding agencies, public health, and cancer-focused organizations. RESULTS: The rapid research response team identified five priority areas for research related to COVID-19. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Oncology nurses are well positioned to address the research priorities and cross-cutting themes identified through this review. The use of innovative methodologic approaches and attention to disparities are necessary to advance cancer care related to COVID-19.

Oncology patients' perceptions of and experiences with COVID-19.

PURPOSE: No information is available on cancer patients' knowledge of and experiences with COVID-19. We undertook an evaluation of differences in COVID-19 symptom occurrence rates, COVID-19 testing rates, clinical care activities, knowledge of COVID-19, and use of mitigation procedures between patients who were and were not receiving active cancer treatment. METHODS: Patients enrolled were > 18 years of age; had a diagnosis of cancer; and were able to complete the emailed study survey online. RESULTS: Of the 174 patients who participated, 27.6% (n = 48) were receiving active treatment, 13.6% were unemployed because of COVID-19, 12.2% had been tested for COVID-19, and 0.6% had been hospitalized for COVID-19. Patients who were not on active treatment reported a higher mean number of COVID-19 symptoms (3.1 (± 4.2) versus 1.9 (± 2.6)), and patients who reported a higher number of COVID-19 symptoms were more likely to be tested. Over 55% of the patients were confident that their primary care provider could diagnose COVID-19, and the majority of the patients had high levels of adherence with the use of precautionary measures (e.g., social distancing, use of face coverings). CONCLUSION: The high level of COVID-19 symptoms and the significant overlap of COVID-19 and cancer-related symptoms pose challenges for clinicians who are assessing and triaging oncology patients for COVID-19 testing. For patients on active treatment, clinicians face challenges with how to assess and manage symptoms that, prior to COVID-19, would be ascribed to acute toxicities associated with cancer treatments or persistent symptoms in cancer survivors.

Infusion Site Reactions: Classification in the Setting of Fosaprepitant Administration With Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Studies report a wide range of incidence and severity of infusion site adverse events (ISAEs) following fosaprepitant administration. OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the incidence of suspected extravasation in patients with cancer receiving fosaprepitant infusions with chemotherapy and (b) to determine whether the documented signs, symptoms, and management strategies aligned with the diagnostic criteria for extravasation versus non-extravasation ISAEs. METHODS: Electronic health records were used to identify patients who received fosaprepitant infusion with chemotherapy and had documentation for suspected extravasation. Chart reviews were conducted for a sample of patients to determine whether documentation was consistent with extravasation. FINDINGS: About 3% (n = 460 of 15,667) of patients who received fosaprepitant had documentation for suspected extravasation. Among a random sample of patients (N = 110) with suspected extravasation, 6% (n = 6) had documentation consistent with extravasation.

Stress and Symptom Burden in Oncology Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

CONTEXT: No information is available on oncology patients' level of stress and symptom burden during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics, levels of social isolation and loneliness, and the occurrence and severity of common symptoms between oncology patients with low vs. high levels of COVID-19 and cancer-related stress. In addition, to determine which of these characteristics were associated with membership in the high-stressed group. METHODS: Patients were 18 years and older; had a diagnosis of cancer; and were able to complete an online survey. RESULTS: Of the 187 patients in this study, 31.6% were categorized in the stressed group (Impact of Event Scale-Revised [score of ≥24]). Stressed group's Impact of Event Scale-Revised score exceeds previous benchmarks in oncology patients and equates with probable post-traumatic stress disorder. In this stressed group, patients reported occurrence rates for depression (71.2%), anxiety (78.0%), sleep disturbance (78.0%), evening fatigue (55.9%), cognitive impairment (91.5%), and pain (75.9%). Symptom severity scores equate with clinically meaningful levels for each symptom. CONCLUSION: We identified alarmingly high rates of stress and an extraordinarily high symptom burden among patients with cancer, exceeding those previously benchmarked in this population and on par with noncancer patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic will likely impact cancer care for an indefinite period, clinicians must exhibit increased vigilance in their assessments of patients' level of stress and symptom burden. Moreover, an increase in referrals to appropriate supportive care resources must be prioritized for high-risk patients.

Safety of Inactivated Influenza Vaccine in Cancer Patients Receiving Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients are at a higher risk for developing influenza (flu)- related complications. It is unclear if the flu vaccine exacerbates immune events in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). METHODS: We conducted an institutional review board-IRB-approved retrospective review of advanced cancer patients on ICIs who received the flu vaccine during three 3 consecutive seasons: 2014-2015, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017. The primary outcome assessed was any "new onset" immune-related adverse event (IRAE). A subset analysis of vaccinated patients newly treated with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) agents (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) was conducted to assess overall IRAE rates for comparison with published clinical trials. RESULTS: During the three 3 seasons, 370 patients met criteria for ICI and vaccination within ~ twoapproximately 2 months (65 days). The most common underlying cancers were lung (46%) and melanoma (19%); 61% of patients received an anti-PD-1 agent only. In the entire cohort, 20% experienced an IRAE (any grade); incidence of grade 3 or 4 toxicity was 8%. No grade 5 events occurred. In the subset of 170 patients newly treated with anti-PD-1 agents, the overall IRAE rate was 18% and, grade 3/4 events occurred in 7.6%. Influenza was diagnosed in 2 patients. CONCLUSIONS: No increase in incidence or severity of IRAEs was detected in patients on ICIs who received the inactivated influenza vaccine within ~ approximately 2 months of ICI. For newly treated patients on anti-PDI-1 agents, IRAE rates were comparable to those from published clinical trials and did not vary with order of administration. Routine seasonal flu vaccination is encouraged in patients on ICIs.

Preoperative Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Outpatient Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Our primary research aim was to determine the prevalence of preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing outpatient cancer surgery. Our secondary aim was to examine the association between preoperative anxiety and negative intraoperative and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing outpatient cancer surgery, including increased anesthesia requirements, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), extended overnight stay, total length of stay (LOS), transfer to hospital, surgical complications, and postoperative visits to urgent care centers (UCC). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to investigate the prevalence of preoperative anxiety and its association with postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing outpatient cancer surgery. Our retrospective cohort included 10,048 outpatient procedures performed on 8683 patients at a large comprehensive cancer center between January 1, 2016, and April 30, 2018. RESULTS: The analysis included 8665 patients undergoing procedures at an outpatient facility over 16 months; 16.7% had preoperative anxiety. In patients with preoperative anxiety, higher rates of adverse outcomes were seen, including PONV (adjusted difference 1.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12%, 3.4%, P = 0.029), unplanned overnight admission (adjusted difference 1.1%, 95% CI 0.07%, 2.0%, P = 0.021), and urgent care visits within 30 days (adjusted difference 1.5%, 95% CI 0.44%, 2.6%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Even assuming a causal relationship between preoperative anxiety and postoperative outcomes, preventing one instance of PONV would require treating at least 30 patients for anxiety, and preventing longer-term outcomes such as urgent care visits or readmissions within 30 days would require treating even larger numbers of patients. Future studies should attempt to elucidate the causal pathway between preoperative anxiety and postoperative adverse events in outpatients undergoing outpatient cancer surgery.

Impact of colonizing organism in the respiratory tract on the incidence, duration, and time between subsequent hospitalizations among patients with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the association between colonizing respiratory tract organism and frequency, duration, and time between subsequent hospitalizations among hospitalized patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study of 312 CF patients from 2 New York City hospitals (2006-2016) examined the effects of colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) or methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA), co-colonization on incidence of hospitalization, time to next hospitalization, and total length of stay (LOS). RESULTS: Annual rate of subsequent hospitalizations was highest in patients with P aeruginosa: adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) were 2.75 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72-4.41) for P aeruginosa versus MSSA, 2.57 (95% CI, 1.52-4.31) for co-colonization versus MSSA, and 1.77 (95% CI, 1.04-3.01) for P aeruginosa versus MRSA. Time to readmission was shortest for P aeruginosa: aIRRs were 1.75 (95% CI, 1.05-2.94) for MRSA versus P aeruginosa, 1.64 (95% CI, 1.03-2.59) for MSSA versus P aeruginosa, and 1.61 (95% CI, 1.04-2.47) for co-colonization versus P aeruginosa. LOS was longest for P aeruginosa: aIRRs were 3.41 (95% CI, 2.19-5.32) for P aeruginosa versus MSSA, 1.66 (95% CI, 1.01-2.75) for co-colonization versus MSSA, 2.50 (95% CI, 1.58-3.93) for P aeruginosa versus MRSA, and 2.05 (95% CI, 1.32-3.18) for P aeruginosa versus co-colonization. CONCLUSIONS: CF patients with P aeruginosa alone experienced more hospitalizations, longer LOS, and shorter time to readmission versus patients with S aureus or both organisms.

Prevalence and risk factors for bloodstream infection present on hospital admission.

BACKGROUND: Bloodstream infection present on hospital admission (BSI-POA) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to measure prevalence and describe the risk factors of patients with BSI-POA and to determine the prevalence of resistance in isolates by admission source. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged from three hospitals in New York City between 2006 and 2014. BSI-POA was defined as BSI diagnosed within 48 h of hospitalisation. RESULTS: The prevalence for BSI-POA was 5307/315,010 discharges (1.7%). The odds of being admitted with BSI-POA were greatest among patients admitted with renal failure, chronic dermatitis, malignancies and prior hospitalisation. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were 2.72 (95% CI = 2.56-2.88), 2.15 (95% CI = 1.97-2.34), 1.76 (95% CI = 1.64-1.88) and 1.59 (95% CI = 1.50-1.69), respectively. The largest proportion of BSI-POA presented with Staphylococcus aureus (48.4%), followed by Enterococcus faecalis/faecium (20.3%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (16.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (8.7%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (4.2%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (2.2%). Overall, 44% of those admitted from nursing homes presented with antibiotic resistant strains versus 34% from other hospitals and 31% from private homes (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Understanding the risk factors of patients who present to the hospital with BSI could enable timely interventions and better patient outcomes.

Assessing Intensity of Nursing Care Needs Using Electronically Available Data.

Although previous research has confirmed that nurse staffing affects patient outcomes, some potentially important factors have not been accounted for in tools to assess relationships between staffing and outcomes. The aim of this project was to develop and test a Nursing Intensity of Care Index using electronically available data from 152 072 patient discharges from three hospitals. Initially, 1765 procedure codes were reviewed; 69 were confirmed as directly increasing nursing workload by at least 15 minutes per shift. Two research staff independently reviewed a random sample of 5 patient days to assess interrater reliability with complete scoring agreement. To assess face validity, eight nurse clinician experts reviewed factors included in the Nursing Intensity of Care Index to assess the accuracy of the nursing time estimates in the tool. To examine concurrent validity, Nursing Intensity of Care Index scores for a random sample of 28 patients from four clinical units were compared with assessments made by a unit-based clinical nurse (low/medium/high intensity) for the same patients on the same day with a Spearman correlation of 0.94. In preliminary testing, data for the Nursing Intensity of Care Index, which accurately reflect nursing care intensity, can be obtained electronically in real time. The next steps will be a discrete-event simulation model and large-scale field trials.

Incidence and risk factors for and the effect of a program to reduce the incidence of surgical site infection after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection (SSI) after cardiac surgery (CS) is a serious complication that increases hospital length of stay (LOS), has a substantial financial impact, and increases mortality. The study described here was done to evaluate the effect of a program to reduce SSI after CS. METHODS: In January 2007, a multi-disciplinary CS infection-prevention team developed guidelines and implemented bundled tactics for reducing SSI. Data for all patients who underwent CS from 2006-2008 were used to determine whether there was: 1) A difference in the incidence of SSI in white patients and those belonging to minority groups; 2) a reduction in SSI after intervention; and 3) a statistically significant difference in the incidence of SSI in the third quarter of each year as compared with the other quarters of the year. RESULTS: Of 3,418 patients who underwent CS; 1,125 (32.9%) were members of minority groups and 2,293 (67.1%) were white. Eighty (2.3%) patients developed SSI. There was no significant difference in the incidence of SSI in non-Hispanic white patients and all others (2.1% vs. 2.8%, p=0. 42). The incidence of SSI decreased significantly from 2006 (3.0%) to 2007 (2.5%) and 2008 (1.4%), (p=0.03). Surgical site infection occurred more often in the third quarter of each of the years of the study than in other quarters of each year (3.3 vs. 2.0%, p=0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a program to reduce SSI after CS was associated with a lower incidence of SSI across all racial and ethnic groups and over time, but was not associated with a lower incidence of SSI in the third quarter of each year than in the other quarters.

Prevalence and risk factors for antibiotic-resistant community-associated bloodstream infections.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic resistance is increasing in many community settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of antibiotic resistant community-associated bloodstream infections (CA-BSIs) present on hospital admissions to identify risk factors for acquiring resistant versus susceptible CA-BSIs and to describe the incidence of concurrent infections with CA-BSIs. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged from one community, one pediatric, and two tertiary/quaternary care hospitals within an academically affiliated network in the borough of Manhattan in New York, NY, from 2006 to 2008. The CA-BSIs present at hospital admission were defined as BSIs occurring within the first 48h of hospitalization. Infections and patient characteristics were identified using data available from patients' electronic medical records and discharge records. RESULTS: In total, 1677 CA-BSIs were identified. Staphylococcus aureus had the largest proportion of resistance (41.2%), followed by enterococcal species (24.3%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.2%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (16.6%), Acinetobacter baumannii (10.0%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (9.9%). Significant predictors of resistance were prior residence in a skilled nursing facility (OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.39-4.70), advanced age (1.01; 1.002-1.02), presence of malignancy (0.58; 0.37-0.91), prior hospitalization (1.62; 1.17-2.23), a weighted Charlson score (1.09; 1.02-1.17) for S. aureus, presence of malignancy (1.82; 1.004-3.30), prior hospitalizations (2.03; 1.12-3.38) for enterococcal species, and younger age for S. pneumoniae (p=0.02). Urinary tract infections were the most common concurrent infection (n=45/87, 51.7%). CONCLUSION: Over 27% of the CA-BSIs present on admission were antibiotic resistant. Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for CA-BSIs may help improve empiric antibiotic therapy and outcomes for patients with community-onset infections.

Costs of healthcare- and community-associated infections with antimicrobial-resistant versus antimicrobial-susceptible organisms.

OBJECTIVE: We compared differences in the hospital charges, length of hospital stay, and mortality between patients with healthcare- and community-associated bloodstream infections, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia due to antimicrobial-resistant versus -susceptible bacterial strains. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of an electronic database compiled from laboratory, pharmacy, surgery, financial, and patient location and device utilization sources was undertaken on 5699 inpatients who developed healthcare- or community-associated infections between 2006 and 2008 from 4 hospitals (1 community, 1 pediatric, 2 tertiary/quaternary care) in Manhattan. The main outcome measures were hospital charges, length of stay, and mortality among patients with antimicrobial-resistant and -susceptible infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii. RESULTS: Controlling for multiple confounders using linear regression and nearest neighbor matching based on propensity score estimates, resistant healthcare- and community-associated infections, when compared with susceptible strains of the same organism, were associated with significantly higher charges ($15,626; confidence interval [CI], $4339-$26,913 and $25,573; CI, $9331-$41,816, respectively) and longer hospital stays for community-associated infections (3.3; CI, 1.5-5.4). Patients with resistant healthcare-associated infections also had a significantly higher death rate (0.04; CI, 0.01-0.08). CONCLUSIONS: With careful matching of patients infected with the same organism, antimicrobial resistance was associated with higher charges, length of stay, and death rates. The difference in estimates after accounting for censoring for death highlight divergent social and hospital incentives in reducing patient risk for antimicrobial resistant infections.

Treatment seeking for smoking cessation among young adults.

Young adult smokers (18-24 year olds) do not seek treatment for smoking cessation as often as older smokers. Two commonly hypothesized reasons for this are that younger smokers are not aware of treatments or cannot afford them. The State of Vermont provides free smoking cessation treatment, and most young smokers are aware of this; thus, we tested whether young adult smokers from Vermont would still underutilize treatment via a secondary analysis of the population-based 2005 VT Adult Tobacco Survey. Young adult smokers from Vermont were less likely to have used medication (24% vs. 58%; relative risk = 0.42) or psychosocial (28% vs. 53%; relative risk = 0.54) treatment than middle-aged smokers (25-44 year olds). We conclude that reasons other than awareness and cost cause young adult smokers to not seek treatment.