Leveraging an Implementation Science Framework to Adapt and Scale a Patient Navigator Intervention to Improve Mammography Screening Outreach in a New Community.

Helping Her Live (HHL) is a community health worker-led outreach model that navigates women from vulnerable communities to mammography screening and diagnostic follow-up. The objective of this study was to evaluate HHL implementation on the southwest side of Chicago. HHL has been implemented on the west side of Chicago since 2008, where it has increased mammogram completion and diagnostic follow-up rates among Black and Hispanic women from resource poor communities. In 2014, HHL was translated to the southwest side of Chicago; implementation success was evaluated by comparing outreach, navigation request, and mammogram completion metrics with the west side. During January 2014-December 2015, outreach was less extensive in the southwest setting (SW) compared to the benchmark west setting (W); however, the proportion of women who completed mammograms in SW was 50%, which compared favorably to the proportion observed in the benchmark setting W (42%). The distribution of insurance status and the racial and ethnic makeup of individuals met on outreach in the W and SW were significantly different (p < 0.0005). This successful expansion of HHL in terms of both geographic and demographic reach justifies further studies leveraging these results and tailoring HHL to additional underserved communities.

Translating a Proven Pediatric Healthy Homes Asthma Intervention to Adults.

Asthma is a serious public health concern, disproportionately affecting urban, minority populations. Chicago's West and Southwest sides are among the most burdened by asthma and environmental conditions that exacerbate asthma. Home-based, community health worker (CHW)-led interventions have repeatedly demonstrated effectiveness in addressing pediatric asthma. However, evidence of such interventions among adults is limited. Helping Chicago's Westside Adults Breathe and Thrive is a longitudinal cohort study that assesses the effectiveness of a CHW-led asthma and healthy homes intervention for adults. One of the first of its kind, the program aims to improve asthma control and quality of life among adults with poorly controlled asthma. This article provides a framework for implementing the intervention from start to finish. CHWs make five or six home visits over the course of 12 months, providing comprehensive and individualized asthma education to study participants. They work closely with participants to conduct home environmental assessments, collaboratively developing techniques to eliminate or avoid asthma triggers. They also assist with smoking cessation, comorbidities, and health system navigation. Between December 1, 2013, and August 31, 2015, 202 participants enrolled in the program. This article reports on successes, challenges, and recommendations from the program's first 21 months of operation.

Improving asthma management among African-American children via a community health worker model: findings from a Chicago-based pilot intervention.

OBJECTIVES: Asthma affects 25-30% of children living in certain disadvantaged Chicago neighborhoods, a rate twice the national prevalence (13%). Children living in poor, minority communities tend to rely heavily on the emergency department (ED) for asthma care and are unlikely to be properly medicated or educated on asthma self-management. A pilot project implemented and evaluated a community health worker (CHW) model for its effectiveness in reducing asthma morbidity and improving the quality of life among African-American children living in disadvantaged Chicago neighborhoods. METHODS: Trained CHWs from targeted communities provided individualized asthma education during three to four home visits over 6 months. The CHWs also served as liaisons between families and the medical system. Seventy children were enrolled into the pilot phase between 15 November 2004 and 15 July 2005, of which 96% were insured by Medicaid and 54% lived with a smoker. Prior to starting, the study was approved by an institutional review board. Data on 50 children (71.4%) who completed the entire 12-month evaluation phase were analyzed using a before and after study design. RESULTS: Findings indicate improved asthma control. Specifically, symptom frequency was reduced by 35% and urgent health resource utilization by 75% between the pre- and post-intervention periods. Parental quality of life also improved by a level that was both clinically and statistically significant. Other important outcomes included improved asthma-related knowledge, decreased exposure to asthma triggers, and improved medical management. The intervention was also shown to be cost-effective, resulting in an estimated $5.58 saved per dollar spent on the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that individualized asthma education provided by a trained, culturally competent CHW is effective in improving asthma management among poorly controlled, inner-city children. Further studies are needed to affirm the findings and assess the model's generalizability.

Cancer screening knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among culturally Deaf adults: implications for informed decision making.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies show that Deaf persons tend to have lower health status, lack health knowledge, have differing health attitudes, and decreased health care utilization when compared to the general population. The authors sought to examine knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding age- and gender-specific cancer screening tests amongst a sample of Deaf adults who were patients of Deaf-friendly medical organizations. The authors also sought to compare age- and gender-specific cancer screening rates amongst this sample to that of the general US population. METHODS: A sample of 203 adult Deaf patients participated in a comprehensive, face-to-face health survey conducted between November 2002 and March 2003. The survey was administered in American Sign Language by Deaf interviewers and included age- and gender-specific cancer knowledge, attitude, and behavior questions. RESULTS: Knowledge pertaining to Pap smear among females was low, while the proportion having ever had a Pap smear was comparable to the general population. Mammography knowledge amongst females age 50 and older was comparatively higher, although it remained lower than the proportion of females in this age group who reported ever receiving a mammogram. Overall, screening rates for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer were similar to rates in the general US population. Attitudes toward specific cancer screening tests were also favorable. CONCLUSIONS: Persons within the Deaf community can have cancer screening rates similar to those of the general US population. However, utilization in the absence of knowledge regarding these tests is worrisome and brings about ethical, health care quality and health education concerns.

The effects of cocaine and heroin use on intubation rates and hospital utilization in patients with acute asthma exacerbations.

BACKGROUND: The use of both heroin and cocaine has been associated with asthma exacerbations. However, the magnitude of this effect has not been adequately described. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between cocaine or heroin use and asthma severity. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients who had been admitted to an inner-city hospital and who subsequently had received a hospital discharge diagnosis of acute asthma exacerbation. Patients were classified as cocaine users if they had admitted to using cocaine within 24 h of symptom onset, or if a positive drug screen result was obtained. A similar classification was employed for heroin. The severity of asthma exacerbations among cocaine and heroin users was compared to severity among nonusers (ie, individuals without evidence of having used either drug within the 24 h preceding symptom onset). RESULTS: One hundred sixty-six unique patient encounters were identified, and 152 patient records were analyzed. Of these, 27.6% (42 of 152 patients) used cocaine with or without heroin and were classified as cocaine users, while 30.9% (47 of 152 patients) used heroin with or without cocaine and were classified as heroin users. Cocaine users had longer mean lengths of hospital stay than nonusers (3.4 days vs 2.5 days; p < 0.049). Intubation and ICU admission were more common among cocaine users than nonusers (21.4% vs 2.3%, respectively [p = 0.0006]; 31.0% vs 11.5%, respectively [p = 0.0068]). Heroin users were also intubated more frequently than nonusers (17.0% vs 2.3%, respectively; p = 0.0036). Neither the length of hospital stay nor the percentage of ICU admissions was significantly different between heroin users and nonusers. CONCLUSION: Heroin and cocaine use are common among adult asthmatic patients admitted to an inner-city hospital. Both cocaine and heroin are significantly associated with the need for intubation. Based on these findings, it may be prudent to screen adults with asthma presenting to an urban emergency department for cocaine and heroin use.