Differences in Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction for Low- and High-Income Patients in 6 Countries.

Importance: Differences in the organization and financing of health systems may produce more or less equitable outcomes for advantaged vs disadvantaged populations. We compared treatments and outcomes of older high- and low-income patients across 6 countries. Objective: To determine whether treatment patterns and outcomes for patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction differ for low- vs high-income individuals across 6 countries. Design, Setting, and Participants: Serial cross-sectional cohort study of all adults aged 66 years or older hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction from 2013 through 2018 in the US, Canada, England, the Netherlands, Taiwan, and Israel using population-representative administrative data. Exposures: Being in the top and bottom quintile of income within and across countries. Main Outcomes and Measures: Thirty-day and 1-year mortality; secondary outcomes included rates of cardiac catheterization and revascularization, length of stay, and readmission rates. Results: We studied 289 376 patients hospitalized with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 843 046 hospitalized with non-STEMI (NSTEMI). Adjusted 30-day mortality generally was 1 to 3 percentage points lower for high-income patients. For instance, 30-day mortality among patients admitted with STEMI in the Netherlands was 10.2% for those with high income vs 13.1% for those with low income (difference, -2.8 percentage points [95% CI, -4.1 to -1.5]). One-year mortality differences for STEMI were even larger than 30-day mortality, with the highest difference in Israel (16.2% vs 25.3%; difference, -9.1 percentage points [95% CI, -16.7 to -1.6]). In all countries, rates of cardiac catheterization and percutaneous coronary intervention were higher among high- vs low-income populations, with absolute differences ranging from 1 to 6 percentage points (eg, 73.6% vs 67.4%; difference, 6.1 percentage points [95% CI, 1.2 to 11.0] for percutaneous intervention in England for STEMI). Rates of coronary artery bypass graft surgery for patients with STEMI in low- vs high-income strata were similar but for NSTEMI were generally 1 to 2 percentage points higher among high-income patients (eg, 12.5% vs 11.0% in the US; difference, 1.5 percentage points [95% CI, 1.3 to 1.8 ]). Thirty-day readmission rates generally also were 1 to 3 percentage points lower and hospital length of stay generally was 0.2 to 0.5 days shorter for high-income patients. Conclusions and Relevance: High-income individuals had substantially better survival and were more likely to receive lifesaving revascularization and had shorter hospital lengths of stay and fewer readmissions across almost all countries. Our results suggest that income-based disparities were present even in countries with universal health insurance and robust social safety net systems.

Poverty and Risk of Cleft Lip and Palate: An Analysis of United States Birth Data.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between poverty and incidence of cleft lip and cleft palate remains unclear. The authors investigated the association between socioeconomic status and cleft lip with or without cleft palate and cleft palate only in the United States after controlling for demographic and environmental risk factors. METHODS: The U.S. 2016 and 2017 natality data were utilized. Proxies for socioeconomic status included maternal education, use of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, and payment source for delivery. Multiple logistic regression controlled for household demographics, prenatal care, maternal health, and infant characteristics. RESULTS: Of 6,251,308 live births included, 2984 (0.05 percent) had cleft lip with or without cleft palate and 1180 (0.02 percent) had cleft palate only. Maternal education of bachelor's degree or higher was protective against, and delayed prenatal care associated with, cleft lip with or without cleft palate (adjusted ORs = 0.73 and 1.14 to 1.23, respectively; p < 0.02). Receiving assistance under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children was associated with cleft palate only (adjusted OR = 1.25; p = 0.003). Male sex, first-trimester tobacco smoking, and maternal gestational diabetes were also associated with cleft lip with or without cleft palate (adjusted ORs = 1.60, 1.01, and 1.19, respectively; p < 0.05). Female sex, prepregnancy tobacco smoking, and maternal infections during pregnancy were associated with cleft palate only (adjusted ORs = 0.74, 1.02, and 1.60, respectively; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased incidence of orofacial clefts was associated with indicators of lower socioeconomic status, with different indicators associated with different cleft phenotypes. Notably, early prenatal care was protective against the development of cleft lip with or without cleft palate. CLIINCAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Palliative care and catastrophic costs in Malawi after a diagnosis of advanced cancer: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Inclusive universal health coverage requires access to quality health care without financial barriers. Receipt of palliative care after advanced cancer diagnosis might reduce household poverty, but evidence from low-income and middle-income settings is sparse. METHODS: In this prospective study, the primary objective was to investigate total household costs of cancer-related health care after a diagnosis of advanced cancer, with and without the receipt of palliative care. Households comprising patients and their unpaid family caregiver were recruited into a cohort study at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Malawi, between Jan 16 and July 31, 2019. Costs of cancer-related health-care use (including palliative care) and health-related quality-of-life were recorded over 6 months. Regression analysis explored associations between receipt of palliative care and total household costs on health care as a proportion of household income. Catastrophic costs, defined as 20% or more of total household income, sale of assets and loans taken out (dissaving), and their association with palliative care were computed. FINDINGS: We recruited 150 households. At 6 months, data from 89 (59%) of 150 households were available, comprising 89 patients (median age 50 years, 79% female) and 64 caregivers (median age 40 years, 73% female). Patients in 55 (37%) of the 150 households died and six (4%) were lost to follow-up. 19 (21%) of 89 households received palliative care. Catastrophic costs were experienced by nine (47%) of 19 households who received palliative care versus 48 (69%) of 70 households who did not (relative risk 0·69, 95% CI 0·42 to 1·14, p=0·109). Palliative care was associated with substantially reduced dissaving (median US$11, IQR 0 to 30 vs $34, 14 to 75; p=0·005). The mean difference in total household costs on cancer-related health care with receipt of palliative care was -36% (95% CI -94 to 594; p=0·707). INTERPRETATION: Vulnerable households in low-income countries are subject to catastrophic health-related costs following a diagnosis of advanced cancer. Palliative care might result in reduced dissaving in these households. Further consideration of the economic benefits of palliative care is justified. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust; National Institute for Health Research; and EMMS International.

Short-term outcome after open-heart surgery for severe chronic rheumatic heart disease in a low-income country, with comparison with an historical control group: an observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major burden in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Cardiac surgery is the only curative treatment. Little is known about patients with severe chronic RHD operated in LMICs, and challenges regarding postoperative follow-up are an important issue. At Tikur Anbessa Specialised Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, we aimed to evaluate the course and 12-month outcome of patients with severe chronic RHD who received open-heart surgery, as compared with the natural course of controls waiting for surgery and undergoing only medical treatment. METHODS: Clinical data and outcome measures were registered in 46 patients operated during five missions from March 2016 to November 2019, and compared with the first-year course in a cohort of 49 controls from the same hospital's waiting list for surgery. Adverse events were death or complications such as stroke, other thromboembolic events, bleeding, hospitalisation for heart failure and infectious endocarditis. RESULTS: Survival at 12 months was 89% and survival free from complications was 80% in the surgical group. Despite undergoing open-heart surgery, with its inherent risks, outcome measures of the surgical group were non-inferior to the natural course of the control group in the first year after inclusion on the waiting list (p≥0.45). All except six surgical patients were in New York Heart Association class I after 12 months and 84% had resumed working. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac surgery for severe chronic RHD is feasible in LMICs if the service is structured and planned. Rates of survival and survival free from complications were similar to those of controls at 12 months. Functional level and resumption of work were high in the surgical group. Whether the patients who underwent cardiac surgery will have better long-term prognosis, in line with what is known in high-income countries, needs to be evaluated in future studies.

Estimating the effectiveness of national health insurance in covering catastrophic health expenditure: Evidence from South Korea.

The catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) indicator has been used to measure the medical cost burden of households. Many countries have institutionalized their health insurance systems to reduce out-of-pocket payments, the main contributor to the financial burden. However, there is no method to estimate how the insurance coverage reduces the CHE. This study proposes an approach to evaluate the effectiveness of insurance in reducing the CHE impacts in terms of incidence and gap, which are based on a modified calculation method of CHE. Additionally, we apply these methods to data from the Korea Health Panel Survey (2011-2016). The results are as follows. First, under the setting of a threshold of 10%, the CHE incidence rate was 19.26% when the Korean national health insurance benefits reduced the CHE's incidence for 15.17% of the population in 2017. Second, the results of the concentration index of CHE showed that the intensity approach of CHE is better than the incidence approach. Third, the new approach we applied revealed that health insurance reduces the burden of CHE to some degree, although it was not an efficient way to reduce CHE. In conclusion, this study provides new policy approaches to save the finances of national health insurance and reduce the intensity of CHE at the same time by raising the low-cost burden of medical services and lowering that of high cost. Moreover, we suggest that policymakers should focus on income level of the households rather than specific diseases.

Impacto de la covid-19 en la pobreza mundial / Impact of COVID-19 on global poverty

La pandemia covid-19 se ha configurado como el mayor evento de salud pública conocido por las actuales generaciones, y cuyos efectos han trascendido a los sectores social y económico, llevando a 100 (88-115) millones de personas a condiciones de pobreza, y profundizando el impacto en la población ya considerada vulnerable, revirtiendo los avances previos en materia de progreso económico del actual siglo. Gran parte de esas repercusiones se relacionan a la importante transformación en las costumbres e interacciones de la sociedad a consecuencia de esta crisis sanitaria, que a su vez modificaron la dinámica económica en pequeña y gran escala. El impacto de esta enfermedad ha alcanzado el empleo, ingreso y estabilidad de los trabajadores, forjando un deterioro del capital humano y de las capacidades productivas, desfavoreciendo en especial a las mujeres, que serán más pobres que los hombres para 2030. En estas condiciones, el objetivo de reducir la tasa absoluta mundial de pobreza por debajo del 3 % para el año 2030, adoptado por las Naciones en la firma de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (PNUD, 2021), se hará inalcanzable si no se adoptan medidas políticas rápidas, significativas y sustanciales(AU)

The covid-19 pandemic has become the largest public health event known to current generations, and whose effects have transcended the social and economic sectors, leading 100 (88-115) million people to conditions of poverty, and deepening the impact on the population already considered vulnerable, reversing previous advances in economic progress of the current century. A large part of these repercussions are related to the important transformation in the customs and interactions of society as a result of this health crisis, which in turn modified the economic dynamics on a small and large scale. The impact of this disease has reached the employment, income and stability of workers, forging a deterioration of human capital and productive capacities, especially disadvantaging women, who will be poorer than men by 2030. Under these conditions, the goal of reducing the global absolute poverty rate below 3% by 2030, adopted by the Nations at the signing of the Sustainable Development Goals (UNDP, 2021), will become unattainable without swift political action, significant and substantial(AU)

Evaluation of Insurance Coverage and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Among Low-Income Adults With Renal Cell Carcinoma After Passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Importance: The association of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) with insurance status and cancer stage at diagnosis among patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is unknown. Objective: To test the hypothesis that the ACA may be associated with increased access to care through expansion of insurance, which may vary based on income. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort analysis included patients diagnosed with RCC from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2016, in the National Cancer Database. Data were analyzed from July 1 to December 31, 2020. The periods from 2010 to 2013 and from 2014 to 2016 were defined as pre- and post-ACA implementation, respectively. Patients were categorized as living in a Medicaid expansion state or not. Exposures: Implementation of the ACA. Main Outcomes and Measures: The absolute percentage change (APC) of insurance coverage was calculated before and after ACA implementation in expansion and nonexpansion states. Secondary outcomes included change in stage at diagnosis, difference in the rate of insurance change, and change in localized disease between expansion and nonexpansion states. Adjusted difference-in-difference modeling was performed. Results: The cohort included 78 099 patients (64.7% male and 35.3% female; mean [SD] age, 54.66 [6.46] years), of whom 21.2% had low, 46.2% had middle, and 32.6% had high incomes. After ACA implementation, expansion states had a lower proportion of uninsured patients (adjusted difference-in-difference, -1.14% [95% CI, -1.98% to -1.41%]; P = .005). This occurred to the greatest degree among low-income patients through the acquisition of Medicaid (APC, 11.0% [95% CI, 8.6%-13.3%]; P < .001). Implementation of the ACA was also associated with an increase in detection of stage I and II disease (APC, 4.0% [95% CI, 1.6%-6.3%]; P = .001) among low-income patients in expansion states. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with RCC, ACA implementation was associated with an increase in insurance coverage status in both expansion and nonexpansion states for all income groups, but to a greater degree in expansion states. The proportion of patients with localized disease increased among low-income patients in both states. These data suggest that ACA implementation is associated with earlier RCC detection among lower-income patients.

Impact of Health Insurance, Poverty, and Comorbidities on Colorectal Cancer Screening: Insights from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

BACKGROUND: Despite national campaigns and other efforts to improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, participation rates remain below targets set by expert panels. We hypothesized that availability and practice patterns of healthcare providers may contribute to this gap. METHOD: Using data of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for the years between 2000 and 2016, we extracted demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related data as well as reported experiences about barriers to care, correlating results with answers about recent participation in colorectal cancer screening. As CRC screening guidelines recommend initiation of testing at age 50, we focused on adults 50 years or older. RESULTS: We included responses of 163,564 participants for the period studied. There was a significant increase in CRC screening rates over time. Comorbidity burden, poverty, race, and ethnicity independently predicted participation in screening. Lack of insurance coverage and cost of care played an important role as reported barrier. Convenient access to care, represented by availability of appointments beyond typical business hours, and frequency of provider interactions, correlated with higher rates of screening. CONCLUSION: Our data show a positive effect of educational efforts and healthcare reform with coverage of screening. Easy and more frequent access to individual providers predicted a higher likelihood of completed screening tests. This finding could translate into more widespread implementation of screening programs, as the increasingly common virtual care delivery offers a new and convenient option to patients.

Social and financial barriers may contribute to a "hidden mortality" in Uganda for children with congenital anomalies.

BACKGROUND: The true incidence of congenital anomalies in sub-Saharan Africa is unknown. Owing to complex challenges associated with congenital anomalies, many affected babies may never present to a health facility, resulting in an underestimation of disease burden. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with Ugandans between September 2018 and May 2019. Responses from community members versus families of children with congenital anomalies were compared. RESULTS: A total of 198 Ugandans were interviewed (91 family members, 80 community members). All participants (N = 198) believed that seeking surgical care would lead to poverty, 43% (n = 84) assumed fathers would abandon the child, and 26% (n = 45) thought a child with a congenital anomaly in their community had been left to die. Causes of anomalies were believed to be contraceptive methods (48%, n = 95), witchcraft (17%, n = 34), or drugs (10%, n = 19). Of family members, 25 (28%) were advised to allow the child to die. Families with affected children were more likely to have a lower income (P < .001), believe anomalies could be treated (P = .007), but thought that allowing the child to die was best for the family (32% vs 9%; P < .0001). Monthly household income <50,000 Uganda shillings ($13 United States dollars) was a significant predictor of the father leaving the family (P = .024), being advised to not pursue medical care (P = .046), and believing that God should decide the child's fate (P = .047). CONCLUSION: Families face significant financial and social pressures when deciding to seek surgical care for a child with a congenital anomaly. Many children with anomalies may die and never reach a health facility to be counted, thus contributing to a hidden mortality.

Association Between Social Pensions With Depression, Social, and Health Behaviors Among Poor Older Individuals in Colombia.

OBJECTIVES: Many low- and middle-income countries have introduced social pensions to alleviate extreme poverty and improve the well-being of older individuals. However, evidence remains inconclusive about the potential effects of such programs on mental health, social, and health behaviors. METHODS: Data for individuals aged 60 or older came from the nationally representative Encuesta Nacional de Salud, Bienestar y Envejeciamiento survey in Colombia 2015 (N = 9,456). We used propensity score matching to estimate the association between the country's social pension program (Colombia Mayor) with depression, self-rated health, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, social participation, and labor force participation. RESULTS: Results show that receiving the program does not significantly affect the likelihood of suffering from depression or self-rated health among either men or women. However, receiving the program is associated with significant reductions in the likelihood of experiencing food insecurity and significant increases in the likelihood of participating socially. Among women, receiving the program is associated with significant reduction in the likelihood of participating in the labor force. DISCUSSION: The absence of a measurable effect on depression and self-rated health may be explained, at least partly, by the program's comparatively small cash benefit and the sharing of resources with other family members. Policymakers should assess possibilities to maximize the health and social benefits of social pensions.

Impact of Multiple Social Determinants of Health on Incident Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Social determinants of health (SDOH) have been previously associated with incident stroke. Although SDOH often cluster within individuals, few studies have examined associations between incident stroke and multiple SDOH within the same individual. The objective was to determine the individual and cumulative effects of SDOH on incident stroke. METHODS: This study included 27 813 participants from the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) Study, a national, representative, prospective cohort of black and white adults aged ≥45 years. SDOH was the primary exposure. The main outcome was expert adjudicated incident stroke. Cox proportional hazards models examined associations between incident stroke and SDOH, individually and as a count of SDOH, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: The mean age was 64.7 years (SD 9.4) at baseline; 55.4% were women and 40.4% were blacks. Over a median follow-up of 9.5 years (IQR, 6.0-11.5), we observed 1470 incident stroke events. Of 10 candidate SDOH, 7 were associated with stroke (P<0.10): race, education, income, zip code poverty, health insurance, social isolation, and residence in one of the 10 lowest ranked states for public health infrastructure. A significant age interaction resulted in stratification at 75 years. In fully adjusted models, among individuals <75 years, risk of stroke rose as the number of SDOH increased (hazard ratio for one SDOH, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.02-1.55]; 2 SDOH hazard ratio, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.12-1.71]; and ≥3 SDOH hazard ratio, 1.51 [95% CI, 1.21-1.89]) compared with those without any SDOH. Among those ≥75 years, none of the observed effects reached statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Incremental increases in the number of SDOH were independently associated with higher incident stroke risk in adults aged <75 years, with no statistically significant effects observed in individuals ≥75 years. Targeting individuals with multiple SDOH may help reduce risk of stroke among vulnerable populations.

Zoonotic and vector-borne parasites and epilepsy in low-income and middle-income countries.

Zoonotic and vector-borne parasites are important preventable risk factors for epilepsy. Three parasitic infections - cerebral malaria, Taenia solium cysticercosis and onchocerciasis - have an established association with epilepsy. Parasitoses are widely prevalent in low-income and middle-income countries, which are home to 80% of the people with epilepsy in the world. Once a parasitic infection has taken hold in the brain, therapeutic measures do not seem to influence the development of epilepsy in the long term. Consequently, strategies to control, eliminate and eradicate parasites represent the most feasible way to reduce the epilepsy burden at present. The elucidation of immune mechanisms underpinning the parasitic infections, some of which are parasite-specific, opens up new therapeutic possibilities. In this Review, we explore the pathophysiological basis of the link between parasitic infections and epilepsy, and we consider preventive and therapeutic approaches to reduce the burden of epilepsy attributable to parasitic disorders. We conclude that a concerted approach involving medical, veterinary, parasitological and ecological experts, backed by robust political support and sustainable funding, is the key to reducing this burden.

The Affordable Care Act's Medicaid Expansion and Impact Along the Cancer-Care Continuum: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Health reform and the merits of Medicaid expansion remain at the top of the legislative agenda, with growing evidence suggesting an impact on cancer care and outcomes. A systematic review was undertaken to assess the association between Medicaid expansion and the goals of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the context of cancer care. The purpose of this article is to summarize the currently published literature and to determine the effects of Medicaid expansion on outcomes during points along the cancer care continuum. METHODS: A systematic search for relevant studies was performed in the PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. Three independent observers used an abstraction form to code outcomes and perform a quality and risk of bias assessment using predefined criteria. RESULTS: A total of 48 studies were identified. The most common outcomes assessed were the impact of Medicaid expansion on insurance coverage (23.4% of studies), followed by evaluation of racial and/or socioeconomic disparities (17.4%) and access to screening (14.5%). Medicaid expansion was associated with increases in coverage for cancer patients and survivors as well as reduced racial- and income-related disparities. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid expansion has led to improved access to insurance coverage among cancer patients and survivors, particularly among low-income and minority populations. This review highlights important gaps in the existing oncology literature, including a lack of studies evaluating changes in treatment and access to end-of-life care following implementation of expansion.

Does the medical insurance system really achieved the effect of poverty alleviation for the middle-aged and elderly people in China? Characteristics of vulnerable groups and failure links.

BACKGROUND: We examined the physiological, household, and spatial agglomeration characteristics of the health poverty population in China. We identified weak links that affect the implementation of the medical insurance and further improve its effectiveness for health poverty alleviation. METHODS: A national representative sample from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) was analyzed. The WHO recommended method was adopted to calculate catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and impoverishment by medical expenses (IME). We created a binary indicator for IME as the outcome variable and applied the treatment-effect model to analyze the determinants of IME. RESULTS: The incidence of IME was 7.2% of the overall population, compared to 20.3% of the sample households trapped in CHE. The incidence of IME enrolled in insurance schemes was 7.4% higher than that of uninsured families (4.8%). Economic level, living area, family size, age of household head, having hospitalized members, and participating in insurance were statistically significant for the occurrence of IME. CONCLUSIONS: The original poverty-promoting policies has not reached the maximum point of convergence with China's current demand for health. The overlapped health vulnerabilities exacerbated the risk of poverty among the elderly and households with high health needs and utilization. In addition, the medical insurance schemes have proven to be insufficient for protection against economic burden of poor households. So, special health needs, age, and household capacity to pay should be comprehensively considered while strengthening the connection between the disease insurance scheme with supplementary insurance.

Association of Medicaid Expansion With Insurance Coverage Among Children With Cancer.

Importance: Despite evidence of improved insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion among adults with cancer, little is known regarding the association of these policies with coverage among children with cancer. Objective: To assess the association of early Medicaid expansion with rates of Medicaid coverage, private coverage, and no uninsurance among children with cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2015, to identify children diagnosed with cancer at ages 0 to 14 years in the United States. Data were analyzed from July 27, 2017, to October 7, 2019. Exposures: Changes in insurance status at diagnosis after early Medicaid expansion in California, Connecticut, Washington, and New Jersey (EXP states) were compared with changes in nonexpansion (NEXP) states (Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, New Mexico, and Utah). Main Outcomes and Measures: Difference-in-differences (DID) analyses were used to compare absolute changes in insurance status (uninsured, Medicaid, private/other) at diagnosis before (2007 to 2009) and after (2011 to 2015) expansion in EXP relative to NEXP states. Results: A total of 21 069 children (11 265 [53.5%] male; mean [SD] age, 6.18 [4.57] years) were included. A 5.25% increase (95% CI, 2.61%-7.89%; P < .001) in Medicaid coverage in children with cancer was observed in EXP vs NEXP states, with larger increases among children of counties with middle to high (adjusted DID estimates, 10.18%; 95% CI, 4.22%-16.14%; P = .005) and high (adjusted DID estimates, 6.13%; 95% CI, 1.10%-11.15%; P = .05) poverty levels (P = .04 for interaction). Expansion-associated reductions of children reported as uninsured (-0.73%; 95% CI, -1.49% to 0.03%; P = .06) and with private or other insurance (-4.52%; 95% CI, -7.16% to -1.88%; P < .001) were observed. For the latter, the decrease was greater for children from counties with middle to high poverty (-9.00%; 95% CI, -14.98% to -3.02%) and high poverty (-6.38%; 95% CI, -11.36% to -1.40%) (P = .04 for interaction). Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, state Medicaid expansions were associated with increased Medicaid coverage in children with cancer overall and in some subgroups primarily owing to switching from private coverage, particularly in counties with higher levels of poverty but also through reductions in the uninsured.

Medicaid for the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon.

Medicaid is a complex federally and state funded health insurance program in the United States that insures an estimated 76 million individuals, approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population. Many physicians may not receive formal training or education to help understand the complexities of Medicaid. Plastic surgeons, residents, and advanced practice practitioners benefit from a basic understanding of Medicaid, eligibility requirements, reimbursement methods, and upcoming healthcare trends. Medicaid is implemented by states with certain federal guidelines. Eligibility varies from state to state (in many states it's linked to the federal poverty level), and is based on financial and nonfinancial criteria. The passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010 permitted states to increase the federal poverty level eligibility cutoff to expand coverage for low-income adults. The aim of this review is to provide a brief history of Medicaid, explain the basics of eligibility and changes invoked by the Affordable Care Act, and describe how federal insurance programs relate to plastic surgery, both at academic institutions and in community practice environments.

Prospective evaluation of penetrating deep sclerectomy in advanced open-angle glaucoma: Filtration surgery adapted to resource scarcity in developing countries.

PURPOSE: Two of the hurdles that are facing ophthalmologists in developing countries are scarcity of resources and patient follow-up. Deep sclerectomy (DS) has proven less costly and more effective than topical therapies and has a more favorable safety profile than trabeculectomy. The main factors preventing its use in developing countries are the need to perform laser goniopuncture in 40-80% of cases to maintain filtration and the risk of postoperative iris incarceration. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety profile in advanced open-angle glaucoma of a relatively new surgical technique designed to overcome this limitation: penetrating DS. SETTING: This was an investigator-initiated, prospective, interventional study, conducted at a single ophthalmology center in Kinshasa, Congo. The study was conducted in full compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki. METHODS: Fifty-one eyes (34 patients) with uncontrolled advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (visual field mean deviation<-10 dBs) were enrolled between October 2012 and June 2016. Age, gender, comorbidities (hypertension/diabetes), best-corrected visual acuity, topical medications, medicated and unmedicated intraocular pressure (IOP) were recorded. All patients underwent penetrating DS, during which, following standard dissection of the scleral flaps, the anterior chamber was penetrated through the trabeculo-Descemet membrane and an iridectomy was performed. Patients attended postoperative appointments at months 1, 3, 6 and 12. Surgical success was defined as a 20% reduction of IOP from baseline in conjunction with a 12-month unmedicated IOP≤12mmHg. RESULTS: The mean age was 64.5±14.0 years (44.1% female, 100% African). Mean IOP decreased from 20.2±6.1 (medicated) and 30.7±9.8mmHg (unmedicated) preoperatively to 12.1±4.1 at 12 months. Concomitantly, the number of topical medications decreased from 1.5±0.7 to 0.0. Complete surgical success was achieved in 64.7%. Four eyes (7.8%) were considered surgical failures due to uncontrolled IOP. None of the eyes lost light perception or required additional surgery. A significant association between surgical failure and hypertension was observed (HR=1.49; P=0.008). There were no intraoperative complications. Postoperatively, 4 bleb encapsulations (7.8%) and 1 iris incarceration (2%) were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that penetrating DS achieved similar efficacy and safety results to traditional non-penetrating DS. In addition, it showed a lower potential for intraoperative complications, which might be associated with a more benign surgical learning curve. Finally, the rates of serious postoperative complications (iris incarceration, choroidal effusion and hypotony) were significantly lower than in DS and trabeculectomy, and this technique does not require subsequent Nd: YAG laser goniopuncture to maintain filtration, making frequent follow-up visits less critical. In view of these findings, perforating deep sclerectomy could offer a viable option for glaucoma management in developing countries as well as worldwide.

Use of commercial mesh for hernia repair in a low resource setting: experience after 500 cases.

BACKGROUND: The use of mesh has revolutionized the management of hernias in many parts of the world. There is, however, limited experience on its use in sub-Saharan Africa. This study describes a single hospital experience after 500 cases of mesh hernia repairs in a sub-Saharan African country. METHODS: We reviewed the records of the first 500 cases of abdominal wall hernia operations performed using commercial mesh since year 2007. Socio-demographic characteristics, hernia type, method of repair and outcome data were analyzed and presented as descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The first 500 cases of mesh hernia repairs were performed between 2007 and 2017 during which a total of 1,175 hernia operations were carried out, mesh repair accounting for 42.5% of the total. There was a progressive rise in the uptake of mesh repairs over time, with mesh repairs overtaking tissue based repairs in the last few years of the review. Inguinal hernia was by far the commonest indication for mesh use (80.4%), followed by incisional hernia (9%). Polypropylene mesh was the most common type of mesh used in about 96.2% of cases. Overall, there were seven recurrences (1.4%) at a mean follow-up period of 15.3 months (1-108 months) CONCLUSION: In spite of resource limitations, the use of mesh for hernia repairs continues to rise and has overtaken tissue-based repairs in a sub-Saharan African setting. Results show good outcomes justifying continued use.

The socioeconomic burden of chronic lung disease in low-resource settings across the globe - an observational FRESH AIR study.

BACKGROUND: Low-resource settings are disproportionally burdened by chronic lung disease due to early childhood disadvantages and indoor/outdoor air pollution. However, data on the socioeconomic impact of respiratory diseases in these settings are largely lacking. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the chronic lung disease-related socioeconomic burden in diverse low-resource settings across the globe. To inform governmental and health policy, we focused on work productivity and activity impairment and its modifiable clinical and environmental risk factors. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional, observational FRESH AIR study in Uganda, Vietnam, Kyrgyzstan, and Greece. We assessed the chronic lung disease-related socioeconomic burden using validated questionnaires among spirometry-diagnosed COPD and/or asthma patients (total N = 1040). Predictors for a higher burden were studied using multivariable linear regression models including demographics (e.g. age, gender), health parameters (breathlessness, comorbidities), and risk factors for chronic lung disease (smoking, solid fuel use). We applied identical models per country, which we subsequently meta-analyzed. RESULTS: Employed patients reported a median [IQR] overall work impairment due to chronic lung disease of 30% [1.8-51.7] and decreased productivity (presenteeism) of 20.0% [0.0-40.0]. Remarkably, work time missed (absenteeism) was 0.0% [0.0-16.7]. The total population reported 40.0% [20.0-60.0] impairment in daily activities. Breathlessness severity (MRC-scale) (B = 8.92, 95%CI = 7.47-10.36), smoking (B = 5.97, 95%CI = 1.73-10.22), and solid fuel use (B = 3.94, 95%CI = 0.56-7.31) were potentially modifiable risk factors for impairment. CONCLUSIONS: In low-resource settings, chronic lung disease-related absenteeism is relatively low compared to the substantial presenteeism and activity impairment. Possibly, given the lack of social security systems, relatively few people take days off work at the expense of decreased productivity. Breathlessness (MRC-score), smoking, and solid fuel use are potentially modifiable predictors for higher impairment. Results warrant increased awareness, preventive actions and clinical management of lung diseases in low-resource settings from health policymakers and healthcare workers.