Global Variations in Heart Failure Etiology, Management, and Outcomes.

Importance: Most epidemiological studies of heart failure (HF) have been conducted in high-income countries with limited comparable data from middle- or low-income countries. Objective: To examine differences in HF etiology, treatment, and outcomes between groups of countries at different levels of economic development. Design, Setting, and Participants: Multinational HF registry of 23 341 participants in 40 high-income, upper-middle-income, lower-middle-income, and low-income countries, followed up for a median period of 2.0 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: HF cause, HF medication use, hospitalization, and death. Results: Mean (SD) age of participants was 63.1 (14.9) years, and 9119 (39.1%) were female. The most common cause of HF was ischemic heart disease (38.1%) followed by hypertension (20.2%). The proportion of participants with HF with reduced ejection fraction taking the combination of a ß-blocker, renin-angiotensin system inhibitor, and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist was highest in upper-middle-income (61.9%) and high-income countries (51.1%), and it was lowest in low-income (45.7%) and lower-middle-income countries (39.5%) (P < .001). The age- and sex- standardized mortality rate per 100 person-years was lowest in high-income countries (7.8 [95% CI, 7.5-8.2]), 9.3 (95% CI, 8.8-9.9) in upper-middle-income countries, 15.7 (95% CI, 15.0-16.4) in lower-middle-income countries, and it was highest in low-income countries (19.1 [95% CI, 17.6-20.7]). Hospitalization rates were more frequent than death rates in high-income countries (ratio = 3.8) and in upper-middle-income countries (ratio = 2.4), similar in lower-middle-income countries (ratio = 1.1), and less frequent in low-income countries (ratio = 0.6). The 30-day case-fatality rate after first hospital admission was lowest in high-income countries (6.7%), followed by upper-middle-income countries (9.7%), then lower-middle-income countries (21.1%), and highest in low-income countries (31.6%). The proportional risk of death within 30 days of a first hospital admission was 3- to 5-fold higher in lower-middle-income countries and low-income countries compared with high-income countries after adjusting for patient characteristics and use of long-term HF therapies. Conclusions and Relevance: This study of HF patients from 40 different countries and derived from 4 different economic levels demonstrated differences in HF etiologies, management, and outcomes. These data may be useful in planning approaches to improve HF prevention and treatment globally.

Pediatric health professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities and proportionate universalism in a French academic hospital: a qualitative study.

To describe healthcare professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities in the context of pediatric chronic disease and their insights regarding proportionate universalism as a potential solution to reduce them. Semi-directive interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals from different pediatric chronic disease departments of a single French academic hospital. This qualitative study was based on an inductive thematic analysis; an interview topic guide was used for the interviews and the analysis. In this study, we highlighted three main themes: the healthcare professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities in their practices, their beliefs regarding the causality of those inequalities, and potential solutions proposed by healthcare professionals to reduce them. Healthcare professionals very often associated inequalities with socio-economic precariousness or geographical disparities but were not familiar with the notion of a social gradient. Paradoxically, while they claimed not to differentiate among patients in their practice, they did report adapting care, depending on the social situation. For healthcare professionals, inequalities were the result of misunderstood problems, a lack of family support, a failure of the prevention system, and a lack of financial resources. CONCLUSION: We still need to develop solutions to tackle those inequalities at every level of the healthcare system, and healthcare professionals must be more actively involved in this effort. One approach is to adapt public health principles such as proportionate universalism to individual care. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Social health inequalities exist in pediatric care and a social gradient has been shown in many clinical situations. • Exploring health professionals' perceptions of social health inequalities can lead to solutions to tackle them. WHAT IS NEW: • Pediatricians and pediatric nurses were not fully aware of the social gradient of health. • Although they claimed not to differentiate between patients in their practice, healthcare professionals did adapt care when complicated social situations arose.

[Theoretical and practical challenges of proportionate universalism: a reviewAnálise dos desafios teóricos e práticos de universalismo proporcional]. / Desafíos teóricos y prácticos del universalismo proporcional: una revisión.

OBJECTIVE: In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it. The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues. METHODS: We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning "Proportionate Universalism" or its synonyms "Targeted universalism" OR "Progressive Universalism" as a topic in all Web of Science databases. RESULTS: This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs. CONCLUSION: This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.

OBJETIVO: Em 2010, o princípio do Universalismo Proporcional (UP) foi proposto como uma solução para reduzir as desigualdades na saúde. Houve uma grande receptividade, mas o princípio parece não ter sido amplamente aplicado e não há diretrizes sobre como implementá-lo. Os dois objetivos específicos desta análise de escopo foram: (1) descrever o contexto teórico no qual o UP foi estabelecido e (2) descrever como os pesquisadores aplicam o UP e questões metodológicas correlatas. MÉTODOS: Buscamos em todas as bases de dados científicas da Web todos os artigos publicados até 6 de fevereiro de 2020 que mencionavam, como tema, o "Universalismo Proporcional" ou seus sinônimos "Universalismo Visado" ou "Universalismo Progressivo". RESULTADOS: Essa análise de 55 artigos nos permitiu ter uma visão global relacionada com o UP, suas bases teóricas e sua implementação na prática. Os princípios do UP têm suas raízes nas teorias sociais do universalismo e na definição de metas. A proposta é vincular esses dois aspectos para atingir uma redução efetiva das desigualdades em saúde. Com relação ao aspecto prático da implementação, as intervenções de UP foram raras e levaram a diferentes interpretações. Ainda há muitos obstáculos metodológicos e éticos relativos ao conceito e à avaliação das intervenções de UP, inclusive sobre como aplicar o aspecto da proporcionalidade e a identificação das necessidades. CONCLUSÕES: Esta análise fez um mapeamento da literatura científica disponível sobre UP e seus conceitos correlatos. O princípio por trás do UP tem suas origens nas teorias sociais. Como destacam os autores que implementaram as intervenções de UP, sua aplicação produz muitas dificuldades, da elaboração à avaliação. A análise das aplicações de UP fornecidas nesta pesquisa permitiu a obtenção de algumas respostas. No entanto, pesquisas futuras poderiam abordar as dificuldades metodológicas remanescentes.

Desafíos teóricos y prácticos del universalismo proporcional: una revisión

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. En el 2010 se propuso el principio del universalismo proporcional como solución para reducir las desigualdades en materia de salud. Aunque tuvo una gran resonancia, no parece haber sido aplicado ampliamente y no existen directrices sobre cómo aplicarlo. Los dos objetivos específicos de esta revisión sistemática exploratoria fueron: 1) describir el contexto teórico en el que se estableció el universalismo proporcional, y 2) describir cómo los investigadores aplican el universalismo proporcional y las cuestiones metodológicas relacionadas. Métodos. Se buscó en todas las bases de datos de la Web of Science los artículos publicados hasta el 6 de febrero del 2020 que tuvieran como tema “universalismo proporcional” o sus sinónimos “universalismo dirigido” o “universalismo progresivo”. Resultados. Esta revisión de 55 artículos permitió obtener una visión global del universalismo proporcional en cuanto a sus fundamentos teóricos y su aplicación práctica. El principio del universalismo proporcional se basa en las teorías sociales del universalismo y el direccionamiento, y propone vincular estos dos aspectos para lograr una reducción efectiva de las desigualdades en materia de salud. Respecto de su aplicación práctica, las intervenciones basadas en este principio son poco frecuentes y dan lugar a diferentes interpretaciones. Todavía existen muchos desafíos metodológicos y éticos en relación con la concepción y evaluación de las intervenciones relacionadas con el universalismo proporcional, incluida la forma de aplicar la proporcionalidad y la identificación de las necesidades. Conclusión. En esta revisión se llevó a cabo un mapeo de la literatura científica disponible sobre el universalismo proporcional y sus conceptos relacionados. Este principio se basa en teorías sociales. Tal como lo destacaron autores que implementaron intervenciones de universalismo proporcional, su aplicación plantea muchos desafíos, desde el diseño hasta la evaluación. El análisis de las aplicaciones del universalismo proporcional presentado en esta revisión respondió a algunos de ellos, pero los desafíos metodológicos restantes requieren ser abordados en futuras investigaciones.

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it. The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues. Methods. We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning “Proportionate Universalism” or its synonyms “Targeted universalism” OR “Progressive Universalism” as a topic in all Web of Science databases. Results. This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs. Conclusion. This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.

[RESUMO]. Objetivo. Em 2010, o princípio do Universalismo Proporcional (UP) foi proposto como uma solução para reduzir as desigualdades na saúde. Houve uma grande receptividade, mas o princípio parece não ter sido amplamente aplicado e não há diretrizes sobre como implementá-lo. Os dois objetivos específicos desta análise de escopo foram: (1) descrever o contexto teórico no qual o UP foi estabelecido e (2) descrever como os pesquisadores aplicam o UP e questões metodológicas correlatas. Métodos. Buscamos em todas as bases de dados científicas da Web todos os artigos publicados até 6 de fevereiro de 2020 que mencionavam, como tema, o “Universalismo Proporcional” ou seus sinônimos “Universalismo Visado” ou “Universalismo Progressivo”. Resultados. Essa análise de 55 artigos nos permitiu ter uma visão global relacionada com o UP, suas bases teóricas e sua implementação na prática. Os princípios do UP têm suas raízes nas teorias sociais do universalismo e na definição de metas. A proposta é vincular esses dois aspectos para atingir uma redução efetiva das desigualdades em saúde. Com relação ao aspecto prático da implementação, as intervenções de UP foram raras e levaram a diferentes interpretações. Ainda há muitos obstáculos metodológicos e éticos relativos ao conceito e à avaliação das intervenções de UP, inclusive sobre como aplicar o aspecto da proporcionalidade e a identificação das necessidades. Conclusões. Esta análise fez um mapeamento da literatura científica disponível sobre UP e seus conceitos correlatos. O princípio por trás do UP tem suas origens nas teorias sociais. Como destacam os autores que implementaram as intervenções de UP, sua aplicação produz muitas dificuldades, da elaboração à avaliação. A análise das aplicações de UP fornecidas nesta pesquisa permitiu a obtenção de algumas respostas. No entanto, pesquisas futuras poderiam abordar as dificuldades metodológicas remanescentes.

Supporting parents by combatting social inequalities in health: a realist evaluation.

BACKGROUND: To reduce social inequities in health, the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health recommends acting as soon as life begins. In this context, parenting support is promoted as a major lever. The objective of the present research was to develop an intervention theory establishing the conditions for the success of interventions, policies, and organizations supporting parenting in terms of reducing or preventing social inequalities in health for both mother and child in the perinatal period. METHODS: To meet these objectives, we conducted a realist evaluation based on a multiple-case study. The study evaluated two border towns in Europe. We collected data from three sources: documentary reviews, focus groups and interviews with professionals, and parental questionnaires. RESULTS: The main results concerning the fight against social inequalities in health show a true willingness on the part of those involved to carry out universal actions, coordinated between professionals and institutions, in response to the demands of parents; however, the reality on the ground shows the complexity of their implementation and the multiplicity of results. Our middle-range theory showed that to be effective in tackling social inequalities in health, actions must address structural determinants at the macro-systemic level. However, the field of realist evaluation shows that it is first and foremost the actions focused on individual behavior that are implemented. While there is a general political desire to combat social inequalities in health in early childhood, the results show that the strategies in place are potentially not the most effective. Effective support actions would respond to individual strategies; however, current approaches target parents' behavior, aiming to empower them but without giving them the means to do so. CONCLUSIONS: This research constitutes a body of knowledge gathered for reflection and action. In particular, any perinatal policy should clearly state among its objectives the intention to reduce social inequalities in health. The policy should also state that it will be evaluated according to the criteria of proportionate universalism, interprofessional coordination, and actions based on the diversity of parents' needs.

Theoretical and practical challenges of proportionate universalism: a review.

OBJECTIVE: In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it.The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues. METHODS: We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning "Proportionate Universalism" or its synonyms "Targeted universalism" OR "Progressive Universalism" as a topic in all Web of Science databases. RESULTS: This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs. CONCLUSION: This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.

OBJETIVO: En 2010 se propuso el principio del universalismo proporcional como solución para reducir las desigualdades en materia de salud. Aunque tuvo una gran resonancia, no parece haber sido aplicado ampliamente y no existen directrices sobre cómo aplicarlo. Los dos objetivos específicos de esta revisión sistemática exploratoria fueron: 1) describir el contexto teórico en el que se estableció el universalismo proporcional, y 2) describir cómo los investigadores aplican el universalismo proporcional y las cuestiones metodológicas relacionadas. MÉTODOS: Se buscó en todas las bases de datos de la Web of Science los artículos publicados hasta el 6 de febrero de 2020 que tuvieran como tema "universalismo proporcional" o sus sinónimos "universalismo dirigido" o "universalismo progresivo". RESULTADOS: Esta revisión de 55 artículos permitió tener una visión global del universalismo proporcional en cuanto a sus fundamentos teóricos y su aplicación práctica. El principio del universalismo proporcional se basa en las teorías sociales del universalismo y el direccionamiento, y propone vincular estos dos aspectos para lograr una reducción efectiva de las desigualdades en materia de salud. Respecto de su aplicación práctica, las intervenciones basadas en este principio son poco frecuentes y dan lugar a diferentes interpretaciones. Todavía existen muchos desafíos metodológicos y éticos en relación con la concepción y la evaluación de las intervenciones relacionadas con el universalismo proporcional, incluida la forma de aplicar la proporcionalidad y la identificación de las necesidades. CONCLUSIÓN: En esta revisión se llevó a cabo un mapeo de la literatura científica disponible sobre el universalismo proporcional y sus conceptos relacionados. Este principio se basa en teorías sociales. Tal como lo destacaron autores que implementaron intervenciones de universalismo proporcional, su aplicación plantea muchos desafíos, desde el diseño hasta la evaluación. El análisis de las aplicaciones del universalismo proporcional presentado en esta revisión respondió a algunos de ellos, pero los desafíos metodológicos restantes requieren ser abordados en futuras investigaciones.

Theoretical and practical challenges of proportionate universalism: a review

[ABSTRACT]. Objective. In 2010, the principle of proportionate universalism (PU) has been proposed as a solution to reduce health inequalities. It had a great resonance but does not seem to have been widely applied and no guidelines exist on how to implement it. The two specific objectives of this scoping review were: (1) to describe the theoretical context in which PU was established, (2) to describe how researchers apply PU and related methodological issues. Methods. We searched for all articles published until 6th of February 2020, mentioning “Proportionate Universalism” or its synonyms “Targeted universalism” OR “Progressive Universalism” as a topic in all Web of Science databases. Results. This review of 55 articles allowed us a global vision around the question of PU regarding its theoretical foundations and practical implementation. PU principle is rooted in the social theories of universalism and targeting. It proposes to link these two aspects in order to achieve an effective reduction of health inequalities. Regarding practical implementation, PU interventions were rare and led to different interpretations. There are still many methodological and ethical challenges regarding conception and evaluation of PU interventions, including how to apply proportionality, and identification of needs. Conclusion. This review mapped available scientific literature on PU and its related concepts. PU principle originates from social theories. As highlighted by authors who implemented PU interventions, application raises many challenges from design to evaluation. Analysis of PU applications provided in this review answered to some of them but remaining methodological challenges could be addressed in further research.

[RESUMEN]. Objetivo. En 2010 se propuso el principio del universalismo proporcional como solución para reducir las desigualdades en materia de salud. Aunque tuvo una gran resonancia, no parece haber sido aplicado ampliamente y no existen directrices sobre cómo aplicarlo. Los dos objetivos específicos de esta revisión sistemática exploratoria fueron: 1) describir el contexto teórico en el que se estableció el universalismo proporcional, y 2) describir cómo los investigadores aplican el universalismo proporcional y las cuestiones metodológicas relacionadas. Métodos. Se buscó en todas las bases de datos de la Web of Science los artículos publicados hasta el 6 de febrero de 2020 que tuvieran como tema “universalismo proporcional” o sus sinónimos “universalismo dirigido” o “universalismo progresivo”. Resultados. Esta revisión de 55 artículos permitió tener una visión global del universalismo proporcional en cuanto a sus fundamentos teóricos y su aplicación práctica. El principio del universalismo proporcional se basa en las teorías sociales del universalismo y el direccionamiento, y propone vincular estos dos aspectos para lograr una reducción efectiva de las desigualdades en materia de salud. Respecto de su aplicación práctica, las intervenciones basadas en este principio son poco frecuentes y dan lugar a diferentes interpretaciones. Todavía existen muchos desafíos metodológicos y éticos en relación con la concepción y la evaluación de las intervenciones relacionadas con el universalismo proporcional, incluida la forma de aplicar la proporcionalidad y la identificación de las necesidades. Conclusión. En esta revisión se llevó a cabo un mapeo de la literatura científica disponible sobre el universalismo proporcional y sus conceptos relacionados. Este principio se basa en teorías sociales. Tal como lo destacaron autores que implementaron intervenciones de universalismo proporcional, su aplicación plantea muchos desafíos, desde el diseño hasta la evaluación. El análisis de las aplicaciones del universalismo proporcional presentado en esta revisión respondió a algunos de ellos, pero los desafíos metodológicos restantes requieren ser abordados en futuras investigaciones.

Supporting parenting to address social inequalities in health: a synthesis of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: In 2009, the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health set out its recommendations for action, which included establishing equity from early childhood onwards by enabling all children and their mothers to benefit from a comprehensive package of quality programmes. In order to address social inequalities in health, it is recommended that action be taken from early childhood, and actions providing support for parenting are an effective lever in this respect. The aim of this review of systematic reviews is to analyse, on the one hand, the components and characteristics of effective interventions in parenting support and, on the other, the extent to which the reviews took into account social inequalities in health. METHODS: A total of 796 reviews were selected from peer-reviewed journals published between 2009 and 2016 in French or English. Of these, 21 reviews responding to the AMSTAR and selected ROBIS criteria were retained. These were analysed in relation to the consideration they gave to social inequalities in health according to PRISMA-equity. RESULTS: The reviews confirmed that parenting support programmes improved infants' sleep, increased mothers' self-esteem and reduced mothers' anger, anxiety and stress levels. The mainly authors noted that the contexts in which the interventions had taken place were described either scantly or not at all, making it difficult to evaluate them. Only half of the reviews had addressed the question of social inequalities in health. In particular, there had been little research conducted on the relational aspect and the social link. CONCLUSION: In terms of addressing social inequalities in perinatal health, the approach remains both modest and reductive. Understanding how, for whom and in what conditions interventions operate is one way of optimising their results. Further research is needed to study the interactions between the interventions and their contexts.

Effectiveness of a patient education programme in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: Results from the ODIN cohort study using propensity score matching.

BACKGROUND: Patient education programmes (PEP) are recommended for patients with heart failure but have not been specifically assessed in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). AIM: To assess the effectiveness of a structured PEP in reducing all-cause mortality in patients with HFpEF. METHODS: Patients with HFpEF were selected from the ODIN cohort, designed to assess PEP effectiveness in patients with HF whatever their ejection fraction, included from 2007 to 2010, and followed up until 2013. Baseline sociodemographic, clinical, biological and therapeutic characteristics were collected. At inclusion, patients were invited to participate in the PEP, which consisted of educational diagnosis, education sessions and final evaluation. Education focused on HF pathophysiology and medication, symptoms of worsening HF, dietary recommendations and management of exercise. Propensity score matching and Cox models were performed. RESULTS: Of 849 patients with HFpEF, 572 (67.4%) participated in the PEP and 277 (32.6%) did not. Patients who participated in the PEP were younger (67.0±13.1 vs 76.1±13.2 years; standardized difference [StDiff] =-54.6%), less often women (39.7% vs 48.4%; StDiff =-17.6%) and presented more often with hypercholesterolaemia (55.2% vs 35.2%; StDiff 41.2%), smoking (35.1% vs 28.7%; StDiff 13.8%), alcohol abuse (14.1% vs 8.9%; StDiff 16.5%) and ischaemic HF (38.7% vs 29.2%; StDiff 20.0%) than those who did not; they also presented with better clinical cardiovascular variables. After propensity score matching, baseline characteristics were balanced, except hypertension (postmatch StDiff 19.1%). The PEP was associated with lower all-cause mortality (pooled hazard ratio 0.70, 95% confidence interval 0.49-0.99; P=0.042). This association remained significant after adjustment for hypertension (adjusted pooled hazard ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.48-0.97; P=0.036). CONCLUSIONS: In this investigation, a structured PEP was associated with lower all-cause mortality. Patient education might be considered an effective treatment in patients with HFpEF.

Healthcare expenditure of multiple sclerosis patients in 2013: A nationwide study based on French health administrative databases.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about expenditure items of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients over recent years in France. OBJECTIVE: To describe healthcare expenditure among MS patients and identify the main expenditure drivers. METHODS: All healthcare expenditure reimbursed by French National Health Insurance to MS patients in 2013 was described on the basis of nationwide health administrative databases (SNIIRAM/PMSI). Expenditure was described globally and according to age and sex. RESULTS: The average expenditure among the 90,288 MS patients included was €11,900 per patient. Pharmacy and hospitalisation accounted for 47% and 23% of healthcare expenditure, respectively (38% and 22% of MS patients were treated with disease-modifying therapies and hospitalised overnight or longer, respectively). Average expenditure did not differ according to age. However, pharmacy expenditure decreased with age (from 71% between the ages of 20 and 29 years to 18% between the ages of 70 and 79 years), whereas hospitalisation expenditure increased with age (from 15% to 35%). Paramedical fees accounted for 2% of expenditure between the ages of 20 and 29 years and 24% between the ages of 70 and 79 years. CONCLUSION: Overall, pharmacy expenditure was the main expenditure item, which decreased with increasing age, while hospitalisation and paramedical expenditure increased with increasing age.

Prevalence and mortality of patients with multiple sclerosis in France in 2012: a study based on French health insurance data.

Data on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in France are scarce. National and regional updated estimates are needed to better plan health policies. In this nationwide study, we provided estimates of the prevalence of MS in France in 2012 and mortality rate in 2013. MS cases were identified in the French national health insurance database (SNIIRAM-PMSI) using reimbursement data for disease-modifying treatment, long-term disease status for MS, disability pension for MS, and hospitalisation for MS (MS ICD-10 code: G35). We identified 99,123 MS cases, corresponding to an overall crude prevalence rate of 151.2 per 100,000 inhabitants [95% confidence interval (CI) 150.3-152.2]: 210.0 per 100,000 in women (95% CI 208.4-211.5) and 88.7 per 100,000 in men (95% CI 87.6-89.7). The overall prevalence rate was 155.6 per 100,000 inhabitants (95% CI 154.7-156.6) after standardization on the 2013-European population. We observed a prevalence gradient with a higher prevalence (190-200 per 100,000) in North-Eastern France and a lower prevalence in Southern and Western France (126-140). The crude mortality rate in 2013 was 13.7 per 1,000 MS cases (11.4 in women and 20.3 in men). The standardized mortality ratio was 2.56 (95% CI 2.41-2.72). Our results revise upwards the estimation of MS prevalence in France and confirm the excess mortality of MS patients compared to the general population.

Severe intestinal malabsorption associated with olmesartan: a French nationwide observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Severe sprue-like enteropathy associated with olmesartan has been reported, but there has been no demonstration of an increased risk by epidemiological studies. AIM: To assess, in a nationwide patient cohort, the risk of hospitalisation for intestinal malabsorption associated with olmesartan compared with other angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and ACE inhibitors (ACEIs). DESIGN: From the French National Health Insurance claim database, all adult patients initiating ARB or ACEI between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2012 with no prior hospitalisation for intestinal malabsorption, no serology testing for coeliac disease and no prescription for a gluten-free diet product were included. Incidence of hospitalisation with a discharge diagnosis of intestinal malabsorption was the primary endpoint. RESULTS: 4 546 680 patients (9 010 303 person-years) were included, and 218 events observed. Compared with ACEI, the adjusted rate ratio of hospitalisation with a discharge diagnosis of intestinal malabsorption was 2.49 (95% CI 1.73 to 3.57, p<0.0001) in olmesartan users. This adjusted rate ratio was 0.76 (95% CI 0.39 to 1.49, p=0.43) for treatment duration shorter than 1 year, 3.66 (95% CI 1.84 to 7.29, p<0.001) between 1 and 2 years and 10.65 (95% CI 5.05 to 22.46, p<0.0001) beyond 2 years of exposure. Median length of hospital stay for intestinal malabsorption was longer in the olmesartan group than in the other groups (p=0.02). Compared with ACEI, the adjusted rate ratio of hospitalisation for coeliac disease was 4.39 (95% CI 2.77 to 6.96, p<0.0001) in olmesartan users and increased with treatment duration. CONCLUSIONS: Olmesartan is associated with an increased risk of hospitalisation for intestinal malabsorption and coeliac disease.

The Best Use of the Charlson Comorbidity Index With Electronic Health Care Database to Predict Mortality.

BACKGROUND: The most used score to measure comorbidity is the Charlson index. Its application to a health care administrative database including International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10) codes, medical procedures, and medication required studying its properties on survival. Our objectives were to adapt the Charlson comorbidity index to the French National Health Insurance database to predict 1-year mortality of discharged patients and to compare discrimination and calibration of different versions of the Charlson index. METHODS: Our cohort included all adults discharged from a hospital stay in France in 2010 registered in the French National Health Insurance general scheme. The pathologies of the Charlson index were identified through ICD-10 codes of discharge diagnoses and long-term disease, specific medical procedures, and reimbursement of specific medications in the past 12 months before inclusion. RESULTS: We included 6,602,641 subjects at the date of their first discharge from medical, surgical, or obstetrical department in 2010. One-year survival was 94.88%, decreasing from 98.41% for Charlson index of 0-71.64% for Charlson index of ≥5. With a discrimination of 0.91 and an appropriate calibration curve, we retained the crude Cox model including the age-adjusted Charlson index as a 4-level score. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to adapt the Charlson index to a large health care database including >6 million of inpatients. When mortality is the outcome, we recommended using the age-adjusted Charlson index as 4-level score to take into account comorbidities.

Homeopathy in France in 2011-2012 according to reimbursements in the French national health insurance database (SNIIRAM).

BACKGROUND: The use of homeopathic medicine is poorly described and the frequency of combined allopathic and homeopathic prescriptions is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To analyse data on medicines, prescribers and patients for homeopathic prescriptions that are reimbursed by French national health insurance. METHODS: The French national health insurance databases (SNIIRAM) were used to analyse prescriptions of reimbursed homeopathic drugs or preparations in the overall French population, during the period July 2011-June 2012. RESULTS: A total of 6,705,420 patients received at least one reimbursement for a homeopathic preparation during the 12-month period, i.e. 10.2% of the overall population, with a predominance in females (68%) and a peak frequency observed in children aged 0-4 years (18%). About one third of patients had only one reimbursement, and one half of patients had three or more reimbursements. A total of 120,110 healthcare professionals (HCPs) prescribed at least one homeopathic drug or preparation. They represented 43.5% of the overall population of HCPs, nearly 95% of general practitioners, dermatologists and pediatricians, and 75% of midwives. Homeopathy accounted for 5% of the total number of drug units prescribed by HCPs. Allopathic medicines were coprescribed with 55% of homeopathic prescriptions. CONCLUSION: Many HCPs occasionally prescribe reimbursed homeopathic preparations, representing however a small percentage of reimbursements compared to allopathic medicines. About 10% of the French population, particularly young children and women, received at least one homeopathic preparation during the year. In more than one half of cases, reimbursed homeopathic preparations are prescribed in combination with allopathic medicines.

Frequency of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors treated in France according to social deprivation and residence in an overseas territory.

BACKGROUND: The frequencies of treated cardiovascular disease (CVD) and their associated risk factors (CVRF) may vary according to socioeconomic and territorial characteristics. METHODS: These frequencies have been described for 48million policyholders of the French general health insurance scheme, according to a metropolitan geographical deprivation index in five quintiles (from the least to the most deprived: Q1 to Q5), the existence of universal complementary health cover (CMUC) in individuals under the age of 60, and residence in a French overseas territory (FOT). The information system (SNIIRAM) was used to identify CVDs and anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive or lipid-lowering treatments by three reimbursements in 2010. RESULTS: After age- and sex-specific adjustment, the inhabitants of the most deprived areas more often suffered from distal arterial disease (Q5/Q1=1.5), coronary artery disease (1.2) and cerebral vascular accident (1.1), as did the CMUC beneficiaries compared to non-beneficiaries (ratios of 1.7, 1.3 and 1.5), and the FOT residents in comparison to the most deprived metropolitan quintile (Q1), with the exception of coronary artery disease (1.2, 0.6 and 1.2). Inhabitants of the most deprived areas more often received anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive treatment (Q5/Q1=1.4 and 1.2), as did the people on the CMUC (2.0 and 1.2) and the FOT inhabitants (FOT/Q1=2.4 and 1.3). These ratios were of 1.1, 1.0 and 0.8 for lipid-lowering drugs. CONCLUSION: These results pinpoint populations for which specific preventative initiatives could be supported. While health care service utilisation is facilitated (CMUC), it is probably not yet effective enough in view of the persistent increased cardiovascular risk.

Perforations and haemorrhages after colonoscopy in 2010: a study based on comprehensive French health insurance data (SNIIRAM).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To estimate the perforation and haemorrhage rate after colonoscopy in the French population in 2010 and to identify risk factors for these complications. METHOD: Study based on SNIIRAM and the PMSI databases. Patients treated for IBD or colorectal cancer were excluded. Two types of complications were investigated: perforation and haemorrhage. OR adjusted for patient (gender, age, chronic disease) and colonoscopy (polypectomy, emergency) characteristics were calculated by using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: The cohort was composed of 947,061 individuals. The estimated perforation rate was between 4.5 and 9.7 per 10,000 procedures and the estimated haemorrhage rate was between 9.9 and 11.0 per 10,000 procedures. The main risk factors associated with perforation and haemorrhage were the patient's age (over 80 years compared to under 40, OR=7.51 and 3.23), resection of polyps larger than 1 cm or more than 4 polyps (compared to no polypectomy, OR=2.72 and 5.12) and emergency colonoscopy (OR=4.63 and 5.99). Colonoscopy performed by a gastroenterologist performing less than 244 colonoscopies per year was associated with an increased risk of perforation (OR=2.29). Complication rates were higher in institutions performing less than 510 colonoscopies per year, but this was no longer the case after adjustment for emergency colonoscopies. CONCLUSIONS: This study, which includes nearly one million colonoscopies, suggests taking the gastroenterologist's number of colonoscopies into account to ensure optimal organization of the management of very elderly patients requiring colonoscopy.

Effectiveness of a multidimensional home nurse led heart failure disease management program--a French nationwide time-series comparison.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a disease management program (DMP) in heart failure (HF) on the incidence of HF hospitalizations and related costs in a real-world population-based setting. METHODS: Insuffisance CArdiaque en LORraine (ICALOR), a DMP for HF was established in 2006 in the French region of Lorraine. Patients were enrolled after an index HF hospitalization. They received educational and home-visit monitoring programs by HF-trained nurses. General physicians received automatic alerts about patients' significant clinical or biological changes. We used the ICALOR and the national diagnostic related group databases to conduct a comparison of time-series trends in HF hospitalizations in France. The economic impact was obtained using the national scale of costs in France. RESULTS: The median age of the 1222 patients recruited before 2010 was 76 years, and 65% were male. Upon enrollment, patients essentially presented with NYHA class II (n=537, 48%) or class III (n=359, 32%) symptoms. One-year mortality rate was 20.3%. The implementation of the ICALOR program was associated with a reduction in HF hospitalizations in Lorraine estimated by an absolute difference between the number of hospitalizations observed in the Lorraine region and that expected had it been similar to that observed in the whole country of -7.19% in 2010. The estimated annual hospital cost saved by ICALOR was €1,927,648 in 2010. CONCLUSION: Coordinated DMP of HF might improve outcome cost-effectively when implemented in a real-world population setting, and was associated in Lorraine with a substantial modification of the trend of HF hospitalizations.

Antihypertensive, antidiabetic and lipid-lowering treatment frequencies in France in 2010.

BACKGROUND: The frequencies of treatment for cardiovascular risk factors are poorly documented in large populations, particularly according to the presence or absence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). AIMS: To assess frequencies of reimbursements for antihypertensive, lipid-lowering and antidiabetic medications in France among national health insurance beneficiaries in 2010 and their associations according to age, sex, French regions, level deprivation and the presence of certain CVD. METHODS: Treatment frequencies were calculated among the beneficiaries (58 million people) on the basis of reimbursements for three specific categories of medicinal products in 2010. The presence of CVD was defined by a diagnosis associated with chronic disease status and hospital stays in 2010. RESULTS: Among people aged greater or equal to 20years, treatment frequencies were 22% (men 20% vs. women 23%) for antihypertensives, 15% (14% vs. 16%) for lipid-lowering agents and 6% (6% vs. 5%) for antidiabetic medications. These frequencies were, respectively, 33%, 23% and 8% in patients aged greater or equal to 40years and 55%, 38% and 14% in patients aged greater or equal to 60 years. The frequency of at least one treatment for at least one of the three risk factors was 41% in patients aged greater or equal to 40 years and 66% in patients aged greater or equal to 60 years. Among patients aged greater or equal to 20 years, 22% were treated for at least one risk factor in the absence of CVD and 3% were treated for at least one risk factor in the presence of CVD. Regional differences were observed, with higher frequencies of antihypertensive and antidiabetic use in the North, North-East and Overseas regions. Treatment frequencies increased with level of deprivation, especially for antidiabetics. CONCLUSION: This national study more clearly defines treatment frequencies and the populations and regions with the highest treatment frequencies.

[The case for a new French public health law at the service of a fairer and more effective national health policy]. / Pour une nouvelle loi de santé publique en France au service d'une politique nationale de santé plus égalitaire et plus efficiente.

The next public health law in France will need to address a number of issues. A?series of recent reports have highlighted both sharp disparities in health status ? with high rates of premature death and increasing social inequalities in health ? and the need to organize public health. The incoherence of public health policies, the lack of inter-ministerial coordination (a prerequisite for the reduction of health inequalities) and the lack of structure and evaluation in the area of prevention are major weaknesses that the new public health law will need to address. Beyond the inevitable core measures, the new law will also need to promote deep structural reforms, including a unified national policy refocused on key priorities and incorporating non-health sectors, the development of a more effective and coherent prevention policy and, finally, a focus on the issue of inequalities requiring clearly defined integrated measures, not only as a stated principle but as an outcome to be achieved by all health policies. The next public health law will need to be a vehicle for an inevitable and long overdue structuring of public health policy.

Analysis of patient claims related to care in a university cardiology department over the period 2003-2007.

BACKGROUND: In Europe, the increase in numbers of patients making legal claims might be due to better knowledge of their rights. In France, a law passed in 2002 provided new opportunities for claims. AIM: To assess patient claims related to care in a French cardiology department. METHODS: From 2003 to 2007, claims brought before the courts and actions of conciliation within the scope of the hospital were collected by year. Cardiology department claims were individualized and compared with those for other departments. Characteristics of patients at the time of the care that prompted the claim, percentage of deaths, reasons for claims and claim results were collected. RESULTS: During the 4-year study period, 14% (n=45,272) of hospital admissions concerned cardiology, uniformly distributed across the years. In the same period, 845 procedures were recorded, 81 of which related to cardiology. The complaints index was 2.59/1000 patients for the general population and 1.79/1000 for cardiology. The 81 cardiology complaints (52 mediations; 29 litigations) concerned patients aged 62±13 years (68% men). The number of cardiology claims remained stable from 2003 to 2007. Compared with claims concerning other departments, the nature of the plaintiff (more often heirs or husband/wife) and the reason for the claim (less frequently medical care problems; more often death and nosocomial infections) were statistically different. CONCLUSION: Claims related to cardiology care were low and relatively stable over the past 4 years. Nosocomial infections prompted a high proportion of claims and should lead physicians to be vigilant. Cardiology remains relatively protected from litigation. A national registry of hospital claims might be valuable.