The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Strategic Vision Implementation for Health Equity Research.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) provides global leadership for a research, training, and education program to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases and enhance the health of all individuals so that they can live longer and more fulfilling lives. Inherent in this mission is the commitment to advance health equity research as an avenue for enhancing the health of all individuals. Additionally, the four goals and eight research objectives of the NHLBI Strategic Vision directly support the commitment to health equity. In this article, we present selected examples of the NHLBI Strategic Vision implementation approaches for advancing health equity research in our mission areas of heart, lung, and blood diseases. Examples of diseases for which the burden of health inequities and our strategic vision implementation approaches are discussed include hypertension, heart failure, vascular dementia, asthma, and sickle cell disease. Examples are provided of new avenues of Institute-solicited research to stimulate and address compelling scientific questions and critical challenges to advance health equity. We also highlight the emerging fields of implementation science and predictive analytics as important opportunities to accelerate the translation of discovery science into health impact for all and to advance health equity.

Economic Dimensions of Health Inequities: The Role of Implementation Research.

Health inequities are well-documented, but their economic dimensions have received less attention. In this report, we describe four economic dimensions of health inequities in the United States. First, we describe an economic conceptual framework that connects poverty and health inequities at both individual and population levels and conveys the concept of reverse causality, where poverty worsens health inequities and health inequities worsen poverty. This framework can help us understand the key elements of health inequity and its drivers. Second, we describe economic measurements used for quantifying the economic burden of health inequalities and summarize the empirical findings from studies. Third, we review the evidence on the return-on-investment of economic interventions that are aimed at reducing health inequities. Finally, we highlight the importance of cross disciplinary perspectives from economics and implementation research in effectively delivering interventions that can mitigate health inequities.

The Importance of Evaluating Health Disparities Research.

Health disparity populations are socially disadvantaged, and the multiple levels of discrimination they often experience mean that their characteristics and attributes differ from those of the mainstream. Programs and policies targeted at reducing health disparities or improving minority health must consider these differences. Despite the importance of evaluating health disparities research to produce high-quality data that can guide decision-making, it is not yet a customary practice. Although health disparities evaluations incorporate the same scientific methods as all evaluations, they have unique components such as population characteristics, sociocultural context, and the lack of health disparity common indicators and metrics that must be considered in every phase of the research. This article describes evaluation strategies grouped into 3 components: formative (needs assessments and process), design and methodology (multilevel designs used in real-world settings), and summative (outcomes, impacts, and cost). Each section will describe the standards for each component, discuss the unique health disparity aspects, and provide strategies from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Metrics and Measures Visioning Workshop (April 2016) to advance the evaluation of health disparities research.

Addressing gaps in international blood availability and transfusion safety in low- and middle-income countries: a NHLBI workshop.

In April 2017, a workshop sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Division of Blood Diseases and Resources, and the Center for Translation Research and Implementation Science was held to discuss blood availability and transfusion safety in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The purpose of the workshop was to identify research opportunities for implementation science (IS) to improve the availability of safe blood and blood components and transfusion practices in LMICs. IS describes the late stages of the translational research spectrum and studies optimal and sustainable strategies to deliver proven-effective interventions. Regional working groups were formed to focus on opportunities and challenges in East Africa, Central/West Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Western Pacific Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. The need for an "adequate supply of safe blood" emerged as the major overriding theme. Among the regional working groups, common cross-cutting themes were evident. The majority of research questions, priorities, and strategies fell into the categories of blood availability, blood transfusion safety, appropriate use of blood, quality systems, health economics and budgeting, and training and education in IS. The workshop also brought into focus inadequate country-level data that can be used as the basis for IS initiatives. A mixed approach of needs assessment and targeted interventions with sufficient evidence base to move toward sustainment is an appropriate next step for blood availability and transfusion safety research in LMICs.

Reducing Cardiovascular Disparities Through Community-Engaged Implementation Research: A National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop Report.

Cardiovascular disparities remain pervasive in the United States. Unequal disease burden is evident among population groups based on sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, nativity, or geography. Despite the significant declines in cardiovascular disease mortality rates in all demographic groups during the last 50 years, large disparities remain by sex, race, ethnicity, and geography. Recent data from modeling studies, linked micromap plots, and small-area analyses also demonstrate prominent variation in cardiovascular disease mortality rates across states and counties, with an especially high disease burden in the southeastern United States and Appalachia. Despite these continued disparities, few large-scale intervention studies have been conducted in these high-burden populations to examine the feasibility of reducing or eliminating cardiovascular disparities. To address this challenge, on June 22 and 23, 2017, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened experts from a broad range of biomedical, behavioral, environmental, implementation, and social science backgrounds to summarize the current state of knowledge of cardiovascular disease disparities and propose intervention strategies aligned with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute mission. This report presents the themes, challenges, opportunities, available resources, and recommended actions discussed at the workshop.

Text to Quit China: An mHealth Smoking Cessation Trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a text message-based smoking cessation intervention in China. DESIGN: Study design was a randomized control trial with a 6-month follow-up assessment of smoking status. SETTING: Zhejiang, Heilongjiang, and Shaanxi provinces in China provided the study setting. SUBJECTS: A total of 8000 adult smokers in China who used Nokia Life Tools and participated in phase 2 (smoking education via text message) of the study were included. INTERVENTION: The high-frequency text contact (HFTC) group received one to three messages daily containing smoking cessation advice, encouragement, and health education information. The low-frequency text contact (LFTC) group received one weekly message with smoking health effects information. MEASURES: Our primary outcome was smoking status at 0, 1, 3, and 6 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes include participant perceptions of the HFTC intervention, and factors associated with smoking cessation among HFTC participants. ANALYSIS: Descriptive and χ2 analyses were conducted to assess smoking status and acceptability. Factors associated with quitting were assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Quit rates were high in both the HFTC and LFTC groups (HFTC: 0 month, 27.9%; 1 month, 30.5%; 3 months, 26.7%; and 6 months, 27.7%; LFTC: 0 month, 26.7%; 1 month, 30.4%; 3 months, 28.1%; and 6 months, 27.7%), with no significant difference between the two groups in an intent-to-treat analysis. Attitudes toward the HFTC intervention were largely positive. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a text message-based smoking cessation intervention can be successfully delivered in China and is acceptable to Chinese smokers, but further research is needed to assess the potential impact of this type of intervention.

A Strategic Framework for Utilizing Late-Stage (T4) Translation Research to Address Health Inequities.

Achieving health equity requires that every person has the opportunity to attain their full health potential and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances. Inequity experienced by populations of lower socioeconomic status is reflected in differences in health status and mortality rates, as well as in the distribution of disease, disability and illness across these population groups. This article gives an overview of the health inequities literature associated with heart, lung, blood and sleep (HLBS) disorders. We present an ecological framework that provides a theoretical foundation to study late-stage T4 translation research that studies implementation strategies for proven effective interventions to address health inequities.

Reducing Health Inequities in the U.S.: Recommendations From the NHLBI's Health Inequities Think Tank Meeting.

The National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a Think Tank meeting to obtain insight and recommendations regarding the objectives and design of the next generation of research aimed at reducing health inequities in the United States. The panel recommended several specific actions, including: 1) embrace broad and inclusive research themes; 2) develop research platforms that optimize the ability to conduct informative and innovative research, and promote systems science approaches; 3) develop networks of collaborators and stakeholders, and launch transformative studies that can serve as benchmarks; 4) optimize the use of new data sources, platforms, and natural experiments; and 5) develop unique transdisciplinary training programs to build research capacity. Confronting health inequities will require engaging multiple disciplines and sectors (including communities), using systems science, and intervening through combinations of individual, family, provider, health system, and community-targeted approaches. Details of the panel's remarks and recommendations are provided in this report.

Convergence of non-communicable and infectious diseases in low- and middle-income countries.

The convergence of non-communicable disease (NCD) and infectious disease (ID) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) presents new challenges and new opportunities to enact responsive changes in policy and research. Most LMICs have significant dual disease burdens of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, and IDs including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and parasitic diseases. A combined strategy is needed in surveillance and disease control; yet, experts, institutions and policies that support prevention and control of these two overarching disease categories have limited interaction and alignment. NCDs and IDs share common features, such as long-term care needs and overlapping high-risk populations, and there are also notable direct interactions, such as the association between certain IDs and cancers, as well as evidence of increased susceptibility to IDs in individuals with NCDs. Enhanced simultaneous surveillance of NCD and ID comorbidity in LMIC populations would generate the empirical data needed to better understand the dual burden, and to target coordinated care. Where IDs and NCDs are endemic, focusing on vulnerable populations by strengthening social protections and improving access to health services is crucial, as is the re-alignment of efforts to combine NCD and ID screening, treatment programmes, and the assessment of their impact. Integrating public health activities for ID and NCD should extend beyond health care services to prevention, which is widely seen as crucial to successful NCD and ID control campaigns alike. The convergence of NCD and ID in LMICs has the potential to overstretch already strained health systems. With some LMICs now focused on major health system reforms, a unique opportunity is available to address NCD and ID challenges with newfound urgency and novel approaches.

The Economic impact of Non-communicable Diseases on households in India.

BACKGROUND: In India, Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and injuries account for an estimated 62% of the total age-standardized burden of forgone Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Public and private financing of clinical services to reduce the NCD burden is a major challenge. METHODS: We used National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) survey data from 1995-96 and 2004 covering nearly 200 thousand households to assess healthcare utilization patterns and out of pocket health spending by disease category. For this purpose, self-reported diseases and conditions were categorized into NCDs and non-NCDs. Survey data were used to assess how households financed their overall health expenditures and related this pattern to specific health conditions. We measured catastrophic spending on NCD-related hospitalization, defined as occurring when health expenditures exceeded 40% of a household's ability to pay, that is, household consumption spending less combined survival consumption expenditure; and impoverishment when per capita expenditure within the household decreased to below the poverty line once health spending was netted out. RESULTS: The share of NCDs in out of pocket health expenses incurred by households increased over time, from 31.6 percent in 1995-96 to 47.3 percent in 2004. In both years, own savings and income were the most important source of financing for many health conditions, typically between 40-60 percent of all spending, whereas 30-35 percent was from borrowing. The odds of catastrophic hospitalization expenditures for cancer was nearly 170% greater and for CVD and injuries 22 percent greater than the odds due to communicable diseases. Impoverishment patterns were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Out of pocket expenses for treating NCDs rose sharply over the period from 1995-96 to 2004. When NCDs are present, the financial risks to which Indians households are exposed are significant.

Changes in health state utilities with changes in body mass in the Diabetes Prevention Program.

Health utilities are measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL) used in cost-effectiveness research. We evaluated whether changes in body weight were associated with changes in health utilities in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and whether associations differed by treatment assignment (lifestyle intervention, metformin, placebo) or baseline obesity severity. We constructed physical (PCS-36) and mental component summary (MCS-36) subscales and short-form-6D (SF-6D) health utility index for all DPP participants completing a baseline 36-item short form (SF-36) HRQL assessment (N = 3,064). We used linear regression to test associations between changes in body weight and changes in HRQL indicators, while adjusting for other demographic and behavioral variables. Overall differences in HRQL between treatment groups were highly statistically significant but clinically small after 1 year. In multivariable models, weight change was independently associated with change in SF-6D score (increase of 0.007 for every 5 kg weight loss; P < 0.001), but treatment effects independent of weight loss were not. We found no significant interaction between baseline obesity severity and changes in SF-6D with changes in body weight. However, increases in physical function (PCS-36) with weight loss were greater in persons with higher baseline obesity severity. In summary, improvements in HRQL are associated with weight loss but not with other effects of obesity treatments that are unrelated to weight loss. Although improvements in the SF-6D did not exceed commonly reported thresholds for a minimally important difference (0.04), these changes, if causal, could still have a significant impact on clinical cost-effectiveness estimates if sustained over multiple years.

Cost-effectiveness of screening for pre-diabetes among overweight and obese U.S. adults.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of screening overweight and obese individuals for pre-diabetes and then modifying their lifestyle based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A Markov simulation model was used to estimate disease progression, costs, and quality of life. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated from a health care system perspective. We considered two screening/treatment strategies for pre-diabetes. Strategy 1 included screening overweight subjects and giving them the lifestyle intervention included in the DPP if they were diagnosed with both impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Strategy 2 included screening followed by lifestyle intervention for subjects diagnosed with either IGT or IFG or both. Each strategy was compared with a program of no screening. RESULTS: Screening for pre-diabetes and treating those identified as having both IGT and IFG with the DPP lifestyle intervention had a cost-effectiveness ratio of $8,181 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) relative to no screening. If treatment was also provided to subjects with only IGT or only IFG (strategy 2), the cost-effectiveness ratio increased to $9,511 per QALY. Changes in screening-related parameters had small effects on the cost-effectiveness ratios; the results were more sensitive to changes in intervention-related parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for pre-diabetes in the overweight and obese U.S. population followed by the DPP lifestyle intervention has a relatively attractive cost-effectiveness ratio.

Vascular endothelium summary statement II: Cardiovascular disease prevention and control.

The prevention and control of cardiovascular disease (CVD), principally ischemic heart disease and stroke, are a major clinical and public health challenge. Worldwide, CVD accounts for substantial morbidity and mortality. The major modifiable CVD risk factors are known and all of them cause endothelial activation and dysfunction. Preventing and controlling the established risk factors are associated with preserved endothelial function and reduced risk of CVD. Research advances that improve our understanding of strategies to preserve endothelial function or make the endothelial cells resilient to environmental insults may help improve our preventive interventions. This summary statement addresses the current state of the science with respect to endothelial dysfunction and CVD pathogenesis, diagnostic evaluation, and suggested strategies for public health practice and research.

An evaluation of cost sharing to finance a diet and physical activity intervention to prevent diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention is a cost-effective strategy to prevent type 2 diabetes, but it is unclear how this intervention could be financed. We explored whether this intervention could be offered in a way that allows return on investment for private health insurers while remaining attractive for consumers, employers, and Medicare. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used the DPP and other published reports to build a Markov simulation model to estimate the lifetime progression of disease, costs, and quality of life for adults with impaired glucose tolerance. The model assumed a health-payer perspective and compared DPP lifestyle and placebo interventions. Primary outcomes included cumulative incidence of diabetes, direct medical costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and cost per QALY gained. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, providing the lifestyle intervention at age 50 years could prevent 37% of new cases of diabetes before age 65, at a cost of $1,288 per QALY gained. A private payer could reimburse $655 (24%) of the $2,715 in total discounted intervention costs during the first 3 intervention years and still recover all of these costs in the form of medical costs avoided. If Medicare paid up to $2,136 in intervention costs over the 15-year period before participants reached age 65, it could recover those costs in the form of future medical costs avoided beginning at age 65. CONCLUSIONS: Cost-sharing strategies to offer the DPP lifestyle intervention for eligible people between ages 50 and 64 could provide financial return on investment for private payers and long-term benefits for Medicare.

Improvements in diabetes processes of care and intermediate outcomes: United States, 1988-2002.

BACKGROUND: Progress of diabetes care is a subject of public health concern. OBJECTIVE: To assess changes in quality of diabetes care in the United States by using standardized measures. DESIGN: National population-based, serial cross-sectional surveys. SETTING: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994 and 1999-2002) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (1995 and 2002). PARTICIPANTS: Survey participants 18 to 75 years of age who reported a diagnosis of diabetes. MEASUREMENTS: Glycemic control, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, annual cholesterol level monitoring, and annual foot and dilated eye examination, as defined by the National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance measures. RESULTS: In the past decade, the proportion of persons with diabetes with poor glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c > 9%) showed a nonstatistically significant decrease of 3.9% (95% CI, -10.4% to 2.5%), while the proportion of persons with fair or good lipid control (LDL cholesterol level < 3.4 mmol/L [<130 mg/dL]) had a statistically significant increase of 21.9% (CI, 12.4% to 31.3%). Mean LDL cholesterol level decreased by 0.5 mmol/L (18.8 mg/dL). Although mean hemoglobin A1c did not change, the proportion of persons with hemoglobin A(1c) of 6% to 8% increased from 34.2% to 47.0%. The blood pressure distribution did not change. Annual lipid testing, dilated eye examination, and foot examination increased by 8.3% (CI, 4.0% to 12.7%), 4.5% (CI, 0.5% to 8.5%), and 3.8% (CI, -0.1% to 7.7%), respectively. The proportion of persons reporting annual influenza vaccination and aspirin use improved by 6.8 percentage points (CI, 2.9 percentage points to 10.7 percentage points) and 13.1 percentage points (CI, 5.4 percentage points to 20.7 percentage points), respectively. LIMITATIONS: Data are self-reported, and the surveys do not have all National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance indicators. CONCLUSION: Diabetes processes of care and intermediate outcomes have improved nationally in the past decade. But 2 in 5 persons with diabetes still have poor LDL cholesterol control, 1 in 3 persons still has poor blood pressure control, and 1 in 5 persons still has poor glycemic control.

Chronic kidney disease: a public health problem that needs a public health action plan.

For a health problem or condition to be considered a public health issue, four criteria must be met: 1) the health condition must place a large burden on society, a burden that is getting larger despite existing control efforts; 2) the burden must be distributed unfairly (i.e., certain segments of the population are unequally affected); 3) there must be evidence that upstream preventive strategies could substantially reduce the burden of the condition; and 4) such preventive strategies are not yet in place. Chronic kidney disease meets these criteria for a public health issue. Therefore, as a complement to clinical approaches to controlling it, a broad and coordinated public health approach will be necessary to meet the burgeoning health, economic, and societal challenges of chronic kidney disease.

Trends in care practices and outcomes among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: While diabetes is a major issue for the aging U.S. population, few studies have described the recent trends in both preventive care practices and complications among the Medicare population with diabetes. Using the Medicare Quality Monitoring System (MQMS), this 2004 study describes these trends from 1992 to 2001 and how these rates vary across demographic subgroups. METHODS: Outcomes include age- and gender-adjusted rates of 15 indicators associated with diabetes care from 1992 to 2001, the absolute change in rates from 1992 to 2001, and 2001 rates by demographic subgroups. The data were cross-sectional samples of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes from 1992 to 2001 from the Medicare 5% Standard Analytic Files. RESULTS: Use of preventive care practices rose from 1992 to 2001: 45 percentage points for HbA1c tests, 51 for lipid tests, 8 for eye exams, and 38 for self-monitoring of glucose levels (all p<0.05). Rates for short-term and some long-term complications of diabetes (e.g., lower-extremity amputations and cardiovascular conditions) fell from 1992 to 2001 (p<0.05). However, rates of other long-term complications such as nephropathy, blindness, and retinopathy rose during the period (p<0.05). Nonwhites and beneficiaries aged <65 and >85 exhibited consistently higher complication rates and lower use of preventive services. CONCLUSIONS: The Medicare program has seen some significant improvement in preventive care practices and significant declines in lower-limb amputations and cardiovascular conditions. However, rates for other long-term complications have increased, with evidence of subgroup disparities. The MQMS results provide an early warning for policymakers to focus on the diabetes care provided to some vulnerable subgroups.