Physical Activity Intervention for Urban Black Women With Asthma: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Efficacy Study.

BACKGROUND: Black women experience a higher prevalence of poor asthma outcomes and physical inactivity than their White counterparts. Black women comprise a particularly vulnerable group of patients with asthma, with some of the highest rates of asthma in adults, high health care use (emergency department visits and hospitalizations), and the highest crude asthma mortality rate of all race or ethnicity groups. Despite recommendations to engage in regular physical activity, fewer than 15% of Black women meet the 2008 National Physical Activity Guidelines, the lowest of all racial subgroups of adults. Given the connection between physical inactivity and poor asthma outcomes, addressing physical activity among Black women with asthma is imperative. OBJECTIVE: This 2-arm randomized controlled trial aims to (1) determine the efficacy of a lifestyle walking intervention on asthma control compared to an education (control) group over 24 weeks, (2) examine the maintenance effects of the lifestyle walking intervention on asthma control at 48 weeks, (3) explore the behavioral mediators (eg, self-efficacy, social support, self-regulation, and daily physical activity levels) and contextual moderators (eg, baseline asthma severity, neighborhood environment, comorbid conditions, and social determinants of health) that contribute to treatment responsiveness, and (4) assess the reach and implementation potential of the intervention. METHODS: The proposed study (ACTION [A Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention for Minority Women with Asthma]) delivers a 24-week lifestyle walking intervention designed for and by urban Black women with asthma. Participants (n=224) will be recruited through 2 urban health care systems that care for a diverse Black population. Patients will be randomized to one of two groups: (1) ACTION intervention (group sessions, physical activity self-monitoring-Fitbit, and text-based support for step goal setting) or (2) education control (an individual asthma education session and SMS text messages related to asthma education). Outcome assessments will take place at baseline, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. The primary outcome is a change in asthma control from baseline to week 24 as assessed by the asthma control questionnaire-6 (ACQ-6). Secondary outcomes include asthma-related quality of life, health care use, and asthma exacerbations and behavioral outcomes such as self-efficacy, self-regulation, social support, and physical activity. RESULTS: This study was funded by the National Institute of Minority Health Disparities in August 2022. We pilot-tested our recruitment and intervention procedures and began recruitment in April 2023, with the enrollment of our first participant in May 2023. The anticipated completion of the study is April 2027. CONCLUSIONS: This study will deliver a new approach to physical activity interventions in Black women with asthma and help to provide guidance for addressing physical activity within this subgroup. This study will also provide a potential framework for future studies in minoritized populations with other disease conditions associated with low levels of physical activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05726487; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05726487. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/55700.

Opioid and High-Risk Prescribing Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Veterans.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to compare opioid prescribing and high-risk prescribing by race and ethnicity in a national cohort of U.S. veterans. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of veteran characteristics and healthcare use was performed on electronic health record data for 2018 Veterans Health Administration users and enrollees in 2022. RESULTS: Overall, 14.8% received an opioid prescription. The adjusted odds of being prescribed an opioid were lower for all race/ethnicity groups than for non-Hispanic White veterans, except for non-Hispanic multiracial (AOR=1.03; 95% CI=0.999, 1.05) and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (AOR=1.06; 95% CI=1.03, 1.09) veterans. The odds of any day of overlapping opioid prescriptions (i.e., opioid overlap) were lower for all race/ethnicity groups than for the non-Hispanic White group, except for the non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native group (AOR=1.01; 95% CI=0.96, 1.07). Similarly, all race/ethnicity groups had lower odds of any day of daily dose >120 morphine milligram equivalents than the non-Hispanic White group, except for the non-Hispanic multiracial (AOR=0.96; 95% CI=0.87, 1.07) and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native (AOR=1.06; 95% CI=0.96, 1.17) groups. Non-Hispanic Asian veterans had the lowest odds for any day of opioid overlap (AOR=0.54; 95% CI=0.50, 0.57) and daily dose >120 morphine milligram equivalents (AOR=0.43; 95% CI=0.36, 0.52). For any day of opioid-benzodiazepine overlap, all races/ethnicities had lower odds than non-Hispanic White. Non-Hispanic Black/African American (AOR=0.71; 95% CI=0.70, 0.72) and non-Hispanic Asian (AOR=0.73; 95% CI=0.68, 0.77) veterans had the lowest odds of any day of opioid-benzodiazepine overlap. CONCLUSIONS: Non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native veterans had the greatest likelihood to receive an opioid prescription. When an opioid was prescribed, high-risk prescribing was more common in White and American Indian/Alaska Native veterans than in all other racial/ethnic groups. As the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, the Veterans Health Administration can develop and test interventions to achieve health equity for patients experiencing pain.

Trend in Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Utilization, Price, and Out-of-Pocket Costs in Patients With Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.

PURPOSE: Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has improved survival but is associated with significant financial burden. We measured the annual trend in TKI utilization, Medicare gross payment, and patient out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure from 2007 to 2016. METHODS: We used SEER linked to Medicare part-D claims data to identify prevalent CML cases from 2007 to 2016. TKI utilization was measured as the proportion of cases with at least one TKI fill in each year. Average TKI gross payment and median per-member per-month OOP expenditure were calculated from claims data and plotted annually from 2007 to 2016. Year-to-year percent change in gross payment and OOP expenditure was compared with inflation indices. RESULTS: The cohort included 3,189 CML cases with at least one TKI claim. The proportion of prevalent patients with a TKI fill in a year increased from 17.9% in 2007 to 52.8% in 2015. The average annual gross payment per 30-day supply of a TKI increased by an average of 12.8% throughout the period from $9,000 to $10,000 US dollars in 2016. There was no increasing trend in median OOP expenditure per 30-day supply, which varied between $450 and $600 US dollars. CONCLUSION: Rising TKI use and TKI drug prices place considerable financial pressure on Medicare part-D insurers. Although there was no increasing trend in OOP expenditure, it may be burdensome for Medicare patients who are likely retired on a fixed income. Our findings support legislation that mitigates increasing drug prices to protect the Medicare system and its beneficiaries.

A comparison of medication access services at 340B and non-340B hospitals.

BACKGROUND: For patients that face barriers to filling their prescriptions, the availability of medication access services at their site of care can mean the difference between receiving prescribed drug therapy, and undue interruptions in care. Hospitals often provide medication access services that are not reimbursed by payers; however, they can be challenging to sustain. The 340B Drug Pricing Program allows covered entities to generate savings through discounted pricing for certain outpatient medications, which can then be used to provide more comprehensive services, including medication access services. OBJECTIVE: To characterize medication access services provided at hospitals that participate in the 340B Drug Pricing Program compared to hospitals that do not participate in the 340B Program. METHODS: Primary questionnaire response data was collected from a national sample of Directors of Pharmacy at non-federal acute care hospitals from March 2019 to May 2019. American Hospital Association Data Viewer was used to collect demographic information on 1,531 hospitals. Hospitals were excluded if they had 199 beds or fewer, did not have a unique Medicare provider ID, were federally owned, were located outside the continental U.S., or were non-acute care hospitals that served niche patient populations. This study utilized a proportional stratified sampling strategy to administer an electronic questionnaire to 340B and non-340B hospitals to assess the number and type of medication access service offerings. A final randomized sample of 500 hospitals were administered the questionnaire, and data was collected through recorded responses in Qualtrics software. RESULTS: 340B hospitals provided a significantly higher average number of medication access services compared to non-340B hospitals (6.20 vs. 3.91, p = 0.0001), adjusted for differences in hospital size and ownership type. For all nine medication access services that were assessed, a higher percentage of 340B hospitals reported providing the service compared to non-340B hospitals. This difference was statistically significant for six out of nine programs assessed. CONCLUSIONS: 340B hospitals provided more medication access services, on average, than comparably sized non-340B hospitals, suggesting that hospitals participating in the 340B Drug Pricing Program may be better positioned to create and administer programs that support medication access services.

Feasibility of text message sleep assessment in African American and Latino patients with type 2 diabetes.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Text messaging (TM) may provide an inexpensive and convenient method for self-reported sleep assessment. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of a TM sleep diary among a racial/ethnic minority population with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A convenience sample of 40 participants with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes was recruited. Participants wore an Actiwatch (Philips Spectrum Plus, Philips Respironics, Murrysville, Pennsylvania) for 7 consecutive days during both wake and sleep intervals and completed a daily TM sleep diary including 10 questions adapted from the Consensus Sleep Diary. The relationships between sleep measures from TMs and actigraphy were explored through Bland-Altman plots and correlations. RESULTS: Of the 40 participants enrolled, 34 were African American and 6 were Latino. The mean age was 52.2 years (standard deviation = 8.2), and the mean hemoglobin A1c was 9.0% (standard deviation = 1.5). All but 1 participant attempted to complete the TM sleep diary. With a maximum of 70 TM replies possible, the median number of responses per participant was 66 (interquartile range = 59.5-69). Actigraphy and TM measures were related for total sleep time (median = 382 vs 393 min, respectively [r = .71; P < .01]), sleep onset latency (median = 31.4 vs 27.5 min [r = .61; P < .01]), time in bed (433.3 vs 489.3 min [r = .74; P < .01]), and sleep efficiency (77% vs 86% [r = .45; P = .005]). The measure of wake after sleep onset was higher from actigraphy than from TM, with a weak relationship between the 2 measures (median 47.9 vs 6.0 min [r = .31; P = .05]). CONCLUSIONS: TM is a novel and feasible method for sleep assessment in racial/ethnic minority adults with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes.

Self-reported health and survival in older patients diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

PURPOSE: Patient-reported outcomes such as self-reported health (SRH) are important in understanding quality cancer care, yet little is known about links between SRH and outcomes in older patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We evaluated associations between SRH and mortality among older patients with MM. METHODS: We analyzed a retrospective cohort of patients ages ≥ 65 years diagnosed with first primary MM using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) data resource. Pre-diagnosis SRH was grouped as high (excellent/very good/good) or low (fair/poor). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between SRH and all-cause and MM-specific mortality. RESULTS: Of 521 MM patients with mean (SD) age at diagnosis of 76.8 (6.1) years, 32% reported low SRH. In multivariable analyses, low SRH was suggestive of modest increased risks of all-cause mortality (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.02-1.71) and MM-specific mortality (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.87-1.70) compared to high SRH. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that low pre-diagnosis SRH is highly prevalent among older patients with MM and is associated with modestly increased all-cause mortality. Additional research is needed to address quality of life and modifiable factors that may accompany poor SRH in older patients with MM.

A Walking Intervention Supplemented With Mobile Health Technology in Low-Active Urban African American Women With Asthma: Proof-of-Concept Study.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is associated with worse asthma outcomes. African American women experience disparities in both physical inactivity and asthma relative to their white counterparts. We conducted a modified evidence-based walking intervention supplemented with mobile health (mHealth) technologies to increase physical activity (PA). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the preliminary feasibility of a 7-week walking intervention modified for African American women with asthma. METHODS: African American women with suboptimally controlled asthma were identified from a health system serving low-income minorities. At a baseline data collection visit, participants performed spirometry and incremental shuttle walk test, completed questionnaires, and were given an accelerometer to wear for 1 week. The intervention comprised an informational study manual and 3 in-person group sessions over 7 weeks, led by a nurse interventionist, in a community setting. The supplemental mHealth tools included a wearable activity tracker device (Fitbit Charge HR) and one-way text messages related to PA and asthma 3 times per week. A secure Web-based research platform, iCardia, was used to obtain Fitbit data in real time (wear time, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA] and sedentary time) and send text messages. The feasibility of the intervention was assessed in the domains of recruitment capability, acceptability (adherence, retention, engagement, text messaging, acceptability, complaints, and concerns), and preliminary outcome effects on PA behavior (change in steps, duration, and intensity). RESULTS: We approached 22 women, of whom 10 were eligible; 7 consented, enrolled and completed the study. Group session attendance was 71% (5/7), 86% (6/7), and 86% (6/7), respectively, across the 3 sessions. All participants completed evaluations at each group session. The women reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the program (eg, location, time, and materials). None of them had concerns about using, charging, or syncing the Fitbit device and app. Participants wore their Fitbit device for at least 10 hours per day in 44 out of the 49 intervention days. There was an increase in Fitbit-measured MVPA from week 1 (19 min/week, SD 14 min/week) to the last week of intervention (22 min/week, SD 12 min/week; Cohen d=0.24, 95% CI 0.1 to 6.4). A slight decrease in step count was observed from week 1 (8926 steps/day, SD 2156 steps/day) to the last week of intervention (8517 steps/day, SD 1612 steps/day; Cohen d=-0.21, 95% CI -876.9 to 58.9). CONCLUSIONS: The initial feasibility results of a 7-week community-based walking intervention tailored for African American women with asthma and supplemented with mHealth tools are promising. Modifications to recruitment, retention, and the intervention itself are needed. These findings support the need to conduct a further modified pilot trial to collect additional data on feasibility and estimate the efficacy of the intervention on asthma and PA outcomes.

Clinical pharmacists in diabetes management: What do minority patients with uncontrolled diabetes have to say?

OBJECTIVE: Clinical pharmacist support for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can optimize patient outcomes and medication adherence. However, there is limited understanding of what pharmacist roles patients perceive as most helpful in T2DM management interventions. This study describes experiences of minority patients with uncontrolled T2DM in terms of perceived pharmacist helpfulness and specific roles found to be most helpful within diabetes management. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a 2-year randomized, crossover trial was conducted. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This study included 244 African American and Hispanic adults with uncontrolled T2DM who received clinical pharmacist support within a team-based model. OUTCOME MEASURES: The patients completed a mixed-methods survey regarding their experience with the intervention that included a general helpfulness rating on a 10-point unipolar Likert scale and described the support qualitatively, including their perception of the pharmacist roles. Thematic analysis guided coding of the responses. RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven (60%) patients completed the survey and had at least 1 encounter with a clinical pharmacist. Of these, 108 (74%) were African American, 39 (27%) were Hispanic, and 101 (69%) were women. The median rating of clinical pharmacist helpfulness was 10 (very helpful). Only 10 (7%) participants rated pharmacist helpfulness as 1 (not at all helpful). "Medication education and management" was the most frequently perceived supportive role of the clinical pharmacists, followed by "non-medication-related patient education," "social support," and "care coordination." Miscommunication related to scheduling was the most common reason cited for not meeting with the clinical pharmacist. CONCLUSION: This sample of minority patients with uncontrolled T2DM recognized many roles outlined within the American Pharmacists Association Medication Therapy Management framework. Patient experiences with clinical pharmacist T2DM support are crucial for developing effective programs, maximizing patient engagement, satisfying patient needs, and ensuring that a program's intended purpose aligns with the patient perspective.

Community Health Workers Supporting Clinical Pharmacists in Diabetes Management: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pharmacists and community health workers (CHWs) in improving glycemic control within a low-income ethnic minority population. METHODS: In a two-arm 2-year crossover trial, 179 African-American and 65 Hispanic adult patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1C] of 8% or higher) were randomized to CHW support either during the first or second year of the study. All participants received clinical pharmacist support for both years of the study. The primary outcome was change in HbA1C over 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: Similar HbA1C declines were noted after receiving the 1 year of CHW support: -0.45% (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.96 to 0.05) with CHW versus -0.42% (95% CI -0.93 to 0.08) without CHW support. In addition, no differences were noted in change on secondary outcome measures including body mass index, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, quality of life, and perceived social support. A difference in diastolic blood pressure change was noted: 0.80 mm Hg (95% CI -1.92 to 3.53) with CHW versus -1.85 mm Hg (95% CI -4.74 to 1.03) without CHW support (p=0.0078). Patients receiving CHW support had more lipid-lowering medication intensifications (0.39 [95% CI 0.27-0.52]) compared with those without CHW support (0.26 [95% CI 0.14-0.38], p<0.0001). However, no significant differences in intensification of antihyperglycemic and antihypertensive medications were observed between patients receiving CHW support and those without CHW support. Patients with low health literacy completed significantly more encounters with the pharmacist and CHW than those with high health literacy, although outcomes were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: No significant differences were noted between a clinical pharmacist-CHW team and clinical pharmacist alone in improving glycemic control within a low-income ethnic minority population.

Measuring Health-related Transportation Barriers in Urban Settings.

Access to reliable transportation is important for people with chronic diseases considering the need for frequent medical visits and for medications from the pharmacy. Understanding of the extent to which transportation barriers, including lack of transportation, contribute to poor health outcomes has been hindered by a lack of consistency in measuring or operationally defining "transportation barriers." The current study uses the Rasch measurement model to examine the psychometric properties of a new measure designed to capture types of transportation and associated barriers within an urban context. Two hundred forty-four adults with type 2 diabetes were recruited from within an academic medical center in Chicago and completed the newly developed transportation questions as part of a larger National Institutes of Health funded study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01498159). Results suggested a two subscale structure that reflected 1) general transportation barriers and 2) public transportation barriers.

Rationale and design of a patient-centered medical home intervention for patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

In the U.S., more than 400,000 individuals with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) require hemodialysis (HD) for renal replacement therapy. ESRD patients experience a high burden of morbidity, mortality, resource utilization, and poor quality of life (QOL). Under current care models, ESRD patients receive fragmented care from multiple providers at multiple locations. The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a team approach, providing coordinated care across the healthcare continuum. While this model has shown some early benefits for complex chronic diseases such as diabetes, it has not been applied to HD patients. This study is a non-randomized quasi-experimental intervention trial implementing a Patient-Centered Medical Home for Kidney Disease (PCMH-KD). The PCMH-KD extends the existing dialysis care team (comprised of a nephrologist, dialysis nurse, dialysis technician, social worker, and dietitian) by adding a general internist, pharmacist, nurse coordinator, and a community health worker, all of whom will see the patients together, and separately, as needed. The primary goal is to implement a comprehensive, multidisciplinary care team to improve care coordination, quality of life, and healthcare use for HD patients. Approximately 240 patients will be recruited from two sites; a non-profit university-affiliated dialysis center and an independent for-profit dialysis center. Outcomes include (i) patient-reported outcomes, including QOL and satisfaction; (ii) clinical outcomes, including blood pressure and diet; (iii) healthcare use, including emergency room visits and hospitalizations; and (iv) staff perceptions. Given the significant burden that patients with ESRD on HD experience, enhanced care coordination provides an opportunity to reduce this burden and improve QOL.

Traveling towards disease: transportation barriers to health care access.

Transportation barriers are often cited as barriers to healthcare access. Transportation barriers lead to rescheduled or missed appointments, delayed care, and missed or delayed medication use. These consequences may lead to poorer management of chronic illness and thus poorer health outcomes. However, the significance of these barriers is uncertain based on existing literature due to wide variability in both study populations and transportation barrier measures. The authors sought to synthesize the literature on the prevalence of transportation barriers to health care access. A systematic literature search of peer-reviewed studies on transportation barriers to healthcare access was performed. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) study addressed access barriers for ongoing primary care or chronic disease care; (2) study included assessment of transportation barriers; and (3) study was completed in the United States. In total, 61 studies were reviewed. Overall, the evidence supports that transportation barriers are an important barrier to healthcare access, particularly for those with lower incomes or the under/uninsured. Additional research needs to (1) clarify which aspects of transportation limit health care access (2) measure the impact of transportation barriers on clinically meaningful outcomes and (3) measure the impact of transportation barrier interventions and transportation policy changes.

Design of a trial to evaluate the impact of clinical pharmacists and community health promoters working with African-Americans and Latinos with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Given the increasing prevalence of diabetes and the lack of patients reaching recommended therapeutic goals, novel models of team-based care are emerging. These teams typically include a combination of physicians, nurses, case managers, pharmacists, and community-based peer health promoters (HPs). Recent evidence supports the role of pharmacists in diabetes management to improve glycemic control, as they offer expertise in medication management with the ability to collaboratively intensify therapy. However, few studies of pharmacy-based models of care have focused on low income, minority populations that are most in need of intervention. Alternatively, HP interventions have focused largely upon low income minority groups, addressing their unique psychosocial and environmental challenges in diabetes self-care. This study will evaluate the impact of HPs as a complement to pharmacist management in a randomized controlled trial. METHODS/DESIGN: The primary aim of this randomized trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of clinical pharmacists and HPs on diabetes behaviors (including healthy eating, physical activity, and medication adherence), hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol levels. A total of 300 minority patients with uncontrolled diabetes from the University of Illinois Medical Center ambulatory network in Chicago will be randomized to either pharmacist management alone, or pharmacist management plus HP support. After one year, the pharmacist-only group will be intensified by the addition of HP support and maintenance will be assessed by phasing out HP support from the pharmacist plus HP group (crossover design). Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. In addition, program and healthcare utilization data will be incorporated into cost and cost-effectiveness evaluations of pharmacist management with and without HP support. DISCUSSION: The study will evaluate an innovative, integrated approach to chronic disease management in minorities with poorly controlled diabetes. The approach is comprised of clinic-based pharmacists and community-based health promoters collaborating together. They will target patient-level factors (e.g., lack of adherence to lifestyle modification and medications) and provider-level factors (e.g., clinical inertia) that contribute to poor clinical outcomes in diabetes. Importantly, the study design and analytic approach will help determine the differential and combined impact of adherence to lifestyle changes, medication, and intensification on clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01498159.

Evaluation of the Fight Asthma Now (FAN) program to improve asthma knowledge in urban youth and teenagers.

BACKGROUND: School-based asthma education programs targeting disadvantaged youth and teens with asthma are lacking. OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the Fight Asthma Now (FAN) educational program among 2 populations of predominantly low-income minority students: youth (3(rd)-6(th) graders) and teens (7(th)-8(th) graders). METHODS: Chicago-area elementary schools were invited to participate in this stratified 2-arm study. Eligible schools were assigned to participate either in the intervention or in the control arm. Within each participating school, eligible students were recruited and grouped (stratified by grade and age) to form teen or youth classes. Participants completed a pre- and post-intervention asthma knowledge questionnaire and observation for spacer technique competency. The treatment group received the FAN curriculum between the evaluations. RESULTS: A sample of 26 low-income, predominantly minority-serving schools was recruited. Most participating schools were randomized in a 3:1 ratio to form 25 youth classes (19 intervention and 6 control group) and 16 teen classes (11 intervention and 5 control group), resulting in 275 vs 69 youth and 141 vs 51 teens in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Stratified analyses were performed, and clustering within the school and class was taken into consideration in analyses. Multilevel models adjusting for school, class, ethnicity, sex, and pretest score indicate that the FAN intervention significantly increased both knowledge and spacer competency test scores, among both the youth and teen participants (P = .011 with respect to knowledge score among teen students, P < .0001 for all other cases). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that FAN significantly increases asthma knowledge and spacer technique competency within this high-risk population.

Progression of CKD in Hispanics: potential roles of health literacy, acculturation, and social support.

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in the United States, and compared with non-Hispanic whites, they have a higher incidence of end-stage renal disease. Examining novel factors that may explain this disparity in progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Hispanics is urgently needed. Interpersonal and patient-centered characteristics, including health literacy, acculturation, and social support, have been shown to affect health outcomes in patients with other chronic diseases. However, these characteristics have not been well studied in the context of CKD, particularly in relation to disease knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. In this report, we examine the potential roles of these factors for CKD progression in Hispanics and propose targeted therapeutic interventions.

The relationship between self-report and biomarkers of stress in low-income reproductive-age women.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between self-reported and biologic measures of stress in low-income, reproductive-age women. STUDY DESIGN: Between 1999 and 2005, randomly selected reproductive-age women from the 1998 welfare rolls in Chicago, IL, were interviewed yearly to assess psychosocial, socioeconomic, and health characteristics. The association of 2 stress-sensitive biomarkers (Epstein-Barr virus antibody titer (EBV) and C-reactive protein level) with self-reported stress was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 206 women who were interviewed, 205 women (99%) agreed to provide a blood sample. There was no difference in mean EBV or C-reactive protein levels based on age, race, parity, employment, marital status, or education. Women who reported a higher degree of perceived stress or reported experiences of discrimination had significantly higher levels of EBV (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Measures of self-reported psychosocial stress are associated with elevated levels EBV antibody in a low-income population of reproductive-age women.

Obesity and asthma morbidity in a community-based adult cohort in a large urban area: the Chicago Initiative to Raise Asthma Health Equity (CHIRAH).

BACKGROUND: Urban minority populations experience increased rates of obesity and increased asthma prevalence and severity. Objective. The authors sought to determine whether obesity, as measured by body mass index (BMI), was associated with asthma quality of life or asthma-related emergency department (ED)/urgent care utilization in an urban, community-based sample of adults. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 352 adult subjects (age 30.9 +/- 6.1, 77.8% females, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1))% predicted = 87.0% +/- 18.5%) with physician-diagnosed asthma from a community-based Chicago cohort. Outcome variables included the Juniper Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) scores and health care utilization in the previous 12 months. Bivariate tests were used as appropriate to assess the relationship between BMI or obesity status and asthma outcome variables. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to predict asthma outcomes, controlling for demographics, income, depression score, and beta-agonist use. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-one (54.3%) adults were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m(2)). Participants with a higher BMI were older (p = .008), African American (p < .001), female (p = .002), or from lower income households (p = .002). BMI was inversely related to overall AQLQ scores (r = -.174, p = .001) as well as to individual domains. In multivariate models, BMI remained an independent predictor of AQLQ. Obese participants were more likely to have received ED/urgent care for asthma than nonobese subjects (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8, p = .036). CONCLUSIONS: In a community-based sample of urban asthmatic adults, obesity was related to worse asthma-specific quality of life and increased ED/urgent care utilization. However, compared to other variables measured such as depression, the contribution of obesity to lower AQLQ scores was relatively modest.

Ethnic disparities in asthma morbidity in Chicago.

RATIONALE: The role of ethnicity and socioeconomic status in explaining variations in asthma morbidity is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To describe the magnitude of ethnic disparities in asthma morbidity in Chicago and to determine whether differences in socioeconomic status explain these disparities. METHODS: We conducted a survey of 561 school-age children and 353 young adults with asthma and measured their self-reported ethnicity, socioeconomic status (using 11 variables), and asthma morbidity (symptom frequency, asthma-specific quality of life, and frequency of severe asthma exacerbations). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: White children and adults had better asthma-specific quality of life and fewer severe asthma exacerbations compared to black and Hispanic children and adults. White children also had fewer days with asthma symptoms, but among adults there were no ethnic differences in the frequency of asthma symptoms. Socioeconomic status explained a large portion of the ethnic disparities in asthma quality of life but explained little of the disparities in other aspects of asthma morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: There are large disparities across ethnic groups in Chicago in asthma quality of life and in the frequency of severe exacerbations. Differences in socioeconomic status do not fully explain these disparities.

The protective effect of community factors on childhood asthma.

BACKGROUND: Asthma burden in the US is not evenly distributed. Although asthma prevalence varies widely across urban neighborhoods, little attention has been paid to the community as a key contributor. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of positive socio-environmental community factors on childhood asthma prevalence in Chicago. METHODS: From 2003 to 2005, an asthma screening survey was conducted among children attending Chicago Public/Catholic schools from kindergarten through eighth grade. One hundred five schools participated, yielding a stratified representation of 4 race-income groups. Positive community factors, such as social capital, economic potential, and community amenities, were assessed by using the Metro Chicago Information Center's Community Vitality Index. RESULTS: Of the surveys returned, 45,177 (92%) were geocoded into 287 neighborhoods. Neighborhoods were divided into quartile groups by asthma prevalence (mean, 8%, 12%, 17%, 25%). Community vitality (54% vs 44%; P < .0001) and economic potential (64% vs 38%; P < .0001) were significantly higher in neighborhoods with low asthma prevalence. Neighborhood interaction (36% vs 73%; P < .0001) and stability (40% vs 53%; P < .0001) were significantly higher in neighborhoods with high asthma prevalence. Overall, positive factors explained 21% of asthma variation. Childhood asthma increased as the black population increased in a community (P < .0001). Accordingly, race/ethnicity was controlled. In black neighborhoods, these factors remained significantly higher in neighborhoods with low asthma prevalence. When considered alongside socio-demographic/individual characteristics, overall community vitality as well as social capital continued to contribute significantly to asthma variation. CONCLUSION: Asthma prevalence in Chicago is strongly associated with socio-environmental factors thought to enrich a community. A deeper understanding of this impact may lend insight into interventions to reduce childhood asthma.