A patient activation intervention in primary care for patients with chronic pain on long term opioid therapy: results from a randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Given significant risks associated with long-term prescription opioid use, there is a need for non-pharmacological interventions for treating chronic pain. Activating patients to manage chronic pain has the potential to improve health outcomes. The ACTIVATE study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 4-session patient activation intervention in primary care for patients on long-term opioid therapy. METHODS: The two-arm, pragmatic, randomized trial was conducted in two primary care clinics in an integrated health system from June 2015-August 2018. Consenting participants were randomized to the intervention (n = 189) or usual care (n = 187). Participants completed online and interviewer-administered surveys at baseline, 6- and 12- months follow-up. Prescription opioid use was extracted from the EHR. The primary outcome was patient activation assessed by the Patient Activation Measure (PAM). Secondary outcomes included mood, function, overall health, non-pharmacologic pain management strategies, and patient portal use. We conducted a repeated measure analysis and reported between-group differences at 12 months. RESULTS: At 12 months, the intervention and usual care arms had similar PAM scores. However, compared to usual care at 12 months, the intervention arm demonstrated: less moderate/severe depression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.40, 95%CI 0.18-0.87); higher overall health (OR = 3.14, 95%CI 1.64-6.01); greater use of the patient portal's health/wellness resources (OR = 2.50, 95%CI 1.42-4.40) and lab/immunization history (OR = 2.70, 95%CI 1.29-5.65); and greater use of meditation (OR = 2.72; 95%CI 1.61-4.58) and exercise/physical therapy (OR = 2.24, 95%CI 1.29-3.88). At 12 months, the intervention arm had a higher physical health measure (mean difference 1.63; 95%CI: 0.27-2.98). CONCLUSION: This trial evaluated the effectiveness of a primary care intervention in improving patient activation and patient-reported outcomes among adults with chronic pain on long-term opioid therapy. Despite a lack of improvement in patient activation, a brief intervention in primary care can improve outcomes such as depression, overall health, non-pharmacologic pain management, and engagement with the health system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered on 10/27/14 on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02290223).

Neonatal outcomes associated with in utero cannabis exposure: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The full spectrum of associations between in utero cannabis exposure and adverse neonatal outcomes is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between in utero cannabis exposure and neonatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: This population-based retrospective cohort study of singleton births among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members (January 1, 2011-July 31, 2020) included parent-infant dyads in which the pregnant parent was screened for cannabis use as part of standard prenatal care, generally upon entrance into care. Data were ascertained from electronic health records. Generalized estimating equation models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, other non-cannabis prenatal substance use, medical and mental health comorbidities, and adequacy of prenatal care. In utero cannabis exposure was defined as self-reported use since becoming pregnant and/or a positive urine toxicology test for cannabis at any time during pregnancy (yes/no; primary exposure). Frequency of use was self-reported and categorized as daily, weekly, monthly or less, never, or unknown (secondary exposure). Neonatal outcomes included low birthweight, small for gestational age, preterm birth, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and infant respiratory support. RESULTS: Of 364,924 infants, 22,624 (6.2%) were exposed to cannabis in utero. After adjustment for potential confounders, including in utero exposure to other substances, in utero exposure to cannabis was associated with greater odds of low birthweight (adjusted odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.28), small for gestational age (adjusted odds ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-1.30), preterm birth (<37 weeks; adjusted odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.13), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.11). There was a suggestive association with early preterm birth (<34 weeks; adjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.23; P=.055), but no significant association with respiratory support (adjusted odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-1.18). Dose-response analysis found an increasing likelihood of low birthweight and small for gestational age with increasing frequency of prenatal cannabis use by the pregnant individual. Sensitivity analyses further supported an increased likelihood of low birthweight and small for gestational age, although associations with other outcomes did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: In utero cannabis exposure was associated with increased likelihood of low birthweight, small for gestational age, preterm birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. Clinicians should counsel individuals who are pregnant or considering pregnancy about the potential adverse neonatal health outcomes associated with prenatal cannabis use.

Association between maternal prenatal cannabis use and missed child preventive care visits in an integrated health care delivery system in Northern California.

The periodicity of well-child visits recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics emphasizes the importance of continuity of care in health management. Exposure to cannabis in utero has been associated with adverse development, and adherence to well-child visits is critical for earlier detection and intervention. To assess whether maternal prenatal cannabis use was associated with missed well-child visits in the first three years after birth we conducted a longitudinal cohort study in Kaiser Permanente Northern California of pregnant individuals and their children born between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2018. Maternal prenatal cannabis use was defined as any self-reported cannabis use since becoming pregnant and/or a positive urine toxicology test for cannabis during pregnancy. Well-child visits were defined as an encounter for a well-child visit or physical exam and categorized into seven time periods from birth to 36 months. Modified Poisson regression models were conducted. Of the 168,589 eligible pregnancies, 3.4% screened positive for maternal prenatal cannabis use. Compared to no use, maternal prenatal cannabis use was associated with more missed well-child visits at every time period; (missed 12-month visit: adjusted relative risk (aRR): 1.43, 95%CI: 1.32-1.54; missed 3-year visit: aRR: 1.15, 95%CI: 1.11-1.20). Maternal prenatal cannabis use was also associated with missing two or more well-child visits through 36 months of age (35.8% among cannabis users vs. 23.0% among non-users, Χ2p < .001). Educating pregnant individuals who use cannabis on the importance of well-child visits may benefit children's health and development.

Patient Engagement in a Multimodal Digital Phenotyping Study of Opioid Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Multiple digital data sources can capture moment-to-moment information to advance a robust understanding of opioid use disorder (OUD) behavior, ultimately creating a digital phenotype for each patient. This information can lead to individualized interventions to improve treatment for OUD. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to examine patient engagement with multiple digital phenotyping methods among patients receiving buprenorphine medication for OUD. METHODS: The study enrolled 65 patients receiving buprenorphine for OUD between June 2020 and January 2021 from 4 addiction medicine programs in an integrated health care delivery system in Northern California. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), sensor data, and social media data were collected by smartphone, smartwatch, and social media platforms over a 12-week period. Primary engagement outcomes were meeting measures of minimum phone carry (≥8 hours per day) and watch wear (≥18 hours per day) criteria, EMA response rates, social media consent rate, and data sparsity. Descriptive analyses, bivariate, and trend tests were performed. RESULTS: The participants' average age was 37 years, 47% of them were female, and 71% of them were White. On average, participants met phone carrying criteria on 94% of study days, met watch wearing criteria on 74% of days, and wore the watch to sleep on 77% of days. The mean EMA response rate was 70%, declining from 83% to 56% from week 1 to week 12. Among participants with social media accounts, 88% of them consented to providing data; of them, 55% of Facebook, 54% of Instagram, and 57% of Twitter participants provided data. The amount of social media data available varied widely across participants. No differences by age, sex, race, or ethnicity were observed for any outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study to capture these 3 digital data sources in this clinical population. Our findings demonstrate that patients receiving buprenorphine treatment for OUD had generally high engagement with multiple digital phenotyping data sources, but this was more limited for the social media data. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.3389/fpsyt.2022.871916.

Evaluation of a Pilot Perioperative Smoking Cessation Program: A Pre-Post Study.

BACKGROUND: Surgical clinic and perioperative settings are critical touchpoints for treating smoking, yet health care systems have not typically prioritized smoking cessation among surgical patients. We evaluated the implementation of a pilot smoking cessation intervention integrated into standard perioperative care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: English-speaking adult smokers undergoing elective surgery in Kaiser Permanente San Francisco before (2015) and after (2016-2017) the implementation of a smoking cessation intervention were included. Provider outcomes included counseling referrals, cessation medication orders (between surgery scheduling and surgery), and preoperative carbon monoxide testing. Patient outcomes included counseling and medication use, smoking status at surgery and 30 d after discharge, and surgical complications. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined pre-to-post intervention changes in outcomes using electronic health record data and 30-d postdischarge telephone surveys. RESULTS: The sample included 276 patients (70% male; 59% non-Hispanic white; mean age = 50 y). There were significant pre-to-post increases in tobacco cessation counseling referrals (3% to 28%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 11.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.78-32.71) and preoperative carbon monoxide testing (38% to 50%, AOR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.10-3.06). At ∼30 d after discharge, patients in the postintervention period were more likely to report smoking abstinence in the previous 7 d (24% pre, 44% post; AOR = 2.39, 95% CI = 1.11-5.13) and since hospital discharge (18% pre, 39% post; AOR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.42-7.23). Cessation medication orders and patient use of counseling and medications increased, whereas surgical complications decreased, but pre-to-post differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: A perioperative smoking cessation program integrated into standard care demonstrated positive smoking-related outcomes; however, larger studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs.

Personal and clinical social support and adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy among hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients in an integrated health care system.

PURPOSE: We evaluated associations between personal and clinical social support and non-adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) in a large, Northern California breast cancer (BC) cohort from an integrated healthcare network. METHODS: This study included 3382 women from the Pathways Study diagnosed from 2005 to 2013 with stages I-III hormone receptor-positive BC and who responded to the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support and Interpersonal Processes of Care surveys, approximately 2 months post-diagnosis. We used logistic regression to evaluate associations between tertiles of social support and non-initiation (< 2 consecutive prescription fills within a year after diagnosis). Among those who initiated treatment, we used proportional hazards regression to evaluate associations with discontinuation (≥ 90 day gap) and non-adherence (< 80% medical possession ratio). RESULTS: Of those who initiated AET (79%), approximately one-fourth either discontinued AET or were non-adherent. AET non-initiation was more likely in women with moderate (adjusted OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.96-1.46) or low (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.05-1.62) versus high personal social support (P trend = 0.02). Women with moderate (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.99-1.45) or low (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.60) personal social support were also more likely to discontinue treatment (P trend = 0.01). Furthermore, women with moderate (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02-1.53) or low (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.12-1.70) personal social support had higher non-adherence (P trend = 0.007). Associations with clinical social support and outcomes were similar. Notably, high clinical social support mitigated the risk of discontinuation when patients' personal support was moderate or low (P value = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Women with low personal or clinical social support had higher AET non-adherence. Clinician teams may need to fill support gaps that compromise treatment adherence.

Evaluating the Impact of Eliminating Copayments for Tobacco Cessation Pharmacotherapy.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of the Affordable Care Act-mandated elimination of tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy (TCP) copayments on patient use of TCP, overall and by income. METHODS: Electronic health record data captured any and combination (eg, nicotine gum plus patch) TCP use among adult smokers newly enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC). KPNC eliminated TCP copayments in 2015. We included current smokers newly enrolled in the first 6 months of 2014 (before copayment elimination, N=16,199) or 2015 (after elimination, N=16,469). Multivariable models estimated 1-year changes in rates of any TCP fill, and of combination TCP fill, and tested for differences by income (<$50k, $50≥75k, ≥$75k). Through telephone surveys in 2016 with a subset of smokers newly enrolled in 2014 (n=306), we assessed barriers to TCP use, with results stratified by income. RESULTS: Smokers enrolled in KPNC in 2015 versus 2014 were more likely to have a TCP fill (9.1% vs. 8.2%; relative risk, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.27), and combination TCP fill, among those with any fill (42.3% vs. 37.9%; relative risk, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.23); findings were stronger for low-income smokers. Low-income patients (<$50k) were less likely to report that clinicians discussed smoking treatments with them (58%) compared with higher income smokers ($50≥75k, 67%; ≥$75k, 83%), and were less aware that TCP was free (40% vs. 53% and 69%, respectively, P-values<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The Affordable Care Act's copayment elimination was associated with a modest increase in TCP use and a greater effect among low-income smokers. Uptake may have been enhanced if promoted to patients directly and via providers.

Influence of a New Diabetes Diagnosis on the Health Behaviors of the Patient's Partner.

PURPOSE: When a person is given a diagnosis of diabetes, the changes in his or her health behaviors may influence the behaviors of his or her partner. The diabetes diagnosis may affect household members' perceptions of their own health risks, which could trigger behavioral change. The purpose of this study was to assess whether partners of persons with newly diagnosed diabetes changed their health behaviors compared with partners of persons without diabetes. METHODS: The study population consisted of Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members from 2007 to 2011. This cohort study assessed differences in change of 8 health behaviors. The study compared coresiding partners of persons with newly diagnosed diabetes before and after a diabetes diagnosis with a 5 to 1 matched sample of coresiding partners of persons without diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 180,910 couples were included in the analysis. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, partners of persons with newly diagnosed diabetes had significantly higher rates of participation in weight management-related health education classes (risk ratio [RR] = 1.50; 95% CI, 1.39-1.63); smoking cessation medication use (RR = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.05-1.50); glucose screening (RR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.08); clinically meaningful weight loss (RR = 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11); lipid screening (RR = 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.07); influenza vaccination (RR = 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02-1.04); and blood pressure screening (RR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.02-1.03) compared with partners of persons without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: There were small but significant differences in health-related behavioral changes among partners of persons with newly diagnosed diabetes compared with partners of persons without diabetes, even when no intervention occurred. This finding suggests a diabetes diagnosis within a family may be a teachable moment to improve health behaviors at the household level.

Incidence of diabetes after a partner's diagnosis.

People socially connected with each other often share health risks, possibly due to shared environments and behaviors. In a cohort study, we examined whether incidence of diabetes was different for individuals with recently diagnosed partners compared to individuals similar on other characteristics but whose partners were never diagnosed with diabetes. We analyzed 2007-11 data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), an integrated health system with >3.5 million members. We estimated annual diabetes incidence controlling for demographic, socio-economic, behavioral, and health characteristics. Using propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression, we compared odds of incident diabetes among co-residing partners ages 18-89years of people who had been diagnosed with diabetes during the previous year (in robustness checks up to the previous three years) and people who had never been diagnosed but were similar on observed characteristics. Partners of newly-diagnosed people had annual diabetes incidence of 16.4/1000, equivalent to10.8 times higher (95%CI: 9.2-12.6) than people whose spouses had never been diagnosed (1.5/1000). Odds remained higher three years after a spouses' diagnosis (45.4 vs. 11.7/1000). Adjusting for other characteristics, odds of diabetes for those with a partner diagnosed in the previous year were 8.7 times higher (CI: 7.4-10.2) than among those whose partner had never been diagnosed. Also, partners of persons with recently-diagnosed diabetes developed diabetes at much higher rates than the general KPNC and U.S. POPULATIONS: Individuals with a recently diagnosed partner could be considered a high-risk population for screening and prevention.

Wellness Coaching for People With Prediabetes: A Randomized Encouragement Trial to Evaluate Outreach Methods at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, 2013.

INTRODUCTION: Health coaching can improve lifestyle behaviors known to prevent or manage chronic conditions. Little is known about effective ways to encourage health and wellness coaching among people who might benefit. The purpose of this randomized encouragement trial was to assess the relative success of 3 outreach methods (secured email message, telephone message, and mailed letter) on the use of wellness coaching by people with prediabetes. METHODS: A total of 14,584 Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) patients with diagnosed prediabetes (fasting plasma glucose, 110-125mg/dL) were randomly assigned to be contacted via 1 of 4 intervention arms from January through May 2013. The uptake rate (making an appointment at the Wellness Coaching Center [WCC]) was assessed, and the association between uptake rate and patient characteristics was examined via multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The overall uptake rate across intervention arms was 1.9%. Secured email message had the highest uptake rate (3.0%), followed by letters and telephone messages (P < .05 for all pairwise comparisons). No participants in the usual-care arm (ie, no outreach) made an appointment with the WCC. For each year of increased age, the estimated odds of the uptake increased by 1.02 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04). Women were nearly twice as likely to make an appointment at the WCC as men (OR = 1.87; 95% CI, 1.40-2.51). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the WCC can recruit and encourage KPNC members with prediabetes to participate in the WCC. Future research should focus on increasing participation rates in health coaching among patients who may benefit.

Agreement Between Self-reports and Urine Toxicology Measures of Illicit Methamphetamine and Cocaine Use During Early Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess agreement between self-report and urine toxicology measures assessing use of 2 illicit simulants (methamphetamine and cocaine) during early pregnancy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of 203,053 pregnancies from 169,709 individuals receiving prenatal care at Kaiser Permanente Northern California between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2019, assessed agreement ( κ , sensitivity, and specificity) between self-reported frequency and urine toxicology measures of methamphetamine and cocaine early in pregnancy. RESULTS: Prenatal use of the illicit stimulants was rare according to toxicology (n = 244 [0.12%]) and self-report measures (n = 294 [0.14%]). Agreement between these measures was low ( κ < 0.20). Of the 498 positive pregnancies, 40 (8.03%) screened positive on both measures, 204 (40.96%) screened positive on toxicology tests only, and 254 (51.00%) screened positive by self-report only. Relative to toxicology tests, sensitivity of any self-reported use was poor with 16.39% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11.75%-21.04%) of pregnancies with a positive toxicology test self-reporting any use in pregnancy. Relative to self-report, sensitivity of toxicology tests was also poor with 13.61% (95% CI, 9.69%-17.52%) of pregnancies who self-reported any use having positive urine toxicology tests. The sensitivity improved slightly at higher frequencies of self-reported use: daily, 17.50% (95% CI, 5.72%-29.29%); weekly, 25.00% (95% CI, 11.58%-38.42%); and monthly or less, 11.06% (95% CI, 6.89%-15.23%). Specificity was high (>99%), reflecting the high negative rate of use. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that using self-report and toxicology measures in combination likely provides the most accurate information on methamphetamine and cocaine use in early pregnancy. Findings also highlight the need to provide supportive nonstigmatizing environments in which pregnant individuals feel comfortable disclosing substance use without fear of punishment.

Intentions to Use Cannabis Postpartum: A Qualitative Study of Pregnant Individuals Who Used Cannabis During Early Pregnancy.

Objective: To examine plans for postpartum cannabis use among pregnant individuals who used cannabis during early pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Eighteen virtual focus groups were conducted from November 17, 2021, to December 17, 2021, with 23 Black and 30 White pregnant adults in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, who self-reported prenatal cannabis use during early pregnancy. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The sample (N = 53) had a mean age of 30.3 years (standard deviation = 5.2) at recruitment; 70% reported daily, 25% weekly, and 6% ≤ monthly cannabis use at entrance to prenatal care. Some participants viewed cannabis as critical for coping with postpartum mental and physical health challenges, while others questioned whether cannabis use would fit with their parental lifestyle, and some planned to abstain altogether. Most planned to use cannabis postpartum, but with lower frequency than before pregnancy, and in ways consistent with harm reduction (e.g., smoking outside to avoid secondhand or thirdhand smoke exposure). Many were motivated to abstain from cannabis while breastfeeding, and some desired more data on the safety of cannabis and breastfeeding, or intended to "pump and dump," believing it would reduce potential transfer of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to their infant. Responses from Black and White participants were generally similar, but White participants were more likely to report plans to use cannabis while breastfeeding and to want information about cannabis and breastfeeding. Conclusions: Pregnant individuals with prenatal cannabis use had varied plans for cannabis use postpartum. Many were motivated to abstain or use cannabis less frequently than pre-pregnancy, especially during lactation.

Health-plan and employer-based wellness programs to reduce diabetes risk: The Kaiser Permanente Northern California NEXT-D Study.

Primary prevention of diabetes is increasingly recognized by both health plans and employers as an important strategy to improve the health of insured populations. As a part of the Natural Experiments in Translation for Diabetes (NEXT-D) network, the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) Division of Research is assessing the effectiveness of 2 health plan-initiated programs to prevent the onset of diabetes in patients at high risk. The first study evaluates a telephonic health-coaching program that provides counseling on healthful eating, active living, and weight loss to KPNC members. The second evaluation examines a postpartum glucose screening and educational diabetes prevention program for women with gestational diabetes mellitus that KPNC implemented in 2006. Identifying effective approaches to preventing diabetes will be of value to health care systems, policy makers, and public health officials seeking to understand the roles systems and employers can play in preventing chronic illness.

Patient satisfaction and perceived success with a telephonic health coaching program: the Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes (NEXT-D) Study, Northern California, 2011.

INTRODUCTION: Health coaching can improve lifestyle behaviors known to prevent or manage chronic conditions such as diabetes. However, little is known about the patient experience with telephonic coaching programs in real-world care settings. We examined patient satisfaction, patient's perceived success in achieving program goals, and the patient-level correlates of these outcomes in a voluntary telephonic coaching program at a large integrated health care delivery system in northern California. METHODS: Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients who participated in a telephonic coaching program in 2011 were sent a cross-sectional survey about their satisfaction with health coaching and perceived success with program goals. We examined associations with patient characteristics. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 34%; analyses were based on the 32% who completed the survey. Of those who had completed 2 or more sessions (n = 232 [52%]), most reported being satisfied (70%) or neutral (20%) with the program, and 71% would recommend health coaching. Healthy weight, healthful eating, and physical activity were the most common topics discussed (88%). Adjusting for demographic characteristics, 73% of those who had 2 or more sessions reported that health coaching helped achieve their weight-related goal. Outcomes were positively correlated with patient activation but not consistently correlated with patient demographic characteristics. CONCLUSION: Levels of satisfaction and perceived success with telephonic health coaching provided by a health plan were high and positively correlated with the number of sessions completed and patient activation. Voluntary telephonic health coaching programs should promote retention and assess patients' activation levels.

Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic With Unstable and/or Unsafe Living Situations and Intimate Partner Violence Among Pregnant Individuals.

Importance: The social, behavioral, and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with unstable and/or unsafe living situations and intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant individuals. Objective: To investigate trends in unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV among pregnant individuals prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional population-based interrupted time-series analysis was conducted among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members who were pregnant and screened for unstable and/or unsafe living situation and IPV as part of standard prenatal care between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Exposures: COVID-19 pandemic (prepandemic period: January 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020; during pandemic period: April 1 to December 31, 2020). Main Outcomes and Measures: The 2 outcomes were unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV. Data were extracted from electronic health records. Interrupted time-series models were fit and adjusted for age and race and ethnicity. Results: The study sample included 77 310 pregnancies (74 663 individuals); 27.4% of the individuals were Asian or Pacific Islander, 6.5% were Black, 29.0% were Hispanic, 32.3% were non-Hispanic White, and 4.8% were other/unknown/multiracial, with a mean (SD) age of 30.9 (5.3) years. Across the 24-month study period there was an increasing trend in the standardized rate of unsafe and/or unstable living situations (2.2%; rate ratio [RR], 1.022; 95% CI, 1.016-1.029 per month) and IPV (4.9%; RR, 1.049; 95% CI, 1.021-1.078 per month). The ITS model indicated a 38% increase (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.13-1.69) in the first month of the pandemic for unsafe and/or unstable living situation, with a return to the overall trend afterward for the study period. For IPV, the interrupted time-series model suggested an increase of 101% (RR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.20-3.37) in the first 2 months of the pandemic. Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study noted an overall increase in unstable and/or unsafe living situations and IPV over the 24-month period, with a temporary increase associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. It may be useful for emergency response plans to include IPV safeguards for future pandemics. These findings suggest the need for prenatal screening for unsafe and/or unstable living situations and IPV coupled with referral to appropriate support services and preventive interventions.

Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Prenatal Mental Health and Substance Use.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are common and increase the risk of poor health outcomes. Resilience may offer protection against the impacts of ACEs. This study examined the association between maternal ACEs and mental/behavioral health outcomes during pregnancy overall and by resilience. The sample comprised pregnant patients in two pilot studies screened for eight ACEs and resilience during standard prenatal care in Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 1 March 2016 to 30 July 2016 (Study 1, medical centers A, B) and from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 (Study 2, medical centers A, C). Early pregnancy outcomes included anxiety and depressive disorders, depression symptoms, intimate partner violence (IPV), and substance use. Multivariable logistic regression was used in this cross-sectional study to examine associations between maternal ACEs (0, 1-2, ≥3) and mental/behavioral health outcomes overall and among those with low and high resilience. Patients (n = 1084) averaged 30.8 years (SD 5.1); 41.7% were non-Hispanic White; 41.7% experienced ≥1 ACE, and 40.3% had low resilience. Patients with 1-2 ACEs or ≥3 ACEs (versus 0 ACEs) had higher odds of anxiety and depressive disorders, depressive symptoms, IPV, and any prenatal substance use (OR 1.44-4.40, p < 0.05). Each individual ACE was associated with ≥2 mental/behavioral health outcomes. In stratified analyses, having ≥1 ACE (vs. 0) was associated with a greater number of mental/behavioral health outcomes among patients with low versus high resilience. ACEs were associated with prenatal mental/behavioral health conditions, particularly in the context of low resilience, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed prenatal care and the need to study resilience-building interventions during pregnancy.

Patterns of Substance Use During Early Pregnancy and Associations With Behavioral Health Characteristics.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of the study are to identify patterns of early pregnancy substance use and to examine how these patterns relate to behavioral health conditions measured in early pregnancy. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational study (N= 265,274 pregnancies) screened for alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, pharmaceutical opioids, and stimulants during the first trimester via self-report and urine toxicology tests in Kaiser Permanente Northern California from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2019. To identify patterns of prenatal substance use, we conducted latent class analysis. We then calculated the prevalence of depression, anxiety, intimate partner violence, and family drug use history for each prenatal substance use group and compared the prevalences by estimating prevalence ratios using modified Poisson regression, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: We identified the following 4 latent groups with different patterns of substance use: ( a ) predominantly alcohol and no other substances (9.30%), ( b ) predominantly cannabis and no other substances (4.88%), ( c ) predominantly nicotine and some pharmaceutical opioids (1.09%), and ( d ) high-polysubstance (alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, and stimulants; 0.36%); these pregnancies were compared with ( e ) no prenatal substance use (84.37%). The prevalence of all behavioral health conditions was elevated in all prenatal substance use groups compared with the no substance use group. Furthermore, the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders, intimate partner violence and family drug use history were greater in the high-polysubstance cluster than the alcohol and cannabis clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Results highlight the importance of screening and interventions for all types of substance use during early pregnancy and suggest a particularly high need to prioritize targeting early interventions to pregnant and reproductive age individuals with polysubstance use.

Exploring preferences for different modes of cannabis use during early pregnancy: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: Rates of prenatal cannabis use are rising, yet little is known about modes of cannabis use during pregnancy. This focus group study with pregnant individuals aimed to examine use patterns and perceptions regarding common modes of prenatal cannabis use. METHOD: Kaiser Permanente Northern California pregnant adult patients who identified as White or Black and self-reported cannabis use during pregnancy were recruited to participate (N = 53; 40% Black, 60% White; Meanage = 30.3, SD = 5.2). Eighteen focus groups with race-concordant facilitators followed a semi-structured format that queried participants on their prenatal cannabis use, including preferred modes of use (e.g., vapes, blunts, dabs, joints, edibles, topicals, pipes). Focus group discussions were coded and analyzed using a general inductive approach. RESULTS: A range of modes were preferred, with no single mode predominant. Participants' preferences aligned with four themes: perceived effects and benefits of cannabis, health and safety, convenience and familiarity, and partner and friend influences. Participants sought modes that were accessible and familiar, provided consistent and quick relief for pregnancy-related symptoms, were aligned with partners or friends, and minimized perceived risks while also providing symptom relief. Participants desired evidence-based information about mode safety to better inform mode selection during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: A range of personal and social factors influenced mode preferences during pregnancy. Many participants desired to reduce harms and use cannabis more safely in pregnancy but received little mode-specific information to guide these preferences. Further research identifying mode-specific risks is needed to guide harm reduction approaches during pregnancy.

Patient Perceptions of Prenatal Cannabis Use and Implications for Clinicians.

OBJECTIVE: To understand pregnant patients' reasons for prenatal cannabis use and perceptions of safety, desired and undesirable health care experiences, and desired information about prenatal cannabis use and secondarily to understand racial differences in these perceptions and preferences. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study including 18 semi-structured, race-concordant virtual focus groups with pregnant individuals who self-reported cannabis use at prenatal care entry in a large integrated health care system in Northern California from November 2021 to December 2021. The focus groups included semi-structured questions that were recorded, transcribed, and coded by the research team. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Overall, 53 participants were included; 30 self-identified, as White and 23 self-identified as Black. Participants averaged 30.3 years of age (SD 5.2 years) and were on average at 20.9 weeks of gestation at study enrollment; 69.8% reported daily cannabis use, 24.5% reported weekly cannabis use, and 5.7% reported monthly or less cannabis use at entrance to prenatal care. Although some participants quit cannabis use in early pregnancy because of concerns about potential health risks, many perceived a lack of scientific evidence or believed that prenatal cannabis use was safe. Many preferred cannabis to over-the-counter or prescription medications for treating mood, morning sickness, pain, and sleep. Participants valued open interactions with obstetricians that acknowledged their motivations for use, and they desired information about potential risks through conversations and educational materials. White and Black participants' perspectives were generally similar, but a few Black participants uniquely described concerns about racial bias related to their prenatal cannabis use. CONCLUSION: Pregnant patients used cannabis to manage mood and medical symptoms, and many believed that prenatal cannabis use was safer than the use of prescription medications. Obstetrician-initiated, patient-centered conversations around prenatal cannabis use, advice to discontinue cannabis use during pregnancy, and exploration of willingness to switch to medically recommended interventions for pregnancy-related symptoms may benefit patients.