Who is most vulnerable? Factors associated with presenting to antenatal care without a male partner in Northern Tanzania.

OBJECTIVE: Male engagement in pregnancy care can be beneficial for maternal and child health outcomes. In Tanzania, pregnant women are strongly encouraged to present to their first antenatal care (ANC) appointment with a male partner, where they jointly test for HIV. For some, this presents a barrier to ANC attendance. The objectives of this study were to identify factors associated with presenting to ANC with a male partner using a cross-sectional design and to assess whether women presenting without partners had significantly delayed presentation. METHODS: Pregnant women (n = 1007) attending a first ANC appointment in Moshi, Tanzania were surveyed. Questions captured sociodemographic characteristics and measures of psychosocial constructs. RESULTS: Just over half (54%) of women presented to care with a male partner. Women were more likely to present with a male partner if they were younger than 25 years old, married, Muslim, attending ANC for their first pregnancy, and testing for HIV for the first time. Women presenting to ANC with a male partner were significantly more likely to attend ANC earlier in their pregnancy than those presenting without male partners. CONCLUSION: Policy change allowing women to present to care with other supportive family members could promote earlier presentation to first ANC. Unmarried women may be at a disadvantage in presenting to ANC when policies mandate attendance with a male partner. Male partners of multiparous women should be encouraged to provide pregnancy support even after first pregnancies, and a wholistic emphasis (beyond HIV testing) on first ANC could encourage male engagement beyond the initial appointment.

Huddling with families after disaster: Human resilience and social disparity.

Disasters, from hurricanes to pandemics, tremendously impact human lives and behaviors. Physical closeness to family post-disaster plays a critical role in mental healing and societal sustainability. Nonetheless, little is known about whether and how family colocation alters after a disaster, a topic of immense importance to a post-disaster society. We analyze 1 billion records of population-scale, granular, individual-level mobile location data to quantify family colocation, and examine the magnitude, dynamics, and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the shift in family colocation from the pre- to post-disaster period. Leveraging Hurricane Florence as a natural experiment, and Geographic Information System (GIS), machine learning, and statistical methods to investigate the shift across the landfall (treated) city of Wilmington, three partially treated cites on the hurricane's path, and two control cities off the path, we uncover dramatic (18.9%), widespread (even among the partially treated cities), and enduring (over at least 3 months) escalations in family colocation. These findings reveal the powerful psychological and behavioral impacts of the disaster upon the broader populations, and simultaneously remarkable human resilience via behavioral adaptations during disastrous times. Importantly, the disaster created a gap across socioeconomic groups non-existent beforehand, with the disadvantaged displaying weaker lifts in family colocation. This sheds important lights on policy making and policy communication to promote sustainable family colocation, healthy coping strategies against traumatic experiences, social parity, and societal recovery.

A Food Insecurity Systematic Review: Experience from Malaysia.

Living free from hunger is a basic human right. However, some communities still experience household food insecurity. This systematic literature review explored different aspects of household food insecurity in Malaysia including vulnerable groups, prevalence, risk factors, coping strategies, and the consequences of food insecurity. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Thirty-three relevant articles were selected from scientific databases such as CINAHL, Pubmed and Google Scholar, scrutiny of reference lists, and personal communication with experts in the field. The prevalence of household food insecurity in Malaysia was unexpectedly reported as high, with affected groups including Orang Asli, low-income household/welfare-recipient households, university students, and the elderly. Demographic risk factors and socioeconomic characteristics included larger household, living in poverty, and low education. Coping strategies were practices to increase the accessibility of food in their households. Consequences of household food insecurity included psychological, dietary (macro- and micronutrient intakes), nutritional status, and health impacts. In conclusion, this review confirmed that household food insecurity in Malaysia continues to exist. Nevertheless, extensive and active investigations are encouraged to obtain a more holistic and comprehensive picture pertaining to household food security in Malaysia.

Outreach to new mothers through direct mail and email: recruitment in the Early Check research study.

Meeting recruitment targets for clinical trials and health research studies is a notable challenge. Unsuccessful efforts to recruit participants from traditionally underserved populations can limit who benefits from scientific discovery, thus perpetuating inequities in health outcomes and access to care. In this study, we evaluated direct mail and email outreach campaigns designed to recruit women who gave birth in North Carolina for a statewide research study offering expanded newborn screening for a panel of rare health conditions. Of the 54,887 women who gave birth in North Carolina from September 28, 2018, through March 19, 2019, and were eligible to be included on the study's contact lists, we had access to a mailing address for 97.9% and an email address for 6.3%. Rural women were less likely to have sufficient contact information available, but this amounted to less than a one percentage point difference by urbanicity. Native American women were less likely to have an email address on record; however, we did not find a similar disparity when recruitment using direct-mail letters and postcards was concerned. Although we sent letters and emails in roughly equal proportion by urbanicity and race/ethnicity, we found significant differences in enrollment across demographic subgroups. Controlling for race/ethnicity and urbanicity, we found that direct-mail letters and emails were effective recruitment methods. The enrollment rate among women who were sent a recruitment letter was 4.1%, and this rate increased to 5.0% among women who were also sent an email invitation. Study Highlights WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC? Under-representation by traditionally underserved populations in clinical trials and health research is a challenge that may in part reflect inequitable opportunities to participate. WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS? Are direct-mail and email outreach strategies effective for reaching and recruiting women from traditionally underserved and rural populations to participate in large-scale, population-based research? WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE? Despite sending recruitment letters and email invitations in roughly equal proportion by urbanicity and race/ethnicity, women living in rural areas were less likely to enroll (2.8%) than women from urban areas (4.2%). Additionally, enrollment rates decreased as the probability that women were members of a racial or ethnic minority group increased. HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE? Results from this study might encourage researchers to take a holistic and participant-centered view of barriers to study enrollment that may disproportionately affect underserved communities, including differences in willingness to participate, trust, and access to resources needed for uptake.

Nutritional Status Among School-Age Children of Bangladeshi Tea Garden Workers.

BACKGROUND: While considerable progress has been made in reducing undernutrition in Bangladesh, regional disparities are known to exist, and certain population subgroups may lag behind. OBJECTIVE: To characterize nutritional status among school-age children in a historically marginalized population of Bangladesh. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of children attending 14 nongovernmental organization-operated schools serving the tea estate population in Kulaura Upazila, Sylhet Division. We randomly selected 168 children from a population of 418 whose parents attended school-organized Parent-Teacher Association meetings. Parents provided consent and data on household food consumption in the past week, foods consumed by children in the past 24 hours, and household food insecurity. We drew venous blood from assenting children for the analysis of hemoglobin and plasma retinol, C-reactive protein, and α1-acid glycoprotein. Children were classified as stunted, underweight, or thin based on comparisons with the World Health Organization standards for height-for-age, weight-for-age, or body mass index-for-age, respectively. RESULTS: Food insecurity was highly prevalent, with ∼85% of households affected. Roughly half of children had low dietary diversity. Prevalence estimates for stunting, underweight, and thinness were 32%, 50%, and 49%, respectively. Approximately 60% of children had a hemoglobin concentration <11 g/dL. The mean (±SD) plasma retinol concentration was 0.79 µmol/L (±0.23 µmol/L), with 34% deficient using a 0.70 µmol/L cutoff. CONCLUSIONS: A heightened focus on tracking progress in underserved populations and appropriately targeted programming will be critical as Bangladesh seeks to accelerate progress toward global development goals for nutrition.

Towards an integrated perinatal care pathway for vulnerable women: The development and validation of quality indicators.

OBJECTIVE: Development and validation of a set of quality indicators for vulnerable women during the perinatal period. DESIGN: A three-phase method was used. Phase 1 consisted of a literature review to identify publications for the development of care domains and potential QIs, as well as a quality assessment by the research team. In phase 2 an expert panel assessed the set of concept QIs in a modified three-round Delphi survey. Finally, semi-structured interviews with vulnerable women were conducted as a final quality assessment of a set of indicators (phase 3). Ethical approval was obtained from the ethics committee of the University Hospital Brussels and from the Ethics Committees of all the participating hospitals. SETTING: The Flemish Region and the Brussels Capital Region in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Healthcare and social care professionals (n = 40) with expertise in the field of perinatal care provision for vulnerable families. Vulnerable women (n = 11) who gave birth in one of the participating hospitals. FINDINGS: The literature review resulted in a set of 49 potential quality indicators in five care domains: access to healthcare, assessment and screening, informal support, formal support and continuity of care. After assessment by the expert panel and vulnerable women, a final set of 21 quality indicators in five care domains was identified. First of all, organisation of care must involve an integrated multidisciplinary approach taking account of financial, administrative and social barriers (care domain 1: access to healthcare). Second, qualitative care includes the timely initiation of care, a general screening of the various aspects of vulnerability (biological, psychological, social and cognitive) and a risk assessment for all women (care domain 2: assessment and screening). Vulnerable women benefit from intensive formal and informal support taking account of individual needs and strengths (care domain 3: formal support; care domain 4: informal support). Finally, continuity of care needs to be guaranteed in line with vulnerable woman's individual needs (care domain 5: continuity of care). KEY CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Implementing quality indicators in existing and new care pathways offers an evidence-based approach facilitating an integrated view promoting a healthy start for woman and child. These quality indicators can assist healthcare providers, organisations and governmental agencies to improve the quality of perinatal care for vulnerable women.

"Everybody in this community is at risk of dying": An ethnographic exploration on the potential of integrating a palliative approach to care among workers in inner-city settings.

OBJECTIVE: At the end of life, the need for care increases. Yet, for structurally vulnerable populations (i.e., people experiencing homelessness and poverty, racism, criminalization of illicit drug use, stigma associated with mental health), access to care remains highly inaccessible. Emerging research suggests that enhancing access to palliative care for these populations requires moving care from traditional settings, such as the hospital, into community settings, like shelters and onto the street. Thus, inner-city workers (ICWs) (e.g., housing support and community outreach) have the potential to play pivotal roles in improving access to care by integrating a "palliative approach to care" in their work. METHOD: Drawing upon observational field notes and interview data collected for a larger critical ethnographic study, this secondary thematic analysis examines ICWs' (n = 31) experiences providing care for dying clients and garners their perspectives regarding the constraints and facilitators that exist in successfully integrating a palliative approach to care in their work. RESULTS: Findings reveal three themes: (1) Approaches, awareness, and training; (2) Workplace policies and filling in the gaps; and (3) Grief, bereavement, and access to supports. In brief, ICWs who draw upon harm reduction strategies strongly parallel palliative approaches to care, although more knowledge/training on palliative approaches was desired. In their continuous work with structurally vulnerable clients, ICWs have the opportunity to build trusting relationships, and over time, are able to identify those in need and assist in providing palliative support. However, despite death and dying is an everyday reality of ICWs, many described a lack of formal acknowledgement by employers and workplace support as limitations. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Findings contribute promising practices for enhancing equitable access to palliative care for society's most vulnerable populations by prioritizing front-line workers' perspectives on how best to integrate a palliative approach to care where structurally vulnerable populations live and die.

Sociodemographic and lifestyle-related risk factors for identifying vulnerable groups for type 2 diabetes: a narrative review with emphasis on data from Europe.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) comprises the vast majority of all diabetes cases in adults, with alarmingly increasing prevalence over the past few decades worldwide. A particularly heavy healthcare burden of diabetes is noted in Europe, where 8.8% of the population aged 20-79 years is estimated to have diabetes according to the International Diabetes Federation. Multiple risk factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of T2DM with complex underlying interplay and intricate gene-environment interactions. Thus, intense research has been focused on studying the role of T2DM risk factors and on identifying vulnerable groups for T2DM in the general population which can then be targeted for prevention interventions. METHODS: For this narrative review, we conducted a comprehensive search of the existing literature on T2DM risk factors, focusing on studies in adult cohorts from European countries which were published in English after January 2000. RESULTS: Multiple lifestyle-related and sociodemographic factors were identified as related to high T2DM risk, including age, ethnicity, family history, low socioeconomic status, obesity, metabolic syndrome and each of its components, as well as certain unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. As Europe has an increasingly aging population, multiple migrant and ethnic minority groups and significant socioeconomic diversity both within and across different countries, this review focuses not only on modifiable T2DM risk factors, but also on the impact of pertinent demographic and socioeconomic factors. CONCLUSION: In addition to other T2DM risk factors, low socioeconomic status can significantly increase the risk for prediabetes and T2DM, but is often overlooked. In multinational and multicultural regions such as Europe, a holistic approach, which will take into account both traditional and socioeconomic/socioecological factors, is becoming increasingly crucial in order to implement multidimensional public health programs and integrated community-based interventions for effective T2DM prevention.

Looming Vulnerability and Smoking Cessation Attempts.

INTRODUCTION: The looming vulnerability model holds that people become anxious when they perceive threats as growing larger and accelerating toward them in space and time. Preliminary research suggested that a guided imagery induction designed to activate a sense that health consequences of smoking are a looming threat led more smokers to attempt to quit. This study tested the effect on quit attempts in a larger sample and examined age, sex, and sensation seeking as moderators. AIMS AND METHODS: Adult smokers (≥10 cigarettes/day) screened for risk of anxiety or mood disorders (N = 278, 52% male; 77% African American) were randomly assigned to receive (1) looming vulnerability or (2) neutral guided imagery exercises. At a 4-week follow-up, they reported quit attempts, smoking rate, self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, and contemplation status. RESULTS: Those in the looming condition (17%) were no more likely than those in the control condition (20%) to make a quit attempt. There were no significant group differences in expectancies, contemplation, or follow-up smoking rate, and no significant moderators. CONCLUSIONS: The looming induction was the same one used in earlier work in which it had stronger effects. Those who respond to it with increased urgency about quitting smoking might be offset by others who are more reactant and deny the message. Inconsistencies across studies may reflect differences in inclusion criteria, such that the present sample was on average heavier smokers with longer smoking history and more severe nicotine dependence, yet higher self-efficacy. IMPLICATIONS: An induction designed to activate a sense that the health consequences of smoking constitute a looming vulnerability failed to increase quit attempts or reduce smoking rate among adult daily smokers. Inconsistencies across studies might reflect varying sample characteristics resulting from changes in screening criteria.

Nurse home visitation with vulnerable families in rural areas: A qualitative case file review.

OBJECTIVE: Nurse home visiting may address challenges and resource disparities that threaten maternal and infant well-being in rural areas, but little is known about United States' program implementation. This qualitative study explored how family and community characteristics affected rural nurse home visiting. SAMPLE: The sample for content analysis included families beginning services in 2010-2011 living in the rural counties with the highest caseloads (433 families). DESIGN: Electronic nurse home visiting case files from three rural counties were analyzed using a content analysis approach. The partner agency provided input on key constructs of interest but independent coding was also done to capture additional themes. Quantitative county level data and comments from member checking informed interpretation. Member checking included individual nurses serving the selected counties (n = 3) and input from an agency level supervisory meeting for validation. RESULTS: Concerns of families served (e.g., mental health) may not be unique to rural areas, but challenges to accessing resources and constellation of needs were. Nurses adapted engagement and service strategies to meet these needs. CONCLUSION: Agencies serving rural areas should allocate resources and adapt training to support nurses based on unique community profiles. More research on rural nurse home visiting practice and outcomes is needed.

Prevalence and factors associated with health insurance coverage in resource-poor urban settings in Nairobi, Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of health insurance and associated factors among households in urban slum settings in Nairobi, Kenya. DESIGN: The data for this study are from a cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 years or older from randomly selected households in Viwandani slums (Nairobi, Kenya). Respondents participated in the Lown scholars' study conducted between June and July 2018. SETTING: The Lown scholars' survey was nested in the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 300 randomly sampled households participated in the survey. The study respondents comprised of either the household head, their spouses or credible adult household members. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome of this study was enrolment in a health insurance programme. The households were classified into two groups: those having at least one member covered by health insurance and those without any health insurance cover. RESULTS: The prevalence of health insurance in the sample was 43%. Being unemployed (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.17; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.47) and seeking care from a public health facility (aOR 0.50; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.89) was significantly associated with lower odds of having a health insurance cover. The odds of having a health insurance cover were significantly lower among respondents who perceived their health status as good (aOR 0.62; p<0.05; 95% CI 1.17 to 5.66) and those who were unsatisfied with the cost of seeking primary care (aOR 0.34; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Health insurance coverage in Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya, is low. As universal health coverage becomes the growing focus of Kenya's 'Big Four Agenda' for socioeconomic transformation, integrating enabling and need factors in the design of the national health insurance package may scale-up social health protection.

A Successful Walk-In Psychiatric Model for Integrated Care.

PURPOSE: Accommodating walk-in psychiatry visits in primary care can improve access to psychiatric care for patients from historically underserved groups. We sought to determine whether a walk-in psychiatry model embedded within an integrated care practice could be sustained over time, and to characterize the patients who accessed care through it. METHODS: We reviewed electronic health records linked to 811 psychiatry encounters in an integrated care practice between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2017. Primary outcomes were the initial and return psychiatry encounters per month. Secondary outcomes were the demographics and diagnoses of patients who accessed their initial visits through walk-in sessions and scheduled appointments. RESULTS: 490 initial psychiatry evaluations and 321 return encounters took place over the 2-year study period. The volume of initial psychiatry evaluations per month did not significantly change, but the volume of psychiatry follow-up encounters significantly increased after the walk-in session expanded. Medicaid recipients (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2 to 3.0); individuals without a college degree (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.5); individuals who were single, divorced, or separated (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.5); and individuals who identified as Black or Hispanic (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.7 to 3.6) were more likely to access an initial psychiatry evaluation through a walk-in session as opposed to a scheduled appointment. CONCLUSIONS: Providing psychiatric care on a walk-in basis in integrated care is sustainable. Patients from historically underserved groups may access psychiatric care disproportionately through a walk-in option when it is available.

Social vulnerability and breast cancer: differentials in the interval between diagnosis and treatment of women with different sociodemographic profiles. / Vulnerabilidade social e câncer de mama: diferenciais no intervalo entre o diagnóstico e o tratamento em mulheres de diferentes perfis sociodemográficos.

This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic profiles of women diagnosed as breast cancer in the city of Belo Horizonte and to investigate its association with interval between diagnosis and treatment. A cross-sectional study from hospital records of 715 patients undergoing treatment between 2010 and 2013. Cluster analysis was used to delineate the profiles from the variables: age, color of the skin, education and cost of treatment. The association between profiles and intervals was investigated using multinomial logistic regression. Five profiles were identified: A (white skin color, years of schooling >15 and treatment through private healthcare systems); B (white skin color, years of schooling = 11 and treatment through the Unified National Health System (SUS); C and D (brown skin color, years of schooling = 11 and < 8 respectively, and SUS); E (black skin color, years of schooling < 8, and SUS). Profiles B, C, D and E were associated with increased diagnosis-to-treatment intervals regardless of cancer staging upon diagnosis; and profile E had 37- fold higher chances of interval > 91 days (OR: 37.26; 95% CI:11.91-116.56). Breast cancer patients with social vulnerability profiles wait longer for treatment even after overcoming barriers to access oncology units.

O objetivo do estudo foi identificar perfis sociodemográficos de mulheres com câncer de mama em Belo Horizonte e verificar a associação com o intervalo entre o diagnóstico e o tratamento. Estudo transversal realizado com dados dos registros hospitalares de câncer de 715 mulheres em tratamento de 2010 a 2013. Os perfis foram delineados a partir das variáveis: idade, raça/cor da pele, escolaridade e custeio do tratamento com uso do método Two-Step cluster. A associação independente entre os perfis e o intervalo diagnóstico/tratamento foi estimada por regressão logística multinomial. Identificaram-se cinco perfis: A (raça/cor branca, escolaridade ≥ 15 anos, tratamento rede privada); B (raça/cor branca; escolaridade = 11 anos, tratamento Sistema Único de Saúde/SUS); C e D (raça/cor parda, escolaridade = 11 anos e < 8 anos respectivamente, tratamento SUS); E (raça/cor preta, escolaridade < 8 anos, tratamento SUS). Os perfis B, C, D e E foram associados a maiores intervalos diagnóstico/tratamento independentemente do estágio do câncer no diagnóstico, sendo que E apresentou chance 37 vezes maior de intervalo ≥ 91 dias (OR: 37,26; IC95%:11,91-116,56). Mesmo após vencer as barreiras de acesso à unidade oncológica perfis de vulnerabilidade social apresentaram maior espera para o tratamento.

Vulnerabilidade social e câncer de mama: diferenciais no intervalo entre o diagnóstico e o tratamento em mulheres de diferentes perfis sociodemográficos / Social vulnerability and breast cancer: differentials in the interval between diagnosis and treatment of women with different sociodemographic profiles

Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi identificar perfis sociodemográficos de mulheres com câncer de mama em Belo Horizonte e verificar a associação com o intervalo entre o diagnóstico e o tratamento. Estudo transversal realizado com dados dos registros hospitalares de câncer de 715 mulheres em tratamento de 2010 a 2013. Os perfis foram delineados a partir das variáveis: idade, raça/cor da pele, escolaridade e custeio do tratamento com uso do método Two-Step cluster. A associação independente entre os perfis e o intervalo diagnóstico/tratamento foi estimada por regressão logística multinomial. Identificaram-se cinco perfis: A (raça/cor branca, escolaridade ≥ 15 anos, tratamento rede privada); B (raça/cor branca; escolaridade = 11 anos, tratamento Sistema Único de Saúde/SUS); C e D (raça/cor parda, escolaridade = 11 anos e < 8 anos respectivamente, tratamento SUS); E (raça/cor preta, escolaridade < 8 anos, tratamento SUS). Os perfis B, C, D e E foram associados a maiores intervalos diagnóstico/tratamento independentemente do estágio do câncer no diagnóstico, sendo que E apresentou chance 37 vezes maior de intervalo ≥ 91 dias (OR: 37,26; IC95%:11,91-116,56). Mesmo após vencer as barreiras de acesso à unidade oncológica perfis de vulnerabilidade social apresentaram maior espera para o tratamento.

Abstract This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic profiles of women diagnosed as breast cancer in the city of Belo Horizonte and to investigate its association with interval between diagnosis and treatment. A cross-sectional study from hospital records of 715 patients undergoing treatment between 2010 and 2013. Cluster analysis was used to delineate the profiles from the variables: age, color of the skin, education and cost of treatment. The association between profiles and intervals was investigated using multinomial logistic regression. Five profiles were identified: A (white skin color, years of schooling >15 and treatment through private healthcare systems); B (white skin color, years of schooling = 11 and treatment through the Unified National Health System (SUS); C and D (brown skin color, years of schooling = 11 and < 8 respectively, and SUS); E (black skin color, years of schooling < 8, and SUS). Profiles B, C, D and E were associated with increased diagnosis-to-treatment intervals regardless of cancer staging upon diagnosis; and profile E had 37- fold higher chances of interval > 91 days (OR: 37.26; 95% CI:11.91-116.56). Breast cancer patients with social vulnerability profiles wait longer for treatment even after overcoming barriers to access oncology units.

Waiting for common-law solutions for the most vulnerable populations' healthcare access.

BACKGROUND: The state of populations' health is linked to their access to quality healthcare. Best achieving this primary condition - a health, social and humanitarian condition - is an ongoing public policy objective. Although significant effort goes into this, do public policies sufficiently take into account the state of health of the most vulnerable populations? In France, reducing the non-take-up (NTU) of healthcare is a priority in current national health insurance policy. Under the local plans to tackle non-take-up, lack of understanding and exit from the system (PLANIR), national health insurance is currently rolling out a regional and partnership-based intervention framework in order to prevent NTU of healthcare by welfare clients. This social investment is unprecedented, yet the impact of the framework on the most vulnerable populations still seems to be limited. METHOD: The study of this example is based on monitoring of the framework's general implementation. This task was entrusted to the research team co-founded by the author, ODENORE (Observatory for the Non-take-up of Social Rights and Public Services). It is organized in four parts: quantitative monitoring of the detection and addressing of non-take-up situations (n=160,000 questionnaires); analysis of the results through qualitative interviews with beneficiaries and individuals who rejected the framework (n=365 interviews); analysis of the framework's implementation, using qualitative interviews and participant observations at the services in charge of the framework's implementation (n=18 collective interviews across three sites), and an analysis of the partnership through collective interviews with all the actors in the areas involved in the framework (three sites). RESULTS: The analysis shows that the integration of the most vulnerable populations' state of health into a common-law framework for intervention is hindered by three limitations: the framework's neutrality regarding public decisions and non-decisions that exacerbate social and regional health inequalities; its organizational design, which does not take into account the need for long-term medical-psycho-social care; and the absence of regulation capable of bringing together and coordinating the actors working towards healthcare access locally but with different populations. CONCLUSION: The difficulties of integrating the most vulnerable populations into a common-law framework such as the one proposed by the national health insurance do not seem insurmountable-provided, that is, that the regulatory authority (the regional health agencies) are willing and able to make it a strategic organizational objective at local level.

The CITIES Project: Understanding the Health of Underrepresented Populations in Ohio.

BACKGROUND: Ohio, the catchment area of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC), includes diverse populations with different cancer profiles. As part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded initiative to conduct population health assessments in cancer center catchment areas, the OSUCCC surveyed residents, focusing on factors contributing to cancer disparities in Ohio populations. METHODS: Two sampling strategies were used: (i) probability sampling of mailing lists and (ii) convenience sampling at community events, coupled with phone/in-person/web surveys. Survey items were chosen along multilevel framework constructs, used in concert with other funded NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Multivariable logistic regression models investigated predictors associated with health behaviors, cancer beliefs, knowledge, and screening. RESULTS: The sample of 1,005 respondents were white (46.6%), African American (24.7%), Hispanic (13.7%), Somali (7.6%), and Asian (7.5%). A total of 216 respondents were Appalachian. Variations in cancer attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors were noted by racial/ethnic and geographic group. Multivariable models identified individuals with less financial security as less likely to exercise or be within guidelines for screening, but more likely to smoke and have a poor diet. At the community-level, measures of poverty were highest in Appalachia, whereas children in female-headed households were greater in urban minority areas. CONCLUSIONS: This population health assessment reinforced the diversity of the OSUCCC catchment area. These populations are ripe for implementation science strategies, focusing in communities and clinics that serve vulnerable populations. IMPACT: Understanding attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of this population can assist tailoring outreach and research strategies to lessen the cancer burden.

Evaluation of Regional Vulnerability to Disasters by People of Ishikawa, Japan: A Cross Sectional Study Using National Health Insurance Data.

The 2013 Partial Amendment of the Disaster Countermeasures Basic Law mandated that a roster of vulnerable persons during disasters be created, and further development of evacuation support is expected. In this study, the number of vulnerable people living in target analytical areas are identified in terms of neighborhood units by using the National Health Insurance Database to create a realistic and efficient evacuation support plan. Later, after considering the "vulnerability" of an area to earthquake disaster damage, a quantitative evaluation of the state of the disaster is performed using a principle component analysis that further divided the analytical target areas into neighborhood units to make a detailed determination of the number of disaster-vulnerable persons, the severity of the disaster, etc. The results of the disaster evaluation performed after considering the vulnerability of an area are that 628 disaster-vulnerable persons live in areas with a relatively higher disaster evaluation value.

"Caught in a Generation Gap": A Generation Perspective on Refugees Getting Old in Denmark-A Qualitative Study.

PURPOSE: Older non-Western migrants in Europe are a vulnerable population, due to old age and multiple disadvantages related to language barriers and different understandings of care, health, and disease. Our aim was to gain a better understanding and insight into the care needs of families with refugee background Method: The study was designed as a qualitative exploration using semistructured individual interviews and family group interviews. RESULTS: The results illustrate how vulnerability can "transmit" from one family member to another. Discrepancies between the older person's expectations and needs and society's expectations trap family members in ethical and moral dilemmas. This divides and stresses the family and results in difficult decision making, increased stress, and vulnerability. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: Migration and displacement can lead to ambivalent feelings among younger relatives regarding their role in caring for older relatives. Health professionals need to address and acknowledge this to be able to provide culturally congruent health care.

Structure and work process in primary care and hospitalizations for sensitive conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate whether the characteristics of the structure of primary health units and the work process of primary care teams are associated with the number of hospitalizations for primary care sensitive conditions. METHODS: In this ecological study, we have analyzed data of Brazilian municipalities related to sociodemographic characteristics, coverage of care programs, structure of primary health units, and work process of primary care teams. We have obtained the data from the first cycle of the Brazilian Program for Improving Access and Quality of the Primary Care, of the Department of Information Technology of the Brazilian Unified Health System, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, and the United Nations Development Programme. The associations have been estimated using negative binomial regression coefficients (ß) and respective 95% confidence intervals, with a hierarchical approach in three levels (alpha = 5%). RESULTS: In the adjusted analysis for the outcome in 2013, in the distal level, the coverage of the Bolsa Família Program (ß = -0.001) and private insurance (ß = -0.01) had a negative association, and the human development index (ß = 1.13), the proportion of older adults (ß = 0.05) and children under the age of five (ß = 0.05), and the coverage of the Community Health Agent Strategy (ß = 0.002) showed positive association with hospitalizations for primary care sensitive conditions. In the intermediate level, minimum hours (ß = -0.14) and availability of vaccines (ß = -0.16) showed a negative association, and availability of medications showed a positive association (ß = 0.16). In the proximal level, only the variable of matrix support (ß = 0.10) showed a positive association. The variables in the adjusted analysis of the number of hospitalizations for primary care sensitive conditions in 2014 presented the same association as in 2013. CONCLUSIONS: The characteristics of the structure of primary health units and the work process of the primary care teams impact the number of hospitalizations for primary care sensitive conditions in Brazilian municipalities. OBJETIVO: Investigar se características da estrutura das unidades básicas de saúde e do processo de trabalho das equipes de atenção básica estão associadas ao número de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária. MÉTODOS: Neste estudo ecológico, foram analisados dados de municípios brasileiros relativos a características sociodemográficas, de cobertura de programas assistenciais, de estrutura das unidades básicas de saúde e processo de trabalho das equipes de atenção básica. Os dados foram obtidos do primeiro ciclo do Programa de Melhoria do Acesso e Qualidade da Atenção Básica, do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde, do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística e do Programa das Nações Unidas. Estimaram-se as associações por meio de coeficientes de regressão binomial negativa (ß) e respectivos intervalos de confiança a 95%, com abordagem hierarquizada em três blocos (alpha = 5%). RESULTADOS: Na análise ajustada, para o desfecho em 2013, no bloco distal, a cobertura do Programa Bolsa Família (ß = -0,001) e de plano privado (ß = -0,01) apresentaram associação negativa; e o índice de desenvolvimento humano (ß = 1,13), a proporção de pessoa idosa (ß = 0,05) e de menor de cinco anos (ß = 0,05) e a cobertura da Estratégia de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (ß = 0,002) mostraram associação positiva com internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária. No bloco intermediário, apresentaram associação negativa o horário mínimo (ß = -0,14) e a disponibilidade de vacina (ß = -0,16); e associação positiva, a disponibilidade de medicamentos (ß = 0,16). No bloco proximal, apenas a variável apoio matricial (ß = 0,10) mostrou associação positiva. Na análise ajustada do número de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária em 2014, as variáveis apresentaram o mesmo sentido de associação de 2013. CONCLUSÕES: Características da estrutura das unidades básicas de saúde e do processo de trabalho das equipes de atenção básica impactam no número de internações por condições sensíveis à atenção primária nos municípios brasileiros.