Prostate-specific antigen testing rates in high-risk populations: results from the All of Us Research Program.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen (PSA) remains controversial and disparities in the receipt of prostate cancer screening persist in the US. We sought to examine disparities in PSA testing rates among groups with higher prostate cancer risk and differential access to healthcare. METHODS: We identified a cohort of 37,706 males within the All of Us Research Program without a history of prostate cancer between the ages of 40 and 85 at time of enrollment (2017-2021). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) for the number of PSA tests received during follow-up through December 2021 were estimated using age- and multivariable-adjusted negative binomial regression models. PSA testing frequencies in the cohort were compared with population-based estimates from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). RESULTS: A total of 6,486 males (17.2%) received at least one PSA test over the course of follow-up. In multivariable-adjusted models, non-Hispanic Black males received PSA tests at a 17% lower rate (IRR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.76, 0.90) than non-Hispanic White males. Higher educational attainment, higher annual income, having self-/employer-purchased insurance, having a spouse or domestic partner, and having a family history of prostate cancer were all associated with higher rates of PSA testing. The proportion of males ages 55 to 69 who received a PSA test within two years was lower in All of Us (12.4%, 95% CI 11.8-13.0%) relative to population-based estimates from the BRFSS (35.2%, 95% CI 34.2-36.3%). CONCLUSION: Absolute PSA testing rates in All of Us were lower than population-based estimates, but associations with PSA testing in the cohort mirrored previously reported disparities in prostate cancer screening. These findings highlight the importance of addressing barriers to care in order to reduce disparities in cancer screening.

Heavy-metal associated breast cancer and colorectal cancer hot spots and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

PURPOSE: Cancer registries offer an avenue to identify cancer clusters across large populations and efficiently examine potential environmental harms affecting cancer. The role of known metal carcinogens (i.e., cadmium, arsenic, nickel, chromium(VI)) in breast and colorectal carcinogenesis is largely unknown. Historically marginalized communities are disproportionately exposed to metals, which could explain cancer disparities. We examined area-based metal exposures and odds of residing in breast and colorectal cancer hotspots utilizing state tumor registry data and described the characteristics of those living in heavy metal-associated cancer hotspots. METHODS: Breast and colorectal cancer hotspots were mapped across Kentucky, and area-based ambient metal exposure to cadmium, arsenic, nickel, and chromium(VI) were extracted from the 2014 National Air Toxics Assessment for Kentucky census tracts. Among colorectal cancer (n = 56,598) and female breast cancer (n = 77,637) diagnoses in Kentucky, we used logistic regression models to estimate Odds Ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals to examine the association between ambient metal concentrations and odds of residing in cancer hotspots, independent of individual-level and neighborhood risk factors. RESULTS: Higher ambient metal exposures were associated with higher odds of residing in breast and colorectal cancer hotspots. Populations in breast and colorectal cancer hotspots were disproportionately Black and had markers of lower socioeconomic status. Furthermore, adjusting for age, race, tobacco and neighborhood factors did not significantly change cancer hotspot ORs for ambient metal exposures analyzed. CONCLUSION: Ambient metal exposures contribute to higher cancer rates in certain geographic areas that are largely composed of marginalized populations. Individual-level assessments of metal exposures and cancer disparities are needed.

Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Ultrasound Parameters of Fetal Growth in Eastern Massachusetts.

Previous studies have examined the association between prenatal nitrogen dioxide (NO2)-a traffic emissions tracer-and fetal growth based on ultrasound measures. Yet, most have used exposure assessment methods with low temporal resolution, which limits the identification of critical exposure windows given that pregnancy is relatively short. Here, we used NO2 data from an ensemble model linked to residential addresses at birth to fit distributed lag models that estimated the association between NO2 exposure (resolved weekly) and ultrasound biometric parameters in a Massachusetts-based cohort of 9,446 singleton births from 2011-2016. Ultrasound biometric parameters examined included biparietal diameter (BPD), head circumference, femur length, and abdominal circumference. All models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, time trends, and temperature. We found that higher NO2 was negatively associated with all ultrasound parameters. The critical window differed depending on the parameter and when it was assessed. For example, for BPD measured after week 31, the critical exposure window appeared to be weeks 15-25; 10-parts-per-billion higher NO2 sustained from conception to the time of measurement was associated with a lower mean z score of -0.11 (95% CI: -0.17, -0.05). Our findings indicate that reducing traffic emissions is one potential avenue to improving fetal and offspring health.

Influence of Neighborhood Social and Natural Environment on Prostate Tumor Histology in a Cohort of Male Health Professionals.

Adverse neighborhood social and natural (green space) environments may contribute to the etiology of prostate cancer (CaP), but mechanisms are unclear. We examined associations between neighborhood environment and prostate intratumoral inflammation in 967 men diagnosed with CaP with available tissue samples from 1986-2009 in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Exposures were linked to work or residential addresses in 1988. We estimated indices of neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) and segregation (Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE)) using US Census tract-level data. Surrounding greenness was estimated using seasonal averaged Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. Surgical tissue underwent pathological review for acute and chronic inflammation, corpora amylacea, and focal atrophic lesions. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for inflammation (ordinal) and focal atrophy (binary) were estimated using logistic regression. No associations were observed for acute or chronic inflammation. Each interquartile-range increase in NDVI within 1,230 m of the participant's work or home address (aOR = 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59, 0.93), in ICE-income (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.04), and in ICE-race/income (aOR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.99) was associated with lower odds of postatrophic hyperplasia. Interquartile-range increases in nSES (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.57, 1.02) and ICE-race/income (aOR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.99) were associated with lower odds of tumor corpora amylacea. Histopathological inflammatory features of prostate tumors may be influenced by neighborhood.

Associations between air pollution, residential greenness, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in three prospective cohorts of U.S. adults.

BACKGROUND: While studies suggest impacts of individual environmental exposures on type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, mechanisms remain poorly characterized. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a biomarker of glycemia and diagnostic criterion for prediabetes and T2D. We explored associations between multiple environmental exposures and HbA1c in non-diabetic adults. METHODS: HbA1c was assessed once in 12,315 women and men in three U.S.-based prospective cohorts: the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII), and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Residential greenness within 270 m and 1,230 m (normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) was obtained from Landsat. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were estimated from nationwide spatiotemporal models. Three-month and one-year averages prior to blood draw were assigned to participants' addresses. We assessed associations between single exposure, multi-exposure, and component scores from Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and HbA1c. Fully-adjusted models built on basic models of age and year at blood draw, BMI, alcohol use, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) to include diet quality, race, family history, smoking status, postmenopausal hormone use, population density, and season. We assessed interactions between environmental exposures, and effect modification by population density, nSES, and sex. RESULTS: Based on HbA1c, 19% of participants had prediabetes. In single exposure fully-adjusted models, an IQR (0.14) higher 1-year 1,230 m NDVI was associated with a 0.27% (95% CI: 0.05%, 0.49%) lower HbA1c. In basic component score models, a SD increase in Component 1 (high loadings for 1-year NDVI) was associated with a 0.19% (95% CI: 0.04%, 0.34%) lower HbA1c. CI's crossed the null in multi-exposure and fully-adjusted component score models. There was little evidence of associations between air pollution and HbA1c, and no evidence of effect modification. CONCLUSIONS: Among non-diabetic adults, environmental exposures were not consistently associated with HbA1c. More work is needed to elucidate biological pathways between the environment and prediabetes.

Improving identification of symptomatic cancer at primary care clinics: A predictive modeling analysis in Botswana.

In resource-limited settings, augmenting primary care provider (PCP)-based referrals with data-derived algorithms could direct scarce resources towards those patients most likely to have a cancer diagnosis and benefit from early treatment. Using data from Botswana, we compared accuracy of predictions of probable cancer using different approaches for identifying symptomatic cancer at primary clinics. We followed cancer suspects until they entered specialized care for cancer treatment (following pathologically confirmed diagnosis), exited from the study following noncancer diagnosis, or died. Routine symptom and demographic data included baseline cancer probability assessed by the primary care provider (low, intermediate, high), age, sex, performance status, baseline cancer probability by study physician, predominant symptom (lump, bleeding, pain or other) and HIV status. Logistic regression with 10-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate classification by different sets of predictors: (1) PCPs, (2) Algorithm-only, (3) External specialist physician review and (4) Primary clinician augmented by algorithm. Classification accuracy was assessed using c-statistics, sensitivity and specificity. Six hundred and twenty-three adult cancer suspects with complete data were retained, of whom 166 (27%) were diagnosed with cancer. Models using PCP augmented by algorithm (c-statistic: 77.2%, 95% CI: 73.4%, 81.0%) and external study physician assessment (77.6%, 95% CI: 73.6%, 81.7%) performed better than algorithm-only (74.9%, 95% CI: 71.0%, 78.9%) and PCP initial assessment (62.8%, 95% CI: 57.9%, 67.7%) in correctly classifying suspected cancer patients. Sensitivity and specificity statistics from models combining PCP classifications and routine data were comparable to physicians, suggesting that incorporating data-driven algorithms into referral systems could improve efficiency.

Impacts of long-term ambient particulate matter and gaseous pollutants on circulating biomarkers of inflammation in male and female health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation may serve as a biological mechanism linking air pollution to poor health but supporting evidence from studies of long-term pollutant exposure and inflammatory cytokines is inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: We studied associations between multiple particulate matter (PM) and gaseous air pollutants and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines within two nationwide cohorts of men and women. METHODS: Data were obtained from 16,151 women in the Nurses' Health Study and 7,930 men in the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study with at least one measure of circulating adiponectin, C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6) or soluble tumor necrosis-factor receptor-2 (sTNFR-2). Exposure to PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5, 2.5-10, and ≤10 µm (PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was estimated using spatio-temporal models and were linked to participants' addresses at the time of blood draw. Averages of the 1-, 3-, and 12-months prior to blood draw were examined. Associations between each biomarker and pollutant were estimated from linear regression models adjusted for individual and contextual covariates. RESULTS: In adjusted models, we observed a 2.72% (95% CI: 0.43%, 5.95%), 3.11% (-0.12%, 6.45%), and 3.67% (0.19%, 7.26%) increase in CRP associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase in 1-, 3-, and 12- month averaged NO2 in women. Among men, there was a statistically significant 5.96% (95% CI: 0.07%, 12.20%), 6.99% (95% CI: 0.29%, 14.15%), and 8.33% (95% CI: 0.35%, 16.94%) increase in CRP associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase in 1-, 3-, and 12-month averaged PM2.5-10, respectively. Increasing PM2.5-10 was associated with increasing IL-6 and sTNFR-2 among men over shorter exposure durations. There were no associations with exposures to PM2.5 or PM10, or with adiponectin. Findings were robust to sensitivity analyses restricting to disease-free controls and non-movers. CONCLUSIONS: Across multiple long-term pollutant exposures and inflammatory markers, associations were generally weak. Focusing on specific pollutant-inflammatory mechanisms may clarify pathways.

Trends in mortality among Black and White men with prostate cancer in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania: Race and neighborhood socioeconomic position.

BACKGROUND: Reducing disparities in men with prostate cancer (PCa) that may be caused by racial and socioeconomic differences is a major public health priority. Few reports have studied whether these disparities have changed over time. METHODS: Men diagnosed with PCa from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2015 were identified from the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania cancer registries. All-cause mortality and PCa and cardiovascular cause-specific mortality were assessed. To estimate neighborhood socioeconomic position (nSEP), a summary score was generated using census tract-level measures of income, wealth, educational attainment, and racial and income segregation. Participants were grouped by diagnosis year (2000-2003, 2004-2007, 2008-2011, or 2012-2015), and changing trends in the mortality rate ratio by race and nSEP were estimated using covariate-adjusted Cox models with follow-up for up to 10 years, until death, or until censoring on January 1, 2018. RESULTS: There were 193,883 patients with PCa and 43,661 deaths over 1,404,131 person-years of follow-up. The Black-White adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) from 2000 to 2003 through 2012 to 2015 was stable for all-cause mortality (aHR, 1.14 to 0.97; P for heterogeneity = .42), decreased for PCa-specific mortality (aHR, 1.38 to 0.93; P for heterogeneity = .005), and increased for cardiovascular mortality (aHR, 1.09 to 1.28; P for heterogeneity = .034). The aHR comparing those in the lowest versus the highest nSEP quintile increased significantly for all-cause mortality (aHR, 1.54 to 1.79; P for heterogeneity = .008), but not for PCa-specific mortality (aHR, 1.60 to 1.72; P for heterogeneity = .40) or cardiovascular mortality (aHR, 1.72 to 1.89; P for heterogeneity = .085). CONCLUSIONS: Although Black-White disparities in prostate mortality declined in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania over the study period, nSEP mortality disparity trends were stagnant or increased, warranting further attention. LAY SUMMARY: Few reports have examined whether racial and socioeconomic disparities in prostate cancer mortality have widened or narrowed in recent years. Using data from 2 state registries (Massachusetts and Pennsylvania) with differing intensities of government-mandated health insurance, trends in racial and neighborhood socioeconomic disparities were studied among Black and White men diagnosed from 2000 to 2015. Overall, trends in racial disparities were stagnant for all-cause mortality, shrank for prostate mortality, and widened for cardiovascular mortality. Disparities associated with neighborhood socioeconomic status either were stagnant or widened across all mortality end points. In general, disparities were more pronounced in Pennsylvania than in Massachusetts.

Racial differences in the treatment and outcomes for prostate cancer in Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Massachusetts is a northeastern state with universally mandated health insurance since 2006. Although Black men have generally worse prostate cancer outcomes, emerging data suggest that they may experience equivalent outcomes within a fully insured system. In this setting, the authors analyzed treatments and outcomes of non-Hispanic White and Black men in Massachusetts. METHODS: White and Black men who were 20 years old or older and had been diagnosed with localized intermediate- or high-risk nonmetastatic prostate cancer in 2004-2015 were identified in the Massachusetts Cancer Registry. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of definitive therapy. Adjusted and unadjusted survival models compared cancer-specific mortality. Interaction terms were then used to assess whether the effect of race varied between counties. RESULTS: A total of 20,856 men were identified. Of these, 19,287 (92.5%) were White. There were significant county-level differences in the odds of receiving definitive therapy and survival. Survival was worse for those with high-risk cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.50; 95% CI, 1.4-1.60) and those with public insurance (adjusted HR for Medicaid, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.38-2.07; adjusted HR for Medicare, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.14-1.35). Black men were less likely to receive definitive therapy (adjusted odds ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.74-0.83) but had a 17% lower cancer-specific mortality (adjusted HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.7-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Despite lower odds of definitive treatment, Black men experience decreased cancer-specific mortality in comparison with White men in Massachusetts. These data support the growing body of research showing that Black men may achieve outcomes equivalent to or even better than those of White men within the context of a well-insured population. LAY SUMMARY: There is a growing body of evidence showing that the excess risk of death among Black men with prostate cancer may be caused by disparities in access to care, with few or no disparities seen in universally insured health systems such as the Veterans Affairs and US Military Health System. Therefore, the authors sought to assess racial disparities in prostate cancer in Massachusetts, which was the earliest US state to mandate universal insurance coverage (in 2006). Despite lower odds of definitive treatment, Black men with prostate cancer experience reduced cancer-specific mortality in comparison with White men in Massachusetts. These data support the growing body of research showing that Black men may achieve outcomes equivalent to or even better than those of White men within the context of a well-insured population.

Utilization and predictors of postmastectomy radiation receipt in an Oncology Center in Zimbabwe.

PURPOSE: Few sub-Saharan African studies have ascertained utilization for postmastectomy radiation (PMRT) for breast cancer, the second most common cancer among African women. We estimated PMRT utilization and identified predictors of PMRT receipt in Zimbabwe. METHODS: Retrospective patient cohort included non-metastatic breast cancer patients treated from 2014 to 2019. PMRT eligibility was assigned per NCCN guidelines. Patients receiving chemotherapy for non-metastatic disease were also included. The primary endpoint was receipt of PMRT, defined as chest wall with/without regional nodal radiation. Predictors of receiving PMRT were identified using logistic regression. Model performance was evaluated using the c statistic and Hosmer-Lemeshow test for goodness-of-fit. RESULTS: 201 women with localized disease and median follow-up of 11.4 months (IQR 3.3-17.9) were analyzed. PMRT was indicated in 177 women and utilized in 59(33.3%). Insurance coverage, clinical nodal involvement, higher grade, positive margins, and hormone therapy receipt were associated with higher odds of PMRT receipt. In adjusted models, no hormone therapy (aOR 0.12, 95% CI 0.043, 0.35) and missing grade (aOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01, 0.38) were associated with lower odds of PMRT receipt. The resulting c statistic was 0.84, with Hosmer-Lemeshow p-value of 0.93 indicating good model fit. CONCLUSION: PMRT was utilized in 33% of those meeting NCCN criteria. Missing grade and no endocrine therapy receipt were associated with reduced likelihood of PMRT utilization. In addition to practice adjustments such as increasing hypofractionation and increasing patient access to standard oncologic testing at diagnosis could increase postmastectomy utilization.

Neighborhood greenness and burden of non-communicable diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa: A multi-country cross-sectional study.

Population growth, demographic transitions and urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) will increase non-communicable disease (NCD) burden. We studied the association between neighborhood greenness and NCDs in a multi-country cross-sectional study. Among 1178 participants, in adjusted models, a 0.11 unit NDVI increase was associated with lower BMI (ß: -1.01, 95% CI: -1.35, -0.67), and lower odds of overweight/obesity (aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.85), diabetes (aOR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.96), and having ≥3 allostatic load components compared to none (aOR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.85). Except for diabetes, these remained statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. We observed no association between NDVI and hypertension or cholesterol. Our findings are consistent with health benefits of neighborhood greenness reported in other countries, suggesting greening strategies could be considered as part of broader public health interventions for NCDs.

Cost-effectiveness of a mentorship and quality improvement intervention to enhance the quality of antenatal care at rural health centers in Rwanda.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate cost-effectiveness of Mentorship, Enhanced Supervision for Healthcare and Quality Improvement (MESH-QI) intervention to strengthen the quality of antenatal care at rural health centers in rural Rwanda. DESIGN: Cost-effectiveness analysis of the MESH-QI intervention using the provider perspective. SETTING: Kirehe and Rwinkwavu District Hospital catchment areas, Rwanda. INTERVENTION: MESH-QI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incremental cost per antenatal care visit with complete danger sign and vital sign assessments. RESULTS: The total annual costs of standard antenatal care supervision was 10 777.21 USD at the baseline, whereas the total costs of MESH-QI intervention was 19 656.53 USD. Human resources (salary and benefits) and transport drove the majority of program expenses, (44.8% and 40%, respectively). Other costs included training of mentors (12.9%), data management (6.5%) and equipment (6.5%). The incremental cost per antenatal care visit attributable to MESH-QI with all assessment items completed was 0.70 USD for danger signs and 1.10 USD for vital signs. CONCLUSIONS: MESH-QI could be an affordable and effective intervention to improve the quality of antenatal care at health centers in low-resource settings. Cost savings would increase if MESH-QI mentors were integrated into the existing healthcare systems and deployed to sites with higher volume of antenatal care visits.

Advancing the health of women and newborns: predictors of patient satisfaction among women attending antenatal and maternity care in rural Rwanda.

OBJECTIVE: Identify predictors of patient satisfaction with antenatal care (ANC) and maternity services in rural Rwanda. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Twenty-six health facilities in Southern Kayonza (SK) and Kirehe districts. PARTICIPANTS: Sample of women ≥ 16 years old receiving antenatal and delivery care between November and December 2013. INTERVENTION: Survey of patient satisfaction with antenatal and delivery care to inform quality improvement (QI) initiatives aimed at reducing neonatal mortality. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Overall satisfaction with antenatal and delivery care (reported as excellent or very good). RESULTS: In multivariate logistic regression analysis, high perceived quality [odds ratio (OR) = 3.03, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.565.88], respect [OR = 4.13, 95% CI: 2.16-7.89], and confidentiality [SK: OR = 7.50, 95% CI: 2.16-26.01], [Kirehe: OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 0.60-3.94] were associated with higher overall satisfaction with ANC, while having ≥1 child compared to none [OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.25-0.84] was associated with lower satisfaction. For maternity services, <5 years of school versus ≥5 years [OR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.026-0.69] and higher cleanliness [OR = 19.23, 95% CI: 2.22-166.83], self-reported quality [OR = 10.52, 95% CI: 1.81-61.22], communication [OR = 8.78, 95%CI: 1.95-39.59], and confidentiality [OR = 8.66, 95% CI: 1.20-62.64] were all positively associated with high satisfaction. Higher comfort [OR: 0.050, 95% CI: 0.0034-0.71] and Kirehe vs. SK district [OR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.042-1.01] were associated with lower satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-centeredness (including interpersonal relationships), organizational factors, and location are important individual determinants of satisfaction for women seeking maternal care at study facilities. Understanding variation in these factors should inform QI efforts in maternal and newborn health programs.

Retention in care, resource utilization, and costs for adults receiving antiretroviral therapy in Zambia: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Of the estimated 800,000 adults living with HIV in Zambia in 2011, roughly half were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). As treatment scale up continues, information on the care provided to patients after initiating ART can help guide decision-making. We estimated retention in care, the quantity of resources utilized, and costs for a retrospective cohort of adults initiating ART under routine clinical conditions in Zambia. METHODS: Data on resource utilization (antiretroviral [ARV] and non-ARV drugs, laboratory tests, outpatient clinic visits, and fixed resources) and retention in care were extracted from medical records for 846 patients who initiated ART at ≥15 years of age at six treatment sites between July 2007 and October 2008. Unit costs were estimated from the provider's perspective using site- and country-level data and are reported in 2011 USD. RESULTS: Patients initiated ART at a median CD4 cell count of 145 cells/µL. Fifty-nine percent of patients initiated on a tenofovir-containing regimen, ranging from 15% to 86% depending on site. One year after ART initiation, 75% of patients were retained in care. The average cost per patient retained in care one year after ART initiation was $243 (95% CI, $194-$293), ranging from $184 (95% CI, $172-$195) to $304 (95% CI, $290-$319) depending on site. Patients retained in care one year after ART initiation received, on average, 11.4 months' worth of ARV drugs, 1.5 CD4 tests, 1.3 blood chemistry tests, 1.4 full blood count tests, and 6.5 clinic visits with a doctor or clinical officer. At all sites, ARV drugs were the largest cost component, ranging from 38% to 84% of total costs, depending on site. CONCLUSIONS: Patients initiate ART late in the course of disease progression and a large proportion drop out of care after initiation. The quantity of resources utilized and costs vary widely by site, and patients utilize a different mix of resources under routine clinical conditions than if they were receiving fully guideline-concordant care. Improving retention in care and guideline concordance, including increasing the use of tenofovir in first-line ART regimens, may lead to increases in overall treatment costs.

Racial differences in postpandemic trends in prostate-specific antigen screening.

Our study investigates the trends in prostate cancer screening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on racial disparities between Black and White men. Utilizing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System from 2018, 2020, and 2022, we analyzed prostate-specific antigen screening rates in men aged 45-75 years. Our findings reveal initial declines in screening rates for both groups during the pandemic, with subsequent recovery; however, the pace of rebound differed statistically significantly between races. Whereas White men showed a notable increase in screening rates postpandemic, Black men's rates recovered more slowly. This disparity underscores the impact of socioeconomic factors, health-care access, and possibly systemic biases affecting health-care delivery. Our study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address these inequalities and ensure equitable access to prostate cancer preventive care in the aftermath of COVID-19.

Long-Term Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Prostate Cancer Screening.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is the most common noncutaneous malignancy in men. The updated PSA testing 2018 United States Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend shared decision-making for men ages 55 to 69. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid coverage to childless adults earning < 138% of the federal poverty level. Thereafter, individual states have chosen to adopt or defer Medicaid expansion at different times. This allows for the opportunity to study the effects of expansion on a population that did not previously qualify for Medicaid. We examine the long-term association of Medicaid expansion on prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were extracted for childless men earning less than 138% of the federal poverty level in states with different Medicaid expansion statuses from 2012 to 2020. States were classified into 4 expansion categories: very early expansion states, early expansion states, late expansion states, and nonexpansion states. Prevalence of PSA screening was determined for each category of expansion. Difference-in-difference analyses were used to understand variations in very early expansion states, early expansion states, and late expansion states trends with reference to nonexpansion states. RESULTS: PSA screening prevalence decreased in very early expansion states (27.76% vs 18.50%), early expansion states (33.79% vs 18.09%), late expansion states (36.08% vs 19.14%), and nonexpansion states (38.82% vs 24.40%) from 2012 to 2020. However, the difference-in-difference analyses did not show statistically significant results among any of the years and expansion category groups in our study period. CONCLUSIONS: PSA screening prevalence decreased in all states, regardless of expansion category. No long-term effect of Medicaid expansion on PSA screening prevalence was observed among states with different expansion statuses.

Climate change perception and its association with cancer screening intent.

As the climate crisis deepens, its adverse effects on human health are becoming evident, including impacts on cancer pathogenesis and treatment. This study explored the link between individuals' awareness of the health impacts of climate change and interest in cancer screening. Using the 2021 Health Information National Trends Survey, our study demonstrated a statistically significant association between recognition of climate change as a personal health threat and interest in cancer screening. Although the study's retrospective nature and self-reported data pose some limitations, these findings signal a promising avenue for future research on the intersection of climate and cancer risk. This research supports the development of public health interventions that incorporate components of environmental health literacy alongside cancer screening efforts.

Changes in Prostate-specific Antigen Screening after the 2018 United States Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations and Through the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We analyzed trends in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer, with a focus on the impact of the 2018 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations and the COVID-19 outbreak. Using National Health Interview Survey data, we performed difference-in-difference (DID) analyses to examine the PSA screening trend for men aged 55-69 yr, the target population in the 2018 USPSTF update, with men aged >69 yr included as the reference and adjustment for sociodemographic factors. We found that PSA screening increased for men aged 55-69 yr (+4.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-7.5%) or >69 yr (+6.5%, 95% CI 2.7-10.4%) in 2019 (after the 2018 recommendations) in comparison to 2015. There was a decrease in PSA screening for men aged 55-69 yr in 2021 in comparison to 2019 (after the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020) of -3.1% (95%CI -0.4% to -5.8%). Adjusted DID analysis revealed no significant variations in the rate of change in PSA screening between the two age groups following both events. Despite its observational nature, our design mitigates major challenges in inferring causal relationships. Our results suggest a causal relationship between the 2018 screening guidelines and an increase in screening rates for men aged 55-69 yr. Conversely, they also indicate that preventive care disruptions related to COVID-19 may have induced deceleration or potentially reversal of these advances. PATIENT SUMMARY: We used data from a large national survey to study the rate of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer in the USA in response to the 2018 United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and to the COVID-19 pandemic. We found an increase in PSA screening in 2019 among men aged 55-69 yr, the target population in the 2018 recommendations, as well as men aged >69 yr. However, this increase was reduced after the COVID-19 outbreak. It remains to be seen how PSA screening continues to change as the world recovers from COVID-19.

Comparing patient-reported outcomes and lifestyle factors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic among Black and Hispanic breast cancer survivors in New Jersey.

PURPOSE: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in the US since March 2020 on cancer survivorship among Black and Hispanic breast cancer (BC) survivors remains largely unknown. We aimed to evaluate associations of the pandemic with participant characteristics, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and lifestyle factors among Black and Hispanic BC survivors in the Women's Circle of Health Follow-Up Study and the New Jersey BC Survivors Study. METHODS: We included 447 Black (npre = 364 and npost = 83) and 182 Hispanic (npre = 102 and npost = 80) BC survivors who completed a home interview approximately 24 months post-diagnosis between 2017 and 2023. The onset of the pandemic was defined as March 2020. The association of the pandemic with binary outcomes was estimated using robust Poisson regression models. RESULTS: Hispanic and Black BC survivors recruited after the onset of the pandemic reported higher socioeconomic status and fewer comorbidities. Black women in the post-pandemic group reported a higher prevalence of clinically significant sleep disturbance (prevalence ratio (PR) 1.43, 95% CI 1.23, 1.68), lower sleep efficiency, and lower functional well-being, compared to the pre-pandemic group. Hispanic women were less likely to report low health-related quality of life (vs. high; PR 0.62, 95% CI 0.45, 0.85) after the onset of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing research is crucial to untangle the impact of the pandemic on racial and ethnic minorities participating in cancer survivorship research, as well as PROs and lifestyle factors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This study highlights the importance of considering the impact of the pandemic in all aspects of research, including the interpretation of findings.