A Role for Health Systems in Addressing Chronic Absenteeism.

This Viewpoint highlights opportunities for US pediatric health systems to address chronic absenteeism using school attendance data and collaborations between school and health systems.

Impact of Concomitant Traumatic Pancreatic and Colon Injuries on Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Colon and pancreatic injuries have both long been independently associated with intraabdominal infectious complications in trauma patients. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of concomitant pancreatic injury on outcomes in patients with traumatic colon injuries. METHODS: Consecutive patients over a 3-year period who underwent operative management of colon injuries were identified. Patient characteristics, severity of injury and shock, presence and grade of pancreatic injury, and intraoperative packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions were recorded. Outcomes including intraabdominal abscess formation and suture line failure were collected and compared. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was then performed to determine the impact of concomitant pancreatic injury on intraabdominal abscess formation. RESULTS: 243 patients with traumatic colon injuries were identified. 17 of these also had pancreatic injuries. Patients with combined colon and pancreatic injuries were clinically similar to those with isolated colon injuries with respect to age, gender, penetrating mechanism of injury, admission lactate, ISS, suture line failure, and admission systolic blood pressure. Both intraabdominal abscess rates (88.2% vs 29.6%, P < .001) and intraoperative PRBC transfusions (8 vs 1 units, P = .004) were higher in the combined pancreatic and colon injury group. Multivariable logistic regression identified both intraoperative PRBC transfusions (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.15; P < .001) and concomitant pancreatic injury (odds ratio, 14.8; 95% confidence interval, 3.92-96.87; P < .001) as independent predictors of intraabdominal abscess formation. DISCUSSION: Both intraoperative PRBC transfusions and presence of concomitant pancreatic injury are independent predictors of intraabdominal abscess formation in patients with traumatic colon injuries.

Teaching the Teachers: Development and Evaluation of a Racial Health Equity Curriculum for Faculty.

Introduction: Faculty are increasingly expected to teach about the impact of racism on health and to model the principles of health equity. However, they often feel ill-equipped to do so, and there is limited literature on faculty development on these topics. We developed a curriculum for faculty education on racism and actions to advance racial health equity. Methods: The curriculum design was based on a literature review and needs assessments. Implementation consisted of four live virtual 1-hour sessions incorporating interactive didactics, cases, reflection, goal setting, and discussion offered to a multidisciplinary group of pediatric faculty at a children's hospital. Topics included the history of racism, racism in health care, interacting with trainees and colleagues, and racial equity in policy. Evaluation consisted of pre- and postsurveys at the beginning and end of the curriculum and a survey after each session. Results: A mean of 78 faculty members attended each session (range: 66-94). Participants reported high satisfaction and increased knowledge at the end of each session. Qualitative themes included self-reflection on personal biases, application of health equity frameworks and tools, becoming disruptors of racism, and the importance of systemic change and policy. Discussion: This curriculum is an effective method for increasing faculty knowledge and comfort. The materials can be adapted for various audiences.

School-Based Health Care.

School-based health care encompasses a variety of health care professionals and practice models, including school nursing, school-based health centers, and school-based mental health programs. Services can be delivered in person or via telehealth. School-based health care is an important mechanism for removing barriers to health care services and for reaching adolescent patients. This article illustrates the various models of school-based health care, the particular benefit of school-based health care for adolescents, and opportunities and challenges in maintaining and sustaining a school-based health program.

Teaching Trauma-Informed Care: A Symposium for Medical Students.

Introduction: A large body of evidence links exposure to childhood trauma with negative health outcomes. Training future physicians to recognize and respond to trauma is paramount, and engaging medical students in the preclinical years affords the opportunity to foster the development of a trauma-informed lens that can then be solidified during clinical clerkships. Methods: We developed and implemented a 4-hour trauma-informed care (TIC) symposium for 179 second-year medical students at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences during the Patients, Populations, and Systems course. The symposium included three interactive didactic sessions focusing on the connection between trauma and health and TIC principles. A facilitated small-group discussion allowed students to apply TIC principles to a patient case, followed by reflection and evaluation. Results: The overall rating of the TIC symposium was 4 out of 5. Strengths included integration of a small-group case with discussion on application of TIC in practice, experience of the lecturers and small-group facilitators, and review of research relating adversity to specific health outcomes. Suggestions for improvement included incorporating role-play and standardized patients. Content analysis of student reflections mapped to the domains of physician competency. Discussion: A 4-hour symposium can affect student knowledge and understanding of TIC. Teaching TIC presents an opportunity to prepare medical students for a career in medicine through cultivation of required physician competencies. Next steps include enhanced opportunities to practice TIC and follow-up analysis of participants to determine behavior change during clinical years.

The Impact of Racism on Child and Adolescent Health.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is committed to addressing the factors that affect child and adolescent health with a focus on issues that may leave some children more vulnerable than others. Racism is a social determinant of health that has a profound impact on the health status of children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families. Although progress has been made toward racial equality and equity, the evidence to support the continued negative impact of racism on health and well-being through implicit and explicit biases, institutional structures, and interpersonal relationships is clear. The objective of this policy statement is to provide an evidence-based document focused on the role of racism in child and adolescent development and health outcomes. By acknowledging the role of racism in child and adolescent health, pediatricians and other pediatric health professionals will be able to proactively engage in strategies to optimize clinical care, workforce development, professional education, systems engagement, and research in a manner designed to reduce the health effects of structural, personally mediated, and internalized racism and improve the health and well-being of all children, adolescents, emerging adults, and their families.

Knowledge and management of fever among Latino parents.

Fever is a common childhood condition that is often misunderstood and incorrectly managed by parents. This study uses a questionnaire about fever administered to a convenience sample of Spanish-speaking-only parents bringing their child to a hospital-based urban pediatric clinic. The questionnaire elicits information about definition and cause of fever, concerns about fever, methods of temperature measurement, and treatment modalities used by the parents. Latino parents have numerous misconceptions about fever and its role in illness. Educational interventions should target fever definition, clarification of cause and potential harm of elevated temperatures, temperature monitoring, and safe treatment modalities. Owning a thermometer is strongly associated with correct knowledge of temperature values. Providing parents with a thermometer and educating them about its proper use may lead to an increase in appropriate monitoring and medical treatment of the febrile child.