Cost-analysis of nutrition support in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to assess the preferred route of nutrition support (enteral versus parenteral) for treatment of severe acute pancreatitis in the acute care setting. Further, in cases when enteral nutrition is the preferred route, is nasal-bridling a lower-morbidity and cost-effective method? DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A retrospective review of pre-existing data from an 870-bed hospital system. Medical records were reviewed via an online database system (n = 25 patients) with severe acute pancreatitis. Length of stay and cost were analyzed. FINDINGS: More patients received TPN versus the nasal-jejunal (post-pyloric) tube feeds group. No significant relationship was found between total cost and number of co-morbidities or between either of the two treatment groups. However, a medium to large effect size was shown which could indicate a significant relationship in a larger sample size. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The findings of this research add to the literature already available and will be of interest to those who specialize in this area.

Are household factors putting immigrant Hispanic children at risk of becoming overweight: a community-based study in eastern North Carolina.

North Carolina has one of the fastest growing populations of Hispanic immigrants in the U.S. The prevalence of overweight among Hispanic children in the state has increased to 17%. Therefore, the objectives of this descriptive, exploratory study were to identify potential risk factors for childhood overweight at the household level among 128 immigrant Hispanic families with school-aged children living in Eastern North Carolina. Data concerning parental beliefs about overweight children, family participation in physical activity, and household availability of higher-calorie foods were collected using a structured, close-ended interview form. Forty-seven percent of parents believed that overweight children are unhealthy, 11% that if a child is overweight, it is God's will, and over 90% believed that overweight children should be taken to a nutritionist or physician for help with weight reduction. The activities undertaken by families four to seven times per week were watching television (70%), listening to music (69%), and reading (61%). Cookies, cold cereals, crackers, whole milk, ice cream, cheese, hotdogs, peanut butter, soft drinks, fruit drinks, chips, and pudding were regularly available in a majority of households. Regression analysis indicated that household income, parental education, and rural versus urban residence had no significant impact on frequency of family participation in physical activity or household availability of higher-calorie foods. Findings suggest a need for bilingual community health professionals to develop culturally sensitive wellness programs targeted at immigrant Hispanic families that promote greater engagement in moderate-intensity physical activity and more frequent consumption of lower-calorie foods.

Correlates of self-reports of being very depressed in the months after delivery: results from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

OBJECTIVE: This study identified correlates of self-reports of being very depressed in the months after delivery in a population-based sample of women. METHODS: We analyzed data on 14,609 recent mothers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). The sample included mothers who delivered a live birth in Colorado, New York State, and North Carolina from 1996 (New York only) to 1999. We assessed risk factors for self-reports of being very depressed in the months after delivery using logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 5.9% (95% CI = 5.3, 6.4) of new mothers reported being very depressed in the months after delivery. Women who reported that their pregnancy was a "very hard time" or "one of the worst times of my life" had the highest prevalence of reporting being very depressed in the months after delivery (24.9%, 95% CI = 21.3, 28.5) and, when all risk factors were adjusted for simultaneously, were 4.6 times (95% CI = 3.1, 6.3) more likely to report being very depressed in the months after delivery than other women. Other significant risk factors for self-reports of being very depressed in the months after delivery included experiencing partner-associated stress (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.5, 2.5), physical abuse during pregnancy (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1, 2.4), and not breast-feeding (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1, 1.8). CONCLUSIONS: The highest prevalence for self-reports of being very depressed in the months after delivery was in women who reported that their pregnancy was a "very hard time" or "one of the worst times of my life." Clinicians need to be aware of the needs of some women for mental health services both during and after pregnancy.