Evaluating the effects of vaccine messaging on immunization intentions and behavior: Evidence from two randomized controlled trials in Vermont.

The effectiveness of vaccines in reducing child morbidity and mortality worldwide relies on public acceptance. However, relatively little is known about the effects of vaccine communication on vaccine attitudes and immunization behavior. Previous research suggests that common communication approaches may be ineffective or even counterproductive, especially among vaccine-hesitant parents. However, these studies typically rely on observational data or self-reported measures of vaccination intention. Using novel research designs, we tested the attitudinal and behavioral effects of messages encouraging vaccination in both a survey experiment conducted among a large sample of parents in Vermont who expressed hesitancy about childhood immunizations and a field experiment among parents whose children were overdue for vaccines. We find that neither a message promoting immunization as a social norm nor a message correcting common misperceptions about vaccines was measurably more effective than a standard public health message at improving parents' attitudes toward vaccines, intention to vaccinate their children, or compliance with the recommended vaccine schedule. Our results highlight the need for more research on approaches to successfully reducing vaccine hesitancy among parents.

Association between length of stay and readmission for COPD.

OBJECTIVES: Recent financial penalties for high risk-adjusted chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) readmissions are causing hospitals to search for ways to reduce COPD readmissions. Although some have advocated for increasing the length of stay (LOS) as a method to decrease readmissions, the association between LOS and readmission is unclear. Our primary objective was to examine the association between LOS and readmission among patients admitted for COPD. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an observational study of 33,558 veterans admitted to 130 Veterans Affairs hospitals for COPD from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2011. METHODS: We used multivariable regression to separately examine the associations of patient and hospital LOS with 30-day all-cause readmission. RESULTS: At the patient level, compared with short LOS (<3 days), a longer LOS was associated with increased risk for readmission. The adjusted odds ratio was 1.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.63) for medium LOS (3-4 days) and 2.03 (95% CI, 1.72-2.40) for long LOS (>4 days). On the hospital level, there was no association between LOS and readmission. CONCLUSIONS: On a patient level, a longer LOS for COPD hospitalizations was associated with higher risk for readmission, which is likely confounded by the severity of the illness. On a hospital level, LOS was not associated with readmission. These findings imply that, independent of other transitional care practices, altering the hospital LOS may not influence the risk of readmission.

Utility of Point-of-care Urine Drug Tests in the Treatment of Primary Care Patients With Drug Use Disorders.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if urine drug tests (UDTs) can detect under-reporting of drug use (ie, negative self-report, but positive UDT) and identify patient characteristics associated with underreporting when treating substance use disorders in primary care. METHODS: Self-reported use (last 30 d) and UDTs were gathered at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months from 829 primary care patients participating in a drug use intervention study. Rates of under-reporting were calculated for all drugs, cannabis, stimulants, opioids, and sedatives. Logistic regressions were used to identify characteristics associated with under-reporting. RESULTS: Among the participants, 40% (n = 331) denied drug use in the prior 30 days despite a corresponding positive UDT during at least 1 assessment. Levels of under-reporting during 1 or more assessments were 3% (n = 22) for cannabis, 20% (n = 167) for stimulants, 27% (n = 226) for opioids, and 13% (n = 106) for sedatives. Older (odds ratio [OR] 1.04), female (OR 1.66), or disabled (OR 1.42) individuals were more likely to under-report any drug use. Under-reporting of stimulant use was also more likely in individuals with lower levels of educational attainment, previous arrests, and family and social problems. Under-reporting of opioid use was more likely in those with other drug problems, but less likely in those with better physical health, more severe alcohol and psychiatric comorbidities, and African-Americans. CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of cannabis, UDTs are important assessment tools when treating drug use disorders in primary care. UDTs might be particularly helpful when treating patients who are older, female, disabled, have legal and social problems, and have more severe drug problems.

Promoting Influenza Vaccination to Restaurant Employees.

PURPOSE: To evaluate an evidence-based workplace approach to increasing adult influenza vaccination levels applied in the restaurant setting DESIGN: We implemented an intervention and conducted a pre/post analysis to determine effect on vaccination. SETTING: Eleven Seattle-area restaurants. SUBJECTS: Restaurants with 25+ employees speaking English or Spanish and over 18 years. INTERVENTION: Restaurants received influenza vaccination promotion materials, assistance arranging on-site vaccination events, and free influenza vaccinations for employees. MEASURES: Pre/post employee surveys of vaccination status with direct observation and employer interviews to evaluate implementation. ANALYSIS: We conducted descriptive analysis of employee survey data and performed qualitative analysis of implementation data. To assess intervention effect, we used a mixed-effects logistic regression model with a restaurant-specific random effect. RESULTS: Vaccination levels increased from 26% to 46% (adjusted odds ratio 2.33, 95% confidence interval 1.69, 3.22), with 428 employees surveyed preintervention, 305 surveyed postintervention, and response rates of 73% and 55%, respectively. The intervention was effective across subgroups, but there were restaurant-level differences. CONCLUSION: An access-based workplace intervention can increase influenza vaccination levels in restaurant employees, but restaurant-level factors may influence success.

Clinical Needs of Patients with Problem Drug Use.

INTRODUCTION: Illicit drug use is a serious public health problem associated with significant co-occurring medical disorders, mental disorders, and social problems. Yet most individuals with drug use disorders have never been treated, though they often seek medical treatment in primary care. The purpose of this study was to examine the baseline characteristics of people presenting in primary care with a range of problem drug use severity to identify their clinical needs. METHODS: We examined sociodemographic characteristics, medical and psychiatric comorbidities, drug use severity, social and legal problems, and service utilization for 868 patients with drug problems. These patients were recruited from primary care clinics in a medical safety net setting. Based on Drug Abuse Screening Test results, individuals were categorized as having low, intermediate, or substantial/severe drug use severity. RESULTS: Patients with substantial/severe drug use severity had serious drug use (opiates, stimulants, sedatives, intravenous drugs); high levels of homelessness (50%), psychiatric comorbidity (69%), and arrests for serious crimes (24%); and frequent use of expensive emergency department and inpatient hospitals. Patients with low drug use severity were primarily users of marijuana, with little reported use of other drugs, less psychiatric comorbidity, and more stable lifestyles. Patients with intermediate drug use severity fell in between the substantial/severe and low drug use severity subgroups on most variables. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with the highest drug use severity are likely to require specialized psychiatric and substance abuse care, in addition to ongoing medical care that is equipped to address the consequences of severe/substantial drug use, including intravenous drug use. Because of their milder symptoms, patients with low drug use severity may benefit from a collaborative care model that integrates psychiatric and substance abuse care in the primary care setting. Patients with intermediate drug use severity may benefit from selective application of interventions suggested for patients with the highest and lowest drug use severity. Primary care safety net clinics are in a key position to serve patients with problem drug use by developing a range of responses that are locally effective and that may also inform national efforts to establish patient-centered medical homes and to implement the Affordable Care Act.

Chronic Disease and Chemical Dependency Treatment in Primary Care Patients With Problem Drug Use.

This article examines whether chronic disease is associated with chemical dependency treatment in primary care patients with problem drug use. Chronic disease was common in 781 disadvantaged individuals who had problem drug use and were seen in primary care clinics affiliated with a public safety-net hospital. Individuals had, on average, 5.4 chronic medical conditions, and overall 57% had low severity chronic disease. In the year following enrollment, 14% had chemical dependency treatment. Severity of chronic disease was not associated with chemical dependency treatment (p = .26). In summary, chronic disease neither hindered chemical dependency treatment, nor did it facilitate such treatment.

Comparison of Homeless and Non-Homeless Problem Drug Users Recruited from Primary Care Safety-Net Clinics.

INTRODUCTION: The present study of homeless non-treatment-seeking problem drug users was designed to complement and extend previous studies which focused exclusively on treatment-seeking homeless problem drug users. METHOD: Data were available for 866 primary care patients with drug problems, 30% homeless and 70% housed. RESULTS: In the 2 years prior to baseline, homeless participants had less chronic medical co-morbidity than problem drug users who were housed yet were significantly more likely to have used emergency department services, to have used them more frequently, and at higher cost. Compared to their housed counterparts, homeless participants were also more likely to have been admitted to specialized chemical dependency treatment and/or detoxification services, to have been arrested for a felony or gross misdemeanor, and to report having psychiatric problems in the prior 30 days. CONCLUSIONS: Additional support may be necessary for homeless patients presenting in primary care to benefit from substance abuse treatment given their more severe drug use problems coupled with their co-morbid health, psychiatric, and psychosocial problems.

Influenza vaccination status and attitudes among restaurant employees.

CONTEXT: Restaurant employees represent a substantial portion of the US workforce, interact closely with the public, and are at risk for contracting influenza, yet their influenza vaccination rates and attitudes are unknown. OBJECTIVE: Assess influenza vaccination rates and attitudes among Seattle restaurant employees, to identify factors that could enhance the success of a restaurant-based vaccination program. DESIGN: In 2012, we invited employees of Seattle restaurants to complete an anonymous paper survey assessing participant demographics, previous influenza vaccination status, and personal attitudes toward influenza vaccination (using a 5-point scale). SETTING: Sit-down, full service restaurants in or near Seattle, Washington, were eligible if they had no previous history of offering worksite influenza vaccinations and had more than 20 employees who were older than 18 years and spoke either English or Spanish. PARTICIPANTS: We invited staff in all restaurant positions (servers, bussers, kitchen staff, chefs, managers, etc) to complete the survey, which was available in English and Spanish. RESULTS: Of 428 restaurant employees surveyed, 26% reported receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine in 2011-2012 (response rate = 74%). Across 8 attitude statements, participants were most likely to agree that the vaccine is not too expensive (89%), and least likely to agree that it is relevant for their age group (25%), or normative at their workplace (13%). Vaccinated participants reported significantly more positive attitudes than unvaccinated participants, and Hispanics reported significantly more positive attitudes than non-Hispanic whites. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing influenza vaccination rates among restaurant employees could protect a substantial portion of the US workforce, and the public, from influenza. Seattle restaurant employees have low vaccination rates against seasonal influenza. Interventions aimed at increasing vaccination among restaurant employees should highlight the vaccine's relevance and effectiveness for working-age adults.

Brief intervention for problem drug use in safety-net primary care settings: a randomized clinical trial.

IMPORTANCE: Although brief intervention is effective for reducing problem alcohol use, few data exist on its effectiveness for reducing problem drug use, a common issue in disadvantaged populations seeking care in safety-net medical settings (hospitals and community health clinics serving low-income patients with limited or no insurance). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether brief intervention improves drug use outcomes compared with enhanced care as usual. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A randomized clinical trial with blinded assessments at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months conducted in 7 safety-net primary care clinics in Washington State. Of 1621 eligible patients reporting any problem drug use in the past 90 days, 868 consented and were randomized between April 2009 and September 2012. Follow-up participation was more than 87% at all points. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received a single brief intervention using motivational interviewing, a handout and list of substance abuse resources, and an attempted 10-minute telephone booster within 2 weeks (n = 435) or enhanced care as usual, which included a handout and list of substance abuse resources (n = 433). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcomes were self-reported days of problem drug use in the past 30 days and Addiction Severity Index-Lite (ASI) Drug Use composite score. Secondary outcomes were admission to substance abuse treatment; ASI composite scores for medical, psychiatric, social, and legal domains; emergency department and inpatient hospital admissions, arrests, mortality, and human immunodeficiency virus risk behavior. RESULTS: Mean days used of the most common problem drug at baseline were 14.40 (SD, 11.29) (brief intervention) and 13.25 (SD, 10.69) (enhanced care as usual); at 3 months postintervention, means were 11.87 (SD, 12.13) (brief intervention) and 9.84 (SD, 10.64) (enhanced care as usual) and not significantly different (difference in differences, ß = 0.89 [95% CI, -0.49 to 2.26]). Mean ASI Drug Use composite score at baseline was 0.11 (SD, 0.10) (brief intervention) and 0.11 (SD, 0.10) (enhanced care as usual) and at 3 months was 0.10 (SD, 0.09) (brief intervention) and 0.09 (SD, 0.09) (enhanced care as usual) and not significantly different (difference in differences, ß = 0.008 [95% CI, -0.006 to 0.021]). During the 12 months following intervention, no significant treatment differences were found for either variable. No significant differences were found for secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: A one-time brief intervention with attempted telephone booster had no effect on drug use in patients seen in safety-net primary care settings. This finding suggests a need for caution in promoting widespread adoption of this intervention for drug use in primary care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00877331.

Workplace-based influenza vaccination promotion practices among large employers in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Influenza vaccination levels in the working-age population are low. Workplace promotion practices can increase employee vaccination levels, but the extent of employers' use of these practices is unknown. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of employers' use of evidence-based practices for promoting influenza vaccination in the workplace. METHODS: We conducted a telephone survey of large employers across the United States regarding their use of evidence-based practices to promote vaccination. RESULTS: Eighty-four percent of 583 employers surveyed offered on-site vaccination. Use of four promotion practices was high (75% or more), but the remaining four practices were used by only a minority of employers. There is particular room for improvement in the use of practices that increase physical access to vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: Employers are highly engaged in basic influenza vaccination promotion practices, but there is potential to increase levels of use.