The Limitations of Using Medicaid Administrative Data in Abortion Research.

OBJECTIVES: To identify limitations of abortion data in national Medicaid claims files by comparing abortion counts in Medicaid claims data with state abortion estimates. STUDY DESIGN: We used procedure (CPT, HCPCS) and drug (NDC) codes to identify abortion claims in 2009 and 2010 Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) and 2020 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic File (TAF) data. We compared the number of abortions in MAX and TAF to the number of expected abortions covered by Medicaid overall and by state. Based on recent published research, we estimated expected Medicaid-covered abortions as 62% of total abortions in states that use state funds to cover abortion services for Medicaid enrollees and 0.9% in states that follow Hyde restrictions. RESULTS: MAX data identified 11% (38,668/345,480) of expected Medicaid-covered abortions in 2009 and 13% (44,528/330,801) of expected Medicaid-covered abortions in 2010. In 2020 TAF data, we found 25% (69,728/279,048) of the expected Medicaid-covered abortions. Among the 16 states that used state funds to cover abortions for Medicaid enrollees in 2020, the majority had <10% of expected Medicaid-covered abortions (n=8). Three states had between 10-50% of expected abortions. Four states had between 51-75% of expected abortions. One state did not have sufficient data to report. CONCLUSIONS: Abortion claims in MAX/TAF are an undercount of abortions covered by Medicaid and this undercount varies across states. Variation in reporting across states and across time likely introduces bias into any research trying to use MAX/TAF abortion claims across states and time. Researchers should use extreme caution when using MAX/TAF for abortion-related research. IMPLICATIONS: Researchers should use caution when using the Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) and Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files (TAF) for abortion-related research questions.

Prevalence of Late-Stage Parkinson's Disease in the US Healthcare System: Insights from TriNetX.

BACKGROUND: Patients in late-stage Parkinson's disease (PDLS) are caregiver-dependent, have low quality of life, and higher healthcare costs. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of PDLS patients in the current US healthcare system. METHODS: We downloaded the 2010-2022 data from the TriNetX Diamond claims network that consists of 92 US healthcare sites. PD was identified using standard diagnosis codes, and PDLS was identified by the usage of wheelchair dependence, personal care assistance, and/or presence of diagnoses of dementia. Age of PDLS identification and survival information were obtained and stratified by demographic and the disability subgroups. RESULTS: We identified 1,031,377 PD patients in the TriNetX database. Of these, 18.8% fitted our definition of PDLS (n = 194,297), and 10.2% met two or more late-stage criteria. Among all PDLS, the mean age of PDLS identification was 78.1 (±7.7) years, and 49% were already reported as deceased. PDLS patients were predominantly male (58.5%) with similar distribution across PDLS subgroups. The majority did not have race (71%) or ethnicity (69%) information, but for the available information >90% (n = 53,162) were White, 8.2% (n = 5121) Hispanic/Latino, 7.8% (n = 4557) Black, and <0.01% (n = 408) Asian. Of the PDLS cohort, 71.6% identified with dementia, 12.9% had personal care assistance, and 4.8% were wheelchair-bound. CONCLUSIONS: Late-stage patients are a significant part of the PD landscape in the current US healthcare system, and largely missed by traditional motor-based disability staging. It is imperative to include this population as a clinical, social, and research priority. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Obese patients with new onset atrial fibrillation/flutter have higher risk of hospitalization, cardioversions, and ablations.

Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) and evidence from randomized trials indicates that weight loss may reduce the burden of AF/AFL in obese patients; however, the relationship between obesity and healthcare resource utilization in AF/AFL patients is lacking. We sought to assess this relationship in patients with newly diagnosed AF/AFL in a nationally representative cohort of the United States by using the MarketScan® claims database. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD 10] diagnosis codes were used to select individuals with a new diagnosis of AF/AFL in 2017 and 2018, adjudicate baseline variables and to classify them according to obesity status. Patients were followed for two years at which point all data was censored. The primary outcome of the study was hospitalizations due to AF/AFL. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess the adjusted hazard ratio for obese versus non-obese patients. There were 55,271 patients with new onset AF/AFL, which included 43,314 (78.4 %) who were non-obese and 11,957 (21.6 %) who were obese. There were significantly more males than females among non-obese (65.3 % vs. 34.7 %) and obese individuals (62.3 % vs. 37.7 %). The average age (SD) was similar in the non-obese (54.5 (9.7)) and obese cohorts (54.7 (8.4)), respectively. The incidence of Emergency Department visits (4.0 % vs. 6.5 %), hospitalizations (5.5 % vs. 10.7 %), cardioversions (6.6 % vs. 12.7 %), and ablation procedures (5.3 % vs. 8.6 %) were significantly increased among obese patients.

Delirium and Behavioral Symptoms in Persons With Dementia at Hospital Admission: Mediating Factors.

BACKGROUND: Hospitalized persons with dementia are at risk of delirium with behavioral symptoms, predisposing them to a higher rate of complications and caregiver distress. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between delirium severity in patients with dementia upon admission to the hospital and the manifestation of behavioral symptoms, and to evaluate the mediating effects of cognitive and physical function, pain, medications, and restraints. METHODS: This descriptive study used baseline data from 455 older adults with dementia enrolled in a cluster randomized clinical trial that tested the efficacy of family centered function-focused care. Mediation analyses were conducted to determine the indirect effect of cognitive and physical function, pain, medications (antipsychotics, anxiolytics, sedative/hypnotics, narcotics, and number of medications), and restraints on behavioral symptoms, controlling for age, sex, race, and educational level. RESULTS: The majority of the 455 participants were female (59.1%), had an average age of 81.5 (SD=8.4), were either white (63.7%) or black (36.3%), and demonstrated one or more behavioral symptoms (93%) and delirium (60%). Hypotheses were partially supported in that physical function, cognitive function, and antipsychotic medication partially mediated the relationship between delirium severity and behavioral symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study provides preliminary evidence identifying antipsychotic use, low physical function, and significant cognitive impairment as specific targets for clinical intervention and quality improvement in patients with delirium superimposed on dementia at hospital admission.

Those with hemophilia or von Willebrand disease do not have increased perioperative complications following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: Results of a case-control large-database study.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of information on anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction outcomes and complications for patients with congenital hypocoagulable conditions. The specific aim of this retrospective study was to report operative outcomes and complications for patients with congenital hypocoagulable disorders who underwent ACL reconstruction. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent an ACL reconstruction within Truven MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounter Database from 2010 to 2014. Hemophilia A, hemophilia B and patients were identified. Patient demographics, cost of surgery, blood product use, concomitant injuries, repeat ACL injury, complications and various operative variables were collected. Statistical tests were conducted on SAS 9.4 2013. RESULTS: Thirty-three hemophilia A, three hemophilia B, 63 von Willebrand factor patients, and 103,478 controls underwent ACL reconstruction. There is a statistically significant difference for hemarthrosis 1 year leading up to injury for hemophilia A compared with control (P = 0.0083). Total healthcare utilization 90 days after surgery was statistically significant for hemophilia A ($30,310 ± 52,745, P < 0.001) and von Willebrand factor ($20,355 ± 23,570, P < 0.001) compared with control ($14,564 ± 9512). Length of hospital stay, postoperative hemorrhage, concomitant injuries to the knee, additional ACL injury, infection rate, deep-vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism were not statistically significant. None of the hemophilia A or von Willebrand factor patients received blood products intraoperatively or postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Hemophilia A and von Willebrand factor patients had rates of postoperative complications and ACL re-injuries that were not statistically significant. Cost of healthcare utilization was identified as dramatically greater for hemophilia A and von Willebrand factor patients.

Risk Factors for Emergency Department Utilization Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This study reaffirms our previous work documenting a higher number of Emergency Department (ED) visits by adolescent females with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as compared to adolescent males with ASD, as well as significantly more ED visits by older adolescents than younger adolescents with ASD. Combined externalizing and internalizing psychiatric co-morbidities as well as internalizing conditions alone predict a higher number of ED visits in this study. Illness severity as demonstrated by patterns of visits to primary care physicians and psychiatric referrals prior to ED visits and the prescription of two or more classes of psychotropic medications also predict higher number of ED visits. Finally, as expected, previous ED visits predict future ED visits. The identification of these factors may prove helpful in determining adequacy of current supports and resources for teens with ASD navigating the challenges of adolescence.

A Commercial Insurance Claims Analysis of Correlates of Behavioral Therapy Use Among Children With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined factors associated with uptake of behavioral therapy among children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Insurance claims data from 2008-2014 (MarketScan) were reviewed to examine associations between behavioral therapy use and demographic, patient, family, and provider factors. The association between ADHD medication use and future uptake of behavioral therapy was examined with logistic regression adjusted for covariates found to affect behavioral therapy use. RESULTS: Among 827,396 youths with ADHD, under 50% received any billable behavioral therapy services over the 7 years. ADHD severity, gender, region of residence, assessment year, comorbid behavioral disorders, and behavioral therapy use by siblings were significantly associated with behavioral therapy use (p<0.001). Parent psychopathology and sibling medication use was not. Children prescribed ADHD medication were 2.5 times less likely than those not prescribed medication to use behavioral therapy, even after adjustment for severity of behavioral health symptoms and other covariates (odds ratio [OR]= 0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]=.40-.41, p<0.001). Effects of medication use were stronger for future uptake of behavioral therapy (OR=0.25, 95% CI =0.24-0.25, p<.001). The impact of medication use on behavioral therapy use was equally strong for children under age 6 and for older children and did not weaken after release of 2011 guidelines recommending behavioral therapy as the initial ADHD treatment for young children. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple systems, family, patient and provider factors affected behavioral therapy uptake. ADHD medication was a robust and potentially modifiable factor. It may be advisable to engage families in behavioral therapy prior to initiation of ADHD medication.

Comparing the Costs and Acceptability of Three Fidelity Assessment Methods for Assertive Community Treatment.

Successful implementation of evidence-based practices requires valid, yet practical fidelity monitoring. This study compared the costs and acceptability of three fidelity assessment methods: on-site, phone, and expert-scored self-report. Thirty-two randomly selected VA mental health intensive case management teams completed all fidelity assessments using a standardized scale and provided feedback on each. Personnel and travel costs across the three methods were compared for statistical differences. Both phone and expert-scored self-report methods demonstrated significantly lower costs than on-site assessments, even when excluding travel costs. However, participants preferred on-site assessments. Remote fidelity assessments hold promise in monitoring large scale program fidelity with limited resources.

Independent of Cirrhosis, Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk Is Increased with Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary liver malignancy, commonly a sequelae of hepatitis C infection, but can complicate cirrhosis of any cause. Whether metabolic syndrome and its components, type II diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma independent of cirrhosis is unknown. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the MarketScan insurance claims database from 2008-2012. Individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma aged 19-64 years and age and sex-matched controls were included. Multivariate analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma risk factors was performed. RESULTS: Hepatitis C (odds ratio [OR] 2.102) was the largest risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma. Other independent risk factors were type II diabetes (OR 1.353) and hypertension (OR 1.229). Hyperlipidemia was protective against hepatocellular carcinoma (OR 0.885). The largest risk increase occurred with hypertension with type II diabetes and hepatitis C (OR 4.580), although hypertension and type II diabetes without hepatitis C still incurred additional risk (OR 3.399). Type II diabetes and hyperlipidemia had a similar risk if hepatitis C was present (OR 2.319) or not (OR 2.395). Metformin (OR 0.706) and cholesterol medications (OR 0.645) were protective in diabetics. Insulin (OR 1.640) increased the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma compared with the general type II diabetes population. CONCLUSION: In the absence of cirrhosis, type II diabetes and hypertension were independent risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma. Hyperlipidemia and medical management of type II diabetes with metformin and cholesterol medication appeared to reduce the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma. In contrast, insulin was associated with a higher risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Comparison of Assertive Community Treatment Fidelity Assessment Methods: Reliability and Validity.

Assertive community treatment is known for improving consumer outcomes, but is difficult to implement. On-site fidelity measurement can help ensure model adherence, but is costly in large systems. This study compared reliability and validity of three methods of fidelity assessment (on-site, phone-administered, and expert-scored self-report) using a stratified random sample of 32 mental health intensive case management teams from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Overall, phone, and to a lesser extent, expert-scored self-report fidelity assessments compared favorably to on-site methods in inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity. If used appropriately, these alternative protocols hold promise in monitoring large-scale program fidelity with limited resources.

Study protocol for the recreational stimulation for elders as a vehicle to resolve delirium superimposed on dementia (Reserve For DSD) trial.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a state of confusion characterized by an acute and fluctuating decline in cognitive functioning. Delirium is common and deadly in older adults with dementia, and is often referred to as delirium superimposed on dementia, or DSD. Interventions that treat DSD are not well-developed because the mechanisms involved in its etiology are not completely understood. We have developed a theory-based intervention for DSD that is derived from the literature on cognitive reserve and based on our prior interdisciplinary work on delirium, recreational activities, and cognitive stimulation in people with dementia. Our preliminary work indicate that use of simple, cognitively stimulating activities may help resolve delirium by helping to focus inattention, the primary neuropsychological deficit in delirium. Our primary aim in this trial is to test the efficacy of Recreational Stimulation for Elders as a Vehicle to resolve DSD (RESERVE- DSD). METHODS/DESIGN: This randomized repeated measures clinical trial will involve participants being recruited and enrolled at the time of admission to post acute care. We will randomize 256 subjects to intervention (RESERVE-DSD) or control (usual care). Intervention subjects will receive 30-minute sessions of tailored cognitively stimulating recreational activities for up to 30 days. We hypothesize that subjects who receive RESERVE-DSD will have: decreased severity and duration of delirium; greater gains in attention, orientation, memory, abstract thinking, and executive functioning; and greater gains in physical function compared to subjects with DSD who receive usual care. We will also evaluate potential moderators of intervention efficacy (lifetime of complex mental activities and APOE status). Our secondary aim is to describe the costs associated with RESERVE-DSD. DISCUSSION: Our theory-based intervention, which uses simple, inexpensive recreational activities for delivering cognitive stimulation, is innovative because, to our knowledge it has not been tested as a treatment for DSD. This novel intervention for DSD builds on our prior delirium, recreational activity and cognitive stimulation research, and draws support from cognitive reserve theory. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01267682

Measuring quality of pharmacotherapy for depression in a national health care system.

OBJECTIVES: This article examines the use of antidepressant medication in the treatment of major depression in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) during the 2001 fiscal year and considers the relationship of patient, drug, provider, and facility to adherence to medication treatment guidelines. METHODS: Prescription drug records for all VA outpatients diagnosed with major depression (International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, code 296.2 or 296.3) were collected for October 2000 through September 2001. Indicators were constructed that noted whether patients newly treated with antidepressants (i.e., with no prescription in the previous 8 weeks) received at least 180 days (continuation phase) of antidepressant drug treatment (84- and 140-day measures were also considered). Logistic regression with and without center fixed effects and generalized estimation equations were used to identify patient, drug, and facility characteristics that were associated with these treatment quality indicators. RESULTS: Of the 27,713 patients in the final sample, 54% received at least 181 days of treatment. This is higher than recent rates reported by Health Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) for the general population, although our measures and those used by HEDIS are not exactly the same. Women, married patients, older patients, and whites were more likely than others to have higher-quality antidepressant drug treatment. Contrary to previous research, we find few significant differences among specific antidepressant agents prescribed in this large sample. Comorbid substance abuse was associated with fewer days of treatment, whereas other psychiatric comorbidities increased the length of treatment. We found few differences resulting from provider type. Although significant differences among facilities were found in the unadjusted rates (similar to those used by HEDIS), these diminished greatly after controlling for relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS: In the nation's largest mental health system, quality of pharmacotherapy for depression, at least by one standard measure, is relatively good. We found the specific antidepressant drug used has little impact on quality. In considering differences among facilities, we found that it is critical to control for relevant patient characteristics.