Patient motivators of postoperative electronic patient-reported outcome symptom monitoring use in thoracic surgery patients: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) systems can be used to engage patients in remote symptom monitoring to support postoperative care. We interviewed thoracic surgery patients with ePRO experience to identify factors that influenced use of ePROs to report their symptoms post-discharge. METHOD: This qualitative study used semi-structured telephone interviews with adults who underwent major thoracic surgery at an academic medical center in North Carolina. Individuals who enrolled in symptom monitoring, completed at least one ePRO survey, and were reachable by phone for the interview were included. The ePRO surveys assessed 10 symptoms, including validated Patient-Reported Outcome Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE) measures and thoracic surgery-specific questions. Surveys, offered via web-based and automated telephone options, were administered for four weeks post-discharge with alerts sent to clinicians for concerning symptoms. The interviews were guided by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation model for behavior change (COM-B) and examined factors that influenced patients' completion of ePRO surveys post-discharge. Team members independently coded interviews and identified themes, informed by COM-B. We report descriptive statistics (demographics, number of surveys completed) and themes organized by COM-B components. RESULTS: Of 28 patients invited, 25 (89%) completed interviews from July to October 2022. Participants were a median 58 years, 56% female, 80% White, and 56% had a history of malignancy. They completed 131/150 (87%) possible ePRO surveys. For capability, participants reported building ePROs into their routine and having the skills and knowledge, but lacking physical and emotional energy, to complete ePROs. For opportunity, participants identified the ease and convenience of accessing ePROs and providers' validation of ePROs. Motivators were perceived benefits of a deepening connection to their clinical team, improved symptom management for themselves and others, and self-reflection about their recovery. Factors limiting motivation included lack of clarity about the purpose of ePROs and a disconnect between symptom items and individual recovery experience. CONCLUSIONS: Patients described being motivated to complete ePROs when reinforced by clinicians and considered ePROs as valuable to their post-discharge experience. Future work should enhance ePRO patient education, improve provider alerts and communications about ePROs, and integrate options to capture patients' complex health journeys.

People who undergo thoracic surgery often experience pain and other symptoms while recovering at home. These symptoms can be severe and may reduce overall quality of life and potentially result in some patients returning to the hospital for future treatment. Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes can be used as a method for having patients regularly track and report any symptoms they experience while at home, and how severe those symptoms are, using digital technology such as an online survey or automated phone survey. Surgical care team members may then follow up with patients about their symptoms. More information was needed about the patient experience with completing these surveys about their symptoms. In this study, we interviewed patients who had completed Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes after thoracic surgery to understand what may (or may not) have impelled them to participate and to learn how to improve the use of these surveys for patients. This study found that patients generally felt they were able to complete the symptom surveys. Key motivators included feeling more connected to their surgeon by completing the symptom surveys and having the opportunity to reflect on how their recovery was going at home. However, patients also discussed not having a clear understanding of the purpose of the symptom surveys and how their responses might affect their care. The study findings highlight the need for improved patient education and indicate that improvements to the survey questions and to how surgeons review patients' responses may be needed.

Clinical Decision Support for Surgery: A Mixed Methods Study on Design and Implementation Perspectives From Urologists.

OBJECTIVE: To assess urologist attitudes toward clinical decision support (CDS) embedded into the electronic health record (EHR) and define design needs to facilitate implementation and impact. With recent advances in big data and artificial intelligence (AI), enthusiasm for personalized, data-driven tools to improve surgical decision-making has grown, but the impact of current tools remains limited. METHODS: A sequential explanatory mixed methods study from 2019 to 2020 was performed. First, survey responses from the 2019 American Urological Association Annual Census evaluated attitudes toward an automatic CDS tool that would display risk/benefit data. This was followed by the purposeful sampling of 25 urologists and qualitative interviews assessing perspectives on CDS impact and design needs. Bivariable, multivariable, and coding-based thematic analysis were applied and integrated. RESULTS: Among a weighted sample of 12,366 practicing urologists, the majority agreed CDS would help decision-making (70.9%, 95% CI 68.7%-73.2%), aid patient counseling (78.5%, 95% CI 76.5%-80.5%), save time (58.1%, 95% CI 55.7%-60.5%), and improve patient outcomes (42.9%, 95% CI 40.5%-45.4%). More years in practice was negatively associated with agreement (P <.001). Urologists described how CDS could bolster evidence-based care, personalized medicine, resource utilization, and patient experience. They also identified multiple implementation barriers and provided suggestions on form, functionality, and visual design to improve usefulness and ease of use. CONCLUSION: Urologists have favorable attitudes toward the potential for clinical decision support in the EHR. Smart design will be critical to ensure effective implementation and impact.

Adolescent and caregiver perceptions of addressing mental health in inflammatory bowel disease.

Adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at an increased risk of anxiety and depression compared to peers, but availability of mental health services in IBD clinics does not meet patients' needs, and use of primary care services for mental health screening and care is low. This study provides qualitative data regarding adolescent and caregiver perspectives on addressing mental health in IBD. Interviews were conducted with adolescents with IBD and caregivers of adolescents with IBD. Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed for prominent themes. Thirteen adolescents and fourteen caregivers were interviewed. Three primary themes emerged: mental health stigma makes discussing it more difficult, physician-adolescent trust makes conversations about mental health easier, and asking about mental health directly can help adolescents feel comfortable. Adolescents and caregivers highlighted the importance of considering each patient and their family individually when choosing how to discuss mental health. Fostering trust with adolescents with IBD is vital to addressing mental health. While encouraging standardized screening is important, the most patient-centered approach to mental health involves considering families individually to identify and address mental health challenges. Given the increased risk of anxiety and depression in pediatric patients with IBD, all providers encountering these patients should be equipped to discuss mental health non-judgmentally.

Benefits, Challenges, and Opportunities in Addressing Medicaid Beneficiaries' Non-Medical Risks to Health: A Qualitative Analysis.

CONTEXT: North Carolina's Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOP) is a Medicaid 1115 Waiver program that seeks to address nonmedical risks to health for Medicaid beneficiaries through multisector collaboration. Among other stakeholders, HOP involves collaboration between human services organizations that deliver interventions, network leads, which establish and oversee the human services organizations within a region of the state. OBJECTIVE: To understand how employees at human services organizations and network leads prepared to deliver HOP services. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews. Interviews were conducted between April and June 2022. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded thematically, and analyzed using a conceptual model derived from the consolidated framework for implementation research. SETTING: Organizations within North Carolina counties participating in HOP. PARTICIPANTS: Employees of human services and network lead organizations across all 3 HOP regions of North Carolina. RESULTS: The researchers interviewed 37 participants. Overall, organizations experienced benefits from HOP participation, including capacity-building resources, flexibility in allocating resources, and creating community-wide enthusiasm for addressing nonmedical risks to health. There were also key challenges. These included the time needed to build capacity, adjustments to the work processes and regulations inherent to multisector collaboration, geographic variation in availability of services to offer, and the difficulty of addressing different needs. Finally, participants recognized substantial opportunities that HOP presented, including membership in a more extensive network, exposure to a learning community, and a more sustainable funding source. CONCLUSIONS: The perspectives of individuals preparing to deliver HOP services offer important lessons for those developing and implementing large-scale programs that can address nonmedical threats to health.

Perceived vs Actual Shared Decision-Making Behavior Among Urologists: A Convergent, Parallel, Mixed-Methods Study of Self-Reported Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between self-perceived use of shared decision-making among urologists with use of validated prediction tools and self-described surgical decision-making. METHODS: This is a convergent mixed methods study of these parallel data from two modules (Shared Decision Making and Validated Prediction tools) within the 2019 American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Census. The shared decision-making (SDM) module queried aspects of SDM that urologists regularly used. The validated prediction tools module queried whether urologists regularly used, trusted, and found prediction tools helpful. Selected respondents to the 2019 AUA Annual Census underwent qualitative interviews on their surgical decision-making. RESULTS: In the weight sampled of 12,312 practicing urologists, most (77%) reported routine use of SDM, whereas only 30% noted regular use of validated prediction tools. On multivariable analysis, users of prediction tools were not associated with regular SDM use (31% vs 28%, P = .006) though was associated with use of decision aids f (32% vs 26%, P < .001). Shared decision-making emerged thematically with respect to matching treatment options, prioritizing goals, and navigating challenging decisions. However, the six specific components of shared decision-making ranged in their mentions within qualitative interviews. CONCLUSION: Most urologists report performing SDM as supported by its thematic presence in surgical decision-making. However, only a minority use validated prediction tools and urologists infrequently mention specific SDM components. This discrepancy provides an opportunity to explore how urologists perform SDM and can be used to support integrated strategies to implement SDM more effectively in clinical practice.

A Cost Analysis of Rethink the Strip: De-implementing a Low-value Practice in Primary Care.

BACKGROUND: Routine self-monitoring of blood glucose is a low-value practice that provides limited benefit for patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus. OBJECTIVES: We estimated the costs of Rethink the Strip (RTS), a multistrategy approach to the de-implementation of self-monitoring of blood glucose in primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN: RTS was conducted among 20 primary care clinics in North Carolina. We estimated the non-site-based and site-based costs of the 5 RTS strategies (practice facilitation, audit and feedback, provider champions, educational meetings, and educational materials) from the analytic perspective of an integrated health care system for 12 and 27-month time horizons. Material costs were tracked through project records, and personnel costs were assessed using activity-based costing. We used nationally based wage estimates. RESULTS: Total RTS costs equaled $68,941 for 12 months. Specifically, non-site-based costs comprised $16,560. Most non-site-based costs ($11,822) were from the foundational programming and coding updates to the electronic health record data to develop the audit and feedback reports. The non-site-based costs of educational meetings, practice facilitation, and educational materials were substantially lower, ranging between ~$400 and $1000. Total 12-month site-based costs equaled $2569 for a single clinic (or $52,381 for 20 clinics). Educational meetings were the most expensive strategy, averaging $1401 per clinic. The site-based costs for the 4 other implementation strategies were markedly lower, ranging between $51 for educational materials and $555 for practice facilitation per clinic. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides detailed cost information for implementation strategies used to support evidence-based programs in primary care clinics.

Electronic Health Record Use and Perceptions among Urologic Surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: Electronic health records (EHRs) have become widely adopted with increasing emphasis on improving care delivery. Improvements in surgery may be limited by specialty-specific issues that impact EHR usability and engagement. Accordingly, we examined EHR use and perceptions in urology, a diverse surgical specialty. METHODS: We conducted a national, sequential explanatory mixed methods study. Through the 2019 American Urological Association Census, we surveyed urologic surgeons on EHR use and perceptions and then identified associated characteristics through bivariable and multivariable analyses. Using purposeful sampling, we interviewed 25 urologists and applied coding-based thematic analysis, which was then integrated with survey findings. RESULTS: Among 2,159 practicing urologic surgeons, 2,081 (96.4%) reported using an EHR. In the weighted sample (n = 12,366), over 90% used the EHR for charting, viewing results, and order entry with most using information exchange functions (59.0-79.6%). In contrast, only 35.8% felt the EHR increases clinical efficiency, whereas 43.1% agreed it improves patient care, which related thematically to information management, administrative burden, patient safety, and patient-surgeon interaction. Quantitatively and qualitatively, use and perceptions differed by years in practice and practice type with more use and better perceptions among more recent entrants into the urologic workforce and those in academic/multispecialty practices, who may have earlier EHR exposure, better infrastructure, and more support. CONCLUSION: Despite wide and substantive usage, EHRs engender mixed feelings, especially among longer-practicing surgeons and those in lower-resourced settings (e.g., smaller and private practices). Beyond reducing administrative burden and simplifying information management, efforts to improve care delivery through the EHR should focus on surgeon engagement, particularly in the community, to boost implementation and user experience.

"It Has a Lot to Do With the Cumbersome Paperwork": Barriers and Facilitators of Center-Based Early Care and Education Program Participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

BACKGROUND: The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally regulated feeding program that reimburses early care and education (ECE) programs for providing nutritious meals to low-income children. Participation in CACFP is voluntary and varies widely across states. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed barriers and facilitators of center-based ECE program participation in CACFP and identified potential strategies to promote the participation of eligible programs. DESIGN: This was a multimethod (eg, interviews, surveys, and document reviews) descriptive study. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Participants included stakeholders from 22 national and state agencies that work with ECE programs to promote CACFP, nutrition, and quality care; representatives of 17 sponsor organizations; and 140 center-based ECE program directors from Arizona, North Carolina, New York, and Texas. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Barriers, facilitators, and recommended strategies to promote CACFP that emerged from interviews were summarized with relevant illustrative quotes. Survey data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages. RESULTS: Key barriers to center-based ECE program participation in CACFP shared by participants included the cumbersome CACFP paperwork, difficulty meeting eligibility requirements, strict meal patterns, difficulties with meal counts, penalties for noncompliance, low reimbursements, inadequate ECE staff to assist with paperwork, and limited trainings. Facilitators to participation included supports provided by stakeholders and sponsors through outreach, technical assistance, and nutrition education. Potential strategies recommended to promote CACFP participation would require policy change (eg, streamlining paperwork, modifying eligibility requirements, and leniency toward noncompliance) and systems-level change (eg, more outreach and technical assistance) by stakeholders and sponsor organizations. CONCLUSIONS: Stakeholder agencies recognized the need to prioritize CACFP participation and highlighted ongoing efforts. Policy changes are needed at the national and state levels to address barriers and ensure consistent CACFP practices among stakeholders, sponsors, and ECE programs.

Prioritizing rural populations in state comprehensive cancer control plans: a qualitative assessment.

PURPOSE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) requires that states develop comprehensive cancer control (CCC) plans and recommends that disparities related to rural residence are addressed in these plans. The objective of this study was to explore rural partner engagement and describe effective strategies for incorporating a rural focus in CCC plans. METHODS: States were selected for inclusion using stratified sampling based on state rurality and region. State cancer control leaders were interviewed about facilitators and barriers to engaging rural partners and strategies for prioritizing rural populations. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes across states. RESULTS: Interviews (n = 30) revealed themes in three domains related to rural inclusion in CCC plans. The first domain (barriers) included (1) designing CCC plans to be broad, (2) defining "rural populations," and (3) geographic distance. The second domain (successful strategies) included (1) collaborating with rural healthcare systems, (2) recruiting rural constituents, (3) leveraging rural community-academic partnerships, and (4) working jointly with Native nations. The third domain (strategies for future plan development) included (1) building relationships with rural communities, (2) engaging rural constituents in planning, (3) developing a better understanding of rural needs, and (4) considering resources for addressing rural disparities. CONCLUSION: Significant relationship building with rural communities, resource provision, and successful strategies used by others may improve inclusion of rural needs in state comprehensive cancer control plans and ultimately help plan developers directly address rural cancer health disparities.

Barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to promote healthy weight behaviors among preschool-aged children in two rural U.S communities.

BACKGROUND: Obesity levels are higher in rural versus urban children. Multi-level community-based interventions can be effective in promoting healthy child weight, but few of such interventions have focused on rural children. This formative study assessed barriers, facilitators, and opportunities to promote healthy child weight in two rural communities. METHODS: Multiple data collection methods were used concurrently in two rural communities in Indiana and North Carolina. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with participants, including parents of children aged 2-5 years (n = 41), childcare providers (n = 13), and stakeholders from 23 community organizations. Observational audits were conducted at 19 food outlets (grocery stores) and 50 publicly-accessible physical activity resources. Focus groups/interviews were analyzed thematically. Surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test, and t-tests. RESULTS: Family level barriers included limited financial resources and competing priorities, whereas parental role-modeling was perceived as a facilitator of healthy weight behaviors. At the organizational level, childcare providers and community stakeholders cited limited funding and poor parental engagement in health promotion programs as barriers. Childcare providers explained that they were required to comply with strict nutrition and physical activity guidelines, but expressed concerns that similar messages were not reinforced at home. Facilitators at the organizational level included healthy meals provided at no cost at childcare programs, and health promotion programs offered through community organizations. At the community level, lack of public transportation, and limited access to healthy food outlets and physical activity-promoting resources posed barriers, whereas existing physical activity resources (e.g., parks) and some ongoing investment to improve physical activity resources in the community were assets. In designing/implementing a potential child obesity prevention intervention, participants discussed the need to garner community trust, emphasize wellness instead of obesity prevention, establish community partnerships, and leverage existing community resources. CONCLUSIONS: Rural areas experience multiple challenges that make it difficult for children/families to engage in healthy weight behaviors. This study highlights several assets (existing programs/resources, expertise within communities) that can be leveraged as facilitators. Findings will guide the study team in developing a child obesity prevention intervention for the two rural communities.

Protocol for a study on Sitting with Interruption and Whole-Body Cardiovascular Health (SWITCH) in middle-aged adults.

BACKGROUND: Sedentary behavior (SB) is a biologically distinct yet understudied cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) factor. However, specific public health policy regarding the optimal strategy for SB interruption is unavailable. This paper outlines the protocol for part I of the Sitting with Interruption and Whole-Body Cardiovascular Health (SWITCH) study, including the rationale, objectives, methodology, and next steps. We additionally detail practical considerations that went into the development of the NIH R01 grant supporting this research. METHODS: Healthy men and women (n = 56, aged 36-55) who are inactive (<90 min/wk. of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activities for past 3 months) and sedentary (sitting for >8 h/day), will be recruited for this randomized crossover trial. Specifically, participants will complete the following 4-h conditions: (i) SB with once/h 5 min walk break; (ii) SB with once/h 15 min stand break; (iii) SB with twice/h breaks (alternating 5 min walk and 15 min stand); and (iv) SB with no breaks (i.e., control). Focus group discussions will refine our socioecological SB reduction model. RESULTS: The primary outcome will be change in aortic arterial stiffness (i.e., pulse wave velocity; PWV, m/s) for each substitution strategy relative to the control (SB with no breaks) condition. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes from this study will facilitate the design of a subsequent randomized controlled trial to test a mechanism-informed, feasible SB-reduction intervention and support the development of SB policy.

Patient and Provider Perception of Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor vs Chemoablation for Nonmuscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Treatment.

PURPOSE: The aim of this mixed methods study was to investigate patient and provider perceptions of repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumors to improve counseling as new nonsurgical treatment modalities for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer emerge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative data were collected via a web-based survey through the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network of patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer who had undergone at least 1 transurethral resection of bladder tumor. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate associations of patient demographics and clinical variables with treatment preference. Qualitative data were collected with 60 in-depth telephone interviews with patients (n=40) and urologists (n=20) to understand experiences with bladder cancer and transurethral resection of bladder tumor. Telephone interviews were conducted by trained qualitative experts. Transcripts were imported into Dedoose to facilitate analysis. RESULTS: Survey data of 352 patients showed 210 respondents (60%) preferred repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumor while 142 (40%) preferred intravesical chemoablation. Patients who preferred repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumor were more likely to prioritize initial treatment effectiveness (63%), whereas those who preferred chemoablation prioritized risk of recurrence (55%). Variables associated with a preference for intravesical chemoablation included U.S. residence (OR=2; 95% CI 1.1, 3.8), or if they expressed their reason for treatment preference as priority of recurrence risk over effectiveness (OR=14.6; 95% CI 7.4, 28.5). Predominant interview themes varied across participants, with patients but not urologists emphasizing the emotional toll of the procedure along with the need for improved counseling regarding recurrence, terminology, and cancer-related signs and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Differences exist in the way patients and urologists perceive repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumor for bladder cancer. Understanding transurethral resection of bladder tumor perception will aid in shared decision making as novel treatments emerge for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Financial navigation: Staff perspectives on patients' financial burden of cancer care.

PURPOSE: To describe perceptions of financial navigation staff concerning patients' cancer-related financial burden. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used a semi-structured interview guide to examine perceptions of financial navigation staff concerning patients' cancer-related financial burden. Staff who provided financial navigation support services to cancer patients were interviewed from different types of cancer programs across seven states representing rural, micropolitan, and urban settings. Interviews lasted approximately one hour, were audio recorded, and transcribed. Transcripts were double coded for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-five staff from 29 cancer centers were interviewed. The first theme involved communication issues related to patient and financial navigation staff expectations, timing and the sensitive nature of financial discussions. The second theme involved the multi-faceted impact of financial burden on patients, including stress, difficulty adhering to treatments, and challenges meeting basic, non-medical needs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Cancer-related financial burden has a profound impact on cancer survivors' health and non-health outcomes. Discussions regarding cancer-related costs between cancer survivors and healthcare team members could help to normalize conversations and mitigate the multi-faceted determinants and effects of cancer-related financial burden. As treatment may span months and years and unexpected costs arise, having this discussion regularly and systematically is needed.

Community Engagement in Implementation Science: the Impact of Community Engagement Activities in the DECIPHeR Alliance.

Background: The translation of evidence-based interventions into practice settings remains challenging. Implementation science aims to bridge the evidence-to-practice gap by understanding multilevel contexts and tailoring evidence-based interventions accordingly. Engaging community partners who possess timely, local knowledge is crucial for this process to be successful. The Disparities Elimination through Coordinated Interventions to Prevent and Control Heart and Lung Disease Risk (DECIPHeR) Alliance aims to address cardiopulmonary health disparities by engaging diverse community partners to improve the implementation of evidence-based interventions. The goal of the Community Engagement Subcommittee is to strengthen community engagement practice across DECIPHeR. This paper presents the subcommittee's "Why We Engage Communities" statement that outlines why community engagement is critical for implementation science. The paper also provides case examples of DECIPHeR community engagement activities. Methods: To develop the "Why We Engage Communities" statement, we conducted a literature review, surveyed subcommittee members to assess the importance of community engagement in their work, and integrated community partner feedback. We synthesize the findings into three key themes and present examples of community engagement activities and their impact across DECIPHeR projects. Results: The statement presents three themes that illustrate why community engagement increases the impact of implementation and health equity research. Community engagement (1) engages local knowledge and expertise, (2) promotes authentic relationships, and (3) builds community and researcher capacity. The statement provides a guiding framework for strengthening DECIPHeR research and enhancing community partnerships. Conclusion: Community engagement can improve the implementation of evidence-based interventions across diverse settings, improving intervention effectiveness in underserved communities and furthering health equity.

Experiences pertaining to child nutrition and care provision among early care and education stakeholders, sponsors, and center directors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multi-method study.

Purpose: This study used multiple methods (interviews, survey) to assess experiences of stakeholders, sponsors, and center-based early care and education (ECE) program directors pertaining to child nutrition (e.g., provision of nutritious foods, mealtime practices, CACFP administration/use) and the provision of child-care (i.e., day-to-day ECE operations and programming) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Participants included stakeholders from 22 national and state agencies associated with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) who also work to promote nutrition and quality child-care, representatives of 17 CACFP sponsor organizations, and 40 center-based ECE program directors who participated in interviews, as well as 100 ECE directors who completed surveys. Data were collected across four states. Thematic analyses of interviews and descriptive methods were used to analyze data collected. Results: Six main themes emerged from stakeholders, sponsors, and ECE program directors' focusing on: experiences during the temporary closure of several ECE programs; additional responsibilities and unanticipated expenses for ECE programs; difficulty in keeping up with constantly changing COVID-19 guidance; encounters during shifts from in-person to virtual training and monitoring; changes to nutrition practices at ECE; and the need to prioritize ECE funding. Conclusions: Findings highlight challenges and supports to ECE programs and could inform future efforts to enhance child-care quality and child nutrition in the U.S. during pandemic situations.

Facilitators and barriers to family child care home participation in the U.S. Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

This paper describes facilitators, barriers, and potential strategies to promote participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) by family child care homes (FCCHs). This descriptive study occurred from January-May 2022 in Arizona and New York, two states with varying levels of CACFP participation. Stakeholders from three state-level CACFP-administering agencies, representatives of six sponsor organizations, and 23 FCCH providers (70% CACFP, 30% non-CACFP) participated in interviews. Facilitators of CACFP participation included the simple enrollment, technical assistance from sponsors, software provided by sponsors, and incentives from state agencies. Barriers included perceptions that CACFP paperwork would be burdensome, lack of access to sponsors, and challenges with meal pattern requirements. Recommended strategies to promote CACFP uptake included educating providers about CACFP, expanding outreach, and additional funding. Efforts to address state-level disparities in FCCH participation in CACFP are needed. This study provides some insight into policy and systems changes that could be beneficial.

When Less Is More: Identifying Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Engaging in Unnecessary Blood Glucose Monitoring.

This study examined whether certain patient characteristics are associated with the prescribing of self-monitoring of blood glucose for patients with type 2 diabetes who are not using insulin and have well-controlled blood glucose. Against recommendations, one-third of the patient sample from a large health network in North Carolina (N = 9,338) received a prescription for testing supplies (i.e., strips or lancets) within the prior 18 months. Women, African Americans, individuals prescribed an oral medication, nonsmokers, and those who were underweight or normal weight all had greater odds of receiving such a prescription. These results indicate that providers may have prescribing tendencies that are potentially biased against more vulnerable patient groups and contrary to guidelines.

Unique Care Needs of People with Dementia and Their Caregivers during Transitions from Skilled Nursing Facilities to Home and Assisted Living: A Qualitative Study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to describe unique care needs of people with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers during transitions from skilled nursing facilities (SNF) to home. DESIGN: A qualitative study using focus groups, semistructured interviews, and descriptive qualitative analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The study was set in one state, in 4 SNFs where staff had experience using a standardized transitional care protocol. The sample included 22 SNF staff, 4 home health nurses, 10 older adults with dementia, and their 10 family caregivers of whom 39 participated in focus groups and/or interviews. METHODS: Data collection included 4 focus groups with SNF staff and semistructured interviews with home health nurses, SNF staff, PWD, and their family caregivers. Standardized focus group and interview guides were used to elicit participant perceptions of transitional care. We used the framework analytic approach to qualitative analysis. A steering committee participated in interpretation of findings. RESULTS: Participants described 4 unique care needs: (1) PWD and caregivers may not be ready to fully engage in dementia care planning while in the SNF, (2) caregivers are not prepared to manage dementia symptoms at home, (3) SNF staff have difficulty connecting PWD and caregivers to community supports, and (4) caregivers receive little support to address their own needs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Based on findings, recommendations are offered for adapting transitional care to address the needs of PWD and their caregivers. Further research is needed (1) to confirm these findings in larger, more diverse samples and (2) to adapt and test interventions to support successful community discharge of PWD and their caregivers.