Circadian rhythms mediate malaria transmission potential.

Malaria transmission begins when infected female Anopheles mosquitos deposit Plasmodium parasites into the mammalian host's skin during a bloodmeal. The salivary gland-resident sporozoite parasites migrate to the bloodstream, subsequently invading and replicating within hepatocytes. As Anopheles mosquitos are more active at night, with a 24-hour rhythm, we investigated whether their salivary glands are under circadian control, anticipating bloodmeals and modulating sporozoite biology for host encounters. Here we show that approximately half of the mosquito salivary gland transcriptome, particularly genes essential for efficient bloodmeals such as anti-blood clotting factors, exhibits circadian rhythmic expression. Furthermore, we demonstrate that mosquitoes prefer to feed during nighttime, with the amount of blood ingested varying cyclically throughout the day. Notably, we show a substantial subset of the sporozoite transcriptome cycling throughout the day. These include genes involved in parasite motility, potentially modulating the ability to initiate infection at different times of day. Thus, although sporozoites are typically considered quiescent, our results demonstrate their transcriptional activity, revealing robust daily rhythms of gene expression. Our findings suggest a circadian evolutionary relationship between the vector, parasite and mammalian host that together modulate malaria transmission.

International Variation in Severe Exacerbation Rates in Patients With Severe Asthma.

BACKGROUND: Exacerbation frequency strongly influences treatment choices in patients with severe asthma. RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the extent of the variability of exacerbations rate across countries and its implications in disease management? STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrieved data from the International Severe Asthma Registry, an international observational cohort of patients with a clinical diagnosis of severe asthma. We identified patients ≥ 18 years of age who did not initiate any biologics prior to baseline visit. A severe exacerbation was defined as the use of oral corticosteroids for ≥ 3 days or asthma-related hospitalization/ED visit. A series of negative binomial models were applied to estimate country-specific severe exacerbation rates during 365 days of follow-up, starting from a naïve model with country as the only variable to an adjusted model with country as a random-effect term and patient and disease characteristics as independent variables. RESULTS: The final sample included 7,510 patients from 17 countries (56% from the United States), contributing to 1,939 severe exacerbations (0.27/person-year). There was large between-country variation in observed severe exacerbation rate (minimum, 0.04 [Argentina]; maximum, 0.88 [Saudi Arabia]; interquartile range, 0.13-0.54), which remained substantial after adjusting for patient characteristics and sampling variability (interquartile range, 0.16-0.39). INTERPRETATION: Individuals with similar patient characteristics but coming from different jurisdictions have varied severe exacerbation risks, even after controlling for patient and disease characteristics. This suggests unknown patient factors or system-level variations at play. Disease management guidelines should recognize such between-country variability. Risk prediction models that are calibrated for each jurisdiction will be needed to optimize treatment strategies.

The golden tickets: impact of preference signaling on obstetrics and gynecology residency applicants.

BACKGROUND: With the residency selection process becoming more competitive and programs receiving unprecedented numbers of applications, some specialties have introduced preference signaling in an attempt to help applicants target programs of interest. In the 2022-2023 application cycle, obstetrics and gynecology also introduced a 2-tiered system with a limited number of gold signals (n=3) and silver signals (n=15). OBJECTIVE: Given the novelty of preference signaling in the obstetrics and gynecology residency application process, this study aimed to (1) assess the effect of signals on interview offers and match and (2) discuss applicant attitudes toward this preference signaling system. STUDY DESIGN: This was a voluntary cross-sectional survey study conducted in April 2023 that was open to all fourth-year medical students who applied to an obstetrics and gynecology residency in the United States. Self-reported demographics, signaling, interview, and match data were collected. In addition, students were asked about attitudes toward signaling on a 5-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Of the 1507 applicants who entered an obstetrics and gynecology residency via match or Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program process, 969 (64.3%) completed the survey. Moreover, an additional 22 applicants who did not match responded to the survey. More respondents used all 3 gold tokens (98.3%) and all 15 silver tokens (94.3%). The mean number of applications sent was 74.3±35.1, and the mean number of interviews received per applicant was 12.8±6.6. The interviews or token yields were 64.0%±31.5% for gold tokens, 43.8%±23.1% for silver tokens, and 9.8%±10.0% for no token. Of the survey respondents, 340/951 (35.8%) matched to a gold token program, 338/951 (35.5%) matched to a silver token program, and 244/951 (25.7%) matched to a nontoken program. Furthermore, 499/951 applicants (52.5%) reported feeling slightly positive or very positive about signaling. CONCLUSION: Most obstetrics and gynecology applicants in this survey participated in preference signaling. Gold and silver tokens were associated with high ratios of interview invitations compared with no token. However, the overall number of applications did not decrease in the 2022-2023 cycle, and only half of survey respondents reported feeling positive about the signaling process. These results can inform program directors and students about application number and strategy in upcoming cycles.

Impact of pre-biologic impairment on meeting domain-specific biologic responder definitions in patients with severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: There is little agreement on clinically useful criteria for identifying real-world responders to biologic treatments for asthma. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of pre-biologic impairment on meeting domain-specific biologic responder definitions in adults with severe asthma. METHODS: This was a longitudinal, cohort study across 22 countries participating in the International Severe Asthma Registry (https://isaregistries.org/) between May 2017 and January 2023. Change in 4 asthma domains (exacerbation rate, asthma control, long-term oral corticosteroid [LTOCS] dose, and lung function) was assessed from biologic initiation to 1 year post-treatment (minimum 24 weeks). Pre- to post-biologic changes for responders and nonresponders were described along a categorical gradient for each domain derived from pre-biologic distributions (exacerbation rate: 0 to 6+/y; asthma control: well controlled to uncontrolled; LTOCS: 0 to >30 mg/d; percent-predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second [ppFEV1]: <50% to ≥80%). RESULTS: Percentage of biologic responders (ie, those with a category improvement pre- to post-biologic) varied by domain and increased with greater pre-biologic impairment, increasing from 70.2% to 90.0% for exacerbation rate, 46.3% to 52.3% for asthma control, 31.1% to 58.5% for LTOCS daily dose, and 35.8% to 50.6% for ppFEV1. The proportion of patients having improvement post-biologic tended to be greater for anti-IL-5/5R compared with for anti-IgE for exacerbation, asthma control, and ppFEV1 domains, irrespective of pre-biologic impairment. CONCLUSION: Our results provide realistic outcome-specific post-biologic expectations for both physicians and patients, will be foundational to inform future work on a multidimensional approach to define and assess biologic responders and response, and may enhance appropriate patient selection for biologic therapies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The ISAR database has ethical approval from the Anonymous Data Ethics Protocols and Transparency (ADEPT) committee (ADEPT0218) and is registered with the European Union Electronic Register of Post-Authorization studies (ENCEPP/DSPP/23720). The study was designed, implemented, and reported in compliance with the European Network Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (ENCEPP) Code of Conduct (EUPAS38288) and with all applicable local and international laws and regulation, and registered with ENCEPP (https://www.encepp.eu/encepp/viewResource.htm?id=38289). Governance was provided by ADEPT (registration number: ADEPT1220).

Peer learning is both preferable and less expensive than score-based peer review: Initial experience at a tertiary academic center.

PURPOSE: To examine radiologist experiences and perceptions during a transition from score-based peer review to a peer learning program, and to assess differences in time-cost efficiency between the two models of quality improvement. METHODS: Differences in Likert scale survey responses from radiologists (N = 27) in a multispecialty group at a single tertiary academic center before and following intervention were evaluated by Mann-Whitney U test. Multiple variable linear regression analysis assessed independent variables and program preference. RESULTS: All positive impacts rated significantly higher for the peer learning program. Workflow disruption for the peer learning program rated significantly lower. 70.4 % (19 of 27) preferred the new program, and 25.9 % (7 of 27) preferred the old program. Only the "worth investment" questionnaire score demonstrated a significant correlation to program preference and with an effect that was greatest among all variables (Beta = 1.11, p = 0.02). There was a significantly decreased amount of time per month used to complete peer learning exercises (0.76 ± 0.45 h, N = 27) versus peer review exercises (1.71 ± 1.84 h, N = 34, p = 0.011). The result was a difference of 0.95 ± 1.89 h/month (11.4 ± 22.7 h/year), translating to an estimated direct salary time-cost saving of $1653.68/year/radiologists and a direct productivity time-cost saving of $3469.39/year/radiologist when utilizing the peer learning program. CONCLUSIONS: There was a strongly positive perception of the new peer learning program. There was a substantial implied direct time-cost saving from the transition to the peer learning program. PRECIS: The peer learning model emphasizes learning from errors via feedback in a non-punitive environment. This model was positively perceived and demonstrated substantial implied direct time-cost saving.

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis-associated Pulmonary Fibrosis: Evolutional Changes and Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation.

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disease with frequently favorable outcomes. In a minority of patients with primary or secondary PAP, the disease course may be complicated by pulmonary fibrosis (PF) despite appropriate management. Imaging and histopathologic manifestations of uncomplicated PAP are well-known. In contrast, radiologic-pathologic descriptions of PAP-associated PF (PAP-PF) are limited. The current manuscript presents three cases of PAP-PF, each with serial high-resolution CT imaging demonstrating the longitudinal progression of this unusual complication, with concordant pathologic findings in two patients. Much remains to be known regarding adverse prognostic factors contributing to PAP-PF. Early recognition of radiologic-pathologic manifestations would allow timely diagnosis and management optimization. Keywords: CT, Lung, Inflammation, Pathology © RSNA, 2023.

Adult Severe Asthma Registries: A Global and Growing Inventory.

Aim: The International Severe Asthma Registry (ISAR; http://isaregistries.org/) uses standardised variables to enable multi-country and adequately powered research in severe asthma. This study aims to look at the data countries within ISAR and non-ISAR countries reported collecting that enable global research that support individual country interests. Methods: Registries were identified by online searches and approaching severe asthma experts. Participating registries provided data collection specifications or confirmed variables collected. Core variables (results from ISAR's Delphi study), steroid-related comorbidity variables, biologic safety variables (serious infection, anaphylaxis, and cancer), COVID-19 variables and additional variables (not belonging to the aforementioned categories) that registries reported collecting were summarised. Results: Of the 37 registries identified, 26 were ISAR affiliates and 11 non-ISAR affiliates. Twenty-five ISAR-registries and 4 non-ISAR registries reported collecting >90% of the 65 core variables. Twenty-three registries reported collecting all optional steroid-related comorbidity variables. Twenty-nine registries reported collecting all optional safety variables. Ten registries reported collecting COVID-19 variables. Twenty-four registries reported collecting additional variables including data from asthma questionnaires (10 Asthma Control Questionnaire, 20 Asthma Control Test, 11 Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, and 4 EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level Questionnaire). Eight registries are linked to databases such as electronic medical records and national claims or disease databases. Conclusion: Standardised data collection has enabled individual severe asthma registries to collect unified data and increase statistical power for severe asthma research irrespective of ISAR affiliations.

Sleep Apnea Prediction Using Deep Learning.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that causes partial or complete cessation of breathing during an individual's sleep. Various methods have been proposed to automatically detect OSA events, but little work has focused on predicting such events in advance, which is useful for the development of devices that regulate breathing during a patient's sleep. We propose four methods for sleep apnea prediction based on convolutional and long short-term memory neural networks (1D-CNN, ConvLSTM, 1D-CNN-LSTM and 2D-CNN-LSTM), which use raw data from three respiratory signals (nasal flow, abdominal and thoracic) sampled at 32 Hz, without any human-engineered features. We predict OSA (apnea or hypopnea) and normal breathing events 30 seconds ahead using the prior 90 seconds' data. Our results on a dataset containing over 46,000 examples from 1,507 subjects show that all four models achieved promising accuracy ( 81%). The 1D-CNN-LSTM and 2D-CNN-LSTM were the best two performing models with accuracy, sensitivity and specificity over 83%, 81% and 85% respectively. These results show that OSA events can be accurately predicted in advance based on respiratory signals, opening up opportunities for the development of devices to preemptively regulate the airflow to sleepers to avoid these events. Furthermore, we demonstrate good prediction performance even when respiratory signals are downsampled by a factor of 32, to 1 Hz, for which our proposed 1D-CNN-LSTM achieved 82.94% accuracy, 81.25% sensitivity and 84.63% specificity. This robustness to low sampling frequencies allows our algorithms to be implemented in devices with low storage capacity, making them suitable for at-home environments.

Does the Degree Matter? MD and DO Students Who Match Into OB/GYN Report Different Experiences in US Undergraduate Medical Education.

Background: Although allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) students have similar curricular requirements, little is known about differences in MD and DO preparedness for obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residency. Objective: To assess differences in experiences and confidence of MD vs DO students who matched to OB/GYN. Methods: This cross-sectional survey study was open to all fourth-year medical students who matched to OB/GYN in the United States in April 2021. The survey included demographic data, clinical experiences, confidence (5-point sliding scale), and a 11-item knowledge test. Survey responses were compared to assess for disparities in experiences and confidence. Results: Survey response rate was 72.0% (1057 of 1469) students matched to OB/GYN postgraduate year 1 positions. Of the 871 MD and 175 DO responding students, MDs were more likely to have clerkships ≥6 weeks (78.1% vs 15.4%; P<.001) and a home sub-internship (92.0% vs 53.4%; P<.001). DOs reported more hands-on experiences with procedures (MD median=35 [20-35] vs DO median=40 [25-65]; P=.002). There was no difference in self-reported confidence in knowledge, technical skills, or having a realistic sense of internship, and no difference in baseline knowledge test scores. DOs felt less confident about their medical school preparation (aOR 0.40; 95% CI 0.25-0.66; P<.001) and were more likely to perceive inequity of residency preparation (aOR 1.88; 95% CI 1.18-3.00; P=.002). Conclusions: MD students matched to US OB/GYN residency programs reported longer clerkship and more home sub-internships, while DO students reported more hands-on experiences. Despite reporting similar confidence in knowledge and skills, DO students felt less prepared for internship.

Comparative effectiveness of anti-IL5 and anti-IgE biologic classes in patients with severe asthma eligible for both.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe asthma may present with characteristics representing overlapping phenotypes, making them eligible for more than one class of biologic. Our aim was to describe the profile of adult patients with severe asthma eligible for both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R and to compare the effectiveness of both classes of treatment in real life. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study that included adult patients with severe asthma from 22 countries enrolled into the International Severe Asthma registry (ISAR) who were eligible for both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R. The effectiveness of anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R was compared in a 1:1 matched cohort. Exacerbation rate was the primary effectiveness endpoint. Secondary endpoints included long-term-oral corticosteroid (LTOCS) use, asthma-related emergency room (ER) attendance, and hospital admissions. RESULTS: In the matched analysis (n = 350/group), the mean annualized exacerbation rate decreased by 47.1% in the anti-IL5/5R group and 38.7% in the anti-IgE group. Patients treated with anti-IL5/5R were less likely to experience a future exacerbation (adjusted IRR 0.76; 95% CI 0.64, 0.89; p < 0.001) and experienced a greater reduction in mean LTOCS dose than those treated with anti-IgE (37.44% vs. 20.55% reduction; p = 0.023). There was some evidence to suggest that patients treated with anti-IL5/5R experienced fewer asthma-related hospitalizations (IRR 0.64; 95% CI 0.38, 1.08), but not ER visits (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.61, 1.43). CONCLUSIONS: In real life, both anti-IgE and anti-IL5/5R improve asthma outcomes in patients eligible for both biologic classes; however, anti-IL5/5R was superior in terms of reducing asthma exacerbations and LTOCS use.

The #ObGynInternChallenge: Reach, Adoption, Implementation, and Effectiveness of a Microlearning SMS-Distributed Curriculum.

PROBLEM: While many medical schools have implemented bootcamps or specialized curricula to prepare medical students for residency, these programs are neither universal nor consistent in their content. APPROACH: The authors created an electronic, multimodal, short messaging service (SMS)-distributed curriculum, called the #ObGynInternChallenge, to improve learners' medical knowledge, based on the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology educational objectives. The curriculum was open to all fourth-year medical students who matched into obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn). Daily messages were delivered to participants' mobile devices via SMS for 25 consecutive weekdays, May 3-June 4, 2021. Each day's message included an introduction with key facts, an infographic, a website link with a podcast and additional reference materials, and at least one question. The authors assessed its reach, adoption, implementation, and effectiveness. OUTCOMES: For reach and adoption, total enrollment for the curriculum was 1,057 (72.0%) of 1,469 filled Ob/Gyn residency positions in the 2021 Match. The total cost of the intervention was $2,503.20 or $2.37 per participant. For implementation, all participants who signed up for the course received the daily messages, and 858/1,057 (81.2%) completed the course. Participants felt the curriculum was an excellent resource for studying (391/426, 91.8%) and the course was enjoyable to use (395/424, 93.2%). For effectiveness, mean score improvement was 11.6% (pre-test: 62.4%, post-test: 74.0%; P < .001). In the multivariate linear regression analysis, high podcast ( P = .02) and website use ( P = .002) were associated with greater score improvement. High social media use was associated with less improvement ( P = .02). NEXT STEPS: This study suggests promise for a low-cost, largely satisfying SMS-distributed curriculum in terms of offering some benefit for short-term knowledge gain. Next steps include expanding such a curriculum to meet standard learning objectives for all fourth-year medical students entering residency.

Volume, Distribution, and Inequities by Race and Gender of Clinical Experiences Reported by Medical Students Entering Obstetrics and Gynecology Residencies.

OBJECTIVE: To assess for inequities by race and gender of fourth year medical students' (MS4s) self-reported clinical experience in obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn). DESIGN: This was a voluntary, cross-sectional survey. Participants provided demographic data, information regarding their preparation for residency, and self-reported numbers of hands-on clinical experiences. Responses were compared across demographic categories to assess for disparity in pre-residency experiences. SETTING: The survey was open to all MS4s matched to Ob/Gyn internships in the United States in 2021. PARTICIPANTS: The survey was distributed primarily via social media. Eligibility was verified by participants supplying the names of their medical school of origin and their matched residency program prior to completing the survey. 1057/1469 (71.9%) MS4s entering Ob/Gyn residencies participated. Respondent characteristics were not different from nationally available data. RESULTS: Median clinical experience numbers were calculated for hysterectomies (10; IQR 5-20), suturing opportunities (15; IQR 8-30), and vaginal deliveries (5.5; IQR 2-12). Non-White students had fewer hands-on experiences with hysterectomy, suturing, and cumulative clinical experiences when compared to White MS4s (p values <0.001). Female students had fewer hands-on experiences with hysterectomies (p < 0.04), vaginal delivery (p < 0.03), and cumulative experiences (p < 0.002) than male students. When assessed by quartiles, non-White students and female students were less likely to be in the top quartile for experience and more likely to be in the bottom quartile for experience than their White and male counterparts, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of medical students entering Ob/Gyn residency have minimal hands-on clinical experience with foundational procedures. Additionally, there are racial and gender disparities in clinical experiences of MS4s matching to Ob/Gyn internships. Future work should identify how biases in medical education may affect the access to clinical experience in medical school, and potential interventions to mitigate inequities in procedures and confidence prior to residency.

Maternal adverse childhood experiences impact fetal adrenal volume in a sex-specific manner.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms by which parental early life stress can be transmitted to the next generation, in some cases in a sex-specific manner, are unclear. Maternal preconception stress may increase susceptibility to suboptimal health outcomes via in utero programming of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. METHODS: We recruited healthy pregnant women (N = 147), dichotomized into low (0 or 1) and high (2+) adverse childhood experience (ACE) groups based on the ACE Questionnaire, to test the hypothesis that maternal ACE history influences fetal adrenal development in a sex-specific manner. At a mean (standard deviation) of 21.5 (1.4) and 29.5 (1.4) weeks gestation, participants underwent three-dimensional ultrasounds to measure fetal adrenal volume, adjusting for fetal body weight (waFAV). RESULTS: At ultrasound 1, waFAV was smaller in high versus low ACE males (b = - 0.17; z = - 3.75; p < .001), but females did not differ significantly by maternal ACE group (b = 0.09; z = 1.72; p = .086). Compared to low ACE males, waFAV was smaller for low (b = - 0.20; z = - 4.10; p < .001) and high ACE females (b = - 0.11; z = 2.16; p = .031); however, high ACE males did not differ from low (b = 0.03; z = .57; p = .570) or high ACE females (b = - 0.06; z = - 1.29; p = .196). At ultrasound 2, waFAV did not differ significantly between any maternal ACE/offspring sex subgroups (ps ≥ .055). Perceived stress did not differ between maternal ACE groups at baseline, ultrasound 1, or ultrasound 2 (ps ≥ .148). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a significant impact of high maternal ACE history on waFAV, a proxy for fetal adrenal development, but only in males. Our observation that the waFAV in males of mothers with a high ACE history did not differ from the waFAV of females extends preclinical research demonstrating a dysmasculinizing effect of gestational stress on a range of offspring outcomes. Future studies investigating intergenerational transmission of stress should consider the influence of maternal preconception stress on offspring outcomes.

Assessing the impact of telehealth implementation on postpartum outcomes for Black birthing people.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the rapid uptake of telemedicine services, which have been shown to be potentially cost-saving and of comparable quality to in-person care for certain populations. However, there are some concerns regarding the feasibility of implementation for marginalized populations, and the impact of widespread implementation of these services on health disparities has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of telehealth implementation on postpartum care during the COVID-19 pandemic on racial disparities in visit attendance and completion of postpartum care goals. STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary care center, differences in outcomes between all Black and non-Black patients who had scheduled postpartum visits before and after telehealth implementation for postpartum care were compared. The primary outcome was postpartum visit attendance. The secondary outcomes included postpartum depression screening, contraception selection, breastfeeding status, completion of postpartum 2-hour glucose tolerance test, and cardiology follow-up for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. In multivariable analysis, interaction terms were used to evaluate the differential impact of telehealth implementation by race. RESULTS: Of 1579 patients meeting the inclusion criteria (780 in the preimplementation group and 799 in the postimplementation group), 995 (63%) self-identified as Black. In the preimplementation period, Black patients were less likely to attend a postpartum visit than non-Black patients (63.9% in Black patients vs 88.7% in non-Black patients; adjusted odds ratio, 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.79). In the postimplementation period, there was no difference in postpartum visit attendance by race (79.1% in Black patients vs 88.6% in non-Black patients; adjusted odds ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-1.21). In addition, significant differences across races in postpartum depression screening during the preimplementation period became nonsignificant in the postimplementation period. Telehealth implementation for postpartum care significantly reduced racial disparities in postpartum visit attendance (interaction P=.005). CONCLUSION: Telehealth implementation for postpartum care during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with decreased racial disparities in postpartum visit attendance.

Counselling, Research Gaps, and Ethical Considerations Surrounding Pregnancy in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients.

Survival after solid-organ transplantation has improved significantly, and many contemporary transplant recipients are of childbearing potential. There are limited data to guide decision-making surrounding pregnancy after transplantation, variations in clinical practice, and significant knowledge gaps, all of which raise significant ethical issues. Post-transplant pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal complications. Shared decision-making is a central aspect of patient counselling but is complicated by significant knowledge gaps. Stakeholder interests can be in conflict; exploring these tensions can help patients to evaluate their options and inform their deliberations. We argue that uniform, evidence-based recommendations for pregnancy after solid organ transplantation are needed. Conducting research, including patient-engaged studies, in this area should be priority for the transplant community.

The Model Minority Myth, Data Aggregation, and the Role of Medical Schools in Combating Anti-Asian Sentiment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an alarming increase in hate incidents directed toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), including verbal harassment and physical assault, spurring the nationwide #StopAsianHate movement. This rise in anti-Asian sentiment is occurring at a critical time of racial reckoning across the United States, galvanized by the Black Lives Matter movement, and of medical student calls for the implementation of antiracist medical curricula. AAPIs are stereotyped by the model minority myth, which posits that AAPIs are educated, hardworking, and therefore able to achieve high levels of success. This myth acts as a racial wedge between minorities and perpetuates harm that is pervasive throughout the field of medicine. Critically, the frequent aggregation of all AAPI subgroups as one monolithic community obfuscates socioeconomic and cultural differences across the AAPI diaspora while reinforcing the model minority myth. Here, the authors illustrate how the model minority myth and data aggregation have negatively affected the recruitment and advancement of diverse AAPI medical students, physicians, and faculty. Additionally, the authors discuss how data aggregation obscures health disparities across the AAPI diaspora and how the model minority myth influences the illness experiences of AAPI patients. Importantly, the authors outline specific actionable policies and reforms that medical schools can implement to combat anti-Asian sentiment and support the AAPI community.

Stress and the Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Obstetrics and Gynecology Providers.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly overwhelmed global health care systems in 2020, with New York City (NYC) marking the first epicenter in the United States. High levels of stress amongst health care workers have been reported in pandemics, but less is known about stress amongst Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) providers. We sought to describe levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and other aspects of mental health among OB/GYN health care workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional electronic survey of a wide range of OB/GYN clinicians in a large NYC hospital system in the spring of 2020. We used both original survey questions and validated screening tools to assess stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout. We calculated median scores for these tools and compared median score between provider types. We also adapted questions on pandemic-related stressors from the MERS and SARS pandemics to fit the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and OB/GYN providers. RESULTS: A total of 464 providers met study inclusion criteria, and 163 providers completed the survey (response rate = 35.1%). Approximately 35% of providers screened positive for anxiety and 21% for depression. Scores for depression, burnout, and fulfillment varied by provider type, with nurses scoring higher than physicians (p <0.05). The majority of respondents reported stress from pandemic and OB-specific stressors, including the possibility of transmitting COVID-19 to friends and family (83.9%, [95% confidence interval or CI 78.0-89.8%]), uncertainty regarding the pandemic's trajectory (91.3% [86.7-95.8%]), and frequent policy changes on labor and delivery (72.7% [65.1-80.3%]). CONCLUSION: OB/GYN providers reported high levels of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. The stress of caring for laboring patients during a pandemic may disproportionately affect nurses and trainees and highlights the need to provide interventions to ameliorate the negative impact of a pandemic on the mental health of our OB/GYN health care workers. KEY POINTS: · COVID-19 led to stress amongst OB/GYN providers.. · Some stressors were unique to providing obstetric care.. · Nurses and trainees were more affected by this stress..