Findings From a National Survey of Older US Adults on Patient Willingness to Use Telehealth Services: Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth (telemedicine and telepharmacy) services increase access to patient services and ensure continuity of care. However, few studies have assessed factors that influence patients' willingness to use telehealth services, and we sought to investigate this. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine respondents' (aged between 45 and 75 years) willingness to use telehealth services (telepharmacy and telemedicine) and the correlates of the willingness to use telehealth services. METHODS: We administered a cross-sectional national survey of 1045 noninstitutionalized US adults aged between 45 and 75 years in March and April 2021. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify demographic and health service use correlates of self-reported willingness to use telehealth services. RESULTS: Overall willingness to use telemedicine was high (674/1045, 64.5%). Adults aged 55 years and older were less willing to use telemedicine (aged between 55 and 64 years: odds ratio [OR] 0.61, 95% CI 0.42-0.86; aged 65 years or older: OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.22-0.49) than those younger than 55 years. Those with a regular provider (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1-1.02) and long travel times (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.03-2.98) were more willing to use telemedicine compared to those without a regular provider and had shorter travel times, respectively. Willingness to use telemedicine services increased from 64.5% (674/1045) to 83% (867/1045) if the service was low-cost or insurance-covered, was with their existing health care provider, or was easy-to-use. Overall willingness to use telepharmacy was 76.7% (801/1045). Adults aged older than 55 years were less willing to use telepharmacy (aged between 55 and 64 years: OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.38-0.86; aged 65 years or older: OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.15-0.37) than those younger than 55 years. Those who rated pharmacy service quality higher were more willing to use telepharmacy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.09) than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Respondents were generally willing to use telehealth (telemedicine and telepharmacy) services, but the likelihood of their being willing to use telehealth decreased as they were older. For those initially unwilling (aged 55 years or older) to use telemedicine services, inexpensive or insurance-covered services were acceptable.

Paper Title: Colorectal cancer screening knowledge among community pharmacists: A national survey.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening can reduce CRC morbidity and mortality. Community pharmacies could be a viable option for delivering home-based CRC screening tests such as fecal immunochemical tests (FITs). However, little is known about community pharmacists' knowledge about CRC screening guidelines. OBJECTIVE: We assessed community pharmacists' knowledge about CRC screening to identify education and training needs for a pharmacy-based CRC screening program. METHODS: Between September 2022 and January 2023, we conducted an online national survey of community pharmacists practicing in the United States (US) (Responders were eligible if they were currently-licensed community pharmacists and currently practiced in the US. The survey assessed knowledge of national CRC screening guidelines, including recommended starting age, frequency of screening, different screening modalities, and follow-up care. Using multiple linear regression, we evaluated correlates of community pharmacists' level of CRC screening knowledge, defined as the total number of knowledge questions answered correctly from "0" (no questions correct) to "5" (all questions correct). RESULTS: 578 eligible community pharmacists completed the survey, with a response rate of 59%. Most community pharmacists correctly answered the question about the next steps following a positive FIT (87%) and the question about where a FIT can be done (84%). A minority of community pharmacists responded correctly to questions about the age to start screening with FIT (34%) and how often a FIT should be repeated (28%). Only 5% of pharmacists answered all knowledge questions correctly. Community pharmacists answered more CRC screening knowledge questions correctly as their years in practice increased. Board-certified community pharmacists answered more CRC screening knowledge questions correctly compared to those who were not board-certified. CONCLUSION: To ensure the successful implementation of a pharmacy-based CRC screening program, community pharmacists need to be educated about CRC screening and trained to ensure comprehensive patient counseling and preventive service delivery.

LGBTQ+ cancer: priority or lip service? A qualitative content analysis of LGBTQ+ considerations in U.S. state, jurisdiction, and tribal comprehensive cancer control plans.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded program, supports cancer coalitions across the United States (US) in efforts to prevent and control cancer including development of comprehensive cancer control (CCC) plans. CCC plans often focus health equity within their priorities, but it is unclear to what extent lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, plus (LGBTQ+) populations are considered in CCC plans. We qualitatively examined to what extent LGBTQ+ populations were referenced in 64 U.S. state, jurisdiction, tribes, and tribal organization CCC plans. A total of 55% of CCC plans mentioned LGBTQ+ populations, however, only one in three CCC plans mentioned any kind of LGBTQ+ inequity or LGBTQ+ specific recommendations. Even fewer plans included mention of LGBTQ+ specific resources, organizations, or citations. At the same time almost three fourths of plans conflated sex and gender throughout their CCC plans. The findings of this study highlight the lack of prioritization of LGBTQ+ populations in CCC plans broadly while highlighting exemplar plans that can serve as a roadmap to more inclusive future CCC plans. Comprehensive cancer control plans can serve as a key policy and advocacy structure to promote a focus on LGBTQ+ cancer prevention and control.

Benefits, challenges, and strategies related to using presumptive recommendations for HPV vaccination: A qualitative study with rural and non-rural-serving primary care professionals.

HPV vaccination coverage remains far below the national target of 80% among US adolescents, particularly in rural areas, which have vaccine uptake rates that are 10% points lower than non-rural areas on average. Primary care professionals (PCPs) can increase coverage by using presumptive recommendations to introduce HPV vaccination in a way that assumes parents want to vaccinate. Through semi-structured interviews, we explored PCPs' experiences and perceptions of using presumptive recommendations in rural- and non-rural-serving primary care clinics in North Carolina. Thematic analysis revealed that most PCPs in rural and non-rural contexts used presumptive recommendations and felt the strategy was an effective and concise way to introduce the topic of HPV vaccination to parents. At the same time, some PCPs raised concerns about presumptive recommendations potentially straining relationships with certain parents, including those who had previously declined HPV vaccine or who distrust medical authority due to their past experiences with the healthcare system. PCPs dealt with these challenges by using a more open-ended approach when introducing HPV vaccination to parents. In conclusion, our findings suggest that PCPs in both rural and non-rural settings see value in using presumptive recommendations to introduce HPV vaccination, but to adequately address concerns and ensure increased HPV vaccine uptake, PCPs can use simple and culturally sensitive language to ensure fully informed consent and to maintain parental trust. And to further strengthen HPV vaccine discussions, PCPs can utilize other effective HPV communication techniques, like the Announcement Approach, in discussing HPV vaccinations with hesitant parents.

Inclusion of marginalized populations in HPV vaccine modeling: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Models simulating the potential impacts of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine have been used globally to guide vaccination policies and programs. We sought to understand how and why marginalized populations have been incorporated into HPV vaccine simulation models. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Embase to identify studies using simulation models of HPV vaccination incorporating one or more marginalized population through stratification or subgroup analysis. We extracted data on study characteristics and described these overall and by included marginalized groups. RESULTS: We identified 36 studies that met inclusion criteria, which modeled vaccination in 21 countries. Models included men who have sex with men (MSM; k = 16), stratification by HIV status (k = 9), race/ethnicity (k = 6), poverty (k = 5), rurality (k = 4), and female sex workers (k = 1). When evaluating for a marginalized group (k = 10), HPV vaccination was generally found to be cost-effective, including for MSM, individuals living with HIV, and rural populations. In studies evaluating equity in cancer prevention (k = 9), HPV vaccination generally advanced equity, but this was sensitive to differences in HPV vaccine uptake and use of absolute or relative measures of inequities. Only one study assessed the impact of an intervention promoting HPV vaccine uptake. DISCUSSION: Incorporating marginalized populations into decision models can provide valuable insights to guide decision making and improve equity in cancer prevention. More research is needed to understand the equity impact of HPV vaccination on cancer outcomes among marginalized groups. Research should emphasize implementation - including identifying and evaluating specific interventions to increase HPV vaccine uptake.

Factors Associated With Myocardial Infarction in a Rural Population With Peripheral Arterial Diseases.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) studies in rural populations are limited. The incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) is higher in patients with PAD. This study examined the association between sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and MI in patients with PAD in Central Appalachia, comprising of 230 counties across six states in the United States. Data from electronic medical records of 13,455 patients with PAD were extracted from a large health system in Central Appalachia. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were conducted. The final sample consisted of 5574 patients with PAD, of whom 24.85% were also diagnosed with MI. The mean age was 71 ± 11.23 years, and the majority were male (56.40%). After adjusting for confounders, patients with hypertension had three times higher odds of MI (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 3.21; 95% CI: 2.50-4.14) compared with those without hypertension. The likelihood of MI increased by 51% among patients with diabetes (aOR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.33-1.71), 34% among ever-smokers (aOR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.18-1.52), and 45% in males (aOR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.27-1.65). Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and male sex were identified as significant risk factors for MI. Screening and effective management of these risk factors in rural areas could potentially prevent MI incidence among patients with PAD.

Patient Willingness to Use a Pharmacy-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Service: A National Survey of U.S. Adults.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to understand U.S. adults' willingness to use a pharmacy-based fecal immunochemical test (FIT) distribution service for routine colorectal cancer screening called PharmFIT using Diffusion of Innovation Theory, evaluating patient's appraisals of the program's relative advantage, compatibility, and complexity. METHODS: From March to April 2021, we conducted a national online survey of 1,045 U.S. adults ages 45 to 75. We identified correlates of patient willingness to use PharmFIT using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Most respondents (72%) were willing to get a FIT from their pharmacy for their regular colorectal cancer screening. Respondents were more willing to participate in PharmFIT if they perceived higher relative advantage ($\hat{\beta}$= 0.184; confidence interval, CI95%: 0.055-0.325) and perceived higher compatibility ($\hat{\beta}$ = 0.422; CI95%: 0.253-0.599) to get screened in a pharmacy, had longer travel times to their primary health care provider ($\hat{\beta}$ = 0.007; CI95%: 0.004-0.010). Respondents were less willing to participate in PharmFIT if they were 65 years or older ($\hat{\beta}$ = -0.220; CI95%: -0.362 to -0.070). CONCLUSIONS: Most U.S. adults would be willing to participate in PharmFIT for their routine colorectal cancer screening. Patient perceptions of the relative advantage and compatibility of PharmFIT were strongly associated with their willingness to use PharmFIT. Pharmacies should account for patient preferences for these two traits of PharmFIT to increase adoption and use. IMPACT: Pharmacy-based colorectal cancer screening may be a viable public health strategy to significantly increase equitable access to screening for U.S. residents.

Primary care provider perspectives on the role of community pharmacy in colorectal cancer screening: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) lists 32 grade A or B recommended preventive services for non-pregnant United States (US) adults, including colorectal cancer screening (CRC). Little guidance is given on how to implement these services with consistency and fidelity in primary care. Given limited patient visit time and competing demands, primary care providers (PCPs) tend to prioritize a small subset of these recommendations. Completion rates of some of these services, including CRC screening, are suboptimal. Expanding delivery of preventive services to other healthcare providers, where possible, can improve access and uptake, particularly in medically underserved areas or populations. Fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) (at-home, stool-based testing) for CRC screening can be distributed and resulted without PCP involvement. Pharmacists have long delivered preventive services (e.g., influenza vaccination) and may be a good option for expanding CRC screening delivery using FIT, but it is not clear how PCPs would perceive this expansion. METHODS: We used semi-structured interviews with PCPs in North Carolina and Washington state to assess perceptions and recommendations for a potential pharmacy-based FIT distribution program (PharmFIT™). Transcripts were coded and analyzed using a hybrid inductive-deductive content analysis guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to elucidate potential multi-level facilitators of and barriers to implementation of PharmFIT™. RESULTS: We completed 30 interviews with PCPs in North Carolina (N = 12) and Washington state (N = 18). PCPs in both states were largely accepting of PharmFIT™, with several important considerations. First, PCPs felt that pharmacists should receive appropriate training for identifying patients eligible and due for FIT screening. Second, a clear understanding of responsibility for tracking tests, communication, and, particularly, follow-up of positive test results should be established and followed. Finally, clear electronic workflows should be established for relay of test result information between the pharmacy and the primary care clinic. CONCLUSION: If the conditions are met regarding pharmacist training, follow-up for positive FITs, and transfer of documentation, PCPs are likely to support PharmFIT™ as a way for their patients to obtain and complete CRC screening using FIT.

From training to implementation: Improving contraceptive practices in South Carolina.

OBJECTIVE: Capacity building and training to improve contraceptive care is essential for patient-centered care and reproductive autonomy. This study assessed the feasibility of translating the knowledge and skills gained from contraception trainings into improvements in practice. STUDY DESIGN: Participants completed surveys following contraceptive care trainings provided to family planning clinic and hospital obstetric providers and staff as a part of the Choose Well contraceptive access initiative in South Carolina. Surveys assessed participants' intent to change their practice post-training and anticipated barriers to implementing change. A mixed-methods approach was utilized including descriptive analysis of Likert scale responses and thematic content analysis to synthesize open-ended, qualitative responses. RESULTS: Data were collected from 160 contraceptive training sessions provided to 4814 clinical and administrative staff between 2017 and 2019. Post-training surveys were completed by 3464 participants (72%), and of these, 2978 answered questions related to the study outcomes. Most respondents (n = 2390; 80.7%) indicated intent to change their practice and 35.5% (n = 1044) anticipated barriers to implementing intended changes. Across all training categories, organizational factors (time constraints, policies and practices, infrastructure/resources) were the most frequently perceived barrier to improving contraceptive services. Structural factors related to cost for patients were also identified as barriers to IUD and implant provision. CONCLUSION: The trainings were successful in influencing family planning staff and providers' intent to improve their contraceptive practices, yet some anticipated barriers in translating training into practice. Improvements in organizational and structural policies are critical to realizing the benefits of trainings in advancing quality contraceptive care. IMPLICATIONS: In addition to training, coordinated efforts to address organizational practices and resources, coupled with system-level policy changes are essential to facilitate the delivery and sustainability of patient-centered contraceptive care.