Does shortage of GPs matter? A cross-sectional study of practice population life expectancy.

BACKGROUND: There are not enough GPs in England. Access to general practice and continuity of care are declining. AIM: To investigate whether practice characteristics are associated with life expectancy of practice populations. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional ecological study of patient life expectancy from 2015-2019. METHOD: Selection of independent variables was based on conceptual frameworks describing general practice's influence on outcomes. Sixteen non-correlated variables were entered into multivariable weighted regression models: population characteristics (Index of Multiple Deprivation, region, % White ethnicity, and % on diabetes register); practice organisation (total NHS payments to practices expressed as payment per registered patient, full-time equivalent fully qualified GPs, GP registrars, advanced nurse practitioners, other nurses, and receptionists per 1000 patients); access (% seen on the same day); clinical performance (% aged ≥45 years with blood pressure checked, % with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease vaccinated against flu, % with diabetes in glycaemic control, and % with coronary heart disease on antiplatelet therapy); and the therapeutic relationship (% continuity). RESULTS: Deprivation was strongly negatively associated with life expectancy. Regions outside London and White ethnicity were associated with lower life expectancy. Higher payment per patient, full-time equivalent fully qualified GPs per 1000 patients, continuity, % with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease having the flu vaccination, and % with diabetes with glycaemic control were associated with higher life expectancy; the % being seen on the same day was associated with higher life expectancy in males only. The variable aged ≥45 years with blood pressure checked was a negative predictor in females. CONCLUSION: The number of GPs, continuity of care, and access in England are declining, and it is worrying that these features of general practice were positively associated with life expectancy.

The Child Opportunity Index 2.0 and exacerbation-prone asthma in a cohort of urban children.

RATIONALE: Social determinants of health underlie disparities in asthma. However, the effects of individual determinants likely interact, so a summary metric may better capture their impact. The Child Opportunity Index 2.0 (COI) is one such tool, yet its association with exacerbation-prone (EP) asthma is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the COI and EP asthma and clinical measures of asthma severity in children. METHODS: We analyzed data from two prospective observational pediatric asthma cohorts (n = 193). Children were classified as EP (≥1 exacerbation in the past 12 months) or exacerbation-null (no exacerbations in the past 5 years). Spirometry, exhaled nitric oxide, IgE, and Composite Asthma Severity Index (CASI) were obtained. The association between COI and EP status was assessed with logistic regression. We fit linear and logistic regression models to test the association between COI and each clinical measure. RESULTS: A 20-point COI decrease conferred 40% higher odds of EP asthma (OR 1.4; 95%CI 1.1-1.76). The effect was similar when adjusted for age and sex (OR 1.38, 95%CI 1.1-1.75) but was attenuated with additional adjustment for race and ethnicity (OR 1.19, 95%CI 0.92-1.54). A similar effect was seen for the Social/Economic and Education COI domains but not the Health/Environment Domain. A 20-point COI decrease was associated with an increase in CASI of 0.34. COI was not associated with other clinical measures. CONCLUSIONS: Lower COI was associated with greater odds of EP asthma. This highlights the potential use of the COI to understand neighborhood-level risk and identify community targets to reduce asthma disparities.

Access to healthcare for migrants in Tunisia in 2023-2024: Current situation and ethical challenges.

INTRODUCTION: Transformed progressively into a transit country towards Europe but also as a host, Tunisia has seen a diversification of migratory movements since the 2011 revolution, as well as the profiles of migrants who face multiple difficulties that can have an impact on their health. AIM: This update aimed to expose the situation of migrants in Tunisia regarding access to healthcare, and to raise the ethical issues that result from it. RESULTS: Providing care to vulnerable individuals, especially migrants, compels us to reevaluate our practices and question ourselves. Ethical questioning is constant to determine how to do well and not harm. The reflection on this more humane "social medicine" comprehending the patient in its entirety, is only in its beginnings. The critical health status of the poorest populations and their extreme vulnerability do not only call for adapted and specific care measures but also a more comprehensive questioning of social ties and the place that our society grants to the weakest and excluded. CONCLUSION: Migration must be considered as a central issue of the ethics of the health of a population in order to provide quality care without prejudice.

The socio-colonial history of Surinamese surnames applied to a validated surname list to identify ancestry in health research.

Around half of the population of Suriname, who are mainly of African and South Asian descent, migrated to the Netherlands at the end of the previous century, where they face higher perinatal and maternal mortality and up to 5 years lower life expectancy than European-Dutch. Analyses by ancestry are needed to address these inequalities, but the law prohibits registration by ancestry. Therefore, a list of Surinamese surnames was compiled and validated to identify the largest groups, African-Surinamese or South Asian-Surinamese ancestry in health research. A complete database of Surinamese surnames was provided by the National Population Registry of Suriname. Surname recognition by researchers of Surinamese ancestry was used. Disagreement was resolved using historical registers and through discussion. The list was further validated against contemporary lists of Surinamese surnames with self-defined ancestry, obtained during population and clinical studies in Suriname and the Netherlands. All 71,529 Surinamese surnames were encoded, as African-Surinamese (34%), South Asian-Surinamese (18%), Brazilian or other Iberian (17%), Indonesian-Surinamese (13%), Chinese-Surinamese (5%), First Nation (2%), and other (10%). Compared to self-defined ancestry, South Asian-Surinamese surname coding had 100% sensitivity, 99.8% specificity, and 99.9% accuracy. For African-Surinamese, who may have Dutch surnames, these values depended on geocoding. With a known Surinamese origin, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were, respectively, 97.3%, 100%, and 98.6%, but without this information, there was interference of African-Surinamese with European-Dutch surnames in the Dutch validation sample. In conclusion, the Surinamese Surname List has a high accuracy in identifying persons of Surinamese ancestry. This quick, inexpensive, and nonintrusive method, which is unaffected by response bias, might be a valuable tool in public health research to help address the profound health disparities by ancestry.

The Impact of Health Inequities on Population-Based Breast Cancer Survival in a Colombian Population, 2008-2015.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain breast cancer survival estimates in Manizales, Colombia, considering socioeconomic level, health insurance regime and residential area, while adjusting for age, histology and stage at diagnosis. METHODS: Analytical cohort study based on breast cancer incident cases recorded by the Population-based Manizales Cancer Registry between 2008-2015. Patients were followed-up for 60 months. Cause-specific survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method for variables of interest, with the Wilcoxon-Breslow-Gehan test for differences. Cox multivariate regression models were fitted. RESULTS: 856 breast cancer cases were included. The 5-year cause-specific survival for the entire cohort was 78.2%. It was higher in women with special/exception health insurance, high socioeconomic level, <50 years old, ductal carcinoma, and stages I and II. Residential area did not impact survival. In Cox models, the subsidized health insurance regime (HR: 4.87 vs contributory) and low socioeconomic level (HR: 2.45 vs high) were predictors of the hazard of death in women with breast cancer, adjusted for age, histology, stage and interactions age-stage and insurance-stage. A positive interaction (synergistic effect modification) between health insurance regime and stage regarding to survival was observed. CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic factors significantly contribute to the inequities in breast cancer survival, independent of the stage at diagnosis. This suggests the need for comprehensive interventions to remove barriers to accessing the health system. This research provides evidence of survival gaps mediated by certain social determinants of health and generates data on the overall performance of the Colombian health system.

Evaluating the Digital Health Experience for Patients in Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: The digital health divide for socioeconomic disadvantage describes a pattern in which patients considered socioeconomically disadvantaged, who are already marginalized through reduced access to face-to-face health care, are additionally hindered through less access to patient-initiated digital health. A comprehensive understanding of how patients with socioeconomic disadvantage access and experience digital health is essential for improving the digital health divide. Primary care patients, especially those with chronic disease, have experience of the stages of initial help seeking and self-management of their health, which renders them a key demographic for research on patient-initiated digital health access. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide comprehensive primary mixed methods data on the patient experience of barriers to digital health access, with a focus on the digital health divide. METHODS: We applied an exploratory mixed methods design to ensure that our survey was primarily shaped by the experiences of our interviewees. First, we qualitatively explored the experience of digital health for 19 patients with socioeconomic disadvantage and chronic disease and second, we quantitatively measured some of these findings by designing and administering a survey to 487 Australian general practice patients from 24 general practices. RESULTS: In our qualitative first phase, the key barriers found to accessing digital health included (1) strong patient preference for human-based health services; (2) low trust in digital health services; (3) high financial costs of necessary tools, maintenance, and repairs; (4) poor publicly available internet access options; (5) reduced capacity to engage due to increased life pressures; and (6) low self-efficacy and confidence in using digital health. In our quantitative second phase, 31% (151/487) of the survey participants were found to have never used a form of digital health, while 10.7% (52/487) were low- to medium-frequency users and 48.5% (236/487) were high-frequency users. High-frequency users were more likely to be interested in digital health and had higher self-efficacy. Low-frequency users were more likely to report difficulty affording the financial costs needed for digital access. CONCLUSIONS: While general digital interest, financial cost, and digital health literacy and empowerment are clear factors in digital health access in a broad primary care population, the digital health divide is also facilitated in part by a stepped series of complex and cumulative barriers. Genuinely improving digital health access for 1 cohort or even 1 person requires a series of multiple different interventions tailored to specific sequential barriers. Within primary care, patient-centered care that continues to recognize the complex individual needs of, and barriers facing, each patient should be part of addressing the digital health divide.

Impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en las tendencias de mortalidad por enfermedades cardiovasculares en México, 2000-2022 / Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease mortality trends in Mexico, 2000–2022

Objetivo: Estimar el impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en tendencia de la mortalidad por enfermedad cardiovascular (ECV) en México. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio ecológico donde se analizaron las defunciones por ECV reportadas en México bajo la clasificación CIE-10 con los códigos I10 al I99 para el periodo 2000 al 2022. Se calcularon las tasas de mortalidad estandarizadas por edad a nivel nacional y estatal, y posteriormente se estimó la variación porcentual anual mediante el análisis de joinpoint para conocer los cambios en la tendencia de la mortalidad en el periodo estudiado. Resultados: Se presentó un incremento de 27,96 muertes por cada 100.000 habitantes del 2000 al 2022 en México. El análisis joinpoint muestra en el periodo 2019 a 2021 un cambio porcentual anual a nivel nacional de 17.398, y posteriormente se presenta una tendencia negativa entre los años 2021-2022. Los estados como Guanajuato, Tlaxcala y Querétaro mostraron los mayores incrementos en las tendencias de la mortalidad por ECV durante la pandemia por COVID-19. Conclusiones: La tendencia de la mortalidad por ECV en México se incrementó de manera importante durante la pandemia por COVID-19.(AU)

Objective: To estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality trends in Mexico. Methods: An ecological study was conducted where deaths from CVD reported in Mexico under the ICD-10 classification with codes I10 to I99 for the period 2000–2022 were analyzed. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated at the national and state levels, then the annual percentage variation was estimated using joinpoint analysis to know the changes in the mortality trend in the period studied. Results: There was an increase of 27.96 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants from 2000 to 2022 in Mexico. The joinpoint analysis shows in the period 2019–2021 an annual percentage change at the national level of 17,398 and subsequently a negative trend is presented between the years 2021–2022. The states of Guanajuato, Tlaxcala and Querétaro showed the largest increases in CVD mortality trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The trend in CVD mortality in Mexico increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic.(AU)

Considering inequities in national dementia strategies: breadth, depth, and scope.

BACKGROUND: Considering that dementia is an international public health priority, several countries have developed national dementia strategies outlining initiatives to address challenges posed by the disease. These strategies aim to improve the care, support, and resources available to meet the needs of persons living with dementia and their care partners and communities. Despite the known impact of social determinants of health on dementia risk, care, and outcomes, it is unclear whether dementia strategies adequately address related inequities. This study aimed to describe whether and how national dementia strategies considered inequities associated with social determinants of health. METHODS: We conducted an environmental scan of the national dementia strategies of countries that are part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Included strategies had to be accessible in English or French. Sub-national or provincial plans were excluded. We synthesised information on strategies' considerations of inequity through a thematic analysis. RESULTS: Of the 15 dementia strategies that met inclusion criteria, 13 mentioned at least one inequity (M = 2.4, median = 2, range:0-7) related to Race/Ethnicity; Religion; Age; Disability; Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity; Social Class; or Rurality. Age and disability were mentioned most frequently, and religion most infrequently. Eleven strategies included general inequity-focused objectives, while only 5 had specific inequity-focused objectives in the form of tangible percentage changes, deadlines, or allocated budgets for achieving equity-related goals outlined in their strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding if and how countries consider inequities in their dementia strategies enables the development of future strategies that adequately target inequities of concern. While most of the strategies mentioned inequities, few included tangible objectives to reduce them. Countries must not only consider inequities at a surface-level; rather, they must put forth actionable objectives that intend to lessen the impact of inequities in the care of all persons living with dementia.

Trapped in vicious cycles: unraveling the health experiences and needs of adults living with socioeconomic insecurity.

BACKGROUND: This study explores the role of health in daily life and needs of Dutch adults (aged 25-49) experiencing one or more forms of socioeconomic insecurity stemming from their financial, housing, or employment situations. METHODS: 28 in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Netherlands between October 2022 and February 2023. The interview guide included questions on participants' socioeconomic situation, the role of health in their daily lives, their health-related and broader needs. Data was interpreted using inductive reflexive thematic analysis. An advisory board consisting of adults with lived experiences of socioeconomic insecurity were consulted at multiple stages of the study (recruitment, interview guide, interpretation of results). RESULTS: Housing insecurity was widely experienced by participants. When asked about their financial situation, most participants expressed having no issues getting by, but later on, described vigorous efforts to minimize expenses. Participants' narratives revealed four key themes in relation to the role of health in daily life and associated needs. Firstly, socioeconomic insecurity led to diminished control over life, which led to the disruption of routines. Secondly, experiencing socioeconomic insecurity compelled participants to prioritize stress reduction and mental health improvement through calming yet potentially damaging coping mechanisms. Thirdly, those who experienced little opportunity for improvement in their already long-lasting socioeconomic insecurity shared a sense of stagnation in life, which co-occurred with stagnation in unhealthy routines and diminished well-being. Fourthly, participants expressed the need for someone to speak with. This support may help participants regain control over their lives, identify opportunities for more socioeconomic security, and focus on increased health and well-being. CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the challenges individuals face in dealing with socioeconomic insecurity, how it may affect their health, and their needs. Gaining perspective for improved socioeconomic security and having accessible professional support tailored to self-identified needs could have health-promoting effects for individuals living with socioeconomic insecurity. It is recommended to integrate professional support and assistance regarding social security into health policies and interventions. In future research, measures of financial strain should be adjusted to include the effort needed to get by.

Implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services in prison in six European countries: translating emergency intervention into routine life-course vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Evidence has shown that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is much higher in prisons than in the community. The release of the COVID-19 vaccine and the recommendation by WHO to include prisons among priority settings have led to the inclusion of prisons in national COVID-19 vaccination strategies. Evidence on prison health and healthcare services provision is limited and often focuses on a single country or institution due to the multiple challenges of conducting research in prison settings. The present study was done in the framework of the EU-founded project RISE-Vac. It aimed to analyse the best practices and challenges applied in implementing COVID-19 universal vaccination services during the pandemic to support future expansion of routine life course vaccination services for people living in prison (PLP). METHODS: Two online cross-sectional surveys were designed and piloted: survey1 on prison characteristics and (non-COVID-19) immunisation practices; survey2 on the implementation and coverage of COVID-19 vaccination with open-ended questions for thematic analysis. Each RISE-Vac project partner distributed the questionnaire to one or two prisons in their country. Answers were collected from eight European prisons' directors or medical directors between November 2021-May 2022. RESULTS: According to our findings, the implementation modalities of COVID-19 vaccination services in the surveyed prisons were effective in improving PLP vaccination coverage. Strategies for optimal management of the vaccination campaign included: periodic time slot for PLP vaccination; new staff recruitment and task shifting; distribution of informational material both to PLP and prison staff. Key challenges included continuity of care after release, immunisation information system, and vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services in European prisons, suggesting that the expansion of vaccination provision in prison is possible. There is no unique solution that will fit every country but commonalities likely to be important in the design and implementation of future vaccination campaigns targeting PLP emerged. Increased availability of vaccination services in prison is not only possible, but feasible and highly desirable, and can contribute to the reduction of health inequalities.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Blood Lead Testing in Children in the United States.

The study objective was to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on pediatric blood lead testing in the United States. Clinical laboratory pediatric (ages <6 years) blood lead level (BLL) tests performed by Quest Diagnostics, January 2019-March 2022, were analyzed. Patients were categorized by age, by sex, and, through matching by ZIP code with US Census data, for race, ethnicity, pre-1950 housing, and poverty estimates. Over 2.8 million results from children (<6 years old) from all 50 states and the District of Columbia were included. Compared to March-May 2019, BLL testing was lower by 53.6% in March-May 2020 and lower by 14.6% in March-May 2021. Testing rebounded more for children in predominantly White non-Hispanic communities and among children living in communities, based on ZIP codes, with the least pre-1950 housing stock and lowest poverty rates. The proportion of children with BLL at or above the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reference values of 3.5 and 5.0 µg/dL fell by 19% and 24%, respectively, in 2021 versus 2019. In conclusion, pediatric BLL testing has rebounded from sharp declines during the early pandemic period but unevenly. Declines in the proportion of children with elevated BLL should be interpreted with caution, as testing rebounds were less robust among communities with the highest risk of lead poisoning, notably communities with the oldest housing stock and higher poverty rates. More public health efforts are needed to address lead toxicity throughout the United States, especially in communities that did not experience a full rebound subsequent to the early COVID-19 pandemic period.

Unveiling early childhood health inequities by age five through the national neighborhood equity index and the early development instrument.

There is growing public urgency to close equity gaps in health and development by addressing inequities at multiple levels of children's developmental ecosystems. Current measurement strategies obscure the dynamic structural and relational patterns of oppression, adversity, and disadvantage that children can experience in their local intimate developmental ecosystem, as well as the leverage points that are necessary to change them. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between a universally available measure of neighborhood socio-economic context, the National Neighborhood Equity Index (NNEI), and a population measure of early child development and well-being, the Early Development Instrument (EDI). Data from a convenience sample of 144,957 kindergarteners in neighborhoods across the US demonstrate that children living in neighborhoods with more equity barriers are more likely to be on vulnerable developmental trajectories than those who reside in neighborhoods without any equity barriers. A multi-dimensional measurement approach that incorporates both the EDI and the NNEI can be used to quantify ethnoracialized patterns of structural disadvantage during critical periods of health development. These measures can inform community action to intervene early in the lifecourse to optimize children's health development trajectories at a population level.

Barriers and challenges to telemedicine usage among the elderly population in Israel in light of the COVID-19 era: A qualitative study.

Background: Although there may still be many challenges to its adoption, telemedicine is becoming more and more popular for helping elderly people preserve their independence and continue to live in their own homes. We intended to investigate the challenges and barriers (if any) experienced by the elderly population when using telemedicine services in Israel. Methods: Fourteen elderly people were recruited for the study and interviewed in person using a semistructured interview protocol, using a qualitative technique. Participants' replies were evaluated and analyzed thematically. The participants were questioned regarding their usage of telehealth services, the benefits they perceive in them, any potential difficulties or hurdles to use, and suggestions they had for making these services more readily available and simpler to use for the elderly. Results: Most participants recognized the advantages of telehealth services, particularly for the elderly population during pandemics and normal times. However, most of them also expressed various challenges that face the elderly population in using these services. Many participants were concerned that the quality of telemedicine sessions may not be good enough compared to in-person sessions, and expressed a lack of confidence in telemedicine services, and frustration from the absence of in-person interaction and communication. Many participants highlighted the technological challenges in the use of computers and applications in general and in the context of healthcare, in particular, in addition to physiological and literacy difficulties. Finally, the participants suggested several ways to increase the accessibility and usage of telemedicine solutions by elderly people. Conclusions: A proactive approach to identifying and resolving telehealth barriers can maximize virtual interactions for the older population and alleviate care inequities. In addition to identifying barriers that impede older patients from using telemedicine, there is a need to increase awareness of the availability, benefits, and uses of each telehealth service in comparison to in-person consultations.

Structural Racism-Related State Laws and Healthcare Access Among Black, Latine, and White U.S. Adults.

Racialized healthcare inequities in the USA remain glaring, yet root causes are understudied. To address this gap, we created a state-level structural racism legal index (SRLI) using the Structural Racism-Related State Law Database and analyzed its association with racialized inequities in four outcomes (lacking health insurance coverage, lacking a personal doctor, avoiding care due to cost, lacking a routine check-up) from the 2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 454,834). To obtain predicted probabilities by SRLI quartiles (Q1 = less structural racism, Q4 = more structural racism) and racialized group, we fit survey-weighted multilevel logistic models adjusted for individual- and state-level covariates. We found substantial healthcare access inequities across racialized groups within SRLI quartiles and less pronounced, but still meaningful, inequities within racialized groups across SRLI quartiles. For example, the predicted probabilities of lacking health insurance coverage across SRLI quartiles ranged from 13 to 20% among Black adults, 31 to 41% among Latine adults, and 8 to 11% among White adults. Across racialized groups in Q4 states, predicted probabilities ranged from 11% among White adults to 41% among Latine adults. Similar patterns were observed for lacking a personal doctor and avoiding care due to cost. Findings underscore the need to address structural racism in laws and policies to mitigate these inequities.

Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists and Other Second-Line Therapies for Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Narrative Review With a Focus on Drug Access in Canada.

INTRODUCTION: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by low platelet counts and increased risk of bleeding. After corticosteroids with or without intravenous immune globulin (first-line treatment), second-line treatment options include rituximab, splenectomy, thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), and fostamatinib. In Canada, the choice of second-line therapy is influenced by access to medications. The goals of this narrative review are to 1) summarize the evidence for the use of TPO-RAs and other second-line therapies in ITP and 2) highlight differences in public funding criteria for TPO-RAs across provinces and territories in Canada. METHODS: We conducted a literature review of second-line therapies for ITP. We solicited information on public funding programs for TPO-RAs in Canada from health care providers, pharmacists, and provincial ministries of health. RESULTS: Head-to-head trials involving TPO-RAs, rituximab, splenectomy, and fostamatinib are lacking. There is substantial evidence of effect for TPO-RAs in improving platelet count levels, health-related quality of life, bleeding, and fatigue from placebo-controlled trials and observational studies; however, access to TPO-RAs through provincial funding programs in Canada is variable. Splenectomy failure is a prerequisite for the funding of TPO-RAs in Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, but not in Alberta or Quebec. Other provinces either do not have access to public funding or funding is provided on a case-by-case basis. DISCUSSION: TPO-RAs are effective second-line therapies for the treatment of ITP; however, access is variable across Canada, which results in health disparities and poor uptake of international treatment guidelines.

Influential Social Determinants of Adherence to Preventive and Health Promotion Activities during Pregnancy and the First Year of Life: Systematic Review.

Effective monitoring throughout pregnancy and the first year of life is a crucial factor in achieving lower rates of maternal and infant mortality. Currently, research on socioeconomic factors that influence the lack of adherence to preventive and control measures during pregnancy and the first year of life is limited. The objective of this review is to examine the available evidence on social determinants that influence participation in health promotion and preventive activities throughout the pregnancy journey and in infants during their first year of life. We performed a systematic review of the literature searching in the major scientific databases (PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, WOS, and Cochrane Library) for articles from February 2017 to May 2023 containing information on health inequities that impact participation in health promotion and preventive measures from pregnancy through the first year of an infant's life. A total of 12 studies were selected; these studies were performed in ten different countries on five different continents. The selected studies cover preventive measures during maternal care, vaccination, and immunization during pregnancy and the first year of life, newborn screening, and follow-up of the first 12 months of life. The social factors associated with low adherence to health promotion activities during pregnancy and the first year of life include education, income, ethnicity, place of residence, and family characteristics. Despite the diverse geographical distribution, it is observed that there are common social factors linked to a decrease in the adherence to preventive measures during pregnancy and in the early years of life.

Reducing health inequalities through general practice: a realist review and action framework.

Background: Socio-economic inequalities in health have been in the public agenda for decades. General practice has an influential role to play in mitigating the impact of inequalities especially regarding chronic conditions. At the moment, general practice is dealing with serious challenges in relation to workforce shortages, increasing workload and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to identify effective ways so that general practice can play its role in reducing health inequalities. Objectives: We explored what types of interventions and aspects of routine care in general practice decrease or increase inequalities in health and care-related outcomes. We focused on cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We explored for whom these interventions and aspects of care work best, why, and in what circumstances. Our main objective was to synthesise this evidence into specific guidance for healthcare professionals and decision-makers about how best to achieve equitable general practice. Design: Realist review. Main outcome measures: Clinical or care-related outcomes by socio-economic group, or other PROGRESS-Plus criteria. Review methods: Realist review based on Pawson's five steps: (1) locating existing theories, (2) searching for evidence, (3) selecting articles, (4) extracting and organising data and (5) synthesising the evidence. Results: Three hundred and twenty-five studies met the inclusion criteria and 159 of them were selected for the evidence synthesis. Evidence about the impact of general practice interventions on health inequalities is limited. To reduce health inequalities, general practice needs to be: • connected so that interventions are linked and coordinated across the sector; • intersectional to account for the fact that people's experience is affected by many of their characteristics; • flexible to meet patients' different needs and preferences; • inclusive so that it does not exclude people because of who they are; • community-centred so that people who receive care engage with its design and delivery. These qualities should inform action across four domains: structures like funding and workforce distribution, organisational culture, everyday regulated procedures involved in care delivery, interpersonal and community relationships. Limitations: The reviewed evidence offers limited detail about the ways and the extent to which specific interventions increase or decrease inequalities in general practice. Therefore, we focused on the underpinning principles that were common across interventions to produce higher-level, transferrable conclusions about ways to achieve equitable care. Conclusions: Inequalities in general practice result from complex processes across four different domains that include structures, ideas, regulated everyday procedures, and relationships among individuals and communities. To achieve equity, general practice needs to be connected, intersectional, flexible, inclusive and community-centred. Future work: Future work should focus on how these five essential qualities can be better used to shape the organisational development of future general practice. Study registration: This trial is registered as PROSPERO CRD42020217871. Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: NIHR130694) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research; Vol. 12, No. 7. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Health inequalities are unfair differences in health across different groups of the population. In the United Kingdom, the health inequality gap in life expectancy between the richest and poorest is increasing and is caused mostly by differences in long-term conditions like cancer and cardiovascular disease and respiratory conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Partly National Health Service inequalities arise in delays in seeing a doctor and care provided through doctors' surgery, such as delays in getting tests. This study explored how general practice services can increase or decrease inequalities in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, under what circumstances and for whom. It also produced guidance for general practice, both local general practices and the wider general practice system, to reduce inequalities. We reviewed existing studies using a realist methodology. This methodology helps us understand the different contexts in which interventions work or not. We found that inequalities in general practice result from complex processes across different areas. These include funding and workforce, perceptions about health and disease among patients and healthcare staff, everyday procedures involved in care delivery, and relationships among individuals and communities. To reduce inequalities in general practice, action should be taken in all these areas and services need to be connected (i.e. linked and coordinated across the sector), intersectional (i.e. accounting for the fact that people's experience is affected by many of their characteristics like their gender and socio-economic position), flexible (i.e. meeting patients' different needs and preferences), inclusive (i.e. not excluding people because of who they are) and community-centred (i.e. working with the people who will receive care when designing and providing it). There is no one single intervention that will make general practice more equitable, rather it requires long-term organisational change based on these principles.

Adjudications and tinkering with care for socially vulnerable patients with type 2 diabetes in general practice.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the mechanisms at play in the adjudications made by professionals and socially vulnerable patients with type 2 diabetes about their eligibility for care. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: The study included 14 patients and 10 health professionals in seven general practice surgeries in deprived areas in Greater Copenhagen. The study data consist of 17 semi-structured interviews with patients and 22 with health professionals immediately after observation of 23 consultations. Our analytical approach was inspired by Systematic Text Condensation and the concept of 'candidacy' for access to health care. RESULTS: Adjudications of patients not being candidates for services were common, but we also found that both patients and health professionals worked to align the services to the needs of the patients. This could include using services differently than was intended by the providers or by changing routines to make it easier for patients to use the services. We discuss these processes as 'tinkering'. This usually implies that the best individual solution for the patient is aimed for, and in this study, the best solution sometimes meant not focusing on diabetes. CONCLUSION: The study adds to existing knowledge about access to services for socially vulnerable patients by demonstrating that both patients and professionals in general practice engage in tinkering processes to make services work.

Unequal use and benefits of health services play a significant role in relation to social inequality in healthFlexibility in services and alternatives to school-like rehabilitation are needed to reduce inequality in access to health carePatients were sometimes judged as unsuitable for available routine services, but professionals 'tinkered' with services to make them fitAdaptation of services by professionals in general practice implies a longer time frame for obtaining goals.

Trends in American Indian/Alaskan native self-reported stroke prevalence and associated modifiable risk factors in the United States from 2011-2021.

BACKGROUND: Stroke prevalence varies by race/ethnicity, as do the risk factors that elevate the risk of stroke. Prior analyses have suggested that American Indian/Alaskan Natives (AI/AN) have higher rates of stroke and vascular risk factors. METHODS: We included biyearly data from the 2011-2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys of adults (age ≥18) in the United States. We describe survey-weighted prevalence of stroke per self-report by race and ethnicity. In patients with self-reported stroke (SRS), we also describe the prevalence of modifiable vascular risk factors. RESULTS: The weighted number of U.S. participants represented in BRFSS surveys increased from 237,486,646 in 2011 to 245,350,089 in 2021. SRS prevalence increased from 2.9% in 2011 to 3.3% in 2021 (p<0.001). Amongst all race/ethnicity groups, the prevalence of stroke was highest in AI/AN at 5.4% and 5.6% in 2011 and 2021, compared to 3.0% and 3.4% for White adults (p<0.001). AI/AN with SRS were also the most likely to have four or more vascular risk factors in both 2011 and 2021 at 23.9% and 26.4% compared to 18.2% and 19.6% in White adults (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: From 2011-2021 in the United States, AI/AN consistently had the highest prevalence of self-reported stroke and highest overall burden of modifiable vascular risk factors. This persistent health disparity leaves AI/AN more susceptible to both incident and recurrent stroke.

Advancing Aging Research through a Health Disparities Perspective.

The proportion of older adults in the U.S. is growing, and the older adult population is also becoming increasingly diverse. However, there are limited data on the aging process and older adults in underserved populations. Equitable participation in research studies on aging, the research workforce, and the healthcare workforce is critical to improve health outcomes for the entire U.S. population. Health disparities frameworks offer researchers and healthcare professionals the tools to develop and evaluate aging research that addresses all levels of analysis and domains of influence. Although there have been efforts to diversify the healthcare and research workforce, significant disparities in representation remain. In this perspective, we discuss existing aging health disparities, health disparities frameworks to use as tools to better conduct aging research, methods to enhance the proportion of underrepresented populations in aging research, and the current gaps in as well as efforts to enhance the diversity of the healthcare and research workforces.