An interdisciplinary integrated specialized one-stop outpatient clinic for idiopathic intracranial hypertension - an assessment of sick leave, presenteeism, and health care utilization.

BACKGROUND: Management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is complex requiring contributions from multiple specialized disciplines. In practice, this creates considerable organizational and communicational challenges. To meet those challenges, we established an interdisciplinary integrated outpatient clinic for IIH with a central coordination and a one-stop- concept. Here, we aimed to evaluate effects of this concept on sick leave, presenteeism, and health care utilization. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study, we compared the one-stop era with integrated care (IC, 1-JUL-2021 to 31-DEC-2022) to a reference group receiving standard care (SC, 1-JUL-2018 to 31-DEC-2019) regarding economic outcome parameters assessed over 6 months. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics of the IC group (n = 85) and SC group (n = 81) were comparable (female: 90.6% vs. 90.1%; mean age: 33.6 vs. 32.8 years, educational level: ≥9 years of education 60.0% vs. 59.3%; located in Vienna 75.3% vs. 76.5%). Compared to SC, the IC group showed significantly fewer days with sick leave or presenteeism (-5 days/month), fewer unscheduled contacts for IIH-specific problems (-2.3/month), and fewer physician or hospital contacts in general (-4.1 contacts/month). Subgroup analyses of patients with migration background and language barrier consistently indicated stronger effects of the IC concept in these groups. CONCLUSIONS: Interdisciplinary integrated management significantly improves the burden of IIH in terms of sick leave, presenteeism and healthcare consultations - particularly in socioeconomically underprivileged patient groups.

Primary care clinic visits in formerly evacuated areas due to radiation disaster following the Great East Japan Earthquake: A retrospective descriptive study.

Radiation disasters pose distinctive medical challenges, requiring diverse care approaches. Beyond radiation exposure assessment, addressing health impacts due to lifestyle changes, especially among vulnerable populations, is vital. Evacuation orders issued in radiation-affected areas introduce unique healthcare dynamics, with their duration significantly influencing the recovery process. Understanding evolving patient demographics and medical needs after lifting evacuation orders is crucial for post-disaster care planning. Minamisoma Municipal Odaka Hospital, located 13 to 20 km from Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear power plant in a post-evacuation zone, was greatly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent radiation disaster. Data were retrospectively collected from patient records, including age, gender, visit date, diagnoses, and addresses. Patient records from April 2014 to March 2020 were analyzed, comparing data before and after the July 2016 evacuation order lift. Data was categorized into pre and post-evacuation order lifting periods, using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition codes, to identify the top diseases. Statistical analyses, including χ-square tests, assessed changes in disease distributions. Population data for Odaka Ward and Minamisoma City fluctuated after lifting evacuation orders. As of March 11, 2011, Odaka Ward had 12,842 residents (27.8% aged 65+ years), dropping to 8406 registered residents and 2732 actual residents by April 30, 2018 (49.7%). Minamisoma City also saw declines, with registered residents decreasing from 71,561 (25.9%) to 61,049 (34.1%). The study analyzed 11,100 patients, mostly older patients (75.1%), between 2014 and 2020. Post-lifting, monthly patient numbers surged from an average of 55.2 to 213.5, with female patients increasing from 33.8% to 51.7%. Disease patterns shifted, with musculoskeletal cases declining from 23.8% to 13.0%, psychiatric disorders increasing from 9.3% to 15.4%, and trauma-related cases decreasing from 14.3% to 3.9%. Hypertension (57.1%) and dyslipidemia (29.2%) prevailed post-lifting. Urgent cases decreased from 1.3% to 0.1%. This study emphasizes the importance of primary care in post-evacuation zones, addressing diverse medical needs, including trauma, noncommunicable diseases, and psychiatric disorders. Changing patient demographics require adaptable healthcare strategies and resource allocation to meet growing demands. Establishing a comprehensive health maintenance system tailored to these areas' unique challenges is crucial for future disaster recovery efforts.

Willingness to accept malaria vaccines amongst women presenting at outpatient and immunization clinics in Enugu state, Southeast Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There are giant steps taken in the introduction of the novel malaria vaccine poised towards reducing mortality and morbidity associated with malaria. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the knowledge of malaria vaccine and factors militating against willingness to accept the vaccine among mothers presenting in nine hospitals in Enugu metropolis. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study carried out among 491 mothers who presented with their children in nine hospitals in Enugu metropolis, South-East Nigeria. A pre-tested and interviewer-administered questionnaire was used in this study. RESULTS: A majority of the respondents, 72.1% were aware of malaria vaccine. A majority of the respondents, 83.1% were willing to receive malaria vaccine. Similarly, a majority of the mothers, 92.9%, were willing to vaccinate baby with the malaria vaccine, while 81.1% were willing to vaccinate self and baby with the malaria vaccine. The subjects who belong to the low socio-economic class were five times less likely to vaccinate self and baby with malaria vaccine when compared with those who were in the high socio-economic class (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI 0.1-0.5). Mothers who had good knowledge of malaria vaccination were 3.3 times more likely to vaccinate self and baby with malaria vaccine when compared with those who had poor knowledge of malaria vaccination (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI 1-6-6.8). CONCLUSION: Although the study documented a high vaccine acceptance among the mothers, there exists a poor knowledge of the malaria vaccine among them.

Factors that Affect Patient Wait Times at a Free Clinic.

Free clinics may present long wait times. A retrospective chart review was conducted at a free clinic to understand contributing factors. Three wait times (total visit time, lobby wait time, and triage time) were analyzed across 349 patients. Variables included in the models were the total number of patients, providers, and volunteers; interpreter services; social work involvement; medical complexity; new vs. returning patient; scheduled vs. walk-in appointment; transportation provision; medical volunteer training level; and on-site medications and labs. Data analysis with multiple regressions was conducted. Factors that significantly affected wait times included the level of medical complexity (p<.001), medical volunteer training levels (p<.001), in-house labs (p<.001), in-house medications (p=.04), and new patients (p=.01). An intervention involving time benchmarks at the beginning of clinics reduced first-wave lobby wait times (p<.001). Future interventions addressing these factors may reduce wait times at other clinics.

Value-based comparison of ambulatory children with respiratory diseases in an emergency department and a walk-in clinic: a retrospective cohort study in Québec, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To compare health outcomes and costs given in the emergency department (ED) and walk-in clinics for ambulatory children presenting with acute respiratory diseases. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: This study was conducted from April 2016 to March 2017 in one ED and one walk-in clinic. The ED is a paediatric tertiary care centre, and the clinic has access to lab tests and X-rays. PARTICIPANTS: Inclusion criteria were children: (1) aged from 2 to 17 years old and (2) discharged home with a diagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), pneumonia or acute asthma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients returning to any ED or clinic within 3 and 7 days of the index visit. The secondary outcome measures were the mean cost of care estimated using time-driven activity-based costing and the incidence of antibiotic prescription for URTI patients. RESULTS: We included 532 children seen in the ED and 201 seen in the walk-in clinic. The incidence of return visits at 3 and 7 days was 20.7% and 27.3% in the ED vs 6.5% and 11.4% in the clinic (adjusted relative risk at 3 days (aRR) (95% CI) 3.17 (1.77 to 5.66) and aRR at 7 days 2.24 (1.46 to 3.44)). The mean cost (95% CI) of care (CAD) at the index visit was $C96.68 (92.62 to 100.74) in the ED vs $C48.82 (45.47 to 52.16) in the clinic (mean difference (95% CI): 46.15 (41.29 to 51.02)). Antibiotic prescription for URTI was less common in the ED than in the clinic (1.5% vs 16.4%; aRR 0.10 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.32)). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of return visits and cost of care were significantly higher in the ED, while antibiotic use for URTI was more frequent in the walk-in clinic. These data may help determine which setting offers the highest value to ambulatory children with acute respiratory conditions.

Etiologic distribution of dizziness/vertigo in a neurological outpatient clinic according to the criteria of the international classification of vestibular disorders: a single-center study.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the etiological characteristics of patients with dizziness/vertigo attending a neurological clinic according to the criteria of the International Classification of Vestibular Disorders (ICVD), hoping to provide a valuable reference for clinicians to diagnose and treat dizziness/vertigo. METHOD: A total of 638 consecutive patients with a chief complaint of dizziness/vertigo who attended the vertigo clinic of our neurology department from January 2019 to January 2020 were included. Clinical data of patients, including baseline data, medical history, neurological, neuro-otological, and auxiliary examination results were collected. The etiologic distribution of dizziness/vertigo was determined by analyzing the diagnoses of patients. RESULTS: Of the 638 patients with dizziness/vertigo, 38.8% were males, 61.2% were females, with a male: female ratio of 1:1.58 and a mean age of 52.9 ± 16.9 years. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the most common cause of dizziness/vertigo in both female (38.9%) and male patients (25.5%). Subgroup analysis based on sex showed that vestibular migraine (VM) and probable autoimmune inner ear disease (p-AIED) were more prevalent in female patients (10.7% and 3.8%, respectively), while vascular vertigo/dizziness was more common in male patients (10.1%). Subgroup analysis based on age showed that the most common diseases were VM in patients aged 0-30 years (27.4%), BPPV in patients aged 31-60 years (27.1%) and 61-100 years (46.0%). Episodic vestibular syndrome (EVS) was the most commonly observed, accounting for up to 60.6% (389/638) of all patients, and the most common diagnoses were BPPV (55.3%, 215/389), VM (15.2%, 59/389), primary unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction (p-UPVD) of unknown etiology (11.8%, 46/389), p-AIED (4.4%, 17/389), and vascular vertigo/dizziness (2.8%, 11/389) in these patients. Chronic vestibular syndrome (CVS) was found in 14.0% (90/638) of the patients, and the most common diagnoses were persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD, 35.6%, 32/90), psychogenic dizziness (18.9%, 17/90), p-UPVD of unknown etiology (15.6%, 14/90), vascular vertigo/dizziness (15.6%, 14/90), and bilateral vestibulopathy (7.8%, 7/90). Acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) was observed in 8.4% (54/638) of the patients, and the most common diagnoses were p-UPVD of unknown etiology (31.5%, 17/54), vestibular neuritis (24.1%, 13/54), probable labyrinthine apoplexy (16.7%, 9/54), stroke (13.0%, 7/54), and psychogenic dizziness (11.1%, 6/54). 16.4% (105/638) of the patients were found to have other disorders, including 15.2% (16/105) of patients with internal diseases, and 84.8% (89/105) of patients with unknown causes. In terms of localization diagnosis, 56.1%, 17.0%, 10.0%, and 16.4% of the patients were diagnosed with peripheral vestibular disorder, central vestibular disorder, psychiatric and functional vestibular disorders, and other disorders, respectively. CONCLUSION: (1) Dizziness/vertigo was more common in females, which was frequently caused by damage to the vestibular system. Non-vestibular or unknown etiologies were also seen in some patients; (2) VM was more prevalent in women than in men, vascular vertigo/dizziness was more commonly observed in men; (3) EVS was more common in patients with dizziness/vertigo. The most common causes of dizziness/vertigo were peripheral vestibular disorders in patients with AVS and EVS, PPPD and psychogenic dizziness in patients with CVS. The most common causes were BPPV and p-UPVD of unknown etiology in patients with a peripheral vestibular disorder, VM and vascular vertigo/dizziness in patients with central vestibular disorder, PPPD and psychogenic dizziness in patients with psychiatric and functional vestibular disorders.

School-Based Services May Eliminate Substance Treatment Disparities: Results From a Nonrandomized Program Evaluation.

BACKGROUND: There are known health disparities in adolescent substance treatment access and engagement. The purpose of this project is to compare outcomes from school- and clinic-based substance treatment and to evaluate if providing school-based substance treatment reduces disparities in treatment access and engagement. METHOD: This quality improvement retrospective chart review compares baseline and outcome data for adolescents accessing school-based (n = 531) and clinic-based (n = 523) substance treatment in a natural quasi-experimental study with nonequivalent control group design. Baseline demographic and clinical measures include age, sex, ethnicity, race, and clinical diagnoses. Outcome measures include the number of sessions completed, proportion reaching a week of self-reported abstinence, and proportion providing a negative urine drug screen. RESULTS: Compared to the clinic-based sample, the school-based sample includes more female (47.65% vs 26.77%) and Hispanic/Latinx (59.89% vs 46.46%) adolescents. The school-based group has a similar proportion reaching a negative urine drug screen (31.84% vs 28.83%, p = .5259) or a week of abstinence (43.15% vs 41.03%, p = .6718) as the clinic-based sample. There are significant differences in total session completion over a period of 16 weeks between school-based and clinic-based adolescents. In multivariable analyses, there was a significant interaction effect of race/ethnicity by location on the number of sessions completed. CONCLUSION: Providing school-based substance treatment increases access to care and treatment engagement for female, African American, and Hispanic/Latinx adolescents without diminishing outcomes.

Integrating Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Into Primary Care Settings.

Importance: Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) (eg, buprenorphine and naltrexone) can be offered in primary care, but barriers to implementation exist. Objective: To evaluate an implementation intervention over 2 years to explore experiences and perspectives of multidisciplinary primary care (PC) teams initiating or expanding MOUD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This survey-based and ethnographic qualitative study was conducted at 12 geographically and structurally diverse primary care clinics that enrolled in a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study from July 2020 to July 2022 and included PC teams (prescribing clinicians, nonprescribing behavioral health care managers, and consulting psychiatrists). Survey data analysis was conducted from February to April 2022. Exposure: Implementation intervention (external practice facilitation) to integrate OUD treatment alongside existing collaborative care for mental health services. Measures: Data included (1) quantitative surveys of primary care teams that were analyzed descriptively and triangulated with qualitative results and (2) qualitative field notes from ethnographic observation of clinic implementation meetings analyzed using rapid assessment methods. Results: Sixty-two primary care team members completed the survey (41 female individuals [66%]; 1 [2%] American Indian or Alaskan Native, 4 [7%] Asian, 5 [8%] Black or African American, 5 [8%] Hispanic or Latino, 1 [2%] Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 46 [4%] White individuals), of whom 37 (60%) were between age 25 and 44 years. An analysis of implementation meetings (n = 362) and survey data identified 4 themes describing multilevel factors associated with PC team provision of MOUD during implementation, with variation in their experience across clinics. Themes characterized challenges with clinical administrative logistics that limited the capacity to provide rapid access to care and patient engagement as well as clinician confidence to discuss aspects of MOUD care with patients. These challenges were associated with conflicting attitudes among PC teams toward expanding MOUD care. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this survey and qualitative study of PC team perspectives suggest that PC teams need flexibility in appointment scheduling and the capacity to effectively engage patients with OUD as well as ongoing training to maintain clinician confidence in the face of evolving opioid-related clinical issues. Future work should address structural challenges associated with workload burden and limited schedule flexibility that hinder MOUD expansion in PC settings.

Progression of chronic kidney disease among black patients attending a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health issue worldwide and is an important contributor to the overall non-communicable disease burden. Chronic kidney disease is usually asymptomatic, and insidiously and silently progresses to advanced stages in resource limited settings. METHODOLOGY: A prospective longitudinal study was carried out on black patients with CKD attending the kidney outpatient clinic at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) in South Africa, between September 2019 to March 2022. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the ongoing continuous clinic records, as well as measurements of vital signs and interviews at baseline and at follow up. Patients provided urine and blood samples for laboratory investigations as standard of care at study entry (0) and at 24 months, and were followed up prospectively for two (2) years. Data were descriptively and inferentially entered into REDcap and analysed using STATA version 17, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of CKD progression. RESULTS: A total of 312 patients were enrolled into the study, 297 (95.2%) patients completed the study, 10 (3.2%) patients were lost to follow and 5 (1.6%) patients died during the study period. The prevalence of CKD progression was 49.5%, while that of CKD remission was 33% and CKD regression was 17.5%. For patients with CKD progression the median age at baseline was 58 (46-67) years, the median eGFR was 37 (32-51) mL/min/1.73 m2, median urine protein creatinine ratio (uPCR) was 0.038 (0.016-0.82) g/mmol and the median haemoglobin (Hb) was 13.1 (11.7-14.4) g/dl; 95.2% had hypertension, 40.1% patients had diabetes mellitus and 39.5% had both hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Almost half (48.3%) of patients with CKD progression had severely increased proteinuria and 45.6% had anaemia. Variables associated with higher odds for CKD progression after multivariable logistic regression analysis were severely increased proteinuria (OR 32.3, 95% CI 2.8-368.6, P = 0.005), moderately increased proteinuria (OR 23.3, 95% CI 2.6-230.1, P = 0.007), hypocalcaemia (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.0-14.8, P = 0.047), hyponatraemia (OR 4.5, 95% CI 0.8-23.6, P = 0.042), anaemia (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.3, P = 0.048), diabetes mellitus (OR 1.8, 95% CI 0.9-3.6, P = 0.047), elevated HbA1c (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.8, P = 0.007) and current smoking (OR 2.8, 95% CI 0.9-8.6, P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Our study identified a higher prevalence of CKD progression in a prospective longitudinal study of black patients with CKD compared with literature reports. CKD Progression was associated with proteinuria, diabetes mellitus, elevated HbA1c, anaemia, hypocalcaemia, hyponatraemia and current smoking in a cohort of black patients with CKD who had controlled hypertension and diabetes mellitus at baseline.

Utilization of Small Dense Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Testing in Korean Patients Visiting Local Clinics and Hospitals.

Small dense low-density cholesterol (sdLDL) has been the focus of studies due to its potential as an independent risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. We aimed to investigate the utilization of sdLDL testing by LDL particle size analysis and the prevalence of an sdLDL predominant phenotype in Korean adult patients by visiting local clinics and hospitals. Among 9222 Korean adults (4577 men and 4645 women) with a median age of 62.8 years (interquartile range, IQR 54.5 to 71.8 years) undergoing lipid profile testing using LDL particle size analysis, the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol ≥ 240 mg/dL), hypo HDL cholesterolemia (<40 mg/dL), and hyper LDL cholesterolemia (≥160 mg/dL) was 7.8%, 12.9%, and 0.5%, respectively. The overall prevalence of the sdLDL predominant non-A phenotype of LDL was 46.8% of study subjects. Approximately 32.8% of the study subjects possessed lipid test results that did not exhibit increased risk except for sdLDL (only the sdLDL predominant non-A phenotype as a risk factor). In Korea, sdLDL testing was utilized in patients whose LDL cholesterol level was not increased. Future studies to clarify the clinical significance of this test in the Korean population are needed.

Association Between Dialysis Facility Ownership and Access to the Waiting List and Transplant in Pediatric Patients With End-stage Kidney Disease in the US.

Importance: Care of adults at profit vs nonprofit dialysis facilities has been associated with lower access to transplant. Whether profit status is associated with transplant access for pediatric patients with end-stage kidney disease is unknown. Objective: To determine whether profit status of dialysis facilities is associated with placement on the kidney transplant waiting list or receipt of kidney transplant among pediatric patients receiving maintenance dialysis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study reviewed the US Renal Data System records of 13 333 patients younger than 18 years who started dialysis from 2000 through 2018 in US dialysis facilities (followed up through June 30, 2019). Exposures: Time-updated profit status of dialysis facilities. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cox models, adjusted for clinical and demographic factors, were used to examine time to wait-listing and receipt of kidney transplant by profit status of dialysis facilities. Results: A total of 13 333 pediatric patients who started receiving maintenance dialysis were included in the analysis (median age, 12 years [IQR, 3-15 years]; 6054 females [45%]; 3321 non-Hispanic Black patients [25%]; 3695 Hispanic patients [28%]). During a median follow-up of 0.87 years (IQR, 0.39-1.85 years), the incidence of wait-listing was lower at profit facilities than at nonprofit facilities, 36.2 vs 49.8 per 100 person-years, respectively (absolute risk difference, -13.6 (95% CI, -15.4 to -11.8 per 100 person-years; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] for wait-listing at profit vs nonprofit facilities, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.75-0.83). During a median follow-up of 1.52 years (IQR, 0.75-2.87 years), the incidence of kidney transplant (living or deceased donor) was also lower at profit facilities than at nonprofit facilities, 21.5 vs 31.3 per 100 person-years, respectively; absolute risk difference, -9.8 (95% CI, -10.9 to -8.6 per 100 person-years) adjusted HR for kidney transplant at profit vs nonprofit facilities, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.67-0.74). Conclusions and Relevance: Among a cohort of pediatric patients receiving dialysis in the US from 2000 through 2018, profit facility status was associated with longer time to wait-listing and longer time to kidney transplant.

Characterizing 30-Day Postoperative Acute Care Visits: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Collaborative Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Many postoperative acute care visits (PACVs) are likely more appropriately addressed in lower acuity settings; however, the frequency and nature of PACVs are not currently tracked by the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), and the overall burden to emergency departments and urgent care centers is unknown. METHODS: NSQIP collaborative data were augmented to prospectively capture 30-d PACVs for 1 y starting October 2018 across all NSQIP specialties, including visit reason and disposition. Data were analyzed using binomial logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 9933 patients were identified; 12.0% (n = 1193) presented to an acute care setting over 1413 visits, most commonly for surgical pain (15.4%) in the absence of an identified complication. Visits most commonly resulted in discharge (n = 817, 68.5%) or admission (n = 343, 24.3%). Variables independently associated with visits resulting in discharge included age (odds ratio [OR] 0.99 per year, P < 0.001), increasing comorbidities (1-2 [OR 1.55, P < 0.001]; 3-4 [OR 2.51, P < 0.001]; 5+ [OR 2.79 P < 0.001]), operative duration (OR 1.08 per hour, P = 0.001), and nonelective (OR 1.20, P = 0.01) or urologic (OR 1.46, P = 0.01) procedures. CONCLUSIONS: PACVs are an overlooked burden on emergency medicine providers and healthcare systems; most do not require admission and could be potentially triaged outside of the acute care setting with improved perioperative care infrastructure. Younger patients, those with multiple comorbidities, and those undergoing nonelective procedures deserve special attention when designing initiatives to address postoperative acute care utilization. Data regarding PACVs can be routinely collected with minor modifications to current NSQIP workflows.

Visual aids in ambulatory clinical practice: Experiences, perceptions and needs of patients and healthcare professionals.

This study aims to explore how visual aids (VA) are used in ambulatory medical practice. Our research group (two doctors, one graphic designer and one sociologist) have led a qualitative study based on Focus Groups. A semi-structured guide and examples of VA were used to stimulate discussions. Participants were healthcare professionals (HP) working in ambulatory practice in Geneva and French-speaking outpatients. After inductive thematic analysis, the coding process was analyzed and modified to eventually reach consensus. Six focus groups gathered twenty-one HP and fifteen patients. Our study underlines the variety of purposes of use of VA and the different contexts of use allowing the distinction between "stand-alone" VA used out of consultation by patients alone and "interactive" VA used during a consultation enriched by the interaction between HP and patients. HP described that VA can take the form of useful tools for education and communication during consultation. They have questioned the quality of available VA and complained about restricted access to them. Patients expressed concern about the impact of VA on the interaction with HP. Participants agreed on the beneficial role of VA to supplement verbal explanation and text. Our study emphasizes the need to classify available VA, guarantee their quality, facilitate their access and deliver pertinent instructions for use.

"I just have to hope that this abortion should go well": Perceptions, fears, and experiences of abortion clients in Nigeria.

This qualitative study aimed to examine how abortion clients in Nigeria perceive abortion and explore the role their beliefs and fears play in their care-seeking experiences and interactions with providers. Abortion is severely legally restricted in Nigeria but remains common. We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 people who obtained abortion services through three distinct models of care. We coded interview transcripts and conducted thematic analysis. Clients perceived negative attitudes toward abortion in their communities, though clients' own beliefs were more nuanced. Clients recounted a range of fears, and nearly all mentioned worrying that they might die as a result of their abortion. Despite their concerns, clients relied on social networks and word-of-mouth recommendations to identify providers they perceived as trustworthy and safe. Kind and non-judgmental treatment, clear instructions, open communication, and reassurance of privacy and confidentiality by providers alleviated client fears and helped clients feel supported throughout their abortion process. Within restrictive contexts, the mobilization of information networks, provision of high-quality care through innovative models, and personalization of care to individual needs can assuage fears and contribute to reducing stigma and increasing access to safe abortion services.

Functional dyspepsia leads to more healthcare utilization in secondary care compared with other functional gastrointestinal disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are known to have a significant impact on patients' quality of life and lead to a greater healthcare burden. In this study we aimed to investigate whether this healthcare burden differs among various types of FGIDs in secondary care. METHODS: A retrospective study of consecutive adults with luminal gastrointestinal (GI) diseases in a secondary healthcare gastroenterology clinic was conducted. The frequency of FGIDs and differences in healthcare utilization among different types of FGIDs were explored. RESULTS: Among 1206 patients with luminal GI disease, 442 (36.7%) had FGIDs. FGIDs patients were older (67 y vs 62 y, P < 0.001) with a higher proportion of women (61.8% vs 50.4%, P < 0.001) than those without FGIDs. Functional dyspepsia (FD) was the most common FGIDs (36.9%), followed by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (30.3%). A high healthcare burden (defined as over one GI endoscopy or imaging examination over 5 years, or one or more unscheduled visit to general practitioner or emergency department or hospitalization annually) was observed among 53.8% of the FGIDs patients. FD was associated with a high healthcare burden (high vs low burden: 43.7% vs 28.9%, P = 0.001) while IBS was associated with lower healthcare burden (high vs low burden: 25.2% vs 36.3%, P = 0.012). On multivariate analysis, only FD was significantly associated with high healthcare burden (adjusted odds ratio 1.996, 95% confidence interval 1.117-3.567, P = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Compared with other FGIDs, FD was the most common condition in secondary care, and it was associated with the greatest healthcare burden.

Leptin promoter methylation in female patients with painful multisomatoform disorder and chronic widespread pain.

BACKGROUND: Different functional somatic syndromes (FSS), fibromyalgia (FMS) and other unexplained painful conditions share many common clinical traits and are characterized by troubling and functionally disabling somatic symptoms. Chronic pain is most frequently reported and at the center of patients' level of disease burden. The construct of multisomatoform disorder (MSD) allows to subsume severely impaired patients suffering from FSS, FMS and other unexplained painful conditions to be examined for common underlying processes. Altered leptin levels and a pathological response of the HPA-axis as a result of chronic stress and childhood trauma have been suggested as one of the driving factors of disease development and severity. Previous studies have demonstrated that methylation of the leptin promoter can play a regulatory role in addiction. In this study, we hypothesized that methylation of the leptin promoter is influenced by the degree of childhood traumatization and differs between patients with MSD and controls. A cohort of 151 patients with MSD and 149 matched healthy volunteers were evaluated using clinical and psychometric assessment while methylation level analysis of the leptin promoter was performed using DNA isolated from whole blood. RESULTS: In female controls, we found CpG C-167 to be negatively correlated with leptin levels, whereas in female patients CpG C-289, C-255, C-193, C-167 and methylation cluster (C-291 to C-167) at putative bindings sites for transcription factors Sp1 and c/EBPalpha were negatively correlated with leptin levels. Methylation levels were significantly lower in female patients CpG C-289 compared with controls. When looking at female patients with chronic widespread pain methylation levels were significantly lower at CpG C-289, C-255 and methylation cluster (C-291 to C-167). CONCLUSION: Our findings support the hypothesis that epigenetic regulation of leptin plays a role in the regulation of leptin levels in patients with MSD. This effect is more pronounced in patients with chronic widespread pain.

COVID-19 Testing Among US Children, Parental Preferences for Testing Venues, and Acceptability of School-Based Testing.

OBJECTIVES: Testing remains critical for identifying pediatric cases of COVID-19 and as a public health intervention to contain infections. We surveyed US parents to measure the proportion of children tested for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, preferred testing venues for children, and acceptability of school-based COVID-19 testing. METHODS: We conducted an online survey of 2074 US parents of children aged ≤12 years in March 2021. We applied survey weights to generate national estimates, and we used Rao-Scott adjusted Pearson χ2 tests to compare incidence by selected sociodemographic characteristics. We used Poisson regression models with robust SEs to estimate adjusted risk ratios (aRRs) of pediatric testing. RESULTS: Among US parents, 35.9% reported their youngest child had ever been tested for COVID-19. Parents who were female versus male (aRR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.60-0.79), Asian versus non-Hispanic White (aRR = 0.58; 95% CI, 0.39-0.87), and from the Midwest versus the Northeast (aRR = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63-0.91) were less likely to report testing of a child. Children who had health insurance versus no health insurance (aRR = 1.38; 95% CI, 1.05-1.81), were attending in-person school/daycare versus not attending (aRR = 1.67; 95% CI, 1.43-1.95), and were from households with annual household income ≥$100 000 versus income <$50 000-$99 999 (aRR = 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02-1.40) were more likely to have tested for COVID-19. Half of parents (52.7%) reported the pediatrician's office as the most preferred testing venue, and 50.6% said they would allow their youngest child to be tested for COVID-19 at school/daycare if required. CONCLUSIONS: Greater efforts are needed to ensure access to COVID-19 testing for US children, including those without health insurance.

Fracture Prevention Clinic Targeting Patients with Fragility Fracture of the Distal Radius: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Identifying and treating patients with fragility fractures may be effective in prevention of subsequent fractures because a first fragility fracture often predicts a second fracture. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a multidisciplinary anti-osteoporotic clinic for patients with prior distal radius fragility fractures (DRFF). To assess whether addressing this early fracture may prevent a second fracture. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed. Cases included patients treated surgically for DRFF who were assessed at a tertiary, multidisciplinary, fracture-prevention clinic. Controls were a series of similarly treated patients who did not attend the clinic. The primary outcome measure was a second fracture. RESULTS: Average follow-up was 42 months for the treated group and 85 months for the untreated group. The treated group received more treatment for osteoporosis than controls; however, despite one new fracture in the treated group and six new fractures in the control group, there was no significant difference in fracture occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study supports the effectiveness of our multidisciplinary anti-osteoporotic clinic in treating osteoporosis but not in reducing subsequent fractures. Further study with larger cohorts and longer follow-up is needed to improve our ability to implement effective prevention of fragility fractures.

Factors associated with testing positive for syphilis among MSM who present as sexual contacts of syphilis from a clinic-based population.

OBJECTIVES: There has been a significant increase in syphilis in men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK over the past 20 years. Partner notification strategies have increased the number of MSM attending STI clinics as sexual contacts of syphilis. Current guidelines suggest testing and consideration of presumptive antimicrobial treatment. Syphilis treatment with benzathine penicillin requires clinic resources, is painful and is associated with complications. It is important we consider strategies to rationalise presumptive antimicrobial use and promote antimicrobial stewardship. METHODS: We aimed to determine if there are any factors associated with having syphilis among MSM attending as sexual contacts of syphilis in a cross-sectional study. We examined the clinical records of MSM attending as sexual contacts of syphilis from January to December 2019. RESULTS: Of the 6613 MSM who attended for STI testing, 142 of 6613 (2.1%) presented as sexual contacts of syphilis. The median age was 40 years (IQR=31-51), 43 of 142 (30%) were HIV positive, 38 of 142 (27%) had been diagnosed and treated for syphilis in the past, and 11 of 142 (8%) presented with symptoms (possible lesions of primary or secondary syphilis). Thirteen (9%, 95% CI=4.4 to 13.9) tested positive for syphilis on the day of presentation. MSM who were symptomatic (genital ulcer or body rash), HIV positive or had a history of syphilis were significantly more likely to test positive for syphilis (OR=51.88, 95% CI: 3.01 to 893.14, p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that in our clinic-based population of MSM who presented as sexual contacts of syphilis, the factors associated with testing positive for syphilis were: having HIV, having a history of syphilis or presenting with symptoms (possible lesions of primary or secondary syphilis). These factors could be used to rationalise antibiotic treatment among MSM presenting as sexual contacts of syphilis. Further research is needed to validate this finding in other populations of MSM and people affected by syphilis.

Factors Associated With Pediatric Burn Clinic Follow-up After Emergency Department Discharge.

Attrition between emergency department discharge and outpatient follow-up is well documented across a variety of pediatric ailments. Given the importance of outpatient medical care and the lack of related research in pediatric burn populations, we examined sociodemographic factors and burn characteristics associated with outpatient follow-up adherence among pediatric burn patients. A retrospective review of medical records was conducted on patient data extracted from a burn registry database at an urban academic children's hospital over a 2-year period (January 2018-December 2019). All patients were treated in the emergency department and discharged with instructions to follow-up in an outpatient burn clinic within 1 week. A total of 196 patients (Mage = 5.5 years; 54% male) were included in analyses. Average % TBSA was 1.9 (SD = 1.5%). One third of pediatric burn patients (33%) did not attend outpatient follow-up as instructed. Older patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.99-1.00], P = .045), patients with superficial burns (OR = 9.37; 95% CI: [2.50-35.16], P = .001), patients with smaller % TBSA (OR = 1.37; 95% CI: [1.07-1.76], P = .014), and patients with Medicaid insurance (OR = 0.22; 95% CI: [0.09-0.57], P = .002) or uninsured/unknown insurance (OR = 0.07; 95% CI: [0.02-0.26], P = .000) were less likely to follow up, respectively. Patient gender, race, ethnicity, and distance to clinic were not associated with follow-up. Follow-up attrition in our sample suggests a need for additional research identifying factors associated with adherence to follow-up care. Identifying factors associated with follow-up adherence is an essential step in developing targeted interventions to improve health outcomes in this at-risk population.