Considering community care in public health responses: A national study regarding palliative care during a prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown.

OBJECTIVE: To describe changes in palliative care characteristics, utilisation and outcomes in Victoria during a period of enhanced public health management and a prolonged lockdown due to coronavirus disease 2019. METHODS: A national retrospective cohort study with palliative care service setting comparisons in Victoria and other mainland states was conducted. RESULTS: Analysis of 48 non-Victorian services (n=53,428 patients) and 20 Victorian services (n=31,125 patients) showed that for community services, patient volume, average length of stay, functional dependency and the proportion of admissions in a deteriorating phase increased during the lockdown in Victoria, yet little changed in comparator states. Regarding inpatient services, the management of family/carer problems remained constant in comparator states, yet substantial fluctuations in outcomes in Victoria were observed. CONCLUSIONS: As health systems adapt to changing circumstances during the pandemic, the ability to upscale community services is critical. Addressing the implications of shifting inpatient care to the community needs attention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Our study highlights the need to ensure community care providers are adequately considered within public health management responses. 'Joined up' policy and implementation across care settings are essential, especially as major barriers to infection control and increased utilisation may be evident in the community during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Intravenous nicardipine for the treatment of severe hypertension. A double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter trial.

A placebo-controlled, double-blind multicenter trial was conducted in 123 patients with severe hypertension to examine the efficacy and safety of intravenously administered nicardipine hydrochloride in controlling blood pressure. Seventy-three patients were initially randomized to receive nicardipine treatment. This group had an initial blood pressure of 213 +/- 3/126 +/- 2 mm Hg. Sixty-seven patients achieved the therapeutic goal (diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 95 mm Hg; systolic blood pressure less than or equal to 160 mm Hg). Fifty patients were randomized to receive placebo solution. Blood pressure in these patients was 216 +/- 3/125 +/- 2 mm Hg. No patient in this group achieved the therapeutic goal during the "blinded" portion of the study. Forty-four of 49 patients who did not respond to placebo administration responded to subsequent treatment with nicardipine. Patients with end-organ damage were included in the study. These included patients with left ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy, and renal insufficiency. Patients with and without end-organ damage responded equally well to nicardipine treatment. Serious adverse experiences were infrequent, the most common adverse reaction being headache in 24% of the patients studied.

Humoral factors determining the blood pressure response to converting enzyme inhibition and calcium channel blockade.

Renin and catecholamine levels were determined in patients with mild to moderate hypertension before and after treatment with sustained release diltiazem or captopril and were correlated with the blood pressure response to these antihypertensives. Eight weeks of treatment with either agent led to equal decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Pretreatment plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma norepinephrine did not predict the blood pressure response to either agent. Diltiazem significantly increased both PRA and supine norepinephrine levels. However, in the diltiazem treated patients, there was no correlation between the change in plasma norepinephrine and the change in systolic or diastolic blood pressure. In contrast, there was a negative correlation (P less than .05) between the reactive rise in PRA and the decrease in systolic blood pressure. Thus, the antihypertensive response to a calcium channel blocker may be determined, in part, by the reactive response of pressor systems.

Supporting the habit: income generation activities of frequent crack users compared with frequent users of other hard drugs.

US Federal sentencing guidelines punish possession of crack cocaine very differently from powder cocaine, based partially upon the assumption that crack users engage more frequently in criminal behavior to pay for their habit. This article analyzed frequent users (those who have used at least 15 of the last 30 days) of crack with subgroups of less frequent hard drug users in terms of various income generation activities reported during the past 30 days. The sample consists of 602 African-Americans who were current (in past 30 days) users or sellers of cocaine powder, crack, and heroin. They were carefully recruited from randomly selected blocks in the Central Harlem area of New York City and interviewed extensively in 1998-1999. Their IGAs were classified into six categories. Compared with not-frequent (less than 15 days) hard drug users, frequent crack and multiple hard drug users were equally likely to be involved in drug distribution activities, but were significantly less likely to have full-time jobs, part-time jobs, aid to families with dependent children or welfare support. They had much higher odds ratios for non-drug related illegal (theft mainly) income generation activities and sex work among women. Often, gender and birth cohort variables had higher odds ratios with specific income generation activities than the frequent use of the primary drug(s). This evidence suggests that very frequent crack users have been stigmatized by, are largely excluded from, and perform very marginal economic roles in the legal economic system (jobs and welfare), the illegal economic system, and even in the hard drug distribution system.

Outcomes of a risk-reduction intervention with high-risk populations: the Harlem AIDS project.

Many studies of interventions with high-risk populations have reported reductions in risk behaviors. To assess effectiveness of interventions, data are also needed on the characteristics of subjects lost to follow-up, and on follow-up risk behaviors for subjects who were not participants in the intervention. This paper reports on a study conducted in Harlem, New York, recruiting 1,770 injection drug users (IDUs) and sex partners of IDUs, randomly assigned to two interventions. Repeated-measures analyses for the two intervention groups and those who participated in no intervention indicated that all groups reported significant reductions in risk behaviors, with no group effect. Comparisons of those followed-up and not followed-up indicate that those followed-up were less likely to: be homeless, be Latinos, and to use "shooting galleries." The discussion focuses on the need to assess outcomes for all types of participants, and to distinguish the impact of interventions from other explanations for behavior changes.

Gender differences and other factors associated with HIV testing in a national sample of active drug injectors.

Gender, health, HIV risk, and demographic factors were examined with chi-square and logistic regression analyses to assess which of these factors are most predictive of active injection drug users' (IDUs') getting tested for HIV. Analyses were based on 36,898 IDUs recruited to participate in a nationwide multisite HIV prevention project. Women IDUs were recently tested (prior 6 months) more than men IDUs. Health factors, particularly for women IDUs, predicted who got tested for HIV more than risk or demographic factors. HIV testing usually occurred when disease symptomatology developed, after a long period of being capable of transmitting HIV to others, and when the benefits of AZT and other interventions may be reduced. Preventive interventions with IDUs are needed that emphasize the possible benefits of HIV testing and that encourage testing before symptoms develop.

HIV risk behaviors among Dominican brothel and street prostitutes in New York City.

Latina women are overrepresented among AIDS cases in the United States. To assist in developing appropriate prevention and intervention programs, information regarding HIV risk behaviors is needed on the many diverse Latina subgroups. This study examined sociodemographic characteristics and HIV risk behaviors of Dominican female prostitutes, comparing those who worked primarily in brothels with those who were street workers. A total of 77 Dominican prostitutes (54 brothel; 23 street) were recruited in New York City to participate in a structured interview and were offered HIV testing. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with a subscale. Results indicated that there were many significant differences in demographics and risk behaviors between the two groups, and those working in brothels engaged in lower levels of risk behaviors. In addition, those working in brothels had closer ties to the Dominican and Spanish cultures. Implications for AIDS prevention efforts are discussed.

AIDS outreach workers: an exploratory study of job satisfactions/dissatisfactions.

AIDS outreach workers operate at the frontlines of the AIDS epidemic to provide information and education to high-risk individuals. Recent reports indicate that these workers have been effective in helping to reduce high-risk behaviors. However, a review of retention data for 62 outreach workers employed from 1986 to 1988 at a private nonprofit research institute indicated a high rate of turnover, especially among males. The literature provides little information regarding the demographic characteristics of outreach workers and their sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. This exploratory investigation was undertaken to address these topics. Structured interviews were conducted with 20 currently active outreach workers. Results indicate that altruistic motives were most frequently cited as reasons why people became outreach workers and also provided the primary source of satisfaction. Stress was most frequently mentioned as a source of dissatisfaction and also as a reason previous workers had left outreach work. Conclusions focus on the outreach workers' suggestions for job improvements. These included: improvement in the terms of employment (e.g., salary, benefits); more education and training opportunities; and more support groups or help with recovery.

The value of standardized exercise testing in the noninvasive evaluation of mitral stenosis.

The determination of functional impairment is an important portion of the evaluation of patients with mitral stenosis and frequently is instrumental in the determination to proceed with invasive testing. To test the hypothesis that patients with slowly evolving disability from mitral stenosis frequently do not recognize the degree of their limitations and to determine the utility of formal exercise testing, 24 consecutive patients with pure or predominant mitral stenosis were evaluated for NYHA functional category (NYHA class) by historical determination of functional impairment, echocardiographic mitral valve area (echo MVA), exercise duration, estimated maximum oxygen consumption, and functional aerobic impairment during a symptom-limited Bruce protocol exercise test and multiple catheterization-derived parameters. The data revealed no difference in exercise duration or mitral valve area between NYHA classes, but demonstrated an excellent correlation between exercise duration and severity of mitral valve stenosis determined at cardiac catheterization (cath MVA). This relationship was similar to that of echo MVA to cath MVA and exceeded that of exercise time to any other parameter measured during catheterization. Estimation of maximum oxygen consumption or functional aerobic impairment did not improve the exercise duration to valve area relationship. The data presented thus demonstrate that Bruce protocol exercise testing is a valuable adjunct to other noninvasive tests in the initial evaluation of selected patients with mitral stenosis. By virtue of being easily repeated at low risk, exercise testing may also be useful in long term follow-up of medically treated mitral stenosis patients.

Effects of calcium channel blockade on calcium homeostasis in mild to moderate essential hypertension.

Calcium channel blockers may alter parathyroid hormone secretion in vitro, which would alter calcium homeostasis. To determine the chronic effect of calcium channel blockade in vivo, we conducted a randomized, double blind, 16 week study comparing the effects of two pharmacologic antihypertensive agents, the calcium channel blocker diltiazem and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril on parameters of calcium homeostasis. Both diltiazem and captopril lowered blood pressure to a similar degree. Neither drug produced any significant change in blood levels of total and ionized calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus, which affect the regulation of parathyroid hormone and vitamin D. In addition, at eight or 16 weeks following initiation, neither drug altered the serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) or 1,25-(OH)2-vitamin D3 (1,25-D). Chronic calcium channel blockade with diltiazem does not alter serum parameters of calcium homeostasis and, thus, should not affect bone mineralization.

Injury patterns in big ten conference football.

BACKGROUND: In 1998, the National Collegiate Athletic Association legislated a decrease in the number of scrimmages and full-contact practices allowed during the spring season. HYPOTHESIS: A significantly increased risk of injury faced by the same player during the spring versus fall practice sessions does exist, but the National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations will not have the intended effect of reducing injury rates to equal or below those of the fall practice sessions. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospectively analyzed, descriptive study of prospectively collected injury surveillance data followed by a prospective, controlled, repeated-measures study after the rule change. METHODS: Phase 1: the Big Ten Conference Sports Injury Surveillance System database was reviewed from spring 1992 through fall 1997 for all reportable injuries. Phase 2: a prospective investigation was instituted from spring 1998 through fall 2000. This protocol was modified to also document updated individual player position descriptions and string as well as exposures for the old fall and spring practice categories (scrimmages, full contact, and limited contact) and the new spring practice designations (full pads with and without tackling, helmets only, spring game, and other scrimmages). RESULTS: Phase 1: There were 3950 fall injuries and 1007 spring injuries, with 469 of the 1007 attributable to the "spring risk factor." There was a statistically significant increase in injury rate in the spring (19.8) versus fall (10.6). Scrimmages (incidence density ratio = 2.4) and limited-contact practices (incidence density ratio = 2.5) showed more than twice the fall injury rate. Phase 2: There were 1502 fall injuries and 648 spring injuries, with 192 attributable to the spring risk factor. There was a 3-fold increase in injury rate in the spring (incidence density ratio = 3.2). Although the noncontact, helmets-only practices produced the lowest injury rates, the nonspring game scrimmages and the limited-contact practices defined as "practice with pads but without tackling" displayed the highest injury rates. In both spring and fall, nonplayers exhibited the highest injury rates for all string groups. CONCLUSIONS: There was and still is a statistically significant increase in spring practice injury risk. The 1998 rule change resulted in an even greater increase in spring practice injury risk. If the goal is to minimize the number of spring practice injuries, it will be best accomplished by limiting the number of scrimmages and limited-contact sessions.

The impact of providing incentives for attendance at AIDS prevention sessions.

The research literature on AIDS prevention efforts contains many reports on the impact of intervention sessions. Little information is available, however, on the success of various strategies to recruit clients to attend these sessions. An assessment of the comparative impact of money and other types of incentives on group attendance in two AIDS risk reduction projects, in the Harlem area of New York City and in Cleveland, OH, was undertaken. In both projects, injecting drug users and the sex partners of injecting drug users were recruited to participate in group sessions that focused on the reduction of AIDS risk behaviors. Data on group attendance were analyzed for 838 people in the New York project and 1,168 in the Ohio project. After the projects were underway, attendance incentives at both were changed from money to food coupons or gift certificates. Results indicated that a nonmonetary incentive was associated with a significant decline in group attendance. Concerns regarding paying monetary incentives to injecting drug users are discussed.

A demographic and behavioral profile of homeless youth in New York City: implications for AIDS outreach and prevention.

Rapid changes in the world market economy have served to destabilize many local institutions, widening the gap between the rich and the poor and undermining viability of key social and economic institutions such as family and household. Among those most deeply affected by this displacement are children and adolescents, many of whom are forced to leave family institutions before they have acquired the skills and maturity needed to become economically self-sufficient. Fending for themselves amid the vagaries of the underworld of virtually every major city in the world, these youths are at exceptional risk for a wide range of poor health outcomes and premature death. While perhaps a familiar sight in many non-Western countries, this phenomenon also has emerged in the industrialized world, a fact that accounts for the rise in exposure to violence and disease among street-involved youth and young adults in nations such as the United States. There are as yet few empirical data available about the nature of these youth populations or the constellation of behaviors that place them at increased risk for disease outcomes. In this report we construct a demographic and behavioral profile of the homeless youth population in New York City, particularly as behavioral patterns relate to risk associated with HIV infection.

Dominican, Mexican, and Puerto Rican prostitutes: drug use and sexual behaviors.

PIP: HIV-related behaviors are reported in three groups of Hispanic prostitutes recruited in the US: 77 Dominicans recruited in the Washington Heights/Inwood section of New York City; 151 Mexicans recruited in El Paso, Texas; and 48 Puerto Ricans recruited in East Harlem, New York City, during 1989-91 in streets and brothels. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with a subsample of subjects (10 Puerto Ricans, 20 Mexicans, and 20 Dominicans) to examine the cultural meaning of risk behaviors. Structured interviews based on the NIDA AIDS Initial Assessment were conducted with the subjects to describe demographic characteristics and summarize levels of risk behaviors. Qualitative data showed that for the Mexican women in El Paso poverty, violence, drug dealing and transport, tourist clients, and an environment of illegality were the realities more than for the Dominican and Puerto Rican prostitutes. The Dominican sample in New York City transported to their new environment strong family values and proscriptions against drug use as well as prostitution in brothels on account of poverty-related motivations for the support of their children. The Puerto Rican women reflected acculturation evolved in two locations, as well as illicit drugs, violence, and abuse. 92% of the Dominican women, 71% of the Mexican women, and only 25% of the Puerto Rican women were born in their native countries. Only 10% of the Puerto Ricans, 36% of the Mexicans, and 53% of the Dominicans always used condoms. 58% of the Puerto Ricans, 21% of the Mexicans, and 13% of the Dominicans reported ever having a sexually transmitted disease (p 0.001). Of those tested by the project, only 2% of the Mexicans vs. 8% of the Dominicans were HIV positive. Among drug-addicted Puerto Ricans, the HIV seroprevalence rate was 40-50%. 79% of the Puerto Rican prostitutes were sex partners of iv drug users. For effective prevention, cultural diversity must be taken into account.^ieng

Correlates and distribution of HIV risk behaviors among homeless youths in New York City: implications for prevention and policy.

Homeless youths are at high risk for poor health outcomes, including repeated exposure to STDs and high rates of unplanned pregnancies, untreated TB, HIV infection, and accelerated immune dysfunction associated with AIDS. This article examines the nature and distribution of HIV-risk behavior in a broad, street-based sample of homeless and runaway youths in New York City (N = 929). Although street youths in general are shown at high risk, the highest risks nest within older age segments of the male street youth population. Paradoxically, these youths are least likely to be in contact with prevention services. The data demonstrate the need to reconsider the use of chronological age as a determinant for service eligibility and to reconfigure funding streams so as to more effectively and consistently target older and more vulnerable youths.

Listeria monocytogenes prosthetic valve endocarditis.

Listeria monocytogenes is a rare cause of prosthetic valve endocarditis and in all of the four reported cases has occurred as a late complication. Bacteriologic cure of the infection has been obtained in all reported patients, using a standard regimen of either penicillin or penicillin and an aminoglycoside. The two deaths were associated with Starr-Edwards prostheses in the aortic position and have been attributed to embolic phenomena occurring after bacteriologic sterilization of the infected valve.