An Unconditional Cash Transfer Program for Low-Income New Yorkers Affected by COVID-19.

Early in the pandemic, New York City's public hospital system partnered with multiple philanthropic foundations to offer an unconditional cash transfer program for low-income New Yorkers affected by COVID-19. The $1000 cash transfers were designed to help people meet their most immediate health and social needs and were incorporated into healthcare delivery and contact tracing workflows as a response to the public health emergency. To better understand program recipients' experiences, researchers conducted 150 telephone surveys with randomly sampled cash transfer recipients and 20 in-depth qualitative interviews with purposefully sampled survey participants. Survey participants were predominantly Latinx (87%) and women (65%). The most common reported uses of the $1000 were food and rent. Most participants (79%) reported that without the $1000 cash transfer they would have had difficulty paying for basic expenses or making ends meet, with specific positive effects reported related to food, housing, and ability to work. The majority of survey participants reported that receiving the cash assistance somewhat or greatly improved their physical health (83%) and mental health (89%). Qualitative interview results generally supported the survey findings.

Community Health Worker Intervention in Subsidized Housing: New York City, 2016-2017.

From April 2016 to June 2017, the Health + Housing Project employed four community health workers who engaged residents of two subsidized housing buildings in New York City to address individuals' broadly defined health needs, including social and economic risk factors. Following the intervention, we observed significant improvements in residents' food security, ability to pay rent, and connection to primary care. No immediate change was seen in acute health care use or more narrowly defined health outcomes.

Change in Diabetes Prevalence and Control among New York City Adults: NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2004-2014.

National examination surveys provide trend information on diabetes prevalence, diagnoses, and control. Few localities have access to such information. Using a similar design as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), two NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NYC HANES) were conducted over a decade, recruiting adults ≥ 20 years using household probability samples (n = 1808 in 2004; n = 1246 in 2013-2014) and physical exam survey methods benchmarked against NHANES. Participants had diagnosed diabetes if told by a health provider they had diabetes, and undiagnosed diabetes if they had no diagnosis but a fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl or A1C ≥ 6.5%. We found that between 2004 and 2014, total diabetes prevalence (diagnosed and undiagnosed) in NYC increased from 13.4 to 16.0% (P = 0.089). In 2013-2014, racial/ethnic disparities in diabetes burden had widened; diabetes was highest among Asians (24.6%), and prevalence was significantly lower among non-Hispanic white adults (7.7%) compared to that among other racial/ethnic groups (P < 0.001). Among adults with diabetes, the proportion of cases diagnosed increased from 68.3 to 77.3% (P = 0.234), and diagnosed cases with very poor control (A1C > 9%), decreased from 26.9 to 18.0% (P = 0.269), though both were non-significant. While local racial/ethnic disparities in diabetes prevalence persist, findings suggest modest improvements in diabetes diagnosis and management.

Exposure to Secondhand Smoke Among Nonsmokers in New York City in the Context of Recent Tobacco Control Policies: Current Status, Changes Over the Past Decade, and National Comparisons.

INTRODUCTION: Exposure to secondhand smoke is hazardous and can cause cancer, coronary heart disease, and birth defects. New York City (NYC) and other jurisdictions have established smoke-free air laws in the past 10-15 years. METHODS: NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES) 2013-2014 was a population-based survey of NYC residents, aged 20 years and older, in which biospecimens were collected and cotinine levels were measured. Secondhand smoke exposure was assessed by demographics and risk factors and compared with that from NYC HANES 2004 and national HANES. RESULTS: More than a third (37.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 33.3%-41.2%) of nonsmoking adult New Yorkers were exposed to secondhand smoke, defined as a cotinine level of 0.05-10ng/mL. This was significantly lower than in 2004 NYC HANES, when 56.7% (95% CI = 53.6%-59.7%) of nonsmokers were exposed to secondhand smoke, but was greater than the proportion of adults exposed nationwide, as measured by national HANES (24.4%, 95% CI = 22.0%-26.9% in 2011-2012). Men, non-Hispanic blacks, adults aged 20-39, those with less education, and those living in high-poverty neighborhoods were more likely to be exposed. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a large decrease in secondhand smoke exposure in NYC, although disparities persist. The decrease may be the result of successful policies to limit exposure to secondhand smoke in public places and of smokers smoking fewer cigarettes per day. Yet NYC residents still experience more secondhand smoke exposure than US residents overall. Possible explanations include multiunit housing, greater population density, and pedestrian exposure. IMPLICATIONS: Measuring exposure to secondhand smoke can be difficult, and few studies have monitored changes over time. This study uses serum cotinine, a nicotine metabolite, from a local population-based examination survey, the NYC HANES 2013-2014, to examine exposure to secondhand smoke in an urban area that has implemented stringent antismoking laws. Comparison with NYC HANES conducted 10 years ago allows for an assessment of changes in the last decade in the context of municipal tobacco control policies. Results may be helpful to jurisdictions considering implementing similar tobacco control policies.

The cost-benefit of using soft silicone multilayered foam dressings to prevent sacral and heel pressure ulcers in trauma and critically ill patients: a within-trial analysis of the Border Trial.

Little is known about the cost-benefit of soft silicone foam dressings in pressure ulcer (PU) prevention among critically ill patients in the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU). A randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy of soft silicone foam dressings in preventing sacral and heel PUs was undertaken among 440 critically ill patients in an acute care hospital. Participants were randomly allocated either to an intervention group with prophylactic dressings applied to the sacrum and heels in the ED and changed every 3 days in the ICU or to a control group with standard PU prevention care provided during their ED and ICU stay. The results showed a significant reduction of PU incidence rates in the intervention group (P = 0·001). The intervention cost was estimated to be AU$36·61 per person based on an intention-to-treat analysis, but this was offset by lower downstream costs associated with PU treatment (AU$1103·52). Therefore, the average net cost of the intervention was lower than that of the control (AU$70·82 versus AU$144·56). We conclude that the use of soft silicone multilayered foam dressings to prevent sacral and heel PUs among critically ill patients results in cost savings in the acute care hospital.

A randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of soft silicone multi-layered foam dressings in the prevention of sacral and heel pressure ulcers in trauma and critically ill patients: the border trial.

The prevention of hospital acquired pressure ulcers in critically ill patients remains a significant clinical challenge. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effectiveness of multi-layered soft silicone foam dressings in preventing intensive care unit (ICU) pressure ulcers when applied in the emergency department to 440 trauma and critically ill patients. Intervention group patients (n = 219) had Mepilex(®) Border Sacrum and Mepilex(®) Heel dressings applied in the emergency department and maintained throughout their ICU stay. Results revealed that there were significantly fewer patients with pressure ulcers in the intervention group compared to the control group (5 versus 20, P = 0·001). This represented a 10% difference in incidence between the groups (3·1% versus 13·1%) and a number needed to treat of ten patients to prevent one pressure ulcer. Overall there were fewer sacral (2 versus 8, P = 0·05) and heel pressure ulcers (5 versus 19, P = 0·002) and pressure injuries overall (7 versus 27, P = 0·002) in interventions than in controls. The time to injury survival analysis indicated that intervention group patients had a hazard ratio of 0·19 (P = 0·002) compared to control group patients. We conclude that multi-layered soft silicone foam dressings are effective in preventing pressure ulcers in critically ill patients when applied in the emergency department prior to ICU transfer.

A student-led educational activity on trauma informed care: Reflections and recommendations.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of trauma exposure is remarkably high globally. In Canada, for example, it is estimated that over 75% of the national population have experienced a traumatic event during their lifetime. While exposure to trauma is linked with a number of poor health-related problems, the teaching of trauma informed care (TIC) principles across Canadian medical schools is uncertain, and many primary care providers (PCP) feel underprepared to have discussions regarding trauma with their patient. The purpose of this report is to promote the teaching and better knowledge of TIC among health professional learners. METHOD: A team of medical and health sciences students at a Canadian university hosted a virtual, interdisciplinary and educational Trauma Informed Care Conference (TICC) that was targeted toward health care learners using an interactive panel of interdisciplinary experts. RESULTS: A total of 107 participants attended the TICC. Select lectures were presented to improve participants' knowledge of TIC through a myriad of lenses, including historical, cultural, developmental/perinatal, intergenerational, and system-oriented sources. TIC was presented as promoting trauma awareness, trust, safety, collaboration, autonomy, and a strengths-based approach to care. CONCLUSIONS: We advocate for better awareness of TIC, the associated trauma theories, and implementation of the core values and principles of TIC in the training of health professionals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The development of a clinical research educational training for community health workers using the joint task force for clinical trial competency framework.

Introduction: The NYU Clinical & Translational Science Institute, in collaboration with a number of community-engaged initiatives, developed a training for community health workers (CHWs) to enhance health literacy about clinical research. This innovative research training provides CHWs with a basic level of competency in clinical research to convey the importance of research to communities and better advocate for their health needs. CHWs are an underutilized resource to engage diverse populations in clinical research. The training also addresses the need to expand and diversify the clinical research workforce-integrating CHWs into research teams and connecting underserved populations with research opportunities to enhance quality of care. Methods: Structured individual interviews and focus group sessions were held with CHWs as well as clinical research faculty and staff to identify knowledge gaps in clinical research and identify best practices for educating community members on research. Using the Joint Task Force (JTF) for Clinical Trial Competency framework, an online course was developed consisting of 28 modules offered asynchronously for internal and external audiences. Topics include the fundamentals of clinical research, scientific concepts and research design, research ethics, study management, clinical study operations, communications, and teamwork, as well as the importance of diversity and equity in research and the barriers to participation. Results: Learning was evaluated using multiple choice questions after each module to ensure the fundamental level of knowledge was obtained. A separate survey, completed at the conclusion of the course, evaluated the quality of training. Discussion: The course aims to enhance the knowledge and skills of CHWs to help promote greater understanding of clinical research within the communities they serve, including the risks and benefits of clinical research and opportunities for participation. As members of the research team, community stakeholders can help design interventions tailored to the unique needs, culture, and context of their communities. In addition, this research training equips trainees with skills to engage the community actively, involving them in the research process and ensuring community priorities are represented in research through more community engaged processes.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Among Immigrant and US-Born Adults in New York City.

OBJECTIVES: Immigrant adults tend to have better health than native-born adults despite lower incomes, but the health advantage decreases with length of residence. To determine whether immigrant adults have a health advantage over US-born adults in New York City, we compared cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among both groups. METHODS: Using data from the New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014, we assessed health insurance coverage, health behaviors, and health conditions, comparing adults ages ≥20 born in the 50 states or the District of Columbia (US-born) with adults born in a US territory or outside the United States (immigrants, following the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) and comparing US-born adults with (1) adults who immigrated recently (≤10 years) and (2) adults who immigrated earlier (>10 years). RESULTS: For immigrant adults, the mean time since arrival in the United States was 21.8 years. Immigrant adults were significantly more likely than US-born adults to lack health insurance (22% vs 12%), report fair or poor health (26% vs 17%), have hypertension (30% vs 23%), and have diabetes (20% vs 11%) but significantly less likely to smoke (18% vs 27%) (all P < .05). Comparable proportions of immigrant adults and US-born adults were overweight or obese (67% vs 63%) and reported CVD (both 7%). Immigrant adults who arrived recently were less likely than immigrant adults who arrived earlier to have diabetes or high cholesterol but did not differ overall from US-born adults. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may help guide prevention programs and policy efforts to ensure that immigrant adults remain healthy.

Factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine receipt at two integrated healthcare systems in New York City: a cross-sectional study of healthcare workers.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine receipt among healthcare workers and the role of vaccine confidence in decisions to vaccinate, and to better understand concerns related to COVID-19 vaccination. DESIGN: Cross-sectional anonymous survey among front-line, support service and administrative healthcare workers. SETTING: Two large integrated healthcare systems (one private and one public) in New York City during the initial roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine. PARTICIPANTS: 1933 healthcare workers, including nurses, physicians, allied health professionals, environmental services staff, researchers and administrative staff. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was COVID-19 vaccine receipt during the initial roll-out of the vaccine among healthcare workers. RESULTS: Among 1933 healthcare workers who had been offered the vaccine, 81% had received the vaccine at the time of the survey. Receipt was lower among black (58%; OR: 0.14, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.2) compared with white (91%) healthcare workers, and higher among non-Hispanic (84%) compared with Hispanic (69%; OR: 2.37, 95% CI 1.8 to 3.1) healthcare workers. Among healthcare workers with concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety, 65% received the vaccine. Among healthcare workers who agreed with the statement that the vaccine is important to protect family members, 86% were vaccinated. Of those who disagreed, 25% received the vaccine (p<0.001). In a multivariable analysis, concern about being experimented on (OR: 0.44, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.6), concern about COVID-19 vaccine safety (OR: 0.39, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.55), lack of influenza vaccine receipt (OR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.44), disagreeing that COVID-19 vaccination is important to protect others (OR: 0.37, 95% CI 0.27 to 0.52) and black race (OR: 0.38, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.59) were independently associated with COVID-19 vaccine non-receipt. Over 70% of all healthcare workers responded that they had been approached for vaccine advice multiple times by family, community members and patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated high overall receipt among healthcare workers. Even among healthcare workers with concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety, side effects or being experimented on, over 50% received the vaccine. Attitudes around the importance of COVID-19 vaccination to protect others played a large role in healthcare workers' decisions to vaccinate. We observed striking inequities in COVID-19 vaccine receipt, particularly affecting black and Hispanic workers. Further research is urgently needed to address issues related to vaccine equity and uptake in the context of systemic racism and barriers to care. This is particularly important given the influence healthcare workers have in vaccine decision-making conversations in their communities.

Sex Differences in Dopamine Receptor Signaling in Fmr1 Knockout Mice: A Pilot Study.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-chromosome-linked dominant genetic disorder that causes a variable degree of cognitive dysfunction and developmental disability. Current treatment is symptomatic and no existing medications target the specific cause of FXS. As with other X-linked disorders, FXS manifests differently in males and females, including abnormalities in the dopamine system that are also seen in Fmr1-knockout (KO) mice. We investigated sex differences in dopamine signaling in Fmr1-KO mice in response to L-stepholidine, a dopamine D1 receptor agonist and D2 receptor antagonist. We found significant sex differences in basal levels of phosphorylated protein kinase A (p-PKA) and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3ß in wild type mice that were absent in Fmr1-KO mice. In wild-type mice, L-stepholidine increased p-PKA in males but not female mice, decreased p-GSK-3 in female mice and increased p-GSK-3 in male mice. Conversely, in Fmr1-KO mice, L-stepholidine increased p-PKA and p-GSK-3ß in females, and decreased p-PKA and p-GSK-3ß in males.

Leveraging longitudinal clinical laboratory results to improve prenatal care.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of providing laboratory-generated near-real-time clinical insights for pregnant Medicaid members to managed care organization (MCO) care coordinators. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, nonrandomized feasibility study was conducted over 11 months to examine the benefits of laboratory-generated clinical insights on prenatal care quality metrics and clinical outcomes. Measures included early identification of pregnancy and births to facilitate care, care gaps with prenatal laboratory testing, emergency department (ED) visits, preterm births, and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and length of stay. METHODS: Weekly MCO care coordinators were provided a laboratory-generated prenatal targeted intervention module (TIM) to supplement their existing systems in a longitudinal, patient-centric format. Care coordinators contacted patients for enrollment in prenatal or postpartum services based on the TIM, which identified concomitant health conditions, missing prenatal care, and risks. RESULTS: The prenatal TIM identified 1355 pregnant members, 77% (n = 1040) of whom were detected in the first trimester. A total of 488 births were identified within 24 hours of parturition. Sixty-four percent of women had at least 80% of prenatal care gaps associated with laboratory testing closed. Women with ongoing prenatal care had fewer ED visits (17% vs 23%) and NICU admissions (11% vs 18%) compared with those without prenatal care. After adjusting for confounders, ongoing prenatal care had a borderline effect at decreasing the probability of having an ED visit and a NICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: An innovative collaboration between an MCO and a clinical laboratory improved quality measures for prenatal members enrolled in Medicaid.

The Development Of Health And Housing Consortia In New York City.

Health and housing consortia in New York City offer a model for bridging the divide between the health care and housing sectors. While staff in these sectors often recognize the need to better integrate their services, there are few models for doing so. In this article we describe the formation of a health and housing consortium in the Bronx, New York City, as well as the successful replication of its model in Brooklyn. While each consortium has some features specific to its service area, the primary goal of both is the same: to provide a neutral space for health care and housing organizations to collaborate in what is otherwise often competitive and fragmented territory. In addition, the work of both consortia coalesces around training and resource development, cross-sector communication, and research and advocacy. We provide examples of the Bronx Consortium's activities in each of these core areas, highlight tangible results to date, and offer recommendations for people interested in undertaking similar efforts.

Work stress, substance use, and depression among young adult workers: an examination of main and moderator effect model.

In this cross-sectional study, main and moderated relationships between 5 job stressors and alcohol consumption, drug use, and depression were examined using data from a community sample of 583 young adults (mean age = 23.68 years). Analyses revealed a few direct associations between high job boredom, low skill variety, and low autonomy and depression measures and heavy alcohol use. There were no direct relationships between job stress and binge drinking, alcohol consumption, drug use, or heavy drug use. In a few cases, job stress-outcome relationships were moderated by intrinsic job motivation or gender. The findings supported a specificity-of-effects hypothesis and underscored the need for examining the processes linking occupational stress to substance use and depression.

Acquired haemophilia A presenting at a District General Hospital.

We report a case of a 64-year-old man presented to A&E with a 2-week to 4-month history of right hip pain, right leg weakness and fasciculations, extensive bruising and a vesicular skin rash. He had a CT of the chest/abdomen/pelvis, which revealed multiple extensive haematomas including an iliopsoas haematoma causing a lumbar plexopathy and resulting in the right hip and leg symptoms. He had clotting studies showing a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time. Haematology review together with mixing studies suggested a diagnosis of acquired haemophilia A. He was treated at the local tertiary centre with activated prothrombin complex concentrate and steroids and made a full recovery.

Rationale, design and respondent characteristics of the 2013-2014 New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NYC HANES 2013-2014).

PURPOSE: Capacity to monitor non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at state or local levels is limited. Emerging approaches include using biomeasures and electronic health record (EHR) data. In 2004, New York City (NYC) performed a population-based health study on adult residents using biomeasures (NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Study, or NYC HANES), modeled after NHANES. A second NYC HANES was launched in 2013 to examine change over time, evaluate municipal policies, and validate a proposed EHR-based surveillance system. We describe the rationale and methods of NYC HANES 2013-2014. METHODS: NYC HANES was a population-based, cross-sectional survey of NYC adults using three-stage cluster sampling. Between August 2013 and June 2014, selected participants completed a health interview and physical exam (blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference). Fasting biomeasures included diabetes, lipid profiles, kidney function, environmental biomarkers, and select infectious diseases. RESULTS: Of the 3065 households approached, 2742 were eligible and 1827 were successfully screened (67%). A total of 1524 of eligible participants completed the survey (54%), for an overall response rate of 36%. CONCLUSION: Completing a second NYC HANES a decade after the first study affords an opportunity to understand changes in prevalence, awareness and control of NCDs and evaluate municipal efforts to manage them.

Tacrolimus ointment is effective for facial and intertriginous psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Intertriginous and facial involvement are manifestations of psoriasis that require a different approach than is used for typical plaque psoriasis on other skin areas. Topical corticosteroids are the primary treatment for psoriasis; however, the side effects of corticosteroids are magnified on intertriginous and facial skin. Topical tacrolimus offers the potential for anti-inflammatory effect without the atrophy or other local side effects associated with the use of topical corticosteroids. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and tolerability of 0.1% tacrolimus ointment for the treatment of facial or intertriginous psoriasis. METHODS: One hundred sixty-seven patients 16 years or older were evaluated in an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, multi-center study. Upon entry into the study, patients were randomized 2:1 to apply the tacrolimus ointment 0.1% or vehicle twice daily to all psoriatic lesions of the face or intertriginous areas for 8 weeks. The physician's global assessment was used to assess improvement from baseline. The inverse psoriasis severity for patients was measured using a 6-point scale from clear to very severe. RESULTS: As early as day 8, more patients ( P = .004) had cleared or achieved excellent improvement in the 0.1% tacrolimus ointment group compared to the vehicle group (24.8% vs 5.8%). At the end of the 8-week treatment period 65.2% of the tacrolimus ointment group and 31.5% of the vehicle were clear or almost clear ( P < .0001) based on a Static Severity Score. Adverse events were similar in the 0.1% tacrolimus ointment and vehicle groups. Conclusion Tacrolimus ointment is an effective treatment for psoriasis of the face or intertriginous areas.

Tacrolimus ointment in the treatment of eyelid dermatitis.

The safety and efficacy of tacrolimus ointment 0.1% (Protopic) in the treatment of atopic dermatitis of the eyelids were assessed in an open-label clinical trial of 21 patients with moderate to severe eyelid dermatitis. Of those 21 patients, 20 received study drug and were followed. Patients applied tacrolimus ointment 0.1% twice daily for 8 weeks and were followed for 2 additional weeks after the last day of treatment. Complete eye examinations were conducted throughout the study. Efficacy was assessed through the investigator's evaluation of the patients' individual signs and symptoms of eyelid dermatitis and the physician global assessment (PGA) of eyelid clinical response. Improvement in the investigator's evaluation of the signs and symptoms of eyelid dermatitis was observed during the study. A total of 80% of patients (16/20) experienced marked improvement or better in PGA at 8 weeks. Adverse events were limited to local burning and itching after the first few applications of study medication. Of the 20 patients, 12 reported burning (60%), and 5 reported itching (25%). There was no statistically significant increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) during the study compared with baseline. In addition, none of the patients developed cataracts or glaucoma during the study. In summary, tacrolimus ointment 0.1% may be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with moderate to severe eyelid dermatitis.