Disparities in job characteristics by race and sex in a Southern aluminum smelting facility.

BACKGROUND: Former workers at a Southern aluminum smelting facility raised concerns that the most hazardous jobs were assigned to Black workers, but the role of workplace segregation had not been quantified or examined in the company town. Prior studies discuss race and gender disparities in working conditions, but few have documented them in the aluminum industry. METHODS: We obtained workers' company records for 1985-2007 and characterized four job metrics: prestige (sociologic rankings), worker-defined danger (worker assessments), annual wage (1985 dollars), and estimated total particulate matter (TPM) exposure (job exposure matrix). Characteristics of job at hire and trajectories were compared by race and sex using linear binomial models. RESULTS: Non-White males had the highest percentage of workers in low prestige and high danger jobs at hire and up to 20 years after. After 20 years tenure, 100% of White workers were in higher prestige and lower danger jobs. Most female workers, regardless of race, entered and remained in low-wage jobs, while 50% of all male workers maintained their initial higher-wage jobs. Non-White females had the highest prevalence of workers in low-wage jobs at hire and after 20 years-increasing from 63% (95% CI: 59-67) to 100% (95% CI: 78-100). All female workers were less likely to be in high TPM exposure jobs. Non-White males were most likely to be hired into high TPM exposure jobs, and this exposure prevalence increased as time accrued, while staying constant for other race-sex groups. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence of job segregation by race and sex in this cohort of aluminum smelting workers. Documentation of disparities in occupational hazards is important for informing health interventions and research.

Identifying Modifiable and Non-modifiable Risk Factors of Readmission and Short-Term Mortality in Chondrosarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available to inform the risk of readmission and short-term mortality in musculoskeletal oncology. The goal of this study was to identify factors independently associated with 30-day readmission and 90-day mortality following surgical resection of chondrosarcoma. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 6653 patients following surgical resection of primary chondrosarcoma in the National Cancer Database (2004-2017). Both demographic and clinicopathologic variables were assessed for correlation with readmission and short-term mortality utilizing univariate and multivariate logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Of 220 readmissions (3.26%), risk factors independently associated with an increased risk of unplanned 30-day readmission included Charlson-Deyo Comorbidity Index (CDCC) (odds ratio [OR] 1.31; p = 0.027), increasing American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (OR 1.31; p = 0.004), undergoing major amputation (OR 2.38; p = 0.001), and axial skeletal location (OR 1.51; p = 0.028). A total of 137 patients died within 90 days of surgery (2.25%). Risk factors associated with increased mortality included the CDCC (OR 1.60; p = 0.001), increasing age (OR 1.06; p < 0.001), having Medicaid insurance status (OR 3.453; p = 0.005), living in a zip code with a higher educational attainment (OR 1.59; p = 0.003), increasing AJCC stage (OR 2.32; p < 0.001), longer postoperative length of stay (OR 1.015; p = 0.033), and positive surgical margins (OR 2.75; p = 0.001). Although a majority of the cohort did not receive radiation therapy (88.8%), receiving radiotherapy (OR 0.132; p = 0.010) was associated with a decreased risk of short-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Several tumor, treatment, and patient factors can help inform the risk of readmission and short-term mortality in patients with surgically treated chondrosarcoma.

Cardiovascular outcomes associated with prescription of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

AIM: To determine the association with cardiovascular (CV) outcomes of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors compared with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based cohort study of new users of SGLT-2 inhibitors and DPP-4 inhibitors with T2D and CKD using data from Optum Clinformatics DataMart. We assembled three cohorts: T2D/no CKD, T2D/CKD 1-2, and T2D/CKD 3a. The study outcomes were (a) time to first heart failure (HF) hospitalization and (b) time to a composite CV endpoint comprised of non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke. After inverse probability of treatment weighting, we used proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: New users of SGLT-2 inhibitors versus DPP-4 inhibitors had lower risks of HF hospitalization in the T2D/no CKD (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.70, 0.82) and T2D/CKD 1-2 (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.48, 0.84) cohorts, but no significant association was present in the T2D/CKD 3a cohort. Compared with prescription of DPP-4 inhibitors, SGLT-2 inhibitors were associated with lower risks of non-fatal MI or stroke of 23% (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.70, 0.85) in the T2D/no CKD cohort, but no significant associations were present in the T2D/CKD 1-2 and T2D/CKD 3a cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Incident prescription of SGLT-2 inhibitors was associated with lower risks of HF hospitalization but not with non-fatal MI or stroke despite suggesting benefit, relative to prescription of DPP-4 inhibitor across different stages of CKD.

Investigating readmission rates for patients undergoing oncologic resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction for primary sarcomas and tumors involving bone.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the drivers of readmission in patients undergoing Orthopaedic oncologic resection. The goal of this study was to identify factors independently associated with 90-day readmission for patients undergoing oncologic resection and subsequent prosthetic reconstruction for primary tumors involving bone. METHODS: This was a retrospective comparative cohort study of patients treated from 2008 to 2019 who underwent endoprosthetic reconstruction for a primary bone tumor or soft tissue tumor involving bone, as well as those who underwent a revision endoprosthetic reconstruction if the primary endoprosthetic reconstruction was performed for an oncologic resection. The primary outcome measure was unplanned 90-day readmission. RESULTS: A total of 149 patients were identified who underwent 191 surgeries were for a primary bone or soft tissue tumor. The 90-day readmission rate was 28.3%. Female gender, depression, higher tumor grade, vascular reconstruction, longer procedure duration, longer length of stay (LOS), multiple surgeries during an admission and disposition to a Skilled Nursing Facility were associated with readmission (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis, female sex, higher tumor grade and longer procedure duration were independently associated with risk of readmission (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Readmission rates are high following endoprosthetic reconstruction for Orthopaedic oncologic resections. Further work is necessary to help minimize unplanned readmissions.

Why Do Patients Undergoing Extremity Prosthetic Reconstruction for Metastatic Disease Get Readmitted?

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic oncology patients are particularly susceptible to increased readmission rates and poor surgical outcomes, yet little is known about readmission rates. The goal of this study is to identify factors independently associated with 90-day readmission for patients undergoing oncologic resection and subsequent prosthetic reconstruction for metastatic disease of the hip and knee. METHODS: This is a retrospective comparative cohort study of all patients treated from 2013 to 2019 at a single tertiary care referral institution who underwent endoprosthetic reconstruction by an orthopedic oncologist for metastatic disease of the extremities. The primary outcome measure was unplanned 90-day readmission. RESULTS: We identified 112 patients undergoing 127 endoprosthetic reconstruction surgeries. Metastatic disease was most commonly from renal (26.8%), lung (23.6%), and breast (13.4%) cancer. The most common type of skeletal reconstruction performed was simple arthroplasty (54%). There were 43 readmissions overall (33.9%). When controlling for confounding factors, body mass index >40, insurance status, peripheral vascular disease, and longer hospital length of stay were independently associated with risk of readmission (P ≤ .05). CONCLUSION: Readmission rates for endoprosthetic reconstructions for metastatic disease are high. Although predicting readmission remains challenging, risk stratification presents a viable option for helping minimize unplanned readmissions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

The impact of novel coronavirus COVID-19 on noncommunicable disease patients and health systems: a review.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic affecting all levels of health systems. This includes the care of patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) who bear a disproportionate burden of both COVID-19 itself and the public health measures enacted to combat it. In this review, we summarize major COVID-19-related considerations for NCD patients and their care providers, focusing on cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal, haematologic, oncologic, traumatic, obstetric/gynaecologic, operative, psychiatric, rheumatologic/immunologic, neurologic, gastrointestinal, ophthalmologic and endocrine disorders. Additionally, we offer a general framework for categorizing the pandemic's disruptions by disease-specific factors, direct health system factors and indirect health system factors. We also provide references to major NCD medical specialty professional society statements and guidelines on COVID-19. COVID-19 and its control policies have already resulted in major disruptions to the screening, treatment and surveillance of NCD patients. In addition, it differentially impacts those with pre-existing NCDs and may lead to de novo NCD sequelae. Likely, there will be long-term effects from this pandemic that will continue to affect practitioners and patients in this field for years to come.

Identifying Modifiable and Non-modifiable Risk Factors of Readmission and Short-Term Mortality in Osteosarcoma: A National Cancer Database Study.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data to inform risk of readmission and short-term mortality in musculoskeletal oncology. The goal of this study was to identify factors independently associated with 30-day readmission and 90-day mortality following surgical resection of osteosarcoma. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients (n = 5293) following surgical resection of primary osteosarcoma in the National Cancer Database (2004-2015). Univariate and multivariate methods were used to correlate variables with readmission and short-term mortality. RESULTS: Of 210 readmissions (3.97%), risk factors independently associated with unplanned 30-day readmission included comorbidity burden (odds ratio [OR] 2.4, p = 0.042), Medicare insurance (OR 1.9, p = 0.021), and axial skeleton location (OR 1.5, p = 0.029). A total of 91 patients died within 90 days of their surgery (1.84%). Risk factors independently associated with mortality included age (hazard ratio 1.1, p < 0.001), increasing comorbidity burden (OR 6.6, p = 0.001), higher grade (OR 1.7, p = 0.007), increasing tumor size (OR 2.2, p = 0.03), metastatic disease at presentation (OR 8.5, p < 0.001), and amputation (OR 2.0, p = 0.04). Chemotherapy was associated with a decreased risk of short-term mortality (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Several trends were clear: insurance status, tumor location and comorbidity burden were independently associated with readmission rates, while age, amputation, grade, tumor size, metastatic disease, and comorbidity burden were independently associated with short-term mortality.

Gender norms and health: insights from global survey data.

Despite global commitments to achieving gender equality and improving health and wellbeing for all, quantitative data and methods to precisely estimate the effect of gender norms on health inequities are underdeveloped. Nonetheless, existing global, national, and subnational data provide some key opportunities for testing associations between gender norms and health. Using innovative approaches to analysing proxies for gender norms, we generated evidence that gender norms impact the health of women and men across life stages, health sectors, and world regions. Six case studies showed that: (1) gender norms are complex and can intersect with other social factors to impact health over the life course; (2) early gender-normative influences by parents and peers can have multiple and differing health consequences for girls and boys; (3) non-conformity with, and transgression of, gender norms can be harmful to health, particularly when they trigger negative sanctions; and (4) the impact of gender norms on health can be context-specific, demanding care when designing effective gender-transformative health policies and programmes. Limitations of survey-based data are described that resulted in missed opportunities for investigating certain populations and domains. Recommendations for optimising and advancing research on the health impacts of gender norms are made.

Risk of primary urological and genital cancers following incident breast cancer: a Danish population-based cohort study.

PURPOSE: The prevalence of breast cancer survivors has increased due to dissemination of population-based mammographic screening and improved treatments. Recent changes in anti-hormonal therapies for breast cancer may have modified the risks of subsequent urological and genital cancers. We examine the risk of subsequent primary urological and genital cancers in patients with incident breast cancer compared with risks in the general population. METHODS: Using population-based Danish medical registries, we identified a cohort of women with primary breast cancer (1990-2017). We followed them from one year after their breast cancer diagnosis until any subsequent urological or genital cancer diagnosis. We computed incidence rates and standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) as the observed number of cancers relative to the expected number based on national incidence rates (by sex, age, and calendar year). RESULTS: Among 84,972 patients with breast cancer (median age 61 years), we observed 623 urological cancers and 1397 genital cancers during a median follow-up of 7.4 years. The incidence rate per 100,000 person-years was stable during follow-up (83 for urological cancers and 176 for genital cancers). The SIR was increased for ovarian cancer (1.37, 95% CI 1.23-1.52) and uterine cancer (1.37, 95% CI 1.25-1.50), but only during the pre-aromatase inhibitor era (before 2007). Moreover, the SIR of kidney cancer was increased (1.52, 95% CI 1.15-1.97), but only during 2007-2017. The SIR for urinary bladder cancer was marginally increased (1.15, 95% CI 1.04-1.28) with no temporal effects. No associations were observed for cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer survivors had higher risks of uterine and ovarian cancer than expected, but only before 2007, and of kidney cancer, but only after 2007. The risk of urinary bladder cancer was moderately increased without temporal effects, and we observed no association with cervical cancer.

The EffectiveNess of LIfestyle with Diet and Physical Activity Education ProGram Among Prehypertensives and Stage 1 HyperTENsives in an Urban Community Setting (ENLIGHTEN) Study.

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a monthly lifestyle education program, which included advice on nutritional changes and physical activity enhancement in the reduction of blood pressure and selected biochemical and anthropometric parameters among pre-hypertensive and stage 1 hypertensive participants in Manila, Philippines. Participants resided in two barangays (districts), in Manila, Philippines, and each barangay was assigned to either the intervention or attention-control group. The intervention group received monthly lectures on cardiovascular disease and organized classes on diet and exercise, while the attention-control group received monthly lectures on non-cardiovascular topics, with verbal advice that healthy diet and exercise are important. The primary outcome was systolic blood pressure, with secondary outcomes of BMI, waist circumference, and laboratory measures. Linear mixed effects models with an interaction between intervention group and time were used to estimate the 6-month change in each group. At 6 months, systolic blood pressure was lower in the intervention group compared to the attention-control group (- 12.7 mmHg (95% CI [- 14.5, - 10.9]) vs. - 0.24 mmHg (95% CI [- 1.87, 1.43]), p-value < 0.001). Waist circumference (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (p = 0.049) were also lower. However, no statistically significant difference in fasting glucose was observed between the two groups (p = 0.740). This study showed that participants receiving a non-pharmacological intervention, specifically a low-cost diet and active lifestyle education program, experienced a greater decrease in blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, and total cholesterol than the attention-control group. Educational programs such as in ENLIGHTEN show promise for a developing country with limited resources to improve hypertension levels, and ultimately cardiovascular health. ENLIGHTEN deserves further study in randomized trials.

Universal health coverage and intersectoral action for health: key messages from Disease Control Priorities, 3rd edition.

The World Bank is publishing nine volumes of Disease Control Priorities, 3rd edition (DCP3) between 2015 and 2018. Volume 9, Improving Health and Reducing Poverty, summarises the main messages from all the volumes and contains cross-cutting analyses. This Review draws on all nine volumes to convey conclusions. The analysis in DCP3 is built around 21 essential packages that were developed in the nine volumes. Each essential package addresses the concerns of a major professional community (eg, child health or surgery) and contains a mix of intersectoral policies and health-sector interventions. 71 intersectoral prevention policies were identified in total, 29 of which are priorities for early introduction. Interventions within the health sector were grouped onto five platforms (population based, community level, health centre, first-level hospital, and referral hospital). DCP3 defines a model concept of essential universal health coverage (EUHC) with 218 interventions that provides a starting point for country-specific analysis of priorities. Assuming steady-state implementation by 2030, EUHC in lower-middle-income countries would reduce premature deaths by an estimated 4·2 million per year. Estimated total costs prove substantial: about 9·1% of (current) gross national income (GNI) in low-income countries and 5·2% of GNI in lower-middle-income countries. Financing provision of continuing intervention against chronic conditions accounts for about half of estimated incremental costs. For lower-middle-income countries, the mortality reduction from implementing the EUHC can only reach about half the mortality reduction in non-communicable diseases called for by the Sustainable Development Goals. Full achievement will require increased investment or sustained intersectoral action, and actions by finance ministries to tax smoking and polluting emissions and to reduce or eliminate (often large) subsidies on fossil fuels appear of central importance. DCP3 is intended to be a model starting point for analyses at the country level, but country-specific cost structures, epidemiological needs, and national priorities will generally lead to definitions of EUHC that differ from country to country and from the model in this Review. DCP3 is particularly relevant as achievement of EUHC relies increasingly on greater domestic finance, with global developmental assistance in health focusing more on global public goods. In addition to assessing effects on mortality, DCP3 looked at outcomes of EUHC not encompassed by the disability-adjusted life-year metric and related cost-effectiveness analyses. The other objectives included financial protection (potentially better provided upstream by keeping people out of the hospital rather than downstream by paying their hospital bills for them), stillbirths averted, palliative care, contraception, and child physical and intellectual growth. The first 1000 days after conception are highly important for child development, but the next 7000 days are likewise important and often neglected.

Gender, Depression, and Blue-collar Work: A Retrospective Cohort Study of US Aluminum Manufacturers.

BACKGROUND: Industrial blue-collar workers face multiple work-related stressors, but evidence regarding the burden of mental illness among today's blue-collar men and women remains limited. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined health and employment records for 37,183 blue- and white-collar workers employed by a single US aluminum manufacturer from 2003 to 2013. Using Cox proportional hazards regression, we modeled time to first episode of treated depression by gender and occupational class. Among cases, we modeled rates of depression-related service utilization with generalized gamma regression. RESULTS: Compared with their white-collar counterparts, blue-collar men were more likely to be treated for depression (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 1.4) as were blue-collar women (HR = 1.4; 1.2, 1.6). Blue-collar women were most likely to be treated for depression as compared with white-collar men (HR = 3.2; 95% CI = 2.1, 5.0). However, blue-collar workers used depression-related services less frequently than their white-collar counterparts among both men (rate ratio = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.84, 0.98) and women (rate ratio = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.77, 0.88). CONCLUSIONS: Blue-collar women were more likely to be treated for depression than white-collar workers, and blue-collar women were most likely to be treated for depression compared with white-collar men. However, blue-collar men and women used depression-related healthcare services less frequently than white-collar workers. These findings underscore that blue-collar women may be uniquely susceptible to depression, and suggest that blue-collar workers may encounter barriers to care-seeking related mental illness other than their insurance status.

Accelerated lung function decline in an aluminium manufacturing industry cohort exposed to PM2.5: an application of the parametric g-formula.

OBJECTIVE: Occupational dust exposure has been associated with accelerated lung function decline, which in turn is associated with overall morbidity and mortality. In the current study, we assess potential benefits on lung function of hypothetical interventions that would reduce occupational exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) while adjusting for the healthy worker survivor effect. METHODS: Analyses were performed in a cohort of 6485 hourly male workers in an aluminium manufacturing company in the USA, followed between 1996 and 2013. We used the parametric g-formula to assess lung function decline over time under hypothetical interventions while also addressing time-varying confounding by underlying health status, using a composite risk score based on health insurance claims. RESULTS: A counterfactual scenario envisioning a limit on exposure equivalent to the 10th percentile of the observed exposure distribution of 0.05 mg/m3 was associated with an improvement in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) equivalent to 37.6 mL (95% CI 13.6 to 61.6) after 10 years of follow-up when compared with the observed. Assuming a linear decrease and (from NHANES reference values), a 20 mL decrease per year for a 1.8 m-tall man as they age, this 37.6 mL FEV1 loss over 10 years associated with observed exposure would translate to approximately a 19% increase to the already expected loss per year from age alone. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that occupational PM2.5 exposure in the aluminium industry accelerates lung function decline over age. Reduction in exposure may mitigate accelerated loss of lung function over time in the industry.

Socioeconomic Differences in the Epidemiologic Transition From Heart Disease to Cancer as the Leading Cause of Death in the United States, 2003 to 2015: An Observational Study.

Background: Recent data suggest that the United States is in the midst of an epidemiologic transition in the leading cause of death. Objective: To examine county-level sociodemographic differences in the transition from heart disease to cancer as the leading cause of death in the United States. Design: Observational study. Setting: U.S. death records, 2003 to 2015. Participants: Decedents aged 25 years or older, classified by racial/ethnic group. Measurements: All-cause, heart disease, and cancer mortality stratified by quintiles of county median household income. Age- and sex-adjusted mortality rates and average annual percentage of change were calculated. Results: Heart disease was the leading cause of death in 79% of counties in 2003 and 59% in 2015. Cancer was the leading cause of death in 21% of counties in 2003 and 41% in 2015. The shift to cancer as the leading cause of death was greatest in the highest-income counties. Overall, heart disease mortality rates decreased by 28% (30% in high-income counties vs. 22% in low-income counties) from 2003 to 2015, and cancer mortality rates decreased by 16% (18% in high-income counties vs. 11% in low-income counties). In the lowest-income counties, heart disease remained the leading cause of death among all racial/ethnic groups, and improvements were smaller for both heart disease and cancer. Limitation: Use of county median household income as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Conclusion: Data show that heart disease is more likely to be the leading cause of death in low-income counties. Low-income counties have not experienced the same decrease in mortality rates as high-income counties, which suggests a later transition to cancer as the leading cause of death in low-income counties. Primary Funding Source: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.

A Multiple-Imputation "Forward Bridging" Approach to Address Changes in the Classification of Asian Race/Ethnicity on the US Death Certificate.

The incomparability of old and new classification systems for describing the same data can be seen as a missing-data problem, and, under certain assumptions, multiple imputation may be used to "bridge" 2 classification systems. One example of such a change is the introduction of detailed Asian-American race/ethnicity classifications on the 2003 version of the US national death certificate, which was adopted for use by 38 states between 2003 and 2011. Using county- and decedent-level data from 3 different national sources for pre- and postadoption years, we fitted within-state multiple-imputation models to impute ethnicities for decedents classified as "other Asian" during preadoption years. We present mortality rates derived using 3 different methods of calculation: 1) including all states but ignoring the gradual adoption of the new death certificate over time, 2) including only the 7 states with complete reporting of all ethnicities, and 3) including all states and applying multiple imputation. Estimates from our imputation model were consistently in the middle of the other 2 estimates, and trend results demonstrated that the year-by-year estimates of the imputation model were more similar to those of the 7-state model. This work demonstrates how multiple imputation can provide a "forward bridging" approach to make more accurate estimates over time in newly categorized populations.

Thyroid cancer mortality is higher in Filipinos in the United States: An analysis using national mortality records from 2003 through 2012.

BACKGROUND: Well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma has a favorable prognosis, but patients with multiple recurrences have drastically lower survival. Filipinos in the United States are known to have high rates of thyroid cancer incidence and disease recurrence. To the authors' knowledge, it is unknown whether Filipinos also have higher thyroid cancer mortality rates. METHODS: The authors studied thyroid cancer mortality in Filipino, non-Filipino Asian (NFA), and non-Hispanic white (NHW) adults using US death records (2003-2012) and US Census data. Age-adjusted mortality rates and proportional mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated. Sex, nativity status, age at death, and educational attainment also were examined. RESULTS: The authors examined 19,940,952 deaths. The age-adjusted mortality rates due to thyroid cancer were highest in Filipinos (1.72 deaths per 100,000 population; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.51-1.95) compared with NFAs (1.03 per 100,000 population; 95% CI, 0.95-1.12) and NHWs (1.17 per 100,000 population; 95% CI, 1.16-1.18). Compared with NHWs, higher proportionate mortality was observed in Filipino women (3-5 times higher) across all age groups, and among Filipino men, the PMR was 2 to 3 times higher in the subgroup aged >55 years. Filipinos who completed a higher educational level had a notably higher PMR (5.0) compared with their counterparts who had not (3.5). CONCLUSIONS: Negative prognostic factors for thyroid cancer traditionally include age >45 years and male sex. The results of the current study demonstrate that Filipinos die of thyroid cancer at higher rates than NFA and NHW individuals of similar ages. Highly educated Filipinos and Filipino women may be especially at risk of poor thyroid cancer outcomes. Filipino ethnicity should be factored into clinical decision making in the management of patients with thyroid cancer. Cancer 2017;123:4860-7. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Validity of Claims Data for the Identification of Male Infertility.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We sought to determine whether infertile men can accurately be identified within a large insurance claims database to validate its use for reproductive health research. RECENT FINDINGS: Prior literature suggests that men coded for infertility are at higher risk for chronic disease though it was previously unclear if these diagnostic codes correlated with true infertility. We found that the specificity of one International Classification of Disease (9th edition) code in predicting abnormal semen parameters was 92.4%, rising to 99.8% if a patient had three different codes for infertility. The positive predictive value was as high as 85%. The use of claims data for male infertility research has been rapidly progressing due to its high power and feasibility. The high specificity of ICD codes for men with abnormal semen parameters is reassuring and validates prior studies as well as future investigation into men's health.