Category: Statistics

NCHS Data Brief. 2025 Dec;(544). doi: 10.15620/cdc/174633.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This report describes the rates and characteristics of health center visits by adults with an opioid use disorder (OUD). Health centers provide primary care to health professional shortage areas.

METHODS: Data are from the 2023 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) Health Center Component, a nationally representative survey of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), which receive federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and FQHC look-alikes, which meet HRSA requirements but do not receive HRSA funding. Weighting was conducted to account for sampling probabilities and nonresponse, resulting in nationally representative estimates of health center visits in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

KEY FINDINGS: The health center visit rate for adults with an OUD was 4.8 visits per 1,000 adults in 2023. Visit rates were highest among adults ages 25-49 (7.7) and lowest among adults ages 18-24 (0.8). An estimated 29.0% of health center visits by adults with an OUD also included a diagnosis of nicotine use disorder. Among health center visits by adults with an OUD, mood disorders and anxiety disorders were the two most frequently observed mental health disorders. An estimated 49.6% of health center visits by adults with an OUD had a documented prescription for buprenorphine.

PMID:41678832 | DOI:10.15620/cdc/174633

NCHS Data Brief. 2026 Jan;(548). doi: 10.15620/cdc/174641.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This report presents final 2024 U.S. mortality data on deaths and death rates by variables such as sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, and cause of death.

KEY FINDINGS: Life expectancy for the U.S. population in 2024 was 79.0 years, an increase of 0.6 year from 2023. The age-adjusted death rate decreased by 3.8% from 750.5 deaths per 100,000 standard population in 2023 to 722.1 in 2024. Age-specific death rates decreased from 2023 to 2024 for all age groups 1 year and older except ages 5-14.

METHODS: The data shown in this report reflect information collected by the National Center for Health Statistics for 2023 and 2024 from death certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and compiled into national data known as the National Vital Statistics System. The race and Hispanic-origin groups shown in this report follow the 1997 Office of Management and Budget standards and differ from the bridged-race categories shown in reports for data years before 2018.

PMID:41678830 | DOI:10.15620/cdc/174641

NCHS Data Brief. 2026 Jan;(545). doi: 10.15620/cdc/174634.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This report uses data from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to describe the prevalence of diagnosed seasonal allergies, eczema, and food allergies among adults in the United States, by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, and urbanization level.

METHODS: Point estimates and the corresponding confidence intervals for this analysis were calculated using SAS-callable SUDAAN software to account for the complex sample design of NHIS. Differences between percentages were evaluated using two-sided significance tests at the 0.05 level. Linear and quadratic trends by age group were evaluated using orthogonal polynomials.

KEY FINDINGS: In 2024, 31.7% of adults had a diagnosed seasonal allergy, diagnosed eczema, or a diagnosed food allergy. The percentage of adults with a diagnosed seasonal allergy was higher among those living in nonmetropolitan areas (28.1%) than those living in metropolitan areas (24.8%). Women (9.5%) were more likely to have diagnosed eczema compared with men (5.7%). The prevalence of these selected allergic conditions varied by age group and race and Hispanic origin.

PMID:41678829 | DOI:10.15620/cdc/174634

J Glob Health. 2026 Feb 13;16:04052. doi: 10.7189/jogh.16.04052.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The continuity and quality of maternal and child health (MCH) services represent significant challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Home-based records (HBRs), including the integrated Maternal and Child Health Handbook (MCHHB), may support consistent service usage and improved care quality. We aimed to evaluate the association between HBRs and continued quality MCH care, identifying differences in associations between MCHHBs and the continuum of care and those between other HBR types and the continuum of care.

METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) from 18 LMICs, including women and their youngest eligible children for the health card module. We defined the continuum of quality MCH care using receipt of quality antenatal care (ANC), skilled birth attendance, and quality postnatal care (qPNC), with ANC and PNC measured as composite indicators. We based the HBR ownership on the DHS variable ‘Has health card’. We used multivariable logistic regressions to examine associations between HBR ownership, HBR type, and the continuum of care, adjusting for residence, maternal education, and wealth.

RESULTS: The final analysis included 89 902 samples. Ownership of HBR was associated with significantly higher odds of completing the continuum of quality MCH care compared with not owning HBR. However, no significant differences were observed between owners of MCHHB and those of other HBR types. Based on analysing the subgroups of MCH service components, the MCHHB may facilitate the provision of ANC services, such as urine and blood tests, more effectively than other HBR types.

CONCLUSIONS: Owning HBR was positively associated with greater use of quality MCH services. However, no significant differences were observed for MCHHBs, despite MCHHB ownership being significantly associated with improved uptakes of urine and blood tests. Further research is needed to explore the influence of actual HBR use, provider-related factors, and variations in HBR content and type.

PMID:41678823 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.16.04052

J Glob Health. 2026 Feb 13;16:04055. doi: 10.7189/jogh.16.04055.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya has emerged as a growing global health threat with a new sharp rise in outbreaks across 119 countries. However, its transmission patterns remain poorly characterised. We aimed to describe the global burden and spatiotemporal trends of chikungunya, and identify country-level environmental and socioeconomic factors associated with local transmission.

METHODS: We compiled annual country-level autochthonous chikungunya cases from 2004 to 2024, using data from regional surveillance systems and peer-reviewed sources. We calculated the incidence rates using the number of new cases and the population. We employed a generalised additive model (GAM) to flexibly model nonlinear associations between chikungunya incidence and environmental and socioeconomic factors. We performed subgroup analyses across the six WHO regions and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses addressing data structure, variable selection, and alternative model specifications to assess robustness.

RESULTS: Between 2004 and 2024, the global incidence of chikungunya from autochthonous cases rose from 0.28 to 11.13 per 100 000. In 2024, the Americas bore the heaviest burden (43.9 per 100 000; 431 305 cases), followed by South-East Asia (14.3 per 100 000; 258 854 cases), while Africa, Europe, and the Western Pacific reported few cases. Local outbreaks occurred recurrently in several countries across the Americas, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific, but remained sporadic in temperate regions. Using a GAM, we identified significant nonlinear effects of temperature, urbanisation, and GDP per capita on incidence: incidence rose sharply above 17°C; urban population percentage demonstrated a complex, nonlinear relationship; and GDP showed an inverse association at low to moderate levels. After adjusting for environmental and socioeconomic factors, the temporal trend of incidence generally declined. We identified notable heterogeneity across regions, while our results otherwise remained broadly consistent across the sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS: Chikungunya burden has expanded globally, shaped by environmental and socioeconomic factors. Strengthened surveillance, integration of climate information into preparedness efforts, and improvements in socioeconomic conditions are needed to reduce disparities and support more effective prevention of future outbreaks.

PMID:41678821 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.16.04055

Neurology. 2026 Mar 24;106(6):e214702. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000214702. Epub 2026 Feb 12.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The benefit of IV thrombolysis (IVT) with alteplase before endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) compared with EVT alone has been shown to be limited and time dependent. Data on tenecteplase, its recommended alternative, are limited. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of IVT with tenecteplase plus mechanical thrombectomy (TNK + EVT) compared with EVT in patients with large vessel occlusion stroke and determine whether its potential benefit decreases with treatment time.

METHODS: We conducted a retrospective pooled analysis of 2 nationwide, real-world registries of patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion stroke within 4.5 hours of known symptom onset and with no contraindication to thrombolysis, treated with TNK + EVT (TETRIS) or EVT (ETIS). The efficacy outcome was the 3-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score, analyzed in ordinal and dichotomized (mRS score ≤2) approaches. We used propensity score-weighted logistic regression to assess associations between treatment groups and outcomes of interest.

RESULTS: Among 1,890 patients who were analyzed (TNK + EVT: n = 798; EVT: n = 1,092; median age 73 years [interquartile range 61-82]; 49.6% women), the median expected onset-to-thrombolysis time was 146 minutes [interquartile range 119-180]. More than half of patients (n = 1,063; 56.2%) were admitted first to a primary stroke center. All baseline characteristics were balanced between treatment groups after overlap weighting. Overall, TNK + EVT was associated with better 3-month functional outcome over the full mRS (weighted common odds ratio [OR] 1.53 [95% CI 1.29-1.82]; p < 0.001) and regarding functional independence (propensity score overlap weighting [PSOW]-OR 1.50 [95% CI 1.23-1.84]; p < 0.001). This benefit did not differ statistically between patients admitted first to a primary or comprehensive stroke center (p-interaction = 0.12). There was no significant effect of the expected onset-to-thrombolysis time on the association between TNK + EVT and better functional outcome (p-interaction = 0.11). There were no significant differences in parenchymal hematoma (PSOW-OR 1.29 [95% CI 0.94-1.79]; p = 0.12) and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (PSOW-OR 1.13 [95% CI 0.69-1.86]; p = 0.61) rates.

DISCUSSION: Among patients treated within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, TNK + EVT was associated with better functional outcome than EVT, without safety concerns. This benefit does not seem to be time dependent. These findings support the routine use of tenecteplase before EVT in the early time window.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, in patients with stroke due to anterior circulation large vessel occlusion, IV tenecteplase plus thrombectomy is associated with better functional outcomes at 3 months compared with thrombectomy alone.

TRIALS REGISTRATION INFORMATION: NCT03776877 (ETIS registry) and NCT05534360 (TETRIS registry).

PMID:41678809 | DOI:10.1212/WNL.0000000000214702

Obstet Gynecol. 2026 Feb 12. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000006191. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the association between the timing of new-onset hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) development (ie, antepartum, intrapartum, or postpartum) and the risk of incident hypertension 2-7 years after delivery in nuMoM2b (Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-Be) and nuMoM2b-HHS (the nuMoM2b Heart Health Study).

METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a multisite prospective observational cohort study conducted at eight clinical sites that enrolled nulliparous individuals with singleton pregnancies in their first trimester who were followed during pregnancy and subsequently underwent a cardiovascular screening visit 2-7 years after delivery. For this analysis, we excluded individuals with prepregnancy chronic hypertension in their nuMoM2b pregnancy. We compared rates of stage 1 hypertension (blood pressure 130/80 mm Hg or higher or use of antihypertensive medications) at the 2-7 year postpartum study visit based on the timing of the onset of HDP (categorized as antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum) with no HDP (referent). Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for baseline covariates (age, insurance, tobacco use, diabetes, and early pregnancy body mass index [BMI]) were used to generate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% CIs. Interaction analysis was performed to evaluate effect modification by the presence of severe features of HDP. P<.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Of 4,342 individuals included in this analysis (mean age 27.0 years [SD 5.6 years]), 23.2%% (n=1,007) had new-onset HDP. Among those with HDP, 53.6% (n=540) were diagnosed antepartum, 42.4% (n=427) were diagnosed intrapartum, and 4.0% (n=40) were diagnosed postpartum. At a mean follow-up of 3.2±0.9 years after delivery, the frequency of incident hypertension was elevated regardless of whether HDP occurred antepartum (37.6%, n=203), intrapartum (26.0%, n=111), or postpartum (40.0%, n=16) (compared with no HDP [16.5%, n=550]). After adjustment for maternal age, insurance type, tobacco use, prepregnancy diabetes, and early pregnancy BMI, the risk of chronic hypertension remained elevated regardless of when HDP was diagnosed, although the risk was higher when it developed antepartum (aOR 2.40, 95% CI, 1.95-2.95) or postpartum (aOR 2.90, 95% CI, 1.49-5.64) compared with when it developed intrapartum (aOR 1.55, 95% CI, 1.21-1.97; referent no HDP, P<.01 for all).

CONCLUSION: New-onset HDP, regardless of whether it is diagnosed antepartum, intrapartum, or postpartum, is associated with an increased risk of incident hypertension 2-7 years after delivery, compared with individuals without HDP during their first birth. Greater awareness of cardiovascular disease risk after HDP-even when HDP is diagnosed during labor or postpartum-is needed to appropriately risk stratify and help prevent hypertension after delivery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02231398.

PMID:41678805 | DOI:10.1097/AOG.0000000000006191

JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Feb 12;15:e71620. doi: 10.2196/71620.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pediatric patients with end-stage kidney disease require kidney transplants (KTs) throughout their lifetime. Long-term graft survival is dependent on multiple factors, which are broadly categorized as donor- and recipient-related factors. Advances in transplant care and changes in donor population demographics necessitate an updated analysis on donor risk factors to guide clinical decision-making.

OBJECTIVE: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we will focus on the impact of donor factors on graft survival in pediatric KT, excluding transplants from donation after circulatory death as the latter are less common in children.

METHODS: This review encompasses studies reporting donor-related risk factors for graft survival in pediatric KT, including age, size, comorbidities, and ethnicity for living and deceased donors, as well as the cause of death and length of hospitalization for deceased donors. The literature search will use the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane. Two independent reviewers will select studies and assess their quality. Pooled estimates of relevant factors will be computed via a random-effects model using the Stata/BE (version 19) software. Depending on data availability, subgroup analyses will be conducted based on donor type (living vs deceased). The reporting of findings will adhere to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.

RESULTS: The search and screening for the systematic literature review are anticipated to be finished in June 2026. Data extraction, quality appraisal, and subsequent data synthesis will begin in July 2026. The review is expected to be completed by October 2026, and the study results will be published in 2027.

CONCLUSIONS: Our review will provide a comprehensive synthesis of the available evidence on kidney donor risk factors impacting graft survival in pediatric KT. The results of this review could provide valuable insights for clinical decisions, policy development, and ongoing efforts to improve outcomes for children with end-stage kidney disease requiring KT.

PMID:41678799 | DOI:10.2196/71620

JMIR Cancer. 2026 Feb 12;12:e84788. doi: 10.2196/84788.

ABSTRACT

Our study describes the characteristics of remote patient monitoring use among commercially insured patients with cancer from 2019 to 2023.

PMID:41678798 | DOI:10.2196/84788

JMIR Pediatr Parent. 2026 Feb 12;9:e71367. doi: 10.2196/71367.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The population of young individuals not in employment, education, or training (NEET) is highly diverse, but a common problem appears to be their mental health. NEETs due to illness or disability are of particular concern for social exclusion, but little is known of how young individuals who are NEET with and without disability make use of, and gain from, employment interventions. There is also a scarcity of research on psychological interventions and mental health outcomes among young NEETs. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown promising results in psychological outcomes in young adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to expand the knowledge on the effects of an app-based intervention built on ACT on NEETs with and without disabilities.

METHODS: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2021, including 151 young NEETs aged 16-24 years. Participants were recruited mainly via social media platforms and through organizations working with young NEETs. The intervention group (n=77) used an app for psychological well-being with the possibility for digital group meetings for 6 weeks, and the control group (n=74) received film clips once a week. Outcomes were self-assessed through questionnaires. Statistical analyses were made using chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test, general linear model, and logistic regression.

RESULTS: No differences in effects on mental health were seen between the intervention and control group, neither overall nor between young NEETs with or without disability. Usage data show that 68.8% (53/77) of the participants in the intervention group downloaded the app, and 24.7% (19/77) completed all 6 modules. Effects on employment and education levels were only seen within the intervention group, where those who had completed one or more modules had a higher likelihood of being active in terms of employment and education compared to those who did not complete modules. No significant effects were seen in employment and education levels in relation to disability status. A high proportion of the participants had a disability, few were in contact with a youth employment center, and there was an overrepresentation of young women in general. Participants with disabilities had lower self-esteem, had less frequently completed high school, had less work experience, and a larger proportion had been in the NEET situation for over a year. A higher dropout were seen among participants in the intervention group and among young men.

CONCLUSIONS: No effects of the app-based intervention were seen for psychological well-being between young NEETs with disabilities and those without, but the results showed potential effects on employment and education levels related to engagement in the intervention. NEETs with disabilities are of particular concern and might need additional efforts or other types of interventions than the one investigated in this study. Findings can be considered weak due to the low adherence and high attrition.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN46697028; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN46697028.

PMID:41678795 | DOI:10.2196/71367