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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Decisions to Practice in Rural Areas Among Mental Health Care Professionals

JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2421285. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21285.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:38884999 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.21285

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

In-Hospital Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics and Readmission Risk in Patients With First-Admission Schizophrenia in Taiwan

JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417006. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17006.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) can help decrease the rate of nonadherence to medications in patients with schizophrenia, but these drugs are underutilized in clinical practice, especially in Asian countries. One strategy for the early prescription of LAIs is to administer the drugs during patients’ first admission, when they have more time to absorb medication-related knowledge.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for in-hospital use of LAIs among first-admission patients with schizophrenia in Taiwan and to examine the association of early discontinuation with readmission risk among patients receiving LAIs.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included data from a claims database for patients with a first admission for schizophrenia at psychiatric wards in Taiwan from 2004 to 2017. Eligible patients were diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at discharge and aged between 15 and 64 years. Data analysis was performed from April to September 2022.

EXPOSURE: In-hospital use of LAIs with or without early discontinuation.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Readmission for any psychotic disorder following discharge from first admission, with risk estimated via multivariable survival regression analysis, including the Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model and accelerated failure time (AFT) model.

RESULTS: Of the 56 211 patients with a first admission for schizophrenia (mean [SD] age, 38.1 [12.1] years; 29 387 men [52.3%]), 46 875 (83.4%) did not receive any LAIs during admission, 5665 (10.1%) received LAIs with early discontinuation, and 3671 (6.5%) received LAIs without early discontinuation. The prevalence of receiving LAIs increased by 4%, from 15.3% (3863 of 25 251 patients) to 19.3% (3013 of 15 608 patients) between 2004-2008 and 2013-2017. After controlling for sex, year, prior antipsychotic use, age at first admission, and length of stay, the CPH regression analysis revealed that the readmission risk increased among patients receiving LAIs with early discontinuation (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.25; 95% CI, 1.21-1.30) but decreased among patients receiving LAIs without early discontinuation (aHR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.92) compared with patients not receiving LAIs. Results remained similar for the AFT model.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The incidence of in-hospital use of LAIs among patients with a first admission for schizophrenia has remained low. In this study, early discontinuation of LAIs was associated with readmission risk-specifically, early discontinuation with a higher risk while the lack of early discontinuation with a lower risk compared with treatment with oral antipsychotics alone-which suggests our results have implications for improving the efficacy of LAI administration among patients with a first admission for schizophrenia.

PMID:38884998 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17006

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Health Care Expenses and Financial Hardship Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Functional Disability

JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417300. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17300.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Medicare beneficiaries with functional disabilities often require more medical care, leading to substantial financial hardship. However, the precise magnitude and sources of this hardship remain unknown.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify the financial burden from health care expenses by functional disability levels among Medicare beneficiaries.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study used data, including demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status, and health care use, from a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries from the 2013 to 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Functional disability was measured using 6 questions and categorized into 3 levels: none (no difficulties), moderate (1-2 difficulties), and severe (≥3 difficulties). Data were analyzed from December 2023 to March 2024.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Financial hardship from health care expenses was assessed using objective measures (annual out-of-pocket spending, high financial burden [out-of-pocket spending exceeding 20% of income], and catastrophic financial burden [out-of-pocket spending exceeding 40% of income]) and subjective measures (difficulty paying medical bills and paying medical bills over time). We applied weights to produce results representative of national estimates.

RESULTS: The sample included 31 952 Medicare beneficiaries (mean [SD] age, 71.1 [9.7] years; 54.6% female). In weighted analyses, severe functional disability was associated with a significantly higher financial burden from health care expenses, with out-of-pocket spending reaching $2137 (95% CI, $1943-$2330) annually. This exceeded out-of-pocket spending for those without functional disability by nearly $700 per year ($1468 [95% CI, $1311-$1625]) and for those with moderate functional disability by almost $500 per year ($1673 [95% CI, $1620-$1725]). The primary factors that played a role in this difference were home health care ($399 [95% CI, $145-$651]) and equipment and supplies ($304 [95% CI, $278-$330]). Beneficiaries with severe functional disability experienced significantly higher rates of both high and catastrophic financial burden than those without disability and those with moderate disability (13.2% [12.2%-14.1%] vs 9.1% [95% CI, 8.6%-9.5%] and 9.4% [95% CI, 9.1%-9.7%] for high financial burden, respectively, and 8.9% [95% CI, 7.8%-10.1%] vs 6.4% [95% CI, 6.1%-6.8%] and 6.0% [95% CI, 5.6%-6.4%] for catastrophic financial burden, respectively). Similar associations were observed in subjective financial hardship. For example, 11.8% (95% CI, 10.3%-13.3%) of those with severe functional disability experienced problems paying medical bills, compared with 7.7% (95% CI, 7.6%-7.9%) and 9.3% (95% CI, 9.0%-9.6%) of those without functional disability and those with moderate functional disability, respectively. Notably, there were no significant differences in financial hardship among those with Medicaid based on functional disability levels.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study of Medicare beneficiaries, those with severe functional disability levels experienced a disproportionate burden from health care costs. However, Medicaid played a pivotal role in reducing the financial strain. Policymakers should explore interventions that effectively relieve the financial burden of health care in this vulnerable population.

PMID:38884997 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17300

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Health Insurance Type and Outpatient Specialist Care Among Children With Asthma

JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417319. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17319.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Although children with asthma are often successfully treated by primary care clinicians, outpatient specialist care is recommended for those with poorly controlled disease. Little is known about differences in specialist use for asthma among children with Medicaid vs private insurance.

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences among children with asthma regarding receipt of asthma specialist care by insurance type.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cross-sectional study using data from the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database (APCD) between 2014 to 2020, children with asthma were identified and differences in receipt of outpatient specialist care by whether their insurance was public (Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program) or private were examined. Eligible participants included children with asthma in 2015 to 2020 aged 2 to 17 years. Data analysis was conducted from January 2023 to April 2024.

EXPOSURE: Medicaid vs private insurance.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was receipt of specialist care (any outpatient visit with a pulmonology, allergy and immunology, or otolaryngology physician). Multivariable logistic regression models estimated differences in receipt of specialist care by insurance type accounting for child and area characteristics including demographics, health status, persistent asthma, calendar year, and zip code characteristics. Additional analyses examined if the associations of specialist care with insurance type varied by asthma persistence and severity, and whether associations varied over time.

RESULTS: Among 198 101 unique children, there were 432 455 child-year observations (186 296 female [43.1%] and 246 159 male [56.9%]; 211 269 aged 5 to 11 years [48.9%]; 82 108 [19.0%] with persistent asthma) including 286 408 (66.2%) that were Medicaid insured and 146 047 (33.8%) that were privately insured. Although persistent asthma was more common among child-year observations with Medicaid vs private insurance (57 381 [20.0%] vs 24 727 [16.9%]), children with Medicaid were less likely to receive specialist care. Overall, 64 239 child-year observations (14.9%) received specialist care, with substantially lower rates for children with Medicaid vs private insurance (34 093 child-year observations [11.9%] vs 30 146 child-year observations [20.6%]). Regression-based estimates confirmed these disparities; children with Medicaid had 55% lower odds of receiving specialist care (adjusted odds ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.47) and a regression-adjusted 9.7 percentage point (95% CI, -10.4 percentage points to -9.1 percentage points) lower rate of receipt of specialist care. Compared with children with private insurance, there was an additional 3.2 percentage point (95% CI, 2.0 percentage points to 4.4 percentage points) deficit for children with Medicaid with persistent asthma.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study, children with Medicaid were less likely to receive specialist care, with the largest gaps among those with persistent asthma. These findings suggest that closing this care gap may be one approach to addressing ongoing disparities in asthma outcomes.

PMID:38884996 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17319

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Interpregnancy Interval After Healthy Live Birth and Subsequent Spontaneous Abortion

JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Jun 3;7(6):e2417397. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17397.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Many studies have reported that the interpregnancy interval (IPI) is a potential modifiable risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes. However, the association between IPI after live birth and subsequent spontaneous abortion (SA) is unclear.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of IPI after a healthy live birth and subsequent SA.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective cohort study used data from 180 921 women aged 20 to 49 years who had a single healthy live birth and planned for another pregnancy and who participated in the Chinese National Free Prepregnancy Checkups Project from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2020. Statistical analysis was conducted from June 20 to October 5, 2023.

EXPOSURE: Interpregnancy interval, defined as the interval between the delivery date and conception of the subsequent pregnancy, was categorized as follows: less than 18 months, 18 to 23 months, 24 to 35 months, 36 to 59 months, and 60 months or longer.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The main outcome was SA. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression models to examine the association between IPI and the risk of SA. Dose-response associations were evaluated by restricted cubic splines.

RESULTS: The analyses included 180 921 multiparous women (mean [SD] age at current pregnancy, 26.3 [2.8] years); 4380 SA events (2.4% of all participants) were recorded. A J-shaped association between IPI levels and SA was identified. In the fully adjusted model, compared with IPIs of 18 to 23 months, both short (<18 months) and long (≥36 months) IPIs showed an increased risk of SA (IPIs of <18 months: OR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.04-1.27]; IPIs of 36-59 months: OR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.15-1.43]; IPIs of ≥60 months: OR, 2.13 [95% CI, 1.78-2.56]). Results of the subgroup analysis by mode of previous delivery were consistent with the main analysis.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study of multiparous women suggests that an IPI of shorter than 18 months or an IPI of 36 months or longer after a healthy live birth was associated with an increased risk of subsequent SA. The findings are valuable to make a rational prepregnancy plan and may facilitate the prevention of SA and improvement in neonatal outcomes.

PMID:38884995 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17397

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Electronic Cigarettes vs Varenicline for Smoking Cessation in Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Jun 17. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1822. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Little is known about the relative effectiveness of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (ECs) compared with varenicline as smoking cessation aids.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative effectiveness of ECs in smoking cessation.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized placebo-controlled single-center trial was conducted in northern Finland. Participants aged 25 to 75 years who smoked daily and had volunteered to quit smoking were recruited from August 1, 2018, to February 20, 2020, via local media. The trial included 52 weeks of follow-up. All data analyses were conducted from September 1, 2022, to January 15, 2024. The participants, study nurses, and researchers were masked to group assignment.

INTERVENTION: The participants were assigned by block randomization to receive 18 mg/mL of nicotine-containing ECs together with placebo tablets, varenicline with standard dosing together with nicotine-free ECs, or placebo tablets together with nicotine-free ECs, all combined with a motivational interview, with the intervention phase lasting for 12 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: The primary outcome was self-reported 7-day conventional cigarette smoking abstinence as confirmed by the exhaled carbon monoxide level on week 26. The analysis followed the intent-to-treat principle.

RESULTS: Of the 561 recruited participants, 458 (81.6%) eligible participants (257 women [56%]; 201 men [44%]; mean [SD] age, 51 [11.6] years) were randomized. The primary outcome occurred in 61 of 152 participants (40.4%) in the EC group, 67 of 153 (43.8%) in the varenicline group, and 30 of 153 (19.7%) in the placebo group (P < .001). In the pairwise comparison, placebo differed statistically significantly from ECs (risk difference [RD], 20.7%; 95% CI, 10.4-30.4; P < .001) and varenicline (RD, 24.1%; 95% CI, 13.7-33.7; P < .001), but the difference was statistically insignificant between ECs and varenicline (RD, 3.4%; 95% CI, -7.6 to 14.3; P = .56). No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSIONS: This randomized clinical trial found that varenicline and nicotine-containing ECs were both effective in helping individuals in quitting smoking conventional cigarettes for up to 6 months.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03235505.

PMID:38884987 | DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1822

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Adverse childhood experiences and adult disease: Examining mediating pathways in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

Health Psychol. 2024 Jun 17. doi: 10.1037/hea0001349. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to adulthood chronic diseases, but there is little research examining the mechanisms underlying this association. We tested pathways from ACEs to adult disease mediated via risk factors of depression, smoking, and body mass index.

METHOD: Prospective data from adults 18 to 74 years old from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and Sociocultural Ancillary Study were used. Retrospectively reported ACEs and hypothesized mediators were measured at Visit 1 (2008-2011). Outcomes of disease prevalence were assessed at Visit 2, approximately 6 years later. The analytic sample includes 5,230 Hispanic/Latino participants with ACE data. Statistical mediation was examined using structural equation modeling on cardiometabolic and pulmonary disease prevalence and reported probit regression coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: We found a significant association between ACEs and the prevalence of asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (standardized β = .07, 95% CI [0.02, 0.12]). In the mediational model, the direct association was nonsignificant (β = .02, 95% CI [-0.04, 0.07]) but was mediated by depressive symptoms (β = .03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.04]). There were no associations between ACEs and the prevalence of diabetes and self-reported coronary heart disease or cerebrovascular disease. However, a small indirect effect was identified via depressive symptoms and coronary heart disease (β = .02, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03]).

CONCLUSION: In this diverse Hispanic/Latino sample, depressive symptoms were found to be a pathway linking ACEs to self-reported cardiopulmonary diseases, although the effects were of small magnitude. Future work should replicate pathways, confirm the magnitude of effects, and examine cultural moderators that may dampen expected associations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

PMID:38884976 | DOI:10.1037/hea0001349

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

Overdose, Behavioral Health Services, and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder After a Nonfatal Overdose

JAMA Intern Med. 2024 Jun 17. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1733. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Recognizing and providing services to individuals at highest risk for drug overdose are paramount to addressing the drug overdose crisis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine receipt of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), naloxone, and behavioral health services in the 12 months after an index nonfatal drug overdose and the association between receipt of these interventions and fatal drug overdose.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study was conducted in the US from January 2020 to December 2021 using claims, demographic, mortality, and other data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other sources. The cohort comprised Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 18 years or older with International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for a nonfatal drug overdose. Data analysis was performed from February to November 2023.

EXPOSURES: Demographic and clinical characteristics, substance use disorder, and psychiatric comorbidities.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Receipt of MOUD, naloxone, and behavioral health services as well as subsequent nonfatal and fatal drug overdoses.

RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 136 762 Medicare beneficiaries (80 140 females [58.6%]; mean (SD) age of 68.2 [15.0] years) who experienced an index nonfatal drug overdose in 2020. The majority of individuals had Hispanic (5.8%), non-Hispanic Black (10.9%), and non-Hispanic White (78.8%) race and ethnicity and lived in metropolitan areas (78.9%). In the 12 months after their index nonfatal drug overdose, 23 815 beneficiaries (17.4%) experienced at least 1 subsequent nonfatal drug overdose and 1323 (1.0%) died of a fatal drug overdose. Opioids were involved in 72.2% of fatal drug overdoses. Among the cohort, 5556 (4.1%) received any MOUD and 8530 (6.2%) filled a naloxone prescription in the 12 months after the index nonfatal drug overdose. Filling a naloxone prescription (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.70; 95% CI, 0.56-0.89), each percentage of days receiving methadone (AOR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99) or buprenorphine (AOR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.98-0.99), and receiving behavioral health assessment or crisis services (AOR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.22-0.28) were all associated with reduced adjusted odds of fatal drug overdose in the 12 months after the index nonfatal drug overdose.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study found that, despite their known association with reduced risk of a fatal drug overdose, only a small percentage of Medicare beneficiaries received MOUD or filled a naloxone prescription in the 12 months after a nonfatal drug overdose. Efforts to improve access to behavioral health services; MOUD; and overdose-prevention strategies, such as prescribing naloxone and linking individuals to community-based health care settings for ongoing care, are needed.

PMID:38884975 | DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1733

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Nevin Manimala Statistics

A general ability for judging simple and complex ensembles

J Exp Psychol Gen. 2024 Jun;153(6):1517-1536. doi: 10.1037/xge0001582.

ABSTRACT

People can report summary statistics for various features about a group of objects. One theory is that different abilities support ensemble judgments about low-level features like color versus high-level features like identity. Existing research mostly evaluates such claims based on evidence of correlations within and between feature domains. However, correlations between two identical tasks that only differ in the type of feature that is used can be inflated by method variance. Another concern is that conclusions about high-level features are mostly based on faces. We used latent variable methods on data from 237 participants to investigate the abilities supporting low-level and high-level feature ensemble judgments. Ensemble judgment was measured with six distinct tests, each requiring judgments for a distinct low-level or high-level feature, using different task requirements. We also controlled for other general visual abilities when examining how low-level and high-level ensemble abilities relate to each other. Confirmatory factor analyses showed a perfect correlation between the two factors, suggesting a single ability. There was a unique relationship between these two factors beyond the influence of object recognition and perceptual speed. Additional results from 117 of the same participants also ruled out the role of working memory. This study provides strong evidence of a general ensemble judgment ability across a wide range of features at the latent level and characterizes its relationship to other visual abilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

PMID:38884962 | DOI:10.1037/xge0001582

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Genotype-guided prescribing predictors in CYP2C19 intermediate metabolizers receiving percutaneous coronary intervention

Pharmacogenomics. 2024 Jun 6:1-6. doi: 10.1080/14622416.2024.2355862. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Previous differences in guideline recommendation strength for CYP2C19 intermediate metabolizers may have limited genotype (PGx)-optimal post-percutaneous coronary intervention antiplatelet prescribing. Results: In this single-center retrospective observational cohort study of CYP2C19 intermediate metabolizers, patients prescribed PGx-optimal therapy were younger and less likely on anticoagulation (2 vs 12%; p = 0.006). More patients prescribed PGx-optimal therapy possessed commercial insurance (36 vs 7%; p < 0.001), which was a predictor for PGx-optimal selection (OR: 6.464; 95% CI: 2.386-17.516; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Anticoagulation use was significantly associated with clopidogrel use (OR: 0.138; 95% CI: 0.0260.730; p = 0.020). No statistical difference in composite major adverse cardiovascular events (5 vs 14%; p = 0.173) or bleeding (8 vs 6%; Not significant) was observed between PGx-optimal and PGx-suboptimal therapy.

PMID:38884958 | DOI:10.1080/14622416.2024.2355862