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ABSTRACT: A situational analysis of problematic situations was conducted for 37 caregivers of children with sickle cell disease (SCD) who ranged in age from 5 to 13 years. Participants responded to a semistructured interview related to caring for a child with SCD. The interview included the domains of medication adherence, nutrition, minimizing and coping with pain episodes, social problems, academic difficulties, and children’s expression of negative feelings related to having SCD. Caregivers described a total of 356 problems. Almost all caregivers reported experiencing problems with their children’s nutrition (n = 35), minimizing pain episodes (n = 34), and their children expressing feelings about having SCD (n = 33). Moderately challenging and emotionally upsetting problems were reported for coping with pain episodes. The total number of problems was significantly higher for boys than for girls. Nutrition issues were more frequently reported for younger children. Findings have salient clinical implications for the care of children with SCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gripping read about U.S. Army nurses during the Vietnam War., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Subfascial placement of breast implants has the advantages of subglandular and submuscular placement without the adverse outcomes. This study examined the differences in outcomes between textured and smooth implants., Methods: A total of 385 patients underwent subfascial breast augmentation in two cohorts. The initial series (n=209) employed textured implants and the second (n=176) employed smooth implants. In all other respects, patient management was identical. Adverse outcomes, changes in breast morphometry, and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups., Results: The follow-up period ranged from to 74-272 weeks for smooth implants (mean 164 weeks, STD 50.6) and 78-279 weeks for textured implants (mean= 186 weeks, STD=54). The incidence of capsular contracture was the same for smooth and textured implants (4.7% and 6.2%, P=.64). Changes in breast shape at the lower pole, patient satisfaction, and the incidence of other adverse outcomes were the same in both groups., Conclusions: Subfascial placement of smooth and textured breast implants yielded similar outcomes., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Introduction: This study examined the potential of a device agnostic approach for predicting physical activity from consumer wearable accelerometry compared with a research-grade accelerometry., Methods: Seventy-five 5- to 12-year-olds (58% male, 63% White) participated in a 60-min protocol. Children wore wrist-placed consumer wearables (Apple Watch Series 7 and Garmin Vivoactive 4) and a research-grade device (ActiGraph GT9X) concurrently with an indirect calorimeter (COSMED K5). Activity intensities (i.e., inactive, light, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) were estimated via indirect calorimetry (criterion), and the Hildebrand thresholds were applied to the raw accelerometer data from the consumer wearables and research-grade device. Epoch-by-epoch (e.g., weighted sensitivity, specificity) and discrepancy (e.g., mean bias, absolute error) analyses evaluated agreement between accelerometry-derived and criterion estimates. Equivalence testing evaluated the equivalence of estimates produced by the consumer wearables and ActiGraph., Results: Estimates produced by the raw accelerometry data from ActiGraph, Apple, and Garmin produced similar criterion agreement with weighted sensitivity = 68.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 67.1%-69.3%), 73.0% (95% CI, 71.8%-74.3%), and 66.6% (95% CI, 65.7%-67.5%), respectively, and weighted specificity = 84.4% (95% CI, 83.6%-85.2%), 82.0% (95% CI, 80.6%-83.4%), and 75.3% (95% CI, 74.7%-75.9%), respectively. Apple Watch produced the lowest mean bias (inactive, -4.0 ± 4.5; light activity, 2.1 ± 4.0) and absolute error (inactive, 4.9 ± 3.4; light activity, 3.6 ± 2.7) for inactive and light physical activity minutes. For moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, ActiGraph produced the lowest mean bias (1.0 ± 2.9) and absolute error (2.8 ± 2.4). No ActiGraph and consumer wearable device estimates were statistically significantly equivalent., Conclusions: Raw accelerometry estimated inactive and light activity from wrist-placed consumer wearables performed similarly to, if not better than, a research-grade device, when compared with indirect calorimetry. This proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of device-agnostic methods for quantifying physical activity intensity via consumer wearables., (Copyright © 2023 by the American College of Sports Medicine.)

Background: Excessive weight gain affects some persons with HIV after switching to integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART). We studied associations between CYP2B6 genotype and weight gain after ART switch among ACTG A5001 and A5322 participants., Methods: Eligible participants switched from efavirenz- to INSTI-containing ART, had genotype data, and had weight data at least once from 4 weeks to 2 years post-switch. Multivariable linear mixed effects models adjusted for race/ethnicity, CD4, age, BMI and INSTI type assessed relationships between CYP2B6 genotype and estimated differences in weight change., Results: A total of 159 eligible participants switched ART from 2007 to 2019, of whom 138 had plasma HIV-1 RNA < 200 copies/mL (65 CYP2B6 normal, 56 intermediate, 17 poor metabolizers). Among participants with switch HIV-1 RNA < 200 copies/mL, weight increased in all 3 CYP2B6 groups. The rate of weight gain was greater in CYP2B6 poor than in CYP2B6 normal metabolizers overall, and within 9 subgroups (male, female, White, Black, Hispanic, dolutegravir, elvitegravir, raltegravir, and TDF in the pre-switch regimen); only in Hispanic and elvitegravir subgroups were these associations statistically significant ( P  < 0.05). Compared to normal metabolizers, CYP2B6 intermediate status was not consistently associated with weight gain., Conclusion: CYP2B6 poor metabolizer genotype was associated with greater weight gain after switch from efavirenz- to INSTI-containing ART, but results were inconsistent. Weight gain in this setting is likely complex and multifactorial., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Purpose: Tranexamic Acid (TXA) has gained increasing recognition as a valuable pharmacologic agent within plastic surgery. This study reviews the scientific evidence regarding the use of TXA in the full range of plastic and reconstructive surgery to provide clinical recommendations regarding for safe and effective use in various plastic surgical procedures., Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. An established appraisal process was used to rate the quality of articles (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology)., Results: Forty-five studies describing the use of TXA in plastic surgery were included. There is moderate-certainty evidence to support the use of intravenous administration of TXA in craniofacial surgery procedures to reduce blood-loss and transfusion requirements. There is high-certainty evidence to support the use of TXA in cosmetic surgery and intravenous administration in rhinoplasty procedures to reduce blood-loss. Further high-level studies are needed to determine TXA's effects on hematoma rates in facelift surgery and breast-related procedures. There is moderate-certainty evidence to support the use of TXA in burn care. Further studies are required to provide quantitative conclusions on the effects of TXA administration in microsurgery., Conclusions: This is the largest study to date on the use of TXA in plastic surgery and the first to provide clinical recommendations. The literature highlights TXA's promising role in the fields of craniofacial surgery, cosmetic surgery and burn care. Standardized, objective measurements are required to provide quantitative conclusions regarding TXAs effects on ecchymoses and edema in cosmetic surgery procedures., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Abstract: Access to and participation in cancer clinical trials determine whether such data are applicable, feasible, and generalizable among populations. The lack of inclusion of low-income and marginalized populations limits generalizability of the critical data guiding novel therapeutics and interventions used globally. Such lack of cancer clinical trial equity is troubling, considering that the populations frequently excluded from these trials are those with disproportionately higher cancer morbidity and mortality rates. There is an urgency to increase representation of marginalized populations to ensure that effective treatments are developed and equitably applied. Efforts to ameliorate these clinical trial inclusion disparities are met with a slew of multifactorial and multilevel challenges. We aim to review these challenges at the patient, clinician, system, and policy levels. We also highlight and propose solutions to inform future efforts to achieve cancer health equity., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding: The authors have disclosed that they have no significant relationships with, or financial interest in, any commercial companies pertaining to this article. K.T. was funded by Stanford Cancer Institute Women Cancer Center's Innovation Award, Stanford Cancer Institute SCI Fellowship Award, and ASCO Young Investigator Award., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Why the gender data gap matters., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Railroad-related fatalities in the United States are increasing. A paucity of literature exists regarding the medicolegal death investigation of railroad-related deaths. We report on a subset of deaths in western Michigan, propose protocols for investigating train-related deaths, and propose a stepwise approach for the medicolegal investigation of railroad-related fatalities. Fourteen railroad-related fatalities from 2015 to 2019 were reviewed. Each case was analyzed for demographics, investigative components, train variables, and death certification. The average age was 32 years. Nine decedents involved pedestrians versus trains, and 5 involved motor vehicles versus trains. Male victims were more common, and 50% of the cases were associated with mental illness or recent stressors. Accident was the most common manner of death. With the exception of basic weather conditions, the remaining investigative variables were rarely reported. Image and audio recordings were taken in 3 cases, but railroad companies refused to allow the recordings to be viewed by the medical examiner. We conclude that in addition to a thorough medicolegal death scene investigation and postmortem examination, audio/video recordings are crucial components of death certification in railroad-related fatalities and advocate that medical examiners/coroners be given the legal right to view and retain them., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Observations on the craziness in American health care., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: D. Freshwater owned stock in Nektar therapeutics, who is not associated with this research study or the therapies investigated. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Exposing the hidden toll of persistent racism., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Progesterone has been the standard of practice for the prevention of preterm birth for decades. The drug received expedited Food and Drug Administration approval, prior to the robust demonstration of scientific efficacy., Methods: Prospective research from the American Association of Birth Centers Perinatal Data Registry, 2007-2020. Two-tailed t tests, logistic regression, and propensity score matching were used., Results: Midwifery-led care was underutilized by groups most at risk for preterm birth and was shown to be effective at maintaining low preterm birth rates. The model did not demonstrate reliable access to progesterone. People of color are most at risk of preterm birth, yet were least likely to receiving progesterone treatment. Progesterone was not demonstrated to be effective at decreasing preterm birth when comparing the childbearing people with a history of preterm birth who used the medication and those who did not within this sample., Conclusions: This study adds to the body of research that demonstrates midwifery-led care and low preterm birth rates. The ineffectiveness of progesterone in the prevention of preterm birth among people at risk was demonstrated., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study explored the goals, and care delivery approaches, of 14 interventions to address patients' medical and social needs. In qualitative interviews with clinicians and researchers, several themes emerged. Participants frequently described their overall goal as meeting patients' diverse needs to prevent avoidable acute care utilization. Medical needs were addressed by ensuring patients received primary care and actively coordinating care across clinical settings. Participants perceived social needs as tightly linked with medical needs, as well as a need for interpersonal skills among intervention staff. Descriptions of overall approaches to meeting patients' needs frequently aligned with principles of trauma-informed care and patient-centered care., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Michele Harper's striking memoir contextualizes racism in health care., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Implant placement can improve ptosis due to the position of the nipple, inframammary crease, and base of the breast acting together. The interrelationship between these was quantified via changes in morphometry following subfascial augmentation, and explains the circumstances under which dogma holds true., Methods: One hundred seventy-five patients underwent a series of static measurements before and 3 months after subfascial breast augmentation. Ptosis in the nipple and base of the breast was calculated before and after surgery., Results: All measurements except that of the the lateral sternal margin increased after surgery. All grades of ptosis reduced following surgery. There was lowering of the base in grade 1 patients, but not for other grades. Increased base ptosis correlated with reduced lateral sternal margin (1.9 cm compared with 2.9 cm; left, H5 = 24.7, p < 0.01; right, H5 = 24.5, p < 0.01). Implant volume did not correlate with change in ptosis at the nipple or base. Reduced ptosis was associated with implants that are a narrow match of implant to breast (0.52 to 0.95) (left, H5 = 28.3, p < 0.01; right, H5 = 24.9, p < 0.01). Decreasing ptosis correlated with lower lateral sternal margin compared to breasts that increased ptosis. Change in ptosis following surgery does not correlate with having children., Conclusions: Subfascial placement has varying effects on ptosis. Non-ptotic or mildly ptotic breasts appear to improve due to a disproportionate descent of the inframammary crease relative to the nipple and base. Patients with little breast tissue are more susceptible to an increase in "bottoming out," particularly if broad implants are used. A ratio matching implant to the base width has predictive value on outcome., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV., Competing Interests: Disclosure:The author has no potential conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article. The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article., (Copyright © 2021 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

Stories of discovery, wrong turns, and hope., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A novel take on epidemic disease management., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Black Americans' fight for health care remains highly relevant., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Subfascial placement of breast implants has the advantages of subglandular and submuscular placement without the adverse outcomes. There are few large series with longitudinal follow-up and outcome measures., Methods: Seven hundred eighty-three patients underwent subfascial breast augmentation and were followed up for 10 years. Adverse outcomes, changes in breast morphometry, and patient satisfaction were outcome measures., Results: All morphometry increased except soft-tissue thickness at the lateral sternal margin. The distance from the nipple-areola complex to the inframammary crease increased by 40 percent, with a concomitant 6.2 percent increase in the distance from the suprasternal notch to the nipple-areola complex. The capsular contracture rate was 6.48 percent, and correlates with a lateral sternal margin of less than 20 mm (r = 0.57, p < 0.001). Ripples occurred in patients with less than 10 mm of soft tissue at the lateral sternal margin; 11.6 percent of patients would choose a larger implant and 2.7 percent would choose a smaller implant., Conclusions: Subfascial placement of breast implants provides a reliable technique. It can be used in patients with at least 20 mm of soft tissue at the lateral sternal margin. Those with 10 to 20 mm should be counseled that ripples may occur if they lose body fat. The technique is unsuitable for individuals with less than 10 mm measurable at the lateral sternal margin., Clinical Question/level of Evidence: Therapeutic, IV.

Crossbow fatalities are a rare occurrence, but crossbow use is on the rise. The manner of death in crossbow fatalities is overwhelmingly opined accident or suicide, not homicide. Despite their increasing use and reports of at least 14 crossbow-related homicides in the media for the last 5 years, crossbow homicides are rarely reported in the medical literature; only 10 articles that discussed 20 crossbow homicides were identified in the PubMed database. Here, we describe a case of a 20-year-old man who was found dead in his driveway after being shot in the abdomen with a crossbow by another person. The crossbow bolt had a mechanical 2-blade broadhead that transected the descending aorta and lodged in his vertebra. When completing a medicolegal death investigation and postmortem examination on suspected crossbow-related deaths, knowledge of crossbow components, its utility as a weapon, wound patterns, and how it can cause death are important. This case serves to build on the limited medical literature of crossbow homicides, educate forensic pathologists about the features of crossbow deaths, and highlight manner of death considerations.

Nurses share experiences from the pandemic and strategies to successfully manage future health care crises.

Author Quinn Grundy on the undue influence of vendors.

Purpose: Pterygium is characterized by the development of wing-shaped fibrovascular tissue from the bulbar conjunctiva across the limbus onto the cornea. The purpose of this study was to quantify the discrepancy of the pterygium size between the fibrous area and the vascularized area., Methods: Color photographs of 146 eyes with pterygia obtained with a single-lens reflex camera system were analyzed by 2 independent graders for width (vertical dimension), length (horizontal dimension), and surface area of the pterygium head using 2 methods: the fibrous method, which measures any fibrovascular tissue crossing the corneal limbus, and the vascular method, which measures only tissue with discernible active blood flow, without any avascular tissue or opacity. Statistics of intraclass correlation coefficients for intergrader and intragrader reproducibility were calculated, and the paired t test between methods was used., Results: Both intergrader and intragrader intraclass correlation coefficients for both methods were above 0.85. The vascular measurement was significantly larger in width (vertical dimension, fibrous 3.97 ± 1.02 mm vs. vascular 4.49 ± 1.33 mm, P = 0.01), whereas the fibrous measurement was significantly larger in length (horizontal dimension, fibrous 2.41 ± 1.16 mm vs. vascular 2.23 ± 1.05 mm, P = 0.04). No significant difference was found in the surface area (fibrous 7.27 ± 4.65 mm vs. vascular 7.40 ± 5.13 mm, P = 0.67)., Conclusions: With both methods, reproducibility of the size of the pterygium head was high. Significant differences were shown between the two methods in quantification of the width and length but not in the surface area. Such methods can be used to standardize the evaluation of pterygia in clinical research and clinical trials.

A new book makes the case for 'a culture shift of epic proportions.'

Background: Effective quality improvement (QI) strategies are needed for small practices., Objective: The objective of this study was to compare practice facilitation implementing point-of-care (POC) QI strategies alone versus facilitation implementing point-of-care plus population management (POC+PM) strategies on preventive cardiovascular care., Design: Two arm, practice-randomized, comparative effectiveness study., Participants: Small and mid-sized primary care practices., Interventions: Practices worked with facilitators on QI for 12 months to implement POC or POC+PM strategies., Measures: Proportion of eligible patients in a practice meeting "ABCS" measures: (Aspirin) Aspirin/antiplatelet therapy for ischemic vascular disease, (Blood pressure) Controlling High Blood Pressure, (Cholesterol) Statin Therapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease, and (Smoking) Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation Intervention, and the Change Process Capability Questionnaire. Measurements were performed at baseline, 12, and 18 months., Results: A total of 226 practices were randomized, 179 contributed follow-up data. The mean proportion of patients meeting each performance measure was greater at 12 months compared with baseline: Aspirin 0.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.02-0.06), Blood pressure 0.04 (0.02-0.06), Cholesterol 0.05 (0.03-0.07), Smoking 0.05 (0.02-0.07); P<0.001 for each. Improvements were sustained at 18 months. At 12 months, baseline-adjusted difference-in-differences in proportions for the POC+PM arm versus POC was: Aspirin 0.02 (-0.02 to 0.05), Blood pressure -0.01 (-0.04 to 0.03), Cholesterol 0.03 (0.00-0.07), and Smoking 0.02 (-0.02 to 0.06); P>0.05 for all. Change Process Capability Questionnaire improved slightly, mean change 0.30 (0.09-0.51) but did not significantly differ across arms., Conclusion: Facilitator-led QI promoting population management approaches plus POC improvement strategies was not clearly superior to POC strategies alone.

How nursing's past holds back our present.

Objectives: Improve models for estimating HIV epidemic trends in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)., Design: Mathematical epidemic model fit to national HIV survey and ANC sentinel surveillance (ANC-SS) data., Methods: We modified EPP to incorporate age and sex stratification (EPP-ASM) to more accurately capture the shifting demographics of maturing HIV epidemics. Secondly, we developed a new functional form for the HIV transmission rate, termed 'r-hybrid', which combines a four-parameter logistic function for the initial epidemic growth, peak, and decline followed by a first-order random walk for recent trends after epidemic stabilization. We fitted the r-hybrid model along with previously developed r-spline and r-trend models to HIV prevalence data from household surveys and ANC-SS in 177 regions in 34 SSA countries. We used leave-one-out cross validation with household survey HIV prevalence to compare model predictions., Results: The r-hybrid and r-spline models typically provided similar HIV prevalence trends, but sometimes qualitatively different assessments of recent incidence trends because of different structural assumptions about the HIV transmission rate. The r-hybrid model had the lowest average continuous ranked probability score, indicating the best model predictions. Coverage of 95% posterior predictive intervals was 91.5% for the r-hybrid model, versus 87.2 and 85.5% for r-spline and r-trend, respectively., Conclusion: The EPP-ASM and r-hybrid models improve consistency of EPP and Spectrum, improve the epidemiological assumptions underpinning recent HIV incidence estimates, and improve estimates and short-term projections of HIV prevalence trends. Countries that use general population survey and ANC-SS data to estimate HIV epidemic trends should consider using these tools.

Cystic fibrosis and an unfinished life.

We all need to take heed and ask questions.

Purpose of Review: To explore the comparative importance of HIV infections among key populations and their intimate partners as HIV epidemics evolve, and to review implications for guiding responses., Recent Findings: Even as concentrated epidemics evolve, new infections among current and former key population members and their intimate partners dominate new infections. Prevalent infections in the general population grow primarily because of key population turnover and infections among their intimate partners. In generalized epidemic settings, data and analysis on key populations are often inadequate to assess the impact of key population-focused responses, so they remain limited in coverage and under resourced. Models must incorporate downstream infections in comparing impacts of alternative responses., Summary: Recognize that every epidemic is unique, moving beyond the overly simplistic concentrated/generalized epidemic paradigm that can misdirect resources. Guide HIV responses by gathering and using locally relevant data, understanding risk heterogeneity, and applying modeling at both national and sub-national levels to optimize resource allocations among different populations for greatest impact. Translate this improved understanding into clear, unequivocal advice for policymakers on where to focus for impact, breaking them free of the generalized/concentrated paradigm limiting their thinking and affecting their decisions.

Katy Butler illuminates the human costs of her father's medically delayed death.

Christie Watson's memoir locates nursing's emotional core.

In The Healing of America, journalist T.R. Reid considers what other countries' health care systems can teach us.

Objective: To characterize the oral bacterial microbiome in HIV-infected participants at baseline and after 24 weeks of EFV/FTC/TDF., Design: Thirty-five participants co-enrolled in two AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) studies, A5272 and A5280, with paired saliva samples and complete data sets were assessed., Methods: Paired saliva samples were evaluated for bacterial microbiome using 16S rDNA PCR followed by Illumina sequencing. Diversity and differential abundance was compared between groups. A random forest classification scheme was used to determine the contribution of parameters in classifying participants' CD4+ T-cell count., Results: Bacterial communities demonstrated considerable variability both within participants and between timepoints, although they became more similar after 24 weeks of ART. At baseline, both the number of taxa detected and the average alpha diversity were variable between participants, but did not differ significantly based on CD4+ cell count, viral load or other factors. After 24 weeks of ART samples obtained from participants with persistently low CD4+ T-cell counts had significantly higher bacterial richness and diversity. Several differentially abundant taxa, including Porphyromonas species associated with periodontal disease, were identified, which discriminated between baseline and posttreatment samples. Analysis demonstrated that although inflammatory markers are important in untreated disease, the salivary microbiome may play an important role in CD4+ T-cell count recovery after ART., Conclusion: Shifts in the oral microbiome after ART initiation are complex, and may play an important role in immune function and inflammatory disease.

: Roxane Gay's Hunger and why it matters for nurses.

Elisabeth Rosenthal's new book reveals how the system's dysfunctional economics harms us.

Danielle Ofri's new book makes the case for listening closely to what patients say.

Background: The Spectrum model is used by national programs and UNAIDS to prepare annual estimates of the status of the HIV epidemic in 160 countries. The model and assumptions are updated regularly under the guidance of the UNAIDS Reference Group on Estimates, Modelling and Projections in response to new data, studies, and program needs. This study describes the most recent updates for the 2016 round of estimates., Methods: Meetings of the UNAIDS Reference Group include individuals with extensive knowledge of HIV programs, research, statistics, and public policy. The Reference Group also collaborates with other institutions (such as the United Nations Population Division and the US Census Bureau) and projects (such as the ALPHA Network and IeDEA Consortium) to ensure that latest methods and data are used in the preparation of the annual estimates. In the past year new methods and data have been introduced for pediatric estimates, incidence fitting, and ART mortality (described elsewhere in this supplement)., Results: The 2016 version of Spectrum includes a number of other enhancements, including updated demographic data from the United Nations Population Division, program options for treatment (treat all), and programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission (option B+), improved methods to aggregate uncertainty to regional and global levels, several options for generating incidence trends, adjustments to the Estimations and Projections Package model to better incorporate aging effects, adjustments to account for the changing bias in prevalence from antenatal clinic surveillance, and an option to fit incidence among all adults 15+ in addition to 15-49., Conclusion: The new methods and data implemented in the 2016 version of Spectrum allow national programs more flexibility in describing their programs and improve the estimates of key indicators and their uncertainty.

Objectives: The article aims to give Spectrum/estimation and projection package (EPP) users and the scientific community a basic understanding of the underlying statistical model used to incorporate hierarchical structure in HIV subnational estimation, and to show how it has been implemented in the Spectrum/EPP interface for improving subepidemic estimation. The article also provides recommended default settings for this new model., Methods: We apply a generalized linear mixed-effects model on antenatal clinics prevalence data to get area-specific prevalence and uncertainty estimates, and transform those estimates to auxiliary data. We then fit the EPP model to both the observed data and auxiliary data., Results: We apply the proposed methods to four countries with different levels of data availability. We compare the out-of-sample prediction accuracy of the proposed method with varying auxiliary sample sizes and EPP without auxiliary data., Conclusion: We find that borrowing information from data-rich areas to data-sparse areas using our proposed method improves EPP fit in data-sparse areas. We recommend using the sample size estimated from generalized linear mixed-effects model as the default auxiliary sample size.

Gillian Gill's biography reveals the woman behind the legend.