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Background: Co-occurring physical and mental health conditions are common, but effective and sustainable interventions are needed for primary care settings. Purpose: Our paper analyzes the effectiveness of a Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) intervention for treating depression and co-occurring health conditions in primary care. We hypothesized that individuals receiving the SFBT intervention would have statistically significant reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms, systolic blood pressure (SBP), hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and body mass index (BMI) when compared to those in the control group. Additionally, we hypothesized that the SFBT group would have increased well-being scores compared to the control group. Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted at a rural federally qualified health center. Eligible participants scored ≥ 10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and met criteria for co-occurring health conditions (hypertension, obesity, diabetes) evidenced by chart review. SFBT participants (n = 40) received three SFBT interventions over three weeks in addition to treatment as usual (TAU). The control group (n = 40) received TAU over three weeks. Measures included depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7), well-being (Human Flourishing Index), and SFBT scores, along with physical health outcomes (blood pressure, body mass index, and hemoglobin A1c). Results: Of 80 consented participants, 69 completed all measures and were included in the final analysis. 80% identified as female and the mean age was 38.1 years (SD = 14.5). Most participants were white (72%) followed by Hispanic (15%) and Black (13%). When compared to TAU, SFBT intervention participants had significantly greater reductions in depression (baseline: M = 18.17, SD = 3.97, outcome: M = 9.71, SD = 3.71) and anxiety (baseline: M = 14.69, SD = 4.9, outcome: M = 8.43, SD = 3.79). SFBT intervention participants also had significantly increased well-being scores (baseline: M = 58.37, SD = 16.36, outcome: M = 73.43, SD = 14.70) when compared to TAU. Changes in BMI and blood pressure were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The SFBT intervention demonstrated efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms and increasing well-being but did not affect cardio-metabolic parameters over a short period of intervention. Trial Registration: The study was pre-registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05838222 on 4/20/2023. *M = Mean, SD = Standard deviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interhospital care fragmentation, when a patient is readmitted to a different hospital than they were originally discharged from, occurs in 20%–25% of readmissions. Mode of transport to the hospital, specifically ambulance use, may be a risk factor for fragmented readmissions. Our study seeks to further understand the relationship between ambulance transport and fragmented readmissions in older adults, a population that is at increased risk for poor outcomes following fragmented readmissions. Methods: We analyzed inpatient claims from Medicare beneficiaries in 2018 who had a hospital admission for select Hospital Readmission Reduction Program Conditions (acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia) as well as dehydration, syncope, urinary tract infection, or behavioral issues. We evaluated the associations between ambulance transport and a fragmented readmission using logistic regression models adjusted for demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics. Results: The study included 1,186,600 30‐day readmissions. Of these, 46.8% (n = 555,847) required ambulance transport. In fully adjusted models, taking an ambulance to the readmission hospital increased the odds of a fragmented readmission by 38% (95% CI 1.32, 1.44). When this association was examined by readmission major diagnostic category (MDC), the strongest associations were seen for Factors Influencing Health Status and Other Contacts with Health Services (i.e., rehabilitation, aftercare) (AOR 3.66, 95% CI 3.11, 4.32), Mental Diseases and Disorders (AOR 2.69, 95% CI 2.44, 2.97), and Multiple Significant Trauma (AOR 2.61, 95% CI 1.56, 4.35). When the model was stratified by patient origin, ambulance use remained associated with fragmented readmissions across all locations. Conclusions: Ambulance use is associated with increased odds of a fragmented readmission, though the strength of the association varies by readmission diagnosis and origin. Patient‐, hospital‐, and system‐level interventions should be developed, implemented, and evaluated to address this modifiable risk factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Measures to address the COVID-19 pandemic in India included a ban on the sale and use of tobacco products during 2020 when stay at home guidance (lockdown) was in place. In this study we examined the extent of reduction in frequency of tobacco consumption across all products. METHODS Telephone survey was conducted between July and August 2020 across an existing cohort of tobacco users (n=801) residing in Delhi (55.4%) and Chennai (44.6%), India. The participants were recruited irrespective of their gender and use of any kind of tobacco product(s). The survey questionnaire was based on the STOP (Studying Tobacco users Of Pakistan) survey and adapted to the context of smoking and smokeless tobacco use in India. RESULTS Cigarette consumption declined from a median value of 5.0 (IQR: 2-10) sticks in the pre-lockdown period to 2.0 (IQR: 0.4-5) sticks during the lockdown period. Reductions were reported in the daily use of bidis, from 8 (IQR: 4-12) sticks to 5 (IQR: 2-10) sticks and for smokeless tobacco users from 3.5 (IQR: 2-5) packs to 2 (IQR: 1-4) packs during the lockdown. Furthermore, the number of daily cigarette smokers in our cohort decreased from 32.6% (n=261) in the pre-lockdown period to 27.5% (n=220) during lockdown and smokeless tobacco users decreased from 35.8% (n=287) in pre-lockdown period to 30.3% (n=243) during the lockdown period. CONCLUSIONS The decrease in tobacco use can be attributed to various societal and environmental factors. However, the pandemic-linked lockdown provided an opportune condition to reduce the use of tobacco products, which could be due to restricted access and increase in health awareness during the COVID-19 lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YB-GBMSM) living with HIV are at high risk for psychological stressors and comorbidities. We sought to gain the perspectives of multidisciplinary providers (including HIV care, mental health care, and social service providers) on their experiences with engaging YB-GBMSM in mental health care within comprehensive HIV primary care centers that included both types of services on-site. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with fifteen providers in two clinics, and analyzed the qualitative data using a thematic analysis approach. Our participants described high levels of need for mental health services among YB-GBMSM living with HIV, due to psychological challenges related to living with HIV as well as other frequently occurring life stressors. At the same time, barriers to accessing these services were identified, with mental health stigma, under-recognition of symptoms and confidentiality concerns being the most commonly cited. Strategies to improve mental health service uptake in light of these needs and barriers were discussed, including re-framing of mental health services, addressing logistical barriers, and utilization of a biopsychosocial perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Mental health comorbidities are increasing worldwide and worsen outcomes for people with diabetes, especially when care is fragmented.Objective: To assess whether collaborative care vs usual care lowers depressive symptoms and improves cardiometabolic indices among adults with diabetes and depression.Design, Setting, and Participants: Parallel, open-label, pragmatic randomized clinical trial conducted at 4 socioeconomically diverse clinics in India that recruited patients with type 2 diabetes; a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of at least 10 (range, 0-27); and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of at least 8%, systolic blood pressure (SBP) of at least 140 mm Hg, or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of at least 130 mg/dL. The first patient was enrolled on March 9, 2015, and the last was enrolled on May 31, 2016; the final follow-up visit was July 14, 2018.Interventions: Patients randomized to the intervention group (n = 196) received 12 months of self-management support from nonphysician care coordinators, decision support electronic health records facilitating physician treatment adjustments, and specialist case reviews; they were followed up for an additional 12 months without intervention. Patients in the control group (n = 208) received usual care over 24 months.Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the between-group difference in the percentage of patients at 24 months who had at least a 50% reduction in Symptom Checklist Depression Scale (SCL-20) scores (range, 0-4; higher scores indicate worse symptoms) and a reduction of at least 0.5 percentage points in HbA1c, 5 mm Hg in SBP, or 10 mg/dL in LDL cholesterol. Prespecified secondary outcomes were percentage of patients at 12 and 24 months who met treatment targets (HbA1c <7.0%, SBP <130 mm Hg, LDL cholesterol <100 mg/dL [<70 mg/dL if prior cardiovascular disease]) or had improvements in individual outcomes (≥50% reduction in SCL-20 score, ≥0.5-percentage point reduction in HbA1c, ≥5-mm Hg reduction in SBP, ≥10-mg/dL reduction in LDL cholesterol); percentage of patients who met all HbA1c, SBP, and LDL cholesterol targets; and mean reductions in SCL-20 score, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score, HbA1c, SBP, and LDL cholesterol.Results: Among 404 patients randomized (mean [SD] age, 53 [8.6] years; 165 [40.8%] men), 378 (93.5%) completed the trial. A significantly greater percentage of patients in the intervention group vs the usual care group met the primary outcome (71.6% vs 57.4%; risk difference, 16.9% [95% CI, 8.5%-25.2%]). Of 16 prespecified secondary outcomes, there were no statistically significant between-group differences in improvements in 10 outcomes at 12 months and in 13 outcomes at 24 months. Serious adverse events in the intervention and usual care groups included cardiovascular events or hospitalizations (4 [2.0%] vs 7 [3.4%]), stroke (0 vs 3 [1.4%]), death (2 [1.0%] vs 7 [3.4%]), and severe hypoglycemia (8 [4.1%] vs 0).Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with diabetes and depression in India, a 12-month collaborative care intervention, compared with usual care, resulted in statistically significant improvements in a composite measure of depressive symptoms and cardiometabolic indices at 24 months. Further research is needed to understand the generalizability of the findings to other low- and middle-income health care settings.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02022111. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess participant-level results from the first 4 years of implementation of the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP), a national effort to prevent type 2 diabetes in those at risk through structured lifestyle change programs.Research Design and Methods: Descriptive analysis was performed on data from 14,747 adults enrolled in year-long type 2 diabetes prevention programs during the period February 2012 through January 2016. Data on attendance, weight, and physical activity minutes were summarized and predictors of weight loss were examined using a mixed linear model. All analyses were performed using SAS 9.3.Results: Participants attended a median of 14 sessions over an average of 172 days in the program (median 134 days). Overall, 35.5% achieved the 5% weight loss goal (average weight loss 4.2%, median 3.1%). Participants reported a weekly average of 152 min of physical activity (median 128 min), with 41.8% meeting the physical activity goal of 150 min per week. For every additional session attended and every 30 min of activity reported, participants lost 0.3% of body weight (P < 0.0001).Conclusions: During the first 4 years, the National DPP has achieved widespread implementation of the lifestyle change program to prevent type 2 diabetes, with promising early results. Greater duration and intensity of session attendance resulted in a higher percent of body weight loss overall and for subgroups. Focusing on retention may reduce disparities and improve overall program results. Further program expansion and investigation is needed to continue lowering the burden of type 2 diabetes nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined factors responsible for variation in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality across US counties in 2009-2013. We linked county-level census, survey, administrative, and vital statistics data to examine 4 sets of features: demographic factors, social and economic factors, health-care utilization and features of the environment, and population health indicators. County-level associations of these features (standardized to a mean of 0 with a standard deviation of 1) with cardiovascular deaths per 100,000 person-years among adults aged 45-74 years was modeled using 2-level hierarchical linear regression with random intercept for state. The percentage of CVD mortality variation (intercounty disparity) modeled by each set of features was quantified. Demographic composition accounted for 36% of county CVD mortality variation, and another 32% was explained after inclusion of economic/social conditions. Health-care utilization, features of the environment, and health indicators explained an additional 6% of CVD mortality variation. The largest contributors to CVD mortality levels were median income (-23.61 deaths/100,000 person-years, 95% CI: -26.95, -20.26) and percentage without a high school education (20.71 deaths/100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 16.48, 24.94). In comparison, the largest health-related contributors were health-care utilization (19.35 deaths/100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 16.36, 22.34) and CVD risk factors (4.80 deaths/100,000 person-years, 95% CI: 2.14, 7.46). Improving healthcare access and decreasing the prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors may reduce county CVD mortality levels, but improving socioeconomic circumstances of disadvantaged counties will be required in order to reduce CVD mortality disparities across counties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantify the impact of diabetes status on healthy and disabled years of life for older adults in the U.S. and provide a baseline from which to evaluate ongoing national public health efforts to prevent and control diabetes and disability.Research Design and Methods: Adults (n = 20,008) aged 50 years and older were followed from 1998 to 2012 in the Health and Retirement Study, a prospective biannual survey of a nationally representative sample of adults. Diabetes and disability status (defined by mobility loss, difficulty with instrumental activities of daily living [IADL], and/or difficulty with activities of daily living [ADL]) were self-reported. We estimated incidence of disability, remission to nondisability, and mortality. We developed a discrete-time Markov simulation model with a 1-year transition cycle to predict and compare lifetime disability-related outcomes between people with and without diabetes. Data represent the U.S. population in 1998.Results: From age 50 years, adults with diabetes died 4.6 years earlier, developed disability 6-7 years earlier, and spent about 1-2 more years in a disabled state than adults without diabetes. With increasing baseline age, diabetes was associated with significant (P < 0.05) reductions in the number of total and disability-free life-years, but the absolute difference in years between those with and without diabetes was less than at younger baseline age. Men with diabetes spent about twice as many of their remaining years disabled (20-24% of remaining life across the three disability definitions) as men without diabetes (12-16% of remaining life across the three disability definitions). Similar associations between diabetes status and disability-free and disabled years were observed among women.Conclusions: Diabetes is associated with a substantial reduction in nondisabled years, to a greater extent than the reduction of longevity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the conference related to noncommunicable diseases (NCD), which was held in September 2014. It mentions the initiatives taken by the global health industry to narrow down the gap between research work concerning communicable and non-communicable diseases. It reflects on the funding source for clinical research and public health research, and encourages exchange of health innovation between the U.S. health industry and the global health industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collaborative care model is an evidence-based intervention for behavioral and other chronic conditions that has the potential to address the large burden of mental illness globally. Using the World Health Organization Health Systems Framework, the authors present challenges in implementing this model in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and discuss strategies to address these challenges based on experiences with three large-scale programs: an implementation research study in a district-level government hospital in rural Nepal, one clinical trial in 50 primary health centers in rural India, and one study in four diabetes clinics in India. Several strategies can be utilized to address implementation challenges and enhance scalability in LMICs, including mobilizing community resources, engaging in advocacy, and strengthening the overall health care delivery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertension and diabetes are among the most common and deadly chronic conditions globally. In India, most adults with these conditions remain undiagnosed, untreated, or poorly treated and uncontrolled. Innovative and scalable approaches to deliver proven-effective strategies for medical and lifestyle management of these conditions are needed.Methods: The overall goal of this implementation science study is to evaluate the Integrated Tracking, Referral, Electronic decision support, and Care coordination (I-TREC) program. I-TREC leverages information technology (IT) to manage hypertension and diabetes in adults aged ≥30 years across the hierarchy of Indian public healthcare facilities. The I-TREC program combines multiple evidence-based interventions: an electronic case record form (eCRF) to consolidate and track patient information and referrals across the publicly-funded healthcare system; an electronic clinical decision support system (CDSS) to assist clinicians to provide tailored guideline-based care to patients; a revised workflow to ensure coordinated care within and across facilities; and enhanced training for physicians and nurses regarding non-communicable disease (NCD) medical content and lifestyle management. The program will be implemented and evaluated in a predominantly rural district of Punjab, India. The evaluation will employ a quasi-experimental design with mixed methods data collection. Evaluation indicators assess changes in the continuum of care for hypertension and diabetes and are grounded in the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Data will be triangulated from multiple sources, including community surveys, health facility assessments, stakeholder interviews, and patient-level data from the I-TREC program's electronic database.Discussion: I-TREC consolidates previously proven strategies for improved management of hypertension and diabetes at single-levels of the healthcare system into a scalable model for coordinated care delivery across all levels of the healthcare system hierarchy. Findings have the potential to inform best practices to ultimately deliver quality public-sector hypertension and diabetes care across India.Trial Registration: The study is registered with Clinical Trials Registry of India (registration number CTRI/2020/01/022723 ). The study was registered prior to the launch of the intervention on 13 January 2020. The current version of protocol is version 2 dated 6 June 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To develop and pilot test a taxonomy that empirically estimates health intervention effectiveness from efficacy data.Methods: We developed a taxonomy to score health interventions across 11 items on a scale from 0-100. The taxonomy was pilot-tested in efficacy and effectiveness diabetes prevention studies identified in two separate systematic reviews; here, the face validity, inter-rater reliability and factor structure of the taxonomy were established. Random effects meta-analyses were used to obtain weight loss and diabetes incidence pooled effects across studies. These effects and taxonomy scores were used to down calibrate efficacy estimates to effectiveness estimates as follows: Efficacy effect*[Efficacy score/highest possible score].Results: We scored 82 effectiveness lifestyle modification studies (mean score 49.2), 32 efficacy lifestyle modification studies (mean score 69.8) and 20 efficacy studies testing medications (mean score 77.4). The taxonomy had face validity and good inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.9 [0.87, 0.93]). The between-groups down calibrated weight loss estimate was similar to that observed in the effectiveness meta-analysis (1.7 and 1.8 kg, respectively). The down calibrated diabetes relative risk reduction was also similar to that observed in the effectiveness meta-analysis (30.6% over 2.7 years and 29% over 2 years, respectively).Conclusions: The taxonomy is a promising tool to estimate the real-world impact of health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between electronic health information sharing and repeat imaging in readmissions among older adults with and without Alzheimer disease (AD). STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study using national Medicare data. METHODS: Among Medicare beneficiaries with 30-day readmissions in 2018, we examined repeat imaging on the same body system during the readmission. This was evaluated between fragmented and nonfragmented (same-hospital) readmissions and across categories of electronic information sharing via health information exchanges (HIEs) in fragmented readmissions: admission and readmission hospitals share the same HIE, admission and readmission hospitals participate in different HIEs, one or both do not participate in HIE, or HIE data missing. This relationship was evaluated using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 14.3% of beneficiaries experienced repeat imaging during their readmission. Compared with nonfragmented readmissions, fragmented readmissions were associated with 5% higher odds of repeat imaging on the same body system in older adults without AD. This was not mitigated by the presence of electronic information sharing: Fragmented readmissions to hospitals that shared an HIE had 6% higher odds of repeat imaging (adjusted OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.00-1.13). There was no difference seen in the odds of repeat imaging for older adults with AD. CONCLUSIONS: Despite substantial investment, HIEs as currently deployed and used are not associated with decreased odds of repeat imaging in readmissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Of Review: Diabetes incidence is rising among vulnerable population subgroups including minorities and individuals with limited education. Many diabetes-related programs and public policies are unevaluated while others are analyzed with research designs highly susceptible to bias which can result in flawed conclusions. The Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes 2.0 (NEXT-D2) Network includes eight research centers and three funding agencies using rigorous methods to evaluate natural experiments in health policy and program delivery.Recent Findings: NEXT-D2 research studies use quasi-experimental methods to assess three major areas as they relate to diabetes: health insurance expansion; healthcare financing and payment models; and innovations in care coordination. The studies will report on preventive processes, achievement of diabetes care goals, and incidence of complications. Some studies assess healthcare utilization while others focus on patient-reported outcomes. NEXT-D2 examines the effect of public and private policies on diabetes care and prevention at a critical time, given ongoing and rapid shifts in the US health policy landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disability levels in the United States declined during the 1980s and 1990s, but these declines stalled more recently. Using data for 2013 from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we estimated the percentages of national and state disability that could be prevented through reductions in five modifiable health risk factors associated with disability: cigarette smoking, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension. Taking into account risk-factor prevalence and the association between each risk factor and disability, we evaluated the fraction of disability preventable if risk factors were reduced under two scenarios: complete elimination of risk factors and reduction in all states to the lowest levels observed in states. If all five risk factors were eliminated, 53 percent of disability could be prevented nationally. The largest contributors were smoking (17 percent), obesity (16 percent), and hypertension (12 percent). If all states reduced risk-factor levels to the lowest observed levels, up to 7 percent of disability could be prevented nationally. Many states in the South and Midwest could experience disability reductions of more than 10 percent by attaining the same risk-factor levels as in states that had the lowest levels. Improved risk-factor prevention could result in the resumption of longer-term declines in US disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several interventions have been found to be effective for reversing prediabetes in adults. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to compare the effectiveness of such interventions.Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000 and June 27, 2018. RCTs in adults with prediabetes, testing nonsurgical interventions lasting for ≥3 months, and reporting the number of participants achieving normal glucose levels at intervention end were eligible. The pooled risk difference and number needed to treat for achieving normoglycemia were estimated using a random-effects, arm-based network meta-analysis. The strength of the evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. Data were obtained in 2018 and analyzed in 2019 and 2021.Results: Of 54 studies included in the systematic review, 47 were meta-analyzed (n=26,460, mean age=53 years, 46% male, 31% White). Studies included 27 arms testing lifestyle modification interventions, 25 testing medications, 5 testing dietary supplements, and 10 testing Chinese medicine. There were 35 control/placebo arms. At a median follow-up of 1.6 years, more participants in the lifestyle modification groups achieved normoglycemia than those in the control (risk difference=0.18, number needed to treat=6). The strength of the evidence was strong for lifestyle modification. Over a median follow-up of 2.7 years, more participants receiving glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (risk difference=0.47, number needed to treat=2), α-glucosidase inhibitors (risk difference=0.29, number needed to treat=4), and insulin sensitizers (risk difference=0.23, number needed to treat=4) achieved normoglycemia than control. The strength of evidence was moderate for these medications.Discussion: Although several pharmacological approaches can reverse prediabetes, lifestyle modification provides the strongest evidence of effectiveness and should remain the recommended approach to address this condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: We assessed costs and cost-effectiveness of implementing Fit Body and Soul (FBAS), a church-based 18-session lifestyle education intervention for African Americans.Methods: We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) using data from a cluster randomized controlled trial comparing FBAS with health education (HE) among 604 overweight participants in 20 churches. The ICER was the adjusted difference in costs to deliver FBAS versus HE over the difference in weight change (kilograms [kg]) at one-year follow-up. Costs included those incurred for participant identification and program implementation. We fitted linear mixed-effects regression models, accounting for clustering of participants within churches and for age, sex, and educational attainment. We repeated these analyses for secondary outcomes (waist circumference [cm], physical activity [MET], glucose, blood pressure, and quality of life).Results: Per-person intervention cost of FBAS was $50.39 more than HE ($442.22 vs. $391.83 per-person), and adjusted differences in weight change (1.9 kg [95% CI: 1.0 to 2.8]) and waist circumference (2.4 cm [95% CI: 1.3 to 3.4]) were both significant. FBAS did not result in statistically significant differences in physical activity, glucose, blood pressures, or quality of life. We estimated that compared to HE, FBAS costs an additional $26.52 per kg weight lost and $21.00 per cm reduction in waist circumference.Conclusions: For a modest increase in cost, FBAS led to greater weight and waist reductions among African Americans in a church setting. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01730196. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People socially connected with each other often share health risks, possibly due to shared environments and behaviors. In a cohort study, we examined whether incidence of diabetes was different for individuals with recently diagnosed partners compared to individuals similar on other characteristics but whose partners were never diagnosed with diabetes. We analyzed 2007-11 data from Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC), an integrated health system with >3.5 million members. We estimated annual diabetes incidence controlling for demographic, socio-economic, behavioral, and health characteristics. Using propensity score matching and multivariate logistic regression, we compared odds of incident diabetes among co-residing partners ages 18-89years of people who had been diagnosed with diabetes during the previous year (in robustness checks up to the previous three years) and people who had never been diagnosed but were similar on observed characteristics. Partners of newly-diagnosed people had annual diabetes incidence of 16.4/1000, equivalent to10.8 times higher (95%CI: 9.2-12.6) than people whose spouses had never been diagnosed (1.5/1000). Odds remained higher three years after a spouses' diagnosis (45.4 vs. 11.7/1000). Adjusting for other characteristics, odds of diabetes for those with a partner diagnosed in the previous year were 8.7 times higher (CI: 7.4-10.2) than among those whose partner had never been diagnosed. Also, partners of persons with recently-diagnosed diabetes developed diabetes at much higher rates than the general KPNC and U.S.Populations: Individuals with a recently diagnosed partner could be considered a high-risk population for screening and prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green space exposure has been positively correlated with better mental-health indicators in several high income countries, but has not been examined in low- and middle-income countries undergoing rapid urbanization. Building on a study of mental health in adults with a pre-existing chronic condition, we examined the association between park availability and major depression among 1208 adults surveyed in Delhi, India. Major depression was measured using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. The ArcGIS platform was used to quantify park availability indexed as (i) park distance from households, (ii) area of the nearest park; and within one km buffer area around households - the (iii) number and (iv) total area of all parks. Mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics indicated that relative to residents exposed to the largest nearest park areas (tertile 3), the odds [95% confidence interval] of major depression was 3.1 [1.4-7.0] times higher among residents exposed to the smallest nearest park areas (tertile 1) and 2.1 [0.9-4.8] times higher in residents with mid-level exposure (tertile 2). There was no statistically significant association between other park variables tested and major depression. We hypothesized that physical activity in the form of walking, perceived stress levels and satisfaction with the neighborhood environment may have mediating effects on the association between nearest park area and major depression. We found no significant mediation effects for any of our hypothesized variables. In conclusion, our results provide preliminary and novel evidence from India that availability of large parks in the immediate neighborhood positively impacts mental well-being of individuals with pre-existing chronic conditions, at the opportune time when India is embarking on the development of sustainable cities that aim to promote health through smart urban design - one of the key elements of which is the inclusion of urban green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To estimate the prevalence of, and assess factors associated with, diabetes and prediabetes in three South Asian cities.Methods: Using a multi-stage cluster random sample representative of each city, 16,288 subjects aged ≥20 years (Chennai: 6906, Delhi: 5365 and Karachi: 4017) were recruited to the Centre for cArdio-metabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia (CARRS) Study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured in 13720 subjects. Prediabetes was defined as FPG 100-125 mg/dl (5.6-6.9 mmol/l) and/or HbA1c 5.7-6.4% (39-46 mmol/mol) and diabetes as self-report and/or drug treatment for diabetes and/or FPG≥126 mg/dl (≥7.0 mmol/l) and/or HbA1c≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol). We assessed factors associated with diabetes and prediabetes using polytomous logistic regression models.Results: Overall 47.3-73.1% of the population had either diabetes or prediabetes: Chennai 60.7% [95%CI: 59.0-62.4%] (diabetes - 22.8% [21.5-24.1%], prediabetes - 37.9% [36.1-39.7%]); Delhi 72.7% [70.6-74.9%] (diabetes - 25.2% [23.6-26.8%], prediabetes - 47.6% [45.6-49.5%]); and Karachi 47.4% [45.7-49.1%]; (diabetes - 16.3% [15.2-17.3%], prediabetes - 31.1% [29.5-32.8%], respectively). Proportions of self-reported diabetes were 55.1%, 39.0%, and 48.0% in Chennai, Delhi, and Karachi, respectively. City, age, family history of diabetes, generalized obesity, abdominal obesity, body fat, high cholesterol, high triglyceride, and low HDL cholesterol levels were each independently associated with prediabetes, while the same factors plus waist-to-height ratio and hypertension were associated with diabetes.Conclusion: Six in ten adults in large South Asian cities have either diabetes or prediabetes. These data call for urgent action to prevent diabetes in South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To examine the clinical utility of 30-min plasma glucose (30-min-PG) measurement during an oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) in predicting type 2 diabetes (T2DM).Research Design and Methods: Data from a 3-year, randomized, controlled, primary prevention trial among 548 Asian Indians with prediabetes were analyzed. Participants underwent OGTT with PG measurements at fasting, 30-min, and 2-h at baseline and annually until the end of the study. Multivariable Cox regression models were constructed to calculate the risk of developing diabetes based on 30-min-PG levels. Improvement in prediction performance gained by adding an elevated level of 30-min-PG over prediabetic categories was calculated using the area-under-curve (AUC), net-reclassification (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) statistics.Results: At the end of follow-up, 30.4% of individuals had been diagnosed with T2DM by ADA criteria. Based on the maximally selected log-rank statistics, the optimal 30-min-PG cut point for predicting incident T2DM was >182 mg/dl. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models showed an independent association between elevated 30-min-PG (>182 mg/dl) and incident diabetes (hazard ratio (95% CI): 1.85 [1.32, 2.59]; Dxy = 0.353, c-statistic = 0.676). The addition of an elevated 30-min-PG (>182 mg/dl) model significantly improved the prediction of diabetes (Δdeviance: -15.4; ΔAUC: 0.11; NRIcontinuous: 0.51; IDI: 0.08) compared with IFG model alone) in individuals with prediabetes.Conclusion: In prediabetic individuals, baseline 30-min-PG independently predicted T2DM and significantly improved reclassification and discrimination. Therefore, 30-min-PG should be considered as part of the routine testing in addition to FPG and 2-h-PG for better risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]