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Patient navigation is now a standard component of cancer care in many oncology facilities, but a fundamental question for navigator programs, especially in medically underserved populations, is whether or not individuals will use this service. In this study, we evaluated acceptance of a community-based navigator program for cancer control and identified factors having significant independent associations with navigation acceptance in an urban sample of African Americans. Participants were African American men and women ages 50–75 who were residents in an urban metropolitan city who were referred for navigation. Of 240 participants, 76% completed navigation. Age and perceived risk of developing cancer had a significant independent association with navigation acceptance. Participants who believed that they were at high risk for developing cancer had a lower likelihood of completing navigation compared with those who believed that they had a low risk for developing this disease. The likelihood of completing navigation increased with increases in age. None of the socioeconomic factors or health care variables had a significant association with navigation acceptance. There are few barriers to using community-based navigation for cancer control among urban African Americans. Continued efforts are needed to develop and implement community-based programs for cancer control that are easy to use and address the needs of medically underserved populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives. We used qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to identify the health concerns of African American residents in an urban community and analyzed the extent to which there were consistencies across methods in the concerns identified. Methods. We completed 9 focus groups with 51 residents, 27 key informant interviews, and 201 community health surveys with a random sample of community residents to identify the health issues participants considered of greatest importance. We then compared the issues identified through these methods. Results. Focus group participants and key informants gave priority to cancer and cardiovascular diseases, but most respondents in the community health survey indicated that sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, and obesity were conditions in need of intervention. How respondents ranked their concerns varied in the qualitative versus the quantitative methods. Conclusions. Using qualitative and quantitative approaches simultaneously is useful in determining community health concerns. Although quantitative approaches yield concrete evidence of community needs, qualitative approaches provide a context for how these issues can be addressed. Researchers should develop creative ways to address multiple issues that arise when using a mixed- methods approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the specific components of the curriculum of the Geriatrics Rheumatology Fellowship program initiated in 1989 at the University of Pennsylvania. Advantages of the program in clinical exposure and research training in comparison with traditional, separate programs; Limitations of the program; Status of the fellowship program.

Purpose: Cardiac rhythm management devices (CRMD) require a ventricular lead to be placed across the tricuspid valve. Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is an under-recognized clinical complication of lead implantation and its clinical significance is unknown. We studied the incidence of hospitalizations for congestive heart failure (CHF) exacerbation among patients with worsening TR after ventricular lead implantation., Methods: We reviewed 148 patients (age 68 ± 15) that received a CRMD. TR and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) measured by Doppler echocardiography before and after CRMD implantation were analyzed. Hospitalizations for CHF exacerbation post-implantation were counted., Results: Follow-up was 32 ± 14 months. Ninety-nine (67%) patients had no change, 24 (16%) slight, and 9 (6%) significant increase in TR after CRMD implantation, while 13 (9%) patients had slight and 3 (2%) significant improvement. Patients with a significant increase in TR had higher incidence of hospitalizations (1.7 ± 0.5) compared to patients with slight (0.8 ± 1; p = 0.006) or no increase (0.5 ± 1; p = 0.0002) in TR. Patients with significant increase in TR had a greater change in PASP (25 mmHg; p = 0.002) after device implantation compared to those with a slight (10 mmHg; p = 0.002) or no increase (0.7 mmHg; p = 0.17)., Conclusion: Increased TR following CRMD implantation is relatively common (33%) and correlated with subsequent risk of hospitalization for heart failure. A preventive strategy and close monitoring for development or worsening of CHF after CRMD implantation may help prevent hospital admissions.

The authors examined racial similarities and differences in depressive symptomatology, diagnosis, and the predictors of depression in four independent nursing homes, conducting analyses across all sites and separately for the nursing home with the greatest racial balance (NH4). All-site data indicated that white residents showed more depression than black residents. There were no racial differences in the depression diagnosis derived from a structured interview of DSM-III-R. At NH4, there were no statistically significant racial differences in any of the measures of depression. Across sites, functional disability was the strongest predictor of both Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and DSM-III-R diagnosis of depression in both blacks and whites. Cognitive impairment and use of antidepressants were predictive of medical chart diagnosis of depression across sites, but not of depression measured by GDS or DSM-III-R criteria. At NH4, functional disability was predictive of GDS depression, but only among whites. Age was not an important predictor of depression. Results indicate the importance of considering the method used to diagnose depression and the necessity of controlling for the nursing home setting when examining racial differences in depression.