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Objective: Little is known about risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection among Arab American people. We aimed to understand the predictors of receiving a positive COVID-19 test result and being admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 among Arab American adults using data from a hospital near an Arab ethnic enclave. Methods: We used electronic medical record data for Arab American adults aged ≥18 years from March 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021, at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa, California. The primary outcomes were receiving a positive COVID-19 test result and being admitted to the hospital for COVID-19. We ran logistic regression models with individual- and population-level risk factors to determine the odds of each primary outcome. Results: A total of 2744 Arab American adults were tested for COVID-19, of whom 783 (28.5%) had a positive test result. In the fully adjusted model, women had lower odds of receiving a positive test result than men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.64-0.92), and adults living in high-poverty areas had higher odds of receiving a positive test result than adults in lower-poverty areas (aOR = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.04-1.51). Of the 783 Arab American adults with data on admission, 131 (16.7%) were admitted. For every 1-unit increase in the Charlson Comorbidity Index, the odds of admission increased by 66% (aOR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.36-2.04). Conclusion: The risk of receiving a positive test result for COVID-19 was higher among Arab American adults living in high-poverty areas than in lower-poverty areas. The risk of admission was directly related to overall health status. Future work should aim to understand the barriers to prevention and testing in this population.

PURPOSE This study evaluated risk factors predicting unplanned 30-day acute service utilization among adults subsequent to hospitalization for a new diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma. This study explored the prevalence of medical complications (aligned with OP-35 measure specifications from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS] Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program) and the potential impact of psychosocial factors on unplanned acute care utilization. METHODS This study included 933 unique patients admitted to three acute care inpatient facilities within a nonprofit community-based health care system in southern California from 2012 to 2017. Integrated comprehensive data elements from electronic medical records and facility oncology registries were leveraged for univariate statistics, predictive models constructed using multivariable logistic regression, and further exploratory data mining, with predictive accuracy of the models measured with c-statistics. RESULTS The mean age of study participants was 65 years, and 55.1% were male. Specific diagnoses were lymphoma (48.7%), leukemia (35.2%), myeloma (14.0%), and mixed types (2.1%). Approximately one fifth of patients received unplanned acute care services within 30 days postdischarge, and over half of these patients presented with one or more symptoms associated with the CMS medical complication measure. The predictive models, with c-statistics ranging from 0.7 and above for each type of hematologic malignancy, indicated good predictive qualities with the impact of psychosocial functioning on the use of acute care services ( P values < .05), including lack of consult for social work during initial admission (lymphoma or myeloma), history of counseling or use of psychotropic medications (lymphoma), and past substance use (myeloma). CONCLUSION This study provides insights into patient-related factors that may inform a proactive approach to improve health outcomes, such as enhanced care transition, monitoring, and support interventions.

A variety of neuropsychological changes secondary to heart failure have been documented in the literature. However, what remains unclear are which neuropsychological abilities are the most impacted by heart failure and what tests have the sensitivity to measure that impact. Eight databases were searched for articles that examined the neuropsychological functioning of patients with heart failure. Some of the inclusion criteria were articles had to have a heart failure group with a demographically comparable control group and standardized neuropsychological testing. Exclusion criteria included articles with a heart failure group with any other type of major organ failure, or comparisons that were between different classes of heart failure rather than between a heart failure and non-heart failure group. A total of 33 articles met the inclusion criteria (total heart failure sample n = 8900) and provided effect size data for 20 neuropsychological domains. All observed domain-level differences between heart failure and non-heart failure groups were statistically significant, except for simple motor functioning and confrontation naming. The greatest differences in performance were in executive functioning, global cognition, complex psychomotor speed, and verbal memory. The highest effect sizes came from Trail-Making Test-Part B, CAMCOG, Symbol Digit Modality Test, and California Verbal Learning Test. The neuropsychological patterns of heart failure suggested diffuse cognitive involvement, with higher-level processes being most affected. It is important to track neurocognition in this clinical population since neuropsychological impairment is prevalent, and screening measures appear to be reliable. Such screening and further assessment would inform future medical treatment and may improve patient care management.

Background Clinical guidelines emphasize identifying atrial fibrillation (AF) as a strategy to reduce stroke risk. Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) interrogation at the point of care may facilitate AF detection, increasing opportunities to identify patients at high risk for stroke. Objectives This study sought to quantify AF prevalence and assess stroke risk in patients with a CIED who presented to the emergency department (ED). Methods This noninterventional, retrospective observational study included adult patients who presented at a single facility ED that incorporated device interrogation as a routine standard practice for all patients with a CIED. Interrogations were conducted in 494 unique patients, and relevant demographic/clinical information was captured from electronic medical records. Results AF was detected via CIED interrogation in 54.8% (271/494) of the unique patient population that presented to the ED. Device interrogation detected the presence of AF in 110 patients without a documented past history or current diagnosis of AF, representing 22.3% (110/494) of total unique patients. Based on CHA2DS2-VASc (Congestive heart failure, Hypertension, Age > 75 years, Diabetes mellitus, prior Stroke or transient ischemic attack or thromboembolism, Vascular disease, Age 65-74 years, Sex category [female]) risk scoring methodology, over three-quarters of these newly detected AF patients (78.2%, 86/110) were classified in a high stroke risk category that reflected a > 2.2% annualized risk, and over half (57.3%, 63/110) presented to the ED for reasons unrelated to cardiac/dysrhythmia problems. Conclusions The use of technology-assisted device interrogation of CIEDs at the point of care has promise in identifying patients with asymptomatic AF. Results suggest consideration of routine device interrogation of CIEDs in the ED, regardless of reason for admission or history of AF.

Background Understanding of COVID-19 acquisition and severity risk in minoritized groups is limited by data collection on race and ethnicity; very little is known about COVID-19 risk among Arab Americans in the United States. Purpose To quantify whether Arab Americans in the El Cajon region of California experienced differential levels of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severity and mortality when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Methods A retrospective study was conducted using Sharp Grossmont Hospital’s electronic medical records. Patients were included in the study if they were: 18 years of age or older, tested for SARS-CoV-2, admitted for COVID-19 infection, or had COVID-19 listed as a cause of death between March 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021. The primary outcomes of interest were a positive COVID-19 test result, admission to the hospital due to COVID-19, and in hospital COVID-19 related mortality. Comparisons were made across racial/ethnic groups using chi-squared statistics and logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographics, comorbidities, and time from March 2020. Results Arab Americans had greater odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 than non-Hispanic White (adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 3.83, 95% confidence interval, CI: 3.29, 4.46) and non-Hispanic Black (AOR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.91, 2.88) patients but lower odds of admission (AOR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.63) and in-hospital mortality (AOR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.65) than Hispanic patients. Conclusions There were distinct patterns for COVID-19 infection, severity, and mortality for Arab Americans in Southern California. Without a dedicated ethnic identifier, COVID-19 disparities facing Arab Americans will continue to go undocumented.

Among 1,770 healthcare workers serving in high-risk care areas for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), 39 (2.2%) were seropositive. Exposure to severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the community was associated with being seropositive. Job or unit type and percentage of time working with COVID-19 patients were not associated with positive antibody tests.

BackgroundInterventions mitigating progression to mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 would markedly improve outcome and reduce healthcare utilization. We hypothesized that immunomodulation with IVIG would improve oxygenation and reduce length of hospital stay and progression to mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 pneumonia.MethodsPatients with COVID-19 were randomized 1:1 to prospectively receive standard of care (SOC) plus IVIG 0.5 g/kg/day × 3 days with methylprednisolone 40 mg 30 minutes before infusion versus SOC alone.Results16 subjects received IVIG plus SOC and 17 SOC alone. The median age was 51 years for SOC and 58 years for IVIG. APACHE II scores and Charlson comorbidity indices were similar for IVIG and SOC (median 7.5 vs 7 and 2 for both, respectively). Seven SOC versus 2 IVIG subjects required mechanical ventilation (p=0.12, Fisher exact test). Among subjects with A-a gradient of >200 mm Hg at enrollment, the IVIG group showed i) a lower rate of progression to requiring mechanical ventilation (2/14 vs 7/12, p=0.038 Fisher exact test), ii) shorter median hospital length of stay (11 vs 19 days, p=0.01 Mann Whitney U), iii) shorter median ICU stay (2.5 vs 12.5 days, p=0.006 Mann Whitey U), and iv) greater improvement in PaO2/FiO2 at 7 days (median [range] change from time of enrollment +131 [+35 to +330] vs +44·5 [-115 to +157], p=0.01, Mann Whitney-U test) than SOC.ConclusionThis pilot prospective randomized study comprising largely of Latino patients showed that IVIG significantly improved hypoxia and reduced hospital length of stay and progression to mechanical ventilation in COVID-19 patients with A-a gradient >200 mm Hg.

BACKGROUND Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) sex disparities in management and outcomes have long been attributed to multiple factors, although questions regarding their relevance have not been fully addressed. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify current factors associated with sex-related AMI management and outcomes disparities in hospitals with comparable quality care standards. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study of 299 women and 540 men with AMI discharged in 2013 from 3 southern California hospitals with tertiary cardiac care. Outcomes (adjusted by demographic/clinical variables using multiple logistic regression) included mortality (in-hospital, 30 days), 30-day readmissions, invasive/revascularization procedures, and quality medication performance measures (aspirin, statins/antilipids, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

Background Several carotid endarterectomy techniques have been described, including conventional carotid endarterectomy (CCEA) performed with patch repair and eversion carotid endarterectomy (ECEA) performed with transection of the internal carotid artery. We describe our simplified technique of modified eversion carotid endarterectomy (mECEA) with longitudinal arteriotomy limited to the carotid bulb, without transection of the internal carotid artery and present our analysis of its safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness. Methods A retrospective review of all carotid endarterectomies performed by 3 vascular surgeons over a 3-year period was completed. About 197 mECEA were performed during the study period. Follow-up data were obtained on 77.7% of patients. A comparison was made with the contemporary literature with respect to outcomes for both CCEA and ECEA. Results Between January 2012 and December 2014, a total of 197 mECEA were performed. The perioperative stroke and death rates for those undergoing mECEA was 0.5% and 0.5%, respectively. Late stroke and death rates were 3.0% and 5.1%, respectively. Perioperative rate of myocardial infarction was 1.0%. Early restenosis rates of >70% occurred in 1.4%, whereas late restenosis of >70% occurred in 2.7%. Mean operating time for those undergoing mECEA was 57.9 min. Average costs savings for mECEA compared to CCEA were $5,835. Conclusions This simplified technique has comparable outcomes to those described in the contemporary literature for both CCEA and ECEA with respect to postoperative neurologic events as well as restenosis rates. In our institution, the short mean operative times with mECEA has led to reduced resource utilization.

A variety of neuropsychological changes secondary to heart failure have been documented in the literature. However, what remains unclear are which neuropsychological abilities are the most impacted by heart failure and what tests have the sensitivity to measure that impact. Eight databases were searched for articles that examined the neuropsychological functioning of patients with heart failure. Some of the inclusion criteria were articles had to have a heart failure group with a demographically comparable control group and standardized neuropsychological testing. Exclusion criteria included articles with a heart failure group with any other type of major organ failure, or comparisons that were between different classes of heart failure rather than between a heart failure and non-heart failure group. A total of 33 articles met the inclusion criteria (total heart failure sample n = 8900) and provided effect size data for 20 neuropsychological domains. All observed domain-level differences between heart failure and non-heart failure groups were statistically significant, except for simple motor functioning and confrontation naming. The greatest differences in performance were in executive functioning, global cognition, complex psychomotor speed, and verbal memory. The highest effect sizes came from Trail-Making Test-Part B, CAMCOG, Symbol Digit Modality Test, and California Verbal Learning Test. The neuropsychological patterns of heart failure suggested diffuse cognitive involvement, with higher-level processes being most affected. It is important to track neurocognition in this clinical population since neuropsychological impairment is prevalent, and screening measures appear to be reliable. Such screening and further assessment would inform future medical treatment and may improve patient care management.

Improving the ability to predict which patients are at increased risk for readmission can lead to more effective interventions and greater compliance with CMS Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) requirements. This study evaluated the performance of a risk model that used data from a health system's electronic medical record (EMR) to predict all-cause readmission among adult inpatients with acute medical conditions, with a specific focus on the impact of including behavioral health screening data. The study included 39,155 unique adult patients admitted during 2015 to 4 acute care inpatient facilities within a nonprofit community-based health care system. The risk model integrated a comprehensive set of data elements including demographics, psychosocial characteristics, medical history, assessment results, and clinical events. Predictive models were constructed using a multivariable logistic regression with a stepwise selection approach. Among study participants, the mean age was 62.9 years, 48.0% were male, 31.2% had comorbid psychiatric conditions, and 6986 had medical conditions/procedures subject to HRRP penalties. Results from exploratory predictive analyses demonstrated that any patients with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) diagnosis were 28% more likely to be readmitted within 30 days, and the likelihood of readmission associated with SMI increased to 56% for patients with medical conditions subject to HRRP penalties. As health care systems face increasing pressures to reduce readmissions and avoid CMS HRRP financial penalties, study results indicate the importance of including behavioral health data from EMRs and screening assessments for all inpatients to improve discharge planning and patient outcomes.

Background: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) care and outcomes disparities have been reported worldwide in women and racial-ethnic minorities. In the U.S., some have attributed disparities in Hispanics and other minorities to lower quality of services at hospitals where they seek care. Current information from hospitals with large Hispanic representation and equitable updated resources is needed. Methods: Retrospective observational study of 839 AMI patients discharged in 2013 from three Southern California Community Hospitals (A, B, C) with tertiary cardiac care level. Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Hispanics (H) were the larger racial-ethnic groups (68.3%). Mortality, 30 day readmissions, medication/performance measures (PRx); Aspirin, Statins/anti-lipids, Beta-blockers, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Receptor Blockers for Left Ventricular Systolic dysfunction, 2 ), Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI), and Z tests for proportions -independent groups. Results: No significant differences in hospital, 30 day mortality, or PRx were observed between hospitals, NHW and H. Hospital C had 47.3% Hispanics, Hospitals A+B 14.6% (η 2 =.430, p Conclusions: Equitable standards of care offset previously reported disparities in AMI management in Hispanics but not in women’s coronary revascularization procedures.

312 Background: Improving the ability to predict which patients are at increased risk for acute care services subsequent to hospitalization can lead to more effective interventions and quality care. This study evaluated the performance of risk models to predict 30-day acute service utilization among adult inpatients with newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies. The study explored the impact of medical complications on potentially preventable service utilization, aligned with specifications for proposed measure OP-35 from the CMS Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program. Methods: The study included 933 unique adult patients admitted to four acute care inpatient facilities within a non-profit community based healthcare system during calendar years 2012 to 2017. Risk models integrated a comprehensive set of data elements using clinical information from electronic medical records and facility oncology registries. Predictive models were constructed using a multivariable logistic regression, with calculation of standardized coefficients to rank order variables with the greatest impact on unplanned readmissions. Exploratory data mining techniques were conducted to augment classification of at-risk patients. Results: The mean age of study participants was 65 years and 55.1% were male. In order of prevalence, the types of hematologic malignancy were lymphoma (48.7%), leukemia (35.2%), myeloma (14.0%), and mixed types (2.1%). Approximately one fifth of patients received unplanned acute care services within 30 days after the index hospitalization (lymphoma = 23.1%, myeloma = 22.1%, leukemia = 18.6%). Among the risk models, the most influential predictors included initial length of stay, severity of illness, and consult for social work. Overall, 56.6% of patients who were readmitted within 30 days of hospitalization presented with one or more symptoms associated with the CMS medical complication measure, including cytopenia, infection, negative hydration, and/or pain. Conclusions: Optimizing quality care in a value-based health care environment requires proactive approaches such as risk prediction models for identifying patients who can benefit most from care transition interventions.

Disparities in Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) care and outcomes have been frequently reported in racial-ethnic minorities in the U.S. Some studies have attributed disparities in Hispanics and other minorities to lower quality of services at hospitals where they seek care. Current information from hospitals with large Hispanic representations and updated quality resources is needed.Retrospective observational study of 839 AMI patients discharged in 2013 from three Southern California Hospitals (A, B, C) with tertiary cardiac care level. Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Hispanics (H) were the larger racial-ethnic groups (68.3%), and the comparison of these two groups constitutes the focus of the study. Mortality, 30day readmissions, medication/performance measures (PRx); aspirin, statins/anti-lipids, beta-blockers, ACEI/ARB for LV systolic dysfunction,90min door-balloon time, and revascularization procedures were compared between hospitals, NHW and H, using Chi-squared tests (χNo significant differences in hospital, 30day mortality, PRx or procedures were observed between NHW, H and other racial-ethnic minority groups, or hospitals. Hospital C had 47.3% H and Hospitals A+B 14.6% (p0.001, effect size=0.430). AMI performance measures exceeded 2013 national rates across all facilities. NHW had more private/commercial insurance (52.5% vs. 25.4%, OR 3.24, 95% CI 2.19-4.80, p0.001) than H.Equitable access to quality hospital services in three Southern California hospitals offset previously reported disparities in AMI management in Hispanics. These results may not necessarily reflect the reality of AMI care for Hispanics in other U.S. regions.

Summary Increasingly, employers play an active role in assisting their employees in dealing with crisis. This exploratory study conducted analyses using a large national database to examine how companies representing various industry types differed in the frequency of requests for critical incident response services, the types of incidents that evoked the requests, the types of interventions utilized, and the delay time between the request and provision of services. Results demonstrated substantial variability in the types of incidents and frequency of service utilization. However, some consistent patterns were noted. For example, over half of all critical incident response services across industry types were delivered in response to a death impacting the workforce. A different pattern was evident for the Finance/Insurance/Real Estate industry, where robberies were most prevalent and the delay time between the incident and the critical incident response delivery date was shortest. There appeared to be an ...

This article presents findings from a study designed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of EAP interventions. Participants received EAP services from ValueOptions' Kentucky office and completed the Behavior and Symptom Identification Scale (BASIS-32®) upon intake and follow-up approximately one month later. Analyses included stratification by severity of difficulty at intake and demographic variables, as well as specific results for mandatory referrals and substance abuse as a presenting problem. In general, significant positive findings were demonstrated, suggesting that EAP services can have a meaningful impact on the reduction of symptoms and improvement in functioning.

Purpose: The interdependence of behavioral and somatic aspects of various health conditions warrants greater emphasis on an integrated care approach. Theory: We propose that integrated approaches to health and wellness require comprehensive and empirically-valid outcome measures to assess quality of care. Method: We discuss the transition from independent to integrated treatment approaches and provide examples of new systems for integrated assessment of treatment outcome. Results: Evidence suggests that support for an independent treatment approach is waning and momentum is building towards more integrated care. In addition, research evidence suggests integrated care improves health outcomes, and both physicians and patients have favorable impressions of integrated care. Conclusions: As treatment goals in the integrated perspective expand to take into account the intimate relationships among mental illness, overall health, and quality of life, clinicians need to develop outcome measures that are similarly comprehensive. Discussion: Increased recognition, by researchers, providers, and insurers, of the interdependence between behavioral and physical health holds great promise for innovative treatments that could significantly improve patients' lives.