Ensuring Equitable Application of Interventions to Vulnerable Subpopulations in the Kentucky Consortium for Accountable Health Communities (KC-AHC).

Introduction: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has funded the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) model to test whether systematically identifying and addressing the health-related social needs (HRSNs) of individuals would impact healthcare utilization and total cost of care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Toward this effort, AHCs implement screening, referral, and community navigation services in their local areas. There are 28 CMS-funded AHCs nationwide, including the Kentucky Consortium for Accountable Health Communities (KC-AHC).

Using the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR) to guide implementation of cardio-oncology services.

Introduction: Cardio-oncology focuses on diagnosing and preventing adverse cardiovascular outcomes in cancer patients. Interdisciplinary cardio-oncology services address the spectrum of prevention, detection, monitoring, and treatment of cancer patients at risk of cardio-toxicity and aim to improve the continuum of cardiac care for oncology patients. The goal of this study was to engage clinician and administrative stakeholders to assess multilevel needs, barriers, and expectations regarding cardio oncology services.

Implementation and function of interdisciplinary rounds: An observational multisite hospital study from project ACHIEVE.

Background: Interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) are increasingly employed by hospitals; however, there is no formal definition, structure, or framework.

Objective: The purpose of this observational study was to document the heterogeneity of IDRs and assess the different characteristics associated with IDR functions.

Designs, Settings, And Participants: Observation of IDR occurred at 27 hospitals that were purposively selected to ensure a mix of the following criteria: geographic region, provider type, for-profit status, population (e.

Bedside Nurses' Perceptions of Effective Nurse-Physician Communication in General Medical Units: A Qualitative Study.

Background There is a dearth of research on successful interventions to improve nurse-physician communication (NPC). An important step is identifying what matters to bedside nurses and their perceptions of effective NPC communications and actions. Methods We conducted three focus groups with a total of 19 medical unit nurses across two hospitals in one academic medical center in the United States.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Barriers, Facilitators and Unmet Need Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs: A Qualitative Examination of Syringe Service Program Client Perspectives.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for HIV infection, yet in rural areas PWID are understudied with respect to prevention strategies. Kentucky is notable for heavy rural HIV burden and increasing rates of new HIV diagnoses attributable to injection drug use. Despite high need and the strong evidence for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a gold-standard biomedical HIV prevention tool, scale up has been limited among PWID in Kentucky and elsewhere.

Effects of Different Transitional Care Strategies on Outcomes after Hospital Discharge-Trust Matters, Too.

Background: As health systems shift toward value-based care, strategies to reduce readmissions and improve patient outcomes become increasingly important. Despite extensive research, the combinations of transitional care (TC) strategies associated with best patient-centered outcomes remain uncertain.

Methods: Using an observational, prospective cohort study design, Project ACHIEVE sought to determine the association of different combinations of TC strategies with patient-reported and postdischarge health care utilization outcomes.

Measuring Women's Empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the Demographic and Health Surveys.

Women's status and empowerment influence health, nutrition, and socioeconomic status of women and their children. Despite its benefits, however, research on women's empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is limited in scope and geography. Empowerment is variably defined and data for comparison across regions is often limited.

Pioglitazone treatment reduces adipose tissue inflammation through reduction of mast cell and macrophage number and by improving vascularity.

Context And Objective: Adipose tissue in insulin resistant subjects contains inflammatory cells and extracellular matrix components. This study examined adipose pathology of insulin resistant subjects who were treated with pioglitazone or fish oil.

Design, Setting And Participants: Adipose biopsies were examined from nine insulin resistant subjects before/after treatment with pioglitazone 45 mg/day for 12 weeks and also from 19 subjects who were treated with fish oil (1,860 mg EPA, 1,500 mg DHA daily).

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce adipose tissue macrophages in human subjects with insulin resistance.

Fish oils (FOs) have anti-inflammatory effects and lower serum triglycerides. This study examined adipose and muscle inflammatory markers after treatment of humans with FOs and measured the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on adipocytes and macrophages in vitro. Insulin-resistant, nondiabetic subjects were treated with Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters (4 g/day) or placebo for 12 weeks.