Diabetes care and language discordance among Chinese and Latino primary care patients.

Objectives: To assess differences in diabetes processes of care among Chinese and Latino patients across medical interpreting methods.

Design And Setting: This is a nested cohort study of patients with diabetes, comparing interpreting methods and their impact on medical outcomes at the primary care clinic of a New York City municipal hospital.

Participants: 54 Spanish and Chinese-speaking language discordant diabetic patients were enrolled and followed for one year.

Healthcare costs in women with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy as their principal treatment modality.

Background: The economic costs of treating patients with metastatic breast cancer have been examined in several studies, but available estimates of economic burden are at least a decade old. In this study, we characterize healthcare utilization and costs in the US among women with metastatic breast cancer receiving chemotherapy as their principal treatment modality.

Methods: Using a large private health insurance claims database (2000-2006), we identified all women initiating chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer with no evidence of receipt of concomitant or subsequent hormonal therapy, or receipt of trastuzumab at anytime.

Housing insecurity and lack of public assistance are risk factors for tuberculin skin test conversion among persons who use illicit drugs in New York City.

Background: Persons who use illicit drugs are at increased risk of new tuberculosis (TB) infection. We conducted a prospective cohort study to assess rates and risk factors for tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion among persons with a history of illicit drug use, who were enrolled in a methadone program and had a negative baseline 2-step TST (eligible participants).

Methods: TST and standardized interviews were administered to 401 eligible participants from 1995 through 1999, every 6 months for a 2-year follow-up time.

Self-reported and actual beta-blocker prescribing for heart failure patients: physician predictors.

Background: Beta-blockers reduce mortality among patients with systolic heart failure (HF), yet primary care provider prescription rates remain low.

Objective: To examine the association between primary care physician characteristics and both self-reported and actual prescription of beta-blockers among patients with systolic HF.

Design: Cross-sectional survey with supplementary retrospective chart review.