In-Hospital Mortality by Race and Ethnicity Among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Using Data From the US National COVID Cohort Collaborative.

Background: Studies examining racial and ethnic disparities in-hospital mortality for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had mixed results. Findings from patients within academic medical centers (AMCs) are lacking, but important given the role of AMCs in improving health equity.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess whether minority patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) institutions, which consist predominantly of AMCs, have higher mortality rates relative to White patients.

Childhood Educational Outcomes of Infants Born With Esophageal Atresia With or Without Tracheoesophageal Fistula.

Background: There are limited studies on educational outcomes of children born with esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). We aimed to compare 3rd to 5th grade academic proficiency among children born with EA/TEF versus unaffected children.

Methods: Children born with EA/TEF (2000-2005) were identified from the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System.

Association of Allergy Specialty Care and Asthma Outcomes for Medicaid-Enrolled Children.

Objective: To evaluate the comparative effectiveness of allergy specialist care for children with asthma enrolled in the Arkansas Medicaid program.

Study Design: We used the Arkansas All-Payers Claims Database to identify Medicaid-enrolled children with asthma who had an allergy specialist visit in 2018. These children were propensity score matched to children without an allergy specialist visit to evaluate differences in asthma-related adverse events (AAEs), specifically emergency department visits and/or hospitalizations in 2019.

A Statewide Examination of Medical Cannabis Purchasing Patterns in Arkansas Over the Three Years Immediately Following Legalization.

The use of medical cannabis (MC) to treat a host of conditions has expanded considerably in the United States; however, precise quantitative assessments of purchasing characteristics are unknown. This study sought to characterize the trends in MC purchases, US dollars spent, and type and amount purchased by demographic and clinical characteristics. This descriptive exploratory association study examined statewide MC registry data in Arkansas linked at the person level with statewide transaction data documenting each MC purchase.

Association Between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Newborn Breastfeeding Initiation.

The benefits of breastfeeding a newborn are well documented. Identification of mothers who do not initiate breastfeeding is essential for developing initiatives to improve breastfeeding initiation. The study used data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) birth certificate data (2014-2021) to identifying 15,599,930 in-hospital deliveries.

Predicting pediatric severe asthma exacerbations: an administrative claims-based predictive model.

Objective: Previous machine learning approaches fail to consider race and ethnicity and social determinants of health (SDOH) to predict childhood asthma exacerbations. A predictive model for asthma exacerbations in children is developed to explore the importance of race and ethnicity, rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes, the Child Opportunity Index (COI), and other ICD-10 SDOH in predicting asthma outcomes.

Methods: Insurance and coverage claims data from the Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database were used to capture risk factors.

Examining Impacts of Healthy Families America on Infant Health Care.

Objective: Healthy Families America (HFA) is an evidence-based home visiting program that provides parenting education with the overall goal of preventing child maltreatment and optimizing child development. This study compares the health care utilization and vaccination of infants enrolled in HFA with similar infants not in the program.

Methods: From January 2014 to December 2020, 604 children served statewide by HFA in Arkansas were identified in vital statistics and administrative medical claims records.

Asthma Quality Measurement and Adverse Outcomes in Medicaid-Enrolled Children.

Objectives: To determine the association between the asthma medication ratio (AMR) quality measure and adverse outcomes among Medicaid-enrolled children with asthma in Arkansas, given concerns regarding the utility of the AMR in evaluating pediatric risk of asthma-related adverse events (AAEs).

Methods: We used the Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database to identify Medicaid-enrolled children with asthma using a nonrestrictive case definition and additionally using the standard Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) persistent asthma definition. We assessed the AMR using the traditional dichotomous HEDIS AMR categorization and across 4 expanded AMR categories.

Survival From Birth Until Young Adulthood Among Individuals With Congenital Heart Defects: CH STRONG.

Background: Limited population-based information is available on long-term survival of US individuals with congenital heart defects (CHDs). Therefore, we assessed patterns in survival from birth until young adulthood (ie, 35 years of age) and associated factors among a population-based sample of US individuals with CHDs.

Methods: Individuals born between 1980 and 1997 with CHDs identified in 3 US birth defect surveillance systems were linked to death records through 2015 to identify those deceased and the year of their death.

Racial differences in COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Arkansas.

Vaccines are one of the most successful tools for protecting the public's health. However, widespread vaccine hesitancy in the Southern United States is preventing effective mitigation of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among adults living in a largely rural Southern state.

Cost-benefit analysis of home visiting to reduce infant mortality among preterm infants.

Purpose: The Following Baby Back Home (FBBH) visiting program, which is provided by nurse and social worker teams, supports families of low-birthweight preterm infants after discharge from a neonatal intensive care unit. Enrollment in the FBBH program has been documented to reduce the likelihood of infant death. In this study, we conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the FBBH program.

Cardiology Care and Loss to Follow-Up Among Adults With Congenital Heart Defects in CH STRONG.

Many of the estimated 1.4 million adults with congenital heart defects (CHDs) in the United States are lost to follow-up (LTF) despite recommendations for ongoing cardiology care. Using 2016 to 2019 CH STRONG (Congenital Heart Survey To Recognize Outcomes, Needs, and well-beinG) data, we describe cardiac care among community-based adults with CHD, born in 1980 to 1997, identified through state birth defects registries.

School age educational outcomes of infants born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Background: To compare academic proficiency among children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) versus controls and identify predictors of academic performance among children with CDH.

Methods: Infants born with CDH in Arkansas, 2000-2005, were identified from the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System. For each case, two controls were selected from birth certificate data and matched for hospital and month of birth, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Impact of Weight Status Reporting on Childhood Body Mass Index.

Many states have adopted school-based BMI screening or surveillance programs in an effort to address high rates of childhood obesity, some of which involve provision of confidential BMI reports to parents. While there is evidence that parents are attuned to information in the reports, there is less evidence showing that the reports are effective in preventing excess childhood weight gain. Data from Arkansas, the state with the nation's first and longest running and BMI screening program, were used to measure the impact of BMI reports.

The effect of gender-specific labor market conditions on children's weight.

Background: Macroeconomic conditions are widely known to influence health outcomes through direct behavioral change or indirect mental effects of individuals. However, they have not received much attention in relation to childhood obesity.

Methods: Using gender-specific predicted employment growth rates as an index for labor market conditions, we analyze how economic shocks affect children's weight status in Arkansas.

Childhood Educational Outcomes of Children Born with Gastroschisis.

Objective: To compare third grade literacy and mathematics test proficiency among children born with gastroschisis vs unaffected controls and identify predictors of academic proficiency among these children.

Study Design: Infants born with gastroschisis (2000-2005) were identified from the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System. For each case, 2 controls were selected at random from birth certificates and matched for hospital and month of birth, sex, and race/ethnicity.

Advance Care Directives Among a Population-Based Sample of Young Adults with Congenital Heart Defects, CH STRONG, 2016-2019.

Little is known about advance care planning among young adults with congenital heart defects (CHD). Congenital Heart Survey to Recognize Outcomes, Needs, and well-beinG (CH STRONG) participants were born with CHD between 1980 and 1997, identified using active, population-based birth defects surveillance systems in Arkansas, Arizona and Atlanta, and Georgia, and surveyed during 2016-2019. We estimated the percent having an advance care directive standardized to the site, year of birth, sex, maternal race, and CHD severity of the 9312 CH STRONG-eligible individuals.

Home Visiting for NICU Graduates: Impacts of Following Baby Back Home.

Background And Objectives: The Following Baby Back Home (FBBH) home visiting program supports families of high-risk low birth weight preterm infants after discharge from a hospital NICU. This study compares the health care use, immunization, and infant mortality rate of low birth weight preterm infants enrolled in FBBH with similar infants not in the program.

Methods: From January 2013 to December 2017, 498 children enrolled in FBBH were identified in Arkansas vital statistics records and the Arkansas All-Payer Claims Database.

Enrollee Experience with Providers in the Arkansas Medicaid Expansion Program.

Background: Patient ratings of their healthcare experience as a quality measure have become critically important since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA enabled states to expand Medicaid eligibility to reduce uninsurance nationally. Arkansas gained approval to use Medicaid funds to purchase a qualified health plan (QHP) through the ACA marketplace for newly eligible beneficiaries.

Use of Machine Learning to Determine the Information Value of a BMI Screening Program.

Introduction: Childhood obesity continues to be a significant public health issue in the U.S. and is associated with short- and long-term adverse health outcomes.

Medicaid Expansion And Health Services Use For Adults Experiencing Homelessness In Arkansas.

More than 500,000 people in the US experience homelessness at any given time, many of whom now qualify for Medicaid in states that expanded coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In this article we use a novel data set from Arkansas to provide the first estimates of the association between gaining coverage through the ACA's Medicaid expansion and health services use for a population experiencing homelessness. We find that Medicaid expansion was associated with large initial increases in inpatient hospitalizations and emergency department visits-which declined steadily over time-among adults experiencing homelessness compared with use by a sample of adult traditional Medicaid enrollees.