Implementation of an external female urinary catheter strategy on prevention of skin breakdown in acute care: A quality improvement study.

Aim(s): To evaluate the incidence of skin-related complications attributable to incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) using an external female urinary catheter device strategy for urinary incontinent (UI) patients in acute care.

Design: Multicenter quality improvement study.

Methods: Randomized allocation of two commercially available external female urinary catheter devices was used in hospitalized UI female patients.

The impact of autocancellation of uncollected specimens after 24 hours on reported healthcare-associated infections: A quality improvement intervention.

Objective: To assess the impact of a 24-hour autocancellation of uncollected samples in reducing reported healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).

Design: Quality-improvement, before-and-after implementation study.

Setting: The study was conducted in 17 hospitals in Pennsylvania.

Healthcare-associated infections during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the modulating effect of centralized surveillance.

We analyzed efficacy of a centralized surveillance infection prevention (CSIP) program in a healthcare system on healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. HAI rates were variable in CSIP and non-CSIP facilities. Central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), infection (CSI), and surgical-site infection (SSI) rates were negatively correlated with COVID-19 intensity in CSIP facilities.

Development and implementation of a centralized surveillance infection prevention program in a multi-facility health system: A quality improvement project.

Objective: To develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of a unique centralized surveillance infection prevention (CSIP) program.

Design: Observational quality improvement project.

Setting: An integrated academic healthcare system.

Getting to Zero in Allegheny County: Implementation of a Collective Impact Model to Achieve Ending the HIV Epidemic Objectives.

Background: Allegheny County Pennsylvania has the second highest HIV prevalence in the state. In the county, racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately impacted by HIV.

Methods: In responses to HIV epidemic in the Allegheny County, AIDS Free Pittsburgh was created with the goals of reducing new HIV infections by 75% and declaring Allegheny County AIDS free (no new AIDS cases) by 2020.

COVID-19 contagious health care personnel 5-day early return-to-work program.

Background: COVID-19 contagious health care personnel (HCP) who are self-isolating for a 10-day period increases burden to workforce shortages. Implementation of a 5-day early return-to-work (RTW) program may reduce self-isolation periods, without increasing transmission risk, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design And Methods: This observational cohort quality improvement study included newly diagnosed COVID-19 HCP at a multifacility health care system.

Gut-brain circuits for fat preference.

The perception of fat evokes strong appetitive and consummatory responses. Here we show that fat stimuli can induce behavioural attraction even in the absence of a functional taste system. We demonstrate that fat acts after ingestion via the gut-brain axis to drive preference for fat.

Healthcare personnel early return-to-work program after higher-risk SARS-CoV-2 exposure: A learning health system quality improvement project.

Background: Incidence of health care personnel (HCP) with a higher-risk SARS-CoV-2 exposure and subsequent 14-day quarantine period adds substantial burden on the workforce. Implementation of an early return-to-work (RTW) program may reduce quarantine periods for asymptomatic HCP and reduce workforce shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This observational quality improvement study included asymptomatic HCP of a multi-facility health care system with higher-risk workplace or non-household community SARS-CoV-2 exposure ≤4 days.

A Scoping Review of Patient Preferences for HIV Self-Testing Services in the United States: Implications for Harm Reduction.

Purpose: Despite marked progress in the ability to test for, treat, and prevent HIV, the epidemic remains a significant public health concern, especially among key populations including prisoners; sex workers; transgender individuals; gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM); and Black and Latinx MSM. This scoping review was conducted to provide an overview of the current research describing patient preferences for HIVST in the United States to understand what key populations value about HIVST and why they are willing to use it. A targeted search for published literature on patient preferences for HIVST was conducted using Ovid Medline, PsychINFO, and an HIVST research database.

A Kunitz protease inhibitor from Dermacentor variabilis, a vector for spotted fever group rickettsiae, limits Rickettsia montanensis invasion.

A defining facet of tick-Rickettsia symbioses is the molecular strategy employed by each partner to ensure its own survival. Ticks must control rickettsial colonization to avoid immediate death. In the current study, we show that rickettsial abundance in the tick midgut increases once the expression of a Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor from the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) (DvKPI) is suppressed by small interfering RNA (siRNA).