Informing a sinusitis clinical trial protocol: A focus group study with clinicians and staff.

This study investigates practicing clinician and staff perspectives on potential protocol modifications for the "Nasal Irrigation, Oral Antibiotics, and Subgroup Targeting for Effective Management of Acute Sinusitis" (NOSES) study, a pragmatic randomized controlled trial aiming at improving acute rhinosinusitis management. Focus groups with clinicians and staff at the pretrial stage recommended expanding participant age inclusion criteria, incorporating patients with COVID-19, and shortening the supportive care phase. Participants also discussed patient engagement and recruitment strategies.

Navigating the Path to Inclusion: Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Clinical Trial Participation Among Chinese Older Adults in the United States with Multimorbidity.

Context: Older adults with multimorbidity are underrepresented in clinical trials, with enrollment of Asians particularly low.

Objective: Understand perspectives of US Chinese older adults regarding clinical trial participation.

Study Design And Analysis: Focus group interviews analyzed using thematic analysis.

Screening college athletes for sexual violence: athletes' experiences and opinions on best practices.

Objectives: College athletes are at elevated risk for sexual violence, yet few formally report it and screening for sexual violence is uncommon. This study aimed to evaluate the nature of screening occurring among college athletes and collect athletes' opinions on how best to screen for sexual violence.

Methods: This was a mixed-methods study combining a cross-sectional survey with small group interviews.

Factors influencing smartwatch use and comfort with health data sharing: a sequential mixed-method study protocol.

Introduction: Smartwatches have become ubiquitous for tracking health metrics. These data sets hold substantial potential for enhancing healthcare and public health initiatives; it may be used to track chronic health conditions, detect previously undiagnosed health conditions and better understand public health trends. By first understanding the factors influencing one's continuous use of the device, it will be advantageous to assess factors that may influence a person's willingness to share their individual data sets.

Attitudes on participation in clinical drug trials: A nationally representative survey of older adults with multimorbidity.

Background: Older adults with multimorbidity are under-represented in clinical drug trials. Their inclusion will not increase unless they are willing and able to participate. Data on motivators and barriers to participation in trials of new medications of older adults with multimorbidity are needed.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Pregnant Women in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Pregnant women are vulnerable to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) complications, yet may hesitate to get vaccinated. It is important to identify racial/ethnic and other individual characteristics associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the United States during pregnancy. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for articles published through January 2023 for keywords/terms related to immunization, COVID-19, and pregnancy, and performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine characteristics associated with vaccine acceptance.

Outcomes of A Virtual Practice-Tailored Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Intervention.

Introduction: Interventions are needed to promote utilization of the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV), an underused opportunity to perform screenings and plan individualized preventive health services.

Method: Using remote practice redesign and electronic health record (EHR) support, we implemented the Practice-Tailored AWV intervention in 2021 (during the COVID-19 pandemic) in 3 small community-based practices. The intervention combines EHR-based tools with practice redesign approaches and resources.

Over-the-Counter Product-Apixaban Interactions: Patient Perspectives on Information-Seeking.

CONTEXT: Patients taking direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may be at risk for bleeding if they take interacting over-the-counter (OTC) products, yet little information exists about why patients may or may not seek information about potential interactions. OBJECTIVE: To investigate perspectives of patients taking apixaban (a commonly prescribed DOAC) regarding seeking information about OTC products. STUDY DESIGN and ANALYSIS: Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Reasons for Nonadherence to the Direct Oral Anticoagulant Apixaban: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Atrial Fibrillation Patients.

Background: Nonadherence to direct oral anticoagulants to prevent stroke occurs in up to 40% of atrial fibrillation patients. Underlying reasons are poorly understood.

Objectives: This study quantified patient-reported reasons for nonadherence and identified strategies to improve adherence.

External Validation of the COVID-NoLab and COVID-SimpleLab Prognostic Tools.

Our objective was to externally validate 2 simple risk scores for mortality among a mostly inpatient population with COVID-19 in Canada (588 patients for COVID-NoLab and 479 patients for COVID-SimpleLab). The mortality rates in the low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups for COVID-NoLab were 1.1%, 9.

Perspectives Regarding Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Among Individuals with Mental Illness.

Most people with co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) and mental illness do not receive effective medications for treating OUD. To investigate perspectives of adults in a publicly-funded mental health system regarding medications for OUD (MOUD), we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 13 adults with OUD (current or previous diagnosis) receiving mental health treatment. Themes that emerged included: perceiving or using MOUDs as a substitute for opioids or a temporary solution to prevent withdrawal symptoms; negative perceptions about methadone/methadone clinics; and viewing MOUD use as "cheating".

Development and Validation of a Two-Step Predictive Risk Stratification Model for Coronavirus Disease 2019 In-hospital Mortality: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: An accurate prognostic score to predict mortality for adults with COVID-19 infection is needed to understand who would benefit most from hospitalizations and more intensive support and care. We aimed to develop and validate a two-step score system for patient triage, and to identify patients at a relatively low level of mortality risk using easy-to-collect individual information.

Design: Multicenter retrospective observational cohort study.

Influence of synchronous primary care telemedicine versus in-person visits on diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia outcomes: a systematic review.

Background: Telemedicine can be used to manage various health conditions, but there is a need to investigate its effectiveness for chronic disease management in the primary care setting. This study compares the effect of synchronous telemedicine versus in-person primary care visits on patient clinical outcomes.

Methods: A systematic review of studies published in PubMed and Web of Science between 1996 and January 2021 was performed using keywords related to telemedicine, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

Hidden cues for approach and avoidance motivation: implicit cognitive associations among patients with Nonadherence to HIV treatment.

Although patient motivation related to HIV treatment is widely acknowledged as a key factor related to consistent adherence and engagement with medical care research has predominantly focused on explicit rather than implicit cognitive processes that underlie motivation. This study identified and examined implicit cognitive processes that influence approach and avoidance treatment motivation in a sample of 30 HIV patients with suboptimal adherence and poor engagement with medical care. Study participants were predominantly African American (87%) and gay/bisexual (63%).

Opioid Use Disorder Among Clients of Community Mental Health Clinics: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Treatment Willingness.

Objective: The authors examined the prevalence of co-occurring opioid use disorder and willingness to engage in treatment among clients of eight Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health outpatient clinics.

Methods: Adults presenting for an appointment over a 2-week period were invited to complete a voluntary, anonymous health survey. Clients who indicated opioid use in the past year were offered a longer survey assessing probable opioid use disorder.

Primary nonadherence to statin medications: Survey of patient perspectives.

Statin medications reduce cardiovascular events, but many patients never start taking their prescribed statin (primary nonadherence). Limited knowledge exists about the attitudes and beliefs of those with primary nonadherence. In this study, patients with primary nonadherence to statin medications (n = 173) completed a self-administered cross-sectional survey that assessed their attitudes and beliefs related to primary nonadherence and to potential motivators for statin use.

Using Virtual Visits to Care for Primary Care Patients With COVID-19 Symptoms.

Purpose: Examine use of office resources by primary care patients who were initially evaluated through telehealth, telephone, or in-person encounters.

Methods: Retrospective electronic health record review on patients seen in March 2020 for evaluation of potential COVID-19 symptoms, to assess the total number of interactions with physicians and office staff.

Results: Of 202 patients, 89 (44%) had initial telehealth, 55 (27%) telephone, and 52 (26%) in-person encounters.

Development and Validation of the COVID-NoLab and COVID-SimpleLab Risk Scores for Prognosis in 6 US Health Systems.

Purpose: Develop and validate simple risk scores based on initial clinical data and no or minimal laboratory testing to predict mortality in hospitalized adults with COVID-19.

Methods: We gathered clinical and initial laboratory variables on consecutive inpatients with COVID-19 who had either died or been discharged alive at 6 US health centers. Logistic regression was used to develop a predictive model using no laboratory values (COVID-NoLab) and one adding tests available in many outpatient settings (COVID-SimpleLab).

A Qualitative Study of Primary Care Physicians' Experiences With Telemedicine During COVID-19.

Background: Primary care practices rapidly adopted telemedicine visits because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but information on physician perspectives about these visits is lacking.

Methods: Fifteen semistructured interviews with practicing primary care physicians and physicians-in-training from a Southern California academic health system and group-model health maintenance organization were conducted to assess physician perspectives regarding the benefits and challenges of telemedicine.

Results: Physicians indicated that telemedicine improved patient access to care by providing greater convenience, although some expressed concern that certain groups of vulnerable patients were unable to navigate or did not possess the technology required to participate in telemedicine visits.

Post-Visit Patient Understanding About Newly Prescribed Medications.

Background: Good patient understanding of basic medication-related information such as directions for use and side effects promotes medication adherence, but information is lacking about how well patients understand basic medication-related information after their office visits.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate post-visit patient understanding about newly prescribed medications.

Design: Secondary mixed methods analysis comparing patient survey responses about newly prescribed medications to information conveyed by physicians during office visits (from audio recordings of office visits).

Perceptions of Patients with Primary Nonadherence to Statin Medications.

Background: Despite emphasis on efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD), 13% to 34% of people never fill a prescribed statin (primary nonadherence). This study determined perceptions of adults with primary nonadherence to statins.

Methods: Ten focus groups were conducted with 61 adults reporting primary nonadherence to statins (93% without known CVD).