Expedited Partner Therapy in Female Adolescents: A Study of Acceptance and the Impact on Reinfection Rates.

Background: Given the high risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), this study evaluated expedited partner therapy (EPT) acceptance and STI reinfection rates in female AYA before and after availability of EPT.

Methods: The pre-EPT cohort was a 3-year (November 2012 to November 2015) retrospective chart review of female AYA positive for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) before introduction of EPT. An EPT protocol for CT and TV infections was implemented after legalization in Ohio in 2016.

How does being part of a pediatric accountable care organization impact health service use for children with disabilities?

Objective: To examine the impact of a Medicaid-serving pediatric accountable care organization (ACO) on health service use by children who qualify for Medicaid by virtue of a disability under the "aged, blind, and disabled" (ABD) eligibility criteria.

Data Sources/study Setting: We evaluated a 2013 Ohio policy change that effectively moved ABD Medicaid children into an ACO model of care using Ohio Medicaid administrative claims data for years 2011-2016.

Study Design: We used a difference-in-difference design to examine changes in patterns of health care service use by ABD-enrolled children before and after enrolling in an ACO compared with ABD-enrolled children enrolled in non-ACO managed care plans.

Implications of eligibility category churn for pediatric payment in Medicaid.

Objectives: To describe the extent and implications of "churn" between different Medicaid eligibility classifications in a pediatric population: (1) aged, blind, and disabled (ABD) Medicaid eligibility, determined by disability status and family income; and (2) Healthy Start Medicaid eligibility, determined by family income alone.

Study Design: As a result of a 2013 policy change, children with ABD eligibility transitioned from fee-for-service to capitated care. We used Ohio Medicaid claims data from July 2013 through June 2015 to explore the relationships among instability in eligibility category, demographics, and utilization.

Evaluation of the Ability of Five- to 11-Year-Olds to Brush Their Teeth Effectively with Manual and Electric Toothbrushing.

This study's purposes were to: (1) correlate toothbrushing effectiveness measured by plaque removal with children's parent- reported ability to perform life tasks and their executive function; and (2) compare plaque removal by children using a manual versus electric toothbrush. A convenience sample of 120 healthy five- to 11-year-olds was randomly and evenly assigned to manual or electric tooth- brush groups. A questionnaire was developed from items selected from previously validated social science instruments and completed by caregivers.

Satisfaction With Care Coordination for Families of Children With Disabilities.

Introduction: Children with disabilities have significant health care needs, and receipt of care coordinator services may reduce caregiver burdens. The present study assessed caregivers' experience and satisfaction with care coordination.

Method: Caregivers of Medicaid-enrolled children with disabilities (n = 2,061) completed a survey (online or by telephone) collecting information on the caregivers' experiences and satisfaction with care coordination using the Family Experiences with Coordination of Care questionnaire.

Early Hearing Detection and Intervention: Timely Diagnosis, Timely Management.

Objective: A quality improvement study was completed to assess the impact of three clinical practice changes on the timing of diagnosis and intervention for congenital hearing loss.

Design: A retrospective chart review was conducted for 800 infants evaluated for congenital hearing loss before and after implementing three clinical practice changes: the use of Kalman-weighted signal averaging for auditory brainstem response testing, a tone burst-prioritized testing protocol, and expediting scheduling of initial assessment. The impact of middle ear involvement on age at diagnosis and history of neonatal intensive care unit stay on age at treatment was also examined.

Mobile Technology Application for Improved Urine Concentration Measurement Pilot Study.

Low hydration has a deleterious effect on many conditions. In the absence of a urine concentrating defect, urine concentration is a marker of hydration status. However, markers to evaluate hydration status have not been well studied in children.

Recent Tobacco Smoking is Associated with Poor HIV Medical Outcomes Among HIV-Infected Individuals in New York.

Tobacco smoking is associated with adverse health effects among people living with HIV (PLWH), including a higher risk of cancer and cardiovascular problems. Further, there is evidence that PLWH are two to three times more likely to smoke than the general population. The aim of this study was to examine the association between tobacco smoking and biomarkers of HIV disease progression, including unsuppressed viral load (viral load >200 copies/mL) and low CD4 cell count (<200 cells/mm(3)).

The Association Between Food Insufficiency and HIV Treatment Outcomes in a Longitudinal Analysis of HIV-Infected Individuals in New York City.

Background: To date, there have been few longitudinal studies of food insecurity among people living with HIV (PLWH). Food insufficiency (FI) is one dimension of the food insecurity construct that refers to periods of time during which individuals have an inadequate amount of food intake because of limited resources. The aim of this analysis was to examine the relationship between FI and HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-infected individuals in New York City (NYC).

Crystal methamphetamine use and HIV medical outcomes among HIV-infected men who have sex with men accessing support services in New York.

Background: Drug use poses multiple challenges to maintaining physical health among HIV-infected individuals, particularly with regard to disease progression. Few studies, however, have examined the association between the use of crystal methamphetamine ("crystal meth") and HIV disease progression specifically among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM). Understanding this relationship among HIV-infected MSM is particularly critical because of the high rates of crystal meth use reported in the population.

Understanding the burden of tuberculosis among American Indians/Alaska Natives in the U.S.: a validation study.

Objective: We validated cases of active tuberculosis (TB) recorded in the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Patient Information Reporting System (NPIRS) and evaluated the completeness of TB case reporting from IHS facilities to state health departments.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) patients at IHS health facilities who were classified as having active TB using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnostic codes from 2006 to 2009 for clinical and laboratory evidence of TB disease. Individuals were reclassified as having active TB disease; recent latent TB infection (LTBI); past positive tuberculin skin test (TST) only; or as having no evidence of TB, LTBI, or a past positive TST.