Does a simplified algorithm and integrated HCV care model improve linkage to care, retention, and cure among people who inject drugs? A pragmatic quality improvement randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: As many as 2.4 million Americans are affected by chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) in the United States.In 2018, the estimated number of adults with a history of HCV infection in San Diego County was 55,354 (95% CI: 25,411-93,329).

A technology-enabled multi-disciplinary team-based care model for the management of Long COVID and other fatiguing illnesses within a federally qualified health center: protocol for a two-arm, single-blind, pragmatic, quality improvement professional cluster randomized controlled trial.

Background: The clinical burden of Long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), and other post-infectious fatiguing illnesses (PIFI) is increasing. There is a critical need to advance understanding of the effectiveness and sustainability of innovative approaches to clinical care of patients having these conditions.

Methods: We aim to assess the effectiveness of a Long COVID and Fatiguing Illness Recovery Program (LC&FIRP) in a two-arm, single-blind, pragmatic, quality improvement, professional cluster, randomized controlled trial in which 20 consenting clinicians across primary care clinics in a Federally Qualified Health Center system in San Diego, CA, will be randomized at a ratio of 1:1 to either participate in (1) weekly multi-disciplinary team-based case consultation and peer-to-peer sharing of emerging best practices (i.

COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatment impact on symptoms and post-COVID conditions among high-risk patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center.

Background: Monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment for COVID-19 is associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, there is limited information regarding the impact of treatment on symptoms and the prevalence of post-COVID Conditions (PCC). Understanding of the association between time to mAb infusion and the development of PCC is also limited.

Understanding health disparities affecting utilization of tobacco treatment in low-income patients in an urban health center in Southern California.

Tobacco use disproportionately affects low-income communities. Prevalence among patients in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) is higher (29.3%) than the general population (20%).

Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Among People Experiencing Homelessness in Congregant Living Settings in San Diego, California.

During April 2020-August 2020, a preemptive testing strategy combined with accessible isolation and symptom screening among people experiencing homelessness in congregant living settings in San Diego, California, contributed to a low incidence proportion of coronavirus disease 2019 (0.9%). Proactively addressing challenges specific to a vulnerable population may prove impactful.

Integrative tobacco cessation: A survey assessing past quit strategies and future interest.

Purpose: Tobacco cessation remains a public health priority. Unassisted quits are most common despite evidence for a combination of guideline-recommended strategies. This paper reports findings from a pilot study designed to assess past quit strategies and tobacco users' receptiveness to using an integrative clinic that offers both conventional and alternative treatments for future cessation attempts.

Adolescent Smoking Cessation With Bupropion: The Role of Adherence.

Introduction: While many medications can be effective aids to quitting tobacco, real world adherence to smoking cessation medications may render a potentially effective medication ineffective. The present study investigated the role of adherence on treatment outcomes in a bupropion dose-response study among adolescent smokers trying to quit smoking.

Methods: Three hundred twelve adolescent boys (n = 143) and girls (n = 169) between the ages of 14-17 were enrolled in the study, and were randomly assigned to use either 300 mg, 150 mg or placebo bupropion to quit smoking.

Considerations for practice-based research: a cross-sectional survey of chiropractic, acupuncture and massage practices.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has steadily increased globally over the past two decades and is increasingly playing a role in the healthcare system in the United States. CAM practice-based effectiveness research requires an understanding of the settings in which CAM practitioners provide services. This paper describes and quantifies practice environment characteristics for a cross-sectional sample of doctors of chiropractic (DCs), licensed acupuncturists (LAcs), and licensed massage therapists (LMTs) in the United States.

Intervention development for integration of conventional tobacco cessation interventions into routine CAM practice.

Background: Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies are an important and growing presence in health care systems worldwide. A central question is whether evidence-based behavior change interventions routinely employed in conventional health care could also be integrated into CAM practice to address public health priorities. Essential for successful integration are intervention approaches deemed acceptable and consistent with practice patterns and treatment approaches of different types of CAM practitioners - that is, they have context validity.

Tobacco brief intervention training for chiropractic, acupuncture, and massage practitioners: protocol for the CAM reach study.

Background: Tobacco use remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US. Effective tobacco cessation aids are widely available, yet underutilized. Tobacco cessation brief interventions (BIs) increase quit rates.

Activating lay health influencers to promote tobacco cessation.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of tobacco cessation brief-intervention (BI) training for lay "health influencers," on knowledge, self-efficacy and the proportion of participants reporting BI delivery post-training.

Methods: Randomized, community-based study comparing In-person or Web-based training, with mailed materials.

Results: In-person and Web-training groups had significant post-training cessation knowledge and self-efficacy gains.

Helpers program: A pilot test of brief tobacco intervention training in three corporations.

Background: Quitlines and worksite-sponsored cessation programs are effective and highly accessible, but limited by low utilization. Efforts to encourage use of cessation aids have focused almost exclusively on the smoker, overlooking the potential for friends, family, co-workers, and others in a tobacco user's social network to influence quitting and use of effective treatment.

Methods: Longitudinal, observational pilot feasibility study with 6-week follow-up survey.

Systems thinking to improve the public's health.

Improving population health requires understanding and changing societal structures and functions, but countervailing forces sometimes undermine those changes, thus reflecting the adaptive complexity inherent in public health systems. The purpose of this paper is to propose systems thinking as a conceptual rubric for the practice of team science in public health, and transdisciplinary, translational research as a catalyst for promoting the functional efficiency of science. The paper lays a foundation for the conceptual understanding of systems thinking and transdisciplinary research, and will provide illustrative examples within and beyond public health.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2 dosages of sustained-release bupropion for adolescent smoking cessation.

Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride for adolescent smoking cessation.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial.

Setting: Metropolitan areas of Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona.

Effectiveness of the nicotine inhaler for smoking cessation in an OTC setting.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nicotrol nicotine inhaler as an aid to smoking cessation in over-the-counter (OTC) versus health-care-provider (HCP) conditions.

Methods: Five hundred twenty healthy smokers were randomized to the treatment conditions and followed for a year.

Results: At most follow-up visits, abstinence rates for the HCP group were 2 to 3 times those observed in the OTC group.