Experiencing chronic cough symptoms for 3 years is associated with increased rates of healthcare resource use and higher healthcare costs in the United States compared to resolved chronic cough.

Objective: Chronic cough (CC) symptoms can persist as refractory or unexplained CC (RCC). We sought to characterize the clinical and economic burden of RCC.

Methods: In this retrospective US cohort study using data from Optum's de-identified CDM Database (01/2015-03/2022), CC was identified as ≥1 CC diagnosis or ≥3 cough events (with ≥8 weeks and ≤120 days between the first and third events and ≥3 weeks between any 2 events).

Characteristics of US Medicare Beneficiaries with Chronic Cough vs. Non-Chronic Cough: 2011-2018.

Chronic cough (CC), characterized as a cough lasting >8 weeks, is a common multi-factorial syndrome in the community, especially in older adults. Using a pre-existing algorithm to identify patients with CC within the 2011-2018 Medicare beneficiaries, we examined trends in gabapentinoid use through repeated cross-sectional analyses and identified distinct utilization trajectories using group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) in a retrospective cohort study. Individuals without CC but with any respiratory conditions related to cough served as a comparator group.

Incidence of drug-resistant pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia at a safety net hospital.

The 2019 Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline for the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) emphasizes the need for clinician to understand local epidemiological data to guide selection of appropriate treatment. Currently, the local distribution of causative pathogens and their associated resistance patterns in CAP is unknown. A retrospective observational study was performed of patients admitted to an 870-bed safety net hospital between March 2016 and March 2021 who received a diagnosis of CAP or healthcare-associated pneumonia within the first 48 hours of admission.

Prevalence, clinical characteristics, and disease burden of chronic cough in Italy: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Chronic cough has been associated with reduced health-related quality of life, negative impacts on sleep, work, and other daily activities, and increased use of health care resources. Little is known about the prevalence of chronic cough in Italy. In the present study we sought to estimate the prevalence of chronic cough in Italy, describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with chronic cough, and characterize the impact of chronic cough on overall health and wellness, work and other daily activities, and health care resource use.

Prevalence and burden of chronic cough in France.

Background: Chronic cough is a common condition that is associated with lower health-related quality of life and greater healthcare resource use. There are limited data on the prevalence, population characteristics and burden of chronic cough in France.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study based on responses from French adult residents to the 2020 National Health and Wellness Survey.

Patient preferences for the treatment of chronic cough: a discrete choice experiment.

Background: Chronic cough is common, negatively affects quality of life and has limited treatment options. Inhibition of purinergic signalling is a promising therapeutic approach but is associated with taste-related adverse effects. Little is known about treatment preferences from the perspective of patients with chronic cough, such as trade-offs between efficacy and side effect.

Quality of Life in Adults with Chronic Cough: A Mixed Methods Study Informing the Development of a Quantitative Patient Preference Study.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe quality of life for patients with chronic cough (CC) and identify meaningful attributes that affect patient treatment preferences to inform the design of a quantitative preference study.

Methods: Eligible patients (≥ 18 years) with a CC (> 8 weeks) participated in qualitative interviews with two defined steps. Step one: concept elicitation and bidding games were used to collect descriptions of patient experiences with CC and identify important CC-related attributes.

Burden of chronic cough in the UK: results from the 2018 National Health and Wellness Survey.

Background: Chronic cough, defined as daily cough for at least 8 weeks, negatively affects quality of life and work productivity and increases healthcare resource utilisation. We aimed to determine the prevalence and burden of chronic cough in the UK.

Methods: Study participants were general population respondents to the 2018 UK National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS).

Vaccine Equity: Lessons Learned Exploring Facilitators and Barriers to COVID-19 Vaccination in Urban Black Communities.

COVID-19 vaccines were developed at unparalleled speed, but racial disparities persist in vaccine uptake. This is a cross-sectional survey that was conducted in mid-2021 in ambulatory clinics across Brooklyn, New York. The objectives of the study were to assess: knowledge of COVID-19, healthcare communication and access, attitudes including trust in the process of vaccine development and mistrust due to racial discrimination, and to determine the relationship of the above to vaccine receipt.

Plants, Plants, and More Plants: Plant-Derived Nutrients and Their Protective Roles in Cognitive Function, Alzheimer's Disease, and Other Dementias.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with the risk of developing it attributed to non-modifiable and modifiable factors. Currently, there is no cure for AD. A plant-based diet may protect against cognitive decline, due to the effects of plant-based nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.

Evaluation of Cough Medication Use Patterns in Ambulatory Care Settings in the United States: 2003-2018.

Using 2003−2018 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data for office-based visits and 2003−2018 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data for emergency department (ED) visits, we conducted cross-sectional analyses to examine cough medication (CM) use trends in the United States (US) ambulatory care settings. We included adult (≥18 years) patient visits with respiratory-infection-related or non-infection-related cough as reason-for-visit or diagnosis without malignant cancer or benign respiratory tumor diagnoses. Using multivariable logistic regressions, we examined opioid antitussive, benzonatate, dextromethorphan-containing antitussive, and gabapentinoid use trends.

Therapist self-disclosure: Let's tackle the elephant in the room.

Therapist Self-Disclosure (TSD), the revealing of a therapist's feelings, thoughts or personal information to a client, is an inevitable aspect of therapeutic relationships. However, despite its prevalence in clinical settings, we believe there is insufficient recognition and exploration of TSD in our work with children and adolescents. Because TSD is not often formally addressed during training, therapists across the spectrum of clinical child psychology and psychiatry are often left with the belief that disclosures are rare or inherently negative occurrences that should be avoided.

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis and Influenza Vaccinations among Women With a Live Birth, Internet Panel Survey, 2017-2018.

Objectives: Pregnant women are at increased risk of complications from influenza, and infants are at increased risk of pertussis. Maternal influenza and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) vaccination can reduce risk of these infections and related complications. Our objective was to estimate vaccination coverage with influenza and Tdap vaccines during pregnancy among women with a recent live birth.

First do no harm: Preventing harm and optimizing care in psychogenic nonepileptic seizures.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES) are challenging clinical occurrences consisting of any combination of altered movement, sensation, or awareness that resemble epileptic seizures (ES) but do not coincide with electrographic ictal discharges and are presumed to be neuropsychiatric-neurobehavioral in origin. Securing the PNES diagnosis is a crucial first step and is best confirmed by recording events on video-electroencephalogram (v-EEG) and finding an absence of ictal EEG changes and the presence of normal awake EEG rhythms before, during, and after the event. However, obstacles to timely diagnosis and referral to psychiatric treatment frequently occur, placing these patients at risk for harm from unnecessary medications and procedure as well as placing high burden on medical systems.

Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Coverage Trends Among Adult Populations, U.S., 2010-2016.

Introduction: Influenza is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among adults. The most effective strategy for preventing influenza is annual vaccination. However, vaccination coverage has been suboptimal among adult populations.

Association Between Sun Protection Behaviors and Sunburn Among U.S. Older Adults.

Background And Objectives: Skin cancer incidence rates are highest among U.S. older adults.

Trends in Tdap vaccination among privately insured pregnant women in the United States, 2009-2016.

Background: Infants younger than 6 months are at increased risk of complications and mortality from pertussis infection. In October 2012, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices revised its recommendation to include a Tdap dose during each pregnancy, ideally between 27 and 36 weeks gestation.

Objective: Assess trends in Tdap vaccination coverage among privately insured pregnant women from 2009 to 2016 including timing of Tdap vaccination (before, during, or after pregnancy), trimester of vaccination for women vaccinated during pregnancy, and missed vaccination opportunities for unvaccinated women.

Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women in the U.S., 2012-2015.

Introduction: Pregnant women are at increased risk for severe illness from influenza and influenza-related complications. Vaccinating pregnant women is the primary strategy to protect them and their infants from influenza. This study aims to assess influenza vaccination coverage during three influenza seasons (2012-2015) from a national probability-based sampling survey and evaluate potential factors that influence vaccination uptake among pregnant women.

Racial and ethnic differences in survival of pediatric patients with brain and central nervous system cancer in the United States.

Background: Brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among children and adolescents in the United States. Data from earlier studies suggested racial and ethnic differences in survival among pediatric patients with brain tumor. This study examined racial/ethnic difference in survival using national data and considered the effects of demographic and clinical factors.

Influenza and Tdap Vaccination Coverage Among Pregnant Women - United States, April 2018.

Vaccinating pregnant women with influenza and tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines can reduce the risk for influenza and pertussis for themselves and their infants. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that all women who are or might be pregnant during the influenza season receive influenza vaccine, which can be administered any time during pregnancy (1). The ACIP also recommends that women receive Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably from 27 through 36 weeks' gestation (2).

Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing Initiation and Shared Decision-Making: Findings from the 2000 and 2015 National Health Interview Surveys.

Purposes: Despite recommendations against prostate cancer screening with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, about one-fourth of men age ≥40 years received PSA tests in 2015. This study aimed to answer 3 questions for men who had a PSA test in the past year: (1) What percentage of these men received the test first suggested by physicians? (2) What factors were associated with physician-initiated PSA testing (PIPT) versus patient/someone else-initiated testing? (3) What percentage of patients ever had shared decision-making when tests were initiated by physicians?

Methods: We analyzed the 2000 and 2015 National Health Interview Survey data. We calculated age-standardized prevalence of PIPT for both years.

Prevalence of Sun Protection Use and Sunburn and Association of Demographic and Behaviorial Characteristics With Sunburn Among US Adults.

Importance: Monitoring sun protection and sunburn over time at the population level can provide valuable information about progress toward skin cancer prevention goals and inform future intervention efforts.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of sun protection use (shade, sunscreen, and clothing) and sunburn and the association between sunburn and individual characteristics and health behaviors in the US population.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cross-sectional study using a nationally representative sample of 31 162 US adults from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey-Cancer Control Supplement, household interviews of civilian, noninstitutionalized US adults were conducted throughout 2015 in person and completed on the telephone when necessary.