Examining individual- versus population-level social determinants of health in a cluster randomized trial of health coaches for patients with multiple chronic conditions.

Introduction: Social determinants of health (SDOH) are an important contributor to health status and health outcomes. In this analysis, we compare SDOH measured both at the individual and population levels in patients with high comorbidity who receive primary care at Federally Qualified Health Centers in New York and Chicago and enrolled in the Tipping Points trial.

Methods: We analyzed individual- and population-level measures of SDOH in 1,488 patients with high comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 4) enrolled in Tipping Points.

The Role of the Flexor Hallucis Longus in the Treatment of the Painful Hallux Metatarsophalangeal Joint.

Background: Pain in the hallux metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) is very common, yet the underlying etiology remains unknown. Previous clinical research and biomechanical research has implicated stenosing flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendonitis as a possible cause. The hypothesis of this study was that treatment solely focusing on alleviating restricted FHL excursion would be beneficial in patients with hallux MTPJ pain.

Interval life events are an important determinant of heterogeneity in outcomes in a randomised trial: a novel, simple method of assessment.

Objective: Although life events are clearly important to health, most of the scientific focus has been on baseline life events that occur prior to a study. Life events that occur after enrolment, that is, interval life events, have had almost no attention. The aim of this analysis of data was to develop a method for measuring interval life events that could be used in clinical trials and other longitudinal studies.