Estimating the Cost-Saving Threshold of a Rural Syringe Services Program Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This study aimed to examine shifts in the cost-savings threshold of a rural syringe services program (SSP) that resulted in the 12-months following the identification of the COVID-19 pandemic. We compared SSP operational costs during the 12-months immediately before and after identification of the COVID-19 pandemic using administrative data from the Cabell-Huntington Harm Reduction Program (CHHRP), which is operated by the Cabell-Huntington Health Department in West Virginia. Data included monthly counts of client encounters, sterile syringe distribution, and HIV testing.

Region of Birth Differences in Medication Adherence Among Patients with Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Background And Purpose: Cultural and language barriers may affect quality of care, such as adherence to medications. We examined whether adherence to prevention medications within the year after stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) differed by region of birth.

Methods: An observational study of adults with stroke/TIA admitted to hospitals in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (Queensland, Victoria; 2012-2016; n=45 hospitals), with linked administrative data.

Management of people after stroke in 383 Victorian general practices, 2014-2018: analysis of linked stroke registry and general practice data.

Objective: To evaluate the management in Victorian general practice of people who have been hospitalised with stroke or transient ischaemic attacks (TIA).

Study Design: Retrospective observational study; analysis of linked Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) and general practice data.

Setting: 383 general practices in the Eastern Melbourne, South Eastern Melbourne, and Gippsland primary health networks (Victoria), 1 January 2014 - 31 December 2018.

From 'strong recommendation' to practice: A pre-test post-test study examining adherence to stroke guidelines for fever, hyperglycaemia, and swallowing (FeSS) management post-stroke.

Background: The Quality in Acute Stroke Care (QASC) Trial demonstrated that assistance to implement protocols to manage Fever, hyperglycaemia (Sugar) and Swallowing (FeSS) post-stroke reduced death and disability. In 2017, a 'Strong Recommendation' for use of FeSS Protocols was included in the Australian Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management. We aimed to: i) compare adherence to FeSS Protocols pre- and post-guideline inclusion; ii) determine if adherence varied with prior participation in a treatment arm of a FeSS Intervention study, or receiving treatment in a stroke unit; and compare findings with our previous studies.