Association of Cost Sharing With Delayed and Complicated Presentation of Acute Appendicitis or Diverticulitis.

Importance: Treatment delays are associated with increased morbidity and cost of disease, although the extent to which cost sharing influences timely presentation and management of acute surgical disease remains unknown. Given recent policy changes using cost sharing to modify health care behavior, this study examines the association of cost sharing with the health of the patient at presentation and with receipt of optimal or minimally invasive surgery.

Objective: To assess whether cost sharing is associated with the likelihood of early, uncomplicated patient presentation or with surgical management of 2 representative emergency general surgery diagnoses: acute appendicitis and acute diverticulitis.

Dysautonomia following breast surgery: Disproportionate response to postoperative hematoma.

Background: Up to 10% of patients undergoing breast surgery suffer from bleeding complications. Some experience severe hypotension and bradycardia of unclear etiology. Similar to the vasovagal hyperstimulation provoked by abdominal insufflation during laparoscopic surgery, we hypothesize that chest wall stretch from postoperative breast hematoma may mechanically stretch the vagus nerve, triggering dysautonomia disproportionate to the degree of blood loss.

Influence of Race, Insurance, Rurality, and Socioeconomic Status on Equity of Lung and Colorectal Cancer Care.

Background: This study evaluated the influence that social determinants of health had on stage at diagnosis and receipt of cancer-directed surgery for patients with lung and colorectal cancer in the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry (2010-2015).

Methods: This study examined non-Hispanic uninsured or privately-insured patients 18 to 64 years of age. Multivariable logistic regression models, including two-way interaction terms, assessed the influence of race, insurance status, rurality, and Social Deprivation Index on stage at diagnosis and receipt of surgery.

Exploring Reproductive Health Decision Experiences and Preferences of Women With Pediatric-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.

Background: Women with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, face several disease-specific concerns related to their reproductive health decisions. This study explored the reproductive health decision-making experiences and preferences of women with IBD to discover ways to improve this aspect of comprehensive care.

Methods: We recruited women ages 18-44 years with IBD to participate in individual, semistructured interviews exploring their experiences and attitudes toward parenthood, pregnancy, contraception, and family planning care.

Surgical Diseases are Common and Complicated for Criminal Justice Involved Populations.

Background: At any given time, almost 2 million individuals are in prisons or jails in the United States. Incarceration status has been associated with disproportionate rates of cancer and infectious diseases. However, little is known about the burden emergency general surgery (EGS) in criminal justice involved (CJI) populations.

Exploring the reproductive decision support needs and preferences of women with cystic fibrosis.

Objectives: As women with cystic fibrosis (CF) live longer, healthier lives, they increasingly face decisions related to their reproductive health. This qualitative study explores their unique decision support needs and preferences to aid in the development of a CF-specific reproductive goals decision aid.

Study Design: Womenwith CF age 18-44 years participated in individual, semi-structured, telephone-based interviews, and women with CF age 18 years and older participated in semi-structured focus group discussions (FGDs).