The burden of undertreatment and non-treatment among patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and elevated stroke risk: a systematic review.

Objective: Global treatment guidelines recommend treatment with oral anticoagulants (OACs) for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and an elevated stroke risk. However, not all patients with NVAF and an elevated stroke risk receive guideline-recommended therapy. A literature review and synthesis of observational studies were undertaken to identify the body of evidence on untreated and undertreated NVAF and the association with clinical and economic outcomes.

The IMPact of untReated nOn-Valvular atrial fibrillation on short-tErm clinical and economic outcomes in the US Medicare population: the IMPROVE-AF model.

Background: Despite treatment guidelines recommending the use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and moderate to high risk of stroke (CHADS-VASc score ≥1), many patients remain untreated. A study conducted among Medicare beneficiaries with AF and a CHADS-VASc score of ≥2 found that 51% of patients were not prescribed an OAC despite being eligible for treatment. When left untreated, NVAF poses an enormous burden to society, as stroke events are estimated to cost the US healthcare system about $34 billion each year in both direct medical costs and indirect productivity losses.

Correlates of accelerometry non-adherence in an economically disadvantaged minority urban adult population.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of non-adherence to an accelerometry protocol in an economically disadvantaged urban population.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Methods: We analyzed 985 New York City adult participants aged 18-81 years from the Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces (PARCS) study.

The Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces (PARCS) Study: Protocol of a natural experiment to investigate the impact of citywide park redesign and renovation.

Background: The built environment plays a critical role in promoting physical activity and health. The association between parks, as a key attribute of the built environment, and physical activity, however, remains inconclusive. This project leverages a natural experiment opportunity to assess the impact of the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), a citywide park redesign and renovation effort in New York City, on physical activity, park usage, psychosocial and mental health, and community wellbeing.