Colorado Agricultural Workers' Rights of Access to Key Healthcare Providers: A Policy Brief.

Health is a human right. In order to exercise their right to health, agricultural workers need to have access to medical, dental, and behavioral health care. Agricultural workers need to have medical, dental, and behavioral health care available at times and locations that are amenable to their work schedules and worksites.

A Thematic Analysis of Health Care Workers' Adoption of Mindfulness Practices.

Mindfulness training, which teaches individuals to bring awareness and acceptance to the present moment, has been effective in improving the well-being of health care workers. Limited research examines the adoption of mindfulness practices using health behavior theories. The current study sought to conceptualize hospital health care workers' experiences in adopting mindfulness practices using the Health Belief Model (HBM), a theoretical framework used by health promotion practitioners to design and implement health behavior change interventions.

Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Training on Health Care Worker Safety: A Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial.

Objective: The study assessed the impact of mindfulness training on occupational safety of hospital health care workers.

Methods: The study used a randomized waitlist-controlled trial design to test the effect of an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course on self-reported health care worker safety outcomes, measured at baseline, postintervention, and 6 months later.

Results: Twenty-three hospital health care workers participated in the study (11 in immediate intervention group; 12 in waitlist control group).

Vulnerable Populations in Hospital and Health Care Emergency Preparedness Planning: A Comprehensive Framework for Inclusion.

Introduction: As attention to emergency preparedness becomes a critical element of health care facility operations planning, efforts to recognize and integrate the needs of vulnerable populations in a comprehensive manner have lagged. This not only results in decreased levels of equitable service, but also affects the functioning of the health care system in disasters. While this report emphasizes the United States context, the concepts and approaches apply beyond this setting.

Is all pain is treated equally? A multicenter evaluation of acute pain care by age.

Pain is highly prevalent in health care settings; however, disparities continue to exist in pain care treatment. Few studies have investigated if differences exist based on patient-related characteristics associated with aging. The objective of this study was to determine if there are differences in acute pain care for older vs younger patients.

The relationship between hepatopulmonary syndrome and altitude.

Background: In a previous small retrospective study, the authors reported that hepatopulmonary syndrome was less common among liver transplant candidates at high-altitude centres compared with low-altitude centres.

Objective: To further explore the relationship between hepatopulmonary syndrome and altitude of residence in a larger patient cohort.

Methods: A cohort of 65,264 liver transplant candidates in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network liver database between 1988 and 2006 was analyzed.

Predictors of early faculty attrition at one Academic Medical Center.

Background: Faculty turnover threatens the research, teaching and clinical missions of medical schools. We measured early attrition among newly-hired medical school faculty and identified personal and institutional factors associated with early attrition.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study identified faculty hired during the 2005-2006 academic year at one school.

Employee perception of a mandated helmet policy at Vail Resorts.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to measure support for a mandated helmet policy among resort employees along with the impact of such a policy on job satisfaction, and additionally, to measure the prevalence of barriers to helmet use among this population.

Methods: In all, 728 Vail Resort employees were surveyed regarding their opinions on the helmet policy and on general helmet use.

Results: The majority of the 728 employees surveyed (66.

Older adult opinions about driving cessation: a role for advanced driving directives.

Objectives: To describe older adults' opinions about driving cessation and driver retesting.

Methods: Older adult (≥ 65 years) patients visiting the emergency department or geriatric clinic at a university hospital completed a confidential survey regarding attitudes toward driving tests and restrictions.

Results: The response rate was 50% (N = 169).

Student perspectives on the diversity climate at a U.S. medical school: the need for a broader definition of diversity.

Background: Medical schools frequently experience challenges related to diversity and inclusiveness. The authors conducted this study to assess, from a student body's perspective, the climate at one medical school with respect to diversity, inclusiveness and cross-cultural understanding.

Methods: In 2008 students in the doctor of medicine (MD), physical therapy (PT) and physician assistant programs at a public medical school were asked to complete a diversity climate survey consisting of 24 Likert-scale, short-answer and open-ended questions.

Potential barriers associated with increased prevalence of perforated appendicitis in Colorado's pediatric Medicaid population.

Objective: We sought to identify barriers and delays in care associated with the increased prevalence of perforated appendicitis among Colorado's pediatric Medicaid population.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all cases of pediatric appendicitis, which had Colorado Medicaid from 2007 to 2008 using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis, and multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Of the 479 appendicitis cases, 42.

Observational studies of patients in the emergency department: a comparison of 4 sampling methods.

Study Objective: We evaluate the ability of 4 sampling methods to generate representative samples of the emergency department (ED) population.

Methods: We analyzed the electronic records of 21,662 consecutive patient visits at an urban, academic ED. From this population, we simulated different models of study recruitment in the ED by using 2 sample sizes (n=200 and n=400) and 4 sampling methods: true random, random 4-hour time blocks by exact sample size, random 4-hour time blocks by a predetermined number of blocks, and convenience or "business hours.

Emergency department patient volume and troponin laboratory turnaround time.

Objectives: Increases in emergency department (ED) visits may place a substantial burden on both the ED and hospital-based laboratories. Studies have identified laboratory turnaround time (TAT) as a barrier to patient process times and lengths of stay. Prolonged laboratory study results may also result in delayed recognition of critically ill patients and initiation of appropriate therapies.

Procedural skills training during emergency medicine residency: are we teaching the right things?

Objectives: The Residency Review Committee training requirements for emergency medicine residents (EM) are defined by consensus panels, with specific topics abstracted from lists of patient complaints and diagnostic codes. The relevance of specific curricular topics to actual practice has not been studied. We compared residency graduates' self-assessed preparation during training to importance in practice for a variety of EM procedural skills.

Ski patrollers: reluctant role models for helmet use.

Ski helmets reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI), but usage rates are low. Ski patrollers could serve as role models for helmet use, but little is known about their practices and beliefs. A written survey was distributed to ski patrollers attending continuing education conferences.

The challenge of CT and MRI imaging of obese individuals who present to the emergency department: a national survey.

The objective of this study was to estimate the availability of large weight capacity computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment in US hospitals with emergency departments (EDs) and to evaluate animal facilities as alternate sources of imaging. We conducted a telephone survey of radiology technicians from a random sample of all the US hospitals with EDs (n = 262) and all 136 primary hospitals of academic EDs, 145 zoos, and 28 veterinary schools. We measured the prevalence of large weight capacity (>450 lb) CT and MRI, stratified by hospital characteristics.

Availability and quality of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging equipment in U.S. emergency departments.

Objectives: The objective was to determine the availability and quality of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment in U.S. emergency departments (EDs).