Healthcare Disparities Among Homeless Patients Hospitalized With Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Propensity-Matched, State-Level Analysis.

Goals: Examine outcomes among homeless patients admitted with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, including all-cause mortality and endoscopic intervention rates.

Background: Hospitalizations among homeless individuals have increased steadily since at least 2007 but little is known about GI outcomes in these patients.

Study: The 2010-2014 Healthcare Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases from New York and Florida were used to identify adults admitted with a primary diagnosis of acute upper or lower GI bleed.

The fragility of randomized placebo-controlled trials for irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: The fragility index (FI) represents the number of participants whose status in a trial would have to change from a non-event (not experiencing the primary endpoint) to an event (experiencing the primary endpoint) in order to turn a statistically significant result into a non-significant result. We sought to evaluate the fragility indices of irritable bowel syndrome [IBS-mixed (IBS-M), IBS-constipation (IBS-C), & IBS-diarrhea (IBS-D)] trials.

Methods: Irritable bowel syndrome trials published in high-impact journals were identified from Medline.

The Effects of Chronic Disease on Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Hospitalizations for Children or Youth.

Considerable research has focused on hospitalizations for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSHs), but little of that research has focused on the role played by chronic disease in ACSHs involving children or youth (C/Y). This research investigates, for C/Y, the effects of chronic disease on the likelihood of an ACSH. The database included 699 473 hospital discharges for individuals under 18 in Texas between 2011 and 2015.

Same- vs Different-Hospital Readmissions in Patients With Cirrhosis After Hospital Discharge.

Introduction: There is a lack of data on the impact of readmission to the same vs a different hospital following an index hospital discharge in cirrhosis patients.

Methods: We sought to describe rates and predictors of different-hospital readmissions (DHRs) among patients with cirrhosis and also determine the impact on cirrhosis outcomes including all-cause inpatient mortality and hospital costs. Using the national readmissions database, we identified cirrhosis hospitalizations in 2013.

Post-acute Care for Children and Youth in Texas, 2011-2014.

Little is known about services provided to children and youth (C/Y) discharged from an acute care facility. Recent research has provided a foundation for efforts to supplement or complement that early work. This research investigates post-acute care (PAC) in Texas.

Post-acute care for children with special health care needs.

Background: Almost all studies of post-acute care (PAC) focus on older persons, frequently those suffering from chronic health problems. Some research is available on PAC for the pediatric population in general. However, very few studies focus on PAC services for children with special health care needs (SHCN).

Multilevel Comparisons of Hospital Discharge among Older Adults with a Fall-Related Hospitalization.

Objective: We examined multilevel factors associated with hospital discharge status among older adults suffering a fall-related hospitalization.

Data Sources: The 2011-2013 (n = 131,978) Texas Inpatient Hospital Discharge Public-Use File was used.

Study Design/methods: Multilevel logistic regression analyses estimated the likelihood of being discharged to institutional settings versus home.

Factors associated with antibiotic prescriptions for the viral origin diseases in office-based practices, 2006-2012.

Objective: To test the potential association between time spent with a doctor and antibiotic overprescriptions in case of the common cold, runny nose, bronchitis, chest colds, flu, sore throats, and fluid in the middle ear.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Office-based physicians in the US.

Impact of a decision-making aid for suspected urinary tract infections on antibiotic overuse in nursing homes.

Background: Antibiotics are highly utilized in nursing homes. The aim of the study was to test the effectiveness of a decision-making aid for urinary tract infection management on reducing antibiotic prescriptions for suspected bacteriuria in the urine without symptoms, known as asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in twelve nursing homes in Texas.

Method: A pre- and post-test with comparison group design was used.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria, antibiotic use, and suspected urinary tract infections in four nursing homes.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most commonly treated infection among nursing home residents. Even in the absence of specific (e.g.

When concealed handgun licensees break bad: criminal convictions of concealed handgun licensees in Texas, 2001-2009.

Objectives: We explored differences in criminal convictions between holders and nonholders of a concealed handgun license (CHL) in Texas.

Methods: The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) provides annual data on criminal convictions of holders and nonholders of CHLs. We used 2001 to 2009 DPS data to investigate the differences in the distribution of convictions for these 2 groups across 9 types of criminal offenses.