Background: Prescriber-patient communication plays a crucial role in understanding patients' needs, while reducing risks for developing an opioid use disorder (OUD), yet research on this is sparse. As such, the need to understand healthcare providers' skills, comfort, and confidence when discussing opioids with patients and other providers is an important step in balancing patients' needs from a pain perspective and risks from an OUD perspective.
Method: We interviewed 32 Massachusetts providers (physicians, physician associates, nurse practitioners, and dental practitioners) to assess their communication strategies with patients and other providers.
Background: Health disparities faced by autistic youth are exacerbated by inadequate physical activity (PA) and sleep, whereas healthy PA and sleep may improve mood and function. Adaptive Game Squad (AGS) is an evidence-based telehealth coaching and exergaming intervention to improve PA and sleep for adolescents with diverse neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions. This study aimed to adapt AGS for autistic youth ages 10-15 years; beta-test the modified intervention for feasibility, accessibility, and engagement; and further refine the intervention for a larger planned demonstration pilot.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Substance use among adolescents in the U.S. is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes in the long-term.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
August 2018
Despite significant advances in pediatric HIV treatment, too many children remain undiagnosed and thus without access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy. It is critical to identify these children and initiate antiretroviral therapy as early as possible. Although the children of HIV-infected adults are at higher risk of infection, few access HIV testing services because of missed opportunities in existing case finding programs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Evaluation of a novel index case finding and linkage-to-care programme to identify and link HIV-infected children (1-15 years) and young persons (>15-24 years) to care.
Methods: HIV-infected patients enrolled in HIV services were screened and those who reported untested household members (index cases) were offered home- or facility-based HIV testing and counselling (HTC) of their household by a community health worker (CHW). HIV-infected household members identified were enrolled in a follow-up programme offering home and facility-based follow-up by CHWs.