Interprofessional primary care practice including social workers: exploring the experiences of patients in vulnerable situations.

The link between social inequality and health has been widely recognized, as there are systematic differences in health between people from lower and higher social classes. Furthermore, the complexity and multidimensionality of health and social problems has resulted in primary health care services that are increasingly integrating the approach of interprofessional collaboration between medical professionals and social workers. Despite this current focus, there is a lack of empirical insights into patients' experience of the quality of care resulting from these collaborations.

The DNA of Social Work as a Partner in Primary Health Care.

There is a strong focus on primary health care (PHC), as rooted in a commitment to social justice and equity, to reduce social inequalities in health. Within PHC, interprofessional collaboration is emphasized to achieve these objectives. Social workers are a renewed partner within these collaborations, as principles of social justice and human rights are the core of this profession.

Perceived Benefits and Harms of Involuntary Civil Commitment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Involuntary civil commitment (ICC) to treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) prevents imminent overdose, but also restricts autonomy and raises other ethical concerns. Using the Kass Public Health Ethics Framework, we identified ICC benefits and harms. Benefits include: protection of vulnerable, underserved patients; reduced legal consequences; resources for families; and "on-demand" treatment access.

MR imaging-anatomical correlation of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the hallux: Ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Objective: To perform an MR imaging-anatomical correlation to elucidate the anatomy of muscles, tendons, and ligaments about the hallux as seen on MR imaging.

Materials And Methods: Four fresh and 4 embalmed cadaver specimens were used for this study. The embalmed specimens and one fresh specimen were dissected by three investigators.

Treatment Persistence Among Insured Patients Newly Starting Buprenorphine/Naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder.

Background: Persistence with medication-assisted therapy among patients with opioid use disorder has been associated with reduced likelihood of illicit opioid use.

Objective: We aimed to describe treatment persistence and identify factors associated with 1-year persistence among insured patients newly initiating buprenorphine-containing pharmacotherapy.

Methods: The retrospective observational cohort included employer-sponsored and managed Medicaid patients newly started on buprenorphine-containing therapy between June 30, 2010, and January 1, 2015.

Coming Up for Air: Exploring an Intergenerational Perspective on Social Work.

From the late 1980s until now, scholars, educators and social workers have criticised the diminution of interest in the structural level of social problems. In this lament, former social work is beguiled, while critiques are targeted at the new generation of social workers. These critiques forewarn of important issues and problems, but at the same time they portray social work in a devolutionary way.

Development and Evaluation of a Peer Support Program for Parents Facing Perinatal Loss.

The purpose of this program evaluation was to understand the perspectives of peer parents and parents receiving support within a peer support program for perinatal bereavement at a midsized hospital within the midwestern United States. To document participants' perceptions of the program, a focus group was conducted with peer parents, and surveys were completed by both peer parents and parents receiving support. In this article we review our model of a peer support program for perinatal bereavement and report on parents' evaluation of the program.

Successful treatment of chronic hepatitis C with triple therapy in an opioid agonist treatment program.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) constitute 10 million people globally with hepatitis C virus, including many opioid agonist treatment patients. Little data exist describing clinical outcomes for patients receiving HCV treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) in opioid agonist treatment settings.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, we describe clinical outcomes for 50 genotype-1 patients receiving HCV treatment with triple therapy: telaprevir (n=42) or boceprevir (n=8) in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin on-site in an opioid agonist treatment program.

Reducing barriers to hepatitis C treatment among drug users: an integrated hepatitis C peer education and support program.

This report describes an innovative HCV Peer Educator Program that facilitates education, support, and engagement in HCV treatment among patients in an opioid treatment program. Integrating peer educators in a collaborative manner with close supervision holds promise as a model to reduce barriers to HCV treatment among drug users.

Combining regional expertise to form a bereavement support alliance.

Providing compassionate bereavement care for families experiencing perinatal loss is a standard of care in most healthcare organizations. In this article, we describe the development of The Alliance of Perinatal Bereavement Support Facilitators, begun over 25 years ago in Chicago by staff who identified the need to reach out to colleagues at other area institutions for advice and support in this work. This collaboration created a regional support network that has resulted in a long-lasting, active, sustainable organization of excellence focused on enhancing practice, education, and perinatal bereavement care.

Meaning and methadone: patient perceptions of methadone dose and a model to promote adherence to maintenance treatment.

Objectives: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) effectively reduces illicit opioid use and its negative consequences when patients participate in and adhere to treatment. Patients' participation and adherence may relate to their perceptions about methadone doses and dose adjustments and the meanings that patients associate with treatment. This study assessed patient perceptions about methadone dosing and the meanings associated with methadone treatment to better support patient adherence to and success in MMT.

Buprenorphine treatment outcomes among opioid-dependent cocaine users and non-users.

Background And Objectives: National treatment guidelines state that polysubstance users, including cocaine users, may not be appropriate candidates for office-based buprenorphine treatment. However, data to support this recommendation are sparse and conflicting, and the implications of this recommendation may include limiting the usefulness of buprenorphine treatment, as cocaine use is common among opioid-dependent individuals seeking buprenorphine treatment. We compared buprenorphine treatment outcomes (6-month treatment retention and self-reported opioid use over 6 months) in opioid-dependent cocaine users versus non-users who initiated buprenorphine treatment at an urban community health center.

Prior buprenorphine experience is associated with office-based buprenorphine treatment outcomes.

Objectives: As buprenorphine treatment and illicit buprenorphine use increase, many patients seeking buprenorphine treatment will have had prior experience with buprenorphine. Little evidence is available to guide optimal treatment strategies for patients with prior buprenorphine experience. We examined whether prior buprenorphine experience was associated with treatment retention and opioid use.

Rediscovering recovery: reconceptualizing underlying assumptions of citizenship and interrelated notions of care and support.

Over the last few decades, research, policy, and practice in the field of mental health care and a complementary variety of social work and social service delivery have internationally concentrated on recovery as a promising concept. In this paper, a conceptual distinction is made between an individual approach and a social approach to recovery, and underlying assumptions of citizenship and interrelated notions and features of care and support are identified. It is argued that the conditionality of the individual approach to recovery refers to a conceptualization of citizenship as normative, based on the existence of a norm that operates in every domain of our society.

Concurrent group treatment for hepatitis C: implementation and outcomes in a methadone maintenance treatment program.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among current and former drug users. However, the minority of patients enrolled in drug treatment programs have initiated HCV treatment. New models are needed to overcome barriers to care.

Messages about methadone and buprenorphine in reality television: a content analysis of celebrity rehab with Dr. Drew.

Medication-assisted treatment for opioid dependence is safe and effective, yet negative perceptions about methadone and buprenorphine may discourage patients from entering treatment. One source of information that may influence viewers' perceptions is television. We performed a content analysis of a popular reality television program on addiction treatment.

Perinatal grief and support spans the generations: parents' and grandparents' evaluations of an intergenerational perinatal bereavement program.

Purpose: As perinatal loss, miscarriage, still birth, or neonatal death may result in signs and symptoms of grief in the entire family, perinatal bereavement programs (PBPs) should consider offering intergenerational services. The purpose of this program evaluation was to identify and evaluate siblings' and grandparents' utilization of a hospital-based PBP's intergenerational support services and education offerings with regard to the entire family's coping with the loss.

Methods: Written program evaluation surveys of parents and grandparents, with an opportunity for free response, along with parent phone follow-up, were utilized to evaluate whether a variety of inpatient/outpatient services for parents, siblings, and grandparents were useful to the entire family.

A comparison of buprenorphine induction strategies: patient-centered home-based inductions versus standard-of-care office-based inductions.

Although novel buprenorphine induction strategies are emerging, they have been inadequately studied. To examine our newly developed patient-centered home-based inductions, we conducted a subgroup analysis of 79 opioid-dependent individuals who had buprenorphine inductions at an urban community health center. Participants chose their induction strategy.

HIV provider endorsement of primary care buprenorphine treatment: a vignette study.

Background And Objectives: Opioid dependence is common among HIV-infected persons in the United States. Factors associated with HIV care providers recommending buprenorphine for opioid dependence are poorly defined. Using vignettes, we sought to identify HIV provider characteristics associated with endorsing buprenorphine treatment in primary care.

Self-management of injection-related wounds among injecting drug users.

Injection-related wounds are an important complication of injection drug use. This study describes behaviors related to self-management of injection-related wounds and identifies factors associated with behaviors that may increase the potential for harm. We conducted interviews with 101 injecting drug users in Washington, DC.

Nurse practitioner and physician assistant interest in prescribing buprenorphine.

Office-based buprenorphine places health care providers in a unique position to combine HIV and drug treatment in the primary care setting. However, federal legislation restricts nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) from prescribing buprenorphine, which may limit its potential for uptake and inhibit the role of these nonphysician providers in delivering drug addiction treatment to patients with HIV. This study aimed to examine the level of interest in prescribing buprenorphine among nonphysician providers.

Barriers to obtaining waivers to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addiction treatment among HIV physicians.

Background: Illicit drug use is common among HIV-infected individuals. Buprenorphine enables physicians to simultaneously treat HIV and opioid dependence, offering opportunities to improve health outcomes. Despite this, few physicians prescribe buprenorphine.

Effect of androgens and glucocorticoids on microbial growth and antimicrobial susceptibility.

The effects of androgens, testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), of an environmental anti-androgen, 2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE), and of glucocorticoids, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone, on growth kinetics and antibiotic susceptibility of E. faecalis, E. coli, P.