The Impact of Long COVID on Employment and Well-Being: A Qualitative Study of Patient Perspectives.

Background: Exploring the experiences of Long COVID patients who face challenges with employment may inform improvements in how healthcare systems can provide holistic care for this patient population.

Objective: Understand perspectives about the impact of Long COVID on employment and well-being among patients seeking healthcare for Long COVID.

Design: Qualitative study involving one-on-one interviews.

A Journey Through Grief: Experiences of Loss Among Patients With Long COVID.

Long COVID is a growing health concern with data continuing to emerge about the psychosocial consequences of this new chronic condition. We aimed to improve understanding of the experiences of patients with Long COVID, focusing on emotional impacts arising from experiences of loss and grief caused by persistent physical symptoms and changes in lifestyle and social support. Patients (n = 21) were recruited August to September 2022 from a post-COVID recovery clinic to participate in semistructured interviews.

When Infections Are Found: A Qualitative Study Characterizing Best Management Practices for Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection and Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection Performance Monitoring and Feedback.

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) remain a significant patient safety problem that can lead to illness and death, despite the implementation of clinical bundles to prevent HAIs. Management practices can support HAI prevention, but their role in HAI performance monitoring and feedback is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we previously conducted semi-structured interviews with staff at 18 hospitals to examine the role of management practices around the prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).

How Ohio public library systems respond to opioid-related substance use: a descriptive analysis of survey results.

Background: Public libraries in the United States have experienced increases in opioid-related substance use in their communities and on their premises. This includes fatal and non-fatal overdose events. Some libraries have adopted response measures in their branches to deter substance use or prevent overdose.

Patient and Provider Perspectives About the Use of Patient-Generated Health Data During Pregnancy: Qualitative Exploratory Study.

Background: There is increasing interest in using patient-generated health data (PGHD) to improve patient-centered care during pregnancy. However, little research has examined the perspectives of patients and providers as they report, collect, and use PGHD to inform obstetric care.

Objective: This study aims to explore the perspectives of patients and providers about the use of PGHD during pregnancy, including the benefits and challenges of reporting, collecting, and using these data, as well as considerations for expanding the use of PGHD to improve obstetric care.

Differences by Race in Outcomes of an In-Person Training Intervention on Use of an Inpatient Portal: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Differences in patient use of health information technologies by race can adversely impact equitable access to health care services. While this digital divide is well documented, there is limited evidence of how health care systems have used interventions to narrow the gap.

Objective: To compare differences in the effectiveness of patient training and portal functionality interventions implemented to increase portal use among racial groups.

COVID-19 vaccination perspectives among patients with Long COVID: A qualitative study.

Individuals who have Long COVID may have unique perspectives about COVID-19 vaccination due to the significant impact that COVID-19 has had on their lives. However, little is known about the specific vaccination perspectives among this patient population. The goal of our study was to improve our understanding of perspectives about COVID-19 vaccines among individuals with Long COVID.

Negative lipid membranes enhance the adsorption of TAT-decorated elastin-like polypeptide micelles.

A cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) is a short amino-acid sequence capable of efficiently translocating across the cellular membrane of mammalian cells. However, the potential of CPPs as a delivery vector is hampered by the strong reduction of its translocation efficiency when it bears an attached molecular cargo. To overcome this problem, we used previously developed diblock copolymers of elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs), which we end functionalized with TAT (transactivator of transcription), an archetypal CPP built from a positively charged amino acid sequence of the HIV-1 virus.

Patient Experiences Navigating Care Coordination For Long COVID: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Little is known about how to best evaluate, diagnose, and treat long COVID, which presents challenges for patients as they seek care.

Objective: Understand experiences of patients as they navigate care for long COVID.

Design: Qualitative study involving interviews with patients about topics related to seeking and receiving care for long COVID.

Comparing super-utilizers and lower-utilizers among commercial- and Medicare-insured adults with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare but costly condition in the United States. Super-utilizers have been defined as a subset of the population with high health care encounters or expenditures. Although super-utilizers have been described in other disease states, little is known about super-utilizers among adults with SCD.

Identifying beliefs driving COVID-19 vaccination: Lessons for effective messaging.

Increasing vaccination acceptance has been essential during the COVID-19 pandemic and in preparation for future public health emergencies. This study aimed to identify messaging strategies to encourage vaccine uptake by measuring the drivers of COVID-19 vaccination among the general public. A survey to assess COVID-19 vaccination acceptance and hesitancy was advertised on Facebook in February-April 2022.

The Role of Palliative Care in Heart Failure, Part 4: A Framework for Collaboration in Advance Care Planning.

Palliative care integration into cardiology is growing, allowing primary cardiology care teams increasing opportunities to utilize palliative care to support processes such as advance care planning (ACP). The aim of the study is to understand perspectives of cardiac care team members about the involvement and impact of palliative care on ACP in heart failure. A qualitative study using a semistructured interview guide was performed.

The Role of Palliative Care in Heart Failure, Part 1: Referring Provider Perspectives About Opportunities in Advanced Cardiac Therapies.

There are many ways that palliative care can support patients with heart failure, but the role of palliative care in supporting patients who are considering or are already using advanced cardiac therapies is less clear. To understand referring providers' perspectives about the role of palliative care in the treatment of patients with heart failure considering or using advanced cardiac therapies. Qualitative study using a semistructured interview guide.

The Role of Palliative Care in Heart Failure, Part 3: Facilitators and Barriers to Cardiac Palliative Care Clinic Development.

Patients with heart failure frequently have significant disease burden and complex psychosocial needs. The integration of palliative care into the management of these patients can decrease symptom burden throughout their course of illness. Therefore, in 2009, we established a cardiac palliative care clinic colocated with heart failure providers in a large academic heart hospital.

The Role of Palliative Care in Heart Failure, Part 2: Characteristics of Patients Undergoing Outpatient Palliative Care Evaluation for Advanced Cardiac Therapies.

Characteristics of patients undergoing outpatient evaluation for advanced cardiac therapies are largely unknown. To describe demographics, baseline quality of life, and frailty of patients undergoing evaluation for advanced therapies at the time of presentation for evaluation in an outpatient cardiac palliative care clinic and examine key quality of life differences across patients. Retrospective chart review to report baseline demographics and quality of life.

Perspectives of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a lapse in routine health care and cancer screenings for many individuals. This study sought to improve our understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women being treated for breast cancer, both in general, and specifically related to their diagnosis.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted between August 2021 and February 2022 with women who were receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer at the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center in Columbus, Ohio.

Understanding Concerns about COVID-19 and Vaccination: Perspectives from Kidney Transplant Recipients.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a significant risk for immunosuppressed groups such as transplant patients. The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on kidney transplant recipients, including their views on COVID-19 vaccination. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from December 2021 to August 2022 with 38 kidney transplant recipients who had an appointment with their transplant care team within the previous 6 months.

Patient and provider perspectives on the use of patient portals during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Introduction: Interest in the use of patient portals to support prenatal and postpartum care is growing. This study was conducted to understand patient and provider perspectives about the impact of portal use during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with 30 pregnant or postpartum patients and 15 obstetric care providers at an academic medical center that offers its patients access to an outpatient portal.

Geographic Location Impacts Patient Portal Use via Desktop and Mobile Devices.

Disparities in patient portal use are impacted by individuals' access to technology and the internet as well as their skills and health behaviors. An individual's geographic location may impact these factors as well as contribute to their decision to use a portal, their choice of device to access the portal, and their use of portal functions. This study evaluated patient portal use by geographic location according to three comparators: proximity to the medical center offering the portal, urban/rural classification, and degree of digital distress.

Perspectives of Volunteer Firefighters during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stumbling Blocks and Silver Linings.

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the lives of almost every individual in every nation, with numbers of infections continuing to grow. Across these nations, first responders are essential in their roles addressing emergencies, despite their risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the course of their work. We sought to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of volunteer firefighters in the United States, an understudied group of these first responders.

Effect of In-Person vs Video Training and Access to All Functions vs a Limited Subset of Functions on Portal Use Among Inpatients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Inpatient portals provide patients with clinical data and information about their care and have the potential to influence patient engagement and experience. Although significant resources have been devoted to implementing these portals, evaluation of their effects has been limited.

Objective: To assess the effects of patient training and portal functionality on use of an inpatient portal and on patient satisfaction and involvement with care.

Concerns and frustrations about the public reporting of device-related healthcare-associated infections: Perspectives of hospital leaders and staff.

Background: Public reporting of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) aims to incentivize improvement in infection prevention. The motivation and mechanisms of public reporting have raised concerns about the reliability of this data, but little is known about the specific concerns of hospital leaders and staff. This study sought to better understand perspectives of individuals in these roles regarding the identification and public reporting of HAIs.

Examining the Relationship between Health Literacy, Health Numeracy, and Patient Portal Use.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the relationships between health literacy and numeracy (HLN) and patient portal use, measured in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Methods: Using data collected as part of a pragmatic randomized controlled trial conducted across the inpatient population of a U.S.

A Qualitative Examination of Interprofessional Teamwork for Infection Prevention: Development of a Model and Solutions.

Health care-associated infections (HAIs), such as central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), are associated with patient mortality and high costs to the health care system. These are largely preventable by practices such as prompt removal of central lines and Foley catheters. While seemingly straightforward, these practices require effective teamwork between physicians and nurses to be enacted successfully.