Healthcare Utilization and Costs During the Initial Phase of Care Among Elderly Women With Breast Cancer.

Understanding the patterns of healthcare utilization and costs during the initial phase of care (12 months after breast cancer [BC] diagnosis) in older women (aged ≥65 years) is crucial in the allocation of Medicare resources. The objective of this study was to determine healthcare utilization and costs during the initial phase of care in older, female, Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries diagnosed with BC, and to determine the factors associated with higher costs. A retrospective observational study using the SEER-Medicare linked database was conducted in 69,307 women aged ≥66 years diagnosed with primary incident BC in 2003-2009 to determine healthcare utilization, average costs, and costs for specific services during the initial phase of care.

Treatment and Survival of Medicare Beneficiaries with Colorectal Cancer: A Comparative Analysis Between a Rural State Cancer Registry and National Data.

The aim was to examine and compare with "national" estimates, receipt of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in the initial phase of care and survival following a CRC diagnosis in rural Medicare beneficiaries. A retrospective study was conducted on fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with CRC in 2003-2006, identified from West Virginia Cancer Registry (WVCR)-Medicare linked database (N = 2119). A comparative cohort was identified from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare (N = 38,168).

Sleep duration and self-rated health: the national health interview survey 2008.

Background: Self-rated health (SRH) has been shown to consistently predict overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality in several population-based studies across the world. Similarly sleep duration have been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. However, relatively few studies have examined the association between sleep duration and SRH, and the results have not been consistent.

Examination of the Association between Insufficient Sleep and Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes by Race/Ethnicity.

Background. We examined the association between insufficient rest/sleep and cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus separately among non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanic Americans, and other races in a contemporary sample of US adults. Methods.

Cell-phone use and self-reported hypertension: national health interview survey 2008.

Background. Cell-phone usage has increased dramatically over the last decade, along with a rising public concern over the health effects of using this device. The association between cell-phone usage and hypertension has not been examined before.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d levels and prediabetes among subjects free of diabetes.

Objective: Animal studies suggest that low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) may impair insulin synthesis and secretion and be involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes. Results in studies in humans have not been consistent, however. Prediabetes is a stage earlier in the hyperglycemia/diabetes continuum where individuals are at increased risk of developing diabetes and where prevention efforts have been shown to be effective in delaying or preventing the onset of diabetes.

Insufficient rest or sleep and its relation to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity in a national, multiethnic sample.

Background: A new question on insufficient rest/sleep was included in the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for the 50 states, District of Columbia, and three US territories. No previous study, however, has examined perceived insufficient rest/sleep in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes mellitus. We examined the association between self-reported insufficient rest/sleep and CVD, diabetes, and obesity in a contemporary sample of US adults.