Health services

IMPORTANCE: Studies of influenza in children commonly rely on coded diagnoses, yet the ability of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes to identify influenza in the emergency department (ED) and hospital is highly variable. The accuracy of newer International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes to identify influenza in children is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of ICD-10 influenza discharge diagnosis codes in the pediatric ED and inpatient settings...

IMPORTANCE: Evaluating the impact of statewide contraceptive access initiatives is necessary for informing health policy and practice. OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in contraceptive method use among a cohort of women of reproductive age in South Carolina during the Choose Well contraceptive access initiative. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this cohort study, baseline data from the initial Statewide Survey of Women administered from October 1, 2017, to April 30, 2018, to a probability-based sample of women of reproductive age in South Carolina and a peer state (Alabama) were linked with 3 follow-up surveys given in 2019, 2020, and 2021...

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Public health concerns surrounding social isolation and loneliness heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, as infection prevention measures led to increased feelings of loneliness and depression.Our objective was to evaluate the implementation of the HOW-R-U? program, during the pandemic (March 2020-December 2021). HOW-R-U? is a weekly volunteer-delivered telephone program designed to facilitate social connection and ease feelings of social isolation, loneliness and depression in older people...

DISCLAIMER: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. PURPOSE: To report historical patterns of pharmaceutical expenditures, to identify factors that may influence future spending, and to predict growth in drug spending in 2024 in the United States, with a focus on the nonfederal hospital and clinic sectors...

The nursing profession in Greenland, particularly in rural and remote areas, faces challenges due to geographical limitation and a lack of interdisciplinary collaboration. The registration process and status of internationally educated nurses (IENs) in Greenland are unclear. This article aimed to analyze existing policies and propose recommendations for an independent registration process for IENs in Greenland. A qualitative discourse analysis was used to critically discuss existing policies and regulations governing nursing registration in Greenland...

Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective, user-controlled method for HIV prevention. However, awareness, uptake, and adherence to PrEP remain low among cisgender women (CGW). The prenatal and postpartum periods present an opportunity for delivery of comprehensive sexual health services that include HIV prevention education and services. However, little is known about postpartum CGW's attitudes toward integration of HIV prevention education and services into obstetric care in the US. We conducted semistructured interviews with 20 postpartum CGW in the Bronx, NY from July to November 2022 to explore their experiences with prenatal and postpartum sexual health care, examine their attitudes toward integration of HIV prevention services into obstetric sexual health care, and identify components of future implementation strategies...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Policymakers have become increasingly concerned regarding the widespread exposure and toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). While concerns exist about unequal distribution of PFAS contamination in drinking water, research is lacking. OBJECTIVES: We assess the scope of PFAS contamination in drinking water in New Jersey (NJ), the first US state to develop regulatory levels for PFAS in drinking water. We test for inequities in PFAS concentrations by community sociodemographic characteristics...

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic started in Alberta in March 2020 and significantly increased telehealth service use and provision reducing the risk of virus transmission. We examined the change in the number and proportion of virtual visits by physician specialty and condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [COPD], heart failure [HF], colorectal and lung cancers), as well as associated changes in physician compensation. Methods: A population-based design was used to analyze all processed physician claims comparing the number and proportion of virtual visits and associated physician billings relative to in-person between pre- (2019/2020) and intra-pandemic (2020/2021)...

Background: Telemedicine has increasingly widespread to improve the monitoring of patients with chronic diseases. Secondary prevention of fragility fractures is an urgent matter to be addressed by means of available technology, although supported by little evidence so far. We investigated the feasibility, efficacy, and satisfaction of managing older adults at high risk of fragility fractures during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: During the period January to July 2021, a prospective observational study for safety and adherence purposes was conducted among older adults (n = 407) with ongoing treatments for secondary prevention of fragility fractures...

This study aims to analyze the effects of the expansion of the federal transfer of parliamentary amendments for municipal financing of primary health care (PHC) in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS), from 2015 to 2020. A longitudinal study was conducted using secondary data on transfers of parliamentary amendments from the Brazilian Ministry of Health and expenditure of municipalities' own resources on public health actions and services and PHC. The effect of the transfer of parliamentary amendments on municipal financing was verified in a stratified way by population size of the municipalities, using generalized estimating equation models...

Conditions related to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are still a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Longer survival in this population were reported to increase the risk of developing noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs). This study aimed to estimate the survival and causes of death according to age group and sex among PLHIV monitored at two referral centers in the Northeastern Brazil. This is a prospective, retrospective cohort with death records from 2007 to 2018, based on a database that registers causes of death using the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10), which were subsequently coded following the Coding Causes of Death in HIV (CoDe)...

OBJECTIVES: This explorative cross-country qualitative study aims to describe experiences of receiving a dementia diagnosis and experiences of support following a diagnosis in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Poland. METHOD: Qualitative study using projective techniques during online focus groups, online and telephone interviews with people with dementia and caregivers. RESULTS: Twenty-three people with dementia and 53 caregivers participated...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the state of aging anxiety in middle-aged women. METHODS: The study was collected from women between the ages of 40 and 59 years by an online survey method. While collecting the data of the participants, the women's personal characteristics diagnostic form and the Aging Anxiety Scale for Middle-Aged Women were used. The data were analyzed with the SPSS 26 statistical software. RESULTS: The aging anxiety of the women was found to be moderate (53...

OBJECTIVES: to identify mothers' perceptions about caring for newborns in the home environment, from the perspective of complexity thinking. METHODS: qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research, carried out between November/2022 and February/2023. Data were collected through individual interviews with 21 mothers from southern Brazil who cared for newborns at home and analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. RESULTS: the four thematic axes resulting from the data analysis: Living amidst order and disorder; embracing singularities; dealing with the certain and the uncertain; support network in the (re)organizing process demonstrate that the mother caring for a newborn in their home environment experiences a distinct and plural adaptive process, which must be welcomed and understood by health professionals who work within the family environment...

The cisheteropatriarchal capitalist system has developed by class, racial and sexual oppression and exploitation in establishing unequal, hierarchical power relations. One of these kinds of oppression involves the use of violence against bodies considered wayward and transgressive within this structure. Of the different types of violence, this study focused on obstetric violence, understood as patriarchal gender violence designed to remove the rights, autonomy and agency of trans women and men during the processes of pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and abortion...

The objective was to understand experiences of double motherhood during antenatal, childbirth and postpartum healthcare, using a qualitative method involving individual online interviews and asynchronous, online focus groups of cisgender women, mostly in same-sex relationships. The results revealed how these women's experiences of parenting were marginalised, highlighting institutional violence in Brazilian healthcare services, which are presented here in two thematic dimensions: 1) Cisheteronormativity and its impact on experiences of double motherhood; and 2) Institutional violence in healthcare services: from curiosity to LGBTQIA+phobia...

The scope of this article is an analysis of the proliferation of community medical clinics in the municipalities that comprise the Metropolitan Region of Belem. An investigation was conducted into the performance of the primary health care network of Brazil's Unified Health System, with a view to getting a better understanding of the reasons for, and origins of, the proactive stance of the community health sector. The discussion is based on the review of primary and secondary data, obtained via fieldwork in 119 community clinics in the Metropolitan Region of Belem, and information from Brazil's Unified Health System data center...

The bond with healthcare services is a crucial dimension in facilitating the maternal journey of lesbian and bisexual women couples. This study aimed to analyze the culturally constructed meanings regarding the bond with healthcare services and professionals by lesbian and bisexual women who experienced dual motherhood. It is a qualitative investigation grounded in interpretative anthropology. The research corpus was built based on in-depth interviews with 10 lesbian and bisexual women, aged 30 to 39 years...