Causes and timing of 30-day rehospitalization from skilled nursing facilities after a hospital admission for pneumonia or sepsis

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia and sepsis are among the most common causes of hospitalization in the United States and often result in discharges to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) for rehabilitation. We described the timing and most common causes of 30-day unplanned hospital readmission following an index hospitalization for pneumonia or sepsis. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This national retrospective cohort study included adults ≥65 years who were hospitalized for pneumonia or sepsis and were discharged to a SNF between July 1, 2012 and July 4, 2015. We quantified the ten most common 30-day unplanned readmission diagnoses and estimated the daily risk of first unplanned rehospitalization for four causes of readmission (circulatory, infectious, respiratory, and genitourinary). The index hospitalization was pneumonia for 92,153 SNF stays and sepsis for 452,254 SNF stays. Of these SNF stays, 20.9% and 25.9%, respectively, resulted in a 30-day unplanned readmission. Overall, septicemia was the single most common readmission diagnosis for residents with an index hospitalization for pneumonia (16.7% of 30-day readmissions) and sepsis (22.4% of 30-day readmissions). The mean time to unplanned readmission was approximately 14 days overall. Respiratory causes displayed the highest daily risk of rehospitalization following index hospitalizations for pneumonia, while circulatory and infectious causes had the highest daily risk of rehospitalization following index hospitalizations for sepsis. The day of highest risk for readmission occurred within two weeks of the index hospitalization discharge, but the readmission risk persisted across the 30-day follow-up. CONCLUSION: Among older adults discharged to SNFs following a hospitalization for pneumonia or sepsis, hospital readmissions for infectious, circulatory, respiratory, and genitourinary causes occurred frequently throughout the 30-day post-discharge period. Our data suggests further study is needed, perhaps on the value of closer monitoring in SNFs post-hospital discharge and improved communication between hospitals and SNFs, to reduce the risk of potentially preventable hospital readmissions

Relationships between Community Virus Activity and Cardiorespiratory Rehospitalizations From Post-Acute Care

OBJECTIVES: Quantify the relationship between increasing influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) community viral activity and cardiorespiratory rehospitalizations among older adults discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized and then discharged to a US SNF between 2012 and 2015. METHODS: We linked Medicare Provider Analysis and Review claims to Minimum Data Set version 3.0 assessments, PRISM Climate Group data, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention viral testing data. All data were aggregated to US Department of Health and Human Services regions. Negative binomial regression models quantified the relationship between increasing viral activity for RSV and 3 influenza strains (H1N1pdm09, H3N2, and B) and cardiorespiratory rehospitalizations from SNFs. Incidence rate ratios described the relationship between a 5% increase in circulating virus and the rates of rehospitalization for cardiorespiratory outcomes. Analyses were repeated using the same model, but influenza and RSV were considered "in season" or "out of season" based on a 10% positive testing threshold. RESULTS: Cardiorespiratory rehospitalization rates increased by approximately 1% for every 5% increase in circulating influenza A(H3N2), influenza B, and RSV, but decreased by 1% for every 5% increase in circulating influenza A(H1N1pdm09). When respiratory viruses were in season (vs out of season), cardiorespiratory rehospitalization rates increased by approximately 6% for influenza A(H3N2), 3% for influenza B, and 5% for RSV, but decreased by 6% for influenza A(H1N1pdm09). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The respiratory season is a particularly important period to implement interventions that reduce cardiorespiratory hospitalizations among SNF residents. Decreasing viral transmission in SNFs through practices such as influenza vaccination for residents and staff, use of personal protective equipment, improved environmental cleaning measures, screening and testing of residents and staff, surveillance of viral activity, and quarantining infected individuals may be potential strategies to limit viral infections and associated cardiorespiratory rehospitalizations

Persistence of Racial Inequities in Receipt of Influenza Vaccination among Nursing Home Residents in the United States

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine if the racial differences in influenza vaccination among nursing home (NH) residents during the 2008-09 influenza season persisted in 2018-19. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of NHs certified by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services during the 2018-19 influenza season in U.S. states with ≥ 1% black NH residents and a white-black gap in influenza vaccination of NH residents (N=2,233,392) of at least one percentage point (N=40 states). NH Residents during October 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 aged ≥ 18 years and self-identified as black or white race were included. Residents' influenza vaccination status (vaccinated, refused, and not offered) was assessed. Multilevel modeling was used to estimate facility-level vaccination status and inequities by state. RESULTS: The white-black gap in influenza vaccination was 9.9 percentage points. In adjusted analyses, racial inequities in vaccination were more prominent at the facility- than at the state-level. Black residents disproportionately lived in NHs with majority blacks, which generally had the lowest vaccination. Inequities were most concentrated in the Midwestern region, also the most segregated. Not being offered the vaccine was negligible by difference in absolute percentage points among whites (2.6%) and blacks (4.8%) whereas refusals were higher among black (28.7%) than white residents (21.0%). CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the white-black vaccination gap among NH residents is occurring at the facility-level, in more states, especially those with the most segregation. Standing orders for vaccinations, previously reported to narrow the racial gap in vaccination among NH residents, should be considered

Decomposing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Nursing Home Influenza Vaccination

OBJECTIVES: Quantify how observable characteristics contribute to influenza vaccination disparities among White, Black, and Hispanic nursing home (NH) residents. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Short- and long-stay U.S. NH residents aged ≥65 years. METHODS: We linked Minimum Data Set (MDS) and Medicare data to LTCFocUS and other facility data. We included residents with 6-month continuous enrollment in Medicare and an MDS assessment between October 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014. Residents were classified as short-stay (<100 days in NH) or long-stay (≥100 days in NH). We fit multivariable logistic regression models to assess the relationships between 27 resident and NH-level characteristics and receipt of influenza vaccination. Using nonlinear Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition, we decomposed the disparity in influenza vaccination between White versus Black and White versus Hispanic NH residents. Analyses were repeated separately for short- and long-stay residents. RESULTS: Our study included 630,373 short-stay and 1,029,593 long-stay residents. Proportions vaccinated against influenza included 67.2% of White, 55.1% of Black, and 54.5% of Hispanic individuals among short-stay residents and 84.2%, 76.7%, and 80.8%, respectively among long-stay residents. Across 4 comparisons, the crude disparity in influenza vaccination ranged from 3.4 to 12.7 percentage points. By equalizing 27 prespecified characteristics, these disparities could be reduced 37.7% to 59.2%. Living in a predominantly White facility and proxies for NH quality were important contributors across all analyses. Characteristics unmeasured in our data (eg, NH staff attitudes and beliefs) may have also contributed significantly to the disparity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The racial/ethnic disparity in influenza vaccination was most dramatic among short-stay residents. Intervening on factors associated with NH quality would likely reduce these disparities; however, future qualitative research is essential to explore potential contributors that were unmeasured in our data and to understand the degree to which these factors contribute to the overall disparity in influenza vaccination

Parents' perceived vulnerability and perceived control in preventing Meningococcal C infection: a large-scale interview study about vaccination

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Parents' reported ambivalence toward large-scale vaccination programs for childhood diseases may be related to their perception of the risks of side-effects or safety of vaccination and the risk of contracting the disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate parents' perceptions of their child's risk contracting a Meningococcal C infection and parents' perceived control in preventing infection in relation to their evaluation of the safety, effectiveness and usefulness of vaccination.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a large-scale interview study, a random sample of parents was interviewed after their children had received vaccination against Meningococcal C in a catch-up campaign. Questions were asked about the perceived relative vulnerability of their child contracting an infection, perceived control in preventing an infection, and parents' evaluation of the safety, usefulness and effectiveness of vaccination.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>61% of 2910 (N = 1763) parents who were approached participated. A higher perceived relative vulnerability of their own child contracting the disease was related to a more positive evaluation of the vaccination campaign, while a lower perceived vulnerability did not result in a more negative evaluation. A higher perceived control in being able to prevent an infection was, however, related to a more critical attitude toward the safety, usefulness and effectiveness of vaccination.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Perceived relative vulnerability contracting an infection and parents' perceived control in preventing an infection seem to influence parents' evaluation of the vaccination programme. Future studies should determine if, and under which circumstances, these perceptions also affect parents' vaccination behaviour and would be relevant to be taken into account when educating parents about vaccination.</p

Parental knowledge of paediatric vaccination

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Primary care strategies to improve childhood immunisation uptake in developed countries: systematic review

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review of strategies to optimize immunisation uptake within preschool children in developed countries. DESIGN: Systematic review. SETTING: Developed countries PARTICIPANTS: Preschool children who were due, or overdue, one or more of their routine primary immunisations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Increase in the proportion of the target population up to date with standard recommended universal vaccinations. RESULTS: Forty-six studies were included for analysis, published between 1980 and 2009. Twenty-six studies were randomized controlled trials, 11 were before and after trials, and nine were controlled intervention trials. Parental reminders showed a statistically significant increase in immunisation rates in 34% of included intervention arms. These effects were reported with both generic and specific reminders and with all methods of reminders and recall. Strategies aimed at immunisation providers were also shown to improve immunisation rates with a median change in immunisation rates of 7% when reminders were used, 8% when educational programmes were used and 19% when feedback programmes were used. CONCLUSION: General practitioners are uniquely positioned to influence parental decisions on childhood immunisation. A variety of strategies studied in primary care settings have been shown to improve immunisation rates, including parental and healthcare provider reminders