Asylum seeker trauma in a student-run clinic: reducing barriers to forensic medical evaluations

Introduction: The number of forcibly displaced immigrants entering the United States continues to rapidly increase. Movement from Latin America across the southern border of the United States was the third-largest migration worldwide in 2017; the U.S. now serves as home to one-fifth of the world’s migrants (Budiman, 2020; Leyva-Flores et al., 2019). Reporting on the first two years of clients receiving forensic medical evaluations (FMEs) conducted by clinicians trained at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), this descriptive study demonstrates the multiple layers and types of trauma in asylum seekers presenting to a student-run asylum clinic (SRAC) at an academic medical center.   Methods: A retrospective review of the first 102 asylum seekers presenting to a university-affiliated SRAC for forensic medical and psychological evaluations is summarized. Demographics, immigration history, medical and mental health histories, descriptions of extensive trauma and referral patterns are reported. Multivariate statistics were employed to investigate the relationship between past trauma and current mental health status.   Results: Clients reported extensive trauma histories, with an average of 4.4 different types of ill-treatment per person, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence. The current mental health burden was extensive with 86.9 percent of clients reporting symptoms of PTSD and/or depression. Clients were evaluated within a clinic structure that intentionally aligns with SAMHSA’s implementation domains of trauma-informed care using a continuous improvement model to reduce barriers to FMEs and promote longitudinal follow-up and referral access.   Discussion: This study demonstrates the profound trauma exposure reported by asylum seekers, as well as the adaptation of a SRAC to better respond to complex trauma through intentional structural and leadership decisions. The HRC experience provides a blueprint for other asylum clinics to implement systematic trauma-centered services

Transition from Oxycodone to Buprenorphine/Naloxone in a Hospitalized Patient with Sickle Cell Disease: A Case Report

Buprenorphine is increasingly used to treat pain in patients with sickle cell disease but optimal timing and approach for transitioning patients from full agonist opioids to buprenorphine is unknown. We present the case of a 22-year-old woman with sickle cell disease and acute on chronic pain who transitioned from high-dose oxycodone to buprenorphine/naloxone during a hospital stay for vaso-occlusive episode. Utilizing a microdosing approach to minimize pain and withdrawal, buprenorphine/naloxone was gradually uptitrated while she received full agonist opioids. During the transition, she experienced some withdrawal in the setting of swallowed buprenorphine/naloxone tablets, which were intended to be dosed sublingually. Nevertheless, the transition was tolerable to the patient and her pain and function significantly improved with buprenorphine treatment. This case also highlights the challenges and unique considerations that arise when providing care for the hospitalized patient who is also incarcerated

Spousal smoking and incidence of first stroke: the Health and Retirement Study

Background Few prospective studies have investigated the relationship between spousal cigarette smoking and the risk of incident stroke. Methods Stroke-free participants in the U.S.-based Health and Retirement Study (HRS) aged ≥50 years and married at baseline (n=16,225) were followed, on average, 9.1 years between 1992 and 2006) for proxy or self-report of first stroke (1130 events). Participants were stratified by gender and own smoking status (never-smokers, former smokers, or current smokers), and the relationship assessed between the spouse's smoking status and the risk of incident stroke. Analyses were conducted in 2007 with Cox proportional hazards models. All models were adjusted for age; race; Hispanic ethnicity; Southern birthstate; parental education; paternal occupation class; years of education; baseline income; baseline wealth; obesity; overweight; alcohol use; and diagnosed hypertension, diabetes, or heart disease. Results Having a spouse who currently smoked was associated with an increased risk of first stroke among never-smokers (hazard ratio=1.42, 95% CI=1.05, 1.93) and former smokers (hazard ratio=1.72, 95% CI=1.33, 2.22). Former smokers married to current smokers had a stroke risk similar to respondents who themselves smoked. Conclusions Spousal smoking poses important stroke risks for never-smokers and former smokers. The health benefits of quitting smoking likely extend to both the individual smoker and his or her spouse

An inpatient treatment and discharge planning protocol for alcohol dependence: efficacy in reducing 30-day readmissions and emergency department visits.

BackgroundAlcohol dependence results in multiple hospital readmissions, but no discharge planning protocol has been studied to improve outcomes. The inpatient setting is a frequently missed opportunity to discuss treatment of alcohol dependence and initiate medication-assisted treatment, which is effective yet rarely utilized.AimOur aim was to implement and evaluate a discharge planning protocol for patients admitted with alcohol dependence.SettingThe study took place at the San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), a university-affiliated, large urban county hospital.ParticipantsLearner participants included Internal Medicine residents at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) who staff the teaching service at SFGH. Patient participants included inpatients with alcohol dependence admitted to the Internal Medicine teaching service.Program descriptionWe developed and implemented a discharge planning protocol for patients admitted with alcohol dependence that included eligibility assessment and initiation of medication-assisted treatment.Program evaluationRates of medication-assisted treatment increased from 0% to 64% (p value < 0.001). All-cause 30-day readmission rates to SFGH decreased from 23.4% to 8.2% (p value = 0.042). All-cause emergency department visits to SFGH within 30 days of discharge decreased from 18.8% to 6.1% (p value = 0.056).DiscussionThrough implementation of a discharge planning protocol by Internal Medicine residents for patients admitted with alcohol dependence, there was a statistically significant increase in medication-assisted treatment and a statistically significant decrease in both 30-day readmission rates and emergency department visits

Lessons From the Field From a Volunteer Telehealth Ambassador Program to Enhance Video Visits Among Low-Income Patients: Qualitative Improvement Study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of telehealth video use across the United States is uneven, with low uptake in safety-net health care delivery systems, which care for patient populations who face barriers to using digital technologies. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to increase video visit use in an urban safety-net delivery system. We piloted a telehealth ambassador program, in which volunteers offered technical support to patients with access to digital technologies to convert primary care visits already scheduled as telehealth audio-only visits to telehealth video visits. METHODS: We used a descriptive approach to assess the feasibility, efficacy, and acceptability of the pilot telehealth ambassador program. Feasibility was quantified by the percentage of eligible patients who answered calls from telehealth ambassadors. Program efficacy was measured in two ways: (1) the percentage of patients with access to digital technology who interacted with the navigators and were successfully prepared for a telehealth video visit, and (2) the percentage of prepared patients who completed their scheduled video visits. Program acceptability was ascertained by a structured telephone survey. RESULTS: Telehealth ambassadors attempted to contact 776 eligible patients; 43.6% (338/776) were reached by phone, among whom 44.4% (150/338) were provided digital support between March and May 2021. The mean call duration was 8.8 (range 0-35) minutes. Overall, 67.3% (101/150) of patients who received support successfully completed a telehealth video visit with their provider. Among the 188 patients who were contacted but declined video visit digital support, 61% (114/188) provided a reason for their decline; 42% (48/114) did not see added value beyond a telehealth audio-only visit, 20% (23/114) had insufficient internet access, and 27% (31/114) declined learning about a new technology. The acceptability of the telehealth ambassador program was generally favorable, although some patients preferred having in-real-time technology support on the day of their telehealth video visit. CONCLUSIONS: This high-touch program reached approximately one-half of eligible patients and helped two-thirds of interested patients with basic video visit capability successfully complete a video visit. Increasing the programs reach will require outreach solutions that do not rely solely on phone calls. Routinely highlighting the benefits of video visits, partnering with community-based organizations to overcome structural barriers to telehealth use, and offering in-real-time technology support will help increase the programs efficacy

Navigating changing food environments - Transnational perspectives on dietary behaviours and implications for nutrition counselling.

Abstract United States (US) migrants are often characterised as experiencing unhealthy nutrition transitions. 'Looking-back' into dietary behaviours and the processes that affect dietary changes before migration may improve counselling interventions. We conducted a qualitative study of an indigenous Zapotecan transnational community based in Monterey, California, and Oaxaca, Mexico. Four focus groups and 29 interviews were conducted with transnational participants concerning health beliefs around and dietary differences between the US and Oaxaca. Analysis focused on nutrition-related themes. The four major themes were: (1) the paradox between participants' experience growing up with food insecurity and fond memories of a healthier diet; (2) mothers' current kitchen struggles as they contend with changes in food preferences and time demands, and the role 'care packages' play in alleviating these challenges; (3) positive views about home-grown versus store-bought vegetables; and (4) the role of commercial nutritional supplements and the support they provide. Counselling implications include (1) taking a detailed medical/social history to explore experiences with food insecurity and views on the role of nutrition in maintaining health and (2) exploring patients' struggles with different dietary preferences within their families. Transnational experiences may provide new insights for dietary counselling and patient-centred health communication