Use of Antibiotics Among Patients Hospitalized for Exacerbations of Asthma

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 37% of all antibiotic use in hospitals may be inappropriate, and reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescribing is now considered an urgent national priority. In the United States alone, asthma exacerbations led to 1.8 million emergency department visits and 400 000 hospitalizations annually. Although guidelines recommend against prescribing antibiotics during exacerbations of asthma in the absence of concurrent infection, little is known about the use of antibiotics in routine clinical practice

Respiratory and Bronchitic Symptoms Predict Intention to Quit Smoking among Current Smokers with, and at Risk for, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Rationale: Smoking cessation is the most important intervention for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). What leads smokers with COPD to quit smoking remains unknown

“This choice does not just affect me.” Attitudes of pregnant women toward COVID-19 vaccines: a mixed-methods study

Public health experts agree that pregnant women who fall into priority groups may be offered a Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. However, little is known about attitudes of pregnant women toward COVID-19 vaccination. We surveyed 300 pregnant women during the roll out of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Ireland. Women rated likelihood of receipt of a vaccine during pregnancy, on a 1–10 scale (1 = very unlikely, 10 = very likely). One hundred and thirteen (38%) women responded with a score of ≥8, while a similar proportion (36%) selected a score of ≤2. Safety of their unborn infant was the primary driver of decision making among survey participants, but specific safety concerns differed according to likely acceptance of a vaccine. Communication about COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women must explicitly address safety. Pregnant women and their health-care providers should be supported with accessible interpretations of data so that they can make the best choice for their individual risk profile