Implicit bias in healthcare: Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in minority patients

There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in the United States affecting maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in minority women. For example, African American and Alaska Native women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related deaths compared to white women. An often-overlooked healthcare delivery system factor, implicit bias, has been identified as one of the components contributing to these healthcare disparities. Implicit bias in healthcare is of significant public health importance as over 60% of the observed pregnancy-related deaths were deemed preventable and premature births societal cost adds up to at least $26B per year. This essay is a literature review that focuses on disparate reproductive health outcomes in minority women and how implicit bias, such as decision making affects their healthcare. Extensive peer-reviewed literature, reports, and media articles were used to address and highlight the effects of implicit bias on minority patients. All studies used for this research found significant inverse relationships between implicit bias and lower quality of care. California has already been leading the way to curb the state’s maternal mortality rates by investigating and identifying opportunities. Post implementation of initiatives, California observed reduction of maternal mortality rate in the US from 26.4 deaths to 7 deaths per 100,000 live births, declining maternal mortality rate by 55 percent. California has been setting an example for the rest of the country and now the state has passed a bill requiring continuing education implicit bias training for clinicians. There is a compelling need for public health to take a deeper dive into improving health-related outcomes in this already vulnerable population. This literature review proposes recommendations to combat the rising rates of maternal and infant mortality by implementing mandatory bias training policies and increasing nationally mandated credible data collection. Identifying and implementing effective strategies to eliminate racial inequities in health status and medical care should be made a priority. The rest of the US should use California’s bill as a major step in the right direction and follow their lead

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), cell-mediated immunity, and survival in the context of cancer

PurposeAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to be associated with increased risk of mortality. The biobehavioral mechanisms linking adverse events and survival in cancer patients remain unclear. The aims of the study were to: (1) examine the rates and types of early adverse events in patients diagnosed with cancer; (2) investigate the association of adverse events with circulating cytokines, representing immune status of the patient; and (3) test whether immune markers mediated the association between early adverse events and survival while adjusting for other factors that are associated with immunity (e.g., fatigue) and survival (e.g., depression).Patients and methodsThe patients were recruited from an outpatient oncology clinic. Patients were administered a battery of questionnaires including the Traumatic Events Survey and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale. Blood was collected and serum levels of cytokines were assessed to characterize immune status. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests and Cox regression were performed to address study aims.ResultsOf the 408 patients, 66% reported at least one ACE. After adjusting for demographic, disease-specific factors, and psychological/behavioral factors; having had a major upheaval between parents during childhood or adolescence was associated with poorer survival [β = -0.702, HR = 0.496, p = 0.034]. Lower levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) explained, in part, the link between this early adverse event and poorer survival as when IL-2 was entered into the model, a major upheaval between one's parents and survival was no longer significant [β = -0.612, HR = 0.542, p = 0.104].ConclusionHaving experienced an ACE was associated with lower IL-2 levels-a growth factor for anti-inflammatory T-regulatory lymphocytes-central in contemporary immunotherapy, as well as poorer survival in those diagnosed with cancer. Since lower IL-2 levels also explained, in part, the link between the ACE involving parental upheaval and survival, there is support for a psychoneuroimmunological model of disease course in this vulnerable population

Efficacy of a stepped collaborative care intervention for comorbid cancer and depression: Health care utilization and costs

e18348 Background: The aims of this study were to test the efficacy of a stepped collaborative care intervention for comorbid cancer and depression on outcomes including complication rates, health care utilization and costs. Methods: Patients diagnosed with cancer were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a stepped collaborative care intervention. Patients were administered a battery of questionnaires prior to randomization. Rates and severity of surgical complications, health care utilization and costs were collected for a one-year period after randomization. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square analyses, and Ordered Restricted Inference analyses were performed. Results: Of the 100 patients, the mean age was 64.0 (SD = 10.3), the majority of the patients were male (51%), Caucasian (89%), diagnosed with hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma (47%) and stage III and IV (60%). For patients less than 75 years, patients randomized to the collaborative care intervention had lower rates of complications after surgery [Χ2= 5.45, P = 0.02]. We observed that 16% of patients randomized to the collaborative care intervention had complications versus 66.7% of the patients in the screening and referral arm. For patients who survived 6 months or less, those who were randomized to the collaborative care intervention had lower rates of 90-day readmissions than patients randomized to the screening and referral arm [Χ2= 4.0, P = 0.046]. The patients randomized to the collaborative care intervention did not have any readmissions while 2 patients in the screening and referral arm were readmitted. Patients randomized to the collaborative care intervention arm had lower median costs associated with the loss of workforce productivity ($2340 versus$3001; P = 0.07), hospital costs ($13,008 versus$21,109, P = 0.09), and cost per hospital registration ($1158 versus$2219, P = 0.07) when compared to the screening and referral arm. Conclusions: The stepped collaborative care intervention not only reduced depressive symptoms, but patients randomized to this intervention had lower complication rates, health care utilization, loss of work productivity, and hospital related costs. Clinical trial information: NCT02939755

Psychosocial and behavioral pathways of metabolic syndrome in cancer caregivers

Cancer caregivers are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. The aims of this study were to examine psychosocial and behavioral predictors of metabolic syndrome, an intermediate endpoint of CVD. Cancer caregivers were administered a battery of questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, caregiver quality of life, sleep, physical activity, alcohol and tobacco use, social support, relationship quality, and loneliness. Metabolic syndrome was defined using the American Heart Association guidelines and the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III, which includes the presence of at least three of the following abnormalities: blood pressure, glucose, abdominal girth, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides. Of the 104 caregivers, 77% were female, 94% were Caucasian, and the mean age was 59.5 (SD = 12.8). Of the 104 caregivers, 35.6% reported depressive symptoms in the clinical range of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) and 69.2% reported Perceived Stress Scale scores at least one standard deviation above the general population norms. A total of 16.3% of caregivers currently used tobacco, 28.8% consumed alcohol, and 26.7% were overweight (BMI = 25-29.9) and 48.5% were obese (BMI ≥ 30). Forty-nine percent of the caregivers met the criteria for metabolic syndrome. After age, gender, and race were adjusted, the following remained as significant predictors of metabolic syndrome: low levels of caregiver quality of life (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.067; 95% CI, 1.019-1.117; P = .006), high levels of hostility (OR = 1.142; 95% CI, 1.030-1.267; P = .012), and current alcohol use (OR = 4.193; 95% CI, 1.174-14.978; P = .027). Development of interventions to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome in cancer caregivers is recommended

Depression and health care utilization and costs in patients diagnosed with cancer

e23128 Background: The aims of this study were to examine the associations between depression and complications, health care utilization and costs in patients with cancer. Methods: Patients diagnosed with cancer were administered a battery of questionnaires, including the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale. Health care utilization and costs for patients was collected for one year after the administration of the CES-D. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and ANOVA, and ordered restricted inference analyses were performed. Results: Of the 100 patients, the mean age was 64.0 years (SD = 10.3), the majority of patients were male (51%), Caucasian (89%), diagnosed with hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma (47%) and stage III and IV cancer (60%), and 34% of patients had clinical levels of depressive symptoms (CES-D > 16). No demographic or disease specific variables were associated with depressive symptoms or outcomes. Surgical patients with clinical levels of depression had a greater number of complications [Chi-square = 4.4, p = 0.036] and a greater severity of complications using Clavien-Dindo classification [Chi-square = 4.5, p = 0.033]. Patients undergoing chemotherapy, who reported depressive symptoms in the clinical range, were more likely to require medical intervention for chemotherapy side effects [Chi-square = 4.2, p = 0.04]. Patients with clinical levels of depressive symptoms also had a greater number of emergency room visits [F(1,99) = 8.4, p = 0.005]. Patients who reported clinical levels of depressive symptoms had significantly higher median costs associated with the loss of work force productivity (Median = $7154 versus$2104; p = 0.015), hospital costs (Median = $29,917 versus$8292, p = 0.019), and cost per registration (Median = $3324 versus$1247, p = 0.017) but lower physician costs (Median = $6171 versus$10,821; p = 0.026) than patients with non-clinical levels of depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms are associated with increased complications and health care utilization and costs. There is an urgent need for effective and scalable interventions to reduce depressive symptoms in patients diagnosed with cancer to improve quality of life and reduce health care utilization and costs

National Mental Health Survey of India, 2016 - Rationale, design and methods.

Understanding the burden and pattern of mental disorders as well as mapping the existing resources for delivery of mental health services in India, has been a felt need over decades. Recognizing this necessity, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, commissioned the National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) in the year 2014-15. The NMHS aimed to estimate the prevalence and burden of mental health disorders in India and identify current treatment gaps, existing patterns of health-care seeking, service utilization patterns, along with an understanding of the impact and disability due to these disorders. This paper describes the design, steps and the methodology adopted for phase 1 of the NMHS conducted in India. The NMHS phase 1 covered a representative population of 39,532 from 12 states across 6 regions of India, namely, the states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (North); Tamil Nadu and Kerala (South); Jharkhand and West Bengal (East); Rajasthan and Gujarat (West); Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (Central) and Assam and Manipur (North East). The NMHS of India (2015-16) is a unique representative survey which adopted a uniform and standardized methodology which sought to overcome limitations of previous surveys. It employed a multi-stage, stratified, random cluster sampling technique, with random selection of clusters based on Probability Proportionate to Size. It was expected that the findings from the NMHS 2015-16 would reveal the burden of mental disorders, the magnitude of the treatment gap, existing challenges and prevailing barriers in the mental-health delivery systems in the country at a single point in time. It is hoped that the results of NMHS will provide the evidence to strengthen and implement mental health policies and programs in the near future and provide the rationale to enhance investment in mental health care in India. It is also hoped that the NMHS will provide a framework for conducting similar population based surveys on mental health and other public health problems in low and middle-income countries