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Lion KC, Faro EZ, Coker TR. All Quality Improvement Is Health Equity Work: Designing Improvement to Reduce Disparities. Pediatrics 2022; 149:184820. [PMID: 35230431 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2020-045948e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Quality improvement (QI) can be a critical means by which to achieve equity in health and health care. QI efforts, however, often fail to be designed and implemented through the lens of health equity. In this article, we will discuss the current state of the intersection between QI and health equity, then lay out specific steps researchers and practitioners can take to ensure that their QI work reduces, rather than increases or maintains, existing disparities. These steps include first, understanding existing disparities and, second, utilizing community engagement to ensure that QI enhances health equity. Before embarking on QI work, QI practitioners should first examine their metric of interest by patient characteristics, starting with race and ethnicity, language, and markers of access to care and socioeconomic status. Developing an understanding of existing disparities relevant to the QI project will ensure that the QI interventions can be designed to be most effective in the disadvantaged populations, thus increasing the likelihood that the intervention reduces existing disparities. In designing QI interventions, practitioners must also plan engagement with stakeholder populations ahead of time, to carefully understand their needs and priorities and how best to address them through QI efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Casey Lion
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
| | - Elissa Z Faro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Tumaini R Coker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.,Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, Washington
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Okolie F, South-Paul JE, Watchko JF. Combating the Hidden Health Disparity of Kernicterus in Black Infants: A Review. JAMA Pediatr 2020; 174:1199-1205. [PMID: 32628268 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Kernicterus is a devastating, permanently disabling neurologic condition resulting from bilirubin neurotoxicity. Black neonates account for more than 25% of kernicterus cases in the US, despite making up only approximately 14% of all births. This is a largely overlooked health disparity. OBSERVATIONS The black kernicterus health disparity exists despite a lower overall incidence of clinically significant hyperbilirubinemia among black neonates, a paradox recently explained by a previously unrecognized risk for hazardous hyperbilirubinemia. Aligned with national and global health initiatives to reduce or eliminate health disparities, this review highlights the multiple biologic and nonbiologic factors contributing to kernicterus risk in black infants and approaches to reduce this health disparity. This includes both parent-level and clinician-level kernicterus prevention strategies, with an emphasis on improving parental health literacy on neonatal jaundice and acute bilirubin encephalopathy and clinician awareness of the key factors that contribute to hazardous hyperbilirubinemia risk in this vulnerable group. Parent-level prevention strategies include efforts to improve their health literacy on neonatal jaundice and acute bilirubin encephalopathy and empower care seeking for jaundice. Clinician-level prevention strategies include efforts to eliminate community and institutional barriers that impede access to care, heighten clinician awareness of the factors that contribute to kernicterus risk in this vulnerable patient group, and strengthen newborn hyperbilirubinemia management and bilirubin surveillance. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE There are multiple opportunities for intervention to reduce black kernicterus risk. Although kernicterus is a rare disorder, the incidence among black infants is not a trivial matter nor are efforts to prevent kernicterus. While the multiple interacting biologic and nonbiologic contributors to increased kernicterus risk among black infants pose a considerable challenge to clinicians, there are opportunities for intervention to reduce this risk and health disparity. Continued study is imperative to understand the current scope of kernicterus and its occurrence in black neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Okolie
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Jeannette E South-Paul
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jon F Watchko
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Isayama T, O'Reilly D, Beyene J, Shah PS, Lee SK, McDonald SD. Hospital Care Cost and Resource Use of Early Discharge of Healthy Late Preterm and Term Singletons: A Population-based Cohort Study and Cost Analysis. J Pediatr 2020; 226:96-105.e7. [PMID: 32610167 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.06.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the hospital care cost and resource use associated with discharge timings after late preterm and term births. STUDY DESIGN This population-based cohort study and cost analysis included all healthy singleton late preterm (35-36 weeks gestational age) and term infants (37-41 weeks gestational age) born vaginally in hospitals in Ontario, Canada, from 2003 to 2012. Early, late, and very late discharge (<48, 48-71, and 72-95 hours after birth, respectively) were compared using generalized linear models. The primary outcome was the total hospital care cost (hospitalizations and emergency department visits) per infant within 28 days of birth. RESULTS Among 860 693 singletons (3.7% late preterm), early discharge increased significantly over 10 years for term infants (from 69% to 82%; P < .001), but not late preterm infants (from 32% to 35%; P = .75). The mean total cost within 28 days after birth was not significantly different for late preterm infants between early discharge and late discharge after adjustment. However, for term infants, the adjusted cost was higher with early discharge than late discharge (aMCD $311 [95% CI, $211-$412] per infant; $366 [95% CI, $355-$377] per mother-infant dyad). The neonatal readmission rates were higher after early than late discharge for late preterm and term infants. CONCLUSIONS Early discharge was not associated with cost savings for vaginally born healthy singleton late preterm infants, and instead was associated with a cost increase for term infants. Early discharge was associated with higher neonatal readmission rates. Individualized approach balancing the risk and benefit is appropriate to determine the discharge timings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsuya Isayama
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Newborn and Developmental Pediatrics, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Neonatology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Daria O'Reilly
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Programs for Assessment of Technology in Health (PATH) Research Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joseph Beyene
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Prakesh S Shah
- Maternal-Infant Care Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shoo K Lee
- Maternal-Infant Care Research Centre, Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sarah D McDonald
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Jay MA, Arat A, Wijlaars L, Ajetunmobi O, Fitzpatrick T, Lu H, Lei S, Skerritt C, Goldfeld S, Gissler M, Gunnlaugsson G, Hrafn Jónsson S, Hjern A, Guttmann A, Gilbert R. Timing of paediatric orchidopexy in universal healthcare systems: international administrative data cohort study. BJS Open 2020; 4:1117-1124. [PMID: 32706149 PMCID: PMC7709362 DOI: 10.1002/bjs5.50329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND International guidelines in 2008 recommended orchidopexy for undescended testis at 6-12 months of age to reduce the risk of testicular cancer and infertility. Using administrative data from England, Finland, Ontario (Canada), Scotland and Sweden (with data from Victoria (Australia) and Iceland in supplementary analyses), the aim of this study was to investigate compliance with these guidelines and identify potential socioeconomic inequities in the timing of surgery before 1 and 3 years. METHODS All boys born in 2003-2011 with a diagnosis code of undescended testis and procedure codes indicating orchidopexy before their fifth birthday were identified from administrative health records. Trends in the proportion of orchidopexies performed before 1 and 3 years of age were investigated, as were socioeconomic inequities in adherence to the guidelines. RESULTS Across all jurisdictions, the proportion of orchidopexies occurring before the first birthday increased over the study period. By 2011, from 7·6 per cent (Sweden) to 27·9 per cent (Scotland) of boys had undergone orchidopexy by their first birthday and 71·5 per cent (Sweden) to 90·4 per cent (Scotland) by 3 years of age. There was limited evidence of socioeconomic inequities for orchidopexy before the introduction of guidelines (2008). Across all jurisdictions for boys born after 2008, there was consistent evidence of inequities in orchidopexy by the first birthday, favouring higher socioeconomic position. Absolute differences in these proportions between the highest and lowest socioeconomic groups ranged from 2·5 to 5·9 per cent across jurisdictions. CONCLUSION Consistent lack of adherence to the guidelines across jurisdictions questions whether the guidelines are appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Jay
- Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching DepartmentUniversity College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child HealthLondonUK
| | - A. Arat
- Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Centre for Health Equity StudiesStockholmSweden
| | - L. Wijlaars
- Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching DepartmentUniversity College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child HealthLondonUK
| | - O. Ajetunmobi
- Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching DepartmentUniversity College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child HealthLondonUK
| | | | | | - S. Lei
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's HospitalAustralia
| | - C. Skerritt
- Bristol Royal Hospital for ChildrenBristolUK
| | - S. Goldfeld
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's HospitalAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - M. Gissler
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and SocietyKarolinska InstitutetHuddingeSweden
- Information Services DepartmentFinnish Institute for Health and WelfareHelsinkiFinland
| | - G. Gunnlaugsson
- Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and FolkloristicsUniversity of IcelandReykjavíkIceland
| | - S. Hrafn Jónsson
- Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and FolkloristicsUniversity of IcelandReykjavíkIceland
| | - A. Hjern
- Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet and Centre for Health Equity StudiesStockholmSweden
| | - A. Guttmann
- Child Health Evaluative SciencesCanada
- Division of Paediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick ChildrenCanada
- ICESCanada
- Dalla Lana School of Public HealthCanada
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - R. Gilbert
- Population Policy and Practice Research and Teaching DepartmentUniversity College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child HealthLondonUK
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Watchko JF. Maternal Instruction on Neonatal Jaundice: What Can we Learn from the Stop Kernicterus in Nigeria (SKIN) Experience? J Pediatr 2020; 221:7-8. [PMID: 32143926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2020.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon F Watchko
- Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Maisels MJ, Watchko JF. Improving post-discharge neonatal surveillance for the jaundiced newborn. Acta Paediatr 2020; 109:872-873. [PMID: 32017238 DOI: 10.1111/apa.15154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- M Jeffrey Maisels
- Department of Pediatrics, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Beaumont Children's Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Jon F Watchko
- Division of Newborn medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Watchko JF. TcB, FFR, phototherapy and the persistent occurrence of kernicterus spectrum disorder. J Perinatol 2020; 40:177-179. [PMID: 31911651 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-019-0583-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon F Watchko
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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Harron K, Gilbert R, Cromwell D, Oddie S, Guttmann A, van der Meulen J. International comparison of emergency hospital use for infants: data linkage cohort study in Canada and England. BMJ Qual Saf 2017; 27:31-39. [PMID: 28607037 PMCID: PMC5750429 DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2016-006253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Objectives To compare emergency hospital use for infants in Ontario (Canada) and England. Methods We conducted a population-based data linkage study in infants born ≥34 weeks’ gestation between 2010 and 2013 in Ontario (n=253 930) and England (n=1 361 128). Outcomes within 12 months of postnatal discharge were captured in hospital records. The primary outcome was all-cause unplanned admissions. Secondary outcomes included emergency department (ED) visits, any unplanned hospital contact (either ED or admission) and mortality. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate risk factors for infant admission. Results The percentage of infants with ≥1 unplanned admission was substantially lower in Ontario (7.9% vs 19.6% in England) while the percentage attending ED but not admitted was higher (39.8% vs 29.9% in England). The percentage of infants with any unplanned hospital contact was similar between countries (42.9% in Ontario, 41.6% in England) as was mortality (0.05% in Ontario, 0.06% in England). Infants attending ED were less likely to be admitted in Ontario (7.3% vs 26.2%), but those who were admitted were more likely to stay for ≥1 night (94.0% vs 55.2%). The strongest risk factors for admission were completed weeks of gestation (adjusted OR for 34–36 weeks vs 39+ weeks: 2.44; 95% CI 2.29 to 2.61 in Ontario and 1.66; 95% CI 1.62 to 1.70 in England) and young maternal age. Conclusions Children attending ED in England were much more likely to be admitted than those in Ontario. The tendency towards more frequent, shorter admissions in England could be due to more pressure to admit within waiting time targets, or less availability of paediatric expertise in ED. Further evaluations should consider where best to focus resources, including in-hospital, primary care and paediatric care in the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Harron
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Ruth Gilbert
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, UK
| | - David Cromwell
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Sam Oddie
- Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK
| | - Astrid Guttmann
- Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jan van der Meulen
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.,Clinical Effectiveness Unit, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, UK
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