Multiple chronic conditions and healthcare costs among adults

Disparities in cardiovascular disease outcomes and economic burdens among minorities in southeastern Virginia

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in the United States, presenting significant public health challenges and financial burdens, particularly in Southeastern Virginia, where African American and Hispanic (AA&H) populations are disproportionately affected.

METHODS

This retrospective observational study analyzed data from 30,855 hospital discharges of AA&H patients across Southeastern Virginia from 2016 to 2020, focusing on individuals aged 18 to 85 with cardiovascular diseases. Utilizing the Virginia Health Information database, we examined demographic information, clinical data, and healthcare utilization patterns through hypothesis tests and regression models to explore associations between these variables and the economic impacts of cardiovascular diseases.

RESULTS

Heart failure and shock (47.2% of discharges) and cardiac arrhythmia and conduction disorders (12.3%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular conditions. Female patients incurred significantly higher charges than males across conditions (7.1% higher in heart failure, p < 0.0001; 8.8% higher in chest pain, p < 0.01). Younger patients (< 65 years) faced 8.5% higher charges for cardiac arrhythmia with procedures (p < 0.0001) and 5.2% higher charges for circulatory disorders (p < 0.05). Year of discharge consistently predicted increasing costs (standardized coefficient 0.816 for acute myocardial infarction, p < 0.0001). The presence of fluid and electrolyte disorders was associated with significantly higher charges across conditions (standardized coefficient 0.042 for heart failure, p < 0.0001; 0.051 for acute myocardial infarction, p < 0.0001).

DISCUSSION

The findings highlight the complex interplay between demographic characteristics and healthcare costs among AA&H populations, underscoring the need for targeted interventions. The significant economic impact observed calls for culturally competent healthcare strategies that can mitigate high costs and improve health outcomes. However, the retrospective, administrative nature of the data limits establishing causality, with potential misclassification of some conditions.

CONCLUSION

This study provides crucial insights into cardiovascular disease management's demographic and economic dimensions among AA&H populations in Southeastern Virginia. By identifying key factors contributing to healthcare disparities, the research supports the development of tailored interventions aimed at reducing the burden of cardiovascular diseases, thereby improving overall health equity and reducing economic strains on the healthcare system.

S1P regulates intervertebral disc aging by mediating endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium ion homeostasis

As the aging process progresses, age-related intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is becoming an emerging public health issue. Site-1 protease (S1P) has recently been found to be associated with abnormal spinal development in patients with mutations and has multiple biological functions. Here, we discovered a reduction of S1P in degenerated and aging intervertebral discs, primarily regulated by DNA methylation. Furthermore, through drug treatment and siRNA-mediated S1P knockdown, nucleus pulposus cells were more prone to exhibit degenerative and aging phenotypes. Conditional KO of S1P in mice resulted in spinal developmental abnormalities and premature aging. Mechanistically, S1P deficiency impeded COP II-mediated transport vesicle formation, which leads to protein retention in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and subsequently ER distension. ER distension increased the contact between the ER and mitochondria, disrupting ER-to-mitochondria calcium flow and resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism disturbance. Finally, using 2-APB to inhibit calcium ion channels and the senolytic drug dasatinib and quercetin (D + Q) partially rescued the aging and degenerative phenotypes caused by S1P deficiency. In conclusion, our findings suggest that S1P is a critical factor in causing IVDD in the process of aging and highlight the potential of targeting S1P as a therapeutic approach for age-related IVDD.

A pilot community-based Diabetes Prevention and Management Program for adults with diabetes and prediabetes

Background

West Virginia is a rural state with high rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and prediabetes. The Diabetes Prevention and Management (DPM) program was a health coach (HC)-led, 12-month community-based lifestyle intervention.

Objective

The study examined the impact of the DPM program on changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) and weight over twelve months among rural adults with diabetes and prediabetes. Program feasibility and acceptability were also explored.

Methods

An explanatory sequential quantitative and qualitative one-group study design was used to gain insight into the pre- and 12-month changes to health behavior and clinical outcomes. Trained HCs delivered the educational sessions and provided weekly health coaching feedback. Assessments included demographics, clinical, anthropometric, and qualitative focus groups. Participants included 94 obese adults with diabetes (63%) and prediabetes (37%). Twenty-two participated in three focus groups.

Results

Average attendance was 13.7 ± 6.1 out of 22 sessions. Mean weight loss was 4.4 ± 11.5 lbs at twelve months and clinical improvement in A1C (0.4%) was noted among T2DM adults. Program retention (82%) was higher among older participants and those with poor glycemic control. While all participants connected to a trained HC, only 72% had regular weekly health coaching. Participants reported overall acceptability and satisfaction with the program and limited barriers to program engagement.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that it is feasible to implement an HC-led DPM program in rural communities and improve A1C in T2DM adults. Trained HCs have the potential to be integrated with healthcare teams in rural regions of the United States.

Missing Medical Data in Neurological Emergency Care Compromise Patient Safety and Healthcare Resources

Background: Acute care of patients in the emergency department (ED) can be very challenging when patients attend EDs without their important medical information. This is especially problematic for multimorbid patients under polypharmacy. The aim of this study was to assess systematically the frequency and clinical relevance of incomplete medical data upon ED admission. Methods: The study was conducted in the neurological ED of a German tertiary hospital. The availability and accuracy of medical data of all neurological patients in the ED were assessed upon arrival. Treating ED physicians were asked about the acute care of the patients to clarify whether missing data resulted in delays or complications in the emergency treatment. Additionally, doctors responsible for the inpatient care of patients who were admitted to a ward via the ED were questioned about the course of the inpatient stay to monitor how initially missing data might have influenced the hospital stay. Results: Medical data of 27% of the 272 included patients were missing or incomplete upon admission in the ED. The ED physicians had to make additional phone calls to gather information in 57% of these cases (vs. 22% in patients with complete data, p < 0.0001). Delays between 5 and 240 min were documented due to initially missing data. Unnecessary diagnostic procedures (e.g., lumbar puncture) were performed in 5% of these patients, thus compromising patient safety. Even the inpatient stay was complicated by initially missing data, as doctors still had to spend time (between 10 and 180 min) to gain relevant information. Retrospectively, 5% of hospitalizations could have been avoided if all medical information had been available upon ED admission. Conclusions: Missing medical data caused complications and delays in acute as well as inpatient care of patients admitted to the neurological ED. This compromised patient safety and led to a waste of medical resources and valuable time of the responsible medical team. Therefore, a comprehensive, digital data management system is urgently needed to improve patient safety and facilitate efficient patient care in the ED and beyond.

When the Going Gets Tough: Multimorbidity and Heavy and Binge Drinking Among Adults

INTRODUCTION

Multimorbidity, the presence of two or more long-term health conditions in the same individual, is an emerging epidemic associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Continued drinking concurrent with alcohol-related chronic conditions, particularly with multimorbidity, is likely to further elevate health risk. This study aimed to examine the associations of multimorbidity among diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer with drinking, and moderation of these associations by age.

METHODS

Logistic regression modeling was performed in 2023 using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults from the 2015-19 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Multimorbidity was assessed using (1) a count of these conditions and (2) disease-specific categories. The outcomes were past month heavy drinking (7+/14+ drinks weekly) and binge drinking (4+/5+ drinks per occasion) for women and men.

RESULTS

A pattern of reduced odds for drinking outcomes associated with a greater degree of multimorbidity was found. This pattern was more apparent in models using the continuous measure of multimorbidity than in those using the categorical measure, and more consistent for binge drinking than for heavy drinking and for women than for men. Significant age interactions were found: the log odds of heavy drinking and binge drinking for both men and women decreased as the number of conditions increased, and more steeply for those ages 50+ than the younger. The log odds of heavy drinking varied little among men under age 50 regardless of multimorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Alcohol interventions to reduce drinking with multimorbidity, particularly among heavy-drinking men under age 50, are warranted.

Can pain be self-managed? Pain change in vulnerable participants to a health education programme

Chronic pain exerts a significant impact on the quality of life, giving rise to both physical and psycho-social vulnerabilities. It not only leads to direct costs associated with treatments, but also results in indirect costs due to the reduced productivity of affected individuals. Chronic conditions can be improved by reducing modifiable risk factors. Various educational programs, including the Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP), have demonstrated the advantages of enhancing patient empowerment and health literacy. Nevertheless, their efficacy in addressing pain symptoms has received limited attention, especially concerning vulnerable populations. This research aims to assess the effectiveness of the CDSMP in alleviating pain among socio-economically vulnerable participants with chronic conditions. By accounting for a wide range of variables, and using data from the EFFICHRONIC project (EU health programme), we investigated the changes in pain levels after the intervention, among 1070 participants from five European countries. Our analyses revealed a significant reduction in pain following the intervention. This finding supports the notion that training programs can effectively ameliorate pain and alleviate its impact on the quality of life, particularly in vulnerable populations. Younger participants, as well as those with higher education levels and individuals experiencing higher levels of pain at baseline, were more likely to experience a reduction in their pain levels. These findings underscore the importance of recognising the social determinants of health. The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ISRCTN70517103).

Multipsychiatric Comorbidity in People With Epilepsy Compared With People Without Epilepsy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Persons with epilepsy (PwE) have a higher risk of developing psychiatric comorbidities compared with the general population. There is limited knowledge about the prevalence of multiple psychiatric conditions in PwE. We summarize the current evidence on the prevalence of multipsychiatric comorbidities in PwE compared with persons without epilepsy.

METHODS

A systematic review of multipsychiatric comorbidities in PwE compared with persons without epilepsy was performed, and the results were reported using the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting standards. The search was conducted from January 1945 to June 2023 in Ovid MEDLINE. Embase, and PsycINFO, using the search terms related to "epilepsy," "psychiatric comorbidity," and "multimorbidity," combined with psychiatric disorders. Abstracts were reviewed in duplicate, and data were independently extracted using standard proforma. Data describing multipsychiatric comorbidities in PwE compared with persons without epilepsy were recorded. Descriptive statistics and, when feasible, meta-analyses are presented. The risk of bias of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and the International League Against Epilepsy tool.

RESULTS

A total of 12,841 records were identified from the systematic database search, and 15 studies met the eligibility criteria. All included studies were deemed high-quality in risk of bias according to both tools. The prevalence of multipsychiatric comorbidity was greater in persons with compared with those without epilepsy. The pooled prevalence of concomitant depression and anxiety disorder in PwE in 2 population-based studies was 15 of 163 (9.2%), which was significantly higher than 250 of 10,551 (2.4%) in patients without epilepsy (odds ratio [OR] 3.7, 95% CI 2.1-6.5, p-value <0.001, I2 = 0%, Cochran Q p-value for heterogeneity = 0.84). In 2 hospital-based studies, the prevalence of concomitant depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in PwE (14/97, 14.4%) was significantly higher than in patients without epilepsy (5/126, 3.9%), with an OR 5.2 (95% CI 1.8-15.0, p-value = 0.002, I2 = 0%, Cochran Q p-value for heterogeneity = 0.79).

DISCUSSION

PwE experience elevated levels of multipsychiatric comorbidity compared with those without epilepsy. However, very few studies have empirically evaluated the extent of multipsychiatric comorbidity in PwE compared with persons without epilepsy nor their associations and consequences to prognosis in PwE.

Factors Associated with College Students' Attitudes Toward Telehealth for Primary Care

Introduction: Establishing routine primary care visits helps to prevent serious health issues. College students are less likely than the general population to have a regular primary care provider and engage in routine health visits. Recent research provides evidence that telehealth is a convenient alternative to in-person primary care and that college students are comfortable using this technology, suggesting that telehealth has the potential to mitigate this disparity. As attitudes toward telehealth are one critical precursor to behavioral intention and actual utilization of telehealth, the goal of this study was to investigate which factors predict positive or negative attitudes toward telehealth. Methods: Data for this study were collected from a sample of 621 college students at a large southeastern university between September 19, 2022 and December 19, 2022. Results: The study found that college students who reported more trust in physicians, less medical mistrust, and less discrimination in health care settings reported more positive attitudes toward telehealth. Conclusions: These findings suggest that health care providers' skills in delivering patient-centered culturally informed care and building trust and rapport with patients might promote more positive attitudes toward telehealth and, potentially, greater overall utilization of health care services (including both telehealth and in-person services) among college students. This study lays the foundation for future research to examine psychological mechanisms underlying individuals' utilization of telehealth.

The economic burden of multimorbidity: Protocol for a systematic review

Multimorbidity, also known as multiple long-term conditions, leads to higher healthcare utilisation, including hospitalisation, readmission, and polypharmacy, as well as a financial burden to families, society, and nations. Despite some progress, the economic burden of multimorbidity remains poorly understood. This paper outlines a protocol for a systematic review that aims to identify and synthesise comprehensive evidence on the economic burden of multimorbidity, considering various definitions and measurements of multimorbidity, including their implications for future cost-of-illness analyses. The review will include studies involving people of all ages with multimorbidity without any restriction on location and setting. Cost-of-illness studies or studies that examined economic burden including model-based studies will be included, and economic evaluation studies will be excluded. Databases including Scopus (that includes PubMed/MEDLINE), Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, NHS EED (including the HTA database), and the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, will be searched until March 2024. The risk of bias within included studies will be independently assessed by two authors using appropriate checklists. A narrative synthesis of the main characteristics and results, by definitions and measurements of multimorbidity, will be conducted. The total economic burden of multimorbidity will be reported as mean annual costs per patient and disaggregated based on counts of diseases, disease clusters, and weighted indices. The results of this review will provide valuable insights for researchers into the key cost components and areas that require further investigation in order to improve the rigour of future studies on the economic burden of multimorbidity. Additionally, these findings will broaden our understanding of the economic impact of multimorbidity, inform us about the costs of inaction, and guide decision-making regarding resource allocation and cost-effective interventions. The systematic review's results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences, and shared via an online webinar for discussion.

Health Needs Assessment in Home-Living Older Adults: Protocol for a Pre-Post Study

BACKGROUND

Conducting a health needs assessment for older adults is important, particularly for early detection and management of frailty. Such assessments can help to improve health outcomes, maintain overall well-being, and support older adults in retaining their independence as they age at home.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, a systematic approach to health needs assessment is adopted in order to reflect real-world practices in municipal health care and capture the nuances of frailty. The aim is to assess changes in frailty levels in home-living older adults over 5 months and to examine the observable functional changes from a prestudy baseline (t1) to a poststudy period (t2). Additionally, the study explores the feasibility of conducting the health needs assessment from the perspective of home-living older adults and their informal caregivers.

METHODS

Interprofessional teams of registered nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists will conduct 2 health needs assessments covering physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and behavioral domains. The study includes 40 home-living older adults of 75 years of age or older, who have applied for municipal health and care services in Norway. A quantitative approach will be applied to assess changes in frailty levels in home-living older adults over 5 months. In addition, we will examine the observable functional changes from t1 to t2 and how these changes correlate to frailty levels. Following this, a qualitative approach will be used to examine the perspectives of participants and their informal caregivers regarding the health needs assessment and its feasibility. The final sample size for the qualitative phase will be determined based on the participant's willingness to be interviewed. The quantitative data consist of descriptive statistics, simple tests, and present plots and correlation coefficients. For the qualitative analysis, we will apply thematic analysis.

RESULTS

The initial baseline assessments were completed in July 2023, and the second health needs assessments are ongoing. We expect the results to be available for analysis in the spring of 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has potential benefits for not only older adults and their informal caregivers but also health care professionals. Moreover, it can be used to inform future studies focused on health needs assessments of this specific demographic group. The study also provides meaningful insights for local policy makers, with potential future implications at the national level.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05837728; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05837728.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/55192.

The discourse of delivering person-centred nursing care before, and during, the COVID-19 pandemic: Care as collateral damage

The global COVID-19 pandemic challenged the world-how it functions, how people move in the social worlds and how government/government services and people interact. Health services, operating under the principles of new public management, have undertaken rapid changes to service delivery and models of care. What has become apparent is the mechanisms within which contemporary health services operate and how services are not prioritising the person at the centre of care. Person-centred care (PCC) is the philosophical premise upon which models of health care are developed and implemented. Given the strain that COVID-19 has placed on the health services and the people who deliver the care, it is essential to explore the tensions that exist in this space. This article suggests that before the pandemic, PCC was largely rhetoric, and rendered invisible during the pandemic. The paper presents an investigation into the role of PCC in these challenging times, adopting a Foucauldian lens, specifically governmentality and biopolitics, to examine the policies, priorities and practical implications as health services pivoted and adapted to changing and acute demands. Specifically, this paper draws on the Australian experience, including shifting nursing workforce priorities and additional challenges resulting from public health directives such as lockdowns and limitations. The findings from this exploration open a space for discussion around the rhetoric of PCC, the status of nurses and that which has been lost to the pandemic.

Multimorbidity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Literature Review and Future Directions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To offer a narrative review of literature and an update on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) multimorbidity research over the past five years as well as future directions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patients with RA experience higher prevalence of multimorbidity (31-86% vs 18-71% in non-RA) and faster accumulation of comorbidities. Patients with multimorbidity have worse outcomes compared to non-RA multimorbid patients and RA without multimorbidity including mortality, cardiac events, and hospitalizations. Comorbid disease clusters often included: cardiopulmonary, cardiometabolic, and depression and pain-related conditions. High-frequency comorbidities included interstitial lung disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis, thyroid disorders, hypertension, and cancer. Furthermore, patients with RA and multimorbidity are paradoxically at increased risk of high RA disease activity but experience a lower likelihood of biologic use and more biologic failures. RA patients experience higher prevalence of multimorbidity and worse outcomes versus non-RA and RA without multimorbidity. Findings call for further studies.

Racial differences in healthcare expenditures for prevalent multimorbidity combinations in the USA: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to model total charges for the most prevalent multimorbidity combinations in the USA and assess model accuracy across Asian/Pacific Islander, African American, Biracial, Caucasian, Hispanic, and Native American populations.

METHODS

We used Cerner HealthFacts data from 2016 to 2017 to model the cost of previously identified prevalent multimorbidity combinations among 38 major diagnostic categories for cohorts stratified by age (45-64 and 65 +). Examples of prevalent multimorbidity combinations include lipedema with hypertension or hypertension with diabetes. We applied generalized linear models (GLM) with gamma distribution and log link function to total charges for all cohorts and assessed model accuracy using residual analysis. In addition to 38 major diagnostic categories, our adjusted model incorporated demographic, BMI, hospital, and census division information.

RESULTS

The mean ages were 55 (45-64 cohort, N = 333,094) and 75 (65 + cohort, N = 327,260), respectively. We found actual total charges to be highest for African Americans (means $78,544 [45-64], $176,274 [65 +]) and lowest for Hispanics (means $29,597 [45-64], $66,911 [65 +]). African American race was strongly predictive of higher costs (p < 0.05 [45-64]; p < 0.05 [65 +]). Each total charge model had a good fit. With African American as the index race, only Asian/Pacific Islander and Biracial were non-significant in the 45-64 cohort and Biracial in the 65 + cohort. Mean residuals were lowest for Hispanics in both cohorts, highest in African Americans for the 45-64 cohort, and highest in Caucasians for the 65 + cohort. Model accuracy varied substantially by race when multimorbidity grouping was considered. For example, costs were markedly overestimated for 65 + Caucasians with multimorbidity combinations that included heart disease (e.g., hypertension + heart disease and lipidemia + hypertension + heart disease). Additionally, model residuals varied by age/obesity status. For instance, model estimates for Hispanic patients were highly underestimated for most multimorbidity combinations in the 65 + with obesity cohort compared with other age/obesity status groupings.

CONCLUSIONS

Our finding demonstrates the need for more robust models to ensure the healthcare system can better serve all populations. Future cost modeling efforts will likely benefit from factoring in multimorbidity type stratified by race/ethnicity and age/obesity status.

Is tooth loss associated with multiple chronic conditions?

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between tooth loss and co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) among American adults at working age.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data was from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System 2018, a cross-sectional telephone-based, nationally representative survey of American adults. We included participants aged 25-64 years. The survey included sociodemographic data, reported diagnosis of chronic conditions, the number of missing teeth and health behaviours. An aggregate variable of chronic conditions was created which included heart attack, angina, stroke, cancer, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, depression, and kidney diseases. The association between the number of missing teeth and the aggregate of chronic conditions was assessed adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

The analysis included 202,809 participants. The mean number of MCC was 0.86 (95% Confidence Interval 'CI':0.85,0.87). Tooth loss was significantly associated with MCC with rate ratio 1.18 (95% CI:1.15,1.21), 1.53 (95% CI:1.48,1.59) and 1.62 (95% CI:1.55,1.69) for those reporting losing 1-5 teeth, 6 or more but not all, and all teeth, respectively after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioural factors.

CONCLUSION

Tooth loss could be an early marker for the co-occurrence of multiple chronic conditions among adults of working age. The association could be attributed to common risk factors for oral and general health.

From Revolution to Evolution: Early Experience with Virtual-First, Outcomes-Based Primary Care

Primary care is foundational to health systems and a common good. The workforce is threatened by outdated approaches to organizing work, payment, and technology. Primary care work should be restructured to support a team-based model, optimized to efficiently achieve the best population health outcomes. In a virtual-first, outcomes-based primary care model, a majority of professional time for primary care team members is protected for virtual, asynchronous patient interactions, collaboration across clinical disciplines, and real-time management of patients with acute and complex concerns. Payments must be re-structured to cover the cost of, and reward the value created by, this advanced model. Technology investments should shift from legacy electronic health records to patient relationship management systems, built to support continuous, outcome-based care. These changes enable primary care team members to focus on building engaged, trusting relationships with patients and their families and collaborating on complex management decisions, and reconnecting team members with joy in clinical practice.

Estimating health spending associated with chronic multimorbidity in 2018: An observational study among adults in the United States

BACKGROUND

The rise in health spending in the United States and the prevalence of multimorbidity-having more than one chronic condition-are interlinked but not well understood. Multimorbidity is believed to have an impact on an individual's health spending, but how having one specific additional condition impacts spending is not well established. Moreover, most studies estimating spending for single diseases rarely adjust for multimorbidity. Having more accurate estimates of spending associated with each disease and different combinations could aid policymakers in designing prevention policies to more effectively reduce national health spending. This study explores the relationship between multimorbidity and spending from two distinct perspectives: (1) quantifying spending on different disease combinations; and (2) assessing how spending on a single diseases changes when we consider the contribution of multimorbidity (i.e., additional/reduced spending that could be attributed in the presence of other chronic conditions).

METHODS AND FINDINGS

We used data on private claims from Truven Health MarketScan Research Database, with 16,288,894 unique enrollees ages 18 to 64 from the US, and their annual inpatient and outpatient diagnoses and spending from 2018. We selected conditions that have an average duration of greater than one year among all Global Burden of Disease causes. We used penalized linear regression with stochastic gradient descent approach to assess relationship between spending and multimorbidity, including all possible disease combinations with two or three different conditions (dyads and triads) and for each condition after multimorbidity adjustment. We decomposed the change in multimorbidity-adjusted spending by the type of combination (single, dyads, and triads) and multimorbidity disease category. We defined 63 chronic conditions and observed that 56.2% of the study population had at least two chronic conditions. Approximately 60.1% of disease combinations had super-additive spending (e.g., spending for the combination was significantly greater than the sum of the individual diseases), 15.7% had additive spending, and 23.6% had sub-additive spending (e.g., spending for the combination was significantly less than the sum of the individual diseases). Relatively frequent disease combinations (higher observed prevalence) with high estimated spending were combinations that included endocrine, metabolic, blood, and immune disorders (EMBI disorders), chronic kidney disease, anemias, and blood cancers. When looking at multimorbidity-adjusted spending for single diseases, the following had the highest spending per treated patient and were among those with high observed prevalence: chronic kidney disease ($14,376 [12,291,16,670]), cirrhosis ($6,465 [6,090,6,930]), ischemic heart disease (IHD)-related heart conditions ($6,029 [5,529,6,529]), and inflammatory bowel disease ($4,697 [4,594,4,813]). Relative to unadjusted single-disease spending estimates, 50 conditions had higher spending after adjusting for multimorbidity, 7 had less than 5% difference, and 6 had lower spending after adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS

We consistently found chronic kidney disease and IHD to be associated with high spending per treated case, high observed prevalence, and contributing the most to spending when in combination with other chronic conditions. In the midst of a surging health spending globally, and especially in the US, pinpointing high-prevalence, high-spending conditions and disease combinations, as especially conditions that are associated with larger super-additive spending, could help policymakers, insurers, and providers prioritize and design interventions to improve treatment effectiveness and reduce spending.

Financial Hardship and its Associations with Perceived Sleep Quality in Participants with Type 2 Diabetes and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to explore social determinants of health (SDoH), and disease severity as predictors of sleep quality in persons with both Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

Disease severity was measured by Apnea-Hypopnea Index [(AHI) ≥ 5] and HbA1c for glycemic control. SDoH included subjective and objective financial hardship, race, sex, marital status, education, and age. Sleep quality was measured by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

RESULTS

The sample (N = 209) was middle-aged (57.6 ± 10.0); 66% White and 34% African American; and 54% men and 46% women. Participants carried a high burden of disease (mean AHI = 20.7 ± 18.1, mean HbA1c = 7.9% ± 1.7%). Disease severity was not significantly associated with sleep quality (all p >.05). Worse sleep quality was associated with both worse subjective (b = -1.54, p = .015) and objective (b = 2.58, p <.001) financial hardship. Characteristics significantly associated with both subjective and objective financial hardship included being African American, female, ≤ 2 years post high school, and of younger ages (all p < .01).Discussion: Financial hardship is a more important predictor of sleep quality than disease severity, age, sex, race, marital status, and educational attainment, in patients with OSA and T2D.

The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions and medical burden in asthma patients

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of multiple chronic conditions (MCC), defined as several coexisting chronic conditions, has increased with the aging of society. MCC is associated with poor outcomes, but most comorbid diseases in asthma patients have been evaluated as asthma-associated diseases. We investigated the morbidity of coexisting chronic diseases in asthma patients and their medical burdens.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort for 2002-2013. We defined MCC with asthma as a group of one or more chronic diseases in addition to asthma. We analyzed 20 chronic conditions, including asthma. Age was categorized into groups 1-5 (< 10, 10-29, 30-44, 45-64, and ≥ 65 years, respectively). The frequency of medical system use and associated costs were analyzed to determine the asthma-related medical burden in patients with MCC.

RESULTS

The prevalence of asthma was 13.01%, and the prevalence of MCC in asthmatic patients was 36.55%. The prevalence of MCC with asthma was higher in females than males and increased with age. The significant comorbidities were hypertension, dyslipidemia, arthritis, and diabetes. Dyslipidemia, arthritis, depression, and osteoporosis were more common in females than males. Hypertension, diabetes, COPD, coronary artery disease, cancer, and hepatitis were more prevalent in males than females. According to age, the most prevalent chronic condition in groups 1 and 2 was depression, dyslipidemia in group 3, and hypertension in groups 4 and 5. Older age, low income, and severe disability were independent risk factors for MCC in patients with asthma. The frequency of asthma-related medical system use and asthma-associated costs increased with increasing numbers of coexisting chronic diseases.

CONCLUSION

Comorbid chronic diseases in asthma patients differed according to age and sex. The asthma-related-medical burdens were highest in patients with five or more chronic conditions and groups 1 and 5.

Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Imaging Examinations: Perspectives From National Patient Surveys Over Two Decades

PURPOSE

Using national surveys, we longitudinally studied imaging costs-and specifically those paid out-of-pocket (OOP) by patients-over two decades.

METHODS

Using 2000 to 2019 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, we identified all imaging-focused encounters (mammography, radiography, ultrasonography, and CT and MR [surveyed together in Medical Expenditure Panel Survey]) and calculated mean overall and OOP encounter costs. Effects of sociodemographic, personal, and clinical factors were measured using logistic regression and generalized linear modeling.

RESULTS

We identified 102,717 patients (mean 45.6 years; 64.8% female; 58.8% White) undergoing 229,010 imaging-focused encounters. Between 2000 and 2019, mean costs of mammography, radiography, and ultrasonography increased 14.5%, 24.5%, and 40% and total mean cost of CT or MR decreased by 15.1%. OOP costs were incurred by 51%. Overall mean OOP costs increased 89.8% from 2000 to 2019. Mean OOP costs for mammography decreased by 32.9%; mean OOP costs for radiography, ultrasonography, and CT or MR increased 81%, 123.2%, and 61%, respectively. Patients were less likely to incur OOP costs when older, of racial and ethnic minorities, female, or recipients of public only (versus private) insurance. Among those with OOP costs, the presence of comorbidities, lack of insurance, younger age, and history of cancer significantly increased OOP costs.

CONCLUSION

Mean overall patient OOP costs for imaging examinations increased significantly and substantially over the last two decades. Lack of insurance, younger age, history of cancer, and other comorbidities were associated with higher OOP costs. As diagnostic imaging utilization increases, patient financial hardship considerations merit further attention.

Factors affecting hospital services overutilization and reductive strategies in Iran: a qualitative study to explore experts' views

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the viewpoints of the main stakeholders of the Iranian healthcare system about the overutilization of hospital services and strategies to eliminate or reduce it in Iran.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study and thematic data analysis using face-to-face semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). We conducted eight interviewers and two FGDs with hospital stakeholders including faculty members, insurance organizations' authorities, experienced hospital administrative staff, hospital managers, and health-care providers.

RESULTS

The factors leading to the overutilization of hospital services were categorized into four main themes including site of service, quality, supplier push, and demand pull. Strategies for eliminating or reducing the overutilization of hospital services are also identified based on the influential factors.

CONCLUSION

Addressing overutilization of hospital services in the health system and adherence to policies for reducing or eliminating overutilization is a way to make preventive strategies to overcome overutilization. Developing a national plan to integrate utilization management into health system programs is a strategy to combat overutilization in various levels of the health system including hospital setting.

The impact of chronic diseases on psychological distress among the older adults: the mediating and moderating role of activities of daily living and perceived social support

OBJECTIVES

Previous literature has shown that chronic diseases and psychological distress are correlated. However, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship have not been sufficiently studied. The purpose of this study was to explore the role played by activities of daily living (ADL) and perceived social support.

METHOD

Face-to-face questionnaire-based surveys were conducted with 3250 valid participants (age ≥60 years). Participants were assessed using the Barthel Index, Perceived Social Support Scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21.

RESULTS

1) Chronic diseases had a significant direct effect on psychological distress in older adults; 2) the relationship between chronic diseases and psychological distress was partially mediated by ADL; and 3) the impact of chronic diseases on psychological distress was significantly moderated by perceived social support. More importantly, perceived social support was a protective factor that could effectively alleviate the adverse effects of chronic diseases on psychological distress.

CONCLUSION

The results add to the existing literature by uncovering the underlying mechanisms between chronic diseases and mental health. These findings have implications for early intervention and prevention of mental health problems in older adults.

Costs of multimorbidity: a systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Multimorbidity is a rising global phenomenon, placing strains on countries' population health and finances. This systematic review provides insight into the costs of multimorbidity through addressing the following primary and secondary research questions: What evidence exists on the costs of multimorbidity? How do costs of specific disease combinations vary across countries? How do multimorbidity costs vary across disease combinations? What "cost ingredients" are most commonly included in these multimorbidity studies?

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42020204871) of studies published from January 2010 to January 2022, which reported on costs associated with combinations of at least two specified conditions. Systematic string-based searches were conducted in MEDLINE, The Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, Global Health, Web of Science, and Business Source Complete. We explored the association between costs of multimorbidity and country Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita using a linear mixed model with random intercept. Annual mean direct medical costs per capita were pooled in fixed-effects meta-analyses for each of the frequently reported dyads. Costs are reported in 2021 International Dollars (I$).

RESULTS

Fifty-nine studies were included in the review, the majority of which were from high-income countries, particularly the United States. (1) Reported annual costs of multimorbidity per person ranged from I$800 to I$150,000, depending on disease combination, country, cost ingredients, and other study characteristics. (2) Our results further demonstrated that increased country GDP per capita was associated with higher costs of multimorbidity. (3) Meta-analyses of 15 studies showed that on average, dyads which featured Hypertension were among the least expensive to manage, with the most expensive dyads being Respiratory and Mental Health condition (I$36,840), Diabetes and Heart/vascular condition (I$37,090), and Cancer and Mental Health condition in the first year after cancer diagnosis (I$85,820). (4) Most studies reported only direct medical costs, such as costs of hospitalization, outpatient care, emergency care, and drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

Multimorbidity imposes a large economic burden on both the health system and society, most notably for patients with cancer and mental health condition in the first year after cancer diagnosis. Whether the cost of a disease combination is more or less than the additive costs of the component diseases needs to be further explored. Multimorbidity costing studies typically consider only a limited number of disease combinations, and few have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries and Europe. Rigorous and standardized methods of data collection and costing for multimorbidity should be developed to provide more comprehensive and comparable evidence for the costs of multimorbidity.

Multimorbidity patterns across race/ethnicity as stratified by age and obesity

The objective of our study is to assess differences in prevalence of multimorbidity by race/ethnicity. We applied the FP-growth algorithm on middle-aged and elderly cohorts stratified by race/ethnicity, age, and obesity level. We used 2016–2017 data from the Cerner HealthFacts electronic health record data warehouse. We identified disease combinations that are shared by all races/ethnicities, those shared by some, and those that are unique to one group for each age/obesity level. Our findings demonstrate that even after stratifying by age and obesity, there are differences in multimorbidity prevalence across races/ethnicities. There are multimorbidity combinations distinct to some racial groups—many of which are understudied. Some multimorbidities are shared by some but not all races/ethnicities. African Americans presented with the most distinct multimorbidities at an earlier age. The identification of prevalent multimorbidity combinations amongst subpopulations provides information specific to their unique clinical needs.

Effects of Changes in Multiple Chronic Conditions on Medical Costs among Older Adults in South Korea

This study aims to analyze the relationship between cognitive function and out-of-pocket cost of the state change of multiple chronic conditions in individuals aged 60 or older. Data from the 2014 to 2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging were used for 2202 older adults who were cognitively “normal” at the start of the survey. Four status change groups were established (“Good → Good,” “Good → Bad,” “Bad → Good,” and “Bad → Bad”) according to the change in the number of chronic diseases. Generalized estimating equation modeling analyzed the association between these changes and out-of-pocket medical cost. Out-of-pocket cost was significantly higher among older adults with multiple chronic conditions (p < 0.0001). Total out-of-pocket medical cost and out-of-pocket cost for outpatient care and prescription drugs were significantly higher for Bad→ Bad or Good → Bad changes. Older adults with cognitive decline had significantly higher total out-of-pocket medical cost and out-of-pocket cost for prescription drugs. This study demonstrates the need to improve the multiple chronic conditions management construction model to enhance the health of older adults in Korea and secure national health care finances long-term. It provides a foundation for related medical and medical expenses-related systems.

Dietary patterns of persons with chronic conditions within a multi-ethnic population: results from the nationwide Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices survey on diabetes in Singapore

BACKGROUND

Chronic conditions are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and respective data on dietary patterns remain scant. The present study aimed to investigate dietary patterns and identify sociodemographic factors associated with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) scores within a multi-ethnic population with various chronic conditions.

METHODS

The present study utilised data from the 2019-2020 Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices study on diabetes in Singapore - a nationwide survey conducted to track the knowledge, attitudes, and practices pertaining to diabetes. The study analysed data collected from a sample of 2,895 Singapore residents, with information from the sociodemographic section, DASH diet screener, and the modified version of the World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) version 3.0 checklist of chronic physical conditions.

RESULTS

Respondents with no chronic condition had a mean DASH score of 18.5 (±4.6), those with one chronic condition had a mean DASH score of 19.2 (±4.8), and those with two or more chronic conditions had a mean DASH score of 19.8 (±5.2). Overall, the older age groups [35- 49 years (B = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.23 - 2.33, p <0.001), 50-64 years (B = 2.86, 95% CI: 22.24 - 3.47, p <0.001) and 65 years and above (B = 3.45, 95% CI: 2.73 - 4.17, p <0.001)], Indians (B = 2.54, 95% CI: 2.09 - 2.98, p <0.001) reported better diet quality, while males (B = -1.50, 95% CI: -1.87 - -1.14, p <0.001) reported poorer diet quality versus females.

CONCLUSION

Overall, respondents with two or more chronic conditions reported better quality of diet while the sociodemographic factors of age, gender and ethnicity demonstrated a consistent pattern in correlating with diet quality, consistent with the extant literature. Results provide further insights for policymakers to refine ongoing efforts in relation to healthy dietary practices for Singapore.

Multimorbidity Burden in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-based Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the prevalence and incidence of multimorbidity (MM) in a population-based cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to subjects without RA.

METHODS

Between 1999-2013, residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota with incident RA who met the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria were compared to age- and sex-matched non-RA subjects from the same population. Twenty-five chronic comorbidities from a combination of the Charlson, Elixhauser, and Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Indices were included, excluding rheumatic comorbidities. The Aalen-Johansen method was used to estimate the cumulative incidence of MM (MM2+; ≥ 2 chronic comorbidities) or substantial MM (MM5+; ≥ 5), adjusting for the competing risk of death.

RESULTS

The study included 597 patients with RA and 594 non-RA subjects (70% female, 90% White, mean age 55.5 yrs). At incidence/index date, the prevalence of MM2+ was higher in RA than non-RA subjects (38% RA vs 32% non-RA, P = 0.02), whereas prevalence of MM5+ was similar (5% RA vs. 4% non-RA, P = 0.68). During follow-up (median 11.6 yrs RA, 11.3 yrs non-RA), more patients with RA developed MM2+ (214 RA vs 188 non-RA; adjusted HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.14-1.69). By 10 years after RA incidence/index, the cumulative incidence of MM2+ was 56.5% among the patients with RA (95% CI 56.5-62.3%) compared with 47.9% among the non-RA (95% CI 42.8-53.7%). Patients with RA showed no evidence of increase in incidence of MM5+ (adjusted HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.93-1.47).

CONCLUSION

Patients with RA have both a higher prevalence of MM at the time of RA incidence as well as increased incidence thereafter.

Health care utilization in very advanced ages: A study on predisposing, enabling and need factors

This study aims to examine the effects of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on healthcare utilization in advanced age. Data from a sample of 270 Portuguese community-dwelling persons aged ≥80 years was used. Face-to-face interviews were conducted and included the application of a research protocol addressing a set of sociodemographic and health-related variables that expressed the Andersen Behavioral model (i.e., predisposing, enabling, and need factors). Predictors of visits to general practitioners (GP) and specialist physicians, as well as emergency department (ED) use and hospitalizations were investigated. Multivariate linear and logistic regression analyzes were used to model the effects of predictor factors specified in the Andersen Behavioral model. Our findings underscore that younger age and having multimorbidity were significantly associated with having GP visits. Specialist physician visits were associated with younger age and a higher number of daily medications. ED use was associated with being male, having formal social support and a higher number of daily medications. Hospitalizations were associated with being younger, being male and having multimorbidity. Our findings revealed that need and predisposing factors determined the most healthcare use.

Healthcare Voucher Scheme for Screening of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Population-Based Study

The present study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with unwillingness to join a healthcare voucher scheme for screening of cardiovascular risk factors in a Chinese population. We conducted a telephone survey by random selection of 1200 subjects who were aged 45 years or above in Hong Kong. We collected data on their attitude, perception, and perceived feasibility of a healthcare voucher scheme. The overall rates of having received at least one type, two types, and all three types of screening tests are 81.1%, 80.7%, and 79.3%, respectively. Younger individuals (aOR = 0.338, p = 0.004), those of a higher educational level (aOR = 1.825, p = 0.006), being employed (aOR = 3.030, p = 0.037), and lower perception of screening as beneficial (aOR = 0.495, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with no regular screening for at least one medical condition. The overall rate of willingness to join the voucher scheme (among those aged ≥ 45) is 83.7%. Male sex (aOR = 2.049, p = 0.010) and absence of family history of cardiovascular disease (aOR = 0.362, p = 0.002) are independent predictors of unwillingness to join. Our findings highlighted the significance of sex and family history on screening of cardiovascular factors. These constructs and independent predictors identified provide evidence-based formulation and implementation targeted screening strategies that enhance the screening rate of the three cardiovascular risk factors.

Health information technology to improve care for people with multiple chronic conditions

OBJECTIVE

To review evidence regarding the use of Health Information Technology (health IT) interventions aimed at improving care for people living with multiple chronic conditions (PLWMCC) in order to identify critical knowledge gaps.

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Compendex, and IEEE Xplore databases for studies published in English between 2010 and 2020.

STUDY DESIGN

We identified studies of health IT interventions for PLWMCC across three domains as follows: self-management support, care coordination, and algorithms to support clinical decision making.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS

Structured search queries were created and validated. Abstracts were reviewed iteratively to refine inclusion and exclusion criteria. The search was supplemented by manually searching the bibliographic sections of the included studies. The search included a forward citation search of studies nested within a clinical trial to identify the clinical trial protocol and published clinical trial results. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

The search yielded 1907 articles; 44 were included. Nine randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 35 other studies including quasi-experimental, usability, feasibility, qualitative studies, or development/validation studies of analytic models were included. Five RCTs had positive results, and the remaining four RCTs showed that the interventions had no effect. The studies address individual patient engagement and assess patient-centered outcomes such as quality of life. Few RCTs assess outcomes such as disability and none assess mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite a growing body of literature on health IT interventions or multicomponent interventions including a health IT component for chronic disease management, current evidence for applying health IT solutions to improve care for PLWMCC is limited. The body of literature included in this review provides critical information on the state of the science as well as the many gaps that need to be filled for digital health to fulfill its promise in supporting care delivery that meets the needs of PLWMCC.

Absenteeism-Related Wage Loss Associated With Multimorbidity Among Employed Adults in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incremental absenteeism-related wage loss associated with multimorbidity and examine the influence of paid sick leave policy (PSLP) on multimorbidity-associated absenteeism wage loss.

METHODS

We used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) 2015 data. Two-part generalized linear models (GLM) were employed, using binomial distribution and gamma distribution with a log link.

RESULTS

Nationally, multimorbidity was associated with a $9 billion incremental absenteeism-related wage loss annually among working adults. Absenteeism-related wage loss was higher among those with multimorbidity than those without multimorbidity. The incremental annual absenteeism-related wage loss associated with multimorbidity was lower in settings that offered paid sick leave than that did not offer paid sick leaves.

CONCLUSION

Multimorbidity is associated with higher absenteeism-related wage loss. Paid sick leave policies can reduce the impact of multimorbidity on absenteeism-related wage loss.

Economic Burden of Treatment-Resistant Depression among Adults with Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Conditions and Major Depressive Disorder in the US

OBJECTIVE

Major depressive disorder (MDD) and chronic non-cancer pain conditions (CNPC) often co-occur and exacerbate one another. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adults with CNPC can amplify the economic burden. This study examined the impact of TRD on direct total and MDD-related healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs among commercially insured patients with CNPC and MDD in the US.

METHODS

The retrospective longitudinal cohort study employed a claims-based algorithm to identify adults with TRD from a US claims database (January 2007 to June 2017). Costs (2018 US$) and HRU were compared between patients with and without TRD over a 12-month period after TRD/non-TRD index date. Counterfactual recycled predictions from generalized linear models were used to examine associations between TRD and annual HRU and costs. Post-regression linear decomposition identified differences in patient-level factors between TRD and non-TRD groups that contributed to the excess economic burden of TRD.

RESULTS

Of the 21,180 adults with CNPC and MDD, 10.1% were identified as having TRD. TRD patients had significantly higher HRU, translating into higher average total costs (US$21,015_TRD vs US$14,712_{No TRD}) and MDD-related costs (US$1201_TRD vs US$471_{No TRD}) compared with non-TRD patients (all p < 0.001). Prescription drug costs accounted for 37.6% and inpatient services for 30.7% of the excess total healthcare costs among TRD patients. TRD patients had a significantly higher number of inpatient (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.30, 95% CI 1.14-1.47) and emergency room visits (IRR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34) than non-TRD patients. Overall, 46% of the excess total costs were explained by differences in patient-level characteristics such as polypharmacy, number of CNPC, anxiety, sleep, and substance use disorders between the TRD and non-TRD groups.

CONCLUSION

TRD poses a substantial direct economic burden for adults with CNPC and MDD. Excess healthcare costs may potentially be reduced by providing timely interventions for several modifiable risk factors.

Estimated Health Care Utilization and Expenditures in Individuals With Heart Failure From the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) constitutes a growing burden for public health and the US health care system. While the prevalence of HF is increasing, differences in health care utilization and expenditures within various sociodemographic groups remain poorly defined.

METHODS

We used the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to assess annual health care utilization and expenditures from 2012 to 2017. Health care utilization was based on the annual frequency of various health care encounters. Annual total and out-of-pocket expenditures were evaluated for hospital inpatient stays, emergency room visits, outpatient visits, office-based medical provider visits, prescribed medicines, dental visits, home health aid visits, and other medical expenses. We performed univariable and multivariable regression analysis based on patient characteristics including sociodemographic and comorbidity variables.

RESULTS

Our results showed that total health care expenditures among patients with HF were $21 177 (95% CI, $18 819-$24 736) per year as compared with $5652 (95% CI, $5469-$5837) in those without HF (P<0.001). Total expenditures within the population with HF were primarily being driven by expenditures associated with inpatient hospitalizations. Increasing number of comorbid conditions was associated with significant increases in total health care expenditures. Older age, female sex, earlier study years, number of comorbidities, higher level of education, and increasing family income brackets independently raised out-of-pocket expenditures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings of increased health care utilization and expenditures based on sex, age, increasing number of comorbidities, wealthier income status, and increased education attainment level may be used for efforts aimed at better distributing health care resources to improve health outcomes in HF.

Outcomes With Ultrafiltration Among Hospitalized Patients With Acute Heart Failure (from the National Inpatient Sample)

Acute heart failure (HF) management is a complex and often involves a delicate balance of both cardiac and renal systems. Although pharmacologic diuresis is a mainstay of the pharmacologic management of decompensated HF, ultrafiltration (UF) represents a nonpharmacologic approach in the setting of diuretic resistance. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2009 through 2014 hospitalization data from the National Inpatient Sample. The study population consisted of hospitalizations with a discharge Diagnosis Related Groups of HF who were older than 18 years of age, did not have end-stage kidney disease, acute kidney injury and had not undergone hemodialysis or hemofiltration. There were 6,174 hospitalizations which included UF among the 7,799,915 hospitalizations for HF. Hospitalizations which included UF were among patients significantly younger in age (68.1 ± 1.0 vs 73.8 ± 0.1 years), male (61.9% vs 47.7%), and with higher prevalence of co-morbid conditions including chronic kidney disease (58% vs 31%), diabetes mellitus (53% vs 42%), and higher rates of co-morbidity (Charlson comorbidity score ≥2, 92% vs 80%). All-cause mortality was significantly higher among hospitalizations which included an UF (4.68% vs 2.24%). Hospitalizations with UF had a longer mean length of stay (6.2 vs 4.3 days, p <0.01) average total charges ($42,035 vs 24,867 USD, p <0.01) as compared with those without UF. Hospitalizations with UF were associated with a greater adjusted odds of all-cause mortality (odds ratio: 3.36, [95% confidence interval 1.76,6.40]), greater than DRG-level target length of stay (odds ratio, 2.46; [95 confidence interval 1.65,3.67]), and a 72% increase in the average hospital charges. In conclusion, hospitalizations which included UF identified a subgroup of HF patients with more co-morbid conditions who are at higher risk of mortality and increased resource burden in terms of length of stay and costs. These findings also highlight that the need for UF may identify patients who are most likely to benefit from a multidisciplinary cardiorenal approach to alter the trajectory of their disease.

Comorbidities and mortality risk factors for patients with bronchiectasis

Introduction: Comorbidities in patients with bronchiectasis are common and have a significant impact on clinical outcomes, contributing to lower quality of life, lung function, and exacerbation frequency. At least 13 comorbidities have been associated with a higher risk of mortality in bronchiectasis patients. Nonetheless, the kind of relationship between bronchiectasis and comorbidities is heterogeneous and poorly understood.Areas covered: different biological mechanisms leading to bronchiectasis could have a role in the development of the associated comorbidities. Some comorbidities could have a causal relationship with bronchiectasis, possibly through a variable degree of systemic inflammation, such as in rheumatic disorders and bowel inflammatory diseases. Other comorbidities, such as COPD or asthma, could be associated through airway inflammation and there is an uncertain cause-effect relationship. Finally, shared risk factors could link different comorbidities to bronchiectasis such as in the case of cardiovascular diseases, where the known link between chronic systemic inflammation and pulmonary infection could play a significant role.Expert opinion: Although different tools have been developed to assess the role of comorbidities in bronchiectasis , we believe that the implementation of current strategies to manage them is absolutely necessary and could significantly improve long-term prognosis in patients with bronchiectasis.

Cost analysis of inguinal hernia repair: the influence of clinical and hernia-specific factors

Introduction

As in the rest of the world, in Germany, inguinal hernia operations are among the most common operations. From an economic standpoint, very little is known about the influence of demographic, clinical or hernia-related parameters on the cost of inguinal hernia repair. We, therefore, evaluated individual patient parameters associated with higher costs with a special focus on multimorbidity.

Methods

A total of 916 patients underwent hernia repair for primary or recurrent inguinal hernia between 2014 and 2017 at a single university center and were included in the analysis. The clinical and financial data of these patients were analyzed to identify cost-increasing parameters.

Results

A majority of patients were male (90.7%), with a mean age of 55 years. The surgical methods utilized were mainly the TAPP (57.2%) and Lichtenstein (41.7%) procedures, with an average duration of surgery of 85 min and an average duration of anesthesia of 155 min. The mean cost of all procedures was 3338.3 € (± 1608.1 €).

Older age, multimorbidity, emergency operations with signs of incarceration, longer hospital stays and postoperative complications were significant cost-driving factors. On the other hand, sex, the side of the hernia (left vs. right) and the presence of recurrent hernias had no influence on the overall direct costs.

Conclusion

From a purely economic point of view, older age and multimorbidity are demographic cost-driving factors that cannot be influenced. The national hospital reimbursement system needs to consider and compensate for these factors. Emergency operations need to be prevented by early elective treatment. Long postoperative stays and postoperative complications need to be prevented by proper preoperative check-ups and accurate treatment.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor use, multimorbidity and healthcare expenditures among older adults with late-stage melanoma

Background: The objective of this study is to assess the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and multimorbidity on healthcare expenditures among older patients with late-stage melanoma. Materials & methods: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results linked with Medicare claims was conducted. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze adjusted relationships of ICI, multimorbidity and ICI-multimorbidity interaction on average healthcare expenditures. Results: Patients who received ICI and those who had multimorbidity had significantly higher average total healthcare expenditures compared with ICI nonusers and no multimorbidity. In the fully adjusted model using ICI-multimorbidity interaction, no excess cost was added by multimorbidity. Conclusion: Use of ICIs, regardless of multimorbidity, is associated with increased healthcare expenditures.

Comparison of Hospital-at-Home models: a systematic review of reviews

OBJECTIVES

To provide an overview of the safety and effectiveness of Hospital-at-Home (HaH) according to programme type (early-supported discharge (ESD) vs admission avoidance (AA)), and identify the model with higher evidence for addressing clinical, length of stay (LOS) and cost outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic review of reviews was conducted by performing a search on PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science and Scopus (January 2005 to June 2020) for English-language systematic reviews evaluating HaH. Data on primary outcomes (mortality, readmissions, costs, LOS), secondary outcomes (patient/caregiver outcomes) and process indicators were extracted. Quality of the reviews was assessed using Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews-2. There was no registered protocol.

RESULTS

Ten systematic reviews were identified (four high quality, five moderate quality and one low quality). The reviews were classified according to three use cases. ESD reviews generally revealed comparable mortality (RR 0.92-1.03) and readmissions (RR 1.09-1.25) to inpatient care, shorter hospital LOS (MD -6.76 to -4.44 days) and unclear findings for costs. AA reviews observed a trend towards lower mortality (RR 0.77, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.09) and costs, and comparable or lower readmissions (RR 0.68-0.98). Among reviews including both programme types (ESD/AA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease reviews revealed lower mortality (RR 0.65-0.68) and post-HaH readmissions (RR 0.74-0.76) but unclear findings for resource use.

CONCLUSION

For suitable patients, HaH generally results in similar or improved clinical outcomes compared with inpatient treatment, and warrants greater attention in health systems facing capacity constraints and rising costs. Preliminary comparisons suggest prioritisation of AA models over ESD due to potential benefits in costs and clinical outcomes. Nonetheless, future research should clarify costs of HaH programmes given the current low-quality evidence, as well as address evidence gaps pertaining to caregiver outcomes and adverse events under HaH care.

Population-Based Estimates of Chronic Conditions Affecting Risk for Complications from Coronavirus Disease, United States

We estimated that 45.4% of US adults are at increased risk for complications from coronavirus disease because of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, hypertension, or cancer. Rates increased by age, from 19.8% for persons 18-29 years of age to 80.7% for persons >80 years of age, and varied by state, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and employment.

Perceived social support and health-related quality of life in older adults who have multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers: a dyadic analysis

RATIONALE

Patients who have multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) and their informal caregivers experience poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Perceived social support has been shown to influence HRQOL.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed at identifying the differences between patients' and caregivers' physical and mental HRQOL; and determining the association between their perception of social support from different sources, and their own and their dyad partner's HRQOL.

METHOD

Patients with MCCs and their caregivers (345 dyads) were enrolled in a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted in Italy. The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support measured perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others, and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey measured the physical and mental component of HRQOL in dyads. The dyadic analysis was conducted using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model through structural equation modelling.

RESULTS

Family support perceived by each member of the dyad was associated positively with their own mental HRQOL, and that family support perceived by caregivers was also associated positively with patients' mental HRQOL. Greater family support perceived by caregivers was also associated with better physical HRQOL in both caregivers and patients. Moreover, greater friend-support perceived by each member of the dyad was positively associated with own physical HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests the reciprocal influence of perceived social support from family and friends on physical and mental HRQOL in MCC dyads. Healthcare professionals should identify those people who are the main sources of support for each member of the dyad, and develop care plans that promote the maintenance and enhancing of this support.

Updated Estimates of Chronic Conditions Affecting Risk for Complications from Coronavirus Disease, United States

We updated estimates of adults at risk for coronavirus disease complications on the basis of data for China by using recent US hospitalization data. This update to our previous publication substitutes obesity for cancer as an underlying condition and increases adults reporting any of the conditions from 45.4% to 56.0%.

Development and Validation of a Risk Stratification Model Using Disease Severity Hierarchy for Mortality or Major Cardiovascular Event

IMPORTANCE

Clinical domain knowledge about diseases and their comorbidities, severity, treatment pathways, and outcomes can facilitate diagnosis, enhance preventive strategies, and help create smart evidence-based practice guidelines.

OBJECTIVE

To introduce a new representation of patient data called disease severity hierarchy that leverages domain knowledge in a nested fashion to create subpopulations that share increasing amounts of clinical details suitable for risk prediction.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This retrospective cohort study included 51 969 patients aged 45 to 85 years, with 10 674 patients who received primary care at the Mayo Clinic between January 2004 and December 2015 in the training cohort and 41 295 patients who received primary care at Fairview Health Services from January 2010 to December 2017 in the validation cohort. Data were analyzed from May 2018 to December 2019.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Several binary classification measures, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), Gini score, sensitivity, and positive predictive value, were used to evaluate models predicting all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events at ages 60, 65, 75, and 80 years.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) age and proportions of women and white individuals were 59.4 (10.8) years, 6324 (59.3%) and 9804 (91.9%), respectively, in the training cohort and 57.4 (7.9) years, 21 975 (53.1%), and 37 653 (91.2%), respectively, in the validation cohort. During follow-up, 945 patients (8.9%) in the training cohort died, while 787 (7.4%) had major cardiovascular events. Models using the new representation achieved AUCs for predicting death in the training cohort at ages 60, 65, 75, and 80 years of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.94-0.97), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.95-0.98), 0.97 (95% CI, 0.96-0.98), and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.98-0.99), respectively, while standard methods achieved modest AUCs of 0.67 (95% CI, 0.55-0.80), 0.66 (95% CI, 0.56-0.79), 0.64 (95% CI, 0.57-0.71), and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.54-0.70), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this study, the proposed patient data representation accurately predicted the age at which a patient was at risk of dying or developing major cardiovascular events substantially better than standard methods. The representation uses known relationships contained in electronic health records to capture disease severity in a natural and clinically meaningful way. Furthermore, it is expressive and interpretable. This novel patient representation can help to support critical decision-making, develop smart guidelines, and enhance health care and disease management by helping to identify patients with high risk.

Multisystem chronic illness prognostication in non-oncologic integrated care

OBJECTIVES

To develop a mortality-predictive model for correct identification of patients with non-cancer multiple chronic conditions who would benefit from palliative care, recognise predictive indicators of death and provide with tools for individual risk score calculation.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study with multivariate logistic regression models.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients with high-risk multiple chronic conditions incorporated into an integrated care strategy that fulfil two conditions: (1) they belong to the top 5% of the programme's risk pyramid according to the adjusted morbidity groups stratification tool and (2) they suffer simultaneously at least three selected chronic non-cancer pathologies (n=591).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

1 year mortality since patient inclusion in the programme.

RESULTS

Among study participants, 201 (34%) died within the 1 year follow-up. Variables found to be independently associated to 1 year mortality were the Barthel Scale (p<0.001), creatinine value (p=0.032), existence of pressure ulcers (p=0.029) and patient global status (p<0.001). The area under the curve (AUC) for our model was 0.751, which was validated using bootstrapping (AUC=0.751) and k-fold cross-validation (10 folds; AUC=0.744). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test (p=0.761) showed good calibration.

CONCLUSIONS

This study develops and validates a mortality prediction model that will guide transitions of care to non-cancer palliative care services. The model determines prognostic indicators of death and provides tools for the estimation of individual death risk scores for each patient. We present a nomogram, a graphical risk calculation instrument, that favours a practical and easy use of the model within clinical practices.

[Out-of-pocket expenditure on medicines and supplies in Peru in 2007 and 2016]

Background

Out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies can lead to a heavy financial burden in households.

Objective

To determine the out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies in Peru and the population groups with the highest out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies in 2007 and 2016.

Methods

We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study of the Peruvian National Household Survey on Living and Poverty Conditions for the years 2007 and 2016. Mean and median out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies are reported in USD for the general population, and according to the presence or not of factors described in the literature as associated with out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies.

Results

92 148 and 130 296 participants from 2007 and 2016 were included. In 2007, a median of 3.19 (interquartile range: 0.96 to 7.99) and an average of 8.14 (95% confidence interval: 7.80 to 8.49) were found for the out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies. In 2016, the median and mean out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies were 3.55 (interquartile range: 1.48 to 8.88) and 9.68 (95% confidence interval: 9.37 to 9.99), respectively. For 2016, higher out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies was found in women, children under five and over 60 years of age, people of higher educational level, having private or armed forces insurance, living in the coastal region, and being in one of the highest per capita quintile of expenditure. Between 2007 and 2016, the out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies was significantly increased in children under five (p < 0.001), uninsured persons (p < 0.001), insured to the Seguro Integral de Salud (p < 0.001) or the Armed Forces (p = 0.035), for the urban and rural area (both p < 0.001), and in people without chronic diseases (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

An increase in out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies was found in the study period. There were population groups with significant increases in out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies. It is necessary to explore further the factors associated with out-of-pocket spending on medicines and supplies in groups of greater economic vulnerability regarding direct health spending in Peru.

Cost-Utility of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) for Fibromyalgia Compared to Relaxation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A recent study has supported the efficacy of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) compared to relaxation (REL) for the management of fibromyalgia (FM). The main objective of this paper is to examine the cost-utility of ABCT compared to REL in terms of effects on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as well as healthcare costs. Forty-two Spanish patients with FM received 8 weekly group sessions of ABCT or REL. Data collection took place at pre- and 3-month follow-up. Cost-utility of the two treatment groups (ABCT vs. REL) was compared by examining treatment outcomes in terms of QALYs (obtained with the EQ-5D-3L) and healthcare costs (data about service use obtained with the Client Service Receipt Inventory). Data analyses were computed from a completers, ITT, and per protocol approach. Data analysis from the healthcare perspective revealed that those patients receiving ABCT exhibited larger improvements in quality of life than those doing relaxation, while being less costly 3 months after their 8-week treatment program had ended (completers: incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−194.1 (−450.3 to 356.1); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.023 QALYs (0.010 to 0.141)). Results were similar using an ITT approach (incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−256.3 (−447.4 to −65.3); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.021 QALYs (0.009 to 0.033)). A similar pattern of results were obtained from the per protocol approach. This RCT has contributed to the evidence base of compassion-based interventions and provided useful information about the cost-utility of ABCT for FM patients when compared to relaxation. However, the small sample size and short follow-up period limited the generalizability of the findings.

Consequences of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age - a scoping review

BACKGROUND

The phenomenon of the increasing number of ageing people in the world is arguably the most significant economic, health and social challenge that we face today. Additionally, one of the major epidemiologic trends of current times is the increase in chronic and degenerative diseases. This paper tries to deliver a more up to date overview of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age and provide a more detailed outlook on the research that has gone into this field.

METHODS

First, challenges for seniors, including chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age, are specified. Second, a review of seniors' needs and concerns is performed. Finally, solutions that can improve seniors' quality of life are discussed. Publications obtained from the following databases are used in this scoping review: Web of Science, PubMed, and Science Direct. Four independent reviewers screened the identified records and selected relevant publications published from 2010 to 2017. A total of 1916 publications were selected. In all, 52 papers were selected based on abstract content. For further processing, 21 full papers were screened."

RESULTS

The results indicate disabilities as a major problem associated with seniors' activities of daily living dependence. We founded seven categories of different conditions - psychological problems, difficulties in mobility, poor cognitive function, falls and incidents, wounds and injuries, undernutrition, and communication problems. In order to minimize ageing consequences, some areas require more attention, such as education and training; technological tools; government support and welfare systems; early diagnosis of undernutrition, cognitive impairment, and other diseases; communication solutions; mobility solutions; and social contributions.

CONCLUSIONS

This scoping review supports the view on chronic diseases in old age as a complex issue. To prevent the consequences of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age related problems demands multicomponent interventions. Early recognition of problems leading to disability and activities of daily living (ADL) dependence should be one of essential components of such interventions.

High 30-day readmission rates associated with Clostridiumdifficile infection

BACKGROUND

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a leading cause of community-onset and healthcare-associated infection, with high recurrence rates, and associated high morbidity and mortality. We report national rates, leading causes, and predictors of hospital readmission for CDI.

METHODS

Retrospective study of data from the 2013 Nationwide Readmissions Database of patients with a primary diagnosis of CDI and re-hospitalization within 30-days. A multivariate regression model was used to identify predictors of readmission.

RESULTS

Of 38,409 patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of CDI, 21% were readmitted within 30-days, and 27% of those patients were readmitted with a primary diagnosis of CDI. Infections accounted for 47% of all readmissions. Female sex, anemia/coagulation defects, renal failure/electrolyte abnormalities and discharge to home (versus facility) were 12%, 13%, 15%, 36%, respectively, more likely to be readmitted with CDI.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that 1-in-5 patients hospitalized with CDI were readmitted to the hospital within 30-days. Infection comprised nearly half of these readmissions, with CDI being the most common etiology. Predictors of readmission with CDI include female sex, history of renal failure/electrolyte imbalances, anemia/coagulation defects, and being discharged home. CDI is associated with a high readmission risk, with evidence of several predictive risks for readmission.

Health coaching for healthcare employees with chronic disease: A pilot study

BACKGROUND

Health coaching promotes healthy lifestyles and may be particularly helpful for employees with chronic disease.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the effects of a health coaching program that targeted health-system employees with at least one cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor.

METHODS

Fifty-four employees volunteered for a health coaching program (6-session, 12-week program, at least one cycle). 40 (74%) completed (mean age [SD] = 53.3 [10.3] years, Female = 95%, Caucasian = 83%). A certified and integrative health coach/nutritionist provided coaching. Self-reported outcomes were collected using a pre-post design.

RESULTS

Participants reported high rates of obesity (75%), hypertension (52.5%), diabetes/prediabetes (47.5%), and hyperlipidemia (40%). In addition, 20% reported chronic pain/rehabilitation needs, 17.5% seasonal depression, and 30% other significant co-morbidities. Following coaching, participants reported significant weight loss (mean [SD] 7.2 [6.6] pounds, p < 0.0001, d = 1.11), increased exercise (from 0.8 to 2.3 sessions/week, p < 0.001, d = .89), reduced perceived stress (p < 0.04, d = .42), and a trend for improved sleep (p = 0.06, d = .38). Reduced stress correlated with both increased exercise (r = -.39, p < 0.05) and decreased fatigue (r = .36, p = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

Health coaching for healthcare employees with obesity and other CVD risk factors is a promising approach to losing weight, reducing stress, making healthy lifestyle changes, and improving health and well-being.