The Most Commonly Dispensed Prescription Medications Among Pregnant Women Enrolled in the U.S. Medicaid Program

AbstractThere has been a growing discussion in recent years about rising inequality in the U.S. Yet, this discourse, in focusing on the fortunes of the top 1%, distracted attention from the design of policy initiatives aimed at improving socio-economic conditions for the poor. This paper examines the development of anti-poverty politics and policy in the US during the Obama era. It analyses how effective the strategies and programmes adopted were and asks how they fit with models of policy change. The paper illustrates that the Obama administration did adopt an array of anti-poverty measures in the stimulus bill, but these built on existing programmes rather than create new ones and much of the effort was stymied by institutional obstacles. The expansion of the Medicaid program, which was part of the ACA, was also muted by institutional opposition, but it was a more path breaking reform than is often appreciated.

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Characteristics of U.S. adults taking prescription antipsychotic medications, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2018

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-020-02895-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jeff A. Dennis ◽

Lisaann S. Gittner ◽

J. Drew Payne ◽

Kenneth Nugent

Keyword(s):

Chronic Diseases ◽

National Health ◽

Prescription Medications ◽

Nutrition Examination Survey ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Antipsychotic Medications ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Comorbid Chronic Diseases ◽

The U.S

Abstract Background Global 12-month psychosis prevalence is estimated at roughly 0.4%, although prevalence of antipsychotic use in the U.S. is estimated at roughly 1.7%. Antipsychotics are frequently prescribed for off label uses, but have also been shown to carry risk factors for certain comorbid conditions and with other prescription medications. The study aims to describe the socio-demographic and health characteristics of U.S. adults taking prescription antipsychotic medications, and to better understand the association of antipsychotic medications and comorbid chronic diseases. Methods The study pools 2013–2018 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of non-institutionalized U.S. residents (n = 17,691). Survey staff record prescription medications taken within the past 30 days for each respondent, from which typical and atypical antipsychotic medications were identified. Results Prevalence of antipsychotic use among U.S. adults was 1.6% (n = 320). Over 90% of individuals taking antipsychotics reported having health insurance and a usual place for care, significantly more than their counterparts not taking antipsychotics. Further, those taking antipsychotics reported higher prevalence of comorbid chronic diseases and took an average of 2.3 prescription medications more than individuals not taking antipsychotics. Individuals taking antipsychotics were more likely to sleep 9 or more hours per night, be a current smoker, and have a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2. Conclusions U.S. adults who take antipsychotic medications report more consistent health care access and higher prevalence of comorbid chronic diseases compared to those not taking antipsychotics. The higher comorbidity prevalence and number of total prescriptions highlight the need for careful assessment and monitoring of existing comorbidities and potential drug-drug interactions among adults taking antipsychotics in the U.S.

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REPUBLICANS ON ABORTION RIGHTS

Think ◽

10.1017/s1477175614000189 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 14 (39) ◽

pp. 9-18

Author(s):

Clement Dore

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Supreme Court ◽

Republican Party ◽

Human Life ◽

Supreme Court Decision ◽

Court Decision ◽

Right To Privacy ◽

Constitutional Right ◽

Roe V Wade ◽

The U.S

The Platform of the U.S. Republican Party in 2012 contains a promise to overturn the landmark Supreme Court decision, Roe. v. Wade, that laws prohibiting abortion are incompatible with the constitutional right to privacy of pregnant women. The Republican vice presidential nominee, Congressman Paul Ryan, opposes that decision as a matter of conviction. Congressman Ryan says that human life begins at conception, though he adds that abortion should be legal if a woman's pregnancy results from rape or incest, or if the life of the mother is at stake. Despite his reputation among Republicans as an astute thinker, Congressman Ryan's reasoning about abortion is faulty.

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County-level Correlates of Dental Service Utilization for Low Income Pregnant Women. Ecologic study of the North Carolina Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program.

10.21203/rs.2.16707/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mark E Moss ◽

Andrew Grodner ◽

Ananda P. Dasanayake ◽

Cherry M. Beasley

Keyword(s):

North Carolina ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Care Coordination ◽

Low Income ◽

County Level ◽

Medicaid Program ◽

Dental Services ◽

Dental Utilization ◽

Persistent Poverty ◽

Utilization Of Dental Services

Abstract Background: Dental care utilization for low income pregnant women is met with challenges in the traditional dentist-centered model of care. County-level measures provide insights for policy and roles for stakeholders that extend beyond the dentist-patient relationship. We examined county-level data to generate hypotheses about factors that influence utilization of dental services in North Carolina’s Medicaid for Pregnant Women (MPW) program.Methods: County-level Medicaid utilization data for dental services for 2014-2016 were pooled to get mean county estimates of dental utilization in the MPW program. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression models of dental utilization and county-level measures are presented. Data used were collected by NC Child and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings Reports. USDA Economic Research Service data were used to categorize counties in terms of Farming, Recreation, Persistent Poverty, and metro/non-metro status using Rural Urban Continuum Codes.Results: Dental utilization ranged from 1% to 26% with a median of 8.5% across the 100 counties of North Carolina. Strong patterns linking utilization of dental services in the MPW program to contextual social measures of well-being emerged, specifically, increased reporting of child abuse and neglect, elevated infant mortality, poor quality of life, and worse ranking in years of potential life lost. Counties with persistent poverty had lower rates of dental utilization. Conclusions: Utilization of dental services in the MPW program is generally low. Patterns identify the potential for enhancing community-clinical linkages to improve birth outcomes and care coordination for pregnant women to enhance dental utilization in this population.Dental coverage in the Medicaid program in most states is administered separately from medical coverage. The separation of the funding mechanisms adds a further layer of complexity to care integration. Efforts to enhance dental care for pregnant women in the Medicaid program may benefit from policy that aligns incentives for care coordination within the community. Policy that extends the window of eligibility for dental benefits to 24 months after the birth of the child will help women complete the dental treatment that is needed. This also leverages the value of care coordination for community stakeholders from diverse child health sectors.

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Determination of numbers of lead-exposed women of childbearing age and pregnant women: an integrated summary of a report to the U.S. Congress on childhood lead poisoning.

Environmental Health Perspectives ◽

10.1289/ehp.9089121 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 89 ◽

pp. 121-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

A F Crocetti ◽

P Mushak ◽

J Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Lead Poisoning ◽

Women Of Childbearing Age ◽

Childbearing Age ◽

Childhood Lead Poisoning ◽

The U.S

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What Pregnant Women Want: Results from a Web-Based Needs Assessment of Weight-Related Information Gaps and e-Health Intervention Features for Pregnant Women in the U.S. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.13910 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Alicia Dahl ◽

Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy ◽

Sara Wilcox ◽

Jihong Liu ◽

Rachel E. Davis

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Information ◽

Weight Status ◽

Health Intervention ◽

Mobile App ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Care Providers ◽

Prenatal Health ◽

Related Information ◽

The U.S

BACKGROUND Healthy gestational weight gain (GWG) is critical for reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. Health care providers may not have the resources and specialized training to provide weight counseling to pregnant patients. Electronic health (e-health) interventions hold potential as important resources for pregnant women. OBJECTIVE This study identified weight-related knowledge and sources of prenatal health information and examined pregnant women’s feedback on features considered for inclusion in an e-health intervention targeted at preventing excessive GWG. METHODS Using social media sites, pregnant women in the U.S. who owned a smartphone were recruited to complete an online survey (n=329). The survey included questions regarding weight-related topics discussed with prenatal health providers, uses of technology for health information during pregnancy, interest in pregnancy weight-related information (e.g., physical activity), and features (e.g., weight tracking tool and podcasts) delivered electronically. ANCOVA and chi-square analyses were used to examine differences by parity and weight status. RESULTS Half of participants reported having no discussion about GWG recommendations with providers. Overall, interest in weight tracking, podcasts, and group-based behavioral challenges was high. Multiparous women expressed less interest in listening to weekly podcasts on pregnancy-related topics than nulliparous women (66.7% vs. 80.3%, p<0.01). Overweight/obese participants were more interested in a mobile app for communicating with other pregnant women than normal weight participants (86.5% vs. 77.3%; p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS Given the interest in e-health interventions among pregnant women, future studies should examine their effectiveness in the prevention of excessive GWG. Tailoring e-health intervention content based on parity and weight status may be necessary. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03063528

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Understanding the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Medications in the U.S. High School Adolescents

The Journal of School Nursing ◽

10.1177/1059840516677322 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 269-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cynthia G. Ayres ◽

Nancy M. Pontes ◽

Manuel C. F. Pontes

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Prescription Medications ◽

School Students ◽

Complex Samples ◽

Nonmedical Use ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Potential Impact ◽

The U.S

The purpose of the study was to examine relationships between sleep insufficiency, depressive symptoms, demographic factors, and the nonmedical use of prescription medications (NMUPMs) in the U.S. high school students. Data from the 2013 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System were used ( n = 13,570) and analyzed using IBM SPSS 23™ (complex samples). Significant bivariate relationships were found between the NMUPMs and sleep ( p < .01), feeling sad ( p < .001), grade level ( p < .001), and race/ethnicity ( p < .01). Logistic regression analyses found that all of the independent variables were significant in predicting the likelihood of the NMUPMs. Findings underscore the potential impact of preventing NMUPMs in high school adolescents by improving their sleep behaviors and assessing adolescents for depressive symptoms.

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Trends in Alcohol Use Among Pregnant Women in the U.S., 2011–2018

American Journal of Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.amepre.2020.05.017 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 59 (5) ◽

pp. 768-769

Author(s):

Clark H. Denny ◽

Cristian S. Acero ◽

Mishka Terplan ◽

Shin Y. Kim

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

The U.S

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