scholarly journals What Is the Willingness to Receive Vaccination Against COVID-19 Among the Elderly in Italy? Data From the PASSI d'Argento Surveillance System

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedetta Contoli ◽  
Valentina Possenti ◽  
Valentina Minardi ◽  
Nancy J. Binkin ◽  
Mauro Ramigni ◽  
...  

Introduction: Italy was one of the earliest countries to experience a severe COVID-19 epidemic and vaccinating the elderly, who constitute 23% of the population and have experienced the highest mortality rates, is a top priority. Estimating prevalences and understanding risk factors for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy or refusal are important for development of targeted interventions.Methods: We used data from a specially developed COVID-19 module of PASSI D'Argento, an ongoing surveillance system of residents 65+ years of age to measure the prevalence and identify risk factors for hesitancy and refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. We calculated multinomial regression relative risk ratios to examine the association between demographic characteristics, health status, COVID-19 attitudes and experiences and likely vaccine hesitancy and refusal.Results: Of the 1876 respondents, 55% reported they would accept vaccination and 16% would likely refuse; the remaining 29% were categorized as hesitant. Compared with the acceptance group, we identified several risk factors in common between the hesitancy group and the refusal group, including not having received vaccination against influenza during the previous flu season (hesitancy: RRR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.4–2.9; refusal: RRR = 12.1; 95%CI 7.6–19.4) and lower risk of having had a death from COVID-19 among family or friends (hesitancy: RRR = 4.8; 95%CI 2.0–11.4; refusal: RRR = 15.4; 95%CI 3.7–64.5). The hesitancy group was significantly more likely being worried and they did not know if consequences of the disease would be serious for them.Conclusion: Our findings show the importance of establishing and maintaining active contact between the preventive services, primary care providers and the population because trust is difficult to establish during an emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic. Italian public health is based on a capillary network of general practitioners and having them reach out to their patients who have not previously received influenza vaccine may be a useful strategy for targeting efforts to further encourage uptake of COVID-19 vaccination.

Stroke ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Reichwein ◽  
Alicia Richardson ◽  
Cesar Velasco

Introduction: The majority of patients who present with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) have known stroke risk factors which are not optimally managed. It has been suggested that a CHADS-VASC score can assist with primary prevention by calculating future stroke risk. This however, has not been widely adapted in the primary care setting. Methods: From 2018-2019, 686 AIS patients were included in retrospective analysis. Data elements included: historical stroke risk factors, historical CHADS-VASC score, antiplatelet/anticoagulant use at time of presentation, discharge location, and mRS. Results: Of the 686 AIS patients, 77% were age > 60, and 52% were male. Etiology subtypes were small vessel/lacunar 20%, large vessel 22%, cardioembolic 20%, undetermined 31% (cryptogenic 15%), and other determined 5%. On presentation, the majority of patients had 2 or more stroke risk factors and a calculated historical CHADS-VASC score > 2 (Table 1). Over half of the patients with large vessel or small vessel/lacunar etiology were not on any antiplatelets and 53% of patients with known history of atrial fibrillation weren’t on anticoagulants. Forty-nine percent of patients had a mRS > 3 at discharge. Conclusion: Patients with several stroke risk factors are sub optimally managed by primary care providers. Primary prevention education for PCPs in management of higher stroke risk individuals and additional analysis of the CHADS-VASC tool for this setting is needed. If widely adapted, this tool may prevent strokes by providing adequate risk reduction in the primary care setting.


Vascular ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 170853812110443
Author(s):  
Sultan Alsheikh ◽  
Hesham AlGhofili ◽  
Omar A Alayed ◽  
Abdulkareem Aldrak ◽  
Kaisor Iqbal ◽  
...  

Introduction Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of the recommended target levels of blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin A1C, and knowledge and attitude about PAD risk reduction therapies among physicians working in primary care settings in Saudi Arabia. Methods This observational cross-sectional study included family medicine consultants, residents, and general practitioners working in a health cluster in the capital city of Saudi Arabia using a self-administered questionnaire. Results Of the 129 physicians who completed the survey, 55% had completed PAD-related continuing medical education hours within the past 2 years. Despite this, the knowledge score of the recommended target levels was high in only 13.2% of the participants. Antiplatelet therapy was prescribed by 68.2% of the participants. Conclusion Here we identified the knowledge and action gaps among primary care providers in Saudi Arabia. Physicians had an excellent attitude about screening for and counseling about risk factors. However, they showed less interference in reducing these risk factors. We recommend addressing these knowledge gaps early in medical school and residency programs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinzeng Zuo ◽  
Yongcheng Hu

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, location, and related factors of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the bilateral lower extremities after intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly. Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on the elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture who were admitted from January 2017 to December 2019. At admission, patients receive routine ultrasound Doppler scanning of bilateral lower extremities to detect DVT; those with DVT were assigned to the case group and those without DVT to the control group. Patient data on demographics, comorbidities, injury-related data, and laboratory test results at admission were extracted. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify the independent risk factors associated with DVT. Results Five hundred seventy-eight patients were included, among whom 116 (20.1%) had DVT. Among those with DV, 70.7% (82/116) had DVT of the distal type, 24 (29.6%) had DVT of the proximal type, and 10 (10.4%) had mixed DVT. In 76.7% (89/116) of patients, DVT occurred in the fractured extremity, 9.5% (11/116) in the bilateral and 13.8% (16/116) in the non-fractured extremity. Multivariate analyses identified obesity, delay to admission, increased D-dimer level (> 1.44 mg/L) and reduced albumin (< 31.7 g/L) as independent factors. Conclusions Admission incidence of DVT was high in elderly patients with intertrochanteric fractures, especially the proximal DVT. Identification of associated risk factors is useful for individualized assessment risk of DVT and early targeted interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 671-686
Author(s):  
Husayn Marani ◽  
Brenda Roche ◽  
Laura Anderson ◽  
Minnie Rai ◽  
Payal Agarwal ◽  
...  

PurposeThis descriptive qualitative study explores how working conditions impact the health of taxi drivers in Toronto, Canada.Design/methodology/approachDrivers were recruited between September 2016 and March 2017. A total of 14 semi-structured qualitative interviews and one focus group (n = 11) were conducted. Transcripts were analyzed inductively through a socioecological lens.FindingsThe findings of this study are as follows: drivers acknowledged that job precariousness (represented by unstable employment, long hours and low wages) and challenging workplace conditions (sitting all day and limited breaks) contribute to poor physical/mental health. Also, these conditions undermine opportunities to engage in health-protective behaviors (healthy eating, regularly exercising and taking breaks). Drivers do not receive health-enabling reinforcements from religious/cultural networks, colleagues or their taxi brokerage. Drivers do seek support from their primary care providers and family for their physical health but remain discreet about their mental health.Research limitations/implicationsAs this study relied on a convenience sample, the sample did not represent all Toronto taxi drivers. All interviews were completed in English and all drivers were male, thus limiting commentary on other experiences and any gender differences in health management approaches among drivers.Practical implicationsGiven the global ubiquity of taxi driving and an evolving workplace environment characterized by growing competition, findings are generalizable across settings and may resonate with other precarious professions, including long-haul truck operators and Uber/Lyft drivers. Findings also expose areas for targeted intervention outside the workplace setting.Originality/valueHealth management among taxi drivers is understudied. A fulsome, socioecological understanding of how working conditions (both within and outside the workplace) impact their health is essential in developing targeted interventions to improve health outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
Heather Carney ◽  
Ruth Ann Marrie ◽  
James M Bolton ◽  
Scott B Patten ◽  
Lesley A Graff ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Substance use disorders (SUDs) impose a substantial individual and societal burden; however, the prevalence and associated factors in persons with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are largely unknown. We evaluated the prevalence and risk factors of SUD in an IBD cohort. Methods Inflammatory bowel disease participants (n = 247) were recruited via hospital- and community-based gastroenterology clinics, a population-based IBD research registry, and primary care providers as part of a larger cohort study of psychiatric comorbidity in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. The Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV was administered to participants to identify lifetime SUD, anxiety disorder, and major depressive disorder. Additional questionnaires regarding participants’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were also completed. We examined demographic and clinical factors associated with lifetime SUD using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression modeling. Results Forty-one (16.6%) IBD participants met the criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of an SUD. Factors associated with elevated odds of SUD were ever smoking (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–7.50), male sex (aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.11–5.36), lifetime anxiety disorder (aOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.08–5.37), and higher pain impact (aOR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01–1.16). Conclusions One in six persons with IBD experienced an SUD, suggesting that clinicians should maintain high index of suspicion regarding possible SUD, and inquiries about substance use should be a part of care for IBD patients, particularly for men, smokers, and patients with anxiety disorders and pain.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1054-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire F. Snyder ◽  
Kevin D. Frick ◽  
Melinda E. Kantsiper ◽  
Kimberly S. Peairs ◽  
Robert J. Herbert ◽  
...  

Purpose To examine how care for breast cancer survivors compares with controls. Patients and Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Medicare database, we examined five cohorts of stages 1 to 3 breast cancer survivors diagnosed from 1998 to 2002. For each survivor cohort (defined by diagnosis year), we calculated the number of visits to oncology specialists, primary care providers (PCPs), and other physicians and the percentage who received influenza vaccination, cholesterol screening, colorectal cancer screening, bone densitometry, and mammography during survivorship year 1 (days 366 to 730 postdiagnosis). We compared survivors' care to that of five cohorts of screening controls who were matched to survivors on age, ethnicity, sex, and region and who had a mammogram in the survivor's year of diagnosis and to that of five cohorts of comorbidity controls who were matched on age, ethnicity, sex, region, and comorbidity. We examined whether survivors' care was associated with the mix of physician specialties that were visited. Results A total of 23,731 survivors were matched with 23,731 screening controls and 23,396 comorbidity controls. There was no difference in trends over time in PCP visits between survivors and either control group. The survivors' rate of increase in other physician visits was greater than screening controls (P = .002) but was no different from comorbidity controls. Survivors were less likely to receive preventive care than screening controls but were more likely than comorbidity controls. Trends over time in survivors' care tended to be better than screening controls but were no different than comorbidity controls. Survivors who visited both a PCP and oncology specialist were most likely to receive recommended care. Conclusion Involvement by both PCPs and oncology specialists can facilitate appropriate care for survivors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Bonnet ◽  
Aaron George ◽  
Pippa Evans ◽  
Mina Silberberg ◽  
Diana Dolinsky

Childhood obesity is a complex problem that warrants early intervention. General recommendations for obesity prevention and nutrition counseling exist. However, these are notably imprecise with regard to early and targeted interventions to prevent and treat obesity in pediatric populations. This study examines family medicine primary care providers’ (PCPs) perceived barriers for preventing and treating pediatric obesity and their related practice behavior during well-child visits.Methods.A written survey addressing perceived barriers and current practices addressing obesity at well-child visits were administered to PCPs at eleven family medicine clinics in the Duke University Health System.Results.The most common perceived barriers identified by PCPs to prevention or treatment of obesity in children were families not getting enough exercise (93%) and families too often having fast food meals (86%). Most PCPs do not discuss fast foods at or prior to the twelve-month well-child visit. The two-year visit is the first well-child visit at which a majority of PCPs (68%) discuss fast food.Conclusion.No clear consensus exists as to when PCPs should discuss fast food in early well-child checks. Previous research has shown a profound shift in children’s dietary habits toward fast foods, such as French fries, that occurs between the one- and two-year well-child checks. Consideration should be given to having a “French Fry Discussion” at every twelve-month well-child care visit.


2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 117955221879117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A Stephens ◽  
James L Fisher ◽  
Jessica L Krok-Schoen ◽  
Ryan D Baltic ◽  
Holly L Sobotka ◽  
...  

Objective: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, one of the most lethal gastroenterological diseases, has been increasing since the 1960s. Prevention of esophageal adenocarcinoma is important because no early detection screening programs have been shown to reduce mortality. Obesity, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and tobacco smoking are risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Due to the high prevalence in Ohio of obesity (32.6%) and cigarette smoking (21.0%), this study sought to identify trends and patterns of these risk factors and esophageal adenocarcinoma in Ohio as compared with the United States. Methods: Data from the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System, Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER), and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used. Incidence rates overall, by demographics and by county, as well as trends in incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma and the percent of esophageal adenocarcinoma among esophageal cancers were examined. Trends in obesity and cigarette smoking in Ohio, and the prevalence of each by county, were reported. Results: There was an increasing trend in esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence in Ohio. Ohio’s average annual esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence rate was higher than the SEER rate overall and for each sex, race, and age group in 2009 to 2013. There was also an increasing prevalence of obesity in Ohio. Although the prevalence of cigarette smoking has been stable, it was high in Ohio compared with the United States. Conclusions: Health care providers and researchers should be aware of the esophageal adenocarcinoma incidence rates and risk factor patterns and tailor interventions for areas and populations at higher risk.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi Prathivadi ◽  
Natalie Connell ◽  
Louisa Picco ◽  
Karleen F Giannitrapani ◽  
Hong-nei Wong ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Improving primary care opioid prescribing is a public health priority in many western nations. Governments, policymakers and key stakeholders are intervening on multiple levels to address patient, prescriber and systems factors contributing to opioid over-prescription in primary care. Many opioid prescribing interventions specifically target primary care providers (PCPs); however, the overall effectiveness of these interventions is not known. Identifying effective components of PCP-targeted behaviour change interventions may help inform scalability and translation of prescribing interventions across countries and varying primary healthcare settings. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of provider-targeted interventions to improve opioid prescribing in primary care. This protocol reports the methods of the proposed narrative synthesis review that will be guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Methods: The study will follow Cochrane methods for conducting a narrative synthesis. Reporting is compliant with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) protocols. The review will conduct searches in PubMed, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases for studies published in the English language from 2010 onwards. Reference lists of accepted articles will be also screened for additional studies meeting inclusion. Any opioid prescribing behaviour will be measured as an outcome. Intervention components will be mapped to domains of the TDF. No geographic limits will be applied. All stages of screening and data extraction will involve a dual review with gold standard adjudication. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool will be used to evaluate quality and risk. Discussion: This review is being conducted in strict adherence to Cochrane principles. The protocol was submitted for registration to Prospero prior to publication for transparency and to avoid duplication of research. Formal ethics approval is not required for this research. The findings of this review will inform the delivery and implementation of PCP targeted opioid prescribing interventions. Findings will be disseminated to a wide range of stakeholders involved in quality improvement, prescribing interventions, education and training; professional groups, policymakers, researchers and PCPs.Systematic review registration: Submitted to Prospero 22 December 2020; pending registration


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