Associations Between Somatic Multimorbidity Patterns and Depression in a Longitudinal Cohort of Middle-Aged and Older Chinese

ObjectivesDepressive symptoms are commonly seen among patients with multiple chronic somatic conditions, or somatic multimorbidity (SMM); however, little is known about the relationships between depressive symptoms and different SMM combinations. Our study aimed to delineate the patterns of SMM and their longitudinal associations with depressive symptoms among a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older Chinese adults.DesignWe employed a longitudinal design.Setting and ParticipantsOlder adults (N = 10,084) aged ≥45 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2011-2015 participated (mean age = 57.7 years at baseline; 53.3% men).MethodsSixteen chronic somatic conditions were ascertained at baseline via questionnaires. Depression was assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale at baseline and during follow-up. Patterns of SMM were identified via exploratory factor analyses. Generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the longitudinal associations between patterns of SMM and the presence of depressive symptoms at follow-up.ResultsCompared with participants with no somatic condition, those with 1, 2, and 3 or more somatic conditions had a 21%, 66%, and 111% greater risk, respectively, for the presence of depressive symptoms. Increased factor scores for 4 patterns identified, cardio-metabolic pattern [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06, 1.20], respiratory pattern (AOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.17, 1.33), arthritic-digestive-visual pattern (AOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.22, 1.37), and hepatic-renal-skeletal pattern (AOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02, 1.16), were all associated with a higher risk of having depressive symptoms.Conclusions and ImplicationsAll SMM patterns were independently associated with depression among middle-aged and older Chinese adults, with greater odds for people with comorbid arthritic-digestive-visual conditions and respiratory conditions. Clinical practitioners should treat the middle-aged and older population under a multiple-condition framework combining SMM and mental disorders.     

2018年台州市玉环市流动人口艾滋病相关认知和危险行为现状调查[* 基金项目：浙江省自然科学基金项目(LY19H260001)；台州市科技计划项目(1801KY45)。 ①复旦大学公共卫生学院 上海200032 ②台州市疾病预防控制中心 浙江 台州 318000 #通讯作者 ]

目的 了解台州市玉环市流动人口艾滋病相关认知和危险行为的现状，为开展有效的艾滋病健康教育和干预提供参考依据。方法 采用问卷调查的方法，2018年6—8月对台州市玉环市流动人口开展人口学特征、行为学特征和艾滋病相关认知等方面的调查。结果 共招募403人。未发现HIV抗体、梅毒阳性者；发现1例HCV阳性者，检出率为0.2%。最近一年暗娼占3.3%，临时性伴发生过性行为占1.9%，且42.9%从未使用安全套。艾滋病知识知晓率为62.3%。多因素logistic回归分析显示，高中及以上文化程度者艾滋病知识知晓率高。结论 台州市玉环市流动人口艾滋病知识知晓率较低，存在一定比例的暗娼和临时性行为等高危行为，应加大宣传教育力度。已婚或同居者在艾滋病知识应用上存在欠缺，使用安全套意识不强，应开展行为干预活动，实现“知信行”的统一，以有效地防治艾滋病的流行。     

Appropriateness of End-of-Life Care in People Dying With Dementia: Applying Quality Indicators on Linked Administrative Databases

ObjectivesDementia is a progressive incurable life-limiting illness. Previous research suggests end-of-life care for people with dementia should have a symptomatic focus with an effort to avoid burdensome interventions that would not improve quality of life. This study aims to assess the appropriateness of end-of-life care in people who died with dementia in Belgium and to establish relative performance standards by measuring validated population-level quality indicators.DesignWe conducted a retrospective observational study.Setting and ParticipantsWe included all persons deceased with dementia in 2015 in Belgium. Data from 8 administratively collected population-level databases was linked.MeasuresWe used a validated set of 28 quality indicators for end-of-life dementia care. We compared quality indicator scores across 14 healthcare regions to establish relative benchmarks.ResultsIn Belgium in 2015, 10,629 people died with dementia. For indicators of appropriate end-of-life care, people who died with dementia had on average 1.83 contacts with their family physician in the last week before death, whereas 68.4% died at home or in their nursing home of residence. For indicators of inappropriate end-of-life care, 32.4% were admitted to the hospital and 36.3% underwent diagnostic testing in the last 30 days before death, whereas 25.1% died in the hospital. In the last 30 days, emergency department admission varied between 19% and 31%, dispensing of gastric protectors between 18% and 42%, and antihypertensives between 40% and 53% between healthcare regions, with at least 25% of health regions below 46%.Conclusions and ImplicationsOur study found indications of appropriate as well as inappropriate end-of-life care in people with dementia, including high rates of family physician contact, as well as high percentages of diagnostic testing, and emergency department and hospital admissions. We also found high risk-adjusted variation for multiple quality indicators, indicating opportunity for quality improvement in end-of-life dementia care.     

Obesity as a Causal Risk Factor for Aortic Valve Stenosis

BackgroundCausal risk factors for aortic valve stenosis are poorly understood, limiting the possibility of preventing the most common heart valve disease.ObjectivesThe hypothesis was tested that genetically based obesity measured by body mass index is causally associated with risk of aortic valve stenosis and replacement.MethodsThe authors included 108,211 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study. Participants had measurements of body mass index, waist-hip ratio, and waist circumference, and information on 5 genetic variants associated with obesity. A Mendelian randomization design was used to investigate genetic and observational associations of obesity with incident aortic valve stenosis (n = 1,215) and replacement (n = 467) for a median follow-up time of 8.7 years.ResultsGenetically increased body mass index was causally associated with increased risk of aortic valve stenosis. Compared with an unweighted allele score of 0 to 3, individuals with an allele score 7 to 10 had a mean increase in body mass index of 0.87 kg/m², and the age and sex–adjusted hazard ratio for aortic valve stenosis was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0 to 1.7) for allele score 4, 1.4 (95% CI: 1.1 to 1.8) for allele score 5 to 6, and 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3 to 2.1) for allele score 7 to 10 (p for trend: 9 × 10⁻⁵). A 1-kg/m² increase in body mass index was associated with causal risk ratios for aortic valve stenosis and replacement, respectively, of 1.52 (95% CI: 1.23 to 1.87) and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.07 to 2.08) genetically, and with corresponding hazard ratios of 1.06 (95% CI: 1.05 to 1.08) and 1.06 (95% CI: 1.03 to 1.08) observationally.ConclusionsObesity from human genetics was causally associated with higher risk of aortic valve stenosis and replacement.     

Nurse Practitioner Student Clinical Placements: A Rural Community Immersion

This article describes a collaboration between a university and a medically underserved area in California’s central valley. Students participate in a community-based clinical immersion to provide care to a medically underserved population. Faculty collaborate with community-based partners to develop and implement clinical experiences. Students are provided opportunities to meet clinical course objectives while developing skills necessary to care for a medically underserved population as part of an interdisciplinary team.