Understanding Hispanic Patient Satisfaction with Telehealth During COVID-19

BackgroundRecent studies have described the use of telehealth for pediatric surgical care during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate equity in telehealth use by comparing rates of utilization and satisfaction with pediatric surgical telemedicine among Hispanic patients.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients seen by a surgical subspecialty provider in the outpatient setting at a quaternary pediatric hospital between April 1 and June 30, 2020. Patients evaluated in the same three-month period in 2019 were analyzed as a historic control. Differences in Family Experience Survey (FES) responses based on race and ethnicity and preferred language of care were assessed using univariable and multivariable generalized linear modeling.ResultsThe pandemic cohort included fewer patients of Hispanic ethnicity and fewer Spanish-speakers. After controlling for visit type, comparison of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking patients revealed that Spanish-speaking families had significantly lower scores for FES items that evaluated healthcare provider explaining (IRR 0.74, 95% CI: 0.61–0.90), listening (IRR 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63–0.92), and time spent with the family (IRR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.60–0.89). There were no differences in FES responses based on insurance status or degree of medical complexity.ConclusionsTelehealth services were less commonly used among Hispanic and Spanish-speaking patients. Language may differentially affect family satisfaction with healthcare and telehealth solutions. Strategies to mitigate these inequities are needed and may include strengthening interpreter services and providing language-concordant care.Level of evidenceLevel IV.     

基于iTRAQ技术探讨人胃癌细胞乙酰肝素酶调控的信号通路北大核心

目的:探讨人胃癌细胞中乙酰肝素酶(HPSE)调控的差异蛋白和信号通路,为以HPSE为靶点防治胃癌提供依据。方法:利用siRNA干扰技术,在乙酰肝素酶(HPSE)基因高表达的SGC7901细胞中转入干扰HPSE的慢病毒载体(LV-HPSE-RNAi),通过嘌呤霉素筛选出稳定株,利用qPCR和Western blot分别检测HPSE mRNA和蛋白表达;利用细胞划痕实验和Transwell侵袭实验测定细胞的迁移和侵袭能力;利用同位素标记的相对和绝对定量(iTRAQ)联合二维液相色谱串联质谱(2DLC-MS/MS)技术筛查差异蛋白,并进行生物信息学分析,对差异蛋白PKCa应用Western blot进一步验证。结果:人胃癌SGC7901细胞和沉默HPSE表达的ZSGC7901细胞对比检测出98个差异蛋白,并且富集在157条信号通路上。与肿瘤发生发展关系密切的有6条:细胞外基质和受体相互作用、局灶性黏附、PI3K-Akt信号通路、癌途径、癌中microRNAs、Wnt信号通路。且上调的FAK、ITGA、PKCa等蛋白和下调的PKA、CDK6等蛋白在通路中处于重要的位置。Western blot结果证明PKCa在沉默HPSE的ZSGC7901细胞中表现为上调,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05),与蛋白质组学筛选结果一致。结论:HPSE在人胃癌细胞中调控的蛋白,参与细胞重要生物学过程、参与重要分子功能及重要信号途径,有望可以成为防治胃癌的新靶点。     

Preoperative comprehensive malignancy risk estimation for thyroid nodules: Development and verification of a network-based prediction model

BackgroundIn order to avoid excessive treatment of thyroid nodules in the clinic, it is necessary to find a simple and practical analysis method to comprehensively and accurately reflect benign or malignant thyroid nodules. This study aimed to construct and validate a comprehensive and reliable network-based predictive model using a variety of imaging and laboratory criteria for thyroid nodules to stratify the risk of malignancy prior to surgery.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from patients who underwent surgical treatment for thyroid nodules at the Thyroid and Breast Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Weifang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between January 2018 and December 2020. Binary logical regression analysis was performed to predict whether nodules were malignant or benign. The developmental dataset included 457 patients (January 2018–December 2020). The validation set included separate data points (n = 225, January 2018–December 2020).ResultsIn this study, criteria that showed significant predictive value for malignant nodules included TI-RADS: 4b (p = 0.065); Bethesda IV, Bethesda V, Bethesda VI (P < 0.0001); BRAF^V600E mutation (P < 0.0001); Calcitonin>5 pg/ml (p = 0.0037); and FNA-Tg>30 ng/ml (p = 0.0003). A 10-grade risk scoring system was developed. The risk of malignancy risk ranged from 2.06% to 100% and was positively associated with increasing risk grade. The areas under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of the development and validation sets were 0.972 and 0.946, respectively.ConclusionA simple, comprehensive and reliable web-based predictive model was designed using a variety of imaging and laboratory criteria to stratify thyroid nodules by probability of malignancy.     

Online Patient Information for Hysterectomies: A Systematic Environmental Scan of Quality and Readability

ObjectiveHysterectomy is a common gynaecological procedure, and therefore online information is highly valuable to patients. Our objective was to evaluate the quality, readability, and comprehensiveness of online patient information on hysterectomy.MethodsThe first 25 patient-directed websites on hysterectomy, identified using 5 online search engines (Google, Yahoo, AOL, Bing, Ask.com) as well as clinical professional societies, were assessed using validated tools for quality (DISCERN, JAMA benchmark), readability (Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level [FKGL], Gunning Fog, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook [SMOG], Flesch Reading Ease Score [FRES]), and completeness of information.ResultsWe identified 50 websites for inclusion. Overall, websites were of good quality (median DISCERN score 53/80 [interquartile range {IQR} 47–61]; median JAMA score 3/4 [IQR 1–4]). Most websites described surgical risks (39, 78%), benefits (45, 90%), and types of hysterectomy (48, 96%). Content readability corresponded to grade 11 using FKGL (median 11.1 [IQR 10.2–13.0]) and SMOG (median 10.9 [IQR 10.2–12.4]), or 15 years education using Gunning Fog (median 14.7 [IQR 13.8–16.4]). Websites were assessed as difficult to read using FRES (median 45.6/100 [IQR 37.9–50.9]). No differences were observed in readability scores when we compared websites from clinical professional societies, government, health care, or academic organizations with other websites (P > 0.05).ConclusionOnline patient information on hysterectomy is of good quality and comprehensive. However, the content is above the American Medical Association’s recommended grade 6 reading level. Website authors should consider readability to make their content more accessible to patients.     

The impact of neighborhoods and friendships on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents: A report from the medical student CHANGES study

Objective

To examine the experience of interracial anxiety among health professionals and how it may affect the quality of their interactions with patients from racially marginalized populations. We explored the influence of prior interracial exposure—specifically through childhood neighborhoods, college student bodies, and friend groups—on interracial anxiety among medical students and residents. We also examined whether levels of interracial anxiety change from medical school through residency.

Data Source

Web-based longitudinal survey data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation Study.

Study Design

We used a retrospective longitudinal design with four observations for each trainee. The study population consisted of non-Black US medical trainees surveyed in their 1st and 4th years of medical school and 2nd and 3rd years of residency. Mixed effects longitudinal models were used to assess predictors of interracial anxiety and assess changes in interracial anxiety scores over time.

Principal Findings

In total, 3155 non-Black medical trainees were followed for 7 years. Seventy-eight percent grew up in predominantly White neighborhoods. Living in predominantly White neighborhoods and having less racially diverse friends were associated with higher levels of interracial anxiety among medical trainees. Trainees' interracial anxiety scores did not substantially change over time; interracial anxiety was highest in the 1st year of medical school, lowest in the 4th year, and increased slightly during residency.

Conclusions

Neighborhood and friend group composition had independent effects on interracial anxiety, indicating that premedical racial socialization may affect medical trainees' preparedness to interact effectively with diverse patient populations. Additionally, the lack of substantial change in interracial anxiety throughout medical training suggests the importance of providing curricular tools and structure (e.g., instituting interracial cooperative learning activities) to foster the development of healthy interracial relationships.     

A European evaluation of the patients’ role in clinical education: A six-country cross sectional study

AimThe aim of this study was to analyse the patients’ role in clinical education in terms of facilitative student-patient relationship in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania and Spain and factors promoting a more facilitative relationship in clinical education.BackgroundNursing students’ bedside learning is reliant on patients and the establishment of a person-centred approach develops from the relationships with patients.DesignA multi-country, cross-sectional design was implemented.MethodsSurvey data were collected from graduating nursing students and patients between May 2018 and March 2019. The survey consisted of a 13-item facilitative sub-scale of the Student-Patient Relationship Scale as the main outcome measure, which was identical for both populations. In addition, background factors were surveyed with single questions and other scales. Associations between facilitative relationship and background factors were studied with linear models.ResultsAltogether, 1796 students and 1327 patients answered the survey. Overall, both students and patients regarded their relationship as facilitative, but students’ (median 4.23, 95% confidence interval 4.15–4.23) evaluations were higher than patients’ (median 3.75, 95% confidence interval 3.69–3.77). The students’ and patients’ evaluations differed from each other significantly in all other countries except in Ireland and Lithuania. Corresponding associations for both populations were found in terms of the country and students’ cultural confidence.ConclusionsResults signal favourable grounds for students’ bedside learning and patient participation in clinical education with the potential to foster a person-centred approach.