Factors associated with provision of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate to adolescents by US health care providers

ObjectiveIdentify factors associated with healthcare providers' frequency of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) provision to adolescents.Study designWe analyzed data from surveys mailed to a nationally representative sample of public-sector providers and office-based physicians (n=1984). We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of factors associated with frequent DMPA provision to adolescents in the past year.ResultsAlthough most providers (>95%) considered DMPA safe for adolescents, fewer reported frequent provision (89% of public-sector providers; 64% of office-based physicians). Among public-sector providers, factors associated with lower odds of frequent provision included working in settings without Title X funding (aOR 0.44, 95% CI 0.30–0.64), reporting primary care as their primary clinical focus versus reproductive or adolescent health (aOR 0.42, 95% CI 0.28–0.61), and providing fewer patients with family planning services. Among office-based physicians, factors associated with lower odds of frequent provision included specializing in obstetrics/gynecology (aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.27–0.91) and family medicine (aOR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.47) versus adolescent medicine, completing training ≥15 versus <5 years ago (aOR 0.27, 95% CI 0.09–0.83), and reporting that 0–24% of patients pay with Medicaid or other government healthcare assistance versus ≥50% (aOR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09–0.61). The reason most commonly reported by providers for infrequent DMPA provision was patient preference for another method.ConclusionsWhile most providers reported frequently providing DMPA to adolescents, training on evidence-based recommendations for contraception, focused on subgroups of providers with lower odds of frequent DMPA provision, may increase adolescents' access to contraception.ImplicationsAlthough >95% of providers considered depot medroxyprogesterone (DMPA) a safe contraceptive for adolescents, only 89% of public-sector providers and 64% of office-based physicians reported frequently providing DMPA to adolescents. Provider training on evidence-based recommendations for contraception counseling and provision may increase adolescents' access to DMPA and all methods of contraception.     

Short-Term Secondary Effects of a School-Based Drug Prevention Program: Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of the Brazilian Version of DARE’s Keepin’ it REAL

Prevention Science - This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the drug and violence resistance educational program (PROERD) on short-term secondary outcomes, such as intentions to use...     

出院过渡期老年心力衰竭患者相关症状及影响因素的纵向研究

目的调查老年心力衰竭患者出院过渡期心衰相关症状,分析其变化趋势及影响因素。方法采用Memorial心力衰竭症状评估量表、心脏病患者抑郁量表、照护负担问卷和家属照护者照护能力问卷,对219例老年心衰患者及主要家庭照护者,于患者出院前1～2 d、出院后1个月和3个月进行调查。结果患者的心衰相关症状随着出院过渡期的延长呈恶化趋势,与出院前1～2 d相比,出院后1个月和3个月患者的心衰症状总分及各维度得分显著提高(P0.01)。抑郁症状在出院后1个月得分最高(90.31±3.27),随着过渡时间的延长得分逐渐下降(P0.01)。回归分析显示,出院过渡期患者心衰相关症状受患者服药种类、心功能分级和照护能力的影响;抑郁受患者年龄、病程和住院次数的影响(P0.05,P0.01)。结论老年心衰患者出院过渡期心衰相关症状较差且呈动态变化,受多种因素影响。护理人员应该制定针对性的过渡期护理计划,减轻患者症状负担。