Extreme Heat and COVID-19 in New York City: An Evaluation of a Large Air Conditioner Distribution Program to Address Compounded Public Health Risks in Summer 2020

In summer 2020, New York City (NYC) implemented a free air conditioner (AC) distribution program in response to the threats of extreme heat and COVID-19. The program distributed and installed ACs in the homes of nearly 73,000 older, low-income residents of public and private housing. To evaluate the program’s impact, survey data were collected from October 2020 to February 2021 via mail and online from 1447 program participants and 902 non-participating low-income NYC adults without AC as a comparison group. Data were examined by calculating frequencies, proportions, and logistic regression models. Participants were 3 times more likely to report staying home during hot weather in summer 2020 compared to non-participants (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2, 4.1), with no difference between groups in summer 2019 (AOR = 1.0, CI = 0.8, 1.3). Participants were less likely to report that 2020 hot weather made them feel sick in their homes compared to non-participants (AOR = 0.2, CI = 0.2, 0.3). The program helped participants—low-income residents and primarily people of color—stay home safely during hot weather. These results are relevant for climate change health-adaptation efforts and heat-health interventions.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11524-022-00704-9.     

Reliability generalization of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG)

While grief is a universal experience, this phenomenon is experienced in a variety of ways largely dependent upon one’s cultural schema. To consider the potential problems inherent in generalizing the results of an assessment tool across cultures, this study explores the notion of generalizability in assessment by evaluating the reliability of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG) using a meta-analytic technique called reliability generalization. The TRIG demonstrated strong reliability with mean Cronbach’s alphas of .90 and .82 for the present and past subscales, respectively. Overall, the TRIG, especially the present subscale, appears to produce reliable scores even across cultures.     

Impact of community care in enabling older people with complex needs to remain at home

Aim.  This aim of the study was to explore the impact of community care in enabling older people with complex needs to remain at home.
Background.  Changing demographic trends and successive government policies have led to an increase in the number of older people with complex needs residing in the community.
Design.  A qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews was used to collect data from older people ( n  = 17) and carers ( n  = 14).
Method.  Social workers were asked to identify community dwelling older people (65+ years) with multiple needs requiring interventions from a range of health and social care practitioners.
Results.  Community care enabled older people with complex needs who would otherwise have required residential or nursing home care to remain in their own homes. This was the expressed wish of both the older people and carers interviewed.
Conclusions.  The provision of high-quality community care for older people is a globally significant challenge and one that requires creative solutions, both at a local and strategic level.
Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses and other health and social care professionals need to understand the significance of 'home' for older people and take steps to ensure that additional and appropriate resources are targeted towards community care.     

ABO incompatibility as an adverse risk factor for survival after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND: Graft ABO incompatibility has not been thought to affect patient survival after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, although it may be associated with prolonged erythroid aplasia and immediate or delayed hemolysis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a cohort of 292 allogeneic transplant recipients measured survival in a subgroup of ABO-incompatible bone marrow graft recipients. RESULTS: Patients with acute myelogenous leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome receiving non-T-cell-depleted bone marrow grafts had an 85-percent greater risk of death within 100 days of transplant (relative risk, 1.85, 95% CI, 1.33-2.58; p = 0.003) than comparable patients receiving ABO-compatible grafts. Both ABO major- and minor-mismatched graft recipients were at risk.The increased mortality rate was not due to an increase in graft failure or acute graft-versus-host disease; rather, patients died of multiple-organ failure and sepsis, which is consistent with regimen-related toxicity. This effect was not seen in a larger group of 112 chronic myelogenous leukemia patients undergoing similar treatment. CONCLUSION: ABO incompatibility may be a significant prognostic risk factor after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in susceptible subgroups of recipients. Care is necessary to design hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell-processing and -transfusion policies to minimize this risk.