The impact of the housing status on clinical outcomes and health care utilization among individuals living with HIV

ABSTRACT

The lack of stable housing can impair access and continuity of care for patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study investigated the relationship between housing status assessed at multiple time points and several core HIV-related outcomes within the same group of HIV patients experiencing homelessness. Patients with consistently stable housing (CSH) during the year were compared to patients who lacked CSH (non-CSH group). The study outcomes included HIV viral load (VL), CD4 counts, and health care utilization. Multivariable and propensity weighted analyses were used to assess outcomes adjusting for potential group differences. Of 208 patients, 88 (42%) had CSH and 120 (58%) were non-CSH. Patients with CSH had significantly higher proportion of VL suppression and higher mean CD4 counts. The frequency of nurse visits in the CSH group was less than a half of that in the non-CSH group. Patients with CSH were less likely to be admitted to the medical respite facility, and if admitted, their length of stay was about a half of that for the non-CSH group. Our study findings show that patients with CSH had significantly better HIV virologic control and immune status as well as improved health care utilization.     

Beyond intraocular pressure: Optimizing patient-reported outcomes in glaucoma

Glaucoma, an irreversible blinding condition affecting 3–4% adults aged above 40 years worldwide, is set to increase with a rapidly aging global population. Raised intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor for glaucoma where the treatment paradigm is focused on managing IOP using medications, laser, or surgery regimens. However, notwithstanding IOP and other clinical parameters, patient-reported outcomes, including daily functioning, emotional well-being, symptoms, mobility, and social life, remain the foremost concerns for people being treated for glaucoma. These outcomes are measured using objective patient-centered outcome measures (PCOMs) and subjective patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Studies using PCOMs have shown that people with glaucoma have several mobility, navigational and coordination challenges; reading and face recognition deficits; and are slower in adapting to multiple real-world situations when compared to healthy controls. Similarly, studies have consistently demonstrated, using PROMs, that glaucoma substantially and negatively impacts on peoples’ self-reported visual functioning, mobility, independence, emotional well-being, self-image, and confidence in healthcare, compared to healthy individuals, particularly in those with late-stage disease undergoing a heavy treatment regimen. The patient-centred effectiveness of current glaucoma treatment paradigms is equivocal due to a lack of well-designed randomized controlled trials; short post-treatment follow-up periods; an inappropriate selection or availability of PROMs; and/or an insensitivity of currently available PROMs to monitor changes especially in patients with newly diagnosed early-stage glaucoma. We provide a comprehensive, albeit non-systematic, critique of the psychometric properties, limitations, and recent advances of currently available glaucoma-specific PCOMs and PROMs. Finally, we propose that item banking and computerized adaptive testing methods can address the multiple limitations of paper-pencil PROMs; customize their administration; and have the potential to improve healthcare outcomes for people with glaucoma.     

加速康复外科理念在脊柱结核围手术期护理中的应用效果分析

目的: 分析探讨加速康复外科(ERAS)理念在脊柱结核围手术期护理应用中的效果。 方法: 收集青岛市胸科医院外科2017年7月至2020年6月收治的147例脊柱结核患者。其中,2017年7月至2018年12月收治的68例脊柱结核手术患者围手术期应用常规护理,作为对照组;2019年1月至2020年6月收治的79例脊柱结核手术患者在常规护理措施基础上融入了ERAS理念,作为ERAS组。比较两组患者的引流管拔除、最初下床进行功能锻炼、最初自主排尿的时间,术后72h疼痛(采用视觉模拟评分法)评分,住院天数,恶心呕吐、肺部感染、药物性肝损伤的发生率,以及患者满意度的差异。 结果: 与对照组相比,ERAS组患者引流管拔除时间[6.00(4.00,8.00)d和8.00(7.00,8.00)d;W=4321.000,P<0.001]、最初下床进行功能锻炼时间[2.00(2.00,4.00)d和5.50(4.25,6.00)d;W=3376.000,P<0.001]、首次在床上自主排尿时间[5.00(3.00,6.00)h和9.00(7.00,9.00)h;W=3369.000,P<0.001]、术后72h疼痛评分[3.00(2.00,4.00)分和5.00(5.00,6.00)分;W=4078.500,P<0.001]、住院总天数[19.00(18.00,21.00)d和22.00(19.00,27.00)d;W=4791.500,P<0.001]均有所下降,差异均有统计学意义。与对照组相比,ERAS组术后恶心呕吐发生率[7.6%(6/79)和19.1%(13/68);χ²=4.311,P=0.038]、肺部感染发生率[2.5%(2/79)和11.8%(8/68);χ²=4.914,P=0.027]、药物性肝损伤发生率[1.3%(1/79)和13.2%(9/68),χ²=8.258,P=0.004]均有所下降,差异均有统计学意义。ERAS组患者满意度高于对照组[96.2%(76/79)和85.3%(58/68),χ²=7.100,P=0.008],差异有统计学意义。 结论: ERAS理念应用于脊柱结核围手术期护理可以加速患者的康复,减少并发症的发生,提高患者的满意度。