Examining Health Inequities in A1C Control over Time across Individual, Geospatial, and Geopolitical Factors among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: Analyses of a Sample from One Commercial Insurer in a Southern State.

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes impacts millions and poor maintenance of diabetes can lead to preventable complications, which is why achieving and maintaining target A1C levels is critical. Thus, we aimed to examine inequities in A1C over time, place, and individual characteristics, given known inequities across these indicators and the need to provide continued surveillance. METHODS: Secondary de-identified data from medical claims from a single payer in Texas was merged with population health data. Generalized Estimating Equations were utilized to assess multiple years of data examining the likelihood of having non-target (>7% and ≥7%, two slightly different cut points based on different sources) and separately uncontrolled (>9%) A1C. Adults in Texas, with a Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) flag and with A1C reported in first quarter of the year using data from 2016 and 2019 were included in analyses. RESULTS: Approximately 50% had A1Cs within target ranges (<7% and ≤7%), with 50% considered having non-target (>7% and ≥7%) A1Cs; with 83% within the controlled ranges (≤9%) as compared to approximately 17% having uncontrolled (>9%) A1Cs. The likelihood of non-target A1C was higher among those individuals residing in rural (vs urban) areas (P < .0001); similar for the likelihood of reporting uncontrolled A1C, where those in rural areas were more likely to report uncontrolled A1C (P < .0001). In adjusted analysis, ACA enrollees in 2016 were approx. 5% more likely (OR = 1.049, 95% CI = 1.002-1.099) to have non-target A1C (≥7%) compared to 2019; in contrast non-ACA enrollees were approx. 4% more likely to have non-target A1C (≥7%) in 2019 compared to 2016 (OR = 1.039, 95% CI = 1.001-1.079). In adjusted analysis, ACA enrollees in 2016 were 9% more likely (OR = 1.093, 95% CI = 1.025-1.164) to have uncontrolled A1C compared to 2019; whereas there was no significant change among non-ACA enrollees. CONCLUSIONS: This study can inform health care interactions in diabetes care settings and help health policy makers explore strategies to reduce health inequities among patients with diabetes. Key partners should consider interventions to aid those enrolled in ACA plans, those in rural and border areas, and who may have coexisting health inequities.

Lifetime adversity predicts depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Although life stress and adversity are well-known risk factors for mental health problems and cognitive impairment among older adults, limited research has comprehensively examined the impact of both childhood and adulthood adversity on psychiatric and cognitive impairment symptoms over a prolonged period. To address this issue, we investigated how lifetime adversity exposure is related to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of older adults in the United States. METHOD: We analyzed data from the Health and Retirement Study (1992-2016). The sample included 3496 individuals (59.9% female), aged ≥64 years old (Mage = 76.0 ± 7.6 years in 2016). We used the individual-level panel data and ordinary least squares regressions to estimate associations between childhood and adulthood adversities, and later-life depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Many participants experienced a significant early life (38%) or adulthood (79%) stressor. Moreover, experiencing one childhood adversity (vs. none) was associated with a 17.4% increased risk of adulthood adversity. Finally, as hypothesized, childhood adversity exposure was related to experiencing more depression and anxiety symptoms in later life, whereas adulthood stressor exposure predicted more cognitive impairment as well as more depression and anxiety symptoms. DISCUSSION: These findings demonstrate significant associations between lifetime adversity and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment in older adults. Screening for lifetime stressors may thus help healthcare professionals and policymakers identify individuals who could potentially benefit from interventions designed to reduce stress and enhance resilience.

Group-based trajectory analysis identifies varying diabetes-related cost trajectories among type 2 diabetes patients in Texas: an empirical study using commercial insurance.

BACKGROUND: The trend of Type 2 diabetes-related costs over 4 years could be classified into different groups. Patient demographics, clinical factors (e.g., A1C, short- and long-term complications), and rurality could be associated with different trends of cost. Study objectives are to: (1) understand the trajectories of cost in different groups; (2) investigate the relationship between cost and key factors in each cost trajectory group; and (3) assess significant factors associated with different cost trajectories. METHODS: Commercial claims data in Texas from 2016 to 2019 were provided by a large commercial insurer and were analyzed using group-based trajectory analysis, longitudinal analysis of cost, and logistic regression analyses of different trends of cost. RESULTS: Five groups of distinct trends of Type 2 diabetes-related cost were identified. Close to 20% of patients had an increasing cost trend over the 4 years. High A1C values, diabetes complications, and other comorbidities were significantly associated with higher Type 2 diabetes costs and higher chances of increasing trend over time. Rurality was significantly associated with higher chances of increasing trend over time. CONCLUSIONS: Group-based trajectory analysis revealed distinct patient groups with increased cost and stable cost at low, medium, and high levels in the 4-year period. The significant associations found between the trend of cost and A1C, complications, and rurality have important policy and program implications for potentially improving health outcomes and constraining healthcare costs.

Using Nursing Interventions Classifications to Document Faith Community Nursing Transitional Care.

ABSTRACT: One out of five Medicare beneficiaries is readmitted within 30 days after hospital discharge, and as many as three in four readmissions are preventable. This study describes transitional care interventions (TCIs) delivered by one faith community nurse (FCN) to at-risk seniors living in a certain ZIP code. Two years of nursing documentation (2,280 interventions) were translated into Nursing Interventions Classification standardized nursing language. Results indicate the FCN provided priority TCIs including spiritual care. In fully describing TCIs using a nursing language, results support that the FCN transitional care model is a method worth exploring to provide wholistic transitional care.

Longitudinal associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms and all-cause health care services utilization among middle-aged and older adults in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To examine longitudinal associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms (difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakenings, and nonrestorative sleep) and all-cause health care services utilization (HSU), including overnight hospital stays, nursing home stays, and home health care services among middle-aged and older adults. DATA SOURCES: The Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationwide, population-representative survey of primarily middle-aged and older adults in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: This study is an analysis of prospective data from the HRS for a cohort of 13,168 adults (aged ≥50 years; females = 57.7%). Study participants were followed for 16 years. This study focuses on the associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms, both cumulatively and independently, and repeated HSUs. A marginal structural modeling approach was used to capture time-varying biological, psycho-cognitive, and behavioral health factors, and to adjust for selection bias such as differential loss to follow-up. Generalized estimating equations were employed to compute average marginal effects and their 95% confidence intervals. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We extracted longitudinal data from 2002 through 2018 waves of the HRS. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Experiencing higher numbers of insomnia symptoms on a cumulative scale was associated with higher probabilities of HSU. For instance, the likelihood of overnight hospital stays for individuals reporting one symptom increased from 4.7 percentage points on average (95% CI: 3.7-5.6, p < 0.001), to 13.9 percentage points (95% CI: 10.3-17.5, p < 0.001) for those reporting four symptoms, relative to individuals experiencing no insomnia symptoms. Further, experiencing each of difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep, and nonrestorative sleep, as standalone symptoms, was associated with a higher likelihood of HSU when compared to those not experiencing the symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the potential consequences and adverse impacts of insomnia symptoms on HSU among middle-aged and older adults. Future investigations should focus on the underlying causes and health systems pathways linking insomnia symptoms to HSU.

Associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with older individuals' healthcare utilization and self-reported health status: a longitudinal analysis from Singapore.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the capacity of healthcare systems around the world and can potentially compromise healthcare utilization and health outcomes among non-COVID-19 patients. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations of the COVID-19 pandemic with healthcare utilization, out-of-pocket medical costs, and perceived health among middle-aged and older individuals in Singapore. METHOD: Utilizing data collected from a monthly panel survey, a difference-in-differences approach was used to characterize monthly changes of healthcare use and spending and estimate the probability of being diagnosed with a chronic condition and self-reported health status before and during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. SUBJECTS: Data were analyzed from 7569 nationally representative individuals from 2019 January and 2020 December. MEASURES: Healthcare utilization and healthcare spending by medical service categories as well as self-reported health status. RESULTS: Between January and April 2020 (the first peak period of COVID-19 in Singapore), doctor visits decreased by 30%, and out-of-pocket medical spending decreased by 23%, mostly driven by reductions in inpatient and outpatient care. As a result, the probability of any diagnosis of chronic conditions decreased by 19% in April 2020. The decreased healthcare utilization and spending recovered after lifting the national lockdown in June, 2020 and remained similar to the pre-pandemic level through the rest of 2020. CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged and older Singaporeans' healthcare utilization and the diagnosis of chronic conditions substantially decreased during the first peak period of the COVID-19 outbreak. Further studies to track the longer-term health effect of the pandemic among non-COVID-19 patients are warranted.

Longitudinal associations between insomnia symptoms and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults: a population-based cohort study.

To date, there is no scientific consensus on whether insomnia symptoms increase mortality risk. We investigated longitudinal associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms (difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakening, and nonrestorative sleep) and all-cause mortality among middle-aged and older adults during 14 years of follow-up. Data were obtained from 2004 through 2018 survey waves of the Health and Retirement Study in the United States for a population-representative sample of 15 511 respondents who were ≥50 years old in 2004. Respondents were interviewed biennially and followed through the end of the 2018 survey wave for the outcome. Marginal structural discrete-time survival analyses were employed to account for time-varying confounding and selection bias. Of the 15 511 cohort respondents (mean [±SD] age at baseline, 63.7 [±10.2] years; 56.0% females), 5878 (31.9%) died during follow-up. At baseline (2004), 41.6% reported experiencing at least one insomnia symptom. Respondents who experienced one (HR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.03-1.20), two (HR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01-1.23), three (HR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.05-1.27), or four (HR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.12-1.56) insomnia symptoms had on average a higher hazard of all-cause mortality, compared to those who were symptom-free. For each insomnia symptom, respondents who experienced difficulty initiating sleep (HR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.02-1.22), early-morning awakening (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 1.01-1.18), and nonrestorative sleep (HR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09-1.26), had a higher hazard of all-cause mortality compared to those not experiencing the symptom. The findings demonstrate significant associations between insomnia symptoms and all-cause mortality, both on a cumulative scale and independently, except for difficulty maintaining sleep. Further research should investigate the underlying mechanisms linking insomnia symptoms and mortality.

A Multi-Level Analyses of Charges and Cost of Fall-Related Hospitalizations Among Older Adults: Individual, Hospital, and Geospatial Variation.

The growing population of older adults has attracted concern from policymakers due in part to the fact that they are at higher risk of costly and potentially injurious falls. Responding to this concern, this study investigated fall-related hospitalizations among those aged 65 and older. Hospitalizations rose from 49,299 to 58,931, with charges and costs (estimated based on charges) increasing from $2.5 billion to $3.6 billion and under $900 million to over $1.1 billion, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients from linear mixed-effect models (with charges and costs serving as dependent variables) indicated differences in hospitals accounted for nearly half or more of medical cost variation among older adults suffering a fall-related hospitalization. Nonmetropolitan residence, being aged 65-69 (versus older), and higher risk-of-mortality on admission indicated higher costs. Identifying trends of fall-related hospitalizations over time allows for key stakeholders to not only track the burden of falls among older adults but to also use this information to attract funding for fall prevention strategies from policy makers at various levels (e.g., locally, at the state). Further, identifying characteristics of individuals (e.g., age, race, sex) and places (e.g., rural areas) that carry a higher relative cost can serve to inform the targeted allocation of finite resources including local, state, or federal funding, but also existing evidence-based practices such as community and clinical interventions.

Factors associated with caregiver distress among home care clients in New Zealand: Evidence based on data from interRAI Home Care assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with caregiver distress among home care clients in New Zealand. METHODS: The cohort consisted of 105,978 community-dwelling people aged 65 years or older requiring home care services in New Zealand who had at least one informal caregiver. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with caregiver distress. RESULTS: Variables associated with risk of caregiver distress included Depression Rating Scale score, aggressive behaviour symptoms, primary informal caregiver relationship to patient, Cognitive Performance Scale score, Changes in Health, End-stage disease, and Signs and Symptoms Scale score, informal care time, secondary informal caregiver relationship to care recipient, activities of daily living hierarchy scale score and any hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: The study has identified important characteristics that are associated with caregiver stress. These results suggest that caregiver distress can be relieved by promoting protective factors and aiming to reduce risk factors among home care clients in New Zealand.

Insomnia symptoms and incident heart failure: a population-based cohort study.

AIMS: Heart failure (HF) is an ongoing epidemic and a serious clinical and public health issue. Currently, little is known about prospective associations between insomnia symptoms and HF incidence. We investigated the longitudinal associations between time-varying insomnia symptoms (difficulty initiating sleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early-morning awakening, non-restorative sleep) and incident HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were obtained from the Health and Retirement Study in the US for a population-representative sample of 12,761 middle-aged and older adults (age ≥ 50 years; mean [SD] age, 66.7 [9.4] years; 57.7% females) who were free from HF at baseline in 2002. Respondents were followed for 16 years for incident HF. We employed marginal structural discrete-time survival analyses to adjust for potential time-varying biological, psycho-cognitive, and behavioral factors and to account for bias due to differential loss to follow-up. At baseline, 38.4% of the respondents reported experiencing at least one insomnia symptom. During the 16-year follow-up, 1,730 respondents developed incident HF. Respondents experiencing one (hazard ratio [HR]=1.22; 95% CI: 1.08-1.38), two (HR=1.45; 95% CI: 1.21-1.72), three (HR=1.66; 95% CI: 1.37-2.02), or four (HR=1.80; 95% CI: 1.25-2.59) insomnia symptoms had a higher hazard of incident HF than asymptomatic respondents. Respondents that had trouble initiating sleep (HR=1.17; 95%CI: 1.01-1.36), maintaining sleep (HR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.01-1.28), early-morning awakening (HR=1.20; 95% CI: 1.02-1.43), or non-restorative sleep (HR=1.25; 95% CI: 1.06-1.46) had a higher hazard of incident HF than asymptomatic respondents. CONCLUSION: Insomnia symptoms, both cumulatively and individually, are associated with incident HF. Public health awareness and screening for insomnia symptoms in at-risk populations should be encouraged to reduce HF incidence.

Is Colorectal Cancer Screening Associated with Stages of Weight Control Among Korean Americans Aged 50-75 Years Old?: Implications for Weight Control Practice.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening with stages of weight control among Korean Americans (KAs) using the transtheoretical model and provide implications for their weight control practice. METHODS: A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was employed to collect data on current weight control behaviors and intentions, CRC screening history, previous cancer diagnosis, body mass index, number of chronic conditions, perceived health status, health insurance, and sociodemographics. Purposive sampling was implemented to recruit KA participants in the Atlanta metropolitan area in the USA from May 2015 to February 2016. A total of 433 KAs aged 50 to 75 years completed a self-report survey questionnaire. Descriptive and bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regressions were performed using Stata Version 14/MP software. RESULTS: Applying the stages of the transtheoretical model 53% were positioned in the first two stages (precontemplation and contemplation) of weight control with 47% being in the last two stages (action and maintenance). Participants who had been screened for CRC were more likely to be in the last two stages of weight control compared with those who had not been screened (OR = 2.49; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that preventive healthcare such as CRC screening may provide the opportunity for health education interventions to help encourage weight control efforts and behaviors in the KA community. Future research is warranted to investigate the underlying mechanism behind the link between CRC screening and weight control to guide the development of interventions for eliminating health disparities.

Local Health Department and Hospital Collaboration Around Community Health Needs Assessment to Improve Health Outcomes.

The objectives of this study were to examine the relationships between local health department (LHD) and nonprofit hospital collaboration around community health needs assessment (CHNA), levels of collaboration, and selected community health outcomes. Data were obtained from multiple sources including the National Profile of Local Health Departments. Results showed that high levels of LHD-hospital collaboration around CHNA were associated with lower self-reported poor or fair health, lower years of potential life lost per 100 000 population, and lower premature age-adjusted mortality per 100 000 population. More research is needed to examine the influence of collaboration around CHNA on community health.

Impact of self-assessed health status and physical and functional limitations on healthcare utilization and mortality among older cancer survivors in US.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of physical limitations, functional limitations and self-assessed health status on mortality and healthcare utilization among older cancer survivors. METHODS: National Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) cost and use data from 2008 to 2013 were used for analysis. Physical limitations, Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) were assessed on multiple questions, and self-assessed health was measured on a five-point scale (1-5: Excellent-Poor). Multivariable logistic regression and Poisson regression models were used for hospitalization, re-hospitalization and mortality rates based on three follow up years. RESULTS: This study included 17,715 cancer patients with a mean age of 75 years and 57% females. Cancer survivors with poor self-assessed health had a higher rate of hospitalizations (adjusted Odds Ratio: aOR: 1.60, 95% Confidence Interval: CI: 1.47-1.72, p < 0.001) relative to non-cancer participants. Compared to participants with no history of cancer, cancer survivors with IADL (aOR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.25-1.58, p < 0.001) or with poor self-assessed health (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.21-1.60, p < 0.001) were more likely to have a higher number of hospital readmissions within 30 days of a prior hospitalization. Three-year mortality rate was significantly higher among cancer survivors with poor self-assessed health (Hazard Ratio: 2.81, 95% CI: 2.81-2.82, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Self-assessed health and physical and functional limitations significantly and independently impact healthcare utilization and mortality among older cancer survivors. Healthcare providers should incorporate formal assessments of both self-assessed health and functional status among older cancer survivors in their clinical practice. IMPLICATION FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Self-reported health status is a valuable and independent predictor of healthcare utilization and mortality among cancer survivors.

How the Daily Smartphone is Associated With Daily Travel, Physical Activity, and Self-Perceived Health: Evidence From 2017 National Household Travel Survey.

Knowledge of how smartphone use in daily life, rather than in the context of intervention, may influence people's behaviors and health is limited and mixed. The 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data were used to examine the associations between daily smartphone use and several outcomes, including engaging in vigorous physical activity, self-perceived being healthy, and the adjusted mean differences for total trips and active travels among older adults (≥65 years) as well as among young and middle-aged groups (18-64 years), respectively. The prevalence of daily smartphone use declined with increasing age. Daily smartphone use was associated with increased total trips and active travel, a higher likelihood of engaging in vigorous physical activity, and in self-perceived being healthy status. The associations were stronger among older adults than young and middle-aged adults. More studies are needed to address the complex pathways among daily smartphone use and other outcomes. Daily smartphone use has the potential to address the unmet daily needs of older adults and bridge health disparities for this disadvantaged group.

Emergency department and inpatient utilization among U.S. older adults with multiple chronic conditions: a post-reform update.

BACKGROUND: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted to enhance access to care primarily among nonelderly and low-income populations; however, several provisions addressed key determinants of emergency department (ED) and inpatient visits among Medicare beneficiaries over age 65 years. We take stock of the overall changes in these visits among older Medicare beneficiaries, focusing on those with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs), and provide a nationally representative post-reform update. METHODS: We analyzed a sample of 32,919 older adults (65+) on Medicare from the 2006-2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Using a survey-weighted two-part model, we examined changes in ED visits, inpatient visits, and length of stay (LOS) by MCC status, before (2006-2010), during (2011-2013), and after the ACA (2014-2015). RESULTS: Prior to the ACA, 18.1% of Medicare older adults had ≥1 ED visit, whereas 17.1% had ≥1 inpatient visits, with an average of 5.1 nights/visit. Following ACA reforms, among those with 2+ chronic conditions, the rate of ever having an ED visit increased by 4.3 percentage points [95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.5, 6.1, p < 0.01], whereas the rate of inpatient visits decreased by 1.4 percentage points [95%CI: - 2.9, 0.2, p < 0.1], after multivariable adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: We found sizable increases in ED visits and nontrivial decreases in inpatient visits among older Medicare beneficiaries with MCCs, underscoring the continuing need for improving access to and quality of care among older adults with MCCs to decrease reliance on the ED and reduce preventable hospitalizations.

Self-Check-In Kiosks Utilization and Their Association With Wait Times in Emergency Departments in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Delayed care in emergency departments (EDs) is a serious problem in the United States. Patient wait time is considered a critical measure of delayed care in EDs. Several strategies have been employed by EDs to reduce wait time, including implementation of self-check-in kiosks. However, the effect of kiosks on wait time in EDs is understudied. OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between patient wait time and utilization of self-check-in kiosks in EDs. To investigate a series of other patient-, ED-, and hospital-level predictors of wait time in EDs. METHODS: Using data from the 2015 and 2016 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, we analyzed 40,528 ED visits by constructing a multivariable linear regression model of the log-transformed wait time data as an outcome, then computing percent changes in wait times. RESULTS: During the study period, about 9% of EDs in the United States implemented kiosks. In our linear regression model, the wait time in EDs with kiosk self-check-in services was 56.8% shorter (95% confidence interval ̶ 130% to ̶ 6.4%, p < 0.05) compared with EDs without kiosk services. In addition to kiosks, patients' day of visit, arrival time, triage assessment, arrival by ambulance, chronic medical conditions, ED boarding, hospitals' full-capacity protocol, and hospitals' location were significant predictors of wait time. CONCLUSIONS: Self-check-in kiosks are associated with shorter ED wait time in the United States. However, prolonged ED wait time continues to be a system-wide problem, and warrants multilayered interventions to address this challenge for those who are in acute need of immediate care.

Use of mobile health applications for health-promoting behavior among individuals with chronic medical conditions.

BACKGROUND: Chronic medical conditions (CCs) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Strategies to control CCs include targeting unhealthy behaviors, often through the use of patient empowerment tools, such as mobile health (mHealth) technology. However, no conclusive evidence exists that mHealth applications (apps) are effective among individuals with CCs for chronic disease self-management. METHODS: We used data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 5, Cycle 1, 2017). A sample of 1864 non-institutionalized US adults (≥18 years) who had a smartphone and/or a tablet computer and at least one CC was analyzed. Using multivariable logistic regressions, we assessed predisposing, enabling, and need predictors of three health-promoting behaviors (HPBs): tracking progress on a health-related goal, making a health-related decision, and health-related discussions with a care provider among smart device and mHealth apps owners. RESULTS: Compared to those without mHealth apps, individuals with mHealth apps had significantly higher odds of using their smart devices to track progress on a health-related goal (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 8.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 5.66-13.50, P < .001), to make a health-related decision (aOR 1.77, 95% CI: 1.16-2.71, P < .01) and in health-related discussions with care providers (aOR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.26-3.19, P < .01). Other significant factors of at least one type of HPB among smart device and mHealth apps users were age, gender, education, occupational status, having a regular provider, and self-rated general health. CONCLUSION: mHealth apps are associated with increased rates of HPB among individuals with CCs. However, certain groups, like older adults, are most affected by a digital divide where they have lower access to mHealth apps and thus are not able to take advantage of these tools. Rigorous randomized clinical trials among various segments of the population and different health conditions are needed to establish the effectiveness of these mHealth apps. Healthcare providers should encourage validated mHealth apps for patients with CCs.

Engaging the Underrepresented Sex: Male Participation in Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) Programs.

Females are more likely than males to participate in evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention programs targeted for middle-aged and older adults. Despite the availability and benefits of Stanford's Chronic Disease Self-Management Education (CDSME) programs, male participation remains low. This study identifies personal characteristics of males who attended CDSME program workshops and identifies factors associated with successful intervention completion. Data were analyzed from 45,375 male CDSME program participants nationwide. Logistic regression was performed to examine factors associated with workshop attendance. Males who were aged 65-79 (OR = 1.27, p < .001), Hispanic (OR = 1.22, p < .001), African American (OR = 1.13, p < .001), Asian/Pacific Islander (OR = 1.26, p < .001), Native Hawaiian (OR = 3.14, p < .001), and residing in nonmetro areas (OR = 1.26, p < .001) were more likely to complete the intervention. Participants with 3+ chronic conditions were less likely to complete the intervention (OR = 0.87, p < .001). Compared to health-care organization participants, participants who attended workshops at senior centers (OR = 1.38, p < .001), community/multipurpose facilities (OR = 1.21, p < .001), and faith-based organizations (OR = 1.37, p < .001) were more likely to complete the intervention. Men who participated in workshops with more men were more likely to complete the intervention (OR = 2.14, p < .001). Once enrolled, a large proportion of males obtained an adequate intervention dose. Findings highlight potential strategies to retain men in CDSME programs, which include diversifying workshop locations, incorporating Session Zero before CDSME workshops, and using alternative delivery modalities (e.g., online).

Restricted Social Engagement among Adults Living with Chronic Conditions.

Background: Social engagement is key to health and quality of life. Little is known about social engagement patterns of middle-aged and older adults who live with one or more chronic illnesses. This study investigated social engagement restrictions among middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions and factors associated with these restrictions. Methods: Cross-sectional representative data from the National Council on Aging Chronic Care Survey were examined for relationships between social engagement restrictions and chronic conditions, health status, support, quality of life implications, self-care barriers, caregiving, and demographics. Associations were tested using bivariate analyses and binary logistic regression. Results: Participants were 793 middle-aged (age 44-64) and older adults (age 65+) with one or more chronic conditions. Factors associated with social engagement restrictions included having higher education, receiving care, having more physician visits and hospitalizations, being disabled, being unemployed, and having higher Emotional and Physical Problems Scale scores. Conclusions: Findings reveal the prevalence of social engagement restrictions among middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions. Results highlight the importance of promoting research, assessments, and interventions to increase social engagement among this aging population.

Multilevel Comparisons of Hospital Discharge among Older Adults with a Fall-Related Hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE: We examined multilevel factors associated with hospital discharge status among older adults suffering a fall-related hospitalization. DATA SOURCES: The 2011-2013 (n = 131,978) Texas Inpatient Hospital Discharge Public-Use File was used. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Multilevel logistic regression analyses estimated the likelihood of being discharged to institutional settings versus home. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Factors associated with a greater likelihood of being discharged to institutional settings versus home/self-care included being female, white, older, having greater risk of mortality, receiving care in a non-teaching hospital, having Medicare (versus Private) coverage, and being admitted from a non-health care facility (versus clinical referral). CONCLUSIONS: Understanding risk factors for costly discharges to institutional settings enables targeted fall-prevention interventions with identification of at-risk groups and allows for identifying policy-related factors associated with discharge status.