ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Little is known about health literacy in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) and how health literacy relates to medication adherence and psychosocial outcomes in this high-risk population. The objective of this study was to evaluate health literacy in adolescents and young adults with cSLE and its association with medication adherence and quality of life. METHODS: Youth 10-24 years with cSLE (n = 48) completed the Brief Healthy Literacy Screen (BHLS) and the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) to assess health literacy. Participants also completed validated measures of medication adherence and quality of life. Descriptive analyses were used to determine levels of health literacy. Bivariate correlations were used to evaluate associations between measures of health literacy with adherence and quality of life. A multivariable regression analyses was used to determine if health literacy was a significant predictor of adherence or quality of life, after adjusting for age, sex, race, and household income. RESULTS: Inadequate health literacy was common in this population, with 67% of youth categorized as having inadequate health literacy by the BHLS and 42% by the NVS. Higher medication adherence was associated with a higher BHLS score (r=.36, p = .017). BHLS was also significantly associated with better quality of life (r = 0.31, p = .034). CONCLUSION: Inadequate health literacy is prevalent among youth with cSLE. Higher health literacy is associated with higher medication adherence and better quality of life, suggesting that attention to health literacy could improve outcomes for this vulnerable population.
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Background and Objectives: A clinical practice guideline (CPG) was created to standardize evaluation and treatment for patients with suspected anti-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) autoimmune encephalitis (AE), the most common AE in children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the CPG effect on time to diagnosis, treatment, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Methods: Patients with an inpatient consult to pediatric rheumatology for AE during a 4-year period (period 2) after CPG implementation were identified. Data were extracted and compared with data over the preceding 4-year period (period 1). Results: During period 1, fewer patients underwent diagnostic testing than during period 2 (34 vs 80). Number of patients diagnosed with AE did not differ from period 1 to that from period 2 (NMDAR AE 9 vs 8; seronegative AE 4 vs 5). The average time to diagnostic evaluation with lumbar puncture decreased from 5.4 to 1.5 days (p = 0.0082), and time to treatment decreased from 7.6 to 3.9 days (p = 0.018). LOS showed a trend toward improvement (40.4-29.2 days (p = 0.23)). Discussion: Creation of a CPG for patients with suspected AE was associated with an improved time to diagnostic evaluation and treatment. With the CPG, more patients underwent AE testing, though total diagnoses remained the same.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Conferences are an essential component to resident education. Work hour requirements have led to night rotations, causing residents to miss this important educational experience. To fill this void, many institutions have created night curricula, but few have studied how to implement and sustain it. Our aim was to increase formal nighttime teaching led by upper level residents from 0 to ≥3 times weekly by December of 2018. METHODS: After a needs-assessment survey was completed by upper level residents, pediatric night education sessions were established. Upper level residents on wards were responsible for teaching and recording whether nighttime teaching occurred. Data were collected by using this form, and a run chart was used to analyze the data over time. A team of hospitalists, pediatric residency program leadership, and a second-year resident met throughout the project and used the model for improvement. RESULTS: Data were collected for 84 weeks. Introduction of the education sessions increased teaching occurrences from a baseline of 0 to a median of 1. After several plan, do, study, act cycles, most notably after implementing upper level feedback, special cause variation was achieved and median teaching occurrences increased to 3 times weekly. This was sustained for 32 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Focused quality improvement methodologies can be used to improve new residency program education. These methods can inform other residency programs how to successfully weave a teaching expectation into their night shifts to provide more learning opportunities in the era of duty hour requirements.
