Sociodemographic Variations in Women's Reports of Discussions With Clinicians About Breast Density.

Importance: Breast density notifications advise women to discuss breast density with their clinicians, yet little is known about such discussions. Objectives: To examine the content of women's reports of breast density discussions with clinicians and identify variations by women's sociodemographic characteristics (age, income, state legislation status, race and ethnicity, and literacy level). Design, Setting, and Participants: This US nationwide, population-based, random-digit dial telephone survey study was conducted from July 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020, among 2306 women aged 40 to 76 years with no history of breast cancer who underwent mammography in the prior 2 years and had heard the term dense breasts or breast density. Results were analyzed from a subsample of 770 women reporting a conversation about breast density with their clinician after their last mammographic screening. Statistical analysis was conducted in April and July 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Survey questions inquired whether women's clinicians had asked about breast cancer risk or their worries or concerns about breast density, had discussed mammography results or other options for breast cancer screening or their future risk of breast cancer, as well as the extent to which the clinician answered questions about breast density. Results: Of the 770 women (358 [47%] aged 50-64 years; 47 Asian [6%], 125 Hispanic [16%], 204 non-Hispanic Black [27%], 317 non-Hispanic White [41%], and 77 other race and ethnicity [10%]) whose results were analyzed, most reported that their clinicians asked questions about breast cancer risk (88% [670 of 766]), discussed mammography results (94% [724 of 768]), and answered patient questions about breast density (81% [614 of 761]); fewer women reported that clinicians had asked about worries or concerns about breast density (69% [524 of 764]), future risk of breast cancer (64% [489 of 764]), or other options for breast cancer screening (61% [459 of 756]). Women's reports of conversations varied significantly by race and ethnicity; non-Hispanic Black women reported being asked questions about breast cancer risk more often than non-Hispanic White women (odds ratio [OR], 2.08 [95% CI, 1.05-4.10]; P = .04). Asian women less often reported being asked about their worries or concerns (OR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.20-0.86]; P = .02), and Hispanic and Asian women less often reported having their questions about breast density answered completely or mostly (Asian: OR, 0.28 [95% CI, 0.13-0.62]; P = .002; Hispanic: OR, 0.48 [95% CI, 0.27-0.87]; P = .02). Women with low literacy were less likely than women with high literacy to report being asked about worries or concerns about breast density (OR, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.43-0.96]; P = .03), that mammography results were discussed with them (OR, 0.32 [95% CI, 0.16-0.63]; P = .001), or that their questions about breast density were answered completely or mostly (OR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.32-0.81]; P = .004). Conclusions and Relevance: In this survey study, although most women reported that their clinicians counselled them about breast density, the unaddressed worries or concerns and unanswered questions, especially among Hispanic and Asian women and those with low literacy, highlighted areas where discussions could be improved.

Women's Reactions to Breast Density Information Vary by Sociodemographic Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Breast density information aims to increase awareness of breast density and its risks and to foster more informed future breast screening decisions among women with dense breasts. We explored associations between such information and outcomes including anxiety, confusion, or feeling informed, and whether they varied by race/ethnicity or literacy, or differentially affected future mammography plans. METHODS: A national telephone survey of a diverse sample of women previously informed of personal breast density (N = 1,322) assessed reactions to receipt of breast density information and future mammography plans. RESULTS: Most women (86%) felt informed after receiving personal breast density information; however, some felt anxious (15%) or confused (11%). Reactions varied significantly by sociodemographics; non-Hispanic Black, Asian, and Hispanic women and women with low literacy were nearly two to three times more likely to report anxiety than non-Hispanic White women (all ps < .05). Asian women and those with low literacy less often felt informed and more often felt confused. Non-Hispanic Black and Asian women were nearly twice as likely to report that knowing their breast density made them more likely to have future mammograms. Women with low literacy were more likely to change mammography plans, with some being more likely and others less likely to plan to have future mammograms. Greater anxiety and confusion were associated with higher likelihood of planning future mammograms; those feeling informed were less likely to plan future mammography. CONCLUSIONS: Differential reactions to breast density information are concerning if associated with disparate future screening plans. Future breast density education efforts should ensure that such information is readily accessible and understandable to all women in order to lead to desired effects.

Perceptions of Breast Cancer Risks Among Women Receiving Mammograph Screening.

Importance: Breast density is an independent risk factor for breast cancer. Despite the proliferation of mandated written notifications about breast density following mammography, there is little understanding of how women perceive the relative breast cancer risk associated with breast density. Objective: To assess women's perception of breast density compared with other breast cancer risks and explore their understanding of risk reduction. Design, Setting, and Participants: This mixed-methods qualitative study used telephone surveys and semistructured interviews to investigate perceptions about breast cancer risk among a nationally representative, population-based sample of women. Eligible study participants were aged 40 to 76 years, reported having recently undergone mammography, had no history of prior breast cancer, and had heard of breast density. Survey participants who had been informed of their personal breast density were invited for a qualitative interview. Survey administration spanned July 1, 2019, to April 30, 2020, with 2306 women completing the survey. Qualitative interviews were conducted from February 1 to May 30, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Respondents compared the breast cancer risk associated with breast density with 5 other risk factors. Participants qualitatively described what they thought contributed to breast cancer risk and ways to reduce risk. Results: Of the 2306 women who completed the survey, 1858 (166 [9%] Asian, 503 [27%] Black, 268 [14%] Hispanic, 792 [43%] White, and 128 [7%] other race or ethnicity; 358 [19%] aged 40-49 years, 906 [49%] aged 50-64 years, and 594 [32%] aged ≥65 years) completed the revised risk perception questions and were included in the analysis. Half of respondents thought breast density to be a greater risk than not having children (957 [52%]), having more than 1 alcoholic drink per day (975 [53%]), or having a prior breast biopsy (867 [48%]). Most respondents felt breast density was a lesser risk than having a first-degree relative with breast cancer (1706 [93%]) or being overweight or obese (1188 [65%]). Of the 61 women who were interviewed, 6 (10%) described breast density as contributing to breast cancer risk, and 43 (70%) emphasized family history as a breast cancer risk factor. Of the interviewed women, 17 (28%) stated they did not know whether it was possible to reduce their breast cancer risk. Conclusions and Relevance: In this qualitative study of women of breast cancer screening age, family history was perceived as the primary breast cancer risk factor. Most interviewees did not identify breast density as a risk factor and did not feel confident about actions to mitigate breast cancer risk. Comprehensive education about breast cancer risks and prevention strategies is needed.

Ensuring Clarity and Understandability of the FDA's Breast Density Notifications.

This Viewpoint discusses the use of breast density notifications to inform women with dense breast tissue of the potential need for supplemental cancer screening, as well as the need to ensure that such notifications are clear and understandable to women of all language backgrounds, literacy levels, educational levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of screening and referral for social determinants of health on Veterans' outcomes: protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Health policy leaders recommend screening and referral (S&R) for unmet social needs (eg, food) in clinical settings, and the American Heart Association recently concluded that the most significant opportunities for reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) death and disability lie with addressing the social determinants of CVD outcomes. A limited but promising evidence base supports these recommendations, but more rigorous research is needed to guide health care-based S&R efforts. Funded by the Veteran Health Administration (VA), the study described in this paper will assess the efficacy of S&R on Veterans' connections to new resources to address social needs, reduction of unmet needs and health-related outcomes (adherence, utilisation and clinical outcomes). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a 1-year mixed-methods randomised controlled trial at three VA sites, enrolling Veterans with CVD and CVD-risk. 880 Veterans experiencing one or more social needs will be randomised within each site (n=293 per site) to one of three study arms representing referral mechanisms of varying intensity (screening only, screening and provision of resource sheet(s), screening and provision of resource sheet(s) plus social work assistance). For each Veteran, we will examine associations of unmet social needs with health-related outcomes at baseline, and longitudinally compare the impact of each approach on connection to new resources (primary outcome) and follow-up outcomes over a 12-month period. We will additionally conduct qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, including Veterans to identify potential explanatory factors related to the relative success of the interventions. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from the VA Central Internal Review Board on 13 July 2021 (reference #: 20-07-Amendment No. 02). Findings will be disseminated through reports, lay summaries, policy briefs, academic publications, and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04977583.

A letter is not enough: Women's preferences for and experiences of receiving breast density information.

OBJECTIVE: Despite evidence of disparate uptake of breast density (BD) information, little is known about diverse women's preferences for and experiences learning about BD. METHODS: Telephone survey among 2306 racially/ethnically and literacy diverse women; qualitative interviews with 61 survey respondents. Responses by participant race/ethnicity and literacy were examined using bivariate, then multivariable analyses. Interviews were content-analyzed for themes. RESULTS: Most women (80%) preferred learning of personal BD from providers, with higher rates among Non-Hispanic Black (85%) than Non-Hispanic White women (80%); and among Non-Hispanic White than Asian women (72%, all ps<0.05). Women with low literacy less often preferred receiving BD information from providers (76% v. 81%), more often preferring written notification (21% vs. 10%); women with high literacy more often preferred learning through an online portal (9% vs 3%). Most women (93%) received BD information from providers (no between group differences). Qualitative findings detailed women's desires for obtaining BD information from providers, written information, and visual depictions of BD. CONCLUSIONS: When educating women about BD, one size does not fit all. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Additional educational methods are needed beyond written BD notifications to sufficiently address the varying informational needs and preferences of all USA women.

Women's Understandings and Misunderstandings of Breast Density and Related Concepts: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Most U.S. states require written notification of breast density after mammograms, yet effects of notifications on knowledge are mixed. Little is known about potential misunderstandings. Methods: We used a sequential mixed-methods study design to assess women's knowledge about breast density, after receiving a notification. We conducted a telephone survey among a racially/ethnically and health-literacy level diverse sample (N = 754) and qualitative interviews with 61 survey respondents. Results: In survey results, 58% of women correctly indicated that breast density is not related to touch, with higher accuracy among non-Hispanic White women and those with greater health literacy. Next, 87% of women recognized that breast density is identified visually via mammogram, with no significant differences in responses by race/ethnicity or health literacy. Most (81%) women recognized that a relationship exists between breast tissue types and density; Non-Hispanic White women were less likely to respond correctly. Only 47% of women correctly indicated that having dense breasts increases one's risk of breast cancer; women with low health literacy were more often correct. Qualitative results revealed additional dimensions of understanding: Some women incorrectly reported that density could be felt, or dense breasts were lumpier, thicker, or more compacted; others identified "dense" tissue as fatty. Interpretations of risk included that breast density was an early form of breast cancer. Conclusion: We found areas of consistent knowledge and identified misperceptions surrounding breast density across race/ethnicity and health literacy levels. Further education to address disparities and correct misunderstandings is essential to promote better knowledge, to foster informed decisions.

Direct-to-consumer strategies to promote deprescribing in primary care: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Deprescribing, or the intentional discontinuation or dose-reduction of medications, is an approach to reduce harms associated with inappropriate medication use. We sought to determine how direct-to-patient educational materials impacted patient-provider discussion about and deprescribing of potentially inappropriate medications. METHODS: We conducted a pre-post pilot trial, using an historical control group, at an urban VA medical center. We included patients in one of two cohorts: 1) chronic proton pump inhibitor users (PPI), defined as use of any dose for 90 consecutive days, or 2) patients at hypoglycemia risk, defined by diabetes diagnosis; prescription for insulin or sulfonylurea; hemoglobin A1c < 7%; and age ≥ 65 years, renal insufficiency, or cognitive impairment. The intervention consisted of mailing medication-specific patient-centered EMPOWER (Eliminating Medications Through Patient Ownership of End Results) brochures, adapted to a Veteran patient population, two weeks prior to scheduled primary care appointments. Our primary outcome - deprescribing - was defined as clinical documentation of target medication discontinuation or dose-reduction. Our secondary outcome was documentation of a discussion about the target medication (yes/possible vs. no/absent). Covariates included age, sex, race, specified comorbidities, medications, and utilization. We used chi-square tests to examine the association of receiving brochures with each outcome. RESULTS: The 348 subjects (253 intervention, 95 historical control) were primarily age ≥ 65 years, white, and male. Compared to control subjects, intervention subjects were more likely to have deprescribing (36 [14.2%] vs. 4 [4.2%], p = 0.009) and discussions about the target medication (31 [12.3%] vs. 1 [1.1%], p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted mailings of EMPOWER brochures temporally linked to a scheduled visit in primary care clinics are a low-cost, low-technology method associated with increases in both deprescribing and documentation of patient-provider medication discussions in a Veteran population. Leveraging the potential for patients to initiate deprescribing discussions within clinical encounters is a promising strategy to reduce drug burden and decrease adverse drug effects and harms.

Diabetes Control During Massachusetts Insurance Reform.

Racial/ethnic disparities in glycemic control-a key diabetes outcome measure-continue to widen, even though the overall prevalence of glycemic control in the US has improved. Health insurance coverage may be associated with improved glycemic control, but few studies examine effects during a period of policy change. We assessed changes in glycemic control by racial/ethnic groups following the Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform for patients at two urban safety-net academic health systems between January 2005 and December 2013. We analyzed outcomes for three measures of poor glycemic control: 1) lack of a hemoglobin A1C (A1C) measure during a 6-month period; 2) A1C >8%; 3) A1C >9% before, during, and after implementation of insurance reform. We did not find increased rates of A1C monitoring or control following insurance reform overall or for specific racial/ethnic groups. We found evidence of worsened, not improved, glycemic control in some racial/ethnic groups in the post-reform period. The expansion of affordable insurance coverage was not associated with improved glycemic control in vulnerable populations.

Computerized Relational Agent to Deliver Alcohol Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment in Primary Care: a Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol screening and brief intervention have demonstrated efficacy but limited effectiveness and implementation in real-world primary care settings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a computerized Relational Agent programmed to provide alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. We hypothesized that participants in the experimental condition would report greater reductions in their drinking and higher rates of brief intervention and referrals to specialty care compared to those in treatment as usual (TAU). DESIGN: This was a Hybrid I implementation design and stratified RCT. Participants were randomized to TAU or Relational Agent + TAU and assessed at baseline and 3-month follow-up. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 178 veteran participants were recruited by referral from primary care staff after a positive alcohol screen, or via letter sent do patients screening positive during recent visit. INTERVENTION(S): TAU involved yearly reminders to screen alcohol use and provide brief intervention and treatment referrals, as needed. The Relational Agent added an automated brief intervention, a 1-month follow-up Relational Agent visit, and referral to treatment if needed. MAIN MEASURES: We measured average drinks per day, drinking days per week, number of brief interventions, and number of referrals over 3 months. KEY RESULTS: Participants decreased their drinking in both study conditions, with no significant between-group differences on primary alcohol measures. However, Relational Agent + TAU participants evidenced greater improvements regarding negative alcohol-related consequences over 3 months, and were significantly more likely to receive a brief intervention and referral to specialty care. CONCLUSIONS: The Relational Agent successfully provided brief intervention and referred many more patients to specialty care and was able to intervene with patients with less severe drinking without increasing primary care burden. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov , NCT02030288, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/home.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in 30-Day Mortality for Heart Failure and Pneumonia in the Veterans Health Administration Using Claims-based, Clinical, and Social Risk-adjustment Variables.

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have identified lower mortality in Black Veterans compared with White Veterans after hospitalization for common medical conditions, but these studies adjusted for comorbid conditions identified in administrative claims. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to compare mortality for non-Hispanic White (hereafter, "White"), non-Hispanic Black (hereafter, "Black"), and Hispanic Veterans hospitalized for heart failure (HF) and pneumonia and determine whether observed mortality differences varied according to whether claims-based comorbid conditions and/or clinical variables were included in risk-adjustment models. RESEARCH DESIGN: This was an observational study. SUBJECTS: The study cohort included 143,520 admissions for HF and 127,782 admissions for pneumonia for Veterans hospitalized in 132 Veterans Health Administration (VA) Medical Centers between January 2009 and September 2015. MEASURES: The primary independent variable was racial/ethnic group (ie, Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White), and the outcome was all-cause mortality 30 days following admission. To compare mortality by race/ethnicity, we used logistic regression models that included different combinations of claims-based, clinical, and sociodemographic variables. For each model, we estimated the average marginal effect (AME) for Black and Hispanic Veterans relative to White Veterans. RESULTS: Among the 143,520 (127,782) hospitalizations for HF (pneumonia), the average patient age was 71.6 (70.9) years and 98.4% (97.1%) were male. The unadjusted 30-day mortality rates for HF (pneumonia) were 7.2% (11.0%) for White, 4.1% (10.4%) for Black and 8.4% (16.9%) for Hispanic Veterans. Relative to White Veterans, when only claims-based variables were used for risk adjustment, the AME (95% confidence interval) for the HF [pneumonia] cohort was -2.17 (-2.45, -1.89) [0.08 (-0.41, 0.58)] for Black Veterans and 1.32 (0.49, 2.15) [4.51 (3.65, 5.38)] for Hispanic Veterans. When clinical variables were incorporated in addition to claims-based ones, the AME, relative to White Veterans, for the HF [pneumonia] cohort was -1.57 (-1.88, -1.27) [-0.83 (-1.31, -0.36)] for Black Veterans and 1.50 (0.71, 2.30) [3.30 (2.49, 4.11)] for Hispanic Veterans. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with White Veterans, Black Veterans had lower mortality, and Hispanic Veterans had higher mortality for HF and pneumonia. The inclusion of clinical variables into risk-adjustment models impacted the magnitude of racial/ethnic differences in mortality following hospitalization. Future studies examining racial/ethnic disparities should consider including clinical variables for risk adjustment.

Using Mixed Methods With Multiple Stakeholders to Inform Development of a Breast Cancer Screening Decision Aid for Women With Limited Health Literacy.

Background. When stakeholders offer divergent input, it can be unclear how to prioritize information for decision aids (DAs) on mammography screening. Objectives. This analysis triangulates perspectives (breast cancer screening experts, primary care providers [PCPs], and patients with limited health literacy [LHL]) to understand areas of divergent and convergent input across stakeholder groups in developing a breast cancer screening DA for younger women with LHL. Design. A modified online Delphi panel of 8 experts rated 57 statements for inclusion in a breast cancer screening DA over three rounds. Individual interviews with 25 patients with LHL and 20 PCPs from a large safety net hospital explored informational needs about mammography decision making. Codes from the qualitative interviews and open-ended responses from the Delphi process were mapped across stakeholders to ascertain areas where stakeholder preferences converged or diverged. Results. Four themes regarding informational needs were identified regarding 1) the benefits and harms of screening, 2) different screening modalities, 3) the experience of mammography, and 4) communication about breast cancer risk. Patients viewed pain as the primary harm, while PCPs and experts emphasized the harm of false positives. Patients, but not PCPs or experts, felt that information about the process of getting a mammogram was important. PCPs believed that mammography was the only evidence-based screening modality, while patients believed breast self-exam was also important for screening. All stakeholders described incorporating personal risk information as important. Limitations. As participants came from one hospital, perceptions may reflect local practices. The Delphi sample size was small. Conclusions. Patients, experts, and PCPs had divergent views on the most important information needed for screening decisions. More evidence is needed to guide integration of multiple stakeholder perspectives into the content of DAs.

The Influence of Health Insurance Stability on Racial/Ethnic Differences in Diabetes Control and Management.

Objective: This study examined whether health insurance stability was associated with improved type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) control and reduced racial/ethnic health disparities. Methods: We utilized electronic medical record data (2005-2013) from two large, urban academic health systems with a racially/ethnically diverse patient population to examine insurance coverage, and three DM outcomes (poor diabetes control, A1c ≥8.0%; very poor diabetes control A1c >9.0%; and poor BP control, ≥ 130/80 mm Hg) and one DM management outcome (A1c monitoring). We used generalized estimating equations adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, site of care, education, and income. Additional analysis examined if insurance stability (stable public or private insurance over the six-month internal) moderates the impact of race/ethnicity on DM outcomes. Results: Nearly 50% of non-Hispanic (NH) Whites had private insurance coverage, compared with 33.5% of NH Blacks, 31.5% of Asians, and 31.1% of Hispanics. Overall, and within most racial/ ethnic groups, insurance stability was associated with better glycemic control compared with those with insurance switches or always being uninsured, with uninsured NH Blacks having significantly worse BP control. More NH Black and Hispanic patients had poorly controlled (A1c≥8%) and very poorly controlled (A1c>9%) diabetes across all insurance stability types than NH Whites or Asians. The interaction between insurance instability and race/ethnic groups was statistically significant for A1c monitoring and BP control, but not for glycemic control. Conclusion: Stable insurance coverage was associated with improved DM outcomes for all racial / ethnic groups, but did not eliminate racial ethnic disparities.

The temporal nature of social context: Insights from the daily lives of patients with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Patients' life contexts are increasingly recognized as important, as evidenced by growing attention to the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). This attention may be particularly valuable for patients with complex needs, like those with HIV, who are more likely to experience age-related comorbidities, mental health or substance use issues. Understanding patient perceptions of their life context can advance SDoH approaches. OBJECTIVES: We sought to understand how aging patients with HIV think about their life context and explored if and how their reported context was documented in their electronic medical records (EMRs). DESIGN: We combined life story interviews and EMR data to understand the health-related daily life experiences of patients with HIV. Patients over 50 were recruited from two US Department of Veterans Affairs HIV clinics. Narrative analysis was used to organize data by life events and health-related metrics. KEY RESULTS: EMRs of 15 participants documented an average of 19 diagnoses and 10 medications but generally failed to include social contexts salient to patients. In interviews, HIV was discussed primarily in response to direct interviewer questions. Instead, participants raised past trauma, current social engagement, and concern about future health with varying salience. This led us to organize the narratives temporally according to past-, present-, or future-orientation. "Past-focused" narratives dwelled on unresolved experiences with social institutions like the school system, military or marriage. "Present-focused" narratives emphasized daily life challenges, like social isolation. "Future-focused" narratives were dominated by concerns that aging would limit activities. CONCLUSIONS: A temporally informed understanding of patients' life circumstances that are the foundation of their individualized SDoH could better focus care plans by addressing contextual concerns salient to patients. Trust-building may be a critical first step in caring for past-focused patients. Present-focused patients may benefit from support groups. Future-focused patients may desire discussing long term care options.

The Impact of Discriminatory Stress on Changes in Posttraumatic Stress Severity at the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Gender.

Given the diversity of military veterans and growing evidence of ethnoracial disparities in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within this population, elucidating the role of discrimination-related stress in contributing to these disparities is crucial. We examined the relative impact of discriminatory stress (i.e., due to race/ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or physical appearance) on 6-month changes in PTSD symptom severity among trauma-exposed White (74%), Black (11%) and Hispanic/Latino/a/x (15%) veterans (17% female). PTSD symptoms were measured with the 8-item PTSD Checklist for DSM-5. A measure of the extent to which discrimination has caused stress for the respondent assessed discriminatory stress. Hierarchical regression analyses examined interactions among race/ethnicity, gender and discriminatory stress in predicting six-month changes in PTSD severity. Black and Hispanic/Latino/a/x veterans reported higher baseline PTSD severity and discriminatory stress than White veterans, with some variation by gender. Three-way interactions of race/ethnicity by discriminatory stress by gender were significant, controlling for income, education and age. The relationship between discriminatory stress and increases in PTSD severity was significantly stronger for Black women compared with Black men and did not differ between White men and women. There was also a stronger relationship between discriminatory stress and increases in PTSD severity for Hispanic/Latino/x men as compared to Black men. These findings suggest that discriminatory stress impacts PTSD severity differentially for various ethnoracial/gender groups and highlight the value of applying an intersectional framework that accounts for the synergistic connections among multiple identities to future screening, intervention, and research efforts.

Dense Breast Notification Laws' Association With Outcomes in the US Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding whether states' breast density notifications are associated with desired effects, or disparities, can inform federal policy. We examined self-reported receipt of personal breast density information, breast density discussions with providers, knowledge about density's masking effect, and association with increased breast cancer risk by state legislation status and women's sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational population-based telephone survey of women aged >40 years who underwent mammography within prior 2 years, had no history of breast cancer, and had heard the term "breast density." RESULTS: Among 2,306 women, 57% received personal breast density information. Multivariate regression models adjusted for covariates indicated that women in notification states were 1.5 times more likely to receive density information, and older Black and Asian women of lower income and lower health literacy were less likely. Overall, only 39% of women discussed density with providers; women in notification states were 1.75 times as likely. Older and Asian women were less likely to have spoken with providers; women with high literacy or prior biopsy were more likely. State legislation status was not associated with differences in density knowledge, but Hispanic women and women of lower income or low health literacy had less knowledge regarding density's masking effects; older women were more knowledgeable. Hispanic women and women of lower income or low health literacy were more likely, and middle-aged women less likely, to recognize increased breast cancer risk. DISCUSSION: Some positive effects were observed, but sociodemographic disparities suggest tailoring of future breast density communications for specific populations of women to ensure equitable understanding.

Engaging Women with Limited Health Literacy in Mammography Decision-Making: Perspectives of Patients and Primary Care Providers.

BACKGROUND: Limited health literacy is a driver of cancer disparities and associated with less participation in medical decisions. Mammography screening decisions are an exemplar of where health literacy may impact decision-making and outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To describe informational needs and shared decision-making (SDM) experiences among women ages 40-54 who have limited health literacy and primary care providers (PCPs). DESIGN: Qualitative, in-depth interviews explored experiences with mammography counseling and SDM. PARTICIPANTS: Women ages 40-54 with limited health literacy and no history of breast cancer or mammogram in the prior 9 months were approached before a primary care visit at a Boston academic, safety-net hospital. PCPs practicing at this site were eligible for PCP interviews. APPROACH: Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. A set of deductive codes for each stakeholder group was developed based on literature and the interview guide. Inductive codes were generated during codebook development. Codes were compared within and across patient and PCP interviews to create themes relevant to mammography decision-making. KEY RESULTS: The average age of 25 interviewed patients was 46.5; 18 identified as black, 3 as Hispanic, 2 as non-Hispanic white, and 2 had no recorded race or ethnicity. Of 20 PCPs, 15 were female; 12 had practiced for >5 years. Patients described a lack of technical (appropriate tests and what they do) and process (what happens during a mammogram visit) knowledge, viewing these as necessary for decision-making. PCPs were reluctant to engage patients with limited health literacy in SDM due to time constraints and feared that increased information might confuse patients or deter them from having mammograms. Both groups felt pre-visit education would facilitate mammography-related SDM during clinical visits. CONCLUSION: Both patients and PCPs perceived a need for tools to relay technical and process knowledge about mammography prior to clinical encounters to address the scope of information that patients with limited health literacy desired.

Evaluation of Changes in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers' Mortality Rates After Risk Adjustment for Socioeconomic Status.

Importance: Socioeconomic factors are associated with worse outcomes after hospitalization, but neither the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) nor the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system adjust for socioeconomic factors in profiling hospital mortality. Objective: To evaluate changes in Veterans Affairs medical centers' (VAMCs') risk-standardized mortality rates among veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia after adjusting for socioeconomic factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cross-sectional study, retrospective data were used to assess 131 VAMCs' risk-standardized 30-day mortality rates with or without adjustment for socioeconomic covariates. The study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2014. Data were analyzed from March 1, 2019, to April 1, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was 30-day mortality after admission. Socioeconomic covariates included neighborhood disadvantage, race/ethnicity, homelessness, rurality, nursing home residence, reason for Medicare eligibility, Medicaid and Medicare dual eligibility, and VA priority. Results: The study population included 42 892 veterans hospitalized with heart failure (98.2% male; mean [SD] age, 71.9 [11.4] years) and 39 062 veterans hospitalized with pneumonia (96.8% male; mean [SD] age, 71.0 [12.4] years). The addition of socioeconomic factors to the CMS models modestly increased the C statistic from 0.77 (95% CI, 0.77-0.78) to 0.78 (95% CI, 0.78-0.78) for 30-day mortality after heart failure and from 0.73 (95% CI, 0.72-0.73) to 0.74 (95% CI, 0.73-0.74) for 30-day mortality after pneumonia. Mortality rates were highly correlated (Spearman correlations of ≥0.98) in models that included or did not include socioeconomic factors. With the use of the CMS model for heart failure, VAMCs in the lowest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 6.0% (0.4%), those in the middle 3 quintiles had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 7.2% (0.4%), and those in the highest quintile had a mean (SD) mortality rate of 8.8% (0.6%). After the inclusion of socioeconomic covariates, the adjusted mean (SD) mortality was 6.1% (0.4%) for hospitals in the lowest quintile, 7.2% (0.4%) for those in the middle 3 quintiles, and 8.6% (0.5%) for those in the highest quintile. The mean absolute change in rank after socioeconomic adjustment was 3.0 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-4.0) among hospitals in the highest quintile of mortality after heart failure and 4.4 ranking positions (interquartile range, 1.0-6.0) among VAMCs in the lowest quintile. Similar findings were observed for mortality rankings in pneumonia and after inclusion of clinical covariates. Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that adjustments for socioeconomic factors did not meaningfully change VAMCs' risk-adjusted 30-day mortality rates for veterans hospitalized for heart failure and pneumonia. The implications of such adjustments should be examined for other quality measures and health systems.