BACKGROUND: Psychosocial stress has been hypothesized to impact renal changes, but this hypothesis has not been adequately tested. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial stress and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and to examine other predictors of eGFR changes among persons with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Data from a survey conducted in 2005 by a major health maintenance organization located in the southeastern part of the United States, linked to patients' clinical and pharmacy records (n=575) from 2005 to 2008, was used. Study participants were working adults aged 25-59 years, diagnosed with DM but without advanced microvascular or macrovascular complications. eGFR was estimated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. A latent psychosocial stress variable was created from five psychosocial stress subscales. Using a growth factor model in a structural equation framework, we estimated the association between psychosocial stress and eGFR while controlling for important covariates. RESULTS: The psychosocial stress variable was not directly associated with eGFR in the final model. Factors found to be associated with changes in eGFR were age, race, insulin use, and mean arterial pressure. CONCLUSION: Among fairly healthy DM patients, we did not find any evidence of a direct association between psychosocial stress and eGFR changes after controlling for important covariates. Predictors of eGFR change in our population included age, race, insulin use, and mean arterial pressure.
Adult* ; Arterial Pressure ; Continental Population Groups ; Diabetes Mellitus* ; Diet ; Glomerular Filtration Rate* ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Humans ; Insulin ; Pharmacy ; United States

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine whether coordination between healthcare providers at an inpatient rehabilitation facility and healthcare providers in a community setting improves osteoporosis medication use in the community. METHODS: In 2012, a coordination project between an inpatient geriatric rehabilitation facility located in north-central Israel and general practitioners in the community setting was initiated. In this retrospective pseudo-experimental study, we compared osteoporosis medication use among patients who were hospitalized at the facility following an osteoporotic fracture during 2011–2012, and who constituted the control group (n=20), and patients who were hospitalized at the facility during 2013–2015, and who constituted the trial group (n=129). Data were collected from the patients' records and from records of the health maintenance organization concerning medications issued to the patients by pharmacies. RESULTS: Differences were observed between the trial and the control group in osteoporosis medication management by healthcare providers, both at the inpatient rehabilitation facility and in the community, suggesting favorable trends. However, osteoporosis medication use in the community was slightly lower in the trial group, then in the control group (32.8% vs. 34.2%, respectively). A regression analysis indicated that the only variable predicting use of osteoporosis medications in the community was a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis in the community. CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicate that mere coordination between the healthcare settings is insufficient in order to ensure continued care in the community, emphasizing the need for an osteoporosis coordinator.
Delivery of Health Care ; Diagnosis ; General Practitioners ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Israel ; Osteoporosis ; Osteoporotic Fractures ; Pharmacies ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: There is a perceived need among policymakers and other actors in the local health system to better address the challenges in financing healthcare, in general, and chronic or debilitating conditions, in particular, in order to develop appropriate policy and program responses.
OBJECTIVE: This paper aimed to present perceived issues and challenges in financing schizophrenia and colorectal cancer in the Philippine context, as identified by stakeholders.
METHODS: Verbatim transcription of the proceedings of a moderated discussion of stakeholders in schizophrenia and colorectal cancer care was analyzed for themes on challenges and recommendations in the financing of the two conditions in the local setting.
RESULTS: A total of 28 stakeholders representing healthcare providers, professional organizations, health maintenance organizations, patient support groups, and government participated in the meeting. Three main issues on financing debilitating conditions were identified by participants: a) government support for the two conditions is currently limited; b) coverage by third-party payors for schizophrenia or colorectal cancer is either absent or restricted; and c) the process of accessing medicines or alternative modes of financing for healthcare was perceived to be disparate and inconvenient for patients and their caregivers. Participants also provided recommendations in improving the mechanism of healthcare financing.
CONCLUSION: The general picture that emerged from this moderated discussion pointed to limitations in the prevailing mechanisms for financing schizophrenia and colorectal cancer in the Philippines. Improvements in the current financing mechanisms, and identification of alternative modes, is necessary to ensure universal health coverage.

Human ; Healthcare Financing ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Caregivers ; Universal Coverage ; Delivery Of Health Care ; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement ; Government ; Self-help Groups ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of hemato-oncology (HMO) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) is poor and predicting the mortality is important for decision making at the time of ICU admission and for administering aggressive treatment. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 309 patients who were admitted to the medical ICU (MICU) at Samsung Medical Center from July in 2005 to June in 2006. We calculated their Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score at the time of ICU admission and we investigated the relationship between the two scoring systems and the hospital mortality. RESULTS: Among the 309 patients, the hospital mortality was 41.2%, and the mean SAPS II/SOFA score at ICU admission was 45.4 +/- 19.5/8.1 +/- 4.6. Seventy-nine (25.6%) patients had hemato-oncological diseases. Their hospital mortality was 65.8%, and the mean SAPS II/SOFA score at the time of ICU admission was 53.9 +/- 18.6/9.7 +/- 4.4, which was higher than that of the non-HMO patients (p = 0.00). The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for the SAPS II/SOFA score for predicting the mortality was 0.794 +/- 0.05/0.785 +/- 0.051 (p = 0.00/p = 0.00) for the HMO patients. There was no significant difference in discrimination ability between the two scoring systems (p > 0.05). None of the HMO patients with a SAPS II/SOFA score of 70/14 or higher survived. CONCLUSIONS: Both the SAPS II and SOFA scores at the time of ICU admission were similarly effective for predicting the hospital mortality. The two scoring systems could be useful tools for decision making at the time of ICU admission and for administering aggressive treatment.
Decision Making ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Hematology ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Critical Care ; Intensive Care Units ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; ROC Curve

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe the patterns of use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for arthritic knees in clinical practice, particularly focusing on the co-prescription of gastroprotective agents for patients with risk factors for adverse gastrointestinal (GI) events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each cross-sectional cohort was a group of outpatients visiting 111 physicians who had prescribed NSAIDs for the patients' arthritic knees for more than three consecutive months. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by each patient and physician. RESULTS: Nine hundred and forty five patients (48%) of the whole 1,960 patients belonged to the group with a high or very high risk for NSAID-induced gastropathy determined by northern California Health Maintenance Organization guidelines. Overall, only less than half of the patients were given co-prescription of gastroprotective agents, regardless of the presence or absence of GI symptoms and irrespective of the level of risk for NSAID-induced gastropathy. CONCLUSIONS: The physician prescribing NSAIDs for arthritic knees should monitor any GI symptoms and the patient monitor anylevel for NSAIDinduced gastropathy, and be willing to add gastroprotective agents as necessary in order to prevent serious adverse GI events.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; Arthritis ; California ; Cohort Studies ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Humans ; Knee ; Organothiophosphorus Compounds ; Outpatients ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Human breast milk contains numerous biomolecules. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant component of breast milk, after lactose and lipids. Amongst the synthetized HMOs, 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL) and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT) are widely studied and are considered safe for infant nutrition. Several studies have reported the health benefits of HMOs, which include modulation of the intestinal microbiota, anti-adhesive effect against pathogens, modulation of the intestinal epithelial cell response, and development of the immune system. The amount and diversity of HMOs are determined by the genetic background of the mothers (HMO secretors or non-secretors). The non-secretor mothers secrete lower HMOs than secretor mothers. The breastfed infants of secretor mothers gain more health benefit than those of non-secretor mothers. In conclusion, supplementation of infant formula with 2′-FL and LNnT is a promising innovation for infant nutrition.
Breast Feeding ; Epithelial Cells ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Genetic Background ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Humans ; Immune System ; Infant Formula ; Infant ; Insurance Benefits ; Lactose ; Milk, Human ; Mothers ; Oligosaccharides

Internet is changing almost every facet of our daily lives and the health care is not the exception. About half of the Korean population are using Internet and Korea has the highest rate of high bandwidth Internet use such as ADSL, Cable TV, and so on. E-health has been around health information, e-commerce, and connectivity. Now it migrates toward patient care, so called, e-care. E-care tries to improve the quality of care and reduce the health care costs like the traditional health care. The examples are health risk assessment, information and support, disease management, and interactive medical channel. Health risk assessment provides a comprehensive appraisal of risk factors, summarized by the health age. Information and support sites are specified for special age groups and special diseases. Many medical institutions such as hospitals or HMOs are providing medical channels as a part of their health care services. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and congestive heart failure are managed on-line supplementing the traditional doctors' care and management of such diseases. For the first time in Korea, an e-care system, named "Lifetime Health Clinic" is introduced. It provides health information for 80~90% of health problems occurring in a typical home. It also provides a lifetime cancer screening guideline and guidelines to manage registered members' health risks such as smoking, exercise, stress, nutrition, and weight. Clients select their own family physicians and their questions are answered by them on a one-to-one basis. It will improve the quality of medical care supplementing the traditional doctor's role.
Chronic Disease ; Delivery of Health Care ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Disease Management ; Early Detection of Cancer ; Health Care Costs ; Health Maintenance Organizations ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Internet ; Korea ; Patient Care ; Physicians, Family ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Smoke ; Smoking