Journal of general internal medicine
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Comparative Study
A Comparison of Individuals with Diabetes and EMPA-REG Trial Participants: Exploring Aspects of External Validity.
There is increasing use of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors to treat diabetes. Since trials apply specific entry and exclusion criteria to ensure internal validity, comparisons of trial populations with nationally representative samples can inform the applicability of study findings to practice. ⋯ The EMPA-REG population differed from a nationally representative sample, which could affect generalizability.
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Observational Study
High-Cost Users of Prescription Drugs: National Health Insurance Data from South Korea.
In OECD countries, pharmaceutical spending reached around 800 billion USD in 2013, accounting for about 20% of total spending in the retail sector. Pharmaceutical expenditures are steadily increasing in South Korea, necessitating strategies to promote efficiency. ⋯ Age and multiple chronic conditions were strongly associated with HCUs, and it seems necessary to reduce drug prescriptions in patients without complex comorbidities. Several measures should target those without multiple chronic conditions who are nonetheless HCUs.
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The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has contributed to growing demand for mental health services, but patients face significant barriers to accessing care. Direct-to-consumer(DTC) telemedicine has been proposed as one way to increase access, yet little is known about its pre-pandemic use for mental healthcare. ⋯ As the burden of psychiatric disease grows, DTC telemedicine offers one solution for extending access to mental healthcare. While most encounters were one-off, evidence of some continuity in psychiatry and therapy visits-as well as overall high patient satisfaction-suggests potential for broader DTC telemental health use.