Articles: health.
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Social risk factors are associated with worse access to care. This study measured the prevalence of social risk factors among low-income adults, assessed the relationship between number of social risk factors and access to care, and examined heterogeneity by health insurance type. ⋯ Higher levels of SRFs were associated with worse access to care among low-income adults. Policies that minimize cost-related barriers to care, coupled with care delivery reforms and social policies that address SRFs, may improve access to care.
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Review
Anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of polysaccharides from Antrodia cinnamomea: A review.
Antrodia cinnamomea ( Ac ), also known as "Niu-Chang-Chih" in Chinese, is a valuable fungus that has been widely used as medicine and food among indigenous people in Taiwan. Ac is rich in polysaccharides ( Ac -PS), making it a promising candidate for adjunctive therapy in cancer and inflammation conditions. There are two types of Ac -PS: general (non-sulfated) PS ( Ac -GPS) and sulfated PS ( Ac -SPS). ⋯ Clinically, Ac -GPS has been used as an adjunctive therapy for advanced lung cancer, as noted in recent reports. However, given the numerous studies emphasizing its anticancer mechanisms, Ac -SPS may exhibit greater efficacy, warranting further investigation. This review concludes that Ac -derived Ac -GPS or Ac -SPS have the potential to be developed into functional health supplements or adjunctive therapies, providing dual benefits of anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.
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Chronic diseases are primary causes of mortality and disability in the U.S. Although individual-level indices to assess the burden of multiple chronic diseases exist, there is a lack of quantitative tools at the population level. This gap hinders the understanding of the geographical distribution and impact of chronic diseases, crucial for effective public health strategies. This study aims to construct a Chronic Disease Burden Index (CDBI) for evaluating county-level disease burden, to identify geographic and temporal patterns, and investigate the association between CDBI and social vulnerability. ⋯ The CDBI offers an effective tool for assessing chronic disease burden at the population level. Identifying high-burden and vulnerable communities is a crucial first step toward facilitating resource allocation to enhance equitable healthcare access and advancing understanding of health disparities.
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Nirmatrelvir with ritonavir (Paxlovid) is indicated for patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) who are at risk for progression to severe disease due to the presence of one or more risk factors. Millions of treatment courses have been prescribed in the United States alone. Paxlovid was highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death in clinical trials. Several studies have found a protective association in real-world data, but they variously used less recent study periods, correlational methods, and small, local cohorts. Their estimates also varied widely. The real-world effectiveness of Paxlovid remains uncertain, and it is unknown whether its effect is homogeneous across demographic strata. This study leverages electronic health record data in the National COVID Cohort Collaborative's (N3C) repository to investigate disparities in Paxlovid treatment and to emulate a target trial assessing its effectiveness in reducing severe COVID-19 outcomes. ⋯ In this study of Paxlovid's real-world effectiveness, we observed that Paxlovid is effective at preventing hospitalization and death, including among vaccinated patients, and particularly among older patients. This remains true in the era of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron subvariants. However, disparities in Paxlovid treatment rates imply that the benefit of Paxlovid's effectiveness is not equitably distributed.
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School closures have been a prominent component of the global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) response. However, their effect on viral transmission, COVID-19 mortality and health care system pressure remains incompletely understood, as traditional observational studies fall short in assessing such population-level impacts. ⋯ Our analysis revealed nuanced effects of school closures on COVID-19 dynamics, with reductions in COVID-19 impacts in most countries but negative epidemiological effects in a few others. We identified critical mechanisms for consideration in future policy decisions, highlighting the unpredictable nature of emerging variants and potential shifts in infection demographics associated with school closures.