Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Miguel A. Bedmar, Miquel Bennasar-Veny, Berta Artigas-Lelong, Francesca Salva-Mut, Joan Pou, Laura Capitan-Moyano, Mauro Garcia-Toro, Aina M. Yanez
Summary: The study aims to evaluate the complex relationship between homelessness and health, and identify the barriers and facilitators that impact access to healthcare by homeless people. Through a mixed-methods approach, the research explores the influence of different social factors on the life and health status of homeless individuals.
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Patrizia Natale, Manfred Hecking, Amelie Kurnikowski, Nicole Scholes-Robertson, Juan Jesus Carrero, Germaine Wong, Giovanni Strippoli, Allison Jaure
Summary: There is a gender disparity in access to kidney transplantation, with women being 20% less likely to receive a transplant compared to men across different backgrounds and socioeconomics. Nephrologists perceive that this disparity is exacerbated by gender norms, stigma, prejudice, and educational and financial disadvantages faced by women.
CLINICAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Surgery
David J. Taber, Zemin Su, Mulugeta Gebregziabher, Patrick D. Mauldin, Thomas A. Morinelli, Ammar O. Mahmood, Gayenell S. Magwood, Michael J. Casey, Joseph R. Scalea, Sam M. Kavarana, Prabhakar K. Baliga, James R. Rodrigue, Derek A. DuBay
Summary: This study implemented a multilevel quality improvement program to address the access barriers for kidney transplant among African Americans, resulting in significant improvements in equity.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Paul Dourgnon, Nadereh Pourat, Lorenzo Rocco
Summary: By examining the immigrant health policies in the EU and US, it was found that immigrant-friendly health policies are associated with better health and reduced unmet needs among immigrants compared to citizens.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sadie Perkin, Shelina Visram, Laura Lindsey
Summary: This study aims to explore ways in which access to healthcare could be improved for homeless individuals in Gateshead, UK. Interviews were conducted with people working with the homeless community, and six themes were identified to improve access to healthcare, including facilitating GP registration, reducing stigma and providing holistic care through training, and utilizing the voluntary sector and specialized roles.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Carolina Venturi, Diana Guizar-Sanchez, Maria Elena Ramos-Tovar, Melissa Torres, Flor D. Avellaneda, Luis R. Torres-Hostos, Omar Matuk-Villazon
Summary: The number of immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. through asylum or irregular means, especially from the Northern Triangle region, is increasing. These immigrants flee extreme poverty, violence, health and social inequities, and drastic climate changes. They often have limited access to healthcare both at home and during the journey. Once in the U.S., they face feeling unwelcome in many communities and navigating various laws that regulate healthcare access. It is important to have immigration policies that ensure healthcare provision from point of origin to point of destination, preserving the health and dignity of immigrants.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Ruben van Merweland, Jan J. V. Busschbach, Jacqueline van de Wetering, Sohal Ismail
Summary: This study conducted qualitative interviews with stakeholders involved in kidney transplantation to explore factors influencing access to kidney transplantation. The identified problems in policy, medical, psychological, social and economic domains were acknowledged by all participants. Stakeholders provided directions for future solutions to optimize access to kidney transplantation.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jason A. McVicar, Alana Poon, Nadine R. Caron, M. Dylan Bould, Jason W. Nickerson, Nora Ahmad, Donna May Kimmaliardjuk, Chelsey Sheffield, Caitlin Champion, Daniel I. McIsaac
Summary: Indigenous Peoples in Canada have higher postoperative mortality rates and complication rates, as well as lower utilization rates of surgical procedures. Limited and poor-quality data restrict our understanding of surgical outcomes and utilization rates for Indigenous Peoples, indicating a need for significant reevaluation of surgical care for this population.
CANADIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Samuel J. Ujewe, Werdie C. van Staden
Summary: The A4R framework has been successful in promoting health equity in sub-Saharan Africa, but its ethical principles may not completely align with the communal responsibility principle dominant in the region, which could pose challenges.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR EQUITY IN HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Lucy A. Plumb, Manish D. Sinha, Anna Casula, Carol D. Inward, Stephen D. Marks, Fergus J. Caskey, Yoav Ben-Shlomo
Summary: The study found that socioeconomic deprivation and geographic location are not associated with late presentation in children in the UK. While geographic location was not independently associated with preemptive transplantation, children from more affluent areas were more likely to receive a preemptive transplant.
CLINICAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jodie Bailie, Alison Frances Laycock, Kathleen Parker Conte, Veronica Matthews, David Peiris, Ross Stewart Bailie, Seye Abimbola, Megan Elizabeth Passey, Frances Clare Cunningham, Kerryn Harkin, Roxanne Gwendalyn Bainbridge
Summary: Collaboratively developed and genuinely meaningful principles play a valuable role in guiding collaborations, providing focus, direction, and a way of working together. Implementing these principles within a culture of continuous critical reflection, learning, and adaptation leads to increased Indigenous leadership participation, attracting principled researchers and stakeholders, and developing trusting relationships.
Article
Economics
Monica Deza, Johanna Catherine Maclean, Keisha Solomon
Summary: This study finds that increasing access to office-based mental healthcare can reduce crime rates. Each additional ten offices per county corresponds to a decrease in crime rates and a reduction in the social costs associated with crime.
JOURNAL OF URBAN ECONOMICS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Zoe Moon, Mira Zuchowski, Rona Moss-Morris, Myra S. Hunter, Sam Norton, Lyndsay D. Hughes
Summary: The study found that the majority of breast cancer survivors have access to smartphones or tablets, but there is still a digital divide. Women who are younger, have higher levels of education, and come from relatively less deprived areas are more likely to have access to both devices.
SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER
(2022)
Article
Surgery
Aaron M. Delman, Kevin M. Turner, Latifa S. Silski, Ralph C. Quillin, Martha Estrada, Kristina Lemon, Madison C. Cuffy, Shimul A. Shah
Summary: This study developed a scalable metric to evaluate the performance of kidney transplant centers in providing equitable access to kidney transplant for minority patients. The results showed significant variations among transplant centers, with high KTEI centers performing more kidney transplants for minority and low socioeconomic status patients and having improved patient survival.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kaitlyn Jaffe, JinCheol Choi, Kanna Hayashi, M. -J. Milloy, Lindsey Richardson
Summary: Data analysis from two ongoing studies of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, reveals negative associations between accessing dental care and using opioids, methamphetamine, cannabis, experiencing homelessness, and street-based income generation, while positive associations were found between adequate dental care and accessing opioid agonist treatment and receiving income assistance. These findings suggest specific substance use patterns and structural exposures that hinder dental care access, as well as the potential benefits of income assistance and OAT in improving access.
HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY
(2021)
Article
Transplantation
Edward Zimbudzi, Clement Lo, Sanjeeva Ranasinha, Arul Earnest, Helena Teede, Tim Usherwood, Kevan R. Polkinghorne, Gregory Fulcher, Martin Gallagher, Stephen Jan, Alan Cass, Rowan Walker, Grant Russell, Greg Johnson, Peter G. Kerr, Sophia Zoungas
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of a diabetes and kidney disease service on hospitalization, mortality, and clinical outcomes. The results showed that patients who received the intervention had higher hospitalization rates, shorter length of stay, and lower all-cause mortality rates. Additionally, improvements in self-care and glycemic control were observed in the intervention group.
NEPHROLOGY DIALYSIS TRANSPLANTATION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Namrata Khanal, Paul D. Lawton, Alan Cass, Stephen P. McDonald
INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Marguerite Conley, Anne Barden, Andrea K. Viecelli, Ashley B. Irish, Alan Cass, Carmel M. Hawley, David Voss, Elaine M. Pascoe, Katie Lenhoff, Kevan R. Polkinghorne, Lai-Seong Hooi, Loke-Meng Ong, Peta-Anne Paul-Brent, Peter G. Kerr, Trevor A. Mori
Summary: This study investigated the dietary habits of patients with kidney failure in Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. The findings showed significant regional variation in the intake of fruits, vegetables, and animal protein, which may be attributed to cultural and economic differences. Further research is needed to identify barriers to meeting recommended dietary intakes in different regions.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Gillian Gorham, Kirsten Howard, Joan Cunningham, Paul Damian Lawton, A. M. Shamsir Ahmed, Federica Barzi, Alan Cass
Summary: Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory of Australia, especially those living in remote areas, face a heavy burden of kidney failure. Due to a lack of dialysis services in these remote areas, many Aboriginal people are required to relocate to access treatment. This study explores the relationship between the location of dialysis services, dialysis attendance patterns, and health service utilization among Aboriginal patients in the Northern Territory. The findings suggest that missing dialysis treatments is more common among Aboriginal people attending urban services, resulting in higher rates of hospital admissions and emergency department presentations. On the other hand, those receiving care in rural and remote settings have higher dialysis attendance and lower health service utilization. The study concludes that access to rural and remote models of care can potentially improve dialysis attendance and reduce the need for hospitalization among Aboriginal patients.
BMC HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jicheng Lv, Muh Geot Wong, Michelle A. Hladunewich, Vivekanand Jha, Lai Seong Hooi, Helen Monaghan, Minghui Zhao, Sean Barbour, Meg J. Jardine, Heather N. Reich, Daniel Cattran, Richard Glassock, Adeera Levin, David C. Wheeler, Mark Woodward, Laurent Billot, Sandrine Stepien, Kris Rogers, Tak Mao Chan, Zhi-Hong Liu, David W. Johnson, Alan Cass, John Feehally, Jurgen Floege, Giuseppe Remuzzi, Yangfeng Wu, Rajiv Agarwal, Hong Zhang, Vlado Perkovic
Summary: This international multicenter randomized clinical trial found that oral methylprednisolone significantly reduced the risk of kidney function decline, kidney failure, or death due to kidney disease in patients with IgA nephropathy at high risk of progression. However, it also increased the incidence of serious adverse events.
JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sradha Kotwal, Alan Cass, Sarah Coggan, Nicholas A. Gray, Stephen Jan, Stephen McDonald, Kevan R. Polkinghorne, Kris Rogers, Girish Talaulikar, Gian Luca Di Tanna, Martin Gallagher
Summary: This study indicates that implementing multifaceted interventions did not reduce the rate of CRBSI among patients requiring hemodialysis catheters. Therefore, multifaceted interventions to prevent CRBSI may not be effective in clinical practice settings.
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Anna Campain, Carinna Hockham, Louisa Sukkar, Kris Rogers, Clara K. Chow, Thomas Lung, Min Jun, Carol Pollock, Alan Cass, David Sullivan, Elizabeth Comino, David Peiris, Meg Jardine
Summary: This study aimed to investigate long-term adherence to guideline-recommended cardioprotective medications after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and identify associated characteristics. The results showed that despite efforts to improve long-term medication adherence in patients who have experienced an acute coronary event, significant gaps remain. Prior cardiovascular treatment was the strongest predictor of long-term adherence.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Health Policy & Services
Vicki Kerrigan, Stuart Yiwarr McGrath, Rarrtjiwuy Melanie Herdman, Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri, Bilawara Lee, Alan Cass, Anna P. Ralph, Marita Hefler
Summary: This article discusses the issue of culturally competent care in Australia's Northern Territory and introduces a cultural education project using podcasts to improve healthcare. The project involves Aboriginal leaders answering doctors' questions, encouraging the development of critical consciousness among doctors, overturning stereotypes, and delivering more culturally competent care.
HEALTH SOCIOLOGY REVIEW
(2022)
Review
Computer Science, Information Systems
Winnie Chen, Kirsten Howard, Gillian Gorham, Claire Maree O'Bryan, Patrick Coffey, Bhavya Balasubramanya, Asanga Abeyaratne, Alan Cass
Summary: This systematic review investigates the design, effectiveness, and economic outcomes of electronic health record-based clinical decision support (CDS) targeting chronic diseases. The results show heterogeneity in the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of CDS interventions, likely due to differences in implementation context and evaluation methodology.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Amy Legg, Niamh Meagher, Sandra A. Johnson, Matthew A. Roberts, Alan Cass, Marc H. Scheetz, Jane Davies, Jason A. Roberts, Joshua S. Davis, Steven Y. C. Tong
Summary: The clinical risk factors for nephrotoxicity in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia are still unclear. In a clinical trial comparing standard therapy to combination therapy, it was found that the combination therapy group had a significantly higher incidence of acute kidney injury.
CLINICAL DRUG INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Review
Urology & Nephrology
Benjamin Talbot, Alan Cass, Robert Walker, Lai Hooi, Meg Jardine, Min Jun, Kris Rogers, Louisa Sukkar, Brendan Smyth, Martin Gallagher
Summary: This study examined whether there were differences in survival and causes of death among participants from Australia, Malaysia, and New Zealand in the extended follow-up of the SHARP study. It was found that participants from Malaysia and New Zealand had a higher risk of death compared to participants from Australia.
Correction
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Amy Legg, Niamh Meagher, Sandra A. Johnson, Matthew A. Roberts, Alan Cass, Marc H. Scheetz, Jane Davies, Jason A. Roberts, Joshua S. Davis, Steven Y. C. Tong
CLINICAL DRUG INVESTIGATION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kate Anderson, Alana Gall, Tamara Butler, Khwanruethai Ngampromwongse, Debra Hector, Scott Turnbull, Kerri Lucas, Caroline Nehill, Anna Boltong, Dorothy Keefe, Gail Garvey
Summary: This project aimed to develop key principles and best practices for co-design in health with First Nations Australians. Through online discussions and individual exchanges with stakeholders, a set of six key principles and twenty-seven associated best practices were established. These principles and practices provide a valuable starting point for future guidelines, toolkits, reporting standards, and evaluation criteria for co-design with First Nations Australians.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Tamara Butler, Alana Gall, Gail Garvey, Khwanruethai Ngampromwongse, Debra Hector, Scott Turnbull, Kerri Lucas, Caroline Nehill, Anna Boltong, Dorothy Keefe, Kate Anderson
Summary: This study aimed to identify optimal approaches to co-design in health with First Nations Australians. After a comprehensive review and thematic analysis, six key themes and 28 practical sub-themes were identified, providing valuable insights for co-design in health with First Nations Australians.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Tamara Butler, Ben Smith, Kirsten Pilatti, Bena Brown, Kate Anderson, Bronwyn Morris, Gail Garvey
Summary: This mixed-methods study assessed the fear of cancer recurrence and coping strategies among Indigenous Australian breast cancer survivors. The results showed that fear of cancer recurrence is a significant issue in this population, and culturally appropriate interventions are needed to improve coping skills and quality of life.
