Decisions about prevention of and response to Ebola outbreaks require an understanding of the macroeconomic implications of these interventions. Prophylactic vaccines hold promise to mitigate the ...negative economic impacts of infectious disease outbreaks. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between outbreak size and economic impact among countries with recorded Ebola outbreaks and to quantify the hypothetical benefits of prophylactic Ebola vaccination interventions in these outbreaks.
The synthetic control method was used to estimate the causal impacts of Ebola outbreaks on per capita gross domestic product (GDP) of five countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have previously experienced Ebola outbreaks between 2000 and 2016, where no vaccines were deployed. Using illustrative assumptions about vaccine coverage, efficacy, and protective immunity, the potential economic benefits of prophylactic Ebola vaccination were estimated using the number of cases in an outbreak as a key indicator.
The impact of Ebola outbreaks on the macroeconomy of the selected countries led to a decline in GDP of up to 36%, which was greatest in the third year after the onset of each outbreak and increased exponentially with the size of outbreak (i.e., number of reported cases). Over three years, the aggregate loss estimated for Sierra Leone from its 2014-2016 outbreak is estimated at 16.1 billion International$. Prophylactic vaccination could have prevented up to 89% of an outbreak's negative impact on GDP, reducing the outbreak's impact to as little as 1.6% of GDP lost.
This study supports the case that macroeconomic returns are associated with prophylactic Ebola vaccination. Our findings support recommendations for prophylactic Ebola vaccination as a core component of prevention and response measures for global health security.
To evaluate fixed compared with weight-based enoxaparin dosing to achieve prophylactic anti-Xa levels after cesarean delivery.
Individuals meeting institutional criteria for enoxaparin ...thromboprophylaxis after cesarean delivery were randomly allocated to fixed (40 mg daily for body mass index BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared lower than 40; 40 mg every 12 hours for BMI 40 or higher) or weight-based (0.5 mg/kg every 12 hours) enoxaparin dosing. Enoxaparin was initiated during inpatient hospitalization and continued at discharge for 14 days. Those with contraindication to anticoagulation, plan for therapeutic anticoagulation, or known renal impairment were excluded. The trial was unmasked. The primary outcome was prophylactic (0.2-0.6 international units/mL) peak anti-Xa level 4-6 hours after at least the third enoxaparin dose (at steady state). Secondary outcomes included subprophylactic and supraprophylactic peaks, outpatient peak, and venous thromboembolism (VTE) and wound complications in the first 6 weeks postpartum. Sample size of 121 per group was planned. At interim analysis with 50% enrollment, the trial was stopped early for efficacy. Primary analyses followed intention-to-treat principle with worst-case imputation for missing outcomes. Secondary analyses were complete case.
From June 2020 to November 2021, 74 individuals were randomized to weight-based enoxaparin and 72 to fixed-dose enoxaparin. Those who received weight-based dosing were more likely to achieve prophylactic anti-Xa levels than those who received fixed dosing in primary analysis (49/74 66% vs 32/72 44%, relative risk RR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10-2.02) and secondary analysis (49/60 82% vs 32/57 56%, RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.12-1.88). Subprophylactic levels occurred more frequently with fixed dosing; supraprophylactic levels did not differ significantly by dosing. At the outpatient postoperative visit, 52% of participants (15/29) with weight-based dosing compared with 15% (5/33) with fixed dosing achieved prophylactic peak anti-Xa level (RR 3.41, 95% CI 1.42-8.24). There were no VTEs in either group. Wound complications occurred in five individuals (7%) with weight-based enoxaparin dosing compared with one individual (1%) with fixed enoxaparin dosing (RR 4.86, 95% 0.58-40.63).
Weight-based dosing was more effective than fixed enoxaparin dosing in achieving prophylactic peak anti-Xa levels after cesarean delivery.
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04305756.
Background and Aims
To estimate during pregnancy correlations between frequency of self‐reported use of marijuana and quantified marijuana metabolite in biospecimens including urine, sera and ...umbilical cord homogenate.
Design
Prospective cohort.
Setting
Two urban hospitals in Colorado with legal recreational and medicinal marijuana.
Participants
Pregnant women (<16 weeks gestation) self‐reporting marijuana use.
Measurements
Participants completed a written self‐report survey and provided biospecimens at <16 weeks gestation (n = 46), 18 to 22 weeks gestation (n = 43), 32 to 36 weeks gestation (n = 39), and delivery (n = 37). Self‐reported marijuana use frequency was calculated based on past‐month days of use multiplied by number of daily uses. Maternal urine and sera were tested for presence (>5 ng/mL) of 11‐nor‐9‐carboxy‐delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC‐COOH). Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry quantified THC‐COOH in umbilical cord homogenate (ng/g). Last marijuana use by any measure was recorded to evaluate the time frame over which THC‐COOH remains detectable (>0.10 ng/g) in cord.
Findings
From December 2017 through May 2019, 51 pregnant women enrolled, and 46 were included in analyses (2 withdrew and 3 had a spontaneous abortion). The majority were normal weight, White or Black race, and insured by Medicaid. At the time of enrollment between 7 to 15 weeks’ gestation, 87% had ongoing use by self‐report, or positive urine or serum. The majority (33 66%) stopped using before delivery. Sera and urine results were strongly correlated with self‐reported use frequency (Spearman correlation coefficient r range 0.70–0.87 across visits, P < 0.001), and with each other. There was only one positive cord result when use stopped before 22 weeks. Frequency of self‐reported marijuana use at delivery had strong correlation with quantified cord THC‐COOH (r = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.62–0.89).
Conclusions
Quantified umbilical cord THC‐COOH appears to strongly correlate with frequency of maternal marijuana use in the last month of pregnancy. Earlier use can be measured by either quantitative urine or serum assay.
Our primary objective was to estimate statewide prenatal substance exposure based on umbilical cord sampling. Our secondary objectives were to compare prevalence of prenatal substance exposure across ...urban, rural, and frontier regions, and to compare contemporary findings to those previously reported.
We performed a cross-sectional prevalence study of prenatal substance exposure, as determined by umbilical cord positivity for 49 drugs and drug metabolites, through the use of qualitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All labor and delivery units in Utah (N=45) were invited to participate. Based on a 2010 study using similar methodology, we calculated that a sample size of at least 1,600 cords would have 90% power to detect 33% higher rate of umbilical cords testing positive for any substance. Deidentified umbilical cords were collected from consecutive deliveries at participating hospitals. Prevalence of prenatal substance exposure was estimated statewide and by rurality using weighted analysis.
From November 2020 to November 2021, 1,748 cords (urban n=988, rural n=384, frontier n=376) were collected from 37 hospitals, representing 92% of hospitals that conduct 91% of births in the state. More than 99% of cords (n=1,739) yielded results. Statewide, 9.9% (95% CI 8.1-11.7%) were positive for at least one substance, most commonly opioids (7.0%, 95% CI 5.5-8.5%), followed by cannabinoid (11-nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol THC-COOH) (2.5%, 95% CI 1.6-3.4%), amphetamines (0.9%, 95% CI 0.4-1.5), benzodiazepines (0.5%, 95% CI 0.1-0.9%), alcohol (0.4%, 95% CI 0.1-0.7%), and cocaine (0.1%, 95% CI 0-0.3%). Cord positivity was similar by rurality (urban=10.3%, 95% CI 8.3-12.3%, rural=7.1%, 95% CI 3.5-10.7%, frontier=9.2%, 95% CI 6.2-12.2%, P=.31) and did not differ by substance type. Compared with a previous study, prenatal exposure to any substance (6.8 vs 9.9%, P=.01), opioids (4.7 vs 7.0% vs 4.7%, P=.03), amphetamines (0.1 vs 0.9%, P=.01) and THC-COOH (0.5 vs 2.5%, P<.001) increased.
Prenatal substance exposure was detected in nearly 1 in 10 births statewide.
Objective To determine if early pregnancy serum biomarkers in high-risk women who develop preeclampsia vary according to risk factor. Study Design We performed a secondary analysis of the ...Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network randomized controlled trial of low-dose aspirin for the prevention of preeclampsia in high-risk women. Serum biomarker levels at enrollment (before initiation of aspirin or placebo) were compared between women who did and did not develop preeclampsia, both for the group as a whole and within each of 4 high-risk groups (insulin-dependent diabetes, hypertension, multiple gestation, and previous preeclampsia) using a regression model adjusting for gestational age at collection and prepregnancy body mass index. Results 1258 women were included (233 with insulin-dependent diabetes, 387 with chronic hypertension, 315 with a multiple gestation, 323 with previous preeclampsia). Multiple early pregnancy serum biomarkers differed between women who did and did not develop preeclampsia. Each high-risk group had a unique and largely nonoverlapping pattern of biomarker abnormality. Differences between those who did and did not develop preeclampsia were noted in vascular cell adhesion molecule in the diabetes group; human chorionic gonadotropin, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-2, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, selectin and angiogenin in the chronic hypertension group; interleukin-6, placental growth factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase plus endoglin to placental growth factor ratio in the multiple gestation group; and angiogenin in the previous preeclampsia group. Conclusion Patterns of serum biomarkers vary by high-risk group. These data support the hypothesis that multiple pathogenic pathways lead to the disease recognized clinically as preeclampsia.
Background
Attention is being placed on the “ironic gap” or “secondary” research-to-practice gap in the field of implementation science. Among several challenges posited to exacerbate this ...research-to-practice gap, we call attention to one challenge in particular—the relative dearth of implementation research that is tethered intimately to the lived experiences of implementation support practitioners (ISPs). The purpose of this study is to feature a qualitative approach to engaging with highly experienced ISPs to inform the development of a practice-driven research agenda in implementation science. In general, we aim to encourage ongoing empirical inquiry that foregrounds practice-driven implementation research questions.
Method
Our analytic sample was comprised of 17 professionals in different child and family service systems, each with long-term experience using implementation science frameworks to support change efforts. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Our analysis followed a qualitative content analysis approach. Our focal conceptual category centered on the desired areas of future research highlighted by respondents, with subcategories reflecting subsets of related research question ideas.
Results
Interviews yielded varying responses that could help shape a practice-driven research agenda for the field of implementation science. The following subcategories regarding desired areas for future research were identified in respondents’ answers: (a) stakeholder engagement and developing trusting relationships, (b) evidence use, (c) workforce development, and (d) cost-effective implementation.
Conclusions
There is significant promise in bringing implementation research and implementation practice together more closely and building a practice-informed research agenda to shape implementation science. Our findings point not only to valuable practice-informed gaps in the literature that could be filled by implementation researchers, but also topics for which dissemination and translation efforts may not have yielded optimal reach. We also highlight the value in ISPs bolstering their own capacity for engaging with the implementation science literature to the fullest extent possible.
Plain Language Summary
In the field of implementation science, increasing attention is being placed on the “ironic gap” or “secondary” research-to-practice gap. This gap reflects a general lag or disconnect between implementation research and implementation practice, often stemming from knowledge generated by implementation research not being accessible to or applied by professionals who support implementation efforts in various service-delivery systems. Several explanations for the research-to-practice gap in implementation science have been offered in recent years; the authors highlight one notable challenge that may be exacerbating the research-to-practice gap in this field, namely that implementation research often remains disconnected from the lived experiences of implementation support practitioners. In this paper, the authors demonstrate the promise of developing a practice-drive research agenda in implementation science, with specific research question ideas offered by highly experienced implementation support practitioners. The paper concludes by expressing enthusiasm for future efforts to bring implementation research and implementation practice together more closely, empirically foreground practice-driven implementation research questions, translate and disseminate existing implementation research findings more widely, and build the capacity of implementation support practitioners to fully engage with the implementation science literature.
To evaluate the effect of a postpartum risk-based low-molecular-weight heparin protocol for venous thromboembolism prevention.
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of postpartum women at a ...safety net hospital before (2013), during (2014), and after (2015) implementation of a risk-based enoxaparin thromboembolism prevention protocol. The calculated sample size was based on a primary outcome of enoxaparin administration rate. Secondary outcomes included incidence of postpartum thromboembolism, wound complications, and 30-day readmission rates. The prevalence of thromboembolism risk factors and protocol adherence was evaluated in two groups of women before (May 2013) and after (May 2015) protocol implementation. Exact χ or Cochran-Armitage trend tested differences in rates.
Over 3 years, 9,766 deliveries were included. Enoxaparin was administered to 0.28% (95% CI 0.14-0.55) of postpartum women in 2013 (before) compared with 33.46% (95% CI 31.89-35.07%) after protocol implementation (P<.001). Although underpowered to detect a difference in these outcomes, no differences were seen in rates of thromboembolism (0.16%, 0.12%, 0.15%, P=.9), wound complication (0.82%, 1.21%, 0.91%, P=.7), or emergency department visits (8.30%, 7.96%, 8.34%, P=.9), whereas readmissions increased (0.79%, 1.27%, 1.42%, P=.02). Prevalence of thromboembolism risk factors did not differ between women delivered in May 2013 and May 2015. Physician adherence to the protocol was 89.5% in May 2015. Nine women had thromboembolic events after protocol implementation: five received appropriate treatment per protocol, but four did not. In 2014, three of four women with a thromboembolism were inadequately treated compared with one of five in 2015 with the addition of a computerized order set.
Implementation of a low-molecular-weight heparin risk-based protocol for postpartum thromboembolism prevention resulted in high physician adherence and more than 30% of postpartum women receiving enoxaparin. Before implementing such a protocol on a wider scale, a much larger study is needed to evaluate the effect on thromboembolic disease and wound problems.
Introduction There is a growing body of literature on the activities and competencies of implementation support practitioners (ISPs) and the outcomes of engaging ISPs to support implementation ...efforts. However, there remains limited knowledge about the experiences of implementation support recipients who engage with ISPs and how these experiences shape the trajectory of implementation and contribute to implementation outcomes. This study aimed to extend the research on ISPs by describing the experiences of professionals who received implementation support and inform our understanding of the mechanisms by which ISPs produce behavior change and contribute to implementation outcomes. Methods Thirteen individuals with roles in supporting implementation efforts at a private foundation participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative narrative analysis and episode profile analysis approaches. Iterative diagramming was used to visualize the pathway of experiences of implementation support recipients evidenced by the interview data. Results The majority of recipients described how positive experiences and trusting relationships with ISPs increased acceptance of implementation science throughout the foundation and increased the perception of implementation science as both an appropriate and feasible approach for strengthening the impact of foundation strategies. As perceptions of appropriateness and feasibility increased, recipients of implementation support described increasing knowledge and application of implementation science in their funding engagements and internal foundation strategies. Finally, recipients reported that the application of implementation science across the foundation led to sustained implementation capacity and better outcomes. Discussion The experiences of implementation support recipients described in this paper provide a source for further understanding the mechanisms of change for delivering effective implementation support leading to better implementation quality. Insights from these experiences can enhance our understanding for building implementation capacity and the rationales for evolving approaches that emphasize the dynamic, emotional, and highly relational nature of supporting others to use evidence in practice.
This study aimed to test the effects of a circuit training (CT; aerobic + strength training) program, with and without motivational interviewing (MI) behavioral therapy, on reducing adiposity and ...type 2 diabetes risk factors in Latina teenagers.
Thirty-eight Latina adolescents (15.8 ± 1.1 yr) who are overweight/obese were randomly assigned to control (C; n = 12), CT (n = 14), or CT + MI (n = 12). The CT classes were held twice a week (60-90 min) for 16 wk. The CT + MI group also received individual or group MI sessions every other week. The following were measured before and after intervention: strength by one-repetition maximum; cardiorespiratory fitness (V·O 2max) by submaximal treadmill test; physical activity by accelerometry; dietary intake by records; height, weight, waist circumference; total body composition by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; visceral adipose tissue, subcutaneous adipose tissue, and hepatic fat fraction by magnetic resonance imaging; and glucose/insulin indices by fasting blood draw. Across-intervention group effects were tested using repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc pairwise comparisons.
CT and CT + MI participants, compared with controls, significantly increased fitness (+16% and +15% vs -6%, P = 0.03) and leg press (+40% vs +20%, P = 0.007). Compared with controls, CT participants also decreased waist circumference (-3% vs +3%; P < 0.001), subcutaneous adipose tissue (-10% vs 8%, P = 0.04), visceral adipose tissue (-10% vs +6%, P = 0.05), fasting insulin (-24% vs +6%, P = 0.03), and insulin resistance (-21% vs -4%, P = 0.05).
CT may be an effective starter program to reduce fat depots and improve insulin resistance in Latino youth who are overweight/obese, whereas the additional MI therapy showed no additive effect on these health outcomes.
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