Jan Dyer

Triple therapy with first-generation protease inhibitors may be a milestone for chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) treatment, but it also substantially increases rates of infection, especially in patients with advanced liver disease. Researchers from Medical University of Graz, Austria, citing reports that link boceprevir and telaprevir  to impaired neutrophil elastase activity in vitro, conducted a study to determine whether protease inhibitors were at the root of the infections.

Related: Needlesticks and Infections: Still Not Enough Information

The study compared 152 chronic HCV patients treated with peginterferon and ribavirin, either with or without boceprevir and telaprevir, against 33 control patients. In both retrospective and prospective cohorts, clinically relevant infections were significantly more common during protease inhibitor therapy. Thirteen percent of retrospective patients developed infections on peginterferon and ribavirin vs 31% on protease inhibitors; 18% of the prospective patients on telaprevir and 33% of the boceprevir group developed clinically relevant infections. None of the patients receiving peginterferon and ribavirin developed infections, and they less often required hospitalization or treatment discontinuation.

Related: FDA Approves Zepatier for HCV Genotypes 1 and 4

The researchers also found neutrophil phagocytosis in patients dropped to 40% of baseline when protease inhibitors were added to peginterferon and ribavirin but returned to normal 6 months after treatment ended.

The researchers advise selecting patients for triple therapy carefully by focusing on other risk factors for infection and monitoring them closely during treatment.

Source:
Spindelboeck W, Horvath A, Tawdrous M, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(3): e0150299. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150299

Triple therapy with first-generation protease inhibitors may be a milestone for chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) treatment, but it also substantially increases rates of infection, especially in patients with advanced liver disease. Researchers from Medical University of Graz, Austria, citing reports that link boceprevir and telaprevir  to impaired neutrophil elastase activity in vitro, conducted a study to determine whether protease inhibitors were at the root of the infections.

Related: Needlesticks and Infections: Still Not Enough Information

The study compared 152 chronic HCV patients treated with peginterferon and ribavirin, either with or without boceprevir and telaprevir, against 33 control patients. In both retrospective and prospective cohorts, clinically relevant infections were significantly more common during protease inhibitor therapy. Thirteen percent of retrospective patients developed infections on peginterferon and ribavirin vs 31% on protease inhibitors; 18% of the prospective patients on telaprevir and 33% of the boceprevir group developed clinically relevant infections. None of the patients receiving peginterferon and ribavirin developed infections, and they less often required hospitalization or treatment discontinuation.

Related: FDA Approves Zepatier for HCV Genotypes 1 and 4

The researchers also found neutrophil phagocytosis in patients dropped to 40% of baseline when protease inhibitors were added to peginterferon and ribavirin but returned to normal 6 months after treatment ended.

The researchers advise selecting patients for triple therapy carefully by focusing on other risk factors for infection and monitoring them closely during treatment.

Source:
Spindelboeck W, Horvath A, Tawdrous M, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(3): e0150299. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150299

Triple therapy with first-generation protease inhibitors may be a milestone for chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) treatment, but it also substantially increases rates of infection, especially in patients with advanced liver disease. Researchers from Medical University of Graz, Austria, citing reports that link boceprevir and telaprevir  to impaired neutrophil elastase activity in vitro, conducted a study to determine whether protease inhibitors were at the root of the infections.

Related: Needlesticks and Infections: Still Not Enough Information

The study compared 152 chronic HCV patients treated with peginterferon and ribavirin, either with or without boceprevir and telaprevir, against 33 control patients. In both retrospective and prospective cohorts, clinically relevant infections were significantly more common during protease inhibitor therapy. Thirteen percent of retrospective patients developed infections on peginterferon and ribavirin vs 31% on protease inhibitors; 18% of the prospective patients on telaprevir and 33% of the boceprevir group developed clinically relevant infections. None of the patients receiving peginterferon and ribavirin developed infections, and they less often required hospitalization or treatment discontinuation.

Related: FDA Approves Zepatier for HCV Genotypes 1 and 4

The researchers also found neutrophil phagocytosis in patients dropped to 40% of baseline when protease inhibitors were added to peginterferon and ribavirin but returned to normal 6 months after treatment ended.

The researchers advise selecting patients for triple therapy carefully by focusing on other risk factors for infection and monitoring them closely during treatment.

Source:
Spindelboeck W, Horvath A, Tawdrous M, et al. PLoS ONE. 2016;11(3): e0150299. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0150299

The behavioral health of the nation is improving, according to the 2015 National Behavioral Health Barometer report, published recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The Barometer covers key health care issues, such as substance use, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and treatment seeking at the national level. It also includes, for comparative purposes, data from several national surveys to help health care providers and policy makers better understand what is going on state by state.

For instance, among adolescents, between 2002 and 2014, nonmedical pain reliever use, binge drinking, and cigarette smoking declined . Among adults 21 and older, since 2010, the percentage reporting heavy alcohol use in the month prior to the survey had not changed significantly. From 2010 to 2014, the percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide and number of adults who had a serious mental illness did not change significantly.

The percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number of adults who had a serious mental illness in the previous year also did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number was higher for women and whites compared with that of blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. Serious mental illness was lower among adults aged ≥ 65 years than in other age groups.

In 2014, 69% of adults with serious mental illness received mental health treatment or counseling the year before being surveyed. The percentage was higher than that of 2012, but not significantly different from any other year from 2010 to 2013. However, in 2014, men were less likely to have received mental health treatment or counseling, and adults aged 18 to 25 years were less likely than those aged 26 to 64 years to have received mental health treatment or counseling.

The behavioral health of the nation is improving, according to the 2015 National Behavioral Health Barometer report, published recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The Barometer covers key health care issues, such as substance use, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and treatment seeking at the national level. It also includes, for comparative purposes, data from several national surveys to help health care providers and policy makers better understand what is going on state by state.

For instance, among adolescents, between 2002 and 2014, nonmedical pain reliever use, binge drinking, and cigarette smoking declined . Among adults 21 and older, since 2010, the percentage reporting heavy alcohol use in the month prior to the survey had not changed significantly. From 2010 to 2014, the percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide and number of adults who had a serious mental illness did not change significantly.

The percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number of adults who had a serious mental illness in the previous year also did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number was higher for women and whites compared with that of blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. Serious mental illness was lower among adults aged ≥ 65 years than in other age groups.

In 2014, 69% of adults with serious mental illness received mental health treatment or counseling the year before being surveyed. The percentage was higher than that of 2012, but not significantly different from any other year from 2010 to 2013. However, in 2014, men were less likely to have received mental health treatment or counseling, and adults aged 18 to 25 years were less likely than those aged 26 to 64 years to have received mental health treatment or counseling.

The behavioral health of the nation is improving, according to the 2015 National Behavioral Health Barometer report, published recently by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The Barometer covers key health care issues, such as substance use, mental illness, suicidal thoughts, and treatment seeking at the national level. It also includes, for comparative purposes, data from several national surveys to help health care providers and policy makers better understand what is going on state by state.

For instance, among adolescents, between 2002 and 2014, nonmedical pain reliever use, binge drinking, and cigarette smoking declined . Among adults 21 and older, since 2010, the percentage reporting heavy alcohol use in the month prior to the survey had not changed significantly. From 2010 to 2014, the percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide and number of adults who had a serious mental illness did not change significantly.

The percentage of adults who had thoughts of suicide did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number of adults who had a serious mental illness in the previous year also did not change significantly from 2010 to 2014. The number was higher for women and whites compared with that of blacks, Asians, and Hispanics. Serious mental illness was lower among adults aged ≥ 65 years than in other age groups.

In 2014, 69% of adults with serious mental illness received mental health treatment or counseling the year before being surveyed. The percentage was higher than that of 2012, but not significantly different from any other year from 2010 to 2013. However, in 2014, men were less likely to have received mental health treatment or counseling, and adults aged 18 to 25 years were less likely than those aged 26 to 64 years to have received mental health treatment or counseling.

The Million Veteran Program (MVP)—a “mega-biobank”—began enrolling volunteers in 2011, and the program is going strong. As of 2015, 50 recruiting sites and nearly 400,000 veterans had enrolled.

For genomic and other sampling, the Million Veteran Program gathers information via questionnaires, the VA electronic health record, and blood samples from volunteers.

Researchers who conducted a study of the observational, longitudinal program say the strengths of the MVP lie in that it is a VHA program that includes more than 100 research-ready medical centers, a state -of-the-art biorepository, and the “altruistic veteran population.” Most of the health care experiences of the veterans who use the VHA already have been captured electronically for many years.

 So what have researchers learned so far? Of the 20 most common self-reported conditions among 224,610 veterans, the top 5 are hypertension (63%), hyperlipidemia (57%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (34%), tinnitus (32%), and hearing loss (31%).

A “linked but separate” ongoing project of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder enrolled more than 9,500 case patients, who will be matched with control patients from MVP. An intra-MVP study of posttraumatic stress disorder is also under way.

Although attempts to assemble large cohorts don’t always succeed, the feasibility of MVP has been confirmed by progress to date, and plans are ongoing to expand enrollment using web-based strategies, say researchers. They predict the program’s potential includes using the genomic studies as an evidence base for precision medicine in the future.

The Million Veteran Program (MVP)—a “mega-biobank”—began enrolling volunteers in 2011, and the program is going strong. As of 2015, 50 recruiting sites and nearly 400,000 veterans had enrolled.

For genomic and other sampling, the Million Veteran Program gathers information via questionnaires, the VA electronic health record, and blood samples from volunteers.

Researchers who conducted a study of the observational, longitudinal program say the strengths of the MVP lie in that it is a VHA program that includes more than 100 research-ready medical centers, a state -of-the-art biorepository, and the “altruistic veteran population.” Most of the health care experiences of the veterans who use the VHA already have been captured electronically for many years.

 So what have researchers learned so far? Of the 20 most common self-reported conditions among 224,610 veterans, the top 5 are hypertension (63%), hyperlipidemia (57%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (34%), tinnitus (32%), and hearing loss (31%).

A “linked but separate” ongoing project of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder enrolled more than 9,500 case patients, who will be matched with control patients from MVP. An intra-MVP study of posttraumatic stress disorder is also under way.

Although attempts to assemble large cohorts don’t always succeed, the feasibility of MVP has been confirmed by progress to date, and plans are ongoing to expand enrollment using web-based strategies, say researchers. They predict the program’s potential includes using the genomic studies as an evidence base for precision medicine in the future.

The Million Veteran Program (MVP)—a “mega-biobank”—began enrolling volunteers in 2011, and the program is going strong. As of 2015, 50 recruiting sites and nearly 400,000 veterans had enrolled.

For genomic and other sampling, the Million Veteran Program gathers information via questionnaires, the VA electronic health record, and blood samples from volunteers.

Researchers who conducted a study of the observational, longitudinal program say the strengths of the MVP lie in that it is a VHA program that includes more than 100 research-ready medical centers, a state -of-the-art biorepository, and the “altruistic veteran population.” Most of the health care experiences of the veterans who use the VHA already have been captured electronically for many years.

 So what have researchers learned so far? Of the 20 most common self-reported conditions among 224,610 veterans, the top 5 are hypertension (63%), hyperlipidemia (57%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (34%), tinnitus (32%), and hearing loss (31%).

A “linked but separate” ongoing project of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder enrolled more than 9,500 case patients, who will be matched with control patients from MVP. An intra-MVP study of posttraumatic stress disorder is also under way.

Although attempts to assemble large cohorts don’t always succeed, the feasibility of MVP has been confirmed by progress to date, and plans are ongoing to expand enrollment using web-based strategies, say researchers. They predict the program’s potential includes using the genomic studies as an evidence base for precision medicine in the future.

Is there a universal cancer fingerprint? Researchers at the National Institutes of Health believe they may have found a potential common biomarker for 5 different tumor types. The clue is a “methylation signature”—evidence of a chemical modification of DNA. Methylation controls the expression of genes, and higher amounts of DNA methylation reduce a gene’s activity, like a dimmer switch on a light fixture.

In an earlier study using DNA taken from solid tumors, the researchers found a methylation signature in 15 tumor types in 13 different organs around the gene called ZNF154. In the new study, the researchers uncovered methylation in colon, lung, breast, stomach, and endometrial cancers. All the tumor types and subtypes consistently produced the same methylation mark around ZNF154.

Researchers developed a computer program that looked at methylation marks in the DNA of people with and without cancer and were able to predict a threshold for detecting tumor DNA. Because tumors often shed DNA into the bloodstream, the researchers were able to calculate the proportions of circulating tumor DNA. The researchers hope their results lead to a blood test that can diagnose cancers at early stages. 

Currently, blood tests are specific to a known tumor type.  Clinicians must first find the tumor and then sequence a sample from it before they can track the tumor-specific mutations in the blood. By contrast, a method derived from the methylation signatures would mean no prior knowledge of the cancer was required. The tests would be less intrusive than that of other screening methods and could be used to follow high-risk patients or monitor the activity of a tumor during treatment.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. NIH researchers identify striking genomic signature shared by five types of cancer [news release]. National Institutes of Health Website. http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-identify-striking-genomic-signature-shared-five-types-cancer. Published February 5, 2016. Accessed February 29, 2016.

Is there a universal cancer fingerprint? Researchers at the National Institutes of Health believe they may have found a potential common biomarker for 5 different tumor types. The clue is a “methylation signature”—evidence of a chemical modification of DNA. Methylation controls the expression of genes, and higher amounts of DNA methylation reduce a gene’s activity, like a dimmer switch on a light fixture.

In an earlier study using DNA taken from solid tumors, the researchers found a methylation signature in 15 tumor types in 13 different organs around the gene called ZNF154. In the new study, the researchers uncovered methylation in colon, lung, breast, stomach, and endometrial cancers. All the tumor types and subtypes consistently produced the same methylation mark around ZNF154.

Researchers developed a computer program that looked at methylation marks in the DNA of people with and without cancer and were able to predict a threshold for detecting tumor DNA. Because tumors often shed DNA into the bloodstream, the researchers were able to calculate the proportions of circulating tumor DNA. The researchers hope their results lead to a blood test that can diagnose cancers at early stages. 

Currently, blood tests are specific to a known tumor type.  Clinicians must first find the tumor and then sequence a sample from it before they can track the tumor-specific mutations in the blood. By contrast, a method derived from the methylation signatures would mean no prior knowledge of the cancer was required. The tests would be less intrusive than that of other screening methods and could be used to follow high-risk patients or monitor the activity of a tumor during treatment.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. NIH researchers identify striking genomic signature shared by five types of cancer [news release]. National Institutes of Health Website. http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-identify-striking-genomic-signature-shared-five-types-cancer. Published February 5, 2016. Accessed February 29, 2016.

Is there a universal cancer fingerprint? Researchers at the National Institutes of Health believe they may have found a potential common biomarker for 5 different tumor types. The clue is a “methylation signature”—evidence of a chemical modification of DNA. Methylation controls the expression of genes, and higher amounts of DNA methylation reduce a gene’s activity, like a dimmer switch on a light fixture.

In an earlier study using DNA taken from solid tumors, the researchers found a methylation signature in 15 tumor types in 13 different organs around the gene called ZNF154. In the new study, the researchers uncovered methylation in colon, lung, breast, stomach, and endometrial cancers. All the tumor types and subtypes consistently produced the same methylation mark around ZNF154.

Researchers developed a computer program that looked at methylation marks in the DNA of people with and without cancer and were able to predict a threshold for detecting tumor DNA. Because tumors often shed DNA into the bloodstream, the researchers were able to calculate the proportions of circulating tumor DNA. The researchers hope their results lead to a blood test that can diagnose cancers at early stages. 

Currently, blood tests are specific to a known tumor type.  Clinicians must first find the tumor and then sequence a sample from it before they can track the tumor-specific mutations in the blood. By contrast, a method derived from the methylation signatures would mean no prior knowledge of the cancer was required. The tests would be less intrusive than that of other screening methods and could be used to follow high-risk patients or monitor the activity of a tumor during treatment.

Source:
National Institutes of Health. NIH researchers identify striking genomic signature shared by five types of cancer [news release]. National Institutes of Health Website. http://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-researchers-identify-striking-genomic-signature-shared-five-types-cancer. Published February 5, 2016. Accessed February 29, 2016.

In 2015, the CDC launched several initiatives to help bring down the number of prescription drug overdoses. One initiative called Prevention for States supports states with resources, such as strategies for safe prescribing practices that can be used to advance interventions against overdoses. The CDC also launched When the Prescription Becomes the Problem, a social media site where people tell their stories of opioid abuse to help others learn from their experience.

This year, in an effort to better track drug abuse and deaths and investigate health emergencies related to opioid abuse, the CDC will expand Prevention for States to all 50 states. The CDC is also developing guidelines to help primary care practitioners and other opioid prescribers provide safer care while reducing the risk of addiction and overdose.

In 2015, the CDC launched several initiatives to help bring down the number of prescription drug overdoses. One initiative called Prevention for States supports states with resources, such as strategies for safe prescribing practices that can be used to advance interventions against overdoses. The CDC also launched When the Prescription Becomes the Problem, a social media site where people tell their stories of opioid abuse to help others learn from their experience.

This year, in an effort to better track drug abuse and deaths and investigate health emergencies related to opioid abuse, the CDC will expand Prevention for States to all 50 states. The CDC is also developing guidelines to help primary care practitioners and other opioid prescribers provide safer care while reducing the risk of addiction and overdose.

In 2015, the CDC launched several initiatives to help bring down the number of prescription drug overdoses. One initiative called Prevention for States supports states with resources, such as strategies for safe prescribing practices that can be used to advance interventions against overdoses. The CDC also launched When the Prescription Becomes the Problem, a social media site where people tell their stories of opioid abuse to help others learn from their experience.

This year, in an effort to better track drug abuse and deaths and investigate health emergencies related to opioid abuse, the CDC will expand Prevention for States to all 50 states. The CDC is also developing guidelines to help primary care practitioners and other opioid prescribers provide safer care while reducing the risk of addiction and overdose.

Poor sleep, lack of activity, and unhealthy eating are associated with the top 5 challenges to a soldier’s personal readiness: medically nondeployable status, first-term attrition, obesity and nutrition, musculoskeletal injury, and fatigue. For instance, 1 night of less than 4 hours of sleep can impair a soldier’s performance as much as if they had a 0.10% blood-alcohol level.

Sleep, activity, and nutrition form the Performance Triad—all 3 elements are of equal importance to the Army. However, according to a Performance Triad pilot study, 99.6% of soldiers do not meet all target behaviors. The study also found 78,000 active duty soldiers are considered clinically obese and 180,000 have at least 1 musculoskeletal injury per year, which can prevent them from being deployable. As a result, about one third of newly accessioned soldiers do not complete their first term of enlistment.

The “Health of the Force Report” represents the Army’s first attempt to review, prioritize, and share best health practices. This report also allows leaders to track the health of the Army’s soldiers installation by installation. The Army says the 2015 report provides a snapshot, but the picture does not look great. Data from about 340,000 soldiers at 30 Army installations showed that only 15% of soldiers met the recommended target for sleep, 38% met the target for fitness, and 13% met the target for nutrition. In addition 17% of soldiers were not medically ready: 1,295 new injuries per 1,000 soldiers were diagnosed in 2014, 15% had a diagnosed behavioral health disorder, 14% had one or more chronic condition, 13% were classified as obese, 32% reported using tobacco, 10% had a sleep disorder, and 2% had a substance abuse disorder.

To better understand variation among the installations the Army will use the data to measure the presence or absence of health outcomes. Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, US Army Surgeon General and Commander, US Army Medical Command, says the goal is to compel leaders to improve the environment, infrastructure, and nutrition offerings of Army installations.

Poor sleep, lack of activity, and unhealthy eating are associated with the top 5 challenges to a soldier’s personal readiness: medically nondeployable status, first-term attrition, obesity and nutrition, musculoskeletal injury, and fatigue. For instance, 1 night of less than 4 hours of sleep can impair a soldier’s performance as much as if they had a 0.10% blood-alcohol level.

Sleep, activity, and nutrition form the Performance Triad—all 3 elements are of equal importance to the Army. However, according to a Performance Triad pilot study, 99.6% of soldiers do not meet all target behaviors. The study also found 78,000 active duty soldiers are considered clinically obese and 180,000 have at least 1 musculoskeletal injury per year, which can prevent them from being deployable. As a result, about one third of newly accessioned soldiers do not complete their first term of enlistment.

The “Health of the Force Report” represents the Army’s first attempt to review, prioritize, and share best health practices. This report also allows leaders to track the health of the Army’s soldiers installation by installation. The Army says the 2015 report provides a snapshot, but the picture does not look great. Data from about 340,000 soldiers at 30 Army installations showed that only 15% of soldiers met the recommended target for sleep, 38% met the target for fitness, and 13% met the target for nutrition. In addition 17% of soldiers were not medically ready: 1,295 new injuries per 1,000 soldiers were diagnosed in 2014, 15% had a diagnosed behavioral health disorder, 14% had one or more chronic condition, 13% were classified as obese, 32% reported using tobacco, 10% had a sleep disorder, and 2% had a substance abuse disorder.

To better understand variation among the installations the Army will use the data to measure the presence or absence of health outcomes. Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, US Army Surgeon General and Commander, US Army Medical Command, says the goal is to compel leaders to improve the environment, infrastructure, and nutrition offerings of Army installations.

Poor sleep, lack of activity, and unhealthy eating are associated with the top 5 challenges to a soldier’s personal readiness: medically nondeployable status, first-term attrition, obesity and nutrition, musculoskeletal injury, and fatigue. For instance, 1 night of less than 4 hours of sleep can impair a soldier’s performance as much as if they had a 0.10% blood-alcohol level.

Sleep, activity, and nutrition form the Performance Triad—all 3 elements are of equal importance to the Army. However, according to a Performance Triad pilot study, 99.6% of soldiers do not meet all target behaviors. The study also found 78,000 active duty soldiers are considered clinically obese and 180,000 have at least 1 musculoskeletal injury per year, which can prevent them from being deployable. As a result, about one third of newly accessioned soldiers do not complete their first term of enlistment.

The “Health of the Force Report” represents the Army’s first attempt to review, prioritize, and share best health practices. This report also allows leaders to track the health of the Army’s soldiers installation by installation. The Army says the 2015 report provides a snapshot, but the picture does not look great. Data from about 340,000 soldiers at 30 Army installations showed that only 15% of soldiers met the recommended target for sleep, 38% met the target for fitness, and 13% met the target for nutrition. In addition 17% of soldiers were not medically ready: 1,295 new injuries per 1,000 soldiers were diagnosed in 2014, 15% had a diagnosed behavioral health disorder, 14% had one or more chronic condition, 13% were classified as obese, 32% reported using tobacco, 10% had a sleep disorder, and 2% had a substance abuse disorder.

To better understand variation among the installations the Army will use the data to measure the presence or absence of health outcomes. Lt. Gen. Patricia Horoho, US Army Surgeon General and Commander, US Army Medical Command, says the goal is to compel leaders to improve the environment, infrastructure, and nutrition offerings of Army installations.

It’s a sad sign of the times that “disaster behavioral health” is a category of mental health care. The Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration prepares states, territories, tribes, and local entities to deliver an effective behavioral health-related response to disasters.

Whether natural or manmade, the DTAC recognizes the toll disasters take on everyone and have multiple options for helping the people who assist the victims. Those options include webinars and podcasts on resilience and stress management, such as “Understanding Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: Tips for Disaster Responders.”

The Deployment Supports for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders and Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders presentations offer advice on every step of disaster response from pre- to post-deployment. “Skills applied in outpatient clinical treatment offices are not the same as disaster response skills,” the DTAC cautions in a presentation. It also advises that the key to resiliency is learning how to identify the symptoms of stress and using available support whenever needed.

The presentations emphasize practical self-care to mitigate such effects as secondary traumatic stress—that is, the experience of trauma symptoms as a result of exposure to clients’ trauma. It was recommended that disaster responders should rest and avoid following all response activities when off duty. Responders also should prepare for physical symptoms such as headaches and exhaustion, and emotional ones such as irritability.

SAMHSA urges disaster responders to monitor compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout regularly.

It’s a sad sign of the times that “disaster behavioral health” is a category of mental health care. The Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration prepares states, territories, tribes, and local entities to deliver an effective behavioral health-related response to disasters.

Whether natural or manmade, the DTAC recognizes the toll disasters take on everyone and have multiple options for helping the people who assist the victims. Those options include webinars and podcasts on resilience and stress management, such as “Understanding Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: Tips for Disaster Responders.”

The Deployment Supports for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders and Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders presentations offer advice on every step of disaster response from pre- to post-deployment. “Skills applied in outpatient clinical treatment offices are not the same as disaster response skills,” the DTAC cautions in a presentation. It also advises that the key to resiliency is learning how to identify the symptoms of stress and using available support whenever needed.

The presentations emphasize practical self-care to mitigate such effects as secondary traumatic stress—that is, the experience of trauma symptoms as a result of exposure to clients’ trauma. It was recommended that disaster responders should rest and avoid following all response activities when off duty. Responders also should prepare for physical symptoms such as headaches and exhaustion, and emotional ones such as irritability.

SAMHSA urges disaster responders to monitor compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout regularly.

It’s a sad sign of the times that “disaster behavioral health” is a category of mental health care. The Disaster Technical Assistance Center (DTAC) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration prepares states, territories, tribes, and local entities to deliver an effective behavioral health-related response to disasters.

Whether natural or manmade, the DTAC recognizes the toll disasters take on everyone and have multiple options for helping the people who assist the victims. Those options include webinars and podcasts on resilience and stress management, such as “Understanding Compassion Fatigue and Compassion Satisfaction: Tips for Disaster Responders.”

The Deployment Supports for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders and Self-Care for Disaster Behavioral Health Responders presentations offer advice on every step of disaster response from pre- to post-deployment. “Skills applied in outpatient clinical treatment offices are not the same as disaster response skills,” the DTAC cautions in a presentation. It also advises that the key to resiliency is learning how to identify the symptoms of stress and using available support whenever needed.

The presentations emphasize practical self-care to mitigate such effects as secondary traumatic stress—that is, the experience of trauma symptoms as a result of exposure to clients’ trauma. It was recommended that disaster responders should rest and avoid following all response activities when off duty. Responders also should prepare for physical symptoms such as headaches and exhaustion, and emotional ones such as irritability.

SAMHSA urges disaster responders to monitor compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and burnout regularly.

“Safety-engineered” syringes were designed to help reduce sharps-related injuries by preventing the injury (eg, with self-retractable needles, internal blunt needles, or external shielding) or by preventing reuse (eg, a metal clip blocks the plunger once the injection has been given). But do these syringes prevent injuries and infections?      

Researchers from the American University of Beirut and Lebanese University both in Beirut, Lebanon and researchers from the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland aimed to find out by reviewing randomized and nonrandomized trials of health care workers delivering intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal injectable medications. The study outcomes found HIV, HBV, and HCV infections as well as other blood-borne infections, abscesses, or needlestick injuries among health care workers.

Related: Hospital-Acquired Infections on the Decline

The researchers concluded that there is moderate-quality evidence that injury-prevention syringes reduce the incidence of needlestick injuries in health care workers. However, the researchers did not find studies that met their eligibility criteria for data on infections or the effect of reuse on infections. That pointed to another issue; the lack of studies evaluating the effects of the safety devices on anything other than needlesticks, “whether benefits or harms.”

Related:The Immunization Community

Out of 6,566 identified citations the researchers judged, only 9 were eligible for their review. Given the paucity of information on the effectiveness of reuse prevention syringes, the researchers suggest that health care managers consider mainly using settings with high rates of syringe reuse and high prevalence of blood-borne pathogens.

Source:
Harb AC, Tarabay R, Diab B, Ballout RA, Khamassi S, Akl EA. BMC Nursing. 2015;14:71.

“Safety-engineered” syringes were designed to help reduce sharps-related injuries by preventing the injury (eg, with self-retractable needles, internal blunt needles, or external shielding) or by preventing reuse (eg, a metal clip blocks the plunger once the injection has been given). But do these syringes prevent injuries and infections?      

Researchers from the American University of Beirut and Lebanese University both in Beirut, Lebanon and researchers from the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland aimed to find out by reviewing randomized and nonrandomized trials of health care workers delivering intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal injectable medications. The study outcomes found HIV, HBV, and HCV infections as well as other blood-borne infections, abscesses, or needlestick injuries among health care workers.

Related: Hospital-Acquired Infections on the Decline

The researchers concluded that there is moderate-quality evidence that injury-prevention syringes reduce the incidence of needlestick injuries in health care workers. However, the researchers did not find studies that met their eligibility criteria for data on infections or the effect of reuse on infections. That pointed to another issue; the lack of studies evaluating the effects of the safety devices on anything other than needlesticks, “whether benefits or harms.”

Related:The Immunization Community

Out of 6,566 identified citations the researchers judged, only 9 were eligible for their review. Given the paucity of information on the effectiveness of reuse prevention syringes, the researchers suggest that health care managers consider mainly using settings with high rates of syringe reuse and high prevalence of blood-borne pathogens.

Source:
Harb AC, Tarabay R, Diab B, Ballout RA, Khamassi S, Akl EA. BMC Nursing. 2015;14:71.

“Safety-engineered” syringes were designed to help reduce sharps-related injuries by preventing the injury (eg, with self-retractable needles, internal blunt needles, or external shielding) or by preventing reuse (eg, a metal clip blocks the plunger once the injection has been given). But do these syringes prevent injuries and infections?      

Researchers from the American University of Beirut and Lebanese University both in Beirut, Lebanon and researchers from the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland aimed to find out by reviewing randomized and nonrandomized trials of health care workers delivering intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal injectable medications. The study outcomes found HIV, HBV, and HCV infections as well as other blood-borne infections, abscesses, or needlestick injuries among health care workers.

Related: Hospital-Acquired Infections on the Decline

The researchers concluded that there is moderate-quality evidence that injury-prevention syringes reduce the incidence of needlestick injuries in health care workers. However, the researchers did not find studies that met their eligibility criteria for data on infections or the effect of reuse on infections. That pointed to another issue; the lack of studies evaluating the effects of the safety devices on anything other than needlesticks, “whether benefits or harms.”

Related:The Immunization Community

Out of 6,566 identified citations the researchers judged, only 9 were eligible for their review. Given the paucity of information on the effectiveness of reuse prevention syringes, the researchers suggest that health care managers consider mainly using settings with high rates of syringe reuse and high prevalence of blood-borne pathogens.

Source:
Harb AC, Tarabay R, Diab B, Ballout RA, Khamassi S, Akl EA. BMC Nursing. 2015;14:71.

According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly half of American adults who could be taking cholesterol-lowering medicines are not. CDC researchers examined data from the 2005-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and found that 78 million people aged 21 or older (37% of American adults) were eligible for cholesterol-lowering medication or already taking it. Of those, 56% were taking medication, 47% were making lifestyle changes, 37% were doing both, and 36% were doing neither.

Black adults who did not have a routine place for health care were found least likely to be taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, the CDC study also found that black men have a lower prevalence of high cholesterol compared with whites and Hispanics.

Although the study included all forms of cholesterol-lowering medications, nearly 90% of patients were taking statins.

According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly half of American adults who could be taking cholesterol-lowering medicines are not. CDC researchers examined data from the 2005-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and found that 78 million people aged 21 or older (37% of American adults) were eligible for cholesterol-lowering medication or already taking it. Of those, 56% were taking medication, 47% were making lifestyle changes, 37% were doing both, and 36% were doing neither.

Black adults who did not have a routine place for health care were found least likely to be taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, the CDC study also found that black men have a lower prevalence of high cholesterol compared with whites and Hispanics.

Although the study included all forms of cholesterol-lowering medications, nearly 90% of patients were taking statins.

According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, nearly half of American adults who could be taking cholesterol-lowering medicines are not. CDC researchers examined data from the 2005-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys and found that 78 million people aged 21 or older (37% of American adults) were eligible for cholesterol-lowering medication or already taking it. Of those, 56% were taking medication, 47% were making lifestyle changes, 37% were doing both, and 36% were doing neither.

Black adults who did not have a routine place for health care were found least likely to be taking cholesterol-lowering drugs. However, the CDC study also found that black men have a lower prevalence of high cholesterol compared with whites and Hispanics.

Although the study included all forms of cholesterol-lowering medications, nearly 90% of patients were taking statins.