JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2015
Hearing Impairment Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.
Hearing impairment is common in adults, but few studies have addressed it in the US Hispanic/Latino population. ⋯ Hearing impairment is a common problem for older Hispanics/Latinos in these communities and is associated with socioeconomic factors, noise exposure, and abnormal glucose metabolism. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether these factors are involved in the etiology of hearing impairment and to identify ways to prevent or delay age-related changes in hearing.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2015
Determinants of Medicare Costs for Elderly Patients With Oral Cavity and Pharyngeal Cancers.
In the United States, nearly 8400 patients die each year from oral cavity and pharynx cancers, most of whom are 65 years and older; however, the costs attributable to these cancers are not well described. ⋯ Oral and pharyngeal cancer is burdensome to elderly patients from a Medicare cost perspective. Several factors were associated with 5-year costs, including some modifiable factors that may be potential targets for interventions to reduce overall costs.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jul 2015
Treatment Factors Associated With Survival in Early-Stage Oral Cavity Cancer: Analysis of 6830 Cases From the National Cancer Data Base.
Most patients with oral cavity squamous cell cancer (OCSCC) are initially seen at an early stage (I and II). Although patient and tumor prognostic features have been analyzed extensively, population-level data examining how variations in treatment factors impact survival are lacking to date. ⋯ Prognostic impacts of treatment factors in early OCSCC are presented. Overall survival for early OCSCC varies with demographic and tumor characteristics but also varies with treatment and system factors, which may represent targets for improving outcomes in this disease.