American journal of preventive medicine
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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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A lung cancer screening program using low dose CT (LDCT) in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Central Texas was developed and assessed for equitable implementation. ⋯ The navigator-centered program achieved equitable implementation of lung cancer screening in a diverse FQHC system.
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Healthcare providers should facilitate smoking cessation, and primary care is an ideal setting for delivering this evidence-based care. This study's objective was to describe readiness to quit smoking combustible cigarettes among adult Appalachian primary care patients and determine their providers' implementation of an established tobacco treatment model. ⋯ Nearly one third of Appalachian patients who smoke reported readiness to quit within 6 months and nearly all received advice to quit from their provider. Patients would benefit from more intensive tobacco treatment delivery in primary care settings, with a focus on assisting with quit attempts.
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Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) increased in 2020 and 2021, and provisional data indicated an increase in 2022, resulting in substantial excess CVD deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Updated estimates using final data for 2022 are needed. ⋯ In 2022, the CVD AAMR among adults aged ≥35 years did not increase, but rather declined from a peak in 2021, signaling improvements in adverse mortality trends that began in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the 2022 CVD AAMR remains higher than observed before the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating an ongoing need for CVD prevention, detection, and management.
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Unexpected out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for preventive care reduce future uptake. Because adherence to service guidelines differs by patient populations, understanding the role of patient demographics and social determinants of health (SDOH) in the incidence and size of unexpected cost-sharing is necessary to address these disparities. This study examined the associations between patient demographics and cost-sharing for common preventive services. ⋯ The likelihood and size of OOP costs for preventive care varied considerably by patient demographics; this may contribute to inequitable access to high-value care.