Population Health

US cases of COVID-19 surge to record levels; FDA expands eligibility for Pfizer/BioNTech booster doses to children ages 12 to 15 years old; Israeli study finds fourth shot of COVID-19 vaccine effective and safe.

Anthony Fauci, MD, said the CDC is considering changes to its guidance requiring a negative COVID-19 test after 5-day quarantine; bipartisan legislation banning surprise medical billing goes into effect; booster vaccine programs may be limiting global vaccine supply for low- and middle-income countries.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 8.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 7.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 5.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 4.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 2.

This 8-part conversation with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Newton Family Physicians, moderated by The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®), focuses on the role of value-based care, independent care practices, and other aspects of health care that have been and continue to be affected by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, even as we enter 2022. This is part 1.

Psoriasis severity and treatment outcomes were found to differ across US geographic regions, in which the East South Central and West South Central regions were associated with the greatest frequencies of very severe disease burden and decreased likelihood of achieving targeted response within 6 months of initiating biologic therapy.

Key opinion leaders discuss the state of mental health in the US workforce, persistent unmet needs, and efforts to improve coverage and uptake of behavioral health services.

Childhood psoriasis was found to be significantly associated with environmental tobacco smoke exposure, whereas intrauterine smoking exposure was not associated with an increased risk in pediatric populations.

In an interview conducted before the highly transmissible Omicron coronavirus variant began driving another wave of infections, Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, FASTMH, discussed the struggle public health officials and scientists have in fighting false beliefs about vaccinations.

CDC data shown to overstate US vaccination rates; school-based cognitive behavioral therapy for overwhelmed children; Moderna to develop Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster dose.

When a flu season is mild, it can make developing a vaccine for the following season a bit more difficult as it can be hard to find the right match, but on the other hand, the US health system could benefit from less stress this winter given the unrelenting demands posed by COVID-19, says Leslie Kantor, PhD, MPH, chair and professor of the Department of Urban-Global Public Health, Rutgers School of Public Health.

Daniel Greer, PharmD, BCPP, clinical assistant professor, Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, speaks on how capabilities of cognitive behavioral therapy have evolved to a more user-friendly approach in the management of chronic insomnia.

Lori Muffly, MD, associate professor of medicine, Blood & Marrow Transplantation, Stanford University, discusses findings of her study showing disparities in clinical trial enrollment and patient outcomes for at-risk pediatric minority populations with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Robert J. Hopkin, MD, clinical geneticist, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, speaks on misconceptions regarding Fabry disease and opportunities for improvement in care.

Pfizer predicts that a fourth dose of a COVID-19 vaccine may be needed to quell the Omicron variant; CMS officials share figures on enrollment for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA); City of Hope announces acquisition of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Financial hardship was found to be a significant risk factor for worse sleep quality in patients with concomitant obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes (T2D)

The CDC expands its recommendation on booster shots to all adults aged 18 and older amid Omicron variant concerns; a federal judge temporarily blocks COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health workers in 10 states; the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on Mississippi’s landmark abortion case tomorrow.

In Icelandic patients, obstructive sleep apnea were associated with a 2-fold increased risk of severe COVID-19 that required hospitalization or led to death after accounting for obesity and other comorbidities.

Improving clinical care is only one element of the 360-degree, holistic treatment that is necessary to achieve patient equity, not equality, in patients with chronic kidney disease. Biology, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status are 3 areas in which inequities often have a particularly negative impact on a carefully constructed care plan.

Discussions regarding health equity and access to care have long been implicated in breast cancer. Here, key opinion leaders discuss the latest progress in clinical trial access, digital therapeutics, and other efforts that aim to ameliorate these care gaps.

Researchers have found a second reported case of an immune system potentially curing a person of HIV; US premature birth rates are on the rise in minority groups; most Americans say mental health professionals should be first responders to mental health and suicide situations.

Clyde W. Yancy, MD, MSc, of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, explains the connections between health care equity and advances in treatment for heart failure and how the United States' policy and science agenda can address them.