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What We’re Reading: Suicide Among Female Nurses; Biden to Reverse Ban on Abortion Referrals; Exercise and COVID-19 Risk
A new study finds high rates of suicide among female nurses in the United States; President Joe Biden aims to undo Trump-era restrictions on abortion referrals; research indicates regular exercise may prevent severe COVID-19 outcomes.
High Suicide Rates Seen Among Female Nurses
A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry shows female nurses are 2 times as likely to die by suicide compared with females in the general population and 70% more likely compared with female physicians. Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study and assessed US data from 2007 to 2018. In absolute terms, compared with the general population of US women, being a female nurse was associated with an additional 8.5 suicides per 100,000. The investigators stress future research is warranted to assess whether interventions could help reduce suicide risk among nurses.
Biden Aims to Reverse Trump Ban on Abortion Referrals
President Joe Biden has begun to reverse a ban on clinics referring women for abortions implemented under former President Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports. The policy excluded Planned Parenthood from the federal family planning program and introduced new barriers for women trying to get birth control. Women’s groups had decried the measure as a “gag rule” while medical associations argued it violated the doctor-patient relationship. The Biden administration has not immediately suspended the regulation, as officials believe more deliberate, careful moves will increase chances proposed changes will be upheld in court.
Exercise May Prevent Severe COVID-19 Outcomes
Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that among patients with COVID-19, those who were consistently inactive had a greater risk of hospitalization, admission to intensive care units, and death. In contrast, patients who consistently met physical activity guidelines had less severe COVID-19 outcomes. The study was conducted among 48,440 adult patients with a diagnosis between January and October 2020. Based on the findings, the researchers recommend public health agencies promote physical activity and incorporate recommendations into routine medical care.
What We’re Reading: RSV Vaccine Demand; Permanent Contraception; Drug Negotiation Impact
December 8th 2023The Biden administration recently met with manufacturers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations to encourage them to increase access to the vaccine; since the Dobbs v Jackson decision, many patients have been seeking more permanent reproductive health care solutions; a Mathematica analysis showed that Medicare prescription drug price negotiations could have cut seniors’ out-of-pocket costs by nearly a quarter had the program been in effect in 2021.
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Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
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Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
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The Impact of Nurse Practitioner Attribution in Medicare Shared Savings ACOs
December 5th 2023Allowing nurse practitioners to serve as attribution-eligible providers for Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations leads to no change in hierarchical condition category risk scores and modest growth in attributed beneficiaries.
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