Kahee Agid Mohammed

Objective: Despite its established benefits, palliative care (PC) is not well known among patients and family/caregivers. From a nationally representative survey, we sought to assess the following associated with PC: knowledge, knowledge sources, and beliefs.Methods: Data were drawn from the Health Information National Trends Study (HINTS 5 Cycle 2), a cross-sectional, survey of non-institutionalized adults aged 18+ years in the USA. Data were weighted and assessed by proportional comparison and multivariable logistic regression.Results: A total of 3504 respondents were identified, and approximately 29% knew about PC. In the adjusted model, less PC knowledge was associated with: lower age (those aged <50), male gender, lower education (<high school graduation or high school graduate), and non-internet users. A little over half (55%) of respondents accessed healthcare providers first for PC information, and 80% considered providers the most trusted source of PC information. Most of the participants strongly/somewhat agreed that the goal of PC is to help friends and family cope with a patient's illness (90.6%), offer social and emotional support (93.4%), and manage pain and other physical symptoms (95.1%). Similarly, a majority (83.3%) strongly/somewhat agreed that it is a doctor's obligation to inform all patients with cancer about the option of PC.Significance of results: PC knowledge was generally low (1-in-3 respondents knew of PC), with significant differences according to age, gender, education, and internet use. These data provide a baseline from which PC education policies and interventions may be measured.

The incidence and overall mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the US have been increasing over the past decade. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. This study aims at examining the epidemiology, risk factors, and short-term outcomes of VTE in hospitalized patients with HCC.

To assess the effects of housing characteristics and home environmental factors on lung function of Chinese children, 6740 children (aged 6–16 years) were recruited from seven cities in Northeast China in 2012. Performance of lung function was determined by comparison of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF). Multivariate regression models were used to evaluate the associations with lung function deficit. The results showed that housing conditions were associated with lung function deficit in children. The adjusted odds ratios were 0.47 (95% CI: 0.26–0.83) for FVC for “ping-fang” housing compared with “dan-yuan-lou-fang” housing and 2.90 (95% CI: 2.43–3.47) for FEV1 with home renovations completed within two years compared with counterparts. The linear regression models consistently showed a significant association of housing conditions and home environmental factors with lung function measurements across subjects. A residence taller than seven stories was negatively associated with FEV1 ( β = −55; 95% CI: −97 to −13). In conclusion, housing conditions and home environmental factors are particularly important to the development of lung function and respiratory health in children. These factors are concerning and action should be taken to improve them.

Objectives/Hypothesis Radiation is thought to increase risk of developing second primary thyroid cancer (SPTC). This study estimated the rate of SPTC following index head and neck cancer (HNC) and determined whether radiation treatment among HNC survivors increased SPTC risk. Study Design Retrospective data analysis. Method The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (1975–2014) was queried for cases of index HNC (N = 127,563) that developed SPTC. Adjusted multivariable competing risk proportional hazards model tested risk of developing a SPTC following index HNC. Sensitivity analyses using proportional hazards models were also performed restricting data to patients who 1) received both radiation and chemotherapy and 2) radiation alone. Results Only 0.2% of index HNC survivors (n = 229) developed SPTC, yielding a rate of 26.1 per 100,000 person-years. For every increasing year of age at diagnosis, patients were 3% less likely to develop an SPTC (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.96-0.98). Males were also less likely to develop an SPTC (aHR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.96). Radiation (aHR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.68-1.25), surgery (aHR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.56-1.11), and chemotherapy (aHR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.76-1.69) were not significantly associated with developing SPTC. The sensitivity models also did not find an association between treatment and risk of SPTC. Conclusions Rate of developing SPTC following index HNC was very low, and previous exposure to radiation did not significantly increase risk in our study population. More studies are needed to understand the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer across the United States. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 129:1014–1020, 2019

We examined differences in HPV and HPV vaccine knowledge among individuals who use the Internet as their main source of health information versus those who do not. Data were obtained from the Health Information National Trends Survey Cycles 3 and 4 (N = 6862), a cross-sectional random-digit-dialed telephone survey of noninstitutionalized adults aged ≥18 years. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated correlates of HPV and HPV vaccine awareness and knowledge among both groups. Approximately 76% of respondents who use the Internet as their main source of health information and 56% of who do not, reported an awareness of HPV and the vaccine (p < .0001). In multivariate analyses, independent of Internet use for health information, females were significantly more likely to be aware of HPV and the vaccine than males. Among those who used the Internet as their primary information source, high school diploma holders were less likely to be aware of HPV and the vaccine, compared with college graduates. However, there was no educational difference among those who did not use the Internet. Overall, Internet users had a significantly increased knowledge and awareness of HPV and HPV vaccine compared with non-Internet users, however, both groups had gaps. Continued education and innovative information dissemination techniques are needed to improve HPV and HPV vaccine awareness among both individuals who use the Internet as their primary source of information and those who do not.

To examine predictors of information seeking behavior among individuals diagnosed with cancer versus those without. Cross-sectional data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycles 1–3 (October 2011 to November 2013) were analyzed for 10,774 survey respondents aged ≥18 years. Binary logistic regression was used to examine the effect of socio-demographic and behavioral factors on health information seeking. Cancer diagnosis did not predict health information seeking. However, respondents diagnosed with cancer were more likely to seek health information from a healthcare practitioner. Compared to males, females were more likely to seek health information irrespective of cancer diagnosis. Regardless of cancer diagnosis, those without a regular healthcare provider were less likely to seek health information. Likelihood of seeking health information declined across education strata, and significantly worsened among respondents without high school diplomas irrespective of cancer diagnosis. Respondents sought health information irrespective of cancer diagnosis. However, the source of health information sought differed by cancer diagnosis. Gender, education, and having a regular healthcare provider were predictors of health information seeking. Future health communication interventions targeting cancer patients and the general public should consider these findings for tailored interventions to achieve optimal results.