Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 30, 2022
Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxon... more Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxone, but most pharmacy schools provide little to no training in opioid management for students as a part of their curriculum. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of pharmacy students towards the opioid epidemic and overdose management. Material and Methods: The study was conducted among pharmacy students enrolled at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). An anonymous Qualtrics ® survey accompanied by an informed consent was distributed to students at RFUMS. Results and Discussion: A total of 162 out of 200 students (81%) enrolled in the College of Pharmacy completed the survey. Students' attitudes varied by demographics. The majority of students were not prepared to manage opioid overdose situations and administer opioid antidotes, such as naloxone. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of the study indicate that pharmacy students are willing to receive additional education to improve preparedness in managing opioid abuse situations. Hands-on training for opioid abuse management will provide pharmacy students the necessary knowledge and tools to help patients. Pharmacy schools nationwide should incorporate opioid abuse management as a part of their didactic curriculum.
Background: To streamline workflow during peak influenza season in our weekly student-led free In... more Background: To streamline workflow during peak influenza season in our weekly student-led free Interprofessional Community Clinic (ICC), an additional pharmacist shift solely responsible for providing immunization services was implemented from October 2018 to February 2019. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of adding an immunizing pharmacist, in addition to a clinical pharmacist, on adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine recommendations and overall immunization rates at ICC. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patient visits from October 2017 to February 2019 was conducted. Vaccination rates and CDC recommendation adherence were compared to a historical control when an immunizing pharmacist was not scheduled. Chi-square analysis was performed on categorical data; Fisher's exact test was used to assess impact of an immunizing pharmacist on vaccination rates and adherence to CDC recommendations. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 78 patient visits and 58 unique patients were included. There was a significant increase in the adherence to CDC recommendations for pneumococcal vaccine when an immunizing pharmacist was present (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in the adherence to CDC recommendations for all other vaccines and overall vaccine rate between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Implementation of an immunizing pharmacist in an interprofessional clinic significantly impacts the adherence to CDC recommendations for pneumococcal vaccine without significantly impacting the overall vaccine rate. Benefit of an additional pharmacist dedicated to vaccinations should be weighed for workflow improvement versus impact on vaccine adherence and rate.
Background: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the implementation of face mask as a ... more Background: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the implementation of face mask as a mitigation strategy earlier, as opposed to in April, would have made an impact on the number of COVID-19 cases and related mortality in the United States. Material and Methods: A Decision tree (Markov Modeling) was performed utilizing the Tree age Software®. The data which was used for Markov Modeling was collected from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC) and the CDC from February 1 st through April 15th. Results: Earlier use of face masks would have saved lives, prevented infections, and restricted the exponential spread of infections later in the pandemic. Had face masks been instituted on March 15th, 679,302 infections would have been prevented, and 31,863 lives would have been saved by April 15th. Similarly, had we instituted face masks on April 1, 527,123 infections would have been prevented, and 27,328 lives would have been saved by April 15th. Conclusions: This study points to the missed opportunity of earlier initiation of the mitigation strategy of face mask use, with March 15th being a critical breakpoint. Face mask use must be strictly adhered to prevent the spread of infections and deaths due to Coronavirus.
International Journal of Science and Research Archive
Pediatric asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, resulting in a lack of concentration... more Pediatric asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, resulting in a lack of concentration, difficulty sleeping, and tiredness. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines recommended that children should be prescribed maintenance inhalers along with rescue inhalers. Concurrent use of rescue and maintenance inhalers were considered appropriate use for this study. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of inappropriate prescribing patterns against various patient and prescriber demographic factors. A total of 2,264 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for ICD 10 codes, J45.20 - J45.52 and age less than 18 were extracted from the 2018 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), which captures ambulatory services offered in physicians’ offices directly engaged in patient care. This data is collected by the National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS), a division of the CDC. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, two-tailed t-tests, and ANO...
Journal of Medical - Clinical Research & Reviews
Background: The aim of this study was to determine if emergency department (ED) visits due to mot... more Background: The aim of this study was to determine if emergency department (ED) visits due to motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are affected by patient demographics, national holidays, and days of the week. Methodology: This was a retrospective, secondary database analysis research exploring the motor vehicle accident patterns in 2018 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), which is a secondary database of the utilization of ambulatory care services in hospital EDs. The incidence of ED visits due to MVA were assessed as it relates to various patient demographics, which included age, sex, race, in addition to geographic region, national holidays, and days of the week. Results: The study found that the incidence of MVA varies significantly by the time of the year, the days of the week, patient characteristics, and various holidays. Christmas (31.8%), Fridays (30.5%), Sundays (24.8%), Northeast region (36.2%), and the White population (48.9%) had the ...
Mental health disorders are a leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the US. Unaddr... more Mental health disorders are a leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the US. Unaddressed mental health problems can have a negative influence on society due to homelessness, poverty, unemployment, safety, and other issues. They may also impact the ability of children and youth to succeed in school, impact quality of life and increase health care costs. A total of 2,770 patients presenting with mental health related conditions, meeting the criteria of psychotic disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, depression, and other (ICD-10 code: F20-41) were extracted from the 2018 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care (NHAMCS) survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and Chi square tests and ANOVA with alpha significance level at 0.05. The visits to the ED for mental health were affected by various demographic factors, including age, race, region, and method of payments. The findings of the study have critical policy and public health implications. The results c...
Journal of Medical Research and Surgery, Sep 9, 2020
This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenz... more This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenza and adherence to the guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) by utilizing the National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS) 2016 database. This was based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed officebased physicians who are engaged in direct patient care at community health centers. Patient sex, race, as well as the source of payment, and the provider type were among the demographic variables studied for adherence to the guidelines. The total number of ambulatory care visits were 1,753. Of those, 63.6% of patients were prescribed, inappropriate agents. General and Family Practice physicians were the most frequented providers (32.9%), followed by Nurse Practitioners (21.9%), and Pediatricians (17.1%). Family practice physicians and nurse practitioners appeared to prescribe more inappropriately as compared to the other specialties (X2=0.001). White and black patients were prescribed more inappropriately as compared to other races (X2=0.032). Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem of increasing magnitude, and finding effective solutions to address this problem is critical. Antibiotic resistance is also an economic healthcare burden. Adherence to guidelines minimizes antibiotic resistance and promotes patients and public health.
Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the number of emergency department (ED) ... more Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the number of emergency department (ED) visits due to gunshot wounds were affected by patient demographics, national holidays, and days of the week. Methods: A total of 2,127 patients presenting with gunshot wounds were extracted from the 2017 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), which is secondary database of the utilization of ambulatory care services in hospital EDs. The incidence of ED visits due to gunshot wounds were assessed as it relates to various patient demographics, which included age, sex, race, in addition to geographic region, national holidays, and days of the week. Results: The study found that the incidence of gunshot wounds varies significantly by the time of the year, the days of the week, patient characteristics, and various holidays. Independence Day (38.5%), Fridays (34%), weekends (50.3%), Northeast region (35.6%), and the Black population (44.5%) had the highest number of gunshot wounds as compared to their respective demographic variables. Males had the highest number of ED visits due to gunshot wounds (86.4%). One third (33.1%) of the studied gunshot wounds were fatal. Conclusions: Additional resources, such as hospital beds, staffing, and funding, should be allocated to ED and trauma centers on Fridays and the weekends. The findings of the study have significant public safety and health implications. The results can aid public safety and law enforcement agencies in identifying patterns of gun violence in order to initiate appropriate steps to address this critical social and healthcare crisis.
World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2022
Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxon... more Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxone, but most pharmacy schools provide little to no training in opioid management for students as a part of their curriculum. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of pharmacy students towards the opioid epidemic and overdose management. Material and Methods: The study was conducted among pharmacy students enrolled at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). An anonymous Qualtrics® survey accompanied by an informed consent was distributed to students at RFUMS. Results and Discussion: A total of 162 out of 200 students (81%) enrolled in the College of Pharmacy completed the survey. Students’ attitudes varied by demographics. The majority of students were not prepared to manage opioid overdose situations and administer opioid antidotes, such as naloxone. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of the study indicate that pharmacy students are willing to receive add...
Background: The study aimed to investigate whether the implementation of social distancing as a m... more Background: The study aimed to investigate whether the implementation of social distancing as a mitigation strategy earlier as opposed to in late March would have made an impact on the number of COVID-19 cases and related mortality in the United States. Methods: A Decision tree (Markov Modeling) was performed utilizing the Treeage Software®. The data, which was analyzed via Markov Modeling, was collected from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC) and the CDC from February 1st through March 31st. Results: The results showed that earlier use of social distancing would have saved lives, prevented infections, and restricted the exponential spread of infections later in the pandemic. Had social distancing been instituted on March 1st, 307,237 infections would have been prevented, and 9,130 lives would have been saved by March 31st. This study points to the missed opportunity of earlier initiation of the mitigation strategy of social distancing use, with March 1st being a critic...
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided t... more License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Aim. We aimed to determine if sitagliptin added to standard postoperative standardized sliding-scale insulin regimens improved blood glucose. Methods. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted in diabetic cardiac surgery patients. Patients received sitagliptin or placebo after surgery for 4 days. The primary endpoint was to estimate the effect of adjunctive sitagliptin versus placebo on overall mean blood glucose in the 4-day period after surgery. Results. Sixty-two patients participated. Repeated measures tests indicated no significant difference between the groups in the overall mean blood glucose level with a mean of 147.2 ± 4.8mg/dL and 153.0 ± 4.6mg/dL for the test and the control group, respectively (P = 0.388). Conclusions. Sitagliptin added to normal postoperative glucose management practices did not ...
Exploring the impact of an interprofessional care protocol on the patient experience and outcomes... more Exploring the impact of an interprofessional care protocol on the patient experience and outcomes for seniors with diabetes
IntroductionChallenges exist for public health workforce development in both developing countries... more IntroductionChallenges exist for public health workforce development in both developing countries and wealthier countries alike. Beaglehole and Dal Poz (1) relate this challenge to the traditional emphasis on formal academic and didactic training with very limited attention being paid to training methods that are field-based continuing education where the workforce can participate in work group training that addresses the diversity and complexity of the healthcare team from a wide range of occupational backgrounds (1). Patients today have complex medical issues requiring more than one healthcare professional which calls for interprofessional collaboration (2). In 2001, acknowledging the medically challenging needs of patients, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Quality of Health Care in America recommended that healthcare professionals be able to work in interprofessional (IP) teams (3). The research of Schofield et al. demonstrated that, especially for complex, chronic co...
The aim of this study was to look at the appropriateness of prescribing patterns for acute sinusi... more The aim of this study was to look at the appropriateness of prescribing patterns for acute sinusitis and acute pharyngitis and compare with treatment guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data were used to determine antibiotic prescribing practices of providers treating the two conditions. Inclusion criteria were primary diagnosis of acute sinusitis and acute pharyngitis. Amoxicillin or penicillin, as recommended first-line treatment, were considered appropriate agents for the purposes of this study. Demographic variables, such as gender, age and race were examined along withprescribing variables, including insurance type, geographic area and physician type. In 46 (23.8%) cases,inappropriate agent was chosen. General doctors (14), pediatricians (12) and otolaryngologists (10) were prescribed most of inappropriate prescriptions. Inappropriate antibiotics were often prescribed for patients under 1...
Objective: The aim of this research was to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for adhere... more Objective: The aim of this research was to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for adherence to the guidelines issued by the American Academy of Paediatrics by utilizing the National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS) 2016 database. Methods: This was a retrospective, secondary database analysis research exploring the antibiotic prescribing patterns for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) in infants and children aged 2 to 24 months for the year of 2016 using National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. This database was based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed office-based physicians who are engaged in direct patient care and community health centers. Patient sex, race, as well as the source of payment, and the provider type were among the demographic variables studied for adherence to the guidelines. Results: The total number of ambulatory care visits was 316. Of those, 144 (45.6%) patient were prescribed inappropriate antibiotics. Nurse practitioners and physician a...
Advanced directives, such as Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, provide the abilit... more Advanced directives, such as Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, provide the ability to identify, respect, and implement an individual's wishes for medical care during serious illness or end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of advanced directives amongst the residents of long-term care facilities in the United States. A total of 527 cases were extracted from 2018 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, which was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics through the surveys of residential care communities and adult day services centers. Advanced directive rates were higher in patients 90 years of age and above as compared to other age groups. Nursing home residents were more likely to have advanced directives than other long term care facilities. There was no significant difference among males and females in the rate of advanced directives. Nursing home and Hospice residents had more advanced directives compared to ...
The elderly, whom are vulnerable to the physical, mental and chronic diseases of aging, are the f... more The elderly, whom are vulnerable to the physical, mental and chronic diseases of aging, are the fastest growing segment of the US population. Dementia is of particular concern in this population, and caregivers of people with dementia are subjected to psychological, physical, emotional and functional stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of caregiving for dementia patients on health care services utilization of caregivers and to examine if caregivers utilize more healthcare services than the control group. The study recruited a total of 143 people in control and non-control groups through non-probability convenience sampling. The control group (non-caregivers) comprised of 71 people, whereas the experimental group (caregivers) consisted of 72 participants. The focus of the study was the health care utilization questionnaire, asking the caregiver about the frequency of specific health care services utilization—including medication use in the last six months,...
Over 70 million Americans are diagnosed with hypertension. Adherence to current AHA/ACC 2017 hype... more Over 70 million Americans are diagnosed with hypertension. Adherence to current AHA/ACC 2017 hypertension guidelines and appropriate antihypertensive therapy is important for optimal treatment outcomes. This study investigates prescribing patterns for ambulatory care patients with hypertension and adherence to these guidelines. Data from the 2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) were used in the study. Patients with primary diagnoses of essential hypertension were extracted from the data using ICD-9 code “401”. A total of 595 patients were identified. Correlation among demographic variables, source of payment and prescriber specialty were examined. Chi-square and descriptive analysis were performed. 51.4% of the prescriptions were non-first-line medications. Primary care physicians and cardiologists adhered to the guidelines more, when compared to the other specialties. There was a significant difference between various geographic regions, as it relates to guidelines ...
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Mar 30, 2022
Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxon... more Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxone, but most pharmacy schools provide little to no training in opioid management for students as a part of their curriculum. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of pharmacy students towards the opioid epidemic and overdose management. Material and Methods: The study was conducted among pharmacy students enrolled at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). An anonymous Qualtrics ® survey accompanied by an informed consent was distributed to students at RFUMS. Results and Discussion: A total of 162 out of 200 students (81%) enrolled in the College of Pharmacy completed the survey. Students' attitudes varied by demographics. The majority of students were not prepared to manage opioid overdose situations and administer opioid antidotes, such as naloxone. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of the study indicate that pharmacy students are willing to receive additional education to improve preparedness in managing opioid abuse situations. Hands-on training for opioid abuse management will provide pharmacy students the necessary knowledge and tools to help patients. Pharmacy schools nationwide should incorporate opioid abuse management as a part of their didactic curriculum.
Background: To streamline workflow during peak influenza season in our weekly student-led free In... more Background: To streamline workflow during peak influenza season in our weekly student-led free Interprofessional Community Clinic (ICC), an additional pharmacist shift solely responsible for providing immunization services was implemented from October 2018 to February 2019. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of adding an immunizing pharmacist, in addition to a clinical pharmacist, on adherence to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccine recommendations and overall immunization rates at ICC. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patient visits from October 2017 to February 2019 was conducted. Vaccination rates and CDC recommendation adherence were compared to a historical control when an immunizing pharmacist was not scheduled. Chi-square analysis was performed on categorical data; Fisher's exact test was used to assess impact of an immunizing pharmacist on vaccination rates and adherence to CDC recommendations. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 78 patient visits and 58 unique patients were included. There was a significant increase in the adherence to CDC recommendations for pneumococcal vaccine when an immunizing pharmacist was present (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in the adherence to CDC recommendations for all other vaccines and overall vaccine rate between the two groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: Implementation of an immunizing pharmacist in an interprofessional clinic significantly impacts the adherence to CDC recommendations for pneumococcal vaccine without significantly impacting the overall vaccine rate. Benefit of an additional pharmacist dedicated to vaccinations should be weighed for workflow improvement versus impact on vaccine adherence and rate.
Background: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the implementation of face mask as a ... more Background: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the implementation of face mask as a mitigation strategy earlier, as opposed to in April, would have made an impact on the number of COVID-19 cases and related mortality in the United States. Material and Methods: A Decision tree (Markov Modeling) was performed utilizing the Tree age Software®. The data which was used for Markov Modeling was collected from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC) and the CDC from February 1 st through April 15th. Results: Earlier use of face masks would have saved lives, prevented infections, and restricted the exponential spread of infections later in the pandemic. Had face masks been instituted on March 15th, 679,302 infections would have been prevented, and 31,863 lives would have been saved by April 15th. Similarly, had we instituted face masks on April 1, 527,123 infections would have been prevented, and 27,328 lives would have been saved by April 15th. Conclusions: This study points to the missed opportunity of earlier initiation of the mitigation strategy of face mask use, with March 15th being a critical breakpoint. Face mask use must be strictly adhered to prevent the spread of infections and deaths due to Coronavirus.
International Journal of Science and Research Archive
Pediatric asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, resulting in a lack of concentration... more Pediatric asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, resulting in a lack of concentration, difficulty sleeping, and tiredness. The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines recommended that children should be prescribed maintenance inhalers along with rescue inhalers. Concurrent use of rescue and maintenance inhalers were considered appropriate use for this study. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of inappropriate prescribing patterns against various patient and prescriber demographic factors. A total of 2,264 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for ICD 10 codes, J45.20 - J45.52 and age less than 18 were extracted from the 2018 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), which captures ambulatory services offered in physicians’ offices directly engaged in patient care. This data is collected by the National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS), a division of the CDC. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, two-tailed t-tests, and ANO...
Journal of Medical - Clinical Research & Reviews
Background: The aim of this study was to determine if emergency department (ED) visits due to mot... more Background: The aim of this study was to determine if emergency department (ED) visits due to motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are affected by patient demographics, national holidays, and days of the week. Methodology: This was a retrospective, secondary database analysis research exploring the motor vehicle accident patterns in 2018 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), which is a secondary database of the utilization of ambulatory care services in hospital EDs. The incidence of ED visits due to MVA were assessed as it relates to various patient demographics, which included age, sex, race, in addition to geographic region, national holidays, and days of the week. Results: The study found that the incidence of MVA varies significantly by the time of the year, the days of the week, patient characteristics, and various holidays. Christmas (31.8%), Fridays (30.5%), Sundays (24.8%), Northeast region (36.2%), and the White population (48.9%) had the ...
Mental health disorders are a leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the US. Unaddr... more Mental health disorders are a leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits in the US. Unaddressed mental health problems can have a negative influence on society due to homelessness, poverty, unemployment, safety, and other issues. They may also impact the ability of children and youth to succeed in school, impact quality of life and increase health care costs. A total of 2,770 patients presenting with mental health related conditions, meeting the criteria of psychotic disorders, anxiety, mood disorders, depression, and other (ICD-10 code: F20-41) were extracted from the 2018 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care (NHAMCS) survey. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and Chi square tests and ANOVA with alpha significance level at 0.05. The visits to the ED for mental health were affected by various demographic factors, including age, race, region, and method of payments. The findings of the study have critical policy and public health implications. The results c...
Journal of Medical Research and Surgery, Sep 9, 2020
This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenz... more This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenza and adherence to the guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) by utilizing the National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS) 2016 database. This was based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed officebased physicians who are engaged in direct patient care at community health centers. Patient sex, race, as well as the source of payment, and the provider type were among the demographic variables studied for adherence to the guidelines. The total number of ambulatory care visits were 1,753. Of those, 63.6% of patients were prescribed, inappropriate agents. General and Family Practice physicians were the most frequented providers (32.9%), followed by Nurse Practitioners (21.9%), and Pediatricians (17.1%). Family practice physicians and nurse practitioners appeared to prescribe more inappropriately as compared to the other specialties (X2=0.001). White and black patients were prescribed more inappropriately as compared to other races (X2=0.032). Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem of increasing magnitude, and finding effective solutions to address this problem is critical. Antibiotic resistance is also an economic healthcare burden. Adherence to guidelines minimizes antibiotic resistance and promotes patients and public health.
Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the number of emergency department (ED) ... more Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if the number of emergency department (ED) visits due to gunshot wounds were affected by patient demographics, national holidays, and days of the week. Methods: A total of 2,127 patients presenting with gunshot wounds were extracted from the 2017 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), which is secondary database of the utilization of ambulatory care services in hospital EDs. The incidence of ED visits due to gunshot wounds were assessed as it relates to various patient demographics, which included age, sex, race, in addition to geographic region, national holidays, and days of the week. Results: The study found that the incidence of gunshot wounds varies significantly by the time of the year, the days of the week, patient characteristics, and various holidays. Independence Day (38.5%), Fridays (34%), weekends (50.3%), Northeast region (35.6%), and the Black population (44.5%) had the highest number of gunshot wounds as compared to their respective demographic variables. Males had the highest number of ED visits due to gunshot wounds (86.4%). One third (33.1%) of the studied gunshot wounds were fatal. Conclusions: Additional resources, such as hospital beds, staffing, and funding, should be allocated to ED and trauma centers on Fridays and the weekends. The findings of the study have significant public safety and health implications. The results can aid public safety and law enforcement agencies in identifying patterns of gun violence in order to initiate appropriate steps to address this critical social and healthcare crisis.
World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2022
Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxon... more Introduction: Several states provide pharmacists the authority to dispense and counsel on naloxone, but most pharmacy schools provide little to no training in opioid management for students as a part of their curriculum. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of pharmacy students towards the opioid epidemic and overdose management. Material and Methods: The study was conducted among pharmacy students enrolled at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS). An anonymous Qualtrics® survey accompanied by an informed consent was distributed to students at RFUMS. Results and Discussion: A total of 162 out of 200 students (81%) enrolled in the College of Pharmacy completed the survey. Students’ attitudes varied by demographics. The majority of students were not prepared to manage opioid overdose situations and administer opioid antidotes, such as naloxone. Conclusions: Overall, the findings of the study indicate that pharmacy students are willing to receive add...
Background: The study aimed to investigate whether the implementation of social distancing as a m... more Background: The study aimed to investigate whether the implementation of social distancing as a mitigation strategy earlier as opposed to in late March would have made an impact on the number of COVID-19 cases and related mortality in the United States. Methods: A Decision tree (Markov Modeling) was performed utilizing the Treeage Software®. The data, which was analyzed via Markov Modeling, was collected from Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC) and the CDC from February 1st through March 31st. Results: The results showed that earlier use of social distancing would have saved lives, prevented infections, and restricted the exponential spread of infections later in the pandemic. Had social distancing been instituted on March 1st, 307,237 infections would have been prevented, and 9,130 lives would have been saved by March 31st. This study points to the missed opportunity of earlier initiation of the mitigation strategy of social distancing use, with March 1st being a critic...
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided t... more License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Aim. We aimed to determine if sitagliptin added to standard postoperative standardized sliding-scale insulin regimens improved blood glucose. Methods. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted in diabetic cardiac surgery patients. Patients received sitagliptin or placebo after surgery for 4 days. The primary endpoint was to estimate the effect of adjunctive sitagliptin versus placebo on overall mean blood glucose in the 4-day period after surgery. Results. Sixty-two patients participated. Repeated measures tests indicated no significant difference between the groups in the overall mean blood glucose level with a mean of 147.2 ± 4.8mg/dL and 153.0 ± 4.6mg/dL for the test and the control group, respectively (P = 0.388). Conclusions. Sitagliptin added to normal postoperative glucose management practices did not ...
Exploring the impact of an interprofessional care protocol on the patient experience and outcomes... more Exploring the impact of an interprofessional care protocol on the patient experience and outcomes for seniors with diabetes
IntroductionChallenges exist for public health workforce development in both developing countries... more IntroductionChallenges exist for public health workforce development in both developing countries and wealthier countries alike. Beaglehole and Dal Poz (1) relate this challenge to the traditional emphasis on formal academic and didactic training with very limited attention being paid to training methods that are field-based continuing education where the workforce can participate in work group training that addresses the diversity and complexity of the healthcare team from a wide range of occupational backgrounds (1). Patients today have complex medical issues requiring more than one healthcare professional which calls for interprofessional collaboration (2). In 2001, acknowledging the medically challenging needs of patients, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Quality of Health Care in America recommended that healthcare professionals be able to work in interprofessional (IP) teams (3). The research of Schofield et al. demonstrated that, especially for complex, chronic co...
The aim of this study was to look at the appropriateness of prescribing patterns for acute sinusi... more The aim of this study was to look at the appropriateness of prescribing patterns for acute sinusitis and acute pharyngitis and compare with treatment guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data were used to determine antibiotic prescribing practices of providers treating the two conditions. Inclusion criteria were primary diagnosis of acute sinusitis and acute pharyngitis. Amoxicillin or penicillin, as recommended first-line treatment, were considered appropriate agents for the purposes of this study. Demographic variables, such as gender, age and race were examined along withprescribing variables, including insurance type, geographic area and physician type. In 46 (23.8%) cases,inappropriate agent was chosen. General doctors (14), pediatricians (12) and otolaryngologists (10) were prescribed most of inappropriate prescriptions. Inappropriate antibiotics were often prescribed for patients under 1...
Objective: The aim of this research was to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for adhere... more Objective: The aim of this research was to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for adherence to the guidelines issued by the American Academy of Paediatrics by utilizing the National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS) 2016 database. Methods: This was a retrospective, secondary database analysis research exploring the antibiotic prescribing patterns for Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) in infants and children aged 2 to 24 months for the year of 2016 using National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data. This database was based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed office-based physicians who are engaged in direct patient care and community health centers. Patient sex, race, as well as the source of payment, and the provider type were among the demographic variables studied for adherence to the guidelines. Results: The total number of ambulatory care visits was 316. Of those, 144 (45.6%) patient were prescribed inappropriate antibiotics. Nurse practitioners and physician a...
Advanced directives, such as Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, provide the abilit... more Advanced directives, such as Living Wills and Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, provide the ability to identify, respect, and implement an individual's wishes for medical care during serious illness or end-of-life care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of advanced directives amongst the residents of long-term care facilities in the United States. A total of 527 cases were extracted from 2018 National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, which was collected by the National Center for Health Statistics through the surveys of residential care communities and adult day services centers. Advanced directive rates were higher in patients 90 years of age and above as compared to other age groups. Nursing home residents were more likely to have advanced directives than other long term care facilities. There was no significant difference among males and females in the rate of advanced directives. Nursing home and Hospice residents had more advanced directives compared to ...
The elderly, whom are vulnerable to the physical, mental and chronic diseases of aging, are the f... more The elderly, whom are vulnerable to the physical, mental and chronic diseases of aging, are the fastest growing segment of the US population. Dementia is of particular concern in this population, and caregivers of people with dementia are subjected to psychological, physical, emotional and functional stress. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of caregiving for dementia patients on health care services utilization of caregivers and to examine if caregivers utilize more healthcare services than the control group. The study recruited a total of 143 people in control and non-control groups through non-probability convenience sampling. The control group (non-caregivers) comprised of 71 people, whereas the experimental group (caregivers) consisted of 72 participants. The focus of the study was the health care utilization questionnaire, asking the caregiver about the frequency of specific health care services utilization—including medication use in the last six months,...
Over 70 million Americans are diagnosed with hypertension. Adherence to current AHA/ACC 2017 hype... more Over 70 million Americans are diagnosed with hypertension. Adherence to current AHA/ACC 2017 hypertension guidelines and appropriate antihypertensive therapy is important for optimal treatment outcomes. This study investigates prescribing patterns for ambulatory care patients with hypertension and adherence to these guidelines. Data from the 2015 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) were used in the study. Patients with primary diagnoses of essential hypertension were extracted from the data using ICD-9 code “401”. A total of 595 patients were identified. Correlation among demographic variables, source of payment and prescriber specialty were examined. Chi-square and descriptive analysis were performed. 51.4% of the prescriptions were non-first-line medications. Primary care physicians and cardiologists adhered to the guidelines more, when compared to the other specialties. There was a significant difference between various geographic regions, as it relates to guidelines ...
This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenz... more This retrospective research was aimed to study the prescribing trends of antibiotics for influenza and adherence to the guidelines issued by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) by utilizing the National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS) 2016 database. This was based on a sample of visits to non-federally employed officebased physicians who are engaged in direct patient care at community health centers. Patient sex, race, as well as the source of payment, and the provider type were among the demographic variables studied for adherence to the guidelines. The total number of ambulatory care visits were 1,753. Of those, 63.6% of patients were prescribed, inappropriate agents. General and Family Practice physicians were the most frequented providers (32.9%), followed by Nurse Practitioners (21.9%), and Pediatricians (17.1%). Family practice physicians and nurse practitioners appeared to prescribe more inappropriately as compared to the other specialties (X2=0.001). White and black patients were prescribed more inappropriately as compared to other races (X2=0.032). Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem of increasing magnitude, and finding effective solutions to address this problem is critical. Antibiotic resistance is also an economic healthcare burden. Adherence to guidelines minimizes antibiotic resistance and promotes patients and public health.
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Papers by Ateequr Rahman