Faculty Bibliography

Importance/UNASSIGNED:Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common chronic blood-borne pathogen in the US and a leading cause of complications from chronic liver disease. HCV is associated with more deaths than the top 60 other reportable infectious diseases combined, including HIV. Cases of acute HCV infection have increased approximately 3.8-fold over the last decade because of increasing injection drug use and improved surveillance. Objective/UNASSIGNED:To update its 2013 recommendation, the USPSTF commissioned a review of the evidence on screening for HCV infection in adolescents and adults. Population/UNASSIGNED:This recommendation applies to all asymptomatic adults aged 18 to 79 years without known liver disease. Evidence Assessment/UNASSIGNED:The USPSTF concludes with moderate certainty that screening for HCV infection in adults aged 18 to 79 years has substantial net benefit. Recommendation/UNASSIGNED:The USPSTF recommends screening for HCV infection in adults aged 18 to 79 years. (B recommendation).

BACKGROUND:The burden of hypertension in many low-and middle-income countries is alarming and requires effective evidence-based preventative strategies that is carefully appraised and accepted by key stakeholders to ensure successful implementation and sustainability. We assessed nurses' perceptions of a recently completed Task Shifting Strategy for Hypertension control (TASSH) trial in Ghana, and facilitators and challenges to TASSH implementation. METHODS:Focus group sessions and in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 community health nurses from participating health centers and district hospitals involved in the TASSH trial implemented in the Ashanti Region, Ghana, West Africa from 2012 to 2017. TASSH evaluated the comparative effectiveness of the WHO-PEN program versus provision of health insurance for blood pressure reduction in hypertensive adults. Qualitative data were analyzed using open and axial coding techniques with emerging themes mapped onto the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). RESULTS:Three themes emerged following deductive analysis using CFIR, including: (1) Patient health goal setting- relative priority and positive feedback from nurses, which motivated patients to make healthy behavior changes as a result of their health being a priority; (2) Leadership engagement (i.e., medical directors) which influenced the extent to which nurses were able to successfully implement TASSH in their various facilities, with most directors being very supportive; and (3) Availability of resources making it possible to implement the TASSH protocol, with limited space and personnel time to carry out TASSH duties, limited blood pressure (BP) monitoring equipment, and transportation, listed as barriers to effective implementation. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Assessing stakeholders' perception of the TASSH implementation process guided by CFIR is crucial as it provides a platform for the nurses to thoroughly evaluate the task shifting program, while considering the local context in which the program is implemented. The feedback from the nurses informed barriers and facilitators to implementation of TASSH within the current healthcare system, and suggested system level changes needed prior to scale-up of TASSH to other regions in Ghana with potential for long-term sustainment of the task shifting intervention. TRIAL REGISTRATION/BACKGROUND:Trial registration for parent TASSH study: NCT01802372. Registered February 27, 2013.

Background/UNASSIGNED:People living with HIV (PWH) in Africa have higher burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) compared to the general population, probably due to increased burden of hypertension (HTN). In this study, we explored nurses' perceptions of factors that may influence the integration of an evidence-based task-shifting/sharing strategy for hypertension control (TASSH) into routine HIV care in Lagos, Nigeria. Methods/UNASSIGNED:Using group concept mapping, we examined the perceptions of 22 nurses from HIV clinics in Lagos. Participants responded to a focused prompt on the barriers and facilitators of integrating TASSH into HIV care; next, separate focus groups generated relevant statements on these factors; and statements were then sorted and rated on their importance and feasibility of adoption to create cluster maps of related themes. The statements and cluster maps were categorized according to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains. Results/UNASSIGNED:All study participants were women and with 2 to 16 years' experience in the provision of HIV care. From the GCM activities, 81 statements were generated and grouped into 12 themes. The most salient statements reflected the need for ongoing training of HIV nurses in HTN management and challenges in adapting TASSH in HIV clinics. A synthesis of the cluster themes using CFIR showed that most clusters reflected intervention characteristics and inner setting domains. The potential challenges to implementing TASSH included limited hypertension knowledge among HIV nurses and the need for on-going supervision on implementing task-shifting/sharing. Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:Findings from this study illustrate a variety of opinions regarding the integration of HTN management into HIV care in Nigeria. More importantly, it provides critical, evidence-based support in response to the call to action raised by the 2018 International AIDS Society Conference regarding the need to implement more NCD-HIV integration interventions in low-and middle-income countries through strategies, which enhance human resources. This study provides insight into factors that can facilitate stakeholder engagement in utilizing study results and prioritizing next steps for TASSH integration within HIV care in Nigeria.

Non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention efforts have traditionally targeted high-risk and high-burden populations. We propose an alteration in prevention efforts to also include emphasis and focus on low-risk populations, predominantly younger individuals and low-prevalence populations. We refer to this approach as "proactive prevention." This emphasis is based on the priority to put in place policies, programs, and infrastructure that can disrupt the epidemiological transition to develop NCDs among these groups, thereby averting future NCD crises. Proactive prevention strategies can be classified, and their implementation prioritized, based on a 2-dimensional assessment: impact and feasibility. Thus, potential interventions can be categorized into a 2-by-2 matrix: high impact/high feasibility, high impact/low feasibility, low impact/high feasibility, and low impact/low feasibility. We propose that high impact/high feasibility interventions are ready to be implemented (act), while high impact/low feasibility interventions require efforts to foster buy-in first. Low impact/high feasibility interventions need to be changed to improve their impact while low impact/low feasibility might be best re-designed in the context of limited resources. Using this framework, policy makers, public health experts, and other stakeholders can more effectively prioritize and leverage limited resources in an effort to slow or prevent the evolving global NCD crisis.

Increasing evidence links cognitive-decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) to various sleep disorders, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With increasing age, there are substantial differences in OSA's prevalence, associated comorbidities and phenotypic presentation. An important question for sleep and AD researchers is whether OSA's heterogeneity results in varying cognitive-outcomes in older-adults compared to middle-aged adults. In this review, we systematically integrated research examining OSA and cognition, mild cognitive-impairment (MCI) and AD/AD biomarkers; including the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment, particularly focusing on characterizing the heterogeneity of OSA and its cognitive-outcomes. Broadly, in middle-aged adults, OSA is often associated with mild impairment in attention, memory and executive function. In older-adults, OSA is not associated with any particular pattern of cognitive-impairment at cross-section; however, OSA is associated with the development of MCI or AD with symptomatic patients who have a higher likelihood of associated disturbed sleep/cognitive-impairment driving these findings. CPAP treatment may be effective in improving cognition in OSA patients with AD. Recent trends demonstrate links between OSA and AD-biomarkers of neurodegeneration across all age-groups. These distinct patterns provide the foundation for envisioning better characterization of OSA and the need for more sensitive/novel sleep-dependent cognitive assessments to assess OSA-related cognitive-impairment.

Background Chronic psychological stress has been associated with hypertension, but few studies have examined this relationship in blacks. We examined the association between perceived stress levels assessed annually for up to 13 years and incident hypertension in the Jackson Heart Study, a community-based cohort of blacks. Methods and Results Analyses included 1829 participants without hypertension at baseline (Exam 1, 2000-2004). Incident hypertension was defined as blood pressure≥140/90 mm Hg or antihypertensive medication use at Exam 2 (2005-2008) or Exam 3 (2009-2012). Each follow-up interval at risk of hypertension was categorized as low, moderate, or high perceived stress based on the number of annual assessments between exams in which participants reported "a lot" or "extreme" stress over the previous year (low, 0 high stress ratings; moderate, 1 high stress rating; high, ≥2 high stress ratings). During follow-up (median, 7.0 years), hypertension incidence was 48.5%. Hypertension developed in 30.6% of intervals with low perceived stress, 34.6% of intervals with moderate perceived stress, and 38.2% of intervals with high perceived stress. Age-, sex-, and time-adjusted risk ratios (95% CI) associated with moderate and high perceived stress versus low perceived stress were 1.19 (1.04-1.37) and 1.37 (1.20-1.57), respectively (P trend<0.001). The association was present after adjustment for demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors and baseline stress (P trend=0.001). Conclusions In a community-based cohort of blacks, higher perceived stress over time was associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension. Evaluating stress levels over time and intervening when high perceived stress is persistent may reduce hypertension risk.

Importance/UNASSIGNED:The prevalence of hypertension and the risk for hypertension-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) are high among black adults. The population-attributable risk (PAR) accounts for both prevalence and excess risk of disease associated with a risk factor. Objective/UNASSIGNED:To examine the PAR for CVD associated with hypertension among black adults. Design, Setting, and Participants/UNASSIGNED:This prospective cohort study used data on 12 497 black participants older than 21 years without CVD at baseline who were enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) from September 26, 2000, through March 31, 2004, and cardiovascular events were adjudicated through December 31, 2015. The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study participants were enrolled from July 1, 2003, through September 12, 2007, and cardiovascular events were adjudicated through March 31, 2016. Data analysis was performed from March 26, 2018, through July 10, 2019. Exposures/UNASSIGNED:Normal blood pressure and hypertension were defined using the 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association blood pressure guideline thresholds. Main Outcomes and Measures/UNASSIGNED:The PAR for CVD associated with hypertension, calculated using multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for CVD, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke associated with hypertension vs normal blood pressure. Prevalence of hypertension among non-Hispanic black US adults 21 years and older without CVD was calculated using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2014. Results/UNASSIGNED:Of 12 497 participants, 1935 had normal blood pressure (638 [33.0%] male; mean [SD] age, 53.5 [12.4] years), 929 had elevated blood pressure (382 [41.1%] male; mean [SD] age, 58.6 [11.8] years), and 9633 had hypertension (3492 [36.3%] male; mean [SD] age, 62.0 [10.3] years). For a maximum 14.3 years of follow-up, 1235 JHS and REGARDS study participants (9.9%) experienced a CVD event. The multivariable-adjusted HR associated with hypertension was 1.91 (95% CI, 1.48-2.46) for CVD, 2.41 (95% CI,1.59-3.66) for coronary heart disease, 1.52 (95% CI, 1.01-2.30) for heart failure, and 2.20 (95% CI, 1.44-3.36) for stroke. The prevalence of hypertension was 53.2% among non-Hispanic black individuals. The PAR associated with hypertension was 32.5% (95% CI, 20.5%-43.6%) for CVD, 42.7% (95% CI, 24.0%-58.4%) for coronary heart disease, 21.6% (95% CI, 0.6%-40.8%) for heart failure, and 38.9% (95% CI, 19.4%-55.6%) for stroke. The PAR was higher among those younger than 60 years (54.6% [95% CI, 37.2%-68.7%]) compared with those 60 years or older (32.0% [95% CI, 11.9%-48.1%]). No differences were present in subgroup analyses. Conclusions and Relevance/UNASSIGNED:These findings suggest that a substantial proportion of CVD cases among black individuals are associated with hypertension. Interventions to maintain normal blood pressure throughout the life course may reduce the incidence of CVD in this population.

Importance/UNASSIGNED:Black individuals and Hispanic individuals are less likely to recognize stroke and call 911 (stroke preparedness), contributing to racial/ethnic disparities in intravenous tissue plasminogen activator use. Objective/UNASSIGNED:To evaluate the effect of culturally tailored 12-minute stroke films on stroke preparedness vs the usual care practice of distributing stroke education pamphlets. Design, Setting, and Participants/UNASSIGNED:Cluster randomized clinical trial between July 26, 2013, and August 16, 2018, with randomization of 13 black and Hispanic churches located in urban neighborhoods to intervention or usual care. In total, 883 congregants were approached, 503 expressed interest, 375 completed eligibility screening, and 312 were randomized. Sixty-three individuals were ineligible (younger than 34 years and/or did not have at least 1 traditional stroke risk factor). Interventions/UNASSIGNED:Two 12-minute stroke films on stroke preparedness for black and Hispanic audiences. Main Outcomes and Measures/UNASSIGNED:The primary outcome was the Stroke Action Test (STAT), assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results/UNASSIGNED:In total, 261 of 312 individuals completed the study (83.7% retention rate). Most participants were female (79.1%). The mean (SD) age of participants was 58.57 (11.66) years; 51.1% (n = 159) were non-Hispanic black, 48.9% (n = 152) were Hispanic, and 31.7% (n = 99) had low levels of education. There were no significant end-point differences for the STAT at follow-up periods. The mean (SD) baseline STAT scores were 59.05% (29.12%) correct for intervention and 58.35% (28.83%) correct for usual care. At 12 months, the mean (SD) STAT scores were 64.38% (26.39%) correct for intervention and 61.58% (28.01%) correct for usual care. Adjusted by education, a post hoc subgroup analysis revealed a mean (SE) intervention effect of 1.03% (0.44%) (P = .02) increase per month in the low-education subgroup (about a 10% increase in 12 months). In the high-education subgroup, the mean (SE) intervention effect was -0.05% (0.30%) (P = .86). Regarding percentage correct, the low-education intervention subgroup improved from 52.4% (7 of 21) to 66.7% (14 of 21) compared with the other subgroups. Conclusions and Relevance/UNASSIGNED:No difference was observed in stroke preparedness at 12 months in response to culturally tailored 12-minute stroke films or conventional stroke education pamphlets. Additional studies are required to confirm findings from a post hoc subgroup analysis that suggested a significant education effect. Trial Registration/UNASSIGNED:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01909271.