Objectives To determine a pooled, quantitative estimate of the length of time needed after breast or colorectal cancer screening before a survival benefit is observed.

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Objective Increased out-of-pocket health care expenditures may exert budget pressure on low-income households that leads to food insecurity. The objective of this study was to examine whether older adults with higher chronic disease burden are at increased risk of food insecurity. Design Secondary analysis of the 2013 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Health Care and Nutrition Survey (HCNS) linked to the 2012 nationally representative HRS. Setting United States. Subjects Respondents of the 2013 HRS HCNS with household incomes <300% of the federal poverty line (n=3552). Chronic disease burden was categorized by number of concurrent chronic conditions (0–1; 2–4; 5+ conditions), with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) defined as ≥ 2 conditions. Results The prevalence of food insecurity was 27.8%. Compared to those with 0–1 conditions, respondents with MCC were significantly more likely to report food insecurity, with the adjusted odds ratio for those with 2 to 4 conditions being 2.12 (95%CI 1.45, 3.09) and for those with 5 or more conditions being 3.64 (95%CI 2.47, 5.37). Conclusions A heavy chronic disease burden likely exerts substantial pressure on the household budgets of older adults, creating an increased risk for food insecurity. Given the high prevalence of food insecurity among older adults, screening those with MCC for food insecurity in the clinical setting may be warranted in order to refer to community food resources.

BackgroundThe number of older adults in the criminal justice system is rapidly increasing. While this population is thought to experience an early onset of aging-related health conditions (“accelerated aging”), studies have not directly compared rates of geriatric conditions in this population to those found in the general population. The aims of this study were to compare the burden of geriatric conditions among older adults in jail to rates found in an age-matched nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults.MethodsThis cross sectional study compared 238 older jail inmates age 55 or older to 6871 older adults in the national Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We used an age-adjusted analysis, accounting for the difference in age distributions between the two groups, to compare sociodemographics, chronic conditions, and geriatric conditions (functional, sensory, and mobility impairment). A second age-adjusted analysis compared those in jail to HRS participants in the lowest quintile of wealth.ResultsAll geriatric conditions were significantly more common in jail-based participants than in HRS participants overall and HRS participants in the lowest quintile of net worth. Jail-based participants (average age of 59) experienced four out of six geriatric conditions at rates similar to those found in HRS participants age 75 or older.ConclusionsGeriatric conditions are prevalent in older adults in jail at significantly younger ages than non-incarcerated older adults suggesting that geriatric assessment and geriatric-focused care are needed for older adults cycling through jail in their 50s and that correctional clinicians require knowledge about geriatric assessment and care.