clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01141114.

Background: Colorectal cancer screening rates are low among poor and disadvantaged patients. Patient navigation has been shown to increase breast and cervical cancer screening rates, but few studies have looked at the potential of patient navigation to increase colorectal cancer screening rates.

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IMPORTANCE While the proportion of adults who smoke cigarettes has declined substantially in the past decade, socioeconomic disparities in cigarette smoking remain. Few interventions have targeted low socioeconomic status (SES) and minority smokers in primary care settings.OBJECTIVE To evaluate a multicomponent intervention to promote smoking cessation among low-SES and minority smokers. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS For this prospective, unblinded, randomized clinical trial conducted between May 1, 2015, and September 4, 2017, adults 18 years and older who spoke English, smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day in the past week, were contemplating or preparing to quit smoking, and had a primary care clinician were recruited from general internal medicine and family medicine practices at 1 large safety-net hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to a control group that received an enhancement of usual care (n = 175 participants) or to an intervention group that received up to 4 hours of patient navigation delivered over 6 months in addition to usual care, as well as financial incentives for biochemically confirmed smoking cessation at 6 and 12 months following enrollment (n = 177 participants). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe primary outcome determined a priori was biochemically confirmed smoking cessation at 12 months. RESULTS Among 352 patients who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 50.0 [11.0] years; 191 women [54.3%]; 197 participants who identified as non-Hispanic black [56.0%]; 40 participants who identified as Hispanic of any race [11.4%]), all were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 12 months following enrollment, 21 participants [11.9%] in the navigation and incentives group, compared with 4 participants [2.3%] in the control group, had quit smoking (odds ratio, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.9-17.1; number needed to treat, 10.4; P < .001). In prespecified subgroup analyses, the intervention was particularly beneficial for older participants (19 [19.8%] vs 1 [1.0%]; P < .001), women (17 [16.8%] vs 2 [2.2%]; P < .001), participants with household yearly income of $20 000 or less (15 [15.5%] vs 3 [3.1%]; P = .003), and nonwhite participants (21 [15.2%] vs 4 [3.0%]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEIn this study of adult daily smokers at 1 large urban safety-net hospital, patient navigation and financial incentives for smoking cessation significantly increased the rates of smoking cessation. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02351609

Background Oncology patient navigators help individuals overcome barriers to increase access to cancer screening, diagnosis, and timely treatment. This study, part of a randomized intervention trial investigating the efficacy of patient navigation in increasing colonoscopy completion, examined navigators' activities to ameliorate barriers to colonoscopy screening in a medically disadvantaged population. Methods This study was conducted from 2012 through 2014 at Boston Medical Center. We analyzed navigator service delivery and survey data collected on 420 participants who were navigated for colonoscopy screening after randomization to this intervention. Key variables under investigation included barriers to colonoscopy, activities navigators undertook to reduce barriers, time navigators spent on each activity and per contact, and patient satisfaction with navigation services. Descriptive analysis assessed how navigators spent their time and examined what aspects of patient navigation were most valued by patients. Results Navigators spent the most time assessing patient barriers/needs; facilitating appointment scheduling; reminding patients of appointments; educating patients about colorectal cancer, the importance of screening, and the colonoscopy preparation and procedures; and arranging transportation. Navigators spent an average of 44 minutes per patient. Patients valued the navigators, especially for providing emotional/peer support and explaining screening procedures and bowel preparation clearly. Conclusions Our findings help clarify the role of the navigator in colonoscopy screening within a medically disadvantaged community. These findings may help further refine the navigator role in cancer screening and treatment programs as facilities strive to effectively and efficiently integrate navigation into their services.

A B S T R A C TAims: To determine the pooled effectiveness of multidiscipinary care teams (MCTs) in reducing major amputation rates in adults with diabetes.Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed, searching databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov thru October 2018. We included only before-after studies comparing amputation rates before and after the implementation of a MCT for the prevention of major amputation in adults with diabetes. Our primary outcome was relative risk of major amputation. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a fixed effects model. Results: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine studies were included in the metaanalysis, and eleven were included in a qualitative analysis. Exposure to a MCT resulted in a protective effect ranging from a RR of 0.44 [p-value < 0.00001 (95% CI 0.38, 0.51) I 2 = 67%] to a RR of 0.61 [p-value < 0.0001, (95% CI 0.50, 0.75) I 2 = 0%] after sensitivity analysis, and remained robust in qualitative analysis. Conclusions:Healthcare systems can expect a 39-56% amputation rate reduction after implementing an MCT amputation prevention program. These findings may justify the use of additional resources needed for program implementation by helping healthcare systems predict the anticipated benefit these teams have on ''possible limbs saved".Funding: None.

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine feasibility and acceptability of a patient navigation intervention. 47 smokers from one safety-net hospital were randomized to either a control condition, receiving a smoking cessation brochure and a list of smoking cessation resources; or to navigation condition, receiving the brochure/list of resources, as well as patient navigation. Follow-up data were obtained on 33 participants. 9/19 (47.4%) of navigation participants had engaged in smoking cessation treatment by three months versus 6/14 (42.9%) of control participants (chi-square p=NS). Patient navigation to promote engagement in smoking cessation treatment was feasible and acceptable to participants.

Background: Elderly minority patients are less likely to receive influenza vaccination and colorectal cancer screening than are other patients. Communication between primary care providers (PCPs) and patients may affect service receipt.