An ABMS program in a community pharmacy setting was associated with higher rates of adherence and persistence for patients who had been taking chronic medications for at least 6 months. Approximately 18 to 35 additional ABMS participants were adherent for every 100 patients enrolled when compared with usual care. For every 100 patients receiving usual care, 17 to 40 additional patients in the ABMS group were persistent. This study shows that ABMS programs can improve medication adherence and persistence for patients who are newly prescribed or currently taking chronic medications.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significantly affected utilization of preventative health care, including vaccines. We aimed to assess HPV vaccination rates during the pandemic, and conduct a simulation model-based analysis to estimate the impact of current coverage and future pandemic recovery scenarios on disease outcomes. The model population included females and males of all ages in the US. The model compares pre-COVID vaccine uptake to 3 reduced coverage scenarios with varying recovery speed. Vaccine coverage was obtained from Truven Marketscan™. Substantially reduced coverage between March-August 2020 was observed compared to 2018–2019. The model predicted that 130,853 to 213,926 additional cases of genital warts; 22,503 to 48,157 cases of CIN1; 48,682 to 110,192 cases of CIN2/3; and 2,882 to 6,487 cases of cervical cancer will occur over the next 100 years, compared to status quo. Providers should plan efforts to recover HPV vaccination and minimize potential long-term consequences.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant reductions in the administration of routinely recommended vaccines among adolescents in the US including tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap); meningococcal (ACWY); and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. The extent to which these deficits could persist in 2021 and beyond is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, this study estimated the cumulative deficits of routine vaccine doses among US adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and estimated the time and effort needed to recover from those deficits. Methods: Monthly reductions in Tdap, meningococcal, and HPV doses administered to US adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic were quantified using MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters data. The time and effort required to reverse the vaccination deficit under various catch-up scenarios were estimated.Results: Annual doses administered of Tdap, meningococcus, and HPV vaccines decreased by 21.2%, 20.8%, and 24.0%, respectively, in 2020 compared to 2019. For 2021, the reduction in doses administered is projected to be 6%-21% compared to 2019 under different scenarios. The deficit of missed doses is expected to be cleared between winter 2023 and fall 2031. Conclusions: Administration rates of routine vaccines decreased significantly among US adolescents during COVID-19. Reversing these deficits to mitigate long-term health and economic consequences will require a sustained increase in vaccination rates over multiple years.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were (1) to determine the change in patients' knowledge about their disease and treatment; (2) to assess the percent change in values of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and change in blood pressure in mmHg; and (3) to evaluate adherence status, measured through pill counts. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted using patients with a diagnosis of both T2DM and hypertension at Arauco hospital in Arauco, Chile. Each patient participated in three interviews over a period of six months. The study incorporated a tailored pharmacotherapeutic intervention plan that included written and oral information regarding pathologies and pharmacological treatment. To determine treatment adherence, a pill count method was performed during each interview. Change in patient adherence and knowledge of the diseases and treatments was assessed using the Fisher exact test. The difference in HbA1c and blood pressure between the initial and final sessions was evaluated using Student's t-test. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 17. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients were selected, of whom 33 (66%) were female. At the beginning of the program, 30% of patients were found to be adherent. At the end of the study, this number had increased to 46% (p-value: 0.099). 10% of patients had full knowledge of their disease at baseline. At the end of the study, this number had increased to 66% (p-value < 0.001). After the completion of the interviews, significant decreases were observed for HbA1c (p-value < 0.001), and systolic blood pressure (p-value < 0.001). Stratified by sex, stronger and more significant decreases were observed for females in terms of both HbA1c (0.63%, p-value= 0.003) and systolic blood pressure (17 mmHg, p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A pharmacotherapeutic optimization plan based on improved patient adherence and knowledge and implemented for patients with chronic conditions, such as T2DM and hypertension, has had a positive impact on therapeutic outcomes.

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Potential long-term health effects from tobacco products can be estimated by measuring changes in biochemical indicators of disease mechanisms like inflammation. This study assesses the potential relationships between biomarkers of potential harm (BOPH) and biomarkers of cigarette smoke exposure (BOE) based on data from the NHANES (2007-2012, n = 17,293 respondents). Statistically significant relationships were observed between white blood cells (WBC) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and BOE; between WBC and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and smoking status; and between WBC and HDL and smoking intensity. This analysis suggests that WBC and HDL are useful BOPH in studies assessing the health risks of cigarette smoking.

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