In response to the aggressive global spread of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an accurate and accessible diagnostic tool is of high importance. CHIKV, an arthritogenic alphavirus, comprises three genotypes: East/Central/South African (ECSA), West African (WA), and Asian. A previous rapid immunochromatographic (IC) test detecting CHIKV E1 protein showed promising performance for detection of the ECSA genotype. Unfortunately, this kit exhibited lower capacity for detection of the Asian genotype, currently in circulation in the Americas, reflecting the low avidity of one of the monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in this IC kit for the E1 protein of the Asian-genotype because of a variant amino acid sequence. To address this shortcoming, we set out to generate a new panel of broad-spectrum mouse anti-CHIKV mAbs using hybridoma technology. We report here the successful generation of mouse anti-CHIKV mAbs targeting CHIKV E1 and capsid proteins. These mAbs possessed broad reactivity to all three CHIKV genotypes, while most of the mAbs lacked cross-reactivity towards Sindbis, dengue, and Zika viruses. Two of the mAbs also lacked cross-reactivity towards other alphaviruses, including O'nyong-nyong, Ross River, Mayaro, Western Equine Encephalitis, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis viruses. In addition, another two mAbs cross-reacted weakly only with most closely related O'nyong-nyong virus. Effective diagnosis is one of the keys to disease control but to date, no antibody-based rapid IC platform for CHIKV is commercially available. Thus, the application of the mAbs characterized here in the rapid diagnostic IC kit for CHIKV detection is expected to be of great value for clinical diagnosis and surveillance purposes.
Aim: To assess the perception of telehealth visits among a multiracial cancer population during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatient cancer clinics in Hawaii between March and August 2020. Patients were invited to participate in the survey either by phone or email. Results: Of the 212 survey respondents, 61.3% were Asian, 23.6% were White and 15.1% were Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders. Asians, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders were less likely to desire future telehealth visits compared with Whites. Predictors with regard to preferring future telehealth visits included lower income and hematopoietic cancers. Conclusion: The authors found racial differences in preference for telehealth. Future studies aimed at overcoming these racial disparities are needed to provide equitable oncology care.
Background Telehealth visits increase patients’ access to care and are often rated as “just as good” as face-to-face visits by oncology patients. Telehealth visits have become increasingly more common in the care of patients with cancer since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Asians and Pacific Islanders are two of the fastest growing racial groups in the United States, but there are few studies assessing patient satisfaction with telemedicine among these two racial groups. Objective Our objective was to compare satisfaction with communication during telehealth visits versus face-to-face visits among oncology patients, with a specific focus on Asian patients and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) patients. Methods We surveyed a racially diverse group of patients who were treated at community cancer centers in Hawaii and had recently experienced a face-to-face visit or telehealth visit. Questions for assessing satisfaction with patient-physician communication were adapted from a previously published study of cancer survivors. Variables that impact communication, including age, sex, household income, education level, and cancer type and stage, were captured. Multivariable logistic models for patient satisfaction were created, with adjustments for sociodemographic factors. Results Participants who attended a face-to-face visit reported higher levels of satisfaction in all communication measures than those reported by participants who underwent a telehealth encounter. The univariate analysis revealed lower levels of satisfaction during telehealth visits among Asian participants and NHOPI participants compared to those among White participants for all measures of communication (eg, when asked to what degree “[y]our physician listened carefully to you”). Asian patients and NHOPI patients were significantly less likely than White patients to strongly agree with the statement (P<.004 and P<.007, respectively). Racial differences in satisfaction with communication persisted in the multivariate analysis even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. There were no significant racial differences in communication during face-to-face visits. Conclusions Asian patients and NHOPI patients were significantly less content with patient-physician communication during telehealth visits when compared to White patients. This difference among racial groups was not seen in face-to-face visits. The observation that telehealth increases racial disparities in health care satisfaction should prompt further exploration.
BACKGROUND Telehealth services are becoming increasingly more common in the care of oncology patients since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it is not known if patient-physician communication via telehealth is equally effective among all racial groups. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare patient satisfaction with communication during telehealth versus face-to-face visits among oncology patients with a specific focus on Asian and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) patients. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of a racially diverse group of cancer patients who had experienced a face-to-face or telehealth visit. Questions assessing satisfaction with patient-physician communication were adapted from a previously published study of a racially diverse population of cancer patients. Variables impacting communication included age, sex, household income, education level, and cancer type and stage were captured. Multivariable logistic models for patient satisfaction were created with adjustments for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS There were a total of 593 participants, 362 in the face-to-face group and 231 in the telehealth group. Racial distribution of the population was 24% White, 58% Asian, 13% NHOPI, and 5% other. Participants who attended a face-to-face visit reported higher levels of satisfaction in all communication measures than those who underwent a telehealth encounter. Lower levels of satisfaction during telehealth visits were demonstrated among Asian and NHOPI participants compared to Whites even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. For example, degree of agreement with the statement, “Your physician listened carefully to you” was significantly lower among both Asians (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.62) and NHOPI (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.57) patients. Importantly, there were no significant racial differences in communication during face-to-face visits. CONCLUSIONS Asian and NHOPI patients were significantly less content with patient-physician communication during telehealth visits than White patients. This difference between racial groups was not seen in face-to-face visits. The observation that telehealth increases racial disparity in healthcare satisfaction should prompt further exploration.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.