mother and sad child

Transmission of SARS in Households

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 occurs within households; however, transmission estimates vary widely and the data on transmission from children are limited. Findings from a prospective household study with intensive daily observation for ≥ 7 consecutive days indicate that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among household members was frequent from either children or adults. Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is common and occurs early after …

Close up of clear water and bubbles

Preventive Medicine – Colonoscopy?

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Okay, not the topic any of us likes to discuss right? But face it, we are all in this together, and if you haven’t had the pleasure of preparing for a colonoscopy you are in for a treat! Well, maybe not a treat but a study comparing a low-residual diet (LRD) with a clear-liquid diet (CLD) for bowel preparation before …

Nursing Home Exterior

Comparative Performance – Private Equity Owned Nursing Homes

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Nursing homes have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. These facilities provide care to some of the nation’s most at-risk patients, including individuals receiving post-acute care and long-stay residents requiring 24-hour custodial care, most of whom are older adults. Although there are only 1.3 million patients in U.S. nursing homes representing less than 0.4% of the …

Wearable Sensor Data – COVID-19 Detection

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured, Studies

Traditional screening for COVID-19 typically includes survey questions about symptoms and travel history as well as temperature measurements. In a recent article in Nature Medicine, researchers discussed the smartphone app they developed that collects smart watch activity tracker data, as well as self-reported symptoms and diagnostic testing results, from individuals in the United States. The researchers have assessed whether symptom …

What Price?

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

The cost of a fall among older adults requiring emergency services is unclear, especially beyond the acute care period. In a recent study, medical expenditures (costs) to 1 year among community-dwelling older adults who fell and required ambulance transport, including acute versus post-acute periods, the primary drivers of cost and comparison to baseline expenditures were evaluated. Results showed that the …

Nurse walking with resident

Three-Tiered Approach – Cohorting

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Post-acute and long-term care skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are known to be high-risk environments for outbreaks including multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) and respiratory viruses. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has led to multiple outbreaks in SNFs. In the absence of a vaccine or treatment, the primary resources available to SNFs to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2, have …

Underlying Medical Conditions Increase Risk for Severe Illness

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured, Health, Studies

Updates to the list of underlying medical conditions that put adults of any age at increased risk for severe illness from the virus that causes COVID-19 were based on published reports, articles in the press, unreviewed preprints, and internal data available between December 1, 2019, and October 16, 2020*. The list of evidence for each condition was determined by CDC …

They Are All Heroes

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

Vitas Healthcare, a hospice provider in 14 states and the District of Columbia, has created occasional “virtual blessing services” on Zoom for staff at nursing homes and assisted living centers. “We thank them for their service and a chaplain gives words of encouragement” said Robin Fiorelli, Vitas’ senior director of bereavement and volunteers. They have also been holding virtual memorials …

Predicting Future Alzheimer’s Diagnoses – New Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research

Angie SzumlinskiHealth, Studies

New research is showing 70% accuracy in predicting Alzheimer’s Disease in cognitively “normal” individuals’ years before cognitive decline begins. This was tested using a simple language test with the hope that eventually these results will be utilized to develop and implement diagnostic tests using a simple, inexpensive speech probe. The technology will assist in identifying those at a higher risk …

More Evidence For Masks

Angie SzumlinskiFeatured, Health, Studies

Randomized clinical trials of community mask use are challenging to conduct because of ethical and practical considerations. Observational studies have substantial limitations but can be instructive per an article published in the American Medical Association’s journal (JAMA) on October 26, 2020. To understand the rationale for mask-wearing to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission, it is helpful to understand how the virus spreads …