Research receives media attention

Medical Service Use and Charges for Cancer Care in 2018 for Privately Insured Patients Younger Than 65 Years in the US” by Zaorsky et. al received media attention in the following news outlets:

Cancer costs U.S. more than $156 billion, with drugs a leading expense” – Penn State News
Cancer costs US more than $156 billion annually, with drugs a leading expense” – ScienceDaily
Cancer costs insurers $156.2 billion annually” – NewsBreak
Annual Cost of Cancer Care Reached $156 Billion” – Medscape
Radiology services account for $2B of overall spending on cancer care” – Health Imaging


Association of Restless Legs Syndrome With Risk of Suicide and Self-harm” by Zhuang et al. received media attention in the following news outlets:

Suicide and self-harm risk is nearly triple in people with restless leg syndrome” – Penn State News
Suicide risk nearly three times as high for those with restless legs syndrome” – UPI
Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Suicide, Self-Harm” – Physician’s Weekly
Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Suicide, Self-Harm” – Physcian’s Weekly
Restless Legs Syndrome Might Raise Risk of Suicide, Self-Harm” -MedicineNet
Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Suicide, Self-Harm” – Doctor’s Lounge
Restless Legs Syndrome Linked to Suicide, Self-Harm” – Drugs.com
Neuro Data Breach; Flashbacks in Alzheimer’s; Restless Legs and Suicide” – MedPage Today
Study: Restless Legs Syndrome Increases Odds of Suicide” – Newsmax


CASHE researchers collaborated with other Penn State researchers to estimate the societal costs of the opioid epidemic in the United States. The reports published in the AJMC supplement, “Deaths, Dollars, and Diverted Resources: Examining the Heavy Price of the Opioid Epidemic“, received media attention in the following news outlets:

Researchers estimate societal costs of the opioid epidemic – Penn State News
Researchers estimate societal costs of the opioid epidemic – EurekAlert!
The economic cost of the opioid epidemic exceeds billions of dollars – Earth.com
Researchers estimate societal costs of the opioid epidemic – ScienceDaily
What has the opioid epidemic cost states? Billions, researchers say – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Research & Commentary: State Medicaid Costs Associated With Opioid Use Disorder Tripled From 1999 To 2013 – The Heartland Institute


Douglas Leslie receives funding from The National Institute on Drug Abuse to study treatments and outcomes for adolescents diagnosed with opioid use disorders (OUD) using several large, national insurance claim and survey databases. Results of the study will help providers, insurers and policymakers develop policies and processes for effective OUD treatment.

Visit here to read more about the grant.


Association of Head and Neck Cancer With Mental Health Disorders in a Large Insurance Claims Database” by Lee et al. received media attention in the following news outlets:

How common are mental health disorders after diagnosis of head and neck cancer? – EurekAlert!
Mental Health Disorders Up After Head & Neck Cancer Diagnosis – Physician’s Briefing
Mental Health Disorders After Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis – Medindia
Mental Health Disorders Up After Head & Neck Cancer Diagnosis – Doctor’s Lounge


Association of Facility Type With Procedural-Related Morbidities and Adverse Events Among Patients Undergoing Induced Abortions” by Roberts et al. received media attention in the following news outlets:

Facility Type Not a Factor in Abortion Complications – MedPage Today
Abortion safety similar at surgery centers and doctors’ offices – Business Insider UK
Study Finds Office Abortions To Be As ‘Safe’ As Abortions Performed In Hospitals – The Daily Caller
Abortion safety similar at surgery centers and doctors’ offices – Channel NewsAsia
Abortion safety similar at surgery centers and doctors’ offices – Physician’s Weekly
Do abortion-related complications differ based on facility where done? – EurekAlert!
Abortion safety similar at surgery centers and doctors’ offices – Reuters
Study: ASCs, physician offices demonstrate equivalent abortion safety – Becker’s Hospital Review
Abortion Complication Rates Similar Between Facility Type – Physician’s Briefing
Abortion Complication Rates Similar Between Facility Type – Doctors Lounge
Abortion Complication Rates Similar Between Facility Type – Drugs.com


Foy et al. win Outstanding Research Publication at the Penn State College of Medicine’s 2018 Research Recognition Awards for their publication entitled “Comparative effectiveness of diagnostic testing strategies in emergency department patients with chest pain: An analysis of downstream testing, interventions and outcomes.”


Dr. Dixon and Dr. Berezin discuss CASHE research paper “Identifying Recipients of Electroconvulsive Therapy: Data From Privately Insured Americans” during their podcast entitled “Electroconvulsive Therapy, Peer Support of Medical Conditions, and Disparities in Access to Care” available for download here.


A Profile on Emergency Department Utilization in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders” by Liu et al. received media attention in the following places:

Autistic Youth Visits To ER More Than Quadrupled—Because They Don’t Get Enough Care Elsewhere, Forbes
Adolescents with autism four times more likely to visit emergency department, MedicalXpress
Adolescents with ASD have four-time higher risk of emergency visits than peers without autism, The Medical News
Adolescents with Autism Four Times More Likely to Visit Emergency Department, Newswise
Adolescents with ASD have four-time higher risk of emergency visits than peers without autism, Health Medicinet
Adolescents with autism four times more likely to visit emergency department, My Science
Adolescents with autism four times more likely to visit emergency department, EurekAlert!


Douglas Leslie’s research “Medicaid Waivers Targeting Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Reduce The Need For Parents To Stop Working” was published in the journal of Health Affairs’ February 2017 issue. This issue spotlights the complex and constantly evolving relationship between work and health, from the perspective of both employers and employees.

Leslie and his collaborators found that Medicaid waivers were effective at allowing parents of children with autism spectrum disorder to remain in the work force.

Douglas Leslie also participated in an issue briefing hosted by Health Affairs at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to present his study as well as discuss strategies for building the safest, healthiest, and most productive workforce possible.

Visit here to read more about the study findings.
Visit here to read more about the February 2017 issue.

 


The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) designated Doug Leslie as one of its featured 2015 Health Equity Researchers on Mental Health. He was selected as one of seven researchers from across the country to be featured this year. The AAMC spotlights seven new federally funded research projects that aim to understand and eliminate mental health inequities.

The full list of featured researchers can be found below:
https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/research/healthequity/427334/2015snapshot.html#

 


Comparative Effectiveness of Diagnostic Testing Strategies in Emergency Department Patients with Chest Pain” by Foy et al. received media attention in the following places: