PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study: New approach to equitable social care connects pediatric caregivers to resources without screening

Findings presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies 2024 Meeting

2024-05-03
(Press-News.org) Health care providers can more effectively connect parents and other caregivers of children to needed social resources when they present a menu of options rather than using standard screening tools, a recent study found. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto. 

According to researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, health care providers typically use risk-based screening to identify families facing food and housing insecurity, financial strain, and unsafe environments. Experts say this approach can lead to inequalities in resource distribution and usage by requiring families to disclose hardships—often in front of their children—in order to receive assistance. Researchers found that allowing family members to select desired resources from a menu of options increased the interest in and use of social support.

Researchers randomly provided nearly 4,000 caregivers with either a traditional social risk screening tool, a resource menu, or no assessment. Participants using the resource menu were 9.4% more likely to request resources than those using the screening tool, the study found. The beneficial effect of the resource menu was even more pronounced among families who prefer a non-English language. More than 40% of the participants used an online resource map to access resources, while 33.4% reported sharing it.

“Children and families with social need should receive resources that reflect their priorities, not based on whether they meet the threshold of a screening tool,” said Danielle Cullen, MD, MPH, MSHP, assistant professor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and presenting author. “Using a ‘resource menu’ allows for a more family-centered approach to resource connection, equipping children and families with tailored social resources based on their priorities while reducing inequalities and feared unintended consequences that may be perpetuated by screening practices.”

Study authors recommend that providers use resource menus as an alternative to social risk screening to provide a more equitable, family-centered approach.

# # #

EDITOR:

Dr. Danielle Cullen will present “Socially Equitable Care by Understanding Resource Engagement (SECURE): A Pragmatic RCT” on Saturday, May 4 from 8:15-8:30 AM E.T.

Reporters interested in an interview with Dr. Cullen should contact Amber Fraley at amber.fraley@pasmeeting.org.

The PAS Meeting connects thousands of pediatricians and other health care providers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pas-meeting.org.

About the Pediatric Academic Societies Meeting

Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting connects thousands of leading pediatric researchers, clinicians, and medical educators worldwide united by a common mission: Connecting the global academic pediatric community to advance scientific discovery and promote innovation in child and adolescent health. The PAS Meeting is produced through the partnership of four leading pediatric associations; the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the Academic Pediatric Association (APA), the American Pediatric Society (APS), and the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR). For more information, please visit www.pas-meeting.org. Follow us on X @PASMeeting and like us on Facebook PASMeeting.

Abstract: Socially Equitable Care by Understanding Resource Engagement (SECURE): A Pragmatic RCT

Presenting Author: Danielle Cullen, MD, MPH, MSHP

Organization

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Topic

Health Equity/Social Determinants of Health

Background

Despite the increase in social risk screening protocols across healthcare, growing evidence suggests that patient interest in resources does not necessarily correlate with a positive screen, and that screening may limit acceptance of resources due to fear of stigma or negative repercussion. Identifying an alternative to the standard deficits-based screening process, such as a resource menu where caregivers self-select from a list of resource domains without prerequisite disclosure of risk, may be a key lever to improve connection with desired resources.

Objective

This study compares caregivers’ acceptance of and engagement with social resource information when that information is 1) presented alone, 2) following a resource menu, or 3) following standardized social risk screening.

Design/Methods

In this 3-arm pragmatic RCT, we recruited adult caregivers of pediatric patients in the Emergency Department and 2 primary care clinics associated with a freestanding children’s hospital. Caregivers speaking any of the 6 study languages were randomized to 1) an evidence-based social risk screener, 2) a resource menu, or 3) no assessment. All caregivers were provided with an electronic resource map, individual resource navigation 5 days after enrollment, and could request a same-day social work consultation; automatic same-day consultation was triggered for any emergent needs identified by screening. Consenting caregivers were contacted with a survey 30 days after enrollment to assess reported use of the resource map. Between group differences were assessed with the Chi-squared test and logistic regression.

Results

Among the 3,947 participants randomized, 2,636 (66.8%) reported prior use of a social resource. A significantly higher proportion of participants in the resource menu arm reported desire for resources compared to the screening arm (38.4% vs 29.0%, P< 0.001). Among the 906 follow-up survey participants, 40.2% reported using the resource map, and 33.4% reported sharing the resource map. There were no significant differences between randomization arms in terms of rate or domains of reported searches.

Conclusion(s)

Our results suggest that healthcare providers can better recognize their patients’ desire for social resources using a “resource menu” - focusing on caregiver prioritized domains of social need - rather than screening for areas of social risk. This allows for a more family-centered approach to resource connection. Further analysis will assess the impact of randomization arm on how families search data from the resource map, engage with resource navigation, and report change in social risk.

Tables and Images

Table 1.png

Table 2.png

Table 3.png

END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Study: Rural children struggle to access hospital services

2024-05-03
Children in rural areas were more than six times as likely to check into a hospital without pediatric services compared to children in urban areas, a new study found. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto. Researchers studied approximately 80,000 hospital claims for nearly 37,000 children with multiple chronic conditions. The hospitalizations occurred between 2012 and 2017 in Colo., Mass., and N.H. The study found that 41.9% of children in urban areas were first admitted to a children’s hospital for ...

Study: Longer use of breathing device supports lung growth in preterm infants

2024-05-03
Extending the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in premature infants by two weeks significantly increases lung volume and lung diffusion capacity, according to a new study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  CPAP treatment is common for preterm infants with breathing issues, but researchers note there is no consensus on optimal treatment length when the preterm infant is doing well. Preterm birth is the most common cause of altered lung development and breathing issues that can last into adulthood, experts say. “Extending CPAP treatment ...

Study: Newborn umbilical cord procedure safe for long-term neurodevelopment in children

2024-05-03
An alternative method of transferring blood cells to weakened newborns through their umbilical cord does not carry long-term neurodevelopmental risks compared to standard practice, a recent study found. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  Umbilical cord blood contains oxygen and beneficial nutrients for newborns, experts say. Doctors may delay clamping a newborn’s umbilical cord to pass nutrients through their cord if they have poor breathing or a low heart rate immediately after birth. A study found that umbilical cord ...

Study: Eye ultrasounds may assist with detecting brain shunt failure in children

2024-05-03
Use of an eye ultrasound may quickly and safely identify children with brain drainage tube failure in the emergency department, according to a new study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  A ventricular shunt is a surgically implanted thin, plastic tube that drains extra fluid and relieves pressure on the brain. Children receive ventricular shunts for hydrocephalus, a condition where brain fluid doesn’t drain or reabsorb properly from brain bleeds, tumors, or other causes. Nearly 30% of shunts break, are ...

Study: Children with hypertension at higher long-term risk for serious heart conditions

2024-05-03
Youth with high blood pressure are nearly four times more likely to be at long-term risk of serious heart conditions including stroke and heart attack, according to a new study. The research, led by McMaster University, will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  Hypertension affects one of every 15 children and adolescents worldwide and is a growing concern, according to researchers. Despite this, it is unclear what happens to these children in the long-term. Researchers compared 25,605 youth diagnosed with hypertension from 1996-2021 in Ontario to peers without the condition. The study found that ...

Study: Rotavirus vaccinations in NICU pose minimal risk

2024-05-03
Rotavirus vaccines do not cause significant outbreaks of the disease in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), according to a new national study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  The findings are important, study authors say, because many NICUs avoid vaccinating against rotavirus due to a theoretical risk of transmission, yet some infants are too old to receive the vaccine once discharged from the NICU. The study conducted at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia evaluated the risk of vaccinated patients transferring rotavirus to unvaccinated ...

Study: Long COVID symptoms in children vary by age

2024-05-03
Symptoms associated with Long COVID in children differ based on the child’s age, according to a nationwide, multi-site study. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  Experts say that the study findings allow clinicians to recognize and manage Long COVID in children more accurately based on common symptoms. The study characterized pediatric Long COVID symptoms and how they differ based on a child’s age. The study identifies symptoms ...

Study: Multicomponent intravenous lipid emulsion improves brain development in preterm infants

2024-05-03
Preterm infants supported with a multicomponent intravenous lipid emulsion saw improved brain development compared to those given a single-fat source, a new study finds. The research will be presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting, held May 3-6 in Toronto.  Soybean-only lipid emulsions traditionally have been used in neonatal intensive care units to provide intravenous nutritional support to preterm infants, according to researchers. This study investigated the effects of newer multicomponent lipid emulsions, with fat sources derived from soybeans, olives, ...

PAS 2024: Nemours Children’s Health researchers to present on youth mental health, vaccination, autism and respiratory illness

2024-05-03
WILMINGTON, Del. (May 1, 2024) – Researchers from Nemours Children’s Health will present findings from a range of studies at the 2024 Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) Meeting, May 2-6 in Toronto. Key presentations will address pediatric mental health, vaccination, autism diagnosis, social determinants of cardiovascular health and treatment of bronchiolitis—one of the most common respiratory illnesses in children that requires hospitalization. “Nemours researchers go well beyond medicine every day to improve children’s health and well-being by connecting to clinical ...

Lake tsunamis pose significant threat under warming climate

Lake tsunamis pose significant threat under warming climate
2024-05-03
The names might not be familiar—Cowee Creek, Brabazon Range, Upper Pederson Lagoon—but they mark the sites of recent lake tsunamis, a phenomenon that is increasingly common in Alaska, British Columbia and other regions with mountain glaciers. Triggered by landslides into small bodies of water, most of these tsunamis have occurred in remote locations so far, but geologist Bretwood Higman of Ground Truth Alaska said it may just be a matter of time before a tsunami swamps a more populated ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

To catch financial rats, a better mousetrap

Mapping the world's climate danger zones

Emory heart team implants new blood-pumping device for first time in U.S.

Congenital heart defects caused by problems with placenta

Schlechter named Cancer Moonshot Scholar

Two-way water transfers can ensure reliability, save money for urban and agricultural users during drought in Western U.S., new study shows

New issue of advances in dental research explores the role of women in dental, clinical, and translational research

Team unlocks new insights on pulsar signals

Great apes visually track subject-object relationships like humans do

Recovery of testing for heart disease risk factors post-COVID remains patchy

Final data and undiscovered images from NASA’s NEOWISE

Nucleoporin93: A silent protector in vascular health

Can we avert the looming food crisis of climate change?

Alcohol use and antiobesity medication treatment

Study reveals cause of common cancer immunotherapy side effect

New era in amphibian biology

Harbor service, VAST Data provide boost for NCSA systems

New prognostic model enhances survival prediction in liver failure

China focuses on improving air quality via the coordinated control of fine particles and ozone

Machine learning reveals behaviors linked with early Alzheimer’s, points to new treatments

Novel gene therapy trial for sickle cell disease launches

Engineering hypoallergenic cats

Microwave-induced pyrolysis: A promising solution for recycling electric cables

Cooling with light: Exploring optical cooling in semiconductor quantum dots

Breakthrough in clean energy: Scientists pioneer novel heat-to-electricity conversion

Study finds opposing effects of short-term and continuous noise on western bluebird parental care

Quantifying disease impact and overcoming practical treatment barriers for primary progressive aphasia

Sports betting and financial market data show how people misinterpret new information in predictable ways

Long COVID brain fog linked to lung function

Concussions slow brain activity of high school football players

[Press-News.org] Study: New approach to equitable social care connects pediatric caregivers to resources without screening
Findings presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies 2024 Meeting