Literature Collection

INTRODUCTION: Older low-income U.S. veterans experience elevated physical and social vulnerabilities, yet their functional limitations remain understudied. This study estimated the prevalence of activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) limitations and identified associated sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2021 National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV-HOPE) Study of low-income veterans aged  ≥ 55 years (N = 877; weighted ≈ 7.41 million). Survey-weighted logistic regression models identified factors associated with any ADL or IADL limitation across sociodemographic, health (chronic conditions, depression, anxiety, other mental diagnoses), and social/contextual domains (network size, perceived support, loneliness, housing). Exploratory margins analyses were used to descriptively examine potential differences across sex and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Overall, 4.28% reported having at least 1 ADL limitation and 14.98% having at least 1 IADL limitation. ADL limitations were associated with higher anxiety (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-1.67), "other" race/ethnicity (OR = 3.98, 95% CI: 1.27-12.51), and some college education (OR = 3.43, 95% CI: 1.13-10.46), whereas home ownership was protective (OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.16-0.91). IADL limitations were associated with Black (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.12-5.16) and "other" race/ethnicity (OR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.13-6.05), more chronic conditions (OR = 1.24 per condition, 95% CI: 1.10-1.40), higher anxiety (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.04-1.54), and other mental diagnoses (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.13-4.09); a moderate social network (3-5) was protective (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.16-0.85). Descriptive subgroup analyses indicated that associations between mental health and ADL limitation appeared stronger among women, whereas relationships between depression, anxiety, or loneliness and IADL limitation varied across racial and ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Functional limitations among older low-income veterans are multifactorial, reflecting intersecting demographic, clinical, and social determinants. Findings support integrated care models that combine mental-health screening and social-resource supports. Exploratory subgroup patterns highlight the importance of considering sex and race/ethnicity in identifying low-income veterans most at risk for functional decline and in tailoring prevention and intervention efforts.

BACKGROUND: Integrating mental health services into primary healthcare platforms is an established health systems strategy in low-to-middle-income countries. In South Africa, this was pursued through the Programme for Improving Mental Health Care (PRIME), a multi-country initiative that relied on task-sharing as a principle implementation strategy. Towards better describing the implementation processes, qualitative comparative analysis was adopted to explore causal pathways in the intervention. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore factors that could have influenced key outcomes of an integrated mental healthcare intervention in South Africa. METHODS: Drawing from an embedded multiple case study design, the analysis used qualitative comparative analysis. Focusing on nine PHC clinics in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District as cases, with depression reduction scores set as outcome measures, trial data variables were modelled in a hypothetical causal process. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis was performed by 1) developing the research questions, 2) developing the fuzzy set, 3) testing necessity and 4) testing sufficiency. These steps were undertaken collaboratively among the research team. RESULTS: The data were calibrated during several meetings among team members to gain a degree of consensus. Necessity analyses suggested that none of the causal conditions exceeded the threshold of necessity and triviality, and confirmed the inclusion of relevant variables in line with the proposed models. Sufficiency analyses produced two configurations, which were subjected to standard and specific analyses. Ultimately, the results suggested that none of the causal conditions were necessary for a reduction in depression scores to occur, while programme fidelity was identified as a sufficient condition for a reduction in scores to occur. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the importance of understanding implementation pathways to enable better integration of mental health services within primary healthcare in low-to-middle-income settings. It underlines the importance of programme fidelity in achieving the goals of implementation.

IMPORTANCE: Gabapentin prescriptions have drastically increased in the US due to off-label prescribing in settings such as opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment to manage a range of comorbid conditions and withdrawal symptoms, despite a lack of evidence. OBJECTIVE: To assess the purpose and associated risks of off-label gabapentin use in OUD treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective recurrent-event case-control study with a crossover design used administrative claims data from MarketScan Commercial and Multi-State Medicaid databases from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2016. Individuals aged 12 to 64 years with an OUD diagnosis and filling buprenorphine prescriptions were included in the primary analysis conducted from July 1, 2022, through June 1, 2023. Unit of observation was the person-day. EXPOSURES: Days covered by filled gabapentin prescriptions. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes were receipt of gabapentin in the 90 days after initiation of buprenorphine treatment and drug-related poisoning. Drug-related poisonings were defined using codes from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, and International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision. RESULTS: A total of 109 407 patients were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 34.0 [11.2] years; 60 112 [54.9%] male). Among the 29 967 patients with Medicaid coverage, 299 (1.0%) were Hispanic, 1330 (4.4%) were non-Hispanic Black, 23 112 (77.1%) were non-Hispanic White, and 3399 (11.3%) were other. Gabapentin was significantly less likely to be prescribed to Black or Hispanic patients, and more likely to be prescribed to female patients, those with co-occurring substance use or mood disorders, and those with comorbid physical conditions such as neuropathic pain. Nearly one-third of persons who received gabapentin (4336 [31.1%]) had at least 1 drug-related poisoning after initiating buprenorphine treatment, compared with 13 856 (14.5%) among persons who did not receive gabapentin. Adjusted analyses showed that days of gabapentin use were not associated with hospitalization for drug-related poisoning (odds ratio, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.85-1.13]). Drug-related poisoning risks did not vary based on dosage. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Gabapentin is prescribed in the context of a myriad of comorbid conditions. Even though persons receiving gabapentin are more likely to have admissions for drug-related poisoning, these data suggest that gabapentin is not associated with an increased risk of drug-related poisoning alongside buprenorphine in adjusted analyses. More data on the safety profile of gabapentin in OUD settings are needed.