Focus of the Week

The authors reviewed existing evidence for filtration efficiency of cloth masks vs medical masks, and they found that cloth masks fared surprisingly well. Layers matter, as does the material used.

Being uninsured carries with it a host of adverse health consequences, including more advanced stages of disease when seeing a physician, avoidable deaths, and not receiving lifesaving treatments for conditions such as heart failure.

Utilizing a consistent strategy consisting of 4 key attributes—trust, stability, compassion, and hope—can assist employers in designing an effective burnout strategy for physicians amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond, said Vibhas Ratanjee, senior practice expert at Gallup.

HHS signed a $354-million contract with a team of private industries to ramp up US pharmaceutical manufacturing and production in wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Historically, active pharmaceutical ingredients and chemical compounds have been produced abroad, largely in China, and imported by the United States. The move comes after President Donald Trump publically criticized the World Health Organization's response to the pandemic and accused China of witholding critical information regarding coronavirus. 

By 2030, the World Health Organization estimates that 82 million individuals worldwide will be affected by dementia, up from 50 million in 2017 and a 64% increase in prevalence in just 13 years. It is well established that cardiovascular health and cognitive decline are interrelated.

The cost of giving birth in the United States can vary by thousands of dollars depending on where the birth takes place. In Arkansas, inpatient birth charges come out to roughly $8300, but that total rises to nearly $20,000 in New York.

Uncertainty remains surrounding the overall cost of care for employers, as subsequent waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related care may occur. Current projections suggest a lower health care spend due to deferral of nonrelated care, said Trevis Parson, chief actuary of Health & Benefits North America at Willis Towers Watson.

Reports of children contracting—and occasionally dying—from a rare inflammatory disorder associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have prompted concern, as the disease has so far largely spared pediatric populations. But a new study from Italy indicates that the disorder associated with COVID-19 is more severe than the type known before the pandemic.

How will coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affect prescription drug trends? The American Journal of Managed Care^® (AJMC^®) put questions to Chris Robbins, chief executive officer of Arxcel Consulting LLC, to review these subjects and more in a wrapup discussion after the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy virtual meeting.

Fatal breast cancers were reduced by 41% and advanced breast cancers by 25% following recommended screening for the disease by mammography in 9 counties in Sweden, emphasizing the importance of early detection.