Research Roundup: Infant Deaths; Type 2 Diabetes Risks; Aging; And Health Care Spending
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Pediatrics:
Infant Deaths In Sitting Devices
Annually, several hundred infant deaths occur in sitting devices (eg, car safety seats [CSSs] and strollers). Although American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines discourage routine sleeping in sitting devices, little is known about factors associated with deaths in sitting devices. Our objective was to describe factors associated with sleep-related infant deaths in sitting devices. (Liaw et al, 7/1)
JAMA Internal Medicine:
Association Between Plant-Based Dietary Patterns And Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis
In this systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies assessing the association between plant-based dietary patterns and risk of type 2 diabetes among adults, higher adherence to plant-based dietary patterns was associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes; this association was strengthened when healthy plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, were included in the pattern. Findings were broadly consistent in several prespecified subgroups and in sensitivity analyses. (Qian et al, 7/22
Urban Institute:
Nine Charts About The Future Of Retirement
Social Security cuts, shrinking employer-sponsored pensions, low savings rates, and longer life spans have raised fears of a looming retirement crisis. But other trends point to better retirement outcomes, such as women’s increased employment and earnings, longer working lives, and economic growth that raises wages. How will these conflicting trends play out? How will the next generations of older Americans fare in retirement relative to those who came before? And what will happen to retirees if Congress cuts Social Security benefits to address the program’s long-term financing gap? (7/23)
The Kaiser Family Foundation:
A Look At People Who Have Persistently High Spending On Health Care
Health care spending is highly concentrated, with a small share of people accounting for a large share of expenditures during any year – just 5% of people are responsible for at least half of overall spending. This makes understanding and effectively managing the care for this group vital to improving the quality and efficiency of health care delivery. People with high health care spending are not a homogeneous group: some have very high spending during a short spell of illness, while others have ongoing high spending due to one or more chronic illnesses. (Claxton, Rae and Levitt, 7/22)
