Research Roundup: Sexual Harassment; The Health Law And Small Businesses; Childhood Language

JAMA Internal Medicine: Association Of Sexual Harassment And Sexual Assault With Midlife Women’s Mental And Physical Health
Among 304 nonsmoking midlife women recruited from the community to undergo assessment and complete questionnaires for this prospective cohort study, those with a history of workplace sexual harassment had significantly higher odds of hypertension and clinically poor sleep than women without this history, after adjusting for covariates. Women with a history of sexual assault had significantly higher odds of clinically significant depressive symptoms, anxiety, and poor sleep than women without this history, after adjusting for covariates. (Thurston et al, 10/3)

Commonwealth Fund: The Affordable Care Act’s Impact On Small Business
Small-business owners have seen significant gains in health care coverage for themselves and their employees thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Though efforts to repeal the law failed in 2017, the current administration continues to take steps that undermine the law’s progress. In recent months, new rules have been announced that allow more groups to establish association health plans and extend the length of short-term health insurance plans. These changes are likely to impact the stability of the marketplaces and coverage rates for the small-business community. (David Chase and John Arensmeyer, 10/1)

Pediatrics: Language Experience In The Second Year Of Life And Language Outcomes In Late Childhood
These data support the hypothesis that early talk and interaction, particularly during the relatively narrow developmental window of 18 to 24 months of age, can be used to predict school-age language and cognitive outcomes. With these findings, we underscore the need for effective early intervention programs that support parents in creating an optimal early language learning environment in the home. (Gilkerson, 10/1)

The Pew Charitable Trusts: Enhanced Patient Matching Is Critical To Achieving Full Promise Of Digital Health Records
The way patients receive medical care has drastically changed over the past decade as most hospitals and doctors’ offices have transitioned from paper charts to electronic health records (EHRs) that help clinicians order medications, document treatment decisions, and review laboratory results. These digital records can introduce numerous efficiencies and give patients and medical professionals more complete information on which to base decisions. (10/2)

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: More Employers Are Paying For Telemedicine, But Enrollee Take-Up Has Been Relatively Low
Telemedicine – the delivery of health services by providers at remote locations, such as through video conferencing or remote monitoring – has been seen as a way to possibly improve access to care while also lowering costs. In our 2018 Employer Health Benefit Survey, we find that the share of large employers offering health plans that cover telemedicine has increased significantly from 2015 – 2018. In this corresponding brief, we use employer claims data to measure the uptake of these services by employees and their family members. (10/3)

Pediatrics: Transition Planning Among US Youth With And Without Special Health Care Needs
Researchers have shown that most youth with special health care needs (YSHCN) are not receiving guidance on planning for health care transition. This study examines current transition planning among US youth with and without special health care needs (SHCN). (Lebrun-Harris, 10/1)