Atlantic Health System

About: Atlantic Health System is a healthcare organization based out in Morristown, New Jersey, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Health care & Medicine. The organization has 277 authors who have published 299 publications receiving 6594 citations.

Evaluation of the American-English Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth (QoLISSY) questionnaire in the United States

Abstract: The European Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth (QoLISSY) is a novel condition-specific instrument developed to assess health related quality of life (HrQoL) in children/adolescents with short stature from patient and parent perspectives. Study objective was to linguistically validate and psychometrically test the American-English version of the QoLISSY instrument. Upon conversion of the British-English version to American-English, content validity and acceptance of the questionnaire were examined through focus group discussions with cognitive debriefing in 28 children/adolescents with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) or idiopathic short stature (ISS) and their parents. In the subsequent field test with 51 families and a re-test with 25 families the psychometric performance of the American-English version was examined and compared with the original European dataset. Pilot test results supported the suitability of the American-English version. Good internal consistency with Cronbach’s Alpha ranging from 0.84 to 0.97 and high test-re-test reliabilities were observed in the field test. The QoLISSY was able to detect significant differences according to the degree of short stature with higher HrQoL for taller children. Correlations with a generic HrQoL tool support the QoLISSY’s concurrent validity. The scale’s operating characteristics were comparable to the original European data. Results support that the QoLISSY American-English version is a psychometrically sound short stature-specific instrument to assess the patient- and parent- perceived impact of short stature. The QoLISSY instrument is fit for use in clinical studies and health services research in the American-English speaking population.

Treatment patterns and outcomes for patients with advanced melanoma in US oncology clinical practices.

Abstract: Aim To describe recent evolution in treatment patterns and outcomes for advanced melanoma (AMel). Methods This retrospective observational study analyzed de-identified electronic health record data from the Flatiron Health database for 1140 adult patients who initiated first-line therapy for AMel from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2016 with follow-up through 28 February 2017. Results The most common first-line regimens were ipilimumab-based therapies (34%), anti-PD-1 monotherapy (26%) and BRAF/MEK inhibitor(s) (20%). First-line ipilimumab-based and BRAF inhibitor regimens decreased after the third quarter of 2014 (3Q2014), and by 2Q2016, 55 and 91% of BRAF-mutant and BRAF wild-type cohorts, respectively, received a first-line anti-PD-1 regimen. Median overall survival from first-line initiation for all patients was 18.8 months (95% CI: 16.3-23.3). Conclusion Results illustrate changing paradigms of therapy and real-world patient outcomes for AMel.

The Empowering Schools Project: Identifying the Classroom and School Characteristics That Lead to Student Empowerment

Abstract: In an education system marred by inequity, urban schools in the United States are faced with the challenge of helping students from marginalized groups succeed. While many strategies have been tried, most are built on deficit-based models that blame students and teachers for a lack of achievement and ignore the role of power within the school setting. Building on the body of research on school climate, critical pedagogy, and empowering settings, the present study developed a model of student empowerment using a case study of an ethnically diverse urban high school in the midwestern United States. Participant observation, focus groups, and interviews were utilized to identify classroom and school characteristics related to student empowerment. Students reported equitable teacher–student relationships, integrated student leadership, and shared decision making. Similarly, school staff reported high staff empowerment and sense of community. The Student Empowerment Model is a useful framework for school improv...