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What We're Reading: Half of US Adults Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine; Colorectal Cancer Diagnoses Drop; Hunger Program Faces Delays
Only half of US adults say they would receive a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine should it become available; diagnoses of colorectal cancer fell during March and April; slow uptake led to delays in a child hunger prevention program.
Poll Finds Half of Americans Would Get COVID-19 Vaccine
A new Associated Press—NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found roughly half of American adults (49%) would get a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine if scientists working to produce one succeed. The poll found that 1 in 5 of those surveyed would refuse the vaccine while 31% were not sure if they would get vaccinated. Of those who say they will not receive the vaccine, 70% cite safety as their top concern. For those who would receive a vaccine, top motivators include protecting themselves, their family, and the community they live in.
New Colorectal Cancer Diagnoses Fall
New diagnoses of colorectal cancer fell by more than 32% in March and April in the United States, due to postponed screenings and appointments, Reuters reports. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. The number of performed colonoscopies and biopsies fell by around 90% between mid-March and mid-April compared with the same period in 2019, according to research from Komodo Health. In addition, colorectal cancer surgeries fell by 53%. Screenings are vital to catching the disease early on, as the 5-year survival rate is near 90%.
Small Percentage of Children Receive Aid from Pandemic Hunger Program
Pandemic-EBT, a hunger prevention program instituted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has only benefitted 15% of eligible children since the program’s inception in March, The New York Times reports. Originally intended to aid 30 million children across the country, Pandemic-EBT was created to compensate children for free meals they would usually receive in school via electronic vouchers that can be used in grocery stores. However, only 12 states have started sending the benefits to parents of eligible children while 16 states lack federal approval to begin distributing payments.
Urticaria Diagnosis Challenged by Overlapping Pruritic Skin Conditions
April 23rd 2025Urticaria is complicated to diagnose by its symptomatic overlap with other skin conditions and the frequent misclassification in literature of distinct pathologies like vasculitic urticaria and bullous pemphigus.
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New Research Challenges Assumptions About Hospital-Physician Integration, Medicare Patient Mix
April 22nd 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Brady Post, PhD, lead author of a study published in the April 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, challenges the claim that hospital-employed physicians serve a more complex patient mix.
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Personalized Care Key as Tirzepatide Use Expands Rapidly
April 15th 2025Using commercial insurance claims data and the US launch of tirzepatide as their dividing point, John Ostrominski, MD, Harvard Medical School, and his team studied trends in the use of both glucose-lowering and weight-lowering medications, comparing outcomes between adults with and without type 2 diabetes.
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ACOs’ Focus on Rooting Out Fraud Aligns With CMS Vision Under Oz
April 23rd 2025Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are increasingly playing the role of data sleuths as they identify and report trends of anomalous billing in hopes of salvaging their shared savings. This mission dovetails with that of CMS, which under the new administration plans to prioritize rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse.
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