Primary healthcare delivery adaptations in war-induced population displacement.

Background: Impact of war on civilians in high-income countries has been relatively underexplored in research. Internal displacement of populations within a country during war challenges healthcare universal access, utilization, and continuity of care. Healthcare systems can prepare and adjust to mitigate detrimental effects.

Continuing professional development for primary care physicians: a pre-post analysis of a focused abdominal point-of-care ultrasound pilot training.

Introduction: Abdominal pain is a leading cause of primary care visits and emergency department admissions. The recent surge in the implementation of point-of-care ultrasound into primary care underscores the necessity for specialized training to enhance the expertise of primary care physicians and foster a positive attitude toward its routine use in clinical activities.

Methods: This prospective cohort study, conducted between March and August 2023 at Ben Gurion University, introduced an integrative abdominal ultrasound program for 48 participating primary care physicians with no prior formal experience in abdominal ultrasound.

Time-varying association of acute and post-acute COVID-19 with new-onset diabetes mellitus among hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.

Introduction: Previous studies have shown disruption of glycometabolic control and new diabetes mellitus (DM) diagnosis among patients with COVID-19. It is still unclear how the association of COVID-19 and new-onset DM may be modified by disease severity or vary over time, during acute and post-acute phases.

Research Design And Methods: In this retrospective matched cohort study, 157 936 patients with COVID-19 (aged ≥25 years, diagnosis date between March 01, 2020 and August 31, 2021) were compared with individuals without COVID-19, separately for non-hospitalized, hospitalized, and severe hospitalized patients.

Failure to Detect Leishmania in the Blood of Patients with Old-World Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Implications for Blood Donation.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic in Israel, caused mainly by Leishmania major (L. major) and L. tropica.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department visits and associated mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel.

Background: A substantial drop in emergency department (ED) visit volume was previously demonstrated at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To examine changes in the number of non-COVID adult ED visits and their associated 30-day mortality during 14 months of the pandemic in Israel.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study including 1,285,270 adult ED visits between 1st March, 2018 and 30th April, 2021 to the internal and surgical EDS in eight general hospitals of the largest healthcare organization in Israel.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity: a retrospective case-control study.

Robust evidence of whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with COVID-19 infection and its severity is still lacking. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between vitamin D levels and the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease in those infected. A retrospective study was carried out among members of Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest healthcare organization in Israel, between March 1 and October 31, 2020.

Identification of drugs associated with reduced severity of COVID-19 - a case-control study in a large population.

Background: Until coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) drugs specifically developed to treat COVID-19 become more widely accessible, it is crucial to identify whether existing medications have a protective effect against severe disease. Toward this objective, we conducted a large population study in Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest healthcare provider in Israel, insuring over 4.7 million members.

COVID-19 Prevalence and Mortality Among Schizophrenia Patients: A Large-Scale Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Individuals with schizophrenia may be at an increased risk for COVID-19 morbidity due to the disease characteristics. In this study, we aimed to explore the odds of significant COVID-19 morbidity and mortality among schizophrenia patients while controlling for potential sociodemographic and medical confounders.

Methods: Schizophrenia patients and age-and-sex matched controls (total n = 51 078) were assessed for frequency of COVID-19 positivity, hospitalizations, and mortality.

Identification of drugs associated with reduced severity of COVID-19: A case-control study in a large population.

Background: Until COVID-19 drugs specifically developed to treat COVID-19 become more widely accessible, it is crucial to identify whether existing medications have a protective effect against severe disease. Towards this objective, we conducted a large population study in Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest healthcare provider in Israel, insuring over 4.7 million members.

The Utilization of an Insertable Cardiac Monitor in a Child With Pallid Breath-Holding Spells.

Background: Pacing can be a successful treatment for pallid breath-holding spells, primarily in individuals with severe bradycardia.

Patient Description: We describe an 18-month-old girl experiencing severe pallid breath-holding spells in whom repeated electrocardiographic, Holter, and electroencephalographic monitoring tests were all normal.

Results: Using a subcutaneous insertable cardiac monitor, severe bradycardia was detected during one of this girl's episodes.

The Price of a Neglected Zoonosis: Case-Control Study to Estimate Healthcare Utilization Costs of Human Brucellosis.

Human brucellosis has reemerged as a serious public health threat to the Bedouin population of southern Israel in recent years. Little is known about its economic implications derived from elevated healthcare utilization (HCU). Our objective was to estimate the HCU costs associated with human brucellosis from the insurer perspective.

Metabolic changes in immigrants from Africa to a Western country: time-lag effects of 20 years since immigration.

Background: An increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus occurs in immigrants from developing regions to Western countries. However, the dynamics of these transitions in relation to the duration of residence in the new environment are not clearly defined.

Methods: Data concerning cardiovascular risk factors were retrospectively extracted from medical charts of 736 Ethiopian immigrants and 575 randomly-chosen, age and sex matched non-Ethiopian subjects ("reference group").

Quality of life at the Dead Sea region: the lower the better? An observational study.

Background: The Dead Sea region, the lowest in the world at 410 meters below sea level, is considered a potent climatotherapy center for the treatment of different chronic diseases.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of chronic diseases and the quality of life of residents of the Dead Sea region compared with residents of the Ramat Negev region, which has a similar climate, but is situated 600 meters above sea level.

Methods: An observational study based on a self-administered questionnaire.

Nonattendance in obstetrics and gynecology patients.

Background: Nonattendance for obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) appointments disrupts medical care and leads to misuse of valuable resources. We investigated factors associated with nonattendance in an outpatient OB/GYN clinic.

Methods: Nonattendance was examined for a period of 1 year in first-time visitors of an ambulatory OB/GYN clinic.