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In this study we aimed to assess whether individuals with ASD are prone to higher infection rates, or to severe COVID-19 illness. Individuals with ASD and age- and gender-matched controlled counterparts (total n = 32,812) were assessed for COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations. Results indicated higher infection rates among individuals with ASD, with the largest effect among individuals aged 40-60 (OR = 2.05, 95%CI 1.33-3.15, p < 0.001), as well as higher odds for hospitalizations, evident primarily in men (OR = 2.40, 95%CI 1.14-5.02, p = 0.02) but not women. Medical and environmental risk factors may associate ASD with higher infection and morbidity rates. Healthcare policy providers should consider proactive steps to protect this population from the associated risks.

Background and Objectives: Sarcoidosis, marked by chronic inflammation and granuloma formation, shows a variable clinical course. While many patients have benign outcomes, others face chronic, life-threatening complications. Mortality studies in sarcoidosis show mixed results due to age, ethnicity, sex, and geography, highlighting the need for a comprehensive mortality risk analysis. This study compares mortality risks between sarcoidosis patients and controls, considering demographic and clinical factors, and performs subgroup analyses across different age groups and post-diagnosis periods. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study that used Clalit Health Services' electronic database, including patients first diagnosed with sarcoidosis from 2000 to 2016 and age- and sex-matched controls at a 1:5 ratio. Hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality were obtained using the Cox proportional hazard model, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results: Sarcoidosis patients showed higher mortality rates (17.7%) than controls (10.6%), with an adjusted HR of 1.79 (95% CI: 1.64–1.96, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed the HR for mortality decreased with age: HR for patients under 50 was 3.04 (95% CI: 2.20–4.21), and for those over 70, it was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.69–2.11). The HR was highest in the first year post-diagnosis. Key mortality predictors included age at diagnosis, male gender, and higher Charlson comorbidity index score. Conclusions: Sarcoidosis patients, particularly younger ones and those with higher comorbidity burdens, have elevated mortality risks compared to controls, with the highest HR in the first year post-diagnosis. These findings highlight the most vulnerable period of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Israel is regarded as a country with a developed economy and a moderate income inequality index. In this population-based study, we aimed to measure the inequalities in colorectal cancer screening within Clalit Health, an organization with universal insurance, before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Setting: Retrospective analysis within Clalit Health Services, Israel. Methods: We evaluated the rate of being up to date with screening (having a colonoscopy within 10 years or a fecal occult blood test within 1 year) and the colonoscopy completion rate (having a colonoscopy within 6 months of a positive fecal occult blood test) among subjects aged 50–75 in 2019–2021. Results: In 2019, out of 918,135 subjects, 61.3% were up to date with screening; high socioeconomic status: 65.9% (referent), medium-socioeconomic status: 60.1% (odds ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.80–0.82), low-socioeconomic status: 59.0% (odds ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.74–0.75); Jews: 61.9% (referent), Arabs: 59.7% (odds ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.90–0.92), Ultraorthodox-Jews: 51.7% (odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.75–0.78). Out of 21,308 with a positive fecal occult blood test, the colonoscopy completion rate was 51.8%; high-socioeconomic status: 59.8% (referent), medium-socioeconomic status: 54.1% (odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.73–0.86), low-socioeconomic status: 45.5% (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.56–0.65); Jews: 54.7% (referent), Ultraorthodox-Jews: 51.4% (odds ratio 0.91, 95% confidence interval 0.90–0.92), Arabs: 44.7% (odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.75–0.78). In 2020–2021, there was a slight drop in the rate of being up to date with screening, while most of the discrepancies were kept or slightly increased with time. Conclusions: We report significant inequalities in colorectal cancer screening before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Israel, despite a declared policy of equality and universal insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study is to investigate the prevalence of anxiety in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). A retrospective cross-sectional study of 3 304 nAMD patients and 16 515 age- and gender-matched controls. The proportions of patients with anxiety were compared between the groups using univariate analyses and a multivariate logistic regression model. Proportion of anxiety in patients with nAMD was compared with the proportion of anxiety in controls, matched for age and gender. Data was obtained from the largest health maintenance organization in Israel (Clalit Health Services) with 4 200 000 members. The mean age of patients was 79.7 years; 54.8% were females; Anxiety was more common in patients with nAMD (13.2%) compared to the control group (10.2%) (OR 1.3; 95%CI 1.2–1.5). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between anxiety and nAMD (OR 1.3; 95% CI: 1.2–1.5), adjusted for age, gender, and socio-economic status. Our study demonstrated that anxiety is more common in patients with nAMD compared to a control group. Physicians treating patients with nAMD should be aware of this association, in order to provide appropriate care for the anxiety associated with nAMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]