ASSOCIATION OF HOMOLOGOUS AND HETEROLOGOUS VACCINE BOOSTERS WITH COVID-19 INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY IN SINGAPORE
Rates and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections between September 15 and October 31, 2021, among those eligible to receive vaccine boosters between September 15 and October 15, 2021, were analyzed based on official data reported to the Singapore Ministry of Health.
Heterologous boosting was associated with lower SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates than homologous boosting. Severe infections were lower among those receiving a booster after BNT162b2 as the primary series compared with non-boosted individuals, regardless of the type of booster.
Full Access: JAMA
ASSOCIATION OF MIDLIFE ANTIBIOTIC USE WITH SUBSEQUENT COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN WOMEN
The gut microbiome is increasingly recognized to play a role in cognition and dementia. Antibiotic use impacts the gut microbiome and has been linked with chronic disease. An analysis of data from nearly 15,000 nurses revealed that women who reported at least two months of antibiotic exposure in midlife had lower mean cognitive scores seven years later, after adjustment for risk factors for cognitive decline. Despite these data, there is no evidence supporting an association between long-term antibiotic use in adults and cognitive function.
Full Access: Journals Plos
HEALTH OFFICIALS SEE BRIGHT FUTURE IN POOP SURVEILLANCE
Sewage surveillance is an effective and relatively low-budget. Around 80% of Americans deposit their solids into a sewer system. Dozens of research projects around the country have shown that the method can be used to accurately track covid trends over time; and because people shed covid in their feces before they show symptoms, upticks and drop-offs in neighborhood- and community-level infections can appear in sludge several days before they show up in tests. Other health issues leave their mark in stool as well. Recent research has found that wastewater surveillance is a reliable method for monitoring flu and the common respiratory illness RSV.
Full Access: Medscape
HOW SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH LEAD TO PHYSICIAN BURNOUT
The survey, conducted in February by The Physicians Foundation, queried 1502 doctors about their experience with social drivers — also known as determinants — of health (SDOH). Among the key findings: more than 60% of respondents said they had little or no time to effectively address the SDOH needs of their patients, yet nearly 9 in 10 (87%) said they would like to be able to do so in the future.  63% said they feel burned out when they try to help patients with their SDOH needs; and nearly 7 in 10 (68%) said managing SDOH for their patients has a “major impact” on their mental health and well-being.
Full Access: Medscape
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