Ming-yi Huang - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ming-yi Huang

Background and aims: Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults younger than 65 with high... more Background and aims: Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults younger than 65 with high-risk conditions (HRCs) in the U.S. and many other countries. However, there are limited pneumococcal vaccination coverage data in these high-risk adults, especially those enrolled in Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income and disabled people. This study aimed to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and associated factors in the U.S. Medicaid population with HRCs. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included adults aged 19-64 years with newly diagnosed HRCs from 2007-2010, and with continuous enrollment =3 years in the U.S. Medicaid database. Descriptive and regression analyses were applied to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and time to pneumococcal vaccination from initial diagnosis to the end of enrollment or 2011. Results: Overall pneumococcal vaccination coverage was 6.2% among 57,089 Medicaid-enrollees with HRCs. Coverage was highest in pati...

Background and aims: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all adults ... more Background and aims: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all adults 65 years and older should receive pneumococcal vaccination. Yet there are limited real-world data on the timing of when older adults receive pneumococcal vaccination. This study aimed to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and factors associated with receiving pneumococcal vaccination in a large U.S. managed care elderly population. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included adults who turned 65 years old in 2007 and with continuous enrollment from 2007-2012 in a large administrative claims database. Applying descriptive and regression analyses, the study population were followed from age 65 to 70 to examine their pneumococcal vaccination coverage. Results: Among 56,983 adults who turned 65 years old in 2007, 16.5% received pneumococcal vaccination between ages 65-70. Of those vaccinated, pneumococcal vaccination coverage was highest when patients were 65 years...

Value in Health, 2015

ABSTRACT Background: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends pneu... more ABSTRACT Background: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends pneumococcal vaccination for adults younger than 65 with high-risk conditions (HRCs). Yet there are limited real-world data on pneumococcal vaccination coverage (PVC) in these high-risk adults. This study aims to examine PVC and factors associated with PVC in a large US managed care population with HRCs that are included in the ACIP recommendation. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, adults aged 19-64 years with newly diagnosed HRCs from 2007 to 2010 and with continuous enrollment for at least 3 years in a large administrative claims database were identified and followed until the end of enrollment or 2011. Outcomes of interest included PVC and time to pneumococcal vaccination from the initial diagnosis. Descriptive and regression analyses were applied to assess PVC, compare patient characteristics across pneumococcal vaccination status, and examine factors associated with PVC. Results: The overall PVC was 7.0% among 1,105,328 adults with HRCs. PVC was highest in patients with HIV/AIDS (30.5%), followed by diabetes (11.0%), asplenia (7.9%), chronic lung disease (7.7%), chronic renal disease (7.1%), chronic heart disease (6.2%), organ transplant (5.0%), cochlear implant (4.5%), cancer (4.5%), chronic liver disease (4.3%), smoking (4.2%), and alcoholism (2.3%). Patients with HRCs aged 50-64 years had higher PVC (8.8%) than those aged 19-49 years (4.4%). Among those who received pneumococcal vaccination, the majority was vaccinated in the physician’s office (92%); the average time to vaccination was 486 days, ranging from 225 days for patients with HIV/AIDS to 607 days for patients with alcoholism. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that HRCs, older age, male, west region, enrollment in an HMO health plan, increased healthcare encounters, and influenza vaccination were significant predictors of receiving pneumococcal vaccination (all p<0.001). Conclusion: While PVC varies by HRCs and sociodemographic characteristics, overall PVC remains low in adults with HRCs. Findings underscore the need for better interventions to improve pneumococcal vaccination in this high-risk adult population.

Andrology, 2014

The objective of this review was to summarize the literature on the risk factors, comorbidities, ... more The objective of this review was to summarize the literature on the risk factors, comorbidities, and consequences of male hypogonadism, which is defined as a syndrome complex that includes biochemical confirmation of low testosterone (T) and the consistent symptoms and signs associated with low T. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library for articles published in the last 10 years on risk factors, comorbidities, and consequences of male hypogonadism. Of the 53 relevant studies identified, nine examined potential risk factors, 14 examined potential comorbidities, and 30 examined potential consequences of male hypogonadism. Based on studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North & South America, the important factors that predicted and correlated with hypogonadism were advanced age, obesity, a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and a poor general health status. Diabetes mellitus was correlated with hypogonadism in most stud...

ABSTRACT Objective The US Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits disc... more ABSTRACT Objective The US Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits discrimination in health insurance and employment in the USA based on genetic information and provides important protection to Americans who undergo genetic tests. Consumers need to understand GINA to take advantage of the protections it provides against genetic discrimination. However, research regarding people's awareness of this law is scant. This study used an online survey to evaluate people's awareness of the GINA 2008 in the USA. Methods An anonymous online survey was distributed by Qualtrics to a general population panel of US residents in April 2011. The inclusion criterion for the study was adults aged 18–64. The 17-item survey included two multiple-choice questions to measure awareness and knowledge of the GINA. Key findingsA total of 295 responses were collected over 4 days. Only 26 respondents (8.8%) indicated they had ever heard of the GINA 2008. When those who have heard of the Act were asked about further details, only 10 people (3.4%) could correctly identify that the GINA prohibits the improper use of genetic information in health insurance and employment. Respondents with male gender, family history of Alzheimer's disease and caregiving experience for Alzheimer's disease patients were more likely to be aware of the GINA 2008. Conclusion Three years after GINA 2008 was signed into US federal law, people's awareness of this law was found to be low. More effective dissemination of information related to this federal law may be required to improve protection against genetic discrimination.

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 2012

There is no consensus on the preferred approach to assess journal quality. Procedures previously ... more There is no consensus on the preferred approach to assess journal quality. Procedures previously used include journal acceptance or rejection policies, impact factors, number of subscribers, citation counts, whether the articles were refereed or not, and journals cited in books within the discipline. This study built on the work of previous authors by using a novel approach to assess journal quality in social and administrative pharmacy (SAdP). To determine U.S. SAdP faculty perceptions of prestigious journals for their research, SAdP faculty perceptions of prestigious journals by their promotion and tenure (P&T) committees, and current research trends in SAdP. A census of U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy was conducted using an e-mailed survey and an open-ended approach requiring respondents to list their preferred journals. Seventy-nine SAdP faculty reported that the 5 most prestigious journals were JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Health Affairs, Health Services Research, and Medical Care. These journals were selected because respondents wished to seek broad readership. Results of this study can be used as a guide by U.S. SAdP faculty and P&T committees to assess the quality of publications by pharmacy administration faculty with the caveat being that pharmacy versus nonpharmacy journals will be chosen based on the fit of the article with the audience.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess consumer preferences for predictive genetic testing for A... more The purpose of this study was to assess consumer preferences for predictive genetic testing for Alzheimer disease in the United States. A rating conjoint analysis was conducted using an anonymous online survey distributed by Qualtrics® to a general population panel in April 2011 in the United States. The study design included three attributes: Accuracy (40 %, 80 %, and 100 %), Treatment Availability (Cure is available/Drug for symptom relief but no cure), and Anonymity (Anonymous/Not anonymous). A total of 12 scenarios were used to elicit people's preference, assessed by an 11-point scale. The respondents also indicated their highest willingness-to-pay (WTP) for each scenario through openended questions. A total of 295 responses were collected over 4 days. The most important attribute for the aggregate model was Accuracy, contributing 64.73 % to the preference rating. Treatment Availability and Anonymity contributed 20.72 % and 14.59 %, respectively, to the preference rating. The median WTP for the highest-rating scenario (Accuracy 100 %, a cure is available, test result is anonymous) was 100(mean=100 (mean=100(mean=276). The median WTP for the lowest-rating scenario (40 % accuracy, no cure but drugs for symptom relief, not anonymous) was zero (mean=$34). The results of this study highlight attributes people find important when making the hypothetical decision to obtain an AD genetic test. These results should be of interests to policy makers, genetic test developers and health care providers.

Journal of Controlled Release, 2007

Coupling anticancer drugs to synthetic polymers is a promising approach to improve the efficacy a... more Coupling anticancer drugs to synthetic polymers is a promising approach to improve the efficacy and reduce the side effects of these drugs. The pH-activated polymer has been demonstrated to be a successful drug delivery vehicle system, whereas the photochemical internalization (PCI) was invented for site-specific delivery of membrane impermeable macromolecules from endocytic vesicles into the cytosol. In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) was conjugated to polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers via pH-sensitive and -insensitive linkers and was combined with different PCI strategies to evaluate the cytotoxic effects. Our results showed that both PCI strategies significantly improved the cytotoxicity of free DOX on Ca9-22 cells at higher concentrations. The 'light after' PCI treatment was efficient in releasing DOX from the PAMAM-hyd-DOX conjugates, resulted in more nuclear accumulation of DOX and more cell death through synergistic effects. On the other hand, antagonism was observed when 'light before' PCI combined with PAMAM-hyd-DOX conjugate. The distribution of PAMAM-amide-DOX was mainly cytosolic with or without PCI treatments. Both PCI strategies failed to improve the cytotoxicity of PAMAM-amide-DOX conjugates. Our results provide invaluable information in the future design of drug-polymer complexes for multi-modality cancer treatments.

Background and aims: Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults younger than 65 with high... more Background and aims: Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for adults younger than 65 with high-risk conditions (HRCs) in the U.S. and many other countries. However, there are limited pneumococcal vaccination coverage data in these high-risk adults, especially those enrolled in Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income and disabled people. This study aimed to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and associated factors in the U.S. Medicaid population with HRCs. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included adults aged 19-64 years with newly diagnosed HRCs from 2007-2010, and with continuous enrollment =3 years in the U.S. Medicaid database. Descriptive and regression analyses were applied to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and time to pneumococcal vaccination from initial diagnosis to the end of enrollment or 2011. Results: Overall pneumococcal vaccination coverage was 6.2% among 57,089 Medicaid-enrollees with HRCs. Coverage was highest in pati...

Background and aims: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all adults ... more Background and aims: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends all adults 65 years and older should receive pneumococcal vaccination. Yet there are limited real-world data on the timing of when older adults receive pneumococcal vaccination. This study aimed to examine pneumococcal vaccination coverage and factors associated with receiving pneumococcal vaccination in a large U.S. managed care elderly population. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study included adults who turned 65 years old in 2007 and with continuous enrollment from 2007-2012 in a large administrative claims database. Applying descriptive and regression analyses, the study population were followed from age 65 to 70 to examine their pneumococcal vaccination coverage. Results: Among 56,983 adults who turned 65 years old in 2007, 16.5% received pneumococcal vaccination between ages 65-70. Of those vaccinated, pneumococcal vaccination coverage was highest when patients were 65 years...

Value in Health, 2015

ABSTRACT Background: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends pneu... more ABSTRACT Background: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends pneumococcal vaccination for adults younger than 65 with high-risk conditions (HRCs). Yet there are limited real-world data on pneumococcal vaccination coverage (PVC) in these high-risk adults. This study aims to examine PVC and factors associated with PVC in a large US managed care population with HRCs that are included in the ACIP recommendation. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, adults aged 19-64 years with newly diagnosed HRCs from 2007 to 2010 and with continuous enrollment for at least 3 years in a large administrative claims database were identified and followed until the end of enrollment or 2011. Outcomes of interest included PVC and time to pneumococcal vaccination from the initial diagnosis. Descriptive and regression analyses were applied to assess PVC, compare patient characteristics across pneumococcal vaccination status, and examine factors associated with PVC. Results: The overall PVC was 7.0% among 1,105,328 adults with HRCs. PVC was highest in patients with HIV/AIDS (30.5%), followed by diabetes (11.0%), asplenia (7.9%), chronic lung disease (7.7%), chronic renal disease (7.1%), chronic heart disease (6.2%), organ transplant (5.0%), cochlear implant (4.5%), cancer (4.5%), chronic liver disease (4.3%), smoking (4.2%), and alcoholism (2.3%). Patients with HRCs aged 50-64 years had higher PVC (8.8%) than those aged 19-49 years (4.4%). Among those who received pneumococcal vaccination, the majority was vaccinated in the physician’s office (92%); the average time to vaccination was 486 days, ranging from 225 days for patients with HIV/AIDS to 607 days for patients with alcoholism. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that HRCs, older age, male, west region, enrollment in an HMO health plan, increased healthcare encounters, and influenza vaccination were significant predictors of receiving pneumococcal vaccination (all p<0.001). Conclusion: While PVC varies by HRCs and sociodemographic characteristics, overall PVC remains low in adults with HRCs. Findings underscore the need for better interventions to improve pneumococcal vaccination in this high-risk adult population.

Andrology, 2014

The objective of this review was to summarize the literature on the risk factors, comorbidities, ... more The objective of this review was to summarize the literature on the risk factors, comorbidities, and consequences of male hypogonadism, which is defined as a syndrome complex that includes biochemical confirmation of low testosterone (T) and the consistent symptoms and signs associated with low T. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library for articles published in the last 10 years on risk factors, comorbidities, and consequences of male hypogonadism. Of the 53 relevant studies identified, nine examined potential risk factors, 14 examined potential comorbidities, and 30 examined potential consequences of male hypogonadism. Based on studies conducted in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North & South America, the important factors that predicted and correlated with hypogonadism were advanced age, obesity, a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS), and a poor general health status. Diabetes mellitus was correlated with hypogonadism in most stud...

ABSTRACT Objective The US Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits disc... more ABSTRACT Objective The US Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 prohibits discrimination in health insurance and employment in the USA based on genetic information and provides important protection to Americans who undergo genetic tests. Consumers need to understand GINA to take advantage of the protections it provides against genetic discrimination. However, research regarding people's awareness of this law is scant. This study used an online survey to evaluate people's awareness of the GINA 2008 in the USA. Methods An anonymous online survey was distributed by Qualtrics to a general population panel of US residents in April 2011. The inclusion criterion for the study was adults aged 18–64. The 17-item survey included two multiple-choice questions to measure awareness and knowledge of the GINA. Key findingsA total of 295 responses were collected over 4 days. Only 26 respondents (8.8%) indicated they had ever heard of the GINA 2008. When those who have heard of the Act were asked about further details, only 10 people (3.4%) could correctly identify that the GINA prohibits the improper use of genetic information in health insurance and employment. Respondents with male gender, family history of Alzheimer's disease and caregiving experience for Alzheimer's disease patients were more likely to be aware of the GINA 2008. Conclusion Three years after GINA 2008 was signed into US federal law, people's awareness of this law was found to be low. More effective dissemination of information related to this federal law may be required to improve protection against genetic discrimination.

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 2012

There is no consensus on the preferred approach to assess journal quality. Procedures previously ... more There is no consensus on the preferred approach to assess journal quality. Procedures previously used include journal acceptance or rejection policies, impact factors, number of subscribers, citation counts, whether the articles were refereed or not, and journals cited in books within the discipline. This study built on the work of previous authors by using a novel approach to assess journal quality in social and administrative pharmacy (SAdP). To determine U.S. SAdP faculty perceptions of prestigious journals for their research, SAdP faculty perceptions of prestigious journals by their promotion and tenure (P&T) committees, and current research trends in SAdP. A census of U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy was conducted using an e-mailed survey and an open-ended approach requiring respondents to list their preferred journals. Seventy-nine SAdP faculty reported that the 5 most prestigious journals were JAMA, New England Journal of Medicine, Health Affairs, Health Services Research, and Medical Care. These journals were selected because respondents wished to seek broad readership. Results of this study can be used as a guide by U.S. SAdP faculty and P&T committees to assess the quality of publications by pharmacy administration faculty with the caveat being that pharmacy versus nonpharmacy journals will be chosen based on the fit of the article with the audience.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2014

The purpose of this study was to assess consumer preferences for predictive genetic testing for A... more The purpose of this study was to assess consumer preferences for predictive genetic testing for Alzheimer disease in the United States. A rating conjoint analysis was conducted using an anonymous online survey distributed by Qualtrics® to a general population panel in April 2011 in the United States. The study design included three attributes: Accuracy (40 %, 80 %, and 100 %), Treatment Availability (Cure is available/Drug for symptom relief but no cure), and Anonymity (Anonymous/Not anonymous). A total of 12 scenarios were used to elicit people's preference, assessed by an 11-point scale. The respondents also indicated their highest willingness-to-pay (WTP) for each scenario through openended questions. A total of 295 responses were collected over 4 days. The most important attribute for the aggregate model was Accuracy, contributing 64.73 % to the preference rating. Treatment Availability and Anonymity contributed 20.72 % and 14.59 %, respectively, to the preference rating. The median WTP for the highest-rating scenario (Accuracy 100 %, a cure is available, test result is anonymous) was 100(mean=100 (mean=100(mean=276). The median WTP for the lowest-rating scenario (40 % accuracy, no cure but drugs for symptom relief, not anonymous) was zero (mean=$34). The results of this study highlight attributes people find important when making the hypothetical decision to obtain an AD genetic test. These results should be of interests to policy makers, genetic test developers and health care providers.

Journal of Controlled Release, 2007

Coupling anticancer drugs to synthetic polymers is a promising approach to improve the efficacy a... more Coupling anticancer drugs to synthetic polymers is a promising approach to improve the efficacy and reduce the side effects of these drugs. The pH-activated polymer has been demonstrated to be a successful drug delivery vehicle system, whereas the photochemical internalization (PCI) was invented for site-specific delivery of membrane impermeable macromolecules from endocytic vesicles into the cytosol. In this study, doxorubicin (DOX) was conjugated to polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers via pH-sensitive and -insensitive linkers and was combined with different PCI strategies to evaluate the cytotoxic effects. Our results showed that both PCI strategies significantly improved the cytotoxicity of free DOX on Ca9-22 cells at higher concentrations. The 'light after' PCI treatment was efficient in releasing DOX from the PAMAM-hyd-DOX conjugates, resulted in more nuclear accumulation of DOX and more cell death through synergistic effects. On the other hand, antagonism was observed when 'light before' PCI combined with PAMAM-hyd-DOX conjugate. The distribution of PAMAM-amide-DOX was mainly cytosolic with or without PCI treatments. Both PCI strategies failed to improve the cytotoxicity of PAMAM-amide-DOX conjugates. Our results provide invaluable information in the future design of drug-polymer complexes for multi-modality cancer treatments.