HYPOTHESIS Patients who undergo surgical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) will use fewer health care resources than those who continue to be treated medically during the same follow-up period. DESIGN Matched cohort study of patients with a diagnosis of GERD receiving surgical therapy or medical therapy. SETTING Tennessee Medicaid (TennCare) program from 1996 through 2000...

BACKGROUND The risk of invasive pneumococcal disease among persons with asthma is unknown. METHODS We conducted a nested case-control study to examine the association between asthma and invasive pneumococcal disease. The study population included persons 2 to 49 years of age who were enrolled in Tennessee's Medicaid program (TennCare) for more than one year during the study period (1995 throu...

background: screening rates for colorectal cancer (crc) are increasing nationwide including tennessee (tn); however, their up‑to‑date status is unknown. the objective of this study is to determine the trends and characteristics of tn adults who are up‑to‑date status with crc screening during 2002‑2008. methods: we examined data from the tn behavioral risk factor surveillance system for 2002, 20...

AT L A N TA — All adults with asthma should now receive pneumococcal immunization, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted June 25 at its summer meeting. The vote adds adults aged 1864 years with asthma to the list of individuals considered at increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Current Advisory Committee on Im...

OBJECTIVE To assess the link between very early erythromycin exposure and pyloric stenosis in young infants. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS Medicaid or TennCare (Tennessee's program for Medicaid enrollees and uninsured individuals) births in Tennessee from 1985 to 1997. Cases of infants with a hospital discharge diagnosis of pyloric stenosis and an associated su...