2020 Patient Data Breach Barometer

In 2019, the healthcare industry continued to be plagued by data breaches involving sensitive patient information, with public reports of hacking jumping a staggering 48.6% from 2018. This number of reported hacking incidents is a reminder of how vulnerable patient data remain. An analysis by Protenus is based on 572 health data breaches reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the media, or some other source during 2019. For the 481 incidents where data exist, breaches had an impact on 41,404,022 patients, which is likely to be a huge underestimate. Two incidents for which there were no data affected 500 dental practices and clinics and could affect significant volumes of patient records. The number of breaches went from 503 in 2018 to 572 in 2019, along with a substantial increase in the number of affected records. In 2019, the total number of affected records almost tripled when compared to 2018 data (i.e., 15,085,302 affected records).

Self-reported Marijuana Use In Electronic Cigarettes Among U.S. Youth

The National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) is a cross-sectional, school-based study conducted annually using a stratified, three-stage cluster sampling design to produce a nationally representative sample of middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students in the U.S. They were asked about whether they ever have used marijuana in an e-cigarette. As reported in the February 4, 2020 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study identified a significant increase in self-reported ever marijuana use in e-cigarettes from 2017 to 2018 among U.S. students. Prevalence estimates reported for all students (14.7%) and current e-cigarette users (53.5%) in 2018 also were much higher than those reported in 2016 (8.9% and 39.5%, respectively). The increase in marijuana use in e-cigarettes could be attributable to the increase of sales of pod-mod–style e-cigarette products, access to marijuana through informal sources (e.g., friends, family members, illicit dealers), and reduced perception among adolescents of the harms of marijuana use.

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CORNER

Light-Adapted Electroretinogram Differences In Autism Spectrum Disorder

A new eye scan could help identify autism in children years earlier than currently possible. This non-invasive device uses a hand-held instrument to locate a pattern of subtle electrical signals in the retina that are different in children on the autism spectrum. According to a manuscript published on February 7, 2020 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the retina is an accessible model of neural connectivity in the brain where specific retinal signaling pathways can be probed and measured with an electroretinogram (ERG). Light-adapted (LA) electroretinograms (ERGs) of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were compared to control subjects in a multicenter study of children. The results show that the LA-ERG is a potential marker for neurodevelopmental conditions, such as ASD in children. These potential biomarkers for ASD also could allow for early detection of other disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Evolving Magnetically Levitated Plasma Proteins Detect Opioid Use Disorder As A Model Disease

As reported on January 29, 2020 in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, new research from the University of British Columbia, Harvard Medical School, and Michigan State University suggests that levitating human plasma may lead to faster, more reliable, portable, and simpler disease detection. The researchers used a stream of electricity that acted like a magnet and separated protein from blood plasma, which is the clear, liquid portion that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and other cellular components are removed. The basic notion is that as plasma proteins are different densities, when separated the proteins levitate at different heights, and therefore become identifiable. An evaluation of these types of proteins and how they group together can produce a picture that identifies whether a patient has the possibility of contracting a disease or becoming addicted to drugs, such as opioids.

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2020 Patient Data Breach Barometer

Self-reported Marijuana Use In Electronic Cigarettes Among U.S. Youth

HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CORNER

Light-Adapted Electroretinogram Differences In Autism Spectrum Disorder

Evolving Magnetically Levitated Plasma Proteins Detect Opioid Use Disorder As A Model Disease

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