People living in rural areas are more likely to have obesity than those living in cities, and they are also less likely to have access to weight loss programs. A PCORI-funded study led by Christie Befort, PhD, at University of Kansas Medical Center Research compared three ways to treat obesity in rural populations: regular in-person clinic sessions, in-person group sessions, and phone-based group sessions. In a paper published January 2021 in JAMA, the study reported that people in the in-person group sessions averaged greater weight loss after 24 months than the other two groups.

When heart failure occurs or gets worse suddenly, it’s called acute heart failure, or AHF. In a PCORI-funded study led by Sean Collins, MD, MSc, at Vanderbilt University, researchers tested whether a self-care program with a coach supported patients with AHF after they left the emergency room more than usual care supported them. After 30 days, patients in the self-care program had fewer AHF-related deaths and visits to the emergency room, hospital, or clinic, and had higher ratings of their health than those who received usual care. However, these improvements did not hold 90 days after hospitalization. These results are explored in a paper in JAMA Cardiology.