February 2019

Since its passage in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has remained at the forefront of public policy debate in the United States. The ACA provides insurance marketplaces, subsidies, and expanded eligibility to U.S. residents, and has been associated with roughly 20 million fewer uninsured Americans. Yet looking forward, the ACA continues to face challenges that make its abiding impact and legacy uncertain.

In this month's Editorial, PLOS Medicine Academic Editor Zirui Song and his colleague Adrianna McIntyre discuss health care outcomes, legislative and judicial challenges, and possible futures for the ACA as it nears the ten-year mark.

Image Credit: Obama White House, Flickr

Editorial

The US Affordable Care Act: Reflections and directions at the close of a decade

Adrianna McIntyre, Zirui Song

PLOS Medicine: published February 26, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002752

Guidelines and Guidance

COSMOS-E: Guidance on conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies of etiology

Olaf M. Dekkers, Jan P. Vandenbroucke, Myriam Cevallos, Andrew G. Renehan, Douglas G. Altman, Matthias Egger

PLOS Medicine: published February 21, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002742

Constructing care cascades for active tuberculosis: A strategy for program monitoring and identifying gaps in quality of care

Ramnath Subbaraman, Ruvandhi R. Nathavitharana, Kenneth H. Mayer, Srinath Satyanarayana, Vineet K. Chadha, Nimalan Arinaminpathy, Madhukar Pai

PLOS Medicine: published February 27, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002754

Collection Review

Setting targets for HIV/AIDS—What lessons can be learned from other disease control programmes?

Tazeem Bhatia, Jamie Enoch, Mishal Khan, Sophie Mathewson, David Heymann, Richard Hayes, Osman Dar

PLOS Medicine: published February 4, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002735

Research Articles

Lifetime risk and multimorbidity of non-communicable diseases and disease-free life expectancy in the general population: A population-based cohort study

Silvan Licher, Alis Heshmatollah, Kimberly D. van der Willik, Bruno H. Ch. Stricker, Rikje Ruiter, Emmely W. de Roos, Lies Lahousse, Peter J. Koudstaal, Albert Hofman, Lana Fani, Guy G. O. Brusselle, Daniel Bos, Banafsheh Arshi, Maryam Kavousi, Maarten J. G. Leening, M. Kamran Ikram, M. Arfan Ikram

PLOS Medicine: published February 4, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002741

Trazodone use and risk of dementia: A population-based cohort study

Ruth Brauer, Wallis C. Y. Lau, Joseph F. Hayes, Kenneth K. C. Man, David P. J. Osborn, Robert Howard, Joseph Kim, Ian C. K. Wong

PLOS Medicine: published February 5, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002728

Long-term outcomes of an educational intervention to reduce antibiotic prescribing for childhood upper respiratory tract infections in rural China: Follow-up of a cluster-randomised controlled trial

Xiaolin Wei, Zhitong Zhang, Joseph P. Hicks, John D. Walley, Rebecca King, James N. Newell, Jia Yin, Jun Zeng, Yan Guo, Mei Lin, Ross E. G. Upshur, Qiang Sun

PLOS Medicine: published February 5, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002733

The effect of a programme to improve men’s sedentary time and physical activity: The European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) randomised controlled trial

Sally Wyke, Christopher Bunn, Eivind Andersen, Marlene N. Silva, Femke van Nassau, Paula McSkimming, Spyros Kolovos, Jason M. R. Gill, Cindy M. Gray, Kate Hunt, Annie S. Anderson, Judith Bosmans, Judith G. M. Jelsma, Sharon Kean, Nicolas Lemyre, David W. Loudon, Lisa Macaulay, Douglas J. Maxwell, Alex McConnachie, Nanette Mutrie, Maria Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Hugo V. Pereira, Matthew Philpott, Glyn C. Roberts, John Rooksby, Øystein B. Røynesdal, Naveed Sattar, Marit Sørensen, Pedro J. Teixeira, Shaun Treweek, Theo van Achterberg, Irene van de Glind, Willem van Mechelen, Hidde P. van der Ploeg

PLOS Medicine: published February 5, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002736

Maternal body mass index, gestational weight gain, and the risk of overweight and obesity across childhood: An individual participant data meta-analysis

Ellis Voerman, Susana Santos, Bernadeta Patro Golab, Pilar Amiano, Ferran Ballester, Henrique Barros, Anna Bergström, Marie-Aline Charles, Leda Chatzi, Cécile Chevrier, George P. Chrousos, Eva Corpeleijn, Nathalie Costet, Sarah Crozier, Graham Devereux, Merete Eggesbø, Sandra Ekström, Maria Pia Fantini, Sara Farchi, Francesco Forastiere, Vagelis Georgiu, Keith M. Godfrey, Davide Gori, Veit Grote, Wojciech Hanke, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Barbara Heude, Daniel Hryhorczuk, Rae-Chi Huang, Hazel Inskip, Nina Iszatt, Anne M. Karvonen, Louise C. Kenny, Berthold Koletzko, Leanne K. Küpers, Hanna Lagström, Irina Lehmann, Per Magnus, Renata Majewska, Johanna Mäkelä, Yannis Manios, Fionnuala M. McAuliffe, Sheila W. McDonald, John Mehegan, Monique Mommers, Camilla S. Morgen, Trevor A. Mori, George Moschonis, Deirdre Murray, Carol Ní Chaoimh, Ellen A. Nohr, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen, Emily Oken, Adriëtte J. J. M. Oostvogels, Agnieszka Pac, Eleni Papadopoulou, Juha Pekkanen, Costanza Pizzi, Kinga Polanska, Daniela Porta, Lorenzo Richiardi, Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman, Luca Ronfani, Ana C. Santos, Marie Standl, Camilla Stoltenberg, Elisabeth Thiering, Carel Thijs, Maties Torrent, Suzanne C. Tough, Tomas Trnovec, Steve Turner, Lenie van Rossem, Andrea von Berg, Martine Vrijheid, Tanja G. M. Vrijkotte, Jane West, Alet Wijga, John Wright, Oleksandr Zvinchuk, Thorkild I. A. Sørensen, Debbie A. Lawlor, Romy Gaillard, Vincent W. V. Jaddoe

PLOS Medicine: published February 11, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002744

Community-, facility-, and individual-level outcomes of a district mental healthcare plan in a low-resource setting in Nepal: A population-based evaluation

Mark J. D. Jordans, Nagendra P. Luitel, Brandon A. Kohrt, Sujit D. Rathod, Emily C. Garman, Mary De Silva, Ivan H. Komproe, Vikram Patel, Crick Lund

PLOS Medicine: published February 14, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002748

The impact of targeted malaria elimination with mass drug administrations on falciparum malaria in Southeast Asia: A cluster randomised trial

Lorenz von Seidlein, Thomas J. Peto, Jordi Landier, Thuy-Nhien Nguyen, Rupam Tripura, Koukeo Phommasone, Tiengkham Pongvongsa, Khin Maung Lwin, Lilly Keereecharoen, Ladda Kajeechiwa, May Myo Thwin, Daniel M. Parker, Jacher Wiladphaingern, Suphak Nosten, Stephane Proux, Vincent Corbel, Nguyen Tuong-Vy, Truong Le Phuc-Nhi, Do Hung Son, Pham Nguyen Huong-Thu, Nguyen Thi Kim Tuyen, Nguyen Thanh Tien, Le Thanh Dong, Dao Van Hue, Huynh Hong Quang, Chea Nguon, Chan Davoeung, Huy Rekol, Bipin Adhikari, Gisela Henriques, Panom Phongmany, Preyanan Suangkanarat, Atthanee Jeeyapant, Benchawan Vihokhern, Rob W. van der Pluijm, Yoel Lubell, Lisa J. White, Ricardo Aguas, Cholrawee Promnarate, Pasathorn Sirithiranont, Benoit Malleret, Laurent Rénia, Carl Onsjö, Xin Hui Chan, Jeremy Chalk, Olivo Miotto, Krittaya Patumrat, Kesinee Chotivanich, Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn, Podjanee Jittmala, Nils Kaehler, Phaik Yeong Cheah, Christopher Pell, Mehul Dhorda, Mallika Imwong, Georges Snounou, Mavuto Mukaka, Pimnara Peerawaranun, Sue J. Lee, Julie A. Simpson, Sasithon Pukrittayakamee, Pratap Singhasivanon, Martin P. Grobusch, Frank Cobelens, Frank Smithuis, Paul N. Newton, Guy E. Thwaites, Nicholas P. J. Day, Mayfong Mayxay, Tran Tinh Hien, Francois H. Nosten, Arjen M. Dondorp, Nicholas J. White

PLOS Medicine: published February 15, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002745

National policies and care provision in pregnancy and childbirth for twins in Eastern and Southern Africa: A mixed-methods multi-country study

Claudia Hanson, Stephen Munjanja, Agnes Binagwaho, Bellington Vwalika, Andrea B. Pembe, Elsa Jacinto, George K. Chilinda, Kateri B. Donahoe, Sikolia Z. Wanyonyi, Peter Waiswa, Muchabayiwa F. Gidiri, Lenka Benova

PLOS Medicine: published February 19, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002749

The association between heatwaves and risk of hospitalization in Brazil: A nationwide time series study between 2000 and 2015

Qi Zhao, Shanshan Li, Micheline S. Z. S. Coelho, Paulo H. N. Saldiva, Kejia Hu, Rachel R. Huxley, Michael J. Abramson, Yuming Guo

PLOS Medicine: published February 22, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002753

Antenatal corticosteroid therapy (ACT) and size at birth: A population-based analysis using the Finnish Medical Birth Register

Alina Rodriguez, Yingbo Wang, Anohki Ali Khan, Rufus Cartwright, Mika Gissler, Marjo-Riitta Järvelin

PLOS Medicine: published February 26, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002746

A reduced-carbohydrate and lactose-free formulation for stabilization among hospitalized children with severe acute malnutrition: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial

Robert H. J. Bandsma, Wieger Voskuijl, Emmanuel Chimwezi, Greg Fegan, André Briend, Johnstone Thitiri, Moses Ngari, Laura Mwalekwa, Victor Bandika, Rehema Ali, Fauzat Hamid, Betty Owor, Neema Mturi, Isabel Potani, Benjamin Allubha, Anneke C. Muller Kobold, Rosalie H. Bartels, Christian J. Versloot, Marjon Feenstra, Deborah A. van den Brink, Patrick F. van Rheenen, Marko Kerac, Celine Bourdon, James A. Berkley

PLOS Medicine: published February 26, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002747

Patterns of joint involvement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis and prediction of disease course: A prospective study with multilayer non-negative matrix factorization

Simon W. M. Eng, Florence A. Aeschlimann, Mira van Veenendaal, Roberta A. Berard, Alan M. Rosenberg, Quaid Morris, Rae S. M. Yeung, on behalf of the ReACCh-Out Research Consortium

PLOS Medicine: published February 26, 2019 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002750

Cover

The U.S. Affordable Care Act: Reflections and directions at the close of a decade