Robert Becher, MD, MS, FACS
Associate Professor of Surgery (General, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care)Cards
About
Research
Publications
2025
Incomplete Ascertainment of Mortality in a Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study of Community-Living Older Americans
Gill T, Liang J, Vander Wyk B, Leo-Summers L, Wang Y, Becher R, Davis-Plourde K. Incomplete Ascertainment of Mortality in a Nationally Representative Longitudinal Study of Community-Living Older Americans. The Journals Of Gerontology Series A 2025, glaf014. PMID: 39823281, DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glaf014.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNational Health and Aging Trends StudyAscertainment of mortalityIncomplete ascertainmentLongitudinal studies of older personsStudy of older personsNationally representative longitudinal studyIncidence rate ratiosLoss to follow-upMortality incidence ratesYear of deathLongitudinal studyRepresentative longitudinal studyCommunity-livingTrends StudyOlder personsRecommended strategiesMedicare dataRate ratiosCumulative mortality rateIncidence rateResults of longitudinal analysesAscertainmentEvaluate mortalityLongitudinal analysisDecedents
2024
Neighborhood Disadvantage in a Nationally Representative Sample of Community-Living Older US Adults
Gill T, Leo-Summers L, Vander Wyk B, Becher R, Liang J. Neighborhood Disadvantage in a Nationally Representative Sample of Community-Living Older US Adults. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e2450332. PMID: 39666339, PMCID: PMC11638794, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.50332.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNational Health and Aging Trends StudyCommunity-living older adultsNationally representative sampleNon-Hispanic blacksNeighborhood disadvantageSocioeconomic deprivationOlder adultsIndividual-level socioeconomic characteristicsLong-term mortalityIndicators of socioeconomic deprivationNon-Hispanic White individualsNon-Hispanic white participantsRepresentative sampleCohort studySocioeconomic characteristicsCommunity-living personsNeighborhood socioeconomic disadvantageArea Deprivation IndexOlder US adultsGeriatric characteristicsPopulation-based estimatesAscertainment of mortalityHigher education levelCensus block levelHigh school diplomaPopulation‐based estimates of major forms of housing insecurity among community‐living older Americans
Paredes L, Wang Y, Keene D, Gill T, Becher R. Population‐based estimates of major forms of housing insecurity among community‐living older Americans. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2024, 72: 3773-3783. PMID: 39229863, PMCID: PMC11637970, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19167.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPoor housing affordabilityPoor housing qualityPoor neighborhood qualityNational Health and Aging Trends StudyPopulation-based estimatesHousing insecurityOlder AmericansOlder adultsImprove social determinants of healthSocial determinants of healthHigh-risk older adultsStudy of Medicare beneficiariesCalculated population-based estimatesImprove social determinantsDeterminants of healthMultidimensional approachPersons of colorHousing affordabilityNeighborhood qualityAdequate housingHousing qualityDementia statusProspective longitudinal studyTrends StudyMedicare beneficiariesChanges in neighborhood disadvantage over the course of 22 years among community‐living older persons
Gill T, Becher R, Leo‐Summers L, Gahbauer E. Changes in neighborhood disadvantage over the course of 22 years among community‐living older persons. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 2024 PMID: 39206716, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19172.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchArea Deprivation IndexArea deprivation index scoreNeighborhood disadvantageDisadvantaged neighborhoodsOlder personsLongitudinal studies of older personsCommunity-living older personsSocial determinants of healthStudy of older personsCommunity-living personsDeterminants of healthFunctional well-beingCensus block levelSouth central ConnecticutDeprivation indexSocial determinantsFollow-upProspective longitudinal studyWell-beingLongitudinal studyDecile changeCentral ConnecticutNeighborhoodParticipantsPersonsAssociation Between Cognitive Trajectories and Subsequent Health Status, Depressive Symptoms, and Mortality Among Older Adults in the United States: Findings From a Nationally Representative Study
Zang E, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Wu B, Fried T, Becher R, Gill T. Association Between Cognitive Trajectories and Subsequent Health Status, Depressive Symptoms, and Mortality Among Older Adults in the United States: Findings From a Nationally Representative Study. The Journals Of Gerontology Series A 2024, 79: glae143. PMID: 38845419, PMCID: PMC11212484, DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae143.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPoor health statusHealth statusDepressive symptomsOlder adultsHealth outcomesCognitive trajectoriesNational Health and Aging Trends StudyScreening of cognitive functionTrajectory groupsCognitive functionHigher depressive symptomsPopulation-based dataAdverse health outcomesNationally representative cohortGroup-based trajectory modelingHigher mortality riskAssociated with higher riskNationally-representative studyLogistic regression modelsTrends StudyRepresentative cohortGlobal cognitionLiving respondentsRegular screeningMortality riskImmunotherapy Initiation at the End of Life in Patients With Metastatic Cancer in the US
Kerekes D, Frey A, Prsic E, Tran T, Clune J, Sznol M, Kluger H, Forman H, Becher R, Olino K, Khan S. Immunotherapy Initiation at the End of Life in Patients With Metastatic Cancer in the US. JAMA Oncology 2024, 10: 342-351. PMID: 38175659, PMCID: PMC10767643, DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2023.6025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchNon-small cell lung cancerEnd of lifeMonth of deathImmunotherapy initiationCohort studyMAIN OUTCOMEStage IV non-small cell lung cancerCharlson-Deyo comorbidity indexHigh metastatic burdenInitiation of immunotherapyNational prescribing patternsRisk-adjusted patientsImmune checkpoint inhibitorsRetrospective cohort studyStage IV melanomaPercentage of patientsHigh-volume centersLocation of metastasesLow-volume centersOdds of deathCell lung cancerNational Clinical DatabaseLow-volume facilitiesDrug Administration approvalCheckpoint inhibitorsNational Estimates of Short- and Longer-Term Hospital Readmissions After Major Surgery Among Community-Living Older Adults
Wang Y, Leo-Summers L, Vander Wyk B, Davis-Plourde K, Gill T, Becher R. National Estimates of Short- and Longer-Term Hospital Readmissions After Major Surgery Among Community-Living Older Adults. JAMA Network Open 2024, 7: e240028. PMID: 38416499, PMCID: PMC10902728, DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.0028.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCenters for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesFee-for-serviceMedicare Advantage beneficiariesHospital readmissionUS residentsNational Health and Aging Trends Study dataCommunity-living older adultsProspective longitudinal cohort studyCommunity-living participantsRate of hospital readmissionLikelihood of hospital readmissionPopulation-based estimatesNationally representative estimatesSex-adjusted modelsCommunity-livingData linkageGeriatric conditionsMedicaid ServicesOlder personsOlder adultsMain OutcomesNational estimatesRepresentative estimatesData analysisCohort study
2023
Relationship Between Distressing Symptoms and Changes in Disability After Major Surgery Among Community-living Older Persons
Gill T, Han L, Feder S, Gahbauer E, Leo-Summers L, Becher R. Relationship Between Distressing Symptoms and Changes in Disability After Major Surgery Among Community-living Older Persons. Annals Of Surgery 2023, 279: 65-70. PMID: 37389893, PMCID: PMC10761592, DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005984.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMajor surgeryDistressing symptomsElective surgeryFunctional outcomeOlder personsCommunity-living older personsMultiple distressing symptomsSocioeconomic disadvantageCommunity-living personsTiming of surgerySerious health eventsNumber of disabilitiesSurgerySignificant associationSymptomsHealth eventsRate ratioPotential targetDisabilityUnit increaseDeleterious effectsOutcomesPersonsMultimorbidityAdmission
2022
Population-Based Estimates of 1-Year Mortality After Major Surgery Among Community-Living Older US Adults
Gill TM, Vander Wyk B, Leo-Summers L, Murphy TE, Becher RD. Population-Based Estimates of 1-Year Mortality After Major Surgery Among Community-Living Older US Adults. JAMA Surgery 2022, 157: e225155. PMID: 36260323, PMCID: PMC9582971, DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2022.5155.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPopulation-based estimatesMajor surgeryMean survival timeOlder US adultsProbable dementiaUS adultsSurvival timeSex-adjusted hazard ratioProspective longitudinal cohort studyCommunity-living older adultsLongitudinal cohort studyPotential prognostic valueService Medicare beneficiariesNon-Hispanic blacksNon-Hispanic whitesAging Trends StudyGeriatric characteristicsCohort studyGeriatric surgeryHazard ratioNonelective surgeryElective surgeryGeriatric conditionsPrognostic valueMean ageThe effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence in Connecticut
O'Neill KM, Dodington J, Gawel M, Borrup K, Shapiro DS, Gates J, Gregg S, Becher RD. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on community violence in Connecticut. The American Journal Of Surgery 2022, 225: 775-780. PMID: 36253316, PMCID: PMC9540704, DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.10.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCommunity violenceCOVID-19 pandemicTrauma registry dataViolence-related traumaLarge-scale morbiditySystemic healthPatient presentationRegistry dataPre-COVID periodTraumaLinear regression modelsCOVID periodNegative healthRegression modelsPandemicHealthCOVID pandemicMorbidityInjuryMortalityLatinx communitiesSocial inequities
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General Surgery, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care; Colorectal Surgery; Minimally Invasive Surgery
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News
- December 12, 2024
Evaluating the Association Between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Mortality
- April 03, 2024
Understanding the Risks of Surgery in Older Adults
- March 01, 2024Source: HCPLive
Seniors Have Increased Hospital Readmission Risk Within 180 Days of Major Surgery
- February 28, 2024Source: YaleNews
Risk of Hospital Readmission After Surgery Is High for Older Americans
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General Surgery, Trauma & Surgical Critical Care
330 Cedar Street, PO Box 208062
New Haven, CT 06520-8062
United States
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