Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID in US adults during the BA.4/BA.5 surge, June-July 2022.
Due to changes in SARS-CoV-2 testing practices, passive case-based surveillance may be an increasingly unreliable indicator for monitoring the burden of SARS-CoV-2, especially during surges. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a population-representative sample of 3042 U. S. adults between June 30 and July 2, 2022, during the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 surge. ⋯ SARS-CoV-2 prevalence was also higher among those with lower income (aPR 1.9, 95% CI 1.5, 2.3), lower education (aPR 3.7 95% CI 3.0,4.7), and those with comorbidities (aPR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4, 2.0). An estimated 21.5% (95% CI 18.2, 24.7) of respondents with a SARS-CoV-2 infection >4 weeks prior reported long COVID symptoms. The inequitable distribution of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence during the BA.4/BA.5 surge will likely drive inequities in the future burden of long COVID.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
Effectiveness and feasibility of three types of parent reminders to increase adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.
Parent reminders have produced modest improvements in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among adolescents. However, little prior research has compared the effectiveness and feasibility of different HPV reminder types in resource-limited settings. We conducted a quasi-experimental study (2016-2017) to evaluate the effectiveness of three parent reminder types (mailed letters, robocalls, text messages) on next-dose HPV vaccine receipt among 12-year-olds in a large Federally Qualified Health Center in Los Angeles County. ⋯ Robocalls were the least feasible reminder type. Text message reminders are feasible and effective for promoting HPV vaccination. Future research is needed to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of reminders compared to other vaccine promotion strategies.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
Screen time and suicidal behaviors among U.S. children 9-11 years old: A prospective cohort study.
Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents. Emerging literature has described relationships between excessive screen time and suicidal behaviors, though findings have been mixed. The objective of this study is to determine the prospective associations between screen time and suicidal behaviors two-years later in a national (U. ⋯ For specific screen time modalities, each additional hour of texting (aOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.06-1.74), video chatting (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 1.03-1.65), watching videos (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.39), and playing video games (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01-1.38) was associated with higher odds of subsequent suicidal behaviors. Higher screen time is associated with higher odds of reporting suicidal behaviors at two-year-follow-up. Future research should seek to identify how specific screen time experiences may influence suicidal behaviors.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
Cumulative life-course victimization and inflammation in a U.S. national sample: Comparing intersections based on sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, and education.
Violence victimization has been associated with low-grade inflammation. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) individuals are at greater risk for victimization in childhood and young adulthood compared to heterosexuals. Moreover, the intersection of LGB identity with gender, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment may be differentially associated with victimization rates. ⋯ Moreover, among LGB adults, the association between 1) less than college education and 2) some college education, and low-grade inflammation was mediated by cumulative life-course victimization. For LGB females, there was a direct association between identity and low-grade inflammation and this association was mediated by cumulative life-course victimization. Reducing accumulation of victimization could be critical for preventing biological dysregulation and disease onset among LGB individuals, particularly for those with multiple marginalized identities.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2023
Comment LetterCommentary on "Increased nicotine vaping due to the COVID-19 pandemic among US young adults: Associations with nicotine dependence, vaping frequency, and reasons for use".
This manuscript is a correspondence referencing an article published in Preventive Medicine.