Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialA lay health worker intervention to improve breast and cervical cancer screening among Latinas in El Paso, Texas: A randomized control trial.
We examined the effectiveness of a lay health worker (promotora)-delivered intervention on increasing breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income, primarily uninsured Latinas living in El Paso, Texas. ⋯ A promotora-delivered behavioral intervention, embedded in a community-based organization, increased mammography uptake in all women and Pap uptake among women 50 years and older in a sample of low-income Latinas. NCT04397744.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Comparative StudyIncreased alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic: The effect of mental health and age in a cross-sectional sample of social media users in the U.S.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a public health crisis of unprecedented scale. Increased alcohol use has been extensively documented during other crises, particularly among persons with anxiety and depression. Despite COVID-19's differential impact by age, the association of age, mental health and alcohol use during the pandemic has not been explored. ⋯ Adjusted odds ratios of reporting increased alcohol use were 1.41 (95% CI = 1.20-1.66) among respondents with anxiety symptoms and 1.64 (95% CI = 1.21-2.23) among those with depressive symptoms compared to those without such symptoms. Whereas respondents aged 18-39 years had the highest probability of reporting increased alcohol use, the probability of older persons (40-59 and ≥60 years) reporting increased drinking was much greater among those with symptoms of anxiety and depression, compared to those without symptoms. These findings warrant age-differentiated public health messaging on the risks of excessive alcohol use and scale-up of substance use services for middle-aged and older adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of fact-checking social media vaccine misinformation on attitudes toward vaccines.
Social media vaccine misinformation can negatively influence vaccine attitudes. It is urgent to develop communication approaches to reduce the misinformation's impact. This study aimed to test the effects of fact-checking labels for misinformation on attitudes toward vaccines. ⋯ Exposure to fact-checking labels on misinformation can generate more positive attitudes toward vaccines in comparison to exposure to misinformation. Incorporating labels from trusted universities and health institutions on social media platforms is a promising direction for addressing the vaccine misinformation problem. This points to the necessity for closer collaboration between public health and research institutions and social media companies to join efforts in addressing the current misinformation threat.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Tobacco product use and susceptibility to use among sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents.
Sexual identity is associated with tobacco use in adults. We examined tobacco use and susceptibility to use by sexual identity in adolescents. Data were collected in February 2019 via Qualtrics research participant panels. ⋯ The current findings indicate greater susceptibility to use e-cigarettes and greater tobacco product initiation, but not continuation, among sexual minority adolescents. Sexual minority-tailored interventions may be warranted to prevent tobacco product initiation. Worth exploring are the associations between sexual identity, tobacco marketing exposure, and friend(s)' e-cigarette use.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2021
Association between physical activity and subjective memory decline triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the PAMPA cohort.
Implementation of social distancing reduced the incidence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. Nevertheless, this strategy has other undesirable effects such as physical inactivity and psychological distress, which are associated with cognitive impairment. We aimed to examine whether physical activity during social distancing restrictions could reduce the risk of subjective memory decline in adults. ⋯ Participants were less likely to experience subjective memory decline if they either became (PR: 0.56; 95%CI: 0.36, 0.89) or remained (PR: 0.68; 95%CI: 0.49, 0.93) physically active compared to inactive respondents. Physical activity participation during social distancing reduced the likelihood of subjective memory decline in adults. Physical activity should be highlighted as a potential alternative to reduce the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic on cognitive function and mental health.