American journal of preventive medicine
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Depending upon influenza vaccination history, children aged 6 months-8 years need one or two doses of influenza vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated. The objectives of this study were to quantify the percentage of children aged 6 months-8 years who were fully vaccinated against influenza based on parental report, overall, by state, and by sociodemographic characteristics, and to examine sociodemographic characteristics associated with being fully vaccinated. ⋯ Most children in the U.S. are not fully vaccinated against influenza. Reminder systems and interventions that reduce or remove barriers to children receiving their second doses of influenza vaccine may improve full influenza vaccination coverage among all children.
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Sexual minorities often experience poorer health than non-sexual minorities. However, extant knowledge remains limited regarding the sleep characteristics, a risk factor for chronic diseases and excess mortality, of sexual minorities compared with non-sexual minorities at the population level. ⋯ This study documented substantial disparities in sleep disturbances between sexual minorities and non-sexual minorities. These gaps cannot simply be explained by social and demographic factors. Interventions that target sexual minorities should pay attention to disparities in sleep and investigate methods to promote sleep health of sexual minorities.
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Transgender individuals experience pronounced disparities in health (e.g., mood disorders, suicide risk) and in the prevalence of social determinants of housing instability, financial strain, and violence. The objectives of this study were to understand the prevalence of social determinants among transgender veterans and assess their associations with medical conditions. ⋯ Social determinants are prevalent factors in transgender patients' lives, exhibiting strong associations with medical conditions. Documenting social determinants in electronic health records can help providers to identify and address these factors in treatment goals.