American journal of preventive medicine
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Understanding the role of alcohol in hypertension and heart problems requires a lifecourse perspective accounting for drinking patterns before onset of health problems that distinguishes between lifetime abstinence and former drinking, prior versus current drinking, and overall alcohol consumption in conjunction with heavy episodic drinking. Using prospective data among U.S. adults aged 21-55 years, this study accounts for these lifecourse factors to investigate the effect of alcohol on hypertension and heart problems. ⋯ This study confirms previous findings of increased hypertension risk from higher volume and heavier drinking patterns among women and men but did not find any support for increased heart problems risk, which may be due to the younger age profile of the sample. Further research that incorporates lifecourse drinking patterns is needed to better understand the alcohol-health relationship.
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Progress in U.S. 5-year survival trends for all cancers combined was assessed using the North American Cancer Survival Index, a sum of age-, sex-, and cancer site-standardized relative survival ratios. ⋯ Cancer Survival Index survival estimates increased among all race and sex subpopulations during 2005-2014. A substantial but decreasing survival gap persisted between blacks and whites. The Cancer Survival Index can assist decision makers and others in comparing cancer survival among populations and over time and in monitoring progress toward national cancer surveillance objectives.
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This study examined the association between state physical education time requirements and physical activity and physical education outcomes among high school students. ⋯ Findings from this study help support the role that physical education state requirements can play in enhancing adolescents' ability to meet recommended amounts of daily physical activity and the related public health benefits.
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With Zika vaccine candidates under development and women of childbearing age being the primary target population, now is the time to map the vaccine (e.g., efficacy and duration of protection) and vaccination (e.g., cost) characteristic thresholds at which vaccination becomes cost effective, highly cost effective, and cost saving. ⋯ The thresholds at which vaccination becomes cost effective and cost saving can provide targets for Zika vaccine development and implementation.
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Little is known about the longitudinal trends and factors associated with obesity and overweight among U.S. immigrants and ethnic minorities. ⋯ Longitudinal obesity and overweight trends increased among all immigrants and ethnic minorities, primarily within the first 3 years, but significant variations existed. Mexican/Central American men and Haitian/black Caribbean women were disproportionately affected, approaching or exceeding U.S. rates. Targeted early prevention and treatment strategies are needed to reduce health disparities in obesity and unhealthy weight gain among immigrants.