American journal of preventive medicine
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The objective of this study was to determine the rates and trends in the reporting of preferred language, socioeconomic factors, sexual orientation, and gender identity in published pediatric clinical trials. ⋯ Preferred language, socioeconomic factors, sexual orientation, and gender identity were infrequently reported in pediatric clinical trial results despite these characteristics being increasingly recognized as social determinants of health. To achieve more inclusiveness and to reduce unmeasured disparities, these characteristics should be incorporated into routine trial registration, design, funding decisions, and reporting.
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Cannabis use in the U.S. rose early in the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is unclear whether that rise was temporary or permanent. This study estimated the nature and sociodemographic correlates of U.S. adult subpopulations regularly using cannabis by examining weekly trajectories of use during the first year of the pandemic. ⋯ The analyses revealed population subgroups with prolonged regular cannabis use and a disproportionate concentration of socioeconomically vulnerable members of society in these subgroups. These findings elucidate important heterogeneity in the subpopulations using cannabis, highlighting the urgent need to tailor public health programs for subgroups that may have unique service needs.
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Although the relationship between tax and price and youth cigarette use is well established, little is known about these associations and youth e-cigarette use. This research examines U.S. youth sensitivity to changes in e-cigarette prices and tax using standardized measures of e-cigarette taxes and prices. ⋯ Higher prices and taxes reduce youth current e-cigarette use and days using e-cigarettes. Policies increasing e-cigarette prices, such as excise taxes, can reduce youth current e-cigarette use and days using e-cigarettes.
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Food insecurity-the inadequate access to food due to financial constraints-affects 1 in 6 households in Canada, with serious health implications. Family benefit programs supplementing income have shown potential in mitigating the risk of food insecurity, but there is little understanding of their protective effects. The authors aimed to estimate the impacts of the additional Canada Child Benefit provided to families with children aged <6 years on household food insecurity. ⋯ The authors found plausibly causal evidence that the more generous Canada Child Benefit for Canadian families with young children reduces their probability of food insecurity. Increasing benefits for economically disadvantaged households, characterized by low incomes, single parenthood, and renting (versus owning), may improve the program's efficiency and equity in supporting families' food security.
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In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended prediabetes and diabetes screening for asymptomatic adults aged 35-70 years with overweight/obesity, lowering the age from 40 years in its 2015 recommendation. The USPSTF suggested considering earlier screening in racial and ethnic groups with high diabetes risk at younger ages or lower BMI. This study examined the clinical performance of these USPSTF screening recommendations as well as alternative age and BMI cutoffs in the U.S. adult population overall, and separately by race and ethnicity. ⋯ The 2021 USPSTF screening criteria will identify more adults with prediabetes and diabetes in all racial and ethnic groups than the 2015 criteria. Screening all adults aged 35-70 years exhibited even higher sensitivity and performed most similarly by race and ethnicity, which may further improve early detection of prediabetes and diabetes in diverse populations.