American journal of preventive medicine
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Low socioeconomic status has been linked to increased mortality. However, the impacts of poverty, alone or combined with health behaviors, on mortality and life expectancy have not been adequately investigated. ⋯ Poverty is strongly associated with increased risk of death, but the risks could be modestly abated by a healthier lifestyle. These findings call for a comprehensive strategy for enhancing a healthy lifestyle and improving income equality to reduce death risks, particularly among those experiencing health disparities due to poverty.
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The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all adults be screened for alcohol use and those with hazardous use be provided a brief discussion. However, it is unclear to what extent healthcare providers screen for and discuss alcohol use with cancer survivors. ⋯ Cancer survivors are being screened for alcohol use, but heavier users are infrequently advised by healthcare providers to reduce their consumption.
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This study aimed to determine the association between changes in age distribution and maternal mortality rates (MMR) in a subset of the United States between 2014 and 2021. ⋯ MMR increased significantly from 2014 to 2021 with rapid increase after 2019. However, older age of birthing individuals explained only a minority of the increased MMR in both periods. The greatest contribution to MMR arose from increases in age-specific MMR.
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Although adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with lifelong health harms, current surveillance data on exposures to childhood adversity among adults are either unavailable or incomplete for many states. In this study, recent data from a nationally representative survey were used to obtain the current and complete estimates of ACEs at the national and state levels. ⋯ Current complete estimates of ACEs demonstrate high countrywide exposures and stark sociodemographic inequalities in the burden, highlighting opportunities to prevent adverse childhood experiences by focusing social, educational, medical, and public health interventions on populations disproportionately impacted.
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The U.S. age-adjusted suicide rate is 35% higher than two decades ago and the COVID-19 pandemic era highlighted the urgent need to address nonfatal self-harm, particularly among youth. This study aimed to report the estimated annual economic cost of U.S. suicide and nonfatal self-harm. ⋯ Suicide and self-harm have substantial societal costs. Measuring the consequences in terms of comprehensive economic cost can inform investments in suicide prevention strategies.