American journal of preventive medicine
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Chronic diseases are primary causes of mortality and disability in the U.S. Although individual-level indices to assess the burden of multiple chronic diseases exist, there is a lack of quantitative tools at the population level. This gap hinders the understanding of the geographical distribution and impact of chronic diseases, crucial for effective public health strategies. This study aims to construct a Chronic Disease Burden Index (CDBI) for evaluating county-level disease burden, to identify geographic and temporal patterns, and investigate the association between CDBI and social vulnerability. ⋯ The CDBI offers an effective tool for assessing chronic disease burden at the population level. Identifying high-burden and vulnerable communities is a crucial first step toward facilitating resource allocation to enhance equitable healthcare access and advancing understanding of health disparities.
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The CDC National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) aims to reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. Organizations delivering the National DPP receive pending, preliminary, full, or full-plus recognition status based on specific program criteria and outcomes. Achieving full/full-plus recognition is critical for organizations to sustain the program and receive reimbursements to cover costs, but organizations in disadvantaged areas may face barriers to obtaining this level of recognition. This study examined the association between county-level social vulnerability and full/full-plus recognition status within the National DPP. ⋯ The findings suggest disparities in the National DPP recognition status among organizations in vulnerable communities. Developing strategies to ensure organizations in high social vulnerability areas achieve at least full recognition status is critical for program sustainability and reducing diabetes-related health disparities.
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This study aims to investigate the bidirectional associations between social isolation (SI) and multimorbidity among Chinese older adults. ⋯ This study contributes to the understanding of the bidirectional associations between SI and multimorbidity among Chinese older adults, highlighting that initial multimorbidity was associated with future SI.
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Social vulnerability, race, and place are three important predictors of fatal police shootings. This research offers the first assessment of these factors at the zip code level. ⋯ Social vulnerability and racial composition of a zip code are associated with fatal police shooting, both independently and when considered together. What drives deadly police shootings in the United States is not one single factor, but rather complex interactions between social-vulnerability, race, and place that must be tackled synchronously. Action must be taken to address underlying determinants of disparities in policing.
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This study examined the association between American Heart Association's (AHA) cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics, Life's Essential 8 (LE8), and predicted heart age among U.S. adults. ⋯ These findings highlight the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to improve cardiovascular health and reduce excess heart age.