American journal of preventive medicine
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The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated longstanding housing precarity. This study measures the public support for policies designed to increase housing stability and gauges whether support levels are associated with views about the role of evictions in COVID-19 transmission and the existence of racial inequities in the housing market. ⋯ Support for housing stability policies was strong among U.S. adults, particularly among those who agreed that preventing evictions slowed COVID-19 transmission and among those who acknowledged racial inequities in the housing market. Raising public awareness of the connections among unstable housing, infectious disease transmission, and racial inequity could broaden the support for policies to keep people in their homes through the pandemic.
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This study examines the distribution and trends in suicide death rates among male adults aged ≥65 years in the U.S. from 1999 to 2018. ⋯ Increases in suicide rates among male older adults in the U.S., particularly after the 2007-2008 economic recession, are concerning. Tailored suicide prevention intervention strategies are needed to address suicide-related risk factors.
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Adverse childhood experiences contribute to both short- and long-term health issues and negative health behaviors that affect the individual as well as families and communities. Exposure to ≥4 of the 11 adverse childhood experiences (high adverse childhood experiences) compounds the problems in later life. This study assesses the associations among tobacco use, adverse childhood experiences, mental health, and community health. ⋯ Including adverse childhood experiences in community needs assessments provides important information for tobacco control efforts and prevention of chronic disease.
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Modifiable lifestyle behaviors represent a central target for public health interventions. This study investigates the association between adherence to 4 modifiable lifestyle recommendations and all-cause, cancer, or cardiovascular disease mortality. ⋯ Findings suggest that adherence to modifiable lifestyle recommendations is associated with a lower risk of mortality from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, underlining the importance of supporting adherence to national guidelines for lifestyle recommendations.
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Paid sick leave laws have received more attention in recent years as a way to improve public health. This study estimates the impact of paid sick leave laws on the use of preventive services using a quasi-experimental design created by the implementation of Connecticut's paid sick leave law in 2012, the first statewide mandate in the U.S. ⋯ This study found that adult workers' use of preventive services increased in Connecticut after implementation of its paid sick leave law. State-paid sick leave laws can improve public health by supporting the use of preventive care services among workers.