American journal of preventive medicine
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Acute alcohol intoxication is a contributing factor in firearm-involved suicides. However, knowledge of the relationship between alcohol intoxication and firearm-involved suicide by age and sex (defined herein as the biological sex of the decedent) is limited. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the sex- and age group-specific relationship between alcohol intoxication and firearm-involved suicide. ⋯ Among males of all ages and young and middle-aged females, alcohol intoxication was associated with increased risk of suicide by firearm-an extremely lethal method that accounts for a majority of suicides in the U.S.-compared to their non-intoxicated counterparts. Interventions targeting excessive alcohol consumption may be effective in reducing suicide mortality rates.
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Ambient heat exposure is a risk factor for suicide in many regions of the world. However, little is known about the extent to which life expectancy has been shortened by heat-related suicide deaths. This study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of heat on suicide mortality and quantify the reduced life expectancy associated with heat in China. ⋯ Heat exposure was associated with an increased risk of suicide and reduced life expectancy. However, further prospective studies are required to confirm this relationship.
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Approximately 7.2% of individuals in the U.S. smoke during pregnancy, and cessation is associated with excessive gestational weight gain (GWG). Weight gain is a common reason for not quitting smoking or relapsing. The current study aimed to characterize who is at risk for excessive GWG and determine the moderating effect of rurality given the higher smoking rates and lower access to healthcare services in these areas. ⋯ Smoking cessation and weight management during pregnancy are critical to promoting infant and maternal health. Targeted interventions combining weight management and smoking cessation have been successful among the general population and could be adapted for pregnant individuals who smoke to facilitate cessation and healthy GWG in both urban and rural areas.
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Children's active travel to and from school (AST) and children's independent mobility (CIM) are consistently positively associated with physical activity (PA); however, few researchers have investigated associations between objective measures of the environment and indicators of AST and CIM in national samples. ⋯ The observed associations underscore a need for city planners and policymakers to ensure sufficient access to parks and neighborhood greenspace, especially if findings are confirmed in longitudinal studies. More research is needed to investigate the role of intersection density in supporting AST and CIM.
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The often-cited Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate of 480,000 annual U.S. smoking-attributable deaths (SADs), including 439,000 first-hand smoke deaths, derives from 2005 to 2009 data. Since then, adult smoking prevalence has decreased by 40%, while the population has grown and the smoking population aged. An updated estimate is presented to determine whether the CDC figure remains accurate or has changed substantially. In addition, the likely annual smoking-related mortality toll is projected through 2035. ⋯ These findings suggest that the CDC estimate of the annual mortality burden of smoking remains valid. Despite U.S. population growth and the aging of the smoking population, substantial reductions in smoking will finally produce a steady, if gradual, decline in SADs beginning around 2030.