American journal of preventive medicine
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Clinical Trial Observational Study
Cardiovascular Health and Incident Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: The Women's Health Initiative.
The American Heart Association's "Simple 7" offers a practical public health conceptualization of cardiovascular health (CVH). CVH predicts incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in younger populations, but has not been studied in a large, diverse population of aging postmenopausal women. The extent to which CVH predicts cancer in postmenopausal women is unknown. ⋯ Lower ideal CVH is more common among minority and less educated postmenopausal women and predicts increased risk of CVD and cancer in this population, emphasizing the importance of prevention efforts among vulnerable older adults.
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Racial disparities in access to regular health care have been reported in the U.S., but little is known about the extent of disparities in societies with universal coverage. ⋯ Universal coverage may have a major impact on reducing racial disparities in access to health care, although among some subgroups, other factors may also play a role above and beyond health insurance.
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Data from 20 years ago--shortly after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act--showed that women with significant mobility disability had 40% lower Pap test rates than other women. ⋯ Little has changed over time in Pap test rates for all women. Women with certain disabilities continue to experience disparities compared with nondisabled women in receipt of this important screening test.
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Chronic disease is a barrier to delivery of preventive health care and health maintenance. However, health behaviors of adults and children with eczema, a chronic skin disorder, have not been examined. This study examined associations of eczema with vaccination, disease screening, health maintenance, and healthcare utilization. ⋯ Eczema in adults and children is associated with greater utilization of preventive health care and health maintenance, but not cancer screening.
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Proliferation of food retail chains has created an environment in which a few food retailers account for the majority of U.S. packaged food purchases (PFPs). Despite the major potential for these food retail chains (FRCs) to impact what U.S. consumers buy and eat, little is known about the nutritional profile of PFPs from these retailers, particularly PFPs from Walmart, the largest U.S. grocer. ⋯ The nutritional profile of Walmart purchases has improved over time and in 2013 was similar to PFPs from other FRCs.