Articles: health.
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This is a retrospective study that examines the risk of non-COVID-19 respiratory infection (RI)-related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations among autistic adults. The study compares these findings to non-autistic adults using the 2018 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. ⋯ Individuals with autism were more likely to experience emergency department visits and hospitalizations because of respiratory infections than individuals without autism. Amid growing evidence of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the autistic population, the study findings highlight a broader, pre-existing burden of respiratory infections among adults with autism in the U.S. that extend beyond the recent pandemic.
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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 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.
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In the U.S., rural areas experience higher rates of adverse maternal health outcomes, but little data exists on rural/urban differences in pregnancy-associated deaths (PAD, all deaths during pregnancy and postpartum) or rural/urban differences in those deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Rural areas experience a high burden of pregnancy-associated death, and this inequity was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.