Objectives. To analyze War on Drugs encounters and their relationships to health care utilization among White people who use drugs (PWUD) in 22 Appalachian rural counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, and North Carolina. Methods. We recruited White PWUD using chain referral sampling in 2018 to 2020. Surveys asked about criminal-legal encounters, unmet health care needs, and other covariates. We

The June 24, 2022 US Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization resulted in an expansive restriction on abortion access that had been constitutionally guaranteed for nearly half a century. Currently, 14 states have implemented complete bans on abortion with very limited exceptions, and an additional 7 states have implemented abortion bans at 6 to 18 weeks' gestation. It has

Objectives. To assess the impact of Ohio's abortion policy changes on abortion provision following Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization. Methods. We analyzed quantitative and write-in responses from an ongoing survey of 6 abortion facilities in Ohio for 3 time periods: January‒June 2022 (pre-Dobbs), July‒September 2022 (6-week ban in effect), and October 2022‒June 2023 (post-Dobbs, ban blocked)

BACKGROUND Environmental contaminants (ECs) are increasingly recognized as crucial drivers of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the comprehensive impact spectrum and interlinking mechanisms remain uncertain. OBJECTIVES We aimed to systematically evaluate the association between exposure to 80 ECs across seven divergent categories and markers of dyslipidemia and investigate their underpinning

BACKGROUND Surgical-site infection (SSI) is one of the most common health-care-associated infections, substantially contributing to antibiotic use. Targeted antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent SSIs and effective treatment are crucial to controlling antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study aimed to describe the testing capacity and multidrug resistance (MDR) of SSI microorganisms in low-income and middle-income

BACKGROUND Death after surgery is devasting for patients, families, and communities, but remains common in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We aimed to use high-quality data from an existing global randomised trial to describe the causes and mechanisms of postoperative mortality in LMICs. To do so, we developed a novel framework, learning from both existing classification systems and

BACKGROUND Phthalates and their replacements have been implicated as developmental toxicants. Young children may be exposed to phthalates/replacements when using skin care products (SCPs). OBJECTIVES Our objective is to assess the associations between use of SCPs and children's urinary phthalate/replacement metabolite concentrations. METHODS Children (4-8 years old) from the Environmental Influences

BACKGROUND Significant progress has been made over the past decade in measuring the chemical components of the exposome, providing transformative population-scale frameworks in probing the etiologic link between environmental factors and disease phenotypes. While the analytical technologies continue to evolve with reams of data being generated, there is an opportunity to complement exposome-wide association

BACKGROUND Exposure to lead during childhood is detrimental to children's health. The extent to which the association between lead exposure and elementary school academic outcomes varies across geography is not known. OBJECTIVE Estimate associations between blood lead levels (BLLs) and fourth grade standardized test scores in reading and mathematics in North Carolina using models that allow associations

BACKGROUND Microplastics (MPs) have become a global environmental problem, emerging as contaminants with potentially alarming consequences. However, long-term exposure to polystyrene microspheres (PS-MS) and its effects on diet-induced obesity are not yet fully understood. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the effect of PS-MS exposure on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and underlying mechanisms

BACKGROUND Mortality, suicide, self-harm, and substance use are elevated among people who are incarcerated. There is a wide range of heterogeneous interventions aimed at reducing these harms in this population. Previous reviews have focused on specific interventions or limited their findings to drug use and recidivism and have not explored interventions delivered after release from prison. Our aim

BACKGROUND Estimates for the prevalence of food allergy vary widely, with a paucity of data for adults. The aim of this analysis was to report trends in the incidence and prevalence of food allergy in England, using a national primary care dataset. METHODS We analysed data from Clinical Practice Research Datalink between 1998 and 2018, with linked data to relevant hospital encounters in England. The

In 21st century capitalism, financial markets reign supreme. The elevation of investing, trading, and speculating as a way of making profit has shifted economic power towards institutional investors and enhanced the power of financial capital. Financialisation has introduced uncertainty in the commitment to public provision of goods and services. The behaviours of corporations focus more on profit

BACKGROUND Despite documented mental illness-related disparities in cervical cancer screening and incidence, insufficient data exist on differences in cervical cancer prevention strategies, such as human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. We aimed to investigate the association of mental illness and neurodevelopmental conditions among girls and their parents with uptake of HPV vaccination in Sweden

BACKGROUND Uganda has had seven Ebola disease outbreaks, between 2000 and 2022. On Sept 20, 2022, the Ministry of Health declared a Sudan virus disease outbreak in Mubende District, Central Uganda. We describe the epidemiological characteristics and transmission dynamics. METHODS For this descriptive study, cases were classified as suspected, probable, or confirmed using Ministry of Health case definitions

BACKGROUND Inadequate micronutrient intakes and related deficiencies are a major challenge to global public health. Analyses over the past 10 years have assessed global micronutrient deficiencies and inadequate nutrient supplies, but there have been no global estimates of inadequate micronutrient intakes. We aimed to estimate the global prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intakes for 15 essential

We evaluated the impact of implementing automated hepatitis C (HCV) opt-out screening in the emergency department of an urban, academic medical center with high HCV prevalence, in the context of a longstanding HCV opt-in screening model. We compared nine-month periods before and after implementation. HCV testing increased by 502%, and active HCV infection identification increased by 212%. Settings

Objectives. To document the prevalence of long COVID among a sample of survey respondents with long-term disabilities that existed before 2020 and to compare the prevalence among this group with that among the general population. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study using data from the 2022 National Survey on Health and Disability (n = 2262) and comparative data for the general

We surveyed (September 9-17, 2021) students, staff, and faculty at the University of Minnesota, a large, highly vaccinated university, to evaluate whether the COVID-19 vaccine mandate increased self-reported vaccine uptake. Vaccine mandates have the potential to improve public health but should consider the context of implementation and costs associated with infringements on personal choice. Policymakers

The sandwich generation faces dual responsibilities of supporting parents and raising children, resulting in heightened levels of stress and negative work-related outcomes. Despite a wealth of research on the sandwich generation, few studies have examined the specific nature of the multigenerational needs of the sandwich generation. Accordingly, we introduce a new concept termed family intergenerational

BACKGROUND Patient-level data on life-threatening respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in children in low-income and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce, and this scarcity might limit demand for RSV interventions in LMICs who rely on support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We aimed to describe the characteristics of RSV-positive children younger than 2 years who were admitted to

BACKGROUND A major industrial fire accident occurred in a tire manufacturing factory in Daejeon, Korea, on 12 March 2023 and lasted for 3 d, generating air pollutant emissions. Although evidence regarding the health effects of urban fires is limited, residents near tire factory may have experienced health hazards due to smoke exposure from fire plumes. OBJECTIVES Capitalizing on the timing of this

In 2021, the Maricopa County Department of Public Health in Maricopa County, Arizona, modified its subcontracting process to engage more community-based organizations that serve populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The change allowed subrecipients to receive 40% of grant funding up front. An evaluation found that providing up-front funding engaged smaller-budget organizations. However

Objectives. To determine whether geographic prioritization of limited COVID-19 vaccine supply was effective for reducing geographic disparities in case rates. Methods. Rhode Island allocated a portion of the initial COVID-19 vaccine supply to residents of Central Falls, a community already affected by structural policies and inadequate systems that perpetuate health inequities and experiencing disproportionately

The Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE) Project was implemented in 20 counties across Kansas to build capacity to address health equity by forming local health equity action teams (LHEATS), hiring and training community health workers, facilitating state-wide learning collaboratives, and tailoring communication strategies. We conducted interviews and focus groups with project stakeholders

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated health inequities in New York City (NYC) given the disproportionate risk, morbidity, and mortality related to COVID-19 experienced by communities of color with lower household income. To facilitate long-term community recovery from COVID-19, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene established the Public Health Corp, a partnership with community-based

Objectives. To compare the incidence, case-hospitalization rates, and vaccination rates of COVID-19 between people experiencing sheltered homelessness (PESH) and the broader community in Chicago, Illinois, and describe the impact of a whole community approach to disease mitigation during the public health emergency. Methods. Incidence of COVID-19 among PESH was compared with community-wide incidence

Objectives. To describe how an innovative, community-engaged survey illuminated previously unmeasured pandemic inequities and informed health equity investments. Methods. The methodological approach of Massachusetts' COVID-19 Community Impact Survey, a cross-sectional online survey, was driven by key health equity principles: prioritizing community engagement, gathering granular and intersectional