Medicine and Health Sciences | Open Access Articles

Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Perspectives In Black Men Who Have Sex With Men Taking Preexposure Prophylaxis In New Orleans, Meredith E. Clement, Jeremy Beckford, Aish Lovett, Julia Siren, Marie Adorno, Sara Legrand, Marsha Bennett, Jamilah Taylor, Emily Hanlen-Rosado, Brian Perry, Amy Corneli

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Profound sexual health disparities exist for Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US South, including a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sexually transmitted infection prevention strategies beyond condoms are needed for Black MSM taking preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). METHODS: We conducted in-depth interviews with Black MSM taking PrEP in New Orleans, Louisiana. Informed by the Health Belief Model, we asked about participants' perceived susceptibility, severity, and concerns regarding STIs, and perceived benefits of STI prevention. We also asked about willingness to use various STI prevention strategies, including antibiotic prophylaxis. Interviews were audio-recorded and analyzed …

Go to article

The Design And Impact Of A Clinic-Based Community Program On Food Insecurity, Healthy Eating Behaviors, And Mood, Tiffany Wesley Ardoin, Elizabeth Perry, Chelsea Morgan, Jared Hymowitz, Donald Mercante

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Food insecurity is a national issue that disproportionately impacts Louisiana citizens, contributing to the state’s poor health outcomes. We know that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and food pantries improve access to food, but we have limited data on what interventions improve food insecurity. The Geaux Get Healthy Clinical Program at Our Lady of the Lake (GGHOLOL) is a clinic-based community program that leverages community partnerships and a clinical setting to provide education and access to resources for individuals with food insecurity. This prospective study examines the impact of GGHOLOL on food insecurity as a pre-post survey evaluation over …

Go to article

Unmet Needs And Coping Strategies Of Older Underserved Veterans During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Trenton M. Haltom, Joyce Tiong, Tracy L. Evans, Nipa Kamdar, Gala True, Mark E. Kunik

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had profound impacts on people with diabetes, a group with high morbidity and mortality. Factors like race, age, income, Veteran-status, and limited or interrupted resources early in the COVID-19 pandemic compounded risks for negative health outcomes. Our objective was to characterize the experiences and needs of under-resourced Veterans with type 2 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews (March through September 2021) with U.S. military Veterans with diabetes. Transcripts were analyzed using a team-based, iterative process of summarizing and coding to identify key themes. Participants included Veterans (n = 25) who …

Go to article

Community Risks For Sars-Cov-2 Infection Among Fully Vaccinated Us Adults By Rurality: A Retrospective Cohort Study From The National Covid Cohort Collaborative, Alfred Jerrod Anzalone, Jing Sun, Amanda J. Vinson, William H. Beasley, William B. Hillegass, Kimberly Murray, Brian M. Hendricks, Melissa Haendel, Carol Reynolds Geary, Kristina L. Bailey, Corrine K. Hanson, Lucio Miele, Ronald Horswell, Julie A. Mcmurry, J. Zachary Porterfield, Michael T. Vest, H. Timothy Bunnell, Jeremy R. Harper, Bradley S. Price

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background While COVID-19 vaccines reduce adverse outcomes, post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infection remains problematic. We sought to identify community factors impacting risk for breakthrough infections (BTI) among fully vaccinated persons by rurality. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of US adults sampled between January 1 and December 20, 2021, from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C). Using Kaplan-Meier and Cox-Proportional Hazards models adjusted for demographic differences and comorbid conditions, we assessed impact of rurality, county vaccine hesitancy, and county vaccination rates on risk of BTI over 180 days following two mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations between January 1 and September 21, 2021. Additionally, …

Go to article

Assessing Covid-19 Booster Hesitancy And Its Correlates: An Early Evidence From India, Geetanjali C. Achrekar, Kavita Batra, Yashashri Urankar, Ravi Batra, Naved Iqbal, Sabiha A. Choudhury, Deepti Hooda, Roohi Khan, Suraj Arora, Aditi Singh, Francesco Chirico, Manoj Sharma

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants, waning immunity, and breakthrough infections prompted the use of booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to fight against the pandemic. India started booster doses in January 2022 and it is critical to determine the intention of booster dose uptake and its correlates. Therefore, the current cross-sectional study aimed to investigate booster dose acceptability and associated predictors among the Indian population. A convenience sampling technique was utilized to recruit a sample of 687 Indian residents. A 55-item psychometric validated survey tool was used to assess booster dose acceptability, vaccine literacy and vaccine confidence. Univariate, bivariate, and …

Go to article

Covid-19 Booster Vaccination Hesitancy In The United States: A Multi-Theory-Model (Mtm) Based National Assessment, Kavita Batra, Manoj Sharma, Chia-Liang Dai, Jagdish Khubchandani

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Despite the availability of COVID-19 vaccines and the proven benefits of vaccinations outweighing the potential risks, hesitancy to accept vaccines and additional doses remains a persistent problem. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate hesitancy, confidence, literacy, and the role of the multi-theory model (MTM) constructs in COVID-19 booster uptake. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized a 52-item psychometric valid web-based survey conducted during the month of October 2021 to recruit a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistical tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Among the booster hesitant group (n = …

Go to article

Mental Disorder Symptoms During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Latin America – A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Stephen X. Zhang, Kavita Batra, Wen Xu, Tao Liu, Rebecca Kechen Dong, Allen Yin, Andrew Yilong Delios, Bryan Z. Chen, Richard Z. Chen, Saylor Miller, Xue Wan, Wenping Ye, Jiyao Chen

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Aims There is a lack of evidence related to the prevalence of mental health symptoms as well as their heterogeneities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Latin America, a large area spanning the equator. The current study aims to provide meta-analytical evidence on mental health symptoms during COVID-19 among frontline healthcare workers, general healthcare workers, the general population and university students in Latin America. Methods Bibliographical databases, such as PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and medRxiv, were systematically searched to identify pertinent studies up to August 13, 2021. Two coders performed the screening using predefined eligibility criteria. …

Go to article

Knowledge Or Awareness Of Non-Communicable Diseases And Their Associated Risk Factors Among University Students In Fiji: A Cross-Sectional Study, Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, Kavita Batra

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Chronic diseases (aka Non-communicable diseases, NCDs) contribute to the global burden of morbidity and mortality, with a significant share of premature deaths among low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Fiji. The early exposure to the risk factors of NCDs affects the entire life course; knowledge or awareness of adolescents towards NCDs and associated risk factors is critical for health promotion. This study aims to investigate the knowledge or awareness level of chronic conditions and their risk factors among Fijian students. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 338 university students was recruited using the paper as well as web-based …

Go to article

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

The Design And Impact Of A Clinic-Based Community Program On Food Insecurity, Healthy Eating Behaviors, And Mood, Tiffany Wesley Ardoin, Elizabeth Perry, Chelsea Morgan, Jared Hymowitz, Donald Mercante

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Unmet Needs And Coping Strategies Of Older Underserved Veterans During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Trenton M. Haltom, Joyce Tiong, Tracy L. Evans, Nipa Kamdar, Gala True, Mark E. Kunik

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Assessing Covid-19 Booster Hesitancy And Its Correlates: An Early Evidence From India, Geetanjali C. Achrekar, Kavita Batra, Yashashri Urankar, Ravi Batra, Naved Iqbal, Sabiha A. Choudhury, Deepti Hooda, Roohi Khan, Suraj Arora, Aditi Singh, Francesco Chirico, Manoj Sharma

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Covid-19 Booster Vaccination Hesitancy In The United States: A Multi-Theory-Model (Mtm) Based National Assessment, Kavita Batra, Manoj Sharma, Chia-Liang Dai, Jagdish Khubchandani

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Mental Disorder Symptoms During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Latin America – A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Stephen X. Zhang, Kavita Batra, Wen Xu, Tao Liu, Rebecca Kechen Dong, Allen Yin, Andrew Yilong Delios, Bryan Z. Chen, Richard Z. Chen, Saylor Miller, Xue Wan, Wenping Ye, Jiyao Chen

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Knowledge Or Awareness Of Non-Communicable Diseases And Their Associated Risk Factors Among University Students In Fiji: A Cross-Sectional Study, Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, Kavita Batra

School of Medicine Faculty Publications