Digital Commons Network^™

Risk Of Post-Acute Symptoms Among Adults: A Comparison Study Of Severe Covid-19, Pneumonia, And Influenza, Caroline M Schaefer, Trudy Millard Krause, George L Delclos, Raymond S Greenberg

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: A retrospective cohort study was undertaken to assess the relationship between initial disease severity of COVID-19 and the risk of post-acute symptoms. The COVID-19 cohort was compared against influenza and pneumonia cohorts to assess whether risk of post-acute symptoms differed.

Methods: Administrative health claims data were obtained for commercially insured and Medicare Advantage covered adults (≥ 18 years) with symptomatic laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed in 2020 (n=121,205), and similar cohorts of influenza (n=20,844) and pneumonia (n=29,052) patients diagnosed prior to the pandemic. Post-acute symptoms were assessed at four weeks, three and six months following initial diagnosis.

Results: Among the patients …

Protocol For The Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program, Alexander Testa, Eresha Bluth, Latanya Monroe, Karlton Harris, Sarah Beth Abbott, Mary E Aitken, Erin E Fox, Brian Heckler, Lillian S Kao, Ruosha Li, Susannah Meg Michael, Heidi M Mcpherson, Marisol Nieves, Christian P Owen, Kevin Rix, Hema Sarvani Jalaparthi, Vanessa Schick, Shreela V Sharma, Carlie Stratemann, Anne Marie V Thompson, Jack Tsai, Zixi Yang, Sandra Mckay

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Firearm violence is a leading cause of injury and mortality in the United States. Hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) are a promising public health strategy designed to reduce recurrent violence by engaging patients during hospitalization and connecting them to support services after discharge. This protocol describes the design and implementation of the Houston Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (Houston-HVIP), which will be evaluated by a randomized controlled trial conducted at a Level 1 trauma center in Houston, Texas. The study plans to enroll individuals aged 16-35 who present with gunshot wounds (GSW) at the Level 1 trauma center. Participants are randomized …

Hazardous Work Exposures And Working Conditions And The Risk Of Serious Injury Among Latino Day Laborers In Houston, Texas (2014–2021), Maria Eugenia Fernandez-Esquer, Cesar Leonardo Pinzon-Gomez, Celeste Monforton, Yuan Li, Vahed Maroufy, Martha Ojeda, Anabel Rodriguez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Latino day laborers (LDLs) are frequently exposed to workplace hazards that increase their risk of an injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the relative influence of worker and workplace characteristics on serious injuries reported by LDLs at four different time points. We examined the influence of demographic characteristics, hazardous chemical exposures and working conditions using data from four cross-sectional surveys conducted between 2014 and 2021.

Methods: A total of 740 LDL were randomly recruited from public job hiring locations (known as "corners") in Houston Texas to participate in surveys conducted as part of injury risk reduction …

Improved Depression Symptoms Among Low-Income Mexican Americans Participating In A Community-Clinical Diabetes Intervention, Minjae Lee, Joseph H Conroy, Zihan Yang, Sein Lee, Paul G Yeh, Juliana Z Lopez, Natalia I Heredia, Lisa A Mitchell-Bennett, Maribel Sifuentes, Belinda M Reininger

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus and comorbid depression face complex disease management. Salud y Vida, a diabetes management intervention for Mexican Americans in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, may mitigate depression through social support and community-clinic referrals.

Methods: In a cohort study, 292 Salud y Vida participants completed the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) at baseline, month 6, and month 12. A PHQ-9 score of ≥5 indicated mild depression and activated a mental health referral. Using SAS 9.4 with significance set at < .05, we conducted multivariable longitudinal negative binomial regression to assess changes in depression level.

Results: The proportion of participants with a PHQ-9 ≥5 decreased from 36% at baseline to 18% …

Effects Of Cognitive Dual-Tasking On Biomechanics And Muscle Activity During Gait Initiation And Sit-To-Walk In Young Adults, Angeloh Stout, Kaye Mabbun, Ke'vaughn Waldon, Marvin Alvarez, Stacy Nguyen, Miguel Barcellano, Sandra Cuenca, Chuan-Fa Tang, Aanand D Naik, Gu Eon Kang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cognitive dual-tasking on gait initiation and sit-to-walk. Twenty-eight healthy young adults performed gait initiation and sit-to-walk under two conditions: while engaging in serial subtraction (dual-task) and without any additional task (single-task). Motion data were collected using a 10-camera optoelectronic motion capture system, synchronized with force plates and surface electromyography. We analyzed spatiotemporal parameters, center of mass displacement, center of pressure trajectory, and lower limb muscle activation patterns. We found that dual-task conditions significantly affected both gait initiation and sit-to-walk patterns, increasing the duration of transitions and mediolateral center of …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of Remimazolam And Midazolam On Recovery And Preserved Memory Function For Patients With Dental Extraction Anxiety, Quan Jing, Weijia Wang, Limeng Wu, Lejunzi Wang, Boru Yuan, Yan Wang, Chengbin Wang, Lin Liu, Lei Guan, Riyue Yu, Yuelun Zhang, Daniel I Sessler, Yuguang Huang, Kuo Wan, Lijian Pei

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Remimazolam is an ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, which has been indicated to be effective in endoscopic surgery and general anaesthesia. Research on its use in outpatient dental procedures remains limited. This triple-blinded randomized clinical trial was designed to determine whether the quality of postoperative recovery is better with continuous intravenous remimazolam administration compared with midazolam administration for impacted wisdom tooth extraction in patients with dental anxiety.

Patients and methods: This study was a randomized, parallel triple-blinded, superiority trial conducted between 30 April 2022 and 24 June 2024. Participants aged ≥18 years who exhibited dental anxiety and who were eligible for impacted …

Navigating The Nexus Of Food Insecurity, Anxiety, And Depression In The Face Of Climate Change: A Longitudinal Study In Rural Kenya, Michael Goodman, Lauren Raimer-Goodman, Heidi M Hagen Mcpherson, Dawit Woldu, Shreela Sharma, Ryan Ramphul, Fridah Mukiri, Agnes Maigallo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: This study aims to address critical gaps in understanding the bidirectional relationships between food insecurity, anxiety, and depression in Meru County, Kenya. By employing a cross-lagged panel analysis, we seek to clarify these temporal dynamics, contributing to the design of targeted interventions that integrate food security and mental health in the context of climate change.

Methods: A cross-lagged panel analysis was conducted using data from 362 adult participants in a community-based empowerment program (2023) in Meru County, Kenya. Participants completed self-report measures of food insecurity, anxiety, and depression at two time points, 11 weeks apart.

Results: Food insecurity (T1) …

Prediction Of Preterm Birth Among Infants With Orofacial Cleft Defects, Katherine L Ludorf, Renata H Benjamin, Mark A Canfield, Michael D Swartz, A J Agopian

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To develop risk prediction models for preterm birth among infants with orofacial clefts.

Design: Data from the Texas Birth Defects Registry for infants with orofacial clefts born between 1999-2014 were used to develop preterm birth predictive models. Logistic regression was used to consider maternal and infant characteristics, and internal validation of the final model was performed using bootstrapping methods. The area under the curve (AUC) statistic was generated to assess model performance, and separate predictive models were built and validated for infants with cleft lip and cleft palate alone. Several secondary analyses were conducted among subgroups of interest.

Setting: …

Effect Of Digital Health Coaching On Self-Efficacy And Patient-Reported Outcomes In Individuals With Acute Myeloid And Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Jennifer Marvin-Peek, Valerie Shelton, Kelly Brassil, Bryan Fellman, Austin Barr, Kelly Sharon Chien, Danielle Hammond, Mahesh Swaminathan, Nitin Jain, William Wierda, Alessandra Ferrajoli, Courtney Dinardo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Promotion of self-efficacy can enhance engagement with health care and treatment adherence in patients with cancer. We report the outcomes of a pilot trial of a digital health coach intervention in patients with leukemia with the aim of improving self-efficacy.

Methods: Adult patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) were randomized 1:1 to a digital health coach intervention or standard of care. The primary outcome of self-efficacy was measured by the Cancer Behavior Inventory (CBI) score.

Results: A total of 147 patients (37 AML, 110 CLL) were enrolled from July 2020 to December …

Perspectives On Smoking Cessation In The Oncology Environment: Insights From Brazilian Patients And Healthcare Providers, Raquel Descie Veraldi Leite, Ricardo Ribeiro Gama, Fabiana De Lima Vazquez, Gabriela Beltrami Massarão, Raiany Carvalho, Renan De Jesus Teixeira, Vinicius De Lima Vazquez, Irene Tami-Maury

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation among Brazilian cancer patients, considering the perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals at a leading oncology center in the country.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, collecting smoking-related data from two groups: cancer patients and healthcare professionals at the Barretos Cancer Hospital (BCH) between 2019 and 2021. The questionnaire for healthcare professionals was adapted from the 2012 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer and the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. For the cancer patient group, sociodemographic and clinical data were collected, along with …

Optimizing Community-Based Hepatitis B And C Care For Engaging Housing-Insecure Individuals, Vanessa Schick, Abigail Grace, F Tiffany Quan, Cathy Troisi, Jack Tsai

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction

Hepatitis B and C (HBV/HCV) are bloodborne infections, with individuals who have histories of substance use and homelessness bearing a disproportionate risk. Long-standing difficulties in engaging these populations have made testing and treatment challenging. This retrospective observational study describes a community-based approach to HBV/HCV prevention and treatment, comparing the effectiveness of different engagement site types in reaching and engaging this high-need population.

Methods

GRASSROOTS HEALTH was launched in 2018 to improve HBV/HCV care by providing on-site testing, HBV vaccination, treatment navigation, and adherence support across various housing and drop-in centers. Outcomes were tracked through REDCap and analyzed by engagement …

Protective Effects Of Psychiatric Medications Against Covid-19 Mortality Before Vaccines, Rodrigo Machado-Vieira, Trudy M Krause, Gregory Jones, Antonio L Teixeira, Lokesh R Shahani, Scott D Lane, Jair C Soares, Chau N Truong

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The coronavirus disease pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in the United States in late 2019 to early 2020 and quickly escalated into a national public health crisis. Research has identified psychiatric conditions as possible risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection and symptom severity. This study aims to determine whether specific classes of psychiatric medications could reduce the likelihood of infection and alleviate the severity of the disease. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between neuropsychiatric medication usage and COVID-19 outcomes before the widespread utilization of COVID-19 vaccines. This cross-sectional study used Optum's de-identified …

Recovery Housing And On-The-Ground Research Priorities: A Scoping Study Through The Lens Of Community Based Participatory Research, Patrick F Hibbard, Cameron W Tice, Jodie M Dewey, Kathryn R Gallardo, James Tompkins, Justin S Bell, Jasleen Sandhu, Michelle A Cruz, Kathryn Babbitt, Amy A Mericle, Ashli J Sheidow

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Though communities have featured recovery housing (RH) for several decades, the base of evidence for best practices continues to grow - especially evidence needed by, and known to, those who operate and receive these services. The Initiative for Justice and Emerging Adult Populations (JEAP) engaged with three community boards (CBs) - consisting of young adults with experience in recovery from substance use issues, people who have a history of criminal legal system involvement and recovery, and payers and provider of substance use services and harm reduction - to understand on-the-ground priorities for research into recovery support services.

Methods: JEAP …

Type 2 Diabetes Polygenic Risk Score Interactions With Lifestyle Risk Factors In Black Americans, Ashley W Scadden, Aastha Kakar, Elizabeth M Litkowski, Mariah C Meyer, Nicole D Armstrong, Steven Buyske, Yanwei Cai, Iona Cheng, Burcu F Darst, Myriam Fornage, Mariaelisa Graff, Boya Guo, Christopher A Haiman, Heather M Highland, Charles Kooperberg, Loïc Le Marchand, Kari North, Ulrike Peters, Stephen S Rich, Jerome I Rotter, Vinodh Srinivasasainagendra, Hemant K Tiwari, Stephanie Waldrop, Kristin Young, Sridharan Raghavan, Ethan M Lange, Leslie A Lange, Marguerite R Irvin, Maggie A Stanislawski

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Introduction: Prior work in predominantly European ancestry populations has explained how the risk associated with demographic, lifestyle, and health factors differs with underlying genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D), but less is known about these relationships in Black Americans.

Methods: We used covariate-adjusted logistic regression models of T2D to examine interactions between a published trans-ancestry derived T2D polygenic risk score (PRS) and various demographic, lifestyle, and health-related factors among 28,251 self-identified Black Americans from six cohort studies.

Results: The results are generally consistent with prior work in White populations. The PRS showed a significant interaction with body mass index, …

Disposition Outcomes Following Prehospital Use Of Naloxone In A Large Metropolitan City In The United States, James R Langabeer, Christine Bakos-Block, A Sarah Cohen, Ishmam Alam, Bhanumathi Gopal, Marylou Cardenas-Turanzas, Arlo F Weltge, David Persse, Tiffany Champagne-Langabeer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: During a drug overdose, research suggests individuals may not call 9-1-1 out of fear of criminal justice concerns. Of those that call, research is inconclusive about the disposition of the emergency transport. We evaluated transport outcomes for adults with opioid-related overdose in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of a large metropolitan city in the United States.

Methods: We reviewed the EMS incident report database from the patient care record system for years 2018 to 2022. We queried all records, searching for relevant terms, and two reviewers cross-checked the database to identify cases that did not result in death at …

Factors Influencing Implementation Of A Self-Measured Blood Pressure Program In Community Health Centers: An Implementation Mapping Approach, Serena A Rodriguez, Fernanda Velasco-Huerta, Mahalia Sampson-Ansah, Ella R Garza, William B Perkison, Patenne D Mathews, Catherine Pulicken, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Uncontrolled hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, particularly among adults aged 45 years and older. Self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) is an evidence-based intervention that can help patients manage hypertension outside of the clinical setting. We conducted a needs and assets assessment to identify (1) health center adopters and implementers and (2) barriers and facilitators to SMBP adoption and implementation in six community health centers in Texas.

Methods: Data sources included: (1) needs and assets assessment surveys and semi-structured interviews; (2) site visits with participating health centers; and (3) detailed meeting notes and logs. Leaders and administrators from …

Adaptation Using Im Adapt Of An Evidence-Based Lifestyle Intervention To Support The Management Of Metabolic-Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among Hispanic/Latino Adults, Natalia I Heredia, Sylvia A Ayieko, Serena A Rodriguez, Jessica P Hwang, Lorna H Mcneill, Maria E Fernandez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The high prevalence of metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), necessitates the availability of an evidence-based intervention to manage the condition among patients to prevent severe chronic liver disease and other cardiometabolic-related illnesses. IM Adapt (Intervention Mapping for Adaptation) is a systematic approach for planning modifications in interventions to improve fit and potential effectiveness. Following this stepped approach, we conducted interviews with the target population, conducted a literature review, solicited expert advice, and created a logic model describing expected program outcomes for the new population and setting. We searched for, selected, and adapted an …

Co-Creation Of Staff Training To Address Health-Related Social Needs In Emergencies, Linda Highfield, Gayla Ferguson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Health-related social needs (HRSN), such as housing and transportation barriers, contribute to poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Patient navigators help connect patients to community resources, but workforce training gaps are a challenge. The Strengthening Peer AHC Navigation (SPAN) study aimed to enhance navigation training during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Methods: Using a stakeholder-driven peer planning approach, SPAN co-developed a quality improvement plan for patient navigation training. Training focused on housing and transportation navigation and included didactic sessions, hands-on case studies, and biweekly expert consultations. Self-efficacy surveys measured navigator confidence pre- and post-training, and changes in navigation …

A Directed Content Analysis For Greatest Problems Among People With And Without Traumatic Brain Injury, Emily Dudek, Michael W Williams, Chung Lin Novelle Kew, Annalyn Demello, Brittany Wright, Alexandra B Holland, Alyssa Day-Gorman, Alexa S Gonzalez, Luis Leon Novelo, Xiangyi Liu, Shannon B Juengst

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objective: To characterize the greatest problem or need among individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI), as compared with individuals with a history of other neurologic conditions, mental health conditions, and no history of neurologic or mental health conditions.

Design: A directed content analysis of open-text responses to a single online survey question using a framework guided by the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory-4.

Setting: Community.

Participants: A total of 2861 community-dwelling adults (n=274 with TBI; n=289 with other neurologic conditions besides TBI; n=454 with mental health conditions but no neurologic conditions; and n=1844 controls).

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main outcome …

A Systematic Review And Narrative Synthesis Of Factors Affecting Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Willingness Among Black Women For Hiv Prevention, Alexis Sims Haynes, Christine Markham, Vanessa Schick, Robert Suchting, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Sumaita Choudhury, Mandy J Hill

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can significantly reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among Black women in the United States (U.S.), a group disproportionately affected by HIV. However, PrEP uptake in this HIV-vulnerable population is low. This review analyzes the factors influencing Black women's PrEP willingness using the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design (PICOS) framework, we conducted a systematic literature search and selected 24 peer-reviewed studies on PrEP willingness. Narrative synthesis revealed a heterogeneous landscape of the determinants affecting PrEP willingness …

Association Between Trust In The Incumbent President And Covid-19 Preventive Behaviors During The Pandemic In Four Latin American Countries, Juliana Mejía-Grueso, Gloria Isabel Niño-Cruz, Javiera Alarcón-Aguilar, Pablo Roa-Urrutia, Sergio Mauricio Moreno-López, Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino, Alexandre Augusto De Paula Da Silva, Fernando López, Deborah Salvo, Rodrigo Siqueira Reis, Guillermo Rosas, Andrea Ramírez-Varela

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic revealed disparities in policy responses in Latin America. We examined the association between trust in the president and COVID-19 preventive behaviors in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. We used data from the Collaborative COVID-19 Response Survey by the McDonnell Academy at Washington University in St. Louis (United States), from September 2020 to March 2021. Nonprobabilistic sampling included adult citizens from the four countries. Multivariate negative binomial regression models were applied. The study included 8,125 participants, with Brazil showing the lowest adherence to preventive behaviors (65.5%). Increased adoption of preventive behaviors was linked with ages 18-26 (aIRR = …

Untargeted Metabolome Atlas For Sleep-Related Phenotypes In The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos, Ying Zhang, Brian W Spitzer, Yu Zhang, Danielle A Wallace, Bing Yu, Qibin Qi, Maria Argos, M Larissa Avilés-Santa, Eric Boerwinkle, Martha L Daviglus, Robert Kaplan, Jianwen Cai, Susan Redline, Tamar Sofer

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Sleep is essential to maintaining health and wellbeing of individuals, influencing a variety of outcomes from mental health to cardiometabolic disease. This study aims to assess the relationships between various sleep-related phenotypes and blood metabolites.

METHODS: Utilising data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we performed association analyses between 40 sleep-related phenotypes, grouped in several domains (sleep disordered breathing (SDB), sleep duration, sleep timing, self-reported insomnia symptoms, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and heart rate during sleep), and 768 metabolites measured via untargeted metabolomics profiling. Network analysis was employed to visualise and interpret the associations between sleep phenotypes …

‘Impact Of Titration Of Atropine On Clinical Outcomes In Organophosphorus Poisoning Patients: An Observational Study’, Ashwini Ashwini, Janet Alva, Vivek Gopinathan

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Background: Organophosphorus (OP) poisoning is a significant public health problem globally, leading to symptoms such as cholinergic crisis, intermediate syndrome, and altered consciousness. Proper administration of atropine, based on acetylcholinesterase enzyme levels, is critical to prevent deterioration. This study aims to describe how atropine titration parameters affect clinical outcomes in patients with organophosphorus poisoning

Materials and Methods: An observational cohort study included 46 OP poisoning patients aged over 18 years, admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Data were collected within 24 hours of ICU admission using structured checklists covering demographic profiles, atropine titration, and clinical outcomes. Descriptive statistics were …

Patterns Of Loco-Regional Progression And Patient Outcomes After Definitive-Dose Radiation Therapy For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer, Julianna K Bronk, Alexander Augustyn, Abdallah S R Mohamed, C David Fuller, Adam S Garden, Amy C Moreno, Anna Lee, William H Morrison, Jack Phan, Jay P Reddy, David I Rosenthal, Michael T Spiotto, Steven J Frank, Ramona Dadu, Naifa Busaidy, Mark Zafereo, Jennifer R Wang, Anastasios Maniakas, Renata Ferrarotto, Priyanka C Iyer, Maria E Cabanillas, G Brandon Gunn

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The aim of this study is to characterize the patterns of loco-regional progression (LRP) and outcomes after definitive-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) with macroscopic neck disease at the time of IMRT.

Methods: Disease/treatment characteristics and outcomes for patients with unresected or incompletely resected ATC who received IMRT (≥45 Gy) were retrospectively reviewed. For those with LRP after IMRT, progressive/recurrent gross tumor volumes (rGTV) were contoured on diagnostic CTs and co-registered with initial planning CTs using deformable image registration. rGTVs were classified based on established spatial/dosimetric criteria.

Results: Forty patients treated between 2010-2020 formed …

Dedifferentiated Liposarcomas Treated With Immune Checkpoint Blockade: The Md Anderson Experience, Madeline B Torres, Cheuk Hong Leung, Marianne Zoghbi, Rossana Lazcano, Davis Ingram, Khalida Wani, Emily Z Keung, M Alejandra Zarzour, Christopher P Scally, Kelly K Hunt, Anthony Conley, Andrew J Bishop, B Ashleigh Guadagnolo, Ahsan Farooqi, Devarati Mitra, Alison K Yoder, Michael S Nakazawa, Dejka Araujo, Andrew Livingston, Ravin Ratan, Shreyaskumar Patel, Vinod Ravi, Alexander J Lazar, Christina L Roland, Neeta Somaiah, Elise F Nassif Haddad

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS) is one of the most common types of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) characterized by liposarcomatous differentiation and a predilection for the retroperitoneum. Despite the growing number of histology-specific immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) trials in STS, it is still difficult to identify the radiographic objective response rate (ORR) for DDLPS in the real world setting. This study aimed to evaluate the ORR and survival of patients with DDLPS treated with ICB at a single center.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 31 patients with pathologically confirmed DDLPS treated with ICB at MD Anderson Cancer Center between …

Trends In Contacts Made By Immigrants To The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sarah Treves-Kagan, Vi D Le, Liris S Berra, Colleen M Ray, Yanet Ruvalcaba, Leila Wood, Denise V D'Angelo, Tatiana M Vera, Lianne Fuino Estefan

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Objectives: Immigrants in the United States are more likely than nonimmigrants to experience risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and problems in getting support. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent incidents of xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment may have exacerbated exposure to IPV risk factors. We examined immigrant experiences of IPV before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study identified changes in characteristics of abuse, services used, referrals, and barriers to services among those who contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and identified as immigrants, reported immigration status as a concern, needed immigration support, and/or identified immigration status as …

Multimorbidity In Adolescents: The Longitudinal Impact Of Childhood Socioeconomic Trajectories And Health Risk In Adulthood, Savitha Sambandamoorthy

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Abstract

Background:

Multimorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of two or more health conditions (physical, mental, or both), has been thought of as a disease of the elderly, with most studies of multimorbidity focusing on adults and the elderly population. However, co-occurring (multimorbid) health conditions are common in adolescence, and it is important to understand the profiles and patterns of multimorbidity during adolescence, a critical developmental period with long-term implications. Social determinants of health, especially lower socioeconomic status (SES), are linked to higher risk of multimorbidity and poor outcomes in adulthood. However, most of the past studies that have looked at …

Psychometric Evaluation Of A Novel Measure Of Trauma-Related Cannabis Use To Cope, Sage E. Hawn, Terrell A. Hicks, Christopher Latourrette, Anita Thomas, Daniela Chaname, Sarah Ehlke, Abigail Powers Lott

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD) are commonly comorbid and are associated with many negative public health outcomes. One plausible explanation for this comorbidity comes from a self-medication framework, which suggests people use cannabis to cope with PTSD symptoms. Despite theoretical and empirical evidence for PTSD-related cannabis use to cope, no measure of this construct exists.

Objective: We sought to address this gap by developing and validating a novel measure of PTSD-specific cannabis self-medication, which we have termed the Trauma-Related Cannabis Use to Cope (TRCU) questionnaire.

Method: The psychometric properties of the TRCU and how it …

Development Of A Personalized Conversational Health Agent To Enhance Physical Activity For Blind And Low-Vision Individuals, Soyoung Choi, Jooyoung Seo, Ashwath Krishnan, Sanchita Kamath, Justin Haegele

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: With the advancements in mobile health (mHealth) technologies, sighted individuals can benefit from mobile apps and wearable devices to more easily manage their physical activity (PA) and wellness data through intuitive touch gestures and effective data visualizations. However, for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals, these conventional interaction methods are often challenging, not only limiting their ability to use these technologies but also potentially diminishing their motivation to adopt them to support health-promoting behaviors. We aimed to develop a health monitoring application called Personalized and Conversational Health Agent (PCHA) that supports BLV individuals with self-monitoring and management of their PA …

Using Digitally Delivered Measurement-Based Care In Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Qualitative Analysis Of Patients’ Perspectives, Tessa Frohe, Eliza B Cohn, Madeline C Frost, Tascha R Johnson, Kevin A Hallgren

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Measurement-based care (MBC) is a clinical practice where patients complete standardized outcome measures throughout treatment to monitor clinical progress and inform clinical decision-making. However, MBC is rarely adopted in routine substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. We developed a digital MBC system and pilot tested it in an outpatient adult community SUD treatment setting.

Objectives:The current study aims to characterize qualitative feedback from the pilot participants about their experiences using the MBC system in SUD treatment, focusing on perceived benefits, drawbacks, and suggestions for improvement.

Methods: Participants (N=30; n=11 female 37%) completed weekly MBC questionnaires via smartphone for 6 …