Digital Commons Network^™

Barriers And Facilitators To Administering Burn Pit Registry Exams In Vha Facilities, Patricia V Chen, Israel C Christie, Kyler M Godwin, Jaehwan Han, Nisha Jani, Anays Sotolongo, Asma Ali, Drew A Helmer

Faculty and Staff Publications

Introduction: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) established the Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) in 2014 to address exposure concerns for veterans who have served in military operations in Southwest Asia and Afghanistan. By 2021, over 236,086 veterans completed the online questionnaire and 60% requested an AHOBPR examination. Of those requesting an exam, only 12% had an exam recorded in their medical record. This article summarizes barriers and facilitators to delivering AHOBPR exams and shares lessons learned from facilities who have successfully implemented burn pit exams for veterans.

Materials and methods: We (I.C.C and J.H.) constructed a key …

Deployment-Related Cigarette Smoking Behaviors And Pulmonary Function Among Us Veterans, Jennifer R Maccarone, Olivia R Sterns, Andrew Timmons, Anna M Korpak, Nicholas L Smith, Karen S Nakayama, Coleen P Baird, Paul Ciminera, Farrah Kheradmand, Vincent S Fan, Jaime E Hart, Petros Koutrakis, Michael Jerrett, Ware G Kuschner, Octavian C Ioachimescu, Philippe R Montgrain, Susan P Proctor, Carrie A Redlich, Christine H Wendt, Paul D Blanc, Eric Garshick, Emily S Wan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: The effects of smoking on lung function among post-9/11 Veterans deployed to environments with high levels of ambient particulate matter are incompletely understood.

Materials and methods: We analyzed interim data (04/2018-03/2020) from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Cooperative Studies Program #595, "Service and Health Among Deployed Veterans". Veterans with ≥1 land-based deployments enrolled at 1 of 6 regional Veterans Affairs sites completed questionnaires and spirometry. Multivariable linear regression models assessed associations between cigarette smoking (cumulative, deployment-related and non-deployment-related) with pulmonary function.

Results: Among 1,836 participants (mean age 40.7 ± 9.6, 88.6% male), 44.8% (n = 822) were ever-smokers (mean age …

The Phenomenological Effects Of Fidel Castro’S Communist Revolution On The Christian Church In Cuba, Daniel Orama

Masters Theses

The claims that religious freedom in Cuba can coexist alongside the Communist, Marxist, Socialist regime without hindrance contradicts the Word of God and eyewitness testimonies of those who serve in the Cuban Christian church. Church pastors in Cuba often suffer imprisonment as long as twenty years before being allowed to return to their homes and communities. This study regains the views of countless pastors and those serving in churches throughout Cuba, whose opinions concerning Christians who put themselves in harm’s way against the communist authorities are expurgated. Using the qualitative research paradigm, this study utilizes qualitative artistic and creative research …

Us-Mexico Relations: Addressing Challenges At The Border, The Brookings Institution

Brookings Mountain West Special Events

Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum will begin her six-year term in October as the U.S. presidential campaign enters its final stretch. How the next U.S. administration and Congress manage relations with new leadership in Mexico will affect border security, immigration policies, trade and energy relations, and counter-narcotics and anti-crime cooperation. What tools can policymakers in both countries use to advance positive outcomes? What are the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for the United States and Mexico?

The Brookings Foreign Policy program in partnership with Brookings Mountain West at UNLV hosted a discussion on the state of U.S.-Mexico relations. Panelists analyzed …

Needs Of Family Caregivers Of Hospitalised Adults With Dementia During Care Transitions: A Qualitative Study In A Us Department Of Veterans Affairs Hospital, Molly J Horstman, Tracy L Evans, Crystal Guo, Mandi Sonnenfeld, Aanand D Naik, Alan Stevens, Mark E Kunik

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

OBJECTIVE: To identify the needs of caregivers of hospitalised adults with dementia in the hospital and during care transitions.

DESIGN: Pragmatic qualitative inquiry with semi-structured interviews.

SETTING: Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas, USA.

PARTICIPANTS: 12 family caregivers (family member (n=11); friend (n=1)) and 15 health professionals (hospital medicine physicians (n=4), inpatient nurse case managers (n=2), social workers (n=4), outpatient geriatrics providers (n=2), a primary care provider (n=1), geriatric psychiatrists (n=2)) were interviewed. Caregivers were recruited while their care recipient was hospitalised and were interviewed at least 2 weeks after the care recipient was discharged from …

Sustainable Campus Landscapes In The United States And China: A Comparative Analysis, Zhaofang Zhang, Jing Zhou, Deanna Schmidt, Kathleen Garland

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper explores landscapes of sustainability. Universities across the world have incorporated sustainability into their curriculum, research, infrastructure operation, and resource management. However, campus landscapes are relatively unexplored assets to promote university sustainability. As the physical embodiment of university values as well as an enduring legacy, campus landscapes offer the potential to integrate sustainability into the fabric of universities for generations to come. The paper presents findings from an empirical study of two universities: China T hree Gorges University, Yinchang City, Hubei province, China, (CTGU) and the University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas, United States (UHCL). The research utilizes landscape …

Who Lives Where: A Comprehensive Population Taxonomy Of Cities, Suburbs, Exurbs, And Rural Areas In The United States, Brian Edward Johnson, Jason Shifferd

The Geographical Bulletin

This paper answers the question: how many Americans live in cities, suburbs, exurbs, and rural areas in the United States? Previous works have examined only one or some of these settlement types instead of accounting for the entire country’s population, or have employed highly technical classifications uncommon in common parlance. T his paper develops a comprehensive classification scheme using vernacular settlement types, then organizes U.S. Census data into the taxonomy presented here. This research contributes to the existing literature by (1) reporting the number and percentages living in all four major settlement types rather than covering only one or two …

Addressing Dermatologic Concerns And Teledermatology In Undomiciled And Sheltered Populations, Kennedy Gallagher, Sahithi Talasila, Anna Bistline, Rebecca Krain, Leena Ramani, Elizabeth Jones

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Homelessness in the United States is a significant public health issue, with dermatologic disease being the most prevalent health concern among the undomiciled and sheltered populations. Despite a growing need for dermatologic care, the supply of dermatologists remains insufficient, contributing to disparities in healthcare access for this vulnerable group. This review aims to detail the spectrum of dermatologic conditions experienced by homeless individuals, identify barriers to adequate care, and explore teledermatology as a potential solution to bridge these gaps. A comprehensive literature review was conducted, analyzing studies and reports on dermatologic issues prevalent among the homeless population and the efficacy …

Detection And Analysis Of Solid-Phase Nutrients In Complex Benthic Cyanobacterium Communities, Cassidy Ann Crandell

Theses and Dissertations

Eutrophication is one of the most serious water quality issues affecting aquatic systems in the United States. Densely populated urban areas as well as mining and agriculture are major sources of anthropogenic nutrient loading into lakes and rivers. Excess loading of nutrients like phosphorus (P) into these ecosystems can cause native algal species to be outcompeted by harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. Increases in these HAB events are a growing public health concern as contact with excreted toxins can be harmful for human, aquatic, and land species. Remediation techniques like total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) have been implemented to reduce …

Impacts Of Covid-19 And Taliban Takeover On U.S. Afghan Refugee Women’S Mental Health: A Socio-Ecological Approach To Resilience Resources, Atefeh Aghaei

Theses and Dissertations

In response to the escalating global refugee crisis, intensified by ongoing conflicts and environmental changes, this dissertation research focuses on the mental health of Afghan refugee women in the United States (U.S.), particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 Taliban takeover. With over 114 million people displaced globally, Afghan refugees, notably women, encounter heightened mental health risks due to violence, deprivation, systemic persecution, and the challenges of migration. This vulnerability is exacerbated by recent mass traumatic events, including the pandemic and political upheaval in Afghanistan. Our study, conducted through semi-structured interviews with Afghan refugee women and …

Internalizing Mental Health Symptoms And Nicotine Use Among Adolescents In Canada, England, And The Us From 2020-2022, Emily E. Hackworth

Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is a well-established bi-directional relationship between cigarette smoking and internalizing mental health (IMH) symptoms (e.g., symptoms of depression, symptoms of anxiety). However, it is unclear whether IMH symptoms are associated with using different types of nicotine products among adolescents, as adolescents are using a variety of nicotine products, including combustible products (cigarettes), non-combustible products (e-cigarettes), or combinations of both types of products. This dissertation examines associations between IMH symptoms and current use of various types of nicotine products across three countries from 2020-2022.

Methods: Data come from the 2020-2022 waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Adolescents Tobacco …

What Is The Economic Benefit Of Annual Covid-19 Vaccination From The Adult Individual Perspective?, Sarah M Bartsch, Kelly J O'Shea, Colleen Weatherwax, Ulrich Strych, Kavya Velmurugan, Danielle C John, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Mustafa Hussein, Marie F Martinez, Kevin L Chin, Allan Ciciriello, Jessie Heneghan, Alexis Dibbs, Sheryl A Scannell, Peter J Hotez, Bruce Y Lee

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Background: With coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination no longer mandated by many businesses/organizations, it is now up to individuals to decide whether to get any new boosters/updated vaccines going forward.

Methods: We developed a Markov model representing the potential clinical/economic outcomes from an individual perspective in the United States of getting versus not getting an annual COVID-19 vaccine.

Results: For an 18-49 year old, getting vaccinated at its current price ($60) can save the individual on average $30-$603 if the individual is uninsured and $4-$437 if the individual has private insurance, as long as the starting vaccine efficacy against severe …

Pre-Existing Immunocompromising Conditions And Outcomes Of Acute Covid-19 Patients Admitted For Pediatric Intensive Care, Courtney M Rowan, Brenna Labere, Cameron C Young, Laura D Zambrano, Margaret M Newhams, Suden Kucukak, Elizabeth R Mcnamara, Elizabeth H Mack, Julie C Fitzgerald, Katherine Irby, Aline B Maddux, Jennifer E Schuster, Michele Kong, Heda Dapul, Stephanie P Schwartz, Melania M Bembea, Laura L Loftis, Amanda R Kolmar, Christopher J Babbitt, Ryan A Nofziger, Mark W Hall, Shira J Gertz, Natalie Z Cvijanovich, Matt S Zinter, Natasha B Halasa, Tamara T Bradford, Gwenn E Mclaughlin, Aalok R Singh, Charlotte V Hobbs, Kari Wellnitz, Mary A Staat, Bria M Coates, Hillary R Crandall, Mia Maamari, Kevin M Havlin, Adam J Schwarz, Christopher L Carroll, Emily R Levy, Kristin L Moffitt, Angela P Campbell, Adrienne G Randolph, Janet Chou

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: We aimed to determine if pre-existing immunocompromising conditions (ICCs) were associated with the presentation or outcome of patients with acute coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted for pediatric intensive care.

METHODS: Fifty-five hospitals in 30 US states reported cases through the Overcoming COVID-19 public health surveillance registry. Patients(PICU) or high-acuity unit for acute COVID-19 were included.

RESULTS: Of 1274 patients, 105 (8.2%) had an ICC, including 33 (31.4%) hematologic malignancies, 24 (22.9%) primary immunodeficiencies and disorders of hematopoietic cells, 19 (18.1%) nonmalignant organ failure with solid-organ transplantation, 16 (15.2%) solid tumors, and 13 (12.4%) autoimmune disorders. Patients with ICCs were …

Vaginitis And Risk Of Sexually Transmitted Infections: Results Of A Multi-Center U.S. Clinical Study Using Sti Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing, Jane R Schwebke, Paul Nyirjesy, Melissa Dsouza, Damon Getman

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

Significant increases in rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) caused by Trichomonas vaginalis (TV), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) are occurring in the United States. We present results of a U.S. study examining the intersection of STIs and vaginitis. Among 1,051 women with diagnoses for the presence or absence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and/or symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), 195 (18.5%) had one or more STIs, including 101 (9.6%) with TV, 24 (2.3%) with CT, 9 (0.8%) with NG, and 93 (8.8%) with MG. STI prevalence in BV-positive women was 26.3% (136/518), significantly higher than STI …

Postacute Sequelae Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection In The Pre-Delta, Delta, And Omicron Eras, Yan Xie, Taeyoung Choi, Ziyad Al-Aly

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) can affect many organ systems. However, temporal changes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, including the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, may have affected the risk and burden of PASC. Whether the risk and burden of PASC have changed over the course of the pandemic is unclear.

METHODS: We used health records of the Department of Veterans Affairs to build a study population of 441,583 veterans with SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 1, 2020, and January 31, 2022, and 4,748,504 noninfected contemporaneous controls. We estimated the cumulative incidence of …

Video And Phone Visit Use Differed By Language Preference Among Us Latino And Chinese Adults During The First 9 Months Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Electronic Health Record Study, Nancy P Gordon, Teresa Y Lin, Antonia Torreblanca, Mary E Reed

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: During the first nine months of the COVID-19 emergency, patients were encouraged to use virtual versus clinic visits if in-person care was not deemed necessary by clinical staff. This study examined the association of spoken language preference and ethnicity with use of video versus phone virtual visits by US Latino and Chinese adult patients who got care in the same healthcare system.

METHODS: We analyzed electronic health record data for four groups of adults aged 26-85y who had ≥ 1 primary or specialty care outpatient clinician visits during April-December 2020: 80,869 Latino adults preferring Spanish (LEP Latino); 214,765 Latino …

Stroke Severity, Caregiver Feedback, And Cognition In The Regards-Cares Study, Jason A Blake, D Leann Long, Amy J Knight, Burel R Goodin, Michael Crowe, Suzanne E Judd, J David Rhodes, David L Roth, Olivio J Clay

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment after stroke is common and is present in up to 60% of survivors. Stroke severity, indicated by both volume and location, is the most consequential predictor of cognitive impairment, with severe strokes predicting higher chances of cognitive impairment. The current investigation examines the associations of 2 stroke severity ratings and a caregiver-report of poststroke functioning with longitudinal cognitive outcomes.

METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred fifty-seven caregivers and stroke survivor dyads participated in the CARES (Caring for Adults Recovering From the Effects of Stroke) project, an ancillary study of the REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in …

Tracking The Prevalence And Emergence Of Sars-Cov-2 Variants Of Concern Using A Regional Genomic Surveillance Program, Ana Jung, Lindsay Droit, Binita Febles, Catarina Fronick, Lisa Cook, Scott A Handley, Bijal A Parikh, David Wang

2020-Current year OA Pubs

UNLABELLED: SARS-CoV-2 molecular testing coupled with whole-genome sequencing is instrumental for real-time genomic surveillance. Genomic surveillance is critical for monitoring the spread of variants of concern (VOCs) as well as discovery of novel variants. Since the beginning of the pandemic, millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes have been deposited into public sequence databases. This is the result of efforts of both national and regional diagnostic laboratories. In this study, we describe the results of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance from February 2021 to June 2022 at a metropolitan hospital in the United States. We demonstrate that consistent daily sampling is sufficient to track the …

Utilizing The 4ms Framework To Create A Structure And Process To Support Voluntary Health Assessments In Affordable Housing, Elyse Perweiler, Jennifer Degennaro, Sherry Pomerantz, Marilyn Mock, Margaret Avallone, Aaron Truchil, Stephen Singer

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: A growing number of older adults live in senior affordable housing, many with limited support systems and representing underserved or disadvantaged populations. Staff in these buildings are in a unique position to identify and address the healthcare and biopsychosocial needs of their residents and link them to services and supports.

METHODS: Staff in four affordable housing sites received training on the 4Ms approach to caring for older adults and conducting resident health assessments. They learned to collect comprehensive health information using a 4Ms Resident Health Risk Assessment (4Ms-RHRA) and results are entered into a customized electronic database. Embedded flags …

Health Care Utilization And Behavior Changes After Workplace Genetic Testing At A Large Us Health Care System., Elizabeth Charnysh, Subhamoy Pal, Jonathan M Reader, Wendy R Uhlmann, Sarah Mccain, Kunal Sanghavi, Drew Blasco, Rachael Brandt, William Gregory Feero, Rebecca Ferber, Veda N Giri, Katherine Hendy, Anya E R Prince, Charles Lee, J Scott Roberts, Insight @ Work Consortium

Faculty Research 2024

PURPOSE: This study explored employee health behavior changes and health care utilization after workplace genetic testing (wGT). Wellness-program-associated wGT seeks to improve employee health, but the related health implications are unknown.

METHODS: Employees of a large US health care system offering wGT (cancer, heart disease, and pharmacogenomics [PGx]) were sent electronic surveys. Self-reported data from those who received test results were analyzed. Descriptive statistics characterized responses, whereas logistic regression analyses explored correlates of responses to wGT.

RESULTS: 53.9% (n = 418/776) of respondents (88.3% female, mean age = 44 years) reported receiving wGT results. 12.0% (n = 48/399) received results …

Development And Application Of Genetic Ancestry Reconstruction Methods To Study Diversity Of Patient-Derived Models In The Nci Pdxnet Consortium., Paul C Lott, Katherine Chiu, Juanita Elizabeth Quino, April Pangia Vang, Michael W Lloyd, Anuj Srivastava, Jeffrey Chuang, Pdxnet Consortium, Luis G Carvajal-Carmona

Faculty Research 2024

Precision medicine holds great promise for improving cancer outcomes. Yet, there are large inequities in the demographics of patients from whom genomic data and models, including patient-derived xenografts (PDX), are developed and for whom treatments are optimized. In this study, we developed a genetic ancestry pipeline for the Cancer Genomics Cloud, which we used to assess the diversity of models currently available in the National Cancer Institute-supported PDX Development and Trial Centers Research Network (PDXNet). We showed that there is an under-representation of models derived from patients of non-European ancestry, consistent with other cancer model resources. We discussed these findings …

Executing Plans To Enhance Diversity Across Cancer Centers In The United States: Opportunities And Challenges., Christopher I Li, Sherise Chantell Rogers, Carol J Bult, Carmen E Guerra, Angela Talton, Lovoria B Williams, Wendy Law

Faculty Research 2024

BACKGROUND: Lack of diversity in the cancer research workforce persists, which the new requirement for all National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers to have a Plan to Enhance Diversity (PED) seeks to address. However, it is not well understood how different cancer centers are approaching the development and execution of these plans. Our objective was to assess how cancer centers are establishing and pursuing their PED.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of members of the Cancer Center Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Network, which includes all NCI-designated cancer centers and several emerging centers. A total of 62 cancer centers (75% …

Potential Impact Of Curative And Preventive Interventions Toward Hepatitis C Elimination In People Who Inject Drugs-A Network Modeling Study., Lin Zhu, William W. Thompson, Liesl Hagan, Liisa M. Randall, Abby E. Rudolph, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens, Joshua A. Salomon, Benjamin P. Linas

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Injection-equipment-sharing networks play an important role in hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments for HCV infection and interventions to prevent HCV transmission are critical components of an overall hepatitis C elimination strategy, but how they contribute to the elimination outcomes in different PWID network settings are unclear.

METHODS: We developed an agent-based network model of HCV transmission through the sharing of injection equipment among PWID and parameterized and calibrated the model with rural PWID data in the United States. We modeled curative and preventive interventions at annual coverage levels of …

Medicare Utilization And Cost Trends For Car T Cell Therapies Across Settings Of Care In The Treatment Of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, James Wu, Armin Ghobadi, Richard Maziarz, Krish Patel, Hil Hsu, Zihao Liu, Caitlin Sheetz, Peter Kardel, Christine Fu

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapies have transformed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) treatment. It is important to better understand their use in Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) patients, who often differ from commercially insured populations in important ways.

METHODS: We analyzed Medicare FFS claims data, focusing on the utilization patterns across three CAR T products-lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel), tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel), and axicabtagene autoleucel (axi-cel)-which are indicated for the treatment of DLBCL. Our investigation covered the period from 2021 through 2022. This analysis spanned a 180-day period prior to CAR T procedure and extended to a 90-day post-CAR T. Utilization of …

Potential Us Health Care Savings Based On Clinician Views Of Feasible Site-Of-Care Shifts, Nikhil R Sahni, Crosbie Marine, David M Cutler, Laura N Medford-Davis, Melvin Mezue, Omar Kattan, Ed Levine, Karen E Joynt Maddox

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Shifting care to alternative sites when clinically appropriate may be associated with reduced US health care spending, improved access, and, in some cases, improved care outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To fill 2 main gaps in the current literature on site-of-care shifts: (1) understanding the clinician perspective on appropriateness of alternative care sites, given the central role they play in referrals and patient trust and (2) considering all potential sites where care could shift and calculating net savings potential.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this survey study, physicians (MDs and DOs), nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists, radiology and imaging technicians, and …

Traumatic Brain Injury, Seizures, And Cognitive Impairment Among Older Adults, Yiqi Zhu, Jonathan Williams, Kebede Beyene, Jean-Francois Trani, Ganesh M Babulal

2020-Current year OA Pubs

IMPORTANCE: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), seizures, and dementia increase with age. There is a gap in understanding the associations of TBI, seizures, and medications such as antiseizure and antipsychotics with the progression of cognitive impairment across racial and ethnic groups.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of TBI and seizures with the risk of cognitive impairment among cognitively normal older adults and the role of medications in moderating the association.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter cohort study was a secondary analysis of the Uniform Data Set collected between June 1, 2005, and June 30, 2020, from the National Alzheimer's Coordination …

Trends In Central Nervous System-Active Polypharmacy Among People With Multiple Sclerosis, Hayden Naizer, Joseph Wozny, Trudy Millard Krause, Ethan Huson, Leorah Freeman

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: People with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are at risk of concurrently using multiple central nervous system (CNS)-active drugs, yet the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy remains unmeasured in pwMS.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to measure the prevalence of CNS-active polypharmacy in pwMS.

METHODS: This serial, cross-sectional study measured CNS-active polypharmacy in people with MS in the United States from 2008 to 2021 using insurance claims data. CNS-active polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent prescription of ⩾3 CNS-active drugs for >30 continuous days. CNS-active drugs included antidepressants, antiepileptics, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, opioids, and skeletal muscle relaxants.

RESULTS: The …

Past-Year Hiv Testing, Current Antiretroviral Therapy Use, And Participation In Services For People Who Inject Drugs, Itunu Sokale, Johnny Wilkerson, Paige Wermuth, Folefac Atem, Janet Burnett, Cyprian Wejnert, Salma Khuwaja, Catherine Troisi

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Evaluating routine HIV testing and treatment and use of services for people who inject drugs (PWID) is critical to curb the ongoing HIV epidemic. We analyzed data from the 2018 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance of PWID aged 18 years or older, recruited using respondent-driven sampling and offered anonymous HIV testing after survey. We performed bivariate and multivariable analyses with log-linked Poisson regression of the generalized linear models to examine the associations between demographics and PWID service use, past-year HIV testing, and current antiretroviral therapy (ART) use. Among 10,311 HIV-negative PWID, 56% reported past-year HIV testing, and of the 553 HIV-positive …

Disparities In Exposure To Tobacco On Television Or Streaming Platforms, Henry K Onyeaka, Onyema G Chido-Amajuoyi, Itunu Sokale, Kobi V Ajayi, A Eden Evins, Hermioni L Amonoo, Sanjay Shete

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Importance: With the rise in popularity of streaming platforms concerns about exposure to tobacco advertising and promotion have emerged. While tobacco marketing and promotion through traditional television (TV) media channels has been extensively studied, less is known about exposure to tobacco through TV or streaming platforms and its associated factors.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and factors associated with exposure to tobacco products advertised, marketed, or promoted on TV or streaming platforms among US adults.

Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study used data from the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6), conducted from March 7 …

African American Patients Have A Higher Probability Of Cognitive Impairment After Incident Stroke: An Analysis Of National Electronic Health Record Data, Alicia Zha, Chenguang Zhang, Gen Zhu, Xinran Huang, Sahar Anjum, Yashar Talebi, Sean Savitz, Hulin Wu

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) and stroke are diseases with significant disparities in race and geography. Post stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) can be as high as 15-70 % but few studies have utilized large administrative or electronic health records (EHR) to evaluate trends in PSCI. We utilized an EHR database to evaluate for disparities in PSCI in a large sample of patients after first recorded stroke to evaluate for disparities in race.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort analysis of Cerner Health Facts® EHR database, which is comprised of EHR data from hundreds of hospitals/clinics in the US from 2009-2018. We …