Public Health Commons^™

Temporal Network Analysis Of Comorbidities Among People With Hiv In South Carolina, Yunqing Ma, Matthew Lohman Ph.D., Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Yichen Li, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction: People with HIV experience a high rate of comorbidities that can complicate their health outcomes. Understanding the prevalence, interrelationships and temporal development of these comorbidities is crucial for improving health management and quality of life for people with HIV. Methods: We used a population-based cohort extracted from statewide electronic health record (EHR) data in South Carolina (SC), including 18 649 people with HIV who survived at least 1 year after HIV diagnosis between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2020. Comorbidities and organ systems were classified using ICD-10 codes. Network analysis was performed to assess the closeness centrality among …

Longitudinal Viral Load Clustering For People With Hiv Using Functional Principal Component Analysis, Yunqing Ma, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Jiayang Xiao, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Longitudinal measures of viral load (VL) are critical in monitoring the HIV status. While multiple lab indicators exist for monitoring measures of VL, research on clustering historical/longitudinal VL measures is limited. Analyzing longitudinal VL patterns rather than aggregated measures offers deeper insights into HIV status. This study uses functional data clustering to classify longitudinal VL patterns and characterize each cluster by demographics, comorbidities, social behaviors, and CD4 count.

Methods: Adult PWH diagnosed from 2005 to 2015 in South Carolina with a 5-year minimum follow-up were included. We compared functional principal component analysis (FPCA), K-means, hierarchical clustering, and Gaussian mixture …

Temporal Changes In Racial Disparities Of Hiv Linkage To Care From 2013 To 2020: A Statewide Cohort Analysis, Fanghui Shi, Katherine E. Weaver, Chen Zhang, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background: Racial disparities have historically existed regarding HIV care outcomes, including linkage to care. This study aims to explore the contribution of contextual features (e.g., socioeconomic and structural environmental factors) to the temporal change of county-level racial disparities in linkage to care.

Methods: This is a statewide population-based retrospective cohort study. The patient-level variables in the South Carolina HIV registry system were used to calculate the aggregated county-level linkage to care percentage. Then, we used four indices to measure racial disparities in the county-level percentage of timely linkage to care, i.e., the Black-White ratio, index of disparity (ID), weighted ID, …

Harnessing Big Heterogeneous Data To Evaluate The Potential Impact Of Hiv Responses Among Key Populations In Sub-Saharan Africa: Protocol For The Boloka Data Repository Initiative, Refilwe Nancy Phaswana Mafuya, Edith Phalane, Amrita Rao, Kalai Willis, Katherine Rucinski, K. Alida Voet, Amal Abdulrahman, Claris Siyamayambo, Betty Sebati, Mohlago Seloka, Musa Jaiteh, Lerato Lucia Olifant, Katharine Journeay, Haley Sisel, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Neset Hikmet, Prashant Duhoon, Francois Wolmarans, Yegnanew A. Shiferaw, Lifutso Motsieloa, Mashudu Rampilo, Stefan Baral

Faculty Publications

Background: In South Africa, there is no centralized HIV surveillance system where key populations (KPs) data, including gay men and other men who have sex with men, female sex workers, transgender persons, people who use drugs, and incarcerated persons, are stored in South Africa despite being on higher risk of HIV acquisition and transmission than the general population. Data on KPs are being collected on a smaller scale by numerous stakeholders and managed in silos. There exists an opportunity to harness a variety of data, such as empirical, contextual, observational, and programmatic data, for evaluating the potential impact of HIV …

Longitudinal Assessments Of Viral Rebound Among People With Hiv In South Carolina: A Population-Based Cohort Study, Jiayang Xiao, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Yunqing Ma, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Routinely monitoring viral rebound (VR) is important in the life course of people with HIV (PWH). This study examined risk factors for time to the first VR, the number of VRs and their association with VR history in men who have sex with men (MSM). It includes 8176 adult PWH diagnosed from January 2005 to December 2018, followed until July 2021. We used the Cox model for time to the first VR, the Poisson model for a number of VRs, and logistic regression for VR history in MSM. Younger individuals (50–59 years vs 18–29 years, aHR: 0.43, 95% CI: [0.34, …

Maternal Vulnerability Index And Severe Maternal Morbidity, Nansi S. Boghossian, Joshua Radack, Molly Passarella, Ciaran S. Phibbs, Lucy T. Greenberg, Jeffrey S. Buzas, George R. Saade, Jeannette Rogowski, Scott A. Lorch

Faculty Publications

Importance: Few studies have investigated the association of composite measures of neighborhood social determinants of health with severe maternal morbidity (SMM), and no research has examined this association for indices tailored to maternal health. Objective: To examine the association of scores in the Maternal Vulnerability Index (MVI), a tool developed to measure maternal risk of adverse health outcomes, with SMM. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective, population-based cohort study was conducted in 5 states (2008-2020 for Michigan, Oregon, and South Carolina; 2008-2018 for Pennsylvania; and 2008-2012 for California) among individuals delivering a fetal death or a live birth between 22 …

Caregiving Burdens Of Task Time And Task Difficulty Among Paid And Unpaid Caregivers Of Persons Living With Dementia, Matthew Lee Smith, Jodi L. Southerland, Malinee Neelamegam, Gang Han, Shinduk Lee, Chung Lin Kew, Juanita Dawne R. Bacsu, Elyse Couch, Steffi M. Kim, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Ayse Malatyali, Lucas Wilson, Zahra Rahemi, Jeremy Holloway, Marcia G. Ory

Faculty Publications

Background: Demands of caregivers of persons living with dementia (PLWD) are often influenced by the context of their caregiving situation. This study examines common and unique factors associated with caregiving burden in terms of task time and task difficulty among paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD. Methods: Cross-sectional baseline survey data were analyzed from 107 paid and unpaid caregivers of PLWD participating in a larger NIH-funded study assessing the feasibility of using a novel in-situ sensor system. Oberst Caregiving Burden Scale constructs of task time and task difficulty served as dependent variables. Two least squares regression models were fitted, controlling …

Investing In The Development Of The Next Generation Of Mch Leaders, Karen A. Mcdonnell, Jamal Percy, Lisa Anders, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Alice R. Richman, Julianna Deardorff, Monica S. Ruiz, Jihong Liu Sc.D., Kelli Russell, Audrey Snyder, Cassondra Marshall

Faculty Publications

The public health landscape is constantly evolving to address the strengths and needs of the community. Training for the public health workforce is leading the way, establishing an ecosystem approach that integrates individuals within social, political, and environmental contexts to promote health equity within a framework of social justice. One area of public health that is innovatively preparing the next generation of leaders is maternal and child health (MCH). In the United States, key indicators of health disparities within MCH remain stagnant, highlighting the need for training programs that develop future MCH professionals from diverse backgrounds. These professionals will deliver …

Associations Between County-Level E-Cigarette-Inclusive Tobacco 21 Law Population Coverage And E-Cigarette Use Behaviors Among United States Adolescents In Monitoring The Future, James H. Buszkiewicz, Catherine A. Vander Woude, Yanmei Xie, Steven Cook, Bukola Usidame Peters, Megan E. Patrick, Michael R. Elliott, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Nancy L. Fleischer

Faculty Publications

Background and aims: In the United States (US), Tobacco 21 (T21) laws set the minimum legal sale age for all tobacco products to 21 years. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette-inclusive T21 laws were associated with e-cigarette use behaviors and related disparities among US adolescents. Design: We used nationally representative, repeated cross-sectional Monitoring the Future data to compare self-reported current e-cigarette use (2014–2022) and first e-cigarette initiation (2015–2022) among adolescents in counties with 100% ('full') versus < 100% ('partial or no') e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage using modified Poisson regression, examining differences by sex, race and ethnicity, parental educational attainment and college educational expectations through interactions. Setting: United States. Participants: 8th, 10th and 12th graders. Measurements: County-level e-cigarette-inclusive T21 law population coverage was determined using Tobacco 21 Population Coverage Database and US Census Bureau population data. Current e-cigarette …

Healthcare Providers’ Perspective On Hiv Testing And Hypothetical Mhealth-Connected Linkage To Care Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) In South Carolina, Tony Brown, Prince Nii Ossah Addo, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Xiaoming Li, Oluwafemi Adeagbo

Faculty Publications

Background: HIV continues to be an important public health concern in South Carolina (SC). However, an examination of providers’ willingness to use mHealth technologies to address ongoing barriers to HIV care and prevention strategies, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) is currently lacking in SC. We therefore explored HIV care providers’ perceptions of HIV testing and treatment uptake among MSM, and providers’ willingness to use mHealth technology to address barriers to HIV testing and treatment in SC. Methods: Between August and December 2021, we conducted semistructured virtual interviews with 10 HIV care providers recruited purposively based on …

Sars-Cov-2 Detection And Persistence In A Remote Amazonian Settlement, Glauco M. Silva, Roberto C. Ilacqua, Franciely G. Gonçalves, Carla M. Santana, Felipe T. Jordão, Paula R. Prist, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Andreia F. Brilhante, Marcia A. Sperança, Gabriel Z. Laporta

Faculty Publications

Background: COVID-19 continues to pose a major global health challenge. Despite its geographic distance from Brazil’s major urban centers, Acre state has experienced notable outbreaks. This study assessed the detection and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in the rural settlement of Santa Luzia, located in the remote municipality of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre state, Brazil. Methods: In July 2022, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at 40 sites from an ongoing environmental study, selected by deforestation patterns and proximity to health posts. Saliva samples were collected from residents aged 5–90 years, followed by nucleic acid extraction and multiplex RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Results: …

Challenges And Opportunities In Implementing And Enforcing India’S Loose Cigarette Sales Ban: A Qualitative Stakeholder Analysis, Mayank Sakhuja, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D., Mark M. Macauda Phd, Mph, James R. Hebert Scd, Mangesh S. Pednekar, Prakash C. Gupta, James F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms

Faculty Publications

Introduction Several Indian states have banned the sale of loose cigarettes, and India is considering a national ban. This study examines the perceptions of policymakers, implementers, and law enforcement officials regarding the implementation and enforcement of this ban. Methods Between May–October 2022, we conducted in-depth interviews with 26 key stakeholders involved in tobacco control in two Indian cities, Delhi (where the ban was not implemented) and Mumbai (where the ban was in effect). Participants included representatives from various government departments such as police, municipal corporations, FDA, health, and civil society organizations / NGOs such as Vital Strategies, World Health Organization, …

Effect Of Improving Food Security On Parenting Practices And Caregiver–Adolescent Relationships: Qualitative Findings Of An Income-Generating Agricultural Intervention In Rural Kenya, Maricianah A. Onono, Lila Sheira, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Gladys Odhiambo, Pauline Wekesa, Amy Conroy, Elizabeth A. Bukusi, Craig R. Cohen, Sheri D. Weiser

Faculty Publications

Background

Despite the recognised links between food insecurity and parenting, few studies have evaluated the perceived impacts of livelihood or food security interventions on parental practices, intra-household functioning, adolescent behaviour and psychosocial outcomes in HIV-affected households in sub-Saharan Africa.

Aims

The study aimed to understand the perceived effects of food security on parenting practices and how this was experienced by both adolescent girls (aged 13–19 years) and their caregivers in rural Kenya.

Method

We conducted semi-structured, individual interviews with 62 caregiver–adolescent dyads who were participants in the adolescent Shamba Maisha (NCT03741634), a sub-study of adolescent girls and caregivers with a …

Racial And Ethnic Differences In Outcomes Of Neonates Born At Less Than 30 Weeks' Gestation, 2018-2022, Nansi S. Boghossian, Marco Geraci, Erika M. Edwards, Jeffrey D. Horbar

Faculty Publications

Importance: Previous research has examined outcomes among very preterm newborns by the birthing parent's race and ethnicity, but knowledge about these trends during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. Objective: To examine trends in outcomes among Black, Hispanic, and Asian preterm newborns compared with White preterm newborns. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study (2018-2022) took place at 774 neonatal intensive care units in the Vermont Oxford Network. Participants were newborns born at 22 to 29 weeks' gestation. Exposure: Race and ethnicity. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were mortality and complications, including respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), early-onset …

Mental Health Care Disparities Among Us Pregnant Individuals In 2020–2021: A Cross-Sectional Study, Julisa Tindall, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Peiyin Hung

Faculty Publications

Purpose

To examine maternal characteristics associated with perceived unmet mental health needs and mental health care settings, focusing on residential rurality and race/ethnicity.

Methods

This cross-sectional study analyzed self-reported unmet mental health needs and mental health care settings among 1097 pregnant respondents in the 2020–2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, incorporating the complex sampling weights for national representativeness.

Findings

Non-Hispanic Black pregnant individuals and those living in nonmetro rural areas reported lower odds of unmet mental health needs compared to those in large metro areas and non-Hispanic White individuals. Pregnant individuals in nonmetro rural areas and non-Hispanic other …

Integrated Child Nutrition, Parenting, And Health Intervention In Rural Liberia: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study, Sejla Isanovic, Musa Sanoe, Shelbie Wooten, Edward A. Frongillo Ph.D., Aisha K. Yousafzai, Christine E. Blake Ph.D., Rd, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Melanie Swan, Nicole Rodger, Miriam Murray, Leila M. Larson Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

In Liberia, children are exposed to multiple forms of adversity which can negatively impact their health and development. Research is needed to examine the feasibility and benefits of integrated interventions that can be incorporated into existing health delivery programs to simultaneously address low responsive stimulation, undernutrition, and infection. This study assessed the feasibility of an integrated intervention promoting psychosocial stimulation and improved child feeding by the provision of eggs and fish. The integrated intervention was incorporated into an existing government health program. Thirty female caregiver-child dyads were randomly selected from two rural communities in Liberia. Participants received fortnightly group parenting …

Increased Prevalence Of Peripheral Vestibular Disorder Among Patients With Fabry Disease, Tzong Hann Yang, Sudha Xirasagar Mbbs., Ph.D, Yen Fu Cheng, Chin Shyan Chen, Herng Ching Lin

Publications

Background: Although peripheral vestibular disorder is a non-fatal complication of Fabry disease, fatalities have been reported in some case reports and case series. To date, no studies have examined the relative risk of peripheral vestibular disorder in patients with Fabry disease compared to the general population without the condition. Due to the high prevalence of Fabry disease in East Asia and the potential shared pathogenic pathways between Fabry disease and vasculopathy, we conducted a study using a nationwide population-based dataset to compare the prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorder between patients with Fabry disease and matched comparison patients. Methods: Data was …

Associations Of Head And Neck Cancers With Herpes Zoster In The Preceding Five Years, Chao Hung Chen, Sudha Xirasagar Mbbs., Ph.D, Shih Han Hung, Herng Ching Lin, Chin Shyan Chen

Publications

This population-based study investigated the risk of having had prior herpes zoster within five years preceding a diagnosis of head and neck cancer. We conducted a case-control study that included 9,191 patients with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer in Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2010 and 36,764 matched controls. We assessed the odds of patients with head and neck cancer having had a diagnosis of herpes zoster during the five years preceding head and neck cancer using multiple logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of prior herpes zoster among the total sample was 4.6%, 7.9% and 3.8% among patients …

Prevalence Of Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Vertigo And Sudden Deafness Among Patients With Polymyositis And Dermatomyositis, Shih Han Hung, Sudha Xirasagar Mbbs., Ph.D, Luong Huu Dang, Nguyen Kieu Viet-Nhi, Yen Fu Cheng, Chin Shyan Chen, Herng Ching Lin

Publications

Little is known about a possible association of autoimmune inner ear disease among patients diagnosed with polymyositis (PM)/dermatomyositis (DM). This study aimed to explore differences in the prevalence of inner ear symptoms among patients with and without PM/DM using a nationwide population-based dataset. Data for this study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The study sample included 1622 patients diagnosed with PM/DM and 8109 propensity-score matched comparison patients without PM/DM. We performed multivariate logistic regressions to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for tinnitus, hearing loss, sudden deafness, and vertigo among patients with …

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity And Virologic Failure Among People With Hiv: A Cohort Study In All Of Us Research Program, Fanghui Shi, Ruilie Cai, Buwei He, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) are at higher risk of HIV incidence compared to their heterosexual cisgender counterparts. Despite the high HIV disease burden among SGMs, there was limited data on whether they are at higher risk of virologic failure, which may lead to potential disease progression and increased transmission risk. The All of Us (AoU) Research Program, a national community-engaged program aiming to improve health and facilitate health equity in the United States by partnering with one million participants, provides a promising resource for identifying a diverse and large volunteer TGD cohort. Leveraging various data sources available through …

The Dynamic Risk Factors Of Cardiovascular Disease Among People Living With Hiv: A Real-World Data Study, Ziang Liu, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Xueying Yang Ph.D., Haoyuan Gao, Shujie Chen, Sharon Weissman, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: This study aims to investigate the incidence and dynamic risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among people living with HIV (PLWH).

Methods: In this population-based statewide cohort study, we utilized integrated electronic health records data to identify adult (age ≥ 18) who were diagnosed with HIV between 2006 and 2019 and were CVD event-free at the HIV diagnosis in South Carolina. The associations of HIV-related factors and traditional risk factors with the CVD incidence were investigated during the overall study period, and by different follow-up periods (i.e., 0-5yrs, 6-10yrs 11-15yrs) using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: Among 9,082 eligible …

Spatial Pattern And Differential Expression Analysis With Spatial Transcriptomic Data, Fei Qin, Xizhi Luo, Bo Cai Ph.D., Feifei Xiao, Guoshuai Cai

Faculty Publications

The emergence of spatial transcriptomic technologies has opened new avenues for investigating gene activities while preserving the spatial context of tissues. Utilizing data generated by such technologies, the identification of spatially variable (SV) genes is an essential step in exploring tissue landscapes and biological processes. Particularly in typical experimental designs, such as case-control or longitudinal studies, identifying SV genes between groups is crucial for discovering significant biomarkers or developing targeted therapies for diseases. However, current methods available for analyzing spatial transcriptomic data are still in their infancy, and none of the existing methods are capable of identifying SV genes between …

Benchmarking Machine Learning Models To Predict Low Birthweight Baby Outcomes And Identify Associated Risk Factors From An Extremely Unbalanced Large-Scale Dataset, Yang Ren, Dezhi Wu, Yan Tong Ph.D., Ana Lopez-De Fede Ph.D., Sarah J. Gareau

Publications

Background: Low birthweight (LBW) is one of the leading causes of neonatal mortality in the United States (US), and also is a major causative factor of short- and long-term adverse health effects in newborns. To prevent adverse birth outcomes, it is critical to precisely predict and identify which mothers are at high risk of bearing LBW babies in the early stage of their pregnancy. Previous studies proposed various LBW prediction models from different ML algorithms primarily on small datasets. However, their model performance is significantly limited by data access barriers and data quality issues with one major technical challenge of …

Identifying Ordinal Categories For The Water Insecurity Experiences Scales, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Hilary J. Bethancourt, Joshua D. Miller, Sera L. Young, The Household Water Insecurity Experiences Scales (Hwise)-Research Coordination Network (Rcn)

Faculty Publications

The Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) and Individual Water Insecurity Experiences (IWISE) Scales are globally suitable tools for comparably measuring water insecurity experiences among households and adults, respectively. The potential range for HWISE and IWISE scores is 0–36. When the WISE Scales were first published, scores of 12 and higher were considered indicative of water insecurity, but additional cut-points are needed to provide more nuanced insights. We therefore sought to develop a practical set of cut-points for the WISE Scales using HWISE data from 13 sites across 12 countries (n = 3,293) and nationally representative samples of IWISE data …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Hiv-Related Stigma: A Quantitative Survey Of Tanzanian Men, June 2019, Amandeep Kaur, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Geoffrey K. Kangogo, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Ivan E. Teri, Gaspar Mbita, Aima A. Ahonkhai, Donaldson F. Conserve

Faculty Publications

Experiencing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may impact personal opinions, attitudes, and judgments, which can further result in HIV-related stigma. HIV-related stigma consequentially may impact HIV preventive measures such as HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake, and condom use. The extent to which ACEs influence HIV-related stigma perception has not been well studied. Therefore, the study aimed to examine the association between ACEs and perceived and interpersonal HIV-related stigma among Tanzanian HIV-negative men. Quantitative survey data were obtained from the Tanzania STEP (Self-Testing Education and Promotion) project established in four wards: Mabibo, Manzese, Tandale, and Mwanyanamala. A total of 507 men responded …

How Do Scholars Conceptualize And Conduct Health And Digital Health Literacy Research? Survey Of Federally Funded Scholars, Mayank Sakhuja, Brooks Yelton Ma, Lmsw, Simone Kabarana, Lauren Schaurer, Jancham Rachel Rumthao, Samuel Noblet, Michelle Angelique Arent, Mark M. Macauda Phd, Mph, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan, Daniela B. Friedman Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: The concept of health literacy (HL) is constantly evolving, and social determinants of health (SDoH) have been receiving considerable attention in public health scholarship. Since a 1-size-fits-all approach for HL fails to account for multiple contextual factors and as a result poses challenges in improving literacy levels, there is a need to develop a deeper understanding of the current state of HL and digital health literacy (DHL) research. Objective: This study examined scholars’ conceptualization and scope of work focused on HL and DHL. Methods: Using a search string, investigators (N=2042) focusing on HL, DHL, or both were identified from …

Evaluation And Lessons Learned From The Dissemination And Implementation Science Scholars Program In The National Cancer Prevention And Control Research Network, Daniela B. Friedman, Cam Escoffery, Elaine H. Morrato, Cynthia A. Thomson, Courtney N. Petagna, Freda Allyson Hucek, Mary Wangen, Aubrey Villalobos, James R. Hébert Scd, Samuel Noblet, Mayank Sakhuja, David O. Garcia, Jennifer L. Cruz, Stephanie B. Wheeler

Faculty Publications

Background:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-funded Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) has been a leader in cancer-related dissemination & implementation (D&I) science. Given increased demand for D&I research, the CPCRN Scholars Program launched in 2021 to expand the number of practitioners, researchers, and trainees proficient in cancer D&I science methods. Methods:

The evaluation was informed by a logic model and data collected through electronic surveys. Through an application process (baseline survey), we assessed scholars’ competencies in D&I science domains/subdomains, collected demographic data, and asked scholars to share proposed project ideas. We distributed an exit survey …

Exploring The Association Between Parenting Stress And A Child’S Exposure To Positive Childhood Experiences (Pces), Elizabeth Crouch Ph.D., Elizabeth Radcliff, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Peiyin Hung Ph.D

Faculty Publications

High levels of parenting stress, defined as a caregiver or parent feeling stress or aggravation from parenting, has been previously shown to be associated with an increased likelihood of neglect, child maltreatment, and household dysfunction: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Despite the potential mitigation of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) on ACEs, prior studies on the increased likelihood of a child experiencing ACEs due to parenting stress have left a critical question unanswered: whether high parenting stress may decrease a child’s likelihood of experiencing PCEs. We analyzed the 2019–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health to examine whether higher levels of parenting stress …

Social Isolation And Loneliness Prevention Among Rural Older Adults Aging-In-Place: A Needs Assessment, Jodi L. Southerland, Shimin Zheng, Kayla Dodson, Erin Mauck, Juanita-Dawne R. Bacsu, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Jeremy Holloway, Steffi M. Kim, Ayse Malatyali, Matthew Lee Smith

Faculty Publications

Introduction: The adverse effects of social isolation and loneliness (SI/L) have been documented among older adults in rural communities and contribute to poor health outcomes, premature disability and mortality, and increased burden on the healthcare system. The identification of factors contributing to SI/L among older adults can build the foundation for rural policymakers and leaders to allocate resources and develop tailored strategies more efficiently. The purpose of this article is to describe findings from a needs assessment designed to understand local factors that contribute to SI/L among rural older adults in a county in Northeast Tennessee. Findings from the needs …

Development Of Prediction Models Of Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Lebanese And Syrians In A District Of Beirut, Lebanon: A Population-Based Study, Marie-Elizabeth Ragi, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Hazar Shamas, Jocelyn Dejong, Nada M. Melhem, Stephen J. Mccall, The Caep Study Group

Faculty Publications

Introduction Vaccines are essential to prevent infection and reduce the morbidity of infectious diseases. Previous evidence has shown that migrants and refugees are particularly vulnerable to exclusion and discrimination, and low COVID-19 vaccine intention and uptake were observed among refugees globally. This study aimed to develop and internally validate prediction models of COVID-19 vaccine uptake by nationality.

Methods This is a nested prognostic population-based cross-sectional analysis. Data were collected between June and October 2022 in Sin-El-Fil, a district of Beirut, Lebanon. The study population included a random sample of Lebanese adults and all Syrian adults residing in areas of low …