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Full-Text Articles in Public Health

Asian Reference Values For Handgrip Strength, Gait Speed, Five-Times-Sit-To-Stand Test, Muscle Mass And Calf Circumference, Jozo Grgic, Siew Ling Tey, Dieu Thi Thu Huynh, Yen Ling Low, Zeljko Pedisic, Nina Schaller, Vanessa Kristina Wazny, Weilan Wang, Yasuhiko Saito, Ravindra P Rannan-Eliya, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Monique Chaaya, Carlos Mendes De Leon, Preeti Gupta, Ecosse L Lamoureux, Mythily Subramaniam, Edimansyah Abdin, Rahul Malhotra, Angelique Chan, Bayasgalan Tumenbayar, Oyunbileg Luvsandavaajav, Bolormaa Enkhtuvshin, Norma Mansor, Halimah Awang, Andrea B Maier Jan 2026

Asian Reference Values For Handgrip Strength, Gait Speed, Five-Times-Sit-To-Stand Test, Muscle Mass And Calf Circumference, Jozo Grgic, Siew Ling Tey, Dieu Thi Thu Huynh, Yen Ling Low, Zeljko Pedisic, Nina Schaller, Vanessa Kristina Wazny, Weilan Wang, Yasuhiko Saito, Ravindra P Rannan-Eliya, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Monique Chaaya, Carlos Mendes De Leon, Preeti Gupta, Ecosse L Lamoureux, Mythily Subramaniam, Edimansyah Abdin, Rahul Malhotra, Angelique Chan, Bayasgalan Tumenbayar, Oyunbileg Luvsandavaajav, Bolormaa Enkhtuvshin, Norma Mansor, Halimah Awang, Andrea B Maier

Faculty Publications

Background:Handgrip strength, gait speed, Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST) performance, skeletal muscle mass and calf circumference are important health outcomes, particularly useful for diagnosing sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to establish reference (normative) values for handgrip strength, gait speed, FTSST performance, skeletal muscle mass and calf circumference by pooling individual participant data from national cohorts in Asia.

>Methods:We conducted a pooled analysis of individual participant data from 20 national cohorts representing 12 Asian countries (China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore and Sri Lanka). We included cohorts with data on at least …


Benefits And Harms Of Copyright Restrictions And Conditions On Burnout And Other Psychometric Assessment Scales, Robert G. Badgett, Sudha Xirasagar, Hayrettin Okut Jan 2026

Benefits And Harms Of Copyright Restrictions And Conditions On Burnout And Other Psychometric Assessment Scales, Robert G. Badgett, Sudha Xirasagar, Hayrettin Okut

Publications

INTRODUCTION: Copyright conditions can hinder the scientific and usage impact of essential assessment tools in healthcare, organizational psychology, and other fields. The stories of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) are well-documented. Despite decades-old recommendations to blend copyright restrictions of intellectual property when used for commercial purposes with permissive but distinct copyright terms for non-commercial and scholarly use, few authors of assessment tools do so.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether restrictive copyrights limit the long-term scientific impact of copyright holders (often medical schools/faculty), by inhibiting downstream use, research, and improvement of measurement tools by other researchers. …


Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associated Factors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li, Xueying Yang Nov 2025

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associated Factors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li, Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …


Field Validation Of Multiple Species Distribution Models Shows Variation In Performance For Predicting Aedes Albopictus Distributions At The Invasion Edge, Anna V. Shattuck, Brandon D. Hollingsworth Ph.D., Jared Skrotzki, Scott R. Campbell, Christopher L. Romano, Courtney C. Murdock Nov 2025

Field Validation Of Multiple Species Distribution Models Shows Variation In Performance For Predicting Aedes Albopictus Distributions At The Invasion Edge, Anna V. Shattuck, Brandon D. Hollingsworth Ph.D., Jared Skrotzki, Scott R. Campbell, Christopher L. Romano, Courtney C. Murdock

Faculty Publications

Background

Climate and land use changes have resulted in range expansion of many species. In this shifting disease landscape, it is important to leverage tools that can predict the distributions of invading vectors to target surveillance and control efforts and identify at-risk populations. Species distribution models (SDMs) are used to predict ranges of invasive species; however, invasive species often violate assumptions of equilibrium and niche conservatism. Moreover, these studies are rarely validated using independent data.

Methods 

We use long-term surveillance data for Aedes albopictus, a highly invasive mosquito capable of transmitting several arboviruses, at its range edge to evaluate a …


Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associatedfactors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang Nov 2025

Sex Differences In Cardiovascular Disease And Associatedfactors In People Living With Hiv: Evidence From All Of Us Program, Hao Zhang, Huiyi Xia, Fanghui Shi, Qingyang Li, Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Xueying Yang

Faculty Publications

Background

People living with HIV (PLWH) face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), with significant sex differences in outcomes. However, it is unclear whether these differences are driven by distinct risk factor profiles or by a differential impact of shared risk factors. This study aimed to identify factors associated with CVD among PLWH and to specifically assess for effect modification by sex using a large, diverse nationwide database.

Methods

We utilized data from the All of Us Research Program (AoU). The primary outcome was a composite of coronary artery disease or stroke. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify …


Perceived Risks, Reasons For Use, And Barriers To Cessation Among Youth Who Use Multiple Tobacco Products, Sierra L. Patterson, Isabellle Duguid, Sonia A. Clark, Seth M. Noar, Allison J. Lazard, Jim F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Adam O. Goldstein, Sarah D. Kowitt Nov 2025

Perceived Risks, Reasons For Use, And Barriers To Cessation Among Youth Who Use Multiple Tobacco Products, Sierra L. Patterson, Isabellle Duguid, Sonia A. Clark, Seth M. Noar, Allison J. Lazard, Jim F. Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Adam O. Goldstein, Sarah D. Kowitt

Faculty Publications

Background

Many interventions aim to reduce youth tobacco use, but few have focused on youth who use multiple tobacco products (MTPs). This qualitative study sought to understand how youth who use MTPs view tobacco product risks, describe reasons for MTP use, and perceive barriers and facilitators to cessation.

Methods

We conducted seven virtual focus groups with 30 US youth ages 14–20 years who reported using e-cigarettes and smoking a combustible tobacco product in the past 30 days. We used a semi-structured focus group guide to ask youth about perceived health risks of tobacco products, reasons for MTP use, and thoughts …


Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Ofmultiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Shaji J. Kumar, Et. Al. Nov 2025

Circulating Levels Of Insulin-Like Growth Factor I (Igf-I) And Risk Ofmultiple Myeloma: An Observational And Mendelian Randomisation Study, Yolanda Benavente, Sara Hermosa, Nikos Papadimitriou, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Elizabeth E. Brown, Jonathan N. Hofmann, Nathaniel Rothman, Qing Lan, Sonja I. Berndt, Demetrius Albanes, Mark Purdue, Mitchell J. Machiela, Stephen J. Chanock, Parveen Bhatti, Wendy Cozen, Aaron Norman, Susan L. Slager, James R. Cerhan, Vincent Rajkumar, Shaji J. Kumar, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Evidence for an association between insulin-like growth factors (IGF) and multiple myeloma (MM) is inconsistent. We examined total IGF-I concentrations and risk of MM by combining baseline serological data among UK Biobank participants (n = 444 187; 732 incident MM) with a two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR) analysis using identified genetic variants associated with circulating total IGF-I and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) in the InterLymph consortium (2434 MM and their 2567 controls). Finally, additional lymphoid neoplasm (LN) subtypes were included for comparison with the main hypothesis. Circulating IGF-I level was positively associated with MM risk Hazard ratio-HR-per one standard deviation-SD-increase …


What Drives Advanced Practice Nurses To Stay In Rural America? Insights From The 2022 National Survey Of Registered Nurses, Esita Patel, Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann Phd, Chris Everett, Dawn Caviness, Sarah Garvick Oct 2025

What Drives Advanced Practice Nurses To Stay In Rural America? Insights From The 2022 National Survey Of Registered Nurses, Esita Patel, Chris Gillette, Jan Ostermann Phd, Chris Everett, Dawn Caviness, Sarah Garvick

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Recruiting and retaining a robust rural health care workforce is critical to advancing health outcomes in rural communities. Although increasing the rural provider workforce has been a policy focus for decades, rural access continues to worsen. Using a strengths-based approach, we identify factors that influence the decisions of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to leave or stay in their jobs.

Methods: Secondary analysis of data from the 2022 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. We describe rates of turnover, retention, intention to leave, and reasons for leaving and staying by job rurality. We compare reasons by rurality using Pearson …


Adverse Childhood Experiences, Positive Childhood Experiences, And Digital Media Use Among Children And Adolescents In The United States, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Emma Boswell, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Kevin J. Bennett Oct 2025

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Positive Childhood Experiences, And Digital Media Use Among Children And Adolescents In The United States, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Emma Boswell, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Kevin J. Bennett

Publications

No abstract provided.


Social Determinants Of Self-Reported Health In Vulnerable Populations During A Polycrisis In Lebanon, Rindala Fayyad, Marie Elizabeth Ragi, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Stephen J. Mccall Oct 2025

Social Determinants Of Self-Reported Health In Vulnerable Populations During A Polycrisis In Lebanon, Rindala Fayyad, Marie Elizabeth Ragi, Hala Ghattas Ph.D., Stephen J. Mccall

Faculty Publications

Importance: In the context of a polycrisis, which is characterized by multiple interconnected and mutually reinforcing crises, humanitarian and health needs increase. It is therefore crucial to identify social determinants impacting health and well-being of vulnerable populations to better inform appropriate interventions.

Objective: To assess the association between social determinants and pain frequency, self-rated health, and depression over time among vulnerable populations during a polycrisis in Lebanon.

Design, Setting, and Participants: In this population-based longitudinal cohort study, data were collected in Sin-El-Fil, a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, in 4 waves: June 28 to October 26, 2022; September 8 to December …


Spatiotemporal Modeling Of Maternal Mortality In South Carolina 2018-2023, Leah Wood, Ray Bai, Emily Mann Oct 2025

Spatiotemporal Modeling Of Maternal Mortality In South Carolina 2018-2023, Leah Wood, Ray Bai, Emily Mann

Senior Theses

Maternal death serves as a public health indicator due to fact that it is considered preventable with the availability of modern biomedicine, however, it persists broadly throughout the United States. Current literature outlines national trends in maternal mortality with complicating, preexisting conditions, and structural upstream factors often cited as being the largest contributors to increased risk. This study utilizes publicly available, county-level data for maternal death in addition to demographic and descriptive data in order to estimate maternal mortality rates in each of South Carolina’s 46 counties from 2018 to 2023. In order to address sparsity in the outcome variable …


Food Insecurity And Social Connection Of Nicaraguan Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study, Keren Herran Oct 2025

Food Insecurity And Social Connection Of Nicaraguan Refugees And Asylum Seekers In Costa Rica: A Qualitative Study, Keren Herran

Theses and Dissertations

Background

Given the physical and mental health consequences of food insecurity, solutions should be evidence-based and seek to prioritize vulnerable populations. This qualitative study adds to limited literature on how refugees and asylum seekers use their social connections to mitigate food insecurity by investigating how Nicaraguan refugees and asylum seekers in Costa Rica foster social connections and use these connections to acquire and manage food.

Methods

In fall 2024, 35 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted in San José, Costa Rica. Participants were recruited through six migrant-serving nonprofit organizations. For study inclusion, participants had to: 1) be 18 or older; 2) …


Hungry Minds: Analyzing The Impact Of Food Insecurity And Food Assistance Programs On Neurocognitive Development And Childhood Mental Health, Kayla A. Davenport Oct 2025

Hungry Minds: Analyzing The Impact Of Food Insecurity And Food Assistance Programs On Neurocognitive Development And Childhood Mental Health, Kayla A. Davenport

Senior Theses

Introduction: Food insecurity affects millions of children in the United States and is increasingly recognized as a significant risk factor for poor nutritional intake and adverse health outcomes. However, less is known about how the experience of food insecurity disrupts healthy development and well-being, particularly among American youth. This thesis had two aims: (1) to examine the relationship between household food insecurity and children’s neurocognitive and mental health outcomes and (2) to evaluate how major food assistance programs address, or fail to address, these developmental risks.

Methods: This thesis uses a mixed-methods approach, integrating a narrative literature review, a cross-sectional …


Fit For Success: Exploring Physical Activity Promotion And Effects On Students At The University Of South Carolina Through A Podcast Series, Maia Schwarzmueller Oct 2025

Fit For Success: Exploring Physical Activity Promotion And Effects On Students At The University Of South Carolina Through A Podcast Series, Maia Schwarzmueller

Senior Theses

College students face unique challenges when trying to maintain physical activity levels, such as time constraints, stress, and lack of proper facilities. The Fit for Success podcast will explore how physical activity is a powerful tool towards enhancing self-perception, academic success, and stress management as well as delve into the specific barriers that University of South Carolina students face to physical activity. The podcast will also explore different aspects of physical activity promotion including group fitness, competition, and built environment. The goal of the podcast is to help students to see physical activity as an important component of many facets …


Glucodensity Functional Profiles Outperform Traditional Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics, Marcos Matabuena, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Javier Enrique Aguilar, Ayya Keshet, Robert Wagner, Carmen Fernández Merino, Juan Sánchez Castro, Vadim Zipunnikov, Jukka-Pekka Onnela, Francisco Gude Sep 2025

Glucodensity Functional Profiles Outperform Traditional Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics, Marcos Matabuena, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Javier Enrique Aguilar, Ayya Keshet, Robert Wagner, Carmen Fernández Merino, Juan Sánchez Castro, Vadim Zipunnikov, Jukka-Pekka Onnela, Francisco Gude

Faculty Publications

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data have revolutionized the management of type 1 diabetes, particularly when integrated with insulin pumps to mitigate clinical events such as hypoglycemia. Recently, there has been growing interest in utilizing CGM devices in clinical studies involving healthy and diabetic populations. However, efficiently exploiting the high temporal resolution of CGM profiles remains a significant challenge. Numerous indices—such as time–in–range metrics and glucose variability measures–have been proposed, but evidence suggests these metrics overlook critical aspects of dynamic glucose homeostasis. As an alternative method, this paper explores the clinical value of glucodensity metrics in capturing glucose dynamics—specifically the speed …


Effect Of Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy And Lactation On The Development Of Infants Born To Tanzanian Women Living With Hiv: A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Temiwunmi Shobanke, Alfa Muhihi, Nandita Perumal Phd, Nzovu Ulenga, Fadhlun M. Alwy Al-Beity, Christopher P. Duggan, Wafaie W. Fawzi, Karim P. Manji, Christopher R. Sudfeld Sep 2025

Effect Of Vitamin D Supplementation During Pregnancy And Lactation On The Development Of Infants Born To Tanzanian Women Living With Hiv: A Secondary Analysis Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Temiwunmi Shobanke, Alfa Muhihi, Nandita Perumal Phd, Nzovu Ulenga, Fadhlun M. Alwy Al-Beity, Christopher P. Duggan, Wafaie W. Fawzi, Karim P. Manji, Christopher R. Sudfeld

Faculty Publications

Background Infants born to pregnant women living with HIV (WLHIV) are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality and may also have poorer developmental outcomes as compared with infants who are not exposed to HIV. Nutrition interventions in pregnancy may affect developmental outcomes.

Objectives This study evaluated the effect of maternal vitamin D supplementation on infant development outcomes.

Design We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomised, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial of maternal vitamin D supplementation from June 2015 to October 2019.

Setting Antenatal care clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Participants Pregnant WLHIV and their offspring.

Interventions Daily 3000 IU …


Monitoring Nutrition Security: Perspectives From A Workshop On Nutrition Security Measurement, Ximena Perez-Velazco, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Joanne F. Guthrie, Alisha Coleman-Jensen, Mariah D. Ehmke, Christian Gregory, Hilary K. Seligman Sep 2025

Monitoring Nutrition Security: Perspectives From A Workshop On Nutrition Security Measurement, Ximena Perez-Velazco, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Joanne F. Guthrie, Alisha Coleman-Jensen, Mariah D. Ehmke, Christian Gregory, Hilary K. Seligman

Faculty Publications

Nutrition security, an emerging concept distinct from and complementary to food security, has gained increasing interest as a focus of efforts to reduce hunger, improve nutrition, and prevent diet-related health conditions. Yet, unlike food security, which has well-established measures, nutrition security lacks standardized measures for assessment. This gap hinders the ability to evaluate progress in improving nutrition security both in the United States and globally. In September 2024, a workshop to explore how to measure nutrition security was hosted by the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, in collaboration with the Southern University Agricultural Science Center of Excellence …


Sleep Quality, Emotional Moods, And Cognitive Outcomes Among People Living With Hiv: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Abhishek Aggarwal, Camryn Garrett, Arielle N’Diaye, Atena Pasha, Irene Esu, Chih Hsiang Yang Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D. Sep 2025

Sleep Quality, Emotional Moods, And Cognitive Outcomes Among People Living With Hiv: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Abhishek Aggarwal, Camryn Garrett, Arielle N’Diaye, Atena Pasha, Irene Esu, Chih Hsiang Yang Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction Although studies have explored the relationship between sleep quality, mood, and cognitive outcomes among people living with HIV (PLWH), few use ecological momentary assessment (EMA) techniques to evaluate within-person associations between sleep quality and emotional/cognitive outcomes among PLWH at the day level. This study investigated the association between previous night’s sleep quality and momentary psychological outcomes in participants’ natural setting. Methods Study participants were PLWH in South Carolina who were at least 18 years old, diagnosed with HIV for at least 2 years, and able to operate a cellphone. Participants were sampled using posters posted in AIDS Service organizations, …


Editorial: Disclosure In Sexual And Reproductive Health, Pooja Chitneni, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Simon M. Manga, Janet M. Turan Aug 2025

Editorial: Disclosure In Sexual And Reproductive Health, Pooja Chitneni, Shan Qiao Ph.D., Simon M. Manga, Janet M. Turan

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


An Evidence-Based Intervention To Increase Trypanosoma Cruzi, A Neglected Parasitic Infection, Diagnosis In Rural And Moderate-Size-City Us Clinics, M K. Lynn, Hunter M. Boehme, Jeffrey Hall, Patrick Kent, Alain H. Litwin, Quang H. Pham, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Prisma Chagas Team Aug 2025

An Evidence-Based Intervention To Increase Trypanosoma Cruzi, A Neglected Parasitic Infection, Diagnosis In Rural And Moderate-Size-City Us Clinics, M K. Lynn, Hunter M. Boehme, Jeffrey Hall, Patrick Kent, Alain H. Litwin, Quang H. Pham, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph, Prisma Chagas Team

Faculty Publications

Background

Chagas disease is a chronic, insidious parasitic infection (Trypanosoma cruzi) that slowly develops to irreversible organomegaly over several decades. The disease is traditionally acquired in endemic Latin American countries during childhood; < 1% of foreign-born adult residents in the United States have been diagnosed or treated with this potentially fatal disease. Low physician knowledge is a primary factor leading to misdiagnosis.

Methods

Starting in April 2022, a 4-part T cruzi clinical education intervention began, which included (i) 2 grand rounds presentations to >100 internal medicine providers; (ii) implementation of a “clinical Chagas champions program” incorporating 14 key clinical staff at varying departments and administrative levels educated on their specific role related to T cruzi screening, diagnosis confirmation, clinical management, and medical billing; ( …


Exploring The Association Between Smartphone-Based Place Visitation Data And Neighborhood-Level Coronary Heart Disease In The United States, Temitope Akinboyewa, Zhenlong Li, Huan Ning, M. Naser Lessani, Louisa M. Holmes, Shan Qiao Ph.D. Aug 2025

Exploring The Association Between Smartphone-Based Place Visitation Data And Neighborhood-Level Coronary Heart Disease In The United States, Temitope Akinboyewa, Zhenlong Li, Huan Ning, M. Naser Lessani, Louisa M. Holmes, Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting over 20.5 million adults. Previous studies link health behaviors – such as dietary behavior, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption – to CHD risk. These studies typically use surveys and interviews, which, despite their benefits, are resource-intensive and limited by small sample sizes. Using large-scale national level anonymized smartphone-based location data, our study examines whether health behaviors that are proxy measured by place visitation are associated with CHD prevalence across US census tracts. This study utilized data from multiple sources, including demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, …


Changes In Mental Health Care Utilisation Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among People Living With Hiv In The Usa: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using The All Of Us Dataset, Atena Pasha, Shan Qiao, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Ruilie Cai, Buwei He, Xueying Yang, Chen Liang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D. Aug 2025

Changes In Mental Health Care Utilisation Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic Among People Living With Hiv In The Usa: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using The All Of Us Dataset, Atena Pasha, Shan Qiao, Jiajia Zhang Ph.D., Ruilie Cai, Buwei He, Xueying Yang, Chen Liang Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction Despite the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with HIV (PLWH) mental health, large-scale, real-world data on mental healthcare utilisation and associated factors among PLWH remain limited. This study explores mental healthcare utilisation and associated factors among PLWH during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods Using a retrospective cohort design, we identified and included 4575 PLWH through computational phenotyping based on relevant Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model concept sets from the All of Us programme between March 2018 and March 2022. Mental healthcare utilisation was measured using the yearly count of mental healthcare visits and compared …


Mental Distress And Resource Insecurity In The Kingdom Of Tonga After The 2022 Volcanic Eruption: Associations Of Water And Food Insecurity With Mental Distress, Hilary J. Bethanancourt, Indira Bose, Lupe Moala Tupou, Melissa Meinhart, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Amelia Greaves, Sera L. Young Aug 2025

Mental Distress And Resource Insecurity In The Kingdom Of Tonga After The 2022 Volcanic Eruption: Associations Of Water And Food Insecurity With Mental Distress, Hilary J. Bethanancourt, Indira Bose, Lupe Moala Tupou, Melissa Meinhart, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Amelia Greaves, Sera L. Young

Faculty Publications

Background Water and food insecurity can harm mental health; all 3 may, in turn, be exacerbated by humanitarian crises. The linkages between food insecurity, water insecurity, and mental health are gaining attention but have not been investigated after a natural disaster.

Objective To investigate the associations between food insecurity, water insecurity, and mental distress, and how these relationships may differ between women and men, in the aftermath of the January 15, 2022, volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga.

Design Secondary analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional data from the Equality Insights Rapid survey collected 4 to 5 months after the …


Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status And Overall Survival Among Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Anna Hoppmann, Debroah M. Hurley, Stuart Cramer, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph Aug 2025

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status And Overall Survival Among Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Anna Hoppmann, Debroah M. Hurley, Stuart Cramer, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

A disadvantaged neighborhood, as represented by area-level socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with adverse outcomes among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the US, but the duration of impact after ALL diagnosis is not well understood. This retrospective cohort study utilized the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to examine the impact of area-level SES on overall survival among children with ALL. Median income and education quartiles based on residential zip code were used to create a composite area-level SES variable. Individual-level variables included age, sex, race, year of diagnosis, primary payer, distance to care, rurality, time to treatment, and …


In Pursuit Of A Better Hospital Quality Metric For Medicare, Brad Wright Ph.D. Jul 2025

In Pursuit Of A Better Hospital Quality Metric For Medicare, Brad Wright Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.


Resilience Mediates The Association Between Discrimination And Psychological Distress Among Rural, Black Women In South Carolina: A Structural Equation Model, Camryn Garrett, Abhisheak Aggrawal, Huiyi Xia, Cheuk Chi Tam, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sarah Wilcox Phd, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D. Jul 2025

Resilience Mediates The Association Between Discrimination And Psychological Distress Among Rural, Black Women In South Carolina: A Structural Equation Model, Camryn Garrett, Abhisheak Aggrawal, Huiyi Xia, Cheuk Chi Tam, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sarah Wilcox Phd, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Introduction

The marginalization of intersecting racial, gender, and rural identities compounds the structural vulnerabilities (e.g., discrimination, stigma, health disparities) experienced by Black women in South Carolina’s rural areas. Discriminatory experiences can deteriorate mental health; however, resilience can potentially reduce the ill effects of discrimination by decreasing associated psychological distress. This study examines the mediating role of resilience in the association between discrimination and psychological distress among rural, Black women in South Carolina in the post-pandemic era.

Methods

Black women (n = 300, mean age = 48.6) living in rural South Carolina were recruited from January to February 2024 using …


An Experimental Investigation Of Federal Messaging On Public Support For Enforcement- And Treatment-Based Approaches For Opioid Overdose Prevention In South Carolina, Lídia Gual-Gonzalez, Hunter M. Boehme, Peter Baker, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph Jul 2025

An Experimental Investigation Of Federal Messaging On Public Support For Enforcement- And Treatment-Based Approaches For Opioid Overdose Prevention In South Carolina, Lídia Gual-Gonzalez, Hunter M. Boehme, Peter Baker, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Background

As the opioid overdose crisis continues to produce excessive morbidity and mortality in the United States, government agencies have applied various approaches to prevent overdoses, including law-enforcement efforts (e.g., arresting people who use drugs, interrupting drug traffickers, etc.) and treatment-based approaches (e.g., naloxone, medications for opioid use disorder, etc.). Public perception and support of these approaches are relevant for informing policy, allocating resources, and effectively implementing community interventions to prevent drug-related harms.

Methods

Using an embedded informational survey design, we experimentally assessed whether public support for strategies to prevent overdose in South Carolina is influenced by language from federal …


Impact Of Food Insecurity Resource Navigation For Primary Care Patients With Diabetes And Hypertension: A Matched Cohort Study, Deeksha Gupta, Darin Thomas, Stella Self, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Alain H. Litwin, J. Alex Ewing, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez, A. Carolina Rudisill Jul 2025

Impact Of Food Insecurity Resource Navigation For Primary Care Patients With Diabetes And Hypertension: A Matched Cohort Study, Deeksha Gupta, Darin Thomas, Stella Self, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Alain H. Litwin, J. Alex Ewing, Lynnette Ramos-Gonzalez, A. Carolina Rudisill

Faculty Publications

Background

Food insecurity contributes to poor health and increased healthcare costs among patients with chronic diseases. Resource navigators can facilitate community-based resource connections, addressing food insecurity, but the impact on healthcare costs and quality of life remains unclear.

Objective

To examine whether food insecurity resource navigation improves clinical outcomes, healthcare charges, and quality of life for patients with diabetes and/or hypertension.

Design

Matched-control quasi-experimental study.

Patients

Patients underwent screening for food insecurity from July 12, 2021, to December 31, 2022, in South Carolina’s largest health system. Eligible patients (18 + years, having food insecurity, and diabetes and/or hypertension) enrolled for …


Community And School Programs, Policies And Environments Related To Child Dietary Intake:The Healthy Communities Study, Gail Woodward-Lopez, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Natalie Colabianchi, Vicki Collie-Akers, Lorrene D. Ritchie Jul 2025

Community And School Programs, Policies And Environments Related To Child Dietary Intake:The Healthy Communities Study, Gail Woodward-Lopez, Alexander C. Mclain, Edward A. Frongillo Jr., Natalie Colabianchi, Vicki Collie-Akers, Lorrene D. Ritchie

Faculty Publications

Background

To reverse the epidemic of unhealthy eating and related chronic disease in the United States, intervening early in life is essential.

Objective

Identify features of community- and school-based programmes, policies and environments related to child intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

Methods

Dietary intake of children 4–15 years old (n = 5138) from elementary and middle schools in 130 US communities was collected by survey (of parent and/or child) in 2013–2015. Features of community programs and policies (CPPs) and school environments were collected by staff surveys, direct observation, key informant interviews, and/or document review. …


Predicting Sleep And Sleep Stage In Children Using Actigraphy And Heartrate Via A Long Short-Term Memory Deep Learning Algorithm: A Performance Evaluation, Robert Weaver Med, Phd, James White, Olivia Finnegan, Hongpeng Yang, Zifei Zhong, Keagan Kiely, Catherine Jones, Yan Tong, Srihari Nelakuditi, Rahul Ghosal, David E. Brown, Russell R. Pate Ph.D., Gregory J. Welk, Massimiliano De Zambotti, Yuan Wang, Sarah Burkart, Elizabeth L. Adams Phd, Bridget Armstrong, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd Jul 2025

Predicting Sleep And Sleep Stage In Children Using Actigraphy And Heartrate Via A Long Short-Term Memory Deep Learning Algorithm: A Performance Evaluation, Robert Weaver Med, Phd, James White, Olivia Finnegan, Hongpeng Yang, Zifei Zhong, Keagan Kiely, Catherine Jones, Yan Tong, Srihari Nelakuditi, Rahul Ghosal, David E. Brown, Russell R. Pate Ph.D., Gregory J. Welk, Massimiliano De Zambotti, Yuan Wang, Sarah Burkart, Elizabeth L. Adams Phd, Bridget Armstrong, Michael Beets Med, Mph, Phd

Faculty Publications

Children's ambulatory sleep is commonly measured via actigraphy. However, traditional actigraphy measured sleep (e.g., Sadeh algorithm) struggles to predict wake (i.e., specificity, values typically < 70) and cannot predict sleep stages. Long short-term memory (LSTM) is a machine learning algorithm that may address these deficiencies. This study evaluated the agreement of LSTM sleep estimates from actigraphy and heartrate (HR) data with polysomnography (PSG). Children (N = 238, 5–12 years,52.8% male, 50% Black 31.9% White) participated in an overnight laboratory polysomnography. Participants were referred be-cause of suspected sleep disruptions. Children wore an ActiGraph GT9X accelerometer and two of three consumer wearables(i.e., Apple Watch Series 7, Fitbit Sense, Garmin Vivoactive 4) on their non-dominant wrist during the polysomnogram. LSTM estimated sleep versus wake and sleep stage (wake, not-REM, REM) using raw actigraphy and HR data for each 30-s epoch. Logistic regression and random forest were also estimated as a benchmark for performance with which to compare the LSTM results. A 10-fold cross-validation technique was employed, and confusion matrices were constructed. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated to assess the agreement between research-grade and consumer wearables with the criterion polysomnography. For sleep versus wake classification, LSTM outperformed logistic regression and random forest with accuracy ranging from 94.1to 95.1, sensitivity ranging from 94.9 to 95.9 across different devices, and specificity ranging from 84.5 to 89.6. The addition of HR improved the prediction of sleep stages but not binary sleep versus wake. LSTM is promising for predicting sleep and sleep staging from actigraphy data, and HR may improve sleep stage prediction.