Public Health Commons^™

Does Genetic Testing Influence Outcomes: Early Experience In Melanoma Case Series, Ryan Reyes, George Skenteris, Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Christine Marie-Gilligan Schammel, Steven D. Trocha

Faculty Publications

Background:

The treatment and prognosis of melanoma have historically been based on histologic stage and Breslow depth; however, due to the increase in surveillance, melanomas are being identified at an earlier stage and lower Breslow depth. Advances in genetic testing, such as Decision Dx®, mean that melanoma diagnostic decisions and prognosis can now be directed by genetics. The purpose of this project was to assess the influence of a Decision Dx® high-grade (Class 2A/B) classification on the treatment of melanoma patients at a regional medical center, particularly those not deemed high risk by conventional classification methods, including Breslow depth and …

Translating Community Voices To Build Meaningful Engagement: A Community Health Worker Led Study, Lauren Workman, Julie Smithwick Msw, Chw, Kimberly C. Rawlinson, Mark M. Macauda, Lashandra Morgan, Whitney Davis

Faculty Publications

Background: Understanding community perspectives on barriers and facilitators of meaningful engagement, equitable decision making, and sustainable community improvement is critical for advancing health equity. Community Health Workers can make significant contributions to research teams, as they are bridges into communities and bring unique perspectives. This study describes community voices on barriers to authentic engagement and insights on strategies to build trust, as well as the way in which these data were translated into a tangible assessment tool and a community-facilitated learning academy.

Methods: A team of Community Health Workers led a series of 24 ‘open mic’ discussions in four South …

Association Between Dietary Folate And Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness Among African Americans And European Americans, Lihchyun Joseph Su, Sarah O'Connor, Daniela Ramirez Aguilar, Minjae Lee, Harrison Wong, Hui-Yi Lin, Jeannette T. Bensen, James L. Mohler, Lenore Arab, Longgang Zhao, Ebonee N. Butler, Laura Farnan, Susan E. Steck Phd, Mph, Rd

Faculty Publications

Background: Despite the confirmed beneficial effects on preventing neural tube defects, concerns about high intakes of synthetic folate, or folic acid, in promoting cancer progression have been raised. This study evaluated the association between folate intake and prostate cancer (PCa) aggressiveness among African-American (AA) and European-American (EA) males. Methods: This study included 722 AA and 775 EA men with prostate cancer. Folate intake (dietary folate equivalent (DFE), synthetic folate, natural folate) was estimated using the National Cancer Institute Dietary History Questionnaire and detailed dietary supplement use questionnaire. Analyses included univariable comparisons of demographic and clinical characteristics of the two racial …

Challenges, Stressors, And Resilience Resources Experienced By Older Black Women In Rural South Carolina Throughout The Covid-19 Pandemic, Arielle N'Diaye, Camryn Garrett, Sarah Wilcox Phd, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Shan Qiao Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background

Resilience has been established as a protective factor against mental health challenges (e.g., anxiety, depression). From an intersectional perspective, the stressors experienced by Black women living in rural communities are likely to have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to identify the challenges and stressors experienced and the resilience resources available to and relied upon by rural, Black women, during the pandemic.

Methods

Individual, in-depth, structured interviews (n = 24) were conducted among Black women living in rural South Carolina, recruited by local community health workers, from January to April of 2024. All interviews were recorded, …

Trends In Self-Reported Responses To Nutrition Facts Labels Before And After Nutrition Labeling Policy Implementation: A Comparison Of Adults In The United States And Mexico, Jim Thrasher Ph.D., Ma, Ms, Victor Vilalobos, Dai Fang, Alejandra Jáuregui, Alejandra Contreras-Manzano, Rachel Davis Ph.D., Lana Vanderlee, Christine M. White, Rachel B. Acton, James W. Hardin, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D., Simón Barquera, David Hammond

Faculty Publications

Background

Objectives

Methods

A Transcriptional Program Associated With Neurotransmission In The Living Human Brain, Alexander W. Charney, Lora E. Liharska, Eric Vornholt, Alissa Valentine, Anina Lund, Alice Hashemi, Ryan C. Thompson, Terry Lohrenz, Jessica S. Johnson, Nicole Bussola, Esther Cheng, You Jeong Park, Salman Qasim, Alisha Aristel, Lillian Wilkins, Kimia Ziafat, Hannah Silk, Lisa M. Linares, Brendan Sullivan, Claudia Feng, Beniamino Hadj-Amar Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

At the foundation of neurotransmission, and by extension at the foundation of brain function, are coordinated programs of gene expression involving many thousands of genes. These programs are poorly defined in humans because most modern studies that characterize human brain gene expression use tissue obtained in the postmortem state when neurotransmission and brain function have ceased. Here, to advance knowledge of the gene expression programs at the foundation of neurotransmission in the human brain, gene expression was characterized in 130 prefrontal cortex (PFC) samples obtained from participants of the Living Brain Project (LBP) during neurosurgical procedures in conjunction with intracranial …

Survival On Image Regression With Application To Partially Functional Distributional Representation Of Physical Activity, Rahul Ghosal, Sunwoo Emma Cho, Marcos Matabuena

Faculty Publications

Technological advancements in wearable devices and medical imaging often lead to high-dimensional physiological signals in the form of images or surfaces. To address these data structures, we develop a novel survival on image regression model with a specific focus on partially functional distributional representation of wearable data. The existing approaches for functional data and survival outcomes have been primarily developed for uni-dimensional functional predictors. Drawing on recent developments in distributional data analysis, we model temporally varying distributional patterns of physical activity (PA) as a partially functional distributional predictor within a semiparametric Cox model framework. We use tensor product splines to …

Environmental Chemicals And Maternal Depression During And After Pregnancy: A Scoping Review, Pengfei Guo, Yunyue Shi, Cindy Nguyen, Haoran Zhuo, Tormod Rogne, Zeyan Liew

Faculty Publications

Purpose of Review

There is increasing evidence that several environmental exposures may pose a risk for depression, including maternal depression. We conducted a scoping review of epidemiological evidence regarding maternal exposure to environmental chemicals and perinatal depression.

Recent Findings

We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Dimensions, and Scopus, and summarized the findings from 27 articles that examined environmental chemical exposures and maternal depression. Studies of ambient air pollutants (N = 11) showed exposure to NO₂ and PM10 to be most consistently associated with antenatal or postnatal depression. Studies of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates (n = 6), …

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 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, Et. Al.

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 …

Group Antenatal Care Model As An Innovative And Sustainable Maternal And Child Health Service Delivery In A Northern Nigerian State, Pius I. Christopher-Izere, Abiola Ajibola, Abimbola Phillips, Dorcas Magbadelo, Ibidun Jolaoso, Obioma Azurunwa, Francis Ogirima, Collins Imarhiagbe, Anthony Onwuegbusi, David Udanwojo, Emmanuel Udeh, Victor Obagunlu, Adebola Adekogbe, Sunday Joseph, Hamza Abubakar, Neyu Iiyasu, Adetosoye Adebanjo, Barlarbe Gaya, Olayiwola Jaiyeola, Damilola Olaniyan, Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Deborah Lynn Billings Ph.D., Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

The maternal and child health situation in developing countries remains critical and deeply concerning, These regions account for 99% of global maternal and under-five deaths. In Nigeria, uptake of critical life-saving maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) services, delivered through antenatal care (ANC), are sub-optimal, leading to poor outcomes. Group antenatal care (G-ANC) is an evolving antenatal care delivery model in low and medium-income countries. G-ANC models can improve quality and uptake of maternal health services.G-ANC model was implemented across 255 primary health facilities (PHFs) to ensure pregnant women receive components of a well-defined package of MNCH services at regular …

Individual Characteristics And National Income Modify The Association Between Cognitive Social Capital And Food Insecurity: Evidence From The Gallup World Poll, 2014–2021, Sejla Isanovic, Kegan O'Connor, Audrey L. Richards, Edward A. Frongillo Jr. Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Background: Food insecurity affects >2.4 billion people globally and persists across income levels. Characteristics such as low income, low education, and unstable employment do not fully explain this persistence. Social resources embedded in networks, specifically cognitive social capital involving trust, reciprocity, and support, may offset constraints and buffer characteristics associated with a higher probability of food insecurity.

Objectives: This study examined whether social capital was associated with a lower probability of food insecurity and whether this as sociation varied by individual characteristics and country contexts, consistent with buffering and compensation.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Gallup World Poll (2014–2021), …

Ecologic Factors Contributing To West Nile Virus Hyperendemicity In Central South Carolina: An Integrated Vector–Human–Environmental Study, Elba S. Fridriksson, Ahayla Muraleedharan, Kyndall C. Dye-Braumuller, Madeleine M. Meyer, Kia Zellars, Hiuxuan Li, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

West Nile virus (WNV) is an endemic arboviral infection in the United States that has undergone phyloge-netic evolution since its introduction 25 years ago. An integrated vector–human–pathogen study was conducted in the summer of 2023 to unearth contemporary Culex quinquefasciatus habitat patterns and human transmission spillover foci in South Carolina, a state with historically little WNV data. A serosurvey revealed WNV seroprevalence 10 times the national average (22% versus 2%, respectively), with unusual epidemiologic risk factors. Female Culex quinquefas-ciatus WNV positivity was low (2.7%), with viral phylogenetics 100% homologous to the WN02 clade. Mosquito vectors clustered in affluent urban neighborhoods …

Psychological Resilience In The Covid-19 Response: A Systematic Review For Future Public Health Preparedness, Atena Pasha, Abdul-Hanan Saani Inusah, Jannatun Nayem, Xiaoming Li, Shan Qiao

Faculty Publications

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of psychological resilience for well-being. While several reviews have addressed resilience in specific populations or contexts, few have synthesized global literature across diverse populations. This review examines psychological resilience across diverse populations, focusing on measurement, associated factors, and future public health preparedness strategies. Method: Guided by the PRISMA, a thorough search of PsycINFO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science was conducted in February 2024, including quantitative studies considering psychological resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic published in peer-reviewed English journals from 2020 to 2024, using search terms relevant to psychological resilience and COVID-19. …

Dietary Inflammatory Index And Risk Of Colorectal Cancer In Japanese Men, Ayaka Kotemori, Kumiko Kito, Motoki Iwasaki, Taiki Yamaji, James Hébert Scd, Junko Ishihara, Manami Inoue, Shoichiro Tsugane, Norie Sawada On The Behalf Of Jphc Study Group

Faculty Publications

Background/Objectives: Unhealthy lifestyles lead to chronic low-grade inflammation, increasing the risk of colorectal cancer. Few studies in East Asia have examined the association between the dietary inflammation potential and colorectal cancer incidence. Therefore, we aimed to investigate this association further in the Japanese population. Methods: This study included 38,807 men aged 45–74 years who participated in the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study (JPHC Study). The energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) was derived from a food frequency questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Differences in risk due to a …

Protocol For The Development Of The Who Gestational Weight Gain Charts, Thais Rangel Bousquet Carrilho, Olufemi Taiwo Oladapo, Jennifer A. Hutcheon, Giovanna Gatica-Domínquez, Kathleen M. Rasmussen, Monica C. Flores-Urrutia, Richard Kumapley, Ӧzge Tunçalp, Dang Bahya-Batinda, Amel A. Fayed, Annick Bogaerts, Aris T. Papageorghiou, Cinthya Muñoz-Manrique, Dayana Rodrigues Farias, Eric Ohuma, Harshpal Sachdev, Hayfaa A. Wahabi, Helena J. Teede, Molin Wang, Nandita Perumal Phd

Faculty Publications

Introduction Gestational weight gain (GWG) is an important indicator of maternal nutrition to be monitored during pregnancy. However, there is no evidence-based tool that can be used to monitor it across all geographic locations and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) categories. The WHO is undertaking a project to develop GWG charts by pre-pregnancy BMI category, and to identify GWG ranges associated with the lowest risks of adverse maternal and infant outcomes. This protocol describes all the steps that will be used to accomplish the development of these GWG charts.

Methods and analysis This project will involve the analysis of individual …

Preferences Of Health Professions Learners: A Scoping Review Of The Use And Role Of Dces In Health Professions Education, Sarah O'Neal, Natalie Smith, Jan Ostermann Ph.D., Binbin Zheng, Laiton Steele, Chris Gillette

Faculty Publications

While discrete choice experiments (DCE), have increasingly been used in the medical literature, little is known about the use of these methods for eliciting preferences from and about students and trainees in health professions. The objectives of this scoping review are to (1) describe the extent to which DCEs have been used in health professions’ education, (2) identify which health professionals have been studied, and (3) identify thematic areas of research in which these methods have been used thematic areas. Between June and September 2024, we conducted a scoping review of the PubMed/Medline, EconLit, Web of Science, and Global Index …

Sociodemographic And Hiv-Related Characteristics Associated With Mental Health Diagnoses Among People Living With Hiv, Monique J. Brown Ph.D., Mph, Jiayang Xiao, Xueying Yang Ph.D., Bankole Olatosi Ph.D., Sharon Weissman, Xiaoming Li Ph.D., Jiajia Zhang Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Mental health diagnoses have been linked to poor HIV treatment outcomes and poorer quality of life among people living with HIV (PLWH). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between sociodemographic and HIV-related characteristics, and common and serious mental health disorders among PLWH in South Carolina (SC). Data were obtained from the integrated system of statewide electronic health record (EHR) data in SC (2006–2019; N = 8,124). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the associations between sociodemographic and HIV-related characteristics, and common mental health disorders and serious mental health disorders. Among the study population, 4% were 60 …

State Prior Authorization Prohibitions And Buprenorphine Retention Among Privately Insured Patients, Ju-Chen Hu, Shashi N. Kapadia, Hao Zhang, Ali Jalali, Kristen Underhill, Christina Andrews Ph.D., Yuhua Bao

Faculty Publications

Importance  Buprenorphine is the most commonly prescribed medication for opioid use disorder, but rates of retention in treatment remain low. Prior authorization (PA) has been identified as a barrier to the administration of buprenorphine, and patients may need multiple PAs to continue treatment; thus, many states have passed laws to prohibit the use of PA for buprenorphine in private insurance.

Objective  To examine the association between PA prohibitions and buprenorphine treatment retention overall and by branded vs generic drug status.

Design, Setting, and Participants  This cross-sectional study used a difference-in-differences design and private insurance claims data from 49 states and …

Multiple Myeloma Risk Linked To Dna Damage Response Genes, Michael Conry, Irina Ostrovnaya, Yelena Kemel, Saloni Sinha, Linda B. Baughn, Brian Avery, Kylee Maclachlan, Victoria Groner, Lauren Banaszak, Aaron Norman, Nicholas J. Boddicker, Alyssa I. Clay-Gilmour Ph.D., Shaji Kumar, Ellen Kim, Sita Dandiker, Mitul Waghmare, Susan Slager, Douglas Sborov, Judy Garber, Elizabeth E. Brown, Michelle Hildebrandt, Et. Al.

Faculty Publications

Background DNA damage response genes (DDRG), implicated in several cancers as both predisposing risk factors as well as biomarkers for aggressiveness, have not been fully explored in multiple myeloma (MM).

Methods Herein, we analyzed disease associations of pathogenic variations in nine putative candidate genes using 3 446 MM cases and 323 233 cancer-free controls.

Results Increased MM risk was found to be associated with inherited rare pathogenic mutations in TP53, ATM, CHEK2, KDM1A, and ARID1A, with an enrichment of these variants among individuals with early onset or family history of MM. Individuals with TP53 or ATM germline mutations are also …

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 …

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

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

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

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.

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

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 …

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 …

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

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

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 …