Public Health Commons^™

Third-Party Reproductive Practices: Legislative Inertia And The Need For Nuanced Empirical Data, Susan Markens

Publications and Research

In their article, ‘Gamete donor anonymity and limits on numbers of offspring: the views of three stakeholders’, Margaret K. Nelson, Rosanna Hertz and Wendy Kramer draw on survey data from gamete donors, parents who used gametes to conceive, and donor-conceived offspring in order to understand the position that various stakeholders are likely to hold regarding the regulation of two issues pertaining to gamete donation: anonymity and limits on numbers of offspring.1 This commentary elaborates on the politics underlying conflicts and agreements among various stakeholders involved with third-party reproduction and details the need for data to better inform legislation regarding assisted …

Maternal Age Of Menarche And Blood Pressure In Adolescence: Evidence From Hong Kong’S “Children Of 1997” Birth Cohort, Tsz Chun Lai, Gabriel Matthew Leung, C Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Background Age of puberty has declined substantially in developed settings and is now declining in the rest of the world with economic development. Early age of puberty is associated with noncommunicable diseases in adulthood, and may be a long-term driver of population health with effects over generations. In a non-Western setting, we examined the association of maternal age of menarche with blood pressure in late childhood/adolescence.

Methods We used generalised estimating equations to estimate the adjusted association of maternal age of menarche with age-, sex- and height-adjusted blood pressure z-score from 10 to 16 years in Hong Kong’s population-representative birth …

When Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Extending The Reach Of Qualitative Data Collecting, Justine M. Mcgovern

Publications and Research

Through the lens of a study exploring dementia care partnering, the purpose of this methods article is to focus on the role of artifacts and embodied data in data collection. In addition, it illustrates how to use a range of data collecting methods. The article identifies benefits of additional data collecting methods to research and care. These include the need to expand data collecting methods beyond spoken word, integrate a range of data collecting approaches into research courses across disciplines, increase support of qualitative research, and advocate for greater inclusivity in research. Data collecting approaches can also have implications for …

Tricurin, A Novel Formulation Of Curcumin, Epicatechin Gallate, And Resveratrol, Inhibits The Tumorigenicity Of Human Papillomaviruspositive Head And Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Longzhu Piao, Sumit Mukherjee, Qing Chang, Xiujie Xie, Hong Li, Mario R. Castellanos, Probal Banerjee, Hassan Iqbal, Ryan Ivancic, Xueqian Wang, Theodoros N. Teknos, Quintin Pan

Publications and Research

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide with about 600,000 new cases diagnosed in the last year. The incidence of human papillomavirus-positive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-positive HNSCC) has rapidly increased over the past 30 years prompting the suggestion that an epidemic may be on the horizon. Therefore, there is a clinical need to develop alternate therapeutic strategies to manage the growing number of HPV-positive HNSCC patients. TriCurin is a composition of three food-derived polyphenols in unique stoichiometric proportions consisting of curcumin from the spice turmeric, resveratrol from red grapes, and …

Untangling The Relationship Between Antiretroviral Therapy Use And Incident Pregnancy: A Marginal Structural Model Analysis Using Data From 47,313 Hiv-Positive Women In East Africa, Batya Elul, Kara K. Wools-Kaloustian, Yingfeng Wu, Beverly S. Musick, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Denis Nash, Samuel Ayaya, Elizabeth Bukusi, Pius Okong, Juliana Otieno, Deo Wabwire, Andrew Kambugu, Constantin T. Yiannoutsos

Publications and Research

Background: Scale-up of triple-drug antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Africa has transformed the context of childbearing for HIV-positive women and may impact pregnancy incidence in HIV programs.

Methods: Using observational data from 47,313 HIV-positive women enrolled at 26 HIV clinics in Kenya and Uganda between 2001 and 2009, we calculated the crude cumulative incidence of pregnancy for the pre-ART and on-ART periods. The causal effect of ART use on incident pregnancy was assessed using inverse probability weighted marginal structural models, and the relationship was further explored in multivariable Cox models.

Results: Crude cumulative pregnancy incidence at 1 year after enrollment/ART initiation …

Burden Of Disease Resulting From Lead Exposure At Toxic Waste Sites In Argentina, Mexico And Uruguay, Jack Caravanos, Jonathan Carrelli, Russell Dowling, Brian Pavilonis, Bret Ericson, Richard Fuller

Publications and Research

Background: Though lead contaminated waste sites have been widely researched in many high-income countries, their prevalence and associated health outcomes have not been well documented in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods: Using the well-established health metric disability-adjusted life year (DALY) and an exposure assessment method developed by Chatham-Stephens et al., we estimated the burden of disease resulting from exposure to lead at toxic waste sites in three Latin American countries in 2012: Argentina, Mexico and Uruguay. Toxic waste sites identified through Pure Earth’s Toxic Sites Identification Program (TSIP) were screened for lead in both biological and environmental sample media. Estimates …

Developing A Video-Based Ehealth Intervention For Hiv-Positive Gay, Bisexual, And Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Study Protocol For A Randomized Controlled Trial, Sabina Hirshfield, Martin J. Downing Jr., Jeffrey T. Parsons, Christina Grov, Rachel J. Gordon, Steven T. Houang, Roberta Scheinmann, Patrick S. Sullivan, Irene S. Yoon, Ian Anderson, Mary Ann Chiasson

Publications and Research

Background: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) accounted for 67% of new US human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in 2012; however, less than 40% of HIV-positive GBMSM are virally suppressed. Preventing transmission from virally unsuppressed men who have condomless anal sex (CAS) with serodiscordant partners is a public health imperative. New HIV infections in GBMSM are attributed in part to online access to sex partners; therefore, low-cost eHealth interventions are a unique opportunity to reach men where they meet partners.

Objective: To describe the protocol of a randomized controlled trial evaluating whether video-based messaging delivered …

Assessing The Health Impact Of Transnational Corporations: Its Importance And A Framework, Frances E. Baum, David M. Sanders, Matt Fisher, Julia Anaf, Nicholas Freudenberg, Sharon Friel, Ronald Labontée, Leslie London, Carlos Monteiro, Alex Scott-Samuel, Amit Sen

Publications and Research

Background: The adverse health and equity impacts of transnational corporations’ (TNCs) practices have become central public health concerns as TNCs increasingly dominate global trade and investment and shape national economies. Despite this, methodologies have been lacking with which to study the health equity impacts of individual corporations and thus to inform actions to mitigate or reverse negative and increase positive impacts.

Methods: This paper reports on a framework designed to conduct corporate health impact assessment (CHIA), developed at a meeting held at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in May 2015.

Results: On the basis of the deliberations …

An Analysis Of Weight Loss Articles And Advertisements In Mainstream Women’S Health And Fitness Magazines, Danna Ethan, Corey H. Basch, Grace Clarke Hillyer, Alyssa Berdnik, Mary Huynh

Publications and Research

Background: Magazines are a commonly used source for health and fitness information. Little is known about the nature and extent of weight loss strategies and products presented in mainstream women’s health and fitness magazines.

Methods: This preliminary cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of articles and advertisements featuring weight loss content and products in mainstream US-based health and fitness magazines, as well as assessed weight loss themes presented. Thirty-one US health and fitness-focused magazine issues were coded. Prevalence of, product type, and themes related to weight loss in articles and advertisements were assessed.

Results: Among the 31 issues of the five …

The Expert Advice: Dental Patient Compliance Hinges On Effective Communication Strategies, Diana V. Macri

Publications and Research

Most dental hygienists would agree that motivating patients to adopt good oral health behaviors-often referred to as compliance-is the most challenging aspect of practice. This critical component of patient care is not unique to dentistry and dental hygiene. In 2010, the costs of health care in the United States exceeded $2.7 trillion with "between $100 and $300 billion of avoidable health-care costs [attributable] to nonadherence in the US annually."1 Nonadherence (a term used in the medical literature, which is synonymous with noncompliance) is associated with progression of disease and, subsequently, poor health outcomes resulting in an additional burden of billions …

Severity And Clustering Of Menopausal Symptoms Among Obese And Nonobese Postmenopausal Women In India, E. S. Sharanya Shre, Kate Trout, Sonia Pant Singh, Awnish Kumar Singh, Surapaneni Krishna Mohan, Ashish Joshi

Publications and Research

Background: The symptoms of menopause have a negative impact on quality of life, especially in women transitioning to menopause and earlier transitions. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the effect of obesity on the severity of menopausal symptoms and the clustering of symptoms in postmenopausal women in India.

Methodology: The Menopausal Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess the severity of menopausal symptoms of postmenopausal women of Chennai, visiting Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, India. This cross‑sectional study was conducted from August to November 2013 in Chennai, India. Sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure level, menopausal history, personal …

Factors Associated With Initiation Of Antiretroviral Therapy In The Advanced Stages Of Hiv Infection In Six Ethiopian Hiv Clinics, 2012 To 2013, Denis Nash, Olga Tymejczyk, Tsigereda Gadisa, Sarah Gorrell Kulkarni, Susie Hoffman, Muluneh Yigzaw, Batya Elul, Robert H. Remien, Maria Lahuerta, Shalo Daba, Wafaa El Sadr, Zenebe Melaku

Publications and Research

Introduction: Most HIV-positive persons in sub-Saharan Africa initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) with advanced infection (late ART initiation). Intervening on the drivers of late ART initiation is a critical step towards achieving the full potential of HIV treatment scale-up. This study aimed to identify modifiable factors associated with late ART initiation in Ethiopia.

Methods: From 2012 to 2013, Ethiopian adults (n=1180) were interviewed within two weeks of ART initiation. Interview data were merged with HIV care histories to assess correlates of late ART initiation (CD4+ count <150 cells/mL or World Health Organization Stage IV).

Results: The median CD4 count at enrolment in HIV care was 263 cells/mL (interquartile range …

Associations Of Birth Order With Early Adolescent Growth, Pubertal Onset, Blood Pressure And Size: Evidence From Hong Kong’S “Children Of 1997” Birth Cohort, Man Ki Kwok, Gabriel M. Leung, C. Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Background: Birth order has been proposed as a cardiovascular risk factor, because the lower birth weight and greater infant weight gain typical of firstborns could programme metabolism detrimentally.

Methods: We examined the associations of birth order (firstborn or laterborn) with birth weight-for-gestational age, length/height and body mass index (BMI) z-scores during infancy, childhood, and puberty using generalized estimating equations, with age at pubertal onset using interval- censored regression and with age-, sex- and height-standardized blood pressure, height and BMI z-scores at 13 years using linear regression in a population-representative Chinese birth cohort: “Children of 1997” (n = 8,327).

Results: Compared …

Tobacco, Alcohol, And Processed Food Industries – Why Do Public Health Practitioners View Them So Differently?, Katherine Smith, Lori Dorfman, Nicholas Freudenberg, Benjamin Hawkins, Shona Hilton, Oliver Razum, Heide Weishaar

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

Inquiry Into The Implementation Of Bush’S Executive Order 13211 And The Impact On Environmental And Public Health Regulation, Elizabeth Ann Glass Geltman, Gunwant Gill, Miriam Jovanovic

Publications and Research

Executive Order 13211, promulgated in 2001, requires the federal government to consider the impact of federal action on energy independence as part of the George W. Bush’s National Energy Policy. This law review examines whether EO 13211 was used to curtail environmental protection and natural resource conservation. The article begins with a review of the procedure required of federal agencies under EO 13211 and its associated documents. The paper then examines case law and published federal rulemaking proceedings and examines how federal agencies apply tests to evaluate the potential energy effect. The study concludes that EO 13211 strikes a reasonable …

Reducing The Role Of The Food, Tobacco, And Alcohol Industries In Noncommunicable Disease Risk In South Africa, Peter Delobelle, David Sanders, Thandi Puoane, Nicholas Freudenberg

Publications and Research

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) impose a growing burden on the health, economy, and development of South Africa. According to the World Health Organization, four risk factors, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity, account for a significant proportion of major NCDs. We analyze the role of tobacco, alcohol, and food corporations in promoting NCD risk and unhealthy lifestyles in South Africa and in exacerbating inequities in NCD distribution among populations. Through their business practices such as product design, marketing, retail distribution, and pricing and their business practices such as lobbying, public relations, philanthropy, and sponsored research, national and transnational …

The Good Food Jobs Nexus: A Strategy For Promoting Health, Employment, And Economic Development, Nicholas Freudenberg, Michele Silver, Lesley Hirsch, Nevin Cohen

Publications and Research

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, cities have looked to the rapidly growing food sector as a promising source of new employment, and yet most of the sector’s growth has come from low-wage, dead-end food jobs. A strategy to simultaneously increase food employment, improve conditions for food workers, and enhance access to healthy and affordable food to improve public health requires pursuing a “good food jobs” approach that supports policies and programs that advance all three goals. To inform such a strategy, this article analyzes policies and programs to create good food jobs in New York City and discusses …

Craigslist As A Source For Illicit Drugs: A Case Report And Review Of The Literature, Babak Tofighi, Alisha Desai, Christian Grov, Joshua D. Lee

Publications and Research

Introduction: Online drug markets and social media are facilitating the spread of information and sale of illicit substances. Online sites, such as Craigslist and Bluelight, underscore an emerging shift in contemporary drug consumerism.

Case Descriptions: We report on two cases. Case 1 is a 42-year-old male with a history of heroin-use disorder, presented for an initial visit to an office-based buprenorphine program, and reported having acquired heroin from Craigslist. Despite several harrowing experiences, Craigslist remained Patient 1’s primary method of purchasing heroin during a 14-month period. Craigslist ads also redirected the patient to the web site Bluelight, which …

Understanding Differences In Hiv/Hcv Prevalence According To Differentiated Risk Behaviors In A Sample Of Pwid In Rural Puerto Rico, Roberto Abadie, Melissa Welch-Lazoritz, Camila Gelpi-Acosta, Juan Carlos Reyes, Kirk Dombrowski

Publications and Research

Background: Blood contained in needles and injection equipment has been identified as a vector for HIV and HCV transmission among people who inject drugs (PWID). Yet, there is often a wide discrepancy in prevalence for both viruses. While microbiological differences between viruses influence prevalence, other variables associated with the way drugs are acquired and used, also play a role.

Methods: Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) methods recruited a sample of 315 current intravenous drug users in rural Puerto Rico. Information about type and frequency of use, HIV and HVC risk behaviors (sharing needles, cookers, cotton, and water), sexual behaviors, and alcohol use …

Parasitic Diseases Of The Central Nervous System: Lessons For Clinicians And Policy Makers, Arturo Carpio, Matthew L. Romo, R.M.E. Parkhouse, Brooke Short, Tarun Dua

Publications and Research

Parasitic diseases of the central nervous system are associated with high mortality and morbidity, especially in resource-limited settings. The burden of these diseases is amplified as survivors are often left with neurologic sequelae affecting mobility, sensory organs, and cognitive functions, as well as seizures/epilepsy. These diseases inflict suffering by causing lifelong disabilities, reducing economic productivity, and causing social stigma. The complexity of parasitic life cycles and geographic specificities, as well as overlapping clinical manifestations in the host reflecting the diverse pathogenesis of parasites, can present diagnostic challenges. We herein provide an overview of these parasitic diseases and summarize clinical aspects, …

Age And Employee Green Behaviors: A Meta-Analysis, Brenton M. Wiernik, Stephan Dilchert, Deniz S. Ones

Publications and Research

Recent economic and societal developments have led to an increasing emphasis on organizational environmental performance. At the same time, demographic trends are resulting in increasingly aging labor forces in many industrialized nations. Commonly held stereotypes suggest that older workers are less likely to be environmentally responsible than younger workers. To evaluate the degree to which such age differences are present, we meta-analyzed 132 independent correlations and 336 d-values based on 4676 professional workers from 22 samples in 11 countries. Contrary to popular stereotypes, age showed small positive relationships with pro-environmental behaviors, suggesting that older adults engaged in these workplace …

Chiropractors’ Perception Of Occupational Stress And Its Influencing Factors: A Qualitative Study Using Responses To Open-Ended Questions, Shawn Williams

Publications and Research

Background: Job stress and emotional exhaustion have been shown to have a negative impact on the helping professional. The development and causal relations of job stress and emotional exhaustion are rather unclear in the chiropractic profession. The objective of this study is to understand the main sources of occupational stress and emotional exhaustion among doctors of chiropractic.

Methods: Analysis of the written responses to web-based open-ended questionnaire was performed using an interpretive research methodology. Additionally, cross tabulation and Chi square statistical tests were conducted to match and couple the demographic data with the categorical themes.

Results: Fourteen professional stress categories …

Sexual Behavior Varies Between Same-Race And Different-Race Partnerships: A Daily Diary Study Of Highly Sexually Active Black, Latino, And White Gay And Bisexual Men, Christian Grov, Demetria Cain, H. Jonathan Rendina, Ana Ventuneac, Jeffrey T. Parsons

Publications and Research

Background. Gay and bisexual men (GBM) are at elevated risk for gonorrhea and chlamydia trachomatis (GC/CT). Rectal GC/CT symptoms may be less obvious than urethral, increasing opportunities for undiagnosed rectal GC/CT.

Method. A U.S. national sample of 1,071 GBM completed urethral and rectal GC/CT testing and an online survey.

Results. In total, 6.2% were GC/CT positive (5.3% rectal, 1.7% urethral). We calculated adjusted (for education, race, age, relationship status, having health insurance, and income) odds ratios for factors associated with rectal and urethral GC/CT diagnoses. Age was inversely associated with urethral and rectal GC/CT. Compared to White men, Latinos had …

Hypersexual, Sexually Compulsive, Or Just Highly Sexually Active? Investigating Three Distinct Groups Of Gay And Bisexual Men And Their Profiles Of Hiv-Related Sexual Risk, Jeffrey T. Parsons, H. Jonathan Rendina, Ana Ventuneac, Raymond L. Moody, Christian Grov

Publications and Research

Emerging research supports the notion that sexual compulsivity (SC) and hypersexual disorder (HD) among gay and bisexual men (GBM) might be conceptualized as comprising three groups—Neither SC nor HD; SC only, and Both SC and HD—that capture distinct levels of severity across the SC/HD continuum. We examined data from 370 highly sexually active GBM to assess how the three groups compare across a range of risk factors for HIV infection. Comparisons focused on psychosexual measures—temptation for condomless anal sex (CAS), self-efficacy for avoiding CAS, sexual excitation and inhibition—as well as reports of actual sexual behavior. Nearly half (48.9%) of this …

An Advertisement And Article Analysis Of Skin Products And Topics In Popular Women’S Magazines: Implications For Skin Cancer Prevention, Corey H. Basch, Jennifer Mongiovi, Grace Clarke Hillyer, Md Fullwood, Danna Ethan, Rodney Hammond

Publications and Research

Background: In the United States, skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 5 million people treated per year and annual medical treatment expenditures that exceed 8 billion dollars. The purpose of this study was two-fold: 1) to enumerate the number of advertisements for skin products with and without Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and to further analyze the specific advertisements for sunblock to determine if models, when present, depict sun safe behaviors and 2) to enumerate the number of articles related to the skin for content. Both aims include an assessment for differences in age and in …

How Different Are Men Who Do Not Know Their Hiv Status From Those Who Do? Results From An U.S. Online Study Of Gay And Bisexual Men, Christian Grov, H. Jonathon Rendina, Jeffrey T. Parsons

Publications and Research

We compared self-described HIV-positive (31.6%, n=445), HIV-negative (56.8%, n=801), and HIV-unknown (11.6%, n=164) gay and bisexual men (GBM) on sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Participants from across the U.S. were enrolled via a popular sexual networking website to complete an online survey. In total, 44.8% of HIV-negative and HIV-unknown men said they had not been tested for HIV in the CDC-recommended last 6 months. HIV-unknown men significantly differed from HIV-negative and HIV-positive men in sexual behavior and HIV status disclosure patterns. HIV-unknown men were more willing than HIV-negative men to take PrEP; however, HIV-unknown men were significantly less likely than others …

Reorienting Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health Research: Reflections From An International Conference, Kristien Michielsen, Sara De Meyer, Olena Ivanova, Ragnar Anderson, Peter Decat, Céline Herbiet, Caroline W. Kabiru, Evert Ketting, James Lees, Caroline Moreau, Deborah L. Tolman, Ine Vanwesenbeeck, Bernardo Vega, Elizabeth Verhetsel, Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli

Publications and Research

On December 4th 2014, the International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) at Ghent University organized an international conference on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and well-being. This viewpoint highlights two key messages of the conference - 1) ASRH promotion is broadening on different levels and 2) this broadening has important implications for research and interventions – that can guide this research field into the next decade. Adolescent sexuality has long been equated with risk and danger. However, throughout the presentations, it became clear that ASRH and related promotion efforts are broadening on different levels: from risk to well-being, from …

Social Patterning In Adiposity In Adolescence: Prospective Observations From The Chinese Birth Cohort ‘‘Children Of 1997’’, L. L. Hui, Gabriel M. Leung, C. Mary Schooling

Publications and Research

Introduction: Low early life socio-economic position is more strongly associated with adiposity among women than men. We examined whether the sex difference of social patterning in general and central adiposity exists before adulthood.

Methods: In Hong Kong’s “Children of 1997” birth cohort, we used multivariable regression to examine the association of parental education, a marker of early life socio-economic position, with body mass index (BMI) (n = 7252, 88% follow-up) and waist-height ratio (n = 5636, 68% follow- up), at 14 years.

Results: Parental education of Grade 9 or below, compared to Grade 12 or above, was associated with higher …

Monitoring Prevalence, Treatment, And Control Of Metabolic Conditions In New York City Adults Using 2013 Primary Care Electronic Health Records: A Surveillance Validation Study, Lorna E. Thorpe, Katharine H. Mcveigh, Sharon Perlman, Pui Y. Chan, Katherine Bartley, Lauren Schreibstein, Jesica Rodriguez-Lopez, Remle Newton-Dame

Publications and Research

Introduction: Electronic health records (EHRs) can potentially extend chronic disease surveillance, but few EHR-based initiatives tracking population-based metrics have been validated for accuracy. We designed a new EHR-based population health surveillance system for New York City (NYC) known as NYC Macroscope. This report is the third in a 3-part series describing the development and validation of that system. The first report describes governance and technical infrastructure underlying the NYC Macroscope. The second report describes validation methods and presents validation results for estimates of obesity, smoking, depression and influenza vaccination. In this third paper we present validation findings for metabolic indicators …

Oil & Gas Drilling In National Parks, Elizabeth Ann Glass Geltman

Publications and Research

While a great deal of public attention addresses the Halliburton loophole of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and Bureau of Land Management efforts to regulate hydraulic fracturing on public lands, less attention has been paid to the National Park Service “9B Regulations,” which provide a national regulatory framework governing the exercise of nonfederal oil and gas rights in national parks. This article begins with a review of law pertaining to oil and gas drilling in national parks. The article examines the tension in striking a balance between environmental protection, conservation of national lands and achieving energy independence, including National …