Public Health Commons^™

Association Of Health Literacy With Demographic Features, Health-Related Behaviors, And Health Risk Indicators Among Egyptian Adults: Online Cross-Sectional Study, Rana Gamal Hassan

Theses and Dissertations

Health literacy is recognized as a significant determinant of health. Limited health literacy is a growing issue worldwide. It has a significant role facing the rising trends of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through improving its modifiable risk factors. Therefore, studying the association between health literacy and different health-related behaviors is very important to guide both healthcare professionals and policy makers to set up the proper interventions. Our study aims to a) examine the health literacy levels among Egyptian adults, b) investigate the association of health literacy relative to socio-demographic features, health related behaviors, and self-reported health status. This is a cross-sectional …

Shared Care Networks Assisting Older Adults: New Insights From The National Health And Aging Trends Study, Mengyao Hu, Vicki A Freedman, Sarah E Patterson, Nora Lewis

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Caregiving research often assumes older adults receiving care have a primary caregiver who provides the bulk of care. Consequently, little is known about the extent to which care responsibilities are shared more evenly within a care network, the characteristics associated with sharing, or the consequences for meeting older adults' care needs.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We analyze a sample of U.S. older adults receiving care from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study (n = 2,398). Based on variables reflecting differences in care hours, activities, and care provided by the whole network, we create network typologies …

Colocalization Of Linezolid Resistance (Cfr) And Virulence Factors Cytolysin And Hemolysin (Cln And Hln) On A Plasmid In Enterococcus Faecalis, Nikita V Singh, Kavindra V Singh, An Q Dinh, Cesar A Arias, William C Shropshire, Blake M Hanson, Barbara E Murray

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Initial Understanding Of Public Stigma Against Childhood Cancer Survivors, Nele Loecher

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As childhood cancer survival rates climb to new records, it is increasingly important to focus on improving the psychological wellbeing of survivors living years beyond their diagnosis. One potential contributor to psychological distress for childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) is stigma. The fear of stigma can lead to CCSs concealing their identity as a CCS, which in turn can strain workplace and intimate relationships, creating a strain on CCSs’ social and work life. Additionally, the internalization of negative stereotypes or rejection of falsely positive stereotypes around cancer can exacerbate psychological distress. To establish what stereotypes and stigma CCS might be contending …

Variability Of Air Sampling Results Using Air-O-Cell Cassettes, Christina M. Haworth

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

No current federal or state standards for mold exposure exist, partly due to the lack of accurate methods for assessing fungal exposure. Exposure to airborne fungal spores can result in several symptoms such as allergic rhinitis, coughing, and fatigue. Non-industrial occupational settings are common and fungal exposures may occur in these environments. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the meaningfulness of fungal spore trap results from samples collected in both a corporate office and a university classroom. Air-O-Cell cassettes with a Zefon Bio-Pump were used to collect one outdoor and three indoor samples at each location on three …

Social Risks, Social Needs, And Attitudes Toward Social Health Screening 1 Year Into The Covid-19 Pandemic: Survey Of Adults In An Integrated Health Care Delivery System, Nancy P Gordon, Carmen Byker Shanks, Richard W Grant

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction Information about demographic differences in social risks, needs, and attitudes toward social health screening in non-highly vulnerable adult populations is lacking. Methods The authors analyzed data for 2869 Kaiser Permanente Northern California non-Medicaid-covered members aged 35 to 85 who responded to a 2021 English-only mailed/online survey. The survey covered 7 social risk and 11 social needs domains and attitudes toward social health screening. The authors used data weighted to the Kaiser Permanente Northern California membership to estimate prevalence of risks, needs, and screening receptivity in the overall population, by race/ethnicity (White, Black, Latinx, Asian American/Pacific Islander) and age (35-65 …

Understanding Mental Health As Public Health, Christi M. Navarro

Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches and Lectures

In this interactive workshop, we will utilize a multi-level public health framework to illustrate factors of risk and prevention that influence mental health and well-being. We will discuss shifting the narrative of mental health as an individual issue to the responsibility of society, culture, and environment. Participants will reflect on their role and level of influence in this model as well as their potential for action and positive impact.

The Effectiveness Of Disinfection Protocols In Medical School Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Labs., Harrison A. Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

CONTEXT: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare-associated infections have taken center stage. Healthcare has adjusted workflows to accommodate for more robust disinfecting regiments to help protect the community. This has resulted in the need for medical institutions to reevaluate the current disinfection protocols down to the student level. The osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) laboratory provides an optimal avenue for assessing the effectiveness of medical students' ability to clean examination tables. With OMM laboratories having a high level of interaction, adequate disinfection is important for the health and safety of students and teaching faculties.

OBJECTIVES: This study will evaluate the …

Microbiome Alteration Via Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Is Effective For Refractory Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Colitis, Taylor M Halsey, Anusha S Thomas, Tomo Hayase, Weijie Ma, Hamzah Abu-Sbeih, Baohua Sun, Edwin Roger Parra, Zhi-Dong Jiang, Herbert L Dupont, Christopher Sanchez, Rawan El-Himri, Alexandria Brown, Ivonne Flores, Lauren Mcdaniel, Miriam Ortega Turrubiates, Matthew Hensel, Dung Pham, Stephanie S Watowich, Eiko Hayase, Chia-Chi Chang, Robert R Jenq, Yinghong Wang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) target advanced malignancies with high efficacy but also predispose patients to immune-related adverse events like immune-mediated colitis (IMC). Given the association between gut bacteria with response to ICI therapy and subsequent IMC, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a feasible way to manipulate microbial composition in patients, with a potential benefit for IMC. Here, we present a large case series of 12 patients with refractory IMC who underwent FMT from healthy donors as salvage therapy. All 12 patients had grade 3 or 4 ICI-related diarrhea or colitis that failed to respond to standard first-line (corticosteroids) and second-line …

Effect Of Fenugreek And Curry Leaves Powder On Dyslipidemia- A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study, Syeda Farha S, Shivani Agarwal, Vanitha Reddy P

International Journal of Health and Allied Sciences

Background: Dyslipidemias, a disorder of lipid metabolism, is widely established as an independent major and modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The conditions are common worldwide and a leading cause of death in India, and has even riven the age bar swaying in young people too. The significant effect of an increase in dyslipidemias depends on diabetes and hypertension. Nutraceuticals, derived from food sources serve as an alternative therapy for the management of dyslipidemia. India is home to multitudinous medicinal plants, of which many remain underutilized. Murraya Koenigii (curry leaf) and Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek leaves) are well-proven as good …

Investigating Interpersonal And Community Drivers Of Taenia Solium Prevention To Reduce Acquired Seizure Disorders In Northern Peru: An Analysis Of Social Networks, Social Capital, And Community-Identified Barriers And Facilitators, Angela Gayle Spencer

Dissertations and Theses

Background: In Northern Peru and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) worldwide, the Taenia solium parasite causes an estimated 30% of acquired epilepsy -- an entirely preventable disease burden. Sanitation development and pork production regulation would reduce infection risk in endemic communities, but large-scale systemic improvements are not likely to occur in the near future. In the meantime, communities can reduce infection risk by adopting protective behaviors. Social networks can provide role modeling and support for health-promoting behaviors, and deliver social capital in the form of trusting relationships, norms of reciprocity, and information exchange in support of T. solium control. …

Geospatial Analysis Of Opioid Dispensing Patterns In California: A 2021 Real-World Study, Hongxia Lu, Jianwei Zheng, Yun Wang

Pharmacy Faculty Articles and Research

The misuse and abuse of opioids has become a serious public health threat in the United States. The state of California has been hit particularly hard by the opioid epidemic, with a noticeable increase in opioid-related fatalities and hospitalizations. This brief report paper aims to contribute to the growing literature by conducting a geospatial analysis of opioid dispensing patterns in California in 2021. The primary objective was to identify areas characterized by high-risk opioid dispending patterns and explore possible contributing factors. This retrospective study analyzed data from over 7 million records of opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions dispensed by outpatient pharmacies …

Disparities In Violent Fatal Injury Among Racial And Ethnic Minorities, 2009–2019: A Portfolio Analysis Of United States—National Institutes Of Health, Maria-Isabel Roldós, Tilda Farhat, Marcia M. Gómez

Publications and Research

The excess mortality burden due to violent fatal injuries is an urgent public health issue for adolescents and young adults, especially those from racial and ethnic minority populations. We examined the research portfolio of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) related to violent fatal injuries between 2009 and 2019 to focus on adolescents and young adults from NIH-designated populations experiencing health disparities and to identify trends and research gaps. We analyzed funded projects by populations covered, geographic location of the study population, type of research (etiology, intervention, methodology), type of determinants, and publications generated. In 10 years, NIH …

Top 10 Things To Know About Falls In Older Adults, Alexander W. Zirulnik, Shan Liu

Journal of Geriatric Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

Development Of A Definition Of Postacute Sequelae Of Sars-Cov-2 Infection, Tanayott Thaweethai, Sarah E Jolley, Elizabeth W Karlson, Emily B Levitan, Bruce Levy, Grace A Mccomsey, Lisa Mccorkell, Girish N Nadkarni, Sairam Parthasarathy, Upinder Singh, Tiffany A Walker, Caitlin A Selvaggi, Daniel J Shinnick, Carolin C M Schulte, Rachel Atchley-Challenner, George A Alba, Radica Alicic, Natasha Altman, Khamal Anglin, Urania Argueta, Hassan Ashktorab, Gaston Baslet, Ingrid V Bassett, Lucinda Bateman, Brahmchetna Bedi, Shamik Bhattacharyya, Marie-Abele Bind, Andra L Blomkalns, Hector Bonilla, Hassan Brim, Patricia A Bush, Mario Castro, James Chan, Alexander W Charney, Peter Chen, Lori B Chibnik, Helen Y Chu, Rebecca G Clifton, Maged M Costantine, Sushma K Cribbs, Sylvia I Davila Nieves, Steven G Deeks, Alexandria Duven, Ivette F Emery, Nathan Erdmann, Kristine M Erlandson, Kacey C Ernst, Rachael Farah-Abraham, Cheryl E Farner, Elen M Feuerriegel, Judes Fleurimont, Vivian Fonseca, Nicholas Franko, Vivian Gainer, Jennifer C Gander, Edward M Gardner, Linda N Geng, Kelly S Gibson, Minjoung Go, Jason D Goldman, Halle Grebe, Frank L Greenway, Mounira Habli, John Hafner, Jenny E Han, Keith A Hanson, James Heath, Carla Hernandez, Rachel Hess, Sally L Hodder, Matthew K Hoffman, Susan E Hoover, Beatrice Huang, Brenna L Hughes, Prasanna Jagannathan, Janice John, Michael R Jordan, Stuart D Katz, Elizabeth S Kaufman, John D Kelly, Sara W Kelly, Megan M Kemp, John P Kirwan, Jonathan D Klein, Kenneth S Knox, Jerry A Krishnan, Andre Kumar, Adeyinka O Laiyemo, Allison A Lambert, Margaret Lanca, Joyce K Lee-Iannotti, Brian P Logarbo, Michele T Longo, Carlos A Luciano, Karen Lutrick, Jason H Maley, Gail Mallett, Jai G Marathe, Vincent Marconi, Gailen D Marshall, Christopher F Martin, Yuri Matusov, Alem Mehari, Hector Mendez-Figueroa, Robin Mermelstein, Torri D Metz, Richard Morse, Jarrod Mosier, Christian Mouchati, Janet Mullington, Shawn N Murphy, Robert B Neuman, Janko Z Nikolich, Ighovwerha Ofotokun, Elizabeth Ojemakinde, Anna Palatnik, Kristy Palomares, Tanyalak Parimon, Samuel Parry, Jan E Patterson, Thomas F Patterson, Rachel E Patzer, Michael J Peluso, Priscilla Pemu, Christian M Pettker, Beth A Plunkett, Kristen Pogreba-Brown, Athena Poppas, John G Quigley, Uma Reddy, Rebecca Reece, Harrison Reeder, W B Reeves, Eric M Reiman, Franz Rischard, Jonathan Rosand, Dwight J Rouse, Adam Ruff, George Saade, Grecio J Sandoval, Jorge L Santana, Shannon M Schlater, Frank C Sciurba, Fitzgerald Shepherd, Zaki A Sherif, Hyagriv Simhan, Nora G Singer, Daniel W Skupski, Amber Sowles, Jeffrey A Sparks, Fatima I Sukhera, Barbara S Taylor, Larissa Teunis, Robert J Thomas, John M Thorp, Paul Thuluvath, Amberly Ticotsky, Alan T Tita, Katherine R Tuttle, Alfredo E Urdaneta, Daisy Valdivieso, Timothy M Vanwagoner, Andrew Vasey, Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, Zachary S Wallace, Honorine D Ward, David E Warren, Steven J Weiner, Shelley Welch, Sidney W Whiteheart, Zanthia Wiley, Juan P Wisnivesky, Lynn M Yee, Sokratis Zisis, Leora I Horwitz, Andrea S Foulkes

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

IMPORTANCE: SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with persistent, relapsing, or new symptoms or other health effects occurring after acute infection, termed postacute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), also known as long COVID. Characterizing PASC requires analysis of prospectively and uniformly collected data from diverse uninfected and infected individuals.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a definition of PASC using self-reported symptoms and describe PASC frequencies across cohorts, vaccination status, and number of infections.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective observational cohort study of adults with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection at 85 enrolling sites (hospitals, health centers, community organizations) located in 33 states plus Washington, DC, …

Healthy Eating Interventions Delivered In Early Childhood Education And Care Settings For Improving The Diet Of Children Aged Six Months To Six Years, Sze Lin Yoong, Melanie Lum, Luke Wolfenden, Jacklyn Jackson, Courtney Barnes, Alix E. Hall, Sam Mccrabb, Nicole Pearson, Cassandra Lane, Jannah Z. Jones, Lauren Dinour, Therese Mcdonnell, Debbie Booth, Alice Grady

Department of Nutrition and Food Studies Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

Dietary intake during early childhood can have implications on child health and developmental trajectories. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services are recommended settings to deliver healthy eating interventions as they provide access to many children during this important period. Healthy eating interventions delivered in ECEC settings can include strategies targeting the curriculum (e.g. nutrition education), ethos and environment (e.g. menu modification) and partnerships (e.g. workshops for families). Despite guidelines supporting the delivery of healthy eating interventions in this setting, little is known about their impact on child health.

Objectives

To assess the effectiveness of healthy eating interventions delivered …

Exposure Levels Of Airborne Fungi, Bacteria, And Antibiotic Resistance Genes In Cotton Farms During Cotton Harvesting And Evaluations Of N95 Respirators Against These Bioaerosols, Atin Adhikari, Pratik Banerjee, Taylor Thornton, Daleniece Higgins, Caleb Adeoye, Sonam Sherpa

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

The USA is the third-leading cotton-producing country worldwide and cotton farming is common in the state of Georgia. Cotton harvest can be a significant contributor to airborne microbial exposures to farmers and nearby rural communities. The use of respirators or masks is one of the viable options for reducing organic dust and bioaerosol exposures among farmers. Unfortunately, the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR Part 1910.134) does not apply to agricultural workplaces and the filtration efficiency of N95 respirators was never field-tested against airborne microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during cotton harvesting. This study addressed these two information gaps. …

Understanding The Consumption Of Antimicrobial Resistance–Related Content On Social Media: Twitter Analysis, Hyunuk Kim, Chris R. Proctor, Dylan Walker, Ronan R. Mccarthy

Business Faculty Articles and Research

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing concerns in our society. Today, social media can function as an important channel to disseminate information about AMR. The way in which this information is engaged with depends on a number of factors, including the target audience and the content of the social media post.

Objective: The aim of this study is to better understand how AMR-related content is consumed on the social media platform Twitter and to understand some of the drivers of engagement. This is essential to designing effective public health strategies, raising awareness about antimicrobial …

Women Physicians And Medical Conferences: A Pilot Survey Study Of Participation Challenges And Options To Optimize Wellness And Work-Life Integration, Marah N. Kays, Ekas Singh Abrol, Ariela L. Marshall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Women physicians experience challenges in career advancement, work-life integration (WLI), and wellness. Participation (attending and speaking) at academic conferences is one way for women physicians to advance their careers, but barriers to physical participation (travel, WLI) pose challenges. Virtual participation options may enhance career advancement. In this pilot study, we explored women physicians’ conference participation patterns and preferences regarding virtual participation options.

Methods: In this cross-sectional pilot study of 70 women physicians from the Physician Women in Leadership (PWL) and Physician Moms Group (PMG) Facebook groups, we collected demographic, burnout, and WLI data, information on barriers to …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Hospitalization Outcomes Of Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction In The Usa, F.E. Markson, E. Akuna, C.Y. Lim, L. Khemani, A, Amanullah

Einstein Health Papers

Background/study objective: The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic affected health care delivery, as it led to variable outcomes in different disease states including cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we evaluated the impact of coexisting COVID-19 on Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). Design/setting: We analyzed discharge records of AMI patients from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) in the year 2020.

Main outcome measures: Using propensity score matching, we assessed the impact of COVID-19 infection on the in-hospital outcomes of patients presenting with AMI.

Results: There were 1154 patients with concomitant COVID-19 infection and AMI who were matched with 109,990 patients with AMI …

Congenital Malformations And Preeclampsia Associated With Integrase Inhibitor Use In Pregnancy: A Single-Center Analysis., Christiana Smith, Angela J. Fought, Joyce F. Sung, Jennifer R. Mckinney, Torri D. Metz, Kirk B. Fetters, Sarah Lazarus, Shannon Capraro, Emily Barr, Carrie Glenny, Jenna Buehler, Adriana Weinberg, Chip Perinatal Medical Team

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) decreases perinatal HIV transmission, but concerns exist regarding maternal and infant safety. We compared the incidence of congenital malformations and other adverse outcomes in pregnancies exposed to integrase inhibitor (INSTI) versus non-INSTI ART.

SETTING: Single-site review of all pregnancies among women living with HIV between 2008 and 2018.

METHODS: We used binomial family generalized estimating equations to model the relationship of congenital anomalies and pregnancy outcomes with exposure to INSTI or dolutegravir (DTG) versus non-INSTI ART.

RESULTS: Among 257 pregnancies, 77 women received ≥1 INSTI (54 DTG, 14 elvitegravir, 15 raltegravir), 167 received non-INSTI, and 3 …

Diet Quality Among Pre-Adolescent African American Girls In A Randomized Controlled Obesity Prevention Intervention Trial, Debbe Thompson, Yiming Mirabile, Noemi Islam, Chishinga Callender, Salma M A Musaad, Julie Miranda, Jennette P Moreno, Jayna M Dave, Tom Baranowski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Consuming an unhealthy diet increases health risks. This study assessed the impact of a culturally adapted behaviorally innovative obesity prevention intervention (The Butterfly Girls and the Quest for Founder’s Rock) on diet quality in pre-adolescent non-Hispanic Black/African American girls. The RCT consisted of three groups (experimental, comparison, and waitlist control); block randomization allocated participants to each group. The two treatment groups varied in terms of whether or not they set goals. Data were collected at baseline (prior to receiving the intervention), post 1 (3 months post-baseline), and post 2 (6 months post-baseline). Two dietitian-assisted 24 h dietary recalls …

Childhood Asthma-Management Practices In Rural Nigeria: Exploring The Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice Of Caregivers In Oyo State, Oyindamola Akinso, Atin Adhikari, Jingjing Yin, Joanne Chopak-Foss, Gulzar H. Shah

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

Background: Caregivers of asthmatic children have a poor knowledge of proper asthma-management practices in Nigeria. This study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors of caregivers in the management of asthma in children under 5 years of age in Oyo State, Nigeria. Methods: While a mixed method was used in the original research, this brief describes the quantitative method used in this study to evaluate caregivers’ asthma-management practices. A 55-item questionnaire on childhood asthma knowledge, attitude, and practice was administered during child welfare-clinic visits to 118 caregivers. Data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Version 25.0. Statistical significance was set …

Parabens Promote Protumorigenic Effects In Luminal Breast Cancer Cell Lines With Diverse Genetic Ancestry, Jazma L. Tapia, Jillian C. Mcdonough, Emily L. Cauble, Cesar G. Gonzalez, Dede K. Teteh, Lindsey S. Treviño

Health Sciences and Kinesiology Faculty Articles

Context

One in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Yet, the burden of disease is greater in Black women. Black women have a 40% higher mortality rate than White women, and a higher incidence of breast cancer at age 40 and younger. While the underlying cause of this disparity is multifactorial, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in hair and other personal care products has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. Parabens are known EDCs that are commonly used as preservatives in hair and other personal care products, and Black women are disproportionately exposed …

An Aerobic Exercise Intervention To Improve Metabolic Health Among People Living With Hiv With At-Risk Alcohol Use: The Alive-Ex Research Study Protocol, Liz Simon, Stefany D. Primeaux, Danielle E. Levitt, Brianna Bourgeois, Neil M. Johannsen, Adrianna Peters, Jameel Ahmed, Richard H. Marshall, Alexandra H. Fairchild, Tekeda F. Ferguson, Patricia E. Molina

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH) has improved life expectancy and increased risk of age-associated cardiometabolic comorbidities. At-risk alcohol use is more frequent among PLWH and increases the risk of health challenges. PLWH with at-risk alcohol use are more likely to meet criteria for prediabetes/diabetes and this is associated with impaired whole-body glucose-insulin dynamics. Methods: The Alcohol & Metabolic Comorbidities in PLWH: Evidence Driven Interventions Study (ALIVE-Ex Study, NCT03299205) is a longitudinal, prospective, interventional study to determine the effects of an aerobic exercise protocol on improving dysglycemia among PLWH with at-risk alcohol use. The intervention …

The Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (Hww) Syndrome– A Rare Case Report, Dr Harisha H L Dr, Dr Vishal Natarajan Dr, Dr Rudresh Hiremath Dr

Radiology Teaching Files

A 20-year-old unmarried female, student by occupation, well built and nourished presented with intermenstrual spotting from past 1 month. No h/o pelvic pain/ mass/ fever. No h/o of similar complaints in the past. Attained menarche at 14 years. Menstrual history otherwise normal.Known case of right renal agenesis (diagnosed incidentally at the age of 8 years).

Pelvic examination by gynecologist revealed a cystic bulge to the anterior wall of vagina. On MRI, our case is right sided renal agenesis; uterus didelphys with obstructed hemi vagina and to infected collection along the vaginal wall.

Medicaid Expansion, Chemotherapy Delays, And Racial Disparities Among Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Mariana Chavez-Macgregor, Xiudong Lei, Catalina Malinowski, Hui Zhao, Ya-Chen Shih, Sharon H Giordano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act extends eligibility for participating states and has been associated with improved outcomes by facilitating access to care. Delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy is associated with worse outcomes among patients with early-stage breast cancer (BC). The impact of Medicaid expansion in narrowing delays by race and ethnicity has not been studied, to our knowledge.

METHODS: This was a population-based study using the National Cancer Database. Patients diagnosed with primary early-stage BC between 2007 and 2017 residing in states that underwent Medicaid expansion in January 2014 were included. Time to chemotherapy initiation and proportion …

Early Postpartum Hba1c After Hyperglycemia First Detected In Pregnancy-Imperfect But Not Without Value, Ankia Coetzee, David R Hall, Mari Van De Vyver, Magda Conradie

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: South African women of childbearing age are disproportionally affected by obesity and at significant risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Unless pregnant, they do not readily undergo screening for T2DM. With a local focus on improved antenatal care, hyperglycemia is often first detected in pregnancy (HFDP). This may erroneously be attributed to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) in all without considering T2DM. Glucose evaluation following pregnancy is essential for early detection and management of women with T2DM in whom persistent hyperglycemia is to be expected. Conventional testing with an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is cumbersome, prompting investigation for …

Adverse Birth Outcomes Of Adolescent And Young Adult Women Diagnosed With Cancer During Pregnancy, Andrea C Betts, L Aubree Shay, Philip J Lupo, Sandi L Pruitt, Michael E Roth, Marlyn A Allicock, Barbara A Cohn, Caitlin C Murphy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: We examined adverse birth outcomes among adolescent and young adult women diagnosed with cancer (AYA women, ages 15-39 years) during pregnancy.

METHODS: We linked data from the Texas Cancer Registry, vital records, and Texas Birth Defects Registry to identify all singleton births to AYA women diagnosed during pregnancy from January 1999 to December 2016. We compared prevalence of adverse live birth outcomes between AYA women and women without cancer (matched 1:4 on age, race and ethnicity, and year). Among AYA women, we used log-binomial regression to identify factors associated with these outcomes. Statistical tests were 2-sided.

RESULTS: AYA women …

The Covid-19 Pandemic And Immigration- A Case Study Of Sweden, Sayantan Ghosal

International Journal on Responsibility

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought challenges to the trend of immigration, rules of immigration, and immigrants in the state. For those Swedish employers who employ non-EU citizens, the outbreak has created several business immigration-related issues. In addition to this, refugees are also a vulnerable group in society who face several challenges ranging from asylum to integration. Compromised living conditions and health facilities put them at greater health risks if infected with the virus. The long-term consequences of this pandemic in the case of refugees may also take the form of unemployment and social isolation. The paper focuses on labour immigrants …