Epidemiology Commons^™

Transportation Barriers To Healthcare Access: A Scoping Review Of Measurement Approaches And Associated Health Outcomes, Josiane Kabayundo, Muskan Ahuja, Snehal Jadhav, Lisa C. Smith, Farzana A. Bithi, Shamim Shahi, George Johnson, Siddhi Munde, Kendra L. Ratnapradipa

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background

Objectives

Methods

Hpv Vaccination In The U.S. Midwest: Barriers And Facilitators Of Initiation And Completion In Adolescents And Young Adults, Kristyne D. Mansilla Dubon, Edward S. Peters, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, Abraham Degarege

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background/Objectives: HPV vaccination uptake among adolescents and young adults in the US remains low, and coverage in the Midwest falls short of the Healthy People 2030 goal of 80%. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of adolescents and young adults was conducted to identify facilitators and barriers to HPV vaccination uptake among adolescents and young adults in the Midwest. Results: Out of 1306 individuals aged 13-26 years, 397 (30.4%) were fully vaccinated (2-3 doses), 124 (9.5%) had received one dose, 324 (24.8%) were unvaccinated, and 461 (35.3%) were unsure of their vaccination status. Awareness of HPV vaccines (OR: 2.4, …

Investigating The Impact Of Phthalate Exposures From Personal Care Products On Uterine Fibroid Incidence And Prevalence In Us-Born Black Women, Ella Brissett

CMC Senior Theses

Uterine fibroids are benign tumors composed of smooth muscle cells and connective tissue that develop within or on the walls of the uterus. Despite being non-cancerous, they can severely affect quality of life by causing heavy bleeding, chronic pain, and reproductive complications. Fibroids are typically found in women of reproductive age, but they disproportionately affect Black women, who experience higher incidence and severity. The underlying causes of this disparity is poorly understood; however, an emerging body of research is highlighting the role of phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in many personal care products, in exacerbating fibroid development. Through a critical analysis …

Performance Of Urine Reagent Test Strips In Detecting Schistosoma Haematobium Infection In Individual And Pooled Urine Samples, Abraham Degarege, Berhanu Erko, David Brett-Major, Bruno Levecke, Abebe Animut, Yohannes Negash, M. Jana Broadhurst, Tzeyu L. Michaud, Christopher R. Bilder

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

This study evaluated the performance of urine reagent strips (URSs) in detecting Schistosoma haematobium infection in individual and pooled urine samples. Between June 2022 and April 2023, 2634 urine samples (10 mL each) from school-age children (5-15 years) in 15 villages across Ethiopia's Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz, and Gambella regions were tested using urine filtration microscopy (UFM) and URSs for blood, a marker of S. haematobium eggs. Pooled samples from 5, 10, 20, and 40 individuals (one positive, others negative) were examined with both methods. UFM results were used to calculate URSs' sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for detecting infection. A total …

Quantifying The Public Health Impact Of Lyme Disease In Minnesota: A Simulation Analysis Of Reported And Unreported Cases, Kathleen Angell, M. Jana Broadhurst, Jianghu James Dong, Tzeyu L. Michaud, Abraham Degarege, Roberto Cortinas, David Brett-Major

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background: Lyme disease, the most common vector-borne disease in Minnesota, is estimated to be underreported by a factor of 10. Delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis may lead to health complications and increased personal and societal costs. Environmental factors can help to predict high disease years, allowing for early intervention to decrease disease burden. Objective: To estimate the health and cost burdens of Lyme disease and the extent to which they could be diminished by public health intervention when high-incidence Lyme disease years are forecasted. Methods: We used 5 two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations to estimate (1) average annual expected burden of Lyme …

The Sky’S The Limit: Improving Satellite Imagery Data Literacy To Address Noncommunicable Diseases, M. Courtney Hughes, Elizabeth J. Folkmann

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Low-and middle-income countries experience 77% of the world’s premature deaths caused by non- communicable diseases, and their underlying health determinant data are often scarce and inaccurate. Im- proving satellite imagery data literacy worldwide is an integral step toward using the vast amount of publicly available data collected via satellites, such as air pollution, green space and light at night—all determinants of non-communicable diseases. Existing machine learning–based algorithms enable automated analysis of satel- lite imagery data, but health officials and scientists must know where to find and how to apply these algorithms to measure risk and target interventions.

Lower Electronic Health Record Adoption And Interoperability In Rural Versus Urban Physician Participants: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From The Cms Quality Payment Program, Alfred J. Anzalone, Carol R. Geary, Ran Dai, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway, James C. Mcclay, James Campbell

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 introduced the Meaningful Use program to incentivize the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in the U.S. This study investigates the disparities in EHR adoption and interoperability between rural and urban physicians in the context of federal programs like the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 and the 21st Century Cures Act.

METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the 2021 Quality Payment Program Experience Report Public Use File to compare EHR adoption and Promoting Interoperability scores (PISs) between urban and rural physician participants. Data …

Occupational Exposures To Chemicals In Dentistry: A Scoping Review, Geneviève Picard, Tisha Prakash, France Labrèche, Sabrina Gravel

Revues de littérature, synthèses de connaissances

The dental workforce comprises a variety of professions, most of which are predominantly occupied by women. Dental workers can be exposed to numerous toxic chemicals such as mercury, methacrylate polymers, and silica. This scoping review aims to synthesize the scientific literature on quantified chemical exposures and to identify research gaps in occupational chemical hazards faced by dental professionals. This review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute approach and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, using three concepts to search PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science: workers, dental care, and chemicals. Studies from high-income countries, published in French or English between 2000 and 2024 and reporting …

Global, Regional, And National Burden Of Cardiovascular Diseases And Risk Factors In 204 Countries And Territories, 1990-2023, Global Burden Of Cardiovascular Diseases And Risks 2023 Collaborators, Benjamin A. Stark, Nicole K. Decleene, Emily C. Desai, Johnathan M. Hsu, Catherine O. Johnson, Laura Lara-Castor, Kate E. Legrand, Prof Bhoomadevi A., Mohammad Amin Aalipour, Nasir Abbas, Madineh Abbasi, Mohammadreza Abbasian, Hedayat Abbastabar, Abdallah H. A. Abd Al Magied, Samar Abd Elhafeez, Gregory A. Roth, Et Al.

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality and are among the foremost causes of disability globally. CVD burden has continued to increase in most countries since 1990, with trends driven by changing exposures to harmful risk factors, population growth, and population aging.

Objectives

We report estimates of global, national, and subnational CVD burden, including 18 subdiseases and 12 associated modifiable risk factors. We analyzed change in CVD burden from 1990 to 2023 and identified drivers of change including population growth, population aging, and risk factor exposure.

Methods

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023 study, a multinational …

Ambient Air Pollution And Survival Among Black Women With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Across Diverse Geographical Regions Of The United States, Ekaterina Chirikova, Courtney E. Johnson, Anke Huels, Pushkar P. Inamdar, Elisa V. Bandera, Lawrence H. Kushi, Jennifer A. Doherty, Joellen M. Schildkraut, Hari S. Iyer, Melissa Bondy, Edward S. Peters, Kendra L. Ratnapradipa, Jeffrey Marks, Christopher Pierson, Theresa Hastert, Kristin Haller, Grace Christensen, Salma Shariff-Marco, Scarlett L. Gomez, Andrew Lawson

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background: Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of gynecologic cancer mortality, with Black women experiencing 5-year survival rates of only 41%. Disproportionate air pollution exposure may impact survival. We evaluated associations of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure with survival among Black women with epithelial ovarian cancer using data from the California Cancer Registry (CCR, n = 540) and the multi-state African American Cancer Epidemiology Study (AACES, n = 766).

Methods: Annual PM_2.5 and NO₂ levels were estimated at a 1 km resolution using well-validated ensemble-based prediction models derived from the …

Systemic Therapy Targeting Psoriatic Inflammation Is Associated With Decreased Incidence Of Dementia: An Observational Retrospective Cohort Study, Madison P. Olexson, Ana Ormaza Vera, Chunghwan Ro, Clinton W. Enos

Department Dermatology Faculty Publications

[Introduction] To the Editor: Psoriasis, an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disorder, has been implicated in cognitive impairment and dementia.1, 2, 3 Emerging evidence suggests that systemic inflammation contributes to neuroinflammation and resultant cytokine-driven neurodegeneration, although findings remain inconclusive.1, 2, 3 While systemic therapies such as biologics and conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are routinely used in psoriasis management, their role in modulating dementia in this population remains underexplored, with research yielding mixed results.1, 2, 3 We conducted a large-scale, retrospective cohort study to investigate the relationship between psoriasis and dementia and whether systemic treatments for psoriasis impact this association.

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

Faktor Risiko Kejadian Hipertensi Dalam Kehamilan Pada Ibu Hamil Di Provinsi Jawa Timur (Analisis Data Riset Kesehatan Dasar Tahun 2018), Putri Amalia Firjatillah, Sudarto Ronoatmodjo

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Hypertension during pregnancy is one of the most common pregnancy complications and the leading cause of maternal mortality in Indonesia. One of the regions in Indonesia with a high number of hypertension-related pregnancy complications is East-Java Province with a prevalence rate of 17,8%. This study aims to analyze the risk factors associated with hypertension during pregnancy among pregnant women in East Java. The study adopts a cross-sectional design using secondary data from 758 pregnant women aged 15-54 years in East Java Province who participated in 2018 Riskesdas Survey during which blood pressure measurements were taken. The dependent variable analyzed in …

Gambaran Kasus Gondongan Pada Sekolah Dasar Negeri 010 Makroman, Samarinda, Dwi Listiani, Ashri Budi Astuti, Jami'an Jami'an, Eko Prasetya Budi, Arif Sumarianto, Irfansyah Baharuddin Pakki

Jurnal Epidemiologi Kesehatan Indonesia

Mumps is an infectious disease caused by a viral infection, often attacking the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands. This disease is self-limiting and common in elementary school children. This study aims to describe the prevalence, symptoms, and impact of mumps in students of SD Negeri 010 Makroman, Samarinda, as well as evaluate risk factors and relevant prevention efforts. With a descriptive research design, data was obtained from a population of 307 students through secondary data from the Makroman Health Center and direct on-site investigations. An attack rate of 3.58% indicates a limited impact on at-risk populations, but it is …

Sars-Cov-2 Genomic Surveillance Using Self-Collected Saliva Specimens During Occupational Testing Programs, Andy T. Schnaubelt, David Brett-Major, Janet Williamson, Bailey Barcal, Julie Carstens, Ashley Peer, Michael R. Wiley, M. Jana Broadhurst

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Continually emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants pose challenges to clinical and public health interventions, necessitating sustainable approaches to real-time variant monitoring. This case study describes an innovative SARS-CoV-2 screening and surveillance program that demonstrates the utility of sequencing-based variant monitoring using self-collected saliva specimens. We conducted saliva-based SARS-CoV-2 screening in occupational settings in Omaha, Nebraska from December 2021 through November 2022. 8,372 saliva specimens collected from 1,480 participants were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by extraction-free PCR, with 334 positive samples referred for whole-genome sequencing analysis. Program utilization, quality metrics, and sequencing outputs were compared across sites. Specimen quality was high across program …

Multisociety Guidance For Infection Prevention And Control In Nursing Homes, Lona Mody, Sonali D. Advani, Muhammad Salman Ashraf, Allison H. Bartlett, Suzanne F. Bradley, Deborah P. Burdsall, Jennifer A. Hanrahan, Susan S. Huang, Robert L.P. Jump, Lindsay Nicolle, Mary-Claire Roghmann, Patricia Stone, Rekha K. Murthy

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

This multisociety guidance was endorsed by SHEA, APIC, IDSA, PALTmed, and AGS. It provides recommendations for infection prevention and control (IPC) in the context of the complexity of nursing home care in the United States: increased medical acuity of residents, the spread of multidrug-resistant organisms, and the threat of emerging pathogens. Recommendations and implementation suggestions address IPC leadership, staffing, and resources, healthcare personnel and residents‘ adherence to precautions and effective hand hygiene, outbreak preparedness, training, occupational health, cleaning and disinfection in the care environment, and the involvement of IPC in the facility. The guidance also addresses the challenges of maintaining …

Cause Of Death? -- It's Probably Not What's Reported On The Death Certificate, Lauren R. Roth

Lewis & Clark Law Review

In the age of big data, this country has a data problem—inaccurate and incomplete information in death certificates. The problem has long been hidden by the numbers reported—as have the people whose deaths go uncounted, but the COVID-19 pandemic unveiled the scope of the issue. Since the beginning of the pandemic, “excess deaths” (i.e., any deaths above the number predicted by existing mortality models) have increased significantly. Most of these excess deaths are likely attributable to COVID-19 because the decedent was never tested for COVID-19 or it was one of multiple factors contributing to their death. Other deaths are uncounted …

Understanding The Pathogenesis Of Uveitis In Ebola Virus Disease Survivors: An Observational Cohort And Cross-Sectional Study Protocol For Clinical, Molecular Virologic And Immunologic Characterisation, Caleb D. Hartley, Susanne Linderman, Tolulope Fashina, Laura Ward, Carolyn Drews-Botsch, Catherine Pratt, Sanjana Kuthyar, Alcides Filho Fernandes, Ye Huang, Charlene Choo, Nam Nguyen, Jessica Carag, Jill Morgan, Colleen S. Kraft, Angela L. Hewlett, David Brett-Major, John S. Schieffelin, Robert F. Garry, Donald Grant, Grant A. Justin, Christopher D. Conrady, Justine R. Smith, Brent R. Hayek, Shiama Balendra, Nisha Acharya, Thuy Doan, Anais Legand, Pierre Formenty, Xiankun Zeng, Ibrahim Conteh, Matthew Jusu Vandy, Lloyd Harrison-Williams, Jalikatu Mustapha, Zikan Koroma, Michael R. Wiley, Ian Crozier, Jean-Claude Mwanza, Jessica G. Shantha, Rafi Ahmed, Steven Yeh, Smile And Evict-Vr Investigator Study Groups

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: The 2013-2016 Western African outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (EVD), the largest recorded outbreak since the discovery of Ebola virus (EBOV) in 1976, destabilised local health systems and left thousands of survivors at risk for postacute sequelae, including vision-threatening uveitis. In an EVD survivor with severe panuveitis, the detection of persistent EBOV in the aqueous humour, long after clearance of acute viremia, focused clinical and research attention on the host-EBOV interaction in the unique terrain of ocular immune privilege. Despite the recognition that uveitis is common and consequential in EVD survivors, our understanding of pathogenesis is extremely limited, …

Academic Proficiency In Ugandan Children With Sickle Cell Anemia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Robert Opoka, Shubaya Kasule Naggayi, Paul Bangirana, Simple Ouma, Betty Nyangoma, Annet Birabwa, Grace Nambatya, Maxencia Kabatabaazi, Ann Jacqueline Nakitende, Dennis Kalibbala

Paediatrics and Child Health, East Africa

Introduction: Academic proficiency is crucial for advancing learning goals, school advancement, and future economic security. Children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) may be at risk of disease-associated learning difficulties. Limited data exist on this topic among school-age children in the region. We aimed to assess academic proficiency in a sample of children with SCA in Uganda compared with unaffected controls.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Kampala, Uganda. Participants were school-going children with SCA, aged 6–12 years, attending Mulago Hospital SCA Clinic, and age-matched sibling controls without SCA. Academic proficiency was assessed by the Wide …

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

Faculty Publications

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