bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ethical Challenges in School-Based Immunization Programs for Adolescents: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Braunack-Mayer Annette , Skinner S. Rachel , Collins Joanne , Tooher Rebecca , Proeve Claudia , O’Keefe Maree , Burgess Teresa , Watson Maureen , Marshall Helen 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We investigated ethical issues in school-based immunization programs for adolescents and how they are addressed. Methods. We used qualitative methods and an ethnographic approach to observe 9 secondary schools on immunization days in South Australia in 2011; concurrently, we conducted 9 focus groups with female secondary school students, 6 semistructured interviews with parents, and 10 interviews with nurses and teachers. We explored ethical challenges from the perspective of these groups. Results. We identified ethical challenges for the delivery of adolescent immunization in a school-based setting in 3 main areas: informed consent, restrictions on privacy, and harm to students in the form of fear and anxiety. Conclusions. We found areas in which the design and delivery of school-based immunization programs can be improved. Information about immunization should be provided in ways that are appropriate to young people and their parents, and privacy protections should be enhanced when possible. Involving young people in the design and delivery of programs would assist with making these improvements.
Allostatic Load in Foreign-Born and US-Born Blacks: Evidence From the 2001–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Authors: Doamekpor Lauren A. , Dinwiddie Gniesha Y. 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We tested whether the immigrant health advantage applies to non-Hispanic Black immigrants and examined whether nativity-based differences in allostatic load exist among non-Hispanic Blacks. Methods. We used pooled data from the 2001–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare allostatic load scores for US-born (n = 2745) and foreign-born (n = 152) Black adults. We used multivariate logistic regression techniques to assess the association between nativity and high allostatic load scores, controlling for gender, age, health behaviors, and socioeconomic status. Results. For foreign-born Blacks, length of stay and age were powerful predictors of allostatic load scores. For older US-born Blacks and those who were widowed, divorced, or separated, the risk of high allostatic load was greater. Conclusions. Foreign-born Blacks have a health advantage in allostatic load. Further research is needed that underscores a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving this health differential to create programs that target these populations differently.
Postarrival Tuberculosis Screening of High-Risk Immigrants at a Local Health Department
Authors: Nuzzo Jennifer B. , Golub Jonathan E. , Chaulk Patrick , Shah Maunank 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We sought to characterize postimmigration tuberculosis (TB) care for Class B immigrants and refugees at the Baltimore City Health Department TB program (BCHD), and to determine the proportion of immigrants with active TB or latent TB infection (LTBI) in this high-risk population. Methods. We conducted a retrospective chart review of Class B immigrants and refugees who reported to the BCHD for postimmigration TB evaluation from 2010 to 2012. Results. We reviewed the clinical records of 153 Class B immigrants; 4% were diagnosed with active TB and 53% were diagnosed with LTBI. Fifty percent of active TB cases were culture positive, and 67% were asymptomatic; 100% received and completed active TB therapy at the BCHD. Among those diagnosed with LTBI, 87% initiated LTBI therapy and 91% completed treatment. Conclusions. The high prevalence of active TB and LTBI found among Class B immigrants underscore the importance for postarrival TB screening. The absence of reported symptoms among the majority of active cases identified during this study suggest that reliance on symptom-based screening protocols to prompt sputa testing may be inadequate for identifying active TB among this high-risk group.
Household Crowding and Food Insecurity Among Inuit Families With School-Aged Children in the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Ruiz-Castell Maria , Muckle Gina , Dewailly Éric , Jacobson Joseph L. , Jacobson Sandra W. , Ayotte Pierre , Riva Mylène 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We examined the relation of household crowding to food insecurity among Inuit families with school-aged children in Arctic Quebec. Methods. We analyzed data collected between October 2005 and February 2010 from 292 primary caregiver–child dyads from 14 Inuit communities. We collected information about household conditions, food security, and family socioeconomic characteristics by interviews. We used logistic regression models to examine the association between household crowding and food insecurity. Results. Nearly 62% of Inuit families in the Canadian Arctic resided in more crowded households, placing them at risk for food insecurity. About 27% of the families reported reducing the size of their children’s meals because of lack of money. The likelihood of reducing the size of children’s meals was greater in crowded households (odds ratio = 3.73; 95% confidence interval = 1.96, 7.12). After we adjusted for different socioeconomic characteristics, results remained statistically significant. Conclusions. Interventions operating across different levels (community, regional, national) are needed to ensure food security in the region. Targeting families living in crowded conditions as part of social and public health policies aiming to reduce food insecurity in the Arctic could be beneficial.
Efficacy of a Savings-Led Microfinance Intervention to Reduce Sexual Risk for HIV Among Women Engaged in Sex Work: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Witte Susan S. , Aira Toivgoo , Tsai Laura Cordisco , Riedel Marion , Offringa Reid , Chang Mingway , El-Bassel Nabila , Ssewamala Fred 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We tested whether a structural intervention combining savings-led microfinance and HIV prevention components would achieve enhanced reductions in sexual risk among women engaging in street-based sex work in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, compared with an HIV prevention intervention alone. Methods. Between November 2011 and August 2012, we randomized 107 eligible women who completed baseline assessments to either a 4-session HIV sexual risk reduction intervention (HIVSRR) alone (n = 50) or a 34-session HIVSRR plus a savings-led microfinance intervention (n = 57). At 3- and 6-month follow-up assessments, participants reported unprotected acts of vaginal intercourse with paying partners and number of paying partners with whom they engaged in sexual intercourse in the previous 90 days. Using Poisson and zero-inflated Poisson model regressions, we examined the effects of assignment to treatment versus control condition on outcomes. Results. At 6-month follow-up, the HIVSRR plus microfinance participants reported significantly fewer paying sexual partners and were more likely to report zero unprotected vaginal sex acts with paying sexual partners. Conclusions. Findings advance the HIV prevention repertoire for women, demonstrating that risk reduction may be achieved through a structural intervention that relies on asset building, including savings, and alternatives to income from sex work.
The Impact of Green Stormwater Infrastructure Installation on Surrounding Health and Safety
Authors: Kondo Michelle C. , Low Sarah C. , Henning Jason , Branas Charles C. 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We investigated the health and safety effects of urban green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) installments.Methods. We conducted a difference-in-differences analysis of the effects of GSI installments on health (e.g., blood pressure, cholesterol and stress levels) and safety (e.g., felonies, nuisance and property crimes, narcotics crimes) outcomes from 2000 to 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. We used mixed-effects regression models to compare differences in pre- and posttreatment measures of outcomes for treatment sites (n = 52) and randomly chosen, matched control sites (n = 186) within multiple geographic extents surrounding GSI sites.Results. Regression-adjusted models showed consistent and statistically significant reductions in narcotics possession (18%–27% less) within 16th-mile, quarter-mile, half-mile (P < .001), and eighth-mile (P < .01) distances from treatment sites and at the census tract level (P < .01). Narcotics manufacture and burglaries were also significantly reduced at multiple scales. Nonsignificant reductions in homicides, assaults, thefts, public drunkenness, and narcotics sales were associated with GSI installation in at least 1 geographic extent.Conclusions. Health and safety considerations should be included in future assessments of GSI programs. Subsequent studies should assess mechanisms of this association.
Toward Improved Public Health Outcomes From Urban Nature
Authors: Shanahan Danielle F. , Lin Brenda B. , Bush Robert , Gaston Kevin J. , Dean Julie H. , Barber Elizabeth , Fuller Richard A. 
Published: January 2015

There is mounting concern for the health of urban populations as cities expand at an unprecedented rate. Urban green spaces provide settings for a remarkable range of physical and mental health benefits, and pioneering health policy is recognizing nature as a cost-effective tool for planning healthy cities.Despite this, limited information on how specific elements of nature deliver health outcomes restricts its use for enhancing population health. We articulate a framework for identifying direct and indirect causal pathways through which nature delivers health benefits, and highlight current evidence.We see a need for a bold new research agenda founded on testing causality that transcends disciplinary boundaries between ecology and health. This will lead to cost-effective and tailored solutions that could enhance population health and reduce health inequalities.
Opportunities for Public Health to Increase Physical Activity Among Youths
Authors: Piercy Katrina L. , Dorn Joan M. , Fulton Janet E. , Janz Kathleen F. , Lee Sarah M. , McKinnon Robin A. , Pate Russell R. , Pfeiffer Karin A. , Young Deborah Rohm , Troiano Richard P. , Lavizzo-Mourey Risa 
Published: January 2015

Despite the well-known benefits of youths engaging in 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, physical inactivity remains a significant public health concern. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG) provides recommendations on the amount of physical activity needed for overall health; the PAG Midcourse Report (2013) describes effective strategies to help youths meet these recommendations. Public health professionals can be dynamic change agents where youths live, learn, and play by changing environments and policies to empower youths to develop regular physical activity habits to maintain throughout life. We have summarized key findings from the PAG Midcourse Report and outlined actions that public health professionals can take to ensure that all youths regularly engage in health-enhancing physical activity.
A Window of Opportunity: Maximizing the Effectiveness of New HCV Regimens in the United States With the Expansion of the Affordable Care Act
Authors: Haley Sean J. , Kreek Mary Jeanne 
Published: January 2015

Patients with chronic HCV have predictable overlapping comorbidities that reduce access to care. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) presents an opportunity to focus on the benefits of the medical home model for integrated chronic disease management.New, highly effective HCV treatment regimens in combination with the medical home model could reduce disease prevalence. We sought to address challenges posed by comorbidities in patients with chronic HCV infection and limitations within our health care system, and recommend solutions to maximize the public benefit from ACA and the new drug regimen.
State and Municipal Innovations in Obesity Policy: Why Localities Remain a Necessary Laboratory for Innovation
Authors: Reeve Belinda , Ashe Marice , Farias Ruben , Gostin Lawrence 
Published: January 2015

Municipal and state governments are surging ahead in obesity prevention, providing a testing ground for innovative policies and shifting social norms in the process. Though high-profile measures such as New York City’s soda portion rule attract significant media attention, we catalog the broader array of initiatives in less-known localities. Local innovation advances prevention policy, but faces legal and political constraints—constitutional challenges, preemption, charges of paternalism, lack of evidence, and widening health inequalities. These arguments can be met with astute framing, empirical evidence, and policy design, enabling local governments to remain at the forefront in transforming obesogenic environments.
Assessing the Effects of a Complementary Parent Intervention and Prior Exposure to a Preadolescent Program of HIV Risk Reduction for Mid-Adolescents
Authors: Stanton Bonita , Wang Bo , Deveaux Lynette , Lunn Sonja , Rolle Glenda , Li Xiaoming , Braithwaite Nanika , Dinaj-Koci Veronica , Marshall Sharon , Gomez Perry 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We (1) evaluated the impact of an evidence-based HIV prevention program with and without a parent component among mid-adolescents living in the Caribbean and (2) determined the effect of prior receipt of a related intervention during preadolescence on intervention response.Methods. A randomized, controlled 4-cell trial of a 10-session, theory-based HIV prevention intervention involving 2564 Bahamian grade-10 youths (some of whom had received a comparable intervention in grade 6) was conducted (2008–2011). Randomization occurred at the level of the classroom with follow-up at 6, 12, and 18 months after intervention. The 3 experimental conditions all included the youths’ curriculum and either a youth–parent intervention emphasizing adolescent–parent communication, a parent-only goal-setting intervention, or no parent intervention.Results. An intervention delivered to mid-adolescents in combination with a parent–adolescent sexual-risk communication intervention increased HIV/AIDS knowledge, condom-use skills, and self-efficacy and had a marginal effect on consistent condom use. Regardless of prior exposure to a similar intervention as preadolescents, youths benefited from receipt of the intervention.Conclusions. Preadolescents and mid-adolescents in HIV-affected countries should receive HIV prevention interventions that include parental participation.
Impact of Regulatory Interventions to Reduce Intake of Artificial Trans–Fatty Acids: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hendry Vivien L. , Almíron-Roig Eva , Monsivais Pablo , Jebb Susan A. , Benjamin Neelon Sara E. , Griffin Simon J. , Ogilvie David B. 
Published: January 2015

We examined the impact of regulatory action to reduce levels of artificial trans–fatty acids (TFAs) in food. We searched Medline, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, and EconLit (January 1980 to December 2012) for studies related to government regulation of food- or diet-related health behaviors from which we extracted the subsample of legislative initiatives to reduce artificial TFAs in food. We screened 38 162 articles and identified 14 studies that examined artificial TFA controls limiting permitted levels or mandating labeling. These measures achieved good compliance, with evidence of appropriate reformulation. Regulations grounded on maximum limits and mandated labeling can lead to reductions in actual and reported TFAs in food and appear to encourage food producers to reformulate their products.
The Case for the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health to Address Gender Identity
Authors: Pega Frank , Veale Jaimie F. 
Published: January 2015

We analyzed the case of the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health, which did not address gender identity in their final report. We argue that gender identity is increasingly being recognized as an important social determinant of health (SDH) that results in health inequities. We identify right to health mechanisms, such as established human rights instruments, as suitable policy tools for addressing gender identity as an SDH to improve health equity. We urge the World Health Organization to add gender identity as an SDH in its conceptual framework for action on the SDHs and to develop and implement specific recommendations for addressing gender identity as an SDH.
Redesigning Primary Care to Tackle the Global Epidemic of Noncommunicable Disease
Authors: Kruk Margaret E. , Nigenda Gustavo , Knaul Felicia M. 
Published: January 2015

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have become the major contributors to death and disability worldwide. Nearly 80% of the deaths in 2010 occurred in low- and middle-income countries, which have experienced rapid population aging, urbanization, rise in smoking, and changes in diet and activity. Yet the health systems of low- and middle-income countries, historically oriented to infectious disease and often severely underfunded, are poorly prepared for the challenge of caring for people with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease. We have discussed how primary care can be redesigned to tackle the challenge of NCDs in resource-constrained countries. We suggest that four changes will be required: integration of services, innovative service delivery, a focus on patients and communities, and adoption of new technologies for communication.
Cyberbullying Perpetration and Victimization Among Middle-School Students
Authors: Rice Eric , Petering Robin , Rhoades Harmony , Winetrobe Hailey , Goldbach Jeremy , Plant Aaron , Montoya Jorge , Kordic Timothy 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We examined correlations between gender, race, sexual identity, and technology use, and patterns of cyberbullying experiences and behaviors among middle-school students. Methods. We collected a probability sample of 1285 students alongside the 2012 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in Los Angeles Unified School District middle schools. We used logistic regressions to assess the correlates of being a cyberbully perpetrator, victim, and perpetrator–victim (i.e., bidirectional cyberbullying behavior). Results. In this sample, 6.6% reported being a cyberbully victim, 5.0% reported being a perpetrator, and 4.3% reported being a perpetrator–victim. Cyberbullying behavior frequently occurred on Facebook or via text messaging. Cyberbully perpetrators, victims, and perpetrators–victims all were more likely to report using the Internet for at least 3 hours per day. Sexual-minority students and students who texted at least 50 times per day were more likely to report cyberbullying victimization. Girls were more likely to report being perpetrators–victims. Conclusions. Cyberbullying interventions should account for gender and sexual identity, as well as the possible benefits of educational interventions for intensive Internet users and frequent texters.
The Impact of Prices and Taxes on the Use of Tobacco Products in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Guindon G. Emmanuel , Paraje Guillermo R. , Chaloupka Frank J. 
Published: January 2015

We examined the impact of tobacco prices or taxes on tobacco use in Latin America and Caribbean countries. We searched MEDLINE, EconLit, LILACS, unpublished literature, 6 specialty journals, and reviewed references. We calculated pooled price elasticities using random-effects models.The 32 studies we examined found that cigarette prices have a negative and statistically significant effect on cigarette consumption. A change in price is associated with a less than proportional change in the quantity of cigarettes demanded. In most Latin American countries, own-price elasticity for cigarettes is likely below  −0.5  (pooled elasticities, short-run: −0.31; 95% confidence interval = −0.39, −0.24; long-run: −0.43; 95% CI = −0.51, −0.35).Tax increases effectively reduce cigarette use. Lack of studies using household- or individual-level data limits research’s policy relevance.
Impact of a Letter-Grade Program on Restaurant Sanitary Conditions and Diner Behavior in New York City
Authors: Wong Melissa R. , McKelvey Wendy , Ito Kazuhiko , Schiff Corinne , Jacobson J. Bryan , Kass Daniel 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We evaluated the impact of the New York City restaurant letter-grading program on restaurant hygiene, food safety practices, and public awareness. Methods. We analyzed data from 43 448 restaurants inspected between 2007 and 2013 to measure changes in inspection score and violation citations since program launch in July 2010. We used binomial regression to assess probability of scoring 0 to 13 points (A-range score). Two population-based random-digit-dial telephone surveys assessed public perceptions of the program. Results. After we controlled for repeated restaurant observations, season of inspection, and chain restaurant status, the probability of scoring 0 to 13 points on an unannounced inspection increased 35% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 31%, 40%) 3 years after compared with 3 years before grading. There were notable improvements in compliance with some specific requirements, including having a certified kitchen manager on site and being pest-free. More than 91% (95% CI = 88%, 94%) of New Yorkers approved of the program and 88% (95% CI = 85%, 92%) considered grades in dining decisions in 2012. Conclusions. Restaurant letter grading in New York City has resulted in improved sanitary conditions on unannounced inspection, suggesting that the program is an effective regulatory tool.
Acceptable Interventions to Reduce Syphilis Transmission Among High-Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men in Los Angeles
Authors: Stahlman Shauna , Plant Aaron , Javanbakht Marjan , Cross John , Montoya Jorge A. , Bolan Robert , Kerndt Peter R. 
Published: January 2015

Objectives. We examined perceptions of and attitudes toward existing and potential syphilis interventions, including case management and Web-based programs, to increase syphilis testing among high-risk men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods. Between October 2010 and June 2011, we conducted in-depth interviews with 19 MSM in Los Angeles, California, with repeat early syphilis infections (primary, secondary, and early latent syphilis) within the previous 5 years. We analyzed the interviews inductively to determine the most acceptable potential interventions. Results. Experiences with health department and community-based standard of care case management were generally positive. The most popular interventions among respondents included a Web site providing information on syphilis and syphilis testing, automated Web reminders to test, being paid to test, free online home testing kits, and preexposure prophylactic medication. Respondents’ beliefs that they would continue to practice high-risk sexual behaviors reinforced their reasons for wanting increased accessibility and convenient testing strategies. Conclusions. Public health officials should consider participant responses to potential interventions for syphilis, which suggest that high-risk MSM would consider testing more often or using other interventions.