Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2022
Gun violence in K-12 schools in the United States: Moving towards a preventive (versus reactive) framework.
Intentional shootings in K-12 schools in the U. S. persist as a public health problem. The number of shootings in K-12 schools has increased precipitously since 2017. ⋯ We also highlight the role of stricter gun laws, reasonable school security efforts, bystander interventions, building awareness within school communities, and meaningful investments in early interventions and mental health services. Children, who have been tragically exposed to any number of adverse experiences in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, deserve more reasoned choices and large-scale investments in understanding and cutting off the root causes of school gun violence; not just a reliance on strategies that focus on what to do in the moment of a violent act. As gun violence in K-12 schools persists, we must reframe the discourse about school gun violence around prevention, not reaction.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialE-cigarette and combusted tobacco abstinence among young adults: Secondary analyses from a U.S.-based randomized controlled trial of vaping cessation.
To examine patterns of abstinence from e-cigarettes, combusted tobacco products (CTPs), both, or neither among young adults enrolled in a U.S.-based randomized trial of a text message vaping cessation intervention. ⋯ A text message vaping cessation intervention was effective in promoting dual abstinence from e-cigarettes and CTPs among young adults. The advantage of treatment over control was equivalent for Exclusive E-cigarette Users and Dual Users. Rates of dual abstinence were higher among exclusive vapers than dual users, signaling the need for more research to optimize cessation programs for poly-tobacco users.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2022
Historical redlining and the epidemiology of present-day firearm violence in the United States: A multi-city analysis.
Firearm violence is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and racial health disparities in the United States. Previous studies have identified associations between historically racist housing discrimination (i.e., redlining practices) and firearm violence; however, these studies generally have been limited to a single city and have yet to provide sufficient evidence through which to determine the extent and dynamics of the impact of this relationship across the country. The aim of our study was (1) to estimate the association of historical redlining on both violent and firearm death across the country in nested models; and (2) to examine spatial non-stationarity to determine whether the impact of historical redlining on violent and firearm death was the same across the U. ⋯ Associations were not stable across cities. For example, associations were relatively stronger in Baltimore, MD and weaker in Los Angeles, CA. This research reinforces the findings of previous studies examining the impact of redlining on firearm death across the extent of the entire country in 21 cities and claim that HOLC grades are associated with present-day violence.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2022
ReviewEffects of very low nicotine content cigarettes on smoking across vulnerable populations.
There has been long-standing interest in a reduced-nicotine product standard for combusted tobacco, which is within the regulatory purview of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In weighing whether to establish this standard, it is important to consider potential responses among people who are at elevated risk for tobacco-related health harms. In this narrative review, we summarize studies of very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes conducted between 2010 and 2021 in groups that the FDA has identified as vulnerable populations. ⋯ We are not aware of studies that have investigated VLNC cigarettes in military/veteran populations, sexual or gender minority individuals, or people living in underserved rural environments. Future research directions include understanding how to promote cessation in the context of a reduced-nicotine standard, and how to correct VLNC misperceptions in vulnerable populations. Nevertheless, the evidence to date indicates that a reduced-nicotine standard is likely to have the same beneficial effects on smoking reductions as it does in less vulnerable populations, which should provide some confidence in pursuing this regulatory approach.
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Preventive medicine · Dec 2022
Privately manufactured firearms, newly purchased firearms, and the rise of urban gun violence.
Gun violence in many U. S. cities increased dramatically after the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surges in criminal access to untraceable privately manufactured firearms and new guns purchased from licensed dealers have been suggested as risk factors associated with the pandemic increase in gun violence. ⋯ These analyses estimated large increases during the pandemic in the odds that recovered firearms were privately manufactured and recently purchased. Recovered privately manufactured firearms were also more likely to be associated with violent crimes. These findings support recent efforts to regulate privately manufactured firearms and continued efforts to reduce the illegal diversion of firearms from lawful commerce.