Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · May 2022
The changing epidemiology of interpersonal firearm violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in Philadelphia, PA.
Recent increases in firearm violence in U. S. cities are well-documented, however dynamic changes in the people, places and intensity of this public health threat during the COVID-19 pandemic are relatively unexplored. This descriptive epidemiologic study spanning from January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2021 utilizes the Philadelphia Police Department's registry of shooting victims, a database which includes all individuals shot and/or killed due to interpersonal firearm violence in the city of Philadelphia. ⋯ Geographic analysis revealed relative increases in all shootings and mass shootings in specific city locations post-containment. The observed changes in firearm injury epidemiology following COVID-19 containment in Philadelphia demonstrate an intensification in firearm violence, which is increasingly impacting people who are likely made more vulnerable by existing social and structural disadvantage. These findings support existing knowledge about structural causes of interpersonal firearm violence and suggest structural solutions are required to address this public health threat.
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Preventive medicine · May 2022
Messages in prescription drug advertising for four chronic diseases, 2003-2016: A content analysis.
The objective of this study was to examine the frequency and content of messages related to pharmacological and evidence-based, non-pharmaceutical treatments in direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) for prescription drugs treating four chronic diseases in the United States. We used content coding to identify theory-informed categories of messages appearing in a large sample of heart disease, diabetes, depression, and osteoarthritis advertisements, appearing on national and local television between 2003 and 2016 (N = 11,347,070). The data were originally accessed in 2019 and analyzed in 2020-2021. ⋯ No advertisements in our sample portrayed changes in diet or physical activity as an alternative to drugs. Pharmaceutical DTCA across health conditions employ similar strategies to promote use of the advertised drug but vary widely in whether and how they describe non-pharmaceutical treatments that complement or serve as alternatives to medications. Regulators should consider the potential spillover effects of non-pharmaceutical messages in pharmaceutical DTCA when considering future regulatory endeavors.
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Preventive medicine · May 2022
Self-perception of health and physical activity among adults before and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: United States, 2019-2020.
The compounded impact of the COVID-19 lockdowns on self-perception of health (SPoH) and physical activity (PA) levels among U. S. adults remains to be explored. We sought to: (1) describe the SPoH and PA levels among U. ⋯ Negative SPoH were associated with lack of moderate exercise, and lack of muscle-strengthening training among U. S. adults before and amidst the pandemic. Pandemic policies and recommendations should include and facilitate PA, specifically among vulnerable populations.
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Preventive medicine · May 2022
Associations of occupational and leisure-time physical activity with self-rated health in Korea.
Recent findings have suggested that not all physical activity (PA) types improve health and that the health effects of occupational PA (OPA) and leisure-time PA (LTPA) can be different. However, few studies have been reported the association of OPA and LTPA with self-rated health (SRH). Therefore, we aimed to examine the association between different PA domains and general health and the impact of LTPA on the relationship between health and OPA. ⋯ SB was also associated with poor SRH, independent of LTPA. To improve health, it is important to promote LTPA and reduce OPA and SB. In particular, for workers with a higher level of OPA, additional LTPA should be introduced to prevent SRH from worsening.