American journal of preventive medicine
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Public transportation systems can help people engage in physical activity. This study assesses sociodemographic correlates and trends in the daily time spent walking to and from transit in the U.S. from 2001 to 2017. ⋯ As documented in a growing literature, most public transit trips include at least some walking; thus, efforts to encourage transit use are favorable to public health. Continued monitoring by transportation surveys is important as new forms of mobility and changing demographics may impact future transit use and associated physical activity.
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Youth who carry firearms-and peers that surround them-are at increased risk for violent injuries. Because firearm carriage behaviors can change over time within an individual, it is important to identify individual and social-contextual determinants that explain this within-person variability in carriage. ⋯ Peer affiliations, victimization, community violence perceptions, and retaliatory attitudes explain within-person variability in firearm carriage. Strategies for reducing carriage among youth should consider individual- and environmental-level interventions to address these individual and social-contextual determinants.
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Limited estimates of prescribed opioid use among adults with arthritis exist. All-cause (i.e., for any condition) prescribed opioid dispensed (referred to as opioid prescription in the remainder of this abstract) in the past 12 months among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years (n=35,427) were studied, focusing on adults with arthritis (n=12,875). ⋯ Adults with arthritis are a high-need target group for improving pain management, representing more than half of all U.S. adults with 1 or more opioid prescriptions. The association with ambulatory care visits suggests that providers have routine opportunities to discuss comprehensive and integrative pain management strategies, including low-cost evidence-based self-management approaches (e.g., physical activity, self-management education programs, cognitive behavioral therapy). Those with multiple opioid prescriptions may need extra support if transitioning to nonopioid and nonpharmacologic pain management strategies.
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This study aims to quantify out-of-pocket spending associated with respiratory hospitalizations for conditions similar to those caused by coronavirus disease 2019 and to compare out-of-pocket spending differences among those enrolled in consumer-directed health plans and in traditional, low-deductible plans. ⋯ Consumer-directed health plan enrollees may experience differential financial burden from a hospitalization related to coronavirus disease 2019. Although some insurers are waiving cost-sharing payments for coronavirus disease 2019 treatment, self-insured employers remain exempt. As of now, policy responses may be insufficient to reduce the financial burden on consumer-directed health plans enrollees with respiratory hospitalizations related to coronavirus disease 2019.
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Existing socioeconomic and racial disparities in healthcare access in New York City have likely impacted the public health response to COVID-19. An ecological study was performed to determine the spatial distribution of COVID-19 testing by ZIP code Tabulation Area and investigate if testing was associated with race or SES. ⋯ In New York City, COVID-19 testing has not been proportional to need; existing socioeconomic and racial disparities in healthcare access have likely impacted public health response. There is urgent need for widespread testing and public health outreach for the most vulnerable communities in New York City.