American journal of preventive medicine
-
In 2019, the District of Columbia recorded a 20-year low rate in new HIV infections but also had near-record numbers of gonorrhea and chlamydia infections. District of Columbia Department of Health has supported numerous forms of community-based in-person screening but not direct at-home testing. ⋯ Mail-out HIV and sexually transmitted infection testing was readily taken up among high-priority demographics within a diverse, urban, high-morbidity jurisdiction during the COVID-19 pandemic. Extragenital testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia should be included in all at-home screening tests given the high positivity rate.
-
Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood is strongly associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in high-income countries. However, the association in low- and middle-income countries, where childhood poverty remains prevalent, has not been reviewed. ⋯ Current evidence from middle-income countries provides little support for an association between childhood socioeconomic position and risk of cardiovascular disease, and evidence from low-income countries is lacking. It would be premature to consider childhood poverty as a target for cardiovascular disease prevention in these settings.
-
Equitable access to HIV pre- and postexposure prophylaxis for women is essential to ending the HIV epidemic. Providers' lack of knowledge and comfort in discussing and prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis to women persist as barriers. ⋯ After public health detailing, women's healthcare providers report increased adoption of recommended practices that promote pre- and postexposure prophylaxis uptake and sexual wellness among women. Detailing may be adaptable to other regions and contexts to reach providers.
-
The proportion of individuals infected with hepatitis C virus that receive direct-acting antiviral treatment is unclear. ⋯ Hepatitis C virus treatment gaps were identified using administrative claims data among patients with commercial and Medicaid insurance.
-
Formal volunteering in later life is beneficial for both physical and psychological well-being. However, research points to potential selection bias because older adults with key advantages, such as wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits. Accordingly, this study addresses this selection bias by considering the characteristics of volunteers and nonvolunteers using the inverse probability of treatment weighting. It also examines whether volunteering has differential impacts between the highest and lowest wealth quintiles using inverse probability of treatment weighting. ⋯ The study enhances the understanding of formal volunteering and health while suggesting that volunteers with low wealth may benefit more from volunteering in terms of their health. Hindrances to volunteering among the least wealthy, such as financial distress, discrimination, or lack of organizational support, may attenuate the benefits of voluntary activity.