American journal of preventive medicine
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Cash bail reforms that end pretrial detention owing to the inability to afford bail have been highly debated across the U.S. A major concern cited by bail reform opponents is that reducing pretrial detention will increase community violence, particularly violence against women. The objective of this study was to assess whether New Jersey's cash bail reform was associated with changes in rates of fatal violence against women. ⋯ Violence against women and mass incarceration are urgent and interconnected public health crises. These findings demonstrate the potential for policies to reduce the number of people incarcerated before trial without increasing fatal violence against women. Addressing these public health crises requires holistic structural interventions, such as housing and economic support, that reduce violence without criminalization.
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This study aimed to evaluate the burden and underlying causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2021. ⋯ Despite declines in age-standardized rates, the total number of TBI cases and associated disabilities has risen since 1990, indicating a persistent global burden. Targeted interventions are urgently needed in high-burden regions like Eastern and Central Europe, with focus on leading causes and vulnerable populations.
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Interest is rapidly growing around screening for health-related social needs (HRSN) in direct patient care settings. The screening and provision of HRSN is often done in the context of trying to address social determinants of health (SDOH). While there is emerging evidence that screening and referral for HRSN can improve health outcomes, there are educational, operational, and systemic gaps that need to be filled in order for HRSN screening and referral to be implemented system-wide and result in meaningful improvement in population health outcomes. ⋯ This paper identifies key considerations to take into account when implementing HRSN screening and referral in health care settings and makes recommendations to address those key considerations. The recommendations also frame the broader need to address SDOH at a population level. Finally, the paper identifies several knowledge and evidence gaps in the existing literature on the topic of HRSN, which will hopefully drive future research in this area, and result in an evidence-based, population approach to the issue.
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Individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DDs) encounter barriers to vaccine access, uptake, and confidence, leading to health inequities. These include barriers related to healthcare provider capacity to effectively address the social determinants of health, provide accessible needle procedures, and translate and disseminate inclusive public health information. The current study aimed to test the preliminary effectiveness of a virtual continuing medical education (CME) course on enhancing healthcare provider capacity to address these barriers. ⋯ Following CME completion, learners were significantly more likely to report higher understanding, confidence, and abilities in responding to the social determinants of health (Module 1); addressing barriers to vaccine access/uptake/confidence (Module 2); and engaging in effective public health communication (Module 3). Findings support the utility of short-term healthcare provider trainings on this topic. Future research should evaluate longer-term impacts and identify opportunities to create standardized medical curricula for this population.
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Pubic hair removal (PHR) is a common practice, and many seek PHR from a skincare professional, or esthetician. Estheticians occupy a unique role in which they often have deep, trusting relationships and well-established rapport with their clientele, whereby they could serve as trusted providers of skin and beauty expertise, but also health promotion partners/facilitators. The purpose of this study is to explore the frequency of esthetician involvement regarding 7 potentially concerning health-related symptoms on their clients' skin and examine estheticians' comfort engaging in discussions about health, knowledge regarding these health issues, and interest in being more formally involved in their clients' health. ⋯ This is a prime opportunity to aid in the facilitation of estheticians directly improving health and well-being beyond the skin of their clients.