American journal of preventive medicine
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Experts recommend integrating smoking-cessation treatments within U.S. mental health settings, but the population health benefits of doing so have not been estimated. This study simulates the impact of widespread cessation treatment for patients with depression under best-case treatment and maximum potential cessation scenarios. ⋯ Providing smoking-cessation treatment to patients with depression and increasing mental health service utilization would reduce the toll of tobacco on this population. These gains would be considerably larger if cessation treatments were more effective.
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An important goal of the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U. S. initiative is the timely diagnosis of all people with HIV as early as possible after infection. To end the HIV epidemic, health departments were encouraged to propose new and innovative HIV testing strategies and improve the reach of existing programs. ⋯ There are both proven and emerging approaches to increasing HIV screening and increasing the frequency of HIV screening available. The Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U. S. initiative provides the motivation, the resources, and a coordinated plan to bring them to scale.
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Socioeconomic differences may confound racial and ethnic differences in SARS-CoV-2 testing and COVID-19 outcomes. ⋯ In a Medicaid managed care population, where socioeconomic differences may be reduced, the odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, COVID-19 hospitalization, and COVID-19 death were higher for Latino but not Black patients than for White patients. Racial/ethnic disparities depend on local context. The substantially higher risk facing Latinos should be a key consideration in California's strategies to mitigate disease transmission and harm.
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Antibiotics and opioids are targeted by public health and stewardship communities for reductions in prescribing across the country. This study evaluates trends and factors associated with outpatient prescribing by dental and medical providers in a large integrated health system. ⋯ Although antibiotic and opioid prescribing has decreased, there are still important target areas for improvement. Interventions need to be tailored to community characteristics such as rurality and provider type.
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Most cancers associated with the human papillomavirus are preventable through vaccination. However, adolescent series completion rates are at 75.8%. Two vaccine doses are recommended for adolescents, but factors influencing 2-dose series completion are not well explored. The purpose of this study is to examine individual-level and community-level factors associated with timely human papillomavirus vaccine series completion among adolescents in the Southeastern U.S. ⋯ Individual-level and community-level factors continue to influence adolescent series completion, despite a reduction in doses. Future research is needed to understand racial/ethnic and regional disparities in human papillomavirus vaccine series completion and to develop interventions to promote series completion.