American journal of preventive medicine
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African American women have a life expectancy 2.7 years shorter than that of white women and are less likely than white women to meet national physical activity guidelines. Physical activity has been found to reduce mortality, but evidence concerning African American women is limited. ⋯ Both walking for exercise and vigorous exercise were associated with reductions in mortality among African American women, including deaths from cardiovascular disease and deaths from cancer, both of which are disproportionately high in the African American population. These findings underline the importance of institutional and individual changes that will lead to increased physical activity.
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Observational Study
Neighbors Do Matter: Between-State Firearm Laws and State Firearm-Related Deaths in the U.S., 2000-2017.
Firearm injury is a major U.S. public health concern. This study aims to evaluate whether the relationship between state firearm laws and state firearm deaths are affected by comparatively lenient firearm laws in neighboring states. ⋯ Weaker firearm laws in neighboring states may undermine the effectiveness of a state's own firearm laws in curbing firearm deaths. Coordinated legislative action across neighboring states may be more effective than an individual state taking legislative action.
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A high percentage of total calories from ultra-processed foods has been associated with several cardiovascular disease risk factors. No study has examined the association between ultra-processed foods and heart age. This study examines the association between ultra-processed foods and excess heart age (difference between estimated heart age and chronological age) among U.S. adults. ⋯ U.S. adults consumed more than half of total daily calories from ultra-processed foods. A higher percentage of calories from ultra-processed foods was associated with higher excess heart age and likelihood of excess heart age of ≥10 years.
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Major knowledge gaps regarding medical and nonmedical prescription stimulant use and illegal stimulant use (i.e., cocaine/crack/methamphetamine) by sexual identity and gender have implications for individuals' health and well-being. This study improves stimulant use measurement by differentiating the type of stimulant use and focusing on lesbian, gay, and bisexual subpopulations. ⋯ Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals had a higher prevalence of stimulant use than their heterosexual counterparts. This has important implications for health disparities, especially given the high levels of polysubstance use. Taking a multilevel approach is crucial to reduce stimulant-related harms for lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
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Exposure to disaster-related media may be a risk factor for mental distress, but this has not been examined in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assesses whether exposure to social and traditional media during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mental distress among U.S. adults. ⋯ Exposure to a greater number of traditional media sources and more hours on social media was modestly associated with mental distress during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.