American journal of preventive medicine
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Food insecurity is associated with poorer health, but the adverse consequences of food insecurity may extend beyond just health outcomes. Thus, this study examined the association between food insecurity and health insurance coverage, access to care, healthcare utilization, and financial hardships among U.S. adults. ⋯ These findings highlight the adverse consequences of food insecurity on access to and affordability of care for U.S. adults and families. Food insecurity can have far-reaching implications for the well-being of individuals and families.
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Although adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been positively associated with adiposity, few studies have examined long-term race-specific ACE-BMI relationships. ⋯ Direct exposure to certain severe ACEs is associated with increased BMI among Black and White women. It is important to consider race, ACE type, and life stage to gain a more sophisticated understanding of ACE-BMI relationships. This knowledge can help strengthen intervention, prevention, and policy efforts aiming to mitigate the impacts of social adversities and trauma on persistent cardiometabolic health disparities over the lifecourse.
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Improving hypertension control is a national priority. Electronic health record data have the potential to augment traditional surveillance systems. This study aimed to assess hypertension prevalence and control at the state level using a previously established electronic health record-based phenotype for hypertension. ⋯ This study provided the first-ever estimates of hypertension control for all states and Washington DC. Electronic health record-based surveillance could support hypertension prevention and control efforts at the state level.
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Maternal adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of negative health outcomes in young children; however, young adults and, specifically, young adult Latinos have been vastly understudied. This study investigates the intergenerational pathway between maternal adverse childhood experiences and behavioral health outcomes of their young adult children, as mediated through young adults' own adverse childhood experiences and maternal depression. ⋯ Findings demonstrate the potential impacts of adversity across generations in Latino immigrant families, an understudied population. Understanding the mechanisms and factors associated with these pathways may lead to strategies that prevent poor mental health outcomes in young adults.
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The proliferation of fentanyl and its analogs in illegal, unregulated drug markets remains a major driver of the overdose crisis in North America. Drug checking services have been implemented as a harm reduction strategy to address the crisis. However, little is known about their potential utility as a mechanism for monitoring population-level risk of overdose stemming from changing fentanyl concentration in unregulated drugs over time. Therefore, this study assessed the relationship between median fentanyl concentration in expected opioid drug checking samples and the death rate due to illicit drug toxicity over time in Vancouver, Canada. ⋯ Findings suggest a role for point-of-care drug checking as a tool for monitoring evolving overdose risk at the population level.