Perceptions of Public Health Priorities and Accountability Among US Mayors

Objective Mayors have considerable and often direct influence over health policy in their cities, yet little is known about mayors’ general perceptions of current public health challenges. The objective of this study was to assess perceptions, attitudes, and priorities related to public health among US mayors. Methods We collected survey data from a nationally representative sample of US mayors (N = 110) in 2018 and matched survey responses with city-level health surveillance data. We conducted descriptive analyses and multivariable regression modeling to estimate associations of interest. Results Mayors in our sample most frequently cited obesity/chronic diseases (23.6%; 26 of 110), opioid abuse/drug addiction (22.7%; 25 of 110), and health care access (13.6%; 15 of 110) as the top health challenges facing their cities. However, mayors identified a different set of health issues for which they believed constituents hold them accountable. With the exception of opioid-related deaths, prevalence of a health concern was not associated with perceived accountability for that particular issue, whereas partisanship and sex predicted patterns in perceived accountability. Conclusions Mayors recognized critical health challenges at the city level but varied widely in their perceived accountability for such challenges. Findings can inform strategies to engage local policy makers in cross-sector collaborations to improve the health and overall well-being of people in cities across the United States.

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Care Challenges Due to COVID-19 and Mental Health Among Caregivers of U.S. Adults With a Chronic or Disabling Condition

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab031 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Amanda N Leggett ◽

Alicia Carmichael ◽

Natalie Leonard ◽

Jeannette Jackson ◽

Matthias Kirch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Care Needs ◽

Caregiver Mental Health ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Related Stress

Abstract Background and Objectives The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses new challenges for caregivers of adults with chronic or disabling conditions. This study uses nationally representative data to examine the prevalence of pandemic care challenges and supports and their associations with caregiver mental health and interpersonal well-being. Research Design and Methods Participants include 311 caregivers aged 50–80 in the United States who were providing care for an adult with a chronic or disabling condition from the June 2020 National Poll on Healthy Aging. Five care challenges (e.g., confusion on public health guidelines) and 2 supports (e.g., physician offered information on care during COVID-19) are treated as predictors of caregiver mental health (care-related stress, self-reported mental health, and depressive symptoms) and interpersonal well-being (interpersonal conflicts, lack of companionship, and isolation). Results Each care challenge/support was endorsed by 13%–23% of caregivers. In adjusted models, difficulty getting needed medical care was associated with greater caregiver stress, depressive symptoms, and lower interpersonal well-being. All care challenges universally predicted greater caregiver stress. Caregiving supports were not independently associated with caregiver’ mental health and interpersonal well-being. Discussion and Implications Care challenges were associated with caregivers’ mental health and interpersonal well-being during the early months of the pandemic. Some of these challenges may be attributed to changing public health guidelines and practices as the pandemic unfolded, whereas others are relevant to all care contexts (e.g., less support from family). Tools and supports for caregivers must consider both changing policies and care needs.

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Effectiveness of Face Coverings in Mitigating the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3666

Author(s):

Olukayode James Ayodeji ◽

Seshadri Ramkumar

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

District Of Columbia ◽

Preventive Measure ◽

The United States ◽

Protective Measure ◽

Sharp Change ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Challenges ◽

Effective Preventive Measure

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest public health challenges of the 21st century. Many prevalent measures have been taken to prevent its spread and protect the public. However, the use of face coverings as an effective preventive measure remains contentious. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the effectiveness of face coverings as a protective measure. We examined the effectiveness of face coverings between 1 April and 31 December 2020. This was accomplished by analyzing trends of daily new COVID-19 cases, cumulative confirmed cases, and cases per 100,000 people in different U.S. states, including the District of Columbia. The results indicated a sharp change in trends after face covering mandates. For the 32 states with face covering mandates, 63% and 66% exhibited a downward trend in confirmed cases within 21 and 28 days of implementation, respectively. We estimated that face covering mandates in the 32 states prevented approximately 78,571 and 109,703 cases within 21- and 28-day periods post face covering mandate, respectively. A statistically significant (p = 0.001) negative correlation (−0.54) was observed between the rate of cases and days since the adoption of a face covering mandate. We concluded that the use of face coverings can provide necessary protection if they are properly used.

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Approaches to Reducing Risk of COVID-19 Infections in Prisons and Immigration Detention Centers: A Commentary

Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/0734016820957707 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 073401682095770

Author(s):

Kate Kelly ◽

Nai Soto ◽

Nadi Damond Wisseh ◽

Shaina A. Clerget

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Health Policy ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Correctional Staff ◽

Staff Members ◽

Detention Centers ◽

Fast Spreading ◽

Returning Home ◽

The Face

Although often left out of public health efforts and policy decisions, prisons, jails, and detention centers are integral to community health. With an average of 650,000 citizens returning home from prison each year in the United States, and thousands of correctional staff members returning home every night, there are millions of touchpoints between outside communities and carceral settings. For this reason, carceral communities should be central to planning and policy making in response to the spread of the COVID-19 illness. As social workers and clinicians, we are urgently concerned that efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections in prisons are underdeveloped and inadequate in the face of a fast-spreading virus. In this commentary, we outline a set of public health, policy, and clinical recommendations based upon the existing literature to mitigate various risks to the well-being of carceral communities.

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(A231) Deficiencies in the Preparedness of Emergency Medical Services Providers for Terrorist Incidents Involving Children

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x11002172 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (S1) ◽

pp. s63-s63

Author(s):

M. Reilly

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

Emergency Medical Services ◽

A Priori ◽

The United States ◽

Medical Services ◽

Special Populations ◽

Provider Education ◽

Emergency Medical ◽

Nationally Representative

IntroductionRecent studies have discussed major deficiencies in the preparedness of emergency medical services (EMS) providers to effectively respond to disasters, terrorism and other public health emergencies. Lack of funding, lack of national uniformity of systems and oversight, and lack of necessary education and training have all been cited as reasons for the inadequate emergency medical preparedness in the United States.MethodsA nationally representative sample of over 285,000 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and Paramedics in the United States was surveyed to assess whether they had received training in pediatric considerations for blast and radiological incidents, as part of their initial provider education or in continuing medical education (CME) within the previous 24 months. Providers were also surveyed on their level of comfort in responding to and potentially treating pediatric victims of these events. Independent variables were entered into a multivariate model and those identified as statistically significant predictors of comfort were further analyzed.ResultsVery few variables in our model caused a statistically significant increase in comfort with events involving children in this sample. Pediatric considerations for blast or radiological events represented the lowest levels of comfort in all respondents. Greater than 70% of respondents reported no training as part of their initial provider education in considerations for pediatrics following blast events. Over 80% of respondents reported no training in considerations for pediatrics following events associated with radiation or radioactivity. 88% of respondents stated they were not comfortable with responding to or treating pediatric victims of a radiological incident.ConclusionsOut study validates our a priori hypothesis and several previous studies that suggest deficiencies in preparedness as they relate to special populations - specifically pediatrics. Increased education for EMS providers on the considerations of special populations during disasters and acts of terrorism, especially pediatrics, is essential in order to reduce pediatric-related morbidity and mortality following a disaster, act of terrorism or public health emergency.

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The Recent Rise of Suicide Mortality in the United States

Annual Review of Public Health ◽

10.1146/annurev-publhealth-051920-123206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gonzalo Martínez-Alés ◽

Tammy Jiang ◽

Katherine M. Keyes ◽

Jaimie L. Gradus

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

The United States ◽

Health Concern ◽

Suicide Mortality ◽

Annual Review ◽

Publication Date ◽

Suicide Rates ◽

Subsequent Decrease

Suicide is a major public health concern in the United States. Between 2000 and 2018, US suicide rates increased by 35%, contributing to the stagnation and subsequent decrease in US life expectancy. During 2019, suicide declined modestly, mostly owing to slight reductions in suicides among Whites. Suicide rates, however, continued to increase or remained stable among all other racial/ethnic groups, and little is known about recent suicide trends among other vulnerable groups. This article ( a) summarizes US suicide mortality trends over the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, ( b) reviews potential group-level causes of increased suicide risk among subpopulations characterized by markers of vulnerability to suicide, and ( c) advocates for combining recent advances in population-based suicide prevention with a socially conscious perspective that captures the social, economic, and political contexts in which suicide risk unfolds over the life course of vulnerable individuals. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Public Health, Volume 43 is April 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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Do Black Lives Matter in the American Public’s Mitigation Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic? A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Mask Wearing and Racial/ethnic Disparities in Deaths from COVID-19 in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-445021/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Berkeley Franz ◽

Adrienne Milner ◽

Jomills H. Braddock

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Residential Segregation ◽

Ethnic Disparities ◽

The United States ◽

Ethnic Composition ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Public Health Challenges ◽

History Of ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Racial Ethnic

Abstract Background: Anti-black and anti-Hispanic attitudes in the U.S. must be included in efforts to understand resistance to public health measures, such as mask wearing, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on the structural and individual context of racism will enable us to improve public health and better prepare for future public health challenges. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between mask usage, racial segregation, and racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths.Methods: We used linear regression to assess whether the racial/ethnic composition of deaths and residential segregation predicted Americans’ decisions to wear masks in July 2020. Results: After controlling for mask mandates, mask usage increased when the White death rates relative to Black and Hispanic rates increased. Conclusions: Mask wearing may be shaped by an insensitivity to Black and Hispanic deaths and a corresponding unwillingness to engage in health protective behaviors. The broader history of systemic racism and residential segregation may also explain why white Americans do not wear masks or perceive themselves to be at risk when communities of color are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

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Early introductions and community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 in the United States

10.1101/2021.02.10.21251540 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tara Alpert ◽

Erica Lasek-Nesselquist ◽

Anderson F. Brito ◽

Andrew L. Valesano ◽

Jessica Rothman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

New York ◽

Diagnostic Testing ◽

The United States ◽

International Travel ◽

Health Concern ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Community Transmission ◽

The Uk

SummaryThe emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7, first detected in the United Kingdom, has become a national public health concern in the United States because of its increased transmissibility. Over 500 COVID-19 cases associated with this variant have been detected since December 2020, but its local establishment and pathways of spread are relatively unknown. Using travel, genomic, and diagnostic testing data, we highlight the primary ports of entry for B.1.1.7 in the US and locations of possible underreporting of B.1.1.7 cases. New York, which receives the most international travel from the UK, is likely one of the key hubs for introductions and domestic spread. Finally, we provide evidence for increased community transmission in several states. Thus, genomic surveillance for B.1.1.7 and other variants urgently needs to be enhanced to better inform the public health response.

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Cooperative Extension as a Force for Healthy, Rural Communities: Historical Perspectives and Future Directions

American Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2105/ajph.2020.305767 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 110 (9) ◽

pp. 1300-1303

Author(s):

David R. Buys ◽

Roger Rennekamp

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Cooperative Extension ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Second Century ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Historical Perspectives ◽

Faculty And Staff ◽

Policy Systems

Cooperative Extension (Extension), part of the land-grant university system, has been engaged in rural communities for more than a century. While the focus of Extension’s efforts has largely centered on agriculture, there is an important thread of work that has similarities to public health. As Extension settles into its second century, we are working to be even more engaged in efforts that improve the health and well-being of rural communities in particular. Extension faculty and staff are accomplishing this through direct-to-the-population education and through partnerships with more classically oriented public health organizations able to leverage Extension’s networks and positive reputation in communities to engage them and improve their health. A component of these partnerships includes Extension faculty and staff increasingly engaging in policy, systems, and environment work and other initiatives that help ensure longer-term, systemic changes more likely to improve health outcomes. In short, Extension clearly changed the agricultural system of the United States, and because of its reach into rural communities, it has the capacity to do for health in rural communities in this second century what it did for agriculture in the first century.

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Deregulation and the Assault on Science and the Environment

Annual Review of Public Health ◽

10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094056 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 347-361 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan M. Samet ◽

Thomas A. Burke

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Environmental Pollution ◽

Reasoned Action ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Research To Policy ◽

Health And Well Being

The quality of the environment is a major determinant of the health and well-being of a population. The role of scientific evidence is central in the network of laws addressing environmental pollution in the United States and has been critical in addressing the myriad sources of environmental pollution and the burden of disease attributable to environmental factors. We address the shift away from reasoned action and science to a reliance on belief and document the efforts to separate regulation from science and to remove science-based regulations and policies intended to protect public health. We outline the general steps for moving from research to policy, show how each has been undermined, offer specific examples, and point to resources that document the enormity of the current efforts to set aside scientific evidence.

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The Role of Immigration in the Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults in the United States

The International Journal of Aging and Human Development ◽

10.1177/0091415019842844 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 3-21

Author(s):

Jane J. Lee ◽

Hyun-Jun Kim ◽

Karen Fredriksen Goldsen

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Health Care Access ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Foreign Born ◽

Care Access ◽

Bisexual And Transgender

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) aging research is growing around the globe. Yet, few studies have examined the interconnectedness of different populations and cultures. This study examines whether LGBT foreign-born older adults experience greater health disparities than their U.S.-born counterparts. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study: Aging with Pride from 2014, which assessed measures of health and well-being among LGBT adults aged 50 years and older ( n = 2,441). We compared sociodemographic characteristics, health-care access, health behaviors, and health outcomes between foreign-born and U.S.-born participants. Foreign-born LGBT older adults reported greater socioeconomic disadvantage and higher levels of experiencing barriers to health-care access than U.S.-born LGBT older adults. Groups did not significantly differ in health behaviors and health outcomes when controlling for sociodemographic factors. Greater understanding of the mechanisms that shape the relationship between migration and health among the LGBT population is warranted.

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