scholarly journals Identification of Vulnerable Populations and Areas at Higher Risk of COVID-19-Related Mortality during the Early Stage of the Epidemic in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 4021
Author(s):  
Esteban Correa-Agudelo ◽  
Tesfaye B. Mersha ◽  
Adam J. Branscum ◽  
Neil J. MacKinnon ◽  
Diego F. Cuadros
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Mortality Risk ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Average ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
White Population ◽  
Latino Population ◽  
Related Mortality

We characterized vulnerable populations located in areas at higher risk of COVID-19-related mortality and low critical healthcare capacity during the early stage of the epidemic in the United States. We analyze data obtained from a Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 database to assess the county-level spatial variation of COVID-19-related mortality risk during the early stage of the epidemic in relation to health determinants and health infrastructure. Overall, we identified highly populated and polluted areas, regional air hub areas, race minorities (non-white population), and Hispanic or Latino population with an increased risk of COVID-19-related death during the first phase of the epidemic. The 10 highest COVID-19 mortality risk areas in highly populated counties had on average a lower proportion of white population (48.0%) and higher proportions of black population (18.7%) and other races (33.3%) compared to the national averages of 83.0%, 9.1%, and 7.9%, respectively. The Hispanic and Latino population proportion was higher in these 10 counties (29.3%, compared to the national average of 9.3%). Counties with major air hubs had a 31% increase in mortality risk compared to counties with no airport connectivity. Sixty-eight percent of the counties with high COVID-19-related mortality risk also had lower critical care capacity than the national average. The disparity in health and environmental risk factors might have exacerbated the COVID-19-related mortality risk in vulnerable groups during the early stage of the epidemic.

scholarly journals Factors That Influence Climate Change-Related Mortality in the United States: An Integrative Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8220
Author(s):  
Ruth McDermott-Levy ◽  
Madeline Scolio ◽  
Kabindra M. Shakya ◽  
Caroline H. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Demographic Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Human Mortality ◽  
Related Mortality

Global atmospheric warming leads to climate change that results in a cascade of events affecting human mortality directly and indirectly. The factors that influence climate change-related mortality within the peer-reviewed literature were examined using Whittemore and Knafl’s framework for an integrative review. Ninety-eight articles were included in the review from three databases—PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus—with literature filtered by date, country, and keywords. Articles included in the review address human mortality related to climate change. The review yielded two broad themes in the literature that addressed the factors that influence climate change-related mortality. The broad themes are environmental changes, and social and demographic factors. The meteorological impacts of climate change yield a complex cascade of environmental and weather events that affect ambient temperatures, air quality, drought, wildfires, precipitation, and vector-, food-, and water-borne pathogens. The identified social and demographic factors were related to the social determinants of health. The environmental changes from climate change amplify the existing health determinants that influence mortality within the United States. Mortality data, national weather and natural disaster data, electronic medical records, and health care provider use of International Classification of Disease (ICD) 10 codes must be linked to identify climate change events to capture the full extent of climate change upon population health.

scholarly journals Abortion-Related Mortality in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne Zane ◽  
Andreea A. Creanga ◽  
Cynthia J. Berg ◽  
Karen Pazol ◽  
Danielle B. Suchdev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Related Mortality

Pregnancy-Related Mortality in the United States, 2006–2010

2015 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreea A. Creanga ◽  
Cynthia J. Berg ◽  
Carla Syverson ◽  
Kristi Seed ◽  
F. Carol Bruce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Related Mortality

scholarly journals Technologies for Detection of Babesia microti: Advances and Challenges

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1563
Author(s):  
Scott Meredith ◽  
Miranda Oakley ◽  
Sanjai Kumar
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Parasite Burden ◽  
The United States ◽  
Babesia Microti ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Babesia Species ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
Human Babesiosis

The biology of intraerythrocytic Babesia parasites presents unique challenges for the diagnosis of human babesiosis. Antibody-based assays are highly sensitive but fail to detect early stage Babesia infections prior to seroconversion (window period) and cannot distinguish between an active infection and a previously resolved infection. On the other hand, nucleic acid-based tests (NAT) may lack the sensitivity to detect window cases when parasite burden is below detection limits and asymptomatic low-grade infections. Recent technological advances have improved the sensitivity, specificity and high throughput of NAT and the antibody-based detection of Babesia. Some of these advances include genomics approaches for the identification of novel high-copy-number targets for NAT and immunodominant antigens for superior antigen and antibody-based assays for Babesia. Future advances would also rely on next generation sequencing and CRISPR technology to improve Babesia detection. This review article will discuss the historical perspective and current status of technologies for the detection of Babesia microti, the most common Babesia species causing human babesiosis in the United States, and their implications for early diagnosis of acute babesiosis, blood safety and surveillance studies to monitor areas of expansion and emergence and spread of Babesia species and their genetic variants in the United States and globally.

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