COVID-19 Pandemic and the Burden of Internet Addiction in the United States

Despite the extensive usage of the internet, little is known about internet addiction among Americans during the pandemic. A valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online via MTurk to recruit a national sample of adult Americans to understand the nature and extent of internet addiction. A total of 1305 individuals participated in the study where the majority were males (64%), whites (78%), non-Hispanic (70%), married (72%), 18–35 years old (57%), employed full time (86%), and with a Bachelor’s degree or higher (83%). The prevalence of internet addiction was distributed as no addiction (45%), probable addiction or risk of addiction (41%), and definite or severe addiction (14%). More than a fourth of the population had depression (28%) or anxiety (25%). Despite adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, definite/severe internet addiction was strongly predictive of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in multiple regression analyses. Those who were probably addicted or at risk of addiction were also more likely to have depression or anxiety. Compared to estimates before the pandemic, this study suggests an increase in internet addiction among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Population-based interventions and mental health promotion strategies should focus on a reduction in internet consumption and screen time.

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Divergence in the epidemiological estimates of traumatic brain injury in the United States: comparison of two national databases

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/2020.7.jns201896 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Brittany M. Stopa ◽

Maya Harary ◽

Ray Jhun ◽

Arun Job ◽

Saef Izzy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Data Bank ◽

The United States ◽

National Sample ◽

Population Based ◽

Weighted Estimates ◽

True Incidence ◽

Ed Visits

OBJECTIVETraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the US, but the true incidence of TBI is unknown.METHODSThe National Trauma Data Bank National Sample Program (NTDB NSP) was queried for 2007 and 2013, and population-based weighted estimates of TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and deaths were calculated. These data were compared to the 2017 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report on TBI, which used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project’s National (“Nationwide” before 2012) Inpatient Sample and National Emergency Department Sample.RESULTSIn the NTDB NSP the incidence of TBI-related ED visits was 59/100,000 in 2007 and 62/100,000 in 2013. However, in the CDC report there were 534/100,000 in 2007 and 787/100,000 in 2013. The CDC estimate for ED visits was 805% higher in 2007 and 1169% higher in 2013. In the NTDB NSP, the incidence of TBI-related deaths was 5/100,000 in 2007 and 4/100,000 in 2013. In the CDC report, the incidence was 18/100,000 in both years. The CDC estimate for deaths was 260% higher in 2007 and 325% higher in 2013.CONCLUSIONSThe databases disagreed widely in their weighted estimates of TBI incidence: CDC estimates were consistently higher than NTDB NSP estimates, by an average of 448%. Although such a discrepancy may be intuitive, this is the first study to quantify the magnitude of disagreement between these databases. Given that research, funding, and policy decisions are made based on these estimates, there is a need for a more accurate estimate of the true national incidence of TBI.

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A Nationwide Survey of COVID-19 Testing in LGBTQ+ Populations in the United States

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/00333549211018190 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 003335492110181

Author(s):

Richard J. Martino ◽

Kristen D. Krause ◽

Marybec Griffin ◽

Caleb LoSchiavo ◽

Camilla Comer-Carruthers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Gay Men ◽

Antibody Test ◽

Nationwide Survey ◽

The United States ◽

Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽

Full Time ◽

Test Results ◽

Antibody Testing ◽

And Gender

Objectives Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) people and populations face myriad health disparities that are likely to be evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of our study were to describe patterns of COVID-19 testing among LGBTQ+ people and to differentiate rates of COVID-19 testing and test results by sociodemographic characteristics. Methods Participants residing in the United States and US territories (N = 1090) aged ≥18 completed an internet-based survey from May through July 2020 that assessed COVID-19 testing and test results and sociodemographic characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). We analyzed data on receipt and results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 and symptoms of COVID-19 in relation to sociodemographic characteristics. Results Of the 1090 participants, 182 (16.7%) received a PCR test; of these, 16 (8.8%) had a positive test result. Of the 124 (11.4%) who received an antibody test, 45 (36.3%) had antibodies. Rates of PCR testing were higher among participants who were non–US-born (25.4%) versus US-born (16.3%) and employed full-time or part-time (18.5%) versus unemployed (10.8%). Antibody testing rates were higher among gay cisgender men (17.2%) versus other SOGI groups, non–US-born (25.4%) versus US-born participants, employed (12.6%) versus unemployed participants, and participants residing in the Northeast (20.0%) versus other regions. Among SOGI groups with sufficient cell sizes (n > 10), positive PCR results were highest among cisgender gay men (16.1%). Conclusions The differential patterns of testing and positivity, particularly among gay men in our sample, confirm the need to create COVID-19 public health messaging and programming that attend to the LGBTQ+ population.

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Anthropometric Characteristics of Children Living in Food Insecure Households in the United States

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021002378 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Francis A. Tayie ◽

Lea Anne Lambert ◽

Richmond N. Aryeetey ◽

Beibei Xu ◽

Gabrielle Brewer

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

The United States ◽

National Sample ◽

Population Based ◽

Child Growth ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

Upper Arm ◽

Double Burden ◽

Upper Arm Length

Abstract Objective: This study provides information on food insecurity and child malnutrition in a technologically advanced nation. Design: Population-based study using multistage probability cluster sampling design to collect survey data. Multivariable regression models were used to determine associations between food security status and various malnutrition indices. Setting: We used a national sample from the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014. Participants: The anthropometric and demographic datasets of 4,121 children <7 years old were analyzed for this study. Results: Food insecure infants younger than 6 months had shorter upper arm length (−0.4 cm, p=0.012) and smaller mid-upper arm circumference (−0.5 cm, p=0.004), likewise those aged 6 months-1 year who had shorter upper arm length (−0.4 cm, p=0.008), body length (−1.7 cm, p=0.007) and lower body weight (−0.5 kg, p=0.008). Food insecure children younger than 2 years were more likely to be underweight (OR: 4.34; 95% CI: 1.99-9.46) compared to their food secure counterparts. Contrarywise, food insecure children older than 5 years were more likely to be obese (OR: 3.12; 95% CI: 1.23-7.96). Conclusion: Food insecurity associates with child growth deficits in the United States. Food insecure infants and young children are generally smaller and shorter, whereas older children are heavier than their food secure counterparts, implying a double burden of undernutrition-overnutrition associated with child food insecurity. Child food and nutrition programs to improve food insecurity should focus on infants and children in the transition ages.

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Asthma and Suicidal Ideation Among Youth in the Community

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910.25.3.99 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 99-102 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Renee D. Goodwin ◽

Andrej Marušič

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

United States ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

The United States ◽

Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Community Based ◽

Comorbid Mental Disorders

Summary: Objective: To determine the association between asthma and suicidal ideation among youth in the community. Method: Data were drawn from the MECA (n = 1285), a community-based study of youth aged 9-17 in the United States. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between asthma and suicidal ideation, adjusting for differences in sociodemographic characteristics and mental disorders. Results: Asthma was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR = 3.25 ‘1.04, 10.1’), compared to youth without asthma. Conclusions: These data suggest that youth who are hospitalized for asthma may have higher than expected levels of suicidal ideation, compared with youth without asthma in the community. This association appears to persist after controlling for the effects of comorbid mental disorders. These findings are consistent with previous clinical reports of an association between physical illness and suicidal ideation, as well as with links between asthma and suicidal ideation among adults. More in-depth evaluation of the mental health of youth hospitalized for asthma may be indicated if these results are replicated.

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The Relationship of Caregiving to Work Conflict and Supervisor Disclosure With Emotional, Physical, and Financial Strain in Employed Family Caregivers

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264319848579 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 32 (7-8) ◽

pp. 698-707

Author(s):

Maureen E. Templeman ◽

Adrian N. S. Badana ◽

William E. Haley

Keyword(s):

Organizational Factors ◽

The United States ◽

Ordinary Least Squares ◽

Population Based ◽

Financial Strain ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Full Time ◽

Work Conflict ◽

Workplace Policies ◽

The Impact

Objective: To determine whether employed family caregiver reports of caregiving to work conflict (CWC) are associated with emotional, physical, and financial strain, and whether organizational factors, including supervisor disclosure and caregiver-friendly workplace policies, attenuate these effects. Method: We examined 369 full-time employed caregivers of adults aged 50 years and above from the 2015 AARP and National Alliance for Caregiving population-based study, Caregiving in the United States, using ordinary least squares hierarchical regression and moderation analyses. Results: Regression analyses showed that caregiver reports of more CWC, in addition to disclosure of caregiving, were associated with greater emotional, physical, and financial strain after controlling for demographics and caregiving stressors, and workplace policies did not attenuate strain. Neither disclosure nor policies moderated the impact of CWC on caregiver strain. Discussion: Results suggest the importance of workplace strain in the caregiving stress process and suggest that disclosing caregiving responsibilities to supervisors should be closely examined.

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Population-Based Studies of Varicella Complications

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.78.4.723 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 78 (4) ◽

pp. 723-727

Author(s):

H. A. Guess ◽

D. D. Broughton ◽

L. J. Melton ◽

L. T. Kurland

Keyword(s):

Medical Records ◽

The United States ◽

National Sample ◽

Population Based ◽

Neurologic Complication ◽

Office Visits ◽

Physician Office ◽

Acute Cerebellar Ataxia ◽

Adult Morbidity ◽

Varicella Pneumonia

Population-based data on vanicella complications are presented using information both from national sample surveys of hospitalizations and physician office visits and from reviews of medical records for all cases occurring within one community (Olmsted County, Minnesota) during a specified period. Acute cerebellar ataxia is the most common neurologic complication of varicella and occurs about once in 4,000 vanicella cases among children younger than 15 years of age. Among adults, varicella pneumonia is the most common complication and results in hospitalization about once in every 400 varicella cases. Overall, varicella accounts for approximately 4,000 hospitalizations and 364,000 physician office visits annually in the United States and represents an important continuing source of childhood and adult morbidity.

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Work–family spillover and metabolic syndrome indicators: Findings from a national sample

Journal of Health Psychology ◽

10.1177/1359105318764014 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 25 (10-11) ◽

pp. 1771-1783 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H Shellae Versey ◽

Mingxuan Tan

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Body Mass Index ◽

Body Mass ◽

The United States ◽

National Sample ◽

Full Time ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Glucose Levels ◽

Negative Work ◽

Work Family

This study examines the link between negative work–family spillover and metabolic risk factors over a 9-year period. Data from two waves of the Midlife in the United States Survey were used to explore relationships between negative work–family spillover and four indicators of metabolic syndrome—blood pressure, triglycerides, body mass index, and glucose levels. In a sample of full-time working men and women ( N = 630), increased negative spillover at baseline significantly predicted higher body mass index nearly a decade later, with a marginally significant effect for triglyceride levels. Increases in spillover also body mass index and glucose levels at follow-up. This study extends research tying work–life spillover to health and suggests that further investigation is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of work stress.

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Association between Neighborhood Food Access, Household Income, and Purchase of Snacks and Beverages in the United States

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17207517 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (20) ◽

pp. 7517

Author(s):

Ke Peng ◽

Nikhil Kaza

Keyword(s):

Local Governments ◽

Large Population ◽

The United States ◽

National Sample ◽

Population Based ◽

Error Component ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Stores ◽

Convenience Stores ◽

Poor Households

Considerable research on the risk factors of obesity and chronic diseases has focused on relationships between where people live, where they shop, and the types of food they purchase. Rarely have investigators used a national sample and explicitly addressed the amount of energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods purchased in different types of neighborhood food stores. Even more rarely have studies accounted for the characteristics of the broader built environment in which food stores are located and which affect the convenience of using neighborhood food stores. We used a large population-based cohort of predominantly white U.S. households from the Nielsen Homescan Consumer Panel 2010 dataset to examine whether there were positive cross-sectional associations between availability of neighborhood convenience stores and supermarkets and self-reported household annual expenditures for snacks and beverages. We examined this relationship separately for poor and non-poor households as defined by the 2010 U.S. federal poverty threshold. We used mixed error-component regression models to examine associations between availability of neighborhood food stores and the expenditures on snacks and beverages, controlling for regional destination accessibility, availability and diversity of neighborhood destinations, and neighborhood street connectivity. In multivariate analyses, we observed that poor households in neighborhoods with few convenience stores purchased more snacks than poor households in neighborhoods with many convenience stores (b = −0.008, p < 0.05). Non-poor households in neighborhoods with many convenience stores and fewer supermarkets purchased more snacks than non-poor households in neighborhoods with few convenience stores and many supermarkets (b = 0.002, p < 0.05 for convenience stores; b = −0.027, p < 0.05 for supermarkets). Increase in number of convenience stores decreased the purchase of snacks by poor households, but increased in non-poor households. On other hand, increase in number of supermarkets discouraged purchase of snacks by non-poor households but had no effect on the purchasing behavior of the poor-households.Therefore, evaluation of access to energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods should include a consideration of geographic proximity. Local governments should consider strategies to expand the availability and access to nutrient-rich food and beverage products in convenience stores for consumers.

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The Public Health Nutrition workforce and its future challenges: the US experience

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980008001821 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 782-791 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Betsy Haughton ◽

Alexa George

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

The United States ◽

Population Based ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Direct Care ◽

Full Time ◽

Public Health Nutrition ◽

Full Time Equivalent ◽

Health Agencies ◽

The Us

AbstractObjectivesTo describe the US public health nutrition workforce and its future social, biological and fiscal challenges.DesignLiterature review primarily for the four workforce surveys conducted since 1985 by the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Nutrition Directors.SettingThe United States.SubjectsNutrition personnel working in governmental health agencies. The 1985 and 1987 subjects were personnel in full-time budgeted positions employed in governmental health agencies providing predominantly population-based services. In 1994 and 1999 subjects were both full-time and part-time, employed in or funded by governmental health agencies, and provided both direct-care and population-based services.ResultsThe workforce primarily focuses on direct-care services for pregnant and breast-feeding women, infants and children. The US Department of Agriculture funds 81·7 % of full-time equivalent positions, primarily through the WIC Program (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children). Of those personnel working in WIC, 45 % have at least 10 years of experience compared to over 65 % of the non-WIC workforce. Continuing education needs of the WIC and non-WIC workforces differ. The workforce is increasingly more racially/ethnically diverse and with 18·2 % speaking Spanish as a second language.ConclusionsThe future workforce will need to focus on increasing its diversity and cultural competence, and likely will need to address retirement within leadership positions. Little is known about the workforce’s capacity to address the needs of the elderly, emergency preparedness and behavioural interventions. Fiscal challenges will require evidence-based practice demonstrating both costs and impact. Little is known about the broader public health nutrition workforce beyond governmental health agencies.

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An Examination of Work Interference with Family Using Data from a Representative Sample of Workers Participating in the General Social Survey and NIOSH Quality of Worklife Module

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x20927758 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (12) ◽

pp. 2356-2376

Author(s):

Todd D. Smith ◽

Zuojin Yu ◽

Aurora B. Le

Keyword(s):

Family Conflict ◽

Representative Sample ◽

General Social Survey ◽

The United States ◽

Population Based ◽

Full Time ◽

Work Family Conflict ◽

Work Family ◽

Work Interference With Family ◽

Work Interference

Work-family conflict research has progressed over the past few decades, but it has often focused on workers in specific occupations or targeted populations. Few studies used population-based samples to explore factors associated with work interference with family (WIF), a directional domain of work-family conflict. This study used data from a population-based sample to examine relationships between work design characteristics and WIF among a representative sample of workers across the United States. Multiple logistic regression, using a weighted sample of 1,272 adult workers, identified increased odds of WIF were associated with full-time work, varied work shifts, work from home, and work overload. Analyses also identified the importance of supervisor support, which was a significant moderator in the association between workplace injury and WIF. Demographic factors were not generally significant, but the odds of WIF increased with additional children. Overall, these findings delineate the relationships between work organization characteristics and WIF.

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