The Impact Of Minority Status On Wrongful Convictions: A Case Study Analysis Of Donald Marshall JR. And Leighton Hay

This major research paper outlines the relationship between minorities in Canada and their experience with wrongful convictions, highlighting the cases of Mi'Kmaq male Donald Marshall Junior and Black male Leighton Hay. It highlights systemic racism embedded in the criminal justice system, the communities where both men resided in. It highlights the differences in experiences by both Indigenous and Black people and similarities in their negative experience with the justice system through their wrongful conviction, due to their status as minorities.

The Impact Of Minority Status On Wrongful Convictions: A Case Study Analysis Of Donald Marshall JR. And Leighton Hay

This major research paper outlines the relationship between minorities in Canada and their experience with wrongful convictions, highlighting the cases of Mi'Kmaq male Donald Marshall Junior and Black male Leighton Hay. It highlights systemic racism embedded in the criminal justice system, the communities where both men resided in. It highlights the differences in experiences by both Indigenous and Black people and similarities in their negative experience with the justice system through their wrongful conviction, due to their status as minorities.

Examining Social Vulnerability and the Association With COVID-19 Incidence in Harris County, Texas

Studies have investigated the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. However, few studies have examined small geographic units such as census tracts, examined geographic regions with large numbers of Hispanic and Black populations, controlled for testing rates, and incorporated stay-at-home measures into their analyses. Understanding the relationship between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence is critical to understanding the interplay between social determinants and implementing risk mitigation guidelines to curtail the spread of infectious diseases. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and SARS-CoV-2 incidence while controlling for testing rates and the proportion of those who stayed completely at home among 783 Harris County, Texas census tracts. SARS-CoV-2 incidence data were collected between May 15 and October 1, 2020. The SVI and its themes were the primary exposures. Median percent time at home was used as a covariate to measure the effect of staying at home on the association between social vulnerability and SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis and negative binomial regressions (NBR) controlling for testing rates and staying at home. Results showed that a unit increase in the SVI score and the SVI themes were associated with significant increases in SARS-CoV-2 incidence. The incidence risk ratio (IRR) was 1.090 (95% CI, 1.082, 1.098) for the overall SVI; 1.107 (95% CI, 1.098, 1.115) for minority status/language; 1.090 (95% CI, 1.083, 1.098) for socioeconomic; 1.060 (95% CI, 1.050, 1.071) for household composition/disability, and 1.057 (95% CI, 1.047, 1.066) for housing type/transportation. When controlling for stay-at-home, the association between SVI themes and SARS-CoV-2 incidence remained significant. In the NBR model that included all four SVI themes, only the socioeconomic and minority status/language themes remained significantly associated with SARS-CoV-2 incidence. Community-level infections were not explained by a communities' inability to stay at home. These findings suggest that community-level social vulnerability, such as socioeconomic status, language barriers, use of public transportation, and housing density may play a role in the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection regardless of the ability of some communities to stay at home because of the need to work or other reasons.

Shifts in preference for Natural American Spirit and associated belief that one’s own cigarette brand might be less harmful than other brands: results from Waves 1–4 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study (2013–2018)

IntroductionPeople believe that cigarettes using ‘organic,’ ‘additive-free’ or similar descriptors are less harmful than other cigarettes. Natural American Spirit (NAS) is the most popular US cigarette brand using these descriptors. This cohort study describes changes in US smokers’ odds of preferring NAS and changes in NAS smokers’ odds of believing their brand might be less harmful than other brands.MethodsData come from four waves (2013–2018) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Generalised estimating equations produced population-averaged estimates of relationships between (1) NAS brand preference and wave and (2) belief that one’s own brand might be less harmful than other brands, wave and NAS brand preference. Models tested interactions by age group and sexual minority status.ResultsThe odds that smokers preferred NAS increased by 60% in W4 relative to W1. Disproportionate preference by younger adult and sexual minority smokers was observed. The odds that NAS smokers believed their own brand might be less harmful decreased by 50% between W1 and W4, but this perception was still 16 times higher for NAS compared with non-NAS smokers. Given the increasing preference for NAS, there was no significant change in the absolute number of NAS smokers who believed their own brand might be less harmful (W1: 562 122 (95% CI 435 190 to 689 055) vs W4: 580 378 (95% CI 441 069 to 719 689)).ConclusionsBoth brand popularity and concentration of brand-related harm perceptions are important for understanding population impact of changes in cigarette marketing.

Partisan Strategy and the Adoption of Same-Day Registration in the American States

This study seeks to explain state adoptions of same-day registration (SDR), with a focus on determining whether the Democratic (Republican) Party’s support of (resistance to) this impactful voting reform is driven by strategic electoral considerations. I find that states have an increased probability of enacting the reform when legislative Democrats are in the precarious position that comes with having just experienced minority status in one or both chambers. Relatedly, I demonstrate that the presence of a Republican legislature does not make adoption less likely until the size of the Black population reaches a certain threshold. In fact, provided the Black population is small enough, Republican control of the legislature encourages reform. The results offer conflicting evidence, however, that large Latino populations deter the GOP from establishing SDR. Considered together, the results cast doubt on the claim that either party’s position is informed by principle alone.

Gay, Bisexual and other Men who have Sex with Men (GBMSM) remote mental health help-seeking during Covid-19

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) experience far worse mental health (MH) than wider society. This disparity was exacerbated by additional ‘unique to sexual minority status’ COVID-19 stressors. This sequential, mixed-methods study examined MH help-seeking among GBMSM in the UK and Ireland during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Quantitative survey data (n=1,368), analysed with logistic regression, suggested GBMSM experiencing moderate-to-severe anxiety and those with a past MH diagnosis were most likely to seek MH support. Thematic analysis of qualitative interview (n=18) data identified multiple barriers and enablers to GBMSM seeking MH help, who focused on GBMSM-facing organisations and population-wide online resources. Finally, the behaviour change wheel was used to generate theoretically informed recommendations to promote MH help-seeking among GBMSM in Scotland. We discuss how applying these recommendations in the short, medium and long term will begin to address GBMSM’s MH needs, post COVID-19.