"": A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Public Health Workforce Perception on COVID-19 Pandemic Management and Future Needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by a highly contagious novel virus called SARS-CoV-2, has led to significant global morbidity and mortality, with disproportionate burden among frontline workers. While the current empirical body of evidence highlights reported depression, burnout, moral injury, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress among healthcare workers, similar assessment among the public health workforce is limited. Given work-related pressure of rapid pandemic management strategies, risk of exposure, potential fatigue, etc.

Triple Jeopardy of Minority Status, Social Stressors, and Health Disparities on Academic Performance of College Students.

In this study, we evaluated the role of minority status, as well as pandemic-related social stressors and health disparities on short- and long-term academic performances of college students. Cross-sectional analysis using descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to identify participants of minority status as well as pandemic-related prevalence of social stressors and health disparities and their roles on academic performance. Poor academic performance was significantly related to being food insecure, experiences of discrimination, serious psychological distress, and low daytime wakefulness during the pandemic but only significantly based on minority status.

The Diagnosis and Time of Onset of Voice Disorders in Patients with Chronic Cough.

Objectives: Chronic cough is a complaint of up to 46% of patients referred to specialist clinics. Patients with cough often report hoarseness at the time of the cough diagnosis. When the cough fails to resolve with standard medications, referrals to other specialists including otolaryngologists are made.

"": A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Discrimination Experiences among College Students.

Experiences of discrimination are prevalent among minority populations, although often empirical evidence does not provide depth into the source and types of discrimination, such as racial/ethnic, gender-based, age, etc. The goal of this study was to assess the unique patterns, types, and sources of discrimination experiences that college students face and explore the role these experiences play in their mental health. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was utilized.

Unmet Healthcare Needs among College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for System-Wide and Structural Changes for Service Delivery.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, college students faced health disparities in addition to a negative burden on academic performance; however, little is reported in the literature regarding healthcare utilization.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among consenting college student participants aged 18 or older from a Hispanic-serving institution. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were used to analyze demographic characteristics and the types of healthcare services needed by such characteristics.

COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Sleep and Mental Health Disparities among Students at a Hispanic and Minority-Serving Institution.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly all sectors of our population, including college students, who continue to share disproportionate rate of disparities. In this study, we aimed to identity key sleep health characteristics, including markers for obstructive sleep apnea, as well as its relation to mental health, physical health, and academic performance.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design with online survey dissemination was used.

COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy among Behavioral Risk Takers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a major public health issue, with vaccines serving as a vital preventive strategy to lower the global burden. Yet, despite national and local mandates, key sectors of the population continue to demonstrate lower compliance rates. In the United States, young adults have the lowest vaccination rates among the adult population.

Burden of Mental Illness among Primary HIV Discharges: A Retrospective Analysis of Inpatient Data.

Background: Empirical evidence demonstrates the substantial burden of mental illness among people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA). Current literature also notes the co-morbidity of these two illnesses and its impact on quality of life and mortality. However, little evidence exists on patient outcomes, such as hospital length of stay or post-discharge status.

Sex-Specific Association between Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Asthma Severity among Adults with Current Asthma.

Background: Tobacco smoke has been associated with negative health outcomes, including those with chronic respiratory illnesses, such as asthma. This study aimed to assess the relationship between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), as well as tobacco use (cigarette and electronic cigarettes), on asthma severity among adults with current asthma, with stratification by sex to understand potential biological sex differences.

Methods: The study population consisted of Californian adults 18 years or older with self-reported physician/health care diagnosis of asthma and still having current asthma from 2020 California Health Interview Survey.

Defining the patterns of PAP adherence in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea: a clustering analysis using real-world data.

Study Objectives: The implementation of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy to treat obstructive sleep apnea in children is a complex process. PAP therapy data are highly heterogeneous in pediatrics, and the clinical management cannot be generalized. We hypothesize that pediatric PAP users can be subgrouped via clustering analysis to guide tailored interventions.

Psychological Distress among College Students: Role of Food Insecurity and Other Social Determinants of Mental Health.

Food insecurity is a major social determinant of health and an assessment of how it may impact college students' mental health is imperative, as well as differential associations by self-identified gender. A cross-sectional survey was used among college students of a mid-size minority-serving institution with a final sample size of 302 participants aged 18 years or above. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable regressions were conducted, by gender, to assess the role of food insecurity (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) six-item questionnaire), on mental health outcomes (Kessler-6 scale and self-perception).

Role of food insecurity in prescription delay among adults with asthma: results from the California health interview survey.

: Food insecurity remains a major public health concern in the United States. Studies have noted that food insecurity can lead to lower healthcare utilization and poorer health status. Despite the continuous burden of asthma, little research has shown whether food insecurity serves as a social determinant to poor asthma care.

Motor Imagery Practice and Increased Tongue Strength: A Case Series Feasibility Report.

Purpose The aim of the study was to determine the effects of a 6-week progressive resistance tongue exercise protocol in mental practice form on tongue strength. Investigation begins in typically aging adults, a population susceptible to reduced tongue strength and dysphagia secondary to age-related changes in the swallowing mechanism. It was hypothesized that typically aging adults who perform a 6-week progressive resistance tongue exercise protocol in mental practice form would increase tongue strength.

The Overlooked Burden of Food Insecurity among Asian Americans: Results from the California Health Interview Survey.

: Food insecurity remains a major public health issue in the United States, though lack of research among Asian Americans continue to underreport the issue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and burden of food insecurity among disaggregated Asian American populations. : The California Health Interview Survey, the largest state health survey, was used to assess the prevalence of food insecurity among Asian American subgroups with primary exposure variable of interest being acculturation.

Pathologic significance of a novel oncoprotein in thyroid cancer progression.

Background: The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing worldwide, and there is an emerging need to develop accurate tools for diagnosis. Fine needle aspiration biopsy has greatly improved evaluation of thyroid nodules, but challenges with indeterminate lesions remain in up to 25% of biopsies. Novel tissue biomarkers may assist in improved nodule characterization.

Associations between food insecurity and the severity of psychological distress among African-Americans.

Background: Little research exists on the association between food insecurity and mild to moderate psychological distress (MPD) among Black/African-Americans. In this study, we assess the relationship between food insecurity with and without hunger to that of both MPD and serious psychological distress (SPD) among this population.

Methods: 2009 and 2011/2012 adult public-use data from African-American respondents of the California Health Interview Survey were utilized for this study (n = 4003).

Food insecurity is associated with unhealthy dietary practices among US veterans in California.

Objective: US veterans (hereafter, 'veterans') are at risk for being overweight or obese and associated unhealthy behaviours, including poor diet; although limited studies have examined the underlying factors associated with such outcomes. As such, the present study evaluated the association between food insecurity and dietary practices among veterans.

Design: A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the California Health Interview Survey (2009, 2011/2012) was conducted.

Healthcare burden of obstructive sleep apnea and obesity among asthma hospitalizations: Results from the U.S.-based Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

Background: Studies have highlighted the significant comorbidities of both obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among asthma patients in outpatient settings, but such data in the inpatient setting is sparse.

Methods: Using 2009-2011 U.S.

Food insecurity and low self-efficacy are associated with increased healthcare utilization among adults with type II diabetes mellitus.

Objective: Food insecurity has been shown to negatively impact health outcomes, disease management and hospitalizations. Despite the increasing burden of type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the United States, little research exists on the role of food insecurity and its association to T2DM-related healthcare utilization. The purpose of our study was to address such a gap in the literature by evaluating the role of food insecurity and T2DM-related past 12-month hospitalization or emergency department (ED) admission among adults with healthcare professional diagnosed T2DM.