Tracking Substance Use Complications: A Collaborative Analysis of Public Health and Academic Medical Center Records on Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis.

Background: Healthcare systems and public health agencies use different methods to measure the impact of substance use (SU) on population health. We studied the ability of systems to accurately capture data on drug use-associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with IE discharge diagnosis from an academic medical center, 2011-2017, comparing data from hospital Electronic Health Record (EHR) to State Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS).

An assessment of state level sexual assault prevalence estimates.

The purpose of our research is to compare sexual violence prevalence rates from three sources of state level data. Public health officials, legislators and other policymakers often require state-level sexual assault prevalence estimates to justify funding and rationalize both new and ongoing sexual violence prevention programs, as well as programs for victims. We compared survey design and resulting prevalence rates of the three surveys frequently used at the state level: the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) extrapolations, and replications of the NVAWS.

Access to genetic counseling for children with autism, Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities.

Objective: We examined the need for genetic counseling services (GCS) for families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Down syndrome (DS), and/or mental retardation (MR) and factors that influence the receipt of needed GCS for those children relative to other children with special health care needs (CSHCN).

Methods: Analysis was conducted on the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs, a nationally representative sample. Bivariate analyses were conducted by examining need for and receipt of GCS for children with ASD, DS, and/or MR and other CSHCN as well as differences by contextual variables using the health belief model (HBM).

Self-reported discrimination and mental health status among African descendants, Mexican Americans, and other Latinos in the New Hampshire REACH 2010 Initiative: the added dimension of immigration.

Objectives: We examined whether self-reported racial discrimination was associated with mental health status and whether this association varied with race/ethnicity or immigration status.

Methods: We performed secondary analysis of a community intervention conducted in 2002 and 2003 for the New Hampshire Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health 2010 Initiative, surveying African descendants, Mexican Americans, and other Latinos. We assessed mental health status with the Mental Component Summary (MCS12) of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12, and measured discrimination with questions related to respondents' ability to achieve goals, discomfort/anger at treatment by others, and access to quality health care.