Impacts of zero-fare transit policy on health and social determinants: protocol for a natural experiment study.

Population-level efforts are needed to increase levels of physical activity and healthy eating to reduce and manage chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Interventions to increase public transit use may be one promising strategy, particularly for low-income communities or populations of color who are disproportionately burdened by health disparities and transportation barriers. This study employs a natural experiment design to evaluate the impacts of a citywide zero-fare transit policy in Kansas City, Missouri, on ridership and health indicators.

Resident microbes shape the vaginal epithelial glycan landscape.

Epithelial cells are covered in carbohydrates (glycans). This glycan coat or "glycocalyx" interfaces directly with microbes, providing a protective barrier against potential pathogens. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a condition associated with adverse health outcomes in which bacteria reside in direct proximity to the vaginal epithelium.

Correlates of HIV-Related Stigmas Among African American Church-Affiliated Populations in Kansas City.

HIV-related stigmas contribute to disparities, and contact with HIV-positive individuals has been suggested to reduce stigma. Faith-based organizations have been recognized as important to stigma reduction efforts among African American populations; however, relatively few church-based studies have measured HIV-related stigma. This study uses baseline data ( = 1,448) from a study with 14 African American churches in Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas, to examine correlates of HIV-related stigmas among church members and community members accessing church social services using two previously validated scales that measure discomfort interacting with individuals with HIV and anticipated stigma or rejection.

COVID-19 Testing in African American Churches Using a Faith-Health- Academic Partnership.

Increasing access to COVID-19 testing in influential, accessible community settings is needed to address COVID-19 disparities among African Americans. We describe COVID-19 testing intervention approaches conducted in Kansas City, Missouri, African American churches via a faith-health-academic partnership. Trained faith leaders promoted COVID-19 testing with church and community members by implementing multilevel interventions using a tailored toolkit and standard education information.

The Role of Labor Induction in Racial Disparities in Cesarean Delivery.

We examined the interaction between race and labor induction in cesarean delivery in a cohort of 600,000 deliveries in the Cerner Health Facts database. Black women had higher likelihood cesarean (28.9 vs.

Menstruation and contraception patterns of female adolescent transplant recipients.

Background: There is a lack of knowledge regarding menstrual cycles and contraception usage for adolescent transplant patients and families. Solid organ transplant patients start teratogenic medications which have pregnancy implications. We explore adolescent female solid organ transplant recipient and guardian's contraceptive knowledge and attitudes as well as menstrual patterns.

Variability in Price of Generic Antipsychotic Medications at Community Pharmacies.

Objective: This study aimed to examine variability in pricing of generic antipsychotic medications in a diverse metropolitan area and to determine whether prices varied by pharmacy type.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of pharmacy-level variability in retail cash prices for a 30-day supply of one first-generation and five generically available second-generation antipsychotic medications at community pharmacies in the Kansas City metropolitan area. All community pharmacies in the area were identified (N=281), and 94% (N=265, with 147 in Missouri and 118 in Kansas) responded to phone queries between April 25 and May 25, 2017, requesting the cash price of a 30-day supply of each of the six antipsychotics.

A Multilevel Diabetes and CVD Risk Reduction Intervention in African American Churches: Project Faith Influencing Transformation (FIT) Feasibility and Outcomes.

Wide-reaching health promotion interventions are needed in influential, accessible community settings to address African American (AA) diabetes and CVD disparities. Most AAs are overweight/obese, which is a primary clinical risk factor for diabetes/CVD. Using a faith-community-engaged approach, this study examined feasibility and outcomes of Project Faith Influencing Transformation (FIT), a diabetes/CVD screening, prevention, and linkage to care pilot intervention to increase weight loss in AA church-populations at 8 months.

Associations between the vaginal microbiome and Candida colonization in women of reproductive age.

Background: The composition of bacteria within the vaginal microbiome has garnered a lot of recent attention and has been associated with reproductive health and disease. Despite the common occurrence of yeast (primarily Candida) within the vaginal microbiome, there is still an incomplete picture of relationships between yeast and bacteria (especially lactobacilli), as well as how such associations are governed. Such relationships could be important to a more holistic understanding of the vaginal microbiome and its connection to reproductive health.

Association between obesity and bacterial vaginosis as assessed by Nugent score.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis is 1 of the most common vaginal conditions in the United States. Recent studies have suggested that obese women have an abnormal microbiota reminiscent of bacterial vaginosis; however, few studies have investigated the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis in overweight and obese populations. Moreover, despite the increased prevalence of obesity and bacterial vaginosis in black women, it is not known whether racial disparities exist in the relationship between obesity and bacterial vaginosis.

Ethnic/racial differences in gastrointestinal symptoms and diagnosis associated with the risk of infection in the US.

Background: In the US, neither the prevalence nor the gastrointestinal (GI) diagnosis/symptoms associated with (HP) have been examined in different racial/ethnic groups.

Aim: To determine the racial/ethnic differences in HP infection associated with GI diagnoses/symptoms using the Cerner Health Facts database.

Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data during the period of 2000-2015 from the following ethnic/racial groups: 8,236,317 white, 2,085,389 black, 426,622 Hispanic, 293,156 Asian Pacific/Islander (APIs), and 89,179 Native American/Alaskan Native (NA/AN) patients aged 21-65 years old; the data were then analyzed.

Outcomes in subsequent pregnancies after wedge resection for interstitial ectopic pregnancy: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate pregnancy outcomes in patients with a history of wedge resection for interstitial ectopic pregnancy (WRIEP).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of pregnancies with a history of WRIEP from 2000 to 2013 at two inner city hospitals in Detroit, MI. Pregnant-matched controls (1:3) were selected and included patients with history of surgically treated tubal ectopic pregnancy and delivered patients without history of ectopic pregnancy.

Effects of intrauterine contraception on the vaginal microbiota.

Objectives: There have been conflicting reports of altered vaginal microbiota and infection susceptibility associated with contraception use. The objectives of this study were to determine if intrauterine contraception altered the vaginal microbiota and to compare the effects of a copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) and a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) on the vaginal microbiota.

Study Design: DNA was isolated from the vaginal swab samples of 76 women using Cu-IUD (n=36) or LNG-IUS (n=40) collected prior to insertion of intrauterine contraception (baseline) and at 6 months.

Relationship between nugent score and vaginal epithelial exfoliation.

Objective: Clue cells characteristic of bacterial vaginosis (BV) are thought to arise due to exfoliation of the vaginal epithelium; however, there is little published data connecting total numbers of epithelial cells to markers of BV. The purpose of this study was to enumerate exfoliated epithelial cells (independent of clue cells) and examine the relationship to Nugent score.

Study Design: We conducted a cross-sectional sub-study of the Contraceptive CHOICE Project cohort.

Genetic variation associated with preterm birth in African-American women.

Background: Preterm birth is considered a multifactorial condition; however, emerging evidence suggests that genetic variation among individuals may have an important role. Prior studies have suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with genes related to the immune system, and particularly the maternal inflammatory response, may be associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery.

Objective: The objective of the study was to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms associated with spontaneous preterm birth <37 weeks within a cohort of African-American women.

Invited commentary: recruiting for epidemiologic studies using social media.

Social media-based recruitment for epidemiologic studies has the potential to expand the demographic and geographic reach of investigators and identify potential participants more cost-effectively than traditional approaches. In fact, social media are particularly appealing for their ability to engage traditionally "hard-to-reach" populations, including young adults and low-income populations. Despite their great promise as a tool for epidemiologists, social media-based recruitment approaches do not currently compare favorably with gold-standard probability-based sampling approaches.

Persistent organic pollutants and early menopause in U.S. women.

Objective: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) adversely affect human health. Our objective was to determine the association of EDC exposure with earlier age of menopause.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2008 (n = 31,575 females).

Sexually transmitted infection prevalence in a population seeking no-cost contraception.

Background: We used universal screening to determine the prevalence rates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) in 9256 women enrolling into a contraceptive study.

Methods: We offered screening using nucleic acid amplification or culture to all participants enrolling into the Contraceptive CHOICE Project. Demographic characteristics were collected through staff-administered questionnaires.

The impact of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse on contraceptive method selection and discontinuation.

Objectives: We evaluated the impact of exposure to emotional, physical, or sexual abuse on contraceptive method selection and discontinuation.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of 7170 women enrolled in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project in St. Louis, Missouri, a prospective cohort study in which 9256 women were provided their preferred method of contraception at no cost from 2007 to 2011.