A theoretical explanation for how a nutrition counseling and medically tailored meal delivery program benefitted participants living with lung cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess participants' perceptions and experiences while participating in a Food is Medicine medically tailored meal plus intensive nutrition counseling intervention to create a theoretical explanation about how the intervention worked.

Methods: This interpretive qualitative study included the use of semi-structured interviews with active participants in a randomized controlled trial aimed at understanding how a medically tailored meal plus nutrition counseling intervention worked for vulnerable individuals with lung cancer treated at four cancer centers across the USA. During the 8-month long study, participants in the intervention arm were asked to be interviewed, which were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using conventional content analysis with principles of grounded theory.

No Effect of Calorie Restriction or Dietary Patterns on Spatial Working Memory During a 2-Year Intervention: A Secondary Analysis of the CALERIE Trial.

Background: The effect of calorie restriction (CR) on cognitive function is not well understood, and the impact of the dietary patterns consumed during CR has not been investigated.

Objectives: We analyzed the combined association of CR and dietary quality with spatial working memory (SWM) in healthy adults without obesity.

Methods: The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) trial was a 2-y, multisite clinical trial.

Bitter- and Umami-Related Genes are Differentially Associated with Food Group Intakes: the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: As suboptimal diet quality remains the leading modifiable contributor to chronic disease risk, it is important to better understand the individual-level drivers of food choices. Recently, a genetic component of food choices was proposed based on variants (SNPs) in genes related to taste perception (taste-related SNPs).

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the cumulative contribution of taste-related SNPs for basic tastes (bitter, sweet, umami, salt, and sour), summarized as "polygenic taste scores," to food group intakes among adults.

Associations between Taste Perception Profiles and Empirically Derived Dietary Patterns: An Exploratory Analysis among Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome.

Taste perception is a primary driver of food choices; however, little is known about how perception of all five tastes (sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami) collectively inform dietary patterns. Our aim was to examine the associations between a multivariable measure of taste perception-taste perception profiles-and empirically derived dietary patterns. The cohort included 367 community-dwelling adults (55-75 years; 55% female; BMI = 32.

Abrupt Discontinuation From Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Massachusetts, 2015-2018.

Introduction: In response to the opioid overdose crisis, providers were urged to taper and discontinue patients from long-term opioid therapy; however, abrupt discontinuation may lead to poor health outcomes. This study aims to determine abrupt and tapered discontinuation rates and identify the patient and provider characteristics associated with abrupt discontinuation.

Methods: Data were from the Massachusetts Prescription Monitoring Program, 2015-2018.

Data-Driven Clustering Approach to Derive Taste Perception Profiles from Sweet, Salt, Sour, Bitter, and Umami Perception Scores: An Illustration among Older Adults with Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Current approaches to studying relations between taste perception and diet quality typically consider each taste-sweet, salt, sour, bitter, umami-separately or aggregately, as total taste scores. Consistent with studying dietary patterns rather than single foods or total energy, an additional approach may be to study all 5 tastes collectively as "taste perception profiles."

Objective: We developed a data-driven clustering approach to derive taste perception profiles from taste perception scores and examined whether profiles outperformed total taste scores for capturing individual variability in taste perception.

Impact of physical activity, diet quality and stress on cardiometabolic health in school employees.

Among school employees, it has been reported that poor physical and mental health, as well as high stress and large workloads, have resulted in high absenteeism and low retention. The consequences of unhealthy behaviors and stress can extend to students, impacting academic achievement and school costs. Our objective was to examine the impact of school employees' physical activity (PA), diet quality and perceived occupational stress on cardiometabolic health, and explore how stress may influence the impact of PA and diet on health.

Effects of food supplementation on cognitive function, cerebral blood flow, and nutritional status in young children at risk of undernutrition: randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To assess the effects of food supplementation on improving working memory and additional measures including cerebral blood flow in children at risk of undernutrition.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: 10 villages in Guinea-Bissau.

A Qualitative Investigation of Factors that Influence School Employee Health Behaviors: Implications for Wellness Programming.

Background: Employee health promotion in the elementary school setting can support students' health and academic success. School employees can serve as role models, yet evidence suggests poor health in this population. We identified factors that influence school employee health behaviors to inform subsequent development of employee wellness programs.

Opioid overdose deaths and potentially inappropriate opioid prescribing practices (PIP): A spatial epidemiological study.

Introduction: Opioid overdose deaths quintupled in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2016. Potentially inappropriate opioid prescribing practices (PIP) are associated with increases in overdoses. The purpose of this study was to conduct spatial epidemiological analyses of novel comprehensively linked data to identify overdose and PIP hotspots.

Modifying dietary risk behaviors to prevent obesity and dental caries in very young children: results of the Baby Steps to Health pediatric dental pilot.

Objectives: To describe the design, feasibility, and acceptability of a theory-informed obesity and dental caries prevention pilot study, Baby Steps to Health, conducted in an academic dental clinic among a primarily Asian immigrant population.

Methods: Baby Steps used self-determination theory and behavioral motivation strategies for a caregiver/child (6-36 months) nutrition and oral health behavior change intervention implemented in a pediatric dental clinic. Caregivers completed a dietary practice assessment to identify risk behaviors and potential courses of action.

Cardiovascular Disease Hospitalizations in Louisiana Parishes' Elderly before, during and after Hurricane Katrina.

The research on how health and health care disparities impact response to and recovery from a disaster, especially among diverse and underserved populations is in great need for a thorough evaluation. The time series analysis utilizing most complete national databases of medical records is an indispensable tool in assessing the destruction and health toll brought about by natural disasters. In this study, we demonstrated such an application by evaluating the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on cardiovascular disease (CVD), a primary cause of mortality among older adults that can be aggravated by natural disasters.

Effect of Age on Opioid Prescribing, Overdose, and Mortality in Massachusetts, 2011 to 2015.

Objectives: To examine the effect of age on the likelihood of PIP of opioids and the effect of PIP on adverse outcomes.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Data from multiple state agencies in Massachusetts from 2011 to 2015.

Urbanization as a risk factor for aortic stiffness in a cohort in India.

Urbanization is associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Aortic stiffness, as measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity is a validated predictor of cardiovascular disease. Our objective was to determine the association between urbanization and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity.

Potentially Inappropriate Opioid Prescribing, Overdose, and Mortality in Massachusetts, 2011-2015.

Background: Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) may contribute to opioid overdose.

Objective: To examine the association between PIP and adverse events.

Design: Cohort study.

Sex work, injection drug use, and abscesses: Associations in women, but not men.

Background: Abscesses commonly occur among people who inject drugs (PWID). However, whether the risks are comparable between males and females, and the impact of sex work on abscess risk is unclear. The goal of this study was to examine the contemporary associations of gender and sex work with the risk of abscesses in PWID.

"Tweak Your Order Set!" Implementation of Modified Laboratory Order Set Improves Hepatitis C Virus Screening Rates in People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

There are several barriers to annual hepatitis C virus antibody (HCVAb) testing, including lack of provider knowledge of the changing HCV epidemic and provider underestimation of a patient's risk. We identified low rates of testing for HCVAb in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in our outpatient HIV Infectious Diseases clinic, and we developed a quality improvement project to increase rates of HCVAb screening.

Healthy Living Behaviors Among Chinese-American Preschool-Aged Children: Results of a Parent Survey.

Associations between diet, physical activity, parenting, and acculturation among Chinese-American children are understudied. Parents/caregivers of children attending child-care programs in Boston Chinatown completed a self-administered survey on demographics, child's diet, physical activities, anthropometrics, and parenting practices. Associations were evaluated in multivariable regression analysis, stratified by survey language preference, a proxy for acculturation.

Physicochemical parameters affecting the perception of borehole water quality in Ghana.

Rural Ghanaian communities continue using microbiologically contaminated surface water sources due in part to undesirable organoleptic characteristics of groundwater from boreholes. Our objective was to identify thresholds of physical and chemical parameters associated with consumer complaints related to groundwater. Water samples from 94 boreholes in the dry season and 68 boreholes in the rainy season were analyzed for 18 parameters.

Identifying and characterizing hepatitis C virus hotspots in Massachusetts: a spatial epidemiological approach.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections have increased during the past decade but little is known about geographic clustering patterns.

Methods: We used a unique analytical approach, combining geographic information systems (GIS), spatial epidemiology, and statistical modeling to identify and characterize HCV hotspots, statistically significant clusters of census tracts with elevated HCV counts and rates. We compiled sociodemographic and HCV surveillance data (n = 99,780 cases) for Massachusetts census tracts (n = 1464) from 2002 to 2013.

Efficacy of an Exercise and Nutritional Supplement Program on Physical Performance and Nutritional Status in Older Adults With Mobility Limitations Residing at Senior Living Facilities.

This cluster-randomized trial was designed to determine the efficacy of a 6-month exercise-nutritional supplement program (ENP) on physical function and nutritional status for older adults and the feasibility of implementing this program in a senior living setting. Twenty senior-living facilities were randomized to either a 3 day per week group-based ENP led by a trained facility staff member or a health education program (SAP). Participants (N = 121) completed a short physical performance battery, 400-m walk, handgrip strength test, and mini-nutrition assessment.

Program changes are effective and cost-effective in increasing the amount of oil used in preparing corn soy blend porridge for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in Malawi.

Corn Soy Blend (CSB) porridge is commonly prepared with oil for treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). A recent review recommended that 30 g of oil be used with 100 g of CSB to increase energy density and micronutrient absorption. This study assessed the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of program changes aimed at achieving that target oil:CSB ratio in prepared porridge.

Heat-Related Hospitalizations in Older Adults: An Amplified Effect of the First Seasonal Heatwave.

Older adults are highly vulnerable to the detriment of extreme weather. The rapid non-linear increase in heat-related morbidity is difficult to quantify, hindering the attribution of direct effects of exposure on severe health outcomes. We examine the effects of ambient temperatures on heat-related hospitalizations (HH) among the elderly in presence of strong seasonality and by assessing the effects caused by the first and subsequent seasonal heatwaves.

Durations of Opioid, Nonopioid Drug, and Behavioral Clinical Trials for Chronic Pain: Adequate or Inadequate?

Objectives: A recent US federal review and clinical guideline on opioids for chronic pain asserted that the literature contributes no evidence on efficacy because all trials had "inadequate duration." To explore the evidence, we examined durations of studies on opioid, nonopioid drug, and behavioral therapies for chronic pain.

Methods: We retrieved Cochrane reviews of anticonvulsants, antidepressants, NSAIDs, opioids, or behavioral interventions for chronic pain.

Increasing Infectious Endocarditis Admissions Among Young People Who Inject Drugs.

People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for infective endocarditis (IE). Hospitalization rates related to misuse of prescription opioids and heroin have increased in recent years, but there are no recent investigations into rates of hospitalizations from injection drug use-related IE (IDU-IE). Using the Health Care and Utilization Project National Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) dataset, we found that the proportion of IE hospitalizations from IDU-IE increased from 7% to 12.