Mental health needs and barriers to service in the Chinese American community: insights gained from focus groups.

Objectives: Mental health remains an unmet need among Chinese Americans. This study aims to identify specific needs and strategies that may address the needs.

Design: A total of 55 Chinese Americans consented and participated in online focus groups conducted in either Chinese or English using nominal group technique.

Trichomoniasis and retesting in Durham County, North Carolina, United States, 2021 - 2022.

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal retesting within 3 months after treatment of infection given high rates of persistent infection or reinfection, or if this is not possible, within 12 months following treatment. Data is lacking on how often this is actually done.

Methods: We analyzed the demographic and clinical characteristics, rate of return for the recommended retesting, concordance between wet prep and nucleic acid amplification testing, and percent positivity for on repeat vaginal specimens at a local public health department in Durham, North Carolina, United States.

Mpox Vaccination and the Role of Social Vulnerability in Durham County, North Carolina, USA.

Background: Disparities in vaccine coverage among groups in the USA is common, possibly due to higher vaccine hesitancy in certain populations, difficulty accessing vaccines, and underlying social vulnerability.

Methods: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between mpox vaccine administration, social determinants of health, and social vulnerability index (SVI) in Durham County, North Carolina, USA. Random forest regression (RFE) and min-max scaling preprocessing were used to predict mpox vaccinations in Durham County at the census tract level.

Relationship Between Sexually Transmitted Infections and Social Determinants of Health in Durham County, North Carolina, United States.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are increasing in the United States, and certain populations are more at risk than others. One explanation for this is inequities in underlying social determinants of health (SDOH).

Methods: We analyzed chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis cases in Durham County, North Carolina, from 01/01/2020 to 12/31/2020 by select SDOH at the census tract level.

Combating COVID-19 Vaccine Inequity During the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, populations of color have been disproportionately impacted, with higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and mortality, compared to non-Hispanic whites. These disparities in health outcomes are likely related to a combination of factors including underlying socioeconomic inequities, unequal access to healthcare, higher rates of employment in essential or public-facing occupations, language barriers, and COVID-19 vaccine inequities. In this manuscript the authors discuss strategies of how one local health department responded to vaccine inequities to better serve historically excluded communities throughout the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021.

Test-of-Cure After Treatment of Pharyngeal Gonorrhea in Durham, North Carolina, 2021-2022.

Background: In December 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its treatment guidelines for gonococcal infection and, for the first time, recommended universal test-of-cure for all individuals treated for pharyngeal gonorrhea. After the release of these guidelines, data are lacking on rates of return for the test-of-cure, particularly in populations other than men who have sex with men.

Methods: We analyzed the demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, rate of return for the recommended test-of-cure, and percent positivity for Neisseria gonorrhoeae on repeat pharyngeal specimens at a local public health department in Durham, NC.

Local Government Approaches to Combating COVID-19 Inequities: A Durham County Department of Public Health Perspective.

When a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) made major headlines in 2020, it further exposed an existing public health crisis related to inequities within our communities and health care delivery system. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, populations of color had higher infection and mortality rates, and even experienced greater disease severity compared to whites. Populations of color often bear the brunt of COVID-19 and other health inequities, due to the multifaceted relationship between systemic racism and the social determinants of health.

Public Awareness of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Durham, North Carolina: Results of a Community Survey.

Adoption of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) remains limited among populations at greatest risk for HIV acquisition. This study aims to assess awareness of PrEP among individuals in Durham, North Carolina, which has one of the highest rates of HIV diagnoses in the state. In 2015-2016, we administered a survey including questions to assess PrEP awareness to individuals at multiple venues throughout Durham, North Carolina.