East Asia and the Pacific Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Updated Epidemiological Assessment.

Background: This study updates the COVID-19 pandemic surveillance in East Asia and the Pacific we first conducted in 2020 with two additional years of data for the region.

Objective: First, we measure whether there was an expansion or contraction of the pandemic in East Asia and the Pacific region when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2023. Second, we use dynamic and genomic surveillance methods to describe the dynamic history of the pandemic in the region and situate the window of the WHO declaration within the broader history.

Public Mass Shootings: Counterfactual Trend Analysis of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban.

Background: Assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans are potential tools for policy makers to prevent public mass shootings. However, the efficacy of these bans is a continual source of debate. In an earlier study, we estimated the impact of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (FAWB) on the number of public mass shooting events in the United States.

Neighborhood Racial and Ethnic Predominance, Child Opportunity, and Violence-Related Mortality among Children and Adolescents in Chicago.

Our objective was to determine whether Child Opportunity Index (COI), a measure of neighborhood socioeconomic and built environment specific to children, mediated the relationship of census tract Black or Hispanic predominance with increased rates of census tract violence-related mortality. The hypothesis was that COI would partially mediate the relationship. This cross-sectional study combined data from the American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the COI 2.

South Asia's COVID-19 History and Surveillance: Updated Epidemiological Assessment.

Background: This study updates our findings from the COVID-19 pandemic surveillance we first conducted in South Asia in 2020 with 2 additional years of data for the region. We assess whether COVID-19 had transitioned from pandemic to endemic at the point the World Health Organization (WHO) ended the public health emergency status for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023.

Objective: First, we aim to measure whether there was an expansion or contraction in the pandemic in South Asia around the WHO declaration.

Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Asia: Updated Epidemiological Assessment.

Background: This study updates the COVID-19 pandemic surveillance in Central Asia we conducted during the first year of the pandemic by providing 2 additional years of data for the region. The historical context provided through additional data can inform regional preparedness and early responses to infectious outbreaks of either the SARS-CoV-2 virus or future pathogens in Central Asia.

Objective: First, we aim to measure whether there was an expansion or contraction in the pandemic in Central Asia when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic on May 5, 2023.

Updated Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023) in Sub-Saharan Africa: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

Background: This study updates the initial COVID-19 pandemic surveillance in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 2020 by providing 2 additional years of data for the region.

Objective: First, we aimed to measure whether there was an expansion or contraction in the pandemic in SSA when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an end to the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic on May 5, 2023. Second, we used dynamic and genomic surveillance methods to describe the history of the pandemic in the region and situate the window of the WHO declaration within the broader history.

Updated Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023) in Latin America and the Caribbean: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

Background: In May 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 40% of worldwide COVID-19-related deaths at the time. This high disease burden was a result of the unique circumstances in LAC.

Objective: This study aimed to (1) measure whether the pandemic was expanding or contracting in LAC when the WHO declared the end of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2023; (2) use dynamic and genomic surveillance methods to describe the history of the pandemic in the region and situate the window of the WHO declaration within the broader history; and (3) provide, with a focus on prevention policies, a historical context for the course of the pandemic in the region.

Updated Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023) in Europe: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

Background: In this study, we built upon our initial research published in 2020 by incorporating an additional 2 years of data for Europe. We assessed whether COVID-19 had shifted from the pandemic to endemic phase in the region when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the public health emergency of international concern on May 5, 2023.

Objective: We first aimed to measure whether there was an expansion or contraction in the pandemic in Europe at the time of the WHO declaration.

Updated Surveillance Metrics and History of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023) in the Middle East and North Africa: Longitudinal Trend Analysis.

Background: This study updates the COVID-19 pandemic surveillance in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) we first conducted in 2020 with 2 additional years of data for the region.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether the MENA region meets the criteria for moving from a pandemic to endemic. In doing so, this study considers pandemic trends, dynamic and genomic surveillance methods, and region-specific historical context for the pandemic.

Older adult drug overdose: an application of latent class analysis to identify prevention opportunities.

Background: Older adult overdose death rates have increased significantly in recent years. However, research for prevention of drug overdose death specific to older adults is limited. Our objective is to identify profiles based on missed intervention points (touchpoints) to inform prevention of future older adult unintentional overdose deaths.

Investigating the 2016 surge in firearm violence in Illinois, USA, through community-based organisations: a qualitative study.

Background: Illinois experienced a historic firearm violence surge in 2016 with a decline to baseline rates in 2018. This study aimed to understand this 2016 surge through the direct accounts of violence prevention community-based organisations (CBOs) in Illinois.

Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 20 representatives from 13 CBOs from the south and west sides of greater Chicago metropolitan area.

Health care and harm reduction provider perspectives on treating older adults who use non-medical opioids: a qualitative study set in Chicago.

Background: Opioid overdose death rates are increasing for adults aged 55 and older, with especially high rates in large urban areas. In parallel, admissions to treatment programs for older adults using illicit substances are increasing as well. Despite these trends, there is a lack of information about older adults who use non-medical opioids (NMO) and even less knowledge about their health and service encounters.

Unintentional Opioid Overdose Death Characteristics in Illinois Before and During the COVID-19 Era, 2017 to 2020.

This cross-sectional study characterizes Illinois unintentional opioid overdose deaths from July 2017 through June 2020 using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System.

Geographic Trends in Opioid Overdoses in the US From 1999 to 2020.

This cross-sectional study examines changes in rates of opioid-involved overdose deaths from 1999 to 2020 in US counties categorized from most urban to most rural.

The Association Between Adolescent Active Commuting to School and Parent Walking Behavior: The FLASHE Study.

Purpose: To examine the relationship between adolescent active commuting to school (ACS; walking or biking to/from school) and parent walking activity.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: US nationwide online surveys.

Disparities by Sex and Race and Ethnicity in Death Rates Due to Opioid Overdose Among Adults 55 Years or Older, 1999 to 2019.

Importance: Rates of opioid overdose deaths are increasing for older adults. Less is known about these deaths compared with those of younger adults.

Objective: To analyze rate variation among opioid overdose deaths in older adults by sex and by race and ethnicity over time.