Publications by authors named "Nisha Fahey"
Shortly after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 was diagnosed a public health emergency (PHE) was declared and a multi-agency response was initiated within the US federal government to create and propagate testing capacity. As part of this response, an unprecedented program designated Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech was established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to facilitate the development of point-of-care tests for the COVID-19. The RADx Tech Clinical Studies Core (CSC), located at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan), with partnering academic, private, and non-governmental organizations around the country, was tasked with developing clinical studies to support this work.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Few studies have examined how multi-level social factors interact and affect developmental patterns of sexual risk among middle-to-late adolescents who are at risk of experiencing sexual risk behaviors. We examined developmental trajectories of sexual risk behaviors of boys and girls in middle-to-late adolescence and the effects of exposure to three social risk factors (poor parental monitoring, peer risk, and neighborhood risk).
Methods: We followed 2,332 Bahamian adolescents every six months from Grades 10-12.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed the effectiveness of rapid and PCR tests for detecting SARS-CoV-2 after symptom onset and exposure among various populations in the U.S. between October 2021 and February 2022.
- Findings showed that test positivity was highest two days after symptoms began and six days after exposure, with Ag-RDTs detecting around 84.9% of infections within four days of symptoms.
- Results indicated no significant differences in test performance based on vaccination status, age, sex, or virus variant, but asymptomatic individuals had lower Ag-RDT positivity rates compared to those with symptoms.
Objectives: To assess racial and ethnic minority parents' perceptions about barriers to well-child visit attendance.
Methods: For this cross-sectional qualitative study, we recruited parents of pediatric primary care patients who were overdue for a well-child visit from the largest safety net healthcare organization in central Massachusetts to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews focused on understanding potential knowledge, structural, and experiential barriers for well-child visit attendance.
Background: The performance of rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) for screening asymptomatic and symptomatic persons for SARS-CoV-2 is not well established.
Objective: To evaluate the performance of Ag-RDTs for detection of SARS-CoV-2 among symptomatic and asymptomatic participants.
Design: This prospective cohort study enrolled participants between October 2021 and January 2022.
Background: Rapid antigen detection tests (Ag-RDT) for SARS-CoV-2 with emergency use authorization generally include a condition of authorization to evaluate the test's performance in asymptomatic individuals when used serially. We aim to describe a novel study design that was used to generate regulatory-quality data to evaluate the serial use of Ag-RDT in detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus among asymptomatic individuals.
Methods: This prospective cohort study used a siteless, digital approach to assess longitudinal performance of Ag-RDT.
Background: The performance of rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 (Ag-RDT) in temporal relation to symptom onset or exposure is unknown, as is the impact of vaccination on this relationship.
Objective: To evaluate the performance of Ag-RDT compared with RT-PCR based on day after symptom onset or exposure in order to decide on 'when to test'.
Design Setting And Participants: The Test Us at Home study was a longitudinal cohort study that enrolled participants over 2 years old across the United States between October 18, 2021 and February 4, 2022.
Background: It is important to document the performance of rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDTs) in detecting SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Objective: To compare the performance of Ag-RDTs in detecting the Delta (B.1.
Background: Performance of rapid antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 (Ag-RDT) varies over the course of an infection, and their performance in screening for SARS-CoV-2 is not well established. We aimed to evaluate performance of Ag-RDT for detection of SARS-CoV-2 for symptomatic and asymptomatic participants.
Methods: Participants >2 years old across the United States enrolled in the study between October 2021 and February 2022.
Background: Rapid antigen tests (Ag-RDT) for SARS-CoV-2 with Emergency Use Authorization generally include a condition of authorization to evaluate the test's performance in asymptomatic individuals when used serially.
Objective: To describe a novel study design to generate regulatory-quality data to evaluate serial use of Ag-RDT in detecting SARS-CoV-2 virus among asymptomatic individuals.
Design: Prospective cohort study using a decentralized approach.
Background: Serial testing for SARS-CoV-2 is recommended to reduce spread of the virus; however, little is known about adherence to recommended testing schedules and reporting practices to health departments.
Objective: The Self-Testing for Our Protection from COVID-19 (STOP COVID-19) study aims to examine adherence to a risk-based COVID-19 testing strategy using rapid antigen tests and reporting of test results to health departments.
Methods: STOP COVID-19 is a 12-week digital study, facilitated using a smartphone app for testing assistance and reporting.
Background: India is at the epicentre of global child undernutrition. Strategies to identify at-risk populations are needed in the context of limited resources.
Methods: Data from children under the age of five surveyed in the 2015-2016 National Family Health Survey were used.
Background: India launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to strengthen its primary healthcare system in high-focus and northeast-focus states. One of the NRHM objectives was to reduce child undernutrition in India.
Methods And Findings: We used data from 1992, 1998, 2005, and 2015 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India to evaluate trends in child undernutrition prevalence before and after NRHM and across different categories of focus states.
Article Synopsis
- * Out of 5,506 eligible participants, 153 tested positive via RT-PCR (61 for Delta, 92 for Omicron), with only 23.5% testing Ag-RDT positive on the same day and 54.9% within 48 hours, showing no significant difference in sensitivity between the two variants.
- * The findings suggest that while Ag-RDT performance is slightly better for Omicron, the differences are not statistically significant, and a subset of participants remained Ag-RDT negative despite testing positive
Background: There is a lack of nationally representative estimates for the consequences of early childhood undernutrition on preadolescent outcomes in India. Understanding this relationship is helpful to develop interventions that not only prevent child undernutrition but also mitigate its consequences.
Methods And Findings: In this cohort study, we analyzed prospectively gathered data from 2 waves of the India Human Development Survey (IHDS) to investigate the association of undernutrition during early childhood (0 to 5 years) in 2004 to 2005 with physical and cognitive outcomes during preadolescent (8 to 11 years) years in 2011 to 2012.
The RADx Tech Clinical Studies Core: A Model for Academic Based Clinical Studies.
IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol
April 2021
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Tech initiative to support the development and commercialization of novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) point-of-care test devices. The primary objective of the Clinical Studies Core (CSC) was to perform SARS-CoV-2 device studies involving diverse populations and settings. Within a few months, the infrastructure for clinical studies was developed, including a master protocol, digital study platform, data management system, single IRB, and multi-site partnerships.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Breastfeeding and Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) are interventions to reduce neonatal mortality and undernutrition. We investigated the knowledge of allopathic and Ayurvedic, Yoga-naturopathy, Siddha, and Homeopathic (AYUSH) general practitioners in rural western India and identified attributes associated with awareness and knowledge on these topics.
Methods: This cross-sectional study of general practitioners in the Anand district of Gujarat, India, used an anonymous self-reported survey.
. The Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) curriculum is an established, effective method to combat neonatal mortality. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted in-person HBB training sessions worldwide, portending deficits in the dissemination of this important intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAims: We have evaluated screen time usage among preschool-aged (≤6 years) children in rural Western India. In addition, we have evaluated various lifestyle factors and their impact on the screen time of these children.
Materials And Methods: English-medium schools in the locality were chosen based on convenience.
Article Synopsis
- The study highlights the urgent need for early detection of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) in India, as it can prevent AF-related strokes, but currently lacks a national screening and treatment strategy due to unclear AF epidemiology.
- Using mobile technology, researchers screened over 2,000 participants in rural India for AF, finding a prevalence rate of 1.6%, which was notably higher in older individuals and males.
- The findings suggest that AF screening by village health workers is practical in rural settings and could significantly contribute to primary prevention efforts, akin to trends observed in North America and Western Europe.
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the world's most common arrhythmia, often goes undetected and untreated in low-resource communities, including India, where AF epidemiology is undefined. AF is an important risk factor for stroke, which plagues an estimated 1.6 million Indians annually.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCaste matters: perceived discrimination among women in rural India.
Arch Womens Ment Health
April 2018
The aim of this study is to examine the relationship of caste and class with perceived discrimination among pregnant women from rural western India. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 170 pregnant women in rural Gujarat, India, who were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study. The Everyday Discrimination Scale and the Experiences of Discrimination questionnaires were used to assess perceived discrimination and response to discrimination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: In recent years there has been a surge in the number of global health programs operated by academic institutions. However, most of the existing programs describe partnerships that are primarily faculty-driven and supported by extramural funding.
Program Description: Research and Advocacy for Health in India (RAHI, or "pathfinder" in Hindi) and Support and Action Towards Health-Equity in India (SATHI, or "partnership" in Hindi) are 2 interconnected, collaborative efforts between the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and Charutar Arogya Mandal (CAM), a medical college and a tertiary care center in rural western India.
Background: Common mental disorders (CMD) are a constellation of mental health conditions that include depression, anxiety, and other related nonpsychotic affective disorders. Qualitative explanatory models of mental health among reproductive-aged women in India reveal that distress is strongly associated with CMD. The relationship of perceived stress and CMD might be attenuated or exacerbated based on an individual's sociodemographic characteristics.
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