School neighborhood deprivation is associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension.

Objectives: To examine the association between socioeconomic characteristics of school neighborhoods and the prevalence of hypertension in adolescents.

Study Design: We performed a secondary data analysis of over 21,000 adolescents who participated in a school BP surveillance program between 2000 and 2017. BP status was confirmed by BP measurements on up to 3 occasions to diagnose sustained hypertension according to standard pediatric hypertension guidelines.

Residential proximity to oil and gas developments and childhood cancer survival.

Background: Environmental toxicants may impact survival in children with cancer, but the literature investigating these associations remains limited. Because oil and gas developments emit several hazardous air pollutants, the authors evaluated the relationship between residential proximity to oil or gas development and survival across 21 different pediatric cancers.

Methods: The Texas Cancer Registry had 29,730 children (≤19 years old) diagnosed with a primary cancer between 1995 to 2017.

The Use of Telemedicine by US Nephrologists for In-Center Hemodialysis Care During the Pandemic: An Analysis of National Medicare Claims.

Rationale & Objective: Because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the US government issued emergency waivers in March 2020 that removed regulatory barriers around the use of telemedicine. For the first time, nephrologists were reimbursed for telemedicine care delivered during in-center hemodialysis. We examined the use of telemedicine for in-center hemodialysis during the first 16 months of the pandemic.

Experiences of using the MINDSET Self-Management mobile health app among Hispanic Patients:Results of a qualitative study.

Background: Interventions focusing on epilepsy self-management (ESM) are vital for promoting the health of people living with epilepsy. E-technology and mobile health (mHealth) tools are becoming increasingly integrated into practice to promote self-management strategies for chronic diseases, enhance care delivery, and reduce health disparities. Management Information and Decision Support Epilepsy Tool (MINDSET), a bilingual decision support tool (available in English and Spanish), was found to be both feasible and effective in facilitating goal-based ESM in the clinic.

Socioeconomic disparities based on shooting intent in pediatric firearm injury.

Background: Pediatric firearm injury is often associated with socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Most studies only include fatal injuries and do not differentiate by shooting intent. We hypothesized that differences in neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage would be observed among shooting intents of fatal and nonfatal cases.

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of Three Outreach Events to Improve COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities in Houston, Texas, 2022.

Objectives: Lack of access to timely, accurate, and linguistically appropriate COVID-19 information has complicated the dissemination of evidence-based information and contributed to vaccine hesitancy among racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. We developed community events that provided outreach, education, and access to COVID-19 vaccination to overcome vaccine hesitancy in these communities.

Methods: Using spatial analysis techniques, we identified 3 communities with low vaccine uptake in Houston, Texas, in fall 2021; engaged 20 stakeholders from these communities via 4 focus groups to understand barriers to vaccination; and developed and implemented 3 COVID-19 vaccine education and outreach events tailored to the needs of these communities in January-March 2022.

Trends in Up-To-Date Colorectal Cancer Screening Among U.S. Adults Aged 50-75 Years and Variations by Race/Ethnicity and U.S. Census Bureau Divisions.

Introduction: Mortality rates from colorectal cancer have declined over the past decades owing to population-based life-saving screening interventions. However, screening inequalities continue among racial and ethnic minorities despite having a higher disease burden. In this study, we assessed the patterns of up-to-date colorectal cancer screening rates among racial/ethnic groups across the U.

Clustering of Pediatric Brain Tumors in Texas, 2000-2017.

Risk factors for pediatric brain tumors are largely unknown. Identifying spatial clusters of these rare tumors on the basis of residential address may provide insights into childhood socio-environmental factors that increase susceptibility. From 2000-2017, the Texas Cancer Registry recorded 4305 primary brain tumors diagnosed among children (≤19 years old).

COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among US Adults According to Standard Occupational Groups.

This cross-sectional ecological study examined the relationship between neighborhood-level standard occupational groups in the USA and COVID-19 vaccine uptake using 774 census tract data, each consisting of approximately 1600 housing units. The neighborhood-level COVID-19 vaccination uptake data were retrieved from Harris County Public Health, Harris County, Texas. The standard occupational group data were from the US Census Bureau.

MINDSET: Clinic-based decision support demonstrates longitudinal efficacy for increased epilepsy self-management adherence among Spanish speaking patients.

Background: MINDSET, a bilingual (Eng./Span.) decision support tool was found feasible for facilitating goal-based epilepsy self-management (ESM) in the clinic.