Language disparities in pandemic information: Autocomplete analysis of COVID-19 searches in New York.

To audit and compare search autocomplete results in Spanish and English during the early COVID-19 pandemic in the New York metropolitan area. The pandemic led to significant online search activity about the disease, its spread, and remedies. As gatekeepers, search engines like Google can influence public opinion.

Assessing the Disruption of Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Adults Living With HIV by Age in Essex County, NJ: A Cross-Sectional Study.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians and researchers were concerned about its impact on the health of people living with HIV (PLWH). Although mitigation measures during the early part of the pandemic used telehealth, it was uncertain whether PLWH would be amenable to this type of care and whether health outcomes would be affected. PLWH actively seeking treatment at a large urban outpatient practice in Essex County, New Jersey, were interviewed from October 2020 to June 2021 about their health-related experiences during COVID-19.

Marketing Strategies Used by Tobacco Companies Targeting the Queer Community.

This study described the marketing strategies tobacco companies use to advertise tobacco products to the Queer community. In this secondary qualitative analysis, 15 Queer participants were interviewed to explore their life experiences with tobacco product advertisements during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants self-reported as male (n = 5), followed by female (n = 4), gender non-binary (n = 4) and, transgender (n = 2).

Remote mental health first aid training for correctional officers: A pilot study.

Mental health first aid (MHFA) training is a low-cost, evidence-based intervention that teaches trainees to recognize signs of mental distress. Thirty correctional officers (COs) were recruited to participate in a remote MHFA intervention study. The COs were divided into three MHFA training sessions, with no more than 10 COs per group.

COVID-19 on Food Insecurity in Hispanic/Latino Essential and Non-essential Workers.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic's economic fallout has further exacerbated the health and well-being among Hispanics/Latinos, who maybe overrepresented in essential job industries and are vulnerable to experiencing food insecurity. This study explores whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected food security status differently among Latino/Hispanic essential and non-essential workers in the United States.

Methods: The COVID-19 Latino health cross-sectional survey was conducted and administered in person and virtually.

Health Is Power, and Health Is Wealth: Understanding the Motivators and Barriers of African American/Black Male Immigrants With Gastrointestinal Conditions.

The digestive health of African American/Black male immigrants in the United States has not been previously studied. Much of what is known about gastrointestinal (GI) concerns in this population is based on studies conducted on the overall Black American population. The purpose of this narrative study was to understand how African American/Black male immigrants with GI concerns navigated their GI condition.

Prediction Rules Identify Which Young Adults Have Higher Rates of Heavy Episodic Drinking After Exposure to 12-Week Text Message Interventions.

Background: An alcohol text message intervention recently demonstrated effects in reducing heavy episodic drinking (HED) days at the three month follow-up in young adults with a history of hazardous drinking. An important next step in understanding intervention effects involves identifying baseline participant characteristics that predict who will benefit from intervention exposure to support clinical decision-making and guide further intervention development. To identify baseline characteristics that predict HED, this exploratory study used a prediction rule ensemble (PRE).

Social Determinant of Health Framework to Examine the Impact of COVID-19 on Latino Health.

Objectives: Evaluated how COVID-19 impacted Latino health across social, economic, and emotional dimensions and differentiated whether adverse COVID-19-related effects persisted across respondents.

Methods: In both English and Spanish, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in the USA from June 2021 to April 2022. Chi-square tests, Z-tests, and T-tests were used to test for significant differences between Spanish- and English-speaking respondents.

Access to Hepatitis C Treatment during and after Incarceration in New Jersey, United States: A Qualitative Study.

Despite effective antiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus (HCV), people who are incarcerated and those returning to the community face challenges in obtaining HCV treatment. We aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to HCV treatment during and after incarceration. From July-November 2020 and June-July 2021, we conducted 27 semi-structured interviews with residents who were formerly incarcerated in jail or prison.

Understanding search autocompletes from the perspectives of English and Spanish speakers during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of the study was to explore differences in Google search autocompletes between English and Spanish-speaking users during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Twenty-nine individuals who were in areas with shelter-in-place state orders participated in a virtual focus group meeting to understand the algorithm bias of COVID-19 Google autocompletes. The three focus group meetings lasted for 90-120 minutes.

Exploring Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Knowledge in Incarcerated Men.

People who are incarcerated have a disproportionately high risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). While there is no known cure for HIV, there are biomedical approaches that can successfully manage the virus and prevent its transmission. A total of 267 men who are incarcerated completed a cross-sectional survey focused on cancer health, HIV prevention, and mental health in three state prisons.

Examining Attitudes, Expectations, and Tobacco Cessation Treatment Outcomes Among Incarcerated Tobacco Smokers.

People who are incarcerated have limited resources to help them quit tobacco smoking. This study assessed the association between baseline attitudes and expectations of the program with final smoking status as the outcome. A 6-week group-based counseling with nicotine patches was provided to incarcerated individuals to quit smoking.

Exploring Tobacco and E-Cigarette Use among Queer Adults during the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The purpose of this narrative study is to describe the vaping and smoking characteristics of Queer people ages 18-34 before March of 2020 and to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted those behaviors since March of 2020. In total, 31 participants were screened. Thirteen participants were screened prior to the emergence of COVID-19, and 18 were screened when study protocols transitioned to a remote setting (pre and during).

Understanding attachment styles, adverse childhood events, alcohol use, and trauma in Black and Latino Men with criminal justice histories.

Black and Latino men experience high rates of trauma before and during incarceration and upon release to the community. This study examines the association between trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and alcohol use on the adult attachment styles in a sample of 248 Black and Latino men with incarceration experiences. Most of the respondents indicated that they were single and never married (61.

Exploring Online Health Reviews to Monitor COVID-19 Public Health Responses in Alabama State Department of Corrections: Case Example.

Background: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has devastated incarcerated people throughout the United States.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a COVID-19 Health Review for Correctional Facilities.

Methods: The COVID-19 Health Review survey for the Department of Corrections was developed in Qualtrics to assess the following: (1) COVID-19 testing, (2) providing personal protective equipment, (3) vaccination procedures, (4) quarantine procedures, (5) COVID-19 mortality rates for inmates, (6) COVID-19 mortality rates for correctional officers and prison staff, (7) COVID-19 infection rates for inmates, (8) COVID-19 infection rates for correctional officers and prison staff, and (9) uptake of COVID-19 vaccines.

Exploring the role of telehealth: A novel approach to group-based smoking cessation treatment for men incarcerated in a rural state prison.

Introduction: Tobacco smoking remains an important public health issue in the United States (US), specifically among people who are incarcerated. There is little to no information about smoking behaviors of incarcerated people in rural areas and there is a lack of resources for smoking cessation interventions in rural settings. Telehealth might be efficient for delivering care to incarcerated people in rural areas.

Barriers and Facilitators of Smoking Cessation among Latinos Living with HIV: Perspectives from Key Leaders of Community-Based Organizations and Clinics.

The purpose of this study was to identify the perspectives from key leaders of community-based organizations (CBOs) and clinics serving people living with HIV on barriers and facilitators of smoking cessation among Latino smokers living with HIV. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in English and Spanish with 10 key leaders. Using a social ecological model, qualitative theoretical analysis was used to analyze the results.

The Development and Prototype Feedback of Digital Cancer 101 Videos to Enhance Cancer Education for Marginalized Communities With Limited Health Literacy.

Social media, in the form of digital videos targeted to people with limited health literacy, as well as disadvantaged or marginalized groups, may help reduce cancer health disparities and improve health outcomes in these populations. In this article, we document the process of adapting the content from the Cancer 101 curriculum to create animated scripts about the cancer care continuum that is clear, straightforward, and in plain language. The development of the Cancer 101 digital videos required a multidisciplinary collaboration from-public health, medicine, technology, and expertise in correctional health, smoking cessation, web development, video producers, and individuals directly impacted by cancer disparities.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Culturally- and Linguistically-Adapted Smoking Cessation Text Messaging Intervention for Latino Smokers.

Assess the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally- and linguistically-adapted smoking cessation text messaging intervention for Latino smokers. Using a community-based strategy, 50 Latino smokers were recruited to participate in a smoking cessation pilot study. Participants received a 12-week text messaging intervention and were offered Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) at no cost.

The Preliminary Efficacy and Feasibility of Group-Based Smoking Cessation Treatment Program for Incarcerated Smokers.

Group-based tobacco dependence treatment has been known to help smokers to quit in general adult populations, but the feasibility and efficacy of this type of smoking cessation treatment in correctional settings remain uncertain. A 6-week group-based smoking cessation treatment with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the form of nicotine patches was implemented in seven male prison facilities, in the Northeast, among smokers who were born biologically as male. Exhaled breath carbon monoxide (CO) levels were collected from participants at each session to confirm smoking status.

The Burden of COVID-19 in People Living with HIV: A Syndemic Perspective.

The emergence of the novel coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 creates another health burden for people living with HIV (PLWH) who face multiple morbidities and may be at heightened risk for severe physical health illness from COVID-19. Our abilities to address these morbidities in PLWH must be considered alongside the socially-produced burdens that both place this population at risk for COVID-19 and heighten the likelihood of adverse outcomes. These burdens can affect the physical, emotional, and social well-being of PLWH and interfere with the delivery of effective healthcare and access to HIV treatment.

Harnessing Digital Videos to Promote Cancer Prevention and Education: a Systematic Review of the Literature from 2013-2018.

Social media has transformed the way cancer patients search for information about their chronic health problems. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify the use of online digital videos to increase cancer knowledge and to understand information preference, behavioral changes, and attitudes towards online cancer education videos. The databases used for this review included MedLine, PsychINFO, and PubMed.

Cigarette Smoke and Cancer Health Among Incarcerated Men in U.S. Northeastern Prison Facilities.

Incarcerated men, an understudied population, have not been the focus of cancer prevention studies. The Cancer Risk in Incarcerated Men Study was developed to examine smoking behaviors and cancer health among 236 incarcerated men. The participants were between 19 and 86 years of age.