COVID-19 Vaccines: Moderna And Pfizer-BioNTech Use Varied By Urban, Rural Counties.

We investigated county-level variation in mRNA COVID-19 vaccine use among Medicare beneficiaries throughout the United States. There was greater use of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines than Moderna vaccines in urban areas for first and booster doses.

Data resource profile: COVid VAXines effects on the aged (COVVAXAGE).

Background: To improve the assessment of COVID-19 vaccine use, safety, and effectiveness in older adults and persons with complex multimorbidity, the COVid VAXines Effects on the Aged (COVVAXAGE) database was established by linking CVS Health and Walgreens pharmacy customers to Medicare claims.

Methods: We deterministically linked CVS Health and Walgreens customers who had a pharmacy dispensation/encounter paid for by Medicare to Medicare enrollment and claims records. Linked data include U.

COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccine Coadministration Among Older U.S. Adults.

Introduction: Coadministering COVID-19 and influenza vaccines is recommended by public health authorities and intended to improve uptake and convenience; however, the extent of vaccine coadministration is largely unknown. Investigations into COVID-19 and influenza vaccine coadministration are needed to describe compliance with newer recommendations and to identify potential gaps in the implementation of coadministration.

Methods: A descriptive, repeated cross-sectional study between September 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021 (Period 1) and September 1, 2022 to November 30, 2022 (Period 2) was conducted.

Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 booster vaccination among U.S. older adults differ by geographic region and Medicare enrollment.

Introduction: COVID-19 booster vaccines are highly effective at reducing severe illness and death from COVID-19. Research is needed to identify whether racial and ethnic disparities observed for the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccines persist for booster vaccinations and how those disparities may vary by other characteristics. We aimed to measure racial and ethnic differences in booster vaccine receipt among U.

Factors associated with receipt of mRNA-1273 vaccine at a United States national retail pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) prompted accelerated vaccine development of novel messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer, which received FDA Emergency Use Authorization in December 2020. The purpose of this study was to examine trends in primary series administration and multi-dose completion rates with Moderna's mRNA-1273 vaccine administered at a United States retail pharmacy.

Methods: Walgreens pharmacy data were joined to publicly available data sets to examine trends in mRNA-1273 primary series and multi-dose completion across patient race/ethnicity, age, gender, distance to first vaccination, and community characteristics.

The Impact of Pharmacist Vaccination Privilege during a Nation-Wide Measles Outbreak.

The 2019 measles outbreak was the worst since the US eliminated measles in 2000. This paper presents the vaccination trends for a large chain-pharmacy, Walgreens, and examines the estimated vaccination capacity and impact of pharmacist privilege policies across states. Specifically, we estimated the number of people who could have been vaccinated in eight states with reduced or no measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination privilege during the study period January-June, 2019.

A cross-sectional study of physical activity participation among adults with chronic conditions participating in a digital health program.

Objective: Many American adults are insufficiently active. Digital health programs are designed to motivate this population to engage in regular physical activity and often rely on wearable devices and apps to objectively measure physical activity for a large number of participants. The purpose of this epidemiological study was to analyze the rates of physical activity among participants in a digital health program.

Epidemiologic and economic impact of pharmacies as vaccination locations during an influenza epidemic.

Introduction: During an influenza epidemic, where early vaccination is crucial, pharmacies may be a resource to increase vaccine distribution reach and capacity.

Methods: We utilized an agent-based model of the US and a clinical and economics outcomes model to simulate the impact of different influenza epidemics and the impact of utilizing pharmacies in addition to traditional (hospitals, clinic/physician offices, and urgent care centers) locations for vaccination for the year 2017.

Results: For an epidemic with a reproductive rate (R0) of 1.

RE-AIM in Clinical, Community, and Corporate Settings: Perspectives, Strategies, and Recommendations to Enhance Public Health Impact.

The RE-AIM Framework is a planning and evaluation model that has been used in a variety of settings to address various programmatic, environmental, and policy innovations for improving population health. In addition to the broad application and diverse use of the framework, there are lessons learned and recommendations for the future use of the framework across clinical, community, and corporate settings. The purposes of this article are to: (A) provide a brief overview of the RE-AIM Framework and its pragmatic use for planning and evaluation; (B) offer recommendations to facilitate the application of RE-AIM in clinical, community, and corporate settings; and (C) share perspectives and lessons learned about employing RE-AIM dimensions in the planning, implementation, and evaluation phases within these different settings.

Gait Speed and Dynamic Stability Decline Accelerates Only in Late Life: A Cross-sectional Study in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Background And Purpose: Incidence of falls increases with age whereas gait speed declines. The purposes of this study were to examine (1) whether gait speed and center-of-mass (COM) velocity declined steadily across ages in a linear fashion among community-dwelling older adults, and (2) whether such decline corresponded to the similar decline in dynamic stability, which is governed by the control of their COM position and COM velocity relative to base of support (BOS).

Methods: A total of 184 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) participated in the cross-sectional study.

Cognitive Training among Cognitively Impaired Older Adults: A Feasibility Study Assessing the Potential Improvement in Balance.

Background: Emerging literature suggests that mobility and cognition are linked. Epidemiological data support a negative association between cognition and falls among cognitively intact older adults. A small number of intervention studies found that regimented cognitive training (CT) improves mobility among this population, suggesting that CT may be an under-explored approach toward reducing falls.

An Interactive Computer Session to Initiate Physical Activity in Sedentary Cardiac Patients: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Physical activity (PA) improves many facets of health. Despite this, the majority of American adults are insufficiently active. Adults who visit a physician complaining of chest pain and related cardiovascular symptoms are often referred for further testing.

A randomized trial to measure the impact of a community-based cognitive training intervention on balance and gait in cognitively intact Black older adults.

Introduction: Fall prevention is important for maintaining mobility and independence into old age. Approaches for reducing falls include exercise, tai chi, and home modifications; however, causes of falling are multifactorial and include not just physical but cognitive factors. Cognitive decline occurs with age, but older adults with the greatest declines in executive function experience more falls.

Impact of Cognitive Training on Balance and Gait in Older Adults.

Objectives: Cognitive processing plays an important role in balance and gait and is a contributing factor to falls in older adults. This relationship may be explained by the fact that higher order cognitive functions such as executive functions are called upon while walking. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a cognitive training intervention leads to significant improvements on measures of balance and gait.

Improving participation rates for women of color in health research: the role of group cohesion.

Adherence to physical activity and dietary interventions is a common challenge. Interventions that use group cohesion strategies show promise for increasing adherence, but have not been tested among women of color. The purpose of this study was to determine whether dimensions of group cohesion mediate the association between intervention condition and attendance within a community physical activity program for women of color.

Health literacy is associated with healthy eating index scores and sugar-sweetened beverage intake: findings from the rural Lower Mississippi Delta.

Background: Although health literacy has been a public health priority area for more than a decade, the relationship between health literacy and dietary quality has not been thoroughly explored.

Objective: To evaluate health literacy skills in relation to Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption while accounting for demographic variables.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Sustainability of evidence-based community-based physical activity programs for older adults: lessons from Active for Life.

Program sustainability in community and healthcare settings is critical to realizing the translation of research into practice. The purpose of this study is to describe the implementation and assessment of an intervention to increase organizational maintenance of evidence-based physical activity programs and the factors that impede or facilitate sustainability. All organizations implemented a sustainability action plan that included identifying factors related to sustainability, examining resources available, identifying program modifications to enhance sustainability, and long-term action planning.

Building a multiple modality, theory-based physical activity intervention: The development of CardiACTION!

OBJECTIVES: Despite the widely acknowledged benefits of regular physical activity (PA), specific goals for increased population levels of PA, and strongly recommended strategies to promote PA, there is no evidence suggesting that the prevalence of PA is improving. If PA intervention research is to be improved, theory should be used as the basis for intervention development, participant context or environment should be considered in the process, and intervention characteristics that will heighten the likelihood of translation into practice should be implemented (e.g.

Reach and effectiveness of a weight loss intervention in patients with prediabetes in Colorado.

Introduction: Although lifestyle interventions are effective in delaying the onset of diabetes, translating these lessons to routine health care settings remains a challenge. We investigated the effectiveness of a theory-based, brief, small-group weight loss intervention for diabetes prevention. A secondary purpose was to determine the potential reach of the intervention.

Determining the impact of Walk Kansas: applying a team-building approach to community physical activity promotion.

Background: Research and practice partnerships have the potential to enhance the translation of research findings into practice.

Purpose: This paper describes such a partnership in the development of Walk Kansas (WK) and highlights individual and organizational level outcomes.

Method: Phase 1 examined: (a) the reach of WK, (b) physical activity changes, and (c) maintenance of physical activity changes 6 months after the program was completed.

Piloting a behavioral intervention delivered through interactive voice response telephone messages to promote weight loss in a pre-diabetic population.

Objective: To pilot test the feasibility and effectiveness of interactive voice response (IVR) calls targeting physical activity and healthful eating as strategies for weight loss for patients with pre-diabetes.

Methods: Participants (N=77) who engaged in a 90-min diabetes prevention class were randomly assigned to receive IVR support targeting physical activity and nutrition weight loss strategies or to a no-contact control. Physical activity, dietary intake, and body weight were assessed prior to and following the 3-month intervention.

Translating efficacious behavioral principles for diabetes prevention into practice.

This case study describes the process of translating efficacy-based Diabetes Prevention Program principles into a practical format for delivery within a managed care organization. Using Rogers' innovation-decision process model, the authors tracked the adoption, implementation, and short-term effectiveness of a clinical program. Effectiveness was documented using a pre-post design to detect changes in physical activity and dietary habits.