Protective Environmental Factors and Opioid Use Among Sexual Minority Youth.

Nonmedical use of prescription opioids (NMUPO) is a pressing public health concern and affects sexual minority youth (SMY) at greater rates than heterosexual youth. We investigated whether protective environmental factors-(1) Human Rights Campaign's state equality index (SEI) and (2) supportive school environments for LGBTQ youth, influenced NMUPO among SMY and non-SMY students. We combined data from the 2017-2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2016-2018 School Health Profiles, state-level socio-demographic and SEI data across 24 states (N=156,149).

Adverse childhood experiences, antenatal stressful life events, and marijuana use during pregnancy: A population-based study.

Cumulative exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and antenatal stressful life events (ASLEs) are independently associated with marijuana use during pregnancy. However, research has not explored how both exposures may influence marijuana use jointly. Assessing the joint associations of ACEs and recent ASLEs on marijuana use can identify people who may benefit from early intervention.

Associations between Circumstances Surrounding Overdose and Underlying Classes of Polysubstance Overdose Deaths.

Background: The overdose crisis is worsening, with polysubstance overdose deaths involving psychostimulants increasing in the U.S. Substance-specific prevention and intervention activities may not be as effective for polysubstance use, so we sought to classify substances used among overdose decedents to identify unique factors related to these classes.

: Looking Forward after a Decade.

As our journal, , celebrates its tenth year, I want to express my gratitude to our publisher, MDPI, the editorial staff, our editors and reviewers, and the many authors for making it possible for to become a respective premier journal [...

Caveats for the Good and Bad of Dietary Red Meat.

Red meat and its constituents of heme iron or free iron have been the target of scrutiny related to their purported association to many chronic diseases. However, in contrast, red meat provides a rich source of nutrition. In 2007, Al Tappel hypothesized that the mechanistic explanation for the adverse impact of iron and heme iron could be the strong influence these substances have in initiating and promoting oxidative stress.