Preferential Initiation of Long-Acting Injectable Versus Oral HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Women Who Inject Drugs.

Fifty-five of 62 women who inject drugs (WWID) selected long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) over oral PrEP, and 51/55 received a first injection. More recent injection drug use and number of sexual partners were associated with selecting CAB-LA (P < .05).

Long-term mediation of a sexual risk-reduction intervention for South African adolescents.

Objective: Black adolescents in South Africa are disproportionately affected by HIV. A cluster-randomized controlled experiment examining the effects of a sexual risk-reduction intervention successfully reduced self-reported intercourse and unprotected intercourse. Based on long-term follow-up assessments, the present research examines theoretical constructs that could potentially mediate the intervention effects and how time and gender, respectively, moderated the mediation.

The impact of Medicaid funding structures on inequities in health care access for Latinos in New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico.

Objective: To study the impact of Medicaid funding structures before and after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on health care access for Latinos in New York (Medicaid expansion), Florida (Medicaid non-expansion), and Puerto Rico (Medicaid block grant).

Data Sources: Pooled state-level data for New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico from the 2011-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and data from the 2011-2019 American Community Survey and Puerto Rico Community Survey.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study using probit with predicted margins to separately compare four health care access measures among Latinos in New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico (having health insurance coverage, having a personal doctor, delayed care due to cost, and having a routine checkup).

Variation in call volume to the Veterans Crisis Line by women and men veterans prior to and following onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: To identify trends in volume of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Analysis of call frequency from VCL administrative records for all veteran contacts calling on their own behalf with gender identified from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. Interrupted time series analysis used to identify potential impact of COVID-19 pandemic on call volume by women and men veteran contacts.

Care processes and racial/ethnic differences in family reports of end-of-life care among Veterans: A mediation analysis.

Background: Bereaved family members of racial/ethnic minority Veterans are less likely than families of White Veterans to provide favorable overall ratings of end-of-life (EOL) care quality; however, the underlying mechanisms for these differences have not been explored. The objective of this study was to examine whether a set of EOL care process measures mediated the association between Veteran race/ethnicity and bereaved families' overall rating of the quality of EOL care in VA medical centers (VAMCs).

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of linked Bereaved Family Survey (BFS), administrative and clinical data was conducted.

Gender differences in veterans' use of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL): Findings from VCL call data.

Objective: To compare characteristics of calls to the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) by caller gender and identify potentially unique needs of women callers.

Method: Retrospective review of clinical data collected during VCL calls, comparing call characteristics between women and men veteran callers.

Results: The data included 116,029 calls by women veterans and 651,239 calls by men veterans between January 1, 2018-December 31, 2019.

Limited Risk Compensation Among Women Who Inject Drugs: Results From the Project Sexual Health Equity Preexposure Prophylaxis Demonstration Study in Philadelphia.

The impact of preexposure prophylaxis uptake on sexual and injection-related behaviors among women who inject drugs is poorly understood. Over 24 weeks, preexposure prophylaxis uptake among women who inject drugs was associated with increased sharing of injection equipment but not syringes and no changes in condomless sex, providing limited evidence of risk compensation in this vulnerable population.

Effects of a Health Promotion Intervention on Physical Activity in African American Men Living with HIV: Randomized Controlled Trial.

HIV and its treatment with antiretroviral therapy increase the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) tied to physical inactivity. Older African American men are also at high risk for NCDs. We tested the efficacy of a theory-based intervention to increase adherence to federal aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity (PA) guidelines among African American men aged 40 years and older living with HIV.

The Other US Border: Health Insurance Coverage Among Latino Immigrants In Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rico is a US territory and a popular destination for Latino immigrants in the Caribbean. Even with few language and cultural barriers, however, many Latino immigrants in Puerto Rico are uninsured. Using data from the 2014-19 Puerto Rico Community Survey, we examined inequities in health insurance coverage for non-Puerto Rican Latinos ages 18-64 living in Puerto Rico according to citizenship status and Latino subgroup (Dominican, Cuban, Mexican, and other Latino).

Applying the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Initiation Among Women Who Inject Drugs.

This study used Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP) to identify factors associated with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) initiation among women who inject drugs (WWID) when PrEP was offered at a syringe services program (SSP). Participants ( = 89) were WWID, $ge18 years, and eligible for PrEP. Most (69) initiated PrEP.

Perceived Discrimination and Hypertension Risk Among Participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background Black Americans have a higher risk of hypertension compared with White Americans. Perceived discrimination is a plausible explanation for these health disparities. Few studies have examined the impact of perceived discrimination on the incidence of hypertension among a racially diverse sample.

Intention to initiate and uptake of PrEP among women who injects drugs in a demonstration project: an application of the theory of planned behavior.

Some women who inject drugs (WWID) would benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), yet there are few studies of issues related to uptake in real-world settings. In this study, participants ( = 95) were offered PrEP and responded to items measuring PrEP-related attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. We tested associations with intention to initiate PrEP and uptake.

Predictors of Willingness to Diffuse PrEP Information within Ego-Centric Networks of Women Who Inject Drugs.

Little is known about how social networks among women who inject drugs (WWID) can be leveraged to increase awareness about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We tested the hypothesis that interpersonal characteristics influence willingness of WWID to communicate PrEP information with peers. Forty WWID ≥ 18 years completed social network surveys.

Integrating HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis With Community-Based Syringe Services for Women Who Inject Drugs: Results From the Project SHE Demonstration Study.

Introduction: To guide future preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) implementation for women who inject drugs (WWID), a population increasingly represented in new HIV cases in the United States, we present results from a demonstration project integrated within a syringe services program (SSP) in Philadelphia, PA.

Methods: WWID ≥18 years were educated about and offered 24 weeks of daily PrEP. Participants completed surveys and clinical assessments at baseline and at weeks 1, 3, 12, and 24.

State and Local Government Expenditures and Infant Mortality in the United States.

Background And Objectives: Evidence suggests that government expenditures on non-health care services can reduce infant mortality, but it is unclear what types of spending have the greatest impact among groups at highest risk. Thus, we sought to quantify how US state government spending on various services impacted infant mortality rates (IMRs) over time and whether spending differentially reduced mortality in some subpopulations.

Methods: A longitudinal, repeated-measures study of US state-level infant mortality and state and local government spending for the years 2000-2016, the most recent data available.

Motivations for PrEP-Related Interpersonal Communication Among Women Who Inject Drugs: A Qualitative Egocentric Network Study.

A qualitative egocentric social network approach was taken to explore motivations for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-related communication between women who inject drugs and network members. Eligible participants were HIV-negative, 18 years or older, and participating in a PrEP demonstration project in Philadelphia, PA, USA. The study employed content analysis of in-depth interviews to identify themes related to contextual and relational factors impacting PrEP communication within networks.

Framing Social Comparison Feedback With Financial Incentives for Physical Activity Promotion: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Social comparison feedback is often used in physical activity interventions but the optimal design of feedback is unknown.

Methods: This 4-arm, randomized trial consisted of a 13-week intervention period and 13-week follow-up period. During the intervention, 4-person teams were entered into a weekly lottery valued at about $1.

Respiratory medication use in extremely premature (<29 weeks) infants during initial NICU hospitalization: Results from the prematurity and respiratory outcomes program.

Background: The use of medications to treat respiratory conditions of extreme prematurity is often based upon studies of adults or children over 2 years of age. Little is known about the spectrum of medications used or dosing ranges. To inform the design of future studies, we conducted a prospective analysis of respiratory medication exposure among 832 extremely low gestational age neonates.

A combination intervention addressing sexual risk-taking behaviors among vulnerable women in Uganda: study protocol for a cluster randomized clinical trial.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS, with Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda accounting for 48% of new infections. A systematic review of the HIV burden among women engaged in sex work (WESW) in 50 low- and middle-income countries found that they had increased odds of HIV infection relative to the general female population. Social structural factors, such as the sex work environment, violence, stigma, cultural issues, and criminalization of sex work are critical in shaping sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV risks among WESW and their clients in Uganda.

Drawing from the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake intentions among heterosexuals in high HIV prevalence neighbourhoods in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: an observational study.

Unlabelled: Background Research surrounding attitudes and intentions concerning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among at-risk heterosexuals, women and ethnic and racial minorities is needed to inform programs to scale this effective HIV prevention intervention among these populations.

Methods: The study sample includes 192 HIV-negative heterosexuals recruited from HIV testing sites operating in high HIV prevalence neighbourhoods in a mid-Atlantic city. Participants received brief educational sessions on PrEP and completed a self-administered survey assessing sociodemographic factors, HIV risk behaviours and theoretical determinants of PrEP uptake, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

Respiratory Medications in Infants <29 Weeks during the First Year Postdischarge: The Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) Consortium.

Objective: To determine patterns of respiratory medications used in neonatal intensive care unit graduates.

Study Design: The Prematurity Respiratory Outcomes Program enrolled 835 babies <29 weeks of gestation in the first week. Of 751 survivors, 738 (98%) completed at least 1, and 85% completed all 4, postdischarge medication usage in-person/telephone parental questionnaires requested at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of corrected age.

Patient, Family, and Center-Based Factors Associated with Attrition in Neonatal Clinical Research: A Prospective Study.

Background: Attrition, or loss to follow-up, presents a significant threat to the integrity and validity of longitudinal clinical research. Little is known about predictors of attrition in neonatal clinical research, and no prior studies have examined how families' experiences participating in research with their infants influences study compliance.

Objective: To identify novel factors that were associated with attrition over 1 year of study follow-up among preterm infants enrolled in the multicenter Prematurity and Respiratory Outcomes Program (PROP) observational study.