Towards the outbreak tail, what is the public opinion about wastewater surveillance in the United States?

National opinions on a wide variety of public health topics can change over time and have highly contextual nuances. This study is a follow-up to prior inquiries into the knowledge of wastewater-based epidemiology, privacy concerns surrounding sample collection, and the use of data acquired, along with privacy awareness from an online survey conducted in the metropolitan United States during the winter of 2023. Mentions of wastewater-surveillance-related terms in the media remained common.

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Health Education Programs for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Rural Communities: Implications for Promoting Health Equity.

Rural women face an increased risk of cervical cancer diagnosis in comparison to women living in metropolitan areas. This review synthesized and critically evaluated cervical cancer screening interventions that target women living in rural communities in the USA. EBSCO, JSTOR, Medline, PsychINFO, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed, and Cochrane Library were searched using keywords related to cervical cancer screening, rural communities, and prevention interventions.

Using Project ECHO to Keep Professionals Well at Work: Individual and Organizational Outcomes.

Objective: The toll of COVID-19 stress on the mental health of the workforce has been well-documented. The present study examined the use of the Project ECHO framework to provide practices and resources on stress management and emotion regulation to increase individual and organizational health and well-being.

Methods: Three independent ECHOs were designed and conducted over an 18-month period.

Nationwide public perceptions regarding the acceptance of using wastewater for community health monitoring in the United States.

To assess the levels of infection across communities during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, researchers have measured severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 RNA in feces dissolved in sewer water. This activity is colloquially known as sewer monitoring and is referred to as wastewater-based epidemiology in academic settings. Although global ethical principles have been described, sewer monitoring is unregulated for health privacy protection when used for public health surveillance in the United States.

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators in Accessing Cervical Cancer Screening: The Voices of Women in a Low-Income Urban Community.

Although advancements in cervical cancer prevention have helped reduce the incidence, mortality, and prevalence, access to these preventive services has not been experienced equally by all women in the United States. The purpose of this study was to learn about the factors that affect access to preventive services in a low-income, primarily Black community. Using a community-based participatory research approach, women were recruited to participate in 7 focus groups, with 6 to 8 women per group (N = 45).

Statins are associated with new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Medicare patients ≥65 years.

Background: To evaluate the association of statins and co-morbidities with new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in patients 65 years and older.

Methods: This retrospective study used de-identified administrative healthcare claims and enrolment data from a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) health plan offered by a large multistate healthcare company. The plan covered >2.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) "Remission" in Non-bariatric Patients 65 Years and Older.

To analyze the factors associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) "remission" in non-bariatric Medicare patients 65 years and older. A retrospective cohort analysis of a Medicare Advantage health plan was conducted using administrative data. An individual was identified as T2DM if the individual had: ≥ 2 medical claims for T2DM coded 250.

Influence of Built Environment Quality and Social Capital on Mental Health of Residents of Assisted Living Communities in Louisville, Kentucky.

Prior research has shown social capital and built environment quality are associated with overall health status and the incidence of mental illness. This study explores the relationship between social capital, built environment, and quality of life specifically for assisted living residents, currently a gap in the literature. A total of 76 assisted living residents were interviewed for the study using researcher-administered questionnaires.

Parents' adherence to pediatric health and safety guidelines: Importance of patient-provider relationships.

Objective: To examine 1) parent-provider communication about pediatric health/safety guidelines, 2) trust in child's provider, 3) comfort discussing guidelines, 4) agreement with guideline advice, 5) self-efficacy following guidelines, and their impact on guideline adherence.

Method: 256 parents of children ages 0-6 completed an online survey about sunscreen use, newborn Vitamin K injections, influenza vaccination, routine vaccination, car seats, infant safe sleep, furniture anchoring, large trampoline use, and firearm safety. Multivariable models regressed: 1) communication about each guideline on parents' corresponding guideline adherence; 2) trust, comfort discussing guidelines, agreement with guideline advice, self-efficacy, on parents' total guideline adherence.

Influencers and preference predictors of HPV vaccine uptake among US male and female young adult college students.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of male and female college students in Kentucky about HPV associated diseases and vaccines, and to determine which parameters predicted self-reported uptake of HPV vaccination.

Materials And Methods: A self-selected cross-sectional sample of college students completed an evidence-based online survey.

Results: Of approximately 1200 potential respondents, 585 completed the survey.

Cost-effectiveness of Strategies for Offering Influenza Vaccine in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Importance: Influenza is a significant public health burden, causing morbidity and mortality in children, yet vaccination rates remain low. Vaccination in the pediatric emergency department (PED) setting may be beneficial but, to date, has not been proven to be cost-effective.

Objective: To compare the cost-effectiveness of 4 strategies for PED-based influenza vaccine: offering vaccine to all patients, only to patients younger than 5 years, only to high-risk patients (all ages), or to no patients.

Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Compared to Unilateral Mastectomy with Routine Surveillance for Unilateral, Sporadic Breast Cancer.

Background: Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) rates in younger women with unilateral breast cancer have more than doubled. Studies of cost and quality of life of the procedure remain inconclusive.

Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis using a decision-tree model in TreeAge Pro 2015 was used to compare long-term costs and quality of life following unilateral mastectomy (UM) with routine surveillance versus CPM for sporadic breast cancer in women aged 45 years.

Correction: Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Cortical and trabecular deterioration in mouse models of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is a profoundly effective treatment for severe obesity, but results in significant bone loss in patients. Developing a murine model that recapitulates this skeletal phenotype will provide a robust tool with which to study the physiologic mechanisms of this bone loss. We studied adult male C57BL/6J mice who underwent either RYGB or sham operation.

Relaxation Response and Resiliency Training and Its Effect on Healthcare Resource Utilization.

Background: Poor psychological and physical resilience in response to stress drives a great deal of health care utilization. Mind-body interventions can reduce stress and build resiliency. The rationale for this study is therefore to estimate the effect of mind-body interventions on healthcare utilization.

Tethered Cord Syndrome in the Pediatric-Adolescent Gynecologic Patient.

Study Objective: To describe how pediatric and adolescent patients present to the gynecologist when they have tethered cord syndrome (TCS).

Design: We conducted a retrospective chart review on all patients suspected by the gynecologist of having TCS.

Setting: Single pediatric and adolescent gynecology clinic in a mid-sized city in the midwest.

Weight Loss After RYGB Is Independent of and Complementary to Serotonin 2C Receptor Signaling in Male Mice.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) typically leads to substantial, long-term weight loss (WL) and diabetes remission, although there is a wide variation in response to RYGB among individual patients. Defining the pathways through which RYGB works should aid in the development of less invasive anti-obesity treatments, whereas identifying weight-regulatory pathways unengaged by RYGB could facilitate the development of therapies that complement the beneficial effects of surgery. Activation of serotonin 2C receptors (5-HT2CR) by serotonergic drugs causes WL in humans and animal models.

Intention to seek mental health treatment for adolescent girls: comparison of predictors in mothers and daughters.

Problem: To examine predictors of intention to seek mental health treatment for adolescent girls in mothers and daughters.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, mothers and adolescent daughters (n = 71) completed measures of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intention to seek mental health treatment for the adolescent daughter.

Findings: Behavioral attitude and perceived behavioral control predicted intention to seek mental health treatment among mothers.

Use of the levonorgestrel intrauterine system in adolescents with endometriosis.

Study Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate our adolescent patient population who had received a levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) at or after the time of endometriosis diagnosis, and determine efficacy of the LNG-IUS in regards to pain and bleeding on follow-up exam.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Pediatric Adolescent Gynecology Clinic and Children's Hospital in a metropolitan area.

Health care decision making by mothers for their adolescent daughters regarding the quadrivalent HPV vaccine.

Study Objective: In this study we sought to understand the predictors of a mother's decision (behavior) to vaccinate her daughter with the initial dose of the HPV vaccine.

Design: This prospective, cross sectional study involved a convenience sample of 68 mother-daughter dyads recruited to test the hypothesis that the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables (attitudes toward vaccine, perception of others' opinions, and perceived difficulty in obtaining vaccine) would explain a mother's decision to consent for her daughter to receive the first dose of the HPV vaccine.

Main Outcome Measures: Mothers and daughters independently completed survey instruments that measure the variables of the TPB (attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control).

Prehabilitation and quality of life three months after total knee arthroplasty: a pilot study.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA), which affects over 27 million Americans, decreases the individual's quality of life through decreasing mobility, deconditioning, reducing functional ability, and increasing knee pain. The present aim was to assess whether such patients engaging in exercise prior to surgery ("prehabilitation"; preoperative exercise intervention) rate higher quality of life 3 mo. after their surgery compared with ratings by patients who did not engage in prehabilitation.

Gender differences in diabetes self-management among African American adults.

The rising incidence of diabetes complications among African Americans is a major health concern. Few studies have addressed gender differences in diabetes self-management in this population. The purpose of this study was to determine whether gender differences in facilitators and barriers to self-management exist among African American adults with type 2 diabetes.

Psychological distress among nurses caring for victims of war in Sri Lanka.

Objective: To determine prevalence and factors associated with psychological distress among nurses caring for war victims in Sri Lanka.

Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 241 nurses from 2 hospitals with stratified random sampling according to workstation. Self-administered 30-item General Health Questionnaire was used to detect psychological distress.

Facilitators and barriers to self-management of type 2 diabetes among urban African American adults: focus group findings.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify facilitators and barriers to self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among urban African American adults.

Methods: Thirty-eight African American adults with T2DM were recruited from 1 of 3 health care agencies in a midsized city in the southeastern United States. Qualitative data were obtained using focus groups, wherein each participant engaged in a 60- to 90-minute audio-recorded session.

Palliative care case management: increasing access to community-based palliative care for Medicaid recipients.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot project was to integrate palliative care principles and practices into the day-to-day operations of a Medicaid managed care provider. This was accomplished through the following five activities: (1) employment of an experienced palliative care nurse and social worker to serve as expert role models and consultants to the case management staff; (2) development of a palliative care training curriculum for case managers; (3) provision and evaluation of the training; (4) identification of appropriate patients, provision of palliative care case management (PCCM), and tracking of outcomes; and (5) development of a resource/reference manual for case managers.

Primary Practice Setting: The project involved a managed care organization providing Medicaid services to patients residing in both urban and rural settings.