Perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 in Tennessee, USA: a retrospective study.

Background: Despite high incidence and mortality risks associated with COVID-19 during the pandemic, stay-at-home orders and vaccination recommendations were met with varying levels of acceptance in Tennessee. Understanding perceptions of individuals regarding the health and economic impacts of COVID-19 is necessary to address public concerns while ensuring appropriate public health response. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (a) investigate differences in opinions among residents of Tennessee regarding the impacts of COVID-19; and (b) identify socioeconomic and demographic predictors/determinants of these opinions.

An exploratory assessment of human and animal health concerns of smallholder farmers in rural communities of Chimborazo, Ecuador.

Background: Livestock play important economic and cultural roles in smallholder communities of Ecuador, yet they also serve as potential sources of zoonotic infections. Understanding the animal and human health concerns of smallholder farmers is important in guiding strategies for improvement of the health and livelihoods of these resource-poor farmers. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: (a) assess the health concerns of smallholder farmers; (b) explore animal and waste management practices; and (c) identify predictors of pediatric and livestock diarrhea on smallholder farms in Ecuador.

Patient characteristics and cardiac surgical outcomes at a tertiary care hospital in Kenya, 2008-2017: a retrospective study.

Background: Cardiac surgeries are high risk procedures that require specialized care and access to these procedures is often limited in resource-poor countries. Although fatalities for surgical patients across Africa are twice that of the global rate, cardiac surgical mortality continent-wide is only slightly higher than all-surgical mortality. Understanding demographic and health characteristics of patients and the associations of these characteristics with morbidity and mortality events is important in guiding care decisions.

Examining the impact of patient characteristics and symptomatology on knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among foreign-born tuberculosis cases in the US and Canada.

Foreign-born individuals represent the majority of TB cases in the US/Canada. Little is known about their TB knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KAB). Cross-sectional survey was conducted in 22 sites in the US/Canada among foreign-born adults with active TB.