An Analysis of SNAP Online Purchasing Behavior in California: A Review of the First 7 Months of Program Implementation and Lessons Learned.

Purpose: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Online Purchasing Pilot (OPP) allows for the online purchase of groceries using SNAP benefits. First implemented in California in late April 2020, little is known about program usage. This study assessed initial implementation of SNAP Online in California using SNAP OPP transaction data from April - October 2020.

Optimal sampling allocation for outcome-dependent designs in cluster-correlated data settings.

In clinical and public health studies, it is often the case that some variables relevant to the analysis are too difficult or costly to measure for all individuals in the population of interest. Rather, a subsample of these individuals must be identified for additional data collection. A sampling scheme that incorporates readily-available information for the entire target population at the design stage can increase the statistical efficiency of the intended analysis.

Consent Requirements for Testing Health Policies: An Intercontinental Comparison of Expert Opinions.

Individual informed consent is a central requirement for clinical research on human subjects, yet whether and how consent requirements should apply to health policy experiments (HPEs) remains unclear. HPEs test and evaluate public health policies prior to implementation. We interviewed 58 health experts in Tanzania, Bangladesh and Germany on informed consent requirements for HPEs.

The Association of Cannabis Use Disorder with Acute Limb Ischemia and Critical Limb Ischemia.

Objectives: Heavy cannabis use has been associated with the development of acute myocardial infarction and stroke. The objective of this study was to determine if heavy, chronic cannabis use is associated with the development of acute limb ischemia (ALI) or critical limb ischemia (CLI).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study within the National Inpatient Sample (2006-2015).

Overlooked Potential of Business-Inclusive Networks to Amplify Anchoring Activity Impact.

Mobilizing anchor institutions to promote community health and wellbeing is gaining prominence as an approach to systems change. Anchors are often conceptualized as large, locally rooted, nonprofits that leverage their resources for local benefit. However, existing literature underemphasizes 2 opportunities to enhance the systemic impact of anchoring activity: (1) coordinated action by anchoring networks that include diverse, multi-level stakeholders-a hallmark of health promotion and (2) the potential contributions of the business sector to anchoring networks.

Prevalence of Prenatal HIV Screening in Massachusetts: Examining Patterns in Prenatal HIV Screening Using the Massachusetts Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2007-2016.

Prenatal HIV screening is critical to eliminate mother-to-child (MTC) HIV transmission. Although Massachusetts (MA) has near-zero MTC transmission rates, recent trends in statewide prenatal HIV testing are unknown. This study examined variations in prenatal HIV screening across race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and prenatal care settings in MA, in the period following national and state-level changes in guidance encouraging routine prenatal HIV testing.

Social Isolation and Falls Risk: Lack of Social Contacts Decreases the Likelihood of Bathroom Modification Among Older Adults With Fear of Falling.

Fall prevention strategies exist, but little is known about factors that influence whether they are used. We assessed whether social isolation modifies the association between fear of falling (FOF) and bathroom environmental modification. Data were included from 2858 Medicare beneficiaries in the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

Perceived Discrimination, Retention, and Diabetes Risk Among American Indians and Alaska Natives in a Diabetes Lifestyle Intervention.

To examine the association of perceived discrimination with participant retention and diabetes risk among American Indians and Alaska Natives. Data were drawn from the Special Diabetes Program for Indians-Diabetes Prevention Demonstration Project ( = 2553). Perceived discrimination was significantly and negatively associated with short-term and long-term retention and diabetes risk without adjusting.

School-Based Nutrition Programs for Adolescents in Dodoma, Tanzania: A Situation Analysis.

Background: Tanzania has a double burden of malnutrition, including a high prevalence of undernutrition and an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. Schools present a valuable opportunity to reach a large section of the country's adolescent population with nutrition-oriented interventions.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the current state of adolescent school nutrition interventions in Dodoma, Tanzania, with emphasis on 3 potential school-based nutrition interventions, school vegetable gardens, school meals, and education (on nutrition, agriculture, and water, sanitation, and hygiene).

Do You See What Eye See? Measurement, Correlates, and Functional Associations of Objective and Self-Reported Vision Impairment in Aging South Africans.

Our study investigates measurement, correlates, and functional associations of vision impairment (VI) in an aging population in rural South Africa. 1582 participants aged 40-69 reported on near (NVI) and distance vision impairment (DVI) and completed objective vision tests. Logistic and linear regression were used to evaluate sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial correlates of VI and assess relationships between VI and cognitive and physical function.

Skilled Nursing Facilities Modify the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Hospital Readmissions but Not Health Outcomes Among Older Adults.

Despite detrimental effects of depressive symptoms on self-care and health, hospital discharge practices and the benefits of different discharge settings are poorly understood in the context of depression. This retrospective cohort study comprised 23,485 hospitalizations from Medicare claims linked to the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2014). Respondents with depressive symptoms were no more likely to be referred to home health, whereas the probability of discharge to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) went up a half percentage point with each increasing symptom, even after adjusting for family support and health.

Grandchild Caregiving and Cognitive Health Among Grandparents in Rural South Africa.

We investigate how caregiving for grandchildren is associated with cognitive function among rural South Africans, and whether the association differs by gender. We further investigate whether measures of physical activity or social engagement mediate this association. Data were from interviews with 3668 Black, South African grandparents in the "Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal Study of an INDEPTH Community in South Africa" study, conducted between 2014 and 2015.

Harsh Parenting and Child Brain Morphology: A Population-Based Study.

Evidence suggests that maltreatment shapes the child's brain. Little is known, however, about how normal variation in parenting influences the child neurodevelopment. We examined whether harsh parenting is associated with the brain morphology in 2,410 children from a population-based cohort.

Character Strengths Involving an Orientation to Promote Good Can Help Your Health and Well-Being. Evidence From two Longitudinal Studies.

Purpose: We examined the impact of an orientation to promote good-one aspect of strengths of character, understood as having consistent thoughts and taking actions that contribute to the good of oneself and others-on flourishing outcomes.

Design: We used data from 2 longitudinal observational studies. The primary study used 2 waves of data collected in June 2018 and July 2019.

Survival Impact and Clinical Predictors of Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Bloodstream Infection.

Purpose: The impact of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) on outcomes of patients with bloodstream infection (BSI) has not been studied. We aim to evaluate the risk factors and survival impact of GIB on the outcome of BSI.

Materials And Methods: This study was conducted prospectively at National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin Branch between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016.