Association of Social Vulnerability and Access to Higher Quality Medicare Advantage Plans.

Background: With more than half of all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, ensuring access to high-quality MA plans is a key concern for policymakers. Access to high-quality MA plans may be limited in certain areas if private insurers are not willing to offer high-quality MA plans in local areas with greater unmet health-related social needs.

Objective: This study examined the association of a market-level social vulnerability index (SVI) score with the number of high-quality MA plans.

Validation of administrative health data for the identification of endometriosis diagnosis.

Study Question: How do endometriosis diagnoses and subtypes reported in administrative health data compare with surgically confirmed disease?

Summary Answer: For endometriosis diagnosis, we observed substantial agreement and high sensitivity and specificity between administrative health data-International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9 codes-and surgically confirmed diagnoses among participants who underwent gynecologic laparoscopy or laparotomy.

What Is Known Already: Several studies have assessed the validity of self-reported endometriosis in comparison to medical record reporting, finding strong confirmation. We previously reported high inter- and intra-surgeon agreement for endometriosis diagnosis in the Endometriosis, Natural History, Diagnosis, and Outcomes (ENDO) Study.

Extent and diversity of recognized Indigenous and community lands: Cases from Northern and Western Europe.

Despite a well-established system of community lands, the current lack of spatial data on community territories impacts how Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPs and LCs) in Europe are included in global discussions about land rights recognition and their critical role in land stewardship. We present an aggregation of spatial data for 42.5 Mha of recognized IPs and LCs lands in Western and Northern Europe, including data that were not previously included in global datasets.

Evaluating Chemical Transport and Machine Learning Models for Wildfire Smoke PM: Implications for Assessment of Health Impacts.

Growing wildfire smoke represents a substantial threat to air quality and human health. However, the impact of wildfire smoke on human health remains imprecisely understood due to uncertainties in both the measurement of exposure of population to wildfire smoke and dose-response functions linking exposure to health. Here, we compare daily wildfire smoke-related surface fine particulate matter (PM) concentrations estimated using three approaches, including two chemical transport models (CTMs): GEOS-Chem and the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) and one machine learning (ML) model over the contiguous US in 2020, a historically active fire year.

Analysis of public opinion polls about COVID-19 vaccines: Theoretical and policy implications for vaccine communication and campaigns to address vaccine hesitancy.

This study analyzed 1432 questions asked in 19 surveys ( = 43,014) on COVID-19 vaccines between January 2020 and August 2022 using dimensions including (1) information sources about COVID-19 vaccine, (2) information about the access, effectiveness, and side effects of COVID-19 vaccine, (3) COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (i.e. false perception, skepticism, and vaccine refusal), (4) motivations to get the COVID-19 vaccine (i.

How Do School Salad Bars Impact Elementary School Students' Dietary Quality and Energy Intake at Lunch? A Randomized Controlled Plate Waste Investigation.

Children's dietary quality is suboptimal, increasing the risk of numerous chronic illnesses. Salad bars (SBs) have potential to enhance children's nutritional intake within the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); yet, empirical support is lacking. To address this gap, we evaluated the impact of school salad bars on dietary quality and energy intake at lunch.

Enhancing the Impact of Individualized Nutrition Therapy with Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring Feedback in Overweight and Obese Individuals with Prediabetes.

Background/objectives: prediabetes is a significant risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and other complications. Early diagnosis of prediabetes, coupled with education on lifestyle changes that support blood glucose management, are crucial for the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes and related complications. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating real-time feedback from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) into individualized nutrition therapy (INT) on blood glucose control in individuals with prediabetes who are overweight or obese.

Physical Measures of Welfare in Fin () and Humpback Whales () Found in an Anthropized Environment: Validation of a First Animal-Based Indicator in Mysticetes.

Anthropogenic activities impacting marine environments are internationally recognized as welfare issues for wild cetaceans. This study validates a first evidence-based physical indicator for the welfare assessment protocol of humpback (n = 50) and fin whales (n = 50) living in a highly anthropized environment. Visual assessments of body condition, skin health, prevalence of injuries and parasite/epibiont loads were performed using a species-specific multi-scale measuring tool.

Influences of the criminal justice system on use of medications for opioid use disorder: a qualitative study.

Background: Legal-involved veterans with opioid use disorder (OUD) have lower receipt of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) than other veterans served at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). This qualitative study examined the influence of the criminal justice system on access to MOUD for legal-involved veterans in the U.S.

Comparative analysis of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke hospitalization rates in end-stage kidney disease and kidney transplant patients with and without atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and kidney transplant (KTx) recipients presents challenges in stroke risk management. This study aimed to compare hospitalization rates for ischemic and hemorrhagic cerebrovascular events in ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF.

Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (2005-2019), retrospective analysis was conducted on hospitalizations for ESKD and KTx patients with and without AF.

Long COVID: The evolution of household welfare in developing countries during the pandemic.

This study examines household welfare dynamics during the COVID-19 pandemic, using harmonized data from over 300 phone surveys in 80 countries during 2020 and 2021, representing more than 2.5 billion people. The analysis traces out the evolution of employment and income across and within countries as restrictions on economic activity were relaxed.

Use of Digital Health and Digital Therapeutics to Treat SUD in Criminal Justice Settings: a Review.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to investigate the use of digital health technologies and/or digital therapeutics (DTx) products in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) in the general population and among criminal justice-involved individuals.

Recent Findings: Despite an expanding evidence base, only three SUD DTxs have received federal regulatory approval. Across studies, DTx products have proven successful in engaging patients in SUD treatment and reducing healthcare costs and resource utilizations.

The effect of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol and methamphetamine on sustained attention in the jumping spider (Trite planiceps).

Decreasing responsiveness to repeated visual stimuli (i.e., the inability to sustain attention) in jumping spiders (Salticidae) parallels that found in humans.

Estimating the CTDI with helical acquisitions: Results from a national generalizability study.

Background: While many clinical computed tomography (CT) protocols use helical scanning, the traditional method for measuring the volume CT Dose Index (CTDI) requires modifying the helical protocol to perform a single axial rotation. This modification can present challenges and mismatched settings across various scanner models.

Purpose: This study investigates the generalizability of a helical methodology for estimating CTDI across a diverse range of participants, CT scanner models, and protocol parameters.

Phylosymbiosis and Elevated Cancer Risk in Genetically Depauperate Channel Island Foxes.

Examination of the host-associated microbiome in wildlife can provide critical insights into the eco-evolutionary factors driving species diversification and response to disease. This is particularly relevant for isolated populations lacking genomic variation, a phenomenon that is increasingly common as human activities create habitat 'islands' for wildlife. Here, we characterised the gut and otic microbial communities of one such species: Channel Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis).

Limb Symmetry Index in Collegiate Dancers Using the Modified Star Excursion Balance Test and Single Leg Hops.

Dance is physically demanding and often involves unilateral movements performed within a small base of support. Prior authors have reported that dancers use one leg preferentially over the other (ie, lower extremity asymmetry). Increased leg asymmetry-quantified using the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI), is associated with increased injury risk.

The Prevalence of Obesity is Increased in Adolescents with Amblyopia: An Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data.

Amblyopia is the most common cause of vision loss in children. Amblyopia has been associated with impaired depth perception but little attention has been paid to the extent to which amblyopia increases the risk of obesity. Public-use data from the 1999-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used.

Case studies on community care in Japan: considerations for mitigating social isolation and loneliness in older adults with dementia.

This article explores dementia care in Japan's aging population with a focus on mitigating social isolation and loneliness in older adults with dementia. Through an in-depth examination of case studies, the study highlights several community-based interventions, including Community Cafés, the Dementia Supporter Caravan, and the Omuta City Dementia Care model. These cases provide insights into how these initiatives foster community engagement and inclusive environments.

Early Detection of Basal Cell Carcinoma of Skin From Medical History.

Background And Objectives: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, originating from basal cells in the skin's outer layer. It frequently arises from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds. Although BCC rarely metastasizes, it can cause significant local tissue damage if left untreated.

Structural and political determinants of health among Syrian refugee young adults in the Bekaa, Lebanon: a prospective cohort study of the impact of security raids on perceived discrimination and well-being.

Objectives: In this work, which forms part of a larger study of a longitudinal intervention focused on empowering Community Mental Health Workers in a humanitarian context, we examine changes in and correlates of well-being of refugees as a result of discriminatory practices by the State, with comparisons motivated by a mechanistic model of well-being.

Design: This cohort study examines well-being at a single follow-up time as predicted by baseline characteristics in response to a changing social conditions including security raids on our participants; the parent interventional randomised trial focuses on a population of youth in a refugee context, but the present work precedes the main intervention period.

Setting: Refugee populations are among the most vulnerable globally, and the total refugee population is growing dramatically.

Ridesharing and substance use disorder treatment.

We examine whether ridesharing provides a meaningful transportation alternative for those who require ongoing healthcare. Specifically, we combine variation in UberX entry across the U.S.