Systematic Review of Self-Measured Blood Pressure Monitoring With Support: Intervention Effectiveness and Cost.

Introduction: Self-measured blood pressure monitoring with support is an evidence-based intervention that helps patients control their blood pressure. This systematic economic review describes how certain intervention aspects contribute to effectiveness, intervention cost, and intervention cost per unit of the effectiveness of self-measured blood pressure monitoring with support.

Methods: Papers published between data inception and March 2021 were identified from a database search and manual searches.

Frequency of cannabis use during pregnancy and adverse infant outcomes, by cigarette smoking status - 8 PRAMS states, 2017.

Background: Research on prenatal cannabis use and adverse infant outcomes is inconsistent, and findings vary by frequency of use or cigarette use. We assess (1) the prevalence of high frequency (≥once/week), low frequency (
Methods: Cross-sectional data from 8 states' 2017 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (n = 5548) were analyzed.

Characteristics of US Adults Who Would Be Recommended for Lifestyle Modification Without Antihypertensive Medication to Manage Blood Pressure.

Background: The 2017 American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Guideline for blood pressure (BP) management newly classifies millions of Americans with elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension for recommended lifestyle modification alone (without pharmacotherapy). This study characterized these adults, including their cardiovascular disease risk factors, barriers to lifestyle modification, and healthcare access.

Methods: This cross-sectional study examined nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, 2013-2016, on 10,205 US adults aged ≥18, among whom 2,081 had elevated BP or stage 1 hypertension and met 2017 ACC/AHA BP Guideline criteria for lifestyle modification alone.

Economic Dimensions of Health Inequities: The Role of Implementation Research.

Health inequities are well-documented, but their economic dimensions have received less attention. In this report, we describe four economic dimensions of health inequities in the United States. First, we describe an economic conceptual framework that connects poverty and health inequities at both individual and population levels and conveys the concept of reverse causality, where poverty worsens health inequities and health inequities worsen poverty.

Infant Safe Sleep Practices in the United States.

Risk of sleep-related infant deaths can be reduced by improving safe sleep practices.

Trends in active transportation and associations with cardiovascular disease risk factors among U.S. adults, 2007-2016.

Active transportation (AT), or walking or bicycling for transportation, represents one way individuals can achieve recommended physical activity (PA) levels. This study describes AT prevalence and temporal trends, and examines associations between AT levels and measured CVD risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low high-density [HDL] cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity) among U.S.

Association between plasma trans-fatty acid concentrations and diabetes in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

Background: A diet high in trans-fatty acids (TFA) induces insulin resistance in rodent models and primates. However, previous epidemiological studies on the association between TFAs, based primarily on self-reported intake from the diet, and diabetes in humans have yielded conflicting results. Herein we examined the associations of objectively measured plasma TFA concentrations with diabetes in a large population-based study among US adults.

Plasma -Fatty Acid Concentrations Continue to Be Associated with Serum Lipid and Lipoprotein Concentrations among US Adults after Reductions in -Fatty Acid Intake.

High intakes of -fatty acids (TFAs), especially industrially produced TFAs, can lead to unfavorable lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. It is unknown how this relation might change in a population after significant reductions in TFA intake. This study, which used a new analytical method for measuring plasma TFA concentrations, clarified the association between plasma TFA and serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations before and after the US FDA enacted TFA food-labeling regulations in 2006.

Plasma -fatty acid concentrations in fasting adults declined from NHANES 1999-2000 to 2009-2010.

The consumption of fatty acids (TFAs) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and reducing their consumption is a major public health objective. Food intake studies have provided estimates for TFA concentrations in the US population; however, there is a need for data on TFA blood concentrations in the population. The objective of this study was to determine plasma TFA concentrations in a nationally representative group of fasted adults in the US population in NHANES samples from 1999-2000 and 2009-2010.

Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to hypertension and hyperlipidemia self-management among African-American men living in the southeastern United States.

Objective: Perceptions of illness affect cardiovascular disease (CVD) self-management. This study explores knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding hypertension and hyperlipidemia management among 34 African-American men with hypertension and/or hyperlipidemia, age 40-65, living in the Southeastern United States.

Methods: In-person focus groups were conducted using semi-structured interview questions informed by the Health Belief Model (HBM).

Zika Virus Disease: A CDC Update for Pediatric Health Care Providers.

Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus discovered in Africa in 1947. Most persons with Zika virus infection are asymptomatic; symptoms when present are generally mild and include fever, maculopapular rash, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis. Since early 2015, Zika virus has spread rapidly through the Americas, with local transmission identified in 31 countries and territories as of February 29, 2016, including several US territories.

Does a Race-Gender-Age Crossover Effect Exist in Current Cigarette Smoking Between Non-Hispanic Blacks and Non-Hispanic Whites? United States, 2001-2013.

Introduction: For years, national US surveys have found a lower prevalence of cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic (NH) black adolescents and young adults than their NH white counterparts while finding either similar or higher prevalence in NH blacks among older adults. We present results from four US surveys, including one supplemented by cotinine data, to determine if a race-gender-age crossover effect exists between NH black and NH white current cigarette smokers.

Methods: We present NH black and NH white current cigarette smoking estimates in the National Youth Tobacco Survey (2004-2013), National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002-2013), National Health Interview Survey (2001-2013), and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2012).

Measurement of Health Disparities, Health Inequities, and Social Determinants of Health to Support the Advancement of Health Equity.

Reduction of health disparities and advancement of health equity in the United States require high-quality data indicative of where the nation stands vis-à-vis health equity, as well as proper analytic tools to facilitate accurate interpretation of these data. This article opens with an overview of health equity and social determinants of health. It then proposes a set of recommended practices in measurement of health disparities, health inequities, and social determinants of health at the national level to support the advancement of health equity, highlighting that (1) differences in health and its determinants that are associated with social position are important to assess; (2) social and structural determinants of health should be assessed and multiple levels of measurement should be considered; (3) the rationale for methodological choices made and measures chosen should be made explicit; (4) groups to be compared should be simultaneously classified by multiple social statuses; and (5) stakeholders and their communication needs can often be considered in the selection of analytic methods.

Economic Evaluation Enhances Public Health Decision Making.

Contemporary public health professionals must address the health needs of a diverse population with constrained budgets and shrinking funds. Economic evaluation contributes to evidence-based decision making by helping the public health community identify, measure, and compare activities with the necessary impact, scalability, and sustainability to optimize population health. Asking "how do investments in public health strategies influence or offset the need for downstream spending on medical care and/or social services?" is important when making decisions about resource allocation and scaling of interventions.

Socioeconomic and demographic predictors of selected cardiovascular risk factors among adults living in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

Background: The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC). Although strong evidence for inverse associations between socioeconomic position and health outcomes in high-income countries exists, less is known about LMIC. Understanding country-level differences is critical to tailoring effective population health policy and interventions.

Breast cancer mortality among American Indian and Alaska Native women, 1990-2009.

Objectives: We compared breast cancer death rates and mortality trends among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and White women using data for which racial misclassification was minimized.

Methods: We used breast cancer deaths and cases linked to Indian Health Service (IHS) data to calculate age-adjusted rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by IHS-designated regions from 1990 to 2009 for AI/AN and White women; Hispanics were excluded. Mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR) were calculated for 1999 to 2009 as a proxy for prognosis after diagnosis.

Association of Socioeconomic Position and Demographic Characteristics with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Healthcare Access among Adults Living in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.

Background. The burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in low-to-middle income countries. We examined how socioeconomic and demographic characteristics may be associated with CVD risk factors and healthcare access in such countries.

Socioeconomic disparities in breast cancer treatment among older women.

Background: Racial disparities in breast cancer treatment among Medicare beneficiaries have been documented. This study aimed to determine whether racial disparities exist among white and black female Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama, an economically disadvantaged U.S.

Trends in US newspaper and television coverage of tobacco.

Purpose: The news media plays an important role in agenda setting and framing of stories about tobacco control. The purpose of this study was to examine newspaper, newswire and television coverage of tobacco issues in the USA over a 7-year period.

Methods: Analyses of 2004-2010 news media surveillance system data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health, based on content analysis and quantitative methods.

Trends in high LDL cholesterol, cholesterol-lowering medication use, and dietary saturated-fat intake: United States, 1976-2010.

From 1976–1980 through 2007–2010, for U.S. adults aged 40–74, a decrease was observed in the prevalence of high LDL–C, as well as an increase in adults using lipid-lowering medications and consuming a diet low in saturated fat.