Search

Introduction: Racial discrimination has been identified as a risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among racial/ethnic minority groups; however, there is no synthesis of current knowledge on the association between discrimination and cardiometabolic diseases. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize evidence linking racial/ethnic discrimination and cardiometabolic diseases. Methods: The review was conducted based on studies identified via electronic searches of 5 databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, WorldWideScience.org, ResearchGate and Microsoft Academic) using terms related to discrimination and cardiometabolic disease. Results: Of the 123 eligible studies included in the review, 87 were cross-sectional, 25 longitudinal, 8 quasi-experimental, 2 randomized controlled trials and 1 case–control. Cardiometabolic disease outcomes discussed were hypertension (n= 46), cardiovascular disease (n= 40), obesity (n= 12), diabetes (n= 11), metabolic syndrome (n= 9), and chronic kidney disease (n= 5). Although a variety of discrimination measures was employed across the studies, the Everyday Discrimination Scale was used most often (32.5%). African Americans/Blacks were the most frequently studied racial/ethnic group (53.1%), and American Indians the least (0.02%). Significant associations between racial/ethnic discrimination and cardiometabolic disease were found in 73.2% of the studies. Discussion: Racial/ethnic discrimination is positively associated with increased risk of cardiometabolic disease and higher levels of cardiometabolic biomarkers. Identifying racial/ethnic discrimination as a potential key contributor to the health inequities associated with cardiometabolic diseases is important for addressing the significant burden borne by racial/ethnic minorities.

Cannabis use is increasing due to several factors including the adoption of laws legalizing its use across the United States (US). We examined changes in current cannabis use among US youth and adults and by key sociodemographic groups.

Both electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) and social media use among youth are public health concerns. While the health impacts of extensive social media use and frequent use of e-cigarettes have been discussed independently in the literature, little is known about the relationship between the two. This study aims to examine the potential association between extensive social media use and the frequency of current, e-cigarette use among United States (US) youth.

Research about e-cigarette use is emerging and there is no clear evidence about the effectiveness of their use in smoking cessation. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of primary care nurse practitioners (NPs) toward e-cigarettes. A nonexperimental, descriptive study was conducted with primary care NPs (N = 93). Thirty-five percent of NPs believed that e-cigarettes were healthier than traditional cigarettes; 60% endorsed using them for cessation and 19% thought they were as effective as nicotine replacement therapies. Given NPs’ varying opinions regarding the use of e-cigarettes, more education regarding evidence on e-cigarette health risks and limited cessation efficacy is necessary.

Introduction:Youth e-cigarette use is a pressing public health issue. To better understand the landscape of youth e-cigarette use, we engaged middle and high schoolers (N=37) in a photovoice project and focus group interviews.Methods:Members of the VAPERACE Center’s Youth Advisory Council documented experiences with vaping through photographs from October 2021-April 2022. A question was posted each month (e.g. Where do you see vaping?), and participants recorded responses through photographs and then discussed these with the group, focusing on how the photographs conveyed the reality of vaping in their lives. They also participated in focus groups with open-ended questions designed to spur conversation about direct experiences with vaping and their related perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs. Using the constant comparative method, participant responses were analyzed for key themes.Results:Overwhelmingly, the photographs and focus group responses indicate that these youth have considerable exposure to vaping. Their photos documented that vaping pervades many aspects of their lives (e.g. in cars and school bathrooms, at parties and sporting events). Comments such as, “It’s everywhere. Everywhere you go. Everywhere you look.” underscore the degree to which youth confront vaping. Additionally, participants said that promotion of vape products was common, from the stores they entered to their social media feeds, and agreed on the power of social media influencers, which were paid more attention than PSAs. Because one “can’t hide from vapes,” one needs strategies to resist use, and these youth emphasized that “exit strategies” and face-saving approaches (e.g. “Thanks, but I’ve got a tennis match.”) worked better than strong, direct messages (e.g. ”No!”). They also expressed concerns about health effects, including CVD, and negative environmental impacts from trash produced by disposable e-cigarettes.Conclusions:The photovoice and focus groups revealed considerable exposure to vaping. Because these youth perceive that exposure cannot be avoided, they emphasized strategies to decline use. Thus, health advocates should consider strengthening educational programming to assist youth in honing refusal skills, especially indirect ones.

Background:Residential greenness is belived to have a positive impact on cardiovascular (CV) health, though the mechanism is unknown. In addition, the correlation of perceived benefits of residential greenness on healthy lifestyle, a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, has not been characterized for its full effect.Hypothesis:We hypothesize that subjects who perceive a stronger benefit from residential greenness will engage in a healthier lifestyle.Methods:We utilized data of human subjects enrolled in the ongoing NIH funded Health, Environment and Action in Louisville (HEAL) Green Heart Louisville Project (ClinicalTrials.Gov # NCT03670524). The HEAL study is a unique pragmatic interventional trial to assess the cardiovascular effects of increasing residential greenery. Subjects with successful completion of baseline enrollment were included in the data analysis. Enrollment questionnaire included questions about perceived benefits of nature (PBN), dietary habits, exercise regimen, and tobacco consumption. PBN responses were recorded on 5 or 7 point Likert scales. Subjects with missing data were excluded from data analysis. Two tailed Spearman?s rho was employed for correlation and Kruskal-Wallis for analysis of variance.Results:Increased PBN was significantly correlated with higher rates of exercise and lower rates of both unhealthy dietary choices and tobacco use (P<0.05) (Table 1).Conclusion:Increased perception of the beneficial effects of residential greenery is significantly correlated with healthier lifestyle choices (exercise, diet, and decreased tobacco use), which has the potential to improve cardiovascular health.

Background:The prevalence of e-cigarette use among youth is on the rise and may be associated with adolescents’ limited knowledge of the health effects of these products. We examined how demographics and socioeconomic status (SES) are correlated with the perceived health risks of e-cigarettes among youth.Methods:Data from a national online survey of youth aged 13-18 in 2017, weighted to be representative of the overall U.S. population in age, sex, race, ethnicity, and region were analyzed. Differences in perceived health risks of nicotine and other chemicals provided by vaping were addressed with respect to the demographics and SES of the participants, taking into account their e-cigarette use status.Results:Among 3,174 participants, 56.5% were female, 19.3% Hispanics and 14.7% non-Hispanic Blacks. Indicators of low SES [family receiving public assistance (PA) or participating in free school lunch program] were seen in 50.2%. With adjustment for e-cigarette use status in multivariable regression models, perceived health risks from the contents of e-cigarettes differed by gender, age, place of residence, and SES status. For example, the odds of perceiving harm from nicotine in e-cigarette products was 1.6 times higher in girls than in boys; the same odds was lower by 27% for those in families receiving government PA compared to those in families that did not. A parent’s education level also significantly influenced their child’s perception of the harm of the contents of e-cigarette products (seeFigure).Conclusions:For youth, the perceived health risks of nicotine, toxins or chemicals in e-cigarette products were significantly different by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and SES. The findings may have relevance for developing communications and education strategies targeting specific youth audiences, especially those in vulnerable groups. These strategies could improve awareness among youth concerning the health effects of e-cigarettes, helping to prevent or reduce e-cigarette use.