Search

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians and researchers were concerned about its impact on the health of people living with HIV (PLWH). Although mitigation measures during the early part of the pandemic used telehealth, it was uncertain whether PLWH would be amenable to this type of care and whether health outcomes would be affected. PLWH actively seeking treatment at a large urban outpatient practice in Essex County, New Jersey, were interviewed from October 2020 to June 2021 about their healthrelated experiences during COVID-19. The sample was dichotomized by age (< 55 and ≥ 55). In all, participants (69.2%, n = 92) used telehealth during this period, 85.0% (n = 113) actively tested for COVID-19, with only 7% (n = 8) testing positive at the time of interview. Our findings demonstrate that PLWH who engaged with health care before the COVID-19 pandemic continued doing that and had relatively favorable health outcomes with few differences by age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study described the marketing strategies tobacco companies use to advertise tobacco products to the Queer community. Methods: In this secondary qualitative analysis, 15 Queer participants were interviewed to explore their life experiences with tobacco product advertisements during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Participants self-reported as male (n = 5), followed by female (n = 4), gender non-binary (n = 4) and, transgender (n = 2). In addition, most participants identified as Black/African American (n = 7) or White (n = 7). Many participants identified as Bisexual (n = 5) or Queer (n = 4). Using narrative analysis, the themes for this study were: (1) tobacco and vaping companies target minoritized and Queer people; (2) tobacco and vape companies maintain their presence by sponsoring local Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, and other community (LGBTQIA+) bars and Pride events, often through giveaways and coupons; and (3) the use of social media influencers represents a new social marketing technique. As a result, Queer participants were more likely to encounter many different types of advertisements from tobacco companies and, most recently, social media influencers. Conclusion: Social media influencers are a new factor that needs further study to understand the new tobacco advertising landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to explore differences in Google search autocompletes between English and Spanish‐speaking users during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Twenty‐nine individuals who were in areas with shelter‐in‐place state orders participated in a virtual focus group meeting to understand the algorithm bias of COVID‐19 Google autocompletes. The three focus group meetings lasted for 90–120 minutes. A codebook was created and transcripts were coded using NVivo qualitative software with a 95% intercoder reliability between two coders. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Among the 29 participants, six self‐identified as White, seven as Black/African American, five as American Indian or Alaska Native, four as Asian Indian, and three as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. In terms of ethnicity, 21 participants identified as Hispanic/Latino. The themes that emerged from the study were: (1) autocompletes evoked fear and stress; (2) skepticism and hesitation towards autocomplete search; (3) familiarity with COVID‐19 information impacts outlook on autocomplete search; (4) autocompletes can promote preselection of searches; and (5) lesser choice of autocomplete results for Spanish‐speaking searchers. Spanish speakers expressed concerns and hesitation due to social factors and lack of information about COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of the Spanish-speaking Latino community during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. A single remote focus group meeting was conducted with nine Spanish-speaking participants to explore how residents living amidst shelter-in-place orders made informed decisions about health, safety, and security during the early months of the pandemic. The focus group meeting lasted about 60–90 minutes, and this meeting was facilitated by bilingual/bicultural Latino research assistants trained in qualitative research methods. Study participants also completed the Household Pulse Survey developed by the U.S. Census Bureau, a 20-minute survey to understand the social, health, and economic impact of COVID-19. The mean age was 33 years [range 21–60, SD = 12.44], and most participants attended some or completed a college degree. The participants self-reported as heterosexual, and five self-reported as single or never married. At least four noted making less than $25,000 annually, and four reported that they were self-employed. Most of the participants resided in New Jersey (n = 6), whereas two were from Michigan and one was from New York. The themes that emerged from the focus group meeting were the following: (1) social media and televised news outlets propagated confusing and harmful public messages; (2) COVID-19 elicited negative feelings of uncertainty; and (3) participants had widespread concerns about the health of their family, others, and self. Public messages on COVID-19 were not only confusing but harmful, as Latino families were highly dependent on them when determining how to protect their families in the early days of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tobacco smoking remains an important public health issue in the United States (US), specifically among people who are incarcerated. There is little to no information about smoking behaviors of incarcerated people in rural areas and there is a lack of resources for smoking cessation interventions in rural settings. Telehealth might be efficient for delivering care to incarcerated people in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of delivering group-based smoking cessation treatment via telehealth to incarcerated male smokers in a rural prison. Methods: A 6-week group-based smoking cessation treatment program was conducted with 1-month follow up. Video conferencing was used from Weeks 2–5 to deliver treatment. A cross-sectional survey was administered collecting measures including criminal justice experience, smoking behaviors, withdrawal and triggers, mental health, physical health, and substance use. Baseline exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) levels were collected at Session 1, and a final CO level at Session 6 and 1-month follow-up. Results: Twenty (n = 20) incarcerated male smokers were recruited from a rural prison facility. The majority of the inmates were White (85%). Approximately, 80% of the inmates smoked about 20 or more cigarettes per day, and on average smoked for 28 years (SD = 9). Most inmates scored a moderate or high dependence score on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Conclusion: Telehealth programs such as video conferencing smoking cessation treatment ought to be implemented to reduce tobacco-related disparities among incarcerated smokers housed in rural prisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 continues to disproportionately impact the health of Hispanics/Latinos. While Hispanics/Latinos are considered one of the fastest-growing racial/ethnic groups, media news coverage in Spanish concerning COVID-19 is stunningly low. The Hispanic/Latino population comprises close to 25% of COVID-19 cases and 17% of COVID-19 deaths. Lack of access to Spanish news coverage and limited attention to Spanish-speaking Hispanics/Latinos has created inconsistent messaging about COVID-19. Improving public health media initiatives for the Hispanic/Latino population should focus on increasing Spanish news coverage to respond against systematic discrimination, misinformation, fear, and vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and Latino men experience high rates of trauma before and during incarceration and upon release to the community. This study examines the association between trauma, adverse childhood experiences, and alcohol use on the adult attachment styles in a sample of 248 Black and Latino men with incarceration experiences. Most of the respondents indicated that they were single and never married (61.3%), earned less than $10,000 annually (84.3%), and were in a state prison facility during their last incarceration (60.9%). Findings indicate that most of the men scored above average in attachment anxiety (M = 5.14, SD = 1.34) and attachment avoidant subscales (M = 5.35, SD = 1.08). Close to 23% self‐reported within the hazardous drinking range. In terms of trauma, the mean trauma score was 2.85 (SD = 2.97), suggesting that participants self‐reported experiencing minimal trauma. Overall, Black and Latino men who experience incarceration demonstrate high rates of insecure attachments which were predicted by traumatic childhood experiences. To best serve this population, mental health treatment during incarceration and the community should enhance attachment security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the health inequities of Latinos nationwide. Latinos are 1.5 times more likely to get infected by SARS-CoV-2 than any other racial and ethnic groups and are 2.3 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 and 1.8 times to die from COVID-19. This research protocol aims to examine the effects of COVID-19 among a Latino population and identify social determinants of health that may contribute to increased susceptibility to COVID-19. The COVID-19 Latino Health Study consists of survey measures in nine domains: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) COVID-19 experiences; 3) food, diet, and sleep items; 4) quality of life; 5) health status; 6) smoking behaviors; 7) cancer health; 8) social capital; and 9) social connectedness. The study was conducted in English and Spanish. Respondents were recruited through social media websites (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram), in-person community gatherings, and partnering with existing community-based organizations. A total of 869 respondents (522 English vs. 347 Spanish) participated in the cross-sectional study. Respondents were from 20 Spanish-speaking countries and territories of Latin America, with many individuals reporting a mixed Latino heritage. On average, Spanish-speaking respondents were 45 years old (SD = 14.4, range 18–87), with 40.6% (n = 141) and indicating an annual income of less than $20,000. At least 55% (n = 291) of Spanish-speaking respondents reported completing a GED or less. Comparatively, Latinos completing the survey in English were, on average, 30 years old (SD = 12.24, range 18–83), with 49.1% (n = 256) reporting income over $75,000. Furthermore, 57.5% (n = 300) of English respondents completed a bachelor’s degree or higher. This protocol explores the social determinants of health experienced by Latinos during the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe the data collection procedure and examine issues and challenges to conducting Latino health research during a pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians and researchers were concerned about its impact on the health of people living with HIV (PLWH). Although mitigation measures during the early part of the pandemic used telehealth, it was uncertain whether PLWH would be amenable to this type of care and whether health outcomes would be affected. PLWH actively seeking treatment at a large urban outpatient practice in Essex County, New Jersey, were interviewed from October 2020 to June 2021 about their health-related experiences during COVID-19. The sample was dichotomized by age (< 55 and ≥ 55). In all, participants (69.2%, n = 92) used telehealth during this period, 85.0% ( n = 113) actively tested for COVID-19, with only 7% ( n = 8) testing positive at the time of interview. Our findings demonstrate that PLWH who engaged with health care before the COVID-19 pandemic continued doing that and had relatively favorable health outcomes with few differences by age., (Copyright © 2024 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.)

Objective: To audit and compare search autocomplete results in Spanish and English during the early COVID-19 pandemic in the New York metropolitan area. The pandemic led to significant online search activity about the disease, its spread, and remedies. As gatekeepers, search engines like Google can influence public opinion. Autocomplete predictions help users complete searches faster but may also shape their views. Understanding these differences is crucial to identify biases and ensure equitable information dissemination. Methods: The study tracked autocomplete results daily for five COVID-19 related search terms in English and Spanish over 100+ days in 2020, yielding a total of 9164 autocomplete predictions. Results: Queries in Spanish yielded fewer autocomplete options and often included more negative content than English autocompletes. The topical coverage differed, with Spanish autocompletes including themes related to religion and spirituality that were absent in the English search autocompletes. Conclusion: The contrast in search autocomplete results could lead to divergent impressions about the pandemic and remedial actions among different sections of society. Continuous auditing of autocompletes by public health stakeholders and search engine organizations is recommended to reduce potential bias and misinformation., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.