Search

The article discusses an article by M. R. Larochelle and colleagues about disparities in overdose deaths. Topics include reason that the opioid overdose crisis most heavily affected non-Hispanic White people, major events that could not have been predicted at the time the article by Larochelle and colleagues was written, and lessons learned about the need for timely data on drug use patterns and overdoses to guide interventions.

The article announces awards for authors of 2019 papers to the journal and peer reviewers of the journal, including the reviewers Farshad Pourmalek and Marie Bragg and authors D.A. Broniatowski, A.M. Jamison, S. Qi, L. AlKulaib, T. Chen, A. Benton, S.C. Quinn and M. Dredze for their paper "Weaponized health communication: Twitter bots and Russian trolls amplify the vaccine debate."

The article announces the recipients of the journal's 2018 Paper and Review of the Year awards, including reviewers Matthew Miller and H. Westley Clark, and authors C.K. Crifasi, M.L. Doucette, E.E. McGinty, et al. for their paper "L. Storage practices of US gun owners in 2016" in volume 108, issue 4.

The article announces that Associate Editor Deborah Holtzman received the journal's Reviewer of the Year Award and the article "The Epidemic of Despair Among White Americans: Trends in the Leading Causes of Premature Death, 1999–2015" by E.M. Stein and others won the Paper of the Year Award.

The article announces that several individuals and papers received awards from the "American Journal of Public Health" in 2016, including Paper and Reviewer of the Year award winner Deborah Holtzman, as well as Reviewer of the Year award recipients such as John Brill and Angela Beck.

We reviewed the authorship characteristics, editorial processing, and final fate of 126 papers dealing with data from countries other than the United States and Canada and submitted to the American Journal of Public Health in 1989. The acceptance rate of these international health papers was 22%, similar to that of all papers (25%). Authors from developed countries had higher acceptance rates than authors from developing countries, but the highest acceptance rate (36%) was for international health papers with joint authorship from both developed and developing countries. Of 83 rejected papers, 72% were published in other journals. Of these, 45% were published in journals covered by Index Medicus, a figure similar to that for all papers rejected by the Journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Cloth diapers with front closure and all-in-one design were compared with paper diapers containing obsorbent gel material for their influence on fecal contamination of the environment in licensed child day core centers. Methods. One infant room and two toddler rooms in each of four day care centers were monitored for the p [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the position of the American Public Health Association (APHA) on the expansion of midwifery as a key strategy to improving access to care for childbearing families in the U.S. The association has publicly supported the use of innovative strategies to improve birth outcomes and decrease maternal and newborn morbidity an mortality but these documents do not address access to midwifery services. It is recommended that the APHA should urge all state legislatures to legalize the practice of midwifery and promulgate regulations in order to assure the safety of the public's health as it relates to midwifery practice.

The article discusses the position of the American Public Health Association on reduced prescription drug coverage because of increasing drug prices in the U.S. The association has called for the addition of a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program, at the same time recognizing that drug pricing will be a major factor determining whether a Medicare drug benefit is practicable. Factors that contribute to high drug prices are the large profit margins cleared by the drug industry, advertising and marketing expenditures, and large international price disparities that buyers are subjected to.

The article examines the effect of religious or secular hospital mergers on patients' access to health services in the U.S. Patients are losing access to many reproductive health services when their local secular hospitals merge with nearby religiously-affiliated facilities that object to those services on ethical grounds. Services banned by the merged entity may include contraception, abortions, sterilizations, in vitro fertilization, emergency contraception for rape victims, and the discussion of condom use as part of HIV prevention counseling. Formerly secular hospitals and nursing homes also restrict end-of-life choices. Recommendations to the American Public Health Association are presented.

The importance of reviewers to the American Journal of Public Health publication process cannot be underestimated. Without the reviewers, the journal would not only be worse off but would actually fail to exist as the quality vehicle for dissemination of public health information that it strives to be. As editors, one is proud to read submissions and screen them for validity and but relying heavily on the expertise of reviewers for their precise comments and critical responses that maintain the Journal's quality and significance. The past year has brought many exciting changes to the journal including the hiring of new editorial and production staff and most notably the unveiling of a new web-based electronic submission system. These changes have inspired considerable conversation among the editorial staff about the value of the review process and ofcourse the value of the reviewers. Since one has the utmost appreciation for the reviewers, it has been made a priority to provide as much support and guidance as they would like. As part of the commitment to the process one has developed reviewer recommendations to make the job of the reviewer easier and more efficient.

The article discusses the publication's editorial team's benchmark of processing 10,000 submissions as of September 2018 since it began its activity in June 2015 and offers a description of how the editorial process works for full-length papers.

Wisconsin pulp and paper mill processing plants were evaluated for fecal coliform and total Klebsiella (i.e., thermotolerant and thermointolerant) bacterial concentrations. Using thc standard feca: coliform test. up to 90 per cent of non-fecal source thermologiterant K. pneumonia was falsely identified as fecal source bacteria. Since there is a lack of specificity in the currently used standard for feca, coliform evaluation, a more reliable health risk assessment for feca coliform bacteria is recommended. (Am J Public Health 1984; 74:1273-1275.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article addresses further debate and decision-making by the American Public Health Association (APHA) on a public policy statement on safe drinking water. The paper provides the scientific basis and justification for the importance of improving water supplies in the U.S. The quality and safety of drinking water in the U.S. continues to be an important public health issue. Specific contaminants of concern include microbial contaminants and chemical contaminants. Recommended goals for the APHA are to foster greater involvement of the public health professional as advisor, educator and advocate on issues related to drinking water and health, and to promote understanding in public health practice and policy making of the potential public impact of water contamination.

The article presents information on several articles which were nominated for the 2014 "American Journal of Public Health" Paper of the Year Award, including "Solitary Confinement and Risk of Self-Harm Among Jail Inmates" by F. Kaba, A. Lewis, J. Hadler et al., "The Role of Prevention in Promoting Continuity of Health Care in Prisoner Reentry Initiatives" by L. N. Woods, A. S. Lanza, W. Dyson et al. and "Centering Perspectives on Black Women, Hair Politics and Physical Activity" by H. S. Versey. Individuals who were nominated as reviewers of the year by the "American Journal of Public Health" are also noted.

The Black church has long been seen as a crucial partner in addressing public health issues. This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a community-engaged church intervention addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in underserved Black communities in Jefferson County, Alabama. We partnered with churches to implement and evaluate the intervention between March and June of 2022 and found that our church partners were capable of significant messaging reach, particularly through electronic means. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S5):S392–S395. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307683) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We investigated child labor violations among US adolescents working in the retail and service industries. Methods. We used interview data from a nationally representative sample of working adolescents, and investigated reports of select child labor violations (e.g., hours, equipment, and work permits). We computed weighted percentages of respondents reporting each type of discrete (and aggregated) violation. Results. Nearly 37% of respondents reported a violation of the hazardous occupations orders (i.e., prohibited jobs or use of equipment), and 40% reported a work permit violation. Fewer than 2% reported working more than the maximum weekly hours allowed during the school year, but 11% reported working past the latest hour allowed on a school night, and 15% reported working off the clock. Conclusions. Significant numbers of US adolescents are employed in violation of the child labor laws and as a result are exposed to safety risks. Although our data did not allow for an analysis of enforcement, our findings demonstrate gaps in employer compliance with the law. We suggest that closer attention to enforcement policy and practice is needed. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:1693-1699. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.122853) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the impact of cesarean section delivery on the initiation and duration of breast-feeding in the 1987 Mexican Demographic and Health Survey. METHODS: The subsample (n = 2517) was restricted to women whose delivery of their last-born children (aged 5 years and younger) was attended by a physician. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between cesarean section and likelihood of either not initiating breast-feeding or doing so for less than 1 month. Among women who breast-fed for 1 month or more, multivariate survival analysis was used to examine the relationship between cesarean section and breast-feeding duration. RESULTS: Cesarean section was a risk factor for not initiating breast-feeding (odds ratio [OR] = 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.50, 0.82) and for breast feeding for less than 1 month (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.37, 0.91) but was unrelated to breast-feeding duration among women who breast-fed for 1 month or more (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.86, 1.11). CONCLUSIONS: It is desirable to provide additional breast-feeding support during the early postpartum period to women who deliver via cesarean sections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To study the effects of several survey features on response rates in a general population health survey. Methods. In 2012 and 2013, 8000 households in British Columbia, Canada, were randomly allocated to 1 of 7 survey variants, each containing a different combination of survey features. Features compared included administration modes (paper vs online), prepaid incentive ($2 coin vs none), lottery incentive (instant vs end-of-study), questionnaire length (10minutes vs 30minutes), and sampling frame (InfoCanada vs Canada Post). Results. The overall response rate across the 7 groups was 27.9% (range = 17.1-43.4). All survey features except the sampling frame were associated with statistically significant differences in response rates. The survey mode elicited the largest effect on the odds of response (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.61, 2.59), whereas the sampling frame showed the least effect (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.34).The highest response was achieved by mailing a short paper survey with a prepaid incentive. Conclusions. In a mailed general population health survey in Canada, a 40% to 50% response rate can be expected. Questionnaire administration mode, survey length, and type of incentive affect response rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a call by the Southern California Injury Prevention Research Center for the best student paper on injury.

Abstract: An exhaustive bibliography which assesses the methodological rigor of the patient compliance literature, and citation data from the Science Citation Index (SCI) are combined to determine if methodologically rigorous papers are used with greater frequency than substandard articles by compliance investigators. There are low, but statistically significant, correlations between methodological rigor and citation indicators for 138 patient compliance papers published in SCI source journals during 1975 and 1976. The correlation is not strong enough to warrant use of citation measures as indicators of rigor on a paper-by-paper basis. The data do suggest that citation measures might be developed as crude indicators of methodological rigor. There is no evidence that randomized trials are cited more frequently than studies that employ other experimental designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study described factors related to colorectal cancer stage at diagnosis. METHODS: Logistic regression analyses were used on data from the New York State Tumor Registry and US Census area-level social class indicators. RESULTS: After the effects of other predictors were controlled for, the odds of late-stage cancer increased as age decreased; women and African Americans were significantly more likely to have late stage than men and Whites; and individuals living in areas of low socioeconomic status (SES) were significantly more likely to be diagnosed at late stage than those living in higher SES areas. Stratified analyses showed that living in a low SES area was the most important determinant of stage for all age, race, gender, and source-of-care groups. CONCLUSIONS: While all populations would benefit from the systematic use of screening, socioeconomically disadvantaged groups may also benefit from targeted screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the relationship between lead-contaminated house dust and urban children's blood lead levels. METHODS: A random-sample survey was used to identify and enroll 205 children, 12 to 31 months of age, who had resided in the same house since at least 6 months of age. Children's blood and household dust, water, soil, and paint were analyzed for lead, and interviews were conducted to ascertain risk factors for elevated blood lead (> or = 10 micrograms/dL). RESULTS: Children's mean blood lead level was 7.7 micrograms/dL. In addition to dust lead loading (micrograms of lead per square foot), independent predictors of children's blood lead were Black race, soil lead levels, ingestion of soil or dirt, lead content and condition of painted surfaces, and water lead levels. For dust lead standards of 5 micrograms/sq ft, 20 micrograms/sq ft, and 40 micrograms/sq ft on noncarpeted floors, the estimated percentages of children having blood lead levels at or above 10 micrograms/dL were 4%, 15%, and 20%, respectively, after adjusting for other significant covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Lead-contaminated house dust is a significant contributor to lead intake among urban children who have low-level elevations in blood lead. A substantial proportion of children may have blood lead levels of at least 10 micrograms/dL at dust lead levels considerably lower than current standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study examined whether there were significant differentials between US-born and foreign-born women in risks of infant mortality, low birthweight, and preterm birth and whether these differentials, if they existed, varied across major US racial/ethnic groups. METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression was applied to national linked birth/infant death records for 1985 through 1987 to estimate overall and ethnic-specific maternal nativity effects on pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: Substantial maternal nativity differences in risks of infant mortality and low birthweight were found, with the magnitude of the nativity effect varying significantly across racial/ethnic groups. Overall, foreign-born status was associated with 7% and 20% lower risks of low birthweight and infant mortality, respectively. However, the reduced risk of adverse pregnancy outcome associated with immigrant status tended to be substantially larger for Blacks, Cubans, Mexicans, and Chinese than for other ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal nativity status, along with ethnicity, may serve as an important axis of differentiation in birth outcome studies. Further research needs to be conducted to assess the effects of behavioral, cultural, and psychosocial factors in explaining the nativity differentials observed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the 2013 winners of the periodical's Paper of the Year awards, including reports on topics such as aging and climate change, infant mortality, and housing insecurity, as well as 2013 Reviewers of the Year jimi adams and Janet Golden.

The article discusses editor's decisions about the selection of research to be published. The editor emphasizes that his purpose in presenting the selection process of manuscripts to be published is to help authors understand the procedure. He mentions that "The Lancet," a medical journal, handles 70 percent of its contributions without peer review. Moreover, he admits that editorial decisions are not based upon the scientific merit of a paper. In this journal, the editorial staff appoint 704 reviewers to help them in the selection process.

The article presents information on award winners for the 2015 American Journal of Public Health paper of the year, including the paper "The collateral damage of mass incarceration: Risk of psychiatric morbidity among nonincarcerated residents of high-incarceration neighborhoods" by M.L. Hatzenbuehler and others, the paper "The moral challenge of Ebola" by Mark A. Rothstein, and a noination of Dr. Paul Campbell Erwin as reviewer of the year.

Objectives. Despite national support for electronic laboratory reporting (ELR), the transition from paper to electronic reporting has been slow both nationally and locally. We assessed the ELR experience of New York City's surveillance programs to identify barriers to ELR implementation and generalizable lessons about automated electronic notifiable disease surveillance. Methods. We conducted interviews with key staff of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to evaluate ELR implementation. A review of paper and ELR disease reports enabled a comparison of the reporting systems. Results. The completeness and timeliness of ELR were similar to, and sometimes better than, paper reporting for certain diseases. Incorporating electronic data into surveillance databases created new problems with data quality, shifted work demands, and required additional skills for data monitoring. ELR improved the handling of high-volume and time-sensitive diseases but did not completely automate reporting for diseases that required complicated assessments by staff. Conclusions. Although ELR streamlines data processing, electronic reporting has its own limitations. A more successful use of ELR can be achieved by understanding its strengths and limitations for different disease types. (Am J Public Health. 2007;97:S142-S145. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2006.098996) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of the "American Journal of Public Health (AJPH)" in the U.S. The journal was first published in 1911, however, it was not the first serial publication of the American Public Health Association (APHA). During the early days of AJPH, mostly of their articles were from APHA meetings. Contributions from different sectors started in 1956. Several years after, the publication has changed in character and content. Advances in science and technology are considered the main force behind AJPH's growth.

Objectives. We described the process of engaging key stakeholders in a systematic review of requirements for a master of public health (MPH) degree within the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, and summarized resulting changes. Methods. A benchmarking study of 11 peer institutions was completed. Key stakeholders (i.e., current students, alumni, faculty, staff, employers, and practicum preceptors) received online or print surveys. A faculty retreat was convened to process results and reach consensus on program revisions. Results. MPH program changes included (1) improved advising and mentoring program, (2) elimination of research and practice track options, (3) increased elective and decreased required credit hours, (4) replacement of master's paper requirement with "deliverables" (written products such as reports, documents, and forms) produced as part of the required "Capstone" course, (5) extended community field experience to 2 semesters and moved it to year 2 of the program, and (6) allowed practica of either 200, 300, or 400 hours. Conclusions. Engaging key stakeholders in the program review process yielded important changes to the MPH degree program requirements. Others may consider this approach when undertaking curriculum reviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the quality of recent reviews in epidemiology. METHODS: All 1995 issues of 7 widely read epidemiology journals were searched to identify reviews. RESULTS: Twenty-nine reviews were identified. Methodology was not specified or incomplete for literature searches in 79% of reviews; the same was true for inclusion criteria in 83% and for combining studies in 62%. More than 60% of the reviews were not methodologically systematic. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve the quality of review papers in epidemiology. If systematic methodology were followed more frequently, epidemiologic science and its application could be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study examined the quality of recent reviews in epidemiology. Methods. All 1995 issues of 7 widely read epidemiology journals were searched to identify reviews. Results. Twenty-nine reviews were identified. Methodology was not specified or incomplete for literature searches in 79% of reviews; the same was true for inclusion criteria in 83% and for combining studies in 62%. More than 60% of the reviews were not methodologically systematic. Conclusions. There is a need to improve the quality of review papers in epidemiology. If systematic methodology were followed more frequently, epidemiologic science and its application could be improved. (Am J Public Health. 1998;88:475-477) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors offer an appreciation to the 2022-2023 peer reviewers of the journal including Pamela M. Aaltonen, Shawn D. Aaron, and Erika Nayeli Abad-Vivero.

The article focuses on the request of the World Health Organization (WHO) for preemptive ban on smokeless tobacco. A group of experts meeting under the auspices of the organization has called for a ban to prevent the new public health epidemic from a new form of tobacco use. The group declared that smokeless tobacco is being promoted cynically across the globe despite of its known harmful health consequences. WHO working paper studies indicated that beyond any reasonable doubt, smokeless tobacco is a serious health hazard for it caused cancer of the oral cavity and of nicotine addiction. Finally, some measures are recommended by the WHO experts like the prohibition of promotion in the mass media and health warnings on all smokeless tobacco products.

Objectives.To evaluate the positive predictive value of machine learning algorithms for early assessment of adverse birth risk among pregnant women as a means of improving the allocation of social services. Methods. We used administrative data for 6457 women collected by the Illinois Department of Human Services from July 2014 to May 2015 to develop a machine learning model for adverse birth prediction and improve upon the existing paper-based risk assessment. We compared different models and determined the strongest predictors of adverse birth outcomes using positive predictive value as the metric for selection. Results. Machine learning algorithms performed similarly, outperforming the current paper-based risk assessment by up to 36%; a refined paper-based assessment outperformed the current assessment by up to 22%. We estimate that these improvements will allow 100 to 170 additional high-risk pregnant women screened for program eligibility each year to receive services that would have otherwise been unobtainable. Conclusions. Our analysis exhibits the potential for machine learning to move government agencies toward a more data-informed approach to evaluating risk and providing social services. Overall, such efforts will improve the efficiency of allocating resource-intensive interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a preliminary step in the investigation of high pancreas-cancer mortality among White males in a cluster of Louisiana parishes, we examined 876 pairs of certificates of death which occurred in this area during 1960–75. The pancreas-cancer death records were matched to controls by age, race, sex, year of death, and parish of residence. The odds ratios were increased about two-fold for workers in the oil refining and paper manufacturing industries, and slight elevations were seen among residents near refineries and food processing plants. Despite the limited residential and occupational information available on death certificates, this study suggests leads to environmental factor that can be further investigated by a case-control interview study in Louisiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses articles presented in the "American Journal of Public Health" in 2020, most of which were focused upon the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives. An earlier paper estimated the per-case and national incidence costs of Alzheimer's disease for 1983. This paper updates the estimates of costs per case to 1991 and presents new national prevalence estimates of the economic and social costs of the disease. Methods. All data for the cost estimates were taken from published sources or provided by other researchers. Results. At midrange values of the estimated cost and epidemiological parameters, the discounted (at 4%) direct and total costs of Alzheimer's disease were $47 581 and $173 932 per case, respectively. The estimated 1991 national direct and total prevalence costs were $20.6 billion and $67.3 billion, respectively. Assuming conservatively that the prevalence of the disease remains constant, the estimated discounted present values of the direct and total costs of all current and future generations of Alzheimer's patients are $536 billion and $1.75 trillion, respectively. Conclusions. The $536 billion and $1.75 trillion figures are minimum estimates of the long-term dollar losses to the US economy in 1991 caused by Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In Nagoya City, Japan. VMA mass screening for detection of neuroblastoma has been performed since 1977. Filter paper strips wetted with urine are mailed to a central laboratory. Positive tests are followed up by more definitive testing. Of the 20,053 urine samples of 6-month-old infants tested. January 1977 to March 1983, live asymptomatic infants with neuroblastoma have been discovered. All have been treated and are alive as of January 1984. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the report concerning the "American Journal of Public Health" in the U.S. The report includes the manuscripts that were received by the Journal. The author mentions the publications of more papers that focus on the environmental and occupational health, as well as the desire to publish papers about maternal and child health. It is also asserted in the report that the rejection of around 80% of the submissions as stated in the publication standards and space limitations should not discourage the contributors to the Journal.

Background. Since 2005, most US states have expanded civilian rights to use deadly force in self-defense outside the home. In most cases, legislation has included removing the duty to retreat anywhere one may legally be, commonly known as stand-your-ground laws. The extent to which these laws affect public health and safety is widely debated in public and policy discourse. Objectives. To synthesize the available evidence on the impacts and social inequities associated with changing civilian rights to use deadly force in self-defense on violence, injury, crime, and firearm-related outcomes. Search Methods. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, Sociological Abstracts, National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts, Education Resources Information Center, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Google Scholar, National Bureau of Economic Research working papers, and SocArXiv; harvested references of included studies; and consulted with experts to identify studies until April 2020. Selection Criteria. Eligible studies quantitatively estimated the association between laws that expanded or restricted the right to use deadly force in self-defense and population or subgroup outcomes among civilians with a comparator. Data Collection and Analysis. Two reviewers extracted study data using a common form. We assessed study quality using the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tools adapted for (controlled) before–after studies. To account for data dependencies, we conducted graphical syntheses (forest plots and harvest plots) to summarize the evidence on impacts and inequities associated with changing self-defense laws. Main Results. We identified 25 studies that estimated population-level impacts of laws expanding civilian rights to use deadly force in self-defense, all of which focused on stand-your-ground or other expansions to self-defense laws in the United States. Studies were scored as having serious or critical risk of bias attributable to confounding. Risk of bias was low across most other domains (i.e., selection, missing data, outcome, and reporting biases). Stand-your-ground laws were associated with no change to small increases in violent crime (total and firearm homicide, aggravated assault, robbery) on average across states. Florida-based studies showed robust increases (24% to 45%) in firearm and total homicide while self-defense claims under stand-your-ground law were more often denied when victims were White, especially when claimants were racial minorities. Author's Conclusions. The existing evidence contradicts claims that expanding self-defense laws deters violent crime across the United States. In at least some contexts, including Florida, stand-your-ground laws are associated with increases in violence, and there are racial inequities in the application of these laws. Public Health Implications. In some US states, most notably Florida, stand-your-ground laws may have harmed public health and safety and exacerbated social inequities. Our findings highlight the need for scientific evidence on both population and equity impacts of self-defense laws to guide legislative action that promotes public health and safety for all. Trial Registration. Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/uz68e). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To determine the association between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation. Methods. We searched PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, and EMBASE and computed the association of e-cigarette use with quitting cigarettes using random effects meta-analyses. Results. We identified 64 papers (55 observational studies and 9 randomized clinical trials [RCTs]). In observational studies of all adult smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.947; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.772, 1.160) and smokers motivated to quit smoking (OR = 0.851; 95% CI = 0.684, 1.057), e-cigarette consumer product use was not associated with quitting. Daily e-cigarette use was associated with more quitting (OR = 1.529; 95% CI = 1.158, 2.019) and less-than-daily use was associated with less quitting (OR = 0.514; 95% CI = 0.402, 0.665). The RCTs that compared quitting among smokers who were provided e-cigarettes to smokers with conventional therapy found e-cigarette use was associated with more quitting (relative risk = 1.555; 95% CI = 1.173, 2.061). Conclusions. As consumer products, in observational studies, e-cigarettes were not associated with increased smoking cessation in the adult population. In RCTs, provision of free e-cigarettes as a therapeutic intervention was associated with increased smoking cessation. Public Health Implications. E-cigarettes should not be approved as consumer products but may warrant consideration as a prescription therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, as access to women's reproductive health care in the United States has proven less than ensured, it behooves scholars of public health to explore how US medical contraceptive care was successfully established and perpetuated initially in the early to mid-twentieth century. This article highlights the work of Hannah Mayer Stone, MD, in building and advocating such care. From the moment she accepted the position of medical director for the first contraceptive clinic in the country in 1925 until her untimely death in 1941, Stone campaigned relentlessly for women's access to the best contraceptive regimes available, all the while navigating extensive legal, social, and scientific challenges. In 1928, she published the first scientific report on contraception in a US medical journal, thereby legitimating the provision of contraception as a medical endeavor and providing empirical grounds for clinical contraceptive work in the years that followed. Her scientific publications and professional correspondence provide insight into the processes through which medical contraceptive care became increasingly available in US history and offer guidance for a contemporary era when reproductive health care hangs in the balance. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(4):390–396. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307215) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We conducted 2 studies to determine the impact of text message immunization reminder-recalls in an urban, low-income population. Methods. In 1 study, text message immunization reminders were sent to a random sample of parents (n=195) whose children aged 11 to 18 years needed either or both meningococcal (MCV4) and tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunizations. We compared receipt of MCV4 or Tdap at 4, 12, and 24 weeks with age- and gender-matched controls. In the other study, we compared attendance at a postshortage Haemophilus influenzae B (Hib) immunization recall session between parents who received text message and paper-mailed reminders (n=87) and those who only received paper-mailed reminders (n=87). Results. Significantly more adolescents with intervention parents received either or both MCV4 and Tdap at weeks 4 (15.4% vs 4.2%; P<.001), 12 (26.7% vs 13.9%; P<.005), and 24 (36.4% vs 18.1%; P<.001). Significantly more parents who received both Hib reminders attended a recall session compared with parents who only received a mailed reminder (21.8% vs 9.2%; P<.05). After controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and language, text messaging was still significantly associated with both studies' outcomes. Conclusions. Text messaging for reminder-recalls improved immunization coverage in a low-income, urban population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have become a widely embraced policy to address the US opioid crisis. Despite mixed scientific evidence on their effectiveness at improving health and reducing overdose deaths, 49 states and Washington, DC have adopted PDMPs, and they have received strong bipartisan legislative support. This article explores the history of PDMPs, tracking their evolution from paper-based administrative databases in the early 1900s to modern-day electronic systems that intervene at the point of care. We focus on two questions: how did PDMPs become so widely adopted in the United States, and how did they gain popularity as an intervention in the contemporary opioid crisis? Through this historical approach, we evaluate what PDMPs reflect about national drug policy and broader cultural understandings of substance use disorder in the United States today. (Am J Public Health. 2020;110:1191–1197. 10.2105/AJPH.2020.305696) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined whether automated electronic laboratory reporting of notifiable-diseases results in information being delivered to public health departments more completely and quickly than is the case with spontaneous, paper-based reporting. Methods. We used data from a local public health department, hospital infection control departments, and a community-wide health information exchange to identify all potential cases of notifiable conditions that occurred in Marion County, Ind, during the first quarter of 2001. We compared traditional spontaneous reporting to the health department with automated electronic laboratory reporting through the health information exchange. Results. After reports obtained using the 2 methods had been matched, there were 4785 unique reports for 53 different conditions during the study period. Chlamydia was the most common condition, followed by hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and gonorrhea. Automated electronic laboratory reporting identified 4.4 times as many cases as traditional spontaneous, paper-based methods and identified those cases 7.9 days earlier than spontaneous reporting. Conclusions. Automated electronic laboratory reporting improves the completeness and timeliness of disease surveillance, which will enhance public health awareness and reporting efficiency. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:344-350. doi:10.2105/AJPH. 2006.092700) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]