Faculty Bibliography
Searched for:
school:SOM
Department/Unit:Population Health
Total Results:
12788
Gene-educational attainment interactions in a multi-ancestry genome-wide meta-analysis identify novel blood pressure loci
Educational attainment is widely used as a surrogate for socioeconomic status (SES). Low SES is a risk factor for hypertension and high blood pressure (BP). To identify novel BP loci, we performed multi-ancestry meta-analyses accounting for gene-educational attainment interactions using two variables, "Some College" (yes/no) and "Graduated College" (yes/no). Interactions were evaluated using both a 1 degree of freedom (DF) interaction term and a 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Analyses were performed for systolic BP, diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, and pulse pressure. We pursued genome-wide interrogation in Stage 1 studies (N = 117 438) and follow-up on promising variants in Stage 2 studies (N = 293 787) in five ancestry groups. Through combined meta-analyses of Stages 1 and 2, we identified 84 known and 18 novel BP loci at genome-wide significance level (P < 5 × 10-8). Two novel loci were identified based on the 1DF test of interaction with educational attainment, while the remaining 16 loci were identified through the 2DF joint test of genetic and interaction effects. Ten novel loci were identified in individuals of African ancestry. Several novel loci show strong biological plausibility since they involve physiologic systems implicated in BP regulation. They include genes involved in the central nervous system-adrenal signaling axis (ZDHHC17, CADPS, PIK3C2G), vascular structure and function (GNB3, CDON), and renal function (HAS2 and HAS2-AS1, SLIT3). Collectively, these findings suggest a role of educational attainment or SES in further dissection of the genetic architecture of BP.
PMID: 32372009
ISSN: 1476-5578
CID: 4430172
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2021:22(6):1125-1127.DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.03.016
Engaging Nursing Assistants to Enhance Receptivity to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine [Editorial]
PMCID:8169079
PMID: 34088503
ISSN: 1538-9375
CID: 4908192
Impact of a novel family-centered values clarification tool on adolescent sperm banking attempts at the time of a new cancer diagnosis
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:Over half of males experience fertility impairment after childhood cancer therapy, which often causes psychosocial distress. Yet, fertility preservation (FP) remains underutilized. The goals of this study were to determine the feasibility and impact of implementing a family-centered FP values clarification tool on sperm banking attempts among adolescent males newly diagnosed with cancer, and identify key determinants of banking attempts. METHODS:A prospective pilot study was conducted among families of males (12-25 years old), prior to cancer therapy. Thirty-nine of 41 families agreed to participate (95%); 98 participants (32 adolescents, 37 mothers, 29 fathers) completed the Family-centered Adolescent Sperm banking values clarification Tool (FAST). Analyses assessed the impact of the FAST on banking attempts and examined associations between demographic/medical characteristics, FAST subscales (perceived threat, benefits, barriers), and banking attempts. RESULTS:=.59, p=.02) were associated with banking attempts. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Adolescent sperm banking attempt rates significantly increased after implementation of a family-centered FP values clarification tool prior to cancer treatment. Findings underscore the importance of targeting both adolescents and their parents, particularly fathers, in FP efforts.
PMID: 33564937
ISSN: 1573-7330
CID: 4799782
Drug checking at dance festivals: A review with recommendations to increase generalizability of findings
Dance festival attendees are at high risk for consuming adulterated drugs. In recent years, drug checking studies have been conducted at various dance festivals to provide valuable harm reduction information to attendees regarding drug content. We conducted a review of the literature to determine the generalizability of findings to the target population of interest-festival attendees at risk for using adulterated drugs. Six published studies involving drug checking at festivals were reviewed. All relied on self-selected samples and male attendees were overrepresented based on previous research. Test methods, drugs tested, definitions of adulteration, and prevalence of adulteration varied across studies. Prevalence of detection of adulterants ranged from 11% to 55%. While the drug checking services described appear to have been beneficial for participants, results have limited generalizability to the target population. We recommend that researchers expand beyond the self-selection model in future studies and utilize recruitment methods that involve random sampling techniques such as systematic random sampling, stratified random sampling, or time-space sampling within festivals. We also recommend that individuals approached are surveyed for demographic characteristics, planned drug use at the festival, and willingness to test their drugs. These methods would help determine how representative the sample is compared to the target population and allow for more generalizable estimates. In conclusion, as these valuable harm reduction services expand, it may be possible to reach a wider portion of the population at risk and to obtain more generalizable estimates of engagement, adulteration, and reactions to learning one possesses adulterated drugs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
PMID: 33600199
ISSN: 1936-2293
CID: 4874172
Betaine and choline status modify the effects of folic acid and creatine supplementation on arsenic methylation in a randomized controlled trial of Bangladeshi adults
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:) modified the effects of FA and creatine supplementation on changes in homocysteine, guanidinoacetate (GAA), total blood arsenic, and urinary arsenic metabolite proportions and indices. METHODS:Study participants (N = 622) received 400 or 800 μg FA, 3 g creatine, 400 μg FA + 3 g creatine, or placebo daily for 12 weeks. RESULTS:Relative to placebo, FA supplementation was associated with greater mean increases in %DMAs among participants with betaine concentrations below the median than those with levels above the median (FDR < 0.05). 400 μg FA/day was associated with a greater decrease in homocysteine among participants with plasma folate concentrations below, compared with those above, the median (FDR < 0.03). Creatine treatment was associated with a significant decrease in %MMAs among participants with choline concentrations below the median (P = 0.04), but not among participants above the median (P = 0.94); this effect did not significantly differ between strata (P = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS:Effects of FA and creatine supplementation on arsenic methylation capacity were greater among individuals with low betaine and choline status, respectively. The efficacy of FA and creatine interventions to facilitate arsenic methylation may be modified by choline and betaine nutritional status. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION/BACKGROUND:Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: NCT01050556, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://clinicaltrials.gov ; registered January 15, 2010.
PMCID:7947037
PMID: 32918135
ISSN: 1436-6215
CID: 5899672
Dose analysis of photobiomodulation for oral mucositis: A systematic review [Meeting Abstract]
Introduction Photobiomodulation therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for reducing the incidence and severity of oral mucositis (OM). The objective of this study is to determine the range of effective PBM dose, and review the adequacy of reporting irradiation parameters. Methods Online databases were searched to compare efficacy of PBM versus controls for preventing or treating cancer therapy-induced OM. Irradiation parameters were reviewed for accuracy. Results A total of 53 clinical trials were identified and 29 papers were excluded, leaving 24 papers for review. Only 1 study reported all parameters accurately. Seven studies reported a difference in OMgrade >= 3 (WHO) between the placebo and PBM groups greater than 40% when PBM was used prophylactically with greater irradiation parameters (mean energy dose 50%, beam area 58%, irradiance 246%, and treatment time per point 290% greater than the overall mean values).Aplot of effect size (%) vs. total energy per session was created using studies that reported adequate information to determine both total energy per session and the difference in the percent of patients with OMgrade >= 3 between the study group and placebo group. These data points were fit with a quadratic curve to evaluate if the data may resemble the parabolic relationship observed in previous studies. Conclusions This review has reconfirmed the lack of accurate reporting of PBM parameters. Total energy per session may be used to guide PBM dose parameters
EMBASE:635437895
ISSN: 1433-7339
CID: 4973252
Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. 2021:22(6):1175-1176.DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2021.02.003
Providing Hearing Assistance to Low-Income Adults at Risk for Social Isolation: Preliminary Findings [Letter]
PMID: 33711311
ISSN: 1538-9375
CID: 4809652
E-cigarette use and beliefs among adult smokers with substance use disorders
Background/UNASSIGNED:We explored characteristics and beliefs associated with e-cigarette use patterns among cigarette smokers requiring inpatient detoxification for opioid and/or alcohol use disorder(s). Methods/UNASSIGNED:-test statistics, and logistic regression models were used. Results/UNASSIGNED: Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:E-cigarette use seems to be appealing to a small proportion of cigarette smokers with SUD. Although, dual smokers seem to use e-cigarettes for its cessation premise, they don't appear to be actively seeking to quit. E-cigarettes may offer a more effective method for harm reduction, further evaluation of incorporating it within smoking cessation protocols among patients in addiction treatment is needed.
PMCID:7772361
PMID: 33385062
ISSN: 2352-8532
CID: 4731972
Powering population health research: Considerations for plausible and actionable effect sizes
Evidence for Action (E4A), a signature program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, funds investigator-initiated research on the impacts of social programs and policies on population health and health inequities. Across thousands of letters of intent and full proposals E4A has received since 2015, one of the most common methodological challenges faced by applicants is selecting realistic effect sizes to inform calculations of power, sample size, and minimum detectable effect (MDE). E4A prioritizes health studies that are both (1) adequately powered to detect effect sizes that may reasonably be expected for the given intervention and (2) likely to achieve intervention effects sizes that, if demonstrated, correspond to actionable evidence for population health stakeholders. However, little guidance exists to inform the selection of effect sizes for population health research proposals. We draw on examples of five rigorously evaluated population health interventions. These examples illustrate considerations for selecting realistic and actionable effect sizes as inputs to calculations of power, sample size and MDE for research proposals to study population health interventions. We show that plausible effects sizes for population health interventions may be smaller than commonly cited guidelines suggest. Effect sizes achieved with population health interventions depend on the characteristics of the intervention, the target population, and the outcomes studied. Population health impact depends on the proportion of the population receiving the intervention. When adequately powered, even studies of interventions with small effect sizes can offer valuable evidence to inform population health if such interventions can be implemented broadly. Demonstrating the effectiveness of such interventions, however, requires large sample sizes.
PMCID:8059081
PMID: 33898730
ISSN: 2352-8273
CID: 4852962
A Nationwide Survey of COVID-19 Testing in LGBTQ+ Populations in the United States
OBJECTIVES:Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) people and populations face myriad health disparities that are likely to be evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of our study were to describe patterns of COVID-19 testing among LGBTQ+ people and to differentiate rates of COVID-19 testing and test results by sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS:Participants residing in the United States and US territories (N = 1090) aged ≥18 completed an internet-based survey from May through July 2020 that assessed COVID-19 testing and test results and sociodemographic characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). We analyzed data on receipt and results of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 and symptoms of COVID-19 in relation to sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS:Of the 1090 participants, 182 (16.7%) received a PCR test; of these, 16 (8.8%) had a positive test result. Of the 124 (11.4%) who received an antibody test, 45 (36.3%) had antibodies. Rates of PCR testing were higher among participants who were non-US-born (25.4%) versus US-born (16.3%) and employed full-time or part-time (18.5%) versus unemployed (10.8%). Antibody testing rates were higher among gay cisgender men (17.2%) versus other SOGI groups, non-US-born (25.4%) versus US-born participants, employed (12.6%) versus unemployed participants, and participants residing in the Northeast (20.0%) versus other regions. Among SOGI groups with sufficient cell sizes (n > 10), positive PCR results were highest among cisgender gay men (16.1%). CONCLUSIONS:The differential patterns of testing and positivity, particularly among gay men in our sample, confirm the need to create COVID-19 public health messaging and programming that attend to the LGBTQ+ population.
PMID: 34034566
ISSN: 1468-2877
CID: 4905342
