Last data update: Jan 27, 2025. (Total: 48650 publications since 2009)
Records 1-19 (of 19 Records) |
Query Trace: Flanagan B[original query] |
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Clinical outcomes from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Colorectal Cancer Control Program: 2009-2015
Nash SH , Verhage E , Flanagan C , Haverkamp D , Roik E , Zimpelman G , Redwood D . Int J Environ Res Public Health 2024 21 (5) The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) participated in the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) from 2009 to 2015. We conducted a descriptive evaluation of ANTHC CRCCP demographics, quality measures, and clinical outcomes, including screening methods employed within the program and screening outcomes. There were 6981 program screenings completed, with the majority (81.3%) of people screened in the 50-75 year age group. Colonoscopy was the primary screening test used, accounting for 6704 (96.9%) of the screening tests. Quality of colonoscopy was high: adequate bowel preparation was reported in 98.2% of colonoscopies, cecal intubation rate was 98.9%, and the adenoma detection rate was 38.9%. A high proportion (58.9%) of colonoscopies had an initial finding of polyps or lesions suspicious for cancer; 41.2% of all colonoscopies had histological confirmation of either adenomatous polyps (40.6%) or cancer (0.5%). The ANTHC CRCCP successfully increased CRC screening among American Indian and Alaska Native peoples living in Alaska; this was achieved primarily through high-quality colonoscopy metrics. These data support a continued focus by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and its tribal health partners on increasing CRC screening and reducing cancer mortality among Alaska Native peoples. |
Developing a granular scale environmental burden index (EBI) for diverse land cover types across the contiguous United States
Owusu C , Flanagan B , Lavery AM , Mertzlufft CE , McKenzie BA , Kolling J , Lewis B , Dunn I , Hallisey E , Lehnert EA , Fletcher K , Davis R , Conn M , Owen LR , Smith MM , Dent A . Sci Total Environ 2022 838 155908 Critical to identifying the risk of environmentally driven disease is an understanding of the cumulative impact of environmental conditions on human health. Here we describe the methodology used to develop an environmental burden index (EBI). The EBI is calculated at U.S. census tract level, a finer scale than many similar national-level tools. EBI scores are also stratified by tract land cover type as per the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), controlling for urbanicity. The EBI was developed over the course of four stages: 1) literature review to identify potential indicators, 2) data source acquisition and indicator variable construction, 3) index creation, and 4) stratification by land cover type. For each potential indicator, data sources were assessed for completeness, update frequency, and availability. These indicators were: (1) particulate matter (PM2.5), (2) ozone, (3) Superfund National Priority List (NPL) locations, (4) Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) facilities, (5) Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) facilities, (6) recreational parks, (7) railways, (8) highways, (9) airports, and (10) impaired water sources. Indicators were statistically normalized and checked for collinearity. For each indicator, we computed and summed percentile ranking scores to create an overall ranking for each tract. Tracts having the same plurality of land cover type form a 'peer' group. We re-ranked the tracts into percentiles within each peer group for each indicator. The percentile scores were combined for each tract to obtain a stratified EBI. A higher score reveals a tract with increased environmental burden relative to other tracts of the same peer group. We compared our results to those of related indices, finding good convergent validity between the overall EBI and CalEnviroScreen 4.0. The EBI has many potential applications for research and use as a tool to develop public health interventions at a granular scale. |
Reduction in drinking water arsenic exposure and health risk through arsenic treatment among private well households in Maine and New Jersey, USA
Yang Q , Flanagan SV , Chillrud S , Ross J , Zeng W , Culbertson C , Spayd S , Backer L , Smith AE , Zheng Y . Sci Total Environ 2020 738 139683 Over 2 million mostly rural Americans are at risk of drinking water from private wells that contain arsenic (As) exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 micrograms per liter (mug/L). How well existing treatment technologies perform in real world situations, and to what extent they reduce health risks, are not well understood. This study evaluates the effectiveness of household As treatment systems in southern-central Maine (ME, n = 156) and northern New Jersey (NJ, n = 94) and ascertains how untreated well water chemistry and other factors influence As removal. Untreated and treated water samples, as well as a treatment questionnaire, were collected. Most ME households had point-of-use reverse-osmosis systems (POU RO), while in NJ, dual-tank point-of-entry (POE) whole house systems were popular. Arsenic treatment systems reduced well water arsenic concentrations ([As]) by up to two orders of magnitude, i.e. from a median of 71.7 to 0.8 mug/L and from a mean of 105 to 14.3 mug/L in ME, and from a median of 8.6 to 0.2 mug/L and a mean of 15.8 to 2.1 mug/L in NJ. More than half (53%) of the systems in ME reduced water [As] to below 1 mug/L, compared to 69% in NJ. The treatment system failure rates were 19% in ME (>USEPA MCL of 10 mug/L) and 16% in NJ (>NJ MCL of 5 mug/L). In both states, the higher the untreated well water [As] and the As(III)/As ratio, the higher the rate of treatment failure. POE systems failed less than POU systems, as did the treatment systems installed and maintained by vendors than those by homeowners. The 7-fold reduction of [As] in the treated water reduced skin cancer risk alone from 3765 to 514 in 1 million in ME, and from 568 to 75 in 1 million in NJ. |
A social vulnerability index for disaster management
Flanagan BE , Gregory EW , Hallisey EJ , Heitgerd JL , Lewis B . J Homel Secur Emerg Manag 2020 8 (1) Social vulnerability refers to the socioeconomic and demographic factors that affect the resilience of communities. Studies have shown that in disaster events the socially vulnerable are more likely to be adversely affected, i.e. they are less likely to recover and more likely to die. Effectively addressing social vulnerability decreases both human suffering and the economic loss related to providing social services and public assistance after a disaster. This paper describes the development of a social vulnerability index (SVI), from 15 census variables at the census tract level, for use in emergency management. It also examines the potential value of the SVI by exploring the impact of Hurricane Katrina on local populations. |
First Mildly Ill, Nonhospitalized Case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Without Viral Transmission in the United States-Maricopa County, Arizona, 2020.
Scott SE , Zabel K , Collins J , Hobbs KC , Kretschmer MJ , Lach M , Turnbow K , Speck L , White JR , Maldonado K , Howard B , Fowler J , Singh S , Robinson S , Pompa AP , Chatham-Stephens K , Xie A , Cates J , Lindstrom S , Lu X , Rolfes MA , Flanagan M , Sunenshine R . Clin Infect Dis 2020 71 (15) 807-812 BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes a range of illness severity. Mild illness has been reported, but whether illness severity correlates with infectivity is unknown. We describe the public health investigation of a mildly ill, non-hospitalized COVID-19 case who traveled to China. METHODS: The case was a Maricopa County resident with multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-positive specimens collected on January 22, 2020. Contacts were persons exposed to the case on or after the day before case diagnostic specimen collection. Contacts were monitored for 14 days after last known exposure. High-risk contacts had close, prolonged case contact (>/=10 minutes within 2 meters). Medium-risk contacts wore all U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended personal protective equipment during interactions. Nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal (NP/OP) specimens were collected from the case and high-risk contacts and tested for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Paired case NP/OP specimens were collected for SARS-CoV-2 testing at 11 time points. In 8 pairs (73%), >/=1 specimen tested positive or indeterminate, and in 3 pairs (27%) both tested negative. Specimens collected 18 days after diagnosis tested positive. Sixteen contacts were identified; 11 (69%) had high-risk exposure, including 1 intimate contact, and 5 (31%) had medium-risk exposure. In total, 35 high-risk contact NP/OP specimens were collected for SARS-CoV-2 testing; all 35 pairs (100%) tested negative. CONCLUSIONS: This report demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause mild illness and result in positive tests for up to 18 days after diagnosis, without evidence of transmission to close contacts. These data might inform public health strategies to manage individuals with asymptomatic infection or mild illness. |
Spatial exploration of the CDC's Social Vulnerability Index and heat-related health outcomes in Georgia
Lehnert EA , Wilt G , Flanagan B , Hallisey E . Int J Disaster Risk Reduct 2020 46 Heat-related illness, an environmental exposure-related outcome commonly treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments (ED), is likely to rise with increased incidence of heat events related to climate change. Few studies demonstrate the spatial and statistical relationship of social vulnerability and heat-related health outcomes. We explore relationships of Georgia county-level heat-related ED visits and mortality rates (2002–2008), with CDC's Social Vulnerability Index (CDC SVI). Bivariate Moran's I analysis revealed significant clustering of high SVI rank and high heat-related ED visit rates (0.211, p < 0.001) and high smoothed mortality rates (0.210, p < 0.001). Regression revealed that for each 10% increase in SVI ranking, ED visit rates significantly increased by a factor of 1.18 (95% CI = 1.17–1.19), and mortality rates significantly increased by a factor of 1.31 (95% CI = 1.16–1.47). CDC SVI values are spatially linked and significantly associated with heat-related ED visit, and mortality rates in Georgia. |
Sociodemographic disparities in access to ovarian cancer treatment
Graham S , Hallisey E , Wilt G , Flanagan B , Rodriguez JL , Peipins L . Ann Cancer Epidemiol 2019 3 Background: Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Failure to receive optimal treatment and poorer survival rates have been reported for older women, African-American women, women with low income, and women with public health insurance coverage or no coverage. Additionally, regional differences in geographic access influence the type of treatment women may seek. This paper explores geographic accessibility and sociodemographic vulnerability in Georgia, which influence receipt of optimal ovarian cancer treatment. Methods: An enhanced two-step floating catchment area (E2SFCA), defining physical access, was created for each census tract and gynecologic oncologist clinic. Secondly, sociodemographic variables reflecting potential social vulnerability were selected from U.S. Census and American Community Survey data at the tract level. These two measures were combined to create a measure of Geosocial Vulnerability. This framework was tested using Georgia ovarian cancer mortality records. Results: Geospatial access was higher in urban areas with less accessibility in suburban and rural areas. Sociodemographic vulnerability varied geospatially, with higher vulnerability in urban citers and rural areas. Sociodemographic measures were combined with geospatial access to create a Geosocial Vulnerability Indicator, which showed a significant positive association with ovarian cancer mortality. Conclusions: Spatial and sociodemographic measures pinpointed areas of healthcare access vulnerability not revealed by either spatial analysis or sociodemographic assessment alone. Whereas lower healthcare accessibility in rural areas has been well described, our analysis shows considerable heterogeneity in access to care in urban areas where the disadvantaged census tracts can be easily identified. |
An efficient model for designing medical countermeasure just-in-time training during public health emergencies
Cathcart LA , Ramirez-Leon G , Orozco YA , Flanagan EA , Young SE , Garcia RA . Am J Public Health 2018 108 S212-s214 Rapidly training numerous staff and volunteers to distribute and dispense medical countermeasures is challenging because of limited resources and evolving information during public health emergencies. The Applied Learning and Development Team within the Division of State and Local Readiness at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proposes just-in-time training (JITT) templates that can be rapidly customized and implemented early in any public health emergency. The proposed template model aligns with modular training design research to increase relevance and rapid deployment of training. Two case studies are described to demonstrate the potential for training templates to support medical countermeasure responses: (1) customization and implementation of a JITT to prepare staff to work on a CDC task force during the 2016-2017 Zika virus response and (2) a new modular, customizable course to teach the basics about working at a point-of-dispensing site. Flexible JITT templates in these cases reduce the burden on emergency planners and trainers, allowing for rapidly developed, customized training viable for all emergency responses. |
Measuring community vulnerability to natural and anthropogenic hazards: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social vulnerability index
Flanagan BE , Hallisey EJ , Adams E , Lavery A . J Environ Health 2018 80 (10) 34-36 Until recent decades, the focus of disaster management remained largely on attributes of the physical world, primarily risk assessments of the threat of natural and anthropogenic hazards to the built environment. The concept of social vulnerability within a disaster management context received increasing attention when researchers recognized that a more complete assessment of risk must also include the socioeconomic and demographic factors that affect community resilience (Flanagan, Gregory, Hallisey, Heitgerd, & Lewis, 2011; Juntunen, 2005). |
Geographic access to cancer care and mortality among adolescents
Tai E , Hallisey E , Peipins LA , Flanagan B , Buchanan Lunsford N , Wilt G , Graham S . J Adolesc Young Adult Oncol 2017 7 (1) 22-29 PURPOSE: Adolescents with cancer have had less improvement in survival than other populations in the United States. This may be due, in part, to adolescents not receiving treatment at Children's Oncology Group (COG) institutions, which have been shown to increase survival for some cancers. The objective of this ecologic study was to examine geographic distance to COG institutions and adolescent cancer mortality. METHODS: We calculated cancer mortality among adolescents and sociodemographic and healthcare access factors in four geographic zones at selected distances surrounding COG facilities: Zone A (area within 10 miles of any COG institution), Zones B and C (concentric rings with distances from a COG institution of >10-25 miles and >25-50 miles, respectively), and Zone D (area outside of 50 miles). RESULTS: The adolescent cancer death rate was highest in Zone A at 3.21 deaths/100,000, followed by Zone B at 3.05 deaths/100,000, Zone C at 2.94 deaths/100,000, and Zone D at 2.88 deaths/100,000. The United States-wide death rate for whites without Hispanic ethnicity, blacks without Hispanic ethnicity, and persons with Hispanic ethnicity was 2.96 deaths/100,000, 3.10 deaths/100,000, and 3.26 deaths/100,000, respectively. Zone A had high levels of poverty (15%), no health insurance coverage (16%), and no vehicle access (16%). CONCLUSIONS: Geographic access to COG institutions, as measured by distance alone, played no evident role in death rate differences across zones. Among adolescents, socioeconomic factors, such as poverty and health insurance coverage, may have a greater impact on cancer mortality than geographic distance to COG institution. |
Transforming geographic scale: A comparison of combined population and areal weighting to other interpolation methods
Hallisey E , Tai E , Berens A , Wilt G , Peipins L , Lewis B , Graham S , Flanagan B , Lunsford NB . Int J Health Geogr 2017 16 (1) 29 BACKGROUND: Transforming spatial data from one scale to another is a challenge in geographic analysis. As part of a larger, primary study to determine a possible association between travel barriers to pediatric cancer facilities and adolescent cancer mortality across the United States, we examined methods to estimate mortality within zones at varying distances from these facilities: (1) geographic centroid assignment, (2) population-weighted centroid assignment, (3) simple areal weighting, (4) combined population and areal weighting, and (5) geostatistical areal interpolation. For the primary study, we used county mortality counts from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and population data by census tract for the United States to estimate zone mortality. In this paper, to evaluate the five mortality estimation methods, we employed address-level mortality data from the state of Georgia in conjunction with census data. Our objective here is to identify the simplest method that returns accurate mortality estimates. RESULTS: The distribution of Georgia county adolescent cancer mortality counts mirrors the Poisson distribution of the NCHS counts for the U.S. Likewise, zone value patterns, along with the error measures of hierarchy and fit, are similar for the state and the nation. Therefore, Georgia data are suitable for methods testing. The mean absolute value arithmetic differences between the observed counts for Georgia and the five methods were 5.50, 5.00, 4.17, 2.74, and 3.43, respectively. Comparing the methods through paired t-tests of absolute value arithmetic differences showed no statistical difference among the methods. However, we found a strong positive correlation (r = 0.63) between estimated Georgia mortality rates and combined weighting rates at zone level. Most importantly, Bland-Altman plots indicated acceptable agreement between paired arithmetic differences of Georgia rates and combined population and areal weighting rates. CONCLUSIONS: This research contributes to the literature on areal interpolation, demonstrating that combined population and areal weighting, compared to other tested methods, returns the most accurate estimates of mortality in transforming small counts by county to aggregated counts for large, non-standard study zones. This conceptually simple cartographic method should be of interest to public health practitioners and researchers limited to analysis of data for relatively large enumeration units. |
County-level vulnerability assessment for rapid dissemination of HIV or HCV infections among persons who inject drugs, United States
Van Handel MM , Rose CE , Hallisey EJ , Kolling JL , Zibbell JE , Lewis B , Bohm MK , Jones CM , Flanagan BE , Siddiqi AE , Iqbal K , Dent AL , Mermin JH , McCray E , Ward JW , Brooks JT . J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2016 73 (3) 323-331 OBJECTIVE: A recent HIV outbreak in a rural network of persons who inject drugs (PWID) underscored the intersection of the expanding epidemics of opioid abuse, unsterile injection drug use (IDU), and associated increases in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. We sought to identify US communities potentially vulnerable to rapid spread of HIV, if introduced, and new or continuing high rates of HCV infections among PWID. DESIGN: We conducted a multistep analysis to identify indicator variables highly associated with IDU. We then used these indicator values to calculate vulnerability scores for each county to identify which were most vulnerable. METHODS: We used confirmed cases of acute HCV infection reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System, 2012-2013, as a proxy outcome for IDU, and 15 county-level indicators available nationally in Poisson regression models to identify indicators associated with higher county acute HCV infection rates. Using these indicators, we calculated composite index scores to rank each county's vulnerability. RESULTS: A parsimonious set of 6 indicators were associated with acute HCV infection rates (proxy for IDU): drug-overdose deaths, prescription opioid sales, per capita income, white, non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, unemployment, and buprenorphine prescribing potential by waiver. Based on these indicators, we identified 220 counties in 26 states within the 95th percentile of most vulnerable. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis highlights US counties potentially vulnerable to HIV and HCV infections among PWID in the context of the national opioid epidemic. State and local health departments will need to further explore vulnerability and target interventions to prevent transmission. |
Optimizing virus identification in critically ill children suspected of having an acute severe viral infection
Randolph AG , Agan AA , Flanagan RF , Meece JK , Fitzgerald JC , Loftis LL , Truemper EJ , Li S , Ferdinands JM . Pediatr Crit Care Med 2016 17 (4) 279-86 OBJECTIVES: Multiplex rapid viral tests and nasopharyngeal flocked swabs are increasingly used for viral testing in PICUs. This study aimed at evaluating how the sampling site and the type of diagnostic test influence test results in children with suspected severe viral infection. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: PICUs at 21 tertiary pediatric referral centers in the United States. PATIENTS: During the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 influenza seasons, we enrolled children (6 mo to 17 yr old) who were suspected to have severe viral infection. INTERVENTIONS: We collected samples by using a standardized protocol for nasopharyngeal aspirate and nasopharyngeal flocked swabs in nonintubated patients and for endotracheal tube aspirate and nasopharyngeal flocked swabs in intubated patients. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Viral testing included a single reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction influenza test and the GenMark Respiratory Viral Panel (20 viruses). We enrolled 90 endotracheally intubated and 133 nonintubated children. We identified influenza in 45 patients with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction testing; the multiplex panel was falsely negative for influenza in two patients (4.4%). Six patients (13.3%) had not been diagnosed with influenza in the PICU. Non-influenza viruses were identified in 172 of 223 children (77.1%). In nonintubated children, the same virus was identified by nasopharyngeal flocked swabs and nasopharyngeal aspirate in 133 of 183 paired samples (72.7%), with +nasopharyngeal aspirate/-nasopharyngeal flocked swabs in 32 of 183 paired samples (17.4%). In intubated children, the same virus was identified by nasopharyngeal flocked swabs and endotracheal tube aspirate in 67 of 94 paired samples (71.3%), with +nasopharyngeal flocked swabs/-endotracheal tube aspirate in 22 of 94 paired samples (23.4%). Most discrepancies were either adenovirus or rhinovirus in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Standardized specimen collection and sensitive diagnostic testing with a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction increased the identification of influenza in critically ill children. For most pathogenic viruses identified, results from nasopharyngeal flocked swabs agreed with those from nasopharyngeal or endotracheal aspirates. |
Travel by public transit to mammography facilities in 6 US urban areas
Graham S , Lewis B , Flanagan B , Watson M , Peipins L . J Transp Health 2015 2 (4) 602-609 We examined lack of private vehicle access and 30. min or longer public transportation travel time to mammography facilities for women 40 years of age or older in the urban areas of Boston, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Denver, and Seattle to identify transit marginalized populations - women for whom these travel characteristics may jointly present a barrier to clinic access. This ecological study used sex and race/ethnicity data from the 2010 US Census and household vehicle availability data from the American Community Survey 2008-2012, all at Census tract level. Using the public transportation option on Google Trip Planner we obtained the travel time from the centroid of each census tract to all local mammography facilities to determine the nearest mammography facility in each urban area. Median travel times by public transportation to the nearest facility for women with no household access to a private vehicle were obtained by ranking travel time by population group across all U.S. census tracts in each urban area and across the entire study area. The overall median travel times for each urban area for women without household access to a private vehicle ranged from a low of 15. min in Boston and Philadelphia to 27. min in San Diego. The numbers and percentages of transit marginalized women were then calculated for all urban areas by population group. While black women were less likely to have private vehicle access, and both Hispanic and black women were more likely to be transit marginalized, this outcome varied by urban area. White women constituted the largest number of transit marginalized. Our results indicate that mammography facilities are favorably located for the large majority of women, although there are still substantial numbers for whom travel may likely present a barrier to mammography facility access. |
Imputation and subset-based association analysis across different cancer types identifies multiple independent risk loci in the TERT-CLPTM1L region on chromosome 5p15.33.
Wang Z , Zhu B , Zhang M , Parikh H , Jia J , Chung CC , Sampson JN , Hoskins JW , Hutchinson A , Burdette L , Ibrahim A , Hautman C , Raj PS , Abnet CC , Adjei AA , Ahlbom A , Albanes D , Allen NE , Ambrosone CB , Aldrich M , Amiano P , Amos C , Andersson U , Andriole G Jr , Andrulis IL , Arici C , Arslan AA , Austin MA , Baris D , Barkauskas DA , Bassig BA , Beane Freeman LE , Berg CD , Berndt SI , Bertazzi PA , Biritwum RB , Black A , Blot W , Boeing H , Boffetta P , Bolton K , Boutron-Ruault MC , Bracci PM , Brennan P , Brinton LA , Brotzman M , Bueno-de-Mesquita HB , Buring JE , Butler MA , Cai Q , Cancel-Tassin G , Canzian F , Cao G , Caporaso NE , Carrato A , Carreon T , Carta A , Chang GC , Chang IS , Chang-Claude J , Che X , Chen CJ , Chen CY , Chen CH , Chen C , Chen KY , Chen YM , Chokkalingam AP , Chu LW , Clavel-Chapelon F , Colditz GA , Colt JS , Conti D , Cook MB , Cortessis VK , Crawford ED , Cussenot O , Davis FG , De Vivo I , Deng X , Ding T , Dinney CP , Di Stefano AL , Diver WR , Duell EJ , Elena JW , Fan JH , Feigelson HS , Feychting M , Figueroa JD , Flanagan AM , Fraumeni JF Jr , Freedman ND , Fridley BL , Fuchs CS , Gago-Dominguez M , Gallinger S , Gao YT , Gapstur SM , Garcia-Closas M , Garcia-Closas R , Gastier-Foster JM , Gaziano JM , Gerhard DS , Giffen CA , Giles GG , Gillanders EM , Giovannucci EL , Goggins M , Gokgoz N , Goldstein AM , Gonzalez C , Gorlick R , Greene MH , Gross M , Grossman HB , Grubb R 3rd , Gu J , Guan P , Haiman CA , Hallmans G , Hankinson SE , Harris CC , Hartge P , Hattinger C , Hayes RB , He Q , Helman L , Henderson BE , Henriksson R , Hoffman-Bolton J , Hohensee C , Holly EA , Hong YC , Hoover RN , Hosgood HD 3rd , Hsiao CF , Hsing AW , Hsiung CA , Hu N , Hu W , Hu Z , Huang MS , Hunter DJ , Inskip PD , Ito H , Jacobs EJ , Jacobs KB , Jenab M , Ji BT , Johansen C , Johansson M , Johnson A , Kaaks R , Kamat AM , Kamineni A , Karagas M , Khanna C , Khaw KT , Kim C , Kim IS , Kim YH , Kim YC , Kim YT , Kang CH , Jung YJ , Kitahara CM , Klein AP , Klein R , Kogevinas M , Koh WP , Kohno T , Kolonel LN , Kooperberg C , Kratz CP , Krogh V , Kunitoh H , Kurtz RC , Kurucu N , Lan Q , Lathrop M , Lau CC , Lecanda F , Lee KM , Lee MP , Le Marchand L , Lerner SP , Li D , Liao LM , Lim WY , Lin D , Lin J , Lindstrom S , Linet MS , Lissowska J , Liu J , Ljungberg B , Lloreta J , Lu D , Ma J , Malats N , Mannisto S , Marina N , Mastrangelo G , Matsuo K , McGlynn KA , McKean-Cowdin R , McNeill LH , McWilliams RR , Melin BS , Meltzer PS , Mensah JE , Miao X , Michaud DS , Mondul AM , Moore LE , Muir K , Niwa S , Olson SH , Orr N , Panico S , Park JY , Patel AV , Patino-Garcia A , Pavanello S , Peeters PH , Peplonska B , Peters U , Petersen GM , Picci P , Pike MC , Porru S , Prescott J , Pu X , Purdue MP , Qiao YL , Rajaraman P , Riboli E , Risch HA , Rodabough RJ , Rothman N , Ruder AM , Ryu JS , Sanson M , Schned A , Schumacher FR , Schwartz AG , Schwartz KL , Schwenn M , Scotlandi K , Seow A , Serra C , Serra M , Sesso HD , Severi G , Shen H , Shen M , Shete S , Shiraishi K , Shu XO , Siddiq A , Sierrasesumaga L , Sierri S , Sihoe AD , Silverman DT , Simon M , Southey MC , Spector L , Spitz M , Stampfer M , Stattin P , Stern MC , Stevens VL , Stolzenberg-Solomon RZ , Stram DO , Strom SS , Su WC , Sund M , Sung SW , Swerdlow A , Tan W , Tanaka H , Tang W , Tang ZZ , Tardon A , Tay E , Taylor PR , Tettey Y , Thomas DM , Tirabosco R , Tjonneland A , Tobias GS , Toro JR , Travis RC , Trichopoulos D , Troisi R , Truelove A , Tsai YH , Tucker MA , Tumino R , Van Den Berg D , Van Den Eeden SK , Vermeulen R , Vineis P , Visvanathan K , Vogel U , Wang C , Wang C , Wang J , Wang SS , Weiderpass E , Weinstein SJ , Wentzensen N , Wheeler W , White E , Wiencke JK , Wolk A , Wolpin BM , Wong MP , Wrensch M , Wu C , Wu T , Wu X , Wu YL , Wunder JS , Xiang YB , Xu J , Yang HP , Yang PC , Yatabe Y , Ye Y , Yeboah ED , Yin Z , Ying C , Yu CJ , Yu K , Yuan JM , Zanetti KA , Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A , Zheng W , Zhou B , Mirabello L , Savage SA , Kraft P , Chanock SJ , Yeager M , Landi MT , Shi J , Chatterjee N , Amundadottir LT . Hum Mol Genet 2014 23 (24) 6616-33 ![]() Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have mapped risk alleles for at least ten distinct cancers to a small region of 63,000 bp on chromosome 5p15.33. This region harbors the TERT and CLPTM1L genes; the former encodes the catalytic subunit of telomerase reverse transcriptase and the latter may play a role in apoptosis. To investigate further the genetic architecture of common susceptibility alleles in this region, we conducted an agnostic subset-based meta-analysis (ASSET) across six distinct cancers in 34,248 cases and 45,036 controls. Based on sequential conditional analysis, we identified as many as six independent risk loci marked by common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): five in the TERT gene (region 1: rs7726159, P=2.10x10-39; region 3: rs2853677, P=3.30x10-36 and PConditional=2.36x10-8; region 4: rs2736098, P=3.87x10-12 and PConditional=5.19x10-6, region 5: rs13172201, P=0.041 and PConditional=2.04x10-6; and region 6: rs10069690, P=7.49x10-15 and PConditional=5.35x10-7) and one in the neighboring CLPTM1L gene (region 2: rs451360; P=1.90x10-18 and PConditional=7.06x10-16). Between three and five cancers mapped to each independent locus with both risk-enhancing and protective effects. Allele specific effects on DNA methylation were seen for a subset of risk loci indicating that methylation and subsequent effects on gene expression may contribute to the biology of risk variants on 5p15.33. Our results provide strong support for extensive pleiotropy across this region of 5p15.33, to an extent not previously observed in other cancer susceptibility loci. |
Racial disparities in travel time to radiotherapy facilities in the Atlanta metropolitan area
Peipins LA , Graham S , Young R , Lewis B , Flanagan B . Soc Sci Med 2013 89 32-8 Low-income women with breast cancer who rely on public transportation may have difficulty in completing recommended radiation therapy due to inadequate access to radiation facilities. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and network analysis we quantified spatial accessibility to radiation treatment facilities in the Atlanta, Georgia metropolitan area. We built a transportation network model that included all bus and rail routes and stops, system transfers and walk and wait times experienced by public transportation system travelers. We also built a private transportation network to model travel times by automobile. We calculated travel times to radiation therapy facilities via public and private transportation from a population-weighted center of each census tract located within the study area. We broadly grouped the tracts by low, medium and high household access to a private vehicle and by race. Facility service areas were created using the network model to map the extent of areal coverage at specified travel times (30, 45 and 60 min) for both public and private modes of transportation. The median public transportation travel time to the nearest radiotherapy facility was 56 min vs. approximately 8 min by private vehicle. We found that majority black census tracts had longer public transportation travel times than white tracts across all categories of vehicle access and that 39% of women in the study area had longer than 1 h of public transportation travel time to the nearest facility. In addition, service area analyses identified locations where the travel time barriers are the greatest. Spatial inaccessibility, especially for women who must use public transportation, is one of the barriers they face in receiving optimal treatment. |
Multidrug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis treatment regimens and patient outcomes: an individual patient data meta-analysis of 9,153 patients
Ahuja SD , Ashkin D , Avendano M , Banerjee R , Bauer M , Bayona JN , Becerra MC , Benedetti A , Burgos M , Centis R , Chan ED , Chiang CY , Cox H , D'Ambrosio L , Deriemer K , Dung NH , Enarson D , Falzon D , Flanagan K , Flood J , Garcia-Garcia ML , Gandhi N , Granich RM , Hollm-Delgado MG , Holtz TH , Iseman MD , Jarlsberg LG , Keshavjee S , Kim HR , Koh WJ , Lancaster J , Lange C , de Lange WC , Leimane V , Leung CC , Li J , Menzies D , Migliori GB , Mishustin SP , Mitnick CD , Narita M , O'Riordan P , Pai M , Palmero D , Park SK , Pasvol G , Pena J , Perez-Guzman C , Quelapio MI , Ponce-de-Leon A , Riekstina V , Robert J , Royce S , Schaaf HS , Seung KJ , Shah L , Shim TS , Shin SS , Shiraishi Y , Sifuentes-Osornio J , Sotgiu G , Strand MJ , Tabarsi P , Tupasi TE , van Altena R , Van der Walt M , Van der Werf TS , Vargas MH , Viiklepp P , Westenhouse J , Yew WW , Yim JJ . PLoS Med 2012 9 (8) e1001300 BACKGROUND: Treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is lengthy, toxic, expensive, and has generally poor outcomes. We undertook an individual patient data meta-analysis to assess the impact on outcomes of the type, number, and duration of drugs used to treat MDR-TB. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Three recent systematic reviews were used to identify studies reporting treatment outcomes of microbiologically confirmed MDR-TB. Study authors were contacted to solicit individual patient data including clinical characteristics, treatment given, and outcomes. Random effects multivariable logistic meta-regression was used to estimate adjusted odds of treatment success. Adequate treatment and outcome data were provided for 9,153 patients with MDR-TB from 32 observational studies. Treatment success, compared to failure/relapse, was associated with use of: later generation quinolones, (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.5 [95% CI 1.1-6.0]), ofloxacin (aOR: 2.5 [1.6-3.9]), ethionamide or prothionamide (aOR: 1.7 [1.3-2.3]), use of four or more likely effective drugs in the initial intensive phase (aOR: 2.3 [1.3-3.9]), and three or more likely effective drugs in the continuation phase (aOR: 2.7 [1.7-4.1]). Similar results were seen for the association of treatment success compared to failure/relapse or death: later generation quinolones, (aOR: 2.7 [1.7-4.3]), ofloxacin (aOR: 2.3 [1.3-3.8]), ethionamide or prothionamide (aOR: 1.7 [1.4-2.1]), use of four or more likely effective drugs in the initial intensive phase (aOR: 2.7 [1.9-3.9]), and three or more likely effective drugs in the continuation phase (aOR: 4.5 [3.4-6.0]). CONCLUSIONS: In this individual patient data meta-analysis of observational data, improved MDR-TB treatment success and survival were associated with use of certain fluoroquinolones, ethionamide, or prothionamide, and greater total number of effective drugs. However, randomized trials are urgently needed to optimize MDR-TB treatment. (Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.) |
Time and distance barriers to mammography facilities in the Atlanta metropolitan area
Peipins LA , Graham S , Young R , Lewis B , Foster S , Flanagan B , Dent A . J Community Health 2011 36 (4) 675-83 To a great extent, research on geographic accessibility to mammography facilities has focused on urban-rural differences. Spatial accessibility within urban areas can nonetheless pose a challenge, especially for minorities and low-income urban residents who are more likely to depend on public transportation. To examine spatial and temporal accessibility to mammography facilities in the Atlanta metropolitan area by public and private transportation, we built a multimodal transportation network model including bus and rail routes, bus and rail stops, transfers, walk times, and wait times. Our analysis of travel times from the population-weighted centroids of the 282 census tracts in the 2-county area to the nearest facility found that the median public transportation time was almost 51 minutes. We further examined public transportation travel times by levels of household access to a private vehicle. Residents in tracts with the lowest household access to a private vehicle had the shortest travel times, suggesting that facilities were favorably located for women who have to use public transportation. However, census tracts with majority non-Hispanic black populations had the longest travel times for all levels of vehicle availability. Time to the nearest mammography facility would not pose a barrier to women who had access to a private vehicle. This study adds to the literature demonstrating differences in spatial accessibility to health services by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic characteristics. Ameliorating spatial inaccessibility represents an opportunity for intervention that operates at the population level. |
Leveraging geospatial data, technology, and methods for improving the health of communities: priorities and strategies from an expert panel convened by the CDC
Elmore K , Flanagan B , Jones NF , Heitgerd JL . J Community Health 2009 35 (2) 165-71 In 2008, CDC convened an expert panel to gather input on the use of geospatial science in surveillance, research and program activities focused on CDC's Healthy Communities Goal. The panel suggested six priorities: spatially enable and strengthen public health surveillance infrastructure; develop metrics for geospatial categorization of community health and health inequity; evaluate the feasibility and validity of standard metrics of community health and health inequities; support and develop GIScience and geospatial analysis; provide geospatial capacity building, training and education; and, engage non-traditional partners. Following the meeting, the strategies and action items suggested by the expert panel were reviewed by a CDC subcommittee to determine priorities relative to ongoing CDC geospatial activities, recognizing that many activities may need to occur either in parallel, or occur multiple times across phases. Phase A of the action items centers on developing leadership support. Phase B focuses on developing internal and external capacity in both physical (e.g., software and hardware) and intellectual infrastructure. Phase C of the action items plan concerns the development and integration of geospatial methods. In summary, the panel members provided critical input to the development of CDC's strategic thinking on integrating geospatial methods and research issues across program efforts in support of its Healthy Communities Goal. |
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