Last data update: Apr 29, 2024. (Total: 46658 publications since 2009)
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Economic insecurities and patient-reported outcomes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in the USA: a cross-sectional analysis of data from the California Lupus Epidemiology Study
Sandoval-Heglund D , Roberts E , Park J , Dall'Era M , Lanata C , Barbour KE , Greenlund KJ , Gordon C , Katz PP , Yazdany J . Lancet Rheumat 2023 Background: Social determinants of health are consistently associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) outcomes. However, social determinants of health are typically measured with conventional socioeconomic status factors such as income or education. We assessed the association of economic insecurities (ie, food, housing, health care, and financial insecurity) with patient-reported outcomes in a cohort of patients with SLE. Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, data were derived from the California Lupus Epidemiology Study based in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA. Participants were recruited between Feb 25, 2015, and Jan 10, 2018, from rheumatology clinics. Inclusion criteria were Bay Area residency; oral fluency in English, Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin; 18 years or older; ability to provide informed consent; and a physician confirmed SLE diagnosis. Food, housing, health care, and financial economic insecurities were assessed by validated screening tools. Patient-reported outcomes were obtained using PROMIS, Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (known as Neuro-QoL) Cognitive Function short form, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-8, and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7 instruments. Poverty was defined as household income of 125% or less of the federal poverty limit. Lower education was defined as less than college-graduate education. The association of economic insecurities with patient-reported outcomes was assessed by multivariable linear regression models adjusting for demographics, SLE disease characteristics, and comorbidities. We tested for interactions of insecurities with poverty and education. Findings: The final cohort included 252 participants. Mean age was 49·7 (SD 13·4) years, 228 (90%) of 252 were women and 24 (10%) were men. 80 (32%) individuals self-identified as Asian, 26 (10%) as Black, 101 (40%) as White, eight (3%) as mixed race, and 37 (15%) as other race; 59 (23%) self-identified as Hispanic. 135 (54%) individuals had at least one insecurity. Insecurities were highly prevalent, and more common in those with poverty and lower education. Adjusted multivariate analyses revealed that participants with any insecurity had significantly worse scores across all measured patient-reported outcomes. For physical function, no insecurity had an adjusted mean score of 48·9 (95% CI 47·5–50·3) and any insecurity had 45·7 (44·3–47·0; p=0·0017). For pain interference, no insecurity was 52·0 (50·5–53·5) and any insecurity was 54·4 (53·0–55·8; p=0·031). For fatigue, no insecurity was 50·5 (48·8–52·3) and any insecurity was 54·9 (53·3–56·5; p=0·0005). For sleep disturbance, no insecurity was 49·9 (48·3–51·6) and any insecurity was 52·9 (51·4–54·5; p=0·012). For cognitive function, no insecurity was 49·3 (47·7–50·9) and any insecurity was 45·6 (44·1–47·0; p=0·0011). For PHQ-8, no insecurity was 4·4 (3·6–5·1) and any insecurity was 6·1 (5·4–6·8; p=0·0013). For GAD-7, no insecurity was 3·3 (2·6–4·1) and any insecurity was 5·2 (4·5–5·9; p=0·0008). Individuals with more insecurities had worse patient-reported outcomes. There were no statistically significant interactions between insecurities and poverty or education. Interpretation: Having any economic insecurity was associated with worse outcomes for people with SLE regardless of poverty or education. The findings of this study provide insight into the relationship between economic insecurities and SLE outcomes and underscore the need to assess whether interventions that directly address these insecurities can reduce health disparities in SLE. Funding: US Centers for Disease Control, Rheumatology Research Foundation, and National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license |
Prevalence of undiagnosed monkeypox virus infections during global mpox outbreak, United States, June-September 2022
Minhaj FS , Singh V , Cohen SE , Townsend M , Scott H , Szumowski J , Hare CB , Upadhyay P , Reddy J , Alexander B , Baird N , Navarra T , Priyamvada L , Wynn N , Carson WC , Odafe S , Guagliardo SAJ , Sims E , Rao AK , Satheshkumar PS , Weidle PJ , Hutson CL . Emerg Infect Dis 2023 29 (11) 2307-2314 Since May 2022, mpox has been identified in 108 countries without endemic disease; most cases have been in gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men. To determine number of missed cases, we conducted 2 studies during June-September 2022: a prospective serologic survey detecting orthopoxvirus antibodies among men who have sex with men in San Francisco, California, and a retrospective monkeypox virus PCR testing of swab specimens submitted for other infectious disease testing among all patients across the United States. The serosurvey of 225 participants (median age 34 years) detected 18 (8.0%) who were orthopoxvirus IgG positive and 3 (1.3%) who were also orthopoxvirus IgM positive. The retrospective PCR study of 1,196 patients (median age 30 years; 54.8% male) detected 67 (5.6%) specimens positive for monkeypox virus. There are likely few undiagnosed cases of mpox in regions where sexual healthcare is accessible and patient and clinician awareness about mpox is increased. |
Association between SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy and preterm live birth
Mohanty S , Tita AT , Varner M , Stockwell MS , Newes-Adeyi G , Battarbee AN , Reichle L , Morrill T , Daugherty M , Mourad M , Silverio Francisco RA , Woodworth K , Wielgosz K , Galang R , Maniatis P , Semenova V , Dawood FS . Influenza Other Respir Viruses 2023 17 (9) e13192 We examined associations between mild or asymptomatic prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and preterm live birth in a prospective cohort study. During August 2020-October 2021, pregnant persons were followed with systematic surveillance for RT-PCR or serologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection until pregnancy end. The association between prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and preterm birth was assessed using Cox proportional-hazards regression. Among 954 pregnant persons with a live birth, 185 (19%) had prenatal SARS-CoV-2 infection and 123 (13%) had preterm birth. The adjusted hazard ratio for the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and preterm birth was 1.28 (95% confidence interval 0.82-1.99, p = 0.28), although results did not reach statistical significance. |
Strengthening public health capacity to address infectious diseases: Lessons from 3 Centers of Excellence in Public Health and Homelessness
Bien MB , Whitton A , Meehan A , Thornhill L , Ellis K , Leopold J , Borne D , Vickery KD , Imbert E , Twohey-Jacobs L , Perez KA , Mosites E . J Public Health Manag Pract 2023 29 (6) 775-779 People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately affected by infectious diseases and often face barriers to receiving appropriate medical treatment. Responding to the needs of people experiencing homelessness requires state and local health departments to integrate information sources and coordinate multisector efforts. From 2021 to 2023, the CDC Foundation, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, established pilot Centers of Excellence in Public Health and Homelessness in Seattle, Washington; San Francisco, California; and the state of Minnesota. These centers strengthened their capacity to address the needs of people experiencing homelessness by supporting cross-sector partnerships, assessing the interoperability of data systems, prioritizing infectious disease needs, and identifying health disparities. These programs demonstrated that health departments are heterogeneous entities with differing resources and priorities. They also showed the importance of employing dedicated public health staff focused on homelessness, establishing diverse partnerships and the need for support from local leaders to address homelessness. |
Mpox vaccine acceptability among people experiencing homelessness in San Francisco - October-November 2022
Filardo TD , Prasad N , Waddell CJ , Persad N , Pellegrini GJ Jr , Borne D , Janssen J , Bejarano A , Marx GE , Mosites E . Vaccine 2023 41 (39) 5673-5677 Mpox has affected many communities in the United States (U.S.), including people experiencing homelessness (PEH). Mpox vaccination has been an important tool to disrupt transmission and protect communities at risk of infection. To better understand mpox vaccine knowledge and attitudes, we surveyed 273 PEH and people accessing homeless service sites in San Francisco. Among 64 participants previously offered mpox vaccination, 38 (59 %) had received the vaccine. Among 209 participants not previously offered mpox vaccination, 108 (52 %) reported they would receive the vaccine. Vaccine acceptance was higher among transgender female participants and among male participants who reported male sex partner preference (MSM). Half of participants who declined vaccination identified that perception of personal risk and vaccine education may increase their likelihood of receiving an mpox vaccine. Leveraging trusted information sources to provide risk communication and vaccine education may increase vaccine uptake among PEH. |
Protocol for a sequential, prospective meta-analysis to describe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the pregnancy and postpartum periods (preprint)
Smith ER , Oakley E , He S , Zavala R , Ferguson K , Miller L , Grandner GW , Abejirinde IO , Afshar Y , Ahmadzia H , Aldrovandi G , Akelo V , Tippett Barr BA , Bevilacqua E , Brandt JS , Broutet N , Fernández Buhigas I , Carrillo J , Clifton R , Conry J , Cosmi E , Delgado-López C , Divakar H , Driscoll AJ , Favre G , Flaherman V , Gale C , Gil MM , Godwin C , Gottlieb S , Hernandez Bellolio O , Kara E , Khagayi S , Kim CR , Knight M , Kotloff K , Lanzone A , Le Doare K , Lees C , Litman E , Lokken EM , Laurita Longo V , Magee LA , Martinez-Portilla RJ , McClure E , Metz TD , Money D , Mullins E , Nachega JB , Panchaud A , Playle R , Poon LC , Raiten D , Regan L , Rukundo G , Sanin-Blair J , Temmerman M , Thorson A , Thwin S , Tolosa JE , Townson J , Valencia-Prado M , Visentin S , von Dadelszen P , Adams Waldorf K , Whitehead C , Yang H , Thorlund K , Tielsch JM . medRxiv 2022 2020.11.08.20228056 We urgently need answers to basic epidemiological questions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant and postpartum women and its effect on their newborns. While many national registries, health facilities, and research groups are collecting relevant data, we need a collaborative and methodologically rigorous approach to better combine these data and address knowledge gaps, especially those related to rare outcomes. We propose that using a sequential, prospective meta-analysis (PMA) is the best approach to generate data for policy- and practice-oriented guidelines. As the pandemic evolves, additional studies identified retrospectively by the steering committee or through living systematic reviews will be invited to participate in this PMA. Investigators can contribute to the PMA by either submitting individual patient data or running standardized code to generate aggregate data estimates. For the primary analysis, we will pool data using two-stage meta-analysis methods. The meta-analyses will be updated as additional data accrue in each contributing study and as additional studies meet study-specific time or data accrual thresholds for sharing. At the time of publication, investigators of 25 studies, including more than 76,000 pregnancies, in 41 countries had agreed to share data for this analysis. Among the included studies, 12 have a contemporaneous comparison group of pregnancies without COVID-19, and four studies include a comparison group of non-pregnant women of reproductive age with COVID-19. Protocols and updates will be maintained publicly. Results will be shared with key stakeholders, including the World Health Organization (WHO) Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Research Working Group. Data contributors will share results with local stakeholders. Scientific publications will be published in open-access journals on an ongoing basis.Competing Interest StatementClare Whitehead declares a a relationship with the following entities, Ferring Pharmaceuticals COVID19 Investigational, Grant, NHMRC Fellowship (salary support). Alice Panchaud declares the following research grants to institution: H2020-Grant (Consortium member of Innovative medicine initiative call 13 topic 9) (ConcePTION), Efficacy and safety studies on Medicines EMA/2017/09/PE/11, Lot 4, WP 2 lead (CONSIGN: Study on impact of COVID-19 infection and medicines in pregnancy), Safety monitoring of COVID-19 vaccines in the EU Reopening of competition no. 20 under a framework contract following procurement procedure EMA/2017/09/PE (Lot 3) 4. Federal Office of Public Health (207000 CHF). (The COVI-Preg registry). Edward Mullins declares a relationship with the following entities National Institute for Health Research (Project grant for PAN COVID study) Deborah Money declares a relationship with the following entities, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (payments to my institution only), Public Health Agency of Canada (payments to my institution only), BC Womens Foundation (payments to my institution only) and is a Member of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force sponsored by the Canadian government. Torri D. Metz declares a relationship with the following entities, Pfizer (site Principal Investigator for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnancy study, money paid to institution and member of Medical Advisory Board for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in pregnancy study, money paid to me), NICHD (subcommittee Chair for the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network Gestational Research Assessments of COVID-19 (GRAVID) study), and Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (board member). Erica Lokken declares a relationship with the following entity, US NIH (paid institution). Karen L. Kotloff declares a relationship with the following entity, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Siran He declares a relationship with the following entity, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundtion (payments made to my institution). Valerie Flaherman declares a relationship with the following entities, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (payments to my institution), Yellow Chair Foundati n (payments to my institution), Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (payments to my institution), CDC Foundation, California Health Care Foundation (payments to my institution), Tara Health Foundation (payments to my institution), UCSF Womens Health Center of Excellence (payments to my institution) and California Department of Health Care Services (payments made to my institution). Jose Sanin-Blair declares a relationship with the following entity, Ferring Pharmaceuticals which give a grant ($10,000) for the expenses of RECOGEST trial and is a part of the Columbian Federation of Perinatology Yalda Afshar declares a relationship with the following entities, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (payments made to my institution), CDC Foundation (payments made to my institution), Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (payments made to my institution), and UCLA Deans Office COVID-19 research (payments made to my institution). Rebecca Cliffton declares a relationship with the following entity, NIH HD36801 (MFMU Network DCC).Clinical TrialPROSPERO ID: 188955Funding StatementFunded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant to Emily Smith (INV-022057) at George Washington University and a grant to Emily Smith via a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Stephanie Gaw (INV-017035) at University of California San Francisco.Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:This is a protocol paper and thus exempt from ethical approval. Ultimately, the meta-analysis study is exempt from human research ethics approval as the study authors will be synthesizing de-identified or aggregate data.I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesThis is a protocol paper and there is no related data to share. |
Predicting future ocular Chlamydia trachomatis infection prevalence using serological, clinical, molecular, and geospatial data (preprint)
Tedijanto C , Aragie S , Tadesse Z , Haile M , Zeru T , Nash SD , Wittberg DM , Gwyn S , Martin DL , Sturrock HJW , Lietman TM , Keenan JD , Arnold BF . medRxiv 2021 2021.07.19.21260623 Trachoma is an infectious disease characterized by repeated exposures to Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) that may ultimately lead to blindness. Certain areas, particularly in Africa, pose persistent challenges to elimination of trachoma as a public health problem. Efficiently identifying communities with high infection burden could help target more intensive control efforts. We hypothesized that IgG seroprevalence in combination with geospatial layers, machine learning, and model-based geostatistics would be able to accurately predict future community-level ocular Ct infections detected by PCR. We used measurements from 40 communities in the hyperendemic Amhara region of Ethiopia. Median Ct infection prevalence among children 0-5 years old increased from 6% at enrollment to 29% by month 36. At baseline, correlation between seroprevalence and Ct infection was stronger among children 0-5 years old (ρ = 0.77) than children 6-9 years old (ρ = 0.48), and stronger than the correlation between clinical trachoma and Ct infection (0-5y ρ = 0.56; 6-9y ρ = 0.40). Seroprevalence was the strongest concurrent predictor of infection prevalence at month 36 among children 0-5 years old (cross-validated R2 = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58-0.85), though predictive performance declined substantially with increasing temporal lag between predictor and outcome measurements. Geospatial variables, a spatial Gaussian process, and stacked ensemble machine learning did not meaningfully improve predictions. Serological markers among children 0-5 years old may be an objective, programmatic tool for identifying communities with high levels of active ocular Ct infections, but accurate, future prediction in the context of changing transmission remains an open challenge.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Trachoma is targeted for elimination as a public health problem by 2030. District-level estimates of clinical disease among children 1-9 years old are currently used to guide control programs and assess elimination. However, clinical trachoma is a subjective indicator. Serological markers present an objective, scalable alternative that could be measured in integrated platforms. In a hyperendemic region, community-level seroprevalence aligned more closely with concurrent infection prevalence than clinical trachoma. The correlation between seroprevalence and infection prevalence was stronger among 0–5-year-olds compared to 6–9-year-olds and was consistent over a three-year period of increasing transmission. Serosurveillance among children 0-5 years old may be a promising monitoring strategy to identify communities with the highest burdens of ocular chlamydial infection.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.Clinical TrialNCT02754583Funding StatementWe would like to thank the WUHA study participants and field team without whom this research would not be possible. This work was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R03 AI147128 to BFA) and the National Eye Institute (U10 EY023939 to JDK). This work was also made possible in part by an Unrestricted Grant from Research to Prevent Blindness. We would also like to thank Abbott for its donation of the m2000 RealTime molecular diagnostics system and consumables.Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:Approval for the study was obtained from the University of California, San Francisco Institutional Review Board (14-14004).All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesDe-identified data and code to replicate this work is available on Github. https://github.com/ctedijanto/swift-spatial-prediction |
Effect of biannual azithromycin distribution on antibody responses to malaria, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens among children: A cluster-randomized, placebo-controlled trial in Niger (preprint)
Arzika AM , Maliki R , Goodhew EB , Rogier E , Priest JW , Lebas E , O'Brien KS , Le V , Oldenburg CE , Doan T , Porco TC , Keenan JD , Lietman TM , Martin DL , Arnold BF . medRxiv 2021 2021.04.23.21255957 Background The Macrolides Oraux pour Réduire les Décès avec un Oeil sur la Résistance (MORDOR) trial in Niger, Malawi, and Tanzania found that biannual mass distribution of azithromycin to children younger than 5 years led to a 13.5% reduction in all-cause mortality. Additional endpoints in the trial have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms for mortality reduction. In this pre-specified secondary analysis, we assessed the effect of azithromycin compared with placebo on IgG- based measures of infectious disease exposure with a multiplex bead assay that included antigens to malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale), bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter spp., enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella enterica, Streptococcus pyogenes) and protozoans (Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia duodenales).Methods and Findings Thirty communities in rural Niger were randomized 1:1 to biannual distributions of azithromycin or placebo among children ages 1-59 months. The analysis included 5,642 blood specimens collected from 3,814 children ages 1-59 months, measured at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow-up in a repeated cross-sectional design. Campylobacter spp. seroprevalence averaged over all study visits was lower in azithromycin communities compared to placebo (91% vs 94%, difference = –3%, 95% CI: –5%, –1%; P=0.03), which corresponded to a 29% lower seroconversion rate (1.30 versus 1.84 seroconversions per year, hazard ratio = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.89; P=0.004). Antibody-based measures of infection with P. falciparum and group A streptococcus were consistently lower in azithromycin communities, but were not statistically different from placebo, and there were no other differences across pathogens. Strengths of the study included masking of participants, investigators, and analysts, high treatment coverage, large sample size, and objective outcomes. Principal limitations included the timing of blood collection with respect to treatment (approximately 6 months later, which could have missed transient effects in the weeks immediately following treatment), and the durability of IgG response following clearance of infection. Both limitations would lead the trial to under-estimate effects on antibody-based measures of infection.Conclusions The reduction in Campylobacter spp. despite these limitations suggests an effect on carriage, findings which align with an independent metagenomic analysis of rectal swabs collected in the same villages and with previously reported reductions in dysentery-associated mortality. Given significant sequelae of Campylobacter infection among preschool aged children, our results support at least one possible mechanism through which biannual mass distribution of azithromycin likely reduced mortality in this study population.Competing Interest StatementThis work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (award no. OPP1032340 to TML) and was supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness and by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (award no. K01-AI119180 to BFA). The Gates Foundation approved the study design, but had no role in data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. The authors declare no competing interests. The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the Public Health Service or by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Clinical TrialNCT02048007Funding StatementThis work was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (award no. OPP1032340 to TML) and was supported in part by an unrestricted grant from Research to Prevent Blindness and by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (award no. K01-AI119180 to BFA). The Gates Foundation approved the study design, but had no role in data collection, data nalysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report.Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:The trial protocol was reviewed and approved by the Committee on Human Research at the University of California, San Francisco, and the Niger Ministry of Health's Ethical Committee. Parents or guardians of enrolled children provided oral consent before each azithromycin or placebo treatment and at each specimen collection visit. Parents or guardians were instructed to report any adverse event within 7 days of treatment by contacting their village representative, who then reported events to the site coordinator and UCSF. An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Committee provided additional oversight. CDC researchers had access to de-identified samples for analysis (no personally identifying information).All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesData and computational notebooks used to conduct the analyses are available through the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/954bt) and Dryad (xx DOI forthcoming xx). Analyses used R statistical software, version 4.0.2. https://osf.io/954bt |
Food insecurity and the risk of HIV acquisition: Findings from population-based surveys in six sub-Saharan African countries (2016-2017) (preprint)
Low A , Gummerson E , Schwitters A , Bonifacio R , Teferi M , Mutenda N , Ayton S , Juma J , Ahpoe C , Ginindza C , Patel H , Biraro S , Sachathep K , Hakim AJ , Barradas D , Hassani AS , Kirungi W , Jackson K , Goeke L , Philips N , Mulenga L , Ward J , Hong S , Rutherford G , Findley S . medRxiv 2021 2021.09.27.21263917 Introduction Food insecurity has a bidirectional relationship with HIV infection, with hunger driving compensatory risk behaviors, while infection can increase poverty. We used a laboratory recency assay to estimate the timing of HIV infection vis-à-vis the timing of severe food insecurity (SFI).Methods Data from population-based surveys in Zambia, Eswatini, Lesotho, Uganda, and Tanzania and Namibia were used. We defined SFI as having no food ≥three times in the past month. Recent HIV infection was identified using the HIV-1 LAg avidity assay, with a viral load (>1000 copies/ml) and no detectable antiretrovirals indicating an infection in the past 6 months. Logistic regression was conducted to assess correlates of SFI. Poisson regression was conducted on pooled data, adjusted by country to determine the association of SFI with recent HIV infection and risk behaviors, with effect heterogeneity evaluated for each country. All analyses were done using weighted data.Results Of 112,955 participants aged 15-59, 10.3% lived in households reporting SFI. SFI was most common in urban, woman-headed households. Among women and not men, SFI was associated with a two-fold increase in risk of recent HIV infection (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 2.08, 95% CI 1.09-3.97), with lower risk in high prevalence countries (Eswatini and Lesotho). SFI was associated with transactional sex (aRR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17-1.41), a history of forced sex (aRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11-1.66), and condom-less sex with a partner of unknown or positive HIV status (aRR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14) in all women, and intergenerational sex (partner ≥10 years older) in women aged 15-24 (aRR 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.46), although this was heterogeneous. Recent receipt of food support was protective (aRR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.88).Conclusion SFI increased risk for HIV acquisition in women by two-fold. Worsening food scarcity due to climactic extremes could imperil HIV epidemic control.What is already knownThe link between food insecurity and the adoption of high-risk sexual behaviors as a coping mechanism has been shown in several settings.HIV infection can also drive food insecurity due to debilitating illness reducing productivity, the costs of treatment diverting money from supplies, and potentially reduced labor migration.Food insecurity has been associated with chronic HIV infection, but it has not been linked with HIV acquisition.What are the new findingsThis study of 112,955 adults across six countries in sub-Saharan Africa provides unique information on the association between acute food insecurity and recent HIV infection in women, as well as the potential behavioral and biological mediators, including community viremia as a measure of infectiousness.The data enabled a comprehensive analysis of factors associated with risk of infection, and how these factors differed by country and gender. Women living in food insecure households had a two-fold higher risk of recent HIV acquisition, and reported higher rates of transactional sex, early sexual debut, forced sex, intergenerational sex and sex without a condom with someone of unknown or positive HIV status. This pattern was not seen in men.This study is also the first to demonstrate a protective association for food support, which was associated with a lower risk of recent HIV infection in women.What do the new findings implyIn light of worsening food insecurity due to climate change and the recent COVID-19 pandemic, our results support further exploration of gender-specific pathways of response to acute food insecurity, particularly how women’s changes in sexual behavior heighten their risk of HIV acquisition.These and other data support the inclusion of food insecurity in HIV risk assessments for women, as well as the exploration of provision of food support to those households at highest risk based on geographic and individual factors.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.Clinical Protocols https://phia.icap.columbia.edu/ Funding StatementThis project has been supported by the Presid nt Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the terms of cooperative agreement #U2GGH001226.Author DeclarationsI confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.YesThe details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:The PHIA protocol and data collection tools were approved by national ethics committees for each country, and the institutional review boards at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the University of California, San Francisco in the case of Namibia. Due to the inclusion of six countries and the multiple ethical boards involved, we are providing the protocol numbers for the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, which approved all protocols (AAAQ0753, AAAQ7860, AAAQ8408, AAAQ8537, AAAR2051, AAAQ889). All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived.YesI understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance).YesI have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable.YesAll data used in this manuscript are publicly available at https://phia-data.icap.columbia.edu/. https://phia-data.icap.columbia.edu/ |
Changes in Transmission and Symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 in United States Households, April 2020-September 2022 (preprint)
Mellis AM , Lauring AS , Talbot HK , McLean HQ , Morrissey KG , Stockwell MS , Bowman NM , Maldonado Y , Ellingson KD , Rao S , Biddle JE , Johnson S , Ogokeh C , Salvatore PP , Reed C , Smith-Jeffcoat SE , Meece JK , Hanson KE , Belongia EA , Bendall EE , Gilbert J , Olivo V , Merrill LS , McLaren SH , Sano E , Vargas CY , Saiman L , Silverio Francisco RA , Bullock A , Lin J , Govindarajan P , Goodman SH , Sarnquist CC , Lutrick K , Ledezma KI , Ramadan FA , Pryor K , Miiro FN , Asturias E , Dominguez S , Olson D , Izurieta HS , Chappell J , Lindsell C , Halasa N , Hart K , Zhu Y , Schmitz J , Rolfes MA , Grijalva CG . medRxiv 2023 19 Background: The natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission dynamics may have changed as SARS-CoV-2 has evolved and population immunity has shifted. Method(s): Household contacts, enrolled from two multi-site case-ascertained household transmission studies (April 2020-April 2021 and September 2021-September 2022), were followed for 10-14 days after enrollment with daily collection of nasal swabs and/or saliva for SARS-CoV-2 testing and symptom diaries. SARS-CoV-2 virus lineage was determined by whole genome sequencing, with multiple imputation where sequences could not be recovered. Adjusted infection risks were estimated using modified Poisson regression. Finding(s): 858 primary cases with 1473 household contacts were examined. Among unvaccinated household contacts, the infection risk adjusted for presence of prior infection and age was 58% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 49-68%) in households currently exposed to pre-Delta lineages and 90% (95% CI: 74-100%) among those exposed to Omicron BA.5 (detected May - September 2022). The fraction of infected household contacts reporting any symptom was similarly high between pre-Delta (86%, 95% CI: 81-91%) and Omicron lineages (77%, 70-85%). Among Omicron BA.5-infected contacts, 48% (41-56%) reported fever, 63% (56-71%) cough, 22% (17-28%) shortness of breath, and 20% (15-27%) loss of/change in taste/smell. Interpretation(s): The risk of infection among household contacts exposed to SARS-CoV-2 is high and increasing with more recent SARS-CoV-2 lineages. This high infection risk highlights the importance of vaccination to prevent severe disease. Funding(s): Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. This article is a US Government work. It is not subject to copyright under 17 USC 105 and is also made available for use under a CC0 license. |
Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants using traveler-based genomic surveillance at four US airports, September 2021- January 2022 (preprint)
Wegrzyn RD , Appiah GD , Morfino R , Milford SR , Walker AT , Ernst ET , Darrow WW , Li SL , Robison K , MacCannell D , Dai D , Girinathan BP , Hicks AL , Cosca B , Woronoff G , Plocik AM , Simen BB , Moriarty L , Guagliardo SAJ , Cetron MS , Friedman CR . medRxiv 2022 22 Background Despite layered mitigation measures, international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic continues to facilitate global spread of SARS-CoV-2, including novel variants of concern (VOCs). On November 26, 2021, B.1.1.529 (Omicron) was designated as a VOC by the World Health Organization [1]. On December 6, 2021, as part of measures to reduce the introduction and spread of Omicron, the requirement for a negative SARS-CoV-2 test taken before air travel to the United States was shortened from three days to one day pre-departure [1]. Although SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing has increased significantly during the pandemic [2], there is still a gap in early detection of emerging variants among arriving travelers. In September 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with private partners, implemented a voluntary SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance pilot program. Initially we enrolled arriving air travelers from India. On November 28, we expanded the program to include travelers arriving from countries with high travel volumes, including those where Omicron was first detected. Methods Design, Setting, and Participants During September 29-November 27, 2021, the surveillance program included travelers arriving on seven direct flights from India at three international airports: John F. Kennedy, New York (September 29), Newark Liberty, New Jersey (October 4), and San Francisco, California (October 12). During November 28-January 23, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Georgia was added, and participation was offered to travelers from South Africa, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Brazil, arriving on approximately 50 flights per day. Participants were 18 years or older, provided informed consent, and completed demographic, clinical, and travel history questions. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted medRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. This article is a US Government work. It is not subject to copyright under 17 USC 105 and is also made available for use under a CC0 license. |
Trends in inpatient antibiotic use among adults hospitalized during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, 2018-2021
Patel TS , McGovern OL , Mahon G , Osuka H , Boszczowski I , Munita JM , Garzon MI , Salomao MC , Marssola G , Tavares BM , Francisco DB , Gurgel APA , Arantes T , Bori A , Nogueira C , Peters A , Spencer M , Orellana C , Barbe M , Lopez C , Stender S , Lessa FC . Clin Infect Dis 2023 77 S4-s11 BACKGROUND: High rates of antibiotic use (AU) among inpatients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) despite low rates of bacterial coinfection and secondary infection have been reported. We evaluated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AU in healthcare facilities (HCFs) in South America. METHODS: We conducted an ecologic evaluation of AU in inpatient adult acute care wards in 2 HCFs each in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. The AU rates for intravenous antibiotics were calculated as the defined daily dose per 1000 patient-days, using pharmacy dispensing records and hospitalization data from March 2018-February 2020 (prepandemic) and March 2020-February 2021 (pandemic). Differences in median AU were compared between the prepandemic and pandemic periods, using the Wilcoxon rank sum test to determine significance. Interrupted time series analysis was used to analyze changes in AU during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Compared with the prepandemic period, the median difference in AU rates for all antibiotics combined increased in 4 of 6 HCFs (percentage change, 6.7%-35.1%; P < .05). In the interrupted time series models, 5 of 6 HCFs had significant increases in use of all antibiotics combined immediately at the onset of the pandemic (immediate effect estimate range, 15.4-268), but only 1 of these 5 HCFs experienced a sustained increase over time (change in slope, +8.13; P < .01). The effect of the pandemic onset varied by antibiotic group and HCF. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial increases in AU were observed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the need to maintain or strengthen antibiotic stewardship activities as part of pandemic or emergency HCF responses. |
Cost of Tuberculosis Therapy Directly Observed on Video for Health Departments and Patients in New York City; San Francisco, California; and Rhode Island (2017-2018)
Beeler Asay GR , Lam CK , Stewart B , Mangan JM , Romo L , Marks SM , Morris SB , Gummo CL , Keh CE , Hill AN , Thomas A , Macaraig M , St John K , JAmpie T , Chuck C , Burzynski J . Am J Public Health 2020 110 (11) 1696-1703 Objectives. To assess costs of video and traditional in-person directly observed therapy (DOT) for tuberculosis (TB) treatment to health departments and patients in New York City, Rhode Island, and San Francisco, California.Methods. We collected health department costs for video DOT (VDOT; live and recorded), and in-person DOT (field- and clinic-based). Time-motion surveys estimated provider time and cost. A separate survey collected patient costs. We used a regression model to estimate cost by DOT type.Results. Between August 2017 and June 2018, 343 DOT sessions were captured from 225 patients; 87 completed a survey. Patient costs were lowest for VDOT live ($1.01) and highest for clinic DOT ($34.53). The societal (health department + patient) costs of VDOT live and recorded ($6.65 and $12.64, respectively) were less than field and clinic DOT ($21.40 and $46.11, respectively). VDOT recorded health department cost was not statistically different from field DOT cost in Rhode Island.Conclusions. Among the 4 different modalities, both types of VDOT were associated with lower societal costs when compared with traditional forms of DOT.Public Health Implications. VDOT was associated with lower costs from the societal perspective and may reduce public health costs when TB incidence is high. |
Possible undetected Mpox infection among persons accessing homeless services and staying in encampments - San Francisco, California, October-November 2022
Waddell CJ , Filardo TD , Prasad N , Pellegrini GJ Jr , Persad N , Carson WC , Navarra T , Townsend MB , Satheshkumar PS , Lowe D , Borne D , Janssen J , Okoye N , Bejarano A , Marx GE , Mosites E . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023 72 (9) 227-231 Monkeypox (mpox) is a disease caused by an Orthopoxvirus. The 2022 multinational outbreak, which began in May 2022, has spread primarily by close skin-to-skin contact, including through sexual contact. Persons experiencing homelessness have been disproportionately affected by severe mpox (1). However, mpox prevalence and transmission pathways among persons experiencing homelessness are not known, and persons experiencing homelessness have not been specifically recommended to receive mpox vaccine during the 2022 outbreak (2,3). During October 25-November 3, 2022, a CDC field team conducted an orthopoxvirus seroprevalence survey among persons accessing homeless services or staying in encampments, shelters, or permanent supportive housing in San Francisco, California that had noted at least one case of mpox or served populations at risk. During field team visits to 16 unique sites, 209 participants completed a 15-minute survey and provided a blood specimen. Among 80 participants aged <50 years who did not report smallpox or mpox vaccination or previous mpox infection, two (2.5%) had detectable antiorthopoxvirus immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody. Among 73 participants who did not report mpox vaccination or previous mpox infection and who were tested for IgM, one (1.4%) had detectable antiorthopoxvirus IgM. Together, these results suggest that three possible undetected mpox infections occurred among a sample of persons experiencing homelessness, highlighting the need to ensure that community outreach and prevention interventions, such as vaccination, are accessible to this population. |
Household transmission of influenza A viruses in 2021-2022
Rolfes MA , Talbot HK , McLean HQ , Stockwell MS , Ellingson KD , Lutrick K , Bowman NM , Bendall EE , Bullock A , Chappell JD , Deyoe JE , Gilbert J , Halasa NB , Hart KE , Johnson S , Kim A , Lauring AS , Lin JT , Lindsell CJ , McLaren SH , Meece JK , Mellis AM , Moreno Zivanovich M , Ogokeh CE , Rodriguez M , Sano E , Silverio Francisco RA , Schmitz JE , Vargas CY , Yang A , Zhu Y , Belongia EA , Reed C , Grijalva CG . JAMA 2023 329 (6) 482-489 IMPORTANCE: Influenza virus infections declined globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. Loss of natural immunity from lower rates of influenza infection and documented antigenic changes in circulating viruses may have resulted in increased susceptibility to influenza virus infection during the 2021-2022 influenza season. OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of influenza virus infection among household contacts of patients with influenza during the 2021-2022 influenza season with risk of influenza virus infection among household contacts during influenza seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This prospective study of influenza transmission enrolled households in 2 states before the COVID-19 pandemic (2017-2020) and in 4 US states during the 2021-2022 influenza season. Primary cases were individuals with the earliest laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H3N2) virus infection in a household. Household contacts were people living with the primary cases who self-collected nasal swabs daily for influenza molecular testing and completed symptom diaries daily for 5 to 10 days after enrollment. EXPOSURES: Household contacts living with a primary case. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Relative risk of laboratory-confirmed influenza A(H3N2) virus infection in household contacts during the 2021-2022 season compared with prepandemic seasons. Risk estimates were adjusted for age, vaccination status, frequency of interaction with the primary case, and household density. Subgroup analyses by age, vaccination status, and frequency of interaction with the primary case were also conducted. RESULTS: During the prepandemic seasons, 152 primary cases (median age, 13 years; 3.9% Black; 52.0% female) and 353 household contacts (median age, 33 years; 2.8% Black; 54.1% female) were included and during the 2021-2022 influenza season, 84 primary cases (median age, 10 years; 13.1% Black; 52.4% female) and 186 household contacts (median age, 28.5 years; 14.0% Black; 63.4% female) were included in the analysis. During the prepandemic influenza seasons, 20.1% (71/353) of household contacts were infected with influenza A(H3N2) viruses compared with 50.0% (93/186) of household contacts in 2021-2022. The adjusted relative risk of A(H3N2) virus infection in 2021-2022 was 2.31 (95% CI, 1.86-2.86) compared with prepandemic seasons. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among cohorts in 5 US states, there was a significantly increased risk of household transmission of influenza A(H3N2) in 2021-2022 compared with prepandemic seasons. Additional research is needed to understand reasons for this association. |
End-stage renal disease incidence in a cohort of US firefighters from San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia
Pinkerton LE , Bertke S , Dahm MM , Kubale TL , Siegel MR , Hales TR , Yiin JH , Purdue MP , Beaumont JJ , Daniels RD . Am J Ind Med 2022 65 (12) 975-984 BACKGROUND: Firefighters perform strenuous work in hot environments, which may increase their risk of chronic kidney disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and types of ESRD among a cohort of US firefighters compared to the US general population, and to examine exposure-response relationships. METHODS: ESRD from 1977 through 2014 was identified through linkage with Medicare data. ESRD incidence in the cohort compared to the US population was evaluated using life table analyses. Associations of all ESRD, systemic ESRD, hypertensive ESRD, and diabetic ESRD with exposure surrogates (exposed days, fire runs, and fire hours) were examined in Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for attained age (the time scale), race, birth date, fire department, and employment duration. RESULTS: The incidence of all ESRD was less than expected (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 0.79; 95% confidence interval = 0.69-0.89, observed = 247). SIRs for ESRD types were not significantly increased. Positive associations of all ESRD, systemic ESRD, and hypertensive ESRD with exposed days were observed: however, 95% confidence intervals included one. CONCLUSIONS: We found little evidence of increased risk of ESRD among this cohort of firefighters. Limitations included the inability to evaluate exposure-response relationships for some ESRD types due to small observed numbers, the limitations of the surrogates of exposure, and the lack of information on more sensitive outcome measures for potential kidney effects. |
Detection of Higher Cycle Threshold Values in Culturable SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 Sublineage Compared with Pre-Omicron Variant Specimens - San Francisco Bay Area, California, July 2021-March 2022.
Tassetto M , Garcia-Knight M , Anglin K , Lu S , Zhang A , Romero M , Pineda-Ramirez J , Sanchez RD , Donohue KC , Pfister K , Chan C , Saydah S , Briggs-Hagen M , Peluso MJ , Martin JN , Andino R , Midgley CM , Kelly JD . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 71 (36) 1151-1154 Before emergence in late 2021 of the highly transmissible B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 (1,2), several studies demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 was unlikely to be cultured from specimens with high cycle threshold (Ct) values() from real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests (suggesting low viral RNA levels) (3). Although CDC and others do not recommend attempting to correlate Ct values with the amount of infectious virus in the original specimen (4,5), low Ct values are sometimes used as surrogate markers for infectiousness in clinical, public health, or research settings without access to virus culture (5). However, the consistency in reliability of this practice across SARS-CoV-2 variants remains uncertain because Omicron-specific data on infectious virus shedding, including its relationship with RNA levels, are limited. In the current analysis, nasal specimens collected from an ongoing longitudinal cohort() (6,7) of nonhospitalized participants with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results living in the San Francisco Bay Area** were used to generate Ct values and assess for the presence of culturable SARS-CoV-2 virus; findings were compared between specimens from participants infected with pre-Omicron variants and those infected with the Omicron BA.1 sublineage. Among specimens with culturable virus detected, Ct values were higher (suggesting lower RNA levels) during Omicron BA.1 infections than during pre-Omicron infections, suggesting variant-specific differences in viral dynamics. Supporting CDC guidance, these data show that Ct values likely do not provide a consistent proxy for infectiousness across SARS-CoV-2 variants. |
Evaluating natural experiments that impact the diabetes epidemic: An introduction to the NEXT-D3 Network
Siegel KR , Ali MK , Ackermann RT , Black B , Huguet N , Kho A , Mangione CM , Nauman E , Ross-Degnan D , Schillinger D , Shi L , Wharam JF , Duru OK . Curr Diab Rep 2022 22 (8) 393-403 PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Diabetes is an ongoing public health issue in the USA, and, despite progress, recent reports suggest acute and chronic diabetes complications are increasing. RECENT FINDINGS: The Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes 3.0 (NEXT-D3) Network is a 5-year research collaboration involving six academic centers (Harvard University, Northwestern University, Oregon Health & Science University, Tulane University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of California San Francisco) and two funding agencies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health) to address the gaps leading to persisting diabetes burdens. The network builds on previously funded networks, expanding to include type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevention and an emphasis on health equity. NEXT-D3 researchers use rigorous natural experiment study designs to evaluate impacts of naturally occurring programs and policies, with a focus on diabetes-related outcomes. NEXT-D3 projects address whether and to what extent federal or state legislative policies and health plan innovations affect T2D risk and diabetes treatment and outcomes in the USA; real-world effects of increased access to health insurance under the Affordable Care Act; and the effectiveness of interventions that reduce barriers to medication access (e.g., decreased or eliminated cost sharing for cardiometabolic medications and new medications such as SGLT-2 inhibitors for Medicaid patients). Overarching goals include (1) expanding generalizable knowledge about policies and programs to manage or prevent T2D and educate decision-makers and organizations and (2) generating evidence to guide the development of health equity goals to reduce disparities in T2D-related risk factors, treatment, and complications. |
Causes of death among individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus by race and ethnicity: a population-based study
Taylor T , Anastasiou C , Ja C , Rush S , Trupin L , Dall'Era M , Katz P , Barbour KE , Greenlund KJ , Yazdany J , Gianfrancesco MA . Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2022 75 (1) 61-68 OBJECTIVE: Non-white populations are at higher risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and have more severe outcomes, including mortality. How specific causes of death vary by race and ethnicity has largely been unexplored, particularly for Asian and Hispanic individuals. METHODS: The California Lupus Surveillance Project included SLE cases identified among residents of San Francisco County, CA during January 1, 2007-December 31, 2009. Cases were matched to the National Death Index over a ten-year period. Logistic regression examined age-adjusted differences in causes of death by race, ethnicity, and sex. Age-standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) between individuals with SLE and the corresponding general population were calculated for the leading cause of death, and observed versus expected deaths were estimated. RESULTS: The study included 812 individuals of White (38%), Asian (36%), Black (20%), and mixed/other/unknown (5%) race; 15% identified as Hispanic. 135 deaths were recorded, with mean age at death of 62.2 (+/- 15.6) years. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was the leading cause of death overall (33%), and across all racial and ethnic groups, followed by rheumatic disease (18%) and hematological/oncological conditions (18%). CVD as the underlying cause of death was 3.63 times higher among SLE cases than in the general population. CVD deaths for those with SLE were nearly four and six times higher for Asian and Hispanic individuals with SLE, respectively, compared to the general population. CONCLUSION: Individuals with SLE experience a disproportionate burden of CVD mortality compared to the general population, which is magnified for Asian and Hispanic groups. |
Overcoming Barriers to Successful Climate and Health Adaptation Practice: Notes from the Field.
Mallen E , Joseph HA , McLaughlin M , English DQ , Olmedo C , Roach M , Tirdea C , Vargo J , Wolff M , York E . Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 19 (12) State and local public health agencies are at the forefront of planning and responding to the health challenges of climate hazards but face substantial barriers to effective climate and health adaptation amidst concurrent environmental and public health crises. To ensure successful adaptation, it is necessary to understand and overcome these barriers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Climate-Ready States and Cities Initiative (CRSCI) provides funding to state and local health departments to anticipate and respond to health impacts from climate change using the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework. This paper explores the barriers to and enablers of successful adaptation projects among BRACE West CRSCI grantees, including Arizona, California, Oregon, and the city and county of San Francisco. The barriers included competing demands such as the COVID-19 pandemic, dependence on partners with similar challenges, staff and leadership turnover, uncertain and complex impacts on at-risk populations, and inadequate resources. The enablers included effective partnerships, leadership support, dedicated and skilled internal staff, and policy windows enabling institutional change and reprioritization. These findings highlight effective strategies in the field that state and local health departments may use to anticipate potential barriers and establish their work in an environment conducive to successful adaptation. |
Assessment of worker chemical exposures in California vape shops
Attfield K , Zalay M , Zwack L , Glassford E , LeBouf R , Materna B . J Occup Environ Hyg 2022 19 (4) 1-19 E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid mixture to make an aerosol that is inhaled, or vaped, by the user. Vape shops are retail environments for customer demand of diverse e-liquid flavors and hardware options, which create unique worker exposure concerns. To characterize exposures to vape shop workers, especially to flavoring chemicals associated with known respiratory toxicity, this study recruited vape shops from the San Francisco Bay Area. In six shops, air concentrations were measured for volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, flavoring chemicals, and nicotine in personal and/or area samples; analyzed components of e-liquids vaped during field visits; and assessed metals on surface wipe samples. Interviews and observations were conducted over the course of a workday in the same six shops and performed interviews only in an additional six where sampling was not conducted. Detections of the alpha-diketone butter flavoring chemicals diacetyl and/or 2,3-pentanedione were common: in the headspace of purchased e-liquids (18 of 26 samples), in personal air samples (five of 16), and in area air samples (two of six shops). Two exceedances of recommended exposure limits for 2,3-pentanedione (a short-term exposure limit and an eight-hour time weighted average) were measured in personal air samples. Other compounds detected in area and personal air samples included substitutes for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione (acetoin and 2,3-hexanedione) and compounds that may be contaminants or impurities. Furthermore, a large variety (82) of other flavoring chemicals were detected in area air samples. None of the 12 shops interviewed had a health and safety program. Six shops reported no use of any personal protective equipment (PPE) (e.g., gloves, chemical resistant aprons, eye protection) and the others stated occasional use; however, no PPE use was observed during any field investigation day. Recommendations were provided to shops that included making improvements to ventilation, hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, and, if possible, avoidance of products containing the alpha-diketone flavoring chemicals. Future research is needed to evaluate the long-term health risks among workers in the vape shop retail industry and for e-cigarette use generally. Specific areas include further characterizing e-liquid constituents and emissions, evaluating ingredient health risks, evaluating the contributions of different routes of exposure (dermal, inhalation, and ingestion) and determining effective exposure mitigation measures. |
Contact tracing outcomes among household contacts of fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients - San Francisco, California, January 29-July 2, 2021.
Sachdev DD , Chew Ng R , Sankaran M , Ernst A , Hernandez KT , Servellita V , Sotomayor-Gonzalez A , Stoltey J , Cohen SE , Nguyen TQ , Chiu C , Philip S . Clin Infect Dis 2021 75 (1) e267-e275 BACKGROUND: The extent to which vaccinated persons diagnosed with COVID-19 can transmit to other vaccinated and unvaccinated persons is unclear. METHODS: Using data from the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), this report describes outcomes of household contact tracing during January 29-July 2, 2021, where fully vaccinated COVID-19 patients were the index case in the household. RESULTS: Among 248 fully vaccinated patients with breakthrough infections, 203 (82%) were symptomatic and 105 were identified as the index patient within their household. Among 179 named household contacts, 71 (40%) contacts tested, over half (56%) were fully vaccinated and the secondary attack rate was 28%. Overall transmission from a symptomatic fully vaccinated patient with breakthrough infection to household contacts was suspected in 14 of 105 (13%) of households. Viral genomic sequencing of samples from 44% of fully vaccinated patients showed that 82% of those sequenced were infected by a variant of concern or interest, and 77% by a variant carrying mutation(s) associated with resistance to neutralizing antibodies. CONCLUSIONS: Transmission from fully vaccinated symptomatic index patients to vaccinated and unvaccinated household contacts can occur. Indoor face masking and timely testing of all household contacts should be considered when a household member receives a positive test result in order to identify and interrupt transmission chains. |
Demographic, Behavioral, and Clinical Characteristics of Persons Seeking Care at Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics - 14 Sites, STD Surveillance Network, United States, 2010-2018
Llata E , Cuffe KM , Picchetti V , Braxton JR , Torrone EA . MMWR Surveill Summ 2021 70 (7) 1-20 PROBLEM: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a major cause of morbidity in the United States, with an estimated $15.9 billion in lifetime direct medical costs. Although the majority of STDs are diagnosed in the private sector, publicly funded STD clinics have an important role in providing comprehensive sexual health care services, including STD and HIV screening, for a broad range of patients. In certain cases, STD clinics often are the only source of sexual health care for patients, particularly among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). PERIOD COVERED: 2010-2018. DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM: The STD Surveillance Network (SSuN) is an ongoing sentinel surveillance system for monitoring clinical information among patients attending STD clinics. SSuN is a collaboration of competitively selected state and city health departments that conduct facility-based sentinel surveillance in STD clinics. Information routinely collected through the course of patient encounters is obtained for all patients seeking care in the participating STD clinics. This information includes demographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics (e.g., STD and HIV tests performed and STD and HIV diagnoses). This report presents 2010-2018 SSuN data from 14 STD clinics in five cities (Baltimore, Maryland; New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Francisco, California; and Seattle, Washington) to describe the patient populations seeking care in these STD clinics. Estimated numbers and percentages of patients receiving selected STD-related health services were calculated for each year by using an inverse variance weighted random-effects model, adjusting for heterogeneity among SSuN jurisdictions. Trends in receipt of selected STD-related health services were examined and included HIV screening after an acute STD diagnosis among persons not previously known to have HIV infection, annual chlamydia screening among adolescent and young females, and extragenital chlamydia and gonorrhea screening among MSM. RESULTS: During 2010-2018, the total number of annual visits made in the 14 participating STD clinics decreased 29.8% (from 145,728 to 102,275 visits), and the total number of unique patients examined in the clinics decreased 35.1% (from 94,281 to 61,172 patients). Decreases in the number of unique patients occurred both among men who have sex with women only (42.4%; from 37,842 in 2010 to 21,781 in 2018) and among females (51.4%; from 36,485 in 2010 to 17,721 in 2018). The decreases in the number of female patients were observed across all age groups, although they were more pronounced among females aged ≤24 years (66.4%; from 17,721 in 2010 to 5,962 in 2018). In contrast, the number of patients identified as MSM increased 44.0% (from 12,859 in 2010 to 18,512 in 2018), with the greatest increase among MSM aged ≥25 years (58.6%; from 9,918 in 2010 to 15,733 in 2018). Among visits during which an acute STD (defined as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or primary or secondary syphilis) was diagnosed, the percentage of visits during which an HIV test was performed within approximately 14 days of the STD diagnosis increased from 58.2% in 2010 to 70.2% in 2018. Among those patients tested, 1,672 HIV infections were identified, of which 84.0% were among MSM. Among females aged 15-24 years, the percentage screened for chlamydia in any calendar year increased from 88.6% in 2010 to 90.6% in 2018. However, because fewer females aged 15-24 years attended these clinics during the study period, the crude number of adolescent and young females tested for chlamydia decreased from 14,249 in 2010 to 4,507 in 2018. During 2010-2018, the percentage of females retested after their first positive chlamydia diagnosis during the same year ranged from 11.4% to 13.3%. During 2010-2018, the percentage of MSM tested for rectal chlamydia and rectal gonorrhea increased (from 54.7% to 57.8% and from 55.0% to 58.4%, respectively). During the same period, increases were noted in the percentage of MSM with diagnosed rectal chlamydia (from 15.5% in 2010 to 17.7% in 2018) and rectal gonorrhea (from 13.3% in 2010 to 17.1% in 2018). In contrast with pharyngeal chlamydia, pharyngeal gonorrhea screening was more common (from 69.5% in 2010 to 74.6% in 2018), and the percentage positive doubled during the study period (from 7.3% in 2010 to 14.8% in 2018). Pharyngeal chlamydia testing also increased (from 50.3% in 2010 to 72.9% in 2018), with concurrent decreases in positivity (from 4.2% in 2010 to 2.6% in 2018). INTERPRETATION: During 2010-2018, changes occurred in the demographic composition of patients attending STD clinics participating in SSuN. Understanding trends in the demographic profile of STD patients and services provided can help identify addressable gaps in STD control efforts and direct public health action. Overall, fewer females, especially those aged 15-24 years, accessed care in these STD clinics during the study period. Untreated STDs among adolescent and young females can have serious consequences, including pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Additional efforts to monitor where adolescent and young females seek care and to ensure they are receiving quality STD-related health services are needed, especially considering increases in reported cases of STDs among females. Increases in the number of MSM attending STD clinics present a unique opportunity to reach this population with STD and HIV prevention services. Although a large percentage of STD cases are diagnosed outside of STD clinics, publicly funded STD clinics are an important safety-net provider of STD-related health services and provide vital STD-related health services for patient populations at risk for the consequences of STDs and HIV infection. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS: STD-related health services represent effective strategies for preventing STD and HIV transmission and acquisition or STD-related sequelae. Ensuring that all persons receive quality HIV and STD prevention and treatment services is vital for an effective public health approach to reducing STDs. STD clinics provide crucial safety-net services for preventing STD-related morbidity, including timely identification and treatment of curable STDs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Increases in the numbers of MSM attending STD clinics participating in SSuN provide additional opportunities for linking patients to high-impact HIV preventive services (e.g., pre-exposure prophylaxis), and the clinics are positioned to facilitate initiation or resumption of treatment among persons living with HIV. |
Changes to virus taxonomy and to the International Code of Virus Classification and Nomenclature ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2021).
Walker PJ , Siddell SG , Lefkowitz EJ , Mushegian AR , Adriaenssens EM , Alfenas-Zerbini P , Davison AJ , Dempsey DM , Dutilh BE , García ML , Harrach B , Harrison RL , Hendrickson RC , Junglen S , Knowles NJ , Krupovic M , Kuhn JH , Lambert AJ , Ĺobocka M , Nibert ML , Oksanen HM , Orton RJ , Robertson DL , Rubino L , Sabanadzovic S , Simmonds P , Smith DB , Suzuki N , Van Dooerslaer K , Vandamme AM , Varsani A , Zerbini FM . Arch Virol 2021 166 (9) 2633-2648 This article reports the changes to virus taxonomy approved and ratified by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) in March 2021. The entire ICTV was invited to vote on 290 taxonomic proposals approved by the ICTV Executive Committee at its meeting in October 2020, as well as on the proposed revision of the International Code of Virus Classification and Nomenclature (ICVCN). All proposals and the revision were ratified by an absolute majority of the ICTV members. Of note, ICTV mandated a uniform rule for virus species naming, which will follow the binomial 'genus-species' format with or without Latinized species epithets. The Study Groups are requested to convert all previously established species names to the new format. ICTV has also abolished the notion of a type species, i.e., a species chosen to serve as a name-bearing type of a virus genus. The remit of ICTV has been clarified through an official definition of 'virus' and several other types of mobile genetic elements. The ICVCN and ICTV Statutes have been amended to reflect these changes. |
Evaluating the Effects of Opioid Prescribing Policies on Patient Outcomes in a Safety-net Primary Care Clinic
Rowe CL , Eagen K , Ahern J , Faul M , Hubbard A , Coffin P . J Gen Intern Med 2021 37 (1) 117-124 BACKGROUND: After decades of liberal opioid prescribing, multiple efforts have been made to reduce reliance upon opioids in clinical care. Little is known about the effects of opioid prescribing policies on outcomes beyond opioid prescribing. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the combined effects of multiple opioid prescribing policies implemented in a safety-net primary care clinic in San Francisco, CA, in 2013-2014. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study and conditional difference-in-differences analysis of nonrandomized clinic-level policies. PATIENTS: 273 patients prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain in 2013 at either the treated (n=151) or control clinic (n=122) recruited and interviewed in 2017-2018. INTERVENTIONS: Policies establishing standard protocols for dispensing opioid refills and conducting urine toxicology testing, and a new committee facilitating opioid treatment decisions for complex patient cases. MAIN MEASURES: Opioid prescription (active prescription, mean dose in morphine milligram equivalents [MME]) from electronic medical charts, and heroin and opioid analgesics not prescribed to the patient (any use, use frequency) from a retrospective interview. KEY RESULTS: The interventions were associated with a reduction in mean prescribed opioid dose in the first three post-policy years (year 1 conditional difference-in-differences estimate: -52.0 MME [95% confidence interval: -109.9, -10.6]; year 2: -106.2 MME [-195.0, -34.6]; year 3: -98.6 MME [-198.7, -23.9]; year 4: -72.6 MME [-160.4, 3.6]). Estimates suggest a possible positive association between the interventions and non-prescribed opioid analgesic use (year 3: 5.2 absolute percentage points [-0.1, 11.2]) and use frequency (year 3: 0.21 ordinal frequency scale points [0.00, 0.47]) in the third post-policy year. CONCLUSIONS: Clinic-level opioid prescribing policies were associated with reduced dose, although the control clinic achieved similar reductions by the fourth post-policy year, and the policies may have been associated with increased non-prescribed opioid analgesic use. Clinicians should balance the urgency to reduce opioid prescribing with potential harms from rapid change. |
Permethrin resistance in Aedes aegypti: Genomic variants that confer knockdown resistance, recovery, and death.
Saavedra-Rodriguez K , Campbell CL , Lozano S , Penilla-Navarro P , Lopez-Solis A , Solis-Santoyo F , Rodriguez AD , Perera R , Black IV WC . PLoS Genet 2021 17 (6) e1009606 Pyrethroids are one of the few classes of insecticides available to control Aedes aegypti, the major vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. Unfortunately, evolving mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance in mosquito populations threaten our ability to control disease outbreaks. Two common pyrethroid resistance mechanisms occur in Ae. aegypti: 1) knockdown resistance, which involves amino acid substitutions at the pyrethroid target site-the voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC)-and 2) enhanced metabolism by detoxification enzymes. When a heterogeneous population of mosquitoes is exposed to pyrethroids, different responses occur. During exposure, a proportion of mosquitoes exhibit immediate knockdown, whereas others are not knocked-down and are designated knockdown resistant (kdr). When these individuals are removed from the source of insecticide, the knocked-down mosquitoes can either remain in this status and lead to dead or recover within a few hours. The proportion of these phenotypic responses is dependent on the pyrethroid concentration and the genetic background of the population tested. In this study, we sequenced and performed pairwise genome comparisons between kdr, recovered, and dead phenotypes in a pyrethroid-resistant colony from Tapachula, Mexico. We identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with each phenotype and identified genes that are likely associated with the mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance, including detoxification, the cuticle, and insecticide target sites. We identified high association between kdr and mutations at VGSC and moderate association with additional insecticide target site, detoxification, and cuticle protein coding genes. Recovery was associated with cuticle proteins, the voltage-dependent calcium channel, and a different group of detoxification genes. We provide a list of detoxification genes under directional selection in this field-resistant population. Their functional roles in pyrethroid metabolism and their potential uses as genomic markers of resistance require validation. |
Evaluation of post-introduction COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness: Summary of interim guidance of the World Health Organization.
Patel MK , Bergeri I , Bresee JS , Cowling BJ , Crowcroft NS , Fahmy K , Hirve S , Kang G , Katz MA , Lanata CF , L'Azou Jackson M , Joshi S , Lipsitch M , Mwenda JM , Nogareda F , Orenstein WA , Ortiz JR , Pebody R , Schrag SJ , Smith PG , Srikantiah P , Subissi L , Valenciano M , Vaughn DW , Verani JR , Wilder-Smith A , Feikin DR . Vaccine 2021 39 (30) 4013-4024 Phase 3 randomized-controlled trials have provided promising results of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, ranging from 50 to 95% against symptomatic disease as the primary endpoints, resulting in emergency use authorization/listing for several vaccines. However, given the short duration of follow-up during the clinical trials, strict eligibility criteria, emerging variants of concern, and the changing epidemiology of the pandemic, many questions still remain unanswered regarding vaccine performance. Post-introduction vaccine effectiveness evaluations can help us to understand the vaccine's effect on reducing infection and disease when used in real-world conditions. They can also address important questions that were either not studied or were incompletely studied in the trials and that will inform evolving vaccine policy, including assessment of the duration of effectiveness; effectiveness in key subpopulations, such as the very old or immunocompromised; against severe disease and death due to COVID-19; against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern; and with different vaccination schedules, such as number of doses and varying dosing intervals. WHO convened an expert panel to develop interim best practice guidance for COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness evaluations. We present a summary of the interim guidance, including discussion of different study designs, priority outcomes to evaluate, potential biases, existing surveillance platforms that can be used, and recommendations for reporting results. |
Feasibility and acceptance of a cloud-based mobile app for antimicrobial stewardship and infection control in Colombian hospitals
Ketcherside WJ , Olson JBF , Hunt LN , Mehta JM , Gutiérrez CP , Coy LM , Pradera IP , Rivera AD , Cano JA , Saeed A , Sapiro V , Park BJ , Malpiedi P , Botero MVV . Int J Infect Control 2020 16 (3) 1-6 Infection control and antimicrobial stewardship programs (ICASPs) are essential to reduce the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of extending a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software for ICASPs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This project involved three hospitals in Colombia, including Centro Médico Imbanaco, Clínica San Francisco, and DIME Clínica Neurocardiovascular. A COTS platform (ILÚM Health Solutions(™) Kenilworth, NJ) was extended to function in a range of technology settings, and translatable to almost any language. ICASP features were added, including clinical practice guidelines, hand hygiene (HH) documentation, and isolation precaution (IP) documentation. The platform was delivered as a smartphone mobile application ("app") for both iOS and Android. The app was successfully implemented at all sites, however, full back-end data integration was not feasible at any site. In contrast to the United States, a suite of surveillance tools and physician-focused decision support without patient data proved to be valuable. Language translation processing occurred quickly and incurred minimal costs. HH and IP compliance tracking were the most used features among ICASP staff; treatment guidelines were most often used by physicians. Use of the app streamlined activities and reduced the time spent on ICASP tasks. Users consistently reported positive impressions including simplicity of design, ease of navigation, and improved efficiency. This ICASP app was feasible in limited-resource settings, highly acceptable to users, and represents an innovative approach to antimicrobial resistance prevention. |
Reducing travel-related SARS-CoV-2 transmission with layered mitigation measures: symptom monitoring, quarantine, and testing.
Johansson MA , Wolford H , Paul P , Diaz PS , Chen TH , Brown CM , Cetron MS , Alvarado-Ramy F . BMC Med 2021 19 (1) 94 BACKGROUND: Balancing the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission with the resumption of travel is a global priority. Current recommendations include mitigation measures before, during, and after travel. Pre- and post-travel strategies including symptom monitoring, antigen or nucleic acid amplification testing, and quarantine can be combined in multiple ways considering different trade-offs in feasibility, adherence, effectiveness, cost, and adverse consequences. METHODS: We used a mathematical model to analyze the expected effectiveness of symptom monitoring, testing, and quarantine under different estimates of the infectious period, test-positivity relative to time of infection, and test sensitivity to reduce the risk of transmission from infected travelers during and after travel. RESULTS: If infection occurs 0-7 days prior to travel, immediate isolation following symptom onset prior to or during travel reduces risk of transmission while traveling by 30-35%. Pre-departure testing can further reduce risk, with testing closer to the time of travel being optimal even if test sensitivity is lower than an earlier test. For example, testing on the day of departure can reduce risk while traveling by 44-72%. For transmission risk after travel with infection time up to 7 days prior to arrival at the destination, isolation based on symptom monitoring reduced introduction risk at the destination by 42-56%. A 14-day quarantine after arrival, without symptom monitoring or testing, can reduce post-travel risk by 96-100% on its own. However, a shorter quarantine of 7 days combined with symptom monitoring and a test on day 5-6 after arrival is also effective (97--100%) at reducing introduction risk and is less burdensome, which may improve adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Quarantine is an effective measure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk from travelers and can be enhanced by the addition of symptom monitoring and testing. Optimal test timing depends on the effectiveness of quarantine: with low adherence or no quarantine, optimal test timing is close to the time of arrival; with effective quarantine, testing a few days later optimizes sensitivity to detect those infected immediately before or while traveling. These measures can complement recommendations such as social distancing, using masks, and hand hygiene, to further reduce risk during and after travel. |
Leveraging mobile phone surveys during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador and Sri Lanka: Methods, timeline and findings.
Phadnis R , Wickramasinghe C , Zevallos JC , Davlin S , Kumarapeli V , Lea V , Lee J , Perera U , Solórzano FX , Vásconez JF . PLoS One 2021 16 (4) e0250171 Effective and rapid decision making during a pandemic requires data not only about infections, but also about human behavior. Mobile phone surveys (MPS) offer the opportunity to collect real-time data on behavior, exposure, knowledge, and perception, as well as care and treatment to inform decision making. The surveys aimed to collect coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) related information in Ecuador and Sri Lanka using mobile phones. In Ecuador, a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey was conducted. In Sri Lanka, an evaluation of a novel medicine delivery system was conducted. Using the established mobile network operator channels and technical assistance provided through The Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative (D4H), Ministries of Health fielded a population-based COVID-19-specific MPS using Surveda, the open source data collection tool developed as part of the initiative. A total of 1,185 adults in Ecuador completed the MPS in 14 days. A total of 5,001 adults over the age of 35 in Sri Lanka completed the MPS in 44 days. Both samples were adjusted to the 2019 United Nations Population Estimates to produce population-based estimates by age and sex. The Ecuador COVID-19 MPS found that there was compliance with the mitigation strategies implemented in that country. Overall, 96.5% of Ecuadorians reported wearing a face mask or face covering when leaving home. Overall, 3.8% of Sri Lankans used the service to receive medicines from a government clinic. Among those who used the medicine delivery service in Sri Lanka, 95.8% of those who used a private pharmacy received their medications within one week, and 69.9% of those using a government clinic reported the same. These studies demonstrate that MPS can be conducted quickly and gather essential data. MPS can help monitor the impact of interventions and programs, and rapidly identify what works in mitigating the impact of COVID-19. |
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