Last data update: Dec 09, 2024. (Total: 48320 publications since 2009)
Records 1-6 (of 6 Records) |
Query Trace: Pelletier AR[original query] |
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Impact of the DREAMS Program on new HIV diagnoses in adolescent girls and young women attending antenatal care - Lesotho, 2015-2020
Pelletier AR , Derado J , Maoela L , Lekhotsa T , Sechache M , Nkuatsana K . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022 71 (2) 48-51 Lesotho is a small, landlocked country in southern Africa with a population of approximately 2 million persons, approximately two thirds of whom live in rural areas (1). Lesotho has the second highest prevalence of HIV infection in the world (2). In 2017, 25.6% of persons aged 15-59 years living in Lesotho were HIV-positive (3). Strategies implemented in recent years to control HIV include efforts to reduce mother-to-child transmission and improve coverage with antiretroviral therapy, as well as increasing testing for HIV. Among persons aged 15-24 years, the HIV prevalence among females in 2017 (11.1%) was approximately three times that among males (3.4%) (3). The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS)* program in Lesotho was started during October 2016 in two districts. DREAMS comprises a package of biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions to address factors that make adolescent girls and young women vulnerable to HIV acquisition (4). The goal of the DREAMS program was to decrease HIV incidence among adolescent girls and young women by 25% after 1 year and by 40% after 2 years (4). After 3.5 years of program implementation in Lesotho, new HIV diagnoses among adolescent girls and young women attending antenatal care (ANC) decreased 71.4% in the two districts that implemented DREAMS compared with a reduction of 48.4% in three comparison districts without the program (p = 0.002). During 2016-2020, reductions in new HIV diagnoses among adolescent girls and young women attending ANC in Lesotho have been substantial, both in districts that have and have not implemented the DREAMS program (DREAMS and non-DREAMS districts). Apart from the DREAMS program, the decrease in new HIV diagnoses might be a result of the reduction in viral load in the population because more persons living with HIV infection became virally suppressed while on antiviral therapy, as well as other interventions such as preexposure prophylaxis, voluntary medical male circumcision, behavior change, and increased HIV diagnostic coverage. |
Human papillomavirus vaccination coverage among school girls in a demonstration project - Botswana, 2013
Raesima MM , Forhan SE , Voetsch AC , Hewitt S , Hariri S , Wang SA , Pelletier AR , Letebele M , Pheto T , Ramogola-Masire D , El-Halabi S . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2015 64 (40) 1147-9 What is already known on this topic? Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common and aggressive in persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). With an HIV prevalence of 28% among females aged 15-49, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Botswana. Before 2013, HPV vaccine had not been used in the public sector in Botswana.What is added by this report? Efforts to expand services for cervical cancer through the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative focused on HPV-related disease in Botswana. A demonstration project for HPV vaccination was developed by the Ministry of Health for school girls aged >/=9 years in primary schools in one community. A total of 1,967 (79%) of 2,488 eligible girls received 3 doses of vaccine in the immunization effort that was centered in schools.What are the implications for public health practice? Preventing HPV infection in girls is an important component of a national comprehensive cervical cancer control program. HPV vaccination programming is challenging, and demonstration projects can prepare countries for national introduction. The success of the initial HPV vaccination effort in Botswana led to an expanded project in 2014, with implementation of nationwide rollout of the HPV vaccine in 2015. It might be beneficial for future HPV vaccination campaigns to include strategies to reach out-of-school girls. |
Injury prevention practices as depicted in G- and PG-rated movies, 2008-2012
Pelletier AR , Tongren JE , Gilchrist J . J Community Health 2014 40 (4) 613-8 Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among children in the United States. The use of recommended safety practices can reduce injuries. Children often learn behaviors from media exposure. Children's movies released in 1995-2007 infrequently depicted appropriate injury prevention practices. The aim of this study was to determine if injury prevention practices in children's movies have improved. The top grossing 25 G- and PG-rated movies in the United States per year for 2008-2012 were eligible for inclusion in the study. Movies or scenes were excluded if they were animated, not set in the present day, fantasy, documentary, or not in English. Injury prevention practices involving riding in a motor vehicle, walking, boating, bicycling, and four other activities were recorded for characters with speaking roles. Fifty-six (45 %) of the 125 movies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 603 person-scenes were examined involving 175 (29 %) children and 428 (71 %) adults. Thirty-eight person-scenes involved crashes or falls, resulting in four injuries and no deaths. Overall, 59 % (353/603) of person-scenes showed appropriate injury prevention practices. This included 313 (70 %) of 445 motor-vehicle passengers who were belted; 15 (30 %) of 50 pedestrians who used a crosswalk, 2 (7 %) of 30 boaters who wore personal flotation devices, and 8 (29 %) of 28 bicyclists who wore helmets. In comparison with previous studies, there were significant increases in usage of seat belts, crosswalks, personal flotation devices, and bicycle helmets. However, 41 % of person-scenes still showed unsafe practices and the consequences of those behaviors were infrequently depicted. |
Firearm use in G- and PG-rated movies, 2008-2012
Pelletier AR , Eric Tongren J , Gilchrist J . Am J Prev Med 2014 47 (6) e11-2 Popular movies represent a common form of media exposure for children, whether viewed in theaters, on TV, or over the Internet. Based on social cognitive theory, children learn behaviors in part through their exposure to media images.1 Exposure to violence in media may have a negative impact on children.2 From 1995 to 2007, almost a third (31%) of the G- and PG-rated movies with the highest U.S. box-office gross revenues had scenes involving firearms.3–5 Movies released during 2008–2012 were examined to determine whether the depiction of firearms in movies marketed to children has changed. |
Fatalities in swimming pools with lifeguards: USA, 2000-2008
Pelletier AR , Gilchrist J . Inj Prev 2011 17 (4) 250-3 BACKGROUND: Pools with lifeguards are often perceived to represent a safe environment for swimming. OBJECTIVES: To examine how often fatalities occurred in pools with lifeguards and what factors were common in these incidents. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: USA. SUBJECTS: A case was defined as a death in a swimming pool with at least one lifeguard that occurred in the USA from 2000 to 2008. Potential cases were identified from media accounts using Lexis-Nexis and ProQuest databases. Supplemental information was obtained through internet based searches and review of death certificates. RESULTS: A total of 140 deaths from 37 states were identified. Of decedents, 109 (78%) were children and 93 (66%) were males. African Americans accounted for 44% of deaths among those of known race. 104 (74%) fatalities occurred during May through August; 85 (61%) deaths occurred in outdoor pools. Sites for fatal incidents included 53 (38%) municipal pools, 21 (15%) community organisations, and 20 (14%) schools. The median swimmer to lifeguard ratio was 13:1. Decedents were initially identified in the pool twice as often by non-lifeguards (eg, other swimmers or bystanders) as by lifeguards. CONCLUSIONS: Deaths in pools with lifeguards are uncommon, but do occur. Groups most affected include children, males, and African Americans. While lifeguards provide an important layer of protection at swimming pools, they alone cannot prevent all drownings. Additional safety measures are needed. |
An outbreak of hepatitis A among primary and secondary contacts of an international adoptee
Pelletier AR , Mehta PJ , Burgess DR , Bondeson LM , Carson PJ , Rea VE , Sharapov UM , Hu DJ . Public Health Rep 2010 125 (5) 642-6 The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that susceptible people traveling to developing countries receive hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin prior to departure. Until 2009, the recommendations did not address non-traveling family members or other close contacts of international adoptees. We report an outbreak of hepatitis A in 2008 that occurred in Maine. Eight members of an extended family developed hepatitis A following the arrival of an asymptomatic infant from Ethiopia who was brought to the United States by an adoption agency. Two children in the family attended an elementary school where five additional cases of hepatitis A were subsequently identified. Only three (1%) of 208 students at the school had previously been immunized against hepatitis A. This outbreak highlights the need to immunize household members and other close contacts of families adopting children from countries where hepatitis A is endemic, as well as all children at one year of age. |
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