American journal of public health最新文献

Objectives. To describe racial and ethnic representativeness of the local health department (LHD) workforce compared with the populations served. Methods. In this study, we used a cross-sectional design of the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, 2019 National Association of County and City Health Officials Profile data, and other sources to estimate the racial and ethnic representativeness of LHD workforce. We calculated representativeness as a binary measure of at least representative of the populations served for each race and ethnicity group. We present bivariate analyses comparing LHD representativeness by region and rurality, and multivariate analyses to estimate the associations between representativeness, agency, and jurisdiction characteristics. This study was conducted in Tennessee in 2023. Results. Sixty percent of LHDs in the sample were at least representative of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color populations they serve. For most race and ethnicity groups, urban-serving LHDs were more representative of the populations they serve than rural-serving LHDs. Conclusions. Racial and ethnic representativeness of the LHD workforce varies by rurality, region, and race or ethnicity. These findings may help inform training, recruitment, and retention efforts in public health. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 19, 2024:e1-e11. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307903).

Objectives. To estimate the alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF) for suicide in the United States. Methods. Using restricted-access data from the National Violent Death Reporting System for 2021, we estimated the sex-specific AAF for suicide, among those 15 years of age and older, by sociodemographic characteristics and suicide means. An alcohol-attributable suicide was defined as that for which the decedent had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 grams per deciliter or higher. Results. In 2021, the AAF for suicide for males (20.2%) was significantly higher than that for females (17.8%; P < .001). The AAF for suicide was higher for both males and females who used a firearm as the means of suicide (23.4% and 22.8%, respectively) compared with their counterparts who used other means (16.5% and 15.9%, respectively). Conclusions. Despite some variation, AAFs for suicide were consistently high, with about 1 in 5 suicides being attributable to alcohol use. Therefore, suicide prevention initiatives in the United States should also target excessive alcohol use. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 19, 2024:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307910).

Objectives. To test whether countermarketing messages for sugary drinks lead to lower intentions to consume sugary drinks and less perceived weight stigma than health education messages. Methods. In August 2023, we conducted an online randomized controlled trial with US adults (n = 2169). We assessed the effect of countermarketing messages, health education messages, and neutral control messages on intentions to consume sugary drinks and perceived weight stigma. Results. Both countermarketing messages (Cohen d = -0.20) and health education messages (d = -0.35) led to lower intentions to consume sugary drinks than control messages (Ps < .001). However, both types of messages elicited more perceived weight stigma than control messages (ds = 0.87 and 1.29, respectively; Ps < .001). Countermarketing messages were less effective than health education messages at lowering intentions to consume sugary drinks (d for countermarketing vs health education = 0.14) but also elicited less perceived weight stigma than health education messages (d = -0.39; Ps < .01). Conclusions. Countermarketing messages show promise for reducing sugary drink consumption while eliciting less weight stigma than health education messages, though they may need to be refined further to minimize weight stigma and maximize effectiveness. Clinical Trial Number. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05953194. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(12):1354-1364. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307853).

The California Department of State Hospitals and Department of Public Health collaborated to develop infection control programs in five inpatient psychiatric hospitals in response to COVID-19. In the retrospective observational study described here, conducted from March 2020 through February 2023, we calculated seven-day rolling averages of COVID-19 cases overlaid with key interventions, communication strategies, and policies implemented to break down silos for a consistent and coordinated response. Our findings may inform others regarding effective strategies and partnerships with public health experts during future outbreaks. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(12):1317-1321. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307846).