Texas Health and Science University

Sexual violence among youth remains a pressing public health issue in the United States, with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority (LGBQ+) youth disproportionately affected. This study utilizes nationally representative data from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System to examine associations between sexual identity and three measures of sexual victimization among the US high school students. We analyzed data from n = 16,730 US high school students via the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Multivariable logistic regressions compared three measures of sexual victimization (i.e., lifetime forced sexual intercourse [FSI]; past 12 month any sexual violence; and past 12 month dating sexual violence) by sexual identity; categories were heterosexual (referent), gay/lesbian, bisexual, questioning, and other. We also stratified these analyses by sex. Youth who identified as gay/lesbian (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR]: 2.42), bisexual (aOR: 2.61), and other (aOR: 3.36) had significantly greater odds of reporting lifetime FSI relative to heterosexual youth. Similarly, youth who identified as bisexual (aOR: 2.00), questioning (sexuality) (aOR: 1.87), and other (aOR: 1.57) had significantly greater odds of reporting experiencing sexual violence in the past 12 months relative to heterosexual youth. In addition, youth who identified as bisexual (aOR: 1.94) and questioning (aOR: 1.95) had significantly greater odds of reporting dating sexual violence in the past 12 months relative to heterosexual youth. These relationships were significantly modified by sex; the disparities in lifetime FSI and past 12 month sexual violence by sexual identity were substantially greater among male students compared to female students. LGBQ + youth are at increased risk for sexual violence, compared to their non-LGBQ + counterparts.

Engaging in no moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been recognized as an important indicator in physical activity (PA) surveillance, as any engagement in MVPA confers health benefits compared to none. Studying the prevalence of no MVPA can provide valuable insights into physical inactivity patterns and inform public health intervention efforts. While some cross-sectional studies have examined this issue, no research has analysed year-to-year trends. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess trends of no MVPA among adolescents and key subgroups using a nationally representative US sample. Data from 2005 to 2021 cycles of the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System were used, with 115,926 US adolescents aged 14-17 years included (female: unweighted sample size = 58,582, 50.5%; weighted%=49.4%). Participants self-reported their demographic (sex, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index) and behavioural information (days of ≥ 60min of MVPA over the past week, and recreational screen time). No MVPA was operationalized as reporting 0 days of ≥ 60min of MVPA. Trend analysis was performed to assess temporal variations from 2005 to 2021 using a series of binary logistic regression models after controlling for demographic and screen time related variables. Declining trends in no MVPA were observed among adolescents from 2005 (weighted: 24.3%) to 2021 (weighted: 15.5%). After stratifying by sex, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index and recreational screen time, similar downward trends were shown across all adolescent subgroups consistently (p for trend < 0.001). Girls, older adolescents, those who identified as non-White, adolescents with excess weight, and those engaging in more than 2h of recreational screen time per day tended to report no MVPA at higher rates (all p < 0.001) compared to their counterparts. No MVPA has declined among the US adolescents, especially after 2009. Notably, sociodemographic disparities were observed in no MVPA among different population subgroups. PA promotion strategies targeting girls and older adolescents should be prioritized to further reduce the prevalence of no MVPA.

Background: Septicemia often results in cardiovascular collapse and cardiac arrest (ICD-10 I46); however, national mortality trends within this population are not yet thoroughly analyzed. Hypothesis: We postulated that the age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) for cardiac arrest in adults aged 25 years and older with septicemia have significantly altered from 1999 to 2024 and that disparities are present based on demographic and geographic factors . Methods: CDC WONDER multiple cause-of-death data (1999–2024) were analyzed for U.S. decedents aged ≥25 years with both ICD-10 A41 and I46 codes. Total deaths and proportions by place of death (medical facility, home, nursing home, hospice, other) were tabulated. Annual AAMRs per 100,000 population were calculated. Joinpoint regression estimated average annual percent change (AAPC) in AAMR. Analyses were stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, U.S. Census region, and urban versus rural residence. Results: A total of 669,989 fatalities were recorded among adults aged ≥25 years due to septicemia and cardiac arrest (330,729 men; 339,260 women). The overall AAMR remained stable from 1999 to 2018, increased sharply from 2018 to 2021 (AAPC +7.2%, p &lt; 0.001), and subsequently declined from 2021 to 2024 (AAPC –8.4%, p &lt; 0.001). Men consistently exhibited higher rates than women, peaking at 17.2 per 100,000 compared to 12.4. When analyzed by race and ethnicity, non-Hispanic Black adults had the highest AAMR at 21.8, followed by Hispanic at 17.0. Hispanic adults experienced the steepest increase from 2018 to 2021 (AAPC +10.8%, p &lt; 0.05) as well as the most significant decline thereafter (AAPC –11.0%, p &lt; 0.05). Regionally, the Northeast exhibited the highest average AAMR at 16.3, whereas the Midwest reported the lowest average AAMR of 5.7. Urban areas surpassed rural areas in mortality rates (2020: 13.5 vs. 11.9). State AAMRs varied significantly, ranging from 27.7 in Nevada to 2.0 in Minnesota/Wisconsin. Most deaths occurred in medical facilities (90.2%), followed by nursing homes (5.4%). Conclusions: Cardiac arrest mortality in adults with septicemia was flat until 2018, surged during 2018–2021, then declined through 2024. Persistent disparities by sex, race/ethnicity, region, and urbanization highlight the need for targeted clinical and public health interventions to prevent and manage sepsis-related cardiac arrest during infectious disease surges.

Introduction/Background: Cardiac arrest caused &gt;9M U.S. adult deaths (1999–2024). Place of death reflects end-of-life care quality. While home/hospice deaths rose for other conditions, cardiac arrest patterns by demographics remain understudied. Research Questions/Hypothesis: Death location varies by demographics, with younger/minority patients more likely to die in EDs and less likely in hospice than older White patients. Methods/Approach: From CDC WONDER, we extracted all U.S. adult (≥25 y) deaths attributed to cardiac arrest (ICD-10 I46) from 1999–2021. Place of death was categorized as inpatient (ref), ED/outpatient, home, hospice/nursing, or other. Crude ORs (95% CIs) comparing each non-inpatient location to inpatient were computed via 2×2 tables, stratified by age (25–44, 45–64, 65–84 [ref], ≥85), sex (male [ref], female), race (White [ref], Black, AI/PI), Hispanic origin (non-Hispanic [ref], Hispanic), and urbanization (large metro [ref], medium/small metro, rural Results/Data: Overall, 41.2% died in hospital; 11.1% in outpatient/ED; 22.5% at home; 20.5% in hospice/nursing; 4.6% elsewhere. Compared with 65–84, 25–44 showed lower home (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.57–0.58; P&lt;0.001) and hospice (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.18–0.22; P&lt;0.001), but higher ED (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.07–1.09; P&lt;0.001). Conversely, ≥85 had higher home (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.38–1.39; P&lt;0.001) and hospice (OR 2.96; 95% CI 2.95–2.97; P&lt;0.001), but lower ED (OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.81–0.82; P&lt;0.001). Females had higher home (OR 1.02; 95% CI 1.02–1.03; P&lt;0.001) and hospice (OR 1.74; 95% CI 1.73–1.74; P&lt;0.001), but lower ED (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.79–0.80; P&lt;0.001). Blacks had lower home (OR 0.61; 95% CI 0.61–0.62; P&lt;0.001) and hospice (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.55–0.55; P&lt;0.001), but higher ED (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.12–1.14; P&lt;0.001) versus Whites. Hispanics had lower home (OR 0.82; 95% CI 0.82–0.83; P&lt;0.001), ED (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.69–0.70; P&lt;0.001), and hospice (OR 0.56; 95% CI 0.56–0.56; P&lt;0.001) than non-Hispanics. Rural decedents had higher home (OR 1.26; 95% CI 1.25–1.26; P&lt;0.001), ED (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.58–1.60; P&lt;0.001), and hospice (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.09–1.10; P&lt;0.001) versus large-metro. Conclusion(s): Only 41% died in hospital. Young adults had higher ED deaths; ≥ 85 and women had more home/hospice deaths. Blacks, Hispanics, and rural groups faced lower home/hospice and higher ED mortality, warranting equitable palliative care interventions.

ABSTRACT Venezuela's national collapse has been one of the most remarkable in recent history. Marked by widespread scarcity, deep poverty, and persistent concerns about authoritarian governance, the crisis has prompted the emigration of ~8 million people since 2015—more than 25% of the once‐prosperous nation's population. We examine the roles of pre‐migration hunger, government repression, and their interaction in predicting post‐migration post‐traumatic stress screening diagnoses among Venezuelan migrants in Colombia and the United States. Surveyed in 2023–2024, the sample includes 1241 adults who emigrated from Venezuela since 2015 and resided in either Colombia ( n = 566) or the United States ( n = 675). Pre‐migration hunger is widespread among Venezuelan migrants, as nearly three in every four Venezuelan migrants reported experiencing hunger due to hardship before emigrating. Rates of hunger were dramatically higher among Venezuelan migrants resettled in Colombia, although these differences somewhat attenuated among migrants resettling in recent years. Even though hunger was a significant concern among migrants in both countries, concern about government repression was primarily observed among Venezuelan migrants in the United States. In both countries, we saw that greater levels of pre‐migration hunger and concern about repression were significantly associated with an increased risk of PTSD. We have self‐reported data on Venezuelans in two national contexts, but the Venezuelan diaspora spans multiple countries. Findings underscore the profound impact of pre‐migration hunger and political repression on the mental health of Venezuelan migrants, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to address these critical issues.

A systematic review using PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest-Coronavirus Research Database, Web of Science, WHO COVID-19 Research Database, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus conducted to characterize AT policy during the pandemic (2020-2023). Descriptive analyses were conducted in Stata. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42025644930. The search retrieved 3879 articles; 1162 were duplicates, leaving 2716 eligible. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 were selected for data extraction. Findings demonstrate the pandemic's influence on AT policy implementation and its impact on the built environment, such as the creation of bicycle lanes and pedestrian-friendly spaces. While these policies indirectly impacted PA, many were transient and unintended. Regional disparities in case-study cities highlighted mobility alternatives to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Enablers and challenges for effective policy implementation were identified. The pandemic catalyzed global AT policies, demonstrating that urgency and political willpower can expedite policy enactment. Rapid urban infrastructure changes highlighted the potential for swift policy implementation during health emergencies, facilitating utilitarian PA. AT emerged as a practical solution, allowing essential movement. Addressing the immediate crisis proved more effective in implementing AT policies than prepandemic efforts focused on the physical inactivity's health burden. Understanding local sustainability determinants can inform future urban planning for integrating AT initiatives sustainably.

In this study, a comprehensive gene annotation analysis was conducted on Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CSK, revealing the presence of three eps (exopolysaccharide) clusters within its genome. Three mutant strains with deletions in the eps clusters were constructed, and their phenotypic characteristics, along with the rheological properties of fermented soymilk gels, were compared to those of L. plantarum CSK. The deletion of eps clusters in the mutant strains was found to result in a reduction of biofilm formation, autoaggregation ability, and EPS production. Differences were observed between soymilk gels fermented by L. plantarum CSK and that fermented by the mutant strains. In fermented soymilk gels, the mutant strains resulted in a reduction in the water-holding capacity and altered rheological properties. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the impact of eps clusters on the phenotypes of lactic acid bacteria and their application in fermented soymilk gels.