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de Sousa Mascena Veras MA, Menezes NP, Mocello AR, Leddy AM, Saggese GSR, Bassichetto KC, Gilmore HJ, de Carvalho PGC, Maschião LF, Neilands TB, Sevelius J, Lippman SA. Correlation between gender-based violence and poor treatment outcomes among transgender women living with HIV in Brazil. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:791. [PMID: 38481195 PMCID: PMC10938823 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18224-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transgender women are disproportionately affected by both HIV and gender-based violence (GBV), defined as physical, sexual, or emotional violence perpetrated against an individual based on their gender identity/expression. While a growing body of evidence demonstrates that GBV leads to poor HIV care and treatment outcomes among cisgender women, less research has examined this association among transgender women. We assessed the impact of lifetime experiences of GBV on subsequent retention in HIV care and laboratory confirmed viral suppression among a sample of transgender women living with HIV (TWH) in Brazil. METHODS A pilot trial of a peer navigation intervention to improve HIV care and treatment among TWH was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil between 2018 and 2019. TWH were recruited and randomized into the intervention or control arm and participated in a baseline and 9-month follow-up survey and ongoing extraction of clinical visit, prescribing, and laboratory data. Generalized linear model regressions with a Poisson distribution estimated the relative risk (RR) for the association of lifetime physical and sexual violence reported at baseline with treatment outcomes (retention in HIV care and viral suppression) at follow-up, adjusting for baseline sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS A total of 113 TWH participated in the study. At baseline, median age was 30 years, and the prevalence of lifetime physical and sexual violence was 62% and 45%, respectively. At follow-up, 58% (n = 66/113) were retained in care and 35% (n = 40/113) had evidence of viral suppression. In adjusted models, lifetime physical violence was non-significantly associated with a 10% reduction in retention in care (aRR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.67, 1.22) and a 31% reduction in viral suppression (aRR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.43, 1.11). Lifetime sexual violence was non-significantly associated with a 28% reduction in retention in HIV care (aRR: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.52, 1.00) and significantly associated with a 56% reduction in viral suppression (aRR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.79). CONCLUSION Our findings are among the first to demonstrate that lifetime experiences with physical and sexual violence are associated with poor HIV outcomes over time among transgender women. Interventions seeking to improve HIV treatment outcomes should assess and address experiences of GBV among this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03525340.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Adrienne Rain Mocello
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Anna M Leddy
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Gustavo Santa Roza Saggese
- Department of Collective Health, Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Hailey J Gilmore
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | | | - Luca Fasciolo Maschião
- Department of Collective Health, Santa Casa School of Medical Sciences, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Torsten B Neilands
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Jae Sevelius
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
| | - Sheri A Lippman
- Division of Prevention Science, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA
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Prata Menezes N, Mehta SH, Wesolowski A, Clipman SJ, Srikrishnan AK, Kumar MS, Zook KJC, Lucas GM, Latkin C, Solomon SS. Network centrality and HIV prevention service use among people who inject drugs: Findings from a sociometric network cohort in New Delhi, India. Addiction 2024; 119:570-581. [PMID: 37967827 PMCID: PMC11003398 DOI: 10.1111/add.16379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Network centrality, an indicator of an individual's importance and potential to drive behavioral change, is rarely used to select peer educators. Individual-level predictors of network centrality might be useful to identify people who inject drugs (PWID) for potential roles as peer navigators or change agents in network-based interventions in settings where sociometric data are unavailable. We assessed the relationship between network centrality and HIV prevention service engagement to determine whether centrally-positioned PWID share measurable commonalities. DESIGN Observational study and survey using baseline data from a sociometric network cohort of PWID, enumerated using network software and biometric data (2017-2020). Network ties corresponded to direct injection partnerships in the prior month. SETTING New Delhi, India. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2512 PWID who were ≥18 years, provided written informed consent, and reported illicit injection drug use within the 24 months before study enrollment. MEASUREMENTS Interviewer-administered questionnaires measured demographics and substance use behaviors. Central versus peripheral network position was categorized using betweenness centrality 75th%ile . Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) between network position and HIV testing, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), or syringe service use. Lasso models selected predictors of central network position among 20 covariates detailing demographic, biologic, and substance use information. Predictive accuracy was evaluated using model performance metrics. FINDINGS Overall, median age was 26 years (interquartile range 22-34); 99% were male; 628 were classified as central. Compared with PWID at the periphery, central PWID were more likely to use MOUD (aOR: 1.59, 95%CI: 1.30-1.94) and syringe services (aOR: 2.91, 95%CI: 2.25, 3.76) in the prior six months. Findings for HIV testing were inconclusive (aOR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.00-1.69). The lasso variable selector identified several predictors of network centrality: HIV and hepatitis C infection, number of PWID seen in the prior month, injecting heroin and buprenorphine (vs. heroin only) six months prior, sharing injection equipment six months prior, experiencing drug overdose in the past year, and moderate/severe depression (vs. none/mild). Average agreement between model-predicted vs. observed values was 0.75; area under the receiver operator curve was 0.69. CONCLUSIONS In a socioeconomic network of people who inject drugs (PWID) in New Delhi, India, there are common characteristics among individuals based on their network position (central vs. peripheral) but individual-level predictors have only moderate predictive accuracy. Although central network members appear to be more likely to use HIV prevention services than peripheral network members, their potential as change agents may be limited by other factors that impede their ability to adopt or promote HIV prevention service use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amy Wesolowski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Steven J Clipman
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Katie J C Zook
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gregory M Lucas
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Health, Behaviour and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sunil S Solomon
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Y. R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai, India
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Aune KT, Grantz KH, Menezes NP, Robsky KO, Gurley ES, Marx MA, Phelan-Emrick DF. Demographic and Geographic Characterization of Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Baltimore City, Maryland, March 2020 to March 2021. Am J Epidemiol 2024; 193:267-276. [PMID: 37715454 PMCID: PMC10840074 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwad186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Estimates of excess mortality can provide insight into direct and indirect impacts of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic beyond deaths specifically attributed to COVID-19. We analyzed death certificate data from Baltimore City, Maryland, from March 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, and found that 1,725 individuals (95% confidence interval: 1,495, 1,954) died in excess of what was expected from all-cause mortality trends in 2016-2019; 1,050 (61%) excess deaths were attributed to COVID-19. Observed mortality was 23%-32% higher than expected among individuals aged 50 years and older. Non-White residents of Baltimore City also experienced 2 to 3 times higher rates of excess mortality than White residents (e.g., 37.4 vs. 10.7 excess deaths per 10,000 population among Black residents vs. White residents). There was little to no observed excess mortality among residents of hospice, long-term care, and nursing home facilities, despite accounting for nearly 30% (312/1,050) of recorded COVID-19 deaths. There was significant geographic variation in excess mortality within the city, largely following racial population distributions. These results demonstrate the substantial and unequal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Baltimore City residents and the importance of building robust, timely surveillance systems to track disparities and inform targeted strategies to remediate the impact of future epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyra H Grantz
- Correspondence to Dr. Kyra Grantz, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore MD 21215 (e-mail: )
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Chen X, Prata Menezes N, Rusatira JC, Cardona C, Odeku M, Kioko D, Castro J, Ibeawuchi C, Lincoln JS, Ng'wanansabi D, Macha J, Msemo A, Yusuph N, Rimon JG. Demographic dividend-favorable policy environment in two pre-dividend African nations: review of national policies and prospects for policy amendments in Nigeria and Tanzania. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1070. [PMID: 37277812 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15690-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In collaboration with local partners, we reviewed 18 national policy documents across two sub-Saharan African countries identified as pre-dividend nations by the World Bank in 2017: Nigeria and Tanzania. Our aim was to assess national policies in pre-dividend countries and to determine whether national strategies were primed to capitalize on changing demographic structures, maximally attain the demographic dividend, and augment socio-economic growth. METHODS We conducted policy reviews by focusing on five key sectors of the Gates Institute Demographic Dividend Framework: Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, Education, Women's Empowerment, and Labor Market. This framework was developed as a tool for countries to apply targeted policies for accelerating the demographic dividend based on their demographic structure. For each component we used a comprehensive list of indicators, defined via a systematic literature review, through which we assessed national policies aimed at maximizing the demographic dividend. RESULTS Between the two countries, we observed persistent gaps in policies targeting family planning. Although more comprehensive, policies addressing maternal and child health, education, women's empowerment, and labor market still lagged in their specificity and measurability. We identified specific policy amendments and alternatives that Nigeria and Tanzania could consider to mitigate these gaps. We also stress the importance of designing measurable policy initiatives across sectors. CONCLUSIONS Based on these recommendations, as Nigeria, Tanzania, and other pre-dividend nations start experiencing rapid demographic changes, they may consider implementing routine policy reviews to strengthen policies across the five key sectors and harness the benefits of a demographic dividend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Chen
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | | | - Carolina Cardona
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mojisola Odeku
- Centre for Communication Programs Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Deanna Kioko
- Centre for Communication Programs Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Jessica Castro
- Centre for Communication Programs Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | | | - Deo Ng'wanansabi
- Tanzania Communication and Development Center, Dar Es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jacob Macha
- Tanzania Communication and Development Center, Dar Es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Abubakar Msemo
- Tanzania Communication and Development Center, Dar Es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Nazir Yusuph
- Tanzania Communication and Development Center, Dar Es-Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Jose G Rimon
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Patel EU, Solomon SS, McFall AM, Prata Menezes N, Tomori C, Srikrishnan AK, Kumar MS, Celentano DD, Lucas GM, Mehta SH. Drug use stigma, antiretroviral therapy use, and HIV viral suppression in a community-based sample of people with HIV who inject drugs. AIDS 2022; 36:1583-1589. [PMID: 35730390 PMCID: PMC9391282 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association of drug use stigma with antiretroviral therapy (ART) use and HIV viral suppression among people with HIV who inject drugs in India. DESIGN Cross-sectional biobehavioral survey. METHODS Between August 2016 and May 2017, persons aged at least 18 years who reported injection drug use in the past 2 years were recruited via respondent-driven sampling (RDS) in 12 Indian cities (approximately 1000 per city). The analysis was restricted to participants with laboratory-confirmed HIV infection who self-reported a prior HIV diagnosis and were eligible for ART per concurrent national HIV treatment guidelines. Enacted and internalized drug use stigma were each measured by five to six-item subscales. The study outcomes were HIV viral suppression (<150 copies/ml) and self-reported past 30-day ART use. RDS-II weighted multivariable logistic regression with a city-level random-intercept was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS Among 971 ART-eligible participants previously diagnosed with HIV, 65.1% reported ART use and 56.1% were virally suppressed. Reporting any enacted stigma (vs. none) was associated with lower odds of ART use [aOR = 0.26 (95% CI = 0.15-0.44)] and viral suppression [aOR = 0.49 (95% CI = 0.31-0.78)]. High internalized stigma scores (>median vs. ≤median) were associated with lower odds of viral suppression among participants aged at least 35 years [aOR = 0.51 (95% CI = 0.27-0.97)] but not among participants aged less than 35 years [aOR = 1.22 (95% CI = 0.57-2.60)]. Similar associations were observed in analyses restricted to participants ever linked to HIV care. CONCLUSION Drug use stigma may be a barrier to HIV viral suppression among people with HIV who inject drugs, thereby hindering efforts to achieve HIV control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eshan U Patel
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Sunil S Solomon
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Y.R. Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai, India
| | - Allison M McFall
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Cecília Tomori
- Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
- Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - David D Celentano
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gregory M Lucas
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
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McFall AM, Menezes NP, Srikrishnan AK, Solomon SS, Anand S, Baishya JJ, Lucas GM, Celentano DD, Mehta SH. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HIV prevention and care services among key populations across 15 cities in India: a longitudinal assessment of clinic-based data. J Int AIDS Soc 2022; 25:e25960. [PMID: 35818314 PMCID: PMC9273869 DOI: 10.1002/jia2.25960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The COVID‐19 pandemic has threatened to diminish gains in HIV epidemic control and impacts are likely most profound among key populations in resource‐limited settings. We aimed to understand the pandemic's impact on HIV‐related service utilization among men who have sex with men (MSM) and people who inject drugs (PWID) across India. Methods Beginning in 2013, we established integrated care centres (ICCs) which provide HIV preventive and treatment services to MSM and PWID across 15 Indian sites. We examined utilization patterns for an 18‐month period covering 2 months preceding the pandemic (January–February 2020) and over the first and second COVID‐19 waves in India (March 2020–June 2021). We assessed: (1) unique clients accessing any ICC service, (2) ICC services provided, (3) unique clients tested for HIV and (4) HIV diagnoses and test positivity. Among an established cohort of PWID/MSM living with HIV (PLHIV), we administered a survey on the pandemic's impact on HIV care and treatment (June–August 2020). Results Overall, 13,854 unique clients visited an ICC from January 2020 to June 2021. In January/February 2020, the average monthly number of clients was 3761. Compared to pre‐pandemic levels, the number of clients receiving services declined sharply in March 2020, dropping to 25% of pre‐pandemic levels in April/May 2020 (first wave), followed by a slow rebound until April/May 2021 (second wave), when there was a 57% decline. HIV testing followed a similar trajectory. HIV test positivity changed over time, declining in the first wave and reaching its nadir around July 2020 at ∼50% of pre‐pandemic levels. Positivity then increased steadily, eventually becoming higher than pre‐pandemic periods. The second wave was associated with a decline in positivity for MSM but was relatively unchanged for PWID. Among 1650 PLHIV surveyed, 52% of PWID and 45% of MSM reported the pandemic impacted their ability to see an HIV provider. MSM had barriers accessing sexually transmitted infection testing and partner HIV testing. Conclusions The COVID‐19 pandemic led to significant decreases in HIV‐related service utilization among key populations in India. This presents an opportunity for increased transmission and patients presenting with advanced disease among groups already disproportionately impacted by HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison M McFall
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Sunil S Solomon
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Santhanam Anand
- YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai, India
| | - Jiban J Baishya
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Gregory M Lucas
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David D Celentano
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Lesko CR, Menezes NP, Dean LT, Telljohann H, Biddle LE, Schisterman EF, OBOTEB. What Happens to Your Manuscript: Characteristics of Papers Published in Volume 189. Am J Epidemiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Prata Menezes N, Malone J, Lyons C, Cadet K, Dean L, Millett G, Baral S. Racial and ethnic disparities in viral acute respiratory infections in the United States: protocol of a systematic review. Syst Rev 2021; 10:196. [PMID: 34215337 PMCID: PMC8252979 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-021-01749-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted consistent inequities in incidence, disease severity, and mortality across racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States (US) and beyond. While similar patterns have been observed with previous viral respiratory pathogens, to date, no systematic review has comprehensively documented these disparities or potential contributing factors. In response, this review aims to synthesize data on racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality due to viral acute respiratory infections (ARI) other than SARS-CoV-2. This review will focus on understanding structural health and social factors to contextualize race and ethnicity driving these disparities in the US. METHODS We will conduct a systematic review of studies published from January 1, 2002, onward. Our search will include PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCO Host-CINAHL Plus, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant articles. We will include studies of any design that describe racial/ethnic disparities associated with viral ARI conducted in the US. Primary outcomes include incidence, disease severity or complication, hospitalization, or death attributed to ARI. Secondary outcomes include uptake of preventive interventions including vaccination, handwashing, social distancing, and wearing masks. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract relevant data. Data characterizing individual-, community-, and structural-level factors associated with these disparities will be abstracted to better understand the underlying structural inequities contributing to racial disparities in ARI. We will assess the methodological quality of all studies and will conduct meta-analyses using random effects models if appropriate. DISCUSSION Findings from this systematic review will shed light on patterns of racial and ethnic disparities in viral ARI in the United States to support mathematical modeling of epidemic trajectories, intervention impact, and structural drivers of transmission, including structural racism. Moreover, data emerging from this review may reignite pandemic preparedness focused on communities with specific vulnerabilities related to living and working conditions given prevailing structural inequities, thus facilitating improved future pandemic responses to novel or endemic viral respiratory pathogens. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42020219771.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Jowanna Malone
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carrie Lyons
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kechna Cadet
- Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lorraine Dean
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gregorio Millett
- Public Policy Office, AmfAR, Foundation for AIDS Research, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Stefan Baral
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Center for Public Health and Human Rights, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Baral SD, Rucinski KB, Twahirwa Rwema JO, Rao A, Prata Menezes N, Diouf D, Kamarulzaman A, Phaswana-Mafuya N, Mishra S. The Relationship Between the Global Burden of Influenza From 2017 to 2019 and COVID-19: Descriptive Epidemiological Assessment. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2021; 7:e24696. [PMID: 33522974 PMCID: PMC7927952 DOI: 10.2196/24696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 and influenza are lipid-enveloped viruses with differential morbidity and mortality but shared modes of transmission. OBJECTIVE With a descriptive epidemiological framing, we assessed whether recent historical patterns of regional influenza burden are reflected in the observed heterogeneity in COVID-19 cases across regions of the world. METHODS Weekly surveillance data reported by the World Health Organization from January 2017 to December 2019 for influenza and from January 1, 2020 through October 31, 2020, for COVID-19 were used to assess seasonal and temporal trends for influenza and COVID-19 cases across the seven World Bank regions. RESULTS In regions with more pronounced influenza seasonality, COVID-19 epidemics have largely followed trends similar to those seen for influenza from 2017 to 2019. COVID-19 epidemics in countries across Europe, Central Asia, and North America have been marked by a first peak during the spring, followed by significant reductions in COVID-19 cases in the summer months and a second wave in the fall. In Latin America and the Caribbean, COVID-19 epidemics in several countries peaked in the summer, corresponding to months with the highest influenza activity in the region. Countries from regions with less pronounced influenza activity, including South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, showed more heterogeneity in COVID-19 epidemics seen to date. However, similarities in COVID-19 and influenza trends were evident within select countries irrespective of region. CONCLUSIONS Ecological consistency in COVID-19 trends seen to date with influenza trends suggests the potential for shared individual, structural, and environmental determinants of transmission. Using a descriptive epidemiological framework to assess shared regional trends for rapidly emerging respiratory pathogens with better studied respiratory infections may provide further insights into the differential impacts of nonpharmacologic interventions and intersections with environmental conditions. Ultimately, forecasting trends and informing interventions for novel respiratory pathogens like COVID-19 should leverage epidemiologic patterns in the relative burden of past respiratory pathogens as prior information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan David Baral
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Katherine Blair Rucinski
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jean Olivier Twahirwa Rwema
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Amrita Rao
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | | | | | - Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Sharmistha Mishra
- Department of Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Menezes NP, Malone J, Lyons C, Cadet K, Dean L, Millett G, Baral S. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Viral Acute Respiratory Infections in the United States: Protocol of a Systematic Review. Res Sq 2020. [PMID: 33330855 PMCID: PMC7743074 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-121890/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted consistent inequities in the risk of infection, severity of disease, or mortality across racial and ethnic minority populations in the United States and beyond. Although novel, SARS-CoV-2 shares commonalities in transmission dynamics with other viral respiratory pathogens where similar disparities in morbidity and mortality have been documented. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of disparities in viral respiratory pathogens. In response, this review aims to synthesize data on racial and ethnic disparities in morbidity and mortality due to viral acute respiratory infections (ARI) other than SARS-CoV-2. In particular, this review will focus on understanding structural health and social factors outside of race and ethnicity driving these disparities in the United States. Methods: We will conduct a systematic review of studies published between January 1, 2002 and September 30, 2020 that capture data on racial and ethnic disparities associated with increased incidence, disease severity, risk of hospitalization and/or death in viral ARI in the United States. Data characterizing individual-, community-, and structural-level factors associated with these disparities will be abstracted to better understand the underlying structural inequities contributing to racial disparities in ARI. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines will be used with reviewers employing COVIDENCE to conduct two independent rounds of title/abstract and full text reviews for all articles. A built-in tool in COVIDENCE will be used for data abstraction. Discussion: Findings from this systematic review will shed light on patterns of racial and ethnic disparities in viral ARI in the United States. Leveraging these data can support predictive studies of the differential impacts of COVID-19 across the United States as well as adaptive intervention strategies mitigating structural inequities, including structural racism, driving both incidence and disparities in marginalized communities. Moreover, data emerging from this review may reignite pandemic preparedness focused on vulnerable communities given structural inequities, facilitating improved future pandemic responses to novel or endemic viral respiratory pathogens in the United States. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020219771
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jowanna Malone
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Carrie Lyons
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Kechna Cadet
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | - Lorraine Dean
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
| | | | - Stefan Baral
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health
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Zhang M, Jarrett BA, Althoff KN, Burman FS, Camarata L, Coburn SB, Dickerson AS, Foti K, Kaur M, Leifheit KM, Malone J, Moore EA, Mouslim MC, Prata Menezes N, Robsky K, Tang O, Wallace AS, Dean LT. Recommendations to the Society for Epidemiologic Research for Further Promoting Diversity and Inclusion at the Annual Meeting and Beyond. Am J Epidemiol 2020; 189:1037-1041. [PMID: 32602548 PMCID: PMC7666413 DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing diverse engagement in the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) will positively impact the field of epidemiology. As the largest and longest-running epidemiologic society in North America, SER has long been a pioneer in promoting diversity and inclusion. A recent survey of SER members, however, showed there is still room for improving diversity, inclusion, representation, and participation in the Society. In this commentary, as members of both the SER and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Science (Epi IDEAS) Working Group, we recommend 4 goals for the SER Annual Meeting and beyond: 1) convene epidemiologic researchers with diverse backgrounds and ideas; 2) promote an inclusive environment at the SER Annual Meeting; 3) develop, compile, and disseminate best practices to honor diversity in epidemiologic research; and 4) increase prioritization of health disparities research and methods. We also suggest strategies for achieving these goals so that SER can better include, support, and elevate members from historically disadvantaged groups. While our recommendations are tailored specifically to SER, the greater epidemiologic and academic communities could benefit from adopting these goals and strategies within their professional societies and conferences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Zhang
- Correspondence to Mingyu Zhang, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2024 E. Monument Street, Suite 2-200A, Baltimore, MD 21205 (e-mail: )
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12
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Zucoloto ML, Gonçalez T, Menezes NP, McFarland W, Custer B, Martinez EZ. Fear of blood, injections and fainting as barriers to blood donation in Brazil. Vox Sang 2018; 114:38-46. [DOI: 10.1111/vox.12728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miriane Lucindo Zucoloto
- Department of Social Medicine; Ribeirão Preto Medical School; University of São Paulo - USP; Ribeirão Preto São Paulo Brazil
| | | | - Neia Prata Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; University of California San Francisco- UCSF; San Francisco CA USA
| | - Willi McFarland
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; University of California San Francisco- UCSF; San Francisco CA USA
| | - Brian Custer
- Blood Systems Research Institute; San Francisco CA USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine; University of California San Francisco - UCSF; San Francisco CA USA
| | - Edson Zangiacomi Martinez
- Department of Social Medicine; Ribeirão Preto Medical School; University of São Paulo - USP; Ribeirão Preto São Paulo Brazil
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