A randomized controlled trial of the dissemination of an mHealth intervention for improving health outcomes: the WiseApp for Spanish-speakers living with HIV study protocol.

BACKGROUND: While there is no cure for HIV, adherence to antiretroviral therapy can extend the lifespan and improve the quality of life of people with HIV. Despite the global reduction of HIV infection rates in recent years, New York City and La Romana, Dominican Republic, continue to report high infection rates among Latino populations. Many people with HIV remain virally unsuppressed in these geographic hotspots, suggesting a need for additional interventions to overcome medication adherence barriers. Tailored and culturally appropriate mobile health (mHealth) technology can be an engaging way to improve adherence. The primary objective of this trial is to test the effectiveness of an mHealth tool to improve HIV medication adherence among Spanish-speaking people living in New York City and the Dominican Republic. METHODS: The WiseApp study is a two-arm randomized controlled trial among 248 people with HIV across the New York and Dominican Republic sites over the course of 12 months. Participants are randomly assigned to either receive a CleverCap pill bottle that is linked to the WiseApp (intervention) or standard of care (control). All participants complete surveys at baseline, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up visits and the study team obtains HIV-1 viral load and CD4 count results through blood draw at each study timepoint. DISCUSSION: The use of mHealth technologies to improve medication adherence among people with HIV has been implemented in recent years. Although some studies have found improvement in adherence to antiretroviral therapy in the short term, there is limited information about how these interventions improve adherence among Spanish-speaking populations. Disproportionate rates of HIV infection among Latinos in New York City suggest an existing inequitable approach in reaching and treating this population. Due to a lack of mHealth studies with Latino populations, and apps tailored to Spanish-speakers, the WiseApp study will not only demonstrate the effectiveness of this particular mHealth app but will also contribute to the mHealth research community as a whole. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05398185) on 5/31/2022.

Differences in Self-Reported Stress Versus Hair and Nail Cortisol Among Adolescent and Young Adult Males.

BACKGROUND: Chronic stress causes harmful physiological responses that yield increased inflammation and subsequent health conditions. Stress is an important measure among minoritized populations who face social situations that predispose risk to developing mental health problems. Hair and fingernail cortisol have been studied as retrospective measures of chronic stress and to demonstrate biological response to social situations. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) with hair and nail cortisol concentrations and assess the risk factors associated with stress levels among heterosexual and sexual and gender-minoritized adolescent males. METHODS: We recruited a cohort of adolescents who were assigned male sex at birth. Approximately half of our cohort consisted of sexual and gender-minoritized people, and half consisted of heterosexual cisgender males. Participants provided hair and nail samples and completed a survey that included demographic and hair hygiene questions and the PSS. Hair and nail samples were processed in a laboratory, and survey results were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: Several samples were not provided or received, and some survey data were missing. Hair and nail cortisol values were significantly associated. There was no significant relationship between the PSS and hair and nail cortisol values. No significant differences were found between the heterosexual and sexual minoritized groups. Black participants reported lower perceived stress scores compared to White participants. Participants whose gender was nonbinary or genderqueer had higher hair cortisol values compared to those who identified as male. Older participants had higher hair cortisol values compared to younger participants. DISCUSSION: Previous researchers have similarly found no correlation between self-report stress scales and cortisol values, increased stress experience among nonbinary or genderqueer individuals compared to cisgender individuals, and a positive correlation between aging and stress. Yet, our finding that Black participants reported lower stress levels than White participants is unexpected. Our study demonstrates a high correlation between hair and nail cortisol values, suggesting the potential to substitute these markers as needed.

A Review of Serious Gaming as an Intervention for HIV Prevention.

PURPOSEOF REVIEW: Young people face the highest number of new HIV infections globally. With today's increasing access to smartphones, serious games have been viewed as an effective means of improving knowledge and behavioral outcomes. This systematic review describes current HIV prevention serious games and their relationship with HIV-related knowledge and behavioral outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: A search of HIV prevention serious games was conducted using PubMed, CINAL, IEEE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A total of 31 papers were identified, which consist of 20 studies and 11 protocols. Results for knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors were mixed. Two interventions reported improvement in PrEP usage and optimal dosing. Gaming appears to be a viable and engaging method to improve knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral outcomes to promote HIV prevention among diverse groups of adolescents and young adults globally. However, additional research is needed to understand how to implement this modality effectively.

Sociotechnical feasibility of natural language processing-driven tools in clinical trial eligibility prescreening for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) affect over 55 million globally. Current clinical trials suffer from low recruitment rates, a challenge potentially addressable via natural language processing (NLP) technologies for researchers to effectively identify eligible clinical trial participants. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the sociotechnical feasibility of NLP-driven tools for ADRD research prescreening and analyzes the tools' cognitive complexity's effect on usability to identify cognitive support strategies. METHODS: A randomized experiment was conducted with 60 clinical research staff using three prescreening tools (Criteria2Query, Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside [i2b2], and Leaf). Cognitive task analysis was employed to analyze the usability of each tool using the Health Information Technology Usability Evaluation Scale. Data analysis involved calculating descriptive statistics, interrater agreement via intraclass correlation coefficient, cognitive complexity, and Generalized Estimating Equations models. RESULTS: Leaf scored highest for usability followed by Criteria2Query and i2b2. Cognitive complexity was found to be affected by age, computer literacy, and number of criteria, but was not significantly associated with usability. DISCUSSION: Adopting NLP for ADRD prescreening demands careful task delegation, comprehensive training, precise translation of eligibility criteria, and increased research accessibility. The study highlights the relevance of these factors in enhancing NLP-driven tools' usability and efficacy in clinical research prescreening. CONCLUSION: User-modifiable NLP-driven prescreening tools were favorably received, with system type, evaluation sequence, and user's computer literacy influencing usability more than cognitive complexity. The study emphasizes NLP's potential in improving recruitment for clinical trials, endorsing a mixed-methods approach for future system evaluation and enhancements.

Comparison of evaluation methods for improving the usability of a Spanish mHealth tool.

OBJECTIVE: Mobile health (mHealth) technology is now widely used across health conditions and populations. The rigorous development of these tools has yielded improved health outcomes, yet the ideal approach for developing mHealth tools continues to evolve, indicating the need for rigorous usability evaluation methods. This study compares two usability evaluation methods - cognitive interviews and usability assessments employing a think-aloud approach - for adapting an evidence-based mHealth tool from English into Spanish. METHODS: We conducted cognitive interviews and usability assessments using a think-aloud protocol to evaluate the usability of an HIV mHealth application among 40 Spanish-speaking adults with HIV in New York City, NY, and La Romana, Dominican Republic. The Health IT Usability Evaluation Model (Health-ITUEM) was used to guide the analysis of qualitative data collected from each method. RESULTS: Participants (N = 40) averaged 43 years old (SD = 12.26; range 20-79), identified primarily Hispanic/Latino (92.5 %), and resided in La Romana (50 %) or New York City (50 %). Both usability evaluation methods yielded similar findings, highlighting learnability and information needs as crucial components of participant feedback for the mHealth application. Cognitive interviews captured participants' perspectives on the app's interface and design. On the other hand, results from usability assessments offered insights into participants' competency while interacting with the mHealth tool. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study highlight the contributions and limitations of including cognitive interviews and task-based usability assessments using a think-aloud approach in mHealth usability testing. Future research should employ a multi-method approach, incorporating complementary usability evaluation methods and engaging participants in multiple assessments. Using complementary usability evaluation methods may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the usability and participant experience aspects of a mHealth tool compared to using a single usability evaluation method.

Hair and nail cortisol levels are associated and affected by glucocorticoid use.

Hair and nail cortisol is increasingly studied as a physiologic proxy for chronic stress response. Glucocorticoid use is an expected confounder for cortisol measurement, yet there remains little evidence of whether external cortisol use should be subject to exclusion in study subjects. In a group of 209 youth (15-22 year-olds), we analyzed hair and fingernail cortisol concentrations. We assessed topical, nasal, oral, and injectable glucocorticoid use via a questionnaire. Extensively validated methods were used for hair and nail cortisol extraction and measurements. The median value of hair cortisol was 10.2 pg/mg (n=200), and the median value of nail cortisol was 7.06 pg/mg (n=203). Topical glucocorticoid use significantly increased hair and nail cortisol concentrations (p<0.005). Hair and nail cortisol concentrations were positively associated (p<0.0001, n=194). Spearman correlation coefficients demonstrated that the positive correlation between hair and nail cortisol values was higher in participants who used external glucocorticoids. Topical glucocorticoids moderated the association between hair and nail cortisol values (p=0.006). Based on these findings, we recommend that the assessment of topical glucocorticoid use must be performed when collecting hair/nail samples and that subjects reporting glucocorticoid use should be excluded from all future hair and nail cortisol studies; also, all outliers must be excluded to account for glucocorticoid medication underreporting and yet-unknown confounders.

Telehealth Research and Innovation for Veterans with Cancer: the THRIVE Center.

BACKGROUND: In recent years the US health-care system has witnessed a substantial increase in telehealth use. Telehealth enhances health-care access and quality and may reduce costs. However, there is a concern that the shift from in-person to telehealth care delivery may differentially improve cancer care access and quality in certain clinical settings and for specific patient populations while potentially exacerbating disparities in care for others. Our National Cancer Institute-funded center, called Telehealth Research and Innovation for Veterans with Cancer (THRIVE), is focused on health equity for telehealth-delivered cancer care. We seek to understand how social determinants of telehealth-particularly race and ethnicity, poverty, and rurality-affect the use of telehealth. METHODS: THRIVE draws from the Health Disparities Research Framework and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. THRIVE consists of multiple cores that work synergistically to assess and understand health equity for telehealth-delivered cancer care. These include the Administrative Core, Research and Methods Core, Clinical Practice Network, and Pragmatic Trial. RESULTS: As of October 2023, we identified and trained 5 THRIVE scholars, who are junior faculty beginning a research career. We have reviewed 20 potential pilot studies, funding 6. Additionally, in communication with our funders and advisory boards, we have adjusted our study design and analytic approach, ensuring feasibility while addressing our operational partners' needs. CONCLUSIONS: THRIVE has several key strengths. First, the Veterans Health Administration's health-care system is large and diverse regarding health-care setting type and patient population. Second, we have access to longitudinal data, predating the COVID-19 pandemic, about telehealth use. Finally, equitable access to high-quality care for all veterans is a major tenet of the Veterans Health Administration health-care mission. As a result of these advantages, THRIVE can focus on isolating and evaluating the impact of social determinants of telehealth on equity in cancer care.

Foetal haemoglobin elevation, unfavourable prognosis, and protective role of genetic variants HBG2 rs7482144, HBS1L-MYB rs9399137 and BCL11A rs4671393 in children with ALL.

In acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), elevated foetal haemoglobin (HbF) levels have been associated with the prognosis of patients. Genetic variants in HbF regulatory genes: BAF chromatin remodelling complex subunit (BCL11A), HBS1L-MYB transcriptional GTPase intergenic region (HBS1L-MYB), Krüppel-like factor 1 (KLF1), haemoglobin gamma subunit 2 (HBG2), haemoglobin gamma subunit 1 (HBG1), and haemoglobin subunit beta pseudogene 1 (HBBP1) are often associatedwith elevatedHbF concentration. This study investigated the association of genetic variants in HbF regulatory genes with HbF concentration, unfavourable prognosis, and outcome in children with ALL.We quantified HbF concentration and genotyped 17 genetic variants in 48 patients with ALL and 64 children without ALL as a reference group. HbF concentrationwas higher in patients than in the reference group (4.4%vs 1.4%), and 75%(n = 36) of thepatientshadHbF>2.5%.Unfavourable prognosis ALL was established in 68.8% (n = 33) of the patients. Variant HBG2 rs7482144 was associated with high HbF concentration (P = 0.015); while HBS1L-MYB rs9399137 (P = 0.001), HBG2 rs7482144 (P = 0.001) and the ß-globin genes HBG2, HBG1, and HBPP1 haplotypeTGC(P = 0.017) with unfavourable prognosisALL.Additionally, variantBCL11A rs4671393 showed a protective role (P = 0.0001). In conclusion, variants HBG2 rs7482144, HBS1L-MYB rs9399137 and BCL11A rs4671393 may play a significant role in ALL.

Expert Feedback on the Adaptation and Translation of Spanish Version of WiseApp.

HIV-related disparities also exist in developing countries, such as the Dominican Republic, where minority groups and/or those with low socioeconomic status experience higher disease burdens and worse health outcomes than those with higher socioeconomic status. We used a community-based approach to ensure the WiseApp intervention is culturally relevant and addresses the needs of our target population. Expert panelists made recommendations on how to simplify the language and features of the WiseApp to accommodate Spanish-speaking users who may have lower levels of education, or color or vision deficiencies.

Associations between Self-Rated Health and Perinatal Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms among Latina Women.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine whether decreases in or consistently low preconception to pregnancy self-rated health (SRH) were associated with perinatal depressive and anxiety symptoms among Latinas. METHODS: This is a secondary data analysis of 153 perinatal Latinas. Three groups were created to capture SRH from preconception to pregnancy: a decline in ratings, consistently low, and good+ (i.e., good, very good, or excellent). SRH was measured using two questions about their perceived physical health before and during pregnancy. Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms were assessed in the third trimester and six weeks postpartum using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Life stressors were assessed in pregnancy using a modified version of the Life Experiences Survey. Linear regressions tested the associations. RESULTS: Women with consistently low (i.e., fair or poor) SRH reported significantly more prenatal depressive symptoms than women who reported consistently good+ SRH. Women who reported a decline in SRH to fair or poor reported more prenatal anxiety symptoms but decreased postpartum anxiety symptoms than women who reported consistently good+ ratings. Life stressors were positively associated with prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare practitioners should assess changes in SRH ratings to identify risks for prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms among Latinas, who have elevated rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms compared to non-Hispanic White women. Policymakers should provide healthcare providers with mental health resources to support at-risk Latinas during the prenatal period.

Perinatal Anxiety Symptoms: Rates and Risk Factors in Mexican Women.

Anxiety during pregnancy and after childbirth can have negative consequences for a woman and her baby. Despite growing interest in the perinatal mental health of Mexican women living in the U.S., perinatal anxiety symptom (PAS) rates and risk factors have yet to be established for women in Mexico. We sought to determine PAS rates and identify risk factors, including the traditional female role (TFR) in a sample of Mexican women. This secondary data analysis is based on 234 Mexican women who participated in a longitudinal study on perinatal depression in Mexico. Anxiety symptoms were assessed in pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum. Rates were determined through frequencies, and multiple logistics regressions were conducted to identify risk factors in the sample. The PAS rate was 21% in pregnancy and 18% postpartum. Stressful life events and depressive symptoms were associated with a higher probability of PAS. Adherence to TFR increased the probability of prenatal anxiety; lower educational attainment and low social support during pregnancy increased the probability of postpartum anxiety. The PAS rates were within the range reported in the literature. The TFR was only associated with anxiety in gestation, highlighting the role of this culturally relevant risk factor. Culturally responsive early interventions are therefore required.