Cancer systems epidemiology: Overcoming misconceptions and integrating systems approaches into cancer research.

Patricia Mabry and coauthors discuss application of systems approaches in cancer research.

Causal systems mapping to promote healthy living for pandemic preparedness: a call to action for global public health.

COVID-19 has severely impacted population health and well-being globally. Acknowledging that COVID-19 will not be the world's last pandemic, improving healthy living factors (i.e., physical activity, healthful nutrition, healthy weight), which are important in mitigating negative outcomes of future infectious disease pandemics, should be prioritized. Although well-documented, promoting healthy living factors remains challenged by a lack of scalability and sustainability due, in part, to a mismatch between intervention focus on individual behavior change as opposed to recognizing complex and multifactorial causes that prevent people from living healthy lifestyles and maintaining them long-term (such as political will, economic benefits, urban planning, etc.). To recognize this complexity in promoting healthy living, we propose the application of systems science methods for the creation of a comprehensive causal systems map of healthy living factors in the context of COVID-19 to inform future pandemic preparedness. Generating such a map would benefit researchers, practitioners, and policy makers in multi-sector collaborative efforts to improve public health preparedness in the context of future pandemics in a scalable, sustainable, and equitable manner. This effort should be facilitated by a trusted and widely respected governing body with global reach.

Integrating worksite health protection and health promotion: A conceptual model for intervention and research.

There is increasing recognition of the value added by integrating traditionally separate efforts to protect and promote worker safety and health. This paper presents an innovative conceptual model to guide research on determinants of worker safety and health and to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of integrated approaches to promoting and protecting worker health. This model is rooted in multiple theories and the premise that the conditions of work are important determinants of individual safety and health outcomes and behaviors, and outcomes important to enterprises such as absence and turnover. Integrated policies, programs and practices simultaneously address multiple conditions of work, including the physical work environment and the organization of work (e.g., psychosocial factors, job tasks and demands). Findings from two recent studies conducted in Boston and Minnesota (2009-2015) illustrate the application of this model to guide social epidemiological research. This paper focuses particular attention on the relationships of the conditions of work to worker health-related behaviors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and occupational injury; and to the design of integrated interventions in response to specific settings and conditions of work of small and medium size manufacturing businesses, based on a systematic assessment of priorities, needs, and resources within an organization. This model provides an organizing framework for both research and practice by specifying the causal pathways through which work may influence health outcomes, and for designing and testing interventions to improve worker safety and health that are meaningful for workers and employers, and responsive to that setting's conditions of work.

Combined Diet and Physical Activity Promotion Programs for Prevention of Diabetes: Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.

DESCRIPTION: Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendation on the use of combined diet and physical activity promotion programs to reduce progression to type 2 diabetes in persons at increased risk. METHODS: The Task Force commissioned an evidence review that assessed the benefits and harms of programs to promote and support individual improvements in diet, exercise, and weight and supervised a review on the economic efficiency of these programs in clinical trial, primary care, and primary care-referable settings. POPULATION: Adolescents and adults at increased risk for progression to type 2 diabetes. RECOMMENDATION: The Task Force recommends the use of combined diet and physical activity promotion programs by health care systems, communities, and other implementers to provide counseling and support to clients identified as being at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. Economic evidence indicates that these programs are cost-effective.

Economic Evaluation of Combined Diet and Physical Activity Promotion Programs to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Among Persons at Increased Risk: A Systematic Review for the Community Preventive Services Task Force.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is a highly prevalent and costly disease. Studies indicate that combined diet and physical activity promotion programs can prevent type 2 diabetes among persons at increased risk. PURPOSE: To systematically evaluate the evidence on cost, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit estimates of diet and physical activity promotion programs. DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, EconLit, and CINAHL through 7 April 2015. STUDY SELECTION: English-language studies from high-income countries that provided data on cost, cost-effectiveness, or cost-benefit ratios of diet and physical activity promotion programs with at least 2 sessions over at least 3 months delivered to persons at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. DATA EXTRACTION: Dual abstraction and assessment of relevant study details. DATA SYNTHESIS: Twenty-eight studies were included. Costs were expressed in 2013 U.S. dollars. The median program cost per participant was $653. Costs were lower for group-based programs (median, $417) and programs implemented in community or primary care settings (median, $424) than for the U.S. DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) trial and the DPP Outcomes Study ($5881). Twenty-two studies assessed the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of the programs. From a health system perspective, 16 studies reported a median ICER of $13 761 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) saved. Group-based programs were more cost-effective (median, $1819 per QALY) than those that used individual sessions (median, $15 846 per QALY). No cost-benefit studies were identified. LIMITATION: Information on recruitment costs and cost-effectiveness of translational programs implemented in community and primary care settings was limited. CONCLUSION: Diet and physical activity promotion programs to prevent type 2 diabetes are cost-effective among persons at increased risk. Costs are lower when programs are delivered to groups in community or primary care settings. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

New Summary Measures of Population Health and Well-Being for Implementation by Health Plans and Accountable Care Organizations.

Health plans and accountable care organizations measure many indicators of patient health, with standard metrics that track factors such as patient experience and cost. They lack, however, a summary measure of the third leg of the Triple Aim, population health. In response, HealthPartners has developed summary measures that align with the recommendations of the For the Public's Health series of reports from the Institute of Medicine. (The series comprises the following 3 reports: For the Public's Health: Investing in a Healthier Future, For the Public's Health: Revitalizing Law and Policy to Meet New Challenges, and For the Public's Health: The Role of Measurement in Action and Accountability.) The summary measures comprise 3 components: current health, sustainability of health, and well-being. The measure of current health is disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) calculated from health care claims and death records. The sustainability of health measure comprises member reporting of 6 behaviors associated with health plus a clinical preventive services index that indicates adherence to evidence-based preventive care guidelines. Life satisfaction represents the summary measure of subjective well-being. HealthPartners will use the summary measures to identify and address conditions and factors that have the greatest impact on the health and well-being of its patients, members, and community. The method could easily be implemented by other institutions and organizations in the United States, helping to address a persistent need in population health measurement for improvement.

Concordance Between Life Satisfaction and Six Elements of Well-Being Among Respondents to a Health Assessment Survey, HealthPartners Employees, Minnesota, 2011.

INTRODUCTION: We assessed and tracked perceptions of well-being among employees of member companies of HealthPartners, a nonprofit health care provider and health insurance company in Bloomington, Minnesota. The objective of our study was to determine the concordance between self-reported life satisfaction and a construct of subjective well-being that comprised 6 elements of well-being: emotional and mental health, social and interpersonal status, financial status, career status, physical health, and community support. METHODS: We analyzed responses of 23,268 employees (of 37,982 invitees) from 6 HealthPartners companies who completed a health assessment in 2011. We compared respondents' answers to the question, "How satisfied are you with your life?" with their indicators of well-being where "high life satisfaction" was defined as a rating of 9 or 10 on a scale of 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) and "high level of well-being" was defined as a rating of 9 or 10 for 5 or 6 of the 6 indicators of well-being. RESULT: We found a correlation between self-reported life satisfaction and the number of well-being elements scored as high (9 or 10) (r = 0.62, P < .001); 73.6% of the respondents were concordant (high on both or high on neither). Although 82.9% of respondents with high overall well-being indicated high life satisfaction, only 34.7% of those indicating high life satisfaction reported high overall well-being. CONCLUSION: The correlation between self-reported life satisfaction and our well-being measure was strong, and members who met our criterion of high overall well-being were likely to report high life satisfaction. However, many respondents who reported high life satisfaction did not meet our criterion for high overall well-being, which suggests that either they adapted to negative life circumstances or that our well-being measure did not identify their sources of life satisfaction.

Fitness of the US workforce.

Fitness matters for the prevention of premature death, chronic diseases, productivity loss, excess medical care costs, loss of income or family earnings, and other social and economic concerns. The workforce may be viewed as a corporate strategic asset, yet its fitness level appears to be relatively low and declining. Over the past half-century, obesity rates have doubled, physical activity levels are below par, and cardiorespiratory fitness often does not meet minimum acceptable job standards. During this time, daily occupational energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories. Employers should consider best practices and design workplace wellness programs accordingly. Particular attention should be paid to human-centered cultures. Research should address ongoing surveillance needs regarding fitness of the US workforce and close gaps in the evidence base for fitness and business-relevant outcomes. Policy priorities should consider the impact of both state and federal regulations, adherence to current regulations that protect and promote worker health, and the introduction of incentives that allow employers to optimize the fitness of their workforce through supportive legislation and organizational policies.

Reducing Medication Costs to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease: A Community Guide Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are major cardiovascular disease risk factors. To modify them, patients often need to adopt healthier lifestyles and adhere to prescribed medications. However, patients' adherence to recommended treatments has been suboptimal. Reducing out-of-pocket costs (ROPC) to patients may improve medication adherence and consequently improve health outcomes. This Community Guide systematic review examined the effectiveness of ROPC for medications prescribed for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia. METHODS: We assessed effectiveness and economics of ROPC for medications to treat hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or both. Per Community Guide review methods, reviewers identified, evaluated, and summarized available evidence published from January 1980 through July 2015. RESULTS: Eighteen studies were included in the analysis. ROPC interventions resulted in increased medication adherence for patients taking blood pressure and cholesterol medications by a median of 3.0 percentage points; proportion achieving 80% adherence to medication increased by 5.1 percentage points. Blood pressure and cholesterol outcomes also improved. Nine studies were included in the economic review, with a median intervention cost of $172 per person per year and a median change in health care cost of -$127 per person per year. CONCLUSION: ROPC for medications to treat hypertension and hyperlipidemia is effective in increasing medication adherence, and, thus, improving blood pressure and cholesterol outcomes. Most ROPC interventions are implemented in combination with evidence-based health care interventions such as team-based care with medication counseling. An overall conclusion about the economics of the intervention could not be reached with the small body of inconsistent cost-benefit evidence.

Qualitative systems mapping in promoting physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness: Perspectives and recommendations.

The purpose of this report is to provide a perspective on the use of qualitative systems mapping, provide examples of physical activity (PA) systems maps, discuss the role of PA systems mapping in the context of iterative learning to derive breakthrough interventions, and provide actionable recommendations for future work. Systems mapping methods and applications for PA are emerging in the scientific literature in the study of complex health issues and can be used as a prelude to mathematical/computational modeling where important factors and relationships can be elucidated, data needs can be prioritized and guided, interventions can be tested and (co)designed, and metrics and evaluations can be developed. Examples are discussed that describe systems mapping based on Group Model Building or literature reviews. Systems maps are highly informative, illustrate multiple components to address PA and physical inactivity issues, and make compelling arguments against single intervention action. No studies were identified in the literature scan that considered cardiorespiratory fitness the focal point of a systems maps. Recommendations for future research and education are presented and it is concluded that systems mapping represents a valuable yet underutilized tool for visualizing the complexity of PA promotion.

Novel Approaches to Addressing the US Physical Inactivity and Obesity Pandemics: An Opportunity for Religious Organizations.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity and obesity crises persist in the United States despite substantial mitigation efforts. The primary goal of this analysis is to determine whether the geographic concentration of religious institutions overlaps with geographic patterns for physical inactivity and obesity prevalence. METHODS: We obtained 2021 county-level, age-adjusted physical inactivity ("no leisure time physical activity") and obesity prevalence from the 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PLACES database. Data on number of congregations per 100,000 individuals and adherents as a percentage of the population were obtained from the 2020 US Religion Census. The American Nations regional cultures model was obtained from the Nationhood Lab. RESULTS: On a national level, all correlations were statistically significant between health factors and religious infrastructure-higher physical inactivity and obesity were related to more congregations per 100,000 population on a county level. The strength of correlations between congregations per 100,000 county population and both physical inactivity and obesity prevalence was greatest in the American Nations model's Deep South and Tidewater regions. CONCLUSIONS: Approaches to addressing the pandemics of unhealthy lifestyle-related health factors of physical inactivity and obesity in the United States have, in large part, been unsuccessful. Church-based healthy lifestyle programs, particularly in areas where a high concentration of congregations align with high physical inactivity and obesity, may offer a novel and effective approach to addressing this issue.

Predicting life expectancy in the united states: The importance of healthy living behaviors and residential geography.

According to the World Health Organization, 30 countries currently have a life expectancy of ≥80 years: the United States (U.S.) is not among this group of countries. The current analysis assesses the ability of key lifestyle behaviors and characteristics to predict a life expectancy of ≥80 years. Only 577 (19%) of the 3066 U.S. Counties assessed had a life expectancy ≥80 years. These counties had significantly higher life expectancy (81 ± 3 vs. 76 ± 2 years) and lower percent of the population who are physically inactive (20.7 ± 3.9 vs. 27.0 ± 4.7%), actively smoke (15.9 ± 3.1 vs. 21.1 ± 3.6%), obese (31.7 ± 4.7 vs. 37.3 ± 3.9%) and have limited access to healthy food (7.1 ± 6.8 vs. 8.4 ± 6.6%) (all p < 0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed percent adults who currently smoke, percent obese, percent physically inactive, and percent with limited access to healthy food were all significant univariate predictors of

The Influence of Social Vulnerability and Culture on Physical Inactivity in the United States - Identifying Hot Spots in Need of Attention.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, ongoing efforts to increase individual- and population-level physical activity have made little to no progress over the past decade in reducing the percentage of individuals who report no leisure-time physical activity. The purpose of the current study is to further assess the relationship between social vulnerability and the prevalence of physical inactivity at the county level. METHODS: We merged county-level data on physical inactivity prevalence, the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), and the American Nations regional cultures schematic. RESULTS: Physical inactivity significantly correlated (P < .001) with the overall SVI score and all subtheme scores to varying levels of strength. Clear and statistically significant heterogeneity in the SVI scores was apparent across distinct regions using the American Nations model, consistent with previously demonstrated patterns of physical inactivity prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: On a national level, physical inactivity prevalence is unacceptably high and has not appreciably improved over the past decade. Within the United States, high levels of social vulnerability and physical inactivity are concentrated within specific geographic regions that need tailored solutions to resolve health disparities.

Unhealthy dietary patterns in the American Nations: A crisis with cultural distinctions.

INTRODUCTION: Food insecurity and limited healthful food access are critical public health issues in the United States (U.S), with unequal distribution across regions. This report tracked the prevalence of food insecurity, healthful food access, and the food environment, as cultural experiences according to the American Nations Model. METHODS: Data from the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program on food insecurity, insufficient healthy food access, and the food environment index were matched at the zip-code level with the American Nations dataset from the Nationhood Lab. Percentages for all three food indicators were estimated based on the population of each American Nation region. RESULTS: Results show significant disparities across regional cultures. The First Nation, heavily populated by American Indian and Alaska Native communities, reports the highest prevalence of food insecurity (17 %), lowest healthful food access (21 %) and food environment index (4.6 out of 10). New France, Deep South, Great Polynesia, Greater Appalachia, El Norte and Far West, areas with higher minority populations, also show elevated food insecurity rates (range, 11-14 %) and reduced healthful food access (5-9 %). Regions with more favorable metrics across all three indicators include the Spanish Caribbean, Midlands, Yankeedom, Left Coast, Tidewater, and the New Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: Disparities in food insecurity, healthful food access, and food environments appear to stem from geographical diversity and cultural history, underscoring the need to recognize and address cultural differences among the American Nations. This insight can inform policy and practices aimed at achieving food security and health equity across the country.

Physical Inactivity and Obesity in the United States Through the Lens of the 2012 and 2016 Presidential Elections.

The physical inactivity (PI) and obesity pandemics in the United States (U.S.) have undauntingly persisted in recent history. We have previously demonstrated differences in PI, obesity, socioeconomics, race, and regional culture according to county-level results for the 2020 presidential election. This commentary extends this analysis by considering if the 2020 trend is consistent with the 2 previous presidential election cycles. On a national level, during both the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections, counties where the Democratic candidate received more votes than the Republican one had a significantly lower PI and obesity prevalence. Counties where the Democratic candidate received more votes also had higher median national incomes, a higher proportion of the population who identify as Black, and a higher percentage of people who had completed at least some college. However, at a U.S. regional level, unique, region-specific cultural identities and partisan coalition demographics were apparent and showed some variation between election cycles. In most of the distinct U.S. cultural regions defined by the American Nations model, PI and obesity prevalence were lower in democratic-majority counties, although there were exceptions. These results support our previous findings demonstrating PI and obesity trends in the U.S. are influenced by cultural and political factors that are likely interrelated and which warrant further attention.

The lifestyle health index in the context of COVID-19 mortality and vaccination in the United States: A syndemic not to be repeated.

Public health, personal/community health behaviors, health care delivery, and the scientific community have all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and are consequently poised to consider substantial paradigm shifts that will enhance disease prevention and public health resilience. The current analysis compares the newly developed Lifestyle Health Index (LHI) to U.S. county-level COVID-19 vaccination, infection, and mortality rates. We linked Centers of Disease Control PLACES, the U.S. Community Profile Report, and Nationhood lab databases through common zip-code identifiers to determine the association between county-level LHI scores and COVID-19 outcomes and vaccination status against the backdrop of U.S. regions with distinct cultural phenotypes. There was a statistically significant relationship between a poor LHI, lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and higher COVID-19 infection and mortality rates. There were clear differences in outcomes across the U.S. regions, suggesting distinct regional cultural characteristics may significantly influence health behaviors and outcomes. In the U.S., a syndemic comprising unhealthy lifestyle, chronic disease, and COVID-19 resulted in unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths. Politicization of the pandemic, socioeconomic inequity and regional cultural values meaningfully contributed to the uneven distribution of poor outcomes during this syndemic. Components of the syndemic were avoidable and should not be repeated. Condensed Abstract: The unhealthy lifestyle - chronic disease - COVID-19 U.S. syndemic resulted in unnecessary hospitalizations and deaths. Politicization of the pandemic, socioeconomic inequity and regional cultural values meaningfully contributed to the uneven distribution of poor outcomes during this syndemic. Components of the syndemic were avoidable and should not be repeated.

The Potential Influence of Firearm Violence on Physical Inactivity in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Despite broad recognition of the physical inactivity pandemic, little to no progress has been made in the past decade in mitigating the problem. The current analysis builds upon previous research into the drivers of physical inactivity to assess the potential interactions with firearm violence in the United States. METHODS: We merged county-level data on firearm fatality rates, physical inactivity prevalence, the Social Vulnerability Index, and the American nations regional cultures schematic. RESULTS: Counties with a physical inactivity prevalence currently above the federal government's 2030 goal (ie, ≥21.8%) had a significantly higher firearm fatality rate per 100,000 population. This finding was consistent for both the overall rate and race-based subgroups. The overall White, Hispanic, and Black firearm fatality rates were also significantly higher in the American nations group comprising Greater Appalachia, Deep South, El Norte, New France, and First Nation. Stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that the Social Vulnerability Index, American nations dichotomous grouping, and firearm fatality rate were all retained (P < .001) in predicting physical inactivity prevalence as a continuous variable. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the United States faces myriad health and societal challenges. Unhealthy lifestyles and gun violence are two of the leaders. The current analysis in conjunction with previous findings demonstrates that solving these challenges by interacting, create complexity to finding solutions that has not been thoroughly considered.

Applying Meaning and Self-Determination Theory to the Development of a Web-Based mHealth Physical Activity Intervention: Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Meaning in life is positively associated with health, well-being, and longevity, which may be partially explained by engagement in healthier behaviors, including physical activity (PA). However, promoting awareness of meaning is a behavior change strategy that has not been tested in previous PA interventions. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to develop, refine, and pilot-test the Meaningful Activity Program (MAP; MAP to Health), a web-based mobile health PA intervention, theoretically grounded in meaning and self-determination theory, for insufficiently active middle-aged adults. METHODS: Following an iterative user-testing and refinement phase, we used a single-arm double baseline proof-of-concept pilot trial design. Participants included 35 insufficiently active adults in midlife (aged 40-64 years) interested in increasing their PA. After a 4-week baseline period, participants engaged in MAP to Health for 8 weeks. MAP to Health used a web-based assessment and just-in-time SMS text messaging to individualize the intervention; promote meaning salience; support the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness; and increase PA. Participants completed measures of the hypothesized mechanisms of behavior change, including meaning salience, needs satisfaction, and autonomous motivation at pretest (-4 weeks), baseline (0 weeks), midpoint (4 weeks), and posttest (8 weeks) time points, and wore accelerometers for the study duration. At the end of the intervention, participants completed a qualitative interview. Mixed models compared changes in behavioral mechanisms during the intervention to changes before the intervention. Framework matrix analyses were used to analyze qualitative data. RESULTS: Participants were aged 50.8 (SD 8.2) years on average; predominantly female (27/35, 77%); and 20% (7/35) Asian, 9% (3/35) Black or African American, 66% (23/35) White, and 6% (2/35) other race. Most (32/35, 91%) used MAP to Health for ≥5 of 8 weeks. Participants rated the intervention as easy to use (mean 4.3, SD 0.8 [out of 5.0]) and useful (mean 4.3, SD 0.6). None of the hypothesized mechanisms changed significantly during the preintervention phase (Cohen d values <0.15). However, autonomy (P<.001; Cohen d=0.76), competence (P<.001; Cohen d=0.65), relatedness (P=.004; Cohen d=0.46), autonomous motivation (P<.001; Cohen d=0.37), and meaning salience (P<.001; Cohen d=0.40) increased significantly during the intervention. Comparison of slopes before the intervention versus during the intervention revealed that increases during the intervention were significantly greater for autonomy (P=.002), competence (P<.001), and meaning salience (P=.001); however, slopes were not significantly different for relatedness (P=.10) and autonomous motivation (P=.17). Qualitative themes offered suggestions for improvement. CONCLUSIONS: MAP to Health was acceptable to participants, feasible to deliver, and associated with increases in the target mechanisms of behavior change. This is the first intervention to use meaning as a behavior change strategy in a PA intervention. Future research will test the efficacy of the intervention in increasing PA compared to a control condition.

Evidence to support health system prioritization of health behaviors in the COVID-19 era.

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic health systems have shifted necessarily from chronic to infectious disease treatment, but chronic disease remains critical. One large health system uniquely tracks member health behaviors. This analysis compares data from select months of an ongoing monthly cross-sectional survey before and during the pandemic. METHODS: Responses in April 2019 (pre-pandemic), April 2020 (early pandemic) or April 2021 (later pandemic) were included in the primary analysis (N = 252). Differences in meeting health behavior guidelines were analyzed via logistic regression. RESULTS: A significant decline was seen for physical activity (19% not meeting guidelines pre-pandemic vs. 41% later pandemic) but not fruit/vegetable, alcohol, or sleep from early to later pandemic. Prevalence of women not meeting tobacco guidelines increased from early (5%) to later pandemic (10%) while prevalence in men decreased (10% vs 4% respectively). The percent of people not thinking about the good things that happen to them fluctuated closely with reports of new COVID-19 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Findings show the nuance of changing health behaviors throughout the pandemic. Results should be used by health systems to tailor support based on insights from the pandemic experience.