Trends of colorectal cancer screening methods: an analysis of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2018-2020.

CONTEXT: Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a high mortality rate and a large financial burden. Therefore, it is imperative to screen appropriately for this disease. By evaluating trends in different CRC screening methods and evaluating screening methods based on sex and race, improvements in screening can be made. OBJECTIVES: By analyzing data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), our primary objective was to evaluate trends in CRC screening methods from 2018 through 2020. Our secondary objectives were to investigate deviations in screening rates by sex and race/ethnicity. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was utilized to analyze trends in CRC screening methods utilizing data from the BRFSS for the years 2018 through 2020. Sex and race were also analyzed to evaluate for deviations in screening rates. RESULTS: All race/ethnicity groups most often completed colonoscopies, with all but individuals identifying as Hispanic having higher than 56% completion rates. Individuals reporting as Hispanic received more blood stool tests than other races at 23.4%. Average CRC screening among all methods showed that 89.7% of individuals who reported as being White completed screening, with 91.3% of individuals reporting as Black, and 81.9% with race not listed, completed screening. Individuals identifying as Asian (74.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN [79.2%]) and Hispanic (78.1%) had lower rates of screening overall. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that trends in CRC screening were similar across years for individuals who reported as being White or Black. We also found that those identifying as Asian, AI/AN, Hispanic, and those whose identifying race was not listed deviated across years. These latter groups were also less likely to have received colonoscopies, the gold standard of screening. Because CRC is oftentimes a preventable disease, the importance of appropriate screening cannot be emphasized enough.

Examination of Homologies between COVID-19 Vaccines and Common Allergens: The Potential for T Cell-mediated Responses for Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma.

As the SARS-CoV-2 virus shares relatively large protein sequences homologous to grass pollens, dust mites, and molds, our objective was to assess the potential overlap between the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna and known allergens. We found 7 common allergens with potential for cross-reactivity with the Pfizer vaccine and 19 with the Moderna vaccine, including common grasses, molds, and dust mites. T-cell mediated antigen cross-reactivity between viruses and allergens is a relatively new area of study in clinical immunology; a discipline that may be particularly useful regarding the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the allergic response in humans. These results suggest that vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines may contribute to T-cell cross-reactivity with allergens that impact allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis. Further research should assess the clinical implications of COVID-19 vaccination on the severity and symptomatology of the allergic disease, in addition to natural viral infection.

Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Cardiac Patients: A Cross-sectional Study.

Objective We analyzed the constructs of social cognitive theory that explain adherence to the Mediterranean diet in patients diagnosed with cardiovascular disease. Methods A cross-sectional study of 337 cardiac patients using a validated questionnaire was conducted and analyzed at an outpatient cardiology clinic, employing social cognitive theory (SCT) as the theoretical framework. Results Dietary adherence was associated with statistically significant improvements in the SCT constructs. Self-regulation to consume healthy diet groups, negative perceived outcomes, and self-efficacy had the most influence on patient ability to maintain the Mediterranean diet. Self-regulation to avoid unhealthy food options like processed, sugary foods and positive perceived outcomes had smaller associations with patient ability to maintain the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions SCT constructs should be utilized by physicians when educating patients on heart healthy dieting as they are highly associated with improved dietary behaviors. Self-efficacy, self-regulation in choosing healthy diet options, and negatively perceived expected outcomes predicted diet quality in cardiac patients. Improvements in these constructs might yield positive results in cardiac patients attempting diet modifications.