Serial Interval and Incubation Period Estimates of Monkeypox Virus Infection in 12 Jurisdictions, United States, May-August 2022.

Using data from 12 US health departments, we estimated mean serial interval for monkeypox virus infection to be 8.5 (95% credible interval 7.3-9.9) days for symptom onset, based on 57 case pairs. Mean estimated incubation period was 5.6 (95% credible interval 4.3-7.8) days for symptom onset, based on 35 case pairs.

Evaluation of Public Health Contact Tracing for Mpox Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men-10 US Jurisdictions, May 17-July 31, 2022.

Objectives. To examine the potential impact of contact tracing to identify contacts and prevent mpox transmission among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) as the outbreak expanded. Methods. We assessed contact tracing outcomes from 10 US jurisdictions before and after access to the mpox vaccine was expanded from postexposure prophylaxis for persons with known exposure to include persons at high risk for acquisition (May 17-June 30, 2022, and July 1-31, 2022, respectively). Results. Overall, 1986 mpox cases were reported in MSM from included jurisdictions (240 before expanded vaccine access; 1746 after expanded vaccine access). Most MSM with mpox were interviewed (95.0% before vaccine expansion and 97.0% after vaccine expansion); the proportion who named at least 1 contact decreased during the 2 time periods (74.6% to 38.9%). Conclusions. During the period when mpox cases among MSM increased and vaccine access expanded, contact tracing became less efficient at identifying exposed contacts. Public Health Implications. Contact tracing was more effective at identifying persons exposed to mpox in MSM sexual and social networks when case numbers were low, and it could be used to facilitate vaccine access. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(7):815-818. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307301).

Assessment of Psychological Consequences of Violence in Psychiatric Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence, particularly within psychiatric nursing environments, is an emerging concern globally and has been recognized as a significant occupational stressor with considerable psychological consequences, yet it remains underexplored, warranting an in-depth study. AIM: This study aimed to assess the psychological consequences of violence on psychiatric nurses in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 198 psychiatric nurses working in two hospitals with psychiatric departments in Jeddah. A self-administered questionnaire and the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R) were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics version 22 (IBM Corp. Released 2013. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 22.0. Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). RESULTS: Out of the 198 psychiatric nurses who participated in the study, 80.8% reported experiencing violence in their workplace, highlighting the need for effective interventions to prevent and manage violence in psychiatric settings. The majority of the participants had a diploma (68.2%), and 54.5% of the nurses had more than 10 years of experience. Among patient-related factors related to violence, drug abuse had the highest mean score of 4.07 (SD=0.89) and was ranked as the most significant factor, while among nursing-related factors, a lower level of experience in psychiatric care had the lowest mean score of 3.43 (SD=1.11) and was ranked as the least important factor. The nurses tended to avoid discussing the traumatic event, as indicated by the highest mean score of 2.10 (SD=1.18) for item 22, "I tried not to talk about it." The mean score for the avoidance subscale of the IES-R was 1.55 (SD=0.78), the highest mean score among the subscales and ranked first in terms of severity. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the significant psychological consequences of violence on psychiatric nurses in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Clinic-based Mediterranean-style Diet Intervention to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk for Hispanic Americans With Type 2 Diabetes.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to modify a previously tested Spanish language version of a Mediterranean (Med)-style dietary intervention so that the dietary recommendations align with the cultural and social needs of Hispanic Americans (HAs) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and evaluate the modified intervention's feasibility and acceptability. Methods In phase I (formative), semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to refine the intervention content and format for delivery to HAs with T2D receiving care at a large primary care practice. In phase II (clinical pilot), the 2-month intervention that promoted a Med-style dietary pattern was given to all participants via 2 face-to-face counseling sessions and 2 telephone counseling sessions. Major outcomes were engagement with study activities and intervention acceptability; dietary behavior change at 2 months using the PREDIMED Med-diet score (range, 0-14, higher indicating better dietary pattern) is also reported. Results From clinic records, we identified 86 potentially eligible participants and enrolled 21. Baseline characteristics were: mean age = 52 years, 12 (57%) female, 15 (71%) from Mexico, mean years in the US = 19, low acculturation scores for all, and mean BMI = 33.7 kg/m2. Engagement and acceptability were high, with 19 (90%) completing all intervention visits and follow-up measures, all of whom would recommend the program to others. Mean Med-diet score improved from 5.7 to 7.9 (difference = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0-3.5; P = .001). Conclusions Intervention engagement and acceptability were high, and there was improvement in self-reported dietary behaviors. This type of intervention should be evaluated in randomized trials enrolling HAs with diabetes.

Colorectal Cancer Screening in Vulnerable Patients: Promoting Informed and Shared Decisions.

INTRODUCTION: Low-income, low-literacy, limited English-proficient populations have low colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates and experience poor patient-provider communication and decision-making processes around screening. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of a CRC screening decision aid on screening-related communication and decision making in primary care visits. STUDY DESIGN: RCT with data collected from patients at baseline and immediately after the provider encounter. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 50-75 years, due for CRC screening, were recruited from two safety net clinics in North Carolina and New Mexico (data collection, January 2014-September 2015; analysis, 2015). INTERVENTION: Participants viewed a CRC screening decision aid or a food safety (control) video immediately before their provider encounter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: CRC screening-related knowledge, discussion, intent, test preferences, and test ordering. RESULTS: The study population (N=262) had a mean age of 58.3 years and was 66% female, 61% Latino, 17% non-Latino black, and 16% non-Latino white. Among Latino participants, 71% preferred Spanish. Compared with controls, intervention participants had greater screening-related knowledge (on average 4.6 vs 2.8 of six knowledge items correct, adjusted difference [AD]=1.8, 95% CI=1.5, 2.1) and were more likely to report screening discussion (71.0% vs 45.0%, AD=26.1%, 95% CI=14.3%, 38.0%) and high screening intent (93.1% vs 84.7%, AD=9.0%, 95% CI=2.0%, 16.0%). Intervention participants were more likely to indicate a specific screening test preference (93.1% vs 68.0%, AD=26.5%, 95% CI=17.2%, 35.8%) and to report having a test ordered (56.5% vs 32.1%, AD=25.8%, 95% CI=14.4%, 37.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Viewing a CRC screening decision aid before a primary care encounter improves knowledge and shared decision making around screening in a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse safety net clinic population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02054598.

Results of a Health Education Message Intervention on HPV Knowledge and Receipt of Follow-up Care among Latinas Infected with High-risk Human Papillomavirus.

A clinic-based intervention study was conducted among high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV)-infected Latinas aged 18-64 years between April 2006 and May 2008 on the Texas-Mexico border. Women were randomly assigned to receive a printed material intervention (n=186) or usual care (n=187) and were followed at three months, six months, and 12 months through telephone surveys and review of medical records. The HPV knowledge of nearly all women had increased greatly, but only two-thirds of women reported they had received follow-up care within one year of diagnosis regardless of additional health education messaging. Our findings suggest that, regardless of type of health education messaging, Latinas living on the Texas-Mexico border are aware that follow-up care is recommended, but they may not receive this care. Individual, familial and medical care barriers to receipt of follow-up care may partially account for the higher rates of cervical cancer mortality in this region.

Comparing the effect of a decision aid plus patient navigation with usual care on colorectal cancer screening completion in vulnerable populations: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Screening can reduce colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality. However, screening is underutilized in vulnerable patient populations, particularly among Latinos. Patient-directed decision aids can increase CRC screening knowledge, self-efficacy, and intent; however, their effect on actual screening test completion tends to be modest. This is probably because decision aids do not address some of the patient-specific barriers that prevent successful completion of CRC screening in these populations. These individual barriers might be addressed though patient navigation interventions. This study will test a combined decision aid and patient navigator intervention on screening completion in diverse populations of vulnerable primary care patients. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a multisite, randomized controlled trial with patient-level randomization. Planned enrollment is 300 patients aged 50 to 75 years at average CRC risk presenting for appointments at two primary clinics in North Carolina and New Mexico. Intervention participants will view a video decision aid immediately before the clinic visit. The 14 to 16 minute video presents information about fecal occult blood tests and colonoscopy and will be viewed on a portable computer tablet in English or Spanish. Clinic-based patient navigators are bilingual and bicultural and will provide both face-to-face and telephone-based navigation. Control participants will view an unrelated food safety video and receive usual care. The primary outcome is completion of a CRC screening test at six months. Planned subgroup analyses include examining intervention effectiveness in Latinos, who will be oversampled. Secondarily, the trial will evaluate the intervention effects on knowledge of CRC screening, self-efficacy, intent, and patient-provider communication. The study will also examine whether patient ethnicity, acculturation, language preference, or health insurance status moderate the intervention effect on CRC screening. DISCUSSION: This pragmatic randomized controlled trial will test a combined decision aid and patient navigator intervention targeting CRC screening completion. Findings from this trial may inform future interventions and implementation policies designed to promote CRC screening in vulnerable patient populations and to reduce screening disparities. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02054598.