Substance Use, Violence, and Sexual Risk Among Young Cis-Gender Women Placed at High-Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

The substance use, violence, and AIDS (SAVA) syndemic framework is used to study risk for HIV/AIDS. As a secondary analysis from a large HIV/AIDS prevention study, we categorized participants into having from zero to three SAVA conditions based on the presence or absence of self-reported substance use in the past 4 months, history of lifetime sexual abuse, and intimate partner violence. We used Poisson regression models to examine the association between the number of SAVA conditions and sexual risk behavior. Among all participants (n = 195, median age, 20), 37.9%, 19.5%, and 6.7% reported occurrence of one, two, and all three SAVA conditions, respectively. We found that more than one SAVA condition experienced by women was significantly associated with having more than one sex partner (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28, 2.76) and with substance use before sex (aPR = 1.61 95% CI = 1.06, 2.45).

Optimizing Screening for Anorectal, Pharyngeal, and Urogenital Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infections in At-Risk Adolescents and Young Adults in New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, California, United States.

BACKGROUND: Public health organizations have inconsistent recommendations for screening adolescents and young adults for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Guidelines suggest different combinations of anorectal, pharyngeal, and urogenital testing based on age, sex, and sexual activity. Further evaluation of how identity and behaviors impact the anatomic distribution of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infection is needed to optimize future screening practices. METHODS: We assessed the positivity of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections at different anatomic sites in a cohort of at-risk sexually active adolescents and young adults aged 12-24 years in New Orleans, Louisiana and Los Angeles, California. Participants were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae at 3 sites (anorectum, pharynx, and urethral/cervix) every 4 months using self-collected swabs. We stratified anatomic distributions of infection into 4 gender and sexual behavior categories: (1) cisgender men who have sex with men and transgender women (MSMTW); (2) cisgender heterosexual males; (3) cisgender heterosexual females; and (4) gender minorities assigned female at birth. RESULTS: While three-site testing detected all infections, two-site (anorectum and urethra/cervix) testing identified 92%-100% of C. trachomatis or N. gonorrhoeae infections in participants assigned female at birth and cisgender heterosexual males. For MSMTW, two-site anorectal and pharyngeal testing vs single-site anorectal testing increased the proportion of individuals with either infection from 74% to 93%. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual behavior and gender identity may influence detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae infections at specific anatomic testing sites. Testing guidelines should incorporate sexual behavior and gender identity. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT03134833.

Using Machine Learning to Predict Young People's Internet Health and Social Service Information Seeking.

Machine learning creates new opportunities to design digital health interventions for youth at risk for acquiring HIV (YARH), capitalizing on YARH's health information seeking on the internet. To date, researchers have focused on descriptive analyses that associate individual factors with health-seeking behaviors, without estimating of the strength of these predictive models. We developed predictive models by applying machine learning methods (i.e., elastic net and lasso regression models) to YARH's self-reports of internet use. The YARH were aged 14-24 years old (N = 1287) from Los Angeles and New Orleans. Models were fit to three binary indicators of YARH's lifetime internet searches for general health, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and social service information. YARH responses regarding internet health information seeking were fed into machine learning models with potential predictor variables based on findings from previous research, including sociodemographic characteristics, sexual and gender minority identity, healthcare access and engagement, sexual behavior, substance use, and mental health. About half of the YARH reported seeking general health and SRH information and 26% sought social service information. Areas under the ROC curve (≥ .75) indicated strong predictive models and results were consistent with the existing literature. For example, higher education and sexual minority identification was associated with seeking general health, SRH, and social service information. New findings also emerged. Cisgender identity versus transgender and non-binary identities was associated with lower odds of general health, SRH, and social service information seeking. Experiencing intimate partner violence was associated with higher odds of seeking general health, SRH, and social service information. Findings demonstrate the ability to develop predictive models to inform targeted health information dissemination strategies but underscore the need to better understand health disparities that can be operationalized as predictors in machine learning algorithms.

Sexually Transmitted Infection Positivity Among Adolescents With or at High-Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Los Angeles and New Orleans.

BACKGROUND: Gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and homeless youth are at high risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, little recent data exist describing STI positivity by anatomical site among those groups. We determined the positivity of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infection, and syphilis antibody reactivity among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and homeless youth. METHODS: We recruited 1,264 adolescents with high risk behavior aged 12 to 24 years from homeless shelters, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations, community health centers, and using social media and online dating apps in Los Angeles, California and New Orleans, Louisiana from May 2017 to February 2019. Participants received point-of-care pharyngeal, rectal, and urethral/vaginal CT and NG testing and syphilis antibody testing. We calculated STI positivity by anatomical site and compared positivity by participant subgroups based on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status, sex assigned at birth, and gender identity. RESULTS: CT and NG positivity and syphilis antibody reactivity was higher among HIV-infected adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM) than HIV-uninfected adolescent MSM (40.2% vs. 19%, P < 0.05), particularly CT or NG rectal infection (28% vs. 12.3%, P < 0.05). Of participants with positive CT or NG infections, 65% had extragenital-only infections, 20% had both extragenital and urogenital infections, and 15% had urogenital-only infections. CONCLUSIONS: Sexually transmitted infection positivity was high, particularly among transgender women and MSM. The high proportion of rectal and pharyngeal infections highlights the importance of both urogenital and extragenital STI screening. More accessible STI testing is necessary for high-risk adolescent populations.

Non-Compaction Cardiomyopathy and Multiple Sclerosis: Associated or Independent Diseases? A Case Report.

Non-compaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) is associated with neuromuscular disorders; however, there has been little investigation on its association with other neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. We present the case of a 46-year-old woman with a history of multiple sclerosis who developed heart failure and was diagnosed with non-compaction cardiomyopathy.

Vaccine Attitudes and COVID-19 Vaccine Intentions and Prevention Behaviors among Young People At-Risk for and Living with HIV in Los Angeles and New Orleans.

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) and racial or ethnic minority youth at-risk for or living with HIV may have higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there are few data on vaccine hesitancy/acceptance and COVID-19 self-protective behaviors among this population. Youth aged 15-24 years (n = 440), predominantly African American and Latine (73%, n = 320) SGM, from Los Angeles and New Orleans reported their vaccine attitudes and COVID-19 and HIV preventive behaviors in October 2020. Latent class analyses categorized individuals into groups based on their vaccine attitudes and preventive behaviors. Relationships between these groups and other factors were analyzed using Fisher's exact tests, ANOVA, and logistic regression. Most youth had accepting vaccine attitudes (70.2%, n = 309), with 20.7% hesitant (n = 91), and 9.1% resistant (n = 40). SGM and African Americans were significantly less accepting than their cis-gender and heterosexual peers. About two-thirds (63.2%, n = 278) of the respondents reported consistent COVID-19 self-protective behaviors. Youth with pro-vaccine attitudes were most consistently self-protective; however, only 54.4% (n= 168/309) intended to take a COVID-19 vaccine. Homelessness history, race, and sexual orientation were associated with vaccine attitudes. Accepting vaccine attitudes and consistent COVID-19 self-protective behaviors were closely related. COVID-19 attitudes/behaviors were not associated with HIV risk and only loosely associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccine intentions.

Design of a Community-Engaged Health Informatics Platform with an Architecture of Participation.

Community-engaged health informatics (CEHI) applies information technology and participatory approaches to improve the health of communities. Our objective was to translate the concept of CEHI into a usable and replicable informatics platform that will facilitate community-engaged practice and research. The setting is a diverse urban neighborhood in New York City. The methods included community asset mapping, stakeholder interviews, logic modeling, analysis of affordances in open-source tools, elicitation of use cases and requirements, and a survey of early adopters. Based on synthesis of data collected, GetHealthyHeigths.org (GHH) was developed using open-source LAMP stack and Drupal content management software. Drupal's organic groups module was used for novel participatory functionality, along with detailed user roles and permissions. Future work includes evaluation of GHH and its impact on agency and service networks. We plan to expand GHH with additional functionality to further support CEHI by combining informatics solutions with community engagement to improve health.

Características del período de adaptación del recién nacido en la altura / Adaptation period caracteristics in high - altitude newborn

Introducción: El nacimiento constituye un cambio obligado de ambiente para el recién nacido. Los procesos de adaptación que ocurren en los minutos siguientes al parto son de vital importancia para su supervivencia en el ambiente extrauterino. Las condiciones ambientales de la altura principalmente la hipoxia hipobárica hace que los períodos de adaptación sean distintos en relación a aquellos recién nacidos bajo condiciones de normoxia. Objetivos: Conocer las características del período de adaptación de los recién nacidos en la altura. Determinar la frecuencia cardiaca, frecuencia respiratoria durante los períodos de adaptación del recién nacido en la altura. Materiales y métodos: El presente es un estudio de tipo prospectivo, longitudinal y analítico. Se estudiaron a un total de 81 neonatos de ambos sexos seleccionados de acuerdo a los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Se realizó en el hospital ESSALUD III de la ciudad de Juliaca localizada a 3828 m.s.n.m. Resultados: La saturación de oxígeno se incremento progresivamente con un promedio de 69,1 a los 5 minutos, 79,6 a los 15 minutos, 88 a los 30 minutos estabilizándose a los 120 minutos donde se tiene un valor promedio de 90,5. Se observó una disminución progresiva de la frecuencia cardiaca, habiéndose obtenido un promedio de 167,7 latidos por minuto a los 5 minutos; 162,9 a los 15 minutos, estabilizándose a partir de las 3 horas. A los 5 minutos, una frecuencia respiratoria de 68,3 respiraciones por minuto; 65,8 respiraciones por minuto a los 15 minutos: 60 respiraciones por minuto a los 30 minutos, estabilizándose a los 120 minutos con una frecuencia de 54,6 respiraciones por minuto. Conclusiones: El período de adaptación de los recién nacidos en la altura es más prolongado. La frecuencia respiratoria y la frecuencia cardiaca muestran valores estables a partir de las 6 horas. La saturación de oxígeno que inicialmente es baja se estabiliza a partir de las 6 horas.

Introduction: Birth is a mandatory environmental change for the fetus when turning into a newborn. The adjustment processes that occcur in the minutes following childbirth are crucially important for the babyÆs survival in the extrauterine environment. High-altitude environmental conditions, particularly hypobaric hypoxia, make this adjustment period different from what occurs in babies born in a normoxic environment. Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the adjustment period for high-altitude newborns. Also, we measured both cardiac and respiratory rates during the adjustment period in high-altitude newborns. Materials and methods: This is a prospective, longitudinal and analytical study, where 81 female and male newborns selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria were assessed. The study was performed in EsSALUD Hospital in Juliaca, a city located at 3828 meters above sea level. Results: Oxygen saturation progressively increased, from an average 69,1 per cent at 5 minutes, 79,6 per cent at 15 minutes, and 88 percent at 30 minutes, stabilizing at 120 minutes, where the value was 90.5 per cent on average. Cardiac rate was on average 167,7 beats per minute at 5 minutes, and it progressively decreased, to 162,9 at 15 minutes, and it stabilized from three hours of age on. Respiratory rate was 68,3 at 5 minutes, 65,8 at 15 minutes, 60 at 30 minutes, and it stabilized in 54,6 breaths per minute at 120 minutes. Conclusions: The adjustment period for high-altitude newborns is longer compared to that reported in low-altitude newborns. Both respiratory and cardiac rates stabilize around 6 hours of age. Oxygen saturation,which is low at birth becomes stabilized after 6 hours of life.