Peer support as a potential tool to promote pharmacists' wellbeing.

Discussion regarding burnout in health professionals, including community pharmacists, has grown substantially since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rapid legislative and societal behavioural changes led to significant global disruption of physical and emotional wellbeing during the pandemic as pharmacists continued to provide care while under unprecedented levels of stress. Community pharmacists have had an essential role in maintaining face-to-face care as the number of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths rose. Communications emerged from the World Health Organisation which implored long-term changes to healthcare workplaces, including increased access to psychosocial support for employees. Peer support is a unique initiative in that it is low-cost and accessible across many platforms. Its main purpose is to bring people together with shared experiences and can often include people in the same career field or workplace. The feasibility and efficacy of peer support programs have been studied in other professional groups such as nurses and physicians, and also in undergraduate medical students. The conclusions drawn from these studies suggest that involvement in peer support reduced the risk of burnout and increased workplace engagement. In contrast to many other healthcare professionals, community pharmacists often work in relative isolation. Research has shown that younger pharmacists, and those in the earlier stages of their careers, reported feeling stressed, undervalued and supported. They also mentioned a desire for access to a mentoring or coaching program. Following the success of peer support in other cohorts, research is needed to verify if this intervention will similarly benefit early career community pharmacists.

Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023.

Tobacco product use during adolescence increases the risk for lifelong nicotine addiction and adverse health consequences. CDC and the Food and Drug Administration analyzed data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey to assess tobacco product use patterns among U.S. middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students. In 2023, 10.0% of middle and high school students (2.80 million) reported current (i.e., past 30-day) use of any tobacco product. Current use of any tobacco product by high school students declined by an estimated 540,000, from 2.51 million in 2022 to 1.97 million in 2023. From 2022 to 2023, current e-cigarette use among high school students declined from 14.1% to 10.0%. Among middle and high school students, e-cigarette products were the most used tobacco product in 2023 (7.7%; 2.13 million), followed by cigarettes (1.6%), cigars (1.6%), nicotine pouches (1.5%), smokeless tobacco (1.2%), other oral nicotine products (1.2%), hookahs (1.1%), heated tobacco products (1.0%), and pipe tobacco (0.5%). Among students who had ever used an e-cigarette, 46.7% reported current use. In 2023, among students reporting current e-cigarette use, 89.4% used flavored products and 25.2% used an e-cigarette daily; the most commonly reported brands were Elf Bar, Esco Bars, Vuse, JUUL, and Mr. Fog. Given the number of middle and high school students that use tobacco products, sustained efforts to prevent initiation of tobacco product use among young persons and strategies to help young tobacco users quit are critical to reducing U.S. youth tobacco product use.

Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students - United States, 2022.

Tobacco use* is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death among adults in the United States (1). Youth use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe, and nearly all tobacco use begins during youth and young adulthood (2). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC analyzed data from the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) to estimate current (past 30-day) use of eight tobacco products among U.S. middle (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students. In 2022, approximately 11.3% of all students (representing 3.08 million persons) reported currently using any tobacco product, including 16.5% of high school and 4.5% of middle school students (2.51 million and 530,000 persons, respectively). Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) were the most commonly used tobacco product among high school (14.1%; 2.14 million) and middle school (3.3%; 380,000) students. Approximately 3.7% of all students (representing 1 million persons) reported currently smoking any combustible tobacco product. Current use of any tobacco product was higher among certain population groups, including 13.5% of non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN)† students; 16.0% of students identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB); 16.6% of students identifying as transgender; 18.3% of students reporting severe psychological distress; 12.5% of students with low family affluence; and 27.2% of students with low academic achievement. Implementation of comprehensive evidence-based tobacco control strategies, combined with FDA regulation, is important for preventing and reducing youth tobacco product use (1,2).

A Review of Oral Therapies for the Treatment of Skin Hyperpigmentation.

This review article examines evidence supporting the use of oral therapies in treating idiopathic, actinic, and metabolically induced skin hyperpigmentation. A thorough review of the literature regarding oral treatments for hyperpigmentation was systematically conducted through PubMed. Keywords used in the primary search include "Hyperpigmentation," "Melanosis" or "Melasma," "Lightening," "Oral," and "Therapeutics." The search was limited to the English language, and no timeframe restrictions were implemented. Numerous orally administered therapies have been proposed for the treatment of skin hyperpigmentation. There is an abundant body of literature demonstrating the efficacy of orally administered tranexamic acid, glutathione, isotretinoin, and proanthocyanidin. It is reasonable to expect that the most effective oral therapies will address known underlying causes of hyperpigmentation such as thyroid disease, diabetes, and hormonal imbalance. Improvement due to oral therapy of otherwise unresponsive skin hyperpigmentation or hyperpigmentation of unknown cause is less predictable. This review is limited by the strength of evidence contained within the available studies. Clinical studies investigating the treatments discussed within this article are limited in number, at times lack blinding in the study design, and are based on small sample sizes. Based on existing research, the most promising oral remedies for hyperpigmentation appear to be tranexamic acid, glutathione, isotretinoin, and proanthocyanidin. Additional studies to better establish safety and efficacy are necessary.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Young Adults About Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems in the United States: An Integrative Review.

BACKGROUND: The causal link between cigarettes and cardiovascular disease is well known. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are yet unknown, although early studies show biomarkers indicating inflammation and damage to endothelial cells associated with later development of cardiovascular disease. With the rapid rise in e-cigarette use, especially in young adults, it is imperative that health professionals understand the knowledge, perceptions, and motivations for use among young adults. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this integrative review is to explore existing literature on young adults' knowledge, attitudes, values, and perceptions about e-cigarettes, as well as the social norms they experience. METHODS: The Whittemore and Knafl model for integrative review guided the methodology. Three databases were searched from January 2010 through December 2018. The study selection process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Studies were evaluated for quality and strength. Key themes were extracted, coded, and synthesized. RESULTS: Seventy-one full-text studies were assessed for inclusion criteria; 15 articles were included, coded, and analyzed for quality and thematic content. Current e-cigarette users represented just 3% to 35% of study participants. Three themes arose from a synthesis of the literature: "Is it bad for me?," "I just like it," and "Is it cool or not?" CONCLUSIONS: Young adults are not armed with the accurate knowledge to make informed choices about using e-cigarettes. E-cigarette users are understudied and tend to value appearance and physical sensation over health. Social norms related to e-cigarette use are linked to perception of identity and the current technology-focused culture.

Perspectives on Workforce Development Needs for Community Health Workers (CHWs): Results from a Statewide Survey of CHW Employers.

We conducted a survey of community health worker (CHW) employers in Texas to understand the employment context and workforce development needs of Texas CHWs. An electronic, mixed-methods survey was emailed to 841 CHW employers across Texas in Spring 2020. The survey consisted of 51 questions. The response rate was 22% (n = 182). Responses were analyzed using SPSS, Microsoft Excel, and N.Vivo. We found that most CHW employers directly employ their CHWs, and CHWs are typically part of a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Most respondents required their CHWs be certified by the state's health department and have at least a high school diploma or GED. The most common services that CHWs provide are health education/promotion and information referral. The main health issues that CHWs address are diabetes, hypertension, and mental/behavioral health. Current CHW workforce development needs include continued training on topics including chronic disease self-management and health promotion. CHW employers differ in their capacity to implement workforce development activities. There is significant variety in the employment context and workforce development needs of CHWs across Texas. Results reinforce previous findings on the need for specialized, continuing training for CHWs and the development of pathways, resources, and opportunities that could advance the CHW profession even more. These results can inform those interested in employing CHWs in their CHW program development. Findings from this study can be used to guide development of tailored curriculum for continuing education units, specialized certifications, or other professional development resources for CHWs.

Priority community engagement strategies for cardiovascular health: A checklist for community pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify essential strategies for use by community pharmacists seeking to establish community partnerships to prevent and manage cardiovascular disease (CVD) in their local communities. METHODS: A multistep process was used to develop and refine the Community-Clinical Linkages for Cardiovascular Health (CCL-CVD) checklist. First, the authors reviewed the extant literature related to community pharmacists' community engagement and identified evidence-based recommendations for community pharmacists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's guidance documents and linkage framework. Next, the authors developed a 9-item checklist of community engagement strategies for use by practicing community pharmacists with an interest in health promotion and partnership development. The authors then surveyed 15 content experts from across the United States and asked them to evaluate each of the 9 checklist items on a 3-point scale: (1) essential; (2) useful, but not essential; or (3) not necessary. On the basis of the survey results, the authors calculated a content validity ratio (CVR) for each of the 9 strategies and performed a content analysis of the qualitative responses provided by the content experts. RESULTS: Eleven content experts completed the survey for a response rate of 73%. The CVR for 3 strategies from the initial CCL-CVD checklist reached statistical significance, and these 3 strategies were considered essential strategies for community pharmacists to use when working to develop community partnerships to improve CVD. The following strategies were considered essential: (1) gathering data to support the need for pharmacists' services, (2) identifying preferred communication strategies, and (3) creating mechanisms for documentation and establishing an evaluation plan. An additional strategy-develop goals and objectives for the partnership-neared statistical significance and was included as a second-tier strategy. CONCLUSION: The multistep process resulted in a practical, 2-tiered checklist for use by community pharmacists who are interested in community engagement and developing sustainable CCLs to improve CVD health.

A review of tobacco regulatory science research on vulnerable populations.

In 2013 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health established fourteen Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS) to advance scientific knowledge relevant to conducting evidence-based tobacco regulation. This report reviews TCORS-funded research with adult vulnerable populations. The literature search included a list of all TCORS-funded publications compiled by the TCORS coordinating center; all TCORS were requested to share publications not in the coordinating-center's list. Only TCORS-funded reports describing an empirical study with an adult vulnerable population published in a peer-reviewed journal between September 2013 and June 2018 were included. 71 reports met inclusion criteria; 39% (28/71) examined tobacco use among those with mental health and medical comorbidities, 34% (24/71) socioeconomic disadvantage, 31% (22/71) women of reproductive age, 30% (21/71) racial/ethnic minorities, 18% (13/71) rural residents, and 3% (2/71) each among active military/veterans and sexual/gender minorities. Regarding scientific domains, 63% (45/71) investigated behavior, 37% (26/71) addiction, 24% (17/71) health effects, 20% (14/71) impact analyses, 18% (13/71) toxicity, 8% (6/71) marketing influences, and 7% (5/71) communications. Totals exceed 100% because some reports addressed multiple populations/domains. TCORS funding has generated a substantial, multidisciplinary body of new scientific knowledge on tobacco use in adult vulnerable populations. However, considerable variability was noted in the amount of research conducted across the various vulnerable populations and scientific domains. Most notably, relatively few studies focused on active military/veterans or sexual/gender minorities, and the scientific domains of marketing influences and communications were conspicuously underrepresented. These are important knowledge gaps to address going forward.

Hookah Use Among US Youth: A Systematic Review of the Literature From 2009 to 2017.

INTRODUCTION: Given the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s authority to regulate hookah, more research is needed to inform regulations intended to prevent youth from using hookah. This systematic review summarizes and assesses the literature related to hookah use among adolescents (11 to ≤18 years of age) in the United States from 2009 to 2017. METHODS: Database searches yielded 867 peer-reviewed articles. After duplicates were removed, authors reviewed 461 articles for inclusion. Included articles (n = 55) were coded for study themes, study quality, and their relevance to FDA's research priorities. A qualitative synthesis is presented. RESULTS: The following themes were identified: (1) prevalence of hookah use (n = 42), (2) tobacco use transitions (n = 7), (3) sociodemographic correlates (n = 35), (4) psychosocial risk factors (n = 21), (5) concurrent use of other tobacco products (n = 31), (6) concurrent use of other substances (n = 9), and (7) other (n = 15)-which includes low prevalence themes. The qualitative synthesis showed increasing rates of hookah use. Older age, male gender, positive social normative beliefs, higher peer use, as well as lower perceived risk were associated with hookah use. Longitudinal studies of youth hookah use showed bidirectional relationships between use of hookah and other tobacco products. All articles fell within FDA's research priority related to "behavior," and three priorities ("impact analysis," "health effects," and "toxicity") have not been explored for hookah use among US youth since 2009. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of hookah use among youth in the United States is increasing, thus more research is needed to inform policies targeted to protect this vulnerable population. IMPLICATIONS: This study represents a novel contribution to our understanding of hookah use among youth in the United States from 2009-the year that the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was passed-to 2017. In recent years, hookah has become a more popular tobacco product among US youth; however, to date, no systematic reviews of hookah use among this population exist. Results highlight implications for future US FDA regulatory policy and identify gaps in research to be addressed in future studies.

Comparing young adults to older adults in e-cigarette perceptions and motivations for use: implications for health communication.

PURPOSE: Use of electronic cigarettes ('e-cigarettes' is rapidly rising, and is especially prevalent among young adults. A better understanding of e-cigarette perceptions and motivations for use is needed to inform health communication and educational efforts. This study aims to explore these aspects of use with a focus on comparing young adults to older adults. METHODS: In this qualitative study, the investigator conducted semi-structured interviews among a purposive sample of e-cigarette users. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data and document themes. RESULTS: e-cigarettes were most commonly used for smoking cessation among both age groups. Young adults described other motivations for use including doing smoke tricks, being able to consume a wide variety of flavors, and helping them study. Some interviewees (11%) believed e-cigarettes were a healthy alternative to conventional cigarettes, while many other users (30%) expressed concerns about the unknown risks of e-cigarettes. CONCLUSION: Findings were generally consistent across both age groups in their perceptions of harm from e-cigarettes and in subjective effects such as perceived addictiveness. However, individuals under 30 described unique motivations for e-cigarette use. Health messaging targeted to young adults should emphasize the potential health risks of e-cigarette use and recognize their distinct motivational aspects.

A Qualitative Approach to Understanding Real-World Electronic Cigarette Use: Implications for Measurement and Regulation.

INTRODUCTION: An understanding of the real-world use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is needed to inform surveillance efforts and future state and federal regulation. This study investigates the behavioral aspects of e-cigarette use. METHODS: We used qualitative methods to examine salient characteristics of e-cigarette use. The lead investigator (M.C.) conducted in-depth, semistructured individual interviews to explore patterns and behaviors associated with e-cigarette use among a purposive sample of 50 current adult users. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data and document themes. RESULTS: Several important themes emerged. Although most users started with "closed system" products, the majority switched from that type of e-cigarette to "open system" devices. Responses were diverse on preferred flavors, although mixing flavors was a common practice. Many users had difficulty estimating the total amount of e-liquid they used within a given period and described an iterative process in which they experimented with different nicotine levels to determine their preferred concentration. Reported frequency of use and puffing behaviors varied greatly between users and also differed from the way traditional cigarettes are smoked. CONCLUSION: Results from this study have implications for developing appropriate survey metrics for e-cigarette surveillance, the regulation of flavorings, and reporting of e-cigarette product constituents.

Estimated herd prevalence and sequence types of Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk samples from commercial dairies in Indiana.

BACKGROUND: Coxiella burnetii is the etiologic agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease causing influenza-like illness, pregnancy loss, cardiovascular disease and chronic fatigue syndrome in people. C. burnetii is considered to be enzootic in ruminants, but clinical signs of infection do not always manifest. National studies have documented the presence of C. burnetii in dairy herds in Indiana. This represents an opportunity to better characterize the distribution and prevalence of C. burnetii infection at the state scale, allowing evaluation of the need for surveillance and response planning to occur at this level. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the herd prevalence of C. burnetii in commercial cattle dairies in Indiana and characterize the strains of C. burnetii within these dairies. RESULTS: Bulk tank milk samples were collected between June and August of 2011 by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (ISBOAH). A total of 316 of these samples were tested for the IS1111 transposon of C. burnetii using quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping was used to identify the multispacer sequence genotypes (ST) present in samples where the IS1111 transposon was identified. The geographic distribution of dairies testing positive for C. burnetii DNA and the identified STs were also evaluated. The estimated overall herd prevalence for C. burnetii DNA was 61.1 % (95 % CI 55.6-66.3 %). The highest estimated regional prevalence was 70.2 % in the Central region of Indiana. An ST was identifiable in 74 of the positive 178 samples (41.6 %) and none of the 10 negative samples tested. Of these samples, 71 (95.9 %) were identified as ST20, 2 (2.7 %) as ST8 and a combination of ST20 and ST8 was identified in a single sample. CONCLUSIONS: C. burnetii is present in dairy herds throughout Indiana. Indiana follows national trends with ST20 most commonly identified. The presence of multiple STs in a single bulk tank sample indicates that multiple strains of C. burnetii can circulate within a herd. This supports potential transmission of C. burnetii between goats and cattle, presenting the potential for a switch in the dominant genotype found in a given species.

Vitamin D status and monitoring in female veterans.

An increasing number of women are serving in the military. We initiated a retrospective study to evaluate vitamin D status and monitoring in female veterans, and to examine the potential link between vitamin D status, age, race, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), health care costs, and utilization. Approximately 44 percent of the 3,608 female veterans evaluated between 2001 and 2010 were vitamin D deficient (25(OH)D < 20 ng/ml), a rate substantially higher than that of the general population. While younger (<55 years) and older (55+ years) women did not differ significantly in initial vitamin D status, older women had significantly more vitamin D monitoring and follow-up testing than younger women. Approximately 44 percent of vitamin D deficient women did not receive follow-up vitamin D testing. Minority female veterans were most likely to be vitamin D deficient. Female veterans with PTSD did not differ from others regarding their initial vitamin D status; those that were initially deficient were significantly more likely to receive follow-up testing and were more likely to achieve a replete state. Vitamin D deficiency in female veterans was also associated with increased health-care costs. Appropriate monitoring and replacement of vitamin D should be offered to all female veterans.

Consumer knowledge of mental health conditions, awareness of mental health support services, and perception of community pharmacists' role in mental health promotion.

OBJECTIVE: To explore community pharmacy consumers' knowledge and attitudes of mental illness, support services, and community pharmacists' role in supporting people living with mental illness (PLMI). METHODS: This survey was conducted in 15 community pharmacies between June and September 2019. Participants were aged 18 years or older without prior or ongoing history of mental illness and/or with close family members with mental illness. Open-ended responses to the anonymous questionnaire were analysed using content analysis. KEY FINDINGS: Majority of the 380 participants were female (57.4%) with a mean age 52.9 years and 33.7% having completed university. Most (70.3%) believed that people with mental illness had a negative image due to poor health literacy providing possible solutions of 'awareness campaigns', 'education and training', and 'increased government funding for mental health (MH) support services'. Only 33.7% and 63.7% of participants were aware of Mental Health Week and the R U OK? Campaign, respectively. Whilst 12.4% of participants had participated in MH campaigns, only 3.4% were aware of community pharmacists-led MH educational activities. There were significant differences between adults (<65 years) and older adults (≥65 years old) with the latter reporting a more negative image for mental illness (P < 0.05) and having less exposure and engagement with MH resources (P < 0.001) and campaigns (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Despite awareness, participants reported low engagement with MH campaigns. Additionally, older adults had lower MH literacy and exposure to resources and campaigns. This study highlighted that the community lacked awareness of what pharmacists can offer to support PLMIs.

Cigarette and ENDS dual use longitudinal transitions among adults in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, Waves 4-5 (2016-2019).

Introduction: The study assessed longitudinal transitions among adult (18 and older) past 30-day daily and non-daily dual users of cigarettes and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). Methods: Using data from Wave 4 (W4; 2016/17) and Wave 5 (W5; 2018/19) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of US adults, multivariable regressions were conducted among W4 dual users of cigarettes and ENDS to examine past 30-day cigarette smoking at W5. The study also analyzed changes in frequency of past 30-day smoking and cigarettes smoked per day between W4 and W5, stratified by W4/W5 daily/non-daily ENDS use among W4 daily and non-daily cigarette smokers. Results: Among W4 dual users, those smoking daily and using ENDS non-daily had higher odds of daily cigarette smoking at W5 than daily users of both products (AOR: 2.32, 95 % CI: 1.38-3.90). W4 daily smokers who used ENDS daily at Wave 5 smoked cigarettes on fewer days at Wave 5 than W4 daily smokers who were either daily ENDS users at Wave 4 (B = -4.59; SE = 1.43, p < 0.01) or non-daily ENDS users at Wave 4 (B = -4.55; SE = 1.24, p < 0.001). Among W4 non-daily cigarette smokers, W4 non-daily ENDS users who used daily at W5 smoked cigarettes on fewer days (B = -4.04, SE = 1.82) at W5 than those who were non-daily ENDS users at W4 and W5. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of frequency of ENDS use in reducing cigarette smoking and could inform smoking cessation interventions among daily cigarette smokers.

Impact of Survey Setting on Current Tobacco Product Use: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2021.

PURPOSE: To examine whether survey setting was associated with youth reporting of current (past 30-day) use of any tobacco product, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars. METHODS: Data from the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) were used to estimate the prevalence of current use of any tobacco product, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars by survey setting, sociodemographic characteristics, peer tobacco use, and other tobacco product use. Multivariable regression was used to test the impact of survey setting on current tobacco use. Tobacco access sources among current users were compared by survey setting. RESULTS: Among students who participated in the 2021 NYTS, 50.8% reported taking the survey on school campus and 49.2% at home/other place. The prevalence of current use of any tobacco product, e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and cigars was higher among students completing the survey on school campus than at home/other place. After adjusting for covariates, this association persisted only for current use of any tobacco product (adjusted odds ratio = 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-1.91) and e-cigarettes (adjusted odds ratio = 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-1.71). Current users reported similar sources of access to tobacco products, regardless of survey setting. DISCUSSION: The likelihood of youth reporting current use of any tobacco product and e-cigarettes differed by survey setting. Such differences could be due to lack of privacy at home, peer influence in school settings, and other unmeasured characteristics. Methodological changes were made due to COVID-19; caution is warranted in comparing results from the 2021 NYTS with those of previous or future NYTS conducted primarily on school campus.

Trends and Associations of Past-30-Day Cigar Smoking in the U.S. by Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Sex, NSDUH 2002-2020.

Cigar smoking remains a public health issue in the United States (U.S.), with a heterogeneous prevalence based on sociodemographic characteristics. Nationally representative data suggest changes in cigar smoking over time, with some evidence for sociodemographic differences. Using data from the 2002-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the prevalence of past-30-day cigar smoking was examined overall and stratified by sociodemographic characteristics; joinpoint regression examined the trends. Logistic regression analyses identified the correlates of cigar smoking using 2020 NSDUH data. From 2002 to 2004, the prevalence of cigar smoking remained stable (5.33-5.73%), but declined from 2004 to 2019 (5.73-4.29%). Cigar smoking declined in some periods between 2002-2019 among the non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, ages 12-17, ages 18-20, ages 21-25, age ≥ 35, and male subgroups, but remained unchanged among the non-Hispanic Other, ages 26-34, and female subgroups. Cigar smoking increased among non-Hispanic Black persons overall from 2002 to 2019 (6.67-8.02%). Past-30-day cigarette smoking and drug or alcohol use disorder was associated with an increased likelihood of cigar use, while female sex was associated with a decreased likelihood of cigar use, across all age groups. Though a decline in the prevalence of past-30-day cigar smoking is seen in the general population, the same is not evident among all sociodemographic subgroups. Our findings have the potential to inform tobacco cessation efforts within clinical practice, as well as regulatory efforts to reduce cigar use.

Motivations and Experiences in a Physical Activity Program for Cancer Survivors: Findings from Key Informant Interviews.

PURPOSE: LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is an evidence-based 12-week physical activity (PA) program for cancer survivors. The purpose of our study was to understand the factors that motivated cancer survivors to begin the program, how the program impacted their habits, and how their experience influenced their motivation to continue with the program. APPROACH OR DESIGN: Key informant interviews. SETTING: Phone interviews conducted between April 15 and June 1, 2020. PARTICIPANTS: 27 cancer survivors in Texas who previously participated in the LS program. METHOD: Participants completed a 30- to 60-minute interview with one of four interviewers. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes. RESULTS: Most interviewees were motivated to begin the program because of a desire to feel better after treatment. The most cited motivator to continue in the program was the community of cancer survivors. During the program, interviewees enjoyed learning different exercises, the community of cancer survivors, and the supportive teachers. Nearly all interviewees adopted or changed a healthy habit as a result of the program. CONCLUSION: These results could be used by healthcare professionals to better understand what motivates cancer survivors to participate in a PA program. Results could also be used to plan or modify other PA programs for cancer survivors.