Factors Influencing Risk for COVID-19 Exposure Among Young Adults Aged 18-23 Years - Winnebago County, Wisconsin, March-July 2020.

On May 13, 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court declared the state's Safer at Home Emergency Order (https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EMO28-SaferAtHome.pdf) "unlawful, invalid, and unenforceable,"* thereby increasing opportunities for social and business interactions. By mid-June, Winnebago County,† Wisconsin experienced an increase in the number of infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), with the largest increase among persons aged 18-23 years (young adults) (1). This age group§ accounts for 12.5% of the population in the county. To identify factors that influence exposure to COVID-19 among young adults in Winnebago County, characteristics of COVID-19 cases and drivers of behaviors in this age group were examined. During March 1-July 18, 2020, 240 young adults received positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, accounting for 32% of all Winnebago County cases. In 30 key informant interviews, most interviewees reported exposure to misinformation, conflicting messages, or opposing views about the need for and effectiveness of masks. Thirteen young adults described social or peer pressure to not wear a mask and perceived severity of disease outcome for themselves as low but high for loved ones at risk. Having low perceived severity of disease outcome might partly explain why, when not in physical contact with loved ones at risk, young adults might attend social gatherings or not wear a mask (2). Exposure to misinformation and unclear messages has been identified as a driver of behavior during an outbreak (3,4), underscoring the importance of providing clear and consistent messages about the need for and effectiveness of masks. In addition, framing communication messages that amplify young adults' responsibility to protect others and target perceived social or peer pressure to not adhere to public health guidance might persuade young adults to adhere to public health guidelines that prevent the spread of COVID-19.

HIV Testing Among Foreign-Born Men and Women in the United States: Results from a Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Survey.

HIV disproportionately affects the foreign-born population in the United States. This analysis describes the prevalence of ever-testing for HIV among foreign-born individuals residing in the United States. Data from a national health survey of the civilian, non-institutionalized population was used to describe prevalence of ever-testing for HIV among foreign-born individuals by birth place. Multivariate logistic-regression procedures were used to determine factors associated with ever-testing for HIV among foreign-born men and women. The prevalence of ever-testing for HIV among foreign-born individuals varied by region of birth ranging from 31 to 67%. Factors related to ever-testing for HIV varied by gender. Efforts need to continue in order to improve HIV testing rates among Asian foreign-born individuals, lower educated foreign-born and foreign-born gay/bisexual men. Health care providers can play an important role by counseling new arrivals regarding the importance of testing for HIV and practicing HIV risk reduction activities.