Effect of Behavioral Therapy With In-Clinic or Telephone Group Visits vs In-Clinic Individual Visits on Weight Loss Among Patients With Obesity in Rural Clinical Practice: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Rural populations have a higher prevalence of obesity and poor access to weight loss programs. Effective models for treating obesity in rural clinical practice are needed. Objective: To compare the Medicare Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity fee-for-service model with 2 alternatives: in-clinic group visits based on a patient-centered medical home model and telephone-based group visits based on a disease management model. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cluster randomized trial conducted in 36 primary care practices in the rural Midwestern US. Inclusion criteria included age 20 to 75 years and body mass index of 30 to 45. Participants were enrolled from February 2016 to October 2017. Final follow-up occurred in December 2019. Interventions: All participants received a lifestyle intervention focused on diet, physical activity, and behavior change strategies. In the fee-for-service intervention (n = 473), practice-employed clinicians provided 15-minute in-clinic individual visits at a frequency similar to that reimbursed by Medicare (weekly for 1 month, biweekly for 5 months, and monthly thereafter). In the in-clinic group intervention (n = 468), practice-employed clinicians delivered group visits that were weekly for 3 months, biweekly for 3 months, and monthly thereafter. In the telephone group intervention (n = 466), patients received the same intervention as the in-clinic group intervention, but sessions were delivered remotely via conference calls by centralized staff. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was weight change at 24 months. A minimum clinically important difference was defined as 2.75 kg. Results: Among 1407 participants (mean age, 54.7 [SD, 11.8] years; baseline body mass index, 36.7 [SD, 4.0]; 1081 [77%] women), 1220 (87%) completed the trial. Mean weight loss at 24 months was -4.4 kg (95% CI, -5.5 to -3.4 kg) in the in-clinic group intervention, -3.9 kg (95% CI, -5.0 to -2.9 kg) in the telephone group intervention, and -2.6 kg (95% CI, -3.6 to -1.5 kg) in the in-clinic individual intervention. Compared with the in-clinic individual intervention, the mean difference in weight change was -1.9 kg (97.5% CI, -3.5 to -0.2 kg; P = .01) for the in-clinic group intervention and -1.4 kg (97.5% CI, -3.0 to 0.3 kg; P = .06) for the telephone group intervention. Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with obesity in rural primary care clinics, in-clinic group visits but not telephone-based group visits, compared with in-clinic individual visits, resulted in statistically significantly greater weight loss at 24 months. However, the differences were small in magnitude and of uncertain clinical importance. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02456636.

One-Time Education Sessions to Help American Indian Smokeless Tobacco Users Quit.

American Indian (AI) smokeless tobacco use rates are the highest of all racial/ethnic groups within the United States. Despite this, no effective cessation program currently exists that acknowledges the cultural significance of tobacco among many American Indian tribal nations. Participants were smokeless tobacco users, over 18 years of age, and were recruited through community partners. We modified the All Nations Snuff Out Smokeless Tobacco group-based program to be delivered as a one-time education session intervention. This was delivered to 80 participants and follow-up data was collected by self-report at 6-months. The mean age of participants was 35 and most were male (70%). A majority (69%) grew up on a AI reservation; the mean age of first smokeless tobacco use was 16 years of age. Of program completers reached for 6-month post baseline, 46% reported 0 days of SLT use; 13.5% of participants reduced; while 36% reported continued daily use. In intention to treat analysis those lost to follow-up are considered current users, the quit rate was 12.5% and among those who were still using, 4.0% reduced their use. In this study, a one-time education session intervention was effective for those who prefer an individual based approach to quitting SLT use. Follow up strategies to increase participant retention at 6-months should be explored.

Impact of Adding Telephone-Based Care Coordination to Standard Telephone-Based Smoking Cessation Counseling Post-hospital Discharge: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Cessation counseling and pharmacotherapy are recommended for hospitalized smokers, but better coordination between cessation counselors and providers might improve utilization of pharmacotherapy and enhance smoking cessation. OBJECTIVE: To compare smoking cessation counseling combined with care coordination post-hospitalization to counseling alone on uptake of pharmacotherapy and smoking cessation. DESIGN: Unblinded, randomized clinical trial PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized smokers referred from primarily rural hospitals INTERVENTIONS: Counseling only (C) consisted of telephone counseling provided during the hospitalization and post-discharge. Counseling with care coordination (CCC) provided similar counseling supplemented by feedback to the smoker's health care team and help for the smoker in obtaining pharmacotherapy. At 6 months post-hospitalization, persistent smokers were re-engaged with either CCC or C. MAIN MEASURES: Utilization of pharmacotherapy and smoking cessation at 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. KEY RESULTS: Among 606 smokers randomized, 429 (70.8%) completed the 12-month assessment and 580 (95.7%) were included in the primary analysis. Use of any cessation pharmacotherapy between 0 and 6 months (55.2%) and between 6 and 12 months (47.1%) post-discharge was similar across treatment arms though use of prescription-only pharmacotherapy between months 6-12 was significantly higher in the CCC group (30.1%) compared with the C group (18.6%) (RR, 1.61 (95% CI, 1.08, 2.41)). Self-reported abstinence rates of 26.2%, 20.3%, and 23.4% at months 3, 6, and 12, respectively, were comparable across the two treatment arms. Of those smoking at month 6, 12.5% reported abstinence at month 12. Validated smoking cessation at 12 months was 19.3% versus 16.9% in the CCC and C groups, respectively (RR, 1.13 (95% CI, 0.80, 1.61)). CONCLUSION: Supplemental care coordination, provided by counselors outside of the health care team, failed to improve smoking cessation beyond that achieved by cessation counseling alone. Re-engagement of smokers 6 months post-discharge can lead to new quitters, at which time care coordination might facilitate use of prescription medications. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01063972.

Feasibility of Implementing the All Nations Breath of Life Culturally Tailored Smoking Cessation Program for American Indians in Multi-Tribal Urban Communities.

Introduction: Prevalence of cigarette smoking is highest among American Indians, yet few culturally appropriate smoking cessation programs have yet been developed and tested for multi-tribal American Indian adult populations. This study examined implementation of the All Nations Breath of Life culturally tailored smoking cessation program in multi-tribal urban and suburban American Indian communities in seven locations across five states (N = 312). Methods: This single-arm study used community-based participatory research to conduct a 12-week intervention whose primary purpose was to curb commercial tobacco use among American Indians. Participants were followed through month 6 in person and month 12 via telephone. The primary outcome was continuous abstinence from recreational cigarette smoking at 6 months post-baseline, verified through voluntary provision of salivary cotinine levels. Results: At program completion (12 weeks post-baseline), 53.3% of program completers remained abstinent; labeling those lost to follow-up as smokers resulted in a 41.4% quit rate. At 6 months post-baseline (primary endpoint), 31.1% of retained participants quit smoking (p < .0001 compared to the highest quit rates among multi-tribal populations reported in the literature, 7%); final quit rate was 22.1% labeling those lost to follow-up as smokers (p = .002). Retention rate at endpoint was 71.2%. 12-month follow-up was attempted with all participants and had a retention rate of 49.0%. Of those participants reached, 34.0% were smoke-free. Conclusions: All Nations Breath of Life shows promise as a smoking cessation program for multi-tribal urban American Indian communities. It can be successfully implemented in a variety of urban settings. Implications: This is the first large feasibility study of a culturally tailored smoking cessation program for American Indians with good cessation and retention rates in a multi-tribal urban American Indian population. It shows that All Nations Breath of Life can be implemented in multiple urban settings across five states. To our knowledge, this is the first program of its kind to be implemented across multiple heterogeneous urban locations and to include salivary cotinine testing for verification of self-report data across these locations.

A Prescription for Internet Access: Appealing to Middle-Aged and Older Racial and Ethnic Minorities Through Social Network Sites to Combat Colorectal Cancer.

The popularity and usage of social media networks or SNS (social networking sites) among American Internet users age 50 and over doubled between 2009 and 2010 and has steadily climbed. Part of this increased access may be the result of older adults who are living with a chronic disease and are reaching out for online support. Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is among those concerns, particularly among middle-age and older minority populations where disparities exist. This exploratory study investigates information seeking behavior related to cancer factors (e.g. testing for colon cancer, cancer fatalism) and current social media usage among racial and ethnic minority groups (African American and Latinos) and Whites age 50 and older. The secondary data from the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) was analyzed to compare these populations. Results show that African Americans and Latinos were only slightly more likely to use social network sites to seek out cancer information compared to Whites. However, Whites were more likely to use the Internet to seek health information compared to African Americans and Latinos. In this sample, Whites were also more likely to be informed by a physician about CRC testing (p <.01). Whites were also more fatalistic about CRC (p<.001) and more likely to have self-reported receiving a positive diagnosis (p <.001). Implications of this study suggest that use of both traditional health information sources (physician) and the Internet (social media networks, Internet sites) have increased among older Americans and can serve as critical channels for cancer information and education.

Recruitment and Baseline Characteristics of American Indian Tribal College Students Participating in a Tribal College Tobacco and Behavioral Survey.

INTRODUCTION: American Indians (AIs) have the highest cigarette smoking rates of any racial/ethnic group in the United States. Although the overall smoking prevalence in the United States for nonminority populations has decreased over the past several decades, the same pattern is not observed among AIs. The purpose of this observational study was to collect cigarette smoking and related information from American Indian tribal college students to inform tailored interventions. METHODS: We conducted a repeated cross-sectional survey of American Indian tribal college students, Tribal College Tobacco and Behavior Survey (TCTABS), with a focus on recruiting all incoming freshman at three participating tribal colleges in the Midwest and Northern Plains regions. A total of 1256 students participated in the baseline surveys between April 2011 and October 2014. RESULTS: The overall smoking prevalence of this sample was 34.7%, with differences by region (Northern Plains-44.0% and Midwest-28%). The majority, 87.5% of current smokers reported smoking 10 or less cigarettes per day, 41% reported smoking menthol cigarettes, 52% smoked Marlboro brand, and the mean age of their first cigarette was 14 years. The majority, 62% had made at least one quit attempt in the past year. The overwhelming majority of respondents, regardless of their smoking status, thought that the current smoking prevalence on campus was greater than 41% and approximately one-third believed that it was as high as 61%. CONCLUSIONS: Very few studies of smoking have been conducted in this population and results from our study confirm the need for effective interventions. IMPLICATIONS: AIs have the highest cigarette smoking rates compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Furthermore, limited studies have examined the epidemiology of cigarette smoking among tribal college students. This study addresses health disparities related to smoking among college students by examining the demographic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of smoking and quitting. Results from this study could lead to the development of a culturally-tailored smoking cessation and prevention program for American Indian tribal college students.

COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING PRACTICES AMONG THREE AMERICAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES IN MINNESOTA.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. Effective prevention and early detection may be achieved through screening, but screening rates are low, especially in American Indian (AI) populations. We wanted to understand perceptions of CRC screening among AI located in the Great Lakes region. Focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim (N = 45). Data were analyzed using qualitative text analysis. Themes that deterred CRC screening were low CRC knowledge, fear of the procedure and results, cost and transportation issues, and a lack of quality and competent care. Suggestions for improvement included outreach efforts and culturally-tailored teaching materials.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Latino Families With Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias: Qualitative Interviews With Family Caregivers and Primary Care Providers.

Background: Latino individuals experience disparities in the care of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) and have disproportionately high COVID-19 infection and death outcomes. Objective: We aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among Latino families with ADRD in the United States. Methods: This was a qualitative study of 21 informal caregivers of Latino individuals with ADRD and 23 primary care providers who serve Latino patients. We recruited participants nationwide using convenience and snowball sampling methods and conducted remote interviews in English and Spanish. We organized the transcripts for qualitative review to identify codes and themes, using a pragmatic approach, a qualitative description methodology, and thematic analysis methods. Results: Qualitative analysis of transcripts revealed eight themes, including (1) the pandemic influenced mental and emotional health; (2) the pandemic impacted physical domains of health; (3) caregivers and care recipients lost access to engaging activities during the confinement; (4) the pandemic impacted Latino caregivers' working situation; (5) the pandemic impacted health care and community care systems; (6) health care and community care systems took measures to reduce the impact of the pandemic; (7) Latino families experienced barriers to remote communication during the pandemic; and (8) caregiver social support was critical for reducing social isolation and its sequalae. Conclusions: Latino families with ADRD experienced similar but also unique impacts compared to those reported in the general population. Unique impacts may result from Latino individuals' underserved status in the United States, commonly held cultural values, and their intersectionality with ADRD-related disability. Family caregiver social support was crucial during this time of adversity. These findings suggest the need for more equitable access, culturally appropriate and trustworthy content and delivery of health care and community services, as well as stronger financial and social supports for family caregivers.

A Novel Electronic Record System for Documentation and Efficient Workflow for Community Health Workers: Development and Usability Study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic added to the decades of evidence that public health institutions are routinely stretched beyond their capacity. Community health workers (CHWs) can be a crucial extension of public health resources to address health inequities, but systems to document CHW efforts are often fragmented and prone to unneeded redundancy, errors, and inefficiency. OBJECTIVE: We sought to develop a more efficient data collection system for recording the wide range of community-based efforts performed by CHWs. METHODS: The Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE) project is an initiative to address health disparities across Kansas, in part, through the deployment of CHWs. Our team iteratively designed and refined the features of a novel data collection system for CHWs. Pilot tests with CHWs occurred over several months to ensure that the functionality supported their daily use. Following implementation of the database, procedures were set to sustain the collection of feedback from CHWs, community partners, and organizations with similar systems to continually modify the database to meet the needs of users. A continuous quality improvement process was conducted monthly to evaluate CHW performance; feedback was exchanged at team and individual levels regarding the continuous quality improvement results and opportunities for improvement. Further, a 15-item feedback survey was distributed to all 33 COPE CHWs and supervisors for assessing the feasibility of database features, accessibility, and overall satisfaction. RESULTS: At launch, the database had 60 active users in 20 counties. Documented client interactions begin with needs assessments (modified versions of the Arizona Self-sufficiency Matrix and PRAPARE [Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patient Assets, Risks, and Experiences]) and continue with the longitudinal tracking of progress toward goals. A user-specific automated alerts-based dashboard displays clients needing follow-up and upcoming events. The database contains over 55,000 documented encounters across more than 5079 clients. Available resources from over 2500 community organizations have been documented. Survey data indicated that 84% (27/32) of the respondents considered the overall navigation of the database as very easy. The majority of the respondents indicated they were overall very satisfied (14/32, 44%) or satisfied (15/32, 48%) with the database. Open-ended responses indicated the database features, documentation of community organizations and visual confirmation of consent form and data storage on a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant record system, improved client engagement, enrollment processes, and identification of resources. CONCLUSIONS: Our database extends beyond conventional electronic medical records and provides flexibility for ever-changing needs. The COPE database provides real-world data on CHW accomplishments, thereby improving the uniformity of data collection to enhance monitoring and evaluation. This database can serve as a model for community-based documentation systems and be adapted for use in other community settings.

Communities organizing to promote equity: engaging local communities in public health responses to health inequities exacerbated by COVID-19-protocol paper.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted rural and under-resourced urban communities in Kansas. The state's response to COVID-19 has relied on a highly decentralized and underfunded public health system, with 100 local health departments in the state, few of which had prior experience engaging local community coalitions in a coordinated response to a public health crisis. Methods: To improve the capacity for local community-driven responses to COVID-19 and other public health needs, the University of Kansas Medical Center, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, will launch Communities Organizing to Promote Equity (COPE) in 20 counties across Kansas. COPE will establish Local Health Equity Action Teams (LHEATs), coalitions comprised of community members and service providers, who work with COPE-hired community health workers (CHWs) recruited to represent the diversity of the communities they serve. CHWs in each county are tasked with addressing unmet social needs of residents and supporting their county's LHEAT. LHEATs are charged with implementing strategies to improve social determinants of health in their county. Monthly, LHEATs and CHWs from all 20 counties will come together as part of a learning collaborative to share strategies, foster innovation, and engage in peer problem-solving. These efforts will be supported by a multilevel communications strategy that will increase awareness of COPE activities and resources at the local level and successes across the state. Our mixed methods evaluation design will assess the processes and impact of COPE activities as well as barriers and facilitators to implementation using aspects of both the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) models. Discussion: This protocol is designed to expand community capacity to strategically partner with local public health and social service partners to prioritize and implement health equity efforts. COPE intentionally engages historically resilient communities and those living in underserved rural areas to inform pragmatic strategies to improve health equity.

Moving forward: breaking the cycle of mistrust between American Indians and researchers.

American Indians (AIs) have some of the poorest documented health outcomes of any racial/ethnic group. Research plays a vital role in addressing these health disparities. Historical and recent instances of unethical research, specifically the Havasupai diabetes project, have generated mistrust in AI communities. To address the concerns about unethical research held by some AIs in the Heartland (Midwest), the Center for American Indian Community Health (CAICH) has launched a series of efforts to inform AIs about research participants' rights. CAICH educates health researchers about the importance of learning and respecting a community's history, culture, values, and wishes when engaging in research with that community. Through community-based participatory research, CAICH is also empowering AIs to assert their rights as research participants.

Self-reported barriers to colorectal cancer screening in a racially diverse, low-income study population.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is underutilized, especially in low income, high minority populations. We examined the effect test-specific barriers have on colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) completion, what rationales are given for non-completion, and what "switch" patterns exist when participants are allowed to switch from one test to another. Low income adults who were not up-to-date with CRC screening guidelines were recruited from safety-net clinics and offered colonoscopy or FIT (n = 418). Follow up telephone surveys assessed test-specific barriers. Test completion was determined from patient medical records. For subjects who desired colonoscopy at baseline, finding a time to come in and transportation applied more to non-completers than completers (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). For participants who initially wanted FIT, keeping track of cards, never putting stool on cards, and not remembering to mail cards back applied more to non-completers than completers (p = 0.003, p = 0.006, and p < 0.001, respectively). The most common rationale given for not completing screening was a desire for the other screening modality: 7 % of patients who initially preferred screening by FIT completed colonoscopy, while 8 % of patients who initially preferred screening by colonoscopy completed FIT. We conclude that test-specific barriers apply more to subjects who did not complete CRC screening. As a common rationale for test non-completion is a desire to receive a different screening modality, our findings suggest screening rates could be increased by giving patients the opportunity to switch tests after an initial choice is made.

Perceptions, barriers, and suggestions for creation of a tobacco and health website among American Indian/Alaska Native college students.

Information concerning American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Internet use and health information needs is dearth. Our research team explored Internet use among AI/AN college students to determine Internet use in relation to health information seeking behaviors. We used a tobacco site example for participants to describe what they desired in a health site designed specifically for AI/AN. Using a community-based participatory research approach, we conducted 14 focus groups with AI/AN college students (N = 108), to better understand their perceptions of and attitudes toward Internet use and health information needs. Daily Internet use was reported across strata yet health topics investigated differed among groups. Participants in all strata desired a health website that was easy to navigate and interactive. Respectful representation of Native culture was a concern, yet no consensus was reached for a multi-tribal audience. Participants felt a website should use caution with cultural depictions due to the possible misinterpretation. Overall, participants agreed that recreational and traditional tobacco use should be differentiated and the variation of traditional use among tribes acknowledged. Data concerning Internet use for health information among AI/AN college students are needed to establish baseline indicators to effectively address disparities.

Employing the church as a marketer of cancer prevention: a look at a health promotion project aimed to reduce colorectal cancer among African Americans in the Midwest.

Health promotion programs designed to address colorectal cancer disparities among African Americans are increasing. Unfortunately, this group still shoulders a disproportionate mortality burden in the United States; these numbers are also reflective of colorectal cancer (CRC) disparities in the Midwest. The purpose of this study was to extrapolate results from in-depth interviews and brief surveys on the effectiveness of the church as a social marketer of CRC-prevention messages. Results show that pastors believe the congregation has limited knowledge about CRC risk and prevention; they also believe the church can improve cancer-prevention communication among members and those affiliated with the church.

Barriers to colorectal cancer screening among American Indian men aged 50 or older, Kansas and Missouri, 2006-2008.

American Indian (AI) men have some of the highest rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the United States but among the lowest screening rates. Our goal was to better understand awareness and discourse about colorectal cancer in a heterogeneous group of AI men in the Midwestern United States. Focus groups were conducted with AI men (N = 29); data were analyzed using a community-participatory approach to qualitative text analysis. Several themes were identified regarding knowledge, knowledge sources, and barriers to and facilitators of screening. Men in the study felt that awareness about colorectal cancer was low, and people were interested in learning more. Education strategies need to be culturally relevant and specific.

American Indian perceptions of colorectal cancer screening: viewpoints from adults under age 50.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality rates have decreased in the general US population; however, CRC mortality rates are increasing among American Indians (AI). AI CRC screening rates remain low when compared to other ethnic groups. Our team investigated CRC screening education prior to recommended age for screening to better understand screening perceptions among AI community members. Our research team conducted 11 focus groups with AI men and women aged 30-49 (N = 39 men and N = 31 women) in Kansas and Missouri. The results revealed that community members (1) have little knowledge of CRC, (2) do not openly discuss CRC, and (3) want additional CRC education. Variations existed among men and women's groups, but they agreed that preventive measures need to be appropriate for AI communities. Thus, AI CRC screening interventions should be culturally tailored to better meet the needs of the population.

Breast cancer screening perceptions among American Indian women under age 40.

Breast cancer mortality rates are the second leading cause of cancer death in American Indian (AI) women. AI breast cancer screening rates have been decreasing, and AI women have some of the lowest screening rates compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Our research team investigated breast cancer and breast cancer screening education prior to recommended age for screening. It is imperative to examine the perspectives of young AI women toward breast cancer screening to better understand screening perceptions among AI women. Following a community-based participatory research approach, we conducted five focus groups and four interviews with AI women aged 25-39 (N = 48) in Kansas and Missouri. Nine themes emerged from the focus groups and relate to topics such as the following: knowledge of breast cancer and breast cancer screening, barriers to screening and treatment, suggestions to improve access, and perceptions and use of health-care systems. Specifically, we found that AI women lacked knowledge of details about screenings and their risks for getting breast cancer, cost was cited as a primary barrier to screening, additional education was needed (particularly materials that were AI focused), breast health was generally not discussed with others, and more instruction was requested for techniques used to identify bodily changes or abnormalities. Understanding attitudes of AI women not of recommended screening age may provide an insight into low screening rates among AI women. Furthermore, the results may inform outreach strategies to improve current and future screening rates.

Promoting healthy behavior from the pulpit: clergy share their perspectives on effective health communication in the African American church.

African Americans continue to suffer disproportionately from health disparities when compared to other ethnicities (ACS 2010; CDC 2007). Research indicates that the church and the pastor in the African American community could be enlisted to increase effectiveness of health programs (Campbell et al. in Health Edu Behav 34(6):864-880, 2007; DeHaven et al. in Am J Public Health 94(6):1030-1036, 2004). The objective of this study was to investigate African American pastors' perceptions about health promotion in the church and how these perceptions could serve as a guide for improving health communication targeting African Americans. Semi-structured interviews with African American clergy revealed that pastors feel strongly about the intersection of health, religion and spirituality; they also believe that discussing health screening and other health issues more frequently from the pulpit and their own personal experiences will ultimately impact health behavior among congregants. This study suggests that African American clergy see themselves as health promoters in the church and believe this communication (i.e., pastor-endorsed health information materials) will impact health behavior among underserved and minority populations.

Perceived Value of Public Health and Health Policy Information Among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study.

Introduction: Health educators have had difficulty introducing health policy and public health training into an already intensive medical school curriculum. Although the COVID-19 pandemic may have changed perspectives on the importance of public health, it may not change educational approaches. Assessment of medical student opinions and perceptions of health policy and public health might influence the weight given to these topics in medical education. Methods: We used a 39-item instrument to cross-sectionally survey medical students, to assess their perceptions of the value of public health and health policy within their professional education. Results: One hundred two students completed the survey (13% response rate). Most students reported an interest in public health (94.1%) and health policy (92.2%). Although interested, most students lacked confidence in their knowledge of public health and health policy on both state (health policy 34.3% confident; public health 43.1%) and national (health policy 41.0%; public health 44.1%) levels. Most students perceived that their institution has not sufficiently prepared them to understand health policy (34% felt prepared) and most reported insufficient information to participate in policy discussions (30.3% sufficiently informed). Conclusions: Medical students reported an interest in public health and health policy while also reporting a lack of confidence in their level of preparedness to understand and participate in these fields, thus demonstrating a need for increased public health and health policy education within medical school curricula.