Sociodemographic Correlates of Medical Mistrust among African American Men Living in the East Bay.

This study examined correlates of medical mistrust among African American men living in the East Bay. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using survey data from 207 adult African American males, recruited from barbershops. We used linear regression to assess associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and two medical mistrust outcomes (mistrust of health care organizations (HCOs) and physicians). There was a strong relationship between health insurance, income, education, and mistrust. Insured subjects were 8.5% (95% CI -0.154 to -0.016) less likely to mistrust HCOs and 8.5% less likely (95% CI -0.145 to -0.025) to mistrust physicians. Those in the highest levels of income (>$60,000 annual income) or education (bachelor's degree or higher) were 5.4% (95% CI -0.115 to -0.007) and 5.7% (95% CI -0.104 to -0.011) less likely to mistrust HCO and physicians, respectively, than others. We conclude that sociodemographic factors are correlated with medical mistrust and discuss options for reducing medical mistrust.

Environmental and Social Change Drive the Explosive Emergence of Zika Virus in the Americas.

Since Zika virus (ZIKV) was detected in Brazil in 2015, it has spread explosively across the Americas and has been linked to increased incidence of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In one year, it has infected over 500,000 people (suspected and confirmed cases) in 40 countries and territories in the Americas. Along with recent epidemics of dengue (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which are also transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes, the emergence of ZIKV suggests an ongoing intensification of environmental and social factors that have given rise to a new regime of arbovirus transmission. Here, we review hypotheses and preliminary evidence for the environmental and social changes that have fueled the ZIKV epidemic. Potential drivers include climate variation, land use change, poverty, and human movement. Beyond the direct impact of microcephaly and GBS, the ZIKV epidemic will likely have social ramifications for women's health and economic consequences for tourism and beyond.