Journal of Community Health最新文献

{"title":"Factors Associated with Self-Reported Speeding Among Adult Drivers in New York City, New York, United States, 2021.","authors":"Jennifer M Norton, Lawrence Fung, Anna Caffarelli, Carolyn Olson, Cheryl R Stein, Catherine D Stayton","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01639-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01639-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Speeding is a contributing factor in traffic crashes resulting in serious injury or death. Road design, speeding-enforcement, and social norms influence driver behaviors. Using data from the 2021 New York City (NYC) Community Health Survey, a population-based survey of adults, we examined bivariate associations between self-reported speeding, social cohesion, economic stressors, resiliency, and driving frequency among drivers (n = 2,194; weighted N = 2,883,000). We used multinomial logistic regression to compute adjusted prevalence ratios (adjPR) of never, rarely, and often or sometimes speeding. Speeding was common among NYC adult drivers, with 29% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 26%-32%) reporting often or sometimes speeding. Drivers who perceived worse social cohesion were more likely to report often or sometimes speeding than drivers who perceived better social cohesion (adjPR 1.42; 95%CI 1.11-1.83). Daily drivers were more likely to report often or sometimes speeding than non-daily drivers (adjPR 1.88; 95%CI 1.52-2.32). These findings highlight the importance of continued efforts to reduce speeding and promote safe roads for all users.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV and STI Knowledge, Sexual Health Education, and HIV-Related Stigma Among Spanish University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Inmaculada Pedraza-Navarro, Sara Uceda, Macarena Donoso-González, Luis Ángel Guillem-Callejo, Manuel Reiriz","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01640-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01640-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite substantial advances in HIV prevention and treatment, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain an increasing public health concern among young people, while stigma toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) continues to represent a major psychosocial barrier. This study examined whether knowledge about HIV and other STIs, compared with self-reported exposure to sexual health education, was associated with stigma toward PLHIV among Spanish university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 728 university students from several Spanish universities. Participants completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to sexual health education, knowledge of HIV and other STIs, and stigma toward PLHIV. Descriptive analyses, correlation analyses, nonparametric group comparisons, and hierarchical linear regression models were performed. A Poisson regression model was also estimated as a sensitivity analysis. Participants demonstrated good knowledge of the main routes of HIV transmission but showed substantial gaps regarding the HIV window period and several aspects of STI transmission and treatment. Although stigma was generally low in everyday social interactions, it remained high in situations involving intimacy and close physical contact. Knowledge of HIV and other STIs was moderately and negatively associated with stigma (r = - .46, p < .001). Students exposed to sexual health education demonstrated higher levels of knowledge but did not differ in stigma from those who had not received such education. In the hierarchical regression analyses, knowledge emerged as the strongest predictor of stigma, explaining an additional 14.5% of the variance beyond sociodemographic characteristics and exposure to sexual health education. The Poisson regression model yielded consistent results. Greater knowledge about HIV and other STIs was independently associated with lower stigma toward PLHIV, whereas exposure to sexual health education was not associated with stigmatizing attitudes. These findings highlight the need for educational interventions that not only provide accurate and comprehensive sexual health information but also explicitly address HIV-related stigma, misconceptions about transmission, and attitudes toward intimacy and close physical contact with PLHIV.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heated Tobacco Product Awareness and Use Among Young Adult Texas College Students During a Period of Renewed Market Activity, 2025-2026.","authors":"Caroline North, Alexandra Loukas, Jessica L Barington-Trimis, Yi-Chun Chang, Adam M Leventhal, Alyssa F Harlow","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01638-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01638-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Little is known about heated tobacco product (HTP; e.g., IQOS) use among young adults following IQOS reentry to the US market, initially centered in Austin, Texas. We examined HTP awareness and use among Texas college students during renewed market activity. Repeated cross-sectional surveys included 17,750 participants (18-29y) attending 19 Texas colleges in 2025 and 2026. Mixed-effects logistic regression models examined changes in HTP awareness and use by survey year, campus location (Austin vs. non-Austin), and demographic, tobacco use, and cessation correlates. Overall, 14.8% reported HTP awareness, 2.5% lifetime use, and 0.6% past-30-day use. HTP outcomes did not change from 2025 to 2026 or differ by campus location. Males (vs. females) had higher odds of HTP awareness (OR = 1.48, 95%CI:1.36-1.61) and lifetime use (OR = 1.40, 95%CI:1.15-1.70). Asian (vs. non-Hispanic White) participants had lower odds of awareness (OR = 0.76, 95%CI:0.66-0.86) and lifetime use (OR = 0.54, 95%CI:0.37-0.79). Former and current (vs. never) smoking, smokeless tobacco, and nicotine pouch use were positively associated with awareness and use (OR range = 1.25-4.25). E-cigarette use was associated with lower odds of awareness (OR = 0.79, 95%CI:0.69-0.90) but higher odds of lifetime (OR = 2.13, 95%CI:1.69-2.69) and past 30-day use (OR = 10.40, 95%CI:6.09-17.60). Currently trying to quit tobacco was associated with greater odds of lifetime use (OR = 1.45, 95%CI:1.05-2.00); no other cessation associations were observed. HTP use was uncommon but more frequently reported among young adults using other tobacco products. Findings did not indicate a consistent pattern of HTP use in the context of tobacco cessation. Continued surveillance is warranted as HTP availability expands.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149194578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social Media and HPV Vaccine Hesitancy: How Misinformation Affects Latino Parents.","authors":"Abraham Aragones, Denise Bruno, Ilona Fridman, Isabella Sarria, Rachel Loia, Claudia Pallasa","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01631-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01631-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage in the United States remains suboptimal, with Latino communities facing disproportionately lower rates and a higher burden of HPV-associated cancers. Health misinformation and disinformation (M&D) on social media represents a barrier to HPV vaccine uptake, yet little empirical evidence exists on how such content shapes vaccine decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 98 Latino parents drawn from two randomized, community-based prospective trials conducted across four U.S. metropolitan areas. Eligible participants confirmed their HPV vaccine-eligible child remained unvaccinated and reported active social media use. A structured survey assessed platform use, access frequency, health information-seeking behaviors, and exposure to HPV vaccine-specific social media content. All 98 parents reported regular social media use. Facebook (68%), Instagram (61%), WhatsApp (61%), and YouTube (48%) were the most used platforms. Three-quarters of parents (77%, n = 75) reported vaccine-related social media exposure in the prior year, with 99% (n = 74) characterizing it as negative. Over half (52%, n = 51) recalled HPV vaccine-specific content, all of whom described it as negative. 41% of all parents (n = 40) reported that perceived negative social media content directly influenced their decision to delay or refuse HPV vaccination; this proportion rose to 78% among those with HPV-specific negative exposure. Social media M&D is a self-reported, substantial driver of HPV vaccine hesitancy among Latino parents. Passive exposure and negativity of vaccine content encountered underscore an urgent need for culturally tailored counter-messaging strategies that operate within social media platforms.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149170367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HPV Vaccination Uptake Among Children Attending Polish Primary Schools and Parental Factors Influencing Vaccination: A Cross-sectional Study.","authors":"Maria Ganczak, Martyna Lulkiewicz, Anita Wowk, Anna Król, Zuzanna Pęgowska, Arkadiusz Kozioł","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01637-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10900-026-01637-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the availability of free HPV vaccinations in Poland for children aged 9-18, the vaccination rates remain low. The study aimed to assess HPV vaccination coverage among Polish and Ukrainian children attending primary schools, as well as parental factors influencing children's vaccination. The cross-sectional study was conducted (December 2024-March 2025) among parents of children aged 9-15 years enrolled in 5 primary schools in Zielona Gora, Poland. Respondents filled out a voluntary, anonymous questionnaire. Variables significantly related to the outcome were analyzed using logistic regression models. 152 parents participated (mean age 39.6 ± 6.0; 85.5% women; 9.9% migrants from Ukraine); only 30.3% have vaccinated their child against HPV (fewer from Ukraine than from Poland, p = 0.04). In the remaining group, 35.2% were willing to vaccinate, 37.8% were undecided, and 27.0% were against vaccination. The main motivation was the desire to protect the child from cancer (78.9%), and the main barrier was the concern about vaccination side effects (52.4%). HPV vaccination was associated with older parental age (OR = 1.12; 95%CI:1.03-1.23) - a 1-year increase in age was associated with 12% greater likelihood, higher socioeconomic status (OR = 2.71; 95%CI:1.05-7.37), family history of cancer (OR = 4.22; 95%CI:1.21-19.89), and having ≤ 2 children (OR = 3.48; 95%CI:1.24-11.07). The study showed a worryingly low HPV vaccination uptake among Polish/Ukrainian-origin primary school children, and unsatisfactory vaccination intentions among their parents; this may translate into a high incidence of HPV-dependent diseases. Targeted education campaigns, primarily aimed at younger parents with low socioeconomic status and large families, are urgently needed to increase vaccination rates.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149166756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Higher Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage Among American Indian and Alaska Native Adolescents and Rural Adolescents in Alaska.","authors":"P Paul Pletnikoff, Sarah Aho, Elizabeth C Ohlsen, Joseph McLaughlin","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01586-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10900-026-01586-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Human papillomavirus (HPV) related cancer incidence is higher among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) women than among White women. Limited access to health care or preventive services in rural communities might increase cancer risk among AI/AN people. To understand disparities in Alaska, this study compares rural/urban HPV vaccination rates of AI/AN with non-AI/AN people.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Immunization rate data were extracted for each year during 2018-2023. Immunization rates from the Alaska Immunization Information System (VacTrAK) were compared between AI/AN and non-AI/AN people.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2018 to 2023, HPV vaccine series completion among Alaska adolescents aged 13-15 years ranged from 32% to 39%, with 32% up to date in 2023; 48% had initiated vaccination. AI/AN adolescents had significantly higher completion than non-AI/AN peers (48% vs. 29%, p < 0.01), with consistently higher coverage across years and in both rural and urban settings after stratification; rural coverage was higher overall. Regional disparities were substantial, with series completion ranging from 15% to 58%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>HPV vaccination coverage among Alaska adolescents remained low from 2018 to 2023, with substantial decline between initiation and series completion. AI/AN adolescents had significantly higher coverage than non-AI/AN peers, challenging assumptions about access and highlighting the effectiveness of community-centered, Tribal-led vaccination efforts. Persistent regional and urban-rural disparities, along with recent declines in AI/AN coverage, underscore the need to strengthen equitable strategies and improve series completion.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":"805-812"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148360768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Irving Roy Rathgeb, Jr., MD (1913-1943). Physician, Surgeon, and Member of the United States Army Medical Corps.","authors":"Pascal James Imperato","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01623-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10900-026-01623-5","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Irving Roy Rathgeb, Jr., MD was a young physician and surgeon who was born in Highland (Ulster County), New York on 7 March 1913. His father, Irving Roy Rathgeb, Sr. was a co-owner of the Rathgeb Knitting Mills which specialized in the production of sweaters. Rathgeb was an excellent student in primary and high school and later attended Colgate and Cornell universities. In 1934 he entered the Long Island College of Medicine from where he received his MD degree in 1938. Graduating in the upper third of his class, he obtained an internship at the Norwegian Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Because of his desire to become a surgeon, he was then accepted into the Department of Surgery at the St Louis Railway Company Hospital in Texarkana, Texas. Soon thereafter he joined the Texas National Guard while still continuing his training in surgery at the hospital and was commissioned as a First Lieutenant. He was assigned to the 111th Medical Regiment, 36th Infantry Division. Completing his residency in surgery at the hospital he was transferred to the US Army Medical Corps as a Captain. Once the US entered World War II, the 36th Infantry Division was transferred overseas and Rathgeb promoted to the rank of Major. The functions of the 111th Medical Regiment, of which Rathgeb was an essential part, was to serve as an evacuation hospital. This entailed the collecting and evacuating of the wounded soldiers from the front lines and taking them to medical facilities well behind the battle lines. This was a very high-risk responsibility since it regularly placed Rathgeb and his fellow medical personnel in the line of fire. In 1942 the 111th Regiment was temporarily posted to Eritrea in Eastern Africa. In early 1943 they were ordered to Cairo, Egypt in preparation for the allied invasion of Italy. On 23 March Rathgeb and seven of his medical team boarded a military plane for a flight to Cairo. About 50 miles south of Cairo, the plane encountered a severe sandstorm, and eventually crashed into a mountain peak and fell into a canyon. Initial search parties were unable to find the crash site and thus it was provisionally concluded that the plane might have crashed into the Red Sea. Rathgeb's family and the families of others on the flight were told that they were missing in action. After many months the crash site was found and the deceased victims of the accident removed and buried in a common grave in Suez, Egypt. Five years later in 1948, Rathgeb's remains and those of seven of his military companions were transferred to a common burial plot in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2026 a slide rule bearing Rathgeb's name neatly printed and black ink both inside and outside of the rule's leather case was found in a desk drawer whose content had once belong to Duncan W. Clark, MD. Clark had graduated from the Long Island College of Medicine in 1936, two years before Rathgeb. Following his graduation, he had a close relationship with ","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":"713-722"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148701585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of a Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Program on STI Knowledge and Attitudes among Philadelphia's Proud Teens.","authors":"Priya Nigam, Jade Truehart, Lin Zhu, Yin Tan, Min Qi Wang, Aisha Bhimla, Julia N Trout, Thoin Begum, Eliza Davison, Grace X Ma","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01591-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10900-026-01591-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Approximately 25% of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Philadelphia involve teens and birth rates among underserved youth is more than double the national average. Proud Teens of Philly (PTOP), a community-based youth-oriented sexual-health education program, aims to mitigate disparities among underserved youth, including Latino/Hispanic and Black youth. This study assessed the impact of PTOP on sexual-health education and behaviors among Philadelphia youth. Participants were recruited from schools, churches, and community-based organizations, to attend eight one-hour-long virtual synchronous sessions. Evidence-based sexual-health curricula, Positive Potential and Making Proud Choices, were administered to 650 Philadelphia students aged 12-18 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Pre- and post-surveys were administered electronically to collect data on demographics, sexual attitudes, HIV/STI knowledge, contraception knowledge and access, confidence in consent and condom use, and life skills. Paired t-tests comparing pre- and post-survey responses were conducted. Participants demonstrated significant improvement in knowledge (t = 10.48, p < 0.0001) regarding STI transmission, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, and birth control. They felt more prepared to reject unprotected sex (t = 4.81, p < 0.0001) and better understood the efficacy of condoms. PTOP curricula increased exposure to alternative forms of contraception. In addition, students gained valuable skills in communication, goal setting, and emotion management. Engagement in a comprehensive sexual-health education program can significantly improve STI knowledge, sexual attitudes, and consent among underserved youth populations. Increased knowledge and emotion management empower teens to make safer choices, potentially limiting engagement in and adverse outcomes of risky sexual behaviors. Future studies should explore longitudinal impacts of youth-oriented sexual-health educational programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":"795-804"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615029/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148277547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Management of Chagas Disease in Primary Health Care: Challenges Faced by Physicians in Areas with Higher and Lower Endemicity in Brazil.","authors":"Andréia Brito de Souza, Denise Alves Guimarães, Renata Fiuza Damasceno, Mayra Domingues Cardoso, Ariela Mota Ferreira, Clareci Silva Cardoso, Ester Cerdeira Sabino, Desirée Sant Ana Haikal","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01595-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10900-026-01595-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To analyze Primary Health Care physicians' perceptions of the challenges involved in managing Chagas disease in areas with higher and lower endemicity. This qualitative study was conducted in three municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Four focus groups involving 27 physicians were carried out. Discussions were guided by a semi-structured script based on the Clinical Protocol and Therapeutic Guidelines for Chagas Disease, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic content analysis according to Bardin, with independent double coding. The findings revealed gaps in professional training, predominance of theoretical teaching, lack of continuing education activities, and limited knowledge of the Clinical Protocol and Therapeutic Guidelines. Low clinical suspicion, uncertainties regarding notification of chronic Chagas disease, and the association of antiparasitic treatment primarily with the acute phase were also identified. In municipalities with higher endemicity, low rates of serological testing requests were observed, whereas in the municipality with lower endemicity, Chagas disease was less frequently considered among diagnostic hypotheses. These findings indicate that educational, clinical, and organizational weaknesses contribute to maintaining the invisibility of Chagas disease within Primary Health Care and that higher local endemicity alone does not ensure its incorporation into routine work processes. The results highlight the importance of continuing education, stronger integration between Primary Health Care and Health Surveillance, and the incorporation of clinical guidelines to enhance the capacity of Primary Health Care services to recognize, diagnose, and provide follow-up care for individuals affected by Chagas disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":"939-948"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148578852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Non-Fatal Self-Inflicted Firearm Injuries Among Adults in the United States, 2000-2021.","authors":"Gia Elise Barboza-Salerno, Malcolm McCarthy, Amy Watson-Grace, Taylor Harrington, Bruna De AtalayaAlmieda Rocha, Zarah Alhajjaj, Keith Warren, Karla Shockley McCarthy","doi":"10.1007/s10900-026-01592-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10900-026-01592-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nonfatal self-inflicted firearm injuries represent an important and understudied public health concern in the United States. We analyzed nationally representative data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Firearm Injury Surveillance Study (NEISS-FISS), 2000-2021, to characterize nonfatal self-inflicted firearm injuries among U.S. adults aged 18-64 years. Emergency department (ED) narratives were combined using text mining and an elastic net (LASSO) classification model to augment structured surveillance data. Among 7,362 unweighted cases (representing approximately 260,602 ED visits, 58% were classified as probable unintentional discharges, whereas approximately 10% were probable suicide attempts. Among cases with complete race and ethnicity data, Non-Hispanic White (NHW; 69.2%), Non-Hispanic Black (NHB; 23.2%), and Hispanic (7.6%) individuals comprised the primary analytic groups. Narrative analysis substantially increased detection of contextual factors, particularly alcohol involvement among Hispanic patients (12.0% to 20.1%). NHB patients had the highest proportion of lower-extremity injuries (51%), while Hispanic patients had the highest prevalence of craniofacial injuries (26%). The LASSO model effectively distinguished terms associated with probable suicide attempts from unintentional firearm discharges based on narrative language. Findings highlight limitations of structured intent coding within NEISS-FISS and demonstrate the value of narrative for improving characterization of firearm injury circumstances, revealing distinct racial and ethnic group patterns, to inform more tailored prevention strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":15550,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Health","volume":" ","pages":"770-784"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13614987/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148264563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}