Anita Raj, Clare Daniel, Priyanka Patel, Namratha Rao, K S James
{"title":"Trends in Sexual Harassment in the United States: Analysis of the 2018 and 2024 #MeToo Surveys.","authors":"Anita Raj, Clare Daniel, Priyanka Patel, Namratha Rao, K S James","doi":"10.2105/AJPH.2026.308577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308577","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives.</b> To evaluate change in past-year sexual harassment from 2018 to 2024. <b>Methods.</b> #MeToo surveys assessed past-year sexual harassment with US adults (n = 5293) recruited via phone and online in 2018 and 2024. Logistic regression analysis estimated the odds of reporting past-year sexual harassment in 2024 relative to 2018, adjusting for sociodemographics. <b>Results.</b> Reported past-year sexual harassment doubled, from 10.7% in 2018 to 24.3% in 2024 (men: 6.7% to 15.2%; women: 14.3% to 31.8%; <i>P</i> < .001). The odds of reporting past-year sexual harassment were nearly 3 times higher in 2024 than in 2018 (adjusted odds ratio = 2.80; 95% confidence interval = 2.35, 3.33). <b>Conclusions.</b> Reported past-year sexual harassment in the United States increased from 2018 to 2024, indicating either an increase in sexual harassment or an increase in disclosure rates after the #MeToo movement. Although prior evidence indicates that awareness and policy protections for workplace harassment have improved since the #MeToo movement, this has not led to declines in sexual harassment. Future policies should expand protection from sexual harassment to include public and online spaces and support stronger accountability structures. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. Published online ahead of print July 23, 2026:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308577).</p>","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"e1-e5"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148576787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of the End of Advanced Child Tax Credit Payments and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Emergency Allotments on Food Insufficiency and Food Pantry Use.","authors":"Anna E Austin, Rebecca B Naumann","doi":"10.2105/AJPH.2026.308543","DOIUrl":"10.2105/AJPH.2026.308543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives.</b> To assess whether the impact of the end of the 2021 advanced Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments differed in US states that did and did not issue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments. <b>Methods.</b> We used 2021-2022 Household Pulse Survey data and difference-in-differences analyses to compare changes in the prevalence of food insufficiency and food pantry use among households with and without children from during to after advanced CTC payments, overall and in states that did and did not issue SNAP emergency allotments. <b>Results.</b> From during to after advanced CTC payments, the prevalence of food insufficiency among households with children increased by 2.8 percentage points in states with SNAP emergency allotments (prevalence difference [PD] = 0.028; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.015, 0.041) and by 7.2 percentage points in states without SNAP emergency allotments (PD = 0.072; 95% CI = 0.027, 0.177). The prevalence of food pantry use increased by 1.6 percentage points in states without SNAP emergency allotments (PD = 0.016; 95% CI = 0.000, 0.033). <b>Conclusions.</b> After the end of advanced CTC payments, the largest increases in food insufficiency and food pantry use occurred in states that did not concurrently issue SNAP emergency allotments. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. Published online ahead of print July 23, 2026:e1-e9. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308543).</p>","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"e1-e9"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13535872/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148576649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anurag Pratap, Maeve F Swanton, Ashley F Sullivan, Janice A Espinola, Carlos A Camargo, Rebecca E Cash
{"title":"Emergency Department Presence and Capabilities in Historically Redlined Areas: 2001 and 2022.","authors":"Anurag Pratap, Maeve F Swanton, Ashley F Sullivan, Janice A Espinola, Carlos A Camargo, Rebecca E Cash","doi":"10.2105/AJPH.2026.308568","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308568","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives.</b> To determine whether historical redlining practices were associated with emergency department (ED) presence and capabilities in 2001 and 2022. <b>Methods.</b> Using a repeated, cross-sectional design, we linked census tract-level Home Owners' Loan Corporation classifications to ED locations and characteristics from the National ED Inventory-USA survey in 2001 and 2022. We modeled odds of ED presence and ED capabilities with Home Owners' Loan Corporation classification as the primary predictor variable. We adjusted the models for 2022 using contemporary demographics. <b>Results.</b> Neighborhoods with a Home Owners' Loan Corporation classification of best, compared with hazardous, had higher odds of an ED being present in 2001 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04, 1.90), which persisted in 2022 (OR = 1.73; 95% CI = 1.26, 2.37) after adjusting for contemporary demographics. Nonredlined neighborhoods had higher odds of ED presence than did redlined neighborhoods, driven by nonacademic EDs. The odds of having advanced ED capabilities did not differ across Home Owners' Loan Corporation classifications; however, nonredlined neighborhoods had significantly lower odds of ED capabilities. <b>Conclusions.</b> Although historical redlining classifications were associated with ED presence over time, redlining classification was not associated with current ED capabilities. (<i>Am J Public Health</i>. Published online ahead of print July 23, 2026:e1-e7. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308568).</p>","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"e1-e7"},"PeriodicalIF":7.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148576694","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Aparna Ramakrishnan,Kevin H Nguyen,Nathaniel M Tran
{"title":"Strengthening Oversight in Medicaid Managed Care.","authors":"Aparna Ramakrishnan,Kevin H Nguyen,Nathaniel M Tran","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308634","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308634","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"25 1","pages":"e1-e3"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462372","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Strengths and Limitations of All of Us Data Use for Public Health Research.","authors":"Colby Lewis V,Debra D'Angelo,Judy Zhong","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308622","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308622","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"48 1","pages":"e1-e3"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Susan E Peters,Mitali Temurnikar,Madyson L Popalis,Stephanie M Neidlinger,Brian C Castrucci,Gregory R Wagner
{"title":"Thriving From Work in Public Health: Evidence From the Front Lines of Worker Well-Being.","authors":"Susan E Peters,Mitali Temurnikar,Madyson L Popalis,Stephanie M Neidlinger,Brian C Castrucci,Gregory R Wagner","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308602","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308602","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives. To evaluate worker well-being in the US governmental public health workforce using data from the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). Methods. We analyzed data from 48 949 respondents (weighted n = 204 823) working in 48 state health agencies and 1178 local health departments. Worker well-being was measured using the validated Thriving From Work Questionnaire. We conducted weighted analyses examining group differences across demographic, occupational, and organizational characteristics. Results. Mean thriving scores were 35.6 (SD = 7.4) out of 48, indicating moderate levels of work-related well-being. Older workers (aged ≥ 55 years) and those with 0 to 5 years tenure reported highest thriving; midcareer workers (6-15 years) reported lowest levels. Fully remote workers reported highest thriving. Supervisors and managers reported lower thriving than nonsupervisors and executives. Small and medium-sized local health departments showed higher thriving than large departments and state agencies. Conclusions. This first national assessment of public health workforce thriving identifies critical intervention priorities: midcareer support, workplace flexibility, fairness and inclusion, and enhanced supervisor support. Though effect sizes were small, these patterns have meaningful implications for workforce retention across more than 200 000 employees. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e12. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308602).","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"14 1","pages":"e1-e12"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hannah Rochford,Jess Garcia,Burcu Sagiroglu,Rebecca Vieh,Ilse Knecht,Nancy R Downing
{"title":"Impact of Texas's Electronic Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Tracking System on Emergency Department Utilization for Sexual Assault Care.","authors":"Hannah Rochford,Jess Garcia,Burcu Sagiroglu,Rebecca Vieh,Ilse Knecht,Nancy R Downing","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308553","url":null,"abstract":"Texas's Sexual Assault Evidence Kit (SAK) Policy reform increased emergency department (ED) utilization for sexual assault care (+2.7%). Counties without a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE)-ready facility in their borders experienced a greater increase (+6.1%) than counties with a SAFE-ready facility (+2.1%). For medical forensic examinations (MFEs) with SAK completion, non-SAFE-ready counties experienced a significant increase (+12.8%), but SAFE-ready counties experienced a significant decrease (-3.6%). This may indicate that residents of non-SAFE-ready counties are now pursuing MFEs with SAK completion locally instead of traveling for care. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308553).","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"13 1","pages":"e1-e5"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Brittany N Morey,Andrew M Subica,Sora Park Tanjasiri,Corina S Penaia,Richard C Chang,'Alisi Tulua,Cynthia L Fok,Shreya Paul,Melenaite Fifita,Christen H Marquez,Royce Park,Ninez A Ponce
{"title":"Community-Engaged Respondent-Driven Sampling: The California Pacific Islander Well-Being and COVID-19 Economic Survey, 2024.","authors":"Brittany N Morey,Andrew M Subica,Sora Park Tanjasiri,Corina S Penaia,Richard C Chang,'Alisi Tulua,Cynthia L Fok,Shreya Paul,Melenaite Fifita,Christen H Marquez,Royce Park,Ninez A Ponce","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308517","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives. To describe how community engagement combined with respondent-driven sampling (RDS) enabled timely documentation of the mental health and socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 on California's Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) adult population. Methods. The California Pacific Islander Well-Being and COVID-19 Economic Survey (CAPIWAVES) was a collaboration between NHPI community-based organizations and academic researchers who sampled 929 NHPI adults in California from January to May 2024. The initial respondents were composed of a convenience sample of 58 CHamoru, Fijian, Marshallese, Native Hawaiian, Sāmoan, and Tongan respondents in Northern, Central, and Southern California, who referred up to 4 others. Results. Compared with the American Community Survey, CAPIWAVES RDS estimates differed. We reported initial data findings to NHPI community members in June 2024 in an online webinar. In April 2025, we released a report with the analyzed CAPIWAVES data, with community-generated recommendations for policy, programming, and research. Conclusions. Although data were not population-representative, community-engaged RDS was an efficient method for collecting and disseminating needed data for minoritized populations. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e12. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308517).","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"54 1","pages":"e1-e12"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bennett Allen,R Scott Braithwaite,Sungwoo Lim,Ashwin Vasan
{"title":"Investing in Life Expectancy: An Opportunity for Local Public Health Authorities.","authors":"Bennett Allen,R Scott Braithwaite,Sungwoo Lim,Ashwin Vasan","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308651","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308651","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"34 1","pages":"e1-e3"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Quantifying the Polarization of Vaccine Policymaking Across State Legislatures.","authors":"Matt Motta,Timothy Callaghan","doi":"10.2105/ajph.2026.308535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2026.308535","url":null,"abstract":"Objectives. To quantify partisan asymmetries in the introduction of legislation aimed at removing vaccine mandates, expanding exemptions, reducing funding for vaccines, and instituting other related policies (\"antivaccine\" policymaking). Methods. We developed and validated a protocol for manually content coding records of vaccine-related bill introductions across US state legislatures from 2019 to 2023 and descriptively assessed partisan asymmetries in bill introductions over time. Results. The volume of antivaccine bills introduced in state legislatures has been increasing steadily since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, there have been strong partisan asymmetries in bill introductions, with 86% of antivaccine bills sponsored by lawmakers affiliated with the Republican Party. We found that the effects of bill sponsor partisanship are constant in multivariate models accounting for differences in legislative and gubernatorial party control. Finally, dozens of antivaccine bills have been signed into law. Conclusions. There has been strong partisan polarization in vaccine-related bill introductions in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public Health Implications. Growing partisan polarization may be responsible for recent increases in antivaccine legislative activity, which could in turn undermine vaccine coverage. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308535).","PeriodicalId":7647,"journal":{"name":"American journal of public health","volume":"35 1","pages":"e1-e8"},"PeriodicalIF":12.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148462371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}