Psychiatric Epidemiology During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AbstractPurpose of ReviewOur review critically examines research on trends in mental health among US adults following the COVID-19 pandemic ’s onset and makes recommendations for research on the topic.Recent FindingsStudies comparing pre-pandemic nationally representative government surveys ( “benchmark surveys”) with pandemic-era non-benchmark surveys generally estimated threefold to fourfold increases in the prevalence of adverse mental-health outcomes following the pandemic’s onset. However, studies analyzing trends in repeated waves of a single survey, which may carry a lower r isk of bias, generally estimated ...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - March 20, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Methodological Considerations on the Use of Cohort Designs in Drug-Drug Interaction Studies in Pharmacoepidemiology
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe evidence regarding the clinical effects of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) is scarce and limited. Pharmacoepidemiologic studies could help fill in this important knowledge gap. Here, we review the pharmacoepidemiology of DDIs with a focus on cohort designs. We also highlight the decision-making process with respect to different aspects of cohort study design, potential biases that may arise during this decision process, and mitigation strategies.Recent FindingsConsidering the pharmacologic mechanism of the DDI of interest as well as of the object drug and the precipitant drug separately at the de...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - March 8, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
A Review of Causal Inference Methods for Estimating the Effects of Exposure Change when Incident Exposure Is Unobservable
AbstractPurpose of ReviewResearch questions on exposure change and health outcomes are both relevant to clinical and policy decision making for public health. Causal inference methods can help investigators answer questions about exposure change when the first or incident exposure is unobserved or not well defined. This review aims to help researchers conceive of helpful causal research questions about exposure change and understand various statistical methods for answering these questions to promote wider adoption of causal inference methods in research on exposure change outside the field of pharmacoepidemiology.Recent F...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - February 19, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
The Clone-Censor-Weight Method in Pharmacoepidemiologic Research: Foundations and Methodological Implementation
AbstractPurpose of ReviewOver the past two decades, cautions have repeatedly been issued about the potential for immortal time bias in observational studies. This bias is particularly relevant in fields that routinely leverage large secondary databases such as pharmacoepidemiology. A variety of study design and analysis tools exist to prevent immortal time bias. A newer approach, the clone-censor-weight method, successfully eliminates the possibility for immortal time while maintaining a target trial emulation framework. We review the rationale for the clone-censor-weight approach, outline the steps for implementation, com...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - February 17, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Community Health Fairs and Cancer Prevention in Low-Resource Settings: A Global Perspective
AbstractPurpose of ReviewHealth fairs could increase screening uptake and ultimately contribute to reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes between low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and developed countries. Reviews on this topic have been limited to health fairs in the USA. In this paper, we review the scientific literature for evidence that support health fairs as a strategy to improve cancer prevention.Recent FindingsStudies across the USA consistently reported that health fairs were effective in providing cancer education and screening tests to historically marginalized groups. The studies reviewed were mostly obs...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - January 29, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Exposure to Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Thyroid Disease: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Epidemiological Studies
This study performed a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies to investigate the relationship between PBDE exposure and the risk of thyroid disease.Recent FindingsA total of nine epidemiological studies (published by January 20, 2023) reporting the association of PBDEs with thyroid disease were included. These studies investigated the effects of eight PBDE congeners and the sum of all PBDE congeners ( ∑PBDEs) and reported effect sizes and confidence intervals.SummaryThe results showed that high levels of BDE-183 exposure were associated with an increased risk of thyroid disease (OR = 3.26; 95% CI = 2.14–4.98...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - January 24, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Defining, Measuring, and Evaluating Prenatal Care in Insurance Claims Data
The objective of this paper is to discuss the complexities of identifying prenatal care visits in insurance claims databases, review existing methods to identify prenatal care encounters, and explore how different study goals should inform the definition of prenatal care employed by investigators.Recent FindingsInsurance claims data are routinely used to conduct perinatal epidemiology studies focused on the effects of medical interventions. Prenatal care, an important medical intervention and an indicator of ongoing pregnancy, lacks a consistent definition among clinical and research-based sources.SummaryWe have categorize...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - January 2, 2024 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Using Counterfactual Worlds to Triangulate Evidence in the Real World
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWhen a causal question can be reasonably approached using more than one set of causal assumptions (i.e., using different identification strategies), triangulation can be used to compare estimates relying on these different assumption sets to gain insight into the validity of the causal assumptions used. This review covers the current understanding of triangulation from a counterfactual causal inference perspective.Recent FindingsWe use counterfactuals to clarify and supplement the current understanding of triangulation. We propose a counterfactual definition of triangulation, propose assumptions on...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - December 19, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Current Approaches to Measuring Local Racial and Ethnic Residential Segregation in Population Health Studies
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSegregation has traditionally been measured at the metropolitan area or county level, but a growing number of population health studies have measured segregation at the neighborhood or local level. In this review, we highlight the ways local racial and ethnic residential segregation has been measured in recently published population health studies (June 1, 2019 –June 30, 2022).Recent FindingsWe identified 40 local segregation studies based on our search criteria. The majority used racial or ethnic composition to measure segregation, but several additional measures were identified that reflect dif...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - December 2, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Emulating a Target Trial in Perinatal Pharmacoepidemiology: Challenges and Methodological Approaches
The objective of this review is to examine the application of target trial emulation in perinatal pharmacoepidemiology research. Given that randomized clinical trials —the gold standard for causal inference—are often not feasible or ethical for studying medication safety during pregnancy, alternative methodologies are critically needed. This paper delves into the challenges and potential mitigation strategies of using target trial emulation in the specific co ntext of perinatal pharmacoepidemiology research.Recent FindingsOur review of identified studies (n = 9) reveals several unique considerations when leveraging tar...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - November 21, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Advances in the Use of Residual Newborn Dried Blood Spots Within Environmental Epidemiology
AbstractPurpose of ReviewEpidemiological evidence links certain early-life environmental exposures to adverse health outcomes. However, neonatal biospecimens are difficult to obtain, limiting proper evaluation of the detrimental health effects of environmental exposures during such a critical period of life.Recent FindingsThe availability of archived residual newborn dried blood spots (DBS) from existing newborn screening programs provide a much-needed resource of neonatal biospecimens for epidemiological studies focused on retrospectively assessing the short- and long-term effects of environmental exposures. We discuss em...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - November 14, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Environmental, Sociocultural, Behavioral, and Biological Factors Associated with Cognitive Decline, Alzheimer ’s Disease, and Other Types of Dementia in Black Americans
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis narrative review summarizes environmental, sociocultural, behavioral, and biological factors associated with cognitive decline and dementia in Black Americans.Recent FindingsVariations in environmental factors (education, toxins) contribute to poor cognition in Blacks. Historical context, early-life educational experiences, and environmental exposures should be considered for addressing late-life cognitive disparities. Sociocultural (stress, discrimination, social networks, social activity, loneliness) and behavioral (depression, coping, health behaviors) factors can have positive and negative...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - November 14, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
A New Paradigm for Pandemic Preparedness
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPreparing for pandemics requires a degree of interdisciplinary work that is challenging under the current paradigm. This review summarizes the challenges faced by the field of pandemic science and proposes how to address them.Recent FindingsThe structure of current siloed systems of research organizations hinders effective interdisciplinary pandemic research. Moreover, effective pandemic preparedness requires stakeholders in public policy and health to interact and integrate new findings rapidly, relying on a robust, responsive, and productive research domain. Neither of these requirements are well...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - November 9, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Effect of Body Image on Gestational Weight Gain: a Systematic Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewGestational weight gain (GWG) outside of the range recommended by the Institute of Medicine occurs in approximately two-thirds of pregnancies. The current review summarizes recent findings regarding the impact of body image on GWG.Recent FindingsEleven studies examined the association between body image and GWG in the past 5 years with the majority finding that poor body image was associated with greater GWG, although other studies had non-significant results. Overall, studies remain limited by the measurement tools used to assess body image; insufficient consideration of the roles of depression,...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - October 20, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
Menstruation in the USA
AbstractPurpose of ReviewMenstruation touches all spheres of human society, including psychology, education, business, policy, race, and religion. This narrative review aims to describe the relationship menstruation holds with these spaces.Recent FindingsFirst, menstruation plays many roles in psychology — premenstrual syndrome affects psychological well-being, and in turn, psychological stress impacts menstruation. Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea can result when stress hormones inhibit the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis. Furthermore, menstruation has many implications for all aged individ uals, especially adoles...
Source: Current Epidemiology Reports - September 22, 2023 Category: Epidemiology Source Type: research
