Factors That Determine Multiple Primary Cancers in the Adult Population in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide and a leading cause of death in the United States. Multiple primary cancers mean that an individual has more than one cancer in the same or a different organ but does not include instances of metastasis of initial primary cancer. Several factors such as genetics, for example, BRCA1 gene mutations, may predict multiple primary cancers. Factors such as the age at first cancer diagnosis may determine the outcome of multiple primary cancers. This study aims to determine factors that determine multiple primary cancers among the adult population in the United States.  Methods: This study uses data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2021 dataset. The study included all individuals recently diagnosed with cancer (sample size = 9806). All age groups were included in this study. Measures included the outcome variable number of cancers and a major independent variable: age at first cancer diagnosis. Covariates included race, sex, smoking status, and cancer treatment. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted using a statistical analysis system. It was hypothesized that individuals with age at first diagnosis of cancer at a younger age have higher odds of having multiple primary cancers as compared to individuals diagnosed at an older age.  Results: The age group of 50-64 years had the highest percentage of only one cancer type (35.87%) and of two or more cancers (35.46%). A majority of females had two or more cancers (53.52%) as compared to males (47.48%). The majority of participants with only one cancer type (80.59%) and two or more cancers (88.61%) were of White non-Hispanic ethnicity. At the multivariate level, the age group under 18 years had 9.4% higher odds of having two or more cancers compared to the age group of 18-29 years (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.094, 95%CI=1.026-1.166; p-value=0.0057). The age group 65 years and above had 11.6% lower odds of having multiple primary cancers as compared to the age group of 18-29 years (AOR=0.884; 95%CI=0.859-0910; p-value=<0.0001). The Black non-Hispanic group had 73.8% lower odds of having multiple primary cancers as compared to White non-Hispanic respondents (AOR= 0.262; 95%CI = 0.228-0.301; p-value = <0.0001). Hispanic respondents had 59.8% lower odds of having two or more cancers as compared to the White non-Hispanic group (AOR= 0.402; 95%CI=0.390-0.413; p-value=<0.0001). Current smokers had 9.7% higher odds of having multiple cancers as compared to individuals who never smoked (AOR = 1.097; 95%CI=1.066-1.129; p-value=<0.0001). Former smokers had 24.2% higher odds of having multiple cancers as compared to individuals who never smoked (AOR=1.242; 95%CI=1.224-1.261; p-value=<0.0001). Individuals who were currently on treatment had 2.676 higher odds of having two or more cancers as compared to individuals not on treatment (AOR=2.676; 95%CI=2.629-2.724; p-value=<0.0001).  Conclusion: Multiple primary cancers have been on the increase recently following advancements in anticancer therapy and cancer screening and diagnosis technology. It is important that studies that aim to demonstrate risk factors and predictors of multiple primary cancers such as the age at first diagnosis, smoking status, and cancer treatment are encouraged among public health specialists.

Racial Disparities In In-Hospital Mortality of Children and Adolescents Under 20 Years With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

BACKGROUND: In the United States, racial disparities in health outcomes continue to be a major problem with far-reaching effects on equity in healthcare and public health. Children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes are a disadvantaged demographic that has particular difficulties in managing their condition and getting access to healthcare. Despite improvements in the treatment of diabetes, little study has examined how much racial disparities in in-hospital mortality affect this particular demographic. By examining racial differences in in-hospital mortality rates among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in the United States, this study seeks to close this gap. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's (HCUP) Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) for 2012. The KID is a nationally representative sample of pediatric discharges from US hospitals. A total of 20,107 patients who were admitted with type 1 diabetes were included in this study. The primary outcome was the patient's in-hospital mortality status. The primary predictor variable was the race of the patient. Six potential confounders were chosen based on previous literature: age, sex, hospital location, obesity, weight loss, electrolyte disorders status, and median household income. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were done. Multivariate analysis was conducted while controlling for potential confounders. Odd ratios with a 95% confidence interval and probability value were reported. Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 9.4 for Windows (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) was used for the statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20,107 patients were included in this study. Of the patients included, 78.6%, 5.3%, 5.9%, and 10.2% were of age groups <4, 5-9, 10-14, and 15-18, respectively. Among the patients, 64.3% were female. Whites stood at 54.3%, while Hispanic, Black, and other races accounted for 17.2%, 21.8%, and 6.7% respectively. After adjusting for all other variables, children, and young adults of Asian and Pacific Islanders (OR=1.948; 95% CI 1.015,3.738) had 94% higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared to their White counterparts. Children and young adults aged 5-9 (OR=0.29; 95% CI 0.13,0.649) had 71% lower odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those aged 4 or under. Those aged 10-14 (OR=0.155; 95% CI 0.077,0.313) had 85% lower odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those aged 4 or under, while those aged 15-19 (OR=0.172; 95% CI 0.100,0.296) had 83% lower odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those aged 4 or under. Children and young adults who had weight loss (OR=4.474; 95% CI 2.557,7.826) had almost five times higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those without weight loss, while children and young adults who had electrolyte disorders (OR=5.131; 95% CI 3.429,7.679) had five times higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared to those without electrolyte disorders. CONCLUSION: The results show young adults of Asian and Pacific Islanders have higher odds of in-hospital mortality compared to their White counterparts and this study highlights the urgent need for focused measures designed to lessen these inequalities and enhance health equity. The implementation of culturally sensitive healthcare practices, addressing social determinants of health, and enhancing access to high-quality diabetes care should all be priorities.

Nativity Status Predicts Tobacco Use: A Comparative Analysis of US-Born and Foreign-Born Adults From the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

Introduction Tobacco smoking remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally and in the United States (USA). We hypothesize that US-born naturals have higher odds of tobacco smoking compared to their foreign-born counterparts, and our study aims to assess the relationship between nativity status and odds of tobacco smoking using a nationally representative sample. Methods We utilized the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycle 1 (2017) and Cycle 2 (2018) for this study. Our main outcome variable was smoking status divided as ever smoker and never smoker. The main predictor was US birth status. We controlled for sociodemographic characteristics such as age, race, gender, educational status, and marital status. We performed weighted descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis with chi-square for our variables. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used to ascertain the odds of our outcome given our predictor. Significance was set at 95% confidence, and the alpha level was set to 0.05. All analyses were performed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Results Our final sample consisted of 5,677 individuals (weighted: 429,613,693). Of our sample, 36.89% were ever smokers, females were 50.73%, and the majority (57.90%) were high school graduates. In terms of nativity status, those born in the USA were 85.65%, while the non-US-born population was 14.35%. After adjusting for confounders, we found that non-US-born respondents had 42% lower odds of being ever smokers compared to their US-born counterparts (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.576; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.388-0.854; P = 0.0062). Females were 24% less likely to be ever smokers compared to males (AOR = 0.758; 95% CI = 0.644-0.893; P = 0.0010). Having a bachelor's degree or a graduate degree was associated with 42% and 53% lower odds of being ever smokers compared to high school graduates (AOR = 0.583; 95% CI = 0.474-0.717; P < 0.0001) (AOR = 0.471; 95% CI = 0.377-0.588; P < 0.0001). Whites had 97% higher odds of being ever smokers compared to Hispanics (AOR = 1.977; 95% CI = 1.459-2.679; P < 0.0001). Conclusion Our finding of lower odds of tobacco use among foreign-born nationals compared to US-born nationals is consistent with previous studies and suggests the need for equity in tobacco use prevention between the two populations assessed in our study. This is poised to improve overall tobacco use burden, morbidity, and mortality.

Cannabis Use and Associated Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Literature Review.

Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is used by at least 18% of the United States (US) population, which makes it the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States. It is widely used for recreational purposes, while its therapeutic benefits have been extensively explored in the US. For several years, cannabis has been used for the treatment of diverse health conditions, including pain management, anti-inflammatory effects, and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, cannabis use has been associated with some acute and chronic adverse effects. This review sheds light on gastrointestinal disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, pancreatitis, and peptic ulcer disease that have been associated with cannabis use.

Association between Financial Barriers to Healthcare Access and Mental Health Outcomes in Tennessee.

OBJECTIVES: A large number of people cannot afford healthcare services in the United States. Researchers have studied the impact of lack of affordability of health care on the outcomes of various physical conditions. Mental health disorders have emerged as a major public health challenge during the past decade. The lack of affordability of health care also may contribute to the burden of mental health. This research focuses on the association between financial barriers to health care and mental health outcomes in the US state of Tennessee. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data contained in the 2019 US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). We extracted data for the state of Tennessee, which included 6242 adults aged 18 years or older. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted to test the association between not being able to see a doctor with the number of mentally unhealthy days during the past month. We coded the outcome as a three-level variable, ≥20 past-month mentally unhealthy days, 1 to 20 past-month mentally unhealthy days, and 0 past-month mentally unhealthy days. The covariates examined included self-reported alcohol use, self-reported marijuana use, and other demographic variables. RESULTS: Overall, 11.0% of participants reported ≥20 past-month mentally unhealthy days and 24.0% reported 1 to 20 past-month mentally unhealthy days. More than 13% of study participants reported they could not see a doctor because of the cost in the past 12 months. The inability to see a doctor because of the cost of care was associated with a higher risk of ≥20 past-month mentally unhealthy days (relative risk ratio 3.18; 95% confidence interval 2.57-3.92, P < 0.001) and 1 to 19 past-month mentally unhealthy days (relative risk ratio 1.94; 95% confidence interval 1.63-2.32, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant associations were observed between the inability to see a doctor when needed because of cost and increased days of poorer mental health outcomes. This research has potential policy implications in the postcoronavirus disease 2019 era with healthcare transformation and significant financial impact.