How the APHA Maternal and Child Health Section Advanced the Public Health Approach to Gun Violence Prevention.

PURPOSE: This manuscript provides a history of efforts by the American Public Health Association (APHA) Maternal and Child Health Section (MCH Section) Gun Violence Prevention Workgroup (GVP Workgroup) to promote gun violence prevention (GVP) as a key public health priority both within the MCH Section and APHA, and nationally. DESCRIPTION: The MCH Section established a gun violence prevention workgroup in response to the murders of twenty first-grade children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School. This article presents an overview of the accomplishments and challenges of the MCH Section GVP Workgroup in a context of ever-increasing gun violence. As of 2020, firearms became the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens. ASSESSMENT: Over the past decade, a small group of volunteers helped maintain GVP as one of the top priorities of both the MCH Section and APHA. Endorsement by the MCH Section and APHA leadership facilitated MCH Section GVP Workgroup efforts including organizing a national conference, developing scientific sessions for APHA annual meetings, establishing coalitions, and providing ongoing education and outreach to APHA members. CONCLUSION: The MCH Section GVP Workgroup helped to both elevate and maintain focus on GVP as a top priority of the MCH Section and APHA, indirectly impacting national efforts to promote a public health approach to GVP. The ongoing epidemic of firearm violence highlights the importance of continuing and strengthening this work. Individuals at other national, state or local organizations might look to the efforts and accomplishment of the MCH Section GVP Workgroup in pursuing critical issues within their own organizations.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Pregnant Women and Children: Recommendations for Health Promotion.

COVID-19 continues to have severe repercussions on children and pregnant women. The repercussions include not only the direct impact of COVID-19 (ie, children getting infected by COVID-19) but also indirect impacts (eg, safeguarding from child maltreatment, obesogenic behaviors, language and socioemotional development, educational consequences [eg, interrupted learning]; social isolation; mental health; behavioral health [eg, increased substance use in adolescence]; health and economic impact of COVID-19 on caregivers and family relationships. It has also shed light on long-standing structural and socioeconomic issues, including equity in nutrition and food security, housing, childcare, and internet access. Using a socioecological, life course, and population health approach, we discuss the implications for pregnant women and children's health and well-being and give recommendations for mitigating the short and long-term deleterious impact COVID- 19 on women, children, and their families.

Impact of inguinal hernia repair on family and other informal caregivers.

HYPOTHESIS: Inguinal hernia significantly affects family and other informal caregivers, and hernia repair will significantly reduce caregiver burden. METHODS: We analyzed data from a Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study with mixed models to compare the level of burden among caregivers of inguinal hernia patients from preoperative measurement to measurement at 2 weeks and at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Most caregivers were wives (73%) and lived with the patients (88%). There were no differences in caregiver burden by type of treatment. The time caregivers spent assisting patients increased significantly over the 2 weeks following treatment (odds ratio, 4.34). In contrast, 3 months after treatment, caregivers reported spending less time on additional chores than before treatment (odds ratio, 0.12). Furthermore, caregivers' concerns about patients' abilities to perform normal household activities decreased by 2 weeks posttreatment (odds ratio, 0.52). Wives/girlfriends and caregivers of patients with complications were more likely to report these concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Inguinal hernia and its repair significantly affect informal caregivers. Caregivers assumed the heaviest time and effort-related burden 2 weeks following hernia repair and expended additional effort if the patient experienced complications. Interventions should reflect when burden is greatest and target the subgroups of caregivers who most need support.