RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Research indicates pain-related disparities in the impact of knee osteoarthritis (OA) across both sex and ethnicity/race. While several factors likely contribute to these disparities, experiences of discrimination are associated with poor OA-related pain, disability, and functional performance. However, the mechanisms that mediate experiences of discrimination and OA-related outcomes are unclear. The current cross-sectional study examined the associations between everyday experiences of discrimination and clinical pain, disability and functional performance among non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) persons with or at risk of knee OA and assessed the serial mediated model of perceived stress and pain catastrophizing on these relationships in women only. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Participants were 188 community-dwelling adults who presented with unilateral or bilateral knee pain and screened positive for clinical knee pain. Participants completed several measures including experiences of discrimination, Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Revised (CSQ-R): Pain Catastrophizing subscale, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS), and Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). RESULTS: As compared to NHW participants, NHB individuals reported experiencing significantly higher levels of discrimination (F(1, 175)=26.660, p<0.001), greater levels of pain catastrophizing (F(1, 180)=12.919, p<0.001), higher levels of clinical pain and disability, and lower levels of physical function (ps<0.05). However, perceived stress was positively correlated with discrimination in the NHW group only (NHW females: r=0.40, p<0.01; NHW males: r=0.37, p<0.05). Further, perceived stress and pain catastrophizing mediated the relationship between discrimination and outcome variables (WOMAC pain, GCPS interference [pain disability], and SPPB function) in female participants after controlling for relevant sociodemographic variables (study site, age, race, income, and body mass index). CONCLUSION: These results may have implications for the treatment of perceived stress and catastrophizing as a means to reduce the negative impact of experiences of discrimination on the experience of chronic pain, particularly for women.
RESUMEN
The popularity of synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) is increasing the chance for adverse health issues in the United States. Moreover, social media platforms such as YouTube that provided a platform for user-generated content can convey misinformation or glorify use of SCBs. The aim of this study was to fill this gap by describing the content of the most popular YouTube videos containing content related to the SCBs. Videos with at least 1000 or more views found under the search terms "K2" and "spice" included in the analysis. The collective number of views was over 7.5 million. Nearly half of videos were consumer produced (n=42). The most common content in the videos was description of K2 (n=69), followed by mentioning dangers of using K2 (n=47), mentioning side effects (n=38) and showing a person using K2 (n=37). One-third of videos (n=34) promoted use of K2, while 22 videos mentioned risk of dying as a consequence of using K2. YouTube could be used as a surveillance tool to combat this epidemic, but instead, the most widely videos related to SCBs are uploaded by consumers. The content of these consumer videos on YouTube often provide the viewer with access to view a wide array of uploaders describing, encouraging, participating and promoting use.
RESUMEN
Despite the fact that the New York City (NYC) Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) no longer advertises tobacco products, there is no ban on ads for alcohol. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the frequency of alcohol-related advertising content on the platforms of two populated subway lines in NYC. Advertisements were evaluated on one subway line (the green line) that runs through Bronx and Manhattan in NYC. In the stations included in the study, the total number of advertisements were tallied and classified according to the type of advertisement. When an advertisement for alcohol was identified, it was determined whether the ad was for an alcoholic beverage, or it if was for a different product but exhibited an alcoholic beverage in some way. A total of 26 advertisements were identified which marketed an alcohol product. An additional 24 ads were noted for marketing another product or service whereby, alcohol was depicted as being consumed. There was a statistically significant difference in ads between the different lines t (20.04)=7.62, p<0.001, with an average of 1.5 ads on the uptown lines (heading toward and through the borough with the lowest median income) versus 0.06 ads on the downtown lines (heading toward and through the borough with the highest median income). Given the far reach that subway advertisements have, focus could shift to health promoting products, versus those that are deleterious.