scholarly journals The COVID-19 Symptom to Isolation Cascade in a Latinx Community: A Call to Action

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A Rubio ◽  
James Peng ◽  
Susy Rojas ◽  
Susana Rojas ◽  
Emily Crawford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Symptom Onset ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Testing Site ◽  
Isolation Period

Abstract Background Rapid coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnosis and isolation of infectious persons are critical to stopping forward transmission, and the care cascade framework can identify gaps in the COVID-19 response. Methods We described a COVID-19 symptom to isolation cascade and barriers among symptomatic persons who tested polymerase chain reaction positive for severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at a low-barrier testing site serving a low-income Latinx community in San Francisco. Steps in the cascade are defined as days from symptom onset to test, test to result, and result to counseling on self-isolation. We examined SARS-CoV-2 cycle threshold (Ct) values to assess the likelihood of infectiousness on the day of testing and during missed isolation days. Results Among 145 persons, 97% were Latinx and 81% had an income of <$50 000. The median time from symptom onset to isolation (interquartile range [IQR]) was 7 (5–10) days, leaving a median (IQR) of 3 (0–6) days of isolation. Eighty-three percent had moderate to high levels of virus (Ct <33), but by disclosure 23% were out of their isolation period. The longest intervals were symptom onset to test (median [IQR], 4 [2–9] days) and test to results notification (median [IQR], 3 [2–4] days). Access to a test site was the most common barrier to testing, and food and income loss was the most common barrier to isolation. Conclusions Over half of the 10-day isolation period passed by the time of disclosure, and over a fifth of people were likely outside the window of infectiousness by the time they received results. Improvements in test access and turnaround time, plus support for isolation, are needed for epidemic control of SARS-CoV-2 in highly impacted communities.

scholarly journals High parental vaccine motivation at a neighborhood-based vaccine and testing site serving a predominantly Latinx community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Naso ◽  
Susy Rojas ◽  
James Peng ◽  
Carina Marquez ◽  
Maria Contreras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Community Organizations ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Vaccination Site ◽  
Testing Site

Purpose. To understand vaccine attitudes of Latinx parents highly impacted by COVID-19. Methods. In April 2021, we surveyed parents about their attitudes for COVID-19 vaccination of their children at a community-based outdoor testing/vaccination site serving predominantly low-income, Latinx persons in San Francisco. Results. Among 1,033 parents (75% Latinx), 92% would 'definitely' or 'probably' vaccinate their children. Vaccine hesitancy was higher for younger children; concerns included side effects and impacts on fertility. Doctors and community organizations were noted as trusted sources of information, including among vaccine-hesitant parents. Conclusion. Latinx parents accessing neighborhood-based COVID-19 testing/vaccination services are highly motivated to vaccinate their children for COVID-19.

scholarly journals Estimation of secondary household attack rates for emergent spike L452R SARS-CoV-2 variants detected by genomic surveillance at a community-based testing site in San Francisco

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Peng ◽  
Jamin Liu ◽  
Sabrina A Mann ◽  
Anthea M Mitchell ◽  
Matthew T Laurie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Reproductive Number ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Mission District ◽  
Household Contacts ◽  
Epidemiological Tool ◽  
Testing Site ◽  
New Mutations

Abstract Background Sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome from patient samples is an important epidemiological tool for monitoring and responding to the pandemic, including the emergence of new mutations in specific communities. Methods SARS-CoV-2genomicsequencesweregeneratedfrompositivesamplescollected,alongwithepidemiologicalmetadata,atawalk-up, rapid testing site in the Mission District of San Francisco, California during November 22-December 1, 2020 and January 10-29, 2021. Secondary household attack rates and mean sample viral load were estimated and compared across observed variants. Results A total of 12,124 tests were performed yielding 1,099 positives. From these, 928 high quality genomes were generated. Certain viral lineages bearing spike mutations, defined in part by L452R, S13I, and W152C, comprised 54.4% of the total sequences from January, compared to 15.7% in November. Household contacts exposed to the “California” or “West Coast” variants (B.1.427 and B.1.429) were at higher risk of infection compared to household contacts exposed to lineages lacking these variants (0.36 vs 0.29, RR=1.28; 95% CI:1.00-1.64). The reproductive number was estimated to be modestly higher than other lineages spreading in California during the second half of 2020. Viral loads were similar among persons infected with West Coast versus non-West Coast strains, as was the proportion of individuals with symptoms (60.9% vs 64.3%). Conclusions The increase in prevalence, relative household attack rates, and reproductive number are consistent with a modest transmissibility increase of the West Coast variants.

scholarly journals “You run out of hope:” An Exploration of Low-Income Parents’ Experiences with Food Insecurity using Photovoice

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Payge Lindow ◽  
Irene H. Yen ◽  
Mingyu Xiao ◽  
Cindy W. Leung
Keyword(s):  
Food Insecurity ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Unhealthy Eating ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: Using an adaption of the Photovoice method, this study explored how food insecurity affected parents’ ability to provide food for their family, their strategies for managing household food insecurity, and the impact of food insecurity on their well-being. Design: Parents submitted photos around their families’ experiences with food insecurity. Afterwards, they completed in-depth, semi-structured interviews about their photos. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed for thematic content using the constant comparative method. Setting: San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. Subjects: 17 parents (14 mothers and 3 fathers) were recruited from a broader qualitative study on understanding the experiences of food insecurity in low-income families. Results: Four themes were identified from the parents’ photos and interviews. First, parents described multiple aspects of their food environment that promoted unhealthy eating behaviors. Second, parents shared strategies they employed to acquire food with limited resources. Third, parents expressed feelings of shame, guilt, and distress resulting from their experience of food insecurity. And finally, parents described treating their children to special foods to cultivate a sense of normalcy. Conclusions: Parents highlighted the external contributors and internal struggles of their experiences of food insecurity. Additional research to understand the experiences of the food-insecure families may help to improve nutrition interventions targeting this structurally vulnerable population.

scholarly journals Sugar sweetened beverage consumption is positively associated with Klotho levels at two years of age in LatinX youth

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Villagomez ◽  
Dena B. Dubal ◽  
Jessica Hawkins ◽  
Dan Wang ◽  
Janet M. Wojcicki
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Accelerated Aging ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Dietary Factors ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverage ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Sweetened Beverages ◽  
Klotho Protein

Abstract Background Klotho is an anti-aging protein mainly expressed in the kidneys with a smaller amount expressed in adipose tissue. Klotho effects include roles in reducing oxidative stress, insulin signaling, adipogenesis and glucose metabolism. Few studies have investigated the role of dietary factors such as sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) on serum α-klotho levels in young children. Methods Data was collected from 60 low-income Latina pregnant women and their infants in San Francisco from birth until 2 years of life and examined for associations between dietary factors and child secreted α-klotho protein levels at 2 years. Results Mean α-klotho levels were 1782.96 ± 874.56 pg/mL at 2 years of age. Any consumption of SSBs was independently associated with increased α-klotho levels (Beta = 682.79, 95%CI 67.50, 1298.09; p = 0.03). Household income ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 was also correlated to higher levels of α-klotho in children compared with lower income levels (<$25,000) (Beta = 1613.35, 95%CI 527.37, 2699.33; p = 0.005). Conclusions The positive association between SSB intake and α-klotho levels at 2 years may reflect higher phosphate levels consistent with SSB intake. Higher socioeconomic status may be a proxy for reduced stress exposure in children, also associated with higher α-klotho levels. Future studies should evaluate the early impact of exposures to SSBs, stress and accelerated aging in children.

Longitudinal Links between Income Dynamics and Young Adult Socioeconomic and Behavioral Health Outcomes

2021 ◽  
pp. 0044118X2199638
Author(s):  
Kendra Whitfield ◽  
Laura Betancur ◽  
Portia Miller ◽  
Elizabeth Votruba-Drzal
Keyword(s):  
Young Adult ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Adult Outcomes ◽  
Income Volatility ◽  
Income Loss ◽  
Socioeconomic Outcomes ◽  
Young Adult Outcomes

Longitudinal links between childhood family income and adult outcomes are well documented. However, research on childhood income volatility and young adult outcomes is limited. This study utilizes data from the NLSY ( N = 6,410) to examine how childhood family income and income volatility relate to socioeconomic outcomes and mental/behavioral health in emerging adulthood. Results show that lower childhood income was associated with young adult socioeconomic and behavioral health outcomes. Higher income volatility was associated with increased depression and teen parenthood during young adulthood. Additional analyses examining trajectories of income volatility illustrated that children in families with unstable income trajectories (i.e., frequent income losses and gains) showed higher depression scores than those with stable trajectories. These findings suggest that income volatility, not just income level or income loss, is important to consider when studying economic disparities in young adult outcomes. Implications for policies and programs for low-income, high-volatility households are discussed.

scholarly journals High likelihood of accepting COVID-19 vaccine in a Latinx community at high SARS-CoV2 risk in San Francisco

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Peng ◽  
Carina Marquez ◽  
Luis Rubio ◽  
Gabriel Chamie ◽  
Diane Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Side Effects ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Vaccine Hesitancy ◽  
High Likelihood

Abstract Of 4,133 persons surveyed at a low-barrier COVID-19 test site with high positivity in an urban Latinx community in January 2021, 86% indicated they would accept a COVID-19 vaccination. Top reasons for vaccine hesitancy included concerns around side effects and safety and distrust of healthcare systems.

scholarly journals Polymerase Chain Reaction and blood culture for diagnosis of canine sepsis

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Marques da Silveira ◽  
Stéfhano Luis Cândido ◽  
Karin Rinaldi dos Santos ◽  
Maerle Oliveira Maia ◽  
Roberto Lopes de Souza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Blood Culture ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Pcr Analysis ◽  
Chain Reaction ◽  
Suspected Sepsis ◽  
Fungal Dna ◽  
Polymerase Chain

ABSTRACT: Sepsis is characterized by the presence of organ dysfunction secondary to the dysregulated systemic inflammatory response associated with an infection, and has high mortality rates. Traditional diagnostic techniques based on non-microbiological isolation are time-consuming and may delay treatment. Thus, this study aimed to compare bacterial and fungal broad-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and blood culture for diagnosis of sepsis in dogs. Blood samples from 88 dogs with suspected sepsis were analyzed by blood culture, and PCR to detect bacterial and fungal DNA. On blood culture, 20 (22.7%) samples tested positive for bacterial isolates; however, none tested positive for fungi. Through PCR analysis, bacterial DNA was detected in 46 (52.3%) animals, whereas fungal DNA was present in one (1.1%) sample. Our results showed that PCR-based testing has important diagnostic value for canine blood infections because it has a shorter turnaround time and higher sensitivity than traditional blood culture.

scholarly journals Among Low-Income Women In San Francisco, Low Awareness Of Paid Parental Leave Benefits Inhibits Take-Up

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 1157-1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Goodman ◽  
Holly Elser ◽  
William H. Dow
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Parental Leave ◽  
Low Income Women ◽  
Paid Parental Leave

scholarly journals “In Today’s Society, It’s a Necessity”: Latino/a Postsecondary Plans in the College-for-all Era

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Ovink
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
College Completion ◽  
Socioeconomic Mobility ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
East Bay ◽  
College Completion Rates

Latino/a enrollments at U.S. colleges are rapidly increasing. However, Latinos/as remain underrepresented at four-year universities, and college completion rates and household earnings lag other groups’. Yet, little theoretical attention has been paid to the processes that drive these trends, or to what happens when students not traditionally expected to attend college begin to enroll in large numbers. Longitudinal interviews with 50 Latino/a college aspirants in the San Francisco East Bay Area reveal near-universal college enrollment among these mostly low-income youth, despite significant barriers. East Bay Latino/a youth draw on a set of interrelated logics (economic, regional, family/group, college-for-all) supporting their enrollment, because they conclude that higher education is necessary for socioeconomic mobility. In contrast to the predictions of status attainment and rational choice models, these rationally optimistic college aspirants largely ignore known risks, instead focusing on anticipated gains. Given a postrecession environment featuring increasing costs and uncertain employment, this approach led many to enroll in low-cost, less supportive two-year institutions, resulting in long and winding pathways for some. Results suggest that without structural supports, access to college fails to meaningfully redress stratification processes in higher education and the postrecession economy that significantly shape possibilities for mobility.

scholarly journals Computer-Aided Medical Microbiology Monitoring Tool: A Strategy to Adapt to the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic and That Highlights RT-PCR Consistency

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Mueller ◽  
Valentin Scherz ◽  
Gilbert Greub ◽  
Katia Jaton ◽  
Onya Opota
Keyword(s):  
Turnaround Time ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
Monitoring Tool ◽  
Diagnostic Laboratory ◽  
Important Health ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Automated Processes ◽  
Regulatory Decisions ◽  
Case Validation

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, important health and regulatory decisions relied on SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results. Our diagnostic laboratory faced a rapid increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR. To maintain a rapid turnaround time, we moved from a case-by-case validation of RT-PCR results to an automated validation and immediate results transmission to clinicians. A quality-monitoring tool based on a homemade algorithm coded in R was developed, to preserve high quality and to track aberrant results. We present the results of this quality-monitoring tool applied to 35,137 RT-PCR results. Patients tested several times led to 4,939 pairwise comparisons: 88% concordant and 12% discrepant. The algorithm automatically solved 428 out of 573 discrepancies. The most likely explanation for these 573 discrepancies was related for 44.9% of the situations to the clinical evolution of the disease, 27.9% to preanalytical factors, and 25.3% to stochasticity of the assay. Finally, 11 discrepant results could not be explained, including 8 for which clinical data was not available. For patients repeatedly tested on the same day, the second result confirmed a first negative or positive result in 99.2% or 88.9% of cases, respectively. The implemented quality-monitoring strategy allowed to: i) assist the investigation of discrepant results ii) focus the attention of medical microbiologists onto results requiring a specific expertise and iii) maintain an acceptable turnaround time. This work highlights the high RT-PCR consistency for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the necessity for automated processes to handle a huge number of microbiological results while preserving quality.

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