Falling in the elderly is an important social issue, especially for those who are in long-term care (LTC) facilities, in addition to being a significant economic burden. This study aims to investigate the epidemiological characteristics and identify the factors influencing falls in LTC residents. We enrolled 260 participants aged 60+ years by multistage sampling across 13 LTC facilities in Xiamen, China, in 2016. Epidemiological characteristics and falls were observed and recorded during a 12-month period using a revised FROP-Com Scale. Multiple logistic regression modeling was performed to determine the factors influencing falls. A total of 218 (83.8%) valid questionnaires were returned. 152 falls (range 1–7, mean 0.7 ± 1.3 falls/person/y) occurred in the previous year, with 69 residents (31.7%) experiencing 1 or more falls. Most participants who fell were female (71%), living in cities (85.5%), had a higher BMI (22.1 ± 4.2), and had a chronic disease (99.9%). Of all falls, 39.1% occurred in the bedroom and 26.1% in the bathroom, 58% during daytime hours between 6:00 am and noon. Thirty-six percent of falls resulted in an injury (e.g., bruises and fractures). The principal reason for falling was due to slipping (23.2%). There were 2 interactions on fall rate between ADL and feet and footwear (OR = 3.120, P <.001; OR = 3.010, P = .007 in Models 1 and 3), and between ADL and cognitive status (OR = 4.401, P <.001; OR = 4.101, P = .005 in Models 2 and 3). Multiple regression analysis indicated that ADL, balance and gait, medical conditions, cognitive status, living environment, feet and footwear and sensory loss were factors influencing falls among elderly adults in LTC facilities. Falls occur frequently and mostly unwitnessed among elderly adults in LTC facilities, highlighting the need for more effective and individualized fall prevention. Fall efficacy enhancing programs for nursing home residents should take degree of self-care, chronic diseases, sensory loss, foot injuries, cognitive impairment, living environment, and gender into account.

Background To examine COVID-19 vaccination and HIV transmission among persons who inject drugs (PWID) during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) in New York City (NYC). Methods Two hundred and seventy five PWID were recruited from October 2021 to September 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to measure demographics, drug use behaviors, overdose experiences, substance use treatment history, COVID-19 infection, vaccination, and attitudes. Serum samples were collected for HIV, HCV, and SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) antibody testing. Results Participants were: 71% male, the mean age was 49 (SD 11), 81% reported at least one COVID-19 immunization, 76% were fully vaccinated and 64% of the unvaccinated had antibodies for COVID-19. Self-reported injection risk behaviors were very low. HIV seroprevalence was 7%. Eighty-nine percent of the HIV seropositive respondents reported knowing they were HIV seropositive and being on antiretroviral therapy prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. There were two likely seroconversions in 518.83 person-years at risk from the March 2020 start of the pandemic to the times of interviews, for an estimated incidence rate of 0.39/100 person-years, 95% Poisson CI 0.05–1.39/100 person-years. Conclusions There is concern that the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions to HIV prevention services and the psychological stress of the pandemic may lead to increased risk behavior and increased HIV transmission. These data indicate adaptive/resilient behaviors in both obtaining COVID-19 vaccination and maintaining a low rate of HIV transmission among this sample of PWID during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC.

Background: Social media has risen beyond a communicational advance to represent a way of being. Increasing mental health problems have been attributed to social media addiction and problematic use, especially among younger people. There is a notable paucity of empirical research that seeks to validate feasible antidotes. To recognize constituent exposures that come with social media use, we tested four dimensions of characteristic communication types (consumption, broadcasting, offline connections, and parasocial interaction) on how they moderate the link between social media addiction (SMA) and anxiety. Methods: A prospective diary-based study was conducted to capture the daily experience of SMA, behavioral profile, and mental well-being. The study recruited 94 valid current undergraduate students at New York University. In total 1009 daily records were completed by 79 participants. Prospective analyses were conducted to evaluate fluctuations in daily anxiety. Generalized estimation equations (GEE) were used to account for repeated measures. Findings: Overall SMA scores and three constituent addition components were associated with higher anxiety levels. Interaction analysis revealed that levels of two communication types, parasocial interaction and consumption, were moderating the association between SMA components and anxiety outcomes. For young adults with higher benchmarks of consumption or parasocial interaction, 1-standard-deviation increase in social conflict was associated with an 11%-13% increase of a standard deviation in anxiety levels in the coming day. And these links did not exist for young adults with low and moderate amounts of consumption scores. Interpretation: High levels of passive consumption and unilateral interactions are strongly intertwined with teething (subclinical) anxiety symptoms such as social conflict. Public health initiatives could reduce perceived anxiety for those afflicted by promoting intentional restrictions on time or exposure to social networking site content and facilitating two-sided online interactions.

Objective To compare COVID-19 stigmatization at two pandemic time points (1) August 2020—during lockdowns and prior to vaccine rollout, and (2) May 2021—during vaccine rollout, when approximately half of U.S. adults were vaccinated. Methods Comparison of COVID19-related stigmatization and associated factors in two national internet surveys conducted in August 2020 (N = 517) and May 2021 (N = 812). Factors associated with endorsing stigmatization were identified using regression analysis. The main outcomes included endorsement of stigmatization and behavioral restrictions towards persons with COVID-19 and towards persons of Chinese descent. A previously developed “stigmatizing attitudes and behavioral restrictions” scale was adapted to measure the intersection of negative attitudes toward COVID-19 disease and negative attitudes toward persons of Chinese descent. Results COVID-19 related stigmatization declined significantly from August 2020 to May 2021. Many factors were associated with stigmatizing in both surveys: full time employment, Black race, Hispanic ethnicity, worry about contracting COVID-19, probable depression, and Fox News and social media as sources of information (all positively associated), and self-assessed knowledge about COVID-19, contact with Chinese individuals, and publicly funded news as sources (all negatively associated). Positive attitudes toward vaccination were associated with stigmatization. Conclusions COVID-19 related stigmatization reduced substantially over these two points in the pandemic, with many continuities in the factors associated with stigmatizing. Despite the reduction in stigmatizing, however, some stigmatizing attitudes for both COVID-19 and Chinese individuals remained.

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