Maternal Mortality: A Growing Health Inequity in America

The United States (U.S.) is known for its quest for knowledge, innovation, and advancements in all disciplines. However, it has the highest maternal mortality ratio (MMR) among developed nations. The US MMR increased from 12.7 to 17.4 per 100,000 live births between 2007 and 2018. Over 60% of these deaths are preventable, indicating room for improvement. African American or non-Hispanic Black women are disproportionately affected, at over twice the rate of their non-Hispanic White and Hispanic counterparts. The proximal (e.g., individual level) determinants have not been able to fully explain these inequities. Using the socio-ecological model and the social determinants framework, this systematic review will synthesize the literature on community and societal determinants of maternal deaths among African American women

Life at Ancient Heshbon

WHAT WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you found? is the most common question that people ask of an archeologist when he returns from an expedition. The inquirer usually recalls pictures of objects from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, or of the Royal Cemetery at Ur, or perhaps even of the Dead Sea scrolls. But if one were to look for museum objects that have intrinsic value apart from their historical context, one certainly would not choose to dig in Palestine, whose peoples throughout history have been relatively poor when compared with the inhabitants of Egypt or Mesopotamia. Furthermore, the more humid climate of Palestine helps to destroy what was once buried

A Preliminary Analysis of Self-Reported Long COVID Experience among Residents of the Central Virginia Health District, through Partnership with the Virginia Department of Health, October 5, 2023- November 20, 2023

While the public health emergency of COVID-19 has been declared over for some time, a large segment of the global population is now experiencing what health professionals have termed “Long COVID.” Long COVID is a unique condition characterized by the emergence of novel or prolonged symptoms following an acute COVID-19 infection. The Central Virginia Health District (CVHD), within the Virginia Department of Health, developed an evidence-based interview to collect data on self-reported cases of Long COVID within residents of its’ district. CVHD includes the counties of Appomattox, Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, and Lynchburg City. The aim of this research is to better understand and investigate the risk factors, demographics, symptomatology, and various other factors that characterize the Long COVID experience. Data were collected via telephone interviews from October 5, 2023, to November 20, 2023. After case interviews were conducted, descriptive analyses were performed on all the responses of study participants. Results indicate that the majority of the participants had body mass indices in the overweight or obese categories, and experienced new diagnoses of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and sleep disorders to name a few. The sample also reportedly struggled with low levels of social support. Further, the analyses demonstrate the continued effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. Data from this study show that 50% of participants had not received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine prior to developing Long COVID and 87.5% were not up to date on their vaccinations. Findings from this study highlight the importance of following current COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for the prevention of both acute COVID-19 infections and Long COVID. In summary, these results demonstrate the need for increased support across social networks, professional spheres, and community organizations in recognizing the real, devastating effects of Long COVID

A Visit to Ancient Heshbon

IF YOU SHOULD VISIT THE SITE of Andrews University\u27s archeological excavations at Tell Hesban in Jordan, you would be in distinguished company. Among the many visitors we had during the 1974 season were several members of Jordan\u27s royal family, including King Hussein\u27s cousin, Prince Raad, who actually worked with us on two occasions. Other visitors included Jordan\u27s former prime minister and elder statesman, Suleiman Nabulsi; the current Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ghalab Barakat; and such members of the diplomatic corps as U.S. Ambassador Thomas Pickering. Among the many archeologists who paid a visit was Harvard Pro- fessor George Ernest Wright, president of the American Schools of Oriental Research, an organization that has probably done more than any other to advance the cause of Biblical archeology