The Effect of Exercise on the Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccine in Type 2 Diabetics

Obesity is a growing health problem that is affecting over one third of the adult population in the United States. Obesity increases an individual’s risk for diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is growing in a trend similar to obesity in the United States. Obesity and type 2 diabetes has been shown to be immunosuppressive and increase an individual’s susceptibility to influenza infection. Increased physical activity and exercise has been shown to decrease the risks for complications associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as increasing immune function. In the present pilot study we wanted to look at the differences in antibody response between obese non-diabetics and obese diabetics based on exercise and physical activity. To do this we collected serum from obese non-diabetics and obese diabetics pre- and post-vaccination of the influenza vaccine and used an ELISA assay to determine the response of the four subclasses Immunoglobulin G antibodies to the influenza vaccine pre- and post-vaccination of influenza vaccine. We found that vaccination for influenza resulted in a significant change in IgG1 and IgG3 serum titer. We found the amount of exercise did not result in significant changes in serum titer for any of the four IgG subclasses. Future studies should be conducted to determine defined relationship between exercise and immune response to influenza in obese and type 2 diabetics.Bachelor of Science in Public Healt

A Call to Action: Person-Centered Care Aligned with Reproductive Justice for Incarcerated Pregnant People with Substance Use Disorder

Although research has proven that jails and prisons are ineffective in preventing or reducing substance use among pregnant people, the USA continues to rely heavily on the criminal legal system as its intervention. Pregnant people with an opioid use disorder are more likely to experience incarceration than pregnant people without an opioid use disorder. In some states, pregnant people are transported from jail to prison through the process of safekeeping in order to receive physical or mental health care that the jail does not provide, despite conviction status. When pregnant and postpartum safekeepers with an opioid use disorder experience incarceration, they face barriers related to continuity of physical and behavioral health care, have limited access to maternal-infant attaching opportunities at delivery, and are at risk for an opioid-related overdose upon release. This commentary describes clinical care challenges that impact the reproductive health needs of pregnant safekeepers with an opioid use disorder and offers solution-focused innovations to reduce harm. Such solutions include uninterrupted optimal dosing of medication and integrated prenatal clinics, specialized substance use disorder treatment, and opportunities to integrate lactation programs and perinatal dyadic-focused services