Prevalence of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption and Physical Activity by Gender and Race/Ethnicity - California, 2005-2006

Diets high in fruits and vegetables and participation in regular physical activity are associated with a lower risk for several chronic diseases and conditions. The present study analyzed the combined prevalence of these two activities by race/ethnicity and gender among adults in California and among adults in California at or below 130% of the federal poverty level (FPL), using self-reported data from the 2005 and 2006 California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Findings for California were similar to findings for the nation, showing gender and racial/ethnic differences for each of these variables, singly and in combination. Also, low-income men had a significantly lower prevalence of goal-level fruit and vegetable consumption than did low-income women. Although some demographic disparities are evident among Californians, the prevalence of achievement of two key healthy lifestyle behaviors concurrently remains quite low. These results emphasize the need for promoting diets high in fruits and vegetables and regular physical activity among all Californians

Cancer Informatics for Cancer Centers (CI4CC): Building a Community Focused on Sharing Ideas and Best Practices to Improve Cancer Care and Patient Outcomes.

Cancer Informatics for Cancer Centers (CI4CC) is a grassroots, nonprofit 501c3 organization intended to provide a focused national forum for engagement of senior cancer informatics leaders, primarily aimed at academic cancer centers anywhere in the world but with a special emphasis on the 70 National Cancer Institute-funded cancer centers. Although each of the participating cancer centers is structured differently, and leaders' titles vary, we know firsthand there are similarities in both the issues we face and the solutions we achieve. As a consortium, we have initiated a dedicated listserv, an open-initiatives program, and targeted biannual face-to-face meetings. These meetings are a place to review our priorities and initiatives, providing a forum for discussion of the strategic and pragmatic issues we, as informatics leaders, individually face at our respective institutions and cancer centers. Here we provide a brief history of the CI4CC organization and meeting highlights from the latest CI4CC meeting that took place in Napa, California from October 14-16, 2019. The focus of this meeting was "intersections between informatics, data science, and population science." We conclude with a discussion on "hot topics" on the horizon for cancer informatics

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Burden in California and Southern California, 2011

This policy note represents the first time that data has been made available to describe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) prevalence, COPD health care utilization and outcomes, and characteristics of adults with COPD in the state of California, as well as the regions of Southern California and Los Angeles County. The analysis finds that COPD remains a significant health burden, affecting approximately 1.1 million or 4% of California adults. Among them, more than half live in Southern California, and nearly one-fifth of California adults with COPD reside in Los Angeles County. California's COPD profile is complex, as many Californians are under age 45, female, and have never smoked. Not all Californians with COPD are receiving appropriate care, evidenced by the finding that nearly one-third of those with diagnosed COPD were not given a breathing test (i.e. spirometry), the only approved method for diagnosing COPD. More Californians with COPD report poor overall health, poor mental health status and co-morbidities compared to those without COPD.In order to adequately and strategically reduce the negative impact of this disease, it is important to understand the characteristics and obstacles faced by those with COPD. Early and appropriate treatment and interventions to reduce the barriers to care will be influential in diminishing the social and economic impact of COPD in California

Current depression among women in California according to residence in the California-Mexico border region Depresión actual en las mujeres en California según el lugar de residencia en la región fronteriza entre California y México

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of current depression; examine the relationship between current depression and immigration, health status, health care access, and health behaviors; and assess differences by California-Mexico border region (Imperial and San Diego Counties) among women in California. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional, representative sample of adult women from the California Women's Health Survey (n = 13 454), a statewide telephone survey, prevalence of current depression and predictors of depression were examined in California and according to border region residence. Depression was assessed with the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of current depression for women in California was 12.0%. It was similar in the border (13.0%) and the nonborder (11.9%) regions. Odds of current depression in women were lower among recent immigrants (OBJETIVO: Calcular la prevalencia de la depresión actual; examinar la relación entre la depresión actual y la inmigración, el estado de salud, el acceso a la atención de la salud y las conductas relacionadas con la salud; y evaluar las diferencias en la región fronteriza entre California (condados Imperial y San Diego) y México en las mujeres. MÉTODOS: Se empleó una muestra transversal y representativa de mujeres adultas de la Encuesta de Salud de la Mujer de California (n = 13 454), una encuesta telefónica estatal, para examinar la prevalencia de depresión actual y los factores predictivos de depresión tanto en California como según el lugar de residencia en la región fronteriza. La depresión se evaluó mediante el Cuestionario de Salud del Paciente-8. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de depresión actual en las mujeres en California fue 12,0%, y fue semejante en las regiones fronteriza (13,0%) y no fronteriza (11,9%) del estado. Las probabilidades de presentar depresión actual fueron menores en las mujeres que habían inmigrado recientemente (< 5 años o de 5 a < 10 años en los Estados Unidos) que en aquellas nacidas en los Estados Unidos y en las mujeres inmigrantes que habían vivido en los Estados Unidos de 10 a < 15 años o más (P < 0,05). Las razones de posibilidades para la depresión actual y el estado de salud, el acceso a la atención de la salud y el consumo excesivo de alcohol fueron más elevadas en la región fronteriza que en otras regiones del estado. CONCLUSIONES: Se observaron prevalencias similares de depresión actual entre las mujeres que viven en la región fronteriza de California y aquellas que viven en otras regiones del estado, pero la relación entre la depresión y el estado de salud, el acceso a la atención de la salud y el consumo excesivo de alcohol varió según el lugar de residencia de la región fronteriza. Idealmente, la vigilancia futura de la depresión y sus factores predictivos a lo largo de la frontera entre México y California será llevada a cabo de manera bilateral entre los dos países a fin de comunicar las intervenciones y el seguimiento dentro de los objetivos del Programa Frontera Saludable

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Burden in California and Southern California, 2011

This policy note represents the first time that data has been made available to describe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) prevalence, COPD health care utilization and outcomes, and characteristics of adults with COPD in the state of California, as well as the regions of Southern California and Los Angeles County. The analysis finds that COPD remains a significant health burden, affecting approximately 1.1 million or 4% of California adults. Among them, more than half live in Southern California, and nearly one-fifth of California adults with COPD reside in Los Angeles County. California's COPD profile is complex, as many Californians are under age 45, female, and have never smoked. Not all Californians with COPD are receiving appropriate care, evidenced by the finding that nearly one-third of those with diagnosed COPD were not given a breathing test (i.e. spirometry), the only approved method for diagnosing COPD. More Californians with COPD report poor overall health, poor mental health status and co-morbidities compared to those without COPD.In order to adequately and strategically reduce the negative impact of this disease, it is important to understand the characteristics and obstacles faced by those with COPD. Early and appropriate treatment and interventions to reduce the barriers to care will be influential in diminishing the social and economic impact of COPD in California

Contraceptive use and risk of unintended pregnancy in California

Abstract California is home to more than one out of eight American women of reproductive age. Because California has a large, diverse and growing population, national statistics do not necessarily describe the reproductive health of California women. This article presents risk for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among women in California based on the California Women’s Health Survey. Over 8900 women of reproductive age who participated in this survey between 1998 and 2001 provide estimates of access to care and use of family-planning methods in the state. We find that 49% of the female population aged 18–44 in California is at risk of unintended pregnancy. Nine percent (9%) of women at risk of an unintended pregnancy are not using any method of contraception, primarily for method-related reasons, such as a concern about side effects or a dislike of available contraceptive methods. Among women at risk for unintended pregnancy, we find disparities by race/ethnicity and education in use of contraceptive methods

Changes in prices, sales, consumer spending, and beverage consumption one year after a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in Berkeley, California, US: A before-and-after study

<div><p>Background</p><p>Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) meant to improve health and raise revenue are being adopted, yet evaluation is scarce. This study examines the association of the first penny per ounce SSB excise tax in the United States, in Berkeley, California, with beverage prices, sales, store revenue/consumer spending, and usual beverage intake.</p><p>Methods and findings</p><p>Methods included comparison of pre-taxation (before 1 January 2015) and first-year post-taxation (1 March 2015–29 February 2016) measures of (1) beverage prices at 26 Berkeley stores; (2) point-of-sale scanner data on 15.5 million checkouts for beverage prices, sales, and store revenue for two supermarket chains covering three Berkeley and six control non-Berkeley large supermarkets in adjacent cities; and (3) a representative telephone survey (17.4% cooperation rate) of 957 adult Berkeley residents.</p><p>Key hypotheses were that (1) the tax would be passed through to the prices of taxed beverages among the chain stores in which Berkeley implemented the tax in 2015; (2) sales of taxed beverages would decline, and sales of untaxed beverages would rise, in Berkeley stores more than in comparison non-Berkeley stores; (3) consumer spending per transaction (checkout episode) would not increase in Berkeley stores; and (4) self-reported consumption of taxed beverages would decline.</p><p>Main outcomes and measures included changes in inflation-adjusted prices (cents/ounce), beverage sales (ounces), consumers’ spending measured as store revenue (inflation-adjusted dollars per transaction) in two large chains, and usual beverage intake (grams/day and kilocalories/day).</p><p>Tax pass-through (changes in the price after imposition of the tax) for SSBs varied in degree and timing by store type and beverage type. Pass-through was complete in large chain supermarkets (+1.07¢/oz, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and small chain supermarkets and chain gas stations (1.31¢/oz, <i>p</i> = 0.004), partial in pharmacies (+0.45¢/oz, <i>p</i> = 0.03), and negative in independent corner stores and independent gas stations (−0.64¢/oz, <i>p</i> = 0.004). Sales-unweighted mean price change from scanner data was +0.67¢/oz (<i>p</i> = 0.00) (sales-weighted, +0.65¢/oz, <i>p</i> = 0.003), with +1.09¢/oz (<i>p <</i> 0.001) for sodas and energy drinks, but a lower change in other categories. Post-tax year 1 scanner data SSB sales (ounces/transaction) in Berkeley stores declined 9.6% (<i>p <</i> 0.001) compared to estimates if the tax were not in place, but rose 6.9% (<i>p <</i> 0.001) for non-Berkeley stores. Sales of untaxed beverages in Berkeley stores rose by 3.5% versus 0.5% (both <i>p <</i> 0.001) for non-Berkeley stores. Overall beverage sales also rose across stores. In Berkeley, sales of water rose by 15.6% (<i>p <</i> 0.001) (exceeding the decline in SSB sales in ounces); untaxed fruit, vegetable, and tea drinks, by 4.37% (<i>p <</i> 0.001); and plain milk, by 0.63% (<i>p</i> = 0.01). Scanner data mean store revenue/consumer spending (dollars per transaction) fell 18¢ less in Berkeley (−$0.36, <i>p <</i> 0.001) than in comparison stores (−$0.54, <i>p <</i> 0.001). Baseline and post-tax Berkeley SSB sales and usual dietary intake were markedly low compared to national levels (at baseline, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey SSB intake nationally was 131 kcal/d and in Berkeley was 45 kcal/d). Reductions in self-reported mean daily SSB intake in grams (−19.8%, <i>p</i> = 0.49) and in mean per capita SSB caloric intake (−13.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.56) from baseline to post-tax were not statistically significant.</p><p>Limitations of the study include inability to establish causal links due to observational design, and the absence of health outcomes. Analysis of consumption was limited by the small effect size in relation to high standard error and Berkeley’s low baseline consumption.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>One year following implementation of the nation’s first large SSB tax, prices of SSBs increased in many, but not all, settings, SSB sales declined, and sales of untaxed beverages (especially water) and overall study beverages rose in Berkeley; overall consumer spending per transaction in the stores studied did not rise. Price increases for SSBs in two distinct data sources, their timing, and the patterns of change in taxed and untaxed beverage sales suggest that the observed changes may be attributable to the tax. Post-tax self-reported SSB intake did not change significantly compared to baseline. Significant declines in SSB sales, even in this relatively affluent community, accompanied by revenue used for prevention suggest promise for this policy. Evaluation of taxation in jurisdictions with more typical SSB consumption, with controls, is needed to assess broader dietary and potential health impacts.</p></div