Michael G Vaughn

• Ph.D.
• Managing Director at Saint Louis University

This study distinguishes clinically and theoretically meaningful subgroups of people experiencing homelessness based on their endorsement of personality difficulties, using nationally representative data of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population of the United States, inclusive of those reporting past-year homelessness (N = 704). A bias-adjus...

Background Since 2015, ~ 8 million Venezuelans have fled what was once Latin America’s most prosperous nation, with many relocating to nearby Colombia and others migrating to the United States (U.S.). Emerging research suggests that migration-related cultural stress is a challenge for Venezuelans and is related to an increased risk of mental health...

Background The 21st century has seen a decline in employment rates in the US at the same time that it has experienced a historically unprecedented rise in the numbers of adults under criminal justice system control. Both low employment and high incarceration have posed serious challenges for public health. Methods Using data from the National Surv...

Background: Although healthy lifestyle has been linked with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the potential metabolic mechanism underlying this association remains unknown. Methods: We included 161,018 CVD-free participants from the UK Biobank. Elastic net regression was utilized to generate a healthy lifestyle-related metabolic...

BACKGROUND Since 2015, ~ 8 million Venezuelans have fled what was once Latin America’s most prosperous nation, with many relocating to nearby Colombia and others migrating to the United States (U.S.). Emerging research suggests that migration-related cultural stress is a challenge for Venezuelans and is related to an increased risk of mental health...

Background: Unhoused young adults aged 18–24 years are at increased risk of substance misuse relative to the general population and experience unique barriers to engaging in treatment. This study evaluates predictors of treatment completion for unhoused young adults receiving substance use treatment. Methods: Predictive models were generated on dat...

As climate change continues to displace greater numbers of people, transnational ties are important sources of social protection for climate migrants. Migrants assemble unique configurations of formal and informal social protections depending on the resources available within their sending and receiving communities. However, the specific constellat...

Objective To examine the effects of fish oil supplements on the clinical course of cardiovascular disease, from a healthy state to atrial fibrillation, major adverse cardiovascular events, and subsequently death. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting UK Biobank study, 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010, with follow-up to 31 March 2021 (median...

Purpose To examine the effects of fresh fruit, dried fruit, raw vegetables, and cooked vegetables on type 2 diabetes (T2D) progression trajectory. Methods We included 429,886 participants in the UK Biobank who were free of diabetes and diabetes complications at baseline. Food groups were determined using a validated food frequency questionnaire. O...

Some studies suggest an association between iron overload and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, the relationship between dietary iron intake and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains uncertain, as does the role of genetic loci on this association. The study involved 179,565 participants from UK Biobank, tracking incident atrial fibrillation (AF)...

Recent evidence suggests that the built environment around residence is linked to the risk of obesity among children and adolescents. However, most previous studies focus on the linear relationships between the built environment around home and the risk of obesity among adults, failing to explore potential non-linear relationships among children an...

The authors aimed to investigate the association between outdoor light at night (LAN) intensity and blood pressure. The study included 13 507 participants aged 45 and above from the 2011–2012 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study baseline survey. Blood pressure measurements were obtained by averaging the last two readings recorded (three m...

Background: Estrogens play a critical role in parturition, and poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which have estrogenic effects, have been associated with preterm birth. However, the impact of estrogens on the association between PFAS and preterm birth is unknown. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate if estrogens mod...

Objectives Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) are at high risk for violent victimization. This study leverages unique data from a national study in the United States of America to provide estimates of non-fatal firearm injury among PEH and to describe the contexts related to injury, such as substance use, intent of the injury, and precipitatin...

Background The purpose of this study was to explore the association of sleep patterns with the development of first cardiovascular diseases (FCVD), progression to cardiovascular multimorbidity (CVM), and subsequently to mortality. Methods and Results This prospective study included 381 179 participants without coronary heart disease, stroke, atria...

Background: As state legislatures work to reduce prison populations and increase the use of community-based alternatives, limited knowledge exists about the service needs of those under criminal justice supervision in the community. Preliminary research indicates unusually high rates of disease, disability, and death. Health risks for this populat...

Objectives We aimed to investigate the associations between air pollutants and the risk of admission and multiple readmission events for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods A total of 285 009 participants free of CVD at baseline from the UK Biobank were included in this analysis. Four major cardiovascular admission events were identified during...

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a paramount contemporary health challenge. This study examined age-specific effects of 14 risk factors on CVD and mortality in different age groups. Methods We analyzed data from 226,759 CVD-free participants aged 40 years and older in the UK Biobank during the period from baseline time (2006–2010) t...

Few studies have explored the incidence and general trends in knife-related victimizations in the United States (US), especially in settings where preventive interventions can potentially be initiated such as emergency departments (EDs). The goal of the present investigation was to provide an empirical portrait of the psychosocial and behavioral he...

Objective: Driving under the influence (DUI) of psychoactive substances is an important public health and criminal justice issue, impacting the lives of millions of Americans. Although recent research provides up-to-date information regarding DUI among adults, there is a pressing need for research that focuses specifically on younger/underage driv...

Strain and low self-control theory are two prominent theories of crime. However, there has been little research comparing the two perspectives to examine their relationship to self-reported delinquency among institutionalized juveniles. We begin to address this gap in the literature by assessing the impacts of economic strain, negative emotions, an...

Although personality disorders (PDs) are more common among persons experiencing homelessness than the general population, few studies have investigated the risk of experiencing homelessness among persons with PDs. This study seeks to identify the demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral health correlates of past-year homelessness among persons wi...

Introduction: Minority stress theory suggests that sexual minorities would be, on average, less likely than heterosexual individuals to seek out substance use treatment (due to concerns of stigma and rejection). However, prior research on the subject is mixed, and largely dated. In light of historic increases in societal acceptance and legal prote...

Objective: We examine the interplay of acculturation orientation, cultural stress, and hurricane trauma exposure with behavioral health among Puerto Rican crisis migrants who relocated to the US mainland after Hurricane Maria. Method: Participants were 319 adult (Mage = 39 years; 71% female; 90% arriving in 2017-2018) Hurricane Maria survivors s...

Background Understanding the effects of risk factor burden and genetic predisposition on the long-term risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) is important to improve public health initiatives. However, the 10-year risk of AF considering risk factor burden and genetic predisposition is unknown. Methods A total of 348,904 genetically unrelated participant...

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence suggests associations between ambient air pollution and cardiovascular disease (CVD), while circadian rhythm dysregulation, presented by circadian syndrome (CircS), is emerging as a new proxy to cardiovascular disorder that could provide a bridge between them. The present study aims to clarify the effect of hig...

Objectives The relationship between prenatal physical activity (PA) and adverse birth outcomes is still inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the association between PA during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes by using data from the Guangxi Zhuang birth cohort (GZBC) in China. Study Design A total of 11,292 mother-infant pairs were included fro...

Background and objectives Studies on the effects of airborne particulates of diameter ≤ 1 µm (PM1), airborne particulates of diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5) and airborne particulates of diameter ranges from 1 to 2.5 µm (PM1–2.5) on incidence of hyperuricemia are limited. We aimed to investigate the associations between PM1, PM2.5, and PM1–2.5 and hyperur...

Background: Depression has caused enormous health burden to human worldwide. Glycemia has been found as one important risk factor of depression. However, the biological mechanism underlying this relationship remained largely unknown. Methods: This analysis was derived from a cohort of 33,151 participants in the UK Biobank who provided brain magneti...

A notable proportion of criminal legal system (CLS)-involved combat veterans have a history of homelessness. However, knowledge regarding the relationship between homelessness and CLS involvement among combat veterans is largely based on descriptive studies, and potential mechanisms linking homelessness to CLS involvement are largely unknown. Using...

Research indicates that youth’s educational expectations – or their plans for future educational attainment – are shaped by their experiences with adversity across the early life course, and are often preceded by school disengagement (e.g., cognitive and emotional detachment from school). The present study employs data from the United Kingdom to ex...

Psychopathy is an important forensic mental health construct. Despite this importance, the research base of psychopathy among individuals convicted of capital murder is limited. Archival data were collected from a sample of 636 persons convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in the State of California. Psychopathy was assessed using the...

Background sarcopenia is a disease that involves the degeneration of muscle strength, muscle mass and physical performance. It remains unknown whether air pollution exposure increases the risk of sarcopenia. Methods the baseline survey of the UK Biobank was used in this study. Sarcopenia was identified according to European Working Group on Sarcop...

The aim of this study was to examine the associations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and physical activity (PA) with age-related cataract and its subtypes, and to explore potential interactions between PM2.5 and PA. A total of 291,627 participants enrolled in the UK Biobank cohort during 2006–2010 was included. The annual mean concentration of...

Introduction People who experience human trafficking (HT) visit emergency departments (ED). The International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) introduced codes to document HT in June 2018. The aim of this study is to identify characteristics of ED patients who experienced forced labor or sexual exploitation as a documen...

Background Though the association between air pollution and incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) has been well documented, evidence on the association with development of subsequent diabetes complications and post-diabetes mortality is scarce. We investigate whether air pollution is associated with different progressions and outcomes of T2D. Methods Bas...

Drug injection represents a major health problem in the US, with severe health consequences including the transmission of blood-borne infections. An examination of the most recent trends in drug injection is warranted by the fast-evolving drug epidemic and recent policy changes such as the federal funding ban on needle exchange programs. This resea...

Objective: This report aims to identify US mutual help group (MHG) participants' psycho-socio-behavioral profiles. Method: We used data from the 2015-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the sample included 1022 adults with past-year substance use disorders (SUD). We conducted a latent class analysis to identify subgroups of MHG particip...

PurposeMost research on driving under the influence (DUI) has relied upon variable-centered methods that examine predictors/correlates of DUI. In the present study, we utilize a person-level approach—latent class analysis (LCA)—to model a typology of individuals reporting DUI. This allows us to understand the degree to which individuals drive under...

Background A national and comprehensive evaluation is lacking on the relationship between short-term exposure to submicron particulate matter (PM1) pollution and asthma mortality. Methods Data was obtained from 29,553 asthma deaths from the China National Mortality Surveillance System from 2015 to 2020. We used a bilinear interpolation approach to...

Background Evidence supporting the adverse effects of air pollution and the benefits of physical activity (PA) on heart failure (HF) has continued to grow. However, their joint effects remain largely unknown. Methods Our investigation included a total of 321,672 participants free of HF at baseline from the UK Biobank. Participants were followed up...

Objective Simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use exposes college students to a myriad of adverse consequences. However, there is no recent nationally representative study on SAM use among college students in the United States (US). To provide an update to the literature, the present study aimed to examine the trends, prevalence, and correlate...

Background Studies on the obesogenic effect of air pollution on children have been mixed and sparse. Moreover, due to insufficient air monitoring, few studies have investigated the role of more tiny but unregulated particles (ambient particles with a diameter of 0.1 μm or less, ultrafine particles). Objective We sought to explore the associations...

Indian Americans now constitute the nation's second largest foreign-born population group in the United States (U.S.). Concerning Indian American youth, there is a paucity of information about their experiences in the U.S., particularly with respect to cultural stress and model minority stress, and whether these stressors have an impact on their me...

Purpose: Homicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents in the United States, yet criminological research on homicidal ideation is limited. The present study examines the role of social determinants of health (SDoH) and fledgling psychopathy among children and adolescent with emergency department diagnoses of homicidal ideations. Methods: A...

Background: Correctional workers are at high risk for exposure to trauma, both as direct violence and as threats to their safety and well-being. The distress associated with these critical incidents (CIs) affects mental and physical health. Current tools are limited for detecting CIs in this workforce and are therefore insufficient for addressing...

Background Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution has been associated with mortality from various diseases, however, its association with under-five mortality rate (U5MR) has remained largely unknown. Methods Based on the U5MR data across 2851 counties in Mainland China from 1999 to 2012, we employed approximate Bayesian latent Gaussian...

We aimed to estimate the spatiotemporal trends in the global burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attributable to both household air pollution from solid fuels (HAP) and ambient particulate matter (APM) from 1990 to 2019 and compared the possible differences between the burdens attributable to APM and HAP. The number of deaths, di...

Background Several million Americans use illicit stimulants every month and national data suggest stimulant use is increasing. However, little evidence exists that examines the prevalence and correlates of driving under the influence of stimulants (DUIS). The present study aimed to provide new evidence on the prevalence of DUIS in the U.S. adult po...

Although several recent studies have examined psychosocial and demographic correlates of cannabis use disorder (CUD) in adults, few, if any, recent studies have evaluated the performance of machine learning methods relative to standard logistic regression for identifying correlates of CUD. The present study used pooled data from the 2015–2018 Natio...

Little is known-especially with regard to gender differences-about the prescription trends among justice-involved individuals with health conditions after release from correctional facilities. This article presents initial findings from a large outreach program designed to provide prescription support during the turbulent prison-to-community transi...

PurposePrior research examining alcohol use using national data has often overlooked vital heterogeneity among Hispanics, especially that related to language dominance and gender. We examine the prevalence of alcohol abstinence and—given prior research suggesting that many Spanish dominant Hispanics do not drink—examine rates of binge drinking amon...

Purpose This study examined whether socioeconomic inequalities account for Black/White disparities in: (a) the prevalence of potential risk factors for overdose among adults using cocaine; and (b) national mortality rates for cocaine-involved overdose. Methods Data from 2162 Non-Hispanic (NH) Black or White adults (26 +) who reported past-year coc...

Background Recent research attention has been paid to anthropogenic heat emissions (AE), temperature increase generated by human activity such as lighting, transportation, manufacturing, construction, and building climate controls. However, there is no epidemiological data available to investigate the association between anthropogenic heat emission...

Background We investigated the associations between residential green space and blue space (water) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) incidence, which have rarely been examined. Methods We performed a longitudinal analysis using data of the UK Biobank study, a large prospective cohort. Incident cases of IBD were ascertained through linkage to he...

Despite the adverse effects of substance use on health among individuals with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD), little is known about trends and correlates for substance use among individuals with CVD. We examined trends of use in tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis among US adults with heart disease. Using nationally representative data from th...

Purpose Previous studies have examined externalizing behaviors among African American youth using variable-centered approaches that study aggression and delinquency separately. However, aggression and delinquency often operate together in shaping adolescent behavior. For this reason, person-centered approaches are essential for identifying subgroup...

This chapter considers the relationship between psychopathy and drug-related violence with special attention to asymmetry in drug-related crime and overlap with psychopathic features. We review research on the nature of drug abuse and examine how aggression and violence stemming from this use may be enhanced by specific psychopathic features. The p...

Background Ambient sulfur dioxide (SO2) has been associated with morbidity and mortality of respiratory diseases, however, its effect on length of hospital stays (LOS) and cost for these diagnoses remain unclear. Methods We collected hospital admission information for respiratory diseases from all 11 cities in the Shanxi Province of China during 2...

Although many youths violate norms and break laws, substantially fewer engage in more serious transgressions that lead to processing and sanction by juvenile courts. In this chapter, we review the psychopathology (including substance use disorders) of youth who encounter the juvenile justice system and spend time in residential placement. In additi...

Background: We investigated the associations between residential green space and blue space (water) and in-flammatory bowel disease (IBD) incidence, which have rarely been examined. Methods: We performed a longitudinal analysis using data of the UK Biobank study, a large prospective cohort. Incident cases of IBD were ascertained through linkage to...

Background Understanding the temporal trend of the disease burden of stroke and its attributable risk factors in China, especially at provincial levels, is important for effective prevention strategies and improvement. The aim of this analysis from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) is to investigate the disease b...

Background Mutual-help groups (MHGs) are an integral component of the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system in the U.S., and growing evidence suggests that they are effective and cost-effective for SUD-related problems. However, not much is known about the MHG participation patterns in the U.S. Methods Using the 2002-2018 National Survey o...

Background Evidence concerning the effects of different chemical components of PM2.5 on asthma is limited, and the methodology to compare the relative importance of different PM2.5 components is lacking. Objectives To examine the associations between PM2.5 components and asthma, and investigate which constituent of PM2.5 possessed the most harmful...

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a common toxic mycotoxin and is detectable in pregnant women. Animal studies have revealed that AFB1 caused the lysis of erythrocytes and a decrease in hemoglobin. We conducted a prospective cohort study in Guangxi, China, in order to evaluate the association between AFB1 exposure and anemia in pregnant women during the entir...

Objective: To evaluate the associations between childhood, parental, and grandparental asthma. Methods: We studied 59,484 children randomly selected from 94 kindergartens, elementary, and middle schools in seven Chinese cities from 2012 to 2013, using a cross-sectional survey-based study design. Information on their and their family members' (paren...

The current study examines whether the link between low self-control and perceptions of procedural justice among urban-born youth is contingent on acts of officer intrusiveness. Data come from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and are restricted to youth reporting lifetime police stops at Year 15 (N = 918). Findings reveal that the ass...

We identify subtypes of Venezuelan youth based on patterns of technology-based communication with friends in their receiving (US) and sending (Venezuela) countries and, in turn, examine the behavioral health characteristics among different “subtypes” of youth. Using data from 402 recently-arrived Venezuelan immigrant youth (ages 10–17), latent prof...

Background Roughly one in ten American adults have used hallucinogens, and emerging evidence suggests that the prevalence of use is increasing. However, our understanding of the degree to which individuals “specialize” in the use of a particular hallucinogen or are poly-hallucinogen users remains incomplete. Methods This study examined data from 6...

Mothers who had a nonmarital birth experience multiple risk factors for depression, including housing instability. Yet, important questions remain about the extent of long-term housing instability and its association with future depression among at-risk mothers. Using the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study data, we examine cumulative housin...

The purpose of the current study is to examine associations between parental incarceration and children’s living arrangements in the United States. Data from the 2016–2018 National Survey of Children’s Health are utilized in the present study (N = 102,341). Difference-of-means t-tests and multinomial logistic regression were employed to analyze the...

Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to ambient ozone (O3) could have adverse effects on children’s respiratory health. However, previous studies mainly focused on asthma and wheezing. Evidence for allergic rhinitis and bronchitic symptoms (e.g., persistent cough and phlegm) associated with O3 is limited, and results from existing studi...

Binge drinking among young adults (18-25) has been recognized as a public health concern. Considerable variation among drinking behaviors have been found among this group. Several statistical methods are available to identify theoretically and empirically meaningful correlates of binge drinking. The present study evaluated three methods for identif...

Youth–police encounters are common in the United States, with potentially serious mental health ramifications requiring social supports to cope. Still, no research has examined youth disclosure of these experiences to others. Using a national sample of youth stopped by police (N = 918; 56.09% Black, 20.48% Hispanic), we find that more than two‐thir...

Background Hallucinogen use is rising in the US, yet little is known regarding the prevalence and psychosocial/behavioral correlates of driving under the influence of these drugs. Methods This study examined data from 4,447 individuals ages 16-64 who reported past-year hallucinogen use in the 2016-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Preva...

Background and purpose: Asian Americans (AAs) are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. There is a paucity of research on alcohol-related problems among AAs. However, alcohol use and misuse are a growing concern within this population and are associated with adverse health and mental health consequences. Methods: Using data from...

Background Compared with mortality and hospital admission, emergency ambulance calls (EACs) could be a more accurate outcome indicator to reflect the health effects of short-term air pollution exposure. However, such studies have been scarce, especially on a multicity scale in China. Methods We estimated the associations of different diameter part...

Purpose The present study aimed to examine the substance use prevention education involvement in different social settings among adolescents receiving public assistance—cash or food voucher—for low household income (heretofore, “PA program enrollees”) and preventive effects of each prevention educational setting on current substance use. Methods U...

Objectives: Millions of Venezuelans have left their country in search of safety and stability in the United States (U.S.) and Colombia, two countries where recent increases in anti-immigrant rhetoric and sentiment have occurred. The Perceived Negative Context of Reception Scale captures the degree to which immigrants report feeling that people from...

Background Recent years have witnessed an increased interest in LSD. This study investigates current information on the trends and correlates of LSD use from years 2002–2018 and seeks to develop an initial typology of use and misuse. Methods Data is taken from the NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) collected between 2002 and 2018 and t...

Background There was lack of data on the burdens and trends of upper and lower respiratory infections (URIs and LRIs) over the past three decades in China. Methods We estimated the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to upper and lower respiratory infections (URIs and LRIs) and attributable risk factors in China by...

Background: Chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acids (Cl-PFESAs), a group of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) alternatives, can be widely observed in humans and environmental matrices. However, associations between exposure to Cl-PFESAs and serum lipid levels in adults are unknown. Objective: To explore the relationships between Cl-PFESA...

Although research has established the disproportionate health burdens among incarcerated persons, the literature has yet to identify a theoretical framework for outlining the harms of incarceration associated with pandemics. We advance the literature theoretically by arguing two points. First, we assert that incarceration is a potent structural dri...

Purpose This study aimed to investigate racial/ethnic disparities in emotional distress during witnessed police stops among a national sample of urban-born youth. Methods A national sample of urban-born youth in the U.S. from the most recent wave (2014–2017) of the Fragile Families & Child Wellbeing Study was used in the present study, with a part...

Purpose This population-based study explored the associations between childhood adversity and admission to emergency departments (EDs) with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and with a suicide attempt. Methods A nationally representative cross-sectional sample of 5-17-year-olds admitted to EDs (N = 143,113,677) from 2006-2015 was utilized to assess...