Patrick L Remington’s research while affiliated with University of Wisconsin–Madison and other places

Background: This study aimed to assess the incidence of and risk factors for mountain bike injuries among users of a local mountain bike trail system. Methods: An email survey was sent to 1,800 member households, and 410 (23%) responded. Exact Poisson test was used to calculate rate ratios, and a generalized linear model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: The injury incidence rate was 3.6 injuries per 1,000 person-hours of riding, with beginners at a significantly higher risk compared to advanced riders (rate ratio = 2.6, 95% CI, 1.4-4.4). However, only 0.4% of beginners required medical attention, compared to 3% of advanced riders. Conclusions: More injuries occur among beginning riders, but the injuries are more severe with experienced riders, suggesting higher risk-taking or less attention to safety measures.

Introduction: Social determinants are structures and conditions in the biological, physical, built, and social environments that affect health, social and physical functioning, health risk, quality-of-life, and health outcomes. The adoption of recommended, standard measurement protocols for social determinants of health (SDoH) will advance the science of minority health and health disparities research and provide standard SDoH protocols for inclusion in all studies with human participants. Methods: A PhenX (consensus measures for Phenotypes and eXposures) Working Group (WG) of SDoH experts was convened from October 2018 to May 2020 and followed a well-established consensus process to identify and recommend SDoH measurement protocols. The PhenX Toolkit contains data collection protocols suitable for inclusion in a wide range of research studies. The recommended SDoH protocols were shared with the broader scientific community to invite review and feedback prior to being added to the Toolkit. Results: Nineteen SDoH protocols were released in the PhenX Toolkit (https://www.phenxtoolkit.org) in May 2020 to provide measures at the individual and structural levels for built and natural environments, structural racism, economic resources, employment status, occupational health and safety, education, environmental exposures, food environment, health and health care, and sociocultural community context. Conclusions: Promoting adoption of well-established SDoH protocols can enable consistent data collection and facilitate comparing and combining studies, with the potential to increase their scientific impact.

Introduction: Many in the U.S. are not up to date with cancer screening. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of interventions engaging community health workers to increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. Methods: Authors identified relevant publications from previous Community Guide systematic reviews of interventions to increase cancer screening (1966 through 2013) and from an update search (January 2014-November 2021). Studies written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals were included if they assessed interventions implemented in high-income countries; reported screening for breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer; and engaged community health workers to implement part or all of the interventions. Community health workers needed to come from or have close knowledge of the intervention community. Results: The review included 76 studies. Interventions engaging community health workers increased screening use for breast (median increase=11.5 percentage points, interquartile interval=5.5‒23.5), cervical (median increase=12.8 percentage points, interquartile interval=6.4‒21.0), and colorectal cancers (median increase=10.5 percentage points, interquartile interval=4.5‒17.5). Interventions were effective whether community health workers worked alone or as part of a team. Interventions increased cancer screening independent of race or ethnicity, income, or insurance status. Discussion: Interventions engaging community health workers are recommended by the Community Preventive Services Task Force to increase cancer screening. These interventions are typically implemented in communities where people are underserved to improve health and can enhance health equity. Further training and financial support for community health workers should be considered to increase cancer screening uptake.

Introduction: Tobacco dependence treatment is usually offered in primary care settings. Yet, if many patients who smoke do no not access primary care, cessation interventions may be missing those who most need them. This study describes Wisconsin adults' health care utilization by smoking status. Methods: Data were analyzed from 1726 individuals participating in a population-based, cross-sectional, in-person health survey of Wisconsin residents (2014-2016). Demographic characteristics were compared across smoking status using Wald chi-square tests weighted for the complex survey design. Odds ratios were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Of 1726 respondents, 15.3% reported current smoking, 25.4% former smoking, and 59.4% never smoking. Those currently smoking were more likely than former- or never-smoking respondents to report emergency departments as their "usual place to go when sick" (12% vs 3%) or report they had "no place to go when sick" (16% vs 7%). People who currently smoke also reported more emergency department visits during the past year (mean = 1.4 visits) than did others (mean = 0.4, P< 0.01). Among those currently smoking, 18% reported that they "needed health care but didn't get it" over the past year, compared to 6% of others (P< 0.01). Those currently smoking also were more likely to report a "delay in getting care" (16% vs 9%, P = 0.02) and were less likely to have had a "general health checkup" within the past year (58% vs 70%, P< 0.02). These relationships persisted in logistic regression models controlling for variables related to smoking status and health care utilization, including health insurance. Conclusions: These findings suggest that more than a quarter of Wisconsin adults who smoke do not receive primary care every year and that they delay care or seek care in emergency departments more frequently than do those who never smoked or who quit smoking. As a result, such individuals may be missing out on evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment.

Introduction: Alcohol use increases the risk for some cancers and can cause complications during treatment. The prevalence of alcohol use during chemotherapy has not been well documented in current literature. This pilot study aimed to examine self-reported alcohol use during chemotherapy among cancer survivors as a basis for future research and interventions. Methods: We surveyed Wisconsin cancer survivors (N=69) who participated in the ongoing population-based research study, Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), on alcohol use during chemotherapy. Results: Of the cancer survivors who reported receiving chemotherapy, 30.4% (N=21) reported consuming alcohol while receiving chemotherapy, and 38.1% (N=8) of those who drank reported complications. Alcohol use during chemotherapy was higher among older adults (age 65+, rate ratio [RR], 1.9; 95% CI, 0.7-4.9), men (RR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.3-5.4), former and current smokers (former: RR, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.7-3.8, current: RR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1-5.8), and those with non-alcohol-related cancers (RR, 2.0; 95% CI, 0.9-4.2.). Conclusion: Alcohol use during chemotherapy is common and may increase the risk of complications. More research is needed to better understand this problem and to design effective interventions.

Objective: Characterize college student COVID-19 behaviors and attitudes during the early pandemic. Participants: Students on two university campuses in Wisconsin. Methods: Surveys administered in September and November 2020. Results: Few students (3-19%) participated in most in-person activities during the semester, with eating at restaurants as the exception (72-80%) and attending work (35%) and parties (33%) also reported more frequently. The majority wore masks in public (94-99%), but comparatively fewer (42%) did so at parties. Mask-wearing at parties decreased from September to November (p < 0.05). Students attending parties, or consuming more alcohol, were less concerned and more likely to take COVID-19-associated risks. Conclusions: Students were motivated to adhere to COVID-19 prevention measures but gathered socially. Though there was frequent public masking, mask-wearing at parties declined in November and may represent pandemic fatigue. High-yield strategies for decreasing viral spread may include changing masking social norms and engaging with students about creative risk-reduction strategies.

Background To improve understanding of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, we examined seroprevalence, incidence of infection, and seroconversion among a cohort of young adults living on university campuses during the fall of 2020. Methods At the beginning (semester start) and end (semester end) of an 11-week period, serum collected from 107 students was tested using the qualitative Abbott Architect SARS-CoV-2 IgG and AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assays. Results were matched to interim weekly surveillance viral testing and symptom data. Results With the SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay, 15 (14.0%) students were seropositive at semester start; 29 (27.1%) students were seropositive at semester end; 10 (9.3%) were seropositive at both times. With the AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II assay, 17 (16.3%) students were seropositive at semester start, 37 (35.6%) were seropositive at semester end, and 16 (15.3%) were seropositive at both times. Overall, 23 students (21.5%) had positive viral tests during the semester. Infection was identified by serial testing in a large majority of individuals who seroconverted using both assays. Those seropositive at semester end more frequently reported symptomatic infections (56.5%) than asymptomatic infections (30.4%). Conclusion Differences between antibody targets were observed, with more declines in antibody index values below the threshold of positivity with the anti-nucleocapsid assay compared to the anti-spike assay. Serology testing, combined with serial viral testing, can detect seroconversions, and help understand the potential correlates of protection provided by antibodies to SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction Intimate partner violence and sexual violence are widespread and often occur early in life. This systematic review examines the effectiveness of interventions for primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence among youth. Methods Studies were identified from 2 previous systematic reviews and an updated search (January 2012–June 2016). Included studies were implemented among youth, conducted in high-income countries, and aimed to prevent or reduce the perpetration of intimate partner violence or sexual violence. In 2016–2017, Guide to Community Preventive Services (Community Guide) methods were used to assess effectiveness as determined by perpetration, victimization, or bystander action. When heterogeneity of outcomes prevented usual Community Guide methods, the team systematically applied criteria for favorability (statistically significant at p<0.05 or approaching significance at p<0.10) and consistency (75% of results in the same direction). Results A total of 28 studies (32 arms) met inclusion and quality of execution criteria. Interventions used combinations of teaching healthy relationship skills, promoting social norms to protect against violence, or creating protective environments. Overall, 18 of 24 study arms reported favorable results on the basis of the direction of effect for decreasing perpetration; however, favorability for bystander action diminished with longer follow-up. Interventions did not demonstrate consistent results for decreasing victimization. A bridge search conducted during Fall 2020 confirmed these results. Discussion Interventions for the primary prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual violence are effective in reducing perpetration. Increasing bystander action may require additional follow-up as effectiveness diminishes over time. Findings may inform researchers, school personnel, public health, and other decision makers about effective strategies to prevent intimate partner violence and sexual violence among youth.