Past HMNT Resources

Medical and Research Library News              
July 2024
Training opportunities
Websites and reports on trending topics
Journal articles of note
New books

Training opportunities
The webinars and online classes listed here are shared solely as opportunities to learn more information of interest to public health personnel. All times listed are in Central Time.

July 10, 2024; 4–5 p.m. Vaccines of Global Health Importance: What's New or on the Horizon.
Vaccines represent a significant public health achievement, saving over 154 million lives during the past 50 years. This webinar from Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI) will discuss new vaccines that have been licensed in the US or available globally in the past few years, as well as promising vaccines in phase 3 trials. Also reviewed will be a wish list for new vaccines.

July 10, 2024; 10–11 a.m. AI in Healthcare: Balancing Risk and Opportunity.
Technology is advancing at a rapid pace in what can feel like every sector of our lives, and healthcare is not exempt. AI assists in detecting, predicting, and monitoring health status, conditions, and behavior and assists in processes related to direct healthcare delivery. This presentation the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) provides practical guidance on how to start creating a system for the ethical use of AI so healthcare organizations can mitigate risks of AI and leverage it as a beneficial tool.

July 17, 2024; 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Lessons with the State of Washington on Medicaid Data and Tobacco Use.
Join the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) and public health experts for a virtual presentation on Medicaid members who use tobacco in King County, Washington and their associated utilization of care. This webinar presents opportunities for public health utilization of Medicaid data.

July 18, 2024; 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Standing Out In the Storm: Caregiving in Rare Disease.
Whoever came up with the expression “not all heroes wear capes” probably had a caregiver in mind. Caring for someone with a rare disease comes with a maelstrom of challenges, often requiring a multifaceted approach that addresses medical, emotional, and practical needs. This webinar from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) aims to provide caregivers with valuable knowledge and strategies to navigate the complexities of caregiving in the context of rare diseases, empowering them to provide effective support while maintaining their own well-being.

July 24, 2024; 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m.  Innovation in Diagnostic and Programmatic Approaches for Perinatal Syphilis.
This webinar is offered by the DSHS Office of Practice and Learning Grand Rounds program. Presenters will discuss challenges in syphilis management and introduce new research in the field of syphilis diagnostics, including the implementation of an opt-out and rapid testing strategy in the emergency room setting. Visit the Grand Rounds calendar to see information on upcoming sessions. Held monthly on the fourth Wednesday, sessions last 90 minutes with the final 20 minutes for Q&A.

Websites and reports on trending topics
CINAHL Complete – This DSHS resource provides access to the literature in nursing and allied health disciplines dating back to 1981. The full text of 600 journals can be found within, and over 5,600 journals are indexed including virtually all English language nursing journals along with selected titles in biomedicine, alternative therapies, and consumer health. Please contact the library for remote access options.

Disaster Research Response (DR2) Resources Portal – The DR2 portal is a repository of data collection tools and related resources curated by the National Institutes of Health to empower human health research in response to disasters and public health emergencies.

ECRI Guidelines Trust - This publicly available repository of objective, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines provides physicians, nurses, and other healthcare practitioners with up-to-date clinical practices to advance safe and effective patient care.

ERIC – The ERIC (Education Resources Information Center) database is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education to provide extensive access to educational-related literature. ERIC provides coverage of journal articles, conferences, meetings, government documents, theses, reports, audiovisual media, and monographs.

Journal articles of note
Ainsworth H, Johnson K. The accessibility of online mental health crisis resources in Texas public school districts. J Sch Nurs. Published online June 7, 2024. doi:10.1177/10598405241257925
Abstract
Youth mental health and access to mental health resources are ongoing concerns for many students, families, and school personnel. Schools are trusted entities with the potential to disseminate accurate information. However, little is known about how school districts utilize the opportunity to connect students to trustworthy online mental health crisis resources. The objective of this study was to determine whether school districts are using technology to connect students to mental health resources. Using a stratified random sample of Texas public school districts, we assessed the presence and accessibility of mental health resources through district websites. Only 20.3% of district websites had mental health crisis resources present. Further evaluation revealed that districts are not fully utilizing technology to promote online mental health crisis resources. School nurses can play a key role in expanding access to mental health crisis resources by developing and promoting such websites.

Lu Q, Dawkins-Moultin L, Cho D, et al. A multilevel intervention to promote HPV vaccination among young adults in Texas: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health. 2024;24(1):1506. Published 2024 Jun 5. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-18828-9
Abstract
Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, and oropharynx. The most recently approved HPV vaccine, Gardasil-9, protects against HPV infection and can prevent HPV-associated invasive cancers. However, Gardasil-9 is one of the most underused vaccines in the US today. Young adults are at risk for HPV infection, but many are not vaccinated. This study uses a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test an innovative multilevel intervention to increase HPV vaccination rates among young adults. In this paper, we describe the research protocol.

Methods: The study uses a two by three factorial design. A total of 1200 young adults in Texas, age 18-26 years, who have not been previously fully vaccinated against HPV will be randomly assigned to one of six conditions to receive: (1) standard CDC information about HPV vaccination (control); (2) video narratives about HPV vaccination; (3) written narratives about HPV vaccination; or (4-6) enhanced access to HPV vaccine combined with (4) standard CDC information, (5) video narratives, or (6) written narratives. The two primary outcomes are the rate of HPV vaccination initiation by 3-month follow-up and rate of HPV vaccination completion by 9-month follow-ups. We will determine the impact of the individual level intervention (i.e., persuasive narratives through video or written format), the systemic level intervention (i.e., enhanced access to HPV vaccines), and the combination of both levels, on HPV vaccination initiation and completion. We will also use purposive sampling to select participants to take part in semi-structured interviews/focus groups to better understand the mechanisms of the intervention.

Discussion: Recruitment and data collection began in March 2022. We expect to complete data collection by March 2026. We expect that narratives, enhanced access, and the combination of both will improve HPV vaccination initiation and completion rates among young adults. If proven successful, these individual- and system-level interventions can be easily disseminated in regions with low HPV vaccination rates to improve HPV vaccination, and ultimately decrease HPV-related cancer burden.

Magee C, Browning C, Stokes-Walters R, Maxwell L, Buendia J, Bhakta N. Supporting local public health and planning professionals to implement built environment changes: a technical assistance program to promote physical activity in Texas. Prev Chronic Dis. 2024;21:E45. Published 2024 Jun 20. doi:10.5888/pcd21.230420
Abstract
Built environment approaches that improve active transportation infrastructure and environmental design can increase physical activity. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Texas Department of State Health Services rejuvenated the Texas Plan4Health program from 2018 to 2023 to expand such approaches in Texas by providing technical assistance to teams of local public health professionals and planners to identify and implement projects connecting people to everyday destinations via active transport in their communities. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted Texas Plan4Health to modify the delivery of technical assistance to accommodate restrictions on travel and in-person gatherings. We used qualitative methods to conduct a postintervention process evaluation to describe the modified technical assistance process, understand the experiences of the 4 participating communities, and identify short-term outcomes and lessons learned. Texas Plan4Health helped communities overcome common barriers to built environment change, facilitated collaboration across community public health and planning professionals, and educated professionals about active transportation infrastructure and the relationship between their disciplines, thereby increasing community capacity to implement built environment improvements. This outcome, however, was mediated by the pre-existing resources and previous experiences with active transportation planning among the participating communities. Public health practitioners seeking to improve active transportation infrastructure and environmental design for physical activity should consider community-engaged approaches that advance partnership-building and collaborative experiential education among public health, planning, and other local government representatives, directing particular attention and additional training toward communities with fewer resources.

 

Thompson JM, Spencer K, Maass M, et al. Notes from the field: anthrax on a sheep farm in winter - Texas, December 2023-January 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(22):517-520. Published 2024 Jun 6.doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm7322a2
Summary
What is already known about this topic?
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease. In North America, cases among humans usually follow sporadic animal outbreaks during the hot, dry summer months.
What is added by this report?
An unexpected anthrax outbreak occurred during winter in a Texas county adjacent to the Anthrax Triangle, a region with enzootic anthrax. Confirmatory nonculture evidence of Bacillus anthracis infection was identified in a lamb and a symptomatic patient who prepared its meat for consumption.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Routine anthrax vaccination of animals is needed in this geographic region with known enzootic anthrax. Processing animals that die suddenly from unknown causes should be avoided, irrespective of the season.

New Books in the Library
The friction project: how smart leaders make the right things easier and the wrong things harder by Robert I. Sutton.
The plant hunter: a scientist’s quest for nature’s next medicines by Cassandra Leah Quave.
Slow productivity: the lost art of accomplishment without burnout by Cal Newport.
The struggle for public health: seven people who saved the lives of millions and transformed the way we live by Fred C. Pampel.
Understanding health policy: a clinical approach by Thomas  Bodenheimer.
Writing science in plain English by Anne E. Greene.
For a complete list of all library titles, visit the Library Online Catalog.

For more information, employees may email the Medical and Research Library at library@dshs.texas.gov to receive research assistance, learn how to access electronic materials, or to obtain the full text of articles mentioned in this month’s news.

 

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