Public health misinformation (PHMIS) spreads through an increasingly fragmented health information environment. There is a dearth of comprehensive and national studies that jointly examine exposure to PHMIS, health information sources, and health status among U.S. adults. A cross-sectional, web-based survey of U.S. adults aged 18 and older was conducted using online panels for a stratified random sample (n = 1037 participated from 47 states and DC). Measures included sociodemographic characteristics, health status, healthcare utilization, health information sources, and perceptions of PHMIS. The primary outcome was self- or family-reported negative impact from PHMIS. More than a fourth (27
Despite substantial advances in HIV prevention and treatment, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remain an increasing public health concern among young people, while stigma toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) continues to represent a major psychosocial barrier. This study examined whether knowledge about HIV and other STIs, compared with self-reported exposure to sexual health education, was associated with stigma toward PLHIV among Spanish university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 728 university students from several Spanish universities. Participants completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire assessing sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to sexual health education, knowledge of HIV and other STIs, and stigma toward PLHIV. Descriptive analyses, correlation analyses, nonparametric group comparisons, and hierarchical linear regression models were performed. A Poisson regression model was also estimated as a sensitivity analysis. Participants demonstrated good knowledge of the main routes of HIV transmission but showed substantial gaps regarding the HIV window period and several aspects of STI transmission and treatment. Although stigma was generally low in everyday social interactions, it remained high in situations involving intimacy and close physical contact. Knowledge of HIV and other STIs was moderately and negatively associated with stigma (r = − .46, p < .001). Students exposed to sexual health education demonstrated higher levels of knowledge but did not differ in stigma from those who had not received such education. In the hierarchical regression analyses, knowledge emerged as the strongest predictor of stigma, explaining an additional 14.5
Speeding is a contributing factor in traffic crashes resulting in serious injury or death. Road design, speeding-enforcement, and social norms influence driver behaviors. Using data from the 2021 New York City (NYC) Community Health Survey, a population-based survey of adults, we examined bivariate associations between self-reported speeding, social cohesion, economic stressors, resiliency, and driving frequency among drivers (n = 2,194; weighted N = 2,883,000). We used multinomial logistic regression to compute adjusted prevalence ratios (adjPR) of never, rarely, and often or sometimes speeding. Speeding was common among NYC adult drivers, with 29
Little is known about heated tobacco product (HTP; e.g., IQOS) use among young adults following IQOS reentry to the US market, initially centered in Austin, Texas. We examined HTP awareness and use among Texas college students during renewed market activity. Repeated cross-sectional surveys included 17,750 participants (18–29y) attending 19 Texas colleges in 2025 and 2026. Mixed-effects logistic regression models examined changes in HTP awareness and use by survey year, campus location (Austin vs. non-Austin), and demographic, tobacco use, and cessation correlates. Overall, 14.8
Despite the availability of free HPV vaccinations in Poland for children aged 9–18, the vaccination rates remain low. The study aimed to assess HPV vaccination coverage among Polish and Ukrainian children attending primary schools, as well as parental factors influencing children’s vaccination. The cross-sectional study was conducted (December 2024-March 2025) among parents of children aged 9–15 years enrolled in 5 primary schools in Zielona Gora, Poland. Respondents filled out a voluntary, anonymous questionnaire. Variables significantly related to the outcome were analyzed using logistic regression models. 152 parents participated (mean age 39.6 ± 6.0; 85.5
