Browsing by Author "Parker, Erik"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Cancer‐related knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors among Hispanic/Latino residents of Indiana
    (Wiley, 2023) Espinoza-Gutarra, Manuel R.; Rawl, Susan M.; Maupome, Gerardo; O'Leary, Heather A.; Valenzuela, Robin E.; Malloy, Caeli; Golzarri-Arroyo, Lilian; Parker, Erik; Haunert, Laura; Haggstrom, David A.
    Background: Cancer is the leading cause of death for Hispanics in the USA. Screening and prevention reduce cancer morbidity and mortality. Methods: This study administered a cross‐sectional web‐based survey to self‐identified Hispanic residents in the state of Indiana to assess their cancer‐related knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as to identify what factors might be associated with cancer screening and prevention. Chi‐square and Fisher's exact test were used to compare associations and logistic regression used to develop both univariate and multivariate regression models. Results: A total of 1520 surveys were completed, median age of respondents was 53, 52% identified as men, 50.9% completed the survey in Spanish, and 60.4% identified the USA as their country of birth. Most were not able to accurately identify ages to begin screening for breast, colorectal, or lung cancer, and there were significant differences in cancer knowledge by education level. US‐born individuals with higher income and education more often believed they were likely to develop cancer and worry about getting cancer. Sixty eight percent of respondents were up‐to‐date with colorectal, 44% with breast, and 61% with cervical cancer screening. Multivariate models showed that higher education, lack of fatalism, older age, lower household income, and unmarried status were associated with cervical cancer screening adherence. Conclusions: Among a Hispanic population in the state of Indiana, factors associated with cervical cancer screening adherence were similar to the general population, with the exceptions of income and marital status. Younger Hispanic individuals were more likely to be adherent with breast and colorectal cancer screening, and given the higher incidence of cancer among older individuals, these results should guide future research and targeted outreach.
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    Factors Associated with Cancer Prevention/Risk Reduction Behaviors among Latinos in Indiana
    (Research Square, 2022-08-06) Rawl, Susan M.; Maupome, Gerardo; Golzarri-Arroyo, Lillian; Parker, Erik; O’Leary, Heather A.; Espinoza-Gutarra, Manuel R.; Valenzuela, Robin E.; Malloy, Caeli; Haunert, Laura; Haggstrom, David A.
    Purpose: Improving understanding of behaviors that increase or reduce cancer risk for different Hispanic groups is a public health priority; such knowledge is sparse in new gateway immigration locations such as Indiana. The aims of this study were to: 1) describe cancer beliefs and cancer preventive/risk reduction behaviors (physical activity, tobacco, and alcohol use) among Hispanic adults; 2) examine differences in cancer beliefs and preventive behaviors by country of birth, socioeconomic status, and area of residence (urban vs. rural); and 3) determine predictors of engagement in cancer prevention and risk reduction behaviors in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey targeted adult Indiana residents who identified as Latino, Hispanic, or Spanish recruited using Facebook-targeted advertising. Complete survey data from 1520 respondents were analyzed using descriptive, unadjusted, and adjusted models. Results: The majority of respondents believed they were unlikely to get cancer but held many other fatalistic beliefs about cancer. Only 35.6% of respondents had received the HPV vaccine, 37.6% reported they were currently smoking cigarettes, and 64% reported occasional or frequent drinking of alcohol. Respondents spent an average of 3.55 days per week engaged in moderate exercise. Differences were observed by country of birth, income, and education but not by rural residence status. Predictors of cancer risk/risk reduction behaviors were identified. Conclusion: The Hispanic population in Indiana is diverse and effective interventions for cancer prevention should be culturally targeted based on country of birth and individually tailored based on cancer-related beliefs.
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    Sensitivity of Mouse Lung Nuclear Receptors to Electronic Cigarette Aerosols and Influence of Sex Differences: A Pilot Study
    (MDPI, 2024-06-20) Sharma, Shikha; Rousselle, Dustin; Parker, Erik; Damilola Ekpruke, Carolyn; Alford, Rachel; Babayev, Maksat; Commodore, Sarah; Silveyra, Patricia; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The emerging concern about chemicals in electronic cigarettes, even those without nicotine, demands the development of advanced criteria for their exposure and risk assessment. This study aims to highlight the sensitivity of lung nuclear receptors (NRs) to electronic cigarette e-liquids, independent of nicotine presence, and the influence of the sex variable on these effects. Adult male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed to electronic cigarettes with 0%, 3%, and 6% nicotine daily (70 mL, 3.3 s, 1 puff per min/30 min) for 14 days, using the inExpose full body chamber (SCIREQ). Following exposure, lung tissues were harvested, and RNA extracted. The expression of 84 NRs was determined using the RT2 profiler mRNA array (Qiagen). Results exhibit a high sensitivity to e-liquid exposure irrespective of the presence of nicotine, with differential expression of NRs, including one (females) and twenty-four (males) in 0% nicotine groups compared to non-exposed control mice. However, nicotine-dependent results were also significant with seven NRs (females), fifty-three NRs (males) in 3% and twenty-three NRs (female) twenty-nine NRs (male) in 6% nicotine groups, compared to 0% nicotine mice. Sex-specific changes were significant, but sex-related differences were not observed. The study provides a strong rationale for further investigation.
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    Thirdhand vaping exposures are associated with pulmonary and systemic inflammation in a mouse model
    (OAE, 2023) Commodore, Sarah; Sharma, Shikha; Ekpruke, Carolyn Damilola; Pepin, Robert; Hansen, Angela M.; Rousselle, Dustin; Babayev, Maksat; Ndeke, Jonas M.; Alford, Rachel; Parker, Erik; Dickinson, Stephanie; Sharma, Sunita; Silveyra, Patricia; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Thirdhand smoke (THS) is the accumulation of secondhand smoke on surfaces that ages with time. THS exposure is a potential health threat to children, partners of smokers, and workers in environments with current or past smoking, and needs further investigation. In this study, we hypothesized that thirdhand Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) exposures elicit lung and systemic inflammation due to resuspended particulate matter (PM) and inorganic compounds that remain after active vaping has ceased. To test our hypothesis, we exposed C57BL/6J mice to cotton towels contaminated with ENDS aerosols from unflavored vape fluid (6 mg nicotine in 50/50 propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin) for 1h/day, five days/week, for three weeks. We assessed protein levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using a multiplex protein assay. The mean ± sd for PM10 and PM2.5 measurements in exposed mouse cages were 8.3 ± 14.0 and 4.6 ± 7.5 μg/m3, compared to 6.1 ± 11.2 and 3.7 ± 6.6 μg/m3 in control cages respectively. Two compounds, 4-methyl-1, 2-dioxolane and 4-methyl-cyclohexanol, were detected in vape fluid and on ENDS-contaminated towels, but not on control towels. Mice exposed to ENDS-contaminated towels had lower levels of serum Il-7 (P = 0.022, n = 7), and higher levels of Il-13 in the BALF (P = 0.006, n = 7) than those exposed to control towels (n = 6). After adjusting for sex and age, Il-7 and Il-13 levels were still associated with thirdhand vaping exposure (P = 0.010 and P = 0.017, respectively). This study provides further evidence that thirdhand ENDS aerosols can contaminate surfaces, and subsequently influence lung and systemic health upon exposure.