Fall 2025
Unlocking Public Health
By Shelby Crosier
Quick summaries of impactful Rollins research
Paying for Home Care Out-of-Pocket Is Common and Costly Across the Income Spectrum Among Older Adults
Journal | Health Affairs Scholar
The Big Message | Hundreds of thousands of older adults with personal care needs in the U.S. rely on paid caregivers to support them in their homes. Older adults who do not have insurance often pay out of pocket for this type of care. This study found that 45% of older adults who pay out of pocket for home care have dementia, and
51% of that group spends over $1,000 a month on care. More than half of individuals paying out of pocket have incomes below 200% of the federal poverty line. Policy changes, such as expanding access to Medicaid services or expanding Medicare to cover home care, could protect low-income groups from financial risk.
Rollins Author | Regina Shih, PhD
What is Effective Communication in Breastfeeding Care? Perspectives from Latina Women
Journal | PLOS One
The Big Message | Effective communication about breastfeeding could help more Hispanic and Latina women (who typically have lower breastfeeding rates in the U.S.) breastfeed exclusively for longer. Researchers interviewed low-income Hispanic and Latina women who had breastfed about their experiences receiving breastfeeding information from providers during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum. Effective communication led women to have more trust in their providers and feel more positive about their care. This meant having open conversations that let participants share their knowledge and goals and allowed providers to give tailored information.
Rollins Author | Elizabeth Rhodes, PhD
Suspected Mpox Symptoms and Testing in Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States: Cross-Sectional Study
Journal | JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
The Big Message | Researchers conducted a survey to learn about mpox testing among men who have sex with men in the U.S. All survey participants who reported getting tested for mpox were also accessing HIV treatment or Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Those who weren’t receiving HIV treatment or PrEP did not get tested, even when symptomatic. Participants who did not get tested cited not knowing where to get tested or having trouble getting an appointment as barriers. These obstacles are an issue especially for people in rural areas, Black and Hispanic or Latino populations, and those living with HIV.
Rollins Authors | Travis Sanchez, DVM; Marissa Hannah; Patrick Sullivan, PhD
Surveillance Via Wastewater Monitoring and Nasal Self-Collection of Specimens (The SWANSS Study): A CFIR-Informed Qualitative Study with Key Carceral and Healthcare Stakeholders
Journal | BMC Public Health
The Big Message | Researchers conducted individual and small group interviews with staff at Fulton County Jail to learn about their experience using wastewater-based surveillance and nasal self-testing to monitor COVID-19. Nasal self-testing was challenging to implement in the jail setting, but participants said that its low cost and the convenience of self-administration were advantageous. Participants saw potential value in wastewater surveillance, but they were uncertain about its long-term feasibility and how it could be altered to fit the specific infrastructure and operations of their facility.
Rollins Authors | Kyler Moore; Emily Ogutu; Shanika Kennedy; Victoria Brown; Matthew Freeman, PhD; Victoria Phillips, DPhil; Anne Spaulding, MD
Neighborhood-Level Income and MRSA Infection Risk in the USA: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Journal | BMC Public Health
The Big Message | Social factors like socioeconomic status, race, and living conditions are related to an individual’s risk of acquiring methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a common and often deadly infection. A team of researchers performed an analysis of previous studies to see if neighborhood-level income—which can have a large impact on health care access—health behaviors, and living conditions affect MRSA risk. The analysis supported an association between lower neighborhood income and higher MRSA risk. However, the small number of studies they included and the differences in their measures of neighborhood income and MRSA prevalence mean that further research is needed to explore this association.
Rollins Author | Maya Nadimpalli, PhD
The Association Between Alcohol Intake and Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Older Adults: The ARIC Cohort
Journal | PLOS One
The Big Message | A Rollins team investigated the association between alcohol intake and incident atrial fibrillation (the most common kind of irregular heartbeat) in older adults using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort. Both current and former drinkers had similar atrial fibrillation risk compared to non-drinkers. There was also no difference in atrial fibrillation risk based on alcohol consumption level or years without drinking. Most existing studies on alcohol and atrial fibrillation focus on younger populations, leaving a gap in understanding for older adults, meaning more research is needed in this area.
Rollins Authors | Louis Li; Linzi Li; Álvaro Alonso, MD
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Telemental Health Use Among Publicly Insured Children
Journal | The American Journal of Managed Care
The Big Message | By necessity, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the number of people using telehealth for medical care, including mental health services. Rollins researchers used national data on telemental health usage to measure the differences in children’s telemental health service usage before and after the pandemic. There was a 12-fold increase in telemental health services for publicly insured children after the pandemic began, but existing gaps in usage between racial and ethnic groups widened. White children had the highest telemental health service usage pre-pandemic and increased their usage by the highest margin. With more research, we can understand this disparity and help improve equitable access.
Rollins Authors | Xin Hu, PhD; Ilana Graetz, PhD; Xu Ji, PhD; Janet Cummings, PhD
State Earned Income Tax Credit and Food Security: Results Among Economically At-Risk Households with Children
Journal | American Journal of Preventive Medicine
The Big Message | The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a federal program designed to reduce child poverty. Many states offer supplemental EITC benefits, but they vary significantly. Researchers examined how these benefits impact food insecurity for families with children to assess how well the program addresses food disparities. Families in states with the most generous EITC programs experienced the greatest reductions in food insecurity, especially single-parent households and non-Hispanic Black families.
Rollins Authors | Megan Winkler, PhD; Kelli Komro, PhD; Melvin Livingston, PhD
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Rollins Magazine is published twice a year by the Rollins School of Public Health, a component of the Woodruff Health Sciences Center of Emory University, for alumni and friends of the school.