Jacintha Peram
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Research Subjects
Research Interests
Jacintha Peram has a total of 13 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Adana A. M. Llanos
Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
1 shared publication - Andrew M. Evens
Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ
1 shared publication - Denalee M. O’mAlley
Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, USA
1 shared publication - Elisa V. Bandera
Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute , New Brunswick, NJ
1 shared publication - Hao Liu
Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, New Brunswick, USA
1 shared publication - Hari Subramaniam Iyer
Section of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
- 25 April 2025
- Published by Springer Nature in Cancer Causes & Control
- Vol. 36 (8) , 853-870
Sociodemographic, medical, health behavior, and psychosocial factors associated with COVID-19 diagnoses in the New Jersey cancer survivor cohort
Background: Cancer survivors are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. However, beyond race, age, and sex, less is known about other neighborhood and psychosocial factors contribute to this increased risk. Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the associations of individual and area-level social determinants of health (SDOH) measures, medical, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors and COVID-19 infection in a statewide cohort of cancer survivors in New Jersey. Methods: Survey data from 864 cancer survivors in New Jersey were collected from 2018 to 2022, which were merged with study participant data from the state of New Jersey on COVID-19 diagnoses in 2020, 2021, and 2022. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for associations of COVID-19 diagnosis with individual-level factors (cancer type and stage, health behaviors, and psychosocial factors) and area-level SDOH [Social Vulnerability Index, Area Deprivation Index, and Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) to quantify racialized deprivation vs. privilege based on income]. Results: Cancer survivors born outside the US were more than twice as likely to contract COVID-19 compared to US-born survivors (aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.01, 4.92). Compared to Quartile 4, residence in an area in Quartile 1 of racialized income ICE (i.e., predominantly Black, low income) was associated with higher odds of COVID-19 (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 0.98, 4.87). Retired survivors had lower odds of COVID-19 (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19, 0.80) compared to those who were employed. Higher social well-being was associated with higher COVID-19 (aOR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02, 1.13). Type of cancer and cancer treatments received were not associated with the risk of COVID-19. Conclusions: Immigrant status and increased racialized deprivation as measured by ICE for income were associated with COVID-19. These findings support evidence that individual and area-level SDOH measures contribute to increased risk of COVID-19 among cancer survivors.
- 25 April 2025
- Published by Springer Nature in Cancer Causes & Control
- Vol. 36 (8) , 853-870
Open AccessSociodemographic, medical, health behavior, and psychosocial factors associated with COVID-19 diagnoses in the New Jersey cancer survivor cohort
Background: Cancer survivors are more susceptible to contracting COVID-19. However, beyond race, age, and sex, less is known about other neighborhood and psychosocial factors contribute to this increased risk. Objective: The goal of this study was to examine the associations of individual and area-level social determinants of health (SDOH) measures, medical, lifestyle, and psychosocial factors and COVID-19 infection in a statewide cohort of cancer survivors in New Jersey. Methods: Survey data from 864 cancer survivors in New Jersey were collected from 2018 to 2022, which were merged with study participant data from the state of New Jersey on COVID-19 diagnoses in 2020, 2021, and 2022. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for associations of COVID-19 diagnosis with individual-level factors (cancer type and stage, health behaviors, and psychosocial factors) and area-level SDOH [Social Vulnerability Index, Area Deprivation Index, and Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE) to quantify racialized deprivation vs. privilege based on income]. Results: Cancer survivors born outside the US were more than twice as likely to contract COVID-19 compared to US-born survivors (aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.01, 4.92). Compared to Quartile 4, residence in an area in Quartile 1 of racialized income ICE (i.e., predominantly Black, low income) was associated with higher odds of COVID-19 (aOR 2.15, 95% CI 0.98, 4.87). Retired survivors had lower odds of COVID-19 (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.19, 0.80) compared to those who were employed. Higher social well-being was associated with higher COVID-19 (aOR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02, 1.13). Type of cancer and cancer treatments received were not associated with the risk of COVID-19. Conclusions: Immigrant status and increased racialized deprivation as measured by ICE for income were associated with COVID-19. These findings support evidence that individual and area-level SDOH measures contribute to increased risk of COVID-19 among cancer survivors.