bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in Mortality Due to Legal Intervention in the United States, 1979 Through 1997
Authors: Sikora Andrew G. , Mulvihill Michael
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This report identifies trends in the number and rate of deaths due to law enforcement actions (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, category “legal intervention”) in the United States.

Methods. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Compressed Mortality File was used to determine age-, race-, and sex-specific death rates due to legal intervention for the years 1979 through 1997.

Results. Males account for nearly all deaths, with the death rate for Black males several times that of White males. For both Whites and Blacks, the highest rates of death were observed for ages 20 to 34. Death rates declined significantly from 1979 to 1988 and remained stable thereafter.

Conclusions. While legal intervention is an uncommon cause of death, some subpopulations experience rates of death many times that of the US population as a whole.
Overweight Status and Eating Patterns Among Adolescents: Where Do Youths Stand in Comparison With the Healthy People 2010 Objectives?
Authors: Neumark-Sztainer Dianne , Story Mary , Hannan Peter J. , Croll Jillian
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study determined the prevalence of Minnesota urban youths reaching the Healthy People 2010 objectives for obesity and intake of fat, calcium, fruits, vegetables, and grains and compared prevalence rates across sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods. The study sample included 4746 adolescents (aged 11–18 years) from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area who completed dietary surveys and participated in anthropometric measurements as part of a school-based population study.

Results. Considerable gaps were seen between the existing prevalence rates for obesity and nutrient and food patterns and the targeted Healthy People 2010 prevalence rates. For example, 12.5% of the girls and 16.6% of the boys had body mass index values at or greater than the 95th percentile (target = 5%). Only 29.5% of the girls and 42.5% of the boys were meeting the daily recommended intakes for calcium (target = 75%). Similarly, percentages of youths consuming the recommended amounts of fat, fruits, vegetables, and grains were lower than the targeted percentages. There were large sociodemographic disparities in obesity and eating patterns, particularly across race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Conclusions. Concerted public health efforts are needed to achieve the Healthy People 2010 objectives for obesity and nutrition and to reduce racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
Why and How the Tobacco Industry Sells Cigarettes to Young Adults: Evidence From Industry Documents
Authors: Ling Pamela M. , Glantz Stanton A.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. To improve tobacco control campaigns, we analyzed tobacco industry strategies that encourage young adults (aged 18 to 24) to smoke.

Methods. Initial searches of tobacco industry documents with keywords (e.g., “young adult”) were extended by using names, locations, and dates.

Results. Approximately 200 relevant documents were found. Transitions from experimentation to addiction, with adult levels of cigarette consumption, may take years. Tobacco marketing solidifies addiction among young adults. Cigarette advertisements encourage regular smoking and increased consumption by integrating smoking into activities and places where young adults' lives change (e.g., leaving home, college, jobs, the military, bars).

Conclusions. Tobacco control efforts should include both adults and youths. Life changes are also opportunities to stop occasional smokers' progress to addiction. Clean air policies in workplaces, the military, bars, colleges, and homes can combat tobacco marketing. (Am J Public Health. 2002;92:908–916)
Tobacco Industry Youth Smoking Prevention Programs: Protecting the Industry and Hurting Tobacco Control
Authors: Landman Anne , Ling Pamela M. , Glantz Stanton A.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This report describes the history, true goals, and effects of tobacco industry–sponsored youth smoking prevention programs.

Methods. We analyzed previously-secret tobacco industry documents.

Results. The industry started these programs in the 1980s to forestall legislation that would restrict industry activities. Industry programs portray smoking as an adult choice and fail to discuss how tobacco advertising promotes smoking or the health dangers of smoking. The industry has used these programs to fight taxes, clean-indoor-air laws, and marketing restrictions worldwide. There is no evidence that these programs decrease smoking among youths.

Conclusions. Tobacco industry youth programs do more harm than good for tobacco control. The tobacco industry should not be allowed to run or directly fund youth smoking prevention programs.
Do Sex and Ethnic Differences in Smoking Initiation Mask Similarities in Cessation Behavior?
Authors: McGrady Gene A. , Pederson Linda L.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study compared success in smoking cessation by sex, ethnic status, and birth cohort.

Methods. African and European American respondents to the 1996 Current Population Survey (tobacco supplement) and the 1987 National Health Interview Survey (cancer control and cancer epidemiology supplements) constituted the study population. Elapsed time from smoking initiation to cessation was compared via nonparametric tests and survival analysis techniques.

Results. Findings showed that success in quitting was independent of ethnic status and sex and that population differences in smoking initiation age (assuming no differences in quitting behavior) could produce statistical associations between sex/ethnicity and smoking cessation.

Conclusions. Population differences in smoking initiation patterns can mask similarities in cessation rates. (Am J Public Health. 2002;92:961–965)
Addressing Tobacco in Managed Care: A Survey of Dentists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors
Authors: Albert David , Ward Angela , Ahluwalia Kavita , Sadowsky Donald
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the tobacco cessation knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of dentists participating in a large managed care dental plan.

Methods. Participating dentists in 4 states were surveyed via mail.

Results. Dentists' perceived success in helping patients quit using tobacco was highly correlated with discussion of specific strategies for quitting, advice about the use of nicotine gum, and time spent counseling patients. Dentists who were confident about their smoking cessation knowledge frequently advised patients to quit and spent more time counseling patients about tobacco cessation.

Conclusions. Tobacco cessation is not a routine part of dental practice. Knowledge, time spent counseling patients, and specific strategies for quitting were associated with dentists' perceptions of success. (Am J Public Health. 2002;92:997–1001)
Prescription Noncompliance due to Cost Among Adults With Disabilities in the United States
Authors: Kennedy Jae , Erb Christopher
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study estimated national prevalence rates of medication noncompliance due to cost and resulting health problems among adults with disabilities.

Methods. Analyses involved 25 805 respondents to the Disability Follow-Back Survey, a supplement to the 1994 and 1995 National Health Interview Surveys.

Results. Findings showed that about 1.3 million adults with disabilities did not take their medications as prescribed because of cost, and more than half reported health problems as a result. Severe disability, poor health, low income, lack of insurance, and a high number of prescriptions increased the odds of being noncompliant as a result of cost.

Conclusions. Prescription noncompliance due to cost is a serious problem for many adults with chronic disease or disability. Most would not be helped by any of the current proposals to expand Medicare drug coverage.
Reverberations of Family Illness: A Longitudinal Assessment of Informal Caregiving and Mental Health Status in the Nurses’ Health Study
Authors: Cannuscio Carolyn C. , Jones Camara , Kawachi Ichiro , Colditz Graham A. , Berkman Lisa , Rimm Eric
Published: December 2008

0bjectives. This study examined the association between caregiving for disabled or ill family members, estimated to occur in more than 22 million US households, and change in mental health.

Methods. We assessed 4-year change in mental health among 37 742 Nurses’ Health Study participants with the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36.

Results. Women who provided 36 or more weekly hours of care to a disabled spouse were almost 6 times more likely than noncaregivers to experience depressive or anxious symptoms (multivariate odds ratio [OR] = 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.8, 8.3). Caring for a disabled or ill parent (≥ 36 weekly hours) was associated with a less dramatic elevation in depressive or anxious symptoms (multivariate OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 0.9, 4.3).

Conclusions. In this population, caregiving was associated with increased risk of depressive or anxious symptoms.
Suicide Attempts Among Gay and Bisexual Men: Lifetime Prevalence and Antecedents
Authors: Paul Jay P. , Catania Joseph , Pollack Lance , Moskowitz Judith , Canchola Jesse , Mills Thomas , Binson Diane , Stall Ron
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts and psychosocial correlates in a large population-based sample of men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods. A telephone probability sample of US urban MSM (n = 2881) were interviewed between November 1996 and February 1998.

Results. Twenty-one percent had made a suicide plan; 12% had attempted suicide (almost half of those 12% were multiple attempters). Most who attempted suicide made their first attempt before age 25. Although prevalence of parasuicide (i.e., attempted suicide) has remained constant across birth cohorts, mean age at initial attempts has declined.

Conclusions. MSM are at elevated risk for suicide attempts, with such risk clustered earlier in life. Some risk factors were specific to being gay or bisexual in a hostile environment.
Trends in Diabetes Prevalence Among American Indian and Alaska Native Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Authors: Acton Kelly J. , Ríos Burrows Nilka , Moore Kelly , Querec Linda , Geiss Linda S. , Engelgau Michael M.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study determined trends in diabetes prevalence among young American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Methods. American Indian and Alaska Native children (< 15 years), adolescents (15–19 years), and young adults (20–34 years) with diabetes were identified from the Indian Health Service (IHS) outpatient database. The population living within IHS contract health service delivery areas was determined from census data.

Results. From 1990 to 1998, the total number of young American Indians and Alaska Natives with diagnosed diabetes increased by 71% (4534 to 7736); prevalence increased by 46% (6.4 per 1000 to 9.3 per 1000 population). Increases in prevalence were greater among adolescents and among young men.

Conclusions. Diabetes should be considered a major public health problem among young American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Insights From Health Care in Germany
Authors: Altenstetter Christa
Published: December 2008

German Statutory Health Insurance (national health insurance) has remained relatively intact over the past century, even in the face of governmental change and recent reforms.

The overall story of German national health insurance is one of political compromise and successful implementation of communitarian values.

Several key lessons from the German experience can be applied to the American health care system.
Health Reform in Brazil: Lessons to Consider
Authors: Elias Paulo Eduardo M. , Cohn Amelia
Published: December 2008

US analysts and decisionmakers interested in comparative health policy typically turn to European perspectives, but Brazil—notwithstanding its far smaller gross domestic product and lower per capita health expenditures and technological investments—offers an example with surprising relevance to the US health policy context.

Not only is Brazil comparable to the United States in size, racial/ethnic and geographic diversity, federal system of government, and problems of social inequality. Within the health system the incremental nature of reforms, the large role of the private sector, the multitiered patchwork of coverage, and the historically large population excluded from health insurance coverage resonate with health policy challenges and developments in the United States.
Restrictions on Undocumented Immigrants’ Access to Health Services: The Public Health Implications of Welfare Reform
Authors: Kullgren Jeffrey T.
Published: December 2008

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 greatly restricts the provision of many federal, state, and local public services to undocumented immigrants. These restrictions have prompted intense debates about the provision of free and discounted primary and preventive health careservices and have placed significant burdens on institutions that serve large undocumented immigrant populations. Intended to serve as a tool for reducing illegal immigration and protecting public resources, federal restrictions on undocumented immigrants’ access to publicly financed health services unduly burden health care providers and threaten the public’s health. These deleterious effects warrant the public health community’s support of strategies designed to sustain provision of health services irrespective of immigration status.
A Global Network for Early Warning and Response to Infectious Diseases and Bioterrorism: Applied Epidemiology and Training Programs, 2001
Authors: Sandhu Hardeep S. , Thomas Christopher , Nsubuga Peter , White Mark E.
Published: December 2008

In many ministries of health, applied epidemiology and training programs (AETPs) are responsible for detecting and responding to acute health events, including bioterrorism. In November 2001, we assessed the bioterrorism response capacity of 29 AETPs; 17 (59%) responded.

Fifteen countries (88%) had bioterrorism response plans; in 6 (40%), AETPs took the lead in preparation and in 6 (40%) they assisted. Between September 11 and November 29, 2001, 12 AETPs (71%) responded to a total of 3024 bioterrorism-related phone calls. Six programs (35%) responded to suspected bioterrorism events.

AETPs play an important role in bioterrorism surveillance and response. Support for this global network by various health agencies is beneficial for all developed and developing countries.
Medical Care for Interned Enemy Aliens: A Role for the US Public Health Service in World War II
Authors: Fiset Louis
Published: December 2008

During World War II, the US Public Health Service (USPHS) administered health care to 19 000 enemy aliens and Axis merchant seamen interned by the Justice Department through its branch, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

The Geneva Prisoners of War Convention of 1929, which the United States applied to civilian internees, provided guidelines for belligerent nations regarding humanitarian treatment of prisoners of war, including for their health. The INS forged an agreement with the USPHS to meet these guidelines for the German, Italian, and Japanese internees and, in some cases, their families. Chronic shortages and crowded camps continuously challenged USPHS administrators.

Nevertheless, the USPHS offered universal access to care and provided treatment often exceeding care received by many American citizens.
Parents, Practitioners, and Researchers: Community-Based Participatory Research With Early Head Start
Authors: McAllister Carol L. , Green Beth L. , Terry Martha Ann , Herman Vivian , Mulvey Laurie
Published: December 2008

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is an approach to research and evaluation that is receiving increased attention in the field of public health. Our report discusses the application of this approach to research and evaluation with an Early Head Start (EHS) program in Pittsburgh, Pa. Our primary purpose is to illustrate the key elements that contributed to effective collaboration among researchers, EHS practitioners, and parents of EHS children in the conduct of the study. The focus is not on research findings but on research process. Our goal is to make the practices of CBPR visible and explicit so they can be analyzed, further developed, and effectively applied to a range of public health issues in a diversity of community contexts.
Agreement Between Administrative Data and Patients’ Self-Reports of Race/Ethnicity
Authors: Kressin Nancy R. , Chang Bei-Hung , Hendricks Ann , Kazis Lewis E.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined agreement of administrative data with self-reported race/ethnicity and identified correlates of agreement.

Methods. We used Veterans Affairs administrative data and VA 1999 Large Health survey race/ethnicity data.

Results. Relatively low rates of agreement (approximately 60%) between data sources were largely the result of administrative data from patients whose race/ethnicity was unknown, with least agreement for Native American, Asian, and Pacific Islander patients. After exclusion of patients with missing race/ethnicity, agreement improved except for Native Americans. Agreement did not increase substantially after inclusion of data from individuals indicating multiple race/ethnicities. Patients for whom there was better agreement between data sources tended to be less educated, non–solitary living, younger, and White; to have sufficient food; and to use more inpatient Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care.

Conclusions. Better reporting of race/ethnicity data will improve agreement between data sources. Previous studies using VA administrative data may have underestimated racial disparities.
Contextual Influences on Reproductive Wellness in Northern India
Authors: Stephenson Rob , Tsui Amy Ong
Published: December 2008

Objectives. There has been a growing recognition of the importance of contextual influences on health outcomes. This article examines community-level influences on 5 reproductive wellness outcomes in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Methods. Multilevel modeling is used to estimate household and community-level effects on wellness, with hierarchically organized data from a statewide survey of villages, urban blocks, households, women, health providers, and staff.

Results. The household and community have a strong contextual influence on wellness, although the models explain more of the variation in outcomes between households than between communities.

Conclusions. Communities influence wellness outcomes through the socioeconomic environment and the characteristics of the health infrastructure. The specific dimensions of the community and health infrastructure varied between the outcomes.
Regional Patterns and Correlates of Substance Use Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in 7 US Urban Areas
Authors: Thiede Hanne , Valleroy Linda A. , MacKellar Duncan A. , Celentano David D. , Ford Wesley L. , Hagan Holly , Koblin Beryl A. , LaLota Marlene , McFarland William , Shehan Douglas A. , Torian Lucia V.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We sought to characterize substance use patterns in young men who have sex with men (MSM) in 7 US urban areas and sociodemographic characteristics and history associated with such use.

Methods. We examined data collected from 1994 through 1998 in a venue-based, cross-sectional survey.

Results. Among the 3492 participants, 66% reported use of illicit drugs; 28%, use of 3 or more drugs; 29%, frequent drug use (once a week or more); and 4%, injection drug use. These practices were more common among participants who were White, self-identified as bisexual or heterosexual, had run away, or had experienced forced sex.

Conclusions. Effective drug prevention and treatment programs addressing local drug-use patterns and associated factors are urgently needed for young MSM, a population with a high rate of illicit drug use.
Latin American Social Medicine: Roots, Development During the 1990s, and Current Challenges
Authors: Tajer Débora
Published: December 2008

Latin American social medicine arose during the 1950s and 1960s, drawing its inspiration from the social movements that emerged in France, Germany, and England in the mid-19th century.

The Latin American movement of social medicine has clear ideological goals. It is organized around the Latin American Association of Social Medicine, which was founded in 1984 and is regarded as a social, political, and academic movement. This article takes a historical perspective and presents the reasons for the emergence and identity of the association, focusing on the main developments and contributions of this movement from the 1990s until the present time.
A Social-Medical Approach to Violence in Colombia
Authors: Franco Saul
Published: December 2008

Violence is the main public health problem in Colombia. Many theoretical and methodological approaches to solving this problem have been attempted from different disciplines. My past work has focused on homicide violence from the perspective of social medicine.

In this article I present the main conceptual and methodological aspects and the chief findings of my research over the past 15 years. Findings include a quantitative description of the current situation and the introduction of the category of explanatory contexts as a contribution to the study of Colombian violence.

The complexity and severity of this problem demand greater theoretical discussion, more plans for action and a faster transition between the two. Social medicine may make a growing contribution to this field.
Does Racism Harm Health? Did Child Abuse Exist Before 1962? On Explicit Questions, Critical Science, and Current Controversies: An Ecosocial Perspective
Authors: Krieger Nancy
Published: December 2008

Research on racism as a harmful determinant of population health is in its infancy. Explicitly naming a long-standing problem long recognized by those affected, this work has the potential to galvanize inquiry and action, much as the 1962 publication of the Kempe et al. scientific article on the “battered child syndrome” dramatically increased attention to—and prompted new research on—the myriad consequences of child abuse, a known yet neglected social phenomenon. To further work on connections between racism and health, the author addresses 3 interrelated issues: (1) links between racism, biology, and health; (2) methodological controversies over how to study the impact of racism on health; and (3) debates over whether racism or class underlies racial/ethnic disparities in health.
Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Health: Findings From Community Studies
Authors: Williams David R. , Neighbors Harold W. , Jackson James S.
Published: December 2008

The authors review the available empirical evidence from population-based studies of the association between perceptions of racial/ethnic discrimination and health. This research indicates that discrimination is associated with multiple indicators of poorer physical and, especially, mental health status.

However, the extant research does not adequately address whether and how exposure to discrimination leads to increased risk of disease. Gaps in the literature include limitations linked to measurement of discrimination, research designs, and inattention to the way in which the association between discrimination and health unfolds over the life course.

Research on stress points to important directions for the future assessment of discrimination and the testing of the underlying processes and mechanisms by which discrimination can lead to changes in health.
Employment Discrimination, Segregation, and Health
Authors: Darity William A.
Published: December 2008

The author examines available evidence on the effects of exposure to joblessness on emotional well-being according to race and sex. The impact of racism on general health outcomes also is considered, particularly racism in the specific form of wage discrimination.

Perceptions of racism and measured exposures to racism may be distinct triggers for adverse health outcomes. Whether the effects of racism are best evaluated on the basis of self-classification or social classification of racial identity is unclear.

Some research sorts between the effects of race and socioeconomic status on health. The development of a new longitudinal database will facilitate more accurate identification of connections between racism and negative health effects.
Perceived Discrimination and Depression: Moderating Effects of Coping, Acculturation, and Ethnic Support
Authors: Noh Samuel , Kaspar Violet
Published: December 2008

The authors evaluated the effects of cultural norms and social contexts on coping processes involved in dealing with perceived racial discrimination.

Cross-sectional data derived from personal interviews with Korean immigrants residing in Toronto were analyzed. Among the respondents, active, problem-focused coping styles were more effective in reducing the impacts on depression of perceived discrimination, while frequent use of passive, emotion-focused coping had debilitating mental health effects.

The present findings lend greater support to a social contextual explanation than to a cultural maintenance explanation of coping processes. They also suggest that, when empowered with sufficient social resources, racial minority individuals of diverse cultural heritages are more likely to confront than to accept racial bias.
Violence and Health: The United States in a Global Perspective
Authors: Mercy James A. , Krug Etienne G. , Dahlberg Linda L. , Zwi Anthony B.
Published: December 2008

Violence is a public health problem that can be understood and changed. Research over the past 2 decades has demonstrated that violence can be prevented and that, in some cases, prevention programs are more cost-effective than other policy options such as incarceration.

The United States has much to contribute to—and stands to gain much from—global efforts to prevent violence. A new World Health Organization initiative presents an opportunity for the United States to work with other nations to find cost-effective ways of preventing violence and reducing its enormous costs.
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Adult Vaccination Among Individuals With Diabetes
Authors: Egede Leonard E. , Zheng Deyi
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study examined whether differences in access to health care, health coverage, and socioeconomic status (SES) explained racial differences in influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates in individuals with diabetes.

Methods. We analyzed data on 1906 individuals from the 1998 National Health Interview Survey. We used multiple logistic regression to adjust for race/ethnicity, age, access to care, health insurance, and SES, and used SUDAAN for statistical analyses to yield national estimates.

Results. Whites had higher vaccination rates than did African Americans or Hispanics. After adjustment for covariates, race/ethnicity predicted receipt of both vaccines independent of age, access to care, health care coverage, and SES.

Conclusions. Racial disparity in vaccination rates for adults with diabetes is independent of access to care, health care coverage, and SES. (Am J Public Health. 2003;93:324–329)
What Is Population Health?
Authors: Kindig David , Stoddart Greg
Published: December 2008

Population health is a relatively new term that has not yet been precisely defined. Is it a concept of health or a field of study of health determinants?

We propose that the definition be “the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group,” and we argue that the field of population health includes health outcomes, patterns of health determinants, and policies and interventions that link these two.

We present a rationale for this definition and note its differentiation from public health, health promotion, and social epidemiology. We invite critiques and discussion that may lead to some consensus on this emerging concept.
A Balanced Tobacco Control Policy
Authors: Sugarman Stephen D.
Published: December 2008

By raising the price of cigarettes through tobacco taxes, policymakers might only be delaying some smokers’ initiation of smoking rather than permanently preventing them from smoking. This is one of several reasons for adopting a balanced tobacco control policy that relies only in part on cigarette taxation.
A Population-Based Analysis of Socioeconomic Status and Insurance Status and Their Relationship With Pediatric Trauma Hospitalization and Mortality Rates
Authors: Marcin James P. , Schembri Michael S. , He Jingsong , Romano Patrick S.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We investigated socioeconomic disparities in injury hospitalization rates and severity-adjusted mortality for pediatric trauma.

Methods. We used 10 years of pediatric trauma data from Sacramento County, Calif, to compare trauma hospitalization rates, trauma mechanism and severity, and standardized hospital mortality across socioeconomic strata (median household income, proportion of households in poverty, insurance).

Results. Children from lower–socioeconomic status (SES) communities had higher injury hospitalization and mortality rates, and presented more frequently with more lethal mechanisms of injury (pedestrian, firearm), but did not have higher severity-adjusted mortality.

Conclusions. Higher injury mortality rates among children of lower SES in Sacramento County are explained by a higher incidence of trauma and more fatal mechanisms of injury, not by greater injury severity or poorer inpatient care.
Assessing the Capacity of Health Departments to Engage in Community-Based Participatory Public Health
Authors: Parker Edith , Margolis Lewis H. , Eng Eugenia , Henríquez-Roldán Carlos
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We created indicators of local public health agency capacity to engage in community-based participatory public health.

Methods. We sent a survey of 27 items reflecting aspects of community-based participatory public health to 429 employees in 4 local health departments. Two thirds (n = 282) responded. We performed a factor analysis to identify components of community-based participatory practice.

Results. We identified 4 factors: (1) the agency’s and (2) the individual employee’s skills in working with community groups and minority populations, (3) the extent and frequency of agency networking, and (4) community participation in health department planning.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest that it is possible to measure the competencies needed by health department staff to engage in community-based participatory public health.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening: Sociodemographic Predictors Among White, Black, and Hispanic Women
Authors: Selvin Elizabeth , Brett Kate M.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We evaluated the relationship between breast and cervical cancer screening and a variety of variables across race/ethnicity groups.

Methods. Using logistic regression models, we analyzed data from the 1998 National Health Interview Survey to assess the relative importance of the independent variables in predicting use of cancer screening services.

Results. Having a usual source of care was the most important predictor of cancer screening use for all race/ethnicity groups. Health insurance was associated with an increased likelihood of cancer screening. Smoking was associated with a decreased likelihood of cancer screening.

Conclusions. Regardless of race/ethnicity, most women follow mammography and cervical cancer screening guidelines. The identification of specific factors associated with adherence to cancer screening guidelines may help inform screening campaigns.
Inclusion of Immigrant Status in Smoking Prevalence Statistics
Authors: Baluja Kaari Flagstad , Park Julie , Myers Dowell
Published: December 2008

Objectives. Data from the 1995–1996 and 1998–1999 Current Population Survey tobacco use supplements were used to examine smoking prevalence statistics by race/ethnicity and immigrant status.

Methods. Smoking prevalence statistics were calculated, and these data were decomposed by country of birth for Asian immigrants to illustrate the heterogeneity in smoking rates present within racial/ethnic groups.

Results. Except in the case of male Asian/Pacific Islanders, immigrants exhibited significantly lower smoking prevalence rates than nonimmigrants. However, rates varied according to country of birth.

Conclusions. This research highlights the need to disaggregate health statistics by race/ethnicity, sex, immigrant status, and, among immigrants, country of birth. Data on immigrants’ health behaviors enhance the development of targeted and culturally sensitive public health smoking prevention programs.
Challenges to Masculine Transformation Among Urban Low-Income African American Males
Authors: Aronson Robert E. , Whitehead Tony L. , Baber Willie L.
Published: December 2008

In this article we describe and analyze the challenges faced by an intervention program that addresses the fatherhood needs of low-income urban African American males.

We used life history as the primary research strategy for a qualitative evaluation of a program we refer to as the Healthy Men in Healthy Families Program to better understand the circumstances and trajectory of men’s lives, including how involvement in the program might have benefited them in the pursuit of their fatherhood goals.

A model of masculine transformation, developed by Whitehead, was used to interpret changes in manhood/fatherhood attitudes and behaviors that might be associated with the intervention. We combined Whitehead’s model with a social ecology framework to further interpret challenges at intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, and broader societal levels.
Socioeconomic Status and Dissatisfaction With Health Care Among Chronically Ill African Americans
Authors: Becker Gay , Newsom Edwina
Published: December 2008

Addressing differences in social class is critical to an examination of racial disparities in health care. Low socioeconomic status is an important determinant of access to health care.

Results from a qualitative, in-depth interview study of 60 African Americans who had one or more chronic illnesses found that low-income respondents expressed much greater dissatisfaction with health care than did middle-income respondents.

Low socioeconomic status has potentially deadly consequences for several reasons: its associations with other determinants of health status, its relationship to health insurance or the absence thereof, and the constraints on care at sites serving people who have low incomes.
A Decade of Research on Disparities in Medicare Utilization: Lessons for the Health and Health Care of Vulnerable Men
Authors: Gornick Marian E.
Published: December 2008

Medicare research has shown that there are substantial disparities by race and socioeconomic status in use of services. In this article, I review past research and discuss how findings apply specifically to vulnerable men aged 65 years or older.

Six lessons from this review are identified and illustrated here. Disparities in certain measures of health are growing; to reverse this trend, substantial efforts are needed, including dissemination of information about disparities as well as testing of hypotheses regarding underlying causes.
Association of Co-Occurring Psychosocial Health Problems and Increased Vulnerability to HIV/AIDS Among Urban Men Who Have Sex With Men
Authors: Stall Ron , Mills Thomas C. , Williamson John , Hart Trevor , Greenwood Greg , Paul Jay , Pollack Lance , Binson Diane , Osmond Dennis , Catania Joseph A.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We measured the extent to which a set of psychosocial health problems have an additive effect on increasing HIV risk among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional household probability telephone sample of MSM in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.

Results. Psychosocial health problems are highly intercorrelated among urban MSM. Greater numbers of health problems are significantly and positively associated with high-risk sexual behavior and HIV infection.

Conclusions. AIDS prevention among MSM has overwhelmingly focused on sexual risk alone. Other health problems among MSM not only are important in their own right, but also may interact to increase HIV risk. HIV prevention might become more effective by addressing the broader health concerns of MSM while also focusing on sexual risks.
Cigarette Smoking and Cognitive Decline in Midlife: Evidence From a Prospective Birth Cohort Study
Authors: Richards Marcus , Jarvis Martin J. , Thompson Neil , Wadsworth Michael E. J.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. The authors investigated the effects of cigarette smoking on midlife cognitive performance.

Methods. Multiple regression was used to test the association between cigarette smoking and changes in cognitive test scores among male and female members of the British 1946 birth cohort aged between 43 and 53 years.

Results. Smoking was associated with faster declines in verbal memory and with slower visual search speeds. These effects were largely accounted for by individuals who smoked more than 20 cigarettes per day and were independent of sex, socioeconomic status, previous (adolescent) cognitive ability, and a range of health indicators.

Conclusions. The present results show that heavy smoking is associated with cognitive impairment and decline in midlife. Smokers who survive into later life may be at risk of clinically significant cognitive declines.
Risk Factors for Femicide in Abusive Relationships: Results From a Multisite Case Control Study
Authors: Campbell Jacquelyn C. , Webster Daniel , Koziol-McLain Jane , Block Carolyn , Campbell Doris , Curry Mary Ann , Gary Faye , Glass Nancy , McFarlane Judith , Sachs Carolyn , Sharps Phyllis , Ulrich Yvonne , Wilt Susan A. , Manganello Jennifer , Xu Xiao , Schollenberger Janet , Frye Victoria , Laughon Kathryn
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This 11-city study sought to identify risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships.

Methods. Proxies of 220 intimate partner femicide victims identified from police or medical examiner records were interviewed, along with 343 abused control women.

Results. Preincident risk factors associated in multivariate analyses with increased risk of intimate partner femicide included perpetrator’s access to a gun and previous threat with a weapon, perpetrator’s stepchild in the home, and estrangement, especially from a controlling partner. Never living together and prior domestic violence arrest were associated with lowered risks. Significant incident factors included the victim having left for another partner and the perpetrator’s use of a gun. Other significant bivariate-level risks included stalking, forced sex, and abuse during pregnancy.

Conclusions. There are identifiable risk factors for intimate partner femicides.
Underreporting of Justifiable Homicides Committed by Police Officers in the United States, 1976–1998
Authors: Loftin Colin , Wiersema Brian , McDowall David , Dobrin Adam
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the consistency of estimates of the number of justifiable homicides committed by US police officers and identified sources of underreporting.

Methods. The number of justifiable homicides committed by police officers between 1976 and 1998 was estimated from supplementary homicide report (SHR) and National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) mortality data.

Results. Nationally, the SHR estimate was 29% larger than the NVSS estimate. However, in most states this pattern was reversed, with more deaths reported in the NVSS.

Conclusions. Both systems underreport, but for different reasons. The NVSS misclassifies cases as homicides, rather than justifiable homicides committed by police officers, because certifiers fail to mention police involvement. The SHR misses cases because some jurisdictions fail to file reports or omit justifiable homicides committed by police officers. (Am J Public Health. 2003;93:1117–1121)
Disasters and the Public Health Safety Net: Hurricane Floyd Hits the North Carolina Medicaid Program
Authors: Domino Marisa Elena , Fried Bruce , Moon Yoosun , Olinick Joshua , Yoon Jangho
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We measured the effect of Hurricane Floyd on Medicaid enrollment and health services use in the most severely affected counties of North Carolina.

Methods. We used differences-in-differences models on balanced panels of Medicaid claims and enrollment data.

Results. Overall spending per enrollee showed little short-term effect but demonstrated a moderate increase 1 year after the storm. We found very modest short-term increases in Medicaid enrollment, a small long-term decrease in enrollment, and large increases in the long-term use of emergency room and outpatient services.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest that hurricane victims experienced substantial changes in patterns of care that endured for much longer than the initial crisis period. These findings can have important implications for the management of disaster relief for this population.
Parent’s Socioeconomic Status, Adolescents’ Disposable Income, and Adolescents’ Smoking Status in Massachusetts
Authors: Soteriades Elpidoforos S. , DiFranza Joseph R.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study examined the association between parental socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescent smoking.

Methods. We conducted telephone interviews with a probability sample of 1308 Massachusetts adolescents aged 12 to 17 years. We used multiple-variable-adjusted logistic regression models.

Results. The risk of adolescent smoking increased by 28% with each step down in parental education and increased by 30% for each step down in parental household income. These associations persisted after adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and adolescent disposable income. Parental smoking status was a mediator of these associations.

Conclusions. Parental SES is inversely associated with adolescent smoking. Parental smoking is a mediator but does not fully explain the association.
The Road to Advocacy—Searching for the Rainbow
Authors: Avery Byllye , Bashir Samiya
Published: December 2008

The essence of public health advocacy is spreading the word—spreading the word to members of one’s community about ways to protect and promote health, and spreading the word to decisionmakers about health policies that need to be enacted.

The authors profile 2 women who spread the word—one who focuses on breast cancer in the Asian American community and one who works in cooperation with churches in the fight against HIV/AIDS in African and African American communities—and discuss the importance of “creating shoulders for others to stand on” in the fight for social change.
Innovative Surveillance Methods for Rapid Detection of Disease Outbreaks and Bioterrorism: Results of an Interagency Workshop on Health Indicator Surveillance
Authors: Pavlin Julie A. , Mostashari Farzad , Kortepeter Mark G. , Hynes Noreen A. , Chotani Rashid A. , Mikol Yves B. , Ryan Margaret A. K. , Neville James S. , Gantz Donald T. , Writer James V. , Florance Jared E. , Culpepper Randall C. , Henretig Fred M. , Kelley Patrick W.
Published: December 2008

A system designed to rapidly identify an infectious disease outbreak or bioterrorism attack and provide important demographic and geographic information is lacking in most health departments nationwide.

The Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections System sponsored a meeting and workshop in May 2000 in which participants discussed prototype systems and developed recommendations for new surveillance systems. The authors provide a summary of the group’s findings, including expectations and recommendations for new surveillance systems.

The consensus of the group was that a nationally led effort in developing health indicator surveillance methods is needed to promote effective, innovative systems.
Childhood Pesticide Exposures on the Texas–Mexico Border: Clinical Manifestations and Poison Center Use
Authors: Belson Martin , Kieszak Stephanie , Watson William , Blindauer Kim M. , Phan Kathy , Backer Lorrie , Rubin Carol
Published: December 2008

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to describe differences in childhood pesticide exposures between counties on the Texas–Mexico border and nonborder counties.

Method. The authors reviewed all pesticide exposures among children younger than 6 years reported to the South Texas Poison Center during 1997 through 2000.

Results. Nonborder counties had twice the reported exposure rate of border counties. Parents of border children were significantly less likely to contact the poison center after an exposure and more likely to have their children evaluated in a health care facility.

Conclusions. Increasing residents’ awareness of the poison center and identifying potential barriers to its use among residents of Texas–Mexico border communities may prevent unnecessary visits to health care facilities.
The Built Environment and Its Relationship to the Public’s Health: The Legal Framework
Authors: Perdue Wendy Collins , Stone Lesley A. , Gostin Lawrence O.
Published: December 2008

The built environment significantly affects the public’s health. This was most obvious when infectious disease was the primary public health threat during the industrial revolution; unsanitary conditions and overcrowded urban areas facilitated the spread of infection.

However, even today in the age of chronic diseases there remains an important connection between population health and the built environment. Physical spaces can expose people to toxins or pollutants and influence lifestyles that contribute to diabetes, coronary vascular disease, and asthma.

Public health advocates can help shape the design of cities and suburbs in ways that improve public health, but to do so effectively they need to understand the legal framework. This article reviews the connection between public health and the built environment and then describes the legal pathways for improving the design of our built environment.
Land Use Planning and the Control of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Fast Food Restaurants
Authors: Ashe Marice , Jernigan David , Kline Randolph , Galaz Rhonda
Published: December 2008

We desired to understand how legal tools protect public health by regulating the location and density of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and fast food retail outlets. We reviewed the literature to determine how land use regulations can function as control tools for public health advocates.

We found that land use regulations are a public health advocacy tool that has been successfully used to lessen the negative effects of alcohol retail outlets in neighborhoods. More research is needed to determine whether such regulations are successful in reducing the negative effects of other retail outlets on community health.
Zoning Out Crime and Improving Community Health in Sarasota, Florida: “Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design”
Authors: Carter Sherry Plaster , Carter Stanley L. , Dannenberg Andrew L.
Published: December 2008

Sarasota, Fla, used Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles to guide revitalization efforts in its crime-ridden North Trail area. A team of city planners, police officers, and architects examined land use and crime data and sought input from local businesses, residents, and community leaders.

Beginning in 1990, interventions included increased police patrols to reduce prostitution and the creation of a new zoning district to encourage area redevelopment based on CPTED principles. Compared with the rest of Sarasota, from 1990 to 1998 the North Trail Corridor experienced decreases in calls for police service (P < .005), crimes against persons and property (P = not significant), and prostitution (P < .05).

These results suggest that community design may be a useful tool for decreasing crime and improving community health.