bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Retail Tobacco Marketing With Adolescent Smoking
Authors: Henriksen Lisa , Feighery Ellen C. , Wang Yun , Fortmann Stephen P.
Published: December 2008

A survey of 2125 middle-school students in central California examined adolescents’ exposure to tobacco marketing in stores and its association with self-reported smoking. Two thirds of sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students reported at least weekly visits to small grocery, convenience, or liquor stores. Such visits were associated with a 50% increase in the odds of ever smoking, even after control for social influences to smoke. Youth smoking rates may benefit from efforts to reduce adolescents’ exposure to tobacco marketing in stores.
Is Lipid-Lowering Therapy Underused by African Americans at High Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Within the VA Health Care System?
Authors: Woodard LeChauncy D. , Kressin Nancy R. , Petersen Laura A.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined whether racial differences exist in cholesterol monitoring, use of lipid-lowering agents, and achievement of guideline-recommended low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

Methods. We reviewed charts for 1045 African American and White patients with coronary heart disease at 5 Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals.

Results. Lipid levels were obtained in 67.0% of patients. Whites and African Americans had similar screening rates and mean lipid levels. Among the 544 ideal candidates for therapy, rates of treatment and achievement of target LDL levels were similar.

Conclusions. We found no disparities in cholesterol management. This absence of disparities may be the result of VA quality improvement initiatives or prescription coverage through the VA health care system.
An Approach to Studying Social Disparities in Health and Health Care
Authors: Braveman Paula A. , Egerter Susan A. , Cubbin Catherine , Marchi Kristen S.
Published: December 2008

Objective. We explored methods and potential applications of a systematic approach to studying and monitoring social disparities in health and health care.

Methods. Using delayed or no prenatal care as an example indicator, we (1) categorized women into groups with different levels of underlying social advantage; (2) described and graphically displayed rates of the indicator and relative group size for each social group; (3) identified and measured disparities, calculating relative risks and rate differences to compare each group with its a priori most-advantaged counterpart; (4) examined changes in rates and disparities over time; and (5) conducted multivariate analyses for the overall sample and “at-risk” groups to identify particular factors warranting attention.

Results. We identified at-risk groups and relevant factors and suggest ways to direct efforts for reducing prenatal care disparities.

Conclusions. This systematic approach should be useful for studying and monitoring disparities in other indicators of health and health care.
Hurling Alone? How Social Capital Failed to Save the Irish From Cardiovascular Disease in the United States
Authors: Kelleher C. Cecily , Lynch John , Harper Sam , Tay Joseph B. , Nolan Geraldine
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We performed a historical review of cardiovascular risk profiles of Irish immigrants to the United States, 1850–1970, in regard to lifestyle, socio-economic circumstances, and social capital.

Methods. We analyzed US Census data from 1850–1970, area-based social and epidemiological data from Boston, data from Ireland’s National Nutrition Surveillance Centre, and literature on Irish migration.

Results. The Irish were consistently at increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, a risk that related initially to material deprivation, across the life course of at least 2 generations.

Conclusions. The principal difference between the Irish and other disadvantaged immigrant groups, such as the Italians, was dietary habits influenced by experiences during the Irish famine. Although there was a psychosocial component to the disadvantage and discrimination they experienced as an ethnic group, the Irish also exhibited strong community networks and support structures that might have been expected to counteract discrimination’s negative effects. However, the Irish’s high levels of social capital were not protective for cardiovascular disease.
Socioeconomic Disadvantage, Parenting Responsibility, and Women’s Smoking in the United States
Authors: Jun Hee-Jin , Subramanian S.V. , Gortmaker Steven , Kawachi Ichiro
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We carried out analyses of smoking in relation to poverty and child care responsibility among women aged 18–54 years residing in the United States.

Methods. With data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we assessed the interaction effects of poverty and living with young children on maternal smoking behavior among 61 700 women aged 18–54 years in 4 different racial/ethnic groups.

Results. For non-White racial/ethnic groups, the prevalence of smoking among women with small children in the household was lower than that among women without small children. However, White women were more likely to smoke if they were poor and living with small children (odds ratio=1.14, 95% confidence interval=1.03, 1.26).

Conclusions. These results suggest that child care responsibility confers an increased risk of smoking among low-income White women.
Undoing an Epidemiological Paradox: The Tobacco Industry’s Targeting of US Immigrants
Authors: Acevedo-Garcia Dolores , Barbeau Elizabeth , Bishop Jennifer Anne , Pan Jocelyn , Emmons Karen M.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We sought to ascertain whether the tobacco industry has conceptualized the US immigrant population as a separate market.

Methods. We conducted a content analysis of major tobacco industry documents.

Results. The tobacco industry has engaged in 3 distinct marketing strategies aimed at US immigrants: geographically based marketing directed toward immigrant communities, segmentation based on immigrants’ assimilation status, and coordinated marketing focusing on US immigrant groups and their countries of origin.

Conclusions. Public health researchers should investigate further the tobacco industry’s characterization of the assimilated and non-assimilated immigrant markets, and its specific strategies for targeting these groups, in order to develop informed national and international tobacco control countermarketing strategies designed to protect immigrant populations and their countries of origin.
Out of the Ashes: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of the “Safer” Cigarette in the United States
Authors: Fairchild Amy , Colgrove James
Published: December 2008

From 1964 through the early 1980s, both federal and voluntary agencies endorsed the concept of “safer” cigarettes. Beginning in the mid-1980s, several factors, including revelations of tobacco industry malfeasance, the development of nicotine replacement therapy, and the reconceptualization of smoking as a chronic disease, led to “safer” cigarettes being discredited.

In the past few years, some public health professionals have begun to reconsider the viability of developing such products. The issue before us is stark: will a commitment to limiting the toll exacted by smoking preclude the tolerance of a product that while not safe may possibly be safer?
Preventing 3 Million Premature Deaths and Helping 5 Million Smokers Quit: A National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation
Authors: Fiore Michael C. , Croyle Robert T. , Curry Susan J. , Cutler Charles M. , Davis Ronald M. , Gordon Catherine , Healton Cheryl , Koh Howard K. , Orleans C. Tracy , Richling Dennis , Satcher David , Seffrin John , Williams Christine , Williams Larry N. , Keller Paula A. , Baker Timothy B.
Published: December 2008

In August 2002, the Subcommittee on Cessation of the Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health (ICSH) was charged with developing recommendations to substantially increase rates of tobacco cessation in the United States.

The subcommittee’s report, A National Action Plan for Tobacco Cessation, outlines 10 recommendations for reducing premature morbidity and mortality by helping millions of Americans stop using tobacco. The plan includes both evidence-based, population-wide strategies designed to promote cessation (e.g., a national quitline network) and a Smokers’ Health Fund to finance the programs (through a $2 per pack excise tax increase).

The subcommittee report was presented to the ICSH (February 11, 2003), which unanimously endorsed sending it to Secretary Thompson for his consideration. In this article, we summarize the national action plan.
The “Global Settlement” With the Tobacco Industry: 6 Years Later
Authors: Givel Michael , Glantz Stanton A.
Published: December 2008

On June 20, 1997 a group of attorneys and health advocates proposed a “global settlement” of all public and private litigation against the tobacco industry. This agreement was controversial, and the subsequent implementing legislation was defeated. We sought to determine whether the global settlement represented a “missed opportunity” or a dead end.

We compared the global settlement with subsequent laws, regulations, settlements, and judgments against the tobacco industry and found that other than Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco, tobacco control advocates have achieved many of the policies included in the global settlement and several beyond it.

The policies that have been developed since 1997 have advanced tobacco control substantially, often beyond the provisions of the global settlement.
Back to the Future: Smoking in Movies in 2002 Compared With 1950 Levels
Authors: Glantz Stanton A. , Kacirk Karen W. , McCulloch Charles
Published: December 2008

We reviewed smoking shown in a random sample of major motion pictures from 1950 through 2002. Smoking incidents declined from 10.7 incidents per hour in 1950 to a minimum of 4.9 in 1980–1982 but increased to 10.9 in 2002. Despite declining tobacco use and increasing public understanding of the dangers of smoking in the real world, smoking in movies has returned to levels observed in 1950, when smoking was nearly twice as prevalent in reality as it was in 2002.
Project FLAVOR: 1-Year Outcomes of a Multicultural, School-Based Smoking Prevention Curriculum for Adolescents
Authors: Unger Jennifer B. , Chou Chih-Ping , Palmer Paula H , Ritt-Olson Anamara , Gallaher Peggy , Cen Steven , Lichtman Kara , Azen Stanley , Johnson C. Anderson
Published: December 2008

To evaluate a multicultural smoking prevention curriculum, 16 schools were randomized to receive the multicultural curriculum or a standard curriculum and program effects on 1-year smoking initiation among 1430 never smokers were assessed. Hispanic boys who received the multicultural curriculum were less likely to initiate smoking than were those who received the standard curriculum; effects were insignificant among other groups. The prevention effect among Hispanic boys is encouraging, but additional research is needed to improve prevention effects among other groups.
Effects of Childhood Socioeconomic Circumstances on Persistent Smoking
Authors: Jefferis Barbara J. M. H. , Power Chris , Graham Hilary , Manor Orly
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We investigated whether socioeconomic circumstances at different life stages influence persistent smoking.

Methods. We followed a British birth cohort (all births between March 3 and 9, 1958) for 41 years to examine the influence of childhood and adulthood socioeconomic position on persistent smoking in adulthood (n = 6541).

Results. Persistent smoking (19% of participants, n = 1216) showed strong social gradients with both childhood and adulthood socioeconomic measures. Among men, the association with childhood socioeconomic circumstances was no longer significant after we adjusted for adulthood socioeconomic circumstances; however, among women, the adjusted odds of persistent smoking increased by 8% for each unit increase across a 16-point childhood score.

Conclusions. Childhood socioeconomic circumstances predicted persistent smoking among women in our cohort, a finding that highlights the importance of influences on the development of persistent smoking across the life course.
Town-Level Characteristics and Smoking Policy Adoption in Massachusetts: Are Local Restaurant Smoking Regulations Fostering Disparities in Health Protection?
Authors: Skeer Margie , George Sarah , Hamilton William L. , Cheng Debbie M. , Siegel Michael
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We identified and quantified differences in sociodemographic characteristics of communities relative to the strength of local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts.

Methods. We examined the relationship between the strength of the 351 local restaurant smoking regulations in Massachusetts and a number of town-level characteristics, using a multinomial logistic regression model.

Results. Characteristics important to the adoption of stronger restaurant smoking regulations included higher education and per capita income, geographic region, voter support for a state cigarette tax initiative, board of health funding to promote clean indoor air policymaking, and the presence of a bordering town with a strong regulation.

Conclusions. The current pattern of smoke-free restaurant policy enactment fosters socioeconomic and geographic disparities in health protection, undermining an important national health goal.
From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Smoking
Authors: Ellickson Phyllis L. , Orlando Maria , Tucker Joan S. , Klein David J.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We used data gathered from 6259 youths between the ages of 13 and 23 years to compare trends in smoking among 4 racial/ethnic groups.

Methods. We weighted trend data to represent baseline respondent characteristics and evaluated these data with linear contrasts derived from multiple regression analyses.

Results. Although African Americans exhibited higher initiation rates than Whites, they exhibited consistently lower rates of regular smoking than both Whites and Hispanics. This seeming anomaly was explained by African Americans’ lower rates of transition to regular smoking and greater tendency to quit. Racial/ethnic disparities were accounted for by differences in pro-smoking influences.

Conclusions. Reducing racial/ethnic disparities in smoking may require reducing differences in the psychosocial factors that encourage smoking.
Improving the Reporting Quality of Nonrandomized Evaluations of Behavioral and Public Health Interventions: The TREND Statement
Authors: Des Jarlais Don C. , Lyles Cynthia , Crepaz Nicole ,   the TREND Group
Published: December 2008

Developing an evidence base for making public health decisions will require using data from evaluation studies with randomized and nonrandomized designs. Assessing individual studies and using studies in quantitative research syntheses require transparent reporting of the study, with sufficient detail and clarity to readily see differences and similarities among studies in the same area. The Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement provides guidelines for transparent reporting of randomized clinical trials.

We present the initial version of the Transparent Reporting of Evaluations with Nonrandomized Designs (TREND) statement. These guidelines emphasize the reporting of theories used and descriptions of intervention and comparison conditions, research design, and methods of adjusting for possible biases in evaluation studies that use nonrandomized designs.
Design and Analysis of Group-Randomized Trials: A Review of Recent Practices
Authors: Varnell Sherri P. , Murray David M. , Janega Jessica B. , Blitstein Jonathan L.
Published: December 2008

We reviewed group-randomized trials (GRTs) published in the American Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine from 1998 through 2002 and estimated the proportion of GRTs that employ appropriate methods for design and analysis.

Of 60 articles, 9 (15.0%) reported evidence of using appropriate methods for sample size estimation. Of 59 articles in the analytic review, 27 (45.8%) reported at least 1 inappropriate analysis and 12 (20.3%) reported only inappropriate analyses. Nineteen (32.2%) reported analyses at an individual or subgroup level, ignoring group, or included group as a fixed effect.

Hence increased vigilance is needed to ensure that appropriate methods for GRTs are employed and that results based on inappropriate methods are not published.
Evidence-Based Public Health: Moving Beyond Randomized Trials
Authors: Victora Cesar G. , Habicht Jean-Pierre , Bryce Jennifer
Published: December 2008

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are essential for evaluating the efficacy of clinical interventions, where the causal chain between the agent and the outcome is relatively short and simple and where results may be safely extrapolated to other settings.

However, causal chains in public health interventions are complex, making RCT results subject to effect modification in different populations. Both the internal and external validity of RCT findings can be greatly enhanced by observational studies using adequacy or plausibility designs. For evaluating large-scale interventions, studies with plausibility designs are often the only feasible option and may provide valid evidence of impact.

There is an urgent need to develop evaluation standards and protocols for use in circumstances where RCTs are not appropriate.
The Multi-Country Evaluation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Strategy: Lessons for the Evaluation of Public Health Interventions
Authors: Bryce Jennifer , Victora Cesar G. , Habicht Jean-Pierre , Vaughan J. Patrick , Black Robert E.
Published: December 2008

The Multi-Country Evaluation of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) includes studies of the effectiveness, cost, and impact of the IMCI strategy in Bangladesh, Brazil, Peru, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Seven questions were addressed when the evaluation was designed: who would be in charge, through what mechanisms IMCI could affect child health, whether the focus would be efficacy or effectiveness, what indicators would be measured, what types of inference would be made, how costs would be incorporated, and what elements would constitute the plan of analysis.

We describe how these questions were answered, the challenges encountered in implementing the evaluation, and the 5 study designs. The methodological insights gained can improve future evaluations of public health programs.
Pitfalls of and Controversies in Cluster Randomization Trials
Authors: Donner Allan , Klar Neil
Published: December 2008

It is now well known that standard statistical procedures become invalidated when applied to cluster randomized trials in which the unit of inference is the individual. A resulting consequence is that researchers conducting such trials are faced with a multitude of design choices, including selection of the primary unit of inference, the degree to which clusters should be matched or stratified by prognostic factors at baseline, and decisions related to cluster subsampling. Moreover, application of ethical principles developed for individually randomized trials may also require modification.

We discuss several topics related to these issues, with emphasis on the choices that must be made in the planning stages of a trial and on some potential pitfalls to be avoided.
Diabetes Prevalence Among Puerto Rican Adults in New York City, NY, 2000
Authors: Melnik Thomas A. , Hosler Akiko S. , Sekhobo Jackson P. , Duffy Thomas P. , Tierney Edward F. , Engelgau Michael M. , Geiss Linda S.
Published: December 2008

This study assessed the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes and associated characteristics among Puerto Rican adults in New York City, NY, with a random-digit–dialed telephone survey with a dual-frame sampling design. Overall, 11.3% (95% confidence interval = 8.7%, 14.0%) had diagnosed diabetes; diabetes was significantly related to age, obesity, and family history; and the prevalence was high among those with the least education. This study showed the ability to obtain critically needed diabetes information from ethnic minorities at the local level.
Relative Weight and Income at Different Levels of Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Sarlio-Lähteenkorva Sirpa , Silventoinen Karri , Lahelma Eero
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined the association of relative weight with individual income at different levels of socioeconomic status among gainfully employed Finnish women and men.

Methods. We used a population-based survey including 2068 women and 2314 men with linked income data from a taxation register. Regression analysis was used to calculate mean income levels within educational and occupational groups.

Results. Compared with their normal-weight counterparts, obese women with higher education or in upper white-collar positions had significantly lower income; a smaller income disadvantage was seen in overweight women with secondary education and in manual workers. Excess body weight was not associated with income disadvantages in men.

Conclusions. Obesity is associated with a clear income disadvantage, particularly among women with higher socioeconomic status.
Policies of Inclusion
Authors: Fairchild Amy L.
Published: December 2008

The racial politics of immigration have punctuated national discussions about immigration at different periods in US history, particularly when concerns about losing an American way of life or American population have coincided with concerns about infectious diseases.

Nevertheless, the main theme running through American immigration policy is one of inclusion. The United States has historically been a nation reliant on immigrant labor and, accordingly, the most consequential public policies regarding immigration have responded to disease and its economic burdens by seeking to control the behavior of immigrants within our borders rather than excluding immigrants at our borders.
Ranking of Cities According to Public Health Criteria: Pitfalls and Opportunities
Authors: Ham Sandra A. , Levin Sarah , Zlot Amy I. , Andrews Richard R. , Miles Rebecca
Published: December 2008

Popular magazines often rank cities in terms of various aspects of quality of life. Such ranking studies can motivate people to visit or relocate to a particular city or increase the frequency with which they engage in healthy behaviors.

With careful consideration of study design and data limitations, these efforts also can assist policymakers in identifying local public health issues. We discuss considerations in interpreting ranking studies that use environmental measures of a city population’s public health related to physical activity, nutrition, and obesity.

Ranking studies such as those commonly publicized are constrained by statistical methodology issues and a lack of a scientific basis in regard to design.
Cost Analysis of the Built Environment: The Case of Bike and Pedestrian Trials in Lincoln, Neb
Authors: Wang Guijing , Macera Caroline A. , Scudder-Soucie Barbara , Schmid Tom , Pratt Michael , Buchner David , Heath Gregory
Published: December 2008

We estimated the annual cost of bike and pedestrian trails in Lincoln, Neb, using construction and maintenance costs provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation of Nebraska. We obtained the number of users of 5 trails from a 1998 census report. The annual construction cost of each trail was calculated by using 3%, 5%, and 10% discount rates for a period of useful life of 10, 30, and 50 years. The average cost per mile and per user was calculated.

Trail length averaged 3.6 miles (range = 1.6–4.6 miles). Annual cost in 2002 dollars ranged from $25 762 to $248 479 (mean = $124 927; median = $171 064). The cost per mile ranged from $5735 to $54 017 (mean = $35 355; median = $37 994). The annual cost per user was $235 (range = $83–$592), whereas per capita annual medical cost of inactivity was $622.

Construction of trails fits a wide range of budgets and may be a viable health amenity for most communities. To increase trail cost-effectiveness, efforts to decrease cost and increase the number of users should be considered.
Estimating Capacity Requirements for Mental Health Services After a Disaster Has Occurred: A Call for New Data
Authors: Siegel Carole E. , Laska Eugene , Meisner Morris
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We sought to estimate the extended mental health service capacity requirements of persons affected by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Methods. We developed a formula to estimate the extended mental health service capacity requirements following disaster situations and assessed availability of the information required by the formula.

Results. Sparse data exist on current services and supports used by people with mental health problems outside of the formal mental health specialty sector. There also are few systematically collected data on mental health sequelae of disasters.

Conclusions. We recommend research-based surveys to understand service usage in non–mental health settings and suggest that federal guidelines be established to promote uniform data collection of a core set of items in studies carried out after disasters.
The Economic Burden of Hospitalizations Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect
Authors: Rovi Sue , Chen Ping-Hsin , Johnson Mark S.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the economic burden of child abuse–related hospitalizations.

Methods. We compared inpatient stays coded with a diagnosis of child abuse or neglect with stays of other hospitalized children using the 1999 National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project.

Results. Children whose hospital stays were coded with a diagnosis of abuse or neglect were significantly more likely to have died during hospitalization (4.0% vs 0.5%), have longer stays (8.2 vs 4.0 days), twice the number of diagnoses (6.3 vs 2.8), and double the total charges ($19 266 vs $9513) than were other hospitalized children. Furthermore, the primary payer was typically Medicaid (66.5% vs 37.0%).

Conclusion. Earlier identification of children at risk for child abuse and neglect might reduce the individual, medical, and societal costs.
Protection Orders and Intimate Partner Violence: An 18-Month Study of 150 Black, Hispanic, and White Women
Authors: McFarlane Judith , Malecha Ann , Gist Julia , Watson Kathy , Batten Elizabeth , Hall Iva , Smith Sheila
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We compared types and frequencies of intimate partner violence experienced by women before and after receipt of a 2-year protection order.

Methods. Participants were 150 urban English- and Spanish-speaking Black, Hispanic, and White women who qualified for a 2-year protection order against an intimate partner.

Results. One woman committed suicide 6 weeks into the study. The remaining 149 women completed all interviews. Results showed significant reductions in threats of assault, physical assault, stalking, and worksite harassment over time among all women, regardless of receipt or nonreceipt of a protection order.

Conclusions. Abused women who apply and qualify for a 2-year protection order, irrespective of whether or not they are granted the order, report significantly lower levels of violence during the subsequent 18 months.
What’s New About the “New Public Health”?
Authors: Awofeso Niyi
Published: December 2008

From its origins, when public health was integral to societies’ social structures, through the sanitary movement and contagion eras, when it evolved as a separate discipline, to the “new public health” era, when health promotion projects like Healthy Cities appear to be steering the discipline back to society’s social structure, public health seems to have come full circle. It is this observation that has led some to ask, “What’s new about the ‘new public health’?”

This article addresses the question by highlighting what is new about the health promotion era—including adapted components of previous eras that have been incorporated into its core activities—and its suitability in addressing established and emerging public health threats.
John Henryism and Self-Reported Physical Health Among High–Socioeconomic Status African American Men
Authors: Bonham Vence L. , Sellers Sherrill L. , Neighbors Harold W.
Published: December 2008

We performed a cross-sectional survey of high–socioeconomic status (SES) African American men and their health to examine the relationship between John Henryism (the strong behavioral predisposition to directly confront barriers to upward social mobility) and selfreported physical health status. We found a positive association between John Henryism and better physical health among high-SES African American men. The study of social and behavioral implications of health of men of differing SES is required to develop strategies to improve the health of African American men.
Social Factors and Periodontitis in an Older Population
Authors: Borrell Luisa N. , Burt Brian A. , Neighbors Harold W. , Taylor George W.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We assessed the prevalences of periodontitis by education and income levels among US adults with data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Methods. The study was limited to non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican Americans, and non-Hispanic Whites 50 years of age or older with a complete periodontal assessment during the dental examination.

Results. Blacks with higher education and income levels had a significantly higher prevalence of periodontitis than their White and Mexican-American counterparts. The relationship between income level and periodontitis was modified by race/ethnicity. High-income Blacks exhibited a higher prevalence of periodontitis than did low-income Blacks and high-income Whites.

Conclusions. Our findings call attention to the importance of recognizing socioeconomic status–related health differences across racial/ethnic groups within the social, political, and historical context.
Can Better Mental Health Services Reduce the Risk of Juvenile Justice System Involvement?
Authors: Foster E. Michael , Qaseem Amir , Connor Tim
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We evaluated how improved mental health services affect justice involvement among juveniles treated in the public mental health system.

Methods. Our analyses were based on administrative and interview data collected in 2 communities participating in the evaluation of a national initiative designed to improve mental health services for children and youths.

Results. Results derived from Cox proportional hazard models suggested that better mental health services reduced the risks of initial and subsequent juvenile justice involvement by 31% and 28%, respectively. Effects were somewhat more pronounced for serious offenses.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest that improved mental health services reduce the risk of juvenile justice involvement.
Project D.A.R.E. Outcome Effectiveness Revisited
Authors: West Steven L. , O’Neal Keri K.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We provide an updated meta-analysis on the effectiveness of Project D.A.R.E. in preventing alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use among school-aged youths.

Methods. We used meta-analytic techniques to create an overall effect size for D.A.R.E. outcome evaluations reported in scientific journals.

Results. The overall weighted effect size for the included D.A.R.E. studies was extremely small (correlation coefficient = 0.011; Cohen d = 0.023; 95% confidence interval = −0.04, 0.08) and nonsignificant (z = 0.73, NS).

Conclusions. Our study supports previous findings indicating that D.A.R.E. is ineffective.
Flint Photovoice: Community Building Among Youths, Adults, and Policymakers
Authors: Wang Caroline C. , Morrel-Samuels Susan , Hutchison Peter M. , Bell Lee , Pestronk Robert M.
Published: December 2008

Flint Photovoice represents the work of 41 youths and adults recruited to use a participatory-action research approach to photographically document community assets and concerns, critically discuss the resulting images, and communicate with policymakers.

At the suggestion of grassroots community leaders, we included policymakers among those asked to take photographs. In accordance with previously established photovoice methodology, we also recruited at the project’s outset another group of policymakers and community leaders to provide political will and support for implementing photovoice participants’ policy and program recommendations.

Flint Photovoice enabled youths to express their concerns about neighborhood violence to policymakers and was instrumental in acquiring funding for local violence prevention. We note salutary outcomes produced by the inclusion of policymakers among adults who took photographs.
Ethics in Public Health Research
Authors: Quinn Sandra Crouse
Published: December 2008

Increasingly, researchers grapple with meaningful efforts to involve communities in research, recognizing that communities are distinct from individuals. We also struggle to ensure that individual participants in research are fully protected.

Community advisory boards (CABs) offer an opportunity to adopt a relationships paradigm that enables researchers to anticipate and address the context in which communities understand risks and benefits, and individuals give consent.

CABs provide a mechanism for community consultation that contributes to protecting communities and fostering meaningful research. Furthermore, CABs can help us to re-create informed consent as a process. It is critical that we conduct research to understand the role of CABs in the informed consent process.
Child Custody Determinations in Cases Involving Intimate Partner Violence: a Human Rights Analysis
Authors: Silverman Jay G. , Mesh Cynthia M. , Cuthbert Carrie V. , Slote Kim , Bancroft Lundy
Published: December 2008

Intimate partner violence and child abuse are recognized both as public health concerns and as violations of human rights, but related government actions and inactions are rarely documented as human rights violations in the United States.

Men who abuse female partners are also highly likely to abuse the children of these women. However, family courts are reported to often ignore risks posed by abusive men in awarding child custody and visitation. Battered women involved in child custody litigation in Massachusetts (n = 39) were interviewed. A recurring pattern of potential human rights violations by the state was documented, corresponding to rights guaranteed in multiple internationally accepted human rights covenants and treaties.

The human rights framework is a powerful tool for demonstrating the need for legal, social, and political reform regarding public health concerns.
Vaccination and Allergic Disease: A Birth Cohort Study
Authors: McKeever Tricia M. , Lewis Sarah A. , Smith Chris , Hubbard Richard
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined the effect of vaccination for diphtheria; polio; pertussis and tetanus; or measles, mumps, and rubella on the incidence of physician-diagnosed asthma and eczema.

Methods. We used a previously established birth cohort in the West Midlands General Practice research database.

Results. We found an association between vaccination and the development of allergic disease; however, this association was present only among children with the fewest physician visits and can be explained by this factor.

Conclusions. Our data suggest that currently recommended routine vaccinations are not a risk factor for asthma or eczema.
Improving Topical Microbicide Applicators for Use in Resource-Poor Settings
Authors: Vail Janet G. , Cohen Jessica A. , Kelly Kimberly L.
Published: December 2008

With more than 60 potential microbicides being assessed in preclinical or clinical trials, most attention has been centered on products intended for topical application, with much less research conducted on the applicators that will be used to deliver the microbicides. However, applicator design relates to safety, efficacy, and acceptability.

As the foundation for a more systematic approach to evaluating and possibly improving designs for topical microbicide applicators, we conducted a literature review and a series of interviews with microbicide developers, trial investigators, and trial sponsors. Our findings indicate that issues concerning applicator safety, reuse, and cost warrant further investigation.
Delivery of HIV Prevention Counseling by Physicians at HIV Medical Care Settings in 4 US Cities
Authors: Metsch Lisa R. , Pereyra Margaret , del Rio Carlos , Gardner Lytt , Duffus Wayne A. , Dickinson Gordon , Kerndt Peter , Anderson-Mahoney Pamela , Strathdee Steffanie A. , Greenberg Alan E.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We investigated physicians’ delivery of HIV prevention counseling to newly diagnosed and established HIV-positive patients.

Methods. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 417 HIV physicians in 4 US cities.

Results. Overall, rates of counseling on the part of physicians were low. Physicians reported counseling newly diagnosed patients more than established patients. Factors associated with increased counseling included having sufficient time with patients and familiarity with treatment guidelines. Physicians who perceived their patients to have mental health and substance abuse problems, who served more male patients, and who were infectious disease specialists were less likely to counsel patients.

Conclusions. Intervention strategies with physicians should be developed to overcome barriers to providing counseling to HIV-positive patients.
Experiences of Harassment, Discrimination, and Physical Violence Among Young Gay and Bisexual Men
Authors: Huebner David M. , Rebchook Gregory M. , Kegeles Susan M.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined the 6-month cumulative incidence of anti-gay harassment, discrimination, and violence among young gay/bisexual men and documented their associations with mental health.

Methods. Gay/bisexual men from 3 cities in the southwestern United States completed self-administered questionnaires.

Results. Thirty-seven percent of men reported experiencing anti-gay verbal harassment in the previous 6 months; 11.2% reported discrimination, and 4.8% reported physical violence. Men were more likely to report these experiences if they were younger, were more open in disclosing their sexual orientation to others, and were HIV positive. Reports of mistreatment were associated with lower self-esteem and increased suicidal ideation.

Conclusions. Absent policies preventing anti-gay mistreatment, empowerment and community-building programs are needed for young gay/bisexual men to both create safe social settings and help them cope with the psychological effects of these events.
Asian/Pacific Islander Adolescent Sexual Orientation and Suicide Risk in Guam
Authors: Pinhey Thomas K. , Millman Sara R.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined the effects of same-sex orientation on suicide risks for Guam’s Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents.

Methods. We used a probability sample and logistic regression analysis to identify suicide risk factors.

Results. Same-sex orientation was associated with a greater risk of suicide attempt, especially for boys. Adolescents who reported suffering physical abuse in the context of a romantic relationship, engaging in binge drinking, and experiencing feelings of hopelessness were at greater risk for suicidal ideation and attempts. Race/ethnicity was associated with suicide risk for both boys and girls, and patterns suggest that membership in the same racial/ethnic group decreased suicide risk for girls and increased risk of suicide for boys.

Conclusions. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual Asian/Pacific Islander adolescents in Guam deserve intervention and counseling programs to reduce suicide risk.
HIV Seroprevalence Among Homeless and Marginally Housed Adults in San Francisco
Authors: Robertson Marjorie J. , Clark Richard A. , Charlebois Edwin D. , Tulsky Jacqueline , Long Heather L. , Bangsberg David R. , Moss Andrew R.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We report HIV seroprevalence and risk factors for urban indigent adults.

Methods. A total of 2508 adults from shelters, meal programs, and low-cost hotels received interviews, blood tests, and tuberculosis screening.

Results. Seroprevalence was 10.5% overall, 29.6% for men reporting sex with men (MSM), 7.7% for non-MSM injection drug users (IDUs), and 5.0% for residual non-MSM/non-IDUs. Risk factors were identified for MSM (sex trade among Whites, non-White race, recent receptive anal sex, syphilis), non-MSM IDUs (syphilis, lower education, prison, syringe sharing, transfusion), and residual subjects (≥ 5 recent sexual partners, female crack users who gave sex for drugs).

Conclusions. HIV seroprevalence was 5 times greater for indigent adults than in San Francisco generally. Sexual behavior predicted HIV infection better than drug use, even among IDUs.
Geographic Clustering of Adult Asthma Hospitalization and Residential Exposure to Pollution at a United States–Canada Border Crossing
Authors: Oyana Tonny J. , Rogerson Peter , Lwebuga-Mukasa Jamson S.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We conducted a case–control study of adulthood asthma and point-source respirable particulate air pollution with asthma-diagnosed case patients (n = 3717) and gastroenteritis-diagnosed control patients (n = 4129) to determine effects of particulate air pollution on public health.

Methods. We used hospitalization data from Buffalo, NY, neighborhoods for a 5-year period (1996 through 2000), geographic information systems techniques, the Diggle method, and statistical analysis to compare the locations of case patients and control patients in terms of proximity to different known pollution sources in the study area.

Results. We found a clustering of asthma cases in close proximity to the Peace Bridge Complex and the freeways and a dose–response relationship indicating a decreased risk of asthma prevalence the farther an individual resides from the source of exposure.

Conclusions. These findings provide a basis for the development of new hypotheses relating to the spatial distribution of asthma prevalence and morbidity in this community.
Tracking Gender-Based Human Rights Violations in Postwar Kosovo
Authors: Desai Sapna , Perry Melissa J.
Published: December 2008

Four years have passed since the institution of the cease-fire in Yugoslavia, and questions remain as to how Kosovar women are faring in the country’s postwar reconstruction. Reports, albeit fragmented, suggest that violence against women began to increase in 1998 and 1999. This trend continued through 2001, even while rates of other major crimes decreased.

Despite considerable local efforts to address the conditions of women, there remains a lack of systematic data documenting the scope and frequency of violent acts committed against women. A centralized surveillance system focused on tracking human rights abuses needs to be established to address this critical need for empirically based reports and to ultimately guide reform efforts.
A Cigarette Manufacturer and a Managed Care Company Collaborate to Censor Health Information Targeted at Employees
Authors: Muggli Monique E. , Hurt Richard D.
Published: December 2008

A review of internal tobacco company documents showed that the tobacco company Philip Morris and the insurance company CIGNA collaborated to censor accurate information on the harm of smoking and on environmental tobacco smoke exposure from CIGNA health newsletters sent to employees of Philip Morris and its affiliates. From 1996 to 1998, 5 of the 8 CIGNA newsletters discussed in the internal tobacco documents were censored.

We recommend that accrediting bodies mandate that health plans not censor employee-directed health information at the request of employers.
Condom Use and the Risk of Recurrent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, Chronic Pelvic Pain, or Infertility Following an Episode of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Authors: Ness Roberta B. , Randall Hugh , Richter Holly E. , Peipert Jeffrey F. , Montagno Andrea , Soper David E. , Sweet Richard L. , Nelson Deborah B. , Schubeck Diane , Hendrix Susan L. , Bass Debra C. , Kip Kevin E.
Published: December 2008

Among 684 sexually active women with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) followed up for a mean of 35 months, we related contraceptive use to self-reported PID recurrence, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Persistent use of condoms during the study reduced the risk of recurrent PID, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Consistent condom use (about 60% of encounters) at baseline also reduced these risks, after adjustment for confounders, by 30% to 60%. Self-reported persistent and consistent condom use was associated with lower rates of PID sequelae.
Expanded State-Funded Family Planning Services: Estimating Pregnancies Averted by the Family PACT Program in California, 1997–1998
Authors: Foster Diana Greene , Klaisle Cynthia M. , Blum Maya , Bradsberry Mary E. , Brindis Claire D. , Stewart Felicia H.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. The California Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment Program was implemented in 1997 to provide family planning services for uninsured, low-income women and men. We estimated the impact on fertility of providing 500 000 women with contraceptives.

Methods. Paid claims and medical record review data were used to estimate pregnancies averted. Pregnancies women experienced while enrolled in the program and pregnancies they would have experienced given methods used before enrollment were modeled as a Markov process.

Results. One year of Family Planning, Access, Care, and Treatment services averted an estimated 108 000 unintended pregnancies that would have resulted in 50 000 unintended births and 41 000 induced abortions.

Conclusions. Providing contraceptives to low income, medically indigent women significantly reduced the number of unintended pregnancies in California.
Psychosocial Factors and Preterm Birth Among African American and White Women in Central North Carolina
Authors: Dole Nancy , Savitz David A. , Siega-Riz Anna Maria , Hertz-Picciotto Irva , McMahon Michael J. , Buekens Pierre
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We assessed associations between psychosocial factors and preterm birth, stratified by race in a prospective cohort study.

Methods. We surveyed 1898 women who used university and public health prenatal clinics regarding various psychosocial factors.

Results. African Americans were at higher risk of preterm birth if they used distancing from problems as a coping mechanism or reported racial discrimination. Whites were at higher risk if they had high counts of negative life events or were not living with a partner. The association of pregnancy-related anxiety with preterm birth weakened when medical comorbidities were taken into account. No association with preterm birth was found for depression, general social support, or church attendance.

Conclusions. Some associations between psychosocial variables and preterm birth differed by race.
Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Among Latinas and Non-Latina Whites
Authors: Abraído-Lanza Ana F. , Chao Maria T. , Gammon Marilie D.
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We examined whether Latinas differ from non-Latinas in having undergone recent mammography, clinical breast examination, or Papanicolaou testing, as well as the contribution of sociodemographic and health care variables to screening.

Methods. We used data from the 1991 National Health Interview Survey Health Promotion and Disease Prevention supplement.

Results. Latinas were less likely than non-Latina Whites to have undergone mammography (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.57, 0.88), but this difference was attenuated when we controlled for socioeconomic factors (OR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.70, 1.15). Latinas did not differ from Whites on Papanicolaou tests or clinical breast examinations. Quality of and access to health care predicted screening.

Conclusions. Latina ethnicity does not predict breast and cervical cancer screening behavior independent of sociodemographic and structural factors.