bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Partner Violence Among Adolescents in Opposite-Sex Romantic Relationships: Findings From the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
Authors: Halpern Carolyn Tucker , Oslak Selene G. , Young Mary L. , Martin Sandra L. , Kupper Lawrence L. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This report examines (1) the prevalence of psychological and minor physical violence victimization in a nationally representative sample of adolescents and (2) associations between sociodemographic factors and victimization. Methods. Analyses are based on 7500 adolescents who reported exclusively heterosexual romantic relationships in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Items from the Conflict Tactics Scale were used to measure victimization. Associations between victimization patterns and sociodemographic characteristics were assessed with polytomous logistic regression. Results. One third of adolescents reported some type of victimization, and 12% reported physical violence victimization. Although most sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with victimization, patterns varied by sex and type of victimization. Conclusions. Psychological and minor physical violence victimization is common in opposite-sex romantic relationships during adolescence. The sex-specific associations between sociodemographic characteristics and patterns of partner violence victimization underscore the importance of pursuing longitudinal, theory-driven investigations of the characteristics and developmental histories of both partners in a couple to advance understanding of this public health problem.
A Motivational Interviewing Intervention to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake Through Black Churches: Results of the Eat for Life Trial
Authors: Resnicow Ken , Jackson Alice , Wang Terry , De Anindya K. , McCarty Frances , Dudley William N. , Baranowski Tom 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study reports on Eat for Life, a multicomponent intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among African Americans that was delivered through Black churches. Methods. Fourteen churches were randomly assigned to 3 treatment conditions: (1) comparison, (2) self-help intervention with 1 telephone cue call, and (3) self-help with 1 cue call and 3 counseling calls. The telephone counseling in group 3 was based on motivational interviewing. The primary outcome, assessed at baseline and 1-year follow-up, was fruit and vegetable intake as assessed by 3 food frequency questionnaires. Results. Change in fruit and vegetable intake was significantly greater in the motvational interviewing group than in the comparison and self-help groups. The net difference between the motivational interviewing and comparison groups was 1.38, 1.03, and 1.21 servings of fruits and vegetables per day for the 2-item, 7-item, and 36-item food frequency questionnaires, respectively. The net difference between the motivational interviewing and self-help groups was 1.14, 1.10, and 0.97 servings for the 2-item, 7-item, and 36-item food frequency questionnaires, respectively. Conclusions. Motivational interviewing appears to be a promising strategy for modifying dietary behavior, and Black churches are an excellent setting to implement and evaluate health promotion programs.
Turning Science Into Junk: The Tobacco Industry and Passive Smoking
Authors: Samet Jonathan M. , Burke Thomas A. 
Published: November 2008

In this issue, Glantz and Ong offer a powerful analysis of the tobacco industry's attempt to discredit the scientific evidence on passive smoking, particularly the industry's use of the label “junk science.” Environmental epidemiologic studies in other arenas have also been targets for the “junk science” label. Lessons for researchers involved in high-stakes issues in the public policy arena include a need for awareness of competing interests, for transparency concerning funding, and for adherence to rigorous quality assurance and peer review practices. The goal of “sound science” seems an admirable one; it should not, however, be used to dismiss available but uncertain evidence in order to delay action.
Junking Science to Promote Tobacco
Authors: Yach Derek , Bialous Stella Aguinaga 
Published: November 2008

Despite the tobacco industry's claims that it has changed its practices, the toll of tobacco-related disease and death continues to grow worldwide, and the industry continues to use a vast array of strategies to promote its products and increase profits. This commentary discusses the ways the tobacco industry has created controversy about risk assessment and about the scientific evidence of the health hazards of secondhand smoke. The authors recommend that policymakers be more vigilant and that they demand transparency about affiliations and linkages between allegedly independent scientists and tobacco companies. They also urge policymakers to be prepared for new and continuing challenges posed by the tobacco industry, because, despite the industry's claims, there is little evidence of fundamental change in its objectives.
Reproductive Health in Eastern Europe: A Collaborative Training Project in Romania
Authors: Lüdicke Frank , Horga Mihai , Campana Aldo 
Published: November 2008

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, fundamental political changes in eastern Europe have affected the Soviet-style health care systems that formerly provided basic care for everyone. Many of these systems have collapsed, and the new systems of social insurance that have replaced them often are inadequate. Advanced Training in Reproductive Health in Romania aimed to create an authority in family planning and reproductive health in selected Romanian university centers and to improve training and research capabilities. Initially, the project had 2 main goals: to provide advanced training in reproductive health and family planning to Romanian obstetrics–gynecology specialists from the main university centers—which would allow them to train other physicians (obstetricians, gynecologists, and general practitioners) and medical students—and to develop, test, and finalize specific training materials in Romanian to be used by the new trainers.
An Ethics Framework for Public Health
Authors: Kass Nancy E. 
Published: November 2008

More than 100 years ago, public health began as an organized discipline, its purpose being to improve the health of populations rather than of individuals. Given its population-based focus, however, public health perennially faces dilemmas concerning the appropriate extent of its reach and whether its activities infringe on individual liberties in ethically troublesome ways. In this article a framework for ethics analysis of public health programs is proposed. To advance traditional public health goals while maximizing individual liberties and furthering social justice, public health interventions should reduce morbidity or mortality; data must substantiate that a program (or the series of programs of which a program is a part) will reduce morbidity or mortality; burdens of the program must be identified and minimized; the program must be implemented fairly and must, at times, minimize preexisting social injustices; and fair procedures must be used to determine which burdens are acceptable to a community.
The Relationship of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Characteristics to Birthweight Among 5 Ethnic Groups in California
Authors: Pearl Michelle , Braveman Paula , Abrams Barbara 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study sought to examine relationships between neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics and birthweight, accounting for individual socioeconomic characteristics, among 5 ethnic groups. Methods. Birth records were linked to census block-group data for 22 304 women delivering infants at 18 California hospitals during 1994–1995. Information on income and additional factors was obtained from a surveyed subset of 8457 women. Neighborhood levels of poverty, unemployment, and education were examined. Results. After adjustment for mothers' individual socioeconomic characteristics and other risk factors, less-favorable neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics were associated with lower birthweight among Blacks and Asians. No consistent relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics and birthweight was found among Whites, US-born Latinas, or foreign-born Latinas overall, but birthweight increased with less-favorable neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics among foreign-born Latinas in high-poverty or high-unemployment neighborhoods. These findings were not explained by measured behavioral or cultural factors. Conclusions. In addition to individual socioeconomic characteristics, living in neighborhoods that are less socioeconomically advantaged may differentially influence birthweight, depending on women's ethnicity and nativity.
Cigarette Taxes and Smoking During Pregnancy
Authors: Ringel Jeanne S. , Evans William N. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study sought to estimate how changes in state cigarette excise taxes affect the smoking behavior of pregnant women. Methods. Detailed information about mothers and their pregnancy was used to examine the impact of taxes on the propensity of pregnant women to smoke. The 1989 to 1995 Natality Detail Files were used in conducting analyses to assess the impact of taxes on smoking among different subpopulations. Results. Higher cigarette excise taxes reduced smoking rates among pregnant women. A tax hike of $0.55 per pack would reduce maternal smoking by about 22%. Overall, a 10% increase in price would reduce smoking rates by 7%. Estimates for subpopulations suggested that nearly all would be very responsive to tax changes, including the subpopulations with the highest smoking rates. Conclusions. Smoking rates among pregnant women are responsive to tax hikes.
Mental Health Correlates of Perceived Discrimination Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the United States
Authors: Mays Vickie M. , Cochran Susan D. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. Recent studies suggest that lesbians and gay men are at higher risk for stress-sensitive psychiatric disorders than are heterosexual persons. We examined the possible role of perceived discrimination in generating that risk. Methods. The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, a nationally representative sample of adults aged 25 to 74 years, surveyed individuals self-identifying as homosexual or bisexual (n = 73) or heterosexual (n = 2844) about their lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Also assessed were 1-year prevalence of depressive, anxiety, and substance dependence disorders; current psychologic distress; and self-rated mental health. Results. Homosexual and bisexual individuals more frequently than heterosexual persons reported both lifetime and day-to-day experiences with discrimination. Approximately 42% attributed this to their sexual orientation, in whole or part. Perceived discrimination was positively associated with both harmful effects on quality of life and indicators of psychiatric morbidity in the total sample. Controlling for differences in discrimination experiences attenuated observed associations between psychiatric morbidity and sexual orientation. Conclusions. Higher levels of discrimination may underlie recent observations of greater psychiatric morbidity risk among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
Effects of Cost Sharing on Care Seeking and Health Status: Results From the Medical Outcomes Study
Authors: Wong Mitchell D. , Andersen Ronald , Sherbourne Cathy D. , Hays Ron D. , Shapiro Martin F. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study sought to determine the effect of cost sharing on medical care use for acute symptoms and on health status among chronically ill adults. Methods. Data from the Medical Outcomes Study were used to compare (1) rates of physician care use for minor and serious symptoms and (2) 6- and 12-month follow-up physical and mental health status among individuals at different levels of cost sharing. Results. In comparison with a no-copay group, the low- and high-copay groups were less likely to have sought care for minor symptoms, but only the high-copay group had a lower rate of seeking care for serious symptoms. Follow-up physical and mental health status scores were similar among the 3 copay groups. Conclusions. In a chronically ill population, cost sharing reduced the use of care for both minor and serious symptoms. Although no differences in self-reported health status were observed, health plans featuring cost sharing need careful monitoring for potential adverse health effects because of their propensity to reduce use of care that is considered necessary and appropriate.
Can Public Health Researchers and Agencies Reconcile the Push From Funding Bodies and the Pull From Communities?
Authors: Green Lawrence W. , Mercer Shawna L. 
Published: November 2008

Responding to growing impatience with the limited application of research findings to health practices and policies, both funding bodies and communities are demanding that research show greater sensitivity to communities' perceptions, needs, and unique circumstances. One way to assure this is to employ participatory research—to engage communities at least in formulating research questions and interpreting and applying research findings and possibly also in selecting methods and analyzing data. "Community" should be interpreted broadly as all who will be affected by the research results, including lay residents of a local area, practitioners, service agencies, and policymakers. Participatory research should not be required of every project, but when results are to be used for, in, and by communities, those communities should collaborate not only in applying findings but also in determining the ways in which the findings are produced and interpreted.
The Role of Community Advisory Boards: Involving Communities in the Informed Consent Process
Authors: Strauss Ronald P. , Sengupta Sohini , Quinn Sandra Crouse , Goeppinger Jean , Spaulding Cora , Kegeles Susan M. , Millett Greg 
Published: November 2008

Ethical research involving human subjects mandates that individual informed consent be obtained from research participants or from surrogates when participants are not able to consent for themselves. The existing requirements for informed consent assume that all study participants have personal autonomy; fully comprehend the purpose, risks, and benefits of the research; and volunteer for projects that disclose all relevant information. Yet contemporary examples of lapses in the individual informed consent process have been reported. The authors propose the use of community advisory boards, which can facilitate research by providing advice about the informed consent process and the design and implementation of research protocols. These activities could help reduce the number of individual informed consent lapses, benefiting study participants and the scientific integrity of the research in question.
Urban History, Urban Health
Authors: Knowlton Kim 
Published: November 2008

Over the course of the 20th century, the United States became an urban nation: 80% of Americans now live in metropolitan areas. Supplying basic sanitary services—drinking water, sewers, and garbage removal—to these cities is a gargantuan task, yet most people have little understanding of urban infrastructure systems and their enormous regional ecologic impacts. Municipalization of sanitary services, especially since 1880, distanced people from their wastes and gave city dwellers a simplistic experience of one-way material flow through cities, without knowledge of the environmental costs. Most sanitary infrastructures were built primarily for durability and lack the elasticity to meet changing needs. The challenge now is to adapt sanitary systems for flexibility and simultaneously move from unchecked material consumption toward resource-based thinking.
Meeting the Data Needs of a Local Health Department: The Los Angeles County Health Survey
Authors: Simon Paul A. , Wold Cheryl M. , Cousineau Michael R. , Fielding Jonathan E. 
Published: November 2008

Monitoring the health status of populations is a core function of all public health agencies but is particularly important at the municipal and community levels, where population health data increasingly are used to drive public health decision making and community health improvement efforts. 1– 3 Unfortunately, most local health jurisdictions lack important data for developing population health profiles, such as data on chronic disease prevalence, quality-of-life measures, functional status, and self-perceptions of health status. In addition, data on important determinants of health, including health behaviors and access to health care services, are rarely available locally. These data frequently are collected in national and state surveys (e.g., the National Health Interview Survey and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) and provide critical information to assess progress toward achieving state and national health objectives. 4 The surveys rarely serve local data needs, however, because of insufficient sample size and lack of flexibility to address local health issues. To address gaps in local health data, in 1997 the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services inaugurated the Los Angeles County Health Survey.
Understanding and Responding to Youth Substance Use: The Contribution of a Health and Human Rights Framework
Authors: Gruskin Sofia , Plafker Karen , Smith-Estelle Allison 
Published: November 2008

This article examines the utility of a health and human rights framework for conceptualizing and responding to the causes and consequences of substance use among young people. It provides operational definitions of “youth” and “substances,” a review of current international and national efforts to address substance use among youths, and an introduction to human rights and the intersection between health and human rights. A methodology for modeling vulnerability in relation to harmful substance use is introduced and contemporary international and national responses are discussed. When governments uphold their obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights, vulnerability to harmful substance use and its consequences can be reduced.
Grassroots Participation, Peer Education, and HIV Prevention by Sex Workers in South Africa
Authors: Campbell Catherine , Mzaidume Zodwa 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This microqualitative case study of a community-based peer education program led by sex workers at a South African mine examined the role of grassroots participation in sexual health promotion. Methods. The study involved in-depth interviews with 30 members of the target community. The interviews were analyzed in terms of social capital, empowerment, and identity. Results. The study yielded a detailed analysis of the way in which community dynamics have shaped the peer education program's development in a deprived, violent community where existing norms and networks are inconsistent with ideal criteria for participatory health promotion. Conclusions. Much remains to be learned about the complexities of translating theoretically and politically vital notions of “community participation” into practice among hard-to-reach groups. The fabric of local community life is shaped by nonlocal structural conditions of poverty and sexual inequality in ways that challenge those seeking to theorize the role of social capital in community development in general and in sexual health promotion in particular.
The Visibility of Illicit Drugs: Implications for Community-Based Drug Control Strategies
Authors: Saxe Leonard , Kadushin Charles , Beveridge Andrew , Livert David , Tighe Elizabeth , Rindskopf David , Ford Julie , Brodsky Archie 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined differences between the visibility of drugs and drug use in more than 2100 neighborhoods, challenging an assumption about drug use in poor, minority, and urban communities. Methods. A telephone survey assessed substance use and attitudes across 41 communities in an evaluation of a national community-based demand reduction program. Three waves of data were collected from more than 42 000 respondents. Results. Measures of neighborhood disadvantage, population density, and proportion of minority residents explained more than 57% of the variance between census tracts in visibility of drug sales but less than 10% of tract-to-tract variance in drug use. Visible drug sales were 6.3 times more likely to be reported in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods than in the least disadvantaged, while illicit drug use was only 1.3 times more likely. Conclusions. The most disadvantaged neighborhoods have the most visible drug problems, but drug use is nearly equally distributed across all communities. Thus, efforts to address drug-related problems in poorer areas need to take into account the broader drug market served by these neighborhoods.
Using Signs, Artwork, and Music to Promote Stair Use in a Public Building
Authors: Boutelle Kerri N. , Jeffery Robert W. , Murray David M. , Schmitz M. Kathryn H. 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study assessed the impact on stair use of improving the attractiveness of a stairwell. Methods. Observations of stair usage were made in a university building during baseline, 2 interventions, and follow-up. The first intervention involved signs; the second intervention added artwork and music in the stairwell. Results. More participants used the stairs during the music and artwork intervention than at baseline or when signs alone were used. Conclusions. Improving the aesthetic qualities of a stairwell can increase rates of stair usage in a public building. Designs for buildings should take accessibility and aesthetic issues into consideration.
Association of Normal Weather Periods and El Niño Events With Hospitalization for Viral Pneumonia in Females: California, 1983–1998
Authors: Ebi Kristie L. , Exuzides K. Alex , Lau Edmund , Kelsh Michael , Barnston Anthony 
Published: November 2008

Objectives. This study examined associations between weather and hospitalizations of females for viral pneumonia during normal weather periods and El Niño events in the California counties of Sacramento and Yolo, San Francisco and San Mateo, and Los Angeles and Orange. Methods. Associations between weather and hospitalizations (lagged 7 days) for January 1983 through June 1998 were evaluated with Poisson regression models. Generalized estimating equations were used to adjust for autocorrelation and overdispersion. Data were summed over 4 days. Results. Associations varied by region. Hospitalizations in San Francisco and Los Angeles increased significantly (30%–50%) with a 5°F decrease in minimum temperature. Hospitalizations in Sacramento increased significantly (25%–40%) with a 5°F decrease in maximum temperature difference. The associations were independent of season. El Niño events were associated with hospitalizations only in Sacramento, with significant decreases for girls and increases for women. Conclusions. The results suggest that viral pneumonia could continue to be a major public health issue, with a significant association between weather and hospitalizations, even as the global mean temperature continues to rise. An understanding of population sensitivity under different weather conditions could lead to an improved understanding of virus transmission.