Tobacco Use and Cessation Behavior Among Adolescents Participating in Organized Sports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castrucci, Brian C.; Gerlach, Karen K.; Kaufman, Nancy J.; Orleans, C. Tracy

2004-01-01

Objectives: To examine the difference in tobacco use between adolescents who participate in organized sports and those who do not. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, this study uses data from a nationally representative sample of adolescents enrolled in public high schools in the United States. Results: Those participating in organized…

9 CFR 145.33 - Terminology and classification; flocks and products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the Fishmeal Inspection Program of the National Marine Fisheries... participants in the Animal Protein Products Industry (APPI) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the... of the house). A representative sample of males and females should be sampled. The samples shall be...

9 CFR 145.33 - Terminology and classification; flocks and products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the Fishmeal Inspection Program of the National Marine Fisheries... participants in the Animal Protein Products Industry (APPI) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the... of the house). A representative sample of males and females should be sampled. The samples shall be...

9 CFR 145.33 - Terminology and classification; flocks and products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the Fishmeal Inspection Program of the National Marine Fisheries... participants in the Animal Protein Products Industry (APPI) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program or the... of the house). A representative sample of males and females should be sampled. The samples shall be...

The National Children's Study: Recruitment Outcomes Using the Provider-Based Recruitment Approach.

PubMed

Hale, Daniel E; Wyatt, Sharon B; Buka, Stephen; Cherry, Debra; Cislo, Kendall K; Dudley, Donald J; McElfish, Pearl Anna; Norman, Gwendolyn S; Reynolds, Simone A; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Wadlinger, Sandra; Walker, Cheryl K; Robbins, James M

2016-06-01

In 2009, the National Children's Study (NCS) Vanguard Study tested the feasibility of household-based recruitment and participant enrollment using a birth-rate probability sample. In 2010, the NCS Program Office launched 3 additional recruitment approaches. We tested whether provider-based recruitment could improve recruitment outcomes compared with household-based recruitment. The NCS aimed to recruit 18- to 49-year-old women who were pregnant or at risk for becoming pregnant who lived in designated geographic segments within primary sampling units, generally counties. Using provider-based recruitment, 10 study centers engaged providers to enroll eligible participants at their practice. Recruitment models used different levels of provider engagement (full, intermediate, information-only). The percentage of eligible women per county ranged from 1.5% to 57.3%. Across the centers, 3371 potential participants were approached for screening, 3459 (92%) were screened and 1479 were eligible (43%). Of those 1181 (80.0%) gave consent and 1008 (94%) were retained until delivery. Recruited participants were generally representative of the county population. Provider-based recruitment was successful in recruiting NCS participants. Challenges included time-intensity of engaging the clinical practices, differential willingness of providers to participate, and necessary reliance on providers for participant identification. The vast majority of practices cooperated to some degree. Recruitment from obstetric practices is an effective means of obtaining a representative sample. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The National Children’s Study: Recruitment Outcomes Using the Provider-Based Recruitment Approach

PubMed Central

Wyatt, Sharon B.; Buka, Stephen; Cherry, Debra; Cislo, Kendall K.; Dudley, Donald J.; McElfish, Pearl Anna; Norman, Gwendolyn S.; Reynolds, Simone A.; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Wadlinger, Sandra; Walker, Cheryl K.; Robbins, James M.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: In 2009, the National Children’s Study (NCS) Vanguard Study tested the feasibility of household-based recruitment and participant enrollment using a birth-rate probability sample. In 2010, the NCS Program Office launched 3 additional recruitment approaches. We tested whether provider-based recruitment could improve recruitment outcomes compared with household-based recruitment. METHODS: The NCS aimed to recruit 18- to 49-year-old women who were pregnant or at risk for becoming pregnant who lived in designated geographic segments within primary sampling units, generally counties. Using provider-based recruitment, 10 study centers engaged providers to enroll eligible participants at their practice. Recruitment models used different levels of provider engagement (full, intermediate, information-only). RESULTS: The percentage of eligible women per county ranged from 1.5% to 57.3%. Across the centers, 3371 potential participants were approached for screening, 3459 (92%) were screened and 1479 were eligible (43%). Of those 1181 (80.0%) gave consent and 1008 (94%) were retained until delivery. Recruited participants were generally representative of the county population. CONCLUSIONS: Provider-based recruitment was successful in recruiting NCS participants. Challenges included time-intensity of engaging the clinical practices, differential willingness of providers to participate, and necessary reliance on providers for participant identification. The vast majority of practices cooperated to some degree. Recruitment from obstetric practices is an effective means of obtaining a representative sample. PMID:27251870

Perception of prescription medicine sample packs among Australian professional, government, industry, and consumer organizations, based on automated textual analysis of one-on-one interviews.

PubMed

Kyle, Greg J; Nissen, Lisa; Tett, Susan

2008-12-01

Prescription medicine samples provided by pharmaceutical companies are predominantly newer and more expensive products. The range of samples provided to practices may not represent the drugs that the doctors desire to have available. Few studies have used a qualitative design to explore the reasons behind sample use. The aim of this study was to explore the opinions of a variety of Australian key informants about prescription medicine samples, using a qualitative methodology. Twenty-three organizations involved in quality use of medicines in Australia were identified, based on the authors' previous knowledge. Each organization was invited to nominate 1 or 2 representatives to participate in semistructured interviews utilizing seeding questions. Each interview was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Leximancer v2.25 text analysis software (Leximancer Pty Ltd., Jindalee, Queensland, Australia) was used for textual analysis. The top 10 concepts from each analysis group were interrogated back to the original transcript text to determine the main emergent opinions. A total of 18 key interviewees representing 16 organizations participated. Samples, patient, doctor, and medicines were the major concepts among general opinions about samples. The concept drug became more frequent and the concept companies appeared when marketing issues were discussed. The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and cost were more prevalent in discussions about alternative sample distribution models, indicating interviewees were cognizant of budgetary implications. Key interviewee opinions added richness to the single-word concepts extracted by Leximancer. Participants recognized that prescription medicine samples have an influence on quality use of medicines and play a role in the marketing of medicines. They also believed that alternative distribution systems for samples could provide benefits. The cost of a noncommercial system for distributing samples or starter packs was a concern. These data will be used to design further research investigating alternative models for distribution of samples.

Recruitment of healthy participants for studies on risks for alcoholism: effectiveness of random digit dialling.

PubMed

Sorocco, Kristen H; Vincent, Andrea S; Collins, Frank L; Johnson, Christine A; Lovallo, William R

2006-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of two strategies for recruiting healthy research volunteers. Demographic characteristics and recruitment costs of participants who completed a laboratory study examining risk factors for alcoholism recruited through random digit dialling (N = 11) and community advertisements (N = 102) were compared. Advertisement yielded a more representative sample [76% Caucasian, less well educated (M = 15.2 years, SEM = 0.2; P < 0.05), more equally divided by family history of alcoholism (43% FH- and 57% FH+), and lower in SES (M = 42.8, SEM = 1.3; P < 0.05)] and was more cost effective (72 dollars vs 2272 dollars per participant) than random digit dialling. Findings are relevant to alcohol researchers trying to determine the recruitment strategy that will yield the most representative sample at the lowest cost.

The National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A): II. Overview and Design

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Avenevoli, Shelli; Costello, E. Jane; Green, Jennifer Greif; Gruber, Michael J.; Heeringa, Steven; Merikangas, Kathleen R.; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Sampson, Nancy A.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To present an overview of the design and field procedures of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A) METHOD The NCS-A is a nationally representative face-to-face household survey of the prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV mental disorders among US adolescents (ages 13–17) that was carried out between February 2001 and January 2004 by the Survey Research Center of the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The sample was based on a dual-frame design that included 904 adolescent residents of the households that participated in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (85.9% response rate) and 9244 adolescent students selected from a representative sample of 320 schools in the same nationally representative sample of counties as the NCS-R (74.7% response rate). RESULTS Comparisons of sample and population distributions on Census socio-demographic variables and, in the school sample, school characteristics documented only minor differences that were corrected with post-stratification weighting. Comparisons of DSM-IV disorder prevalence estimates among household vs. school sample respondents in counties that differed in the use of replacement schools for originally selected schools that refused to participate showed that the use of replacement schools did not introduce bias into prevalence estimates. CONCLUSIONS The NCS-A is a rich nationally representative dataset that will substantially increase understanding of the mental health and well-being of adolescents in the United States. PMID:19242381

Representativeness of two sampling procedures for an internet intervention targeting cancer-related distress: a comparison of convenience and registry samples.

PubMed

Owen, Jason E; Bantum, Erin O'Carroll; Criswell, Kevin; Bazzo, Julie; Gorlick, Amanda; Stanton, Annette L

2014-08-01

Internet interventions often rely on convenience sampling, yet convenience samples may differ in important ways from systematic recruitment approaches. The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential demographic, medical, and psychosocial differences between Internet-recruited and registry-recruited cancer survivors in an Internet-based intervention. Participants were recruited from a cancer registry (n = 80) and via broad Internet outreach efforts (n = 160). Participants completed a set of self-report questionnaires, and both samples were compared to a population-based sample of cancer survivors (n = 5,150). The Internet sample was younger, better educated, more likely to be female, had longer time since diagnosis, and had more advanced stage of disease (p's < .001), and the registry-sample was over-represented by men and those with prostate or other cancer types (p's < .001). The Internet sample also exhibited lower quality of life and social support and greater mood disturbance (p's < .001). Understanding how convenience and systematic samples differ has important implications for external validity and potential for dissemination of Internet-based interventions.

Factors Associated with School Meal Participation and the Relationship between Different Participation Measures. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Quinn; Hulsey, Lara; Ponza, Michael

2009-01-01

This report investigates three important aspects of National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) participation using recently collected data on a large, nationally representative sample of students certified for free and reduced-price meals during the 2005-2006 school year. First, we examine the factors that influence…

Diversity of Participation in Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imms, Christine; Reilly, Sheena; Carlin, John; Dodd, Karen

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the participation of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in activities outside school and to compare their participation with a large representative sample of children. A population-based survey was conducted of children with CP born in Victoria, Australia in 1994 and 1995. Of 219 living children identified,…

The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011. Trial Urban District Assessment Results at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-452

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

Representative samples of fourth- and eighth-grade public school students from 21 urban districts participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. Eighteen of the districts participating in the 2011 NAEP Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) participated in earlier assessment years, while three districts…

Dietary intakes of pesticides based on community duplicate diet samples

EPA Science Inventory

The calculation of dietary intake of selected pesticides was accomplished using food samples collected from individual representatives of a defined demographic community using a community duplicate diet approach. A community of nine participants was identified in Apopka, FL from...

In search of a representative sample of residential building work.

PubMed

Lobb, Brenda; Woods, Gregory R

2012-09-01

Most research investigating injuries in construction work is limited by reliance on work samples unrepresentative of the multiple, variable-cycle tasks involved, resulting in incomplete characterisation of ergonomic exposures. In this case study, a participatory approach was used including hierarchical task analysis and site observations of a typical team of house builders in New Zealand, over several working days, to obtain a representative work sample. The builders' work consisted of 14 goal-defined jobs using varying subsets of 15 task types, each taking from less than 1 s to more than 1 h and performed in a variety of postures. Task type and duration varied within and between participants and days, although all participants spent at least 25% of the time moving from place to place, mostly carrying materials, and more than half the time either reaching up or bending down to work. This research has provided a description of residential building work based on a work sample more nearly representative than those previously published and has demonstrated a simple, low-cost but robust field observation method that can provide a valid basis for further study of hazard exposures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Online Recruitment: Feasibility, Cost, and Representativeness in a Study of Postpartum Women.

PubMed

Leach, Liana S; Butterworth, Peter; Poyser, Carmel; Batterham, Philip J; Farrer, Louise M

2017-03-08

Online recruitment is feasible, low-cost, and can provide high-quality epidemiological data. However, little is known about the feasibility of recruiting postpartum women online, or sample representativeness. The current study investigates the feasibility of recruiting a population of postpartum women online for health research and examines sample representativeness. Two samples of postpartum women were compared: those recruited online as participants in a brief survey of new mothers (n=1083) and those recruited face-to-face as part of a nationally representative study (n=579). Sociodemographic, general health, and mental health characteristics were compared between the two samples. Obtaining a sample of postpartum women online for health research was highly efficient and low-cost. The online sample over-represented those who were younger (aged 25-29 years), were in a de facto relationship, had higher levels of education, spoke only English at home, and were first-time mothers. Members of the online sample were significantly more likely to have poor self-rated health and poor mental health than the nationally representative sample. Health differences remained after adjusting for sociodemographic differences. Potential exists for feasible and low-cost e-epidemiological research with postpartum populations; however, researchers should consider the potential influence of sample nonrepresentativeness. ©Liana S Leach, Peter Butterworth, Carmel Poyser, Philip J Batterham, Louise M Farrer. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.03.2017.

Base rate of performance invalidity among non-clinical undergraduate research participants.

PubMed

Silk-Eglit, Graham M; Stenclik, Jessica H; Gavett, Brandon E; Adams, Jason W; Lynch, Julie K; Mccaffrey, Robert J

2014-08-01

Neuropsychological research frequently uses non-clinical undergraduate participants to evaluate neuropsychological tests. However, a recent study by An and colleagues (2012, Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 27, 849-857) called into question that the extent to which the interpretation of these participants' performance on neuropsychological tests is valid. This study found that in a sample of 36 participants, 55.6% exhibited performance invalidity at an initial session and 30.8% exhibited performance invalidity at a follow-up session. The current study attempted to replicate these findings in a larger, more representative sample using a more rigorous methodology. Archival data from 133 non-clinical undergraduate research participants were analyzed. Participants were classified as performance invalid if they failed any one PVT. In the current sample, only 2.26% of participants exhibited performance invalidity. Thus, concerns regarding insufficient effort and performance invalidity when using undergraduate research participants appear to be overstated. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Analysis of four recruitment methods for obtaining normative data through a Web-based questionnaire: a pilot study.

PubMed

Nolte, Michael T; Shauver, Melissa J; Chung, Kevin C

2015-09-01

Quality normative data requires a diverse sample of participants and plays an important role in the appropriate use of health outcomes. Using social media and other online resources for survey recruitment is a tempting prospect, but the effectiveness of these methods in collecting a diverse sample is unknown. The purpose of this study is to pilot test four methods of recruitment to determine their ability to produce a sample representative of the general US population. This project is part of a larger study to gather normative data for the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). We used flyers, e-mail, Facebook, and an institution-specific clinical research recruitment Web site to direct participants to complete an online version of the MHQ. Participants also provided comorbidity and demographic information. The institution-specific recruitment Web site yielded the greatest number of respondents in an age distribution that mirrored the US population. Facebook was effective for recruiting young adults, and e-mail was successful for recruiting the older adults. None of the methods was successful in reaching an ethnically diverse sample. Obtaining normative data that is truly representative of the US population is a difficult task. The use of any one recruitment method is unlikely to result in a representative sample, but a greater understanding of these methods will empower researchers to use them to target specific populations. This pilot analysis provides support for the use of Facebook and clinical research sites in addition to traditional methods of e-mail and paper flyers.

Associations of Participation in Service Activities with Academic, Behavioral, and Civic Outcomes of Adolescents at Varying Risk Levels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Jennifer A.; Shumow, Lee; Kackar, Hayal Z.

2012-01-01

Youth who participate in service activities differ from those who do not on a number of key demographic characteristics like socio-economic status and other indicators of risk; and most studies demonstrating positive outcomes among service participants employ small non-representative samples. Thus, there is little evidence as to whether the…

Physical Activity, Screen-Time Behavior, and Obesity among 13-Year Olds in Ireland with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healy, Sean; Haegele, Justin A.; Grenier, Michelle; Garcia, Jeanette M.

2017-01-01

The primary purposes of this study were to compare (a) physical activity participation, screen-time habits, obesity, and (b) reported reasons for lack of participation in sport, between a nationally representative sample of Irish children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participation in moderate to vigorous activity, light…

Characteristics of the Healthy Brain Project Sample: Representing Diversity among Study Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Lucinda L.; Laditka, James N.; Laditka, Sarah B.; Mathews, Anna E.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Description of study participants and documentation of the desired diversity in the Prevention Research Centers Healthy Aging Research Network's Workgroup on Promoting Cognitive Health large multisite study designed to examine attitudes about brain health, behaviors associated with its maintenance, and information-receiving preferences…

Factors associated with physicians' reliance on pharmaceutical sales representatives.

PubMed

Anderson, Britta L; Silverman, Gabriel K; Loewenstein, George F; Zinberg, Stanley; Schulkin, Jay

2009-08-01

To examine relationships between pharmaceutical representatives and obstetrician-gynecologists and identify factors associated with self-reported reliance on representatives when making prescribing decisions. In 2006-2007, questionnaires were mailed to 515 randomly selected physicians in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network. Participants were asked about the information sources used when deciding to prescribe a new drug, interactions with sales representatives, views of representatives' value, and guidelines they had read on appropriate industry interactions. Two hundred fifty-one completed questionnaires (49%) were returned. Seventy-six percent of participants see sales representatives' information as at least somewhat valuable. Twenty-nine percent use representatives often or almost always when deciding whether to prescribe a new drug; 44% use them sometimes. Physicians in private practice are more likely than those in university hospitals to interact with, value, and rely on representatives; community hospital physicians tend to fall in the middle. Gender and age are not associated with industry interaction. Dispensing samples is associated with increased reliance on representatives when making prescribing decisions, beyond what is predicted by a physician's own beliefs about the value of representatives' information. Reading guidelines on physician-industry interaction is not associated with less reliance on representatives after controlling for practice setting. Physicians' interactions with industry and their familiarity with guidelines vary by practice setting, perhaps because of more restrictive policies in university settings, professional isolation of private practice, or differences in social norms. Prescribing samples may be associated with physicians' use of information from sales representatives more than is merited by the physicians' own beliefs about the value of pharmaceutical representatives.

The State of Our Nation's Youth, 1999-2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., Alexandria, VA.

This report details findings of a national questionnaire survey of the attitudes and plans of American adolescents. Participating were 1,327 students between 14 and 18 years of age in a nationally representative sample. To permit regional comparisons, the questionnaires were mailed to representative households within each of the nine United States…

Differences Between Landline and Mobile Phone Users in Sexual Behavior Research.

PubMed

Badcock, Paul B; Patrick, Kent; Smith, Anthony M A; Simpson, Judy M; Pennay, Darren; Rissel, Chris E; de Visser, Richard O; Grulich, Andrew E; Richters, Juliet

2017-08-01

This study investigated differences between the demographic characteristics, participation rates (i.e., agreeing to respond to questions about sexual behavior), and sexual behaviors of landline and mobile phone samples in Australia. A nationally representative sample of Australians aged 18 years and over was recruited via random digit dialing in December 2011 to collect data via computer-assisted telephone interviews. A total of 1012 people (370 men, 642 women) completed a landline interview and 1002 (524 men, 478 women) completed a mobile phone interview. Results revealed that telephone user status was significantly related to all demographic variables: gender, age, educational attainment, area of residence, country of birth, household composition, and current ongoing relationship status. In unadjusted analyses, telephone status was also associated with women's participation rates, participants' number of other-sex sexual partners in the previous year, and women's lifetime sexual experience. However, after controlling for significant demographic factors, telephone status was only independently related to women's participation rates. Post hoc analyses showed that significant, between-group differences for all other sexual behavior outcomes could be explained by demographic covariates. Results also suggested that telephone status may be associated with participation bias in research on sexual behavior. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of sampling both landline and mobile phone users to improve the representativeness of sexual behavior data collected via telephone interviews.

Recruitment of Older Adults: Success May Be in the Details

PubMed Central

McHenry, Judith C.; Insel, Kathleen C.; Einstein, Gilles O.; Vidrine, Amy N.; Koerner, Kari M.; Morrow, Daniel G.

2015-01-01

Purpose: Describe recruitment strategies used in a randomized clinical trial of a behavioral prospective memory intervention to improve medication adherence for older adults taking antihypertensive medication. Results: Recruitment strategies represent 4 themes: accessing an appropriate population, communication and trust-building, providing comfort and security, and expressing gratitude. Recruitment activities resulted in 276 participants with a mean age of 76.32 years, and study enrollment included 207 women, 69 men, and 54 persons representing ethnic minorities. Recruitment success was linked to cultivating relationships with community-based organizations, face-to-face contact with potential study participants, and providing service (e.g., blood pressure checks) as an access point to eligible participants. Seventy-two percent of potential participants who completed a follow-up call and met eligibility criteria were enrolled in the study. The attrition rate was 14.34%. Implications: The projected increase in the number of older adults intensifies the need to study interventions that improve health outcomes. The challenge is to recruit sufficient numbers of participants who are also representative of older adults to test these interventions. Failing to recruit a sufficient and representative sample can compromise statistical power and the generalizability of study findings. PMID:22899424

Attitudes toward Bisexual Men and Women among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Adults in the United States.

PubMed

Dodge, Brian; Herbenick, Debby; Friedman, M Reuel; Schick, Vanessa; Fu, Tsung-Chieh Jane; Bostwick, Wendy; Bartelt, Elizabeth; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Pletta, David; Reece, Michael; Sandfort, Theo G M

2016-01-01

As bisexual individuals in the United States (U.S.) face significant health disparities, researchers have posited that these differences may be fueled, at least in part, by negative attitudes, prejudice, stigma, and discrimination toward bisexual individuals from heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals. Previous studies of individual and social attitudes toward bisexual men and women have been conducted almost exclusively with convenience samples, with limited generalizability to the broader U.S. Our study provides an assessment of attitudes toward bisexual men and women among a nationally representative probability sample of heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and other-identified adults in the U.S. Data were collected from the 2015 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), via an online questionnaire with a probability sample of adults (18 years and over) from throughout the U.S. We included two modified 5-item versions of the Bisexualities: Indiana Attitudes Scale (BIAS), validated sub-scales that were developed to measure attitudes toward bisexual men and women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gamma regression, and paired t-tests. Gender, sexual identity, age, race/ethnicity, income, and educational attainment were all significantly associated with participants' attitudes toward bisexual individuals. In terms of responses to individual scale items, participants were most likely to "neither agree nor disagree" with all attitudinal statements. Across sexual identities, self-identified other participants reported the most positive attitudes, while heterosexual male participants reported the least positive attitudes. As in previous research on convenience samples, we found a wide range of demographic characteristics were related with attitudes toward bisexual individuals in our nationally-representative study of heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and other-identified adults in the U.S. In particular, gender emerged as a significant characteristic; female participants' attitudes were more positive than male participants' attitudes, and all participants' attitudes were generally more positive toward bisexual women than bisexual men. While recent population data suggest a marked shift in more positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women in the general population of the U.S., the largest proportions of participants in our study reported a relative lack of agreement or disagreement with all affective-evaluative statements in the BIAS scales. Findings document the relative lack of positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals among the general population of adults in the U.S. and highlight the need for developing intervention approaches to promote more positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals, targeted toward not only heterosexual but also gay/lesbian individuals and communities.

PIRLS 2011 International Results in Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mullis, Ina V.S.; Martin, Michael O.; Foy, Pierre; Drucker, Kathleen T.

2012-01-01

PIRLS is an international assessment of reading comprehension at the fourth grade that has been conducted every five years since 2001. In 2011, nationally representative samples of students in 49 countries participated in PIRLS and prePIRLS. Forty-five countries assessed fourth grade students, and some countries participated in one or more of the…

The Relationship between Education and Work Credentials. Data Point. NCES 2015-556

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hudson, Lisa; Ewert, Stephanie

2015-01-01

This Data Point uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), a nationally representative sample survey of households. The SIPP provides information on many topics, including income, participation in government programs, family dynamics, and education. This report uses new SIPP data on professional…

The Prediction of Violence and Homicide in Young Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loeber, Rolf; Pardini, Dustin; Homish, D. Lynn; Wei, Evelyn H.; Crawford, Anne M.; Farrington, David P.; Stouthamer-Loeber, Magda; Creemers, Judith; Koehler, Steven A.; Rosenfeld, Richard

2005-01-01

In this prospective study, the authors predicted violence and homicide in 3 representative school samples (N = 1,517). Participants were part of a longitudinal, multiple cohort study on the development of delinquency in boys from late childhood to early adulthood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Thirty-three participants were convicted of homicide,…

Temperament and personality in bipolar II disorder.

PubMed

Fletcher, Kathryn; Parker, Gordon; Barrett, Melissa; Synnott, Howe; McCraw, Stacey

2012-02-01

There is limited research examining temperament and personality in bipolar II disorder. We sought to determine any over-represented temperament and personality features in bipolar II disorder compared to other affective groups. Scores on a self-report measure of temperament and personality were examined in a sample of 443 participants diagnosed with unipolar, bipolar I and bipolar II disorder. After controlling for age, gender, age of depression onset and current depression severity, those with bipolar II disorder were characterized by higher irritability, anxious worrying, self-criticism and interpersonal sensitivity scores, and with lower social avoidance scores compared to unipolar participants. No differences were found between bipolar sub-types on any temperament and personality sub-scales. Limitations included the lack of a control group, a relatively small sample of bipolar I participants, and with the cross-sectional design disallowing conclusions regarding premorbid personality traits as opposed to illness 'scarring' effects. Further research should seek to clarify whether certain temperament and personality styles are over-represented in bipolar II disorder. Any over-represented characteristics may assist with diagnostic differentiation from phenomenologically similar conditions and lead to more appropriate clinical management. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Psychopharmacological Treatment among Adolescents with Disabilities: Prevalence and Predictors in a Nationally Representative Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Amanda L.; Sadeh, Shanna

2015-01-01

Little is known about psychopharmacological treatment among adolescents with educational disabilities. This study (a) describes pharmacotherapy among adolescents who received special education, and (b) examines the relations to adolescents' disability type and sociodemographic characteristics. The sample was 9,230 adolescents who participated in…

Teachers' Stereotypes of Asian, Black, and White Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Doris F.; Demyan, Amy L.

2007-01-01

This research uses two different measurement operations to examine contemporary stereotypes of Asians, Blacks, and Whites held by an ethnically diverse sample of teachers. Data were drawn from a sample of 188 teachers representing over 160 schools in Southern California. Consistent with previous research, participants endorsed a "model…

Participation’s Effect on Organizational Readiness for Change: An Empirical Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

purpose (i.e., the rationale for the change) is the most important factor related to successful financial performance with regard to the change...organization; this constituted a 53 % response rate. Of these, males represented 59% of the sample and the age of the average participant was 47.6...rebelliousness (M = 2.70 and M = 2.96; p > .05) were not significantly different for participants vs . non-participants. As Table 3 shows, all six of the

Has Adolescent Suicidality Decreased in the United States? Data from Two National Samples of Adolescents Interviewed in 1995 and 2005

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolitzky-Taylor, Kate B.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; McCart, Michael R.; Smith, Daniel W.; Hanson, Rochelle F.; Resnick, Heidi S.; de Arellano, Michael A.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2010-01-01

We compared the prevalence and correlates of adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts in two nationally representative probability samples of adolescents interviewed in 1995 (National Survey of Adolescents; N = 4,023) and 2005 (National Survey of Adolescents-Replication; N = 3,614). Participants in both samples completed a telephone survey that…

Recruitment and Participation of Recreational Runners in a Large Epidemiological and Genetic Research Study: Retrospective Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Manzanero, Silvia; Kozlovskaia, Maria; Vlahovich, Nicole

2018-01-01

Background With the increasing capacity for remote collection of both data and samples for medical research, a thorough assessment is needed to determine the association of population characteristics and recruitment methodologies with response rates. Objective The aim of this research was to assess population representativeness in a two-stage study of health and injury in recreational runners, which consisted of an epidemiological arm and genetic analysis. Methods The cost and success of various classical and internet-based methods were analyzed, and demographic representativeness was assessed for recruitment to the epidemiological survey, reported willingness to participate in the genetic arm of the study, actual participation, sample return, and approval for biobank storage. Results A total of 4965 valid responses were received, of which 1664 were deemed eligible for genetic analysis. Younger age showed a negative association with initial recruitment rate, expressed willingness to participate in genetic analysis, and actual participation. Additionally, female sex was associated with higher initial recruitment rates, and ethnic origin impacted willingness to participate in the genetic analysis (all P<.001). Conclusions The sharp decline in retention through the different stages of the study in young respondents suggests the necessity to develop specific recruitment and retention strategies when investigating a young, physically active population. PMID:29792293

78 FR 36183 - State Allotment Percentages for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-17

... participated in both the design of the survey and in the collection of data. The survey examined the needs of... findings from the 2007 survey by adjusting to 2011 dollars. The sample design for the survey and assessment... the unanimous recommendation of the State representatives who participated in the survey design. The...

The Relationship between English Language Learner Status and Music Ensemble Participation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorah, Julie A.; Sanders, Elizabeth A.; Morrison, Steven J.

2014-01-01

Authors of previous research have reported that U.S. English language learner (ELL) students participate in school-sponsored music ensembles (band, orchestra, and choir) at a lower rate than their native-English-speaking peers (non-ELLs). The current study examined this phenomenon using a nationally representative sample of U.S. 10th graders (14-…

The Contributions of Living-Learning Programs on Developing Sense of Civic Engagement in Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowan-Kenyon, Heather; Soldner, Matt E.; Kurotsuchi Inkelas, Karen

2008-01-01

This study examines the influence of elements of the college experience, specifically participation in a living-learning (L/L) program, on students' self-reported sense of civic engagement. The researchers examined a nationally representative sample of students (n = 1,474) including those who participated in civic engagement themed L/L programs,…

Socialization and Individual Antecedents of Adolescents' and Young Adults' Moral Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malti, Tina; Buchmann, Marlis

2010-01-01

Socialization and individual differences were examined as antecedents of moral motivation in representative samples of 15-year-old adolescents (N = 1,258; 54% female) and 21-year-old young adults (N = 584; 53% female). The adolescents' primary caregivers (N = 1,056) also participated. The strength of moral motivation was rated by participants'…

Energy Efficiency in Gait, Activity, Participation, and Health Status in Children with Cerebral Palsy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerr, Claire; Parkes, Jackie; Stevenson, Mike; Cosgrove, Aidan P.; McDowell, Brona C.

2008-01-01

The aim of the study was to establish if a relationship exists between the energy efficiency of gait, and measures of activity limitation, participation restriction, and health status in a representative sample of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Secondary aims were to investigate potential differences between clinical subtypes and gross motor…

Aacap 2001 Research Forum: Challenges and Recommendations regarding Recruitment and Retention of Participants in Research Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinshaw, Stephen P.; Hoagwood, Kimberly; Jensen, Peter S.; Kratochvil, Christopher; Bickman, Leonard; Clarke, Greg; Abikoff, Howard B.; Atkins, Marc; Vitiello, Benedetto

2004-01-01

Objective: Clinical research depends on the participation of representative samples. At the 2001 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Workgroup on Research conducted a research forum with the purpose of improving recruitment and retention of children and adolescents in research protocols. Method: An…

The Intercultural Sensitivity of Student Teachers in Three Cities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yuen, Celeste Y. M.; Grossman, David L.

2009-01-01

This study represents an initial attempt to determine and compare the levels of the intercultural sensitivity of three samples of student teachers in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). A total of 317 student teachers participated in the study. Across the three samples, the majority of…

Assessing the representativeness of physician and patient respondents to a primary care survey using administrative data.

PubMed

Li, Allanah; Cronin, Shawna; Bai, Yu Qing; Walker, Kevin; Ammi, Mehdi; Hogg, William; Wong, Sabrina T; Wodchis, Walter P

2018-05-30

QUALICOPC is an international survey of primary care performance. QUALICOPC data have been used in several studies, yet the representativeness of the Canadian QUALICOPC survey is unknown, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings. This study examined the representativeness of QUALICOPC physician and patient respondents in Ontario using health administrative data. This representativeness study linked QUALICOPC physician and patient respondents in Ontario to health administrative databases at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Physician respondents were compared to other physicians in their practice group and all Ontario primary care physicians on demographic and practice characteristics. Patient respondents were compared to other patients rostered to their primary care physicians, patients rostered to their physicians' practice groups, and a random sample of Ontario residents on sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, and health care utilization. Standardized differences were calculated to compare the distribution of characteristics across cohorts. QUALICOPC physician respondents included a higher proportion of younger, female physicians and Canadian medical graduates compared to other Ontario primary care physicians. A higher proportion of physician respondents practiced in Family Health Team models, compared to the provincial proportion for primary care physicians. QUALICOPC patient respondents were more likely to be older and female, with significantly higher levels of morbidity and health care utilization, compared with the other patient groups examined. However, when looking at the QUALICOPC physicians' whole rosters, rather than just the patient survey respondents, the practice profiles were similar to those of the other physicians in their practice groups and Ontario patients in general. Comparisons revealed some differences in responding physicians' demographic and practice characteristics, as well as differences in responding patients' characteristics compared to the other patient groups tested, which may have resulted from the visit-based sampling strategy. Ontario QUALICOPC physicians had similar practice profiles as compared to non-participating physicians, providing some evidence that the participating practices are representative of other non-participating practices, and patients selected by visit-based sampling may also be representative of visiting patients in other practices. Those using QUALICOPC data should understand this limited representativeness when generalizing results, and consider the potential for bias in their analyses.

Does self-selection affect samples' representativeness in online surveys? An investigation in online video game research.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-07-07

The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players' virtual characters (avatars). All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars' characteristics were defined using various games' scores, reported on the WoW's official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted.

[Governance in Guatemalan municipal development councils: an analysis of actors and power relationships].

PubMed

Flores, Walter; Gómez-Sánchez, Ismael

2010-01-01

Decentralisation and other public policies have created public spaces for participation in most Latin-American countries where community representatives, together with municipal authorities and other public functionaries, decide on social investment plans, including health services and infrastructure. The municipal development council system constitutes such public space in Guatemala. This study analysed such system's governance in a sample of 6 rural municipalities. A descriptive design was used, applying qualitative and quantitative techniques to study three central categories: the strategic actors, the rules of the game and power asymmetry levels amongst actors. The findings revealed inconsistencies amongst the actors who had to participate according to the legal framework and those actors who actually did so in practice. Divergent interests were also identified for participating which affected the possibility of reaching consensus during decision-making. Analysing the rules of the game led to identifying formal and non-formal mechanisms favouring some actors' ability to influence decisions. Analysing power asymmetry levels led to identifying that community representatives had fewer power resources than institutional representatives (local government and other government organisations). Community representatives also face different barriers blocking their participation and perceive a lesser capacity to influence decision-making. Existing barriers and fewer power resources experienced by community representatives reduce their abilities to influence decision-making in municipal development councils.

Comparative Analysis of Recruitment Strategies in a Study of Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Metropolitan Detroit.

PubMed

Iott, Bradley E; Veinot, Tiffany C; Loveluck, Jimena; Kahle, Erin; Golson, Leon; Benton, Akilah

2018-02-22

HIV/AIDS-related research requires recruitment of representative samples of MSM; yet, we know little about the comparative yield, diversity and cost-benefit tradeoffs between different recruitment venues. We compared 11 recruitment venues used for nine HIV prevention-related focus groups with MSM in Metropolitan Detroit. Of the 64 participants, 24 were clients recruited via an HIV/AIDS-focused nonprofit, 20 from Grindr advertisements, 6 from university-student email lists, and 5 from flyers/palmcards. Significantly more African-American, low-income and HIV-positive participants were recruited via the nonprofit. The best cost-benefit tradeoffs were for organizational Facebook posts, email groups, personal networking, and nonprofit recruitment. Grindr increased the size of the sample, though at greater expense. Facebook and Scruff advertisements and gay bar outreach represented greater costs than benefits. Only 11.6% of Grindr respondents attended the focus groups. A mix of online and offline recruitment venues can generate a large and diverse sample of MSM, but venue performance is uneven.

Baseline Characteristics and Generalizability of Participants in an Internet Smoking Cessation Randomized Trial

PubMed Central

Cha, Sarah; Erar, Bahar; Niaura, Raymond S.; Graham, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Background The potential for sampling bias in Internet smoking cessation studies is widely recognized. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the issue of sample representativeness in the context of an Internet smoking cessation treatment trial. Purpose To examine the generalizability of participants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of an Internet smoking cessation intervention using weighted data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Methods A total of 5,290 new users on a smoking cessation website enrolled in the trial between March 2012–January 2015. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline characteristics of screened and enrolled participants and multivariate analysis examined predictors of enrollment. Generalizability analyses compared demographic and smoking characteristics of trial participants to current smokers in the 2012–2014 waves of NHIS (n=19,043), and to an NHIS subgroup based on Internet use and cessation behavior (n=3,664). Effect sizes were obtained to evaluate the magnitude of differences across variables. Results Predictors of study enrollment were age, gender, race, education, and motivation to quit. Compared to NHIS smokers, trial participants were more likely to be female, college educated, daily smokers, and to have made a quit attempt in the past year (all effect sizes 0.25–0.60). In comparisons with the NHIS subgroup, differences in gender and education were attenuated while differences in daily smoking and smoking rate were amplified. Conclusions Few differences emerged between Internet trial participants and nationally representative samples of smokers, and all were in expected directions. This study highlights the importance of assessing generalizability in a focused and specific manner. PMID:27283295

Baseline Characteristics and Generalizability of Participants in an Internet Smoking Cessation Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Cha, Sarah; Erar, Bahar; Niaura, Raymond S; Graham, Amanda L

2016-10-01

The potential for sampling bias in Internet smoking cessation studies is widely recognized. However, few studies have explicitly addressed the issue of sample representativeness in the context of an Internet smoking cessation treatment trial. The purpose of the present study is to examine the generalizability of participants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of an Internet smoking cessation intervention using weighted data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). A total of 5290 new users on a smoking cessation website enrolled in the trial between March 2012 and January 2015. Descriptive statistics summarized baseline characteristics of screened and enrolled participants, and multivariate analysis examined predictors of enrollment. Generalizability analyses compared demographic and smoking characteristics of trial participants to current smokers in the 2012-2014 waves of NHIS (n = 19,043) and to an NHIS subgroup based on Internet use and cessation behavior (n = 3664). Effect sizes were obtained to evaluate the magnitude of differences across variables. Predictors of study enrollment were age, gender, race, education, and motivation to quit. Compared to NHIS smokers, trial participants were more likely to be female, college educated, and daily smokers and to have made a quit attempt in the past year (all effect sizes 0.25-0.60). In comparisons with the NHIS subgroup, differences in gender and education were attenuated, while differences in daily smoking and smoking rate were amplified. Few differences emerged between Internet trial participants and nationally representative samples of smokers, and all were in expected directions. This study highlights the importance of assessing generalizability in a focused and specific manner. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: #NCT01544153.

Recruitment of Older Adults: Success May Be in the Details.

PubMed

McHenry, Judith C; Insel, Kathleen C; Einstein, Gilles O; Vidrine, Amy N; Koerner, Kari M; Morrow, Daniel G

2015-10-01

Describe recruitment strategies used in a randomized clinical trial of a behavioral prospective memory intervention to improve medication adherence for older adults taking antihypertensive medication. Recruitment strategies represent 4 themes: accessing an appropriate population, communication and trust-building, providing comfort and security, and expressing gratitude. Recruitment activities resulted in 276 participants with a mean age of 76.32 years, and study enrollment included 207 women, 69 men, and 54 persons representing ethnic minorities. Recruitment success was linked to cultivating relationships with community-based organizations, face-to-face contact with potential study participants, and providing service (e.g., blood pressure checks) as an access point to eligible participants. Seventy-two percent of potential participants who completed a follow-up call and met eligibility criteria were enrolled in the study. The attrition rate was 14.34%. The projected increase in the number of older adults intensifies the need to study interventions that improve health outcomes. The challenge is to recruit sufficient numbers of participants who are also representative of older adults to test these interventions. Failing to recruit a sufficient and representative sample can compromise statistical power and the generalizability of study findings. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mental Health Disorders, Psychological Distress, and Suicidality in a Diverse Sample of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youths

PubMed Central

Garofalo, Robert; Emerson, Erin M.

2010-01-01

Objectives. We examined associations of race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation with mental disorders among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youths. Methods. We assessed mental disorders by administering a structured diagnostic interview to a community sample of 246 LGBT youths aged 16 to 20 years. Participants also completed the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI 18). Results. One third of participants met criteria for any mental disorder, 17% for conduct disorder, 15% for major depression, and 9% for posttraumatic stress disorder. Anorexia and bulimia were rare. Lifetime suicide attempts were frequent (31%) but less so in the prior 12 months (7%). Few racial/ethnic and gender differences were statistically significant. Bisexually identified youths had lower prevalences of every diagnosis. The BSI 18 had high negative predictive power (90%) and low positive predictive power (25%) for major depression. Conclusions. LGBT youths had higher prevalences of mental disorder diagnoses than youths in national samples, but were similar to representative samples of urban, racial/ethnic minority youths. Suicide behaviors were similar to those among representative youth samples in the same geographic area. Questionnaires measuring psychological distress may overestimate depression prevalence among this population. PMID:20966378

Global Quality of Life (QOL), Health and Ability Are Primarily Determined by Our Consciousness: Research Findings from Denmark 1991-2004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ventegodt, Soren; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Andersen, Niels Jorgen; Nielsen, Michael; Mohammed, Morad; Merrick, Joav

2005-01-01

Objective: To explain the global quality of life (QOL) from 2000 indicators representing all aspects of life. Design and setting: Two cross sectional population studies, one prospective cohort study and one retrospective cohort study. Participants: (1) Representative sample of 2500 Danes (18-88 years), (2) 7222 members of the Copenhagen Perinatal…

Relationship between blood manganese and blood pressure in the Korean general population according to KNHANES 2008

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Byung-Kook; Kim, Yangho, E-mail: yanghokm@nuri.net

Introduction: We present data on the association of manganese (Mn) level with hypertension in a representative sample of the adult Korean population who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2008. Methods: This study was based on the data obtained by KNHANES 2008, which was conducted for three years (2007-2009) using a rolling sampling design involving a complex, stratified, multistage, probability-cluster survey of a representative sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of South Korea. Results: Multiple regression analysis after controlling for covariates, including gender, age, regional area, education level, smoking, drinking status, hemoglobin, and serum creatinine,more » showed that the beta coefficients of log blood Mn were 3.514, 1.878, and 2.517 for diastolic blood pressure, and 3.593, 2.449, and 2.440 for systolic blood pressure in female, male, and all participants, respectively. Multiple regression analysis including three other blood metals, lead, mercury, and cadmium, revealed no significant effects of the three metals on blood pressure and showed no effect on the association between blood Mn and blood pressure. In addition, doubling the blood Mn increased the risk of hypertension 1.828, 1.573, and 1.567 fold in women, men, and all participants, respectively, after adjustment for covariates. The addition of blood lead, mercury, and cadmium as covariates did not affect the association between blood Mn and the prevalence of hypertension. Conclusion: Blood Mn level was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in a representative sample of the Korean adult population. - Highlights: {yields} We showed the association of manganese with hypertension in Korean population. {yields} This study was based on the data obtained by KNHANES 2008. {yields} Blood manganese level was associated with an increased risk of hypertension.« less

Public Participation Guide: Citizen Juries

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Citizen juries involve creating a “jury” a representative sample of citizens (usually selected in a random or stratified manner) who are briefed in detail on the background and current thinking relating to a particular issue or project.

Comparisons of Gambling and Alcohol Use among College Students and Noncollege Young People in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnes, Grace M.; Welte, John W.; Hoffman, Joseph H.; Tidwell, Marie-Cecile O.

2010-01-01

Objective: Gambling and alcohol use were compared for college and noncollege young adults in the US population. Participants: Participants were 1,000 respondents aged 18 to 21. Methods: Data were analyzed from a representative household sample of US young people aged 14 to 21 years old. Telephone interviews were conducted between August 2005 and…

The Over-Scheduling Hypothesis Revisited: Intensity of Organized Activity Participation during Adolescence and Young Adult Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney, Joseph L.; Vest, Andrea E.

2012-01-01

Concern exists that youth who spend a lot of time participating in organized out-of-school activities (e.g., sports) are at-risk for poor developmental outcomes. This concern--called the over-scheduling hypothesis--has primarily been assessed in terms of adolescent adjustment. This longitudinal study of a nationally representative sample of 1,115…

Back to Africa: Tracing Dyslexia Genes in East Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grigorenko, Elena L.; Naples, Adam; Chang, Joseph; Romano, Christina; Ngorosho, Damaris; Kungulilo, Selemani; Jukes, Matthew; Bundy, Donald

2007-01-01

A sample of Swahili-speaking probands with reading difficulties was identified from a large representative sample of 1,500 school children in the rural areas of Tanzania. Families of these probands (n = 88) were invited to participate in the study. The proband and his/her siblings received a battery of reading-related tasks and performance on…

Use of Nutritional Information in Canada: National Trends between 2004 and 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, Samantha; Hammond, David; Pillo-Blocka, Francy; Glanville, Theresa; Jenkins, Richard

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine longitudinal trends in use of nutrition information among Canadians. Design: Population-based telephone and Internet surveys. Setting and Participants: Representative samples of Canadian adults recruited with random-digit dialing sampling in 2004 (n = 2,405) and 2006 (n = 2,014) and an online commercial panel in 2008 (n =…

Proceedings of the wellbore sampling workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Traeger, R.K.; Harding, B.W.

Representatives from academia, industry and research laboratories participated in an intensive two-day review to identify major technological limitations in obtaining solid and fluid samples from wellbores. Top priorities identified for further development include: coring of hard and unconsolidated materials; flow through fluid samplers with borehole measurements T, P and pH; and nonintrusive interrogation of pressure cores.

Recruitment and Participation of Recreational Runners in a Large Epidemiological and Genetic Research Study: Retrospective Data Analysis.

PubMed

Manzanero, Silvia; Kozlovskaia, Maria; Vlahovich, Nicole; Hughes, David C

2018-05-23

With the increasing capacity for remote collection of both data and samples for medical research, a thorough assessment is needed to determine the association of population characteristics and recruitment methodologies with response rates. The aim of this research was to assess population representativeness in a two-stage study of health and injury in recreational runners, which consisted of an epidemiological arm and genetic analysis. The cost and success of various classical and internet-based methods were analyzed, and demographic representativeness was assessed for recruitment to the epidemiological survey, reported willingness to participate in the genetic arm of the study, actual participation, sample return, and approval for biobank storage. A total of 4965 valid responses were received, of which 1664 were deemed eligible for genetic analysis. Younger age showed a negative association with initial recruitment rate, expressed willingness to participate in genetic analysis, and actual participation. Additionally, female sex was associated with higher initial recruitment rates, and ethnic origin impacted willingness to participate in the genetic analysis (all P<.001). The sharp decline in retention through the different stages of the study in young respondents suggests the necessity to develop specific recruitment and retention strategies when investigating a young, physically active population. ©Silvia Manzanero, Maria Kozlovskaia, Nicole Vlahovich, David C Hughes. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 23.05.2018.

Context effects: the role of collectivism as a moderator.

PubMed

Puente-Díaz, Rogelio

2011-02-01

Social cognition experts have shown that participants' answers to research questions can be influenced by previous questions, something known as context effects. It has been suggested that participants from collectivist cultures pay more attention to the context, resulting in larger context effects. The present investigation examined context effects in an experiment that involved manipulating the order in which two questions, one about satisfaction with life as a whole and one about satisfaction with romantic life, were answered by a representative sample of participants from Mexico City. The results were consistent with other investigations that used samples from collectivistic cultures. Participants' responses to questions about satisfaction are influenced by a previous question, and country of origin affects the amount of attention given to the context. The implications of these results are discussed.

Exploring the hierarchical structure of the MMPI-2-RF Personality Psychopathology Five in psychiatric patient and university student samples.

PubMed

Bagby, R Michael; Sellbom, Martin; Ayearst, Lindsay E; Chmielewski, Michael S; Anderson, Jaime L; Quilty, Lena C

2014-01-01

In this study our goal was to examine the hierarchical structure of personality pathology as conceptualized by Harkness and McNulty's (1994) Personality Psychopathology Five (PSY-5) model, as recently operationalized by the MMPI-2-RF (Ben-Porath & Tellegen, 2011) PSY-5r scales. We used Goldberg's (2006) "bass-ackwards" method to obtain factor structure using PSY-5r item data, successively extracting from 1 to 5 factors in a sample of psychiatric patients (n = 1,000) and a sample of university undergraduate students (n = 1,331). Participants from these samples had completed either the MMPI-2 or the MMPI-2-RF. The results were mostly consistent across the 2 samples, with some differences at the 3-factor level. In the patient sample a factor structure representing 3 broad psychopathology domains (internalizing, externalizing, and psychoticism) emerged; in the student sample the 3-factor level represented what is more commonly observed in "normal-range" personality models (negative emotionality, introversion, and disconstraint). At the 5-factor level the basic structure was similar across the 2 samples and represented well the PSY-5r domains.

Maximising nurses' and midwives' response rates to surveys.

PubMed

Cooper, Alannah Louise; Brown, Janie

2017-12-18

Low response rates to surveys have been a long-standing issue in research. This includes research involving nurses and midwives. To gain representative samples, appropriate measures to maximise response rates need to be used. To explore ways to maximise response rates from nurses and midwives, using a hospital-wide survey as an example. All nurses and midwives at the study hospital were invited to participate in a survey. To encourage participation and elicit an adequate response rate, several strategies were used. A total of 1,000 surveys were distributed and 319 (32%) were returned. All the required age groups, levels of experience and types of nursing registration were represented in the responses and data saturation was achieved. It is important to pay attention to obtaining a representative sample. Further investigation of response rates to surveys by nurses and midwives is warranted. Strategies to maximise response rates from a target population should be used when conducting surveys. ©2017 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Recruitment via the Internet and social networking sites: the 1989-1995 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

PubMed

Mishra, Gita Devi; Hockey, Richard; Powers, Jennifer; Loxton, Deborah; Tooth, Leigh; Rowlands, Ingrid; Byles, Julie; Dobson, Annette

2014-12-15

Faced with the challenge of recruiting young adults for health studies, researchers have increasingly turned to the Internet and social networking sites, such as Facebook, as part of their recruitment strategy. As yet, few large-scale studies are available that report on the characteristics and representativeness of the sample obtained from such recruitment methods. The intent of the study was to describe the sociodemographic and health characteristics of a national sample of young Australian women recruited mainly through the Internet and social networking sites and to discuss the representativeness of their sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics relative to the population. A cohort of 17,069 women (born between 1989 and 1995) was recruited in 2012-13 for the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Sociodemographic characteristics (percentages, means, and 95% confidence intervals) from the online survey data were compared with women aged 18-23 years from the 2011 Australian Census. Sample data were compared by age and education level with data from the 2011-13 Australian Health Survey (AHS). Compared to the Australian Census data, study participants were broadly representative in terms of geographical distribution across Australia, marital status (95.62%, 16,321/17,069) were never married), and age distribution. A higher percentage had attained university (22.52%, 3844/17,069) and trade/certificate/diploma qualifications (25.94%, 4428/17,069) compared with this age group of women in the national population (9.4% and 21.7% respectively). Among study participants, 22.05% (3721/16,877) were not in paid employment with 35.18% (5931/16,857) studying 16 or more hours a week. A higher percentage of study participants rated their health in the online survey as fair or poor (rather than good, very good, or excellent) compared with those participating in face-to-face interviews in the AHS (18.77%, 3203/17,069 vs 10.1%). A higher percentage of study participants were current smokers (21.78%, 3718/17,069 vs 16.4%) and physically active (59.30%, 10,089/17,014 were classified as sufficiently active vs 48.3%) but alcohol consumption was lower (59.58%, 9865/16,558 reported drinking alcohol at least once per month vs 65.9% in the AHS). Using self-reported height and weight to determine body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)), 34.80% (5901/16,956) of the cohort were classified as overweight or obese (BMI of 25 or more), compared with 33.6% respectively using measured height and weight in the AHS. Findings indicated that using the Internet and social networking sites for an online survey represent a feasible recruitment strategy for a national cohort of young women and result in a broadly representative sample of the Australian population.

What differs between happy and unhappy people?

PubMed

Kaliterna-Lipovčan, Ljiljana; Prizmić-Larsen, Zvjezdana

2016-01-01

This study explores the determinants (demographic, personal, behavioural, and social) by which happy and unhappy people differ. The primary sample from which the participants were chosen was a representative sample of Croatian citizens (N = 4000). On the basis of the distribution of overall happiness the sample of the highest (the happy group) and the lowest 10 % of participants (the unhappy group) were selected. The happy group (N = 400) represented the upper end of the happiness distribution, while the unhappy group (N = 400) represented the lower end of the distribution. The questionnaire included demographic characteristics (age, gender, income, and education), ratings of subjective health status, satisfaction with specific personal and national domains (IWI-International Wellbeing Index), trust in people, and trust in institutions. Frequency of various leisure activities, and involvement in the community life were also reported. The differences in examined variables were analysed between the two groups. Results showed that the happy individuals were younger, with higher income, and with higher education than unhappy ones. After controlling for age, income, and education level, the happy people were found to be more satisfied with personal and national wellbeing domains, of better subjective health status, reported higher trust in people and institutions, and were more engaged in leisure activities and community life than the unhappy ones.

RNA extraction from decaying wood for (meta)transcriptomic analyses.

PubMed

Adamo, Martino; Voyron, Samuele; Girlanda, Mariangela; Marmeisse, Roland

2017-10-01

Wood decomposition is a key step of the terrestrial carbon cycle and is of economic importance. It is essentially a microbiological process performed by fungi and to an unknown extent by bacteria. To gain access to the genes expressed by the diverse microbial communities participating in wood decay, we developed an RNA extraction protocol from this recalcitrant material rich in polysaccharides and phenolic compounds. This protocol was implemented on 22 wood samples representing as many tree species from 11 plant families in the Angiosperms and Gymnosperms. RNA was successfully extracted from all samples and converted into cDNAs from which were amplified both fungal and bacterial protein coding genes, including genes encoding hydrolytic enzymes participating in lignocellulose hydrolysis. This protocol applicable to a wide range of decomposing wood types represents a first step towards a metatranscriptomic analysis of wood degradation under natural conditions.

Mental health, service use and social capital among Indian-Australians: findings of a wellbeing survey.

PubMed

Maheshwari, Rajesh; Steel, Zachary

2012-10-01

Indian-Australians represent a distinct immigrant group both demographically and culturally. Yet, despite an expanding body of research on transcultural mental health in Australia, there is a paucity of studies regarding mental health of Indian-Australians. This paper explores the extent of psychological morbidity and related service use in a representative sample of Indian-Australians. It further examines the association of mental health with social participation and networking in this ethnic community. Measures to assess current levels of psychological distress, functional disability, service use, and social capital were administered in a random sample of 71 Indian-Australian family groups living in Sydney. Amongst participants, 15% reported high to very high levels of psychological distress. Psychological distress was associated with increased days of functional disability and higher levels of functional impairment, and an increased likelihood of a GP consultation. However, 91% of participants with identifiable mental health needs did not seek any mental health consultation. Social capital was not found to be a significant predictor of psychological health or service use in this sample. Psychological morbidity in the Indian-Australian community is associated with high levels of functional disability, both in number of days and extent of severity, but only a small proportion seeks mental health help.

The Sport Experience of Athletes with Intellectual Disabilities: A National Survey of Special Olympics Athletes and Their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harada, Coreen M.; Siperstein, Gary N.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the sport experience for athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID) who participate in Special Olympics (SO). This study included a nationally representative sample of 1,307 families and 579 athletes in the U.S., focusing on sport involvement over the lifespan and motives for participating and for leaving…

Explaining Differences in Sport Participation Rates among Young Adults: Evidence from the South Caucasus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birchwood, Diane; Roberts, Ken; Pollock, Gary

2008-01-01

This paper presents and discusses evidence about the sport careers of representative samples of 31-37 year olds from the capital city and a comparator region in each of the three South Caucasus countries--Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. This is one of the few surveys to measure sport participation that allows change over time at the aggregate and…

The Benefit of the GLOBE Program for the Development of Inquiry Competence in the Czech and Slovak Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smoláková, Nikoleta; Švajdaa, Juraj; Koróny, Samuel; Cincera, Jan

2016-01-01

This study compares the inquiry competence of the 8th-grade students participating in the science and environmental education program GLOBE in the Czech Republic with a sample of students of the same age not participating in the program from the Slovak and Czech Republics. Inquiry competence is analyzed as a set of variables representing students'…

Comparison of Sociodemographic and Health-Related Characteristics of UK Biobank Participants With Those of the General Population

PubMed Central

Fry, Anna; Littlejohns, Thomas J; Sudlow, Cathie; Doherty, Nicola; Adamska, Ligia; Sprosen, Tim; Collins, Rory; Allen, Naomi E

2017-01-01

Abstract The UK Biobank cohort is a population-based cohort of 500,000 participants recruited in the United Kingdom (UK) between 2006 and 2010. Approximately 9.2 million individuals aged 40–69 years who lived within 25 miles (40 km) of one of 22 assessment centers in England, Wales, and Scotland were invited to enter the cohort, and 5.5% participated in the baseline assessment. The representativeness of the UK Biobank cohort was investigated by comparing demographic characteristics between nonresponders and responders. Sociodemographic, physical, lifestyle, and health-related characteristics of the cohort were compared with nationally representative data sources. UK Biobank participants were more likely to be older, to be female, and to live in less socioeconomically deprived areas than nonparticipants. Compared with the general population, participants were less likely to be obese, to smoke, and to drink alcohol on a daily basis and had fewer self-reported health conditions. At age 70–74 years, rates of all-cause mortality and total cancer incidence were 46.2% and 11.8% lower, respectively, in men and 55.5% and 18.1% lower, respectively, in women than in the general population of the same age. UK Biobank is not representative of the sampling population; there is evidence of a “healthy volunteer” selection bias. Nonetheless, valid assessment of exposure-disease relationships may be widely generalizable and does not require participants to be representative of the population at large. PMID:28641372

Emotional support, instrumental support, and gambling participation among Filipino Americans.

PubMed

Kim, Isok; Kim, Wooksoo; Nochajski, Thomas H

2014-08-01

Using representative survey data of Filipino Americans in Honolulu and San Francisco (SF) (N = 2,259), we examined the roles of emotional support and instrumental support on gambling participation. With considerable difference in gambling environments between two regions, we conducted two sets of hierarchical regression analyses for Honolulu sample, which has restricted gambling laws, and SF sample, which has legal gambling environment, and compared the effects of two types of social support on gambling participation. The results indicated that emotional support was positively and instrumental support was negatively associated with gambling participation among Filipino Americans in Honolulu. However, neither type of social support was significantly associated with gambling participation among Filipino Americans living in SF. This study highlights the differing roles and effects of instrumental and emotional support on gambling where gambling is restricted. It also suggests that gambling behaviors of Filipino Americans are subject to situation- and environment-specific factors.

Does Self-Selection Affect Samples’ Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online Video Game Research

PubMed Central

van Singer, Mathias; Chatton, Anne; Achab, Sophia; Zullino, Daniele; Rothen, Stephane; Khan, Riaz; Billieux, Joel; Thorens, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Background The number of medical studies performed through online surveys has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite their numerous advantages (eg, sample size, facilitated access to individuals presenting stigmatizing issues), selection bias may exist in online surveys. However, evidence on the representativeness of self-selected samples in online studies is patchy. Objective Our objective was to explore the representativeness of a self-selected sample of online gamers using online players’ virtual characters (avatars). Methods All avatars belonged to individuals playing World of Warcraft (WoW), currently the most widely used online game. Avatars’ characteristics were defined using various games’ scores, reported on the WoW’s official website, and two self-selected samples from previous studies were compared with a randomly selected sample of avatars. Results We used scores linked to 1240 avatars (762 from the self-selected samples and 478 from the random sample). The two self-selected samples of avatars had higher scores on most of the assessed variables (except for guild membership and exploration). Furthermore, some guilds were overrepresented in the self-selected samples. Conclusions Our results suggest that more proficient players or players more involved in the game may be more likely to participate in online surveys. Caution is needed in the interpretation of studies based on online surveys that used a self-selection recruitment procedure. Epidemiological evidence on the reduced representativeness of sample of online surveys is warranted. PMID:25001007

Determining Performance Levels of Competencies for Job Entry Required of Beginning Farm Operators. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avery, John H.

A sample of 145 people representing eighty farm operations and a statewide sample of 233 agricultural and agribusiness workers participated in a study to identify competencies, their importance (on a one to five rating scale), and the performance level required of a beginning farm operator in each of the following five cluster areas considered…

Measurement Invariance of the Reynolds Depression Adolescent Scale across Gender and Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fonseca-Pedrero, Eduardo; Wells, Craig; Paino, Mercedes; Lemos-Giraldez, Serafin; Villazon-Garcia, Ursula; Sierra, Susana; Garcia-Portilla Gonzalez, Ma Paz; Bobes, Julio; Muniz, Jose

2010-01-01

The main objective of the present study was to examine measurement invariance of the Reynolds Depression Adolescent Scale (RADS) (Reynolds, 1987) across gender and age in a representative sample of nonclinical adolescents. The sample was composed of 1,659 participants, 801 males (48.3%), with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD = 1.2). Confirmatory…

Occupational Stress in Secondary Education in Cyprus: Causes, Symptoms, Consequences and Stress Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadjisymeou, Georgia

2010-01-01

The survey attempted to look into the causes, symptoms and consequences that occupational stress has on teachers in Secondary Education in Cyprus and find ways to manage it. Thirty eight schools with 553 teachers participated in the survey. The sample chosen is a result of a simple random sampling and it is representative of the country's…

Preserving America's Investment in Human Capital: A Study of Public Higher Education, 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minter, W. John; Bowen, Howard R.

Financial and educational trends in accredited public institutions of higher education were studied for the period 1976-79 with some data for earlier years and for 1979-80. The study was based on a stratified sample of 135 institutions of which 95 participated. The sample represented all parts of the public sector except autonomous professional…

Microfinance Participation, Control Over Resources, and Justification of IPV: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample of Women.

PubMed

Murshid, Nadine Shaanta

2016-04-13

A high percentage of men and women are purported to justify intimate partner violence (IPV) in countries that are steeped in patriarchy even in the presence of programs such as microfinance that aim to address gender equity. This article examines two assertions that emerge from the literature on microfinance and its potential for positive outcomes for women who participate in it: (a) Microfinance participation is associated with reduced justification of IPV, and (b) microfinance participants with control over their own resources are less likely to justify IPV when compared with microfinance participants who do not have control over their resources. Couples data from a nationally representative survey, the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, were used in the present study. Propensity score matching and logistic regression analyses were conducted to reveal that (a) microfinance participation was not associated with justification of IPV and that (b) women who participated in microfinance were less likely to justify IPV when they had no control over their resources. Implications for practitioners and policymakers are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

41 CFR 102-75.1260 - Does GSA conduct Federal screening on every property reported as excess real property?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... making the decision to waive Federal screening. This list is a representative sample and is not all.../or utilization restrictions; reported excess specifically for participation in the Relocation Program...

Association Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Erectile Dysfunction among a Nationally Representative Sample of American Men.

PubMed

Loprinzi, Paul D; Edwards, Meghan

2015-09-01

Emerging work suggests an inverse association between physical activity and erectile dysfunction (ED). The majority of this cross-sectional research comes from convenience samples and all studies on this topic have employed self-report physical activity methodology. Therefore, the purpose of this brief-report, confirmatory research study was to examine the association between objectively measured physical activity and ED in a national sample of Americans. Data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. Six hundred ninety-two adults between the ages of 50 and 85 years (representing 33.2 million adults) constituted the analytic sample. Participants wore an ActiGraph 7164 accelerometer (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL, USA) for up to 7 days with ED assessed via self-report. The main outcome measure used was ED assessed via self-report. After adjustments, for every 30 min/day increase in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, participants had a 43% reduced odds of having ED (odds ratioadjusted  = 0.57; 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.81; P = 0.004). This confirmatory study employing an objective measure of physical activity in a national sample suggests an inverse association between physical activity and ED. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

The relative roles of types of extracurricular activity on smoking and drinking initiation among tweens.

PubMed

Adachi-Mejia, Anna M; Gibson Chambers, Jennifer J; Li, Zhigang; Sargent, James D

2014-01-01

Youth involvement in extracurricular activities may help prevent smoking and drinking initiation. However, the relative roles of types of extracurricular activity on these risks are unclear. Therefore, we examined the association between substance use and participation in team sports with a coach, other sports without a coach, music, school clubs, and other clubs in a nationally representative sample of U.S. tweens. We conducted telephone surveys with 6522 U.S. students (ages 10 to 14 years) in 2003. We asked participants if they had ever tried smoking or drinking, and we asked them about their participation in extracurricular activities. We used sample weighting to produce response estimates that were representative of the population of adolescents aged 10 to 14 years at the time of data collection. Logistic regression models that adjusted for appropriate sampling weights using jackknife variance estimation tested associations with trying smoking and drinking, controlling for sociodemographics, child and parent characteristics, friend/sibling/parent substance use, and media use. A little over half of the students reported participating in team sports with a coach (55.5%) and without a coach (55.4%) a few times per week or more. Most had minimal to no participation in school clubs (74.2%); however, most reported being involved in other clubs (85.8%). A little less than half participated in music, choir, dance, and/or band lessons. Over half of participants involved in religious activity did those activities a few times per week or more. In the multiple regression analysis, team sport participation with a coach was the only extracurricular activity associated with lower risk of trying smoking (adjusted odds ratio 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.49, 0.96) compared to none or minimal participation. Participating in other clubs was the only extracurricular activity associated with lower risk of trying drinking (adjusted odds ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.32, 0.99) compared to none or minimal participation. Type of extracurricular involvement may be associated with risk of youth smoking and drinking initiation. Future research should seek to better understand the underlying reasons behind these differences. Copyright © 2014 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relative roles of types of extracurricular activity on smoking and drinking initiation among tweens

PubMed Central

Adachi-Mejia, Anna M.; Gibson Chambers, Jennifer J.; Li, Zhigang; Sargent, James D.

2014-01-01

Objective Youth involvement in extracurricular activities may help prevent smoking and drinking initiation. However, the relative roles of types of extracurricular activity on these risks are unclear. Therefore, we examined the association between substance use and participation in team sports with a coach, other sports without a coach, music, school clubs, and other clubs in a nationally representative sample of US tweens. Methods We conducted telephone surveys with 6,522 U.S. students (ages 10-14) in 2003. We asked participants if they had ever tried smoking or drinking and about their participation in extracurricular activities. We used sample weighting to produce response estimates that were representative of the population of adolescents aged 10-14 years at the time of data collection. Logistic regression models that adjusted for appropriate sampling weights using Jackknife variance estimation tested associations with trying smoking and drinking, controlling for sociodemographics, child and parent characteristics, friend/sibling/parent substance use, and media use. Results A little over half of the students reported participating in team sports with a coach (55.5%) and without a coach (55.4%) a few times per week or more. Most had minimal to no participation in school clubs (74.2%), however most reported being involved in other clubs (85.8%). A little less than half participated in music, choir, dance, and/or band lessons. Over half of participants involved in religious activity did those activities a few times per week or more. In the multiple regression analysis, team sport participation with a coach was the only extracurricular activity associated with lower risk of trying smoking (adjusted OR = 0.68, 95% C.I. 0.49, 0.96) compared to none or minimal participation. Participating in other clubs was the only extracurricular activity associated with lower risk of trying drinking (adjusted OR = 0.56, 95% C.I. 0.32, 0.99) compared to none or minimal participation. Conclusions Type of extracurricular involvement may be associated with risk of youth smoking and drinking initiation. Future research should seek to better understand the underlying reasons behind these differences. PMID:24767780

Sample selection may bias the outcome of an adolescent mental health survey: results from a five-year follow-up of 4171 adolescents.

PubMed

Kekkonen, V; Kivimäki, P; Valtonen, H; Hintikka, J; Tolmunen, T; Lehto, S M; Laukkanen, E

2015-02-01

The representativeness of the data is one of the main issues in evaluating the significance of research findings. Dropping out is common in adolescent mental health research, and may distort the results. Nevertheless, very little is known about the types of systematic bias that may affect studies in a) the informed consent phase and b) later in follow-up phases. The authors addressed this gap in knowledge in a five-year follow-up study on a sample of adolescents aged 13-18 years. The data were collected using self-report questionnaires. The baseline sample consisted of 4171 adolescents, 1827 (43.8%) of whom gave consent to be contacted for a follow-up survey, but only 797 (19.1%) participated in the follow-up. Binary logistic regression models were used to explain the participation. Young age, female gender, a high number of hobbies, good performance at school in the native language and general subjects, family disintegration such as divorce, high parental employment, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were associated with both consent and participation. However, the effect of mental health aspects was smaller than the effect of age and gender. This study confirmed the possibility of systematic selection bias by adolescents' sociodemographic characteristics. The representativeness of the study sample might have been improved by more intense recruitment strategies. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Avoiding Cancer Risk Information

PubMed Central

Emanuel, Amber S.; Kiviniemi, Marc T.; Howell, Jennifer L.; Hay, Jennifer L.; Waters, Erika A.; Orom, Heather; Shepperd, James A.

2015-01-01

RATIONALE Perceived risk for health problems such as cancer is a central construct in many models of health decision making and a target for behavior change interventions. However, some portion of the population actively avoids cancer risk information. The prevalence of, explanations for, and consequences of such avoidance are not well understood. OBJECTIVE We examined the prevalence and demographic and psychosocial correlates of cancer risk information avoidance preference in a nationally representative sample. We also examined whether avoidance of cancer risk information corresponds with avoidance of cancer screening. RESULTS Based on our representative sample, 39% of the population indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed that they would “rather not know [their] chance of getting cancer.” This preference was stronger among older participants, female participants, and participants with lower levels of education. Preferring to avoid cancer risk information was stronger among participants who agreed with the beliefs that everything causes cancer, that there’s not much one can do to prevent cancer, and that there are too many recommendations to follow. Finally, the preference to avoid cancer risk information was associated with lower levels of screening for colon cancer. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that cancer risk information avoidance is a multi-determined phenomenon that is associated with demographic characteristics and psychosocial individual differences and also relates to engagement in cancer screening. PMID:26560410

Associations among School Characteristics and Foodservice Practices in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Schools

PubMed Central

Thomson, Jessica L.; Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa M.; Martin, Corby K.; LeBlanc, Monique M.; Onufrak, Stephen J.

2012-01-01

Objective Determine school characteristics associated with healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings or healthy food preparation practices. Design Retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data. Setting Nationally representative sample of public and private elementary, middle and high schools. Participants 526 and 520 schools with valid data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) Food Service School Questionnaire. Main Outcome Measure(s) Scores for healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings and healthy food preparation practices. Analysis Multivariable regression to determine significant associations among school characteristics and offerings/preparation practices. Results Public schools and schools participating in USDA Team Nutrition reported more healthy offerings and preparation than private or non-participating schools, respectively. Elementary schools reported less unhealthy offerings than middle or high schools; middle schools reported less unhealthy offerings than high schools. Schools requiring foodservice managers to have a college education reported more healthy preparation while those requiring completion of a foodservice training program reported less unhealthy offerings and more healthy preparation than schools without these requirements. Conclusions and Implications Results suggest the school nutrition environment may be improved by requiring foodservice managers to hold a nutrition-related college degree and/or successfully pass a foodservice training program, and by participating in a school-based nutrition program, such as USDA Team Nutrition. PMID:22963956

Sexual Sensation Seeking, Social Stress, and Coping Styles as Predictors of HIV/STD Risk Behaviors in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teva, Inmaculada; Bermudez, Maria Paz; Buela-Casal, Gualberto

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess whether coping styles, social stress, and sexual sensation seeking were predictors of HIV/STD risk behaviours in adolescents. A representative sample of 4,456 female and male Spanish high school students aged 13 to 18 years participated. A stratified random sampling procedure was used. Self-report questionnaires…

77 FR 35658 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-14

... rulemaking mandates, the Bureau seeks to collect qualitative information from industry participants regarding... burdens on their respective institutions. The Bureau recognizes that burdens vary depending on the size... collections of information will seek to sample providers that are representative of markets affected by a...

INTERCOMPARISON OF PERIODIC FINE PARTICLE SULFUR AND SULFATE CONCENTRATION RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

A one-week study was conducted in August 1979 to evaluate the comparative ability of representative aerosol sampling systems to monitor fine particulate sulfur and sulfate concentrations periodically in situ. Participants in the study operated their samplers simultaneously in the...

A comparison of four sampling methods among men having sex with men in China: implications for HIV/STD surveillance and prevention

PubMed Central

Guo, Yan; Li, Xiaoming; Fang, Xiaoyi; Lin, Xiuyun; Song, Yan; Jiang, Shuling; Stanton, Bonita

2011-01-01

Sample representativeness remains one of the challenges in effective HIV/STD surveillance and prevention targeting MSM worldwide. Although convenience samples are widely used in studies of MSM, previous studies suggested that these samples might not be representative of the broader MSM population. This issue becomes even more critical in many developing countries where needed resources for conducting probability sampling are limited. We examined variations in HIV and Syphilis infections and sociodemographic and behavioral factors among 307 young migrant MSM recruited using four different convenience sampling methods (peer outreach, informal social network, Internet, and venue-based) in Beijing, China in 2009. The participants completed a self-administered survey and provided blood specimens for HIV/STD testing. Among the four MSM samples using different recruitment methods, rates of HIV infections were 5.1%, 5.8%, 7.8%, and 3.4%; rates of Syphilis infection were 21.8%, 36.2%, 11.8%, and 13.8%; rates of inconsistent condom use were 57%, 52%, 58%, and 38%. Significant differences were found in various sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, migration history, education, income, places of employment) and risk behaviors (e.g., age at first sex, number of sex partners, involvement in commercial sex, and substance use) among samples recruited by different sampling methods. The results confirmed the challenges of obtaining representative MSM samples and underscored the importance of using multiple sampling methods to reach MSM from diverse backgrounds and in different social segments and to improve the representativeness of the MSM samples when the use of probability sampling approach is not feasible. PMID:21711162

A comparison of four sampling methods among men having sex with men in China: implications for HIV/STD surveillance and prevention.

PubMed

Guo, Yan; Li, Xiaoming; Fang, Xiaoyi; Lin, Xiuyun; Song, Yan; Jiang, Shuling; Stanton, Bonita

2011-11-01

Sample representativeness remains one of the challenges in effective HIV/STD surveillance and prevention targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) worldwide. Although convenience samples are widely used in studies of MSM, previous studies suggested that these samples might not be representative of the broader MSM population. This issue becomes even more critical in many developing countries where needed resources for conducting probability sampling are limited. We examined variations in HIV and Syphilis infections and sociodemographic and behavioral factors among 307 young migrant MSM recruited using four different convenience sampling methods (peer outreach, informal social network, Internet, and venue-based) in Beijing, China in 2009. The participants completed a self-administered survey and provided blood specimens for HIV/STD testing. Among the four MSM samples using different recruitment methods, rates of HIV infections were 5.1%, 5.8%, 7.8%, and 3.4%; rates of Syphilis infection were 21.8%, 36.2%, 11.8%, and 13.8%; and rates of inconsistent condom use were 57%, 52%, 58%, and 38%. Significant differences were found in various sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, migration history, education, income, and places of employment) and risk behaviors (e.g., age at first sex, number of sex partners, involvement in commercial sex, and substance use) among samples recruited by different sampling methods. The results confirmed the challenges of obtaining representative MSM samples and underscored the importance of using multiple sampling methods to reach MSM from diverse backgrounds and in different social segments and to improve the representativeness of the MSM samples when the use of probability sampling approach is not feasible.

A population-based nested case control study on recurrent pneumonias in children with severe generalized cerebral palsy: ethical considerations of the design and representativeness of the study sample.

PubMed

Veugelers, Rebekka; Calis, Elsbeth A C; Penning, Corine; Verhagen, Arianne; Bernsen, Roos; Bouquet, Jan; Benninga, Marc A; Merkus, Peter J F M; Arets, Hubertus G M; Tibboel, Dick; Evenhuis, Heleen M

2005-07-19

In children with severe generalized cerebral palsy, pneumonias are a major health issue. Malnutrition, dysphagia, gastro-oesophageal reflux, impaired respiratory function and constipation are hypothesized risk factors. Still, no data are available on the relative contribution of these possible risk factors in the described population. This paper describes the initiation of a study in 194 children with severe generalized cerebral palsy, on the prevalence and on the impact of these hypothesized risk factors of recurrent pneumonias. A nested case-control design with 18 months follow-up was chosen. Dysphagia, respiratory function and constipation will be assessed at baseline, malnutrition and gastro-oesophageal reflux at the end of the follow-up. The study population consists of a representative population sample of children with severe generalized cerebral palsy. Inclusion was done through care-centres in a predefined geographical area and not through hospitals. All measurements will be done on-site which sets high demands on all measurements. If these demands were not met in "gold standard" methods, other methods were chosen. Although the inclusion period was prolonged, the desired sample size of 300 children was not met. With a consent rate of 33%, nearly 10% of all eligible children in The Netherlands are included (n = 194). The study population is subtly different from the non-participants with regard to severity of dysphagia and prevalence rates of pneumonias and gastro-oesophageal reflux. Ethical issues complicated the study design. Assessment of malnutrition and gastro-oesophageal reflux at baseline was considered unethical, since these conditions can be easily treated. Therefore, we postponed these diagnostics until the end of the follow-up. In order to include a representative sample, all eligible children in a predefined geographical area had to be contacted. To increase the consent rate, on-site measurements are of first choice, but timely inclusion is jeopardized. The initiation of this first study among children with severe neurological impairment led to specific, unexpected problems. Despite small differences between participants and non-participating children, our sample is as representative as can be expected from any population-based study and will provide important, new information to bring us further towards effective interventions to prevent pneumonias in this population.

[Eating disorders and depressive symptoms: an epidemiological study in a male population].

PubMed

Valls, M; Callahan, S; Rousseau, A; Chabrol, H

2014-06-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate the incidence of eating disorders, including not otherwise specified eating disorders (EDNOS) and subthreshold disorders, inappropriate compensatory behaviors (such as self-induced vomiting, strict dieting, fasting) along with depressive symptoms among young French adult males. The sample was composed of 458 young men in age ranging from 18 to 30 years (mean age=21.9±2.4). The average body mass index was 22.8±3. Participants completed two questionnaires: the Questionnaire for Eating Disorders Diagnoses (Q-EDD) assessing full-criteria eating disorder symptoms based on DSM-IV criteria (i.e. clinical eating disorders) and subthreshold disorders, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D) assessing depressive symptoms. Out of the 458 surveyed respondents, eating disorders were reported by approximately 17% of the overall sample, with 1.5% meeting diagnostic criteria for serious clinical disorders, 3% meeting diagnostic criteria for EDNOS and 12% meeting diagnostic criteria for subthreshold disorders. Exercise bulimia represented 1% of the overall sample and binge-eating disorder 2%. The most frequent subthreshold disorder was subthreshold nonbinging bulimia (7%). Participants with eating disorders were equally divided between those desiring weight gain, those desiring weight loss and those wanting to keep their current weight. Participants without eating disorders were more likely to want to gain weight compared to participants with eating disorders (45.5% versus 30% respectively; P<0.05). After controlling for body mass index, 30% of participants tended to perceive themselves as thinner than they actually were and 6% tended to perceive themselves as fatter. Regarding normal-weight participants, 28% perceived themselves as thinner and 8% as fatter than in reality. Overeating episodes were reported by 19% of participants. Binge-eating episodes (recurrent or not) were reported by 8% of young men, including 32% of participants with eating disorders and 3% of participants without eating disorder. Six percent reported repeated binging (at least twice a week for at least once a month). Inappropriate compensatory behaviors were mostly used by participants with eating disorders, except for excessive exercise (34% versus 35% for participants without eating disorders). The most typical compensatory behavior was fasting (11%). According to the cut-off score of 22, 18% of young men had a moderate to severe depressive symptomatology, including 5% of participants who also reported an eating disorder (i.e. 30 participants). A one-way ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in depressive symptoms as a function of eating disorder groups, namely the clinical eating disorders sample (n=22), the subthreshold disorders sample (n=54) and the asymptomatic sample (participants without eating disorder; n=382). Results were statistically significant, (F(2,455)=7.27, P<0.001) and post-hoc tests (Scheffé tests) were used to examine the group differences. The mean CES-D scores for the clinical eating disorders sample (19.45±8.2; P<0.05) and the subthreshold disorders sample (18.15±10.9; P<0.05) were significantly higher than for the asymptomatic sample (14.19±8.9). There was no significant difference between the two eating disorder groups (P>0.05). The results demonstrate that a significant proportion of men with eating disorders manifest comorbid depressive symptomatology. These results suggest that EDNOS and subthreshold disorders should be taken into consideration, as they represent 15% of the total sample. Participants reported high rate of excessive exercise and fasting, which could reflect the importance of muscle tone or strategies to increase muscle mass. Further research is necessary in order to better understand male eating behaviors and disorders. Copyright © 2013 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Attitudes toward Bisexual Men and Women among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Adults in the United States

PubMed Central

Herbenick, Debby; Friedman, M. Reuel; Schick, Vanessa; Fu, Tsung-Chieh (Jane); Bostwick, Wendy; Bartelt, Elizabeth; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Pletta, David; Reece, Michael; Sandfort, Theo G. M.

2016-01-01

As bisexual individuals in the United States (U.S.) face significant health disparities, researchers have posited that these differences may be fueled, at least in part, by negative attitudes, prejudice, stigma, and discrimination toward bisexual individuals from heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals. Previous studies of individual and social attitudes toward bisexual men and women have been conducted almost exclusively with convenience samples, with limited generalizability to the broader U.S. population. Our study provides an assessment of attitudes toward bisexual men and women among a nationally representative probability sample of heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and other-identified adults in the U.S. Data were collected from the 2015 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), via an online questionnaire with a probability sample of adults (18 years and over) from throughout the U.S. We included two modified 5-item versions of the Bisexualities: Indiana Attitudes Scale (BIAS), validated sub-scales that were developed to measure attitudes toward bisexual men and women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, gamma regression, and paired t-tests. Gender, sexual identity, age, race/ethnicity, income, and educational attainment were all significantly associated with participants' attitudes toward bisexual individuals. In terms of responses to individual scale items, participants were most likely to “neither agree nor disagree” with all attitudinal statements. Across sexual identities, self-identified other participants reported the most positive attitudes, while heterosexual male participants reported the least positive attitudes. As in previous research on convenience samples, we found a wide range of demographic characteristics were related with attitudes toward bisexual individuals in our nationally-representative study of heterosexual, gay/lesbian, and other-identified adults in the U.S. In particular, gender emerged as a significant characteristic; female participants’ attitudes were more positive than male participants’ attitudes, and all participants’ attitudes were generally more positive toward bisexual women than bisexual men. While recent population data suggest a marked shift in more positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women in the general population of the U.S., the largest proportions of participants in our study reported a relative lack of agreement or disagreement with all affective-evaluative statements in the BIAS scales. Findings document the relative lack of positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals among the general population of adults in the U.S. and highlight the need for developing intervention approaches to promote more positive attitudes toward bisexual individuals, targeted toward not only heterosexual but also gay/lesbian individuals and communities. PMID:27783644

Recruitment via the Internet and Social Networking Sites: The 1989-1995 Cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health

PubMed Central

Hockey, Richard; Powers, Jennifer; Loxton, Deborah; Tooth, Leigh; Rowlands, Ingrid; Byles, Julie; Dobson, Annette

2014-01-01

Background Faced with the challenge of recruiting young adults for health studies, researchers have increasingly turned to the Internet and social networking sites, such as Facebook, as part of their recruitment strategy. As yet, few large-scale studies are available that report on the characteristics and representativeness of the sample obtained from such recruitment methods. Objective The intent of the study was to describe the sociodemographic and health characteristics of a national sample of young Australian women recruited mainly through the Internet and social networking sites and to discuss the representativeness of their sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics relative to the population. Methods A cohort of 17,069 women (born between 1989 and 1995) was recruited in 2012-13 for the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Sociodemographic characteristics (percentages, means, and 95% confidence intervals) from the online survey data were compared with women aged 18-23 years from the 2011 Australian Census. Sample data were compared by age and education level with data from the 2011-13 Australian Health Survey (AHS). Results Compared to the Australian Census data, study participants were broadly representative in terms of geographical distribution across Australia, marital status (95.62%, 16,321/17,069) were never married), and age distribution. A higher percentage had attained university (22.52%, 3844/17,069) and trade/certificate/diploma qualifications (25.94%, 4428/17,069) compared with this age group of women in the national population (9.4% and 21.7% respectively). Among study participants, 22.05% (3721/16,877) were not in paid employment with 35.18% (5931/16,857) studying 16 or more hours a week. A higher percentage of study participants rated their health in the online survey as fair or poor (rather than good, very good, or excellent) compared with those participating in face-to-face interviews in the AHS (18.77%, 3203/17,069 vs 10.1%). A higher percentage of study participants were current smokers (21.78%, 3718/17,069 vs 16.4%) and physically active (59.30%, 10,089/17,014 were classified as sufficiently active vs 48.3%) but alcohol consumption was lower (59.58%, 9865/16,558 reported drinking alcohol at least once per month vs 65.9% in the AHS). Using self-reported height and weight to determine body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), 34.80% (5901/16,956) of the cohort were classified as overweight or obese (BMI of 25 or more), compared with 33.6% respectively using measured height and weight in the AHS. Conclusions Findings indicated that using the Internet and social networking sites for an online survey represent a feasible recruitment strategy for a national cohort of young women and result in a broadly representative sample of the Australian population. PMID:25514159

Relationship of Personality Disorders to the Course of Major Depressive Disorder in a Nationally Representative Sample

PubMed Central

Skodol, Andrew E.; Grilo, Carlos M.; Keyes, Katherine; Geier, Timothy; Grant, Bridget F.; Hasin, Deborah S.

2011-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of specific personality disorder co-morbidity on the course of major depressive disorder in a nationally-representative sample. Method Data were drawn from 1,996 participants in a national survey. Participants who met criteria for major depressive disorder at baseline in face-to-face interviews (2001–2002) were re-interviewed three years later (2004–2005) to determine persistence and recurrence. Predictors included all DSM-IV personality disorders. Control variables included demographic characteristics, other Axis I disorders, family and treatment histories, and previously established predictors of the course of major depressive disorder. Results 15.1% of participants had persistent major depressive disorder and 7.3% of those who remitted had a recurrence. Univariate analyses indicated that avoidant, borderline, histrionic, paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders all elevated the risk for persistence. With Axis I co-morbidity controlled, all but histrionic personality disorder remained significant. With all other personality disorders controlled, borderline and schizotypal remained significant predictors. In final, multivariate analyses that controlled for age at onset of major depressive disorder, number of previous episodes, duration of current episode, family history, and treatment, borderline personality disorder remained a robust predictor of major depressive disorder persistence. Neither personality disorders nor other clinical variables predicted recurrence. Conclusions In this nationally-representative sample of adults with major depressive disorder, borderline personality disorder robustly predicted persistence, a finding that converges with recent clinical studies. Personality psychopathology, particularly borderline personality disorder, should be assessed in all patients with major depressive disorder, considered in prognosis, and addressed in treatment. PMID:21245088

Sampling Methods in Cardiovascular Nursing Research: An Overview.

PubMed

Kandola, Damanpreet; Banner, Davina; O'Keefe-McCarthy, Sheila; Jassal, Debbie

2014-01-01

Cardiovascular nursing research covers a wide array of topics from health services to psychosocial patient experiences. The selection of specific participant samples is an important part of the research design and process. The sampling strategy employed is of utmost importance to ensure that a representative sample of participants is chosen. There are two main categories of sampling methods: probability and non-probability. Probability sampling is the random selection of elements from the population, where each element of the population has an equal and independent chance of being included in the sample. There are five main types of probability sampling including simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and multi-stage sampling. Non-probability sampling methods are those in which elements are chosen through non-random methods for inclusion into the research study and include convenience sampling, purposive sampling, and snowball sampling. Each approach offers distinct advantages and disadvantages and must be considered critically. In this research column, we provide an introduction to these key sampling techniques and draw on examples from the cardiovascular research. Understanding the differences in sampling techniques may aid nurses in effective appraisal of research literature and provide a reference pointfor nurses who engage in cardiovascular research.

The saving and empowering young lives in Europe (SEYLE) randomized controlled trial (RCT): methodological issues and participant characteristics.

PubMed

Carli, Vladimir; Wasserman, Camilla; Wasserman, Danuta; Sarchiapone, Marco; Apter, Alan; Balazs, Judit; Bobes, Julio; Brunner, Romuald; Corcoran, Paul; Cosman, Doina; Guillemin, Francis; Haring, Christian; Kaess, Michael; Kahn, Jean Pierre; Keeley, Helen; Keresztény, Agnes; Iosue, Miriam; Mars, Ursa; Musa, George; Nemes, Bogdan; Postuvan, Vita; Reiter-Theil, Stella; Saiz, Pilar; Varnik, Peeter; Varnik, Airi; Hoven, Christina W

2013-05-16

Mental health problems and risk behaviours among young people are of great public health concern. Consequently, within the VII Framework Programme, the European Commission funded the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) project. This Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted in eleven European countries, with Sweden as the coordinating centre, and was designed to identify an effective way to promote mental health and reduce suicidality and risk taking behaviours among adolescents. To describe the methodological and field procedures in the SEYLE RCT among adolescents, as well as to present the main characteristics of the recruited sample. Analyses were conducted to determine: 1) representativeness of study sites compared to respective national data; 2) response rate of schools and pupils, drop-out rates from baseline to 3 and 12 month follow-up, 3) comparability of samples among the four Intervention Arms; 4) properties of the standard scales employed: Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (Z-SAS), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), World Health Organization Well-Being Scale (WHO-5). Participants at baseline comprised 12,395 adolescents (M/F: 5,529/6,799; mean age=14.9±0.9) from Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. At the 3 and 12 months follow up, participation rates were 87.3% and 79.4%, respectively. Demographic characteristics of participating sites were found to be reasonably representative of their respective national population. Overall response rate of schools was 67.8%. All scales utilised in the study had good to very good internal reliability, as measured by Cronbach's alpha (BDI-II: 0.864; Z-SAS: 0.805; SDQ: 0.740; WHO-5: 0.799). SEYLE achieved its objective of recruiting a large representative sample of adolescents within participating European countries. Analysis of SEYLE data will shed light on the effectiveness of important interventions aimed at improving adolescent mental health and well-being, reducing risk-taking and self-destructive behaviour and preventing suicidality. US National Institute of Health (NIH) clinical trial registry (NCT00906620) and the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00000214).

Testing Direct and Indirect Effects of Sports Participation on Perceived Health in Spanish Adolescents between 15 and 18 Years of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pastor, Yolanda; Balaguer, Isabel; Pons, Diana; Garcia-Merita, Marisa

2003-01-01

This paper examines the direct and indirect effects of sports participation on perceived health. It is based on a representative sample of middle adolescents aged 15-18 (N=1038, M AGE=16.31, S. D.=0.92; 510 boys and 528 girls) from the Valencian Community (Spain). This study used two different models; Model A is an adaptation of Thorlindsson,…

How Is Emotional Awareness Related to Emotion Regulation Strategies and Self-Reported Negative Affect in the General Population?

PubMed Central

Subic-Wrana, Claudia; Beutel, Manfred E.; Brähler, Elmar; Stöbel-Richter, Yve; Knebel, Achim; Lane, Richard D.; Wiltink, Jörg

2014-01-01

Objective The Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS) as a performance task discriminates between implicit or subconscious and explicit or conscious levels of emotional awareness. An impaired awareness of one's feeling states may influence emotion regulation strategies and self-reports of negative emotions. To determine this influence, we applied the LEAS and self-report measures for emotion regulation strategies and negative affect in a representative sample of the German general population. Sample and Methods A short version of the LEAS, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), assessing reappraisal and suppression as emotion regulation strategies, were presented to N = 2524 participants of a representative German community study. The questionnaire data were analyzed with regard to the level of emotional awareness. Results LEAS scores were independent from depression, but related to self-reported anxiety. Although of small or medium effect size, different correlational patters between emotion regulation strategies and negative affectivity were related to implict and explict levels of emotional awareness. In participants with implicit emotional awareness, suppression was related to higher anxiety and depression, whereas in participants with explicit emotional awareness, in addition to a positive relationship of suppression and depression, we found a negative relationship of reappraisal to depression. These findings were independent of age. In women high use of suppression and little use of reappraisal were more strongly related to negative affect than in men. Discussion Our first findings suggest that conscious awareness of emotions may be a precondition for the use of reappraisal as an adaptive emotion regulation strategy. They encourage further research in the relation between subconsious and conscious emotional awareness and the prefarance of adaptive or maladaptive emotion regulation strategies The correlational trends found in a representative sample of the general population may become more pronounced in clinical samples. PMID:24637792

Regulation of University Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindblom-Ylanne, Sari; Nevgi, Anne; Trigwell, Keith

2011-01-01

The aims of the present study are twofold: firstly, to explore dimensions in the regulation of teaching in a multidisciplinary sample of university teachers, and secondly, to analyse factors related to the regulation of university teaching. Seventy-three university teachers representing several disciplines participated in the study. These teachers…

Calculating a Continuous Metabolic Syndrome Score Using Nationally Representative Reference Values.

PubMed

Guseman, Emily Hill; Eisenmann, Joey C; Laurson, Kelly R; Cook, Stephen R; Stratbucker, William

2018-02-26

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in youth varies on the basis of the classification system used, prompting implementation of continuous scores; however, the use of these scores is limited to the sample from which they were derived. We sought to describe the derivation of the continuous metabolic syndrome score using nationally representative reference values in a sample of obese adolescents and a national sample obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012. Clinical data were collected from 50 adolescents seeking obesity treatment at a stage 3 weight management center. A second analysis relied on data from adolescents included in NHANES 2011-2012, performed for illustrative purposes. The continuous metabolic syndrome score was calculated by regressing individual values onto nationally representative age- and sex-specific standards (NHANES III). Resultant z scores were summed to create a total score. The final sample included 42 obese adolescents (15 male and 35 female subjects; mean age, 14.8 ± 1.9 years) and an additional 445 participants from NHANES 2011-2012. Among the clinical sample, the mean continuous metabolic syndrome score was 4.16 ± 4.30, while the NHANES sample mean was quite a bit lower, at -0.24 ± 2.8. We provide a method to calculate the continuous metabolic syndrome by comparing individual risk factor values to age- and sex-specific percentiles from a nationally representative sample. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In-home firearm access among US adolescents and the role of religious subculture: Results from a nationally representative study.

PubMed

Stroope, Samuel; Tom, Joshua C

2017-09-01

Religious participation is linked to numerous positive safety outcomes for adolescents. Scant attention, however, has been paid to associations between religious participation and safety risks among adolescents. Using data from Add Health (N = 18,449), a nationally representative school-based sample of US adolescents, this study examines the relationship between adolescents' religious affiliation and easy access to firearms at home. Regression analyses adjust for complex sampling design and compare easy firearm access at home among conservative Protestant adolescents to adolescent firearm access in other religious traditions. Conservative Protestant adolescents have a substantially greater likelihood of easy access to a gun at home compared to adolescents of all other major religious traditions in the United States. Recognizing differences in adolescent firearm access between subcultural groups can help public health interventions more effectively identify and address the needs of vulnerable populations. The paper's conclusion considers suggestions for effective policy and programmatic initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Congruence between patients' preferred and perceived participation in medical decision-making: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Brom, Linda; Hopmans, Wendy; Pasman, H Roeline W; Timmermans, Danielle R M; Widdershoven, Guy A M; Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Bregje D

2014-04-03

Patients are increasingly expected and asked to be involved in health care decisions. In this decision-making process, preferences for participation are important. In this systematic review we aim to provide an overview the literature related to the congruence between patients' preferences and their perceived participation in medical decision-making. We also explore the direction of mismatched and outline factors associated with congruence. A systematic review was performed on patient participation in medical decision-making. Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases up to September 2012, were searched and all studies were rigorously critically appraised. In total 44 papers were included, they sampled contained 52 different patient samples. Mean of congruence between preference for and perceived participation in decision-making was 60% (49 and 70 representing 25th and 75th percentiles). If no congruence was found, of 36 patient samples most patients preferred more involvement and of 9 patient samples most patients preferred less involvement. Factors associated with preferences the most investigated were age and educational level. Younger patients preferred more often an active or shared role as did higher educated patients. This review suggests that a similar approach to all patients is not likely to meet patients' wishes, since preferences for participation vary among patients. Health care professionals should be sensitive to patients individual preferences and communicate about patients' participation wishes on a regular basis during their illness trajectory.

Congruence between patients’ preferred and perceived participation in medical decision-making: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patients are increasingly expected and asked to be involved in health care decisions. In this decision-making process, preferences for participation are important. In this systematic review we aim to provide an overview the literature related to the congruence between patients’ preferences and their perceived participation in medical decision-making. We also explore the direction of mismatched and outline factors associated with congruence. Methods A systematic review was performed on patient participation in medical decision-making. Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases up to September 2012, were searched and all studies were rigorously critically appraised. In total 44 papers were included, they sampled contained 52 different patient samples. Results Mean of congruence between preference for and perceived participation in decision-making was 60% (49 and 70 representing 25th and 75th percentiles). If no congruence was found, of 36 patient samples most patients preferred more involvement and of 9 patient samples most patients preferred less involvement. Factors associated with preferences the most investigated were age and educational level. Younger patients preferred more often an active or shared role as did higher educated patients. Conclusion This review suggests that a similar approach to all patients is not likely to meet patients’ wishes, since preferences for participation vary among patients. Health care professionals should be sensitive to patients individual preferences and communicate about patients’ participation wishes on a regular basis during their illness trajectory. PMID:24708833

Protocol and methodology of Study epidemiological mental health in Andalusia: PISMA-ep.

PubMed

Cervilla, Jorge A; Ruiz, Isabel; Rodríguez-Barranco, Miguel; Rivera, Margarita; Ibáñez-Casas, Inmaculada; Molina, Esther; Valmisa, Eulalio; Carmona-Calvo, José; Moreno-Küstner, Berta; Muñoz-Negro, José Eduardo; Ching-López, Ana; Gutiérrez, Blanca

This is the general methods describing paper of a cross-sectional study that aims to detect the prevalence of major mental disorders in Andalusia (Southern Spain), and their correlates or potential risk factors, using a large representative sample of community-dwelling adults. This is a cross-sectional study. We undertook a multistage sampling using different standard stratification levels and aimed to interview 4,518 randomly selected participants living in all 8 provinces of the Andalusian region utilizing a door-knocking approach. The Spanish version of the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview, a valid screening instrument ascertaining ICD-10/DSM-IV compatible mental disorder diagnoses was used as our main diagnostic tool. A large battery of other instruments was used to explore global functionality, medical comorbidity, personality traits, cognitive function and exposure to psychosocial potential risk factors. A saliva sample for DNA extraction was also obtained for a sub-genetic study. The interviews were administered and completed by fully trained interviewers, despite most tools used are compatible with lay interviewer use. A total of 3,892 (70.8%) of 5,496 initially attempted households had to be substituted for equivalent ones due to either no response (37.7%) or not fulfilling the required participant quota (33%). Thence, out of 5,496 eligible participants finally approached, 4,507 (83.7%) agreed to take part in the study, completed the interview and were finally included in the study (n=4,507) and 4,286 (78%) participants also agreed and consented to provide a saliva sample for DNA study. On the other hand, 989 (16.3%) approached potential participants refused to take part in the study. This is the largest mental health epidemiological study developed in the region of Spain (Andalusia). The response rates and representativeness of the sample obtained are fairly high. The method is particularly comprehensive for this sort of studies and includes both, personality and cognitive assessments, as well as a large array of bio-psycho-social risk measures. Copyright © 2016 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Psychological Effects of Unemployment and Unsatisfactory Employment on Young Adults: Findings from a 10-Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Winefield, Anthony H; Delfabbro, Paul H; Winefield, Helen R; Duong, David; Malvaso, Catia

2017-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to extend the external validity of an earlier longitudinal study of school leavers by including participants from a representative sample of secondary schools. Questionnaires were administered annually to a sample of South Australian school leavers over a 10-year period. At Time 1 participants were in the last compulsory year of high school aged around 15 years and at Time 10 they were aged around 25 years. Results confirmed those from an earlier longitudinal study showing that the transition from school to satisfactory employment was associated with significant improvements in psychological well-being, whereas transition from school to unemployment or unsatisfactory employment showed no change in psychological well-being. The current findings extended the external validity of the earlier study because whereas participants in the earlier study were sampled from co-educational metropolitan public high schools, the current study included participants from every kind of high school: single sex as well as co-educational, rural as well as metropolitan, and private as well as public.

Physical Activity of German Children and Adolescents 2003–2012: The MoMo-Study

PubMed Central

Henn, Annette; Albrecht, Claudia; Woll, Alexander

2017-01-01

Organized and unorganized physical activity (PA) hold an important role in the daily life of children and adolescents. Regular representative tracking of PA in different settings is important to evaluate social trends and implemented interventions. In this paper, representative PA data of German children and adolescents from the MoMo Baseline-Study (2004, n = 4528) are compared to those of Wave 1 (2010, n = 3994). Participants aged 4–17 were drawn out of 167 sample points in Germany and the data was weighted to ensure representativeness. PA was measured via questionnaire and was differentiated between organized (sports clubs and schools) and unorganized (unorganized sports and playing outside). Organized PA in extracurricular activities and sports clubs increased by eight percent, while unorganized PA decreased by seven percent. In addition to sports clubs, schools became a more prevalent setting for participation in physical activity in Germany. PMID:29137127

Physical Activity of German Children and Adolescents 2003-2012: The MoMo-Study.

PubMed

Schmidt, Steffen C E; Henn, Annette; Albrecht, Claudia; Woll, Alexander

2017-11-11

Organized and unorganized physical activity (PA) hold an important role in the daily life of children and adolescents. Regular representative tracking of PA in different settings is important to evaluate social trends and implemented interventions. In this paper, representative PA data of German children and adolescents from the MoMo Baseline-Study (2004, n = 4528) are compared to those of Wave 1 (2010, n = 3994). Participants aged 4-17 were drawn out of 167 sample points in Germany and the data was weighted to ensure representativeness. PA was measured via questionnaire and was differentiated between organized (sports clubs and schools) and unorganized (unorganized sports and playing outside). Organized PA in extracurricular activities and sports clubs increased by eight percent, while unorganized PA decreased by seven percent. In addition to sports clubs, schools became a more prevalent setting for participation in physical activity in Germany.

Reaching Asian Americans: sampling strategies and incentives.

PubMed

Lee, Soo-Kyung; Cheng, Yu-Yao

2006-07-01

Reaching and recruiting representative samples of minority populations is often challenging. This study examined in Chinese and Korean Americans: 1) whether using two different sampling strategies (random sampling vs. convenience sampling) significantly affected characteristics of recruited participants and 2) whether providing different incentives in the mail survey produced different response rates. We found statistically significant, however mostly not remarkable, differences between random and convenience samples. Offering monetary incentives in the mail survey improved response rates among Chinese Americans, while offering a small gift did not improve response rates among either Chinese or Korean Americans. This information will be useful for researchers and practitioners working with Asian Americans.

Barriers and facilitators for clinical trial participation among diverse Asian patients with breast cancer: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lee, Guek Eng; Ow, Mandy; Lie, Desiree; Dent, Rebecca

2016-07-22

Recruitment rates for cancer trials are low for racial/ethnic minorities. Little is known about factors influencing trial recruitment in Asian patients. Our aim is to examine the barriers and facilitators for participation in trials among multi-ethnic Asian women with breast cancer. We recruited a convenience sample from consecutive women seen at the National Cancer Centre. Two experienced bilingual (English and Chinese) moderators conducted focus groups to theme saturation. The question guide incorporated open-ended questions soliciting opinions about trial participation and knowledge. Women were first asked if they were willing, unwilling, or still open to participate in future trials. Sessions were audiotaped and transcribed. Transcripts were independently coded for emergent themes. Sixteen of 103 women approached participated in five focus groups. Chinese, Malay, and Indian participants aged 29 to 69 represented different cancer stages. Five had no prior knowledge of trials. We identified three major themes comprising of 22 minor themes for barriers and facilitators. The major themes were: 1) patient-related, 2) trial-related, and 3) sociocultural factors. Women willing to join trials expressed themes representing facilitators (better test therapy, cost-effective profile, or trust in doctors and local healthcare systems). Women unwilling to participate expressed themes associated with barriers, while women still open to participation expressed themes representing both facilitators and barriers. Malay women were more likely to express themes related to 'fatalism' as a barrier. We found that facilitators and barriers to trial participation among Asian women were similar to those previously reported in Western women. Knowledge of trials is limited among women receiving breast cancer treatment. Unique sociocultural factors suggest that approaches customised to local and community beliefs are needed to improve trial participation in minority groups.

Poor Socioeconomic and Nutritional Status Are Associated with Osteoporosis in Korean Postmenopausal Women: Data from the Fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2009.

PubMed

Kim, Mi-Hyun; Lee, Jung Sun; Johnson, Mary Ann

2015-01-01

As the population ages, osteoporosis is a growing global public health problem. This study examined potential risk factors associated with osteoporosis in a nationally representative sample of Korean postmenopausal women. This study used data from a nationally representative sample of Korean menopausal women participating in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey KNHANES 2009 (n = 1467; mean age ± SE = 65.2 ± 0.3 years). Bone mineral density of total femur, femoral neck, and spine was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis was determined as t-score of -2.5 or below in at least 1 of the 3 sites. Menopausal status was confirmed by self-reports. About 41% of the study sample met the criteria for osteoporosis. Poor socioeconomic status, lower BMI, and shorter estrogen exposure duration were significantly associated with osteoporosis in the study sample. Poor dietary intake was also related to osteoporosis. In the age- and energy-adjusted logistic regression models, participants consuming less protein, vitamin B2, or vitamin C than the estimated average requirement (EAR) showed higher odds of having osteoporosis than their counterparts. Participants consuming no milk or milk products had 45% increased odds of having osteoporosis than those consuming milk or milk products. The findings of this study suggest several risk factors associated with osteoporosis, which can be addressed in the development and implementation of tailored nutritional interventions to promote the bone health of Korean postmenopausal women.

The Pathological Buying Screener: Development and Psychometric Properties of a New Screening Instrument for the Assessment of Pathological Buying Symptoms

PubMed Central

Trotzke, Patrick; Mitchell, James E.; de Zwaan, Martina

2015-01-01

The study was designed to develop a new screening instrument for pathological buying (PB), and to examine its psychometric properties in a large-scale sample. By using a facet theoretical approach and based on literature as well as on clinical experience, a 20-item Pathological Buying Screener (PBS) was developed and administered to a representative German sample (n = 2,539). Valid data were available from 2,403 participants who were subjects for three subsequent empirical studies. The first study explored the factor structure using exploratory factor analyses in a subsample of 498 participants. Based on factor loadings, a 13-item version with the two factors loss of control / consequences and excessive buying behavior was revealed. This two-factor model was confirmed in study 2 by confirmatory factor analysis performed on another subsample (n = 1,905). Study 3 investigated age and gender effects and convergent validity of the PBS using the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS) in the full sample (N = 2,403). The total PBS score was adequately correlated with the CBS score. Hierarchical regression analyses with the CBS score as the dependent variable and the two PBS factors as the predictors indicated an own incremental validity of the two factors in participants ≤ 65 years. The reliability of the total score as well as of the two subscales was good to excellent. Overall, the PBS represents a useful measure for PB. Future studies are needed to replicate the two-factor structure in clinical samples and to define a valid cutoff for PB. PMID:26488872

The Pathological Buying Screener: Development and Psychometric Properties of a New Screening Instrument for the Assessment of Pathological Buying Symptoms.

PubMed

Müller, Astrid; Trotzke, Patrick; Mitchell, James E; de Zwaan, Martina; Brand, Matthias

2015-01-01

The study was designed to develop a new screening instrument for pathological buying (PB), and to examine its psychometric properties in a large-scale sample. By using a facet theoretical approach and based on literature as well as on clinical experience, a 20-item Pathological Buying Screener (PBS) was developed and administered to a representative German sample (n = 2,539). Valid data were available from 2,403 participants who were subjects for three subsequent empirical studies. The first study explored the factor structure using exploratory factor analyses in a subsample of 498 participants. Based on factor loadings, a 13-item version with the two factors loss of control / consequences and excessive buying behavior was revealed. This two-factor model was confirmed in study 2 by confirmatory factor analysis performed on another subsample (n = 1,905). Study 3 investigated age and gender effects and convergent validity of the PBS using the Compulsive Buying Scale (CBS) in the full sample (N = 2,403). The total PBS score was adequately correlated with the CBS score. Hierarchical regression analyses with the CBS score as the dependent variable and the two PBS factors as the predictors indicated an own incremental validity of the two factors in participants ≤ 65 years. The reliability of the total score as well as of the two subscales was good to excellent. Overall, the PBS represents a useful measure for PB. Future studies are needed to replicate the two-factor structure in clinical samples and to define a valid cutoff for PB.

The prevalence of compulsive hoarding and its association with compulsive buying in a German population-based sample.

PubMed

Mueller, Astrid; Mitchell, James E; Crosby, Ross D; Glaesmer, Heide; de Zwaan, Martina

2009-08-01

The aims of the study were to estimate the prevalence rate of compulsive hoarding, and to determine the association between compulsive hoarding and compulsive buying in a nationally representative sample of the German population (N = 2307). Compulsive hoarding was assessed with the German version of the Saving Inventory-Revised (SI-R; Frost, R.O., Steketee, G., & Grisham, J. (2004). Measurement of compulsive hoarding: saving inventory-revised. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 1163-1182.). The point prevalence of compulsive hoarding was estimated to be 4.6%. Individuals with compulsive hoarding did not differ significantly from those without compulsive hoarding regarding age, gender, and other sociodemographic characteristics. Significant correlations were found between the compulsive hoarding and the compulsive buying measures. Participants with compulsive hoarding reported a higher propensity to compulsive buying than respondents without hoarding. About two thirds of participants classified as having compulsive hoarding were also defined as suffering from compulsive buying. In summary, these results suggest that compulsive hoarding may be relatively prevalent in Germany and they confirm the close association between compulsive hoarding and compulsive buying through the investigation of a large scale representative sample.

Extracurricular Activities and Bullying Perpetration: Results from a Nationally Representative Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riese, Alison; Gjelsvik, Annie; Ranney, Megan L.

2015-01-01

Background: Bullying is a widespread problem for school-aged children and adolescents. Interventions to reduce bullying are not well disseminated. Extracurricular involvement is, however, common. This study aims to examine the relationship between parent-reported participation in extracurricular activities and bullying perpetration. Methods: Using…

A Comparative Study of Work Centrality, Job Rewards and Satisfaction: Occupational Groups in Israel

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mannheim, Bilha

1975-01-01

The study develops and measures a concept of Work-Role Centrality, mainly from a cognitive perspective, and examines by means of questionnaire data its distribution in a representative sample of 778 males participating in the labor force in Israel. (Author)

Developmental Trajectories of Early Communication Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maatta, Sira; Laakso, Marja-Leena; Tolvanen, Asko; Ahonen, Timo; Aro, Tuija

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study focused on developmental trajectories of prelinguistic communication skills and their connections to later parent-reported language difficulties. Method: The participants represent a subset of a community-based sample of 508 children. Data include parent reports of prelinguistic communication skills at 12, 15, 18, and 21 months…

Intersectionality takes it to the streets: Mobilizing across diverse interests for the Women’s March

PubMed Central

Fisher, Dana R.; Dow, Dawn M.; Ray, Rashawn

2017-01-01

Can a diverse crowd of individuals whose interests focus on distinct issues related to racial identity, class, gender, and sexuality mobilize around a shared issue? If so, how does this process work in practice? To date, limited research has explored intersectionality as a mobilization tool for social movements. This paper unpacks how intersectionality influences the constituencies represented in one of the largest protests ever observed in the United States: the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017. Analyzing a data set collected from a random sample of participants, we explore how social identities influenced participation in the Women’s March. Our analysis demonstrates how individuals’ motivations to participate represented an intersectional set of issues and how coalitions of issues emerge. We conclude by discussing how these coalitions enable us to understand and predict the future of the anti-Trump resistance. PMID:28948230

Intersectionality takes it to the streets: Mobilizing across diverse interests for the Women's March.

PubMed

Fisher, Dana R; Dow, Dawn M; Ray, Rashawn

2017-09-01

Can a diverse crowd of individuals whose interests focus on distinct issues related to racial identity, class, gender, and sexuality mobilize around a shared issue? If so, how does this process work in practice? To date, limited research has explored intersectionality as a mobilization tool for social movements. This paper unpacks how intersectionality influences the constituencies represented in one of the largest protests ever observed in the United States: the Women's March on Washington in January 2017. Analyzing a data set collected from a random sample of participants, we explore how social identities influenced participation in the Women's March. Our analysis demonstrates how individuals' motivations to participate represented an intersectional set of issues and how coalitions of issues emerge. We conclude by discussing how these coalitions enable us to understand and predict the future of the anti-Trump resistance.

Facilitators and barriers of participation in a longitudinal research on migrant families in Badalona (Spain): A qualitative approach.

PubMed

Hernando, Cristina; Sabidó, Meritxell; Casabona, Jordi

2018-01-01

Migrant populations are under-represented in health research. We conducted a community-based qualitative study with the aim to examine the willingness, barriers, facilitators and reasons for participating in longitudinal health research among migrants. In Badalona and Santa Coloma de Gramanet (Barcelona) from May to November 2014, 26 individual interviews and 8 discussion groups were conducted with a convenience sample of 76 migrants born in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Morocco, Pakistan and China; and 9 key informants. Grounded Theory methods and thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Atlas-ti(R) software was used. Participants were willing to participate in health surveys and biological samples testing, and agreed to be re-contacted after 12 months. Participants agreed to the same participation for their children. Participants reported that undertaking biological samples and knowledge of the health status of their children were the greatest benefits of participation in health research. Barriers to participation reported by participants were language difficulties, time constraints and mobility issues. Facilitators of participation included offering complete and understandable information about the study objectives and procedures; offering interviewers with the same migrant background, gender, country of origin and socioeconomic status as participants; building trust through ensuring proximity, privacy and confidentiality; respecting cultural relationships; and receiving monetary compensation and test results. Focusing on migrant families instead of individuals may facilitate participation in the study. Despite being beneficial in general, receipt of monetary compensation, inclusion of questions related to sexual and reproductive health, and blood sample testing resulted in distrust for a small number of participants. The simultaneous use of several Internet tools was the most recommended tool for re-contact. Those with higher risk of mobility, greater language barriers and less Internet use were more difficult to re-contact. Study findings will help to improve participation and retention of migrants in longitudinal research. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does competitive food and beverage legislation hurt meal participation or revenues in high schools?

PubMed

Peart, Tasha; Kao, Janice; Crawford, Patricia B; Samuels, Sarah E; Craypo, Lisa; Woodward-Lopez, Gail

2012-08-01

There is limited evidence to evaluate the influence of competitive food and beverage legislation on school meal program participation and revenues. A representative sample of 56 California high schools was recruited to collect school-level data before (2006–2007) and the year after (2007–2008) policies regarding limiting competitive foods and beverages were required to be implemented. Data were obtained from school records, observations, and questionnaires. Paired t-tests assessed significance of change between the two time points. Average participation in lunch increased from 21.7% to 25.3% (p < 0.001), representing a 17.0% increase, while average participation in breakfast increased from 8.9% to 10.3% (p = 0.02), representing a 16.0% increase. There was a significant (23.0%) increase in average meal revenue, from $0.70 to $0.86 (per student per day) (p < 0.001). There was a nonsignificant decrease (18.0%) in average sales from à la carte foods, from $0.45 to $0.37 (per student per day). Compliance with food and beverage standards also increased significantly. At end point, compliance with beverage standards was higher (71.0%) than compliance with food standards (65.7%). Competitive food and beverage legislation can increase food service revenues when accompanied by increased rates of participation in the meal program. Future studies collecting expense data will be needed to determine impact on net revenues.

Longitudinal Changes in Anthropometry and Body Composition in University Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hootman, Katie C.; Guertin, Kristin A.; Cassano, Patricia A.

2017-01-01

Objective: We investigated predictors of weight gain in college freshmen. Participants: A longitudinal cohort study followed a representative sample of freshmen (N = 264) from 8/2011 to 6/2012. Methods: Repeated measurements of anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), physical activity, and diet were collected. We investigated…

Age, Marital Processes, and Depressed Affect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bookwala, Jamila; Jacobs, Jamie

2004-01-01

Purpose: We examined age-cohort differences in the interrelationships among marital processes and depressed affect. Design and Methods: We used data from individuals in first marriages that participated in the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). The NSFH interviewed one adult per household of a nationally representative sample.…

Women's Motives for Violent and Nonviolent Behaviors in Conflicts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weston, Rebecca; Marshall, Linda L.; Coker, Ann L.

2007-01-01

Drawing from past research on women's motives for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration, correlates of women's perpetration, and correlates of nonviolent conflict, we created a scale containing 125 possible motives, representing 14 broad domains (e.g., self-defense, retaliation). Participants were an ethnically diverse sample of women who…

New Zealand Police and Restorative Justice Philosophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winfree, L. Thomas, Jr.

2004-01-01

In New Zealand, selected sworn police officers called youth aid officers participate in discussions and deliberations concerning the actions required to restore the sense of community balance upset by the actions of juvenile offenders. The author explores a representative sample of all sworn police officers serving in the New Zealand Police,…

Determination of Technopedagogical Content Knowledge Competencies of Preservice Physical Education Teachers: A Turkish Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Yunus

2015-01-01

This study examined preservice physical education teachers' (PPETs') technopedagogical content knowledge (TPCK) competencies. The participants were 1028 PPETs from 26 major universities representing all seven geographical regions of Turkey. The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge Deep-Scale developed by Kabakci Yurdakul et al. (2012) was…

21 CFR 10.95 - Participation in outside standard-setting activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... activity and resulting standards will not be designed for the economic benefit of any company, group, or... invitations will be extended to a representative sampling of the public, including consumer groups, industry... the group or organization responsible for the activity. (c) Standard-setting activities by State and...

21 CFR 10.95 - Participation in outside standard-setting activities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... activity and resulting standards will not be designed for the economic benefit of any company, group, or... invitations will be extended to a representative sampling of the public, including consumer groups, industry... the group or organization responsible for the activity. (c) Standard-setting activities by State and...

Drunkorexia: Understanding the Co-Occurrence of Alcohol Consumption and Eating/Exercise Weight Management Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Adam E.; Piazza-Gardner, Anna K.

2012-01-01

Objective: Examine the co-occurrence of alcohol consumption, physical activity, and disordered eating behaviors via a drunkorexia perspective. Participants: Nationally representative sample (n = 22,488) of college students completing the Fall 2008 National College Health Assessment. Methods: Hierarchical logistic regression was employed to…

Remote Viewing and Computer Communications--An Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vallee, Jacques

1988-01-01

A series of remote viewing experiments were run with 12 participants who communicated through a computer conferencing network. The correct target sample was identified in 8 out of 33 cases. This represented more than double the pure chance expectation. Appendices present protocol, instructions, and results of the experiments. (Author/YP)

Secondary Data Analysis: An Important Tool for Addressing Developmental Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhoot, Andrea Follmer; Dowsett, Chantelle J.

2012-01-01

Existing data sets can be an efficient, powerful, and readily available resource for addressing questions about developmental science. Many of the available databases contain hundreds of variables of interest to developmental psychologists, track participants longitudinally, and have representative samples. In this article, the authors discuss the…

Extracurricular Participation and Academic Outcomes: Testing the Over-Scheduling Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredricks, Jennifer A.

2012-01-01

There is a growing concern that some youth are overscheduled in extracurricular activities, and that this increasing involvement has negative consequences for youth functioning. This article used data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS: 2002), a nationally representative and ethnically diverse longitudinal sample of American high school…

Context of Physical Activity in a Representative Sample of Adults.

PubMed

Welk, Gregory J; Kim, Youngwon

2015-10-01

The establishment of formal physical activity (PA) guidelines has led to considerable interest in quantifying participation in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). However, evidence on the context of MVPA at the population level is scarce. The aim of this study was to provide information on the type, location, and purpose of MVPA in a representative sample of adults. Data from a representative sample of 1234 Iowa adults were included in this study. Each participant performed a telephone-administered 24-h PA recall method to recall PA in the previous 24 h. Self-reported data from the recall instrument included time and types of reported activities across five distinct location and purpose codes. Reported activities were matched with corresponding metabolic equivalent (MET) scores from a reduced list of compendium of physical activities. MVPA was defined as any activity with assigned MET ≥ 3.0. Of the top 30 most frequently reported MVPA, 16 were lifestyle activities involving walking, and only 4 can be regarded as traditional "exercises." Occupational activities (41% for purpose and 40% for location) and household activities (37% for purpose and 39% for location) accounted for nearly 80% of total reported MVPA time. Time allocations across purpose and location codes considerably differed by sociodemographic indicators. Lifestyle activities are more frequently reported than sports and/or recreational activities. Individuals with varying levels of sociodemographic indicators exhibit different patterns of use of time within a given day. A multidomain approach is needed to better understand and increase MVPA in diverse populations of US adults.

Improving gambling survey research using dual-frame sampling of landline and mobile phone numbers.

PubMed

Jackson, Alun C; Pennay, Darren; Dowling, Nicki A; Coles-Janess, Bernadette; Christensen, Darren R

2014-06-01

Gambling prevalence studies are typically conducted within a single (landline) telephone sampling frame. This practice continues, despite emerging evidence that significant differences exist between landline and mobile (cell) phone only households. This study utilised a dual-frame (landline and mobile) telephone sampling methodology to cast light on the extent of differences across groups of respondents in respect to demographic, health, and gambling characteristics. A total of 2,014 participants from across Australian states and territories ranging in age from 18 to 96 years participated. Interviews were conducted using computer assisted telephone interviewing technology where 1,012 respondents from the landline sampling frame and 1,002 from the mobile phone sampling frame completed a questionnaire about gambling and other health behaviours. Responses across the landline sampling frame, the mobile phone sampling frame, and the subset of the mobile phone sampling frame that possessed a mobile phone only (MPO) were contrasted. The findings revealed that although respondents in the landline sample (62.7 %) did not significantly differ from respondents in the mobile phone sample (59.2 %) in gambling participation in the previous 12 months, they were significantly more likely to have gambled in the previous 12 months than the MPO sample (56.4 %). There were no significant differences in internet gambling participation over the previous 12 months in the landline sample (4.7 %), mobile phone sample (4.7 %) and the MPO sample (5.0 %). However, endorsement of lifetime problem gambling on the NODS-CLiP was significantly higher within the mobile sample (10.7 %) and the MPO sample (14.8 %) than the landline sample (6.6 %). Our research supports previous findings that reliance on a traditional landline telephone sampling approach effectively excludes distinct subgroups of the population from being represented in research findings. Consequently, we suggest that research best practice necessitates the use of a dual-frame sampling methodology. Despite inherent logistical and cost issues, this approach needs to become the norm in gambling survey research.

Hierarchical structure of moral stages assessed by a sorting task.

PubMed

Boom, J; Brugman, D; van der Heijden, P G

2001-01-01

Following criticism of Kohlberg's theory of moral judgment, an empirical re-examination of hierarchical stage structure was desirable. Utilizing Piaget's concept of reflective abstraction as a basis, the hierarchical stage structure was investigated using a new method. Study participants (553 Dutch university students and 196 Russian high school students) sorted statements in terms of moral sophistication. These statements were typical for the different stages of moral development as defined in Colby and Kohlberg. The rank ordering performed by participants confirmed the hypotheses. First, despite large individual variation, the ordering of the statements that gave the best fit revealed that each consecutive Kohlbergian stage was perceived to be more morally sophisticated. Second, the lower the stage as represented by the items, the higher the agreement among the participants in their ranking; and the higher the stage as represented by the items, the lower the agreement among the participants in the rankings. Moreover, the pivotal point depended on the developmental characteristics of the sample, which demonstrated a developmental effect: The ordering of statements representative of moral stages below one's own current stage was straightforward, whereas the ordering of statements above one's own stage was difficult. It was concluded that the Piagetian idea of reflective abstraction can be used successfully to operationalize and measure the hierarchical nature of moral development.

The prevalence of compulsive buying: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Maraz, Aniko; Griffiths, Mark D; Demetrovics, Zsolt

2016-03-01

To estimate the pooled prevalence of compulsive buying behaviour (CBB) in different populations and to determine the effect of age, gender, location and screening instrument on the reported heterogeneity in estimates of CBB and whether publication bias could be identified. Three databases were searched (Medline, PsychInfo, Web of Science) using the terms 'compulsive buying', 'pathological buying' and 'compulsive shopping' to estimate the pooled prevalence of CBB in different populations. Forty studies reporting 49 prevalence estimates from 16 countries were located (n = 32,000). To conduct the meta-analysis, data from non-clinical studies regarding mean age and gender proportion, geographical study location and screening instrument used to assess CBB were extracted by multiple independent observers and evaluated using a random-effects model. Four a priori subgroups were analysed using pooled estimation (Cohen's Q) and covariate testing (moderator and meta-regression analysis). The CBB pooled prevalence of adult representative studies was 4.9% (3.4-6.9%, eight estimates, 10,102 participants), although estimates were higher among university students: 8.3% (5.9-11.5%, 19 estimates, 14,947 participants) in adult non-representative samples: 12.3% (7.6-19.1%, 11 estimates, 3929 participants) and in shopping-specific samples: 16.2% (8.8-27.8%, 11 estimates, 4686 participants). Being young and female were associated with increased tendency, but not location (United States versus non-United States). Meta-regression revealed large heterogeneity within subgroups, due mainly to diverse measures and time-frames (current versus life-time) used to assess CBB. A pooled estimate of compulsive buying behaviour in the populations studied is approximately 5%, but there is large variation between samples accounted for largely by use of different time-frames and measures. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Occurence of internet addiction in a general population sample: a latent class analysis.

PubMed

Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Vermulst, Ad A; Bischof, Anja; Kastirke, Nadin; Gürtler, Diana; Bischof, Gallus; Meerkerk, Gert-Jan; John, Ulrich; Meyer, Christian

2014-01-01

Prevalence studies of Internet addiction in the general population are rare. In addition, a lack of approved criteria hampers estimation of its occurrence. This study conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) in a large general population sample to estimate prevalence. A telephone survey was conducted based on a random digit dialling procedure including landline telephone (n=14,022) and cell phone numbers (n=1,001) in participants aged 14-64. The Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) served as the basis for a LCA used to look for subgroups representing participants with Internet addiction or at-risk use. CIUS was given to participants reporting to use the Internet for private purposes at least 1 h on a typical weekday or at least 1 h on a day at the weekend (n=8,130). A 6-class model showed best model fit and included two groups likely to represent Internet addiction and at-risk Internet use. Both groups showed less social participation and the Internet addiction group less general trust in other people. Proportions of probable Internet addiction were 1.0% (CI 0.9-1.2) among the entire sample, 2.4% (CI 1.9-3.1) in the age group 14-24, and 4.0% (CI 2.7-5.7) in the age group 14-16. No difference in estimated proportions between males and females was found. Unemployment (OR 3.13; CI 1.74-5.65) and migration background (OR 3.04; CI 2.12-4.36) were related to Internet addiction. This LCA-based study differentiated groups likely to have Internet addiction and at-risk use in the general population and provides characteristics to further define this rather new disorder. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Culturally appropriate methodology in obtaining a representative sample of South Australian Aboriginal adults for a cross-sectional population health study: challenges and resolutions.

PubMed

Marin, Tania; Taylor, Anne Winifred; Grande, Eleonora Dal; Avery, Jodie; Tucker, Graeme; Morey, Kim

2015-05-19

The considerably lower average life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, compared with non-Aboriginal and non-Torres Strait Islander Australians, has been widely reported. Prevalence data for chronic disease and health risk factors are needed to provide evidence based estimates for Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders population health planning. Representative surveys for these populations are difficult due to complex methodology. The focus of this paper is to describe in detail the methodological challenges and resolutions of a representative South Australian Aboriginal population-based health survey. Using a stratified multi-stage sampling methodology based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006 Census with culturally appropriate and epidemiological rigorous methods, 11,428 randomly selected dwellings were approached from a total of 209 census collection districts. All persons eligible for the survey identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and were selected from dwellings identified as having one or more Aboriginal person(s) living there at the time of the survey. Overall, the 399 interviews from an eligible sample of 691 SA Aboriginal adults yielded a response rate of 57.7%. These face-to-face interviews were conducted by ten interviewers retained from a total of 27 trained Aboriginal interviewers. Challenges were found in three main areas: identification and recruitment of participants; interviewer recruitment and retainment; and using appropriate engagement with communities. These challenges were resolved, or at least mainly overcome, by following local protocols with communities and their representatives, and reaching agreement on the process of research for Aboriginal people. Obtaining a representative sample of Aboriginal participants in a culturally appropriate way was methodologically challenging and required high levels of commitment and resources. Adhering to these principles has resulted in a rich and unique data set that provides an overview of the self-reported health status for Aboriginal people living in South Australia. This process provides some important principles to be followed when engaging with Aboriginal people and their communities for the purpose of health research.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease self-management activation research trial (COPD-SMART): results of recruitment and baseline patient characteristics.

PubMed

Russo, Rennie; Coultas, David; Ashmore, Jamile; Peoples, Jennifer; Sloan, John; Jackson, Bradford E; Uhm, Minyong; Singh, Karan P; Blair, Steven N; Bae, Sejong

2015-03-01

To describe the recruitment methods, study participation rate, and baseline characteristics of a representative sample of outpatients with COPD eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation participating in a trial of a lifestyle behavioral intervention to increase physical activity. A patient registry was developed for recruitment using an administrative database from primary care and specialty clinics of an academic medical center in northeast Texas for a parallel group randomized trial. The registry was comprised of 5582 patients and over the course of the 30 month recruitment period 325 patients were enrolled for an overall study participation rate of 35.1%. After a 6-week COPD self-management education period provided to all enrolled patients, 305 patients were randomized into either usual care (UC; n=156) or the physical activity self-management intervention (PASM; n=149). There were no clinically significant differences in demographics, clinical characteristics, or health status indicators between the randomized groups. The results of this recruitment process demonstrate the successful use of a patient registry for enrolling a representative sample of outpatients eligible for pulmonary rehabilitation with COPD from primary and specialty care. Moreover, this approach to patient recruitment provides a model for future studies utilizing administrative databases and electronic health records. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The South African Food Sensitisation and Food Allergy population-based study of IgE-mediated food allergy: validity, safety, and acceptability.

PubMed

Basera, Wisdom; Botha, Maresa; Gray, Claudia L; Lunjani, Nonhlanhla; Watkins, Alexandra S M; Venter, Carina; Allen, Katrina J; Hlela, Carol; Zar, Heather J; Levin, Michael E

2015-08-01

Few studies exist on food sensitization and challenge-proven food allergy in low- and middle-income countries. To describe the study design and methodology to recruit infants from an African population for skin prick testing and oral food challenges and the use of preliminary data to investigate the extent to which the study sample is representative of the target population. Children 12 to 36 months old were recruited from childcare education facilities in Cape Town. Children underwent skin prick testing to foods. Those with a reactive wheal of at least 1 mm larger than the negative control and not clearly tolerant according to history to a full age-appropriate portion to at least 1 food underwent oral food challenges. Parents who chose not to participate completed a nonparticipant questionnaire. Interim analysis of at least 500 respondents was performed. Demographic features of participating children were compared with those of nonparticipants and the population demographics of the most recent Cape Town census data. The response rate was 60.1%, with high participation and completion rates of 96.5% and 97.5%, respectively. Demographics of the completed participant sample were similar to those of the Cape Town census. Use of a nonrespondent questionnaire indicated no selection bias in favor of increased participation of participants with allergy. No ethnic differences in sensitization or food allergy were evident. The study was safe and feasible and the recruitment was effective and representative of the target population. Future studies will aim to increase the precision of the prevalence of food sensitization and allergy, describe environmental risk factors, and include a rural black African cohort. Copyright © 2015 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and dietary quality among US adults: findings from a nationally representative survey.

PubMed

Nguyen, Binh T; Shuval, Kerem; Njike, Valentine Y; Katz, David L

2014-09-01

To examine the association of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and diet quality among low-income adults. We examined US nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2009-2010. The data were analyzed from October 7, 2013, to March 1, 2014. The analytic sample consisted of 4211 low-income adults aged 20 to 64 years, of whom 1830 participate in SNAP. We adhered to the National Cancer Institute method in calculating the Healthy Eating Index 2010 and other dietary indicators, such as empty calorie intake. Bivariate and multivariable regression was used to compare SNAP participants and income-eligible nonparticipants among the full sample and subsamples of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and food insecurity. Compared with low-income nonparticipants, adjusted analyses reveal that SNAP participants had lower dietary quality scores overall (42.58 vs 44.36, P≤.0001) and lower scores for fruits and vegetables, seafood and plant proteins (1.55 vs 1.77, P≤.0022), and empty calories (9.03 vs 9.90, P≤.0001), but they exhibited comparable scores on whole grain, refined grain, total dairy, total protein, fatty acid, and sodium intakes. The association between SNAP participation and lower dietary quality was statistically significant among women, Hispanics, young adults, and individuals who were food secure. Our analyses suggest that SNAP participants have lower dietary quality than their income-eligible nonparticipant counterparts. Although SNAP has an important role in providing nutrition assistance to eligible low-income individuals, interventions are warranted to improve the dietary quality of participants. Copyright © 2014 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

German health interview and examination survey for adults (DEGS) - design, objectives and implementation of the first data collection wave

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Adults (DEGS) is part of the recently established national health monitoring conducted by the Robert Koch Institute. DEGS combines a nationally representative periodic health survey and a longitudinal study based on follow-up of survey participants. Funding is provided by the German Ministry of Health and supplemented for specific research topics from other sources. Methods/design The first DEGS wave of data collection (DEGS1) extended from November 2008 to December 2011. Overall, 8152 men and women participated. Of these, 3959 persons already participated in the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98) at which time they were 18–79 years of age. Another 4193 persons 18–79 years of age were recruited for DEGS1 in 2008–2011 based on two-stage stratified random sampling from local population registries. Health data and context variables were collected using standardized computer assisted personal interviews, self-administered questionnaires, and standardized measurements and tests. In order to keep survey results representative for the population aged 18–79 years, results will be weighted by survey-specific weighting factors considering sampling and drop-out probabilities as well as deviations between the design-weighted net sample and German population statistics 2010. Discussion DEGS aims to establish a nationally representative data base on health of adults in Germany. This health data platform will be used for continuous health reporting and health care research. The results will help to support health policy planning and evaluation. Repeated cross-sectional surveys will permit analyses of time trends in morbidity, functional capacity levels, disability, and health risks and resources. Follow-up of study participants will provide the opportunity to study trajectories of health and disability. A special focus lies on chronic diseases including asthma, allergies, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes mellitus, and musculoskeletal diseases. Other core topics include vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization status, nutritional deficiencies, health in older age, and the association between health-related behavior and mental health. PMID:22938722

The demand for sports and exercise: results from an illustrative survey.

PubMed

Anokye, Nana Kwame; Pokhrel, Subhash; Buxton, Martin; Fox-Rushby, Julia

2012-06-01

There is a paucity of empirical evidence on the extent to which price and perceived benefits affect the level of participation in sports and exercise. Using an illustrative sample of 60 adults at Brunel University, West London, we investigate the determinants of demand for sports and exercise. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews that covered indicators of sports and exercise behaviour; money/time price and perceived benefits of participation; and socio-economic/demographic details. Count, linear and probit regression models were fitted as appropriate. Seventy eight per cent of the sample participated in sports and exercise and spent an average of £27 per month and an average of 20 min travelling per occasion of sports and exercise. The demand for sport and exercise was negatively associated with time (travel or access time) and 'variable' price and positively correlated with 'fixed' price. Demand was price inelastic, except in the case of meeting the UK government's recommended level of participation, which is time price elastic (elasticity = -2.2). The implications of data from a larger nationally representative sample as well as the role of economic incentives in influencing uptake of sports and exercise are discussed.

Gender Differences in the Associations among Body Mass Index, Weight Loss, Exercise, and Drinking among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barry, Adam E.; Whiteman, Shawn; Piazza-Gardner, Anna K.; Jensen, Alexander C.

2013-01-01

Objective: To explore gender differences regarding weight management behaviors of college drinkers. Participants: Nationally representative sample of college students from the fall 2008 American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment II ("N" = 26,062 students). Methods: Structural equation modeling was used…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Participation among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Xin; Yu, Jennifer W.; Shattuck, Paul; McCracken, Mary; Blackorby, Jose

2013-01-01

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of…

Health Risk Behaviors in a Representative Sample of Bisexual and Heterosexual Female High School Students in Massachusetts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White Hughto, Jaclyn M.; Biello, Katie B.; Reisner, Sari L.; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Heflin, Katherine J.; Mimiaga, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Background: Differences in sexual health-related outcomes by sexual behavior and identity remain underinvestigated among bisexual female adolescents. Methods: Data from girls (N?=?875) who participated in the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey were analyzed. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to examine sexual and…

The State of Our Nation's Youth, 2002-2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., Alexandria, VA.

This report details findings of the seventh annual (2002-2003) national survey of the attitudes and plans of American adolescents. Participating in the telephone survey was a nationally representative sample of 1,003 students aged 13 to 18, in ninth through twelfth grade. The report summarizes findings "at a glance" and discusses…

Fruit and Vegetable Intake among Urban Community Gardeners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaimo, Katherine; Packnett, Elizabeth; Miles, Richard A.; Kruger, Daniel J.

2008-01-01

Objective: To determine the association between household participation in a community garden and fruit and vegetable consumption among urban adults. Design: Data were analyzed from a cross-sectional random phone survey conducted in 2003. A quota sampling strategy was used to ensure that all census tracts within the city were represented. Setting:…

The Prevalence of Stalking among College Students: The Disparity between Researcher- and Self-Identified Victimization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Corinne L.; Marsil, Dorothy F.

2012-01-01

Objective: Researchers examined the prevalence of self-identified and researcher-identified stalking victimization among college students. Participants and Methods: A representative sample of 1,573 (70.1% female; 29.9% male) student respondents completed an online stalking questionnaire. Results: Overall, 12% self-identified as having been…

School Violence Roles and Sociometric Status among Spanish Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pulido, R.; Martin Seoane, G.; Diaz Aguado, M. J.

2010-01-01

This study examines the relation between the social adjustment in the classroom and the role of aggressor or victim, in school violence situations. Participants were 1,635 students (aged 14-18 years old), from a representative sample, with different levels (compulsory secondary education, specific/initial training courses and vocational programs).…

Visual Search Across the Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hommel, Bernhard; Li, Karen Z. H.; Li, Shu-Chen

2004-01-01

Gains and losses in visual search were studied across the life span in a representative sample of 298 individuals from 6 to 89 years of age. Participants searched for single-feature and conjunction targets of high or low eccentricity. Search was substantially slowed early and late in life, age gradients were more pronounced in conjunction than in…

The State of Native American Youth Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis. Div. of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health.

Between 1988 and 1990, nearly 14,000 American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents living in rural areas and on reservations participated in the Adolescent Health Survey of health and risk behaviors. Although the findings may not be representative of Native adolescents, as a convenience sample was used, some findings of the survey were: (1) less…

Prevalence and Correlates of Screen-Based Media Use among Youths with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurek, Micah O.; Shattuck, Paul T.; Wagner, Mary; Cooper, Benjamin P.

2012-01-01

Anecdotal reports indicate that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often preoccupied with television, computers, and video games (screen-based media). However, few studies have examined this issue. The current study examined screen-based media use among a large, nationally representative sample of youths participating in the…

Developmental Characteristics of African American and Caribbean Black Adolescents' Attributions regarding Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seaton, Eleanor K.; Caldwell, Cleopatra H.; Sellers, Robert M.; Jackson, James S.

2010-01-01

The present study examined discrimination attributions in the psychological well-being of Black adolescents. Findings are based on a representative sample of 810 African American and 360 Caribbean Black youth, aged 13-17, who participated in the National Survey of American Life. Youth completed measures of perceived discrimination, discrimination…

Music Teaching for Young Children at a Developmentally Appropriate Practice Classroom in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Pyng-Na; Lin, Sheng-Hsi

2013-01-01

This study attempts to enhance the understanding of a music curriculum that represents holistic and meaningful learning for young children at a developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) classroom in Taiwan. The study participant implementing DAP was selected through purposive sampling by the Classroom Practice Inventory and pilot study. A…

Active Parent Consent for Health Surveys with Urban Middle School Students: Processes and Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Secor-Turner, Molly; Sieving, Renee; Widome, Rachel; Plowman, Shari; Vanden Berk, Eric

2010-01-01

Background: To achieve high participation rates and a representative sample, active parent consent procedures require a significant investment of study resources. The purpose of this article is to describe processes and outcomes of utilizing active parent consent procedures with sixth-grade students from urban, ethnically diverse, economically…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Participation among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wei, Xin; Christiano, Elizabeth R.; Yu, Jennifer W.; Blackorby, Jose; Shattuck, Paul; Newman, Lynn A.

2014-01-01

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of…

Strength and Comprehensiveness of School Wellness Policies in Southeastern US School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Melissa J.; Ennett, Susan T.; Ringwalt, Christopher L.; Hanley, Sean M.; Bowling, James M.

2016-01-01

Background: In 2004, Congress passed legislation mandating that all public school districts participating in federal school meal programs develop a school wellness policy (SWP) to direct efforts related to nutrition and physical activity. We examined the extent to which SWPs varied in comprehensiveness and strength in a representative sample of…

The Carrot and the Stick? Strategies to Improve Compliance with College Campus Tobacco Policies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallin-Bennett, Amanda; Roditis, Maria; Glantz, Stanton A.

2017-01-01

Objective: Tobacco-free policies are being rapidly adopted nationwide, yet compliance with these policies remains a challenge. This study explored college campus key informants' experiences with tobacco policies, and their perceived benefits, drawbacks, and outcomes. Participants: The sample for this study was 68 key informants representing 16…

Handbook for Planning and Conducting Charrettes for High-Performance Projects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lindsey, G.; Todd, J. A.; Hayter, S. J.

The purpose of this handbook is to furnish guidance for planning and conducting a"high-performance building" charrette, sometimes called a"greening charrette." The handbook answers typical questions that will arise, such as"What is a charrette?""Why conduct a charrette?""What topics should we cover during the charrette?" and"Whom should we invite?" It also contains samples of agendas, invitation letters, and other commonly used charrette materials. This handbook also outlines the characteristics of a good charrette facilitator. It gives suggestions for the types of experts to invite to the event to motivate participants and answer their questions. The handbook includes sample presentations that can bemore » used by these experts to ensure they address the required technical content. It suggests the types of participants, including technical, political, and community representatives, to invite to the charrette. It offers advice for forming effective breakout groups to ensure that a broad range of complementary expertise is represented in each group. We have also included guidance on how best to include key decision makers and stakeholders who are able to attend only portions of the event.« less

The Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT): methodological issues and participant characteristics

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Mental health problems and risk behaviours among young people are of great public health concern. Consequently, within the VII Framework Programme, the European Commission funded the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) project. This Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) was conducted in eleven European countries, with Sweden as the coordinating centre, and was designed to identify an effective way to promote mental health and reduce suicidality and risk taking behaviours among adolescents. Objective To describe the methodological and field procedures in the SEYLE RCT among adolescents, as well as to present the main characteristics of the recruited sample. Methods Analyses were conducted to determine: 1) representativeness of study sites compared to respective national data; 2) response rate of schools and pupils, drop-out rates from baseline to 3 and 12 month follow-up, 3) comparability of samples among the four Intervention Arms; 4) properties of the standard scales employed: Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II), Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (Z-SAS), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), World Health Organization Well-Being Scale (WHO-5). Results Participants at baseline comprised 12,395 adolescents (M/F: 5,529/6,799; mean age=14.9±0.9) from Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. At the 3 and 12 months follow up, participation rates were 87.3% and 79.4%, respectively. Demographic characteristics of participating sites were found to be reasonably representative of their respective national population. Overall response rate of schools was 67.8%. All scales utilised in the study had good to very good internal reliability, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha (BDI-II: 0.864; Z-SAS: 0.805; SDQ: 0.740; WHO-5: 0.799). Conclusions SEYLE achieved its objective of recruiting a large representative sample of adolescents within participating European countries. Analysis of SEYLE data will shed light on the effectiveness of important interventions aimed at improving adolescent mental health and well-being, reducing risk-taking and self-destructive behaviour and preventing suicidality. Trial registration US National Institute of Health (NIH) clinical trial registry (NCT00906620) and the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00000214). PMID:23679917

After-School and Informal STEM Projects: the Effect of Participant Self-Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallett, David B.; Lamb, Richard; Annetta, Leonard

2017-12-01

This research represents an unforeseen outcome of the authors' National Science Foundation Innovation Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program grant in science education. The grant itself focused on the use of serious educational games (SEGs) in the science classroom, both during and after school, to teach science content and affect student perceptions of science and technology. This study consists of a Bayesian artificial neural network analysis, using the preintervention measures of affect, interest, personality, and cognitive ability, in members of both the treatment and comparison groups to generate the probabilities that students would opt into the treatment group or choose not to participate. It appears, from this sample and the sampling methods of other related studies within the field, that despite sometimes profound results from technology interventions in science, interventions are affecting only those who already have a strong interest in STEM due to the manner in which participants are recruited.

Gender differences in prison-based drug treatment participation.

PubMed

Belenko, Steven; Houser, Kimberly A

2012-08-01

Prisons inmates have high rates of substance abuse and associated social and health problems, and a concomitant high need for drug treatment while incarcerated. Female inmates have an even greater treatment need, yet most inmates do not participate in treatment while incarcerated. Using data from a nationally representative sample of prison inmates, this article examines the impact of gender on prison treatment participation and gender differences in the factors associated with clinical treatment participation. Females were significantly more likely to participate in prison drug treatment than males, controlling for other factors. For both males and females, severity of drug problems predicted participation in treatment. For males but not females, race was associated with prison treatment participation, and among those with drug abuse or dependence, females with co-occurring mental health problems were more likely to participate in treatment. Implications for prison assessment and treatment policies, and future research, are discussed.

Recruiting Underserved Mothers to Medical Research: Findings from North Carolina

PubMed Central

Spears, Chaya R.; Sandberg, Joanne C.; O’Neill, Jenna L.; Grzywacz, Joseph G.; Howard, Timothy D.; Feldman, Steven R.; Arcury, Thomas A.

2014-01-01

Representative samples are required for ethical, valid, and useful health research. Yet, recruiting participants, especially from historically underserved communities, can be challenging. This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews with 40 mothers about factors that might influence their willingness to participate or allow their children to participate in medical research. Saliency analysis organizes the findings. Frequent and important salient themes about research participation included concerns that it might cause participants harm, hope that participants might gain a health benefit, and recognition that time and transportation resources could limit participation. Ultimately, we propose that a theoretical model, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), will facilitate more systematic evaluation of effective methods for recruitment and retention of participants in medical research. Future research should explore the utility of such a model for development of effective recruitment and retention strategies. PMID:24185171

Inter-laboratory exercise on antibiotic drugs analysis in aqueous samples.

PubMed

Roig, B; Brogat, M; Mompelat, S; Leveque, J; Cadiere, A; Thomas, O

2012-08-30

An inter-laboratory exercise was organized under the PHARMAS EU project, by the Advanced School of Public Health (EHESP), in order to evaluate the performances of analytical methods for the measurement of antibiotics in waters (surface and tap). This is the first time such an exercise on antibiotics has been organized in Europe, using different kinds of analytical methods and devices. In this exercise thirteen laboratories from five countries (Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal) participated, and a total number of 78 samples were distributed. During the exercise, 2 testing samples (3 bottles of each) prepared from tap water and river water, respectively, spiked with antibiotics, were sent to participants and analyzed over a period of one month. A final number of 77 (98.7%) testing samples were considered. Depending on substances studied by each participant, 305 values in duplicate were collected, with the results for each sample being expressed as the target concentration. A statistical study was initiated using 611 results. The mean value, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, standard uncertainty of the mean, median, the minimum and maximum values of each series as well as the 95% confidence interval were obtained from each participant laboratory. In this exercise, 36 results (6% of accounted values) were outliers according to the distribution over the median (box plot). The outlier results were excluded. In order to establish the stability of testing samples in the course of the exercise, differences between variances obtained for every type of sample at different intervals were evaluated. The results showed no representative variations and it can be considered that all samples were stable during the exercise. The goals of this inter-laboratory study were to assess results variability when analysis is conducted by different laboratories, to evaluate the influence of different matrix samples, and to determine the rate at which participating laboratories successfully completed the tests initiated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safe Schools? Transgender Youth's School Experiences and Perceptions of School Climate.

PubMed

Day, Jack K; Perez-Brumer, Amaya; Russell, Stephen T

2018-06-01

The magnitude of gender identity-related disparities in school-based outcomes is unknown because of a lack of representative studies that include measures of gender identity. By utilizing a representative sample generalizable to a broader population, this study elucidates the size of gender identity-related disparities, independent of sexual orientation, in school experiences associated with school connectedness and perceptions of school climate. Additionally, the inclusion of and comparison to results of a large non-representative sample allows for more direct comparisons to previous studies of the school experiences of transgender youth. The analyses in this study primarily draw on a sample of 31,896 youth representative of the middle and high school population in California who participated in the 2013-2015 California Student Survey (a subsample of the California Healthy Kids Survey, which includes the largest known sample of transgender youth). Over half the sample identified their sex as female (51.3%), and 398 identified as transgender (1.0%). The sample was racially and ethnically diverse: 30.7% identified as multiracial, 33.0% as White, 11.1% as Asian, 7.4% as Black, and 52.9% as Hispanic. Findings from multilevel analyses show that relative to non-transgender youth, transgender youth were more likely to be truant from school, to experience victimization and bias-based bullying, and to report more negative perceptions of school climate, though did not differ in self-reported grades. The findings have implications for improving school policies and practices to create safer and more supportive school climates for all youth.

A pragmatic examination of active and passive recruitment methods to improve the reach of community lifestyle programs: The Talking Health Trial.

PubMed

Estabrooks, Paul; You, Wen; Hedrick, Valisa; Reinholt, Margaret; Dohm, Erin; Zoellner, Jamie

2017-01-19

A primary challenge for behavior change strategies is ensuring that interventions can be effective while also attracting a broad and representative sample of the target population. The purpose of this case-study was to report on (1) the reach of a randomized controlled trial targeting reduced sugary beverages, (2) potential participant characteristic differences based on active versus passive recruitment strategies, and (3) recruitment strategy cost. Demographic and recruitment information was obtained for 8 counties and for individuals screened for participation. Personnel activities and time were tracked. Costs were calculated and compared by active versus passive recruitment. Six-hundred and twenty, of 1,056 screened, individuals were eligible and 301enrolled (77% women; 90% white; mean income $21,981 ± 16,443). Eighty-two and 44% of those responding to passive and active methods, respectively, enrolled in the trial. However, active recruitment strategies yielded considerably more enrolled (active = 199; passive = 102) individuals. Passive recruitment strategies yielded a less representative sample in terms of gender (more women), education (higher), and income (higher; p's <0.05). The average cost of an actively recruited and enrolled participant was $278 compared to $117 for a passively recruited and enrolled participant. Though passive recruitment is more cost efficient it may reduce the reach of sugary drink reduction strategies in lower educated and economic residents in rural communities. Clinicaltrials.gov; ID: NCT02193009 , July 2014, retrospectively registered.

Understanding stakeholder important outcomes and perceptions of equity, acceptability and feasibility of a care model for haemophilia management in the US: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Lane, S J; Sholapur, N S; Yeung, C H T; Iorio, A; Heddle, N M; Sholzberg, M; Pai, M

2016-07-01

Care for persons with haemophilia (PWH) is most commonly delivered through the integrated care model used by Hemophilia Treatment Centers (HTCs). Although this model is widely accepted as the gold standard for the management of haemophilia; there is little evidence comparing different care models. We performed a qualitative study to gain insight into issues related to outcomes, acceptability, equity and feasibility of different care models operating in the US. We used a qualitative descriptive approach with semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to recruit individuals with experience providing or receiving care for haemophilia in the US through either an integrated care centre, a specialty pharmacy or homecare company, or by a specialist in a non-specialized centre. Persons with haemophilia, parents of PWH aged ≤18, healthcare providers, insurance company representatives and policy developers were invited to participate. Twenty-nine interviews were conducted with participants representing 18 US states. Participants in the study sample had experience receiving or providing care predominantly within an HTC setting. Integrated care at HTCs was highly acceptable to participants, who appreciated the value of specialized, expert care in a multidisciplinary team setting. Equity and feasibility issues were primarily related to health insurance and funding limitations. Additional research is required to document the impact of care on health and psychosocial outcomes and identify effective ways to facilitate equitable access to haemophilia treatment and care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The evaluation of risk-benefit ratio for gut tissue sampling in HIV cure research.

PubMed

Mehraj, Vikram; Ghali, Peter; Ramendra, Rayoun; Costiniuk, Cecilia; Lebouché, Bertrand; Ponte, Rosalie; Reinhard, Robert; Sousa, Jose; Chomont, Nicolas; Cohen, Eric A; Ancuta, Petronela; Routy, Jean-Pierre

2017-10-01

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not cure HIV infection due to the persistence of HIV reservoirs in long-lived memory CD4 T cells present in the blood, lymph nodes, intestinal tract, and other tissues. Interest grows in obtaining gut-tissue samples for HIV persistence studies, which poses an ethical challenge to provide study volunteers with adequate information on risks and benefits. Herein we assess the risks and benefits of undergoing gut biopsy procedures for HIV pathogenesis and reservoir studies. A group discussion was organised with physicians and community representatives on performing either a flexible sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy. Consensus was reached on conducting colonoscopy in persons ≥50 years. Thirty HIV-infected, ART-treated and nine uninfected participants were recruited. Colonoscopy was performed to collect 30 gut mucosal biopsies. When present, polyps were removed and abnormal mucosal findings were biopsied for pathological analysis. Participants were interviewed on potential discomfort following colonoscopic examination. The HIV-infected and uninfected groups were comparable in terms of age and gender with more men who have sex with men (MSM) in the former group. Abnormal colonoscopic findings were observed in 43.6% of all the participants and did not differ by HIV status. In total, 24 polyps were removed with a higher mean number of polyps removed in HIV-infected versus uninfected participants (1.7 vs 1.0, P =0.013). The number of polyps marginally correlated with inverted CD4:CD8 ratio. Based on our findings, colonoscopic examination was safe to use for gut biopsy procedures where almost half of the participants had polyps removed. Participation in the study provided colon cancer screening as an ancillary benefit that participants could have received in standard medical care, thus mitigating burdens of invasive procedures. Dialogue between community representatives and clinical researchers can increase participation and advance HIV cure research.

Using Facebook for Health-related Research Study Recruitment and Program Delivery

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Eric R.; Kurz, Jeremy

2015-01-01

Facebook has become an important tool for recruiting research participants and for program delivery. Given the wide use of Facebook, there is much potential for the site to help with recruitment efforts in both physical and behavioral health care arenas; reaching groups typically difficult to recruit and providing outreach to individuals that may not have received services elsewhere. Health studies using Facebook have generally reported success, including cost-effectiveness, recruitment of samples in brief periods of time, and ability to locate participants for follow-up research. Still, the use of Facebook for research and program delivery is a relatively new area that warrants more research attention and guidance around issues like validity of data, representativeness of samples, and protections of human subjects. PMID:26726313

Using Facebook for Health-related Research Study Recruitment and Program Delivery.

PubMed

Pedersen, Eric R; Kurz, Jeremy

2016-05-01

Facebook has become an important tool for recruiting research participants and for program delivery. Given the wide use of Facebook, there is much potential for the site to help with recruitment efforts in both physical and behavioral health care arenas; reaching groups typically difficult to recruit and providing outreach to individuals that may not have received services elsewhere. Health studies using Facebook have generally reported success, including cost-effectiveness, recruitment of samples in brief periods of time, and ability to locate participants for follow-up research. Still, the use of Facebook for research and program delivery is a relatively new area that warrants more research attention and guidance around issues like validity of data, representativeness of samples, and protections of human subjects.

Examining the associations between DSM-5 section III antisocial personality disorder traits and psychopathy in community and university samples.

PubMed

Anderson, Jaime L; Sellbom, Martin; Wygant, Dustin B; Salekin, Randall T; Krueger, Robert F

2014-10-01

The current investigation examined the associations between personality traits representing DSM-5 Section III Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), its psychopathy specifier, and contemporary models of psychopathic personality disorder. We used two samples consisting of university students (n = 463) and community-dwelling participants (n = 148) recruited for subclinical psychopathic proclivities. Both samples were administered the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (Krueger et al., 2012), Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (Patrick, 2010), and versions of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (PPI; Lilienfeld & Widows, 2005). University students also completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders-Personality Questionnaire (First, Gibbon, Spitzer, Williams, & Benjamin, 1997). Across both samples, the Section III ASPD traits were moderately strongly correlated with psychopathy measures, except the fearless-dominance/boldness domain. However, as would be expected, traits representing the Section III psychopathy specifier accounted for a substantial amount of variance within this domain. Furthermore, additional DSM-5 Section III personality traits augmented the characterization of psychopathy from the PPI and Triarchic perspectives.

How is emotional awareness related to emotion regulation strategies and self-reported negative affect in the general population?

PubMed

Subic-Wrana, Claudia; Beutel, Manfred E; Brähler, Elmar; Stöbel-Richter, Yve; Knebel, Achim; Lane, Richard D; Wiltink, Jörg

2014-01-01

The Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS) as a performance task discriminates between implicit or subconscious and explicit or conscious levels of emotional awareness. An impaired awareness of one's feeling states may influence emotion regulation strategies and self-reports of negative emotions. To determine this influence, we applied the LEAS and self-report measures for emotion regulation strategies and negative affect in a representative sample of the German general population. A short version of the LEAS, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), assessing reappraisal and suppression as emotion regulation strategies, were presented to N = 2524 participants of a representative German community study. The questionnaire data were analyzed with regard to the level of emotional awareness. LEAS scores were independent from depression, but related to self-reported anxiety. Although of small or medium effect size, different correlational patters between emotion regulation strategies and negative affectivity were related to implict and explict levels of emotional awareness. In participants with implicit emotional awareness, suppression was related to higher anxiety and depression, whereas in participants with explicit emotional awareness, in addition to a positive relationship of suppression and depression, we found a negative relationship of reappraisal to depression. These findings were independent of age. In women high use of suppression and little use of reappraisal were more strongly related to negative affect than in men. Our first findings suggest that conscious awareness of emotions may be a precondition for the use of reappraisal as an adaptive emotion regulation strategy. They encourage further research in the relation between subconsious and conscious emotional awareness and the prefarance of adaptive or maladaptive emotion regulation strategies The correlational trends found in a representative sample of the general population may become more pronounced in clinical samples.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): Exploring the Factor Structure and Cutoff Thresholds in a Representative Post-Conflict Population in Northern Uganda.

PubMed

Blair, Alden Hooper; Pearce, Margo Ellen; Katamba, Achilles; Malamba, Samuel S; Muyinda, Herbert; Schechter, Martin T; Spittal, Patricia M

2017-05-01

Despite increased use of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in sub-Saharan Africa, few studies have assessed its underlying conceptual framework, and none have done so in post-conflict settings. Further, significant inconsistencies exist between definitions used for problematic consumption. Such is the case in Uganda, facing one of the highest per-capita alcohol consumption levels regionally, which is thought to be hindering rebuilding in the North after two decades of civil war. This study explores the impact of varying designation cutoff thresholds in the AUDIT as well as its conceptual factor structure in a representative sample of the population. In all, 1720 Cango Lyec Project participants completed socio-economic and mental health questionnaires, provided blood samples and took the AUDIT. Participant characteristics and consumption designations were compared at AUDIT summary score thresholds of ≥3, ≥5 and ≥8. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) explored one-, two- and three-factor level models overall and by sex with relative and absolute fit indicators. There were no significant differences in participant demographic characteristics between thresholds. At higher cutoffs, the test increased in specificity to identify those with hazardous drinking, disordered drinking and suffering from alcohol-related harms. All conceptual models indicated good fit, with three-factor models superior overall and within both sexes. In Northern Uganda, a three-factor AUDIT model best explores alcohol use in the population and is appropriate for use in both sexes. Lower cutoff thresholds are recommended to identify those with potentially disordered drinking to best plan effective interventions and treatments. A CFA of the AUDIT showed good fit for one-, two, and three-factor models overall and by sex in a representative sample in post-conflict Northern Uganda. A three-plus total AUDIT cutoff score is suggested to screen for hazardous drinking in this or similar populations. © The Author 2016. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Facial race and sex cues have a comparable influence on emotion recognition in Chinese and Australian participants.

PubMed

Craig, Belinda M; Zhang, Jing; Lipp, Ottmar V

2017-10-01

The magnitude of the happy categorisation advantage, the faster recognition of happiness than negative expressions, is influenced by facial race and sex cues. Previous studies have investigated these relationships using racial outgroups stereotypically associated with physical threat in predominantly Caucasian samples. To determine whether these influences generalise to stimuli representing other ethnic groups and to participants of different ethnicities, Caucasian Australian (Experiments 1 and 2) and Chinese participants (Experiment 2) categorised happy and angry expressions displayed on own-race male faces presented with emotional other-race male, own-race female, and other-race female faces in separate tasks. The influence of social category cues on the happy categorisation advantage was similar in the Australian and Chinese samples. In both samples, the happy categorisation advantage was present for own-race male faces when they were encountered with other-race male faces but reduced when own-race male faces were categorised along with female faces. The happy categorisation advantage was present for own-race and other-race female faces when they were encountered with own-race male faces in both samples. Results suggest similarity in the influence of social category cues on emotion categorisation.

Vegetarian diet and mental disorders: results from a representative community survey.

PubMed

Michalak, Johannes; Zhang, Xiao Chi; Jacobi, Frank

2012-06-07

The present study investigated associations between vegetarian diet and mental disorders. Participants were drawn from the representative sample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey and its Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS). Completely vegetarian (N = 54) and predominantly vegetarian (N = 190) participants were compared with non-vegetarian participants (N = 3872) and with a non-vegetarian socio-demographically matched subsample (N = 242). Vegetarians displayed elevated prevalence rates for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders. Due to the matching procedure, the findings cannot be explained by socio-demographic characteristics of vegetarians (e.g. higher rates of females, predominant residency in urban areas, high proportion of singles). The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the adoption of the vegetarian diet tends to follow the onset of mental disorders. Vegetarian diet is associated with an elevated risk of mental disorders. However, there was no evidence for a causal role of vegetarian diet in the etiology of mental disorders.

How college students conceptualize and practice responsible drinking.

PubMed

Barry, Adam E; Goodson, Patricia

2011-01-01

This study sought to employ a mixed-methods approach to (a) qualitatively explore responsible drinking beliefs and behaviors among a sample of college students, and (b) quantitatively assess the prevalence of those behaviors. Convenience samples, drawn from currently enrolled students attending a large public university in Texas, comprised 13 participants in the qualitative phase and a random sample of 729 students for the quantitative phase. A partially mixed sequential dominant status design (qual → QUAN) was employed. PARTICIPANTS associated 7 distinct themes with drinking responsibly; however, embedded inside these themes were numerous potentially harmful elements. Quantitative findings supported the qualitative themes, also highlighting gender and ethnic differences. Males believed responsible drinking behaviors should occur with significantly less frequency than females, whereas Whites attached less relative necessity to certain responsible drinking behaviors. This study represents an initial attempt to determine specific, evidence-based characteristics of responsible drinking.

The HealthNuts population-based study of paediatric food allergy: validity, safety and acceptability.

PubMed

Osborne, N J; Koplin, J J; Martin, P E; Gurrin, L C; Thiele, L; Tang, M L; Ponsonby, A-L; Dharmage, S C; Allen, K J

2010-10-01

The incidence of hospital admissions for food allergy-related anaphylaxis in Australia has increased, in line with world-wide trends. However, a valid measure of food allergy prevalence and risk factor data from a population-based study is still lacking. To describe the study design and methods used to recruit infants from a population for skin prick testing and oral food challenges, and the use of preliminary data to investigate the extent to which the study sample is representative of the target population. The study sampling frame design comprises 12-month-old infants presenting for routine scheduled vaccination at immunization clinics in Melbourne, Australia. We compared demographic features of participating families to population summary statistics from the Victorian Perinatal census database, and administered a survey to those non-responders who chose not to participate in the study. Study design proved acceptable to the community with good uptake (response rate 73.4%), with 2171 participants recruited. Demographic information on the study population mirrored the Victorian population with most the population parameters measured falling within our confidence intervals (CI). Use of a non-responder questionnaire revealed that a higher proportion of infants who declined to participate (non-responders) were already eating and tolerating peanuts, than those agreeing to participate (54.4%; 95% CI 50.8, 58.0 vs. 27.4%; 95% CI 25.5, 29.3 among participants). A high proportion of individuals approached in a community setting participated in a food allergy study. The study population differed from the eligible sample in relation to family history of allergy and prior consumption and peanut tolerance, providing some insights into the internal validity of the sample. The study exhibited external validity on general demographics to all births in Victoria. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The involvement of Spanish older people in nondegree educational programs: reasons for and barriers to participation.

PubMed

Villar, Feliciano; Celdrán, Montserrat

2014-01-01

This article examines the reasons older Spanish people participate in nondegree educational programs and the barriers they may face when they want to do so. Data were drawn from the 2007 Survey on Adults' Involvement in Learning Activities (Encuesta sobre la Participación de la Población Adulta en Actividades de Aprendizaje: EADA) and correspond to a nationally representative sample of Spanish people aged between 60 and 74 years old (n=4,559). Overall, only 8.7% of the sample participated in a nondegree educational program. Predictors of participation were being a woman, being younger, having a higher educational level, and being employed. The most frequent reason given for participation was of an intrinsic nature (e.g., interest in the topic), although instrumental motives (e.g., utility of the content for daily life) were more common than suggested by previous research. As for barriers to participation, the vast majority of older people (95.6% of those who did not participate) did not even express a desire to participate. The most frequent barriers were internal (e.g., age/health restrictions). This kind of barrier was ascribed a greater importance by older and less educated groups as well as by those who participate less in cultural activities. Policies to promote older people's participation in nonformal educational activities are discussed in light of the data.

Psychoeducation in bipolar disorder with a SIMPLe smartphone application: Feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Mazzei, Diego; Mateu, Ainoa; Reinares, María; Murru, Andrea; Del Mar Bonnín, Caterina; Varo, Cristina; Valentí, Marc; Undurraga, Juan; Strejilevich, Sergio; Sánchez-Moreno, José; Vieta, Eduard; Colom, Francesc

2016-08-01

During the last fifteen years, the possibility of delivering psychoeducation programs through Internet-based platforms have been explored. Studies evaluating those programs have shown good to acceptable retention rates. In this context, we developed a smartphone application (SIMPLe) collecting information about mood symptoms and offering personalized psychoeducation messages. The main aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction of the smartphone application. The study was conducted from March to August 2015. Participation in the study was proposed to a consecutive sample of adult patients attending an outpatient mental health clinic. Sociodemographic data, clinical and functional assessments alongside smartphone ownership and uses were collected at baseline and at 3 months' follow-up. A 5 item Likert-scale satisfaction questionnaire was also employed. 51 participants were initially enrolled in the study, 36 (74%) remained actively using the application after 3 months. The whole sample interacted with the application a mean of 77 days (SD=26.2). During these days they completed 88% of the daily tests. Over 86% of the participants agreed that the experience using the application was satisfactory. The diversity of smartphones operating systems led to a moderate, although representative, sample number. Additionally, the subjective data reporting, narrow time frame of use and stability of the patients could have affected the results. The results confirm that this particular intervention is feasible and represent a satisfactory and acceptable instrument for the self-management of bipolar disorder as an add-on to the usual treatment but future clinical trials must still probe its efficacy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing Asian American women's research participation: the Asian grocery store-based cancer education program.

PubMed

Sadler, Georgia Robins; Ko, Celine M; Takahashi, Mitsuko; Ching, Christy R; Lee, Irene; Chuang, Gin C; Lee, Kathy K

2010-07-01

Research study participants with diverse characteristics produce the most generalizable outcomes, but recruiting heterogeneous samples is difficult. This pilot study tests whether Asian women (N=1079) with diverse language proficiencies, who were personally recruited to one study by a linguistically and culturally aligned recruiter, would enroll in another study with a single mailed invitation in English. The 134 participants in the second study represented 17.2% of those 779 women who had completed both baseline and follow-up surveys in the original study, making this characteristic the best predictor of future study participation. Of the 303 women in the first study who said they would be willing to participate in future studies, 17% (51) participated in the second study. Of the 733 who said they would not be willing to participate in future studies, 11% (83) participated. However, given the larger size of this group, researchers may recruit a greater absolute number of participants from it. While this rate of participation was less than the 25% rate achieved in the first study, the second study's single, mailed English language invitation was likely a barrier to participation. Securing IRB-approval to invite prior study participants from traditionally underrepresented communities to a new study is a strategy investigators can use to increase the diversity of their samples. Further research is warranted to determine whether Asian women who have participated in one study might also become effective recruiters for future studies.

Stroke survivors and their families receive information and support on an individual basis from an online forum: descriptive analysis of a population of 2348 patients and qualitative study of a sample of participants.

PubMed

De Simoni, Anna; Shanks, Andrew; Balasooriya-Smeekens, Chantal; Mant, Jonathan

2016-04-06

To describe the characteristics of participants of an online stroke forum, their reasons for posting in the forum and whether responses addressed users' needs. Descriptive analysis of the population of 2004-2011 archives of Talkstroke, the online forum of the Stroke Association, and comparison with patients admitted to hospital with stroke (Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme, SSNAP). Thematic analysis of posts from a sample of 59 participants representative of age at stroke and sex. UK. Characteristics of participants: age, sex, survivor versus patient by third party, side of stroke (R, L), social class; (from the sample of 59 participants): level of disability, stroke type, classification of users' intents for writing a post in the forum, quantification of needs addressed by the forum, topics of discussion. 2348 participants (957 stroke survivors, 1391 patients with stroke talked about by third party). Patients of both sexes and from a wide range of ages at stroke (0 to 95 years) and degrees of disability were represented in the forum, although younger than the UK stroke population (mean age 52 years vs 77 years in SSNAP). Analysis of 841 posts showed that the main users' intents for writing in the forum were requests/offers of information and support (58%) and sharing own experiences of stroke (35%). Most information needs were around stroke-related physical impairments, understanding the cause of stroke and the potential for recovery. Up to 95% of the users' intents were met by the replies received. Patients' needs expressed in the online forum confirm and widen the evidence from traditional research studies, showing that such forums are a potential resource for studying needs in this population. The forum provided an opportunity for patients and families to give and receive advice and social support. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Exploring Academic Achievement in Males Trained in Self-Assessment Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Betty

2009-01-01

This paper examines academic achievement of males following formal training in self-assessment. It adds to current literature by proposing a tried-and-tested method of improving academic achievement in males at a time when they appear to be marginalised. The sample comprised 515 participants (233 males), representing 25.2% of that high school…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Minnesota. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

Changes in Pell Grant Participation and Median Income of Recipients. Data Point. NCES 2016-407

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ifill, Nicole; Velez, Erin Dunlop

2016-01-01

This report is based on data from four iterations of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), a large, nationally representative sample survey of students that focuses on how they finance their education. NPSAS includes data on federal Pell Grant awards, which are need-based grants awarded to low-income students, primarily…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Pennsylvania. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

Physical Activity Levels in Older Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Are Extremely Low

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgenkamp, Thessa I. M.; Reis, Debora; van Wijck, Ruud; Evenhuis, Heleen M.

2012-01-01

This study measures physical activity levels in a representative population-based sample of older adults (aged [greater than or equal to]50 years) with intellectual disabilities. For this, the steps/day of all 1050 participants of the Healthy Ageing and Intellectual Disabilities study (HA-ID; a study conducted among three Dutch healthcare…

Associations of Teen Dating Violence Victimization with School Violence and Bullying among US High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M.; Olsen, Emily O'Malley; Bacon, Sarah

2016-01-01

Background: Teen dating violence (TDV) negatively impacts health, mental and physical well-being, and school performance. Methods: Data from a nationally representative sample of high school students participating in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) are used to demonstrate associations…

Interests as a Component of Adult Course Preferences: Four Australian Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanasou, James A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the subliminal role of interest in preferences for 50 courses available at a community college. This is an idiographic study of educational decisions. It employed a sample of situations and a representative design. Four adults participated in an educational-vocational assessment and in the process of…

Linking Obesity and Activity Level with Children's Television and Video Game Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandewater, Elizabeth A.; Shim, Mi-suk; Caplovitz, Allison G.

2004-01-01

This study examined the links between childhood obesity, activity participation and television and video game use in a nationally representative sample of children (N=2831) ages 1-12 using age-normed body mass index (BMI) ratings. Results indicated that while television use was not related to children's weight status, video game use was. Children…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Idaho. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Hampshire. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

What Do Unions Do for Women?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spalter-Roth, Roberta; And Others

A study used data for the 1987 calendar year from the 1986 and 1987 panels of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) to examine the impact of union membership on women's wages and job tenure. The data set included 17,200 sample members, representing about 79 million workers, aged 16-64. The study mapped the distribution of union…

Examining the Impact of HIV & AIDS on South African Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Louw, Julia; Shisana, Olive; Peltzer, Karl; Zungu, Nompumelelo

2009-01-01

Our aim in this study was to examine the impact of HIV & AIDS on South African educators. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in public schools combining HIV testing and a face-to-face interview with participants from a nationally representative sample of public educators. The results show that HIV is highly prevalent among South African…

Reasons for Nonparticipation among Iowa Adults Who Are Eligible for ABE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beder, Hal

A study was conducted in Iowa to determine why adults eligible for adult basic education (ABE) frequently fail to participate. The study was conducted on a representative sample of 129 persons who had not completed high school, were aged 18 or older, and had not attended ABE classes, through open-ended questions refined into telephone interview…

Head Start Participation and School Readiness: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, RaeHyuck; Zhai, Fuhua; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Han, Wen-Jui; Waldfogel, Jane

2014-01-01

Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (n ˜ 6,950), a nationally representative sample of children born in 2001, we examined school readiness (academic skills and socioemotional well-being) at kindergarten entry for children who attended Head Start compared with those who experienced other types of child care…

A Snapshot of Young Children's Mathematical Competencies: Results from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Amy; Carmichael, Colin

2015-01-01

This article presents a snapshot of the mathematical competencies of children aged four to five years in Australian early childhood education settings, as perceived by their educators. Data are presented from a nationally-representative sample of 6511 children participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). The results…

PTSD and Comorbid Disorders in a Representative Sample of Adolescents: The Risk Associated with Multiple Exposures to Potentially Traumatic Events

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macdonald, Alexandra; Danielson, Carla Kmett; Resnick, Heidi S.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2010-01-01

Objective: This study compared the impact of multiple exposures to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), including sexual victimization, physical victimization, and witnessed violence, on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid conditions (i.e., major depressive episode [MDE], and substance use [SUD]). Methods: Participants were a…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Hawaii. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

Daily Experiences among Mothers of Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Leann E.; Hong, Jinkuk; Seltzer, Marsha Mailick; Greenberg, Jan S.; Almeida, David M.; Bishop, Somer L.

2010-01-01

In the present study, 96 co-residing mothers of adolescents and adults with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participated in an 8-day diary study and reported on their daily experiences. In comparison with a nationally representative sample of mothers of children without disabilities, mothers of adolescent and adult children with ASD spent…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Wisconsin. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

Perceived Community Disorder Moderates the Relation between Victimization and Fear of Crime

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roccato, Michele; Russo, Silvia; Vieno, Alessio

2011-01-01

In a representative sample of the Italian population (N=2,002), surveyed in January 2008, we studied the direct and interactive effects exerted on fear of crime by direct and indirect victimization, on the one hand, and perceived level of disorder of participants' community, on the other hand. Indirect victimization fostered fear of crime among…

Adolescent Summer Care Arrangements and Risk for Obesity the Following School Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney, Joseph L.

2011-01-01

This longitudinal study identified common summer care arrangements for adolescents and examined whether those arrangements predicted risk for obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) [greater than or equal to] 85th percentile for age and gender) the following school year. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1766 adolescents ages 10-18…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Ohio. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Iowa. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Rhode Island. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Maryland. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Georgia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. North Dakota. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Delaware. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oklahoma. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Connecticut. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Kentucky. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Alabama. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. South Dakota. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Nevada. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Alaska. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Arizona. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Vermont. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Michigan. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Montana. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Nebraska. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. South Carolina. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Colorado. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. California. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Missouri. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Jersey. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Indiana. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Oregon. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Kansas. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Tennessee. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Louisiana. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. New York. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Washington. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Illinois. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Massachusetts. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. North Carolina. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Arkansas. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. District of Columbia. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Mississippi. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. New Mexico. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Maine. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. Florida. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

In the Good Old Summertime: What Do Parents Want for Their Kids?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Le Menestrel, Suzanne

This study investigated parents' attitudes toward the summer vacation period and their children's summer experiences. Participants were a nationally representative sample of approximately 400 parents of children age 5-14 years who completed telephone interviews as part of two subsequent omnibus surveys. Most parents ranged in age from 35-54 years.…

The Nation's Report Card Science 2011 State Snapshot Report. DoDEA. Grade 8, Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and space sciences. This report covers the overall results, achievement level…

Engaging workplace representatives in research: what recruitment strategies work best?

PubMed

Coole, C; Nouri, F; Narayanasamy, M; Baker, P; Khan, S; Drummond, A

2018-05-23

Workplaces are key stakeholders in work and health but little is known about the methods used to recruit workplace representatives (WRs), including managers, occupational health advisers and colleagues, to externally funded healthcare research studies. To detail the strategies used in recruiting WRs from three areas of the UK to a qualitative study concerning their experience of employees undergoing hip or knee replacement, to compare the strategies and inform recruitment methods for future studies. Six strategies were used to recruit WRs from organizations of different sizes and sectors. Data on numbers approached and responses received were analysed descriptively. Twenty-five WRs were recruited. Recruitment had to be extended outside the main three study areas, and took several months. It proved more difficult to recruit from non-service sectors and small- and medium-sized enterprises. The most successful strategies were approaching organizations that had participated in previous research studies, or known professionally or personally to team members. Recruiting a diverse sample of WRs to healthcare research requires considerable resources and persistence, and a range of strategies. Recruitment is easier where local relationships already exist; the importance of building and maintaining these relationships cannot be underestimated. However, the potential risks of bias and participant fatigue need to be acknowledged and managed. Further studies are needed to explore how WRs can be recruited to health research, and to identify the researcher effort and costs involved in achieving unbiased and representative samples.

A descriptive study of the participation of children and adolescents in activities outside school.

PubMed

Imms, Christine; Froude, Elspeth; Adair, Brooke; Shields, Nora

2016-07-08

Knowledge about patterns of participation can be used to highlight groups of children and adolescents with low attendance, or low involvement in activities and who may therefore be at risk of mental or physical health concerns. This study used the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE) and the Preferences for Activity of Children (PAC) to describe the patterns of participation of children and adolescents in activities outside mandated school in Victoria, Australia. A cross-sectional survey of Victorian children and adolescents was conducted. Eligible participants were aged 6 to 18 years, enrolled in mainstream schools, with sufficient English language skills to complete the questionnaires. Parents of participants completed a demographic questionnaire. Sample representativeness was assessed against Victorian population statistics for gender, school type, language spoken at home and socio-economic status. Data for the CAPE and PAC were summarised using descriptive statistics. Patterns of activity diversity by age were assessed using curve estimation, with additional analyses to describe differences between genders. Of 9337 potential participants targeted through school advertising, 512 agreed (5.5 % consent rate), and 422 questionnaires were returned (82.4 % response rate). The sample was representative in terms of gender and language. Compared to the Victorian population, a slightly higher proportion of participants attended Government and Catholic schools and there was evidence of marginally greater socioeconomic resources than the population average. A broad range of recreational, active physical, social, skill-based and self-improvement activities were completed by all age groups. There was a reduction in the number and enjoyment of recreational activities with increasing age. In contrast, there was relative stability in intensity, frequency and preference scores across the age-groups for all activity types. Female participants typically took part in more activities (higher diversity scores), more intensely, with higher enjoyment and had higher preferences for each activity type than males, with the exception of active physical activities. This study provides evidence of the participation patterns of typically developing children and adolescents in activities outside school. The findings have implications for researchers, clinicians and educators for comparative purposes and to inform future research.

Generalizability of findings from randomized controlled trials: application to the National Institute of Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network.

PubMed

Susukida, Ryoko; Crum, Rosa M; Ebnesajjad, Cyrus; Stuart, Elizabeth A; Mojtabai, Ramin

2017-07-01

To compare randomized controlled trial (RCT) sample treatment effects with the population effects of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. Statistical weighting was used to re-compute the effects from 10 RCTs such that the participants in the trials had characteristics that resembled those of patients in the target populations. Multi-site RCTs and usual SUD treatment settings in the United States. A total of 3592 patients in 10 RCTs and 1 602 226 patients from usual SUD treatment settings between 2001 and 2009. Three outcomes of SUD treatment were examined: retention, urine toxicology and abstinence. We weighted the RCT sample treatment effects using propensity scores representing the conditional probability of participating in RCTs. Weighting the samples changed the significance of estimated sample treatment effects. Most commonly, positive effects of trials became statistically non-significant after weighting (three trials for retention and urine toxicology and one trial for abstinence); also, non-significant effects became significantly positive (one trial for abstinence) and significantly negative effects became non-significant (two trials for abstinence). There was suggestive evidence of treatment effect heterogeneity in subgroups that are under- or over-represented in the trials, some of which were consistent with the differences in average treatment effects between weighted and unweighted results. The findings of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for substance use disorder treatment do not appear to be directly generalizable to target populations when the RCT samples do not reflect adequately the target populations and there is treatment effect heterogeneity across patient subgroups. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Mental health problems among internally displaced persons in Darfur.

PubMed

Hamid, Abdalla A R M; Musa, Saif A

2010-08-01

War victims are regarded as one of the highest risk groups for mental disturbances. This study investigated the effects of the Darfur conflict on mental health of 430 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from three camps located around Fasher and Nyala towns. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select participants. Male participants represented 50.6% of the sample while female participants represented 49.4%. The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) were used in addition to a questionnaire measuring demographic variables and living conditions. It was hypothesized that high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and of nonpsychotic psychiatric symptoms will be evident. Results showed a high dissatisfaction rate (72%) with living conditions among IDPs. There was also high prevalence of PTSD (54%) and general distress (70%) among IDPs. Female participants showed more somatic symptoms than their male counterparts. Married participants were more distressed, anxious, and showed more social dysfunction, while single ones reported more avoidance symptoms. Significant differences related to date of displacement were found in PTSD and hyperarousal. The group of IDPs displaced in 2003 scored higher on these scales than those displaced in 2004 and 2005. There was also significant difference related to date of displacement in distress, somatic symptoms, depression, anxiety, and social dysfunction. IDPs displaced in 2003 scored higher on these scales. Results are discussed in light of the study hypotheses and previous findings. It is concluded that three factors might affect the dissatisfaction of IDPs with living conditions inside camps. These are: lack of employment, unsuitability of food items, and lack of security around camps. It was recommended that psychological support services should be among the prime relief services provided by aid agencies.

The Study on Mental Health at Work: Design and sampling.

PubMed

Rose, Uwe; Schiel, Stefan; Schröder, Helmut; Kleudgen, Martin; Tophoven, Silke; Rauch, Angela; Freude, Gabriele; Müller, Grit

2017-08-01

The Study on Mental Health at Work (S-MGA) generates the first nationwide representative survey enabling the exploration of the relationship between working conditions, mental health and functioning. This paper describes the study design, sampling procedures and data collection, and presents a summary of the sample characteristics. S-MGA is a representative study of German employees aged 31-60 years subject to social security contributions. The sample was drawn from the employment register based on a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Firstly, 206 municipalities were randomly selected from a pool of 12,227 municipalities in Germany. Secondly, 13,590 addresses were drawn from the selected municipalities for the purpose of conducting 4500 face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire covers psychosocial working and employment conditions, measures of mental health, work ability and functioning. Data from personal interviews were combined with employment histories from register data. Descriptive statistics of socio-demographic characteristics and logistic regressions analyses were used for comparing population, gross sample and respondents. In total, 4511 face-to-face interviews were conducted. A test for sampling bias revealed that individuals in older cohorts participated more often, while individuals with an unknown educational level, residing in major cities or with a non-German ethnic background were slightly underrepresented. There is no indication of major deviations in characteristics between the basic population and the sample of respondents. Hence, S-MGA provides representative data for research on work and health, designed as a cohort study with plans to rerun the survey 5 years after the first assessment.

Colonoscopy screening for colorectal cancer: the outcomes of two recruitment methods.

PubMed

Corbett, Mike; Chambers, Sharon L; Shadbolt, Bruce; Hillman, Lybus C; Taupin, Doug

2004-10-18

To determine the response to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening by colonoscopy, through direct invitation or through invitation by general practitioners. Two-way comparison of randomised population sampling versus cluster sampling of a representative general practice population in the Australian Capital Territory, May 2002 to January 2004. Invitation to screen, assessment for eligibility, interview, and colonoscopy. 881 subjects aged 55-74 years were invited to screen: 520 from the electoral roll (ER) sample and 361 from the general practice (GP) cluster sample. Response rate, participation rate, and rate of adenomatous polyps in the screened group. Participation was similar in the ER arm (35.1%; 95% CI, 30.2%-40.3%) and the GP arm (40.1%; 95% CI, 29.2%-51.0%) after correcting for ineligibility, which was higher in the ER arm. Superior eligibility in the GP arm was offset by the labour of manual record review. Response rates after two invitations were similar for the two groups (ER arm: 78.8%; 95% CI, 75.1%-82.1%; GP arm: 81.7%; 95% CI, 73.8%-89.6%). Overall, 53.4% ineligibility arose from having a colonoscopy in the past 10 years (ER arm, 98/178; GP arm, 42/84). Of 231 colonoscopies performed, 229 were complete, with 32% of subjects screened having adenomatous polyps. Colonoscopy-based CRC screening yields similar response and participation rates with either random population sampling or general practice cluster sampling, with population sampling through the electoral roll providing greater ease of recruitment.

More caregiving, less working: caregiving roles and gender difference.

PubMed

Lee, Yeonjung; Tang, Fengyan

2015-06-01

This study examined the relationship of caregiving roles to labor force participation using the nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study. The sample was composed of men and women aged 50 to 61 years (N = 5,119). Caregiving roles included caregiving for spouse, parents, and grandchildren; a summary of three caregiving roles was used to indicate multiple caregiving roles. Bivariate analysis using chi-square and t tests and binary logistic regression models were applied. Results show that women caregivers for parents and/or grandchildren were less likely to be in the labor force than non-caregivers and that caregiving responsibility was not related to labor force participation for the sample of men. Findings have implication for supporting family caregivers, especially women, to balance work and caregiving commitments. © The Author(s) 2013.

Intentions to donate to a biobank in a national sample of African Americans.

PubMed

McDonald, Jasmine A; Vadaparampil, Susan; Bowen, Deborah; Magwood, Gayenell; Obeid, Jihad S; Jefferson, Melanie; Drake, Richard; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Hughes Halbert, Chanita

2014-01-01

Despite the investments being made to develop biobanks, African Americans are under-represented in genomic studies. We identified factors having significant independent associations with intentions to donate personal health information and blood and/or tissue samples to a biobank in a national random sample of African Americans (n = 1,033). We conducted a national survey from October 2010 through February 2011. Twenty-three percent of respondents reported that it was not at all likely that they would donate to a biobank, 18% reported it was a little likely, 36% reported it was somewhat likely, and 23% reported it was very likely. Respondents who were likely to donate to a biobank had greater positive expectations about participating in cancer genetics research and reported more participation facilitators relative to barriers. Respondents who were distrustful of researchers had a significantly lower likelihood of being willing to donate to a biobank compared to those who were less distrustful. African Americans have diverse attitudes about participating in genetics research, and many are likely to donate to a biobank based on expectations of positive outcomes. It may be important to address attitudes about genetics research as part of recruitment to enhance the quality of informed consent for participation in biobanks among African Americans. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Intentions to Donate to a Biobank in a National Sample of African Americans

PubMed Central

McDonald, Jasmine A.; Vadaparampil, Susan; Bowen, Deborah; Magwood, Gayenell; Obeid, Jihad S.; Jefferson, Melanie; Drake, Richard; Gebregziabher, Mulugeta; Halbert, Chanita Hughes

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Despite the investments being made to develop biobanks, African Americans are under-represented in genomic studies. We identified factors having significant independent associations with intentions to donate personal health information and blood and/or tissue samples to a biobank in a national, random sample of African Americans (n=1,033). Methods National survey conducted from October 2010 through February 2011. Results 23% of respondents reported that it was not at all likely that they would donate to a biobank, 18% reported a little likely, 36% reported somewhat likely, and 23% reported very likely. Respondents who were likely to donate to a biobank had greater positive expectations about participating in cancer genetics research and reported more participation facilitators relative to barriers. Respondents who were distrustful of researchers had a significantly lower likelihood of being willing to donate to a biobank compared to those who were less distrustful. Conclusions African Americans have diverse attitudes about participating in genetics research and many are likely to donate to a biobank based on expectations of positive outcomes. It may be important to address attitudes about genetics research as part of recruitment to enhance the quality of informed consent for participation in biobanks among African Americans. PMID:24942180

No Reliable Evidence That Emotional Disorders Are Proximal Antecedents, Concomitants, or Short-Term Consequences of First Episode Alcohol Use Disorders in a Representative Community Sample.

PubMed

Farmer, Richard F; Seeley, John R; Kosty, Derek B; Gau, Jeff M; Duncan, Susan C; Sher, Kenneth J; Lewinsohn, Peter M

2017-03-01

Emotional disorders and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) frequently demonstrate significant 12-month and lifetime comorbid associations. This comorbidity has been incorporated into influential theories of addiction processes that posit direct or indirect causal associations between these disorder categories. There is currently no consensus, however, about the sequencing of these disorders. In this research, longitudinal data from a regionally representative community sample were used to evaluate whether emotional disorders constitute a proximal antecedent, concomitant, or short-term consequence of first episode (or index) AUDs. Participants were 131 persons with index AUD episodes lasting 12 months or more and 131 matched controls. For each participant with an AUD, the presence or absence of an emotional disorder was coded for three time intervals: (a) the 12 months preceding full syndrome AUD episode onset; (b) the last 12 months of the AUD episode; and (c) the 12 months following complete symptom AUD episode offset. These intervals, referenced to participant age, were matched to those of control participants, and emotional disorder rate comparisons subsequently performed both within and between groups. Findings indicated an absence of significant within- or between-subject differences in emotional disorder rates, suggesting that the association between AUDs and emotional disorders is neither directional nor systematic. There was also no indication that the length of the AUD episode increased risk for an emotional disorder in the year following AUD offset. Overall, this research suggests that emotional disorders are generally independent events in relation to the index AUD episode.

A quantitative estimate of schema abnormality in socially anxious and non-anxious individuals.

PubMed

Wenzel, Amy; Brendle, Jennifer R; Kerr, Patrick L; Purath, Donna; Ferraro, F Richard

2007-01-01

Although cognitive theories of anxiety suggest that anxious individuals are characterized by abnormal threat-relevant schemas, few empirical studies have estimated the nature of these cognitive structures using quantitative methods that lend themselves to inferential statistical analysis. In the present study, socially anxious (n = 55) and non-anxious (n = 62) participants completed 3 Q-Sort tasks to assess their knowledge of events that commonly occur in social or evaluative scenarios. Participants either sorted events according to how commonly they personally believe the events occur (i.e. "self" condition), or to how commonly they estimate that most people believe they occur (i.e. "other" condition). Participants' individual Q-Sorts were correlated with mean sorts obtained from a normative sample to obtain an estimate of schema abnormality, with lower correlations representing greater levels of abnormality. Relative to non-anxious participants, socially anxious participants' sorts were less strongly associated with sorts of the normative sample, particularly in the "self" condition, although secondary analyses suggest that some significant results might be explained, in part, by depression and experience with the scenarios. These results provide empirical support for the theoretical notion that threat-relevant self-schemas of anxious individuals are characterized by some degree of abnormality.

Design and Field Procedures in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Avenevoli, Shelli; Costello, E. Jane; Green, Jennifer Greif; Gruber, Michael J.; Heeringa, Steven; Merikangas, Kathleen R.; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Sampson, Nancy A.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2009-01-01

An overview is presented of the design and field procedures of the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a US face-to-face household survey of the prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV mental disorders. The survey was based on a dual-frame design that included 904 adolescent residents of the households that participated in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (85.9% response rate) and 9,244 adolescent students selected from a nationally representative sample of 320 schools (74.7% response rate). After expositing the logic of dual-frame designs, comparisons are presented of sample and population distributions on Census socio-demographic variables and, in the school sample, school characteristics. These document only minor differences between the samples and the population. The results of statistical analysis of the bias-efficiency trade-off in weight trimming are then presented. These show that modest trimming meaningfully reduces mean squared error. Analysis of comparative sample efficiency shows that the household sample is more efficient than the school sample, leading to the household sample getting a higher weight relative to its size in the consolidated sample relative to the school sample. Taken together, these results show that the NCS-A is an efficient sample of the target population with good representativeness on a range of socio-demographic and geographic variables. PMID:19507169

The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grades 4 and 8. NCES 2012-458

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2011

2011-01-01

This report presents results of the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics at grades 4 and 8. Nationally representative samples of 209,000 fourth-graders and 175,200 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. At each grade, students responded to…

Parent-Client Participation in the Bilingual Education Program in St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Padgett, Carmen H. A.

A study of a St. Croix bilingual education program looked at parent involvement from the program's beginning to the present and at parent recommendations for more meaningful involvement. A random sample of parents representing students at all grade levels was drawn from school records. The parents were surveyed by questionnaire, and interviewed.…

Suicide and Its Association with Individual, Family, Peer, and School Factors in an Adolescent Population in Southern Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Tze-Chun; Ko, Chih-Hung; Yen, Ju-Yu; Lin, Huang-Chi; Liu, Shu-Chun; Huang, Chi-Fen; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2009-01-01

A representative sample of 10,233 adolescent students was recruited to examine the rate of suicidal attempt and its correlates in the adolescents living in southern Taiwan. Five questions from the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (Kiddie-SADS-E) were used to inquire about the participants' suicidality. The associations…

Early Childhood Professionals' Beliefs and Practices regarding the Rights of Young Children to Express Views and to Be Heard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels-Simmonds, Laura

2009-01-01

An online survey of early childhood professionals who were employed by a national child care company examined beliefs and practices regarding the rights and abilities of young children to express views and be heard. Participants represented seven US regions, and comprised a sample of 107 preschool professionals working directly with children ages…

Academic Achievement and Behavioral Health among Asian American and African American Adolescents: Testing the Model Minority and Inferior Minority Assumptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whaley, Arthur L.; Noel, La Tonya

2013-01-01

The present study tested the model minority and inferior minority assumptions by examining the relationship between academic performance and measures of behavioral health in a subsample of 3,008 (22%) participants in a nationally representative, multicultural sample of 13,601 students in the 2001 Youth Risk Behavioral Survey, comparing Asian…

Do Preschool Special Education Services Make a Difference in Kindergarten Reading and Mathematics Skills?: A Propensity Score Weighting Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Amanda L.; Field, Samuel

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the average treatment effect of preschool special education services on children's kindergarten academic skills. Using data from a nationally representative sample of United States children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Birth Cohort, we examined the effectiveness of preschool…

National Estimates of Male and Female Enrolment in American High School Choirs, Bands and Orchestras

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elpus, Kenneth

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate, at a national level and over time, the participation rates of males and females among those students who formally enrol in American high school music ensembles. Ten cohorts of nationally representative samples of students from 1982 and 2009 were analysed using data from High School Transcript Studies…

The Effect of Trades and Industry, a Career and Technical Education Curriculum, on Student Achievement: A Propensity Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegrist, Michael Scott

2012-01-01

This study examined whether students who participated in the trades and industry curriculum did better than their counterparts on standardized tests. Data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) High School Transcript Study (HSTS) were used. A nationally represented sample of over 37,000 public and private school students were…

The Nation's Report Card: Science 2011. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grade 8. NCES 2012-465

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2012

2012-01-01

This report presents results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) U.S. science assessment in 2011. A representative sample of 122,000 eighth-graders participated in the 2011 NAEP science assessment, which is designed to measure students' knowledge and abilities in the areas of physical science, life science, and Earth and…

Validating internet research: a test of the psychometric equivalence of internet and in-person samples.

PubMed

Meyerson, Paul; Tryon, Warren W

2003-11-01

This study evaluated the psychometric equivalency of Web-based research. The Sexual Boredom Scale was presented via the World-Wide Web along with five additional scales used to validate it. A subset of 533 participants that matched a previously published sample (Watt & Ewing, 1996) on age, gender, and race was identified. An 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the matched Internet sample was compared via structural equation modeling with a similar 8 x 8 correlation matrix from the previously published study. The Internet and previously published samples were psychometrically equivalent. Coefficient alpha values calculated on the matched Internet sample yielded reliability coefficients almost identical to those for the previously published sample. Factors such as computer administration and uncontrollable administration settings did not appear to affect the results. Demographic data indicated an overrepresentation of males by about 6% and Caucasians by about 13% relative to the U.S. Census (2000). A total of 2,230 participants were obtained in about 8 months without remuneration. These results suggest that data collection on the Web is (1) reliable, (2) valid, (3) reasonably representative, (4) cost effective, and (5) efficient.

The impact of non-response bias due to sampling in public health studies: A comparison of voluntary versus mandatory recruitment in a Dutch national survey on adolescent health.

PubMed

Cheung, Kei Long; Ten Klooster, Peter M; Smit, Cees; de Vries, Hein; Pieterse, Marcel E

2017-03-23

In public health monitoring of young people it is critical to understand the effects of selective non-response, in particular when a controversial topic is involved like substance abuse or sexual behaviour. Research that is dependent upon voluntary subject participation is particularly vulnerable to sampling bias. As respondents whose participation is hardest to elicit on a voluntary basis are also more likely to report risk behaviour, this potentially leads to underestimation of risk factor prevalence. Inviting adolescents to participate in a home-sent postal survey is a typical voluntary recruitment strategy with high non-response, as opposed to mandatory participation during school time. This study examines the extent to which prevalence estimates of adolescent health-related characteristics are biased due to different sampling methods, and whether this also biases within-subject analyses. Cross-sectional datasets collected in 2011 in Twente and IJsselland, two similar and adjacent regions in the Netherlands, were used. In total, 9360 youngsters in a mandatory sample (Twente) and 1952 youngsters in a voluntary sample (IJsselland) participated in the study. To test whether the samples differed on health-related variables, we conducted both univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses controlling for any demographic difference between the samples. Additional multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine moderating effects of sampling method on associations between health-related variables. As expected, females, older individuals, as well as individuals with higher education levels, were over-represented in the voluntary sample, compared to the mandatory sample. Respondents in the voluntary sample tended to smoke less, consume less alcohol (ever, lifetime, and past four weeks), have better mental health, have better subjective health status, have more positive school experiences and have less sexual intercourse than respondents in the mandatory sample. No moderating effects were found for sampling method on associations between variables. This is one of first studies to provide strong evidence that voluntary recruitment may lead to a strong non-response bias in health-related prevalence estimates in adolescents, as compared to mandatory recruitment. The resulting underestimation in prevalence of health behaviours and well-being measures appeared large, up to a four-fold lower proportion for self-reported alcohol consumption. Correlations between variables, though, appeared to be insensitive to sampling bias.

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC PARTICIPATION AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDE

PubMed Central

Sabo, Don; Miller, Kathleen E.; Melnick, Merrill J.; Farrell, Michael P.; Barnes, Grace M.

2008-01-01

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among US adolescents aged 15–24, with males incurring higher rates of completion than females. This study used hierarchical logistic regression analysis to test whether athletic participation was associated with lower rates of suicidal ideation and behavior among a nationally representative sample of over 16,000 US public and private high school students. Net of the effects of age, race/ethnicity, parental educational attainment, and urbanicity, high school athletic participation was significantly associated with reduced odds of considering suicide among both females and males, and reduced odds of planning a suicide attempt among females only. Though the results point to favorable health outcomes for athletes, athletic participation was also associated with higher rates of injury to male athletes who actually attempted suicide. PMID:18846245

Skin Cancer Risk Behaviors Among US Men: The Role of Sexual Orientation

PubMed Central

Safren, Steven A.

2014-01-01

The current study assessed skin cancer risk behaviors by sexual orientation in a nationally representative prospective sample of US men (n = 1767), sampled at ages 16 and 29 years. At age 16 years, sexual minority men were 3.9 times as likely as heterosexual men to indoor tan. Participants did not significantly differ in the use of sunscreen or the frequency of outdoor tanning. Thus, sexual minority men might be an at-risk group for developing skin cancers because of their indoor tanning behaviors. PMID:25033138

Association between time perspective and organic food consumption in a large sample of adults.

PubMed

Bénard, Marc; Baudry, Julia; Méjean, Caroline; Lairon, Denis; Giudici, Kelly Virecoulon; Etilé, Fabrice; Reach, Gérard; Hercberg, Serge; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Péneau, Sandrine

2018-01-05

Organic food intake has risen in many countries during the past decades. Even though motivations associated with such choice have been studied, psychological traits preceding these motivations have rarely been explored. Consideration of future consequences (CFC) represents the extent to which individuals consider future versus immediate consequences of their current behaviors. Consequently, a future oriented personality may be an important characteristic of organic food consumers. The objective was to analyze the association between CFC and organic food consumption in a large sample of the adult general population. In 2014, a sample of 27,634 participants from the NutriNet-Santé cohort study completed the CFC questionnaire and an Organic-Food Frequency questionnaire. For each food group (17 groups), non-organic food consumers were compared to organic food consumers across quartiles of the CFC using multiple logistic regressions. Moreover, adjusted means of proportions of organic food intakes out of total food intakes were compared between quartiles of the CFC. Analyses were adjusted for socio-demographic, lifestyle and dietary characteristics. Participants with higher CFC were more likely to consume organic food (OR quartile 4 (Q4) vs. Q1 = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.62, 2.20). Overall, future oriented participants were more likely to consume 14 food groups. The strongest associations were observed for starchy refined foods (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.63, 1.94), and fruits and vegetables (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.58, 1.92). The contribution of organic food intake out of total food intake was 33% higher in the Q4 compared to Q1. More precisely, the contribution of organic food consumed was higher in the Q4 for 16 food groups. The highest relative differences between Q4 and Q1 were observed for starchy refined foods (22%) and non-alcoholic beverages (21%). Seafood was the only food group without a significant difference. This study provides information on the personality of organic food consumers in a large sample of adult participants. Consideration of future consequences could represent a significant psychological determinant of organic food consumption.

Potential Bias in the Bank: What Distinguishes Refusers, Non-responders and Participants in a Clinic-based Biobank?

PubMed Central

Ridgeway, Jennifer L; Han, Leona C; Olson, Janet E; Lackore, Kandace A; Koenig, Barbara A; Beebe, Timothy J; Ziegenfuss, Jeanette Y

2013-01-01

Background Biobanks are an important resource for genetic and epidemiologic research, but bias may be introduced if those who accept the recruitment invitation differ systematically from those who do not in attributes important to health-related investigations. To understand potential bias in a clinic-based biobank of biological samples, including genetic data linked to Electronic Medical Record information, we compared patient characteristics and self-reported information among participants, non-responders, and refusers. We also compared reasons for non-participation between refusers and non-responders to elucidate potential pathways to reduce non-participation and any uncovered bias. Methods We mailed recruitment packets to 1600 adult patients with upcoming appointments at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and recorded their participation status. Administrative data were used to compare characteristics across groups. We used phone interviews with 26 non-responders and 26 refusers to collect self-reported information, including reasons for non-participation. Participants were asked to complete a mailed questionnaire. Results We achieved 26.2% participation (n=419) with 12.1% refusing (n=193) and 61.8% non-response (n=988). In multivariate analyses, sex, age, region of residence, and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with participation. The groups differed in information-seeking behaviors and research experience. Refusers more often cited privacy concerns while non-responders more often identified time constraints as the reason for non-participation. Conclusion For genomic medicine to advance, large, representative biobanks are required. Significant associations between patient characteristics and nonresponse, as well as systematic differences between refusers and nonresponders, could introduce bias. Oversampling or recruitment changes, including heightened attention to privacy protection and participation burden, may be necessary to increase participation among less-represented groups. PMID:23595106

The Danish Youth Cohort: characteristics of participants and non-participants and determinants of attrition.

PubMed

Vinther-Larsen, Mathilde; Riegels, Mette; Rod, Morten Hulvej; Schiøtz, Michaela; Curtis, Tine; Grønbaek, Morten

2010-08-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the design and methods used in the Danish Youth Cohort and to give a description of the study participants with special attention to a comparison between participants and non-participants regarding sociodemographic characteristics. A total of 1,945 schools were invited, out of which 506 participated. The participating 7th grades comprised a total of 12,498 responding adolescents. The response rate for the Danish Youth Cohort established in 2005 was 63%. The sample of 12,498 adolescents represents 18.2% of all pupils (n = 68,764) in the 7th grade (mean age: 13.4 years) in Danish schools in 2005. The cohort was followed up in spring 2006 and spring 2007, where the adolescents were in the 8th (mean age: 14.4 years) and 9th (mean age: 15.3 years) grades, respectively. We found that compared with non-participants the participants were significantly more likely to be girls, to be of Danish ethnicity, and to live in one-family houses. Furthermore, participants more often came from families with two or three children, were more likely to have parents with a high occupational status, parents who were married and parents with a higher total income. Loss to follow-up was only associated with adolescents' higher probability of drinking and use of tobacco, and none of the other factors were associated with attrition. The participants in the Danish Youth Cohort represent a great variety of different groups of socio-demographic factors, although they differ from non-participants as regards a range of socio-demographic factors. This should be taken into account in future analyses.

Clinical characteristics of anxiety disordered youth

PubMed Central

Kendall, Philip C.; Compton, Scott N.; Walkup, John T.; Birmaher, Boris; Albano, Anne Marie; Sherrill, Joel; Ginsburg, Golda; Rynn, Moira; McCracken, James; Gosch, Elizabeth; Keeton, Courtney; Bergman, Lindsey; Sakolsky, Dara; Suveg, Cindy; Iyengar, Satish; March, John; Piacentini, John

2010-01-01

Reports the characteristics of a large, representative sample of treatment seeking anxious youth (N =488). Participants, aged 7–17 years (mean 10.7 yrs), had a principal DSM-IV diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), or social phobia (SP). Although youth with a co-primary diagnosis for which a different disorder-specific treatment would be indicated (e.g., major depressive disorder, substance abuse) were not included, there were few other exclusion criteria. Participants and their parent/guardian underwent an extensive baseline assessment using a broad array of measures capturing diagnostic status, anxiety symptoms and severity, and areas of functional impairment. Means and standard deviations of the measures of psychopathology and data on diagnostic status are provided. The sample had moderate to severe anxiety disorder and was highly comorbid, with 55.3% of participants meeting criteria for at least one non-targeted DSM-IV disorder. Anxiety disorders in youth often do not present as a single/focused disorder: such disorders in youth overlap in symptoms and are highly comorbid among themselves. PMID:20206470

The Polls-Review: Inaccurate Age and Sex Data in the Census Pums Files: Evidence and Implications.

PubMed

Alexander, J Trent; Davern, Michael; Stevenson, Betsey

2010-01-01

We discover and document errors in public-use microdata samples ("PUMS files") of the 2000 Census, the 2003-2006 American Community Survey, and the 2004-2009 Current Population Survey. For women and men age 65 and older, age- and sex-specific population estimates generated from the PUMS files differ by as much as 15 percent from counts in published data tables. Moreover, an analysis of labor-force participation and marriage rates suggests the PUMS samples are not representative of the population at individual ages for those age 65 and over. PUMS files substantially underestimate labor-force participation of those near retirement age and overestimate labor-force participation rates of those at older ages. These problems were an unintentional byproduct of the misapplication of a newer generation of disclosure-avoidance procedures carried out on the data. The resulting errors in the public-use data could significantly impact studies of people age 65 and older, particularly analyses of variables that are expected to change by age.

Exploring Relationships Between Delinquent Peer Groups, Participation in Delinquency, Substance Abuse, and Injecting Drug Use Among the Incarcerated: Findings From a National Sample of State and Federal Inmates in the United States

PubMed Central

Marotta, Phillip

2017-01-01

The following study assesses the relationship between affiliating with delinquent peer groups, participation in delinquency, and several substance misuse and injecting drug use outcomes in a nationally representative sample of inmates in state and federal facilities in the United States. After controlling for potential confounders, affiliating with peers who engaged in deviant behaviors and participation in delinquency was associated with onset of alcohol and illicit drug use, substance dependence, alcohol dependence, types of substances used, and injecting drug use outcomes. Inmates who began engaging in delinquency at older ages reported initiating drug and alcohol use at older ages, and were less likely to meet the criteria for drug abuse or dependence, less likely to use substances daily or near daily, and less likely to report having ever injected or shared syringes. The implications of these findings for substance abuse, HIV, and crime prevention interventions are discussed. PMID:28966393

Quality of experience during horticultural activities: an experience sampling pilot study among older adults living in a nursing home.

PubMed

Bassi, Marta; Rassiga, Cecilia; Fumagalli, Natalia; Senes, Giulio

2018-02-12

Horticulture was shown to represent a well-being source for older adults, encompassing the physical, mental and social domains. Aim of this pilot study was to contribute to extant literature through the investigation of the quality of experience associated with horticultural versus occupational activities. A group of 11 older residents of a nursing home were involved in a crossover study with a baseline measure. Participants attended weekly horticultural and occupational sessions for two six-week cycles. Experience Sampling Method was administered before the program and after each session, to assess participants' levels of happiness, concentration, sociability, involvement, challenges and stakes, and self-satisfaction. Altogether, 332 self-report questionnaires were collected. Findings showed that participants' levels of the cognitive and motivational variables increased during both activities, but horticulture was also perceived as providing higher challenges and stakes, and improving self-satisfaction. Results can have practical implications for well-being promotion among older adults through meaningful activity engagement. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency of lucid dreaming in a representative German sample.

PubMed

Schredl, Michael; Erlacher, Daniel

2011-02-01

Lucid dreams occur when a person is aware that he is dreaming while he is dreaming. In a representative sample of German adults (N = 919), 51% of the participants reported that they had experienced a lucid dream at least once. Lucid dream recall was significantly higher in women and negatively correlated with age. However, these effects might be explained by the frequency of dream recall, as there was a correlation of .57 between frequency of dream recall and frequency of lucid dreams. Other sociodemographic variables like education, marital status, or monthly income were not related to lucid dream frequency. Given the relatively high prevalence of lucid dreaming reported in the present study, research on lucid dreams might be pursued in the sleep laboratory to expand the knowledge about sleep, dreaming, and consciousness processes in general.

“We can’t get along without each other”: Qualitative interviews with physicians about device industry representatives, conflict of interest and patient safety

PubMed Central

Lehoux, Pascale; Ducey, Ariel; Easty, Anthony; Ross, Sue; Bell, Chaim; Trbovich, Patricia

2017-01-01

Objectives Physician relationships with device industry representatives have not been previously assessed. This study explored interactions with device industry representatives among physicians who use implantable cardiovascular and orthopedic devices to identify whether conflict of interest (COI) is a concern and how it is managed. Design A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Physicians who implant orthopedic and cardiovascular devices were identified in publicly available directories and web sites, and interviewed about their relationships with device industry representatives. Sampling was concurrent with data collection and analysis. Data were analyzed and discussed using constant comparative technique by all members of the research team. Results Twenty-two physicians (10 cardiovascular, 12 orthopedic) were interviewed. Ten distinct representative roles were identified: purchasing, training, trouble-shooting, supplying devices, assisting with device assembly and insertion, supporting operating room staff, mitigating liability, conveying information about recalls, and providing direct and indirect financial support. Participants recognized the potential for COI but representatives were present for the majority of implantations. Participants revealed a tension between physicians and representatives that was characterized as “symbiotic”, but required physicians to be vigilant about COI and patient safety, particularly because representatives varied regarding disclosure of device defects. They described a concurrent tension between hospitals, whose policies and business practices were focused on cost-control, and physicians who were required to comply with those policies and use particular devices despite concerns about their safety and effectiveness. Conclusions Given the potential for COI and threats to patient safety, further research is needed to establish the clinical implications of the role of, and relationship with device industry representatives; and whether and how hospitals do and should govern interaction with representatives, or support their staff in this regard. PMID:28358886

"We can't get along without each other": Qualitative interviews with physicians about device industry representatives, conflict of interest and patient safety.

PubMed

Gagliardi, Anna R; Lehoux, Pascale; Ducey, Ariel; Easty, Anthony; Ross, Sue; Bell, Chaim; Trbovich, Patricia; Urbach, David R

2017-01-01

Physician relationships with device industry representatives have not been previously assessed. This study explored interactions with device industry representatives among physicians who use implantable cardiovascular and orthopedic devices to identify whether conflict of interest (COI) is a concern and how it is managed. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Physicians who implant orthopedic and cardiovascular devices were identified in publicly available directories and web sites, and interviewed about their relationships with device industry representatives. Sampling was concurrent with data collection and analysis. Data were analyzed and discussed using constant comparative technique by all members of the research team. Twenty-two physicians (10 cardiovascular, 12 orthopedic) were interviewed. Ten distinct representative roles were identified: purchasing, training, trouble-shooting, supplying devices, assisting with device assembly and insertion, supporting operating room staff, mitigating liability, conveying information about recalls, and providing direct and indirect financial support. Participants recognized the potential for COI but representatives were present for the majority of implantations. Participants revealed a tension between physicians and representatives that was characterized as "symbiotic", but required physicians to be vigilant about COI and patient safety, particularly because representatives varied regarding disclosure of device defects. They described a concurrent tension between hospitals, whose policies and business practices were focused on cost-control, and physicians who were required to comply with those policies and use particular devices despite concerns about their safety and effectiveness. Given the potential for COI and threats to patient safety, further research is needed to establish the clinical implications of the role of, and relationship with device industry representatives; and whether and how hospitals do and should govern interaction with representatives, or support their staff in this regard.

Characteristics of good quality pharmaceutical services common to community pharmacies and dispensing general practices.

PubMed

Grey, Elisabeth; Harris, Michael; Rodham, Karen; Weiss, Marjorie C

2016-10-01

In the United Kingdom, pharmaceutical services can be delivered by both community pharmacies (CPs) and dispensing doctor practices (DPs). Both must adhere to minimum standards set out in NHS regulations; however, no common framework exists to guide quality improvement. Previous phases of this research had developed a set of characteristics indicative of good pharmaceutical service provision. To ask key stakeholders to confirm, and rank the importance of, a set of characteristics of good pharmaceutical service provision. A two-round Delphi-type survey was conducted in south-west England and was sent to participants representing three stakeholder groups: DPs, CPs and patients/lay members. Participants were asked to confirm, and rank, the importance of these characteristics as representing good quality pharmaceutical services. Thirty people were sent the first round survey; 22 participants completed both rounds. Median ratings for the 23 characteristics showed that all were seen to represent important aspects of pharmaceutical service provision. Participants' comments highlighted potential problems with the practicality of the characteristics. Characteristics relating to patient safety were deemed to be the most important and those relating to public health the least important. A set of 23 characteristics for providing good pharmaceutical services in CPs and DPs was developed and attained approval from a sample of stakeholders. With further testing and wider discussion, it is hoped that the characteristics will form the basis of a quality improvement tool for CPs and DPs. © 2016 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Changes in dental fear among Finnish adults: a national survey.

PubMed

Liinavuori, Arja; Tolvanen, Mimmi; Pohjola, Vesa; Lahti, Satu

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in dental fear among adult Finns aged 19 years and over at the beginning of the study in 2000-2011 in a nationally representative sample. The study was based on Health 2000 and 2011 Surveys by the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Finland. The Health 2000 Survey used a stratified two-stage cluster sampling design (N = 9 922). Those who participated in 2000 (n = 7 964) were invited to participate in 2011. The number of participants was 3 961. Dental fear was assessed by a single question: 'How afraid are you of visiting a dentist?' (not at all, somewhat, very much). Background variables included were age (categories 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, 75+ years), gender, marital status (nonsingle, single), and education (basic, secondary, higher). To match the population sizes in different areas and thus forming a nationally representative data, the data were weighted based on age, gender, and area. General linear modeling for repeated measures was used to evaluate changes in dental fear and associations with background variables. Between 2000 and 2011, dental fear decreased more often than increased among adults in Finland. Change from being very afraid to not at all afraid of visiting a dentist was most common in the oldest group. For most participants, dental fear remained stable; being very afraid of visiting a dentist was more stable among participants from 35 to 54 years of age than among younger or older participants. Dental fear is still common among adult Finns and it seems to depend on age. As the most obvious consequence of dental fear is avoidance of dental care, reducing dental fear should be taken into account when planning and reorienting oral healthcare services. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bias due to differential participation in case-control studies and review of available approaches for adjustment.

PubMed

Aigner, Annette; Grittner, Ulrike; Becher, Heiko

2018-01-01

Low response rates in epidemiologic research potentially lead to the recruitment of a non-representative sample of controls in case-control studies. Problems in the unbiased estimation of odds ratios arise when characteristics causing the probability of participation are associated with exposure and outcome. This is a specific setting of selection bias and a realistic hazard in many case-control studies. This paper formally describes the problem and shows its potential extent, reviews existing approaches for bias adjustment applicable under certain conditions, compares and applies them. We focus on two scenarios: a characteristic C causing differential participation of controls is linked to the outcome through its association with risk factor E (scenario I), and C is additionally a genuine risk factor itself (scenario II). We further assume external data sources are available which provide an unbiased estimate of C in the underlying population. Given these scenarios, we (i) review available approaches and their performance in the setting of bias due to differential participation; (ii) describe two existing approaches to correct for the bias in both scenarios in more detail; (iii) present the magnitude of the resulting bias by simulation if the selection of a non-representative sample is ignored; and (iv) demonstrate the approaches' application via data from a case-control study on stroke. The bias of the effect measure for variable E in scenario I and C in scenario II can be large and should therefore be adjusted for in any analysis. It is positively associated with the difference in response rates between groups of the characteristic causing differential participation, and inversely associated with the total response rate in the controls. Adjustment in a standard logistic regression framework is possible in both scenarios if the population distribution of the characteristic causing differential participation is known or can be approximated well.

Investigating parameters participating in the infant respiratory control system attractor.

PubMed

Terrill, Philip I; Wilson, Stephen J; Suresh, Sadasivam; Cooper, David M; Dakin, Carolyn

2008-01-01

Theoretically, any participating parameter in a non-linear system represents the dynamics of the whole system. Taken's time delay embedding theory provides the fundamental basis for allowing non-linear analysis to be performed on physiological, time-series data. In practice, only one measurable parameter is required to be measured to convey an accurate representation of the system dynamics. In this paper, the infant respiratory control system is represented using three variables-a digitally sampled respiratory inductive plethysmography waveform, and the derived parameters tidal volume and inter-breath interval time series data. For 14 healthy infants, these data streams were analysed using recurrence plot analysis across one night of sleep. The measured attractor size of these variables followed the same qualitative trends across the nights study. Results suggest that the attractor size measures of the derived IBI and tidal volume are representative surrogates for the raw respiratory waveform. The extent to which the relative attractor sizes of IBI and tidal volume remain constant through changing sleep state could potentially be used to quantify pathology, or maturation of breathing control.

International gender bias in nursing research, 2005-2006: a quantitative content analysis.

PubMed

Polit, Denise F; Beck, Cheryl Tatano

2009-08-01

This paper reports a study that examined the extent to which nurse researchers internationally disproportionately include females as participants in their research. A bias toward predominantly male samples has been well-documented in medical research, but recently a gender bias favoring women in nursing research has been identified in studies published in four North American journals. We extracted information about study samples and characteristics of the studies and authors from a consecutive sample of 834 studies published in eight leading English-language nursing research journals in 2005-2006. The primary analyses involved one-sample t-tests that tested the null hypothesis that males and females are equally represented as participants in nursing studies. Studies from different countries, in different specialty areas, and with varying author and methodologic characteristics were compared with regard to the key outcome variable, percent of participants who were female. Overall, 71% of participants, on average, were female, including 68% in client-focused research and 83% in nurse-focused studies (all p<.001). Females were significantly overrepresented as participants in client-focused research in almost all specialty areas, particularly in mental health, community health, health promotion, and geriatrics. The bias favoring female participants in client-focused studies was especially strong in the United States and Canada, but was also present in European countries, most Asian countries, and in Australia. Female overrepresentation was persistent, regardless of methodological characteristics (e.g., qualitative versus quantitative), funding source, and most researcher characteristics (e.g., academic rank). Studies with male authors, however, had more sex-balanced samples. The mean percentage female in client-focused studies with a female lead author was 70.0, compared to 52.1 for male lead authors. Nurse researchers not only in North America but around the globe need to pay attention to who will benefit from their research and to whether they are adequately inclusive in studying client groups about which there are knowledge gaps.

Using a quasi-experimental research design to assess knowledge in continuing medical education programs.

PubMed

Markert, Ronald J; O'Neill, Sally C; Bhatia, Subhash C

2003-01-01

The objectives of continuing medical education (CME) programs include knowledge acquisition, skill development, clinical reasoning and decision making, and health care outcomes. We conducted a year-long medical education research study in which knowledge acquisition in our CME programs was assessed. A randomized separate-sample pretest/past-test design, a quasi-experimental technique, was used. Nine CME programs with a sufficient number of participants were identified a priori. Knowledge acquisition was compared between the control group and the intervention group for the nine individual programs and for the combined programs. A total of 667 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals participated. Significant gain in knowledge was found for six programs: Perinatology, Pain Management, Fertility Care 2, Pediatrics, Colorectal Diseases, and Alzheimer's Disease (each p < .001). Also, the intervention group differed from the control group when the nine programs were combined (p < .001), with an effect size of .84. The use of sound quasi-experimental research methodology (separate-sample pretest/post-test design), the inclusion of a representative sample of CME programs, and the analysis of nearly 700 subjects led us to have confidence in concluding that our CME participants acquired a meaningful amount of new knowledge.

Community Support as a Moderator of Postdisaster Mental Health Symptoms in Urban and Nonurban Communities

PubMed Central

West, Jenny S.; Price, Matthew; Gros, Kirstin Stauffacher; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.

2014-01-01

Objective We examined the association between disaster exposure, community support, and mental health outcomes in urban and nonurban participants of Galveston and Chambers counties after Hurricane Ike. The moderating effect of community support was evaluated as a protective factor relative to postdisaster mental health. Methods A representative population-based sample of 157 urban and 714 nonurban adults were interviewed 12 to 17 months after the hurricane about their mental health functioning, disaster exposure, and perceptions of community support. A series of multiple regressions demonstrated that disaster exposure was associated with mental health outcomes for both groups. The strength of the association varied across population samples. Results Community support moderated the association between interpersonal effects of the disaster and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression outcomes in nonurban participants and the association between property damage and PTSD in urban participants. Conclusions Community support played a larger role in reducing PTSD and depression symptoms associated with the interpersonal effects of a disaster in the nonurban sample only. Communities may play a more beneficial role in the recovery process in nonurban areas that have elevated levels of injury or death attributed to a disaster. PMID:24274123

Crowdsourcing Disease Biomarker Discovery Research: The IP4IC Study.

PubMed

Chancellor, Michael B; Bartolone, Sarah N; Veerecke, Andrew; Lamb, Laura E

2018-05-01

Biomarker discovery is limited by readily assessable, cost efficient human samples available in large numbers that represent the entire heterogeneity of the disease. We developed a novel, active participation crowdsourcing method to determine BP-RS (Bladder Permeability Defect Risk Score). It is based on noninvasive urinary cytokines to discriminate patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome who had Hunner lesions from controls and patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome but without Hunner lesions. We performed a national crowdsourcing study in cooperation with the Interstitial Cystitis Association. Patients answered demographic, symptom severity and urinary frequency questionnaires on a HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant website. Urine samples were collected at home, stabilized with a preservative and sent to Beaumont Hospital for analysis. The expression of 3 urinary cytokines was used in a machine learning algorithm to develop BP-RS. The IP4IC study collected a total of 448 urine samples, representing 153 patients (147 females and 6 males) with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome, of whom 54 (50 females and 4 males) had Hunner lesions. A total of 159 female and 136 male controls also participated, who were age matched. A defined BP-RS was calculated to predict interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome with Hunner lesions or a bladder permeability defect etiology with 89% validity. In this novel participation crowdsourcing study we obtained a large number of urine samples from 46 states, which were collected at home, shipped and stored at room temperature. Using a machine learning algorithm we developed BP-RS to quantify the risk of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome with Hunner lesions, which is indicative of a bladder permeability defect etiology. To our knowledge BP-RS is the first validated urine biomarker assay for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome and one of the first biomarker assays to be developed using crowdsourcing. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary intakes of pesticides based on community duplicate diet samples.

PubMed

Melnyk, Lisa Jo; Xue, Jianping; Brown, G Gordon; McCombs, Michelle; Nishioka, Marcia; Michael, Larry C

2014-01-15

The calculation of dietary intake of selected pesticides was accomplished using food samples collected from individual representatives of a defined demographic community using a community duplicate diet approach. A community of nine participants was identified in Apopka, FL from which intake assessments of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid pesticides were made. From these nine participants, sixty-seven individual samples were collected and subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Measured concentrations were used to estimate dietary intakes for individuals and for the community. Individual intakes of total OP and pyrethroid pesticides ranged from 6.7 to 996 ng and 1.2 to 16,000 ng, respectively. The community intake was 256 ng for OPs and 3430 ng for pyrethroid pesticides. The most commonly detected pesticide was permethrin, but the highest overall intake was of bifenthrin followed by esfenvalerate. These data indicate that the community in Apopka, FL, as represented by the nine individuals, was potentially exposed to both OP and pyrethroid pesticides at levels consistent with a dietary model and other field studies in which standard duplicate diet samples were collected. Higher levels of pyrethroid pesticides were measured than OPs, which is consistent with decreased usage of OPs. The diversity of pyrethroid pesticides detected in food samples was greater than expected. Continually changing pesticide usage patterns need to be considered when determining analytes of interest for large scale epidemiology studies. The Community Duplicate Diet Methodology is a tool for researchers to meet emerging exposure measurement needs that will lead to more accurate assessments of intake which may enhance decisions for chemical regulation. Successfully determining the intake of pesticides through the dietary route will allow for accurate assessments of pesticide exposures to a community of individuals, thereby significantly enhancing the research benefit realized from epidemiological exposure studies. © 2013.

Endotoxin Exposure: Predictors and Prevalence of Associated Asthma Outcomes in the United States

PubMed Central

Mendy, Angelico; Metwali, Nervana; Salo, Päivi; Co, Caroll; Jaramillo, Renee; Rose, Kathryn M.; Zeldin, Darryl C.

2015-01-01

Rationale: Inhaled endotoxin induces airway inflammation and is an established risk factor for asthma. The 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey included measures of endotoxin and allergens in homes as well as specific IgE to inhalant allergens. Objectives: To understand the relationships between endotoxin exposure, asthma outcomes, and sensitization status for 15 aeroallergens in a nationally representative sample. Methods: Participants were administered questionnaires in their homes. Reservoir dust was vacuum sampled to generate composite bedding and bedroom floor samples. We analyzed 7,450 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dust and quality assurance samples for their endotoxin content using extreme quality assurance measures. Data for 6,963 subjects were available, making this the largest study of endotoxin exposure to date. Log-transformed endotoxin concentrations were analyzed using logistic models and forward stepwise linear regression. Analyses were weighted to provide national prevalence estimates and unbiased variances. Measurements and Main Results: Endotoxin exposure was significantly associated with wheeze in the past 12 months, wheeze during exercise, doctor and/or emergency room visits for wheeze, and use of prescription medications for wheeze. Models adjusted for age, sex, race and/or ethnicity, and poverty-to-income ratio and stratified by allergy status showed that these relationships were not dependent upon sensitization status but were worsened among those living in poverty. Significant predictors of higher endotoxin exposures were lower family income; Hispanic ethnicity; participant age; dog(s), cat(s), cockroaches, and/or smoker(s) in the home; and carpeted floors. Conclusions: In this U.S. nationwide representative sample, higher endotoxin exposure was significantly associated with measures of wheeze, with no observed protective effect regardless of sensitization status. PMID:26258643

Vegetarian diet and mental disorders: results from a representative community survey

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The present study investigated associations between vegetarian diet and mental disorders. Methods Participants were drawn from the representative sample of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey and its Mental Health Supplement (GHS-MHS). Completely vegetarian (N = 54) and predominantly vegetarian (N = 190) participants were compared with non-vegetarian participants (N = 3872) and with a non-vegetarian socio-demographically matched subsample (N = 242). Results Vegetarians displayed elevated prevalence rates for depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and somatoform disorders. Due to the matching procedure, the findings cannot be explained by socio-demographic characteristics of vegetarians (e.g. higher rates of females, predominant residency in urban areas, high proportion of singles). The analysis of the respective ages at adoption of a vegetarian diet and onset of a mental disorder showed that the adoption of the vegetarian diet tends to follow the onset of mental disorders. Conclusions In Western cultures vegetarian diet is associated with an elevated risk of mental disorders. However, there was no evidence for a causal role of vegetarian diet in the etiology of mental disorders. PMID:22676203

Rapid Analysis of Carbohydrates in Bioprocess Samples: An Evaluation of the CarboPac SA10 for HPAE-PAD Analysis by Interlaboratory Comparison

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sevcik, R. S.; Hyman, D. A.; Basumallich, L.

2013-01-01

A technique for carbohydrate analysis for bioprocess samples has been developed, providing reduced analysis time compared to current practice in the biofuels R&D community. The Thermofisher CarboPac SA10 anion-exchange column enables isocratic separation of monosaccharides, sucrose and cellobiose in approximately 7 minutes. Additionally, use of a low-volume (0.2 mL) injection valve in combination with a high-volume detection cell minimizes the extent of sample dilution required to bring sugar concentrations into the linear range of the pulsed amperometric detector (PAD). Three laboratories, representing academia, industry, and government, participated in an interlaboratory study which analyzed twenty-one opportunistic samples representing biomass pretreatment, enzymaticmore » saccharification, and fermentation samples. The technique's robustness, linearity, and interlaboratory reproducibility were evaluated and showed excellent-to-acceptable characteristics. Additionally, quantitation by the CarboPac SA10/PAD was compared with the current practice method utilizing a HPX-87P/RID. While these two methods showed good agreement a statistical comparison found significant quantitation difference between them, highlighting the difference between selective and universal detection modes.« less

Comparing Study Populations of Men Who Have Sex with Men: Evaluating Consistency Within Repeat Studies and Across Studies in the Seattle Area Using Different Recruitment Methodologies

PubMed Central

Burt, Richard D.; Oster, Alexandra M.; Golden, Mathew R.; Thiede, Hanne

2013-01-01

There is no gold standard for recruiting unbiased samples of men who have sex with men (MSM). To assess differing recruitment methods, we compared Seattle-area MSM samples from: venue-day-time sampling-based National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) surveys in 2008 and 2011, random-digit-dialed (RDD) surveys in 2003 and 2006, and STD clinic patient data 2001–2011. We compared sociodemographics, sexual and drug-associated behavior, and HIV status and testing. There was generally good consistency between the two NHBS surveys and within STD clinic data across time. NHBS participants reported higher levels of drug-associated and lower levels of sexual risk than STD clinic patients. RDD participants differed from the other study populations in sociodemographics and some risk behaviors. While neither NHBS nor the STD clinic study populations may be representative of all MSM, both appear to provide consistent samples of MSM subpopulations across time that can provide useful information to guide HIV prevention. PMID:23900958

Understanding the Relationship Between Incentive Design and Participation in U.S. Workplace Wellness Programs.

PubMed

Batorsky, Benjamin; Taylor, Erin; Huang, Crystal; Liu, Hangsheng; Mattke, Soeren

2016-01-01

We aimed to understand how employer characteristics relate to the use of incentives to promote participation in wellness programs and to explore the relationship between incentive type and participation rates. A cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative survey data combined with an administrative business database was employed. Random sampling of U.S. companies within strata based on industry and number of employees was used to determine a final sample of 3000 companies. Of these, 19% returned completed surveys. The survey asked about employee participation rate, incentive type, and gender composition of employees. Incentive types included any incentives, high-value rewards, and rewards plus penalties. Logistic regressions of incentive type on employer characteristics were used to determine what types of employers are more likely to offer which type of incentives. A generalized linear model of participation rate was used to determine the relationship between incentive type and participation. Employers located in the Northeast were 5 to 10 times more likely to offer incentives. Employers with a large number of employees, particularly female employees, were up to 1.25 times more likely to use penalties. Penalty and high-value incentives were associated with participation rates of 68% and 52%, respectively. Industry or regional characteristics are likely determinants of incentive use for wellness programs. Penalties appear to be effective, but attention should be paid to what types of employees they affect.

Marital Dissolution and Major Depression in Midlife: A Propensity Score Analysis.

PubMed

Sbarra, David A; Emery, Robert E; Beam, Christopher R; Ocker, Bailey L

2014-05-01

Marital dissolution is commonly assumed to cause increased depression among adults, but causality can be questioned based on directionality and third variable concerns. The present study improves upon past research by using a propensity score matching algorithm to identify a sub-sample of continuously married participants equivalent in divorce risk to participants who actually experienced separation/divorce between two waves of the nationally representative study, Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS). After correcting for participants' propensity to separate/divorce, increased rates of depression at the second assessment were observed only among participants who were (a) depressed at the initial assessment, and (b) experienced a separation/divorce. Participants who were not depressed at the initial assessment but who experienced a separation/divorce were not at increased risk for a later major depressive disorder (MDE). Thus, both social selection and social causation contribute to the increased risk for a MDE found among separated/divorced adults.

[Participation and representation of the immigrant population in the Spanish National Health Survey 2011-2012].

PubMed

González-Rábago, Yolanda; La Parra, Daniel; Martín, Unai; Malmusi, Davide

2014-01-01

Population health surveys have been the main data source for analysis of immigrants' health status in Spain. The aim of this study was to analyze the representation of this population in the Spanish National Health Survey (SNHS) 2011-2012. We analyzed methodological publications and data from the SNHS 2011-2012 and the population registry. Differences in the participation rate between the national and foreign populations and the causes for these differences were analyzed, as well as the representation of 11 countries of birth in the survey with respect to the general population, with and without weighting. Households with any foreign person had a lower participation rate, either due to a higher error in the sampling frame or to a higher non-response rate. In each country of birth, the sample was smaller than would be expected according to the population registry, especially among the Chinese population. When we applied the sample weights to the 11 countries of birth, the estimated population volume was closer to the estimated volume of the population registry for all the countries considered, although globally both the underrepresentation and the intranational bias remained. The lower participation of the immigrant population and differences in participation depending on the country of origin suggest the existence of a potential bias in the SNHS, which should be taken into account in studies analyzing the health of this population. The lower participation rate should be studied in greater depth in order to take appropriate measures to increase the representativeness of health surveys. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Women's Community Involvement: The Effects of Money, Safety, Parenthood, and Friends. Research-in-Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caiazza, Amy

Decreased civic and political participation is a pressing problem in the United States. Today, Americans are less likely to vote, work for a party or candidate, attend a meeting, or belong to a social or community organization than they were 40 years ago. A study used the Community Indicators Survey, a nationally representative sample of 1,206…

Teacher Attrition and Mobility: Results from the 2012-13 Teacher Follow-Up Survey. First Look. NCES 2014-077

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldring, Rebecca; Taie, Soheyla; Riddles, Minsun

2014-01-01

This report presents selected findings from the Current Teacher and Former Teacher Data Files of the 2012-13 Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS). TFS is a nationally representative sample survey of public and private school K-12 teachers who participated in the previous year's Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). First fielded in school year 1988-89,…

School and Child Level Predictors of Academic Success for African American Children in Third Grade: Implications for No Child Left behind

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graves, Scott

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine correlates of being at expected grade level in reading in the third grade. Participants for this study were a nationally representative sample of African American children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K). Multilevel modeling was conducted to determine significant predictors of academic…

Extracurricular Activities: A Beneficial Extension of the Traditional Curriculum or a Subversion of Academic Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.

As part of the High School and Beyond study, students in a large nationally-representative sample were asked whether or not they had participated in each of a variety of extracurricular activities in their sophomore year (1980) and again in their senior year (1982) of high school. Data for 1984--2 years after the subjects graduated from high…

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Participation Among College Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Wei, Xin; Yu, Jennifer W.; Shattuck, Paul; McCracken, Mary; Blackorby, Jose

2012-01-01

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of students with an ASD in special education. Findings suggest that students with an ASD had the highest STEM participation rates although their college enrollment rate was the third lowest among 11 disability categories and students in the general population. Disproportionate postsecondary enrollment and STEM participation by gender, family income, and mental functioning skills were found for young adults with an ASD. Educational policy implications are discussed. PMID:23114569

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Wei, Xin; Yu, Jennifer W; Shattuck, Paul; McCracken, Mary; Blackorby, Jose

2013-07-01

Little research has examined the popular belief that individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely than the general population to gravitate toward science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2, a nationally representative sample of students with an ASD in special education. Findings suggest that students with an ASD had the highest STEM participation rates although their college enrollment rate was the third lowest among 11 disability categories and students in the general population. Disproportionate postsecondary enrollment and STEM participation by gender, family income, and mental functioning skills were found for young adults with an ASD. Educational policy implications are discussed.

Perception of facial esthetics by native Chinese participants by using manipulated digital imagery techniques.

PubMed

Maganzini, A L; Tseng, J Y; Epstein, J Z

2000-10-01

This investigation utilized a manipulated digital video imaging model to elicit profile facial esthetics preferences in a lay population of native Chinese participants from Beijing. A series of 4 distinct digitized distortions were constructed from an initial lateral cephalogram. These images represented skeletal or dental changes that differed by 2 standard deviations from the normative values for Chinese adults. Video morphing then created soft-tissue profiles. A series of nonparametric tests validated the digitized distortion model. The native Chinese participants in this sample found that the profile distortions most acceptable were the "flatter", or bimaxillary retrusive distortion, in the male stimulus face and the "anterior divergent", or maxillary deficiency, in the female stimulus face.

Development of a unique multi-contaminant air sampling device for a childhood asthma cohort in an agricultural environment.

PubMed

Armstrong, Jenna L; Fitzpatrick, Cole F; Loftus, Christine T; Yost, Michael G; Tchong-French, Maria; Karr, Catherine J

2013-09-01

This research describes the design, deployment, performance, and acceptability of a novel outdoor active air sampler to provide simultaneous measurements of multiple contaminants at timed intervals for the Aggravating Factors of Asthma in Rural Environment (AFARE) study-a longitudinal cohort of 50 children in Yakima Valley, Washington. The sampler was constructed of multiple sampling media connected to individual critical orifices and a rotary vane vacuum pump. It was connected to a timed control valve system to collect 24 hours samples every six days over 18 months. We describe a spatially representative approach with both quantitative and qualitative location criteria to deploy a network of 14 devices at participant residences in a rural region (20 × 60 km). Overall the sampler performed well, as the concurrent mean sample flow rates were within or above the ranges of recommended sampling rates for each exposure metric of interest. Acceptability was high among the study population of Hispanic farmworker participant households. The sampler design may prove useful for future urban and rural community-based studies with aims at collecting multiple contaminant data during specific time periods.

Associations between sports participation, adiposity and obesity-related health behaviors in Australian adolescents.

PubMed

Vella, Stewart A; Cliff, Dylan P; Okely, Anthony D; Scully, Maree L; Morley, Belinda C

2013-10-02

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organized sports participation, weight status, physical activity, screen time, and important food habits in a large nationally representative sample of Australian adolescents. Nationally representative cross-sectional study of 12,188 adolescents from 238 secondary schools aged between 12 and 17 years (14.47 ± 1.25 y, 53% male, 23% overweight/obese). Participation in organized sports, compliance with national physical activity, screen time, and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat foods were self-reported. Weight status and adiposity (BMI, waist circumference) were measured. Organized sports participation was higher among males and those residing in rural/remote areas. Underweight adolescents reported the lowest levels of participation. Higher levels of participation were associated with an increased likelihood of complying with national physical activity (OR = 2.07 [1.67-2.58]), screen time (OR = 1.48 [1.19-1.84]), and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines (OR = 1.32 [1.05-1.67]). There was no association between organized sport participation and weight status, adiposity, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or high-fat foods. Participation in organized sports was associated with a greater likelihood to engage in a cluster of health behaviors, including meeting physical activity guidelines, electronic screen time recommendations, and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines. However, participation in organized sports was not associated with unhealthy dietary behaviors including the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat foods. There is no association between participation in organized sports and likelihood to be overweight or obese. The role of sports in promoting healthy weight and energy balance is unclear.

Associations between sports participation, adiposity and obesity-related health behaviors in Australian adolescents

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between organized sports participation, weight status, physical activity, screen time, and important food habits in a large nationally representative sample of Australian adolescents. Methods Nationally representative cross-sectional study of 12,188 adolescents from 238 secondary schools aged between 12 and 17 years (14.47 ± 1.25 y, 53% male, 23% overweight/obese). Participation in organized sports, compliance with national physical activity, screen time, and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines, and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat foods were self-reported. Weight status and adiposity (BMI, waist circumference) were measured. Results Organized sports participation was higher among males and those residing in rural/remote areas. Underweight adolescents reported the lowest levels of participation. Higher levels of participation were associated with an increased likelihood of complying with national physical activity (OR = 2.07 [1.67-2.58]), screen time (OR = 1.48 [1.19-1.84]), and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines (OR = 1.32 [1.05-1.67]). There was no association between organized sport participation and weight status, adiposity, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages or high-fat foods. Conclusions Participation in organized sports was associated with a greater likelihood to engage in a cluster of health behaviors, including meeting physical activity guidelines, electronic screen time recommendations, and fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines. However, participation in organized sports was not associated with unhealthy dietary behaviors including the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and high-fat foods. There is no association between participation in organized sports and likelihood to be overweight or obese. The role of sports in promoting healthy weight and energy balance is unclear. PMID:24088327

Patterns of Childhood Abuse and Neglect in a Representative German Population Sample

PubMed Central

Schilling, Christoph; Weidner, Kerstin; Brähler, Elmar; Glaesmer, Heide; Häuser, Winfried; Pöhlmann, Karin

2016-01-01

Background Different types of childhood maltreatment, like emotional abuse, emotional neglect, physical abuse, physical neglect and sexual abuse are interrelated because of their co-occurrence. Different patterns of childhood abuse and neglect are associated with the degree of severity of mental disorders in adulthood. The purpose of this study was (a) to identify different patterns of childhood maltreatment in a representative German community sample, (b) to replicate the patterns of childhood neglect and abuse recently found in a clinical German sample, (c) to examine whether participants reporting exposure to specific patterns of child maltreatment would report different levels of psychological distress, and (d) to compare the results of the typological approach and the results of a cumulative risk model based on our data set. Methods In a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2010, a representative random sample of 2504 German participants aged between 14 and 92 years completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). General anxiety and depression were assessed by standardized questionnaires (GAD-2, PHQ-2). Cluster analysis was conducted with the CTQ-subscales to identify different patterns of childhood maltreatment. Results Three different patterns of childhood abuse and neglect could be identified by cluster analysis. Cluster one showed low values on all CTQ-scales. Cluster two showed high values in emotional and physical neglect. Only cluster three showed high values in physical and sexual abuse. The three patterns of childhood maltreatment showed different degrees of depression (PHQ-2) and anxiety (GAD-2). Cluster one showed lowest levels of psychological distress, cluster three showed highest levels of mental distress. Conclusion The results show that different types of childhood maltreatment are interrelated and can be grouped into specific patterns of childhood abuse and neglect, which are associated with differing severity of psychological distress in adulthood. The results correspond to those recently found in a German clinical sample and support a typological approach in the research of maltreatment. While cumulative risk models focus on the number of maltreatment types, the typological approach takes the number as well as the severity of the maltreatment types into account. Thus, specific patterns of maltreatment can be examined with regard to specific long-term psychological consequences. PMID:27442446

Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Paradies, Yin; Ben, Jehonathan; Denson, Nida; Elias, Amanuel; Priest, Naomi; Pieterse, Alex; Gupta, Arpana; Kelaher, Margaret; Gee, Gilbert

2015-01-01

Despite a growing body of epidemiological evidence in recent years documenting the health impacts of racism, the cumulative evidence base has yet to be synthesized in a comprehensive meta-analysis focused specifically on racism as a determinant of health. This meta-analysis reviewed the literature focusing on the relationship between reported racism and mental and physical health outcomes. Data from 293 studies reported in 333 articles published between 1983 and 2013, and conducted predominately in the U.S., were analysed using random effects models and mean weighted effect sizes. Racism was associated with poorer mental health (negative mental health: r = -.23, 95% CI [-.24,-.21], k = 227; positive mental health: r = -.13, 95% CI [-.16,-.10], k = 113), including depression, anxiety, psychological stress and various other outcomes. Racism was also associated with poorer general health (r = -.13 (95% CI [-.18,-.09], k = 30), and poorer physical health (r = -.09, 95% CI [-.12,-.06], k = 50). Moderation effects were found for some outcomes with regard to study and exposure characteristics. Effect sizes of racism on mental health were stronger in cross-sectional compared with longitudinal data and in non-representative samples compared with representative samples. Age, sex, birthplace and education level did not moderate the effects of racism on health. Ethnicity significantly moderated the effect of racism on negative mental health and physical health: the association between racism and negative mental health was significantly stronger for Asian American and Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants, and the association between racism and physical health was significantly stronger for Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants. Protocol PROSPERO registration number: CRD42013005464.

Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Paradies, Yin; Ben, Jehonathan; Denson, Nida; Elias, Amanuel; Priest, Naomi; Pieterse, Alex; Gupta, Arpana; Kelaher, Margaret; Gee, Gilbert

2015-01-01

Despite a growing body of epidemiological evidence in recent years documenting the health impacts of racism, the cumulative evidence base has yet to be synthesized in a comprehensive meta-analysis focused specifically on racism as a determinant of health. This meta-analysis reviewed the literature focusing on the relationship between reported racism and mental and physical health outcomes. Data from 293 studies reported in 333 articles published between 1983 and 2013, and conducted predominately in the U.S., were analysed using random effects models and mean weighted effect sizes. Racism was associated with poorer mental health (negative mental health: r = -.23, 95% CI [-.24,-.21], k = 227; positive mental health: r = -.13, 95% CI [-.16,-.10], k = 113), including depression, anxiety, psychological stress and various other outcomes. Racism was also associated with poorer general health (r = -.13 (95% CI [-.18,-.09], k = 30), and poorer physical health (r = -.09, 95% CI [-.12,-.06], k = 50). Moderation effects were found for some outcomes with regard to study and exposure characteristics. Effect sizes of racism on mental health were stronger in cross-sectional compared with longitudinal data and in non-representative samples compared with representative samples. Age, sex, birthplace and education level did not moderate the effects of racism on health. Ethnicity significantly moderated the effect of racism on negative mental health and physical health: the association between racism and negative mental health was significantly stronger for Asian American and Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants, and the association between racism and physical health was significantly stronger for Latino(a) American participants compared with African American participants. Protocol PROSPERO registration number: CRD42013005464. PMID:26398658

"They got their program, and I got mine": a cautionary tale concerning the ethical implications of using respondent-driven sampling to study injection drug users.

PubMed

Scott, Greg

2008-02-01

This article examines the ethical implications of using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to conduct HIV behaviour surveillance among injection drug users (IDUs) in Chicago. Ethnographic inquiry illustrates how the design and implementation of RDS invites if not promotes manifold violations of federal guidelines governing human research subject protections. Post hoc structured interviews with approximately 13% (n=70) of the behaviour surveillance sample (N=529) focused on how RDS's "dual incentive" structure affected participants' social, economic, and cultural milieu. Triangulated methods include interviews with owners of 20 "shooting galleries", unofficial and illegal locales where IDUs congregate and 400 h of traditional ethnographic observation of individual IDUs and IDU networks. "Consensus analysis" allows identification of key cultural domains that define the RDS coupon market. The study reveals the power of RDS to foment a stratified market of research participation that reinforces pre-existing economic and social inequalities among IDUs. Participants co-opted RDS to develop various "underground" revenue-generating modalities that produced differential risks and benefits among participants. Deleterious outcomes include false advertising regarding the study's risks and benefits, exploitation of relative economic deprivation, generation of sero-discordant social networks, and interpersonal and organised conflict, coercion, and violence. Although RDS may involve serious ethical violations it remains the best available means for accruing a representative sample of hidden populations. It is critical, however, to supplement RDS with research into (1) the subjects' cultural, social, economic, and political contexts, (2) the potential human subjects violations that participants experience, and (3) how these two issues might affect data integrity and interpretation.

The self-consistency model of subjective confidence.

PubMed

Koriat, Asher

2012-01-01

How do people monitor the correctness of their answers? A self-consistency model is proposed for the process underlying confidence judgments and their accuracy. In answering a 2-alternative question, participants are assumed to retrieve a sample of representations of the question and base their confidence on the consistency with which the chosen answer is supported across representations. Confidence is modeled by analogy to the calculation of statistical level of confidence (SLC) in testing hypotheses about a population and represents the participant's assessment of the likelihood that a new sample will yield the same choice. Assuming that participants draw representations from a commonly shared item-specific population of representations, predictions were derived regarding the function relating confidence to inter-participant consensus and intra-participant consistency for the more preferred (majority) and the less preferred (minority) choices. The predicted pattern was confirmed for several different tasks. The confidence-accuracy relationship was shown to be a by-product of the consistency-correctness relationship: It is positive because the answers that are consistently chosen are generally correct, but negative when the wrong answers tend to be favored. The overconfidence bias stems from the reliability-validity discrepancy: Confidence monitors reliability (or self-consistency), but its accuracy is evaluated in calibration studies against correctness. Simulation and empirical results suggest that response speed is a frugal cue for self-consistency, and its validity depends on the validity of self-consistency in predicting performance. Another mnemonic cue-accessibility, which is the overall amount of information that comes to mind-makes an added, independent contribution. Self-consistency and accessibility may correspond to the 2 parameters that affect SLC: sample variance and sample size.

A Longitudinal Study: Casino Gambling Attitudes, Motivations, and Gambling Patterns Among Urban Elders

PubMed Central

Lichtenberg, Peter A.; Templin, Thomas N.

2013-01-01

Guided by self-determination theory, the main purpose of this study was to explore demographic characteristics, attitudes toward casinos, and self-reported intrinsic and extrinsic reasons for casino gambling by urban elders. The study hypothesized that individuals would more frequently report intrinsic motivations for casino gambling (e.g., entertainment, enjoyment) rather than extrinsic motivation (e.g., financial gain). This longitudinal sample included 247 urban elders older who were 60 years and older and who had participated in surveys in 2002 and 2004. The initial survey consisted of (a) demographic items, (b) five items to measure attitudes toward casino gambling, (c) questions inquiring about motivations for casino gambling, and (d) questions about gambling frequency. The follow-up survey was an expanded questionnaire which still included these items. The sample consisted of the 247 participants, over 200 of whom were African-Americans, 188 were female, and 98 of the participants had a post graduate education. About half were widowed, and the sample generally reported a low income. The results supported the theoretical perspective underlying the project. The hypothesis that more participants would endorse intrinsic motivations for casino gambling rather than extrinsic motivations was supported. The implications of these findings represent for social workers, gambling counselors and health care services providers an important step toward understanding the attitudes, behaviors, and motivational factors involved in casino gambling among older adults. PMID:20549548

A longitudinal study: casino gambling attitudes, motivations, and gambling patterns among urban elders.

PubMed

Martin, Fayetta; Lichtenberg, Peter A; Templin, Thomas N

2011-06-01

Guided by self-determination theory, the main purpose of this study was to explore demographic characteristics, attitudes toward casinos, and self-reported intrinsic and extrinsic reasons for casino gambling by urban elders. The study hypothesized that individuals would more frequently report intrinsic motivations for casino gambling (e.g., entertainment, enjoyment) rather than extrinsic motivation (e.g., financial gain). This longitudinal sample included 247 urban elders older who were 60 years and older and who had participated in surveys in 2002 and 2004. The initial survey consisted of (a) demographic items, (b) five items to measure attitudes toward casino gambling, (c) questions inquiring about motivations for casino gambling, and (d) questions about gambling frequency. The follow-up survey was an expanded questionnaire which still included these items. The sample consisted of the 247 participants, over 200 of whom were African-Americans, 188 were female, and 98 of the participants had a post graduate education. About half were widowed, and the sample generally reported a low income. The results supported the theoretical perspective underlying the project. The hypothesis that more participants would endorse intrinsic motivations for casino gambling rather than extrinsic motivations was supported. The implications of these findings represent for social workers, gambling counselors and health care services providers an important step toward understanding the attitudes, behaviors, and motivational factors involved in casino gambling among older adults.

Blind prediction of cyclohexane-water distribution coefficients from the SAMPL5 challenge.

PubMed

Bannan, Caitlin C; Burley, Kalistyn H; Chiu, Michael; Shirts, Michael R; Gilson, Michael K; Mobley, David L

2016-11-01

In the recent SAMPL5 challenge, participants submitted predictions for cyclohexane/water distribution coefficients for a set of 53 small molecules. Distribution coefficients (log D) replace the hydration free energies that were a central part of the past five SAMPL challenges. A wide variety of computational methods were represented by the 76 submissions from 18 participating groups. Here, we analyze submissions by a variety of error metrics and provide details for a number of reference calculations we performed. As in the SAMPL4 challenge, we assessed the ability of participants to evaluate not just their statistical uncertainty, but their model uncertainty-how well they can predict the magnitude of their model or force field error for specific predictions. Unfortunately, this remains an area where prediction and analysis need improvement. In SAMPL4 the top performing submissions achieved a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) around 1.5 kcal/mol. If we anticipate accuracy in log D predictions to be similar to the hydration free energy predictions in SAMPL4, the expected error here would be around 1.54 log units. Only a few submissions had an RMSE below 2.5 log units in their predicted log D values. However, distribution coefficients introduced complexities not present in past SAMPL challenges, including tautomer enumeration, that are likely to be important in predicting biomolecular properties of interest to drug discovery, therefore some decrease in accuracy would be expected. Overall, the SAMPL5 distribution coefficient challenge provided great insight into the importance of modeling a variety of physical effects. We believe these types of measurements will be a promising source of data for future blind challenges, especially in view of the relatively straightforward nature of the experiments and the level of insight provided.

Blind prediction of cyclohexane-water distribution coefficients from the SAMPL5 challenge

PubMed Central

Bannan, Caitlin C.; Burley, Kalistyn H.; Chiu, Michael; Shirts, Michael R.; Gilson, Michael K.; Mobley, David L.

2016-01-01

In the recent SAMPL5 challenge, participants submitted predictions for cyclohexane/water distribution coefficients for a set of 53 small molecules. Distribution coefficients (log D) replace the hydration free energies that were a central part of the past five SAMPL challenges. A wide variety of computational methods were represented by the 76 submissions from 18 participating groups. Here, we analyze submissions by a variety of error metrics and provide details for a number of reference calculations we performed. As in the SAMPL4 challenge, we assessed the ability of participants to evaluate not just their statistical uncertainty, but their model uncertainty – how well they can predict the magnitude of their model or force field error for specific predictions. Unfortunately, this remains an area where prediction and analysis need improvement. In SAMPL4 the top performing submissions achieved a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) around 1.5 kcal/mol. If we anticipate accuracy in log D predictions to be similar to the hydration free energy predictions in SAMPL4, the expected error here would be around 1.54 log units. Only a few submissions had an RMSE below 2.5 log units in their predicted log D values. However, distribution coefficients introduced complexities not present in past SAMPL challenges, including tautomer enumeration, that are likely to be important in predicting biomolecular properties of interest to drug discovery, therefore some decrease in accuracy would be expected. Overall, the SAMPL5 distribution coefficient challenge provided great insight into the importance of modeling a variety of physical effects. We believe these types of measurements will be a promising source of data for future blind challenges, especially in view of the relatively straightforward nature of the experiments and the level of insight provided. PMID:27677750

Extracurricular participation and academic outcomes: testing the over-scheduling hypothesis.

PubMed

Fredricks, Jennifer A

2012-03-01

There is a growing concern that some youth are overscheduled in extracurricular activities, and that this increasing involvement has negative consequences for youth functioning. This article used data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS: 2002), a nationally representative and ethnically diverse longitudinal sample of American high school students, to evaluate this hypothesis (N = 13,130; 50.4% female). On average, 10th graders participated in between 2 and 3 extracurricular activities, for an average of 5 h per week. Only a small percentage of 10th graders reported participating in extracurricular activities at high levels. Moreover, a large percentage of the sample reported no involvement in school-based extracurricular contexts in the after-school hours. Controlling for some demographic factors, prior achievement, and school size, the breadth (i.e., number of extracurricular activities) and the intensity (i.e., time in extracurricular activities) of participation at 10th grade were positively associated with math achievement test scores, grades, and educational expectations at 12th grade. Breadth and intensity of participation at 10th grade also predicted educational status at 2 years post high school. In addition, the non-linear function was significant. At higher breadth and intensity, the academic adjustment of youth declined. Implications of the findings for the over-scheduling hypothesis are discussed.

Knowledge and attitude towards total knee arthroplasty among the public in Saudi Arabia: a nationwide population-based study.

PubMed

Al-Mohrej, Omar A; Alshammari, Faris O; Aljuraisi, Abdulrahman M; Bin Amer, Lujain A; Masuadi, Emad M; Al-Kenani, Nader S

2018-04-01

Studies on total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in Saudi Arabia are scarce, and none have reported the knowledge and attitude of the procedure in Saudi Arabia. Our study aims to measure the knowledge and attitude of TKA among the adult Saudi population. To encompass a representative sample of this cross-sectional survey, all 13 administrative areas were used as ready-made geographical clusters. For each cluster, stratified random sampling was performed to maximize participation in the study. In each area, random samples of mobile phone numbers were selected with a probability proportional to the administrative area population size. Sample size calculation was based on the assumption that 50% of the participants would have some level of knowledge, with a 2% margin of error and 95% confidence level. To reach our intended sample size of 1540, we contacted 1722 participants with a response rate of 89.4%. The expected percentage of public knowledge was 50%; however, the actual percentage revealed by this study was much lower (29.7%). A stepwise multiple logistic regression was used to assess the factors that positively affected the knowledge score regarding TKA. Age [P = 0.016 with OR of 0.47], higher income [P = 0.001 with OR of 0.52] and participants with a positive history of TKA or that have known someone who underwent the surgery [P < 0.001 with OR of 0.15] had a positive impact on the total knowledge score. There are still misconceptions among the public in Saudi Arabia concerning TKA, its indications and results. We recommend that doctors use the results of our survey to assess their conversations with their patients, and to determine whether the results of the procedure are adequately clarified.

Prevalence and correlates of survival sex among runaway and homeless youth.

PubMed

Greene, J M; Ennett, S T; Ringwalt, C L

1999-09-01

This study examined the prevalence and correlates of survival sex among runaway and homeless youths. A nationally representative sample of shelter youths and a multicity sample of street youths were interviewed. Approximately 28% of street youths and 10% of shelter youths reported having participated in survival sex, which was associated with age, days away from home, victimization, criminal behaviors, substance use, suicide attempts, sexually transmitted disease, and pregnancy. Intensive and ongoing services are needed to provide resources and residential assistance to enable runaway and homeless youths to avoid survival sex, which is associated with many problem behaviors.

Means-Tested Public Assistance Programs and Adolescent Political Socialization.

PubMed

Barnes, Carolyn Y; Hope, Elan C

2017-07-01

In recent years, scholars have pointed to the politically demobilizing effects of means-tested assistance programs on recipients. In this study, we bridge the insights from policy feedback literature and adolescent political socialization research to examine how receiving means-tested programs shapes parent influence on adolescent political participation. We argue that there are differences in pathways to political participation through parent political socialization and youth internal efficacy beliefs for adolescents from households that do or do not receive means-tested assistance. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 536 Black, Latino, and White adolescents (50.8% female), we find that adolescents from means-tested assistance households report less parent political socialization and political participation. For all youth, parent political socialization predicts adolescent political participation. Internal political efficacy is a stronger predictor of political participation for youth from a non-means-tested assistance household than it is for youth from a household receiving means-tested assistance. These findings provide some evidence of differential paths to youth political participation via exposure to means-tested programs.

Feasibility and quality development of biomaterials in the pretest studies of the German National Cohort.

PubMed

Kühn, A; Nieters, A; Köttgen, A; Goek, O N; Michels, K; Nöthlings, U; Jacobs, G; Meisinger, C; Pessler, F; Akmatov, M F; Kühnisch, J; Moebus, S; Glocker, E; Naus, S; Keimling, M; Leitzmann, M; Linseisen, J; Sarioglu, H; von Toerne, C; Hauck, S M; Wallaschofski, H; Wichmann, H E; Illig, Thomas

2014-11-01

The German National Cohort (GNC) is designed to address research questions concerning a wide range of possible causes of major chronic diseases (e.g. cancer, diabetes, infectious, allergic, neurologic and cardiovascular diseases) as well as to identify risk factors and prognostic biomarkers for early diagnosis and prevention of these diseases. The collection of biomaterials in combination with extensive information from questionnaires and medical examinations represents one of the central study components. In two pretest studies of the German National Cohort conducted between 2011 and 2013, a range of biomaterials from a defined number of participants was collected. Ten study centres were involved in pretest 1 and 18 study centres were involved in pretest 2. Standard operation procedures (SOP) were developed and evaluated to minimize pre-analytical artefacts during biosample collection. Within the pretest studies different aspects concerning feasibility of sample collection/preparation [pretest 1 (a)] and quality control of biomarkers and proteome analyses were investigated [pretest 1 (b), (c)]. Additionally, recruitment of study participants for specific projects and examination procedures of all study centres in a defined time period according to common standards as well as transportation and decentralized storage of biological samples were tested (pretest 2). These analyses will serve as the basis for the biomaterial collection in the main study of the GNC starting in 2014. Participants, randomly chosen from the population (n = 1000 subjects recruited at ten study sites in pretest 1) were asked to donate blood, urine, saliva and stool samples. Additionally, nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected at the study sites and nasal swabs were collected by the participants at home. SOPs for sample collection, preparation, storage and transportation were developed and adopted for pretest 2. In pretest 2, 18 study sites (n = 599 subjects) collected biomaterials mostly identical to pretest 1. Biomarker analyses to test the quality of the biomaterials were performed. In pretest 1 and 2, it was feasible to collect all biomaterials from nearly all invited participants without major problems. The mean response rate of the subjects was 95 %. As one important result we found for example that after blood draw the cellular fraction should be separated from the plasma and serum fractions during the first hour with no significant variation for up to 6 h at 4 ℃ for all analysed biomarkers. Moreover, quality control of samples using a proteomics approach showed no significant clustering of proteins according to different storage conditions. All developed SOPs were validated for use in the main study after some adaptation and modification. Additionally, electronic and paper documentation sheets were developed and tested to record time stamps, volumes, freezing times, and aliquot numbers of the collected biomaterials. The collection of the biomaterials was feasible without major problems at all participating study sites. However, the processing times were in some cases too long. To avoid pre-analytical artefacts in sample collection, appropriate standardisation among the study sites is necessary. To achieve this, blood and urine collection will have to be adapted to specific conditions of usage of liquid handling robots, which will be available at all participating study centres in the main study of the GNC. Strict compliance with the SOPs, thorough training of the staff and accurate documentation are mandatory to obtain high sample quality for later analyses. The so obtained biomaterials represent a valuable resource for research on infectious and other common complex diseases in the GNC.

Prevalence and Predictors of Bullying Behavior among Overweight and Obese Youth in a Nationally Representative Sample.

PubMed

Odar Stough, Cathleen; Merianos, Ashley; Nabors, Laura; Peugh, James

2016-08-01

Child and adolescent overweight and obesity are independent risk factors for poor social outcomes. Whether children who are overweight display greater bullying behaviors than normal weight peers, controlling for demographic and other social-ecological factors, was examined. The influence of child (e.g., mental health), family (e.g., income, parent mental health, and exposure to domestic violence), and community (e.g., exposure to neighborhood violence, unfair treatment based on race or ethnic group) factors on bullying risk in the subset of children who are overweight and obese was explored. We conducted a secondary data analysis of the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health, a cross-sectional study providing a nationally representative sample of participants, using a series of multinomial logistic regressions in Mplus software (Muthén & Muthén, Los Angeles, CA). Participants were 41,361 youth ages 10-17 years. Despite statistically significant differences in unadjusted analyses, no differences were found in bullying behavior by weight status once controlling for other factors. Child, family, and neighborhood factors predicted bullying behavior in both the overall sample and the subset of overweight and obese youth. However, some risk factors were unique to children who were overweight or obese. Children who are overweight or obese are not at greater risk for engaging in bullying behavior than normal weight peers. Health professionals targeting bullying behavior should be aware of the impact child, family, and neighborhood factors have on bullying by overweight and obese children and adolescents.

Automated Proposition Density Analysis for Discourse in Aphasia.

PubMed

Fromm, Davida; Greenhouse, Joel; Hou, Kaiyue; Russell, G Austin; Cai, Xizhen; Forbes, Margaret; Holland, Audrey; MacWhinney, Brian

2016-10-01

This study evaluates how proposition density can differentiate between persons with aphasia (PWA) and individuals in a control group, as well as among subtypes of aphasia, on the basis of procedural discourse and personal narratives collected from large samples of participants. Participants were 195 PWA and 168 individuals in a control group from the AphasiaBank database. PWA represented 6 aphasia types on the basis of the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised (Kertesz, 2006). Narrative samples were stroke stories for PWA and illness or injury stories for individuals in the control group. Procedural samples were from the peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich task. Language samples were transcribed using Codes for the Human Analysis of Transcripts (MacWhinney, 2000) and analyzed using Computerized Language Analysis (MacWhinney, 2000), which automatically computes proposition density (PD) using rules developed for automatic PD measurement by the Computerized Propositional Idea Density Rater program (Brown, Snodgrass, & Covington, 2007; Covington, 2007). Participants in the control group scored significantly higher than PWA on both tasks. PD scores were significantly different among the aphasia types for both tasks. Pairwise comparisons for both discourse tasks revealed that PD scores for the Broca's group were significantly lower than those for all groups except Transcortical Motor. No significant quadratic or linear association between PD and severity was found. Proposition density is differentially sensitive to aphasia type and most clearly differentiates individuals with Broca's aphasia from the other groups.

Quantitative evaluation of the CEEM soil sampling intercomparison.

PubMed

Wagner, G; Lischer, P; Theocharopoulos, S; Muntau, H; Desaules, A; Quevauviller, P

2001-01-08

The aim of the CEEM soil project was to compare and to test the soil sampling and sample preparation guidelines used in the member states of the European Union and Switzerland for investigations of background and large-scale contamination of soils, soil monitoring and environmental risk assessments. The results of the comparative evaluation of the sampling guidelines demonstrated that, in soil contamination studies carried out with different sampling strategies and methods, comparable results can hardly be expected. Therefore, a reference database (RDB) was established by the organisers, which acted as a basis for the quantitative comparison of the participants' results. The detected deviations were related to the methodological details of the individual strategies. The comparative evaluation concept consisted of three steps: The first step was a comparison of the participants' samples (which were both centrally and individually analysed) between each other, as well as with the reference data base (RDB) and some given soil quality standards on the level of concentrations present. The comparison was made using the example of the metals cadmium, copper, lead and zinc. As a second step, the absolute and relative deviations between the reference database and the participants' results (both centrally analysed under repeatability conditions) were calculated. The comparability of the samples with the RDB was categorised on four levels. Methods of exploratory statistical analysis were applied to estimate the differential method bias among the participants. The levels of error caused by sampling and sample preparation were compared with those caused by the analytical procedures. As a third step, the methodological profiles of the participants were compiled to concisely describe the different procedures used. They were related to the results to find out the main factors leading to their incomparability. The outcome of this evaluation process was a list of strategies and methods, which are problematic with respect to comparability, and should be standardised and/or specified in order to arrive at representative and comparable results in soil contamination studies throughout Europe. Pre-normative recommendations for harmonising European soil sampling guidelines and standard operating procedures have been outlined in Wagner G, Desules A, Muntau H, Theocharopoulos S. Comparative Evaluation of European Methods for Sampling and Sample Preparation of Soils for Inorganic Analysis (CEEM Soil). Final Report of the Contract SMT4-CT96-2085, Sci Total Environ 2001;264:181-186. Wagner G, Desaules A, Munatu H. Theocharopolous S, Quevauvaller Ph. Suggestions for harmonising sampling and sample pre-treatment procedures and improving quality assurance in pre-analytical steps of soil contamination studies. Paper 1.7 Sci Total Environ 2001b;264:103-118.

Factors determining the social participation of older adults: A comparison between Japan and Korea using EASS 2012.

PubMed

Katagiri, Keiko; Kim, Ju-Hyun

2018-01-01

Japan and Korea are the world's most aged and most rapidly aging nations. They both have low fertility rates, thereby intensifying the importance of social structures to aid a large, dependent population of older adults. Common strategies involve improving their social participation, which enhances their physical and mental health, so they are supporting society rather than being supported. Since the social participation rates in both countries are not as high as those of Western countries, it is critical to shed light on the factors related to social participation of the elderly. A secondary analyses were performed using Japanese and Korean data from the 2012 East Asia Social Survey (EASS), which includes nationally representative samples through random sampling. The analyses only include data from those 65 and older (Japan: N = 683, Korea: N = 362). Social participation is classified into four types: 1) no affiliation; 2) inactive participation; 3) active recreational; and 4) active social. The Japanese respondents had a higher participation rate than Koreans, but more Japanese were inactive. Though the rates of active participations were similar in both countries. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the related factors among the four types of social participation. Basic attributes (e.g., living alone) and other factors (e.g., network size) were included as independent variables. The results show that larger non-family networks were linked with increased social participation in both societies. Men were more vulnerable to engaging in no social activities and at a higher risk of social isolation in both countries. One difference between the two nations is that among the Japanese, people with higher social orientations engage in more active social type participation. This study reveals that non-kin social networks are important for social participation in Japan and Korea.

Best Practices for Building a Bimodal/Bilingual Child Language Corpus

PubMed Central

PICHLER, DEBORAH CHEN; HOCHGESANG, JULIE A.; LILLO-MARTIN, DIANE; REYNOLDS, WANETTE; DE QUADROS, RONICE MÜLLER

2017-01-01

This article addresses the special challenges associated with collecting longitudinal samples of the spontaneous sign language and spoken language production by young bimodal bilingual children. We discuss the methods used in our study of children in the United States and Brazil. Since one of our goals is to observe both sign language and speech, as well as any language mixing, it is important for us to address issues of language choice and techniques for directing the child participant toward primary use of the target language in each session. Suggestions and guidelines for achieving this in effective yet respectful ways are presented. We are especially dependent on the participation, flexibility, and direction of our participant children’s parents, who work with us to elicit samples that are genuinely representative of their children’s linguistic abilities. We illustrate our procedures for training parents and other interlocutors in data-collection sessions. In return for their generous participation in our research, we address parents’ questions and concerns about language development, especially in bimodal bilingual contexts. We take very seriously the need to negotiate with participants regarding their expectations for the use of the data they provide, and we abide by their wishes in this matter. The strategies presented here improve the quality of the investigations we can conduct by making the experiences of the participant families as pleasant as possible. PMID:28736476

Evaluation of self-reported skin problems among workers exposed to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) at a foam manufacturing facility.

PubMed

Daftarian, Helga S; Lushniak, Boris D; Reh, Christopher M; Lewis, Daniel M

2002-12-01

Toluene diisocyanate, or TDI (CAS 584-84-9) is a well-known asthmagen and respiratory irritant. TDI is also known for its ability to irritate the skin and mucous membranes. To further investigate the dermal effects of TDI, NIOSH investigators conducted a cross-sectional study at a flexible foam manufacturing plant. A total of 114 workers participated in the study. Participants completed a medical questionnaire, provided blood for antibody testing to TDI and other allergens, and a subset of participants reporting skin symptoms underwent skin patch testing to a standard diisocyanate panel. Production line workers were more than twice as likely to report skin problems as those working in nonproduction areas (PRR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.14-16.32; P = 0.02). Age, gender and duration of employment at the plant were comparable among participants working in production and nonproduction areas. Of the 100 participants who provided blood samples for antibody testing, specific IgG antibody to TDI was detected in two individuals, and none of the samples demonstrated specific IgE antibody to TDI. Of the 26 workers who underwent skin patch testing, none developed reactions to the diisocyanate allergens. These results suggest that the skin symptoms among study participants represent an irritant rather than an immunologic reaction to TDI, or to an unidentified allergen present in the foam.

Collaborating with consumer and community representatives in health and medical research in Australia: results from an evaluation.

PubMed

Payne, Janet M; D'Antoine, Heather A; France, Kathryn E; McKenzie, Anne E; Henley, Nadine; Bartu, Anne E; Elliott, Elizabeth J; Bower, Carol

2011-05-14

To collaborate with consumer and community representatives in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project from 2006-2008 http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/alcoholandpregnancy and evaluate researchers' and consumer and community representatives' perceptions of the process, context and impact of consumer and community participation in the project. We formed two reference groups and sought consumer and community representatives' perspectives on all aspects of the project over a three year period. We developed an evaluation framework and asked consumer and community representatives and researchers to complete a self-administered questionnaire at the end of the project. Fifteen researchers (93.8%) and seven (53.8%) consumer and community representatives completed a questionnaire. Most consumer and community representatives agreed that the process and context measures of their participation had been achieved. Both researchers and consumer and community representatives identified areas for improvement and offered suggestions how these could be improved for future research. Researchers thought consumer and community participation contributed to project outputs and outcomes by enhancing scientific and ethical standards, providing legitimacy and authority, and increasing the project's credibility and participation. They saw it was fundamental to the research process and acknowledged consumer and community representatives for their excellent contribution. Consumer and community representatives were able to directly influence decisions about the research. They thought that consumer and community participation had significant influence on the success of project outputs and outcomes. Consumer and community participation is an essential component of good research practice and contributed to the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project by enhancing research processes, outputs and outcomes, and this participation was valued by community and consumer representatives and researchers. The National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia expects researchers to work in partnership and involve consumer and community representatives in health and medical research, and to evaluate community and consumer participation. It is important to demonstrate whether consumer and community participation makes a difference to health and medical research.

Collaborating with consumer and community representatives in health and medical research in Australia: results from an evaluation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Objective To collaborate with consumer and community representatives in the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project from 2006-2008 http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/alcoholandpregnancy and evaluate researchers' and consumer and community representatives' perceptions of the process, context and impact of consumer and community participation in the project. Methods We formed two reference groups and sought consumer and community representatives' perspectives on all aspects of the project over a three year period. We developed an evaluation framework and asked consumer and community representatives and researchers to complete a self-administered questionnaire at the end of the project. Results Fifteen researchers (93.8%) and seven (53.8%) consumer and community representatives completed a questionnaire. Most consumer and community representatives agreed that the process and context measures of their participation had been achieved. Both researchers and consumer and community representatives identified areas for improvement and offered suggestions how these could be improved for future research. Researchers thought consumer and community participation contributed to project outputs and outcomes by enhancing scientific and ethical standards, providing legitimacy and authority, and increasing the project's credibility and participation. They saw it was fundamental to the research process and acknowledged consumer and community representatives for their excellent contribution. Consumer and community representatives were able to directly influence decisions about the research. They thought that consumer and community participation had significant influence on the success of project outputs and outcomes. Conclusions Consumer and community participation is an essential component of good research practice and contributed to the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project by enhancing research processes, outputs and outcomes, and this participation was valued by community and consumer representatives and researchers. The National Health and Medical Research Council in Australia expects researchers to work in partnership and involve consumer and community representatives in health and medical research, and to evaluate community and consumer participation. It is important to demonstrate whether consumer and community participation makes a difference to health and medical research. PMID:21569591

The Nation's Report Card[TM]: Mathematics 2007 Performance of Public School Students in Puerto Rico--Focus on the Content Areas. NCES 2009-451

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dion, G. S.; Kuang, M.; Dresher, A. R.

2008-01-01

In 2007, public school students in Puerto Rico at grades 4 and 8 participated in a Spanish-language version of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. A representative sample of approximately 2,800 students from 100 public schools was assessed at each grade. This report contains performance results on NAEP…

Gender Differences in Associations between Exposure to School HIV Education and Protective Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Disease/HIV Diagnosis among High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raj, Anita; Decker, Michele R.; Murray, Jessica E.; Silverman, Jay G.

2007-01-01

This study aimed to assess associations between school HIV education and protective sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV diagnosis with a representative sample of male and female high school students. Data from male and female adolescent participants in the 1999, 2001 and 2003 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n =…

Chlamyweb Study I: rationale, design and acceptability of an internet-based chlamydia testing intervention.

PubMed

Lydié, Nathalie; de Barbeyrac, Bertille; Bluzat, Lucile; Le Roy, Chloé; Kersaudy-Rahib, Delphine

2017-05-01

In recent years, the internet has widely facilitated Chlamydia trachomatis home-sampling. In France (2012), the Chlamyweb Study evaluated an intervention (Chlamyweb) involving home-based self-sampling via the internet. One element of the study consisted of a randomised controlled trial (RCT), which is reported in detail elsewhere. The focus of this paper, however, is on describing the Chlamyweb Intervention and reporting on the non-RCT element of the evaluation of that intervention by the Chlamyweb Study. This involves (1) describing the design and roll-out of the Chlamyweb Intervention, (2) comparing the socio-behavioural profiles of the participants in the intervention with a nationally representative general population sample and (3) examining the factors that influence the acceptance and return of a self-sampling kit supplied to participants in the course of the intervention. Self-sampling kits were offered to sexually active people aged 18-24 years living on the mainland French. Participants' characteristics were compared with the general population to describe recruited and participant populations. Multivariate analyses by conditional logistic regression were performed to determine factors that were predictors of kit acceptation and use. 7215 people aged 18-24 years were included. Compared with the general population, Chlamyweb reached larger proportions of women, younger people and people with several partners in the previous year. 3372 (46.7%) agreed to receive a self-sampling kit and 2084 (61.8%) returned it, with more women doing so than men. The participation rate was associated with age, place of birth, occupational status, number of partners and condom use, differently for men and women. The offer of easy-to-use, self-sampling kits free of charge appeared to be a logistically feasible strategy for testing in France and reached a large and diverse population including individuals who have limited access to the traditional healthcare system. AFFSAPS n° IDRCB 0211-A01000-41; pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Age biases in a large HIV and sexual behaviour-related internet survey among MSM.

PubMed

Marcus, Ulrich; Hickson, Ford; Weatherburn, Peter; Schmidt, Axel J

2013-09-10

Behavioural data from MSM are usually collected in non-representative convenience samples, increasingly on the internet. Epidemiological data from such samples might be useful for comparisons between countries, but are subject to unknown participation biases. Self-reported HIV diagnoses from participants of the European MSM Internet Survey (EMIS) living in the Czech Republic, Germany, The Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the United Kingdom were compared with surveillance data, for both the overall diagnosed prevalence and for new diagnoses made in 2009. Country level prevalence and new diagnoses rates per 100 MSM were calculated based on an assumed MSM population size of 3% of the adult male population. Survey-surveillance discrepancies (SSD) for survey participation, diagnosed HIV prevalence and new HIV diagnoses were determined as ratios of proportions. Results are calculated and presented by 5-year age groups for MSM aged 15-64. Surveillance derived estimates of diagnosed HIV prevalence among MSM aged 15-64 ranged from 0.63% in the Czech Republic to 4.93% in The Netherlands. New HIV diagnoses rates ranged between 0.10 per 100 MSM in the Czech Republic and 0.48 per 100 in The Netherlands. Self-reported rates from EMIS were consistently higher, with prevalence ranging from 2.68% in the Czech Republic to 12.72% in The Netherlands, and new HIV diagnoses rates from 0.36 per 100 in Sweden to 1.44 per 100 in The Netherlands. Across age groups, the survey surveillance discrepancies (SSD) for new HIV diagnoses were between 1.93 in UK and 5.95 in the Czech Republic, and for diagnosed prevalence between 1.80 in Germany and 4.26 in the Czech Republic.Internet samples of MSM were skewed towards younger age groups when compared to an age distribution of the general adult male population. Survey-surveillance discrepancies (SSD) for EMIS participation were inverse u-shaped across the age range. The two HIV-related SSD were u- or j-shaped with higher values for the very young and for older MSM. The highest discrepancies between survey and surveillance data regarding HIV-prevalence were observed in the oldest age group in Sweden and the youngest age group in Portugal. Internet samples are biased towards a lower median age because younger men are over-represented on MSM dating websites and therefore may be more likely to be recruited into surveys. Men diagnosed with HIV were over-represented in the internet survey, and increasingly so in the older age groups. A similar effect was observed in the age groups younger than 25 years. Self-reported peak prevalence and peak HIV diagnoses rates are often shifted to higher age groups in internet samples compared to surveillance data. Adjustment for age-effects on online accessibility should be considered when linking data from internet surveys with surveillance data.

Prevalence and correlates of elder mistreatment in South Carolina: the South Carolina elder mistreatment study.

PubMed

Amstadter, Ananda B; Zajac, Kristyn; Strachan, Martha; Hernandez, Melba A; Kilpatrick, Dean G; Acierno, Ron

2011-10-01

The purposes of this study were to (a) derive prevalence estimates for elder mistreatment (emotional, physical, sexual, neglectful, and financial mistreatment of older adults [age 60 +]) in a randomly selected sample of South Carolinians; (b) examine correlates (i.e., potential risk factors) of mistreatment; and (c) examine incident characteristics of mistreatment events. Random Digit Dialing (RDD) was used to derive a representative sample in terms of age and gender; computer-assisted telephone interviewing was used to standardize collection of demographic, correlate, and mistreatment data. Prevalence estimates and mistreatment correlates were obtained and subjected to logistic regression. A total of 902 participants provided data. Prevalence for mistreatment types (since age 60) were 12.9% emotional, 2.1% physical, 0.3% sexual, 5.4% potential neglect, and 6.6% financial exploitation by family member. The most consistent correlates of mistreatment across abuse types were low social support and needing assistance with daily living activities. One in 10 participants reported either emotional, physical, sexual, or neglectful mistreatment within the past year, and 2 in 10 reported mistreatment since age 60. Across categories, the most consistent correlate of mistreatment was low social support, representing an area toward which preventive intervention may be directed with significant public health implications.

Detecting Beer Intake by Unique Metabolite Patterns.

PubMed

Gürdeniz, Gözde; Jensen, Morten Georg; Meier, Sebastian; Bech, Lene; Lund, Erik; Dragsted, Lars Ove

2016-12-02

Evaluation of the health related effects of beer intake is hampered by the lack of accurate tools for assessing intakes (biomarkers). Therefore, we identified plasma and urine metabolites associated with recent beer intake by untargeted metabolomics and established a characteristic metabolite pattern representing raw materials and beer production as a qualitative biomarker of beer intake. In a randomized, crossover, single-blinded meal study (MSt1), 18 participants were given, one at a time, four different test beverages: strong, regular, and nonalcoholic beers and a soft drink. Four participants were assigned to have two additional beers (MSt2). In addition to plasma and urine samples, test beverages, wort, and hops extract were analyzed by UPLC-QTOF. A unique metabolite pattern reflecting beer metabolome, including metabolites derived from beer raw material (i.e., N-methyl tyramine sulfate and the sum of iso-α-acids and tricyclohumols) and the production process (i.e., pyro-glutamyl proline and 2-ethyl malate), was selected to establish a compliance biomarker model for detection of beer intake based on MSt1. The model predicted the MSt2 samples collected before and up to 12 h after beer intake correctly (AUC = 1). A biomarker model including four metabolites representing both beer raw materials and production steps provided a specific and accurate tool for measurement of beer consumption.

Skill-related differences between athletes and nonathletes in speed discrimination.

PubMed

Thomson, Kaivo; Watt, Anthony; Liukkonen, Jarmo

2008-12-01

This study examined differences in decision-making time and accurscy as attributes of speed discrimination between participants skilled and less skilled in ball games. A total of 130 men, ages 18 to 28 years (M=21.2, SD=2.6), participated. The athlete sample (skilled group) comprised Estonian National League volleyball (n=26) and basketball players (n=27). The nonathlete sample (less skilled group) included 77 soldiers of the Estonian Defence Force with no reported top level experience in ball games. Speed-discrimination stimuli were images of red square shapes presented moving along the sagittal axis at four different virtual velocities on a computer (PC) screen which represented the frontal plane. Analysis indicated that only decision-making time was significantly different between the elite athlete and nonathlete groups. This finding suggests a possible effect of ball-game skills for decision-making time in speed discrimination.

Manufactured and roll-your-own cigarettes: A changing pattern of smoking in Barcelona, Spain.

PubMed

Sureda, Xisca; Fu, Marcela; Martínez-Sánchez, Jose M; Martínez, Cristina; Ballbé, Montse; Pérez-Ortuño, Raúl; Saltó, Esteve; Pascual, José A; Fernández, Esteve

2017-05-01

The objectives of the present study were to describe smoking prevalence and compare the smoking attributes of adult smokers according to the type of tobacco product consumed. Repeated cross-sectional surveys (2004-2005 and 2011-2012) of a representative sample of the adult (≥16 years) population in Barcelona, Spain, were used to assess self-reported tobacco consumption, smoking attributes, and salivary cotinine concentration. The survey conducted in 2004-2005 included information on 1245 subjects and the survey in 2011-2012 on 1307 individuals. Smoking prevalence decreased over the study period (from 26.6% to 24.1% in self-reported daily smokers). The prevalence of daily smokers who reported the use of manufactured cigarettes declined from 23.7% in 2004-2005 to 17.3% in 2011-2012. The prevalence of roll-your-own cigarette users increased from 0.4% to 3.7%. According to data obtained in 2011-2012, the proportion of self-reported roll-your-own cigarette users was higher among men (19.8% vs. 9.5% of women), participants aged 16-44 years (22.9% vs. 5.8% of participants aged 45-65 years and 4.0% of participants aged ≥65 years), and participants with secondary and university education (17.7% and 18.5% vs. 7.9% of participants with less than primary and primary education). We did not observe differences in cotinine concentrations according to the type of tobacco product consumed. Systematic collection of data on smoking prevalence and smoker attributes from representative samples of the population is necessary for policymakers to develop efficient tobacco control interventions. Considering the increase of roll-your-own cigarette users and the unclear health consequences of their use, policymakers should aim to implement tax policies to equalize the prices of different types of tobacco products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meaning in life and perceived quality of life in Switzerland: results of a representative survey in the German, French and Italian regions.

PubMed

Bernard, Mathieu; Braunschweig, Giliane; Fegg, Martin Johannes; Borasio, Gian Domenico

2015-09-29

The concept of meaning in life (MIL) has become a central one in recent years, particularly in psycho-oncology and palliative care. The Schedule for Meaning in Life Evaluation (SMILE) has been developed to allow individuals to choose the life areas that they consider to be important for their own MIL. This approach relates to the "World Health Organisation" definition of quality of life (QOL) as an individual's perception of his own position. The aims of this study were (i) to assess MIL in a representative sample of the Swiss population according to the three linguistic regions and (ii) to evaluate whether MIL constitutes a significant determinant of the perceived QOL. A telephone survey of the Swiss population, performed by a professional survey company, was conducted between November and December 2013. The interview included the SMILE, perceived QOL (0-10) and health status (1-5), and various sociodemographic variables. In the SMILE, an index of weighting (IOW, 20-100), an index of satisfaction (IOS, 0-100), and a total SMILE index (IOWS, 0-100) are calculated from the areas mentioned by the participants as providing MIL. Among the 6671 telephonic contacts realized, 1015 (15%) participants completed the survey: 405 French, 400 German and 210 Italian participants. "Family" (80.2%), "occupation/work" (51%), and "social relations" (43.3%) were the most cited MIL-relevant categories. Italian participants listed "health" more frequently than German and French participants (50.4% vs 31.5% and 24.8% respectively, χ(2) = 12.229, p = .002). Age, gender, education, employment, and marital status significantly influenced either the MIL scores or the MIL-relevant categories. Linear regression analyses indicate that 24.3% of the QOL variance (p = .000) is explained by health status (B = .609, IC = .490-.728, p = .000), MIL (B = .034, IC = .028-.041, p = .000) and socioeconomic status (F = 11.01, p = .000). The major finding of our analysis highlights the positive and significant influence of MIL on the perceived QOL in a representative sample of a general, multilingual and multicultural population. This result indicates that the existential dimension is not only determinant for QOL in some critical life events, as shown e.g. in psycho-oncology and palliative care, but also in everyday life.

Evaluating tablet computers as a survey tool in rural communities.

PubMed

Newell, Steve M; Logan, Henrietta L; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G; Shepperd, James A

2015-01-01

Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants' responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida's state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants' usability ratings. Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

One practice's experiment in refusing detail rep visits.

PubMed

Evans, David V; Hartung, Daniel M; Andeen, Gabriel; Mahler, Jo; Haxby, Dean G; Kraemer, Dale F; Fagnan, Lyle J

2011-08-01

The physician-pharmaceutical industry relationship has come under increasing scrutiny. Little guidance exists concerning how smaller practices should manage this relationship.In 2006, Madras Medical Group, a small family practice in rural Oregon, implemented a policy prohibiting visits from representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and the acceptance of drug samples. This qualitative study documents the attitudes of clinic personnel in response to this policy. Semistructured interviews were conducted using standardized questions related to 4 areas of policy perception: verification of policy decision, impact on clinic operations,influence of pharmaceutical industry, and lessons to share. Common themes were identified. Three physicians and 3 nurses participated in the study. There was consensus on the existence and effectiveness of the clinic policy. Key themes identified from both groups of interviewees included the perception of enhanced clinic operation after eliminating interruptions from pharmaceutical representatives, positive response from the public, and reduced diversion of samples for personal use. Clinicians interviewed agreed that samples were of questionable benefit,that information obtained from industry representatives was incomplete or of questionable veracity or objectivity, and that it was helpful to substitute other drug information sources and clinic-sponsored lunches for past industry offerings. In this case study, a policy prohibiting pharmaceutical representatives from a small family practice was well accepted and a source of pride among physicians and nurses. Other clinics wishing to enact a similar policy may wish to supplement their efforts by proactively using other sources of drug information.

Has Adolescent Suicidality Decreased in the United States? Data From Two National Samples of Adolescents Interviewed in 1995 and 2005

PubMed Central

Wolitzky-Taylor, Kate B.; Ruggiero, Kenneth J.; McCart, Michael R.; Smith, Daniel W.; Hanson, Rochelle F.; Resnick, Heidi S.; de Arellano, Michael A.; Saunders, Benjamin E.; Kilpatrick, Dean G.

2011-01-01

We compared the prevalence and correlates of adolescent suicidal ideation and attempts in two nationally representative probability samples of adolescents interviewed in 1995 (National Survey of Adolescents; N =4,023) and 2005 (National Survey of Adolescents-Replication; N =3,614). Participants in both samples completed a telephone survey that assessed major depressive episode (MDE), post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation and attempts, violence exposure, and substance use. Results demonstrated that the lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation among adolescents was lower in 2005 than 1995, whereas the prevalence of suicide attempts remained stable. MDE was the strongest predictor of suicidality in both samples. In addition, several demographic, substance use, and violence exposure variables were significantly associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation and attempts in both samples, with female gender, nonexperimental drug use, and direct violence exposure being consistent risk factors in both samples. PMID:20390799

[Prevalence of Variants in the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) Gene in a General Population of Adults from an Urban Area of Medellin (Antioquia)].

PubMed

Arango Viana, Juan Carlos; Valencia, Ana Victoria; Páez, Ana Lucía; Montoya Gómez, Nilton; Palacio, Carlos; Arbeláez, María Patricia; Bedoya Berrío, Gabriel; García Valencia, Jenny

2014-01-01

To determine the allelic and genotype frequencies of apolipoproteine E (APOE) gene in a representative sample of the adult population of Medellin in 2010. A representative sample of the adult population of Medellin, was obtained by means of a multi-stage, stratified, conglomerate based sampling method. APOE genotyping was carried out on each of the participants. The sampling design was taken into consideration for the frequencies and association analysis. The frequencies of the APOE alleles E2, E3 and E4 were 3.9, 92.0 and 4.1%, respectively. The frequencies of the different APOE genotypes were as follows: 2/2, 0.2%; 2/3, 6.8%; 2/4, 0.6%; 3/3, 85.0%; 3/4, 7.2%, and 4/4, 0.3%. The allelic and genotype frequencies of APOE in an adult population of Medellin did not differ substantially from other series reported in South America. These data are important to determine the real impact of APOE on the population risk of several psychiatric diseases. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

EML Gamma Spectrometry Data Evaluation Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Decker, Karin M.

1998-02-28

This report represents the results of the analyses for the second EML Gamma Spectrometry Data Evaluation Program (August 1997). A calibration spectrum, a background spectrum and three sample spectra were included for each software format as part of the evaluation. The calibration spectrum contained nuclides covering the range from 59.5 keV to 1836 keV. The participants were told fallout and fission product nuclides as well as naturally occurring nuclides could be present. The samples were designed to test the detection and quantification of very low levels of nuclides and the ability of the software and user to properly resolve multiplets.more » The participants were asked to report values and uncertainties as Becquerel per sample with no decay correction. Twenty-nine sets of results were reported from a total of 70 laboratories who received the spectra. The percentage of the results within 1 F of the expected value was 76, 67, and 55 for samples 1, 2, and 3, respectively. From all three samples, 12% of the results were more than 3 F from the expected value. Sixty-two nuclides out of a total of 580 expected results were not reported for the three samples. Sixty percent of these false negatives were due to nuclides which were present at the minimum detectable activity level. There were 53 false positives reported with 60% of the responses due to problems with background subtraction. The results indicate that the Program is beneficial to the participating laboratories in that it provides them with analysis problems that are difficult to create with spiked samples due to the unavailability of many nuclides and the short half-lives of others. EML will continue its annual distribution, the third is to be held in March 1999.« less

Health anxiety in obsessive compulsive disorder and obsessive compulsive symptoms in severe health anxiety: An investigation of symptom profiles.

PubMed

Hedman, Erik; Ljótsson, Brjánn; Axelsson, Erland; Andersson, Gerhard; Rück, Christian; Andersson, Erik

2017-01-01

Severe health anxiety (SHA) shares features with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and in recent years there has been a debate as to whether the two disorders may represent two facets of the same condition. Few studies have however investigated the overlap and differences in symptom profiles between the disorders. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate these aspects using one sample of participants with a principal diagnosis of SHA and one sample of participants with a principal OCD diagnosis. The second aim was to examine differences in improvement trajectories on measures of health anxiety and OCD symptoms in patients with SHA receiving treatment with exposure and response prevention. We compared persons participating in clinical trials with a principal diagnosis of SHA (N=290) to persons with a principal diagnosis of OCD (n=95) on measures of health anxiety, OCD symptoms, and depressive symptoms. A subsample of SHA participants (n=99) received exposure and response prevention (ERP) for SHA over 12 weeks and was assessed at baseline and post-treatment. The results showed large and significant differences between SHA and OCD patients on measures of health anxiety (ds=2.99-3.09) and OCD symptoms (ds=1.64-2.14), while they had equivalent levels of depressive symptoms (d=0.19, 95% CI [-0.04, 0.43]). In the SHA sample 7.6% had comorbid OCD, and in the OCD sample 9.5% had SHA. For participants with a principal diagnosis of SHA, ERP led to large reductions of health anxiety, but effects on OCD symptoms were small to moderate. Among participants with comorbid OCD, effect sizes were large on measures of health anxiety and moderate to large on OCD measures. We conclude that SHA and OCD are separate psychiatric disorders with limited overlap in symptom profiles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Participation of migrants in health surveys conducted by telephone: potential and limits].

PubMed

Schenk, L; Neuhauser, H

2005-10-01

Migrants living in Germany are a both large and vulnerable population subgroup. They are not easily induced to participate in health surveys, Hence, achieving high participation rates of migrants in health surveys and avoiding selection bias is a difficult task. In this study, we report on the participation of migrants in the German National Health Telephone Survey 2003 (GSTel03), the first comprehensive national health survey conducted by telephone in Germany. Three migrant groups were identified: individuals with non-German citizenship (foreigners), naturalized migrants, and ethnic German immigrants (Spätaussiedler). The aim of this study is to evaluate the degree to which the GSTel03 subsample of foreigners is representative for foreigners living in Germany. We compare the prevalence of sociodemographic characteristics and selected health indicators of foreigners in the GNTel03 subsample with prevalences from national statistics and from a large national household survey ("Mikrozensus 2003"). The proportion of participants with non-German nationality in the overall GSTel03 sample was significantly lower than the proportion of foreigners in the residential population in Germany (3.7 % vs. 8.9 %). While there was no evidence of selection bias with regard to age and sex distribution, we found significant differences with regard to other factors, including nationality, length of stay in Germany, unemployment rate and education. The comparison of health indicators showed only moderate differences between GSTel03 sample and "Mikrozensus" results. However, these differences did not consistently point to a better or worse health status in the GSTel03 sample of foreigners and should therefore not be generalised in respect of other health indicators. Our study emphasises the importance of a continuous effort to improve migrant participation in health studies and of a thorough analysis of selection bias when interpreting results.

Associations between sensory loss and social networks, participation, support, and loneliness: Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

PubMed

Mick, Paul; Parfyonov, Maksim; Wittich, Walter; Phillips, Natalie; Kathleen Pichora-Fuller, M

2018-01-01

To determine if hearing loss, vision loss, and dual sensory loss were associated with social network diversity, social participation, availability of social support, and loneliness, respectively, in a population-based sample of older Canadians and to determine whether age or sex modified the associations. Cross-sectional population-based study. Canada. The sample included 21 241 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging tracking cohort. The sample was nationally representative of English- and French-speaking, non-institutionalized 45- to 89-year-old Canadians who did not live on First Nations reserves and who had normal cognition. Participants with missing data for any of the variables in the multivariable regression models were excluded from analysis. Hearing and vision loss were determined by self-report. Dual sensory loss was defined as reporting both hearing and vision loss. Univariate analyses were performed to assess cross-sectional associations between hearing, vision, and dual sensory loss, and social, demographic, and medical variables. Multivariable regression models were used to analyze cross-sectional associations between each type of sensory loss and social network diversity, social participation, availability of social support, and loneliness. Vision loss (in men) and dual sensory loss (in 65- to 85-year-olds) were independently associated with reduced social network diversity. Vision loss and dual sensory loss (in 65- to 85-year-olds) were each independently associated with reduced social participation. All forms of sensory loss were associated with both low availability of social support and loneliness. Sensory impairment is associated with reduced social function in older Canadians. Interventions and research that address the social needs of older individuals with sensory loss are needed. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

Linkage of a Population-Based Cohort With Primary Data Collection to Medicare Claims: The Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study.

PubMed

Xie, Fenglong; Colantonio, Lisandro D; Curtis, Jeffrey R; Safford, Monika M; Levitan, Emily B; Howard, George; Muntner, Paul

2016-10-01

We described the linkage of primary data with administrative claims using the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study and Medicare. REGARDS study data were linked with Medicare claims by use of Social Security numbers. We compared REGARDS participants by Medicare linkage status, having fee-for-service (FFS) coverage or not, and with a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries who had FFS coverage in 2005, overall, by age (45-64 and ≥65 years), and by race. Among REGARDS participants who were ≥65 years of age, 80% had data linked to Medicare on their study-visit date (64% with FFS coverage). No differences except race and sex were present between REGARDS participants without Medicare linkage and those with data linked to Medicare with and without FFS coverage. After the age-sex-race adjustment, comorbid conditions and health-care utilization were similar for those with FFS coverage in the REGARDS study and the 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries. Among REGARDS participants aged 45-64 years, 11% had FFS coverage on their study-visit date. In this age group, differences were present between participants with and without FFS coverage and the Medicare 5% sample with FFS coverage. In conclusion, REGARDS participants aged ≥65 years with FFS coverage are representative of the study cohort and the US population aged ≥65 years with FFS coverage. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adolescent Summer Care Arrangements and Risk for Obesity the Following School Year

PubMed Central

Mahoney, Joseph L.

2010-01-01

This longitudinal study identified common summer care arrangements for adolescents and examined whether those arrangements predicted risk for obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile for age and gender) the following school year. Participants were a nationally representative sample of 1,766 adolescents ages 10–18 from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics-Child Development Supplement. Results showed that, beyond measures of BMI taken before the summer and several demographic aspects known to predict obesity, youth whose summer arrangements involved regular participation in organized activities (e.g., sports) showed significantly lower risk for obesity than other youth. This was most evident during early adolescence. Youth whose regular summer arrangement was predominated by parent care without organized activity participation showed the greatest risk for obesity. PMID:20863556

Missing the Party: Political Categorization and Reasoning in the Absence of Party Label Cues.

PubMed

Heit, Evan; Nicholson, Stephen P

2016-07-01

This research addressed theoretical approaches in political science arguing that the American electorate is either poorly informed or dependent on party label cues, by assessing performance on political judgment tasks when party label information is missing. The research materials were created from the results of a national opinion survey held during a national election. The experiments themselves were run on nationally representative samples of adults, identified from another national electoral survey. Participants saw profiles of simulated individuals, including information about demographics and issue positions, but omitting party labels. In Experiment 1, participants successfully judged the likelihood of party membership based on the profiles. In Experiment 2, participants successfully voted based on their party interests. The results were mediated by participants' political knowledge. Conclusions are drawn with respect to theories from political science and issues in cognitive science regarding categorization and reasoning. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

UK population norms for the modified dental anxiety scale with percentile calculator: adult dental health survey 2009 results

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A recent UK population survey of oral health included questions to assess dental anxiety to provide mean and prevalence estimates of this important psychological construct. Methods A two-stage cluster sample was used for the survey across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The survey took place between October-December 2009, and January-April 2010. All interviewers were trained on survey procedures. Within the 7,233 households sampled there were 13,509 adults who were asked to participate in the survey and 11,382 participated (84%). Results The scale was reliable and showed some evidence of unidimensionality. Estimated proportion of participants with high dental anxiety (cut-off score = 19) was 11.6%. Percentiles and confidence intervals were presented and can be estimated for individual patients across various age ranges and gender using an on-line tool. Conclusions The largest reported data set on the MDAS from a representative UK sample was presented. The scale’s psychometrics is supportive for the routine assessment of patient dental anxiety to compare against a number of major demographic groups categorised by age and sex. Practitioners within the UK have a resource to estimate the rarity of a particular patient’s level of dental anxiety, with confidence intervals, when using the on-line percentile calculator. PMID:23799962

Environmental contamination with methotrexate in Canadian community pharmacies.

PubMed

Merger, Delphine; Tanguay, Cynthia; Langlois, Éric; Lefebvre, Michel; Bussières, Jean-François

2013-01-01

To evaluate environmental contamination with methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, and ifosfamide in Quebec, Canada, community pharmacies and to describe hazardous drug handling practices in these pharmacies. Three standardized sites were sampled in each participating community pharmacy. Samples were analyzed for the presence of cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and methotrexate by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The limits of detection were 0.10, 0.12, and 0.41 ng/mL for cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, and methotrexate, respectively. Nine working practices were assessed. 20 community pharmacies participated in the study, and 60 samples were analyzed. No traces of cyclophosphamide or ifosfamide were detected. Traces of methotrexate were found in 12 of 20 pharmacies (60%). Of the 20 pharmacies, 8 (40%) had a storage space reserved for hazardous drugs and none had a preparation area reserved for handling methotrexate tablets. All of the participating community pharmacies had a tablet counter reserved for the handling of hazardous drugs, and all pharmacies cleaned their tablet counter reserved for handling hazardous drugs after use. None of the pharmacies cut or crushed methotrexate tablets. The growing number of hazardous drugs represents a challenge for community pharmacies. Community pharmacists must be made aware of their presence and the need to comply with personal protection measures to reduce staff occupational exposure to hazardous drugs.

Childhood victimization experiences of young adults in St. Petersburg, Russia.

PubMed

Bogolyubova, Olga; Skochilov, Roman; Smykalo, Lyubov

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of childhood victimization experiences in a sample of young adults in St. Petersburg, Russia. The study sample included 743 students aged 19 to 25 from 15 universities in St. Petersburg, Russia. All of the study participants completed a reliable questionnaire assessing the following types of childhood victimization: conventional crime, child maltreatment, peer victimization, sexual victimization, and witnessing violence. Participation in the study was anonymous. High rates of victimization and exposure to violence were reported by the study participants. The majority of the sample experienced at least one type of victimization during childhood or adolescence, and poly-victimization was reported frequently. The most common type of victimization reported was peer or sibling assault (66.94%), followed by witnessing an assault without weapon (63.91%), personal theft (56.19%), vandalism (56.06%), and emotional bullying (49.99%). Sexual assault by a known adult was reported by 1.45% males and 5.16% of females. This study provides new information on the scope of childhood victimization experiences in Russia. Further research is warranted, including epidemiological research with representative data across the country and studies of the impact of trauma and victimization on mental health and well-being of Russian adults and children. © The Author(s) 2014.

A workforce survey of Australian osteopathy: analysis of a nationally-representative sample of osteopaths from the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project.

PubMed

Adams, Jon; Sibbritt, David; Steel, Amie; Peng, Wenbo

2018-05-10

Limited information is available regarding the profile and clinical practice characteristics of the osteopathy workforce in Australia. This paper reports such information by analysing data from a nationally-representative sample of Australian osteopaths. Data was obtained from a workforce survey of Australian osteopathy, investigating the characteristics of the practitioner, their practice, clinical management features and perceptions regarding research. The survey questionnaire was distributed to all registered osteopaths across Australia in 2016 as part of the Osteopathy Research and Innovation Network (ORION) project. A total of 992 Australian osteopaths participated in this study representing a response rate of 49.1%. The average age of the participants was 38.0 years with 58.1% being female and the majority holding a Bachelor or higher degree qualification related to the osteopathy professional. Approximately 80.0% of the osteopaths were practicing in an urban area, with most osteopaths working in multi-practitioner locations, having referral relationships with a range of health care practitioners, managing patients a number of musculoskeletal disorders, and providing multi-model treatment options. A total of 3.9 million patients were estimated to consult with osteopaths every year and an average of approximate 3.0 million hours were spent delivering osteopathy services per year. Further research is required to provide rich, in-depth examination regarding a range of osteopathy workforce issues which will help ensure safe, effective patient care to all receiving and providing treatments as part of the broader Australian health system.

Why Does a Universal Anti-Bullying Program Not Help All Children? Explaining Persistent Victimization During an Intervention.

PubMed

Kaufman, Tessa M L; Kretschmer, Tina; Huitsing, Gijs; Veenstra, René

2018-04-30

Although anti-bullying interventions are often effective, some children continue to be victimized. To increase knowledge of potential factors that might impede children's benefiting from an anti-bullying intervention, we examined potential reasons for individual differences in victimization trajectories during a group-based anti-bullying intervention. Data stem from a five-wave survey among 9122 children (7-12 years old; grades 2-5) who participated in the KiVa anti-bullying intervention (n = 6142) or were in control schools (n = 2980 children). Three trajectories were found in the intervention sample, representing children who experienced stable high, decreasing, or stable low/no victimization. A two-trajectory model of high and low trajectories represented the control sample best. Multinomial regressions on the intervention sample showed that children who experienced particularly high levels of peer rejection, internalizing problems, and lower quality parent-child relationships decreased less in victimization; thus these characteristics appeared to contribute to persistent victimization. The results call for tailored strategies in interventions aiming to reduce victimization for more children.

Prevalence of internet addiction and its risk and protective factors in a representative sample of senior high school students in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Min-Pei; Wu, Jo Yung-Wei; You, Jianing; Hu, Wei-Hsuan; Yen, Cheng-Fang

2018-01-01

The aim of this study investigated the prevalence of Internet addiction (IA) in a large representative sample of secondary school students and identified the risk and protective factors. Using a crosssectional design, 2170 participants were recruited from senior high schools throughout Taiwan using both stratified and cluster sampling. The prevalence of IA was 17.4% (95% confidence interval, 15.8%-19.0%). High impulsivity, low refusal self-efficacy of Internet use, high positive outcome expectancy of Internet use, high disapproving attitude of Internet use by others, depressive symptoms, low subjective well-being, high frequency of others' invitation to Internet use, and high virtual social support was all independently predictive in the logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of IA among secondary school students in Taiwan was high. Results from this study can be used to help educational agencies and mental health organizations create policies and design programs that will help in the prevention of IA in adolescents. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sexual difficulties in people living with HIV in France--results from a large representative sample of outpatients attending French hospitals (ANRS-EN12-VESPA).

PubMed

Bouhnik, Anne-Déborah; Préau, Marie; Schiltz, Marie-Ange; Obadia, Yolande; Spire, Bruno

2008-07-01

We analysed sexual difficulties in a nationally representative sample of HIV-infected outpatients in France. Analyses were restricted to the 1,812 HIV-treated participants who reported at least one sexual partner during the 12 months prior to the study. The sample included 40.6% homosexual men and 24.4% women; 68.1% had a steady partner and 48.2% reported casual partners. Sexual difficulties were reported by 33.3% of the selected individuals and were more frequent in those with low sexual activity. Immuno-virological outcomes were not associated with sexual difficulties. After multiple adjustment for sexual frequency and antidepressant consumption, it was found that a larger HIV-network, reporting HIV-discrimination from friends and/or sexual partners, suffering from lipodystrophy and reporting very disturbing HIV-related symptoms were all significantly associated with sexual difficulties. HIV and HIV-treatment experience are associated with sexual difficulties. Psychological support focused on HIV-experience should be tested as a possible tool for improving sexual quality of life.

Unique risk and protective factors for partner aggression in a large scale air force survey.

PubMed

Slep, Amy M Smith; Foran, Heather M; Heyman, Richard E; Snarr, Jeffery D

2010-08-01

The objective of this study is to examine risk factors of physical aggression against a partner in a large representative Active Duty Air Force sample. A stratified sample of 128,950 United States Active Duty members were invited to participate in an Air Force-wide anonymous online survey across 82 bases. The final sample (N = 52,780) was weighted to be representative of the United States Air Force. Backward stepwise regression analyses were conducted to identify unique predictors of partner physical aggression perpetration within and across different ecological levels (individual, family, organization, and community levels). Relationship satisfaction, alcohol problems, financial stress, and number of years in the military were identified as unique predictors of men's and women's perpetration of violence against their partner across ecological levels. Parental status, support from neighbors, personal coping, and support from formal agencies also uniquely predicted men's but not women's perpetration of violence across ecological levels. This study identified specific risk factors of partner violence that may be targeted by prevention and intervention efforts aimed at different levels of impact (e.g., family interventions, community-wide programs).

A Radio-Map Automatic Construction Algorithm Based on Crowdsourcing

PubMed Central

Yu, Ning; Xiao, Chenxian; Wu, Yinfeng; Feng, Renjian

2016-01-01

Traditional radio-map-based localization methods need to sample a large number of location fingerprints offline, which requires huge amount of human and material resources. To solve the high sampling cost problem, an automatic radio-map construction algorithm based on crowdsourcing is proposed. The algorithm employs the crowd-sourced information provided by a large number of users when they are walking in the buildings as the source of location fingerprint data. Through the variation characteristics of users’ smartphone sensors, the indoor anchors (doors) are identified and their locations are regarded as reference positions of the whole radio-map. The AP-Cluster method is used to cluster the crowdsourced fingerprints to acquire the representative fingerprints. According to the reference positions and the similarity between fingerprints, the representative fingerprints are linked to their corresponding physical locations and the radio-map is generated. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm reduces the cost of fingerprint sampling and radio-map construction and guarantees the localization accuracy. The proposed method does not require users’ explicit participation, which effectively solves the resource-consumption problem when a location fingerprint database is established. PMID:27070623

Potential bias in the bank: what distinguishes refusers, nonresponders and participants in a clinic-based biobank?

PubMed

Ridgeway, J L; Han, L C; Olson, J E; Lackore, K A; Koenig, B A; Beebe, T J; Ziegenfuss, J Y

2013-01-01

Biobanks are an important resource for genetic and epidemiologic research, but bias may be introduced if those who accept the recruitment invitation differ systematically from those who do not in terms of attributes important to health-related investigations. To understand potential bias in a clinic-based biobank of biological samples, including genetic data linked to electronic health record information, we compared patient characteristics and self-reported information among participants, nonresponders and refusers. We also compared reasons for nonparticipation between refusers and nonresponders to elucidate potential pathways to reduce nonparticipation and any uncovered bias. We mailed recruitment packets to 1,600 adult patients with upcoming appointments at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn., USA) and recorded their participation status. Administrative data were used to compare characteristics across groups. We used phone interviews with 26 nonresponders and 26 refusers to collect self-reported information, including reasons for nonparticipation. Participants were asked to complete a mailed questionnaire. We achieved 26.2% participation (n=419) with 12.1% refusing (n=193) and 61.8% nonresponse (n=988). In multivariate analyses, sex, age, region of residence, and race/ethnicity were significantly associated with participation. The groups differed in information-seeking behaviors and research experience. Refusers more often cited privacy concerns, while nonresponders more often identified time constraints as the reason for nonparticipation. For genomic medicine to advance, large, representative biobanks are required. Significant associations between patient characteristics and nonresponse, as well as systematic differences between refusers and nonresponders, could introduce bias. Oversampling or recruitment changes, including heightened attention to privacy protection and participation burden, may be necessary to increase participation among less-represented groups. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Locus of decision making in multinational corporations and its relationship to subsidiary performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goehle, D.G.

1978-01-01

A conceptual model was developed which drew from the existing research in organization theory, comparative management, and international business which assisted in the delineation of the relevant variables and suggested the nature of their relationship to the locus of decision making. The conceptual model incorporated certain corporate and subsidiary factors considered an influence on the determination of the locus of decision making. Corporate factors included product line or industry, size and complexity of international operations, organization structure, availability of managerial talent, and corporate philosophy. Subsidiary characteristics included subsidiary age and size, availability of local managerial talent, geographic distance from headquartersmore » and other affiliated units, and subsidiary environmental characteristics. The locus of desicion making was measured by the level of participation the headquarters and subsidiary management had in decision making for twenty-nine decisions, representing six functional areas. Levels of participation for headquarters and subsidiary managers were measured for each decision based on responses to a five-point scale of decision process categories which indicated varying levels of headquarters and subsidiary participation. The sample included ten US multinational corporations representing five industries: pharmaceuticals, tire and rubber, automobiles, capital equipment, and food processing.« less

Thematic Matching as Remedial Teaching for Symbolic Matching for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Lionello-DeNolf, Karen M.; Farber, Rachel; Jones, B. Max; Dube, William V.

2014-01-01

Matching-to-sample (MTS) is often used to teach symbolic relationships between spoken or printed words and their referents to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. However, many children have difficulty learning symbolic matching, even though they may demonstrate generalized identity matching. The current study investigated whether training on symbolic MTS tasks in which the stimuli are physically dissimilar but members of familiar categories (i.e., thematic matching) can remediate an individual’s difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks involving non-representative stimuli. Three adolescent males diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were first trained on symbolic MTS tasks with unfamiliar, non-representative form stimuli. Thematic matching was introduced after the participants failed to learn 0, 2 or 4 symbolic MTS tasks and before additional symbolic MTS tasks were introduced. After exposure to thematic matching, accuracy on symbolic MTS tasks with novel stimuli increased to above chance for all participants. For two participants, high accuracy (> 90%) was achieved on a majority of these sessions. Thus, thematic matching may be an effective intervention for students with limited verbal repertoires and who have difficulty learning symbolic MTS tasks. Possible explanations for the facilitative effect of thematic matching are considered and warrant further investigation. PMID:24634695

Elementary school participation in the United States Department of Agriculture's Team Nutrition program is associated with more healthful school lunches.

PubMed

Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Turner, Lindsey; Chaloupka, Frank J

2013-01-01

To assess school-level characteristics associated with Team Nutrition (TN) program participation, and compare the availability of food items in school lunches in participating vs nonparticipating schools. Cross-sectional study with a nationally representative sample of 2,489 elementary schools in the United States. A mail-back survey was used to collect school administrator-reported annual data on availability of selected healthful and unhealthful lunch items between 2006-2007 and 2009-2010. Multivariate regression analyses was used to predict the availability of food items in school lunches based on TN participation. Team Nutrition participation was higher among schools in the south, in rural areas, and in states with stronger nutrition policies. Program participation was higher in schools with mostly low-income students and where a dietitian was on staff. Participating schools were more likely to offer healthful items and less likely to serve unhealthful items during lunch. The TN program has the potential to help schools offer healthier school meals. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic ancestry of participants in the National Children’s Study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The National Children’s Study (NCS) is a prospective epidemiological study in the USA tasked with identifying a nationally representative sample of 100,000 children, and following them from their gestation until they are 21 years of age. The objective of the study is to measure environmental and genetic influences on growth, development, and health. Determination of the ancestry of these NCS participants is important for assessing the diversity of study participants and for examining the effect of ancestry on various health outcomes. Results We estimated the genetic ancestry of a convenience sample of 641 parents enrolled at the 7 original NCS Vanguard sites, by analyzing 30,000 markers on exome arrays, using the 1000 Genomes Project superpopulations as reference populations, and compared this with the measures of self-reported ethnicity and race. For 99% of the individuals, self-reported ethnicity and race agreed with the predicted superpopulation. NCS individuals self-reporting as Asian had genetic ancestry of either South Asian or East Asian groups, while those reporting as either Hispanic White or Hispanic Other had similar genetic ancestry. Of the 33 individuals who self-reported as Multiracial or Non-Hispanic Other, 33% matched the South Asian or East Asian groups, while these groups represented only 4.4% of the other reported categories. Conclusions Our data suggest that self-reported ethnicity and race have some limitations in accurately capturing Hispanic and South Asian populations. Overall, however, our data indicate that despite the complexity of the US population, individuals know their ancestral origins, and that self-reported ethnicity and race is a reliable indicator of genetic ancestry. PMID:24490717

The role of pre-morbid intelligence and cognitive reserve in predicting cognitive efficiency in a sample of Italian elderly.

PubMed

Caffò, Alessandro O; Lopez, Antonella; Spano, Giuseppina; Saracino, Giuseppe; Stasolla, Fabrizio; Ciriello, Giuseppe; Grattagliano, Ignazio; Lancioni, Giulio E; Bosco, Andrea

2016-12-01

Models of cognitive reserve in aging suggest that individual's life experience (education, working activity, and leisure) can exert a neuroprotective effect against cognitive decline and may represent an important contribution to successful aging. The objective of the present study is to investigate the role of cognitive reserve, pre-morbid intelligence, age, and education level, in predicting cognitive efficiency in a sample of healthy aged individuals and with probable mild cognitive impairment. Two hundred and eight aging participants recruited from the provincial region of Bari (Apulia, Italy) took part in the study. A battery of standardized tests was administered to them to measure cognitive reserve, pre-morbid intelligence, and cognitive efficiency. Protocols for 10 participants were excluded since they did not meet inclusion criteria, and statistical analyses were conducted on data from the remaining 198 participants. A path analysis was used to test the following model: age, education level, and intelligence directly influence cognitive reserve and cognitive efficiency; cognitive reserve mediates the influence of age, education level, and intelligence on cognitive efficiency. Cognitive reserve fully mediates the relationship between pre-morbid intelligence and education level and cognitive efficiency, while age maintains a direct effect on cognitive efficiency. Cognitive reserve appears to exert a protective effect regarding cognitive decline in normal and pathological populations, thus masking, at least in the early phases of neurodegeneration, the decline of memory, orientation, attention, language, and reasoning skills. The assessment of cognitive reserve may represent a useful evaluation supplement in neuropsychological screening protocols of cognitive decline.

Genetic ancestry of participants in the National Children's Study.

PubMed

Smith, Erin N; Jepsen, Kristen; Arias, Angelo D; Shepard, Peter J; Chambers, Christina D; Frazer, Kelly A

2014-02-03

The National Children's Study (NCS) is a prospective epidemiological study in the USA tasked with identifying a nationally representative sample of 100,000 children, and following them from their gestation until they are 21 years of age. The objective of the study is to measure environmental and genetic influences on growth, development, and health. Determination of the ancestry of these NCS participants is important for assessing the diversity of study participants and for examining the effect of ancestry on various health outcomes. We estimated the genetic ancestry of a convenience sample of 641 parents enrolled at the 7 original NCS Vanguard sites, by analyzing 30,000 markers on exome arrays, using the 1000 Genomes Project superpopulations as reference populations, and compared this with the measures of self-reported ethnicity and race. For 99% of the individuals, self-reported ethnicity and race agreed with the predicted superpopulation. NCS individuals self-reporting as Asian had genetic ancestry of either South Asian or East Asian groups, while those reporting as either Hispanic White or Hispanic Other had similar genetic ancestry. Of the 33 individuals who self-reported as Multiracial or Non-Hispanic Other, 33% matched the South Asian or East Asian groups, while these groups represented only 4.4% of the other reported categories. Our data suggest that self-reported ethnicity and race have some limitations in accurately capturing Hispanic and South Asian populations. Overall, however, our data indicate that despite the complexity of the US population, individuals know their ancestral origins, and that self-reported ethnicity and race is a reliable indicator of genetic ancestry.

Willingness to participate and Pay for a proposed national health insurance in St. Vincent and the grenadines: a cross-sectional contingent valuation approach.

PubMed

Adams, Rosmond; Chou, Yiing-Jenq; Pu, Christy

2015-04-09

Numerous Caribbean countries are considering implementing National Health Insurance (NHI) and pooling resources to finance their health sectors. Based on this increased interest in health insurance, we investigated the willingness to participate and to pay for NHI in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an upper-middle-income Caribbean country. Four hundred heads of household in St. Vincent and the Grenadines were interviewed in August 2012 and September 2012. The samples were selected through simple random sampling, including the stratification of rural, semiurban, and urban communities to ensure the representativeness of the sample. A contingent valuation method with a pretested interviewer-led questionnaire was used. Respondents were presented with a hypothetical NHI plan. Chi-squared analysis was performed to identify factors that are associated with the willingness to participate. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore the factors that influence respondents' willingness to pay. In total, 69.5% (n = 278) of the respondents indicated that they were willing to participate in the proposed NHI plan, of whom 72.3% were willing to pay for the first bid (EC$50). When the bid was reduced to EC$25, all of the remaining respondents who indicated they were willing to participate were willing to pay this lowered bid. Overall, the respondents were willing to pay EC$77.83 (US$28.83) per month for each person to enroll in the NHI plan. Age, income, and having some form of health insurance were significantly associated with a willingness to participate in the plan. A higher socioeconomic status was the principal determinant factor for the willingness to participate. This is similar to studies on developing economies. The government can use these findings to guide the successful implementation of the proposed NHI program. People with a lower socioeconomic status must be engaged from the start of and throughout the development process to enhance their understanding of and participation in the plan.

Sampling challenges in a study examining refugee resettlement

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background As almost half of all refugees currently under United Nations protection are from Afghanistan or Iraq and significant numbers have already been resettled outside the region of origin, it is likely that future research will examine their resettlement needs. A number of methodological challenges confront researchers working with culturally and linguistically diverse groups; however, few detailed articles are available to inform other studies. The aim of this paper is to outline challenges with sampling and recruitment of socially invisible refugee groups, describing the method adopted for a mixed methods exploratory study assessing mental health, subjective wellbeing and resettlement perspectives of Afghan and Kurdish refugees living in New Zealand and Australia. Sampling strategies used in previous studies with similar refugee groups were considered before determining the approach to recruitment Methods A snowball approach was adopted for the study, with multiple entry points into the communities being used to choose as wide a range of people as possible to provide further contacts and reduce selection bias. Census data was used to assess the representativeness of the sample. Results A sample of 193 former refugee participants was recruited in Christchurch (n = 98) and Perth (n = 95), 47% were of Afghan and 53% Kurdish ethnicity. A good gender balance (males 52%, females 48%) was achieved overall, mainly as a result of the sampling method used. Differences in the demographic composition of groups in each location were observed, especially in relation to the length of time spent in a refugee situation and time since arrival, reflecting variations in national humanitarian quota intakes. Although some measures were problematic, Census data comparison to assess reasonable representativeness of the study sample was generally reassuring. Conclusions Snowball sampling, with multiple initiation points to reduce selection bias, was necessary to locate and identify participants, provide reassurance and break down barriers. Personal contact was critical for both recruitment and data quality, and highlighted the importance of interviewer cultural sensitivity. Cross-national comparative studies, particularly relating to refugee resettlement within different policy environments, also need to take into consideration the differing pre-migration experiences and time since arrival of refugee groups, as these can add additional layers of complexity to study design and interpretation. PMID:21406104

Sampling challenges in a study examining refugee resettlement.

PubMed

Sulaiman-Hill, Cheryl Mr; Thompson, Sandra C

2011-03-15

As almost half of all refugees currently under United Nations protection are from Afghanistan or Iraq and significant numbers have already been resettled outside the region of origin, it is likely that future research will examine their resettlement needs. A number of methodological challenges confront researchers working with culturally and linguistically diverse groups; however, few detailed articles are available to inform other studies. The aim of this paper is to outline challenges with sampling and recruitment of socially invisible refugee groups, describing the method adopted for a mixed methods exploratory study assessing mental health, subjective wellbeing and resettlement perspectives of Afghan and Kurdish refugees living in New Zealand and Australia. Sampling strategies used in previous studies with similar refugee groups were considered before determining the approach to recruitment A snowball approach was adopted for the study, with multiple entry points into the communities being used to choose as wide a range of people as possible to provide further contacts and reduce selection bias. Census data was used to assess the representativeness of the sample. A sample of 193 former refugee participants was recruited in Christchurch (n = 98) and Perth (n = 95), 47% were of Afghan and 53% Kurdish ethnicity. A good gender balance (males 52%, females 48%) was achieved overall, mainly as a result of the sampling method used. Differences in the demographic composition of groups in each location were observed, especially in relation to the length of time spent in a refugee situation and time since arrival, reflecting variations in national humanitarian quota intakes. Although some measures were problematic, Census data comparison to assess reasonable representativeness of the study sample was generally reassuring. Snowball sampling, with multiple initiation points to reduce selection bias, was necessary to locate and identify participants, provide reassurance and break down barriers. Personal contact was critical for both recruitment and data quality, and highlighted the importance of interviewer cultural sensitivity. Cross-national comparative studies, particularly relating to refugee resettlement within different policy environments, also need to take into consideration the differing pre-migration experiences and time since arrival of refugee groups, as these can add additional layers of complexity to study design and interpretation.

Marine anthropogenic radiotracers in the Southern Hemisphere: New sampling and analytical strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levy, I.; Povinec, P. P.; Aoyama, M.; Hirose, K.; Sanchez-Cabeza, J. A.; Comanducci, J.-F.; Gastaud, J.; Eriksson, M.; Hamajima, Y.; Kim, C. S.; Komura, K.; Osvath, I.; Roos, P.; Yim, S. A.

2011-04-01

The Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology conducted in 2003-2004 the Blue Earth Global Expedition (BEAGLE2003) around the Southern Hemisphere Oceans, which was a rare opportunity to collect many seawater samples for anthropogenic radionuclide studies. We describe here sampling and analytical methodologies based on radiochemical separations of Cs and Pu from seawater, as well as radiometric and mass spectrometry measurements. Several laboratories took part in radionuclide analyses using different techniques. The intercomparison exercises and analyses of certified reference materials showed a reasonable agreement between the participating laboratories. The obtained data on the distribution of 137Cs and plutonium isotopes in seawater represent the most comprehensive results available for the Southern Hemisphere Oceans.

High Baseline Postconcussion Symptom Scores and Concussion Outcomes in Athletes

PubMed Central

Custer, Aimee; Sufrinko, Alicia; Elbin, R. J.; Covassin, Tracey; Collins, Micky; Kontos, Anthony

2016-01-01

Context:  Some healthy athletes report high levels of baseline concussion symptoms, which may be attributable to several factors (eg, illness, personality, somaticizing). However, the role of baseline symptoms in outcomes after sport-related concussion (SRC) has not been empirically examined. Objective:  To determine if athletes with high symptom scores at baseline performed worse than athletes without baseline symptoms on neurocognitive testing after SRC. Design:  Cohort study. Setting:  High school and collegiate athletic programs. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 670 high school and collegiate athletes participated in the study. Participants were divided into groups with either no baseline symptoms (Postconcussion Symptom Scale [PCSS] score = 0, n = 247) or a high level of baseline symptoms (PCSS score > 18 [top 10% of sample], n = 68). Main Outcome Measure(s):  Participants were evaluated at baseline and 2 to 7 days after SRC with the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test and PCSS. Outcome measures were Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test composite scores (verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor processing speed, and reaction time) and total symptom score on the PCSS. The groups were compared using repeated-measures analyses of variance with Bonferroni correction to assess interactions between group and time for symptoms and neurocognitive impairment. Results:  The no-symptoms group represented 38% of the original sample, whereas the high-symptoms group represented 11% of the sample. The high-symptoms group experienced a larger decline from preinjury to postinjury than the no-symptoms group in verbal (P = .03) and visual memory (P = .05). However, total concussion-symptom scores increased from preinjury to postinjury for the no-symptoms group (P = .001) but remained stable for the high-symptoms group. Conclusions:>  Reported baseline symptoms may help identify athletes at risk for worse outcomes after SRC. Clinicians should examine baseline symptom levels to better identify patients for earlier referral and treatment for their injury. Additional investigation of baseline symptoms is warranted to help delineate the type and severity of premorbid symptoms. PMID:26885702

The Role of Parental Stress, Mother's Childhood Abuse and Perceived Consequences of Violence in Predicting Attitudes and Attribution in Favor of Corporal Punishment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clement, Marie-Eve; Chamberland, Claire

2009-01-01

We investigate maternal attitudes toward corporal punishment and the attribution of blame to the child on the basis of data gathered from a population survey of a representative sample of mothers and mother figures. A total of 3,148 women living at least half of the time with a child participated in a telephone survey. The independent variables…

Standard methods for sampling freshwater fishes: Opportunities for international collaboration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.; Mercado-Silva, Norman; Hubert, Wayne A.; Beard, Douglas; Dave, Göran; Kubečka, Jan; Graeb, Brian D. S.; Lester, Nigel P.; Porath, Mark T.; Winfield, Ian J.

2017-01-01

With publication of Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes in 2009, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) recommended standard procedures for North America. To explore interest in standardizing at intercontinental scales, a symposium attended by international specialists in freshwater fish sampling was convened at the 145th Annual AFS Meeting in Portland, Oregon, in August 2015. Participants represented all continents except Australia and Antarctica and were employed by state and federal agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and consulting businesses. Currently, standardization is practiced mostly in North America and Europe. Participants described how standardization has been important for management of long-term data sets, promoting fundamental scientific understanding, and assessing efficacy of large spatial scale management strategies. Academics indicated that standardization has been useful in fisheries education because time previously used to teach how sampling methods are developed is now more devoted to diagnosis and treatment of problem fish communities. Researchers reported that standardization allowed increased sample size for method validation and calibration. Group consensus was to retain continental standards where they currently exist but to further explore international and intercontinental standardization, specifically identifying where synergies and bridges exist, and identify means to collaborate with scientists where standardization is limited but interest and need occur.

Instance-based learning: integrating sampling and repeated decisions from experience.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Cleotilde; Dutt, Varun

2011-10-01

In decisions from experience, there are 2 experimental paradigms: sampling and repeated-choice. In the sampling paradigm, participants sample between 2 options as many times as they want (i.e., the stopping point is variable), observe the outcome with no real consequences each time, and finally select 1 of the 2 options that cause them to earn or lose money. In the repeated-choice paradigm, participants select 1 of the 2 options for a fixed number of times and receive immediate outcome feedback that affects their earnings. These 2 experimental paradigms have been studied independently, and different cognitive processes have often been assumed to take place in each, as represented in widely diverse computational models. We demonstrate that behavior in these 2 paradigms relies upon common cognitive processes proposed by the instance-based learning theory (IBLT; Gonzalez, Lerch, & Lebiere, 2003) and that the stopping point is the only difference between the 2 paradigms. A single cognitive model based on IBLT (with an added stopping point rule in the sampling paradigm) captures human choices and predicts the sequence of choice selections across both paradigms. We integrate the paradigms through quantitative model comparison, where IBLT outperforms the best models created for each paradigm separately. We discuss the implications for the psychology of decision making. © 2011 American Psychological Association

Long working hours and alcohol use: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data

PubMed Central

Jokela, Markus; Nyberg, Solja T; Madsen, Ida E H; Lallukka, Tea; Ahola, Kirsi; Alfredsson, Lars; Batty, G David; Bjorner, Jakob B; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Casini, Annalisa; Clays, Els; De Bacquer, Dirk; Dragano, Nico; Erbel, Raimund; Ferrie, Jane E; Fransson, Eleonor I; Hamer, Mark; Heikkilä, Katriina; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Kittel, France; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz; Lunau, Thorsten; Nielsen, Martin L; Nordin, Maria; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H; Pentti, Jaana; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Schupp, Jürgen; Siegrist, Johannes; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Steptoe, Andrew; Suominen, Sakari B; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Wagner, Gert G; Westerholm, Peter J M; Westerlund, Hugo; Kivimäki, Mika

2015-01-01

Objective To quantify the association between long working hours and alcohol use. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data. Data sources A systematic search of PubMed and Embase databases in April 2014 for published studies, supplemented with manual searches. Unpublished individual participant data were obtained from 27 additional studies. Review methods The search strategy was designed to retrieve cross sectional and prospective studies of the association between long working hours and alcohol use. Summary estimates were obtained with random effects meta-analysis. Sources of heterogeneity were examined with meta-regression. Results Cross sectional analysis was based on 61 studies representing 333 693 participants from 14 countries. Prospective analysis was based on 20 studies representing 100 602 participants from nine countries. The pooled maximum adjusted odds ratio for the association between long working hours and alcohol use was 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.18) in the cross sectional analysis of published and unpublished data. Odds ratio of new onset risky alcohol use was 1.12 (1.04 to 1.20) in the analysis of prospective published and unpublished data. In the 18 studies with individual participant data it was possible to assess the European Union Working Time Directive, which recommends an upper limit of 48 hours a week. Odds ratios of new onset risky alcohol use for those working 49-54 hours and ≥55 hours a week were 1.13 (1.02 to 1.26; adjusted difference in incidence 0.8 percentage points) and 1.12 (1.01 to 1.25; adjusted difference in incidence 0.7 percentage points), respectively, compared with working standard 35-40 hours (incidence of new onset risky alcohol use 6.2%). There was no difference in these associations between men and women or by age or socioeconomic groups, geographical regions, sample type (population based v occupational cohort), prevalence of risky alcohol use in the cohort, or sample attrition rate. Conclusions Individuals whose working hours exceed standard recommendations are more likely to increase their alcohol use to levels that pose a health risk. PMID:25587065

Long working hours and alcohol use: systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data.

PubMed

Virtanen, Marianna; Jokela, Markus; Nyberg, Solja T; Madsen, Ida E H; Lallukka, Tea; Ahola, Kirsi; Alfredsson, Lars; Batty, G David; Bjorner, Jakob B; Borritz, Marianne; Burr, Hermann; Casini, Annalisa; Clays, Els; De Bacquer, Dirk; Dragano, Nico; Erbel, Raimund; Ferrie, Jane E; Fransson, Eleonor I; Hamer, Mark; Heikkilä, Katriina; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Kittel, France; Knutsson, Anders; Koskenvuo, Markku; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz; Lunau, Thorsten; Nielsen, Martin L; Nordin, Maria; Oksanen, Tuula; Pejtersen, Jan H; Pentti, Jaana; Rugulies, Reiner; Salo, Paula; Schupp, Jürgen; Siegrist, Johannes; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Steptoe, Andrew; Suominen, Sakari B; Theorell, Töres; Vahtera, Jussi; Wagner, Gert G; Westerholm, Peter J M; Westerlund, Hugo; Kivimäki, Mika

2015-01-13

To quantify the association between long working hours and alcohol use. Systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies and unpublished individual participant data. A systematic search of PubMed and Embase databases in April 2014 for published studies, supplemented with manual searches. Unpublished individual participant data were obtained from 27 additional studies. The search strategy was designed to retrieve cross sectional and prospective studies of the association between long working hours and alcohol use. Summary estimates were obtained with random effects meta-analysis. Sources of heterogeneity were examined with meta-regression. Cross sectional analysis was based on 61 studies representing 333,693 participants from 14 countries. Prospective analysis was based on 20 studies representing 100,602 participants from nine countries. The pooled maximum adjusted odds ratio for the association between long working hours and alcohol use was 1.11 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.18) in the cross sectional analysis of published and unpublished data. Odds ratio of new onset risky alcohol use was 1.12 (1.04 to 1.20) in the analysis of prospective published and unpublished data. In the 18 studies with individual participant data it was possible to assess the European Union Working Time Directive, which recommends an upper limit of 48 hours a week. Odds ratios of new onset risky alcohol use for those working 49-54 hours and ≥ 55 hours a week were 1.13 (1.02 to 1.26; adjusted difference in incidence 0.8 percentage points) and 1.12 (1.01 to 1.25; adjusted difference in incidence 0.7 percentage points), respectively, compared with working standard 35-40 hours (incidence of new onset risky alcohol use 6.2%). There was no difference in these associations between men and women or by age or socioeconomic groups, geographical regions, sample type (population based v occupational cohort), prevalence of risky alcohol use in the cohort, or sample attrition rate. Individuals whose working hours exceed standard recommendations are more likely to increase their alcohol use to levels that pose a health risk. © Virtanen et al 2015.

Organochlorinated pesticides levels in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population: The Bioambient.es project.

PubMed

Ramos, Juan José; Huetos, Olga; González, Sara; Esteban, Marta; Calvo, Eva; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Castaño, Argelia

2017-03-01

Organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) were measured in a representative sample of Spanish adults within the Bioambient.es project, a nationwide human biomonitoring program promoted by Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment. The objective of Bioambient.es is to establish reference levels of environmental pollutants in the general population. Participants were recruited in 2009-2010 during their annual medical examination at work. Serum levels of thirteen OCPs were investigated: Aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, heptachlor, heptachlor-epoxide, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylenes (DDEs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) The highest concentrations were observed for DDE, HCB and β-HCH. The 95th percentile, in ng/g lipids, were: 717.7 for 4,4-DDE, 160.4 for HCB and 107.2 for β-HCH, while concentrations of aldrin, endrin, heptachlor, α-HCH, 2,4-DDT, 4,4-DDT and 2,4-DDE were markedly lower and detected in less than 10% of the samples. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found for DDE and HCB and seasonality, gender and age. Analyzing the geographical distribution, participants from the north of Spain had highest levels of HCB while those from the center of Spain had highest levels of 4,4-DDE. Comparing to earlier studies, the results indicated a sharp decline in the OCP concentrations in the Spanish population over time, and today values are in the same range or lower than those reported in similar studies worldwide, except for HCHs and HCB that presented higher levels than in other European countries and much higher than those observed in US and Canada. This study represents the first nationwide survey of exposure to OCPs in Spain and provides a background reference range for exposure to OCPs in the Spanish adult occupied population. These results will allow establishing reference values, observing temporal trends and identifying high exposure groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a National Sample of Adolescent Population in the Middle East and North Africa: The CASPIAN III Study

PubMed Central

Khashayar, Patricia; Heshmat, Ramin; Qorbani, Mostafa; Motlagh, Mohammad Esmaeil; Aminaee, Tahere; Ardalan, Gelayol; Farrokhi-Khajeh-Pasha, Yasin; Taslimi, Mahnaz; Larijani, Bagher; Kelishadi, Roya

2013-01-01

Objective. The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence of different combinations of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors among a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Methods. The study sample, obtained as part of the third study of the school-based surveillance system entitled CASPIAN III, was representative of the Iranian adolescent population aged from 10 to 18 years. The prevalence of different components of MetS was studied and their discriminative value was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results. The study participants consisted of 5738 students (2875 girls) with mean age of 14.7 ± 2.4 years) living in 23 provinces in Iran; 17.4% of participants were underweight and 17.7% were overweight or obese. Based on the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation for the adolescent age group, 24.2% of participants had one risk factor, 8.0% had two, 2.1% had three, and 0.3% had all the four components of MetS. Low HDL-C was the most common component (43.2% among the overweight/obese versus 34.9% of the normal-weight participants), whereas high blood pressure was the least common component. The prevalence of MetS was 15.4% in the overweight/obese participants, the corresponding figure was 1.8% for the normal-weight students, and 2.5% in the whole population studied. Overweight/obese subjects had a 9.68 increased odds of (95% CI: 6.65–14.09) the MetS compared to their normal-weight counterparts. For all the three risk factors, AUC ranged between 0.84 and 0.88, 0.83 and 0.87, and 0.86 and 0.89 in waist circumference, abdominal obesity, and BMI for boys and between 0.78 and 0.97, 0.67 and 0.93, and 0.82 and 0.96 for girls, respectively. Conclusion. The findings from this study provide alarming evidence-based data on the considerable prevalence of obesity, MetS, and CVD risk factors in the adolescent age group. These results are confirmatory evidence for the necessity of primordial/primary prevention of noncommunicable disease should be considered as a health priority in communities facing a double burden of nutritional disorders. PMID:23476647

A comparison of the male customers of female street prostitutes with national samples of men.

PubMed

Monto, Martin A; McRee, Nick

2005-10-01

Previous research on customers of prostitutes has relied on small samples and qualitative interviews. Conceptions of customers have tended toward either the "every man" perspective, which implies customers are no different than other men, or the "peculiar man" perspective, which implies customers are characterized by stark differences or psychological inadequacies. This study compares a large sample of men (N = 1672) arrested for trying to hire street prostitutes with nationally representative samples of men. Customers were less likely to be married, less likely to be happily married if married, and more likely to report being unhappy in general than men in the national samples. Customers also expressed greater sexual liberalism and reported thinking about sex, masturbating, and participating in other aspects of the sex industry more frequently than men in general. Most differences were small, indicating customers as a category differ from other men in degree rather than quality.

Evidence that theory of planned behaviour variables mediate the effects of socio-demographic variables on homeless people's participation in service programmes.

PubMed

Christian, Julie; Armitage, Christopher J; Abrams, Dominic

2007-09-01

This article reports findings from two studies (N = 88, N = 100) using Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to predict homeless people's uptake of service programmes. Study 1 was conducted with an opportunity sample whereas Study 2 employed a representative sample. Both studies provide support for the application of the TPB, and demonstrate that the effects of demographic characteristics on behaviour were mediated by TPB variables. The discussion focuses on the role of attitudinal and normative components in actual behaviour, and on the potential role of social normative processes and stigmatization in homeless people's uptake of services.

Incentives for college student participation in web-based substance use surveys.

PubMed

Patrick, Megan E; Singer, Eleanor; Boyd, Carol J; Cranford, James A; McCabe, Sean Esteban

2013-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two incentive conditions (a $10 pre-incentive only vs. a $2 pre-incentive and a $10 promised incentive) on response rates, sample composition, substantive data, and cost-efficiency in a survey of college student substance use and related behaviors. Participants were 3000 randomly-selected college students invited to participate in a survey on substance use. Registrar data on all invitees was used to compare response rates and respondents, and web-based data collection on participants was used to compare substantive findings. Participants randomized to the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition were more likely to complete the survey and less likely to give partial responses. Subgroup differences by sex, class year, and race were evaluated among complete responders, although only sex differences were significant. Men were more likely to respond in the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition than the pre-incentive only condition. Substantive data did not differ across incentive structure, although the pre-incentive plus promised incentive condition was more cost-efficient. Survey research on college student populations is warranted to support the most scientifically sound and cost-efficient studies possible. Although substantive data did not differ, altering the incentive structure could yield cost savings with better response rates and more representative samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extracurricular Activities and Bullying Perpetration: Results From a Nationally Representative Sample.

PubMed

Riese, Alison; Gjelsvik, Annie; Ranney, Megan L

2015-08-01

Bullying is a widespread problem for school-aged children and adolescents. Interventions to reduce bullying are not well disseminated. Extracurricular involvement is, however, common. This study aims to examine the relationship between parent-reported participation in extracurricular activities and bullying perpetration. Using the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health, 62,215 interviews with parents of children 6 to 17 were analyzed. Extracurricular categories of sports only, sports + nonsport, nonsport only, and no activities were based on parental response to questions regarding sport teams/lessons, clubs, and organizations. Bullying was derived from report of the child "bullying or being cruel/mean to others." Weighted bivariate analyses, logistic regression, and sex/race/ethnicity/age stratified analyses were conducted. Eighty percent of children participated in extracurricular activities: 8% sports, 48% sports + nonsports, and 24% nonsports. Bullying perpetration was reported in 15% of the sample. Compared with those not participating in extracurricular activities, the odds of bullying were significantly lower for children who participated in sports + nonsports (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-0.79) and nonsport only (AOR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.97). Stratified analyses showed attenuated effects of extracurricular activities for boys and for Hispanics. Children who participate in a variety of extracurricular activities exhibit the least frequent bullying perpetration. © 2015, American School Health Association.

The Nakuru posterior segment eye disease study: methods and prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in Nakuru, Kenya.

PubMed

Mathenge, Wanjiku; Bastawrous, Andrew; Foster, Allen; Kuper, Hannah

2012-10-01

To estimate the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment (VI) in adults aged ≥50 years in the Nakuru district of Kenya and to identify sociodemographic risk factors for these conditions. We also sought to validate the Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) methodology. There were 5010 subjects enumerated for this study. Of these, 4414 participants underwent examination, for a response rate of 88.1%. Cross-sectional, population-based survey. Cluster random samplings with probability proportionate to size procedures were used to select a representative cross-sectional sample of adults aged ≥50 years. Each participant was interviewed, had distance visual acuity (VA) measured with reduced logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution tumbling-E chart, underwent autorefraction, and thereby had measurements of presenting, uncorrected, and best-corrected VA. All participants, regardless of vision, underwent detailed ophthalmic examinations including slit-lamp assessment and dilated retinal photographs. Visual acuity of <6/12. A representative sample of 4414 adults were enumerated (response rate, 88.1%). The prevalence of blindness (VA < 3/60 in better eye) was 1.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-2.1%) and of VI, 0.4% (95% CI, 0.3-0.7%); 8.1% (95% CI, 7.2-9.2%); and 5.1% (95% CI, 4.3-6.1%) were severely (<6/60-3/60), moderately (<6/18-6/60), or mildly (<6/12-6/18) visually impaired, respectively. Being male, having less education, having Kalenjin tribal origin, and being ≥80 years old were associated with increased blindness prevalence. Prevalence estimates were comparable to a RAAB performed in the same area 2 years earlier. This survey provides reliable estimates of blindness and VI prevalence in Nakuru. Older age and tribal origin were identified as predictors of these conditions. This survey validates the use of RAAB as a method of estimating blindness and VI prevalence. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High Baseline Postconcussion Symptom Scores and Concussion Outcomes in Athletes.

PubMed

Custer, Aimee; Sufrinko, Alicia; Elbin, R J; Covassin, Tracey; Collins, Micky; Kontos, Anthony

2016-02-01

Some healthy athletes report high levels of baseline concussion symptoms, which may be attributable to several factors (eg, illness, personality, somaticizing). However, the role of baseline symptoms in outcomes after sport-related concussion (SRC) has not been empirically examined. To determine if athletes with high symptom scores at baseline performed worse than athletes without baseline symptoms on neurocognitive testing after SRC. Cohort study. High school and collegiate athletic programs. A total of 670 high school and collegiate athletes participated in the study. Participants were divided into groups with either no baseline symptoms (Postconcussion Symptom Scale [PCSS] score = 0, n = 247) or a high level of baseline symptoms (PCSS score > 18 [top 10% of sample], n = 68). Participants were evaluated at baseline and 2 to 7 days after SRC with the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test and PCSS. Outcome measures were Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test composite scores (verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor processing speed, and reaction time) and total symptom score on the PCSS. The groups were compared using repeated-measures analyses of variance with Bonferroni correction to assess interactions between group and time for symptoms and neurocognitive impairment. The no-symptoms group represented 38% of the original sample, whereas the high-symptoms group represented 11% of the sample. The high-symptoms group experienced a larger decline from preinjury to postinjury than the no-symptoms group in verbal (P = .03) and visual memory (P = .05). However, total concussion-symptom scores increased from preinjury to postinjury for the no-symptoms group (P = .001) but remained stable for the high-symptoms group. Reported baseline symptoms may help identify athletes at risk for worse outcomes after SRC. Clinicians should examine baseline symptom levels to better identify patients for earlier referral and treatment for their injury. Additional investigation of baseline symptoms is warranted to help delineate the type and severity of premorbid symptoms.

Feasibility of collecting 24-h urine to monitor sodium intake in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey123

PubMed Central

Terry, Ana L; Cogswell, Mary E; Wang, Chia-Yih; Chen, Te-Ching; Loria, Catherine M; Wright, Jacqueline D; Zhang, Xinli; Lacher, David A; Merritt, Robert K; Bowman, Barbara A

2016-01-01

Background: Twenty-four–hour urine sodium excretion is recommended for monitoring population sodium intake. Because of concerns about participation and completion, sodium excretion has not been collected previously in US nationally representative surveys. Objective: We assessed the feasibility of implementing 24-h urine collections as part of a nationally representative survey. Design: We selected a random half sample of nonpregnant US adults aged 20–69 y in 3 geographic locations of the 2013 NHANES. Participants received explicit instructions, started and ended the urine collection in a urine study mobile examination center, and answered questions about their collection. Among those with a complete 24-h urine collection, a random one-half were asked to collect a second 24-h urine sample. Sodium, potassium, chloride, and creatinine excretion were analyzed. Results: The final NHANES examination response rate for adults aged 20–69 y in these 3 study locations was 71%. Of those examined (n = 476), 282 (59%) were randomly selected to participate in the 24-h urine collection. Of these, 212 persons [75% of those selected for 24-h urine collection; 53% (equal to 71% × 75% of those selected for the NHANES)] collected a complete initial 24-h specimen and 92 persons (85% of 108 selected) collected a second complete 24-h urine sample. More men than women completed an initial collection (P = 0.04); otherwise, completion did not vary by sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index, education, or employment status for either collection. Mean 24-h urine volume and sodium excretion were 1964 ± 1228 mL and 3657 ± 2003 mg, respectively, for the first 24-h urine sample, and 2048 ± 1288 mL and 3773 ± 1891 mg, respectively, for the second collection. Conclusion: Given the 53% final component response rate and 75% completion rate, 24-h urine collections were deemed feasible and implemented in the NHANES 2014 on a subsample of adults aged 20–69 y to assess population sodium intake. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02723682. PMID:27413136

Knowledge and perceptions of family leave policies among female faculty in academic medicine.

PubMed

Gunn, Christine M; Freund, Karen M; Kaplan, Samantha A; Raj, Anita; Carr, Phyllis L

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to examine the knowledge and perceptions of family leave policies and practices among senior leaders including American Association of Medical College members of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) to identify perceived barriers to career success and satisfaction among female faculty. In 2011 and 2012, GWIMS representatives and senior leaders at 24 medical schools were invited to participate in an interview about faculty perceptions of gender equity and overall institutional climate. An inductive, thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted to identify themes represented in participant responses. The research team read and reviewed institutional family leave policies for concordance with key informant descriptions. There were 22 GWIMS representatives and senior leaders in the final sample. Participants were all female; 18 (82%) were full professors with the remainder being associate professors. Compared with publicly available policies at each institution, the knowledge of nine participants was consistent with policies, was discrepant for six, with the remaining seven acknowledging a lack of knowledge of policies. Four major themes were identified from the interview data: 1) Framing family leave as a personal issue undermines its effect on female faculty success; 2) poor communication of policies impairs access and affects organizational climate; 3) discrepancies in leave implementation disadvantage certain faculty in terms of time and pay; and 4) leave policies are valued and directly related to academic productivity. Family leave policies are an important aspect of faculty satisfaction and academic success, yet policy awareness among senior leaders is lacking. Further organizational support is needed to promote equitable policy creation and implementation to support women in medical academia. Copyright © 2014 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using comparative effectiveness design to improve the generalizability of bipolar treatment trials data: contrasting LiTMUS baseline data with pre-existing placebo controlled trials.

PubMed

Friedman, E S; Calabrese, J R; Ketter, T A; Leon, A C; Thase, M E; Bowden, C L; Sylvia, L G; Ostracher, M J; Severe, J; Iosifescu, D V; Nierenberg, A A; Reilly-Harrington, N A

2014-01-01

Efficacy-based double-blind placebo controlled trials were conducted to establish efficacy and safety for FDA approval. Such designs allowed and encouraged the use of exclusion criteria to improve assay sensitivity and internal validity. The LiTMUS trial increased the representation of real-world individuals with bipolar disorder despite the acknowledgment that this compromises assay sensitivity. To maximize generalizability, LiTMUS used broad inclusion and narrow exclusion criteria: participants experiencing mood symptoms of sufficient intensity (at least with a CGI-BP ≥ 3) that would warrant a change in treatment, and that lithium treatment would be a reasonable therapeutic option if they were randomized to it. At baseline demographic, illness, clinical, and treatment characteristics were collected. The LiTMUS study design and baseline sociodemographic data were compared to previous efficacy studies. As compared to the previous bipolar disorder efficacy studies, LiTMUS participants were of similar age, gender, weight and illness severity; however LiTMUS participants were more racially and ethnically representative of the general population, had a greater number of mood episodes in the past 12 months, more Axis I/II comorbidity, a greater number of prior suicide attempts, and higher functional capacity. LiTMUS was a comparative effectiveness trial that had broad inclusion and minimal exclusion criteria that produced a more representative sample comprised of real-world participants. This design enables the results of the LiTMUS study to be a more representative of real world pharmacotherapuetic outcomes. Limitations include possible selection bias, paucity of sociodemographic data in efficacy trials, and lack of a placebo. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Family Leave Policies Among Female Faculty in Academic Medicine

PubMed Central

Freund, Karen M.; Kaplan, Samantha A.; Raj, Anita; Carr, Phyllis L.

2014-01-01

Objective The purpose of this research was to examine the knowledge and perceptions of family leave policies and practices among senior leaders including American Association of Medical College members of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) to identify perceived barriers to career success and satisfaction among female faculty. Methods In 2011–2012 GWIMS representatives and senior leaders at 24 medical schools were invited to participate in an interview about faculty perceptions of gender equity and overall institutional climate. An inductive thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted to identify themes represented in participant responses. The research team read and reviewed institutional family leave policies for concordance with key informant descriptions. Findings 22 GWIMS representatives and senior leaders comprised the final sample. Participants were female, 18 (82%) were full professors with the remainder being associate professors. Compared with publicly available policies at each institution, the knowledge of nine participants was consistent with policies, was discrepant for six, with the remaining seven acknowledging a lack of knowledge of policies. Four major themes were identified from the interview data: 1) Framing family leave as a personal issue undermines its effect on female faculty success; 2) Poor communication of policies impairs access and affects organizational climate; 3) Discrepancies in leave implementation disadvantage certain faculty in terms of time and pay; 4) Leave policies are valued and directly related to academic productivity. Conclusions Family leave policies are an important aspect of faculty satisfaction and academic success, yet policy awareness by senior leaders is lacking. Further organizational support is needed to promote equitable policy creation and implementation to support women in medical academia. PMID:24533979

A survey of the sociodemographic and educational characteristics of oral health technicians in public primary health care teams in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

PubMed

Abreu, Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães; Sanglard-Oliveira, Carla Aparecida; Jaruche, Abdul Rahman Mustafá; Mambrini, Juliana Vaz de Melo; Werneck, Marcos Azeredo Furquim; Lucas, Simone Dutra

2013-12-23

To describe some sociodemographic and educational characteristics of oral health technicians (OHTs) in public primary health care teams in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed based on the telephone survey of a representative sample comprising 231 individuals. A pre-tested instrument was used for the data collection, including questions on gender, age in years, years of work as an OHT, years since graduation as an OHT, formal schooling, individual income in a month, and participation in continuing educational programmes. The descriptive statistic was developed and the formation of clusters, by the agglomerative hierarchy technique based on the furthest neighbour, was based on the age, years of work as an OHT, time since graduation as an OHT, formal schooling, individual income in a month, and participation in continuing educational programmes. Most interviewees (97.1%) were female. A monthly income of USD 300.00 to 600.00 was reported by 77.5% of the sample. Having educational qualifications in excess of their role was reported by approximately 20% of the participants. The median time since graduation was six years, and half of the sample had worked for four years as an OHT. Most interviewees (67.6%) reported having participated in professional continuing educational programmes. Two different clusters were identified based on the sociodemographic and educational characteristics of the sample. The Brazilian OHTs in public primary health care teams in the state of Minas Gerais are mostly female who have had little time since graduation, working experience, and formal schooling sufficient for professional practice.

A survey of the sociodemographic and educational characteristics of oral health technicians in public primary health care teams in Minas Gerais, Brazil

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To describe some sociodemographic and educational characteristics of oral health technicians (OHTs) in public primary health care teams in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed based on the telephone survey of a representative sample comprising 231 individuals. A pre-tested instrument was used for the data collection, including questions on gender, age in years, years of work as an OHT, years since graduation as an OHT, formal schooling, individual income in a month, and participation in continuing educational programmes. The descriptive statistic was developed and the formation of clusters, by the agglomerative hierarchy technique based on the furthest neighbour, was based on the age, years of work as an OHT, time since graduation as an OHT, formal schooling, individual income in a month, and participation in continuing educational programmes. Results Most interviewees (97.1%) were female. A monthly income of USD 300.00 to 600.00 was reported by 77.5% of the sample. Having educational qualifications in excess of their role was reported by approximately 20% of the participants. The median time since graduation was six years, and half of the sample had worked for four years as an OHT. Most interviewees (67.6%) reported having participated in professional continuing educational programmes. Two different clusters were identified based on the sociodemographic and educational characteristics of the sample. Conclusions The Brazilian OHTs in public primary health care teams in the state of Minas Gerais are mostly female who have had little time since graduation, working experience, and formal schooling sufficient for professional practice. PMID:24365451

Recruitment of mental health survey participants using Internet advertising: content, characteristics and cost effectiveness.

PubMed

Batterham, Philip J

2014-06-01

Postal and telephone survey research is threatened by declining response rates and high cost. Online recruitment is becoming more popular, although there is little empirical evidence about its cost-effectiveness or the representativeness of online samples. There is also limited research on optimal strategies for developing advertising content for online recruitment. The present study aimed to assess these aspects of online recruitment. Two mental health surveys used advertisements within a social network website (Facebook) to recruit adult Australian participants. The initial survey used advertisements linking directly to an external survey website, and recruited 1283 participants at $9.82 per completed survey. A subsequent survey used advertisements linking to a Facebook page that featured links to the external survey, recruiting 610 participants at $1.51 per completion. Both surveys were more cost-effective than similar postal surveys conducted previously, which averaged $19.10 per completion. Online and postal surveys both had somewhat unrepresentative samples. However, online surveys tended to be more successful in recruiting hard-to-reach populations. Advertising using "problem" terminology was more effective than "positive" terminology, while there was no significant effect of altruistic versus self-gain terminology. Online recruitment is efficient, flexible and cost-effective, suggesting that online recruitment has considerable potential for specific research designs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Insomnia Associated with Valerian and Melatonin Usage in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey

PubMed Central

Bliwise, Donald L.; Ansari, Farzaneh Pour

2007-01-01

Study Objective: Many people use dietary supplements or herbal products to help them sleep. We analyzed the associations between melatonin use and insomnia and between valerian use and insomnia in a representative sample of the United States population. Design and Participants: The data reported upon here were collected in the 2002 Alternative Health/Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey. This was a survey of 31,044 personal interviews that constituted an age-representative and socioeconomically representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States. Results: Of the survey sample, 5.9% used valerian and 5.2% used melatonin. Of those using valerian, 29.9% endorsed insomnia as 1 reason for CAM use, and, of melatonin users, 27.5% endorsed insomnia as 1 reason for CAM use. Relatively greater use occurred in individuals under age 60 years. The decision to use such substances was made in consultation with a health care provider less than half of the time. Conclusions: Large segments of the United States population used valerian or melatonin for insomnia within the year preceding the survey, and usage typically fell outside the purview of the health care system. Citation: Bliwise DL; Ansari FP. Insomnia associated with valerian and melatonin usage in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey. SLEEP 2007;30(7):881-884. PMID:17682659

Multi-source recruitment strategies for advancing addiction recovery research beyond treated samples

PubMed Central

Subbaraman, Meenakshi Sabina; Laudet, Alexandre B.; Ritter, Lois A.; Stunz, Aina; Kaskutas, Lee Ann

2014-01-01

Background The lack of established sampling frames makes reaching individuals in recovery from substance problems difficult. Although general population studies are most generalizable, the low prevalence of individuals in recovery makes this strategy costly and inefficient. Though more efficient, treatment samples are biased. Aims To describe multi-source recruitment for capturing participants from heterogeneous pathways to recovery; assess which sources produced the most respondents within subgroups; and compare treatment and non-treatment samples to address generalizability. Results Family/friends, Craigslist, social media and non-12-step groups produced the most respondents from hard-to-reach groups, such as racial minorities and treatment-naïve individuals. Recovery organizations yielded twice as many African-Americans and more rural dwellers, while social media yielded twice as many young people than other sources. Treatment samples had proportionally fewer females and older individuals compared to non-treated samples. Conclusions Future research on recovery should utilize previously neglected recruiting strategies to maximize the representativeness of samples. PMID:26166909

[Hepatitis B prevalence among women in child-bearing age in Shandong Province, China, 2014].

PubMed

Zhang, L; Liu, J Y; Lyu, J J; Yan, B Y; Feng, Y; Wu, W L; Song, L Z; Xu, A Q

2017-06-06

Objective: To know the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) among women in child-bearing age in Shandong Province, China, providing references to the improvement of HBV control strategy. Methods: The participants were randomly selected by two-stage sampling method from 12 counties which were representative for the whole province. Firstly two townships were selected from each county by probability proportional to size sampling (PPS) method. Then participants aged 1-4 years, 5-14 years, 15-29 years and 30-59 years were selected by stratified random sampling method. The women in child-bearing age (20-49 years) were involved in this study. Questionnaire survey and 5 ml blood collection were conducted among all participants. Blood samples were detected for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody against HBsAg (anti-HBs) and antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). Those who were positive for HBsAg were further detected for hepatitis e antigen (HBeAg), antibody against HBeAg (anti-HBe) and the load of HBV DNA. The basic information of the participants including age, gender, occupation, nationality and residence place were collected. The prevalence of HBV infection indicators after weight adjustment were calculated and compared between participants with different demographic characteristics. Results: A total of 1 151 women in child-bearing age were involved in this study. Twenty-seven participants were positive for HBsAg and the prevalence rate was 2.10% (95 % CI: 0.97%-3.23%). Five participants were positive for both HBsAg and HBeAg and the prevalence rate was 0.36% (95 % CI: 0-0.84%). There were 567 and 291 participants who were positive for anti-HBs and anti-HBc respectively and the corresponding prevalence rates were 47.72% (95 %CI: 41.68%-53.75%) and 24.40% (95 % CI: 18.50%-30.30%). The number of participants susceptible for HBV was 527 and the percentage of HBV susceptible women was 47.55% (95 % CI: 41.63%-53.47%). Conclusion: HBV infection among women in child-bearing age has attained very low level in Shandong Province, China. However, the high proportion of women in child-bearing age were still susceptible for HBV and hepatitis B immunization should be improved among them.

Comparing sexual minority cancer survivors recruited through a cancer registry to convenience methods of recruitment.

PubMed

Boehmer, Ulrike; Clark, Melissa A; Timm, Alison; Glickman, Mark; Sullivan, Mairead

2011-01-01

Sexual minority women, defined as having a lesbian or bisexual identity or reporting a preference for a female partner, are not considered by cancer surveillance. This study assesses the representativeness of sexual minority breast cancer survivors, defined as having a lesbian or bisexual identity or reporting a preference for a female partner, who were recruited into a convenience sample compared with a population-based registry sample of sexual minority breast cancer survivors. Long-term survivors of non-metastatic breast cancer who self-reported as sexual minority were recruited from a cancer registry and subsequently from the community using convenience recruitment methods. Sexual minority breast cancer survivors who screened eligible participated in a telephone survey about their quality of life and factors associated therewith. Participants in the convenience sample were similar to the registry-based sample with respect to adjustment to cancer, physical health, trust in physician, coping, social support, and sexual minority experiences. Compared with the convenience sample, breast cancer survivors in the registry sample were more likely married, more educated, diagnosed more recently, at an earlier stage of cancer, and more likely treated with breast-conserving surgery; they differed on adjuvant therapies. Because sexual minority breast cancer survivors who volunteered for the community-based sample shared most characteristics of the sample recruited from the cancer registry, we concluded that the community sample had comparable representational quality. In the absence of cancer surveillance of sexual minorities, thoughtful convenience recruitment methods provide good representational quality convenience samples. Copyright © 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Report of the Workshop for Life Detection in Samples from Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kminek, Gerhard; Conley, Catherine; Allen, Carlton C.; Bartlett, Douglas H.; Beaty, David W.; Benning, Liane G.; Bhartia, Rohit; Boston, Penelope J.; Duchaine, Caroline; Farmer, Jack D.;

Associations between Community Attachments and Adolescent Substance Use in Nationally Representative Samples

PubMed Central

Wray-Lake, Laura; Maggs, Jennifer L.; Johnston, Lloyd D.; Bachman, Jerald G.; O’Malley, Patrick M.; Schulenberg, John E.

2012-01-01

Purpose Social capital and social attachment theories of substance use argue that positive bonds to society and the conventional values they promote deter adolescents from substance use. Using nationally representative samples of U.S. high school seniors, we hypothesized that adolescents’ community attachments, measured by social trust, social responsibility, and religiosity, would be negatively associated with lifetime and 30-day substance use. Method We used repeated cross-sectional nationally representative high school senior data from 1976–2008 Monitoring the Future Study cohorts (weighted N = 64,246; 51.6% female). Participation rate ranged from 77% to 86% across years. A series of multiple linear and logistic regressions examined unique associations of adolescents’ social trust, social responsibility, and religiosity with lifetime and 30-day use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and narcotics. Models controlled for gender, race, college aspirations, high school grades, parents’ education, and survey year. Results Social trust, social responsibility, and religiosity showed independent negative associations with use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and six other types of drugs. After accounting for controls, community attachments related to lower lifetime and past 30-day use. Associations were consistent across measures, except social responsibility was not associated with binge drinking or lifetime illicit drugs besides marijuana. Conclusions Study strengths included the nationally representative sample, diverse substance use measures, and inclusion of controls. We extend theory by suggesting that distinct aspects of adolescents’ community attachments uniquely relate to lower substance use. Results suggest potential public health benefits of integrating promotion of community attachments with substance use prevention. PMID:22999832

Successful Reach and Adoption of a workplace health promotion RCT targeting a group of high-risk workers

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Cleaners are rarely introduced to workplace health promotion programs. The study's objective was to evaluate the reach and adoption of a workplace randomized controlled trial (RCT) among cleaners in Denmark. Methods Cleaning businesses with at least 30 employees, that could offer a weekly 1-hour intervention during working hours, were invited to participate. Employees working at least 20 hours/week were invited to answer a screening questionnaire and consent to participate. Analyses determined the differences in health variables between responders and non-responders, consenters and non-consenters, participants and non-participants and between participants of the RCT's three groups: physical coordination training, cognitive-behavioural theory-based training and reference group. Results From 16 eligible workplaces, a representative sample of 50% adopted the trial. Of 758 eligible employees, 78% responded to the screening questionnaire and 49% consented to participate. Consenters and participants differed from non-consenters and non-participants by having higher BMI, more chronic diseases and poorer musculoskeletal health. Conclusions This study indicates that workplace health promotion programs directed at health risk factors among cleaners enable significant adoption and reach to a high-risk subgroup of the Danish workforce. Trial registration Trial registration ISRCTN96241850 PMID:20546592

The use and influence of employee incentives on participation and throughput in a telephonic disease management program.

PubMed

Wilhide, Calvin; Hayes, John R; Farah, J Ramsay

2008-08-01

Participation rates are often viewed by vendors and employer-based disease management (DM) services as an important benchmark of successful program implementation. Although participation is commonly understood to vary widely between and within employer groups, little is known about the role of incentives on rates of participation and graduation from DM programs. This study examined the use of incentives, employer characteristics, and perceptions of employee-employer communication on participation and program throughput. The relationship between incentive use and rates of participation and throughput among 87 employer groups from the 2004 company portfolio were assessed using existing account information. Detailed information on the highest and lowest third of the sample was obtained through interviews with account representatives. Wilcoxon, chi square, and regression analyses were used to examine the influence of employer characteristics and incentive factors on enrollee participation rates and program completion. Fifty-two percent of the accounts offered incentives for participation. From 1% to 23% of the eligible employees enrolled and completed the DM program. Incentives had a direct impact on participation, with amounts greater than $50 the most effective. Participation increased with communication tools including e-mail, high-blast (repeated) communications, and health fairs. Results suggest that cash incentives and communication play a significant role in rates of participation and program completion.

The economic and social burden of compulsive hoarding

PubMed Central

Tolin, David F.; Frost, Randy O.; Steketee, Gail; Gray, Krista D.; Fitch, Kristin E.

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the economic and social burden of compulsive hoarding in a large sample of individuals with self-identified hoarding, as well as a separate sample of family members of individuals who hoard. Self-identified hoarding participants (N = 864, 94% female, 65% met research criteria for clinically relevant compulsive hoarding) and family informants (N = 655, 58% described a relative who appeared to meet research criteria for compulsive hoarding), completed an internet survey. Questions were derived in part from those used in the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS), and when possible, hoarding participants were compared to NCS participants. Compulsive hoarding was associated with an average 7.0 work impairment days in the past month, equivalent to that reported by individuals with psychotic disorders and significantly greater than that reported by female NCS participants with all other anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders. Severity of hoarding predicted the degree of work impairment after controlling for age, sex, and nonpsychiatric medical conditions. Hoarding participants were nearly three times as likely to be overweight or obese as were family members. Compared to female NCS participants, hoarding participants were significantly more likely to report a broad range of chronic and severe medical concerns and had a fivefold higher rate of mental health service utilization. Eight to 12 percent had been evicted or threatened with eviction due to hoarding, and 0.1–3.0% had a child or elder removed from the home. These results suggest that compulsive hoarding represents a profound public health burden in terms of occupational impairment, poor physical health, and social service involvement. PMID:18597855

Evaluating Tablet Computers as a Survey Tool in Rural Communities

PubMed Central

Newell, Steve M.; Logan, Henrietta L.; Guo, Yi; Marks, John G.; Shepperd, James A.

2015-01-01

Purpose Although tablet computers offer advantages in data collection over traditional paper-and-pencil methods, little research has examined whether the 2 formats yield similar responses, especially with underserved populations. We compared the 2 survey formats and tested whether participants’ responses to common health questionnaires or perceptions of usability differed by survey format. We also tested whether we could replicate established paper-and-pencil findings via tablet computer. Methods We recruited a sample of low-income community members living in the rural southern United States. Participants were 170 residents (black = 49%; white = 36%; other races and missing data = 15%) drawn from 2 counties meeting Florida’s state statutory definition of rural with 100 persons or fewer per square mile. We randomly assigned participants to complete scales (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Inventory and Regulatory Focus Questionnaire) along with survey format usability ratings via paper-and-pencil or tablet computer. All participants rated a series of previously validated posters using a tablet computer. Finally, participants completed comparisons of the survey formats and reported survey format preferences. Findings Participants preferred using the tablet computer and showed no significant differences between formats in mean responses, scale reliabilities, or in participants’ usability ratings. Conclusions Overall, participants reported similar scales responses and usability ratings between formats. However, participants reported both preferring and enjoying responding via tablet computer more. Collectively, these findings are among the first data to show that tablet computers represent a suitable substitute among an underrepresented rural sample for paper-and-pencil methodology in survey research. PMID:25243953

Competitive sports participation in high school and subsequent substance use in young adulthood: Assessing differences based on level of contact

PubMed Central

Veliz, Philip; Schulenberg, John; Patrick, Megan; Kloska, Deb; McCabe, Sean Esteban; Zarrett, Nicole

2016-01-01

The objective of this analysis is to examine how participation in different types of competitive sports (based on level of contact) during high school is associated with substance use 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade. The analysis uses nationally representative samples of 12th graders from the Monitoring the Future Study who were followed 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade. The longitudinal sample consisted of 970 12th graders from six recent cohorts (2006–2011). The analyses found that respondents who participated in at least one competitive sport during the 12th grade had greater odds of binge drinking during the past two weeks (AOR = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.43, 2.90) 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade, when compared to their peers who did not participate in sports during their 12th grade year. Moreover, respondents who participated in high-contact sports (i.e., football, ice hockey, lacrosse, and wrestling) had greater odds of binge drinking (AOR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.72) and engaging in marijuana use during the past 30 days (AOR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.12, 2.93) 1 to 4 years after the 12th grade when compared to their peers who did not participate in these types of sports during their 12th grade year. Accordingly, the findings indicate important distinctions in sport participation experiences on long-term substance use risk that can help inform potential interventions among young athletes. PMID:28344426

Chronic disease self-management education courses: utilization by low-income, middle-aged participants.

PubMed

Horrell, Lindsey N; Kneipp, Shawn M; Ahn, SangNam; Towne, Samuel D; Mingo, Chivon A; Ory, Marcia G; Smith, Matthew Lee

2017-06-27

Individuals living in lower-income areas face an increased prevalence of chronic disease and, oftentimes, greater barriers to optimal self-management. Disparities in disease management are seen across the lifespan, but are particularly notable among middle-aged adults. Although evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-management Education courses are available to enhance self-management among members of this at-risk population, little information is available to determine the extent to which these courses are reaching those at greatest risk. The purpose of this study is to compare the extent to which middle-aged adults from lower- and higher-income areas have engaged in CDSME courses, and to identify the sociodemographic characteristics of lower-income, middle aged participants. The results of this study were produced through analysis of secondary data collected during the Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program initiative. During this initiative, data was collected from 100,000 CDSME participants across 45 states within the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Of the entire sample included in this analysis (19,365 participants), 55 people lived in the most impoverished counties. While these 55 participants represented just 0.3% of the total study sample, researchers found this group completed courses more frequently than participants from less impoverished counties once enrolled. These results signal a need to enhance participation of middle-aged adults from lower-income areas in CDSME courses. The results also provide evidence that can be used to inform future program delivery choices, including decisions regarding recruitment materials, program leaders, and program delivery sites, to better engage this population.

2013 Reading Assessment Report Card: Summary Data Tables for National and State Sample Sizes, Participation Rates, and Proportions of SD and ELL Students Identified. [Technical Appendix. NCES 2014-451

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Education Statistics, 2013

2013-01-01

This document represents one of three appendices associated with "The Nation's Report Card: A First Look--2013 Mathematics and Reading. National Assessment of Educational Progress at Grade 4 and 8. NCES 2014-451." It includes tabular data relating to the reading portion of the National Assessment of Education Progress at Grade 4 and 8.…

Associations among school characteristics and foodservice practices in a nationally representative sample of United States schools.

PubMed

Thomson, Jessica L; Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa M; Martin, Corby K; LeBlanc, Monique M; Onufrak, Stephen J

2012-01-01

Determine school characteristics associated with healthy/unhealthy food service offerings or healthy food preparation practices. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data. Nationally representative sample of public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. Data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Practices Study Food Service School Questionnaire, n = 526 for Healthy and Unhealthy Offerings analysis; n = 520 for Healthy Preparation analysis. Scores for healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings and healthy food preparation practices. Multivariable regression to determine significant associations among school characteristics and offerings/preparation practices. Public schools and schools participating in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition reported more healthy offerings and preparation than private or nonparticipating schools, respectively. Elementary schools reported fewer unhealthy offerings than middle or high schools; middle schools reported fewer unhealthy offerings than high schools. Schools requiring foodservice managers to have a college education reported more healthy preparation, whereas those requiring completion of a foodservice training program reported fewer unhealthy offerings and more healthy preparation than schools without these requirements. Results suggest the school nutrition environment may be improved by requiring foodservice managers to hold a nutrition-related college degree and/or successfully pass a foodservice training program, and by participating in a school-based nutrition program, such as USDA Team Nutrition. Copyright © 2012 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. All rights reserved.

Statistical design and analysis plan for an impact evaluation of an HIV treatment and prevention intervention for female sex workers in Zimbabwe: a study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Hargreaves, James R; Fearon, Elizabeth; Davey, Calum; Phillips, Andrew; Cambiano, Valentina; Cowan, Frances M

2016-01-05

Pragmatic cluster-randomised trials should seek to make unbiased estimates of effect and be reported according to CONSORT principles, and the study population should be representative of the target population. This is challenging when conducting trials amongst 'hidden' populations without a sample frame. We describe a pair-matched cluster-randomised trial of a combination HIV-prevention intervention to reduce the proportion of female sex workers (FSW) with a detectable HIV viral load in Zimbabwe, recruiting via respondent driven sampling (RDS). We will cross-sectionally survey approximately 200 FSW at baseline and at endline to characterise each of 14 sites. RDS is a variant of chain referral sampling and has been adapted to approximate random sampling. Primary analysis will use the 'RDS-2' method to estimate cluster summaries and will adapt Hayes and Moulton's '2-step' method to adjust effect estimates for individual-level confounders and further adjust for cluster baseline prevalence. We will adapt CONSORT to accommodate RDS. In the absence of observable refusal rates, we will compare the recruitment process between matched pairs. We will need to investigate whether cluster-specific recruitment or the intervention itself affects the accuracy of the RDS estimation process, potentially causing differential biases. To do this, we will calculate RDS-diagnostic statistics for each cluster at each time point and compare these statistics within matched pairs and time points. Sensitivity analyses will assess the impact of potential biases arising from assumptions made by the RDS-2 estimation. We are not aware of any other completed pragmatic cluster RCTs that are recruiting participants using RDS. Our statistical design and analysis approach seeks to transparently document participant recruitment and allow an assessment of the representativeness of the study to the target population, a key aspect of pragmatic trials. The challenges we have faced in the design of this trial are likely to be shared in other contexts aiming to serve the needs of legally and/or socially marginalised populations for which no sampling frame exists and especially when the social networks of participants are both the target of intervention and the means of recruitment. The trial was registered at Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201312000722390) on 9 December 2013.

Surrogate Receptivity to Participation in Critical Illness Genetic Research

PubMed Central

Butler, Kevin; Bolcic-Jankovic, Dragana; Clarridge, Brian R.; Kennedy, Carie R.; LeBlanc, Jessica; Chandros Hull, Sara

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Collection of genetic biospecimens as part of critical illness investigations is increasingly commonplace. Oversight bodies vary in restrictions imposed on genetic research, introducing inconsistencies in study design, potential for sampling bias, and the possibility of being overly prohibitive of this type of research altogether. We undertook this study to better understand whether restrictions on genetic data collection beyond those governing research on cognitively intact subjects reflect the concerns of surrogates for critically ill patients. METHODS: We analyzed survey data collected from 1,176 patients in nonurgent settings and 437 surrogates representing critically ill adults. Attitudes pertaining to genetic data (familiarity, perceptions, interest in participation, concerns) and demographic information were examined using univariate and multivariate techniques. RESULTS: We explored differences among respondents who were receptive (1,333) and nonreceptive (280) to genetic sample collection. Whereas factors positively associated with receptivity to research participation were “complete trust” in health-care providers (OR, 2.091; 95% CI, 1.544-2.833), upper income strata (OR, 2.319; 95% CI, 1.308-4.114), viewing genetic research “very positively” (OR, 3.524; 95% CI, 2.122-5.852), and expressing “no worry at all” regarding disclosure of results (OR, 2.505; 95% CI, 1.436-4.369), black race was negatively associated with research participation (OR, 0.410; 95% CI, 0.288-0.585). We could detect no difference in receptivity to genetic sample collection comparing ambulatory patients and surrogates (OR, 0.738; 95% CI, 0.511-1.066). CONCLUSIONS: Expressing trust in health-care providers and viewing genetic research favorably were associated with increased willingness for study enrollment, while concern regarding breach of confidentiality and black race had the opposite effect. Study setting had no bearing on willingness to participate. PMID:25340645

Surrogate receptivity to participation in critical illness genetic research: aligning research oversight and stakeholder concerns.

PubMed

Freeman, Bradley D; Butler, Kevin; Bolcic-Jankovic, Dragana; Clarridge, Brian R; Kennedy, Carie R; LeBlanc, Jessica; Chandros Hull, Sara

2015-04-01

Collection of genetic biospecimens as part of critical illness investigations is increasingly commonplace. Oversight bodies vary in restrictions imposed on genetic research, introducing inconsistencies in study design, potential for sampling bias, and the possibility of being overly prohibitive of this type of research altogether. We undertook this study to better understand whether restrictions on genetic data collection beyond those governing research on cognitively intact subjects reflect the concerns of surrogates for critically ill patients. We analyzed survey data collected from 1,176 patients in nonurgent settings and 437 surrogates representing critically ill adults. Attitudes pertaining to genetic data (familiarity, perceptions, interest in participation, concerns) and demographic information were examined using univariate and multivariate techniques. We explored differences among respondents who were receptive (1,333) and nonreceptive (280) to genetic sample collection. Whereas factors positively associated with receptivity to research participation were "complete trust" in health-care providers (OR, 2.091; 95% CI, 1.544-2.833), upper income strata (OR, 2.319; 95% CI, 1.308-4.114), viewing genetic research "very positively" (OR, 3.524; 95% CI, 2.122-5.852), and expressing "no worry at all" regarding disclosure of results (OR, 2.505; 95% CI, 1.436-4.369), black race was negatively associated with research participation (OR, 0.410; 95% CI, 0.288-0.585). We could detect no difference in receptivity to genetic sample collection comparing ambulatory patients and surrogates (OR, 0.738; 95% CI, 0.511-1.066). Expressing trust in health-care providers and viewing genetic research favorably were associated with increased willingness for study enrollment, while concern regarding breach of confidentiality and black race had the opposite effect. Study setting had no bearing on willingness to participate.

What Does It Mean for Something to Be "Scientific"? Community Understandings of Science, Educational Attainment, and Community Representation Among a Sample of 25 CBPR Projects.

PubMed

Spears Johnson, Chaya R; Kraemer Diaz, Anne E; Arcury, Thomas A

2017-04-01

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) seeks to conduct relevant, sustainable research that is tailored to the needs of the communities with which it is engaged through equitable collaboration between community representatives and professional researchers. Like other participatory approaches to research and planning, CBPR has been criticized for the potential to engage a biased sample of community representatives and, thereby, undermine the fundamental purpose of the approach. Moreover, the varying educational levels and areas of expertise, especially regarding science literacy, among those participating in CBPR has raised concern about the ability for true collaboration to exist within CBPR projects. This article presents findings from a qualitative study of 25 CBPR research projects and explores matters of science literacy, community representation, and the nature of CBPR. Ultimately, it is suggested that those who engage in CBPR should carefully consider the potential for biased community representation and seek to purposely and mindfully avoid any partiality.

Anthropometric characteristics of elite male junior rowers

PubMed Central

Bourgois, J.; Claessens, A.; Vrijens, J.; Philippaerts, R.; Van Renterghem, B.; Thomis, M.; Janssens, M.; Loos, R.; Lefevre, J.

2000-01-01

During the 1997 Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron World Junior Rowing Championships, anthropometric data on 383 male junior rowers were assessed. With 430 participating athletes, the sample represented 89% of the population. In addition to age, 27 dimensions were measured: body mass, six heights or lengths, four breadths, 10 girths, and six skinfolds. The elite male junior rowers were tall (187.4 (5.8) cm; mean (SD)) and heavy (82.2 (7.4) kg), with larger length, breadth, and girth dimensions than a nationally representative sample of Belgian boys of the same chronological age. A rowing specific anthropometric profile chart with norms was constructed. The stature of the junior rowers is similar to that of adult heavyweight elite rowers, except that the junior rowers are lighter. Compared with non-finalists, finalists are heavier (but still lighter than the adult heavyweight elite rower) and taller, with greater length, breadth (except for the bicristal diameter), and girth dimensions. Key Words: anthropometry; body size; males; junior; rowers PMID:10854024

Prevention of Chronic Hepatitis B after 3 Decades of Escalating Vaccination Policy, China.

PubMed

Cui, Fuqiang; Shen, Lipin; Li, Li; Wang, Huaqing; Wang, Fuzhen; Bi, Shengli; Liu, Jianhua; Zhang, Guomin; Wang, Feng; Zheng, Hui; Sun, Xiaojin; Miao, Ning; Yin, Zundong; Feng, Zijian; Liang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Yu

2017-05-01

China's hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevention policy has been evaluated through nationally representative serologic surveys conducted in 1992 and 2006. We report results of a 2014 serologic survey and reanalysis of the 1992 and 2006 surveys in the context of program policy. The 2014 survey used a 2-stage sample strategy in which townships were selected from 160 longstanding, nationally representative, county-level disease surveillance points, and persons 1-29 years of age were invited to participate. The 2014 sample size was 31,713; the response rate was 83.3%. Compared with the 1992 pre-recombinant vaccine survey, HBV surface antigen prevalence declined 46% by 2006 and by 52% by 2014. Among children <5 years of age, the decline was 97%. China's HBV prevention program, targeted toward interrupting perinatal transmission, has been highly successful and increasingly effective. However, this progress must be sustained for decades to come, and elimination of HBV transmission will require augmented strategies.

Calculating Preference Weights for the Labor and Delivery Index: A Discrete Choice Experiment on Women's Birth Experiences.

PubMed

Gärtner, Fania R; de Bekker-Grob, Esther W; Stiggelbout, Anne M; Rijnders, Marlies E; Freeman, Liv M; Middeldorp, Johanna M; Bloemenkamp, Kitty W M; de Miranda, Esteriek; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to calculate preference weights for the Labor and Delivery Index (LADY-X) to make it suitable as a utility measure for perinatal care studies. In an online discrete choice experiment, 18 pairs of hypothetical scenarios were presented to respondents, from which they had to choose a preferred option. The scenarios describe the birth experience in terms of the seven LADY-X attributes. A D-efficient discrete choice experiment design with priors based on a small sample (N = 110) was applied. Two samples were gathered, women who had recently given birth and subjects from the general population. Both samples were analyzed separately using a panel mixed logit (MMNL) model. Using the panel mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) model results and accounting for preference heterogeneity, we calculated the average preference weights for LADY-X attribute levels. These were transformed to represent a utility score between 0 and 1, with 0 representing the worst and 1 representing the best birth experience. In total, 1097 women who had recently given birth and 367 subjects from the general population participated. Greater value was placed on differences between bottom and middle attribute levels than on differences between middle and top levels. The attributes that resulted in larger utility increases than the other attributes were "feeling of safety" in the sample of women who had recently given birth and "feeling of safety" and "availability of professionals" in the general population sample. By using the derived preference weights, LADY-X has the potential to be used as a utility measure for perinatal (cost-) effectiveness studies. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The hospital anxiety and depression scale--dimensionality, reliability and construct validity among cognitively intact nursing home patients.

PubMed

Haugan, Gørill; Drageset, Jorunn

2014-08-01

Depression and anxiety are particularly common among individuals living in long-term care facilities. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of anxiety and depression among nursing home patients is highly warranted. To investigate the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) in a cognitively intact nursing home population. Cross-sectional data were collected from two samples; 429 cognitively intact nursing home patients participated, representing 74 different Norwegian nursing homes. Confirmative factor analyses and correlations with selected constructs were used. The two-factor model provided a good fit in Sample1, revealing a poorer fit in Sample2. Good-acceptable measurement reliability was demonstrated, and construct validity was supported. Using listwise deletion the sample sizes were 227 and 187, for Sample1 and Sample2, respectively. Greater sample sizes would have strengthen the statistical power in the tests. The researchers visited the participants to help fill in the questionnaires; this might have introduced some bias into the respondents׳ reporting. The 14 HADS items were part of greater questionnaires. Thus, frail, older NH patients might have tired during the interview causing a possible bias. Low reliability for depression was disclosed, mainly resulting from three items appearing to be inappropriate indicators for depression in this population. Further research is needed exploring which items might perform as more reliably indicators for depression among nursing home patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparability on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors between STD clinic clients and high-risk individuals in community.

PubMed

Du, Ping; Thomas, Rosalind; McNutt, Louise-Anne; Bruce Coles, F

2008-01-01

To assess the feasibility and generalizability of STD clinic samples for studying STD-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB), and healthcare preferences among individuals at high risk for STDs in the same community. An STD clinic and a community sample were selected from each of two urban areas in New York State. At each STD clinic, 100 individuals were interviewed. In each community, about 400 individuals were selected by random-digit-dialing telephone survey during the same period. Community sample participants were defined as having high-risk profiles on the basis of five items related to their sexual behaviors. The STD clinic samples were younger and had a larger proportion of men and nonwhite people compared with the high-risk community samples. Although the majority of STD clinic clients would seek healthcare at the STD clinics, high-risk community participants were more likely to prefer private doctors for STDs care (P < .0001 for both areas). Overall STD-related KAB were similar between STD clinic and high-risk community samples; however, STD clinic clients may be more knowledgeable about specific STDs and more likely to feel embarrassment about getting an STD. The findings comparing KAB between high-risk community subjects and STD clinic attendees also varied by geographic location. STD clinic samples may not be sufficiently representative of community STD-related KAB collected by telephone surveys, even for that subset of community respondents with high-risk behaviors associated with STDs.

Sports participation and parent-reported health-related quality of life in children: longitudinal associations.

PubMed

Vella, Stewart A; Cliff, Dylan P; Magee, Christopher A; Okely, Anthony D

2014-06-01

To investigate the longitudinal association between sports participation and parent-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children. Cohort study that used data drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in waves 3 (2008) and 4 (2010). Participants were a nationally representative sample of 4042 Australian children ages 8.25 (SD = 0.44) years at baseline and followed-up 24 months later. After we adjusted for multiple covariates, children who continued to participate in sports between the ages of 8 and 10 years had greater parent-reported HRQOL at age 10 (Eta2 = .02) compared with children who did not participate in sports (P ≤ .001), children who commenced participation after 8 years of age (P = .004), and children who dropped out of sports before reaching 10 years of age (P = .04). Children who participated in both team and individual sports (P = .02) or team sports alone (P = .04) had greater HRQOL compared with children who participated in individual sports alone (Eta2 = .01). The benefits of sports participation were strongest for girls (P < .05; Eta2 = .003). Children's participation in developmentally appropriate team sports helps to protect HRQOL and should be encouraged at an early age and maintained for as long as possible. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Representativeness of the participants in the smoking Cessation in Pregnancy Incentives Trial (CPIT): a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bessing, Barnabas; Bauld, Linda; Sinclair, Lesley; Mackay, Daniel F; Spence, William; Tappin, David M

2016-08-26

The limited representativeness of trial samples may restrict external validity. The aim of this study was to ascertain the representativeness of the population enrolled in the Cessation in Pregnancy Incentives Trial (CPIT), a therapeutic exploratory study to examine the effectiveness of financial incentives for smoking cessation during pregnancy. CPIT participants (n = 492) were compared with all self-reported smokers at maternity booking who did not participate in the trial (n = 1982). Both groups were drawn from the National Health Service (NHS) Greater Glasgow and Clyde area over a 1-year trial enrolment period. Variables used for comparison were age, area-based deprivation index, body mass index, gestation, and carbon monoxide (CO) breath test level. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare groups. From January to December 2012, 2474/13,945 (17.7 %) women, who booked for maternity care, self-reported as current smokers (at least one cigarette in the last week). Seven hundred and fifty-two were ineligible for trial participation because of a CO breath test level of less than 7 parts per million (ppm) used as a biochemical cut-off to corroborate self-report of current smoking. At telephone consent 301 could not be contacted, 11 had miscarried, 16 did not give consent and 3 opted out after randomisation, leaving 492 participants for analysis. There were no differences in demographic or clinical characteristics between trial participants, and self-reported smokers not enrolled in the trial in terms of CO breath test (as a measure of smoking level for those with a CO level of 7 ppm or higher), material deprivation (using an area-based measure), maternal age and maternal body mass index. Gestation at booking was statistically significantly lower for participants. To ensure that all trial participants were smokers, biochemical validation excluded self-reported smokers with a CO level of less than 7 ppm from taking part in the trial, which excluded 30 % of self-reported smokers who were 'lighter' smokers. The efficacy of financial incentives would not have been likely to decrease if 'lighter' smokers had been included in the trial population. Trial participants were slightly earlier in their pregnancy at maternity booking, but this difference would not clinically affect the provision of financial incentives if provided routinely. Overall, the trial population was representative of all self-reported smokers with regard to available routinely collected data. Appropriate comparison of trial and target populations, with detailed reporting of exclusion criteria would contribute to the understanding of the wider applicability of trial results. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN87508788 . Registered/Assigned on 1 September 2011.

The Sex, Age, and Me study: recruitment and sampling for a large mixed-methods study of sexual health and relationships in an older Australian population.

PubMed

Lyons, Anthony; Heywood, Wendy; Fileborn, Bianca; Minichiello, Victor; Barrett, Catherine; Brown, Graham; Hinchliff, Sharron; Malta, Sue; Crameri, Pauline

2017-09-01

Older people are often excluded from large studies of sexual health, as it is assumed that they are not having sex or are reluctant to talk about sensitive topics and are therefore difficult to recruit. We outline the sampling and recruitment strategies from a recent study on sexual health and relationships among older people. Sex, Age and Me was a nationwide Australian study that examined sexual health, relationship patterns, safer-sex practices and STI knowledge of Australians aged 60 years and over. The study used a mixed-methods approach to establish baseline levels of knowledge and to develop deeper insights into older adult's understandings and practices relating to sexual health. Data collection took place in 2015, with 2137 participants completing a quantitative survey and 53 participating in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. As the feasibility of this type of study has been largely untested until now, we provide detailed information on the study's recruitment strategies and methods. We also compare key characteristics of our sample with national estimates to assess its degree of representativeness. This study provides evidence to challenge the assumptions that older people will not take part in sexual health-related research and details a novel and successful way to recruit participants in this area.

How do male sex workers on Craigslist differ from those on Rentboy? A comparison of two samples.

PubMed

Grov, Christian; Koken, Juline; Smith, Martez; Parsons, Jeffrey T

2017-04-01

Much contemporary focus on male-for-male sex work has been with men who place advertisements on profile-based sex work websites. Less is known about men who sell sex via online bulletin boards. We compared two samples of men who were selling sex: a 2014-2015 survey of men on Craigslist.org (n = 95) and a 2013 study of men on Rentboy.com (n = 418). In multivariable modelling, compared to Rentboy, Craigslist participants had a significantly higher odds of being non-White (AOR = 5.32), gay identified (AOR = 2.32), making less than US$20,000 a year (AOR = 3.77), having used marijuana in the past 12 months (AOR = 3.41). Furthermore, compared to Rentboy, Craigslist participants had significantly lower odds of escorting full-time (AOR = .24), kissing (AOR = .23) or having anal insertive sex (AOR = .36) with their last male client, that their last paid encounter exceeded 1 hour in duration (AOR = .49) or having been paid over US$200 for that encounter (AOR = .19), and fewer clients in the past 30 days (AOR = .95). Craigslist participants were at greater economic disadvantage compared to men from Rentboy; however, they were less likely to engage in HIV risk behaviours (anal sex and condomless anal sex). These samples may represent distinct populations along the continuum of sex work.

Prevalence of Dementia and Cognitive Complaints in the Context of High Cognitive Reserve: A Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Perquin, Magali; Diederich, Nico; Pastore, Jessica; Lair, Marie-Lise; Stranges, Saverio; Vaillant, Michel

2015-01-01

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dementia and cognitive complaints in a cross-sectional sample of Luxembourg seniors, and to discuss the results in the societal context of high cognitive reserve resulting from multilingualism. A population sample of 1,377 people representative of Luxembourg residents aged over 64 years was initially identified via the national social insurance register. There were three different levels of contribution: full participation in the study, partial participation, and non-participation. We examined the profiles of these three different samples so that we could infer the prevalence estimates in the Luxembourgish senior population as a whole using the prevalence estimates obtained in this study. After careful attention to the potential bias and of the possibility of underestimation, we considered the obtained prevalence estimates of 3.8% for dementia (with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL) of 2.8% and 4.8%) and 26.1% for cognitive complaints (CL = [17.8-34.3]) as trustworthy. Based on these findings, we postulate that high cognitive reserve may result in surprisingly low prevalence estimates of cognitive complaints and dementia in adults over the age of 64 years, which thereby corroborates the longer disability-free life expectancy observed in the Luxembourg population. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report such Luxembourgish public health data.

Prevalence of Dementia and Cognitive Complaints in the Context of High Cognitive Reserve: A Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Perquin, Magali; Diederich, Nico; Pastore, Jessica; Lair, Marie-Lise; Stranges, Saverio; Vaillant, Michel

2015-01-01

Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dementia and cognitive complaints in a cross-sectional sample of Luxembourg seniors, and to discuss the results in the societal context of high cognitive reserve resulting from multilingualism. Methods A population sample of 1,377 people representative of Luxembourg residents aged over 64 years was initially identified via the national social insurance register. There were three different levels of contribution: full participation in the study, partial participation, and non-participation. We examined the profiles of these three different samples so that we could infer the prevalence estimates in the Luxembourgish senior population as a whole using the prevalence estimates obtained in this study. Results After careful attention to the potential bias and of the possibility of underestimation, we considered the obtained prevalence estimates of 3.8% for dementia (with corresponding 95% confidence limits (CL) of 2.8% and 4.8%) and 26.1% for cognitive complaints (CL = [17.8–34.3]) as trustworthy. Conclusion Based on these findings, we postulate that high cognitive reserve may result in surprisingly low prevalence estimates of cognitive complaints and dementia in adults over the age of 64 years, which thereby corroborates the longer disability-free life expectancy observed in the Luxembourg population. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to report such Luxembourgish public health data. PMID:26390288

Inadequate Iodine Intake in Population Groups Defined by Age, Life Stage and Vegetarian Dietary Practice in a Norwegian Convenience Sample.

PubMed

Brantsæter, Anne Lise; Knutsen, Helle Katrine; Johansen, Nina Cathrine; Nyheim, Kristine Aastad; Erlund, Iris; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Henjum, Sigrun

2018-02-17

Inadequate iodine intake has been identified in populations considered iodine replete for decades. The objective of the current study is to evaluate urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and the probability of adequate iodine intake in subgroups of the Norwegian population defined by age, life stage and vegetarian dietary practice. In a cross-sectional survey, we assessed the probability of adequate iodine intake by two 24-h food diaries and UIC from two fasting morning spot urine samples in 276 participants. The participants included children ( n = 47), adolescents ( n = 46), adults ( n = 71), the elderly ( n = 23), pregnant women ( n = 45), ovo-lacto vegetarians ( n = 25), and vegans ( n = 19). In all participants combined, the median (95% CI) UIC was 101 (90, 110) µg/L, median (25th, 75th percentile) calculated iodine intake was 112 (77, 175) µg/day and median (25th, 75th percentile) estimated usual iodine intake was 101 (75, 150) µg/day. According to WHOs criteria for evaluation of median UIC, iodine intake was inadequate in the elderly, pregnant women, vegans and non-pregnant women of childbearing age. Children had the highest (82%) and vegans the lowest (14%) probability of adequate iodine intake according to reported food and supplement intakes. This study confirms the need for monitoring iodine intake and status in nationally representative study samples in Norway.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Association between 24-h Urine Osmolality and Weight Status in Older Adults

PubMed Central

S. Guerra, Rita; Afonso, Cláudia; Moreira, Pedro

2017-01-01

Data on the association between hydration and body weight in the elderly are scarce. The objective of this work was to quantify the association between 24-h urine osmolality and weight status in the elderly. A cross-sectional study was conducted within the Nutrition UP 65 study. A quota sampling was implemented to achieve a nationally representative sample of Portuguese older adults (≥65 years) according to age, sex, education and region. From a sample size of 1500 participants, 1315 were eligible for the present analysis, 57.3% were women and 23.5% were aged ≥80 years. Participants were grouped using tertiles of 24-h urine osmolality by sex. World Health Organization cutoffs were used to classify participants according to weight status. Multinomial multivariable logistic regression models were conducted to evaluate the association of tertiles of osmolality with weight status, adjusting for confounders. Odds Ratios (OR) and respective 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Being in the 3rd urine osmolality tertile (highest) was associated with a higher risk of being obese in men, OR = 1.97, 95% CI = 1.06, 3.66. No such association was found in women. These results highlight the need for implementing studies in order to clarify the association between hydration and weight status in the elderly. PMID:29165353

Inadequate Iodine Intake in Population Groups Defined by Age, Life Stage and Vegetarian Dietary Practice in a Norwegian Convenience Sample

PubMed Central

Knutsen, Helle Katrine; Johansen, Nina Cathrine; Nyheim, Kristine Aastad; Erlund, Iris; Meltzer, Helle Margrete

2018-01-01

Inadequate iodine intake has been identified in populations considered iodine replete for decades. The objective of the current study is to evaluate urinary iodine concentration (UIC) and the probability of adequate iodine intake in subgroups of the Norwegian population defined by age, life stage and vegetarian dietary practice. In a cross-sectional survey, we assessed the probability of adequate iodine intake by two 24-h food diaries and UIC from two fasting morning spot urine samples in 276 participants. The participants included children (n = 47), adolescents (n = 46), adults (n = 71), the elderly (n = 23), pregnant women (n = 45), ovo-lacto vegetarians (n = 25), and vegans (n = 19). In all participants combined, the median (95% CI) UIC was 101 (90, 110) µg/L, median (25th, 75th percentile) calculated iodine intake was 112 (77, 175) µg/day and median (25th, 75th percentile) estimated usual iodine intake was 101 (75, 150) µg/day. According to WHOs criteria for evaluation of median UIC, iodine intake was inadequate in the elderly, pregnant women, vegans and non-pregnant women of childbearing age. Children had the highest (82%) and vegans the lowest (14%) probability of adequate iodine intake according to reported food and supplement intakes. This study confirms the need for monitoring iodine intake and status in nationally representative study samples in Norway. PMID:29462974

Understanding Ethical Issues of Research Participation from the Perspective of Participating Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Broome, Marion E.

2017-01-01

Background The past twenty years have seen distinct shifts in the way the participation of children and adolescents in research is viewed. This has been emphasized by the growing pediatric research enterprise. Additional information on children’s and adolescents’ experiences during research participation is needed to better inform researchers on the ethical conduct of research with this vulnerable population. Aims The objective of this analysis was to examine ethical issues in research with children and adolescents from their perspective as participants, including: assent, parental consent, risk perception, impact of research participation, and incentives. Methods This systematic review was conducted per the Long et al. framework by means of an iterative searching process. Using the key words ‘research ethics’ and ‘child or pediatric or adolescent’, PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost databases were searched to identify articles. Limitations placed on the original searches were: English language, year of publication between 2003–2014, humans, abstract available, and age birth–18 years. Findings Twenty-three empiric studies were identified and formed the sample. Included studies represented a diverse range of areas of research, methods, settings, sample demographics, authors, and journals. Discussion Even young children demonstrated the ability to understand essential elements of research, although there is variability in children’s level of understanding. Trust was a significant contributing factor to children’s and adolescents’ participation in research, and also shaped their assessments of risk. Research participation was mainly beneficial for children and adolescents. Incentives were mainly viewed positively, although concerns of possible undue influence were expressed. Linking Evidence to Action This systematic review highlights the importance of including the perspectives of children and adolescents and provides researchers and nurse clinicians with best practices for involving children in research. PMID:28207982

Local Health Departments' Partners and Challenges in Electronic Exchange of Health Information

PubMed Central

Vest, Joshua R.; Lovelace, Kay; McCullough, J. Mac

2016-01-01

Background: Unprecedented amounts of data are produced by the health care and other sectors, presenting opportunities for local health departments (LHDs) to access these data. LHDs will need to participate in health information exchange (HIE) with a number of partners in order to benefit from these data resources. LHDs' participation in HIEs with specific partners has not been studied. Objectives: To describe the level of and challenges in LHD participation in HIE with other partners, and variation by LHD population size and governance type. Data and Methods: This research uses data from the 2015 Informatics Capacity and Needs Assessment Survey, with a target population of all LHDs in the United States. A representative sample of 650 LHDs was drawn using a stratified random sampling design. A total of 324 completed responses were received with a 50% response rate. Survey data were cleaned, and bivariate comparisons were conducted using χ2 and Somer's D. Results: Substantial variation existed in LHDs' participation in HIE by type of exchange partner. Although 71% participated in HIE with the state departments of health, only 12% with jail/correctional health, 14% with health or county-based purchasing plans, and 15% with home health agencies. Compared with large LHDs (jurisdiction populations of ≥500 000), smaller LHDs were more likely to participate in HIE with state departments of health, but less likely with other exchange partners. The challenges to HIE participation were technological, and organizational/interorganizational in nature and variation existed by LHDs' population size and governance structure with respect to state authority. Conclusions: Local public health agencies more commonly participate in HIE with some partners, but may need to improve HIE with many others. National strategies targeting an increase in HIE of LHDs may use our findings to focus those initiatives. PMID:27684617

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Fresh Start Randomized Controlled Trial: Baseline Participant Characteristics and Reliability of Measures.

PubMed

Di Noia, Jennifer; Monica, Dorothy; Gray, Heewon Lee; Cullen, Karen Weber

2016-12-01

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Fresh Start (WFS) is a randomized controlled trial of nutrition education to promote farmers' market fruit and vegetable (F/V) purchases and consumption among women enrolled in WIC. To describe the baseline characteristics (demographics and F/V intake [including F/V juice]) of WFS participants, compare the characteristics with those of WIC participants in New Jersey and nationwide, and examine the baseline reliability of study measures. Cross-sectional. Seven hundred forty-four women served by a New Jersey-based WIC agency located in a densely populated, urban area. Demographic characteristics; newly developed measures of farmers' market-related knowledge, attitudes, and skills; and validated measures of F/V intake. Descriptive statistics to characterize the sample. One-sample t and one-sample sign tests to compare the characteristics with reference values. For dietary behaviors, comparisons were with state and national estimates of the frequency and quantity of F/V intake. Participants had a mean age of 28.9±6.8 years and were predominantly Hispanic (59%), US-born (60%), never married (41%), unemployed (62%), receiving assistance other than WIC (70%), and food insecure (55%). Half reported a high school education or less. Higher proportions of WFS participants than WIC participants nationwide were represented among demographic groups at increased risk of inadequate F/V intake. WFS participants consumed more fruit (2.7 cups/day) but less vegetables (1.4 cups/day) than did women nationwide (1.1 and 1.4 cups/day, respectively; P<0.01). Although participants consumed recommended amounts of fruit, their vegetable intake was below recommended levels. All but two of the measures developed for the study had reliability coefficients at or above 0.60. Intervention is warranted to improve participants' vegetable intake. Registered dietitian nutritionists should be aware of F/V intake differences that may require differential intervention strategies. Copyright © 2016 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychological and behavioural reactions to the bombings in London on 7 July 2005: cross sectional survey of a representative sample of Londoners

PubMed Central

Rubin, G James; Brewin, Chris R; Greenberg, Neil; Simpson, John; Wessely, Simon

2005-01-01

Objectives To assess the impact of the bombings in London on 7 July on stress levels and travel intentions in London's population. Design A cross sectional telephone survey using random digit dialling was conducted to contact a representative sample of adults. Respondents were asked to participate in an interview enquiring about current levels of stress and travel intentions. Setting Interviews took place between 18 and 20 July. Participants 1010 participants (10% of the eligible people we contacted) completed the interviews. Main outcome measures Main outcomes were presence of substantial stress, measured by using an identical tool to that used to assess the emotional impact of 11 September 2001 in the US population, and intention to travel less on tubes, trains, and buses, or into central London, once the transport network had returned to normal. Results 31% of Londoners reported substantial stress and 32% reported an intention to travel less. Among other things, having difficulty contacting friends or family by mobile phone (odds ratio 1.7, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.7), having thought you could have been injured or killed (3.8, 2.4 to 6.2), and being Muslim (4.0, 2.5 to 6.6) were associated with a greater presence of substantial stress, whereas being white (0.3, 0.2 to 0.4) and having previous experience of terrorism (0.6, 0.5 to 0.9) were associated with reduced stress. Only 12 participants (1%) felt that they needed professional help to deal with their emotional response to the attacks. Conclusions Although the psychological needs of those intimately caught up in the attacks will require further assessment, we found no evidence of a widespread desire for professional counselling. The attacks have inflicted disproportionately high levels of distress among non-white and Muslim Londoners. PMID:16126821

Factors determining the social participation of older adults: A comparison between Japan and Korea using EASS 2012

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Aims Japan and Korea are the world’s most aged and most rapidly aging nations. They both have low fertility rates, thereby intensifying the importance of social structures to aid a large, dependent population of older adults. Common strategies involve improving their social participation, which enhances their physical and mental health, so they are supporting society rather than being supported. Since the social participation rates in both countries are not as high as those of Western countries, it is critical to shed light on the factors related to social participation of the elderly. Methods A secondary analyses were performed using Japanese and Korean data from the 2012 East Asia Social Survey (EASS), which includes nationally representative samples through random sampling. The analyses only include data from those 65 and older (Japan: N = 683, Korea: N = 362). Results Social participation is classified into four types: 1) no affiliation; 2) inactive participation; 3) active recreational; and 4) active social. The Japanese respondents had a higher participation rate than Koreans, but more Japanese were inactive. Though the rates of active participations were similar in both countries. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the related factors among the four types of social participation. Basic attributes (e.g., living alone) and other factors (e.g., network size) were included as independent variables. The results show that larger non-family networks were linked with increased social participation in both societies. Men were more vulnerable to engaging in no social activities and at a higher risk of social isolation in both countries. One difference between the two nations is that among the Japanese, people with higher social orientations engage in more active social type participation. Conclusion This study reveals that non-kin social networks are important for social participation in Japan and Korea. PMID:29624588

Methods for sampling geographically mobile female traders in an East African market setting

PubMed Central

Achiro, Lillian; Kwena, Zachary A.; McFarland, Willi; Neilands, Torsten B.; Cohen, Craig R.; Bukusi, Elizabeth A.; Camlin, Carol S.

2018-01-01

Background The role of migration in the spread of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa is well-documented. Yet migration and HIV research have often focused on HIV risks to male migrants and their partners, or migrants overall, often failing to measure the risks to women via their direct involvement in migration. Inconsistent measures of mobility, gender biases in those measures, and limited data sources for sex-specific population-based estimates of mobility have contributed to a paucity of research on the HIV prevention and care needs of migrant and highly mobile women. This study addresses an urgent need for novel methods for developing probability-based, systematic samples of highly mobile women, focusing on a population of female traders operating out of one of the largest open air markets in East Africa. Our method involves three stages: 1.) identification and mapping of all market stall locations using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates; 2.) using female market vendor stall GPS coordinates to build the sampling frame using replicates; and 3.) using maps and GPS data for recruitment of study participants. Results The location of 6,390 vendor stalls were mapped using GPS. Of these, 4,064 stalls occupied by women (63.6%) were used to draw four replicates of 128 stalls each, and a fifth replicate of 15 pre-selected random alternates for a total of 527 stalls assigned to one of five replicates. Staff visited 323 stalls from the first three replicates and from these successfully recruited 306 female vendors into the study for a participation rate of 94.7%. Mobilization strategies and involving traders association representatives in participant recruitment were critical to the study’s success. Conclusion The study’s high participation rate suggests that this geospatial sampling method holds promise for development of probability-based samples in other settings that serve as transport hubs for highly mobile populations. PMID:29324780

Social capital and self-rated health in Colombia: the good, the bad and the ugly.

PubMed

Hurtado, David; Kawachi, Ichiro; Sudarsky, John

2011-02-01

Although there is increasing evidence supporting the associations between social capital and health, less is known of potential effects in Latin American countries. Our objective was to examine associations of different components of social capital with self-rated health in Colombia. The study had a cross-sectional design, using data of a survey applied to a nationally representative sample of 3025 respondents, conducted in 2004-2005. Stratified random sampling was performed, based on town size, urban/rural origin, age, and sex. Examined indicators of social capital were interpersonal trust, reciprocity, associational membership, non-electoral political participation, civic activities and volunteering. Principal components analysis including different indicators of social capital distinguished three components: structural-formal (associational membership and non-electoral political participation), structural-informal (civic activities and volunteering) and cognitive (interpersonal trust and reciprocity). Multilevel analyses showed no significant variations of self-rated health at the regional level. After adjusting for sociodemographic covariates, interpersonal trust was statistically significantly associated with lower odds of poor/fair health, as well as the cognitive social capital component. Members of farmers/agricultural or gender-related groups had higher odds of poor/fair health, respectively. Excluding these groups, however, associational membership was associated with lower odds of poor/fair health. Likewise, in Colombians with educational attainment higher than high school, reciprocity was associated with lower odds of fair/poor health. Nevertheless, among rural respondents non-electoral political participation was associated with worse health. In conclusion, cognitive social capital and associational membership were related to better health, and could represent important notions for health promotion. Human rights violations related to political violence and gender based discrimination may explain adverse associations with health. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Psychoactive substance use and violent behavior 11-18 year-old students. Itagüí, Colombia].

PubMed

Chavarriaga-Rios, Marcia C; Segura-Cardona, Ángela M

2015-10-01

Objective To determine the association between consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) and violent behavior in middle and high school students (grades 6 to 11) in the municipality of Itagui, Colombia. Method Cross-sectional study with a random sample of 646 middle and high school students. Participants volunteered to fill out the survey independently and consent was provided. Participants' identity was kept anonymous. The survey contained questions regarding socio-demographic characteristics, PAS consumption and violent behavior. For these variables a descriptive analysis was conducted. In addition, prevalence ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Lastly, a multivariate analysis was performed to determine association and risk factors. Results 646 students satisfactorily answered the survey. The median age was 15 years [Rq 3]. From this sample, 45.6 % (295) were male and 54.3 % (351) were female; 59.3 % (383) had a low socio-economic status, 38.9 % (251) have a medium socio-economic status, and 0.8 % (5) have a high socio-economic status. Regarding PAS consumption, 53.4% (345) of the participants reported to have consumed at least one PAS; 46.9 % (162/345) reported to have consumed alcohol within the last year; 15.3 % (53/345) reported to have consumed marihuana. All consumed substances were found to be associated with and were identified as a risk factor for violent behavior. Conclusions SPA consumption is associated with youth violent behavior and represents a risk factor to perform such behavior. Substances such as heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy, represent greater risk when compared to other analyzed PAS. When the other variables were adjusted, cigarettes and inhalants consumption, among others, were no longer a risk factor.

Urban-Rural and Regional Variability in the Prevalence of Food Insecurity: the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Guerrero, Natalie; Walsh, Matthew C; Malecki, Kristen C; Nieto, F Javier

2014-01-01

Background Food insecurity is a public health concern and it is estimated to affect 18 million American households nationally, which can result in chronic nutritional deficiencies and other health risks. The relationships between food insecurity and specific demographic and geographic factors in Wisconsin is not well documented. The goals of this paper are to investigate socio-demographic and geographic features associated with food insecurity in a representative sample of Wisconsin adults. Methods This study used data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). SHOW annually collects health-related data on a representative sample of Wisconsin residents. Between 2008-2012, 2,947 participants were enrolled in the SHOW study. The presence of food insecurity was defined based on the participant's affirmative answer to the question “In the last 12 months, have you been concerned about having enough food for you or your family?” Results After adjustment for age, race, and gender, 13.2% (95% Confidence Limit (CI): 10.8%-15.1%) of participants reported food insecurity, 56.7% (95% CI: 50.6%-62.7%) of whom were female. Food insecurity did not statistically differ by state public health region (p=0.30). The adjusted prevalence of food insecurity in the urban core, other urban, and rural areas of Wisconsin was 14.1%, 6.5% and 10.5%, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant (p=0.13). Conclusions The prevalence of food insecurity is substantial, affecting an estimated number of 740,000 Wisconsin residents. The prevalence was similarly high in all urbanicity levels and across all state public health regions in Wisconsin. Food insecurity is a common problem with potentially serious health consequences affecting populations across the entire state. PMID:25211799

Urban-rural and regional variability in the prevalence of food insecurity: the survey of the health of Wisconsin.

PubMed

Guerrero, Natalie; Walsh, Matthew C; Malecki, Kristen C; Nieto, F Javier

2014-08-01

Food insecurity is a public health concern estimated to affect 18 million American households nationally, which can result in chronic nutritional deficiencies and other health risks. The relationships between food insecurity and specific demographic and geographic factors in Wisconsin are not well documented. The goals of this paper are to investigate sociodemographic and geographic features associated with food insecurity in a representative sample of Wisconsin adults. This study used data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). SHOW annually collects health-related data on a representative sample of Wisconsin residents. Between 2008-2012, 2,947 participants were enrolled in the SHOW study. The presence of food insecurity was defined based on the participant's affirmative answer to the question "In the last 12 months, have you been concerned about having enough food for you or your family?" After adjustment for age, race, and gender, 13.2% (95% CI, 10.8%-15.1%) of participants reported food insecurity, 56.7% (95% CI, 50.6%-62.7%) of whom were female. Food insecurity did not statistically differ by region (P = 0.30). The adjusted prevalence of food insecurity in the urban core, other urban, and rural areas was 14.1%, 6.5%, and 10.5%, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.13) and, for urban core and rural areas, persisted even when accounting for level of economic hardship in the community. The prevalence of food insecurity is substantial, affecting an estimated 740,000 or more Wisconsin residents. The prevalence was similarly high in all urbanicity levels and across all state public health regions in Wisconsin. Food insecurity is a common problem with potentially serious health consequences affecting populations across the entire state.

Cultural Earth Science in Hawai`i: Hands-on Place-Based Investigations that Merge Traditional Knowledge with Earth Science Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moxey, L.; Dias, R. K.; Legaspi, E.

2011-12-01

During the summer of 2011, the Mālama Ke Ahupua`a (to care of our watershed) GEARUP summer program provided 25 under-served and under-represented minority public high school students (Hawaiian, part-Hawaiian, Filipino, Pacific Islanders) from Farrington High School (Kalihi, Honolulu) with a hands-on place-based multidiscipline course located within Manoa Valley (Ahupua`a O Kona) with the objective of engaging participants in scientific environmental investigations while exploring Hawaii's linkages between traditional knowledge, culture and science. The 4-week field program enabled students to collect samples along the perennial Manoa Stream and conduct water quality assessments throughout the Manoa watershed. Students collected science quality data from eight different sampling stations by means of field- and laboratory-based quantitative water quality testing equipment and GPS/GIS technology. While earning Hawaii DOE academic credits, students were able to document changes along the stream as related to pollution and urbanization. While conducting the various scientific investigations, students also participated in cultural fieldtrips and activities that highlighted the linkages between historical sustainable watershed uses by native Hawaiian communities, and their connections with natural earth processes. Additionally, students also participated in environmental service-learning projects that highlight the Hawaiian values of laulima (teamwork), mālama (to care for), and imi `ike (to seek knowledge). By contextualizing and merging hands-on place-based earth science inquiry with native Hawaiian traditional knowledge, students experienced the natural-cultural significance of their ahupua`a (watershed). This highlighted the advantages for promoting environmental literacy and geoscience education to under-served and under-represented minority populations in Hawaii from a rich native Hawaiian cultural framework.

Autobiographical memory functions in young Japanese men and women.

PubMed

Maki, Yoichi; Kawasaki, Yayoi; Demiray, Burcu; Janssen, Steve M J

2015-01-01

The present study examined whether the three major functions of autobiographical memory observed in Western societies (i.e., directing-behaviour, social-bonding and self-continuity) also exist in an East Asian society. Two self-report measures were used to assess the autobiographical memory functions of Japanese men and women. Japanese young adults (N = 451, ages 17-28 years) first completed the original Thinking About Life Experiences (TALE) Questionnaire. They subsequently received three TALE items that represented memory functions and attempted to recall a specific instance of memory recall for each item. Confirmatory factor analyses on the TALE showed that the three functions were replicated in the current sample. However, Japanese participants reported lower levels of all three functions than American participants in a previous study. We also explored whether there was an effect of gender in this Japanese sample. Women reported higher levels of the self-continuity and social-bonding functions than men. Finally, participants recalled more specific instances of memory recall for the TALE items that had received higher ratings on the TALE, suggesting that the findings on the first measure were supported by the second measure. Results are discussed in relation to the functional approach to autobiographical memory in a cross-cultural context.

Overall prescription medication use among adults: findings from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin.

PubMed

Che, Jianhong; Malecki, Kristen C; Walsh, Matthew C; Bersch, Andrew J; Chan, Vincent; McWilliams, Christine A; Nieto, F Javier

2014-12-01

To analyze overall prescription medication use patterns among study participants in a representative statewide sample of Wisconsin adults. We analyzed data on 1572 participants from the 2008-2010 cycles of the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW). SHOW is a statewide population-based survey that collects health information, including prescription medications, from 21 to 74 year olds. Prescription medication use was examined according to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Almost 55% of participants reported using at least 1 medication in the past month and 14% reported using at least 5 medications. The top 5 medications reported were lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, simvastatin, levothyroxine, and metoprolol. Overall prescription medication use increased significantly with age. Medication use was greater among females, former smokers, adults with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30, or with low family income, and non-hispanic blacks. Adults having health insurance, drug coverage, or a regular source of care were more likely to report medication use. The prevalence of prescription medication use in a general population sample in Wisconsin was high. Age, gender, race, BMI, family income, smoking history, health insurance, prescription drug coverage, and having a regular source of health care were associated with prescription medication use.

Utility of Respondent Driven Sampling to Reach Disadvantaged Emerging Adults for Assessment of Substance Use, Weight, and Sexual Behaviors.

PubMed

Tucker, Jalie A; Simpson, Cathy A; Chandler, Susan D; Borch, Casey A; Davies, Susan L; Kerbawy, Shatomi J; Lewis, Terri H; Crawford, M Scott; Cheong, JeeWon; Michael, Max

2016-01-01

Emerging adulthood often entails heightened risk-taking with potential life-long consequences, and research on risk behaviors is needed to guide prevention programming, particularly in under-served and difficult to reach populations. This study evaluated the utility of Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), a peer-driven methodology that corrects limitations of snowball sampling, to reach at-risk African American emerging adults from disadvantaged urban communities. Initial "seed" participants from the target group recruited peers, who then recruited their peers in an iterative process (110 males, 234 females; M age = 18.86 years). Structured field interviews assessed common health risk factors, including substance use, overweight/obesity, and sexual behaviors. Established gender-and age-related associations with risk factors were replicated, and sample risk profiles and prevalence estimates compared favorably with matched samples from representative U.S. national surveys. Findings supported the use of RDS as a sampling method and grassroots platform for research and prevention with community-dwelling risk groups.

Internet sexuality research with rural men who have sex with men: can we recruit and retain them?

PubMed

Bowen, Anne

2005-11-01

This study examines the utility of internet banner ads for recruiting rural MSM and identifies correlates of internet HIV risk survey initiation and completion. Banner ads were shown on a popular internet dating site for one month and resulted in 1,045 rural MSM, from 49 States, Canada, Australia/New Zealand, and 5 from other countries initiating the questionnaire. Logistic regression indicated that progression beyond screening questions was negatively related to "expecting pay, but not being paid" and positively related to "using chat rooms to find friends" and identifying as gay. Linear regression indicated that the absolute number of responses by consenting participants was positively correlated with reimbursement, number of sexual partners, motivated by money, and having been HIV tested. Overall, this sample represents one of the largest rural MSM samples; survey completion was high and strengthened by reimbursement and possibly by awareness of HIV risk. Generalizability was limited by low participation of minority and non-gay identified MSM.

Microfinance participation and contraceptive decision-making: results from a national sample of women in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Murshid, N S; Ely, G E

2016-10-01

Our objective was to assess whether microfinance participation affords greater contraceptive decision-making power to women. Population based secondary data analysis. In this cross-sectional study using nationally representative data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 we conducted multinomial logistic regression to estimate the odds of contraceptive decision-making by respondents and their husbands based on microfinance participation. Microfinance participation was measured as a dichotomous variable and contraceptive decision-making was conceptualized based on who made decisions about contraceptive use: respondents only; their partners or husbands only; or both. The odds of decision-making by the respondent, with the reference case being joint decision-making, were higher for microfinance participants, but they were not significant. The odds of decision-making by the husband, with the reference case again being joint decision-making, were significantly lower among men who were partnered with women who participated in microfinance (RRR = 0.70, P < 0.01). Microfinance participation by women allowed men to share decision-making power with their wives that resulted in higher odds of joint decision-making. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychiatric symptoms are not an independent mortality risk factor in community-living elderly people.

PubMed

Benabarre, Sergio; Olivera, Javier; Lorente, Teófilo; Rodriguez, Mariano; Barros-Loscertales, Alfonso; Pelegrín, Carmelo; Claver, Paula; Galindo, Izarbe; Labarta, María; Rodriguez, Jara

2014-06-01

Mortality risk factors have attracted great research interest in recent years. Physical illness is strongly associated with mortality risk in elderly people. Furthermore, a relationship between mortality risk and psychiatric disease in the elderly has gained research interest. This is a prospective longitudinal multicenter study. A sample of 324 participants was selected as a representative sample of community members aged 65 years and older and living in Huesca (Spain). The following information was collected: affiliation data, severity of physical illness, psychosocial, and psychiatric factors. Statistical analyses were completed with a multivariate analysis in order to control possible confounding variables related to mortality. Of the initially selected sample, 293 participants were assessed. Sixty-four participants died (21.8%, 95% CI [16.9%, 26.7%]), 5.3% annual rate, and 46.1% showed symptomatology of mental disorders. Older people have eight times greater risk of mortality. The risk increased 53 times in patients affected by several physical illness. No relationship between cognitive dysfunction and depressive symptomatology was observed. In fact, physical condition was associated with depression, and the percentage of participants with depressive symptoms increased according to the severity of physical illness. Severity of physical illness and age are independently and directly associated with mortality in the elderly people. Therefore, severity of physical illness seems to be a crucial factor in the bi-directional association between mortality and depression, acting as a risk factor independently for both. So the relationship between depression and mortality can be affected by the severity of physical illness.

PARCS: A Safety Net Community-Based Fitness Center for Low-Income Adults

PubMed Central

Keith, NiCole; de Groot, Mary; Mi, Deming; Alexander, Kisha; Kaiser, Stephanie

2015-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) and fitness are critical to maintaining health and avoiding chronic disease. Limited access to fitness facilities in low-income urban areas has been identified as a contributor to low PA participation and poor fitness. Objectives This research describes community-based fitness centers established for adults living in low-income, urban communities and characterizes a sample of its members. Methods The community identified a need for physical fitness opportunities to improve residents’ health. Three community high schools were host sites. Resources were combined to renovate and staff facilities, acquire equipment, and refer patients to exercise. The study sample included 170 members ≥ age 18yr who completed demographic, exercise self-efficacy, and quality of life surveys and a fitness evaluation. Neighborhood-level U.S. Census data were obtained for comparison. Results The community-based fitness centers resulted from university, public school, and hospital partnerships offering safe, accessible, and affordable exercise opportunities. The study sample mean BMI was 35 ± 7.6 (Class II obesity), mean age was 50yr ± 12.5, 66% were black, 72% were female, 66% completed some college or greater, and 71% had an annual household income < $25K and supported 2.2 dependents. Participants had moderate confidence for exercise participation and low fitness levels. When compared to census data, participants were representative of their communities. Conclusion This observational study reveals a need for affordable fitness centers for low-income adults. We demonstrate a model where communities and organizations strategically leverage resources to address disparities in physical fitness and health. PMID:27346764

Prevalence of mental disorders and related functioning and treatment engagement among people with diabetes.

PubMed

Boden, Matthew Tyler

2018-03-01

To examine prevalence, functioning and treatment associated with all DSM-5 12-month mood, anxiety, eating and substance use disorders among people with diabetes in data obtained from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. Through multistage stratified randomized sampling a sample representative of the United States civilian population was obtained. Prevalence of diabetes (Type 1 and 2), DSM-5 disorders, physical and mental functioning, and treatment utilization were assessed via telephone interview. Analyses of weighted data (N=36,138) included calculation of descriptive statistics, and chi-square, logistic and linear regression analyses. Participants with (vs. without) diabetes (9.3% of weighted sample) had a significantly: (a) higher prevalence of any anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (with and without adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics), and any mood disorder, major depressive disorder and specific phobia (with adjustment), (b) lower prevalence of any substance use disorder and alcohol and tobacco use disorders (with and without adjustment), and cannabis use disorder (without adjustment). Among participants with diabetes, mental disorder prevalence was consistently associated with sex and age, and to a lesser frequency, race/ethnicity. Lower levels of physical and mental functioning were found among participants with diabetes and a comorbid mental disorder. A minority of participants with diabetes and a comorbid mental disorder received treatment for mood and anxiety disorders, and few received treatment for eating and substance use disorders. Multiple types of mood, anxiety, eating and substance use disorders are prevalent, problematic, and often untreated among people with diabetes. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Establishing the ACORN National Practitioner Database: Strategies to Recruit Practitioners to a National Practice-Based Research Network.

PubMed

Adams, Jon; Steel, Amie; Moore, Craig; Amorin-Woods, Lyndon; Sibbritt, David

2016-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on the recruitment and promotion strategies employed by the Australian Chiropractic Research Network (ACORN) project aimed at helping recruit a substantial national sample of participants and to describe the features of our practice-based research network (PBRN) design that may provide key insights to others looking to establish a similar network or draw on the ACORN project to conduct sub-studies. The ACORN project followed a multifaceted recruitment and promotion strategy drawing on distinct branding, a practitioner-focused promotion campaign, and a strategically designed questionnaire and distribution/recruitment approach to attract sufficient participation from the ranks of registered chiropractors across Australia. From the 4684 chiropractors registered at the time of recruitment, the project achieved a database response rate of 36% (n = 1680), resulting in a large, nationally representative sample across age, gender, and location. This sample constitutes the largest proportional coverage of participants from any voluntary national PBRN across any single health care profession. It does appear that a number of key promotional and recruitment features of the ACORN project may have helped establish the high response rate for the PBRN, which constitutes an important sustainable resource for future national and international efforts to grow the chiropractic evidence base and research capacity. Further rigorous enquiry is needed to help evaluate the direct contribution of specific promotional and recruitment strategies in attaining high response rates from practitioner populations who may be invited to participate in future PBRNs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mapping the Growing Discipline of Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health.

PubMed

Norton, Wynne E; Lungeanu, Alina; Chambers, David A; Contractor, Noshir

2017-09-01

The field of dissemination and implementation (D&I) research in health has grown considerably in the past decade. Despite the potential for advancing the science, limited research has focused on mapping the field. We administered an online survey to individuals in the D&I field to assess participants' demographics and expertise, as well as engagement with journals and conferences, publications, and grants. A combined roster-nomination method was used to collect data on participants' advice networks and collaboration networks; participants' motivations for choosing collaborators was also assessed. Frequency and descriptive statistics were used to characterize the overall sample; network metrics were used to characterize both networks. Among a sub-sample of respondents who were researchers, regression analyses identified predictors of two metrics of academic performance (i.e., publications and funded grants). A total of 421 individuals completed the survey, representing a 30.75% response rate of eligible individuals. Most participants were White (n = 343), female (n = 284, 67.4%), and identified as a researcher (n = 340, 81%). Both the advice and the collaboration networks displayed characteristics of a small world network. The most important motivations for selecting collaborators were aligned with advancing the science (i.e., prior collaborators, strong reputation, and good collaborators) rather than relying on human proclivities for homophily, proximity, and friendship. Among a sub-sample of 295 researchers, expertise (individual predictor), status (advice network), and connectedness (collaboration network) were significant predictors of both metrics of academic performance. Network-based interventions can enhance collaboration and productivity; future research is needed to leverage these data to advance the field.

Individual differences in Affective Neuroscience Personality Scale (ANPS) primary emotional traits and depressive tendencies.

PubMed

Montag, Christian; Widenhorn-Müller, Katharina; Panksepp, Jaak; Kiefer, Markus

2017-02-01

The present study investigated individual differences in the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales (ANPS), representing measures of primary emotional systems, and depressive tendencies in two independent samples. In order to be able to find support for a continuum model with respect to the relation of strength in the cross-species "affective neuroscience" taxonomy of primary emotional systems, we investigated ANPS measured personality traits in a psychologically mostly healthy population (n=614 participants) as well as a sample of clinically depressed people (n=55 depressed patients). In both normal and depressed samples robust associations appeared between higher FEAR and SADNESS scores and depressive tendencies. A similar - albeit weaker - association was observed with lower SEEKING system scores and higher depressive tendencies, an effect again seen in both samples. The study is of cross-sectional nature and therefore only associations between primary emotional systems and depressive tendencies were evaluated. These results show that similar associations between ANPS monitored primary emotional systems and tendencies toward depression can be observed in both healthy and depressed participants. This lends support for a continuum of affective changes accompanying depression, potentially reflecting differences in specific brain emotional system activities in both affectively normal as well as clinically depressed individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is the chronotype associated with obstructive sleep apnea?

PubMed

Kim, Lenise Jihe; Coelho, Fernando Morgadinho; Hirotsu, Camila; Bittencourt, Lia; Tufik, Sergio; Andersen, Monica Levy

2015-05-01

Chronotype and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) appear to have a similar lifelong evolution, which could indicate a possible effect of morningness or eveningness in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of chronotypes in a representative sample of São Paulo city residents and to investigate the effect of chronotypes on the severity of OSA. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using the São Paulo Epidemiologic Sleep Study (EPISONO). All participants underwent a full-night polysomnography and completed the Morningness-eveningness, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and UNIFESP Sleep questionnaires. Chronotypes were classified as morning-type, evening-type, and intermediate. Morning-type individuals represented 52.1% of the sample, followed by intermediate (39.5%), and evening-type (8.4%) individuals. After stratifying the sample by body mass index (BMI) (>26.8 kg/m(2)) and age (>42 years), we observed increased AHI values in morning- and evening-type individuals. We demonstrated, for the first time, an age- and BMI-related effect of morning- and evening-types in OSA severity, suggesting that the intermediate chronotype might play a role as a protective factor in older and overweight patients.

Stages of change in adults who have failed an online hearing screening.

PubMed

Laplante-Lévesque, Ariane; Brännström, K Jonas; Ingo, Elisabeth; Andersson, Gerhard; Lunner, Thomas

2015-01-01

Hearing screening has been proposed to promote help-seeking and rehabilitation in adults with hearing impairment. However, some longitudinal studies point to low help-seeking and subsequent rehabilitation after a failed hearing screening (positive screening result). Some barriers to help-seeking and rehabilitation could be intrinsic to the profiles and needs of people who have failed a hearing screening. Theories of health behavior change could help to understand this population. One of these theories is the transtheoretical (stages-of-change) model of health behavior change, which describes profiles and needs of people facing behavior changes such as seeking help and taking up rehabilitation. According to this model, people go through distinct stages toward health behavior change: precontemplation, contemplation, action, and finally, maintenance. The present study describes the psychometric properties (construct validity) of the stages of change in adults who have failed an online hearing screening. Stages of change were measured with the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA). Principal component analysis is presented, along with cluster analysis. Internal consistency was investigated. Finally, relationships between URICA scores and speech-in-noise recognition threshold, self-reported hearing disability, and self-reported duration of hearing disability are presented. In total, 224 adults who had failed a Swedish online hearing screening test (measure of speech-in-noise recognition) completed further questionnaires online, including the URICA. A principal component analysis identified the stages of precontemplation, contemplation, and action, plus an additional stage, termed preparation (between contemplation and action). According to the URICA, half (50%) of the participants were in the preparation stage of change. The contemplation stage was represented by 38% of participants, while 9% were in the precontemplation stage. Finally, the action stage was represented by approximately 3% of the participants. Cluster analysis identified four stages-of-change clusters: they were named decision making (44% of sample), participation (28% of sample), indecision (16% of sample), and reluctance (12% of sample). The construct validity of the model was good. Participants who reported a more advanced stage of change had significantly greater self-reported hearing disability. However, participants who reported a more advanced stage of change did not have a significantly worse speech-in-noise recognition threshold or reported a significantly longer duration of hearing impairment. The additional stage this study uncovered, and which other studies have also uncovered, preparation, highlights the need for adequate guidance for adults who are yet to seek help for their hearing. The fact that very few people were in the action stage (approximately 3% of the sample) signals that screening alone is unlikely to be enough to improve help-seeking and rehabilitation rates. As expected, people in the later stages of change reported significantly greater hearing disability. The lack of significant relationships between stages-of-change measures and speech-in-noise recognition threshold and self-reported duration of hearing disability highlights the complex interplay between impairment, disability, and behaviors in adults who have failed an online hearing screening and who are yet to seek help.

Alcohol, poverty and social exclusion: Alcohol consumption among the homeless and those at risk of social exclusion in Madrid.

PubMed

Panadero, Sonia; Vázquez, José Juan; Martín, Rosa María

2016-06-14

The work analyzes different aspects related to alcohol consumption among homeless people and people at risk of social exclusion. The data was gathered from a representative sample of homeless people in Madrid (n = 188) and a sample of people at risk of social exclusion (n = 164) matched in sex, age, and origin (Spaniards vs. foreigners). The results showed that homeless people present a greater consumption of alcohol and have experienced more problems derived from its consumption than people at risk of social exclusion. Most of the homeless people who had alcohol-related problems had had them prior to their homelessness, and they stated they had poorer health and had experienced a greater number of homelessness episodes. Despite the relevance of problems related to alcohol among our sample, only a small percentage of the sample had participated in treatment programs for alcohol consumption.

Relationships between time use and obesity in a representative sample of Americans.

PubMed

Patel, Viral C; Spaeth, Andrea M; Basner, Mathias

2016-10-01

To provide a nationally representative analysis of time use in America for insight into behaviors associated with obesity. This study utilized 28,503 observations of individuals aged 22 to 70 from the American Time Use Survey, a continuous cross-sectional survey on time use in America. Linear and logistic regressions were performed to analyze sociodemographic characteristics, determine activity participation levels and time spent in activities, understand nonlinear associations between activity time and BMI, and appreciate differences in activity timing between BMI categories. Short and long sleep and work were associated with increased BMI. On weekdays, individuals with obesity were more likely to be working at night and sleeping during the day. They were less likely to participate in sports/exercise/recreation, but those that participated did so for amounts of time not different than normal-BMI individuals. Those with obesity were more likely to watch television almost all hours of the day. Further differences are detailed for health-related, sedentary, and household activities. Both short and long sleep, as well as the timing of sleep and work activity, are associated with obesity. Motivation to exercise nonzero amounts may be an appropriate target for intervention. Television is chief among sedentary activities in their association with obesity. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

Representativeness of direct observations selected using a work-sampling equation.

PubMed

Sharp, Rebecca A; Mudford, Oliver C; Elliffe, Douglas

2015-01-01

Deciding on appropriate sampling to obtain representative samples of behavior is important but not straightforward, because the relative duration of the target behavior may affect its observation in a given sampling interval. Work-sampling methods, which offer a way to adjust the frequency of sampling according to a priori or ongoing estimates of the behavior to achieve a preselected level of representativeness, may provide a solution. Full-week observations of 7 behaviors were conducted for 3 students with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. Work-sampling methods were used to select momentary time samples from the full time-of-interest, which produced representative samples. However, work sampling required impractically high numbers of time samples to obtain representative samples. More practical momentary time samples produced less representative samples, particularly for low-duration behaviors. The utility and limits of work-sampling methods for applied behavior analysis are discussed. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Baseline knowledge of potential pet toxins among the US general public.

PubMed

Young, Natalie; Royal, Kenneth; Lovee, Bryan; Davidson, Gigi

2018-05-16

In 2014, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty toAnimals Animal Poison Control Center fielded more than 167,000cases of potential nonhuman animal toxicosis. Concomitantly, thereremain limited free and reputable veterinary toxicology resourcesavailable for companion-animal (pet) caregivers (owners) seekingassistance and advice about potentially harmful exposures inanimals. The objective of this study was to assess pet toxicantknowledge among a representative sample of Americans andgauge the need for additional toxicology resources. The studyinvolved a survey designed to capture participants' ability to identifypotential animal toxicants and what resource they would use ifan accidental toxic ingestion occurred. Participants were ableto correctly identify 52% of potential pet toxins. Women, olderparticipants and participants from the South expressed moreconcern about each potential pet poison. Approximately halfof participants indicated they would consult a veterinarian andwhereas most others indicated they would search the Internet formore information about pet toxicology. The findings suggest moreveterinary poisoning education is needed for pet owners to be ableto accurately distinguish potential pet toxicants from nontoxicants.

The long reach of one's spouse: spouses' personality influences occupational success.

PubMed

Solomon, Brittany C; Jackson, Joshua J

2014-12-01

You marry your spouse "for better, for worse" and "for richer, for poorer," but does your choice of partner make you richer or poorer? It is unknown whether people's dispositional characteristics can seep into their spouses' workplace. Using a representative, longitudinal sample of married individuals (N=4,544), we examined whether Big Five personality traits of participants' spouses related to three measures of participants' occupational success: job satisfaction, income, and likelihood of being promoted. For both male and female participants, partner conscientiousness predicted future job satisfaction, income, and likelihood of promotion, even after accounting for participants' conscientiousness. These associations occurred because more conscientious partners perform more household tasks, exhibit more pragmatic behaviors that their spouses are likely to emulate, and promote a more satisfying home life, enabling their spouses to focus more on work. These results demonstrate that the dispositional characteristics of the person one marries influence important aspects of one's professional life. © The Author(s) 2014.

Parental Divorce or Death During Childhood and Adolescence and Its Association With Mental Health.

PubMed

Tebeka, Sarah; Hoertel, Nicolas; Dubertret, Caroline; Le Strat, Yann

2016-09-01

Despite the severity of the loss of a parent and the frequency of parental divorce, few studies compared their impact on mental health in the general adult population. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence, sociodemographic correlates, and psychiatric comorbidity of parental loss and parental divorce during childhood and adolescence. Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, a nationally representative sample of US adults (n = 43,093). Of the 43,093 participants, parental divorce during childhood or adolescence was reported by 5776 participants, whereas 3377 experienced parental death during childhood or adolescence. Participants reporting a history of parental divorce present a significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly alcohol and drug use disorders compared with control subjects. While participants experiencing the death of a parent reported a poorer overall health, the prevalence of psychiatric disorder after 17 years of age was not significantly higher than that of the control subjects.

Secondhand smoke in New Zealand homes and cars: exposure, attitudes, and behaviours in 2004.

PubMed

Gillespie, Julie; Milne, Kiri; Wilson, Nick

2005-12-16

To assess exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in New Zealand homes and cars and to describe attitudes and behaviours that relate to establishing smokefree settings. In 2004, a nationwide telephone survey randomly selected and interviewed 2731 respondents. This sample was weighted to represent the national population and was comprised of a general adult population sample (n=1507), a sample selected from the Maori electoral roll (n=924), and a sample of current smokers and people who had recently quit smoking (n=300). 19.6% of the general population and 42.7% of the Maori sample reported current smoking. Of all current smokers, 47.2% smoked indoors at home and 70.8% smoked in their cars. Maori participants were significantly more likely to be exposed to SHS in their homes than non-Maori participants. There was also some evidence for lower socioeconomic status being related to higher SHS exposure. Extrapolating from the adult exposure data in households with children, it was estimated that 18.9% of children were potentially exposed to SHS indoors at home. However, most respondents (73.6%) lived in homes with total smoking bans. SHS exposure remains a significant problem especially for Maori and low-income New Zealanders. There is a need for further public health campaigns to increase the prevalence of smokefree homes and cars.

Geographic Information Systems to Assess External Validity in Randomized Trials.

PubMed

Savoca, Margaret R; Ludwig, David A; Jones, Stedman T; Jason Clodfelter, K; Sloop, Joseph B; Bollhalter, Linda Y; Bertoni, Alain G

2017-08-01

To support claims that RCTs can reduce health disparities (i.e., are translational), it is imperative that methodologies exist to evaluate the tenability of external validity in RCTs when probabilistic sampling of participants is not employed. Typically, attempts at establishing post hoc external validity are limited to a few comparisons across convenience variables, which must be available in both sample and population. A Type 2 diabetes RCT was used as an example of a method that uses a geographic information system to assess external validity in the absence of a priori probabilistic community-wide diabetes risk sampling strategy. A geographic information system, 2009-2013 county death certificate records, and 2013-2014 electronic medical records were used to identify community-wide diabetes prevalence. Color-coded diabetes density maps provided visual representation of these densities. Chi-square goodness of fit statistic/analysis tested the degree to which distribution of RCT participants varied across density classes compared to what would be expected, given simple random sampling of the county population. Analyses were conducted in 2016. Diabetes prevalence areas as represented by death certificate and electronic medical records were distributed similarly. The simple random sample model was not a good fit for death certificate record (chi-square, 17.63; p=0.0001) and electronic medical record data (chi-square, 28.92; p<0.0001). Generally, RCT participants were oversampled in high-diabetes density areas. Location is a highly reliable "principal variable" associated with health disparities. It serves as a directly measurable proxy for high-risk underserved communities, thus offering an effective and practical approach for examining external validity of RCTs. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pilot Test of a Novel Method for Assessing Community Response to Low-Amplitude Sonic Booms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fidell, Sanford; Horonjeff, Richard D.; Harris, Michael

2012-01-01

A pilot test of a novel method for assessing residents annoyance to sonic booms was performed. During a two-week period, residents of the base housing area at Edwards Air Force Base provided data on their reactions to sonic booms using Smartphone-based interviews. Noise measurements were conducted at the same time. The report presents information about data collection methods and about test participants reactions to low-amplitude sonic booms. The latter information should not be viewed as definitive for several reasons. It may not be reliably generalized to the wider U.S. residential population (because it was not derived from a representative random sample) and the sample itself was not large.

Social media targeting of health messages. A promising approach for research and practice.

PubMed

Betsch, Cornelia

2014-01-01

In their contribution, Remschmidt and colleagues (1) put forward an innovative approach for recruiting female, German study participants from diverse social and ethnical backgrounds to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding HPV vaccination. The approach involves placing advertisements on the social media platform Facebook that specify tags for not only the sought after socio-demographic characteristics (age, gender) but also self-relevant aspects of the target group. These tags determine which Facebook users will see the ad. By sequentially adjusting the tags, the researchers were able to recruit different sub-populations, resulting in a final sample similar to a representative German sample for a particular age group.

The relationship between socio-demographic factors, health status, treatment type, and employment outcome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease in Japan.

PubMed

Mahlich, J; Matsuoka, K; Nakamura, Y; Sruamsiri, R

2017-07-04

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) constitutes a huge burden for patients and studies show that IBD patients have difficulties remaining in employment. Because there is no data about the unemployment of IBD patients in Japan. We surveyed a representative sample of 1068 Japanese IBD patients regarding their employment status. We found that the labor force participation rate is lower and unemployment higher for patients with IBD compared to the general population. Factors associated with unemployment in the IBD sample are older age, female gender, and the prevalence of depression. IBD constitutes a high burden for patients in Japan regarding employment outcome.

Perceived Effectiveness of Antismoking Ads and Association with Quit Attempts Among Smokers: Evidence from the Tips From Former Smokers Campaign.

PubMed

Davis, Kevin C; Duke, Jennifer; Shafer, Paul; Patel, Deesha; Rodes, Robert; Beistle, Diane

2017-08-01

Measures of perceived effectiveness (PE) of ads have been validated to predict changes in cognitive precursors of quit attempts, but a relationship between PE and actual quit attempts has not been shown in population-based studies. We analyzed smokers' PE ratings of ads from the national Tips From Former Smokers (Tips) campaign to (1) establish the validity of PE in predicting quit attempts in a large, nationally representative sample of smokers; (2) identify behavioral and demographic correlates of PE among respondents; and (3) examine whether PE is influenced by matching the race/ethnicity of ad participants with that of the ad viewer. We used survey data from two waves (baseline and follow-up) of a longitudinal online cohort of adult U.S. cigarette smokers. Respondents were shown one or more of 14 Tips campaign ads and were asked to assess each ad in terms of PE. We used multivariate models to estimate the association between baseline PE and prospective quit attempts; cross-sectional associations between PE and various respondent characteristics, including race/ethnicity, desire to quit, and health conditions; and the association between race/ethnicity of respondents and Tips ad participants. Higher PE at baseline was associated with increased odds of a quit attempt at follow-up. Higher PE scores were associated with non-Hispanic black race, Hispanic ethnicity, higher desire to quit, presence of a chronic health condition, and presence of a mental health condition. There was no relationship between PE scores and matched race/ethnicity of the respondent and Tips ad participants. This is the first study to demonstrate an association between PE scores for antismoking ads and prospective quit attempts in a large, nationally representative sample of smokers. Our findings also provide strong evidence that racial/ethnic minority subpopulations, including non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics, react more favorably to Tips campaign ads irrespective of race/ethnicity of the ad participant. This suggests that message characteristics (e.g., graphic visuals and emotional content) may play a more important role in PE than race/ethnicity of ad participants.

[Provides a guide to self-treatment as ethically acceptable compensation for having participated in a psychiatry research project].

PubMed

Bouchard, Stéphane; Michaud, Mélanie; Labonté-Chartrand, Geneviève

2009-09-01

Due to ethical constraints imposed by Research Ethics Board, it may be difficult to offer participants adequate compensations for their involvement in the study, or compensations that do not have a coercive impact on the participant's ability to refuse to participate. The current study aims at providing empirical data supporting an innovative solution: the provision of a self-help treatment manual. The samples consists of 33 adults (24 females, 9 males) aged between 20 and 59 and all suffering from pathological fear of heights. After participating in an experimental study, participants received a self-help manual to treat their acrophobia on their own. The severity of their claustrophobia was measured before and six months after participants were instructed on how to use the self-help book as a compensatory measure for their participation. Data also suggests that the participants were satisfied with the help provided in the self-treatment manual and that this is perceived in a positive way. To sum up, this study is not an outcome study for a new form of therapy; it simply offers researchers data supporting the use of an alternative compensatory measure. Indeed, using a self-help book represents an interesting solution.

Neuroepidemiologic Case Definition of Gulf War Illness from Neuroimaging and EEG in a Population-Representative Nested Case-Control Sample of Gulf War Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER E-Mail: 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING... ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) U.S. Army Medical Research and...Participants & Other Collaborating Organizations 13 8. Special Reporting Requirements 14 9. Appendices 14 4 1. INTRODUCTION: 2. KEYWORDS

Designing and implementing sample and data collection for an international genetics study: the Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC).

PubMed

Hilner, Joan E; Perdue, Letitia H; Sides, Elizabeth G; Pierce, June J; Wägner, Ana M; Aldrich, Alan; Loth, Amanda; Albret, Lotte; Wagenknecht, Lynne E; Nierras, Concepcion; Akolkar, Beena

2010-01-01

The Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Consortium (T1DGC) is an international project whose primary aims are to: (a) discover genes that modify type 1 diabetes risk; and (b) expand upon the existing genetic resources for type 1 diabetes research. The initial goal was to collect 2500 affected sibling pair (ASP) families worldwide. T1DGC was organized into four regional networks (Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, and the United Kingdom) and a Coordinating Center. A Steering Committee, with representatives from each network, the Coordinating Center, and the funding organizations, was responsible for T1DGC operations. The Coordinating Center, with regional network representatives, developed study documents and data systems. Each network established laboratories for: DNA extraction and cell line production; human leukocyte antigen genotyping; and autoantibody measurement. Samples were tracked from the point of collection, processed at network laboratories and stored for deposit at National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Central Repositories. Phenotypic data were collected and entered into the study database maintained by the Coordinating Center. T1DGC achieved its original ASP recruitment goal. In response to research design changes, the T1DGC infrastructure also recruited trios, cases, and controls. Results of genetic analyses have identified many novel regions that affect susceptibility to type 1 diabetes. T1DGC created a resource of data and samples that is accessible to the research community. Participation in T1DGC was declined by some countries due to study requirements for the processing of samples at network laboratories and/or final deposition of samples in NIDDK Central Repositories. Re-contact of participants was not included in informed consent templates, preventing collection of additional samples for functional studies. T1DGC implemented a distributed, regional network structure to reach ASP recruitment targets. The infrastructure proved robust and flexible enough to accommodate additional recruitment. T1DGC has established significant resources that provide a basis for future discovery in the study of type 1 diabetes genetics.

The Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort Study: Design and Baseline Results

PubMed Central

Forster, Jean; Chen, Vincent; Perry, Cheryl; Oswald, John; Willmorth, Michael

2014-01-01

The Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort (MACC) Study is a population-based, longitudinal study that enrolled 3636 youth from Minnesota and 605 youth from comparison states age 12 to 16 years in 2000–2001. Participants have been surveyed by telephone semi-annually about their tobacco-related attitudes and behaviors. The goals of the study are to evaluate the effects of the Minnesota Youth Tobacco Prevention Initiative and its shutdown on youth smoking patterns, and to better define the patterns of development of tobacco use in adolescents. A multilevel sample was constructed representing individuals, local jurisdictions and the entire state, and data are collected to characterize each of these levels. This paper presents the details of the multilevel study design. We also provide baseline information about MACC participants including demographics and tobacco-related attitudes and behaviors. This paper describes smoking prevalence at the local level, and compares MACC participants to the state as a whole. PMID:21360063

Objectively measured physical activity and balance among U.S. adults.

PubMed

Loprinzi, Paul D; Brosky, Joseph A

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between objectively measured physical activity (PA) and balance in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 40 years of age and older. Data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. Physical activity was measured over a 7-day period using accelerometry, and balance was assessed using the Romberg test. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding their subjective views on difficulty with falling in the past 12 months. For every 60-minute increase in light-intensity PA, participants were 10% (p = 0.04) more likely to have functional balance. Similarly, for every 1-minute increase in log-transformed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, participants were 23% (p = 0.04) more likely to have functional balance. Regular PA, regardless of intensity, may have health benefits for older adults and is associated with functional balance.

Manipulating recall vantage perspective of intrusive memories in dysphoria.

PubMed

Williams, Alishia D; Moulds, Michelle L

2008-10-01

The current study attempted to experimentally manipulate mode of recall (field, observer perspective) in a sample of mildly dysphoric participants (N=134) who reported a distressing intrusive memory of negative autobiographical event. Specifically, the current study sought to ascertain whether shifting participants into a converse perspective would have differential effects on the reported experience of their memory. Results indicated that shifting participants from a field to an observer perspective resulted in decreased experiential ratings: specifically, reduced distress and vividness. Also, as anticipated, the converse shift in perspective (from observer to field) did not lead to a corresponding increase in experiential ratings, but did result in reduced ratings of observation and a trend was observed for decreased levels of detachment. The findings support the notion that recall perspective has a functional role in the regulation of intrusion-related distress and represents a cognitive avoidance mechanism.

Healthcare service problems reported in a national survey of South Africans.

PubMed

Hasumi, Takahiro; Jacobsen, Kathryn H

2014-08-01

To identify common types of health service problems reported by South African adults during their most recent visit to a healthcare provider. Secondary analysis of South Africa's cross-sectional General Household Survey (GHS). Nationally representative weighted sample of households in South Africa. 23,562 household representatives interviewed during the 2010 GHS. Problems experienced during the most recent visit to the usual healthcare provider. In total, 43.8% of participants reported experiencing at least one problem during their last visit; 19.1% reported multiple problems. The most common problems experienced were a long waiting time (34.8% of household representatives), needed drugs not being available (14.1%) and staff who were rude or uncaring or turned patients away (10.1%). Of the 73.6% of participants using public providers, 54.9% reported at least one problem; of the 26.4% of participants using private providers, only 18.0% reported a problem, usually cost. Similar differences in reported problems at public and private providers were reported for all racial/ethnic groups and income groups. Black Africans reported more problems than other population groups due in large part to being significantly more likely to use public providers. Addressing commonly reported problem areas-in particular, long waiting times, unavailable medications and staff who are perceived as being unfriendly-might help prevent delayed care seeking, increase the acceptability of healthcare services and reduce remaining health disparities in South Africa. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Interlaboratory comparison program for nondestructive assay of prototype uranium reference materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trahey, N.M.; Smith, M.M.; Voeks, A.M.

The US Department of Energy (DOE), New Brunswick Laboratory (NBS), designed and administered an interlaboratory comparison program based on the measurement of NBL-produced prototype uranium nondestructive assay (NDA) reference materials for scrap and waste. The objectives of the program were to evaluate the reliability of NDA techniques as applied to nuclear safeguards materials control and accountability needs and to investigate the feasibility of providing practical NDA scrap and waste reference materials for use throughout the nuclear safeguards community. Fourteen facilities representing seven DOE contractors, four US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensees, one EURATOM Laboratory, and NBL, participated in this program.more » Three stable, well-characterized uranium reference materials were developed and certified for this program. Synthetic calcined ash, cellulose fiber, and ion-exchange resin simulate selected uranium scrap and waste forms which are often encountered in fabrication and recovery operations. The synthetic calcined ash represents an intermediate density inorganic matrix while the cellulose fiber and ion-exchange resin are representative of low-density organic matrices. The materials, containing from 0 to 13% uranium enriched at 93% /sup 235/U, were sealed in specially selected containers. Nineteen prototype reference samples, plus three empty containers, one to accompany each set, was circulated to the participants between August 1979 and May 1984. Triplicate measurements for /sup 235/U on each of the 19 filled containers were required. In addition, participants could opt to perform modular configuration measurements using containers from Sets IIA and IIB to simulate non-homogeneously dispersed uranium in waste containers. All data were reported to NBL for evaluation.« less

Firefighter willingness to participate in a stem cell clinical trial for burns: A mixed methods study.

PubMed

Horch, Jenny D; Carr, Eloise C J; Harasym, Patricia; Burnett, Lindsay; Biernaskie, Jeff; Gabriel, Vincent

2016-12-01

Adult stem cells represent a potentially renewable and autologous source of cells to regenerate skin and improve wound healing. Firefighters are at risk of sustaining a burn and potentially benefiting from a split thickness skin graft (STSG). This mixed methods study examined firefighter willingness to participate in a future stem cell clinical trial, outcome priorities and factors associated with this decision. A sequential explanatory mixed methods design was used. The quantitative phase (online questionnaire) was followed by the qualitative phase (semi-structured interviews). A sample of 149 firefighters completed the online survey, and a purposeful sample of 15 firefighters was interviewed. A majority (74%) reported they would participate in a future stem cell clinical trial if they experienced burn benefiting from STSG. Hypothetical concerns related to receiving a STSG were pain, itch, scarring/redness and skin durability. Participants indicated willingness to undergo stem cell therapy if the risk of no improvement was 43% or less. Risk tolerance was predicted by perceived social support and having children. Interviews revealed four main themes: a desire to help others, improving clinical outcomes, trusting relationships, and a belief in scientific investigation. Many participants admitted lacking sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision regarding stem cell therapies. Firefighters indicated they were largely willing to participate in a stem cell clinical trial but also indicated a lack of knowledge upon which to make a decision. Public education of the role of stem cells in STSG will be increasingly important as clinical trials are developed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Churches as targets for cardiovascular disease prevention: comparison of genes, nutrition, exercise, wellness and spiritual growth (GoodNEWS) and Dallas County populations

PubMed Central

Powell-Wiley, Tiffany M.; Banks-Richard, Kamakki; Williams-King, Elicia; Tong, Liyue; Ayers, Colby R.; de Lemos, James A.; Gimpel, Nora; Lee, Jenny J.; DeHaven, Mark J.

2013-01-01

Background We compared cardiovascular (CV) risk factors (CVRFs) of community-based participatory research (CBPR) participants with the community population to better understand how CBPR participants relate to the population as a whole. Methods GoodNEWS participants in 20 African-American churches in Dallas, Texas were compared with age/sex-matched African-Americans in the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), a probability-based sample of Dallas County residents. DHS characteristics were sample-weight adjusted to represent the Dallas County population. Results Despite having more education (college education: 75 versus 51%, P< 0.0001), GoodNEWS participants were more obese (mean body mass index: 34 versus 31 kg/m2, P< 0.001) and had more diabetes (23 versus 12%, P< 0.001) and hyperlipidemia (53 versus 14%, P< 0.001) compared with African-Americans in Dallas County. GoodNEWS participants had higher rates of treatment and control of most CVRFs (treated hyperlipidemia: 95 versus 64%, P< 0.001; controlled diabetes: 95 versus 21%, P< 0.001; controlled hypertension: 70 versus 52%, P= 0.003), were more physically active (233 versus 177 metabolic equivalent units-min/week, P< 0.0001) and less likely to smoke (10 versus 30%, P< 0.001). Conclusions Compared with African-Americans in Dallas County, CBPR participants in church congregations were more educated, physically active and had more treatment and control of most CVRFs. Surprisingly, this motivated population had a greater obesity burden, identifying them as a prime target for CBPR-focused obesity treatment. PMID:22811446

Factors associated with participation in physical activity among adolescents in Malaysia.

PubMed

Cheah, Yong Kang; Lim, Hock Kuang; Kee, Chee Cheong; Ghazali, Sumarni Mohd

2016-11-01

The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has become a serious public health issue. Among the multi-factorial drivers behind NCDs are modifiable health risk factors, most notably, physical inactivity. In response to the nearly global policy priority of encouraging regular participation in physical activity, the objective of the present study is to examine the factors that determine participation in physical activity among Malaysian adolescents. Nationally representative data consisting of a large sample size was used. A censored regression model was developed to estimate the likelihood of participation and time spent on physical activity. There are significant relationships between physical activity and gender, ethnicity, self-rated academic performance, maternal education, household size and time spent on physical education. The present study provides new insights into the factors affecting physical activity participation among adolescents. Specifically, self-rated excellent academic performance, household size and physical education can increase the likelihood of being physically active. Evidence of the present study implies that policy makers should pay special attention to females, Chinese, adolescents with self-rated poor academic performance and adolescents who have low maternal education.

Relaunching a national social marketing campaign: expectations and challenges for the "new" ParticipACTION.

PubMed

Faulkner, Guy; McCloy, Cora; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Tremblay, Mark S

2011-07-01

ParticipACTION is a Canadian physical activity communications and social marketing organization that has been relaunched in 2007 after a 6-year hiatus. The purpose of this study is to qualitatively identify and describe the expectations and challenges the relaunch of the new ParticipACTION may present for existing physical activity organizations. Using a purposeful sampling strategy, the authors conduct semistructured telephone interviews with 49 key informants representing a range of national, provincial, and local organizations with a mandate to promote physical activity. Overall, there is strong support in seeing ParticipACTION relaunched. However, organizational expectations and/or their ideal vision for it are mixed. Organizations envision and support its performing an overarching social marketing and advocacy role, and in providing tools and resources that supplement existing organizational activities. Four major organizational challenges are identified concerning overlapping mandates, partnership and leadership concerns, competition for funding, and capacity concerns. Social marketing initiatives, such as ParticipACTION, may not be able to maximize their impact unless they address the expectations and concerns of competing organizations with a mandate to promote physical activity.

Recruitment for an efficacy study in chemoprevention--the Concerned Smoker Study.

PubMed

Arnold, A; Johnstone, B; Stoskopf, B; Skingley, P; Browman, G; Levine, M; Hryniuk, W

1989-09-01

Efficacy studies are important for the development of long-term cancer prevention strategies. Recruitment aims for a highly motivated group of participants. The Concerned Smoker Study is aimed at smokers with at least a 15 pack-year history and bronchial atypia on sputum sampling Recruitment has been primarily through use of the media. During the first year of randomization 905 potential participants expressed interest. Of these, 80 were eventually randomized. With over 60 participants having completed the study only one has defaulted and compliance with the study protocol has been high. Participants became aware of the study through the following sources: daily newspaper 36.6%, weekly newspaper 16.2%, television 14.9%, radio 13.8%, community television 1.3%, other sources 13.3%. Over 90% of potential participants who initially express interest in such a chemoprevention project may not ultimately be suitable. The population chosen for such studies may not be very representative of the more general population; however, a high degree of compliance can be obtained which will provide valuable information on treatment efficacy.

Gendered Fields: Sports and Advanced Course Taking in High School

PubMed Central

Pearson, Jennifer; Crissey, Sarah R.; Riegle-Crumb, Catherine

2010-01-01

This study explores the association between sports participation and course taking in high school, specifically comparing subjects with varied gendered legacies—science and foreign language. Analyses of a nationally representative longitudinal sample (N=5,447) of U.S. adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the linked Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement transcript study show that male and female athletes are more likely than non-athletes to take both advanced foreign language and Physics, largely because of their higher academic orientation. However, the association between sports participation and course taking was strongest for girls’ Physics coursework, suggesting that sports may provide girls with a unique opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to persevere in the masculine domain of science. PMID:20221304

Hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control, in male South Asian immigrants in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Shah, Syed M; Loney, Tom; Sheek-Hussein, Mohamud; El Sadig, Mohamed; Al Dhaheri, Salma; El Barazi, Iffat; Al Marzouqi, Layla; Aw, Tar-Ching; Ali, Raghib

2015-05-07

South Asian males constitute the largest proportion of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population. Minimal data is available on the prevalence of hypertension among South Asian immigrants in the UAE. We determined the prevalence, associated factors, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among male South Asian immigrants from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh residing in the UAE. We recruited a representative sample (n = 1375; 76.4 % participation rate) of South Asian adult (≥18 years) immigrant males, including Indian (n = 433), Pakistani (n = 383) and Bangladeshi (n = 559) nationalities in Al Ain, UAE (January-June 2012). Blood pressure, height, body mass, waist and hip circumference data were obtained using standard protocols. Information related to socio-demographics, lifestyle factors, history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension was collected through a pilot-tested adapted version of the STEPS instrument, developed by the World Health Organization for the measurement of non-communicable disease risk factors at the country level . Mean age of participants was 34.0 years (95 % confidence interval (CI): 33.4, 34.5 years) and the overall prevalence of hypertension was 30.5 % (95 % CI 28.0, 32.8). In this study, 62 % of study participants had never had their blood pressure measured. Over three quarters (76 %) of the sample classified as hypertensive were not aware of their condition. Less than half (48.5 %) of the sample that were aware of their hypertension reported using antihypertensive medication and only 8.3 % had their hypertension under control (<140/90 mmHg). Hypertensive participants were more likely to be overweight (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.43; 95 % CI 1.01, 2.01); obese (AOR = 2.49; 95 % CI: 1.51, 4.10); have central obesity (AOR = 2.01; 95 % CI 1.37, 2.92); have a family history of hypertension (AOR = 1.51; 95 % CI 1.05, 2.17); and were less likely to walk 30 minutes daily (AOR = 1.79; 95 % CI 1.24, 2.60). The prevalence of hypertension in a representative sample of young male South Asian immigrants living in the UAE was relatively high. However, the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension within this population were very low. Strategies are urgently needed to improve the awareness and control of hypertension in this large population of migrant workers in the UAE.

Characteristics associated with organizational independence in consumer-operated service organizations.

PubMed

Tanenbaum, Sandra J

2011-01-01

This research compares two types of consumer organizations in one state in order to explore the significance of organizational independence for internal structure/operations and external relationships. The first type, consumeroperated service organizations (COSOs), are independent and fully self-governing; the second are peer-support service organizations (PSSOs), which are part of larger non-consumer entities. Mail surveys were completed by COSO and PSSO directors of a geographically representative sample of organizations; telephone interviews were conducted with a sub-sample. Owing to small sample size, matched COSO-PSSO pairs were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. COSOs and PSSOs are similar in some ways, e.g., types of services provided, but significantly different on internal variables, such as budget size, and external variables, such as number of relationships with community groups. Organizational independence appears to be a significant characteristic for consumer service organizations and should be encouraged by funders and among participants. Funders might establish administrative and/or programmatic measures to support consumer organizations that are independent or moving toward independence; their participants would also benefit from the provision, by authorities or advocates, of materials to guide organizations toward, for example, 501(c)3 status.

Effect of a maternity consumer representative training program on participants' confidence and engagement.

PubMed

Jenkinson, Bec M; Smethurst, Joanne; Boorman, Rhonda; Creedy, Debra K

2014-06-01

This paper describes the effects of a maternity consumer representative training program on participants' confidence to fulfil this role and engagement in representative activities. The present study was a descriptive, pre-post evaluation design with a 3-month follow-up. Fifty-eight people completed the program and 55 agreed to participate in the evaluation. Participants completed questionnaires to assess confidence to undertake consumer representative roles and reported on their engagement with consumer activities. Participants' perceived confidence to function in the role of consumer representative differed significantly before and after the workshop (F(2,18)=7.057, P<0.001), as did confidence in decision making (F(2,16)=7.615, P=0.005), confidence in negotiating outcomes and liaising with key people (F(2,18)=7.154, P=0.005), and confidence in making use of relevant networks (F(2,18)=4.319, P=0.029). There was a decline in confidence at 3 months, with confidence at this time no longer significantly different from that at the time of recruitment. Engagement with consumer organisations increased by 45% compared with rates at commencement of the project. The program enhanced participants' confidence to fulfil a maternity consumer representative role but was not sustained. Further research is needed as to how to best support maternity consumer representatives and assess their contribution to promoting woman-centred care.

Methodological and ethical challenges in studying patients' perceptions of coercion: a systematic mixed studies review.

PubMed

Soininen, Päivi; Putkonen, Hanna; Joffe, Grigori; Korkeila, Jyrki; Välimäki, Maritta

2014-06-04

Despite improvements in psychiatric inpatient care, patient restrictions in psychiatric hospitals are still in use. Studying perceptions among patients who have been secluded or physically restrained during their hospital stay is challenging. We sought to review the methodological and ethical challenges in qualitative and quantitative studies aiming to describe patients' perceptions of coercive measures, especially seclusion and physical restraints during their hospital stay. Systematic mixed studies review was the study method. Studies reporting patients' perceptions of coercive measures, especially seclusion and physical restraints during hospital stay were included. Methodological issues such as study design, data collection and recruitment process, participants, sampling, patient refusal or non-participation, and ethical issues such as informed consent process, and approval were synthesized systematically. Electronic searches of CINALH, MEDLINE, PsychINFO and The Cochrane Library (1976-2012) were carried out. Out of 846 initial citations, 32 studies were included, 14 qualitative and 18 quantitative studies. A variety of methodological approaches were used, although descriptive and explorative designs were used in most cases. Data were mainly collected in qualitative studies by interviews (n = 13) or in quantitative studies by self-report questionnaires (n = 12). The recruitment process was explained in 59% (n = 19) of the studies. In most cases convenience sampling was used, yet five studies used randomization. Patient's refusal or non-participation was reported in 37% (n = 11) of studies. Of all studies, 56% (n = 18) had reported undergone an ethical review process in an official board or committee. Respondents were informed and consent was requested in 69% studies (n = 22). The use of different study designs made comparison methodologically challenging. The timing of data collection (considering bias and confounding factors) and the reasons for non-participation of eligible participants are likewise methodological challenges, e.g. recommended flow charts could aid the information. Other challenges identified were the recruitment of large and representative samples. Ethical challenges included requesting participants' informed consent and respecting ethical procedures.

Frequency of Aggressive Behaviors in a Nationally Representative Sample of Iranian Children and Adolescents: The CASPIAN-IV Study

PubMed Central

Sadinejad, Morteza; Bahreynian, Maryam; Motlagh, Mohammad-Esmaeil; Qorbani, Mostafa; Movahhed, Mohsen; Ardalan, Gelayol; Heshmat, Ramin; Kelishadi, Roya

2015-01-01

Background: This study aims to explore the frequency of aggressive behaviors among a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents. Methods: This nationwide study was performed on a multi-stage sample of 6–18 years students, living in 30 provinces in Iran. Students were asked to confidentially report the frequency of aggressive behaviors including physical fighting, bullying and being bullied in the previous 12 months, using the questionnaire of the World Health Organization Global School Health Survey. Results: In this cross-sectional study, 13,486 students completed the study (90.6% participation rate); they consisted of 49.2% girls and 75.6% urban residents. The mean age of participants was 12.47 years (95% confidence interval: 12.29, 12.65). In total, physical fight was more prevalent among boys than girls (48% vs. 31%, P < 0.001). Higher rates of involvement in two other behaviors namely being bullied and bulling to other classmates had a higher frequency among boys compared to girls (29% vs. 25%, P < 0.001 for being bullied) and (20% vs. 14%, P < 0.001 for bulling to others). Physical fighting was more prevalent among rural residents (40% vs. 39%, respectively, P = 0.61), while being bullied was more common among urban students (27% vs. 26%, respectively, P = 0.69). Conclusions: Although in this study the frequency of aggressive behaviors was lower than many other populations, still these findings emphasize on the importance of designing preventive interventions that target the students, especially in early adolescence, and to increase their awareness toward aggressive behaviors. Implications for future research and aggression prevention programming are recommended. PMID:25789141

Frequency of Aggressive Behaviors in a Nationally Representative Sample of Iranian Children and Adolescents: The CASPIAN-IV Study.

PubMed

Sadinejad, Morteza; Bahreynian, Maryam; Motlagh, Mohammad-Esmaeil; Qorbani, Mostafa; Movahhed, Mohsen; Ardalan, Gelayol; Heshmat, Ramin; Kelishadi, Roya

2015-01-01

This study aims to explore the frequency of aggressive behaviors among a nationally representative sample of Iranian children and adolescents. This nationwide study was performed on a multi-stage sample of 6-18 years students, living in 30 provinces in Iran. Students were asked to confidentially report the frequency of aggressive behaviors including physical fighting, bullying and being bullied in the previous 12 months, using the questionnaire of the World Health Organization Global School Health Survey. In this cross-sectional study, 13,486 students completed the study (90.6% participation rate); they consisted of 49.2% girls and 75.6% urban residents. The mean age of participants was 12.47 years (95% confidence interval: 12.29, 12.65). In total, physical fight was more prevalent among boys than girls (48% vs. 31%, P < 0.001). Higher rates of involvement in two other behaviors namely being bullied and bulling to other classmates had a higher frequency among boys compared to girls (29% vs. 25%, P < 0.001 for being bullied) and (20% vs. 14%, P < 0.001 for bulling to others). Physical fighting was more prevalent among rural residents (40% vs. 39%, respectively, P = 0.61), while being bullied was more common among urban students (27% vs. 26%, respectively, P = 0.69). Although in this study the frequency of aggressive behaviors was lower than many other populations, still these findings emphasize on the importance of designing preventive interventions that target the students, especially in early adolescence, and to increase their awareness toward aggressive behaviors. Implications for future research and aggression prevention programming are recommended.

Adjustment among mothers reporting same-gender sexual partners: a study of a representative population sample from Quebec Province (Canada).

PubMed

Julien, Danielle; Jouvin, Emilie; Jodoin, Emilie; L'archevêque, Alexandre; Chartrand, Elise

2008-12-01

We examined the well-being of mothers and non-mothers reporting exclusive opposite-gender sexual partners (OG), same-gender sexual partners (SG), or both (BI) in a representative sample of 20,773 participants (11,034 women) 15-years-old or older from the population of Quebec province in Canada. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and SG and BI women (n = 179) were matched to a sample of OG women (n = 179) based on age, income, geographical area, and children (having at least one 18-year-old or younger biological or adopted child at home). We assessed social milieu variables, risk factors for health disorders, mental health, and quality of mothers' relationship with children. The findings indicated a sexual orientation main effect: Mothers and non-mothers in the SG and BI group, as compared to their OG controls, were significantly less likely to live in a couple relationship, had significantly lower levels of social support, higher prevalence of early negative life events, substance abuse, suicide ideation, and higher levels of psychological distress. There were no Sexual Orientation X Parenthood status effects. The results further indicated that sexual orientation did not account for unique variance in women's psychological distress beyond that afforded by their social milieu, health risk factors, and parenthood status. No significant differences were found for the quality of mothers' relationship with children. SG-BI and OG mothers with low levels of social integration were significantly more likely to report problems with children than parents with high levels of social integration. We need to understand how marginal sexualities and their associated social stigma, as risk indicators for mothers, interact with other factors to impact family life, parenting skills, and children's adjustment.

Characteristics and Course of Heart Failure Stages A-B and Determinants of Progression - design and rationale of the STAAB cohort study.

PubMed

Wagner, Martin; Tiffe, Theresa; Morbach, Caroline; Gelbrich, Götz; Störk, Stefan; Heuschmann, Peter U

2017-03-01

Background Data from the general population on the natural course of heart failure is lacking. The objectives of the STAAB cohort study are to determine the prevalence of heart failure stages A-B in a representative sample of the general population and to prospectively investigate the progression from asymptomatic cardiac dysfunction into symptomatic heart failure. Here we present study design, participation rates and baseline characteristics of the first 1468 enrolled subjects. Methods A random sample of inhabitants from the city of Würzburg stratified by age (30-79 years) and gender was drawn from the local registration office. Subjects receive invitation letters, while send-out batches are continuously adapted to response rates by age and gender. At baseline examination, data on echocardiographic cardiac function, comorbidities and preclinical cardiovascular phenotypes are collected. After 3-5 years, changes in cardiac function and occurrence of clinical events will be assessed in a follow-up visit. Results Between December 2013 and April 2015, 4499 subjects were invited; of those, 1510 (34.6%) responded positively, and 1468 were examined (32.6%). Stratified recruitment was on-target while the participation rate was highest in subjects aged 60-69 years (38%). Hypertension (42%) and dyslipidaemia (37%) were the most commonly reported comorbidities; 7% reported on diabetes and 23% of men ( vs. 17% of women) were smokers. Conclusions STAAB recruits a representative population-based sample suited to provide reliable estimates of the frequency of asymptomatic cardiac dysfunction and determinants of disease progression into symptomatic heart failure. These findings will build the ground for developing preventive strategies for heart failure at different stages of the disease continuum.

Sodium and potassium urinary excretion and their ratio in the elderly: results from the Nutrition UP 65 study

PubMed Central

Moreira, Pedro; Sousa, Ana S.; Guerra, Rita S.; Santos, Alejandro; Borges, Nuno; Afonso, Cláudia; Amaral, Teresa F.; Padrão, Patrícia

2018-01-01

Background We aimed to describe urinary sodium and potassium excretion and their ratio in a representative sample of Portuguese elderly population, according to sociodemographic characteristics and weight status. Methods A cluster sampling approach was used, representing older Portuguese adults (≥65 years) according to age, sex, education level, and regional area within the Nutrition UP 65 study. This cross-sectional evaluation was conducted in 2015 and 2016. From a sample size of 1,500 participants, 1,318 were eligible for the present analysis, 57.3% were women, and 23.5% were aged ≥80 years. Sodium and potassium consumption was evaluated through one 24 h urinary excretion. Inadequate sodium intake was defined as ≥2,000 mg/day, inadequate potassium intake was considered as <3,510 mg/day, and inadequate sodium-to-potassium ratio was defined as >1, according to the World Health Organization cutoffs. Results The proportion of the participants with an inadequate intake was 80.0% in women and 91.5% in men (sodium), 96.2% of women and 79.4% of men (potassium), and 98.4% of women and 99.1% of men (sodium-to-potassium ratio). Higher sodium adequacy was observed among the older elderly, unmarried, with lower household income, and underweight/normal weight. Higher potassium adequacy was observed in the younger elderly, married, and with higher income. Conclusion The majority of the Portuguese elderly population was classified as having inadequate sodium, potassium, and sodium-to-potassium ratio urinary excretion. Therefore, strategies for reducing sodium and increasing potassium intake are priorities in the Portuguese elderly population. PMID:29545733

Sphingolipid Metabolism Correlates with Cerebrospinal Fluid Beta Amyloid Levels in Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Fonteh, Alfred N.; Ormseth, Cora; Chiang, Jiarong; Cipolla, Matthew; Arakaki, Xianghong; Harrington, Michael G.

2015-01-01

Sphingolipids are important in many brain functions but their role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not completely defined. A major limit is availability of fresh brain tissue with defined AD pathology. The discovery that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contains abundant nanoparticles that include synaptic vesicles and large dense core vesicles offer an accessible sample to study these organelles, while the supernatant fluid allows study of brain interstitial metabolism. Our objective was to characterize sphingolipids in nanoparticles representative of membrane vesicle metabolism, and in supernatant fluid representative of interstitial metabolism from study participants with varying levels of cognitive dysfunction. We recently described the recruitment, diagnosis, and CSF collection from cognitively normal or impaired study participants. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, we report that cognitively normal participants had measureable levels of sphingomyelin, ceramide, and dihydroceramide species, but that their distribution differed between nanoparticles and supernatant fluid, and further differed in those with cognitive impairment. In CSF from AD compared with cognitively normal participants: a) total sphingomyelin levels were lower in nanoparticles and supernatant fluid; b) levels of ceramide species were lower in nanoparticles and higher in supernatant fluid; c) three sphingomyelin species were reduced in the nanoparticle fraction. Moreover, three sphingomyelin species in the nanoparticle fraction were lower in mild cognitive impairment compared with cognitively normal participants. The activity of acid, but not neutral sphingomyelinase was significantly reduced in the CSF from AD participants. The reduction in acid sphingomylinase in CSF from AD participants was independent of depression and psychotropic medications. Acid sphingomyelinase activity positively correlated with amyloid β42 concentration in CSF from cognitively normal but not impaired participants. In dementia, altered sphingolipid metabolism, decreased acid sphingomyelinase activity and its lost association with CSF amyloid β42 concentration, underscores the potential of sphingolipids as disease biomarkers, and acid sphingomyelinase as a target for AD diagnosis and/or treatment. PMID:25938590