Primary versus secondary prevention messages: College students' perceptions of effectiveness by marijuana user status.

With medical and recreational marijuana legislation expanding throughout the country, the need to educate high-risk populations is evident. The purpose of this study was to assess college students' perceptions of health communication messages comparing primary and secondary prevention messages concerning marijuana. Participants ( 487) included college students, ages 18-25, enrolled in a Midwestern University.

Lack of community-oriented policing practices partially mediates the relationship between racial residential segregation and "black-on-black" homicide rates.

Although black-white racial residential segregation in the US has continued to decline, blacks still experience greater levels of segregation than other racial groups. The present study examined whether a lack of community policing practices in 2012 mediated the relationship between racial segregation in 2010 and intraracial (i.e.

Mindful Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS: Behavioral Medicine for Patient Resilience and Improved Screening Practices.

Complementary techniques are useful in treating adverse symptoms of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS, and in preventing disease spread by encouraging screening. This study indicates that HIV diagnosis rates are higher in states where behavioral medicine is practiced; participation in such activities may influence the extent to which someone might closely monitor personal health. A strong evidence-base exists for the recommendation of mindfulness practices that improve rates of primary preventive practices and self-reported quality of life for participants living with chronic conditions such as HIV and AIDS.

Using the Elaboration Likelihood Model to Address Drunkorexia among College Students.

Background: The many consequences related to alcohol consumption among college students are well documented. Drunkorexia, a relatively new term and area of research, is characterized by skipping meals to reduce caloric intake and/or exercising excessively in attempt to compensate for calories associated with high volume drinking.

Objective: The objective of this study was to use the Elaboration Likelihood Model to compare the impact of central and peripheral prevention messages on alcohol consumption and drunkorexic behavior.

State Minority Health Officers' Perceptions of their Successes and Barriers to Reducing Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.

Background: Minimal research has been conducted to examine the impact and reach of state offices of minority health (SOMH) and their role in reducing racial and ethnic health disparities within their states. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to describe the shared experiences of SOMH officers to provide context for why these individuals believe that state organizational efforts have not yielded much success in reducing racial and ethnic health disparity gaps.

Methods: Using a telephone interview guide, the investigators conducted telephone interviews with SOMH officers.