Direct and Indirect Cost Savings From Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing, Treatment, and Counseling Among Foster Youth.

Background: Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention programs can decrease the economic burden of STIs. Foster youth have higher rates of STIs compared with their peers; however, information on direct costs and indirect costs averted by STI testing, treatment, and counseling among foster youth is lacking.

Methods: This study used data from a comprehensive medical center for foster youth over a 3-year study period from July 2017 to June 2020.

Predictors and correlates of unstable housing experiences among a child welfare-involved sample.

The study examined whether youth demographics, family factors, and maltreatment type were related to unstable housing and whether unstable housing predicted delinquency and marijuana use. Participants included 216 child welfare-affiliated adolescents (mean age = 18.2 years).

Maltreated and comparison adolescents' recollections of lifetime residences: Relationship to delinquency and marijuana use.

Both childhood maltreatment and frequent childhood residence changes are associated with poor behavioral outcomes including drug use and delinquency. It is not clear whether a higher number of residences results in poorer outcomes for maltreated adolescents compared to adolescents living in the same community but without child welfare-documented maltreatment. Our study of child welfare-affiliated maltreated youth (n=216) and comparison youth (n=128) from the same community (age = 18.

Associations Between Body Appreciation and Comfort Communicating About Sex: A Brief Report.

Communicating about sex with potential or current sex partners can lead to many positive outcomes, including fewer unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Although body image is related to many sexual health behaviors, the association between positive body image and comfort communicating about sex is underexplored. The purpose of the current study is to better understand this relationship among a sample of 399 18- to 25-year-old college women.

Qualitative Study of Foster Caregivers' Views on Adherence to Pediatric Appointments.

The current study is a qualitative investigation of how foster caregivers, primarily Latinos, view adherence to pediatric appointments. Our purpose was to identify how the child welfare system, pediatric clinics, and pediatric health providers serving foster children might promote appointment attendance. Participants in the study had a return appointment at an outpatient pediatric clinic that served only children in the child welfare system.

Pediatric Return Appointment Adherence for Child Welfare-Involved Children in Los Angeles California.

Objectives: This study of primarily Latino caregivers and Latino child welfare-involved children had the following aims: (1) explore the return appointment adherence patterns at a pediatric medical clinic; and (2) determine the relationship of adherence to return appointments and caregiver, child, and clinic variables.

Methods: The sample consisted of caregivers of child welfare-involved children who were asked to make a pediatric outpatient clinic return appointment (N = 87). Predictors included caregiver demographics, child medical diagnoses and age, and clinic/convenience factors including distance from the clinic to caregiver's home, days until the return appointment, reminder telephone call, Latino provider, and additional specialty appointment.