Factors Associated with Vitamin D Deficiency and Inadequacy among Women of Childbearing Age in the United States.

Objective. To examine the prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency and inadequacy among US women of childbearing age. Methods.

Sleep disordered breathing and depression among U.S. adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2008.

Study Objective: To determine if symptoms of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) are associated with depression symptomology in a national sample.

Design: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Setting: U.

Associations between adverse childhood experiences, psychological distress, and adult alcohol problems.

Objective: To examine the mediating role of psychological distress on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and adult alcohol problems by gender.

Methods: Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted on 7279 Kaiser-Permanente members, aged >18 years.

Results: Psychological distress mediated significant proportions of alcohol problems associated with childhood emotional abuse and neglect, physical abuse and neglect, mental illness in the household, parental separation or divorce, sexual abuse, and household drug use among women and mental illness in the household, emotional neglect, physical abuse, household drug use, and sexual abuse among men.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among US adults with hypertension: the NHANES linked mortality study.

Objectives: Research suggests that serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are inversely associated with hypertension incidence. This study examined whether concentrations of 25(OH)D are inversely associated with mortality risk among US adults with hypertension.

Methods: We analyzed data from the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey with mortality data obtained through 2006.

Development and preliminary results of the Financial Incentive Coercion Assessment questionnaire.

Financial incentives are often used in research, yet no measure exists to determine whether they lead to perceptions of coercion in subjects. We present a preliminary evaluation of a recently developed Financial Incentive Coercion Assessment (FICA) questionnaire. FICA measures perceived coercion specifically related to payment for participation in a research study.

Do Research Intermediaries Reduce Perceived Coercion to Enter Research Trials Among Criminally Involved Substance Abusers?

We examined the efficacy of including a research intermediary (RI) during the consent process in reducing participants' perceptions of coercion to enroll in a research study. Eighty-four drug court clients being recruited into an ongoing study were randomized to receive a standard informed consent process alone (standard condition) or with an RI (intermediary condition). Before obtaining consent, RIs met with clients individually to discuss remaining concerns.

Association of sleep duration and hypertension among US adults varies by age and sex.

Background: While short sleep duration has been related to hypertension, the impact of age and sex on this association is less well known. We examined the association between hours of sleep and hypertension prevalence among US adults by age and sex.

Methods: The study was conducted using data from the 2007-2009 National Health Interview Surveys (NHISs).

Trends in health-related behavioral risk factors among pregnant women in the United States: 2001-2009.

Background: Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy often predispose women to multiple risks including adverse pregnancy outcomes and impaired health status for mothers. This study assessed the trends in the prevalence of health-related behavioral risk factors over time among U.S.

Use of folic acid and vitamin supplementation among adults with depression and anxiety: a cross-sectional, population-based survey.

Background: Evidence suggests that folate deficiency may be causatively linked to depressive symptoms. However, little is known on the status of use of folic acid and vitamin supplements among people with mental disorders. This study examined the prevalence and the likelihood of use of folic acid or vitamin supplements among adults with depression and anxiety in comparison to those without these conditions.

Low concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D associated with increased risk for chronic bronchitis among US adults.

Increasing evidence suggests that vitamin D benefits both innate and adaptive immunity, thereby eliciting an anti-inflammatory effect and reducing the risk of infectious disease. The present study examined the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and the risk of chronic bronchitis among US adults. We analysed data from 6872 US adults aged ≥ 20 years who participated in the 2003-6 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Multiple health behaviors and serum hepatic enzymes among US adults with obesity.

Introduction: This study was to examine the cumulative number and clustering patterns of low-risk health behaviors (i.e., not currently smoking, not excessive drinking, and physically active) associated with elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) among adults with obesity in the United States.

Relationships between hours of sleep and health-risk behaviors in US adolescent students.

Objective: To examine associations between insufficient sleep (<8h on average school nights) and health-risk behaviors.

Methods: 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data of U.S.

Geographic variations in heart failure hospitalizations among medicare beneficiaries in the Tennessee catchment area.

Introduction: Although differences in heart failure (HF) hospitalization rates by race and sex are well documented, little is known about geographic variations in hospitalizations for HF, the most common discharge diagnosis for Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods: Using exploratory spatial data analysis techniques, the authors examined hospitalization rates for HF as the first-listed discharge diagnosis among Medicare beneficiaries in a 10-state Tennessee catchment area, based on the resident states reported by Tennessee hospitals from 2000 to 2004.

Results: The age-adjusted HF hospitalization rate (per 1000) among Medicare beneficiaries was 23.

Household demographics and perceived insufficient sleep among US adults.

It has become increasingly recognized that insufficient sleep is associated with adverse health outcomes. Studies have observed that sleep duration and daytime sleepiness varies by sex and marital status. Few studies have examined the impact of the number of children on sleep.

Adverse childhood experiences and smoking status in five states.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and smoking behavior among a random sample of adults living in five U.S. states.

Adverse childhood experiences and sleep disturbances in adults.

Background: Sleep disturbances are associated with an increased risk for many chronic diseases and unhealthy behaviors. A history of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is also associated with similar adult health outcomes. We studied the relationship between multiple ACEs and the likelihood of experiencing self-reported sleep disturbances in adulthood.

Changes in mortality among US adults with COPD in two national cohorts recruited from 1971-1975 and 1988-1994.

Background: COPD is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Our objective was to examine changes in the mortality rate among persons with COPD in the United States.

Methods: We conducted prospective studies using data from 5,185 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (baseline examination from 1971-1975; follow-up from 1992-1993) and 10,954 participants of the NHANES III Linked Mortality Study (baseline examination from 1988-1994; follow-up through 2006).

Geographic disparities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) hospitalization among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.

Background: Hospitalizations for persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) result in significant health care resource use and excess expenditures. Despite well-documented sociodemographic disparities in COPD outcomes, no study has characterized geographic variations in COPD hospitalization across the US.

Methods: Almost 3.

Racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in health-related quality of life among people with coronary heart disease, 2007.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) refers to a person's or group's perceived physical and mental health over time. Coronary heart disease (CHD) affects HRQOL and likely varies among groups. This study examined disparities in HRQOL among adults with self-reported CHD.

Co-occurrence of obesity and patterns of alcohol use associated with elevated serum hepatic enzymes in US adults.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to present nationally representative findings on the co-occurrence of obesity and specific patterns of alcohol use associated with elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) among adults in the United States. We analyzed data from 8,373 adults aged ≥ 20 years who participated in the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We produced prevalence ratios by using the co-occurrence of obesity (i.

Effects of bicycle saddle height on knee injury risk and cycling performance.

Incorrect bicycle configuration may predispose athletes to injury and reduce their cycling performance. There is disagreement within scientific and coaching communities regarding optimal configuration of bicycles for athletes. This review summarizes literature on methods for determining bicycle saddle height and the effects of bicycle saddle height on measures of cycling performance and lower limb injury risk.

Relationship between body mass index and perceived insufficient sleep among U.S. adults: an analysis of 2008 BRFSS data.

Background: Over the past 50 years, the average sleep duration for adults in the United States has decreased while the prevalence of obesity and associated outcomes has increased. The objective of this study was to determine whether perceived insufficient sleep was associated with body mass index (BMI) in a national sample.

Methods: We analyzed data from the 2008 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey (N=384,541) in which respondents were asked, "During the past 30 days, for about how many days have you felt you did not get enough rest or sleep?" We divided respondents into six BMI categories and used multivariable linear regression and logistic regression analyses to assess the association between BMI categories and days of insufficient sleep after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, smoking, physical activity, and frequent mental distress.

Occupational asthma caused by heated triglycidyl isocyanurate.

Six workers exposed as bystanders to heated triglycidyl isocyanurate (TGIC) developed occupational asthma confirmed by serial peak expiratory flow measurement and Oasys analysis. Specific inhalation challenge testing resulted in late or dual asthmatic reactions to heated TGIC in four of four tested and was negative in three control asthmatics. One worker tested only with unheated TGIC had a negative specific challenge test.

Adverse childhood experiences and frequent headaches in adults.

Background: A variety of studies have linked childhood maltreatment to headaches, including migraines, and to headache severity. This study assesses the relationship of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to frequent headaches during adulthood.

Methods: We used data from the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study, which included 17,337 adult members of the Kaiser Health Plan in San Diego, CA who were undergoing a comprehensive preventive medical evaluation.

Routines and rituals: a grounded theory of the pain management of drug users in acute care settings.

Aim: This study reviewed the perceptions and strategies of drug users and nurses with regard to pain management in acute care settings.

Background: Drug users present unique challenges in acute care settings with pain management noted to be at best suboptimal, at worst non-existent. Little is known about why and specifically how therapeutic effectiveness is compromised.