Evaluation of the Mental Health Referral Process for African American Adolescent Patients Within a Primary Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project.

Introduction: Mental health disorders affect 18% of the U.S.

Population: Problems with access to mental health care for the African American community are multifactorial.

Sleep disturbances associated with cigarette smoking.

Sleep disturbances resulting in insufficient sleep have been linked to negative physical, cognitive, and public health outcomes. Despite this, there has yet a study that examines the impact of smoking on sleep in a US based national sample. The current study sought to observe sleep disturbances associated with smoking status.

Comparison of digital with film radiographs for the classification of pneumoconiotic pleural abnormalities.

Rationale And Objectives: Analog film radiographs are typically used to classify pneumoconiosis to allow comparison with standard film radiographs. The aim of this study was to determine if digital radiography is comparable to film for the purpose of classifying pneumoconiotic pleural abnormalities.

Materials And Methods: Subjects were 200 asbestos-exposed patients, from whom digital and film chest radiographs were obtained along with chest high-resolution computed tomographic scans.

Comparison of serum cotinine concentration within and across smokers of menthol and nonmenthol cigarette brands among non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white U.S. adult smokers, 2001-2006.

Background: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is examining options for regulating menthol content in cigarettes. There are many pharmacologic properties of menthol that may facilitate exposure to tobacco smoke, and it has been suggested that the preference for menthol cigarettes in black smokers accounts for their higher cotinine levels.

Objective: To assess cigarettes smoked per day-adjusted cotinine levels in relation to smoking a menthol or nonmenthol cigarette brand among non-Hispanic black and white U.