Assessment of risk for food insecurity among African American urban households: utilizing cumulative risk indices and latent class analysis to examine accumulation of risk factors.

African American caregivers in low-income, urban communities have high rates of food insecurity. Unemployment, education, smoking, stress, and depressive symptoms are associated with household food insecurity. A cumulative risk model suggests that accumulation of risk may compound food insecurity risk, and certain risk factors are more likely to co-occur.

Prescription drug monitoring programs: Assessing the association between "best practices" and opioid use in Medicare.

Objective: To estimate the impact of implementing prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) best practices on prescription opioid use.

Data Sources: 2007-2012 Medicare claims for noncancer pain patients, and PDMP attributes from the Prescription Drug Abuse Policy System.

Study Design: We derived PDMP composite scores using the number of best practices adopted by states (range: 0-14), classifying states as either no PDMP, low strength (0 < score < median), or high strength (score ≥ median).

Epidemiological Determinants of Advanced Prostate Cancer in Elderly Men in the United States.

In this study, we examined the effects of individual-level and area-level characteristics on advanced prostate cancer diagnosis among Medicare eligible older men (ages 70+ years). We analyzed patients from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database (2000-2007) linked to US Census and County Business Patterns data. Cluster-adjusted logistic regression models were used to quantify the effects of individual preventive health behavior, clinical and demographic characteristics, area-level health services supply, and socioeconomic characteristics on stage at diagnosis.

An ecological approach to monitor geographic disparities in cancer outcomes.

Background: Area-level indices are widely used to assess the impact of socio-environmental characteristics on cancer outcomes. While area-level measures of socioeconomic status (SES) have been previously used in cancer settings, fewer studies have focused on evaluating the impact of area-level health services supply (HSS) characteristics on cancer outcomes. Moreover, there is significant variation in the methods and constructs used to create area-level indices.

Evaluation of MOS social support in low-income caregivers of African American children with poorly controlled asthma.

The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) in a sample of low-income, urban caregivers of African American children with poorly controlled asthma. Although the MOS-SSS is a commonly used measure of social support, its psychometric properties have not been studied in this population. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to determine the most appropriate factor structure for the MOS-SSS in caregivers of African American children with frequent Emergency Department visits for uncontrolled asthma.

Exploring the Factor Structure of the Job Demands-Resources Measure With Patient Violence on Direct Care Workers in the Home Setting.

Background And Purpose: Workplace violence research in health care settings using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework is hindered by the lack of comprehensive examination of the factor structure of the JD-R measure when it includes patient violence. Is patient violence a component of job demands or its own factor as an occupational outcome?

Method: Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted using a sample of direct care workers in the home setting (n = 961).

Results: The overall 2-construct JD-R structure persisted.

Differential Predictors of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Hebrew Version Two Factor Structure Construct Validity.

Objectives Postpartum anxiety (PPA) is as prevalent and disruptive as postpartum depression (PPD), although less commonly addressed. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), originally created to screen for PPD, was found to include anxiety and depression subscales. This study examined the construct validity of the EPDS PPD and PPA subscales by examining differential predictors of both in a structural regression model.

The Nursing Performance Instrument: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses in Registered Nurses.

Background: The optimal performance of nurses in healthcare settings plays a critical role in care quality and patient safety. Despite this importance, few measures are provided in the literature that evaluate nursing performance as an independent construct from competencies. The nine-item Nursing Performance Instrument (NPI) was developed to fill this gap.

The factor structure of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) in Parkinson disease patients.

Objective: Psychological distress is common among Parkinson disease (PD) patients. Screening tools, such as the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18), help clinicians to identify and manage PD patients with psychiatric symptoms. The objective of this study is to test the factor structure of the BSI-18 in PD patients.

Impact of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) on opioid utilization among Medicare beneficiaries in 10 US States.

Background And Aims: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are a principal strategy used in the United States to address prescription drug abuse. We (1) compared opioid use pre- and post-PDMP implementation and (2) estimated differences of PDMP impact by reason for Medicare eligibility and plan type.

Design: Analysis of opioid prescription claims in US states that implemented PDMPs relative to non-PDMP states during 2007-12.

Predictors of substantiated re-reports in a sample of children with initial unsubstantiated reports.

Many children with unsubstantiated reports of child abuse and neglect repeatedly return to the child protection system, indicating that unsubstantiated reports may represent actual child maltreatment or risk for future maltreatment. Identifying patterns of re-reporting and predictors that may be associated with later substantiated re-reporting could help to identify children who are very likely to be maltreated. This knowledge may guide the development of policies and interventions to prevent further maltreatment and the risk for re-reports.

Food swamps and food deserts in Baltimore City, MD, USA: associations with dietary behaviours among urban adolescent girls.

Objective: To determine whether living in a food swamp (≥4 corner stores within 0·40 km (0·25 miles) of home) or a food desert (generally, no supermarket or access to healthy foods) is associated with consumption of snacks/desserts or fruits/vegetables, and if neighbourhood-level socio-economic status (SES) confounds relationships.

Design: Cross-sectional. Assessments included diet (Youth/Adolescent FFQ, skewed dietary variables normalized) and measured height/weight (BMI-for-age percentiles/Z-scores calculated).

Validation of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form With Minority Caregivers.

Objectives: There has been little examination of the structural validity of the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF) for minority populations in clinical contexts in the Unites States. This study aimed to test prespecified factor structures (one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor models) of the PSI-SF.

Methods: This study used confirmatory factor analysis in a sample of 240 predominantly Black and Latino caregivers of children with behavioral difficulties.

The Effects of Caregiving Resources on Perceived Health among Caregivers.

This study examined how various types of resources influence perceived health of caregivers. Guided by the conservation of resources theory, a caregiver health model was built and tested using structural equation modeling. The caregiver health model consisted of caregiving situations (functional limitations and cognitive impairments of older adults and caregiving time), resources (financial resources, mastery, social support, family harmony, and service utilization), caregiver burden, and perceived health of caregivers.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of Delirium Symptoms in a Sample of Nursing Home Residents.

Objective: This study examined the latent constructs of delirium symptoms among nursing home (NH) residents in the United States.

Method: Cross-sectional NH assessment data (Minimum Data Set 2.0) from the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey were used.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale: Screening Tool for Postpartum Anxiety as Well? Findings from a Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Hebrew Version.

Objectives: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was originally created as a uni-dimensional scale to screen for postpartum depression (PPD); however, evidence from various studies suggests that it is a multi-dimensional scale measuring mainly anxiety in addition to depression. The factor structure of the EPDS seems to differ across various language translations, raising questions regarding its stability. This study examined the factor structure of the Hebrew version of the EPDS to assess whether it is uni- or multi-dimensional.

Predictors of the Use of Evidence-Based Interventions Among National Association of Social Work (NASW) Members.

There is growing emphasis on the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the field of social work.However, much remains unknown about the factors associated with the implementation of evidence-based interventions among social workers. In the current cross-sectional study the authors examined a sample of 180 NASW members who completed a survey assessing knowledge of EBP, organizational climate, and practitioner use of evidence-based interventions (EBI).

The effect of deployment, distress, and perceived social support on Army spouses' weight status.

Unlabelled: This study examined the relationship between deployment status, psychological distress, perceived social support, age, rank, and gender with Army spouses' (N=1863) weight status. We posited that spouses of deployed Soldiers have a higher body mass index (BMI) than spouses of nondeployed Soldiers; spouses with higher psychological distress scores have a higher BMI than those with lower distress scores; and spouses with low social support scores have higher BMIs than those with higher social support scores.

Method: Secondary analysis of data from the 2008 Active Duty Spouse Survey was used to examine the relationship between weight status (health versus overweight or obese) and Army spouses' deployment status, demographic characteristics, psychological distress, and perceived social support.

Impact of parents' wartime military deployment and injury on young children's safety and mental health.

Objective: Children are at risk for adverse outcomes during parental military deployments. We aim to determine the impact of parental deployment and combat injury on young children's postdeployment mental health, injuries, and maltreatment.

Method: This is a population-based, retrospective cohort study of young children of active duty military parents during fiscal years (FY) 2006 to 2007, a high deployment period.

Assessment of an Expanded Functional Disability Scale for Older Adults With Diabetes.

Although prior literature has shown the plausibility of combining the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) items to form an expanded scale for measuring the degree of functional decline, this has not been shown in older adults with diabetes who are disproportionately affected by functional disability. Using the 2009 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data, we evaluated the factor structure of the pooled ADL and IADL items. Based on our study comprising 2,158 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) with diabetes, the unidimensional model exhibited good fit.

Construct validity and factor structure of survey-based assessment of cost-related medication burden.

Background: Millions of Americans are burdened by out-of-pocket prescription costs. Although many survey measures have been developed to assess this burden, the construct validity and the factor structure of these instruments have not been rigorously assessed.

Objectives: To characterize the factor structure and the construct validity of items assessing cost-related medication burden.

Drinking behavior among older adults at a continuing care retirement community: affective and motivational influences.

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to describe patterns of alcohol consumption among continuing care retirement community(CCRC) residents and to explore the role of drinking motives and affective states on drinking context and consumption.

Method: We utilized a phone-based daily diary approach to survey older adults about their daily alcohol consumption, context of drinking (e.g.

Feasibility and Utility of Experience Sampling to Assess Alcohol Consumption Among Older Adults.

In the literature on alcohol use and aging, drinking has often been conceptualized as a means of coping with negative feelings, such as stress, yet much of the literature on older adults and drinking has utilized cross-sectional or other data ill-suited for exploring dynamic processes. Experience sampling methods have the ability to measure and analyze dynamic processes in real time, such as relations between alcohol use and mood states. Nonetheless, these approaches are intensive and may burden respondents.

Health-related quality of life of bone marrow versus peripheral blood stem cell donors: a prespecified subgroup analysis from a phase III RCT-BMTCTN protocol 0201.

Hematopoietic stem cells can be procured from unrelated donors via either the bone marrow (BM) aspiration or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection methods. There is no evidence from prospective randomized trials in the unrelated donor setting about the relative health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) benefits/costs to donors. The goals of this prospective longitudinal investigation were to describe and compare the donation-related HRQoL experiences of 332 BM and PBSC donors.