Optimizing PMTCT Adherence by Treating Depression in Perinatal Women with HIV in South Africa: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: South Africa (SA) has the greatest HIV prevalence in the world, with rates as high as 40% among pregnant women. Depression is a robust predictor of nonadherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and engagement in HIV care; perinatal depression may affect upwards of 47% of women in SA. Evidence-based, scalable approaches for depression treatment and ART adherence in this setting are lacking.

Psychosocial Correlates of Body Image and Lipodystrophy in Women Aging With HIV.

Body image disturbance is increasingly relevant as women living with HIV (WLWH) live longer. We explored body image disturbance and changes in fat distribution (lipodystrophy) in 63 WLWH (mean age = 51 years) and evaluated associations among lipodystrophy, body image, and psychosocial variables. Eighty-one percent of participants reported one or more body parts (of six assessed) demonstrating lipodystrophy, and more than one third reported three or more affected body parts.

High Rates of Biomarker-Confirmed Alcohol Use Among Pregnant Women Living With HIV in South Africa and Uganda.

Background: Alcohol use is common among people living with HIV and particularly harmful during pregnancy. However, objective data on alcohol use in pregnant women living with HIV (WLWH) are lacking. In areas with high levels of alcohol use generally, such as South Africa and Uganda, these data are needed to inform interventions.

Body image satisfaction among male military veterans with cancer.

Impaired body satisfaction is commonly reported among cancer patients. This study prospectively evaluated body image disturbance among male military veterans with head and neck or colorectal cancer. Patients ( N = 109) completed measures at three points post-diagnosis.

Contrasting Gender and Combat Versus Military Sexual Traumas: Psychiatric Symptom Severity and Morbidities in Treatment-Seeking Veterans.

Background: Military sexual trauma (MST) and military combat trauma (MCT) are significant risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, no studies have directly contrasted the clinical profiles of Veterans between military-related traumas. Moreover, a notable gender difference in the likelihood of trauma exposure limits our ability to disentangle gender and trauma type.

Mother-child interactions at six months postpartum are not predicted by maternal histories of abuse and neglect or maltreatment type.

Objective: A history of childhood maltreatment (CM) is associated with increased rates of maternal psychiatric symptoms and other adverse outcomes in adulthood among postpartum women. However, to date only a few studies have examined associations between CM and mother-child interactions among a nonclinical sample of postpartum women, and the specific potential influence of the type of abuse or neglect is poorly understood. This study was an aim to examine the relationships between CM types and observed parenting in a nonclinical group of recently postpartum mothers with maltreatment histories.

Predicting Change in Physical Activity: a Longitudinal Investigation Among Weight-Concerned College Women.

Background: Engaging in regular physical activity (PA) is critical for health, and adopting a consistent PA routine early in life is associated with greater PA over the lifespan. College women with weight concerns are at risk for weight gain, which may be prevented with regular PA. However, little is known about changes in PA engagement in this at-risk group.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and somatic complaints: Contrasting Vietnam and OIF/OEF Veterans' experiences.

Objective: To replicate and expand upon the relationship of somatic symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by comparing symptoms among service eras in US Veterans.

Method: Data were collected from 226 Vietnam and 132 Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans who were referred to a Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital PTSD outpatient clinic between 2005 and 2013. Veterans were administered self-report inventories and a clinical interview to measure somatic symptoms and PTSD severity.

Enhancing physical activity promotion in midlife women with technology-based self-monitoring and social connectivity: A pilot study.

This pilot study tested a novel program to promote adoption and maintenance of aerobic activity in midlife women. Lifestyle modification group sessions were held weekly for 3 months, followed by two booster sessions during the 3-month maintenance phase. During all 6 months of the program, participants used a physical activity sensor to automate self-monitoring and a web platform to facilitate social connectivity.

Measuring the Ability to Tolerate Activity-Related Discomfort: Initial Validation of the Physical Activity Acceptance Questionnaire (PAAQ).

Background: Physical activity (PA) is essential for health, but many adults find PA adherence challenging. Acceptance of discomfort related to PA may influence an individual's ability to begin and sustain a program of exercise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Physical Activity Acceptance Questionnaire (PAAQ).

The social context of the relationship between glycemic control and depressive symptoms in type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Individuals with type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms have poorer diabetes outcomes than those with diabetes alone, and there is need for improved understanding of the relationship between illness markers and depressive symptoms. The role of social support is well established; less is known about social comparisons (i.e.

Prevalence and correlates of sexual morbidity in long-term breast cancer survivors.

Objective: Breast cancer survivors report adverse sexual effects (sexual morbidity) such as disrupted sexual function, sexual distress and body dissatisfaction. However, most studies have failed to evaluate the persistence of these effects in long-term survivors. The present study comprehensively assessed the prevalence and predictors of sexual/body image problems among survivors three or more years post diagnosis.

Do hunger and exposure to food affect scores on a measure of hedonic hunger? An experimental study.

Research suggests that visceral bodily states, such as hunger, can affect participants' responses on self-report measures of eating behavior. The present study evaluated the influence of hunger and exposure to palatable food on self-reported hedonic appetite, measured using the Power of Food Scale (PFS). A secondary aim was to evaluate the effects of these manipulations on self-reported external eating and disinhibition.

GAP-REACH: a checklist to assess comprehensive reporting of race, ethnicity, and culture in psychiatric publications.

Growing awareness of health and health care disparities highlights the importance of including information about race, ethnicity, and culture (REC) in health research. Reporting of REC factors in research publications, however, is notoriously imprecise and unsystematic. This article describes the development of a checklist to assess the comprehensiveness and the applicability of REC factor reporting in psychiatric research publications.

Association of trauma-related disorders and dissociation with four idioms of distress among Latino psychiatric outpatients.

Past research on idioms of distress among U.S. Latinos has revealed that ataque de nervios and altered perceptions, such as hearing and seeing things when alone, are independent markers of higher morbidity and mental health utilization despite having no one-to-one relationships with any single psychiatric diagnosis.