Predicting Successful Placements for Youth in Child Welfare with Machine Learning.

Out-of-home placement decisions have extremely high stakes for the present and future well-being of children in care because some placement types, and multiple placements, are associated with poor outcomes. We propose that a clinical decision support system (CDSS) using existing data about children and their previous placement success could inform future placement decision-making for their peers. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of developing machine learning models to predict the best level of care placement (i.

Revisiting our approach to behavioral health referrals.

This system of matching referrals to behavioral health practitioners' historical effectiveness seeks to strengthen patient outcomes.

The natural history of prescription opioid abuse: A pilot study exploring change in routes of administration and motivation for changes.

Objective: The purpose of this retrospective, observational pilot study was to explore change in route of administration (RoA) and motivation for changing RoA during the course of opioid abuse.

Design: This retrospective pilot study involved collecting and analyzing semistructured interview data.

Setting: Interviews were conducted with patients undergoing outpatient substance abuse treatment at a buprenorphine clinic.

Burden of Schizophrenia or Psychosis-Related Symptoms in Adults Undergoing Substance Abuse Evaluation.

This study evaluated the biopsychosocial characteristics of adults undergoing substance abuse evaluation with potential schizophrenia/psychotic disorder, or possible schizophrenia/psychosis-like symptoms, compared with those with no schizophrenia/psychosis-like symptoms. A cross-sectional, observational study examined 170,201 adults, aged 18 to 30, who completed the Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV). Approximately 10% were classified as having possible schizophrenia/psychosis-like symptoms or potential schizophrenia/psychotic disorder.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Online Pain Management Education on Primary Care Providers.

Objective: To improve pain management practices, we developed an online interactive continuing education (CE) program for primary care providers (PCPs). This program follows the flow of clinical decision-making through simulated cases at critical pain treatment points along the pain treatment continuum.

Design: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the efficacy of this program.

Development of a Community Readiness Survey for Coalitions to Address Prescription Opioid Misuse.

A community readiness survey for coalitions to address the growing epidemic of prescription opioid misuse was developed in this four-part study. A total of 70 coalition members participated. 1) We conducted 30-minute phone interviews with coalition members (n=30) and a literature review to develop an item list.

A randomized controlled trial of an online self-management program for adults with arthritis pain.

The objective of this RCT was to assess the efficacy of an online pain self-management program with adults who had a self-reported doctor diagnosis of arthritis pain (N = 228). Participants were recruited via flyers and online postings then randomized to the experimental condition or the wait-list control condition. Individuals in the experimental condition reported significantly (1) increased arthritis self-efficacy and (2) reduced pain catastrophizing from baseline to follow up compared to those in the control condition.

Mediators and moderators of chronic pain outcomes in an online self-management program.

Objectives: Little is known about the moderators and mediators of change in online pain interventions based on cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). We hypothesized that the effects of painACTION.com, an online pain self-management program, on pain-related outcomes would be mediated by changes in depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as the use of coping strategies.

Associations between public health indicators and injecting prescription opioids by prescription opioid abusers in substance abuse treatment.

Objective: To determine what, if any, public health and societal impacts are associated specifically with injection of prescription opioids.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting: Five hundred forty treatment facilities in 35 states across the United States performing Addiction Severity Index-Multimedia Version (ASI-MV) assessments.

Interactive computer-based interventions for weight loss or weight maintenance in overweight or obese people.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of obese or overweight individuals worldwide will increase to 1.5 billion by 2015. Chronic diseases associated with overweight or obesity include diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and stroke.

Technology in Treatment: Are Adolescents and Counselors Interested in Online Relapse Prevention?

Background: Approximately 75% of adolescents who receive substance abuse treatment relapse within one year; therefore, it is important to have effective, easily accessible aftercare resources to support them while they are in recovery.

Objective: The goal of this study was twofold: 1) to find out from adolescents and counselors if an online relapse prevention program was feasible and of interest and 2) to solicit ideas for content for this program regarding peer relationships during early recovery.

Methods: Sixteen counselors were interviewed about peer relationship-related content and features this program should include then asked to sort and rate the responses using an online concept mapping program.

Identifying primary care skills and competencies in opioid risk management.

Introduction: Primary care physicians (PCPs) treat a high proportion of chronic pain patients but often lack training about how to assess and address issues associated with prescribing opioids when they are an appropriate component of therapy. The result may be that they may avoid treating these patients, which can lead to an undertreatment of pain. The objective of this study was to identify which skills and competencies are most critical for PCPs in order to effectively manage opioid risk in patients treated for chronic pain.

Identifying the educational needs of menopausal women: a feasibility study.

Background: The goal of this project was to identify the educational needs of menopausal women and test the feasibility of an online self management program based on social learning theory.

Methods: The four stages included 1) a needs assessment using a) focus groups with 24 women ages 40 to 55 and b) phone interviews with eight health experts; 2) the use of concept mapping methodology for quantifying qualitative data from stage 1 to identify the core programmatic concepts; 3) development of a demonstration program; and 4) a pilot study with 35 women and 9 health experts to assess knowledge gained and program satisfaction.

Results: Results show that women desire more information about normalcy of menopause and symptom management and found the program to meet a need for menopausal education otherwise perceived as unavailable.

CHAT: development and validation of a computer-delivered, self-report, substance use assessment for adolescents.

The current study was conducted to construct and validate a computer-delivered, multimedia, substance use self-assessment for adolescents. Reliability and validity of six problem dimensions were evaluated in two studies, conducted from 2003 to 2008. Study 1 included 192 adolescents from five treatment settings throughout the United States (N = 142) and two high schools from Greater Boston, Massachusetts (N = 50).

What arthritis pain practitioners and patients want in an online self-management programme.

Objective:  Self-management of pain is a critical component of arthritis care; however, limited mobility can restrict access to resources. Although the internet has become a primary source of health information, few studies address what patients want and need from a self-management website.

Methods:  Thirty-two people diagnosed with arthritis and 12 practitioners a) participated in individual one-hour interviews and b) sorted and rated a list of 88 unique statements that were derived from the interviews.

Developing a database of behavioural medicine interventions.

Objective: To describe the development of the Cochrane Behavioral Medicine Field database of interventions and its contribution to the knowledge base of this field.

Methods: A list of behavioural medicine interventions was solicited from content experts. The resulting list of index terms was used to generate a comprehensive search strategy to retrieve relevant records, and a thesaurus of terms with which to index them.

Hospitalization cost offset of a hostility intervention for coronary heart disease patients.

The authors evaluated hospitalization cost offset of hostility management group therapy for patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) from a previously published randomized controlled trial (Y. Gidron, K. Davidson, & I.

Gender as a health determinant and implications for health education.

Gender is a health determinant, but gender itself is influenced, in part, by biological and psychological variables. Understanding gender's influence on health therefore requires an understanding of the determinants of the construct gender. A review of certain gender determinants is presented.

Invitation to a dialogue between researchers and clinicians about evidence-based behavioral medicine.

Background: Evidence-based behavioral medicine (EBBM) aims to improve the process through which best scientific research evidence can be obtained and translated into best clinical decisions regarding behavioral treatments to improve health.

Purpose: The objective was to examine some legitimate concerns raised by both clinicians and researchers about the evidence-based movement.

Methods: This article begins with a discussion of clinicians' fears that EBBM devalues clinical judgment and the therapist-patient relationship, will be used to restrict practice, is unnecessary, and is based on research that is irrelevant to clinical decision making.

A primer on current evidence-based review systems and their implications for behavioral medicine.

Background: Multiple review systems have been established within medicine and psychology to evaluate and disseminate research findings to clinical practice.

Purpose: Within this article, five evidence-based review systems are reviewed to inform the development or the use of an evidence review system for the behavioral medicine field.

Methods: Each review system is described on several dimensions: history of the review system, the review process, and details about translation/sustainability efforts.

Unmitigated communion, social constraints, and psychological distress among women with rheumatoid arthritis.

The personality trait of unmitigated communion, an extreme focus on relationships that has been associated with self-neglect, has been linked to poorer outcomes for both men and women, but is more common among women. This longitudinal study is the first to examine the influence of unmitigated communion on adaptation to a chronic illness that affects a much greater proportion of women to men. Women with rheumatoid arthritis completed measures of unmitigated communion, social constraints, and psychological distress at study entry and repeated the distress measure one year later.

Evidence-based behavioral medicine: what is it and how do we achieve it?

The goal of evidence-based medicine is ultimately to improve patient outcomes and quality of care. Systematic reviews of the available published evidence are required to identify interventions that lead to improvements in behavior, health, and well-being. Authoritative literature reviews depend on the quality of published research and research reports.

A case for problem-based collaborative learning in the nursing classroom.

To facilitate student learning of the content in a clinical nursing course, the authors used ideas from Problem-based Learning (PBL) and collaborative learning to develop student writing assignments and group workshops. They describe the PBL-enhanced activities and student work, concluding with student feedback and future directions for this curriculum.