Differential posttraumatic stress disorder symptom cluster response to stellate ganglion block: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Empirically supported treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exist, but research suggests these therapies are less effective, acceptable, and feasible to deliver to active duty service members (SMs) compared to civilians. Stellate ganglion block (SGB) procedure, in which a local anesthetic is injected around the cervical sympathetic chain or stellate ganglion to temporarily inhibit sympathetic nervous activity, is gaining popularity as an alternative PTSD treatment in military settings. However, it is unknown whether certain PTSD symptoms are more responsive to SGB than others.

Pediatrician Perspectives on Feasibility and Acceptability of the MOCA-Peds 2017 Pilot.

Background And Objectives: The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certifies that general and subspecialty pediatricians meet standards of excellence established by their peers, immediately after training and over the course of their careers (ie, Maintenance of Certification [MOC]). In 2015-2016, the ABP developed the Maintenance of Certification Assessment for Pediatrics (MOCA-Peds) as an alternative assessment to the current proctored, closed-book general pediatrics (GP) MOC examination. This article is 1 of a 2-part series examining results from the MOCA-Peds pilot in 2017.

MOCA-Peds: Development of a New Assessment of Medical Knowledge for Continuing Certification.

The American Board of Pediatrics (ABP) certifies that general and subspecialty pediatricians meet standards of excellence established by their peers. Certification helps demonstrate that a general pediatrician or pediatric subspecialist has successfully completed accredited training and fulfills continuous certification requirements (Maintenance of Certification [MOC]). One current component of the MOC program is a closed-book examination administered at a secure testing center (ie, the MOC Part 3 examination).

Using a parent survey to advance knowledge about the nature and consequences of fragile X syndrome.

Understanding the nature and consequences of intellectual and developmental disabilities is challenging, especially when the condition is rare, affected individuals are geographically dispersed, and/or resource constraints limit large-scale studies involving direct assessment. Surveys provide an alternative methodology for gathering information but must be carefully designed and interpreted in light of obvious limitations. In this paper we discuss the potential of surveys in understanding a disabling condition; delineate characteristics of successful survey research; describe a survey of families of individuals with fragile X syndrome; and synthesize major findings.

A web-based intervention to support increased physical activity among at-risk adults.

Physical inactivity is an important contributor to the development of numerous chronic conditions and alone is an independent risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and depression and yet, most Americans consistently fail to achieve the recommended amount of physical activity. As part of Project HealthDesign, we designed and prototyped a personal health record application (PHA) that delivers and supports a highly individualized, behaviorally based lifestyle physical activity intervention for sedentary adults. Through a user centered design approach, we engaged consumers, health care providers, and personal trainers for multiple facilitated group discussions and structured interviews to determine their needs and wants related to an activity PHA.

Nonresponse bias in a mail survey of physicians.

With the increased pressure on survey researchers to achieve high response rates, it is critical to explore issues related to nonresponse. In this study, the authors examined the effects of nonresponse bias in a mail survey of physicians (N = 3,400). Because slightly more than one half of the sample did not respond to the survey, there was potential for bias if nonresponders differed significantly from responders with respect to key demographic and practice variables.