A Multi-Component Analysis of CPTED in the Cyberspace Domain.

The visual fidelity of a virtual environment lacks the exceedingly complex layers from the physical world, but the continuous improvements of image rendering technology and computation powers have led to greater demands for virtual simulations. Our study employs Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) as a risk control measure and utilizes two principles: Access Control and Natural Surveillance. We conducted an experiment with (n-sample: 100) graduate students.

Social distance and homophily in adolescent smoking initiation.

Background: Studies often demonstrate homophily in adolescent smoking behavior, but rarely investigate the extent to which this is due to the peer network processes of selection versus influence. Applying the concept of social distance, this study examines these two processes for smoking initiation.

Methods: We analyzed socio-centric network data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (N=2065; grades=7th-12th).

Romantic attraction and adolescent smoking trajectories.

Research on sexual orientation and substance use has established that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are more likely to smoke than heterosexuals. This analysis furthers the examination of smoking behaviors across sexual orientation groups by describing how same- and opposite-sex romantic attraction, and changes in romantic attraction, are associated with distinct six-year developmental trajectories of smoking. The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health dataset is used to test our hypotheses.

The importance of including dynamic social networks when modeling epidemics of airborne infections: does increasing complexity increase accuracy?

Mathematical models are useful tools for understanding and predicting epidemics. A recent innovative modeling study by Stehle and colleagues addressed the issue of how complex models need to be to ensure accuracy. The authors collected data on face-to-face contacts during a two-day conference.

Cost implications to health care payers of improving glucose management among adults with type 2 diabetes.

Objective. To assess the cost implications to payers of improving glucose management among adults with type 2 diabetes. Data Source/Study Setting.

Cost implications of improving blood pressure management among U.S. adults.

Objective: To examine the cost-effectiveness of improving blood pressure management from the payer perspective.

Data Source/study Setting: Medical record data for 4,500 U.S.

Adolescent romantic relationships and change in smoking status.

Although smoking rates have decreased, smoking among adolescents continues to be a problem. Previous research has shown the importance of peer influences on adolescent smoking behavior but has mostly neglected the impact of adolescent romantic relationships. This study examines the influence of romantic relationships with smokers and non-smokers on smoking initiation and cessation over a one-year period using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health).

Friendship networks and trajectories of adolescent tobacco use.

This article examines how friendship networks in adolescence are linked to tobacco use trajectories through a combination of analytic techniques that traditionally are located in separate literatures: social network analysis and developmental trajectory analysis. Using six years of longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we identify a set of six unique developmental trajectories of smoking (never smokers, steady lows, delayed increasers, early increasers, decreasers, and steady highs). Individuals' locations in their friendship networks were then linked to their trajectory group membership.

Peer influence and selection effects on adolescent smoking.

Background: Studies showing that adolescents are more likely to smoke if they have friends who smoke typically infer that this is the result of peer influence. However, it may also be due to adolescents choosing friends who have smoking behaviors similar to their own (i.e.