School-Based Health Centers Addressing Health Equity for LGBTQ + Patients (SBHCs HELP): protocol for a stepped-wedge trial to implement innovations promoting structural competency.

Background: School-based health centers (SBHCs) provide vital behavioral, sexual, and reproductive healthcare services to school-aged youth across the United States. Adolescents who are sexual and gender diverse (SGD) are far more likely to suffer from adverse health outcomes than their cisgender and heterosexual peers. Emerging structural competency frameworks call for cultivating capacities in SBHCs to modify organizational service delivery environments, including provider and staff knowledge and behaviors, to influence SGD adolescent well-being.

Mortality Risk of Low BMI in Life Insurance Applicants.

Objectives: -This study seeks to quantify the mortality effect of low levels of body mass index (BMI) on life insurance applicants who, based on their laboratory profile and other information, appear to be suitable for life insurance coverage.

Background: -It has been demonstrated that low BMI is associated with higher mortality risk than normal or near-normal BMI.

Methods: -Data were collected from over 4.

Technology-Based Smoking Cessation for Youth Exiting Foster Care: A Pilot Randomized Trial.

Despite high rates of cigarette use, little attention has been paid to screening and cessation services for youth in foster care. Study aims were to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a technology-based smoking cessation intervention. Study enrollment, satisfaction, and engagement were high in the intervention arm, where readiness to change also significantly increased over time.

FRAMES Elements Associated With Alcohol Treatment Research Assessments and Related Behavior Change.

Objective: Assessment reactivity research has contributed substantially to our understanding of alcohol treatment research protocols influencing clinical outcomes. The state of the science is such that relatively little is known about how alcohol treatment research participation influences behavior. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the distribution of FRAMES elements (i.

Correlates and Predictors of NT-proBNP in Life Insurance Applicants.

Objectives: -To document the various laboratory and demographic/historical correlates of NT-proBNP levels in applicants for life insurance, and to explore the accuracy of a prediction model based on those variables.

Method: -NT-proBNP blood test results were obtained from 1.34 million insurance applicants between the age of 50 and 85 years, beginning in 2003.

Prevalence of Antibodies to COVID-19 Due to Infection or Vaccination in US Adults.

Objective: -Determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in a population applying for life insurance.

Setting: -This is a cross-sectional study of 2584 US life insurance applicants, to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to COVID-19. This convenience sample was selected on two consecutive days April 25-26, 2022.

Prevalence of Antibodies to COVID-19 Due to Infection or Vaccination in US Adults.

Objective: -Determine the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination in a population applying for life insurance.

Setting: -This is a cross-sectional study of 2584 US life insurance applicants, to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to COVID-19. This convenience sample was selected on two consecutive days April 25-26, 2022.

Association of Liver Function Tests with Mortality in an Insurance Applicant Population.

Objectives: -Determine the relationship between liver function test (LFT) results (GGT, alkaline phosphatase, AST, ALT and albumin) and all-cause mortality in life insurance applicants.

Method: -By use of the Social Security Master Death File, mortality was examined in 15,272,955 insurance applicants for whom blood samples were submitted to the Clinical Reference Laboratory. There were 268,593 deaths observed in this study population, after an average follow-up time of 10.

Alcohol Treatment Research Contributing to Changes in Substance Use Behavior and Related Negative Consequences.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which two of the more salient characteristics of a treatment research assessment protocol (i.e., the comprehensiveness of the assessment battery and the frequency of its administration) for alcohol use disorder contribute to reductions in substance use and related negative consequences.

Treatment of anger problems in previously deployed post-911 veterans: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Problems with anger and aggression affect many veterans who have deployed to a warzone, resulting in serious impairment in multiple aspects of functioning. Controlled studies are needed to improve treatment options for these veterans. This randomized controlled trial compared an individually delivered cognitive behavioral therapy adapted from Novaco's Anger Control Therapy to a manualized supportive therapy to control for common therapeutic factors.

Predictors and moderators of marijuana and heavy alcohol use outcomes in adolescents treated for co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders in a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The current study identifies predictors and moderators of substance use outcomes for 111 adolescents with co-occurring substance use and psychiatric disorders who participated in a randomized controlled trial that compared the effectiveness of two home-based treatments: an integrated cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT) protocol, in which masters-level clinic staff received intensive training and ongoing supervision in the use of this protocol versus a treatment-as-usual (TAU) comparison condition in which therapists received a continuing education-style CBT workshop in the same protocol.

Method: The study conducted exploratory predictor and moderator analyses of marijuana and heavy alcohol use outcomes using candidate variables across four domains of psychological characteristics: adolescent substance use, adolescent psychiatric symptoms, parent, and family.

Results: Regardless of treatment condition, low parental monitoring at baseline, as assessed by a videotaped interaction task, but not self-report, predicted greater percentage of marijuana use and heavy alcohol use days over the 6-month follow-up period.

Recovery community centers: Characteristics of new attendees and longitudinal investigation of the predictors and effects of participation.

Objective: Recovery community centers (RCCs) have expanded across the U.S., serving as social "recovery hubs" that increase recovery capital (e.

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in the US Adult Asymptomatic Population as of September 30, 2020.

This cross-sectional study of a sample of healthy adults assesses the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the US asymptomatic population as of September 30, 2020.

Naturalistic Research on Recovery Processes: Looking to the Future.

Because recovery is an ongoing process, conducting research on the recovery process presents multiple challenges. The process can play out over many years, but change also can occur quickly. Although researchers are keenly interested in the precursors of these sudden changes, a researcher is unlikely to be present at critical moments; however, technology offers new options not available in prior years.

Reducing the Risk for Postpartum Depression in Adolescent Mothers: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To estimate the effect of an interpersonal therapy-based intervention on reducing the risk of postpartum depression in adolescents.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial enrolled 250 pregnant adolescents who were aged 18 years or younger at conception. The initial sample size calculation estimated 276 participants (324 with attrition) were needed to detect a 50% reduction in risk of the primary outcome, postpartum major depressive episode, with an alpha of 0.

A randomized trial of an integrated cognitive behavioral treatment protocol for adolescents receiving home-based services for co-occurring disorders.

The current study conducted a preliminary test of whether community mental health clinic staff could implement a multicomponent cognitive behavioral treatment, developed for adolescents with substance misuse (alcohol and/or marijuana) and comorbid psychiatric symptoms. We randomized a total of 111 families, with an adolescent 12-18 years old, referred to a home-based services program for youth with co-occurring substance use and mental health problems, to receive treatment from either masters-level therapists who received intensive cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT) training or from masters-level therapists who took part in a typical brief continuing education-style CBT workshop (treatment as usual, or TAU). Each family's therapist and insurance company determined the frequency and intensity of treatment.

Activity Level as a Mortality Predictor in a Population Sample after Typical Underwriting Exclusions and Laboratory Scoring.

  To quantify the effect of physical activity on the mortality rates of healthy individuals in a population sample, after controlling for other sources of mortality risk. The widespread availability of activity monitors has spurred life insurance companies to consider incorporating such data into their underwriting practices. Studies have shown that sedentary lifestyles are associated with poor health outcomes and higher risks of death.

New kid on the block: An investigation of the physical, operational, personnel, and service characteristics of recovery community centers in the United States.

Background: Professional treatment and non-professional mutual-help organizations (MHOs) play important roles in mitigating addiction relapse risk. More recently, a third tier of recovery support services has emerged that are neither treatment nor MHO that encompass an all-inclusive flexible approach combining professionals and volunteers. The most prominent of these is Recovery Community Centers (RCCs).

One-Stop Shopping for Recovery: An Investigation of Participant Characteristics and Benefits Derived From U.S. Recovery Community Centers.

Background: Recovery community centers (RCCs) are the "new kid on the block" in providing addiction recovery services, adding a third tier to the 2 existing tiers of formal treatment and mutual-help organizations (MHOs). RCCs are intended to be recovery hubs facilitating "one-stop shopping" in the accrual of recovery capital (e.g.

Regional environmental assessment of dairy farms.

A comprehensive, yet in depth, assessment is needed of the environmental impacts of dairy farms at regional and national scales to better track improvements made by the industry. With Pennsylvania as an example, a method using process-level simulation and cradle-to-farm gate life cycle assessment was developed and used to assess important environmental footprints of dairy farms within a state. Representative dairy farms of various sizes and management practices throughout 7 regions of the state were simulated with the Integrated Farm System Model.

Psychometric Validation of the Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment in an Adult Community Sample.

Background: Individuals' social networks exert a strong influence on alcohol use, but valid assessment of network drinking behavior is typically lengthy and high in participant burden. The aim of this study was to validate the Brief Alcohol Social Density Assessment (BASDA), an efficient measure of perceived alcohol use within a person's social network, in a sample of adult drinkers from the general community. Specifically, the convergent, criterion-related, incremental validity and internal validity were investigated by examining the BASDA in relation to other established measures of drinking motives, weekly drinking level, and severity of involvement.

Association of Carcinoembryonic Antigen with Mortality in an Insurance Applicant Population.

To quantify the mortality risks associated with elevated levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Carcinoembryonic antigen is cell surface glycoprotein and has been associated with the presence of high grade or metastatic cancers of the colon as well as other malignant and non-malignant disease. Prior publications have demonstrated the utility of CEA levels in the determination of mortality risk in life insurance applicants.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Technology-Based Substance Use Intervention for Youth Exiting Foster Care.

Youth exiting foster care represent a unique, at-risk population in that they receive supportive health services while under the umbrella of the foster care system, but access to care can drop precipitously upon release from foster custody. Traditional means of substance use treatment may not meet the needs of this vulnerable population. Mobile interventions, however, have demonstrated high acceptability and efficacy across a range of mental and physical health issues.

Randomized cost-effectiveness trial of group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for prisoners with major depression.

Objective: This study tested the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) for major depressive disorder (MDD) among prisoners. It is the first fully powered randomized trial of any treatment (pharmacological or psychosocial) targeting MDD among incarcerated individuals.

Method: One hundred eighty-one male (n = 117) and female (n = 64) prisoners from prison facilities in 2 states were randomized to group IPT (delivered by master's-level and nonspecialist prison counselors) for MDD plus prison treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU alone.