Replicability of structural models of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in a community sample of postpartum African American women with low socioeconomic status.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is increasingly used in public health and social service programs serving postpartum women of racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds at risk for depression. However, we know little about its factor structure across groups of women with implications for measuring symptom levels in research. This study evaluated the underlying structure of the EPDS using a confirmatory factor analyses model comparison approach of five factor models from the literature in a purposive community sample of 169 postpartum African American women of low socioeconomic status.

Effects of the TCARE® intervention on caregiver burden and depressive symptoms: preliminary findings from a randomized controlled study.

Objectives: We examined the effects of a manualized care management protocol specifically designed for care managers working with caregivers, the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral® (TCARE®) protocol, on caregiver identity discrepancy, burden, and depressive symptoms.

Methods: Preliminary data from a longitudinal, randomized, controlled intervention study with 266 family caregivers served by 52 care managers in 4 states were analyzed using repeated measures random effects regression procedures. Caregivers in the intervention and control groups were repeatedly assessed for up to 9 months on caregiver identity discrepancy, 3 areas of caregiving burden-objective, relationship, and stress burdens; depression; and intention for nursing home placement.

Readability of 3 heart disease health-related quality of life questionnaires.

Purpose: To compare the readability of the English language versions of 3 heart disease health-related quality of life questionnaires, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure (MLHF) Questionnaire, the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), and the MacNew Heart Disease Health-Related Quality of Life (MacNew) Questionnaire.

Methods: The readability of the MLHF, the SAQ, and the MacNew was calculated using 6 different readability formulas; the FOG Index, the Fry Readability Formula for Short Passages, the Harris-Jacobson, the Flesch, the New Dale-Chall, and the SMOG.

Results: The reading grade level of the MacNew averaged between the fifth and sixth grades.

The impact of TCARE® on service recommendation, use, and caregiver well-being.

Purpose Of The Study: Findings are reported from a study that examined the effects of the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE®) protocol, a care management process designed to help family caregivers, on care planning and caregiver outcomes.

Design And Methods: A longitudinal, randomized controlled trial was conducted with 97 caregivers enrolled in a demonstration project in Georgia. Data included on care plans pertaining to service recommendations, compliance, and use were reviewed.

Relationships between appraisals of caregiver communication strategies and burden among spouses and adult children.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of caregivers' appraisals of the effectiveness of their own communication strategies on caregiver burden when caring for family members with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Family caregivers (N = 84) of participants with AD completed questionnaires appraising communication strategies, problem behaviors, and levels of three types of burden.

Results: Hierarchical linear regression models revealed that effective strategies and kinship status were significantly linked with stress burden, whereas effective strategies and problem behaviors were significantly related to relationship burden.

A dimensional analysis of caregiver burden among spouses and adult children.

Purpose Of The Study: Caregiver burden is a multidimensional construct, addressing tension and anxiety (stress burden), changes in dyadic relationships (relationship burden), and time infringements (objective burden) resulting from caregiving. The study aims were to assess (a) whether the dimensions of burden were the same for caregiving spouses and adult children, (b) the role of assisting with problem behaviors (PBs) and activities of daily living (ADLs) on each dimension of burden, and (c) the role of each dimension of burden on self-rated health and intention to institutionalize the care receiver.

Design And Methods: This study included 280 spouse/partner and 243 adult child caregivers of persons with chronic illnesses.

Impact of a psychoeducational program on three types of caregiver burden among spouses.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which a psychoeducational intervention called "Powerful Tools for Caregivers" (PTC) influences burden of spouse caregivers. Specifically, this study examined whether spouse caregivers who attended PTC exhibited reductions in stress burden, relationship burden, and objective burden compared to a comparison group.

Design And Methods: The 6 -week intervention used a self-efficacy framework to train caregivers to focus on self-care, communicate effectively, and manage emotions.

Reactions of heterosexual African American men to women's condom negotiation strategies.

This study describes responses of 172 single heterosexual African American men, ages 18 to 35, to condom negotiation attempts. Strategies used included reward, coercive, legitimate, expert, referent, and informational strategies, based on Raven's (1992) influence model. The purpose was (a) to identify strategies influencing participant acquiescence to request and (b) to identify predictors of participant compliance/refusal to comply with negotiation attempts.

The revised safe at home instrument for assessing readiness to change intimate partner violence.

This article describes the development and factor structure of the Revised Safe At Home instrument, a 35-item self-report measure designed to assess individuals' readiness to change their intimate partner violence behaviors. Seven new items have been added, representing content specific to the Maintenance stage, and other items have been revised to strengthen the assessment of earlier stages and address gender concerns. Confirmatory factor analysis using multisite data (two sites, a total of 281 men at intake) supported the conclusion that a four-factor model (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation/Action, and Maintenance stages) was consistent with the observed covariances.

Validity of self-reported substance use in men who have sex with men: comparisons with a general population sample.

Purpose: To understand the validity of self-reported recent drug use in men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: We obtained a probability sample of Chicago men who have sex with men (MSM; n=216) and administered urine and saliva drug testing after a self-administered interview. Analyses examined participation in drug testing, the agreement between self-reported past month drug use and drug test results, correlates of underreporting, and the relative utility of drug testing versus self-reports in identifying recent marijuana and cocaine use.

Measuring sexual risk for HIV: a Rasch scaling approach.

In this study, we developed an HIV transmission risk scale and examined its psychometric properties using data on sexual behavior obtained from a probability sample of adult men who have sex with men living in Chicago. We used Messick's (Am Psychol 50:741-749, 1995) conceptualization of unified validity theory to organize the psychometric properties of data. Evidence related to scale content was investigated via Rasch item fit statistics, point-measure correlations, and expert evaluation.

Elderly prisoners: a growing and forgotten group within correctional systems vulnerable to elder abuse.

There are over 2.1 million people incarcerated in the nation's jails and prisons. Additionally, close to 600,000 prisoners are released annually into communities across the country.

A profile of home care workers from the 2000 census: how it changes what we know.

Purpose: The goal of our study was to identify a representative sample of direct care aides to generate an accurate profile of the long-term-care workforce, with a special focus on home care workers.

Design And Methods: Data were taken from the 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) of the 2000 Census.

Results: Variable coding in the 2000 Census data allowed for a more detailed identification of long-term-care workers than was available in previous studies.

The myth of sameness among Latino men and their machismo.

This study examined the construct of machismo in relationship to measures of machismo, masculinity, and gender role identity. One hundred forty-eight Latino men with an average age of 36, primarily Mexican American and Puerto Rican, participated. Results indicate that machismo can be characterized as a multidimensional construct, and cluster analyses found that traditional definitions of machismo as authoritarian, emotionally restrictive, and controlling represented only about 10% of the classified Latinos.

Economic support and the dilemma of teen fathers.

For the past decade our nation has turned its focus to personal responsibility and has subsequently formulated polices that have reformed welfare and strengthened child support enforcement. Parents are held more accountable for the support of their children, regardless of their income levels or age. Teen fathers continue to present dilemmas for policymakers because of their status as minors, lack of understanding of the policy implications for parenthood, lack of skills, and high unemployment rates.

African American teens and the neo-juvenile justice system.

African American youth continue to be overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. As a result of the current political environment and the perceived increase in crime among young people, the nation has moved away from rehabilitation and toward harsher treatment of delinquents. The African American community must encourage policy makers and community leaders to continue to address the disproportionate representation of African American youth in the system.

African American girls and the challenges ahead.

The research on the psychosocial development of African American girls is limited. Information that is available focuses on teen pregnancy and health issues such as nutrition and physical activity. African American girls are facing challenges, including poverty, crime, poor self-esteem, and peer pressure.

Child support and African American teen fathers.

Our nation has turned its focus to personal responsibility and has subsequently formulated polices that have reformed welfare and strengthened child support enforcement. Teen fathers continue to present dilemmas for policy makers because of their status as minors, their lack of understanding of the policy implications for parenthood, their lack of skills, and their high unemployment status. African American teen fathers shoulder a larger burden in respect to the high unemployment rates and high drop out rates for African American males.

Youth development: a positive strategy for African American youth.

The concept of positive youth development has been discussed and implemented for over ten years. The more recent emphasis on the connection between community and youth development is as important to the African American community in general as it is to African American youth. Opportunities to experience responsibility and involvement in their community, under the guidance of supportive adults, provide youth the chance of success for themselves and, ultimately, their communities.

African American youth in the new millennium: an overview.

African American youth today are facing a fast changing world of high technology and diminishing opportunities. This generation brings a new attitude and a challenging perspective to service providers and policy makers. The policies and interventions of the past may need an upgrade to meet the needs of this new generation.