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Prior work suggests perceived COVID-19-related threat and existential isolation (EI) would be associated with greater anxiety and depression, worse subjective health and well-being, and lower hope. However, it was unclear whether such concerns might have additive effects (no interaction, two independent main effects) or interact (one effect modifies the other). Two studies collected data via MTurk during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study 1 (N = 110) measured perceived COVID19-related threat, EI, anxiety and depression, subjective well-being, and hope. Study 2 (N = 2,673) measured perceived COVID19-related threat, EI, anxiety, subjective health, and hope. In general, perceived COVID19-related threat and EI were associated with anxiety and depression, worse subjective health and well-being, and reduced hope. On one outcome (hope, Study 2), an interaction was observed: perceived threat was associated with lower hope among those with high EI, but higher hope among those with low EI. However, on most outcomes (6 of 7), across both studies, additive effects were observed: greater cumulative existential stress (perceived COVID-19-related threat, EI) was associated with worse anxiety and depression, subjective health and well-being, and hope. Discussion highlights theoretical considerations, practical implications, and the therapeutic value of addressing existential concerns in mental health. What is already known about this topic: Prior work found perceived COVID-19-related threat and other death-related existential concerns were related to anxiety, depression, and undermined well-being and hopeful engagement. Prior work found existential isolation was related to anxiety, depression, and undermined well-being. COVID-19-related threat was associated with worse anxiety, depression, and well-being, but not subjective health or hope. What this topic adds: EI was consistently associated with worse anxiety and depression, subjective health and well-being, and reduced hope. In one outcome (hope, Study 2), an interaction found that perceived COVID-19-related threat decreased hope when people felt existentially isolated, but increased hope when people felt a sense of existential connection (e.g., "we're all in this together"). However, on six of seven outcomes, across two studies, additive effects were observed such that the more existential stress (COVID-19-related threat, existential isolation) experienced the worse the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notes the rise of the harm-reduction model in the provision of substance abuse services and the history and success of syringe exchange programs. Describes the Xchange Point, a nonprofit community-based AIDS services organization founded in 1996 as a street-based outreach and syringe exchange program. (Contains 15 references.) (GCP)

A recent development in the provision of substance abuse services has been the rise of the harm-reduction model and non-abstinence-based services. Harm reduction is based on the suppositions that drug [...]

The present research explored whether atheists managing death awareness would be effectively buffered by affirmations of supernatural and/or natural literal immortality. Prior data were reanalyzed, revealing ambiguous results, so further experiments were conducted. In Study 1 (n = 382), atheists were randomly assigned to a supernatural afterlife-confirmed (vs. afterlife-disconfirmed) prime, an MS (vs. control topic) prime, and then given an opportunity to engage in secular worldview defense. In Study 2 (n = 360), atheists were randomly assigned to supernatural (afterlife) versus natural (medical indefinite life extension; MILE) immortality prime, an MS (vs. control topic) prime, and then given an opportunity to engage in secular worldview defense. Atheists managing death awareness increased worldview defense in the supernatural/afterlife conditions but that effect was eliminated in the MILE condition. These findings are consistent with the terror management theory perspective on worldview defense. Implications for theory and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interfacing the terror management health model with the meaning transfer model, we offer novel hypotheses concerning the effectiveness of celebrity and medical endorsements for consumer products and health behavior decisions. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that, compared with control topic primes, death thoughts in focal attention increased the effectiveness of health-oriented (doctor) endorsers but not culture-oriented (celebrity) endorsers, whereas death thoughts outside of focal attention increased the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers but not health-oriented endorsers. Studies 3 and 4 then focus more specifically on the valence and specificity of culture-oriented endorsements, revealing that death thoughts outside focal attention increase the effectiveness of culture-oriented endorsers only on the behaviors specifically endorsed and only when the endorser is characterized as possessing cultural value. Discussion focuses on everyday management of existential concerns and implications for persuasive communications in the health domain. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research derived from terror management theory (TMT) has shown that people’s efforts to manage the awareness of death often have deleterious consequences for the individual and society. The present article takes a closer look at the conceptual foundations of TMT and considers some of the more beneficial trajectories of the terror management process. The awareness of mortality can motivate people to enhance their physical health and prioritize growth-oriented goals; live up to positive standards and beliefs; build supportive relationships and encourage the development of peaceful, charitable communities; and foster open-minded and growth-oriented behaviors. The article also tentatively explores the potential enriching impact of direct encounters with death. Overall, the present analysis suggests that although death awareness can, at times, generate negative outcomes, it can also function to move people along more positive trajectories and contribute to the good life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on a project which aims to apply harm reduction theory as a strategy to empower collaborating community partners and researchers to overcome their preconceptions about each other in order to create a successful HIV prevention intervention and evaluation study for injection drug using women. There are four HIV prevention workshops offered by the Women's Options for Risk Reduction through Knowledge of Self (WORKS) intervention program. The aim of WORKS Intervention collaboration is to improve the capacity of community-based organizations to use research-based data on HIV risk taking behavior and prevention strategies to provide effective interventions and services and effectively evaluate their efforts. Barriers to successful planning, implementation, and evaluation are presented with the strategies used to overcome them.

This article describes a pilot project that provided Internet-based outreach and HIV educational information to Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM). The project provided services via chat rooms designated for MSM who meet them anonymously for sexual encounters. Services were designed to support behavior changes as well as serving a gateway function for additional services at the host agency. The experiences of the project suggest that the target population may engage in high-risk sexual activity mote than what was initially assumed; and that Internet outreach provides a relevant means of conducting outreach to this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injection drug users have been vilified in our culture as being wild-eyed and willing to do anything for the next hit. These individuals are typically seen as being unemployed, uneducated and completely disinterested in making any changes in their lives. Sixty-one participants in a syringe exchange program in Cleveland, Ohio were interviewed using the NIDA Risk Behavior Assessment. Fifty (81%) of the respondents were either in an abstinence-based program or reported a willingness to participate in such a program. Importantly, although the sample consisted of long-term daily users of injection drugs (m=19.95 years), the majority of the sample was employed (69%) and were high school graduates (51%). The results of this study suggest that injection drug users are willing to make changes in their use-related behaviors, involvement in a needle exchange program does not preclude involvement in abstinence-based programming, and needle exchange services may serve as an important component in a continuum of care when coupled with traditional abstinence-based services.