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This paper examines the contribution of out-of-town second-house buyers to mispricing in the housing market. We show that demand from out-of-town second-house buyers during the mid 2000s predicted not only house-price appreciation rates but also impliedto- actual-rent-ratio appreciation rates, a proxy for mispricing. We then apply a novel identification strategy to address the issue of reverse causality. We give supporting evidence that out-of-town second-house buyers behaved like misinformed speculators, earning lower capital gains (misinformed) and consuming smaller dividends (speculators). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even after two decades of intense research, social scientists are still in disagreement over whether the American public is polarized. Starting from the premise that disagreement is multifaceted, this paper attempts to clarify how and which aspects of ideological disagreement have changed over the past few decades. Three major structural features of ideological disagreement that have been discussed under the umbrella term "polarization" are identified from the literature--polarization, partisan sorting, and dimensional alignment--and redefined into analytically distinct and non-overlapping concepts. Two different scaling methods are applied to the American National Election Studies from 1980 to 2012 in order to examine changes in how citizens organize their attitudes regarding concrete political and social issues (operational ideology) and their self-identifications with the ideological labels "liberal" and "conservative" (symbolic ideology). Results show at best mixed evidence of growing polarization. Partisan sorting has increased over time on both symbolic and operational ideology. However, it is mainly the symbolic side on which disagreement across partisan lines is most pronounced. Finally, contrary to the popular notion of a culture war dividing the United States, the public has become less polarized on moral issues, and the moral dimension of citizens' operational ideology has become dealigned from the economic and civil rights dimension over the past decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Little is known on how to communicate messages on tobacco constituents to tobacco users. This study manipulated three elements of a message in the context of a theory-based communication campaign about tobacco constituents: (1) latency of response efficacy (how soon expected health benefits would accrue), (2) self-efficacy (confidence about quitting), and (3) interrogative cue ("Ready to be tobacco-free?").Methods: Smokers (N = 1669, 55.4% women) were recruited via an online platform, and were randomized to a 3 (Latency of response efficacy) × 2 (Self-efficacy) × 2 (Interrogative cue) factorial design. The dependent variables were believability, credibility, perceived effectiveness of the communication message, and action expectancies (likelihood of seeking additional information and help with quitting).Results: Latency of response efficacy influenced believability, perceived effectiveness, credibility, and action expectancies. In each case, scores were higher when specific health benefits were said to accrue within 1 month, as compared to general health benefits occurring in a few hours. The interrogative cue had a marginal positive effect on perceived effectiveness. The self-efficacy manipulation had no reliable effects, and there were no significant interactions among conditions.Conclusions: Smokers appear less persuaded by a communication message on constituents where general health benefits accrue immediately (within a few hours) than specific benefits over a longer timeframe (1 month). Additionally, smokers appeared to be more persuaded by messages with an interrogative cue. Such findings may help design more effective communication campaigns on tobacco constituents to smokers.Implications: This paper describes, for the first time, how components of tobacco constituent messages are perceived. We now know that smokers appear to be less persuaded by communication messages where general health benefits accrue immediately (within a few hours) than specific benefits over a longer timeframe (1 month). Additionally, including an interrogative cue ("Ready to be tobacco free?") may make messages more effective, whereas the self-efficacy manipulation designed to increase confidence about quitting had no effect. While messages were universally impactful across smoker subpopulations, everyday smokers and smokers with less trust in the government may be less receptive to communication campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent internationally widespread disease outbreak occurred during the flu season of 2009 and 2010. On April 2009, the first cases of influenza A (H1N1) (Popularly called, Swine Flu) were confirmed in the USA and UK following a novel virus that was first identified in Mexico. As the virus spread rapidly, the risk of morbidity and mortality increased in several countries. In this paper, we rely on the social cognitive theory of risk to assess the willingness of the US public to comply with vaccination and reduce the risk of sickness and death from the flu. We conduct a secondary data analysis of the Pew Research for the People and Press October 2009 and investigate the factors associated with willingness to take the swine flu vaccine (n = 1000). The findings indicate that the decision to take the swine flu vaccination was highly polarized across partisan lines. Controlling for education, income and demographic factors, the likelihood of taking the vaccine was associated with party identification. Individuals that identified themselves as Democrats were more likely to be willing to take the swine vaccine than individuals that identify themselves as Republicans and Independents. Confidence in the ability of the government to deal with the swine flu crisis seems to explain party identification differences in the willingness to take the vaccine. The implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we provide one of the first systematic analyses of gender's effect on trade attitudes. We draw on a unique representative national survey of American workers that allows us to evaluate a variety of potential explanations for gender differences in attitudes toward free trade and open markets more generally. We find that existing explanations for the gender gap, most notably differences between men and women in economic knowledge and differing material self-interests, do not explain the gap. Rather, the gender difference in trade preferences and attitudes about open markets is due to less favorable attitudes toward competition among women, less willingness to relocate for jobs among women, and more isolationist non-economic foreign policy attitudes among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This research addresses how younger and older adults' decisions and evaluations of gains and losses are affected by the way in which monetary incentives are provided. We compared 2 common incentive schemes in decision making: pay one (only a single decision is incentivized) and pay all (incentives across all decisions are accumulated). Method Younger adults (18–36 years; n = 147) and older adults (60–89 years; n = 139) participated in either a pay-one or pay-all condition and made binary choices between two-outcome monetary lotteries in gain, loss, and mixed domains. We analyzed participants' decision quality, risk taking, and psychometric test scores. Computational modeling of cumulative prospect theory served to measure sensitivity to outcomes and probabilities, loss aversion, and choice sensitivity. Results Decision quality and risk aversion were higher in the gain than mixed or loss domain, but unaffected by age. Loss aversion was higher, and choice sensitivity was lower in older than younger adults. In the pay-one condition, the value functions were more strongly curved, and choice sensitivity was higher than in the pay-all condition. Discussion An opportunity of accumulating incentives has similar portfolio effects on younger and older adults' decisions. In general, people appear to decide less cautiously in pay-all than pay-one scenarios. The impact of different incentive schemes should be carefully considered in aging and decision research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults' perceptions and use of heated tobacco products (HTPs) are understudied. This mixed methods study analyzed (i) Fall 2020 survey data from 2470 US young adults (meanage = 24.67; 19.5% and 25.2% past-month cigarette and e-cigarette use; 4.1% ever HTP use) assessing HTP use intentions and perceptions (1 = not at all to 7 = extremely) and (ii) Spring 2021 interview data regarding IQOS (most widely available HTP) in a subset of 40 e-cigarette users. Among survey participants, HTPs versus cigarettes and e-cigarettes showed lower use intentions (mean = 1.27 vs. mean = 1.73, mean = 2.16) but were perceived as less addictive (mean = 5.11 vs. mean = 6.28, mean = 5.82) and harmful (mean = 5.37 vs. mean = 6.65, mean = 5.62). HTPs were perceived more socially acceptable than cigarettes but less than e-cigarettes (mean = 3.39 vs. mean = 3.13, mean = 4.37). Among interviewees, most reported limited HTP knowledge. A few perceived IQOS as a hybrid of traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Most perceived IQOS as harmful but less harmful than cigarettes and were uncertain in relation to e-cigarettes. Over half reported minimal interest in trying IQOS; common reasons included IQOS containing tobacco, limited flavors and use complexity. The varied perceptions of IQOS versus cigarettes and e-cigarettes underscore the need for continued surveillance of perceptions, use and marketing of IQOS to inform regulatory oversight and potential interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate attitudes toward acupuncture among pain medicine fellowship directors. Additional goals were to assess the availability of acupuncture at academic medical centers and ascertain the inclusion of this modality in fellowship curricula. Methods. Electronic and paper surveys were distributed to the 97 American College of Graduate Medical Education pain medicine fellowship directors during January and February, 2014. Directors were queried about their referral patterns to acupuncture, as well as their perceptions of the utility of acupuncture for common pain conditions. They were asked about the availability of acupuncture at their institution, and whether acupuncture was included in the fellowship curriculum. Results. Sixty-seven percent of fellowship directors (65/97) completed the questionnaire. A majority of directors (83%) reported acupuncture is available to patients at their institution, and reported that acupuncture is a modality that they discuss with patients when creating a treatment plan for chronic pain (72%). The majority of programs include acupuncture as part of didactic (63%) and clinical (52%) education. Time constraints, lack of qualified teaching personnel, and cost to patients were cited as barriers to inclusion. The majority of fellowship directors considered acupuncture a safe and worthwhile option for common pain conditions. Conclusion. Results from this survey indicate that acupuncture is widely available to patients at academic medical centers, integrated into many pain fellowship curricula, and considered a useful modality by physician leaders in the field of pain medicine. This sentiment, paired with the flexibility of national guidelines for pain fellowship curricula, suggests a trend toward greater inclusion of this modality in academic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little was known about US parental attitudes, beliefs, and intentions surrounding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines for children before their introduction. Methods An online cross-sectional nationally representative survey of US parents/guardians of children < 18 years old via Ipsos KnowledgePanel, fielded from October 26, 2021 to November 30, 2021. Results Response rate was 64.2% (3230/5034). For children ages 0–4 years, 51.5% of parents were likely to have their children vaccinated, and for ages 5–11 and 12–17, 54.0% and 69.7% of parents, respectively, reported they were likely to vaccinate or had already vaccinated their children. Among respondents with unvaccinated children, 25.2% (ages 0–4) and 22.0% (ages 5–11) reported they would seek COVID-19 vaccination for their children as soon as authorization occurred. Factors associated with willingness to have children receive a COVID-19 vaccine were: belief in benefits of COVID-19 vaccination (odds ratio [OR] = 6.44, 5.68, 4.57 in ages 0–4, 5–11, and 12–17 respectively), acceptance of routine childhood vaccines (OR = 6.42, 5.48, 1.76), parental COVID-19 vaccination (OR = 1.85, 3.70, 6.16), perceptions that pediatric COVID-19 is severe (OR = 1.89, 1.72, 1.35), Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 2.07, 2.29, 2.60), influenza vaccine acceptance (OR = 1.07, 0.88, 1.62), presence of children of another age group in the household (OR = 0.71, 0.71, 0.65), and attitudinal barriers to COVID-19 vaccination (OR = 0.30, 0.26, 0.49). Conclusions Belief in the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination and acceptance of routine childhood vaccines are the strongest predictors of intention to vaccinate children. Further research is needed to track how parental attitudes change as more data about pediatric COVID-19 vaccines become available and how intentions translate into pediatric vaccine uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have compared knowledge of the specific health risks of cannabis across jurisdictions. This study aimed to examine perceptions of the health risks of cannabis in Canada and US states with and without legal non-medical cannabis. Cross-sectional data were collected from the 2018 and 2019 International Cannabis Policy Study online surveys. Respondents aged 16–65 (n  = 72 459) were recruited from Nielsen panels using non-probability methods. Respondents completed questions on nine health effects of cannabis (including two 'false' control items). Socio-demographic data were collected. Regression models tested differences in outcomes between jurisdictions and by frequency of cannabis use, adjusting for socio-demographic factors. Across jurisdictions, agreement with statements on the health risks of cannabis was highest for questions on driving after cannabis use (66–80%), use during pregnancy/breastfeeding (61–71%) and addiction (51–62%) and lowest for risk of psychosis and schizophrenia (23–37%). Additionally, 12–18% and 6–7% of respondents agreed with the 'false' assertions that cannabis could cure/prevent cancer and cause diabetes, respectively. Health knowledge was highest among Canadian respondents, followed by US states that had legalized non-medical cannabis and lowest in states that had not legalized non-medical cannabis (P  < 0.001). Overall, the findings demonstrate a substantial deficit in knowledge of the health risks of cannabis, particularly among frequent consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the dynamics of assets under management (AUM) and management fees at the portfolio manager level in the closed-end fund industry. We find that managers capitalize on good past performance and favorable investor perceptions about future performance, as reflected in fund premiums, through AUM expansions and fee increases. However, the penalties for poor performance or unfavorable investor perceptions are either insignificant, or substantially mitigated by manager tenure. Long tenure is generally associated with poor performance and high discounts. Our findings suggest substantial managerial power in capturing CEF rents.We also document significant diseconomies of scale at the manager level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study shows that shifts in political climate influence stock prices. As the party in power changes, there are systematic changes in the industry-level composition of investor portfolios, which weaken arbitrage forces and generate predictable patterns in industry returns. A trading strategy that attempts to exploit demand-based return predictability generates an annualized risk-adjusted performance of 6% during the 1939 to 2011 period. This evidence of predictability spans 17%-27% of the market and is stronger during periods of political transition. Our demand-based predictability pattern is distinct from cash flow-based predictability identified in the recent literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature posits that some CEO overconfidence benefits shareholders, though high levels may not. We argue that adequate controls and independent viewpoints provided by an independent board mitigates the costs of CEO overconfidence. We use the concurrent passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and changes to the NYSE/NASDAQ listing rules (collectively, SOX) as natural experiments, to examine whether board independence improves decision making by overconfident CEOs. The results are strongly supportive: after SOX, overconfident CEOs reduce investment and risk exposure, increase dividends, improve postacquisition performance, and have better operating performance and market value. Importantly, these changes are absent for overconfident-CEO firms that were compliant prior to SOX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated neurodegenerative disease of the brain, optic nerves and spinal cord. Among persons with MS, 30% experience significant mobility impairment that requires use of a wheelchair for mobility. Exercise is an evidence-based second-line therapy that can improve mobility; however, little research has focused on individuals that use wheelchairs for mobility. Framed by social cognitive theory (SCT), we conducted a formative qualitative study examining exercise status and perceptions among 20 persons with MS who use wheelchairs for mobility. Using deductive, semantic thematic analysis, we coded for SCT variables (i.e. self-efficacy, knowledge, outcome expectations, barriers and facilitators) and identified participants as regular or inconsistent exercisers. In total, 12 participants were classified as regular exercisers and 8 inconsistent exercisers. Regular exercisers more frequently reported high self-efficacy, consistent exercise knowledge and numerous facilitators. All participants reported some positive outcome expectations and several barriers and facilitators. These findings can inform future intervention studies supporting exercise behavior change through SCT. Strategies such as increasing self-efficacy, imparting instructional materials, shaping realistic outcome expectations and providing tools directed toward overcoming barriers and identifying facilitators may work to support the exercise endeavor of persons with MS who use wheelchairs for mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The current study aimed to test for potential interactive effects of three implicit alcohol-related associations (drinking identity, alcohol approach and alcohol excitement) in predicting concurrent and prospective alcohol consumption and risk of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in two samples of the US undergraduate drinkers and non-drinkers. Short summary We investigated the independent and interactive effects of three implicit associations on alcohol consumption and risk of AUD in two US undergraduate student samples. We found that implicit associations had independent but not interactive effects on concurrent and subsequent alcohol consumption and risk of AUD in two independent samples. Methods Implicit drinking identity, alcohol approach and alcohol excitement associations were assessed in two US undergraduate student samples (Sample 1: N = 300, 55% female; Sample 2: N = 506, 57% female). Alcohol consumption and risk of AUD were assessed at baseline (Samples 1 and 2) and 3 months later (Sample 2). We fit zero-inflated negative binomial models to test for independent and interactive effects of the three implicit associations on alcohol consumption and risk of AUD. Results Although we found multiple, unique main effects for alcohol associations, we found minimal evidence of interactions between implicit alcohol-related associations. There was no reliable evidence of interactions in models in predicting alcohol consumption or risk of AUD, concurrently or prospectively, in either sample. Conclusions Contrary to expectations, results from both studies indicated that implicit alcohol-related associations in the US undergraduate samples generally have independent, not interactive, relationships with alcohol consumption and risk of AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining body temperature is a unique challenge with burn care. We sought to describe core temperature goals in the operating room (OR) and the methods used to achieve and maintain these goals, along with current methods of warming in the intensive care unit (ICU), the perception of effect of increased ambient temperature on work performance, and concerns with contamination of sterile fields due to increased ambient temperature. A 24 question survey was disseminated to burn centers in the United States and Canada. The questions included demographics, target core and ambient temperatures, warming methods, and beliefs on ambient temperature's effects. Of 121 burn centers, 52 questionnaires were completed (43% response rate). The majority of centers targeted a core temperature between 36 and 38°C in the OR and an ambient temperature between 75 and 95°F in the ICU. The most common methods for maintaining core temperature included warmed ambient temperature, forced air devices, and intravenous fluids. Although the majority of centers reported the belief that increased ambient temperature benefits patients, many also reported that there is a negative impact on staff performance and risk of staff perspiration contaminating sterile fields. Burn centers reported a range of target core temperatures and methods to reach target temperatures. More than a third of respondents perceived a negative impact work performance while more than half acknowledged the potential for contamination of sterile fields. A prospective observational study is needed to determine actual temperature regulation practice patterns and its impact on outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that political elites can shape public attitudes toward policies and values. Less is known, however, about whether elites can also influence public perceptions of social groups they praise or denounce. I test this by analyzing the attitudinal effects of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign announcement speech, in which he referred to Mexican immigrants as "rapists" and "criminals." First, to provide causal estimates, I analyze survey data using a counterfactual approach. I find evidence that Trump's statements negatively affected public opinion toward immigrants particularly among groups with restrictionist tendencies. Second, using a panel survey experiment, I corroborate this causal relationship but find that these effects are short-lived. This explains why restrictionist politicians like Trump constantly prod natives to keep their messages' effects from dissipating. I also find that only negative messages are consequential and find no evidence that elite statements are more impactful than those from non-elites, suggesting that the power of elite rhetoric lies primarily in its capacity to reach the masses via the news media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Path analysis was used to assess direct and mediating relationships of an a priori mediation model. Data were collected from 210 black, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian undergraduate college students. Authors found that microaggression was positively associated with ethnic identity. Microaggression had a significant positive association with psychological distress but no other direct relationships with the outcome variables. Ethnic identity was negatively associated with psychological distress but positively associated with self-esteem and academic self-efficacy. A positive effect was found between ethnic identity and substance abuse. Ethnic identity mediated the effect of microaggression on psychological distress. Moreover, including ethnic identity in the equation revealed that microaggression has a positive effect on self-esteem and academic self-efficacy through participants' reported degree of ethnic identity. The results suggest that racial microaggressions have damaging impacts on the emotional health of racial and ethnic minority young adults. However, microaggressive experiences may also elicit stronger ethnic identity, which appears to serve as a protective factor to the negative influence of microaggression on psychological well-being. Post hoc exploratory multigroup analysis revealed some differential findings for each group. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for social work practice, education, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult influenza vaccination rates remain suboptimal, particularly among African Americans. Social norms may influence vaccination behavior, but little research has focused on influenza vaccine and almost no research has focused on racially-specific norms. This mixed methods investigation utilizes qualitative interviews and focus groups (n=118) and national survey results (n=1643) to assess both descriptive and subjective norms surrounding influenza vaccination. Qualitative results suggest a perceived descriptive norm that 'about half' of the population gets vaccinated. Participants describe differing norms by race and vaccine behavior. Quantitative results confirma perceived descriptive norm that 40-60% of the population gets vaccinated. Both African Americans and Whites accurately identified race-specific vaccination rates relative to the general population. Individuals who report that a majority of people around them want them to be vaccinated were significantly more likely to be vaccinated, suggesting subjective norms are influential for both White and African American adults. While perceived descriptive norms are somewhat accurate (mirroring the actual influenza vaccination rate), emphasizing a suboptimal vaccination rate may not be beneficial. Health promotion efforts, particularly those targeting African Americans, may benefit from focusing on subjective norms and encouraging friends and family members to talk about the benefits of influenza vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although smoking declines in the United States, the prevalence of male adolescent smokeless tobacco (ST; moist snuff and chewing tobacco) use remains unchanged. ST product characteristics, such as flavoring, packaging, and branding, could influence adolescents' ST initiation and continued use. This qualitative study examines the potential role of product characteristics in shaping STrelated perceptions and behaviors among rural adolescent males. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted at three California rural high schools. ST users were asked about their experiences and perceptions related to product characteristics. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a general inductive approach. Participants associated flavored ST with appealing non-tobacco products, such as chewing gum and alcohol. Availability of different varieties and flavors stimulated interest and curiosity in sampling or switching between ST products. Time-limited promotional flavors and packaging also enhanced product appeal. Adolescent ST users preferred certain brands based on perceived brand features and perceived nicotine content, associating higher-strength brands as better suited for experienced ST users. Brand preferences frequently reflected perceived ST brand popularity within peer groups. Based on these observations, potential ST regulation and health education campaigns to address misconceptions about ST characteristics could influence adolescents' ST-related perceptions and reduce ST use among this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2016 Presidential election brought a surprise: the rise of Donald Trump as a viable candidate for the Republican nomination. What started as a seeming publicity stunt morphed into something more. Trump raised fears of authoritarianism-and even fascism-that were thought to be mostly confined to other countries. This study uses a national sample to examine television viewing's relationship to authoritarian values. We find that heavy viewers of television are more likely to be authoritarian, and that authoritarians are more likely to support Trump. We find an indirect relationship between amount of viewing and Trump support through authoritarianism. These findings have implications for current political debates as well as for media effects theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Much like sexism, ageism is a multifaceted prejudice; it involves benevolent and hostile attitudes toward older adults. There are many scales designed to measure hostile ageism, yet none dedicated to measuring benevolent ageism. In the current studies, we developed and validated a 13-item measure: the Ambivalent Ageism Scale (AAS). Design and Methods: We employed four stages of scale development and validation. In Stage 1, we created 41 benevolent ageist items adapted from existing ageism measures. In Stages 2 and 3, we further refined the pool of items through additional testing and factor analysis and retained nine items loading strongly on two factors related to benevolent ageism: cognitive assistance/physical protection and unwanted help. In order to enable researchers to contrast benevolent and hostile attitudes, we then added four hostile ageist items. In Stage 4, we assessed the test-retest reliability of the 13-item scale. Results: The AAS had good test-retest reliability (r = .80) and good internal consistency (α = .91). As predicted, the benevolent and hostile ageism subscales differentially predicted attitudes toward older adults: higher scores on the hostile subscale predicted lower competence and warmth ratings, whereas higher scores on the benevolent subscale predicted higher warmth perceptions. Implications: The AAS is a useful tool for researchers to assess hostile and benevolent ageism. This measure serves as an important first step in designing interventions to reduce the harmful effects of both hostile and benevolent ageism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We sought to assess physician knowledge/beliefs, self-efficacy, and experience/practice patterns surrounding smoking cessation and electronic cigarettes.Methods: An eight-page survey sent via US Postal service. The initial invitation included a $10 cash incentive and up to three invitations were sent. Fifteen hundred US physicians were identified with equal representation from primary care physicians (internal medicine and family practice), surgical care physicians (general surgeons and anesthesiologists), and pulmonologists.Results: Two hundred fourteen were not included in the analysis (183 non-deliverable, one deceased, 30 not practicing). 561/1286 (44%) remaining surveys were returned for analysis. Greater than 90% agreed that advising and assisting with smoking cessation is their responsibility; 86% advise and 65% assist their patients with smoking cessation more than 75% of the time. Approximately two-thirds of respondents report that their patients ask them about electronic cigarettes at least some of the time (≥25%); 58.4% report that they ask their patients about electronic cigarette use at least some of the time. Overall, 37.9% have at some point recommended electronic cigarettes to their patients that smoke, with 11.5% reporting recommending them at least 25% of the time. Surgical care providers appear less confident and less self-efficacious with smoking cessation, as well as with electronic cigarettes and appear less likely to endorse use of electronic cigarettes.Discussion: US physicians are frequently discussing electronic cigarettes in a clinical context and a substantial proportion of US physicians have recommended electronic cigarettes to their patients.Implications: This study documents several important previously poorly characterized aspects of the role of electronic cigarettes in clinical care. The majority of US physicians are discussing electronic cigarettes in clinical contexts and a substantial proportion of US physicians have recommended electronic cigarettes to their patients. The extent of physician engagement on the topic of electronic cigarettes should be met with increased efforts to better characterize electronic cigarettes' appropriate role in smoking cessation and reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: Life events are associated with the health and well-being of older adults. Using the Health Equity Promotion Model, this article explores historical and environmental context as it frames life experiences and adaptation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults. Design and Methods: This was the largest study to date of LGBT older adults to identify life events related to identity development, work, and kin relationships and their associations with health and quality of life (QOL). Using latent profile analysis (LPA), clusters of life events were identified and associations between life event clusters were tested. Results: On average, LGBT older adults first disclosed their identities in their 20s; many experienced job-related discrimination. More had been in opposite-sex marriage than in same-sex marriage. Four clusters emerged: "Retired Survivors" were the oldest and one of the most prevalent groups; "Midlife Bloomers" first disclosed their LGBT identities in mid-40s, on average; "Beleaguered At-Risk" had high rates of job-related discrimination and few social resources; and "Visibly Resourced" had a high degree of identity visibility and were socially and economically advantaged. Clusters differed significantly in mental and physical health and QOL, with the Visibly Resourced faring best and Beleaguered At-Risk faring worst on most indicators; Retired Survivors and Midlife Bloomers showed similar health and QOL. Implications: Historical and environmental contexts frame normative and non-normative life events. Future research will benefit from the use of longitudinal data and an assessment of timing and sequencing of key life events in the lives of LGBT older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults comprise a diverse and growing health disparate population. In the present study, using the Health Equity Promotion Model, we investigated pathways by which LGBT older adults experience resilience, risk, and marginalization and their relationship to attaining positive health outcomes. Design and Methods: Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study (NHAS) is the first longitudinal research project designed to examine the health, aging, and well-being of LGBT adults aged 50 and older. Using data from 2014 (N = 2,415), we tested a structural equation model linking lifetime marginalization, identity affirmation and management, social and psychological resources, and health behaviors to positive health outcomes. Results: Identity affirmation positively predicted social resources and mental health, and social resources positively predicted mental health. Marginalization was associated with fewer social resources for LGBT older adults with an open identity management style, lower identity affirmation for LGBT older adults who strategically concealed their sexual identity, and poorer mental health. Mental health was associated with better health behaviors, which in turn predicted positive physical health outcomes. Implications: Although a health disparate population, good health among LGBT older adults appears to be attained via multiple resilience and risk pathways. Providers must remain aware of the historical contexts in which LGBT older adults lived and the strengths they developed in order to understand their health and to develop tailored and targeted prevention and intervention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown whether variations in burn care affect outcomes or affect the success of emerging therapeutics. The purpose of this study was to assess burn surgeons' preferences in excision and grafting to determine if surgical technique affects outcomes. A 71-item survey evaluating skin grafting techniques and preferences was emailed to members of the American Burn Association in July and August 2015. The survey was anonymous and voluntary. Relationships between variables were evaluated using Fisher's exact test. A P-value of ≤.05 was deemed statistically significant. The survey was sent to 607 burn surgeons, and the response rate was 24%. Clinical judgment is the most widely used method to determine depth of injury. Surgeons who practice in the United States and surgeons who are board certified in general surgery are more likely to determine depth of the burn based on clinical judgment alone (P < .001). Fifty-six percent of surgeons will perform excision as early as postburn day 1 and 73% will excise greater than 20% TBSA in one setting. Surgeons at centers with bed number of ≤10 (P = .024) or surgeons with board certification in plastic surgery (P = .008) are more likely to excise deep partial-thickness burns with an attempt to retain viable dermis. Geographic location, board certification, and burn unit size all contribute to variations in practice. Strong individual preferences make standardization of therapies challenging and may affect the success of new technologies. Burn surgery continues to be an art as much as a science, and accurate documentation of techniques and outcomes is essential for optimizing successes and documenting failures of new treatment methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrowing number of American school-aged children have incarcerated or formally incarcerated parents, necessitating a more comprehensive understanding of the intergenerational effects of mass imprisonment. Using the Fragile Families Study, I assess whether having an incarcerated father impacts children's cognitive skill development into middle childhood. While previous studies have primarily found effects for boys' behavior problems, matching models and sensitivity analyses demonstrate that experiencing paternal incarceration by age nine is associated with lower cognitive skills for both boys and girls, and these negative effects hold net of a pre-paternal incarceration measure of child cognitive ability. Moreover, I estimate that paternal incarceration explains between 2 and 15 percent of the Black-White achievement gap at age nine. These findings represent new outcomes of importance and suggest that paternal incarceration may play an even larger role in the production of intergenerational inequalities for American children than previously documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals may be more motivated to adopt health practices if they consider the benefits of these behaviors for their close relationships. The goal of this study was to examine couple concordance with sun protection and use the interdependence and communal coping theory to evaluate the role of relationship factors in sun protection. One hundred and eighty-four married couples aged 50 years and older completed measures of objective skin cancer risk, perceived risk, sun protection benefits, relationshipcentered motivations for sun protection, discussions about sun protection, and sun protection. A mediational model was evaluated. Results indicated a high level of couple concordance. Partners who adopted a relationship-centered motivation for sun protection were more likely to discuss sun protection with one another, and partners who discussed sun protection together were more likely to engage in sun protection. One partner's attitude about personal risk and sun protection benefits was associated with the other partner's sun protection. Wives had higher relationship-centered motivation and discussed sun protection more with their husbands Behavioral interventions may benefit from encouraging couples to discuss sun protection and encouraging married individuals to consider the benefits of sun protection for their relationship and for their spouse's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of sound-bite news is one of the most widely bemoaned findings in political communication research. Yet, the detrimental effects of this trend have been more assumed than demonstrated. This study examines one consequence of sound-bite journalism: the creation of incomplete argument, in which speakers presenting their political position in the news do not also justify it. Drawing on data about television news in Germany, Russia, and the United States, it shows that shrinking sound bites consistently reduce the probability of opinion justification across widely differing national contexts. Sound-bite journalism emerges as harmful to television news' ability to produce public justification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial disproportionality in out-of-school suspensions is a persistent social justice issue in public schools. This article examines out-of-school suspensions of four black youths from the perspectives of the youths, their caregivers, and educators. The case involving David, a 14-year-old African American with a learning disability, illustrates the challenges of students experiencing the intersection of disability and race. The case involving George, a 14-year-old Liberian immigrant, illustrates how parents and teachers may form alliances around shared goals and values despite profound cultural differences in understanding of youths' misbehavior. The case involving Nina, a 12-year-old African American, illustrates how educators' failure to consider the context of her misbehaviors as responses to sexual harassment, along with their subsequent harsh punishment and failure to protect her, led to her disengagement from school. The case involving Craig, a 16-year-old African American, provides a glimpse into how the use of criminal justice language to refer to youths' misbehaviors can support the development of a criminalized self- and social identity. These cases illustrate the diversity of black students--including ability, disability, culture, and gender--and how events surrounding suspensions are interpreted by students, caregivers, and educators. Understanding such diversity will undergird implementation of effective alternatives to suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several aspects of then-U.S. President George W. Bush's twenty-first century foreign policy plan which is known as the Bush Doctrine, and it mentions how the Bush Doctrine deals with international politics, the importance of a state's domestic regime in determining its foreign policy, preventive war strategies, and a willingness to act unilaterally when necessary. Regime change and the September 11, 2001 terror attacks are addressed, along with the efforts to overthrow former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and spread democracy throughout Iraq and the Middle East.

Objectives: We systematically reviewed research examining use of and attitudes toward nonmenthol-flavored tobacco products to provide information relevant to a decision to regulate these products in the future.Methods: To identify eligible studies, we searched PubMed, CINHAL, Embase, LILACS, and PsycINFO on September 19, 2013, without date restrictions. We obtained additional studies via gray literature searches, expert contacts, and hand-searching citations of included articles. We included participants of all ages. We conducted a qualitative synthesis for included studies.Results: The 32 studies included in this review exhibited substantial heterogeneity and were of varied methodological quality. Findings from observational, experimental, and quasiexperimental studies suggest that flavored tobacco use is associated with young age and that consumers may perceive flavored products more favorably than nonflavored products. Evidence from qualitative studies indicates that flavoring in tobacco is viewed favorably by users and nonusers of these products.Conclusions: The Food and Drug Administration has expressed interest in regulating flavored tobacco products. This systematic review strengthens the evidence base relating to this issue by synthesizing the literature from the United States on the use of and attitudes toward flavored tobacco. To address gaps in the literature, more research is needed to understand how flavoring impacts tobacco use over time. The evidence base would further be strengthened with the collection of brand-, flavor-, and product-specific data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mid-1980s the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA) began the largest privately run public-service campaign in history. Turning their day jobs upside down, professional advertisers exhorted young people to resist the temptations of some of the most sought after, if illegal, consumer goods in the country. In doing so they entered a long-running debate in educational circles about how best to teach adolescents about drugs. As one scholar puts it, instruction has pivoted between the "Just Say No" of abstinence favored by conservatives, and a more information- based "Just Say Know" philosophy that liberals hope will help students make "responsible" choices. This analysis of over 40 public service announcements (PSAs) aired widely between 1987 and 1991 reveals how the Partnership aligned closely with the conservatives. Its compelling narratives depicted the perils of drugs and demonstrated why even casual use leads inexorably to serious injury or death. Unlike typical producers of curricular materials, however, many in the Partnership faced a unique difficulty in disseminating that message--their business ties to producers of legal drugs. The PDFA's ads thus came to rest on an unspoken distinction between the hazards of illicit substances, which were skillfully dramatized, and those of licit ones, which had to be ignored. That inconsistency provoked heated criticism as it exposed fault lines in the War on Drugs and Reagan era politics more generally, which uneasily balanced laissez-faire economics with calls for individual responsibility and a return to traditional values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Latin Americanization thesis posits that the racial hierarchy in the United States is now composed of Whites, Honorary Whites, and Collective Blacks, with skin tone being the primary determinant of one's placement within this tripartite system of social status. Extant research mostly examines this approach at the macro level; relatively little is known about the thesis at the micro level. By examining goal-oriented task groups, our experiment tests whether Whites exhibit transitive levels of influence, a behavioral indicator of social status, in a manner consistent with this three-tier system. Furthermore, with applications of graph-theoretic models from status characteristics and status cue theories, we assess the social psychological mechanisms buttressing the proposed racial hierarchy by comparing propositions from four theories put forth by scholars of race/ethnicity (we translate their propositions into graphs and mathematical calculations). In so doing, we pose the question: In our experimental setting, which matters more, skin tone or ethnic background, or do both have equal effects on behavior? Our results support the purported racial hierarchy of the Latin Americanization thesis. On average, Whites were influenced the most by White confederates; Whites were influenced less by their light-skinned Latino/a confederates, and even less by dark-skinned Latino/a confederates. Model fit statistics for the propositions translated into graphs and values demonstrate that ethnic distinctions and skin tone are independent stratifiers in the form of status characteristics. This finding supports the notion that skin tone and ethnic background have the equivalent capacity to invoke processes to create the tripartite system of racial/ethnic inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activists seek attention for their causes and want to win sympathy from the broader public. Why do some citizens but not others approve when activists use protest tactics? This is a crucial but poorly understood aspect of social movements. While most prior research has focused on the personal determinants of attitudes toward movements, we argue that proximity to protest may cultivate positive views about a movement. Individuals living near centers of movement activity may become more favorable to protest because they become more sympathetic to the demands of activists. We investigate public support about protest tactics among white Southerners during the early stages of the civil rights movement. To do so, we employ a representative survey conducted in 1961 with nearly 700 white adults living in the South. These survey data are combined with contextual data measuring local protest, political behavior, and civic organizations. Most scholars have focused on the ways that civil rights activity propelled white counter-mobilization, but protest also won sympathy from a small subset of white Southerners, thereby fracturing the dominant consensus in support of Jim Crow segregation. We also find that local racial political context matters: individuals living in counties with weaker support for segregationist politics, where white moderates were active, and outside the Deep South were generally more favorable. At the individual level, our strongest findings indicate that sit-in support was more likely from those with greater educational attainment, less frequent church attendance, and exposure to discussions about race relations from the pulpit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the changing role of curriculum assessment at the History and American Studies Department at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia as of 2016, and it mentions the university's accreditation in 2009 involving the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) organization. The implementation of an online assessment reporting tool is examined, along with information about computer software programs and teaching and curricular goals.

The debate on mass polarization is itself polarized. Some argue that the United States is in the midst of a culture war; others argue that the claims are exaggerated. As polarization is a multifaceted concept, both sides can be correct. I review four distinct manifestations of polarization that have appeared in the public opinion literature--ideological consistency, ideological divergence, perceived polarization, and affective polarization--and discuss ways in which each has been measured. Then, using longitudinal data from the American National Election Studies (ANES), I update past analyses in order to more clearly show the ways in which Americans have or have not polarized: Americans at the mass level have not diverged, nor have they become more consistent ideologically, but partisans have; perceptions of polarization have increased, but this change is driven by partisans, who increasingly dislike one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores intersections between place, race/ethnicity, and gender amongst American Twitter users and makes an argument that studying the intensity of tweets provides insights into how and why particular groups tweet. Given recent events in American political life such as the shooting in Ferguson, Missouri and the reactions by young, urban African Americans on Twitter, understanding the role of race, place, gender, and age is important. We observed the time between tweets of urban American Twitter users and explored whether the medium may be providing traditionally marginalized groups, such as young Black men, with potential avenues for mobilizing communication and access to resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the development of the religious narrative concept known as the nehemiad in America between the Puritan era and the Founding era that articulated and supported religious involvement in public affairs. It examines the significance of the nehemiad to American Protestant rhetoric, and analyzes the biblical account of the figure Nehemiah. The article contrasts the alleged wall between church and state advocated by U.S. statesman Thomas Jefferson and the wall enclosing the church within the state illustrated by the nehemiad.

Scholars of international political economy often argue that workers automatically share the same trade policy preferences as their employers. However, this approach assumes that trade policies that increase profits necessarily lead to increases in wages. In contrast, I argue that capital and labor are more likely to share the same trade policy preference when 'profit-sharing institutions' permit capital to credibly commit that an increase in profits will lead to an increase in wages. In support of my argument, I present a structured, focused comparison of the American textile and steel workers' unions during the late nineteenth century. Both unions supported the high tariffs that protected their industries when credible profit-sharing institutions were in place, but did not support high tariffs when such institutions were absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shows that associative freedom is not what we tend to think it is. Contrary to standard liberal thinking, it is neither a general moral permission to choose the society most acceptable to us nor a content-insensitive claim-right akin to the other personal freedoms with which it is usually lumped such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion. It is at most (i) a highly restricted moral permission to associate subject to constraints of consent, necessity and burdensomeness; (ii) a conditional moral permission not to associate provided our associative contributions are not required; and (iii) a highly constrained, contentsensitive moral claim-right that protects only those wrongful associations that honour other legitimate concerns such as consent, need, harm and respect. This article also shows that associative freedom is not as valuable as we tend to think it is. It is secondary to positive associative claim-rights that protect our fundamental social needs and are pre-conditions for any associative control worth the name. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ways in which ideology regarding Israel divides liberals and conservatives in America, and it mentions U.S.-Israeli relations, as well as information about the American government's policy towards the Middle East. The views of international relations theorists John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt are mentioned, along with U.S. national interests and the influence of an "Israel lobby" which includes wealthy Jews and the right-wing American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). The attitudes of Americans and Israelis are examined, as well as American diplomacy and public opinion polls in the U.S.

The article discusses U.S. President Barack Obama's views and nationalized electoral politics during the 2014 midterm congressional elections in America. According to the article, the U.S. Republican Party gained a majority in the nation's Senate after winning nine seats which were previously occupied by Democratic Senators. It states that the American electorate treated the 2014 midterm elections as a referendum on the U.S. economy and Obama's job performance. Obama's public approval rating is mentioned, as well as statistics regarding various membership changes in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate between 2006 and 2014. Democratic voters are also examined.

An essay is presented which discusses the Puritan president of Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts Henry Dunster's opposition to the practice of infant baptism within New England's Puritan movement during the mid 17th century. An overview of the leaders of the Puritan movement's efforts to convince Dunster accept infant baptism is provided.

Education and general intelligence both serve to inform opinions, but do they lead to greater attitude extremity? The potential civic returns to education include not only the sophistication of citizen opinions, but also their moderation. We use questions on economic policy, social issues, and environmental issues from the General Social Survey to test the impact of education on attitude extremity, as measured by deviation from centrist or neutral positions, while controlling for intelligence. We use quantile regression modeling to identify effects on both the most extreme beliefs as well as the most ambivalent. We find that intelligence is a moderating force across the entire distribution in economic, social, and environmental policy beliefs. Completing high school strongly correlates to reduced extremity, particularly in the upper quantiles. College education increases attitude extremity in the lower tail, while postgraduate education increases extremity in the upper tail. Results are discussed in the context of enlightenment and motivated-reasoning theories of beliefs and education. The relevance to political party core and swing voters is briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the concept of transnationalism has gained widespread popularity among scholars as a way to describe immigrants' long-term maintenance of cross-border ties to their origin communities, critics have argued that the overall proportion of immigrants who engage in transnational behavior is low and that, as a result, transnationalism has little sustained effect on the process of immigrant adaptation and assimilation. In this article, we argue that a key shortcoming in the current empirical debate on transnationalism is the lack of data on the social networks that connect migrants to each other and to nonmigrants in communities of origin. To address this shortcoming, our analysis uses unique binational data on the social network connecting an immigrant sending community in Guanajuato, Mexico, to two destination areas in the United States. We test for the effect of respondents' positions in cross-border networks on their migration intentions and attitudes towards the United States using data on the opinions of their peers, their participation in cross-border and local communication networks, and their structural position in the network. The results indicate qualified empirical support for a network-based model of transnationalism; in the U.S. sample we find evidence of network clustering consistent with peer effects, while in the Mexican sample we find evidence of the importance of cross-border communication with friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An estimated >100 million new hepatitis A (hepA) infections occur annually worldwide. Centres for disease control and prevention reported 38795 hepA cases in the US since 2016, and 4475 outbreak-confirmed cases in Europe between 2016- 2018. HepA outbreaks resulted mainly from person-to-person contact, especially among homeless, illegal drug users (IDU) and men who have sex with men (MSM). In 2020, we surveyed US health care providers (HCPs) to understand their knowledge and attitudes towards hepA vaccination in these populations at higher risk of infection and complications. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, web-based survey of 400 HCPs (primary care providers, nurse practitioners, gastroenterologists, internal medicine and infectious disease specialists [IDs], emergency room physicians [ERs]) who had recommended and/or administered hepA vaccines to 19-year-olds. Results: 85% of 371 HCPs reported recommending hepA vaccine to homeless, 87% of 393 to IDU and 83% of 397 to MSM, although vaccination may not actually occur after recommendation. Results varied by specialty, 16% fewer ERs than IDs reported recommending the vaccine in these at-risk populations. Moreover, 64%, 75% and 71% of all (400) HCPs reported extremely important that homeless, IDU and MSM, respectively, get vaccinated for hepA, while 6%, 7% and 8% of all HCPs reported this as slightly, or not important. Reasons for not recommending hepA vaccine to homeless, IDU and MSM included uncertainty on guidelines (reported by 22/56, 24/50 and 29/66 HCPs, respectively) and low risk of infection (reported by 20/56, 30/50 and 27/66 HCPs, respectively). Conclusions: Despite recent hepA outbreaks and strengthened recommendations for vaccination in at-risk populations, knowledge gaps persist among US HCPs. This survey may motivate European countries to reinforce national hepA vaccination recommendations and, in parallel, consider efforts to raise vaccination awareness. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA Key messages: Education on hepatitis A vaccination recommendations in at-risk populations is needed. Health care providers’ vaccination knowledge plays a critical role to control the hepatitis A outbreak in the US and preventing hepatitis A in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author conveys her concerns on the real value of smart devices and applications, or SDApps, as tools for prevention of chronic diseases. Topics mentioned include the purpose of the socio-technological quantified-self movement in the U.S., the socialization effect of SDApps, and a blind spot in the literature on the mechanisms of efficacy and process evaluation of interventions with SDApps.