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Purpose: Addressing adolescent sexual risk behaviors in the STI/HIV prevention literature is well documented; however, intervention impacts on life satisfaction are relatively unexplored. This study is a secondary analysis of data (N = 1,658) from a randomized, multisite, multilevel safer sex media campaign (Project iMPPACS) analyzing life satisfaction across baseline and follow-up data collected from 2006 to 2008 among participants (mean age 15.08 years) who reported never having had vaginal sex at baseline (n = 787)., Methods: Participants were separated into groups based on whether they reported having vaginal sex (yes/no) at baseline. Then taking into account the nested study design and controlling for confounders, a mixed model repeated measures analysis of variance assessed whether differences in mean total life satisfaction (LS) were associated across time in the media and nonmedia study conditions separately by gender., Results: A significant interaction between time and media condition was detected (p = .039) where mean total LS increased +.065 units from baseline (M = 5.364) to last contact in media cities and decreased -.084 units from baseline (M = 5.557) to last contact in nonmedia cities when controlling for the effect of initiating vaginal sex. No significant differences in LS at baseline were observed between media and nonmedia intervention cities. Results by gender suggest most positive change in LS was observed for females with mixed findings for males., Conclusions: Although Project iMPPACS was not designed with the intent on improving participants' life satisfaction, results advance the LS literature by demonstrating a temporal sequence for sexual risk taking and LS over time., (Copyright © 2019 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Birth defects are examined in mountaintop coal mining areas compared to other coal mining areas and non-mining areas of central Appalachia. The study hypothesis is that higher birth-defect rates are present in mountaintop mining areas. National Center for Health Statistics natality files were used to analyze 1996-2003 live births in four Central Appalachian states (N=1,889,071). Poisson regression models that control for covariates compare birth defect prevalence rates associated with maternal residence in county mining type: mountaintop mining areas, other mining areas, or non-mining areas. The prevalence rate ratio (PRR) for any birth defect was significantly higher in mountaintop mining areas compared to non-mining areas (PRR=1.26, 95% CI=1.21, 1.32), after controlling for covariates. Rates were significantly higher in mountaintop mining areas for six of seven types of defects: circulatory/respiratory, central nervous system, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and 'other'. There was evidence that mountaintop mining effects became more pronounced in the latter years (2000-2003) versus earlier years (1996-1999.) Spatial correlation between mountaintop mining and birth defects was also present, suggesting effects of mountaintop mining in a focal county on birth defects in neighboring counties. Elevated birth defect rates are partly a function of socioeconomic disadvantage, but remain elevated after controlling for those risks. Both socioeconomic and environmental influences in mountaintop mining areas may be contributing factors., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Most research on perceptions of health insurance has examined gender- and race-based differences across sections of the adult population. This is the first study to examine differences based on demographic characteristics of undergraduate college students' coverage and perceptions of health insurance., Methods: The participants were undergraduates at 12 of the 13 public universities in Ohio. Valid and reliable 40-item questionnaires (n = 1800) were equally distributed to faculty at 12 public universities., Results: A total of 1367 (70%) surveys were completed. Most students (59.9%) believed that the federal government should have the primary responsibility to ensure that Americans have health insurance and 53.3% felt that the best way was through universal health insurance from the federal government. Perceptions varied by race, political affiliation, and health insurance status., Conclusions: Undergraduate students appear to have formed opinions about health insurance similar to general adult populations. These perceptions may have been obtained by transfer of perceptions from family and friends. A more formalized undergraduate education approach to educating future leaders of society regarding health insurance should be considered. Policy changes to reduce disparities in health status among groups of college students must be explored.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of the middle school version of the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (MSYRBS) questionnaire., Methods: A convenience sample of 232 Midwestern seventh and eighth grade middle school students completed the MSYRBS questionnaire twice in a 2-week period (14 days apart). The MSYRBS questionnaire, which queries a variety of health risk behaviors, was administered in a manner that preserved anonymity but allowed Time 1 and Time 2 matching. This was accomplished by using two questionnaire scantrons coded with the same unique number, and destroying all used materials to ensure that each participant was matched with their code. Kappa statistics were calculated for individual questions and group characteristics using SAS., Results: The mean kappa was 62.6% and the median was 66.5%. Kappa statistics for each item ranged from -2.4% (injection drug use) to 83.8% (suicide contemplation). Negative kappa values were found for two items that had extremely small cell sizes. Kappas did not differ by gender, grade, or race. Based on nonoverlapping confidence intervals, there were no items that had significantly different prevalence estimates at Time 1 vs. Time 2. Nine items (24.3%) and one category (alcohol-drugs) had kappas below 61.0%., Conclusions: This preliminary study suggests that the reliability of the MSYRBS is high over time. A number of items should be further examined to determine whether they should be amended or omitted from future versions of the MSYRBS. Further research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended, potentially involving children as content experts.

The contribution of the construct of perceived quality of life (PQOL) to adolescent health assessment and promotion is discussed. Theory, measurement, and correlates of PQOL in adolescence are reviewed, with a focus on the incremental validity of PQOL data in relationship to more traditional pathology-based health indices. Similar to Diener's proposal, which pertained exclusively to adults, we call for the inclusion of PQOL data in national databases that monitor adolescent health outcomes.

Purpose: To explore the relationship between perceived global life satisfaction and selected substance use behaviors among 5032 public high school students., Methods: The 1997 South Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey substance abuse and life satisfaction variables were used. An adjusted polychotomous logistic regression analysis utilizing SAS/SUDAAN, revealed a significant race/gender interaction. Subsequent multivariate models were constructed individually for four race/gender groups. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to assess the magnitude of risk for selected substance abuse behaviors and their association with reduced global life satisfaction., Results: Cigarette smoking, chewing tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, regular alcohol use, binge drinking, injection drug, and steroid use were significantly (p < .05) associated with reduced life satisfaction for specific race/gender groups (white males; black males; white females; and black females). In addition, age (< or = 13 years) of first alcohol drink, first marijuana use, first cocaine use, and first cigarette smoked were also significantly (p < .05) associated with reduced life satisfaction., Conclusion: Longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether dissatisfaction with life is a consequence or determinant of substance abuse behavior for adolescents.