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Introduction: Successful adoption of POCTs (Point-of-Care tests) for COVID-19 in care homes requires the identification of ideal use cases and a full understanding of the contextual and usability factors that affect test results and minimise biosafety risks. This paper presents a scoping-usability and test performance study of a microfluidic immunofluorescence assay for COVID-19 in care homes. Methods: A mixed-methods evaluation was conducted in four UK care homes to scope usability and to assess the agreement with qRT-PCR. A dry run with luminescent dye was conducted to explore biosafety issues. Results: The agreement analysis was conducted on 227 asymptomatic participants (159 staff and 68 residents) and 14 symptomatic participants (5 staff and 9 residents). Asymptomatic specimens showed 50% (95% CI:1.3%−98.7%) positive agreement and 96% (95% CI: 92.5%−98.1%) negative agreement with overall prevalence and bias-adjusted Kappa (PABAK) of 0.911 (95% CI: 0.857−0.965). Symptomatic specimens showed 83.3% (95% CI: 35.9%−99.6%) positive agreement and 100% (95% CI: 63.1%−100%) negative agreement with overall prevalence and bias-adjusted Kappa (PABAK) of 0.857 (95% CI: 0.549−1). The dry run highlighted four main sources of contamination that led to the modification of the standard operating procedures. Simulation post-modification showed no further evidence of contamination. Conclusion: Careful consideration of biosafety issues and contextual factors associated with care home are mandatory for safe use the POCT. Whilst POCT may have some utility for ruling out COVID-19, further diagnostic accuracy evaluations are needed to promote effective adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of universal health care systems is to achieve equality in the use of health services at the same level of care need. This study evaluates the relationship of socioeconomic position with the frequency of doctor visits in subjects with and without chronic diseases in Germany and Spain. The dependent variables included number of consultations and if a medical consultation occurred. The socioeconomic factors were income and education. The magnitude of the relationship between socioeconomic position and medical consultation frequency was estimated by calculating the percentage ratio using binomial regression and by calculating the difference in consultations by analysis of the covariance, in the case of number of visits. Statistically significant findings according to education were not observed. The percentage ratio in the medical consultations among those with lower and higher income was 1.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-2.88) in Germany and 1.11 (95% CI 1.03-1.20) in Spain among subjects with any of the studied chronic conditions. Also, in Germany the difference in the average number of consultations comparing lower income subjects with higher was 3.98 (95% CI 2.40-5.57) in those with chronic conditions. In both countries, there were no differences in the frequency of doctor visits according to education. However, a pro-inequality trend exists in favor of subjects with lower income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary secondary prevention care in coronary heart disease (CHD). There are barriers at the patient and health system levels that prevent CR from being utilized. Cardiac telerehabilitation led by nurses (Ne-CTR) can alleviate the obstacles to participation in CR. A patient perspective can improve CR access. This study was the first pre-program investigation to clarify the status of knowledge and participation in CTR. We sought to clarify the acceptability, the reasons for rejection, the desired form, components, and associated factors with the components needed for (Ne-CTR) in patients with CHD. The study aimed to help develop a protocol for Ne-CTR for Chinese patients with CHD. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 2020 and 2021. Hospitals in four provinces in China were included. The participants were 671 patients with CHD in hospitals located in three regions of China. A self-administered questionnaire collected information about demographics, knowledge, and participation in CTR, acceptability, preferred medium, and components of Ne-CTR. Student's t- test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analyzed the factors associated with component needs. All the analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Most participants (n = 434, 66.77%) had a poor understanding and participation in CTR. In addition, 65.38% (n = 439) of participants were willing to accept the Ne-CTR program, and 43.56% (n = 98) identified safety as reasons for not accepting such a program. In the group accepting Ne-CTR, 35% chose hospital-designed professional applications as a medium for Ne-CTR when offered. Education (4.44 ± 1.056) and drug information (4.44 ± 1.040) had the highest average need score. Education, monthly income, marital status, previous CTR participation, and health insurance were associated with the demand level scores of Ne-CTR. This study demonstrated high levels of need for Ne-CTR among patients with CHD and identified the desired medium, components, and associated factors of Ne-CTR. These findings provide reference information for the construction of a Ne-CTR program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about co-occurring intimate partner violence (IPV) against women and child abuse within families in humanitarian settings. Baseline data from 203 couples in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo were analyzed to assess associations between childhood experiences of abuse with present co-occurring violence. Over half of women (56.1%) and men (50.5%) reported co-occurring violence. Adjusted models demonstrate experiencing physical abuse as a child was associated with greatest odds of recent co-occurring violence while witnessing parental IPV had mixed influence. Programmatic approaches focused on reducing early childhood violence may be promising to prevent both IPV and child abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to document the preferences of fathers in accessing and using parenting supports and to investigate the influence of a range of family contextual factors including paternal mental health, child disability, the co-parenting relationship and parenting sense of efficacy on fathers' help-seeking. Participants included a representative sample of 1,044 fathers of zero- to 18-year-olds. Results suggest that most fathers feel supported in their parenting role and rely on their own efforts (e.g. online searches) for information to support their parenting in preference to in-person interactions with professionals or attendance at groups. The co-parenting relationship and paternal mental health were also identified as important factors impacting on paternal help-seeking behaviours. These results from one of the largest surveys of fathers of its kind provide credible insights into the parenting help-seeking experiences and support needs of fathers, with clear implications for policy makers and service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected some New York City (NYC) neighborhoods that primarily consist of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx residents. In comparison to the rest of NYC, these neighborhoods experienced high hospitalization and COVID-related death rates, which has been attributed to a longstanding history of structural racism and disinvestment. While stay-at-home orders were implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19, this may have also affected access and utilization of non-COVID related healthcare services. This study aims to assess the prevalence of and reasons for the disruption of non-COVID related healthcare services during the first 18 months of the pandemic. Methods: From September 30, 2021 to November 4, 2021, the NYC Health Department administered the COVID-19 Community Recovery Survey to a subset of residents who were part of the NYC Health Panel a probability-based survey panel. This cross-sectional survey, which included closed and open-ended questions, was either self-administered online or completed via CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) in English, Spanish, and Simplified Chinese. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses and unweighted, weighted, age-adjusted percentages, and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) were calculated. Results: With a response rate of 30.3% (N = 1358), more than half of participants (54%) reported disruption to either routine physical healthcare or mental health services. Concern about getting COVID-19 (61%), stay-at-home policies (40%), belief that care could safely be postponed (35%), and appointment challenges (34%) were among reasons for delaying routine healthcare. Concern about getting COVID-19 (38%) and reduced hours of service (36%) were primary reasons for delaying mental healthcare. Reported reasons for the sustained delay of care past 18 months involved COVID concerns, appointment, and insurance challenges. Conclusions: Due to the pandemic, some disruption to healthcare was expected. However, most study participants either avoided or experienced a delay in healthcare. The delay of non-COVID related healthcare throughout the pandemic may result in the further widening of the health inequity gap among NYC residents dealing with a higher chronic disease burden before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Findings from this study can support equitable COVID-19 recovery, and guide efforts with health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Financial knowledge often does not translate into financial well-being. This study looks at how knowledge might be converted to well-being for people living in low-income environments, based on a theory called Financial PSS. Methods: The study tests the validity of the two scales that make up Financial PSS: Perceived Financial Barriers and Financial Hope. Then it examines how these measures along with an intervention measure called TIP are associated with financial capability. Results: Results validated the Perceived Financial Barrier Scale and Financial Hope Scale. Next, the study found that the Perceived Financial Barriers Scale and the Financial Hope Scale are associated with financial capability, as is the TIP score. Conclusions: The study concludes that Financial PSS as a newly applied practice-based theory should be further tested. Workforce providers could integrate financial education and empowerment-based F-PSS process models and see a positive impact on their placement and retention outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the CONTINUE (conversations in routine OB care) pilot study was to gather preliminary data on the benefits of integrating a well-designed pregnancy support tool ("CONTINUE Tool") in low-income prenatal care. A total of 184 tools were distributed by 21 OB providers during the study implementation period. Follow-up data were collected from 71 (38.5%) prenatal patients across three community-based midwestern OB clinics serving a diverse prenatal patient population. Early-gestation prenatal patients received the strategically designed CONTINUE Tool during routine prenatal care and later completed a semi-structured interview or electronic survey to report pre-determined individual benefit items experienced due to tool usage. Factor analysis used individual benefit items to identify factors representing common underlying benefits ("factor benefits"). Logistic regression analyses were performed to describe the relative odds of participants with low income (public insurance) experiencing individual and factor benefits of tool use compared to participants of higher income (private insurance). Chi square tests (or Fisher's exact tests) were performed to generate P values reflecting statistically significant differences by income group. More low-income prenatal participants reported experiencing individual benefits as compared to higher-income participants. Among factor benefits, low-income participants were statistically more likely to report experiencing a time-related logistics benefit (OR = 4.00; 95% CI 1.02-15.73; P =.045). Low-income participants reported experiencing an overall logistics factor benefit (OR = 4.29; 95% CI 0.47-38.75), including a cost-related logistics benefit (OR = 3.08; CI 0.59-16.00), as well as an understanding benefit (OR = 1.90; 95% CI 0.72-5.04) and a self-efficacy benefit (OR = 1.30; 95% CI 0.44-3.87). While this study is limited by sample size due to being a pilot study, the findings suggest there may be tangible benefits to introducing the CONTINUE Tool among low-income prenatal patients. Given the staggering inequity in OB care and subsequent health outcomes, any preliminary findings on ways to help combat this are necessary and should lay the groundwork for subsequent randomized trials. Our preliminary findings show that supplementing routine OB care with the CONTINUE Tool can confer benefits to both providers and patients, but particularly for low-income prenatal patients who tend to have more structural barriers to adequate care in the first place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coercive control behaviors central to the abuse of power appear more frequent than other types of domestic violence, but little is known about its frequency, features, and consequences for women in India. We aimed to examine the prevalence of domestic coercive control and its association with physical, sexual, and emotional domestic violence in the preceding year and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking. In a cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 4,906 ever-married women aged 18-49 years living in urban informal settlements in Mumbai, India. We developed a 24-item scale of coercive control, assessed physical, sexual, and emotional violence using existing questions, and screened for symptoms of depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), anxiety with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD7) questionnaire, and suicidal thinking with questions developed by the World Health Organization. Estimates involved univariable and multivariable logistic regression models and the prediction of marginal effects. The prevalence of domestic coercive control was 71%. In total, 23% of women reported domestic violence in the past 12 months (emotional 19%, physical 13%, sexual 4%). Adjusted models suggested that women exposed to controlling behavior had greater odds of surviving emotional (aOR 2.1; 95% CI 1.7, 2.7), physical (1.4; 1.0, 1.9), and sexual (1.8; 1.1, 3.0) domestic violence in the past 12 months; and higher odds of a positive screen for moderate or severe depression (1.7; 1.3, 2.2), anxiety (2.1; 1.3, 3.1), and suicidal thinking (1.7; 1.2, 2.3), and increased with each additional indicator of coercive control behavior. When women reported 24 indicators of coercive control, the adjusted predicted proportion with moderate or severe depressive symptoms was 60%, anxiety 42%, and suicidal thinking 17%. Inclusion of coercive control in programs to support domestic violence, would broaden our understanding of domestic abuse to resemble most victims experience and improve interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing structural drivers of intimate partner violence (IPV), including gender inequity in education, employment, and health, surrounding women worldwide represents a clear public health priority. Within countries, some women are at disproportionate risk of IPV compared to other women, including sexual minority women, immigrant women, and women in poverty. However, limited research has assessed women's IPV risk and related circumstances, including police involvement following IPV experiences and IPV-related worry, across sexual orientation, immigration status, and socioeconomic status in a population-based survey of women across countries. Further, few studies have examined IPV against minority women as a function of gender-based structural stigma. This study aimed to determine whether gender-based structural stigma is associated with IPV and related circumstances among European women; examine minority-majority IPV disparities; and assess whether structural stigma is associated with IPV disparities. We used the population-based 2012 Violence Against Women Survey (n = 42,000) administered across 28 European Union countries: 724 (1.7%) identified as sexual minority, 841 (2.0%) as immigrant, and 2,272 (5.4%) as living in poverty. Women in high gender-based structural stigma countries had a greater risk of past-12-month IPV (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.34) and IPV-related worry (AOR: 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.15) than women in low structural stigma countries. All minority women were at disproportionate risk of IPV and IPV-related worry compared to majority women. Associations between gender-based structural stigma and IPV and related circumstances differed across minority status. Country-level structural stigma can possibly perpetuate women's risk of IPV and related circumstances. Associations between structural stigma and IPV and related circumstances for sexual minority women, immigrant women, and women in poverty call for research into the IPV experiences of minority populations across structural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether victims of violent street crimes who are known to the police as past offenders, when compared with victims with no arrest history, have different outcomes related to receipt of victim and health-related services, while taking into consideration whether or not police responded to the victimization incident. The sample is comprised of 103 men and women between the age of 18 and 40 living in one Mid-Atlantic city who were victims of street violence within the year before study recruitment. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of police response to the victimization incident on receipt of victim services, and receipt of victim services on engagement with counseling and mental health services. The results show that prior arrests were not associated with receipt of services. However, having police officers respond to the victimization was associated with higher odds of receiving victim services, and in turn, victim services were associated with receiving mental health treatment. Police response appears to set victims on a path to accessing services. Although the number of arrests was not associated with service receipt, a small percentage of victims who did not receive services stated they were reluctant to cooperate with the police, thus limiting their opportunity for victim services. Because most victims who did not access victim services did not know that they existed, policies that promote more knowledge of and initial engagement with victim services could improve access to needed health and mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to examine whether Australian young people’s awareness of beyondblue is associated with better recognition of depression and anxiety disorders, and better quality of beliefs about possible interventions and first-aid actions for these problems.Method: In 2011, a telephone interview was conducted with a national sample of 3021 Australians aged between 15 and 25 years. Participants were presented with a vignette portraying depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder or psychosis in a young person. They were then asked about recognition of the disorder portrayed, their beliefs about the helpfulness or harmfulness of various interventions and first-aid actions, and their awareness of beyondblue. The quality of youths’ beliefs was scored against health professionals’ ratings of the same list of interventions and first-aid actions.Results:Beyondblue awareness was associated with more accurate recognition of the disorder portrayed in all vignettes except social phobia. It was also associated with beliefs about the helpfulness of first-aid actions that were more closely aligned with professional ratings for the depression, psychosis and social phobia vignettes. However, it was associated with beliefs about interventions for the psychosis vignette only.Conclusions: Overall, the associations of beyondblue awareness with better mental health literacy were not specific to depression and anxiety disorders, which are their main focus. Beyondblue awareness is mostly unrelated to treatment beliefs, but seems to have non-specific associations with recognition of disorders and first-aid beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to assess Australian young people’s awareness of mental health services available for their age group. Of particular interest was awareness of headspace, which was created in 2006 to provide youth-oriented mental health services, and has expanded to 30 centres nationally in 5 years.Method: In 2011, a telephone interview was conducted with a national sample of 3021 Australians aged between 15 and 25 years. Participants were asked questions about awareness of mental health organizations, where they would seek help for themselves and how they would assist a peer with a mental health problem.Results: There were very low frequencies of spontaneous mentions of headspace as a mental health organization, or as a service where respondents would seek help for themselves or refer a peer to. However, when prompted, about half of respondents recognized headspace as a mental health organization. Living within a headspace service area predicted better recognition of headspace. However, past-year psychological distress was unrelated to recognition of headspace as a mental health organization.Conclusions: In order to reach them more effectively, young people need to be aware of youth-oriented services that are available to them and their peers. Awareness campaigns need to be targeted to the subgroups of young people who have the greatest need for headspace services, namely those with recent mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: The aim of this paper was to estimate the degree to which smoke-free facilities may facilitate smoking cessation in smokers with mental illness by estimating the proportion of smokers with mental illness who receive inpatient treatment, their smoking rates and average durations of stay. Method: Smoking and hospitalization rates were estimated from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Information on duration of inpatient treatment was calculated from the Western Australian Mental Health Information System. Results: Of Australia's estimated 3 567 000 current adult smokers, 32.4% had a mental illness in the past 12 months, and 66.6% had a lifetime mental illness. However, only 1.4% of smokers were hospitalized for a mental health problem in the past 12 months, and 6.3% had ever been hospitalized for a mental health problem. Of those hospitalized for mental health treatment in the past 12 months, 61.2% were current smokers. In 2007 median duration of inpatient mental health admissions was 1 day, and 57% of admissions had duration of 2 days or less. Conclusions: The majority of smokers with mental illness are not treated in inpatient facilities, and where inpatient admissions occur they are generally of short duration. While smoking cessation is an important goal in treatment of smokers with mental illness, support after discharge from inpatient care is important for longer term cessation. Other strategies will be required to support smoking cessation efforts for the majority of smokers with mental illness not in contact with mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper reports findings from a national survey on stigmatizing attitudes towards people with depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia/psychosis. Method: In 2011 telephone interviews were carried out with 6019 Australians aged 15 or over. Participants were presented with a case vignette describing either depression, depression with suicidal thoughts, early schizophrenia, chronic schizophrenia, social phobia or post-traumatic stress disorder. Questions were asked about stigmatizing attitudes, including perceptions of discrimination, personal and perceived stigma and desire for social distance. Results: Chronic schizophrenia was most likely to be associated with dangerousness, unpredictability and a preference for not employing someone with the problem, while social phobia was most likely to be seen as due to personal weakness. Attitudes concerning dangerousness and social distance were greater in relation to men with mental disorders compared to women. Other people were perceived as more likely to hold stigmatizing attitudes than the respondents reported for themselves. Conclusions: Anti-stigma interventions are more likely to be successful if they focus on individual disorders rather than on 'mental illness' in general. Such interventions may need to address perceptions of social phobia as being due to weakness and those of dangerousness in people with more severe disorders. Such interventions should also focus on bringing beliefs about public perceptions in line with personal beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing burden of diabetes mellitus is one of the major public health challenges in African countries, including Ethiopia. This is the first study aimed to identify factors associated with prediabetes and diabetes defined by both fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin in Ethiopians. We analyzed data of a cross-sectional survey (1372 adults aged 25-64 years) conducted between October 2015 and February 2016; multinomial logistic regression models were applied. Abdominal obesity, total cholesterol, and non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were independently associated with prediabetes and diabetes in both sexes. Increased triglycerides and religious fasting practices were independently associated with prediabetes and diabetes only in men; hypertension was associated with prediabetes and diabetes only in women, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was not associated with prediabetes and diabetes in either sex. Sex differences in the association of triglycerides, hypertension, and dietary habit suggest that different approaches of lifestyle modification may be required for men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the ways poly-victimized youth (those experiencing multiple different types of victimization over the course of 1 year) use technology to interact with peers. Particular attention is given to the peer harassment victimization and perpetration experiences of poly-victimized youth compared with less victimized and non-victimized youth—both overall and through technology. Data were collected as part of the Technology Harassment Victimization (THV) study; a national survey of 791 youth, ages 10 to 20 across the United States. Study results document the heightened risks that poly-victimized youth experience when interacting with peers. Low and high poly-victimized youth were both at significantly greater risk of being dual victims and perpetrators of peer harassment when compared with non-victimized youth even after taking into account other potentially explanatory factors. This was not found to be the case for less victimized youth. This was true for high poly-victims and technology-involved harassment risk as well. There were indications that poly-victimized youth were interacting with peers in more intense and risky ways in general using new technology. The increase in attention to poly-victimization in recent years has importantly identified the detrimental role that experiencing different forms of victimization have on youth. This study not only adds to that literature but suggests that there is an opportunity to interrupt additional victimization by understanding how poly-victimized youth interact with peers before and during adolescence. Although preliminary, the differences in technology use by poly-victimized youth versus others suggest that more information is needed to understand how they are relating to peers in both positive and risky ways in this environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of studies have examined the “immigrant paradox” with respect to health behaviors in the United States. However, little research attention has been afforded to the study of adverse childhood experiences (ACE; neglect, physical and sexual abuse, and witnessing violence) among immigrants in the United States. The present study, using Waves I and II data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), aims to address these gaps by comparing forms of ACE of first- and second-generation immigrants with native-born American adults in the United States. We also examined the latent structure of ACE among immigrants and conducted analyses to assess the psychiatric correlates of identified latent classes. With the exception of neglect, the prevalence of ACE was markedly higher among native-born Americans and second-generation immigrants compared with first-generation immigrants. Four latent classes were identified—limited adverse experience (n = 3,497), emotional and physical abuse (n = 1,262), family violence (n = 358), and global adversity (n = 246). The latter three classes evinced greater likelihood of being diagnosed with a mood, anxiety, personality, and substance use disorder, and to report violent and non-violent antisocial behavior. Consistent with prior research examining the associations between the immigrant paradox and health outcomes, results suggest that first-generation immigrants to the United States are less likely to have experienced physical and sexual abuse and witness domestic violence. However, likely due to cultural circumstances, first-generation immigrants were more likely to report experiences that are deemed neglectful by Western standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to test a mediation model in which social skills mediate the relationship between participation in organized activities and conduct problems among elementary school children. Two moderators of these associations were also examined, namely, gender and reception of special education services. A total of 563 children (45% girls; M[age] [=] 8.44) were surveyed. The findings revealed that, after controlling for important covariates, more frequent activity participation predicted better social skills, which, in turn, predicted fewer subsequent conduct problems among children. These associations were not moderated by gender or reception of special education services. These findings suggest that organized activities may provide a positive developmental context for children with conduct problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Little has been reported on self-harm among the UK Armed Forces, partly due to the difficulties in recording self-harm, within an often-difficult-to-reach population. This study assesses the lifetime prevalence of attempted suicide and self-harm within currently serving and ex-service personnel of the UK Armed Forces. Methods: Telephone interviews were conducted with 821 personnel who had previously participated in the King's Centre for Military Health Research military health study. Within the telephone interview, participants were asked about attempted suicide and episodes of self-harm. Results: A lifetime prevalence of 5.6% for intentional self-harm (self-harm or attempted suicide) was reported. Intentional self-harm was associated with psychological morbidity (in particular, post-traumatic stress disorder) and adverse experiences in childhood. Ex-service personnel reported lifetime prevalence more than double that of serving personnel (10.5% vs 4.2%, respectively). Participants reporting intentional self-harm were younger (34.4 years vs 39.8 years). Conclusion: A lifetime prevalence of 5.6% for attempted suicide and self-harm is higher than previous research has suggested. Younger service personnel, those who have experienced adversity in childhood, those with other psychological morbidity, and ex-service personnel are more likely to report self-harm behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent decades entire populations have been living under chronic strain, apprehension and violence. This is the case for Palestinians. Despite the increased volume of mass media attention on this situation, little is known about the psychological effects of this condition on this population.Aims: The study was designed to investigate the lifetime and one-month prevalence of major depression episode (MDE) in a multi-stage sample of 916 adult Palestinians drawn from the Al-Aqsa Intifada.Methods: The survey was based on personal interviews and was carried out from February to September 2007. The clinical examination used DSM-IV criteria for the detection of MDE, extracted from SCID-I. Data, suicidal behaviour, previous help seeking, medication use and exposure to trauma were also collected.Results: Lifetime and one-month prevalence of MDE was found to be 24.3% and 10.6%, respectively. Male Palestinians suffered from slightly higher rates of MDE than their female counterparts, but this difference was not statistically significant. Being widowed and living in towns in West Bank also increased the likelihood to develop MDE. A comparison of prevalence rates in refugee and non-refugee populations showed no significant differences. This could be explained by the fact that though refugees were forcibly displaced, they were living among compatriots (non-refugees), thus both groups were experiencing the same sociopolitical adversities. Being also exposed to traumatic events increased the risk of suffering from MDE.Conclusions: This study provides evidence that a population under continuous strain and apprehension, living in unremitting socioeconomic deprivation, is more likely to suffer from major depression. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study collected information on arrests for child pornography (CP) production at two points (2000–2001 and 2006) from a national sample of more than 2,500 law enforcement agencies. In addition to providing descriptive data about an understudied crime, the authors examined whether trends in arrests suggested increasing CP production, shifts in victim populations, and challenges to law enforcement. Arrests for CP production more than doubled from an estimated 402 in 2000–2001 to an estimated 859 in 2006. Findings suggest the increase was related to increased law enforcement activity rather than to growth in the population of CP producers. Adolescent victims increased, but there was no increase in the proportion of arrest cases involving very young victims or violent images. Producers distributed images in 23% of arrest cases, a proportion that did not change over time. This suggests that much CP production may be primarily for private use. Proactive law enforcement operations increased, as did other features consistent with a robust law enforcement response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape affects one in seven women nationwide. Historically, most rape victims do not report rape to law enforcement. Research is needed to identify barriers to reporting and correlates of reporting to guide policy recommendations that address such barriers. We investigated the prevalence of reporting rape among a national sample of women (N = 3,001) interviewed in 2006. The study also examined predictors of reporting as well as barriers to reporting, concerns about reporting, and women’s experiences with the reporting process. Results demonstrated that the overall prevalence of reporting (15.8%) has not significantly increased since the 1990s. Differences were found between rape types, with rapes involving drug or alcohol incapacitation or facilitation being less likely to be reported than forcible rapes. Several predictors of reporting emerged in multivariable analyses. Implications for public health and public policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The validity of survey measures of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in the Western Pacific Region is often unknown. We conducted a validation study (n = 201) in a random sample of rural adults in Cambodia. A comparison with salivary cotinine indicated (1) that survey items and pictograms of current tobacco use had an 87% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 78%-93%) sensitivity, 94% specificity (95% CI = 87%-98%), and 93% (95% CI = 85%-97%) positive predictive value in detecting cotinine levels >10 ng/mL; (2) a positive correlation with number of cigarettes smoked (R = 0.34; P = .01); and (3) a positive correlation with the amount of tobacco chewed (R = 0.44; P = .02). The validity of the index for the amount of smokeless tobacco used was enhanced by adding to the index the data from pictograms that were utilized to help participants estimate the amount of loose tobacco used per session. These tobacco items and pictograms were found to have excellent reliability (κ = 0.80-1) over 2 to 3 weeks. Interviewer-administered survey items and pictograms can provide an accurate, quantitative measure of smoked and smokeless tobacco use in rural Cambodia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]