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From April 2016 to June 2017, the Health + Housing Project employed four community health workers who engaged residents of two subsidized housing buildings in New York City to address individuals' broadly defined health needs, including social and economic risk factors. Following the intervention, we observed significant improvements in residents' food security, ability to pay rent, and connection to primary care. No immediate change was seen in acute health care use or more narrowly defined health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health and housing consortia in New York City offer a model for bridging the divide between the health care and housing sectors. While staff in these sectors often recognize the need to better integrate their services, there are few models for doing so. In this article we describe the formation of a health and housing consortium in the Bronx, New York City, as well as the successful replication of its model in Brooklyn. While each consortium has some features specific to its service area, the primary goal of both is the same: to provide a neutral space for health care and housing organizations to collaborate in what is otherwise often competitive and fragmented territory. In addition, the work of both consortia coalesces around training and resource development, crosssector communication, and research and advocacy. We provide examples of the Bronx Consortium's activities in each of these core areas, highlight tangible results to date, and offer recommendations for people interested in undertaking similar efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the prevalence and predictors of willingness to consider becoming a paid home care worker. Cross-sectional telephone-based survey study. 800 adult residents of New York State participating in the 2020 Empire State Poll, an annual survey conducted in English and Spanish using random-digit dialing. Willingness to consider working as a paid home care worker was analyzed as the main outcome. Survey questions also involved demographics and unpaid caregiving experience. We used multinomial logistic regression to examine associations between participant characteristics and willingness to be a paid caregiver. Participants had a mean age of 47.7 years (95% CI 45.4-50.0). Demographic information included 51.1% female gender, 65.4% White race, 13.4% Black race, 6.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 14.8% another race, 19.1% Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, and 43.0% household income below $50,000 per year. A weighted 25.4% of participants would consider becoming a paid home care worker. In an adjusted model, willingness to be a paid home care worker was associated with younger age [odds ratio (OR) 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-1.00, P =.032], female gender (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.35-4.46, P =.003), Black or other race (OR 2.40, 95% CI 1.11-5.17, P =.026, and OR 3.13, 95% CI 1.30-7.54, P =.011, respectively), Hispanic ethnicity (OR 2.26, 95% CI 1.06-4.81, P =.035), household income below $50,000 per year (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.03-3.88, P =.040), and having provided unpaid family caregiving (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.15-3.76, P =.016). A quarter of New Yorkers would consider working as a paid home care worker. Willingness to consider this occupation was associated with the demographic characteristics disproportionately represented in the current home care workforce. Improved working conditions and compensation could help attract and retain home care workers, thereby addressing the rising need for home care in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Determine prevalence and types of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies used and test the significance of demographics and social cognitive constructs as predictors of CAM use in a college sample. Secondary purpose was to guide the integration of CAM therapies into college health services. Participants: Random, stratified sample of 2,553 undergraduates and graduate students enrolled at Columbia University. Methods: Web-based survey e-mailed to a random sample of 6,482 students. Regression analyses used to determine predictors of CAM use. Results: Nearly 82% of respondents reported using at least 1 form of CAM in the last 12 months, the most common being nonvitamin, nonmineral (NVNM) products, yoga, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, and meditation. Sex, student home origin, outcome expectancies, observational learning, and attitude toward CAM were found as significant predictors of CAM use. Conclusions: Ongoing assessment of CAM use can assist administrators and providers to enhance college health services and programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fear-based public health campaigns have been the subject of an intense moral and empirical debate. We examined how New York City, under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, used fear-based appeals to confront three challenges to public health: high rates of tobacco use, obesity, and HIV infection. New York City's use of this type of messaging may have set a precedent. Other state and local health departments will have to navigate how and whether to use fear in a context where it is possible to assert that it can serve the interests of public health. But this will not reduce the need to carefully balance efficacy, uncertainty, stigma, marginalization, emotional burdens, justice, community participation, and scientific credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports rates of childhood and adult sexual victimization among a community sample of 634 gay and bisexual-identified men and examines how men with differing sexual victimization histories compare on a number of health-related outcomes. Results indicate that men with histories of childhood and adult sexual victimization are more likely to report substance use, more lifetime sexually transmitted infections, higher sexual compulsivity scores, and greater gay-related stigma scores than men with no histories of sexual victimization. Few differences are found in comparisons of health outcomes based on age at first sexual victimization (childhood vs. adulthood). Furthermore, men with histories of sexual victimization report healthier coping skills than men with no histories of sexual victimization, but no significant group differences are found in social support or stress-related growth. Findings underscore the importance of assessing lifetime sexual victimization among sexual minority men during counseling, with special attention given to the enhancement of protective factors among those at risk for harmful behaviors and subsequent poor health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined experiencing divine love as an indicator of affective spiritual growth in a prospective cohort of 200 patients surviving cardiac surgery. These patients previously completed two-wave preoperative interviews when standardized cardiac surgery data were also collected. The information included left ventricular ejection fraction, New York Heart Association Classification, baseline health (physical and mental), optimism, hope, religiousness, prayer coping, religious/spiritual coping, and demographics. We then measured divine love at 900 days postoperatively. Hierarchical linear regression indicated the direct effect of positive religious coping on experiences of divine love, controlling for other key variables. Postoperatively perceived spiritual support was entered at the final step as an explanatory factor, which appeared to mediate the coping effect. None of the other faith factors predicted divine love. Further research regarding divine love and spiritual support may eventually guide clinical attempts to support patients' spiritual growth as an independently relevant outcome of cardiac surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of research in a Jewish community organization. It focuses on how during the tenure of John Ruskay at United Jewish Appeal-Federation of New York research was used for the practical purposes of informing policy and planning. The author believes that research should be viewed as an adventure and source of inspiration and as an opportunity to ask questions about Jewish identity, purpose, and community.

In this article the author discusses the implications of diabetes surveillance initiative of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in New York. He points out that opponents of the initiative often raise concerns over patients' civil liberty. The author asserts the struggle of the health department on when and how to manage clinical disease directly aside from trying to support clinical care.

The September 11, 2001 (9/11) attacks in New York City and Washington, DC brought a historical terror to the United States. The aftermath of 9/11 will be felt for decades in the way Americans view the world and the national political sphere. Yet, it is unclear in what direction 9/11 impacted American sociopolitical reactions and how their styles of spiritual or religious coping in their general life might influence such reactions. On the basis of the literature on terrorism, we developed a scale of sociopolitical reactions to the 9/11 attacks using a student sample at three American universities. The results indicate that responses to 9/11 are diverse and patterns of sociopolitical reactions are associated with gender, years of education, religiousness, peritraumatic emotional response, being a veteran, being close to a 9/11 victim, concerns about future attacks, and two types of religious/spiritual coping. Our study calls for more research that investigates sociopolitical reactions and the role of faith matters in an era of international terrorism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to describe the implementation of a school-based trauma-specific mental health program in New York City following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. This program aimed to serve children most at risk for developing mental health problems as a result of physical proximity (e.g., evacuation from schools surrounding the World Trade Center) to the trauma. As we present the components of the program, we will review the literature that guided our decision making. The ongoing struggle between searching for answers from established science and immediate needs in a crisis is highlighted. Lastly, a discussion of the lessons learned and recommended next steps is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a student activity about natural selection in New York. Concepts of natural selection; Discussion on the adaptation of animals to environmental conditions; Background of the activity. INSET: Story of the peppered moth (Biston betularia)..

Objectives. Relatively few studies of drinking among the elderly have been completed despite the growing proportional representation of the elderly in the US population. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of and to observe whether active or health-oriented lifestyles are associated with heavy drinking among the elderly. Methods. Random-digit dialing telephone interviews were conducted with 2325 Erie County, New York, general population residents aged 60 years or older. Results. The prevalence of heavy drinking was 6%. Adjusted analyses showed positive associations between heavy drinking and being male, having suburban residency, and currently using cigarettes. Negative relationships were observed between heavy drinking and socioeconomic status, rural residency, and degree of health orientation. Age and level of active lifestyle were not significant contributors to the model. Conclusions. Of the studied variables, health orientation offers the greatest opportunity to address heavy drinking among the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in which the authors replied to a letter to the editor by Hal Strelnick who commented on the authors' article on negative advertisement and smoking prevalence in New York City, which was published in the May 2015 issue of the journal.

The article presents information about the surveillance of diabetes in New York City. New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden described diabetes as the only health problem and stressed to gain a view of the problem to provide improvements in care and public savings. The New York City health department put forward a proposal for electronic laboratory-based reporting of hemoglobin AIC tests for all city residents. The health officials of the city health department consulted with organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Diabetes Association, major New York City hospitals, clinicians, and patients with diabetes to develop its surveillance scheme, but the country, state and national medical associations were not consulted. The surveillance proposal was objected by citizens of the city. These objections were based on privacy and autonomy concerns.

Purpose: Knowledge about offenders and knowledge about victims has traditionally been undertaken without formal consideration of the overlap among the two. A small but growing research agenda has examined the extent of this overlap. At the same time, there has been a minimal amount of research regarding offending and victimization among minority youth, and this is most apparent with respect to Hispanics, who have been increasing in population in the United States. Materials & Methods: This study explores the joint, longitudinal overlap between offending and victimization among a sample of Puerto Rican youth from the Bronx, New York. Results: Results indicate: (1) an overlap between offending and victimization that persists over time, (2) a considerable overlap in the number, type, direction, and magnitude of the effect of individual, familial, peer, and contextual factors on both offending and victimization, (3) some of the factors related to offending were only relevant at baseline and not for the growth in offending but that several factors were associated with the growth in victimization, and (4) various risk factors could not explain much of the overlap between offending and victimization. Conclusions: Theoretical, policy, and future research directions are addressed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Readmission rates are high among heart failure (HF) patients who require home health care (HHC) after hospitalization. Although HF patients who require HHC are often sicker than those who do not, HHC delivery itself may also be suboptimal.Objective: We aimed to describe the workflow of HHC among adults discharged home after a HF hospitalization, including the roles of various stakeholders, and to determine where along these workflow challenges and opportunities for improvement exist.Design and Participants: In this qualitative study, we used purposeful sampling to approach and recruit a variety of key stakeholders including home health aides, nurses, HF patients, family caregivers, physicians, social workers, home care agency leaders, and policy experts. The study took place in New York, NY, from March to October 2018.Approach: Using a semi-structured topic guide, we elicited participants' experiences with HHC in HF through a combination of one-on-one interviews and focus groups. Data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. We also asked selected participants to depict in a drawing their understanding of HHC workflow after hospitalization for HF patients. We synthesized the drawings into a final image.Key Results: Study participants (N = 80) described HHC for HF patients occurring in 6 steps, with home health aides playing a main role: (1) transitioning from hospital to home; (2) recognizing clinical changes; (3) making decisions; (4) managing symptoms; (5) asking for help; and (6) calling 911. Participants identified challenges and opportunities for improvement for each step.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that HHC for HF patients occurs in discrete steps, each with different challenges. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, various interventions may be required to optimize HHC delivery for HF patients in the post-discharge period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To use cognitive interviewing and pilot testing to develop a survey instrument feasible for administering in the food pantry setting to assess daily intake frequency from several major food groups and dietary correlates (e.g. fruit and vegetable barriers) - the FRESH Foods Survey.Design: New and existing survey items were adapted and refined following cognitive interviews. After piloting the survey with food pantry users in the USA, preliminary psychometric and construct validity analyses were performed.Setting: Three US food banks and accompanying food pantries in Atlanta, GA, San Diego, CA, and Buffalo, NY.Participants: Food pantry clients (n 246), mostly female (68 %), mean age 54·5 (sd 14·7) years.Results: Measures of dietary correlates performed well psychometrically: Cronbach's α range 0·71-0·90, slope (α) parameter range 1·26-6·36, and threshold parameters (β) indicated variability in the 'difficulty' of the items. Additionally, all scales had only one eigenvalue above 1·0 (range 2·07-4·71), indicating unidimensionality. Average (median, Q1-Q3) daily intakes (times/d) across six dietary groups were: fruits and vegetables (2·87, 1·87-4·58); junk foods (1·16, 0·58-2·16); fast foods and similar entrées (1·45, 0·58-2·03); whole-grain foods (0·87, 0·58-1·71); sugar-sweetened beverages (0·58, 0·29-1·29); milk and milk alternatives (0·71, 0·29-1·29). Significant correlations between dietary groups and dietary correlates were largely in the directions expected based on the literature, giving initial indication of convergent and discriminant validity.Conclusions: The FRESH Foods Survey is efficient, tailored to food pantry populations, can be used to monitor dietary behaviours and may be useful to measure intervention impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Nile (WN) virus was identified in the Western Hemisphere in 1999. Along with human encephalitis cases, 20 equine cases of WN virus were detected in 1999 and 23 equine cases in 2000 in New York. During both years, the equine cases occurred after human cases in New York had been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2012, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed capping the size of sugary beverages that could be sold in the city's restaurants, sporting and entertainment facilities and food carts. After a lawsuit and multiple appeals, the proposal died in June 2014, deemed an unconstitutional overreach. In dissecting the saga of the proposed soda cap, we highlight both the political perils of certain anti-obesity efforts and, more broadly, the challenges to public health when issues of consumer choice and the threat of paternalism are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]