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This study aimed to assess longitudinal relationships between social environment indicators (social connectedness, social engagement, social contribution) and mental health indicators (depression and anxiety) among community-dwelling adults age 55 years and older. Data were drawn from 3-waves of the national longitudinal survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) (N = 2,020; age range = 55-94 years). We developed multilevel growth models to ascertain the relationships of interest, controlling for sociodemographic and physical health factors. Over the 20-year period of study, lower levels of emotional social support, social integration and social contribution significantly predicted depression and anxiety, whereas social network and social engagement were not significant predictors of these mental health outcomes in older adults. The models also indicated a moderation effect of the number of chronic conditions on the slopes of depression and anxiety. Considering our findings, interventions to enhance social contribution and social connectedness could be effective to help older adults maintain positive mental health, as well as programs that facilitate older adults' connections with their families, communities and health care providers. These interventions must also account for multiple chronic conditions since functional limitations drive declining integration in the community and participation in social activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors that influence trust in public health information is critical for designing successful public health campaigns during pandemics such as COVID‐19. We present findings from a cross‐sectional survey of 454 US adults—243 older (65+) and 211 younger (18–64) adults—who responded to questionnaires on human values, trust in COVID‐19 information sources, attention to information quality, self‐efficacy, and factual knowledge about COVID‐19. Path analysis showed that trust in direct personal contacts (B = 0.071, p =.04) and attention to information quality (B = 0.251, p <.001) were positively related to self‐efficacy for coping with COVID‐19. The human value of self‐transcendence, which emphasizes valuing others as equals and being concerned with their welfare, had significant positive indirect effects on self‐efficacy in coping with COVID‐19 (mediated by attention to information quality; effect = 0.049, 95% CI 0.001–0.104) and factual knowledge about COVID‐19 (also mediated by attention to information quality; effect = 0.037, 95% CI 0.003–0.089). Our path model offers guidance for fine‐tuning strategies for effective public health messaging and serves as a basis for further research to better understand the societal impact of COVID‐19 and other public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing tendency to create an accelerated judicial approach to business sales by plaiting the informal approach and the state-supplied statutory approach when dealing with corporate distress. This article investigates the extent to which formal insolvency procedures in the UK and the USA can be customised through pre-planning to achieve business sales and critically evaluates the challenges brought about by the plaiting. It is argued that the accelerated approach to business sales in insolvency tends to shift the key properties of the statutory procedure from creditor coordination and plan formulation towards verification of pre-arranged transactions. In this way it creates a vacuum of control over the quality of business decision-making and eliminates the inclusiveness of the statutory procedure leaving ample room for rent-seeking by insiders. To mitigate these deficiencies the article suggests a more responsive approach with increased accountability and better-equipped evaluation to control abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: eHealth resources offer new opportunities for older adults to access health information online, connect with others with shared health interests, and manage their health. However, older adults often lack sufficient eHealth literacy to maximize their benefit from these resources. Objective: This review evaluates the research design, methods, and findings of eHealth literacy interventions for older adults. Methods: A systematic review of peer-reviewed research articles from 28 databases in 9 fields was carried out in January 2013. Four rounds of screening of articles in these databases resulted in a final sample of 23 articles. Results: Findings indicated a significant gap in the literature for eHealth literacy interventions evaluating health outcomes as the outcome of interest, a lack of theory-based interventions, and few studies applied high-quality research design. Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the need for researchers to develop and assess theory-based interventions applying high-quality research design in eHealth literacy interventions targeting the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Women's poor postpartum psychosocial and behavioral health may negatively affect them and their infants. Validated postpartum screening scales can help to identify problems early, but currently there is limited knowledge in this area. Thus, we conducted a systematic examination of self-administered psychosocial and behavioral scales validated for postpartum women in the United States in the domains of depression, body image, diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use. We examined the characteristics of included scales, their validation samples, and reported psychometric properties. Method Nine databases were searched during October 2014 through February 2015. After meeting inclusion/exclusion criteria, article information was extracted independently by two authors, compared, and differences were resolved through discussions. Results The final sample included 23 published articles covering 19 scales. Seventeen were in the domain of depression, and one each in physical activity and dietary domains. None was found in the domains of body image, smoking, or alcohol use. The number of scale items varied from 2 to 35. The majority of scales were originally designed for postpartum women, and validated in one or two postpartum studies with samples of predominantly adult women. If reported, scale reliability coefficients were generally 0.80 or greater and validity coefficients of 0.70 or greater. Five depression scales had favorable sensitivity and specificity using standard cutpoints, but only one was tested across adolescent, low-income, and predominantly ethnic minority postpartum populations. Conclusion No U.S.-validated postpartum scales were found for body image, smoking, or alcohol use. Most scales had limited validity testing, and validation was in predominantly advantaged samples. Further scale development and testing are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although scientific reports increasingly document the negative impact of inadequate health literacy on health-seeking behaviors, health literacy's effect on health outcomes in patients with diabetes is not entirely clear, owing to insufficient empirical studies, mixed findings, and insufficient longitudinal research. Objective: The aim of this study was to empirically examine underlying mechanisms of health literacy's role in diabetes management among a group of Korean Americans with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Data from a randomized clinical trial of a health literacy-focused Type 2 diabetes self-management intervention conducted during 2012–2016 in the Korean American community were collected at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. A total of 250 Korean Americans with Type 2 diabetes participated (intervention, 120; control, 130). Participants were first-generation Korean American immigrants. Health literacy knowledge was measured with the original Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine and the diabetes mellitus-specific Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine. Functional health literacy was measured with the numeracy subscale of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults and the Newest Vital Sign screening instrument, which also uses numeracy. Primary outcomes included glucose control and diabetes quality of life. Multivariate analyses included latent variable modeling. Results: A series of path analyses identified self-efficacy and self-care skills as significant mediators between health literacy and glucose control and quality of life. Education and acculturation were the most significant correlates of health literacy. Discussion: Despite inconsistent findings in the literature, this study indicates that health literacy may indirectly influence health outcomes through mediators such as self-care skills and self-efficacy. The study highlights the importance of health literacy, as well as underlying mechanisms with which health literacy influences processes and outcomes of diabetes self-management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgruound: Prediabetes leads to declines in physical function in older adults, but the impact of prediabetes progression or regression on physical function is unknown. This study assessed this longitudinal association, with physical function objectivelymeasured by grip strength, walking speed, and standing balance, based on the Health and Retirement Study enrolling United States adults aged >50 years., Methods: Participants with prediabetes were followed-up for 4-year to ascertain prediabetes status alteration (maintained, regressed, or progressed), and another 4-year to assess their impacts on physical function. Weak grip strength was defined as <26 kg for men and <16 kg for women, slow walking speed was as <0.8 m/sec, and poor standing balance was as an uncompleted fulltandem standing testing. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed., Results: Of the included 1,511 participants with prediabetes, 700 maintained as prediabetes, 306 progressed to diabetes, and 505 regressed to normoglycemia over 4 years. Grip strength and walking speed were declined from baseline during the 4-year followup, regardless of prediabetes status alteration. Compared with prediabetes maintenance, prediabetes progression increased the odds of developing weak grip strength by 89% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 2.44) and exhibited larger declines in grip strength by 0.85 kg (95% CI, -1.65 to -0.04). However, prediabetes progression was not related to impairments in walking speed or standing balance. Prediabetes regression also did not affect any measures of physical function., Conclusion: Prediabetes progression accelerates grip strength decline in aging population, while prediabetes regression may not prevent physical function decline due to aging.

Previous studies have provided limited evidence for the effect of tomato intake on bladder cancer incidence. This study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary tomato or lycopene consumption and bladder cancer risk in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening study. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression model adjusting for confounders. After a median of 12.5 years of follow-up, 774 incident bladder cancer cases were identified. We found no statistically significant association between dietary intake of raw tomatoes and bladder cancer risk (Adjusted model: HR Q5 VS Q1 = 1.20, 95% CI: 0.95-1.52; P for trend = 0.243). Dietary intakes of tomato catsup, tomato salsa and tomato juice were also not associated with the risk of bladder cancer (all P for trend > 0.05). There was no statistically significant association between dietary consumption of lycopene and bladder cancer risk (Adjusted model: HR Q5 vs. Q1 = 1.04, 95% CI 0.82-1.33; P for trend = 0.590). In summary, analysis of the PLCO study suggested that dietary consumption of tomato or lycopene was not associated with the risk of bladder cancer.

Objective: To test the association of behavioral and psychosocial health domains with contextual variables and perceived health in ethnically and economically diverse postpartum women., Design: Mail survey of a stratified random sample., Setting: Southwestern community in Texas., Participants: Non-Hispanic White, African American, and Hispanic women (N = 168)., Methods: A questionnaire was sent to a sample of 600 women. The adjusted response rate was 32.8%. The questionnaire covered behavioral (diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use) and psychosocial (depression symptoms and body image) health, contextual variables (race/ethnicity, income, perceived stress, and social support), and perceived health. Hypotheses were tested using linear and logistic regression., Results: Body image, dietary behaviors, physical activity behaviors, and depression symptoms were all significantly correlated (Spearman ρ = -.15 to .47). Higher income was associated with increased odds of higher alcohol use (more than 1 drink on 1 to 4 days in a 14-day period). African American ethnicity was correlated with less healthy dietary behaviors and Hispanic ethnicity with less physical activity. In multivariable regressions, perceived stress was associated with less healthy dietary behaviors, increased odds of depression, and decreased odds of higher alcohol use, whereas social support was associated with less body image dissatisfaction, more physical activity, and decreased odds of depression. All behavioral and psychosocial domains were significantly correlated with perceived health, with higher alcohol use related to more favorable perceived health. In regressions analyses, perceived stress was a significant contextual predictor of perceived health., Conclusion: Stress and social support had more consistent relationships to behavioral and psychosocial variables than race/ethnicity and income level., (Copyright © 2016 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)