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HIV-infected individuals "aware" of their infection are more likely to use condoms, compared to HIV-infected "unaware" persons. To quantify this likelihood, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of U.S. and Canadian studies. Twenty-one eligible studies included men who have sex with men (MSM; k = 15), persons who inject drugs (PWID; k = 2), and mixed populations of high-risk heterosexuals (HRH; k = 4). Risk ratios (RR) of "not always using condoms" with partners of any serostatus were lower among aware MSM (RR 0.44 [not significant]), PWID (RR 0.70) and HRH (RR 0.27); and, in aware MSM, with partners of HIV-uninfected or unknown status (RR 0.46). Aware individuals had lower "condomless sex likelihood" with HIV-uninfected or unknown status partners (MSM: RR 0.58; male PWID: RR 0.44; female PWID: RR 0.65; HRH: RR 0.35) and with partners of any serostatus (MSM only, RR 0.72). The association diminished over time. High risk of bias compromised evidence quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traffic violation behaviors are very common among meal delivery couriers. • Red-light-running was the most common risky behavior. • More than half of the couriers ride in motor-vehicle lanes at intersections. • The red-light-running-rate of couriers is much higher than normal riders. • Contra-flow riding and phone-using of couriers are more common observed. Along with the increase of online catering, the number of accidents involved meal delivery riders increases dramatically in China, and their riding behavior might contribute to fatal accidents. We conducted a field observation study to investigate the risk behavior characteristics of meal delivery couriers riding electric bicycles at urban intersections in China. We selected 4 typical signalized urban intersections in Beijing, and video recorded traffic behaviors of meal delivery riders for eight hours. A total of 1891 couriers crossing intersections on electric bicycles were observed, categorized, and analyzed. The results showed that red-light-running and riding-on-the-motor-lane were the most frequent risky traffic behaviors. The ratios of risk behaviors from delivery couriers were almost all significantly higher than those of normal riders (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in these risk behaviors for riders across different platforms. The findings provide valuable insights for understanding couriers' risk behaviors at intersections and make useful suggestions for improving traffic safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Safe and effective vaccine together with better treatment remains one of the strategic exist of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As in many other countries worldwide, the government of Ghana has expressed its commitment to procuring globally approved and accepted vaccines. This preliminary study aims to analyses these factors that could impact the choice of the vaccine in Ghana. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,000 Ghanaian respondents from the 14th October to the 12th of December 2020. A structured questionnaire after a series of literature review and was transcribed unto google forms. Dataset was extracted using Excel ver. 2016 (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA) and imported into IBM SPSS ver. 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) for analysis. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and logistic regression analyses were conducted at p-value <0.05. Results: The results showed that 541 (54.1%) of the respondents would opt for the vaccines, 907 (90.7%) trusted the healthcare system and 388 (38.8%) had a high-risk perception of acquiring COVID-19. Our inferential analysis found that being married (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-4.78), salary worker (private: aOR, 2.24; 95% CI, 0.85-5.89; government: aOR, 42.58; 95% CI, 14.09-128.61), and high-risk perception (aOR, 5.35; 95% CI, 3.24-8.82) had a higher OR of accepting COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusion: As the government of Ghana prepares to secure COVID-19 vaccines, it is important to understand the state of mind and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the general population. Policymakers and stakeholders should focus on evidence-based community messaging to improve uptake and break the transmission dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Adolescent who use e-cigarette had a higher likelihood of using other substances including cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, alcohol, and marijuana. • E-cigarette use is also a significant factor of participation in other risk behaviors among adolescents including sexual activity-, driving-, and violence-related risky behaviors. • Age and sex moderate the relationship between e-cigarette use and risk behaviors. Although electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is on the rise among adolescents, its relationship with risk behaviors is unclear. This study aimed to examine whether e-cigarette use was related to other risk behaviors and whether age and sex play a role in those associations. Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System was used. Weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among variables of interest. The results showed that e-cigarette users, compared to nonusers, had higher odds of using other types of substances, as well as being involved in other risk behaviors including driving-related behaviors, sexual activity-related behaviors, and violence-related behaviors. Furthermore, some of these relationships are moderated by age and sex. Our findings suggest that e-cigarette use is linked to other risk behaviors among adolescents. Policy makers and educators should address multiple risk behaviors as part of comprehensive tobacco-free policies and youth substance use prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gaceta Médica de Caracas is the property of Academia Nacional de Medicina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied among emerging adults in college, this work has yet to focus in on LGBT-identifying students. Accordingly, the current study a) surveyed the peer crowd landscape using a sample of 234 LGBT students (Mage = 19.89, SD = 1.55; 70.51% female, 18.38% male, 11.11% other) at a small, private, liberal arts college in Southern California, and b) explored the relationships between self-reported peer crowd affiliations and LGBT students' adjustment (i.e., loneliness, belongingness, and academic-, alcohol-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors). Results point to the existence of four underlying peer crowd dimensions among LGBT students: protester, nonvocal, social, and athletic. Furthermore, affiliation with these peer crowds was found to relate to students' self-reported loneliness and academic-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective . To assess the impact of chronic illnesses on risk behaviors and psychosocial adjustments among adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. Methods . A cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2021 and September 2022, including adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. Participants completed the Thai Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Student's t -test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression. Results . Adolescents with chronic illnesses (n = 120) were more likely to exhibit risk behaviors related to violence (38.3%) and mental health issues (18.3%). They also scored higher on total difficulties (mean = 12.23, SD = 5.14) and emotional symptoms (mean = 3.08, SD = 2.45) than the healthy group (n = 120). Conclusion . During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents with chronic illnesses in Thailand demonstrated increased risk behaviors related to violence and mental health issues, highlighting the need for tailored interventions., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is an approach that promotes resilience and focuses on youth strengths rather than their weaknesses as done by the traditional deficit-based perspective. Research in Europe and North America show that developmental assets are associated with school success, psychological well-being, and lower health risks among youth and young adults. However, not much research has been done on these associations in Latin American contexts. The purpose of this research study is to assess the association between substance use behaviors, such as drunkenness and the use of illicit drugs, and mental health, together with the mediating role of developmental assets representing youth strengths (e.g., social competence) and contextual resources (e.g., social support at home or school). Cross-national data was collected from Colombian (n = 210; 70.4% females) and Peruvian (n = 349; 66.5% females) 1st year university students. Results shed light on the protective role of developmental assets regarding substance use behaviors and mental well-being. Specifically, the results showed direct negative associations between developmental assets and substance use behaviors and positive associations of developmental assets with mental health indicators. Internal assets appear to be a stronger predictor of social, emotional, and psychological well-being compared to external assets. We did not find any statistical significance in the association of substance use behavior and mental health. We discuss implications regarding research, policy, and practice.

There have been improvements nationally in teenagers' self-reported health risk since the 1990s. This study provides an overview of trends in substance use, sexual health, violence and victimization, and suicide risk among Chicago Public High School (CPS) students over a 20-year period. We compared responses to 29 identically worded items from the 1997, 2007, and 2017 Chicago Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) in the four domains. We show changes in responses across individual items, mean changes across the four domains, and change in the proportion of students with highest risk exposure (≥10 affirmative responses). Analyses control for CPS students’ grade, sex, and race/ethnicity. Reductions in substance use, sexual health risk, and violence and victimization (30, 40% and 40% in the mean number of affirmative responses, respectively) were observed. Suicide risk showed an initial improvement from 1997 to 2007, only to worsen by 2017 and show little difference from 1997. There was an approximate 70% decrease in the likelihood of being in the high multiple risk category (≥10 affirmative responses) in 2017 compared to 1997 (OR 0.33; CI 0.22-0.49). In alignment with national trends, our study documents significant improvement in Chicago public high school students’ long-term health risk exposure over the 20-year study period, with the notable exception of suicide risk. This study emphasizes the need to invest in strategies both inside and outside of the classroom to mitigate the effect of adversity and promote protective factors, which are at the root of academic success and overall wellbeing.

Youth risk behaviors have both personal and societal consequences and can also have grave economic cost if not addressed effectively. Positive Youth Development (PYD) as a theoretical framework proposes that facilitating developmental assets (i.e., internal and external assets, such as positive values and social support) among young people would lead to positive outcomes as well as a possible reduction in negative outcomes. The empirical evidence supporting these assertions mostly come from studies involving American samples. In the present study, we examine whether the experience of more developmental assets is associated with less engagement in three risk behaviors: drunkenness, violence and crime among 591 Norwegian students (55% girls), mean age 16.70 (SD = .90). Our results indicate that while several significant correlations were observed between developmental assets and risk behaviors, only two internal assets: positive values and social competence, and two external assets: support and boundaries and expectations were significant predictors of a risk behavior in multivariate regression analysis. Although these positive findings have some implications for intervention and youth policy, more research is needed to ascertain the short- and long-term protective effects of the developmental assets on risk behaviors among Norwegian youth.

Background: The novel corona virus infection (COVID-19) quickly became a pandemic state. Identifying characteristics of “possible super spreaders”, suggested as a dominant cause of rapid spreading transmission, will help us to design proper prevention strategies. Methods: We conducted a nation-wide online survey to investigate the relationship of perception and anxiety levels about COVID-19 to the possible risk behaviors for spread of the virus in Japan. We recruited a total of 4,000 citizens, who responded to the questionnaire including several questions regarding the level of fear and anxiety about COVID-19, infection preventive behaviors and access to media with trust level about the virus as well as some demographic and socioeconomic data during March 27th and 28th, 2020. Findings: Thirteen-point-three percent of the participants rated “1” on a nine-point Likert with respect to the knowledge about COVID-19. Ten-point-one percent and 11.7% presented no anxiety of being infected and transmission to others. Ten-point-eight percent showed no worry about symptomatic aggravation. Eight-point-one percent had no serious concern about expanding infection. The distribution of these items was highly correlated with each other. Participants with the low level of knowledge about COVID-19 were likely to less frequently access any information sources and neither trust them. They were less anxious about their health status, and less likely to put precautionary behaviors such as washing hands and avoiding crowded spaces, suggested by statistical analyses. Interpretation: The present study suggests that it is greatly important to enlighten those have no concerns about this crisis of COVID-19 and modify their risk behavior via various ways, in order to prevent and control this viral pandemic. Funding: This study was funded by the management grand provided to Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI grants.

Introduction Previous research has indicated that weight control behaviors are linked to cigarette smoking, whether these relationships extend to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is unknown. This study aims to examine the association between weight control behaviors and current e-cigarette usage among middle and high school students in China. Methods Based on the 2017 Zhejiang Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17359 students were included and relevant data involving e-cigarette and weight control behaviors were collected via self-reported questionnaires. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between trying to control weight, specific weight control behaviors and current e-cigarette usage. Odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are reported. Results Of the 17359 students, 374 (2.15%) were current e-cigarette users. No significant association was observed between trying to control weight and current e-cigarette usage (OR=1.01; 95% CI: 0.81–1.28). Significant associations were found between current e-cigarette usage and unhealthy weight control behaviors of eating less food, fewer calories (OR=1.74; 95% CI: 1.33–2.27), as well as taking laxatives (OR=3.34; 95% CI: 2.11–5.27), taking diet pills (OR=2.63; 95% CI: 1.72–4.02) and going without eating for 24 hours or more (OR=2.74; 95% CI: 1.86–4.04). Conclusions A positive association was found between unhealthy weight control behaviors and current e-cigarette usage in adolescents. Specific education programs on unhealthy weight control behaviors should be considered in adolescents.

Abstract Background In Southeast Asia, though fishermen are known to be a key population at high risk of HIV, little is known about their co-infection rates with Hepatitis C virus (HCV), or how illness and risk behaviors vary by occupation or type of fishermen. In Myanmar, this lack of knowledge is particularly acute, despite the fact that much of the country’s border is coastline. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis to assess clinical, demographic, and risk characteristics of HIV-infected, ≥15-year-old males under HIV care from 2004 to 2014. Subgroups of fishermen were categorized according to the location of fishing activities, boat ownership, and length of time at sea. Generalized linear models assessed odds of high risk behaviors, including MSM (men who have sex with men), transactional sex, injection drug use (IDU), and HCV co-infection among international, local subsistence, and national migrant fishermen. Results Of 2798 adult males who enrolled in HIV care between 2004 and 2014, 41.9% (n = 1172) were fishermen. Among these, migrants had the highest odds of engaging in risk behaviors such as sex work (Myanmar national migrants: OR 3.26 95% CI: 2.20 to 4.83), and injecting drugs (international migrants: OR 2.93, 95% CI: 1.22 to 3.87) when compared to the general male HIV clinic population. 15.9% of all fishermen reported past or current IDU (23.0% of international migrants). 22.8% of all fishermen were also co-infected with HCV, and though predictably injectors had the highest odds (OR 20.1, 95% CI: 13.7 to 29.5), even after controlling for other risk factors, fishermen retained higher odds (OR 2.37 95% CI: 1.70 to 3.32). Conclusions HIV positive fishermen in Myanmar had higher odds of HCV co-infection. They also disproportionally injected drugs and engaged in transactional sex more than other patients. This is especially pronounced among international migrant fishermen. HIV-infected fishermen should be counseled on high risk activities, screened for HCV, and targeted by harm reduction programs.

Commonly used screening tools for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) generally rely on subjective caregiver questionnaires. While behavioral observation is more objective, it is also expensive, time‐consuming, and requires significant expertise to perform. As such, there remains a critical need to develop feasible, scalable, and reliable tools that can characterize ASD risk behaviors. This study assessed the utility of a tablet‐based behavioral assessment for eliciting and detecting one type of risk behavior, namely, patterns of facial expression, in 104 toddlers (ASD N = 22) and evaluated whether such patterns differentiated toddlers with and without ASD. The assessment consisted of the child sitting on his/her caregiver's lap and watching brief movies shown on a smart tablet while the embedded camera recorded the child's facial expressions. Computer vision analysis (CVA) automatically detected and tracked facial landmarks, which were used to estimate head position and facial expressions (Positive, Neutral, All Other). Using CVA, specific points throughout the movies were identified that reliably differentiate between children with and without ASD based on their patterns of facial movement and expressions (area under the curves for individual movies ranging from 0.62 to 0.73). During these instances, children with ASD more frequently displayed Neutral expressions compared to children without ASD, who had more All Other expressions. The frequency of All Other expressions was driven by non‐ASD children more often displaying raised eyebrows and an open mouth, characteristic of engagement/interest. Preliminary results suggest computational coding of facial movements and expressions via a tablet‐based assessment can detect differences in affective expression, one of the early, core features of ASD. Lay Summary This study tested the use of a tablet in the behavioral assessment of young children with autism. Children watched a series of developmentally appropriate movies and their facial expressions were recorded using the camera embedded in the tablet. Results suggest that computational assessments of facial expressions may be useful in early detection of symptoms of autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive Youth Development (PYD) is an approach that promotes resilience and focuses on youth strengths rather than their weaknesses as done by the traditional deficit-based perspective. Research in Europe and North America show that developmental assets are associated with school success, psychological well-being, and lower health risks among youth and young adults. However, not much research has been done on these associations in Latin American contexts. The purpose of this research study is to assess the association between substance use behaviors, such as drunkenness and the use of illicit drugs, and mental health, together with the mediating role of developmental assets representing youth strengths (e.g., social competence) and contextual resources (e.g., social support at home or school). Cross-national data was collected from Colombian (n = 210; 70.4% females) and Peruvian (n = 349; 66.5% females) 1st year university students. Results shed light on the protective role of developmental assets regarding substance use behaviors and mental well-being. Specifically, the results showed direct negative associations between developmental assets and substance use behaviors and positive associations of developmental assets with mental health indicators. Internal assets appear to be a stronger predictor of social, emotional, and psychological well-being compared to external assets. We did not find any statistical significance in the association of substance use behavior and mental health. We discuss implications regarding research, policy, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data for MSM continue to show a high risk of acquiring HIV-STIs. Within this population, outness seems to have an impact on both risk-taking and on health seeking behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between socio-demographic, behavioral characteristics, testing behaviors, and outness level among MSM using data from a multi-center bio-behavioral cross-sectional study carried out in 13 EU cities. A multilevel analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with being open ("out") versus not being open ("in"). A total of 4,901 MSM were enrolled in the study and were classified as "out" in 71% of the cases. MSM "out" were more likely to report HIV testing and being reached by HIV prevention programs compared to MSM who were "in." The results confirm the key role of outness in relation to different healthy and risky behavior, ranging from testing to party-drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Adolescence is considered as a transition period from childhood to adulthood. This transition leads to various types of risk behaviors. Ten percent of adolescents suffer from a chronic illness that can limit their daily activities and which may exhibit higher rates of risk behaviors than those without chronic illnesses. To evaluate the prevalence of risk behaviors in chronically ill adolescents compared to adolescents without chronic illnesses and their associated risk factors. We enrolled 312 patients aged 10–20 years who visited Ramathibodi Hospital from January 2015 to December 2017. There were 161 adolescents with chronic illnesses and 151 without a chronic illness. We used a computer-based program for the Youth Risk Behaviors Survey as well as a confidentiality interview. Statistical analyses included the chi-squared (χ2) and Student's t-tests as appropriate. The risk behaviors in chronically ill adolescents were the following: learning problems, 86.3%; excessive screen time, 62.3%; unintentional injuries, 60.2%; depression, 38.5%; low self-esteem, 18.1%; substance abuse, 13% and sexual behavior, 6.2%. Youths with a chronic illness were more likely to report significantly higher risk of excessive screen time (62.3% vs. 48%, p = 0.01), depression (38.5% vs. 15.9%, p < 0.01) and, also low self-esteem (18.1% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.01) compared to those without chronic illness. These results indicated that adolescents with chronic illnesses engage more in health risk behaviors and are prone to mental health and learning problems. These data emphasize the importance of health risk behavior screening and preventive counseling for young patients with chronic illnesses where these risks might worsen their disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexting is a new kind of sexual interaction among adolescents that has been linked to both psychological problems and sexual risk behaviors. Although studies have examined the relationship between sexting and personality traits, its possible association with character strengths remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to analyze which character strengths may function as protective factors against engagement in sexting, controlling for other variables that might influence this relationship. Adolescents completed questionnaires about technological resources, active sexting, and character strengths. The results from hierarchical regression showed that active sexting was positively related to the strengths of curiosity and humor and negatively related to fairness and authenticity. These findings suggest that school- or family-based programs aimed at preventing sexting should include specific activities that encourage a positive use of curiosity and humor and which seek to promote honesty, respect, fairness, and responsibility in the use of technology for interpersonal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pamukkale University Journal of Education is the property of Pamukkale University Journal of Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Israel, as well as in other countries throughout the world, physical education (PE) classes are included in a school's core program. PE classes are based on physical health concepts and focus on instilling active and healthy lifestyle habits among students. Studies have shown that adolescents ׳ participation in PE classes can lead to a decrease in risk behavior patterns and an increase in involvement in physical activity even outside the school walls. The present study examined the extent to which PE variables in school (love of PE classes, duration of PE classes, and participation in sports) serve as protective factors against risky behaviors (drunkenness, excessive alcohol consumption, and cannabis smoking] among adolescents. Quantitative correlations were based on a secondary analysis of the Health Behavior in School-Age Children Study data from Israel during the years 20182019־. The study population included 4,407 students from the sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades, from the following sectors: state (54%), state-religious (14%), and Arab (32%). Students answered questions about PE and risk behaviors. We found that love for PE and duration of activity in PE were protective factors against the risk behaviors examined. Participation in sports was found to be a protective factor in preventing drunkenness and excessive drinking among teenagers. Policy makers should develop intervention programs as part of the PE lessons to help address the risk behaviors of adolescents, in order to create a healthier future generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Psicoespacios is the property of Institucion Universitaria de Envigado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Adolescents from rural, resource poor regions of the United States have disproportionately higher rates of drug and alcohol misuse, which may lead to increased sexual risk behaviors. Adolescents living in both urban and rural areas are major users of smartphones as a source for health information. Yet, the quality and accuracy of some Internet sites tend to be unreliable. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of adolescents from a rural region in the southeastern United States regarding health and social concerns to inform the development of a risk reduction application for smartphone use. This study used a qualitative descriptive design guided by the Theory of Triadic Influence. The research team was composed of community partners, faculty, and students from a mid-Atlantic university. Forty-nine adolescents (18 boys and 31 girls) participated in one of five mixed-gender focus groups; they were predominantly Black and Latino, with a mean age of 13.8. Content and thematic analysis led to three interrelated themes: Family as Nexus, Unlevel Playing Field, and Threats to Safety and Security. Structural (racism and bullying) and proximal (neighborhood, family and peers) determinants of health were congruent with other recent reports. Snapchat and Instagram were the most popular social media platforms used. Using a contextual approach, we analyzed the daily experiences of ethnic minority adolescents to inform the development of a risk reduction mobile health application. Community-academic partnerships with engaged youth can assist in smartphone application development and beta testing. Highlights: The Theory of Triadic Influence illustrated contexts of adolescent decision-making. Adolescents made decisions in the contexts of racism, poverty, and violence. Contextual elements provided a holistic approach to mobile health applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well established that heavy episodic drinking (HED) behavior, or four drinks per sitting for women and five or more for men, is a health risk behavior with personal and public health-related costs. There is also evidence of race and sex-based gaps in engagement with White Americans and males consuming more than their Black American and female counterparts. A sociological analysis of these disparities is needed to center racism and gender oppression as contextual factors reproducing trends in use. The current study examines these trends using the Doing Difference framework. According to this framework, dramaturgical performances of race, class and gender guide everyday interactions. The sample includes White and African Americans, ages 18–25, and tests results from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health for the impact of race, sex and gender orientation on engagement in HED behavior. Results suggest that male sex, fulltime employment, and masculine gender orientation promote HED behavior among White Americans; while race, a deterrent, is the only social factor with a significant influence on African American emerging adults. Highlights: There are trends along racial lines in alcohol consumption in emerging adulthood. White Americans are significantly more likely to consume alcohol than their African American counterparts. Masculine gender expression increases the likelihood of alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk behaviors associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people living with HIV (PLWH) have not been well characterized in the US military. We identified risk behaviors associated with a new STI in this population after the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." US Military HIV Natural History Study participants who completed the risk behavior questionnaire (RBQ) between 2014 and 2017 and had at least 1 year of follow-up were included (n = 1589). Logistic regression identified behaviors associated with incident STI in the year following RBQ completion. Overall, 18.9% acquired an STI and 52.7% reported condom use at last sexual encounter. Compared with those with no new sex partners, participants with between one and four or five or more new partners were 1.71 [1.25–2.35] and 6.12 [3.47–10.79] times more likely to get an STI, respectively. Individuals reporting low or medium/high perceived risk of STI were 1.83 [1.23–2.72] and 2.65 [1.70–4.15] times more likely to acquire a new STI than those reporting no perceived risk, respectively. Participants who preferred not to answer about sexual preference, number of new partners, or perceived STI risk were also more likely to acquire a new STI. Our study illustrates that despite regular access to health care and accurate perceptions of risk, rates of STI among PLWH remain high in the US military setting, as in others. Given the potential individual and public health consequences of STI coinfection after HIV, more work is needed to assess interventions aimed at sexual behavior change for PLWH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many parents continue to parent their emerging-adult children, but what becomes developmentally appropriate for such children differs from that of earlier ages. In addition, culture and context shape parenting and in turn child outcomes. Among an adolescent sample, higher-SES youth engage in higher levels of risk behaviors to manage the pressures they face from trying to live up to their parents' high expectations for achievement compared to low- and middle-SES youth. Researchers have not yet examined the role of SES on emerging adults' likelihood of engaging in risk behaviors in response to controlling parenting. Therefore, the current study explored the role of SES on the associations among emerging adults' perceptions of their parents' parenting behaviors (i.e., behavioral control, psychological control, and helicopter parenting) and change in their own risk behaviors. Undergraduate students (N = 551; Mage = 19.87, SD = 2.00; 60.6% women; 61% European American; 28.6% higher-SES) from four universities throughout the U.S. completed both waves of the study. Participants completed scales on each of their parents' behavioral control, psychological control, and helicopter parenting, as well as a self-report measure of their own engagement in risk behaviors. Results indicated that maternal and paternal psychological control were associated positively with change in risk behaviors. Additionally, maternal and paternal behavioral control were associated with greater change in risk behaviors for higher-SES, but not lower-SES emerging adults. The findings provide new insights into the role of SES on the differential influence of parental behavioral control, psychological control, and helicopter parenting on change in emerging adults' risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although both school bullying and sexual harassment have been widely studied, there is little research comparing their prevalence and impact within a single sample. The present study investigated three research questions: (a) What is the prevalence of bullying compared with sexual harassment in high school, and how does prevalence differ across gender, grade, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status? (b) How is bullying associated with student well-being indicators, as compared with sexual harassment? (c) What is the association of just a single experience of sexual harassment with student distress? Method: A statewide survey of 85,750 students (Grades 9–12) in 322 high schools reported how many times in the past school year they had experienced different types of bullying and sexual harassment. Participants also reported about mental health, risk behaviors, academic achievement, student engagement, and feelings of safety. Results: Sexual harassment was slightly more prevalent than bullying, but both demonstrated meaningful associations with student well-being indicators. Even a single experience of sexual harassment was associated with higher student distress, with experiences of sexual rumors being the most distressing. Conclusions: Researchers should be aware that bullying and sexual harassment are prevalent in schools and associated with negative well-being indicators. Attention to either alone would not yield an adequate assessment of adolescent victimization experiences, and prevention efforts should consider both forms of aggression to provide safer, healthier learning environments for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drowning remains the third leading cause of unintentional injury death for adolescents in the United States. Aims: This study described adolescent swimming lessons, behaviors (life jacket wear while boating) and comfort (swimming in deep water) and their association with protective and risk factors and risk-taking behaviors reported by Washington State students in Grades 8, 10, 12, primarily comprised of youth ages 13 to 18 years. Methods: This study used the 2014 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS), a publicly available dataset. Results: Most students reported having had swimming lessons, using life jackets, and comfort in deep water. Differences reflected racial, ethnic and socioeconomic disparities: being White or Caucasian, speaking English at home and higher maternal education. Lowest rates of comfort in deep water were among Hispanics or Latino/Latinas followed by Blacks or African Americans. Greater life jacket wear while boating was reported by females, those in lower grades and negatively associated with alcohol consumption, sexual activity and texting while driving. Having had swimming lessons was associated with fewer risk-taking behaviors. Conclusions: The HYS was useful to benchmark and identify factors associated with drowning risk among adolescents. It suggests a need to reframe approaches to promote water safety to adolescents and their families. Multivariate analysis of this data could identify the key determinants amongst the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities noted and provide stronger estimation of risk-taking and protective behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 80% of new cases of myopia arise between 9 and 13 years old when puberty development also progresses rapidly. However, little is known about the association between myopia and puberty. We aim to evaluate the association between myopia and menarche, the most important puberty indicator for girls, and to test whether menarche could modify the effects of myopia-related behaviors. The participants came from two consecutive national surveys conducted in 30 provinces in mainland China in 2010 and 2014. We included 102,883 girls (61% had experienced menarche) aged 10–15 years. Risk behaviors for myopia which included sleep duration, homework time, and outdoor activity were measured by self-administrated questionnaire. Myopia was defined according to a validated method, and its relationships with menarche status and behaviors were evaluated by robust Poisson regression models based on generalized estimated equation adjusting for cluster effect of school. We found that postmenarche girls were at 13% (95% confidence interval: 11%–16%) higher risk of myopia than premenarche girls, after adjusting for exact age, urban–rural location, survey year, and four behavioral covariates. Short sleep duration (<7 h/d), long homework time (>1 h/d) and low frequency of weekend outdoor activity tended to be stronger (with higher prevalence ratios associated with myopia) risk factors for myopia in postmenarche girls than in premenarche girls, and their interaction with menarche status was all statistically significant (P < 0.05). Overall, our study suggests that menarche onset may be associated with increased risk of myopia among school-aged girls and could also enhance girls' sensitivity to myopia-related risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with disabilities are an important target population for HIV prevention and treatment programs. In this study, we examined the prevalence of HIV-related risk behaviors and HIV testing among people with visual and/or hearing impairments in the United States, and compared with people without any impairments. The study was a secondary data analysis of the 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We performed weighted descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses to determine the association between ever testing for HIV and sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, and HIV-related risk behaviors. The prevalence of HIV-related risk behaviors was 7.1% (95%CI = 5.4–8.8), 3.9% (95%CI = 3.0–4.9), 3.5% (95%CI = 1.5–5.4), and 5.9% (95%CI = 5.7–6.1) among those with visual, hearing, both visual and hearing, and no impairments, respectively. HIV testing among those with visual impairment was 39.7% (95%CI = 37.0–42.3) and 28.9% (95%CI = 27.3–30.5) among those with hearing impairment. Approximately 26.8% (95%CI = 21.4–32.2) of the respondents with both impairments and 38.0% (95%CI = 37.6–38.3) of those with no impairments had ever tested for HIV. In the adjusted models, the factors associated with HIV testing varied across the subgroups, with only age, race/ethnicity, and HIV-related risk behaviors common to all the four subgroups. Compared with those without any impairments, the odds of ever testing for HIV was significantly higher among respondents with hearing impairment (aOR = 1.3, 95%CI = 1.14–1.38), after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, and HIV-related risk behaviors. Targeted interventions that will meet the unique needs of people with visual and/or hearing impairments are required to reduce HIV-related risk behaviors and improve uptake of HIV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This cross-sectional study assessed the prevalence of self-reported noncompliance with mandatory seatbelt-use law and examined the factors associated with noncompliance with seatbelt-use while driving in adult working population in Kuwait. Methods: During October 2017, 822 adults aged 21–60 years from 11 government ministries and departments were enrolled in this study. Data were collected using a pre-tested, structured, and self-administered questionnaire. We computed the prevalence of self-reported noncompliance with mandatory seatbelt-use law while driving and evaluated the factors associated with noncompliance with seatbelt-use law while driving using a multivariable log-binomial regression model. The adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using model's parameters' estimates. Results: Of 822 participants, 64.4% were females, 56.6% were 21 to 30 years old, 86.5% were Kuwaitis, and 70.3% had college and/or university level education. The prevalence of self-reported noncompliance with mandatory seatbelt-use law while driving was 55.5%, whereas the prevalence of noncompliance with self-reported mandatory use seatbelt as a passenger was 80.9%. Multivariable log-binomial regression model showed that after adjusting for the influence of other variables in the model, participants were more likely to be noncompliers with mandatory seatbelt law while driving, if they believed that seatbelt does not protect against injuries during road traffic crashes (RTC) (adjusted PR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.06–1.37; p = 0.004) or if they were ever fined for not wearing seatbelt (adjusted PR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.24–1.47; p < 0.001). Furthermore, participants were significantly more likely to be noncompliers with mandatory seatbelt law while driving, if they were unaware of implemented mandatory seatbelt law in Kuwait (adjusted PR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.04–1.19; p = 0.003). Conclusions: The prevalence of noncompliance with mandatory seatbelt-use law in the adult working population of Kuwait is considerably high. Being unaware of mandatory seatbelt use law, belief that seatbelt does not protect during RTC, and having ever been fined in the past for not having seatbelt on while driving were significant predictors of noncompliance with seatbelt-use law. These results warrant the focused mass education and rigorous enforcement of seatbelt-use law while driving. These strategies are likely to enhance the adherence to seatbelt-use law and minimize RTCs related injuries and mortality among adult drivers in this and other similar settings in the region. If implemented, future studies may look at the impact of such interventions on RTCs related frequency and severity of injuries in this and other similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Values have been defined as trans-situational goals that serve as guiding principles in people's life to select modes, means, and actions. Despite values being relevant predictors of behaviors, their role in shaping adolescents' gambling ones has been under investigated. Specifically, the present study aimed at exploring whether and which values may be protective or risk factors for gambling behaviors, this also considering gender differences. Respondents were 237 adolescents (aged from 14 to 19; 58.2% female), recruited from three Italian high schools, who were asked to fill in a self-report and anonymous online questionnaire investigating their values and gambling behaviors. Specifically, the Portrait Values Questionnaire and the South Oaks Gambling Screen: Revised for Adolescents were used. Results showed that males were keener to adopt more frequently gambling behaviors, this also being more problematic, compared to their female counterparts. Despite conservation and openness to change values seem not to influence gambling behaviors, self-transcendence and self-enhancement values respectively negatively and positively predict gambling problems. More interestingly, self-transcendence values seem to work better as protective factors toward the severity of this risk behavior especially for the male subsample. Implications for preventive and promotional interventions with adolescents are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether race (African American (AA) and white) is associated with sleep duration among adults from low socioeconomic (SES) strata and whether SES status, lifestyle behaviors, or health conditions are associated with sleep duration within race-sex groups.Methods: This cross-sectional study includes 78,549 participants from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS). Averaged daily sleep duration was assessed by weighted averages of self-reported sleep duration on weekdays and weekends. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of very short (<5 h/day), short (5-6 h/day), and long sleep (≥9 h/day) associated with pre-selected risk factors in each race-sex group were determined by multinomial logistic models.Results: The prevalence of very short and short sleep was similar among AAs (6.2% and 29.1%) and whites (6.5% and 29.1%). Long sleep was considerably more prevalent among AAs (19.3%) than whites (13.0%). Very short sleep was associated with lower education and family income, with stronger associations among whites. Higher physical activity levels significantly decreased odds for both very short (OR = 0.80) and long sleep (OR = 0.78). Smoking, alcohol use, and dietary intake were not associated with sleep duration. Regardless of race or sex, very short, short, and long sleep were significantly associated with self-reported health conditions, especially depression (ORs were 2.06, 1.33, and 1.38, respectively).Conclusions: Sleep duration patterns differed between AAs and whites from the underrepresented SCCS population with low SES. Sleep duration was associated with several socioeconomic, health behaviors, and health conditions depending on race and sex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many risks (eg, climate change, poor health, plastic pollution) can be the result of human behaviors. Although anthropogenic risk creation is rarely intentional, it is still possible that in many circumstances individuals will recognize some degree of personal responsibility for creating the risk and, therefore, may perceive a moral obligation to manage that risk (eg, reducing carbon emissions, eating a low-fat diet, boycotting single-use plastics). However, the extent to which risk management behaviors are motivated by self-attribution for risk creation has received little empirical attention. To address this issue, a study was conducted in which participants responded to three scenarios (road safety, environmental, animal welfare) that each described a situation in which a particular risk developed and in which the participant's liability for creating the risk varied. Participants then responded to measures of self-attribution for risk creation, perceived risk, objective liability, guilt, moral standards and willingness to manage the risk. A multiple regression showed that the only significant predictor of the participant's willingness to manage the risk was self-attribution for risk creation. Moreover, further analysis showed that the positive relationship between self-attribution for risk creation and the willingness to manage the risk was moderated by perceived risk. Hence, individuals who accept greater responsibility for creating a risk may be more willing to engage in actions to manage that risk, and his/her willingness is also likely to increase as his/her perception of the risk increases. These findings provide new insights into the motivational forces underlying risk management behaviors and highlights important directions for future research and risk communication strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood abuse has been linked to problematic drinking in adulthood. It is also documented that people living with HIV have higher rates of alcohol use than the general population. In Haiti, a total of 25% of women living with HIV have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA), which puts them at an increased risk for alcohol abuse. CSA has also been associated with anxiety disorders in adulthood. Therefore, it is critical to understand the relationship between CSA, anxiety, and alcohol use among women living with HIV. A total of 244 women living with HIV participated in this study, with 35% reporting CSA. Alcohol abuse was measured with the AUDIT, anxiety with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test, and sexual abuse with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Compared to participants who did not experience childhood sexual abuse, participants who experienced childhood sexual abuse reported greater levels of alcohol use [(17.0, SD = 9.1) (11.9, SD = 8.6) p =.001] and anxiety [(55.8, SD = 9.8) (48.9 SD = 8.3) p =.001] respectively. The indirect effect of anxiety on the association between CSA and alcohol use was significant [(ß =.19 p =.05) 95% bootstrap CI.019 –.13] Thus, women who reported being sexually abused as children reported anxiety, which in turn, was associated with an increased risk for alcohol abuse. Results demonstrate that alcohol may be used as a negative coping mechanism to alleviate anxiety symptoms triggered by CSA. These findings elucidate the need for further research examining the impact that sexual trauma has on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis study to better understand the factors (being drug use, drug type (methamphetamine vs others), sex partner, frequency of injection, homelessness and being HIV positive) associated with injecting-related risk behaviors (lending and/or borrowing already used syringes) among people who inject drugs (PWID). We searched the English language citations in PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Cochrane electronic databases for previous studies on risk behaviors among PWID. Two independent researchers reviewed all search results, screened for eligibility and extracted data independently. A meta-analysis was conducted with pooled odds ratio and the 95% confidence intervals for factors associated with injecting risk behaviors among PWID. After detailed assessment of the citations, we included 14 studies in our meta-analysis. Binge drug use (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.06–1.71) and drug type (methamphetamine vs. others) (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.22–1.77) were positively associated with the borrowing of already used syringes among PWID. We also found that drug type (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.16–1.64) and homelessness (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.27–2.51) had a positive association with the lending of already used syringes among PWID. Additionally, being HIV positive was negatively associated with the lending of used syringes among PWID (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.37–0.63). This systematic review and meta-analysis supports harm-reduction initiatives especially the establishment and maintenance of sterile needle syringe programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to educate secondary school students on etiology, risk factors, clinical features, treatment, and prevention of scabies; to evaluate their knowledge base on scabies before and after an educational intervention; and to reassess this knowledge base and behavioral change, 6 months after, on a second visit. Methods: Questionnaires with standard questions on scabies, graded to a maximum score of 10, were administered to students in junior secondary Classes 1 and 2 across 4 states in Nigeria. Information obtained included subjects' demographics, scabies symptomatology, risks, and preventive behaviors. Students with active scabies were diagnosed and treated. Data were analyzed with STATA. Results: The mean test scores for the pretest and posttest at first visit were 2.82 ± 1.38 and 6.30 ± 1.09, respectively. This difference was statistically significant at t = 3.95, P = 0.004. Six months later, when the same schools were re-visited, the mean test scores for the pretest and posttest were 4.63 ± 0.54 and 5.87 ± 0.25, respectively. This difference was also significant at t = 4.13, P = 0.003. The prevalence of scabies was 3.5% at first visit and 4.34% at second visit; t = 0.24, P = 0.41. Conclusions: Secondary school students lack basic education on scabies and exhibit high-risk behaviors for scabies transmission. Knowledge on scabies needs constant reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychotic experiences (PE), below the threshold of psychotic disorder, are common in the general population. PE are associated with risk behaviors such as suicidality, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and substance use. However, PE as specific or causal phenomena of these risk behaviors are still debated. We aimed to examine the longitudinal trajectories of PE from preadolescence to adolescence and their associated risk behaviors in adolescence. A total of 1138 adolescents from the Copenhagen Child Cohort 2000 were assessed for PE and risk behaviors (NSSI, suicide ideation and -attempts and substance use) at age 11 and 16 years, along with measures of general psychopathology and depressive symptoms specifically. Self-reported impact of general psychopathology tended to be associated with more PE persistence. PE were associated with all risk behaviors in cross section at both follow-ups. Persistent PE from ages 11 to 16 and incident PE at age 16 were associated with risk behaviors at age 16, whereas remitting PE from age 11 to 16 were not. After adjustment for co-occurring depressive symptoms and general psychopathology, all associations were markedly reduced. After exclusion of preadolescents who already had expressed risk behavior at age 11, PE in preadolescence did not stand out as an independent predictor of incident adolescent risk behaviors. The current study suggests that PE in preadolescence and adolescence may not play a direct causal role regarding NSSI, suicidality, and substance use. However, PE are still useful clinical markers of severity of psychopathology and associated risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current body of literature on the HIV knowledge related to young adult Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals residing in the United States is substantially underdeveloped. As the number of MENA individuals residing in the US continues to rise, there remains a need for research investigating the levels of general HIV knowledge for this unique group. An exploratory cross-sectional design was used for an anonymous online survey of MENA adults ages 18–35 (n = 198) residing in the United States concerning their levels of HIV knowledge. Results showed that less than fifty percent (46.40%) of the sample reported adequate knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention methods. Multiple regression analyses indicate that prior sexual health education, prior HIV testing, a four-year college degree and identification as a Muslim predicted higher HIV knowledge. These findings may assist with the development of MENA specific HIV prevention and education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Adolescents with chronic disease are as likely to exhibit risk-taking behavior as their peers. The aim was to investigate the risk behaviors of adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and the effect of orthorexic eating behaviors (OEB) on glycemic control (GC). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 107 adolescents with T1D, aged between 13-18 years and attending high school. The Risk Behavior Scale (RBS) and Orthorexic Behavior Scale (ORTO-11) were administered. A high RBS score indicates risky behavior; a low ORTO-11 score suggests a tendency to OEB. Participants hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) status was used to assess GC: optimal GC (HbA1c =7%); or poor GC (HbA1c >7%). Results: Among females, those with poor GC had significantly lower (p=0.031) ORTO-11 scores than those with optimal GC, which was not the case in males. A significant correlation (r=0.358, p<0.001) was found between HbA1c and total RBS, eating habits subscale, and suicidal tendency subscale scores. Participants with poor GC had significantly higher eating habits subscale, alcohol use, and tobacco use subscale scores (p<0.05). Among females, total RBS and suicidal tendency subscale score was found to be significantly higher in those with poor GC; among males, alcohol subscale score was found to be significantly higher in those with poor GC. Conclusion: This study is the first to show the effect of the tendency for OEB on GC among female adolescents with T1D. The study showed that, along with inappropriate eating behaviors, adolescents with T1D should also be assessed for other risk behaviors to help achieve optimal GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To characterize the profile and pattern of alcohol consumption in adolescents, admitted with acute alcoholic intoxication (AAI) at a pediatric emergency department of North Portugal. Methods Retrospective descriptive study of adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years, admitted with AAI between 2012 and 2016. The following variables were evaluated: age, gender, drinking context, quantity and type of alcohol, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), previous episodes, associated injuries, transport to the emergency department, other drug consumption, blood alcohol level (BAL), blood glucose level, treatment and orientation. The χ2/Fisher's exact test and t-Student test were performed (p < 0.05). Results A total of 180 adolescents with AAI presented. The majority of adolescents were older than 15 years old (71%) and 3% were younger than 14 years old. The mean age was 15.9 years [standard deviation (SD) 1.1 years] and 65% were males. The most common type of alcohol consumed was distilled drinks (60%). Recurrent alcohol use was identified in 7% and binge drinking was reported in 37% of patients. The mean BAL was 1.58 g/L (SD 0.6 g/L) and there were other drug consumptions (mainly cannabinoids) observed in 11% of patients. After emergency department discharge, 17% were followed at hospital consultation. There was no significant difference between boys and girls or between BAL and injuries or other drugs consumption. Conclusion This study confirms a high rate of alcohol use among adolescents, in particular "heavy episodic drinking", revealing an easy access to alcohol at this age. The integration of alcohol use prevention programs in community and education systems should be encouraged and implemented in every adolescent consultation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is by definition an "age of risk", irrelevant if you substantiate such a claim experientially or empirically. Mid-adolescence is the period where the processes of both neural and socio-emotional maturation are linked with an increase in both exploratory and health-risk behaviors. The present study, using a cross-sectional approach, investigates aspects of intra and interpersonal processes in relationship to risk behaviors and risk perceptions, and tries to link these constructs to student engagement. The study-sample consisted of 107 9th to 12th graders from three Romanian counties. The measures used were self-reports, appraising intrapersonal configurations (Beck Self-Concept Test), interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems), and social and school adjustment (Social Adjustment Scale - Self Report). Risk behaviors and perception were measured with the Adolescent Exploratory and Risk Behavior Rating Scale (AERRS). The main research finding was that student engagement with school is in direct relationship with a better self-concept, more exploratory risk behaviors and a more adequate social adjustment. A puzzling result, explained probably better by the dual-process theory of behavior, is the relationship of risk perception to selfconcept and interpersonal problems (id est - a greater risk perception is correlated with a more fragile self-concept and more interpersonal problems). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reward sensitivity (fun-seeking) is a risk factor for a wide range of high-risk behaviors. While high socioeconomic status (SES) is known to reduce reward sensitivity and associated high-risk behaviors, less is known about the differential effects of SES on reward sensitivity. It is plausible to expect weaker protective effects of family SES on reward sensitivity in racial minorities, a pattern called Minorities' Diminished Returns (MDRs). Aim: We compared Caucasian and African American (AA) children for the effects of subjective family SES on children's fun-seeking. Methods: This was a cross-sectional analysis of 7061 children from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The independent variable was subjective family SES. The main outcome was children's fun-seeking measured by the behavioral approach system (BAS) and behavioral avoidance system (BIS). Age, gender, marital status, and household size were the covariates. Results: In the overall sample, high subjective family SES was associated with lower levels of fun-seeking. We also found a statistically significant interaction between race and subjective family SES on children's fun-seeking in the overall sample, suggesting that high subjective family SES is associated with a weaker effect on reducing fun-seeking among AA than Caucasian children. In race-stratified models, high subjective family SES was protective against fun-seeking of Caucasian but not AA children. Conclusion: Subjective family SES reduces the fun-seeking for Caucasian but not AA children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transgender individuals' cancer prevalence and transgender cancer survivors' health needs have received scarce attention. The current study compared transgender and cisgender individuals' cancer prevalence and described the health needs of transgender cancer survivors.Methods: The authors used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data on 95,800 cisgender and transgender individuals who self-reported a cancer diagnosis. Using multiple logistic regression, they estimated cancer prevalence and calculated odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of physical, psychological, overall health, and health behaviors of transgender survivors compared with cisgender survivors.Results: After adjusting for confounders, transgender men had a significantly higher (>2-fold) number of cancer diagnoses compared with cisgender men, but not cisgender women. Cancer prevalence among gender nonconforming individuals and transgender women was not significantly different from that of cisgender men and cisgender women. Gender nonconforming survivors had significantly greater physical inactivity, heavy episodic alcohol use, and depression compared with cisgender men and cisgender women. Transgender men survivors were significantly more likely to report poor physical health and greater medical comorbidities and were less likely to report smoking compared with cisgender men and cisgender women. Transgender women survivors were significantly more likely to report diabetes compared with cisgender men and cisgender women and were more likely to report cardiovascular disease compared with cisgender women.Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of the higher prevalence of cancer among transgender men and a potential survivorship bias among transgender individuals. Transgender survivors have considerable variation in their risk profile. Clinicians and health services can target gender nonconforming survivors' depression and health behaviors to improve survival and should address the complex comorbidities of transgender men and transgender women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a significant gap between the prevalence of child and adolescent mental illness in Mexico and access to mental health services, especially those that are evidence-based. School-based interventions can significantly narrow this gap. Objective: The study evaluated the effectiveness of the interventions Dejando Huellitas en tu Vida (Leaving Traces on Your Life [Huellitas]) and Criando con Amor, Promoviendo Armonía y Superación en México (Raising Children with Love, Promoting Harmony and Self-Improvement [CAPAS-Mx]). Methods: Participants were 215 caregivers (Mage = 38.4 years, SD = 8.9, 82.9% women) and 202 children (Mage = 8.6 years, SD = 1.3, 44.06% girls) from four public schools randomly assigned to four experimental conditions (Huellitas, CAPAS-Mx, Huellitas-CAPAS-Mx, and Control) with pre-test and post-test assessments. Results: Caregivers in the multicomponent condition reported significantly lower scores in child externalizing problems and higher scores in discipline, skills encouragement, social adaptation, emotional control and prosocial behavior than caregivers in the control group. There were also improvements in parents' use of effective discipline and skills encouragement in the CAPAS-Mx group over the control group. Among the children, only those in the Huellitas condition showed a decrease in mediation. Conclusions: Findings support the implementation of the multicomponent intervention in public school settings. Registry ID: ISRCTN11345846, at https://www.isrctn.com/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to ACEs are associated with multiple negative consequences, which can increase the risk of obesity through different mechanisms. However, the mechanism between early traumatic events and adult obesity is not known yet. A recent literature review suggested that eating behavior disorder or psychological reactions to a traumatic experience may represent an additional risk for adult obesity. The aime of this study was to explore the relationship between the adverse childhood experiences and eating behavior in adult life. It was hypothesited that the adverse childhood experiences will predict te predisposition for eating disorders. The results revealed that those with a higher level of ACE tend to be predisposed to eating disorders. These results are in line with those that revealed that emotional abuse, physical neglect and sexual abuse as forms of childhood trauma were found to be significant predictors of eating psychopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]