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Vocational rehabilitation (VR) for persons surviving traumatic or acquired brain injuries, especially in the form of supported employment, is relatively new to the insurance companies, state VR agencies, and private rehabilitation organizations that fund and deliver services to these consumers. Advances in medical technology and therapeutic intervention and the resultant increase in rates of survival and community re-entry among these people over the past decade have been the primary reasons for their increased demand of VR services. The growing demand of survivors for supported employment services in particular springs in large measure from their desire to return to the world of work which they inhabited prior to their injury, rather than the sheltered work settings so often prescribed for them due to their need for more struture and support in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Appalachian residents are more likely than other populations to have Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and to experience more severe complications from the disease, including excess and premature mortality., Methods: This study examines health alongside sociodemographic factors, psychosocial factors (including knowledge, empowerment, social support/function, religiosity, distress), and perceived problems in diabetes management that may influence self-care and HbA1c among vulnerable rural residents. A survey of a community-based sample of 356 adults with diagnosed diabetes or HbA1c > 6.5 was conducted in six counties in Appalachian Kentucky., Results: Findings suggest that neither religiosity nor social support/function mediate/moderate the relationship between psychosocial factors and dependent variables (problem areas in diabetes, T2DM self-care or HbA1c). Results also suggest that distress is a predictor of problem areas in diabetes, and both distress and empowerment are predictors of T2DM self-care., Implications: This study addresses the gap in the literature concerning the influence of psychosocial factors on problem areas in diabetes, T2DM self-care and HbA1c among vulnerable rural residents, as well as the potential mediating/modifying effects of religiosity and social function/support. Future research is needed to inform strategies for identifying and addressing distress among vulnerable populations burdened by T2DM, including Appalachian adults., Competing Interests: No competing financial or editorial interests were reported by the authors of this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Brittany L. Smalls, Md. Tofial Azam, Madeline Dunfee, Philip M. Westgate, Susan C. Westneat, and Nancy Schoenberg.)

Background: Compared with national averages, rural Appalachians experience extremely elevated rates of premature morbidity and mortality. New opportunities, including approaches incorporating personal technology, may help improve lifestyles and overcome health inequities., Objective: This study aims to gather perspectives on whether a healthy lifestyle intervention, specifically an app originally designed for urban users, may be feasible and acceptable to rural residents. In addition to a smartphone app, this program-Make Better Choices 2-consists of personalized health coaching, accelerometer use, and financial incentives., Methods: We convened 4 focus groups and 16 key informant interviews with diverse community stakeholders to assess perspectives on this novel, evidence-based diet and physical activity intervention. Participants were shown a slide presentation and asked open-ended follow-up questions. The focus group and key informant interview sessions were audiotaped, transcribed, and subjected to thematic analysis., Results: We identified 3 main themes regarding Appalachian residents' perspectives on this mobile health (mHealth) intervention: personal technology is feasible and desirable; challenges persist in implementing mHealth lifestyle interventions in Appalachian communities; and successful mHealth interventions should include personal connections, local coaches, and educational opportunities. Although viewed as feasible and acceptable overall, lack of healthy lifestyle awareness, habitual behavior, and financial constraints may challenge the success of mHealth lifestyle interventions in Appalachia. Finally, participants described several minor elements that require modification, including expanding the upper age inclusion, providing extra coaching on technology use, emphasizing personal and supportive connections, employing local coaches, and ensuring adequate educational content for the program., Conclusions: Blending new technologies, health coaching, and other features is not only acceptable but may be essential to reach vulnerable rural residents., (©Nancy Schoenberg, Madeline Dunfee, Hannah Yeager, Matthew Rutledge, Angela Pfammatter, Bonnie Spring. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (http://formative.jmir.org), 26.02.2021.)

Background: Adult smoking prevalence in Central Appalachia is the highest in the United States, yet few epidemiologic studies describe the smoking behaviors of this population. Using a community-based approach, the Mountain Air Project (MAP) recruited the largest adult cohort from Central Appalachia, allowing us to examine prevalence and patterns of smoking behavior., Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiologic study of 972 participants aged 21 years and older was undertaken 2015-2017, with a response rate of 82%. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals for current smoking (compared to nonsmokers) were computed for the entire cohort then stratified by multiple characteristics, including respiratory health. Adjusted prevalence ratios for current smoking versus not smoking were also computed., Results: MAP participants reported current smoking prevalence (33%) more than double the national adult smoking prevalence. Current smoking among participants with a reported diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema was 51.5 and 53.3%, respectively. Compared to participants age 65 years and older, those age 45 years or younger reported double the prevalence of smoking (PR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.51-2.74). Adjusted analyses identified younger age, lower education, unmet financial need, and depression to be significantly associated with current smoking., Conclusions: Despite declining rates of smoking across the United States, smoking remains a persistent challenge in Central Appalachia, which continues to face marked disparities in education funding and tobacco control policies that have benefitted much of the rest of the nation. Compared with national data, our cohort demonstrated higher rates of smoking among younger populations and reported a greater intensity of cigarette use.

Background: Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders among women in midlife, is associated with multiple negative health outcomes. Rural Appalachian women are disproportionately affected by insufficient sleep, but their barriers to care ( e.g. , health care shortages, cultural norms) may prevent intervention. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi) an Internet-based version of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in Appalachian women ages 45+ years. Materials and Methods: We used mixed methods to assess feasibility (through summaries of recruitment and retention data) and acceptability (quantitatively through online survey scales and qualitatively through interviews). Subject-level responses for satisfaction, adherence, and helpfulness scales were averaged over the multiple response domains and reported as percentages. Interviews were transcribed and coded using a multistage coding process. Results: Forty-six women (average age 55 years) enrolled; 38 completed the SHUTi program (retention = 82.6%). The majority of participants (61%) indicated that SHUTi made things "somewhat better" or "a lot better." Seventy-six percent reported that they followed the SHUTi protocol "most of the time" or "consistently." Most participants (84%) ranked SHUTi as "moderately" or "very" helpful. Participants expressed enthusiasm about SHUTi and offered minor suggestions for improvement. Conclusions: This study was the first to asses SHUTi in the health disparity population of Appalachian women. Rich insights gained through quantitative and qualitative data suggest that SHUTi was feasible and acceptable for middle-aged Appalachian women. Given rural Appalachian women's documented barriers to utilizing technology, these results hold promise for SHUTi's utility in other rural populations. Future research should incorporate a randomized case-control design within a larger sample and consider participants' suggestions for improvement., Competing Interests: The project funders had no role in the design, methods, subject recruitment, data collection or analysis, or preparation of the article. We have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (© Mairead Eastin Moloney et al. 2020 Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.)

Appalachian Kentucky reports some of the highest rates of respiratory illness in the United States, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. While smoking rates are high in the region, unexplained variation remains, and community-engaged research approaches are warranted to identify contributing factors. The Mountain Air Project's community advisory board recommended that investigators invite youth to provide their perspectives on possible contributing factors to respiratory illness, and we undertook an exploratory study to determine the utility of photovoice to elicit such perspectives with this population. While photovoice has been employed for other youth-focused health studies in Appalachia, to our knowledge, this work represents the region's first environmental study using photovoice among youth. Over eight weeks, ten participants (age 12-18) represented their perspectives through photographs and accompanying narratives. A brief thematic content analysis of the youth narratives that accompanied the photos revealed three primary themes of environmental determinants of respiratory illness. These themes included compromises community members make regarding respiratory health in order to secure a livelihood; tension between cultural legacies and respiratory health; and consequences of geographic forces. This study demonstrates the value of incorporating youth perspectives in environmental health research, and that photovoice was a valuable approach to elicit such perspectives.