Bivariate Relationships Research Articles

The Relations Among Childhood Maltreatment and Later Intimate Partner Violence Victimization With and Without a Weapon in a Sample of Pregnant Black Individuals.

Black pregnant and postpartum individuals are at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), and those with a history of childhood maltreatment and IPV are even more likely to be re-victimized during pregnancy. However, it is unknown if specific types of child maltreatment predict later IPV with and without a weapon better than others. The current study sought to (i) document the prevalence of childhood maltreatment and IPV and (ii) examine the relations among types of childhood maltreatment and later IPV with and without a weapon within a sample of Black individuals seeking prenatal care at a large public hospital in the southeastern United States. Participants (n = 186; mean age = 27.2 years, SD = 5.3) completed measures assessing childhood maltreatment and IPV with and without a weapon. Approximately 68.5% of participants (n = 124) endorsed experiencing childhood maltreatment, while 42.6% (n = 78) endorsed experiencing IPV. The bivariate relations among five childhood maltreatment types (i.e., sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect) and IPV with and without a weapon were assessed. All childhood maltreatment subtype scores-except childhood physical neglect-were significantly higher among participants who reported a history of IPV with or without a weapon compared to participants who denied a history of IPV with or without a weapon. Logistic regression models revealed childhood sexual abuse emerged as the only significant predictor of experiencing IPV with a weapon (B = 0.10, p = .003) and IPV without a weapon (B = 0.11, p = .001). For every point increase in childhood sexual abuse subtype score, the odds of experiencing IPV with and without a weapon increased by 10% (OR = 1.10, 95%CI [1.04, 1.18]) and 12% (OR = 1.12, [1.05, 1.20]), respectively. Findings suggest that screening for childhood sexual abuse may provide a critical opportunity for maternity care providers to identify individuals at increased risk for IPV victimization with and without a weapon.

Breastfeeding and non-nutritive sucking habits as covariates of malocclusion in the primary dentition among Tanzanian children: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Studies on the effect of feeding practices and sucking habits on malocclusion traits in the primary dentition of pre-schoolchildren from developing countries are scarce. Purpose: Assessing the association of feeding and sucking habits with malocclusion traits, and the association of malocclusion traits with observed oral functional problems. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey of children aged 3-5 years residing in Kinondoni and Temeke Districts of Dar es Salaam region in Tanzania. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists, SPSS version 21.0. Univariate analysis was applied to generate frequencies of different variables. Cross tabulations and Chi-square statistics were used to assess bivariate relationships and multivariate analyses were performed by multiple logistic regression. Results: Most pre-schoolchildren (82.5%) were breastfed for less than two years. A history of non-nutritive sucking habits was reported in 28.1% of the children, mostly in boys than girls (33.6% versus 21.8%, respectively. The current non-nutritive sucking habits were reported in 17.8% of the participants. Overall, malocclusion traits were most significantly seen in children who were breastfed for less than two years, compared with those who were breastfed for two years or more (48.5% versus 27.3%, respectively). The presence of various malocclusion traits was significantly found among most of the children who had a history of non-nutritive sucking habits, compared with those who had never performed the habits (65.9% versus 38.6 %, respectively). In the logistic regression analyses, children who were breastfed for a shorter duration (<2 years), their probability of being found with different traits of malocclusion in the primary dentition was almost three times that for those who were breastfed for a longer duration (≥ two years). Also, children who were not actively performing non-nutritive sucking habits were less likely to have an open bite compared with those who were actively performing non-nutritive sucking habits. An open bite in children was significantly associated with speech problems (p<0.01) and swallowing with tongue thrusting (p=0.000). Conclusion and recommendations: Most of the children who were breastfed for a shorter duration and children who had non-nutritive sucking habits were found with various malocclusion, compared with those who were breastfed for a longer duration and those who had no non-nutritive sucking habits. It is crucial to recommend exclusive breastfeeding for up to 6 months and continuation of breastfeeding practice, possibly for up to 2 years of age due to its nutritional, immunological, and stomato-gnathic system developmental benefits.

Association Between Park Use and Moderate-to-Vigorous Activity During COVID-19 Years among a Cohort of Low-Income Youth.

Neighborhood parks are important venues to support moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) activity. There has been a noticeable increase promoting physical activity among youth in neighborhood parks. This paper aims to assess the association between park use and MVPA among low-income youth in a large urban area. We recruited a cohort of 434 youth participants during the COVID pandemic years (2020-2022) from low-income households in Washington, D.C. We collected multiple data components: accelerometry, survey, and electronic health record data. We explored the bivariate relationship between the accelerometer-measured daily MVPA time outcome and survey-based park use measures. A mixed-effect model was fitted to adjust the effect estimate for participant-level and time-varying confounders. The overall average daily MVPA time is 16.0min (SD = 12.7). The unadjusted bivariate relation between daily MVPA time and frequency of park visit is 1.3min of daily MVPA time per one day with park visits (p < 0.0001). The model-adjusted estimate is 0.7 daily MVPA minutes for 1day with park visit (p = 0.04). The duration of a typical park visit is not a significant predictor to daily MVPA time with or without adjustments. The initial COVID outbreak in 2020 resulted in a significant decline in daily MVPA time (- 4.7min for 2020 versus 2022, p < 0.0001). Park visit frequency is a significant predictor to low-income youth's daily MVPA time with considerable absolute effect sizes compared with other barriers and facilitators. Promoting more frequent park use may be a useful means to improve low-income youth's MVPA outcome.

Internalized Sexual Stigma and Mental Health Outcomes for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Asian Americans: The Moderating Role of Guilt and Shame.

The literature unequivocally demonstrates that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience disproportionate mental health and social wellbeing impacts. Here, we respond to recent calls for research in the field of sexual minority health to better understand why various overlapping and intersecting identities can further drive health disparities. In this paper, we focus on the specific intersections of ethnicity and sexuality for Asian LGB individuals and the role of internalized stigma in driving poorer mental health outcomes for this group. We recruited 148 LGB Asian participants residing in the United States (Mage = 22.82 years, SD = 4.88) to participate in our online cross-sectional survey in which we collected data on their internalized stigma, levels of guilt and shame about their sexuality, and measures of depression, anxiety, and distress. Contrary to our predictions, there were no bivariate relationships between internalized sexual stigma and any of the mental health outcomes. However, a parallel mediation analysis revealed that guilt, but not shame, mediates the relationship between internalized sexual stigma and all mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) for LGB Asian American individuals. This research highlights the important of exploring additional variables that may exacerbate of protect against poor mental health for individuals with multiple intersecting identities.

Resistance exercise effects on hippocampus subfield volumes and biomarkers of neuroplasticity and neuroinflammation in older adults with low and high risk of mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial

Physical exercise is suggested to promote hippocampal neuroplasticity by increasing circulating neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory factors. Our aim was to explore the interplay between the effect of progressive resistance exercise on blood biomarker levels, hippocampal neurometabolite levels and hippocampal volume in older adults with a low compared to a high risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Seventy apparently healthy male/female older adults (aged 60–85 years old) were randomly allocated to a 12 week lower limb progressive resistance or no intervention, stratified for low (< 26/30) or high (≥ 26/30) Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score, indicating MCI risk. Outcome measures were blood levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) or kynurenine (KYN); hippocampal total and subfield volumes of the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) and 4 (CA4), subiculum, presubiculum, and dentate gyrus measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and hippocampus neurometabolites including total N-acetylaspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mIns), and total creatine (Cr) measured with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). We evaluated the intervention effect, cognitive status effect, their interaction and the bivariate relationship between exercise-induced changes between the outcome measures. Higher kynurenine levels (p = 0.015) and lower subiculum volumes (p = 0.043) were found in older adults with high MCI risk compared to older adults with low MCI risk. Exercise-induced CA1 volume changes were negatively correlated with hippocampal tNAA/mIns level changes (r = -0.605, p = 0.006). This study provides valuable insight in the multifactorial processes related to resistance training in older adults with low or high MCI risk.

Attachment, regulation, and competency in emerging adults: Validating a framework of resilience in a population with adverse childhood experiences

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a pervasive problem linked to a myriad of negative outcomes (e.g., anxiety, depression) across key developmental periods, including emerging adulthood. The attachment, regulation, and competency (ARC) Framework of Resilience offers several factors through which the associations between ACEs and mental health symptoms may be reduced. ObjectiveExamine the utility of the ARC Framework of Resilience among a sample of emerging adults. Participants and SettingData were collected from 289 emerging adults from a large Midwestern University. MethodDescriptive statistics and bivariate relationships were examined. Independent sample t-tests were employed to explore differences in demographics and ARC variables for 4 or more ACEs, clinical anxiety symptoms, and clinical depressive symptoms. A path analysis was fit to examine the structural relationships between ACEs, ARC factors, and anxiety and depression. ResultsVariation in the variables of interest were found across high vs low ACEs and clinical levels of anxiety and depression. ACEs were related to attachment (R2 = 0.10) and competence (R2 = 0.02, but not regulation (R2 = 0.00). Connections between ARC factors and anxiety (R2 = 0.39) and depression (R2 = 0.28) were multifaceted. ConclusionsFindings offer preliminary support for the application of the ARC Framework of Resilience to emerging adults with a history of ACEs.

Pricing Strategies and Consumer Purchase Decision of Products in Department of Marketing, Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa Campus, Nigeria

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between pricing strategies and consumer purchase decision of products in the Department of Marketing, Akwa Ibom State University, Nigeria. The survey research design was used in the study. Data for the study were obtained through questionnaires administered to the respondents. The entire 220 respondents of the Department of Marketing were studied using a census sampling technique. Three hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. Data obtained were analyzed using the descriptive and inferential methods. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, kurtosis and skewness were computed for all research variables while Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) was used to examine the bivariate relationship between research variables. To test the stated hypotheses, multiple linear regression was used and statistical significance was established at 0.05. The findings of the study revealed a significant negative correlation between skimming pricing and consumer purchase decision (r = -.175, p&lt;.05) while both penetrating pricing (r = .326, p&lt;.05) and discount pricing (r = .781, p&lt;.01) were found to have significant positive relationship with consumer purchase decision. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that manufacturers and marketers of products should continuously use a type of pricing strategy that is favorable to consumers to attract repeat purchases and patronage.

Adolescent gaming and parent–child emotional closeness: bivariate relationships in a longitudinal perspective

The aim of this study was to add knowledge of the longitudinal associations between gaming and emotional closeness between parents and their children. We hypothesized that parent–child emotional closeness was linked to less gaming activity over time and that more gaming activity was linked to less parent–child emotional closeness over time. We also tested the moderating effect of child gender on these anticipated links. This study involved a sample of Swedish adolescents, spanning the developmental years from age 12.5 to 17, and included data from two time points (T1; year 2013 and T2; years 2017/2018) with N = 782 participants (T1 Mage = 12.10, SD = 0.40; 49.6% girls). Utilizing a series of Cross-Lagged Panel Models, we found that emotional closeness to both mother and father predicted less time spent on gaming over time. More time spent on gaming predicted less emotional closeness to mother over time. Additionally, gaming activity among girls was specifically related to less emotional closeness to their father over time. Strengthening parent–child relationships and emotional bonds may be crucial in safeguarding adolescents from developing habits of excessive gaming that could potentially pose problems for their psychosocial development.

An Assessment of Oral Health Training in Obstetrical Care in Massachusetts.

Oral health (OH) has significant effects on pregnancy and infant outcomes. This study assesses the perspectives of obstetrical clinicians about OH education and promotion. A fifteen-item survey was developed and circulated to obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) and family medicine (FM) physicians, and other prenatal health clinicians in Massachusetts (MA). Additionally, eight physicians were purposively sampled for in-depth interviews to discuss their experience with prenatal OH training and practice. Bivariate relationships between outcome variables from the survey (e.g., previous OH training, awareness of OH guidelines, asking about OH during prenatal visits) were analyzed along with coding and analysis of the qualitative interview data. The majority (77%) of the 86 survey respondents did not feel well-trained in OH. We found significant associations between being well-trained in OH and: (1) awareness of state guidelines (X2 = 11.85, p < 0.001); (2) asking about OH during prenatal visits (X2 = 9.21, p = 0.002); and (3) routinely referring patients for dental care (X2 = 15.35, p < 0.001). Lack of access to dental insurance and dental professionals were found to be major perceived barriers to care. Responses from the interviews reinforced these findings.

Does respondent motivation affect item-nonresponse for split-ballot designed survey data? Comparative evidence from the European Social Survey

Survey quality would be enhanced if respondents willingly and accurately provided their responses. This seems feasible in ideal interview settings where respondents fully understand questions and provide truthful responses. Therefore, survey outcomes may be impacted by respondents’ feelings during the interview. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is any relationship between respondent motivation, as operationalized by willingness and ability, and the item-nonresponse level for split-ballot designed questions. The 9th round of the European Social Survey (ESS9), a cross-national survey conducted across Europe, is the source of the data. This study assesses item-nonresponse using “don’t know” and “no answer” response choices for a set of questions designed with the split-ballot technique, which has not been dealt with much. In addition to the percentage distribution of item-nonresponse levels, the correlation analysis is used to understand the relationship between respondent motivation and item-nonresponse descriptively. Multivariable analyses use multiple linear regression modeling to explore the impact of respondent motivation on item-nonresponse, controlling for respondent and interviewer characteristics. Furthermore, bivariate relationships between outcome variable and covariates in the models were assessed using design-adjusted Wald-F tests. The findings pointed out that respondent motivation and item-nonresponse have a significant, negative, and moderate association. According to the complex sample design adjusted estimates of the statistical models, it may be able to reduce item-nonresponse with the increased motivation of respondents. This study offers several recommendations for questionnaire design, interviewing techniques, and interviewer evaluations for each respondent at the end.

Self-compassion and self-coldness and their relationship with psychological distress and subjective well-being among community-based Hazaras in Australia.

Hazaras are a newly emerging community in Australia and limited research has explored their mental health. The first aim of this study was to explore levels of psychological distress and subjective well-being reported by Hazaras in Australia, and whether scores on psychosocial variables (self-compassion, self-coldness, acculturation, resilience, spirituality), psychological distress and domains of subjective well-being differed by sociodemographic groups. The second aim had two parts: (a) to examine bivariate relationships between the psychosocial variables, psychological distress and subjective well-being; and (b) to examine whether the psychosocial predictor variables independently contributed to subjective well-being and psychological distress when controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Seventy-two Hazaras (58 men and 14 women), with a mean age of 28.82 years (SD = 8.84) and average length of time residing in Australia of 10.17 years (SD = 4.11), completed an online survey. There were sociodemographic differences in relation to key variables of interest; for example, participants who did not have family members in Australia reported lower levels of global life satisfaction. Moderate negative relationships were found between self-compassion and psychological distress and between self-coldness and subjective well-being. Self-coldness, self-compassion, resilience and acculturation contributed uniquely to psychological distress and subjective well-being when controlling for sociodemographic variables. Although migration programmes that provide permanent residency and allow family members to join refugees in Australia are limited, they appear important. Many of the difficulties facing Hazaras are ongoing, external and beyond their control (e.g. visa status); however, there is a possibility that self-compassion can play a role as a protective factor.

Sources of personal PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy in the MADRES cohort

BackgroundPersonal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is impacted by different sources each with different chemical composition. Determining these sources is important for reducing personal exposure and its health risks especially during pregnancy.ObjectiveIdentify main sources and their contributions to the personal PM2.5 exposure in 213 women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy in Los Angeles, CA.MethodsWe measured 48-hr integrated personal PM2.5 exposure and analyzed filters for PM2.5 mass, elemental composition, and optical carbon fractions. We used the EPA Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model to resolve and quantify the major sources of personal PM2.5 exposure. We then investigated bivariate relationships between sources, time-activity patterns, and environmental exposures in activity spaces and residential neighborhoods to further understand sources.ResultsMean personal PM2.5 mass concentration was 22.3 (SD = 16.6) μg/m3. Twenty-five species and PM2.5 mass were used in PMF with a final R2 of 0.48. We identified six sources (with major species in profiles and % contribution to PM2.5 mass) as follows: secondhand smoking (SHS) (brown carbon, environmental tobacco smoke; 65.3%), fuel oil (nickel, vanadium; 11.7%), crustal (aluminum, calcium, silicon; 11.5%), fresh sea salt (sodium, chlorine; 4.7%), aged sea salt (sodium, magnesium, sulfur; 4.3%), and traffic (black carbon, zinc; 2.6%). SHS was significantly greater in apartments compared to houses. Crustal source was correlated with more occupants in the household. Aged sea salt increased with temperature and outdoor ozone, while fresh sea salt was highest on days with westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean. Traffic was positively correlated with ambient NO2 and traffic-related NOx at residence. Overall, 76.8% of personal PM2.5 mass came from indoor or personal compared to outdoor sources.ImpactWe conducted source apportionment of personal PM2.5 samples in pregnancy in Los Angeles, CA. Among identified sources, secondhand smoking contributed the most to the personal exposure. In addition, traffic, crustal, fuel oil, fresh and aged sea salt sources were also identified as main sources. Traffic sources contained markers of combustion and non-exhaust wear emissions. Crustal source was correlated with more occupants in the household. Aged sea salt source increased with temperature and outdoor ozone and fresh sea salt source was highest on days with westerly winds from the Pacific Ocean.

Predictors of Psychological Distress for Bi + Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bisexual and pansexual (bi+) individuals remain understudied subpopulations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGTBQ+) community, despite experiencing complex stressors and stigma by both LGBTQ + and heterosexual communities. In this study, we used correlation analyses, hierarchical linear regression and moderation analyses to explore the relationships between societal stressors (concern about COVID and discrimination) and a protective factor (social support) in a sample bi + undergraduate and graduate students. The correlation results revealed positive, bivariate relationship between worry about COVID and psychological distress, along with everyday discrimination and psychological distress. The correlation results also revealed a negative bivariate correlation between social support and psychological distress for bi + participants. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that worry about COVID, everyday discrimination and social support were significant predictors of psychological distress for bi + individuals. Finally, moderation analyses revealed that social support moderated the relationship between everyday discrimination and psychological distress but not the relationship between COVID-Worry and Psychological Distress for bi + individuals. Findings from the present study will help inform clinicians of specific risks to bi + individual’s mental health when working with this population, specifically regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sleep, Stress, and Cardiometabolic Health in Women of Childbearing Age with Overweight and Obesity.

Sleep is important for health, but its relationship to cardiometabolic health in women of childbearing age remains unclear. Furthermore, stress, unmet basic needs, and lack of physical activity may be related to disrupted sleep and poor cardiometabolic health in women of childbearing age and these relationships may differ by ethnicity. The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationship between sleep, markers of cardiometabolic health, stress, unmet basic needs, and physical activity in women of childbearing age with overweight or obesity and identify if these relationships differed between women that identified as Latino/Hispanic and non-Latino/Hispanic ethnicity. A secondary cross-sectional analysis was conducted using baseline data from a trial that embeds healthy eating and activity into a national home visiting program, Parents as Teachers. The sample was stratified based on self-reported ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino or non-Hispanic/Latino). Pearson's and Spearman's correlations were used to determine bivariate relationships among sleep, cardiometabolic variables, stress, unmet basic needs, and physical activity. Two hundred seventy-six women, 46% of whom identified as Hispanic/Latino, were included in the analysis. Body mass index (BMI) was significantly correlated with sleep disturbance (ρ = 0.23, p = 0.01) in women who identify as Hispanic/Latino. Stress was positively related to sleep disturbance, sleep duration, and unmet needs for both groups of women. BMI was correlated with unmet basic needs in women who identified as non-Hispanic/Latino (ρ = 0.25, p = 0.01). Our results suggest that sleep, stress, and basic needs are important in understanding cardiometabolic health in women of childbearing age and these relationships differ depending on ethnicity. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT03758638.

Achalasia alters physiological networks depending on sex

Achalasia is a rare esophageal motility disorder for which the etiology is not fully understood. Evidence suggests that autoimmune inflammatory infiltrates, possibly triggered by a viral infection, may lead to a degeneration of neurons within the myenteric plexus. While the infection is eventually resolved, genetically susceptible individuals may still be at risk of developing achalasia. This study aimed to determine whether immunological and physiological networks differ between male and female patients with achalasia. This cross-sectional study included 189 preoperative achalasia patients and 500 healthy blood donor volunteers. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, immunological, and tissue biomarkers were collected. Male and female participants were evaluated separately to determine the role of sex. Correlation matrices were constructed using bivariate relationships to generate complex inferential networks. These matrices were filtered based on their statistical significance to identify the most relevant relationships between variables. Network topology and node centrality were calculated using tools available in the R programming language. Previous occurrences of chickenpox, measles, and mumps infections have been proposed as potential risk factors for achalasia, with a stronger association observed in females. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified IL-22, Th2, and regulatory B lymphocytes as key variables contributing to the disease. The physiological network topology has the potential to inform whether a localized injury or illness is likely to produce systemic consequences and the resulting clinical presentation. Here we show that immunological involvement in achalasia appears localized in men because of their highly modular physiological network. In contrast, in women the disease becomes systemic because of their robust network with a larger number of inter-cluster linkages.

Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Correlates of Lithium Treatment for Bipolar Disorder in Asia.

As clinical practices with lithium salts for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) are poorly documented in Asia, we studied the prevalence and clinical correlates of lithium use there to support international comparisons. We conducted a cross-sectional study of use and dosing of lithium salts for BD patients across 13 Asian sites and evaluated bivariate relationships of lithium treatment with clinical correlates followed by multivariate logistic regression modeling. In a total of 2139 BD participants (52.3% women) of mean age 42.4 years, lithium salts were prescribed in 27.3% of cases overall, varying among regions from 3.20% to 59.5%. Associated with lithium treatment were male sex, presence of euthymia or mild depression, and a history of seasonal mood change. Other mood stabilizers usually were given with lithium, often at relatively high doses. Lithium use was associated with newly emerging and dose-dependent risk of tremors as well as risk of hypothyroidism. We found no significant differences in rates of clinical remission or of suicidal behavior if treatment included lithium or not. Study findings clarify current prevalence, dosing, and clinical correlates of lithium treatment for BD in Asia. This information should support clinical decision-making regarding treatment of BD patients and international comparisons of therapeutic practices.

Marital Satisfaction, Perceived Organizational Support and Job Involvement Among Employed Women in South-West Nigeria

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify if there were relative and combined influence of marital satisfaction, perceived organizational support on job involvement of employed women.&#x0D; &#x0D; Theoretical framework: Despite their demanding roles at home, employed women are expected to be at their best in the work-front. The study investigated the influence of marital satisfaction and perceived organizational support on job involvement among employed women.&#x0D; &#x0D; Design/Methodology/Approach: Two hundred employed women from South-West Nigeria chosen through proportional stratified random sampling technique served as participants. The 5-item Job Involvement Questionnaire (JIQ), a 20-item Perceived Organizational Support Questionnaire (POSQ), and Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMSS) of 16 items were the instruments used. Three hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance with multiple regression analysis and correlation matrices.&#x0D; &#x0D; Findings: Results showed that marital satisfaction and organizational support combined to influence job involvement (F(2, 197) = 40.942, p &lt; .05), organizational support (β = .202; t = 14.613; p &lt; .05) and marital satisfaction (β = .134; t = 10.402; p &lt; .05) had significant relative influence on job involvement, and there were significant positive bivariate relationships among the variables of the study.&#x0D; &#x0D; Research, Practical &amp; Social implications: It was concluded that marital satisfaction is an important area of life for employed women and along with organizational support, could significantly impact job involvement.&#x0D; &#x0D; Originality/Value: Results revealed that relationships among marital satisfaction, perceived organizational support, and job involvement exist hence employees do have perceptions of organizations that may affect their attitudes, behaviours and performance.

Geodemographic profiles of COVID-19 mortality inside/outside nursing homes. Spatial analysis from microdata in North Spain

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is extensive research on the spread of the virus and geo-statistical analysis of spatial patterns. However, from the perspective of health geography, COVID-19 mortality is still under-studied. This research aims to provide a geographic profile of COVID-19 mortality, in terms of the space-time evolution and the relationship with individual and contextual variables. To this end, we geocoded the daily COVID-19 microdata of deceased persons provided by the Government of Cantabria (in northern Spain) from March 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022. The study also took cadastral variables, population records, and connections to geo-enrichment services accessed through ArcGIS Pro License (ESRI) into account. Using spatial statistics methods, such as 3D bins and emerging hot spots, local bivariate relationships, and ordinary least squares, we propose an exportable and scalable methodology to help policymakers cope with the current stage of living with the epidemic virus. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of mortality is less clustered than that of contagion and shed light on differences in COVID-19 mortality profiles inside/outside nursing homes, such as higher age, and the temporal concentration of deaths in nursing homes. Spatial regimes showed hot spots of COVID-19 mortality in urban and metropolitan areas, with a pattern of repetition over time, such as sporadic hot spots that accounted for 36.28% of deaths in only 11.88% of the area with COVID-19 deaths. Despite immunization, periods of high contagion meant a subsequent increase in mortality, such as during the Omicron wave, where consecutive metropolitan hot spots accounted for 37.50% of the area and 51.45% of deaths were concentrated. Finally, there were interesting nuances in the significant local context variables of COVID-19 mortality compared with the explanatory factors of COVID-19 cases.

Pregnancy and pregnancy intention after experiencing infertility: A longitudinal study of women in Malawi.

Infertility is a common experience among individuals and couples. Infertility may resolve without intervention, but little is known about pregnancy intentions and incidence of pregnancy following infertility, particularly in low-resource settings. Data come from UTHA, a longitudinal cohort study in Central Malawi, with baseline and follow up surveys conducted from 2014-2019 (N = 1,030 reproductive-aged women). We assessed bivariable and multivariable relationships between reported infertility at baseline and subsequent pregnancy and retrospective pregnancy intentions. Pregnancy intention was measured with the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP), a scale validated in Malawi (Range = 0-12). Approximately 20% of the sample reported that they had ever experienced infertility (tried to become pregnant for at least two years without conceiving in that time) at baseline. The proportion of women who reported a new pregnancy during the follow up period (mean = 4.3 years) was the same (65%) for women who had and had not experienced infertility. Among women who became pregnant, levels of pregnancy intendedness were similar between women who had and had not experienced infertility. Prospective desire for a/another child at baseline was associated with subsequent pregnancy (AOR: 1.59; 95%CI: 1.06-2.39) and was also associated with higher levels of pregnancy intendedness measured retrospectively (LMUP of 9.4 vs. 8.4). Experienced infertility was not associated with differential odds of having a subsequent pregnancy or the intendedness of a subsequent pregnancy. Thus, women who have experienced infertility should be included in family planning programs and research to support all women in achieving their reproductive goals.

Relative Influence of Biological Versus Behavioral Determinants of Utilization Among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease

Background: For Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) and most chronic diseases, there is evidence that behavioral comorbidities and the social determinants of health trump biological comorbidities as influencers of healthcare utilization. To better target resources in an Adult Sickle Cell Medical Home, we competed behavioral versus biological determinants as influencers of the variance in disease management target variables. Method: The sample consisted of unique patients (N=545) that utilized healthcare services at one urban academic medical center between 2017-2021. The disease management outcome variables of interest were the number of inpatient discharges, number of emergency department visits, number of outpatient visits, and total costs. Preditors/risk factors were defined as the number of behavioral comorbidities and number of biological comorbidities [both defined using DRGs], as well as the number of visits for vaso-occlusive crises (admittedly a tautology, since VOCs were defined by ED and inpatient visits). We used Pearson Correlation to assess bivariate relationships between predictors and outcomes. We then used a mixed-random effects model to quantify the degree of impact of risk factors on healthcare utilization. Results: Results are shown in Table 1. The results indicated that behavioral comorbidities, biological comorbidities, and the number of sickle cell crises were all significantly associated with healthcare utilization. However, parameters from the mixed model indicated that the number of biological comorbidities had a greater impact on the number of inpatient discharges compared to the other risk factors. Similarly, the number of biological comorbidities had a greater impact on the number of ambulatory visits and total costs when compared to the other risk factors. In contrast, the number of behavioral comorbidities contributed the most to the number of emergency department visits. Conclusion: In adults with SCD in a disease management program, the weight of biological comorbidities more influences hospitalizations, ambulatory visits, and total costs than the weight of behavioral comorbidities or vaso-occlusive crises. In contrast, the weight of behavioral comorbidities more influences ED visits than do other predictors tested. Future research among programs using multidisciplinary care to address biopsychosocial predictors of utilization should test whether aligning program elements and places of care according to the relative contributions of these predictors enhances disease management outcomes. Programs should also test whether using tailored treatment plans that establish individual risk profiles for adults with Sickle Cell Disease, using models such as the ones shown, heighten the efficacy of multimodal interventions to improve risk and outcomes.