Past Year Research Articles

The emotional impact of uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women in China and Japan: a qualitative study

BackgroundUncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) are one of the most common community-acquired infections, particularly among women. Common symptoms of UTI include dysuria, urinary urgency and increased frequency, and lower abdominal pain. With appropriate treatment, symptoms may resolve in a few days. However, there is a lack of research on the emotional impact of this disease. We conducted a qualitative, interview-based study to gain a greater understanding of the emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan.MethodsA qualitative, exploratory, in-depth, interview-based study was conducted between 19 November 2020 and 25 February 2021. Women aged ≥ 18 years who experienced ≥ 1 uUTI and received antibiotic treatment in the past year were eligible for inclusion. Participants must have experienced ≥ 1 of the following symptoms during a uUTI episode: urinary urgency, frequency, dysuria, or lower abdominal/suprapubic pain. Participants who reported back pain or fever (indicative of complicated UTI) were excluded. Participants with recurrent or sporadic UTIs were included, with specific screening criteria used to ensure capture of both groups. Following a screening call, a structured, in-depth telephone interview (~ 30 min in duration) was conducted by three female external moderators trained in qualitative interviewing, assisted by an interview guide. Interviews were analysed individually and thematically, with the results presented within the identified themes.ResultsA total of 65 women with uUTI completed the in-depth telephone interview: 40 (62%) from China and 25 (38%) from Japan. Participants reported that the symptoms of uUTI affected multiple aspects of their lives, and described feelings of embarrassment, frustration, guilt, dread, and loneliness associated with symptoms that interfered with relationships, work and daily activities, and sleep. Participants reported seeking healthcare from several different points of contact, from local pharmacies to hospitals.ConclusionsOur analysis highlights the profound emotional impact of uUTIs in women in China and Japan, and the journey these participants take before their initial interaction with a healthcare professional. These insights emphasise the need to better understand the full impact of uUTI, and the role of healthcare professionals in improved patient education and support.

Adverse childhood experiences are associated with perceived cognitive difficulties among high school students in the United States.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with mental health and cognitive problems, and mental health problems are associated with perceived cognitive difficulties among adolescents. The unique contribution of ACEs to cognitive difficulties after adjusting for poor mental health is not well understood and represents the purpose of this study. The Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey was conducted in 2021 with high school students in the United States. Cognitive difficulty was assessed with: 'Because of a physical, mental, or emotional problem, do you have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?' Four ACEs were examined: sexual violence (lifetime and past 12 months), parental emotional abuse, and parental physical abuse. Students were asked about feeling sad or hopeless (past year), considering suicide (past year), and having poor mental health (past month). Binary logistic regressions examined the association between ACEs and cognitive problems, adjusting for mental health. Participants were 6,945 students. Students reporting poor mental health were very likely to endorse difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions (girls = 81% and boys = 67%). Cognitive difficulty was uncommon among students who denied poor mental health (girls = 17% and boys = 12%). For boys [p < 0.001; R2 = 0.22] and girls [p < 0.001; R2 = 0.31], after adjusting for mental health problems, independent predictors of cognitive difficulties included parental verbal abuse and physical abuse. For girls, lifetime forced sexual intercourse and sexual violence during the past year were also independently associated. ACEs are associated with perceived cognitive difficulty in both adolescent girls and boys, even after adjusting for poor mental health.

(075) Treating Idiopathic Hematospermia with Oral Tranexamic Acid

Abstract Introduction Hematospermia can be a challenging medical condition to treat for the urologist. While almost universally benign, it causes considerable patient stress and anxiety. There are no standardized treatments and while many cases may resolve on their own the duration can be quite variable. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic, has been used to control bleeding in various settings including heavy menstrual bleeding, traumas, and intraoperatively to prevent and control bleeding. Objective We sought to investigate the safety and efficacy of tranexamic acid, an oral anti-fibrinolytic for the treatment of idiopathic hematospermia. Methods A cohort of patients presenting to urology clinic within the past year for primary complaint of hematospermia without other clear etiology (trauma, radiation, prior surgery, prostatitis) were prescribed TXA 1300 mg BID for 7 days. Patients were followed as part of routine care and resolution of hematospermia and side effects were observed and documented. Results Eight patients (median age 42.1 years) met criteria and were treated with the TXA protocol for idiopathic hematospermia. All had immediate resolution at completion of the 7-day course. Two patients had a recurrent episode within follow-up period (Median follow-up of 5.4 months) which resolved with a second treatment course. No adverse events were noted, and all patients were able to tolerate TXA treatment. Conclusions TXA appears to be a safe and efficacious treatment for idiopathic hematospermia where often the main goal is to rule out other etiologies and expeditious resolution to relieve patients’ stress and anxiety. Disclosure No.

Heterogeneity in drinking motives among college student drinkers: a latent profile analysis

Scant research has utilized person-centred approaches to investigate associations between patterns of drinking motive facets and alcohol-related outcomes and depressive symptoms. To address this gap, 1,216 first- and second-year Chinese college students (Mean age = 19.14, SD = 0.94, 37.3% male) who had consumed alcohol in the past year were surveyed by questionnaires. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct classes based on four drinking motives: enhancement, coping, conformity, and social motives. A 5-profile solution provided the best overall model fit to the data, including the ‘low’ (n = 712; 58.6%), ‘moderate’ (n = 213; 17.5%), ‘high’ (n = 120; 9.9%), ‘high external/low internal reinforcing’ (n = 108; 8.9%), and ‘high positive/low negative reinforcing’ motives groups (n = 63; 5.2%). Students with high drinking motives endorsed the highest levels of alcohol use outcomes and depression symptoms, while reporting the lowest level of drinking refusal self-efficacy. Students with moderate motives tended to occupy the middle position across all outcome variables. Students characterized by high external/low internal motives reported elevated depressive symptoms and drinking-related problems. Those with high positive/low negative motives exhibited high drinking intention and alcohol consumption, but low levels of drinking-related problems and depressive symptoms. These findings shed light on the heterogeneity among college student drinkers, paving the way for targeted alcohol interventions tailored to diverse drinking motive patterns.

Police Violence Experienced by Black Gay and Bisexual Men: The Effects on HIV Care Engagement and Medication Adherence.

Black men face high rates of police violence, including direct victimization and indirect exposure to or knowledge of harmful policing. This violence can result in death and physical harm, as well as in numerous poor mental health outcomes. There has been little research examining experiences of police violence experienced by Black gay and bisexual men or the effects of police brutality on HIV continuum of care outcomes. To address this important gap, in this exploratory study, we examined the effects of police brutality on engagement in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral medications. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 107 Black gay and bisexual men living with HIV. The path analysis showed that men with greater exposure to police violence had increased symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and were more likely to have missed HIV care appointments in the past year. Additionally, there was a significant indirect effect of exposure to police violence on missed medication doses via PTSD symptoms.

Examining changes in sexual lifestyles in Britain between 1990–2010: a latent class analysis approach

BackgroundUnderstanding sexual lifestyles and how they change over time is important for determining the likelihood of sexual health outcomes. Standard descriptive and regression methods are limited in their ability to capture multidimensional concepts such as sexual lifestyles. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) is a mixture modelling method that generates a categorical latent variable to derive homogenous groups from a heterogeneous population. Our study investigates (1) the potential of LCA to assess change over time in sexual lifestyles and (2) how quantifying this change using LCA compares to previous findings using standard approaches.MethodsProbability-sampled data from three rounds of the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyle (Natsal) were used, restricted to sexually active participants (i.e., those reporting sexual partners in the past year) aged 16–44 years (N1990 = 11,738; N2000 = 9,690; N2010 = 8,397). An LCA model was built from four variables: number of sexual partners (past year), number of partners without a condom (past year), age at first sex and self-perceived HIV risk. Covariates included age, ethnicity, educational attainment, same-sex attraction, and marital status. Multinomial regression analyses and Chi-Squared tests were used to investigate change over time in the size of each class.ResultsWe successfully used a LCA approach to examine change in sexual lifestyle over time. We observed a statistically significant increase between 1990 and 2010 in the proportion of men (χ2 = 739.49, p < 0.01) and women (χ2 = 1270.43, p < 0.01) in a latent class associated with reporting 2 or more partners in the last year, relatively high probabilities of reporting condomless sex partners, greater self-perceived HIV risk, and a high probability of first sex before age 16 years, increasing from 19.5% to 31.1% (men) and 9.9% to 22.1% (women).ConclusionOur results indicate the viability of LCA models to assess change over time for complex behavioural phenomena. They align with previous findings, namely changing sexual lifestyles in Britain in recent decades, partnership number driving class assignment, and significant sex differences in sexual lifestyles. This approach can be used to extend previous LCA models (e.g., to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on sexual lifestyles) and to support empirical evidence of change over time, facilitating more nuanced public health policy.

Changes in Health Care Access and Preventive Health Screenings by Race and Ethnicity

The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented disruptions in health care. Little is known about whether health care access and preventive health screenings among US adults have recovered to prepandemic levels, and how patterns varied by race and ethnicity. To evaluate health care access and preventive health screenings among eligible US adults in 2021 and 2022 compared with prepandemic year 2019, overall and by race and ethnicity. This cross-sectional study used data from US adults aged 18 years or older who participated in the National Health Interview Survey in 2021 and 2022. Survey weights provided by the National Health Interview Survey were used to generate nationally representative estimates. Data were analyzed from May 23 to November 13, 2023. Measures of health care access included the proportion of adults with a usual place for care, those with a wellness visit, and those who delayed or did not receive medical care due to cost within the past year. Preventive health screening measures included eligible adults who received blood pressure, cholesterol, or blood glucose screening within the past year (2021), as well as colorectal, cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screenings based on US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines. The unweighted study population included 89 130 US adults. The weighted population included 51.6% females; 16.8% Hispanic, 5.9% non-Hispanic Asian (hereafter, Asian), 11.8% non-Hispanic Black (hereafter, Black), 62.8% non-Hispanic White (hereafter, White) individuals; and 2.9% individuals of other races and ethnicities (including American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or multiracial). After adjusting for age and sex, having a usual place for health care did not differ among adults in 2021 or 2022 vs 2019 (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] for each year, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99-1.01). However, fewer participants had wellness visits in 2022 compared with 2019 (ARR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.97-0.99), with the most pronounced decline among Asian adults (ARR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.98). In addition, adults were less likely to delay medical care (ARR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.87) or to not receive care (ARR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.69-0.83) due to cost in 2022 vs 2019. Preventive health screenings in 2021 remained below 2019 levels (blood pressure: ARR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.94-0.96]; blood glucose: ARR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.93-0.96]; and cholesterol: ARR, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.92-0.94]). Eligible adults were also significantly less likely to receive colorectal cancer screening (ARR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.81-0.94), cervical cancer screening (ARR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.83-0.89), breast cancer screening (ARR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.97), and prostate cancer screening (ARR, 0.86 [0.78-0.94]) in 2021 vs 2019. Asian adults experienced the largest relative decreases across most preventive screenings, while Black and Hispanic adults experienced large declines in colorectal cancer screening (ARR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.91) and breast cancer screening (ARR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.75-0.91), respectively. Differences in preventive screening rates across years persisted after additional adjustment for socioeconomic factors (income, employment status, and insurance coverage). Results of this cohort study suggest that, in the US, wellness visits and preventive health screenings have not returned to prepandemic levels. These findings support the need for public health efforts to increase the use of preventive health screenings among eligible US adults.

Older men and loneliness: a cross-sectional study of sex differences in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

BackgroundResearch into men and masculinities suggests men may be more reluctant than women to state they are lonely, more reliant on partners/spouses and/or alcohol to tackle it, and that this may be a result of poorer social relationships. Ageing is often associated with loneliness, and research has indicated gendered results in older people, but existing evidence lacks generalisability and cultural context. This study tests hypotheses on sex differences in loneliness in older England-based men and women.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using a sample of 6936 respondents aged 50 + from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 8). Multiple imputation with chained equations was conducted to handle missing data. Multivariate regression was used to investigate the impact of sex on a direct question on loneliness whilst controlling for the University of California loneliness (UCLA) scale. Multivariate regression with interaction terms were used to examine sex differences in loneliness and alcohol consumption, partner status, and social relationships.ResultsOlder men were less likely than older women to state they are lonely even when controlling for UCLA score. Older men showed a greater association between loneliness and alcohol consumption, but only when measuring the number of units consumed in the last week, and not using a less precise measure of the past year. Older men who cohabited with a partner were less lonely than cohabiting older women, whereas previously married but not cohabiting older men were lonelier than their female counterparts. However, never married older men were less lonely than never married older women. Evidence was found to suggests older men’s worse friendships mediated this association, but social isolation and number of close relationships did not. Severe isolation predicted greater loneliness in older women, but not older men.ConclusionsCultural ideals of masculinity and older men’s poorer quality friendships may explain their reluctance to directly state loneliness, greater dependency on partners/spouses, and use of alcohol. Severely isolated older men may under-report loneliness on the UCLA scale as well as a direct question.

APA Healthy Minds poll finds 1 in 3 adults lonely every week

Thirty percent of adults said that they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, while 10% said they are lonely every day, according to the latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) released last week. The APA poll found that only 9% connect to a therapist or counselor to combat feelings of loneliness.

A Big Thank You to our Reviewers in the Past Year!

Good reviewers are essential to the success of any journal and peer review is a major pillar of science. We are grateful to those mentioned below to have dedicated their time and expertise to help our authors improve and refine their manuscripts and support the Editor(s) in the decision making process in the past year.

Self-Reported Prescription Opioid Use Among Participants with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) experience high rates of prescription opioid use, yet there is limited data on frequency of opioid use and specific medications being taken. To examine the frequency of self-reported prescription opioid use among participants with SCI and the relationship with demographic, injury, and socioeconomic characteristics. A cohort study of 918 adults with SCI of at least 1-year duration completed a self-report assessment (SRA) that indicated frequency of specific prescription opioid use based on the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). Forty-seven percent of the participants used at least one prescription opioid over the last year; the most frequently used was hydrocodone (22.1%). Nearly 30% used a minimum of one opioid at least weekly. Lower odds of use of at least one opioid over the past year was observed for Veterans (odds ratio [OR] = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.38, 0.96) and those with a bachelor's degree or higher (OR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.44, 0.91). When restricting the analysis to use of at least one substance daily or weekly, lower odds of use was observed for those with a bachelor's degree or higher and those with income ranging from $25,000 to $75,000+. None of the demographic or SCI variables were significantly related to prescription opioid use. Despite the widely established risks, prescription opioids were used daily or weekly by more than 28% of the participants. Usage was only related to Veteran status and socioeconomic status indicators, which were protective of use. Alternative treatments are needed for those with the heaviest, most regular usage.

United States Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Meningococcal Vaccination for Healthy Adolescents and Young Adults

PurposeThe United States Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends vaccination against meningococcal serogroups A, C, W, and Y (MenACWY) for all 11–12-year-olds, with a booster dose for 16-year-olds, and against meningococcal serogroup B (MenB) for 16–23-year-olds under shared clinical decision-making (SCDM). However, uptake of the MenB vaccine and the MenACWY booster dose is low. This study investigated United States physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding recommending MenB and MenACWY vaccines to non-high-risk older adolescents and young adults. MethodsAn online survey was conducted in April–May 2022 among pediatricians, family physicians (FPs), general practitioners (GPs), and internists who had recommended the MenB and/or the MenACWY vaccine(s) to at least one 16–23-year-old in the past year. ResultsAmong 407 participants, 50% correctly identified MenB as the leading cause of meningococcal disease among adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, 46% of physicians (47% of pediatricians, 40% of FPs and GPs, 53% of internists) answered correctly that MenB vaccination is recommended under SCDM, and 82% of physicians (96% of pediatricians, 70% of FPs and GPs, 65% of internists) answered correctly that MenACWY vaccination is routinely recommended. Among MenB-vaccinators, 78% reported having received some training or other information on implementing SCDM, and 65% rated recommending MenB vaccination as very important. DiscussionKnowledge gaps, which varied by specialty, were identified regarding meningococcal disease and vaccine recommendations, particularly regarding MenB. Targeted education of physicians may facilitate discussions about MenB vaccination.

Evaluating the effects of prenatal intervention on parenting in women exposed to intimate partner violence.

The Pregnant Moms' Empowerment Program (PMEP) is a brief, group intervention for pregnant women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). This study was a quasirandomized trial of the effects of PMEP on parenting. Participants were 137 pregnant women exposed to IPV in the past year; 82 received PMEP and 55 were in a no-treatment control condition. Participants completed four assessments (pretest [T1], posttest [T2], 3-month postpartum[T3], and 12-month postpartum [T4]). At T1-T4, women self-reported on their parenting attitudes (i.e., expectations of children, parental empathy, corporal punishment, parent-child family roles) and parenting confidence. At the postpartum assessments, mother-infant dyads participated in a videorecorded free play session that was coded for warm-sensitive parenting. Results showed that women who received PMEP had more appropriate expectations of children (β = 0.51, 95% CI [0.03, 0.99], dr = 0.53, 95% CI [0.31, 1.02]) and higher empathy toward children (β = 0.64, 95% CI [0.05, 1.23], dr = 0.53, 95% CI [0.04, 1.02]) at T2, as compared to women in the control group. Women who received PMEP also showed more warm-sensitive parenting at T4 (Wald χ² = 4.01, p = .045; R² = 5.58%, d = 0.41, 95% CI [0.07, 0.88]) as compared to women in the control group. No differences emerged on corporal punishment, parent-child family roles, postpartum empathy and expectations of children, parenting confidence, or 3-month postpartum parenting behaviors. Thus, results were mixed, with some short-term positive effects and other benefits emerging only at 1-year postpartum. Findings highlight the potential clinical utility of brief interventions for pregnant, IPV-exposed women. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and race-based traumatic stress.

This study examined the relationships between race-based traumatic stress symptoms (RBTSS), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and negative affect (NA) in the past year. Participants were 185 community-based respondents who completed a paper and pencil survey of the race-based traumatic stress symptoms scale (RBTSSS), diagnostic and statistical manual (DSM)-related PTSD symptoms, and negative emotions. Two canonical correlation analyses were conducted for two participant groups: those with no race-based traumatic stress (RBTS) elevations and those with one or more RBTS elevations. Results showed a significant relationship between RBTS symptoms and PTSD symptoms for the no elevation group, and a significant relationship between RBTS symptoms and NA for the race-based stress/traumatic stress group. Notably, RBTS inclusion was not significantly correlated with NA. Those with average-level RBTS symptoms appear to endorse more PTSD criteria, while those with elevated RBTS scores do not. The study, therefore, highlights the need for further investigation of how diagnostic measures of trauma may differentiate from trauma symptoms related to race-based experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Appreciation to Reviewers, 2023

On behalf of the Editorial Board, I would like to thank the people below who acted as reviewers during the past year. Without your expert counsel and guidance, INFORMS Transactions on Education could not function. Please know your efforts are greatly appreciated! Stefan Creemers, Editor-in-Chief

Pediatric Asthma Exacerbations – 14 Day ED Return Visit Risk Factors

BackgroundAsthma, the most common chronic disease of childhood, can affect a child's physical and mental health, and their social/emotional development. ObjectivesTo identify factors associated with ED return visits for asthma exacerbations within 14 days of an initial visit. MethodsThis was a retrospective review from Cerner Real-World Database for patients 5-18 seen at an ED for an asthma exacerbation and discharged home at the index ED visit. Asthma visits were defined as encounters in which a patient was diagnosed with asthma and a beta agonist, anticholinergic, or systemic steroid was ordered or prescribed at that encounter. Return visits were ED visits for asthma within 14 days of an index ED visit. Data including demographics, ED evaluation/treatment, healthcare utilization, and past medical history were collected. Data were analyzed via logistic regression mixed effects model. Results80,434 index visits and 17,443 return visits met inclusion criteria. Prior ED return visits in the past year were associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) of a return visit (OR 2.12; CI 2.07, 2.16). History of pneumonia, a concomitant diagnosis of pneumonia, and fever were associated with increased odds of a return visit (OR 1.19; CI 1.10, 1.29, OR 1.15; CI 1.04, 1.28, OR 1.20; CI 1.11, 1.30). ConclusionsSeveral variables appear to be associated with statistically significant increased odds of ED return visits. These findings indicate a potentially identifiable population of at-risk patients who may benefit from additional evaluation, planning, and/or education prior to discharge.

Desarrollos recientes en el mercado del petróleo

Rationale Oil prices have fluctuated considerably over the past year. Against this background, it is worth analysing the factors behind recent oil price developments, as well as some key aspects for assessing the outlook for the near future. Takeaways •Following the downward trend seen in the second half of 2022, the price of oil hovered around $80 abarrel throughout 2023, albeit with notable fluctuations. •The Q3 uptick in oil prices can essentially be attributed to supply-side factors, such as the OPEC+production cuts, while lacklustre demand appears to lie behind the moderation observed during therest of the year. •Looking ahead, the potential for geopolitical tensions to push up oil prices could be offset, at leastpartially, by the release of inventories, the deployment of spare capacity and the response from otherproducers, such as the United States, although shale oil production is increasing more slowly than inthe pre-pandemic period.

Cross-Sectional Quantitative Evaluation of a Novel Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome.

Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare metabolic disorder that impacts physical, emotional, social, and cognitive functioning. The FCS-Symptom and Impact Scale (FCS-SIS) patient-reported outcome (PRO) measure assesses common symptoms and impacts of FCS. This study was conducted to evaluate cross-sectional psychometric properties of the FCS-SIS and its scoring method. This multisite, cross-sectional, observational study of individuals with FCS was conducted in the United States and Canada. Participants completed a survey composed of 7 PRO measures, including the FCS-SIS, and questions about clinical characteristics and demographics. The structure of the FCS-SIS was evaluated using inter-item and item-scale correlations and internal consistency reliability. Construct, known-groups, and criterion validity were evaluated by examining associations between FCS-SIS item and composite scores and other measures included within the survey. Most of the 33 participants were female (63.6%) and White (78.1%). On average, participants reported first noticing FCS symptoms at ~16 years, with abdominal pain the most frequently reported initial symptom (n=20). Participants reported 2.5 acute pancreatitis attacks on average over the past year. Average FCS-SIS symptom item scores ranged from 1.8 to 3.9 (on a 0-to-10 scale [none-to-worst-possible]) within the 24-hour recall period, with an average Symptom composite score of 2.7. The average impact item scores on the FCS-SIS ranged from 1.6 to 3.0 (on a 0-to-4 scale), with an average Impact composite score of 2.1. Inter-item correlations between the FCS-SIS Symptom items ranged from 0.32 to 0.78. Corrected item-total correlations were highly satisfactory for Impact items, ranging from 0.62 to 0.85. All a priori validity hypotheses were supported by observed correlations and score differences between known groups. The results of this study support the structure, reliability, and validity of the FCS-SIS, laying the psychometric groundwork for longitudinal evaluation of its utility in assessing treatment benefit in FCS clinical studies.

Use of Behavioral Health Treatment Among Parenting Women With Opioid Use Disorder in the United States

ObjectiveTo examine use of mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment, and perceived barriers to treatment by whether a major depressive episode occurred during the past year among parenting women with opioid use disorder. DesignSecondary analysis of survey data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2015–2019. SettingUnited States. ParticipantsWomen aged 18 to 44 years with opioid use disorder and at least one child in the household. MethodsWe computed descriptive statistics for demographic characteristics, treatment by major depressive episode status, and barriers to treatment by major depressive episode status. We conducted multinomial logistic regression to examine associations among demographic characteristics, major depressive episode status, and type of treatment. ResultsOf the 36% of respondents in our weighted sample (N ≈ 254,300) who experienced major depressive episode, 35% received substance use disorder and mental health treatment, and 27% did not receive any form of treatment. We found that identification as a person of color was significantly associated with a lower relative risk of receiving any type of treatment. Frequently reported barriers to treatment included affordability, access, and stigma. ConclusionRespondents with opioid use disorder and co-occurring major depressive episode did not obtain necessary treatment. Barriers to treatment, including affordability, access to treatment, and stigma, need to be addressed, particularly among women of color.

Exposure to school-based tobacco prevention interventions in low-income and middle-income countries and its association with psychosocial predictors of smoking among adolescents: a pooled cross-sectional analysis of Global Youth Tobacco Survey data from 38 countries

ObjectivesTo describe the prevalence of school-based tobacco prevention programme exposure among adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and its association with psychosocial predictors of smoking.DesignAnalysis of pooled cross-sectional data.SettingGlobal...