Laura M. Anderson

The association between sexual assault and suicidal activity in a national sample.

Sexual violence is a potential key risk factor for adolescent suicidal behavior but has not been studied extensively. Thus, the current study examined the extent to which sexual assault predicted suicide attempts among adolescent students in the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey (2007 data). Gender differences in suicidal behavior overall and among sexual assault victims were examined. The results supported that students with sexual assault histories were significantly more likely (odds ratio [OR]=6.4) to have reported at least one suicide attempt in the past year than students who did not report sexual assault histories. Male students with a sexual assault history reported suicide attempts requiring medical attention more frequently than male attempters without sexual assault histories, as well as both groups of female suicide attempters. Implications of the findings for suicide prevention and intervention programs are discussed.

Validity Evidence for the Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS)

OBJECTIVES To test the validity, reliability, and uses of the multidimensional Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS). METHODS Self-reported (n = 2140) demographic and scale data from a large university (23,000+ students) were collected and analyzed. Dependent measures included grade point average (GPA) and perceived health. RESULTS Analyses confirmed the SWPSs 7-factor multidimensional structure and its use for describing and predicting associated outcomes. The analyses of frequency distributions, means, correlations, and regressions found significant relationships between measured health behaviors, perceived health, and GPA. CONCLUSIONS The SWPS provides valid and reliable information about positive health potential for research and field health professionals.

Geographic Differences in Physical Education and Adolescent BMI Have Legal Mandates Made a Difference

The school environment is an ideal setting for healthy weight programming with adolescents. The federal government has reinforced the importance of school-based health promotion. The current study examined the preliminary influence of the 2006 school wellness policy requirement of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (CNWICRA) on adolescent Body Mass Index (BMI) and physical education participation. Nationally representative data from the 2003 and 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) were used. The authors examined BMI percentile and physical education participation based on survey year and geographic region. Results suggest a slight decrease in BMI with no changes in physical education participation. A main effect for geographic region was found for both physical education participation and BMI percentile, while a geographic region-by-survey year interaction was discovered when analyzing BMI percentiles. Results suggest a need for continued investigation and may inform future healthy weight programming and geographically tailored wellness policies.

A Systematic Examination of Food Intake and Adaptation to the Food Environment by Refugees Settled in the United States

The United States is the largest refugee resettlement country in the world. Refugees may face health-related challenges after resettlement in the United States, including higher rates of chronic diseases due to problems such as language barriers and difficulty adapting to new food environments. However, reported refugee diet challenges varied, and no systematic examination has been reported. This study examined refugee food intake pre- and postresettlement in the United States and differences in intake across various refugee groups. We systematically reviewed relevant studies that reported on refugee food intake and adaptation to the US food environment. We searched PubMed for literature published between January 1985 and April 2015, including cross-sectional and prospective studies. Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Limited research has been conducted, and most studies were based on small convenience samples. In general, refugees increased meat and egg consumption after resettling in the United States. Changes in refugee intake of vegetables, fruits, and dairy products varied by socioeconomic status, food insecurity, past food deprivation experience, length of stay in the United States, region of origin, and age. South Asians were more likely to maintain traditional diets, and increased age was associated with more conservative and traditional diets. Despite the abundance of food in the United States, postresettlement refugees reported difficulty in finding familiar or healthy foods. More research with larger samples and follow-up data are needed to study how refugees adapt to the US food environment and what factors may influence their food- and health-related outcomes. The work could inform future interventions to promote healthy eating and living among refugees and help to reduce health disparities.

A randomized pilot trial of an integrated school-worksite weight control program.

OBJECTIVE Worksite provision of paid time off for parent participation in a school-based healthy weight program may improve treatment adherence and outcomes. The current pilot study examined whether parents who received worksite support for attendance at a school-based healthy weight program would attend more sessions, lose more weight, and make healthier changes in home food environments than parents who did not receive worksite support. METHOD Thirty-eight urban, low-income African American and Mexican American mothers of kindergartners were randomized to an integrated school-parent-worksite program that targeted healthy home food environments and energy balance self-monitoring or the identical school-based program without worksite support. Ten sessions were delivered to parent participants during afterschool hours. Process measures included session attendance and energy balance log completion. Outcome measures included parent body mass index (BMI) change, child BMI z-score change, and home food inventory (HFI) score changes over 12 months. RESULTS RESULTS showed better weight change for parents (i.e., BMI unit reduction of 1.4 vs. 0.3 in comparison group, p = .001), increased parental attendance, and improvements in the home food environment when parents received paid time off from their worksite for their participation in the healthy weight program. Child weight change was also observed despite no direct contact with children. CONCLUSIONS The current pilot study provides support for the hypothesis that worksite support for school-based interventions may improve health outcomes that depend on parental involvement. Removing barriers to attendance in a healthy weight program resulted in improved treatment adherence and outcomes in low-income, minority parents and children.

Racial Differences in Adolescents’ Answering Questions About Suicide

The present purpose was to examine racial differences in response rate and serious behavioral suicide risk based on the national Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBS). Data from 15,245 adolescents (YRBS, 2011) were included. Survey items pertaining to making suicidal plans and attempting suicide were included. Significant differences in responding and content emerged, especially with regard to suicide attempts. Racial minority adolescents are at elevated risk for serious suicidal behaviors and are more likely to omit items pertaining to suicide attempts. African American adolescents rarely reported having attempted suicide, but they also frequently failed to respond to that question.

The elements of counseling children and adolescents.

Of course, from childhood to forever, we are always thought to love reading. It is not only reading the lesson book but also reading everything good is the choice of getting new inspirations. Religion, sciences, politics, social, literature, and fictions will enrich you for not only one aspect. Having more aspects to know and understand will lead you become someone more precious. Yea, becoming precious can be situated with the presentation of how your knowledge much.

Self-management training for Chinese obese children at risk for metabolic syndrome: Effectiveness and implications for school health

This article reviews the results of a school-based self-management intervention for Chinese obese children at risk for metabolic syndrome. Twenty-eight Chinese obese children (M age = 10 years) and their parents participated in the study. Metabolic syndrome risk factors were measured pre- and post-intervention. The risk factors included Body Mass Index, waist circumstance, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein, fasting plasma glucose, and fasting blood insulin. After 6 months of school-based self-management intervention, all risk factors with the exception of triglycerides and fasting plasma glucose changed significantly in the healthful direction (p < 0.01). This pilot study offers promising implications for school interventions that are delivered by school-based practitioners collaborating with parents, teachers, and children. An individualized program based on a self-care and -management framework may have utility as a relatively cost-effective, school-based intervention to improve children’s health.

Test–retest reliability of the Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS)

Objective: This study examined the temporal stability (i.e. test–retest reliability) of the Salutogenic Wellness Promotion Scale (SWPS) using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Current intraclass results were also compared to previously published interclass correlations to support the use of the intraclass method for test–retest analyses. Method: One thousand, one hundred and thirty-one participants completed the SWPS twice, two weeks apart. ICC and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Test–retest reliability was moderate to high for 23 of 25 SWPS items in males and 25 of 25 SWPS items in females. Differences in reliability across the seven SWPS dimensions were observed. Conclusions: The reliability of the SWPS suits it well for further refinement. Intraclass correlation procedures likely detect more error, when compared to interclass correlation analyses, in the examination of temporal stability of measures.