Leah J. Welty

A longitudinal study of the prevalence, development, and persistence of HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors in delinquent youth: implications for health care in the community.

OBJECTIVES. Our goal was to examine the prevalence, development, and persistence of drug and sex risk behaviors that place delinquent youth at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. METHODS. At the baseline interview, HIV/sexually transmitted infection drug and sex risk behaviors were assessed in a stratified random sample of 800 juvenile detainees aged 10 to 18 years. Participants were reinterviewed approximately 3 years later. The final sample in these analyses (n = 724) included 316 females and 408 males; there were 393 African American participants, 198 Hispanic participants, 131 non-Hispanic white participants, and 2 participants who self-identified their race as “other.” RESULTS. More than 60% of youth had engaged in ≥10 risk behaviors at their baseline interview, and nearly two thirds of them persisted in ≥10 risk behaviors at follow-up. Among youth living in the community, many behaviors were more prevalent at follow-up than at baseline. Among incarcerated youth, the opposite pattern prevailed. Compared with females, males had higher prevalence rates of many HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors and were more likely to persist in some behaviors and develop new ones. Yet, injection risk behaviors were more prevalent among females than males and were also more likely to develop and persist. Overall, there were few racial and ethnic differences in patterns of HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors; most involved the initiation and persistence of substance use among non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics. CONCLUSIONS. Because detained youth have a median stay of only 2 weeks, HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors in delinquent youth are a community public health problem, not just a problem for the juvenile justice system. Improving the coordination among systems that provide HIV/sexually transmitted infection interventions to youth— primary care, education, mental health, and juvenile justice—can reduce the prevalence of risk behaviors and substantially reduce the spread of HIV/sexually transmitted infection in young people.

Perception of Delayed Stiffness

Advanced technology has recently provided truly immersive virtual environments with teleoperated robotic devices. In order to control movements from a distance, the human sensorimotor system has to overcome the e fects of delay. Currently, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie haptic estimation in delayed environments. The aim of this research is to explore the e fect of a delay on perception of surfaces sti fness. A forced choice paradigm was used in which subjects were asked to identify the sti fer of two virtual spring-like surfaces based on manipulation without visual feedback. Virtual surfaces were obtained by generating an elastic force proportional to the penetration of the handle of a manipulandum inside a virtual boundary. The elastic force was either an instantaneous function of the displacement, delayed at 30 or 60 milliseconds after the displacement or led the displacement (by means of Kalman predictor) by 50 milliseconds. It was assumed that, to estimate sti fness, the brain relates the experienced interaction forces with the amount of penetration. The results of the experiment indicate a systematic dependence of the estimated sti fness upon the delay between position and force. When the force lagged the penetration, surfaces were perceived as sti fer. Conversely, when the force led the penetration, surfaces were perceived as softer. The perceptual findings were compared with different regression models. This allowed some candidate models to be discarded. To further refine the analysis, a second experiment was carried out in which the delay was introduced only during part of the hand/surface interaction, either while the hand was moving into the spring-like surface or when it was moving out of it. Findings are consistent with sti fness estimates based on dividing the maximum force by the perceived amount of penetration. Findings are not consistent with an estimate of compliance based on the maximum position or local sti fness on the way out nor with linear estimates of sti fness based on the entire force/motion history.

Prevalence and persistence of psychiatric disorders in youth after detention: a prospective longitudinal study.

CONTEXT Psychiatric disorders are prevalent among incarcerated juveniles. Most juveniles eventually return to their communities, where they become the responsibility of the community mental health system. However, no large-scale study has examined psychiatric disorders after youth leave detention. OBJECTIVE To examine changes in the prevalence and persistence of psychiatric disorders during the 5 years after detention, focusing on sex and racial/ethnic differences. DESIGN Prospective longitudinal study with up to 5 interviews (1829 youth: 1172 males and 657 females). To ensure representation of key demographic subgroups, the randomly selected sample was stratified by sex, race/ethnicity (African American, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic), age, and legal status (juvenile or adult court). SETTING The Northwestern Juvenile Project, sampling youth from the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Chicago, Illinois. PARTICIPANTS Detained youth, aged 10 to 18 years at baseline interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES At baseline, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3. At follow-up interviews, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version IV (Child and Young Adult versions) and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule Version IV (substance use disorders and antisocial personality disorder). RESULTS Five years after baseline, more than 45% of males and nearly 30% of females had 1 or more psychiatric disorders with associated impairment. More than 50% of males and more than 40% of females had 1 or more psychiatric disorders without impairment. Substance use disorders were the most common; males, however, had higher rates over time (5 years after baseline, adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.61; 95% CI, 1.96-3.47). Non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics also had higher rates of substance use disorders vs African Americans (AOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.54-2.49 and AOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.24-2.03). Females had higher rates of major depression over time (AOR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.22-2.08). CONCLUSIONS Although prevalence rates of most psychiatric disorders declined as youth aged, a substantial proportion of delinquent youth continue to have disorders. There are notable sex and racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence and persistence of psychiatric disorders in this population.

Prospective open-label clinical trial of trihexyphenidyl in children with secondary dystonia due to cerebral palsy

Although trihexyphenidyl is used clinically to treat both primary and secondary dystonia in children, limited evidence exists to support its effectiveness, particularly in dystonia secondary to disorders such as cerebral palsy. A prospective, open-label, multicenter pilot trial of high-dose trihexyphenidyl was conducted in 23 children aged 4 to 15 years with cerebral palsy judged to have secondary dystonia impairing function in the dominant upper extremity. All children were given trihexyphenidyl at increasing doses over a 9-week period up to a maximum of 0.75 mg/kg/d. Trihexyphenidyl was subsequently tapered off over the next 5 weeks. Objective motor assessments were performed at baseline, 9 weeks, and 15 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function, tested in the dominant arm. Tolerability and safety were monitored closely throughout the trial. Of the 31 children who agreed to participate in the study, 5 failed to meet entry criteria and 3 withdrew due to nonserious adverse events (chorea, drug rash, and hyperactivity). Three children required a dosage reduction because of nonserious adverse events but continued to participate. The 23 children who completed the study showed a significant improvement in arm function at 15 weeks (P = .045) but not at 9 weeks (P = .985). Post hoc analysis showed that a subgroup (n = 10) with hyperkinetic dystonia (excess involuntary movements) worsened at 9 weeks (P = .04) but subsequently returned to baseline following taper of the medicine. The authors conclude that scientific evidence for the clinical use of trihexyphenidyl in cerebral palsy remains equivocal. Trihexyphenidyl may be a safe and effective for treatment for arm dystonia in some children with cerebral palsy if given sufficient time to respond to the medication. Post hoc analyses based on the type of movement disorder suggested that children with hyperkinetic forms of dystonia may worsen. A larger, randomized prospective trial stratified by the presence or absence of hyperkinetic movements is needed to confirm these results.

Bayesian Distributed Lag Models: Estimating Effects of Particulate Matter Air Pollution on Daily Mortality

A distributed lag model (DLagM) is a regression model that includes lagged exposure variables as covariates; its corresponding distributed lag (DL) function describes the relationship between the lag and the coefficient of the lagged exposure variable. DLagMs have recently been used in environmental epidemiology for quantifying the cumulative effects of weather and air pollution on mortality and morbidity. Standard methods for formulating DLagMs include unconstrained, polynomial, and penalized spline DLagMs. These methods may fail to take full advantage of prior information about the shape of the DL function for environmental exposures, or for any other exposure with effects that are believed to smoothly approach zero as lag increases, and are therefore at risk of producing suboptimal estimates. In this article, we propose a Bayesian DLagM (BDLagM) that incorporates prior knowledge about the shape of the DL function and also allows the degree of smoothness of the DL function to be estimated from the data. We apply our BDLagM to its motivating data from the National Morbidity, Mortality, and Air Pollution Study to estimate the short-term health effects of particulate matter air pollution on mortality from 1987 to 2000 for Chicago, Illinois. In a simulation study, we compare our Bayesian approach with alternative methods that use unconstrained, polynomial, and penalized spline DLagMs. We also illustrate the connection between BDLagMs and penalized spline DLagMs. Software for fitting BDLagM models and the data used in this article are available online.

Assessing the viorologic and adherence benefits of patient-selected HIV treatment partners in a resource-limited setting.

Objective:To determine the efficacy of patient-selected treatment partners on virologic and adherence outcomes during first-line antiretroviral therapy. Design:Randomized controlled trial. Setting and Analytical Approach:Between June 2006 and December 2007, 499 HIV-infected adults in Jos, Nigeria, were randomized to standard of care (SOC) or patient-selected treatment partner-assisted therapy (TPA). Each patient was followed for 48 weeks. Virologic outcomes, adherence to drug pick-up, CD4 cell counts, and mortality are reported. Results:At week 24, undetectable viral load was achieved by 61.7% of patients in the TPA arm versus 50.2% of those receiving SOC [odds ratio (OR) = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.11 to 2.26, P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference at week 48: 65.3% versus 59.4% for TPA and SOC, respectively (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.84, P > 0.05). The TPA group had more than 3 times the odds of at least 95% drug pickup adherence through week 24 (OR = 3.06, 95% CI: 1.89 to 4.94, P < 0.01) and almost twice the odds through week 48 (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.29 to 2.93, P < 0.01). At week 48, there were no significant differences in CD4 cell count increases (t = −0.09, df = 404, P > 0.05) or mortality (10.6% vs. 6.1%) between TPA vs. SOC, respectively. Residence-to-clinic distance was significantly associated with virologic and adherence outcomes. Conclusions:Use of patient-selected treatment partners was associated with improved drug pickup adherence and initial virologic success but had no durable effect on attaining undetectable viral load.

Development of antisocial personality disorder in detained youths : The predictive value of mental disorders

Antisocial personality disorder (APD) is a serious public and mental health concern. Understanding how well conduct disorder (CD) and other mental disorders predict the development of APD among youths involved in the juvenile justice system is critical for prevention. The authors used a stratified random sample of 1,112 detained youths to examine the development of APD at a 3-year follow-up interview. Nearly one fifth of male juvenile detainees later developed APD; approximately one quarter of male juvenile detainees with CD at baseline later developed APD. Significantly more males than females developed APD; no differences were found by race/ethnicity. Having 5 or more symptoms of CD, dysthymia, alcohol use disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder was significantly associated with developing modified APD (M-APD; APD without the CD requirement). Some disorders were strong predictors of APD; however, none were adequate screeners for identifying which detainees would later develop M-APD. The findings of this study have implications for interventions and further research in developmental psychopathology.

HIV/sexually transmitted infection risk behaviors in delinquent youth with psychiatric disorders: A longitudinal study

OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence and persistence of 20 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/sexually transmitted infection (STI) sexual and drug use risk behaviors and to predict their occurrence in four mutually exclusive diagnostic groups of delinquent youths: major mental disorder (MMD), substance use disorder (SUD), comorbid MMD and SUD (MMD+SUD), and neither disorder. METHOD At the baseline interview, HIV/STI risk behaviors were assessed in 800 juvenile detainees, ages 10 to 18 years; youths were reinterviewed approximately 3 years later. The final sample (N = 689) includes 298 females and 391 males. RESULTS The prevalence and persistence of HIV/STI risk behaviors were high in all of the diagnostic groups. Youths with an SUD at baseline were greater than 10 times more likely to be sexually active and to have vaginal sex at follow-up than youths with MMD+SUD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 10.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43-82.32; AOR 11.63, 95% CI 1.49-90.89, respectively) and four times more likely to be sexually active and to have vaginal sex than youths with neither disorder (AOR 4.20, 95% CI 1.06-16.62; AOR 4.73, 95% CI 1.21-18.50, respectively). Youths with an MMD at baseline were less likely to have engaged in unprotected vaginal and oral sex at follow-up compared with youths with neither disorder (AOR0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.50; AOR 0.07, 95% CI 0.01-0.34, respectively), and with youths with an SUD (AOR 0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.50; AOR 0.10, 95% CI 0.02-0.47, respectively). Youths with MMD+SUD were less likely (AOR 0.28, 95% CI 0.09-0.92) to engage in unprotected oral sex compared with those with neither disorder. CONCLUSIONS Irrespective of diagnostic group, delinquent youths are at great risk for HIV/STIs as they enter into adulthood. SUD increases risk. Because detained youths are released after approximately 2 weeks, their risk behaviors become a community health problem. Pediatricians and child and adolescent psychiatrists must collaborate with corrections professionals to develop HIV/STI interventions and ensure that programs started in detention centers continue after youths are released.

Childhood Maltreatment and Psychiatric Disorders Among Detained Youths

OBJECTIVE This study examined the prevalence of childhood maltreatment and its relationship with current psychiatric disorders among detained youths. METHODS Clinical research interviewers assessed history of childhood maltreatment with the Child Maltreatment Assessment Profile and psychiatric diagnosis with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, version 2.3, in a stratified, random sample of 1,829 youths detained at the Cook Country Juvenile Temporary Detention Center (final sample, N=1,735). History of maltreatment was also ascertained from Cook County Court Child Protection Division records. RESULTS More than three-quarters of females and more than two-thirds of males had a history of physical abuse (moderate or severe). More than 40% of females and 10% of males had a history of sexual abuse. Females and non-Hispanic whites had the highest prevalence rates of childhood maltreatment. Among females, sexual abuse was associated with every type of psychiatric disorder. Females who experienced various types of abuse were 2.6 to 10.7 times as likely as females with no maltreatment to have any disorder. Among males, maltreatment was associated with every disorder except anxiety disorders (range of odds ratios, 1.9-7.9). Among youths who were sexually abused, abuse with force was associated with anxiety and affective disorders among females and attention-deficit hyperactivity or disruptive behavior disorders and substance use disorders among males. CONCLUSIONS Childhood maltreatment is common among detained youths and is also highly associated with psychiatric disorders. The mental health, child welfare, and juvenile justice systems must collaborate to ensure that youths receive protection and care when they return to their communities.

Examination of selected clinical factors and medication use as risk factors for pneumonia during stroke rehabilitation: A case-control study

Marciniak C, Korutz AW, Lin E, Roth E, Welty L, Lovell L: Examination of selected clinical factors and medication use as risk factors for pneumonia during stroke rehabilitation: a case-control study. Objective:To assess the association of selected clinical factors and specific medication use (proton pump inhibitors, H2 receptor antagonists [H2 blockers], and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors) with presence of pneumonia in patients with stroke undergoing acute inpatient rehabilitation. Design:Matched case-control study in a freestanding urban academic inpatient acute rehabilitation hospital. Participants were 72 stroke survivors, consisting of 36 patients who developed pneumonia during rehabilitation hospitalization individually matched in order of decreasing priority on age, sex, stroke side, depth, and severity with 36 patients with stroke not developing pneumonia. Potential risk factors, including severe dysphagia, dietary interventions, presence of tracheostomy or feeding tube, and specific medications, were assessed for association with pneumonia during rehabilitation using separate univariate and multivariate analyses. Functional change was assessed using the functional independence measure. Results:Although pneumonia was associated with proton pump inhibitors or H2 blockers (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.0–13.7), any feeding tube (odds ratio: 5.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–27.0), severe dysphagia (odds ratio: 15.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.3–631), and tracheostomy (odds ratio: 10; 95% confidence interval, 1.4–434.0) on univariate evaluation, none of these individual factors was significantly associated with pneumonia in a multivariate model. Risk factors were found to be highly related to each other. Odds of pneumonia did not significantly decrease with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (odds ratio: 0.9; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–3.0). Patients with pneumonia had a significantly lower functional independence measure score at discharge. Conclusions:A reduction in pneumonia was not found with the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Although tracheostomies, feeding tubes, proton pump inhibitor or H2 blocker use, and the presence of dysphagia were identified as risk factors for pneumonia on univariate analyses, none of these factors demonstrated an independent association with pneumonia on multivariate analyses. It may be more that the underlying impairment, rather than the assessed interventions, may confer greater risk of pneumonia in the poststroke patient.