Linear Increments with Non‐monotone Missing Data and Measurement Error

Linear increments (LI) are used to analyse repeated outcome data with missing values. Previously, two LI methods have been proposed, one allowing non‐monotone missingness but not independent measurement error and one allowing independent measurement error but only monotone missingness. In both, it was suggested that the expected increment could depend on current outcome. We show that LI can allow non‐monotone missingness and either independent measurement error of unknown variance or dependence of expected increment on current outcome but not both. A popular alternative to LI is a multivariate normal model ignoring the missingness pattern. This gives consistent estimation when data are normally distributed and missing at random (MAR). We clarify the relation between MAR and the assumptions of LI and show that for continuous outcomes multivariate normal estimators are also consistent under (non‐MAR and non‐normal) assumptions not much stronger than those of LI. Moreover, when missingness is non‐monotone, they are typically more efficient.     

Evaluating the Use of Spatial Covariance Structures in the Analysis of Cardiovascular Imaging Data

This article investigates the choice of working covariance structures in the analysis of spatially correlated observations motivated by cardiac imaging data. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we found that the choice of covariance structure affects the efficiency of the estimator and power of the test. Choosing the popular unstructured working covariance structure results in an over-inflated Type I error possibly due to a sample size not large enough relative to the number of parameters being estimated. With regard to model fit indices, Bayesian Information Criterion outperforms Akaike Information Criterion in choosing the correct covariance structure used to generate data.     

Opportunities for woman-initiated HIV prevention methods among female sex workers in southern China

Rapid changes in China over the past two decades have led to significant problems associated with population migration and changing social attitudes, including a growing sex industry and concurrent increases in STIs and HIV. This article reports results of an exploratory study of microbicide acceptability and readiness and current HIV prevention efforts among female sex workers in two rural and one urban town in Hainan and Guangxi Provinces in southern China. The study focused on these women's knowledge and cultural understandings of options for protecting themselves from exposure to STIs and HIV, and the potential viability and acceptability of woman-initiated prevention methods. We report on ethnographic elicitation interviews conducted with women working within informal sex-work establishments (hotels, massage and beauty parlors, roadside restaurants, boarding houses). We discuss implications of these findings for further promotion of woman-initiated prevention methods such as microbicides and female condoms among female sex workers in China.     

Does subliminal exposure to sexual stimuli have the same effects on men and women?

Three studies explored gender differences in explicit and implicit components of sexual arousal following brief exposure to a sexual stimulus. Whereas Study 1 assessed reports of sexual arousal following subliminal exposure to a sexual or a neutral picture, Studies 2 and 3 examined the effects of the same priming procedure on accessibility of sex-related thoughts assessed with a pictorial judgment task and a lexical decision task. The subliminal sexual prime did not have an effect on men's reports of sexual arousal, but caused women to report lower levels of sexual arousal. In contrast, the same subliminal sexual prime led to higher accessibility of sex-related thoughts in both men and women. It is therefore suggested that the subliminal sexual prime causes women to activate sex-related mental contents but to experience the result as somewhat aversive.     

Reduced admissions for acute myocardial infarction associated with a public smoking ban: matched controlled study

There has been no research linking implementation of a public smoking ban and reduced incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) among nonsmoking patients. An ex post facto matched control group study was conducted to determine whether there was a change in hospital admissions for AMI among nonsmoking patients after a public smoking ban was implemented in Monroe County compared with Delaware County, Indiana without such a ban. Poisson analysis was conducted for 44 months of hospital admissions. A significant drop occurred in the number of admissions among nonsmoking patients in Monroe County after the ban whereas a nonsignificant decrease in the number of admissions occurred in Delaware County. The changes in the number of smoking-patient admissions before and after the ban were not significant.     

Protective and risk influences of drug use among a multiethnic sample of adolescent boys

A measurement model was analyzed to demonstrate a differential distribution and cumulative exposure to psychosocial risk and protective influences of adolescent drug use among ethnically-diverse adolescent samples. The sample included U.S.-born (US) Latino (N = 837), foreign-born (FB) Latino (N = 447), White (N = 632), and African American (N = 618) adolescent boys. Psychological Distress, Peer Drug Use, and Adolescent Drug Use were significantly positively correlated with Peer Drug Use and Adolescent Drug Use. In contrast, Family, School, law abidance, and guilt were significantly negatively correlated with Peer Drug Use and Adolescent Drug Use. Multiple group analyses indicated significant similarities and differences among US and FB Latinos, and Whites. Implications for early prevention, multi-level interventions, and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Self-perception of Gambling Problems among Adolescents Identified as At-risk or Problem Gamblers

The relative influence of perceived familial addictive behaviors and personal gambling behaviors on adolescents' self-perceptions of gambling problems was examined. Students from five high schools in Connecticut (N = 3,886) were surveyed. Of those between the ages of 14 and 17 who scored two or more on the South Oaks Gambling Screen--Revised for Adolescents (n = 532; 72% male; 43% Caucasian), 14.3% reported having a current or past problem with gambling. Wagering larger amounts in a single day, gambling on a daily basis, and perceived presence of a family member with a gambling problem were associated with increased odds of self-perception of a gambling problem. Thus, adolescents who may be less likely to be identified for prevention efforts (due to lack of engagement in high stakes gambling or the real/perceived absence of a problematic gambler in the home) appear less likely to perceive a gambling problem. To advance prevention and treatment strategies, the apparent discrepancy between adolescents' self-perceptions and objective reports of problem gambling behaviors warrants further investigation.     

Psychological well-being and general health of Jordanian university students

Assessment of individuals' psychological well-being and mental health is an important aspect of health promotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perception of psychological well-being and general health report among Jordanian university students. A total of 1108 students from six universities in Jordan were surveyed regarding psychological well-being and general health. The results showed that students perceived their psychological well-being as moderate. Psychological wellbeing subscales were negatively correlated with reports of physical pain, chronic infections, and previous or current treatment of a psychiatric illness. Male and female university students were similar in their perceptions of psychological well-being; however, they differed in their general health report. Perception of psychological well-being is an important component of university students' health. The importance of psychological well-being is highlighted, and implications for mental health nurses are presented.