The incidence of metabolic risk factors in an inpatient psychiatric setting

Our study examines risk factors for metabolic syndrome on admission to an acute psychiatric facility and the incidence of medical referrals at discharge. Data on demographics, risk factors for metabolic syndrome, other health risk factors, medications, related diagnoses, and primary care providers and referrals were collected from 125 psychiatric patient charts. Comparison analysis was done for two groups: those with two or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome and those with less than two risk factors. Differences between groups were statistically significant for age, waist circumference, body mass index, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and fasting glucose levels. Few patients were referred to their primary care provider for follow-up care. This study has clinical implications for improving assessment of psychiatric patients at risk for developing metabolic syndrome, for designing interventions to help patients adopt lifestyle changes to mitigate these risks, and for working toward fuller integration of psychiatric and primary care.     

The Effect of Mixing Events on the Dynamics of pH1N1 Outbreaks at Small Residential Colleges

Abstract Objective: The authors examine the dynamics and the impact of all-campus events on pH1N1 spread at Bates College in fall 2009, with comparisons to 3 other campuses. Participants: Students (N = 285) presented or called in to the Bates Health Center with symptoms consistent with influenza-like illness. Methods: Health Center staff at Bates collected data on the outbreak; data from other colleges are from Web sites and journal articles. Data were analyzed using a mathematical model for influenza. Results: Bates held 2 vaccine clinics mid-outbreak. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the vaccine clinics may have altered routine student interactions, facilitating transmission of pH1N1 among students who otherwise might not have encountered each other. Conclusion: The vaccine clinics, held when vaccine became available, were too late to halt transmission. The disruptions to campus rhythms due to the vaccine clinics may instead have contributed to pH1N1 spread.     

Police interviews of sexual assault reporters: do attitudes matter?

Sexual assault is underreported in the United States. Survivors are often reluctant to make police reports for various reasons; one is fear of revictimization by criminal justice professionals. Conversely, police officers often lack skills for interviewing crime victims. Posttraumatic stress reactions among victims can exacerbate the problem. Although some victims prefer female interviewers, it is not known whether they are more skilled. A sample of 429 police officers completed a written survey testing their rape myth acceptance and knowledge of how to interview rape reporters. A significant relationship between rape myth acceptance and interviewing skill was discovered. Although officer gender was related to interviewing skill, the effect was mediated by rape myth acceptance. Specific officer behaviors related to high rape myth acceptance were identified. Implications for selection of police to conduct victim interviews were discussed.     

Impact of lightweight and conventional jackhammers on the operator

Jackhammer manufacturers have recently developed lightweight (45-60 lbs) jackhammers intended to reduce the required lifting and pushing forces during operation. However, the vibration characteristics of the lightweight jackhammers and their effect on muscle activity are currently unknown. The objective of this study was to compare the measured vibration and muscle activity between: (i) conventional (90 lb) and light weight (60 lb) jackhammers, (ii) different pavement type/thickness combinations, and (iii) pneumatic and hydraulic jackhammers. Five jackhammers were tested on 4 and 6 inch thick asphalt and concrete pavements by four experienced operators. Analysis of the results revealed that both weight classes averaged 9.7 m/s(2) at the 20 Hz weighted 1/3 octave band frequency, and the TLV of daily exposure for either weight class of jackhammer was less than 1.5 hours/per day. There was an approximately 33% difference in vibration measured on the hand of the operators due to pavement thickness, 30% due pavement type, and no difference due to power source. Conventional jackhammers overall produced higher muscle activity than lightweight jackhammers. Although selection of the correct jackhammer for the job involves many factors including pavement type and thickness, the results of this research can be used to assist in selecting the appropriate jackhammer.     

The importance of ergonomics to sustainability throughout a building's life cycle

Protecting and conserving environmental resources is a global concern. Over the past decade, a number of certification processes have emerged to help designers and operators of buildings assess the potential impact of a building on the environment. Certifications such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) consider the environmental impact through the lifecycle of a building, but may not be considering the people that construct and utilize it. It is important to remember the human factor. Considering the human factor throughout the lifecycle is crucial to ensure individuals are protected during construction and in operation in the built environment. The paper highlights how ergonomics can be integrated into the life cycle of a building to promote sustainability goals for both the human factor and the environment. A case study approach will be used to illustrate how ergonomics was integrated into a LEED renovation and expanded into its daily operations on a large university campus..     

Disability beliefs and help-seeking behavior of depressed Chinese-American patients in a primary care setting

In this study the authors assessed the effects of disability beliefs, conceptualization and labeling of emotional disabilities, and perceived barriers on help-seeking behaviors among depressed Chinese Americans in a primary care setting. Forty-two Chinese Americans participated in semistructured interviews using established psychological measures and open-ended questions adapted from the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue. The authors found that care utilization appears to be complicated by somatization of emotional problems, variations in causal attribution to depression, barriers to receiving mental health care, and the burden of comorbid physical conditions. Their findings highlight the importance of addressing these issues and educating patients about body-mind dialectic common to depression.     

Family structure and child outcomes: a high definition, wide angle “snapshot”

Using data from the National Survey of America??s Families (NSAF), this research investigates the relationships between a highly defined set of family structures and a broad set of child outcomes at a particular point in time in a child??s life. A detailed classification of family structures is constructed that clarifies key differences among various types of diverse families, and facilitates equivalencies testing and pairwise comparisons across nontraditional family structures. The NSAF contains a large number of observations for less common, but growing, family structures such as single-father families, grandparent-headed households and cohabiters, which makes such detailed analyses feasible and allows further stratification by child age, gender and race. The data also contains information on child behavioral, educational and physical health outcomes, as well as extensive household characteristics, economic resources and parental behaviors and inputs. Results suggest that differences across nontraditional family structures are particularly prominent for child health outcomes and that the gender of the resident parent is empirically important, more so than the presence of a cohabiting or married step-parent. Children in single father families have lesser access to health care yet enjoy better health outcomes than those in other families, even after controlling for economic resources (and inputs). In contrast, few differences are found between grandparent-headed families and other non-parent families. While we explore alternative explanations for these results, our cross-sectional data and complex set of family structure variables preclude isolating causal relationships; instead, our analyses yield empirically important distinctions that point to promising avenues for future research.     

Postural Position Constrains Multimodal Object Exploration in Infants

Recent research has revealed the important role of multimodal object exploration in infants' cognitive and social development. Yet, the real‐time effects of postural position on infants' object exploration have been largely ignored. In the current study, 5‐ to 7‐month‐old infants (N = 29) handled objects while placed in supported sitting, supine, and prone postures, and their spontaneous exploratory behaviors were observed. Infants produced more manual, oral, and visual exploration in sitting compared to lying supine and prone. Moreover, while sitting, infants more often coupled manual exploration with mouthing and visual examination. Infants' opportunities for learning from object exploration are embedded within a real‐time postural context that constrains the quantity and quality of exploratory behavior.