An Episodic Analysis of Substance Use and Risky Sexual Behavior in a Racially Diverse Sample of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

Many studies have examined the relations between drug use and sexual behaviors; however, few have utilized episodic data to examine the co-occurrence of both behaviors within the same episode. This study surveyed 403 racially and ethnically diverse gay, bisexual, and other young men who have sex with men (YMSM; ages 18–29) in New York City. Men were surveyed about their sexual behavior and concurrent use of illicit substances and alcohol during their most recent sexual encounter with their main and/or casual partner(s). Logistic regression models were built to analyze predictors of unprotected oral and anal intercourse with main and casual partners. Results suggest that use of inhalant nitrates and alcohol increased the odds of men engaging in unprotected receptive anal intercourse (URAI) and men who identified as middle or high socioeconomic status (SES) were at lower odds of engaging in URAI with their main partner. Use of other illicit substances was not associated with unprotected sexual intercourse. These findings indicate a need to further consider the role of licit substances used by YMSM as a means of further reducing the incidence of HIV infection in this population. In addition, the high rates of unprotected anal intercourse among men reporting a main partner has the potential to be a significant source of HIV risk, and should be further explored among YMSM.     

Advanced Concentration Macro Competencies for Social Work Practitioners: Identifying Knowledge,Values, Judgment and Skills to Promote Human Well-Being

The Association of Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA) was formed in 1987–88; thereafter, the annual ACOSA meetings became part of the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) Annual Program Meeting (Roberts-DeGennaro, 2002 Roberts-DeGennero, M. (2002). History of ACOSA. http://www.acosa.org/history.html (http://www.acosa.org/history.html)  [Google Scholar]). ACOSA's purpose is “to promote teaching, research, and social work practice in the areas of community organization and social administration” (ACOSA, 2011a Association of Community Organization and Social Administration. (2011a). Goals and Focus for the Decade, Approved by the ACOSA Board of Directors, January 11, 2011. http://www.acosa.org/CO_ACOSA_Goals_Focus.pdf (http://www.acosa.org/CO_ACOSA_Goals_Focus.pdf)  [Google Scholar]). Most schools of social work have some required content for students in the areas of policy practice, program development, community planning, organizational development, administration, management, and community and neighborhood organizing. Organizational members sought to support these areas with research, best practice identification, and effective teaching/learning strategies.     

Thermal and chemical stratification of urban ponds: Are they ‘completely mixed reactors’?

We examined whether relatively small urban ponds behave as ‘completely mixed reactors’ by measuring the stability and vertical heterogeneity of water column parameters. To do this, we measured profiles of water temperature and conductivity from the pond surface to the water-sediment interface twice during summer 2009 in 45 stormwater ponds located in the residential landscape of southern Ontario. These data were used to calculate water column stability indices and examine the relative importance of temperature and conductivity in controlling water column stratification. We also measured concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP),total dissolved nitrogen (TDN), particulate phosphorus and nitrogen (seston P and N), chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and total suspended solids (TSS) in surface and bottom waters. Despite their shallow depth (0.50–2.8 m), most ponds were stratified on the day of sampling and had relatively stable water columns both in June and August. Temperature differences rather than conductivity differences were better related to water column stability. Despite relatively stable water columns, vertical differences were not found for most water chemistry parameters, suggesting either recent mixing or relatively slow biogeochemical processing. Top-bottom differences were observed in June and August for DO and in June for TDN, seston N and TSS, reflecting a combination of processes influencing water column chemistry.     

The Role of Active Listening in Teacher–Parent Relations and the Moderating Role of Attachment Style

This study tested the perceived effectiveness of “Listening-Ask questions-Focus on the issue–Find a first step” method (McNaughton et al., 2008) in a parent–teacher conversation using a scenario study (N?=?208). As expected, a scenario based on this method compared with a scenario of a conversation omitting the four steps of the method was perceived both by teachers and parents as more effective (d?=?1.43). Moreover, it was hypothesized that the effectiveness of this listening method would be found largely among secure participants. Indeed, the findings suggested that anxious people were less sensitive to the manipulation. Research hypotheses regarding avoidant attachment style were not supported, suggesting that more research is needed to better understand the moderating role of attachment style.     

Fallout from Communism: The Role of Feminism in Fighting HIV/AIDS among Women in Russia

ABSTRACT

I have no political platforms. I don't like the system of rules the word ‘feminist’ implies.

—Roza Khatskelevich, New York Times, 2003     

HIV/AIDS: Measuring an Evolving Virus

Many social work journal articles portray HIV as a chronic illness. Although HIV medical management has evolved, it is far from chronic for most of the world. With such rapid developments in the field of HIV/AIDS, this article examines validity of knowledge measurements developed pre-HAART. Further, what place does validity hold in the maintenance of these measurement devices? The authors review several widely used measurement scales utilized in developed nations—The Beliefs About Preventing AIDS, The HIV Knowledge Questionnaire, and The International IADS Questionnaire-English Version—to answer these questions and to promote understanding for social workers in the field of HIV/AIDS regarding validity of the instruments.     

The Changing Roles of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

The 2000 U.S. Census reported there were 158.9 million people ages 30 and older living in households in the United States, of whom 5.8 million (or 3.6%) were co-resident grandparents, defined as living with grandchildren younger than 18. Among these findings, 2.4 million (42%) were also grandparent caregivers. It is estimated that 1 in 10 grandparents will be the primary caregiver for at least 6 months for a grandchild before the child's eighteenth birthday. This article will discuss some of the challenges and hardships that these grandparents are faced with while raising their grandchildren. In addition, some attention to practice and policy are looked at to provide assistance to grandparents and kinship that may be raising relatives. There will be financial burden, worry, health issues, and freedom restrictions for this population. Many of these families may not be aware of programs, services, and resources that are available to them.     

Migration,Poverty, and Risk of HIV Infection: An Application of Social Capital Theory

A majority of current HIV/AIDS interventions are designed primarily after individual-based public health models and pay little attention to the socioeconomic environment in which HIV transmission occurs. This article focuses on outlining how migration acts as a conduit for disease transmission in South Africa and then proposes a macro-level prevention model based on social capital theory, thus then supplementing current prevention literature. It is based on the argument that social disruption and stresses from migration lead to sexual interactions during the migration periods that amplify the risk of HIV transmission among migrants.     

Weapons of penile smooth muscle destruction: Androgen deficiency promotes accumulation of adipocytes in the corpus cavernosum

In men with erectile dysfunction, venous leakage is a common condition among non-responders to medical management and is attributed to penile smooth muscle atrophy. Androgens play a role in regulating trabecular smooth muscle growth and function. Further, androgens stimulate differentiation of progenitor cells into smooth muscle cells and inhibit their differentiation into adipocytes. We postulate that androgens exert a direct effect on penile tissue to maintain erectile function, and that androgen deficiency produces metabolic and structural imbalances in the corpus cavernosum, resulting in venous leakage and erectile dysfunction. To date, research efforts on the mechanisms by which androgens regulate penile erectile physiology have mainly focused on investigating the role of the NO/cGMP pathway. However, androgen-dependent mechanisms that regulate tissue remodeling have been poorly defined. Characterization of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which androgens regulate corpus cavernosum structural and functional integrity would provide significant gains in knowledge and understanding of an important pathogenic process. In this review, we discuss the potential role of androgen in maintaining differentiation of progenitor cells into smooth muscle lineage and inhibition of differentiation into adipocytes. Androgen deficiency promotes differentiation into adipogenic lineage, and accumulation of adipocytes in the corpus cavernosum may contribute to erectile dysfunction.