Methods for Bivariate Survival Data with Mismeasured Covariates Under an Accelerated Failure Time Model

Accelerated failure time models are useful in survival data analysis, but such models have received little attention in the context of measurement error. In this paper we discuss an accelerated failure time model for bivariate survival data with covariates subject to measurement error. In particular, methods based on the marginal and joint models are considered. Consistency and efficiency of the resultant estimators are investigated. Simulation studies are carried out to evaluate the performance of the estimators as well as the impact of ignoring the measurement error of covariates. As an illustration we apply the proposed methods to analyze a data set arising from the Busselton Health Study (Knuiman et al., 1994 Knuiman , M. W. , Cullent , K. J. , Bulsara , M. K. , Welborn , T. A. , Hobbs , M. S. T. ( 1994 ). Mortality trends, 1965 to 1989, in Busselton, the site of repeated health surveys and interventions . Austral. J. Public Health 18 : 129 – 135 . [CSA] [Crossref], [PubMed] , [Google Scholar]).     

Creating Supportive Environments for LGBT Older Adults: An Efficacy Evaluation of Staff Training in a Senior Living Facility

ABSTRACT

Supportive housing later in life tends to be a key concern for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) elders. Most senior care providers are un(der)prepared to meet the needs of older LGBT adults. This study evaluated the efficacy of a 4 hours, face-to-face, research-based, LGBT-diversity training designed to improve senior housing facility staff’s cultural competency regarding the needs of LGBT elders. Findings from this study found a significant increase in LGBT content knowledge between pre- and post-intervention assessments and a significant decrease in perceived preparedness when working with LGBT elders. These effects remained significant after controlling for staff designation, religion, educational attainment, and training session. Findings suggest that staff’s cultural competence affected their perceived readiness to address LGBT elders’ needs. Implications are related to the concept of cultural humility or the lifelong process of understanding others’ experiences based on the recognition of lack of un(der)preparedness to create a culturally supportive residential environment.     

Is there a (transracial) adoption achievement gap?: A national longitudinal analysis of adopted children's educational performance

In one of the first longitudinal population-based studies examining adopted children's educational achievement, we analyze whether there is a test-score gap between children in adoptive families and children in biological families. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, we find in aggregate adopted children have lower reading and math scores than their counterparts living in biological families. Yet there is significant variation among adoptive families by their race and health status. On one hand adoptive parents tend to be White and have more economic capital than their non-adoptive counterparts potentially contributing to educational advantages. However adopted children are also more likely to have special educational needs, contributing to greater educational disadvantages. Untangling these variables through a multivariate regression analysis, we find that transracially adopted children have similar test scores to White children living with biological parents. We point to the interaction between race, family resources and children's health status and how these characteristics differentially shape achievement outcomes for adopted children.     

Factors Influencing use of Bicycle Helmets among Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Undergraduate bicyclists' attitudes toward using helmets were surveyed, using a 66-item questionnaire. The authors identified a series of factors that would increase the likelihood of students' using the protective devices and suggest interventions to be considered in developing programs to decrease morbidity and mortality in the bicycle-riding population.     

Improving Understanding About Tanning Behaviors in College Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about sun safety habits, barriers to using sunblock, and beliefs about tanning and sun exposure. Results: Response rate was 90.8% (n = 139). Most students (87.8%) reportedly spent ≥ 3 hours per day outside in the summer, but only 17.3% reported always using sunblock during this time. Sixty percent reported recent indoor tanning and 41% reported more than 10 lifetime sunburns. The greatest barrier to using sunblock was forgetting (84.2%). Conclusions: Demographics coupled with inconsistent and low levels of sunblock use, high annual prevalence of indoor tanning, and multiple lifetime sunburns indicate that this sample is at high risk for skin cancer.     

Importance has been Considered in Satisfaction Evaluation: an Experimental Examination of Locke’s Range-of-affect Hypothesis

Importance weighting is a common practice in quality of life (QOL) measurement research. Based on the widespread idea that important domains should make a greater contribution to individuals’ QOL total score, the weighting procedure of multiplying item satisfaction by an item’s importance has been adopted in many QOL instruments. Locke’s [1969, Organizational Behavior and Human Performance 4, 309–336; 1976, Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Rand McNally, Chicago, pp. 1297–1343] range-of-affect hypothesis indicated that a satisfaction evaluation is determined by the have-want discrepancy, importance, and the interaction of the have-want discrepancy and importance, implying that a satisfaction evaluation incorporates the judgment of importance and weighting the satisfaction score with the importance score is unnecessary. The purpose of the current study was to address the issue of importance weighting by examining Locke’s range-of-affect hypothesis in the context of QOL research. A within-subject experiment was conducted to see if, given a varying amount of discrepancy, participants would reveal whether or not satisfaction/dissatisfaction is related to the dimension of importance placed on the object. Forty undergraduate students at National Taiwan University participated in the current study. Results revealed that the association between have-want discrepancy and object satisfaction is stronger on the high important dimension than the less important dimension. Generally, the results were consistent with Locke’s range-of-affect hypothesis, revealing that a satisfaction evaluation has incorporated the judgment of item importance, suggesting that the procedure of importance weighting is unnecessary. This paper was a part of the first author’s Master’s Thesis.     

Do We Need to Weight Satisfaction Scores with Importance Ratings in Measuring Quality of Life?

Trauer and Mackinnon (2001; Quality of life research 10, pp. 579–585) recently proposed that weighting satisfaction scores by importance ratings in measuring quality of life is undesirable and unnecessary. However, they didn’t use empirical data to support their claim. In this study, different weighting algorithms developed by Cummins (1997; Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale – Adult: Manual [Deakin, University Australia]), Raphael et al. (1996; Journal of Adolescent Health 19, pp. 366–375), Ferrans and Powers (1985; Advances in Nursing Science 8, pp. 15–24) and Frisch (1992; Comprehensive Casebook of Cognitive Therapy [Plenum Press, New York]) for measuring quality of life (QOL) were applied. Weighted scores computed from these weighting algorithms were compared with unweighted scores in predicting a global life satisfaction measure by correlation and moderated regression analyses. One hundred and thirty undergraduate students at National Taiwan University participated in the study voluntarily. They completed a 15-item questionnaire on quality of campus life developed by the authors. They also completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), a global life satisfaction measure developed by Diener et al. (1985; Journal of Personality Assessment 49, pp. 71–75). The correlation results revealed that the weighted scores computed from different algorithms didn’t have higher correlations to the SWLS than the unweighted scores. The moderated regression results also revealed that item importance did not moderate the relationship between item satisfaction and the overall life satisfaction. All these findings revealed that weighting satisfaction with importance is unnecessary. This paper was a part of the first author’s Master Thesis     

Homelessness Among Out-of-Treatment Drug Users in Long Beach,CA*

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to determine the reliability of measures of homelessness (Study 1), and to use these measures to predict homelessness from data collected over a 1O-year period (Study 2). For Study 1, to determine test-retest reliability, the Risk Behavior Assessment (REA; National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1991) was administered twice within a 48-hour period. Cohen’s kappa was calculated at .86 for the two REA measures of homelessness. For Study 2, to predict homelessness from data collected over a 10-year period, a logistic regression model was built. Earlier homelessness and illegal income were identified as risk factors; number of times tested for HIV and Black ethnicity were identified as protective against homelessness. Predictive accuracy was assessed with a reduced bias method approximating jackknifing techniques. These findings point to the need to provide enhanced services-including HIV testing opportunities andjob training- to the homeless.     

Lesbian Mothering in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence

SUMMARY

Twenty-four lesbian mothers (12 African American, 9 White, and 3 Latina) who had experienced physical abuse by a same-sex partner were interviewed. Three types of IPV were found: intimate terrorism, situational violence, and mutual violent control. Further, relationships between mothers/abusers, mothers/children, and abusers/children were examined. Regarding relationships with abusers, 71% of mothers reported lengthy sagas, 17% had worked it out, and 13% made a clean break from the abuser. Regarding relationships with their children, 48% of mothers hid the violence, 26% minimized it, and 26% openly communicated about the situation. Relationships between abusers and the mothers' children were found to be either co-parental (29%), playmate (21%), abusive (21%), or non-parental (21%). Correlations among relational and demographic variables were also examined.