Senior Center Staff Perceptions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Adults: A Research Proposal

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults are a unique and vulnerable population who are largely overlooked by the gerontological literature and by aging service providers. As the number of older adults in the United States continues to grow so does the LGBT older adult population, which is expected to double from approximately three million to six million by 2030. The literature highlights disparities in physical and mental health, socioeconomic status, and social support among LGBT older adults. Aging services providers are undoubtedly unprepared to serve this population; there is little training or education on sexual minority seniors. Most aging service providers assume their clients are heterosexual, and LGBT older adults are reluctant to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity due to lifetime experiences with discrimination and internalized stigma. This mistrust of providers leads to delayed care and nonparticipation in services for older adults, which directly contributes to disparities. This research proposal aims to address these issues in Allegheny County by assessing staff at the fifty-five senior centers contracted with the Area Agency on Aging. The proposed research is relevant to the field of public health because it seeks to address the lack of culturally competent providers who serve LGBT older adults, which is specifically mentioned in Healthy People 2020. Using a mixed methods approach, the proposed study will examine 1) policies of senior centers in Allegheny County that seek to address the needs of LGBT seniors, 2) staff attitudes towards and perceptions of LGBT older adults, and 3) differences in perceptions and experiences between executive staff and direct service staff. First, senior center staff will participate in focus groups to determine community norms and attitudes. Next, a survey will be administered electronically to senior center staff through email. These data will be analyzed and will help inform future senior programming at senior centers in Allegheny County. While the sampling frame is somewhat limited and results from this convenience sample will not be generalizable, this study hopes to identify areas for future research and identify training needs within the senior center network

The burden of childhood atopic dermatitis in the primary care setting: a report from the Meta-LARC Consortium

Background: Little is known about the burden of AD encountered in U.S. primary care practices and the frequency and type of skin care practices routinely used in children. Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of AD and allergic comorbidities in children 0-5 years attending primary care practices in the U.S. and to describe routine skin care practices used in this population. Design: A cross-sectional survey study of a convenience sample of children under the age of 5 attending primary care practices for any reason. Setting: Ten primary care practices in five U.S. states.Results: Amongst 652 children attending primary care practices, the estimated prevalence of ever having AD was 24 % (95% CI= 21-28) ranging from 15% among those under the age of one to 38% among those aged 4- 5 years. The prevalence of comorbid asthma was higher among AD participants compared to those with no AD, 12% and 4%, respectively (p less than 0.001). Moisturizers with high water:oil ratios were most commonly used (i.e., lotions) in the non-AD population, whereas moisturizers with low water:oil content (i.e. ointments) most common when AD was present. Conclusions: Our study found a large burden of AD in the primary care practice setting in the U.S. The majority of households reported skin care practices in children without AD that may be detrimental to the skin barrier such as frequent bathing and the routine use of moisturizers with high water: oil ratios. Clinical trials are needed to identify which skin care practices are optimal for reducing the significant risk of AD in the community

Κορώνη -- Μοσχάτον

A joint measurement is presented of the branching fractions $B^0_s\to\mu^+\mu^-$ and $B^0\to\mu^+\mu^-$ in proton-proton collisions at the LHC by the CMS and LHCb experiments. The data samples were collected in 2011 at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, and in 2012 at 8 TeV. The combined analysis produces the first observation of the $B^0_s\to\mu^+\mu^-$ decay, with a statistical significance exceeding six standard deviations, and the best measurement of its branching fraction so far, and three standard deviation evidence for the $B^0\to\mu^+\mu^-$ decay. The measurements are statistically compatible with SM predictions and impose stringent constraints on several theories beyond the SM