Risky sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted diseases: a comparison study of cocaine-dependent individuals in treatment versus a community-matched sample

Cocaine users routinely engage in high-risk sexual behaviors that place them at an elevated risk of contracting HIV and other blood-borne infections. The purpose of the present study was to compare trading sex for drugs and/or money, having 10 or more sexual partners in 1 year, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) of cocaine-dependent individuals in treatment for their dependence across race and gender and against participants who live in their community. Cocaine-dependent individuals (n = 459) were identified through nine publicly and privately funded inpatient and outpatient chemical dependency treatment centers in the St. Louis area during 2001–2006. Community-based participants (n = 459) were matched to cocaine-dependent participants on age, ethnicity, gender, and zip code of residence. Mean age of the sample was 36 years old, 50% were Caucasians, 50% were African American, and 47% were male. Nearly half of cocaine-dependent participants in treatment had traded sex for drugs and/or money and over one-third had more than 10 sexual partners in 1 year with a risk concentrated among African Americans even after controlling for income and educational attainment. Participants recruited from the community with some exposure to cocaine reported similar rates of high risk sexual behaviors as the cocaine dependent subjects from treatment settings. It is important for clinicians to recognize that once released from treatment, cocaine-dependent individuals may be returning to high-risk environments where sexual risk behaviors are occurring in the context of cocaine use

Infant head growth in male siblings of children with and without autism spectrum disorders

Previous research has indicated that children with autism exhibit accelerated head growth (HG) in infancy, although the timing of acceleration varies between studies. We examined infant HG trajectory as a candidate autism endophenotype by studying sibling pairs. We retrospectively obtained serial head orbitofrontal circumference measurements of: a) 48 sibling pairs in which one (n = 28) or both (n = 20) sibs were affected by an autism spectrum disorder (ASD); and b) 85 control male sibling pairs. Rate of HG of ASD subjects was slightly accelerated compared to controls, but the magnitude of difference was below the limit of reliability of standard measurement methods. Sibling intra class correlation for rate of HG was highly statistically significant; the magnitude was significantly stronger among autism-affected families (ICC = .63) than among controls (ICC = .26), p < .01. Infant HG trajectory appears familial—possibly endophenotypic—but was not a reliable marker of autism risk among siblings of ASD probands in this sample

Selected topics in mathematics

xi, 323 p. ; 24 cm

Soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men: a revisit of a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;89:1155–63

ABSTRACT Background: Epidemiologic studies have shown that the consumption of soy foods may be associated with a reduction in cancer risk in humans. Objective: The purpose of this study was to conduct a metaanalysis on the association between soy consumption and prostate cancer risk in men. Design: We systematically reviewed studies obtained through a thorough Medline literature search and identified 15 epidemiologic publications on soy consumption and 9 on isoflavones in association with prostate cancer risk. We extracted the most adjusted relative risks (RRs) and odds ratios (ORs) of the highest and the lowest reported categories of intake from each study and conducted this analysis using a random-effects model in which studies with smaller SEEs are given greater weight in the summary measure. Results: Our analysis of studies on soy intake yielded a combined RR/OR of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.63, 0.89; P ¼ 0.01). When separately analyzed, studies on nonfermented soy foods yielded a combined RR/OR of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.88; P ¼ 0.01) and those on fermented soy foods yielded a combined RR/OR of 1.02 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.42; P ¼ 0.92). The analysis of studies on isoflavones yielded a combined RR/OR of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.02; P ¼ 0.09). Further separate analyses showed a combined RR/OR of 0.52 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.81; P ¼ 0.01) from studies with Asian populations and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.16; P ¼ 0.91) from studies with Western populations. Conclusions: The results of this analysis suggest that consumption of soy foods is associated with a reduction in prostate cancer risk in men. This protection may be associated with the type and quantity of soy foods consumed

Children's mental health service use and maternal mental health: A path analytic model

Objective This observational study explores pathways towards any past year use of child mental health services.Methods Data from the 2002 National Survey of American Families were used to explore the relationship between past month maternal mental health and past year child mental health services use. Observations were limited to the 8072 most knowledgeable adults who were the mothers of target children aged 6-11. Logistic regressions were performed to determine the odds of any child mental health service use followed by path analyses using Maximum Likelihood estimation with robust standard errors.Results Multiple factors were associated with odds of any child mental health service use. In the path analytic model poor past month maternal mental health was associated with increased aggravation which in turn was associated with increased use of mental health visits. Negative child behaviors as reported by the mother were also associated with increased maternal aggravation and increased service use.Conclusions Parental perception of child behaviors influences treatment seeking, both directly and indirectly through parental aggravation. Parental mental health influences tolerance for child behaviors. Findings are consistent with other studies. Interventions should address the entire family and their psychosocial circumstances through collaboration between multiple service sectors.Child mental health Service use Maternal mental health

Older youth leaving the foster care system: Who, what, when, where, and why?

Little research has systematically examined the transition process out of the foster care system for older youth, especially in states where youth can stay past age 18. This study uses mixed-methods data from 404 youth from Missouri, interviewed nine times between ages 17 and 19 to explore five questions. Who exits before age 19 and who stays? When do they exit? Where do they go? What are the circumstances of their exits? Do they want to exit and if so, why? Youth, especially those with externalizing behavior problems, left before they were required, often abruptly and dissatisfied with the foster care system. A large number of youth returned to their biological homes and those that remained in the system often lived in their own apartments. Efforts are needed to make remaining in care tolerable to youth who want to stay and transitioning out of care for those who want to leave a positive, thoughtful experience.