Findings From Surveys on Adventism, Politics and Social Issues

AHSRA Presentation Proposal Abstract: The relationships between Adventism and the social political world has implications for the mission of the church and its involvement in the social issues of our time. Researches present an analysis of research conducted over several decades which explore the relationship of Adventism, politics and social issues

Multilayer and multiplex networks: an introduction to their use in veterinary epidemiology

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record.Contact network analysis has become a vital tool for conceptualizing the spread of pathogens in animal populations and is particularly useful for understanding the implications of heterogeneity in contact patterns for transmission. However, the transmission of most pathogens cannot be simplified to a single mode of transmission and, thus, a single definition of contact. In addition, host-pathogen interactions occur in a community context, with many pathogens infecting multiple host species and most hosts being infected by multiple pathogens. Multilayer networks provide a formal framework for researching host-pathogen systems in which multiple types of transmission-relevant interactions, defined as network layers, can be analyzed jointly. Here, we provide an overview of multilayer network analysis and review applications of this novel method to epidemiological research questions. We then demonstrate the use of this technique to analyze heterogeneity in direct and indirect contact patterns amongst swine farms in the United States. When contact among nodes can be defined in multiple ways, a multilayer approach can advance our ability to use networks in epidemiological research by providing an improved approach for defining epidemiologically relevant groups of interacting nodes and changing the way we identify epidemiologically important individuals such as superspreaders.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)NIFA-NSF-NIH Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease awardAgriculture and Food Research InitiativeSwine Health Information Center (SHIC)University of MinnesotaUniversity of Exete

Sex, Drugs and Alcohol: What Adventist College Students Say about the Role of Parents and Religion

Relationships with peers, parents, and God make a difference in the behavior choices of youth. If a young person spends time with peers who don’t use substances and are planning to wait until they get married to have sex, they are less likely to engage in these behaviors. In addition, if the youth has a close relationship with parents who clearly state their standards regarding substance use and premarital sex, they are less likely to practice these behaviors. Finally, when the young person has a close relationship with God, they are more likely to care about the religious standards such as, the body is God’s temple and sex is for marriage

The LGBT+ Divide: Identity, Shame, and Equality Before God and the Church

Navigating one’s sexual and/or gender identity can be a difficult and complex process for Christian LGBT+ youth, leaving many of them at high risk for poor mental health outcomes and self-harming thoughts and behaviors. Seventh-day Adventist families and congregations are just beginning to grapple with how they should respond to their LGBT+ children. This survey of 310 Seventh-day Adventist adult Millennials explored perceived levels of their families’ acceptance or rejection of their sexual orientation or gender identity during their teen years. Other variables included recent levels of self-esteem, social support, depression, substance abuse, high-risk sexual activity, and suicidal thinking or attempts. Findings showed generally low levels of family acceptance and support, as well as elevated rates of depression and at-risk thoughts and behaviors. A high proportion of respondents have retained strong spiritual commitment and moderate church involvement. We conclude with recommendations for parents, family, church members, and friends who have LGBT+ loved ones

Trends in Substance Use in a Prohibitionist University Compared to General College Populations

Researchers at the Institute for the Prevention of Addictions have conducted surveys on health risk behaviors among Andrews University students from 1995 to 2023. In examinations of five data points between 1995 and 2018, the gap in the rates of substance use between Andrews University students and a general U.S. college population remained about the same each time period. However, both groups tended to increase or decrease use over the same time periods. Data from the March 2023 collection period will be included in the presentation and will be examined to see if cultural levelling has occurred or if Andrews students have been able to resist the pull of cultural levelling

Community and School Drug Prevention Strategy Prevalence: Differential Effects by Setting and Substance

This study used key informant interviews and student survey data in 508 U.S. communities to examine relationships between the prevalence of community an