Arm Circumference-to-Height Ratio as a Situational Alternative to BMI Percentile in Assessing Obesity and Cardiometabolic Risk in Adolescents

Objective To determine whether arm circumference-to-height ratio (AHtR) predicts adolescents' cardiometabolic risk and how its predictive statistics compare to those of body mass index (BMI) percentile. Methods Pooled data for adolescents ($N$ = 12,269, 12–18 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, U.S., 1999–2014, were analyzed. For each of the eight cardiometabolic variables, borderline-risk and high-risk were considered unhealthy, and being unhealthy on any variable was considered “unhealthy overall” in terms of cardiometabolic risk. Area under the curve and $R^2$ were used to compare BMI percentile and AHtR for accuracy in predicting risk. Results Female AHtR ≥ 0.19 and BMI percentile ≥ 94 and male AHtR ≥ 0.16 and BMI percentile ≥ 64 predicted a probability of >0.7 being unhealthy overall. AHtR predicted overall risk and unhealthy levels of six variables more accurately than BMI percentile. Significant differences were overall risk ($x^2$ = 4.18; $p$=0.041), total cholesterol ($x^2$ = 8.68; p=0.003), glycated hemoglobin ($x^2$ = 5.24; p=0.022), and systolic pressure ($x^2$ = 5.10; p=0.024). AHtR had higher accuracy in predicting high-density cholesterol, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and systolic/diastolic pressures plus higher specificity in predicting all variables except triglycerides. BMI percentile had higher sensitivity for all variables. Sensitivity and accuracy were higher for males. No significant race/ethnicity differences were observed. Conclusions Without needing adjustment for age and weight, AHtR can predict some cardiometabolic risk factors of adolescents, especially of males, more accurately than BMI percentile, thus facilitating population risk estimation and early interventions. Further research is required to validate these findings in younger children

Effects of preventive online mindfulness interventions on stress and mindfulness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Empirical evidence suggested that mind-body interventions can be effectively delivered online. This study aimed to examine whether preventive online mindfulness interventions (POMI) for non-clinical populations improve short- and long-term outcomes for perceived-stress (primary) and mindfulness (secondary). Systematic search of four electronic databases, manuscript reference lists, and journal content lists was conducted in 2016, using 21 search-terms. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating effects of POMI in non-clinical populations with adequately reported perceived-stress and mindfulness measures pre- and post-intervention were included. Random-effects models utilized for all effect-size estimations with meta-regression performed for mean age and %females. Participants were volunteers (adults; predominantly female) from academic, workplace, or community settings. Most interventions utilized simplified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction protocols over 2–12 week periods. Post-intervention, significant medium effect found for perceived-stress (g = 0.432), with moderate heterogeneity and significant, but small, effect size for mindfulness (g = 0.275) with low heterogeneity; highest effects were for middle-aged individuals. At follow-up, significant large effect found for perceived-stress (g = 0.699) with low heterogeneity and significant medium effect (g = 0.466) for mindfulness with high heterogeneity. No publication bias was found for perceived-stress; publication bias found for mindfulness outcomes led to underestimation of effects, not overestimation. Number of eligible RCTs was low with inadequate data reporting in some studies. POMI had substantial stress reduction effects and some mindfulness improvement effects. POMI can be a more convenient and cost-effective strategy, compared to traditional face-to-face interventions, especially in the context of busy, hard-to-reach, but digitally-accessible populations

Social Media Outrage in Response to a School-Based Substance Use Survey: Qualitative Analysis

School-based alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use (ATOD) surveys are a common epidemiological means of understanding youth risk behaviors. They can be used to monitor national trends and provide data, in aggregate, to schools, communities, and states for the purposes of funding allocation, prevention programming, and other supportive infrastructure. However, such surveys sometimes are targeted by public criticism, and even legal action, often in response to a lack of perceived appropriateness. The ubiquity of social media has added the risk of potential online firestorms, or digital outrage events, to the hazards to be considered when administering such a survey. Little research has investigated the influence of online firestorms on public health survey administration, and no research has analyzed the content of such an occurrence. Analyzing this content will facilitate insights as to how practitioners can minimize the risk of generating outrage when conducting such surveys

Obesity Perception Survey Among Youth in Turkey: Instrument Development and Test-Retest Reliability

Background/aim: We aimed to develop an instrument that can assess the perceptions and opinions of young people regarding the causes and consequences of obesity and the role of individuals, families, communities, and government in addressing obesity. Materials and methods: A 36-question (101-item) survey was developed by adopting, translating, and revising multiple-choice or Likertscale questions from existing surveys to assure construct cross-cultural validity. A two-factor mixed-effects model estimated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to measure the test-retest reliability of questions administered 2 weeks apart to a convenient sample of İstanbul high school and university students, aged 15–25 years (n = 122). Results: The mean ICC for university and high school was 0.70 and 0.63, respectively. University students were more consistent in relating the problem to society and public policy preferences. High school students were more consistent in relating the problem and solution to themselves and their immediate environments. Using a 0.5 cutoff for the ICC’s lower 95% confidence limit, followed by reevaluation of the question flow, a 19-question (36-item) survey was retained for adolescents and a 26-question (52-item) survey for young adults. Conclusion: While the survey items have moderate to excellent reliability for high school and university students, it can be administered longitudinally to suggest changes to policies and interventions, and after cross-cultural validation, it can be utilized to compare obesity perceptions across different populations

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Proposed Pharmacy-Based Harm Reduction Intervention to Reduce Opioid Overdose, HIV and Hepatitis C

Background Evidence-based harm reduction intervention components which might benefit pharmacy patients have not been integrated and studied. Objective To investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a proposed pharmacy-based harm reduction intervention to reduce opioid overdose, HIV and hepatitis C called PharmNet. Methods Indiana managing pharmacists were surveyed in 2018 to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention for opioid misuse screening, brief intervention, syringe and naloxone dispensing, and referrals provision. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research informed the survey development and analysis. Results The sample included 303 (30.8%) pharmacists; 215 (70.9%) provided detailed written comments. Intervention Characteristics: 83.3% believed PharmNet would benefit patients, and that staff could deliver the intervention with adequate training (70.0%). Inner Setting: While 77.2% believed their pharmacy culture supported practice change, 57.5% of chain pharmacists believed their pharmacies would not have time for PharmNet. Outer Setting: 73.3% believed additional addiction and overdose screening is needed in their community, and pharmacies should offer new services to help reduce opioid overdose and addiction among their patients (79.5%). A vast majority (97.7%) were asked by patients in the past 2 years about syringe related issues; 67.7% were asked about syringes for non-prescription injection drug use. Individuals Involved: While 62.4% believed PharmNet was within pharmacy scope of practice and 90.1% were comfortable consulting about syringe use, pharmacists reported that they had limited control over the implementation environment. Process: 38.0% of pharmacists indicated interest in advising the development of PharmNet. Conclusions An implementation trial of a modified version of PharmNet is likely feasible; yet will be challenged by structural pressures particularly in chain pharmacies. Successful implementation will involve the development of resources and policy components to manage outer and inner setting characteristics and align the intervention to the implementation environment

Predicting pharmacy naloxone stocking and dispensing following a statewide standing order, Indiana 2016

Background: While naloxone, the overdose reversal medication, has been available for decades, factors associated with its availability through pharmacies remain unclear. Studies suggest that policy and pharmacist beliefs may impact availability. Indiana passed a standing order law for naloxone in 2015 to increase access to naloxone. Objective: To identify factors associated with community pharmacy naloxone stocking and dispensing following the enactment of a statewide naloxone standing order. Methods: A 2016 cross-sectional census of Indiana community pharmacists was conducted following a naloxone standing order. Community, pharmacy, and pharmacist characteristics, and pharmacist attitudes about naloxone dispensing, access, and perceptions of the standing order were measured. Modified Poisson and binary logistic regression models attempted to predict naloxone stocking and dispensing, respectively. Results: Over half (58.1%) of pharmacies stocked naloxone, yet 23.6% of pharmacists dispensed it. Most (72.5%) pharmacists believed the standing order would increase naloxone stocking, and 66.5% believed it would increase dispensing. Chain pharmacies were 3.2 times as likely to stock naloxone. Naloxone stocking was 1.6 times as likely in pharmacies with more than one full-time pharmacist. Pharmacies where pharmacists received naloxone continuing education in the past two years were 1.3 times as likely to stock naloxone. The attempted dispensing model yielded no improvement over the constant-only model. Conclusions: Pharmacies with larger capacity took advantage of the naloxone standing order. Predictors of pharmacist naloxone dispensing should continue to be explored to maximize naloxone access