Individual- and community-level correlates of cigarette-smoking trajectories from age 13 to 32 in a U.S. population-based sample

Characterizing smoking behavior is important for informing etiologic models and targeting prevention efforts. This study explored the effects of both individual- and community-level variables in predicting cigarette use vs. non-use and level of use among adolescents as they transition into adulthood

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Underserved head-and-neck and lung cancer patient characteristics are associated with caregiver participation in a clinical trial

Background: Patient-caregiver relationships affect cancer outcomes, yet factors related to joint enrollment in cancer research trials are unclear. This work examined associations between cancer patients' sociodemographic and health factors and their caregivers’ trial participation. Methods: Baseline data were drawn from a parent trial testing psychosocial interventions delivered to medically underserved head-and-neck cancer (HNC) and lung cancer (LC) patients (N = 274) and caregivers (N = 210). Logistic regression evaluated whether patient characteristics were associated with participating alone versus with a caregiver(s) and type of caregiver. Results: Many patients (65.0%) had a caregiver in the study, which was more common for married (OR = 2.05, p < .01) and retired patients (OR = 1.95, p < .05). Patients who indicated Hispanic (OR = 2.31, p < .05), Medicaid insurance (OR = 4.12, p < .001), monthly income <$4000 (OR = 3.04, p < .01), and smoked (OR = 2.87, p < .01) were more likely to enroll with a non-spouse/partner caregiver versus a spouse/partner. Participation was unrelated to distress. Conclusions: Patient characteristics highlight caregiver relationships, informing trial design and recruitment for medically underserved cancer populations. Psychosocial interventions targeting underserved patients and their informal caregivers, those most in need of intervention support, should consider the inclusion of non-spousal cancer caregivers. Understanding how patient factors may be associated with caregiver involvement informs recruitment strategies and increases the utility of psychosocial interventions

What Matters Most? Predictors of Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction Among Young Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND: Younger breast cancer survivors face unique challenges, and research is needed to better understand how to optimize their quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction with life (SwL). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine a biopsychosocial model of QoL and SwL in young breast cancer survivors. Biological, psychological, and social/practical factors were hypothesized to be associated with both distressing and adaptive reactions during survivorship, which in turn were hypothesized to be associated with QoL and SwL. METHODS: Young (age = 19-45 years at diagnosis) breast cancer survivors (N = 284) completed an online survey assessing demographic and biopsychosocial factors, QoL, and SwL. Latent variables were created for adaptive and distressing reactions, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. RESULTS: The model fit the data (χ2(100) = 332.92, P \u3c .001, comparative fit index = 0.86, root mean square error of approximation = 0.09, standardized root mean square residual = 0.05) and accounted for large proportions of variance in QoL (R2 = 0.86) and SwL (R2 = 0.62). Social support, parenting concerns, and fertility concerns each significantly predicted adjustment. Adaptive reactions positively predicted SwL (β = 0.58, P \u3c .001) but not QoL. Distressing reactions negatively predicted SwL (β = -0.26, P \u3c .01) and QoL (β = -0.87, P \u3c .001). CONCLUSIONS: Adjustment in survivorship mediated the association of social support, parenting concerns, and fertility concerns on QoL and SwL in young breast cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: To support the psychological adjustment of young breast cancer survivors, attention should be given to survivors\u27 social context including survivors\u27 available social support and their concerns about fertility and parenting

What Matters Most? Predictors of Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction Among Young Breast Cancer Survivors

BACKGROUND: Younger breast cancer survivors face unique challenges, and research is needed to better understand how to optimize their quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction with life (SwL). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine a biopsychosocial model of QoL and SwL in young breast cancer survivors. Biological, psychological, and social/practical factors were hypothesized to be associated with both distressing and adaptive reactions during survivorship, which in turn were hypothesized to be associated with QoL and SwL. METHODS: Young (age = 19-45 years at diagnosis) breast cancer survivors (N = 284) completed an online survey assessing demographic and biopsychosocial factors, QoL, and SwL. Latent variables were created for adaptive and distressing reactions, and structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. RESULTS: The model fit the data (χ2(100) = 332.92, P \u3c .001, comparative fit index = 0.86, root mean square error of approximation = 0.09, standardized root mean square residual = 0.05) and accounted for large proportions of variance in QoL (R2 = 0.86) and SwL (R2 = 0.62). Social support, parenting concerns, and fertility concerns each significantly predicted adjustment. Adaptive reactions positively predicted SwL (β = 0.58, P \u3c .001) but not QoL. Distressing reactions negatively predicted SwL (β = -0.26, P \u3c .01) and QoL (β = -0.87, P \u3c .001). CONCLUSIONS: Adjustment in survivorship mediated the association of social support, parenting concerns, and fertility concerns on QoL and SwL in young breast cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: To support the psychological adjustment of young breast cancer survivors, attention should be given to survivors\u27 social context including survivors\u27 available social support and their concerns about fertility and parenting

Individual- and community-level correlates of cigarette-smoking trajectories from age 13 to 32 in a U.S. population-based sample

BACKGROUND: Characterizing smoking behavior is important for informing etiologic models and targeting prevention efforts. This study explored the effects of both individual- and community-level variables in predicting cigarette use vs. non-use and level of use among adolescents as they transition into adulthood. METHODS: Data on 14,779 youths (53% female) were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health); a nationally representative longitudinal cohort. A cohort sequential design allowed for examining trajectories of smoking typologies from age 13 to 32 years. Smoking trajectories were evaluated by using a zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) latent growth analysis and latent class growth analysis modeling approach. RESULTS: Significant relationships emerged between both individual- and community-level variables and smoking outcomes. Maternal and peer smoking predicted increases in smoking over development and were associated with a greater likelihood of belonging to any of the four identified smoking groups versus Non-Users. Conduct problems and depressive symptoms during adolescence were related to cigarette use versus non-use. State-level prevalence of adolescent smoking was related to greater cigarette use during adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: Individual- and community-level variables that distinguish smoking patterns within the population aid in understanding cigarette use versus non-use and the quantity of cigarette use into adulthood. Our findings suggest that efforts to prevent cigarette use would benefit from attention to both parental and peer smoking and individual well-being. Future work is needed to better understand the role of variables in the context of multiple levels (individual and community-level) on smoking trajectories

Identifying groups at risk for 1-year membership termination from a fitness center at enrollment

The vast majority of Americans do not engage in adequate regular physical activity despite its well-known health benefits. Even when individuals attempt to become more active by joining a fitness center, estimates suggest that nearly half terminate their membership within the first 6 months. A better understanding of who is at risk for early membership termination upon joining may help researchers develop targeted interventions to improve the likelihood that individuals will successfully maintain memberships and physical activity. This study's purpose was to identify, based on a wellness assessment (WA) used in fitness centers, individuals at risk for fitness membership termination prior to 1-year. Center members (N = 441; Mage = 41.9, SD = 13.1; 74.4% female) completed a comprehensive WA of stress, life satisfaction, physical fitness, metabolic health, and sleep quality at the beginning of their memberships and were followed for one year. Latent class analyses utilized the WA to identify four groups: (a) healthy, (b) unhealthy, (c) poor psychological wellness, and (d) poor physical wellness. Participants in the poor psychological wellness group (OR = 2.24, p = 0.007) and the unhealthy group (OR = 2.40, p = 0.037) were significantly more likely to terminate their memberships at 1-year as compared to the healthy group. Participants with poor physical wellness visited the fitness center less frequently than healthy participants (p < 0.01). Results suggest that poor psychological wellness is a risk factor for terminating memberships, whereas poor physical wellness is not. Future studies should replicate these latent classes and develop targeted interventions to address psychological wellness as a method to improve fitness membership retention. Keywords: Exercise, Retention, Adherence, Psychological stress, Quality of lif