Demographic and health characteristics associated with fish and n-3 fatty acid supplement intake during pregnancy: results from pregnancy cohorts in the ECHO programme.

OBJECTIVE: n-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy is recommended for optimal pregnancy outcomes and offspring health. We examined characteristics associated with self-reported fish or n-3 supplement intake. DESIGN: Pooled pregnancy cohort studies. SETTING: Cohorts participating in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium with births from 1999 to 2020. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 10 800 pregnant women in twenty-three cohorts with food frequency data on fish consumption; 12 646 from thirty-five cohorts with information on supplement use. RESULTS: Overall, 24·6 % reported consuming fish never or less than once per month, 40·1 % less than once a week, 22·1 % 1-2 times per week and 13·2 % more than twice per week. The relative risk (RR) of ever (v. never) consuming fish was higher in participants who were older (1·14, 95 % CI 1·10, 1·18 for 35-40 v. <29 years), were other than non-Hispanic White (1·13, 95 % CI 1·08, 1·18 for non-Hispanic Black; 1·05, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·10 for non-Hispanic Asian; 1·06, 95 % CI 1·02, 1·10 for Hispanic) or used tobacco (1·04, 95 % CI 1·01, 1·08). The RR was lower in those with overweight v. healthy weight (0·97, 95 % CI 0·95, 1·0). Only 16·2 % reported n-3 supplement use, which was more common among individuals with a higher age and education, a lower BMI, and fish consumption (RR 1·5, 95 % CI 1·23, 1·82 for twice-weekly v. never). CONCLUSIONS: One-quarter of participants in this large nationwide dataset rarely or never consumed fish during pregnancy, and n-3 supplement use was uncommon, even among those who did not consume fish

Adolescent Emotion Regulation and Parent–Child Discussions about Sexual Behaviors

Risky sexual behavior can lead to negative outcomes (e.g., pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections). Adolescents may engage in risky sex less often if families talk about sexual safety or if adolescents engage in emotion regulation (ER) skills, however, research is lacking on how ER may be a barrier to sexual health communication. This exploratory study was a secondary analysis of baseline information from 420 American adolescents referred for mental health symptoms and their parents regarding ER and sexual health communication. Significant differences emerged on adolescent ER between families that talk about sexual health and those that do not

Personal digital health in Parkinson\u27s disease: Case histories and commentary

The use of self-tracking of bio-behavioral states along with prescription dosing information is increasingly popular in the care and study of many human diseases. Parkinson’s Disease is particularly amenable to such tracking, as patients live with the progressive disease for many years, increasing motivation to pursue quality of life changes through careful monitoring of symptoms and self-guided management of their medications and lifestyle choices. Through the use of digital self-tracking technologies, patients independently or in conjunction with professional medical advice are modulating their medications and behavioral regimens based on self-tracking data. Self-trackers engage in self-experimentation with their health, and more broadly, in personal digital health. This paper briefly depicts notable, recent patient accounts of self-tracking and the uses of digital health in Parkinson’s disease: those of Sara Riggare and Kevin Krejci. It also highlights important facets of a previously unreported case: Velva Walden’s care as managed jointly by her caregiver son. Key aspects of self-tracking inherent to these cases are examined and potential opportunities to advance personalized medicine through the use of digital health and self-experimentation are outlined

Toward a more holistic approach to the study of exposures and child outcomes

Supplementary tables</p

Using the theory of planned behavior to assess willingness and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination among a predominantly white U.S. college sample

ABSTRACTObjective Through the lens of behavioral models such as the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model, the present study (1) investigated U.S. university students’ willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and (2) examined predictors (e.g. demographics, past vaccine experience, TPB constructs) of vaccine willingness.Method University students (n = 170) completed a survey assessing demographics, health behaviors, attitudes, perceived severity/susceptibility, norms, and vaccine intentions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from April 2020 through July 2020.Results Overall, 56.5% of participants indicated that they would be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine once it is available, 39.4% were unsure of whether they would receive the vaccine, and 4.1% indicated they would not receive the vaccine. Multinomial logistic regression indicated that greater adherence to CDC guidelines (p = .030) and greater perceived pro-vaccine norms (p < .001) predicted greater vaccine willingness.Conclusions Results from this study are consistent with previous literature on vaccine hesitancy, whereby normative beliefs and adherence to CDC guidelines were found to be determinants of vaccine willingness. To reduce transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic, interventions aimed at promoting positive attitudes towards vaccination should aim to incorporate these observed determinants

Prenatal Antidepressant Exposures and Autism Spectrum Disorder or Traits: A Retrospective, Multi-Cohort Study

Prenatal antidepressant exposure has been associated with increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study utilized multi-cohort data from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program (N = 3129) to test for this association, and determine whether the association remained after adjusting for maternal prenatal depression and other potential confounders. Antidepressants and a subset of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were examined in relation to binary (e.g., diagnostic) and continuous measures of ASD and ASD related traits (e.g., social difficulties, behavior problems) in children 1.5 to 12 years of age. Child sex was tested as an effect modifier. While prenatal antidepressant exposure was associated with ASD related traits in univariate analyses, these associations were statistically non-significant in models that adjusted for prenatal maternal depression and other maternal and child characteristics. Sex assigned at birth was not an effect modifier for the prenatal antidepressant and child ASD relationship. Overall, we found no association between prenatal antidepressant exposures and ASD diagnoses or traits. Discontinuation of antidepressants in pregnancy does not appear to be warranted on the basis of increased risk for offspring ASD