Marginal analysis of longitudinal count data in long sequences: Methods and applications to a driving study

Most of the available methods for longitudinal data analysis are designed and validated for the situation where the number of subjects is large and the number of observations per subject is relatively small. Motivated by the Naturalistic Teenage Driving Study (NTDS), which represents the exact opposite situation, we examine standard and propose new methodology for marginal analysis of longitudinal count data in a small number of very long sequences. We consider standard methods based on generalized estimating equations, under working independence or an appropriate correlation structure, and find them unsatisfactory for dealing with time-dependent covariates when the counts are low. For this situation, we explore a within-cluster resampling (WCR) approach that involves repeated analyses of random subsamples with a final analysis that synthesizes results across subsamples. This leads to a novel WCR method which operates on separated blocks within subjects and which performs better than all of the previously considered methods. The methods are applied to the NTDS data and evaluated in simulation experiments mimicking the NTDS.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/11-AOAS507 the Annals of Applied Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aoas/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

The prevention of lower urinary tract symptoms (PLUS) research consortium: A transdisciplinary approach toward promoting bladder health and preventing lower urinary tract symptoms in women across the life course

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are highly prevalent in women, and are expected to impose a growing burden to individuals and society as the population ages. The predominance of research related to LUTS has focused on underlying pathology, disease mechanisms, or the efficacy of treatments for women with LUTS. Although this research has been vital for helping to reduce or ameliorate LUTS conditions, it has done little to prevent the onset of LUTS. Health promotion and prevention require an expansion of scientific inquiry beyond the traditional paradigm of studying disease mechanisms and treatment to the creation of an evidence base to support recommendations for bladder health promotion and, in turn, prevention of LUTS. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) introduced the concept of prevention as an important priority for women's urologic research as a prelude to supporting the formation of the Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (PLUS) research consortium. In this article, we introduce the PLUS research consortium to the scientific community; share the innovative paradigms by which the consortium operates; and describe its unique research mission: to identify factors that promote bladder health across the life course and prevent the onset of LUTS in girls and women

Faces do not capture special attention in children with autism spectrum disorder: a change blindness study

Two experiments investigated attention of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to faces and objects. In both experiments, children (7- to 15-year-olds) detected the difference between 2 visual scenes. Results in Experiment 1 revealed that typically developing children (n = 16) detected the change in faces faster than in objects, whereas children with ASD (n = 16) were equally fast in detecting changes in faces and objects. These results were replicated in Experiment 2 (n = 16 in children with ASD and 22 in typically developing children), which does not require face recognition skill. Results suggest that children with ASD lack an attentional bias toward others' faces, which could contribute to their atypical social orienting

TORTS-MALPRACTICE-DUTY OF DRUGLESS HEALER TO REFRAIN FROM OR DISCONTINUE TREATMENT

Defendant, a drugless healer licensed under statute as a sanipractor, undertook to treat plaintiff for what both parties realized was diabetes. Defendant followed standard sanipractic procedure, prescribing diets and baths. The treatment was unsuccessful, and plaintiff\u27s health deteriorated greatly. Apparently on the theory that a sanipractor incurs no liability if he follows the accepted methods of his school, the trial court, notwithstanding jury\u27s verdict for plaintiff, rendered judgment for defendant. On appeal, held, reversed and remanded, with directions to enter judgment on the verdict Where a drugless healer knows or should know that his method of treatment is not of a character productive of reasonable success, it becomes his duty to cease and desist from treating the patient and to advise him to seek other relief. Carney v. Lydon, (Wash. 1950) 220 P. (2d) 894

Self-other differences in student drinking norms research: the role of impression management, self-deception and measurement methodology

Background: Data-driven student drinking norms interventions are based on reported normative overestimation of the extent and approval of an average student’s drinking. Self-reported differences between personal and perceived normative drinking behaviors and attitudes are taken at face value as evidence of actual levels of overestimation. This study investigates whether commonly used data collection methods and socially desirable responding may inadvertently impede establishing 'objective' drinking norms. Methods: UK students [N=421; 69% female; Mean age 20.22 years (SD = 2.5)] were randomly assigned to one of three versions of a drinking norms questionnaire: The standard multi-target questionnaire assessed respondents' drinking attitudes and behaviors (frequency of consumption, heavy drinking, units on a typical occasion) as well as drinking attitudes and behaviors for an ‘average student’. Two deconstructed versions of this questionnaire assessed identical behaviors and attitudes for participants themselves or an 'average student'. The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding was also administered. Results: Students who answered questions about themselves and peers reported more extreme perceived drinking attitudes for the average student compared with those reporting solely on the ‘average student’. Personal and perceived reports of drinking behaviors did not differ between multi- and single-target versions of the questionnaire. Among those who completed the multi-target questionnaire, after controlling for demographics and weekly drinking, socially desirable responding was related positively with the magnitude of difference between students’ own reported behaviors/attitudes and those perceived for the average student. Conclusions: Standard methodological practices and socially desirable responding may be sources of bias in peer norm overestimation research

Reporting accuracy of packed lunch consumption among Danish 11-year-olds differ by gender.

Background: Packed lunch is the dominant lunch format in many countries including Denmark. School lunch is consumed unsupervised, and self-reported recalls are appropriate in the school setting. However, little is known about the accuracy of recalls in relation to packed lunch. Objective: To assess the qualitative recall accuracy of self-reported consumption of packed lunch among Danish 11-year-old children in relation to gender and dietary assessment method. Design: A cross-sectional dietary recall study of packed lunch consumption. Digital images (DIs) served as an objective reference method to determine food items consumed. Recalls were collected with a lunch recall questionnaire (LRQ) comprising an open-ended recall (OE-Q) and a pre-coded food group prompted recall (PC-Q). Individual interviews (INTs) were conducted successively. The number of food items was identified and accuracy was calculated as match rates (% identified by DIs and reported correctly) and intrusion rates (% not identified by DIs but reported) were determined. Setting and subjects: Three Danish public schools from Copenhagen. A total of 114 Danish 11-year-old children, mean (SE) age=11.1 (0.03), and body mass index=18.2 (0.26). Results: The reference (DIs) showed that girls consumed a higher number of food items than boys [mean (SE) 5.4 (0.25) vs. 4.6 (0.29) items (p=0.05)]. The number of food items recalled differed between genders with OE-Q recalls (p=0.005) only. Girls’ interview recalls were more accurate than boys’ with higher match rates (p=0.04) and lower intrusion rates (p=0.05). Match rates ranged from 67–90% and intrusion rates ranged from 13–39% with little differences between girls and boys using the OE-Q and PC-Q methods. Conclusion: Dietary recall validation studies should not only consider match rates as an account of accuracy. Intrusions contribute to over-reporting in non-validation studies, and future studies should address recall accuracy and inaccuracies in relation to gender and recall method

Higher self-reported physical activity Is associated with lower systolic blood pressure: The Dietary Intervention Study in Childhood (DISC)

Objective: Children participating in a dietary clinical trial were studied to assess physical activity patterns in boys and girls longitudinally from late childhood through puberty; and to determine the association of level of physical activity on systolic blood pressure (SBP), low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI). Patients and Methods: In the Dietary Intervention Study in Childhood (DISC), a randomized clinical trial of a reduced saturated fat and cholesterol diet in 8-10 year olds with elevated LDL, a questionnaire that determined time spent in five intensity levels of physical activity was completed at baseline and at 1 and 3 years. A MET score was calculated for weekly activity; hours per week were calculated for intense activities. We hypothesized that weekly self-reported physical activity would be associated with lower SBP, LDL, and BMI over three years. Longitudinal data analyses were performed for each outcome (SBP, LDL, and BMI) using generalized estimating equations with MET score per week as the independent variable adjusted for visit, gender, and Tanner stage (BMI was included in models for SBP and LDL). Results: The initial study cohort comprised 663 youths (362 male; age 9.7 years, 301 female; age 9.0 years) of whom 623 (94%) completed the 3-year visit. For every 100 MET-hours of physical activity, there was a decrease of 1.15 mmHg of SBP (p=0.0038). There was a 1.28 mg/dl decline in LDL (p=0.10) for a similar energy expenditure. For BMI, an analysis of intense physical activity showed that for every 10 hours of intense activity, there was a trend toward significance with a 0.2 kg/m2 decrease (p=0.06). Conclusion: Children with elevated cholesterol who lead a more physically active lifestyle have lower SBP and a trend toward lower LDL over a 3-year interval. Long-term participation in intense physical activity may reduce BMI as well

Decreases in adolescent weekly alcohol use in Europe and North America: evidence from 28 countries from 2002 to 2010

Background: This study examined trends in adolescent weekly alcohol use between 2002 and 2010 in 28 European and North American countries. Methods: Analyses were based on data from 11-, 13- and 15-year-old adolescents who participated in the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Results: Weekly alcohol use declined in 20 of 28 countries and in all geographic regions, from 12.1 to 6.1% in Anglo-Saxon countries, 11.4 to 7.8% in Western Europe, 9.3 to 4.1% in Northern Europe and 16.3 to 9.9% in Southern Europe. Even in Eastern Europe, where a stable trend was observed between 2002 and 2006, weekly alcohol use declined between 2006 and 2010 from 12.3 to 10.1%. The decline was evident in all gender and age subgroups. Conclusions: These consistent trends may be attributable to increased awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol for adolescent development and the implementation of associated prevention efforts, or changes in social norms and conditions. Although the declining trend was remarkably similar across countries, prevalence rates still differed considerably across countrie

Teenage Drivers Portable Electronic Device Use While Driving

Young drivers’ crash risk increases when they engage in certain secondary tasks while driving. Using a sample of participants from the NEXT Generation Health Study who reported having an independent driving license and driving at least one day in the last 30 days (n = 1,243), the prevalence of portable electronic device use while driving was estimated. Two measures of prevalence were calculated: (1) engaging in the behavior at least once in the last 30 days; (2) percentage of days engaged in the behavior, relative to the number of days driven in the last 30 days. A total of 82.84% reported engaging in electronic device use while driving at least once in the last 30 days. Specifically, 71.13% made or answered a phone call, 64.84% read or sent a text message, 20.29% read or sent an email, 29.11% checked a website, 71.64% changed music, 12.80% used a tablet or computer, and 52.64% looked at directions or a map. Young drivers reported using electronic devices while driving on 19.06% of the days they drove. Males were more likely to use tablet or computer while driving, teens from moderate and high affluence households were more likely to check websites, and rural participants were less likely to look at directions or a map than urban participants. The number of days participants reported driving in the last 30 days, but not self-reported miles driven, was associated with a higher likelihood of using an electronic device while driving

Moral attitudes predict cheating and gamesmanship behaviors among competitive tennis players

Background: The present study tested Lee et al.’s (2008) model of moral attitudes and cheating behavior in sports in an Italian sample of young tennis players and extended it to predict behavior in actual match play. In the first phase of the study we proposed that moral, competence and status values would predict prosocial and antisocial moral attitudes directly, and indirectly through athletes’ goal orientations. In the second phase, we hypothesized that moral attitudes would directly predict actual cheating behavior observed during match play. Method: Adolescent competitive tennis players (N = 314, 76.75% males, M age = 14.36 years, SD = 1.50) completed measures of values, goal orientations, and moral attitudes. A sub-sample (n = 90) was observed in 45 competitive tennis matches by trained observers who recorded their cheating and gamesmanship behaviors on a validated checklist. Results: Consistent with hypotheses, athletes’ values predicted their moral attitudes through the effects of goal orientations. Anti-social attitudes directly predicted cheating behavior in actual match play providing support for a direct link between moral attitude and actual behavior. Conclusion: The present study findings support key propositions of Lee and colleagues’ model, and extended its application to competitive athletes in actual match play