The American Academy of Health Behavior 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting: An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations

The American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) hosted its 18th Annual Scientific Meeting at the Embassy Suites by Hilton in historic downtown Portland, OR March 4-7, 2018. The meeting’s theme was “An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations.” This publication describes the meeting theme and includes the refereed abstracts presented at the 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting

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2018 AAHB Annual Scientific Meeting - “An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations”

Join us in Portland, OR! 2018 AAHB Annual Scientific Meeting “ An Equity Approach to Health Behavior Innovations” March 4-7, 201

The Future of Health Behavior Research and Training: A Modified Delphi Study

The purpose of the current study is to assess (1) health behavior researchers’ opinions on significant new foci emerging over the next 20 years, (2) disciplines that can serve as important partners, and (3) adjustments needed for doctoral training programs to prepare researchers for emerging trends. A two-wave modified Delphi procedure was employed to assess opinions and perspectives of current health behaviors researchers. Participants were recruited through email invitations sent to the membership listserv of the American Academy of Health Behavior. In Wave I, respondents generated up to three ideas for each of four prompts: (1) the biggest game changers in health behavior research, (2) the disciplines most important to partner with, and (3) what should be added or (4) removed from doctoral training programs. In Wave II, participants rated the importance of each of the responses generated in the first wave. 39 and 48 people completed Waves I and II, respectively. Wave I yielded 46 respondent-generated items for the new foci, and 28 different partner disciplines. Respondents identified 47 topics not currently covered in health behavior Ph.D. programs, and 8 topics that should be removed from current Ph.D. programs. Seven new foci were endorsed by 80% or more of the respondents, including studying cultures of illness and health, as well as better operationalization of social-ecological models. Seven disciplines were seen as essential partners by at least two-thirds of the respondents, including public health, biostatistics, and public policy. Five additions to doctoral programs were endorsed by 80% or more of the respondents, including stronger research skills, advanced statistical methods, writing, and evaluation. Years since earning a doctoral degree was negatively correlated with a number of suggested new foci, disciplines to partner with, and areas that should be added to health behavior Ph.D. programs. There was a high level of consensus about potential new foci in the field, focusing on population health, stronger scientific techniques, and more research training. There was less consensus on related disciplines’ potential, based on the respondents’ type of work and field. Overall, results have potential to shape doctoral training and preparation of future health behavior researchers

Relationships Between Self-regulation and use of Parenting Strategies for Eating and Physical Activity Behaviors Among Mexican-Heritage Mothers

It is important to understand theoretically based support behaviors that can promote healthy eating and active living among Mexican-heritage mothers. This study examined the relationship between maternal self-regulation (the capacity to plan, guide, and monitor one’s behavior flexibly in the face of changing circumstances) and use of parenting strategies among mothers residing along the Texas-Mexico border. Mothers (n = 116) were recruited from three geographic regions within Hidalgo County, Texas. A 21-item survey was administered to measure self-regulation through goal setting and limit setting. The Parenting Strategies for Eating and Activity Scale (PEAS) was used to measure parenting strategies such as limit setting, discipline, monitoring, and control. Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression analyses were used to identify relationships between self-regulation (goal setting and impulse control) and parenting strategies. Sociodemographic characteristics of mothers are also reported. On average mothers were 36 years old (SD = 7.44), married (82%), identified as Mexican (90%), and had fewer than 9 years of education (68%). Pearson correlations revealed goal setting to be positively associated with limit setting (r = .246, p \u3c .001), control (r = .203, p = .03), and monitoring (r = .336, p \u3c .001). Regression analyses revealed limit setting (β = .246, p \u3c .001), control (β = .203, p = .03), and monitoring (β = .336, p \u3c .001) as parenting strategies that were associated with goal setting (R2 = 0.12). Findings suggest that programs should include goal setting to facilitate use of parenting strategies to support healthy behaviors that promote healthy eating and physical activity. Emphasizing malleable behaviors rather than deficits in parenting strategies could allow for higher receptivity to behaviors that can promote health in a family context

Beyond the Child–Langmuir law: A review of recent results on multidimensional space-charge-limited flow

Space-charge-limited (SCL) flows in diodes have been an area of active research since the pioneering work of Child and Langmuir in the early part of the last century. Indeed, the scaling of current density with the voltage to the 3/2’s power is one of the best-known limits in the fields of non-neutral plasma physics, accelerator physics, sheath physics, vacuum electronics, and high power microwaves. In the past five years, there has been renewed interest in the physics and characteristics of SCL emission in physically realizable configurations. This research has focused on characterizing the current and current density enhancement possible from two- and three-dimensional geometries, such as field-emitting arrays. In 1996, computational efforts led to the development of a scaling law that described the increased current drawn due to two-dimensional effects. Recently, this scaling has been analytically derived from first principles. In parallel efforts, computational work has characterized the edge enhancement of the current density, leading to a better understanding of the physics of explosive emission cathodes. In this paper, the analytic and computational extensions to the one-dimensional Child–Langmuir law will be reviewed, the accuracy of SCL emission algorithms will be assessed, and the experimental implications of multidimensional SCL flows will be discussed. © 2002 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69652/2/PHPAEN-9-5-2371-1.pd

Using the theory of planned behavior to predict gambling behavior

Gambling is an important public health concern. To better understand gambling behavior, we conducted a classroom-based survey that assessed the role of the theory of planned behavior (TPB; i.e., intentions, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and attitudes) in past year gambling and gambling frequency among college students. Results from this research support the utility of the TPB to explain gambling behavior in this population. Specifically, in TPB models to predict gambling behavior, friend and family subjective norms and perceived behavioral control predicted past year gambling and friend and family subjective norms, attitudes and perceived behavioral control predicted gambling frequency. Intention to gamble mediated these relationships. These findings suggest that college responsible gambling efforts should consider targeting misperceptions of approval regarding gambling behavior (i.e., subjective norms), personal approval of gambling behavior (i.e., attitudes), and perceived behavioral control to better manage gambling behavior in various situations

Space Charge Limited 2-d Electron Flow between Two Flat Electrodes in a Strong Magnetic Field

An approximate analytic solution is constructed for the 2-d space charge limited emission by a cathode surrounded by non emitting conducting ledges of width Lambda. An essentially exact solution (via conformal mapping) of the electrostatic problem in vacuum is matched to the solution of a linearized problem in the space charge region whose boundaries are sharp due to the presence of a strong magnetic field. The current density growth in a narrow interval near the edges of the cathode depends strongly on Lambda. We obtain an empirical formula for the total current as a function of Lambda which extends to more general cathode geometries.Comment: 4 pages, LaTex, e-mail addresses: [email protected], [email protected]

Physical and social environmental characteristics of physical activity for Mexican-origin children: examining differences between school year and summer perceptions

BACKGROUND: Colonias are substandard residential areas along the U.S.-Mexico border. Families of Mexican-origin living in colonias face health burdens characterized by environmental and socioeconomic hardships. Mexican Americans and low-income families, including colonias children, do not frequently participate in physical activity despite the known link to disease risk reduction. For colonias children, schools are the most commonly reported location for physical activity. School closures and extreme temperatures during summer months create a need to explore seasonal differences in environmental supports and barriers in this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of seasonality on perceived environmental barriers, opportunities, and social support for physical activity among colonias children. As a secondary aim, mother-child discordance for each factor was analyzed. METHODS: Promotora-researchers recruited mother-child dyads (n=101 dyads, n=202 participants) from colonias in Hidalgo County, Texas. Mothers and children were separately administered surveys at two time points to capture perceived barriers, opportunities, and social support for physical activity (school-year: February-May; summertime: July-August). Summative scores for each outcome were calculated and three multilevel longitudinal models for continuous outcomes were examined; children were nested within households. Mother-child discordance was measured using Cohen’s Kappa statistic. RESULTS: Physical activity barriers and environmental opportunities (household and neighborhood) increased from school-year to summer by 1.16 and 2.83 points respectively (p≤0.01), after adjusting for covariates. Significant predictors of increased barriers included household income of >$900/month and having more household members. Children of mothers with significant others who were employed part-time or full-time saw significant decreases in barriers. Mother-child agreement of barriers, environmental opportunities, and social support across seasons was slight to fair (range: median κ=0.047 to κ=0.262). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a complex relationship between dimensions of economic hardship (employment status, household income, etc…) and perceived opportunities and barriers of children’s physical activity engagement during the school-year and summer. In this study, both barriers and opportunities increased from school-year to summer, further demonstrating that interactions among these characteristics need to be better understood and addressed when considering physical activity initiatives for colonias and other Mexican-American children, specifically during summer when school-based physical activity resources are unavailable