ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDFood insecurity (FI) is a significant predictor of feelings of isolation in chi... more ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDFood insecurity (FI) is a significant predictor of feelings of isolation in children, as well as suicide ideation and depression. Using a census of public middle school‐aged children, we seek to determine whether FI is associated with suicide ideation and feelings of hopelessness and how individual and school community factors can alleviate or exacerbate this relationship.METHODSWe analyzed data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, conducted statewide by the Vermont Department of Health and administered to all public middle schoolers (N = 13,648). Questions were asked about FI, suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, perceptions of teaching and community care, physical activity, breakfast consumption, and demographics. Bivariate and cross‐tabular analyses were conducted in SPSS, and regressions and Sobel tests were conducted in STATA.RESULTSResults show that FI is associated with decreases in psychological well‐being as measured by suicide ideation and feelings of hopelessness in students. However, students who reported eating breakfast regularly, feeling connected to their community or having a positive relationship with a teacher had significantly lower instances of suicide ideation and hopelessness.CONCLUSIONSuicide prevention programs should focus on enhancing community connection and student‐teacher relationships and increasing funding for breakfast programs in schools.
Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals offer many benefits, but they also pose risks to both the en... more Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals offer many benefits, but they also pose risks to both the environment and public health. Life-cycle stewardship of medications offers multiple strategies for minimizing the risks posed by pharmaceuticals, and further insight is required for developing best practices for pharmaceutical management. The goal of this study was to clarify points of intervention for minimizing environmental and public health risks associated with pharmaceuticals. Specifically, our objectives were to provide insight on purchasing, use, and disposal behaviors associated with human and veterinary medications. This study used a state-wide representative sample of Vermont adults (n = 421) to survey both human and veterinary pharmaceuticals as potential sources of the unintended consequences of prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The majority (93%) of respondents had purchased some form of medication within the past twelve months, including OTC (85%), prescription (74%), and veterinary (41%) drugs. Leftover drugs of any kind were reported by 59% of respondents. While 56% of people were aware of drug take-back programs, the majority reported never being told what to do with leftover medications by their physician (78%), pharmacist (76%), or veterinarian (53%). Among all respondents, take-back programs were the most common disposal method (22%), followed by trash (19%), and flushing (9%), while 26% of respondents reported keeping unused drugs. Awareness of pharmaceutical pollution in the environment and having received information about proper disposal were both significantly associated with participation in take-back programs. These findings indicate that a large volume of drugs are going unused annually, and that only a portion of leftover medications are returned to take-back programs where they can be appropriately disposed. Our results warrant further investigation of clinical interventions that support lower dose prescribing and dispensing practices in order to reduce the unintended environmental and public health consequences of pharmaceuticals within the consumer sphere. In addition, our findings suggest that directed efforts to raise awareness of proper disposal may be more effective than broad awareness campaigns, and we recommend research on the efficacy of providing disposal instructions on drug packaging.
Purpose. To identify different segments of U.S. consumers based on food choices, exercise pattern... more Purpose. To identify different segments of U.S. consumers based on food choices, exercise patterns, and desire for restaurant calorie labeling. Design. Using a stratified (by region) random sample of the U.S. population, trained interviewers collected data for this cross-sectional study through telephone surveys. Setting. Center for Rural Studies U.S. national health survey. Subjects. The final sample included 580 responses (22% response rate); data were weighted to be representative of age and gender characteristics of the U.S. population. Measures. Self-reported behaviors related to food choices, exercise patterns, desire for calorie information in restaurants, and sample demographics. Analysis. Clusters were identified using Schwartz Bayesian criteria. Impacts of demographic characteristics on cluster membership were analyzed using bivariate tests of association and multinomial logit regression. Results. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters based on respondents' food choices, activity levels, and desire for restaurant labeling. Two clusters, comprising three quarters of the sample, desired calorie labeling in restaurants. The remaining cluster opposed restaurant labeling. Demographic variables significantly predicting cluster membership included region of residence (p < .10), income (p < .05), gender (p < .01), and age (p < .10). Conclusions. Though limited by a low response and potential self-reporting bias in the phone survey, this study suggests that several groups are likely to benefit from restaurant calorie labeling. Specific demographic clusters could be targeted through labeling initiatives.
ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDFood insecurity (FI) is a significant predictor of feelings of isolation in chi... more ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDFood insecurity (FI) is a significant predictor of feelings of isolation in children, as well as suicide ideation and depression. Using a census of public middle school‐aged children, we seek to determine whether FI is associated with suicide ideation and feelings of hopelessness and how individual and school community factors can alleviate or exacerbate this relationship.METHODSWe analyzed data from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey, conducted statewide by the Vermont Department of Health and administered to all public middle schoolers (N = 13,648). Questions were asked about FI, suicidal thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, perceptions of teaching and community care, physical activity, breakfast consumption, and demographics. Bivariate and cross‐tabular analyses were conducted in SPSS, and regressions and Sobel tests were conducted in STATA.RESULTSResults show that FI is associated with decreases in psychological well‐being as measured by suicide ideation and feelings of hopelessness in students. However, students who reported eating breakfast regularly, feeling connected to their community or having a positive relationship with a teacher had significantly lower instances of suicide ideation and hopelessness.CONCLUSIONSuicide prevention programs should focus on enhancing community connection and student‐teacher relationships and increasing funding for breakfast programs in schools.
Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals offer many benefits, but they also pose risks to both the en... more Human and veterinary pharmaceuticals offer many benefits, but they also pose risks to both the environment and public health. Life-cycle stewardship of medications offers multiple strategies for minimizing the risks posed by pharmaceuticals, and further insight is required for developing best practices for pharmaceutical management. The goal of this study was to clarify points of intervention for minimizing environmental and public health risks associated with pharmaceuticals. Specifically, our objectives were to provide insight on purchasing, use, and disposal behaviors associated with human and veterinary medications. This study used a state-wide representative sample of Vermont adults (n = 421) to survey both human and veterinary pharmaceuticals as potential sources of the unintended consequences of prescribed and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The majority (93%) of respondents had purchased some form of medication within the past twelve months, including OTC (85%), prescription (74%), and veterinary (41%) drugs. Leftover drugs of any kind were reported by 59% of respondents. While 56% of people were aware of drug take-back programs, the majority reported never being told what to do with leftover medications by their physician (78%), pharmacist (76%), or veterinarian (53%). Among all respondents, take-back programs were the most common disposal method (22%), followed by trash (19%), and flushing (9%), while 26% of respondents reported keeping unused drugs. Awareness of pharmaceutical pollution in the environment and having received information about proper disposal were both significantly associated with participation in take-back programs. These findings indicate that a large volume of drugs are going unused annually, and that only a portion of leftover medications are returned to take-back programs where they can be appropriately disposed. Our results warrant further investigation of clinical interventions that support lower dose prescribing and dispensing practices in order to reduce the unintended environmental and public health consequences of pharmaceuticals within the consumer sphere. In addition, our findings suggest that directed efforts to raise awareness of proper disposal may be more effective than broad awareness campaigns, and we recommend research on the efficacy of providing disposal instructions on drug packaging.
Purpose. To identify different segments of U.S. consumers based on food choices, exercise pattern... more Purpose. To identify different segments of U.S. consumers based on food choices, exercise patterns, and desire for restaurant calorie labeling. Design. Using a stratified (by region) random sample of the U.S. population, trained interviewers collected data for this cross-sectional study through telephone surveys. Setting. Center for Rural Studies U.S. national health survey. Subjects. The final sample included 580 responses (22% response rate); data were weighted to be representative of age and gender characteristics of the U.S. population. Measures. Self-reported behaviors related to food choices, exercise patterns, desire for calorie information in restaurants, and sample demographics. Analysis. Clusters were identified using Schwartz Bayesian criteria. Impacts of demographic characteristics on cluster membership were analyzed using bivariate tests of association and multinomial logit regression. Results. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters based on respondents' food choices, activity levels, and desire for restaurant labeling. Two clusters, comprising three quarters of the sample, desired calorie labeling in restaurants. The remaining cluster opposed restaurant labeling. Demographic variables significantly predicting cluster membership included region of residence (p < .10), income (p < .05), gender (p < .01), and age (p < .10). Conclusions. Though limited by a low response and potential self-reporting bias in the phone survey, this study suggests that several groups are likely to benefit from restaurant calorie labeling. Specific demographic clusters could be targeted through labeling initiatives.
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