Community Influences on Married Men’s Uptake of HIV Testing in Eight African Countries

Despite efforts to increase HIV testing in the African region, the proportion of men who report ever having been tested for HIV remains low. Research has focused on individual level determinants of women’s testing however little is known about factors associated with men’s testing behavior. This analysis investigates community influences on HIV testing among men ages 15–54, using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from Chad, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Multilevel models were fitted in each country for the outcome of ever receiving an HIV test. After controlling for individual and household level factors, community level factors of demographics, economics, and behavior and knowledge remain significantly associated with HIV testing among men. The results of this analysis highlight the need to recognize the impact of community influences on men’s HIV test seeking behavior, and to harness these community factors in the design of programs aimed at encouraging the uptake of HIV testing among men in Africa.     

Chemical emissions from residential dryer vents during use of fragranced laundry products

Common laundry products, used in washing and drying machines, can contribute to outdoor emissions through dryer vents. However, the types and amounts of chemicals emitted are largely unknown. To investigate these emissions, we analyzed the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) both in the headspace of fragranced laundry products and in the air emitted from dryer vents during use of these products. In a controlled study of washing and drying laundry, we sampled emissions from two residential dryer vents during the use of no products, fragranced detergent, and fragranced detergent plus fragranced dryer sheet. Our analyses found more than 25 VOCs emitted from dryer vents, with the highest concentrations of acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol. Seven of these VOCs are classified as hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and two as carcinogenic HAPs (acetaldehyde and benzene) with no safe exposure level, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. As context for significance, the acetaldehyde emissions during use of one brand of laundry detergent would represent 3% of total acetaldehyde emissions from automobiles in the study area. Our study points to the need for additional research on this source of emissions and the potential impacts on human and environmental health.     

A Psychometric Investigation of the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire

The factor structure of the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) was investigated in 2 studies. In the first study, the SOQ was administered to 568 participants to investigate the relative strength of 3 competing latent structure models previously identified in the literature. Confirmatory factor analyses provided no support for any of the prior models. An exploratory factor analysis of these data resulted in a weak 2-factor structure accounting for only 15.33% of the common variance. In the second study, this 2-factor structure was evaluated using SOQ data from 288 college students. Confirmatory factor analysis results failed to support the 2-factor model. Based on these results, the authors recommend that future research efforts should focus on developing a more contemporary and psychometrically sound measure of attitudes toward suicide.     

Using handheld computers for daily alcohol assessment: Results from a pilot study

Aims: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility and usability of daily retrospective assessments of alcohol use using handheld computers and to explore their comparability to Timeline Followback (TLFB) assessments.

Methods: College student participants received a Handheld Assessment Tool (HAT) at enrolment, which surveyed alcohol consumption and contextual factors for the previous day. After 1 week of daily monitoring, participants completed a paper‐and‐pencil TLFB assessment and HAT usability scale.

Results: Of the 1,800 matched data points on the HAT and TLFB, the overall level of agreement was very good (kappa = 0.80, p<0.001). The mean difference between the number of drinks per drinking days recorded using both methods was 0.19 (SD = 0.56). Participants completed HAT surveys on 87 out of 91 total possible survey days (95.6%). The HAT recorded 34 drinking days and the TLFB recorded 37 out the 91 possible days; the HAT was reported to be highly usable by all participants.

Conclusion: Overall, the HAT was found to be usable and feasible and produced high adherence. Further research should validate this alcohol assessment approach and apply it to representative populations.