A Behavioral Decision Model Testing the Association of Marijuana Use and Sexual Risk in Young Adult Women

We created a model conceptualizing sexual risk as a series of discrete event-specific behavioral decisions and tested the hypothesis that marijuana use was associated with increased sexual risk-taking. Three hundred eight marijuana-using women aged 18–24 completed a 90-day time-line-follow-back to assess sexual behaviors and marijuana use. A sequential logit model estimated the effect of marijuana use on the likelihood of being sexually active, partner type when sexually active, and condom nonuse conditional on partner type. Participants had a mean age of 20.4 years, with 67% Caucasian. Marijuana use was associated with an increased likelihood of being sexually active (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.33, 1.93) and with condom nonuse when sexually active with casual partners (OR 2.58; 95% CI 1.1, 6.09). This behavioral decision model identified where marijuana use affected sexual risk, and suggests where interventions designed to reduce risk may have an impact.     

Long Life (A Survival Strategy), by Ronald M. Caplan

A health promotion program called Easy Does It Yoga for Older People has been implemented and evaluated at senior centers, congregate living facilities, and other community sites. This program was implemented and evaluated, for the first time, at nursing homes. An analysis of variance did not support the three research hypotheses: treatment group members will improve their ability for self-care, increase sociability, and reduce medication usage in comparison to control group members. A retrospective analysis on a subgroup of top achievers, along with programmatic observations, are reported on for administrators, practitioners, and researchers interested in health promotion for the frail elderly.