Examination of the Cognitive Diathesis-Stress Conceptualization of the Hopelessness Theory of Depression in Children With Chronic Illness: The Moderating Influence of Illness Uncertainty

This study utilized a cognitive diathesis-stress conceptualization to examine the relationship of attributional style and illness uncertainty to depression in children with type 1 diabetes, asthma, or cystic fibrosis. Children ages 8 to 12 completed measures of illness uncertainty, attributions for illness-unrelated negative events, and depressive symptoms. Results indicated that general attributions for negative events predicted higher levels of depressive symptoms under conditions of both high and low illness uncertainty. Subsequent plotting of the regressions revealed that depressive symptoms were greater at higher levels of uncertainty when attributions were stable and global. Findings support a diathesis-stress conceptualization in pediatric chronic illness and highlight the importance of interventions targeting management of illness uncertainty and maladaptive cognitions.     

Iodized Salt Sales in the United States

Iodized salt has been an important source of dietary iodine, a trace element important for regulating human growth, development, and metabolic functions. This analysis identified iodized table salt sales as a percentage of retail salt sales using Nielsen ScanTrack. We identified 1117 salt products, including 701 salt blends and 416 other salt products, 57 of which were iodized. When weighted by sales volume in ounces or per item, 53% contained iodized salt. These findings may provide a baseline for future monitoring of sales of iodized salt.     

Preventing Obesity in Infants and Toddlers in Child Care: Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Few interventions have focused on very young children for obesity prevention. This study evaluated a pilot intervention to improve the nutrition and physical activity environments of child care centers serving infants and toddlers. This randomized controlled trial took place in 32 centers in Boston, Massachusetts. The intervention aimed to improve policies and practices related to nutrition and physical activity within the center. For the outcome, observers assessed center environments using the Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation (EPAO) instrument (range 0–320 points) at baseline and the 6-month follow-up. We fit linear regression models with change in EPAO score from baseline to follow-up, controlling for potential confounders for total score, nutrition sub-score, and physical activity sub-score. Intervention centers had a mean (SD) of 98.2 (144.8) children enrolled, while control centers had 59.2 (34.5). In intervention centers, 47.5 % of children were white, compared to 46.2 % in controls. Fewer intervention centers had outdoor play areas on site (75 vs. 100 %) but more had indoor play space (67 vs. 25 %). At baseline, intervention centers had a mean (SD) EPAO score of 134.5 (7.0) points and controls had 146.8 (4.8) points. Compared with controls, intervention centers improved their EPAO scores at follow-up by 18.5 points (95 % CI 0.1, 37.0; p = 0.049), chiefly through greater improvement in physical activity (12.2; 95 % CI ?1.6, 26.0; p = 0.075) and not nutrition (6.4; 95 % CI ?7.1, 19.8; p = 0.385). The pilot showed promise as an intervention to improve center environments, but future studies should include child-level outcomes.     

Barriers to Breast Cancer Screening Among Haitian Immigrant Women in Little Haiti,Miami

Previous research has not examined barriers to mammography screening among Haitian immigrant women through their own discourse. Community Health Workers conducted in-depth interviews with Haitian women in Little Haiti, Miami. We used a grounded theory approach to analyze data from the in-depth interviews. Emergent themes coalesced into three core categories of screening barriers: Structural, Psychosocial, and Socio-Cultural. We developed a model of screening barriers to depict the themes within each core category. Screening barriers must be examined and understood from the social contexts in which they are produced in order to create meaningful interventions.     

Bone health and osteoporosis screening in gynecologic cancer survivors

Cancer treatment-induced bone loss is a known side effect of cancer therapy that increases the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture. Women with gynecologic cancer are at increased risk of bone loss secondary to the combined effect of oophorectomy and adjuvant therapies. Data regarding bone loss in women with gynecologic cancers are overall lacking compared to other cancer populations. Consequently, guidelines for osteoporosis screening in women with cancer are largely based on data generated among non-gynecologic cancer survivors. This article reviews current available data of bone health in women with gynecologic cancer, summarizes best-available guidelines for screening for osteoporosis in women with cancer, and provides guidance for osteoporosis screening in women with gynecologic cancers based on best available evidence.     

A hopelessness model of depressive symptoms in youth with epilepsy

Objective To test the cognitive diathesis-stress and mediationalcomponents of the theory of learned hopelessness in youth withepilepsy. Methods Seventy-seven participants ages 9–17(35 girls, 42 boys) completed measures of depressive symptoms,hopelessness, self-efficacy for seizure management, and attitudetoward epilepsy. Caregivers provided information on seizureactivity. Diagnostic and treatment information was obtainedvia medical record review. Results Regression analyses revealedthat hopelessness mediated the attitude towards epilepsy–depressivesymptom relationship. While attitude toward epilepsy and self-efficacywere independent predictors of depressive symptoms, the relationshipof attitudes toward epilepsy and depressive symptoms was notenhanced with low self-efficacy for seizure management. ConclusionsFindings support the mediation component of the learned hopelessnesstheory in youth with epilepsy, suggesting the importance ofinterventions that assist youth in identifying epilepsy-relatedaspects of functioning over which they can realistically exercisecontrol and challenging negative thoughts about situations theycannot control.