Methodological issues in conducting research with refugee women: Principles for recognizing and re‐centering the multiply marginalized

Many recent efforts in the field of community psychology have been dedicated to moving from values to action in incorporating diversity into our work. An essential aspect of this goal is designing research that provides opportunities for underrepresented perspectives to be heard. The voices of refugee women, in particular, are not typically incorporated in research, planning for service provision, and policy design. This article explores methodological challenges involved in conducting research with refugee women who are marginalized both within broader U.S. contexts and within their own communities. Six guiding principles are presented: 1) develop strategies for involving marginalized refugee women; 2) consider the advantages and limitations of quantitative and qualitative methodologies and be innovative about combining them; 3) prepare for extensive time and effort for quantitative measure construction; 4) consider gendered decision‐making structures in the lives of refugee women and their potential impact on the research process; 5) plan for refugee women's common triple burden of working outside of the home, managing their households, and adjusting to life in a new country; and 6) attend to refugee women's cultural norms about and unfamiliarity with the interview process. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comm Psychol 32: 721–739, 2004.     

Food group intake patterns and associated nutrient profiles of the US population

We developed a method for evaluating food group intake patterns using dietary recall data (n = 11,529) from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We used this method to examine the relationship of these food group intake patterns to nutrient intake and to selected biochemical indexes of nutritional status. We evaluated each 24-hour dietary intake recall for the presence or omission of five broad food groups--dairy, meat, grain, fruit, and vegetable. The five most prevalent patterns and the proportion of the population reporting them was as follows: all food groups, 33.6%; no fruit, 23.9%; no dairy and fruit, 9.0%; no dairy, 8.0%; and no fruit and vegetable, 5.6%. In the most prevalent pattern, all food groups were consumed; this was the only pattern that provided mean amounts of all of the key vitamins and minerals at levels greater than or equal to the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs). This pattern also was reported by the lowest proportion of individuals consuming less than 100% RDA of the key nutrients. Patterns in which both fruit and vegetables were consumed were associated with highest levels of serum vitamin C. The consistency of these results indicates that screening diets for food group consumption can quickly provide meaningful information about their quality.     

Further evidence of dopamine transporter dysregulation in ADHD: a controlled PET imaging study using altropane.

BACKGROUND: The dopamine transporter (DAT) is known to be a key regulator of dopamine, and recent studies of genetics, treatment, and imaging have highlighted the role of DAT in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The findings of in vivo neuroimaging of DAT in ADHD have been somewhat discrepant, however. METHOD: Dopamine transporter binding was measured using a highly selective ligand (C-11 altropane) and positron emission tomography (PET). The sample consisted of 47 well-characterized, treatment-na?ve, nonsmoking, non-comorbid adults with and without ADHD. Additionally, control subjects had few symptoms of ADHD. RESULTS: Results showed significantly increased DAT binding in the right caudate in adults with ADHD compared with matched control subjects without this disorder. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm abnormal DAT binding in the striatum of adults with ADHD and provide further support that dysregulation of DAT may be an important component of the pathophysiology of ADHD.     

Bone Mineral Density Determinations by Dual-Energy x-ray Absorptiometry in the Management of Patients with Marfan Syndrome—Some Factors Which Affect the Measurement

Reduced bone mineral density (BMD) was sporadically reported in patients with Marfan syndrome. This may or may not place the Marfan patient at increased risk for bone fracture. In comparing the BMDs of our patients with those reported in the literature, it seemed that agreement between values, and hence the degree of osteoporosis or osteopenia reported, was dependent on the instrumentation used. The objective of this study was to statistically assess this impression. Bone mineral density measurements from our previously published study of 30 adults with Marfan syndrome performed on a Lunar DPXL machine were compared with studies published between 1993–2000 measured using either Lunar or Hologic bone densitometry instruments. The differences of our measurements compared with those made on other Lunar machines were not statistically significant, but did differ significantly with published results from Hologic machines (P < 0.001). Before progress can be made in the assessment of BMD and fracture risk in Marfan patients and in the evidence-based orthopedic management of these patients, standardization of instrumental bone density determinations will be required along with considerations of height, obesity, age, and sex.     

Does age worsen EEG slowing and attention deficits in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether EEG slowing is more pronounced in older than younger OSAS patients and to verify whether this cortical slowing is correlated to daytime performance, respiratory perturbation and sleep fragmentation. METHODS: Twelve young OSAS patients (mean age 38.2+/-2.0 y) and 13 older OSAS patients (mean age 62.2+/-1.9 y) along with 13 young controls (mean age 35.8+/-2.0 y) and 14 older controls (mean age 60.2+/-2.0 y) underwent a polysomnographic evaluation followed by a waking EEG recording. As a global index of cortical slowing, a ratio of slow-to-fast frequencies was calculated in all cortical regions. Daytime performance was assessed using the four choice reaction time test. RESULTS: Differences in waking EEG and in daytime performance were analyzed by ANOVAs with Group and Age as factors. Waking EEG did not yield a Group by Age interaction. OSAS patients had higher ratios across all regions than controls. Similarly, daytime performance revealed no Group by Age interaction. However, OSAS patients showed more lapses than controls and older subjects were slower than younger subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that age does not interact with OSAS to worsen the severity of cortical slowing, but age can add to the OSAS effect to worsen daytime performance deficits in OSAS patients. SIGNIFICANCE: The daytime performance deficits observed particularly in elderly OSAS patients warrant a careful clinical assessment of these patients to prevent accidents and injuries.     

Rationale,design, and protocol for the prevention of low back pain in the military (POLM) trial (NCT00373009)

Background  

There are few effective strategies reported for the primary prevention of low back pain (LBP). Core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and trunk musculature and psychosocial education programs addressing patient beliefs and coping styles represent the current best evidence for secondary prevention of low back pain. However, these programs have not been widely tested to determine if they are effective at preventing the primary onset and/or severity of LBP. The purpose of this cluster randomized clinical trial is to determine if a combined core stabilization exercise and education program is effective in preventing the onset and/or severity of LBP. The effect of the combined program will be compared to three other standard programs.