Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2016
ReviewCorrelates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas in the United States: A systematic review of the literature, 2004-2015.
Adolescent Latinas in the United States (US) are disproportionately affected by early pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in comparison to their non-Hispanic white counterparts. However, only a few studies have sought to understand the multi-level factors associated with sexual health in adolescent Latinas. Adhering to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature review to better understand the correlates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas in the US, identify gaps in the research, and suggest future directions for empirical studies and intervention efforts. ⋯ A majority of the studies reviewed (n=9) examined some aspect of acculturation or Latino/a cultural values in relation to sexual health. Results varied widely between studies suggesting that the relationship between individual and proximal contextual variables (including acculturation) and sexual health may be more complex than previously conceived. This review integrates the findings on correlates and predictors of sexual health among adolescent Latinas, and supports the need for strengths-based theoretically guided research on the mechanisms driving these associations.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2016
Causal pathways linking environmental change with health behaviour change: Natural experimental study of new transport infrastructure and cycling to work.
Mechanisms linking changes to the environment with changes in physical activity are poorly understood. Insights into mechanisms of interventions can help strengthen causal attribution and improve understanding of divergent response patterns. We examined the causal pathways linking exposure to new transport infrastructure with changes in cycling to work. ⋯ The findings strengthen the causal argument that changing the environment led to changes in health-related behaviour via use of the new infrastructure, but also show how some commuters may have spent less time cycling as a result.
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Active travel (cycling, walking) is beneficial for the health due to increased physical activity (PA). However, active travel may increase the intake of air pollution, leading to negative health consequences. We examined the risk-benefit balance between active travel related PA and exposure to air pollution across a range of air pollution and PA scenarios. ⋯ If the counterfactual was driving, rather than staying at home, the benefits of PA would exceed harms from air pollution up to 3h 30min of cycling per day. The results were sensitive to dose-response function (DRF) assumptions for PM2.5 and PA. PA benefits of active travel outweighed the harm caused by air pollution in all but the most extreme air pollution concentrations.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2016
Identifying correlates and determinants of physical activity in youth: How can we advance the field?
This commentary provides a critical discussion of current research investigating the correlates and determinants of physical activity in young people, with specific focus on conceptual, theoretical and methodological issues. We draw on current child and adolescent literature and our own collective expertise to illustrate our discussion. We conclude with recommendations that will strengthen future research and help to advance the field.
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Preventive medicine · Jun 2016
Intimate partner violence in late adolescence and young adulthood and subsequent cardiovascular risk in adulthood.
Childhood maltreatment has been linked to adulthood cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) in late adolescence and young adulthood and CVD risk later in adulthood. ⋯ Effect sizes are not large, but early detection of increased CVD risk in this relatively young population is notable and worthy of further study to inform the clinical response.