American journal of preventive medicine
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Recent media coverage and research have emphasized increasing mortality rates for middle-aged white Americans. A concern is that this has shifted focus away from the health burden of other population subgroups. This cross-sectional study compares the magnitude of racial/ethnic mortality disparities across age groups and investigates how changing mortality trends have affected these disparities. ⋯ Racial/ethnic mortality disparities persist and are widening for some age groups. It is imperative to maintain focus on the age groups where those with historically poorer health are contributing most to the increase.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Health Warnings and Purchases: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Five U.S. states have proposed policies to require health warnings on sugar-sweetened beverages, but warnings' effects on actual purchase behavior remain uncertain. This study evaluated the impact of sugar-sweetened beverage health warnings on sugar-sweetened beverage purchases. ⋯ Brief exposure to health warnings reduced sugar-sweetened beverage purchases in this naturalistic RCT. Sugar-sweetened beverage health warning policies could discourage sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Home Visit Intervention Promotes Lifestyle Changes: Results of an RCT in Mexican Americans.
Hispanic populations are less likely that other ethnicities to meet physical activity guidelines. Community health worker (CHW) outreach is an effective delivery method for behavior change messages owing to shared culture, language, and life experience. This study examined the efficacy of a CHW-delivered intervention, Tu Salud ¡Si Cuenta! (Your Health Matters!) at Home Intervention, to promote physical activity among Mexican Americans. ⋯ This study shows increases in physical activity among those exposed to a CHW intervention, including participants with obesity. It also indicates that the removal of CHW contact tapers the effect at 12 months.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Cluster Randomized Trial of Teens Against Tobacco Use: Youth Empowerment for Tobacco Control in El Paso, Texas.
This study examines smoke-free youth partnerships implementing the Teens Against Tobacco Use model developed by the American Lung Association. This innovative tobacco prevention strategy has not been evaluated rigorously. Students used peer teaching to educate youth about tobacco use and engaged in tobacco control advocacy activities. Participating high school and middle school youth were trained to develop and deliver tobacco prevention presentations to 4th-8th grade students in schools. ⋯ Findings suggest Teens Against Tobacco Use is an effective means of reducing tobacco susceptibility among 4th-8th graders in the immediate term. Longer-term outcome evaluations are needed to determine whether Teens Against Tobacco Use presentations can have a lasting impact on tobacco use.
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Previous research has demonstrated that different forms of mental health trajectories can be observed in service members, and that these trajectories are related to combat. However, limited research has examined this phenomenon in relation to physical health. This study aims to determine how combat exposure relates to trajectories of physical health functioning in U.S. service members. ⋯ Combat exposure during military deployment is associated with poorer physical health functioning trajectories spanning more than a decade of follow-up. However, even when exposed to combat, consistently high physical health functioning is the modal response.