American journal of preventive medicine
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Youth with incarcerated parents experience more adverse childhood experiences than other youth, placing them at higher risk for mental health and substance use disorders. Despite their increased risk, these youth may be less likely to access mental health services, particularly given their racial and ethnic makeup. Therefore, this study aimed to assess racial and ethnic disparities in access to mental health services for youth with incarcerated parents. ⋯ Youth with incarcerated parents were more likely to report utilization of mental health services, but significant racial and ethnic disparities exist between Black and Latinx youth with incarcerated parents compared with that among White and non-Latinx youth with incarcerated parents. There is a continued need to expand mental health services to youth with incarcerated parents and to address racial and ethnic disparities in access to care.
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The generalizability of study findings may be influenced by pre-enrollment trial procedures, including the use of behavioral run-in periods. The study goals were to determine whether behavioral run-in periods and other pre-enrollment processes affect outcomes in randomized trials of behavioral weight loss interventions that have contributed to clinical guidelines. ⋯ The use of more pre-enrollment processes is associated with greater weight loss in behavioral weight loss trials and may impact the generalizability of outcomes.
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Maternal adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of negative health outcomes in young children; however, young adults and, specifically, young adult Latinos have been vastly understudied. This study investigates the intergenerational pathway between maternal adverse childhood experiences and behavioral health outcomes of their young adult children, as mediated through young adults' own adverse childhood experiences and maternal depression. ⋯ Findings demonstrate the potential impacts of adversity across generations in Latino immigrant families, an understudied population. Understanding the mechanisms and factors associated with these pathways may lead to strategies that prevent poor mental health outcomes in young adults.
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Cigarette packaging is designed to increase consumer appeal and remains a primary promotional tool in many countries, including the U.S. This study documented changes in the prevalence of pack characteristics among the top-selling cigarette products in the U.S. in 2018 and 2021. ⋯ The use of visual and named colors remains common, which can implicitly communicate sensory or health-related attributes. Moreover, promotions may help recruit and retain consumers in the context of more restrictive tobacco control policies and price increases. Given the strong influence that cigarette packaging exerts on consumers, packaging-focused policies, such as plain packaging laws, may reduce appeal and accelerate declines in cigarette use.
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Social determinants are structures and conditions in the biological, physical, built, and social environments that affect health, social and physical functioning, health risk, quality of life, and health outcomes. The adoption of recommended, standard measurement protocols for social determinants of health will advance the science of minority health and health disparities research and provide standard social determinants of health protocols for inclusion in all studies with human participants. ⋯ Promoting the adoption of well-established social determinants of health protocols can enable consistent data collection and facilitate comparing and combining studies, with the potential to increase their scientific impact.