Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Nov 2012
ReviewNeural systems underlying motivated behavior in adolescence: implications for preventive medicine.
Although a time of increased independence and autonomy, adolescence is also a time of vulnerabilities, through increased risk-taking and the emergence of psychopathology. Neurodevelopmental changes during this period may provide a neurobiological basis for this normative rise in deleterious behaviors. Thus, the objective of this review was to identify neurodevelopmental processes underlying the emergence of risk-taking and psychopathology in adolescence, and discuss implications of these findings for prevention. ⋯ Understanding developmental and contextual factors that influence functioning in motivational neural circuits can inform research on adolescent risk-taking, and may provide targets for novel preventions, for example through the use of incentives to reduce deleterious outcomes.
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Preventive medicine · Nov 2012
Multicenter StudyImplementation and impact of anti-smoking interventions in three prisons in the absence of appropriate legislation.
To assess the acceptability and impact of anti-smoking policies in three prisons in Switzerland. ⋯ Reinforcement of non-smoking rules was possible in only one of the three prisons but had an impact on exposure to tobacco smoke and medical help to quit. Implementing anti-smoking policies in prisons is difficult in the absence of appropriate legislation.
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Poor medication adherence is a longstanding problem, and is especially pertinent for individuals with chronic conditions or diseases. Adherence to medications can improve patient outcomes and greatly reduce the cost of care. The purpose of the present review is to describe the literature on the use of incentives as applied to the problem of medication adherence. ⋯ Incentive-based medication adherence interventions are promising but understudied. A significant challenge for research in this area is the development of sustainable and cost-effective long-term interventions.
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Preventive medicine · Nov 2012
Overweight and reduced heart rate variability in British children: an exploratory study.
To investigate the associations between heart rate variability (HRV) and weight status in children. ⋯ This exploratory study suggests that HRV is reduced in overweight/obese children.
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Preventive medicine · Nov 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyDisparities in alcohol use: does race matter as much as place?
National estimates of race differences in alcohol use suggest that whites are more likely to be current and binge users of alcohol. These findings fail to account for race differences in the social and environmental context where people live. This study aims to determine whether race disparities persist in alcohol use among individuals who share similar social and environmental conditions. ⋯ Among individuals who share similar social and environmental risk exposures, race group differences in alcohol use patterns are similar.