American journal of preventive medicine
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Multicenter Study
One Hour a Week: Moving to Prevent Disability in Adults With Lower Extremity Joint Symptoms.
Physical activity guidelines recommend minimum thresholds. This study sought to identify evidence-based thresholds to maintain disability-free status over 4years among adults with lower extremity joint symptoms. ⋯ Attaining an evidence-based threshold of approximately 1-hour moderate-vigorous activity/week significantly increased the likelihood of maintaining disability-free status over 4years. This minimum threshold tied to maintaining independent living abilities has value as an intermediate goal to motivate adults to take action towards the many health benefits of a physically active lifestyle.
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From 2005 to 2016, the Veteran suicide rate increased 25.9%. Reducing this rate is a top priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2017, a policy change expanded emergent mental health services to include previously ineligible Veterans discharged under other than honorable conditions. To date, research examining the relationship between military discharge type and suicide risk has been limited. ⋯ These findings suggest that recognized risk factors for suicide, such as a history of mental health conditions, account for the increased prevalence of suicide ideation among Veterans with administrative discharges and that mental health services may have the potential to mitigate such risk in this high-risk Veteran population.
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Adverse childhood experiences are associated with higher risk of common chronic mental and physical illnesses in adulthood, but little evidence exists on whether this influences medical costs or expenses. This study estimated increases in household medical expenses associated with adults' reported adverse childhood experience scores. ⋯ Greater exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with higher household out-of-pocket medical costs and financial burden in adulthood.
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Comparative Study
Characteristics of Veteran and Civilian Suicide Decedents: A Sex-Stratified Analysis.
Few studies have examined characteristics distinguishing Veteran and civilian suicide decedents. An understanding of unique risk factors for Veteran suicide is critical to develop effective preventive interventions. This is particularly imperative for female Veterans, who have near double the suicide mortality rate of same-aged female civilians. The objectives of this study were to examine whether Veteran and civilian suicide decedents differed on risk factors and suicide-event characteristics, and to determine whether predictors changed based on sex. ⋯ Firearm use as a suicide method was a key distinguishing feature of Veteran suicide. Means restriction and firearm safety are pertinent to preventing Veteran suicide. Given low utilization of mental health care and frequent presence of physical health problems in this population, safe storage messages may have a greater preventive impact if delivered in primary care or other nonpsychiatric settings.
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Adequate self-management could minimize the impact of falls in older adults. The efficacy of fall prevention self-management interventions has been widely studied, yet little is known about why some older adults engage in fall prevention self-management actions and behaviors, whereas others do not. Through a systematic review of fall prevention self-management studies, this study identified characteristics and the personal, social, and environmental factors of older adults who engage in self-management actions and behaviors. ⋯ The systematic literature review revealed the personal characteristics of older adults who engage in fall prevention self-management actions and behaviors.