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PURPOSE: This formative research study describes the development and preliminary evaluation of a theory-guided, online multimedia psycho-educational program (PROGRESS) designed to facilitate adaptive coping among prostate cancer patients transitioning from treatment into long-term survivorship. METHODS: Guided by the Cognitive-Social Health Information Processing Model (C-SHIP) and using health communications best practices, we conducted a two-phase, qualitative formative research study with early stage prostate cancer patients (n = 29) to inform the Web program development. Phase 1 included individual (n = 5) and group (n = 12) interviews to help determine intervention content and interface. Phase 2 employed iterative user/usability testing (n = 12) to finalize the intervention. Interview data were independently coded and collectively analyzed to achieve consensus. RESULTS: Survivors expressed interest in action-oriented content on (1) managing treatment side effects, (2) handling body image and comorbidities related to overweight/obesity, (3) coping with emotional and communication issues, (4) tips to reduce disruptions of daily living activities, and (5) health skills training tools. Patients also desired the use of realistic and diverse survivor images. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporation of an established theoretical framework, application of multimedia intervention development best practices, and an evidence-based approach to content and format resulted in a psycho-educational tool that comprehensively addresses survivors' needs in a tailored fashion. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: The results suggest that an interactive Web-based multimedia program is useful for survivors if it covers the key topics of symptom control, emotional well-being, and coping skills training; this tool has the potential to be disseminated and implemented as an adjunct to routine clinical care.

Introduction: The educational system of Jamaica is designed whereby performance is assessed based on formal evaluation (or test). This test culture places immense pressure on students at the primary level to successful complete some examinations in order for placement into select schools. Objectives: The present study seeks to evaluate psychological stress among students who take the G.S.A.T examination in the Corporate Area schools in Jamaica and assess whether psychological stressors influence academic performance. Methods: For this research, mixed methodology was employed to investigate the phenomenon of stressors among students who took the 2013 G.S.A.T examination. For the survey instrument (questionnaire), the large volume of data were stored, retrieved and analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences (S.P.S.S) for Windows version 21.0 (SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL, USA). Findings: The overall academic performance of the surveyed respondents was high (75.8 ± 19.4; 95% CI: 72.4- 79.2), with students in the preparatory school (92.4 ± 4.1) outperformed those in the primary school (71.0 ± 19.4)- t-test =10280, P < 0.0001. The level of stress experienced by those in the public school was greater (29.9 ± 6.0; 95% CI: 28.9 - 30.1) than those in the private school (26.0 ± 3.9; 95% CI: 24.5- 27.4- t-test=-3.300, P=0.001). Five factors determine overall academic performance: 1) stress level, 2) parental involvement, 3) school type, 4) nervous on taking the first G.S.A.T examination and 5) school choice (traditional or non-traditional high school). The five factors accounted for 35.8 percentage points of the variance in overall academic performance (Adjusted R2). Conclusion: Parental involvement is crucial in academic performance among students who took the 2013 G.S.A.T examination and students experienced moderately high stress, which offers some insight in the examination and the information can be used to better guide policy formulation. © 2015 Bourne PD, et al.

Background: For millennia, women with multiple sexual partners have been labeled and stigmatized as whores, prostitutes, promiscuous and commercial sex workers. However, there is little literature comprehensively addressing factors related to reproductive health in this group. Aim: The aim of the current study is to elucidate the reproductive health matters of women who have multiple sexual partners. Setting and design: The data use for this research is taken from the Jamaica Reproductive Health Survey, 2007. Stratified random sampling is used to design the sampling frame. Materials and Methods: The current study extracts a sample of 225 respondents (from 7,168 women ages 15-49 years) who indicate having had multiple sex partners. Statistical analysis used: Data are analyzed using the Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences for Windows, Version 21.0. Multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze factors that explained current method of contraception. Results: Women with multiple sex partners on average are involved with men at least 9.5 years their senior, and 72% of them have become pregnant. Currently, contraception use can be explained by social class (middle class, Odds ratio (OR) = 0.08, 95% CI= 0.01 – 0.59); age at first sexual intercourse (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.68 – 1.21); employment status (employed, OR = 5.07, 95% CI = 1.06 – 24.36); and marital status (married or common-law, OR = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.02 – 0.38). Conclusion: The early sexual initiation among young women is a public health problem because of the increased incidence of teenage pregnancy and increased incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, which must be addressed with the same intensity and resource allocation used to fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS). © 2015, Chevron Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

Background: The bullying phenomenon, an aspect of aggression, has gained attention in many countries thus making it a very important issue in schools. Many studies have been done on this issue resulting in deeper analysis and review on the matter because the matter covers physical, verbal or psychological acts of aggression that may be intentional, and, which may occur once or repeated over time. Objectives: This study seeks to examine the following research questions: 1) How is bullying manifested in grades 4-6 in primary schools identified for this study?; 2) What are the specific bullying behaviours exhibited by class bullies in grades 4-6?; 3) How does the behavior of bullies affect the conduct of classes?; 4) What are the characteristics of the students who are targeted by in-class bullies?, and 5) What strategies are currently used by the teachers to deal with bullying in class? Materials and Methods: Two hundred students were conveniently identified (n = 200) for the study in the three schools of which 153 participated in the survey (i.e., response rate of 76.5%). The sample comprises of pupils in grades 4, 5 and 6, which 67 pupils in grades 4 and 5, and 66 in the 6th grade. Likewise 50 students ages 9, 10, 11 and 12 years were recruited for participation, with the least respondents being ages 9 years (46%) and the most being 11 years old (94%). Results: The principals and guidance counselor reported that the bullying phenomenon is a daily occurrence at their schools and that on a daily basis they are called upon to address at least 3 cases and a maximum of 10 cases of bullying. All the parents in this study noted that the bullying phenomenon is widespread in primary schools in St. Thomas and that schools are now considered an unsafe environment. Of the 26 surveyed parents in this research, 92.3% indicated that ‘schools are no longer fun for children to be anymore because of the bullying phenomenon. Conclusion: Now there is empirical evidence that the bullying phenomenon is creating psychological issues that extend beyond the aggressor to those around him/her. The psychology of the bullying phenomenon is far-reaching more than a social issue and as such clearly the psychology of the matter is crying out for public health efforts and/or intervention in Jamaica. © 2015, Chevron Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved.

Children's exposure to potentially traumatic events is related to negative mental health outcomes. To promote more positive outcomes, protective factors that can buffer the impact of these experiences need to be identified. The present study examined whether lower parental stress might function as a protective factor for children enrolled in a behavioral health system of care. Specifically, the relationship between a history of interpersonal trauma (physical abuse, sexual abuse, and witnessing domestic violence) and internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors were examined, as was the role of parenting stress in helping to explain this relationship. The sample included African American and Latino children (ages 5-19) from low-income families, who have a serious emotional disturbance, and received services in a school-based system of care. Results of path analyses revealed that parenting stress mediated the relationship between trauma exposure and internalizing problem behaviors. For the relationship between trauma exposure and externalizing problem behaviors, mediation approached significance. The findings suggest that family factors, such as parenting stress, could be potential modifiable protective factors for these children. Systems of care can use this information to encourage the implementation of more family-focused treatments and interventions.

Introduction: Research has shown that adults perceive that electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are effective for smoking cessation, yet little is known about adolescents and young adults' perceptions of e-cigarettes for quitting cigarette smoking. This study describes middle, high school, and college students' beliefs about, and experiences with, e-cigarettes for cigarette smoking cessation., Methods: We conducted 18 focus groups (n = 127) with male and female cigarette smokers and nonsmokers in 2 public colleges, 2 high schools, and 1 middle school in Connecticut between November 2012 and April 2013. Participants discussed cigarette smoking cessation in relation to e-cigarettes. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: All participants, regardless of age and smoking status, were aware that e-cigarettes could be used for smoking cessation. College and high school participants described different methods of how e-cigarettes could be used for smoking cessation: (a) nicotine reduction followed by cessation; (b) cigarette reduction/dual use; and (c) long-term exclusive e-cigarette use. However, overall, participants did not perceive that e-cigarette use led to successful quitting experiences. Participants described positive attributes (maintenance of smoking actions, "healthier" alternative to cigarettes, and parental approval) and negative attributes (persistence of craving, maintenance of addiction) of e-cigarettes for cessation. Some college students expressed distrust of marketing of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation., Conclusions: Adolescent and young adult smokers and nonsmokers perceive that there are several methods of using e-cigarettes for quitting and are aware of both positive and negative aspects of the product. Future research is needed to determine the role of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation in this population., (C) Copyright Oxford University Press 2015.

We propose that female methamphetamine users who live in suburbia experience risks for disease transmission stemming from their social environment that remain under the radar of public health surveillance networks. The data analyzed in this article were collected from 2007 to 2011 and were drawn from two sequential studies on methamphetamine use. The studies were conducted in the suburbs of a southeastern U.S. metropolis. We analyzed a total of 65 qualitative interviews with former and active methamphetamine-using women. Data from focus groups also were included in the analysis. The participants’ ages ranged from 18 to 51 years. We identified three major themes with regard to risk behaviors and transmission of infectious diseases: (1) setting risk behaviors such as sharing syringes and homelessness, lack of transportation, and unemployment; (2) sexual risk behaviors such as condom use and having multiple partners; and (3) service-related risks such as risk awareness and prevention behaviors as well as utilization of social services and health care. Our findings point to the pervasive nature of social influences on the risk for infectious disease transmission. We suggest that harm-reduction programs (HRPs) be implemented in suburban communities to increase access to these services. Second, our data support the concept of social recovery for drug users to better their health and social lives holistically. © 2014, © The Author(s) 2014.

The Reconceptualized Uncertainty in Illness Theory (RUIT) was used to investigate antecedents to, appraisals of, and ways of coping with stressful caregiving. Four focus groups with caregivers (8 males and 16 females) of relatives with dementia were conducted; 15 cared for their parents and the remainder cared for their spouses. They were recruited from an adult care center and other community settings in a metropolitan area in New England. The discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently coded the transcripts. Thematic analysis was structured according to the RUIT. The study is unique in its application to caregivers as opposed to patients and to all of the elements of the RUIT. Caregivers experience uncertainty in similar ways to patients with life-altering illness. Symptom severity--lack of personal boundaries, repetitive and aggressive behaviors, and the need for constant care--was the most frequent source of stress. The appraisals were mostly negative and included feelings of resentment, a lack of support from family members, financial strains, and loss of freedom. Self-improvement and self-care were important aspects of coping. Spirituality and humor were other coping skills that respondents used. Not all respondents said they were coping and some also reported that support from health care providers was not always helpful. Nurses can help improve coping by explaining the factors that contribute to caregiver strain and uncertainty, and by assisting caregivers to anticipate the effects of the caregiving role.

Background: Fast food establishments are available on many college campuses and, as a result, many students consume foods that are high in calories and contribute to unhealthy weight gain. Purpose: This study measured college students' knowledge of the calorie content for fast food items and whether the provision of calorie information for those foods influenced their future purchasing intentions. Method: Randomly selected undergraduate college students (N = 201) completed an online survey that measured baseline knowledge of calorie content for a fast food item and intention to purchase that item in the future. After provision of accurate calorie information, students were posttested for intention to purchase that item in the future. Results: The majority of students underestimated calorie content for fast food items. After receiving accurate calorie information, those who initially underestimated calorie content were significantly more likely to change their intention to purchase that food item in the future. Discussion: Many college students are interested in avoiding high-calorie fast food items but are uninformed about calorie content. Translation to Health Education Practice: Colleges should provide calorie information for fast food items at the point of purchase so that students can make informed decisions that will promote their health. © 2015, Copyright © SHAPE America.