College students' patterns of electronic nicotine delivery system use and other substance use

Objective: Electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use on college campuses increased dramatically in recent years. Little is known about how ENDS use among college students relates to other substance use. Participants: Undergraduates (n = 3,917) at a mid-sized Midwestern public university in the United States. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data and latent class analysis of ENDS, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and non-medical use of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. Results: Over 95% of ENDS users fit into one of two classes comprising a minority of college students engaged in multiple and often problematic substance use behaviors. Only 4% of ENDS users were grouped into a class comprising 85% of the sample and characterized by either little/no substance use or moderate alcohol consumption. Conclusions: ENDS use in this sample was not indicative of general exploration with substances, nor was it indicative of isolated tobacco use, but rather more heavy and problematic substance use.

Are current elicitation techniques for barriers and enablers confounded with motivation? How natural language may hinder theory-guided research

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to compare standard elicitation techniques for barriers and enablers for physical activity and sleep behaviours, to an alternative approach whereby participants were told to only consider the literal meanings of the words prevent/enable.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled design.

METHODS

College students were randomized to either a standard methods group (n = 177) (what prevents you from doing behaviour X) or a vignette group (n = 176) to encourage them to think of the literal meaning of the words prevent/enable. Responses were then codified by two blinded researchers.

RESULTS

Students reported significantly different types of control beliefs between groups. Those in the standard group reported significantly more overall beliefs (p's < .05, except sleep/enable), suggesting poorer discrimination in interpreting what was meant by 'prevent' and 'enable'.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates when self-efficacy-related control beliefs are elicited, natural language words such as 'prevent' and 'enable' have the potential to confuse people about the intent of the question.

Feasibility, Utility, and Limitations of a Rapid Community Behavioral Diagnosis for Social Distancing During the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic

PURPOSE

To evaluate the feasibility, utility, and limitations of a rapid community behavioral diagnosis (RCBD) for social distancing behaviors to prevent coronavirus transmission during a global coronavirus pandemic.

DESIGN

Using social media for recruitment, we partnered with a local community task force to administer a brief online survey.

SETTING

Residential urban community.

SAMPLE

Eighty-four community members, the majority of whom were white, female, college educated completed the survey.

MEASURES

Theory of planned behavior constructs: behavioral intentions, attitudes, perceived norms, and perceived behavioral control for 3 social distancing behaviors: maintaining a 6-foot distance, avoiding places people congregate, and staying home as much as possible.

ANALYSIS

Path analyses were conducted to understand significant determinants of intentions for each behavior to guide the development of locally tailored health promotion messages.

RESULTS

The RCBD was implemented, and results were communicated to the community within 1 week. Intentions were high across the 3 behaviors but lowest for staying home as much as possible. Younger participants had lower intentions of maintaining a 6-foot distance than older participants. For each behavior, specific recommendations for health promotion messaging emerged based on how attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control related to intentions.

CONCLUSION

In a situation where local community action is paramount for reducing coronavirus transmission, this RCBD process is feasible and useful for informing local health promotion.

Home Food Environment Factors Associated With Hispanic Preschoolers' Intake of Fruits and Vegetables

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of home fruit and vegetable (F&V) availability and maternal feeding practices with Hispanic preschoolers' F&V intake (N = 238). "Availability' of total fruit" (P < .0001) and "modeling" (P < .020) increased the odds of consuming 1 or more cups of fruit. "Pressure" (P < .009) and the child being female (P < .028) increased the odds of consuming 1 or more cups of vegetables, while having a greater number of children in the home (P < .037) reduced the odds of consuming 1 or more cups of vegetables. To increase preschoolers' intake of F&V, interventions should target specific environmental factors in the home and maternal monitoring practices.

The Effect of an 8-Week Tai Chi Exercise Program on Physical Functional Performance in Middle-Aged Women

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an 8-week Tai Chi Chih exercise program on physical functional performance (PFP) among women aged 45 to 65 years. A quasi-experimental design with a nonequivalent comparison group was used. Forty-one healthy inactive women were assigned to either an intervention group (n = 19) or a comparison group (n = 19). A 60-min Tai Chi Chih exercise class was conducted twice a week for 8 weeks. PFP was measured at baseline and postintervention using the Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance-10 (CS-PFP 10). Between-group differences were analyzed using one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). After participating in the 8-week program, intervention group participants showed greater improvement in the CS-PFP measures (p < .05, η(2) > .06). However, the comparison group had little changes. The findings from this study suggest that participation in an 8-week Tai Chi Chih exercise program can improve PFP in healthy, community-dwelling middle-aged women.