Connecting to Community: Violence Prevention Barriers, Geography, and Preventionist Perceptions of Community Leadership and Opportunities

Violence is a public health concern, negatively impacting individual and community health and safety. Although violence can be prevented, prevention efforts are complex in part because they require addressing community factors. Despite an increase in funding and support for community violence prevention, relatively little is known about what prevention practice barriers may be related to community factors. This study addressed this gap by surveying a statewide sample of violence preventionists. We explored if coordination and logistical barriers and rural geography are associated with perceptions of two community factors: community opportunities and leadership quality. As part of a statewide assessment of violence and prevention efforts, 130 violence preventionists completed surveys. Results showed that both perceived coordination barriers and rural geography were negatively associated with perceptions of existing community opportunities, representative/influential leadership, and leadership commitment. Perceived logistical barriers were positively associated with perceived leadership commitment. Findings suggest that support reducing community coordination barriers in particular-and to support rural violence prevention work more broadly-is needed.

Racial Differences in Suicidal Behaviors and Post-Suicide Attempt Treatment: a Latent Class Analysis of Incarcerated Men's Experiences

Community-based research has found racial differences in suicide attempts for Black and White men and in how men are treated after a suicide attempt; however, prison-based research has largely not explored such differences. This study examined racial differences in the circumstances of incarcerated men's suicide attempts and investigated health care disparities in staff responses to these suicide attempts. With administrative data from three state prisons over a 5-year period, we conducted a latent class analysis to explore patterns of suicide attempts for 207 incarcerated men. We examined race as a predictor of class membership. Black men were more likely than White men to use a method of hanging/suffocation for attempting suicide, and they were also commonly subjected to segregation when they attempted suicide. Black men were less likely to receive health care post-attempt than White men. Given the findings of this study, several key researches, practices, and policy directions are needed to prevent suicide and promote the health and well-being of incarcerated men, particularly incarcerated Black men.

Health care disparities for incarcerated adults after a suicide attempt

OBJECTIVE

Incarcerated adults have high rates of fatal and nonfatal suicidal behaviors. Suicide prevention recommendations stress the need for the provision of health care for incarcerated adults after suicide attempts, yet prison policies and practices often focus instead on punitive responses to suicidal behaviors. Existing research is limited regarding factors that predict the provision of health care to incarcerated adults post-suicide attempt. The current study examined individual, incident, and institutional factors as predictors of health care to incarcerated adults post-suicide attempt.

METHOD

We used data from critical incidents reports for suicide attempts (N = 495) to conduct mixed-effects logistical regression models.

RESULTS

Staff responded to suicide attempts by placing incarcerated adults under direct observation (with no care) or in segregation at odds two and three times higher than of providing health care, particularly in prisons for men. Race was a significant factor; incidents involving Black men were less likely than incidents involving white men to include staff requesting health care, and incidents involving Black women were less likely than incidents involving white women to include requesting and providing health care.

CONCLUSIONS

This study's findings highlight factors predicting health care responses to suicide attempts and the need to address and prevent health care disparities in prisons.

Four-year follow-up of guided self-change for bulimia nervosa

The aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate the longer-term effectiveness of guided self-care for bulimia nervosa. In the original trial, 62 patients with DSM-III-R bulimia nervosa were randomly assigned to: a) a self-care manual plus eight fortnightly sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (guided self-change); or b) 16 weekly sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Twenty-eight of these patients (45% of the original cohort) were involved in this follow-up study based on personal interviews by experts and self-rated instruments; the majority of the others could not be traced, but their pre- and post-treatment variables were not different from those of the follow-up patients. After an average follow-up of 54.2 months (SD 5.8), significant improvements were achieved or maintained in both groups in terms of the main outcome measures: eating disorder symptoms based on expert ratings (Eating Disorder Examination sub-scores for overeating, vomiting, dietary restraint, and shape and weight concerns), self report (Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh), and a global five-point severity scale. There was also an improvement in the subsidiary outcome variables: Beck's Depression Inventory, the Self-concept Questionnaire, and knowledge of nutrition, weight and shape. During the week before the follow-up examination, 66.7% of the patients in the guided self-change group and 61.5% of those in the CBT group had not binged, vomited or abused laxatives. Guided self-change incorporating a self-care manual is an approach that can be as effective as standard cognitive behavioural therapy in the long-term, and can reduce the amount of therapist contact required.

[Prevalence of eating disorders among students]

A sample of 507 social work students completed the Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh (BITE). Simulating diagnoses according to DSM-IV criteria, we found three women suffering from bulimia nervosa (BN). This represents a total prevalence of 0.6%, 0.8% in women, and 0.9% in female probands up to the age of 30 years. In the same way, we identified one case of anorexia nervosa (AN), i.e. a total prevalence of 0.2%, 0.3% in women, and 0.3% in female probands up to the age of 30. Nineteen students also fulfilled DSM-IV research criteria for binge-eating disorder (BED), showing a total prevalence of 3.7%, 3.8% in women, 3.5% in men, and 4.3% in female probands up to the age of 30. Thus, BED is the most common eating disorder and also occurs in men. In light of the association between weight discontent and eating disorders, suggestions are made for the management of overweight patients and both normal and underweight clients with eating disorders.

Guided self-change for bulimia nervosa incorporating use of a self-care manual

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of guided self-change for bulimia nervosa.

METHOD

Sixty-two patients with DSM-III-R-defined bulimia nervosa were randomly assigned to 1) use of a self-care manual plus eight fortnightly sessions of cognitive behavior therapy (guided self-change) or 2) 16 sessions of weekly cognitive behavior therapy.

RESULTS

At the end of treatment and at follow-up an average of 43 weeks after the end of therapy, substantial improvements had been achieved in both groups on the main outcome measures: eating disorder symptoms according to experts' ratings (Eating Disorder Examination subscores on overeating, vomiting, dietary restraint, and shape and weight concerns), self-reports (Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh), and a 5-point severity scale. Also, improvement was seen on the subsidiary outcome measures: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Self-Concept Questionnaire, and knowledge of nutrition, weight, and shape. At follow-up, 71% of the cognitive behavior therapy group had not binged or vomited during the week preceding. In the guided self-change group, 70% had not binged and 61% had not vomited during the week before follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Guided self-change incorporating use of a self-care manual offers an approach that can be as effective as standard cognitive behavior therapy in the long term and can considerably reduce the amount of therapist contact required.

[How effective and acceptable is a self-treatment manual with concomitant brief therapy in bulimia nervosa]

We compared 8 fortnightly sessions plus a self-care manual (guided self change, GSC) with 16 weekly individual sessions of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). There were 31 sufferers of DSM-III-R-bulimia nervosa (BN) in each group. Both treatments resulted in significant improvements regarding self and interviewer based measures of bulimia nervosa as well as depression, self-esteem, quality of life and knowledge about nutrition, weight and shape. There were no significant differences between therapies regarding drop-out rate, compliance with follow-up, and the number of patients receiving additional treatment. At none of the assessments was there a significant difference between GSC and CBT regarding severity of BN, Beck Depression Inventory-score, self-esteem, and quality of life. A significantly higher percentage of CBT-patients were abstinent from bingeing for at least one week at the end of treatment. Three months later, the GSC-group had caught up in this respect and knew more about nutition, weight and shape. Only the sum-scores on a BN self-rating scale were worse for GSC than CBT at the end of therapy and at follow-up. There were no significant differences between the two groups in general treatment satisfaction and judgement about the usefulness of the therapies. Thus, guided self change with a selfcare manual can save therapist time without impinging significantly on treatment satisfaction and effectiveness.