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This study examined whether bullies, victims, and aggressive victims (those who are both bullies and victims) differed on classroom social network variables, gender, and ethnicity. Survey data were collected from a primarily Latino and Asian sample of 1,368 Southern California 6th graders (mean age = 11.3 years). Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether network characteristics and ethnicity were associated with each of the outcome variables. Consistent with social cognitive theory, friends' participation in aggressive behaviors was positively associated with being a bully or an aggressive victim, and negatively associated with being a victim. Consistent with social dominance theory, the number of friendship nominations received was negatively associated with being a victim. Female bullies received fewer friendship nominations, but had a higher proportion of reciprocated friendships. Victims were disproportionately Asian. The findings suggest that bullying prevention efforts targeting highly aggressive students may also diffuse to their friends, and that assertiveness training in handling aggressive situations may successfully combat bullying and aggression.

The Sandy Lake school-based diabetes prevention program is a culturally appropriate intervention for Ojibway-Cree students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. This paper reports the results of the program in changing dietary intake behaviors and related psychosocial factors. Physical activity results are not included. The study was a pretest/post-test, single-sample design conducted during the 1998-1999 school year. A total of 122 students completed all 4 measurements (anthropometry, 24-h dietary recall, and 2 questionnaires), at baseline and follow-up. There were significant increases (P < 0.0001)in dietary intention, dietary preference, knowledge, and dietary self-efficacy, and in the curriculum knowledge scale between baseline and follow-up. Intervention exposure was significantly associated with being in the highest category for knowledge about foods that were low in dietary fat [Medium Exposure odds ratio (OR): 3.4; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 6.4; P < 0.05], being in the highest category for dietary self-efficacy (Medium Exposure OR: 3.7; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 3.9; P < 0.1), being in the highest category for knowledge about curriculum concepts (Medium Exposure OR: 3.4; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 9.4: P < 0.01), and for having met the age + 5 g dietary fiber intake/d (Medium Exposure OR: 2.9; P < 0.1; High Exposure OR: 11.0; P < 0.01). Exposure to the intervention was not associated with dietary intent or the percentage of energy from dietary fat. This program was associated with improved knowledge and the psychosocial factors related to healthy eating and dietary fiber intake of students in a remote First Nations community. KEY WORDS: * school-based intervention * Native American * Canadian Native children * diabetes * health promotion

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality in the world, and innovative approaches to NCD care delivery are being actively developed and evaluated. Combining the group-based experience of microfinance and group medical visits is a novel approach to NCD care delivery. However, the contextual factors, facilitators, and barriers impacting wide-scale implementation of these approaches within a low- and middle-income country setting are not well known. Methods: Two types of qualitative group discussion were conducted: 1) mabaraza (singular, baraza), a traditional East African community gathering used to discuss and exchange information in large group settings; and 2) focus group discussions (FGDs) among rural clinicians, community health workers, microfinance group members, and patients with NCDs. Trained research staff members led the discussions using structured question guides. Content analysis was performed with NVivo using deductive and inductive codes that were then grouped into themes. Results: We conducted 5 mabaraza and 16 FGDs. A total of 205 individuals (113 men and 92 women) participated in the mabaraza, while 162 individuals (57 men and 105 women) participated in the FGDs. In the context of poverty and previous experiences with the health system, participants described challenges to NCD care across three themes: 1) stigma of chronic disease, 2) earned skepticism of the health system, and 3) socio-economic fragility. However, they also outlined windows of opportunity and facilitators of group medical visits and microfinance to address those challenges. Discussion: Our qualitative study revealed actionable factors that could impact the success of implementation of group medical visits and microfinance initiatives for NCD care. While several challenges were highlighted, participants also described opportunities to address and mitigate the impact of these factors. We anticipate that our approach and analysis provides new insights and methodological techniques that will be relevant to other low-resource settings worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sandy Lake school-based diabetes prevention program is a culturally appropriate intervention for Ojibway-Cree students in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. This paper reports the results of the program in changing dietary intake behaviors and related psychosocial factors. Physical activity results are not included. The study was a pretest' post-testy single-sample design conducted during the 1998-1999 school year. A total of 122 students completed all 4 measurements (anthropometry, 24-h dietary recall, and 2 questionnaires), at baseline and follow-UP. There were significant increases (P < 0.0001) in dietary intention, dietary preferences knowledge, and dietary self-efficacy, and in the curriculum knowledge scale between baseline and follow-UP, intervention exposure was significantly associated with being in the highest category for knowledge about foods that were low in dietary fat (Medium Exposure odds ratio (OR): 3.4; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 6.4; P < 0.05], being in the highest category for dietary self-efficacy (Medium Exposure OR: 3.7; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 3.9; P < 0.1), being in the highest category for knowledge about curriculum concepts (Medium Exposure OR: 3.4; P < 0.05; High Exposure OR: 9.4: P < 0.01), and for having met the age + 5 g dietary fiber intake/d (Medium Exposure OR: 2.9; P < 0.1; High Exposure OR: 11.0; P < 0.01). Exposure to the intervention was not associated with dietary intent or the percentage of energy from dietary fat. This program was associated with improved knowledge and the psychosocial factors related to healthy eating and dietary fiber intake of students in a remote First Nations community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has suggested that depression causes teens to begin smoking to elevate their mood. Other studies, however, have suggested the reverse causal direction: smoking causes depression. To gain a more complete understanding of the relationship between smoking and depression, potential mediators should be explored. This study explored how peer influences could mediate the relationship between depression and smoking. The methodology of Baron and Kenney was followed to test for mediation and moderation. Peers mediated the relationship between depression and smoking. Separate analyses by gender showed that depression remained significantly associated with smoking when peers were included in the model for girls only. Peer influence was related to depressed affect for both genders. These results provide evidence that peer influences are an important variable to take into consideration when addressing a depression smoking relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]