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Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder often display disrupted sleep patterns that may include fewer hours of total sleep, difficulty falling asleep, middle of the night awakenings, and high activity levels when waking at inappropriate times of the night. These sleep disturbances negatively affect children’s mood, activity levels, attention span, and safety. Family functioning is impaired by the associated effects on caregiver sleep and the stress associated with the possibility that the child might be harmed when engaging in unsupervised activities during the night. This chapter provides therapists with psychoeducation about incidence, characteristics, and etiology of sleep problems in this population. Information is also provided about behavioral and pharmacological treatments used to intervene with these challenging behaviors.

The objective of this study was to understand the reasons community-based public health organizations in the United States accept or refuse tobacco industry sponsorship. A formative pilot study involving 13 interviews with representatives of AIDS and Domestic Violence organizations in California or the Northeast was used. Semistructured interviews were conducted with leaders and fund-raisers working at AIDS and domestic violence organizations that either accepted grants from the tobacco industry or explicitly refused tobacco corporate support. Respondents that accepted grants did so because they believed that the tangible benefits of additional capacity to serve their constituents outweighed the minimal effect they believed refusing funds could have on tobacco control and prevention. Organizations that refused sponsorship either saw tobacco prevention as part of their mission of promoting overall health or social justice, or expressed concern about public association with the tobacco industry. Public health responses to this phenomenon are most effective when they are informed by the realities facing nonprofit leaders as they grapple with the question of whether to accept industry funds. Further research is needed to determine whether accepting sponsorship results in a change in public opinion about tobacco control. Possible interventions include creating positive publicity for organizations that refuse tobacco industry philanthropy.

Background A high rate of unnecessary rehospitalization has been shown to be related to a poorly managed discharge processes. Objective A qualitative study was conducted in order to understand the phenomenon of frequent rehospitalization from the perspective of discharged patients and to determine if activities at the time of discharge could be designed to reduce the number of adverse events and rehospitalization. Design Semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 21 patients during their hospital stay at Boston Medical Center. Interviews assessed continuity of care after discharge, need for and availability of social support, and ability to obtain follow-up medical care. Results Difficult life circumstances posed a greater barrier to recuperation than lack of medical knowledge. All participants were able to describe their medical condition, the reasons they were admitted to the hospital, and the discharge instructions they received. All reported the types of medications being taken or the conditions for which the medications were prescribed. Recuperation was compromised by factors that contribute to undermining the ability of patients to follow their doctors' recommendations including support for medical and basic needs, substance use, and limitations in the availability of transportation to medical appointments. Distress, particularly depression, further contributed to poor health and undermined the ability to follow doctors' recommendations and the discharge plans. Conclusions Discharge interventions that assess the need for social support and provide access and services have the potential to reduce chronic rehospitalization.

The effects of creatine supplementation on force-time curve (FTC) characteristics were investigated in collegiate track athletes. Sixteen male and 20 female athletes were randomly divided into a placebo (P, n = 21) and a creatine (Cr, n = 15) group. Six weeks of supplementation consisted 0.3 g per kilogram of body weight per day of Cr monohydrate or non-nutritive placebo. Subjects were involved in a periodized weight-training program centered on explosive exercises. Pretesting and posttesting consisted of 7-site skinfold analysis, countermovement vertical jump (CMJ), and static vertical jump (SJ). SJ was performed on a 61.0-χ 121.9-cm ATMI (Advanced Medical Technologies, Newton, MA) force plate and was analyzed for FTC. No differences were found between the 2 treatments for FTC. The CMJ showed a significant group by time interaction with the Cr group improving at a greater rate than did the P group. Lean body mass (LBM) significantly increased in the Cr group after the treatment period. These results suggest that 6 weeks of Cr supplementation can favorably enhance LBM and CMJ performance in track athletes.

Thirty-six (16 men, 20 women) collegiate track and field athletes (sprinter, jumpers, and throwers) were randomly divided into a placebo (P, n = 21) group and a creatine supplemented (C, n = 15) group. Six weeks of supplementation consisted of 0.30 g?kg−1?d−1 of creatine monohydrate (Crm) or a placebo. Subjects were involved in a preseason conditioning program that consisted of interval sprinting and multijoint, large-muscle-group weight-training movements programmed in a periodized manner. Pretesting (PRE) and posttesting (POS) consisted of a 7-site skinfold analysis, hydrostatic weighing, countermovement vertical jump, static vertical jump, and 5 ± 10-second maximum cycle ergometer rides. Data were analyzed using G T analysis of variance. Significant interactions occurred for several variables. Creatine effected superior gains (percent change creatine vs. placebo) in countermovement vertical jump height (7.0 vs. 2.3%), countermovement vertical jump power index (6.8 vs. 3.1%), average cycle peak power (12.8 vs. 4.8%), cycle average power (10.8 vs. 3.1%), cycle total work (10.8 vs. 3.5%), cycle initial rate of power production (30.0 vs. 11.2%), and lean body mass. These results suggest that 6 weeks of Crm intake can favorably enhance vertical jump, power output, work capacity, and lean body mass in men and women collegiate track and field athletes following a periodized training program.