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One of the COVID-19 pandemic's many strains on the United States (US) healthcare system has been its impact on the physician board certification process. Understanding this effect is critical to maintaining access to qualified medical care and upholding the benchmark of board certification. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) has shown that US annual first-time physician certifications fell from a total of 31696 physicians in 2019 to 23558 in 2020. A survey sent to all 22 primary specialty boards under the ABMS received received responses from 7 boards. Results suggest that 5426 of 11722 (46.3%) applicants to responding specialty boards had testing canceled or rescheduled because of COVID-19. One board reported 4147 (80.5%) of its applicants were affected, requiring 2.9 times the original number of exam dates. Four specialty boards chose to newly incorporate a virtual format, with 2274 (19.4%) of all candidates taking part in the novel format. While COVID-19 altered board examinations for many physicians in 2020, successes and failures in implementing new certification modalities may hint at future opportunities to maintain and improve the certification process for US physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual homicide (SH) is the most severe outcome of sexual violence and disproportionately affects women. While SH is rare (<1% in the U.S.) and gravely understudied, it is among the most violent, feared, and well publicized forms of murder. Thus, examining predictors is pertinent to identifying targets for prevention and response efforts. Secondary analysis of 2015–2018 National Violent Death Reporting System data on 6461 female homicide victims age 20–64 was conducted to determine if SH represents a unique killing characterized by specific offender, victim, and incident profiles. Law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner narratives were reviewed to identify cases with sexual elements (N =324). Logistic regression estimated odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Findings highlight important differences between SH and non-SH. SH victims were more likely to be single (AOR=1.7, p =.006), have a substance abuse problem (AOR=1.4, p =.04), or engaged in prostitution (AOR=10.4, p <.001). SH suspects were more likely to be male (AOR=2.5, p =.04), use an illicit substance in the preceding hours (AOR=1.6, p =.03), or had recent contact with police (AOR=1.6, p =.01). SH was more likely to occur in a hotel/motel (AOR=3.0, p =.002), by asphyxiation (AOR =13.38, p <.001), be perpetrated against an acquaintance (AOR=1.64, p =.007), or be precipitated by another serious crime (AOR=2.1, p <.001). Findings advance our understanding of SH victim, suspect, and incident profiles, which can help to better inform police/investigative practices and crime prevention strategies/interventions as well as to improve how SH cases are managed in correctional programs for offenders who have the opportunity for release back into society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guided by Control Theory and the memorable messages framework, the current investigation examined the relationship between receipt of a health-related memorable message and self-reported diet and exercise behavior. A cross-sectional survey methodology was utilized to evaluate the relationship between receipt of a memorable message and dietary and exercise behaviors in a sample of Black women. Over 80% of the research sample (N = 121) reported receiving a memorable health message regarding diet and/or exercise. Women receiving a memorable message reported a significantly higher number of days engaging in healthy eating and exercise behaviors each week. Messages from medical professionals had the greatest impact on healthy dietary practices, while media-based messages were most influential on the enactment of exercise behavior. Additional research is warranted to determine how the utilization and reinforcement of memorable messages impacts health outcomes among Black women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Nigeria, one in four females has experienced some form of sexual abuse. Therefore, it is imperative to examine risk factors associated with sexual violence victimization of Nigerian girls and young women to identify targets for prevention and help stakeholders prioritize response efforts. The present article focuses on secondary data analyses of 1,766 females, aged 13 to 24, interviewed in the population-based 2014 Nigeria Violence Against Children Survey. The outcome of interest is lifetime sexual violence (LSV). Several potential predictors were explored: beliefs about gender roles related to sex, early sexual debut (aged <16 years), and multiple sex partners in the past 12 months. Other risk factors assessed were age, ethnicity, religion, education, marital status, and employment. Logistic regression analyses estimated adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results revealed that females who endorsed beliefs about patriarchal sexual decision-making (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI = [1.28, 3.32]) or ever attended school (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = [1.35, 4.34]) were more likely to report experiencing LSV. Prevention programs that target traditional norm beliefs about gender and sexuality have the potential to influence sexual violence in Nigeria. In addition, school attendance may expose females to potential perpetrators. Thus, to prevent sexual violence of girls who attend school, implementing safety measures may be beneficial for protecting them while in and traveling to/from school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Existing research has revealed diabetes patients often talk to one another regarding disease management. However, previous studies have not fully examined the content of advice provided. Thus, the purpose of this project was to investigate peer advice in the context of diabetes management to identify peer support strategies that could facilitate everyday disease management. Method: To answer the research questions posed, thirty interviews were completed in the Midwest and Southern regions of the United States. Participants (N = 30), who all self-identified as African American, ranged from 41 to 89 years of age (M = 58; SD: 11.23). Researchers engaged in theoretical thematic analysis utilizing components of Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and the Integrated Theory of Advice Giving. Data analysis involved several reviews of the interview transcripts to ensure accuracy in the results presented. Results: Analysis of interview transcripts revealed three peer advice themes. The first theme emphasized strict patient adherence to physician advice. The second theme stressed the importance of regularly engaging in disease management tasks to ensure long-term disease management. The third theme underscored the influence of personal accountability on the enactment of diabetes management behaviors. Conclusion: Results support further application of SCT and the Integrated Model of Advice Giving to gain a better understanding of peer advice in the context of diabetes management in African American research samples. Research results also imply authoritative communication may be frequently utilized to gain patient adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]