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While the sexual health risks among young people of color in foster care have been well-documented, healthy sexual development in this population has been less examined. The current study explored the experiences of Black youth in foster care and the factors that influenced their safer sex practices. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 18 sexually active Black participants (18–22 years old) in foster care from a large, Midwestern city in the United States. Grounded theory methods were used to (a) construct a conceptual framework illustrating the conditions the youth experienced that influenced their safer sex efforts, and (b) describe different types of intimate relationships that reflected their sexual health practices. Using specific strategies, the majority of the youth overcame obstacles and participated in positive sexual health practices. More than half (59%) reported they were in an intimate relationship for at least 6 months and either abstained from sex, used condoms 100% of the time, or employed safer sex methods. The findings suggest Black youth in state care can engage in positive sexual health practices and form healthy intimate relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several case studies related to sustainable urban planning in the U.S. and Europe. It discusses the University of California Davis (UC Davis)West Village project, a net zero energy community in the U.S. In Sweden, existing houses and buildings were subjected for renovation to create an energy-efficient eco-neighborhoods. It also talks on the development of Aldo Leopold Legacy Center, a carbon neutral facility in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

Abstract: Cohousing is an innovative form of accommodation. It offers economic, environmental and social advantages over existing forms of development. Cohousing emerged in the USA during the past 20 years as an innovative housing form with a niche market, but adoptions to date have been limited. This paper seeks to determine the future for cohousing in the USA, using innovation diffusion theories. It reviews the factors influencing the rate of diffusion of cohousing (relative advantages, compatibility, complexity, trialability and observability). It investigates the impact of path dependencies and the existence of disruptive technologies on adoptions. It considers the potential for cohousing to “cross the chasm” and be adopted by the mainstream. The findings of the research suggest that “grass-roots” approaches to the creation of cohousing communities are likely to result in the greatest number of adoptions in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A total of 675,626 active duty Army soldiers who were known to be at risk for deployment to the Persian Gulf were followed from 1980 through the Persian Gulf War. Hospitalization histories for the entire cohort and Health Risk Appraisal surveys for a subset of 374 soldiers were used to evaluate prewar distress, health, and behaviors. Deployers were less likely to have had any prewar hospitalizations or hospitalization for a condition commonly reported among Gulf War veterans or to report experiences of depression/suicidal ideation. Deployers reported greater satisfaction with life and relationships but displayed greater tendencies toward risk taking, such as drunk driving, speeding, and failure to wear safety belts. Deployed veterans were more likely to receive hazardous duty pay and to be hospitalized for an injury than nondeployed Gulf War-era veterans. If distress is a predictor of postwar morbidity, it is likely attributable to experiences occurring during or after the war and not related to prewar exposures or health status. Postwar excess injury risk may be explained in part by a propensity for greater risk taking, which was evident before and persisted throughout the war.

Purpose: Serious heat illness has received considerable recent attention due to catastrophic heat waves in the United States and Europe, the deaths of high-profile athletes, and military deployments., Methods: This study documents heat illness hospitalizations and deaths for the U.S. Army from 1980 through 2002. Hospitalization data were obtained from the Total Army Injury Health Outcomes Database (TAIHOD) coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). North Atlantic Treaty Organization Standardization Agreement codes were searched for heat injuries in an effort to detect cases that were not found during the ICD-9-CM search., Results: Five-thousand two-hundred forty-six soldiers were hospitalized, and 37 died due to heat illness. Our results indicate: 1) approximately 60% reduction in hospitalization rates (fewer heat exhaustion cases) over the 22-yr period; 2) fivefold increase in heat stroke hospitalization rates (1.8 per 100,000 in 1980 to 14.5 per 100,000 in 2001); 3) heat stroke cases were associated with dehydration (17%), rhabdomyolysis (25%), and acute renal failure (13%); 4) lower hospitalizations rates among African and Hispanic Americans compared with Caucasians (incidence density ratio, 0.76 [95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.82]; 5) greater rates of hospitalizations and heat strokes among recruits from northern than southern states (incidence density ratio, 1.69 [95% confidence interval, 1.42-1.90]; and 6) greater rates of hospitalizations and heat strokes among women than men (incidence density ratio, 1.18 [95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.27])., Conclusions: Exertional heat illness continues to be a military problem during training and operations. Whereas the hospitalization rate of heat illness is declining, heat stroke has markedly increased.

Background: Cold weather injuries (CWI) are of great military concern due to their wide-ranging impact on military readiness. Previous short-term studies have identified CWI to be more prevalent in African-Americans, infantrymen, and lower-ranking soldiers. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the occurrence of CWI hospitalizations in the U.S. Army from 1980 to 1999, and to identify possible trends, high-risk groups and/or activities., Methods: The U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database was searched for hospitalizations with ICD-9-CM codes for frostbite, hypothermia, immersion foot, chilblains, and other. Information concerning each soldier included: gender, age, ethnicity, rank, occupation, type of injury, home of record, duty station, principle diagnosis, trauma code, and cause of injury. Data was available on the demographic composition of the Army, by year, and was used as the denominator when calculating the frequency of occurrence., Results: During the study period there were 2143 hospitalizations due to CWI. African-American men and women were injured approximately 4 times and 2.2 times as often as their Caucasian counterparts, respectively. Trauma and cause of injury codes indicate that about 80% of all CWI hospitalizations result on-duty and during organized training. The yearly rate of CWI hospitalization has declined from 38.2/100,000 in 1985 to 0.2/100,000 in 1999., Conclusions: Our data are consistent with previous research concerning the increased rate of CWI among African-Americans though further investigation appears warranted. The occurrence of most CWI during on-duty training suggests preventability. The decline in the overall rate of CWI hospitalizations is multifactorial.

High-risk drinking is among the top three prevention priorities of the Department of Defense. Research suggests that enlisted male soldiers are particularly at risk for unhealthy drinking behaviors. 292,023 enlisted male soldiers who responded to a Health Risk Appraisal (HRA) survey between 1990 and 1998 were dichotomized into high and low-risk drinking groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that high-risk drinkers wore seatbelts less frequently, were more likely to drive > 15 mph over the speed limit, and to smoke more than 20 cigarettes/day. This high-risk group was predominately young (< 25), Caucasian, high school educated or less, and most likely employed as infantrymen or craftsworkers. The two highest risk occupational groups (infantrymen and craftsworkers) differ from each other, and from other Army occupations. Intervention programs should include safe driving habits and smoking cessation, as well as high-risk drinking, and should be tailored to the specific needs of the group at highest risk.

Background: Risk factors for drowning are largely undocumented among military populations., Hypothesis: Accident report narratives will provide important information about the role of alcohol use and other behaviors in drownings among active duty male U.S. Army soldiers., Methods: Using a case series design, we describe drowning deaths reported to the U.S. Army Safety Center (1980-1997), documenting associated demographic factors, alcohol use, and other risk-taking behaviors., Results: Drowning victims (n = 352) were disproportionately young, black, and single, with less time-in-service, and no college experience. Most drownings occurred off-duty (89%). Alcohol use was involved in at least 31% of the cases overall. Alcohol use was also associated with a 10-fold increase in reckless behavior (OR 9.6, 95% Cl 4.5-20.7) and was most common among drownings in Europe (OR = 4.3, 95% Cl 1.5-13.4). Most drownings occurred where no lifeguard was present (68%), but almost two-thirds occurred in the presence of others, with CPR initiated in less than one-third of these cases. Drownings involving minority victims were less likely to involve alcohol, but more likely to occur in unauthorized swimming areas. While most drownings did not involve violations of safety rules, over one-third of the cases involved some form of reckless behavior, particularly for those under age 21., Conclusions: Intervention programs should be tailored to meet the needs of the demographic subgroups at highest risk since behavioral risk factors vary by race and age. CPR training and skills maintenance can improve survival rates. Narrative data are important for developing hypotheses and understanding risk factors for injuries.

A total of 675,626 active duty Army soldiers who were known to be at risk for deployment to the Persian Gulf were followed from 1980 through the Persian Gulf War. Hospitalization histories for the entire cohort and Health Risk Appraisal surveys for a subset of 374 soldiers were used to evaluate prewar distress, health, and behaviors. Deployers were less likely to have had any prewar hospitalizations or hospitalization for a condition commonly reported among Gulf War veterans or to report experiences of depression/suicidal ideation. Deployers reported greater satisfaction with life and relationships but displayed greater tendencies toward risk-taking, such as drunk driving, speeding, and failure to wear safety belts. Deployed veterans were more likely to receive hazardous duty pay and to be hospitalized for an injury than nondeployed Gulf War-era veterans. If distress is a predictor of postwar morbidity, it is likely attributable to experiences occurring during or after the war and not related to prewar exposures or health status. Postwar excess injury risk may be explained in part by a propensity for greater risk-taking, which was evident before and persisted throughout the war.