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Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background: Little is known about the effect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment on sexual risk behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV by treatment type (interferon [IFN]-based vs direct-acting antiviral [DAA]-based). Setting: MSM with HIV and recently acquired HCV infection enrolled in the MSM Observational Study of Acute Infection with hepatitis C (MOSAIC) cohort. Methods: Using data from 2009 to 2018, we evaluated risk behavior through a validated HCV risk score (where ≥2 indicated high risk) and its individual risk behaviors. Levels of risk behavior before, during, and after treatment were modeled for each treatment episode using linear and logistic regression with Generalized Estimating Equations adjusting for DAA availability and number of reinfections. Results: One hundred forty MSM with a median age of 45 years (interquartile range = 40–49) yielded 180 treatment episodes (n = 131 IFN-based, n = 49 DAA-based). Adjusted mean risk score before, during, and after treatment was 2.4 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1 to 2.6), 0.9 (95% CI = 0.8 to 1.0), and 1.7 (95% CI = 1.5 to 1.8), respectively. Before treatment, no differences in mean HCV risk score or proportion of specific behaviors were found between the regimen groups. During treatment, MSM treated with DAAs had a higher average risk score and proportion of receptive condomless anal sex, sharing toys and unprotected fisting than those treated with IFN. After treatment, the proportion sharing straws were significantly higher in MSM treated with DAAs than in MSM treated with IFN. Conclusions: MSM treated with DAAs, compared with MSM treated with IFN, had higher levels of HCV-related risk behavior during treatment. The higher risk of HCV reinfection in the DAA-era underscores the need for ongoing HCV testing and behavioral interventions against HCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mississippi youth are demographically unique compared to that of the nation. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and trend of suicide ideation, suicide plans, suicidal attempts, and suicidal injury among high school students in Mississippi vs. in the United States (U.S.). Method: Summary statistics, prevalence ratio (PR), and trend analysis were generated and compared between Mississippi high school students and their U.S. counterparts. Results: The 2021 prevalences for suicide plans, suicide attempts, and suicide injury are all significantly higher for Mississippi high school students compared to their national counterparts. From 2001 to 2021, on the national level, none of the four suicide behaviors showed significant change, whereas, in Mississippi, suicide plans, suicide attempts, and suicide injury all had an increasing trend. Conclusions: Our study reveals alarming increasing trends and significantly greater severity of suicidal burdens among Mississippi high school students compared to the nation. Left unattended, these trends may continue quicker due to a clustering effect. There is an urgent need for Mississippi to implement more and better intervention and prevention measures to stop and reverse the increasing trend of suicidal behaviors among its 9–12 graders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habits are highly automated behaviors that have received renewed attention in addiction research. The Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) is a widely used measure of habits. Two cross-sectional online studies aimed at validating a German version of the SRHI to assess two everyday health-risk behaviors: caffeine consumption and smartphone/tablet use. In both studies (N = 1310), the SRHI scales (one adapted for caffeine consumption, one for smartphone/tablet use), as well as corresponding addiction scales and health outcomes (study 1), or established validity measures (study 2), were assessed. Both SRHI scales showed satisfying item characteristics, high internal consistencies (αs >.90), adequate construct validity, and a three-factorial solution with a satisfying model fit (CFI/TLIs >.95, SRMRs ≤ 0.05). Highest correlations emerged between SRHI and addiction scales. The studies show that the German SRHI can be used to validly assess health-risk behaviors. The observed strong correlations of the SRHI scales with addiction scales suggest that (self-reported) habit is indeed an important aspect to consider in addiction research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Trans and gender diverse (TGD) people are one of the world's most marginalized populations. Current evidence indicates that ostracism faced by these communities leads to multiple adverse conditions. The synergistic impact of these conditions –a syndemic—has been well established among other marginalized populations. Despite disproportionate rates of syndemic conditions, there is a dearth of literature exploring their effect among TGD people. This review sought to summarize the current literature regarding syndemic conditions among this population. Methods: A comprehensive search of databases (Medline, Embase, Global Health, PsycInfo, and CINAHL) was conducted; search terms included syndemics, syndemic theory, transgender, sexual minority, and gender minority. References within selected articles were also reviewed. Inclusion criteria for this review included studies that (1) explored the impact of syndemic factors and/or theory among TGD people, (2) were written in English, and (3) published up to December 2020. Results: The search generated 192 articles; 10 met the inclusion criteria. Substance use, mental health, and victimization were the most prominent syndemic conditions assessed. Current evidence is limited to sexual risk behaviors and provides preliminary support for an association between syndemic conditions and sexual risk behaviors. Conclusion: Understanding syndemics is vital to developing contextually suitable interventions or TGD people. Future researchers should work toward longitudinal or high-level modeling approaches of syndemic theory to effectively design interventions to improve health outcomes among TGD people. Furthermore, scholars should study the relationship between syndemic conditions and other outcomes to better understand the impact of syndemics on broader health consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of physical accident risk in driving simulation, which allows for safely studying critical driving situations, also reduces the driver's risk perception, which may result in unrealistic driver behavior. Validation studies in this context are rare for ethical reasons, making it difficult to assess the extent of this issue at present. The present study addresses this gap by utilizing naturalistic driving data. Four critical cut-in situations on German highways were extracted from naturalistic data and replicated in a driving simulator study with N = 58 participants. Both in-situ self-ratings on subjective criticality and post-hoc video-based ratings (from the driver and objective observers), as well as presence ratings, were collected to supplement driver behavior. Although driver reactions in the simulator and the field were not equivalent in absolute terms, drivers in both the simulation and the real world exhibited accident-avoidance behavior through braking reactions, indicating relative validity. No clear mediating role of the sense of presence towards a more careful driver behavior was found. This work shows that drivers exhibit accident-avoiding behavior in the simulator and tend to react to hazards in the simulator similarly as they would in a real situation, while absolute numerical values should only be interpreted with caution. • Comparative analysis: simulator vs. real-world behavior. • Unique approach with naturalistic driving data. • Accident-avoidance behavior in simulator and real world. • No absolute validity in braking responses. • Caution advised when extrapolating simulator findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundHIV or sexually transmitted infections remain a significant public health concern in the United States, with adolescents affected disproportionately. Adolescents engage in HIV/STI risk behaviors, including drug use and condomless sex, which increase the risk for HIV/STIs. At-risk adolescents, many of whom are racial minorities, experience HIV/STI disparities. Although at-risk adolescents are disproportionately affected by HIV/STI risk behaviors and infections and although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends routine HIV/STI testing for adolescents, relatively few adolescents report having ever been tested for HIV/STI. With expected increases in health clinic visits as a result of the Affordable Care Act combined with technological advances, health clinics and mobile health (mHealth), including apps, provide innovative contexts and tools to engage at-risk adolescents in HIV/STI prevention programs. Yet, there is a dearth of efficacious mHealth interventions in health clinics to prevent and reduce both condomless sex and drug use and increase HIV/STI testing for at-risk adolescents.ObjectiveTo address this gap in knowledge, we developed a theory-driven, culturally congruent mHealth intervention (hereon referred to as S4E [Storytelling 4 Empowerment]) that has demonstrated feasibility and acceptability in a clinical setting. The next step is to examine the preliminary efficacy of S4E on adolescent HIV/STI testing and risk behaviors. This goal will be accomplished by 2 aims: the first aim is to develop a cross-platform and universal version of S4E. The cross-platform and universal version of S4E will be compatible with both iOS and Android operating systems and multiple mobile devices, aimed at providing adolescents with ongoing access to the intervention once they leave the clinic, and the second aim is to evaluate the preliminary efficacy of S4E, relative to usual care control condition, in preventing or reducing drug use and condomless sex and increasing HIV/STI testing in a clinical sample of at-risk adolescents aged 14-21 years living in Southeast Michigan.MethodsIn this study, 100 adolescents recruited from a youth-centered community health clinic will be randomized via blocked randomization with random sequences of block sizes to one of the 2 conditions: S4E mHealth intervention or usual care. Theory-driven and culturally congruent, S4E is an mHealth adaptation of face-to-face storytelling for empowerment, which is registered with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.ResultsThis paper describes the protocol of our study. The recruitment began on May 1, 2018. This study was registered on December 11, 2017, in ClinicalTrials.gov. All participants have been recruited. Data analysis will be complete by the end of March 2024, with study findings available by December 2024.ConclusionsThis study has the potential to improve public health by preventing HIV/STI and substance use disorders.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03368456; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03368456.International registered report identifier (irrid)DERR1-10.2196/47216.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a complex socially significant disease associated with risks mainly for representatives of groups practicing deviant behavior and requiring special attention from the state and society. The article presents a comprehensive description of representatives of the high-risk group for the HIV infection, including their health status, behavioral characteristics, types, combinations and perceptions of risks, which would allow for a more optimal organization of the work of social and medical services with this group. The article is based on the results of the empirical study conducted in 2022: 3,792 clients of the charitable foundation “Support for Social Initiatives and Public Health” were questioned within the HIV preventive work with representatives of high-risk groups. A significant part of clients are people under 22 years of age (25 %). Their main risks were divided into condition risks and behavioral risks. Condition risks are as follows: current and past illness (29 % were diagnosed with an infection or several ones, including the HIV), unemployment (21 %), difficult financial situation (9 %); and for foreign citizens also lack of citizenship (24 %) and not speaking Russian (5 %). Behavioral risks (actions leading to loss of health or inaction in health protection) are as follows: 15 % of clients use drugs (including with shared equipment for injecting), the majority (76 %) consciously agree to unprotected sex and have multiple sexual partners (the average number is 21 per year). In general, representatives of high-risk groups tend to underestimate their risks, and awareness is not a decisive positive factor, i.e., it does not necessarily change behavior to less risky. Moreover, long-term risk practices together with knowledge of risks and protective measures can negatively affect perceptions of risks; thus, clients with experience of risk behavior consider risks as less dangerous or deny risks in principle, which is an additional risk for both the person and one’s partners.

Given the potential for media portrayals to affect adolescents' cognitions regarding risk behaviors and the importance of message interpretation processes, this study investigates how adolescents give meaning to media portrayals of risk behavior (e.g. alcohol, smoking, drugs, sex, and reckless behavior) and which factors play a role within this process through 7 focus groups followed by 50 individual interviews with adolescents. Findings indicate adolescents are far from passive consumers of media portrayals of risk behavior. Participants expressed awareness of the ubiquity and symbolism with which risk behaviors are portrayed in popular media and were mostly adept at deconstructing the images portrayed. However, this did not always translate to critical responses. An interplay of real-life experiences and message characteristics informed judgments about media portrayals of risk behavior. Contributing factors to critical and media-literate deconstructions are distilled in the form of barriers and boosters, and suggestions for media literacy interventions are formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motorcycles have the highest rate of vehicle collisions in Thailand, causing deaths, injuries, and disability--this quasi-experimental study aimed to test gamification's effectiveness in preventing risky motorcycle driving behaviors. The participants were senior secondary school students in Bangkok who used motorcycles daily to travel between home and school. Students in grade 11 and in two classrooms were randomly selected and assigned to experimental and control groups. Then, random sampling was used to select the participants who met the inclusion criteria in the experimental group (n = 37) receiving the behavioral risk prevention program using gamification for six weeks and the control group (n = 38) receiving a regular program from school. Questionnaires used for data collection were the Demographic and Motor Cycle Related Behavior and Experience Form, the Prevention Motivation Questionnaire, and the Intention of Driving Safety Questionnaire. Descriptive, and paired and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that the mean score of prevention motivation and the intention of driving safety in the experimental group after receiving the program were significantly higher than before receiving the intervention program and significantly higher than the control group. This study underscores the potential of using gamification to prevent adolescent motorcycle accidents. However, further research is necessary to evaluate the program's long-term effectiveness in different settings. Moreover, it highlights the importance of reinforcing training and licensing for motorcycle driving among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the negative health impact of multiple risk-taking behaviors (RTBs), there is a lack of understanding of adolescents who are more prone to multiple RTBs. This study aimed to identify sociodemographic, mental, and physical health variables associated with increased susceptibility to multiple RTBs in each sex. Cross-sectional data from the 2020 and 2021 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey was used. A total of 106,979 Korean adolescents (55,460 men and 51,519 women) were assessed on five RTBs (alcohol use, smoking, sexual intercourse, illicit substance use, no seat belt wearing). In comparison to no RTB group, odds ratios of the relevant covariate factors were calculated in one RTB or multiple RTBs groups. Male and female adolescents engaging in multiple RTBs were 6.4% and 3.8%, respectively. Increasing age, low subjective socioeconomic status, and living in rural areas were associated with multiple RTBs regardless of sex. All mental health variables except anxiety were associated with multiple RTBs in both sexes. Physical inactivity and obesity were associated with decreased odds of multiple RTBs in both sexes. This study identifies diverse factors associated with multiple RTBs of Korean adolescents and demonstrates existing sex differences. Age and mental health status are the most critical factors that distinguish multiple risk-taking groups from those involved in one or no RTB. • Adolescents' risk-taking behaviors include alcohol use, smoking, sexual intercourse, drug use, and not wearing seatbelts. • Identifying teens vulnerable to multiple risk-taking behaviors is important for promoting overall health of adolescents. • Poor mental health status and late teens are significant risk factors for multiple risk-taking behaviors. • Subtle sex differences in anxiety and living arrangements are significant only for female adolescents' risk-taking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections, and although behavioral and contextual interventions have improved, infections continue to spread. Therefore, a new focus on recent trends in sexual health in this population is needed. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics according to Grindr usage patterns, the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and attitudes toward HIV testing. In January 2020, a cross-sectional study was conducted using a sample of 881 men who have sex with men (MSM) who completed an online questionnaire. We evaluated their Grindr use patterns (moderate or intensive) and explored the associations of these with sociodemographic behavioral characteristics, STIs, and attitudes toward HIV testing. Of 881 participants in total, 587 (66.6%) were intensive Grindr users. Compared to moderate users, these participants reported significantly higher numbers of casual sexual partners (76.2% vs. 23.8%; p < 0.001), were more likely to participate in Chemsex (77.3% vs. 22.7%: p = 0.031), and had a higher self-reported number of STIs (69.9% vs. 30.1; p = 0.046). They also demonstrated better attitudes toward HIV testing (69.7% vs. 30.3%; p = 0.045) and perceived themselves to be at moderate risk of HIV (71.2% vs. 28.8%: p = 0.048). Moreover, intensive Grindr users were 1.36 times more likely than moderate users to test positive for STIs (95%CI = 1.15–1.91; p = 0.048). With some limitations, age, sexual partners, intensive Grindr users, and PrEP uses were associated with the risk of STIs in the sample of Spanish Grindr users studied. As Grindr users are vulnerable to sociodemographic and behavioral factors that determine STIs and HIV infection, mainly among intensive users, it is necessary to highlight the importance of new trends such as online dating apps, PrEP use, substance use in sex, and Chemsex, and these need to be incorporated into online public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2022, the global human population reached 8 billion and is projected to reach 10 billion by 2060. Theories, models, and evidence indicate that global population growth (GPG) increases the likelihood of many adverse outcomes, such as biodiversity loss, climate change, mass migrations, wars, and resource shortages. A small body of research indicates that many individuals are concerned about the effects of GPG, and these concerns are strongly related to the willingness to engage in mitigative and preventative actions. However, scientific understanding of the factors that influence GPG risk perceptions remains limited. To help address this research gap, we conducted a study of the perceived risk of GPG among UK and US residents (N = 1029) shortly after the "8 billion milestone." Our results confirmed that GPG is perceived as a moderate‐to‐high risk and these perceptions have a strong positive relationship with the willingness to engage in and support risk management actions. Our participants believed that the worst effects of GPG were yet to come but would largely be geographically and socially remote. Despite their willingness to engage in risk management actions, our participants reported low self‐efficacy and that governments (cf. individuals and communities) have the greatest capacity to influence GPG. Risk perceptions were strongly predicted by worldviews and were higher among our UK (cf. US) participants. We also found that the perceived benefits of GPG were low and found no evidence to suggest that risk perceptions were affected by exposure to media coverage of the 8 billion milestone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alternative approaches have been proposed to ensure a safe and equitable screening process for blood donation that treats all people equally, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The terms ‘neutral approach’ and ‘individualized risk assessment’ have been used to describe this goal. To facilitate research and implementation of these concepts in blood donation contexts and health services in Brazil, we propose a Portuguese version of the ‘for the assessment of individualized risk screening criteria’ (FAIR) screening criteria. Methods: The FAIR screening criteria are 12 questions that assess sex, sexuality, ethnicity, and the extent to which participants engaged in each targeted sexual behavior. The aim of FAIR is to reduce error while increasing reliable and accurate reporting of sexual behaviors associated with both objective and subjective estimates of infection risk. The FAIR screening criteria were translated and cross-culturally adapted using a systematic approach with standardized procedures appropriate for adapting instruments that track behaviors. Results: A version that is appropriate for use with the Brazilian population was produced employing the following steps: expert translations, harmonization, consensus version, expert back-translation, revision, panel of experts, cognitive interviewing, and finalization. Conclusion: The Portuguese version of FAIR was proposed, and because of its straightforward, simple language and focus on specific and frequent behaviors in some populations, it has the potential to be used in a variety of contexts involving the screening of high-risk sexual behavior in Brazil.

Over the past two decades of research, increased media consumption in the context of collective traumas has been cross-sectionally and longitudinally linked to negative psychological outcomes. However, little is known about the specific information channels that may drive these patterns of response. The current longitudinal investigation uses a probability-based sample of 5,661 Americans measured at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify a) distinct patterns of information-channel use (i.e., dimensions) for COVID-related information, b) demographic correlates of these patterns, and c) prospective associations of these information channel dimensions with distress (i.e., worry, global distress, and emotional exhaustion), cognition (e.g., beliefs about the seriousness of COVID-19, response efficacy, and dismissive attitudes), and behavior (e.g., engaging in health-protective behaviors and risk-taking behaviors) 6 mo later. Four distinct information-channel dimensions emerged: journalistic complexity; ideologically focused news; domestically focused news; and nonnews. Results indicate that journalistic complexity was prospectively associated with more emotional exhaustion, belief in the seriousness of the coronavirus, response efficacy, engaging in health-protective behaviors, and less dismissiveness of the pandemic. A reliance on conservative-leaning media was prospectively associated with less psychological distress, taking the pandemic less seriously, and engaging in more risk-taking behaviors. We discuss the implications of this work for the public, policy makers, and future research.

Abstract Loss aversion is a psychological construct defined as a tendency to value potential losses more than gains in a situation that requires decision-making. The Loss Aversion Scale (LAS, eight items) measures an individual’s loss aversion to various situations. However, the generalization of its psychometric properties to different population groups is unknown. This study aimed to validate the LAS instrument for use among Spanish university adults. To this end, two studies were conducted: a content validity study calculating the substantive validity (N = 24) of the instrument’s translation from original English to Spanish and a study of internal structure and association (N = 766) among Spanish university men and women aged 18–35. The analyses performed for each sample indicated that the instrument had adequate validity and reliability values as a one-dimensional measure; however, items 5 and 8 had to be removed. Their scores indicated moderate-magnitude correlations with social desirability. This article debates the study’s limitations, practical implications, and future lines of research based on the results. The conclusion is that the Loss Aversion Scale instrument suits general Spanish population samples and requires probable methodological control concerning social desirability.

RationaleMitigating the spread of COVID-19 requires that people understand the need for and engage in protective behaviors. Given the complexity and rapid progression of media information about the pandemic, health literacy could be essential to acquiring the accurate beliefs, concern for societal risks, and appreciation of restrictive policies needed to motivate these behaviors. Yet with the increasingly politicized nature of COVID-related issues in the United States, health literacy could be an asset for those with more liberal views but less so for those with more conservative views.ObjectiveThis study tested a hypothesized model proposing that political views moderate the associations of health literacy with COVID-19 protective behaviors as well as the mediational roles of accurate and inaccurate COVID-19 beliefs, concern for society, and governmental control attitudes.MethodsWe surveyed residents in three diverse regions of California in June 2020 (N = 669) and February 2021 (N = 611). Participants completed measures of health literacy, political views, and COVID-19 beliefs and behaviors.ResultsModerated mediational analyses largely supported the proposed model with both samples. Health literacy was associated with more accurate COVID-19 beliefs, less inaccurate COVID-19 beliefs, greater concern for societal risks, more positive attitudes regarding restrictive government control, more protective behavior, less risky behavior, and stronger vaccine intentions; beliefs, concern for society, and governmental control attitudes mediated the health literacy-behavior relationships. As predicted, however, these associations of health literacy with adaptive beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors varied according to political views. The direct and mediated relationships were held for participants with more liberal views and, to a lesser extent, for those with moderate views, but they were weaker or absent for participants with more conservative views.ConclusionsThese findings contribute new evidence of processes linking health literacy with adaptive beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors and how social and political contexts can shape those processes.

The phenomenon of chemsex has emerged as an essential public health issue in recent years. This systematic review aimed to investigate currently available harm reduction strategies and to evaluate the efficacy of the corresponding interventions. Methods: A systematic review of the scientific literature related to harm and risk reduction strategies and the effectiveness of chemsex interventions. Between January 2024 and May 2024, the articles were retrieved from the electronic databases Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, PsycInfo, Cochrane, Dialnet, CUIDEN, and SciELO. The review protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database (registration number CRD42024508953). The inclusion criteria were as follows: (I) original studies published in peer-reviewed journals, (II) studies exploring harm reduction interventions for chemsex, and (III) studies reflecting the efficacy of harm reduction interventions for chemsex. Two reviewers independently selected articles by title, abstract, and full paper review and extracted data. Two authors described the selected studies and assessed their methodological quality. Results: The systematic review comprised six scientific papers that met the selection criteria and were obtained from five countries. Although a limited number of studies were included, it was observed that they presented a medium–high methodological quality. Programs evaluated interventions to reduce harm from chemsex, such as a web-based intervention that improved self-efficacy to refuse risky behaviors and accept HIV testing. The studies suggested that peer-led programs can be effective, especially with facilitators who have experienced chemsex dependence. Conclusion: Harm reduction strategies in chemsex are effective and should be promoted by health professionals. Interventions should be accessible, personalized, and non-judgmental to provide appropriate care and support, ensuring a comprehensive and effective public health response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss aversion is a psychological construct defined as a tendency to value potential losses more than gains in a situation that requires decision-making. The Loss Aversion Scale (LAS, eight items) measures an individual’s loss aversion to various situations. However, the generalization of its psychometric properties to different population groups is unknown. This study aimed to validate the LAS instrument for use among Spanish university adults. To this end, two studies were conducted: a content validity study calculating the substantive validity (N = 24) of the instrument’s translation from original English to Spanish and a study of internal structure and association (N = 766) among Spanish university men and women aged 18–35. The analyses performed for each sample indicated that the instrument had adequate validity and reliability values as a one-dimensional measure; however, items 5 and 8 had to be removed. Their scores indicated moderate-magnitude correlations with social desirability. This article debates the study’s limitations, practical implications, and future lines of research based on the results. The conclusion is that the Loss Aversion Scale instrument suits general Spanish population samples and requires probable methodological control concerning social desirability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current era of digitalization is encouraging public health literacy to increase, especially among teenagers who are close to gadgets, so that the term e-health literacy is known, namely digital health literacy is defined as the ability to search, find and understand health information available in resources. electronically and use information obtained from these resources to overcome health problems. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of application-based reproductive health education to increase positive behavior of adolescents in Ternate City. Method: This research uses a Quasi-experimental method (Pre-post Control Design). The number of samples in this study was 300 teenagers aged 12-15 years, in Ternate City. The measurement uses a questionnaire to measure knowledge, attitudes, actions, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and health literacy. The analysis used is the mean difference test, namely the Wilcoxon test and the Mann-Whitney test. Research Results: The distribution of respondents based on age groups in the control group and in the intervention group was mostly in the 13 year age group, namely 119 people (79.3%) and 111 people (74.0%), the most common gender was female. The results of the analysis showed that there were no differences between the control and intervention groups before treatment, there were differences between the control and intervention groups after treatment, there were differences before and after treatment in the variables knowledge (p value = 0.000), action (p value = 0.000), and health literacy (0.007) (p value < 0.05). However, there is no difference for the variables Attitude, Subjective Norms, Behavioral Control. There are differences before and after treatment in the variables knowledge (p value = 0.000), attitude (p value = 0.000), action (p value = 0.000), subjective norms (p value = 0.000), behavioral control (p value = 0.000) and health literacy (p value = 0.000) (p value < 0.05). Conclusion: Application-based reproductive health education has a good impact in increasing positive behavior among teenagers in Ternate City, this is based on changes in knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, behavioral control and health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A company's cyber defenses are based on a secure infrastructure and risk-aware behavior by employees. With rising cyber threats and normative training efforts showing limited impact, raising cyber risk awareness is emerging as a challenging effort. The review of the extant literature on awareness diagnosis shows interdisciplinary but mainly theoretical approaches to understanding attitudes and influencing risk behavior. We propose and test a novel methodology to combine and operationalize two tools, deep metaphor interviews and the IDEA risk communication model, to apply them for the first time in the context of behavioral cyber vulnerabilities. The results show a link between diagnosed attitudes and effective risk behavior in a real-life organizational setting, indicating the potential for an expanded diagnostic effort. We propose to develop a broader diagnostic and intervention set to improve cyber awareness and a toolkit to support the business practice of cyber risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background and objectives: Due to increasing skin cancer incidence, Germany implemented a statutory nationwide routine skin cancer screening (rSCS) in 2008. The present study aims (1) to analyze which patient factors are associated with the participation in rSCS in Germany and (2) to investigate reasons for nonparticipation. Patients and methods: Participants and nonparticipants of rSCS (≥ 35 years) were recruited in routine care in nine dermatological outpatient clinics. Reasons for (non‐)participation, knowledge about skin cancer as well as clinical and socioeconomic data were obtained. Stratified by groups, descriptive analyses and binary logistic regression analyses for associations with participation were performed. Results: Of the 294 rSCS participants and 162 non‐participants, 46.5% were male with a mean age of 54.5 ± 12.7 years. In total, 87.1% had sunburns in childhood and 47.1% used sunbeds before. Higher age, female gender, previous sunbed use, and concern for and knowledge of skin cancer were significantly associated with previous rSCS participation. Of the non‐participants, 46% were unaware of the option for free rSCS and 40% justified their nonparticipation on the basis of feeling healthy. Conclusions: The reasons for nonparticipation in rSCS, such as sociodemographic characteristics and risk behavior, should be known in order to optimize rSCS programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The current study aims to explore the relevance of 'time spent with parents' for different risk behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, smoking, gambling and problematic social media use), peer factors (i.e., time spent with peers, peer pressure and peer support) and parenting behaviors (i.e., control, relatedness and family support). A cross-sectional design was employed, including 2165 adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.33; 52% girls; 30% in pre-vocational education). Independent sample t-tests were performed to compare different contrasting groups (≤1 h vs. >1 h; ≤2 h vs. >2 h; ≤3 h and >3 h) for relevant outcomes. Results. Adolescents spending on average >1 h per day with their parents in joint activities reported lower levels of risk behavior, less peer pressure, more peer support and more parental control, relatedness and family support. At the same time, this does not seem to come at the expense of spending time with peers, as adolescents spending 1 h or more with their parents did not spend less time with their peers. All the findings point at the relevance of parents spending time and undertaking joint activities with their adolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical research on children's poverty and the accompanying risk behavior was conducted in the Baktalórántháza micro-region, in one of the most disadvantaged micro-regions of Hungary. The study, completed in 2023, was conducted utilizing three methods, a questionnaire for families, interviews, and focus group interviews with social professionals working in the settlements. The region is one of the ten micro-regions with the highest poverty rate in the country. The majority of the population only has an elementary education, and the proportion of graduates is much lower than the national average. The proportion of households with three or more children is higher than the national average and the proportion of unemployed people in households with children is twice as high as the national average. Based on the experience of social workers working in the area, in addition to smoking and drinking alcohol, the consumption of psychoactive and psychotropic substances has increased among adolescents and young adults. Based on various indicators, children regularly consume illegal drugs. The origin and composition of these drugs are typically unknown. According to the reports by drug users, everyday life is easier, and they can escape from problems when under the influence of drugs. Based on the observations of experts, the consumption of various psychoactive substances has harmful effects on behavior, health, learning, and family life. School performance and the ability to think and learn decrease. Drug users are dissatisfied with their lives, have problems with social relationships, engage in partner violence, and may develop antisocial behavior in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of mediation practices typically focus on parental mediation, but during adolescence parents' impact decreases relative to that of peers. This study compares perceived parental and peer mediation in the context of media portrayals of risk behavior and adolescents' perceptions thereof. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 278 adolescents aged 12 to 17 (M = 14.18, SD = 1.62, 51.4 % girls) using Hayes's process macro (model 4) to investigate direct and indirect associations between mediation, media-related cognitions, and social norms. Findings indicate that perceived parental and peer mediation are related to adolescents' media-related cognitions and perceived social norms in equally important but different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this project was to substantiate a more positive conceptualization of adolescent risk behavior and to compare adolescent viewpoints of risk behavior to the items on the Prosocial and Health Adolescent Risk Behavior Scale (PHARBS). A total of 57 high school students participated in the research. Researchers recruited students from an Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology course at a large Midwestern high school. The high school serves approximately 1,750 students in grades 9 through 12. The university Institutional Review Board approved the study procedures. Families provided informed consent, and students assented to participating in one of eight focus group discussions. The focus groups were audio taped, transcribed, and coded. Researchers analyzed the coded data using word count analysis. Students discussed prosocial risk behaviors in addition to health risk behaviors, providing support for the PHARBS and suggesting that adolescents view taking some risks as positive. A more positive conceptualization of risk behavior may better align with how adolescents view risk behavior. Researchers and clinicians might approach adolescent risk behavior measurement and research on the importance of understanding risk behaviors as a normal and potentially positive aspect of adolescent development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the mental health needs and risk behaviors of adolescents attending an afterschool life-skills skateboarding program, to evaluate the perceived benefits of the program, and to identify potential modifications required to meet the identified needs. Program participants were from three gang- and poverty-affected urban communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Seventy-six adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years old (83% male) completed a self-report survey, and 24 adolescents and 19 key influencers participated in in-depth interviews and focus groups. Descriptive analyses were conducted on survey data and a framework approach was used to analyze qualitative data. 72% of the adolescents reported symptoms of moderate to severe anxiety and/or depressive symptoms, 66% had experienced food insecurity, 45% had been physically abused at home, 47% had been bullied, and 59% had used alcohol. Benefits of the program included experiencing a sense of belonging to a skateboarding subculture, protection from gang recruitment and community violence, physical and emotional benefits of exercise, mentors as positive role models, and learning life skills. Recommendations to improve the program were to include information on depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and grief, and to include stress management and emotion regulation skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence points to the vulnerability of individuals with mental disorders to risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease. Objective: To assess risk factors for cardiovascular disease in users assisted at a Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS) in Itaqui. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study with users of both sexes and aged ≥ 20 years. Sociodemographic, clinical, food consumption and lifestyle data were obtained by applying a questionnaire and medical records; and anthropometric measurements were taken (weight, height and waist circumference). For the assessment of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, the following factors were considered: anthropometric (excess weight and increased waist circumference); clinical (diseases and use of medication); dietary (daily consumption: lower for fruits and vegetables; and high for foods high in sugar and fat) and lifestyle (physical inactivity, alcohol and tobacco consumption). Data analysis was performed through descriptive analysis. Results: There was a predominance of female users, older, with lower income and education. A large number of participants with pre-existing illnesses and medication use were identified. The most prevalent risk factors were: overweight, increased waist circumference; presence of at least one pathology; medication use; low daily consumption of beans, fruits, vegetables and legumes; daily consumption of foods high in sugar, fat and sodium; and physical inactivity. Conclusion: The evidenced presence of cardiovascular risk factors points to the need for regular actions to promote health and a healthy lifestyle in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aims to explore the relevance of ‘time spent with parents’ for different risk behaviors (i.e., alcohol use, smoking, gambling and problematic social media use), peer factors (i.e., time spent with peers, peer pressure and peer support) and parenting behaviors (i.e., control, relatedness and family support). A cross-sectional design was employed, including 2165 adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.7, SD = 1.33; 52% girls; 30% in pre-vocational education). Independent sample t-tests were performed to compare different contrasting groups (≤1 h vs. >1 h; ≤2 h vs. >2 h; ≤3 h and >3 h) for relevant outcomes. Results. Adolescents spending on average >1 h per day with their parents in joint activities reported lower levels of risk behavior, less peer pressure, more peer support and more parental control, relatedness and family support. At the same time, this does not seem to come at the expense of spending time with peers, as adolescents spending 1 h or more with their parents did not spend less time with their peers. All the findings point at the relevance of parents spending time and undertaking joint activities with their adolescent children.

This article reports on one of the objectives of a larger study aiming at the development of an adolescent risk-behavior management program for foster parents. The objective relevant to this article entailed the exploration of parenting behaviors and attitudes of parents fostering adolescents presenting with risk behavior. The respondents were recruited from the clientele of designated welfare organizations in the North West Province of South Africa. A quantitative survey using the multi-dimensional Parental Style Dimension Questionnaire (PSDQ) was administered to a purposive sample of 150 respondents. A response rate of 64.5% was achieved, with only foster mothers participating in the study. Data analysis was done by the Statistical Consultation Services of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus) using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 25, Release 25.0 SPSS. In addition, T-Tests and ANOVAs were used to test the hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance and Spearman's correlations examine correlations between sub-scale scores and biographical data. Sub-scales of the PSDQ were tested for internal consistency reliability and reasonable coefficients were rendered, except for the permissive parenting style scale that was excluded from analysis. The results showed a significant, positive correlation between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles amongst the respondents. Parental attitudes and responses to risk behavior significantly affected their actual behavior towards fostered adolescents presenting with risk behavior. The researchers concluded that consideration of parenting styles in the foster care relationship context will greatly determine the nature of further interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although high parental education reduces adolescents' tobacco use, this effect may be weaker for ethnic minorities than non-Latino White adolescents. Aim: To study the association between parental education at baseline and adolescents' subsequent tobacco curiosity overall and by ethnicity. Methods: The current study used four years of follow-up data from the PATH-Adolescents) study. All participants were 12 to 17-year-old non-smokers at baseline and were successfully followed for four years (n = 3109). The outcome of interest was curiosity about (traditional and electronic) cigarettes in year four. The predictor of interest was baseline parental education, the covariates were age, sex, and parental marital status at baseline, and the moderator was ethnicity. Results: According to our linear regressions, higher parental education at baseline was predictive of adolescents' subsequent tobacco curiosity at year four; however, this association was weaker for Latino than non-Latino adolescents. We did not find a significant difference in the effect of baseline parental education on subsequent tobacco curiosity of White and African American adolescents. Conclusion: The effect of high parental education on tobacco curiosity differs between Latino and non-Latino adolescents. Future research should test the role of advertisement exposure, the prevalence of smokers, as well as other contextual factors at school and neighborhood conditions that may increase curiosity toward cigarettes in Latino adolescents regardless of parental education. The role of high-risk peers, family, friends, proximity to tobacco outlets, and other contextual conditions should be tested in future multi-level research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents often engage in behaviors such as substance use and risky sexual activity that can lead to negative health and psychological consequences for themselves and others. Accurate measurement of these behaviors in surveys is challenging given that the behaviors are often viewed as undesirable and/or are illegal, so it is important to test the psychometric properties of instruments used to assess adolescent risk behaviors. The current study aimed to assess the test-retest reliability of a widely used measure of youth risk-taking behavior, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). A sample of 156 at-risk adolescents aged 16–18 years (81% male; 61% White) completed the YRBS retrospectively across intervals ranging from 3 to 12 days during their stay in a residential program at which they were under close supervision and had limited ability to engage in new risk behaviors. Participants were asked to complete the YRBS based on their "typical" (pre-program) behavior at both administrations, which were 10–14 weeks into their stay. The reliability of responses was assessed using kappa and weighted kappa analyses. Findings indicate moderate to substantial reliability for nearly all items, suggesting that at-risk youth reliably reported their engagement in health risk behaviors across multiple administrations and supporting the psychometric strength of the YRBS measure for use with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are characterized by specific alterations of mood. In both disorders, alterations in cognitive domains such as impulsivity, decision‐making, and risk‐taking have been reported. Identification of similarities and differences of these domains in BD and MDD could give further insight into their etiology. The present study assessed impulsivity, decision‐making, and risk‐taking behavior in BD and MDD patients from bipolar multiplex families. Methods: Eighty‐two participants (BD type I, n = 25; MDD, n = 26; healthy relatives (HR), n = 17; and healthy controls (HC), n = 14) underwent diagnostic interviews and selected tests of a cognitive battery assessing neurocognitive performance across multiple subdomains including impulsivity (response inhibition and delay aversion), decision‐making, and risk behavior. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to analyze whether the groups differed in the respective cognitive domains. Results: Participants with BD and MDD showed higher impulsivity levels compared to HC; this difference was more pronounced in BD participants. BD participants also showed lower inhibitory control than MDD participants. Overall, suboptimal decision‐making was associated with both mood disorders (BD and MDD). In risk‐taking behavior, no significant impairment was found in any group. Limitations: As sample size was limited, it is possible that differences between BD and MDD may have escaped detection due to lack of statistical power. Conclusions: Our findings show that alterations of cognitive domains—while present in both disorders—are differently associated with BD and MDD. This underscores the importance of assessing such domains in addition to mere diagnosis of mood disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research background highlights the increasing number of adolescents exposed to risk behaviors both in school environments and in society at large. This phenomenon is worsening. Thus, this study aims to examine whether the theoretical model of adolescent risk behavior aligns with empirical conditions in society. Additionally, the study examines the influence of variables within the model. The model is derived from Bronfenbrenner's ecological system theory (1994). This research was conducted using a quantitative approach with a correlational study design involving 628 adolescents aged 15-17 years from various demographic backgrounds, utilizing cluster sampling. Data collection was carried out using Google Forms. The study employs the adapted Teacher-Student Relationship Scale, Self-Regulation Scale, and Risk Behavior Scale, all validated through Confirmatory Factor Analysis, with analysis conducted using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings of this study conclude that environmental factors, specifically teacher-student relationships, have a significant influence on adolescent risk behavior and self-regulation. However, self-regulation does not have a significant influence on adolescent risk behavior. Furthermore, the teacher-student relationship does not have a meaningful influence on adolescent risk behavior through self-regulation as a mediator.

ObjectivesNational data on the health of children and adolescents exposed to commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) are lacking, during both adolescence and adulthood. Using nationally representative data, we examined the health of male and female adolescents in grades 7-12 who experienced CSE exposure and subsequent adult health outcomes and access to health care.MethodsOur retrospective cohort study used data from Waves I-IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (1994-2008) to characterize relationships between CSE exposure before or during adolescence and health during adolescence and adulthood. The analytic sample included 10 918 adult participants aged 24-34 in Wave IV. We performed bivariate analyses, stratified by sex, to quantify the relationship between CSE exposure before or during adolescence and adolescent and adult health outcomes.ResultsFour percent of participants reported having a CSE exposure before or during adolescence (5% of males, 3% of females). Factors associated with CSE exposure among adolescents included race/ethnicity, parental education level, previous abuse, same-sex romantic attractions, history of ever having run away from home, and substance use. During adolescence, exposure to CSE was associated with worse overall health, depressive symptoms, and suicidal thoughts for both males and females. In adulthood, adolescent CSE exposure was associated with depression among males and functional limitations among females. A higher percentage of males with CSE exposure before or during adolescence, compared with their non-CSE-exposed peers, used the emergency department as their usual source of care during adulthood.ConclusionsCSE exposure before or during adolescence was associated with poor adolescent and adult health outcomes and health care access. Observed differences between males and females warrant further exploration.

The review analyzes health risk behaviors of Russians in the ‘pre-pandemic’ (2018–2019), ‘pandemic’ (2020–2021) and ‘post-pandemic’ (2022) periods. Risk behaviors of Russians have been studied in dynamics relying on the secondary analysis of the longitudinal database of the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey of the National Research University Higher School of Economics; also, factors able to induce changes in them have been established. Evidence is provided to prove a multidirectional dynamics in risk behaviors among Russians during the COVID-19 pandemic: there was a decrease in medical and physical activities along with conditionally stable alcohol and tobacco consumption Men, people younger than 35, and those who did not have children were established to be less active in their interactions with official healthcare organizations and less concerned about their health. A size of a settlement where respondents resided had certain influence on their physical activity (more than 80 % of rural residents pointed out they did not do sports regularly). Addictive behaviors depended on sex, age, and having a partner: men and those respondents who were either married or cohabitated with a partner smoked and drank alcohol much more often. Certain socio-demographic groups tended to replace health protection practices with risky behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women, elderly people and single people tended to become less active as regards healthcare (and many of them remained non-active in the post-pandemic period). In addition to that, single respondents tended to become less physically active during eh pandemic. Addictive behaviors were more typical for men and employed people. Based on the obtained empirical data, the ‘pandemic’ period is described as a stage that does not facilitate occurrence and maintenance of greater adherence to health protection behavior among Russian citizens. Given low levels of trust in the public healthcare and high anxiety, lower medical activity of population has become an entrenched risk behavior pattern as regards health during the ‘post-pandemic’ period as well. It seems highly advisable to develop effective complex programs on health protection for different population groups including those aimed at making healthcare more available, conducting relevant preventing activities, and raising people’s awareness about value of health and ways to protect it.

Introduction: Adolescent female sex workers are at high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection. There was paucity of information regarding their sexual practices. The main objective of this study was to study the sexual behavior, condom use practices, and physical and sexual violence experienced by adolescent female sex workers (FSWs). Materials and Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of the data collected during the nationwide IBBS 2014–15 survey. All adolescent FSWs aged 15 to 19 years were included in the analysis. The primary outcome variable was HIV serostatus, and independent variables included sexual behavior and condom use practices and socio-demographic variables. Descriptive analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of independent variables. Ethical approval of the original IBBS study was obtained by the Ethics Committee of National AIDS Control Organization. Results: A total of 948 adolescent FSWs were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of HIV in adolescent FSWs was 1.2% [95% confidence interval, 0.1–1.9%]. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] of FSWs was 18.2 (0.9) years. The mean (SD) age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 (1.7) years, and the mean (SD) age of starting sex work was 16.6 (1.5) years. The majority of the FSWs (94%) had used condom during the last sexual intercourse with a commercial partner, and about one-thirds (66%) had consistently used condom with a commercial partner. About a quarter (26%) of the FSWs had anal intercourse with a commercial partner in the last 1 month. About one in five FSWs (21%) had experienced physical violence in the last 1 year. Conclusion: Almost one-third of FSWs had high-risk sexual behavior like multiple clients, anal intercourse, inconsistent condom use, and so on. These behaviors in turn increase their vulnerability to HIV infection.

BackgroundSlowing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) requires behavioral changes such as physical distancing (e.g., staying a 6-foot distance from others, avoiding mass gatherings, reducing houseguests), wearing masks, reducing trips to nonessential business establishments, and increasing hand washing. Like other health behaviors, COVID-19 related behaviors may be related to risk representations. Risk representations are the cognitive responses a person holds about illness risk such as, identity (i.e., label/characteristics of risk), cause (i.e., factors causing condition), timeline (i.e., onset/duration of risk), consequences (i.e., intrapersonal/interpersonal outcomes), behavioral efficacy (i.e., if and how the condition can be controlled/treated), and illness risk coherence (i.e., extent to which representations, behaviors, and beliefs are congruent). The current study applies the Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation (CSM-SR) to evaluate how risk representations may relate to COVID-19 protective and risk behaviors.MethodsParticipants include 400 workers from Amazon's Mechanical Turk aged ≥ 18 years and US residents. Participants completed an online survey measuring risk representations (B-IPQ) and COVID-19 related behaviors, specifically, physical distancing, hand washing, and shopping frequency.ResultsRisk coherence, consequences, timeline, emotional representation, and behavioral efficacy were related to risk and protective behaviors.ConclusionsRisk representations vary in their relationship to COVID-19 risk and protective behaviors. Implications include the importance of coherent, targeted, consistent health communication, and effective health policy in mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Abstract Risk behaviors are common in adolescence and demonstrates an association with depressive symptoms. Considering the psychological health implications of this phase in adult life, the aim of this study was to verify associations between depressive symptoms and consumption of alcohol and marijuana, self-injurious behavior, health self-perception, life satisfaction, anxiety symptoms and suicidal ideation in adolescents. A total of 298 adolescents, aged 12 to 14 years (61.1% girls), participated in the study. The measures were the translated Health Behavior in School-aged Children questionnaire (HBSC - BR) and the Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI). The chi-square test, student’s t test and binomial logistic regression (p

The purpose of the article was to consider the possibilities of a modern school in the prevention of risky behavior of adolescents. The focus of the research seems relevant due to the fact that the scientific solution meets the urgent needs of the practice of organizing these activities and fills a certain gap in modern research in overcoming risky behaviors of the younger generation. Methods of comparative analysis of psychological and pedagogical scientific sources were used in the preparation of the material, theoretical analysis of monographic and dissertation materials, documentation on the problems of research using generalization, comparison, systematization and modeling was carried out. The article considers a possible field of prevention of risky behavior at school, which lies at the intersection of three components of the environment of an educational organization. These include motivational-value (formation of factors that stimulate subjects of prevention to obtain a predictable positive result), social-subjective (formation of factors that contribute to the formation and development of subjectivity of adolescents in academic, extracurricular, extracurricular work, additional education, self-government, amateur activity), actualization – creative (formation of factors of creative realization of a teenager, aimed at on the formation of the ability to constructive risk) components. As a result, the author came to the conclusion that it is possible to achieve the predicted result of prevention of risky behavior of adolescents using the capabilities of a modern school resulting from the creation and replenishment of its components.

Abstract Objectives Bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are characterized by specific alterations of mood. In both disorders, alterations in cognitive domains such as impulsivity, decision‐making, and risk‐taking have been reported. Identification of similarities and differences of these domains in BD and MDD could give further insight into their etiology. The present study assessed impulsivity, decision‐making, and risk‐taking behavior in BD and MDD patients from bipolar multiplex families. Methods Eighty‐two participants (BD type I, n = 25; MDD, n = 26; healthy relatives (HR), n = 17; and healthy controls (HC), n = 14) underwent diagnostic interviews and selected tests of a cognitive battery assessing neurocognitive performance across multiple subdomains including impulsivity (response inhibition and delay aversion), decision‐making, and risk behavior. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) were used to analyze whether the groups differed in the respective cognitive domains. Results Participants with BD and MDD showed higher impulsivity levels compared to HC; this difference was more pronounced in BD participants. BD participants also showed lower inhibitory control than MDD participants. Overall, suboptimal decision‐making was associated with both mood disorders (BD and MDD). In risk‐taking behavior, no significant impairment was found in any group. Limitations As sample size was limited, it is possible that differences between BD and MDD may have escaped detection due to lack of statistical power. Conclusions Our findings show that alterations of cognitive domains—while present in both disorders—are differently associated with BD and MDD. This underscores the importance of assessing such domains in addition to mere diagnosis of mood disorders.

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Copyright of Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones is the property of Centros de Integracion Juvenil A.C. (CIJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In many countries, there is a high number of teenage pregnancies, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and unsafe sexual behavior, so there is a need for adolescent health intervention programs to change behavior. The effectiveness of comprehensive interventions in various contexts to reduce teenage pregnancy, STIs, and related sexual risk behaviors is reviewed in this systematic. This study aimed to identify risk sexual behavior, sexually transmitted infections, and adolescent pregnancy prevention interventions. Literature search strategy from January 2008 to December 2022 through electronic databases. Key words 'teenage prenancy' OR 'teen pregnancy' OR 'pregnancy adolescence', AND 'maternal education', AND 'randomised clinical trial', AND 'risk behavior'. Articles that were deemed worthy of following the PRISMA guidelines were 28 articles. Most studies looked at school-based, individual, community, clinic, and family-based care. Most studies were followed up after intervention at intervals from one month to seven years, and the majority of the population and sample were adolescents with ages ranging from 13 to 18 years. Implementation of research in urban, suburban, and rural areas. This program has proven successful in preventing pregnancy, contraceptive use, STI and HIV, sexual behavior, dropping out of school, knowledge about pregnancy, sexuality, attitudes towards sexuality, intention to change risky sexual behavior, self-efficacy, and increasing parent-children. This article describes some basic trends in adolescent pregnancy prevention interventions in several countries that can be used as a reference for health programs. Unproven effectiveness can be implemented in conjunction with other interventions that have a high-quality impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescent female sex workers are at high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) infection. There was paucity of information regarding their sexual practices. The main objective of this study was to study the sexual behavior, condom use practices, and physical and sexual violence experienced by adolescent female sex workers (FSWs). Materials and Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of the data collected during the nationwide IBBS 2014–15 survey. All adolescent FSWs aged 15 to 19 years were included in the analysis. The primary outcome variable was HIV serostatus, and independent variables included sexual behavior and condom use practices and socio-demographic variables. Descriptive analyses were performed to estimate the prevalence of independent variables. Ethical approval of the original IBBS study was obtained by the Ethics Committee of National AIDS Control Organization. Results: A total of 948 adolescent FSWs were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of HIV in adolescent FSWs was 1.2% [95% confidence interval, 0.1–1.9%]. The mean age [standard deviation (SD)] of FSWs was 18.2 (0.9) years. The mean (SD) age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 (1.7) years, and the mean (SD) age of starting sex work was 16.6 (1.5) years. The majority of the FSWs (94%) had used condom during the last sexual intercourse with a commercial partner, and about one-thirds (66%) had consistently used condom with a commercial partner. About a quarter (26%) of the FSWs had anal intercourse with a commercial partner in the last 1 month. About one in five FSWs (21%) had experienced physical violence in the last 1 year. Conclusion: Almost one-third of FSWs had high-risk sexual behavior like multiple clients, anal intercourse, inconsistent condom use, and so on. These behaviors in turn increase their vulnerability to HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]