Childhood Bullying Victimization, Substance Use and Criminal Activity among Adolescents: A Multilevel Growth Model Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine the effects of childhood bullying victimization (CBV) on substance use and criminal activity among adolescents over time. In addition, it identifies the moderating effects of gender and race/ethnicity on the associations of CBV with substance abuse and criminal activity in adolescence and young adulthood. METHODS: This study included 8984 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years (Mage = 14.22 years) assessed biennially at four time points utilizing the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. The two-level hierarchical linear modeling was employed to test the effects of CBV on substance use and criminal activity. RESULTS: The incidence of substance use increased over time throughout adolescence to young adulthood, while that of criminal activity decreased. CBV increased the risks of cigarette use, marijuana use, and criminal activity. Gender and race/ethnicity significantly moderated the effect of CBV on alcohol use and alcohol binges. The effect of CBV on alcohol use was stronger among females than males. Among Hispanic adolescents, CBV was more strongly related to alcohol use and binges compared to non-Hispanic White. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest the need for early intervention for children at high risk of being bullied to reduce later substance abuse and involvement in criminal activities. Considering the moderating effects of gender and ethnicity on the associations, target-specified intervention and prevention programs are also required. Further studies focusing on the lifelong effects of CBV beyond adolescence are recommended.

The End of Life Within Social Work Literature: A Conceptual Review.

The current conceptual review sought to identify and describe how the end of life was conceptualized and operationalized in top-ranking, peer-reviewed social work journals considering the highly individualized and multidimensional experience of dying put forth by modern scholars and social work practitioners. An iterative content analysis of included articles (N = 103) revealed six themes within reported definitions and four themes within eligibility criteria. Definitions (n = 66) related to treatment responsiveness, the death process, dying, prognosis, admission to specific services, and old age. Eligibility criteria (n = 18) related to proxy assessment, diagnosis, prognosis, and functional ability assessments. Over one-third of included articles did not define what was meant by the end of life (36%; n = 37) and the majority did not include eligibility criteria (83%; n = 85). In conclusion, the complex lived experience of dying was not manifest within included articles raising important implications for research (e.g., measurement, meta-analysis) and social work practice (viz. service eligibility).

Characteristics of Hospice and Palliative Care Programs in US Prisons: An Update and 5-Year Reflection.

Individuals with terminal illness are dying behind bars and many state prison administrators have incorporated on-site hospice and palliative care services. Little is known, however, about these programs since a 2010 study of prison hospice characteristics. We provide an updated description and reflection of current hospice and palliative care programs in state prisons serving incarcerated persons with terminal illness. A cross-sectional survey was sent to representatives of all known prisons offering hospice and palliative care programs and services (N = 113). Questions were drawn from an earlier iteration regarding interdisciplinary team (IDT) membership, training length and topics, peer caregivers, visitation policies, bereavement services, perceived stakeholder support, and pain management strategies. Additional questions were added such as estimated operational costs, peer caregiver input in patient care, and the strengths and weaknesses of such programs. Frequency distributions were calculated for all study variables. Responding representatives (n = 33) indicated IDTs remain integral to care, peer caregivers continue to support dying patients, and perceived public support for these programs remains low. Reduced enthusiasm for the programs may negatively influence administrative decision-making and program resources. Further, peer caregiver roles appear to be changing with caregivers charged with fewer of the identified tasks, compared with the 2010 study.

U.S. Department of Corrections Compassionate Release Policies: A Content Analysis and Call to Action.

Large and increasing numbers of inmates with chronic and terminal illnesses are serving time, and dying, in U.S. prisons. The restriction of men and women to die in prisons has many ethical and fiscal concerns, as it deprives incarcerated persons of their autonomy and requires comprehensive and costly health-care services. To ameliorate these concerns, compassionate release policies, which allow inmates the ability to die in their own communities, have been adopted in federal and state prison systems. However, little is known about the content of compassionate release policies within U.S. states' department of corrections, despite recent calls to release incarcerated persons who meet eligibility criteria into the community. The current study provides an overview of compassionate release policies in the United States, which vary widely across the compassionate release process. Specific policy recommendations are made to assure the timely access and utilization of compassionate release among eligible incarcerated individuals.

Development of a tool to describe overall health, social independence and activity limitation of adolescents and young adults with disability.

There is a need for research that focuses on the correlation between self-perceived quality of life (QoL) and the health outcomes of adolescents with disability transitioning to adulthood. To better understand the transition experience of adolescents and young adults with disability, we developed a questionnaire to assess the impact of disability on QoL. We recruited 174 participants who were 15-24 years old and diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome (FXS), spina bifida (SB) or muscular dystrophy (MD) and conducted an exploratory factor analysis to identify factors that characterize QoL. Five factors emerged: emotional health, physical health, independence, activity limitation, and community participation. To validate the tool, we linked medical claims and other administrative data records and examined the association of the factor scores with health care utilization and found the questionnaire can be utilized among diverse groups of young people with disability.

Inpatient and emergency room visits for adolescents and young adults with spina bifida living in South Carolina.

OBJECTIVE: To compare emergency room (ER) and inpatient hospital (IP) use rates for persons with spina bifida (SB) to peers without SB, when transition from pediatric to adult health care is likely to occur; and to analyze those ER and IP rates by age, race, socioeconomic status, gender, and type of residential area. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Secondary data analysis in South Carolina. PARTICIPANTS: We studied individuals who were between 15 and 24 years old and enrolled in the State Health Plan (SHP) or state Medicaid during the 2000-2010 study period. METHODS: Individuals with SB were identified using ICD-9 billing codes (741.0, 741.9) in SHP, Medicaid, and hospital uniform billing (UB) data. ER and IP encounters were identified using UB data. Multivariable Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) Poisson models were estimated to compare rates of ER and IP use among the SB group to the comparison group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Total ER rate and IP rate, in addition to cause-specific rates for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) and other condition categories. RESULTS: We found higher rates of ER and IP use in persons with SB compared to the control group. Among individuals with SB, young adults (those 20-24 years old) had higher rates of ER use due to all ACSC (P = .023), other ACSC (P = .04), and urinary tract infections (UTI; P = .002) compared to adolescents (those 15-19 years old). CONCLUSIONS: Young adulthood is associated with increased ER use overall, as well as in specific condition categories (most notably UTI) in individuals 15-24 years old with SB. This association may be indicative of changing healthcare access as people with SB move from adolescent to adult health care, and/or physiologic changes during the age range studied.