Corner stores: the perspective of urban youth.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the perspectives of low-income, urban youth about the corner store experience to inform the development of corner store interventions. DESIGN: Focus groups were conducted to understand youth perceptions regarding their early shopping experiences, the process of store selection, reasons for shopping in a corner store, parental guidance about corner stores, and what their ideal, or "dream corner store" would look like. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes using ATLAS.ti (version 6.1, 2010, ATLAS.ti GmbH) and Excel (version 2010, Microsoft Corp). SETTING: Focus groups were conducted in nine kindergarten-through-grade 8 (K-8) public schools in low-income neighborhoods with 40 fourth- to sixth-graders with a mean age of 10.9±0.8 years. RESULTS: Youth report going to corner stores with family members at an early age. By second and third grades, a growing number of youth reported shopping unaccompanied by an older sibling or adult. Youth reported that the products sold in stores were the key reason they choose a specific store. A small number of youth said their parents offered guidance on their corner store purchases. When youth were asked what their dream corner store would look like, they mentioned wanting a combination of healthy and less-healthy foods. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that, among low-income, urban youth, corner store shopping starts at a very young age and that product, price, and location are key factors that affect corner store selection. The data also suggest that few parents offer guidance about corner store purchases, and youth are receptive to having healthier items in corner stores. Corner store intervention efforts should target young children and their parents/caregivers and aim to increase the availability of affordable, healthier products.

Psychosocial functioning and quality of life in children and families affected by AEC syndrome.

Ankyloblepharon-ectodermal defects-cleft lip/palate (AEC) syndrome, also known as Hay-Wells syndrome, is a rare genetic condition that results in abnormalities of the skin, hair, nails, and teeth and requires frequent self-management and medical care. We sought to describe the psychological adjustment and quality of life in children and adolescents with AEC syndrome, as well as the impact of the child's illness on their families. The sample included 18 children and adolescents with AEC syndrome and their parents who attended the International Research Symposium on AEC syndrome. Parents completed standardized self-report questionnaires about child and family functioning and participated in a semi-structured interview about the child's cognitive and social functioning and the impact of AEC syndrome on the child and family. Children completed standardized self-report questionnaires of psychosocial functioning and quality of life. Overall, results reflected a range of functioning across children and families, with some families reporting few ill effects of the condition and others describing reduced quality of life and negative impact on child and family. Identifying the domains that may be impacted should help clinicians better screen for problems in functioning of children affected by AEC syndrome and their families.

Report from a multi-institutional randomized clinical trial examining computer-assisted problem-solving skills training for English- and Spanish-speaking mothers of children with newly diagnosed cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA)-based supplement for maternal Problem-Solving Skills Training (PSST) and to explore Spanish-speaking mothers' experiences with it. METHODS: Mothers (n = 197) of children with newly diagnosed cancer were randomized to traditional PSST or PSST + PDA 8-week programs. Participants completed the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Profile of Mood States, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised pre-, post-treatment, and 3 months after completion of the intervention. Mothers also rated optimism, logic, and confidence in the intervention and technology. RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated significant positive change over time on all psychosocial measures. No between-group differences emerged. Despite technological "glitches," mothers expressed moderately high optimism, appreciation for logic, and confidence in both interventions and rated the PDA-based program favorably. Technology appealed to all Spanish-speaking mothers, with younger mothers showing greater proficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Well-designed, supported technology holds promise for enhancing psychological interventions.

Identifying problems faced by spouses and partners of patients with prostate cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe problems chosen as targets of problem-solving therapy by spouses and partners of patients with prostate cancer. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional. SETTING: Spouses' and partners' homes. SAMPLE: Spouses and partners (N = 66) aged 32-79 years (mean = 60 years). The sample was predominantly Caucasian (82%) and African American (8%). METHODS: As part of a randomized clinical trial, women received problem-solving therapy to help manage issues related to their husbands' or partners' prostate cancer. The issues they chose to address during therapy and the categorization of the issues fell into four groups: treatment and side-effect issues, patient issues, family issues, and spouse issues. Scores on the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, which measures everyday problem-solving skills, and the Profile of Mood States, which measures mood disturbance, were contrasted with the problems women chose to address. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Problems faced by spouses and partners of patients with prostate cancer. FINDINGS: The most frequently reported categories were spouse issues (e.g., women's emotional wellness, balancing their medical concerns with their husbands' condition) and patient issues (e.g., men's lack of communication, fear, or depression). CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this study alert nurses to a variety of key problem areas for spouses and partners of patients with prostate cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Spouses and partners play a critical role when their loved ones have cancer. Understanding the problems spouses and partners face can help nurses design optimal supportive care interventions.

Health-related quality of life of children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: hearing the voices of the children.

The aim of the study was to determine whether pediatric patients with cerebral palsy (CP; 24.3% hemiplegic, 30.4% diplegic, 38.5% quadriplegic) can self-report their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scales. The PedsQL was administered to 148 families (84 males, 64 females; mean 10y, SD 3y 9mo, range 5 to 18y) recruited from a children's hospital clinic and state medical therapy clinics. Sixty-nine children (47%) were able to self-report. Children with CP self-reported a significantly lower HRQOL (mean 65.9) than healthy children (mean 83.8). Children with CP self-reported a similar HRQOL to pediatric cancer patients receiving treatment (mean 68.9). Children diagnosed with quadriplegia (mean 49.4) self-reported more impaired HRQOL than children with diplegia (mean 69.1) and hemiplegia (mean 72.4). Parent-child concordance was lowest for emotional functioning. Providers and parents should obtain the children's HRQOL perceptions whenever possible.