Community Health Worker Intervention in Subsidized Housing: New York City, 2016-2017.

From April 2016 to June 2017, the Health + Housing Project employed four community health workers who engaged residents of two subsidized housing buildings in New York City to address individuals' broadly defined health needs, including social and economic risk factors. Following the intervention, we observed significant improvements in residents' food security, ability to pay rent, and connection to primary care. No immediate change was seen in acute health care use or more narrowly defined health outcomes.

Comparison of prospective and retrospective measurements of frequency of sexual intercourse.

Measurements of sexual intercourse frequency are informative for research on pregnancy, contraception, and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections; however, efficiently collecting data on this sensitive topic is complex. The purpose of this study was to determine whether retrospective recall of sexual intercourse frequency was consistent with information obtained through the use of prospective daily diary methods corresponding to the same time period in a diverse sample of women. A total of 185 women participated in a longitudinal, prospective cohort study of oral contraceptive users and 98 of these women provided complete information on sexual intercourse frequency on diaries (prospective) and postcards (retrospective). Linear mixed models were used to test for variation in response within categories of demographic and other variables. The mean number of days women had sexual intercourse per week was 1.5 days using prospective diary information versus 2.0 days when using 3-month retrospective recall (p < 0.001). Mean differences for the various sociodemographic subgroups were positive for all groups indicating that women consistently reported a higher frequency of sexual intercourse on the retrospective postcards than they recorded on their prospective diaries; however, these mean differences did not vary significantly. If confirmed in other samples, the use of retrospective methods may be adequate to accurately collect data on sexual intercourse frequency-and may be preferable. Using only retrospective measurements could decrease study costs, the burden to participants, and have a higher response rate.

Case study: the Interact Home Telehealth Project.

Two home telehealth technologies (the Intel Health Guide and the Apple iPad) were trialled by four clinical services of the Hunter New England Local Health District. The iPad was selected by the Paediatric Palliative Care Service, the Stroke Service and the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service. The Intel Health Guide was selected by the Cardiac Coaching Service. The telehealth devices were loaned to a total of 102 patients for different lengths of time, depending on clinical needs, but typically for about 3 months. A total of 42 clinicians were involved. During the trial, 16 technical problems were recorded and resolved, most concerning problems with connectivity. Nonetheless, the use of home telehealth technologies was positively received by clinicians, management and patients alike. Telehealth is now being integrated into the standard practices of the health district.

Comparison of subjective cognitive complaints with neuropsychological tests in individuals with mild vs more severe traumatic brain injuries.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the complex inter-relationship between subjective reports of cognitive impairments and neuropsychological performances in compensation-seeking individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) of differing severities. Specifically, this study examined: (a) the participants' neuropsychological test scores and self-reported ratings according to TBI severity; (b) whether there was a predictive relationship between self-report and cognitive test scores; and (c) the influence of emotional functioning on self-reported cognitive functioning. RESEARCH DESIGN: A multi-group comparative research design was employed. METHODS AND PROCEDURE: An outpatient sample of 61 patients with TBIs using neuropsychological testing, RNBI (Ruff Neurobehavioral Inventory) and clinical interviews. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The mild TBI group exhibited greater attentional impairments, while the moderate-to-severe group exhibited greater memory and learning impairments on neuropsychological tests. The mild group reported more cognitive symptoms than their more severely damaged counterparts. The mild TBI participants reported significantly more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with moderate-to-severe TBI were more accurate when reporting their memory and learning difficulties, whereas individuals with mild TBI were more accurate when reporting attentional difficulties. It is likely that the occurrence of PTSD worsens the outcome of a mild TBI. There likely is a cumulative effect between the PTSD symptoms and the emotional residuals in the mild TBI population.