Impact of an Alternative Hours Dental Clinic for Adolescents.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to understand familial reasons for attending an alternative hours dental clinic and assess accompanying adult and patient satisfaction with expanded hours. Methods: A questionnaire was developed and administered to patients aged 14 years and older and their accompanying adult while attending either a recare or treatment appointment in the adolescent evening clinic (AEC). Questions included inquiries about demographics, and individual questions were directed to the accompanying adult and patient. Results: Fifty questionnaires from accompanying adults and 55 questionnaires from patients were included in this study. Seventy-six percent and 42 percent of accompanying adults, respectively, said their reason for attending the AEC was not having their child miss school and to avoid missing work. Conclusions: Access to care is improved by providing extended clinic hours, but other barriers to care must also be considered. One hundred percent of accompanying adults would schedule their child again during the adolescent evening clinic hours.

2015 Department of Defense Health Related Behaviors Survey (HRBS).

The Health Related Behaviors Survey (HRBS) is the U.S. Department of Defense's flagship survey for understanding the health, health-related behaviors, and well-being of service members. In 2014, the Defense Health Agency asked the RAND Corporation to review previous iterations of the HRBS, update survey content, administer a revised version of the survey, and analyze data from the resulting 2015 HRBS of active-duty personnel, including those in the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard. This study details the methodology, sample demographics, and results from that survey in the following domains: health promotion and disease prevention; substance use; mental and emotional health; physical health and functional limitations; sexual behavior and health; sexual orientation, transgender identity, and health; and deployment experiences and health. The results presented here are intended to supplement data already collected by the Department of Defense and to inform policy initiatives to help improve the readiness, health, and well-being of the force.

Augmentative and alternative communication intervention for persons with severe aphasia.

Many individuals with severe aphasia are effective in using nonverbal methods of communication to meet their wants and needs. However, their difficulty lies in conveying specific and novel information. Through the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) techniques, severely aphasie individuals can share unique information during interactions. This article focuses on designing AAC intervention programs based on the individual's residual strengths, communication needs, and treatment setting. Individuals who have suffered brainstem strokes or individuals with dysarthria as the primary factor influencing communication are not discussed. Rather, this articlefocuses on individuals with permanent communication disorders due to severe aphasia.