Comparing the Validity of Self-Report and Urinalysis for Substance Use among Former Inmates in the Northeastern United States.

BACKGROUND: Problems with self-reported drug use include difficulties with recall and recognition as well as the desire to respond to questions in a socially desirable manner. Various methods have been developed to improve and/or validate estimates based on direct questioning of individuals regarding their substance use. For this study, we were interested in validating self-reported use of: 1) tobacco, 2) marijuana, and 3) other substances (i.e., heroin, cocaine, opiates, oxycodone, benzodiazepines, methamphetamine, phencyclidine, and barbiturates) employing urinalysis among inmates who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a smoking abstinence intervention in a tobacco-free prison located in the northeastern United States. METHODS: Two-hundred and seven men and women with a mean age of 34.9 (standard deviation = 9.0) completed questions regarding their substance use on a 7-day Timeline Follow-Back and provided urine specimens three weeks following prison release. RESULTS: Self-reported tobacco and marijuana use were highly consistent with urine drug testing in terms of overall agreement and Kappa (93.7% and.804 for tobacco, respectively; and 90.3% and.804 for marijuana, respectively); however, consistency was much lower for other drug use grouped together (62.7% and.270). DISCUSSION: Although some former inmates may not accurately report substance use, our findings indicate that they are in the minority, suggesting that self-report is valid for tobacco and marijuana use but much less so for other drugs grouped together. Future research should be conducted with a larger and more diverse sample of former inmates to establish the generalizability of our findings from this study.

Reproductive Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Reproductive factors provide an early window into a woman's coronary heart disease (CHD) risk; however, their contribution to CHD risk stratification is uncertain. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, we constructed Cox proportional hazards models for CHD including age, pregnancy status, number of live births, age at menarche, menstrual irregularity, age at first birth, stillbirths, miscarriages, infertility ≥1 year, infertility cause, and breastfeeding. We next added each candidate reproductive factor to an established CHD risk factor model. A final model was then constructed with significant reproductive factors added to established CHD risk factors. Improvement in C statistic, net reclassification index (or net reclassification index with risk categories of <5%, 5 to <10%, and ≥10% 10-year risk of CHD), and integrated discriminatory index were assessed. Among 72 982 women (CHD events, n=4607; median follow-up,12.0 [interquartile range, 8.3-13.7] years; mean [standard deviation] age, 63.2 [7.2] years), an age-adjusted reproductive risk factor model had a C statistic of 0.675 for CHD. In a model adjusted for established CHD risk factors, younger age at first birth, number of still births, number of miscarriages, and lack of breastfeeding were positively associated with CHD. Reproductive factors modestly improved model discrimination (C statistic increased from 0.726 to 0.730; integrated discriminatory index, 0.0013; P<0.0001). Net reclassification for women with events was not improved (net reclassification index events, 0.007; P=0.18); and, for women without events, net reclassification was marginally improved (net reclassification index nonevents, 0.002; P=0.04) CONCLUSIONS: Key reproductive factors are associated with CHD independently of established CHD risk factors, very modestly improve model discrimination, and do not materially improve net reclassification.

Exploration of Incarcerated Men's and Women's Attitudes of Smoking in the Presence of Children and Pregnant Women: Is There a Disparity Between Smoking Attitudes and Smoking Behavior?

INTRODUCTION: A major health challenge facing persons who are incarcerated is tobacco smoking. Upon reentry to the community, concerns regarding smoking cessation may be less likely to receive needed attention. Many individuals have partners who are pregnant and/or reside in households where children and pregnant women live. We explored incarcerated adults' attitudes of smoking in the presence of children and pregnant women and how post-release smoking behaviors are influenced by their attitudes. METHODS: Two hundred forty-seven incarcerated adults participated in a smoking cessation randomized clinical trial in a tobacco-free prison. An instrument was developed to examine smoking attitudes and behaviors around children and pregnant women. Moderating effects of smoking factors on post-release abstinence were examined by evaluating interactions between smoking factors and treatment group. RESULTS: Four factors were defined using factor analysis: smoking around children; impact of smoking on child's health; awareness of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) risk for pregnant women; and importance of smoking avoidance during pregnancy. We found moderation effects of smoking factors on smoking outcomes which included: treatment group by smoking behavior around children (ß = 0.8085; standard error [SE] = 0.4002; P = .04); treatment group by impact of smoking on child's health (ß = 1.2390; SE = 0.5632; P = .03) and for those smoking 50% fewer cigarettes post-release, treatment group by smoking impact on child's health (ß = 1.2356; SE = 0.4436; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Concern for smoking around children and pregnant women and awareness of ETS risk for pregnant women was not found to be significantly associated with smoking outcomes and requires additional investigation. Among individuals who continue to smoke post-release, effective ETS interventions are needed aimed at protecting children and pregnant women with whom they live.

Recommendations for a mixed methods approach to evaluating the patient-centered medical home.

PURPOSE: There is a strong push in the United States to evaluate whether the patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model produces desired results. The explanatory and contextually based questions of how and why PCMH succeeds in different practice settings are often neglected. We report the development of a comprehensive, mixed qualitative-quantitative evaluation set for researchers, policy makers, and clinician groups. METHODS: To develop an evaluation set, the Brown Primary Care Transformation Initiative convened a multidisciplinary group of PCMH experts, reviewed the PCMH literature and evaluation strategies, developed key domains for evaluation, and selected or created methods and measures for inclusion. RESULTS: The measures and methods in the evaluation set (survey instruments, PCMH meta-measures, patient outcomes, quality measures, qualitative interviews, participant observation, and process evaluation) are meant to be used together. PCMH evaluation must be sufficiently comprehensive to assess and explain both the context of transformation in different primary care practices and the experiences of diverse stakeholders. In addition to commonly assessed patient outcomes, quality, and cost, it is critical to include PCMH components integral to practice culture transformation: patient and family centeredness, authentic patient activation, mutual trust among practice employees and patients, and transparency, joy, and collaboration in delivering and receiving care in a changing environment. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation set offers a comprehensive methodology to enable understanding of how PCMH transformation occurs in different practice settings. This approach can foster insights about how transformation affects critical outcomes to achieve meaningful, patient-centered, high-quality, and cost-effective sustainable change among diverse primary care practices.

Primary care providers' views on using lung age as an aid to smoking cessation counseling for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PURPOSE: Smoking cessation is the primary goal for managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who smoke. However, previous studies have demonstrated poor cessation rates. The "lung age" concept (an estimate of the age at which the FEV(1) would be considered normal) was developed to present spirometry data in an understandable format and to serve as a tool to encourage smokers to quit. Primary care physicians' (PCPs) views of using lung age to help COPD patients to quit smoking were assessed. METHODS: Post-intervention interviews were conducted with PCPs in the U.S. who participated in the randomized clinical trial, "Translating the GOLD COPD Guidelines into Primary Care Practice." RESULTS: 29 physicians completed the interview. Themes identified during interviews included: general usefulness of lung age for smoking cessation counseling, ease of understanding the concept, impact on patients' thoughts of quitting smoking, and comparison to FEV(1). Most providers found lung age easy to communicate. Moreover, some found the tool to be less judgmental for smoking cessation and others remarked on the merits of having a simple, tangible number to discuss with their patients. However, some expressed doubt over the long-term benefits of lung age and several others thought that there might be a potential backfire for healthy smokers if their lung age was ≤ to their chronological age. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that lung age was well received by the majority of PCPs and appears feasible to use with COPD patients who smoke. However, further investigation in needed to explore COPD patients' perspectives of obtaining their lung age to help motivate them to quit in randomized clinical trials.

Risk of cardiovascular disease among postmenopausal women with prior pregnancy loss: the women's health initiative.

PURPOSE: Metabolic, hormonal, and hemostatic changes associated with pregnancy loss (stillbirth and miscarriage) may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in adulthood. This study evaluated prospectively the association between a history of pregnancy loss and CVD in a cohort of postmenopausal women. METHODS: Postmenopausal women (77,701) were evaluated from 1993-1998. Information on baseline reproductive history, sociodemographic, and CVD risk factors were collected. The associations between 1 or 2 or more miscarriages and 1 or more stillbirths with occurrence of CVD were evaluated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Among 77,701 women in the study sample, 23,538 (30.3%) reported a history of miscarriage; 1,670 (2.2%) reported a history of stillbirth; and 1,673 (2.2%) reported a history of both miscarriage and stillbirth. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) for coronary heart disease (CHD) for 1 or more stillbirths was 1.27 (95% CI, 1.07-1.51) compared with no stillbirth; for women with a history of 1 miscarriage, the OR=1.19 (95% CI, 1.08-1.32); and for 2 or more miscarriages the OR=1.18 (95% CI, 1.04-1.34) compared with no miscarriage. For ischemic stroke, the multivariable odds ratio for stillbirths and miscarriages was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy loss was associated with CHD but not ischemic stroke. Women with a history of 1 or more stillbirths or 1 or more miscarriages appear to be at increased risk of future CVD and should be considered candidates for closer surveillance and/or early intervention; research is needed into better understanding the pathophysiologic mechanisms behind the increased risk of CVD associated with pregnancy loss.

Is inflammatory chronic obstructive pulmonary disease a coronary heart disease risk equivalent? A longitudinal analysis of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988-1994.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that there is an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). An important etiological link between COPD and CHD may be an underlying systemic inflammatory process. Given that COPD patients are at greater risk of cardiovascular mortality, understanding the burden of CHD on COPD patients could permit future risk attenuation. METHODS: Longitudinal cohort analyses of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988-1994 were performed. 3,681 individuals ≥40 years of age with good quality spirometry data were included. Participants were divided into 5 groups: 1) no COPD, no CHD; 2) COPD without inflammation, no CHD; 3) COPD with inflammation, no CHD; 4) CHD only, and 5) CHD + COPD. A novel "inflammatory" COPD designation included those with COPD and clinical evidence of inflammation (i.e., CRP ≥95.24 nmol/L). RESULTS: The risk for CHD mortality was significant only for the CHD group (HR 5.56, 95% CI 3.24-9.55) and the COPD + CHD group (HR 5.02, 95% CI 2.83-8.90). Similarly, the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was significant only for the CHD group (HR 4.25, 95% CI 2.70-6.69) and the CHD + COPD group (HR 4.12, 95% CI 2.60-6.54) after adjusting for nonmodifiable CHD risk factors (age, gender, race/ethnicity, family history of CHD). After adjusting for modifiable CHD risk factors (diabetes, BMI, physical activity, systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking), hazard ratios of the two groups remained similar but attenuated. For total mortality, the risk was significant for the four groups: the non-inflammatory COPD group; the COPD with inflammation group, the CHD group, and the COPD + CHD group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not confirm that inflammatory COPD may be a CHD risk equivalent. However, due to the small size of the "inflammatory" COPD group, further prospective replication and validation is needed. Moreover, given that COPD results from inflammation, the systemic inflammation associated with COPD may have worsened comorbid conditions and may have lead to the increased total mortality found in the COPD with inflammation and COPD + CHD groups which requires further investigation.

The study design and rationale of the randomized controlled trial: translating COPD guidelines into primary care practice.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive, debilitating disease associated with significant clinical burden and is estimated to affect 15 million individuals in the US. Although a large number of individuals are diagnosed with COPD, many individuals still remain undiagnosed due to the slow progression of the disorder and lack of recognition of early symptoms. Not only is there under-diagnosis but there is also evidence of sub-optimal evidence-based treatment of those who have COPD. Despite the development of international COPD guidelines, many primary care physicians who care for the majority of patients with COPD are not translating this evidence into effective clinical practice. METHOD/DESIGN: This paper describes the design and rationale for a randomized, cluster design trial (RCT) aimed at translating the COPD evidence-based guidelines into clinical care in primary care practices. During Phase 1, a needs assessment evaluated barriers and facilitators to implementation of COPD guidelines into clinical practice through focus groups of primary care patients and providers. Using formative evaluation and feedback from focus groups, three tools were developed. These include a computerized patient activation tool (an interactive iPad with wireless data transfer to the spirometer); a web-based COPD guideline tool to be used by primary care providers as a decision support tool; and a COPD patient education toolkit to be used by the practice team. During phase II, an RCT will be performed with one year of intervention within 30 primary care practices. The effectiveness of the materials developed in Phase I are being tested in Phase II regarding physician performance of COPD guideline implementation and the improvement in the clinically relevant outcomes (appropriate diagnosis and management of COPD) compared to usual care. We will also examine the use of a patient activation tool - 'MyLungAge' - to prompt patients at risk for or who have COPD to request spirometry confirmation and to request support for smoking cessation if a smoker. DISCUSSION: Using a multi-modal intervention of patient activation and a technology-supported health care provider team, we are testing the effectiveness of this intervention in activating patients and improving physician performance around COPD guideline implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01237561.

Motivational interviewing telephone counseling to increase postpartum maintenance of abstinence from tobacco.

Although many women quit smoking while pregnant, rates of relapse after delivery are high. We examined the effectiveness of motivational interviewing (MI) in maintaining postpartum abstinence from smoking among pregnant women who recently quit smoking (N = 382), randomized to receive five brief MI phone counseling calls or to a prenatal and postpartum care as usual control condition. Relapse to smoking was assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum based on self-report and urine cotinine. Cox regressions compared conditions on relapse outcomes and hazard ratio of total number of MI calls was examined to probe dose-response effects. Results revealed no difference in the hazard ratio of relapse between treatment condition and no dose-response effect of total number of MI calls. Phone counseling in the prenatal and postpartum period did not facilitate maintenance of abstinence among new mothers. Considerations for future intervention development studies on relapse prevention during the postpartum period are discussed.

Translating cholesterol guidelines into primary care practice: a multimodal cluster randomized trial.

PURPOSE We wanted to determine whether an intervention based on patient activation and a physician decision support tool was more effective than usual care for improving adherence to National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines. METHODS A 1-year cluster randomized controlled trial was performed using 30 primary care practices (4,105 patients) in southeastern New England. The main outcome was the percentage of patients screened for hyperlipidemia and treated to their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol goals. RESULTS After 1 year of intervention, both randomized practice groups improved screening (89% screened), and 74% of patients in both groups were at their LDL and non-HDL cholesterol goals (P <.001). Using intent-to-treat analysis, we found no statistically significant differences between practice groups in screening or percentage of patients who achieved LDL and non-HDL cholesterol goals. Post hoc analysis showed practices who made high use of the patient activation kiosk were more likely to have patients screened (odds ratio [OR] = 2.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.97-3.27) compared with those who made infrequent or no use. Additionally, physicians who made high use of decision support tools were more likely to have their patients at their LDL cholesterol goals (OR = 1.27; 95% CI, 1.07-1.50) and non-HDL goals (OR = 1.23; 95% CI, 1.04-1.46) than low-use or no-use physicians. CONCLUSION This study showed null results with the intent-to-treat analysis regarding the benefits of a patient activation and a decision support tool in improving cholesterol management in primary care practices. Post hoc analysis showed a potential benefit in practices that used the e-health tools more frequently in screening and management of dyslipidemia. Further research on how to incorporate and increase adoption of user-friendly, patient-centered e-health tools to improve screening and management of chronic diseases and their risk factors is warranted.

Differences in cardiovascular disease risk factor management in primary care by sex of physician and patient.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors based upon the sex of the patient and physician and their interaction in primary care practice. METHODS: We evaluated CVD risk factor management in 4,195 patients cared for by 39 male and 16 female primary care physicians in 30 practices in southeastern New England. RESULTS: Many of the sex-based differences in CVD risk factor management on crude analysis are lost once adjusted for confounding factors found at the level of the patient, physician, and practice. In multilevel adjusted analyses, styles of CVD risk factor management differed by the sex of the physician, with more female physicians documenting diet and weight loss counseling for hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-4.40) and obesity (OR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.30-3.51) and more physical activity counseling for obesity (OR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.30-3.18) and diabetes (OR = 6.55; 95% CI, 2.01-21.33). Diabetes management differed by the sex of the patient, with fewer women receiving glucose-lowering medications (OR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.25-0.94), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy (OR = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.72), and aspirin prophylaxis (OR = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.15-0.58). CONCLUSION: Quality of care as measured by patients meeting CVD risk factors treatment goals was similar regardless of the sex of the patient or physician. Selected differences were found in the style of CVD risk factor management by sex of physician and patient.

Using e-health to improve cholesterol management in primary care practice.

While e-health tools have been designed for patient/consumer empowerment and for decision support focusing on healthcare providers, they have had only modest success in primary care settings. Creating complementary e-health tools that provide patient activation and decision support for a common clinical problem such as hyperlipidemia using a behaviorally oriented risk communication strategy has not been previously described. This paper presents the details regarding the development of two complementary software programs: HeartAge, an interactive risk communication program focusing on patient activation placed on a laptop computer in the doctor's waiting room, and a PDA-based, clinical decision support program for lipid management utilizing algorithms recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program. The efficacy of these programs in improving cholesterol management in five primary care practices is described.

Relation of Pregnancy Loss to Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Parous Postmenopausal Women (From the Women's Health Initiative).

Women with history of pregnancy loss (PL) have higher burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life, yet it is unclear whether this is attributable to an association with established CVD risk factors (RFs). We examined whether PL is associated with CVD RFs and biomarkers in parous postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative, and whether the association between PL and CVD RFs accounted for the association between PL and incident CVD. Linear and logistic regressions were used to estimate associations between baseline history of PL and CVD RFs. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the associations between baseline history of PL and incident CVD after adjustment for baseline RFs. Of 79,121 women, 27,272 (35%) had experienced PL. History of PL was associated with higher body mass index (p < 0.0001), hypertension (p < 0.0001), diabetes (p = 0.003), depression (p < 0.0001), and lower income (p < 0.0001), physical activity (p = 0.01), poorer diet (p < 0.0001), smoking (p < 0.0001), and alcohol use (p < 0.0001). After adjustment for CVD RFs, PL was significantly associated with incident CVD over mean follow up of 16 years (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.16). In conclusion, several CVD RFs are associated with PL, but they do not entirely account for the association between PL and incident CVD.

Physicians' perceptions of barriers and facilitators regarding adoption of the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines.

Despite the impact of high-visibility evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, physician adherence to guidelines remains low. This study explored primary care physicians' perceptions of barriers and facilitators in following the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines. The authors conducted 9 focus groups and performed qualitative content analysis utilizing immersion-crystallization processes, codebooks, and qualitative coding software. Key barriers to implementing guidelines included the complexity and transience of existing cholesterol guidelines as well as perceived threats to multidimensional care of the patient that unifocal single-decision guidelines may create. Key facilitators included growing patient awareness regarding cholesterol, patients' willingness to take cholesterol medication, and technological breakthroughs. These findings have helped identify factors that prevent or enhance the adoption of cholesterol guidelines. While factors considered to be facilitators are significant, barriers may be sufficient to limit adherence. Opportunities may exist for improving adherence to cholesterol guidelines by providing training to providers and developing structural support through patient-physician activation tools.

Self-Reported Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Avoidance Compared with Cotinine Confirmed Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Pregnant Women and Their Infants.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) presents substantial health risks for pregnant women and newborn infants. Measurements of ETS include invasive and expensive biochemical tests, as well as less invasive and lower-cost, self-reported exposure and avoidance measures. Better understanding of self-report measures will help to select ETS assessments for evaluation. METHODS: This analysis was conducted within the context of a tailored video intervention to reduce tobacco smoking and ETS exposure during pregnancy and after delivery in the control group sample of 147 nonsmoking women. Measurements of salivary cotinine concentration, self-reported ETS exposure, and avoidance behaviors were captured at 32 weeks’ gestation and 6 months postpartum. RESULTS: Salivary cotinine concentration was significantly related to ETS avoidance among pregnant nonsmokers at 32 weeks’ gestation, but not ETS exposure. At 6 months postpartum, both the reported ETS exposure of the infant and maternal avoidance behaviors to reduce her infant’s exposure were associated with the infant’s salivary cotinine concentration. At 32 weeks’ gestation and 6 months postpartum, avoidance behaviors decreased as exposure increased. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that for nonsmoking women during pregnancy, reports of tobacco smoke avoidance are more valid than reports of exposure. After delivery, self-reported ETS exposure or avoidance are associated with each other and the biochemical measurement of salivary cotinine. These results provide researchers and clinicians with evidence to support the inclusion of avoidance behaviors in the selection of ETS measures.

What matters in patient-centered medical home transformation: Whole system evaluation outcomes of the Brown Primary Care Transformation Initiative.

OBJECTIVES: Patient-centered medical home transformation initiatives for enhancing team-based, patient-centered primary care are widespread in the United States. However, there remain large gaps in our understanding of these efforts. This article reports findings from a contextual, whole system evaluation study of a transformation intervention at eight primary care teaching practice sites in Rhode Island. It provides a picture of system changes from the perspective of providers, staff, and patients in these practices. METHODS: Quantitative/qualitative evaluation methods include patient, provider, and staff surveys and qualitative interviews; practice observations; and focus groups with the intervention facilitation team. RESULTS: Patient satisfaction in the practices was high. Patients could describe observable elements of patient-centered medical home functioning, but they lacked explicit awareness of the patient-centered medical home model, and their activation decreased over time. Providers' and staff's emotional exhaustion and depersonalization increased slightly over the course of the intervention from baseline to follow-up, and personal accomplishment decreased slightly. Providers and staff expressed appreciation for the patient-centered medical home as an ideal model, variously implemented some important patient-centered medical home components, increased their understanding of patient-centered medical home as more than specific isolated parts, and recognized their evolving work roles in the medical home. However, frustration with implementation barriers and the added work burden they associated with patient-centered medical home persisted. CONCLUSION: Patient-centered medical home transformation is disruptive to practices, requiring enduring commitment of leadership and personnel at every level, yet the model continues to hold out promise for improved delivery of patient-centered primary care.

A tailored video intervention to reduce smoking and environmental tobacco exposure during and after pregnancy: Rationale, design and methods of Baby's Breath.

Low-cost interventions to decrease environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure of pregnant women and their newborns are needed to lower health risks of exposed fetuses and infants. Baby's Breath is a tailored video intervention developed and tested in a randomized controlled trial. The study aimed to test the efficacy of tailored video versus usual care approaches to reduce the ETS exposure of fetuses of low-income women during and after pregnancy; and to assess this intervention separately among non-smoking and smoking women. Participating women, recruited early in pregnancy, who spoke English, were at least 18years old, smoke exposed (current smokers, quit smoking on their own, or were exposed to smoke of others), pregnant with only one baby, and had access to a telephone and video player, were randomized to experimental or control conditions. Intervention participants received newsletters containing content aimed at smoking cessation and avoidance (5 during and 3 after pregnancy), in addition to videos (3 during and 2 after pregnancy) individually tailored on behavioral theory-based survey questions. Comparison participants received newsletters and videos on healthy pregnancy topics. Outcomes included salivary cotinine of both mother and baby (32weeks gestation and 6months postpartum) as well as self-reported ETS exposure and avoidance behaviors. This study may demonstrate the efficacy of a low-cost intervention to decrease ETS exposure, and will fill an important gap in describing the utility of this innovative intervention technology, as well as demonstration of potential benefits to this type of intervention.

Reproductive history and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in postmenopausal women: findings from the Women's Health Initiative.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to understand the association between women's reproductive history and their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that characteristics signifying lower cumulative endogenous estrogen exposure would be associated with increased risk. METHODS: Prospective cohort analysis of 124,379 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI). We determined age of menarche and final menstrual period, and history of irregular menses from questionnaires at baseline, and calculated reproductive length from age of menarche and final menstrual period. Presence of new onset type 2 diabetes was from self-report. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed associations between reproductive variables and incidence of type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: In age-adjusted models, women with the shortest (<30 y) reproductive periods had a 37% (95% CI, 30-45) greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than women with medium-length reproductive periods (36-40 y). Women with the longest (45+ y) reproductive periods had a 23% (95% CI, 12-37) higher risk than women with medium-length periods. These associations were attenuated after full adjustment (HR 1.07 [1.01, 1.14] for shortest and HR 1.09 [0.99, 1.22] for longest, compared with medium duration). Those with a final menstrual period before age 45 and after age 55 had an increased risk of diabetes (HR 1.04; 95% CI, 0.99-1.09 and HR 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14, respectively) compared to those with age of final menstrual period between 46 and 55 years. Timing of menarche and cycle regularity was not associated with risk after full adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Reproductive history may be associated with type 2 diabetes risk. Women with shorter and longer reproductive periods may benefit from lifestyle counseling to prevent type 2 diabetes.

Patients' perceptions of cholesterol, cardiovascular disease risk, and risk communication strategies.

PURPOSE: Despite some recent improvement in knowledge about cholesterol in the United States, patient adherence to cholesterol treatment recommendations remains suboptimal. We undertook a qualitative study that explored patients' perceptions of cholesterol and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and their reactions to 3 strategies for communicating CVD risk. METHODS: We conducted 7 focus groups in New England using open-ended questions and visual risk communication prompts. The multidisciplinary study team performed qualitative content analysis through immersion/crystallization processes and analyzing coded reports using NVivo qualitative coding software. RESULTS: All participants were aware that "high cholesterol" levels adversely affect health. Many had, however, inadequate knowledge about hypercholesterolemia and CVD risk, and few knew their cholesterol numbers. Many assumed they had been tested and their cholesterol concentrations were healthy, even if their physicians had not mentioned it. Standard visual representations showing statistical probabilities of risk were assessed as confusing and uninspiring. A strategy that provides a cardiovascular risk-adjusted age was evaluated as clear, memorable, relevant, and potentially capable of motivating people to make healthful changes. A few participants in each focus group were concerned that a cardiovascular risk-adjusted age that was greater than chronological age would frighten patients. CONCLUSIONS: Complex explanations about cholesterol and CVD risk appear to be insufficient for motivating behavior change. A cardiovascular risk-adjusted age calculator is one strategy that may engage patients in recognizing their CVD risk and, when accompanied by information about risk reduction, may be helpful in communicating risk to patients.

Goals and Plans of Incarcerated Men Postrelease.

Prior research has not examined the self-identified goals and plans of incarcerated people as they approach release from prison. This study analyzed the goals and plans generated during a motivational interviewing counseling session of incarcerated men who participated in a randomized controlled trial of a smoking abstinence intervention in a tobacco-free prison in the northeastern United States. Using thematic analysis, 53 written goals and plans were independently coded by trained research assistants to identify major themes that included (1) staying smoke-free or reducing the number of cigarettes smoked postrelease, (2) engaging in physical activities to improve health and wellness, and (3) spending time with family and/or friends. Implications for working with inmates to identify their plans and goals to remain smoke-free after incarceration are discussed.