Applicants' perspectives on applying for psychology licensure: experiences, problems and recommendations.

This study explores problems associated with the psychology licensure process from the perspective of licensure applicants. Respondents (n = 218) participated in a survey about the licensure process, problems encountered, and the effect of licensure delays. Problems included adverse effects for applicants, consumers, and hiring organizations. Half of the participants perceived delays in acquiring their licenses. Problems associated with delayed licensure included financial burdens, barriers to professional development, and emotional effects. Delays affected eligibility for third-party payer networks and delayed access to services by various consumers, including underserved populations. Delays also adversely affected employers and colleagues as well as applicants' perceptions of boards. The authors provide recommendations for promoting boards' efficiency to improve licensing boards' applicant review processes, as well as enhanced training of students in the requirements for licensure and the application process.

Disparities in Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Literacy and Vaccine Completion Among Asian American Pacific Islander Undergraduates: Implications for Cancer Health Equity.

PURPOSE: Low rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women need to be addressed, particularly given the high incidence of cervical cancer in this population. The current study aims to investigate predictors of HPV vaccination in young AAPI and non-Latina white (NLW) women. METHODS: A secondary data analysis was conducted of a health survey administered to college-aged women (N = 2,270) at a large public university in the Midwest. Andersen's behavioral model of health services utilization guided the study theoretically, and hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate research aim. RESULTS: NLW women had a significantly higher rate of vaccine completion than AAPI women (NLW = 60.7%; AAPI = 38.6%). NLW women also scored higher on all 5 measures of HPV vaccine literacy than AAPI women. Both groups of undergraduate women reported that increasing age, knowledge about HPV, greater use of gynecological services, and knowing someone who had cancer were significant factors related to HPV vaccination completion. In the NLW group, father's income was also found to be a predictor of HPV vaccination completion. CONCLUSIONS: Rate and predictors of HPV vaccination completion vary between NLW and AAPI women. Greater promotion of HPV literacy and gynecological service use should be made to young AAPI women to increase their HPV uptake. Further research should examine sociocultural factors that could hinder or promote HPV vaccination in young AAPI women.

Adolescent consumption of sports and energy drinks: linkages to higher physical activity, unhealthy beverage patterns, cigarette smoking, and screen media use.

OBJECTIVE: To examine patterns of adolescent sports and energy drink (SED) consumption and identify behavioral correlates. DESIGN: Data were drawn from Eating and Activity in Teens, a population-based study. SETTING: Adolescents from 20 middle and high schools in Minneapolis/St Paul, MN completed classroom-administered surveys. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2,793 adolescents (53.2% girls) in grades 6-12. VARIABLES MEASURED: Beverage patterns; breakfast frequency; moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA); media use; sleep; and cigarette smoking. ANALYSIS: Linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between health behaviors and SED consumption, adjusting for demographics. RESULTS: Over a third of adolescents consumed sports drinks and 14.7% consumed energy drinks at least once a week. Among boys and girls, both sports and energy drink consumption were related to higher video game use; sugar-sweetened beverage and fruit juice intake; and smoking (P < .05). Sports drink consumption was also significantly related to higher MVPA and organized sport participation for both genders (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Although sports drink consumption was associated with higher MVPA, adolescents should be reminded of recommendations to consume these beverages only after vigorous, prolonged activity. There is also a need for future interventions designed to reduce SED consumption, to address the clustering of unhealthy behaviors.