Youth Assets, Neighborhood Factors, Parental Income, and Tobacco Use: A Longitudinal Study of Health Disparities.

This study aimed to assess how the relationship between youth assets and future no-tobacco use among youth might differ according to race/ethnicity, neighborhood factors and socio-economic status. Five waves of annual data were collected from 1111 youth/parent pairs living in Oklahoma, USA who were randomly selected to participate in the Youth Asset Study (YAS). A marginal logistic regression model using all five waves of no-tobacco use, demographics, and their interaction was used to compare the change in tobacco use over time. Among 1111 youth, (Mean age = 14.3; 53% female; 39% White, 28% Hispanic, 24% Black, and 9% other), the percentage of youth tobacco use increased significantly from baseline to wave 5 (4 years after baseline) for all racial/ethnic groups and all parental income groups. Assets were prospectively associated with no tobacco use in the past 30 days for Black, White and Hispanic youth and for youth in all income categories (adjusted odds ratio range = 1.9-2.7). There was one statistically significant association between the neighborhood environment and future no tobacco use. To conclude, the protective effects of youth assets in terms of prevention of tobacco use among youth do not differ by youth race/ethnicity or parental income in the presence of neighborhood environmental factors.

Demographic Factors Predict Disparities in Number of Assets Youth Possess.

OBJECTIVES: This study's purpose was to determine if youth race/ethnicity, youth age and sex, parent income and education, household wealth, family poverty, and family structure were prospectively associated with youth assets in a community-based sample of racially/ethnically and economically-diverse youth and their parents. METHODS: Five waves of data were collected annually (2003 to 2008) from youth (N = 1111; Mean age = 14.4 years, SD = 1.6) and their parents using in-person, computer-assisted interviewing methods. Marginal logistic regression models and generalized estimating equations were conducted to assess prospective associations between the demographic factors and the number of assets the youth possessed (more than or less than the median number of 12 assets). RESULTS: Results indicated that 1-parent families (Odds Ratio = 0.62, 95% CIs = 0.50-0.76) lower parental education, (OR = 0.67, CI = 0.48-0.95 and OR = 0.77, CI = 0.61-0.97), and youth age (OR = 0.70, CI = 0.55-0.88 and OR = 0.59, CI = 0.45-0.77) were the only demographic factors that independently, prospectively, and significantly predicted which youth would possess less than the median number of assets. CONCLUSIONS: Youth assets may be 1 mechanism that explains the negative effects of some demographic factors, particularly 1-parent families and low-parent education, on youth risk behaviors and health.

Local Learning Collaboratives to Improve Quality for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD): From Four Regional Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs).

BACKGROUND: Four practice-based research networks (PBRNs) participated in a project to increase the diffusion of evidence-based treatment guidelines for chronic kidney disease (CKD). A multicomponent organizational intervention engaged regionally proximal primary care practices in a series of facilitated meetings, referred to as local learning collaboratives (LLCs). METHODS: The 2-wave strategy began with 8 practices in each PBRN receiving practice facilitation and subsequently joining an LLC. A sequential mixed-methods design addressed the conduct, content, and fidelity of the intervention; clinicians in 2 PBRNs participated in interviews, and PBRN coordinators reflected on implementation challenges. RESULTS: LLCs were formed in 3 PBRNs, with 121 monthly meetings held across 20 LLCs. Slightly more than half of the participants were clinicians. Qualitative data suggest that clinicians increased the priority for CKD care, improved knowledge and skills, were satisfied with the project, and attempted to improve care. Implementation challenges were encountered and concerns about sustainability expressed. CONCLUSION: While PBRNs can successfully leverage resources to diffuse treatment guidelines, and LLCs are well-accepted by clinical staff, the formation of LLCs was not feasible for 1 PBRN, and others struggled to meet regularly and have performance data available despite logistic support.

Team Science Approach to Developing Consensus on Research Good Practices for Practice-Based Research Networks: A Case Study.

Using peer learning strategies, seven experienced PBRNs working in collaborative teams articulated procedures for PBRN Research Good Practices (PRGPs). The PRGPs is a PBRN-specific resource to facilitate PBRN management and staff training, to promote adherence to study protocols, and to increase validity and generalizability of study findings. This paper describes the team science processes which culminated in the PRGPs. Skilled facilitators used team science strategies and methods from the Technology of Participation (ToP®), and the Consensus Workshop Method to support teams to codify diverse research expertise in practice-based research. The participatory nature of "sense-making" moved through identifiable stages. Lessons learned include (1) team input into the scope of the final outcome proved vital to project relevance; (2) PBRNs with diverse domains of research expertise contributed broad knowledge on each topic; and (3) ToP® structured facilitation techniques were critical for establishing trust and clarifying the "sense-making" process.

Practice-based Research Network Research Good Practices (PRGPs): Summary of Recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) conduct research in community settings, which poses quality control challenges to the integrity of research, such as study implementation and data collection. A foundation for improving research processes within PBRNs is needed to ensure research integrity. METHODS: Network directors and coordinators from seven U.S.-based PBRNs worked with a professional team facilitator during semiannual in-person meetings and monthly conference calls to produce content for a compendium of recommended research practices specific to the context of PBRNs. Participants were assigned to contribute content congruent with their expertise. Feedback on the draft document was obtained from attendees at the preconference workshop at the annual PBRN meeting in 2013. A revised document was circulated to additional PBRN peers prior to finalization. RESULTS: The PBRN Research Good Practices (PRGPs) document is organized into four chapters: (1) Building PBRN Infrastructure; (2) Study Development and Implementation; (3) Data Management, and (4) Dissemination Policies. Each chapter contains an introduction, detailed procedures for each section, and example resources with information links. CONCLUSION: The PRGPs is a PBRN-specific resource to facilitate PBRN management and staff training, to promote adherence to study protocols, and to increase validity and generalizability of study findings.

Prospective association between negative life events and initiation of sexual intercourse: the influence of family structure and family income.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the prospective association between negative life events and time to initiation of sexual intercourse and the influence of family structure and family income on this association. METHODS: We followed up a randomly selected sample (n=649) of ethnically diverse parents and their children aged 12 to 17 years over a 5-year period. We conducted Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to examine the relation between negative life events and time to initiation of sexual intercourse. Family structure and family income were assessed as confounders. RESULTS: Negative life events were significant predictors of time to initiation of sexual intercourse in adolescents. After controlling for demographic variables, youths reporting 1 negative life event had a hazard of initiation of sexual intercourse 1.40 times greater and youths reporting 2 or more negative life events had a hazard of initiation of sexual intercourse 1.61 times greater compared with youths reporting no negative life events. Family structure and family income were not significant confounders of the relation between initiation of sexual intercourse and negative life events. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to prevent initiation of sexual intercourse should focus on youths with recent negative life events, regardless of family income and structure.

Prospective Associations Among Assets and Successful Transition to Early Adulthood.

Objectives. We investigated prospective associations among assets (e.g., family communication), which research has shown to protect youths from risk behavior, and successful transition to early adulthood (STEA). Methods. We included participants (n = 651) aged 18 years and older at study wave 5 (2007-2008) of the Youth Asset Study, in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, metro area, in the analyses. We categorized 14 assets into individual-, family-, or community-level groups. We included asset groups assessed at wave 1 (2003-2004) in linear regression analyses to predict STEA 4 years later at wave 5. Results. Individual- and community-level assets significantly (P < .05) predicted STEA 4 years later and the associations were generally linear, indicating that the more assets participants possessed the better the STEA outcome. There was a gender interaction for family-level assets suggesting that family-level assets were significant predictors of STEA for males but not for females. Conclusions. Public health programming should focus on community- and family-level youth assets as well as individual-level youth assets to promote positive health outcomes in early adulthood.

Leveraging practice-based research networks to accelerate implementation and diffusion of chronic kidney disease guidelines in primary care practices: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Four practice-based research networks (PBRNs) participated in a study to determine whether networks could increase dissemination, implementation, and diffusion of evidence-based treatment guidelines for chronic kidney disease by leveraging early adopter practices. METHODS: Motivated practices from four PBRNs received baseline and periodic performance feedback, academic detailing, and weekly practice facilitation for 6 months during wave I of the study. Each wave I practice then recruited two additional practices (wave II), which received performance feedback and academic detailing and participated in monthly local learning collaboratives led by the wave I clinicians. They received only monthly practice facilitation. The primary outcomes were adherence to primary care-relevant process-of-care recommendations from the National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative Guidelines. Performance was determined retrospectively by medical records abstraction. Practice priority, change capacity, and care process content were measured before and after the interventions. RESULTS: Following the intervention, wave I practices increased the use of ACEIs/ARBs, discontinuation of NSAIDs, testing for anemia, and testing and/or treatment for vitamin D deficiency. Most were able to recruit two additional practices for wave II, and wave II practices also increased their use of ACEIs/ARBs and testing and/or treatment of vitamin D deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: With some assistance, early adopter practices can facilitate the diffusion of evidence-based approaches to other practices. PBRNs are well-positioned to replicate this process for other evidence-based innovations.

Prospective associations between negative life events and youth tobacco use.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prospective associations between commonly-occurring negative life events (NLEs) and adolescent tobacco use. METHODS: NLEs were examined prospectively over 4 years from 1111 adolescents (mean age = 15.17 years). Family structure and parent education were assessed as confounders. Fourteen NLEs were examined and categorized into none, one, 2, or 3 or more events. RESULTS: Prospective analyses indicated that NLEs were significantly associated with tobacco use in the following wave. NLEs assessed at each wave were significantly associated with tobacco use the next year. Family structure and parent education did not influence the relationship between tobacco use and NLEs. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions to prevent tobacco use should focus on youth with a recent history of NLEs, regardless of family education and family structure.

The influence of assets and environmental factors on gender differences in adolescent drug use.

For adolescents, illicit drug use remains a significant public health problem. This study explored prospectively the differential effects of 17 youth assets and 5 environmental factors on drug use in adolescent males and females (Youth Asset Study - a 5-wave longitudinal study of 1117 youth/parent pairs). Baseline analyses included 1093 youth (53% female). Mean age was 14.3 years (SD = 1.6) and the youth were 40% Non-Hispanic White, 28% Hispanic, 24% Non-Hispanic Black, and 9% Non-Hispanic other. Analyses revealed that 16 assets for males and 15 for females as well as the total asset score were prospectively associated with no drug use. No environmental factors were prospectively associated with any drug use for males, and for a subset of females, only Neighborhood Support was significant. This study confirms and extends previous work regarding youth drug use by recognizing the importance of the protective effect of assets for both males and females.

Implementing asthma guidelines using practice facilitation and local learning collaboratives: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Guideline implementation in primary care has proven difficult. Although external assistance through performance feedback, academic detailing, practice facilitation (PF), and learning collaboratives seems to help, the best combination of interventions has not been determined. METHODS: In a cluster randomized trial, we compared the independent and combined effectiveness of PF and local learning collaboratives (LLCs), combined with performance feedback and academic detailing, with performance feedback and academic detailing alone on implementation of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Asthma Guidelines. The study was conducted in 3 primary care practice-based research networks. Medical records of patients with asthma seen during pre- and postintervention periods were abstracted to determine adherence to 6 guideline recommendations. McNemar's test and multivariate modeling were used to evaluate the impact of the interventions. RESULTS: Across 43 practices, 1,016 patients met inclusion criteria. Overall, adherence to all 6 recommendations increased (P ≤.002). Examination of improvement by study arm in unadjusted analyses showed that practices in the control arm significantly improved adherence to 2 of 6 recommendations, whereas practices in the PF arm improved in 3, practices in the LLCs improved in 4, and practices in the PF + LLC arm improved in 5 of 6 recommendations. In multivariate modeling, PF practices significantly improved assessment of asthma severity (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5, 95% CI, 1.7-3.8) and assessment of asthma level of control (OR = 2.3, 95% CI, 1.5-3.5) compared with control practices. Practices assigned to LLCs did not improve significantly more than control practices for any recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of PF to performance feedback and academic detailing was helpful to practices attempting to improve adherence to asthma guidelines.

The predictive influence of family and neighborhood assets on fighting and weapon carrying from mid- to late adolescence.

Using a developmental, social-ecological approach to understand the etiology of health-risk behavior and inform primary prevention efforts, we assess the predictive effects of family and neighborhood social processes on youth physical fighting and weapon carrying. Specifically, we focus on relationships among youth and their parents, family communication, parental monitoring, as well as sense of community and neighborhood informal social control, support, concerns, and disorder. This study advances knowledge through its investigation of family and neighborhood structural factors and social processes together, employment of longitudinal models that estimate effects over adolescent development, and use of self-report and observational measures. Data from 1,093 youth/parent pairs were analyzed from the Youth Assets Study using a Generalized Estimating Equation approach; family and neighborhood assets and risks were analyzed as time varying and lagged. Similar family assets affected physical fighting and weapon carrying, whereas different neighborhood social processes influenced the two forms of youth violence. Study findings have implications for the primary prevention of youth violence, including the use of family-based approaches that build relationships and parental monitoring skills and community-level change approaches that promote informal social control and reduce neighborhood concerns about safety.

A longitudinal study of youth assets, neighborhood conditions, and youth sexual behaviors.

PURPOSE: To prospectively determine whether individual, family, and community assets help youth to delay initiation of sexual intercourse (ISI); and for youth who do initiate intercourse, to use birth control and avoid pregnancy. The potential influence of neighborhood conditions was also investigated. METHODS: The Youth Asset Study was a 4-year longitudinal study involving 1,089 youth (mean age = 14.2 years, standard deviation = 1.6; 53% female; 40% white, 28% Hispanic, 23% African American, 9% other race) and their parents. Participants were living in randomly selected census tracts. We accomplished recruitment via door-to-door canvassing. We interviewed one youth and one parent from each household annually. We assessed 17 youth assets (e.g., responsible choices, family communication) believed to influence behavior at multiple levels via in-person interviews methodology. Trained raters who conducted annual windshield tours assessed neighborhood conditions. RESULTS: Cox proportional hazard or marginal logistic regression modeling indicated that 11 assets (e.g., family communication, school connectedness) were significantly associated with reduced risk for ISI; seven assets (e.g., educational aspirations for the future, responsible choices) were significantly associated with increased use of birth control at last sex; and 10 assets (e.g., family communication, school connectedness) were significantly associated with reduced risk for pregnancy. Total asset score was significantly associated with all three outcomes. Positive neighborhood conditions were significantly associated with increased birth control use, but not with ISI or pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: Programming to strengthen youth assets may be a promising strategy for reducing youth sexual risk behaviors.

Interpreting the psychometric properties of the components of primary care instrument in an elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the psychometric properties of the Components of Primary Care Instrument (CPCI) in a patient population aged 65 or older. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 795 participants in the OKLAHOMA Studies, a longitudinal population-based study of predominantly Caucasian, elderly patients, completed the CPCI. Reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were done to provide psychometric properties for this elderly sample. Models were constructed and tested to determine the best fit for the data including the addition of a method factor for negatively worded items. RESULTS: Cronbach's alphas were comparable to values reported in prior studies. The confirmatory factor analysis with factor inter-correlations and a method factor each improved the fit of the factor model to the data. The combined model's fit approached the level conventionally recognized as adequate. CONCLUSION: CPCI appears to be a reliable tool for describing patient perceptions of the quality of primary care for patients over age 65.

Does patient assessment of the quality of the primary care they receive predict subsequent outcomes?: An Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network (OKPRN) study.

BACKGROUND: We analyzed data from a cohort of 782 older patients assembled in 1999 to 2000 to determine whether their baseline assessments of the quality of their primary care measured using the Components of Primary Care Index (CPCI) were associated with subsequent changes in health-related quality of life and/or survival. METHODS: Longitudinal growth curve models were used to analyze changes in Quality of Well-Being scores over an average of 2.07 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify variables associated with mortality over an average of 8.91 years (6,966 person-years). To reduce confounding by severity of illness, subjects were stratified into 3 groups based on disability and use rates. Within subgroups, we controlled for number of chronic illnesses and scores on the General Health subscale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36. We also controlled for baseline age, gender, marital status, income, body mass index, educational attainment, duration of the relationship with current primary care physician, and number of visits to the primary care physician in the year before enrollment. Analyses took into account clustering of patients within primary care physician. RESULTS: Neither total CPCI nor any CPCI subscale score was associated with Quality of Well-Being Self-administered Scale change over time or survival. CONCLUSIONS: Assuming that effective primary care results in better health-related quality of life and longer survival and that the CPCI captures important primary care attributes, older patients' level of satisfaction with the quality of their primary care may not be a good surrogate measure of effectiveness.

Impact of a Wellness Portal on the delivery of patient-centered preventive care.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the Wellness Portal--a novel, web-based patient portal that focuses on wellness, prevention, and longitudinal health--on the delivery of patient-centered preventive care by examining the behavior and experiences of both patients and primary care clinicians and the degree to which recommended services were individualized and provided. METHODS: We conducted a 3-year, systematic portal development and testing study, which included a 6-month feasibility and acceptability pilot in 2 primary care practices followed by a 12-month cluster randomized controlled trial in 8 clinician practices (4 in each study group). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted to compare service delivery between intervention and control arms. RESULTS: Ninety percent of patients in the pilot study found the portal easy to use, 83% found it to be a valuable resource, and 80% said that it facilitated their participation in their own care. The cluster randomized controlled trial included 422 adults 40 to 75 years of age and the parents of 116 children 2 to 5 years of age. Seventy three percent of patients used the portal during the study. Both patient activation (measured via the 13-item Patient Activation Measure) and participants' perception of patient-centeredness of care (measured via the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems instrument) increased significantly in the portal group compared with control (P = .0014 and P = .037, respectively). A greater proportion of portal users received all recommended preventive services (84.4% intervention vs 67.6% control; P < .0001); took low-dose aspirin, if indicated (78.6% intervention vs 52.3% control; P < .0001); and received Pneumovax because of chronic health conditions (82.5% vs 53.9%; P < .0001) and age (86.3% vs 44.6%; P < .0001), despite having fewer visits over the study period compared with those in the control group (average of 2.9 vs 4.3 visits; P < .0001). Children in the intervention group received 95.5% of all recommended immunizations compared with 87.2% in the control group (P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: A comprehensive patient portal integrated into the regular process of primary care can increase the patient-centeredness of care, improve patient activation, enhance the delivery of both age- and risk factor-appropriate preventive services, and promote the utilization of web-based personal health records.

School-related assets and youth risk behaviors: alcohol consumption and sexual activity.

BACKGROUND: Two risk behaviors, alcohol consumption and early initiation of sexual intercourse (ISI), can have devastating consequences for youth. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of school connectedness and school-related behaviors (eg, academic performance, skipping school, getting into trouble at school) with these 2 risk behaviors. METHODS: The Youth Asset Survey (YAS) was administered to 1117 youth/parent pairs in their homes using Computer-Assisted Personal/Self-Interviewing (CAPI/CASI). The YAS measures 17 youth assets and risk behaviors including alcohol consumption and sexual activity. RESULTS: The mean age of the sample was 14.3 years; 53% were female; and 70% were from 2-parent homes. Five school-related behaviors were positively associated with no ISI. Four school-related behaviors were positively associated with reporting no alcohol consumption in the past 30 days, including the School Connectedness asset (only among 12- to 13-year-olds), not skipping school (only among non-Hispanic Caucasians), staying out of trouble, and paying attention. CONCLUSIONS: School is very much a part of the lives of youth and therefore the relationship they have with their school experience is important and may influence their involvement in risk behaviors. Feeling connected to school is a positive asset that can protect youth from such risky behaviors as sexual initiation and alcohol consumption.

Parental youth assets and sexual activity: differences by race/ethnicity.

OBJECTIVES: To examine how the relationship between parental-related youth assets and youth sexual activity differed by race/ethnicity. METHODS: A random sample of 976 youth and their parents living in a Midwestern city participated in the study. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted for 3 major ethnic groups controlling for the other demographics. RESULTS: Parental monitoring had the strongest association with sexual abstinence for all 3 ethnic/racial groups. Family communication and relationship with mother were also important for white and black youth respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Parental youth assets, especially parental monitoring, can be important in the decision to delay sexual intercourse.

Does patient assessment of the quality of the primary care they receive predict subsequent outcomes? An Oklahoma Physicians Resource/Research Network (OKPRN) study.

INTRODUCTION: We analyzed data from a cohort of 782 older patients assembled in 1999 to 2000 to determine whether baseline patient assessments of the quality of the primary care services they had received, measured using the Components of Primary Care Index (CPCI), were associated with subsequent changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and/or survival. METHODS: Longitudinal growth curve models were used to analyze changes in Quality of Well-Being (QWB-SA) scores over an average (S.D.) of 2.07 (1.07) years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify variables associated with mortality over an average of 8.26 years (6460 person-years). To reduce confounding by severity of illness, subjects were stratified into disabled, nondisabled high utilizers of primary care, and nondisabled low utilizers. Within subgroups, we controlled for number of chronic illnesses and scores on the General Health subscale of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36). We also controlled for baseline age, sex, marital status, income, body mass index, educational attainment, duration of the relationship with current primary care physician (PCP), and number of visits to the PCP in the year before enrollment. Analyses took into account clustering of patients within PCP. RESULTS: Neither total CPCI nor any CPCI subscale score was associated with QWB-SA change over time. Higher ratings of Coordination of Care were associated with reduced survival in the disabled and nondisabled high utilizer subgroups (P = .007). CONCLUSIONS: Assuming that effective primary care results in better HRQoL and longer survival and that the CPCI captures important primary care attributes, older patients' level of satisfaction with the quality of their primary care may not be a good surrogate measure of effectiveness.

Associations between youth assets and sexual intercourse by household income.

PURPOSE: Evaluate youth assets or potential strengths and sexual intercourse associations by household income. DESIGN: Data consisted of youth and parent responses from randomly selected households from a cross-sectional study and wave one of a longitudinal extension of that study. Youth assets and sexual intercourse were compared for four income categories. SETTING: Midwestern racially diverse, inner-city neighborhoods. SUBJECTS: One adolescent (12-19 years) and one parent (2335 pairs). MEASURES: Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression. Variables assessed included parent and youth demographics, youth sexual intercourse, and youth assets (adult and peer role models, family communication, use of time [religion or sports], community involvement, future aspirations, responsible choices, and health practices). RESULTS: Youths' mean age was 14.9 (± 1.8) years, and 52% were female; 44% of respondents were white. Use of time (religion) was significantly associated with never having sex for all but the lowest income youth (OR range=1.79-2.64). The variable peer role models was significant for the lowest income (O =2.01) and two upper income groups (ORs=2.52 and 4.27, respectively). The variable future aspirations was significant for the lowest income youth (OR=1.77). CONCLUSION: The youth asset variable future aspirations was critical for the lowest income households. Other asset variables, such as peer role models and use of time (religion) were critical regardless of income.