PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Neil W Boris

Publications and source records attributed to Neil W Boris.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Psychosocial predictors of being an underweight infant differ by racial group: a prospective study of Louisiana WIC program participants.

OBJECTIVES: In order to prospectively identify psychosocial predictors of infants being underweight, we followed 3,302 low-income infants. These infants received well-baby care in health departments and were enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Supplemental Food Program from the newborn period to 12 months of age. METHODS: We linked risk factor data collected from newborn medical history records to anthropometric data from a WIC database. The unadjusted relative risk of being underweight at 12 months of age, defined as weight for recumbent length below the 5th percentile, according to current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts, for each group was calculated for the study population and for black and white racial groups. Using logistic regression, we calculated odds ratios measuring the effect of the newborn risk factors on underweight status at 12 months of age. RESULTS: There were no psychosocial risk factors that were significantly associated with being underweight simultaneously in both racial groups. Among black infants, those whose mothers had an eighth grade education or lower were at greater risk of being underweight at 12 months of age (OR=3.7, CI=1.5-4.8), as were those whose mothers were married (OR=2.7, CI=1.5-4.8). Among white infants, those whose mothers initiated prenatal care in the third trimester were significantly more likely to have underweight infants at 12 months of age (OR=4.5, CI=1.6-12.4). CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of being underweight at 12 months of age in a low-income population differ by racial group. Further research of public health interventions targeting families of infants with the significant psychosocial risk factors is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Youth tobacco access restrictions: Time to shift resources to other interventions?

There is limited data to guide policy makers as to whether youth tobacco access restriction is an effective strategy. Analysis of the limited data on youth access restriction suggests that (a) scalable models for access restriction are lacking, (b) enforcement of access restriction would be cost prohibitive, (c) the leaky commercial supply of cigarettes combined with the capacity of youth to tap into a "social supply" of cigarettes would hamper all but the most rigorously enforced efforts to restrict access to tobacco, and (d) access restriction may paradoxically increase allure of cigarettes for some youth. Although youth tobacco access restriction does not face strong political or industry opposition, the authors' analysis reveals that youth tobacco access restriction is likely to remain a failed strategy to control tobacco use in the United States.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Reactive attachment disorder in maltreated twins follow-up: from 18 months to 8 years.

The best means for the diagnosis and treatment of reactive attachment disorder of infancy and early childhood have not been established. Though some longitudinal data on institutionalized children is available, reports of maltreated young children who are followed over time and assessed with measures of attachment are lacking. This paper presents the clinical course of a set of maltreated fraternal twins who were assessed and treated from 19 months to 30 months of age and then seen in follow-up at 3 and 8 years of age. A summary of the early assessment and course is provided and findings from follow-up assessments of the cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal functioning of each child is analysed. Follow-up measures, chosen to capture social-cognitive processing of these children from an attachment perspective, are highlighted. Finally, findings from the case are discussed from nosological and theoretical perspectives.

Adoption↗
PubMed2005

Preventing post-traumatic stress disorder after mass exposure to violence.

Bioterrorism preparedness plans must take into account the psychosocial consequences of exposure to mass violence. If possible, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is associated with significant morbidity and cost, should be prevented. There are, however, no effective interventions that have been scaled up to prevent PTSD following mass exposure to violence. In fact, randomized controlled trials of the most commonly used preventive intervention, psychological debriefing, suggest no efficacy, or even potential harm. Fortunately, randomized controlled trials of cognitive behavioral therapy--that is, targeting individuals who are symptomatic in the weeks after trauma--reveal significant efficacy. Given the potential for repeated mass violence exposure, public health professionals need to refine methods for screening and tracking large numbers of casualties. At the same time, the use of telephone and internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy protocols should be further tested as strategies for bringing the only effective early intervention for PTSD to scale. Research on preventive pharmacotherapy for PTSD and on the effects of media exposure on PTSD severity is also a priority.

Humans↗
PubMed2005

Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with reactive attachment disorder of infancy and early childhood.

This parameter reviews the current status of reactive attachment disorder with regard to assessment and treatment. Attachment is a central component of social and emotional development in early childhood, and disordered attachment is defined by specific patterns of abnormal social behavior in the context of "pathogenic care." Clinically relevant subtypes include an emotionally withdrawn/inhibited pattern and a socially indiscriminate/disinhibited pattern. Assessment requires direct observation of the child in the context of his/her relationships with primary caregivers. Treatment requires establishing an attachment relationship for the child when none exists and ameliorating disturbed attachment relationships with caregivers when they are evident. Coercive treatments with children with attachment disorders are potentially dangerous and not recommended.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed2004

Prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in Turkish adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine underweight, overweight and obesity prevalence in a representative sample of adolescents living in urban and rural area of central Edirne, Turkey, and to compare the 95th percentile BMI curve to the curves of other countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data concerning the height and weight of 989 adolescents, aged between 12 and 17 years were collected. The prevalence of underweight was defined as the percentage of adolescents below the 5th percentiles of the American adolescents' age and gender specific BMI; prevalence of overweight and obesity were based on the cut off points of the International Obesity Task Force values (excess of the 85th and 95th percentiles), respectively. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among adolescent girls was 11.1%, 10.6% and 2.1%, respectively, while it was 14.4%, 11.3% and 1.6% for adolescent boys. In the urban area the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among adolescent girls was 10.0%, 10.3% and 2.1%, while it was 14.4%, 11.6% and 1.6% for boys, respectively. In the rural area; the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among adolescent girls was 15.7%, 12.4% and 2.2%, while it was 14.5%, 9.6% and 1.2% for boys, respectively. DISCUSSION: Analyses of data collected during these studies support that adolescents living in the city of Edirne carry relatively lower further risk of overweight and obesity than adolescents in other countries do.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Reactive attachment disorder in maltreated toddlers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) can be reliably identified in maltreated toddlers in foster care, if the two types of RAD are independent, and to estimate the prevalence of RAD in these maltreated toddlers. METHODS: Clinicians treating 94 maltreated toddlers in foster care were interviewed regarding signs of attachment disorder at intake in an intervention program. RESULTS: Using categorical and continuous measures, both types of RAD can be reliably identified in maltreated toddlers. Both continuous scores and categorical diagnoses indicated that a substantial minority of maltreated young children do exhibit signs of attachment disorders sufficient to meet criteria in DSM-IV and ICD-10. The two types were moderately convergent and at times co-occurred in the same child. Prevalence of RAD in this high-risk sample was 38-40%. Indiscriminate/disinhibited RAD was identified in children with and without an attachment figure. Within this maltreated group, toddlers whose mothers had a history of psychiatric disturbance were more likely to be diagnosed with attachment disorders. CONCLUSIONS: RAD may be reliably identified in maltreated toddlers. Emotionally withdrawn/inhibited and indiscriminate/disinhibited types of RAD are not entirely independent.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Profiles of the adolescent smoker: models of tobacco use among 9th grade high school students: Acadiana Coalition of Teens against Tobacco (ACTT).

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use, underreported among Louisiana youth, was examined among 9th grade students in south central Louisiana; profiles of tobacco use were developed to inform adolescent tobacco control programs. METHODS: Cross-sectional Health Habits Survey was administered to 4,808 students who were about 15 years old, predominantly white, with gender almost evenly distributed. Saliva samples were collected from 1,966 students. Analysis of a subsample resulted in good concordance between self-reported daily tobacco use and cotinine. RESULTS: About 58% of students ever smoked a cigarette, 25% had a cigarette within the previous 30 days, 17% smoked within the past 7 days and almost 8% reported smokeless tobacco use. Smokeless tobacco use was greater for males than females. Caucasians, native Americans, and Latinos were more likely to smoke than African-Americans. Social relationships associated with adolescent smoking included having a friend, parent and/or sibling who smoked, having a friend who consumed alcohol, and being around people who used alcohol for "kicks." The attitudes of nonsmokers were consistently in the positive direction relative to disapproval of tobacco and alcohol use. The profiles differed demographically between black and white students. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide the needed information for guiding health promotion and tobacco control efforts, specifically regarding black/white differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Comparing criteria for attachment disorders: establishing reliability and validity in high-risk samples.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether published subtypes of attachment disorder can be reliably identified by trained clinicians reviewing data from high-risk populations and to investigate the relationship between disorder classification and standardized measures of attachment behavior. METHOD: Twenty or more children aged 18 to 48 months and their primary caregivers were recruited from three sites: a treatment team for maltreated young children (n = 20), a homeless shelter (n = 25), and Head Start centers (n = 24). All dyads completed a semistructured clinical assessment and laboratory and home-based attachment measures. RESULTS: All but one type of attachment disorder could be identified reliably by clinician raters (kappa range = 0.62-0.74, depending on subtype). Children from the maltreatment sample were significantly more likely to meet criteria for one or more attachment disorders than children from the other groups (p <.001). As predicted, children without an attachment disorder were more likely to be classified as securely attached than those with an attachment disorder (p =.03); however, children classified as having disorganized attachment were not more likely to receive an attachment disorder diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Attachment disorders can be reliably diagnosed in young children, though research on refining disorder criteria should precede intervention trials.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2002

Partner violence among homeless young adults: measurement issues and associations.

PURPOSE: The primary goal of this study was to test the reliability of the Partner Violence Interview and examine validity by measuring differential correlates of partner violence. METHODS: Sixty young adults (30 males and 30 females) housed in an urban shelter participated in this study. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 21 years and the majority were African-American. The participants were administered two measures of partner violence exposure, one measure of community violence exposure and one measure of depression. A random selection of 30 of the participants was retested after 1 month. RESULTS: As predicted, current and past partner violence was common in this sample, with over 70% endorsing a history of physical violence. The Partner Violence Interview (PVI) had adequate retest reliability (Pearson r for two PVI scales =.7 and.85) and internal consistency (KR-20 for each scale =.78 to.93). Preliminary evidence of convergent validity was suggested by the fact that the PVI lifetime partner violence scale was significantly correlated with a physical violence scale from a second measure (the Conflict Tactics Scale; r =.596, p <.001). Violence in past relationships, as opposed to current relationships, was associated with both lifetime community violence exposure and current level of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The Partner Violence Interview is a reliable, comprehensive instrument suited to high-risk populations. Homeless young adults commonly experience severe partner violence, and preventive intervention is clearly indicated for this group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Fear of spoiling in at-risk African American mothers.

Mothers actively ascribe intention to the behavior of infants. Mothers also tailor their responses to infant behavior based on conceptions of how each response will influence later behavior. Fears of spoiling an infant may influence a mother's pattern of responsiveness. Sixty-eight at-risk African American mothers completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, empathy, developmental expectations, and beliefs about spoiling. Mothers with greater concerns about the long-term impact of spoiling reported higher levels of depression, more ways in which infants could be spoiled, and inappropriate developmental expectations when compared to mothers with fewer concerns. The pattern of findings suggests ways that fear of spoiling may influence maternal responsiveness in high-risk groups and potentially lead to disturbed mother-infant relationships.

Adolescent↗