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Biomedical subjects

Stephanie Booth-Kewley

Publications and source records attributed to Stephanie Booth-Kewley.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Predictors of psychiatric hospitalization in the Navy.

Mental disorders represent an important source of morbidity among U.S. military personnel and are a common reason for early separation from the military. The objective of this study was to identify factors predictive of hospitalization for mental health disorders in a large sample of enlisted Navy personnel. Demographic variables and a variety of psychosocial variables assessed on the Sailors' Health Inventory Program questionnaire were studied as predictors of psychiatric hospitalization. Three psychiatric categories were examined: adjustment reaction, personality disorder, and all other mental health disorders. Several variables were significantly predictive of all three categories of psychiatric hospitalization: female gender, low education level, history of abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual), and tobacco smoking. The results of this study support efforts to develop better psychological screening methods and potential interventions aimed at helping recruits adapt to military life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

A behavioral intervention to prevent sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus in a Marine Corps sample.

Research evaluating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) behavioral interventions among U.S. military personnel has been lacking. In this study, a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was implemented in a sample of Marine security guards. Participants were assessed before and after a three-session intervention on a measure of STDs/HIV knowledge and a number of psychosocial scales. The results indicated that STDs/HIV knowledge was significantly greater after the intervention. Significant pre-test vs. post-test differences were also found on the Social Norms, Behavioral Intentions, Attitudes toward Condoms, and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control scales. On Social Norms and Behavioral Intentions, the differences were as expected: subjects perceived greater social norms supporting condom use and had stronger intentions to practice safe sex after the intervention than they had before. On Attitudes toward Condoms and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control, the differences were not in the expected direction. Psychosocial factors associated with self-reported condom use were also identified.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Effectiveness of two versions of a sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus prevention program.

Little is known about the comparative effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that differ in duration but contain similar content. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two versions (6 hours vs. 3 hours) of a behavioral intervention called the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) in a sample of Marines. Marines were exposed to either a 6-hour or a 3-hour version of SHIP. Comparisons of pre-test and post-test knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intention scores revealed similar results for both versions. For both versions of the intervention, scores on sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge were significantly higher after the intervention. Both the 6-hour and the 3-hour versions of SHIP also led to significant increases on scales measuring social norms and behavioral intentions. The two versions of SHIP appeared to be of comparable effectiveness for producing short-term changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Female↗
PubMed2002

Predictors of Navy attrition. I. Analysis of 1-year attrition.

First-term attrition, defined as failing to complete the contracted first enlistment term, is one of the most serious and costly problems faced by the U.S. Navy. This study was an investigation of 1-year Navy attrition in relation to demographic factors and variables assessed by the Sailors' Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire, a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. Overall attrition, as well as specific categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral, and administrative), were studied. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits whose status (retention vs. attrition) could be tracked to the 1-year mark. The strongest predictors of overall attrition were educational level, self-reported history of shortness of breath, ever being suspended or expelled from school, history of depression/excessive worry, fainting or dizziness, and recurrent back pain. Many other medical and psychosocial items from SHIP were also predictive of attrition. Similar factors were associated with different categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral). The implications of these findings for attrition reduction strategies are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Predictors of Navy attrition. II. A demonstration of potential usefulness for screening.

The Sailors Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire is a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. This study was an investigation of the potential usefulness of the SHIP questionnaire for screening to reduce basic training attrition. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits. Although the most valid individual SHIP items for predicting attrition tended to be psychological or behavioral in nature, a composite of 40 diverse SHIP questions (including medical questions) was found to be the best overall attrition predictor. Further analyses revealed that the 40-item composite is a considerably more powerful attrition predictor than is either educational credential or mental ability score, which together are currently the U.S. military's primary attrition management tools. Finally, the consequences of using different cutoff scores on the 40-item composite were simulated so that various hypothetical screening strategies could be considered.

Adult↗