Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Regional Variation In Ascaris Lumbricoides And Trichuris Trichiura Infections By Age Cohort And Sex: Effects Of Market Integration Among The Indigenous Shuar Of Amazonian Ecuador, Theresa E. Gildner, Tara J. Cepon-Robins, Melissa A. Liebert, Samuel S. Urlacher, Felicia C. Madimenos, J. Josh Snodgross, Lawrence S. Sugiyama

Publications and Research

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection peaks during childhood and varies by sex. The impact of market integration (MI) (increasing production for and consumption from a market-based economy) on these infection patterns, however, is unclear. In this study, STH infection is examined by sex and age among indigenous Shuar inhabiting two regions of Amazonian Ecuador: (1) the modestly market-integrated Upano Valley (UV) and (2) the more traditional Cross-Cutucú (CC) region.

Methods: Kato-Katz fecal smears were examined for parasite presence and infection intensity. Factorial ANOVAs and post hoc simple effects analyses were performed by sex to compare infection intensity between regions and …

The Specificity Of Mental Pain In Borderline Personality Disorder Compared To Depressive Disorders And Healthy Controls, Eric A. Fertuck, Esen Karan, Barbara Stanley

Publications and Research

Background: Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) may experience a qualitatively distinct depression which includes “mental pain.” Mental pain includes chronic, aversive emotions, negative self-concept, and a sense of pervasive helplessness. The present study investigated whether mental pain is elevated in BPD compared to Depressive Disorders (DD) without BPD.

Methods: The Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP) was administered to BPD (N = 57), DD (N = 22), and healthy controls (N = 31). The OMMP assesses total mental pain, comprised of nine subtypes: irreversibility, loss of control, narcissistic wounds, emotional flooding, freezing, self-estrangement, confusion, social distancing, and emptiness. …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Videoconferencing Smoking Cessation Intervention For Korean American Women: Preliminary Findings, Sun S. Kim, Somporn Sitthisongkram, Kunsook Bernstein, Hua Fang, Won S. Choi, Douglas Ziedonis

Publications and Research

Introduction: Korean women are reluctant to pursue in-person smoking cessation treatment due to stigma attached to women smokers and prefer treatment such as telephone and online smoking cessation programs that they can access secretively at home. However, there is some evidence that face-to-face interaction is the most helpful intervention component for them to quit smoking.

Methods: This study is a pilot clinical trial that examined the acceptability and feasibility of a videoconferencing smoking cessation intervention for Korean American women and compared its preliminary efficacy with a telephone-based intervention. Women of Korean ethnicity were recruited nationwide in the United States and …

Within-Person Associations Between Daily Motivation And Self-Efficacy And Drinking Among Problem Drinkers In Treatment, Jon Morgenstern, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Frederick Muench, Sijing Shao, Hayley Treloar Padovano

Publications and Research

Gaining a better understanding of the change process holds promise to improve alcohol treatment. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) coupled with intensive longitudinal data (ILD) approaches have been proposed as promising methods that can advance change process research but have been used infrequently in AUD treatment research. The current study used these approaches to examine the within-person associations of motivation and self-efficacy and drinking among treatment seeking problem drinkers. Participants (N=96) received daily EMA surveys before, during, and after treatment for seven weeks spread over a nine month period. Multi-level modeling was used to test the within-person relationships between the change …

Hot And Cold Executive Functions In Pure Opioid Users Undergoing Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Effects Of Methadone Dose, Treatment Duration, And Time Between Last Methadone Administration And Testing, Usha Barahmand, E. Tavakolian, A. Khazaee, K. Mohammadi

Publications and Research

Context: Methadone maintenance is a standard treatment for opiate‑dependent individuals. However, deficits in cognitive functioning have been associated with this treatment.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the dose and treatment duration‑related effects of methadone on executive functions.

Setting and Design: Pure male opioid users with no considerable history of other drug abuse, undergoing methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) were recruited from a major government‑run de‑addiction center.

Methods: Hot executive functions including decision‑making and emotion recognition were assessed using the Iowa gambling task and Ekman faces test, whereas cold executive functions including working memory (WM), cognitive flexibility, and response inhibition were …