Physical and Social Development in Children Exposed Prenatally to Download/PCP and Cocaine

Investigators: Judy Howard, Leila Beckwith, Michael Espinosa and Carol Rodning

The purpose of this study was fourfold: to compare PCP-exposed infants to a comparison group of non-drug-exposed infants as to attention regulation, social interaction, motor patterns, and cognitive development; to test the effectiveness of an intervention program in ameliorating early neurobehavioral problems by comparing the development of PCP-exposed infants whose caregivers received intervention to PCP-exposed infants without intervention; to compare the development of PCP-exposed infants reared in foster homes to PCP exposed infants reared by biological parents; and to assess the influence of multiple significant biologic and environmental factors on development. Additionally, caretaker-child interactions and attachment issues were also studied. The study is a prospective, longitudinal investigation of 46 full-term infants who had positive urine toxicology screens for phencyclidine (PCP) and other drugs at birth and 39 non-drug-exposed control infants. Infants were followed from birth to 15 months of age. This study examined fetal growth impairment, as shown by subnormal head size and/or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) (i.e., birth weight below the tenth percentile), and later behavioral development in the groups of drug-exposed and non-drug-exposed infants. In order to access the range of possible causes of poorer developmental outcome, the investigators examined 89 variables such as maternal parity, maternal nicotine and alcohol use, caregiver education, and child placement outside of the biological home.

Places (discrete settlements), 1970, 1980, 1990

Investigators: National Opinion Research Center

Typically, places are discrete settlements, usually occupying only a portion of the county in which they are located. Places may extend across county boundaries but never across state boundaries. Census places are of two types - Incorporated Places, such as cities, villages, or towns, which have legally prescribed powers and functions; and Census Designated Places, (CDPs, previously "unincorporated areas"), which are densely settled areas (at least 1,000 persons per square mile) with a locally-used distinctive name. Places are a possible substitute for "neighborhood" if tract, block numbering area, and enumeration district are unavailable. This dataset includes socio-economic and demographic data for all places in the US. The first data file consists of data from the 1970 Census, and has 6,435 cases and 217 variables. The second covers data from the 1980 Census, and includes 218 variables for 22,516 cases. The third data file covers data from the 1990 Census and includes 240 variables for 23,417 cases.

Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) I & II: A Responsive Parenting Program for Parents of Infants and Toddlers

Investigators: Susan H. Landry, PhD & Karen E. Smith, PhD

The Play and Learning Strategies (PALS) program is a home visiting intervention for parents of infants and toddlers that target aspects of a responsive parenting style shown to enhance children's cognitive and social development. The goal of the PALS program is to teach parents responsive parenting skills to support their child's social-emotional, cognitive, and language development. The parent learns specific behaviors that help her tune into her child, respond in a sensitive and contingent manner, provide appropriate cognitive and language stimulation, and manage behavior and discipline in a positive, developmentally appropriate manner. The PALS program consists of two separate curricula: the PALS I Infant curriculum and the PALS II Toddler curriculum. Family coaches deliver the intervention by visiting families on a weekly basis over the course of three months. Each session includes a discussion of the parent's practice during the preceding week; introduction of the new topic; viewing of educational videos demonstrating the skill; guided, videotaped practice using the skill with her own child; review of the videotaped practice; and planning for practice during the upcoming week. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Poder Latino: A Community AIDS Prevention Program for Inner-City Latino Youth

Investigators: Hispanic Office of Planning & Evaluation and New England Research Institutes

This multifaceted community-based intervention targets Latino youth, ages 14 to 20, at elevated risk for HIV/AIDS. One goal of the program is to increase awareness of the disease by saturating target neighborhoods with public service announcements broadcasting risk reduction messages. In addition, the program aims to reduce infection by encouraging sexually active teens to use condoms. Project messages are reinforced through ongoing activities conducted by specially-trained peer leaders, including workshops in schools, community organizations, and health centers, group discussions in teens' homes, presentations at large community centers, and door-to-door canvassing. At all activities, condoms are available, along with pamphlets explaining their correct use. In a field study of the intervention in Boston, MA, researchers compared the sexual behavior of teens in the target community and a similar, control community. At the 18-month follow-up assessment, the intervention appeared to reduce the incidence of multiple sexual partners among females and delay the onset of sexual activity among males. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Point for Point

Investigators: San Francisco AIDS Foundation HIV Prevention Project & The Prevention Point Research Group

Point for Point is a needle exchange intervention designed for implementation in street settings. Needle exchange operates on the premise that increased availability of sterile syringes can reduce the prevalence of needle-sharing among injection drug users (IDUs). Needle sharing, the use of the same syringe by more than one person, is associated with high rates of transmission of infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Point for Point relies on trained volunteers to operate exchange sites at which sterile hypodermic syringes are exchanged for used syringes on a one-for-one basis. Volunteers also distribute condoms and provide exchangers with bleach, alcohol swabs, sterile cotton, and other materials associated with safer drug-injection techniques. Point for Point was evaluated under the name Prevention Point in connection with the Urban Health Study (UHS), a long-term study of the IDU community in San Francisco, CA. Data collected through UHS surveys revealed that Point for Point quickly became the principal source of sterile syringes for San Francisco IDUs, and that IDUs who reported regular use of the needle exchange were significantly less likely to report needle-sharing than IDUs who did not use the needle exchange. Participants also reported a significant drop in the median number of daily injections, and the proportion of respondents who reported their first injection behavior in the previous year dropped significantly. An overall decline in reported needle sharing was also observed (Watters, 1996; Watters, Estillo, Clark and Lorvick, 1994). Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Portland Women's Health Program

Investigators: Brian W. Weir, MPH, Rosemary Breger, MPH, Kerth O'Brien, PhD, Carol J. Casciato, Ronda S. Bard, PhD, John A. Dougherty, PhD, Michael J. Stark, PhD

Portland Women's Health Program, a one-to-one behavioral intervention, aims to reduce HIV risk behaviors and increase life stability among women who were recently incarcerated. A community health specialist extensively trained in motivational interviewing (MI) techniques meets individually with women during 10 sessions delivered over three months. During program sessions, the health specialist uses MI techniques to empower and encourage women to explore potential positive changes they can make in their lives. The sessions are both directive, since the health specialist guides the conversation toward particular topics, and participant-centered, since the participant's experiences, views, and reluctance or readiness to change are central topics of discussion. All ten of the Portland Women's Health Program sessions address HIV-prevention in addition to life stability issues. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Prevalence and Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use in Surgical Patients, 2001

Investigators: Prasad S. Adusumilli, Leah Ben-Porat, Meriner Pereira, Daniel Roesler, & I. Michael Leitman

Despite the rapid rise in herbal medicine consumption, explicitly eliciting and documenting herbal medicine usage among surgical patients is poor. The purpose of this study was to assess the herbal medicine usage in surgical patients and the willingness of patients to reveal their herbal medicine usage to the surgical care staff. The Prevalence and Predictors of Herbal Medicine Use in Surgical Patients, 2001 was conducted at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York during a 10-week period. All eligible patients presenting for elective surgery were approached and asked to participate in the study by completing a self-administered questionnaire inquiring into the self-health perceptions, herbal medicine use, and communication of such usage to surgical health-care staff.

Prime Time: A Positive Youth Development Program

Investigators: Renee Sieving, Jenny Oliphant, Kayci Rush, Bethany Divakaran, Jill Farris, and Glynis Shea

Prime Time is an 18-month multicomponent program that seeks to reduce sexual risk behaviors, violence involvement, and school disconnection among sexually active female adolescents at increased risk for early pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The program is grounded in a Positive Youth Development framework that views young people as resources to be developed, not problems to be fixed. Prime Time aims to build adolescents’ skills and competencies, confidence, character, connections, and contributions through program activites. Prime Time consists of two core components. The first is one-on-one case management, which addresses social and emotional skills, responsible behaviors, healthy relationships, and positive involvement with family, school and the community. The second core component is a 16-session peer educator program called Just In Time, which addresses communication, stress management and conflict resolution skills, responsible sexual behaviors, sexual decision-making, and contraceptive use. Through a combination of case management and the peer educator program, Prime Time targets outcomes including fewer sexual partners; consistent condom and hormonal contraceptive use; reduced interpersonal aggression and violence; and reduced school misbehavior and dropout. An evaluation of Prime Time showed that receiving the intervention increased abstinence, as well as more consistent use of condoms, hormonal contraception, and dual-method contraception. Intervention participants also reported improvements in family connectedness and self-efficacy to refuse unwanted sex, and reductions in the perceived importance of having sex. Click here to view more detailed information on this program.

Profile of Child Care Settings: Center-Based Programs, 1990

Investigators: Ellen Eliason Kisker and Valarie Piper

The Profile of Child Care Settings Study was conducted for the U.S. Department of Education with the primary objective of determining the levels and characteristics of early education and care that are available in the United States. Telephone interviews were conducted with nationally representative samples of regulated home-based family day care providers and center-based early education and care programs between October, 1989 and February, 1990 using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) methods. This survey of center-based early education and care programs collected extensive data on a number of topics including general characteristics, admission policies and vacancies, types of children served, subsidies, staff, curriculum and activities, meals, health and safety, and operating experiences.

Profile of Child Care Settings: Home-Based Programs, 1990

Investigators: Ellen Eliason Kisker and Valarie Piper

The Profile of Child Care Settings Study was conducted for the U.S. Department of Education with the primary objective of determining the levels and characteristics of early education and care that are available in the United States. Telephone interviews were conducted with nationally representative samples of regulated home-based family day care providers and center-based early education and care programs between October, 1989 and February, 1990 using computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) methods. The survey of home-based family care programs collected extensive data on a number of topics including care provided, children's activities, costs and income, help with child care, health and safety, and caregiver characteristics.