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IMPORTANCE Low birth weight and preterm birth are associated with adverse consequences including increased risk of infant mortality and chronic health conditions. Black infants are more likely than white infants to be born prematurely, which has been associated with disparities in infant mortality and other chronic conditions. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether Medicaid expansion was associated with changes in rates of low birth weight and preterm birth outcomes, both overall and by race/ethnicity. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Using US population-based data from the National Center for Health Statistics Birth Data Files (2011-2016), difference-indifferences (DID) and difference-indifference in differences (DDD) models were estimated using multivariable linear probability regressions to compare birth outcomes among infants in Medicaid expansion states relative to non-Medicaid expansion states and changes in relative disparities among racial/ethnic minorities for singleton live births to women aged 19 years and older. EXPOSURES State Medicaid expansion status and racial/ethnic category. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation), very preterm birth (<32 weeks' gestation), low birth weight (<2500 g), and very low birth weight (<1500 g). RESULTS The final sample of 15 631 174 births (white infants: 8 244 924, black infants: 2 201 658, and Hispanic infants: 3 944 665) came from the District of Columbia and 18 states that expanded Medicaid (n = 8 530 751) and 17 states that did not (n = 7 100 423). In the DID analyses, there were no significant changes in preterm birth in expansion relative to nonexpansion states (preexpansion to postexpansion period, 6.80% to 6.

Introductory psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate courses and often serves as the gateway to choosing psychology as an academic major. However, little research has examined the typical structure of introductory psychology courses. The current study examined student learning objectives (SLOs) and course content in introductory psychology syllabi (N ¼ 158). SLOs were mapped to the APA Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major. Content analysis was based on the principles for quality undergraduate education promulgated by the American Psychological Association. Over 50% of the syllabi contained objectives specific to the science and application of psychology (knowledge base, research methods, and application). Analysis of content coverage revealed instructors spent significantly more time on topics related to physiological and cognitive psychology and spent significantly less time on topics related to the history and scope of psychology, research methods, and developmental psychology. The current study also explored the influence of instructor specialty area on content coverage.

The Impostor Phenomenon (IP) is marked by an individual's persistent perception of incompetency despite contrary evidence. The presence of IP has been found to negatively affect many college students, but literature on IP among African American college students, specifically, is limited. Previous literature has emphasized a positive association between racial identity and self-esteem for African Americans, and an inverse association between selfesteem and IP among non-African American samples. However, few studies have examined these variables in African American undergraduate samples. Objectives: The current study examined the relationships between racial identity, self-esteem, and IP among African American undergraduate students. It was hypothesized that self-esteem would mediate the relationship between racial identity and IP. Method: The participants were 112 (74% female) self-identified African American undergraduate students who completed an online survey. Results: Mediation testing via bootstrapping revealed support for the hypothesis-self-esteem mediated the relationship between racial identity and IP. Conclusion: University initiatives should focus on creating inclusive environments that foster racial identity development and self-esteem for African Americans to reduce experiences of IP.

We used the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index and 7 theme scores to assess associations between vulnerability and county-level COVID-19 vaccination (n = 2415 counties) through May 25th, 2021. When comparing vaccination rates among quintiles of CCVI scores, Theme 3 (housing type, transportation, household composition, and disability) was associated with the largest disparity, with the least vulnerable counties (Q1) having 33% higher rates of vaccination among individuals aged 18+ (53.5% vs 40.2%) compared to counties with the highest vulnerability (Q5). Using generalized linear models with binomial distributions and log links, we found that a 10-point increase in the CCVI index, socioeconomic vulnerability, housing type and composition, and epidemiological factors were associated with at least a 1.0 percentage point decline in county-level vaccination. The association between community vulnerability and lower vaccination rates suggests the need for continued efforts for equitable COVID-19 vaccination across marginalized communities.

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Objective: To evaluate the associations between the number of chronic conditions and maternal race and ethnicity ("race") with the risk of severe maternal morbidity. Methods:Using the National Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, years 2016-2017, we examined risk of severe maternal morbidity among 1,480,925 delivery hospitalizations among women of different races and with different numbers of comorbid conditions using multivariable logistic regression. Results:The rate of severe maternal morbidity was 139.7 per 10,000 deliveries. Compared to women with no comorbidities (rate=48.5 per 10,000), there was increased risk of severe maternal morbidity among women with one comorbidity (rate=238.6; OR=5.0 [95% CI: 4.8-5.2]), two comorbidities (rate=379.9; OR=8.1 [95% CI: 7.8-8.5]), or three or more comorbidities (rate=560; OR=12.1 [95% CI: 11.5-12.7]). In multivariable regressions, similar associations were noted for women with one (aOR=4.4 [95% CI: 4.2-4.6]), two (aOR=6.6 [95% CI: 6.3-6.9]), or three or more comorbidities (aOR=9.1 [95% CI: 8.7-9.6]). Black women had higher rates of comorbid conditions than all other racial and ethnic groups, with 55% (95% CI: 54%-56%) of black women having no comorbidities, compared to 67% (95% CI: 67%-68%) of white women, 68% (95% CI: 67%-69%) of Hispanic women, and 72% (95% CI: 71%-73%) of Asian women. Conclusions:We found a dose-response relationship between number of comorbidities and risk of severe maternal morbidity, with the highest rates of severe maternal morbidity among women with three or more comorbidities. Focusing on the prevention and treatment of chronic conditions

This study assesses interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory’s (IPARTheory’s) prediction that adults’ (both men’s and women’s) remembrances of parental (both maternal and paternal) rejection in childhood are likely to be associated with adults’ fear of intimacy, as mediated by adults’ psychological maladjustment and relationship anxiety. The study also assesses the prediction that these associations will not vary significantly by gender, ethnicity, language, culture, or other such defining conditions. To test these predictions a sample of 3,483 young adults in 13 nations responded to the mother and father versions of the Adult Parental Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire (short forms), Adult Personality Assessment Questionnaire (short form), the Interpersonal Relationship Anxiety Questionnaire, the Fear of Intimacy Scale, and the Revised Personal Information Form. Results of multigroup analyses showed that adults’ remembrances of both maternal and paternal rejection in childhood independently predicted men’s and women’s fear of intimacy in all 13 countries. However, remembered maternal rejection was a significantly stronger predictor of adults’ fear of intimacy than was remembered paternal rejection. Results also confirmed the prediction in all 13 countries and across both genders that both maternal and paternal rejection independently predicted adults’ psychological maladjustment and relationship anxiety, which in turn predicted fear of intimacy. In addition, psychological maladjustment partially mediated the relation between remembrances of maternal and paternal rejection, and adults’ fear of intimacy in all 13 countries and both genders.