Background Adolescents’ use of social media, which has increased considerably in the past decade, has both positive and negative influences on adolescents’ health and health behaviors. As social media is the most prominent communication tool of choice for adolescents, it is important to understand the relationship between the frequency of social media use and health behaviors among this population. Objective The objective of our study was to examine the associations between the frequency of social media use and physical activity and sleep adequacy among middle and high school students. Methods We used data from the Monitoring the Future survey (2014 and 2015), a nationally representative, annual, cross-sectional survey of American 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students (N=43,994). Health behaviors examined were frequency of vigorous physical activity and frequency of getting 7 hours of sleep (never/seldom, sometimes, and every day/nearly every day). We measured frequency of social media use using a Likert-like scale (never, a few times a year, 1-2 times a month, once a week, or every day). Multivariable generalized ordered logistic regressions examined the association of social media use with different levels of physical activity and sleep. We estimated marginal effects (MEs) for the main independent variable (social media use frequency) by holding all other variables at their observed values. Results The study population comprised 51.13% (21,276/42,067) female students, 37.48% (17,160/43,994) from the South, and 80.07% (34,953/43,994) from a metropolitan area, with 76.90% (33,831/43,994) reporting using social media every day. Among physically active students, frequent social media use was associated with a higher likelihood of vigorous daily exercise (ME 50.1%, 95% CI 49.2%-51.0%). Among sedentary students, frequent social media use was associated with a lower likelihood of vigorous daily exercise (ME 15.8%, 95% CI 15.1%-16.4%). Moderately active students who used social media once or twice a month had the highest likelihood of reporting vigorous daily exercise (ME 42.0%, 95% CI 37.6%-46.3%). Among those who normally got adequate sleep, daily social media users were least likely to report adequate sleep (ME 41.3%, 95% CI 40.4%-42.1%). Among those who were usually sleep deprived, daily social media users were more likely to report adequate sleep (ME 18.3%, 95% CI 17.6%-19.0%). Conclusions Regular social media use every day was associated with a reinforcement of health behaviors at both extremes of health behaviors, whereas a medium intensity of social media use was associated with the highest levels of physical activity and lowest sleep adequacy among those with moderate health behaviors. Hence, finding an optimal level of social media use that is beneficial to a variety of health behaviors would be most beneficial to adolescents who are in the middle of the health behavior spectrum....

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OraSure had the highest sensitivity at 92.7% followed closely by Chembio's three blood tests. False results were associated with HIV, and hepatitis B core antibody. The OraSure and Chembio blood tests have good performance characteristics.

BackgroundThis study investigates opiate use in mediating the impact of history of incarceration on emergency department (ED) use.MethodData were collected from 1,341 clients who underwent HIV and STI screening in an outpatient care center in Long Beach, California. The Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA, baseline) and Risk Behavior Follow-Up Assessment (RBFA, follow-up) were administered to each client with at least a three months interval between assessments.ResultsOf 1341 participants in the study, 931 (69.43%) reported previous incarceration. Having a history of incarceration was significantly associated with emergency room use as well as a history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), injection drug use, opiate use, and survival sex trading, defined as sex for money or drugs. The relationship between previous incarceration and ED use was mediated by opiate use for men but not for women. The findings suggested that the effect of history of incarceration on ED use was exacerbated when the individuals were male and opiate users.ConclusionsTargeted interventions in treatment and rehabilitation programs could help prevent unnecessary ED use and reduce the use of EDs through drug treatment during incarceration and after release.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2194-7899-2-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction Hispanics in California are more likely to be infected with hepatitis C (HCV), and those infected have had their infection detected later. Methods 1567 Hispanic and White-Non Hispanic individuals were tested for antibodies to HCV from 2000 through 2013. Trained interviewers administered the Risk Behavior Assessment. Results HCV-infected Hispanics were incarcerated longer, used marijuana fewer and illicit methadone more, days than HCV-infected Whites. They were more likely to use crack, heroin, speedball, and to have been in methadone treatment. Discussion Hispanics need HCV testing linked to methadone treatment, and written information in Spanish and English describing prevention, and treatment of HCV.