The data reiterate the relevance of social networks to older adults' health. We close by discussing how the NSHAP measures might be employed in future analyses of health.

No abstract

No abstract

Background To examine the associations between urbanization and hypertension, stage II hypertension, and hypertension control. Methods Data on 16,360 US adults aged 18 years or older from the 2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to estimate the prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure (BP) ≥130/80 mm Hg or use of medication for hypertension), stage II hypertension (BP ≥140/90 mm Hg), and hypertension control (BP <130/80 mm Hg among hypertensives) by urbanization, classified by levels of metropolitan statistical areas as large MSAs (population ≥1,000,000), medium to small MSAs (population 50,000–999,999), and non-MSAs (population <50,000). Results All prevalence ratios (PRs) were compared with large MSAs and adjusted for demographics and risk factors. The PRs of hypertension were 1.07 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.99–1.14) for adults residing in medium to small MSAs and 1.06 (95% CI = 0.99–1.13) for adults residing in non-MSAs. For stage II hypertension, the PRs were higher for adults residing in medium to small MSAs 1.21 (95% CI = 1.06–1.36) but not for adults residing in non-MSAs 1.06 (95% CI = 0.88–1.29). For hypertension control, the PRs were 0.96 (95% CI = 0.91–1.01) for adults residing in medium to small MSAs and 1.00 (95% CI = 0.93–1.06) for adults residing in non-MSAs. Conclusions Among US adults, urbanization was associated with stage II hypertension.

The modified indices used in NSHAP tended to exhibit good internal reliability and concurrent validity. These measures can confidently be used in the exploration of QoL and psychological health in later life and its many correlates.

The National Opinion Research Center, led by a team of investigators at the University of Chicago, conducted more than 3,000 in-person interviews with a nationally representative sample of adults aged 57-85 years. Data collection included in-person questionnaire items, an extensive array of biomeasures, and a postinterview self-administered questionnaire. The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) interview included the collection of 13 biomeasures: weight, waist circumference, height, blood pressure, smell, saliva collection, taste, a self-administered vaginal swab for female respondents, "Get Up and Go," distance vision, touch, oral mucosal transudate (Orasure) human immunodeficiency virus test, and blood spots. This article discusses the development of NSHAP's instruments and implementation of the study design. Measures, such as response and cooperation rates, are also provided to evaluate the effectiveness of the design and implementation.

Objective To identify predictors of changes in staff morale and burnout associated with participation in a quality improvement (QI) initiative at community health centers (HCs). Data Sources Surveys of staff at 145 HCs participating in the Health Disparities Collaboratives (HDC) program in 2004. Data Collection and Study Design Self-administered questionnaire data collected from 622 HC staff (68 percent response rate) were analyzed to identify predictors of reported change in staff morale and burnout. Predictive categories included outcomes of the QI initiative, levels of HDC integration, institutional support, the use of incentives, and demographic characteristics of respondents and centers. Principal Findings Perceived improvements in staff morale and reduced likelihood of staff burnout were associated with receiving personal recognition, career promotion, and skill development opportunities. Similar outcomes were associated with sufficient funding and personnel, fair distribution of work, effective training of new hires, and consistent provider participation. Conclusions Having sufficient personnel available to administer the HDC was found to be the strongest predictor of team member satisfaction. However, a number of low-cost, reasonably modifiable, organizational and leadership characteristics were also identified, which may facilitate improvements in staff morale and reduce the likelihood of staff burnout at HCs participating in the HDC.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) is a unique source of national data on the health and nutritional status of the US population, collecting data through interviews, standard exams, and biospecimen collection. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, NHANES data collection was suspended, with more than a year gap in data collection. NHANES resumed operations in 2021 with the NHANES 2021–2022 survey, which will monitor the health and nutritional status of the nation while adding to the knowledge of COVID-19 in the US population. This article describes the reshaping of the NHANES program and, specifically, the planning of NHANES 2021–2022 for data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Details are provided on how NHANES transformed its participant recruitment and data collection plans at home and at the mobile examination center to safely collect data in a COVID-19 environment. The potential implications for data users are also discussed. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(12):2149–2156. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306517 )