Objectives-We examined individual, household, and neighborhood correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) before and during pregnancy. Results-Participants were predominantly young, African American, on Medicaid, and residents of low-income neighborhoods. The prevalence of past-year male partner-perpetrated physical or sexual violence was 7.4%. Neighborhood residential stability, women performing most of the housework (lack of involvement among partners), being unmarried (being in an uncommitted relationship), and alcohol use were positively associated with elevated IPV risk. Significant protective factors for IPV included older age at first vaginal intercourse and a greater sense of mastery (e.g., the perception of oneself as an effective person). Methods-WeConclusions-Both neighborhood contextual and individual and household compositional effects are associated with IPV among low-income pregnant women. The results imply that combined interventions to improve neighborhood conditions and strengthen families may effectively reduce IPV.Intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by pregnant women is a public health concern in the United States because of its high prevalence and its potential for severe physical harm, including injury and death, to both the mother and unborn child. The prevalence of violence against pregnant women has been estimated at 3.9% to 8.3%, depending on the populations, specific periods of pregnancy, and screening tools.1 Thus, an estimated 152000 to 324000Correspondence should be sent to Qing Li, MD, DrPH, Pediatric Prevention Research Center, Wayne State University, Hutzel Building, 4707 St Antoine, 5th Floor/Suite w534, Detroit, MI 48201 (youliqing@hotmail.com). Reprints can be ordered at http://www.ajph.org by clicking the "Reprints/Eprints" link.. About the Authors At the time of the study, Qing Li and Russell S. Kirby were with the Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham. Robert T. Sigler was with the Department of Criminal Justice, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Sean-Shong Hwang and Mark E. LaGory were with the Department of Sociology, University of Alabama, Birmingham. Robert L. Goldenberg was with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. Contributors Q. Li originated and designed this dissertation research, conducted the analysis and interpretation, and led the writing of this article. R. S. Kirby, R. T. Sigler, S.-S. Hwang, M. E. LaGory, and R. L. Goldenberg contributed to the design, data analysis, interpretation, and the revision. R. L. Goldenberg was also the principal investigator of the Perinatal Emphasis Research Center study from which much of these data were derived. Human Participation ProtectionThe original survey protocol was reviewed and approved by the institutional review board of the University of Alabama, Birmingham. Participants provided informed written consent to take part in the study. The present study was also reviewed and approved by the institutio...

In recent years, a significant amount of attention has been devoted to the survival of ethnicity among multiracial people in the United States. This concern is especially evident in the case of the offspring of Asian-Anglo couples. While scholars have speculated on the extent to which Asian ethnicity will continue to persist among multiracial children, little empirical work has addressed this concern. In this analysis, we use a multilevel model to examine the ethnic identification (as reported by parents) of children of Asian-Anglo couples. Data from the 1980 Public-Use Microdata Sample for California are used in the analysis. The results indicate that the majority of the children had Anglo ethnic identities. The multivariate findings also identify several variables that are related to children's ethnic identification.

Findings from a prospective study of project-induced migration in China's Three Gorges Dam project are reported. The study tests the hypotheses that anticipation of involuntary migration is stressful and that the harmful effects are partially mediated and moderated by the resources migrants possess. Using data collected from a sample of designated migrants (n = 975) who will be forced to relocate because they live in an area which will be flooded once the Three Gorges project is completed, and non-migrants (n = 555) in the same region, our analysis indicates that anticipation of involuntary migration is a robust predictor of mental distress. Anticipation of forced migration elevates depression (CES-D) not only directly, but also indirectly by weakening the social and the psychological resources (i.e., social support and mastery) which safeguard the mental well-being of migrants. However, our results show much less support for the hypothesis that resources moderate harmful effects of forced migration. KeywordsChina; Three Gorges; Development; Involuntary migration; Stress Main textMoving has often been seen as a stressful life event because it disturbs the equilibrium between the mover and the environment and compels the mover to readjust (Ben-Sira, 1997;Bhugra, 2004;Lev-Wiesel, 1998). While this view has been proven useful to explain the prevalence ofCorresponding Author E-Mail: shwang@uab.edu. 2 Although sample size may have played a role in these tests, we believe the effect of the variable is robust using even the most rigid definition of robustness.Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers

The study examines the mental health consequences of involuntary migration resulting from the world’s largest dam project in China. Past claims of a causal link between migration and mental health are inconclusive because they have been based mainly on retrospective data and therefore are plagued by a plethora of methodological problems. This study addresses these problems by analyzing the pre- and post-migration changes in depression measured by the CES-D scale with data collected using face-to-face interviews from a sample (n = 1,530 for the initial survey and 1,070 for the follow-up) consisting of both migrants and non-migrants. Changes in CES-D were analyzed using ‘the difference model’, an analytical strategy which is agreed by methodological experts as “the method of choice” in establishing causal relationship in quasi-experimental research. Our results provide strong support to the claim that forced migration elevates depression not only directly, but also indirectly by weakening the psychosocial resources that safeguard migrants’ mental well-being.

It has been estimated that about 15 million people are displaced by development projects around the world each year. Despite the magnitude of people affected, research on the health and other impacts of project-induced displacement is rare. This study extends existing knowledge by exploring the short-term health impact of a large scale population displacement resulting from China’s Three Gorges Dam Project. The study is theoretically guided by the stress process model, but we supplement it with Cernea’s Impoverishment Risks and Reconstruction (IRR) model widely used in displacement literature. Our panel analysis indicates that the displacement is associated positively with relocatees’ depression level, and negatively with their self-rated health measured against a control group. In addition, a path analysis suggests that displacement also affects depression and self-rated health indirectly by changing social integration, socioeconomic status, and community resources. The importance of social integration as a protective mechanism, a factor that has been overlooked in past studies of population displacement, is highlighted in this study.

Involuntary migration, Three Gorges, Prospective research,

This study combines structural factors of intergroup relations with personal assimilation factors to examine Asian American intermarriage in California, We conduct a multilevel logistic regression analysis of outmarriage among Chinese, Filipinos, and Japanese in 14 California metropolitan statistical areas with high con centrations of Asian Americans by using the 1980 Census Public‐Use Microdata Sample. The results show that Asian intermarriage is affected by both assimilation and structural determinants. Some theoretically unexpected findings are discussed that hint at alternative interpretations.

Background African American adolescents residing in the South are at increased risk for obesity and physical inactivity, yet our understanding of potential influences is limited. Purpose Using an ecological framework, this study explored multilevel predictors (individual, family, home, and neighborhood environment) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among 116 African American adolescents (ages 12–16). Methods Adolescents and their parents completed self-report surveys for hypothesized predictors. Youth physical activity was measured using accelerometry. Results In multiple regression models, decreased daily MVPA was associated with female sex (β=−24.27, p<0.0001). Family social support (β=1.07, p=0.004) and adolescent self efficacy for PA (β=6.89, p=0.054) were positively associated with daily MVPA. Conclusions Adolescent demographics along with family social support and self-efficacy influence younger African American adolescent physical activity. Further exploration of the complex interaction of multiple levels of influence is needed to develop appropriate interventions for this vulnerable group.