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Papers by Robert Agans

Research paper thumbnail of Measuring Concurrency Attitudes: Development and Validation of a Vignette-Based Scale

PLOS ONE, 2016

Concurrent sexual partnerships (partnerships that overlap in time) may contribute to higher rates... more Concurrent sexual partnerships (partnerships that overlap in time) may contribute to higher rates of HIV transmission in African Americans. Attitudes toward a behavior constitute an important component of most models of health-related behavior and behavioral change. We have developed a scale, employing realistic vignettes that appear to reliably measure attitudes about concurrency in young African American adults. Vignette-based items to assess attitudes about concurrency were developed following focus groups and cognitive testing of items adapted from existing scales assessing psychosocial constructs surrounding related sexual behaviors. The new items were included in a telephone survey of African American adults (18-34 years old) in Eastern North Carolina immediately before and after a radio campaign designed to discourage concurrency. We performed an exploratory factor analysis on each sample (pre- and post-campaign) to cross-validate results. We retained factors with a primary loading of ≥0.50 and no secondary loading >0.30. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used to evaluate internal reliability. Associations in the predicted direction between the mean responses to items on the final factor and known correlates of concurrency validated the scale. Factor analysis in a random pre-campaign subsample yielded a one-factor 6-item scale with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.79). As expected, the attitude factor was positively associated with participation in concurrent partnerships, whether assessed by self-report (r = 0.298, p<0.0001) or deduced from dates of recent sexual partnerships (r = 0.298, p<0.0001). The factor was also positively associated with alcohol (r = 0.216, p<0.0001) and drug use (r = 0.225, p<0.0001) and negatively associated with increasing age (r = -0.088, p- = 0.02) and female gender (r = -0.232, p<0.0001). Factor analyses repeated in the second random pre-campaign subsample and post-campaign sample confirmed these results. A vignette-based scale may be an effective measure of key attitudes related to concurrency and potentially a useful tool to evaluate interventions addressing this network pattern.

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Research paper thumbnail of US pediatric dentists' counseling practices in addressing childhood obesity

Pediatric dentistry

Pediatric dentists could be in an excellent position to identify and intervene early for children... more Pediatric dentists could be in an excellent position to identify and intervene early for children at high risk for overweight or obesity; however, current practices and attitudes are uncertain. This study's purpose was to explore the practices and attitudes of pediatric dentists regarding weight-and caries-related counseling. Data were analyzed from 1,779 pediatric dentists responding to a 2008-09 survey of 4,154 randomly selected pediatric and 3,846 general dentists. Data were weighted to account for unequal probability of selection and nonresponse rates among regions and dentist types. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported increased proportions of overweight/obese pediatric patients since they began practice, and approximately 9% offered weight-related counseling. By contrast, approximately 80% provided caries-related counseling. Major barriers to providing weight-related counseling included fears of offending parents/patients (~54%) and appearing judgmental (~53%), lack ...

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Research paper thumbnail of Dentists' attitudes about their role in addressing obesity in patients A national survey

Reducing the incidence of obesity requires coordination among primary health care providers. Beca... more Reducing the incidence of obesity requires coordination among primary health care providers. Because of their frequent contact with patients, dentists are positioned to recognize patients at risk of developing obesity. The authors conducted a study to assess dentists' interest in and barriers to providing obesity counseling to patients. The authors surveyed a random sample of 8,000 American Dental Association members by mail, stratified according to census region (West, Midwest, South, Northeast) and dentist type (general, pediatric). The authors weighted respondents' data to account for the unequal probability of selection and nonresponse rates among regions and dentist types. In all, 2,965 dentists responded. Overall, 4.8 percent of respondents offered a form of counseling services and 50.5 percent reported that they were interested in offering obesity-related services. More than one-half of the respondents cited fears of offending patients (53.8 percent) and appearing judgmental (52 percent) as major barriers, followed by a paucity of trained personnel (46.3 percent) and patients' rejection of weight-loss advice (45.7 percent). Eighty-two percent of respondents agreed that dentists would be more willing to intervene if obesity were linked definitively to oral disease. Given continued increases in obesity in the United States and the willingness of dentists to assist in preventive and interventional efforts, experts in obesity intervention, in conjunction with dental educators, should develop models of intervention within the scope of dental practice. Educating dentists about obesity and counseling may reduce barriers for those interested in addressing obesity in their practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of Understanding how perceptions of tobacco constituents and the FDA relate to effective and credible tobacco risk messaging: A national phone survey of U.S. adults, 2014–2015

BMC Public Health, 2016

The passage of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has necessitated the ex... more The passage of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has necessitated the execution of timely, innovative, and policy-relevant tobacco control research to inform Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory and messaging efforts. With recent dramatic changes to tobacco product availability and patterns of use, nationally representative data on tobacco-related perceptions and behaviors are vital, especially for vulnerable populations. The UNC Center for Regulatory Research on Tobacco Communication conducted a telephone survey with a national sample of adults ages 18 and older living in the United States (U.S.). The survey assessed regulatory relevant factors such as tobacco product use, tobacco constituent perceptions, and tobacco regulatory agency credibility. The study oversampled high smoking/low income areas as well as cell phone numbers to ensure adequate representation among smokers and young adults, respectively. Coverage extended to approximately 98 % of U.S. households. The final dataset (N = 5,014) generated weighted estimates that were largely comparable to other national demographic and tobacco use estimates. Results revealed that over one quarter of U.S. adults, and over one third of smokers, reported having looked for information about tobacco constituents in cigarette smoke; however, the vast majority was unaware of what constituents might actually be present. Although only a minority of people reported trust in the federal government, two thirds felt that the FDA can effectively regulate tobacco products. As the FDA continues their regulatory and messaging activities, they should expand both the breadth and availability of constituent-related information, targeting these efforts to reach all segments of the U.S. population, especially those disproportionately vulnerable to tobacco product use and its associated negative health outcomes.

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Research paper thumbnail of The Hindsight Bias: The Role of the Availability Heuristic and Perceived Risk

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1207 S15324834basp1504_3, Feb 24, 2010

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Research paper thumbnail of The evaluation of North Carolina’s state-sponsored youth tobacco prevention media campaign

Health Education Research, Aug 20, 2012

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Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of Nonresponse in a Longitudinal Survey of Adolescents 1

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Research paper thumbnail of The Experience With Smoke-Free Policies in Affordable Multiunit Housing in North Carolina: A Statewide Survey

American Journal of Health Promotion, 2015

Purpose . Previous surveys of housing operators have identified concerns about enforcement, legal... more Purpose . Previous surveys of housing operators have identified concerns about enforcement, legal issues, and loss of market share as the main barriers to implementing smoke-free policies in multiunit housing. The purpose of this study was to examine enforcement practices as well as economic and legal outcomes in smoke-free affordable multiunit housing. Design . Cross-sectional. Setting . Affordable multiunit housing in North Carolina. Subjects . Affordable multiunit housing properties (n = 1063, 57% response rate). Measures . Property representatives completed a written survey with questions regarding the existence of smoke-free policies, smoke-free policy implementation and enforcement practices, and smoking-related costs. Analysis . Descriptive statistics, χ(2) goodness-of-fit test, and t-test. Results . A total of 16.5% of properties had policies that prohibited smoking in all residential units. Half (49.8%) of smoke-free properties reported no violations to their policies in the past 12 months. Legal actions to enforce policies were rarely needed and were successful when they did occur. Compared to smoking-allowed properties, smoke-free properties did not experience a loss of market share in terms of occupancy rate (t = .09; p = .93) or residents moving away (χ(2) =. 5; p = .48). Conclusion . Housing operators' concerns about enforcement, legal issues, and loss of market share associated with smoke-free policies are largely unfounded among affordable housing properties in North Carolina. Public health professionals should use messaging strategies that refute these concerns to encourage more properties to adopt smoke-free policies.

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Research paper thumbnail of Black Heterosexual Men in HIV Research: Not so Hard to Reach After All

Black communities in the United States experience disparate outcomes in many public health issues... more Black communities in the United States experience disparate outcomes in many public health issues. Research focused on these communities and their participation is vital in addressing these racial disparities. We will present how Project ADOFO's research team, in conjunction with other researchers and community representatives, successfully created strategies for recruiting Black males for survey participation. We fostered a community, interdisciplinary, and organizational-based collaboration that emphasized exploring the broader social and structural contexts factoring into the HIV risk protective and promoting behavior of all Black men. Working with a diverse community advisory board that had experience with Black health issues, we met on a quarterly basis to discuss recruitment tactics and survey revisions. We took a 4 step approach to survey development that included: 1) creating interview guide questions based on community advisory board feedback; 2) conducting pilot interv...

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Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of smoke-free policies in affordable multiunit housing, north Carolina, 2013

Preventing chronic disease, Jan 14, 2015

Smoke-free policies can effectively protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in mu... more Smoke-free policies can effectively protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in multiunit housing. We surveyed all affordable multiunit housing properties in North Carolina to determine the statewide prevalence of smoke-free policies and to identify predictors of smoke-free policies. Representatives of affordable housing properties in North Carolina completed a mailed or online survey during June through October 2013. The primary outcome measure was presence of a smoke-free policy, defined as prohibiting smoking in all residential units. We used χ(2) analysis and multivariate logistic regression to identify correlates of smoke-free policies. Of 1,865 eligible properties, responses were received for 1,063 (57%). A total of 16.5% of properties had policies that prohibited smoking in all residential units, while 69.6% prohibited smoking in indoor common areas. In multivariate analysis, an increase in the number of children per unit was associated with a decrease in the o...

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Research paper thumbnail of Sampling and Weighting in Household Telephone Surveys

Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology, 2007

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Research paper thumbnail of Systemic treatment of pediatric atopic dermatitis with azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil

Pediatric dermatology

Severe forms of atopic dermatitis (AD) cause significant morbidity in vulnerable pediatric popula... more Severe forms of atopic dermatitis (AD) cause significant morbidity in vulnerable pediatric populations and necessitate treatment with systemic therapy. The existing literature concerning the treatment of severe pediatric AD with azathioprine (AZ) and mycophenolate mofetil (MM) is sparse. The purpose of this case series is to examine the use of these two drugs in the treatment of severe pediatric AD. Medical records of 28 pediatric patients with AD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pediatric dermatology clinic treated using these two drugs were analyzed for laboratory values, thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) levels, symptoms, infections, and other relevant data. Patients were also contacted via the telephone to ascertain outcomes and any missing data. Treatment outcomes were scored into three categories: significant improvement, some improvement, and no improvement. AZ dosing was correlated to TPMT levels successfully, with comparable levels of improvement in th...

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Research paper thumbnail of Work-related hazards and workplace safety of US adolescents employed in the retail and service sectors

Pediatrics, 2007

Our goal was to examine the hazard exposures, work experiences, and workplace safety training of ... more Our goal was to examine the hazard exposures, work experiences, and workplace safety training of adolescents employed in retail and service jobs in the United States. This was a cross-sectional telephone survey among working adolescents, 14 to 18 years old, in the continental United States. Data were collected in 2003. Survey items measured self-reported hazard exposures, training, and supervision experiences of working adolescents. Teens reported working an average of 16.2 hours per week during the school year, including working an average of 2.9 times per week after 7 PM on school nights and 2.6 nights per week after 9 PM. Thirty-seven percent of those under age 16 reported working after 7 PM on a school night, indicating employer violation of federal law. Teens typically perform multiple kinds of tasks in a given job. Higher proportions of females than males are involved in cash handling (84% vs 61%), whereas males are more likely than females to be involved in physically challen...

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Research paper thumbnail of Design of the North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness and Survivorship Study (NC ProCESS)

Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, 2015

The North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness &amp... more The North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness & Survivorship Study (NC ProCESS) was designed in collaboration with stakeholders to compare the effectiveness of different treatment options for localized prostate cancer. Using the Rapid Case Ascertainment system of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, 1,419 patients (57% of eligible) with newly-diagnosed localized prostate cancer were enrolled from January 2011 to June 2013, on average 5 weeks after diagnosis. All participants were enrolled prior to treatment and this population-based cohort is sociodemographically diverse. Prospective follow-up continues to collect data on treatments received, disease control, survival and patient-reported outcomes. This study highlights several important considerations regarding stakeholder involvement, study design and generalizability regarding comparative effectiveness research in prostate cancer.

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Research paper thumbnail of Disproportionate sampling for population subgroups in telephone surveys

Statistics in Medicine, 2007

Population studies often seek to examine phenomena in important population subgroups or to compar... more Population studies often seek to examine phenomena in important population subgroups or to compare results among these and other subgroups. When subgroups of interest comprise a relatively small percentage of the population and acceptable subgroup member lists are not available to serve as sampling frames, it may be prohibitively expensive even by telephone to screen through a sample of the entire population. This paper considers some statistical effects of estimation from a class of two-stratum telephone sample designs where part of the frame with a higher subgroup concentration is disproportionately sampled compared to the rest of the frame. Using proportionate sampling as a reference, the relative impact of this disproportionate design is determined for nominal and effective sample sizes, where the latter are tied to the effect of variation in sample weights that occurs in disproportionately allocated samples. Findings are illustrated using two recent telephone surveys. Whereas nominal subgroup sample sizes may be improved by disproportionate sampling, we conclude that both the survey designer and analyst should use this type of design cautiously in telephone surveys.

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Research paper thumbnail of Survey of US public attitudes toward pharmacogenetic testing

The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 2012

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Research paper thumbnail of Epidemiologic Features of the Physical and Sexual Maltreatment of Children in the Carolinas

PEDIATRICS, 2005

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Research paper thumbnail of Enumerating the Hidden Homeless: Strategies to Estimate the Homeless Gone Missing From a Point-in-Time Count

Journal of Official Statistics, 2014

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Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of Nonresponse in a Longitudinal Survey of Adolescents 1

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Research paper thumbnail of Oral Cancer Knowledge and Examination Experiences Among North Carolina Adults

Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2004

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Research paper thumbnail of Measuring Concurrency Attitudes: Development and Validation of a Vignette-Based Scale

PLOS ONE, 2016

Concurrent sexual partnerships (partnerships that overlap in time) may contribute to higher rates... more Concurrent sexual partnerships (partnerships that overlap in time) may contribute to higher rates of HIV transmission in African Americans. Attitudes toward a behavior constitute an important component of most models of health-related behavior and behavioral change. We have developed a scale, employing realistic vignettes that appear to reliably measure attitudes about concurrency in young African American adults. Vignette-based items to assess attitudes about concurrency were developed following focus groups and cognitive testing of items adapted from existing scales assessing psychosocial constructs surrounding related sexual behaviors. The new items were included in a telephone survey of African American adults (18-34 years old) in Eastern North Carolina immediately before and after a radio campaign designed to discourage concurrency. We performed an exploratory factor analysis on each sample (pre- and post-campaign) to cross-validate results. We retained factors with a primary loading of ≥0.50 and no secondary loading >0.30. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used to evaluate internal reliability. Associations in the predicted direction between the mean responses to items on the final factor and known correlates of concurrency validated the scale. Factor analysis in a random pre-campaign subsample yielded a one-factor 6-item scale with acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.79). As expected, the attitude factor was positively associated with participation in concurrent partnerships, whether assessed by self-report (r = 0.298, p<0.0001) or deduced from dates of recent sexual partnerships (r = 0.298, p<0.0001). The factor was also positively associated with alcohol (r = 0.216, p<0.0001) and drug use (r = 0.225, p<0.0001) and negatively associated with increasing age (r = -0.088, p- = 0.02) and female gender (r = -0.232, p<0.0001). Factor analyses repeated in the second random pre-campaign subsample and post-campaign sample confirmed these results. A vignette-based scale may be an effective measure of key attitudes related to concurrency and potentially a useful tool to evaluate interventions addressing this network pattern.

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Research paper thumbnail of US pediatric dentists' counseling practices in addressing childhood obesity

Pediatric dentistry

Pediatric dentists could be in an excellent position to identify and intervene early for children... more Pediatric dentists could be in an excellent position to identify and intervene early for children at high risk for overweight or obesity; however, current practices and attitudes are uncertain. This study's purpose was to explore the practices and attitudes of pediatric dentists regarding weight-and caries-related counseling. Data were analyzed from 1,779 pediatric dentists responding to a 2008-09 survey of 4,154 randomly selected pediatric and 3,846 general dentists. Data were weighted to account for unequal probability of selection and nonresponse rates among regions and dentist types. Sixty-five percent of respondents reported increased proportions of overweight/obese pediatric patients since they began practice, and approximately 9% offered weight-related counseling. By contrast, approximately 80% provided caries-related counseling. Major barriers to providing weight-related counseling included fears of offending parents/patients (~54%) and appearing judgmental (~53%), lack ...

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Research paper thumbnail of Dentists' attitudes about their role in addressing obesity in patients A national survey

Reducing the incidence of obesity requires coordination among primary health care providers. Beca... more Reducing the incidence of obesity requires coordination among primary health care providers. Because of their frequent contact with patients, dentists are positioned to recognize patients at risk of developing obesity. The authors conducted a study to assess dentists' interest in and barriers to providing obesity counseling to patients. The authors surveyed a random sample of 8,000 American Dental Association members by mail, stratified according to census region (West, Midwest, South, Northeast) and dentist type (general, pediatric). The authors weighted respondents' data to account for the unequal probability of selection and nonresponse rates among regions and dentist types. In all, 2,965 dentists responded. Overall, 4.8 percent of respondents offered a form of counseling services and 50.5 percent reported that they were interested in offering obesity-related services. More than one-half of the respondents cited fears of offending patients (53.8 percent) and appearing judgmental (52 percent) as major barriers, followed by a paucity of trained personnel (46.3 percent) and patients' rejection of weight-loss advice (45.7 percent). Eighty-two percent of respondents agreed that dentists would be more willing to intervene if obesity were linked definitively to oral disease. Given continued increases in obesity in the United States and the willingness of dentists to assist in preventive and interventional efforts, experts in obesity intervention, in conjunction with dental educators, should develop models of intervention within the scope of dental practice. Educating dentists about obesity and counseling may reduce barriers for those interested in addressing obesity in their practices.

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Research paper thumbnail of Understanding how perceptions of tobacco constituents and the FDA relate to effective and credible tobacco risk messaging: A national phone survey of U.S. adults, 2014–2015

BMC Public Health, 2016

The passage of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has necessitated the ex... more The passage of the 2009 Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act has necessitated the execution of timely, innovative, and policy-relevant tobacco control research to inform Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory and messaging efforts. With recent dramatic changes to tobacco product availability and patterns of use, nationally representative data on tobacco-related perceptions and behaviors are vital, especially for vulnerable populations. The UNC Center for Regulatory Research on Tobacco Communication conducted a telephone survey with a national sample of adults ages 18 and older living in the United States (U.S.). The survey assessed regulatory relevant factors such as tobacco product use, tobacco constituent perceptions, and tobacco regulatory agency credibility. The study oversampled high smoking/low income areas as well as cell phone numbers to ensure adequate representation among smokers and young adults, respectively. Coverage extended to approximately 98 % of U.S. households. The final dataset (N = 5,014) generated weighted estimates that were largely comparable to other national demographic and tobacco use estimates. Results revealed that over one quarter of U.S. adults, and over one third of smokers, reported having looked for information about tobacco constituents in cigarette smoke; however, the vast majority was unaware of what constituents might actually be present. Although only a minority of people reported trust in the federal government, two thirds felt that the FDA can effectively regulate tobacco products. As the FDA continues their regulatory and messaging activities, they should expand both the breadth and availability of constituent-related information, targeting these efforts to reach all segments of the U.S. population, especially those disproportionately vulnerable to tobacco product use and its associated negative health outcomes.

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Research paper thumbnail of The Hindsight Bias: The Role of the Availability Heuristic and Perceived Risk

Http Dx Doi Org 10 1207 S15324834basp1504_3, Feb 24, 2010

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The evaluation of North Carolina’s state-sponsored youth tobacco prevention media campaign

Health Education Research, Aug 20, 2012

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of Nonresponse in a Longitudinal Survey of Adolescents 1

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of The Experience With Smoke-Free Policies in Affordable Multiunit Housing in North Carolina: A Statewide Survey

American Journal of Health Promotion, 2015

Purpose . Previous surveys of housing operators have identified concerns about enforcement, legal... more Purpose . Previous surveys of housing operators have identified concerns about enforcement, legal issues, and loss of market share as the main barriers to implementing smoke-free policies in multiunit housing. The purpose of this study was to examine enforcement practices as well as economic and legal outcomes in smoke-free affordable multiunit housing. Design . Cross-sectional. Setting . Affordable multiunit housing in North Carolina. Subjects . Affordable multiunit housing properties (n = 1063, 57% response rate). Measures . Property representatives completed a written survey with questions regarding the existence of smoke-free policies, smoke-free policy implementation and enforcement practices, and smoking-related costs. Analysis . Descriptive statistics, χ(2) goodness-of-fit test, and t-test. Results . A total of 16.5% of properties had policies that prohibited smoking in all residential units. Half (49.8%) of smoke-free properties reported no violations to their policies in the past 12 months. Legal actions to enforce policies were rarely needed and were successful when they did occur. Compared to smoking-allowed properties, smoke-free properties did not experience a loss of market share in terms of occupancy rate (t = .09; p = .93) or residents moving away (χ(2) =. 5; p = .48). Conclusion . Housing operators' concerns about enforcement, legal issues, and loss of market share associated with smoke-free policies are largely unfounded among affordable housing properties in North Carolina. Public health professionals should use messaging strategies that refute these concerns to encourage more properties to adopt smoke-free policies.

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Research paper thumbnail of Black Heterosexual Men in HIV Research: Not so Hard to Reach After All

Black communities in the United States experience disparate outcomes in many public health issues... more Black communities in the United States experience disparate outcomes in many public health issues. Research focused on these communities and their participation is vital in addressing these racial disparities. We will present how Project ADOFO's research team, in conjunction with other researchers and community representatives, successfully created strategies for recruiting Black males for survey participation. We fostered a community, interdisciplinary, and organizational-based collaboration that emphasized exploring the broader social and structural contexts factoring into the HIV risk protective and promoting behavior of all Black men. Working with a diverse community advisory board that had experience with Black health issues, we met on a quarterly basis to discuss recruitment tactics and survey revisions. We took a 4 step approach to survey development that included: 1) creating interview guide questions based on community advisory board feedback; 2) conducting pilot interv...

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Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of smoke-free policies in affordable multiunit housing, north Carolina, 2013

Preventing chronic disease, Jan 14, 2015

Smoke-free policies can effectively protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in mu... more Smoke-free policies can effectively protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure in multiunit housing. We surveyed all affordable multiunit housing properties in North Carolina to determine the statewide prevalence of smoke-free policies and to identify predictors of smoke-free policies. Representatives of affordable housing properties in North Carolina completed a mailed or online survey during June through October 2013. The primary outcome measure was presence of a smoke-free policy, defined as prohibiting smoking in all residential units. We used χ(2) analysis and multivariate logistic regression to identify correlates of smoke-free policies. Of 1,865 eligible properties, responses were received for 1,063 (57%). A total of 16.5% of properties had policies that prohibited smoking in all residential units, while 69.6% prohibited smoking in indoor common areas. In multivariate analysis, an increase in the number of children per unit was associated with a decrease in the o...

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Research paper thumbnail of Sampling and Weighting in Household Telephone Surveys

Advances in Telephone Survey Methodology, 2007

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Systemic treatment of pediatric atopic dermatitis with azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil

Pediatric dermatology

Severe forms of atopic dermatitis (AD) cause significant morbidity in vulnerable pediatric popula... more Severe forms of atopic dermatitis (AD) cause significant morbidity in vulnerable pediatric populations and necessitate treatment with systemic therapy. The existing literature concerning the treatment of severe pediatric AD with azathioprine (AZ) and mycophenolate mofetil (MM) is sparse. The purpose of this case series is to examine the use of these two drugs in the treatment of severe pediatric AD. Medical records of 28 pediatric patients with AD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pediatric dermatology clinic treated using these two drugs were analyzed for laboratory values, thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) levels, symptoms, infections, and other relevant data. Patients were also contacted via the telephone to ascertain outcomes and any missing data. Treatment outcomes were scored into three categories: significant improvement, some improvement, and no improvement. AZ dosing was correlated to TPMT levels successfully, with comparable levels of improvement in th...

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Work-related hazards and workplace safety of US adolescents employed in the retail and service sectors

Pediatrics, 2007

Our goal was to examine the hazard exposures, work experiences, and workplace safety training of ... more Our goal was to examine the hazard exposures, work experiences, and workplace safety training of adolescents employed in retail and service jobs in the United States. This was a cross-sectional telephone survey among working adolescents, 14 to 18 years old, in the continental United States. Data were collected in 2003. Survey items measured self-reported hazard exposures, training, and supervision experiences of working adolescents. Teens reported working an average of 16.2 hours per week during the school year, including working an average of 2.9 times per week after 7 PM on school nights and 2.6 nights per week after 9 PM. Thirty-seven percent of those under age 16 reported working after 7 PM on a school night, indicating employer violation of federal law. Teens typically perform multiple kinds of tasks in a given job. Higher proportions of females than males are involved in cash handling (84% vs 61%), whereas males are more likely than females to be involved in physically challen...

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Research paper thumbnail of Design of the North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness and Survivorship Study (NC ProCESS)

Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, 2015

The North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness &amp... more The North Carolina Prostate Cancer Comparative Effectiveness & Survivorship Study (NC ProCESS) was designed in collaboration with stakeholders to compare the effectiveness of different treatment options for localized prostate cancer. Using the Rapid Case Ascertainment system of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, 1,419 patients (57% of eligible) with newly-diagnosed localized prostate cancer were enrolled from January 2011 to June 2013, on average 5 weeks after diagnosis. All participants were enrolled prior to treatment and this population-based cohort is sociodemographically diverse. Prospective follow-up continues to collect data on treatments received, disease control, survival and patient-reported outcomes. This study highlights several important considerations regarding stakeholder involvement, study design and generalizability regarding comparative effectiveness research in prostate cancer.

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Research paper thumbnail of Disproportionate sampling for population subgroups in telephone surveys

Statistics in Medicine, 2007

Population studies often seek to examine phenomena in important population subgroups or to compar... more Population studies often seek to examine phenomena in important population subgroups or to compare results among these and other subgroups. When subgroups of interest comprise a relatively small percentage of the population and acceptable subgroup member lists are not available to serve as sampling frames, it may be prohibitively expensive even by telephone to screen through a sample of the entire population. This paper considers some statistical effects of estimation from a class of two-stratum telephone sample designs where part of the frame with a higher subgroup concentration is disproportionately sampled compared to the rest of the frame. Using proportionate sampling as a reference, the relative impact of this disproportionate design is determined for nominal and effective sample sizes, where the latter are tied to the effect of variation in sample weights that occurs in disproportionately allocated samples. Findings are illustrated using two recent telephone surveys. Whereas nominal subgroup sample sizes may be improved by disproportionate sampling, we conclude that both the survey designer and analyst should use this type of design cautiously in telephone surveys.

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Research paper thumbnail of Survey of US public attitudes toward pharmacogenetic testing

The Pharmacogenomics Journal, 2012

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Research paper thumbnail of Epidemiologic Features of the Physical and Sexual Maltreatment of Children in the Carolinas

PEDIATRICS, 2005

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Enumerating the Hidden Homeless: Strategies to Estimate the Homeless Gone Missing From a Point-in-Time Count

Journal of Official Statistics, 2014

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Research paper thumbnail of Predictors of Nonresponse in a Longitudinal Survey of Adolescents 1

Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact

Research paper thumbnail of Oral Cancer Knowledge and Examination Experiences Among North Carolina Adults

Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 2004

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