Reducing Black-White Racial Differences on Intelligence Tests Used in Hiring for Public Safety Jobs.

This paper explores whether a diversity and inclusion strategy focused on using modern intelligence tests can assist public safety organizations in hiring a talented diverse workforce. Doing so may offer strategies for mitigating the issues of systematic racism with which these occupations have historically struggled. Past meta-analytic research shows that traditional forms of intelligence tests, which are often used in this sector, have not consistently demonstrated predictive validity but have negatively impacted Black candidates. As an alternative, we examine a modern intelligence test that consists of novel unfamiliar cognitive problems that test takers must solve without relying on their prior experience. Across six studies of varying public safety jobs (e.g., police, firefighter) in different organizations, we found a pattern of results that supports the criterion-related validity of the modern intelligence test. In addition to consistently predicting job performance and training success, the modern intelligence test also substantially mitigated the observed Black-White group differences. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of how to alter the legacy of I/O psychology and human resource fields when it comes to our impact on facilitating employment opportunities for Black citizens, particularly in public safety positions.

Use of ankle magnetic resonance imaging in the active duty military population: the results of a process improvement project.

BACKGROUND: Preventing overuse of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosing ankle pathology was the goal of a process improvement project at a military treatment facility. METHODS: Ordering patterns for MRI of nonorthopaedic providers and orthopaedic surgeons were evaluated over 2 separate periods. An educational initiative on appropriate use of MRI in evaluating ankle complaints was conducted between the 2 periods. RESULTS: Between October 2009 and March 2010, 230 ankle MRIs were performed at our institution, compared to 347 ankle MRIs performed between December 2012 and August 2013. A lower number of patients underwent operative procedures after the education process than before (17% versus 25%). Fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons produced the highest number of operative patients with their MRI ordering practices (P=.003 and P=.0001 for Phases 1 and 2 respectively). There was no change in the number of ankle MRI studies ordered each month following the educational initiative (38.3 and 38.5 for Phases 1 and 2 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients undergoing ankle MRI did not undergo operative intervention. Foot and ankle surgeons produce the highest number of operative patients with their MRI ordering practices. Education alone was ineffective in altering ankle MRI ordering patterns.

Prediabetes in California: Nearly Half of California Adults on Path to Diabetes.

In California, more than 13 million adults (46 percent of all adults in the state) are estimated to have prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes. An additional 2.5 million adults have diagnosed diabetes. Altogether, 15.5 million adults (55 percent of all California adults) have prediabetes or diabetes. Although rates of prediabetes increase with age, rates are also high among young adults, with one-third of those ages 18-39 having prediabetes. In addition, rates of prediabetes are disproportionately high among young adults of color, with more than one-third of Latino, Pacific Islander, American Indian, African-American, and multiracial Californians ages 18-39 estimated to have prediabetes. Policy efforts should focus on reducing the burden of prediabetes and diabetes through support for prevention and treatment.

Diabetes tied to a third of California hospital stays, driving health care costs higher.

Increasing diabetes prevalence has been found to be a primary driver of increased health care costs in the United States. This policy brief examines the impact of diabetes on hospitalizations and related hospitalization costs in California. Using 2011 hospital patient discharge data and annual financial data from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), this study found that patients with diabetes represented 31 percent of hospitalizations in California in 2011 among patients 35 years or older, including 39 percent of African-American and Asian-American patients and 43 percent of Latino patients. Moreover, these hospitalizations cost nearly $2,200 more per hospitalization than those for patients without diabetes, regardless of the primary reason for the hospitalization. Given that approximately 90-95 percent of diagnosed diabetes among adults is type 2 diabetes and is therefore preventable, public health measures can and should be taken to relieve the burden of type 2 diabetes. Such measures include promoting a healthy diet and regular physical activity and providing adequate access to primary and specialty care.

Targeted research training: developing minority psychiatric investigators.

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this article is to review the career outcomes of a research training program specifically targeted to young psychiatric researchers from minority populations underrepresented in psychiatry. The aims of the program were (1) to support psychiatric investigators from under-represented populations in the development and maintenance of research careers and (2) to identify the factors which influence successful research career development. METHOD: Demographic data from 99 program participants were collected from an online survey as part of a systematic program evaluation, and through a follow-up internet search. Outcome measures included current academic position, number and types of post-training grants received, number of peer-reviewed publications, and comparison of post-training career outcomes with those from other highly regarded research training programs. RESULTS: Of the 99 psychiatrists accepted into the program, 55 responded to the online survey; additional information on non-responders was obtained through a follow-up internet search. Results indicated that 64% of program trainees identified their primary employment setting as academic/research; 70% reported publication of their research findings, and 64% reported the award of post-training research grants. The percentage of program graduates appointed to academic faculty positions and their receipt of R01 and/or K awards, exceeded that of two highly regarded national training programs. The study further identified major factors influencing successful research career development. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study strongly suggest that research training programs targeted to young minority psychiatrists can be successful in supporting the development and maintenance of their research careers. The decline in the availability of such programs does not portend well for increasing the numbers of underrepresented minority psychiatric researchers.

Bubbling over: soda consumption and its link to obesity in California.

Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased dramatically in both adults and children in the last three decades in the n California, 62% of adolescents ages 12-17 and 41% of children ages 2-11 drink at least one soda or other sweetened beverage every day. In addition, 24% of adults drink at least one soda or other sweetened beverage on an average day. Adults who drink soda occasionally (not every day) are 15% more likely to be overweight or obese, and adults who drink one or more sodas per day are 27% more likely to be overweight or obese than adults who do not drink soda, even when adjusting for poverty status and race/ethnicity. This policy brief, produced collaboratively by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy and the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, examines soda consumption in California by cities and counties using data from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2005). In addition, the brief investigates whether there is an association between soda consumption and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. There are major differences in soda consumption rates by geographic area in California, suggesting that social and environmental factors affect the consumption of soda. Also, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher among those who drink one or more sodas or other sweetened beverages every day than among those who do not consume these soft drinks. Establishing public policies that focus on reducing soda consumption could contribute to reversing California's increasing overweight and obesity problem.

Poverty and childhood overweight in California Assembly districts.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of the present study was to determine the association between childhood overweight and area-based socioeconomic indicators in California Assembly districts. DESIGN: A cross-sectional ecologic study. PARTICIPANTS: California public school students. MAIN EXPOSURE: Poverty and demographic data for California Assembly districts were based on the 2000 Census and obtained from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall and race- and ethnicity-specific rates of childhood overweight for California Assembly districts (n=80) were based on the 2004 statewide Fitnessgram evaluation of California public school students. RESULTS: Poverty was significantly associated with childhood overweight in California Assembly districts. At the Assembly district scale, childhood overweight was significantly associated with percent residents below poverty for the entire population (r=0.82), and with the race/ethnicity-specific overweight prevalence for African-American (r=0.43), Latino (r=0.61) and White (r=0.54) populations. There was also evidence that childhood overweight in California Assembly districts was spatially clustered. Linear regression models confirmed that percent of residents below poverty was an independent predictor of a higher prevalence of childhood overweight for the entire population. The results of race/ethnicity-specific models confirmed that the association between area poverty and childhood overweight was not explained by differences in the risk of overweight among specific race/ethnicity groups. CONCLUSIONS: Area-based measures of socioeconomic status can be used to identify problem areas and can be used for optimal targeting of public health prevention and intervention efforts.

Pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the foot with fibrosarcomatous changes: a review and case presentation.

Pigmented dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, also known as Bednar's tumor, is a rare, aggressive, cutaneous tumor. The lesion is highly invasive but metastasis is rare. This article presents a case of Bednar's tumor of the foot with fibrosarcomatous changes and a review of the differential diagnoses of this lesion.

Racial attitudes in young children as a function of interracial contact in the public schools.

The relative effects of integrated and segregated schooling on racial attitudes were studied in a comparison of young children attending all-black, all-white, and integrated schools. Results of this photo-choice study suggest that segregated classes discourage realistic perceptions of the excluded race and promote a preference for whites among whites and blacks, whereas interracial schooling contributes to acceptance of blacks by all students and has especially profound and complex effects on black children.