"Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Erratum.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 26(6) of Health Psychology (see record 2007-16656-006). The Letters to the Editor "In Response to Kalichman et al. (2006)" by Joshua Fogel (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) and "Error Noted in 'Health Information on the Internet and People Living With HIV/AIDS: Information Evaluation and Coping Styles'" by Seth C. Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) were printed with the same DOI. This is incorrect. The DOIs should be as follows: Joshua Fogel (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537a and Seth C. Kalichman (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537b.] Reports an error in "Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles" by Seth C. Kalichman, Charsey Cherry, Demetria Cain, Lance S. Weinhardt, Eric Benotsch, Howard Pope and Moira Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2006[Mar], Vol 25[2], 205-210). Table 1 mistakenly reported that the correlation between total Internet use and gender was r = .14, which, given the coding for gender, would be interpreted as women using the Internet more than men. However, as correctly stated in the text and indicated throughout the rest of the article, men used the Internet significantly more than women. The correct correlation between total Internet use and gender in Table 1 should therefore be r = .14. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2006-03515-009.) Individuals who seek information on the Internet to cope with chronic illness may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims. This study examined the association between health-related coping and the evaluation of health information. Men (n = 347) and women (n = 72) who were living with HIV/AIDS and reported currently using the Internet completed measures assessing their Internet use. Health Web sites downloaded from the Internet were also rated for quality of information. HIV-positive adults commonly used the Internet to find health information (66%) and to learn about clinical trials (25%); they also talked to their physicians about information found online (24%). In a multivariate analysis, assigning higher credibility to unfounded Internet information was predicted by lower incomes, less education, and avoidant coping styles. People who cope by avoiding health information may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims that are commonly encountered on the Internet. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Fogel (2007) and Kalichman (2007).

Reports an error in "Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles": Erratum" by Seth C. Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2007[Sep], Vol 26[5], 537) and The Letters to the Editor "In Response to Kalichman et al. (2006)" by Joshua Fogel (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) and "Error Noted in 'Health Information on the Internet and People Living With HIV/AIDS: Information Evaluation and Coping Styles'" by Seth C. Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2007, Vol. 26. No. 5, p.537) were printed with the same DOI. This is incorrect. The DOIs should be as follows: Joshua Fogel (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537a and Seth C. Kalichman (2007): DOI: 10.1037/0278-6133.26.5.537b. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2007-13009-005.) Reports an error in "Health information on the Internet and people living with HIV/AIDS: Information evaluation and coping styles" by Seth C. Kalichman, Charsey Cherry, Demetria Cain, Lance S. Weinhardt, Eric Benotsch, Howard Pope and Moira Kalichman (Health Psychology, 2006[Mar], Vol 25[2], 205-210). Table 1 mistakenly reported that the correlation between total Internet use and gender was r = .14, which, given the coding for gender, would be interpreted as women using the Internet more than men. However, as correctly stated in the text and indicated throughout the rest of the article, men used the Internet significantly more than women. The correct correlation between total Internet use and gender in Table 1 should therefore be r = .14. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2006-03515-009.) Individuals who seek information on the Internet to cope with chronic illness may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims. This study examined the association between health-related coping and the evaluation of health information. Men (n = 347) and women (n = 72) who were living with HIV/AIDS and reported currently using the Internet completed measures assessing their Internet use. Health Web sites downloaded from the Internet were also rated for quality of information. HIV-positive adults commonly used the Internet to find health information (66%) and to learn about clinical trials (25%); they also talked to their physicians about information found online (24%). In a multivariate analysis, assigning higher credibility to unfounded Internet information was predicted by lower incomes, less education, and avoidant coping styles. People who cope by avoiding health information may be vulnerable to misinformation and unfounded claims that are commonly encountered on the Internet. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

HIV-AIDS Patients' Evaluation of Health Information on the Internet: The Digital Divide and Vulnerability to Fraudulent Claims.

Access to health information on the Internet has revolutionized how medical patients learn about their illnesses. Valuable information can be found online; however, many health Web sites contain inaccurate or misleading information. The authors surveyed 324 adults with HIV concerning their Internet use for obtaining health information. Health information found online was then rated for quality by participants and by medical professionals. Participants were less critical of health information found online than medical professionals and made smaller distinctions between high-quality and low-quality information. Assigning credibility to low-quality information was predicted by lower incomes and educational attainment, poorer reading comprehension, lower literacy levels, and irrational health beliefs. Results suggest that patients do not always evaluate online information critically and may be vulnerable to misinformation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Internet-based health information consumer skills intervention for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Medical information can improve health, and there is an enormous amount of health information available on the Internet. A randomized clinical trial tested the effectiveness of an intervention based on social- cognitive theory to improve information use among people living with HIV/AIDS. Men and women (N = 448) were placed in either (a) an 8-session intervention that focused on Internet information consumer skills or (b) a time-matched support group and were followed to 9 months postintervention. The Internet skills group demonstrated greater Internet use for health, information coping, and social support compared with the control group. The authors conclude that people with HIV infection may benefit from increased access to health information on the Internet and that vulnerability to misinformation and fraud can be reduced through behavioral interventions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual harassment and health among male and female police officers.

The aims of this study were to investigate whether sexual harassment is related to mental and physical health of both men and women, and to explore the possible moderating effects of gender on the relation between sexual harassment and health. In addition, we investigated whether women were more often bothered by sexual harassment than men, and whether victims who report being bothered by the harassment experience more health problems compared to victims who did not feel bothered. A representative sample of 3,001 policemen and 1,295 policewomen in the Dutch police force filled out an Internet questionnaire. It appeared that women were more often bothered by sexual harassment than men, but gender did not moderate the relation between sexual harassment and mental and physical health. In addition, victims who felt bothered by the harassing behaviors reported more mental and physical health problems than victims who did not feel bothered. The distinction between bothered and nonbothered victims is important because appraisal is an essential aspect in the operationalization of sexual harassment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health-related Internet use, coping, social support, and health indicators in people living with HIV/AIDS: Preliminary results from a community survey.

Widespread Internet use has revolutionized health information and patient education for persons with chronic illnesses. The authors surveyed 147 HIV-positive persons to examine factors associated with Internet use and associations between Internet use and health. Information, motivation, and behavioral skills associated with using the Internet were related to Internet use. The authors found that health-related Internet use was associated with HIV disease knowledge, active coping, information-seeking coping, and social support among persons who were using the Internet. These preliminary findings suggest an association between using the Internet for health-related information and health benefits among people living with HIV/AIDS, supporting the development of interventions to close the digital divide in HIV/AIDS care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health effects of the stressors of extreme environments on military women

This article examines the health effects of generic and unique stressors on military women's health. It is an outgrowth of work performed under the Defense Women's Health Research Program and participation in the Forum on the Health of Women in the Military held at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences on June 17 to 19, 1996. We review gender differences in the effects of stress on health. We comment on some of the methodological challenges in researching gender effects. We hypothesize about some of the ways in which military women may be more vulnerable to specific stressors and/or use different coping strategies than their male counterparts. Finally, we make recommendations about military training and future research.     

The impact of minority stress on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women.

Objective: We examined the direct and indirect impact of minority stress on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women. Method: A combination of snowball and targeted sampling strategies was used to recruit lesbian and bisexual women (N = 1,381) for a cross-sectional, online survey. Participants (M age = 33.54 years; 74% White) completed a questionnaire assessing gender expression, minority stressors (i.e., victimization, internalized homophobia, and concealment), social–psychological resources (i.e., social support, spirituality), and health-related outcomes. We used structural equation modeling to test associations among these factors, with gender expression as an antecedent and social–psychological resources as a mediator between minority stress and health. Results: The final model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ2(79) = 414.00, p confirmatory fit index = .93, Tucker–Lewis index = .91, standardized root-mean-square residual = .05, root-mean-square error of approximation = .06, accounting for significant portions of the variance in mental health problems (56%) and substance use (14%), as well as the mediator social–psychological resources (24%). Beyond indirect effects of minority stress on health outcomes, direct links emerged between victimization and substance use and between internalized homophobia and substance use. Conclusions: Findings indicate a significant impact of minority stressors and social–psychological resources on mental health and substance use among sexual minority women. The results improve understanding of the distinct role of various minority stressors and their mechanisms on health outcomes. Health care professionals should assess for minority stress and coping resources and refer for evidence-based psychosocial treatments. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in combat-related stressors and their association with postdeployment mental health in a nationally representative sample of U.S. OEF/OIF veterans.

Though the broader literature suggests that women may be more vulnerable to the effects of trauma exposure, most available studies on combat trauma have relied on samples in which women's combat exposure is limited and analyses that do not directly address gender differences in associations between combat exposure and postdeployment mental health. Female service members' increased exposure to combat in Afghanistan and Iraq provides a unique opportunity to evaluate gender differences in different dimensions of combat-related stress and associated consequence for postdeployment mental health. The current study addressed these research questions in a representative sample of female and male U.S. veterans who had returned from deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq within the previous year. As expected, women reported slightly less exposure than men to most combat-related stressors, but higher exposure to other stressors (i.e., prior life stress, deployment sexual harassment). No gender differences were observed in reports of perceived threat in the war zone. Though it was hypothesized that combat-related stressors would demonstrate stronger negative associations with postdeployment mental health for women, only one of 16 stressor × gender interactions achieved statistical significance and an evaluation of the clinical significance of these interactions revealed that effects were trivial. Results suggest that female Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom service members may be as resilient to combat-related stress as men. Future research is needed to evaluate gender differences in the longer-term effects of combat exposure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

National trends in prayer use as a coping mechanism for health concerns: Changes from 2002 to 2007.

The objective of this research was to analyze national trends in the use of prayer to cope with health concerns. Data are from the Alternative Medicine Supplement of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2002 (N = 30,080) and 2007 (N = 22,306). We categorized prayer use into 3 groups: never prayed, prayed in the past 12 months, and did not pray in the past 12 months. Chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regressions were performed to analyze prayer use over time. All analyses adjusted for the complex sample design of the NHIS and were conducted in SAS-callable SUDAAN. Recent use (within 12 months) of prayer for health concerns significantly increased from 43% in 2002 to 49% in 2007. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic status, health status, and lifestyle behaviors, prayer use was more likely in 2007 than 2002 (adjusted odds ratio = 1.21, 95% CI [1.14, 1.28]). Across time, individuals reporting dental pain were more likely to use prayer to cope compared with those with no pain. The adjusted odds ratios were 1.2 (95% CI [1.09, 1.33]) in 2002 and 1.16 (95% CI [1.03, 1.3]) in 2007. Other predictors of prayer, including gender, race, psychological distress, changing health status, and functional limitations, remained consistent across both time periods. Overall, prayer use for health concerns increased between 2001 and 2007. The escalating positive association between pain and prayer use for health concerns over time suggests that it is critical for mental and physical health treatment providers to be aware of the prevalence of this coping resource. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effects of widowhood on physical and mental health, health behaviors, and health outcomes: The Women's Health Initiative.

This study examined whether widowhood was associated with physical and mental health, health behaviors, and health outcomes using a cross-sectional (N=72,247) and prospective (N=55,724) design in women aged 50-79 years participating in the Women's Health Initiative observational study (85.4% White). At baseline, married women reported better physical and mental health and generally better health behaviors than widowed women. Whereas women who remained married over the 3-year period showed stability in mental health, recent widows experienced marked impairments and longer term widows showed stability or slight improvements. Both groups of widows reported more unintentional weight loss over the 3-year period. Changes in physical health and health behaviors were inconsistent, with generally small effect sizes. Findings underscore the resilience of older women and their capacity to reestablish connections, but point to the need for services that strengthen social support among women who have difficulty during this transition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences among recreational gamblers: Association with the frequency of alcohol use.

This study examines the interactive effects of alcohol use and gender on health and gambling attitudes and behaviors in recreational gamblers. The Gambling Impact and Behavior Study (D. Gerstein et al., 1999) surveyed by telephone 2,417 adults targeted to be representative of the U.S. adult population. The authors compared male and female recreational gamblers (n = 1,471) who were stratified by frequency of alcohol use on measures of health and gambling. Significant Gender × Alcohol Use group interactions were observed such that moderate-to-high frequency alcohol consumption correlated with heavier gambling in men than in women, whereas such an association did not exist among abstinent or low frequency drinkers. There were few gender differences in the correlations between alcohol consumption and health. Future research should consider gender-related influences when examining alcohol use and gambling behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparison of health status, socioeconomic characteristics, and knowledge and use of HIV-related resources between HIV-infected women and men

OBJECTIVES: The authors compared socioeconomic characteristics, and knowledge and use of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related resources and health status measures between HIV-infected women and men registered within the Denver Health and Hospitals health care system. METHODS: Data collected through two Centers for Disease Control-funded surveillance initiatives (Adult Spectrum of Disease and Supplement to HIV/AIDS Surveillance) were linked. Health status measures were obtained using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS-20) questionnaire. To compare health status measures between genders, men were matched to women based on disease stage, intravenous drug use, race, years of education, employment status, and age. RESULTS: Among all patients interviewed (n = 419), women (n = 52) were more likely to be minority, uneducated, intravenous drug users, and at earlier stages of HIV-disease than men (n = 367). Employment status was not significantly different. Knowledge of available services was generally good among both genders. Women received public assistance and had health insurance (Medicaid) more often than men. Women used support services, social work, and shelter assistance less often than men. The matched pairs analysis (n = 46 pairs) showed no significant differences between genders in physical and social function, mental health, pain, or general health perceptions; however, role function was better in women than in men (P<0.02). CONCLUSIONS: When controlling for factors that may influence health and access to health care, HIV disease generally impacts the health status of both genders similarly. Women scored higher in role function which may reflect family caretakers' responsibilities. Although knowledge of HIV-related resources was similar by gender, men made contact more often suggesting areas for enhanced outreach toward women.     

Coping and distress in organizations: The role of gender in work stress.

This article investigates the positive value of women's interpersonal way of coping by examining coping benefits on distress depending on gender socialization in the Spanish cultural context. The participants were 332 men and 129 women employed by financial companies. Preliminary results showed that women used social support coping more frequently than men, whereas there were no gender differences in the use of direct action coping. Interactive effects of gender in the relationship between coping strategies and distress and psychosomatic complaints were found; social support coping was only beneficial for women, whereas direct action coping was more beneficial for men than for women. Implications of these results and their significance within the framework of national and sector cultures are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Online access by adolescents in Accra: Ghanaian teens' use of the internet for health information.

In developed countries, adolescents go online to find information about health; however, little is known about the online practices of youth from developing countries. This study's purpose was to explore and provide current information, drawn from adolescents living in Ghana's capital city of Accra, on the use of the Internet as a health information source. Using a representative sample of in-school adolescents and a convenience sample of out-of-school adolescents, 778 15- to 18-year-olds completed a detailed media and health information survey. Two-thirds (66%) of the in-school youth and approximately half (54%) of the out-of-school youth had previously gone online. Of all these Internet users, 53% had sought online health information, and this percentage did not differ significantly by gender, age, ethnicity, or even school status. Youth reported great interest, high levels of efficacy, and positive perceptions of online health information. Although more research should be conducted, this study offers exciting data on the potential to deliver, via the Internet, health information to youth in developing countries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chronic stress and coping styles: A comparison of male and female undergraduates.

Male and female coping behaviors were compared in order to test the theory that men use instrumental coping strategies more frequently than women, who are thought to use emotion-focused coping solutions. We interviewed 51 female and 39 male first-year undergraduates by telephone three times a week for 8 weeks, using an inventory developed for 28 chronic stressors. Analyses of variance were used to test gender differences in frequency of daily stressors, concomitant perceptions of stress, and utilization of problem-solving behaviors. The majority of analyses showed no gender differences. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of cultural expectations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The relationship between magnesium and calcium kinetics in 9- to 14-year-old children

A. J. Tomarken and R. J. Davidson (1994) reported that defensiveness is characterized by relative left frontal brain activation. Because they examined only women, gender differences in this relation are possible. In the present study, resting alpha asymmetries in right-handed men (n = 25) and women (n = 60) were related to defensiveness, measured by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire L scale. These results were similar to those of Tomarken and Davidson in that defensiveness correlated positively with relative left frontal activation in women. An unexpected finding was that high-defensive men showed relative right frontal activation, a result virtually opposite that for women. These results imply that the nature of defensiveness as a coping strategy may vary as a function of gender.     

Gender differences in perceptions of stressors and utilization of social support among university students.

Although researchers have found that social support is an effective coping mechanism to deal with stress, there has been little research on gender differences in perceived stress and use of social support. In the present study, 186 undergraduate students from a Maritime university rated the perceived stressfulness of five scenarios, and identified the type and source of social support they would use to cope with each of the situations. Women perceived three of the five scenarios as significantly more stressful than did men. Women indicated that they would turn to their partner and friends to a greater extent than men would. Women also reported that they would seek emotional support to a greater degree than did men. However, when the perceived stressfulness of the scenarios was controlled, some of the gender differences in the sources and types of support disappeared. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gender differences in experiences of sexual harassment: Data from a male-dominated environment.

The goal of this investigation was to examine gender differences in experiences of sexual harassment during military service and the negative mental health symptoms associated with these experiences. Female (n = 2,319) and male (n = 1,627) former reservists were surveyed about sexual harassment during their military service and current mental health symptoms. As expected, women reported a higher frequency of sexual harassment. Further, women had increased odds of experiencing all subtypes of sexual harassment. Being female conferred the greatest risk for experiencing the most serious forms of harassment. For both men and women, sexual harassment was associated with more negative current mental health. However, at higher levels of harassment, associations with some negative mental health symptoms were stronger for men than women. Although preliminary, the results of this investigation suggest that although women are harassed more frequently than men, clinicians must increase their awareness of the potential for sexual harassment among men in order to provide the best possible care to all victims of harassment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Age and the gender gap in distress

Women report more psychological distress than men and recent evidence suggests that this gap increases with age. It has been argued that the widening differential in distress reflects the progressive and cumulative nature of women's disadvantaged work and family roles. Drawing on the cumulative disadvantage hypothesis and social stress theory, we test: (1) whether exposure to chronic stress accounts for an increasingly larger proportion of the gender effect on distress with age; and (2) whether women are increasingly more vulnerable to the effects of chronic stress on distress with age. Data are from the 1994 wave of the Canadian National Population Health Survey, a national probability sample of women and men aged 20 and older (N = 13,798). Exposure to long-term stress helps us understand gender differences in distress for those in their pre-retirement years. However, contrary to the cumulative disadvantage hypothesis, the model became increasingly less likely to explain such differences with age. Gendered vulnerability to long-term stress was not evident in the sample. The implications of these findings are discussed with particular reference to our ongoing efforts to understand health in the context of social structure and subjectivity.