SOCIETY <strong>of</strong> BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE Rapid Communications Posters Thursday, March 22, <strong>2007</strong> • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM • Poster Session B 2505 FEASIBILITY AND EFFICACY OF A HOME STUDY WORKBOOK FOR CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS WITH PTSD: A PILOT INTERVENTION Katherine M. Dollar, PhD, 1 Judith Lyons, PhD, 2 Jeff Kibler, PhD 3 and Mindy Ma, PhD 4 1 SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY; 2 G. V. “Sonny” Montgomery VA Medical Center, South Central MIRECC and University <strong>of</strong> Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS; 3 NOVA Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL and 4 Jackson State University, Jackson, MS. Researchers have documented that caregivers <strong>of</strong> veterans with PTSD experience high levels <strong>of</strong> caregiver burden and psychopathology, but underutilize behavioral health services. Caregivers identify travel and scheduling as primary barriers to treatment participation. Evidencing the ongoing cycle <strong>of</strong> translating research about caregivers into practice, an intervention was empirically derived from preceding research. The implementation and evaluation <strong>of</strong> the intervention is the continuation <strong>of</strong> the cycle, moving from science to impact and back to science again. The current pilot study investigated the feasibility and efficacy <strong>of</strong> a “minimal therapist contact” intervention (i.e., a home-study workbook utilizing only phone and mail contacts) focused on changing maladaptive cognitive appraisal patterns with the goal <strong>of</strong> reducing caregiver burden. Phone interviews were conducted with 31 female caregivers <strong>of</strong> veterans with PTSD for screening/baseline assessment, including demographics, cognitive appraisal items, the Brief Symptom Inventory-18, and the Burden Interview. Participants who demonstrated threat-appraisal coping were <strong>of</strong>fered the workbook (n = 15), supplemented by weekly phone calls to monitor progress and address difficulties understanding the workbook. Of the 15 participants enrolled in the intervention, a relatively high percentage (53%) completed the program compared with previous completion rates cited in the literature (approx.15-28%). Paired samples t- tests revealed statistically significant differences between the preand post-assessments on the Burden Interview, t = 2.86, p < .05. These findings are interpreted as preliminary evidence supporting the feasibility and efficacy <strong>of</strong> a non-traditional intervention for caregivers <strong>of</strong> veterans with PTSD, facilitating the translation from science to impact. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Katherine M. Dollar, PhD, Health Behavior, SUNY Buffalo, Tonawanda, NY, 14150; katherinedollar@yahoo.com 2506 MEAL PATTERN TIMELINES: A NEW APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING AND CHANGING THE EATING PATTERNS OF AT-RISK YOUTH Margaret Savoca, PhD, 1 David Ludwig, PhD, 2 Conner Evans, BA, 2 Coral Hanevold, MD, 2 Gregory Harshfield, PhD 2 and Sara Quandt, PhD 3 1 University <strong>of</strong> North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC; 2 Medical College <strong>of</strong> Georgia, Augusta, GA and 3 Wake Forest School <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong>, Winston Salem, NC. An outcome <strong>of</strong> pediatric obesity is the increased rate <strong>of</strong> hypertension among young African American men. Successful dietary counseling ~ 100 ~ strategies must focus on the specific meal patterns <strong>of</strong> African American youth and identify viable healthful eating alternatives. The development <strong>of</strong> a novel dietary assessment and behavior change tool called the Meal Pattern Timeline (MPT) is based on an in-depth investigation <strong>of</strong> the eating patterns <strong>of</strong> young African Americans men (ages 17-20, n= 28) and teens (ages 13-17, n=7) and included participants with essential hypertension and those at high and low risk for its development. During in-depth interviews, participants described when and what they ate and the factors influencing meal timing and food choices. From these narratives, meal pattern timelines were constructed indicating the timing, location, and food sources. Regardless <strong>of</strong> hypertensive status, four primary meals were identified breakfast, lunch, a late afternoon meal, and dinner. Not surprisingly, few ate meals with their families and meals eaten away from home were French fries, pizza, and regular s<strong>of</strong>t drinks. The timeline construction made the influence <strong>of</strong> family dynamics, foods available at school, and the impact <strong>of</strong> employment and sports on food choices evident. Based on this formative research, the proposed assessment tool combines a semi-structured interview guide with the construction <strong>of</strong> a time line. The participant and the interviewer create a visual representation <strong>of</strong> when, where, and how foods are selected and consumed. The MPT captures eating habits within the context <strong>of</strong> daily activities providing a framework in which the participant and the interviewer can observe his food choices and reflect on the factors which influence these patterns. Thus, the stage is set for considering realistic ways that dietary patterns can be altered. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Margaret Savoca, PhD, Nutrition, University <strong>of</strong> North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170; mrsavoca@uncg.edu 2507 METHODOLOGY OF A DIABETES PREVENTION TRANSLATIONAL PROJECT IN A LATINO COMMUNITY Philip A. Merriam, MSPH, 1 Yunsheng Ma, PhD, 1 Barbara C. Olendzki, MPH, 1 Trinidad Tellez, MD, 2 Milagros C. Rosal, PhD, 1 Sherry Pagoto, PhD 1 and Ira S. Ockene, MD 1 1 <strong>Medicine</strong>, University <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA and 2 Family & Community <strong>Medicine</strong>, University <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA. Objective: The Latino population is the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States with twice the prevalence <strong>of</strong> type 2 diabetes as Caucasians. The Lawrence Latino Diabetes Prevention Project, an NIDDK-funded randomized controlled trial, aims to reduce the risk <strong>of</strong> diabetes in a lower socioeconomic and educational status Latino population. The methodology including recruitment, intervention, and measures are presented. Subject: Latinos (N=400) with a > 30% probability <strong>of</strong> being diagnosed with diabetes in the next 7.5 years per the Stern predictive equation will be recruited. Recruitment will be completed in May <strong>2007</strong>. The project is conducted in Lawrence, Massachusetts, a primarily Latino community and the state’s poorest city. Methods: Individuals at elevated risk for diabetes (based on the Stern predictive equation) are identified, screened for study participation, and randomized to either a usual care or intervention condition. The intervention is a modified group-based Diabetes Prevention <strong>Program</strong> (DPP) protocol tailored to the Latino culture
<strong>2007</strong> SBM Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions March 21-24, <strong>2007</strong> FINAL PROGRAM Rapid Communications Posters Thursday, March 22, <strong>2007</strong> • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM • Poster Session B and low-literacy. The intervention is conducted in Spanish. Measures include demographics, Stern equation components (age, gender, ethnicity, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, HDLcholesterol, BMI, and family history), glycosylated hemoglobin, diet, physical activity, depression, social support, quality <strong>of</strong> life, and cost. Weight is measured at baseline, 6-months and one-year; and all others assessed at baseline and one-year. Survey measures were adapted for oral administration in Spanish. Results: Study products include: 1) a tested model <strong>of</strong> an effective intervention program to assist at-risk Latino individuals to make lifestyle changes and reduce diabetes risk, packaged in an implementation manual; and 2) an assessment <strong>of</strong> the intervention cost. Applications/Conclusions: A collaborative effort <strong>of</strong> academic and community organizations has translated the DPP protocol into a “real world” setting. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Philip A. Merriam, MSPH, <strong>Medicine</strong>, University <strong>of</strong> Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01655; philip.merriam@umassmed.edu ~ 101 ~
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