Papers by Eugene Aisenberg
Oxford University Press eBooks, Oct 29, 2010
Psychiatric Services, Aug 1, 2011
Objective-This pilot study tested the effectiveness of culturally tailored, telephone-based cogni... more Objective-This pilot study tested the effectiveness of culturally tailored, telephone-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for improving depression outcomes among Latino primary care patients living in rural settings. Methods-A total of 101 Latino patients at a rural family medical center who met criteria for probable major depression were randomly assigned to enhanced usual care or eight sessions of CBT delivered by phone by trained bilingual therapists from the community. Blinded study assistants assessed depression symptom severity, using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist (SCL) depression items and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and patient satisfaction after six weeks, three months, and six months. Mixed-effects models were used to estimate intervention effects over time. For cross-sectional analyses, attrition weights were used to account for missing data. Results-In intent-to-treat analyses, patients who received CBT by phone were more likely to experience improvement in depression scores over the six-month follow-up period compared with patients who received enhanced usual care (β=−.41, t=−2.36, df=219, p=.018, for the SCL; and β= −3.51, t= −2.49, df=221, p=.013, for the PHQ-9). A greater proportion of patients in the CBT group than in the group that received enhanced usual care achieved treatment response at three months (p=.017), as indicated by a 50% improvement in SCL depression score or a score <.75, and reported high satisfaction with treatment (p=.013).
Environmental Health, 2022
Background Data on pediatric asthma morbidity and effective environmental interventions in U.S. a... more Background Data on pediatric asthma morbidity and effective environmental interventions in U.S. agricultural settings are few. We evaluated the effectiveness of HEPA air cleaners on asthma morbidity among a cohort of rural Latino children. Methods Seventy-five children with poorly controlled asthma and living in non-smoking homes were randomly assigned to asthma education alone or along with HEPA air cleaners placed in their sleeping area and home living room. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) score, asthma symptoms in prior 2 weeks, unplanned clinical utilization, creatinine-adjusted urinary leukotriene E4 (uLTE4 [ng/mg]), and additional secondary outcomes were evaluated at baseline, six, and 12 months. Group differences were assessed using multivariable-adjusted generalized estimating equations. Incident rate ratios of ever experiencing the metrics of poorer asthma health during follow-up (suboptimal asthma management) were estimated using Poisson regression models in secondary analys...
Global Perspectives on Dialogue in the Classroom, 2021
Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 2015
History of Present Illness WhenMs. R came to our clinic, her cancer had been in remission for mor... more History of Present Illness WhenMs. R came to our clinic, her cancer had been in remission for more than one year, but she was still suffering from fatigue, anhedonia, irritability, depression, and chronic insomnia. She indicated that the most recent exacerbation of these symptoms began about two years ago in conjunction with her husband’s loss of employment but that, over the last six months, she had experienced a rapid mood decline due to marital discord, adversarial relationships at work, and financial concerns. She reported that her cancer therapeutic regimen, consisting of hormone suppression therapy, had remained unchanged throughout the last couple of years and that her anemia was being followed by her primary care physician (who was also concerned about her low body mass index of 18).
Research on Social Work Practice, 2021
Purpose: This proof-of-concept study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness o... more Purpose: This proof-of-concept study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) as a classroom adjunct to improve training bachelor of social work (BSW) students in client engagement strategies. Methods: We codeveloped the ITS with 11 undergraduate students and pilot tested it with six BSW students enrolled in a class on telephone-based cognitive behavioral therapy (tCBT). Student competencies in tCBT were assessed by expert review of role-plays. We also examined time spent using ITS and relation with competency. Results: The majority of students (81.8%) in Wave 1 and all of the students who submitted role-plays in Wave 2 passed the clinical skills role-play. Students advancing through the ITS more quickly had better tCBT competency ratings than those progressing more slowly. Discussion: One of the most challenging aspects of training is how to competently deliver evidence-based practices. ITS has the potential to streamline an...
Page 1. P1: GDW/FOM Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy [jcag] ph099-jcag-368566 March ... more Page 1. P1: GDW/FOM Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy [jcag] ph099-jcag-368566 March 5, 2002 10:18 Style file version Nov. 19th, 1999 Journal of Child and Adolescent Group Therapy, Vol. 11, Nos. 2/3, September 2001 ( C o 2002) ...
Journal of Social Work in End-Of-Life & Palliative Care, 2012
The culture of pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is focused on curative or life-prolonging t... more The culture of pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is focused on curative or life-prolonging treatments for seriously ill children. We present empirically-based approaches to family-centered palliative care that can be applied in PICUs. Palliative care in these settings is framed by larger issues related to the context of care in PICUs, the stressors experienced by families, and challenges to palliative care philosophy within this environment. Innovations from research on family-centered communication practices in adult ICU settings provide a framework for development of palliative care in PICUs and suggest avenues for social work support of critically ill children and their families.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in th... more Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in the treatment and prevention of adult mental health disorders. A fundamental assumption, based on documented evidence of effectiveness with certain populations, is that EBP is equally effective and applicable to all populations. However, small sample sizes of ethnic minority populations in randomized clinical trials prevent strong and clear conclusions about the effectiveness and generalizability of EBP with regard to people of color. In addition, the appropriateness of EBPs to ethnic minority communities has rarely been investigated. This article critically examines the applicability and dissemination of adult mental health EBP to diverse ethnic minority populations. It highlights limitations of EBP rooted in its epistemological narrowness, exclusion of communities of color, and lack of cultural competence and examines whether the practice of EBP has overstepped its evidence. This article...
Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in th... more Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in the treatment and prevention of adult mental health disorders. A fundamental assumption, based on documented evidence of effectiveness with certain populations, is that EBP is equally effective and applicable to all populations. However, small sample sizes of ethnic minority populations in randomized clinical trials prevent strong and clear conclusions about the effectiveness and generalizability of EBP with regard to people of color. In addition, the appropriateness of EBPs to ethnic minority communities has rarely been investigated. This article critically examines the applicability and dissemination of adult mental health EBP to diverse ethnic minority populations. It highlights limitations of EBP rooted in its epistemological narrowness, exclusion of communities of color, and lack of cultural competence and examines whether the practice of EBP has overstepped its evidence. This article...
ISEE Conference Abstracts, 2018
Urban studies demonstrate adverse impacts of home environmental characteristics and caregiver str... more Urban studies demonstrate adverse impacts of home environmental characteristics and caregiver stress on asthma morbidity. We characterize these features at baseline for participants in a rural asth...
This study evaluates the level of behavior problems in a previously little studied group-children... more This study evaluates the level of behavior problems in a previously little studied group-children with founded cases of abuse and neglect receiving child welfare services in their own homes. A sample of 149 maltreated children, living at home, were evaluated on the CBCL as they entered a service program to which they were referred by a large public child protective service system. These children were found to have elevated levels of behavior problems, with 43.6% scoring in the problematic range, a rate similar to children entering foster care. Practice and policy implications of these findings are discussed and highlighted. Research has shown that abuse and neglect may have both short-and long-term negative consequences for many of its victims. In addition, numerous studies have documented the high rates of emotional and behavior problems of children in the foster care system. What has not been documented is the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems in children served by the child welfare system but not placed in foster care-children with founded cases of maltreatment who are under the supervision of child protective services but receive services in their own homes. The reason for such a gap in the literature may lie in the fact that in-home services are frequently directed at the parent(s) in order to help determine whether the family should be preserved. Case assessment under such circumstance first focuses on the child's safety. Once determined that the child can be maintained safely in the home, the assessment then turns to the parent(s) and family's dynamics in order to resolve the concrete, personal, behavioral, and interpersonal problems that led to the maltreatment incident; intervention is often aimed at the parents or the family constellation to avoid placement rather than at the child's condition. Under these circumstances, the potential service needs of the maltreated child is often overlooked, since
Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2007
Social Work, 2008
Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in th... more Evidence-based practice (EBP) has contributed substantially to the advancement of knowledge in the treatment and prevention of adult mental health disorders. A fundamental assumption, based on documented evidence of effectiveness with certain populations, is that EBP is equally effective and applicable to all populations. However, small sample sizes of ethnic minority populations in randomized clinical trials prevent strong and clear conclusions about the effectiveness and generalizability of EBP with regard to people of color. In addition, the appropriateness of EBPs to ethnic minority communities has rarely been investigated. This article critically examines the applicability and dissemination of adult mental health EBP to diverse ethnic minority populations. It highlights limitations of EBP rooted in its epistemological narrowness, exclusion of communities of color, and lack of cultural competence and examines whether the practice of EBP has overstepped its evidence. This article presents a framework characterized by pathways of epistemological partnership and substantive inclusion of racial and ethnic minority groups to facilitate the promotion of culturally responsive EBPs and to inform mental health practice and policy implementation.
Psychiatry: Interpersonal and Biological Processes, 2008
Recent commentary has advocated for epidemiological investigation as a foundational science for u... more Recent commentary has advocated for epidemiological investigation as a foundational science for understanding disparities in the delivery of mental health care and for the development of early trauma-focused interventions. Few acute care investigations have examined the diversity of ethnic/racial heritages or compared variations in early posttraumatic distress in representative samples of injured trauma survivors. Hospitalized injury survivors at two United States level I trauma centers were randomly approached in order to document linguistic and ethnic/racial diversity. Approximately 12% of patients approached were non-English speaking with 16 languages represented. English speaking, inpatients were screened for posttraumatic stress disorder, peritraumatic dissociative, and depressive symptoms. For 269 English speaking study participants, ethnic/racial group status was clearly categorized into one group for 72%, two groups for 25%, and three groups for 3% of participants. Regression analyses that adjusted for relevant clinical and demographic characteristics revealed that relative to whites, patients from American Indian, African American, Hispanic, and Asian heritages demonstrated significant elevations in one or more posttraumatic symptom clusters. A remarkable diversity of heritages was identified, and posttraumatic distress was elevated in ethnic/racial minority patients. Policy-relevant clinical investigations that combine evidence-based treatments, bilingual/bicultural care-management strategies, and support for trauma center organizational capacity building may be required in order to enhance the quality of mental health care for diverse injured trauma survivors.
BMC Oral Health
Objectives: Oral health is one of the greatest unmet health needs of migrant farmworkers and many... more Objectives: Oral health is one of the greatest unmet health needs of migrant farmworkers and many migrant workers lack basic oral health knowledge. This paper presents evaluation results for an oral health education program designed to both increase knowledge concerning oral health practices and to gain a better understanding of the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors regarding oral health among migrant workers. Methods: We used a pre-post uncontrolled design to assess the impact of the education program on participant knowledge about oral health practices. Changes in knowledge were assessed using a paper and pencil survey given to participants before the session began (pre) and at the end of the session (post). The pre-post survey was supplemented by qualitative information in the form of participant self-reported barriers and facilitators, and figure drawings illustrating their feelings about the state of their own oral health. Results: There were 311 participants in 12 workshops held in 2017 throughout Washington State. There were statistically significant increases in knowledge for all of the pre/post survey questions. Questions with particularly large improvements included: the results of having a mouth infection, factors causing oral health problems, and whether children in low-income families experience more tooth decay. Conclusions: An interactive, lay-led oral health education program can be an effective way to increase oral health knowledge in migrant populations. Recommendations for similar programs include using interactive approaches to engage participants, being open to learning and changing your own thinking, and using lay leaders for the education sessions.
Encyclopedia of Social Work, 2013
Social Work, 2013
he number of Latino children involved with the child welfare system has more than doubled in the ... more he number of Latino children involved with the child welfare system has more than doubled in the past 15 years, currently representing 21 percent of known cases of child maltreatment (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (HHS, ACYF), 1997, 2009). Culturally appropriate services are in dire need, and kinship care placements appeal to the family system fundamental to Latino culture. Evidence suggests kinship placements result in fewer moves and instances of reentering care, better opportunities for maintaining contact with birth family, and faster sibling placements (Cuddeback, 2004; Winokur, Rozen, Thompson, Green, & Valentine, 2005). Unfortunately, most child welfare policies ineffectively deal with issues unique to Latinos, such as cultural norms, mixed documentation status within households, and high rates of poverty. This commentary explores the multifaceted barriers Latino kinship care providers are likely to encounter as their lived experiences intersect with child welfare, welfare reform, and immigration policies. We posited that culturally sensitive practice and policy can reduce some strains experienced by Latino families involved with child welfare and supports kinship care as a viable placement option. BACKGROUND Types of Kinship Care
Uploads
Papers by Eugene Aisenberg