Culture

SEATTLE -- It can be hard to plan for basic needs, like paying rent or taking care of your kids, if you don't know when you'll be working next week or just how many hours you will be needed.

A new study by researchers at the University of California-Davis, finds that an unpredictable work week is the norm for growing numbers of low-wage workers -- nearly 40 percent of whom worked variable hours for at least one four-month period after the start of the 2007-09 Great Recession.

SEATTLE -- Beginning pornography use is associated with a substantial increase in the probability of divorce for married Americans, and this increase is especially large for women, finds a new study that will be presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

SEATTLE -- Ramen noodles are supplanting the once popular cigarettes as a form of currency among state prisoners, but not in response to bans on tobacco products within prison systems, finds a new study.

Instead, study author Michael Gibson-Light, a doctoral candidate in the University of Arizona School of Sociology, found that inmates are trying to figure out ways to better feed themselves as certain prison services are being defunded.

SEATTLE -- Kansans who own water wells show more awareness of state water policy issues than those who rely on municipal water supplies, according to a study that could have implications for groundwater management and environmental policies.

Brock Ternes, a University of Kansas doctoral student in sociology, found that well owners prioritized issues related to the depletion of the High Plains Aquifer -- which is the underground reservoir of freshwater beneath much of the western half of the state.

SEATTLE -- People in Africa's Sub-Sahara region, a relatively undeveloped area, are generally satisfied with their sex lives, with the most common rating -- reported by 18 percent of respondents -- being a perfect "10," according to Baylor University research that will be presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

Is the occurrence of a fragility fracture - where Medicare beneficiaries broke a hip, wrist or shoulder - a missed opportunity to reduce exposure to prescription drugs associated with fracture risk?

Jeffrey C. Munson, M.D., M.S.C.E., of the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, N.H., and coauthors tried to answer that question in an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The U.S. prison population continued to rise even after the crime rate began declining in the mid-1990s because judges were faced with more repeat offenders, a new study suggests.

Using data from Minnesota, an Ohio State University sociologist found that the U.S. criminal justice system felt the reverberations from the increase in violent crime and imprisonment that occurred from the 1960s to the early 1990s.

People in Africa's Sub-Sahara region, a relatively undeveloped area, are generally satisfied with their sex lives, with the most common rating -- reported by 18 percent of survey respondents -- being a perfect "10," according to Baylor University research to be presented Monday, Aug. 22, at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Seattle.

BOSTON - With half of all women and a quarter of all men over fifty expected to suffer a fracture in the years ahead, the number of such injuries exceeds the incidence of heart attack, stroke, and breast cancer combined. By discouraging the use of medications that can cause dizziness or loss of balance and prescribing medications known to prevent bone loss, clinicians can help patients lower their risk of falls and fractures.

SEATTLE -- The U.S. prison population continued to rise even after the crime rate began declining in the mid-1990s because judges were faced with more repeat offenders, a new study suggests.

Using data from Minnesota, an Ohio State University sociologist found that the U.S. criminal justice system felt the reverberations from the increase in violent crime and imprisonment that occurred from the 1960s to the early 1990s.

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) published the findings from the MINERVA study, which investigated associations between medication adherence and long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients' post-myocardial infarction (MI) and those with atherosclerotic disease (ATH). The study, "Assessing the Impact of Medication Adherence on Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes," showed a significant association between higher adherence rates and improved patient outcomes, and reductions in healthcare costs.

A new study reveals that many patients are not aware that they are having a stroke when they are experiencing symptoms.

A new survey released today highlights how race and ethnicity shape the opinions of the country's most diverse generation by exploring the most critical and timely political, social, and economic issues impacting the United States. The GenForward survey is from the Black Youth Project at the University of Chicago with The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21, 2016 -- Most people start racking up scars from an early age with scraped knees and elbows. While many of these fade over time, more severe types such as keloids and scars from burns are largely untreatable. These types of scars are associated with permanent functional loss and, in severe cases, carry the stigma of disfigurement. Now scientists are developing new compounds that could stop scars from forming in the first place.

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 21, 2016 -- What do squid and jellyfish skin have in common with human skin? All three have inspired a team of chemists to create materials that change color or texture in response to variations in their surroundings. These materials could be used for encrypting secret messages, creating anti-glare surfaces, or detecting moisture or damage, they say.