Sunghyun Chung

Purpose: Maternal anxiety is a clinically relevant mental health concern during pregnancy and may contribute to reduced fetal growth, particularly when co-occurring with prenatal tobacco use. To examine the individual and contextual associations of maternal anxiety and prenatal tobacco use with infant birth weight using 2021–2023 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data. The analytic sample included 29,288 mothers nested within 11 states or jurisdictions. Methods: Two-level linear mixed models were estimated to predict continuous infant birth weight, with a random slope for maternal anxiety to assess whether the anxiety–birth weight association varied across states or jurisdictions. Results: Prenatal tobacco use was associated with an approximately 219-gram reduction in birth weight ( p < .001), while maternal anxiety was associated with an approximately 60-gram reduction ( p < .001). State-level prevalence of anxiety and tobacco use did not directly predict birth weight; however, the association between maternal anxiety and birth weight varied across states or jurisdictions. Conclusions: These findings support integrated prenatal care approaches that combine maternal mental health screening, tobacco cessation support, and attention to contextual systems that may shape maternal and infant health.

Mental health challenges among adolescents represent a critical public health priority. Approximately one in five U.S. teenagers aged 12 to 19 report experiencing depressive symptoms within the pas...

Sleep-related academic impairment is a common issue among college students and may be influenced by psychological and behavioral health factors. This study used cross-sectional data from the Spring 2021 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III (ACHA-NCHA III) to examine whether psychological distress, loneliness, and substance use were associated with academic impairment due to sleep difficulties among U.S. college students aged 18–24 ( N = 798). Logistic regression showed that psychological distress, loneliness, and elevated risk scores for alcohol and cannabis use were significantly associated with sleep-related academic impairment. Tobacco use was marginally associated. Demographic factors did not show significant associations. These findings suggest that mental health and substance use are important, intersecting contributors to academic impairment linked by sleep problems. Interventions that address mental health, reduce substance use risk, and promote healthy sleep may be particularly beneficial in improving academic outcomes and overall student well-being on college campuses.

PurposeThis study investigates how perceptions of misinformation and satisfaction with social media experiences influence trust in information from social media platforms. With the growing concern over misinformation and declining trust in digital content, understanding these relationships is critical for improving the credibility of online information environments.Design/methodology/approachData were drawn from 1,258 U.S. adults participating in Wave 109 of the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP). Multivariable linear regression was conducted to examine the associations between trust in social media information and two predictors: satisfaction with social media news experiences and support for restricting false information online. Demographic variables such as age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, and marital status were included as covariates.FindingsBoth satisfaction with social media and support for misinformation restriction were significantly associated with greater trust in social media information. Education level also had a modest but statistically significant effect. These findings suggest that positive user experiences and perceived platform accountability contribute to higher trust in online information.Practical implicationsSocial media platforms should enhance user satisfaction and transparently address misinformation to foster trust. Improving content moderation systems, enhancing the user interface, and clearly communicating fact-checking processes can strengthen user confidence in digital information.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to jointly examine the roles of misinformation perceptions and satisfaction in shaping trust in social media information. It offers empirical evidence using nationally representative data and contributes actionable insights for platforms, educators, and policymakers seeking to improve digital trust.

Sleep-related academic impairment is a common issue among college students and may be influenced by psychological and behavioral health factors. This study used data from the Spring 2021 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment III (ACHA-NCHA III) to examine whether psychological distress, loneliness, and substance use were associated with academic impairment due to sleep difficulties among U.S. college students aged 18–24 (N = 798). Logistic regression showed that psychological distress, loneliness, and elevated risk scores for alcohol and cannabis use were significantly associated with sleep-related academic impairment. Tobacco use was marginally associated. Demographic factors did not show significant associations. These findings suggest that mental health and substance use are important, intersecting contributors to academic impairment caused by sleep problems. Interventions that address mental health, reduce substance use risk, and promote healthy sleep may be particularly beneficial in improving academic outcomes and overall student well-being on college campuses.