Arizona State University

Sexual assault victimization is understudied among men, and is associated with several long-term, negative outcomes, including risky sexual behaviors. Condom use resistance (CUR) is one risky sexual behavior, which entails lasting consequences such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies. Although previous research has broadly examined risky sexual behaviors among men who were victimized by adolescent/adult sexual assault (ASA), research specifically examining CUR use among men victimized by ASA is lacking. A total of 282 young, single, men who were recently sexually active with a woman were recruited from the United States and completed assessments of their age, previous sexual assault victimization, and use of CUR strategies. Almost half (n = 137; 48.6%) of the men were sexual assault victims, while the remainder (n = 145; 51.4%) were nonvictims. Quade non-parametric ANCOVAs compared victims' to nonvictims' use of CUR strategies. Results revealed that victims used more CUR overall, used more noncoercive CUR, and used more strategies related to risk-level reassurance, relationship and trust, reduced sensitivity, and direct request than nonvictims. However, there were no differences in participants' previous use of coercive CUR, or strategies related to seduction, withholding sex, or loss of arousal. These novel findings suggest an association between men's ASA victimization and CUR, similar to findings among women's ASA victimization and CUR. Future research should replicate these results in a larger, more diverse sample, to better inform intervention programs targeting men victimized by ASA, and emphasizing the importance of condom use during future sexual interactions.

Black women’s mental well-being during reentry from incarceration remains critically understudied. This critical scoping review examines the extent and nature of research on Black women’s mental well-being post-incarceration, how mental well-being is conceptualized in the literature, and the methodological challenges in conducting culturally responsive research. Guided by Black Feminist/Womanist theory, Black Critical Theory, and Anti-Black Sanism, a systematic search across eight databases published between 2000 and 2022 yielded 29 studies for inclusion (18 qualitative, 9 quantitative, and 2 mixed methods). Findings reveal that research on Black women’s mental well-being during reentry remains fragmented, with limited geographic scope, narrow demographic representation, and inconsistent theoretical and methodological grounding. Many studies reduce mental well-being to pathology, emphasizing trauma, mental illness, and substance use while overlooking holistic well-being, structural determinants, and culturally grounded healing practices. Although qualitative studies captured Black women’s voices, carceral logics persist, reinforcing Western psychiatric models and deficit-based interpretations that obscure agency, joy and collective care. Measurement bias is also prevalent, with few validated mental health tools for or with Black women, and participatory research methods remain rare, marginalizing Black epistemologies and community-driven knowledge production. This review underscores the urgent need for justice-oriented research that moves beyond deficit-based frameworks to center Black voices, challenge white supremacy and gendered anti-Blackness, and advance culturally responsive, community-centered approaches to mental well-being during reentry. Reflexive, transformative methodologies that prioritizes healing, structural change, and self-determined care are essential for reimagining mental well-being beyond carceral constraints.

Heat stress limits for human survivability have been previously defined by a 6-hour exposure to a wet-bulb temperature of 35oC. However, the recently developed physiology-based HEAT-Lim model demonstrates that environmental heat stress thresholds may be cooler and drier than previously thought. We employ HEAT-Lim to determine whether non-survivable thresholds were surpassed during six historical events where conditions were climatologically extreme and/or high heat-related mortality was reported. Our results show that non-survivable conditions are occurring during present-day heat events, all of which are below 35oC wet-bulb temperature. Of concern is regular exceedances of deadly thresholds for older people directly exposed across all events. Moreover, extremely hot yet dry conditions are found to be just as deadly as hot and humid conditions. For future climatological assessments, we emphasise the importance of employing increasingly accurate physiology-derived methods to assess the risk of potentially deadly heat stress.

ABSTRACT A community-based participatory research approach was used to understand experiences and effective support systems utilized during the COVID-19 pandemic among American Indian adults (N = 30) living on an Arizona Tribal reservation. Individual interviews were conducted between October 2022 and April 2023, and interview data were collected and analyzed by researchers who are citizens of the Tribe of focus. Findings indicate a continued need to plan for emergency food and water; the importance of elected district representatives; and a returning to and/or increased use of cultural activities, religious and/or spiritual practices to reduce stress, grief, and isolation. Results may be applicable to other Tribal or rural-based communities in the Southwest and beyond.