A review of more than 1,250 college graduates' transcripts revealed that scores on a Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation test can best be predicted by the score received on the English portion of the ACT. GSP test scores and grades earned in college introductory English composition classes, considered in tandem, then offer the best insight into how mass communication students will perform in an introductory media writing course. When majors within the college/school are considered, the GSP performs most poorly at predicting writing grades among journalism students, who comprise the very group for whom the test was initially created.

Objective:Zinc (Zn) deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in HIV, and is not reversed with ART. Zn deficiency affects the immune system and may be aggravated by excessive alcohol use. We examined the effect of alcohol consumption on plasma and dietary Zn, and its association with disease progression in HIV+ adults.Methods:After consenting, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score 蠅8 was used to identify excessive alcohol intake among 274 HIV+ adults. Nutrient intake was estimated with two 24‐hour dietary recalls; blood was drawn for plasma Zn levels, and parameters of HIV disease progression were obtained from medical charts.Results:Mean age was 45.9±7.8, 64% were male, 69% were Black, 43% had excessive alcohol drinking, 65% were Zn deficient, 40% used multivitamins with 15 mg Zn/day. CD4 cell count was lower in excessive alcohol drinkers compared to non‐drinkers or moderate drinkers (374.8±54.1 vs. 459.2±62.6 cells/mm3, P=0.029). CD4 cell count and viral load were better in non‐drinkers and moderate drinkers (β=0.2, SE=1.7, P=0.03 and β=‐0.18, SE=0.22, P=0.049, respectively) than in excessive drinkers. There was no relationship between excessive drinking and Zn deficiency. Excessive drinking was correlated with tobacco (r=0.24, P<0.001) and illicit drug use (r=0.25, P<0.001). Zn intake was correlated with energy (r=0.491, P<0.001) and protein (r=0.718, P<0.001) intake, but not with plasma levels of Zn.ConclusionModerate or no alcohol consumption is associated with better measures of HIV disease progression than excessive drinking, but is not associated with Zn deficiency.Funded by NIDA & NIAAA

ObjectivePeople living with HIV (PLWH) face multiple barriers to access treatments, experiencing unmet medical and ancillary service needs. The purpose of this study was to determine the barriers that affect adequacy of dietary intake and impede attendance and compliance with nutritional counseling sessions with a Registered Dietitian (RD).MethodsAfter consent, a subsample of the Miami Adult Studies on HIV (MASH) cohort consisting of 130 consecutively recruited HIV‐positive study participants completed a survey regarding nutritional services, barriers to services and compliance with visits. In addition, healthcare workers that provide services to PLWH, completed a survey to determine barriers preventing these caregivers from making referrals for dietary counseling. Student t‐tests and chi‐square were used to analyze data on barriers. Spearman rank correlations were used to estimate associations between identified barriers and other categorical outcome variables that affect attendance with an RD.ResultsOf the 130 participants surveyed, 46.2% reported nutritional counseling with an RD in the previous 12‐months. Although 75.4% of all participants have seen an RD in the past, more than half of them (53.8%) were not receiving nutritional services. The most trusted sources (68.5%) of nutritional information were equally the Physician and RD. HIV‐positive participants were more frequently interested in learning about the following topics: weight concerns (73.1%), shopping healthy (72.3%) and on a budget (70.3%). The most identified barriers to participating were difficulty in keeping appointments (33.8%), location (24.6%) and lack of referral to services (23.8%). Barriers that the participants identified towards nutritional counseling were highly correlated with each other. Barriers affecting the referrals to RD's from HIV health professionals included that the patient was not interested, education level, and patient not requesting the services.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the majority of PLWH in Miami‐Dade County have received some nutritional counseling with an RD at some point after HIV diagnosis. The most commonly identified barriers to access nutritional care can be overcome by providing education to healthcare providers and patients, facilitating transportation, and providing locations closer to the places where they are receiving medical treatment to make it more convenient.

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