The differential energy balance gap across subpopulations and over time suggests that interventions should be tailored to subpopulations' needs.

Objectives. This study examined the association between 2 dimensions of adults’ self-rated health and residential stability in childhood. Methods. Using data from the nationally representative survey Midlife in the United States, I assessed the impact of neighborhood and family stability on positive perceptions of global health and mental health in midlife. Results. Neighborhood stability in childhood is associated with a significant increase in the likelihood that an individual will rate his or her global health highly in midlife. Both neighborhood and family stability are positively associated with good mental health in midlife. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that both childhood family stability and adult social context are associated with health outcomes later in life. (Am J Public Health. 2003;93:1144–1148)

Family researchers and policy makers are giving increasing attention to the consequences of immigration for families. Immigration affects the lives of family members who migrate as well as those who remain behind and has important consequences for family formation, kinship ties, living arrangements, and children's outcomes. We present a selective review of the literature on immigrant families in the United States, focusing on key research themes and needs. A summary of secondary data sets that can be used to study immigrant families is presented as well as suggestions for future research in this increasingly important area of family research and policy.

BackgroundWe focused on human-animal interaction (HAI) as an important aspect of social functioning at the individual level, framing this emerging field from a public health perspective.MethodsUsing data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2012 HAI module, we describe the characteristics of pet ownership in a population of older adults, and examine the relation between pet ownership and multiple mental and physical health indicators such as health status, depression, and physical activity.ResultsOf the 1657 participants in our subsample, approximately half (51.5%) reported being pet owners; the majority owned dogs or cats, and most had only one pet. Pet ownership was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of ever having had depression, with pet owners being 1.89 times more likely to have experienced depression. However, pet ownership was not associated with having experienced depression within the last week.ConclusionsThe findings from this study could indicate a relationship between pet ownership and depression, but it is impossible to determine the directionality of that relationship. It is possible that owning a pet may put a person at an increased risk of developing depression, or individuals who are at risk, or who have already developed depression, may acquire a pet as a way of managing their depressive symptoms. The findings of this study provide an initial step in contributing to our understanding of the relationship between companion animals and the social, physical, and mental well-being of the HRS study population. Future research should include measures of HAI in longitudinal, population-based surveys.