Geographical variation in attitudes towards smoking: findings from the COMMIT communities

This paper examines the links between attitudes towards cigarette smoking and the social environments of communities involved in the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT). Our objective is to identify sources of social-geographic variation in smoking attitudes and norms which can hinder or enhance public health efforts to reduce tobacco use. The analysis had two stages: (1) place (measured as region and community) was identified as an important main effect accounting for individual variation in smoking attitudes independent of smoking status and personal characteristics; (2) case studies of COMMIT sites in North Carolina, Iowa, Washington, New Jersey and New Mexico were conducted to reveal features of the local milieux which could account for variations in smoking attitudes. Some of the place characteristics that we suggest are linked to local attitudes include economic reliance on the tobacco industry, libertarian political orientations, socio-economic conditions, legislative context and ethnic composition. Given the effects of regional and community attributes on individual attitudes towards smoking, we conclude that public health efforts to control smoking should continue to be targeted beyond individual smokers to the broader social environment.     

Contemporary nutritional attitudes and practices: a factor analysis approach

The results reported here are based upon a survey of the nutritional attitudes and practices of a sample of adults aged between 18 and 74 years. The scaled responses to two inventories of statements were subjected to a factor analysis in order to assess the extent to which it is possible to identify a set of coherent dimensions which underly the range of "surface" issues which figure consistently in the sociological literature. The results broadly confirm the utility of the inventories, and do suggest the presence of a series of underlying themes, some of which are very much along anticipated lines. However, one theme, that of deference to what might be thought of as "authoritative agencies" within the food system, was less expected, and deserves further attention. Additionally, selected factors were aggregated by summing the scores of their component variables, and correlated with the key independent variables of age, sex and social class, with a view to identifying the social profiles of their adherents. The results obtained were by no means clear cut, with a number of the anticipated features of such profiles being absent. Moreover, where the profiles were as anticipated, the correlations, although statistically significant, were relatively weak. This raised the issue of whether such an outcome was a methodological artefact, or a reflection of the possibility that differences in nutritional attitudes and practices are shaped by a range of lifestyle variables which do not coincide with conventional indicators of social differentiation.     

Testicular self-examination: attitudes and practices among young men in Europe

BACKGROUND: Testicular self examination (TSE) is recommended for the early detection of testicular cancer. Evidence from North America suggests there is only limited public awareness of its importance among the young male population. Compliance with regular TSE is found in only a small minority of young men. Attitudes toward and practice of TSE have rarely been studied outside North America. METHOD: Attitudes to TSE were evaluated by questionnaire in a sample of 16,486 students. Frequency of TSE practice was reported by the 7,304 men in the sample. The data were collected as part of the European Health Behavior Survey, an international study on health beliefs and health behavior. RESULTS: Eighty-seven percent of men reported never having practiced TSE. Regular practice (monthly) was reported by only 3% of the sample, with another 10% reporting occasional TSE. Significant differences emerged between countries, ranging from 76% of German men to 98% of Icelandic men reporting no TSE. Men rated TSE as less important to health than women. Attitude toward TSE among men was a significant predictor of TSE practice. CONCLUSION: Both the low levels of TSE and the low ratings of the importance of TSE suggest that young men in Europe are unaware of the value of this comparatively simple method of early detection of cancer. If a highly educated population group in the "at risk" age category is not carrying out the recommendations, it is unlikely that there are higher levels of compliance in other groups. These results suggest an important role for health education in the early detection of testicular cancer.     

Prevention: tobacco control and cancer nursing

Trends in surgical practice suggest that pathologists will encounter increased numbers of patients with small invasive ductal adenocarcinomas; small, if any, metastatic deposits in axillary lymph nodes (ALNs); and possibly fewer ALN specimens to examine. New prognostic histologic features may be needed in this environment. We studied histologic features of primary breast carcinoma and ALN metastasis from 86 patients who had stage T1 ductal carcinomas with only 1 ALN metastasis that was 0.5 cm or less and correlated these features with the development of distant metastases to evaluate their potential usefulness as prognostic indicators. The median follow-up period was 5.3 years. Distant metastases developed in 12 patients. Features significantly associated with 10-year distant metastases-free survival were lymph node hilar tissue invasion (HTI) and ALN metastasis size (stage N1a vs N1b). Tumor grade 1 vs grades 2 or 3 approached significance. The presence of HTI also was related significantly to a decreased 10-year distant metastases-free survival in the stage N1b group. Our study suggests that HTI, along with other well-known parameters, is a useful prognostic feature. In addition, it supports the opinion that ALN dissection may provide limited additional information for patients with grade 1, stage Tla, invasive ductal carcinomas. Additional studies are needed to confirm our findings.     

The health practices of homeless women: a causal model

A theoretical model was developed and tested to explain the effects of learned helplessness, self-esteem, and depression on the health practices of homeless women. Data were collected from a sample of 122 homeless women recruited from six shelters. Structural equation analysis was used to evaluate the model. Analysis revealed a goodness-of-fit index of 98, indicating a good fit of the model with the data. Overall, the variables in the model accounted for 14% to 21% of the variance in the health practices of homeless women.     

Spit tobacco intervention in dental practice: recommendations for clinicians

To address ST use effectively, awareness needs to be raised regarding its harmful affects and addictive nature. Clinicians can and should take a leadership role in the control of ST by addressing ST use with patients. The recommendations provide clinicians with practical tools and strategies for intervention with ST users and potential users. Although many of these strategies require training and time, it should be emphasized that even minimal intervention can be effective in combating ST use.     

Individuals' attitudes toward organizational drug testing policies and practices.

Using 2?×?2 experimental design and data from 73 blue-collar employees of a manufacturing firm, we assessed the effects of two hypothetical drug testing policies: (a) advance notice of drug testing (not provided vs provided) and (b) the consequences of detected drug use (termination vs rehabilitation) on attitudes toward drug testing. A multiple regression analysis for which R?=?.419, F (2, 70)?=?7.456, p?=?.001, showed that attitudes toward drug testing were influenced by both advance notice of drug testing (β?=?.227, p?p?     

Intergenerational comparisons of child-rearing attitudes and practices in Hong Kong.

The present research comprises two studies, one focusing on maternal child-rearing attitudes and practices and the other on paternal roles and attitudes in Hong Kong. Intergenerational comparisons are made possible by having 17 pairs of grandmothers and mothers and 20 pairs of grandfathers and fathers from the same families serve as informants. An interview schedule was used in the first study, and a questionnaire and two attitude scales were used in the second study. Results show that the fathers depart more from the traditional orientation concerning child training and filial piety and tend to be more involved in child care than the grandfathers. On the other hand, intergenerational comparisons of maternal care are mostly nonsignificant (at the .05 level). Despite important changes that have taken place, continuity with the past remains strong, such as in the control of sex and aggression. A high degree of intergenerational commonality remains in attitudes and conceptions concerning human nature, the importance of social–environmental influences in character formation, and the desired characteristics expected of children when they grow up. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Solo and nonsolo dental practices: impact of increasing number of female dentists and the cost of a dental education

This study involved subjective evaluation of airway patency, linear measurement of orocraniofacial architecture, and blood pressure measurement in 38 obese sufferers of sleep apnea and 38 matched controls. The study demonstrated that airway management in the sleep apnea group was difficult on both induction and emergence from general anesthesia. Moreover, a smaller, compressed oropharynx was observed in the sleep apnea group. In addition, patients with sleep apnea were characteristically hypertensive. More nursing research is needed to enhance understanding of patients afflicted with sleep apnea and to improve their life quality.     

Impact of computers on professional practice: A survey of current practices and attitudes.

Surveyed 227 practicing psychologists to explore the impact of computers on the everyday practice of psychology and practitioners' attitudes toward specific uses of computers. Whereas more than half of the respondents reported using computers in their practices, most restricted their use to clerical applications. Few practitioners used their computer for more clinical applications. Reasons most frequently reported for not using computers related to lacking the necessary skills and experience and to financial considerations. Overall, practitioners had positive attitudes toward a variety of specific applications of computers. Implications of these findings for facilitating the appropriate use of computers by practitioners are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lay attitudes to dental appearance and need for orthodontic treatment

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To compare dose values specified at the reference point, as recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements, ICRU, and the mean dose to the planning target volume, PTV. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CT-based dose calculations were performed with a 3-D treatment planning system for 6 series of patients treated for bladder, brain, breast, lung, oropharynx and parotid gland tumour. All patients were arbitrarily chosen from a set of previously treated patients irradiated with a two- or three-field technique using customised blocks. Appropriate wedge angles and beam weights were chosen to make the dose distribution as homogeneous as possible. RESULTS: The dose at the ICRU reference point was generally higher than the mean dose to the PTV. The difference between the ICRU reference dose and the mean dose to the PTV for an individual patient was less than 3% in 88% of cases and less than 2% in 72% of the cases. The differences were larger in those patients where the dose distribution is significantly influenced by the presence of lungs or air gaps. For each series of patients the mean difference between the ICRU reference dose and the mean dose to the PTV was calculated. The difference between these two values never exceeded 2%. Because not all planning systems are able to calculate the mean dose to the PTV, the concept of the mean central dose, the mean of the dose values at the centre of the PTV in each CT slice, has been introduced. The mean central dose was also calculated for the same patients and was closer to the mean dose to the PTV than the ICRU reference dose. CONCLUSION: The mean dose to the PTV is well estimated by either the ICRU reference dose or the mean central dose for a variety of treatment techniques for common types of cancer.     

Interdisciplinary training and interdisciplinary functioning: a survey of attitudes and practices in community mental health

A survey of staff members and training-program directors suggests that inter-disciplinary functioning is the rule rather than the exception in community mental health centers, although there are significant differences by profession in time spent in interdisciplinary work and in attitudes toward it. Striking parallels are seen within each profession between attitudes of staff and of directors of training programs. Barriers to interdisciplinary functioning and training are identified and discussed.     

Are we dental assistants marketing and promoting our practices?

Two nondepolarizing myorelaxants: tracrium, with medium-long duration of action, and a new short-acting drug mivacron were used in combined anesthesia of 50 patients with gastrointestinal diseases subjected to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Both drugs can be used for anesthesia of laparoscopic operations; mivacron should be preferred due to its shorter action.