Biomedical subjects

Glorian Sorensen

Publications and source records attributed to Glorian Sorensen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Tools for health: the efficacy of a tailored intervention targeted for construction laborers.

OBJECTIVES: Novel approaches to worksite health promotion are needed for high-risk workers who change job sites frequently, and thus may have limited access to worksite health promotion efforts. The objective of this study was to test a behavioral intervention among construction laborers. METHODS: Using a randomized-controlled design, we tested the efficacy of a tailored telephone-delivered and mailed intervention to promote smoking cessation and increased fruit and vegetable consumption (n = 582). RESULTS: At baseline, 40% of control group participants and 45% of intervention group participants reported using any tobacco in the last seven days. At final, 8% of baseline cigarette smokers in the control group had quit, compared to 19% in the intervention group (p = 0.03). In both groups, the mean consumption of fruits and vegetables at baseline was over five servings per day. At final, the intervention group had increased consumption by approximately one and one-half servings, compared to a slight decrease in consumption in the control group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A tailored intervention can be efficacious in promoting tobacco use cessation and increased fruit and vegetable consumption among construction laborers, a high-risk, mobile workforce.

Counseling↗

PubMed2006

Perceptions of health promotion and cancer prevention among adults in working-class occupations and neighborhoods.

A social-contextual approach to cancer prevention among participants associated with the working class may result in behavior-change messages that are more relevant to them and contribute to a reduction in health disparities among classes. This article reports findings from a qualitative study of adults in working-class occupations and/or living in predominantly working-class neighborhoods that was designed to explore the circumstances influencing perceptions of health promotion, disease prevention, and cancer-risk reduction. Participants made only a weak connection between cancer prevention and general health-promotion behaviors. Results suggest that the complexity of communicating cancer-prevention messages with this audience may be compounded by their unfamiliarity with cancer prevention and their lack of recognition that certain behaviors may reduce cancer risk. Therefore, developing messages that consider the social context of participants' lives and link cancer prevention with health promotion, while maintaining cancer prevention as a distinct subcategory, may prove to be an effective education strategy.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Compliance with restrictions on sale of indoor tanning sessions to youth in Minnesota and Massachusetts.

BACKGROUND: Minnesota and Massachusetts require parental permission, for persons younger than 16 or 18 years of age, respectively, for indoor tanning. OBJECTIVES: This report examines business practices and characteristics associated with sales of indoor tanning to underage girls. METHODS: Fifteen-year-old girls tried to purchase an ultraviolet tanning session in 200 indoor tanning businesses in the Minneapolis-St Paul and Boston areas without parental consent. Business characteristics were recorded. Later, businesses were interviewed by telephone about their facilities and practices. RESULTS: Eighty-one percent of businesses sold a session to an underaged buyer on at least one of two tries. Illegal purchases did not differ by state. Businesses least likely to sell were larger, dedicated to indoor tanning, required employee certification, and had a minimum age of sale for their business. However, businesses in each of these categories still sold tanning sessions to underaged adolescents at 44% to 62% of the visits. Employees who requested parental consent or age identification almost never sold a session. LIMITATIONS: Businesses in Minnesota and Massachusetts only were included. CONCLUSION: Minnesota and Massachusetts laws specifying a minimum age of sale for indoor tanning are ineffective.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Conceptualization and development of a theory-based healthful eating and physical activity intervention for postpartum women who are low income.

Eating and physical activity behaviors that confer risk for chronic disease are prominent among women from varying ethnic and racial groups who are low income. Conceptualization and development of a theory-based behavioral intervention to address their unique needs during the first year following childbirth comprised four steps: (a) translating public health guidelines and emerging epidemiologic data into specific intervention messages; (b) developing practical strategies to operationalize theoretical constructs, in the context of a social ecological framework; (c) stating achievement-based objectives and writing scripts for five home visits; and (d) conducting formative research. Focus group participants expressed a desire for a "health mentor," not somebody who "nags" or "stresses you out." Paraprofessionals from the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) were directly involved in pretesting the intervention and remain involved as health mentors. This intervention can serve as a basis for future organizational partnerships to benefit the health of populations who are low income.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Process evaluation results from the Healthy Directions-Small Business study.

The Healthy Directions-Small Business randomized, controlled study aimed to reduce cancer risk among multiethnic workers in small manufacturing businesses by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, and daily multivitamin in take and decreasing consumption of red meat. The intervention incorporated participatory strategies and was built on a social-contextual framework that addressed people with varying cultural backgrounds and literacy levels. In addition, the intervention aimed to reduce worker exposure to occupational hazards. Process evaluation was conducted using quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative results showed high levels of worker awareness of and participation in programs. Qualitative findings suggested that management support, worker input, and a history of social interaction between workers and management may have contributed to high participation rates. Future studies need to examine characteristics associated with participation and nonparticipation of both managers and nonmanagers to increase the likelihood of participation and ultimately improve health behavior.

Data Collection↗

PubMed2006

Biomarker validation of dietary intervention in two multiethnic populations.

INTRODUCTION: Intervention studies have been designed to change dietary and lifestyle factors associated with chronic diseases, but self-reported behavior change may incorporate intervention-related bias. This study examines plasma nutrient concentration and correlations with self-reports in the Healthy Directions intervention study. The Healthy Directions intervention studies were designed to increase multivitamin use, fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity in working-class, multiethnic populations. METHODS: Participants in both studies completed interviewer-administered questionnaires that collected information on sociodemographic and health behavior characteristics. Postintervention blood samples were collected from 209 participants and pooled in pairs within study and within intervention group. RESULTS: We found significantly higher plasma concentrations of retinol (P = .01) and alpha-carotene (P = .03) in the intervention than in the usual care group. Self-reported multivitamin users had significantly higher concentrations of retinol (P < .001), beta-carotene (P = .02), and alpha-tocopherol (P < .001). Those who reported four or more fruit and vegetable servings per day had higher lutein and zeaxanthin (P = .05) and beta-cryptoxanthin (P = .05) concentrations than those consuming fewer. Plasma nutrient concentrations were associated with reported multivitamin use and fruit and vegetable intake, but the correlations were generally higher in the usual care group. CONCLUSION: We found significant postintervention differences in plasma carotenoid and tocopherol concentrations by treatment group, multivitamin use, and fruit and vegetable intake. However, because we only obtained postintervention blood samples, we were unable to assess preintervention-to-postintervention changes in plasma nutrients. Self-reported intakes were significantly correlated with plasma nutrient concentrations, but the strength of the correlations differed by group, suggesting some intervention-related bias in the questionnaire responses.

Biomarkers↗

PubMed2006

Acculturation and physical activity in a working class multiethnic population.

BACKGROUND: Determinants of physical activity in minority populations remain under-explored. Acculturation is one proposed mechanism for the disparities that exist between racial and ethnic groups in health outcomes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated the relation of language acculturation and generation in the US since migration with leisure-time and occupational activity. A low-income, multiethnic urban population was recruited from Massachusetts small businesses (SB) (n=1,725) and health centers (HC) (n=2,205). Baseline data were collected between May 2000 and February 2002. RESULTS: Individuals with low acculturation reported leisure-time activity 3-5 MET hours/week lower than those who were highly acculturated (P<0.05). Generation predicted leisure-time activity only in SB participants. In the HC, least acculturated participants reported occupational activity 10-12 MET hours/week higher than highly acculturated participants. In SB men, acculturation was inversely associated with occupational activity; in SB women, language acculturation was positively associated with occupational activity. Generation was not predictive of occupational activity. CONCLUSION: Language acculturation and generation were positively associated with leisure-time activity. Language acculturation is also associated with occupational activity. Acculturation is important to consider when designing public health interventions.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2006

Does race/ethnicity moderate the association between job strain and leisure time physical activity?

BACKGROUND: Racial/ethnic minorities report myriad barriers to regular leisure time physical activity (LTPA), including the stress and fatigue resulting from their occupational activities. PURPOSE: We sought to investigate whether an association exists between job strain and LTPA, and whether it is modified by race or ethnicity. METHODS: Data were collected from 1,740 adults employed in 26 small manufacturing businesses in eastern Massachusetts. LTPA and job strain data were self-reported. Adjusted mean hours of LTPA per week are reported. RESULTS: In age and gender adjusted analyses, reports of job strain were associated with LTPA. There was a significant interaction between job strain and race or ethnicity (p = .04). Whites experiencing job strain reported 1 less hr of LTPA per week compared to Whites not reporting job strain. Collectively, racial/ethnic minorities reporting job strain exhibited comparatively higher levels of LTPA compared to their counterparts with no job strain, although patterns for individual groups did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS: Job strain was associated with LTPA in a lower income, multiethnic population of healthy adult men and women. The association between job strain and LTPA was modified by race or ethnicity, highlighting the importance of investigating the differential effects of psychosocial occupational factors on LTPA levels by race or ethnicity.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Social hazards on the job: workplace abuse, sexual harassment, and racial discrimination--a study of Black, Latino, and White low-income women and men workers in the United States.

This study documents the prevalence of workplace abuse, sexual harassment at work, and lifetime experiences of racial discrimination among the United for Health cohort of 1,202 predominantly black, Latino, and white women and men low-income union workers in the Greater Boston area. Overall, 85 percent of the cohort reported exposure to at least one of these three social hazards; exposure to all three reached 20 to 30 percent among black women and women and men in racial/ethnic groups other than white, black, or Latino. Workplace abuse in the past year, reported by slightly more than half the workers, was most frequently reported by the white men (69%). Sexual harassment at work in the past year was reported by 26 percent of the women and 22 percent of the men, with values of 20 percent or more in all racial/ ethnic-gender groups other than Latinas and white men. High exposure to racial discrimination was reported by 37 percent of the workers of color, compared with 10 percent of the white workers, with black workers reporting the greatest exposure (44%). Together, these findings imply that the lived--and combined-experiences of class, race, and gender inequities and their attendant assaults on human dignity are highly germane to analyses of workers' health.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Methods and baseline characteristics of two group-randomized trials with multiracial and multiethnic working-class samples.

INTRODUCTION: Few papers address the methodological challenges in recruiting participants for studies of cancer prevention interventions designed for multiracial and multiethnic working-class populations. This paper reports the results of the sample selection and survey methods for two group-randomized intervention studies. METHODS: The two group-randomized intervention studies, Healthy Directions-Small Business (HD-SB) and Healthy Directions-Health Centers (HD-HC), included a worksite-based study in 26 small manufacturing businesses and a study in 10 outpatient health centers. We used selection and recruitment methods to obtain a multiracial and multiethnic working-class study sample. In 2000 and 2001, we assessed baseline measures of sociodemographic characteristics and behavioral outcomes by self-report. We then computed intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS: Of the 1740 participants in the HD-SB study, 68% were non-Hispanic whites, and 76% had working-class occupations. In the HD-HC study, 59% of 2219 participants were non-Hispanic whites. Among those who worked, 51% had working-class occupations. Large percentages of both samples reported not meeting recommended guidelines for the target behaviors. For example, 86% of members of both samples consumed fewer than the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The ICCs for the four target behaviors in HD-SB were between 0.006 and 0.02. In the HD-HC study, the ICCs ranged from 0.0004 to 0.003. CONCLUSION: The two studies were successful in recruiting multiracial and multiethnic working-class participants. Researchers will find the estimates of the primary outcomes and their ICCs useful for planning future studies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Promoting behavior change among working-class, multiethnic workers: results of the healthy directions--small business study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the efficacy of a cancer prevention intervention designed to improve health behaviors among working-class, multiethnic populations employed in small manufacturing businesses. METHODS: Worksites were randomly assigned to an intervention or minimal-intervention control condition. The intervention targeted fruit and vegetable consumption, red meat consumption, multivitamin use, and physical activity. RESULTS: Employees in the intervention group showed greater improvements for every outcome compared with employees in the control group. Differences in improvement were statistically significant for multivitamin use and physical activity. Intervention effects were larger among workers than among managers for fruit and vegetable consumption and for physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: The social-context model holds promise for reducing disparities in health behaviors. Further research is needed to improve the effectiveness of the intervention.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Improving the prevention and control of hazardous substance exposures: a randomized controlled trial in manufacturing worksites.

BACKGROUND: New measures of exposure prevention (EP) activity were used to evaluate the effectiveness of a 16-month management-focused intervention addressing hazardous substance exposures in manufacturing work settings. METHODS: EP efforts were assessed using a rating scheme developed for this study. The rating scheme yields a set of measures of exposure potential and protection, which are combined into an overall EP summary rating. A randomized, controlled design was used to assess intervention effectiveness. Fifteen large manufacturing worksites completed the 16-month intervention and follow-up assessments. Analyses were conducted on the 107 production processes assessed at both baseline and final. RESULTS: Patterns of improvement within the intervention condition were consistent with the intervention emphasis on upstream or source-focused intervention; whereas patterns in controls were consistent with prevalent practice (more downstream, worker-focused). A mixed model analysis of variance showed greater improvement in EP ratings in intervention versus controls, but the difference in improvement was moderate and statistically non-significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that EP efforts in the manufacturing sector can be systematically assessed across the full range of hazardous substances in use, and that such assessments can serve both needs assessment and effectiveness evaluation functions. Findings suggest that more sustained or intense management-focused intervention would significantly improve EP activity in manufacturing settings.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Reducing cigarette smoking among working adolescents: results from the SMART study.

OBJECTIVE: The SMART Teens Against the Risks of Tobacco Study was designed to test the feasibility and efficacy of tobacco control intervention methods for employed teens. METHODS: A randomized controlled pilot study tested the efficacy of a behavioral intervention delivered between September, 1999, and August, 2000. Baseline and final survey data were collected on 560 teens in four intervention and five control stores. RESULTS: Although smoking prevalence decreased and intention to quit increased more among teens in the intervention stores compared to those in the control stores, the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The worksite holds promise as a possible venue for tobacco prevention and cessation interventions for youth although further research is needed to increase the efficacy of interventions for this setting.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Teacher tobacco use and tobacco use prevention in two regions in India: qualitative research findings.

BACKGROUND: This paper uses qualitative data to explore differences in tobacco use patterns and tobacco use prevention efforts among teachers in two Indian states with high versus low prevalence of tobacco use. METHODS: We conducted a series of 12 focus groups with teachers in 12 schools in Maharashtra and Bihar following a standardized script, and analyzed data using standard qualitative methods. RESULTS: Teachers in Bihar reported higher levels of tobacco use and stronger social norms promoting tobacco use compared to those in Maharashtra; nonetheless, teachers in both states reported strong social prescriptions about teachers' not using tobacco. Few supports were available for cessation. Although focus group participants were generally aware that tobacco use has deleterious health effects, not all were knowledgeable of specific health consequences, in particular resulting from the use of smokeless tobacco. Key barriers to teaching about tobacco use prevention were reported, including the lack of its inclusion in standard curricula and large class sizes; these results also underscore the importance of support for tobacco control policies. CONCLUSIONS: These findings point to the need for a multi-pronged approach to tobacco use prevention that involves the government, school administration, as well as teachers, parents, and the broader community, and including support to tobacco use cessation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Teacher tobacco use and tobacco use prevention in two regions in India: results of the Global School Personnel Survey.

BACKGROUND: This paper compares tobacco use patterns and tobacco use prevention efforts among teachers in two Indian states with high versus low prevalence of tobacco use. METHODS: Data from the Global School Personnel Survey compared tobacco use patterns and tobacco use prevention activities among teachers from the Indian states of Maharashtra (N = 954) and Bihar (N = 524). RESULTS: 78% of teachers in Bihar and 31% from Maharashtra were current tobacco users. Tobacco control policies were virtually non-existent in schools in Bihar, while in Maharashtra, over one-fourth of teachers reported that tobacco use was prohibited among both students and teachers. Few teachers in Bihar taught their students about tobacco use prevention, while such teaching was more common in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra, teaching about tobacco use prevention was significantly associated with not currently using tobacco (P < 0.0001), having a policy specifically prohibiting tobacco use among students (P < 0.0001), and having a policy specifically prohibiting tobacco use among school personnel (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study has clear implications for implementation of tobacco control policies in Indian schools and further underscores the need for infrastructure support for tobacco use prevention in developing countries such as India, where tobacco use threatens to contribute to a growing proportion of the burden of disease worldwide.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Process evaluation of an integrated health promotion/occupational health model in WellWorks-2.

Disparities in chronic disease risk by occupation call for new approaches to health promotion. Well Works-2 was a randomized, controlled study comparing the effectiveness of a health promotion/occupational health program (HP/OHS) with a standard intervention (HP). Interventions in both studies were based on the same theoretical foundations. Results from process evaluation revealed that a similar number of activities were offered in both conditions and that in the HP/OHS condition there were higher levels of worker participation using three measures: mean participation per activity (HP: 14.2% vs. HP/OHS: 21.2%), mean minutes of worker exposure to the intervention/site (HP: 14.9 vs. HP/OHS: 33.3), and overall mean participation per site (HP: 34.4% vs. HP/ OHS: 45.8%). There were a greater number of contacts with management (HP: 8.8 vs. HP/OHS: 24.9) in the HP/ OHS condition. Addressing occupational health may have contributed to higher levels of worker and management participation and smoking cessation among blue-collar workers.

Diet↗

PubMed2005

Social disparities in tobacco use in Mumbai, India: the roles of occupation, education, and gender.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed social disparities in the prevalence of overall tobacco use, smoking, and smokeless tobacco use in Mumbai, India, by examining occupation-, education-, and gender-specific patterns. METHODS: Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey conducted between 1992 and 1994 as the baseline for the Mumbai Cohort Study (n=81837). RESULTS: Odds ratios (ORs) for overall tobacco use according to education level (after adjustment for age and occupation) showed a strong gradient; risks were higher among illiterate participants (male OR = 7.38, female OR = 20.95) than among college educated participants. After age and education had been controlled, odds of tobacco use were also significant according to occupation; unskilled male workers (OR = 1.66), male service workers (OR = 1.32), and unemployed individuals (male OR = 1.84, female OR = 1.95) were more at risk than professionals. The steepest education- and occupation-specific gradients were observed among male bidi smokers and female smokeless tobacco users. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that education and occupation have important simultaneous and independent relationships with tobacco use that require attention from policymakers and researchers alike.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Sanitarians' work with indoor-tanning businesses: findings from interviews in two major metropolitan areas.

In spite of health risks, indoor tanning is a popular practice and a growing industry. Although published studies indicate that tanning businesses' compliance with regulations is poor, no studies describe enforcement activity and the related knowledge and perceptions of environmental health professionals. As part of a larger study of indoor tanning in Minnesota and Massachusetts, both states with statutes that regulate tanning, the investigation reported in this paper involved interviews of 27 sanitarians in the Twin Cities and 30 sanitarians in the Boston metropolitan area about their awareness, experiences, and practices. Overall, Massachusetts performed better than Minnesota with respect to familiarity with regulations (93 percent versus 67 percent), routine business inspections (90 percent of agencies versus 27 percent), and priority given by agencies to indoor-tanning work-differences likely attributable to a stronger state statute. Participants in both states, however, recalled few aspects of the regulations and were able to identify few of the health risks associated with indoor tanning, and most reported receiving inadequate training. Various steps must be taken to improve environmental health work with tanning businesses, including educating the public, strengthening regulations, addressing resource issues, and training sanitarians.

Adolescent↗