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Biomedical subjects

Judy Trevena

Publications and source records attributed to Judy Trevena.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Perceptions of New Zealand adults about complementary and alternative therapies for cancer treatment.

AIM: To study perceptions regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments for cancer among adult New Zealanders. METHODS: An anonymous telephone questionnaire that included questions to explore perceptions about CAM and cancer treatment was administered to a randomly selected sample of New Zealanders, 20 years and older. RESULTS: A total of 438 New Zealand adults participated in the survey, out of 689 eligible contacts (68% participation). Less than one-third (28%) agreed with the statement alternative therapy for cancer has an equal or better chance of curing cancer as medical treatment, 34% disagreed, and 38% said they did not know. Most (63%) felt that complementary therapies could be beneficial to people who were also receiving conventional cancer treatment, although only 36% could name one or more such therapies. One-third (32%) said that alternative therapies could be used instead of conventional cancer treatments, but only 16% of the sample could name any alternative therapies. The CAM therapies named most often were nutrition (vitamin and mineral supplements, herbs, and diets) and psychosocial therapies (including positive thinking, spiritual therapies, and relaxation). CONCLUSIONS: There seems to be little consensus about the efficacy of CAM therapies for cancer. New Zealanders may lack information about CAM, or may be withholding judgment because of contradictory messages.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Adults' perceptions of the causes and primary prevention of common fatal cancers in New Zealand.

AIMS: To assess population perceptions of the causes and primary prevention of common fatal cancers, and to help inform the New Zealand Cancer Control Strategy. METHODS: A national telephone survey obtained perceptions from a random population sample, 20 years or older, identified from telephone directory listings, supplemented with self-identified Maori from electoral rolls. Quotas were set to recruit population proportions consistent with 1996 Census distributions. RESULTS: The 438 respondents (64% participation) matched 1996 Census distributions for age, sex and ethnicity, but were socioeconomically advantaged. Among women, breast, cervical and lung cancer were most salient; among men, prostate, lung and bowel cancer - partially congruent with population statistics. There was high unprompted awareness that tobacco smoke and sun exposure affect lung cancer and skin cancer risk, respectively, but less awareness of potential protective strategies for other cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Perceptions of cancer risk and prevention are affected by high-profile programmes. Cancer prevention activities should reflect known risks and the potential for prevention. With high incidence and death rates and potentially modifiable risks, bowel cancer deserves greater attention. A comprehensive cancer prevention strategy needs to go beyond raising awareness and the promotion of individual behavioural change to the development of healthy public policies and practices that create supportive environments for health-promoting behaviours.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Physical health correlates of overprediction of physical discomfort during exercise.

This study sought to determine if overprediction of physical discomfort prior to and following exercise was related to a number of self-report and objective measures of physical health status in a general population sample. Cross-sectional findings indicated a significant and specific relation between patterns of discomfort overprediction (vs under- or accurate prediction) and negative self-reported health status and attitudes to exercise, lower levels of physical activity, as well as poorer scores for resting heart rate, cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index (but not waist:hip ratio). Females were more likely to overpredict discomfort, were less active and had poorer physical health than males. The potential usefulness of the prediction match-mismatch paradigm for studying exercise-related appraisal processes as proximal determinants of physical activity are discussed. Information obtained from such studies could prove useful in public health education campaigns aimed at increasing levels of physical activity in the general population, particularly among the less active.

Adult↗