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Biomedical subjects

R Considine

Publications and source records attributed to R Considine.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Public housing, public health: health needs of public housing tenants.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the health needs of public housing tenants, measured in terms of self-reported health status, health risk factors and expressed need for health risk reduction intervention. METHOD: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with a randomly selected sample of public housing tenants in the Hunter Region of New South Wales. RESULTS: Of 463 contactable tenants, 329 consented to participate in the study. Participants were 2.5 times more likely to rate their health as fair or poor relative to the community generally, and visited a doctor twice as often. The prevalence of smoking was more than twice that of the community generally, and the prevalence of falls was approximately three times greater. Risk of injury due to domestic violence was approximately six times greater, and the risk of injury due to violence in other locations was more than double that in the community. Between a quarter and a half of the participants requested support to reduce their health risks. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that public housing tenants are one of the more severely health-compromised groups in the Australian community. IMPLICATIONS: An urgent need exists for public health initiatives that are directed at improving not only the current markedly poorer health status of public housing tenants, but also the greater prevalence of health risk factors that predict a likely continuation of such differentials into the future.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Increasing the practice of health promotion initiatives by licensed premises.

Licensees of all licensed premises in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, were offered free services to encourage adoption of health promotion initiatives relating to responsible service of alcohol, environmental tobacco smoke, healthy food choices, breast and cervical cancer prevention, and the prevention of HIV/AIDS. A total of 239 premises participated in the follow-up survey. Increases in prevalence ranged between 11% and 59% for alcohol-related initiatives. The prevalence of smoke-free areas and healthy food choices increased from 32% to 65% and 42% to 96%, respectively, and the provision of cancer prevention information increased from 3% to 59%. Licensed premises represent a particularly challenging sector for health promotion practitioners to work in. The results of this study suggest that the adoption of health promotion initiatives by licensed premises can be increased. A considerable opportunity therefore exists for health promotion practitioners to become more actively involved in facilitating the adoption of such initiatives in this setting.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed2000

Associations of leptin with body fat distribution and metabolic parameters in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients: no effect of apolipoprotein E polymorphism.

Leptin levels have been shown previously to be associated with anthropometric parameters such as the body mass index (BMI), total body fat, and subcutaneous fat. Since apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism is known to be a genetic marker affecting the relationship between certain anthropometric and metabolic parameters, we evaluated whether the leptin level and/or associations between the leptin level and body composition in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients could be determined by apoE polymorphism. In 171 type 2 diabetic patients (105 male and 66 female), body composition (BMI, waist to hip ratio [WHR], fat mass, and visceral fat) was measured and fasting blood samples were obtained to determine the apoE genotype, leptin, glucose, and insulin levels, and the lipid profile. The mean leptin level for the whole group was 11.7 +/- 9.3 ng/mL, with a significant difference (P < .001) between men (7.1 +/- 4.9 ng/mL) and women (19.0 +/- 10.1 ng/mL). No difference was found for leptin levels or anthropometric variables between the 3 different apoE genotypes (E3/E3 homozygotes, E2 carriers, and E4 carriers). Only low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was significantly different between the 3 apoE subgroups. The correlations of leptin with anthropometric variables, especially visceral fat, tended to be different between the 3 apoE groups, but this was not independent and no effect was found after controlling for the other parameters in the model. A multiple regression model containing gender, subcutaneous fat, fasting glucose, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol explained 81% of the variance in leptin levels. We conclude that apoE polymorphism has no effect on the leptin level or its associations with other anthropometric and metabolic parameters.

Apolipoproteins E↗
PubMed2000

Dissemination of responsible service of alcohol initiatives to rugby league clubs.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the acceptability of intervention strategies that increase the responsible service of alcohol by non-metropolitan rugby league clubs. METHOD: Rugby league clubs were provided an information kit and advice by local public health workers, police and a lead agency regarding their responsible service of alcohol practices. Rugby League clubs and public health workers completed an acceptability survey at the conclusion of the study. RESULTS: Data were collected from 160 contactable clubs (100% consent) and 12 of 14 participating public health workers. Almost all clubs reported of contact with the lead agency, public health workers and police to be acceptable. Fifty-nine percent of clubs reported contact with public health workers to be useful. One-third of the public health workers considered that they were not the most suitable professional group to be involved in delivering the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of a suggested culture of harmful alcohol consumption among rugby league participants and spectators, non-metropolitan rugby league clubs appear receptive to public health strategies that increase their responsible service of alcohol. IMPLICATIONS: The ability of the public health sector to meet this opportunity appears limited, and may require additional strategies to increase the capacity of public health workers to develop/deliver inter-sectorial interventions in this setting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Prevalence and acceptability of public health initiatives in licensed premises.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and acceptability of public health initiatives in licensed premises. METHODS: Licensees/managers of all 333 licensed premises in the Hunter Region of NSW were interviewed to assess the practice of, and interest in undertaking public health initiatives relating to: responsible service of alcohol; environmental tobacco smoke; healthy-food choices; skin, breast and cervical cancer prevention; and the prevention of HIV/AIDS. RESULTS: Ninety eight percent of contacted premises participated in the study. Approximately two-thirds of premises reported having a responsible service of alcohol policy and training their staff in responsible service. One third of premises reported the provision of healthy food choices and smoke-free areas. Initiatives concerned with the prevention of cancer and HIV/AIDS were practised by less than 25% of premises. Between 41% and 85% of premises expressed an interest in undertaking all but two initiatives. Almost all interested premises accepted the offer of resources to facilitate adoption of public health initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that licensed premises are already involved in a number of public health initiatives, and that they appear willing to consider the introduction of a wide range of such initiatives. IMPLICATIONS: The prevalence of public health initiatives in licensed premises, and the extent of interest expressed by licensees/managers in undertaking such initiatives suggests that both a need and an opportunity exist for public health and other agencies to be more actively involved in disseminating appropriate services in this setting.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1998

Are leptin levels dependent on body fat distribution in obese men and women?

Leptin levels are strongly related to total body fat. It is however not yet clear if leptin is also related to visceral fat accumulation or not. In this study, we investigated whether leptin is also associated with body fat distribution and if this association is different in men and women. Leptin was measured in 143 obese subjects (118 women and 25 men) with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 28. Also weight, skinfolds, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), fat mass by bioimpedance analysis (BIA) were measured, and abdominal visceral and subcutaneous fat were determined by CT scan. Leptin levels were significantly related with BMI, with fat mass (in kg and percentage body fat) as measured by BIA and skinfolds, and with total abdominal fat mass and subcutaneous fat measured by CT scan. No association was found with visceral fat, waist circumference or WHR. In men and women separately, however, a correlation with visceral fat existed. After correction for total body fat, the correlation remained significant only with subcutaneous fat in women. Multiple regression analyses pointed out that percentage body fat was the most important determinant of leptin for all subjects, while for women subcutaneous fat was the most important parameter, and for men alone total abdominal fat. These results suggest that subcutaneous fat seems to be an important factor related to leptin levels.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1993

Smoking control in restaurants: the effectiveness of self-regulation in Australia.

OBJECTIVES: The provision of smoke-free areas in restaurants has been a controversial issue; the restaurant industry largely opts for a self-regulation approach. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of self-regulation as a strategy in meeting the industry's and customers' perceived needs. METHODS: Restaurateur and customer perspectives on the provision of smoke-free areas in restaurants were examined by survey among 365 restaurateurs and 1327 customers in New South Wales, Australia. RESULTS: Less than 2% of restaurants were totally smoke-free; 22% provided some smoke-free areas. Customers were much more likely than owners to think that smoke-free areas should be provided. Owners appeared to be unaware of customers' views about smoke-free areas in restaurants. CONCLUSIONS: Little evidence was found to support the effectiveness of the self-regulation policy adopted by the restaurant industry. Characteristics of restaurants and owners associated with the provision of smoke-free areas are presented and implications of the findings are discussed.

Attitude↗