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Biomedical subjects

S I Woodruff

Publications and source records attributed to S I Woodruff.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Intervention to reduce environmental tobacco smoke exposure in Latino children: null effects on hair biomarkers and parent reports.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a lay delivered intervention to reduce Latino children's exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The a priori hypothesis was that children living in households that were in the intervention group would have lower exposure over time than measurement only controls. DESIGN: A two group, randomised control trial was conducted. SETTING: Areas of San Diego county with a large Latino population. PARTICIPANTS: 143 Latino parent-child pairs. INTERVENTION: Trained bicultural and bilingual Latina lay community health advisors, or promotoras, conducted problem solving aimed at lowering the target child's exposure to ETS in the household. Six home and telephone sessions were delivered by the promotoras over a four month period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures were collected at baseline, immediately post-intervention, three months post-intervention, and 12 months post-intervention. Four outcomes were considered: (1) parent's paper-and-pencil reports of the child's past month exposure; (2) hair samples from the child analysed for past month nicotine; (3) hair samples from the child analysed for past month cotinine; and (4) per cent confirmed reducers. RESULTS: There were no significant condition-by-time interactions, the term indicative of a differential intervention effect. Significant or near significant time main effects were seen for children's hair cotinine, per cent confirmed reducers, and, in particular, parent reports of exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Applying a lay promotora model to deliver the behavioural problem solving intervention unfortunately was not effective. A likely explanation relates to the difficulty of delivering a relatively complex intervention by lay women untrained in behaviour change theory and research methods.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Evaluation of a culturally appropriate smoking cessation intervention for Latinos.

BACKGROUND: Many believe that smoking cessation programmes for Latinos should be tailored to the values and beliefs of the culture. However, randomised studies of culturally appropriate smoking cessation interventions with Latinos are rare. METHODS: Latino smokers (n = 313) were randomised to an intervention condition or a comparison group. The intervention was a three month programme based on social cognitive constructs and delivered in the smoker's home by trained lay health advisors, or promotores. Comparison group participants were referred to the California Smoker's Helpline in Spanish. Predictors of abstinence among all participants also were examined. RESULTS: About one week post-intervention, validated (carbon monoxide) past week abstinence rates were more than twice as high in the intervention group (20.5%) than in the comparison (8.7%) (p < or = 0.005). The pattern of results held for self reported abstinence, and after recoding dropouts to non-abstinence. The primary predictor of abstinence was number of cigarettes smoked per day at baseline, a common measure of addiction. CONCLUSIONS: The culturally appropriate intervention facilitated abstinence in Latino smokers, at least in the short term. Strengths and weaknesses of the study are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pilot test of an Internet virtual world chat room for rural teen smokers.

OVERVIEW: This pilot study evaluated the acceptability and efficacy of an Internet-based virtual reality "world" for teen smoking cessation. Rural teens at six school sites interacted in real-time in the virtual world with a trained cessation counselor and other teen smokers over a 2-month period in seven 1-hour chat sessions. The cessation counselor used motivational interviewing, a "client-centered" nonconfrontational approach to behavior change that has shown promise with behaviors resistant to change. Smoking behavior and attitudes were assessed at baseline, after intervention, and at 1-month follow-up. Significant changes were found in quitting, amount smoked, and intentions to quit. Positive trends were seen in past-week abstinence rates, quit attempts, and attitudes toward quitting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Compliance with federal and state legislation by indoor tanning facilities in San Diego.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence rates of both skin cancers and indoor tanning among the US population are high and have increased substantially in recent years. Low compliance by indoor tanning facilities with safety regulations may place consumers at greater risk of skin and ocular damage. OBJECTIVE: This study quantified the level of compliance by indoor tanning facilities with selected federal and state regulations and recommendations. METHODS: Tanning facilities (N = 54) in San Diego County, California, were visited by a confederate posing as a prospective customer. Compliance with 13 regulations/recommendations were assessed by either direct query or observation of the presence/absence of signs and warning labels. Operators' responses to 5 risk-based questions also were noted. RESULTS: No facility complied with all 13 regulations/recommendations. Compliance with 3 protective eyewear regulations was high (89%-100%). In contrast, compliance with maximum tanning frequency recommendations (approximately 6%) and parental consent regulations (approximately 43%) was disturbingly low. CONCLUSION: The investigators recommend instituting mandatory, comprehensive training for operators, as well as systematic compliance monitoring with enforcement of penalties for noncompliance.

Beauty Culture↗
PubMed2000

Effect of an eight week smoking ban on women at US navy recruit training command.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a unique organisational smoking ban on female United States Navy recruits, a population with historically high smoking rates. SETTING AND DESIGN: Study participants were female recruits (n = 5503) entering the Navy recruit training command between March 1996 and March 1997 (12 consecutive months). Participants completed smoking surveys at entry to recruit training (baseline) and again at graduation from training after exposure to an eight week, 24 hour a day smoking ban. Effects of the ban on baseline to graduation changes in perceptions of being a smoker were examined, and relapse rates among baseline ever smokers was assessed three months after leaving recruit training. RESULTS: Among all recruits, 41.4% reported being smokers at entry (that is, reported any smoking in the 30 days before entering recruit training). As a result of the ban, there was a significant reduction (from about 41% to 25%, p < 0.001) in the percentage of all women recruits who reported themselves as smokers, a much larger change than expected had no ban been in place. Relapse at the three month follow up varied according to the type of smoker at entry into the Navy, with rates ranging from 89% relapse among baseline daily smokers to 31% among baseline experimenters. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that the ban provides some smokers who desire to quit with an external impetus and support to do so. However, high relapse rates indicate that more than an organisationally mandated smoking ban during recruit training is needed to help younger smokers, more regular smokers, and those who intend to continue smoking to quit after joining the Navy.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Increasing response rates to a smoking survey for U.S. Navy enlisted women.

This study examined the effectiveness of several persistent strategies to increase the response to a smoking survey among newly enlisted U.S. Navy women. The stepped approach, which included the use of incentives, repeated mailings, alternative survey administration modes, and reminders, was evaluated in terms of effects on response rates and response bias. Demographic and baseline smoking-related characteristics were compared for those responding on time to the initial mailed follow-up survey, reluctant respondents who did not respond initially but eventually completed a survey after further prompting, and non-respondents. Results showed that incentives and persistent efforts were effective in substantially increasing the response among 2,231 eligible participants, more than doubling the response rate (from 24.9% to 52.7%). The characteristics of on-time, reluctant, and non-respondents did not differ significantly in terms of sociodemographic characteristics. On the other hand, on-time respondents were different from both reluctant respondents and non-respondents in terms of smoking-related behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Results of language for health: cardiovascular disease nutrition education for Latino English-as-a-second-language students.

This report presents the final evaluation of Language for Health, part of a federally funded initiative to develop heart disease prevention interventions for low-literate populations. Language for Health specifically intervened with recent immigrants enrolled in English-as-a-second-language classes, incorporating nutritional behavior change materials into English-language curricula. Latino participants (n = 732) were exposed to either nutrition education or stress management classes (attention-placebo group) designed specifically for low-English-literate adults. Participants completed physiological measures assessing blood pressure, total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, waist and hip circumference, and weight. Self-report surveys were administered to collect students' nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, self-reported fat avoidance behaviors, and demographic information. Data were collected at baseline, 3-month posttest, and 6-month follow-up. Results indicated long-term effects of the intervention on nutrition knowledge and fat avoidance, yet only short-term effects on total cholesterol:HDL ratio and systolic blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Initial results of 'Language for Health': cardiovascular disease nutrition education for English-as-a-second-language students.

Low literacy skills may negatively affect health through misuse of medication, inability to follow medical directions or due to limitations placed on the consumer's ability to access health information. The association between low literacy among adults and cardiovascular disease has not been thoroughly investigated in some ethnic groups. The purpose of this comprehensive study is to describe the results of a nutritional-related cardiovascular health program for limited English proficient adults enrolled in English-as-a-second-language (ESL) classes. Subjects (n = 408), nearly 87% of whom were Latino, were exposed to either nutrition education (intervention group) or stress management (attention-placebo control group) classes designed specifically for ESL classes. Subjects completed physiological measures assessing blood pressure, total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, waist and hip circumference, and body mass. Self-report surveys were administered to collect students' nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. Data were collected at baseline, 3 month post-test and 6 month follow-up. Analyses showed that differential group change was seen for fat avoidance, nutrition knowledge, HDL and total cholesterol:HDL ratio, but, for the two latter variables, the effect was not maintained at the 6 month follow-up. Both groups showed positive changes in blood pressure, total cholesterol and nutrition-related attitudes. Results showed moderate success of the intervention, but suggest contamination between experimental groups may have occurred.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Does the US Navy attract young women who smoke?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the United States Navy is disproportionately attracting and recruiting female smokers from the civilian sector. METHODS: Standardised comparisons of cigarette use among Navy women recruits and civilian women were conducted with data from a 1996-97 Department of Defense study and the 1994 National Health Interview Survey. RESULTS: Young Navy women recruits (18-22 years) had significantly higher rates of current and heavy smoking than their civilian counterparts after adjusting for differences in sociodemographic characteristics. Smoking rates among older recruits and civilian women (23-30 years) were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the Navy attracts young civilian women who already smoke, many of whom smoke heavily.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Enhancing response rates to a smoking survey for enlisted U.S. Navy women.

This study examined the effectiveness of a stepped approach for increasing response rates to a mailed follow-up smoking survey among newly enlisted women in the navy. The effect of the stepped approach on response rates and on the characteristics of respondents was evaluated. Also, costs were estimated for each of the steps to determine their relative benefits. Results showed that the stepped approach was effective in more than doubling the survey response rate among smokers. Reluctant respondents did not differ from on-time respondents in terms of demographics or baseline smoking, although nonrespondents were less educated and heavier smokers than on-time and reluctant respondents. Strategies documented here could well apply to survey efforts with other hard-to-reach populations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Random-effects models for analyzing clustered data from a nutrition education intervention.

When evaluating the effects of public health intervention, larger units, or clusters, of individuals are often the unit of randomization and implementation. Ignoring dependency in the data due to clustering can misrepresent intervention effects. Random-effects models (REMs) may be a useful way to analyze such data. The present study compares results of analyses of data from a nutrition intervention program using four different methods: (a) usual multiple regression analysis using individual subject data, (b) usual multiple regression analysis using the classroom cluster as the unit of analysis, (c) two-level REM model with subjects clustered within classrooms, and (d) two-level REM model with subjects clustered within sites.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Development of a protocol to assess dietary intake among Hispanics who have low literacy skills in English.

Hispanic adults who had low literacy in English (n = 14.3) and who attended community college English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes, completed 24-hour dietary recalls using version 2.5 of the computerized Minnesota Nutrition Data System (NDS), which included many Hispanic foods. The purposes of our study were to assess the appropriateness of NDS for a Hispanic group who had low literacy in English, to describe the development and implementation of training procedures for NDS interviewers, and to discuss the special problems that occurred using the enhanced version of NDS. Further, nutrient, intakes for the study population, as calculated using NDS, were compared with nutrient estimates from the Hispanic Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HHANES). Results suggest that version 2.5 of NDS is a useful tool for collecting dietary information for Hispanics who have low literacy in English. Challenges encountered during data collection for this study could be categorized into three types: regional differences in foods, food preparation differences, and lack of appropriate options in NDS for preparation methods. Generally, the study group and HHANES participants had similar intakes, although the study group tended to have a more healthful nutrition profile. Overall, findings indicate that NDS is a promising assessment tool for nutrition practitioners who work with Hispanics who have low literacy in English. Continued improvements to the NDS system can correct its shortcomings related to regional/ cultural food differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Navy health care provider attitudes and practices concerning patient tobacco use.

This study surveyed 2,287 U.S. Navy health care providers (HCPs) regarding patient-care practices and attitudes related to tobacco use. Almost 80% of HCPs reported that they usually asked new patients about tobacco use. Of 11 recommended practices, two-thirds to three-quarters of HCPs engaged in only 4 behaviors with most or all of their tobacco-using patients: advise patients to stop, advise pregnant users of health risks to the fetus, inform patients of benefits of quitting, and explain dangers of using tobacco. Other recommended cessation strategies were not performed regularly (e.g., assist patients in setting quit date, develop cessation plan, provide self-help materials, make referrals to cessation programs, prescribe nicotine gum, or arrange follow-up visits). It is recommended that concerted efforts he made to train all military HCPs (e.g., physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) to use the National Cancer Institute's "Four A's" approach for patient tobacco cessation, and that strong organizational support to implement these procedures be provided.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Role of cigarette smoking as a gateway drug to alcohol use in Hispanic junior high school students.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have examined predictors of alcohol and other substance use in adolescents, but few have looked specifically at Hispanic adolescents in their junior high school years. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which tobacco use may contribute as a gateway drug for subsequent alcohol use among Hispanic adolescents in San Diego, Calif. METHODS: A multiple regression procedure was used to test if 7th-grade to 9th-grade change in smoking status predicted 9th-grade alcohol use while controlling for a variety of other variables. RESULTS: Among the variables analyzed, increased level of smoking was the strongest predictor of subsequent 9th-grade alcohol use, followed by stronger intentions to drink, female sex, and having grades below a "C." CONCLUSION: 7th- to 9th-grade smoking change is highly predictive of subsequent alcohol use. IMPLICATIONS: The study findings suggest that preventive intervention for alcohol use among Hispanic adolescents should focus on changes in smoking status as a significant risk factor and should examine the role of acculturation and other variations that make this population different from other U.S. subgroups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Effects of health facilitator performance and attendance at training sessions on the acquisition of tobacco refusal skills among multi-ethnic, high-risk adolescents.

The study examined the effectiveness of a psycho-social tobacco use prevention intervention with a refusal skills training component on the refusal skills of high-risk adolescents, and investigated skill acquisition as related to subject demographics, performance of health facilitators and attendance at skills training sessions. Tobacco refusal skills were assessed for a group (n = 389) of high-risk, seventh-grade students participating as intervention and control subjects in Project SHOUT, a large tobacco use prevention program in the San Diego area. In addition, subject demographics, ratings of health facilitator performance and information about subjects' attendance at skills training sessions were collected. Subjects' responses to audiotaped peer offers of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco were coded for content and quality. Greater tobacco refusal skills among intervention subjects was hypothesized. Further health facilitator performance, attendance at training sessions and subject demographics were thought to be related to skill acquisition. High-risk intervention subjects gave significantly higher quality tobacco-refusal responses than did controls, although the differences between means were small. Results suggested that Hispanic adolescents were particularly receptive to the refusal skills training. The association between health facilitator performance and skill acquisition varied by subject ethnicity, as did the relationship between attendance at training sessions and skill acquisition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

A longitudinal analysis of adolescent smoking and its correlates.

When designing effective programs, it is important to identify factors associated with tobacco use at particular stages of adolescence, as well as factors associated with changes in tobacco use. This study examined cross-sectional correlates of smoking during early adolescence and during late adolescence in a longitudinal sample to compare the pattern of prediction of smoking at both stages. Changes in predictor variables related to changes in smoking also were examined. Results showed intentions to smoke was the strongest predictor of smoking during both early adolescence and during late adolescence; however, it was a much stronger predictor for the late adolescent stage. In addition, intentions to smoke was the strongest predictor of changes in smoking. However, the pattern of prediction at the two grade levels showed some differences as did predictors of changes in smoking. Implications for designing smoking prevention and cessation programs are addressed.

Adolescent↗