Congregate care facility selection: a conjoint approach.
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Adult↗
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Results for “Consumer Behavior”
Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.
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Women's choice of childbirth setting.
As part of a larger study on women's views of the childbirth experience, this study was focused on women's choice of childbirth setting. Sixty-one Lamaze-prepared, married multigravidae between the ages of 21 and 37 and experiencing a normal pregnancy were interviewed twice: at 36-38 weeks gestation in their homes and during their postpartum stay in the hospital. Data were collected using (a) two semistructured interview guides consisting of open-ended questions about choosing a caregiver and the place of birth and about describing the actual childbirth experience, (b) a self-administered sociodemographic questionnaire, and (c) an obstetrical and infant data form. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data analysis was focused on reasons for choosing a hospital and a physician, reasons for choosing or not choosing a birthing room, and the outcomes of the decisions. An understanding of women's childbirth needs as reflected in their choices can suggest areas where flexibility might be built into maternity care programs.
Adult↗
Organic food: nutritious food or food for thought? A review of the evidence.
Apparently, one of the primary reasons for purchasing organic food is the perception that it is more nutritious than conventional food. Given the increasing interest towards organic food products, it is imperative to review the existing literature concerning the nutritional value of the produce, and to determine to what extent are consumer expectations met. There are only few well-controlled studies that are capable of making a valid comparison and, therefore, compilation of the results is difficult and generalisation of the conclusions should be made with caution. In spite of these limitations, however, some differences can be identified. Although there is little evidence that organic and conventional foods differ in respect to the concentrations of the various micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and trace elements), there seems to be a slight trend towards higher ascorbic acid content in organically grown leafy vegetables and potatoes. There is also a trend towards lower protein concentration but of higher quality in some organic vegetables and cereal crops. With respect to the rest of the nutrients and the other food groups, existing evidence is inadequate to allow for valid conclusions. Finally, animal feeding experiments indicate that animal health and reproductive performance are slightly improved when they are organically fed. A similar finding has not yet been identified in humans. Several important directions can be highlighted for future research; it seems, however, that despite any differences, a well-balanced diet can equally improve health regardless of its organic or conventional origin.
Agriculture↗
Peanut milk and peanut milk based products production: a review.
Since the early 1950s, numerous reports have been published suggesting that peanut milk and peanut milk based products can be prepared in a wide variety of ways. Emphasis has shifted from preparing inexpensive milk like beverages, very nutritious but somewhat lacking consumers appeal, to using the peanut milk or peanut protein isolates as an animal milk extender without changing flavor, to develop more attractive fermented products, and to precipitate proteins from the milk in order to get a curd called "tofu," and to produce cheese analogs. Great attention has been paid to the improvement of the stability, sensory properties, and shelf-life of the milk, using physical and chemical treatments. Many efforts have been deployed for supplementing the products. Thanks to recent advances, the removal of aflatoxin from peanut milk can be achieved using Flavobacterium aurantiacum as a biodegradater. It has also found application as liquid coffee whitener. However, despite all these developments and publications, there is still a need for much more diversified studies in order to definitely overcome the stability, the nutty flavor, and sensory problems always encountered when producing peanut milk and some peanut milk based products.
Arachis↗
The value of good quality drinking water to Canadians and the role of risk perceptions: a preliminary analysis.
Canadian municipal water utilities have had to face many difficulties in the past few years, not the least of which has been an erosion of consumer confidence in the safety of publicly supplied drinking water. This paper discusses how economic theory is used to develop a methodology for determining consumers' or society's preferences for better quality drinking water and how these preferences are expressed in the trade-offs made between money and two different types of risk reductions: mortality and morbidity. These trade-offs are observed by examining actual consumer behavior and/or in structured (hypothetical) market choices. The information gained can be used to structure more efficient water pricing schemes for municipal water utilities and to aid these utilities in their infrastructure investment decisions.
Adult↗
The precautionary principle and other non-tariff barriers to free and fair international food trade.
International food trade and world population are growing rapidly. National legislation has been enacted and implemented in many countries to assure good quality and safe foods to meet increased demand. No country is fully self-sufficient in domestic food production to meet population demands, and all require some food imports. Current international food trade agreements call for free and fair food trade between all countries, developed and developing. National food legislation and food production, processing and marketing systems have evolved in most countries to ensure better quality and safer foods. At the international level the work of the FAO/ WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) and the World Trade Organization Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and related Uruguay Round agreements have been agreed to by over 140 countries with the aim to promoting the free and fair trade of good quality and safe foods between all countries. The SPS and TBT agreements rely on science-based Codex standards, guidelines, and recommendations as benchmarks for judging international food trade disputes. A number of non-tariff barriers to trade, often related to agricultural subsidies and other food trade payments in developed countries, continue to give rise to complaints to WTO. They also continue to prevent free and fair trade, particularly for developing countries in international food trade. A number of these non-tariff barriers to trade are briefly examined, along with other domestic and international food trade problems, and recommendations for improvements are made.
Commerce↗
Food processing by high hydrostatic pressure.
The use of high hydrostatic pressures (HHP) for food processing is finding increased application within the food industry. One of the advantages of this technology is that because it does not use heat, sensory, and nutritional attributes of the product remain virtually unaffected, thus yielding products with better quality than those processed traditional methods. HHP have the ability to inactivate microorganisms as well as enzymes responsible for shortening the life of a product. In addition to lengthening the shelf-life of food products, HHP can modify functional properties of components such as proteins, which in turn can lead to the development of new products. Equipment for large-scale production of HHP processed products are commercially available nowadays. Guacamole, sliced ham, oysters, and fruit juices are some of the products currently available on the market. HHP technology is one of the most promising nonthermal processes.
Consumer Behavior↗
Characteristics and health behavior of the aged population.
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Age Factors↗
Preferences of older adults and experts for physical and architectural features of group living facilities.
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Aged↗
Iron supplementation: overcoming technical and practical barriers.
Iron supplementation is probably the best available option to effectively address iron deficiency in pregnant women and young children because it can be targeted specifically to these high-risk groups. However, technical and practical barriers exist: limited information on the effectiveness of supplementation interventions, side effects that affect compliance, and supply/distribution constraints. An innovative approach to addressing these constraints is the use of sprinkles of powdered, microencapsulated ferrous fumarate that can be added directly to any semi-liquid food without changing their taste or consistency. This technique has been tested in initial trials in Ghana and found to be as effective as iron drops. Another approach to improve the effectiveness of iron interventions is through information, education and communication (IEC) programs. These interventions can help modify consumer behavior in some cases, but in some countries, geographic location, variations in language and population size can make the cost of IEC programs very high. IEC strategies in Indonesia aimed at increasing demand for iron supplements by systematic dissemination of specific messages, improving the quality and variety of tablets, increasing the availability and access to supplements by engaging the commercial sector, enrolling traditional birth attendants and other community volunteers in selling supplements. Key issues to be addressed include clarifying optimal starting points and duration of supplementation interventions--based on individual status or population prevalence, defining hemoglobin and ferritin cutoffs at which treatment should be instigated and evaluating the effectiveness of intermittent supplementation with multiple micronutrients.
Adult↗
Integrated program enhancements increased utilization of Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
Three New York State agencies undertook a state-wide initiative in 2001 to enhance the effectiveness of the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) for both families and farmers. The program enhancements included four components intended to influence market and consumer behavior: hiring a state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension staff member to initiate and coordinate FMNP promotion efforts; increased collaboration among state-level agencies; local-level community capacity-building; and dissemination of newly developed nutrition education resources. Because components were overlapping and potentially synergistic, the total effect was considered. To test the hypothesis that the enhancements increased Program utilization as measured by redemption rates, a time-series, quasi-experimental design was employed in which observed 2001 redemption was tested for departure from earlier trends. Linear regression showed FMNP coupon redemption rates from 1996 through 2000 decreased 2.36% annually (P = 0.002). This trend was interrupted in 2001 when actual redemption exceeded predicted redemption by >2.2% (P < 0.055). Alternate explanations for this shift were deemed improbable. These findings show that FMNP goals were advanced through a coordinated, collaborative initiative with activities at state and local levels, resulting in increased utilization of FMNP benefits by WIC participants and increased income to local farmers.
Agriculture↗
Microcracks in eggs.
An experimental program of mechanical testing has shown that microcracks initiate in hens' eggs at loads less than that necessary to cause total structural failure. In contact loading, computational modeling and numerical analysis show that very high stress levels develop on the inner surface of the eggshell as it conforms to a hard contact surface. This causes a series of microcracks to initiate at the inner surface of the shell and radiate out from the load site. A series of concentric circumferential microcracks also develop beneath the cuticle from the edge of the contact zone. Calculations relating to the eggshells' dynamic response indicate that microcracks have a little effect on the structural stiffness and resonant frequencies of the egg. As a result, microcracks are unlikely to be detected by online crack detection systems, which rely on mechanical excitation. Eggs in retail outlets are likely to contain microcracks as a result of insults experienced during the collection, grading, and packing processes. Because the eggshell forms the first line of defense against potentially pathogenic microorganisms entering the egg contents, microcracks could potentially compromise egg safety.
Animals↗
Client preferences for compression threshold in single-channel wide dynamic range compression hearing aids.
OBJECTIVE: Compression in hearing aids can be applied with low compression ratios over a wide range of input levels, but reverts to linear amplification below the compression threshold (CT). In this study, we aimed to determine which of two CTs was preferred by subjects as they used their hearing aids in their own environments, and whether they would prefer to have no low ratio compression at all. DESIGN: Subjects were fitted with a multimemory hearing aid incorporating input controlled compression with a 2:1 compression ratio and output controlled compression limiting. The two memories contained identical programs except that they differed in CT. Sixteen mild to moderately sensorineurally hearing-impaired subjects compared low (approximately 40 dB SPL) and moderate (approximately 65 dB SPL) CTs over 2 mo of field trials using hand held remote controls to switch between the alternatives. In a third month's trial, the preferred option (which also included output controlled compression limiting) was compared with compression limiting alone. RESULTS: The higher CT was preferred by 14 of the subjects. The combination of input compression and output compression limiting was preferred to compression limiting alone by 14 of the subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Several real world advantages of frequency independent 2:1 compression with a CT of about 65 dB SPL were demonstrated over linear amplification. Extending the compression to much lower input levels appears to carry more disadvantages than advantages, at least for clients with mild and moderate hearing losses, when fitted with single-channel compression aids with a 2:1 compression ratio.
Aged↗
Satisfaction with mental health treatment in a randomized trial of consumer case management.
It was hypothesized that the clients assigned to a consumer team of case managers, because they share similar life experiences interacting with the mental health system, would have greater satisfaction with mental health treatment than clients assigned to a team of nonconsumer case managers. Ninety-one clients with serious and persistent mental illness randomly assigned to consumer and nonconsumer case management teams were interviewed after 1 year of service. While clients served by a consumer team of case managers were less satisfied with mental health treatment, personal characteristics of individual case managers were more important in explaining differences in satisfaction with treatment than whether the client was served by the consumer or nonconsumer team.
Adult↗
Factors related to the preference for a female gynecologist.
Four hundred and nine female patients of both male and female physicians completed a self-administered questionnaire exploring their attitudes and practices regarding gynecologists and gynecological examinations. Responses to the question "Would you prefer a woman gynecologist?" divided the sample into three groups: those responding "yes" (33.9 percent); those responding "no" (19.3 percent); and those responding "no difference" (36.2 percent). Results revealed that patients who preferred female gynecologists were most likely to find gynecological examinations difficult and to be critical of gynecololgists' understanding of women's psychological and sexual problems. A subsample of patients in psychotherapy was especially apt to prefer female gynecologists. The "no difference" group had the most positive attitudes towards gynecological examinations and gynecologists. Demographic differences were insignificant. The importance of judging a gynecologist's competence without sexual bias, of re-evaluating stereotypes of women physicians, and of increasing the proportion of women in gynecology is stressed.
Adult↗
Public challenge of physician authority.
A sample survey of the public in a midwestern state substantiates the existence of widespread challenges to the authority of physicians, a phenomenon previously reported only impressionistically in the media. Attitudes tending to reject physicians' right to direct their interaction with patients characterized more than half the sample and were related to younger age, higher educational level, and greater health knowledge, with a consumerist and anti-authority stance also explanatory. Actual challenging behavior occurred at least once for about half the group, but in this instance was related less to age and knowledge than to more extensive experience with the health care system, as well as a lack of trust in people in general and doctors' competence in particular. However, explained variance was modest, arguing that other variables, not identified in this study, are at work. Surprisingly, respondents' health status, race, sex, and pattern of insurance coverage had little impact on either attitude or behavior, while both knowledge and a general tendency to reject authority were influential factors. Implications for physician-patient relations in the future are discussed in light of a number of social changes, including the rising educational level of the American public.
Age Factors↗
Stress potential and esotericity of health problems: the significance of the physician's affective behavior.
The study examines the assumptions and the interpretation of data from recent studies that were intended to identify and explain patients' inclination to assess the efficacy of medical treatment on the basis of physicians' affective behavior toward them. It was hypothesized that this manner of assessment is specific to the doctor-patient relationship due to the uniqueness of the patient's problem, which is characterized by a relatively high stress potential and esotericity requiring professional help. Empirical investigation of four types of problems that varied in the level of their stress potential and the need for professional help ascertains that a) the stress potential of a problem and the need for a professional solution affect separately the propensity of assessing the content of the agent's assistance on the basis of the mode of its presentation; b) judgment of the mode indeed determines the assessment of the content of the professional solution; and c) this manner of assessment may apply also to other roles of the medical setting.
Adult↗
Problems and prospects for health services research on provider-patient communication.
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Behavior↗