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Results for “Health Behavior”

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PubMed1992

Dental health behavior in fathers of young families in Finland.

The purpose of this study was to examine dental health behavior in young fathers by means of a questionnaire for subjective evaluation of dental status, frequency of caries and visits to the dentist. Cariogenic diet was estimated by the consumption of sweets, confectionary and soft drinks. The participation rate 18 months after the birth of the family's first child was 73.1%. The mean age of the respondents was 28.1 yr (range 17-49; SD 4.6). When background factors were considered, it was observed that cariogenic diet was more often mentioned by participants from the lower social groups. The standard of the wife's knowledge level was an important indicator of dental care behavior in the fathers. If the wife's knowledge level was high, the father assessed the future condition of his child's teeth as good.

Age Factors↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The role of feedback in the process of health behavior change.

OBJECTIVE: To offer a taxonomy of types of feedback and describe potential mechanisms of action particularly in the area of addictive behaviors. METHOD: Reviewed the literature to examine support for types-Generic, Targeted, and Personalized-and for mechanisms of feedback. RESULTS: Although it is not clear how it works, feedback is thought to offer important information, to create a sense of caring and helping relationship, to reach more directly decisional considerations, to increase engagement in the materials, to increase motivation, or to provide social comparison and norms. CONCLUSIONS: Avenues for future research in search of the most effective manner of using feedback to promote health behavior change are discussed.

Behavior, Addictive↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Workforce competencies in behavioral health: an overview.

Competency-based training approaches are being used more in healthcare to guide curriculum content and ensure accountability and outcomes in the educational process. This article provides an overview of the state of competency development in the field of behavioral health. Specifically, it identifies the groups and organizations that have conducted and supported this work, summarizes their progress in defining and assessing competencies, and discusses both the obstacles and future directions for such initiatives. A major purpose of this article is to provide a compendium of current competency efforts so that these might inform and enhance ongoing competency development in the varied behavioral health disciplines and specialties. These varied resources may also be useful in identifying the core competencies that are common to the multiple disciplines and specialties.

Behavioral Medicine↗

PubMed2004

Influence of ethnicity and language concordance on physician-patient agreement about recommended changes in patient health behavior.

The purpose of this study is to examine the association of ethnicity and language concordance with physician-patient agreement about physicians' recommendations for patient health behavior in the following areas: diet, exercise, medication, smoking, stress, and weight. Twenty-seven resident physicians at the University of New Mexico's internal medicine and family practice clinics and 427 of their patients participated. Random effects models were used to estimate the influence of ethnicity and language concordance on whether patients and physicians agreed about specific recommended changes in patient behavior. Ethnicity concordance was not significantly associated with physician-patient agreement. Language concordance positively influenced the likelihood of agreement about exercise but negatively influenced agreement about medications. The lowest percentage of agreement occurred in the area of medication regimens (60%). The results from this study indicate that language is an important barrier to physician-patient agreement, while ethnicity concordance has no effect. However, the influence of whether the physician and patient speak the same language on agreement is unclear and warrants further research.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

The combined use of cholesterol-lowering drugs and cholesterol-lowering bread spreads: health behavior data from Finland.

BACKGROUND: Cholesterol-lowering drugs may metabolically interact with cholesterol-lowering bread spreads. This study analyses the prevalence of use of drugs, bread spreads or the combination of both in people aware of their high/elevated cholesterol level, and compares users of the three therapies on health behavior and demographics. METHODS: Participants (9581, 25-74 years) from The National FINRISK 2002 Study filled out a questionnaire on demographics and health (related) issues. Blood samples, blood pressure, body weight and height were measured. RESULTS: Of those who reported to have a high cholesterol level (31% of the study population), 19% used cholesterol-lowering drugs, 11% used cholesterol-lowering bread spreads and 5% combined both therapies. On a population level, only 1% jointly used a drug and bread spread therapy. The combination was used by especially highly educated people and those having a healthy diet. CONCLUSION: Combining a cholesterol-lowering drug with a bread spread regimen is relatively rare, even among those being aware of their high cholesterol levels. The combined usage was most frequent among 'the better off'. Public health risks of a metabolic interaction between both therapies may not be of major importance yet, but future follow-up is recommended.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Health behaviors of undergraduate African American nursing students.

Health experts describe lifestyle as one of the most important factors influencing health. Adolescents and young adults have been identified as a population that engages in high-risk behaviors. The purposes of this study were to determine the health behaviors of undergraduate African American nursing students and compare the results to findings from studies of other college students. A convenience sample of 214 undergraduate African American nursing students participated in the study. The Health Style: A Self-Test, a Likert-type scale consisting of six behaviors, was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Over 80% of the sample had excellent scores for cigarette smoking, alcohol and drug use, and safety behaviors. Over 60% had good scores for nutrition and stress control behaviors. Fifty-one percent of the sample had low scores for exercise and fitness behaviors indicating they are taking unnecessary risk with their health. Compared to other findings, these findings were consistent in all areas except alcohol and drug use. Early identification of at-risk behaviors among nursing students can contribute to the development and implementation of programs by faculty that foster healthy lifestyle behaviors throughout the life span.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Using distance education to promote the transfer of motivational interviewing skills among behavioral health professionals.

This study evaluated the effectiveness of distance education for training behavioral health professionals. Five live video workshops that covered key elements of Motivational Interviewing (MI) were delivered. The programs occurred a month apart, each 3 hours long. The programs used compressed video, transmitting the video signal through telephone lines. The audience was staff at substance abuse treatment organizations throughout the state of Arizona. Participants completed assessments regarding their training experiences, knowledge and self-efficacy in MI, and their satisfaction with the training, prior to, during, and subsequent to the workshops. Participation in the five workshops varied; the first workshop had the largest attendance of 351, the fourth the lowest of 92; 145 participants attended all five workshops. Participants expressed moderate levels of satisfaction with most aspects of the training, although some expressed frustration with interrupted audio or video signals during the programs. The handouts and videotaped examples of MI were identified as the more helpful aspects of the training. Participants reported statistically significant improvements in their self-perceived knowledge and skills. They demonstrated a statistically significant but clinically insignificant increase in knowledge. A small group of participants provided audiotapes of actual counseling sessions. These participants demonstrated minimal improvement in skills across the study that were not statistically significant. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for future research in the use of distance education as a technology transfer tool in the addiction treatment profession.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Improving health behaviors and outcomes after angioplasty: using economic theory to inform intervention.

Patients who have been relieved of cardiac symptoms following angioplasty may not be sufficiently motivated to initiate behavior changes that can reduce risk of subsequent cardiac events. Finding an effective means to help patients modify their behavior thus presents a unique challenge. This paper describes an innovative behavioral intervention whose theoretical underpinning is net-present value economic theory. This intervention is being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial in which all patients complete a computerized baseline health assessment of 14 cardiovascular risk factors. Each patient is presented with an individualized risk-factor profile and asked to choose risk factors for modification. In the experimental group, each risk factor is presented with a corresponding numerical biologic age value that represents the relative potential to benefit from modifying each risk factor. Risk reduction for these patients is framed as the opportunity to reduce present biologic age (the net-present value), and improve current health status and quality of life. In the control group, risk reduction is framed in the standard risk-factor approach as the value of preventing future health problems. We hope to demonstrate that economic theory is a plausible perspective from which to design interventions aimed at communicating risk and facilitating change in health behaviors.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2000

Characteristics of physicians presenting for assessment at a behavioral health center.

Physician health and impairment have been of considerable interest in recent years. This study contributes detailed clinical data to the existing body of knowledge, by drawing from a sample of physicians assessed at a behavioral health center over a two year time frame. Demographic, referral, and clinical data were gathered using a systematic medical record review procedure, based on 108 physicians who were evaluated within an intensive multidisciplinary assessment program. The majority suffered from active substance use disorders (52.8%), with other psychiatric disorders (29.6%), and substance use disorders in remission (17.6%) the other largest categories. Of those with an active substance use disorder, primary drugs of choice were alcohol and prescription opiates. Over half had comorbid psychiatric disorders (Axis I, II, or both). Significant relationship, employment, and emotional problems were found in all three groups. The significant increase in presentation and/or detection of psychiatric and behavioral problems, both comorbid with and not substance use related, confirms the need for a revision and expansion of views about physicians' behavioral health concerns.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Oral health behavior and state and the effect and necessity of dental care in young and medium adults (Dresden prevention study)].

In a baseline examination of a preventive study 319 randomly recruited patients of a dental school aged between 16 and 35 years were inquired about oral health behavior and the oral health state was determined clinically. The spectrum of methods included extended anamnesis, plaque index according to Silness/Löe, DMF/T- and GPM/T-index. The health behaviour and the derived preventive and curative care needs show that the majority of patients need individual oral hygiene and nutrition advising, professional oral hygiene measures, fluoride application, as well as filling therapy. Early therapy of periodontitis is of importance.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Addressing behavioral health issues during well child visits by pediatric residents.

The study examined practices by pediatric residents (n = 61) concerning psychosocial care during well child visits. A random sample (n = 719) of well child visits was selected, and a medical record review was conducted. Results suggested that a behavioral health issue was discussed in 38% of the cases. The most frequent type of problem discussed involved a medical component, while problems with mood were rarely discussed (<1%). Residents treated 67% of the cases and referred 20% of the cases with behavioral health concerns. Logistic regression suggested that residents were significantly more likely to treat medically focused problems (P = 0.05), but more likely to refer children with social/environmental or learning problems (P = 0.05). Results suggested the need for further training in recognition of internalizing disorders.

Child↗

PubMed2002

Psychological intervention with mortuary workers after the September 11 attack: the Dover Behavioral Health Consultant model.

Numerous descriptive as well as prospective studies have indicated that mortuary workers, body handlers, and those tasked to work with human remains are at risk for symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological sequelae. There have been no controlled studies outlining psychological interventions to prevent or minimize the impact of being assigned to perform such duties. In this article, we describe a method of psychological intervention with mortuary workers mobilized as a result of the September 11 attack on the Pentagon. The intervention included the use of Critical Incident Stress Teams and was based on a behavioral health consultant model that has been demonstrated to be effective for behavioral interventions in primary care settings. The model incorporated knowledge from previous studies on mortuary workers and individuals tasked to work with human remains. Qualitative analysis indicated that the behavioral health consultants were well received, recommendations were implemented, and few personnel were removed from duty as a result of psychological factors leading to impaired performance. Implications related to popular models of critical incident intervention and directions for future controlled research are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1999

The relationship between continuity of care and the health behaviors of patients: does having a usual physician make a difference?

BACKGROUND: Implicit in "any willing provider" and "freedom of choice" legislation is the assumption that ongoing provider relationships lead to better patient outcomes on average. Although previous studies have identified associations of usual source of care with medical utilization, its relationship to patient lifestyle has not been examined. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of having a usual physician on health behaviors. METHODS: Data on 3,140 adults from the 1995 Mid-Life in the US study were used to estimate logistic regressions of the effect of having a usual physician on exercise, obesity, vitamin-taking, smoking quits, substance abuse behaviors, preventive medical visits, and respondent assessments of the ability to affect one's own health and risk of heart attacks and cancer. RESULTS: Respondents with a usual physician were 3 times as likely to have had a preventive medical visit during the past year. Among lower-income respondents, those with usual physicians were one-half as likely to report substance abuse behaviors. Instrumenting reduced the magnitude of the former but not latter effect. No other significant differences were found. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies designed to foster regular patient-provider relationships may affect certain health behaviors, such as preventive care visits and substance abuse. Yet in the absence of interventions to improve the effectiveness of these relationships, they are unlikely to be a powerful policy instrument for achieving widespread improvements in patient lifestyle choices.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

A natural history of behavioral health program evaluation in Arizona.

This article examines the history of behavioral health program evaluation efforts in the state of Arizona during the years 1974-1982. Program Evaluation in Arizona has been carried out in an environment where planning, monitoring, contracting, appropriations, and evaluation have been inter-related--sometimes loosely, sometimes closely. Here we trace the year-by-year evolution of the evaluation system and its connections with the other parts of the environment. This history illustrates the gradual development of an evaluation system in an organizational context, including the sidetracks and setbacks .

Arizona↗

PubMed2003

Embedded health behaviors from adolescence to adulthood: the impact of tobacco.

Prevention of cancer risk behaviors before they become embedded in an individual's life is crucial. Health-related behaviors should be viewed for their embeddedness, critical aspects of which are (a) the complexity of the behavior itself; (.b) factors, both biological and psychological, within the individual communicator; (c) and external situational or sociocultural factors. The more extensively a behavior is embedded, the more difficult it will be to alter. Relative levels of embeddedness of the risk behavior and its entanglement with other nonrisky behaviors will evolve and change throughout one's life course. Smoking across the life span provides an excellent example of a thoroughly integrated, embedded behavior. How smoking is embedded with other behaviors changes from adolescence, where biological factors may be less salient and habit strength less pronounced, through adulthood, where habit strength is greater but health concerns are a more predictive factor. Researchers can produce more focused communication interventions by examining how health-endangering behaviors are embedded among benign behaviors or among other potentially dangerous behaviors. Ideally, the pattern of health behavior embeddedness should be analyzed prior to developing intervention communication strategies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Relationships between perceived stress and health behaviors in a sample of working adults.

The study examined associations between perceived stress and fat intake, exercise, alcohol consumption, and smoking behaviors. Data were from surveys of 12,110 individuals in 26 worksites participating in the SUCCESS project (D. J. Hennrikus, R. W. Jeffery, & H. A. Lando, 1995), a study of smoking cessation interventions. Linear regression analyses examined cross-sectional associations between stress level and health behaviors. Analyses were stratified by gender and controlled for demographics. High stress for both men and women was associated with a higher fat diet, less frequent exercise, cigarette smoking, recent increases in smoking, less self-efficacy to quit smoking, and less self-efficacy to not smoke when stressed. Stress was not associated with alcohol intake. Findings suggest that the association between stress and disease may be moderated in part by unhealthy behaviors.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reasons, health behaviors, and outcomes of no prenatal care: research that changed practice.

Changes in prenatal care practices resulted from a pilot study with 12 urban New Mexican women who received no prenatal care. The women were interviewed regarding their reasons for not receiving care during pregnancy, health behaviors, and perceived neonatal outcomes. Data on actual neonatal outcomes were taken from the medical record. Maternal reasons for no prenatal care were socio-demographic, system-related, attitudinal, and outside forces of job and childcare. To ensure a healthy baby, the women made changes in their nutrition, self-care activities, substance use, sleep, and exercise activities. All of the women perceived they had a healthy baby. Yet 61% of the neonates had complications and 45% were low birth weight. The research findings were used to develop a care management program that included case management and utilization management.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Protecting the public interests: issues in contracting managed behavioral health.

In recent years, state governments have begun contracting out behavioral health care to large managed case for-profit organizations. This approach to mental health service delivery has resulted in realignment in roles for both state agencies and the managed care organizations. Overnight state agencies have been transformed into contract managers of multi-million dollar capitated health plans, Management care companies, in turn, moving into the public-sector market must adjust their service delivery to include key concepts of public interest involvement such as consumer input, public comment, and outreach. This article analyzes three public-sector transitions. Common issues in these transformations are used as a springboard for identifying key concerns which states need to monitor when developing managed care contracts.

Contract Services↗