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At least 1,081 records · Page 60Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Sheltered versus nonsheltered homeless women differences in health, behavior, victimization, and utilization of care.

OBJECTIVE: To contrast sociodemographic characteristics, physical and mental health status, substance use, sexual behaviors, victimization, and utilization of health services between homeless women residing in sheltered and non-sheltered environments. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. A structured scale was used to measure mental health status. Physical health status, substance use, sexual behavior, history of adult victimization, and health services utilization were measured by content-specific items. SETTING: Shelters (N = 47) and outdoor locations in Los Angeles. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand fifty-one homeless women. RESULTS: Homeless women living on the streets were more likely than sheltered women to be white and longer-term homeless. Controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that unsheltered women had over 3 times greater odds of fair or poor physical health, and over 12 times greater odds of poor mental health than sheltered homeless women. They were also more likely than sheltered women to report using alcohol or noninjection drugs, to have multiple sexual partners, and to have a history of physical assault. About half of the overall sample reported utilization of a variety of health services; however, unsheltered homeless women were less likely to utilize all of the health services that were assessed, including drug treatment. CONCLUSIONS: There is a critical need for aggressive outreach programs that provide mental health services and substance abuse treatment for homeless women on the streets. Comprehensive services that also include medical care, family planning, violence prevention, and behavioral risk reduction may be particularly valuable for homeless women, especially those living in unsheltered environments.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Health behaviors among women of reproductive age with and without a history of gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of several health-related behaviors among women of reproductive age with and without a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (hGDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study using the 2001-2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a national population-based random sample telephone survey. Participants were 177,420 women aged 18-44 years with and without self-reported hGDM. Outcome measures included meeting physical activity and fruit and vegetable guidelines, sedentary activity level, and current smoking. RESULTS: Approximately 3% (n = 4,718) of women aged 18-44 years reported physician-diagnosed hGDM. Women with hGDM had higher BMIs, were significantly older, were less often educated or employed, and were more often Hispanic or African American, married, and living with children. Women with hGDM reported worse self-rated health than women without hGDM. In unadjusted and multivariate adjusted comparisons, there were no significant differences in levels of physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, or smoking among women with and without hGDM. However, women with hGDM who lived with children were significantly less likely to meet fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines (odds ratio 0.78 [95% CI 0.63-0.97]; P < 0.05) and more likely to smoke (1.21 [1.01-1.47]; P < 0.05) than their counterparts without hGDM. CONCLUSIONS: Despite their elevated risk for future diabetes, women with hGDM who lived with children were less likely to meet fruit and vegetable consumption guidelines and more likely to smoke than women with children who did not have hGDM.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Factors associated with health behavior change among residents 50 to 96 years of age in Rancho Bernardo, California.

Alterations in personal health habits can prevent disease and reduce morbidity and mortality. We examined the association between self-reported healthy behavioral change and age, sex chronic disease, plasma cholesterol, and body mass index in an older Caucasian population in southern California. Overall, about two thirds of respondents reported decreased dietary salt or fat intake over the last 15 years, whereas one third reported increased frequency of exercise. Women were more likely than men to report increasing exercise, changing diet, or reading self-help materials. Individuals 50-69 years of age reported more positive health behavior changes than those 70 years and older. Those with diabetes and hypertension were more likely to decrease salt intake, but less likely to increase exercise than those without disease. Hypertensive and diabetic men, but not women, were also more likely to change their diet or read self-help materials than their peers without disease. The presence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity, elevated serum cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension, were generally associated with positive alterations in diet and inversely related to increasing exercise.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Models of acculturation and health behaviors among Latino immigrants to the US.

A basic premise of much of the health research conducted with immigrant groups is that culturally based behaviors change over time as a result of acculturation, i.e., interaction with the mainstream US culture. However, models of acculturation have not taken into account how group-specific characteristics and the varying social and political contexts immigrant groups face may impact the acculturation process. In this study of 150 families, we examined the inter-relationship of indicators of acculturation among two Latino groups to discern the impact of gender and country of origin on the relationship between variables. Results indicated that increased years of residence in the United States had the predictable impact of increased competence in English and increased use of English, but had differing impact by country of origin on the cultural orientation of the respondents' environment and on ethnic identification. Also, gender was associated with differing levels of English language use and with perceived social acceptance, such that males used more English and reported less social acceptance than females. Loading separately from the language and cultural behavior variables, this factor, perceived social acceptance, merits research as a predictor of service use given that respondents understood non-acceptance as resulting from being identified as Latino. not from behaving differently from the mainstream. The differing patterns of association by country of origin and by gender and the measurement issues these raise, highlight the importance of specifying more complex models of a cculturation than is done typically in research with Latinos.

Acculturation↗
PubMed2003

Health behaviors, body composition, and coronary heart disease risk in women with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore coronary heart disease risk in a sample of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) by identifying the presence of established risk factors for coronary heart disease and to determine the relationship between disease severity and level of participation in health-related behaviors. DESIGN: Survey study. SETTING: Five general community settings in Oregon. PARTICIPANTS: Women with physician-diagnosed MS (N=123) recruited from MS chapters, physician referrals, and newspaper announcements. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Modified Yale Physical Activity Survey, Block Food Frequency Questionnaire, blood analysis, skinfolds, and waist and hip circumferences. RESULTS: The majority of women met current physical activity guidelines. The frequencies of unfavorable levels of metabolic variables and obesity were similar to those reported in the general population. Significant associations were observed between mobility and physical activity, total and abdominal fat, and several dietary habits. CONCLUSION: Coronary heart disease risk in this sample was comparable to that of the general population of women without MS. Physical inactivity, body composition, and perhaps nutritional habits decline with decreasing mobility, emphasizing the need for families and health care providers to work together to find solutions that increase health-promoting behaviors in women with more advanced MS.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1980

Regulating personal behavior: health promotion's goal.

Life-style patterns can adversely influence the incidence of chronic diseases, disability, and premature death in the United States. Environmental and behavioral risk factors are, however, amenable to modification by personal behavioral change. Social and political values, economic considerations, and the character of the American political system present both major obstacles and bases for optimism that these changes will be effected.

Attitude to Health↗