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At least 1,207 records · Page 67Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Dental health behavior in a migrant perspective: use of dental services of Pakistani immigrants in Norway.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the utilization pattern of dental services in a group of Pakistani immigrants in Norway. Use was related to sociodemographic characteristics, level of urbanization in Pakistan, knowledge and belief about dental diseases and evaluated and perceived dental health. A total of 160 immigrants were clinically examined and interviewed by a structured questionnaire. The effect change analysis was performed, and separate analyses were performed for men and women. Altogether 60% had visited the dentist during the last 3 yr. While 69% coming from the cities had been to the dentist in Norway, this was the case for only 38% of those from the villages of Pakistan. Pain was given as the main reason for dental visits, and the data indicated insufficient ability to perform self-assessment of own dental health. The independent variables could explain more of the variance in use of dental services among the Pakistani men (R2 = 40%) than among the women (R2 = 21%). While number of decayed teeth and level of urbanization were among the strongest predictors among the men, dental behavior in Pakistan and number of years in Norway were of importance among the women. The latter variable indicated that the women in terms of dental behavior had a higher degree of acculturation than the men, leading to a change in traditional health behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Communication between identical twins: health behavior and social factors are associated with longevity that is greater among identical than fraternal U.S. World War II veteran twins.

BACKGROUND: Longevity is greater for identical twins than for fraternal twins from the same population. Factors that are explanatory for this difference are not known. METHODS: Multivariate survival analysis is applied to current mortality data for 26,974 male twins with known zygosities of the National Academy of Science-National Research Council World War II Veteran Twins Registry, and this analysis is applied to their health and social behavior and personal histories, as collected from two survey questionnaires distributed in 1967 and 1983 (with 14,300 and 9475 responses received, respectively). To explain this difference in longevity, social, health, and personal history factors are evaluated for associations with longevity. RESULTS: Survival functions of identical and fraternal twins differed significantly (p<.0001). Median lifetimes were 82 years for identical and 80.5 years for fraternal twins. The correlation between lifetimes of identical twin partners was greater than that of fraternal twins. For identical but not for fraternal twins, the risk of mortality was significantly lower for twin partners who communicated 1 or more times per month, compared with those who communicated less frequently (relative risk.80, 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.94, p=.008, with control for other factors associated with longevity: smoking, exercise, a current marriage, living with both parents until age 15 or older, and having a live co-twin). Distributions of communication, exercise level, and smoking prevalence were more beneficial with regard to longevity for identical than for fraternal twins as a group. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent communication between identical but not fraternal twin partners, and both level of exercise and prevalence of smoking, distributed more beneficially in terms of longevity for identical compared with fraternal twins, are explanatory for the greater longevity of identical than fraternal twins.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

[Great differences in health behavior among high school students. A 5-year follow-up of annual questionnaires among students in different school programs].

The school health authority in the municipality of Kramfors performs an annual questionnaire among first-year high school students, which concerns their perceptions about health, wellbeing and the use of alcohol and tobacco. This study covers the period 1995-2000. Psychosomatic complaints and depressive feelings were twice as common among girls. A higher rate of girls and boys in preparatory practical programs were regular users of tobacco and alcohol, were not having breakfast regularly and were practising physical training more seldom compared to girls and boys in more theoretical programs. Bullying was more frequent among boys, especially those from practical programs. In consequence, the school health institutions should emphasise support for exposed groups. A local questionnaire can be a useful tool for identifying such groups and for monitoring health behaviour and health experiences among students as a whole.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

[Health behavior and its rational in the perception of employees in medium-size and large companies].

BACKGROUND: The paper presents beliefs of employees working in Polish medium-size and large enterprises concerning the most essential aspects of healthy lifestyles and reasons for undertaking particular activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the study, carried out in 2002, questionnaire-based interviews were taken in a group of 1134 employees of 250 Polish enterprises employing 100 or more workers. RESULTS: The following forms of taking care of one's own health were perceived by the respondents as the best ones: healthy nutrition (68%); physical activity and fitness (46%); adequate rest and relaxation (45%); coping with stress (35%); and regular health checkups (34%). There are various reasons why respondents undertake particular activities. Among them willingness to take care of their own good health (79%); maintaining fitness (72%); and enhancing work ability (67%) were most frequently reported. Ill health and illness were less often mentioned (57% and 43%, respectively). Taking care of health is rather motivated by the will to avoid the dependence on negatively perceived health care institutions than by fear of discomfort due to ill health or occurrence of an illness. Health enhancing activities are more often undertaken by better educated, wealthier and younger people, while in case of illness, the opposite groups become more active. CONCLUSIONS: Social differences in motivation for healthy behaviors stress the need to apply various methods in health promotion programs to be able to influence target social groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cognitive representations of bodily parts and products: implications for health behavior.

This study investigated the unexplored hypothesis that people may have cognitive representations of the body's parts and products (body schema) and that these may be relevant to illness behavior. Factor and MANOVA analyses revealed that body parts are viewed as differing in the Stigma attached to them and in the extent to which they are seen as Important, Vulnerable, Sexual, and Private, with these five dimensions found to be independent of age and health history. Seeking help for dysfunction varied across body parts, with subjects reluctant to seek help for highly stigmatized and private parts but likely to seek help for parts viewed as important and vulnerable. Significant gender and ethnic differences in representations of body parts also emerged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Applying a health behavior theory to explore the influence of information and experience on arsenic risk representations, policy beliefs, and protective behavior.

The common sense model (CSM) shows how people process information to construct representations, or mental models, that guide responses to health threats. We applied the CSM to understand how people responded to information about arsenic-contaminated well water. Constructs included external information (arsenic level and information use), experience (perceived water quality and arsenic-related health effects), representations, safety judgments, opinions about policies to mitigate environmental arsenic, and protective behavior. Of 649 surveys mailed to private well users with arsenic levels exceeding the maximum contaminant level, 545 (84%) were analyzed. Structural equation modeling quantified CSM relationships. Both external information and experience had substantial effects on behavior. Participants who identified a water problem were more likely to reduce exposure to arsenic. However, about 60% perceived good water quality and 60% safe water. Participants with higher arsenic levels selected higher personal safety thresholds and 20% reported a lower arsenic level than indicated by their well test. These beliefs would support judgments of safe water. A variety of psychological and contextual factors may explain judgments of safe water when information suggested otherwise. Information use had an indirect effect on policy beliefs through understanding environmental causes of arsenic. People need concrete information about environmental risk at both personal and environmental-systems levels to promote a comprehensive understanding and response. The CSM explained responses to arsenic information and may have application to other environmental risks.

Arsenic↗
PubMed1992

Psychology and decision making: modelling health behavior with multiattribute utility theory.

The success of much of dental practice is linked to patient behavior. Understanding the issues that influence patients' decisions when they choose to not follow preventive or therapeutic dental recommendations is instrumental to improving adherence, and ultimately, to improving dental health outcomes. Multiattribute Utility Theory (MAU) provides a methodology for systematically exploring these issues. It is based on a well-established body of knowledge in the psychological literature, and currently represents a state-of-the-art model for predicting behavior and delineating potentially modifiable behavioral determinants. Two examples are presented to illustrate how MAU can be used in clinical settings. In the first example, MAU is used to identify key reasons why nearly 70 percent high-risk patients did not obtain flu shots, a behavioral problem comparable to many confronted in dentistry. MAU correctly predicted the vaccination behavior of 82 percent of patients, and an intervention based on MAU findings nearly doubled vaccination rates. The second example used MAU to identify physician behaviors that influenced patients' satisfaction with an ambulatory care visit. MAU findings from this study identified specific behaviors in a provider's style that if modified may improve patient satisfaction. These MAU applications also emphasize the importance of soliciting the patient's perspective in clinical interactions since some of the most important determinants of patient behavior are not represented in traditional clinical decision models.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1992

[Health behavior of young adults: empirical analysis of complex behavior patterns and their determinants].

Complex associations between alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, eating habits and physical exercise are explored. Data from the 1985 German Cardiovascular Prevention Study are used to explore associations between these behaviours, separate for young men (n = 561) and young women (n = 509) between 25 to 34 years of age. Analyses concern three forms of associations: 1. associations between different categories of single health behaviours; 2. associations between various health behaviours, and 3. associations between health behaviours, and their social determinants. Contingency tables, cluster analyses and logistic regression analyses are applied. Cluster analyses identified subgroups with particular health behaviour patterns. One distinct pattern, similarly among men and women, was typified by increased physical exercise, less smoking and increased beer consumption. For young men, results from regression analyses showed significant effects of higher income and positive health attitudes on belonging to this distinct cluster. For young women cluster membership was significantly correlated with higher education and positive health attitudes. Results of the statistical analyses demonstrate the usefulness of a multi-methods approach in studying complex behaviour patterns. Finally the relevance of the present findings for future studies and applications is indicated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behavioral, health, and cost outcomes of an HMO-based prenatal health education program.

This report presents the results of an evaluation of a prenatal health education program conducted within a health maintenance organization (HMO) setting. Specifically, the behavioral, birth, and treatment-cost outcomes for 57 women in an experimental group who received individual nutrition counseling and a home-correspondence smoking cessation program were evaluated against the outcomes for 72 women in a control group who received standard prenatal care. In comparison with the controls, a greater percentage of women in the experimental group quit smoking during pregnancy (49.1 percent versus 37.5 percent). Of those who smoked throughout their pregnancy, women in the experimental group had a greater reduction in their mean rate of daily smoking. A significantly greater percentage of experimental group women adjusted their diets during the prenatal period (91 percent versus 68 percent), and particular success was achieved in increased consumption of dairy products and vegetables, decreased consumption of coffee, and adequate weight gain during pregnancy. Analysis of birth outcome data revealed that infants born to the experimental group had a significantly higher mean birth weight than infants born to the controls (121.34 oz versus 113.64 oz). The experimental group also had fewer low birth weight infants (7.0 percent versus 9.7 percent for controls). Hospital treatment cost savings associated with the reduced incidence of low birth weight infants among experimental group women yielded an overall benefit-cost ratio for the prenatal program of approximately 2:1.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Impact of asthma self-management education on the health behavior of young adults. A pilot study of the Dartmouth College "Breathe Free" program.

This paper examines the relationship between asthma self-management education, medical management of asthma, psychosocial aspects of chronic illness, and behavior modification strategies (including self observation, decision-making and asthma-attack response) among college-age students with a clinical history of asthma problems. The results of a pilot study indicate that after students participated in the innovative "Breathe Free" workshop at Dartmouth College, use of the college health service for acute asthma care decreased. These students also demonstrated increased knowledge about asthma and increased satisfaction with activity level and perceived asthma control. Chart reviews completed four years after the workshop indicate improved compliance with asthma treatment recommendations, as well as increased use of early intervention strategies.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Association between use of complementary/alternative medicine and health-related behaviors among health fair participants.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and standard preventive care is not well defined. METHODS: We surveyed 1,593 health fair participants on their use of CAM and determined odds ratios for standard preventive care and healthy behaviors among users of provider-based CAM (e.g., chiropractic) and users of herbs or supplements. RESULTS: Users of provider-based CAM were no less likely than nonusers to receive standard preventive care, with the exception of lower likelihood of influenza vaccination among elderly CAM users (OR 0.2). Herbs or supplements were used by a majority of respondents (61%), and users were more likely to report engaging in healthy behaviors such as eating a low-fat diet (OR 1.5) and taking a daily multivitamin (OR 2.0). CONCLUSIONS: Those who use alternative therapies, including herbs or supplements, appear no less likely overall than nonusers to receive standard preventive care. In addition, users of herbs or supplements are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and appear to be a more health-conscious group. Overall, our findings support the notion that unconventional therapies are more complementary than alternative to standard preventive care.

Adolescent↗