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At least 1,279 records · Page 71Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Psychological, biological and health behavior predictors of blood pressure changes in middle-aged women.

A long-standing hypothesis is that feelings of anger and anxiety increase the risk for essential hypertension. Most studies examining this hypothesis have been cross-sectional in design or undertaken with men only. We tested this hypothesis along with determination of the other behavioral and biological predictors of increases in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure from baseline to a follow-up examination 3 years later in a prospective study of 468 middle-aged women whose blood pressure at the baseline examination was less than 140/90 mmHg. Analyses showed that increases in the Spielberger Trait Anger Scale between the baseline and 3-year follow-up examination, as well as Framingham Tension scores (a measure of anxiety) at baseline, independently predicted an increase in SBP (P less than 0.01). Other factors that independently predicted an increase in SBP were baseline fasting insulin, parental history of hypertension and increases in body mass index and in alcohol intake across the 3 years of follow-up. Increases in the Spielberger Trait Anger Scores independently predicted increases in DBP (P less than 0.02), as did black race, increases in body mass index and hematocrit and decreases in potassium intake. Although menopausal status and hormone replacement therapy were unrelated to changes in blood pressure, postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy did show significant increases in DBP in the univariate analysis. Anxiety at baseline, along with parental history of hypertension, baseline fasting insulin and baseline body mass index, predicted a later onset of hypertension, i.e. on pharmacologic treatment for hypertension, in the univariate analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving. Results from a national self-reported survey of health behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate how frequently adults in the United States drive while impaired by alcohol. DESIGN: Telephone survey. SETTING: The 49 states (and the District of Columbia) that participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in 1993. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 102,263 noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 years or older. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The percentage of respondents who reported alcohol-impaired driving; number of episodes of alcohol-impaired driving per 1000 adult population; and total number of episodes of alcohol-impaired driving-each by age, sex, race, level of education, and state. RESULTS: Overall, 2.5% of adults reported an estimated 123 million episodes of alcohol-impaired driving in 1993. This corresponds to 655 episodes of alcohol-impaired driving for each 1000 adults (range among states per 1000 adults, 165-1550). Alcohol-impaired driving was most frequent among men aged 21 to 34 years (1739 episodes per 1000 adults) and was nearly as frequent among men aged 18 to 20 years (1623 episodes per 1000 adults), despite legislation in all states that prohibited the sale of alcohol to persons younger than age 21 years in 1993. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol-impaired driving is common even among underage persons. Strict enforcement of laws that discourage alcohol-impaired driving is needed along with community and patient education to reduce the prevalence of alcohol-impaired driving and prevent injuries and deaths from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes. Data from the BRFSS, an ongoing source of national and state-specific data on the number of episodes of alcohol-impaired driving, are potentially useful for monitoring trends and evaluating the effect of future efforts to reduce alcohol-impaired driving.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2006

Emotional, developmental, and behavioral health of American children and their families: a report from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health.

BACKGROUND: Recent children's health surveys have documented a high prevalence of emotional, developmental, and behavioral problems among children. Data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health provide new insights into these problems and their association with family function and community participation. These issues have become a current focus of the World Health Organization. METHODS: Answers to questions of interest from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health were reported using estimates and SEs of rates. Statistical comparisons of rates with chi2 tests at the 0.05 level were made when relevant. RESULTS: The most commonly diagnosed problems among children 6-17 years of age were learning disabilities (11.5%), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (8.8%), and behavioral problems (6.3%); among preschoolers, speech problems (5.8%) and developmental delay (3.2%) were most common. One in 200 children was diagnosed with autism. In contrast, rates of parental concerns about emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems were much higher; for example, 41% of parents had concerns about learning difficulties and 36% about depression or anxiety. Children with developmental problems had lower self-esteem, more depression and anxiety, more problems with learning, missed more school, and were less involved in sports and other community activities. Their families experienced more difficulty in the areas of childcare, employment, parent-child relationships, and caregiver burden. CONCLUSIONS: The most recent National Survey of Children's Health mirrored results of previous surveys regarding rates of diagnosed emotional, developmental, and behavioral problems, including an escalating diagnosis of autism among children. Reported rates of parental concerns about these problems were much higher, suggesting possible underdiagnosis of children's problems. Children with chronic problems had diminished family functioning, more school absences, and less participation in community activities compared with other children. Their parents experienced more difficulty with childcare, employment, and parenting skills. A change in treatment emphasis is needed, away from an exclusive focus on a child's developmental and behavioral problems to one that addresses the impacts of these problems on the family and community participation. A new approach to the way these issues are addressed and managed has the potential to enhance the quality of life for a child, as well as the parents, and to produce more meaningful and tangible solutions to these complex and increasingly evident problems.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Promoting dietary change in adolescents: a school-based approach for modifying and maintaining healthful behavior.

We examined the immediate and long-term effects of a school-based, behaviorally focused dietary change program for tenth-graders. Our behavioral change objectives included increased consumption of complex carbohydrates and decreased intake of saturated fats, sugar, and salt, particularly in the form of snack foods. We randomly assigned tenth-grade classes in two northern California high schools to either a five-session dietary change program or an assessment-only control group. We collected pre- and postprogram self-report data on 218 students in areas of dietary knowledge, behavior, attitudes, food availability in the home, and intentions and self-efficacy concerning eating in specific ways. We also observed school snack choices both directly and indirectly. Our results indicated significant changes in reported behavior, knowledge, and food availability at home, as well as changes in snack choices at school. We found these changes to be durable at one-year follow-up. Our findings suggest ways in which school-based programs focused on behavioral and environmental changes may be effective in promoting dietary changes at school and at home.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Dental health behavior, gastroesophageal disorders and dietary habits among Norwegian recruits in 1990 and 1999.

A questionnaire was given to representative samples of Norwegian recruits in 1990 and 1999 to explore dental health habits, history of gastroesophageal disorders and diet with possible relations to dental erosion. The samples were 792 (mean age 20.9 years) and 676 (mean age 21.6 years), respectively, and the corresponding responses were 62% and 100%. Minor differences in self-reported dental health habits and gastroesophageal disorders were found. The respondents' dentists had provided information about dental erosion for 8.2% of the respondents in 1990 versus 14.5% in 1999. There was an increase in the reported frequency of daily intake of juice from 17% to 24% (P = 0.006) and carbonated soft drink from 54% to 61% (P = 0.025) in the period 1990-99. The frequency of training activity showed minor changes, but in 1999 it was more common to drink during exercise (94% versus 74% in 1990, P < 0.001), and the majority drank water. Sixteen percent of recruits ate oranges daily in 1990; in 1999 this had dropped to 11% (P = 0.012). The corresponding proportion that ate apples daily had dropped from 17% to 8% in the period (P < 0.001). It is likely that lifestyle factors related to diet among young men have changed in the period 1990-99 in a direction that may increase the prevalence of dental erosions.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Profile of men randomized to the prostate cancer prevention trial: baseline health-related quality of life, urinary and sexual functioning, and health behaviors.

PURPOSE: To describe men who agreed to be randomized to the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT), a 7-year, double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of finasteride in preventing prostate cancer. METHODS: Comprehensive health-related quality-of-life data are presented for 18,882 randomized PCPT participants. RESULTS: PCPT participants are highly educated, middle to upper income, and primarily white (92%). Participants reported healthy lifestyles. The mean American Urological Association Symptom Index score was well below the maximum entry score of less than 19; existing urinary symptoms were generally not bothersome. The scores for two sexual functioning scales could range from 0 to 100, with higher scores reflecting worse sexual functioning. The mean score for the Sexual Problem Scale was 19.2 out of 100, and the mean Sexual Activities Scale was 44.1 out of 100. Scores for seven of the eight Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey scales (higher scores are better) were 10 to 20 points higher than those reported by a general population sample and differed minimally by race but not by age. Previously reported associations between sexual dysfunction and hypertension, diabetes, and depression were also observed. Men who never smoked reported less sexual dysfunction than did those who either had quit or still smoked. CONCLUSION: Individuals who are likely to enroll in primary prevention trials have a high socioeconomic status, healthy lifestyle behaviors, and better health than the general population. These data help oncologists design chemoprevention trials with respect to the selection of health-related quality-of-life assessments and recruitment strategies.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Physical activity, dietary practices, and other health behaviors of at-risk youth attending alternative high schools.

This study assessed the interest of alternative high school staff in intervention research on students' eating and physical activity habits and the feasibility of conducting such research in alternative school settings. A two-phase descriptive design incorporated both quantitative and qualitative methods. In fall/winter 2001-2002, alternative high school administrators in Minnesota were surveyed (response rate = 83%; n = 130/157). During summer 2002, one-on-one, semistructured interviews were conducted with key school personnel (n = 15) from urban and suburban schools. Findings indicated few schools had been invited to participate in research on nutrition (11%) and physical activity (7%). However, more than 80% of administrators reported interest in their students participating in such research. Most schools offered health and PE classes and had access to indoor gym facilities and outdoor play areas. While most schools offered a school lunch program, participation was low, cold lunches were common, and food often was unappealing. Beverage and snack vending machines were common. Overall, the physical environment of most alternative schools did not support physical activity and healthy eating as normative behavior. Interest in interventions on physical inactivity, unhealthy dietary practices, and other priority health-risk behavior common in students attending alternative schools was high among teachers and administrators. Results suggest research in alternative high schools is feasible and successful implementation and evaluation of programs possible.

Adolescent↗