Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2014
Quality criteria for health checks: development of a European consensus agreement.
Health checks may empower individuals to take better care of their health, but they may incorporate risks of incorrect test results, overdiagnosis and overtreatment as well. Some health checks are strictly regulated, such as in many of the national screening programs, but the ones offered outside such programs and in the commercial domain, are not. We developed a European consensus agreement for quality criteria. ⋯ The consensus agreement on the quality of health checks aim to enhance informed decision making in clients and protects the affordability of the health care system. The criteria can be developed further into a formal standard and regulation if such authority is warranted.
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyNon-compliance with the initial screening exam visit in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial.
Identify predictors of non-compliance with first round screening exams in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial. ⋯ Many factors modestly influenced compliance. Consent process was the strongest predictor of compliance.
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2014
ReviewAddressing cancer control needs of African-born immigrants in the US: a systematic literature review.
Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, African immigrants have worse cancer outcomes. However, there is little research about cancer behaviors and/or interventions in this growing population as they are generally grouped with populations from America or the Caribbean. This systematic review examines cancer-related studies that included African-born participants. ⋯ Barriers to screening included access (e.g. insurance), pragmatic (e.g. transportation), and psychosocial barriers (e.g. shame). Interventions to improve cancer outcomes in African immigrants are needed. Research that includes larger samples with diverse African subgroups including cancer survivors is necessary to inform future directions.
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2014
ReviewA primer on the use of cluster analysis or factor analysis to assess co-occurrence of risk behaviors.
The aim of this paper is to provide a guideline to a universal understanding of the analysis of co-occurrence of risk behaviors. The use of cluster analysis and factor analysis was clarified. ⋯ By integrating theory and results from an illustrative example, a guideline has been provided that contributes towards a systematic approach in the assessment of co-occurrence of risk behaviors. Following this guideline, a better comparison between outcomes from various studies is expected, leading to improved effectiveness of multiple behavior change interventions.
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Preventive medicine · Oct 2014
ReviewThe home physical environment and its relationship with physical activity and sedentary behavior: a systematic review.
Reviews of neighborhood (macro) environment characteristics such as the presence of sidewalks and esthetics have shown significant correlations with resident physical activity (PA) and sedentary (SD) behavior. Currently, no comprehensive review has appraised and collected available evidence on the home (micro) physical environment. The purpose of this review was to examine how the home physical environment relates to adult and child PA and SD behaviors. ⋯ This was similarly found for the quantity of PA equipment which also correlated with behavior in females. Given the large market for exercise equipment, videos and exergaming, the limited work performed on its effectiveness in homes is alarming. Future research should focus on developing stronger randomized controlled trials, investigate the location of PA equipment, and examine mediators of the gender discrepancy found in contemporary studies.