American journal of preventive medicine
-
Social cognitive theory posits that children develop intentions and positive expectations (utilities) about smoking prior to initiation. These attitudes and values result, in part, from observing others modeling the behavior. This study examines, for the first time, the association between viewing tobacco use in movies and attitudes toward smoking among children who have never smoked a cigarette. ⋯ This study provides empirical evidence that viewing movie depictions of tobacco use is associated with higher receptivity to smoking prior to trying the behavior.
-
Prices for prescription drugs vary widely in the United States, from the prices charged by retail pharmacies to 50% below average wholesale prices (AWP), depending on the purchaser's bargaining power. At higher drug prices, expenditures for essential preventive interventions, such as those aimed at hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, buy less health for the elderly. The magnitude of this effect, however, is unknown. ⋯ A Medicare drug benefit program that supports prices at the high end of the current range could yield substantially less health for the elderly, and one that promotes differential pricing could promote unequal access to preventive medications--and thus to health--by Medicare beneficiaries across the country.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Primary care interventions to reduce television viewing in African-American children.
Data are lacking on primary care interventions to reduce children's television viewing. Low-income African-American children watch greater amounts of television than their peers. ⋯ This small pilot and feasibility study evaluated two promising primary care-based interventions to reduce television, videotape, and video game use among low-income African-American children. The effects on physical activity suggest that the behavioral intervention may be more effective.
-
Comparative Study
Partner violence intervention in the busy primary care environment.
Few studies of intimate partner violence (IPV) interventions have been conducted in primary care settings. Based on recommendations, we implemented a multifaceted IPV intervention that included a sticker placed in medical charts listing screening questions, routine IPV screening by nursing staff, clinician follow-up for women screening positive, and referral to on-site services. ⋯ Utilizing screening as the only gateway to on-site services limited access for many IPV victims. The removal of IPV brochures from examination rooms suggests that providing contact information for self-referral to on-site services may improve access.
-
Little data exist on the reliability of self-reported regular mammography use measures. We used data from two successive interviews of 892 women aged 50 to 74 years without a history of abnormal mammograms to investigate how consistently women report their lifetime number of mammograms. ⋯ Self-reported lifetime number of mammograms is a reasonably consistent measure for younger women or women with less mammography experience, but it is less reliable for women with long mammography histories. In these women, it may be useful to distinguish those who obtain regular screening from those who do not. Assessing reliability as well as validity for other measures of regular mammography use will allow additional measures to be identified.