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Moderators and mediators of behaviour change in a lifestyle program for treated hypertensives: a randomized controlled trial (ADAPT)
Burke, V., Beilin, L. J., Cutt, H. E., Mansour, J., Mori, T. A. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
We aimed to examine moderators and mediators of behaviour change in a cognitive lifestyle program for drug-treated overweight hypertensives in Perth, Australia. We collected data at baseline, 4 months (post-intervention) and 1-year follow-up in a randomized controlled trial of a program that focused on weight loss, diet, and exercise. Mediation analysis used regression models that estimate indirect effects with bootstrapped confidence limits. Outcomes examined were saturated fat intake (% energy) and physical activity (hours per week). In total, 90/118 individuals randomized to usual care and 102/123 to the program-completed follow-up. Sex was a moderator of response post-intervention for diet and physical activity, with a greater response among women with usual care and among men with the program. Change in self-efficacy was a mediator of dietary change post-intervention [effect size (ES) –0.055, 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.125, –0.005] and at follow-up (ES 0.054, 95% CI –0.127, –0.005), and in physical activity post-intervention (ES 0.059, 95% CI 0.003, 0.147). These findings highlight different responses of men and women to the program, and the importance of self-efficacy as a mediator. Mediators for physical activity in the longer term should be investigated in other models, with appropriate cognitive measurements, in future trials.
Storage of household firearms: an examination of the attitudes and beliefs of married women with children
Johnson, R. M., Runyan, C. W., Coyne-Beasley, T., Lewis, M. A., Bowling, J. M. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Although safe firearm storage is a promising injury prevention strategy, many parents do not keep their firearms unloaded and locked up. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guiding conceptual framework, this study examines factors associated with safe storage among married women with children and who have firearms in their homes. Data come from a national telephone survey (n = 185). We examined beliefs about defensive firearm use, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and firearm storage practices. A Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was conducted to assess associations between psychosocial factors and firearm storage practices. Women were highly motivated to keep firearms stored safely. Those reporting safe storage practices had more favorable attitudes, more supportive subjective norms and higher perceptions of behavioral control than those without safe storage. One-fourth believed a firearm would prevent a family member from being hurt in case of a break-in, 58% believed a firearm could scare off a burglar. Some 63% said they leave decisions about firearm storage to their husbands. Women were highly motivated to store firearms safely as evidenced by favorable attitudes, supportive subjective norms and high perceptions of behavioral control. This was especially true for those reporting safer storage practices.
Will patients agree to have their literacy skills assessed in clinical practice?
Ryan, J. G., Leguen, F., Weiss, B. D., Albury, S., Jennings, T., Velez, F., Salibi, N. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
If health providers are aware of their patients' literacy skills, they can more appropriately tailor their communication with patients. Few providers, however, assess patient's literacy skills for fear of offending patients, but no research has ever determined if patients object to such assessments. Our objectives were to determine the percentage of patients seen for routine health care that would agree to undergo literacy assessment and if satisfaction of patients differs in practices that perform literacy assessments versus practices that do not. We randomized 20 private and public medical practices to an intervention group that implemented literacy assessments with the Newest Vital Sign and a control group that did not. For intervention practices, we noted the percentage of patients agreeing to undergo the assessment. For both intervention and control practices, we assessed patient satisfaction. Of 289 patients asked to undergo literacy assessment in the intervention practices, 284 (98.3%) agreed to do so, including 125 (46.1%) with low or possibly low literacy skills. There was no difference in satisfaction between the intervention group and the control group. We conclude that patients are willing to undergo literacy assessments during routine office visits and performing such assessments does not decrease patient satisfaction.

Public Health News From Medical News Today

Many Not-For-Profit Hospitals Have Credit Ratings Downgraded This Year, Report Finds
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700
Downgrades in the credit ratings of U.S. not-for-profit health care systems and hospitals exceeded upgrades by a 2-to-1 ratio this year for the first time since 2003, according to a report released on Monday by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.
Opinion Piece Discusses Need For Stronger Privacy Measures For Health Records
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 10:00:00 -0700
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act notification form received by patients during doctor visits "offers no control over who sees your information and instead just tells you about some of the entities that can access your information, rather than asking for your permission," according to a
Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries
Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700
While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

Public Health News Headlines from Johns Hopkins

Malaria Researchers Identify New Mosquito Virus
tmparson@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400
Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health?s Malaria Research Institute have identified a previously unknown virus that is infectious to Anopheles gambiae?the mosquito primarily responsible for transmitting malaria. According to the researchers, the discovered virus could one day be used to pass on new genetic information to An. gambiae mosquitoes as part of a strategy to control malaria, which kills over one million people worldwide each year.
De Beers African Health Scholars Named
nwoodwri@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:00:00 -0400
De Beers African Health Scholars Named
Older Patients More Satisfied with Care When Accompanied to Medical Visits
paffairs@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:30:00 -0400
A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 38 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are accompanied to routine medical visits. These accompanied beneficiaries tended to be older, sicker and less educated but more satisfied with their health care provider compared to unaccompanied patients. The study is published in the July 14 edition of Archives of Internal Medicine.

 

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Melanoma Research Project Network - Comprehensive information on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and skin cancer. Includes decision-finding and self-examination modules, interactive sessions, publications, and links to related sites. [May not support all browsers.]
Meta Description: [ Malignant Melanoma: Everything about Melanoma and Skin Cancer - Diagnosis and Treatment of Melanoma and Skin Cancer. Alles zum Thema Melanom und Hautkrebs - Diagnose und Behandlung von Melanom und Hautkrebs ]

601Help - Provides information about compliance with IEC 60601-1, the international product safety standard for electrical medical equipment, as well as the standard's national variants. Includes explanations and interpretations of requirements, links to other sites, and articles on related subjects.
Meta Description: [ 601help, The Medical Device Developers Guide to IEC 60601-1 ]

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality - AHRQ - Formerly the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Provides practical health care information, research findings, and data to help consumers, health providers, health insurers, researchers, and policymakers make informed decisions about health care issues.
Meta Description: [ The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. ]

Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation - Provides multidisciplinary leadership and programs that enhance the ability of the professions, health care institutions, and industry to understand, develop, manage, and use medical instrumentation and related technologies safely and effectively.
Meta Description: [ AAMI, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, medical device standards, AAMI Conference and Expo, International Standards Conference, reuse, SUDs, quality system regulation, GMP, FDA, CDRH, BIT, Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, certification, Biomedical Technician, BME... ]

Ceasefire on Health Care -Bipartisan effort to reform America's health care system - Represents an effort to stimulate dialogue with leading Republican and Democratic policymakers and advocates in order to develop meaningful, incremental reform to the nation’s health care system.
Meta Description: [ Former Louisiana Senator John Breaux is spearheading a national bipartisan campaign entitled Ceasefire on Health Care in an effort to increase dialogue among leading Republican and Democratic policymakers and advocates in order to develop meaningful, incremental reform to the nation's health care... ]

500 Center for Advancement of Health - Translates to the public the latest evidence-based research on health, health care, prevention and chronic disease management, with an emphasis on how social, behavioral and economic factors affect illness and well-being.

Center for Law and the Public's Health - Information on the Center at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown Universities. Features resources on public health law, ethics, and policy for public health practitioners, lawyers, policy-makers, and scholars.

Cerner Corporation - Designs clinical information systems and financial applications to improve health care delivery. Products and services integrate information technology and health care issues, such as patient safety, e-health, and operational performance, for use by physicians, hospital administrators, pharmacists, and patients.

Division of Laboratory Systems - Part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Provides standards and guidelines for laboratories as well as training.
Meta Description: [ The Division of Laboratory Systems (DLS) strives to ensure excellence in laboratory practice through assessment, research, instruction, training, performance evaluation, guidleines and standards. ]

Duke Health Policy Cyberexchange - Portal site for health policy information on the Web.

ECRI - Provides publications, information, and consulting services internationally for healthcare technology assessment and cost effectiveness, risk and environmental management, and patient safety; site includes Includes classification guides, evaluation services, clinical alerts, data bases, and links to related sites.
Meta Description: [ ECRI, a non-profit health services research agency, provides publications, information, and consulting services internationally for healthcare technology assessment and cost effectiveness, risk and environmental management, and patient safety ]

Harvard Business Online - Offers electronic access to current and past Harvard Business Review articles and collections, Harvard Business School Press books, cases, newsletters, eLearning programs. Provides research on business topics, including leadership, strategy, communication, and organizational development.
Meta Description: [ Must-read business books from Harvard Business School Publishing are available for sale online. View our current top business books and titles covering such topics as strategic business management, case studies, leadership, business ethics, and more. ]

Health Policy Institute of Ohio - An independent, nonpartisan, statewide center that informs Ohio health policy by forecasting health trends, analyzing key health issues, and communicating current research to policymakers, state agencies, and other decision makers.

Health Policy Monitor - Provides reports on health policy reforms from 15 industrialized countries to enhance global discussions on policy making; resources include current health policy ideas, approaches, model projects, and legislation.
Meta Description: [ Welcome to the website of the International Network Health Policy & Reform, a project initiated and sponsored by the Bertelsmann Stiftung ]

HealthTechCenter - A research and education organization dedicated to providing information to healthcare organizations about the future impact of technology on healthcare delivery. Provides in-depth, objective data about emerging healthcare technologies and their potential impact on clinical outcomes, financial performance, facility design, and market strategy.
Meta Description: [ The page you are requesting does not exist on the HealthTech site. If you believe you have reached this message in error, please contact Support. ]

HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) - Provides leadership in healthcare for the management of technology, information and change through publications, educational opportunities and advocacy. Includes publications, research, online course, and related resources.

International Association of Health Policy - International network of scholars, health workers and activists with the aim of promoting the scientific analysis of public health issues.
Meta Description: [ International Association of Health Policy (IAHP) is a scientific, political and cultural organisation founded in 1977. It is an international network of scholars, health workers and activists with the aim of promoting the scientific analysis of public health issues and a forum for international ... ]

M. D. Anderson Cancer Center - Health Services Research - Promotes oncology research, developing standards for quality patient care, and facilitating oncology health policy at state, national and international levels. Contains information on research programs, policy statements, and publications.

MCHB Webcast - View live webcasts, webcast archives, conference archives and training resources from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

Medical Outcomes Trust - Dedicated to improving health and health care by promoting the science of outcomes measurement, and the development, evaluation and distribution of standardized, high quality instruments that measure health and the outcomes of medical care. Includes online publications.

National Association for Public Health Policy - Provides resources, services, and links for public health professionals concerned with issues of public health policy and legislation.

NCQA: National Committee for Quality Assurance - Provides information about the quality of national managed care plans to enable consumers to evaluate health plan performance. Includes links to accreditation and certification programs, compliance audits, health plan report cards, and credentialing data.
Meta Description: [ The most trusted source for information about health care quality. ]

North American Restroom Association - Nonprofit organization focusing on issues related to restroom design, availability, health impact, and municipal friendliness rating.
Meta Description: [ s advocate for the availability of clean, safe, well designed public restrooms ]

500 Stresscodes - Provides consulting services in assessing, measuring, auditing stress pressure at work; resources focus on person-centred development and training remedies.
Meta Description: [ Assessing, measuring, auditing stress & pressure at work. Person centred development & training remedies ]

Tanzania District Health Resource - Provides information on district health services in Tanzania; resources include policy, regulation, experiences, and innovations.
Meta Description: [ district health services and resources in Tanzania ]

Wisconsin Stem Cell Now, Inc. - Provides information on benefits of stem cell research and how to support public funding for stem cell research.