Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2015
The association between muscle strengthening activities and red blood cell distribution width among a national sample of U.S. adults.
Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a novel biomarker indicative of cardiovascular disease. However, little research has examined the association of muscle strengthening activities (MSA) on RDW. ⋯ Engagement in MSA is inversely associated with RDW. Although speculative, these findings suggest that changes in RDW may be one potential mechanism through which MSA may influence cardiovascular disease.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2015
Factors influencing the disconnect between self-perceived health status and actual health profile: implications for improving self-awareness of health status.
Self-perceived health is an often used proxy measure for disease and health behavior status. Due to its convenience in clinical and epidemiological contexts, it is of interest to examine factors that may help to explain the potential disconnect between perceived and actual health, which was the purpose of this study. ⋯ Targeted public health and educational messages to young adults, non-Hispanic Blacks, and those with a higher SES may be needed to help prevent discrepancies between perceived and actual health. Preventing this disconnect may help to, for example, improve individual health awareness, and ultimately, improve health outcomes.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2015
ReviewAcceptability of financial incentives for encouraging uptake of healthy behaviours: A critical review using systematic methods.
Financial incentives are effective in encouraging healthy behaviours, yet concerns about acceptability remain. We conducted a systematic review exploring acceptability of financial incentives for encouraging healthy behaviours. ⋯ Financial incentives tend to be acceptable to the public when they are effective and cost-effective. Programmes that benefit recipients and wider society; are considered fair; and are delivered to individuals deemed appropriate are likely to be considered more acceptable.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialEfficacy of a tobacco quitline among adult cancer survivors.
The purpose of the study (conducted 2010-2013) was to determine the efficacy of two common types of tobacco quitlines in adult cancer survivors who regularly smoked cigarettes. ⋯ Our results are consistent with other studies indicating that traditional smoking cessation interventions are ineffective among cancer survivors. Moreover, self-reports of cessation were unreliable in cancer survivors participating in a quitline intervention, indicating that future studies should include biochemical verification. Given the importance of smoking cessation among cancer survivors and low cessation rates in the current study, it may be necessary to design alternative interventions for this population. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00827866.
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Preventive medicine · Apr 2015
Relation between diet cost and Healthy Eating Index 2010 scores among adults in the United States 2007-2010.
Food prices may be one reason for the growing socioeconomic disparities in diet quality. ⋯ Lower energy-adjusted diet costs were associated with lower-quality diets. Future efforts to improve the nutritional status of the US public should take food prices and diet costs into account.