Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Mar 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialThe impact of financial incentives and a patient registry on preventive care quality: increasing provider adherence to evidence-based smoking cessation practice guidelines.
This study tested the effects of two organizational support processes, the provision of financial incentives for superior clinical performance and the availability of a patient (smoker) registry and proactive telephone support system for smoking cessation, on provider adherence to accepted practice guidelines and associated patient outcomes. ⋯ The impact of financial incentives and a patient registry/intervention system in improving smoking cessation clinical practices and patient behaviors was mixed. Additional research is needed to identify conditions under which such organizational support processes result in significant health care quality improvement and warrant the investment.
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Preventive medicine · Mar 2003
Comparative StudyA lifestyle intervention improves plasma insulin levels among Native American high school youth.
Worldwide, type 2 diabetes prevalence is increasing, with Native American populations particularly at risk. The Zuni Pueblo, with a history of wellness activities, volunteered to test the feasibility and efficacy of a high school-based diabetes prevention intervention. ⋯ Among at-risk youth, an environmentally based lifestyle intervention may significantly suppress markers of type 2 diabetes risk.
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Preventive medicine · Mar 2003
A national survey of primary care physicians' colorectal cancer screening recommendations and practices.
National data on providers' colorectal cancer (CRC) screening knowledge, attitudes, and practices are sparse. This study assessed primary care physicians' (PCPs') beliefs about the effectiveness of CRC screening, their recommendations for screening, their perceptions of the influence of published guidelines on their CRC screening recommendations, and how they conduct CRC screening in their clinical practices. ⋯ Awareness of CRC screening among PCPs in the United States is high. However, knowledge gaps about the timing and frequency of screening and suboptimal screening delivery were evident.
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Preventive medicine · Mar 2003
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialHip-Hop to Health Jr., an obesity prevention program for minority preschool children: baseline characteristics of participants.
The prevalence of obesity in the United States is a significant public health problem. Many obesity-related risk factors are more prevalent in minority populations. Given the recalcitrant nature of weight loss interventions for adults, prevention of overweight and obesity has become a high priority. The present study reports baseline data from an obesity prevention intervention developed for minority preschool children. ⋯ The development of interventions to effectively prevent or control obesity early in life is crucial. These data highlight the escalating problem of weight control in minority populations.
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Obesity is considered a growing health threat in the United States. Although physicians have an important role in counseling their patients for obesity prevention and treatment, physicians themselves are often overweight. There are few data regarding how physician body weight might affect patient receptiveness to obesity counseling. ⋯ Patients seeking care from nonobese physicians indicated greater confidence in general health counseling and treatment of illness than patients seeing obese physicians. It is not known if this can be translated into increased success in obesity prevention and treatment.