Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · Jan 2002
Changes in the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their risk factors in Spain, 1987-1997.
The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of the changes in the prevalence of overweight and obesity with the changes in some of their risk factors in Spain from 1987 to 1997. ⋯ The rise in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Spain from 1987 to 1997 may have been attenuated by an increase in leisure-time physical activity and by an improvement in educational level, particularly among women. The contribution to overweight and obesity trends attributable to physical activity at work or to tobacco and alcohol consumption appears to be small or null.
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Preventive medicine · Jan 2002
No impact of repeated endoscopic screens on gastric cancer mortality in a prospectively followed Chinese population at high risk.
Gastric cancer (GC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths in China. Our study prospectively evaluated the impact of repeated endoscopic screens on GC mortality in a high-risk population in China. ⋯ Despite high population coverage with repeated screens, no reduction in GC mortality was observed in this high-risk population in China.
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Epidemiological evidence suggests that chronic inflammation may influence ovarian carcinogenesis. The study objective was to examine the association between the commonly used anti-inflammatory drug aspirin and epithelial ovarian cancer. ⋯ Although confidence intervals included unity, the observed risk estimates seem to be compatible with previous studies suggesting that regular aspirin use could be inversely associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.
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Public health guidelines primarily focus on the promotion of physical activity and steady-state aerobic exercise, which enhances cardiorespiratory fitness and has some impact on body composition. However, research demonstrates that resistance exercise training has profound effects on the musculoskeletal system, contributes to the maintenance of functional abilities, and prevents osteoporosis, sarcopenia, lower-back pain, and other disabilities. ⋯ Sensible resistance training involves precise controlled movements for each major muscle group and does not require the use of very heavy resistance. Along with brief prescriptive steady-state aerobic exercise, resistance training should be a central component of public health promotion programs.
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Preventive medicine · Nov 2001
Provider feedback improves adherence with AHCPR Smoking Cessation Guideline.
This study evaluated the effect of primary care providers' adherence with the AHCPR Smoking Cessation Guideline after receiving a multicomponent intervention. ⋯ A nested repeated measures two-factor analysis of variance was performed for each of the following outcomes: ask, advise, assist, and arrange. Data analyses revealed that both the control and the intervention teams had 100% compliance in asking the patient about smoking status. There was a prestudy implementation of the vital sign stamp that included smoking status in this setting. Education on tobacco dependence and the AHCPR Guideline had no significant impact on provider performance with the advisement, assistance, and arrangement of follow-up. However, significant improvements occurred in the intervention team in the advisement (P = 0.05), assistance (P = 0.001), and arrangement of follow-up (P = 0.001) phase after individual and team feedback was provided. This research supports the fact that feedback impacts individuals and team performances and facilitated positive system changes to improve provider adherence with the AHCPR recommendations in treating tobacco dependence.