Preventive medicine
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Preventive medicine · May 1997
Summer sun exposure: knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of Midwest adolescents.
Extensive print, radio, and television coverage about the dangers of sun exposure and benefits of sun protection occurred over the past decade. Illinois teen knowledge and attitudes about sun exposure/protection, sun-exposure/protection behavior, and information sources were determined by a summer telephone survey. ⋯ Teen knowledge that excessive sun exposure causes skin cancer and sunburns and that wearing sunscreens and hats were sun-protective methods did not enable sun protection that prevented burning. This is particularly troublesome because severe sunburns in youth are associated with an increased risk of melanoma. Existing teen sunscreen use could be broadened by educating teens to use adequate quantities of sunscreen prior to daily sun exposure to prevent painful burns. Messages to teens that emphasize the short-term consequence of painful sunburns because of inadequate protection during outdoor occupational and non-water-related recreational exposure would increase the relevance of the message and may enable behavioral change. Parents and physicians need to be included in messages that are directed to teens and to become part of their education. Parents could ensure an adequate sunscreen supply for daily use by the family, encourage teens not to deliberately tan, and serve as role models for the use of protective clothing.
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Preventive medicine · Mar 1997
A prospective study of the determinants of physical activity in rural fifth-grade children.
Understanding the factors that influence physical activity behavior is important in the design of intervention programs targeted at youth. ⋯ Social-cognitive constructs such as physical activity self-efficacy, access to community physical activity outlets, and positive beliefs regarding physical activity outcomes are important predictors of future physical activity behavior among rural, predominantly African-American children.
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Preventive medicine · Mar 1997
Development of questionnaires to measure psychosocial influences on children's physical activity.
The purpose of this study was to develop and validate questionnaires used to measure psychosocial determinants of physical activity in preadolescent children. ⋯ Three scales to measure psychosocial determinants of physical activity were refined for use with rural, predominantly African-American, preadolescent children, and shown to be both reliable and valid. Factor analysis resulted in interpretable subscales that may be used as variables. These preliminary results provide support for using the scales to measure influences on activity in children.
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Preventive medicine · Jan 1997
Multicenter Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialA trial of church-based smoking cessation interventions for rural African Americans.
The Alliance of Black Churches Health Project was begun in an effort to address the health problems of the African-American residents of two rural Virginia counties. Smoking cessation was chosen as the principal target behavior in one county. Church coalitions were chosen as the principal organizations through which to implement the interventions. ⋯ Smoking cessation interventions for African Americans can be successfully implemented through a church coalition. The interventions were associated with significant progress along the stages of cessation. Although the quit rate was higher in the intervention community, the difference was not significant.
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Our purpose was to determine which characteristics of buyers, stores, and store clerks predicted successful tobacco sales to minors. ⋯ Warning signs had no effect on vendors' compliance with the state minors' access law, and failure to question minors about their age substantially increased the odds of a successful purchase. Laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors should be enforced by requiring vendors to obtain proof of buyers' ages for persons who appear to be < 30 years of age.