Health education research
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Health education research · Aug 2013
Fire and scald burn risks in urban communities: who is at risk and what do they believe about home safety?
While largely preventable, fire and hot water-related injuries are common in the United States. Measures recommended to reduce these injuries are smoke alarms (SAs) and lowered hot water temperatures. This study aims to: (i) describe the prevalence of working SAs and safe water temperatures among low-income, urban communities and (ii) explore the relationship between these behaviors and individuals' knowledge and beliefs about them. ⋯ Perceived severity and self-efficacy were significantly associated with SA coverage, whereas perceived susceptibility and beliefs about benefits were significantly associated with safe hot water temperatures. This study demonstrates the need to increase the number of homes with working SAs and safe hot water temperatures. Messages focused on a safe home environment could communicate the ease and harm reduction features of SAs and benefits and risk reduction features of safe hot water temperatures.
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Health education research · Jun 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialDifferences in osteoarthritis self-management support intervention outcomes according to race and health literacy.
We explored whether the effects of a telephone-based osteoarthritis (OA) self-management support intervention differed by race and health literacy. Participants included 515 veterans with hip and/or knee OA. Linear mixed models assessed differential effects of the intervention compared with health education (HE) and usual care (UC) on pain (Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales-2 [AIMS2] and Visual Analogue Scale), function (AIMS2 mobility and walking/bending), affect (AIMS2) and arthritis self-efficacy by: (i) race (white/non-white), (ii) health literacy (high/low) and (iii) race by health literacy. ⋯ However, we found a differential effect of the intervention on AIMS2 pain compared with UC according to the combination of race and health literacy (P = 0.05); non-whites with low literacy in the intervention had the greatest improvement in pain. This telephone-based OA intervention may be particularly beneficial for patients with OA who are racial/ethnic minorities and have low health literacy. These results warrant further research designed specifically to assess whether this type of intervention can reduce OA disparities.
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Health education research · Apr 2013
The effect of falsely balanced reporting of the autism-vaccine controversy on vaccine safety perceptions and behavioral intentions.
Controversy surrounding an autism-vaccine link has elicited considerable news media attention. Despite being widely discredited, research suggests that journalists report this controversy by presenting claims both for and against a link in a relatively 'balanced' fashion. ⋯ Participants who read the balanced article were less certain that vaccines are safe, more likely to believe experts were less certain that vaccines are safe and less likely to have their future children vaccinated. Results suggest that balancing conflicting views of the autism-vaccine controversy may lead readers to erroneously infer the state of expert knowledge regarding vaccine safety and negatively impact vaccine intentions.
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Health education research · Aug 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialEvaluation of a brief intervention designed to increase CPR training among pregnant pool owners.
This study evaluated whether a brief videotape could motivate pregnant pool owners to be trained in infant/child cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Women were recruited from prenatal classes in South Florida. Eligible volunteers were randomized to view a video or receive standard treatment, after completing a questionnaire. ⋯ Video viewers were also more likely to report significant changes in perceptions that favored CPR training. Health care facilities located in communities with high rates of toddler drowning may want to screen prenatal students for pool ownership and encourage at-risk families to be trained in infant/child CPR. Such programs should, however, emphasize the primacy of isolation fencing as a preventive measure.
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Health education research · Aug 2010
Young women's responses to smoking and breast cancer risk information.
Current evidence confirms that young women who smoke or who have regular long-term exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) have an increased risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer. The aim of this research was to examine the responses of young women to health information about the links between active smoking and SHS exposure and breast cancer and obtain their advice about messaging approaches. Data were collected in focus groups with 46 women, divided in three age cohorts: 15-17, 18-19 and 20-24 and organized according to smoking status (smoking, non-smoking and mixed smoking status groups). ⋯ There was general consensus on framing public awareness messages about this risk factor on 'protecting others' from breast cancer to catch smokers' attention, providing young women with the facts and personal stories of breast cancer to help establish a personal connection with this information and overcome desensitization related to tobacco messages, and targeting all smokers who may place young women at risk. Cautions were also raised about the potential for stigmatization. Implications for raising awareness about this modifiable risk factor for breast cancer are discussed.