American journal of preventive medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effectiveness of a web-based colorectal cancer screening patient decision aid: a randomized controlled trial in a mixed-literacy population.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening reduces mortality yet remains underutilized. Low health literacy may contribute to this underutilization by interfering with patients' ability to understand and receive preventive health services. ⋯ The web-based decision aid increased patients' ability to form a test preference and their intent to receive screening, regardless of literacy level. Further study should examine ways the decision aid can be combined with additional system changes to increase CRC screening.
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Limited national data on the circumstances of acetaminophen overdoses have hindered identification and implementation of prevention strategies. ⋯ Non-abuse-related overdoses of acetaminophen products lead to many emergency department visits each year, particularly emergency department visits for self-directed violence. Acetaminophen overdose prevention efforts will likely need to be multidimensional.
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State laws limiting the use of mobile communications devices (MCDs) by drivers are being enacted at an accelerating pace. Public health law research is needed to test various legislative models and guide future legal innovation. ⋯ State distracted-driving policy is diverging from evidence on the risks of MCD use by drivers. An updatable data set of laws is now available to researchers conducting multistate evaluations of the impact of laws regulating MCDs by drivers. If this data set is shown to be useful for this public health problem, similar rigorously developed and regularly updated data sets might be developed for other public health issues that are subject to legislative interventions.
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Although interactive voice response (IVR) calls can be an effective tool for chronic disease management, many regions of the world lack the infrastructure to provide these services. ⋯ Cloud computing is a feasible strategy for providing IVR services globally. IVR self-care support may improve self-care and glycemic control for patients in underdeveloped countries.
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Low-income, urban African-American youth are at higher risk for obesity and less likely to meet dietary recommendations than white, higher-income youth. Patterns of food purchasing among youth likely contribute to these disparities, but little published information is available. ⋯ Food purchasing among low-income, urban African-American youth is frequent and substantial. Interventions aimed at preventing and treating obesity in this population should focus on increasing access to healthy foods in their neighborhoods, especially in corner stores.