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Biomedical subjects

C DiIorio

Publications and source records attributed to C DiIorio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Women's self-reported condom use: intra and interpersonal factors.

In the past several years, the greatest proportionate increase in AIDS diagnoses has occurred among women. Yet, while the risk of HIV infection increases, female college students continue to report inconsistent HIV prevention behaviors. Past research on condom use among college women has focused on intrapersonal aspects of the behavior, and little is known about the influence of interpersonal factors on women's condom use. In this study we examined the relative salience of both intra and interpersonal factors on African American and white women's use of condoms. We found that interpersonal variables were particularly salient predictors of condom use. There were no ethnic differences in the effects of interpersonal variables; however, there were differences in the effects of self-efficacy on condom use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Neuroscience nurses' intentions to care for persons with HIV/AIDS.

The purpose of this study, which was based on Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, was to determine the extent to which personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceptions of behavioral control influence the intentions of nurses to care for persons with HIV/AIDS. Questionnaires measuring the concepts of attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and intention to care for persons with HIV/AIDS were completed by 368 members of a neuroscience nursing organization. Hierarchial regression analysis was used to determine if nurses' intentions were predicted by their attitudes and subjective norms, and if perceived behavioral control would add to the prediction. Attitudes accounted for a significant percent of variance when entered at the first step, and perceived behavioral control accounted for a significant increase in variance when entered at the second step. In the final model, only perceived behavioral control contributed significantly to the prediction of intention.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1997

Measurement of condom use self-efficacy and outcome expectancies in a geographically diverse group of STD patients.

The aim of this project was to conduct an initial evaluation among sexually transmitted disease (STD) patients of the psychometric properties of two instruments: the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) multisite condom use self-efficacy scale and the NIMH multisite condom use outcome expectancy scale. The condom use self-efficacy scale was designed to measure one's degree of confidence in various aspects of condom use, whereas the outcome expectancy scale was designed to measure one's belief about the consequences of using condoms. Using a sample of 641 patients from five geographically diverse STD clinics in the eastern United States, initial reliability coefficients were computed. The alpha coefficient for the self-efficacy scale was .91 and for the outcome expectancy scale .88, indicating high internal consistency for both scales. Both scales were analyzed using common factor analytic procedures. Five factors emerged from the analysis of the self-efficacy scale and six factors from the analysis of the outcome expectancy scale. Reliability coefficients for the individual factors ranged from .76 to .86. Construct validity of each scale was assessed by hypothesis testing. As predicted, participants with higher levels of self-efficacy and more positive outcome expectancies were more likely to use condoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Mother and adolescent knowledge of sexual development: the effects of gender, age, and sexual experience.

As part of a larger study on the impact of personal and family characteristics on adolescents' HIV risk and risk-reduction behavior, 90 adolescents and 73 mothers were asked to define in their own words seven terms related to sexual development: ejaculation, hormones, menstruation, ovulation, puberty, semen, and wet dreams. Mother and adolescent knowledge of sexual development terms and the effects of age and sexual experience on that knowledge were examined. Results suggest that the mothers were not able to adequately define the sexual development terms and thus may be ill-prepared to teach their children about sex or reinforce information they learn in school. Since adolescent knowledge did not significantly increase with age and sexual experience, the researchers suggest that continuing sex education about normal sexual development is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Preferences concerning epilepsy education: opinions of nurses, physicians, and persons with epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients with epilepsy treated in outpatient settings would prefer to receive information about epilepsy and its treatment from physicians, nurses or other health care professionals. A second purpose of this study was to determine which health care professionals physicians and nurses believe are able to teach patients about epilepsy. Participants in this study included 59 persons with epilepsy, 73 nurses caring for people with epilepsy, and 38 neurologists and neurosurgeons. Results indicated that people with epilepsy generally prefer physicians to teach about epilepsy and its treatment. Nurses received the most responses about teaching general lifestyle information. Nurses and physicians provided very similar responses to inquiries about which health care professionals were able to teach information about epilepsy. Nurse and physician participants agreed that nurses are the preferred provider of information related to psychological concerns of patients and physicians are the preferred provider of information about the cause and treatment of epilepsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Epilepsy self-management: partial replication and extension.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association between selected social cognitive variables and self-management behaviors among a sample of adults with epilepsy. The study, based on Social Cognitive Theory, was a partial replication and extension of a previous study that explored the role of self-efficacy, social support, regimen-specific support, self-esteem, and self-management. Data collected from 80 adults attending an epilepsy clinic were analyzed using correlation and regression procedures. Statistically significant relationships were found between self-efficacy and self-management and between regimen-specific support and self-management. Regression analyses revealed that self-efficacy and regimen-specific support made significant contributions to the variance in self-management, whereas social support and self-esteem did not.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Cancer stressors and protective factors: predictors of stress experienced during treatment for childhood cancer.

Perceptions of cancer stressors and protective factors are predictors of stress experienced during treatment for childhood cancer were assessed in this study. Cancer stressors were the type of treatment received during two clinic visits and the child's perception of the cancer experience. Protective factors were self-perception, coping strategies, perceived social support, and family environment. The child's responses to stressors were assessed by epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol levels of urine, and measures of state anxiety. Forty-four children between 6 1/2 and 13 1/2 years of age receiving treatment for cancer were evaluated during two clinic visits. Epinephrine was elevated for children during both clinic visits, while norepinephrine and cortisol remained normal. Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that the family environment and global self-worth were the best predictors of epinephrine levels, while social support from friends predicted norepinephrine levels. The family environment and social support from teachers predicted state anxiety.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Recommendations by clinicians for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

The purpose of this study was to assess both the current use of relief measures for nausea and vomiting of pregnancy among clinicians and the basis for their decisions regarding method of treatment. With the permission of conference sponsors, questionnaires on nausea and vomiting of pregnancy relief measures were distributed at a national conference for obstetrical health care providers. Of the 600 conference participants, 130 completed questionnaires. The findings of the study indicate that clinicians generally recommend eating small, frequent meals; that clinicians modify their recommendations slightly based on the severity of the symptoms; that clinicians perceive varying degrees of effectiveness of relief measures, with no one measure being totally effective; and that clinicians look to patients as the primary resource for information about nausea and vomiting of pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Use of the cognitive assessment method to evaluate the adequacy of sexually transmitted disease history questions.

Cognitive assessment is an approach used to evaluate questions in survey interviews. This approach is useful in delineating measurement error due to participants' understanding of terms and interpretation of questions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of questionnaire items designed to evaluate history of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) using a cognitive assessment approach. Participants recruited from an STD clinic were asked up to six questions to assess their history of STDs. Verbal probes were used after each question in an attempt to evaluate the participants' understanding of the questions and methods they used to recall episodes of having STDs. The findings revealed that respondents did not understand the medical terms for some STDs, that the wording of one question potentially interfered with respondents' comprehension of the question, and that respondents used an episodic recall method to determine their number of previous STD infections. Cognitive assessment is a useful method for identifying potential sources of respondent-induced measurement error.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Factors associated with use of safer sex practices among college freshmen.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship of knowledge of AIDS, misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, perceived susceptibility, and future time perspective to the practice of safer sex behaviors in 352 single, sexually active, college freshmen. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analysis and discriminant analysis. There were too few black females for analysis. Future time perspective explained the most variance in safer sex practices for black males. Knowledge of AIDS, perceived susceptibility, misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, and future time perspective did not explain a significant amount of variance in use of safer sex practices for either white males or females. However, perceived susceptibility and future time perspective differentiated sexually active from nonsexually active white males and females.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

Knowledge of AIDS and safer sex practices among college freshmen.

We assessed knowledge of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and of safer sex practices among college freshmen. A second purpose of the study was to assess this knowledge among black as well as white students. Students attending classes at three private colleges in a large southern city were asked to participate in the study. Respondents completed the modified AIDS information survey, the knowledge of safe sex practices questionnaire, and a demographic data sheet. A total of 689 questionnaires were received from single college freshmen. The results indicated that respondents were knowledgeable about the cause and transmission of AIDS but were less knowledgeable about medical aspects. Most knew that condoms are effective in preventing the spread of AIDS, but fewer could differentiate between the effectiveness of latex and nonlatex condoms. These findings are useful to health educators in improving AIDS education programs.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Patterns of nausea during first trimester of pregnancy.

This descriptive study examined pregnancy nausea to determine whether nausea occurred more frequently during the morning hours than during other times of day and if certain patterns of nausea exist. The 19 women who participated in the study kept daily diaries of their nausea experiences over a 7-day period, noting the time of occurrence. Nausea was reported most frequently during waking hours, ranging from 40.3% of the time between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. and 43.9% between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Most nausea reported by subjects was mild, although 18% of the nausea reported between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. was severe. Four patterns of nausea were identified: morning peak, evening peak, bimodal, and all day. Whereas some women displayed fairly consistent daily patterns of nausea, others reported variations in the occurrence or severity of nausea over the 7-day study period.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Cognitive-perceptual factors associated with antiepileptic medication compliance.

The purpose of this study was to determine if selected cognitive-perceptual variables discriminated between individuals who complied with antiepileptic medication therapy and those who did not. Individuals attending an epilepsy clinic and meeting specified criteria were asked to participate. Data from 64 individuals--39 who were classified as compliant and 25 noncompliant--were analyzed using discriminant analysis. The findings revealed that intimacy/assistance, social integration/affirmation of worth, unpredictability, and ambiguity were helpful in discriminating compliant from noncompliant individuals.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

The management of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy.

The focus of this article is on the current research, theories and management strategies related to simple nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP). Research related to the physiological, psychological and cultural factors associated with the expression of NVP are reviewed. The studies which have examined the effectiveness of non-pharmacological therapies in the treatment of NVP are presented. The results of these studies indicate that more rigorous experimental studies are necessary. However, preliminary findings can serve as a basis for the development of nursing approaches to the treatment of simple nausea and vomiting. The findings of these studies suggest research questions for future study.

Female↗