Making the case for health promotion: a summary of the scientific evidence.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D C Iverson.
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This study of 3,318 outpatient visits evaluated the influence of the physician-assessed level of patient motivation on the level of physician involvement in follow-up care. Data collected included patient demographics, health risk factors, physician-assessed level of patient motivation, and the disposition for follow-up care (return office visit or self-care). Physicians more frequently scheduled patients for a return office visit, regardless of assessed level of patient motivation, when they presented with a traditional biomedical problem. Patients with health promotion-disease prevention problems were more frequently relegated to self-care; patients physicians judged to be poorly motivated were four times as likely to be relegated to self-care. We discuss the implications of physician overuse of self-care strategies on the health status of poorly motivated patients. Factors influencing such physician behavior may include prior unrewarding experiences with poorly motivated patients, perceived lack of skill in affecting behavior change, time constraints, lack of reimbursement for preventive care services, and the actual process of physician education and professional socialization.
The Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN) was created to increase the knowledge of primary care. Building on the experiences of other national and regional primary care research networks, ASPN has evolved as a North American network including practices in 25 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces in 1987. This paper summarizes ASPN's growth and development since 1978, the involvement of the ASPN practices, and the mechanisms used in developing and managing studies.
Little is known about the accuracy of data reported in practice based primary care research. The Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN) undertook a 100% audit of 226 patients included in a study of spontaneous abortion (SAB). The audit was conducted to assess the feasibility of conducting audits in primary care research networks dispersed over large geographic areas, verify that patients met inclusion criteria, and assess the frequency of reporting errors using the medical record as a standard. Of the originally reported SABs, 24% could not be verified. The overall error rate was 4.5%, a total of 106 errors out of a possible 2,361. Seventy percent of these errors came from five of the 34 participating practices. Sixty-six percent of the records were error-free. Seventy-seven percent of the errors were associated with problems with methods and clustered into three categories: gravidity, gestational age, and dilation and curettage (D&C). According to this audit, the data reported by the practices for research purposes were very similar to the data found in the medical record.
While the medical care encounter is considered an ideal situation in which patients are encouraged to increase their physical activity levels, very little research has been conducted in this setting. In fact, with the exception of the physical activity components of cardiac rehabilitation programs, few formal physical activity programs are available in medical care settings. Although the workplace is currently the focus of the greatest interest by those persons who implement physical activity programs, there is little precision in defining what constitutes a worksite physical activity program. A number of researchers and authors, using program experience rather than empirical findings, have described what they believe to be the important components of successful worksites health promotion and physical education programs. The greatest variety of physical activity programs are found in community settings. They are offered by a number of nonprofit private organizations, nonprofit public agencies, and for-profit organizations. While relatively little research has been done concerning changes in the community environment, it is clear that such changes can effect community participation. Community campaigns to increase physical activity have been studied, and it appears that they clearly affect residents' interest and awareness in physical activity, but they do not have a major effect on behavioral changes in the short term. It appears that a major opportunity to influence favorable physical activity in the United States is being missed in schools. A large majority of students are enrolled in physical education classes, but the classes appear to have little effect on the current physical fitness levels of children and, furthermore, have little impact on developing life-long physical activity skills.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
In a survey of 2,548 adolescents, 11.5 percent reported ever having had the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody test. Those who had been tested were significantly more likely to be male, black, and to reside in metropolitan areas than those who had not been tested. Tested adolescents were more than three times as likely to report having injected drugs and were more than twice as likely to have had sexual intercourse, had sexual intercourse at earlier ages, and with multiple partners. More than half of adolescents who had been HIV-tested had no reported risks for HIV infection. More than one-quarter of adolescents not tested reported at least one HIV risk factor. These data suggest the importance of discussing the HIV testing and counseling process within any HIV education program directed to adolescents.
Despite controversy about prostate cancer screening, administrative data show that the use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in Canada has increased. This study sought to determine awareness and knowledge of prostate cancer and screening, use to date, and future intentions to have a digital rectal examination (DRE) and PSA test among Canadian men aged 40 and over. Data were collected through a Canada-wide cross-sectional random digit dial telephone survey of 629 men. Awareness of DRE and PSA, use to date, and future intended use varied with age and education. Although only 9% of respondents had had PSA testing for screening, future intentions to undergo this test were higher than use to date. Knowledge of prostate cancer and screening controversies was low, and men received more information about PSA from the media than from doctors. Men would, therefore, benefit from age- and education-specific information regarding the factors to consider in making an informed choice about prostate cancer screening.