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G Sorensen

Publications and source records attributed to G Sorensen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

The Working Well Trial: baseline dietary and smoking behaviors of employees and related worksite characteristics. The Working Well Research Group.

BACKGROUND: The Working Well Trial, the largest randomized worksite health promotion trial to date, tests the effects of cancer prevention and control interventions on dietary and smoking behaviors of employees and the worksite environment. The trial is a 5-year cooperative agreement conducted in 57 matched pairs of worksites in 16 states by four study centers, a coordinating center, and the National Cancer Institute. The dual aims of this paper are to: (a) present a baseline description of the dietary and smoking habits of 20,801 employees, who are predominantly blue-collar workers; and (b) describe the social and physical environments of their worksites that may facilitate or hinder health behavior changes. METHODS: The self-administered baseline survey of individuals consisted of a core set of questions common across all study centers on diet and smoking. The organizational survey consisted of eight instruments administered via interviews with key informants in each worksite. Continuous variable were analyzed by a mixed linear model and binary data were analyzed by the Generalized Estimating Equation. RESULTS: The population represented is largely male (67.5%) and blue collar (53.5%). Mean levels of fat and fiber intakes were close to the national averages (36.6% of calories as fat and 13.1 g of fiber). Smoking prevalence (25.2%) was slightly lower than the national average. The worksites had a high level of health promotion activities (42% had nutrition programs, 53% had smoking control programs), but lacked environmental support for dietary behavior change and perceived support for smoking cessation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings replicate and extend previous research results to a large sample of diverse, largely blue-collar worksites. In addition the baseline results lay a foundation for the development of new insights into the relationship between individual and organizational level variables that may interact to influence behavioral and cultural norms.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Reducing smoking at the workplace: implementing a smoking ban and hypnotherapy.

Smoking cessation programs may be an important component in the implementation of worksite smoking policies. This study examines the impact of a smoke-free policy and the effectiveness of an accompanying hypnotherapy smoking cessation program. Participants in the 90-minute smoking cessation seminar were surveyed 12 months after the program was implemented (n = 2642; response rate = 76%). Seventy-one percent of the smokers participated in the hypnotherapy program. Fifteen percent of survey respondents quit and remained continuously abstinent. A survey to assess attitudes toward the policy was conducted 1 year after policy implementation (n = 1256; response rate = 64%). Satisfaction was especially high among those reporting high compliance with the policy. These results suggest that hypnotherapy may be an attractive alternative smoking cessation method, particularly when used in conjunction with a smoke-free worksite policy that offers added incentive for smokers to think about quitting.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Determinants of plasma vitamins and lipids: the Working Well Study.

This study was conducted to assess the determinants of plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, retinol, and cholesterol fractions in a randomly selected subset of 203 workers participating in a worksite-based health intervention trial. Workers were from four companies in eastern and central Massachusetts, and all completed an 84-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire as part of baseline (preintervention) self-assessment instruments. At the time of fasting blood sampling, each participant also completed a short screening questionnaire for assessment of changes in dietary habits and tobacco exposure and for collection of data on use of vitamins and nutritional supplements. On the basis of the self-reported data, the authors found that they could explain 35% of the variability in plasma beta-carotene, 73% of the variability in alpha-tocopherol, 36% of the variability in retinol, and 19% of the variability in cholesterol. Plasma beta-carotene levels appeared to be affected by the use of supplements that did not contain carotene, indicating a beta-carotene sparing capability of other agents contained in these preparations. Plasma alpha-tocopherol levels were not similarly affected. These results compare favorably with those from studies that used more intensive dietary assessment techniques as the comparison criterion. Results are discussed in terms of implications for use of self-reported data in epidemiologic study analyses.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Evaluation of swinepox virus as a vaccine vector in pigs using an Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies) virus gene insert coding for glycoproteins gp50 and gp63.

Pigs were vaccinated by scarification or intramuscular injection with a swinepox virus-Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies) recombinant (rSPV-AD) constructed by inserting the linked Aujeszky's disease virus genes coding for glycoproteins gp50 and gp63, attached to a vaccinia virus p7.5 promoter, into the thymidine kinase gene of swinepox virus. By 21 days after vaccination, 90 and 100 per cent of the animals vaccinated by scarification or intramuscular injection, respectively, had developed serum neutralising antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus. Upon challenge with virulent virus, significantly fewer vaccinated pigs developed clinical Aujeszky's disease, nasal shedding of challenge virus was markedly reduced, and the vaccinated groups of pigs maintained or gained weight during the week after challenge whereas the unvaccinated control group lost weight. No transmission of rSPV-AD to in-contact controls was detected during the three weeks before challenge. In a second experiment, serum neutralising antibodies to Aujeszky's disease virus persisted for 150 days after the pigs were vaccinated with rSPV-AD by scarification or intramuscular injection and all the pigs showed an anamnestic response when they were revaccinated.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Cancer control at the workplace: the Working Well Trial.

BACKGROUND. Few research studies have been conducted on cancer prevention and control at the workplace. This article presents an overview of the largest worksite cancer control trial in the United States--The Working Well Trial--conducted in 114 worksites by four study centers, a coordinating center, and the National Cancer Institute. The trial's organizational structure, research design, dependent measures, and theoretical model for intervention are described. Special features of the trial include using the worksite as the unit of randomization, intervention, and evaluation and a theory-driven conceptual model of intervention that places emphasis on individual and organizational targets for change, uses the transtheoretical stage of change model to guide a sustained 2-year multiple risk factor intervention, and makes use of volunteer resources within the worksite to reduce cost, increase participation, and improve tailoring to individual needs. The trial will have a potential impact on over 25,000 workers. CONCLUSION. The issues raised in this overview have implications for the evaluation and dissemination of cancer prevention and control programs to defined populations.

Health Promotion↗
PubMed1993

Development and validation of measures of psychosocial factors influencing fat- and fiber-related dietary behavior.

BACKGROUND: Understanding factors influencing food choices is likely to enhance the effectiveness of strategies to promote healthy eating patterns. This article describes the process used to develop measures of psychosocial factors related to eating patterns in the Working Well project. METHODS: Working Well is a multicenter controlled trial of worksite health promotion interventions, including a nutrition intervention aimed at promoting low-fat, high-fiber eating. The process for developing measures included several steps. First, we defined three domains of psychosocial factors influencing dietary behavior: predisposing, enabling, and change-related factors. We then reviewed large-scale survey findings, compiled a catalogue of items, and developed and refined a 65-item questionnaire for pretesting in a working population. RESULTS: Based on frequency distributions and interitem correlations, the item pool was reduced to 24 items. The 24 remaining items were included in a pilot survey of 652 employees (response rate = 80%). On the basis of pilot data analyses, we eliminated one item and made minor modifications to other items. Factors most strongly associated with dietary intake were self-rated diet, past success at change, and motivation to eat low-fat foods. CONCLUSIONS: Analyses of the cross-sectional pilot data suggest directions for analyses of the final survey. The measures and the development process yielded an instrument and process that can be useful to other researchers.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Measuring the effect of a worksite-based nutrition intervention on food consumption.

Although current dietary guidelines focus on a combination of specific nutrients and food items, most effective dietary interventions focus on patterns of dietary intake and take into account the relationships among nutritional factors. In a controlled nutrition intervention conducted at 16 workplaces, a self-administered health habits questionnaire (HHQ) including a 67-item version of a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was distributed prior to a 15-month intervention and again after it. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to reduce this large set of highly correlated FFQ food items to a smaller set of maximally uncorrelated components (PCs). Of the eight discrete food-based eating patterns targeted in the Treatwell intervention, six were highly correlated ([r[ > or = 0.48) with at least one PC each. This indicates a high level of concordance between a priori intervention targets and actual behavior. Based on log-transformed preintervention FFQ measures, our results showed that a very high proportion (0.55) of the variance in the FFQ data was explained by the PCs. A significantly greater increase in consumption of total vegetables and a larger decrease in dietary intake of ground and processed meats were observed among intervention companies. A comparison PCA conducted on intervention and control companies after the intervention indicated that patterns of intake were very stable over time.

Eating↗
PubMed1993

A work-site nutrition intervention: its effects on the consumption of cancer-related nutrients.

OBJECTIVES: In a work-site nutrition intervention targeting fat and fiber, we examined the intervention's effect on specific nutrients implicated in carcinogenesis, including trace metals, vitamins, and categories of fatty acids. The rationale was based on the association observed in a variety of epidemiologic studies between these nutrients and epithelial cancers. METHODS: Data were taken from eight control companies and five intervention companies that fully implemented the Treatwell intervention. Analyses of variance were used preserving the study's nested design. RESULTS: Significant intervention-related associations were observed for increased total vitamin A and carotene. Marginal intervention effects were observed for relative decreases in the percentage of calories from both saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, a relatively smaller increase in the percentage of calories from polyunsaturated fatty acids, and an increase in the consumption of vitamin B6. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate a broader effect of the intervention than on fat and fiber only. Increased intake of carotene, the single most important of these other nutrients, is plausibly related to a variety of epithelial cancers.

Diet↗
PubMed1993

Promoting smoking cessation at the workplace. Results of a randomized controlled intervention study.

This paper presents results from a preliminary short-term work-site intervention study aimed at smoking cessation. The 3-month intervention included consultation for employers on the adoption of a nonsmoking policy, training for nonsmokers to provide assistance to smokers attempting to quit, and cessation classes for smokers. Eight work sites from Bloomington, Minnesota were recruited to the study and randomly assigned to an intervention or comparison condition after a baseline survey of all employees. To assess the effect of the intervention, smokers were surveyed 1 and 6 months after the intervention was completed. At the 1-month follow-up, the overall quit rate in the intervention group was 12% compared to 5% in the control group (P < .05). At the 6-month follow-up, 12% of smokers in the intervention group reported quitting, compared to 9% in the control group (P < .05). Co-worker support for quitting was higher in the intervention group compared to the comparison group. Cessation was highest overall among smokers whose co-workers frequently asked them not to smoke and among those who worked with a high proportion of nonsmokers. These results indicate that a short-term, multifaceted smoking cessation program implemented in work sites can affect smoking cessation rates as well as the work-site norms about smoking.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMed1992

Worksite smoking control activities: prevalence and related worksite characteristics from the COMMIT Study, 1990.

BACKGROUND: There is a pressing need for current information on worksite smoking policies and stop-smoking activities. To address these needs and identify worksite characteristics associated with such activities, a computer-assisted telephone interview was administered to 793 worksites having at least 50 employees. METHODS: Within each of the 11 COMMIT intervention communities, attempts were made to survey 30 worksites within each of three size strata: 50-99 employees, 100-249 employees, and 250+ employees. Response to the survey was good, with a screening rate of 95% and a response rate of 90%. RESULTS: Overall, 69% of responding worksites reported having written smoking policies, but only 15% banned all indoor smoking. Smaller worksites and manufacturing and wholesale/retail companies were less likely than other organizations to be smoke-free or have representatives attend smoking policy workshops. Thirty-five percent of worksites reported offering smoking cessation resources or assistance for employees, but only 20% offered both cessation resources and restrictive or smoke-free policies. Smaller worksites as well as wholesale/retail sales and manufacturing worksites were less likely to offer cessation resources or to participate in community wide stop-smoking events. CONCLUSION: Although the level of worksite smoking control activities was higher than that reported in earlier surveys, there is still a substantial need to increase the level of such activities, especially at smaller worksites and in manufacturing and sales organizations.

Canada↗
PubMed1992

Work-site nutrition intervention and employees' dietary habits: the Treatwell program.

In a randomized, controlled study of the Treatwell work-site nutrition intervention program, which focused on promoting eating patterns low in fat and high in fiber, 16 work sites from Massachusetts and Rhode Island were recruited to participate and randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control condition. The intervention included direct education and environmental programming tailored to each work site; control work sites received no intervention. A cohort of workers randomly sampled from each site was surveyed both prior to and following the intervention. Dietary patterns were assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Adjusting for work site, the decrease in mean dietary fat intake was 1.1% of total calories more in intervention sites than in control sites (P less than .005). Mean changes in dietary fiber intake between intervention and control sites did not differ. This study provides evidence that a work-site nutrition intervention program can effectively influence the dietary habits of workers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Employee knowledge and attitudes about a work-site nonsmoking policy: rationale for further smoking restrictions.

This study examines employee knowledge of and satisfaction with a nonsmoking policy instituted at approximately 600 work sites of the New England Telephone company in 1986. A stratified random sample of employees was surveyed 20 months after the policy was implemented; 1120 (74.5%) returned surveys. Awareness of the rules about smoking in most areas was high, especially where smoking was totally banned. Respondents were highly satisfied with the policy, but half preferred additional restrictions on smoking. The policy was effective in reducing perceived environmental tobacco smoke exposure in work areas where smoking was banned but not in nonwork areas where smoking was allowed in designated areas. This study suggests that a highly restrictive nonsmoking policy--including a total ban on smoking--may be more easily and successfully implemented than are less restrictive policies.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Work-site smoking policies in small businesses.

A growing number of workers in the United States are employed in small businesses. This study describes the experiences of small work sites in implementing policies restricting smoking. In the fall of 1987, we surveyed by telephone 216 work sites employing 120 or fewer persons. Compared with companies without policies, companies with policies were larger and reported having fewer smokers and more management support for smoking policies. Seventy-three percent of work sites without a smoking policy said they would be very likely to implement a policy if it were required by law; 42% of work sites with a policy reported offering smoking cessation assistance to their employees. Overall satisfaction and compliance with the smoking policy was high among work sites with a policy. The findings of this study have key implications for other small businesses considering implementing a smoking policy.

Employee Grievances↗
PubMed1989

Implementing nonsmoking policies in the private sector and assessing their effects.

Nonsmoking policies are being implemented increasingly in worksites across the country. This cross-sectional study examined attitudes toward worksite nonsmoking policies and worksite norms about smoking and cessation. Data were collected by telephone interview from 711 smokers and recent ex-smokers employed in seven worksites in Bloomington, Minnesota, in 1986. The findings indicated widespread support for nonsmoking policies even among smokers. Support for nonsmoking policies was especially high among respondents interested in quitting smoking, those concerned about the health effects of smoking, those reporting high coworker support for prior cessation attempts, and those working with a high proportion of nonsmokers. Support for nonsmoking policies was also correlated with smoking cessation in the 18 months prior to the survey. The clustering of these social norms is indicative of a worksite "culture" that may either support nonsmoking or inhibit cessation.

Attitude↗
PubMed1988

Benefits and costs of lifestyle change to reduce risk of chronic disease.

Individuals do not benefit equally from attempts to change their lifestyles in an effort to lower their risk for disease or to improve their quality of life. A change in one lifestyle behavior may cause an increase in another risk factor and reduce the benefits of the anticipated change. The social environment exerts pressures and makes available resources that also influence the benefits and costs of a particular health behavior change. These pressures and resources vary depending on the individual and his or her social context. This article uses the target behavior of smoking as an example of a lifestyle change and considers the benefits and costs that interventionists need to be aware of if they are to effectively facilitate health behavior change. This approach requires the identification of resources at different levels of the environment (e.g., family, community, institutions) that may influence the cost/benefit ratio. Such an analysis is appropriate whether one is considering a model of individual behavior change or a public health model that seeks to intervene at the community-wide level to promote health and reduce disease risk among a large segment of the population. Specific recommendations based on this approach are offered and it is concluded that both individual and public health approaches are necessary to achieve optimal health behavior change in our population and to optimize the cost/benefit ratio of such change for all individuals.

Adult↗