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J B Croft

Publications and source records attributed to J B Croft.

79 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Recruitment and participation of children in a long-term study of cardiovascular disease: The Bogalusa Heart Study, 1973-1982.

The Bogalusa Heart Study has been highly successful in recruitment and screening of children and adolescents in Bogalusa, Louisiana. From 1973 to 1982 in four cardiovascular risk factor surveys, 80-93% of the biracial pediatric population was examined. Overall participation rates compare favorably with those of similar studies. The authors examine methods and strategies involved in obtaining community support, identifying and contacting the eligible population, and implementing recruitment campaigns. Several of the more successful motivational efforts are described. Attrition and the broader problem of decreasing participation rates in older adolescents are examined. Recommendations are advanced for dealing with this problem age group.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Moderate leisure-time physical activity: who is meeting the public health recommendations? A national cross-sectional study.

We identified the prevalence of adults who met the 1993 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine moderate physical activity recommendation and the 1996 Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health energy expenditure guideline for leading a moderately active lifestyle. Participants were 16,890 women and 12,272 men at least 18 years old who were asked in the 1990 National Health Interview Survey about their leisure-time physical activities. About one third of US adults met either recommendation for moderate activity; 32% met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Association of Sports Medicine recommendation and 38% met the surgeon general's guideline. Women, ethnic minorities, adults with lower educational attainment, and older adults were least active. Public health efforts are needed to address the issues related to physical inactivity and to provide organized programs to increase moderate physical activity levels in US adults.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of multiple risk factor profiles on determining cardiovascular disease risk.

BACKGROUND: We examined the association between clustering of risk factors and the risk for coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality. METHODS: Data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study (N = 12,932) were used to estimate the relative risk for coronary heart disease (N = 2,255), stroke (N = 929), and death from any cause (N = 4,506) by the number of cardiovascular disease risk factors present. Risk factors included current smoking, overweight, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. RESULTS: The proportions of respondents with 0, 1, 2, 3, or > or = 4 risk factors were 25.0, 32.8, 27.8, 12.3, and 2.1%, respectively. Relative risks for coronary heart disease associated with having 1, 2, 3, and > or = 4 risk factors were 1.6 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4, 1.9), 2.2 (95% CI 1.9, 2.6), 3.1 (95% CI 2.6, 3.6), and 5.0 (95% CI 3.9, 6.3), respectively. Relative risks for stroke associated with the same risk levels were 1.4 (95% CI 1.1, 1.8), 1.9 (95% CI 1.5, 2.4), 2.3 (95% CI 1.7, 3.0), and 4.3 (95% CI 3.0, 6.3), respectively. Similar results were observed for all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Risk for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality increased substantially with each additional risk factor. This supports the continued need for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The validity of self-reported hypertension and correlates of hypertension awareness among blacks and whites within the stroke belt.

Hypertension surveillance activities increasingly are relying on information obtained by self-report. However, limited information is available concerning the validity of such data, especially among populations residing within the stroke belt. We used interview information and blood pressure measurements from the South Carolina Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Project to determine the validity of self-reported hypertension and the correlates of hypertension awareness among 2,210 whites and 704 blacks who participated in the program in 1987. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of self-reported hypertension were 79%, 91%, 76%, and 93% among white women; 82%, 88%, 79%, and 89% among black women; 62%, 91%, 75%, and 85% among white men; and 72%, 89%, 78%, and 85% among black men, respectively. Groups with highest sensitivity included women, persons older than age 39 years, and those who had seen a physician for preventive care within the last year. Correlates of hypertension awareness included an older age, visit to a physician for preventive care, and a family history of high blood pressure. Among hypertensive blacks, overweight persons were substantially more likely than nonoverweight persons to be aware of their hypertension (odds ratio [OR] = 4.6, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.9, 10.7 in black women and OR = 4.4, 95% CI = 1.0, 17.9 in black men). The validity of self-reported hypertension was relatively high in all race-sex groups. There is a need to increase hypertension awareness among hypertensive blacks who are not overweight.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Changes in blood cholesterol awareness: final results from the South Carolina Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Project.

We examined changes in five indicators of blood cholesterol awareness in two comparable biracial communities in South Carolina. One community received three years of cholesterol education and intervention activities implemented by a state health department and the other served as a comparison. Cross-sectional, interviewer-administered, random digit-dialed telephone surveys of 11,070 adults 18 years and older were conducted in 1987, 1988, 1989, and 1991. Changes in community levels of knowledge, preventive behavior, risk awareness, and treatment were assessed and compared between the two communities with analysis of covariance techniques that adjusted for age, race, and sex. Significant increases in knowledge, behavior, and risk awareness were observed for most groups defined by race, sex, or age in both communities. Significant net intervention increases between 1987 and 1991 were seen for knowledge of good cholesterol level (+16.4%, P < .001); behavioral action of ever having blood cholesterol checked (+18.6%, P < .001); and knowledge of personal level of blood cholesterol (+16.0%, P < .01). These results suggest that a community-wide blood cholesterol screening and education program can be effective in increasing blood cholesterol knowledge, risk awareness, and preventive behavior, thus serving as part of a public health strategy to lower and treat high blood cholesterol levels in a community.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health promotion practices among physicians.

Personal belief concerning both the validity of health promotion and the physician's ability to influence patient behavior may affect how much effort a physician spends on health promotion strategies. We assessed these beliefs through a mail survey to physicians practicing in a predominantly rural southern state in 1987 (n = 83) and 1991 (n = 96). Response rates in both studies exceeded 75%. The instrument was obtained from similar studies conducted in Massachusetts in 1981 and Maryland in 1983. Between 1987 and 1991 we found slight improvements in the perceived importance of many health behaviors, but significant improvement was observed in the importance of reducing intake of dietary saturated fat (66% in 1987 to 80% in 1991; P < .05). Less than 10% of the physicians thought they could be "very successful" in modifying patients' behaviors. However, in 1991 physicians perceived that their ability to be "very successful" in helping patients to modify their behavior would increase threefold (8%-24% for exercise; 4%-18% for smoking) if given appropriate support. Although the type of appropriate support was not identified, the credibility of physician's advice in promoting health changes is important. These results suggest that efforts should be made to provide support to physicians who are inclined to discuss health behavior changes with their patients. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH): dietary fats, exercise, patient education, physician's practice patterns, smoking.

Adult↗