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Biomedical subjects

M Conner

Publications and source records attributed to M Conner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Understanding choice of milk and bread for breakfast among Swedish children aged 11-15 years: an application of the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

The present study examined the influences of attitudes, social norms, perceived control and underlying beliefs on 11 to 15-year-olds' breakfast choices of milk with different fat content and high-fibre bread. All pupils in the 5th, 7th and 9th grades in Mölndal community (N=1730), Sweden, were asked to complete a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Two weeks later, they were asked to fill in a 7-day record of food consumed for breakfast. Consumption of milk and high-fibre bread was predicted from intentions, and for milk also by perceived behavioural control. Intentions were influenced by attitudes, perceptions of significant others' preferences, and perceived control. In addition, perception of the parents' consumption (descriptive norm) of the specific food played an important role. Attitudes, norms and perceived control predicted intentions to a similar extent in each age group. Attitudes to the consumption of milk and high fibre bread were influenced by beliefs about their sensory and health aspects. Females and the oldest children had greater knowledge about the healthier alternatives and the oldest children had a tendency to choose healthier options.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Diet and lifestyle characteristics associated with dietary supplement use in women.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of dietary supplement users in a large cohort of women and test the hypothesis that supplement users would be more likely to have a healthier lifestyle than non-users. DESIGN: Comparison of nutrient intakes from food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) data for 8409 supplement users and 5413 non-users. Use of logistic regression modelling to determine predictors of supplement use in this cohort. SUBJECTS: 13,822 subjects from the UK Women's Cohort Study (UKWCS) for whom data on supplement use was available. RESULTS: Significant differences in nutrient intakes from FFQ were seen between the two groups, with supplement users having higher intakes of all nutrients, except for fat and vitamin B12. Use of dietary supplements was associated with being vegetarian, vegan or fish-eating, consuming more fruit and vegetables, being more physically active and having a lower alcohol intake. Supplement use was less likely in those with a body mass index above 25 and those who reported smoking regularly. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that supplement use is associated with a healthier lifestyle profile and an adequate nutritional intake, suggesting that supplement users do not need to take supplements to meet a nutrient deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The theory of planned behavior and smoking cessation.

A sample of 84 smokers attending health promotion clinics in a primary care setting completed questionnaires that assessed the main constructs of the theory of planned behavior, perceived susceptibility, and past cessation attempts. Regression analyses revealed that intention to quit smoking was primarily predicted by perceived behavioral control and perceived susceptibility. At 6-month follow-up, the making of a quit attempt was predicted by intention and the number of previous quit attempts, whereas the length of the quit attempt was predicted solely by the length of the longest recent quit attempt. The results suggest that interventions should focus on perceptions of susceptibility and control to increase smokers' motivation to quit. However, further work is required to identify the social cognitive variables that ensure that initial quit attempts are translated into longer term abstinence.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The persistence of mood disorders following traumatic brain injury: a 1 year follow-up.

The study investigated whether the frequency of mood disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) increased with time. Consecutive hospital admissions completed the Wimbledon Self-Report Scale at 6 and 12 months post-injury. Scores in the 'borderline/case' range were deemed clinically significant. Seventy-seven of those assessed at 6 months completed the 12 month follow-up. Those lost to follow-up (22) were not more likely to have been classified 'borderline/case' at 6 months. They were more likely to have been 'unoccupied' pre-injury (p=0.002). The frequency of clinically significant disorders did not change significantly, being 39% at 6 months and 35% 1 year post-injury. The majority of subjects (58) maintained the same clinical classification at both assessments. Eight of the 47 (17%) classified 'normal' at 6 months changed to 'borderline/case' at 12 months. However, 11 of the 30 (37%) classified 'borderline/case' at 6 months were 'normal' at 12 months. The direction of change was not statistically significant (p=0.5). These findings are consistent with previous research. However, the present study examined a larger sample and included a wider range of injury severity, thereby increasing the generalizability of the findings. Also, a broader spectrum of mood disorders was investigated which adds to previous work specifically on depression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

A critical examination of the application of the Transtheoretical Model's stages of change to dietary behaviours.

This paper proposes that the application of the Transtheoretical Model's stages of change to dietary behaviours may be fundamentally problematic due to the difference in nature between dietary behaviours and the addictive behaviours upon which the model was originally based. It was considered that specific problems associated with stage categorization for dietary change would include: problems due to the potential mismatch between a person's perceived and actual dietary behaviour; and problems due to the use of specific time periods to distinguish between different stages. A total of 541 volunteers completed questionnaires that measured their stage of change with respect to one of three dietary behaviours (healthy eating, eating a low-fat diet, and eating five portions of fruit and vegetables per day). Results indicate that people who were actively making a change (actors) or maintaining a change (maintainers) had done so for a range of different periods of time, with no specific cut-off point being evident. Also, more realistic stage categorizations were evident for the most specific dietary behaviours where there was least likelihood of a mismatch between perceived and actual dietary behaviour. Problems associated with issues of operationalization of the model and the application of the stage model to dietary change are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Analysis of illicit ecstasy tablets: implications for clinical management in the accident and emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the composition of illicitly manufactured "ecstasy" tablets sold on the UK drugs market. METHODS: Analysis by gas chromatography of 25 illicit ecstasy tablets handed in under amnesty to Leeds Addiction Unit. RESULTS: Illicitly manufactured ecstasy tablets contain a range of ingredients, of widely differing concentrations, and even tablets with the same brand name have variable concentrations of active ingredients. Concentrations of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) more popularly known as ecstasy, varied 70-fold between tablets. Nine tablets contained neither MDMA nor related analogues. CONCLUSIONS: These results have implications for emergency workers attending to those who have become casualties of the drug ecstasy. Those claiming to have ingested ecstasy may actually have taken other agents that require different clinical management.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed1999

Interaction effects in the theory of planned behaviour: studying cannabis use.

This study employed the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to investigate the factors underlying intentions and frequency of use of cannabis over a three-month period in a population of students (N = 249). In addition, several hypotheses in relation to the TPB were investigated. The TPB provided good predictions of both intentions (R2 = 0.653; attitude, injunctive norms and perceived behavioural control significant) and behaviour (R2 = 0.711; intentions significant). Other norm measures (descriptive and moral norms) explained additional variance in intentions (p < .01). In addition, habit strength and self-identity explained significant additional portions of the variance in intentions (p < .001), but not behaviour, over and above the TPB variables. Several interactions among these variables were also tested. Attitude moderated the impact of perceived behavioural control (PBC) on intentions (p < .001). Moral norms moderated the impact of attitudes on intentions (p < .001). Habit strength moderated the impact of self-identity on intentions (p < .001). PBC was found to moderate the impact of intentions on behaviour (p < .05). The findings are discussed in relation to how interaction effects further our understanding of the social processes by which variables are related in the TPB.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Assessing food choice in school children: reliability and construct validity of a method stacking food photographs.

A method utilizing pictures was used to assess food choice with 44 school boys in three different age groups (10, 13 and 16 years old). The aim of the study was to test reliability and construct validity (i.e. inter-instrument agreement) of food choice assessed when the boys were asked to compose breakfasts. The focus was on choices of milk, margarine, bread and breakfast cereals, as in these food groups it is possible to choose between low-fat/high-fat and low-fibre/high-fibre products. Subjects were asked to repeat their composing of breakfasts after eight weeks, and to complete a four-day food record on breakfasts after the second interview occasion. For comparisons between food choices a new non-parametric statistical method was used. Both reliability and construct validity were good for choices of milk and margarine. The unreliability could be explained as random in nature or in terms of healthier choices in the second interview.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Mood disorders following traumatic brain injury: identifying the extent of the problem and the people at risk.

The extent of mood disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the possible risk factors, are investigated. New data are presented from a prospective study of consecutive hospital admissions. Six months post-TBI, 99 adults completed a standardized assessment of emotional state, the Wimbledon Self-Report Scale. Cognitive performance and the impact of the injury on everyday functioning were also assessed. The rate of clinically significant mood disorders (caseness) was 38%. Of the demographic or injury characteristics, only pre-injury occupational status predicted post-injury caseness. Those unoccupied pre-injury were more likely to report mood disturbance post-injury. In contrast, post-injury occupational status was not related to caseness either for the whole group or the subgroup of those previously occupied, despite the adverse effects on occupational functioning for a significant proportion of subjects. Associations were found between emotional state and cognitive and everyday functioning 6 months post-injury. Psychosocial disabilities appeared more strongly associated to mood disorders than did physical disabilities. A significant level of unmet need has been highlighted, and possible risk factors identified, which may inform the purchase and provision of TBI rehabilitation services. Follow-up data on these subjects are available and will be reported separately.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Interpretations of healthy and unhealthy eating, and implications for dietary change.

Central to many considerations of health-related dietary change is the interpretation given to 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' eating. Results are reported from two studies which investigated people's understanding of these concepts. The first study involved structured interviews with 48 respondents: a wide range of interpretations of healthy and unhealthy eating was found using content analysis techniques. The second study (n = 242) used questionnaires to assess the extent to which different interpretations were endorsed. The extent to which different eating behaviours were perceived as healthy or unhealthy varied greatly. A principal components analysis of perceptions of healthy and unhealthy eating produced five separate factors. Some differences in perceptions were found for people of different age, gender and educational level. Objectively assessed dietary intake and perceived intake were found to be two distinct quantities. 'Healthy' eaters were found to perceive 'healthy eating' slightly differently to 'unhealthy' eaters. The results suggest that lay understanding of healthy eating does generally conform with dietary guidelines, and therefore health promotion priorities should focus on physical and psychological constraints to healthy eating, rather than attempting to increase the public's knowledge as a whole.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Measuring support for tobacco control policy in selected areas of six countries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the validity, reliability, and applicability of using a short, psychometrically sound survey instrument to measure population attitudes toward tobacco control policies. DESIGN: Surveys. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Student respondents attending university in Australia (n = 403), Hong Kong (n = 336), the Netherlands (n = 351), South Africa (n = 291), the United Kingdom (n = 164) and the United States (n = 241); total n = 1786. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The Smoking Policy Inventory (SPI), a 35-item scale. SPI scores were adjusted for age, income, gender, and smoking status. Estimates of internal consistency and tests of factorial invariance were conducted in each sample. RESULTS: Across all six countries, the SPI was found to be highly reliable and to have a consistent factor structure, indicating that the SPI scale represents a higher order construct that assesses general attitudes about tobacco control policy with five dimensions. In general, the degree of endorsement of anti-tobacco policies as measured by the SPI reflected the extent and strength of tobacco control legislation in those countries. Dutch students were the least likely, and Australian and Hong Kong students the most likely, to support tobacco control policies. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to develop appropriate and meaningful measurement tools for assessing support of tobacco control policies. Strong evidence was found for internal reliability and structural invariance of the SPI. The SPI may be a useful mechanism for monitoring ongoing policy initiatives, making cross-cultural comparisons, and evaluating population receptiveness to proposed policy approaches.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Eating sweet snacks: gender differences in attitudes and behaviour.

This paper reports a study of gender differences in the components of the Theory of Reasoned Action in relation to eating sweet snacks, and the role of these components in predicting sweet-snacking in women and men. Totals of 65 women and 64 men completed questionnaires assessing attitudes and behaviours towards eating sweet snacks. Women were more ambivalent towards eating sweet snacks than men, perceiving eating sweet snacks to be significantly less healthy (t(127) = - 2.43, p < 0.02), and more pleasant (t(127) = 2.52, p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant gender differences in outcome beliefs x evaluations, subjective norms, normative belief x motivation to comply, or in behavioural intention, although some gender differences were found within components. Women scored significantly higher (t(127) = 5.54, p < 0.0005) on restraint items from the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, including those on snacking (t(127) = 5.04; p < 0.0005), but did not differ significantly from men on reported frequency of eating sweet snacks. There were gender differences in the predictive power of components of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Women's intentions to eat sweet snacks were predicted by perceived social pressure and attitudes towards sweet snacks. Men's intentions were only predicted significantly by attitudes. It is concluded that men's sweet-snacking is less influenced by social pressure than is women's.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Body weight and shape control: examining component behaviours.

Relationship between body weight and the performance of five weight-related behaviours (limiting amount of food and drink at meals, avoid unnecessary fat, taking regular exercise, drinking little or no alcohol, avoiding calories in snacks) is examined in a sample of 165 normal-weight individuals. Each of these behaviours was commonly performed, particularly when trying to control body weight and shape. Avoiding alcohol, while being viewed as the least effective means of controlling weight, is found to be the only behaviour significantly related to lower current body weight. None of the five behaviours significantly correlate with amount lost in last effort to reduce weight. Self-reported intentions and previous performance of each behaviour are significantly predicted by components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The results are discussed in relation to implications for body weight and shape control and the prediction of behaviours and goal achievement.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Identification and purification of a distinct dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from pea chloroplasts.

Two distinct dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenases (E3s, EC 1.8.1.4) have been detected in pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Little Marvel) leaf extracts and purified to at or near homogeneity. The major enzyme, a homodimer with an apparent subunit M(r) value 56,000 (80-90% of overall activity), corresponded to the mitochondrial isoform studied previously, as confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequence analysis. The minor activity (10-20%), which also behaved as a homodimer, copurified with chloroplasts, and displayed a lower subunit M(r) value of 52,000 which was close to the M(r) value of 52,614 +/- 9.89 Da determined by electrospray mass spectrometry. The plastidic enzyme was also present at low levels in root extracts where it represented only 1-2% of total E3 activity. The specific activity of the chloroplast enzyme was three- to fourfold lower than its mitochondrial counterpart. In addition, it displayed a markedly higher affinity for NAD+ and was more sensitive to product inhibition by NADH. It exhibited no activity with NADP+ as cofactor nor was it inhibited by the presence of high concentrations of NADP+ or NADPH. Antibodies to the mitochondrial enzyme displayed little or no cross-reactivity with its plastidic counterpart and available amino acid sequence data were also suggestive of only limited sequence similarity between the two enzymes. In view of the dual location of the pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complex (PDC) in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts, it is likely that the distinct chloroplastic E3 is an integral component of plastidic PDC, thus representing the first component of this complex to be isolated and characterised to date.

Chloroplasts↗
PubMed1995

Patterns of patient-controlled analgesia and intramuscular analgesia.

Effective management of acute pain is a major nursing goal. The purpose of this study was to identify patient patterns in intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and intramuscular (IM) analgesia for patients after surgery. The patients who received analgesia via PCA had shorter lengths of stay. The morphine PCA patients used more medication than the IM group; the meperidine IM patients used more medication than the PCA patients. Patterns of the use of PCA and IM analgesia were identified. These provide additional information for the development of pain management protocols.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Development of a questionnaire to measure patients' satisfaction with general practitioners' services.

BACKGROUND: It is now a requirement that patients' satisfaction with the services obtained from their general practitioner should be surveyed. AIM: The aim of the study was to produce a reliable and valid multidimensional patient satisfaction questionnaire that could be used in general practice. METHOD: Items were originally derived from patients' responses to open-ended questions. The resulting 148-item Likert-scale questionnaire was completed by 1193 patients. General satisfaction items were removed from the set, and responses to remaining items underwent factor analysis. Subscales were produced from items representing each factor. Reliability and validity of each subscale were examined. RESULTS: Five subscales with a total of 40 items resulted from the factor analysis: doctors, access, nurses, appointments and facilities. Each subscale was internally reliable (Cronbach's alpha coefficient between 0.73 and 0.95), and initial tests of validity suggested that all subscales were valid. CONCLUSION: The study has resulted in a 40-item scale that has been found to be reliable and valid after initial tests. Further work to test the reliability and validity of the final version of the patient satisfaction questionnaire is described.

Adolescent↗