Biomedical subjects

R Z Goetzel

Publications and source records attributed to R Z Goetzel.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

The impact of legislation on self-reported safety belt use in a working population.

To assess the impact of safety belt laws, we compared self-reported use of safety belts among employed residents of states with primary, secondary, and no laws in a group of 17,830 volunteer health profile participants. Failure to wear safety belts at least 80% of the time was reported by 22% of subjects covered by primary laws, 23% of those covered by secondary laws, and 39% of those not covered by any law.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed1991

Prevalence and characteristics of employees reporting heavy or problem drinking.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the prevalence and demographic characteristics of chronic heavy drinkers, binge drinkers, those who report a problem with alcohol, and those at high risk for alcohol-related problems. METHODS: The sample comprised a worksite population of 18,053 employees. The study was based on responses to questions contained in a confidential health profile administered to employees at seven companies by an outside vendor (Johnson & Johnson Health Management, Inc.). RESULTS: Almost 1 in 4 participants (23.0%) was found to be at risk for alcohol-related problems. About 1 in 5 respondents (20.1%) reported binging, 1 in 10 reported chronic heavy drinking (9.8%), and 2.6% reported a drinking problem within the past month. Younger respondents were more likely to report binging but older respondents were more likely to report chronic heavy drinking. Men were more than twice as likely to report binging and almost four times as likely to report chronic heavy drinking, but only one and one-half times as likely to report a drinking problem within the past month. Other differential demographic associations with alternative measures of heavy drinking are described. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a health profile administered at the worksite can be an effective screening tool for identifying employees at high risk for alcohol-related problems.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

Correlates of motor-vehicle safety behaviors in working populations.

To determine the prevalence and correlates in a working population of failure to wear seat belts, drinking and driving, and speeding, we examined the responses of 18,046 health-profile participants. Twenty-four percent of subjects reported failure to wear seat belts at least 80% of the time. Twenty-two percent reported speeding at least 10 miles per hour over the speed limit when traffic permits. Twenty-three percent reported traveling at least once a month with a driver who had two or more drinks. Correlates of high-risk behaviors included male gender and youth. Educational attainment was inversely associated with seat-belt nonuse but directly related to speeding and drinking/driving. Our findings suggest a substantial opportunity to help employees lower important risks for serious motor-vehicle injury.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed1991

Utilization of preventive health services by an employed population.

To determine the utilization rates of selected preventive services in an employed population, we analyzed the responses of 18,053 health profile participants. Overall utilization rates for preventive services were high: 86.0% of respondents had their blood pressure checked, 94.0% of all women had a Pap smear and 81.3% had clinical breast examinations, 42.4% of respondents aged 40 and older had a rectal examination and 31.8% of those aged 50 and older had a test for occult blood in the stool, and 33.7% had a routine sigmoidoscopy. With the exception of blood pressure screening, the percentage of our respondents utilizing preventive services was considerably higher than the corresponding percentages in the US population as reported in the National Health Interview Survey. Nevertheless, the results suggest substantial opportunity for employers to encourage the appropriate use of preventive health services among employees.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Attitudes towards cancer. Development of the cancer attitudes questionnaire.

A questionnaire evaluating attitudes towards cancer (the Cancer Attitudes Questionnaire) was constructed to compare the attitudes of first-year medical students before and after taking a clinical oncology program with those of students who did not participate in the program. A factor and reliability analysis revealed five underlying factors that explained 42% of the variance and reliabilities ranging from 0.55 to 0.79. An analysis of covariance revealed that students who participated in the clinical oncology program were more positively predisposed toward the outpatient functioning of cancer patients (P less than 0.04) at the conclusion of the year than students who did not take the course; the participating students were also somewhat less pessimistic toward the disease (P less than 0.07). Women (regardless of whether they had taken the course) assigned significantly greater importance to the patient's and family's attitudes in relation to outcome of disease (P = 0.03) than did male students. It appears that an early medical educational oncology experience emphasizing contact with ambulatory cancer patients can appreciably alter the attitudes of first-year medical students towards cancer.

Attitude to Health↗

PubMed1984

Evaluating self-help support groups for medical students.

Self-help support groups for medical students represent one strategy for dealing with the emotional stresses of medical training and the diminished human sensitivity of students that often accompanies that experience. Support groups at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine were evaluated by 26 students who completed a nine-part questionnaire. The respondents indicated that they were primarily drawn to these groups because of a desire for social affiliation and an opportunity to express their feelings in a "safe" environment. Members shared in the leadership responsibilities of the group and dealt with external personal problems of the students rather than with the internal group dynamics. The gains derived from participation in these groups included opportunities for nonprofessional contact with faculty members, getting help and support from fellow students, and participation in stimulating discussions about the medical field. Students rated the groups as "meaningful" and expressed a desire for more frequent meetings.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Interdisciplinary training for medical and nursing students: learning to collaborate in the care of geriatric patients.

A medicine clerkship for students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine provided the setting for a pilot program in interdisciplinary geriatric training with nursing students from the College of Mount Saint Vincent. The program's objectives were to provide opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and to increase appreciation for the role of each discipline in caring for the aged. Additionally, it sought to foster a holistic approach to the aging and a recognition of the psychosocial influences on their lives. Teams of one medical and two nursing students conducted patient work-ups and presented cases to an interdisciplinary group of health care professionals. Analysis of pretest-posttest responses of ten medical and ten nursing students to a Role Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ) found that the program significantly increased medical students' perceptions of the nurse's role in caring for hospitalized elderly patients (P less than 0.05). Despite this gain, however, there continued to be substantial discrepancies between medical and nursing students' perceptions of the extent to which nurses are "essential" in caring for the elderly. In evaluating the program, all participants concurred that working with students in another health profession was a valuable learning experience. While nursing students felt that the program achieved all its goals, responses of medical students were more variable, with volunteers having more positive perceptions of program impact than those who were assigned. The program demonstrated both the need for and the effect of interdisciplinary training, and that teaching and clinical experiences centering around the hospitalized older person can provide a natural setting for such training.

Aged↗

PubMed1984

Methodological update.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗

PubMed1982

A content validity analysis of neoplastic items of the National Board of Medical Examiners Part II Examination.

As part of its evaluation of the Clinical Cancer Education Program (CCEP) at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the Office of Educational Research and Evaluation analyzed student performance on neoplastic items of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Examination Part II. The evaluation provided a successful application of the American Association for Cancer Education (AACE) coding schema for analysis of neoplastic items. Two examinations were analyzed in order to determine the frequency with which specific disease sites, treatment modalities, and question emphasis items appeared. With reference to disease site, the greatest number of questions on both examinations dealt with gynecological issues while the fewest dealt with lung and hematologic-related disease. A breakdown of questions into various treatment modalities indicated that of items that could be categorized, most dealt with surgical treatment, while other therapeutic modalities were given little or no emphasis. Looking at question emphases, the most frequently asked questions referred to diagnostic tests and stratagems, whereas the least amount of emphasis was placed on rehabilitative and psychosocial aspects of the disease. These findings corroborate those reported by Ruckdeschel and his associates and point out several limitations to the content validity of the neoplastic items on NBME Part II.

Achievement↗