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PubMed2003

Psychological and physical health correlates of coping in minority adolescents.

In the current study the relations between coping and psychological/physical health in a sample of minority adolescents was investigated. Participants (n = 182) were all low-income, first-generation college-bound students from historically underrepresented groups. For Mexican-Americans, positive reinterpretation, focusing and venting emotions, instrumental social support, active coping, religious, restraint, emotional support, acceptance and planning forms of coping were all associated with positive psychological and physical health; for African-Americans, coping methods were not significantly associated with psychological or physical health; for Asian-Americans, positive reinterpretation, active coping, religious coping, restraint, acceptance and planning forms of coping were associated with only psychological health. Cultural-specific (rather than gender-specific) socialization is identified as a potential explanation of these results.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Life events, social problems and physical health status as predictors of emotional distress in men and women in a community setting.

The main aim of this study was to construct logistic models of emotional distress (defined as a GHQ-30 score of 6 or greater) in a community sample of 226 men and 225 women. The independent variables included were: sociodemographic characteristics, physical health status, social problems and undesirable life events. Univariate comparisons showed that in both sexes undesirable life events and social problems were associated with emotional distress; in men the presence of physical symptoms and widowed, separated or divorced status also showed such an association. Separate logistic regression models for men and women confirmed the importance of undesirable life events and social problems as predictors for emotional distress. In women there was also a significant interaction effect between the two variables on emotional distress. Sociodemographic characteristics and physical health status did not exert a statistically significant effect in these models.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

Chronic physical health conditions and disability among Canadian school-aged children: a national profile.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to provide a national health and disability profile of Canadian school-aged children based on the World Health Organization's definitions of health condition and disability that would facilitate international comparisons of child health data. METHODS: Data were used from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, a 1994 - 95 population-based sample of 22 831 children. FINDINGS: An estimated total of 30.3% of Canadian children aged 6 to 11 had one or more chronic physical health conditions/impairments, while 3.6% had activity-limiting conditions/impairments. Children living with one parent were significantly more likely to have activity-limiting conditions/impairments than those living with two parents. Children with conditions/impairments, particularly those with activity limitations, were significantly more likely than children without health problems to have experienced mental health conditions and learning disabilities, missed school days, received special education, visited health professionals, been hospitalized, and used prescription medication. CONCLUSION: Important differences were found among children in a number of areas as a function of overall physical health status. The findings emphasize the importance of measuring activity limitations distinctly from chronic conditions and impairments, and, perhaps, of measuring impairments distinctly from chronic conditions, and of comparing children with such health problems to children without health problems in order to obtain a more accurate picture of the impact of health on children's lives. The World Health Organization's distinct definitions of health condition and disability facilitate a dimensional approach for describing child health that can serve to clarify this field of study and improve comparability of data across countries.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1984

A comparison of physical health and psychosocial variables as predictors of reaction time and serial learning performance in elderly men.

Choice reaction time and serial learning tasks were studied in three groups of elderly men (aged 65 to 85), including (a) hospitalized veterans, (b) veteran outpatients, and (c) nonhospitalized veteran volunteers. Demographic variables, life satisfaction, and attitudes toward aging, as well as objective and subjective measures of physical impairment, were assessed in each group. The three groups differed on both reaction time and serial learning measures. Multivariate analysis revealed that objective physical health assessments were the best predictors of reaction time performance, whereas subjective assessments best predicted serial learning performance. More negative attitudes and life satisfaction were associated with impaired physical health, but these psychosocial measures were poor predictors of behavioral performance.

Aged↗
PubMed2007

Psychological symptoms and physical health and health behaviours in adolescents: a prospective 2-year study in East London.

AIMS: To examine whether physical health and health-risk behaviours in young people are risk factors for psychological distress and depressive symptoms over a 2-year period. DESIGN/SETTING: A 2-year, prospective epidemiological cohort study in East London. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1615 adolescents from the Research with East London Adolescents: Community Health Survey (RELACHS)-a representative cohort of young people aged 11-12 and 13-14 years at baseline, followed-up after 2 years. MEASUREMENTS: Psychological distress and depressive symptoms identified by the self-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. Data on overweight/obesity, general health, long-standing illness, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use and drug use were collected from questionnaires completed by the adolescents at baseline and follow-up. FINDINGS: At follow-up, 10.1% of males and 12.9% of females reported psychological distress; 20% of males and 33.7% of females reported depressive symptoms. Having tried drugs or engaged in two or more health-risk behaviours (smoking, alcohol use or drug use) at baseline predicted psychological distress and depressive symptoms at follow-up. Smoking on its own, long-standing illness, obesity/overweight and activity levels were not associated with later psychological health. Risk of poor psychological health at follow-up was associated strongly with psychological health at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Psychological health at baseline was the strongest predictor of psychological health at follow-up. Engaging in two or more health-risk behaviours moderately increased the risk of poor psychological health, suggesting that prevention strategies targeting co-occuring substance use may reduce burden of disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Effects of writing about emotions versus goals on psychological and physical health among third-year medical students.

A randomized, controlled trial compared writing about emotional topics (EMO) to writing about goals as the "best possible self" (BPS; after King, 2001) and evaluated emotional approach coping, i.e., efforts to cope through processing and expressing emotion, as a moderator of writing effects on psychological and physical health in 64 third-year medical students. In participants with higher baseline hostility, the EMO condition was associated with less hostility at 3 months compared to the BPS and control conditions. Emotional processing (EP) and emotional expression (EE) moderated the effect of experimental condition on depressive symptoms at 3 months; high EP/EE participants reported fewer depressive symptoms in the EMO condition, whereas low EP/EE individuals reported fewer depressive symptoms in the BPS condition compared to the EMO and control conditions. A moderating effect of EP on physical health was also identified, such that low EP individuals who wrote about goals (BPS) had fewer health care visits at 3 months compared to low EP participants in the EMO and control conditions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Empirical foundations for writing in prevention and psychotherapy: mental and physical health outcomes.

The use of writing, alone or in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy, has increased substantially in recent years. The most widespread use of writing has been for single-shot ad hoc purposes or to log behavior. The purpose of this review is to summarize a decade of research demonstrating the efficacy of writing about past traumatic experiences on mental and physical health outcomes. It is widely acknowledged in our culture that putting upsetting experiences into words can be healthy. Research from several domains indicates that talking with friends, confiding to a therapist, praying, and even writing about one's thoughts and feelings can be physically and mentally beneficial. This review highlights advances in written disclosure that determine some therapeutic outcomes. In addition, we attempt to explore the mechanisms that predict improved psychological and physical health. Finally, limitations of previous studies are highlighted, and suggestions for future research and application are made.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1996

Exposure to missile attacks: the impact of the Persian Gulf War on physical health behaviours and psychological distress in high and low risk areas in Israel.

The purpose of this study was to compare residents of an area (Tel-Aviv), which was severely afflicted by SCUD missiles during the Persian Gulf War (high risk region), to residents of a low-risk region (Jerusalem) in terms of: (a) changes in physical health, in use of medical or psychological services, and in health behaviours during the period of the war compared to the preceding month; (b) levels of psychological distress (somatization and anxiety) during the war; (c) characteristics of persons at highest risk for psychological distress. Respondents were randomly chosen and interviewed by telephone (N = 545 in Tel-Aviv, N = 406 in Jerusalem). The respondents in both regions reported significant yet similar deterioration in physical health status, and an increase in detrimental health behaviours during the Gulf War. Tel-Aviv residents had significantly higher levels of psychological distress as compared to residents of Jerusalem: in somatization 18 vs 12% respectively (OR = 2.44, CI = 1.39-4.28), in anxiety 34 vs 26% respectively (OR = 1.62, CI = 1.1-2.42). In addition to place of residence, age, ethnicity, religiosity and self-assessed health were identified as characteristics of persons at greater risk for psychological distress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

The relationships of coping responses to physical health status and life satisfaction among older women.

This study examined a model specifying the causal links between the physical, functional, and subjective components of physical health status and life satisfaction among older women, and assessed the effects of three coping responses (direct-action, positive-cognitive, and passive-cognitive coping) at each point in the process. Based on interview data with 281 older women, a series of regression analyses indicated that, before the inclusion of the coping variables, physical conditions directly contributed to functional impairment, and both indirectly lowered life satisfaction through their direct negative effects on subjective health assessments. Further analyses indicated that positive-cognitive coping buffered the effects of physical conditions at each point in the model, that passive-cognitive coping generally had deleterious effects on health status, although it prevented negative health assessments from lowering life satisfaction, and that direct-action coping had little effect. These findings emphasize the importance of a multidimensional conceptualization of physical health status in understanding its relationship with life satisfaction as well as the specific functions of coping at different points in the process for older women.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

Mental and physical health of homeless persons who use emergency shelters in Vancouver.

OBJECTIVES: Homelessness is often associated with deinstitutionalization of chronic mentally ill people, but estimates of the number of mentally ill people in the homeless population vary. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of psychiatric problems among the users of shelters for homeless persons in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition, the study documented the demographic and physical health characteristics of shelter residents. METHODS: Researchers surveyed 124 emergency shelter users about their self-reported physical and mental health status and assessed their mental health status using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS). RESULTS: Shelter users in Vancouver were predominantly a young, male, single mobile population. About half reported a current physical health problem, 44 percent reported use of nonprescribed drugs, and 69 percent reported use of alcohol. Nineteen percent reported a current mental or emotional problem, with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder the most common diagnoses reported. BPRS scores indicated that depression, anxiety, and tension were common problems. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of individuals with mental illness in the population surveyed was lower than in similar populations in the United States, the presence of mentally ill people in Vancouver shelters suggests that shelters should address mental health issues as well as provide services to ensure residents' basic survival.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Imputing physical health status scores missing owing to mortality: results of a simulation comparing multiple techniques.

BACKGROUND: Having missing data complicates the statistical analysis of health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) data and, depending on the extent and nature of missing data, can introduce significant bias in treatment comparisons. OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the bias associated with 4 different imputation methods for estimating physical health status (PHS) scores missing as a result of mortality. METHODS: A simulation study was conducted in which we systematically varied mortality rates from 0% to 30% and change in PHS scores from -20 to 20 on a 100-point scale for a 2-group clinical trial with follow-up over 18 months. The 4 imputation methods were last value carried forward (LVCF), arbitrary substitution (ARBSUB), empirical Bayes (BAYES), and within-subject modeling (WSMOD). Pseudo-root mean square residuals (RMSRs) and differences between true and estimated slopes were used to evaluate how well the imputation methods reproduced the true characteristics of the simulated population data. RESULTS: ARBSUB and BAYES methods have the smallest RMSRs compared with LVCF and WSMOD across all mortality rates. As the rate of missing data resulting from mortality increased, all imputation techniques deviated more from population data. The BAYES technique was best at reproducing group slopes in cases with differential mortality rates or when mortality rates exceeded 15%. WSMOD and LVCF significantly underestimated changes in PHS. CONCLUSIONS: The different imputation methods produced comparable results when there were few missing data. The BAYES approach most closely estimated true population differences and change in PHS regardless of missing data rates. These findings are limited to physical health and functioning measures.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1986

Guidelines for health physics program content: master's level.

Guidelines for the content of master's degree programs in general and reactor health physics are presented, with the level of presentation for each topic identified as "descriptive," "standard coverage" or "theoretical/specialized coverage." Assumptions about program type and prerequisite course work are specified.

Education, Graduate↗
PubMed2006

Physical health as a motivator for substance abuse treatment among medically ill adults: is it enough to keep them in treatment?

Substance-using adults often present at medical facilities for acute complications of their drug or alcohol use with transiently high motivation for addiction treatment. We studied a cohort of medically ill polysubstance-using adults admitted to a partial hospitalization/day-hospital program in an acute hospital, serially tracking their reasons for treatment motivation, pain and withdrawal scores, and readiness for change. Physical health concerns were the most frequently cited reason for wanting to enter substance abuse treatment at baseline (27.8%), yet individuals who cited this as their primary motivator were significantly less likely to complete the treatment program (14.8% vs. 40.7%, p = .03). However, 43% of respondents also recorded a shift in their motivation during treatment; 100% of those transitioning from an extrinsic motivator (e.g., physical health concerns) to an intrinsic motivator (e.g., wanting to do more with one's life) completed treatment, compared with only 38.4% of those whose extrinsic motivating factors were static. This suggests that medical illness represents a "treatable moment" to engage individuals in substance abuse treatment.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Power reactor health physics in the 1960s.

This note is a personal re-collection of some of the problems and experiences of the Health Physics Department staff at Dungeness Power Station during the period 1963-1971. This was a period of construction, commissioning, operating and learning. It was an interesting period for power reactor health physicists as appropriate instrumentation; information and experience were all in fairly short supply.

Health Physics↗
PubMed1996

A meta-analytic review of research on hostility and physical health.

A new meta-analysis of research on hostility and physical health was conducted that includes 15 studies used in previous meta-analytic reviews and 30 new independent studies. Overall, the results suggest that hostility is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). For structured interview indicators of potential for hostility, the weighted mean r was .18. After controlling for other risk factors for CHD, the widely used Cook-Medley Hostility Scale and other cognitive-experiential measures were most predictive of all-cause mortality (weighted mean r = .16) and, to a lesser extent, CHD (weighted mean r = .08). Similar to other areas of research, the increased use of high-risk studies in recent years produced an increase in null findings.

Anger↗
PubMed1994

Physical health, mental health, and substance abuse problems of shelter users.

This article summarizes physical health, mental health, and substance abuse problems of users of four of Detroit's largest homeless shelters. Shelter users with mental illness or substance abuse problems were compared with those without these problems. Alcohol abusers were significantly more likely to have low blood pressure, symptoms of liver disease, and a tuberculosis treatment history. No health differences were found for those with or without a history of psychiatric hospitalization. Contrary to expectations, few gender differences were found. Aside from the obvious need for low-income housing, comprehensive and integrated treatment approaches from health care, mental health, and substance abuse agencies are needed to help homeless individuals. Social workers need to become more directly involved in service and policy issues for this vulnerable population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

How much should a certified industrial hygienist know about health physics?

Based on the classical definition of an industrial hygienist, it is obvious that a certain level of competence in health physics aspects is required. The converse may also be true. Individuals in both professional organizations are urging more interfacing between the two groups. In light of this, the author presents a matrix which illustrates the progressive steps involved in ionizing radiation hazard judgment, based on the classical industrial hygiene definition. The author then presents his opinion (using examples from literature and his own experience) as to the delineation of areas in which a certified hygienist should be able to handle potential ionizing radiation hazards successfully. It is stressed that the hygienist must, in addition, be able to know when to consult a qualified health physicist in situations which require a more advanced level of expertise.

Health Physics↗
PubMed1998

Home health physical therapy: practice patterns in western New York.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Home health care is a rapidly growing form of practice for physical therapists. This study examined how physical therapists are providing these services in one metropolitan area of western New York. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: By completing a log sheet, 19 home health physical therapists provided data on 737 home visits, indicating the number of minutes spent in 50 home health activities over a 2-week period. Visits were recorded for 279 patients with an average age of 64.3 years (SD = 21.8, range = 0-101). RESULTS: Therapists reported that direct patient treatment was the most time-consuming portion of each home visit and that exercise was the most frequent and time-consuming type of treatment provided. Older patients received shorter treatments than younger patients received. Patients with neurological diagnoses received the longest treatments. Patient education was provided in 54% of all home visits. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: This study provides data regarding the practice patterns of home health physical therapy in one community. Further research is needed to determine how these patterns compare with those in other parts of the country. Studies of the effectiveness of home health physical therapy are also necessary.

Adolescent↗