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PubMed2005

Operational health physics.

A review of the operational health physics papers published in Health Physics and Operational Radiation Safety over the past fifteen years indicated seventeen general categories or areas into which the topics could be readily separated. These areas include academic research programs, use of computers in operational health physics, decontamination and decommissioning, dosimetry, emergency response, environmental health physics, industrial operations, medical health physics, new procedure development, non-ionizing radiation, radiation measurements, radioactive waste disposal, radon measurement and control, risk communication, shielding evaluation and specification, staffing levels for health physics programs, and unwanted or orphan sources. That is not to say that there are no operational papers dealing with specific areas of health physics, such as power reactor health physics, accelerator health physics, or governmental health physics. On the contrary, there have been a number of excellent operational papers from individuals in these specialty areas and they are included in the broader topics listed above. A listing and review of all the operational papers that have been published is beyond the scope of this discussion. However, a sampling of the excellent operational papers that have appeared in Health Physics and Operational Radiation Safety is presented to give the reader the flavor of the wide variety of concerns to the operational health physicist and the current areas of interest where procedures are being refined and solutions to problems are being developed.

Computers↗
PubMed1989

Family background and physical health of adolescents admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit, II: Physical health.

The charts of 100 adolescents admitted to a special unit of a provincial psychiatric hospital were reviewed. These patients primarily had a conduct disorder (71.6% of boys and 77.5% of girls) or an affective disorder (6.6% of boys, 15.0% of girls). There was a higher incidence of congenital disorders in the population than expected, suggesting that such disorders may predispose to psychological troubles later in life. Convulsions also occurred more often in this population. Most patients (78.3% of boys and 85.0% of girls) had one or more medical diagnoses. Several potentially serious findings (anemia, pregnancy, hepatomegaly, thyroiditis) were first noted on the admission physical examination. Patients with conduct disorder had certain health problems that are likely to be the result of the psychiatric disorder, such as liver function changes in drug and alcohol abusers and abnormal Pap smears in sexually active girls with multiple partners. If these medical conditions are not followed and treated, they have the potential for causing serious problems at a later date. These findings point out the continued need for the expertise of psychiatrists and other physicians in children's mental health facilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Gender-based structural models of health care costs: alcohol use, physical health, mental health, and functioning.

BACKGROUND: Most models of health services use or costs include gender as a covariate, combining data for men and women in analyses. This strategy may obscure differences in underlying processes producing differential health care use by men and women, particularly in examinations of factors that affect health care use and differ by gender (e.g. alcohol consumption and depression). AIMS: To examine gender differences in the relationships between alcohol consumption, physical and mental health and functioning, and costs of health care. METHODS: The setting was Kaiser Permanente Northwest, a large non-profit group practice model HMO serving northwest Oregon and southwest Washington in the northwest United States. Primary (survey) and secondary (health plan records of service use; diagnoses from medical chart review) data were collected for random samples of health plan members in the period 1989-1993 (n = 5,669). Health plan administrative records of service use were used to estimate health care costs. Gender-specific latent structure models predicting health care costs were created using self-reported mental health, physical health, functioning, alcohol consumption, and prior-year health plan record-based diagnoses of depression and alcohol problems. RESULTS: Alcohol consumption and prior alcohol problems were directly related to health care costs, although in opposite directions, for both men and women. Alcohol consumption was negatively associated with costs, while prior alcohol problems predicted higher costs. Gender differences existed in the relationship between physical health and health care costs indirectly via drinking status. Prior depression had direct effects on increased health care costs, and this relationship was stronger for men than for women. The roles played by mental health symptoms were similar for men and women. Better mental health at the time of the survey was associated with reduced alcohol consumption or likelihood of consuming alcohol, but had no direct effects on later costs. Indirect effects of mental health were found via alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Gender plays an important role in the factors underlying total costs of health care, and gender differences in these relationships appear more common among those who consume alcohol. For both genders, alcohol use predicts lower health care costs in this light-to-moderate drinking population, although prior diagnoses of alcohol problems predict higher costs. The direct relationship between depression diagnosis and higher health care costs is stronger among men.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Medical health physics: a review.

Medical health physics is the profession dedicated to the protection of healthcare providers, members of the public, and patients from unwarranted radiation exposure. Medical health physicists must be knowledgeable in the principles of health physics and in the applications of radiation in medicine. Advances in medical health physics require the definition of problems, testing of hypotheses, and gathering of evidence to defend changes in health physics practice and to assist medical practitioners in making changes in their practices as appropriate. Advances in radiation medicine have resulted in new modalities and procedures, some of which have significant potential to cause serious harm. Examples included in this review include radiologic procedures that require very long fluoroscopy times, radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, and intravascular brachytherapy. This review summarizes evidence that supports changes in consensus recommendations, regulations, and health physics practices associated with recent advances in radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation oncology. Medical health physicists must continue to gather evidence to support intelligent but practical methods for protection of personnel, the public, and patients as modalities and applications evolve in the practice of medicine.

Health Physics↗
PubMed2005

Medical health physics: a review.

Medical health physics is the profession dedicated to the protection of healthcare providers, members of the public, and patients from unwarranted radiation exposure. Medical health physicists must be knowledgeable in the principles of health physics and in the applications of radiation in medicine. Advances in medical health physics require the definition of problems, testing of hypotheses, and gathering of evidence to defend changes in health physics practice and to assist medical practitioners in making changes in their practices as appropriate. Advances in radiation medicine have resulted in new modalities and procedures, some of which have significant potential to cause serious harm. Examples included in this review include radiologic procedures that require very long fluoroscopy times, radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies, and intravascular brachytherapy. This review summarizes evidence that supports changes in consensus recommendations, regulations, and health physics practices associated with recent advances in radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation oncology. Medical health physicists must continue to gather evidence to support intelligent but practical methods for protection of personnel, the public, and patients as modalities and applications evolve in the practice of medicine.

Health Physics↗
PubMed2001

[Health and the city: physical health and mental health].

In France, city size has very little bearing on the mortality rate as a function of age and life expectancy and it is in large cities that these indicators are the most favorable. No increase in maternal or infant mortality rates or deaths due to cancers has been observed in large cities. The lower mortality rate linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in large urban areas contradicts the fears concerning the impact of air pollution. Deaths linked to lifestyle are less frequent in big cities, which could be due to social structures (socio-professional level: the proportion of white-collar workers and professionals is higher in bigger cities than in the suburbs or small cities). However, although the overall mortality rate is lower, it should be emphasized that there is in large cities a greater incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS and certain infectious diseases (because of social diversity and the fact that certain individuals seeking anonymity and marginality are drawn to large cities). In terms of mental health, the breakdown of family structures, instability, unemployment, the lack of parental authority and failing schools render adolescents vulnerable and hinder their social integration. When the proportion of adolescents at risk is high in a neighborhood, individual problems are amplified and social problems result. In order to restore mental and social health to these neighborhoods, ambitious strategies are necessary which take into account family and social factors as well as environmental ones. At the present time, when physical health is constantly improving, the most pressing problems are those related to lifestyle and mental health which depend for a large part on social factors.

France↗
PubMed1999

Combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and health behaviors as predictors of self-reported physical health in older veterans.

We used path analysis to model the effects of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and health behaviors on physical health. Participants were 921 male military veterans from the Normative Aging Study. Their mean age at time of study was 65. Measures of combat exposure, PTSD symptoms, smoking, and alcohol problems were used to predict subsequent self-reported physical health status. Both combat exposure and PTSD were correlated with poorer health. In path analysis, combat exposure had only an indirect effect on health status, through PTSD, whereas PTSD had a direct effect. Smoking had a small effect on health status but did not mediate the effects of PTSD, and alcohol was unrelated to health status. We conclude that PTSD is an important predictor of physical health and encourage further investigation of health behaviors and other possible mediators of this relationship.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Personal Orientation Inventory correlated with physical health.

Predicting 92 subjects' physical health status from their scores on the Personal Orientation Inventory using regression analysis showed that those who obtained high self-regard scores and high self-actualizing value scores also reported better physical health. Those subjects who reported poorer physical health also scored high on the synergy scale.

Female↗
PubMed2005

Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights recent work evaluating the relationship between exercise, physical activity and physical and mental health. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, as well as randomized clinical trials, are included. Special attention is given to physical conditions, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, studies relating physical activity to depression and other mood states are reviewed. The studies include diverse ethnic populations, including men and women, as well as several age groups (e.g. adolescents, middle-aged and older adults). RECENT FINDINGS: Results of the studies continue to support a growing literature suggesting that exercise, physical activity and physical-activity interventions have beneficial effects across several physical and mental-health outcomes. Generally, participants engaging in regular physical activity display more desirable health outcomes across a variety of physical conditions. Similarly, participants in randomized clinical trials of physical-activity interventions show better health outcomes, including better general and health-related quality of life, better functional capacity and better mood states. SUMMARY: The studies have several implications for clinical practice and research. Most work suggests that exercise and physical activity are associated with better quality of life and health outcomes. Therefore, assessment and promotion of exercise and physical activity may be beneficial in achieving desired benefits across several populations. Several limitations were noted, particularly in research involving randomized clinical trials. These trials tend to involve limited sample sizes with short follow-up periods, thus limiting the clinical implications of the benefits associated with physical activity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1988

A positive association between physical health practices and psychological well-being.

The association between psychological well-being (PWB) and health practices (HP) has not been explored. PWB is associated with age, income, education, and physical health. Physical health has been shown to relate to seven HP: sleep, physical exercise, breakfast, snacking, relative body weight, smoking, and alcohol consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between PWB and these seven physical health practices. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional health survey of 6320 persons. PWB was measured as an overall score, with positive feelings and negative feelings as subscores. Each of the three PWB measures was related to favorable health practices. The clinical significance of this relationship remains to be determined. In addition, PWB was noted to improve with age. Although one cannot infer causal relations from cross-sectional data, physical health practices may be important mediators of the mind-body interaction.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Comparative predictive value of attributional style, negative affect, and positive affect in predicting self-reported physical health and psychological health.

The main aim of the study was to determine the comparative predictive value of affect and attributions in predicting emotional and physical health. Secondary aims were to determine the comparative value of attributional, affect variables, in predicting health. Two hundred and forty subjects completed scales for the assessment of attributions, and negative and positive affect. Subjects also answered self-report questions on emotional health, physical health, number of visits to doctors for medical advice, illness, and days absent from work. The analysis of relative importance of attributional and affect variables in predicting health revealed that negative affect caused by thoughts was the best predictor of psychological health and physical health; there was some indication that positive affect caused by thoughts was the next best predictor of health. Analysis of the predictive value of attributional variables only, revealed that: (a) attributional style for bad events was a better predictor of health than attributional style for good events; and (b) of all the attributions made for good events and bad events, global attributions for bad events were the best predictor of health. Analysis of the predictive value of affect variables only showed that: (a) negative affect was a better predictor of health than positive affect; and (b) of negative affect and positive affect caused by thoughts and day-to-day experiences, negative affect caused by thoughts was the best predictor of health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Natural history of male psychological health, XIV: Relationship of mood disorder vulnerability to physical health.

OBJECTIVE: A 55-year prospective study attempted to determine the antecedents and consequences of positive mental and physical health in adult men. A substudy was conducted to look at the late-life physical health of men selected to be as unlike men with major depressive disorder as possible. METHOD: Of 237 men selected for health and followed since college, 64 undistressed men had never used mood-altering drugs or consulted a psychiatrist before the age of 50. The health at age 70 of these 64 men was compared with that of 20 men classified as depressed at age 70, 109 men classified as neither healthy nor depressed at age 70, and 44 men classified as having alcohol dependence or abuse at age 70. RESULTS: At age 70, the 64 undistressed men enjoyed significantly better health than the 109 men in the intermediate group. Only three (5%) of the 64 undistressed men were dead or disabled by age 70, compared with 30 (28%) of the 109 men in the intermediate group and nine (45%) of the 20 depressed men. The mean age of the subjects' maternal grandfathers at death also significantly differentiated the three groups. The differences in longevity among the three groups could not be explained by personality disorder, by cigarette, dietary, or alcohol abuse, or by longevity of the subjects' other first-degree ancestors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings lend support to the hypothesis that risk of affective disorder may lie along a continuum. At one extreme may be men with stable lifestyles, a lifelong resistance to mood disorder, and unusually good physical health in late life. At the other extreme of the continuum may be men with vulnerability to mood disorder and accelerated physical aging.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Physical health status as a consequence of health practices.

The relationship between health practices and physical health status was examined in a sample of 542 adults. A sub-sample of these individuals were also studied prospectively. Strong relationships were found in the cross-sectional data. "Good" health practices were correlated with higher health status. The analysis of the prospective data collected 18 months after the first interview also revealed a strong relationship between previous health practices and subsequent physical health status. The relationship still obtains when previous health status is controlled.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Relationship between the change of mental health and the improvement of lifestyle and physical health].

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the change of mental health and the improvement of lifestyle and physical health in the lifestyle intervention program. METHODS: The study was conducted using data from 126 persons (50 males and 76 females) who participated in the 6-month lifestyle intervention program. We used the result of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-30 as the indicator of mental health, the number of steps, surveys concerning caloric intake, and sleeping hours as the indicator of lifestyle, and body weight, BMI, blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and HBA1c. The subjects were classified into four groups based on the change of mental health: Group-GG, change from good to good (n = 80); Group-PG, change from poor to good (n = 25); Group-PP, change from poor to poor (n = 13); and Group-GP, change from good to poor (n = 8). The changes between pre-intervention and post-intervention were compared for each group by the paired t-test, and among the 4 groups by ANCOVA. RESULTS: In Group-GG, the number of steps (p < 0.01), calorie intake (p < 0.05) and sleeping hours (p < 0.01) were significantly improved, triglyceride was significantly decreased (p < 0.01), and total and HDL cholesterol were significantly increased (p < 0.01). However there were no significant changes in Group-GP. CONCLUSION: The state and change of mental health were found to be significantly associated with the improvement of lifestyle and physical health.

Female↗
PubMed2006

Effects of racial discrimination and health behaviors on mental and physical health of middle-class African American men.

This research is an examination of the effects of racial discrimination and health-promoting behaviors on the physical and mental health of a sample of 399 well-educated African American men. One would think that the attainment of higher education would increase health-promoting behaviors and might decrease discriminatory experiences that impact health. However, regression analysis indicated a more complex picture. Health-promoting behaviors were positively related to mental health, whereas experiences of racial discrimination contributed to poorer mental health. Relationships between health-promoting behaviors and that of racial discrimination to physical health were found to be nonsignificant. In conclusion, the authors discuss the importance of culturally appropriate health-promotion efforts.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2006

A survey of the physical health screening of all in-patients in a residential rehabilitation population.

AIM: It has been noted for many years that people with severe and enduring mental illness frequently have poor physical health. Their physical health needs often go unrecognised by the mental health team. This study aims to investigate the physical health status of all in-patients in a residential rehabilitation setting. METHODS: All the clients in a rehabilitation centre in Doncaster, England, were included in the health screening survey. The physical health of patients was assessed following the guidelines from 'Physical Health of the Severe and Enduring Mentally 111. A Training Pack for GP Educators'. RESULTS: Over one-third (35%) of the patients studied were found to be obese and more than one-half (53%) were heavy smokers. These compare with figures of 24% for obesity and 25% for smoking in the general population. CONCLUSIONS: The physical health needs of people residing in rehabilitation units should be a high priority for the mental health staff and regular surveys should be considered. If we are successful at encouraging the mental health team to be involved in annual physical health screening of patients with severe mental illness in the rehabilitation unit, we might improve their physical health and reduce mortality.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The relationship of fatigue to mental and physical health in a community sample.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown fatigue and depression/anxiety to be highly associated with each other. The present study seeks to differentiate between fatigue and depression/anxiety and to investigate the familiality/heritability of fatigue using sib-pairs. METHOD: The GENESiS study is a questionnaire study based in the United Kingdom that includes a five-item fatigue scale and four mental health measures (GHQ-12, EPQ-N, MASQ-AA, MASQ-HPA). Fatigue data from 10,444 sibling pairs were analysed using multivariate methods and model fitting techniques to investigate the familiality/heritability of fatigue and its relationship with the other mental health measures and physical health items. RESULTS: Fatigue correlated highly with GHQ-12 (r=0.62, p<0.001). A principal components analysis of the fatigue scale and the GHQ-12 revealed one main component which correlated highly with mental health items, and a smaller second component which correlated modestly with physical health items. Fatigue showed a modest sibling correlation (0.09, p<0.001), and multivariate modelling revealed evidence for familial effects on fatigue that were independent of the mental health measures. CONCLUSIONS: Fatigue showed a strong relationship with both physical illness and mental health measures. Fatigue is modestly familial and at least part of this familial factor is not shared with mental health measures.

Adult↗