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PubMed1999

Thai dental students' knowledge of the betel quid chewing habit in Thailand.

385 questionnaires submitted by volunteer Thai dental students on the betel quid chewing habit in Thailand were evaluated. Questions related to the composition of the betel quid, general and oral effects as well as sociological aspects. Only 62.6% considered the habit as typical for Thailand. Knowledge about the composition of the betel quid showed that 30% of the students were poorly informed. Only 58.4% thought slaked lime to be part of the quid. Similar results were obtained for some of the questions relating to physiological and oral effects and the percentage of "do not know" answers was about 30%. It was widely accepted that betel quid chewing is more common in the provinces (83.6%) and that it is a habit of older people (92.2%); particularly women (70.7%). 71.2% of the students did not know where to buy a betel quid. The decline of the habit was monitored by the fact that 96.1% of the students' parents did not indulge in chewing the betel quid compared to 38.7% of grandparents who did. 70% of the students were convinced that the habit will totally disappear. The knowledge of the betel quid chewing habit of Thai dental students indicated a number of deficits showing that these do not come in close contact with this habit anymore in their families or societies. Since elderly people still indulge in chewing betel quid, dental education still has to focus on oral and general effects and side-effects such as oral precancer, oral cancer and oral submucous fibrosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

[A 5 year follow-up study on the relationship between changes in serum lipids and blood pressure, and changes in exercise habits in subjects 30 years of age].

A 5 year follow-up study was conducted to investigate the relationships between %changes in serum lipids and blood pressure and corresponding changes in exercise habits in the middle-aged. The subjects were 152 males and 169 females who received a health check-up at 30-years-old during the period between 1990-1992 and then at 35-years-old during the period between 1995-1997. The results are as follows: 1. In multiple regression analysis, % delta toriglyceroid (TG) and % delta AI(atherogenic index) ratio were associated significantly with changes in exercise habits in males (P < 0.05) and % delta high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) was associated with changes in exercise habits in females (P < 0.05). % delta TG and % delta HDLC were affected by changes in exercise habits adjusted for BMI, smoking, and drinking. But changes in TC and blood pressure were not affected by changes in exercise habits. 2. In males, % delta TG was significantly lower in those subjects who started their exercise habit than in the no exercise group and than in those within the ceased exercise group who ceased their exercise during the study period (P < 0.05). % delta AI was significantly lower in the started exercise group than in the no exercise group. Also, the continued exercise group had a significantly (P < 0.05) lower % delta AI as compared to the ceased exercise group. In females, % delta TG was significantly lower in the started exercise group than in the no exercise group (P < 0.05). % delta HDLC was higher significantly in the continued exercise group than in the ceased exercise group (P < 0.05). From the results obtained, it is recommended that the no exercise subjects should have exercise more than once time per week and those with more than 1 time per week maintain their exercise habits.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Effect of exercise habits and lifestyles on changes in physical fitness in medical college students: a 3-year follow-up study].

This follow-up study investigated the relationship between changes in physical fitness and exercise habits during the 1st and 4th years in healthy medical college students. We also investigated the relation between exercise habits and the lifestyle factors during the same period of time. The subjects were 229 male and 126 female student volunteers who received physical fitness tests and questionnaires (lifestyles and exercise habits) in both the 1st and 4th years. The results were as follows: 1. A significant association between increment in physical fitness and exercise habits was shown by the fitness score in the 1st year, and the intensity and frequency of exercise in the 4th year in males. In females, an association was found in the intensity of exercise during the 1st year, and frequency of exercise during the 4th year. The intensity in 4th year among males (odds ratio(OR): 2.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-5.87) and the frequency during the 4th year among females (OR: 5.63, 95% CI: 2.36-13.43) were associated with a higher odds ratios for improvement in physical fitness than other factors related to exercise habits in 4th year medical students. 2. In the association between exercise habits related to increment in physical fitness and other lifestyles, a significant association was admitted between the intensity of exercise and the frequency of eating breakfast during the 4th year in males (OR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.11-4.28). These results suggested that the intensity of exercise during the 4th year in males and the frequency of exercise during the 4th year in females were associated with increments in physical fitness for follow-up. A lifestyle factor related to the intensity in exercise habits has been suggested to be the frequency of eating breakfast (more than 5 days/week) in males.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Leech infestation and its association with water drinking habits.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the common presentations of leech infestation in leech endemic areas of Pakistan and to establish its association with unsafe water drinking habits of the individual. DESIGN: A cohort study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: CMH, Kohat, between 1st February 1997 and 30th April 2002. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fourteen patients with leech infestation who reported to ENT department of CMH, Kohat, during the above period were selected for study. A specific comparison of their water drinking habits was made with a control group of 42 normal individuals who had come from the same leech endemic area as the first group and belonged to the same socioeconomic class. RESULTS: Twelve cases (83.4%) in the first group had unsafe water drinking habit i.e. they drank water directly from marshes without seeing its contents substituting cupped palm of hand for a drinking cup. This was in contrast to the control group where only 6 individuals (14%) gave a history of unsafe water drinking habits. Nose was the most common ENT site of leech infestation (71%) with epistaxis being the most prominent symptom. Other sites included hypopharynx (14%), nasopharynx (7 %) and oropharynx (7 %). All the 14 cases with leech infestation were males, 26.09 years being the mean age. The association between patient s unsafe water drinking habits and leech infestation in ENT region was statistically proved with odds ratio being 36. CONCLUSION: Epistaxis or any other related symptom must be taken with suspicion in leech endemic area. This condition is closely related to unsafe water drinking habits, therefore, the incidence of this infestation can be significantly reduced by educating the individuals to adopt safe water drinking habits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

[The evolution of health and relationship habits of an adolescent cohort of Puerto de Sagunto (1995-1996)].

OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of tobacco consumption, alcohol and marihuana as well as the habits of relationship, in an adolescents cohort of 3rd of Obligatory Secondary Teaching (ESO), that accede for the first time to one of the four secondary school of Puerto de Sagunto and the evolution of these habits after a year of follow-up. DESIGN: Transverse observational study with data withdrawal in two moments. Site. In the four secondary school of Puerto de Sagunto (Valencia). PATIENT AND OTHERS PARTICIPANTS: Adolescent of 3rd of ESO that accede for the first time to the four secondary school of Puerto de Sagunto in the course 95-96. INTERVENTIONS: A self-fully validated habits poll of health and of relationship was given to the pupils of 3rd of ESO (n = 573), and a year after was given the same poll, to the pupils already in 4th of ESO (n = 395). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: On health habits, were found meaningful statistic differences in various variables: in tobacco consumption several times to the month passes of the 30% to the 40%, in alcohol consumption more than proven passes of the 35% to the 52%, in have you intoxicated the response never passes of the 67% to the 57%, in the paragraph of marihuana consumption, the response never passes of the 82% to the 72%. On the habits of relationship were found significant statistic differences with respect to number of nocturnal exists during the week that goes from 1.07 to 1.33, the return hour before 10 passes of the 23% to the 8%, as well as the type of associations to those which belong, sports club passes of the 38% to the 46%. In the paragraph of relationship to their teachers, the response good passes of the 89% to the 93%. CONCLUSIONS: The step of 14 to 15 years supposes in this population an increase in alcohol consumption, tobacco and marihuana, they go out more days at night and return later to house, are associated more in sports clubs and have better relationships to their teachers. The knowledge of these habits permits the intervention with preventive programs, that attempt to change attitudes toward these toxic habits and to promote the healthiest.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

NIC/Q 2000: establishing habits for improvement in neonatal intensive care units.

OBJECTIVES: The Vermont Oxford Network is a group of health professionals who are committed to improving the quality and safety of medical care for newborn infants and their families. Neonatal Intensive Care Quality Improvement Collaborative Year 2000 (NIC/Q 2000) was the second in a series of multiorganization improvement collaboratives organized and administered by the Vermont Oxford Network. The objective of this collaborative was to make measurable improvements in the quality and safety of neonatal intensive care, develop new tools and resources for improvement specific to the neonatal intensive care unit setting, evaluate improvement progress, and disseminate the learning. METHODS: The 34 centers that participated in NIC/Q 2000 learned and applied 4 key habits for improvement: the habit for change, the habit for evidence-based practice, the habit for systems thinking, and the habit for collaborative learning. A plan-do-study-act method of rapid-cycle improvement was an integral part of the habit for change. Multidisciplinary teams from the participating centers worked closely together in face-to-face meetings, conference calls, and dedicated e-mail listservs under the guidance of trained facilitators and expert faculty. Focus groups formed around specific improvement topics used critical appraisal of the published literature, detailed process analysis, benchmarking, and round-robin site visits to identify potentially better practices (PBPs). RESULTS: The focus groups developed a total of 51 PBPs. Each focus group has developed a "resource kit" summarizing its work. Many of these PBPs have been tested and implemented at the participating centers using rapid-cycle improvement. The PBPs and descriptions of individual center PDSA cycles are available to participants on NICQ.org, the dedicated Internet site for the collaborative. CONCLUSIONS: Collaborative quality improvement based on the 4 key habits can assist multidisciplinary neonatal intensive care unit teams in identifying, testing, and successfully implementing change.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed2003

[The prevalence and trends of the smoking habits among middle-aged Kaunas population during 20 years and their relation with sociodemographic status].

THE AIM: To evaluate the prevalence and time trends of smoking habits among middle-aged Kaunas population during 20 years and its relation with sociodemographic status. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four cross-sectional surveys were carried out according to the WHO MONICA protocol in 1983-1985, 1986-1987, 1992-1993, and 2001-2002. During these surveys, 2,450, 1,762, 1,238, and 1,404 persons aged 35-64 years, respectively, were screened. Data of the last survey were used to evaluate the relationship between smoking habits and sociodemografic status (educational level, occupation). Data of all four surveys were used to assess the prevalence of smoking habits among the Kaunas population aged 35-64 years and its trends during 20 years. Regular smoker was subject who smoked at least one cigarette per day. Prevalence rates for age group of 35-64 years were age-standardized using the European population as the standard. RESULTS: According to the results of the last survey, 41.4% of men and 11.3% of women were regular smokers. During the last twenty years the prevalence of regular smokers increased by 2.7-fold among women and didn't change among men. Age, educational level, occupation and age when starting smoking showed a strong relationship with the smoking habits among men. Education level didn't show any association with smoking habits among women. The lowest prevalence of the regular smoking was among men with a higher education (24.9%) and among professional workers (27.1%) as compared to those with a lowest education (44.6%, p<0.01) and workers (47.3%, p<0.001), respectively. Among all regular smokers, 65.2% of men started to smoke at age 16-21 years, and 52.3% of women - at age 22 years or more. During 20-year period the prevalence of never smokers decreased (beta=-0.95, p<0.05) and that of ex-smokers increased (beta=0.96, p<0.05) among women. No statistically significant trends in smoking habits were detected among men during the study period. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of never smokers decreased and that of ex-smokers increased among women 2.7-fold while no significant changes in smoking habits were found among men during 20-year study period. The lowest prevalence of regular smokers was among men with higher education and among professional workers.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A retrospective study of the use of the Bluegrass appliance in the cessation of thumb habits.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of the Bluegrass appliance in ceasing the thumb-sucking habit. METHODS: Patient records of 41 subjects, ages 4 to 20 years of age, who attended the University of Kentucky Pediatric Dental Clinic for the treatment of a thumb-sucking habit with the Bluegrass appliance, were reviewed. Of the 41 subjects, 30 were included in the study. Data collected from the records included age, sex, past dental history, past medical history, history during treatment with the Bluegrass appliance, patient and/or parental/legal guardian report of cessation of the habit, and total treatment time. RESULTS: Of the 30 subjects included in the study, the results showed that in 28 (93%) of the patients, the thumb habit was ceased after insertion of and complete treatment with the Bluegrass appliance. The average reported treatment time for the cessation of the habit was 12.3 weeks+/-12.2 weeks. The mean total treatment time for the thumb habit with the Bluegrass appliance was 30.3 weeks+/-1 7.7 weeks, with 6 (20%) of the patients requiring reinsertion of the appliance during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the Bluegrass appliance is an effective treatment option for the cessation of a thumb-sucking habit with limited treatment complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Associations between a history of breast feeding, malocclusion and parafunctional habits in Puerto Rican children.

UNLABELLED: Studies relating breast-feeding, malocclusion and parafunctional habits in young children are scarce. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the associations of a history of breast-feeding, incidence of malocclusion and parafunctional habits. METHODS: The dental records of a sample of 540 children aged 6 to 72 months screened for oral conditions and behavioral risk factors were evaluated for variables such as a history of breastfeeding, malocclusion and parafunctional habits. Descriptive statistics using the EPI-INFO Program and Chi-square test at the 0.05 level of probability were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that the mean age of the children was 28 months +/- 14. The mothers' mean age was 26.4 years +/- 6. The prevalence of breast-feeding was 34% with a mean breast-feeding time period of 3 m +/- 3.7. About 95% of the children had a history of bottle-feeding and 90% showed some evidence of malocclusion at the time of dental examination. The main malocclusion problems were space deficiency (closed contacts among incisors) (31%), open bites (6%) and crossbites (5%). A habit of thumb sucking was reported in 32% of the cases and pacifier use in 21%. there were significant differences for the following variables: mother's age and breast-feeding time period; number of children in family and breast-feeding time period; breast-feeding history and breast-feeding time with bottle use, malocclusion and thumb sucking habit; and gender and thumb-sucking habit. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that breast-feeding practices and time period are behavioral factors that contribute in the prevention of malocclusion in addition to decreasing the practice of parafunctional habits in preschool children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[The reliability of a self-administered questionnaire for investigation of the level of exercise, smoking habit and alcohol intake in school children].

BACKGROUND: The validity of self-administered questionnaires used to study habits during adolescence is often put into doubt. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability and the aspects of validity of the presentation of a self-administered questionnaire concerning smoking habits, alcohol intake and degree of exercise. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive transversal study was undertaken in 1990 in 846 primary school children in Lleida (Spain) (444 of 6th course and 402 from 8th course). The children were randomly selected by conglomerates (unit = class) and stratified according to the type of school. The degree of exercise, smoking habits and alcohol intake of each student and the consumption perceived within the environment as well as the attitudes and beliefs related to the three habits were studied. Another test was performed in a subsample at two months to study the reliability and aspects related to validity were analyzed by concordance of interrelated questions. RESULTS: The reliability of the second test regarding the degree of exercise was found to have a correlation higher than 0.69. For the main variables related to alcohol consumption, the percentage of agreement was greater than 70% being 78% for the smoking habit. The results did not allow conclusions concerning the reliability of the variables for quantifying consumption and the age of initiation of the same to be obtained. The reliability concerning the attitudes regarding smoking (0.79-0.82) was higher that for alcohol (0.66-0.72) and exercise (0.36-0.54). CONCLUSIONS: The reliability of the variables of the questionnaires on habits of alcohol intake, smoking and degree of exercise within the environment and the attitudes is acceptable. The questionnaire studied was considered useful for studying these habits in school children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Incidence of oral habits in children with mixed dentition.

Recognition and elimination of an oral habit is of utmost importance in the treatment of periodontal disease. It is not probable that the influence of such a factor can lead to the alteration of gingival dimension, but a cofactor role of oral habits in the development of gingival recession has been acclaimed. The purpose of this study was to present cross-sectional data from an epidemiological study performed in two urban settlements in Zagreb, Croatia. The study was performed in 1025 children, in an attempt to try and discover the incidence of oral habits in children with mixed dentition, aged from 6 to 11 years. About 33.37% of the screened population exhibited oral habits, such as nail and object biting, non-nutritive sucking, simple tongue thrusting and lip or cheek biting. Chi-square test analysis showed no statistically significant differences between sex and age groups, a result that does not exclude the oral habits from aetiology of the periodontal pathology. We can conclude that oral habits are a frequent finding, although the cause relation to periodontitis has yet to be cleared completely.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Habit retraining for the management of urinary incontinence in adults.

BACKGROUND: Habit retraining is toileting assistance given by a caregiver to adults with urinary incontinence. It involves the identification of an incontinent person's natural voiding pattern and the development of an individualised toileting schedule which pre-empts involuntary bladder emptying. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of habit retraining for the management of urinary incontinence in adults. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Incontinence Group specialised register (9 May 2002), MEDLINE (January 1966 to December 2002), EMBASE (January 1980 to Week 18 2002), CINAHL (January 1982 to February 2001), PsycINFO (January 1972 to current), Biological Abstracts (January 1980 to December 2000), Current Contents (January 1993 to December 2001) and the reference lists of relevant articles. We also contacted experts in the field, searched relevant websites and hand searched journals and conference proceedings. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing habit retraining delivered either alone or in conjunction with another intervention for urinary incontinence in adults. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken by at least two people working independently of each other. Any differences were resolved by discussion. The relative risks for dichotomous data were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. Where data were insufficient for a quantitative analysis, a narrative overview was undertaken. MAIN RESULTS: Three trials with a total of 337 participants met the inclusion criteria, describing habit retraining combined with other approaches compared with usual care. Participants were primarily care-dependent elderly women with concurrent cognitive and/or physical impairment, residing in either a residential aged-care facility or in their own home. Outcomes included incidence and/or severity of urinary incontinence, the prevalences of urinary tract infection, skin rash and skin breakdown, cost and caregiver preparedness, role strain and burden. Caregivers found it difficult to maintain voiding records and to implement the toileting program. A 61% compliance rate was reported in one trial. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence and in the volume of incontinence between groups. Within group analyses did however show improvements on these measures. Reductions were also reported for the intervention group in one study for skin rash, skin breakdown and in caregivers' perceptions of their level of stress. Descriptive data on the intervention suggests that habit retraining is a labour-intense activity. Electronic loggers, used as an adjunct to caregiver-delivered wet/dry checks, were reported as providing more accurate data than that from caregiver conducted wet/dry checks. To date, no analysis of the time and resources associated with these comparisons is available. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: Data on habit retraining are few and of insufficient quality to provide a firm basis for practice.

Habits↗
PubMed2002

Event-related neural activity associated with habit and recollection.

The neural activity associated with conscious recollection and habit was examined using event-related brain potentials. In a training phase, participants learned A-B, A-C word associations in which the probability of specific responses was varied. Once a habit was established, participants studied and were tested on a series of short lists consisting of word pairs seen in training. The process-dissociation procedure was used to estimate the contribution of habit and recollection to memory performance. Habit estimates reflected the probability with which information was presented in training but recollection estimates did not show this effect. Recollection was associated with sustained negativity over the parieto-occipital region, which was opposite in polarity over the frontal regions. Indices of habit strength were associated with a sustained positivity over left fronto-temporal regions and a sustained negativity over right fronto-central regions. Partial-least squares analyses revealed two significant latent variables that distinguished recollection and habit, consistent with the distinction between consciously controlled and automatic influences of memory.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Dissociating habit and recollection: evidence from Parkinson's disease, amnesia and focal lesion patients.

We investigated the role played by the striatum and the medial temporal lobes (MTL) in memory performance by testing patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and amnesia with Hay and Jacoby's habit-learning task [Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition 22 (1996) 1323]. Using equations from Jacoby's process-dissociation procedure [Journal of Memory and Language 30 (1991) 513], we were able to separate out the contribution of habit (automatic memory) and recollection (intentional memory) to performance within a single probability-learning paradigm. Amnesics showed the expected dissociation of impaired recollection and intact habit, highlighting the important role of the MTL in recollective processing. Mild PD patients did not perform differently than matched controls for habit or recollection, however, moderate PD patients were impaired in their ability to rely on habit and in their ability to recollect specific information. The performance of focal lesion patients further supported the interpretation that PD patients have a significant deficit in automatic, habit-learning due to striatal dysfunction while their deficit in recollection may arise from impoverished frontal lobe contributions.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Influence of a scheduled-waiting task on EMG reactivity and oral habits among facial pain patients and no-pain controls.

Recent research has strongly implicated the role of psychological stress in the development of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). It is widely reported that oral habits (e.g., teeth grinding) probably provide a behavioral link between stress and the development of TMD symptomatology. Extrapolation of research in the field of adjunctive behavior to the TMD disorders suggests that oral behaviors may develop conjointly with fixed-time (FT) stimulus presentation. The current experiment extended previous research examining this possibility by assessing the influence of experimental stress on masseter EMG and oral habits among persons who met broadband criteria for TMD and no-pain controls. Oral habit activity was assessed via self-report questionnaire whereas masseter muscle activity was measured continuously via electromyography across four phases (Adaptation, Free-Play, Scheduled-Play, Recovery). The Scheduled-Play phase was designed as a stress-reactivity task that included an FT schedule. Results indicated that, consistent with the stress-reactivity model, the Scheduled-Play phase resulted in a significant increase in masseter EMG levels relative to Free-Play and Adaptation, and that this effect was significantly larger for the TMD group relative to controls. The results suggest an adjunctive behavior effect although the effect was not specific to those with facial pain. Oral habit data showed a significant phase effect with oral habits that was significantly higher during the Scheduled-Play phase relative to Adaptation. The findings are the impetus for further study regarding the mechanisms whereby oral habits are developed and maintained despite their painful consequences.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

Habits as knowledge structures: automaticity in goal-directed behavior.

This study tested the idea of habits as a form of goal-directed automatic behavior. Expanding on the idea that habits are mentally represented as associations between goals and actions, it was proposed that goals are capable of activating the habitual action. More specific, when habits are established (e.g., frequent cycling to the university), the very activation of the goal to act (e.g., having to attend lectures at the university) automatically evokes the habitual response (e.g., bicycle). Indeed, it was tested and confirmed that, when behavior is habitual, behavioral responses are activated automatically. In addition, the results of 3 experiments indicated that (a) the automaticity in habits is conditional on the presence of an active goal (cf. goal-dependent automaticity; J. A. Bargh, 1989), supporting the idea that habits are mentally represented as goal-action links, and (b) the formation of implementation intentions (i.e., the creation of a strong mental link between a goal and action) may simulate goal-directed automaticity in habits.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Dental arch diameters and relationships to oral habits.

The objective was to analyze variations in dental arch width in relation to oral habits. Maxillary and mandibular intercanine and intermolar distance were determined in relation to certain oral habits in 1297 children (ages 3 to 6 years). After an oral examination, the parents of each child completed a questionnaire about oral habits, including the use of a dummy or a bottle (or both), finger sucking, mouth breathing, breast- or bottle-feeding, and duration of these habits. Data were subjected to statistical analysis by the chi-square test for qualitative variables and analysis of variance for quantitative variables with homogeneous variances. Statistical significance was P < .05. In general, the maxillary arch was larger than the mandibular arch with regard to both the intercanine and the intermolar distances and more significantly so in boys. In relation to age, a significant increase was found only for the mandibular intercanine distance (P = .001). When arch width was analyzed in relation to various oral habits, the maxillary intercanine distance was less in children who used a dummy, especially one of a round design (P = .003). The maxillary intercanine distance was also less in children who breathed through their mouth (P = .002). In most cases, dummy use and mouth breathing were associated with a reduction in the intercanine distance in the maxillary arch. A dummy habit leads to a reduction in maxillary arch width, and mouth breathing causes a reduction in the size of both arches.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Methodological considerations in analysing anaesthetists' habits of action in clinical situations.

Human activity can be seen as an intentional, context-dependent enterprise explained through meanings the actors attach to their activity and their directly observable interactions with the environment. The authors have demonstrated previously a new conceptual framework to describe the anaesthetist's activity. One of the central concepts besides orientation is habit of action referring to the way in which the actor has organized his actions when interacting with his environment, in this case a patient with unique physiological potentials, information monitors and anaesthetic drugs. The activity dependent on contingent, particular circumstances, needs to be studied as it appears in a natural situation. Using an idiographic study design the authors have examined the activity of eight expert anaesthetists in clinical settings to determine the characteristics of their habits of action. To capture the fleeting circumstances during the anaesthetic process, a wide observational basis was necessary. It consisted of videotapes, detailed expert observations, and interviews. The conceptual analysis of the subject, habit of action, is described step-by-step. Two distinct habits of action could be identified, confirming earlier results. The interpretative habit of action was characterized by extensive use of situational information in order to construct a cumulative conception of the patient's physiological potentials to control the process accurately. Moreover, rich dialogue between formal professional knowledge and patient-specific, particular knowledge was evident. The reactive habit of action was characterized by a tendency to regulate the process by means of predetermined conventional ranges of measured patient parameters shown by monitors. The authors discuss their methodological solutions and results, and explicate their differences to the earlier approaches.

Adult↗