Medical records: a PET computer of your own

The prospect of computerising medical records might seem a daunting one for many hospitals. However, when the patient services manager at North Tees General Hospital, Brian Lund, and his colleagues, looked closely at the current technology, they found they did not need vast machines nor vast outlay.     

Being active in pregnancy: Theory-based factors associated with physical activity among pregnant women

Although regular physical activity is recommended for pregnant women, compared to pre-pregnancy, antenatal physical activity often reduces or ceases completely. Drawing from the theory of planned behavior, self-determination theory, and theory on self-control, we aimed to test an integrative model of physical activity in a sample of pregnant women. The current study was conducted in Brisbane, Australia, in 2014–2015 using a prospective-correlational design with a one-week follow-up. Participants (N = 207, Time 1; Mean_age = 30.03 years, SD_age = 4.49 years) completed an initial survey measuring: intrinsic motivation from the self-determination theory, social cognitive constructs from the theory of planned behavior, and self-control from the self-control theory, followed by a self-report measure of physical activity one-week later (n = 117, Time 2). A well-fitting structural equation model accounted for 73 and 42 percent of the variance in intention and physical activity behavior, respectively. Perceived behavioral control and attitude, but not subjective norm, mediated the effect of intrinsic motivation on intention. Intention, perceived behavioral control, and self-control were positively associated with physical activity behavior. Future behavioral interventions aiming to promote physical activity during pregnancy, a period when the physical activity levels typically decline, should consider the multiple processes advocated in the integrative model as necessary for motivated action.     

Trend in active transportation to school among Swiss school children and its associated factors: three cross-sectional surveys 1994, 2000 and 2005

Background  

Giving the rising trend in childhood obesity in many countries including Switzerland, strategies to increase physical activity such as promoting active school travel are important. Yet, little is known about time trends of active commuting in Swiss schoolchildren and factors associated with changes in walking and biking to school.     

Risk factors associated with participation in the Ontario, Canada doctors'' strike.

To identify factors associated with participation in the 1986 Ontario, Canada doctors' strike, we surveyed 1,028 physicians; 69 percent responded, of whom 42 percent participated in the strike. Risk factors for participation included income greater than $135,000, being a surgeon or gynecologist, having previously "opted out" of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, being professionally dissatisfied, being politically conservative, favoring political activism by physicians, holding a positive view of the social consequences of extrabilling, and perceiving family, associates, patients and the public to favor the strike. Eighty percent of strikers, but 32 percent of non-strikers, met criteria we established for four strike-prone groups: the "economically rational," the "ideologically committed," the "professionally disaffected," and the "socially malleable." Respondents belonging to one or more of these groups were much more likely to have participated in the strike (64 percent vs 17 percent). Strategies to deal with physician militancy should address the multiplicity of motives that appeared to have influenced doctors in Ontario.     

Personal and environmental factors associated with active commuting to school in Switzerland

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether prevalence of active commuting and regular car trips to school varies across communities and language regions in Switzerland and to determine personal and environmental correlates. METHODS: During the school year 2004/2005, 1345 parental questionnaires (response rate 65%) of children attending 1st, 4th and 8th grades were completed, 1031 could be linked to a GIS environmental database. A German-speaking, a French-speaking and a bilingual study area were included. Usual mode of transportation and frequency of regular car trips to school were assessed. Associations with personal and environmental factors were evaluated with multivariate regression models. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent of the children actively traveled to school. Twelve percent were regularly driven at least once a week by car. Major road crossings and distance were significantly related to usual mode of transportation, but not to regular car trips. Age, daycare attendance, parental safety concerns, number of cars in the household and belonging to French-speaking population were significantly associated with increased regular car trips. CONCLUSION: Objective predictors are main deciding factors for active commuting to school as main mode of transport whereas personal and lifestyle factors are important factors associated with frequency of car use. Not only objective but also differing cultural attitudes should be considered when promoting non-motorized travel.     

Growing your own: community health workers and jobs to careers

This article evaluates the implementation and impact of 5 workforce development programs aimed at achieving skills upgrades, educational advancement, and career development for community health workers (CHWs). Quantitative and qualitative case study data from the national evaluation of the Jobs to Careers: Transforming the Front Lines of Health Care initiative demonstrate that investing in CHWs can achieve measurable worker (eg, raises) and programmatic (eg, more skilled workers) outcomes. To achieve these outcomes, targeted changes were made to the structure, culture, and work processes of employing organizations. These findings have implications for other health care employers interested in developing their CHW workforce.     

Build your own infection control link nurse:an innovative study day

Infection control is everyone's business and it is important that all members of staff observe good infection control practice. An effective infection control link nurse system has been shown to support and develop this approach. The strength of ward-based infection control link nurses depends upon their effectiveness as role models and their ability to influence practice on their wards and beyond. In addition, the degree of respect they command from their peers and colleagues and the amount and quality of knowledge they possess is crucial. This paper describes an innovative approach taken in Mid-Essex, which allowed infection control link nurses to assess their capabilities and limitations in communicating with and influencing colleagues. In addition, we show how quantitative measures may be made available by this approach. Such measures may be used to explain to management how particular areas of infection control practice (e.g. the need for infection control link nurses to have more authority and more 'muscle') may be important.     

Girls' perception of physical environmental factors and transportation: reliability and association with physical activity and active transport to school

Background  

Preliminary evidence suggests that the physical environment and transportation are associated with youth physical activity levels. Only a few studies have examined the association of physical environmental factors on walking and bicycling to school. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to examine the test-retest reliability of a survey designed for youth to assess perceptions of physical environmental factors (e.g. safety, aesthetics, facilities near the home) and transportation, and (2) to describe the associations of these perceptions with both physical activity and active transport to school.     

Home environmental factors associated with asthma prevalence in two Buffalo inner-city neighborhoods

To identify factors that may contribute to asthma morbidity, 214 households were surveyed in two Buffalo inner-city neighborhoods. Asthma was reported by 41 percent of households. Race, gender, and age of head of household were significantly associated with prevalence of asthma in a house. Caucasians and Latinos had a significantly higher rate of asthma compared with African Americans. All household triggers were significantly more likely to be present on the west than east side of Buffalo. Overall, smoking, pets, humidifier, and cockroaches were all significantly associated with asthma in the home. There was no significant difference in the treatment for asthma or the age or gender of asthmatics based on residential area. This study suggests that asthma prevalence in the inner city may be affected by multiple factors that must be taken account by policy makers and professionals designing interventions.     

加拿大亚洲移民健康状况及影响因素研究

目的 评估加拿大亚洲移民的健康状况及相关影响因素.方法 采用横断面研究,利用加拿大统计局提供的2003年加拿大人群健康状况调查数据进行分析.采用描述性分析比较不同人群中健康影响因素分布差异.通过对患病率进行年龄标化,比较亚洲移民、非移民及其他移民的慢性病患病情况差异.利用多因素logistic回归分析控制可能影响因素,比较不同人群中选定的6种慢性病指标的0R值及95%CI.结果 经年龄标化后,亚洲移民患有1～5种慢性病患病率与非移民无明显差异,患有5种以上慢性病的患病率为3.56%,明显低于非移民慢性病患病率5.31%.亚洲移民患有至少一种慢性病的风险(0R=0.49,95%CI:0.46-0.51)明显低于非移民患病风险(0R=1.00).新移民患病风险(0R=0.34,95%CI:0.31～0.37)低于老移民的患病风险(0R=0.62,95%CI:0.58～0.66).调整社会经济特征和生活方式等冈素后,亚洲移民4种常见病的患病风险仅有微小改变,除心脏病的患病风险变化明显.结论 亚洲移民总体慢性病的患病率及患病风险低于非移民,但这种健康优势随着在加拿大的居住年限的推移逐渐消失.社会经济特征和生活方式的不同不能完全解释亚洲移民和非移民的健康状况差异.     

Child drowning on farms in Canada and associated demographic and risk factors

ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the occurrence and characteristics of child drowning deaths on farms compared with other child injury deaths on farms.MethodsThis study uses cross-sectional data from the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting Program for the years 1990 through 2012. Using χ² tests and regression, it compares the occurrence of demographics and potential risk factors between drowning deaths and all other injury deaths among children (< 19 years of age) on farms.ResultsThere were 44 drowning deaths and 306 non-drowning deaths identified. Drowning deaths were at younger age (mean age of 5.4 versus 8.8 years old), non-work-related (25% versus 79%), and less likely to occur during adult supervision (36.4% versus 53.5%).ConclusionsDrowning disproportionately affects the very young. Improving supervision of young children may prevent some farm drowning deaths, but installing effective barriers to water hazards is likely more effective.