Public acceptability of financial incentives to reward pregnant smokers who quit smoking: a United Kingdom–France comparison

A substantial amount of research has been conducted on financial incentives to increase abstinence from smoking among pregnant smokers. If demonstrated to be effective, financial incentives could be proposed as part of health care interventions to help pregnant smokers quit. Public acceptability is important; as such interventions could be publicly funded. Concerns remain about the acceptability of these interventions in the general population. We aimed to assess the acceptability of financial incentives to reward pregnant smokers who stop smoking using a survey conducted in the UK and then subsequently in France, two developed countries with different cultural and social backgrounds. More French than British respondents agreed with financial incentives for rewarding quitting smoking during pregnancy, not smoking after delivery, keeping a smoke-free household, health service payment for meeting target and the maximum amount of the reward. However, fully adjusted models showed significant differences only for the two latter items. More British than French respondents were neutral toward financial incentives. Differences between the representative samples of French and British individuals demonstrate that implementation of financial incentive policies may not be transferable from one country to another.     

HIV antibody testing: who benefits and who loses?

From a public health perspective, a significant milestone in the AIDS crisis so far has been the development of serologic tests to detect exposure to the HIV. With AIDS now reported in more than 124 countries and in every state of the Union, with the possibility that in excess of two million Americans have been infected and in the absence of a cure or vaccine, the issue of testing cannot be ignored anymore. Unfortunately, the testing debate has generated more heat than light. This paper examines the proposed "benefit" to public health in testing certain target groups deemed "at risk", and also discusses socio-ethical implications of such testing. The whole question of HIV antibody testing essentially raises the need for a balance between voluntary and mandatory testing; and society's commitment to protect public health as well as safeguard individual civil rights.     

Use of PTFE tape--a hazard for smokers?

Although smoking cigarettes contaminated with PTFE is a well-knowncause of polymer fume fever, the use of PTFE tape is seen assafe even in smokers. We report a case of polymer fume feverin a fitter using threadseal tape who rolled his own cigarettes.     

Treating depressive disorders: who responds, who does not respond, and who do we need to study?

Numerous studies show that pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy are efficacious and effective in treating depression. Even though that is true for many people, there are some who do not respond to these therapies, whether it is because they possess characteristics that make them resistant to treatment or because the treatment is not acceptable to them. Also, there are other populations for whom research has yet to determine if guideline-level treatment is effective. People with comorbid Axis I disorders, certain minority groups, and children have been under-represented in treatment research. Future research should focus on treatment-resistant depression and special populations that have been understudied.     

Is the smokers exposure to environmental tobacco smoke negligible?

Background  

Very few studies have evaluated the adverse effect of passive smoking exposure among active smokers, probably due to the unproven assumption that the dose of toxic compounds that a smoker inhales by passive smoke is negligible compared to the dose inhaled by active smoke.     

who“扼杀”了性福

调查显示,我国夫妻中对性生活感到不太满意或者很不满意的占10.8%的;比较满意的占62.1%;非常满意的占27.1%。而其中约1/3夫妻生活的不和谐由性功能勃起障碍所致,城市中,1/3以上的离婚案与此直接相关。到底是谁“扼杀”了性福呢? 营养不良营养对人的精力很重要,营养不足或过剩都可能导致男性不育。营养不良时,维生素A、B、C、E和矿物质钙、磷、     

Consumer information. Dr who?

There is no systematic way to get reliable information about consultants' expertise and experience. A telephone survey of all acute trusts in one region revealed that half provided no information at all on their consultants, either for GPs or patients. The current situation flies in the face of rhetoric about informed patient choice and openness.