bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Age and gender differences in the stages of change for six health-related behaviours: A pilot study in New Zealand
Authors: Paddison Johanna , Flett Ross 
Published: March 2007

Objective To use the stages of change model to examine six health-related behaviours. Design and Setting This pilot study collected data using an anonymous questionnaire. Non-probability sampling recruited community service group members and students in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Four hundred and sixty responses were received (response rate 53 per cent). Method The questionnaire investigated stage of change distributions for six health-related behaviours. These behaviours were avoidance of a high- fat diet, eating a high-fibre diet, attempting to lose weight, undertaking exercise, stress reduction, and conducting cancer self-examinations. Parametric statistics were used to identify gender and age differences in the stage distributions. Results For all behaviours, except losing weight, approximately two-thirds of the sample reported performing the behaviour, 10 per cent reported thinking about behaviour change; the remainder reported being at precontemplation or contemplation. Significant gender differences were found for all behaviours, except eating fibre. Significant age differences were found for the behaviours of avoiding fat, eating fibre, reducing stress, and conducting cancer self-examinations. The behaviours showing the most extensive between-behaviour associations were avoiding fat, eating fibre, and conducting cancer self-examinations. Conclusions Support was found for a continuum of change from 'ignoring', to 'thinking about' to 'performing' healthy behaviour. Age and gender differences were identified within these distributions and between behaviour analyses highlighted potential gateway behaviours. The stage of change concept coupled with age and gender tailoring has potential to improve both the design and evaluation of public health programmes.
The successful promotion of behavioural change and increase in knowledge by means of active participation in a 'Look After Yourself!' exhibition
Authors: Wilkinson Peter , Tylden-Pattenson Lesley 
Published: March 2007

THE HEALTH Education Service of Leeds Area Health Authority (Teaching) presented a 'Look After Yourself!' exhibition in September 1978. This consisted of a variety of activities and physical measurements, together with advice and the distribution of fact sheets. A postal survey of the effectiveness of active participation in this exhibition in increasing knowledge and changing or modifying behaviour was carried out one month later. Three hundred and ninety- nine questionnaires were returned (75 per cent response) from ap proximately a one-in-nine sample of the 3,500 people who attended the exhibition. Although the exhibition was aimed at both sexes between the age of 16 and 60, the survey found that women, the elderly, housewives and those not in full-time employment were over-represented. The exhibition overall was en joyed by 98 per cent of the respondents, and the majority found the various tests helpful. The fact sheets were generally understood and found to be useful. Twenty-six per cent of respondents discovered they were not as fit as they thought. As a result of participation in the exhibition, 57 per cent in creased their exercise, and 58 per cent changed their eating habits. Of those who smoked, eight per cent gave up the habit, and 32 per cent reduced their intake. The vast majority of participants recommended the exhibition to relatives, friends and associates. There was wide coverage of the activities by newspapers, radio and television. On both the descriptive level, and in terms of behavioural change and information gained, the exhibition proved to be enormously successful and was enjoyed by staff and participants.
Evaluation of a promotional strategy for Operation Smokestop
Authors: Batten Liz 
Published: March 2007

THIS study concerns the evaluation of the communi cation of a message to the population of a defined area. The message was a new one: that self-help groups were available locally to smokers who want ed help, and that they were a credible helping service. It arose from a review at the mid-point of the three year term of Operation Smokestop in Wessex, when it became clear that group leaders were looking for central co-ordination and promotion of the service in order to enhance recruitment to local offers of the service. A six-point promotional plan was devised which attracted funding from Wessex Cancer Trust and the Health Education Council. The majority of the pro motional work was carried out in the period January to May, 1984. In order to evaluate the impact of the various forms of communication on the population, a street survey was carried out in December, 1984 by students from the Southampton Institute of Higher Education. The questionnaire was designed to test levels of awareness of posters, leaflets and bus front advertising in the City of Southampton. The 708 completed questionnaires show that re spondents appear fairly representative of the general population in terms of sex, smoking status and occupation. There was some over-representation in the 16 to 25 age group. 'Smokestop' was recognised by nearly eight per cent of respondents without a prompt, and break down of responses with prompt shows that respon dents' recall of posters and bus front advertising was in the region of 15 per cent for each method. Recruitment during the period January to May 1984 increased by about 60 per cent over the previous year, some of which may have been due to the impact of the central promotional work.
What is health promotion?
Authors: Tannahill Andrew 
Published: March 2007

Health promotion is a highly fashionable term which has acquired so many meanings as to become meaningless. In this paper a number of current interpretations of the term are reviewed and appraised, and an attempt is made to tidy up the semantic mess once and for all. A model is offered whereby health promotion is seen as a realm of activities which differs in emphasis from the current power bases in health service provision. This model differs from previous definitions in its explicit examination of the important areas of overlap between component parts. It is useful as a framework for devising health promotion strategies and activities.
Transcultural Psychiatry: Some Social and Epidemiological Research Issues
Authors: Bhui Kamaldeep , Bhugra Dinesh 
Published: March 2007

Background: Mental Health Research across cultural groups is often criticised for using imprecise measures of cultural group and for using outcome measures as if they have universal validity. Aims: 1. To Investigate the effect of using different cultural group variables on the findings of a survey of prevalence of Common Mental Disorders. 2. To demonstrate that assumptions of validity for outcomes measures can affect the interpretation of data from prevalence surveys. Methods: We recruited Punjabi and English subjects to a phase prevalence survey that included the Amritsar Depression Inventory and the General Health Ques tionnaire as screening instruments. The Clinical Interview Schedule was the out come measure. This paper reports on a secondary analysis of the data. We used ethnic group, place of birth, religion, first language and language spoken at interview as possible cultural group variables and compared the prevalence estimates. We then considered the limitations of conventional methods to assess prevalence, by looking at mean scores on each of the three instruments in both cultural groups. Results: Cultural group variables did not influence the prevalence estimates for Common Mental Disorder. Although conventional scoring methods showed no difference in prevalence across cultures, the mean scores on each instrument, when compared across cultural groups, differed for the Amritsar Depression inventory. This instrument showed a higher mean score for the Punjabis suggesting a higher prevalence. The findings are discussed in the context of value laden 'assumptions' about validity. Conclusions: The findings of prevalence surveys depend on assumptions of validity. The 'culture' of psychiatry is a closed system in which validation studies support its basic assumptions.
The Use of the Term 'Borderline Patient' By Scottish Psychiatrists: Ii Conceptual and Descriptive Analysis
Authors: Macaskill Norman D. , Macaskill Ann 
Published: March 2007

A descriptive and conceptual analysis of the use of the term 'borderline patient' by Scottish psychiatrists revealed that they view borderline patients as being near the psychotic end of the illness spectrum, with a marked propensity towards brief, reactive, reversible, paranoid or schizophrenic reactions. There is clear evidence that the term is not used to refer to patients who in the United States would be labelled borderline schizophrenic. Individual American diagnostic schemata would omit features held to be of major importance by Scottish psychiatrists when diagnosing borderline patients. In an earlier study, Macaskill and Macaskill (1981) found that the term 'border line patient' although not in the official nomenclature, was used by over one in four Scottish psychiatrists to delineate a syndrome which they felt should be included in contemporary diagnostic systems because of its prognostic and thera peutic implications. This study provided the first demographic information on the use of the term in the United Kingdom, but did not permit direct comparisons at conceptual and descriptive levels with studies in the United States where the term is widely used and recognised in the official nomenclature of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual — III (1980). Research into the use of the term schizophrenia, for example by Cooper et al (1972), has shown that major differences in usage between the United Kingdom and the United States have occurred with serious implications for the cross-cultural valididty of research findings in schizophrenia. Without similar direct comparisons on the cross-cultural use of the term 'borderline patient' it is not possible to be certain that a similar situation does not exist with regard to this syndrome. The present study sought to address this issue by eliciting the descriptive features and conceptual meanings of the term 'borderline patient' as it is used by Scottish psychiatrists. From this it was hoped to establish the extent to which the major American diagnostic schemata of Gunderson and Kolb (1978), Kernberg (1975) and Spitzer, Endicott and Gibbon (1979) delineated the population defined as 'borderline' by Scottish psychiatrists. It was further hoped that this study could provide information to help explain the fact that Scottish psychiatrists use the term much less frequently than their American counterparts.
Locus of Control in Health: the Effects of Psychological Well-Being and Contact With the Doctor
Authors: Murray Joanna , Corney Roslyn 
Published: March 2007

Previous studies have demonstrated an association between a high score on measures of "external" locus of control of health and high levels of psychosocial distress. In the present study, a measure of illness behaviour (visits to the doctor) has been added to elucidate the association between locus of control and self-reported psychological distress. In a sample of female high and low attenders at two general practices, neither physical health nor psycho-social problems were found to be associated with high scores on the measure of external locus of control. However, high attenders were more likely to score high on this measure. When a logistic model was fitted to the data an interactive variable (attendance rate x psychological symptoms) was found to have a significant effect, suggesting that psychological distress has a different effect upon the beliefs expressed by high and low attenders.
A New Role for the Community Psychiatric Nurse in Working with Families Caring for a Relative with Schizophrenia
Authors: Brooker C. 
Published: March 2007

Over the last 20 years research has convincingly demonstrated that the illness, schizophrenia, is amenable to social and environmental influence (Leff et at. 1982; Falloon et al. 1985; Hogarty et al. 1986). The impetus for the research is the fact that, at best, genetic inheritance explains only 70% of the disorder's aetiology. The findings of the studies allow certain basic but important principles to be for mulated. These are that some people inherit a genetic predisposition or "vulnerability" to schizophrenia which develops either in response to the acute stress of "life events" or the chronic stress encountered in some families. Originally the term "Expressed Emotion" was coined to describe emotional atmosphere at home which was thought to consist particularly of criticism, hostility or emotional over-involvement (Brown et al. 1962). intervention strategies have arisen from the studies which demonstrate that stress in families caring for a relative with schizophrenia can be reduced, leading to not only a smaller risk of relapse in the relative with the illness, but also an improvement in the carer's own mental health status (Tarrier et al. 1988). Intervention consists of health education for carers and family stress management techniques which may help to lessen over-stimulation in family life. Community Psychiatric Nurses (CPNs) are a rapidly expanding sector of most men tal health service provision in the United Kingdom but the evidence is that their role with the sufferer from schizophrenia consists largely of the administration of depot medication and very little else. An experimental teaching programme, funded by the Department of Health, has been established in the Department of Nursing, Manchester University, which is evaluating the effect of training CPNs to deliver psychosocial intervention to families caring for a relative with schizophrenia. This paper will briefly review the literature relating to the needs of informal carers; describe the experimental course; and present data which shows that the family's view of the service markedly improves when psychosocial intervention strategies are adopted by CPNs.
Selection of Admissions to a Therapeutic Community Using a Group Setting: Association with Degree and Type of Psychological Distress
Authors: Dolan Bridget , Morton Adrian , Wilson James 
Published: March 2007

Henderson Hospital is a therapeutic community offering treatment for personality disordered young adults. The community operates a unique system of selection, whereby a group of residents and staff jointly decide upon offering admission to new referrals. This study is a preliminary investigation examining, in part, the basis upon which the selection group makes its decision. A measure of symptomatic psychological distress (SCL-90) was completed by 156 selection candidates. Comparison of those candidates selected with those who were rejected showed no difference between groups in number of symptoms reported nor the degree of distress attributable to those symptoms. However, analysis of symptom sub-scale scores revealed that those subjects not selected scored significantly higher on measures of somatisation, obsessive — compulsive features and phobic anxiety. It could be argued that these three symptoms are indicative of a tendency to deny or avoid feeling emotional distress. We propose that at one level, the selection group may operate by identifying those candidates who are more able to verbalise their distress, i.e. those presumed most likely to benefit from the Therapeutic Community's psychotherapeutic approach.
Perceived Self in Educated Employed and Educated Unemployed Women
Authors: Bala Mani , Lakshmi  
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to compare the perceived self-concept of employed and unemployed educated women. The study also examined the relationship of perceived self-concept with the type of employment and period of service of the employed women. The sample consisted of 150 employed and 150 unemployed educated married women residing in an urban area of Patna. The self-concept scale of Deo (1985) was used in the study. The findings showed that the perceived self of the employed women was significantly higher than that of the unemployed women. The employed women scored relatively higher in each of the five attributes of the perceived self; ie. Aesthetic, Emotional, Character, Intellectual and Social. It was concluded, from this study, that employment leads to a higher self-concept among educated women, which however varied with different types of employment.
Comparison of People With Schizophrenia From Liverpool, England and Sakalwara-Bangalore, India
Authors: Sharma Vimal , Murthy Srinivasa , Agarwal M. , Wilkinson G. 
Published: March 2007

The finding of better outcome of schizophrenia in developing countries offers challenges to the understanding of schizophrenia and opportunities for the devel opment of care programmes in the developed world. This study aims to compare socio-demographic and clinical variables of people with schizophrenia in two cultures. Seventy-eight patients from Liverpool and 60 patients from Bangalore diagnosed as having schizophrenia were evaluated using a questionnaire designed to obtain socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Patients from Liverpool compared to Bangalore, comprised of more men, of younger age group, fewer patients ever-married, more patients living alone and more patients unemployed. In-patient treatment was common in Liverpool and rare in Bangalore. Bangalore patients were more socially integrated than the Liverpool patients, who appeared socially marginalised. These findings have implications on developing future strategies of care in the community for patients with schizo phrenic illness in terms of emphasising the life history of ill persons and developing interventions to minimise marginalisation and stigma.
Health Care Delivery System in the United States: Lessons for Africa
Authors: Agere Takarinda Samuel 
Published: March 2007

[ ABSTRACT: This paper examines how an African country, Zambia, reproduces patterns of health care delivery system of the West characterized by U.S. The replication of pattern of health discriminates against the poor, and rural in habitants. First, a brief theoretical analysis of underdevelopment is provided. Secondly, the structure of the present U.S health care delivery system is provided high lighting t'he role of the academic-medical component. The analysis shows how health care resources are distributed among socio- economic, racial groups and between urban and rural areas. 'The major part of the paper examines health care delivery system in Zambia, outlining those areas that are replicated. The paper emphasizes that this should serve as lessons for Africa. This replication is made possible by the indigenous African middle class through which Western values are transmitted. This class (elites) is in control of state machinery and makes decisions on the distribution, and consumption of health resources. In conclusion, I recommend a radical economic and political transforma tion of these societies if resources have to be distributed equitably.]
Trade, Defence and the Richardson Theory of Arms Races
Authors: Smoker Paul 
Published: March 2007

The trade patterns for the seven nations USA, USSR, UK, China, Western Germany, Poland and France are examined using a directional trade ratio, and 10 polarization properties of this system of nations are suggested. The degree of polarization of each of the twenty-one two-nation subsystems comprising the whole system is calculated using the findings from the trade analysis. An n-nation interaction model is then constructed which uses the idea of involvement to describe the degree of polarization of a subsystem in the whole system. This model is combined with the Richardson submissiveness model and is applied over the period 1952-62. It is found to be consistent with the facts of defence expenditures, and to give a higher correlation than a model which does not take differential degrees of polarization into account. It is then suggested that a nation may alter its involvement in the cold war system in such a way that its behaviour becomes independent of the cold war system. Disarmament by that nation might then be more feasible, as it would not be subject to cold war con siderations. It is further suggested that the defence budgets of nations could be planned for different periods of time depending on the phase of the arms race system. This would increase the damping in the system. Conversely it is suggested that supplementary estimates in times of increasing tension should be avoided.
Generational Succession as a Source of Foreign Policy Attitudes
Authors: Cutler Neal E. 
Published: March 2007

This study analyzes generational trends in American foreign policy attitudes over the 1946-66 period. Through the secondary analysis of old public opinion polls, each of which can be sorted on the age variable, it is possible to adapt the demographer's concept of cohort analysis for the investigation of longitudinal attitude trends. While isolating the generational effects, the logic and technique of cohort analysis eliminate the maturation effects of the age variable. Eight question-sets, representing cognitions, evaluations, and policy preferences germane to foreign policy, were subjected to cohort analysis. Several identifiable generational trends were located. The historically more recent genera tional cohorts are correlated with greater salience of foreign policy, greater the expectation of war, and greater the support for various foreign policy alternatives. In general, the data support the image of historically older generations as being somewhat isolationist, in the sense of desiring minimal contact with the outside world, while the more recent generational cohorts support a multifaceted engagement with the outside world.