Moderators and mediators of behaviour change in a lifestyle program for treated hypertensives: a randomized controlled trial (ADAPT) Burke, V., Beilin, L. J., Cutt, H. E., Mansour, J., Mori, T. A. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
We aimed to examine moderators and mediators of behaviour change in a cognitive lifestyle program for drug-treated overweight hypertensives in Perth, Australia. We collected data at baseline, 4 months (post-intervention) and 1-year follow-up in a randomized controlled trial of a program that focused on weight loss, diet, and exercise. Mediation analysis used regression models that estimate indirect effects with bootstrapped confidence limits. Outcomes examined were saturated fat intake (% energy) and physical activity (hours per week). In total, 90/118 individuals randomized to usual care and 102/123 to the program-completed follow-up. Sex was a moderator of response post-intervention for diet and physical activity, with a greater response among women with usual care and among men with the program. Change in self-efficacy was a mediator of dietary change post-intervention [effect size (ES) –0.055, 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.125, –0.005] and at follow-up (ES 0.054, 95% CI –0.127, –0.005), and in physical activity post-intervention (ES 0.059, 95% CI 0.003, 0.147). These findings highlight different responses of men and women to the program, and the importance of self-efficacy as a mediator. Mediators for physical activity in the longer term should be investigated in other models, with appropriate cognitive measurements, in future trials.
Storage of household firearms: an examination of the attitudes and beliefs of married women with children Johnson, R. M., Runyan, C. W., Coyne-Beasley, T., Lewis, M. A., Bowling, J. M. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
Although safe firearm storage is a promising injury prevention strategy, many parents do not keep their firearms unloaded and locked up. Using the theory of planned behavior as a guiding conceptual framework, this study examines factors associated with safe storage among married women with children and who have firearms in their homes. Data come from a national telephone survey (n = 185). We examined beliefs about defensive firearm use, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and firearm storage practices. A Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test was conducted to assess associations between psychosocial factors and firearm storage practices. Women were highly motivated to keep firearms stored safely. Those reporting safe storage practices had more favorable attitudes, more supportive subjective norms and higher perceptions of behavioral control than those without safe storage. One-fourth believed a firearm would prevent a family member from being hurt in case of a break-in, 58% believed a firearm could scare off a burglar. Some 63% said they leave decisions about firearm storage to their husbands. Women were highly motivated to store firearms safely as evidenced by favorable attitudes, supportive subjective norms and high perceptions of behavioral control. This was especially true for those reporting safer storage practices.
Will patients agree to have their literacy skills assessed in clinical practice? Ryan, J. G., Leguen, F., Weiss, B. D., Albury, S., Jennings, T., Velez, F., Salibi, N. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0000
If health providers are aware of their patients' literacy skills, they can more appropriately tailor their communication with patients. Few providers, however, assess patient's literacy skills for fear of offending patients, but no research has ever determined if patients object to such assessments. Our objectives were to determine the percentage of patients seen for routine health care that would agree to undergo literacy assessment and if satisfaction of patients differs in practices that perform literacy assessments versus practices that do not. We randomized 20 private and public medical practices to an intervention group that implemented literacy assessments with the Newest Vital Sign and a control group that did not. For intervention practices, we noted the percentage of patients agreeing to undergo the assessment. For both intervention and control practices, we assessed patient satisfaction. Of 289 patients asked to undergo literacy assessment in the intervention practices, 284 (98.3%) agreed to do so, including 125 (46.1%) with low or possibly low literacy skills. There was no difference in satisfaction between the intervention group and the control group. We conclude that patients are willing to undergo literacy assessments during routine office visits and performing such assessments does not decrease patient satisfaction.
Public Health News From Medical News Today
WHO Commission Says Equity Is The New Agenda Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700 A new report from the World Health Organization suggests that the reason most people in the world do not enjoy the good health that their bodies potentially offer from a biological perspective is due to a "toxic combination of policies, economics, and politics" and if this is to change, the world must unite to put equity at the centre of the agenda for human health and development. The report reveals stark contrasts within and between countries. Some Hospitals Require Insured Patients To Make Larger Upfront Payments For Elective Procedures, Surgeries Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0700 The South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Tuesday examined how across the U.S., "some insured patients are being asked by hospitals to pay larger portions of their bills upfront -- and sometimes hospitals will not do the procedures until they get their copayments. Sen. Clinton Expresses Support For Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Obama, Discusses Health Care In Convention Speech Thu, 28 Aug 2008 06:00:00 -0700 Former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) on Tuesday spoke at the Democratic National Convention in support of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and his proposals on health care and other issues, Dow Jones reports.
Public Health News Headlines from Johns Hopkins
Malaria Researchers Identify New Mosquito Virus tmparson@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0400 Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health?s Malaria Research Institute have identified a previously unknown virus that is infectious to Anopheles gambiae?the mosquito primarily responsible for transmitting malaria. According to the researchers, the discovered virus could one day be used to pass on new genetic information to An. gambiae mosquitoes as part of a strategy to control malaria, which kills over one million people worldwide each year. De Beers African Health Scholars Named nwoodwri@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:00:00 -0400 De Beers African Health Scholars Named
Older Patients More Satisfied with Care When Accompanied to Medical Visits paffairs@jhsph.edu (Office of Communications) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:30:00 -0400 A study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that 38 percent of Medicare beneficiaries are accompanied to routine medical visits. These accompanied beneficiaries tended to be older, sicker and less educated but more satisfied with their health care provider compared to unaccompanied patients. The study is published in the July 14 edition of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Safety Systems - Offers health and safety training programs, customized to meet organizational criteria.
Meta Description: [ Crossroad Health and Safety Systems- training consultants, safety and risk management training, health and safety advice, health and safety consultancy. ]
Scientific Systems, Inc. - Improves public health worldwide by providing technical, research, and program management services to government and private sector clients; helps clients, including federal agencies, state health organizations, clinical trials networks, and research entities, to advance research missions, enhance communications, shape policy, and implement programs in the global battle against HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
AHRQ's Patient Safety E-newsletter - Issued periodically to disseminate patient safety news and information; features research findings, new product announcements, and updates on initiatives in the safety and quality field.
Alliance for Human Research Protection - National network to advance responsible and ethical medical research practices and empowers patients with information they need to make informed research choices.
Meta Description: [ Website for AHRP (Alliance for Human Research Protection) ]
American Iatrogenic Association - Focuses on the study and reporting of medical errors that lead to disease and death; includes links to related sites and resources.
APIC Patient Safety Resources - Multi-disciplinary voluntary international organization promoting quality health care through infection control and epidemiology in all health settings. Includes links, tools, archives and information resources.
Meta Description: [ Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology is an association of healthcare professionals working to reduce, control and prevent infections associated with or acquired in a healthcare setting. ]
Australian Patient Safety Foundation - Provides leadership in the reduction of harm to patients in all health care environments and provides incident reporting and monitoring systems. Collects de-identified incident report data for inclusion in an aggregated database that facilitates comparative research.
Aviation Patient Safety - Provides resources to improve patient safety using lessons learned from the commercial airlines; site includes links and information on aviation based crew resource management procedures applied to hospital patient safety.
500Center for Advancement of Health - Translates to the public the latest evidence-based research on health, health care, prevention and chronic disease management, with an emphasis on how social, behavioral and economic factors affect illness and well-being.
Center on Patient Safety - Supports professional practice of pharmacists in hospitals and health systems and promotes issues related to medication use and public health. Includes research, links, and informative brochures.
Colorado Patient Safety Coalition - Home page for coalition of healthcare professionals and organizations formed to promote patient safety in Colorado.
Cure Research - Provides cure research information for more than 1200 diseases.
Meta Description: [ Cure research information for more than 1200 medical conditions and diseases including latest approved medications, clinical trials, alternative treatments, and research on diagnosis and prevention. ]
E. K. Borden Consulting - Offers consulting services on safety and benefit/effectiveness of marketed medications; resources include evaluation, investigation and scientific follow-up methodologies.
Meta Description: [ www.ekbordenconsulting.com ]
FDA Patient Safety News - Televised series carried on satellite broadcast networks for health care personnel at hospitals and other medical facilities across the country. Features information on new medical devices, FDA safety notifications and product recalls, and ways to protect patients when using medical devices.
Global Care Quest - Products to provide mobile access to patient data and medical references, support diagnosis and treatment decisions and enhance clinical performance.
Global Med-ID System - Provides a medical information system with immediate worldwide compatibility. System utilizes existing Internet/Intranet technology and unique controls providing the foremost level of security.
Meta Description: [ The GlobalMed ID system is the first one that provides a globally working health ID system with inter-operability, combining all elements of the smart card technology with those elements of the CD technology. ]
HCA Patient Safety - Describes this US hospital chain's medication and patient safety practices, and provides general information about the subject.
Meta Description: [ Provides a range of health and wellness services for the Nashville community. Site also contains medical information, interactive health features, and employment opportunities., This is the Home Page for the Website. ]
Healthcare Leadership Council - Serves as a coalition of chief executives from all disciplines within the health care system and forum to jointly develop policies, plans and programs; includes resources on key issues, legislative advocacy, and current news.
Healthcare's Dirty Little Secret: Medical Errors and Hospital Acquired Infections - Provides timely information and resources to help people become more knowledgeable about medical errors, hospital acquired infections, other preventable adverse events and the lack of disclosure and accountability in the healthcare system.
Meta Description: [ Preventable medical errors, hospital acquired infections and other preventable adverse events remain one of the most urgent, widespread public safety problems facing our nation today ]
HospitalWeb - USA - Lists web site addresses of U.S. hospitals; updated regularly.
Human Factors MD - Provides consulting assistance in medical software And devices; services include user interface design, usability testing, and human factors program development.
Meta Description: [ Human Factors Consulting Firm Specializing In Medical Software And Devices. Services Include User Interface Design, Usability Testing, And Human Factors Program Development. ]
Institute for Healthcare Improvement - Consolidates resources and information to help health care professionals accelerate progress and performance improvement; site includes extensive training and research resources.
Meta Description: [ IHI.org is the website of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and a global knowledge environment created to help health care professionals around the world accelerate their progress toward unprecedented levels of performance and improvement. ]
Institute For Safe Medication Practices - Provides information about adverse drug events and their prevention to healthcare practitioners and institutions, regulatory agencies, professional organizations and the pharmaceutical industry. Includes research findings, books and publications, an electronic discussion forum, and links to related sites.
Institute for Self-Directed Care - Promotes clinical research, consumer education and advocacy for self-directed, patient-centered health care; site includes consulting services and links to relevant resources.
IPRO Quality Improvement Organization - Assesses quality of health care for federal and state agencies, providers, managed care organizations, commercial insurers, Fortune 500 companies, business coalitions and unions. Services include utilization review, study design, data analysis, and claim review.
JCAHO Facts About Patient Safety - Improves safety and quality of care for patients and residents in health care organizations through accreditation and performance improvement.
Kaiser Permanente Institutional Review Board - Provides overview of FDA regulations defining the Institutional Review Board (IRB); site includes links to relevant literature, research, and resources on the IRB process.
Meta Description: [ The purpose of IRB review is to assure, both in advance and by periodic review, that appropriate steps are taken to protect the rights and welfare of humans participating as subjects in the research. ]
KWIC Healthcare - Provide innovative patient safety products, such as barcoding, filing, and blood transfusion systems; services include change management support.
Lifetag - Medical Identification Jewelry - Offers alternatives to traditional medical ID tags; provides a highly-visible medical emblem which can attach to jewelry, keys, cell phones, insulin pumps and driver's licenses.
Meta Description: [ Creative fashionable jewelry along with unique decals, stick-ons, shoetags and other medical IDs made by a jewelry designer with diabetes. ]
LifeWings Partners LLC - Offers guaranteed improvements in patient safety utilizing aviation-based patient safety training programs.
Meta Description: [ Call LifeWings for Proven Health and Safety Training to Help You Meet Patient Safety Goals. ]
M - Web-based patient safety resource and journal that showcases patient safety lessons drawn from actual cases of medical errors; site includes cases of medical errors, expert commentaries, and a users' forum.
Making Health Care Safer - Analyzes controlled observational studies, clinical trials, and peer-reviewed medical literature on practices relevant to improving patient safety. Focuses on prevention of errors and adverse events.
500Maryland Patient Safety - Supports regional patient safety initiatives by encouraging collaborative efforts, disseminating current knowledge relating to patient safety, and developing a formal structure for activities.
Medical ID Card - Offers medical identification cards containing patient-specific medical information to assist resuce personnel.
Meta Description: [ The Medical Information ID card, through Medical-Card.com, provides a microfiche of your medical data inside an identification card. This card can be read through an ordinary magnifying glass ]
MedSun - The Medical Product Surveillance Network (MedSun) supports FDA post-market surveillance; activities include identification, analysis, and dissemination of information about problems with the use of medical devices.
Minnesota Alliance for Patient Safety - Promotes patient safety by encouraging collaboration between participants of the Minnesota health care system. Includes organizational assessment tools, information on best practices, and links to related resources.
Meta Description: [ Promoting optimum patient safety through collaborative and supportive efforts among health care organizations in Minnesota ]
500National Patient Safety Agency - Promotes an open culture in hospitals, encouraging doctors and other staff to report incidents and near misses, when things almost go wrong. Encourages staff to report incidents without fear of personal reprimand and know that by sharing their experiences others will be able to learn lessons and improve patient safety. The change of emphasis is more about the how than the who.
National Patient Safety Foundation - Information, research, and resources on professional, consumer, and systems issues related to patient safety. The online discussion forum is devoted to development of a safer health care system.
National Quality Forum - Promotes change through development and implementation of a national strategy for health care quality measurement and reporting.
Partnership for Human Research Protection - Provides accreditation to protect the safety and rights of participants in clinical trials and research programs in public and private hospitals, academic medical centers, and other research facilities in the United States and abroad.
Partnership for Patient Safety - A patient-centered initiative to advance the reliability of healthcare systems worldwide. Includes videos, audio cassettes, and CD-ROM training tools.
Patient Care Technology Systems - Provides integrated technology solutions and consulting services to improve quality and operating performance of emergency departments.
Meta Description: [ Amelior ED is a comprehensive emergency department information system with clinical support intelligence. Amelior ED provides an integrated electronic medical record solution for patient tracking, charting, coding and disposition management. ]
Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare - Provides broad range of safety and quality information for patients, clinicians, and healthcare administrators; online and in print format.
Meta Description: [ Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare provides the latest news, research and opinion from experts in one of the most critical issues of healthcare today. ]
Patient Safety Center of Inquiry - Supports clinicians in providing safe patient care by designing and testing clinical innovations, technological solutions, and patient safety improvement systems. Research targets the frail elderly and persons with disabilities.
Patient Safety Data Standards - Promotes development of data standards applicable to the collection, coding and classification of patient safety information. The plan will apply to both adverse event data and errors data.
Meta Description: [ The purpose of this IOM project is to produce a detailed plan to facilitate the development of data standards applicable to the collection, coding and classification of patient safety information. The plan will apply to both adverse event data and errors data. ]
Patient Safety First - Assists perioperative nurses, managers and practitioners in providing safe patient care. Offers resources related to patient safety in surgical settings, including lists of educational products and resources, articles, and links to national patient safety initiatives.
Patient Safety Group - Encourages a culture of safety by providing tools that allow health care organizations to communicate, collaborate, improve and share; site includes eCUSP (electronic unit-based patient safety program).
Meta Description: [ The Patient Safety Group; empowering health care organizations to communicate, collaborate, improve and share; encouraging a culture of safety, patient safety, and healthcare quality improvement. ]
Patient Safety Improvement Programs - Provides JCAHO-compliant environment of care safety management and patient safety improvement policies and procedures for health care organizations; resources include online programs and on-site training.
Meta Description: [ JCAHO compliant environment of care safety management and patient safety improvement programs ]
Patient Safety Institute - Provides real-time, secure, patient-centric clinical information in five areas critical for delivering quality care: diagnoses, laboratory results, medications, allergies and immunizations.
Meta Description: [ Patient Safety Institute (PSI) is a non-profit, consumer-oriented organization to provide secure real time access to clinical information at the point of care. ]
Patient Safety News and Article Tracker - Updated list of recent patient safety news, journal articles, and conferences.
Meta Description: [ VIPC&S supports systematic efforts to continuously improve quality of care and patient safety. ]
Patient Safety Reporting System - A voluntary, confidential, non-punitive program available to all VA employees for the reporting of events and concerns related to patient safety.
Patient Safety: Let's Get Practical - Conference home page for the patient safety / errors in health care conference series presented by the National Patient Safety Foundation, Annenberg Center for Health Sciences, and other medical and health care organizations, government agencies, and corporations.
Patient Updates - Provides a free, convenient and reliable way to keep friends and family updated on the condition of a hospitalized loved one.
Meta Description: [ PatientUpdates.org is a website and nonprofit organization created to provide a convenient and reliable way to keep friends and family updated on the condition of a hospitalized loved one. ]
PatientGuard - Offers downloadable eBook that teaches users how to recognize and prevent medical mistakes; site resources include free newsletter.
Meta Description: [ PatientGuard shows you how to prevent medical mistakes. PatientGuard teaches consumers of health care how to recognize and prevent medical mistakes that cause injury and death with a practical, common-sense eBook full of useful strategies. ]
Plug Lock - Device that safeguards power supply to vital apparatus at the patient's bedside and prevents accidental disconnection.
Meta Description: [ Prevent electrical plug disconnection in intensive care, or for child safety. Buy Plug Lock 13a UK electrical plug socket covers on-line now! ]
Premier Inc. - Provides consulting services and information resources to help hospitals and health systems improve clinical effectiveness and operational performance.
Meta Description: [ Web site of Premier, parent company of a leading strategic alliance in U.S. healthcare. Premier provides an array of resources supporting health services delivery. ]
QSHC Online - A monthly journal presenting peer-reviewed ideas, solutions and practices in the field of patient safety and quality improvement.
Quality Interagency Coordination (QuIC) Task Force - Ensures that Federal agencies involved in purchasing, providing, studying, or regulating health care services are working in a coordinated manner toward the common goal of improving quality care.
Meta Description: [ The Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC) ensures that Federal agencies that purchase, provide, study, or regulate health care services work in a coordinated way toward the common goal of improving the quality of care. ]
Quality, Patient Safety Initiatives Program (QPSI) - Quality of care, professional performance, science of quality improvement, and safety of care educational site for healthcare professionals and patients.
Meta Description: [ Quality of Care, Professional Performance,
Science of Quality Improvement, and Safety of Care educational site for healthcare
professionals and for patients. ]
QuIC Report on Patient Safety - Prepared by the Quality Interagency Coordination Task Force (QuIC), proposes strong action on Institute of Medicine recommendations to promote safer health care.
Rightfield Solutions - Provides multimedia, interactive, informational programs for the healthcare industry; services enhance patient safety, improve clinical care, and reduce risk exposure.
RN+ Systems - Offers a variety of wireless monitoring systems to assist healthcare organizations improve patient safety, prevent falls, and reduce reliance upon restraints; site includes training and education resources.
SAFER California Healthcare - The Strategic Alliance For Error Reduction in California Healthcare (SAFER) promotes and coordinates patient safety research activities, clinical delivery systems, and educational programs. Includes University of California medical centers, state agencies, and organizational partnerships.
SafeStart - Provides safety awareness training that identifies behaviors common in 90% of all patient injuries and medication errors for clinical staff and other health care personnel. Focuses on the human side of safety.
Meta Description: [ Patient Safety: SafeStart is a site dedicated to patient safety and the elimination and the prevention of medication errors. ]
Safety Logic Systems - Strategic risk control and patient safety education for healthcare organizations, state associations, and professional societies that promote a safe patient care environment and culture.
Meta Description: [ Safety Logic Systems - Health Care Consulting, Seminars, and Training ]
Simulation Group - Conducts research that will transform medical training from the current apprentice model to real-time computer-based medical simulations; objectives include improving medical education and increasing patient safety.
Meta Description: [ Medical Simulatin has involved The Simulation Group at CIMIT since the mid-1990s. The multi-disciplinary research team investigates how technology can improve medical education and increase patient safety. ]
TalkingQuality.gov - Provides research findings and instructions on effective ways to communicate information about health care quality to consumers and develop health plan report cards.
Meta Description: [ TalkingQuality provides research findings and instructions on effective ways to communicate information about health care quality to consumers and develop health plan report cards. Examples are included to help benefit managers, consumer advocates, and state officials better understand quality me... ]
The Leapfrog Group - Promotes improvements in the safety of health care by giving consumers data to make more informed hospital choices. Includes hospital survey results, patient safety research, and links to related sites.
Train for Patient Safety - Offers comprehensive health care training for patient safety improvement, medical errors reduction and healthcare quality enhancement; products and services include e-learning solutions, CDs, written materials, onsite training, and access to national conferences and audioconferences.
Meta Description: [ Train for Patient Safety offers comprehensive health care training for patient safety improvement, medical errors reduction and healthcare quality enhancement. ]
TY Products - Provides information on a rescue device that protects the patient/casualty and also the operator.
Meta Description: [ TY-Products - Welcome ]
500UCLA Center for Patient Safety and Quality - Defines and promotes changes necessary to create a blame free culture that encourages reporting and learning from mistakes, near misses and mishaps. Provides the link between UCLA Healthcare and the University of California patient safety efforts (SAFER California Healthcare).
VA National Center for Patient Safety - Patient Safety: medical error, medication error, medical equipment failure, root cause analysis, human factors, usability, physician error, pharmacy error, nursing error, iatrogenesis, failure mode analysis
Voice4Patients.Com - Provides information to educate patients and consumers on the health care process, including links to research and support resources.
