Compared the sun protection behaviors (SPBs) of physicians and patients from a Rhode Island teaching hospital. Survey data indicated that physicians and patients did not differ in their overall use of SPBs, though they differed in their regular use of specific SPBs (physicians were more likely to use sunscreen, while patients were more likely to…

Examined peer-reviewed research on the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and tobacco cessation and prevention. Results found growing evidence for the TTM's validity as applied to tobacco use, though the evidence was inconclusive. Eight different staging mechanisms were identified, raising the question of which are most valid and reliable. Interventions…

Very little effort has been devoted to developing health promotion programs for people with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. Such programs must be developed with full recognition of limitations caused by both the primary and secondary disabilities. The paper describes three major areas of health promotion and their relationship to…

Examined the impact of lifestyle on the effectiveness of a low-intensity dietary intervention. Analysis of data from the Eating Patterns Study indicated that people who practiced certain combinations of health behaviors responded differently to the low-intensity dietary intervention. People with high-risk behaviors were the least successful in…

Telephone surveys queried frequency of fruit and vegetable intake as well as attitudes about and knowledge of fruits and vegetables among adults. Fruit and vegetable intake was lower than the recommended minimum of five daily servings. Intake was higher among women, nonsmokers, and those with higher education and income. (SM)

Examined the impact of participating in an incentive-based employee health promotion program on modifiable health risk factors over 4 years. Data from physiological and self-report measures indicated that modifiable health risks improved over time (smoking, physical activity, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and seat belt use). Cholesterol…

An Institute of Medicine committee examined the links between biological, psychosocial, and behavioral factors and health; reviewed effective applications of behavioral interventions (individual behavior, families, organizations, communities, and society); and discussed the production and maintenance of behavior change. The paper presents a…

Discusses how mentoring in health promotion differs from other key support roles, noting what the underlying rationale is behind mentoring, how a mentoring program should be designed, what the historical and theoretical roots of mentoring are, and what strategies mentors can use to be more effective. A research agenda for the mentoring approach is…

Used national telephone survey data to examine associations between adults' fruit and vegetable consumption and awareness of "5 A Day for Better Health," stage of change, taste preferences, self-efficacy, and perceived benefits, barriers, threats, social support, and norms regarding fruit and vegetable consumption. Strong associations…

The Minnesota Heart Health Program's Quit and Win smoking cessation contests occurred between 1982 and 1989. The contests used large prizes to encourage smokers to quit smoking. Evaluations indicated that the contests succeeded in recruiting relatively large proportions of smokers in entire communities, and abstinence outcomes were encouraging.…

Telephone surveys of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees investigated the impact of an agencywide smoking policy that initially restricted, then banned, smoking. Nearly all of the employees and 56 percent of the smokers supported the policy. One quarter of the smokers reported increased interest in quitting following policy…

A literature search investigated studies that demonstrated the impact of spiritual health programs on health outcomes. Out of 71 articles, 3 studies had high quality methodology and relevant program content with a spiritual component. The three programs produced excellent improvements in health behaviors and reduced morbidity and mortality. (SM)

Focus group interviews assessed African American teens' and adults' (ages 13 to 65-plus) perceptions and beliefs about exercise. Many subjects believed that African Americans performed physical labor at work and needed rest rather than exercise during free time. Many considered exercise a physical stressor and believed friends had the greatest…

This study investigated the usefulness of a telephone-based intervention in circumventing participant biases in school-based tobacco use prevention programs. Researchers attempted to conduct telephone interventions with ninth graders and found it difficult to reach a large portion of targeted individuals. Results provided data on which adolescents…

Reports findings from the final year of a tobacco use prevention project for junior and senior high school students. After three years of intervention with junior high students, researchers assessed the relative effectiveness of continued, lapsed, and delayed interventions in high school. In grade 11, continued intervention students had the lowest…