Browsing by Subject "Health Promotion"
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Item Open Access A clinician's guide to the ABCs of cardiovascular disease prevention: the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease and American College of Cardiology Cardiosource Approach to the Million Hearts Initiative.(Clinical cardiology, 2013-07) Hsu, Steven; Ton, Van-Khue; Dominique Ashen, M; Martin, Seth S; Gluckman, Ty J; Kohli, Payal; Sisson, Stephen D; Blumenthal, Roger S; Blaha, Michael JAtherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide. Fortunately, it is often preventable with early adoption of lifestyle modification, prevention of risk factor onset, and aggressive treatment of existing risk factors. The Million Hearts Initiative is an effort by the Centers for Disease Control that aims to prevent 1 million myocardial infarctions and strokes over the next 5 years. As part of this initiative, we present a simply organized "ABCDE" approach for guiding a consistent comprehensive approach to managing cardiovascular risk in daily clinical practice. ABCDE stands for assessment of risk, antiplatelet therapy, blood pressure management, cholesterol management, cigarette/tobacco cessation, diet and weight management, diabetes prevention and treatment, and exercise, interventions regularly used to reduce cardiovascular (CV) risk. Throughout this article we summarize recommendations related to each topic and reference landmark trials and data that support our approach. We believe that the ABCDE approach will be the core framework for addressing CV risk in our effort to prevent CVD.Item Open Access A community-based intervention increases physical activity and reduces obesity in school-age children in North Carolina.(Child Obes, 2015-06) Benjamin Neelon, Sara E; Namenek Brouwer, Rebecca J; Østbye, Truls; Evenson, Kelly R; Neelon, Brian; Martinie, Annie; Bennett, GaryBACKGROUND: Community-based interventions are promising approaches to obesity prevention, but few studies have prospectively evaluated them. The aim of this study was to evaluate a natural experiment—a community intervention designed to promote active living and decrease obesity within a small southern town. METHODS: In 2011, community leaders implemented the Mebane on the Move intervention—a community-wide effort to promote physical activity (PA) and decrease obesity among residents of Mebane, North Carolina. We measured child PA and BMI before and after the intervention, using a nearby town not implementing an intervention as the comparison. In total, we assessed 64 children from Mebane and 40 from the comparison community 6 months before, as well as 34 and 18 children 6 months after the intervention. We assessed PA with accelerometers worn for 7 days and calculated BMI z-scores using children's height and weight. We conducted multivariable linear regressions examining pre- to postintervention change in minutes of PA and BMI z-score, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: At follow-up, children in Mebane modestly increased their moderate-to-vigorous PA (1.3 minutes per hour; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.2, 2.3; p=0.03) and vigorous activity (0.8 minutes per hour; 95% CI: 0.1, 1.5; p=0.04) more than comparison children. In intervention children, BMI z-scores decreased 0.5 units (kg/m(2); 95% CI: -0.9, -0.02; p=0.045), compared to children in the comparison community. CONCLUSIONS: We observed positive effects on PA level and weight status of children in Mebane, despite high rates of attrition, suggesting that the community-based intervention may have been successful.Item Open Access A qualitative analysis of the Three Good Things intervention in healthcare workers.(BMJ open, 2017-06-13) Rippstein-Leuenberger, Karin; Mauthner, Oliver; Bryan Sexton, J; Schwendimann, ReneBACKGROUND:Intensive care unit (ICU) personnel have an elevated prevalence of job-related burn-out and post-traumatic stress disorder, which can ultimately impact patient care. To strengthen healthcare workers' skills to deal with stressful events, it is important to focus not only on minimising suffering but also on increasing happiness, as this entails many more benefits than simply feeling good. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the content of the 'good things' reported by healthcare workers participating in the 'Three Good Things' intervention. METHODS:In a tertiary care medical centre, a sample of 89 neonatal ICU (NICU) healthcare professionals registered for the online intervention. Of these, 32 individuals eventually participated fully in the 14-day online Three Good Things intervention survey. Daily emails reminded participants to reflect on and respond to the questions: "What are the three things that went well today?" and "What was your role in bringing them about?" To analyse their responses, we applied a thematic analysis, which was guided by our theoretical understanding of resilience. RESULTS:Involving more than 1300 statements, the Three Good Things responses of the 32 study participants, including registered nurses, physicians and neonatal nurse practitioners, led to the identification of three main themes: (1) having a good day at work; (2) having supportive relationships and (3) making meaningful use of self-determined time. CONCLUSIONS:The findings show the personal and professional relevance of supportive relationships strengthened by clear communication and common activities that foster positive emotions. The Three Good Things exercise acknowledges the importance of self-care in healthcare workers and appears to promote well-being, which might ultimately strengthen resilience.Item Open Access Adherence to diabetes guidelines for screening, physical activity and medication and onset of complications and death.(J Diabetes Complications, 2015-11) Chen, Yiqun; Sloan, Frank A; Yashkin, Arseniy PAIMS: Analyze relationships between adherence to guidelines for diabetes care - regular screening; physical activity; and medication - and diabetes complications and mortality. METHODS: Outcomes were onset of congestive heart failure (CHF), stroke, renal failure, moderate complications of lower extremities, lower-limb amputation, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and mortality during follow-up. Participants were persons aged 65+ in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2003 Diabetes Study and had Medicare claims in follow-up period (2004-8). RESULTS: Adherence to screening recommendations decreased risks of developing CHF (odds ratio (OR)=0.83; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.72-0.96), stroke (OR=0.80; 95% CI: 0.68-0.94); renal failure (OR=0. 82; 95% CI: 0.71-0.95); and death (OR=0.86; 95% CI: 0.74-0.99). Adherence to physical activity recommendation reduced risks of stroke (OR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.45-0.90), renal failure (OR=0.71; 95% CI: 0.52-0.97), moderate lower-extremity complications (OR=0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99), having a lower limb amputation (OR=0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.85), and death (OR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.41-0.77). Medication adherence was associated with lower risks of PDR (OR=0.35, 95% CI: 0.13-0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to screening, physical activity and medication guidelines was associated with lower risks of diabetes complications and death. Relative importance of adherence differed among outcome measures.Item Open Access An Initial Evaluation of the Impact of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity.(Journal of the American Heart Association, 2017-05-16) Xian, Ying; Xu, Hanzhang; Xu, Haolin; Liang, Li; Hernandez, Adrian F; Wang, Tracy Y; Peterson, Eric DPokémon GO is a location-based augmented reality game. Using GPS and the camera on a smartphone, the game requires players to travel in real world to capture animated creatures, called Pokémon. We examined the impact of Pokémon GO on physical activity (PA).A pre-post observational study of 167 Pokémon GO players who were self-enrolled through recruitment flyers or online social media was performed. Participants were instructed to provide screenshots of their step counts recorded by the iPhone Health app between June 15 and July 31, 2016, which was 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after the Pokémon GO release date. Of 167 participants, the median age was 25 years (interquartile range, 21-29 years). The daily average steps of participants at baseline was 5678 (SD, 2833; median, 5718 [interquartile range, 3675-7279]). After initiation of Pokémon GO, daily activity rose to 7654 steps (SD, 3616; median, 7232 [interquartile range, 5041-9744], pre-post change: 1976; 95% CI, 1494-2458, or a 34.8% relative increase [P<0.001]). On average, 10 000 "XP" points (a measure of game progression) was associated with 2134 additional steps per day (95% CI, 1673-2595), suggesting a potential dose-response relationship. The number of participants achieving a goal of 10 000+ steps per day increased from 15.3% before to 27.5% after (odds ratio, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.70-2.50). Increased PA was also observed in subgroups, with the largest increases seen in participants who spent more time playing Pokémon GO, those who were overweight/obese, or those with a lower baseline PA level.Pokémon GO participation was associated with a significant increase in PA among young adults. Incorporating PA into gameplay may provide an alternative way to promote PA in persons who are attracted to the game.URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02888314.Item Open Access Are State legislatures responding to public opinion when allocating funds for tobacco control programs?(Health Promot Pract, 2004-07) Snyder, Angela; Falba, Tracy; Busch, Susan; Sindelar, JodyThis study explored the factors associated with state-level allocations to tobacco-control programs. The primary research question was whether public sentiment regarding tobacco control was a significant factor in the states' 2001 budget decisions. In addition to public opinion, several additional political and economic measures were considered. Significant associations were found between our outcome, state-level tobacco-control funding per capita, and key variables of interest including public opinion, amount of tobacco settlement received, the party affiliation of the governor, the state's smoking rate, excise tax revenue received, and whether the state was a major producer of tobacco. The findings from this study supported our hypothesis that states with citizens who favor more restrictive indoor air policies allocate more to tobacco control. Effective public education to change public opinion and the cultural norms surrounding smoking may affect political decisions and, in turn, increase funding for crucial public health programs.Item Open Access Clinician's guide to the updated ABCs of cardiovascular disease prevention.(Journal of the American Heart Association, 2014-09) Kohli, Payal; Whelton, Seamus P; Hsu, Steven; Yancy, Clyde W; Stone, Neil J; Chrispin, Jonathan; Gilotra, Nisha A; Houston, Brian; Ashen, M Dominique; Martin, Seth S; Joshi, Parag H; McEvoy, John W; Gluckman, Ty J; Michos, Erin D; Blaha, Michael J; Blumenthal, Roger STo facilitate the guideline-based implementation of treatment recommendations in the ambulatory setting and to encourage participation in the multiple preventive health efforts that exist, we have organized several recent guideline updates into a simple ABCDEF approach. We would remind clinicians that evidence-based medicine is meant to inform recommendations but that synthesis of patient-specific data and use of appropriate clinical judgment in each individual situation is ultimately preferred.Item Open Access Development and Preliminary Feasibility of iByte4Health: A Mobile Health (mHealth) Pediatric Obesity Prevention Intervention to Engage Parents with Low-Income of Children 2-9 Years.(Nutrients, 2021-11-25) Tripicchio, Gina L; Kay, Melissa; Herring, Sharon; Cos, Travis; Bresnahan, Carolyn; Gartner, Danielle; Sosinsky, Laura Stout; Bass, Sarah BThis research describes the development and preliminary feasibility of iByte4Health, a mobile health (mHealth) obesity prevention intervention designed for parents with a low-income of children 2-9 years of age. Study 1 (n = 36) presents findings from formative work used to develop the program. Study 2 (n = 23) presents a 2-week proof-of-concept feasibility testing of iByte4Health, including participant acceptability, utilization, and engagement. Based on Study 1, iByte4Health was designed as a text-messaging program, targeting barriers and challenges identified by parents of young children for six key obesity prevention behaviors: (1) snacking; (2) physical activity; (3) sleep; (4) sugary drinks; (5) fruit and vegetable intake; and (6) healthy cooking at home. In Study 2, participants demonstrated high program retention (95.7% at follow-up) and acceptability (90.9% reported liking or loving the program). Users were engaged with the program; 87.0% responded to at least one self-monitoring text message; 90.9% found the videos and linked content to be helpful or extremely helpful; 86.4% found text messages helpful or extremely helpful. iByte4Health is a community-informed, evidenced-based program that holds promise for obesity prevention efforts, especially for those families at the increased risk of obesity and related disparities. Future work is warranted to test the efficacy of the program.Item Open Access Do the benefits of participation in a hypertension self-management trial persist after patients resume usual care?(Circulation. Cardiovascular quality and outcomes, 2014-03) Maciejewski, Matthew L; Bosworth, Hayden B; Olsen, Maren K; Smith, Valerie A; Edelman, David; Powers, Benjamin J; Kaufman, Miriam A; Oddone, Eugene Z; Jackson, George LBackground
Hypertension self-management has been shown to improve systolic blood pressure (BP) control, but longer-term economic and clinical impacts are unknown. The purpose of this article is to examine clinical and economic outcomes 18 months after completion of a hypertension self-management trial.Methods and results
This study is a follow-up analysis of an 18-month, 4-arm, hypertension self-management trial of 591 veterans with hypertension who were randomized to usual care or 1 of 3 interventions. Clinic-derived systolic blood pressure obtained before, during, and after the trial were estimated using linear mixed models. Inpatient admissions, outpatient expenditures, and total expenditures were estimated using generalized estimating equations. The 3 telephone-based interventions were nurse-administered health behavior promotion, provider-administered medication adjustments based on hypertension treatment guidelines, or a combination of both. Intervention calls were triggered by home BP values transmitted via telemonitoring devices. Clinical and economic outcomes were examined 12 months before, 18 months during, and 18 months after trial completion. Compared with usual care, patients randomized to the combined arm had greater improvement in proportion of BP control during and after the 18-month trial and estimated proportion of BP control improved 18 months after trial completion for patients in the behavioral and medication management arms. Among the patients with inadequate baseline BP control, estimated mean systolic BP was significantly lower in the combined arm as compared with usual care during and after the 18-month trial. Utilization and expenditure trends were similar for patients in all 4 arms.Conclusions
Behavioral and medication management can generate systolic BP improvements that are sustained 18 months after trial completion.Clinical trial registration
URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00237692.Item Open Access Economic Analysis of Primary Care-Based Physical Activity Counseling in Older Men: The VA-LIFE Trial.(Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2017-03) Cowper, Patricia A; Peterson, Matthew J; Pieper, Carl F; Sloane, Richard J; Hall, Katherine S; McConnell, Eleanor S; Bosworth, Hayden B; Ekelund, Carola C; Pearson, Megan P; Morey, Miriam CObjectives
To perform an economic evaluation of a primary care-based physical activity counseling intervention that improved physical activity levels and rapid gait speed in older veterans.Design
Secondary objective of randomized trial that assessed the effect of exercise counseling (relative to usual care) on physical performance, physical activity, function, disability, and medical resource use and cost.Setting
Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.Participants
Male veterans aged ≥70 years (n = 398).Intervention
An experienced health counselor provided baseline in-person exercise counseling, followed by telephone counseling at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, and monthly thereafter through one year. Each participant's primary care physician provided initial endorsement of the intervention, followed by monthly automated telephone messages tailored to the patient. Individualized progress reports were mailed quarterly.Measurements
Intervention costs were assessed. Health care resource use and costs were estimated from enrollment through one year follow-up. The incremental cost of achieving clinically significant changes in major trial endpoints was calculated.Results
The total direct cost of the intervention per participant was $459, 85% of which was counselor effort. With overhead, program cost totaled $696 per participant. Medical costs during follow-up reached $10,418 with the intervention, versus $12,052 with usual care (difference = -$1,634 (95% confidence interval = -$4,683 to $1,416; P = .29)). Expressed in terms of short-term clinical outcomes, the intervention cost $4,971 per additional patient reaching target exercise levels, or $4,640 per patient achieving a clinically significant change in rapid gait speed.Conclusion
Improvements in physical activity and rapid gait speed in the physical activity counseling group were obtained at a cost that represents a small fraction of patients' annual health care costs.Item Open Access Economic evaluation of telephone self-management interventions for blood pressure control.(American heart journal, 2012-06) Wang, Virginia; Smith, Valerie A; Bosworth, Hayden B; Oddone, Eugene Z; Olsen, Maren K; McCant, Felicia; Powers, Benjamin J; Van Houtven, Courtney HaroldBackground
Half of patients with hypertension have poor blood pressure (BP) control. Recent models for treating hypertension have integrated disease monitoring and telephone-based interventions delivered in patients' homes. This study evaluated the costs of the Hypertension Intervention Nurse Telemedicine Study (HINTS), aimed to improve BP control in veterans.Methods
Eligible veterans were randomized to either usual care or 1 of 3 telephone-based intervention groups using home BP telemonitoring: (1) behavioral management, (2) medication management, or (3) combined. Intervention costs were derived from information collected during the trial. Direct medical costs (inpatient, outpatient, and outpatient pharmacy, including hypertension-specific pharmacy) at 18 months by group were calculated using Veterans Affairs (VA) Decision Support System data. Bootstrapped CIs were computed to compare intervention and medical costs between intervention groups and usual care.Results
Patients receiving behavior or medication management showed significant gains in BP control at 12 months; there were no differences in BP control at 18 months. In subgroup analysis, patients with poor baseline BP control receiving combined intervention significantly improved BP at 12 and 18 months. In overall and subgroup samples, average intervention costs were similar in the 3 study arms, and at 18 months, there were no statistically significant differences in direct VA medical costs or total VA costs between treatment arms and usual care.Conclusions
To optimize investment in telephone-based home interventions such as the HINTS, it is important to identify groups of patients who are most likely to benefit from more intensive home BP management.Item Open Access Innovative interventions to promote behavioral change in overweight or obese individuals: A review of the literature.(Annals of medicine, 2015-05) Okorodudu, Daniel E; Bosworth, Hayden B; Corsino, LeonorThe overweight and obesity trends have risen over the past few decades, placing significant burdens on health care in terms of increased morbidity and cost. Behavioral change therapy is an effective treatment strategy and includes goal setting, self-monitoring, problem solving, and reinforcement tactics. Traditionally, behavior change therapy has been delivered using face-to-face counseling along with paper and pen recording of dietary intake and physical activity. The current advances in technology provide opportunities to deliver interventions using cellphones, internet, and active video games. These new methods to deliver behavior change for the management and prevention of obesity are being developed in order to increase access, improve convenience, decrease cost, and increase participant engagement. In this review, we present new approaches to promote behavior changes in the management of obesity. Currently available data show promising results. However, future research is needed to address study limitations and implementation challenges of these innovative interventions.Item Open Access News coverage about aspirin as a countervailing force against low-dose aspirin campaign promotion.(Translational behavioral medicine, 2021-10) Southwell, Brian G; Duval, Sue; Luepker, Russell V; Oldenburg, Niki; Van't Hof, Jeremy; Eder, Milton; Russell, Carol; Graves, Robert N; Finnegan, JohnOrganized health promotion efforts sometimes compete with news media, social media, and other sources when providing recommendations for healthy behavior. In recent years, patients have faced a complicated information environment regarding aspirin use as a prevention tool for heart health. We explored the possibility that campaign promotion of low-dose aspirin use might have been undermined by news coverage in the USA detailing controversies regarding aspirin use. Using time series data on low-dose aspirin sales in Minnesota, USA, we assessed whether news coverage of aspirin or audience engagement with the Ask About Aspirin campaign website predicted subsequent changes in low-dose aspirin sales, over and above any secular trend. News coverage predicted actual low-dose aspirin purchases whereas exposure to a state-level campaign did not. While a campaign effort to encourage people at risk to discuss low-dose aspirin use with their health care providers did not generate substantive changes in low-dose aspirin tablet sales in the areas of Minnesota monitored for this study, past news coverage about aspirin use, including news about negative side effects, may have suppressed low-dose aspirin sales during this same period. The extent of news coverage about aspirin and heart health had a negative effect on tablet sales recorded in greater Minnesota approximately a month later in an ARIMA time series model, coefficient = -.014, t = -2.33, p = .02. Presented evidence of news coverage effect suggests health campaign assessment should consider trends in the public information environment as potential countervailing forces.Item Open Access Prevalence and predictors of giving birth in health facilities in Bugesera District, Rwanda.(BMC Public Health, 2012-12-05) Joharifard, Shahrzad; Rulisa, Stephen; Niyonkuru, Francine; Weinhold, Andrew; Sayinzoga, Felix; Wilkinson, Jeffrey; Ostermann, Jan; Thielman, Nathan MBACKGROUND: The proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel is one of two indicators used to measure progress towards Millennium Development Goal 5, which aims for a 75% reduction in global maternal mortality ratios by 2015. Rwanda has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world, estimated between 249-584 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. The objectives of this study were to quantify secular trends in health facility delivery and to identify factors that affect the uptake of intrapartum healthcare services among women living in rural villages in Bugesera District, Eastern Province, Rwanda. METHODS: Using census data and probability proportional to size cluster sampling methodology, 30 villages were selected for community-based, cross-sectional surveys of women aged 18-50 who had given birth in the previous three years. Complete obstetric histories and detailed demographic data were elicited from respondents using iPad technology. Geospatial coordinates were used to calculate the path distances between each village and its designated health center and district hospital. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify factors associated with delivery in health facilities. RESULTS: Analysis of 3106 lifetime deliveries from 859 respondents shows a sharp increase in the percentage of health facility deliveries in recent years. Delivering a penultimate baby at a health facility (OR = 4.681 [3.204 - 6.839]), possessing health insurance (OR = 3.812 [1.795 - 8.097]), managing household finances (OR = 1.897 [1.046 - 3.439]), attending more antenatal care visits (OR = 1.567 [1.163 - 2.112]), delivering more recently (OR = 1.438 [1.120 - 1.847] annually), and living closer to a health center (OR = 0.909 [0.846 - 0.976] per km) were independently associated with facility delivery. CONCLUSIONS: The strongest correlates of facility-based delivery in Bugesera District include previous delivery at a health facility, possession of health insurance, greater financial autonomy, more recent interactions with the health system, and proximity to a health center. Recent structural interventions in Rwanda, including the rapid scale-up of community-financed health insurance, likely contributed to the dramatic improvement in the health facility delivery rate observed in our study.Item Open Access Prevention and Control of Hypertension: JACC Health Promotion Series.(Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2018-09) Carey, Robert M; Muntner, Paul; Bosworth, Hayden B; Whelton, Paul KHypertension, the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, originates from combined genetic, environmental, and social determinants. Environmental factors include overweight/obesity, unhealthy diet, excessive dietary sodium, inadequate dietary potassium, insufficient physical activity, and consumption of alcohol. Prevention and control of hypertension can be achieved through targeted and/or population-based strategies. For control of hypertension, the targeted strategy involves interventions to increase awareness, treatment, and control in individuals. Corresponding population-based strategies involve interventions designed to achieve a small reduction in blood pressure (BP) in the entire population. Having a usual source of care, optimizing adherence, and minimizing therapeutic inertia are associated with higher rates of BP control. The Chronic Care Model, a collaborative partnership among the patient, provider, and health system, incorporates a multilevel approach for control of hypertension. Optimizing the prevention, recognition, and care of hypertension requires a paradigm shift to team-based care and the use of strategies known to control BP.Item Open Access Reprint of: Prevention and Control of Hypertension: JACC Health Promotion Series.(Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2018-12) Carey, Robert M; Muntner, Paul; Bosworth, Hayden B; Whelton, Paul KHypertension, the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, originates from combined genetic, environmental, and social determinants. Environmental factors include overweight/obesity, unhealthy diet, excessive dietary sodium, inadequate dietary potassium, insufficient physical activity, and consumption of alcohol. Prevention and control of hypertension can be achieved through targeted and/or population-based strategies. For control of hypertension, the targeted strategy involves interventions to increase awareness, treatment, and control in individuals. Corresponding population-based strategies involve interventions designed to achieve a small reduction in blood pressure (BP) in the entire population. Having a usual source of care, optimizing adherence, and minimizing therapeutic inertia are associated with higher rates of BP control. The Chronic Care Model, a collaborative partnership among the patient, provider, and health system, incorporates a multilevel approach for control of hypertension. Optimizing the prevention, recognition, and care of hypertension requires a paradigm shift to team-based care and the use of strategies known to control BP.Item Open Access Rural Community Engagement for Health Disparities Research: The Unique Role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).(International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020-12) Taylor, Lorraine C; Watkins, Charity S; Chesterton, Hannah; Kimbro, K Sean; Gerald, RubyReducing health disparities in rural communities of color remains a national concern. Efforts to reduce health disparities often center on community engagement, which is historically the strategy used to provide rural minority populations with support to access and utilize health information and services. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), with their origins derived from social injustices and discrimination, are uniquely positioned to conduct this type of engagement. We present the "Research with Care" project, a long-standing positive working relationship between North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and rural Halifax County, North Carolina, demonstrating an effective campus-community partnership. The importance of readiness to implement Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) principles is underscored. As demonstrated by the NCCU-Halifax partnership, we recommend leveraging the positive associations of the HBCU brand identity as a method of building and sustaining meaningful relationships with rural Black communities. This underscores the role and value of HBCUs in the health disparities research arena and should be communicated and embraced.Item Open Access Short message service (SMS) text messaging as an intervention medium for weight loss: A literature review.(Health informatics journal, 2012-12) Shaw, Ryan; Bosworth, HaydenNearly 68% of American adults are obese or overweight. Mobile devices such as mobile phones have emerged as a mode of intervention delivery to help people improve their health, particularly in relation to weight loss. This literature review examines the relationship between the use of short message service (SMS) text messaging as an intervention medium and weight loss. Results from this literature review (n = 14) suggest that SMS as an intervention tool for weight loss is still in its infancy. Initial results are promising but continued investigation is needed. We offer several recommendations for future research.Item Open Access Social networks, health-promoting behaviors, and health-related quality of life in older adults with and without arthritis.(PloS one, 2019-01) Hong, Minjoo; Shin, Hyewon; De Gagne, Jennie CThe purpose of this secondary analysis study was to compare social networks, health-promoting behaviors, and health-related quality of life of South Korean adults, aged 65 years or older, with and without arthritis, and to identify factors that are related to health-related quality of life. The sample consisted of 103 adults with arthritis and 123 adults without arthritis. Data were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance, χ2-test, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. All variables except age and religion showed statistically significant differences between older adults with and without arthritis. The group with arthritis reported lower scores on social networks, health-promoting behaviors, and health-related quality of life compared to the healthy group without arthritis. Analyzed using multiple regression, 43.8% of the older adults with arthritis had the factors related to health-related quality of life (F = 40.71, p < .001) including exercise (β = .43, p < .001) and living with someone (β = .32, p = .001). In the group of older adults without arthritis, 26.2% had the factors related to health-related quality of life (F = 15.44, p < .001) including exercise (β = .31, p = .001), social gatherings, and employment status. Exercise was one of the factors that showed the strongest relationship to health-related quality of life. The provision of resources that can enable an individual to engage in physical activities is warranted.Item Open Access Spousal concordance in health behavior change.(Health Serv Res, 2008-02) Falba, TA; Sindelar, JLOBJECTIVE: This study examines the degree to which a married individual's health habits and use of preventive medical care are influenced by his or her spouse's behaviors. STUDY DESIGN: Using longitudinal data on individuals and their spouses, we examine changes over time in the health habits of each person as a function of changes in his or her spouse's health habits. Specifically, we analyze changes in smoking, drinking, exercising, cholesterol screening, and obtaining a flu shot. DATA SOURCE: This study uses data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative sample of individuals born between 1931 and 1941 and their spouses. Beginning in 1992, 12,652 persons (age-eligible individuals as well as their spouses) from 7,702 households were surveyed about many aspects of their life, including health behaviors, use of preventive services, and disease diagnosis. SAMPLE: The analytic sample includes 6,072 individuals who are married at the time of the initial HRS survey and who remain married and in the sample at the time of the 1996 and 2000 waves. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We consistently find that when one spouse improves his or her behavior, the other spouse is likely to do so as well. This is found across all the behaviors analyzed, and persists despite controlling for many other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous changes occur in a number of health behaviors. This conclusion has prescriptive implications for developing interventions, treatments, and policies to improve health habits and for evaluating the impact of such measures.