Suchergebnisse

This article reviews three competing hypotheses that address the reasons people turn to alternative medicine. According to the medical outcome hypothesis, the reason is dissatisfaction with the health outcomes of conventional medicine. According to the medical encounter hypothesis, the reason is dissatisfaction with the doctor-patient interaction patterns. According to the postmodern hypothesis, the reason is the recent emergence of a new value system that is congruent with the philosophical underpinnings of alternative medicine. Multivariate analyses of results based on a random sample of individuals support the medical encounter and postmodern hypothe ses and show that the set of postmodern values, in comparison to dissatisfaction with the medical encounter, is by far a better predictor of attitudes towards alternative medicine. Future research possibilities are discussed.

Purpose. To examine the effect of happiness and life satisfaction on health. Design. Longitudinal data from waves 1 and 3, conducted in 2001 and 2004, respectively, of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. Setting. Australia. Subjects. A total of 9981 respondents aged 18 years and older. Measures. Outcomes were self-reported health; the absence of long-term, limiting health conditions; and physical health. Happiness was assessed with the following question: "During the past 4 weeks, have you been a happy person"? Life satisfaction was determined with the following question: "All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life"? Analysis. We used multiple regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (ORs), beta coefficients (β), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between baseline happiness or life satisfaction and health at wave 3. Results. Baseline happiness and life satisfaction both were positively associated at wave 3 with excellent, very good, or good health (OR = 1.50, CI = 1.33–1.70, p < .0001; and OR= 1.62, CI = 1.27–2.08, p < .0001, respectively); with the absence of long-term, limiting health conditions (OR = 1.53, CI = 135–1.15, p < .0001; and OR = 1.51, CI = 1.25–1.82, p < .0001, respectively); and with higher physical health levels (β̂ = .99, CI = .60–1.39, p < .0001; and β̂ = .99, CI = .20–1.18, p < .0145, respectively). Conclusion. This study showed that happier people and those who were more satisfied with their lives at baseline reported better health (self-rated health; absence of limiting, long-term conditions; and physical health) at the 2-year follow-up when adjusted for baseline health and other relevant covariates.

Introduction and Aims: Increases in tobacco taxation can lead to reductions in tobacco consumption and prevalence of use across social groups. However, use of price-minimisation strategies to manage current and future tobacco use and the role of financial stress is less understood. This study aimed to measure the effect of cigarette price increases on price-minimisation strategy endorsement and financial stress among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers. Design and Methods: Community service organisation welfare recipients in NSW, Australia completed a touchscreen survey. Smoking history, financial stress, highest price to quit and responses to hypothetical cigarette price increases were assessed. Results: Participants were 354 smokers (response rate=79%). Most participants received income from a government pension (95%), earned

Introduction and Aims: Increases in tobacco taxation can lead to reductions in tobacco consumption and prevalence of use across social groups. However, use of price-minimisation strategies to manage current and future tobacco use and the role of financial stress is less understood. This study aimed to measure the effect of cigarette price increases on price-minimisation strategy endorsement and financial stress among socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers. Design and Methods: Community service organisation welfare recipients in NSW, Australia completed a touchscreen survey. Smoking history, financial stress, highest price to quit and responses to hypothetical cigarette price increases were assessed. Results: Participants were 354 smokers (response rate=79%). Most participants received income from a government pension (95%), earned

Disadvantaged groups are an important target for smoking cessation intervention. Smoking rates are markedly higher among severely socially disadvantaged groups such as indigenous people, the homeless, people with a mental illness or drug and alcohol addiction, and the unemployed than in the general population. This proposal aims to evaluate the efficacy of a client-centred, caseworker delivered cessation support intervention at increasing validated self reported smoking cessation rates in a socially disadvantaged population.A block randomised controlled trial will be conducted. The setting will be a non-government organisation, Community Care Centre located in New South Wales, Australia which provides emergency relief and counselling services to predominantly government income assistance recipients. Eligible clients identified as smokers during a baseline touch screen computer survey will be recruited and randomised by a trained research assistant located in the waiting area. Allocation to intervention or control groups will be determined by time periods with clients randomised in one-week blocks. Intervention group clients will receive an intensive client-centred smoking cessation intervention offered by the caseworker over two face-to-face and two telephone contacts. There will be two primary outcome measures obtained at one, six, and 12 month follow-up: 1) 24-hour expired air CO validated self-reported smoking cessation and 2) 7-day self-reported smoking cessation. Continuous abstinence will also be measured at six and 12 months follow up.This study will generate new knowledge in an area where the current information regarding the most effective smoking cessation approaches with disadvantaged groups is limited.ISRCTN: ISRCTN85202510.