Factors associated with awareness and acceptance of hepatitis B vaccine were identified among 150 homosexual male clients of a Boston community health center. Five percent of the subjects were unaware of hepatitis B and 25 percent had a history of hepatitis. Among the remaining 106 men, 68 percent were aware of the vaccine, and 25 percent of these had been vaccinated. Awareness of vaccine was associated with education beyond the baccalaureate level. Factors associated with vaccination included at least one prior visit to the health center, having health insurance, and extent of knowledge of the effects of hepatitis B. Among those not vaccinated, 68 percent would like to be but were deterred by the perceived high cost of the vaccine. The predominant reason given by the 31 percent who have decided not to be vaccinated was the perception that they were not at risk because of monogamous sexual relationships, or "safer" sexual practices. Strategies for maximizing vaccine use among homosexually active men should focus on increasing both awareness of the vaccine and appropriate perceptions of risk.
Pica is an eating disorder that is manifested by a craving for oral ingestion of a given substance that is unusual in kind and or quantity. It is a long-standing practice that has far reaching implications for prevention and treatment--implications f...
Novotny, Thomas E.; Hopkins, Richard S.; Shillam, Pamela; Janoff, Edward N.;
Published Date:
1990 Jan-Feb
Source:
Public Health Rep. 105(1):72-75
Description:
A sample of children in the toddler age group was surveyed in Denver, CO, to determine the prevalence of Giardia lamblia and to identify risk factors for the intestinal disease. The sample consisted of 236 children attending day-care centers (DCC) an...
During the changeover from the eighth to the ninth revision of the "International Classification of Diseases: Manual of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Injuries, and Causes of Death" (ICD), there were several major alteratio...
A major challenge facing the health care system is to improve the distribution of infant birth weights. Prenatal weight gain and prepregnancy weight status are two of the major factors that influence infant birth weight. These are independently and l...
Recently, the functioning of State-level expert review committees, operating under the auspices of professional medical societies, has become problematic. In particular, an increased number of State maternal mortality review committees have become in...
This project seeks to improve traditional hypertension screening of the black population by developing a community oriented approach that can increase knowledge and involve a new target group--black children--in preventive techniques. To help achieve...
Emergency medical services (EMS) provide rescue, field stabilization, transportation to medical facilities, and definitive care for persons experiencing medical emergencies. In order to advance worldwide development and refinement of EMS systems, and...
A method to estimate site-specific cancer mortality rates using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program incidence and survival data is proposed, calculated, and validated. This measure, the life table-derived mortality rate (LTM), ...
This project is designed to provide tertiary prevention services to physically abusive and physically neglectful families. The prevention service described, Volunteer Peer Support Therapy, is expected to significantly improve parenting skills and par...
Radosevich, D M; Kane, R L; Garrard, J; Skay, C L; McDermott, S; Kepferle, L; Buchanan, J; Arnold, S;
Published Date:
1990 Jan-Feb
Source:
Public Health Rep. 105(1):65-71
Description:
The career paths of geriatric nurse practitioners (GNPs) trained with support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation through the Mountain States Health Corporation (MSHC) were studied. Under this program, GNPs were recruited from sponsoring nursing homes ...
The incidence of child abuse and neglect is epidemic. Many abused children have sustained lifelong injuries. Often they become perpetrators of abuse, continuing the cycle into future generations. Studies have indicated that mothers who are likely to ...
Ewigman, B G; Kivlahan, C H; Hosokawa, M C; Horman, D;
Published Date:
1990 Jan-Feb
Source:
Public Health Rep. 105(1):53-59
Description:
Numerous cases of hearing loss consistent with noise-induced damage were noted among firefighters in the city of Columbia, MO. A survey of firefighting vehicles in operation showed that the firefighters were exposed to excessive noise levels and put ...
Data on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) from January 1984 to June 1989 are used to predict the number of AIDS cases that will be diagnosed during the years 1989 through 1993. Using quadratic and linear model...
Seage, G R; Mayer, K H; Lenderking, W R; Wold, C; Gross, M; Goldstein, R; Cai, B; Heeren, T; Hingson, R; Holmberg, S;
Published Date:
1997 Mar-Apr
Source:
Public Health Rep. 112(2):158-167
Description:
To estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and unprotected anal intercourse among young homosexual and bisexual men.|The authors performed a cross-sec...
Ewigman, B G; Kivlahan, C H; Hosokawa, M C; Horman, D;
Published Date:
1990 Jan-Feb
Source:
Public Health Rep. 105(1):53-59
Description:
Numerous cases of hearing loss consistent with noise-induced damage were noted among firefighters in the city of Columbia, MO. A survey of firefighting vehicles in operation showed that the firefighters were exposed to excessive noise levels and put ...