Sociodemographic and social contextual predictors of multiple health behavior change: data from the Healthy Directions-Small Business study.

Multiple modifiable health behaviors contribute to the chronic diseases that are the leading causes of death in the USA. Disparities for meeting recommended health behavior guidelines exist across occupational classes and socioeconomic levels. The purpose of this paper was to investigate sociodemographic and social contextual predictors of multiple health behavior change in a worksite intervention.

Comparing strategies to assess multiple behavior change in behavioral intervention studies.

Background: Alternatives to individual behavior change methods have been proposed, however, little has been done to investigate how these methods compare.

Purpose: To explore four methods that quantify change in multiple risk behaviors targeting four common behaviors.

Methods: We utilized data from two cluster-randomized, multiple behavior change trials conducted in two settings: small businesses and health centers.

Does workplace social capital buffer the effects of job stress? A cross-sectional, multilevel analysis of cigarette smoking among U.S. manufacturing workers.

Objective: To investigate whether workplace social capital buffers the association between job stress and smoking status.

Methods: As part of the Harvard Cancer Prevention Project's Healthy Directions--Small Business Study, interviewer-administered questionnaires were completed by 1740 workers and 288 managers in 26 manufacturing firms (84% and 85% response). Social capital was assessed by multiple items measured at the individual level among workers and contextual level among managers.

A hazardous substance exposure prevention rating method for intervention needs assessment and effectiveness evaluation: the Small Business Exposure Index.

Aims: This paper describes the refinement and adaptation to small business of a previously developed method for systematically prioritizing needs for intervention on hazardous substance exposures in manufacturing worksites, and evaluating intervention effectiveness.

Methods: We developed a checklist containing six unique sets of yes/no variables organized in a 2 x 3 matrix of exposure potential versus exposure protection at three levels corresponding to a simplified hierarchy of controls: materials, processes, and human interface. Each of the six sets of indicator variables was reduced to a high/moderate/low rating.

Social networks and quality of life among female long-term colorectal cancer survivors.

Background: The population of long-term colorectal cancer survivors in the United States continues to increase, but little is known about how they fare-physically, mentally, or socially-in the years after diagnosis. The current study examines female long-term colorectal cancer survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in relation to social networks.

Methods: A population-based sample of female colorectal cancer survivors (n = 726) residing in Wisconsin was recontacted approximately 9 years after the initial diagnosis.