Tweeting about pain: comparing self-reported toothache experiences with those of backaches, earaches and headaches.

Background: The authors conducted a study of tweets posted on Twitter to compare self-reported toothache experiences with those of backache, earache and headache in regard to pain intensity, action taken, perceived cause and effect of pain.

Methods: From a total of 508,591 relevant tweets collected on seven nonconsecutive days, the authors randomly selected 1,204 tweets (301 per pain type) and conducted content analyses of each tweet.

Results: Toothaches were described as having higher pain intensity than were earaches or headaches but pain intensity comparable with that of backaches.

Counseling patients on preventing prenatal environmental exposures--a mixed-methods study of obstetricians.

Objective: Describe the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of U.S. obstetricians on the topic of prenatal environmental exposures.

Dentists' willingness to provide expanded HIV screening in oral health care settings: results from a nationally representative survey.

Objectives: Using a nationally representative survey, we determined dentists' willingness to provide oral rapid HIV screening in the oral health care setting.

Methods: From November 2010 through November 2011, a nationally representative survey of general dentists (sampling frame obtained from American Dental Association Survey Center) examined barriers and facilitators to offering oral HIV rapid testing (n = 1802; 70.7% response).

PRE-VIEW: Development and Pilot Testing of An Interactive Video Doctor Plus Provider Alert to Increase Cancer Screening.

Background: Interventions to increase recommended cancer screening tests and discussions are needed.

Methods: We developed PRE-VIEW (The ventive deo ducation in aiting Rooms Program), a multimedia cancer prevention intervention for primary care clinics based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change We pilot tested PRE-VIEW An Interactive Video Doctor plus Provider Alert for feasibility and acceptability in primary care clinic settings in the San Francisco Bay Area, California in 2009-2010.

Results: Eighty participants (33 men and 47 women; more than half non-white) at 5 primary care clinics were included.

The impact of an oral health program on domestic violence survivors within community shelters.

Background: The authors conducted a study to evaluate the impact of an oral health treatment program on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) for women who were domestic violence (DV) survivors living in community shelters.

Methods: After completing DV education, dental residents provided treatment to female survivors of DV (n = 37) at on-site clinics. They administered pretest and posttest surveys to participants to assess their OHRQoL in terms of pain, impact of oral health on functioning and discomfort, embarrassment and quality of life overall to the participants.

Oral health education for pediatric nurse practitioner students.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an interdisciplinary, multifaceted oral health education program delivered to pediatric nurse practitioner students at the University of California, San Francisco, would improve their knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and behaviors regarding the provision of oral health assessments, consultations, referrals, and services to young children during well-child visits. Thirty pediatric nurse practitioner students were included in the study. Participants completed a written survey before and after receiving an interdisciplinary educational intervention that included didactic education, simulation exercises, and clinical observation by a pediatric dental resident.

A collaboration to enhance oral health care for survivors of domestic violence: women's domestic violence shelters and Nova Southeastern University's College of Dental Medicine.

Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine (NSU-CDM) has developed a program to educate its Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residents to provide oral health services to survivors of domestic violence. NSU-CDM worked in collaboration with three community-based sites in Florida's Dade and Broward counties that provide residential and outpatient services to women survivors of domestic violence. The educational program includes didactic instruction and clinical rotations utilizing portable dental equipment assembled at the community-based sites.

Prenatal weight gain: who is counseled?

Background: Because prenatal counseling is associated with adherence to weight gain guidelines, we sought to identify patient-level characteristics associated with the receipt of counseling on weight gain, nutrition, and exercise during prenatal care.

Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis on a cohort of women enrolled in a prenatal counseling intervention study. We controlled for study group assignment (intervention versus usual care) as well as patient characteristics in a multivariable analysis.

Public health surveillance of dental pain via Twitter.

On Twitter, people answer the question, "What are you doing right now?" in no more than 140 characters. We investigated the content of Twitter posts meeting search criteria relating to dental pain. A set of 1000 tweets was randomly selected from 4859 tweets over 7 non-consecutive days.

Improving diet and exercise in pregnancy with Video Doctor counseling: a randomized trial.

Objective: To determine if an interactive, computerized Video Doctor counseling tool improves self-reported diet and exercise in pregnant women.

Methods: A randomized trial comparing a Video Doctor intervention to usual care in ethnically diverse, low-income, English-speaking pregnant women was conducted. Brief messages about diet, exercise, and weight gain were delivered by an actor-portrayed Video Doctor twice during pregnancy.

Increasing discussions of intimate partner violence in prenatal care using Video Doctor plus Provider Cueing: a randomized, controlled trial.

Purpose: To report the effectiveness of a prenatal intervention and to provide evidence that prenatal visits provide an opportune time for health assessment and counseling with abused women.

Methods: Fifty ethnically diverse pregnant women who presented for routine prenatal care and who also reported being at risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) were recruited to the study. Participants were assigned to either usual care or the Video Doctor plus Provider Cueing intervention.

Promoting smoking cessation in pregnancy with Video Doctor plus provider cueing: a randomized trial.

Objective: This study examined the use of a Video Doctor plus provider cueing to promote provider advice and smoking cessation outcomes in pregnancy.

Design: A randomized clinical trial was conducted from 2006 to 2008.

Setting: Five community prenatal clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area of the United States.

Preventing excessive weight gain in pregnancy: how do prenatal care providers approach counseling?

Background: Excessive weight gain during pregnancy is becoming more common and is associated with many adverse maternal and infant outcomes. There is a paucity of data on how weight gain counseling is actually provided in prenatal care settings. Our objective was to study prenatal care providers and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding prevention of excessive weight gain during pregnancy and, secondarily, their approach to nutrition and physical activity counseling during pregnancy.

Assessment of the validity of HLD (CalMod) in identifying orthodontic treatment need.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the Handicapped Labio-Lingual Deviation index with California modifications, HLD (CalMod), in identifying handicapping malocclusions.

Methods: A set of 153 study casts representing all types of malocclusion was utilized in this study. Models were randomly chosen the UCSF Division of Orthodontics clinic.

Prevalence of anterior pituitary dysfunction in patients following traumatic brain injury in a German multi-centre screening program.

Introduction: We determined the prevalence of anterior pituitary dysfunction in a multi-centre screening program across five German endocrine centres in patients rehabilitating from TBI (GCS<13).

Patients & Methods: 246 patients (39+/-14 yrs; 133 males, 12+/-8 months after TBI) underwent a series of baseline endocrine tests with central assessment of TSH, free T4, prolactin, LH, FSH, testosterone (m), estradiol (f), cortisol, GH, and IGF-I. If IGF-I was <-2 SDS dynamic testing was performed.

Age and sex as predictors of biochemical activity in acromegaly: analysis of 1485 patients from the German Acromegaly Register.

Objective: We evaluated the German Acromegaly Register for clinical variables associated with the initial biochemical activity of patients with acromegaly.

Design: Retrospective analysis of data in the registry.

Patients: A total of 1485 patients with acromegaly (males 45.

Computerized counseling for folate knowledge and use: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Periconception folate supplementation significantly reduces the risk of neural-tube defects, but few U.S. women start folate supplementation before pregnancy, and the amount of clinician time available to counsel patients about folate is limited.

Interactive "Video Doctor" counseling reduces drug and sexual risk behaviors among HIV-positive patients in diverse outpatient settings.

Background: Reducing substance use and unprotected sex by HIV-positive persons improves individual health status while decreasing the risk of HIV transmission. Despite recommendations that health care providers screen and counsel their HIV-positive patients for ongoing behavioral risks, it is unknown how to best provide "prevention with positives" in clinical settings. Positive Choice, an interactive, patient-tailored computer program, was developed in the United States to improve clinic-based assessment and counseling for risky behaviors.

Computer-assisted provision of emergency contraception a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent unintended pregnancy. However, many women continue to lack information needed to use EC effectively and clinician time to counsel women about EC is limited.

Objective: To evaluate whether computer-assisted provision of EC can increase knowledge and use of EC among women able to access EC without a prescription.

Cueing prenatal providers effects on discussions of intimate partner violence.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy poses a significant health risk to the mother and developing fetus. Practice guidelines recommend that prenatal providers screen for and counsel their patients about IPV, yet many physicians express reluctance or discomfort regarding such discussions. The Health in Pregnancy (HIP) computer program was designed to improve prenatal providers' counseling about behavioral risks.

How health care setting affects prenatal providers' risk reduction practices: a qualitative comparison of settings.

Background: We sought to understand how systemic factors might facilitate or impede providers' ability to screen for and intervene on prenatal behavioral risks.

Methods: We convened eight focus groups of 60 prenatal care providers to explore methods for assessing and counseling pregnant women about tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use. Because practice setting was often mentioned as either an inducement or barrier to risk prevention, we conducted a re-analysis of focus group transcripts to examine systemic factors.

Dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviors regarding caries risk assessment: impact of years of education and patient age.

Dental caries remains the single most common chronic childhood disease; without intervention, the prevalence and severity of caries increase into adulthood. Dental schools have begun to integrate caries risk assessment (CRA) and prevention counseling into the curriculum. We sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviors of dental students regarding CRA and prevention counseling with children and adults.

Prevalence and correlates of ambivalence towards pregnancy among nonpregnant women.

Background: Ambivalence towards pregnancy is rarely acknowledged in policy discussions.

Methods: We surveyed 441 nonpregnant women who consecutively presented to two urgent care clinics in California about their current intentions to conceive using a five-point scale. We examined the association between ambivalence towards pregnancy, sociodemographic characteristics and use of contraception.

Need for emergency contraception in urgent care settings.

Background: Emergency contraceptive (EC) pills are safe and effective in preventing pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the proportion and characteristics of women seeking urgent care who might benefit from receiving EC.

Methods: We used a computerized survey to assess desire for pregnancy and frequency of sex without contraception among 360 fertile women aged 18 to 45 years, who were seeking urgent care at two clinics in San Francisco, CA.

Knowledge of and perceived access to emergency contraception at two urgent care clinics in California.

Background: California allowed women access to emergency contraception (EC) without a physicians' prescription in 2002.

Methods: To assess knowledge of and perceived access to EC among California women outside of family planning settings, we administered a computerized survey to women, age 18-45 years, who could become pregnant, in the waiting areas of two urgent care clinics in San Francisco in 2005.

Results: Four hundred forty-six women were enrolled.