An informational versus monetary incentive in increasing physicians' response rates.

This study examined return rates for a cancer prevention survey by pediatricians in relation to an informational booklet versus a monetary incentive in the first of a three-wave mailing. Of the 300 surveys sent which included an informational booklet incentive, 189 (64%) were returned. Of the 300 surveys sent which included a $1.

Sun protection counseling by pediatricians.

Objective: To establish a national baseline regarding pediatricians' sun protection counseling perceptions and behaviors.

Interventions: A survey was mailed to a random sample of 600 pediatricians selected from the 1996 American Academy of Pediatrics Directory using a 3-wave mailing technique to maximize the response rate. The 3-wave mailing resulted in 414 returned surveys of 583 surveys (17 surveys were nondeliverable) (a 71% response rate).

Increasing return rates to a mail survey among health educators.

This study indicated a combination of methods increased the return rate (80%) in a national survey of health educators (n = 546). Also, use of a $1.00 bill incentive was not significantly more effective than no incentive, and the rate of double responses in this anonymous mail survey was very low (1%).

Family practice physicians' firearm safety counseling beliefs and behaviors.

The purpose of this study was to identify family physicians' firearm safety counseling beliefs and behaviors. A survey was mailed to a random sample of 600 members of the American Academy of Family Physicians. A three wave mailing technique was used to maximize the response rate and yielded 271 usable surveys (55% response rate).

The effect of a monetary incentive in increasing the return rate of a survey to family physicians.

The barrage of requests family physicians receive to complete mail surveys often results in physicians who are unwilling, or unable due to time constraints, to complete each survey they receive. Thus, to obtain an acceptable response rate, state-of-the-art mail survey techniques must be used. This article reports the results of the use of a modest ($1) monetary incentive to increase a survey response rate.

Training in firearm safety counseling in family practice residency programs.

The purpose of this study was to establish a national baseline regarding the prevalence of training of family practice residents regarding firearm safety counseling. A national survey of the residency directors at the 420 accredited family practice residency programs in the coterminous United States was used to assess the prevalence of training in firearm safety counseling, perceived effectiveness of such training, and perceived barriers to such counseling in residency programs. Program directors were sent a two-page questionnaire on firearm safety counseling activity in their programs and 71% responded.

Evaluation of a third grade sexual abuse curriculum.

This paper presents results from a third grade sexual abuse prevention program. A 24-item questionnaire was administered as a pretest and post-test to an experimental group (n = 236) and a control group (n = 195) of third grade students. Those receiving the sexual abuse prevention program significantly increased their sexual abuse knowledge scores from pretest to post-test.

A national assessment of secondary school principals' perceptions of violence in schools.

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the perceptions of secondary school principals regarding violence and weapons in public and private schools in the United States. Student weapon carrying was most often reported in larger schools, schools with higher levels of violence in the school's neighborhood, and in schools with a higher percentage of low-socioeconomic (SES) students. Perceived as major etiological factors of violence were lack of parental supervision at home, lack of family involvement with school, and exposure to violence in the mass media.

Training in firearm safety counseling in pediatric residency programs.

Objective: To examine the status of formal training in pediatric residency programs with regard to firearm safety counseling.

Design: Survey.

Setting: Pediatric residency programs of the coterminous United States (N = 209).

A randomised controlled trial evaluating a novel cytotoxic drug delivery system for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of a novel method for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. A cytotoxic drug delivery system using a bilaminar bioadhesive polymeric film was applied directly to the cervix. This cytotoxic drug delivery system allowed the dose, the site and the duration of application of the cytotoxic drug (5-fluorouracil) to be controlled.

Accuracy of least squares designed spatial FIR filters for segmentation of images of fluorescence stained cell nuclei.

A method for accurate, real-time image segmentation is needed for the development of a fully automated image cytometer that combines the speed and case-of-use of flow cytometry with the detailed morphometry of imaging. Object intensity variation and inherent optical blur make real-time segmentation challenging. The best spatial finite impulse response (FIR) filter, implemented as a convolution, was tested for sharpening edges and creating the required contrast.

Laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy: initial experience.

We reviewed the charts of 36 women who had laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomies (LAVH) at Belfast City Hospital over a 3 year period. The average operating time was 105 minutes. However, patients had a shorter duration of hospitalization (< 4 days for 96% of patients) with rapid recuperation (3.

Effects of an inservice workshop on the health teaching self-efficacy of elementary school teachers.

This study examined the effectiveness of a 30-hour health education inservice training for elementary school teachers. Effectiveness was assessed by measuring pretest to post-test (eight months apart) differences in health teaching self-efficacy, amount of time per week teaching health education, and amount of effort on specific health content areas. Workshop participants scored significantly higher than control teachers on efficacy expectations, outcome expectations, and outcome value subscales.

Developing cancer pamphlets for economically disadvantaged African Americans.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in African Americans. The relatively poor cancer survival prognosis in this population is a consequence of a group which is more likely to be less well educated and which composes one-fourth of the unemployed and one-third of the socioeconomically disadvantaged. While this paper describes the procedures used to create culturally appropriate cancer pamphlets specifically designed for low socioeconomic status African Americans, the same process could be used by health educators interested in developing pamphlets for less well educated populations on a myriad of other topics.

Video microscopy to quantitate the inhomogeneous equilibrium strain within articular cartilage during confined compression.

The objectives of this study were to develop a method to quantitate the displacement and strain fields within articular cartilage during equilibrium confined compression, and to use the method to determine the variation of the equilibrium confined compression modulus with depth from the articular surface in bovine cartilage. The method made use of fluorescently labeled chondrocyte nuclei as intrinsic fiducial markers. Articular cartilage was harvested from the patellofemoral groove of adult bovines and trimmed to rectangular blocks 5 mm long, 0.

Race-specific versus general stamps on African-American women's survey return rates.

This study examined cancer survey return rates in relation to race-specific versus general stamps used on self-addressed stamped return envelopes. Of the 104 race-specific stamps sent 41 (39%) were returned. Of the 108 general stamps sent 41 (38%) were returned.

Knowledge, beliefs, and use of prescribed antibiotic medications among low-socioeconomic African Americans.

This study examined knowledge, beliefs, and use of prescribed oral antibiotics of 163 low-socioeconomic African-American adults in a large midwestern city. The effects of age, education, and gender on knowledge and use of antibiotics were examined. Slightly more than 65% of the subjects in this study preferred using brand-name antibiotics.

Perceptions of cervical cancer and Pap smear screening behavior by women's sexual orientation.

This study examined 330 adult females' perceptions and practices regarding cervical cancer by sexual orientation. Ninety-four percent of respondents were unable to correctly identify all 5 risk factors associated with increased risk for cervical cancer (smoking, sexual intercourse with men, multiple male sexual partners, sexual intercourse before age 16, and having genital warts) regardless of sexual orientation. Furthermore, 20% were not able to identify any of the 5 risk factors for cervical cancer.

African-American mothers' perceptions of cholesterol and its effects on their children.

This study examined African-American mothers' perceptions of cholesterol and its effects on their children. A random sample of middle- and upper-class women, Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority members, 26 to 53 years of age, responded to a 42-item questionnaire. Fifty-nine percent knew their cholesterol level and 13% knew the cholesterol level of their children.

Students' perceptions of violence in the public schools: the MetLife survey.

Purpose: To investigate secondary school students' perceptions of violence in American public schools.

Methods: Subjects included 726 public school students in grades 7 through 12. A two-stage clustered and stratified (by grade level, region, and location) sample design was used to obtain the sample.

Characteristics of elementary school principals and their support for the physical education program.

The purpose was to describe the characteristics of elementary school principals who support elementary physical education programs. A statewide random sample of 500 elementary school principals and their respective elementary physical education teachers (n = 500) were mailed questionnaires. A total of 321 principals responded (64%) to a 20-item questionnaire which assessed their physical fitness and their perceptions of elementary physical education.

Family physicians' views of the preventive services task force recommendations regarding nutritional counseling.

Objective: To determine the level of agreement between family physicians and the nutritional counseling recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force.

Design: A survey was developed, tested, and mailed to a random nationwide sample of 500 family physicians.

Participants: Active members of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Kansas City, Mo.

Perceptions and practices of family physicians regarding diet and cancer.

This study was undertaken to determine the beliefs of family physicians about the role of diet and cancer, as well as to determine how often family physicians assess dietary risks in patient encounters and recommend preventive dietary practices to reduce cancer risk. This study consisted of a survey of a national random sample of 486 family physicians from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), and 237 responded (49%). The demographic characteristics of the respondents were determined to be similar to those of the AAFP membership.