Agents of change: how do complementary and alternative medicine providers play a role in health behavior change?

Background: Recent investigations indicate that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use may be conducive to health behavior change.

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate how this change occurs.

Methods: Using Social Cognitive Theory and Self-determination Theory as guiding frameworks, we surveyed a convenience sample of 216 CAM consumers abouttheir CAM therapy and iors and conducted focus groups with 36 CAM consumers.

Promising practices in promotion of healthy weight at small and medium-sized US worksites.

Introduction: We developed a new evaluation method to identify promising practices for promoting healthy weight among employees at small and medium-sized worksites.

Methods: We used a structured rating and selection process to select 9 worksites with approximately 100 to 3,000 employees from a pool of worksites with health promotion programs reputed to be exemplary. A site visit over 2 sequential half-days at each site included interviews with senior management, program staff, vendors, and wellness committees; observation guided by a written environmental assessment; and structured review of program data on health outcomes of wellness program participants.

Family-based detection for hereditary hemochromatosis.

The purpose of this study was to examine motivators for and barriers to family-based detection for hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). HH patients (n = 60) and HH siblings (n = 25) participated in one-on-one or group interviews. Patients and siblings understood that HH "runs in families," but not that siblings are at higher HH risk than other family members.