“Hike up yer skirt, and quit.” what motivates and supports smoking cessation in builders and renovators.

Construction-related occupations have very high smoking prevalence rates and are an identified priority population for efforts to promote cessation. This study sought to identify the smoking cessation supports and services which best suited this workforce group, and to identify gaps in reach of preventive health services. We performed qualitative text analysis on pre-existing conversations about smoking cessation among workers in this sector.

Non-smoking worksites in the residential construction sector: using an online forum to study perspectives and practices.

Objectives: Blue-collar workers are a recognised priority for tobacco control. Construction workers have very high smoking rates and are difficult to study and reach with interventions promoting smoke-free workplaces and cessation. The objectives of this study were to explore the smoking-related social climate in the North American residential construction sector and to identify potential barriers and facilitators to creating smoke-free worksites.

Identifying core competencies for public health epidemiologists.

Background: Public health authorities have prioritized the identification of competencies, yet little empirical data exist to support decisions on competency selection among particular disciplines. We sought perspectives on important competencies among epidemiologists familiar with or practicing in public health settings (local to national).

Methods: Using a sequential, qualitative-quantitative mixed method design, we conducted key informant interviews with 12 public health practitioners familiar with front-line epidemiologists' practice, followed by a web-based survey of members of a provincial association of public health epidemiologists (90 respondents of 155 eligible) and a consensus workshop.

Differences in the correlates of physical activity between urban and rural Canadian youth.

Background: Despite the benefits of physical activity (PA), a significant proportion of youth remains inactive. Studies assessing differences in the correlates of PA among urban and rural youth are scarce, and such investigations can help identify subgroups of the population that may need to be targeted for special intervention programs. The purpose of this study was to assess differences in the correlates of PA between Canadian urban and rural youth.

Are physicians ready for patients with Internet-based health information?

Background: An increasing number of patients bring Internet-based health information to medical consultations. However, little is known about how physicians experience, manage, and view these patients.

Objective: This study aimed to advance the understanding of the effects of incorporating Internet-based health information into routine medical consultations from physicians' perspectives, using a qualitative approach.

Testing a conceptual model related to weight perceptions, physical activity and smoking in adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to test a conceptual model based on theoretical and empirically supported relationships related to the influences of weight perceptions, weight concerns, desires to change weight, friends, age and location in relation to physical activity (PA) and smoking in adolescents. A total of 1242 males and 1446 females (mean age = 15.6 +/- 1.

Physical activity, smoking, and obesity among Canadian school youth. Comparison between urban and rural schools.

Background: More information is needed to document the prevalence of health risk factors in youth. The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of physical inactivity, smoking and overweight/obesity among youth in urban and rural schools.

Methods: Data were obtained from a Student Physical Activity and Smoking Survey of 2,697 high school students in four urban schools in Ontario and four rural schools in Alberta.

Smoking, physical activity and breakfast consumption among secondary school students in a southwestern Ontario community.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of smoking, low levels of physical activity, and missing breakfast among students (n=318) in grades 9 through 12 in three schools in southwestern Ontario; to see if these behaviours were associated; and, whether there were gender differences.

Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted in grade 10 English classes.

Results: The response rate was 87.