Clinician knowledge of driving restrictions following a stroke event.

Aim: To investigate the knowledge and practice of health professionals when advising persons on driving restrictions after a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or stroke in a tertiary hospital in New Zealand.

Methods: Health professionals working in the area of stroke care across the acute and rehabilitation services in a large tertiary hospital were invited to complete an electronic survey around knowledge of driving restrictions based on the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) guidelines. Knowledge was assessed for both private and commercial vehicle use.

Functional food awareness and perceptions in relation to information sources in older adults.

Background: The functional food industry has experienced innovative and economic expansion, yet research into consumer perceptions of functional foods and their associated health claims is limited. Among consumers, older adults could benefit from functional foods due to age-related issues pertaining to food and health. The purpose of this research was to identify the need for information related to functional foods among older adults (≥60 years old) and to assess awareness and perceptions of health claims on functional food packages.

Translating knowledge into dietetic practice: a Functional Foods for Healthy Aging Toolkit.

The advance of functional foods has evolved because of research linking functional foods to health, a regulatory environment that allows health claims on foods, and consumer demand for health-promoting food products. Among consumers, the rapidly growing older adult segment is poised to benefit from functional foods because of age-related health issues that are linked to food and health. Registered Dietitians (RDs) are recognized as food and nutrition experts and are well positioned to communicate the benefits of functional foods.

Counseling and provision of long-acting reversible contraception in the US: national survey of nurse practitioners.

Objective: Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide frontline care in women's health, including contraception, an essential preventive service. Their importance for contraceptive care will grow, with healthcare reforms focused on affordable primary care. This study assessed practice and training needs to prepare NPs to offer high-efficacy contraceptives - intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants.

Exploration of functional food consumption in older adults in relation to food matrices, bioactive ingredients, and health.

The functional food industry is expanding, yet research into consumer perceptions of functional foods is limited. Older adults could benefit from functional foods due to age-related food and health issues. This research gathered information about functional foods from community-dwelling older adults (n = 200) who completed a researcher-administered questionnaire about consumption, food matrices, bioactive ingredients, and health areas addressed through functional foods.

A nationally representative survey of healthcare provider counselling and provision of the female condom in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Objectives: Female condoms are the only female-initiated HIV and pregnancy prevention technology currently available. We examined female condom counselling and provision among providers in South Africa and Zimbabwe, high HIV-prevalence countries.

Design: A cross-sectional study using a nationally representative survey.

Postabortion contraception: qualitative interviews on counseling and provision of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods.

Context: Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods (IUDs and implants) are the most effective and cost-effective methods for women. Although they are safe to place immediately following an abortion, most clinics do not offer this service, in part because of the increased cost.

Methods: In 2009, telephone interviews were conducted with 20 clinicians and 24 health educators at 25 abortion care practices across the country.

Willingness of clinicians to integrate microbicides into HIV prevention practices in southern Africa.

The first vaginal microbicide was recently proven effective in clinical trials. We assessed the willingness of clinicians to integrate microbicides into HIV prevention practices in Southern Africa, where women face elevated HIV risks. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 60) and nationally representative surveys (n = 1,444) in South Africa and Zimbabwe with nurses and physicians.

Pelvic examinations and access to oral hormonal contraception.

Objective: Requiring a pelvic examination before prescribing oral contraception poses an unnecessary barrier to contraceptive access. Medical guidelines have outlined the safety of oral contraception provision without a pelvic examination, yet little is known about the practices of clinicians providing reproductive health care. Our purpose was to investigate clinicians' requirements for pelvic examination and what may account for practice differences.

Abstinence and teenagers: prevention counseling practices of health care providers serving high-risk patients in the United States.

Context: Abstinence-only education has had little demonstrable impact on teenagers' sexual behaviors, despite significant policy and funding efforts. Given the struggle over resources to improve teenagers' reproductive health outcomes, the views of clinicians serving teenagers at high risk for unintended pregnancy and STDs merit particular attention.

Methods: In 2005, a qualitative study with 31 clinicians serving low-income, at-risk patients was conducted.