Does increasing cigarette excise tax improve people's health? The cases of heart attacks and stroke.

Introduction: Recently, public health advocates have fervently supported an increase in the cigarette excise tax as a means of reducing smoking. Likewise, political leaders have heavily relied on the cigarette excise tax as a means of encouraging a reduction in the overall rates of cigarette use. However, little is known about whether the cigarette excise tax is a valid tool for reducing the negative effects of smoking on public health.

Entrepreneurial propensity in health care: models and propositions for empirical research.

We maintain that entrepreneurial propensity is a focal construct in entrepreneurial research. We synthesize the literature to develop models depicting the antecedents and consequents of entrepreneurial propensity in a network of other constructs and variables of interest in the health care industry. We advance propositions for empirical investigation and validation of competing research models associated with entrepreneurial propensity.

Does efficacy mediate stage of change and condom use in injected-drug users?

Objective: To examine condom efficacy and the stages of change in explaining condom usage among a sample of 278 injected-drug users (IDUs).

Methods: Data were collected as part of a statewide behavioral surveillance study.

Results: Participants reported multiple risk behaviors, including having unprotected sex with multiple partners and exchanging sex.

Development of a measure of barriers to HIV testing among individuals at high risk.

Rates of HIV antibody testing remain at approximately 45% of the general population. To more effectively design interventions to increase testing, comprehensive information is needed to understand the barriers to HIV testing. A measure of barriers to HIV testing was developed using the major barriers identified in the literature on barriers to health care utilization (Melnyk, 1988), and tested with a diverse group of individuals at high risk for HIV, including heterosexuals, men who have sex with men, injected drug users, and sex workers.

Rural elementary students', parents', and teachers' perceptions of bullying.

Objective: To examine the prevalence and correlates of bullying in 7 rural elementary schools from students', parents', and teachers' perspectives.

Method: Surveys were completed by 739 fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students, 367 parents, and 37 teachers.

Results: Students tended to report higher prevalence of bullying than did parents or teachers, and their reports were associated with aggression, attitudes toward violence, and perceptions of school safety.