Browsing by Subject "Attitude to health"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Health care professionals and adolescent vaccination. A call for intervention research
    (Taylor & Francis, 2014-09) Zimet, Gregory D.; IU School of Nursing
    In their recently published research study, Gargano et al. found that a physician's recommendation and parental health beliefs had significant effects on adolescent vaccination rates and on parental intentions to vaccinate. This research replicates the findings of a number of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine-focused research studies, but explores new territory by focusing on all recommended adolescent vaccines: meningococcal-conjugate (MCV4), HPV, influenza, and tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccines. Although Gargano et al.'s study is relatively small in scale and focuses on only one county in Georgia, their results are consistent with many other research reports, suggesting that their findings are robust and replicable. Most published intervention studies have targeted parents and young adults, with little focus on health care professionals. However, given the centrality of physician recommendation in adolescent vaccination, as shown by Gargano et al., it is clear that the time has come to develop and evaluate interventions that help physicians and other health care professionals to more effectively implement strong and routine recommendations for all adolescent platform vaccines.
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    Identification of barriers and beliefs influencing engagement by adult and teen Mexican-Americans in oral health behaviors
    (Dennis Barber, Ltd., 2016-03) Aguirre-Zero, Odette; Westerhold, C.; Goldsworthy, R.; Maupomé, G.; Biomedical and Applied Sciences, School of Dentistry
    OBJECTIVE: To identify barriers and beliefs influencing oral health and dental care-seeking among Mexican-Americans. RESEARCH DESIGN: Interviews and Likert-scale survey questions were utilized to explore urgent and preventive dental care-seeking, oral hygiene habits and lifestyle practices. Thirty-three interviews were conducted with 16 adults (ages 33-52), and 17 adolescents (ages 14-19). RESULTS: Teens identified the same main barriers to accessing dental care as adults: high cost, financial limitations and lack of insurance. Most Mexican-Americans agreed with the belief that everyone will need urgent dental treatment and the majority believed that going to a dentist in private practice instead of the Emergency Room was important. Although adults recognized the importance of preventive dental care, half reported being unlikely to seek such care while half of teens reported that they were likely to do so. Adults reported relying equally on themselves and on peers to make dental care decisions, while teens mostly depended on others to make decisions about urgent and preventive care. Virtually all respondents believed regular brushing to be important and many flossing too. A major barrier to flossing was being unsure of the proper technique. Another barrier to better oral health was not having seen messages encouraging changes in lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that Mexican-American teens and adults may experience oral health similarly. Teens do not have more positive oral health beliefs and encounter mostly the same barriers to care as adults.