Health behaviors among unaffected participants following receipt of variants of uncertain significance in cardiomyopathy-associated genes.

PURPOSE: Studies on returning variants of uncertain significance (VUS) results have predominantly included patients with a personal or family history of cancer and cancer-associated gene VUS. This study examined health behaviors among participants with cardiomyopathy-associated gene VUS, but without a personal history of cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Sixty-eight eligible participants without apparent cardiomyopathy but with VUS in cardiomyopathy-associated genes completed a survey of health behaviors, disclosure, distress, uncertainty, positive experiences, decisional conflict, and perceived value. The medical records of participants who reported cardiac testing because of their VUS were reviewed for testing indication(s). RESULTS: Two participants had cardiac testing due to their VUS alone. Four had cardiac testing because of their VUS and other clinical indications. Twelve changed health behaviors, including one participant who was subsequently diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. Distress, uncertainty, and decisional conflict were low (means = 1.2, 4.2, and 24.5 (scale ranges = 0-30, 0-45, and 15-75), respectively), and positive experiences and perceived value were moderate (means = 12.4 and 14.4 (scale ranges = 0-20 and 4-20), respectively). Greater perceived value was associated with greater likelihood to engage in health behaviors (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Positive VUS results can be returned to apparently unaffected individuals with modest use of healthcare resources, minimal behavioral changes, and favorable psychological reactions.

Optimizing Tailored Communications for Health Risk Assessment: A Randomized Factorial Experiment of the Effects of Expectancy Priming, Autonomy Support, and Exemplification.

BACKGROUND: Health risk assessments with tailored feedback plus health education have been shown to be effective for promoting health behavior change. However, there is limited evidence to guide the development and delivery of online automated tailored feedback. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to optimize tailored feedback messages for an online health risk assessment to promote enhanced user engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions for engaging in healthy behaviors. We examined the effects of three theory-based message factors used in developing tailored feedback messages on levels of engagement, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions. METHODS: We conducted a randomized factorial experiment to test three different components of tailored feedback messages: tailored expectancy priming, autonomy support, and use of an exemplar. Individuals (N=1945) were recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned to one of eight different experimental conditions within one of four behavioral assessment and feedback modules (tobacco use, physical activity [PA], eating habits, and weight). Participants reported self-efficacy and behavioral intentions pre- and postcompletion of an online health behavior assessment with tailored feedback. Engagement and message perceptions were assessed at follow-up. RESULTS: For the tobacco module, there was a significant main effect of the exemplar factor (P=.04); participants who received exemplar messages (mean 3.31, SE 0.060) rated their self-efficacy to quit tobacco higher than those who did not receive exemplar messages (mean 3.14, SE 0.057). There was a three-way interaction between the effect of message conditions on self-efficacy to quit tobacco (P=.02), such that messages with tailored priming and an exemplar had the greatest impact on self-efficacy to quit tobacco. Across PA, eating habits, and weight modules, there was a three-way interaction among conditions on self-efficacy (P=.048). The highest self-efficacy scores were reported among those who were in the standard priming condition and received both autonomy supportive and exemplar messages. In the PA module, autonomy supportive messages had a stronger effect on self-efficacy for PA in the standard priming condition. For PA, eating habits, and weight-related behaviors, the main effect of exemplar messages on behavioral intentions was in the hypothesized direction but did not reach statistical significance (P=.08). When comparing the main effects of different message conditions, there were no differences in engagement and message perceptions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that tailored feedback messages that use exemplars helped improve self-efficacy related to tobacco cessation, PA, eating habits, and weight control. Combining standard priming and autonomy supportive message components shows potential for optimizing tailored feedback for tobacco cessation and PA behaviors.

The Ethics of Making Patients Responsible.

In their daily clinical work, healthcare professionals generally apply what seems to be a double standard for the responsibility of patients. On the one hand, patients are encouraged to take responsibility for lifestyle changes that can improve their chances of good health. On the other hand, when patients fail to follow such recommendations, they are not held responsible for the failure. This seeming inconsistency is explained in terms of the distinction between task responsibility and blame responsibility. The double standard for responsibility is shown to be epistemologically rational, ethically commendable, and therapeutically advantageous. However, this non-blaming approach to patient responsibility is threatened by proposals to assign lower priority in healthcare to patients who are themselves responsible for their disease. Such responsibility-based priority setting requires that physicians assign blame responsibility to their patients, a practice that would run into conflict with the ethical foundations of the patient-physician relationship. Therefore, such proposals should be rejected.

Factores determinantes de la lactancia materna exclusiva: Policlínico "Aleida Fernández". 2015 / Determinant factors of exclusive breastfeeding. "Aleida Fernández" Polyclinic. 2015

Introducción: La historia de la lactancia materna es tan antigua como la historia de la humanidad. La leche materna ha sido durante toda la existencia del ser humano el único alimento que el recién nacido y el lactante pequeño podían recibir para sobrevivir. En Cuba en 2014 se pudo apreciar que 33,2 por ciento de los infantes menores de 6 meses eran amamantados con lactancia materna exclusiva. Objetivo: Caracterizar el comportamiento de la lactancia materna exclusiva, según factores biosociales en el Policlínico Docente Aleida Fernández Chardiet del municipio La Lisa, en 2015. Material y Métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional descriptivo, de corte transversal. El universo de estudio lo constituyeron 182 madres de niños nacidos durante esa etapa en el área de salud. Se realizaron distribuciones de frecuencia y cálculos porcentuales. Resultados: El 49,5 por ciento de madres mantuvo lactancia materna exclusiva por 6 meses. Solo 34,2 por ciento de madres con nivel de escolaridad de secundaria, mantuvo la lactancia materna exclusiva por 6 meses. Conclusiones: Casi la mitad de las madres mantuvieron la lactancia materna exclusiva por 6 meses. En las madres en que la lactancia materna exclusiva duró menos de 6 meses, predominaron los siguientes factores biosociales: edad menor de 20 años, nivel de escolaridad de secundaria, estudiantes, primíparas, solteras y las de familia severamente disfuncionales. La insuficiente disponibilidad de leche en las mamas fue la la causa más frecuente de supresión de la lactancia materna exclusiva(AU)

Introduction: The history of breastfeeding is as old as the history of mankind. Breast milk has been the only food that the newborn and the small infant could receive to survive during all the existence of the human being. It was observed that 33,2 percent of the infants younger than 6 months received exclusive breastfeeding in Cuba, in 2014. Objective: To characterize exclusive breastfeeding behavior according to biosocial factors in Aleida Fernández Chardiet Teaching Polyclinic, La Lisa Municipality, in the year 2015. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was conducted. The universe of study was composed of 182 mothers of children who were born in the health area during the study period. Distribution of frequencies, and percentage calculations were carried out. Results: 49,5 percent of mothers maintained exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Only 34,2 percent of mothers with secondary school education maintained exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. Conclusions:Almost half the mothers maintained exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. The following biosocial factors predominate in those mothers in whom exclusive breastfeeding lasted less than 6 months: younger than 20 years of age, secondary school education, students, primiparas, single, and mothers from severe dysfunctional families. Insufficient milk availability in the breasts was the most frequent cause of breastfeeding suppression(AU)

Conscientiousness, hair cortisol concentration, and health behaviour in older men and women.

Conscientious is associated with greater longevity and other favourable health outcomes, but the processes underlying these links are poorly understood. Health behaviours such as physical activity and avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption may contribute, but direct associations with neuroendocrine and inflammatory processes may also be relevant. We tested the associations between conscientiousness and hair cortisol concentration in 2318 older men and women (mean age 66.2 years) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Conscientiousness was positively associated with physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption, and negatively related to alcohol intake, sedentary behaviour, body mass index and depressive symptoms (all p<0.001). We found an inverse association between conscientiousness and hair cortisol concentration that was independent of age, sex, education and wealth (ß=-0.053, p=0.012), and the relationship remained significant with additional adjustment for health behaviour and depressive symptoms (ß=-0.048, p=0.025). The observation that greater conscientiousness was correlated with lower hair cortisol indicates that this trait might impact central nervous regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical function, with effects that are possibly advantageous for health.

Rights and duties of patients suffering from Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Tunisia.

The spread of the disease of HIV has been decreased since the promotion and protection of human rights. In Tunisian law, patient infected by HIV, as every citizen, enjoys of all his rights without any discrimination, including the right to life and dignity, the right to care access, the free choice of doctor, the right to be informed and consent before any health care and specially the right to medical confidentiality. The Code of patients rights and the law no° 2007-12 of 12 February 2007 supplementing the law no° 92-71 of 27 July 1992 related to transmitted diseases ensure the protection and the respect of these rights. However, law requires a great sense of responsibility from patients and obliges them to avoid any unconscious behavior that can risk transmission of the disease. But, the application of these laws raises always many ethical problems that need reflexions.

Relationship of moderate alcohol intake and type of beverage with health behaviors and quality of life in elderly subjects.

PURPOSE: This work was aimed to study the relationships of moderate alcohol intake and the type of beverages consumed with health behaviors and quality of life in elderly people. METHODS: In this observational study, 231 subjects (55-85 years) voluntarily answering to advertisements were enrolled and divided in three study groups: abstainers and occasional consumers (ABS; n = 98), moderate drinkers of beer (BEER; n = 63) and moderate drinkers of all sorts of alcoholic beverages (MIXED; n = 70). Variables assessed included physical activity, activities of daily living, Mediterranean diet-adherence score, tobacco consumption, quality of sleep, body composition, medication and perception of health through the SF-36 questionnaire. Their relationship with alcohol consumption was assessed through general linear models including confounding variables (age, sex, chronic disease prevalence and socioeconomic status). ABS were also compared to moderate drinkers (MOD = BEER + MIXED). RESULTS: The mean daily alcohol consumption in each group was (mean ± SD): ABS: 0.7 ± 1.1; BEER: 12.7 ± 8.1; MIXED: 13.9 ± 10.2 g/day. MOD and MIXED showed significantly higher physical activity (metabolic standard units; METs) than ABS (p = 0.023 and p = 0.004, respectively). MOD spent significantly less time doing housework activities than ABS (p = 0.032). Daily grams of alcohol consumption were significantly associated with METs (B = 21.727, p = 0.023). Specifically, wine consumption (g/day) was associated with METs (B = 46.196, p = <0.001) and showed borderline significant relationships with mental health (B = 0.245, p = 0.062) and vitality perception (B = 0.266, p = 0.054). CONCLUSION: Moderate alcohol consumption, and in particular wine consumption, is associated with a more active lifestyle and better perception of own health in the Spanish elderly subjects studied.

Queimaduras: pacientes autoinfligidos / Burn injuries: self-inflicted patients

INTRODUÇÃO: As queimaduras autoinfligidas geram consequências físicas, psicológicas e financeiras não só para a vítima, mas também para familiares e para sociedade. A prevalência desse tipo de acidente tem ampla variedade na literatura. O trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o perfil epidemiológico, a conduta e a taxa de letalidade dos pacientes com queimaduras por autoagressão atendidos em centro de tratamento de queimados, como uma forma de contribuir para intervenção efetiva em fatores e comportamentos de risco para tais acidentes. MÉTODO: Estudo retrospectivo por meio da análise dos prontuários de pacientes internados na Unidade de Queimados do Hospital Regional da Asa Norte, Brasília - DF, no período de janeiro de 2008 a dezembro de 2012. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos no estudo 88 pacientes autoinfligidos, 54,5% do gênero feminino, idade média de 33 anos, média da superfície corporal queimada de 36%. A média de tempo de internação foi de 23 dias. A chama aberta foi o agente etiológico das queimaduras em 97,7% dos casos e o álcool foi o agente acelerador em 68,2%. A taxa de letalidade foi de 32,9%. Sessenta pacientes apresentavam comorbidades, sendo os distúrbios psiquiátricos e o etilismo os principais. CONCLUSÃO: As vítimas de queimaduras por autoagressão são geralmente mulheres, com idade média de 33 anos, utilizando álcool como agente da queimadura, afetando em média 36% da superfície corporal, com distúrbios psiquiátricos associados em 32,9% e com taxa de letalidade de 32,9%. No âmbito social, deve-se pensar em medidas públicas que detectem os pacientes em potencial para que seja instituída terapêutica adequada.

INTRODUCTION: Self-inflicted burn injuries lead to physical, psychological, and economic consequences not only to the victims but also to their families and the society. The prevalence of this type of accident varies greatly throughout the existing literatures. This study aimed to analyze the epidemiological profile, behavior, and lethality rate in patients with self-inflicted burn injuries who received treatment in a burn unit, as a way to contribute to the effective intervention to minimize the effects of risk factors and behaviors associated with this type of accident. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective study in which we analyzed medical records of patients hospitalized in the burn unit of Asa Norte's Regional Hospital, DF, Brazil, during the period between January 2008 and December 2012. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 88 patients with self-inflicted burn injuries, of whom 54.5% were female, with a mean age of 33 years and mean burned body surface area of 36%. The mean hospitalization time was 23 days. Open flame was the etiological agent in 97.7% of the burn cases, and alcohol was the accelerating agent in 68.2% of these cases. The lethality rate was 32.9%. Sixty patients had comorbidities, with psychiatric disorders and alcoholism being the most common. CONCLUSION: The patients with self-inflicted burn injuries were generally women, with a mean age of 33 years, who used alcohol as accelerating agent. The mean body surface area affected was 36%. Of the patients, 32.9% had associated psychiatric disorders. The lethality rate was 32.9%. From a social perspective, public measures should be established to detect potential patients in order to administer appropriate therapies.