Changing food knowledge, food choice, and dietary fiber consumption by using tailored messages.

The aim of this research was to compare the effects of tailored or general nutrition messages on individuals' food knowledge, food consumption, and fiber intake. Past research in the area of food choice has applied the Theory of Reasoned Action or the Theory of Planned Behavior to identify the determinants of choice. Neither theory, however, is structured to allow the researcher to examine a person's attitudes toward a wide range of foods and then to specify which food(s) from among the set of foods to include in a nutrition message. In contrast, the Behavioral Alternatives Model (BAM) allows the researcher to examine attitudes toward behavioral alternatives (i.e. foods) and to identify which foods are most likely to be selected from among a set of foods. We used the BAM to specify the foods to include in a tailored nutrition message. The results indicated that respondents who received a tailored message derived from the BAM had more food-related knowledge and dietary changes in the recommended direction than the respondents who received a general message.

Portal vein thrombosis in Crohn's disease.

Thromboembolic complications of inflammatory bowel disease are a well-recognized occurrence. Portal vein thrombosis has been reported in patients with ulcerative colitis but to date has not been reported in patients with Crohn's disease. We present the first case of portal vein thrombosis in a patient with Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease. A comprehensive approach to management.

Crohn's disease is a complicated illness that affects many body systems and processes. Medical and surgical management are the mainstays of treatment. However, the value of a strong physician-patient relationship in providing an optimistic and supportive structure for the patient cannot be overestimated. As advances continue to be made in understanding the pathophysiology of Crohn's disease, better and more specific therapies will likely emerge. For the present, however, treatment must be aimed at acute exacerbations and is essentially symptomatic. As a result, care must be holistic, with the intent of providing not only pharmacologic therapy but social and psychological support as well.

Isolated ventral pancreatitis in an alcoholic with pancreas divisum.

An alcoholic with no history of clinical pancreatitis was found to have pancreas divisum and marked changes of chronic pancreatitis isolated to the ventral pancreas. Pancreas divisum has been suggested to cause recurrent pancreatitis in some patients. Gross and histologic changes of pancreatitis in only the dorsal pancreas of surgically resected specimens from patients with pancreas divisum is thought to support the concept that obstruction at the minor papilla produces dorsal pancreatitis. Alternative explanations for the occurrence of segmental pancreatitis and the possible synergistic role of ethanol and bile are reviewed.

The attitudes of consumers toward direct advertising of prescription drugs.

Attitudes about prescription drug advertising directed to consumers were assessed in 1,509 persons who had viewed prototypical advertisements for fictitious prescription drug products. Although many subjects were generally favorable toward the concept of drug advertising directed to consumers, strong reservations were also expressed, especially about television advertising. Prescription drug advertising did not appear to undermine the physician's authority, since respondents viewed the physician as the primary drug decision-maker. However, the physician was not perceived as the sole source of prescription drug information. Television advertising appeared to promote greater information-seeking about particular drugs; however, magazine ads were more fully accepted by subjects. Furthermore, magazine ads led to enhanced views of the patient's authority in drug decision-making. The greater information conveyed in magazine ads may have given subjects more confidence in their own ability to evaluate the drug and the ad. Ads that integrated risk information into the body of the advertisement were more positively viewed than ads that gave special emphasis to the risk information. The results suggest that consumer attitudes about prescription drug advertising are not firmly held and are capable of being influenced by the types of ads people view. Regulation of such ads may need to be flexed to adapt to the way different media are used and processed by consumers.

Consumer attitudes about advertisements for medicinal drugs.

Approximately 1500 subjects were exposed to magazine or television advertisements for fictitious prescription drug products. The ads varied the way risk information was incorporated into the ad. Ads presented in the magazine, ads that contained detailed and specific descriptions of the drug's risks, and ads that used communications devices to emphasize risks (graphic subtitles or a separate announcer to read the risk material) were negatively evaluated. Television ads were more likely to lead subjects to state that they would consult a doctor about the medicine but not to be upset if the doctor refused to prescribe it. Evidently, television produced more positive but more tentative impressions about the product compared to the magazine. General risks informing people about the importance of the doctor in making prescribing decisions appeared to be reassuring. Older subjects had more positive views of the drug and the ad, were more receptive to the doctor's advice and were more concerned about the disease. The elderly may have viewed drugs as a symbol of health, whereas, younger subjects may have viewed them as a symbol of illness.