Patients' awareness of postoperative adhesions: results from a multi-centre study and online survey.

PURPOSE: To analyse and to compare how female patients are informed about adhesions and their related problems by surgeons preoperatively. METHODS: Over 8 weeks 105 patients (Germany) and 82 (UK) patients admitted for laparoscopic or open abdominopelvic surgery were interviewed preoperatively in a multi-centre study in Germany and the UK. 212 responses to an online survey were also analysed. RESULTS: Less than 50% of patients are made aware of adhesions. Even fewer patients were told about complications caused by adhesions. Lack of knowledge is cited by 46% of patients as a reason for health professionals not informing them about adhesions. 41% considered adhesions as not sufficiently important. Patients who had previously heard of adhesions were most commonly informed by physicians. CONCLUSIONS: There is lack of information among patients and physicians about adhesions and their complications. Written information before surgery and computer-based applications may help raise patient's awareness.

Psychosocial determinants of participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Hispanic and Latina middle school-aged girls.

We examined physical activity (PA)-related psychosocial factors, weight status, and self-reported participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in Latina middle school-aged girls. Baseline data from a middle school-based health behavior study (N = 326) was used. Contrasting activity-level groups were identified (81 most active, 144 least active) and compared. More active girls had significantly greater social support for PA, motivation to exercise, and positive meanings of PA than their less active peers. There was no significant difference in body mass index (BMI) percentile, barriers to PA, or negative meanings of PA between groups. Less active girls reported more screen time activities than the highly active girls. Positive psychosocial factors may be predictive of participation in MVPA for middle school-aged Latina youth. However, BMI may not be directly related to PA participation in this population.