Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Tobacco And Alcohol Use In People Who Have A Learning Disability: Giving Voice To Their Health Promotion Needs, Maggie Lawrence, Susan M. Kerr, Christopher Darbyshire, Alan Middleton, Hazel Watson

Dr. Susan Kerr

Aim The aim of the study was to explore the tobacco and alcohol-related health promotion needs of people with mild/moderate learning disabilities.

Methodology & Methods The design of the study was grounded in the principles of the Medical Research Council’s Framework for the development and evaluation of complex healthcare interventions. Specifically, a developmental approach was adopted, where evidence was gathered and data collected and synthesised to inform the development of subsequent interventions. Systematic review methods were used to facilitate the gathering of evidence regarding the effectiveness of previous tobacco and alcohol-related interventions designed for people with learning disabilities (PwLD). Following …

Are There Differences In The Smoking Identities Of Adolescents Boys And Girls?, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Iris Torchalla, Pamela A. Ratner, Joy L. Johnson

Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Purpose:

To assess sex-disaggregated differences in youth characterizations of their own smoking behaviour

Background:

•Smoking identities represent psychosocial constructions of how adolescents who smoke perceive themselves in relation to their smoking behaviour (e.g, ex-smoker, social smoker, occasional smoker, e.t.c.)

•These smoking identities converge (or diverge) with established taxonomies used to describe youth smoking behaviour

•Few quantitative studies have examined differences in smoking identity between boys and girls

Is Exposure To Peer And Family Smoking Associated With Youths' Initial Smoking Experiences?, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Chris G. Richardson, Joy L. Johnson

Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Background:

- Peers and family member’s smoking is associated with adolescent smoking.

- Sensitivity to the initial smoking experience, determined by positive (for e.g., feeling relaxed, high, and good) and/or negative (for e.g., feeling nervous, sick, coughing) symptoms upon initial smoking experimentation, is also associated with youth smoking.

- However, the effect of peer and family member’s smoking on the initial smoking experiences of adolescents has not been previously studied.

- We present the findings of a cross-sectional analysis assessing the association between exposure to smoking from peers and family members on the symptoms of the initial smoking experience of …

A Survey Of Stroke Nurses’ Knowledge Of Secondary Prevention Lifestyle Issues, Maggie Lawrence, Susan Kerr, Hazel Watson, Jennie Jackson, Margaret Brownlee

Dr. Maggie Lawrence

Nurses have an important role to play in providing information and advice on lifestyle risk factors for recurrent stroke. However, patients report receiving little or no lifestyle information. This study aimed to explore stroke nurses' knowledge and practice in relation to the provision of secondary prevention lifestyle information following stroke. Cross-sectional survey methods were used. Participants were members of the Scottish Stroke Nurse Forum (n=97). A self-completed questionnaire was used to collect the data, with descriptive statistics summarizing the results.

A Summary Of The Guidance Relating To Four Lifestyle Risk Factors For Recurrent Stroke: Tobacco Use, Alcohol Consumption, Diet And Physical Activity, Maggie Lawrence, Susan Kerr, Hazel Watson, Jennie Jackson, Margaret Brownlee

Dr. Maggie Lawrence

Stroke is a major cause of mortality, disability and family disruption; yet prevalence continues to rise despite advances in prevention and treatment. Many risk factors for stroke are modifi able, including life style behaviours, i.e. tobacco and alcohol use, diet and physical activity. Patterns that infl uence lifestyle behaviour are believed to be embedded in family life. Primary and secondary prevention of stroke are important health promotion issues. The objective of this study was to summarize government recommendations and contemporary evidence-based guidelines regarding four lifestyle risk factors for recurrent stroke.

Smoking Cessation And Drug Treatment: Identifying Gaps, Milan Khara, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Ric M. Procyshyn, Joy Johnson, Alasdair Barr, Lorraine Greaves

Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

BACKGROUND: An estimated 70% - 90% of individuals in drug treatment con-currently smoke cigarettes. Although individuals in drug treatment settings are motivated and can succeed in smoking cessation, there is still a lack of systematic knowledge regarding the long-term abstinence, methods employed for successful cessation, and the barriers to smoking cessation in this population.

OBJECTIVES: To: a) describe types of smoking cessation interventions (i.e., cognitive-behavioral and/or pharmacotherapy) employed in drug treatment settings, b) determine the effectiveness of such interventions, and c) identify gaps in knowledge regarding smoking cessation interventions among the drug treatment populations

METHODS: A comprehensive review of the …

Are Adolescents Smoking Identities Valid Descriptors Of Their Smoking Behaviour?, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Chris G. Richardson, Pamela A. Ratner, Joy L. Johnson

Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Background: Studies have raised concerns regarding mismatches between researchers’ and adolescents’ characterizations of youth smoking behaviour; which may impede tobacco use prevention and cessation programs to reach their intended youth audience. Understanding how youth’s characterize their own smoking behaviour is an important factor for designing tailored interventions.

Objective: To address observations that youths’ smoking identities are valid descriptors of their smoking behaviour we examined the relationships between youths’ self-reported smoking identities, their perceived levels of addiction, and established taxonomies of smoking behaviour.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected on demographics, perceived extent of addiction to tobacco, smoking history, and self-reported smoking …