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Objectives. We evaluated the influence of financial strain on smoking cessation among Latino, African American, and Caucasian smokers of predominantly low socioeconomic status. Methods. Smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation study (N=424) were followed from 1 week prequit through 26 weeks postquit. We conducted a logistic regression analysis to evaluate the association between baseline financial strain and smoking abstinence at 26 weeks postquit after control for age, gender, race/ ethnicity, educational level, annual household income, marital status, number of cigarettes smoked per day, and time to first cigarette of the day. Results. Greater financial strain at baseline was significantly associated with reduced odds of abstinence at 26 weeks postquit among those who completed the study (odds ratio [OR]=0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI] =0.62, 0.94; P=.01). There was a significant association as well in analyses that included those who completed the study in addition to those lost to follow-up who were categorized as smokers (OR=0.78; 95% CI=0.64, 0.96; P=.02). Conclusions. Greater financial strain predicted lower cessation rates among racially/ethnically diverse smokers. Our findings highlight the impact of economic concerns on smoking cessation and the need to address financial strain in smoking cessation interventions. (Am J Public Health. 2010;100:702-706. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.172676)

The article compares the efficacy of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and enhanced usual care (EUC) as a means of improving the condition of elderly patients suffering from generalized anxiety disorders (GAD). CBT proves to bring greater results in improving the general mental health of elderly patients as compared to EUC.

A study determines whether Internet-based continuing medical education (CME) could produce changes comparable to those produced through live, small-group, interactive CME with respect to physician knowledge and behaviors that have an impact on patient care. Results reveal that evidence-based online CME could produce objectively measured changes in behavior as well as sustained gains in knowledge comparable or superior to those produced from effective live activities.

Objectives: To determine whether self-reported exercise duration and intensity matched accelerometer data in sedentary endometrial cancer survivors and age-matched controls. Methods: Participants were asked to wear an accelerometer and self-report exercise bouts, duration, and intensity for one week. Self-reported duration was compared with accelerometer data. Results: Selfreported exercise-bout duration matched accelerometer duration 93% for survivors and 99% for controls. Self-reported exercisebout intensity matched accelerometer intensity 70% for survivors and 66% for controls. There were no significant differences between groups. Conclusions: Sedentary endometrial cancer survivors and controls self-reported duration and intensity of physical activity consistent with accelerometer data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relation between generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and frequency of bad dreams in older adults. A secondary analysis from a randomized clinical trial comparing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety to enhanced usual care (EUC) assessed bad dream frequency at baseline, post treatment (3 months), and at 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. Of 227 participants (mean age = 67.4), 134 met GAD diagnostic criteria (CBT = 70, EUC = 64), with the remaining 93 serving as a comparison group. Patients with GAD had significantly more bad dreams than those without, and bad dream frequency was significantly associated with depression, anxiety, worry, and poor quality of life. CBT for anxiety significantly reduced bad dream frequency at post treatment and throughout follow up compared to EUC.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of several strategies to increase influenza immunization in a multispecialty clinic., Study Design: Retrospective electronic database analysis of influenza vaccinations in a 6-year period at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston, Texas., Methods: We evaluated immunization rates in pregnant women and healthcare workers during 6 influenza seasons (2003-2004 to 2008-2009) after implementing the following strategies for pregnant women: assessing baseline immunization rates for obstetric providers, followed by direct encouragement and behavior modeling; implementing standing orders for influenza vaccination in pregnancy; and offering vaccination training to obstetricians and nurses. Further strategies implemented for healthcare workers included the following: conducting an employee survey about influenza knowledge, providing employee education based on survey findings and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, making employee vaccines readily available and free of charge, designating immunization nurses to serve as clinical champions, monitoring and reporting the employee influenza vaccination rate, and recognizing the clinic with the highest employee vaccination rate., Results: Influenza vaccination coverage rates in pregnant women increased from 2.5% at baseline to 37.4% in 2008-2009. Employee influenza vaccination coverage rates increased from 36.0% in 2003-2004 to 64.0% in 2008-2009., Conclusion: Low influenza vaccination rates in pregnant women and healthcare workers can be substantially improved using methods shown to be effective in other clinical settings.