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Background: Behavioral theories are often used to better understand and change health-promoting behaviors and develop evidencebased interventions. However, researchers often lack of knowledge on how to use these theories in palliative care and people confronted with serious illness. Clear examples or guidelines are needed. Aim: To describe how behavioral theories can be used to gain insight into critical factors of health-promoting behavior in seriously ill people, using a case example of “starting a conversation about palliative care with the physician” for people with incurable cancer. Methods: We used a health promotion approach. Step 1: We chose a theory. Step 2: We applied and adapted the selected theory by performing interviews with the target population which resulted in a new behavioral model. Step 3: We operationalized the factors of this model. An expert group checked content validity. We tested the questionnaire cognitively. Step 4: We conducted a survey study and performed logistic regression analyses to identify the most important factors. Results: Step 1: We selected the Theory of Planned Behavior. Step 2: This theory was applicable to the target behavior, but needed extending. Step 3: The final survey included 131 items. Step 4: Attitudinal factors were the most important factors associated with the target behavior of starting a conversation about palliative care with the physician. Conclusions: This paper describes a method applied to a specific example, offering guidance for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding and changing a target behavior and its factors in seriously ill people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to assess Australian young people’s awareness of mental health services available for their age group. Of particular interest was awareness of headspace, which was created in 2006 to provide youth-oriented mental health services, and has expanded to 30 centres nationally in 5 years.Method: In 2011, a telephone interview was conducted with a national sample of 3021 Australians aged between 15 and 25 years. Participants were asked questions about awareness of mental health organizations, where they would seek help for themselves and how they would assist a peer with a mental health problem.Results: There were very low frequencies of spontaneous mentions of headspace as a mental health organization, or as a service where respondents would seek help for themselves or refer a peer to. However, when prompted, about half of respondents recognized headspace as a mental health organization. Living within a headspace service area predicted better recognition of headspace. However, past-year psychological distress was unrelated to recognition of headspace as a mental health organization.Conclusions: In order to reach them more effectively, young people need to be aware of youth-oriented services that are available to them and their peers. Awareness campaigns need to be targeted to the subgroups of young people who have the greatest need for headspace services, namely those with recent mental health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]