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Most US adults do not meet recommended guidelines for fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake. A survey, conducted with 290 customers at a local supermarket, assessed knowledge of recommended F&V intake, explored acceptability of using frozen and canned F&V to meet recommended amounts, and determined strategies to increase the purchase and consumption of F&V. While a majority of the respondents (84%) were aware that US adults are not meeting recommended servings of F&V, only one third of respondents said they would consider other forms of F&V besides fresh. Surveys, such as the one used in this study, may help provide insights into clients' F&V educational needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This paper describes the characteristics of instructors at six farm safety day camps sponsored through local chapters of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids. What are their backgrounds and experience? What motivates them to participate as farm safety instructors? How do they prepare and present their instruction?Design Data from 69 instructors were gathered as part of a larger evaluation of farm safety day camps conducted during the summer and fall of 2002.Setting Farm safety day camps occur throughout North America. The camps selected for this study were conducted in five states within the United States. The overwhelming majority of instructors were community volunteers without formal instructional training.Method A two-page survey was completed by the instructors on the day of the camp, and selected camp instructional sessions were videotaped and analysed by instructional design experts.Results Case examples of instructor characteristics and instructional styles are presented in order to promote a better understanding of persons who provide children with farm safety instruction at farm safety day camps. Preparation, training, teaching methods, and other characteristics of the camp instructors are discussed.Conclusion Findings from this analysis can be used by organisations that provide community-based injury prevention programmes as a planning tool for selecting instructors that can optimise the experience for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial found an overall doubling in the number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) survivors when a lay responder team was equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED), compared with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) alone. Objectives. To describe the types of facilities that participated in the trial and to report the incidence of CA and survival in these different types of facilities. Methods. In this post-hoc analysis of PAD Trial data, the physical characteristics of the participating facilities and the numbers of presumed CAs, treatable CAs, and survivors are reported for each category of facilities. Results. There were 625 presumed CAs at 1,260 participating facilities. Just under half (n = 291) of the presumed CAs were classified as treatable CAs. Treat-able CAs occurred at a rate of 2.9 per 1,000 person-years of exposure; rates were highest in fitness centers (5.1) and golf courses (4.8) and lowest in office complexes (0.7) and hotels (0.7). Survival from treatable CA was highest in recreational complexes (0.5), public transportation sites (0.4), and fitness centers (0.4) and lowest in office complexes (0.1) and residential facilities (0.0). Conclusions. During the PAD Trial, the exposure-adjusted rate of treatable CA was highest in fitness centers and golf courses, but the incidence per facility was low to moderate. Survival from treatable cardiac arrest was highest in recreational complexes, public transportation facilities, and fitness centers. Key words: public-access defibrillation; cardiac arrest; survival; automated external defibrillator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lifestyles of employees affect their work and their health. Occupational health nurses need to know as much as possible about employees to render the best care possible. Production agriculture is a risky business performed by many employees. By understanding the risks involved, occupational health nurses can optimize the health of workers in the off farm and on farm contexts of their lives. Managers and supervisors need to realize that investment in farm health and safety can yield financial benefits in terms of decreasing lost workdays caused by injury and illness and increased morale through public recognition of the importance of agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part-time farmers who hold off-farm jobs may be at risk for injuries because of impaired performance resulting from inadequate sleep. For this study, 1004 part-time male Kentucky farmers completed a telephone interview for the 1994 to 1995 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-funded Farm Family Health and Hazard Surveillance Project. Questions were included about demographics, sleep habits, and injury occurrence. Twelve percent of the farmers reported an injury requiring medical intervention in the previous year. Farmers reported sleeping an average of 7.6 hours daily. Approximately 6.7% of the sample had three symptoms of sleep apnea. Although hours of sleep were not related to injury incidence, sleep medication use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01 to 4.40) and presence of three sleep apnea symptoms (OR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.13 to 5.41) were related to injury incidence. These data support the need for further research to examine sleep habits and promote strategies that reduce the risk for injuries caused by lack of sleep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly 3 million long haul truck drivers transport goods across America. Truck driving is rated as the nation's third largest growth occupation. Between 174,000 and 290,000 drivers are women and the percentage of women in trucking is growing. A descriptive study was conducted to identify health conditions, health care access, and driving environments of female drivers. Analyses of the 284 surveys showed only 77.8% had a usual place of health care. One of five had no insurance coverage and only 35 respondents had paid sick leave. Drivers reported substantial prevalence of sinus problems, back pain, migraine headaches, and hypertension. Drivers ignored symptoms or self medicated when working. More than 40% expressed dissatisfaction with health care while 'on the road.' Occupational health nurses may be in positions to address the special needs of drivers through websites, trucker health clinics, or special programs delivered where truckers congregate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine dietary intake of calcium, intake of food components known to inhibit calcium bioavailability, demographic factors related to calcium intake, and the knowledge needs and barriers related to calcium consumption among low-income African-American women in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Methods: Ninety subjects were interviewed at local grocery stores. Calcium intake was determined using a 24-h recall. In addition, a survey was administered to the subjects to determine knowledge needs and barriers towards calcium consumption. Results: Subjects' mean dietary calcium intake was below the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), with 80% of the subjects having a calcium intake below 75% of the RDA. In addition, intakes of protein and sodium were above the recommended amounts. The general knowledge of the subjects concerning the role of calcium in osteoporosis was high, but this did not have an effect on the consumption of products containing calcium. The most important barriers to dairy product intake were perceived negative taste, perceived association with digestion problems and the perception that they already had adequate intake. Conclusion: Inadequate calcium intake in African-American women is affected by many factors including their lack of awareness of actual consumption. Nutrition education programmes need to address these factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]