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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health and well-being of health care workers (HCWs). This study examined mental health outcomes and COVID-related stress impacts among a diverse sample of ambulatory HCWs, including clinicians and support staff, as well as the associations between mental health outcomes and work impairments in this population. Detailing these results can help in designing interventions to alleviate this burden. Methods: "The Health Care Worker Stress Survey" was administered to ambulatory care providers and support staff at three multispecialty care delivery organizations as part of an online, cross-sectional study conducted between June 8, 2020, and July 13, 2020. Results: The greatest stress impact reported by HCWs was the uncertainty regarding when the COVID-19 outbreak would be under control, while the least reported concern was about self-dying from COVID-19. Differences in COVID-19 stress impacts were observed by age, gender, and occupational risk factors. Approximately 50% of participants reported more than a minimal level of anxiety, including 22.5% who indicated moderate to severe levels of anxiety. Higher levels of anxiety were observed with younger ages and female gender, while occupational roles with increased exposure risk did not report higher levels of anxiety. Roughly two-thirds of the sample reported less than good sleep quality and one-third to one-half of the sample reported other sleep related problems that differed by age and gender. Role limitations due to emotional health correlated with COVID-19 related stress, anxiety and sleep problems. Conclusions: Using established, validated measures, we quantified mental health outcomes within a diverse sample of ambulatory care HCWs during the pandemic. Younger and female HCWs reported greater anxiety burden; HCWs with higher occupational risk of COVID exposure did not report higher levels of anxiety. Notable proportions of HCWs reported sleep and work impairments. Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, it is difficult to attribute these patterns to the pandemic. These results underscore the depth and extent of mental health outcomes in HCWs in ambulatory settings and raise important questions on new interventions to relieve that burden. Further research is needed to study specific interventions to support the mental health and wellbeing of HCWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a branded smoking cessation campaign piloted in four cities in the United States. The development of the EX brand and messaging strategies were based on existing public health literature and extensive formative research. Market segmentation was specifically employed to create messages that would resonate with a defined target audience, smokers who were thinking about quitting smoking. This approach led to the creation of a campaign with an empathetic and hopeful tone that was designed to change relevant beliefs about smoking and to increase smokers' self-efficacy in regard to quitting smoking. As part of a comprehensive evaluation, telephone surveys were conducted in three pilot cities to measure awareness of and receptivity to the EX brand. Awareness of EX varied across the three markets based on the media buy. Receptivity to the EX brand was high across the three samples comprised of three different racial/ethnic populations. High receptivity was also found among the target audience: smokers who were thinking about quitting smoking. Findings from this pilot campaign helped to inform the launch of a national smoking cessation campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To describe the prevalence of obesity, smoking, and both health risk factors together among adults in the United States. Design Cross sectional analysis of a national health interview survey. Setting United States. Participants 29 305 adults (aged 18) in 2002. Main outcome measures Prevalence of adults who are obese (body mass index ≥ 30), who smoke, and who are obese and smoke. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, ethnic group, education, and income. Results 23.5% of adults were obese, 22.7% smoked, and 4.7% smoked and were obese. Conclusions Although the proportion of adults who smoke and are obese is relatively low, this subgroup is concentrated among lower socioeconomic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of obesity, smoking, and both health risk factors together among adults in the United States., Design: Cross sectional analysis of a national health interview survey., Setting: United States., Participants: 29 305 adults (aged > or = 18) in 2002., Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence of adults who are obese (body mass index > or = 30), who smoke, and who are obese and smoke. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, ethnic group, education, and income., Results: 23.5% of adults were obese, 22.7% smoked, and 4.7% smoked and were obese., Conclusions: Although the proportion of adults who smoke and are obese is relatively low, this subgroup is concentrated among lower socioeconomic groups.