Knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices about colorectal cancer among adults in an area of Southern Italy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer for both sexes in developed countries. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding CRC of adults in Italy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A random sample of 1165 adults received a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics; knowledge regarding definition, risk factors, and screening; attitudes regarding perceived risk of contracting CRC and utility of screening tests; health-related behaviors and health care use; source of information.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Only 18.5% knew the two main modifiable risk factors (low physical activity, high caloric intake from fat) and this knowledge was significantly associated with higher educational level, performing physical activity, modification of dietary habits and physical activity for fear of contracting CRC, and lower risk perception of contracting CRC. Half of respondents identified fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) as main test for CRC prevention and were more knowledgeable those unmarried, more educated, who knew the main risk factors of CRC, and have received advice by physician of performing FOBT. Personal opinion that screening is useful for CRC prevention was high with a mean score of 8.3 and it was predicted by respondents' lower education, beliefs that CRC can be prevented, higher personal perceived risk of contracting CRC, and information received by physician about CRC. An appropriate behavior of performing FOBT if eligible or not performing if not eligible was significantly higher in female, younger, more educated, in those who have been recommended by physician for undergo or not undergo FOBT, and who have not personal history of precancerous lesions and familial history of precancerous lesions or CRC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Linkages between health care and educational systems are needed to improve the levels of knowledge and to raise CRC screening adherence.</p

The Influence of Social Comparison on Visual Representation of One's Face

Can the effects of social comparison extend beyond explicit evaluation to visual self-representation—a perceptual stimulus that is objectively verifiable, unambiguous, and frequently updated? We morphed images of participants' faces with attractive and unattractive references. With access to a mirror, participants selected the morphed image they perceived as depicting their face. Participants who engaged in upward comparison with relevant attractive targets selected a less attractive morph compared to participants exposed to control images (Study 1). After downward comparison with relevant unattractive targets compared to control images, participants selected a more attractive morph (Study 2). Biased representations were not the products of cognitive accessibility of beauty constructs; comparisons did not influence representations of strangers' faces (Study 3). We discuss implications for vision, social comparison, and body image

Adolescent girls' views on cosmetic surgery: a focus group study.

This study examined adolescent girls' views of cosmetic surgery. Seven focus groups were run with girls aged 15-18 years (N = 27). Participants read case studies of women having cosmetic surgery, followed by discussion and exploration of their views. Thematic analysis identified four themes: (1) dissatisfaction with appearance, (2) acceptability of cosmetic surgery, (3) feelings about undergoing cosmetic surgery and (4) cosmetic surgery in the media. Results suggest the acceptability of cosmetic surgery varies according to the reasons for having it and that the media play an important role by normalising surgery and under-representing the risks associated with it

Eumorphic Plastic Surgery: Expectation Versus Satisfaction in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Background: Eumorphic Plastic Surgery aims at improving the severe psychosocial pain caused by a deformity. Dysmorphopathology is an increasingly relevant problem facing the plastic surgeon. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the perioperative questionnaires created by the senior author and to present a cohort of plastic surgery patients suffering from dysmorphopathies. These patients were prospectively followed and evaluated with the proposed questionnaires through their surgical pathway to explore the degree of satisfaction or disappointment compared to expectations. Methods: All candidates for plastic surgery procedures between April 2011 and June 2013 were included in the study. Preoperatively, all patients completed the Patient Expectation Questionnaire (E-pgm). Twelve months postoperatively, they completed the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (S-pgm). The E-pgm and S-pgm were compared to evaluate the consistency between the patient’s preoperative expectations and postoperative evaluations. Results: A total of 158 patients were included in the study. Out of them, 79 % experienced an improvement or no variation between preoperative expectations and postoperative satisfaction. With regard to the motivation for undergoing surgery, 91 % showed that the surgical procedure met the motivation. An overall positive perioperative change in life was experienced by 93 % of patients. Conclusions: The E-pgm questionnaire proved to be a valid and reliable tool for the selection of suitable candidates for surgery and for identification of dysmorphophobic patients. Enhancing the doctor–patient relationship and communication can reduce ambiguity and avoid troublesome misunderstandings, litigation and other legal implications. Level of Evidence IV: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266

Adaptation of the Quality of Life Adolescent Cleft Questionnaire for Spanish children and adolescents with cleft lip and/or palate

Background: The Quality of Life Adolescent Cleft Questionnaire is a measure of quality of life in cleft lip/palate (CL/P) including items on pre- treatment and post- treatment status. Items, however, were originally organized in a factor structure that prevents a formal pre- treatment to post- treatment comparison. Additionally, the questionnaire was tested in older patients.Aim: We aimed to explore a factor structure that allows a comparison of pre- to post- treatment status in children and adolescents with CL/P.Design: The sample comprised 60 children and adolescents with CL/P. The scale was divided into two groups of items (24 comparing pre- treatment and post- treatment sta-tus and 26 measuring current quality of life). Two different exploratory and confirm-atory analyses were conducted (one for each group of items). Sources of criterion validity were investigated with measures of self- esteem and self- efficacy.Results: The results supported a 6- factor structure for the pre- treatment and post- treatment items. In the second group of items, 9 items were removed due to inad-equate functioning and a final 4- factor solution was obtained. The criterion validity of factors was good.Conclusion: The proposed factor solution might be more useful to detect the per-ceived satisfaction in different areas and can be used in younger patients