Casting Health Messages in Terms of Responsibility for Dietary Change: Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Objective To compare the effectiveness of messages emphasizing the importance of either personal or social responsibility for dietary behavior change in increasing fruit and vegetable intake. Design/Setting Randomly assigned individually or socially oriented messages were delivered at baseline, 1 week, and 2 and 3 months later. Telephone surveys were conducted at baseline and 1 and 4 months later. Participants 528 callers to a cancer information hotline who were not meeting the “5 A Day” dietary recommendation. Interventions A brief telephone-delivered message and 3 mailings of pamphlets and promotional items encouraging fruit and vegetable intake that emphasized either personal or social responsibility. Main Outcome Measures Fruit and vegetable intake 1 and 4 months postbaseline. Analysis Chi-square, t tests, and analyses of variance and covariance. Results Both types of messages increased intake substantially (P = .01). To some extent, the social responsibility message continued to motivate increased intake over time compared with the personal responsibility message. Conclusions and Implications These minimal interventions had a substantial impact on fruit and vegetable intake. Health messages might be more effective over the longer term if they are designed to emphasize the importance of social responsibility, although further study is needed to confirm the robustness of these findings

Reducing the variability of hybrid electric vehicle fuel economy in the real world

Apart from improving the fuel economy, a reduction in the variability of the fuel economy is also of significant importance for hybrid electric vehicles. Previously, research on how to optimise the sizes of the powertrain components of hybrid electric vehicles has generally focused on improving the fuel economy over a given driving pattern. The variability of the fuel economy over a realistic range of driving patterns has generally been overlooked, and this can mean that the fuel economy benefits of hybrid electric vehicles are not consistently realised in real-world usage. In a recent study, a new methodology for design optimisation of the powertrain components of hybrid electric vehicles was proposed for the reduction in the variability of the fuel economy due to variation in the driving patterns, but the methodology needs to be validated in real-world usage for practical applicability. In this paper, the methodology is validated in real-world driving conditions. This paper investigated the methodology for 10 real-world driving patterns generated by 10 different drivers over a predefined route consisting of urban and highway driving. The study was carried out using a simulation model of a Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle which was considered as the benchmark vehicle. The design produced by the methodology reduced the variability of the fuel economy by 5.3% without reducing the average fuel economy compared with the Toyota Prius over the 10 real-world driving patterns. This demonstrates that the methodology described is applicable to real-world usage

Patch Test Results Among Older Adults: A Retrospective Analysis of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group Data (2009-2020)

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in older adults (OA) represents a significant health burden, but few studies examine the prevalence and characteristics of contact allergy and ACD in this population. To compare positive and clinically relevant patch test results in OA versus younger adults (YA) and children. Retrospective analysis of patch test results obtained in OA (≥65 years), YA (19-64 years), and children (≤18 years) by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, 2009 to 2020. Of 28,177 patients patch tested, 5366 (19.0%) were OA. OA were more likely to have a final primary diagnosis of ACD as compared with YA (50.8% vs 49.2%,  = 0.035) and children (44.6%,  \u3c 0.0001). The primary site of dermatitis also differed by age group, with OA having a higher proportion of dermatitis affecting the trunk, scalp, anogenital region, and under clothing, and a lower proportion of dermatitis affecting the face, lips, and feet. Retrospective design, lack of follow-up, and referral population. OA were as likely and were statistically even more likely to have a final primary diagnosis of ACD compared with YA and children. Anatomic site of dermatitis also differed by age group. This underscores the need for patch testing in OA when ACD is suspected

Patch Testing to Chlorhexidine Digluconate, 1% Aqueous: North American Contact Dermatitis Group Experience, 2015-2020

Chlorhexidine is an antiseptic that may cause allergic contact dermatitis. To describe the epidemiology of chlorhexidine allergy and characterize positive patch test reactions. This retrospective study analyzed patients patch tested to chlorhexidine digluconate 1% aqueous by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, 2015-2020. Of 14,731 patients tested to chlorhexidine digluconate, 107 (0.7%) had an allergic reaction; of these, 56 (52.3%) reactions were currently clinically relevant. Most (59%) reactions were mild (+), followed by strong (++, 18.7%) and very strong (+++, 6.5%). Common primary dermatitis anatomic sites in chlorhexidine-positive patients were hands (26.4%), face (24.5%), and scattered/generalized distribution (17.9%). Compared with negative patients, chlorhexidine-positive patients were significantly more likely to have dermatitis involving the trunk (11.3% vs 5.1%;  = 0.0036). The most commonly identified source category was skin/health care products (n = 41, 38.3%). Only 11 (10.3%) chlorhexidine reactions were occupationally related; of these, 81.8% were in health care workers. Chlorhexidine digluconate allergy is uncommon, but often clinically relevant. Involvement of the hands, face, and scattered generalized patterns was frequent. Occupationally related reactions were found predominantly in health care workers