J Behav Med. 2010 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Correlates of unrealistic risk beliefs in a nationall y representative sample.
Waters EA, Klein WM, Moser RP, Yu M, Waldron WR, McNeel TS, Freedman AN.
Department of Surgery (Prevention and Control), Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8100, 660 S. Euclid, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA, waterse@wudosis.wustl.edu.

AbstractUnrealistically optimistic or pessimistic risk perceptions may be associated with maladaptive health behaviors. This study characterized factors associated with unrealistic optimism (UO) and unrealistic pessimism (UP) about breast cancer. Data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed (N = 14,426 women). After accounting for objective risk status, many (43.8%) women displayed UO, 12.3% displayed UP, 34.5% had accurate risk perceptions (their perceived risk matched their calculated risk), and 9.5% indicated "don't know/no response." Multivariate multinomial logistic regression indicated that UO was associated with higher education and never smoking. UP was associated with lower education, lower income, being non-Hispanic Black, having ≥3 comorbidities, current smoking, and being overweight. UO was more likely to emerge in younger and older than in middle-aged individuals. UO and UP are associated with different demographic, health, and behavioral characteristics. Population segments that are already vulnerable to negative health outcomes displayed more UP than less vulnerable populations.

PMID: 21110077 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

J Med Syst. 2010 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print]

MEDWISE: An Innovative Public Health Information System Infrastructure.Sahin YG, Celikkan U.
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Sciences, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey, yasar.sahin@ieu.edu.tr.

Abstract
In this paper, we present MedWise, a high level design of a medical information infrastructure, and its architecture. The proposed system offers a comprehensive, modular, robust and extensible infrastructure to be used in public health care systems. The system gathers reliable and evidence based health data, which it then classifies, interprets and stores into a particular database. It creates a healthcare ecosystem that aids the medical community by providing for less error prone diagnoses and treatment of diseases. This system will be standards-compliant; therefore it would be complementary to the existing healthcare and clinical information systems. The key objective of the proposed system is to provide as much medical historical and miscellaneous data as possible about the patients with minimal consultation, thus allowing physicians to easily access Patients' Ancillary Data (PAD) such as hereditary, residential, travel, custom, meteorological, biographical and demographical data before the consultation. In addition, the system can help to diminish problems and misdiagnosis situations caused by language barriers-disorders and misinformation. MedWise can assist physicians to shorten time for diagnosis and consultations, therefore dramatically improving quality and quantity of the physical examinations of patients. Furthermore, since it intends to supply a significant amount of data, it may be used to improve skills of students in medical education.

PMID: 21110075 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Br Dent J. 2010 Nov 27;209(10):523-6.

'Love Teeth Day' campaign in China and its impact on oral public health - the twentieth anniversary.Dai J, Hao Y, Li G, Hu D, Zhao Y.
Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi China, 710032.

Abstract
The date 20 September has been designated 'Love Teeth Day' (LTD) in China since 1989. The aim of this nationwide campaign is to encourage all Chinese people to conduct preventive oral public health care and promote oral health education; therefore it is beneficial to improve the levels of oral health in the whole Chinese population. Public awareness of oral health in China has substantially improved following 20 years of hard work from dental professionals and relevant departments. The main activities were planned and conducted by the National Committee for Oral Health and local committees at provincial, county and municipal levels to support preventive oral care. The LTD campaign attracts more and more attention from the public on the prevention and control of oral diseases, which is considered to be an extremely pioneering health care programme in the field of Chinese dentistry. This review provides an overview of the huge LTD campaign over the past 20 years, aiming to share our experiences with international dental professionals.

PMID: 21109809 [PubMed - in process]