In this article I will discuss the impact of my 2-year-old son's diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia. I will outline the background to being told he had leukaemia before describing the family dynamics that emerged during this time for me, my husband and our other child. My story will focus on managing the practicalities of a long stay in hospital…

Goals for Health was a National Cancer Institute funded program designed to impact health behaviors of adolescents living in rural Virginia and New York. This study examined three specific objectives: (a) to examine participants' perceptions of the program components and the relationship between program components and overall program perception,…

Background: About 40% of White American women over age 50 experience osteoporosis-related fracture of the hip, spine, or wrist during their lives. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of osteoporosis knowledge and beliefs among young women. Methods: University women (n=302) completed a self-administered osteoporosis risk…

Background: Smoking is especially prevalent among Native Hawaiians. The 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System revealed that 33.8% of Hawaiians were current smokers. Native Hawaiians have the highest age-adjusted lung cancer incidence and mortality rates and the highest prevalence of asthma among all ethnicities. Purpose: This study…

The Practice Notes section is intended to keep readers informed about health education practice around the country. It is an attempt to spread the word about exemplary strategies, initiatives, and programs and share successes in overcoming obstacles or challenges. Periodically, articles presenting perspectives on practice-related issues are also…

Despite contradictory findings, the belief that psychotherapy promotes survival in people who have been diagnosed with cancer has persisted since the seminal study by D. Spiegel, J. R. Bloom, H. C. Kramer, and E. Gottheil (1989). The current authors provide a systematic critical review of the relevant literature. In doing so, they introduce some…

Vitamin C is an important vitamin. Since its discovery in 1937, it has been acclaimed as a possible preventive or cure for the common cold, the flu, and even cancer. Others believe vitamin C is harmful if taken in megadoses. As the controversy continues, facts and research results become increasingly important. This bibliography, which provides…

Increasing manmade pollutants seem to be correlated with increasing illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Sensitive analytic methods have detected known or suspected carcinogenic chemicals in many environmental samples. Lower life forms could be used to monitor pollutants and indicate potential hazards to man. (MR)

Music therapy, the systematic application of music and musical activities to elicit specific changes in emotional, physical, or social behavior, can help pediatric cancer patients to decrease their anxiety and cope with hospitalization. Because music is a nonverbal means of expression, it is an especially effective medium for young children who…

For generations Pacific Islanders have used kava root and betel nut for a variety of cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes: to overcome social barriers and lubricate social interactions; to cure bodily afflictions; and to accompany traditional and religious rituals. Kava, also known as ava, sakau, and yaqona has a long tradition as a…

This booklet presents information for those wishing to develop public education programs on breast cancer. The booklet's five chapters discuss: (1) public knowledge, attitudes, and practices; (2) program planning; (3) a framework for planning and implementing public information and education programs; (4) considerations for planning information…

This booklet was written for children who have a parent or sibling with cancer. It is intended to help readers understand more about cancer, how it is treated, and changes that may be happening in the family's life because of cancer. In addition, it is intended to help readers understand and deal with their feelings about cancer and about the…

This document presents an update of a fact book first published by the Public Health Service in 1969. It deals with the medical, social, and economic aspects of cigarette smoking and identifies cigarette smoking as the chief preventable cause of death in the United States. The first section, Smoking, Tobacco & Health, examines trends in cigarette…

The United States Government is concerned about asbestos-containing products in the home because sometimes asbestos fibers can be released from these produces. If asbestos fibers are inhaled, certain types of cancer may later develop. Asbestos in homes poses several problems. Household members have little or no protection from exposure to asbestos…

This study was conducted to examine the influence of medical, psychological, and familial factors on the coping of pediatric cancer patients. Participants were 36 pediatric cancer patients and their families under active treatment at Roswell Park Memorial Institute, a comprehensive cancer research and treatment center in Buffalo, New York. The…