Bloodborne pathogens: updating sharps safety.

OSHA's new compliance directive was a wake-up call telling healthcare employers they must use safer technology and safer work practices.

Tobacco control activities of Iowa dental hygienists.

The purpose of this study was to determine the type and extent of tobacco control activities provided to dental patients by Iowa dental hygienists. Surveys were mailed to 1056 dental hygienists who had active Iowa dental hygiene licenses. Forty-one were returned by the post office and 138 did not meet all of the criteria for the survey. Of the remaining pool of 877-340 were completed and returned for a response rate of 38.8%. Only 4.6% of the hygienists routinely asked their patients about their tobacco use. Thirty-five percent routinely advised smokers to stop and 57% routinely advised smokeless tobacco users to stop. Thirteen percent routinely assisted smokers to stop and 20% routinely assisted smokeless tobacco users in stopping. None of the hygienists routinely engaged in follow-up to tobacco cessation activities. Cessation practice activities and amounts varied by several categorical variables. The majority of Iowa dental hygienists who responded to this survey did not routinely ask, advise, assist or arrange for or about their patients' tobacco use or cessation. Recommendations are given on how to improve tobacco prevention and cessation programs in dental offices.

Promoting hospital discharge of infants in safety seats.

In 1990, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Injury and Poison Prevention issued a policy statement, "Safe Transportation of Newborns Discharged from the Hospital," recommending that hospitals adopt comprehensive policies, procedures and education programs for the discharge of newborns in child safety seats (CSSs). The purpose of this project was to determine if a statewide educational intervention based on the AAP statement would be effective in bringing about those recommendations in Nebraska hospitals. All hospitals providing newborn services in Nebraska were surveyed prior to and after the intervention to determine the nature and extent of their CSS discharge policies, patient education programs and loan programs. Post-intervention data indicate significant increases in the percentage of hospitals having formal infant CSS discharge policies (from 25.9% to 88%), providing CSS patient education (from 51% to 95%), and having safety seat loan/give-away programs (from 59% to 76%). It is concluded that a comprehensive, statewide educational program can influence hospitals to promote usage of, access to, and education with infant CSSs.

Sexual functioning as a topic in occupational therapy training: a survey of programs.

To investigate the current status of sex education in occupational therapy curricula, a questionnaire survey was mailed to department chairs of 67 university programs that were either accredited or in the application process. A total of 50 programs returned usable responses. The results indicate that occupational therapy may be in a transition period: A significant minority of the respondents were either undecided about or against including sexual functioning in occupational therapy, but the majority were of the opinion that the patient's sexual functioning is an important domain of occupational therapy practice. A high percentage of programs reported that instructional time was being devoted to the basics of sexual functioning, but programs varied considerably in the amount of time allocated for this topic.

The art of health.

There is a general trend in education today to stress "the basics,"--often defined as reading, writing and arithmetic. Health-related professionals have made a valid case that health may be more "basic" than any of these areas. And professionals in the arts have good historical evidence that art, dance and music are "basic" to human existence. Too often the different disciplines are pitted against one another to compete for money and prestige. The intent of this paper is to show how two "basics" can be used in an interdisciplinary approach to help teach children. Using art to teach about health can be an effective and interesting way to promote health discussions.