Transition patterns between different sleep stages are analysed in terms of probability distributions of symbolic sequences for young and old subjects with and without sleep disorder. Changes of these patterns due to ageing are compared with variations of transition probabilities due to sleep disorder.

The study's purpose was to identify the mediating role of intention and the stages of change (SOC) in physical activity (PA) over a 6-month period using two models (theory of planned behavior [TPB] and TPB/SOC). Participants were 143 adults with physical disabilities (70.68% response rate; M age = 46.03). The TPB constructs, SOC (time 1), and PA (time 2) were assessed using standardized self-re...

Smoking may influence the type of airway inflammation observed in asthma and its response to therapy. More studies are needed on how smoking-induced changes in lung function/structure and airway inflammation may result in a change in clinical expression. We compared clinical, physiologic, radiologic, and airway inflammatory features of 22 smoking asthma patients (cigarette smoking history, 14.0...

Daily smoking is associated with elevated blood pressure, carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity, and impaired pulmonary lung functioning. The benefits of successful smoking cessation are readily apparent, given the health improvements associated with cessation, as well as the reduction of secondhand smoke to which non-smoking coworkers and family members are exposed. Previous literature indicates that ...

The epidemiology of smoking, and contemporary and historical accounts of tobacco consumption, together suggest that the patterning of smoking by class, gender and gender role identities may differ markedly for people born at different stages in the establishment and demise of smoking in the 20th century. Here, we report an analysis that examines this assertion using empirical data collected fro...

Background and Objectives: Low Fruit/Vegetable (FV) diet seems to be a global public health problem. The trans-theoretical stages of change model have long been considered a useful interventional approach in lifestyle modification programs. The aim of this study was to find the most important intermediating factors of FV consumption in Mashhad, Iran. Materials and Methods...

BACKGROUND The medico-economic impact of smoking cessation considering a smoking patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is poorly documented. OBJECTIVE Here, considering a COPD smoking patient, the specific burden of continuous smoking was estimated, as well as the effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of smoking cessation. METHODS A multi-state Markov model adopting s...

Background. Theoretical and clinical developments suggest that opportunistic interventions could be developed that are more effective and satisfying to use than brief advice to quit smoking. Motivational consulting was influenced by the ‘stages of change’ model, self-efficacy theory, motivational interviewing, and the patient-centred clinical method. Aim. To compare the clinical and cost-effect...

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the lower airways that includes both emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD has some characteristics in common with asthma, but the distinction may be important because of different options for treatment. Development of COPD requires both exposure to noxious stimuli such as tobacco smoke as well as susceptibilit...

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is manifested by chronic cough, sputum production, wheezing and, in later stages, dyspnea, poor exercise tolerance, and signs/symptoms of right-sided heart failure. Symptomatic COPD affects more than 5 percent of the adult population, is the fourth leading cause of death, and the twelfth leading cause of morbidity in the United States. In more than 8...