In large, prospective studies of pregnancy conducted in the 1960s, women reported very accurately whether or not they smoked. However, in the 1990s, pregnant women who smoke are often pressured to reduce or quit smoking, and the incentive to misreport may be greater than in the past. To assess the accuracy of reported smoking, the authors compared self-reported smoking with cotinine in the serum and/or urine of 105 women who participated in the Calcium for Pre-eclampsia Prevention pilot study in 1992. Cotinine confirmed the report of 84.6% of women who reported smoking and 94.5% of women who denied smoking. These fractions are virtually identical to those obtained in a pregnancy cohort from the 1960s. The authors conclude that in the setting of two obstetrical research studies not specifically focused on smoking, the accuracy of self-reported cigarette smoking did not change substantially from the 1960s to the 1990s.

The PARS format may be inappropriate for younger adults or people living in relative deprivation and rural areas. They appear most appropriate for adults of middle-to-old age who are more likely to require supervision, and should be targeted accordingly.

Factors associated with physical activity referral uptake and participation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26 (2). pp. 217-224. ISSN 0264-0414Official URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17943595 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640410701468863 EPrint URI: http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/374 DisclaimerThe University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT.This is a peer-reviewed, post-print ( DisclaimerThe University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT.Title:Factors associated with physical activity referral uptake and participation Running title:Physical activity referral outcomes Key words:Exercise referral -uptake -attendance -completion -health professional 1 ABSTRACTWe investigated participant and scheme characteristics in relation to access, uptake and participation in a Physical Activity Referral Scheme (PARS) using a prospective population-based longitudinal design. Participants (n=3762) were recruited over a three-year period. Logistic regression analyses identified the factors associated with the outcomes of referral uptake, participation and completion (≥ 80% attendance). Participant age, gender, referral reason, referring health professional and type of leisure provider were the independent variables. Based on binary logistic regression analysis (n=2631), only primary referral reason was associated with the PARS co-ordinator making contact with the participants. In addition to the influence of referral reason, females were als...

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that engaging in creative and meaningful occupation can impact positively on health and wellbeing. Much of the research in this area has concentrated on general occupational categories and less is known about the benefits of specific occupations. This study aimed to identify the benefits of knitting for individuals' personal and social wellbeing as a prerequisite to investigating its therapeutic use.Method: An online survey was conducted through an internet knitting site. Responses were received from 3,545 knitters worldwide. Quantitative data were analysed statistically to establish relationships and differences among variables and qualitative data for key themes.Results: Respondents came from a virtual community of knitters. The majority were female white adults and frequent knitters, who commonly reported knitting for relaxation, stress relief and creativity. The results show a significant relationship between knitting frequency and feeling calm and happy. More frequent knitters also reported higher cognitive functioning. Knitting in a group impacted significantly on perceived happiness, improved social contact and communication with others.Conclusion: Knitting has significant psychological and social benefits, which can contribute to wellbeing and quality of life. As a skilled and creative occupation, it has therapeutic potential -an area requiring further research.

No abstract