Background and Purpose. An important part of treatment planning in physical therapy is effective goal setting. The Guide to Physical Therapist Practice recommends that therapists should identify the patient's goals and objectives during the initial examination in order to maximize outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether therapists seek to involve patients in goal setting and, if so, what methods they use. Therapists' attitudes toward participation and patient satisfaction with the examination were also examined. Subjects and Methods. Twenty-two physical therapists audiotaped the initial examination of 73 elderly patients (Xϭ76.4 years of age, SDϭ7.1, rangeϭ65-94). The audiotaped examinations were then scored using the Participation Method Assessment Instrument (PMAI) to determine the frequency of attempts made by therapists to involve patients in goal setting. Therapists and patients completed surveys following the examinations. Results. Therapists' use of participation methods during examinations ranged from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 19 out of 21 possible items on the PMAI. The therapists stated that they believed that it is important to include patients in goal-setting activities and that outcomes will be improved if patients participate. Patients also indicated that participation is important to them. Discussion and Conclusion. In most cases, the therapists did not fully take advantage of the potential for patient participation in goal setting. Patient and therapist education is needed regarding methods for patient participation during initial goal-setting activities. [Baker SM, Marshak HH, Rice GT, Zimmerman GJ. Patient participation in physical therapy goal setting. Phys Ther. 2001;81:1118 -1126

Time spent watching television and the number of soft drinks consumed were significantly associated with obesity. Latinos spent more time watching television and consumed more soft drinks than did non-Hispanic white or Asian students. These findings will be beneficial in developing preventive measures for these children.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the greatest trauma-related risk to American women. Pregnant women are no exception, and escalation of IPV frequently occurs during pregnancy. Many studies have linked IPV during pregnancy to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. This study examined IPV at the beginning of prenatal care to identify correlates of routine entry-to-care information with responses on a validated IPV screening tool, the Abuse Assessment Screen. The purpose of the study was to identify specific data from routine, standard intake information, which could alert clinicians to the potential of violence even in the presence of a negative IPV score or no formally administered screening tool. The point prevalence of abuse, as measured by the Abuse Assessment Screen at entry to care, was slightly in excess of the national mean, reinforcing the need for continual assessment throughout pregnancy. Abused women in this study were more likely to be young, single, and without family or partner support. These women relied on friends for support, admitted to depression, and desired their pregnancies. The findings are consistent with previous studies. Further research needs to be conducted to determine if this cluster of findings at entry to care, with or without a positive score on an IPV screening tool, are consistent markers for an increased risk of IPV.

The data provide justification for broader educational programs and access to family planning services, condoms, and HIV testing on community college campuses.

Background and Purpose. As health care providers, physical therapists are in an ideal position to address health promotion issues with their patients; yet, little is known about actual health promotion practice patterns or the confidence of physical therapists in engaging in such activities. The purposes of this study were: (1) to investigate perceptions of practice patterns in 4 focus areas of Healthy People 2010 (disability and secondary conditions by assessing psychological well-being, nutrition and overweight, physical activity and fitness, and tobacco use) and (2) to identify related self-efficacy and outcome expectations in California, New York, and Tennessee. Subjects. A instrument was pilot tested and distributed in 2 waves to 3,500 randomly selected, licensed physical therapists from 3 states: California, New York, and Tennessee. Methods. Interviews were randomly conducted via telephone with 23 physical therapists in all 3 states until similar responses were identified in order to create the qualitative instrument, which was then pilot tested with 20 physical therapists in California. The total number of qualitative instruments used in the data analyses was 417 (145 from California, 127 from New York, and 145 from Tennessee) or 11.9%. Results. The health promotion behavior most commonly thought to be practiced by physical therapists was assisting patients to increase physical activity (54%), followed by psychological well-being (41%), nutrition and overweight issues (19%), and smoking cessation (17%). Self-efficacy predicted all 4 behaviors beyond the control variables. Minimal state-to-state differences were noted. Discussion and Conclusion. Physical therapists believe they are addressing health promotion topics with patients, although in varying degrees and in lower than desirable percentages based on Healthy People 2010 goals. This study demonstrated that a physical therapist's confidence in being able to perform a behavior (self-efficacy) was the best predictor of perceptions of practice patterns and is an area to target in future interventions.