The purpose of this study was to identify and compare information and decision preferences of men with prostate cancer and their partners at the time of diagnosis. A convenience sample of 80 couples was recruited from The Prostate Centre in Vancouver, Canada. Participants used a computerized version of two previously used measures with this population: Control Preferences Scale and Information Survey Questionnaire. Results showed that men had a preference to play either an active or a collaborative role in decision making with their physician (92.5%) and partners (100%). The majority (55%) of partners wanted to play a collaborative role in treatment decision making. Couples identified prognosis, stage of disease, treatment options, and side effects as the top 4 information preferences. Men ranked information on sexuality more important than partners, and partners ranked information on home self-care higher than men. Men who had sons, a positive family history, and lower levels of education ranked heredity risk significantly higher. Profiles of information categories did not differ according to role preferences of either men or partners. The computer program has been shown to be a reliable and acceptable method of assessing information and decision preferences of these couples. An individualized approach is suggested, given the high reliability of individual's profiles.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by soft tissue discomfort caused or aggravated by workplace exposures. Previous research has shown an increasing concern about musculoskeletal symptoms among diagnostic medical sonographers. The authors' purpose, with this study, is to describe the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and related work and personal factors among diagnostic medical sonographers. Data were gathered through a survey distributed to randomly selected members of the professional sonographer registry in the United States. Eighty-one percent reported musculoskeletal pain or discomfort that they associated with the work tasks of scanning. The neck, shoulder, wrist, hand/fingers, and back were where pain was reported most often, and the specific activities of manipulating the transducer while sustaining applied pressure, shoulder abduction, and sustained twisting of the neck/trunk were the key activities that aggravated the pain and discomfort. Among those reporting pain and discomfort, a small minority were absent from work. The remainder reported working in pain. Respondents indicated increased work periods without rest breaks and an inability to control work flow to take breaks. However, they indicated general satisfaction with their work environment and corporate culture. Further analyses are required to investigate the strength of relation between musculoskeletal disorders, work, and personal factors.

This paper focuses on the identification and testing of potential psychosocial factors contributing to an integrated multivariate predictive model of occupational low back disability. Psychosocial predictors originate from five traditions of psychosocial research: psychopathological, cognitive, diathesis-stress, human adaptation and organizational psychology. The psychosocial variables chosen for this study reflect a full range of research findings. They were investigated using 253 subacute and chronic pain injured workers. Three outcome measures were utilized: return-to-work status, duration of disability and disability costs. The key psychosocial predictors identified were expectations of recovery and perception of health change. Also implicated, but to a lesser degree, were occupational stability, skill discretion at work, co-worker support, and the response of the workers' compensation system and employer to the disability. All psychosocial models were better at predicting who will return than who will not return to work.

In this study, we found that the predictors of fertility intention of women with HIV were age, ethnicity and marital status. Women who were HIV-positive described an intention to have children at levels approaching those among the general population and regardless of their clinical HIV status. Public policy planners and health practitioners need to consider and plan for the implications of increased numbers of women with HIV who may choose to have children.

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