This study determined the effectiveness of a self-efficacy intervention designed to improve self-efficacy and physical activity in older adults postcardiac event. An experimental three-group design tested the intervention, with treatment groups receiving 1 of 2 supportive telephone protocols (theory-based self-efficacy coaching or attention control). Outcome variables included self-efficacy expectations for physical activity (PA), self-reported PA, and PA performance (distance walked in 6 minutes). The self-efficacy intervention was effective in demonstrating greater PA performance when compared to the attention control intervention, and PA self-efficacy was significantly correlated with both measures of PA. There were significant main effects of time for PA self-efficacy and distance walked, and a significant interaction effect on the distance walked because of time and treatment condition. Although the self-efficacy intervention did not show a direct effect on level of PA self-efficacy as hypothesized, there was an indirect interaction effect on distance walked and physical activity confidence.

Jailed women are four-five times more likely to have had cervical cancer compared to women without criminal justice histories. Previous research has shown that an important contributor to cervical cancer risk, and perhaps lack of follow-up, is incarcerated women's low health literacy about broader reproductive health issues. Little work has been done to address this disparity. Thus, the objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of an intervention to improve incarcerated women's cervical health literacy and ultimately address cervical cancer disparities. Using a waitlist control design, we compared changes in cervical health literacy (knowledge, beliefs, self-efficacy, and confidence for screening and follow-up) among 188 incarcerated women who completed a 10-hour intervention between 2014 and 2016 in three Kansas City jails. We used bivariate tests and multivariate analyses that controlled for baseline cervical health literacy level and key covariates. Women in the intervention group showed significant gains in seven out of eight cervical health literacy domains (all p < 0.01), whereas the control group only improved in one domain (p < 0.01). When controlling for covariates, the intervention group had less barriers, perceptions of seriousness, susceptibility to disease, and increased self-efficacy for cervical health screening and follow-up, compared to the control group (all p < 0.05). A brief intervention is an effective way to improve jailed women's cervical health literacy, but should be provided alongside systemic efforts that expand access to correctional preventive health services, including the human papillomavirus vaccine, community-based cancer screenings, and health insurance after women leave jails and transition back to communities.

BackgroundWomen with a history of incarceration bear a disproportionate burden of cervical disease and have special characteristics that affect their intent and/or ability to adhere to cervical screening and follow-up recommendations. The goal of this study was to identify factors associated with cervical cancer screening and screening outcomes among incarcerated women.MethodsWe applied a framework of predisposing factors, enabling factors and population-specific characteristics that could impact screening behaviors and outcomes for this population. We used bivariate chi-square tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests to analyze data previously collected from 290 incarcerated women.ResultsCervical cancer screening belief score, as a predisposing factor, was associated with women who had an up-to-date Pap test and who had a cervical cancer diagnosis ever in their life. Both a sexual history containing high-risk behaviors and a history of abuse, population–specific factors, were each associated with having had an abnormal pap; mental health, incarceration, and substance use histories were each associated with having a diagnosis of cervical cancer.ConclusionsThe significant differences in outcomes for these population-specific factors suggest the need for a health services approach that addresses the challenges to the cervical cancer preventive health needs of incarcerated women.Implications for practiceProviders working with vulnerable populations such as women who have been incarcerated should be aware that their risk histories have an influence on their follow-up behaviors. These women will need extra support for cervical cancer screening and follow-up care.

Physical activity is an important factor in the care of adults 65 years and older who have had a cardiac event. Valid and reliable measurement is critical to nursing assessment, screening, and ongoing evaluation. This article describes the process used to evaluate the quality, including the reliability and validity, of a physical activity instrument for use in a rural population. The sample consisted of 32 adults who had participated in one of four rural cardiac rehabilitation programs. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), which was selected for this study, was found to be reliable. Experts judged the content to be appropriate and valid for older adults living in rural areas. Perceived health was positively related to physical activity (r = 0.31, p = .08). The PASE was found to be marginally valid. Although further investigation of the instrument's construct validity is warranted, the use of such physical activity surveys has potential clinical relevance for the rehabilitation of older adults from diverse geographic and cultural backgrounds.

Over 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and incarcerated women face unique risks associated with poor access to healthcare. Regular mammography can diagnose breast cancer early, giving the patient the best chance of survival. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of jail incarcerated women who have received a mammogram and were up-to-date based on the most recent United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. This was a secondary analysis of data collected among jailed women who participated in a cervical cancer literacy program. Rates of mammography were calculated for the group overall and for those women 50 years or older. Subgroups were compared using chi-squared tests. Two hundred sixty-one women were included in the analysis, of which 42.1% (N = 110) had ever had a mammogram. Of women 50 years old or older (N = 28), 75.0% had ever received a mammogram, yet only 39.3% were up-to-date (within the past 2 years). Factors associated with up-to-date mammography included being up-to-date on cervical cancer screening (76.9%) compared with women who were not up-to-date on cervical cancer screening (12.5%), p < 0.01, and women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year (71.4%) compared with women with no IPV in the past year (14.2%), p = 0.02. The low rates of up-to-date mammography highlight the need for more breast cancer prevention programming among women with criminal justice histories.