Download or read book Examining Multilevel Factors that Contributed to Weight and Behavior Changes Among Rural Women and Their Social Network Members written by Brian Kam Chuen Lo and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The objective of this dissertation was to examine factors that contributed to the weight and behavioral changes among rural women and their social network members within the context of a multilevel community-based intervention trial, Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities (SHHC). Given that rural populations in the United States disproportionally experience poorer health outcomes than others and multilevel behavior change interventions are extremely limited in rural communities, this dissertation provides timely insights on the successes and lessons learned in promoting physical activity and healthy eating among rural women. Chapter 1 reviews the barriers faced by rural women to engage in physical activity and healthy eating at various social ecological scales and introduces the theoretical framework used for this dissertation. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the SHHC intervention trial. Chapter 3 examines the environmental conditions that maximized rural women's physical activity when participating in SHHC. Results suggest that SHHC helped rural overweight and obese women living in communities with less walkable destinations to overcome environmental barriers to physical activity while rural women living in more walkable communities did not change their physical activity significantly. Chapter 4 explores mediators of a multilevel behavior change intervention trial that led to positive behavioral changes among rural women. We found that the SHHC intervention increased participants' perceived social support from friends regarding physical activity and healthy eating. Participants' improved social support from friends marginally mediated the intervention effects for participants' increased walking time. Chapter 5 investigates whether a rural behavior change intervention would generate beneficial effects among participants' social network members. Among social network members who perceived having a very close relationship with trial participants, those associated with intervention group participants lost more weight and decreased BMI more than those associated with the control group. Actual spatial closeness did not modify any of SHHC's ripple effects. Taken together, this dissertation provides important insights on the mechanisms that contributed to rural women and their social networks members' weight and behavior changes in the context of SHHC. Findings have informed modifications of the SHHC program and future dissemination.
Download or read book Communities in Action written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-04-27 with total page 583 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.
Download or read book Weight related Beliefs Behaviors and Social Networks of Obese Young Adult African American Women written by Brandy Michelle Rollins and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Obesity is a public health concern that affects over 30% of Americans. Approximately 78% of African-American women are overweight/obese, as compared to 46% of Caucasian women. Obese African-American women are at higher risk for associated morbidities (e.g., hypertension, type II diabetes, select cancers, and early mortality) as compared to non-Hispanic whites. Weight gain after young adulthood (ages 20-35) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems later in life. Research that seeks to explain, predict, or control obesity among African-American women has focused on individual behavior change. Few studies have addressed the social contexts within which these behaviors occur. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the weight-related beliefs, behaviors, and social network characteristics of obese, young adult African-American women. A conceptual framework based on social support and social network theory guided the design of the study. Ten African-American women between the ages of 20 and 35, self-described as "plus-size" or "full-figured" completed initial informal conversations about weight-related issues and concerns and semi-structured, in-depth face-to-face interviews. Five participants were randomly selected to complete social network profiles to identify potential social influences on weight-related beliefs and behaviors. Results of the initial conversations revealed approximately half of the participants were class III obesity (BMI > 40), reported overall good health, and 70% participated in physical activity at least one day a week. Semi-structured interviews results disclosed two primary reasons for unsuccessful long-term weight loss: (a) inconsistent weight loss behaviors and (b) lack of accountability. Weight-related beliefs and behaviors of study participants were similar to those reported for older adult African-American women. Similarities included (a) mixed levels of body satisfaction; (b) the belief that health is not determined by weight; (c) sedentary lifestyles and; (d) social support from family and friends impacts long-term weight loss success. The five social network profiles indicated participants' networks are small, comprised of at least two overweight/obese females, and exhibited positive social support behaviors. Social networks included positive, negative, and non-positive relationships. Social support for weight loss is shared among network members through face-to-face interactions, phone conversations, and use of social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging. Future healthy weight studies would benefit from comprehensive analyses of the social networks of obese, young adult African-American women, inclusive of interviews with social network members. Culture-based healthier weight interventions that organize social support networks through social media tools are promising strategies for promoting healthy weight management among obese, young adult African-American women. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/148292
Download or read book Social Support Systems and Networks of Overweight and Normal Weight Women written by Melissa S. Mohon and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Promoting Health written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2000-02-01 with total page 507 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the dawn of the twenty-first century, Americans enjoyed better overall health than at any other time in the nation's history. Rapid advancements in medical technologies, breakthroughs in understanding the genetic underpinnings of health and ill health, improvements in the effectiveness and variety of pharmaceuticals, and other developments in biomedical research have helped develop cures for many illnesses and improve the lives of those with chronic diseases. By itself, however, biomedical research cannot address the most significant challenges to improving public health. Approximately half of all causes of mortality in the United States are linked to social and behavioral factors such as smoking, diet, alcohol use, sedentary lifestyle, and accidents. Yet less than five percent of the money spent annually on U.S. health care is devoted to reducing the risks of these preventable conditions. Behavioral and social interventions offer great promise, but as yet their potential has been relatively poorly tapped. Promoting Health identifies those promising areas of social science and behavioral research that may address public health needs. It includes 12 papersâ€"commissioned from some of the nation's leading expertsâ€"that review these issues in detail, and serves to assess whether the knowledge base of social and behavioral interventions has been useful, or could be useful, in the development of broader public health interventions.
Download or read book Theory at a Glance written by Karen Glanz and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Genes Behavior and the Social Environment written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2006-12-07 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past century, we have made great strides in reducing rates of disease and enhancing people's general health. Public health measures such as sanitation, improved hygiene, and vaccines; reduced hazards in the workplace; new drugs and clinical procedures; and, more recently, a growing understanding of the human genome have each played a role in extending the duration and raising the quality of human life. But research conducted over the past few decades shows us that this progress, much of which was based on investigating one causative factor at a time—often, through a single discipline or by a narrow range of practitioners—can only go so far. Genes, Behavior, and the Social Environment examines a number of well-described gene-environment interactions, reviews the state of the science in researching such interactions, and recommends priorities not only for research itself but also for its workforce, resource, and infrastructural needs.
Download or read book The Future of the Public s Health in the 21st Century written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2003-02-01 with total page 536 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.
Download or read book Social Networks and Health written by Thomas W. Valente and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-03-25 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relationships and the pattern of relationships have a large and varied influence on both individual and group action. The fundamental distinction of social network analysis research is that relationships are of paramount importance in explaining behavior. Because of this, social network analysis offers many exciting tools and techniques for research and practice in a wide variety of medical and public health situations including organizational improvements, understanding risk behaviors, coordinating coalitions, and the delivery of health care services. This book provides an introduction to the major theories, methods, models, and findings of social network analysis research and application. In three sections, it presents a comprehensive overview of the topic; first in a survey of its historical and theoretical foundations, then in practical descriptions of the variety of methods currently in use, and finally in a discussion of its specific applications for behavior change in a public health context. Throughout, the text has been kept clear, concise, and comprehensible, with short mathematical formulas for some key indicators or concepts. Researchers and students alike will find it an invaluable resource for understanding and implementing social network analysis in their own practice.
Download or read book Voice and Agency written by Jeni Klugman and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2014-09-29 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite recent advances in important aspects of the lives of girls and women, pervasive challenges remain. These challenges reflect widespread deprivations and constraints and include epidemic levels of gender-based violence and discriminatory laws and norms that prevent women from owning property, being educated, and making meaningful decisions about their own lives--such as whether and when to marry or have children. These often violate their most basic rights and are magnified and multiplied by poverty and lack of education. This groundbreaking book distills vast data and hundreds of studies to shed new light on deprivations and constraints facing the voice and agency of women and girls worldwide, and on the associated costs for individuals, families, communities, and global development. The volume presents major new findings about the patterns of constraints and overlapping deprivations and focuses on several areas key to women s empowerment: freedom from violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, ownership of land and housing, and voice and collective action. It highlights promising reforms and interventions from around the world and lays out an urgent agenda for governments, civil society, development agencies, and other stakeholders, including a call for greater investment in data and knowledge to benchmark progress.
Download or read book Fostering Healthy Mental Emotional and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-01-18 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral (MEB) development is a critical foundation for a productive adulthood. Much is known about strategies to support families and communities in strengthening the MEB development of children and youth, by promoting healthy development and also by preventing and mitigating disorder, so that young people reach adulthood ready to thrive and contribute to society. Over the last decade, a growing body of research has significantly strengthened understanding of healthy MEB development and the factors that influence it, as well as how it can be fostered. Yet, the United States has not taken full advantage of this growing knowledge base. Ten years later, the nation still is not effectively mitigating risks for poor MEB health outcomes; these risks remain prevalent, and available data show no significant reductions in their prevalence. Fostering Healthy Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Development in Children and Youth: A National Agenda examines the gap between current research and achievable national goals for the next ten years. This report identifies the complexities of childhood influences and highlights the need for a tailored approach when implementing new policies and practices. This report provides a framework for a cohesive, multidisciplinary national approach to improving MEB health.
Download or read book Health and Behavior written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-10-18 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Health and Behavior reviews our improved understanding of the complex interplay among biological, psychological, and social influences and explores findings suggested by recent research-including interventions at multiple levels that we can employ to improve human health. The book covers three main areas: What do biological, behavioral, and social sciences contribute to our understanding of healthâ€"including cardiovascular, immune system and brain functioning, behaviors that influence health, the role of social networks and socioeconomic status, and more. What can we learn from applied research on interventions to improve the health of individuals, families, communities, organizations, and larger populations? How can we expeditiously translate research findings into application?
Download or read book Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2011-10-31 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Childhood obesity is a serious health problem that has adverse and long-lasting consequences for individuals, families, and communities. The magnitude of the problem has increased dramatically during the last three decades and, despite some indications of a plateau in this growth, the numbers remain stubbornly high. Efforts to prevent childhood obesity to date have focused largely on school-aged children, with relatively little attention to children under age 5. However, there is a growing awareness that efforts to prevent childhood obesity must begin before children ever enter the school system. Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies reviews factors related to overweight and obese children from birth to age 5, with a focus on nutrition, physical activity, and sedentary behavior, and recommends policies that can alter children's environments to promote the maintenance of healthy weight. Because the first years of life are important to health and well-being throughout the life span, preventing obesity in infants and young children can contribute to reversing the epidemic of obesity in children and adults. The book recommends that health care providers make parents aware of their child's excess weight early. It also suggests that parents and child care providers keep children active throughout the day, provide them with healthy diets, limit screen time, and ensure children get adequate sleep. In addition to providing comprehensive solutions to tackle the problem of obesity in infants and young children, Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Policies identifies potential actions that could be taken to implement those recommendations. The recommendations can inform the decisions of state and local child care regulators, child care providers, health care providers, directors of federal and local child care and nutrition programs, and government officials at all levels.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Family Health written by Martha Craft-Rosenberg and published by SAGE Publications. This book was released on 2011-01-20 with total page 1463 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is unique about the process in the discussion of healthcare and interventions to use when working with families? What assessment tools provide guidance for healthcare providers as they determine interventions for families in their care? What are the changing dimensions of contemporary family life, and what impact do those dimensions have on health promotion for families? How is family healthcare changing in terms of practices, delivery systems, costs and insurance coverage? Students are able to explore these questions and more in the Encyclopedia of Family Health. Approximately 350 signed articles written by experts from such varied fields as health and nursing, social and behavioral sciences, and policy provide authoritative, cross-disciplinary coverage. Entries examine theory, research and policy as they relate to family practice in a manner that is accessible and jargon-free. From ′Adolescent Suicide′ and ′Alternative Therapies′ to ′Visitation during Hospitalization′ and ′Weight Problems and Genetics′, this work provides coverage of a variety of issues within a family context. The Encyclopedia of Family Health provides a comprehensive summary of theory, research, practice, and policy on family health and wellness promotion for students and researchers.
Download or read book Interpersonal Relationships in Education From Theory to Practice written by David Zandvliet and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-08-07 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings together recent research on interpersonal relationships in education from a variety of perspectives including research from Europe, North America and Australia. The work clearly demonstrates that positive teacher-student relationships can contribute to student learning in classrooms of various types. Productive learning environments are characterized by supportive and warm interactions throughout the class: teacher-student and student-student. Similarly, at the school level, teacher learning thrives when there are positive and mentoring interrelationships among professional colleagues. Work on this book began with a series of formative presentations at the second International Conference on Interpersonal Relationships in Education (ICIRE 2012) held in Vancouver, Canada, an event that included among others, keynote addresses by David Berliner, Andrew Martin and Mieke Brekelmans. Further collaboration and peer review by the editorial team resulted in the collection of original research that this book comprises. The volume (while eclectic) demonstrates how constructive learning environment relationships can be developed and sustained in a variety of settings. Chapter contributions come from a range of fields including educational and social psychology, teacher and school effectiveness research, communication and language studies, and a variety of related fields. Together, they cover the important influence of the relationships of teachers with individual students, relationships among peers, and the relationships between teachers and their professional colleagues.
Download or read book Sociological Abstracts written by Leo P. Chall and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 606 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: CSA Sociological Abstracts abstracts and indexes the international literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. The database provides abstracts of journal articles and citations to book reviews drawn from over 1,800+ serials publications, and also provides abstracts of books, book chapters, dissertations, and conference papers.
Download or read book The Social Determinants of Mental Health written by Michael T. Compton and published by American Psychiatric Pub. This book was released on 2015-04-01 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Social Determinants of Mental Health aims to fill the gap that exists in the psychiatric, scholarly, and policy-related literature on the social determinants of mental health: those factors stemming from where we learn, play, live, work, and age that impact our overall mental health and well-being. The editors and an impressive roster of chapter authors from diverse scholarly backgrounds provide detailed information on topics such as discrimination and social exclusion; adverse early life experiences; poor education; unemployment, underemployment, and job insecurity; income inequality, poverty, and neighborhood deprivation; food insecurity; poor housing quality and housing instability; adverse features of the built environment; and poor access to mental health care. This thought-provoking book offers many beneficial features for clinicians and public health professionals: Clinical vignettes are included, designed to make the content accessible to readers who are primarily clinicians and also to demonstrate the practical, individual-level applicability of the subject matter for those who typically work at the public health, population, and/or policy level. Policy implications are discussed throughout, designed to make the content accessible to readers who work primarily at the public health or population level and also to demonstrate the policy relevance of the subject matter for those who typically work at the clinical level. All chapters include five to six key points that focus on the most important content, helping to both prepare the reader with a brief overview of the chapter's main points and reinforce the "take-away" messages afterward. In addition to the main body of the book, which focuses on selected individual social determinants of mental health, the volume includes an in-depth overview that summarizes the editors' and their colleagues' conceptualization, as well as a final chapter coauthored by Dr. David Satcher, 16th Surgeon General of the United States, that serves as a "Call to Action," offering specific actions that can be taken by both clinicians and policymakers to address the social determinants of mental health. The editors have succeeded in the difficult task of balancing the individual/clinical/patient perspective and the population/public health/community point of view, while underscoring the need for both groups to work in a unified way to address the inequities in twenty-first century America. The Social Determinants of Mental Health gives readers the tools to understand and act to improve mental health and reduce risk for mental illnesses for individuals and communities. Students preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) will also benefit from this book, as the MCAT in 2015 will test applicants' knowledge of social determinants of health. The social determinants of mental health are not distinct from the social determinants of physical health, although they deserve special emphasis given the prevalence and burden of poor mental health.
