Motivations of Young Adults for Improving Dietary Choices: Focus Group Findings Prior to the MENU GenY Dietary Change Trial

Exploring Influences of Eating Behaviors Among Emerging Adults in the Military

OBJECTIVE

Identify factors influencing eating behaviors among emerging adults in the military.

DESIGN

Focused ethnography using interviews, observations, and artifacts for data.

SETTING

Three US Naval installations.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-two active-duty Sailors aged 18-25 years.

ANALYSIS

Qualitative data were organized in NVivo and analyzed sequentially to categorize culturally relevant domains and themes using a social ecological model (SEM). Descriptive statistics were used to describe questionnaire data in SPSS (version 27.0, IBM, 2020).

RESULTS

Leaders encouraged healthy eating through policies and messages, but cultural contradictions and environmental barriers undermined Sailors' efforts to eat healthily. Stress and resource constraints (intrapersonal), peer pressure (social), unhealthy food environments and lack of access to food preparation (environmental), and eating on the go because of mission-first norms (cultural) promoted unhealthy eating behaviors. Nutrition and culinary literacy (intrapersonal); peer support and leadership engagement (social); access to healthy, convenient, and low-cost foods (environmental); and indoctrination to healthy eating during recruit training (cultural) positively influenced eating behaviors.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The eating behaviors of service members are influenced by many modifiable factors. Targeted education, leadership engagement, and policies that make nutritious foods easily accessible, appealing, and preferred are needed.

Factors Associated With Dietary Behaviors Among Malaysian Adults: Application of the Social Cognitive Theory

Background: Dietary behavior applying theory-based approaches is seldom documented in the general adult population. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the eating behavior of Malaysian adults and the demographic factors that were associated with positive eating habits. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, the convenience sampling technique was used to sample Malaysian adults aged 18 or older. The questionnaire was based on constructs from Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), which has six scales or constructs, including self-efficacy, intentions, situation, social support, behavioral strategies, and outcome expectations and expectancies. All the six constructs demonstrated adequate model fit using confirmatory analysis fit by the developers and good internal reliability using Cronbach’s alpha in this study. The data were descriptively analyzed, and subsequently, logistic regressions were performed, assessing demographic factors associated with healthy eating habits. The variables achieving a P value<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 461 respondents completed the questionnaire. Good social support (83.30%), outcome expectations (90.24%) and expectancies (92.41%), and the situation in relation to healthy eating (88.94%) were frequently observed among the respondents. The sentence has been revised to express the idea more clearly. "However, the observations in these dimensions were not necessarily translated into good self-efficacy (33.41%), intentions (39.91%), and behavioral strategies relating to healthy eating (53.15%). Additionally, demographic variables such as ethnicity, age, and region were significantly associated with the positive attitude observed on the questionnaire constructs. Conclusion: In summary, the findings of the study revealed that many Malaysians have poor self-efficacy, intentions, and behavioral strategies when it came to eating healthy. The demographic factors significantly associated with dietary behaviors should be targeted in future interventional studies and awareness programs.

Identifying What Matters to Hysterectomy Patients: Postsurgery Perceptions, Beliefs, and Experiences

Purpose

Hysterectomy is the most common non-obstetrical surgery for women in the United States. Few investigations comparing hysterectomy surgical approaches include patient-centered outcomes.

Methods

The study was performed at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan between February 2015 and May 2015. The data were collected through structured focus groups with 24 post-hysterectomy women in order to identify PCOs to employ in a subsequent cohort study of hysterectomy surgical approaches. One pilot focus group and five additional focus groups were held. Qualitative data analysis, using data from coded transcripts of focus groups, was used to identify themes.Eligible women, aged between 18 and 65 years and had an EMR documented Current Procedural Terminology (CPT™) code or an International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems - Ninth Edition (ICD-9) code of hysterectomy between December 2012 and December 2014 (N=1,381, N=307 after exclusions) were selected and recruited. A question guide was developed to investigate women's experiences and feelings about the experience prior and subsequent to their hysterectomy. Analysis utilized the Framework Method.

Results

Focus groups with women who previously had a hysterectomy revealed their pre- and post-hysterectomy perceptions. Responses grouped into topics of pre- and post-surgical experiences, and information all women should know. Responses grouped into themes of 1) decision making, 2) the procedure - surgical experience, 3) recovery, 4) advice to past self, and 5) recommendations to other women.

Conclusion

These findings about perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes of women having undergone hysterectomy could support health care providers deliver patient-centered care. These results informed data collection for a prospective longitudinal cohort study that is now underway. The data suggest a need for increased education and empowerment in the decision making process, while expanding on information given for post-operative expectations and somatic changes that occur post-hysterectomy.