Journal of Health Psychology最新文献

Parents are increasingly turning to social media for breastfeeding-related information. Reddit, which allows users to anonymously discuss with individuals around the world, has recently increased in popularity among parents. Given breastfeeding's importance, it is imperative to examine the behaviours of information-seeking parents to ascertain what information is being sought out and shared. The purpose of this study was to explore parents' use of Reddit to seek out and share breastfeeding-related information. The Naturalistic Inquiry method was employed to explore data extracted from the breastfeeding SubReddit (i.e. a forum of a particular topic where users can post/discuss the topic; /r/breastfeeding). Via thematic analysis, four themes emerged: (1) breastfeeding-related challenges; (2) 'normal' behaviours for age/development of infant; (3) weaning; and (4) returning to work. An increased understanding of the factors involved in parents' decisions to seek support online, rather than from professionals, may provide important insights into breastfeeding support gaps.

Grounded in the risk information seeking and processing (RISP) model, this study investigated how individual characteristics and socio-psychological factors influenced Americans' information seeking about the Monkeypox (Mpox) outbreak. The RISP model proposes that one's cognitive need for information (i.e. information insufficiency) and desire to fulfill social expectations about their own information level (i.e. informational subjective norms) are key factors that motivate information seeking. Further, risk judgment and affective response contribute to these two primary motivational factors. Based on a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 1000), results indicated that social dominance orientation contributed to information seeking indirectly through risk judgment, information insufficiency, and relevant channel beliefs. These findings suggest that it is important to consider individual attribute such as social dominance orientation when communicating to the public about a public health crisis that affected marginal social groups disproportionately.

The compulsory inclusion of calorie information on menus has been health policy in the UK since 2022. Public opinion on the policy varies, with young women particularly likely to oppose and express concerns. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of young women with a negative opinion of the policy. Eight White British women (18-25 years) volunteered to take part in semi-structured interviews exploring their perceptions and experiences with calories on menus. Inductive reflexive thematic analysis developed three themes: (1) viewing calories fed their own unhealthy relationship with food; (2) calories don't tell you everything that matters about food; (3) negative emotional reactions are shaped by society's encouragement of the thin ideal. The women's negative opinions on the policy appeared heavily grounded in, and indicative of, their own negative emotional responses to viewing calorie information. They linked these responses to sociocultural meanings and ideals related to thinness, food choice and dieting.

Cervical cancer screening is a crucial cancer detection measure that can be facilitated by effective patient-provider communication (PPC). This study examined how face-to-face patient-provider communication (FPPC) and online patient-provider communication (OPPC) were associated with cervical cancer screening behaviors through the mediation of human papillomavirus (HPV) awareness and cancer worry. Using data from 3133 women in the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 6, 2022), we applied structural equation modeling to examine our model. Results suggested that FPPC and OPPC positively correlated with screening behaviors. HPV awareness acted as a mediator in the relationship between OPPC and screening behaviors. Cancer worry mediated the association between FPPC/OPPC and screening behaviors but functioned differently: increased FPPC diminished cancer worry, whereas heightened OPPC augmented it. Only OPPC was linked to screening behaviors via sequential mediation of HPV awareness and cancer worry, underscoring the significance of promoting screening through cognition-affect mechanism in the digital era.

Spiritual wellbeing correlates with improved pain perception. We hypothesize that pain catastrophizing, which correlates with worsened pain, partially explains this relationship. In this cross-sectional, human laboratory-based study, 120 US Americans with chronic pain completed self-report measures of spiritual wellbeing, pain catastrophizing, and their subconstructs. A cold pressor task measured pain perception (i.e. pain sensitivity and pain tolerance). Multiple regressions evaluated the relationship between spiritual wellbeing (and its subconstructs) and pain perception with and without the inclusion of pain catastrophizing (and its subconstructs). No direct relationships were found between spiritual wellbeing or its subconstructs and pain sensitivity, although helplessness significantly altered regression coefficients. Spiritual wellbeing, meaning, and peace associated less strongly with pain tolerance controlling for pain catastrophizing, helplessness, and (for peace) magnification. This shows that many of the links between spiritual wellbeing and pain perception are indirect, through pain catastrophizing and especially helplessness.

With the global aging population, more research is needed on older adults' mental health, particularly loneliness, a key psychological challenge resulting from life changes. While some researchers highlighted the potential of social media in reducing loneliness, the empirical findings remain unclear. This meta-analysis, including 19,134 observations, revealed no significant overall correlation between social media use and loneliness among older adults. To explore variability between studies, we conducted sensitivity analyses (excluding influential studies), subgroup analyses (based on age group, year of data collection, measure of social media use, and study region), and meta-regression with gender distribution as a moderator. Notably, a negative association was identified in the subgroup of studies conducted before COVID-19, indicating that social media may have helped reduce loneliness among older adults during that period. However, this benefit highlights that online networking cannot fully replace real-life social interaction.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV tend to experience a range of mental health issues, in particular generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), often caused and maintained by psychosocial variables including HIV stigma, discrimination, self-esteem issues, substance abuse and loneliness. This is particularly problematic in countries like Nigeria where same sex activity is illegal and can result in up to 14 years imprisonment. An important psychological variable that may contribute to the experience of GAD are metacognitive beliefs. Participants (N = 311) completed measures to examine the relationship between these variables. Results indicated that metacognition was associated with, and significantly predicted, GAD in this population. Moderation analysis showed that the effect of HIV stigma on GAD was explained by the proposed interaction with metacognition. Findings suggest that metacognition may be an important variable in explaining GAD symptoms in MSM living with HIV in Nigeria.

This study explores how context-specific behavioral economic principles could be employed to tailor interventions to support patients' efforts to modify day-to-day routines. Using adapted geo-ethnography techniques, interviews collected in-depth descriptions about facilitators and barriers to physical activity (PA), and contexts influencing decisions about day-to-day activities. Data were analyzed using the COM-B model for behavior change and MINDSPACE behavioral economic principles as coding frameworks. Twenty-nine patients (19 men, 10 women) aged 50-79 participated. Findings indicate patients were motivated and capable of increasing PA but were challenged to identify opportunities to adapt day-to-day routines for increasing PA. Patients described disrupting default routines, increasing commitments, changing the messenger, and introducing incentives as potentially useful behavioral economic principles to improve day-to-day decisions about increasing PA. Patients had insight into potential behavioral economic principles, although they were not previously educated, and were valuable partners in developing research and clinic-based behavioral economic intervention strategies.

Women are more likely than men to experience migraine and to endorse worse symptoms. Migraine is associated with anxiety, depressive and posttraumatic stress disorders. Women who experience migraine are also more likely to report a history of discriminatory experiences. This study investigated migraine characteristics, mental health outcomes and gender-based discrimination among women using a case-control study with a migraine and non-migraine sample. Two hundred ninety-two women completed an online survey with measures of migraine characteristics (as applicable), mental health symptoms, and gender-based discrimination. Women living with migraine experienced worse mental health symptoms and more gender-based discrimination than the non-migraine group. Migraine frequency and lifetime day-to-day discrimination significantly predicted anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms, while anticipated discrimination significantly predicted trauma symptoms; lifetime day-to-day discrimination significantly predicted migraine-related reduction in productivity; and gender-based discrimination significantly predicted migraine-related social absences. These findings may be used to improve management of migraine among women.

Second-generation antipsychotics are highly effective in controlling symptoms if taken as prescribed. However, poor medication adherence results in patients continuing to experience psychotic episodes and metabolic disturbances that can cause them to develop abnormal lipid levels, weight gain, and diabetes. Understanding the underlying modulators that impact follow-up appointments and metabolic monitoring is critical. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients and their treating psychiatrists across four sites in South India. Narrative data were thematically analyzed, informed by an inductive approach. Patient-reported barriers included medication side effects, lack of awareness about metabolic monitoring, and financial constraints. Psychiatrists reported both patient and resource barriers that impact their provision of care. This study has shed light on key barriers impacting the provision of care and subsequently health outcomes for patients living with severe mental illness to inform strategies that target barriers for both patients and psychiatrists.