The objective of the survey is to fill the gap in knowledge by assessing the sexual risk taking behaviors of HIV negative women. A semi-validated survey was given to 18 women, aged 18-49 years and testing negative for HIV, presenting to the emergency department for non-emergent health conditions. The results of the survey showed by frequency analysis that a higher percentage of those practicing protected sex, having few sex partners, choosing low-risk partners, and strong knowledge of HIV transmission had negative HIV status. Our study findings are aligned with previous work showing the influence of “risky sexual behaviors” on HIV status.
{"title":"Review of Sexual Risk with HIV Negative Women Tested in an Emergency Department","authors":"M. Hill, Na Hu, M. Granado, Angelita Durrett","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.226","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of the survey is to fill the gap in knowledge by assessing the sexual risk taking behaviors of HIV negative women. A semi-validated survey was given to 18 women, aged 18-49 years and testing negative for HIV, presenting to the emergency department for non-emergent health conditions. The results of the survey showed by frequency analysis that a higher percentage of those practicing protected sex, having few sex partners, choosing low-risk partners, and strong knowledge of HIV transmission had negative HIV status. Our study findings are aligned with previous work showing the influence of “risky sexual behaviors” on HIV status.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48487848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of social support and social connectedness for five weight control behaviors among overweight/obese adults (N=118) participating in an online weightloss community. The five weight control behaviors investigated were physical activity, screen time, and the consumption of sugar-free drinks, sugar-sweetened drinks, and fruits and vegetables. Step-wise multiple regression was used to predict each weight control behavior with constructs of social support and social connectedness. Social support was highly predictive of all behaviors under investigation. Furthermore, interactions within the community (active or passive users) were significant for two behaviors (screen time and fruit and vegetable consumption), and number of minutes engaged in the community per week was significant for fruit and vegetable consumption only. These results suggest that promoting social support is likely the most important feature for online weight loss communities.
{"title":"Social Support and Connectedness as Predictors of Weight Control Behaviors in Online Communications","authors":"Paul Branscum, Chen Ling, Xiaoqian Wang","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.210","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.210","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of social support and social connectedness for five weight control behaviors among overweight/obese adults (N=118) participating in an online weightloss community. The five weight control behaviors investigated were physical activity, screen time, and the consumption of sugar-free drinks, sugar-sweetened drinks, and fruits and vegetables. Step-wise multiple regression was used to predict each weight control behavior with constructs of social support and social connectedness. Social support was highly predictive of all behaviors under investigation. Furthermore, interactions within the community (active or passive users) were significant for two behaviors (screen time and fruit and vegetable consumption), and number of minutes engaged in the community per week was significant for fruit and vegetable consumption only. These results suggest that promoting social support is likely the most important feature for online weight loss communities.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48781523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Timothy Day, Ronald Williams, B. Hunt, Michael Hall
The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of tobacco-free campus policies among residence life student employees. A survey was developed and administered to resident advisors yielding a total sample of 114 participants. Results showed differences between the tobacco-users’ and non-users’ age, tobacco-related health beliefs, and tobacco-free policy support. Tobacco users (47.6%) were also less likely than non-users (84.9%) to view tobacco use as a serious health risk (p<.001), as well as less likely to support a tobacco free campus (33.3% vs. 78.3%; p<.001). Residence life employees who use tobacco and those who do not use tobacco had different beliefs of effective enforcement strategies, which is important since this population is often part of the on-campus policy enforcement staff.
{"title":"Brief Assessment of Tobacco-Free Campus Policies Among University Residence Hall Employees","authors":"Timothy Day, Ronald Williams, B. Hunt, Michael Hall","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.222","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of tobacco-free campus policies among residence life student employees. A survey was developed and administered to resident advisors yielding a total sample of 114 participants. Results showed differences between the tobacco-users’ and non-users’ age, tobacco-related health beliefs, and tobacco-free policy support. Tobacco users (47.6%) were also less likely than non-users (84.9%) to view tobacco use as a serious health risk (p<.001), as well as less likely to support a tobacco free campus (33.3% vs. 78.3%; p<.001). Residence life employees who use tobacco and those who do not use tobacco had different beliefs of effective enforcement strategies, which is important since this population is often part of the on-campus policy enforcement staff.\u0000 ","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41380675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Young adults engage themselves in unsafe sexual behaviors exposing themselves to getting aSTD and/or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to use social cognitive theory in predicting safer sex behaviors among college students. A cross-sectional study design was implemented among a sample of 180 sexually active college students. More than half of the survey responders were monogamous and less than a quarter had two sexual partners. A step-wise multiple regressions model indicated a statistically significant predictive model with self-efficacy, situational perceptions and self-control towards safer sex as significant predictors (48% predicted variance) of self-reported sexual behaviors.
{"title":"Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Safer Sex Behaviors in College Students","authors":"A. Kanekar, M. Sharma, Russell Bennett","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2015.174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2015.174","url":null,"abstract":"Young adults engage themselves in unsafe sexual behaviors exposing themselves to getting aSTD and/or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to use social cognitive theory in predicting safer sex behaviors among college students. A cross-sectional study design was implemented among a sample of 180 sexually active college students. More than half of the survey responders were monogamous and less than a quarter had two sexual partners. A step-wise multiple regressions model indicated a statistically significant predictive model with self-efficacy, situational perceptions and self-control towards safer sex as significant predictors (48% predicted variance) of self-reported sexual behaviors.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45643398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant differences exist in the domain of overall physical self-worth and the subdomains of sport competence, physical condition, body attractiveness, and physical strength between intercollegiate athletes and regular exercisers, intercollegiate athletes and nonexercisers, and regular exercisers and nonexercisers. The Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) was used to survey female college students attending one Midwestern University. It was concluded that college females who engaged in sport competition and exercise participation perceived their physical selves more positively than did female nonexercisers.
{"title":"College Females' Self-Perceptions of Their Overall Physical Self-Worth","authors":"Regan K. Dodd, R. Vetter","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2015.177","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2015.177","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant differences exist in the domain of overall physical self-worth and the subdomains of sport competence, physical condition, body attractiveness, and physical strength between intercollegiate athletes and regular exercisers, intercollegiate athletes and nonexercisers, and regular exercisers and nonexercisers. The Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) was used to survey female college students attending one Midwestern University. It was concluded that college females who engaged in sport competition and exercise participation perceived their physical selves more positively than did female nonexercisers.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45618294","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Obesity and obesity-related health problems are of growing concern in the United States, particularly among low-income and minority groups. Food pantries have been utilized to reduce barriers to healthy eating; however, challenges still exist with providing physical activity (PA) services. A needs assessment was conducted among rural food-pantry patrons to determine PA behaviors, knowledge, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers to PA. Data were used to infer the health education needs and services of food pantry patrons. Fifty percent of participants indicated that providing fitness classes and PA education materials could help them overcome barriers such as time, money, and childcare.
{"title":"Physical Activity Among Low-Income Food Pantry Patrons: Improving the Role of a Rural Food Pantry","authors":"S. Blackstone, L. Herrmann","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.223","url":null,"abstract":"Obesity and obesity-related health problems are of growing concern in the United States, particularly among low-income and minority groups. Food pantries have been utilized to reduce barriers to healthy eating; however, challenges still exist with providing physical activity (PA) services. A needs assessment was conducted among rural food-pantry patrons to determine PA behaviors, knowledge, self-efficacy, and perceived barriers to PA. Data were used to infer the health education needs and services of food pantry patrons. Fifty percent of participants indicated that providing fitness classes and PA education materials could help them overcome barriers such as time, money, and childcare.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49489049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The life of a college student could be considered stressful. There are assignments, term papers, midterm exams, and final exams, all of which may create varied amounts of stress. One method of combatting these stressors is participation in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate college students’ perceptions of their participation in physical activity courses on their stress. A total of 356 college students were surveyed regarding their perceptions of how participation in physical activity affects their stress. Results showed that participation in physical activity classes helped them to control the stress related to their coursework.
{"title":"Effects of College Student's Participation in Physical Activity Classes on Stress","authors":"D. Barney, L. Benham, Liz Haslem","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.206","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.206","url":null,"abstract":" The life of a college student could be considered stressful. There are assignments, term papers, midterm exams, and final exams, all of which may create varied amounts of stress. One method of combatting these stressors is participation in physical activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate college students’ perceptions of their participation in physical activity courses on their stress. A total of 356 college students were surveyed regarding their perceptions of how participation in physical activity affects their stress. Results showed that participation in physical activity classes helped them to control the stress related to their coursework.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42938740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Santos, Maria T. Hurtado-Ortiz, L. Lewis, Julia Ramirez-Garcia
This study examined the validity of the Implicit Model of Illness Questionnaire (IMIQ - Schiaffino & Cea, 1995) when used with Latino college students (n = 156; 34% male, 66% female) who are at-risk for developing diabetes due to family history of this disease. An exploratory principal-axis factor analysis yielded four significant factors - curability, personal responsibility, symptom variability/seriousness, and personal attributions - which accounted for 35% of variance and reflected a psychosocial-biomedical common sense perspective of diabetes. Factor-based analyses revealed differences in diabetes illness beliefs based on students' age, generational status, acculturation orientation, and disease experience of the afflicted relative.
{"title":"Common Sense Illness Beliefs of Diabetes among At-Risk Latino College Students.","authors":"S. Santos, Maria T. Hurtado-Ortiz, L. Lewis, Julia Ramirez-Garcia","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2015.165","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2015.165","url":null,"abstract":"This study examined the validity of the Implicit Model of Illness Questionnaire (IMIQ - Schiaffino & Cea, 1995) when used with Latino college students (n = 156; 34% male, 66% female) who are at-risk for developing diabetes due to family history of this disease. An exploratory principal-axis factor analysis yielded four significant factors - curability, personal responsibility, symptom variability/seriousness, and personal attributions - which accounted for 35% of variance and reflected a psychosocial-biomedical common sense perspective of diabetes. Factor-based analyses revealed differences in diabetes illness beliefs based on students' age, generational status, acculturation orientation, and disease experience of the afflicted relative.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":"30 1 1","pages":"13-22"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44940464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The present study examined perceived harm, ease of access, friends’ use, and extent of lifetime synthetic THC use among (N = 338) university students. Demographics, including sex and grade, also were investigated. Results indicated that students’ who perceived synthetic THC as harmful were less likely to use synthetic THC in their lifetime. Students’ reporting synthetic THC as easy to obtain were more likely to use synthetic THC. Findings indicated that students’ lifetime use was impacted by friends’ use. Although more men and upper classmen reported using synthetic THC, no significant differences for use among sex or grade levels were found. These findings should be considered when developing synthetic THC prevention and intervention programs for university students.
{"title":"Synthetic THC Use Among University Students: An Exploration of Perceived Harm, Ease of Access, and Friends' Use","authors":"Rebecca A. Vidourek, K. King, M. Burbage","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.207","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.207","url":null,"abstract":"The present study examined perceived harm, ease of access, friends’ use, and extent of lifetime synthetic THC use among (N = 338) university students. Demographics, including sex and grade, also were investigated. Results indicated that students’ who perceived synthetic THC as harmful were less likely to use synthetic THC in their lifetime. Students’ reporting synthetic THC as easy to obtain were more likely to use synthetic THC. Findings indicated that students’ lifetime use was impacted by friends’ use. Although more men and upper classmen reported using synthetic THC, no significant differences for use among sex or grade levels were found. These findings should be considered when developing synthetic THC prevention and intervention programs for university students.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43992121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ryan J. Martin, S. Usdan, J. Cremeens, Randolph A. Devereaux, Supriya G. Reddy, Joe Schumacher
Excessive alcohol consumption and drinking and driving among college students are public health concerns. Online alcohol-related interventions have produced some positive outcomes in the college student populations; however, online interventions to reduce drinking and driving specifically have been neither developed nor tested. We developed an online Impaired Driving Intervention (IDI) using the Impaired Driving Assessment, a modified alcohol-specific version of timeline follow-back method of assessing behavior. This research examines: (1) the development of the IDI; (2) a pilot test of the IDI among 19 undergraduates; and (3) the refinements made to the program based on the pilot test. As a result of our pilot test, we changed the timing of our participant screening and for several program components we provided clearer instructions, including the addition of informative “pop-up” windows.
{"title":"Development and Computerized Implementation of an Impaired Driving Intervention for College Students","authors":"Ryan J. Martin, S. Usdan, J. Cremeens, Randolph A. Devereaux, Supriya G. Reddy, Joe Schumacher","doi":"10.47779/ajhs.2014.213","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.47779/ajhs.2014.213","url":null,"abstract":"Excessive alcohol consumption and drinking and driving among college students are public health concerns. Online alcohol-related interventions have produced some positive outcomes in the college student populations; however, online interventions to reduce drinking and driving specifically have been neither developed nor tested. We developed an online Impaired Driving Intervention (IDI) using the Impaired Driving Assessment, a modified alcohol-specific version of timeline follow-back method of assessing behavior. This research examines: (1) the development of the IDI; (2) a pilot test of the IDI among 19 undergraduates; and (3) the refinements made to the program based on the pilot test. As a result of our pilot test, we changed the timing of our participant screening and for several program components we provided clearer instructions, including the addition of informative “pop-up” windows.","PeriodicalId":88360,"journal":{"name":"American journal of health studies","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42119278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}