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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Health protective behaviour'

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Published: 9 November 2024

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Chrispin, Catherine Anna. "Psychological issues related to sun exposure and skin protective behaviour." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.365936.

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Charters, Kathleen Anne. "Putting health behaviour theory into context and context into health behaviour theory. : COVID-19 through the health psychology looking glass." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris, EHESS, 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024EHES0042.

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La pandémie de COVID-19 a mis en évidence l'importance des comportements de prévention pour réduire la propagation de la maladie et le fardeau sanitaire associé. Comprendre les déterminants psychologiques qui motivent l'engagement comportemental est donc essentiel dans un contexte épidémique. Au début de la pandémie, relativement peu de recherches portaient sur la dynamique de la réponse comportementale humaine face à cette menace épidémique en constante évolution. Cette recherche a cherché à combler cette lacune dans la littérature, d'abord en examinant les théories psychosociales des comportements de prévention existantes dans le contexte de la pandémie, et ensuite en élargissant cette base théorique pour tenir compte des effets de la situation épidémique, mettant ainsi les comportements de prévention en contexte et intégrant le contexte dans la théorie des comportements de prévention. La première partie de la recherche doctorale porte sur deux problématiques relatives aux comportements de santé qui préoccupaient les chercheurs et les autorités sanitaires : l'optimisme irréaliste et la compensation du risque. Les résultats de la première étude transversale répétée (N=12378), menée avant, au début et au pic de la première vague épidémique (février–avril 2020) en France, en Italie, au Royaume-Uni et en Suisse, ont indiqué que les participants de ces quatre pays devenaient de plus en plus optimistes de manière irréaliste avec le temps et que cette tendance était associée à un désengagement comportemental. Les résultats de la deuxième étude (N=14003) menée au cours des huit premiers mois du campagne vaccinale en France (février–septembre 2021) suggèrent l’existence d’une faible compensation du risque observable vers la fin de la campagne, en particulier s’agissant de l'évitement des rassemblements sociaux, parmi les participants présentant un schéma vaccinale complet. Puisque les résultats de ces premières études indiquaient que le contexte épidémique influençait la perception du risque et l'adhésion aux mesures de contrôle, nous avons cherché à caractériser dans la deuxième partie de la thèse l'effet du contexte épidémiologique sur les déterminants sociocognitifs des comportements de prévention, comblant ainsi une lacune dans la recherche dans ce domaine. Dix-sept enquêtes bimensuelles ont été menées sur neuf mois (mars–novembre 2020, N=34016).Une analyse de regression multiniveaux a révélé une association entre le contexte épidémiologique et les comportements de prévention, le temps modérant toutefois l'effet de l'incidence sur le comportement. Ensuite, une analyse plus approfondie des pistes causales a indiqué que l'effet du contexte épidémiologique sur le comportement n’était que partiellement médié par des variables sociocognitives. Étonnamment, à l'exception des normes sociales perçues, les variables de cognition sociale traditionnellement considérées comme déterminant de la réponse comportementale, ont peu contribué à la médiation de la relation entre le contexte épidémiologique et le comportement. Les implications pour la théorie, de futures recherches, ainsi que la pratique et la politique en matière de santé publique, sont discutées. Les résultats de cette recherche soulignent la nécessité de renforcer la théorie, tout en l'examinant, en la testant et en l'élargissant dans des contextes divers et variés. À travers l’élargissement de la théorie existante à une épidémie d'une maladie infectieuse émergente, la COVID-19, cette recherche explore les différents facteurs d'influence et les mécanismes causaux potentiellement impliqués dans le processus psychologique complexe et dynamique d'évaluation du risque et l'engagement comportemental qui en résulte. En plaçant la théorie dans son contexte et le contexte dans la théorie, cette recherche doctorale cherche à faire progresser la théorie, apportant ainsi une contribution significative au domaine de la recherche sur les comportements de prévention en matière de santé The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of health protective behaviours in reducing disease spread and subsequent health burden. Understanding the psychological determinants motivating behavioural engagement is therefore critical in an epidemic and pandemic setting. At the time of the pandemic outbreak, relatively little research attention had focused on the dynamics of human behavioural response to an unfolding, constantly evolving epidemic threat. This doctoral research therefore sought to address this gap in the literature firstly by investigating existing theory in the COVID-19 context, and secondly by expanding upon existing theory to account for the epidemic setting, thereby putting health behaviour theory into context and context into health behaviour theory. To this end, the first part of the doctoral research investigated two health behaviour issues of concern to researchers and health authorities: unrealistic optimism and risk compensation. Findings from the first repeated cross-sectional study (N=12,378), conducted at pre-, early and peak first-wave epidemic stages (February–April 2020) in France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, indicated that people across all four countries became increasingly unrealistically optimistic over time and that this was associated with behavioural disengagement. Results of the second study (N=14,003) during the initial eight months of the vaccine rollout in France (February–September 2021), suggested risk compensation occurred towards the end of the vaccine rollout, particularly towards avoidance of social gatherings among those with a completed vaccination schedule.As results from these initial studies suggested that the epidemic setting influenced risk appraisal and adherence to mitigation measures, and addressing a gap in the literature due to the paucity of research in this area, the second part of the doctoral study explored the effect of the epidemiological context on behaviour and the social cognitive pathways involved. Seventeen bi-monthly surveys were conducted over nine months (March–November 2020, N=34,016). Multilevel analysis revealed that there was an association between the epidemiological context and protective behaviour, with time serving to moderate the effect of incidence on behaviour. Further pathway analysis indicated that the effect of the epidemiological context on behaviour was only partially mediated by social cognitive variables. Surprisingly, with the exception of perceived social norms, which made the greatest mediational contribution, social cognitions commonly and repeatedly found to predict behavioural response contrastingly contributed little to mediating the epidemiological context–behaviour relationship. Implications for theory, future research, public health policy and practice are discussed. Above all, these research findings highlight the need to nurture theory by examining, testing and expanding upon it in different contexts. Through its extension of extant theory to an epidemic of an emerging infectious disease, COVID-19, the current investigation explored the underlying layers of influence and possible causal mechanisms involved in the complex and dynamic psychological process of risk appraisal and behavioural engagement. By putting theory into context and context into theory, this doctoral research sought to nourish and advance theory, thereby making a significant contribution to the field of health behaviour research

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Wilson, Lee-Ann Margaret. "A cross-discipline and collaborative approach to identifying the predictors of environmentally friendly and health protective behaviour." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2012. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/63940/1/Lee-Ann_Wilson_Thesis.pdf.

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Background. As a society, our interaction with the environment is having a negative impact on human health. For example, an increase in car use for short trips, over walking or cycling, has contributed to an increase in obesity, diabetes and poor heart health and also contributes to pollution, which is associated with asthma and other respiratory diseases. In order to change the nature of that interaction, to be more positive and healthy, it is recommended that individuals adopt a range of environmentally friendly behaviours (such as walking for transport and reducing the use of plastics). Effective interventions aimed at increasing such behaviours will need to be evidence based and there is a need for the rapid communication of information from the point of research, into policy and practice. Further, a number of health disciplines, including psychology and public health, share a common mission to promote health and well-being. Therefore, the objective of this project is to take a cross-discipline and collaborative approach to reveal psychological mechanisms driving environmentally friendly behaviour. This objective is further divided into three broad aims, the first of which is to take a cross-discipline and collaborative approach to research. The second aim is to explore and identify the salient beliefs which most strongly predict environmentally friendly behaviour. The third aim is to build an augmented model to explain environmentally friendly behaviour. The thesis builds on the understanding that an interdisciplinary collaborative approach will facilitate the rapid transfer of knowledge to inform behaviour change interventions. Methods. The application of this approach involved two surveys which explored the psycho-social predictors of environmentally friendly behaviour. Following a qualitative pilot study, and in collaboration with an expert panel comprising academics, industry professionals and government representatives, a self-administered, Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) based, mail survey was distributed to a random sample of 3000 residents of Brisbane and Moreton Bay Region (Queensland, Australia). This survey explored specific beliefs including attitudes, norms, perceived control, intention and behaviour, as well as environmental altruism and green identity, in relation to walking for transport and switching off lights when not in use. Following analysis of the mail survey data and based on feedback from participants and key stakeholders, an internet survey was employed (N=451) to explore two additional behaviours, switching off appliances at the wall when not in use, and shopping with reusable bags. This work is presented as a series of interrelated publications which address each of the research aims. Presentation of Findings. Chapter five of this thesis consists of a published paper which addresses the first aim of the research and outlines the collaborative and multidisciplinary approach employed in the mail survey. The paper argued that forging alliances with those who are in a position to immediately utilise the findings of research has the potential to improve the quality and timely communication of research. Illustrating this timely communication, Chapter six comprises a report presented to Moreton Bay Regional Council (MBRC). This report addresses aim's one and two. The report contains a summary of participation in a range of environmentally friendly behaviours and identifies the beliefs which most strongly predicted walking for transport and switching off lights (from the mail survey). These salient beliefs were then recommended as targets for interventions and included: participants believing that they might save money; that their neighbours also switch off lights; that it would be inconvenient to walk for transport and that their closest friend also walks for transport. Chapter seven also addresses the second aim and presents a published conference paper in which the salient beliefs predicting the four specified behaviours (from both surveys) are identified and potential applications for intervention are discussed. Again, a range of TPB based beliefs, including descriptive normative beliefs, were predictive of environmentally friendly behaviour. This paper was also provided to MBRC, along with recommendations for applying the findings. For example, as descriptive normative beliefs were consistently correlated with environmentally friendly behaviour, local councils could engage in marketing and interventions (workshops, letter box drops, internet promotions) which encourage parents and friends to model, rather than simply encourage, environmentally friendly behaviour. The final two papers, presented in Chapters eight and nine, addresses the third aim of the project. These papers each present two behaviours together to inform a TPB based theoretical model with which to predict environmentally friendly behaviour. A generalised model is presented, which is found to predict the four specific behaviours under investigation. The role of demographics was explored across each of the behaviour specific models. It was found that some behaviour's differ by age, gender, income or education. In particular, adjusted models predicted more of the variance in walking for transport amongst younger participants and females. Adjusted models predicted more variance in switching off lights amongst those with a bachelor degree or higher and predicted more variance in switching off appliances amongst those on a higher income. Adjusted models predicted more variance in shopping with reusable bags for males, people 40 years or older, those on a higher income and those with a bachelor degree or higher. However, model structure and general predictability was relatively consistent overall. The models provide a general theoretical framework from which to better understand the motives and predictors of environmentally friendly behaviour. Conclusion. This research has provided an example of the benefits of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach. It has identified a number of salient beliefs which can be targeted for social marketing campaigns and educational initiatives; and these findings, along with recommendations, have been passed on to a local council to be used as part of their ongoing community engagement programs. Finally, the research has informed a practical model, as well as behaviour specific models, for predicting sustainable living behaviours. Such models can highlight important core constructs from which targeted interventions can be designed. Therefore, this research represents an important step in undertaking collaborative approaches to improving population health through human-environment interactions.

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Nylander, Charlotte. "Protective factors, health-risk behaviours and the impact of coexisting ADHD among adolescents with diabetes and other chronic conditions." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala universitet, Pediatrik, 2016. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-282964.

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Mental health problems are increasing in Swedish adolescents and mortality rates are higher in this age group than among younger. 10-20% of all adolescents suffer from a chronic medical condition (CC). Few protective factors (PF) and clustering of health-risk behaviours (HRB) are frequent among adolescents with CCs. One of the most common CC in Swedish adolescents is type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Metabolic control often deteriorates during adolescence, especially in girls. Poor metabolic control is associated with increased risk for long-term complications, of which cognitive problems are common. However, the implication of cognitive/executive problems in patients with T1DM has not been sufficiently studied. Neither has the impact of neurodevelopmental problems (NDP), such as ADHD, on HRB in adolescents with CCs been analysed. Methods: In paper I and II the questionnaire ”Life and Health in Youth” was distributed to all students in year nine and year two of the upper secondary school in the county of Sörmland, 2008 (n=5771) and 2011 (n=5550). Adolescents with CCs were compared to healthy peers with regard to PFs and HRBs. In paper III, the ”Five to Fifteen” questionnaire was used in 175 paediatric patients with T1DM. Patients with indications of NDPs were compared with patients without such problems with regard to metabolic control. In paper IV, the BRIEF questionnaire and the ADHD Rating Scale as well as data from the Swedish Childhood Diabetes Registry was used in 241 adolescents with T1DM. Patients with indications of executive problems were compared with patients without such problems with regard to diabetes control. Results: CCs were associated with few PFs and clustered HRBs. The combination of CCs and low numbers of PFs was found to be associated with an increased risk of clustered HRBs. In the presence of coexisting ADHD the pattern of few PFs and clustering of HRBs was aggravated. ADHD was more common among adolescents with other CCs. Definite memory and learning problems as well as mild executive problems were associated with poor metabolic control, especially among adolescents. Executive problems were also associated with many outpatient visits and low physical activity. Girls with T1DM tended to self-report executive problems to a larger extent than boys, while parents more often reported these problems in boys. Conclusion: Knowledge about factors influencing treatment adherence and life in general is essential in the work with chronically ill adolescents. Focus must be put on enhancing PFs in order to avoid HRBs. Identification of coexisting NDPs, such as ADHD, is crucial, since such problems can adversely influence treatment adherence, HRBs and school achievements

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Johansson, AnnaKarin. "Passive Smoking in Children : The Importance of Parents’ Smoking and Use of Protective Measures." Doctoral thesis, Linköping, 2004. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-5174.

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Arnold, Laurence. "Comparing the utility of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Health Belief Model in understanding and promoting the use of protective helmets among school-age cyclists." Thesis, University of Kent, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.310196.

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McGinty, Heather L. "Predicting Fear of Recurrence and Protective Health Behaviors Using Protection Motivation Theory." Scholar Commons, 2010. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3631.

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Prior research suggests that fear of cancer recurrence is very common among cancer survivors. This study examined the extent to which Protection Motivation Theory variables of threat appraisal and coping appraisal accounted for differences in fear of recurrence and performance of health behaviors in cancer patients who recently completed treatment. It was hypothesized that greater fear of recurrence would be related to a combination of high threat appraisal and low coping appraisal. Also, it was hypothesized that higher rates of health behaviors would be related to higher threat appraisals for cancer recurrence and higher coping appraisals for reducing risk of recurrence by improving diet or exercising. A sample of 155 early-stage breast cancer patients (mean age = 59 years) who completed surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy between 6-24 months previously (mean = 12 months) completed measures of fear of recurrence, threat appraisal (perceived risk and severity of a potential cancer recurrence), fruit and vegetable intake in the past month, exercise for the past week, and coping appraisal (perceived response efficacy and self-efficacy to perform diet and exercise recommendations to reduce recurrence risk). Basic demographic and clinical information was also collected. The study findings supported the hypothesis that the combination of threat and coping appraisal beliefs explain which breast cancer survivors report higher fear of recurrence. However, the observed results did not support the hypothesized interaction between threat and coping appraisal for predicting either diet or exercise habits. Instead, coping appraisal alone predicted both fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise habits. Future research should focus on examining these relationships longitudinally and further assess coping appraisal and how it impacts fear of recurrence.

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Išganaitytė, Giedrė. "Vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių psichologinio atsparumo ir sveikatai palankaus elgesio sąsajos." Master's thesis, Lithuanian Academic Libraries Network (LABT), 2012. http://vddb.laba.lt/obj/LT-eLABa-0001:E.02~2012~D_20120201_134000-19824.

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Šiame darbe atlikto tyrimo tikslas - išanalizuoti vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių psichologinio atsparumo ir sveikatai palankaus elgesio sąsajas. Tyrime dalyvavo 173 paaugliai, gyvenantys aštuoniuose vaikų globos namuose visoje Lietuvoje. Tyrime dalyvavo paaugliai nuo 11 iki 18 metų, 90 (52 %) berniukų ir 83 (48 %) mergaitės. Šiam tyrimui atlikti buvo sudarytas 99 klausimų klausimynas. Klausimynas susidėjo iš dviejų dalių. Pirmoji dalis buvo sudaryta remiantis The California Healthy Kids Survey klausimyno 2010 – 2011 metų moduliu B ir skirta ištirti paauglių psichologinio atsparumo ypatumus. Antroji dalis sudaryta remiantis Health Behavior Questionaire (Jessor, Donovan, Costa, 1992) pagrindu. Ja buvo siekiama išsiaiškinti paauglių sveikatai palankaus elgesio ypatumus. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad didėjant vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių psichologiniam atsparumui, daugėja sveikatai palankaus elgesio. Labiausiai vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių sveikatai palankus elgesys yra susijęs su namų, draugų, asmenybės apsauginiais veiksniais, o mažiausiai – su mokyklos bei visuomenės apsauginiais veiksniais. Taip pat didėjantis vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių psichologinis atsparumas susijęs su mažėjančiu paauglių rūkymu, alkoholio bei narkotinių medžiagų vartojimu, su geresniu paauglio mitybos dienos režimu bei tuo, ar paaugliui rūpi, kad jo maistas būtų sveikas. Be to, didėjant vaikų globos namuose gyvenančių paauglių psichologiniam atsparumui... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] The aim of the study was to explore links between psychological resilience and positive health behaviour of adolescence in foster care. The subjects of the study were 173 adolescences, living in eight foster care homes in all Lithuania. Adolescences were from 11 till 18 years old, 90 (52 %) boys and 83 (48 %) girls. Questionnaire of 99 questions was made special for this study. Questionnaire consisted of two parts. First part of questionnaire was made by example of The California Healthy Kids Survey 2010 – 2011, module B. It was intended to explore psychological resilience’s features of adolescences in foster care. Second part of questionnaire was made by example of Health Behaviour Questionnaire (Jessor, Donovan, Costa, 1992) and it was intended to explore positive health behaviour’s features of adolescences in foster care. The results of the study showed that increasing of psychological resilience of adolescences in foster care is related with increasing of positive health behaviour. Positive health behaviour of adolescences in foster care, was related with protective factors of home, friends, personality most of all. Positive health behaviour of adolescences in foster care was related with protective factors of school and society least of all. Increasing of psychological resilience of adolescences in foster care is related with decreasing consumption of drugs, cigarettes, alcohol. Also increasing of psychological resilience of adolescences in foster care is related with... [to full text]

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McDowell, Janis Kathleen. "Recovery following an acute myocardial infarction : impact on the quality of life of patients and their partners." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2002. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/15817/1/Janis_McDowell_Thesis.pdf.

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Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the industrialised world, and places a heavy burden on society in terms of personal disability and health care costs. The first signs of CHD often present acutely as a myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack. Survivors of a heart attack remain vulnerable to poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), further cardiac events, and increased morbidity due to a progression of CHD. Thus, the implementation of interventions to reduce these risks is an important public health strategy. To date, secondary prevention and rehabilitation efforts post-AMI focus primarily on the patient. However, it is argued that recovery from AMI occurs within a social context, and that risk reduction strategies are likely to be enhanced if interventions take into account the impact of the event on the quality of life of patients and their partners. Evidence from a review of couple relationship literature indicates that a significant proportion of couples experiences poor HRQOL (i.e., physical and emotional wellbeing) when coping with stressful life events, and that interactive aspects of a couple relationship (i.e., dyadic functioning and behaviour) are associated with individual well-being at such a time. Information from studies of couples dealing with recovery from heart attack is sparse, but tends to reflect the findings from the broader literature. Further research is required with post-AMI couples, though, as there are a number of shortcomings associated with the existing evidence. For instance, it is derived from studies conducted with, mostly small, samples of convenience; many different instruments are used to collect the data; and no studies specifically measure HRQOL. Analytically, most evidence is obtained with univariate and bivariate statistics, and data are analysed as groups of patients or partners, as opposed to dyads. Where multivariable analyses are undertaken a number of bivariate relationships are no longer significant after accounting for covariates such as age and gender; and few researchers investigate predictive associations between dyadic functioning/behaviour and HRQOL outcomes. Finally, there is a paucity of information from comparative analyses. Thus, it is not known whether the well-being of post-AMI couples over time is better than, similar to, or worse than, for example, that in the general population. The research program underpinning this thesis, the QUT-AMI Project, comprised two studies designed to address these methodological issues. The first was an observational, cross-sectional, pilot study conducted in 1998 with 26 post-AMI couples. The main investigation was a prospective cohort study of 93 post-AMI couples undertaken in 1999-2000. In both studies the samples comprised a consecutive series of adult males younger than 75 years who had experienced a first AMI, and their female partners. The average couple in both studies was middle-aged, had been married for many years, and both members of the dyad were working at the time of the heart attack. Prospective participants were identified in major clinical centres that admit cardiac patients, and couples were recruited to the project soon after the patient's heart attack. Clinical data were collected in hospital. Further data were collected with self-administered questionnaires during a home visit at 1 month (pilot and main study), and by mailed questionnaire or during a home visit at 6 months(main study) after the heart attack. The pilot study was undertaken to test recruitment and data collection procedures in preparation for the second (main) study, measure couples' HRQOL at 1 month after the event using the SF-36, and qualitatively investigate life issues for couples coping with recovery from AMI. In the main study couples' HRQOL outcomes were measured at 1 and 6 months post-AMI using the SF-36, and examined for changes over that time. The outcomes were also compared with those from matched population norms to estimate the impact of a heart attack on couples' HRQOL during the early and later recovery period. Additionally, the following relationships were investigated to determine the extent to which:* patients' dyadic functioning (e.g. happiness/satisfaction with relationship, measured with the Marital Adjustment Scale) and use of dyadic behaviour (e.g., hiding concerns and negative feelings from the other member of the dyad, measured with the Protective Buffering Scale) at 1 month predicted patients' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI;* partners' dyadic functioning and behaviour at 1 month predicted partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI;* patients' and partners' dyadic functioning at 1 month predicted patients' or partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI; and* patients' and partners' dyadic behaviour at 1 month predicted patients' or partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI. Exploratory analyses were also undertaken to determine the effect of dyadic discrepancies in functioning and behaviour, at 1 month after the heart attack, on patients' and partners' emotional well-being at 6 months after the event. Important findings were as follows:* At 1 month after an AMI the HRQOL of couples is impaired. The major impact is on physical well-being for patients, and emotional well-being for their partners.* In general, couples' HRQOL improves between 1 and 6 months after an AMI.* At 6 months after an AMI, the HRQOL of average couples is similar to that of their peers in the normal population.* There are subgroup variations in the quality of life of post-AMI couples, and these are associated with age, clinically poor physical health, and depression.* The combination of patients' and partners' use of dyadic behaviour at 1 month after an AMI explains 7% of the variation in patients' emotional well-being at 6months after the event, after adjustment for patients' concurrent physical wellbeing and prior levels of emotional well-being, as well as duration of couple relationships.* The combination of partners' perceptions of dyadic functioning and use of dyadic behaviour at 1 month after an AMI explains 5% of the variation in partners' emotional well-being at 6 months after the event, after adjustment for partners' concurrent physical well-being and prior levels of emotional well-being, as well as duration of couples' relationships.* Patients have poorer emotional well-being at 6 months after an AMI if partners use dyadic behaviour infrequently at 1 month after the event.* Partners have poorer emotional well-being at 6 months after an AMI if they are not satisfied/unhappy with the functioning of their relationships at 1 month after the event. Adjusted exploratory analyses, undertaken to determine the extent to which dyadic discrepancies in perceptions of functioning or use of protective buffering behaviour, predict emotional well-being, show that patients who are less satisfied/unhappier with functioning than their partners at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional wellbeing at 6 months after the event; patients who use the behaviour more frequently than their partners at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional well-being at 6months after the event; and partners who are less satisfied/unhappier with functioning than their patients at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional well-being at 6months after the event. The evidence from the QUT-AMI Project supports the proposition that the interaction that occurs within a couple relationship, combined with individual characteristics of members of a dyad, influences the extent to which a heart attack impacts on couples' HRQOL. It is argued that it is not enough to merely focus on implementing secondary prevention strategies with post-AMI patients. Given that poor emotional well-being is known to predict adverse cardiac events, and premature mortality due to cardiac disease, it is recommended that a couple-focused intervention designed to meet specific needs should be implemented with at-risk couples as a public health strategy to improve not only the patients' quality of life but also that of his partner. Further research is recommended to determine the extent to which such an intervention improves post-AMI couples' quality of life.

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McDowell, Janis Kathleen. "Recovery following an acute myocardial infarction : impact on the quality of life of patients and their parnters." Queensland University of Technology, 2002. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/15817/.

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Kaniuka, Andrea R., M. Montgomery, Byron D. Brooks, Fuschia M. Sirois, and Jameson K. Hirsch. "Suicidal Behavior Among Fibromyalgia Patients: What Are the Risk and Protective Factors?" Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2015. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/627.

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Turner, Shirley. "Health protective behavior and the elderly: Hemoccult testing for early colorectal cancer detection." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291436.

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Colorectal cancer is second only to lung cancer as a leading cause of internal cancer death. Individuals over 65 years of age are most at risk yet least likely to engage in screening for colorectal cancer. The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study using a modified Pender Health Promotion Model was to identify motivations of elderly individuals to engage in health protective behavior. A convenience sample of 90 subjects answered a four-part motivations questionnaire in which three subscales--early detection, powerful others, and chance--met reliability standards (alpha >.70). Chance was significantly related to compliance (r = -.28; p =.003); Hemoccult compliers believed less in chance and powerful others than did non-compliers (p =.005;.002). The 88 percent who performed a Hemoccult stool test as a screening method for early detection of colorectal cancer demonstrated that these elders willingly engaged in health protective behavior and supported the nurses' role in promoting primary prevention in elderly clients.

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Gowan, Monica Elizabeth. "Self-Management of Disaster Risk and Uncertainty: The Role of Preventive Health in Building Disaster Resilience." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Health Sciences Centre, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/7605.

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One of the great challenges facing human systems today is how to prepare for, manage, and adapt successfully to the profound and rapid changes wreaked by disasters. Wellington, New Zealand, is a capital city at significant risk of devastating earthquake and tsunami, potentially requiring mass evacuations with little or short notice. Subsequent hardship and suffering due to widespread property damage and infrastructure failure could cause large areas of the Wellington Region to become uninhabitable for weeks to months. Previous research has shown that positive health and well-being are associated with disaster-resilient outcomes. Preventing adverse outcomes before disaster strikes, through developing strengths-based skill sets in health-protective attitudes and behaviours, is increasingly advocated in disaster research, practise, and management. This study hypothesised that well-being constructs involving an affective heuristic play vital roles in pathways to resilience as proximal determinants of health-protective behaviours. Specifically, this study examined the importance of health-related quality of life and subjective well-being in motivating evacuation preparedness, measured in a community sample (n=695) drawn from the general adult population of Wellington’s isolated eastern suburbs. Using a quantitative epidemiological approach, the study measured the prevalence of key quality of life indicators (physical and mental health, emotional well-being or “Sense of Coherence”, spiritual well-being, social well-being, and life satisfaction) using validated psychometric scales; analysed the strengths of association between these indicators and the level of evacuation preparedness at categorical and continuous levels of measurement; and tested the predictive power of the model to explain the variance in evacuation preparedness activity. This is the first study known to examine multi-dimensional positive health and global well-being as resilient processes for engaging in evacuation preparedness behaviour. A cross-sectional study design and quantitative survey were used to collect self-report data on the study variables; a postal questionnaire was fielded between November 2008 and March 2009 to a sampling frame developed through multi-stage cluster randomisation. The survey response rate was 28.5%, yielding a margin of error of +/- 3.8% with 95% confidence and 80% statistical power to detect a true correlation coefficient of 0.11 or greater. In addition to the primary study variables, data were collected on demographic and ancillary variables relating to contextual factors in the physical environment (risk perception of physical and personal vulnerability to disaster) and the social environment (through the construct of self-determination), and other measures of disaster preparedness. These data are reserved for future analyses. Results of correlational and regression analyses for the primary study variables show that Wellingtonians are highly individualistic in how their well-being influences their preparedness, and a majority are taking inadequate action to build their resilience to future disaster from earthquake- or tsunami-triggered evacuation. At a population level, the conceptual multi-dimensional model of health-related quality of life and global well-being tested in this study shows a positive association with evacuation preparedness at statistically significant levels. However, it must be emphasised that the strength of this relationship is weak, accounting for only 5-7% of the variability in evacuation preparedness. No single dimension of health-related quality of life or well-being stands out as a strong predictor of preparedness. The strongest associations for preparedness are in a positive direction for spiritual well-being, emotional well-being, and life satisfaction; all involve a sense of existential meaningfulness. Spiritual well-being is the only quality of life variable making a statistically significant unique contribution to explaining the variance observed in the regression models. Physical health status is weakly associated with preparedness in a negative direction at a continuous level of measurement. No association was found at statistically significant levels for mental health status and social well-being. These findings indicate that engaging in evacuation preparedness is a very complex, holistic, yet individualised decision-making process, and likely involves highly subjective considerations for what is personally relevant. Gender is not a factor. Those 18-24 years of age are least likely to prepare and evacuation preparedness increases with age. Multidimensional health and global well-being are important constructs to consider in disaster resilience for both pre-event and post-event timeframes. This work indicates a need for promoting self-management of risk and building resilience by incorporating a sense of personal meaning and importance into preparedness actions, and for future research into further understanding preparedness motivations.

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Chang, Edward C., Elizabeth A. Yu, Emma R. Kahle, et al. "The Relationship Between Domestic Partner Violence and Suicidal Behaviors in an Adult Community Sample: Examining Hope Agency and Pathways as Protective Factors." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/5551.

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We examined an additive and interactive model involving domestic partner violence (DPV) and hope in accounting for suicidal behaviors in a sample of 98 community adults. Results showed that DPV accounted for a significant amount of variance in suicidal behaviors. Hope further augmented the prediction model and accounted for suicidal behaviors beyond DPV. Finally, we found that DPV significantly interacted with both dimensions of hope to further account for additional variance in suicidal behaviors above and beyond the independent effects of DPV and hope. Implications for the role of hope in the relationship between DPV and suicidal behaviors are discussed.

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Leas, Loranie, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Cardiovascular health behaviours and health needs among people with psychiatric disabilities." Deakin University. School of Psychology, 2004. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051208.095530.

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Recent research in Australia has found that people with a mental illness experience higher mortality rates from preventable illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes compared to the general population. Lifestyle and other behavioural factors contribute significantly to these illnesses. Lifestyle behaviours that affect these illnesses include lack of physical activity, consumption of a poor diet and cigarette smoking. Research on the influence of these factors has been mainly directed towards the mainstream population in Australia. Consequently, there remains limited understanding of health behaviours among individuals with psychiatric disabilities, their health needs, or factors influencing their participation in protective health behaviours. This thesis presents findings from two studies. Study 1 evaluated the utility of the main components of Rogers (1983) Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to explain health behaviours among people with a mental illness. A clinical population of individuals with schizophrenia (N=83), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (N=70) and individuals without a mental illness (N=147) participated in the study. Respondents provided information on intentions and self-reported behaviour of engaging in physical activity, following a low-fat diet, and stopping smoking. Study 2 investigated the health care service needs of people with psychiatric disabilities (N=20). Results indicated that the prevalence of overweight, cigarette smoking and a sedentary lifestyle were significantly greater among people with a mental illness compared to that reported for individuals without a mental illness. Major predictors of the lack of intentions to adopt health behaviours among individuals with schizophrenia and MDD were high levels of fear of cardiovascular disease, lack of knowledge of correct dietary principles, lower self-efficacy, a limited social support network and a high level of psychiatric symptoms. In addition, findings demonstrated that psychiatric patients are disproportionately higher users of medical services, but they are under-users of preventive medical care services. These differences are primarily due to a lack of focus on preventive health, feelings of disempowerment and lower satisfaction of patient-doctor relationships. Implications of these results are discussed in terms of designing education and preventive programs for individuals with schizophrenia and MDD.

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Malo, Teri. "Numeracy, Cancer Risk Perceptions, and Self-Protective Behaviors among U.S. Adults." Scholar Commons, 2011. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3229.

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Individuals have become more involved in health-related decisions, in part due to an unprecedented access to information that can be used to enhance both physical and mental health. Much of this health-related information is presented in a numerical format; unfortunately, research suggests many Americans may not possess the literacy skills necessary to comprehend numerical health-related information. More research needs to be conducted to examine numeracy and its role in cancer risk perceptions, and how those risk perceptions relate to cancer self-protective behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to: (a) examine socio-demographic variables associated with numeracy, (b) determine which factors are associated with cancer risk perceptions, and (c) apply the Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) Framework to examine associations between risk perception groups and cancer self-protective behaviors. The study used data from the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which was developed by the National Cancer Institute to collect nationally representative data on the U.S. public's use of cancer-related information. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between each dependent variable and independent variables associated with each research question. Results indicated age and education were associated with objective numeracy, whereas age, education, and occupational status were associated with subjective numeracy. Among participants with a previous cancer diagnosis, objective numeracy and smoking status were associated with a somewhat high/very high perceived risk of developing cancer in the future. Age, race/ethnicity, family cancer history, smoking status, and self-reported general health were associated with a somewhat high/very high perceived risk of developing cancer in the future among participants without a previous cancer diagnosis. RPA group was not significantly associated with cancer self-protective behaviors. Findings from this study have important implications for public health, including health communication and interventions designed to enhance health behaviors. Future research should focus on using a full objective numeracy scale with a nationally representative population and examining temporal relationships between cancer risk perceptions and health behaviors.

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Puckett, Theresa Louise. "The Influence of Risk and Protective Factors on Health-Compromising Behaviors among Incarcerated Juveniles." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2010. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1279594086.

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King, Patricia. "Decision-making in the use (or non-use) of sun-protective measures /." [St. Lucia, Qld.], 2004. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe19257.pdf.

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Bowring, Natalie Erin. "Back on the market: Understanding heterosexual mature adult protective sexual behaviours." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2020. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/202020/1/Natalie_Bowring_Thesis.pdf.

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More heterosexual mature adults are re-entering the dating market with liberal sexual attitudes, low perceptions of risk and limited experiences of condom use. This research uses social marketing and sexual health literature to explore their experiences of condom use. The research revealed that connection, desire, and gratification determine condom use behaviour. Theoretical contributions include: the customer experience elements of condom use, the shared sphere of sexual experience, and the anti-experience of condom use. The result of this research is a deeper understanding of heterosexual mature adult sexual behaviours and complex behavioural experiences that involve more than one person.

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Singh, Kunal. "Health Risk Perception for Household Trips and Associated Protection Behavior During an Influenza Outbreak." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/81965.

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This project deals with exploring 1) travel-related health risk perception, and 2) actions taken to mitigate that health risk. Ordered logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with the perceived risk of contracting influenza at work, school, daycare, stores, restaurants, libraries, hospitals, doctor’s offices, public transportation, and family or friends’ homes. Based on the models, factors influencing risk perception of contracting influenza in public places for discretionary activities (stores, restaurants, and libraries) are consistent but differ from models of discretionary social visits to someone’s home. Mandatory activities (work, school, daycare) seem to have a few unique factors (e.g., age, gender, work exposure), as do different types of health-related visits (hospitals, doctors’ offices). Across all of the models, recent experience with the virus, of either an individual or a household member, was the most consistent set of factors increasing risk perception. Using such factors in examining transportation implications will require tracking virus outbreaks for use in conjunction with other factors. Subsequently, social-health risk mitigation strategies were studied with the objective of understanding how risk perception influences an individual’s protective behavior. For this objective, this study analyzes travel-actions associated with two scenarios during an outbreak of influenza: 1) A sick person avoiding spreading the disease and 2) A healthy person avoiding getting in contact with the disease. Ordered logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with mitigation behavior in the first scenario: visiting a doctor’s office, avoiding public places, avoiding public transit, staying at home; and in the second scenario: avoiding public places, avoiding public transit, staying at home. Based on the models for Scenario 1, the factors affecting the decision of avoiding public places, avoiding public transit, and staying at home were fairly consistent but differ for visiting a doctor’s office. However, Scenario 2 models were consistent with their counterpart mitigation models in Scenario 1 except for two factors: gender and household characteristics. Across all the models from Scenario 1, gender was the most significant factor, and for Scenario 2, the most significant factor was the ratio of household income to the household size. Master of Science

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March, Alice L. "Adolescent sexual debut, risk factors, protective factors, and health risk behaviors rural, suburban, and urban differences /." Diss., Online access via UMI:, 2006.

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Hillhouse, Joel J., Robert Turrisi, James Jaccard, and June K. Robinson. "Accuracy of Self-Reported Sun Exposure and Sun Protection Behavior." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/33.

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The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of self-reported skin cancer risk outcome measures proposed as standards by prevention experts to aggregated estimates of behavior from weekly diaries. Weekly electronic diaries of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) behaviors, initially validated by comparison with daily electronic diaries, were used to assess the accuracy of commonly used end-of-summer self-reported measures among 250 adults. Results revealed low biases, and good correspondence between simple open-ended self-reported estimates of days outside, hours outside, sunbathing days and hours, and days outside when not protected by either sunscreen, long-sleeved shirts, hats, or shade. Rating scale measures commonly used in the current literature and those recently recommended as standards by a workshop of experts showed evidence of being non-interval and lacking precision for more frequent behavior (e.g., >1 h sun exposure daily). These data indicated that open-ended frequency self-reports of skin cancer risk behaviors that follow procedures designed to increase accuracy were reliable over a summer-long period.

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Hirsch, Jameson K., K. L. Walker, S. A. Nsamenang, Catherine A. Rowe, and Kelly C. Cukrowicz. "A Series of Studies of Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Behavior in Rural Primary Care: An Eye Toward Intervention Design." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2013. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/602.

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Trost, Sarah E. "Protective buffering among couples coping with heart disease: Behavior, intentions, and psychological distress." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/280659.

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Protective buffering (PB; Coyne & Smith, 1991), which involves hiding worries and concerns from one's partner, was examined in a sample of 60 congestive-heart-failure (CHF) patients and their spouses. Earlier studies suggest that PB is ironically associated with increased distress for the person who protects (actor effect) and perhaps also for the "protected" spouse (partner effect), though evidence for the latter is mixed (Suls, Green, Rose, Lounsbury, & Gorden, 1997). This study reexamined the PB-distress link, taking into account methodological variations and ambiguities in previous research, including (a) the source of PB ratings (self vs. other), (b) ratings of PB in general vs. a specific stressful situation, and (c) the actor's intentions to protect self vs. partner. In separate interviews, patients and spouses described their own and their partner's PB using Suls et al.'s revision of Coyne and Smith's PB scale; participants also completed the same 25-item HSCL distress measure used in those studies and, for the specific stressful situation, the PANAS negative affect scale. Although PB scores showed rank-order consistency across the general and specific measurement contexts, participants reported higher mean levels of spouse-directed PB in general then in the specific stressful situation. Strikingly, perceptions of one's partner's PB correlated more highly with the respondent's own PB than with PB reported by the partner (suggesting a possible projective process). As in previous studies, data from both patients and spouses revealed intrapersonal associations between PB and distress (actor effects) when these constructs were assessed in general. A somewhat different picture emerged, however, for the recalled specific situation, where partner effects of both PB behavior and protective intentions were implicated more clearly in participant distress. Exploratory analyses also identified marital quality as a potential moderator of links between spouse PB and patient distress: Among couples reporting lower marital quality, for example, patient distress was ironically elevated when spouses intended to protect the patient more than themselves. Overall, the results highlighted the importance of measurement specificity in studying PB and its association with psychological distress.

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Farley, Céline. "The promotion of safe behaviours at the community level : evaluation of a bicycle helmet-wearing campaign among 5- to 12-year-old children /." Stockholm, 2003. http://diss.kib.ki.se/2003/91-7349-685-5/.

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Navarro, Christi M. "Gender Differences in the Influence of Protective Factors, Risk Factors, and Health Risk Behaviors on HIV Risk Behaviors Among Youth in South Florida." FIU Digital Commons, 2013. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/845.

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Adolescents engage in a range of risk behaviors during their transition from childhood to adulthood. Identifying and understanding interpersonal and socio-environmental factors that may influence risk-taking is imperative in order to meet the Healthy People 2020 goals of reducing the incidence of unintended pregnancies, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections among youth. The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in the predictors of HIV risk behaviors among South Florida youth. More specifically, this study examined how protective factors, risk factors, and health risk behaviors, derived from a guiding framework using the Theory of Problem Behavior and Theory of Gender and Power, were associated with HIV risk behavior. A secondary analysis of 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data sets from Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach school districts tested hypotheses for factors associated with HIV risk behaviors. The sample consisted of 5,869 high school students (mean age 16.1 years), with 69% identifying as Black or Hispanic. Logistic regression analyses revealed gender differences in the predictors of HIV risk behavior. An increase in the health risk behaviors was related to an increase in the odds that a student would engage in HIV risk behavior. An increase in risk factors was also found to significantly predict an increase in the odds of HIV risk behavior, but only in females. Also, the probability of participation in HIV risk behavior increased with grade level. Post-hoc analyses identified recent sexual activity (past 3 months) as the strongest predictor of condom nonuse and having four or more sexual partners for both genders. The strongest predictors of having sex under the influence of drugs/alcohol were alcohol use in both genders, marijuana use in females, and physical fighting in males. Gender differences in the predictors of unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, and having sex under the influence were also found. Additional studies are warranted to understand the gender differences in predictors of HIV risk behavior among youth in order to better inform prevention programming and policy, as well as meet the national Healthy People 2020 goals.

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Sur, Bonita. "Examining Perceived Susceptibility of Illness and Health Protective Behaviors Among Emerging Adults with Familial Risk for Type 2 Diabetes." Ohio University / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1439811016.

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Edguer, Marjorie Nigar. "The Association of Risk, Protective Factors, and Gender to Substance Use and Sexual Activity Among Prenatally Substance Exposed Adolescents." Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491660086819411.

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Esplin, Emily D. "The Heat Is On! Perspectives and Practices Regarding Extreme Heat Risk." DigitalCommons@USU, 2018. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7397.

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Remembering negative experiences with extreme heat may promote future protective actions and provide insight to improve heat risk awareness and communication practices. This two-part thesis found 1) that experiencing heat-related health symptoms predicted what Americans would do to protect themselves and others during subsequent heat waves; and 2) that Utah professionals regard heat-related experience as an important factor in how they responded to extreme heat events. In the first study, a US national survey showed that personal experience with heat-related health symptoms was related to the tendency to say that one engaged in different protective behaviors, while other factors like risk perception and temperature were less related to self-reported behaviors. Sociodemographic factors such as age, race, and gender were related to Americans’ reported efforts to check on other people during a heat wave—with African-Americans, women, and older adults being more likely to do so— but did not have much relationship with how people personally protect themselves. The second study found that heat experience was an important factor in how public officials and media broadcasters manage extreme heat situations. Interviews of professionals in Utah revealed that experience with heat impacts influenced public forecasters, practitioners, and media members alike in their heat risk decisions and messaging practices even though official heat risk communication products in Utah were somewhat unfamiliar. This study also found that public forecasters recently changed how they measure extreme heat to better communicate the dangers of dry heat in the Intermountain West. This change will likely cause more official heat alerts to be issued in this region.

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Walker, Kristin L. "An Examination of Risk and Protective Factors for Suicidal Behavior in a Low-Income, Underserved Primary Care Sample." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2014. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2396.

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Suicidal behavior, including ideation and attempts, is a significant public health problem. Due to the complexity of suicidal behavior, it is necessary to consider an array of factors that could serve as risk and protective factors. Previous research has shown that deficits in social problemsolving ability are associated with increased risk for suicidal ideation and attempts; conversely, problem solving strengths are associated with reduced risk. This dissertation project, consisting of 3 individual manuscripts, was designed to explore the relationship between social problemsolving ability and suicidal behavior in low-income primary care patients. Furthermore, additional constructs including health related quality of life, interpersonal needs, neuroticism, and hopelessness were also explored as they related to social problem solving and suicidal behavior. In a sample of 220 primary care patients ages 19-79 (M = 44.08; SD = 12.11), we examined the following: 1) health related quality of life as a mediator of the relationship between social problem solving and suicidal behavior, 2) interpersonal needs as a mediator of the relationship between social problem solving and suicidal behavior, and 3) the potential mediating role of hopelessness on the relation between neuroticism and suicidal behavior and the moderating role of social problem-solving ability on these associations. Participants completed self-report questionnaires including the Social Problem Solving Inventory-Revised-Short Form, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised, Short-Form 36, Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire, NEO-Five Factor Inventory, and the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Scores were analyzed using bootstrapped mediation and moderated mediation techniques. In Manuscript 1 mediating effects were found for mental health related quality of life. In Manuscript 2 thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness mediated the relationship between social problem solving and suicidal behavior. Finally, in Manuscript 3 there was a significant indirect effect of neuroticism on suicidal behavior through hopelessness, and this indirect effect was moderated by social problem-solving ability. Our findings indicate that social problem-solving ability serves as both a risk and protective factor for suicidal behavior and impacts other variables that influence suicide risk among primary care patients. Interventions that bolster social problem-solving ability may reduce suicide risk in primary care.

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Hirsch, Jameson K., and Fuschia M. Sirois. "Hope and Fatigue in Chronic Illness: The Role of Perceived Stress." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/683.

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Fatigue is a debilitating symptom of chronic illness that is deleteriously affected by perceived stress, a process particularly relevant to inflammatory disease. Hopefulness, a goal-based motivational construct, may beneficially influence stress and fatigue, yet little research has examined these associations. We assessed the relation between hope and fatigue, and the mediating effect of stress, in individuals with fibromyalgia, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Covarying age, sex, and pain, stress partially mediated the association between hope and fatigue; those with greater hope reported less stress and consequent fatigue. Therapeutically, bolstering hope may allow proactive management of stressors, resulting in less fatigue.

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Lucas, Abigael G., Edward C. Chang, Jerin Lee, and Jameson K. Hirsch. "Positive Expectancies for the Future as Potential Protective Factors of Suicide Risk in Adults: Does Optimism and Hope Predict Suicidal Behaviors in Primary Care Patients?" Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2745.

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The present study sought to examine optimism and hope as predictors of suicidal behaviors (viz., suicide ideation and suicide attempt) in a sample of 179 adult primary care patients. Furthermore, we aimed to determine if the combination of hope and optimism would account for additional variance in the prediction model for suicidal behaviors among this population. In this cross-sectional study, participants completed measures of hope (viz., agency and pathways), optimism, and suicidal behaviors, as well as a series of demographics questions. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the aforementioned hypotheses. Results indicated that hope and optimism were both significant and unique predictors of suicidal behaviors among adult primary care patients. However, the hope-by-optimism interaction terms were not found to be significant. Some implications of the present findings are discussed.

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Mcknight, Peggy Ann. "Strategies Small Construction Business Managers Use to Reduce Safety Incidents in Their Organization." ScholarWorks, 2018. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/5574.

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Globally the construction industry struggles to prevent injurious and fatal safety incidents. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by construction business managers that had significantly reduced the occurance of safety incidents in a Northwest Ohio construction company. Data were collected from organizational records and interviews with 6 construction managers. The conceptual framework for this research was the concept of safety management systems. Data were compiled and organized, disassembled into fragments, grouped, and then interpreted for meaning. Methodological triangulation and member checking were used to enhance reliability and validity. Four themes emerged from the data: senior management's commitment to a culture of safety, comprehensive safety training, safety accountability, and the importance of engaged employees. These findings indicate that senior managers established a safety-oriented culture by systematically implementing the safety management systems principles and practices in every organizational process and procedure. Safety training ensured that workers have the necessary skills to perform safely. All leaders, at every level of the organization, were held accountability for monitoring and measuring safety performance. Engaged workers were receptive to and compliant with safety rules. The positive social implications of these findings include the potential of contributing to the efforts to establish safer and healthier workplaces that protect workers from injuries and fatalities, thereby contributing to overall safety and health of communities.

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Zhou, Xuan, and 周璇. "A study on second and third hand smoke exposure and self-protection behaviors among sick school-aged children in Guangzhou, China." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B50534233.

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Introduction: Due to the high prevalence of smoking in China, exposure to second hand smoke (SHS) is a serious public health issue. However, school-aged children’s behavioral responses to SHS exposure and the associated factors are unclear. Aims: This study aims to (a) identify the sources and settings of SHS exposure among school-aged sick children and their mothers in Guangzhou, China; (b) describe the behavioral responses of those children and mothers when exposed to SHS; and (c) examine the personal and environmental factors associated with children’s responses to SHS exposure. Methods: Qualitative and quantitative methods were combined in this study. Forty-five in-depth individual interviews were conducted to investigate sick school-aged children and their mothers’ understanding of and responses to SHS. A pilot survey was used to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire and the feasibility of the study. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the children and their mothers at three hospitals in Guangzhou in 2012. All sick children who were aged 6 to 12 years, able to communicate in Mandarin Chinese, and not acutely or severely ill, along with their nonsmoking mothers, were invited to join this study. Results: A total of 339 pairs of sick children and their mothers were included in the data analysis. Of these pairs, 169 (49.9%) lived with smokers. All sick children and their mothers experienced high-level SHS and third hand smoke (THS) exposure inside or outside the home. Those living with nonsmokers were also at risk of household SHS and THS exposure from guests. Most of the sick school-aged children were unaware of the dangers of SHS and THS, while the mothers had a better understanding of SHS and THS. The majority of children would adopt self-protective behaviors when exposed to SHS. The regression model for children’s behavioral responses to SHS exposure by family smokers found two significant factors: amount of social support and family smoke-free policy. Five factors were associated with children’s behavioral responses to SHS exposure by guest smokers, including boys, living with smokers, amount of social support, family members informed of the dangers of smoking, and fathers protecting children from SHS. The amount of social support, and fathers protecting children from SHS were also associated with children’s behavioral responses to SHS exposure by stranger smokers. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe self-protective behavioral responses to SHS exposure among sick school-aged children in mainland China and the personal and environmental factors associated with these responses. Boys, living with smokers, and a partial smoke-free policy at home were negatively related to children’s responses to SHS exposure; however, more information about smoking, fathers’ protection from SHS, and information about the harms of smoking by family members were associated with greater self-protection among sick school-aged children. Therefore, multiple-direction interventions should be considered for children’s health promotion about smoking and SHS. published_or_final_version Nursing Studies Master Master of Philosophy

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Thomas, Kevin Victor. "Understand the environmental fate, behaviour, effects and risks associated with contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) with the goal of protecting environmental and human health." Thesis, University of Plymouth, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/6515.

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Each and every one of us is exposed to chemicals on a daily basis and contributes to the global issue of chemical pollution. Humankind has become heavily dependent on the use of man-made chemicals in order to sustain the increased quality of life that is generally seen globally. There is however a price to pay in that we generally live in a world that is polluted by anthropogenic chemicals. From the water we drink to the food we eat there will be some trace of chemical residues; you just need to look closely enough and/or know what you’re looking for. With many hundreds of thousands of man-made chemicals approved within Europe for use in various ways, it is no surprise that we come into daily contact with them. What is also important to understand is that the presence of a man-made chemical is not enough to establish whether it poses a risk to environmental or human health; it needs to be present in sufficient amounts to elicit an effect. Over the past 20 years the focus of my research been on understanding which chemicals we should be concerned with, which pose the greatest risk and why do they pose such a risk. This work is of major societal and scientific significance as it protects the world we live in whilst teaching us about the better regulation of the chemicals we have become so dependent. To understand the nature of my research it is important to understand that prior to the mid-nineteen nineties hazardous organic chemicals were typically restricted to lists comprising of a number of banned (and typically chlorinated) pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans and the antifouling biocide tributyltin (TBT). One of the major enigmas that faced environmental scientists at the time was that even though it was possible to quantify and monitor the presence of the above hazardous substances in the environment, they often didn´t explain the environmental quality measured though biological effects on organisms. Chemicals are globally regulated on an individual substance level and subsequently within the context of influencing these regulations, for the improved protection of environmental and human health, it is therefore essential to know which chemical contaminants are actually causing biological effects. It is also necessary to know the levels at which any organism will be exposed and what the consequences of these levels. My research subsequently became focused on two separate approaches; identifying which substances actually cause the biological effects unexplained by hazardous substances and evaluating the occurrence, environmental fate and ecotoxicity of those chemicals not routinely monitored or present on priority lists of hazardous substances; a group of chemical contaminants later termed contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). An effect-directed non-target approach A targeted approach to environmental analysis infers that we know exactly what we should be looking for. Whilst this is a suitable approach for chemicals that we suspect may be of concern, it does not help us understand which other contaminants may be present in the environment and potentially causing harm. When embryos of oysters exposed to estuarine surface waters developed deformities and this could not be attributable to the levels of priority hazardous substances a bioassay-directed non-target approach to environmental analysis was developed to identify chlorinated and alkylphenols as responsible [5, 6]. This approach has subsequently evolved into the approach termed effect-directed analysis (EDA) and is widely used globally for the identification of CECs. My own research has successfully applied the approach to identify for the first time a number of important environmental contaminants; steroidal androgens [10, 13, 14] as environmental contaminants, the phthalate ester bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate [10], cinnarizine, cholesta-4,6.dien-3-one [19], C1-C5 and C9 alkylphenols [21], petrogenic naphthenic acids [57] as environmental estrogen receptor agonists, C1-C5 and C9 alkylphenols [21], PAHs and petrogenic naphthenic acids [57] as androgen receptor antagonists and unresolved polar aromatic compounds as important environmental genotoxins [15]. Another focus of my effects-directed research has been identifying environmental contaminants that exert the same effects as dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in that they are aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists. Dioxin-like chemicals are ubiquitous in the environment and in addition to those that are routinely monitored there are a large number of other compounds that exert dioxin-like effects [26, 28, 32, 33, 37, 52, 64, 82, 93, 98, 99]. Better understanding of AhR agonists will in the long run help protect the environment and humans from a particularly hazardous group of chemicals. A targeted approach The early- to mid-nineteen nineties saw the widespread introduction of liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to the environmental analytical toolbox. Robust instruments typically using electrospray and atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation were well suited to the analysis of the more polar CECs, such as alternative antifouling biocides to TBT, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, veterinary medicines, illicit drugs and rodenticides. Robust analytical methodology is key to my research [2, 4, 18, 31, 34, 35, 42, 49, 66, 69, 72, 73, 86, 94, 102] as it allows the better understanding of how contaminants behave and interact with the environment. Development of robust, specific and sensitive methods for the analysis of alternative antifouling biocides [2, 4] allowed for the first time an evaluation of their life-cycle from release at the paint surface, and the factors that influence this [3], their occurrence in the environment [7, 8, 12, 29], fate and behaviour [12, 16] and subsequent effects [36, 41]. Assessment of the environmental risks based upon these data showed that both Irgarol 1051 and diuron were a threat to freshwater and marine algae. The significance of this research is that it subsequently led to restrictions being placed on the use of Irgarol 1051 and diuron in antifouling products in a number of European countries [58] and an awareness of the hazards associated with the deliberate release of biocidal products into the environment [86]. Observations of human pharmaceutical residues in the chromatograms of wastewater effluent samples being analysed by EDA and reports of their occurrence in German wastewaters motivated the development of LC- tandem MS methods for the quantification of pharmaceutical residues in waste- and surface waters [18]. Pharmaceuticals, we showed, occur in treated wastewater effluents and marine and freshwater recipients [24, 25, 30, 42, 43, 51, 66] and that, to no great surprise, the per capita pharmaceutical loads from hospitals were greater than the general population [43, 51]. Other highlights include understanding the processes that occur within sewer systems and what influences pharmaceutical occurrence in the final treated effluent [59, 60, 81, 85, 105], all of which allow for a better assessment of the overall risk posed to the environment. Even though several hundred papers have been published on pharmaceuticals in the environment since my early work, this has almost exclusively been focused on the parent pharmaceutical ingredient in aqueous matrices from developed counties. To remedy this shortfall more recent work has focused on quantifying the proportion of pharmaceutical metabolites released as compared to the parent [66], pharmaceutical occurrence in sludges and sediments [69], as well as evaluating occurrence in less studied water cycles [101].

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Liao, Qiuyan, and 廖秋燕. "Modelling public adoption of health protective behaviours against novel respiratory infectious diseases in Hong Kong: the avianinfluenza A/H5N1 and the 2009 pandemic influenza A/H1N1." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B46676442.

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Maertens, Odría Luis R. "Essays in development, environmental, and health economics." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/420867.

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This thesis is composed of three independent essays. In the first chapter, I analyze the effect of a biofuel-favorable policy in the U.S. on fetal health. I show that the policy led to an expansion in the production of corn, a pesticide-intensive crop, and to increased risk of fetal conditions previously associated with exposure to corn pesticides. In the second chapter, I examine the role of agricultural productivity as a mechanism linking rainfall shocks to civil wars in African countries. I show that rainfall over agricultural land and during the growing season has a hump-shaped relationship with agricultural output, which is mirrored by a U-shaped relationship with civil war risk. In the third chapter, I examine the effect of various selling schemes for testing tubewell water for arsenic on test uptake and, conditional on adverse news, on health-protective behavior. I find that uptake is increased by fees that depend on test results, and that social networks and public information can promote health-protective behavior. Esta tesis consta de tres ensayos independientes. En el primer capítulo, analizo el efecto de una ley estadounidense que favorece la producción de biocombustibles sobre la salud fetal. Demuestro que la ley aumentó la producción de maíz, un cultivo con altos requerimientos de pesticidas, y el riesgo de enfermedades fetales asociadas con la exposición a pesticidas. En el segundo capítulo, estudio cómo la productividad agrícola puede mediar la relación entre shocks de lluvia y guerras en países africanos. Midiendo el nivel de lluvia sobre el territorio agrícola y durante la fase de crecimiento, demuestro que éste tiene una relación en forma de U-invertida con la producción agrícola, y una relación en forma de U con la incidencia de guerras civiles. En el tercer capítulo, estudio el efecto de diversas modalidades de venta de pruebas de arsénico para agua de pozo sobre la demanda por las mismas y, para familias que reciben noticias adversas, sobre su comportamiento para evitar el arsénico. Encuentro que la demanda aumenta cuando el precio a pagar depende de los resultados de la prueba, y que las redes sociales e información pública pueden promover medidas para evitar el agua contaminada.

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MCCLAMROCH, LESLIE DANIELLE. "MELANOMA: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND BEHAVIORS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS BY GENDER AND SKIN TYPE." University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK, 2002. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1029156996.

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Stölzel, Friederike, Nadja Seidel, Stefan Uhmann, et al. "Be smart against cancer! A school-based program covering cancer-related risk behavior." Saechsische Landesbibliothek- Staats- und Universitaetsbibliothek Dresden, 2014. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-147573.

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Background: Several studies suggest that most school-age children are poorly informed about cancer risk factors. This study examines the effectiveness of the ‘Be smart against cancer’ (BSAC) program in promoting cancer awareness and intentions to engage in health-promoting behavior. Methods: 235 seventh-grade students were randomized to either the intervention (N = 152) or the wait-control group (N = 83). The intervention included the modules: “What is cancer?,” “Sun protection,” “Non smoking,” and “Physical activity, Healthy nutrition, and Limited alcohol consumption.” Outcomes measured at baseline and at the end of the one week BSAC program included knowledge of cancer and its behavioral risk factors, health-promoting intentions, and reported risk behavior. Results: BSAC was effective in increasing knowledge about cancer and risk factors for cancer (p < .001), as well as in increasing intentions to engage in health-promoting behavior (p < .001), independent of a student’s risk profile. Knowledge did not serve as a mediator for intention building. Conclusions: The BSAC is an effective school-based program for raising awareness of cancer, associated risk factors and intentions to engage in cancer-preventive behavior. The results indicate that the effectiveness of BSAC is independent of a student’s risk profile. Therefore, it holds considerable promise as a broadly applicable program to raise cancer awareness and promote healthy behavior intentions.

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Zhou, Guangyu [Verfasser]. "The Interplay of Social-Cognitive Constructs in Health Behavior Change : Studies on Nutrition, Hand Washing, Oral Hygiene, Sun Protection, Face Mask Use, and Physical Activity / Guangyu Zhou." Berlin : Freie Universität Berlin, 2015. http://d-nb.info/1075493684/34.

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Sorensen, Julie. "Social marketing for injury prevention : changing risk perceptions and safety-related behaviors among New York farmers." Doctoral thesis, Umeå : Univ, 2009. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-18261.

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Hillhouse, Joel J., and Rob Turrisi. "Motivations for Indoor Tanning: Theoretical Models." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/63.

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This chapter reviews the literature applying health behavior theories to indoor tanning. Few studies have tried to fit full versions of health behavior models to indoor tanning. Theoretical models from the family of theories referred to as the reasoned action approach (e.g., theory of planned behavior, behavioral alternative model, prototype willingness model, etc.) have been most commonly used to study indoor tanning. Results indicate that these models fit indoor tanning data moderately to extremely well. Two lesser known models, problem behavior theory and the terror management health model, have also demonstrated a reasonable fit. Two other common models, the health belief model and social cognitive theory, have never been fully tested with indoor tanning. However, key constructs from these models (e.g., perceived susceptibility and threat, modeling) have been used to understand indoor tanning. Empirical research conducted represents a solid start toward developing strong, comprehensive models of indoor tanning that can guide intervention efforts. This initial work needs to be expanded by conducting longitudinal studies and by including a broader age range in studies because the majority of existing work has focused on young adults. Incorporating findings related to tanning dependency, peer group affiliation, media influences and other constructs into these foundational models will also improve our understanding and ability to develop efficacious interventions to reduce engagement in this health risk behavior.

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Svalmark, Per. "Extra känslig? : En kvantitativ studie om studenter och vaccination mot svininfluensan." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Fakulteten för ekonomi, kommunikation och IT, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-7594.

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Syftet med den här studien är att undersöka vad som skiljer i personlighet mellan studenter som vaccinerade sig mot svininfluensan och studenter som inte vaccinerade sig. Studien genomfördes genom en kvantitativ enkätundersökning på 194 studenter från ett universitet i Svealand. Deltagarna fick besvara psykometriska personlighetstester som mätte känslighet, ångest, depression, sympati och pålitlighet. Därefter utfördes statistiska test i SPSS för att i huvudsak beräkna medelvärdesskillnader. Resultaten visar att vaccinerade studenter är signifikant känsligare än ovaccinerade studenter. Vaccinerade studenter är också mer ångestfyllda men skillnaderna är inte signifikanta. Det finns inga nämnvärda skillnader i depression, sympati eller pålitlighet. Typ av utbildning och kön predicerar heller inte vaccinering. Sammanfattningsvis ska känslighet därmed ses som den viktigaste prediktorn för vilka personer som vaccinerar sig vid pandemier. Resultatet kan generaliseras till den svenska befolkningen eftersom studiens andel vaccinerade motsvarar befolkningens andel vaccinerade. Studiens urval motsvarar däremot inte den svenska populationens genomsnittliga utbildningsnivå. Å andra sidan har utbildningsnivå inte visat sig vara en betydande faktor för hälsoskyddande beteenden i tidigare forskning, varför mitt resultat bör betraktas som betydelsefullt. The purpose of this study is to examine which personality aspects that are differing from students who got vaccinated against the swine flu, to students who did not get vaccinated. This study carried out a quantitative survey on 194 students from a mid-region university in Sweden. The participants were to answer psychometric personality tests on sensitivity, anxiety, depression, sympathy and dependability. Thereafter, statistical tests were conducted through SPSS, mainly to calculate mean differences. The results conclude that vaccinated students are significantly more sensitive than un-vaccinated students. Vaccinated students are also more anxious but these differences are not significant. There are no notable differences in depression, sympathy or dependability. Type of education and sex do not either predict vaccination. Finally, sensitivity shall be viewed as the most important predictor in a person’s likeliness to get vaccinated at pandemics. The findings can be generalized to the Swedish population because the proportion of vaccinated students in this study corresponds to the proportion of vaccinated people of the Swedish population. However, the sample of this study does not correspond to the educational level of the Swedish population. On the other hand, educational level has not been shown as an important determinant in health protective behaviors in former research literature, why my result should be considered as meaningful.

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Speakman, Jennifer J. "Psychological and Behavioral Predictor of Adolescent Substance Use." The Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1249860380.

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Handelman, Corinne. "Natural Area Stewardship Volunteers| Motivations, Attitudes, Behaviors." Thesis, Portland State University, 2013. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1543073.

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To better understand the value of those who engage in environmental stewardship of natural areas, we studied volunteer steward's motivation to participate, their sustainable behaviors and attitudes toward stewardship-related constructs. Specifically, we designed and conducted a survey of volunteers who work as stewards in urban natural areas in Portland, Oregon. We hypothesize that as volunteer frequency increases: participants will be more motivated to participate for environmental reasons, volunteers will be more likely to feel a strong connection to the stewardship site, participants will be more likely to engage in public pro-environmental behaviors, and their level of environmental literacy will increase. Participants were sampled using a face-to-face survey methodology over the course of late winter and spring of 2012 during 18 different Portland Parks and Recreation sponsored stewardship events. We examined the motivations, attitudes and behaviors of the volunteers, and devised appropriate management implications for those organizing volunteer efforts. We equated a three-tiered typology of environmental literacy, based upon the frequency of volunteer participation, and analyzed our survey data using a principal component analysis, generalized linear models, and a qualitative coding analysis. The most frequent participants showed a higher likelihood of participation in public environmental behaviors, whereas participants at all frequency levels were also likely to participate in private environmental behaviors, such as removing invasive plants in one's yard. Volunteers across all frequencies of participation were motivated to engage in stewardship events by a desire to help the environment. By understanding volunteers' motivations and linked behaviors, park managers may gain insights about the recruitment, retention, and messaging of volunteers upon whom they may depend to achieve restoration goals. We recommend considering volunteers' motivations and benefits derived from participation in messaging to recruit and retain volunteers. Additionally, park managers should take advantage of educational opportunities linked to stewardship events, such as training programs and chances for volunteer mentorship.

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Obiora, Francisca Omelogo. "Effect of Neighborhood Features on BMI of African American adolescents in South Los Angeles." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1366.

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Childhood obesity is a major national and worldwide public health crisis. The occurrence of childhood obesity, caused to large extent by an imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure, has increased in the last 30 years. Although the prevalence of obesity has stabilized in recent years, it remains a top public health concern in the United States, especially in urban centers. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between diet, physical activity, and the built environment in relation to the mean body mass index (BMI) of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years living in South Los Angeles, California. The research design, methods, and data analysis were based on the California Health Interview Survey 2007-2013 dataset. This database was mined for the independent variables: physical security, food insecurity, parental education and income, and availability of recreational facilities necessary for a healthy lifestyle; the dependent variable was BMI. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used in analyzing for the association between the dependent variable and the independent variables. The outcomes of this study showed no associations between neighborhood physical security, recreational facilities, adolescent's physical activity, parents' education level, parents' income level, and BMI. However, the results did show a significant correlation between adolescent's dietary intake, food security, and BMI. This study will contribute to positive social change by informing public health officials and policy makers of the benefits of food security to healthier eating habits and BMI among the adolescents studied. Resulting actions could result in collaborative efforts toward reduction and prevention of childhood obesity.

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Turrisi, Rob, Joel J. Hillhouse, Kimberly Mallett, Jerod L. Stapleton, and June K. Robinson. "A Systematic Review of Intervention Efforts to Reduce Indoor Tanning." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/31.

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This chapter reviews the literature examining interventions to reduce indoor tanning (IT). The first objective was to highlight programs that show promise for large scale dissemination. The second objective was to promote criteria and standards for future intervention research efforts. The scope of interest for this review includes universal (for everyone in the population), selective (for those in the population who are at a greater risk), and indicated (for those who already are experiencing conditions that identify them as at risk) programs. The evaluation of the interventions resulted in three levels of evidence: (1) most promising, (2) emerging, and (3) mixed. For an intervention to be considered “most promising”, it was required that ten criteria be met through examination of research findings in published reports consistent with Flay and colleagues (Prev Sci 6(3):151–175, 2005). Interventions that were classified as “emerging” met most of the criteria. Finally, interventions classified as “mixed” did not reach threshold on more than two criteria that were deemed critical. The results revealed that there was very limited research on IT interventions that meet all the evaluation criteria. Only one intervention approach met all of the criteria (Appearance Booklet) (Hillhouse and Turrisi, Behav Med 25(4):395–409, 2002; Hillhouse et al., Cancer 113(11):3257–3266, 2008). Although the number of published papers in the IT area has increased dramatically over the past decade, these efforts have yet to translate into rigorously conducted intervention trials. The review points to important issues that need to be addressed in future research on the prevention of IT. Keywords

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Neufeld, Eva. "Suicide-Related Behaviour in Later Life: Examining Risk and Protective Factors among Older Adults Receiving Home Care Services in Ontario, Canada." Thesis, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/7662.

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Suicide in later life is a growing public health concern that is expected to increase as the baby boom generation reach late adulthood. In the general population, older adults have rates of suicide that are higher than any other age group. The rate of suicide is particularly higher for older men. In Canada, older men between 80 and 84 years have rates of suicide approximately six times greater than older women the same age. Older adults living in the community are a sub-set of the population that are at high risk for suicide yet are not typically a focus of suicide research. As a result they remain hidden from the view of mental health promotion and suicide prevention programs until a decline in mental status brings them to the attention of formal mental health care services. Improving our understanding of suicide in later life particularly among community-residing older men can inform suicide prevention strategies. To improve this understanding, the goals of this research were three-fold: to comprehensively describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of community residing older adults who have experienced suicide-related behaviour; to describe the rates, risk and protective factors, and predictors of suicide-related behaviour among this population; and to compare these findings to a subpopulation of community-residing older adults with neurological conditions. To achieve these aims, this research utilized a secondary data analysis approach using health information from multiple linked datasets. The Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) performed record linkages between Ontario hospital administrative data (Discharge Abstract Database, National Ambulatory Care Reporting System, and Ontario Mental Health Reporting System) and Ontario home care data (Home Care Reporting System). Home care data are sourced from the Resident Assessment Instrument–Home Care (RAI-HC) Assessment Instrument, the provincially mandated assessment tool used to identify the strengths, preferences and needs of all long-stay home care clients. The RAI-HC contains over 350 items across a wide range of domains including health, functional status and resource use. Linkages of these data records between home care and hospital sectors enabled the prospective examination of community-residing older adults with recent suicide-related behaviour. This is one of the first national and international studies to use the RAI-HC to examine older home care clients with experiences of suicide-related behaviour. The study samples consisted of Ontario home care clients aged 60 years or older assessed with the RAI-HC between April 2007 and September 2010. Clients’ initial RAI-HC assessment was examined followed by corresponding hospital records for suicide-related behaviour (N = 222,149). The prevalence of suicide-related behaviour for the sample was 1.01% (n=2,077) with higher rates for older men than women. Rates were examined across geographic regions of Ontario. Descriptive analyses demonstrated that older adults with suicide-related behaviour had more indicators of psychiatric distress (including cognitive impairment) and psychosocial dysfunction than the general home care population. Multivariate analyses showed significant effects for age and gender in the prediction of suicide-related behaviour after adjusting for risk and protective covariates. Tangible areas for intervention were revealed that may reduce future suicide risk such as managing alcohol use and dependence, managing pain, increasing positive social relationships, and reducing social isolation. Time-to-event analysis supported the multivariate regression findings. Analyses of two subpopulations of older adults with neurological conditions (dementia and Parkinson’s disease) demonstrated marked differences in suicide risk and protective factors compared to the general home care population. Findings suggest that a one-size-fits-all approach to suicide prevention and intervention is not appropriate for persons with these conditions, as their specific risk and protective factors need to be taken into consideration. This study based on provincial data covering the home care sector in Ontario defined high risk groups of older adults and provided evidence for risk and protective factors associated with suicide-related behaviour. Findings point to several areas that should be assessed by home care professionals to reduce risk in the older home care client population. This multi-dimensional profile of high risk older adults will assist in initiating a policy dialogue regarding the need for targeted suicide prevention strategies in Ontario’s home care sector.

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Birkett, Cathie. "Risks, protective factors, and coping style in the lives of young people : findings from a survey of university students' health and wellbeing." Thesis, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10413/2900.

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Research on risk and resilience related to behaviour and poor health outcomes among young people consistently indicates the need to take greater cognisance of social and environmental factors. This is particularly true of research in developing countries. In South Africa, there is a paucity of research on these issues. This study attempts to examine risk and protective factors, as well as coping style of young South Africans at the University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Environmental risk and protective factors measured were related to family, peers, and financial support. Categories of risk behaviour and poor health outcomes measured were substance use, sexual behaviour, general risk behaviour and depression. Broad-based questionnaires were sent to 2000 randomly selected students aged between 18 and 24 years old, and completed by 678 students. Results indicated that there was a trend towards gender equalisation in levels of risk and poor health outcomes- that there were significant relationships between many risk behaviours and poor health outcomes- that coping styles were correlated with risk behaviour and poor health outcomes in the expected direction (avoidance coping correlated positively and approach coping correlated negatively with risk behaviour, poor health outcomes and environmental risk factors)- and that environmental risk factors (low family, peer, and financial support) were associated with high levels of risk behaviour and poor health outcomes including sexual risks and depression. A contextual model was employed to explain the importance of environmental factors and coping styles in the promotion of health and wellbeing. Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2001.

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Conner, M., R. McEachan, R. Lawton, and Peter H. Gardner. "Applying the reasoned action approach to understanding health protection and health risk behaviors." 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/17679.

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Yes Rationale: The Reasoned Action Approach (RAA) developed out of the Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned Behavior but has not yet been widely applied to understanding health behaviors. The present research employed the RAA in a prospective design to test predictions of intention and action for groups of protection and risk behaviors separately in the same sample. Objective: To test the RAA for health protection and risk behaviors. Method: Measures of RAA components plus past behavior were taken in relation to eight protection and six risk behaviors in 385 adults. Self-reported behavior was assessed one month later. Results: Multi-level modelling showed instrumental attitude, experiential attitude, descriptive norms, capacity and past behavior were significant positive predictors of intentions to engage in protection or risk behaviors. Injunctive norms were only significant predictors of intention in protection behaviors. Autonomy was a significant positive predictor of intentions in protection behaviors and a negative predictor in risk behaviors (the latter relationship became non-significant when controlling for past behavior). Multi-level modelling showed that intention, capacity, and past behavior were significant positive predictors of action for both protection and risk behaviors. Experiential attitude and descriptive norm were additional significant positive predictors of risk behaviors. Conclusion: The RAA has utility in predicting both protection and risk health behaviors although the power of predictors may vary across these types of health behavior. Data collection for this research was funded by a grant from the British Academy to the first three authors.

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