Matching Items (3)
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- All Subjects: Wellness
- Creators: Komnenich, Pauline
- Member of: ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Description
Obesity in Hispanic youth has reached alarmingly high levels, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. In Mexican American children ages 6-11 years, 41.7% are overweight and obese, 24.7% are obese and 19.6% have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 97th percentile. While personal, behavioral, and environmental factors contribute to these high rates, emerging literature suggests acculturation, self-efficacy and social support are key influences. The one-group, pre- and post-test, quasi-experimental design used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of the 8-week intervention. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) was used to guide the design. Measurements included an analysis of recruitment, retention, participant satisfaction, observation of intervention sessions, paired t-tests, effect sizes, and bivariate correlations between study variables (acculturation, nutrition and physical activity [PA] knowledge, attitude and behaviors, perceived confidence and social support) and outcome variables (BMI z-score, waist circumference and BP percentile) Findings showed the SSLN program was feasible and acceptable. Participants (n = 16) reported that the curriculum was fun and they learned about nutrition and PA. The retention rate was 94%. The preliminary effects on adolescent nutrition and PA behaviors showed mixed results with small-to-medium effect sizes for nutrition knowledge and attitude, PA and sedentary behavior. Correlation analysis among acculturation and study variables was not significant. Positive associations were found between perceived confidence in eating and nutrition attitude (r = .61, p < .05) and nutrition behavior (r = .62, p < .05), perceived confidence in exercise and nutrition behavior (r = .66, p < .05), social support from family for exercise and PA behavior (r = .67, p < .01) and social support from friends for exercise and PA behavior (r = .56, p < .05). These findings suggest a culturally specific healthy eating and activity program for adolescents was feasible and acceptable and warrants further investigation, since it may fill a gap in existing obesity programs designed for Hispanic youth. The positive correlations suggest further testing of the theoretical model.
ContributorsStevens, Carol (Author) / Gance-Cleveland, Bonnie (Thesis advisor) / Komnenich, Pauline (Committee member) / Shaibi, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arcoleo, Kimberly (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
Sedentary behavior has recently been recognized as a widespread, independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality from chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Midlife women (age 40-64) are known to have high levels of sedentary behavior and corresponding cardiovascular disease risk. Currently, little is known about mechanisms involved in reducing and maintaining reductions to sedentary behavior in midlife women. Theory-based nursing interventions are needed which reflect process, personal meaning, person-environment interaction, and incorporate a strength-based perspective. Wellness Motivation Theory guided the research, conceptualizing behavioral change processes within culturally and environmentally relevant contexts, while recognizing bidirectional influences of personal and environmental factors on behavioral patterns. The Wellness Motivation Theory addresses social support and norms, community and material resources that influence behavioral choices, individual motivation and goals, and the behavioral change processes of self-knowledge, motivational appraisal, and self-regulation. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to explore social contextual resources and behavior change processes leading to action as decreasing sedentary time in midlife women. The maximum variation sample included 31 midlife women, employees of Arizona State University. Participants attended a one-hour focus group to discuss their experiences with sedentary behavior, and their efforts to sit less and move more. Midlife women characterized social support as: Raising Me Up, Timing Time and Walking and Talking. Support from contextual resources reflected themes of Seeking Place, Stepping Up, and Walking the Talk. Women experienced self-knowledge as Envisioning the Future, Taking Inventory, and Considering Possibles. Motivational appraisal was characterized as Reevaluating Priorities, Wayfinding, and Going All In. Self-regulation was reflected as Recounting Benefits, Keeping On Track, and Creating New Ways. A deeper understanding of motivational processes central to reducing sedentary behavior in midlife women fosters identification of leverage points for future theory-based intervention research which provides primary prevention opportunities to lower cardiovascular disease risk, and promote successful aging.
ContributorsSherman, Tanie (Author) / Fleury, Julie (Thesis advisor) / Belyea, Michael (Committee member) / Komnenich, Pauline (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
Description
The number of refugees experiencing displacement is 25.9 million worldwide, with the majority in the last 7 years from Syria. While international government organizations and researchers have called for assessment of refugee health and wellness, research in this vulnerable population is limited. This dissertation is built around humanizing refugee research on health and wellness. The introduction in Chapter 1 provides an overview for the three resulting chapters which are (a) a grounded theory study to gain insight into the lives of Syrian refugees living in displacement; (b) a systematic literature review on wellness in Syrian refugees in displacement; and (c) a concept analysis to examine wellness from the perspective of Syrian refugee women within the context of displacement. Chapter 5 includes the summary, discussion, and recommendations for future research.
Chapter 2 consists of three themes which shaped the lives of Syrian refugees during displacement: (a) assets and deficits; (b) official obstacles and supports; and (c) unofficial obstacles and supports. Health emerged as a priority for the refugees which included many dimensions related to the quality of their health and health needs. The results of Chapter 2 precipitated in using wellness as a holistic lens to view Syrian refugee’s health and health needs in Chapter 3. The results of Chapter 3 added a more holistic view of Syrian refugee health, while highlighting the need for improved research methods addressing wellness in Syrian refugees. Chapter 4 clarifies and defines wellness from the perspective of Syrian refugee women.
Chapter 2 consists of three themes which shaped the lives of Syrian refugees during displacement: (a) assets and deficits; (b) official obstacles and supports; and (c) unofficial obstacles and supports. Health emerged as a priority for the refugees which included many dimensions related to the quality of their health and health needs. The results of Chapter 2 precipitated in using wellness as a holistic lens to view Syrian refugee’s health and health needs in Chapter 3. The results of Chapter 3 added a more holistic view of Syrian refugee health, while highlighting the need for improved research methods addressing wellness in Syrian refugees. Chapter 4 clarifies and defines wellness from the perspective of Syrian refugee women.
ContributorsWofford, Danielle (Author) / Komnenich, Pauline (Thesis advisor) / Fleury, Julie (Thesis advisor) / Klimek, Barbara (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020