published_or_final_version / Applied Statistics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

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.

This research examined the relationship between beliefs about physical activity, physical activity levels, age and the promotional practices for physical activity employed by Air Force squadron commanders. Additionally, differences in levels of promotional practice were evaluated based on group, MAJCOM and rank of the commander. Web based surveys were completed by 178 commanders at bases world-wide.Positive correlations were observed between physical activity and both personal benefit beliefs and organizational benefit beliefs (417 and .298, p <.001, respectively). Using a step-wise linear regression, only age and personal benefit beliefs had small predictive value for promotion practices score (R2 = .063 for age and personal benefit beliefs combined, p < .001). The difference in mean promotion practices score between some MAJCOMs was significant. Open-ended responses provided insight into practices and beliefs. / Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology

The purpose of this study was to assess the nutritional practices, physical activity level, and anthropometric measurements of students in grades 4, 6, and 8 in Wells County, IN. The sample included all students enrolled in these grades in the fall of 2002. Parental consent to complete the School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) survey used to collect food and activity practices and to measure heights and weights was obtained for 670 of the 1,248 students. Individuals were classified into weight groups using the CDC growth charts. Thirty-eight percent of all students were "at risk for overweight" or were "overweight." Students reported spending 3.3 hours of screen time per day. Males consumed more grains and legumes, and participated in more physical activities, than females. Normal weight students consumed more grains and dairy products than overweight students. There were few statistically significant differences by weight classification. Programs that encourage increasing physical activity, decreasing screen time, and making healthier food choices should be emphasized in this community. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between length of residence in the United States (U.S.) and dietary and physical activity acculturation, and the relationships between dietary and physical activity acculturation and weight status in 55 Chinese college students. Length of residence in the U.S. was positively associated with larger portion size, greater amount of physical activity, and change in BMI in male participants. Adoption of a Western diet was associated with weight gain. Portion size change was positively associated with BMI change. Lunch size change was positively correlated with BMI change in males while negatively correlated with BMI change in females. And dinner size change was positively correlated with BMI change in males. This study suggests that dietary acculturation is positively associated with weight gain in Chinese college students. Future interventions focusing on multi-dimensional aspects of dietary behavior change--especially portion size and meal size changes--while emphasizing the importance of changes in physical activity are needed. Such interventions may help maintain healthy weight status and prevent individuals in this population from becoming overweight or obese.

eHealth is commonly defined as health services and information provided through the Internet and related technologies. Health educators have taken advantage of Internet and social media venues to disseminate health information essential to health risk management, disease prevention, and disease management and did not have a validated theoretical model to explain their experiences. The goal of this study was to create and test an integrated model of eHealth communication specific to 18-30 year old college students based on five research questions that identified and confirmed the factors most highly correlated with the presentation of health information on Internet or social media venues that improve eHealth literacy and provoke eHealth behavioral intention among college students. A sample of over 1400 18-30 year old college students was surveyed about their general and health information related use of the Internet and social media. As a result of exploratory factor analysis and subsequent structural equation modeling, the proposed theoretical model was revised and tested for statistical power. Two revised integrative models of eHealth communication, one for Internet and one for social media, were developed and validated. The model for social media shows statistically significant paths throughout the model; however, the model for the Internet reveals that the path between two constructs and Online Health Behavior are not statistically significant and is worthy of further examination. This study has important practical implications for eHealth educators, organizations dedicated to informing the public about specific diseases or health promotion techniques, health practitioners seeking improved strategies for effective eHealth message design, and to health information professionals.

Thesis (MTech (Nursing))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018 / Health risks are continuing to be a challenge worldwide. Globally, young people aged 15-24 are amongst the most vulnerable groups. It was revealed that between 2007 and 2010, the rate of HIV infection increased in this age group. In sub-Saharan Africa, three out of four new HIV infections are amongst girls aged 15 to 19 years of age. Young women aged 15 to 24 are twice more likely to live with HIV than men in 2019. South Africa is the country with the largest human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected population in the world, with an estimated 7 million people living with HIV and 380 000 new HIV infections in 2015. University students are a very important group of young people because they are being prepared for the world of work and to assume leadership roles. However, they are the group most exposed to a range of health risks, particularly regarding sexuality and HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study was to explore potential health risk factors amongst students at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the Western Cape with regard to sexuality and HIV/AIDS. The objectives of the study were to explore the factors that may increase health risk behaviours amongst students at an HEI and to discover and describe the knowledge university students have regarding potential health risks related to sexuality and HIV/AIDS. A qualitative research design was employed. Focus group interviews were done to collect data and a thematic content analysis was employed to analyse the data. Results revealed that the university students engaged in high-risk sexual behaviours, such as transactional sex, casual sex, multiple partner sexual relationships and unprotected sex. Such behaviours lead to a high-risk of contracting STIs and HIV/AIDS. Among the factors that were found to be contributing to these risky behaviours, was the new-found freedom of being away from the supervision of parents. Peer pressure at HEIs, as well as abuse of alcohol and drugs, also contribute to risky behaviours. Recommendations were that there should be organised and measured approaches to expose both lecturers and the students to HIV/AIDS education through an integrated curriculum design. There should be teamwork amongst lecturers, support staff and students to create powerful discussions and an exchange of ideas to clarify issues regarding HIV/AIDS, sexuality and other related topics to reduce high-risk behaviours and promote solid constructive attitudes amongst the university community.

The present study set out to investigate the biopsychosocial model of illness using variables previously identified as directly impacting illness or as mediating the relationship between other variables and illness. Oral contraceptive use, stress, and negative affect were investigated as predictors of immunological competence, measured by the level of Immunoglobulin G antibodies to Epstein-Barr Virus Viral Capsid Antigen (EBV-VCA IgG).

The purpose of this investigation was to develop a curriculum guide to be made available to junior high schools in the state of Arkansas. A study of the amount of health knowledge possessed by eighth grade students in Arkansas was made to assist the investigator in the construction of the curriculum guide. The objective of the study was to determine the quality of the health education possessed by the eight grade students in Arkansas, in terms of teacher qualifications and number of hours heath education is taught per year, and compare it with students across the nation to build a suggested curriculum guide in health education. The following conclusions were reached: 1) Arkansas eight grade students are one school year behind national norms, relative through the AAHPER Cooperative Health Test results. 2) Female students scored higher than male students. 3) There is little variance between the different sizes of schools and the knowledge possessed by students in the several content areas on the AAHPER Cooperative Health Test. 5) The instruction of health education varied greatly in quality among Arkansas schools in the study. 6) Instructors teaching health education to eighth grade students in Arkansas were usually teachers not prepared to teach health education.The culminating activity of this investigation was the development of a curriculum guide from the data in the study of Arkansas students. The most widely accepted model in health education was chosen, the School Health Education Study Model. The nature of the model is such that new findings in health education do not invalidate the model.

Hematocrit, serum-iron and iron-binding capacity were used to test the iron status of a sample of fifty-six volunteer students. Subjects completed a questionnaire to examine whether a correlation exists between iron status and iron knowledge. The sample, including 20 males and 36 females, consisted of ten nutrition majors , eight biology majors, thirty-eight other majors, and eight vegetarians. The four measures revealed that a high prevalence of iron deficiency did not exist in this student population. Other findings: sex and iron status are not related; no correlation exists between iron knowledge and iron status; and vegetarians have an iron status comparable to that of non-vegetarians.