To augment the rigor of health promotion research, this perspective article describes how cultural factors impact the outcomes of health promotion studies either intentionally or unintentionally. It proposes ways in which these factors can be addressed or controlled in designing studies and interpreting their results. We describe how variation within and across cultures can be considered within a study, e.g. the conceptualization of research questions or hypotheses, and the methodology including sampling, surveys and interviews. We provide multiple examples of how culture influences the interpretation of study findings. Inadequately accounting or controlling for cultural variations in health promotion studies, whether they are planned or unplanned, can lead to incomplete research questions, incomplete data gathering, spurious results and limited generalizability of the findings. In health promotion research, factors related to culture and cultural variations need to be considered, acknowledged or controlled irrespective of the purpose of the study, to maximize the reliability, validity and generalizability of study findings. These issues are particularly relevant in contemporary health promotion research focusing on global lifestyle-related conditions where cultural factors have a pivotal role and warrant being understood.
Objective:To explore the outcomes of a pilot intervention of a type 2 diabetes (T2D) education program, based on international standards, and adapted to the cultural and religious contexts of Saudi women.Methods:This study is an experiment of a pilot intervention carried out between August 2011 and January 2012 at the primary health clinics in Dammam. Women at risk of or diagnosed with T2D (N=35 including dropouts) were assigned to one of 2 groups; an intervention group participated in a pilot intervention of T2D education program, based on international standards and tailored to their cultural and religious contexts; and a usual care group received the usual care for diabetes in Saudi Arabia. Outcomes included blood glucose, body composition, 6-minute walk distance, life satisfaction, quality of life, and diabetes knowledge. The intervention group participated in a focus group of their program experience. Data analysis was based on mixed methods.Results:Based on 95% confidence interval comparisons, improvements were noted in blood sugar, 6-minute walk distance, quality of life, and diabetes knowledge in participants of the intervention group. They also reported improvements in lifestyle-related health behaviors after the education program.Conclusion:Saudi women may benefit from a T2D education program based on international standards and adapted to their cultural and religious contexts.
Objective: Women living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including in the Eastern Province have a high prevalence of lifestyle-related conditions for which targeted health education strategies are needed. This study’s objective was to explore their self-reported health status and the congruence of their lifestyle-related health beliefs and practices to inform health education programme development. Methods: A cross section of community-living Saudi women ( N = 407) living in Dammam (the capital of the Eastern Province) was sampled from regional health centres. Participants completed an interview survey questionnaire about their health status and their lifestyle-related health beliefs and practices. Results: In all, 44% of participants reported having an average but not excellent health. This finding was at odds with their unequivocal, evidence-supported beliefs about the positive relationship between exercise, good nutrition, not smoking and manageable stress, with health (⩾97%). Despite these strong beliefs, participants reported suboptimal levels of exercise, nutritional choices, stress and sleep quality and quantity for maximal health and wellbeing. Conclusion: Studies are warranted to explore and explain marked discrepancy between the positive health beliefs and lifestyle-related health practices of Saudi women living in Dammam, and to design effective health promotion education programmes to address this gap. Improving Saudi women’s health by narrowing the lifestyle-related health belief–practice gap may also maximise the health of families, given women’s pivotal role in managing the family, as well as individual health.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/resp.12091/abstract
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