Introduction. Nutrition is the key contributor to disparities in many chronic diseases. However, little is known about the dietary habits and nutrition self-efficacy beliefs of older African American women with chronic diseases. This study looked at the relationship between nutrition self-efficacy and dietary patterns among older African American women. Methods. A total of 115 African American women 55 years and older, with one or more chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, were recruited from a midwestern city in Kansas. Participants completed a survey comprised of dietary intake items and the Physical Activity and Nutrition Self-Efficacy (PANSE) scale. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation, and Wilcoxon rank sum test (Mann-Whitney U Test). Results. There was a 79% (91/115) participation rate. Participants were confident in their ability to maintain healthy behaviors (57.67/72; SD = 11.22). The mean dietary score for fats and carbohydrate consumption was 32.67 ± 2.48 compared to 5.89 ± 3.52 for fruit and vegetable intake. A significant positive correlation was observed between fruit and vegetable intake and nutrition self-efficacy. A higher fruit and vegetable intake were observed among married women (mean = 7.35; SD = 4.45). Conclusion. Our findings shed new light on older African American women’s perceptions of healthy eating and the confidence to eat heathy. Based on these results, older African American women met the daily fruit and vegetable recommendations; however, more work is needed to understand how to intervene to improve dietary behaviors regarding fat and carbohydrate consumption in this population. While more research is needed, the findings indicated behavioral theories such as nutrition self-efficacy may have utility in tailoring nutrition interventions in an older African American population.
Background: Physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior, and sleep are interconnected, promoting optimal health. Few studies have examined these factors holistically. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to capture the 24-hour activity cycles of the US population by examining PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep based on the presence of a child within the home, as well as gender and weight. Methods: Cross-sectional health-related variables from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used for analysis. The primary variables were the total and type of PA (recreation, work, and active transportation), sedentary behavior, and sleep. Chi-square and regression models were applied to compare the outcomes across participants’ characteristics. Results: The adults with children within the home reported less recreational PA, more work activity, less sedentary activity, and less sleep, but no differences in total PA. The females with children in the home not only had the lowest levels of recreational activity and sleep, but also the lowest levels of sedentary behavior. The obese individuals with children in the home had less sedentary time than the adults without children in the home, regardless of weight status. Conclusions: Unhealthy sleep and PA behaviors are prevalent in adults with children living at home, and women are particularly impacted.
INTRODUCTION: Rural obstetrical patients are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes compared to their urban counterparts. Serving an underserved population in a Midwestern state, a rural hospital with 300 deliveries per year experienced a high rate of pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes. The purpose of this study was to assess women's perceptions of obstetrical services in this area. METHODS: Through collaboration of the hospital, medical school, and a regional healthcare system, a rural maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) clinic was established. Once a month, a MFM physician and his staff travel by plane to see high-risk pregnant patients. Self-reported surveys were administered to these patients. Questions focused on quality of care, communication, patient adherence, support services, barriers to care, health status, and demographic characteristics. Data were collected between January and April, 2016. Descriptive analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Of the 31 distributed surveys, 26 pregnant women completed the survey. The majority of respondents were non-Hispanic white (44%) or Hispanic (40%), a high school graduate (31%), WIC enrolled (58%), and earned less than $25,000/year (54%). Women's average age was 29 with an average body mass index of 29.7 three months prior to pregnancy. Overall, women reported being satisfied with the quality of care, identified un/underinsurance as barriers to care, and expressed a need for additional support services. CONCLUSION: This study is a first step toward enhancing the quality of care provided to underserved, rural women with high-risk pregnancies. Follow-up studies are needed to improve the delivery of specialized rural healthcare services.
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