Open Access Articles - Health Behavior and Policy Review

Improving the Participation Rates of Freelance Laborers in Voluntary Social Insurance Programs in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam

A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Luong Van Bui, PhD
Dung Dac Nguyen, MBA
Linh Hong Dinh, PhD

Objective:

In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed strategies for increasing participation rates of freelance laborers in voluntary social insurance (VSI) programs in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.

Methods:

We surveyed a sample of 400 persons and analyzed the data using SPSS 20 software. Both exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were employed to analyze the level and nature of the relationships among the variables.

Results:

The intention of laborers to participate in VSI in the rural regions of Thai Nguyen province was influenced by 5 factors – information, trust, attitude, risk perceptions, and knowledge. Nonetheless, the extent of impact varied across the distinct factors.

Conclusions:

To enhance participation rates in social insurance, it is imperative for policymakers and other relevant stakeholders to engage in information dissemination through a diverse array of channels, such as clubs, individuals, and local organizations. This strategy will serve to ensure that individuals possess a heightened comprehension of the tangible advantages associated with participation in social insurance programs.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_4_3

Steven Rowe2023-08-30T09:13:19-06:00August 30th, 2023|Insurance, Vietnam|

Provider Perceptions of Attitudes toward People who Inject Drugs and Treatment Services among Community Members, Service Providers, and Law Enforcement Officials

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A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Joshua Wilke, MD
Cahit Kaya, PhD
Wajiha Z. Akhtar, PhD
William Bull, MD
Sarah Krechel, MPH
Randall Brown, MD, PhD
Ryan P. Westergaard, MD, PhD, MPH
David W. Seal, PhD

Objective:

People who inject drugs (PWIDs) often face stigma, leading to barriers in accessing healthcare and may contribute to negative health outcomes. The objective of this study was to understand and describe the manifestations of stigma toward PWIDs and their impact on the utilization of essential prevention services.

Methods:

We interviewed 44 persons knowledgeable about PWIDs’ healthcare needs. Interviews explored perceptions of the community, healthcare service providers, law enforcement attitudes toward PWIDs, and treatment services.

Results:

Respondents believed that the community generally has stigmatizing attitudes towards PWIDs; treatment program personnel and healthcare providers have less stigmatized attitudes but could benefit from more education and training on drug use and addiction.

Conclusions:

Education and training on stigma and its negative impact on the lives of PWIDs for K-12 students and for healthcare professionals (eg, treatment options, harm reduction strategies) might mitigate stigma toward PWIDs and improve access to services and outcomes.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_1042

Steven Rowe2023-08-29T11:58:46-06:00August 28th, 2023|Health Education, Rural Health, Substance Use|

State SUNucate Laws, the Popularity of Google Searches for Terms Related to Sun Protection, and Youth Sunscreen Use

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A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Christopher S. Carpenter, PhD
Michelle Marcus, PhD
Mary-Margaret Chren, MD
Brandyn F. Churchill, PhD

Objective:

Our objective was to determine whether state SUNucate laws – which have been adopted by 27 states and require schools to permit youths to carry and apply sunscreen on school grounds – were associated with changes in Google Search behavior for words and phrases related to sun protection as well as self-reported sunscreen use by youths.

Methods:

This was an observational study examining: (1) Google Trends search popularity for terms such as ‘sunscreen’ and ‘SPF’ by state, month, and year for 2004-2022; and (2) self-reported sunscreen use by high school youth in the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey during 2009-2019.

Results:

State SUNucate laws were associated with increased Google search popularity of terms related to sun protection. Google search popularity for “sunscreen” increased by 27.2% (95% CI 12.67% to 41.7%; p < .001). State SUNucate laws were also associated with increased sunscreen use among high school youths by 8.3% (95% CI 0.014% to 15.0%; p < .05).

Conclusions:

State SUNucate laws may be effective tools for increasing population search behavior for sun protection terms and youth sunscreen use.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_4_1

Steven Rowe2023-08-24T10:27:51-06:00August 24th, 2023|Adolescents, School Health, Youth|

Active Duty to Veteran: Challenges Faced by Service Men and Women Reintegrating to Civilian Life in the South Carolina Lowcountry

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Alyssa B. Mayer, PhD, MPH
Taylor McCune, MOT, OTR/L
Justin T. McDaniel, PhD, MBA
Diana Gill, PhD, CHES
Robert J. McDermott, PhD, FAAHB

Objective:

One in 4 active-duty US military personnel report needing support for mental health issues. This proportion increases to 41% of all US military veterans, suggesting mental health status may worsen by the transition from active duty to civilian life. In this study, we explore the lived experiences of veterans in the South Carolina Low country as they transition from active service to civilian life, with an emphasis on identifying services and support for this population.

Methods:

We used a qualitative design employing a grounded theory approach. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 veterans in the first year of reintegration to civilian life that examined the following areas: (1) social isolation; (2) physical isolation; and (3) self-reported levels of mental distress.

Results:

Thematic saturation was reached with the following emerging themes: (1) perceived mental distress due to social and physical isolation, (2) difficulty transitioning from the military “family” to one’s actual family, (3) confusion regarding identity and place in society, and an expressed (4) need for services to support this critical period in a veteran’s life.

Conclusions:

Our interview data provide insight about the experiences of military veterans as they return to civilian life and offer evidence for the need for better integration into the social and physical fabric of the population using both existing and enhanced community-based support programs.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.3.5

Steven Rowe2023-08-19T15:40:16-06:00August 6th, 2023|Mental Health, Veterans|

Addressing Community Health Worker Wellness and Self-care: A Formative Evaluation

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Chelsey Kirkland, PhD, MPH, CHW
Jeffrey S. Hallam, PhD, FRSPH

Objective:

Community health workers (CHWs) experience higher than average risks for chronic diseases and poor health and are disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to being from historically marginalized populations. Despite limited literature, these factors indicate a need for CHW-specific support programming for wellness and self-care. Therefore, we conducted formative evaluation using virtual focus groups (N = 5) using descriptive and interpretive qualitative research methods to inform a program called “HANS KAI.”

Methods:

The focus groups included CHWs (N = 35) and CHW supervisors (N = 5) to explore CHW-support programming needs and understand their perceptions of HANS KAI. Two moderators followed a semi-structured focus group guide with questions and prompts focused on 5 primary domains: (1) Intervention Initiation, (2) Impact of Agency Culture, (3) HANS KAI Meeting Details, (4) HANS KAI Meeting Topics, and (5) Intervention Incentives. Audio-transcribed data were aggregated and analyzed for each domain with inductive codes involving iterative cycles of descriptive and in vivo coding. Salient themes and sub-themes were developed based on the domains.

Results:

We developed 8 salient themes within the domains.

Conclusions:

Our findings reveal that CHW HANS KAI components reflect CHWs’ needs, may benefit CHWs, and provide insights into CHW-specific programming.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.3.2

Steven Rowe2023-08-19T15:38:25-06:00July 26th, 2023|Community Health, Physical Activity, Program Planning|

Dynamic Topic Modeling to Mine Themes and Evolution during the Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout

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An Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.

Authors:

Ankita Agarwal
Dixit Bharatkumar Patel
Emily Burwell
William Romine
Tanvi Banerjee

Objective:

In this paper, we identify the topics in the form of themes being discussed on Twitter about the COVID-19 vaccine during the period of initial rollout of the vaccines and their evolution every month with the scientific advancement and major events on the COVID-19 vaccine timeline.

Methods:

We collected tweets from Twitter API over a period of 3 months from December 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021 using the keyword, ‘COVID-19 vaccine’ and implemented dynamic topic modeling to identify topics in the form of themes being discussed. We then visualized the evolution of these themes every month with the news events during that time.

Results:

We found that 8 themes were discussed on Twitter during the initial rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. Within each theme, there were some unique key words found in a particular month or new key words that emerged from the previous month. These themes evolved with the trending news during that time period.

Conclusions:

Public discussions and health behavior of people about COVID-19 vaccines across different themes evolved over time. There was a dynamic and temporal shift in the perception of people regarding these vaccines coinciding with the scientific advancement and news events around the development, distribution, and administration of these vaccines.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.3.1

Steven Rowe2023-08-19T15:36:13-06:00July 3rd, 2023|COVID19, Social Media|

What the Data Say: The Utility of Better Health Literacy during and beyond COVID-19

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A Fast Track Open Access article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available for subscribers, subscribe here.

Authors:

Sandra Vamos
Michelle Vine

Objective:

The aim of this paper was to identify the reported need for health literacy related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored the role of health literacy in people’s understanding and acceptance of scientific evidence and digital information during the COVID-19 infodemic and beyond.

Methods:

We followed PRISMA guidelines to guide our scoping review and synthesize relevant sources of literature related to health literacy and COVID-19. PRISMA guidelines helped to identify inclusion/exclusion criteria to assess time period and quality sources from academic papers.

Results:

A total of 397 articles were screened, with 44 articles meeting criteria. We identified the necessity of health-literate individuals and data through examples of “information pollution” contributing to the infodemic. We reflected on some key COVID-19 lessons learned, sharing examples and approaches using a health literacy lens in our public health response within our digital landscape.

Conclusions:

This review highlights the need to enhance health literacy skills among individuals, organizations, and governments to empower citizens and communities by bridging the digital health information gap among scientists, public health officials, and the public. More work is needed for effective health literacy capacity building to navigate science, enhance accurate online health communication, and minimize controversies for future public health crises.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.10.2.5

Steven Rowe2023-06-09T15:03:00-06:00May 31st, 2023|COVID19, Health Education|

The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical Activity and Related Health Outcomes: Where Do We Go from Here?

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A Fast Track article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available for subscribers, subscribe here.

Authors:

Emily Stevens
Paul Gallo
Jaimy Dyer
Ethan Balk

Objective:

COVID-19 has presented challenges to public health, including mental and physical health risks attributed to reductions in physical activity (PA) and social isolation that resulted from quarantine. Barriers to community engagement and PA have persisted. In this paper, we review the literature on behavioral changes associated with COVID-19 on aerobic exercise, resistance training, and related mental and physical health outcomes, including barriers to PA, to guide recommendations for post-COVID community-based exercise programming.

Methods:

We identified 63 relevant studies related to COVID-19 and PA (N = 22), aerobic exercise (N = 11), and discreet resistance exercise (N = 30). We reviewed studies while trying to focus on synthesizing the impact of the pandemic on rates of PA, barriers to PA, and resulting health outcomes to guide recommendations for post-pandemic community-based programming.

Results:

COVID-19 lockdown resulted in substantial reductions in PA, which led to increased risk for comorbidities attributed to inactivity and social isolation. Typical barriers to PA among adults were exacerbated with closure of gyms and balancing work and family care from home.

Conclusions:

We recommend moderate physical activity, such as walking and discreet resistance training, for community-based programming in a post-pandemic society. These modes of exercise address key barriers to PA among community-dwelling adults.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: hhttps://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_2_3

Steven Rowe2023-05-31T08:57:34-06:00May 31st, 2023|Community Health, COVID19, Physical Activity|

Qualitative Study of Health Disorders of Traditional Divers

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A Fast Track article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available for subscribers, subscribe here.

Authors:

Tri Niswati Utami
Dewi Agustina
Noeroel Widajati

Objective:

In this study, we examined the characteristics of health problems associated with traditional divers (N = 10) so as to provide responsive prevention and intervention for persons engaged in this informal occupation.

Methods:

For this qualitative research we used a phenomenological design. We conducted data analysis in 2 ways: (1) we mapped the responses of our participants to interview questions, and (2) we applied ATLAS.Ti22 software for analytic description.

Results:

Complaints of muscle cramps were felt by 4 participants who consumed <2 liters of water per day, 2 persons with a body mass index (BMI) in the obese category, and one diver who was overweight. Ear complaints were related to diving depth, diving duration, cigarette smoking, and BMI. Muscle complaints were related to water consumption, dive depth, and BMI is 0.22.

Conclusions:

Education, surveillance, and policy initiatives are necessary to minimize the negative health effects of traditional diving.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_2_4

Steven Rowe2023-05-31T08:56:36-06:00May 31st, 2023|Diving, Occupational Health|

Systematic Review of College-based Bystander Interventions to Reduce Sexual Violence

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A Fast Track article published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review Journal.
The full article is available for subscribers, subscribe here.

Authors:

Kelsey Banton
Ronald D Williams
Keff M Housman

Objective:

Up to 20% of female students experience some form of sexual violence while attending college. Bystander intervention programs to reduce sexual violence among university students are increasingly common, yet their effectiveness is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of literature on issues of sexual violence on college campuses, as well as the role of bystander intervention programs and bystander behavior.

Methods:

Using PRISMA guidelines, database and reference list reviews generated a total of 530 resources from 1972 to 2020.

Results:

Screenings resulted in a total of 106 resources including peer-reviewed articles, governmental reports, and other scholarly references.

Conclusions:

Research into campus-based sexual violence has documented the increasing popularity of bystander intervention programs. Although these bystander programs are popular, literature highlights their limited effectiveness in reducing campus based sexual violence. Future research should explore methods to increase understanding of how bystander intervention programs impact immediate and long-term behavior. Research also should explore motivations to intervene during lower risk situations on the sexual violence continuum which could help explain motivations to intervene during higher-risk situations.

Source: Health Behavior and Policy Review
Publisher: Paris Scholar Publishing Ltd.
Article Link: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/psp/hbpr/pre-prints/content-psp_hbpr_10_2_2

Steven Rowe2023-05-22T14:50:52-06:00May 22nd, 2023|College Health, Sexual Health, Women's Health|