Organic food consumption perspectives, motivators and barriers following an organic food intervention program: a qualitative study among rural and urban communities

Flood is a common disaster globally with devastating impact. Community flood disaster preparedness is neglected in developing countries, Nigeria inclusive, especially in the rural areas. This study assessed and compared the level of community flood disaster preparedness in flood-prone rural and urban communities in Kaduna State. A mixed method comparative cross-sectional study design and multistage sampling technique and data obtained from 202 household heads in each study group (rural and urban communities) using pretested structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs) and observational checklist. Multistage sampling technique was used to select the household heads for the quantitative study. Purposive sampling was used to select the community members for the FGDs, the community leaders and staff of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) for the KIIs. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. The qualitative data was analysed using content analysis. Majority of both the rural (99.0%) and urban (86.1%) communities were not prepared for flood disaster; 34% and 10% of the rural and urban communities respectively had flood disaster plans. Only 19.3% in the urban communities compared with 1% in the rural communities had early warning systems. There was statistically significant difference on community flood disaster preparedness between the urban and rural communities (p =0.001). Overall, the flood preparedness in both rural and urban communities was very poor, though slightly better in the urban communities. There is need for training of the communities by the relevant stakeholder such as SEMA on flood disaster preparedness.

The third goal of sustainable development is the well-being of society. Government actions to achieve this goal is by increasing built capital (e.g., infrastructure and housing) in urban and rural areas. Other forms of capital that can improve well-being include strengthening community bonds in the community (social capital). This study aims to explore the level of social capital (bonding, bridging, and linking) in rural and urban communities and the correlation between social capital and well-being. The data used is the Indonesian Family Life Survey 5 (IFLS5). The sample consists of 12,872 rural communities and 18,532 urban communities. T-test analysis was used to determine differences in levels of social capital, while a pairwise correlation was used to determine the correlation between social capital and well-being. The results showed that the majority of urban and rural communities had moderate levels of bonding and bridging, while linking is at a low level. In addition, there are significant differences in bonding, bridging, and linking social capital between urban and rural communities, in which rural communities have higher scores than urban communities. It was also found that there was a positive relationship between the bridging and bonding of urban and rural communities and well-being.

Background: Environmental degradation and climate change have become global concerns, driven by human activities such as the exploitation of natural resources. However, humans also play a crucial role in mitigating environmental damage through pro-environmental behavior. This behavior involves actions aimed at minimizing negative environmental impacts, which contribute to improving environmental quality. An individual’s affective connection with their social group and place of residence influences their pro-environmental behavior. The study compares pro-environmental behavior in urban and rural communities, focusing on the differences in driving factors across these settings. Methods: A literature review method was employed to gather data from 13 accredited articles discussing pro-environmental behavior in urban and rural communities across Asia, Europe, and America. The literature was sourced from scientific databases, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the existing research on the topic. Findings: Both urban and rural communities engage in pro-environmental behaviors, but the factors driving these behaviors differ. Rural communities tend to have stronger social bonds and a closer connection to the natural environment, which influences their pro-environmental actions. Urban communities, on the other hand, have greater knowledge of environmental issues but often show skepticism regarding others' ability to protect the environment. Differences in pro-environmental behavior are influenced by sociodemographic, cultural, and geographical conditions. Conclusion: Pro-environmental behavior varies between rural and urban communities due to different social, cultural, and geographical factors. Understanding these differences can help develop targeted strategies to encourage environmentally conscious actions in both settings. Novelty/Originality of this article: This study provides a comparative analysis of pro-environmental behavior in rural and urban communities across diverse regions, highlighting how sociodemographic, cultural, and geographical conditions influence environmental actions. This perspective has been less extensively addressed in previous research.

Awareness and knowledge about the common ocular conditions can help people to seek early eye care services. The understanding and acceptance of the importance of routine eye examinations can help in timely detection and treatment of the eye diseases and thus help to reduce the burden of avoidable ocular blindness from the general population. This study aims to assess and analyze the information related to knowledge and awareness of common ocular diseases and eye health among the rural and urban communities of the Siraha district, Nepal. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between April and June 2018 in Lahan Municipality ward number 6 (urban) and Sakhuwa Nankarkatti Rural Municipality ward number 4 (rural) in Siraha district. The sample size of 975 was calculated from study population of 3247. A systematic random sampling technique was used to interview adults above 18 years of age, using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed. Out of total 975 participants, 514 (52.7%) were from rural community in Sakhuwa Rural Municipality and 461 (47.3%) were from urban community in Lahan Municipality. The mean age was 38.38 ± 15 years. Female participants were more (63.2%) compared to male (36.8%). Overall, 58.3% were literate and 41.7% were illiterate. Rural community had more uneducated participants (48%) compared to urban community (34%). In rural community, 69% were aware about cataract, 83% had knowledge about its treatment; while in urban community 81% were aware about cataract and 86% had knowledge about its treatment. The awareness of glaucoma among the participants was poor, more so in rural cohort (15%) than the urban cohort (25%). The knowledge of glaucoma was 14% in rural and 62% in urban cohort. Awareness that diabetes can affect the eye was found to be significantly lower (p = 0.01) in rural population (25%) compared to that in urban population (41%) in this study. The knowledge about diabetic retinopathy was lower in rural community (38%) compared to urban community (49%). Awareness about Night Blindness was lesser in rural (62%) compared to urban (70%) community (p = 0.17). Awareness about refractive errors were 37% in rural compared to 60% in urban community. The major sources of information were society and eye hospital in both community. The knowledge and awareness level regarding common ocular diseases was high among the community people of urban community (Lahan) in comparison to rural community (Sakhuwa Nankarkatti). Awareness and knowledge level mainly regarding glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy was very poor in both urban and rural community. There is need to conduct comprehensive awareness programs on common ocular diseases like cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, night blindness, congenital eye disease, ocular trauma, eye donations and others in both rural and urban areas to raise the awareness level and improve attitudes and right practices reducing the burden of avoidable blindness.

Urban organic community gardening to promote environmental sustainability practices and increase fruit, vegetables and organic food consumption

Background:Evidence shows that urban children generally have a better nutritional status than their rural counterparts. However, data establishing whether this difference in prevalence of undernutrition could be ascribed to difference in dietary practices are few.Objective:The aim of this study was to compare dietary practices and nutritional status of children in rural and urban communities of Lagos State, Nigeria.Methods:This was a comparative-analytical study conducted using the multistage sampling technique to select the study cases. A total of 300 mother–child pairs were studied, including 150 each from rural and urban communities. Data collected include demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, feeding practices and anthropometric measurements of the participants. Food intake data were collected using 24-h dietary recall. Malnutrition in children was determined by calculating the prevalence of low height-for-age (stunting), low weight-for-age (underweight), and low weight-for-height (wasting) using the World Health Organization cutoff points.Results:The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months (25.3% vs. 28.7%; P = 0.516), use of formula feeds (48.7% vs. 44%; P = 0.077), and mean age of child at introduction of semisolid foods (7.54 ± 4.0 months vs. 8.51 ± 7.3 months; P = 0.117) were not significantly different between urban and rural communities. The diversity of food choices and frequencies of consumption were similar between urban and rural communities. However, prevalence levels of underweight and stunted children were significantly higher in rural than that of urban communities (19.4% vs. 9.3%, P < 0.001 and 43.3% vs. 12.6%, P < 0.001, respectively).Conclusions:Other risk factors besides inappropriate feeding practices need to be considered for higher prevalence of undernutrition among children in rural communities.

Background: Mobile mammography has been used to reach underserved women in a diverse number of settings. In this work, we demonstrate similarities and differences between rural and urban communities served by a single mobile mammography unit (MMU) affiliated with a comprehensive cancer center in Missouri. Methods: An outreach registry of patients serviced by the MMU was created and includes data from medical records and responses to a brief questionnaire completed at each visit. Data was examined by point of care (urban/rural) to assess the efficacy of mobile mammography as an outreach strategy in each of these environments. Bivariate analyses were used to examine the relationships between demographic characteristics such as age, income, race/ethnicity, education, employment status, marital status, insurance status, and living environment proxy. Results: Between 2006 and 2013, 9480 women received their care on the mobile mammography van. The sample was stratified by point of care (urban vs. rural) served, with majority of the women (86%) residing in urban/suburban St. Louis City/County, and 14% in rural regions. Urban zip codes had a lower percentage of women with income greater than $20,000 (12% v. 21%) and higher percentage of women with income less than $10,000 (49% v. 37%) in comparison to rural communities(p=0.01). There were higher proportions of black women in urban communities (63%) compared to rural communities (10%; p&amp;lt;0.001). Almost half (47%) the women that received mobile mammography in rural zip code were married compared to less than a quarter of women from urban zip codes (24%; p&amp;lt;0.001). Rural communities (83%) had a higher percentage of uninsured women compared to urban communities (67%; p&amp;lt;0.001). Women in urban and rural communities were similar in respect to age, employment status, and education. Conclusions: Mobile mammography has the potential to reach a large population of women with limited educational, financial, and healthcare resources. Future studies will be needed to determine if increasing the range and extent of mobile units, such as this one, would be effective in increasing the screening rates of not only women in Missouri, but also in other portions of this country. Citation Format: Lauren Steward, Susan Kraenzle, Bettina Drake, Sarah Lyons, Melody Goodman. An evaluation of mobile mammography outreach in urban and rural communities [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-11-13.

Communities can play an important role in delivering public health programs to older adults, but they differ in the provision of local structures and resources. The community readiness (CR) approach applies a stage model of change to the community level and analyzes structures and the degree of willingness to take action on a health issue. This study compared the CR regarding the promotion of physical activity as part of healthy ageing for older adults among urban and rural communities in North-West Germany. A cross-sectional CR assessment with key respondents in 23 municipalities (11 urban and 12 rural communities) was conducted using a semi-structured interview. Interviews were scored across the five CR dimensions and global CR score was calculated (scores between 1 = no awareness and 9 = professionalization). Wilcoxon rank-sum test and hierarchical regression models were used to compare urban and rural communities. In total, 118 interviews were conducted (response rate 69.8%). On average, the communities showed moderate CR scores (4.9 ± 0.3; Range: 4.3–5.4; preplanning or preparation phase). The global CR score was slightly higher in rural than in urban communities (regression coefficient = 0.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.02–0.59). The rural communities showed significantly higher CR scores in the ‘Knowledge of efforts’ dimension (0.70, 95% CI: 0.26–1.14) and in the ‘Knowledge of the issue’ (0.37, 95% CI: 0.04–0.70). Rural communities display a slightly higher CR level than urban communities. In the next step, targeted capacity building activities will be initiated among communities with low CR levels.

Nutrition is a vital driver of health, playing a key role in health promotion and overall well-being across the lifespan. Older adults, who face morbidity and compromised health outcomes, can leverage dietary habits that support cognitive functioning, decrease inflammation, increase longevity, and improve quality of life. Unfortunately, communities experience heterogeneity in food availability, access, and education, such that rural communities tend to be older, sicker, and economically disadvantaged, compared to urban communities. To understand the nutritional perceptions and experiences of older adults residing in rural and urban communities in Nebraska, 24 older adults (n = 8), medical providers (n = 8), and key partners (n = 8) participated in semi-structured interviews between October 2024 and November 2024. A thematic analysis revealed four main themes: 1. Relationships and Social Connectedness, 2. Education and Empowerment, 3. Balance and Wellness, and 4. Access and Independence. Ascertaining perspectives from rural- and urban-dwelling individuals demonstrated the role of the built environment on health behaviors. Rural residents were impacted disproportionately and more likely to report a lack of or diminished choice of grocery stores or healthy food establishments. Transportation also varied greatly between rural and urban communities, where rural communities often lacked public transportation. The affordability of produce was demonstrably different in rural vs urban communities and created a barrier for older adults in rural communities to access produce as readily as their urban counterparts. These findings offer innovative and valuable insight into enhancing community programming and resource development for rural and urban communities, ultimately supporting health and well-being through nutrition-based initiatives.

Depression and anxiety are among the most prevalent disorders in primary care. City dwelling is commonly cited as a risk factor for mental disorders, but epidemiological evidence for this relationship is inconclusive. To compare the prevalence of antidepressant use, as a proxy for the level of depressive disorders, between patients in Israeli urban and rural communities. A cross-sectional study, based on data drawn from the registry of the largest health maintenance organization in Israel. The prevalence of antidepressant purchase during 2014 was evaluated for 581291 patients living in urban and rural communities. Data were also collected for potential confounding variables: age, gender, comorbidity, socioeconomic status and being a holocaust survivor. Results showed higher rates of antidepressant use among patients living in urban (11.8%) compared with rural communities (8.1%; <0.001). A particularly high rate of antidepressant use was found on kibbutz (15.9%), a collective rural community in Israel, compared with both urban and other rural communities. Kibbutz compared with other rural communities: odds ratio (OR) = 1.73, P < 0.001; urban communities compared with non-kibbutz rural communities: OR = 1.21, P < 0.001. A significantly lower rate of antidepressant use was found in urban and rural Arab-majority communities (3.9% and 3.8%, respectively). Antidepressant use varies significantly between different communities in Israel. The highest rate of antidepressant use in our study was found on kibbutz, followed by that in urban communities, with the lowest rates in non-kibbutz rural communities. This difference may derive from different depression rates, stigma of mental illness and awareness of mental disorders.

Identifying environmental health priorities in underserved populations: a study of rural versus urban communities

SummaryBackgroundThe built environment can influence human health, but the available evidence is modest and almost entirely from urban communities in high-income countries. Here we aimed to analyse built environment characteristics and their associations with obesity in urban and rural communities in 21 countries at different development levels participating in the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study.MethodsPhotographs were acquired with a standardised approach. We used the previously validated Environmental Profile of a Community's Health photo instrument to evaluate photos for safety, walkability, neighbourhood beautification, and community disorder. An integrated built environment score (ie, a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 20) was used to summarise this evaluation across built environment domains. Associations between built environment characteristics, separately and combined in the integrated built environment score, and obesity (ie, a BMI >30kg/m2) were assessed using multilevel regression models, adjusting for individual, household, and community confounding factors. Attenuation in the associations due to walking was examined.FindingsAnalyses include 143 338 participants from 530 communities. The mean integrated built environment score was higher in high-income countries (13·3, SD 2·8) compared with other regions (10·1, 2·5) and urban communities (11·2, 3·0). More than 60% of high-income country communities had pedestrian safety features (eg, crosswalks, sidewalks, and traffic signals). Urban communities outside high-income countries had higher rates of sidewalks (176 [84%] of 209) than rural communities (59 [28%] of 209). 15 (5%) of 290 urban communities had bike lanes. Litter and graffiti were present in 372 (70%) of 530 communities, and poorly maintained buildings were present in 103 (19%) of 530. The integrated built environment score was significantly associated with reduced obesity overall (relative risk [RR] 0·58, 95% CI 0·35–0·93; p=0·025) for high compared with low scores and for increasing trend (0·85, 0·78–0·91; p<0·0001). The trends were statistically significant in urban (0·85, 0·77–0·93; p=0·0007) and rural (0·87, 0·78–0·97; p=0·015) communities. Some built environment features were associated with a lower prevalence of obesity: community beautification RR 0·75 (95% CI 0·61–0·92; p=0·0066); bike lanes RR 0·58 (0·45–0·73; p<0·0001); pedestrian safety RR 0·75 (0·62–0·90; p=0·0018); and traffic signals RR 0·68 (0·52–0·89; p=0·0055). Community disorder was associated with a higher prevalence of obesity (RR 1·48, 95% CI 1·17–1·86; p=0·0010).InterpretationCommunity built environment features recorded in photographs, including bike lanes, pedestrian safety measures, beautification, traffic density, and disorder, were related to obesity after adjusting for confounders, and stronger associations were found in urban than rural communities. The method presents a novel way of assessing the built environment's potential effect on health.FundingPopulation Health Research Institute, Hamilton Health Sciences Research Institute, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Canadian Institutes of Health Research's Strategy for Patient Oriented Research, Ontario Support Unit, Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, AstraZeneca, Sanofi–Aventis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Servier, and GlaxoSmithKline.

Resilience in urban, rural, and transitional communities: An empirical study in Guangdong, China

PurposeThis research aims to assess the consumers' intention to purchase organic foods for balanced physical and mental growth. It examines the decision-making process in buying organic products built on the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). This study designed a model to show how Bangladeshi consumers wish to purchase organic food.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by means of a formal questionnaire from shoppers in different markets who buy organic and non-organic foods. Statistical analysis is done by applying partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsFindings refer that among the four antecedents called social norms (SN), personal attitude (ATT), perceived behaviour control (PBC) and health consciousness (HC), three (ATT, PBC and HC) have a significant influence on the intention to consume organic food in Bangladesh. The only cognitive variable called social norm (SN) has no statistically significant impact though it positively relates to the behavioural intention to purchase organic food.Research limitations/implicationsThe fitted model did not consider any moderating or mediating variable though there might be such effects regarding organic food purchase and consumption. The study includes a major portion of the respondents from less than Tk. 20,000 monthly income group, which is a price-sensitive group from Bangladesh perspective. Hence, this price sensitivity might have a slight influence on the results of the study.Practical implicationsThis study includes four variables as the predictors to describe consumers' intention to purchase organic food products in Bangladesh. Among the predictors, health consciousness or awareness is found to be most powerful. Though consciousness is the key, the awareness of Bangladeshi citizen regarding organic food is lower than in other parts of the world. Hence, the research model directs the policymakers to increase awareness through different social campaigns.Social implicationsUnder Vision 2040 of promoting sustainable development, the government of Bangladesh is trying to increase organic food consumption. Production and consumption of organic food will positively impact society since organic fertilizers are environmentally friendly and do not harm society. This research promotes a strategy formulation to ensure the consumption of organic foods for a positive social impact.Originality/valueThis study is a unique research to concentrate on the importance and factors influencing the consumption of organic foods in Bangladesh, a recently graduated developing country. Furthermore, it extended the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and proposed a new conceptual framework.

Purpose– The desire for health and well-being is a strong driver in the food market. Scientific publications show that health is an important motive for both functional and organic food consumption. The aim of this study is to investigate whether functional and organic food consumers have the same understanding of health, and which health and well-being improving lifestyles are characteristic for them. Based on this, the authors identify dimensions for a wellness-orientated lifestyle model.Design/methodology/approach– In order to measure the different well-being and health lifestyles, AIO dimensions were adapted to theoretical wellness concepts. The results of the conducted factor and multiple OLS regression analyses are based on the data of an online survey of 500 German consumers.Findings– Consumers of functional food have a similar concept of health and well-being to organic consumers, but differ in certain aspects in their way of achieving this. The purchase of organic and functional food is driven by different lifestyles. Overall, the results confirm the link between organic food and an active lifestyle, as well as functional food and a passive lifestyle.Practical implications– The paper contributes to the discussion of health in marketing and especially in the food industry. The results reveal which kinds of lifestyle food marketing should be considered in a target group specific product communication and positioning.Originality/value– This study contributes to the understanding of consumer behaviour, especially in the organic and functional food segment. It highlights the importance of health for both food types and also important differences in the understanding of wellness. Moreover, the results reveal first dimensions for a wellness-orientated lifestyle approach – especially for the food market.