Health-promoting Behaviors Research Articles

Health care utilization and behavior changes after workplace genetic testing at a large US health care system

PurposeThis study explored employee health behavior changes and health care utilization after workplace genetic testing (wGT). Wellness-program-associated wGT seeks to improve employee health, but the related health implications are unknown. MethodsEmployees of a large US health care system offering wGT (cancer, heart disease, and pharmacogenomics [PGx]) were sent electronic surveys. Self-reported data from those who received test results were analyzed. Descriptive statistics characterized responses, whereas logistic regression analyses explored correlates of responses to wGT. Results53.9% (n = 418/776) of respondents (88.3% female, mean age = 44 years) reported receiving wGT results. 12.0% (n = 48/399) received results indicating increased risk (IR) of cancer, 9.5% (n = 38/398) had IR of heart disease, and 31.4% (n = 125/398) received informative PGx results. IR results for cancer and/or heart disease (n = 67) were associated with health behavior changes (adjusted odds ratio: 3.23; 95% CI 1.75, 6.13; P < .001) and health care utilization (adjusted odds ratio: 8.60; 95% CI 4.43, 17.5; P < .001). Informative PGx results (n = 125) were associated with medication changes (PGx-informative: 15.2%; PGx-uninformative: 4.8%; P = .002). ConclusionThis study explored employee responses to wGT, contributing to the understanding of the ethical and social implications of wGT. Receiving IR results from wGT may promote health behavior changes and health care utilization in employees.

Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Among First-Year College Students Attending a University in Mississippi

Introduction The promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors among college students is a significant interest for public health, especially in Mississippi where 1 in 4 individuals have inadequate access to food supply. A study at a major Mississippi university found that 45% of their students reported food insecurity. More recently, research has highlighted a higher risk of unhealthy lifestyle habits among college students in the Southeastern US. Methods This study utilized a descriptive quantitative study design to survey first-year college students (n = 196) enrolled at a University in Southern Mississippi. The relationship between lifestyle and health among first-year college students was measured using the Fantastic Lifestyle Checklist. Data were analyzed utilizing bivariate analysis to determine significant correlations. Results Only 19% of the students reported eating a balanced diet regularly, while 54% reported being active less than twice a week. Although 91% of the students perceived themselves as having an overall healthy lifestyle, 79% reported feelings of sadness or depression. The Fantastic Lifestyle Checklist correlated significantly ( P &lt; .05) with gender out of all demographic variables. Conclusions Interventions promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors should be encouraged among first-year college students who are vulnerable to contributing factors that can increase health risks. Interventions such as evaluation of risks, health promotion resources, and health promotion behavior awareness should be brought to bear in an effort to improve healthy lifestyle habits among students.

Healthy lifestyle and behavioural intentions: the role of self-identity, self-efficacy, subjective norms, and attitudes

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the influence of health self-identity, self-efficacy beliefs, and subjective norms on healthy lifestyles and, in turn, behavioural intentions. Health attitude is also considered a crucial underlying mechanism for understanding health-promoting behaviours. The study used a covariance-based structural equation modelling to test the proposed conceptual model with 493 South African consumers. The results show that health self-identity and self-efficacy beliefs influence healthy lifestyles and, in turn, influence behavioural intentions (e.g. smartwatch use, healthy eating, and physical exercise). Further, the results show that a healthy lifestyle mediates the relationship between healthy self-identity and behavioural intentions. Subjective norms do not directly influence a healthy lifestyle but behavioural intentions. The lack of mediational influence of a healthy lifestyle between subjective norms and behavioural intentions suggests that subjective norms independently predict health-promoting behaviours. Finally, healthy lifestyles predict health attitudes, but health attitudes do not explain behavioural intentions. The results suggest that social marketers and brand managers should focus more on personal attributes (i.e. health self-identity and self-efficacy beliefs) than social factors (e.g. subjective norms) to improve healthy lifestyles and health-promoting behaviours. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge on healthy lifestyles by highlighting its underlying mechanisms.

Promoting Individual Health Responsibility in the Welfare State.

The public health insurance in Germany will face huge economic challenges in the upcoming years. New diagnostic and therapeutic methods as well as the demographic change contribute to constantly rising expenditure. Although incentives for health-promoting behaviour or financial sanctions for an unhealthy lifestyle have been already discussed in the past, there has been a general reluctance to legally establish corresponding mechanisms for fear of eroding solidarity and increasing state control. In the course of the Coronavirus pandemic however, a stronger awareness rose to the fact that personal health-related life choices can have a huge impact on the stability of the healthcare system including public health insurance. Not only in Germany but throughout much of Europe, the pandemic led to a new and more fundamental debate about the relationship between individual responsibility for personal health and the wider responsibility for public health assumed by the community of solidarity.

Association between Current Substance Use, Healthy Behaviors, and Depression among Ukrainian College Students.

Depression is a pervasive issue among college students worldwide, yet there is a significant gap in the literature regarding its prevalence and coping strategies in the Ukrainian context. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating how substance use and health-promoting behaviors relate to depressive symptoms among Ukrainian college students. Health-promoting behaviors are an important strategy to prevent depression, whereas substance use can contribute to depression or make it harder to manage. Given the substantial psychosocial problems and stressors related to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the limited availability of mental health services for college students, it is important to understand how we can encourage college students to keep themselves mentally healthy. A cross-sectional study was conducted among college students on 10 campuses in 2018. Almost 16% of participants met a cut-off for depression. Female students and those who were older reported significantly higher depressive symptoms. Participants were more likely to report depressive symptoms if they were more often involved with alcohol and cannabis use, were older, and engaged in fewer health-promoting behaviors. Tobacco use was not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest a moderate prevalence of depressive symptoms in our study population. We recommend implementing balanced public health interventions that address risk factors (such as substance use) while also promoting protective behaviors and can be tailored to the specific cultural and environmental context of the region.

The mediating effect of health behaviors on the association between job strain and mental health outcome: a national survey of police officers.

Police officers often face emotionally challenging interpersonal situations and numerous studies have demonstrated that policing is a stressful occupation. A study revealed a significant positive correlation between emotional demands among police officers and emotional dissonance, as well as burnout. Health-promoting behaviors can contribute to better overall health outcomes and reduce the risk of developing health problems, but there is limited research evaluating the association of job strain and health behaviors with mental health outcomes in police officers. The objective of this study was to assess the job strain associated with mental health mediated by health behaviors in Taiwanese police officers. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted in Oct 2016. A total of 41,871 police officers (response rate was 79.7%) participated questionnaire that consisted of demographic information, job characteristics, health behaviors, and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the Short-Form Health Survey. Independent t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) were conducted to assess the differences in mean MCS scores across various demographics, health behavior, and job characteristics. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between job strain and health behaviors with mental health outcomes. MCS scores were associated with job characteristics and health behaviors among police officers except for gender. After adjusting for covariates, multivariate analysis indicated that police officers with high job demands and high job strain index exhibited poor MCS scores. Job strain was significantly associated with MCS mediated by health behaviors (consumption of fruits and vegetables, and physical activity) in Taiwanese police officers. Since regular physical activity and increased vegetable and fruit consumption might alleviate the effects of job strain on mental health status, it is recommended that institutional policies be established to promote health-enhancing behaviors among police officers.

Food Insecurity Impacts Diet Quality, Health-Promoting Activities, and Perceived Stress

Food insecurity, defined as inadequate access to nutritious food, affects over two billion people globally. Poor nutrition and stress associated with food insecurity may negatively impact the performance of health-promoting activities. It may also increase stress levels through irregular eating patterns and concern over accessing suffcient food. However, the impact of food insecurity on engagement in health-promoting activities, stress, and dietary factors has yet to be studied extensively. This study aims to fill this gap by assessing the impact of food insecurity on health-promoting activities, perceived stress, and diet quality. It is hypothesized that food insecurity will negatively impact perceived stress levels and the frequency of engagement in health-promoting activities. It also hypothesized that those who engage in these activities more frequently will have better diet quality. An anonymous survey was administered to adults through various social media platforms. The survey contained demographic questions and seven validated scales: the Food Insecurity Experience Scale, Satisfaction, Alertness, Timing, Effciency, and Duration (SATED) Questionnaire, Health Promoting Activities Scale, Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Food Mood Questionnaire. These scales measured food insecurity status, sleep quality, frequency of health-promoting activities and self-care, self-esteem, perceived stress levels, physical activity, and dietary habits, respectively. Data from 561 individuals were analyzed using Pearson’s Correlation Coeffcient in IBM SPSS Version 28.0. The results indicate that being unable to eat healthy and nutritious food was negatively associated with performing personal care tasks (r= -0.136, p&lt; 0.01) and social activities (r= -0.146, p&lt; 0.01). It was also found that having to skip a meal was positively associated with being upset when something happens unexpectedly (r= 0.218, p&lt; 0.01) and feeling unable to control the important things in life (r= 0.242, p&lt; 0.01). Further, performing personal care tasks was negatively associated with eating fast food (r= -0.120, p&lt; 0.01) and positively associated with consuming dark green, leafy vegetables (r= 0.216, p&lt; 0.01), whole grains (r= 0.195, p&lt; 0.01), and fruit (r= 0.287, p&lt; 0.01). Our results suggest that food insecurity can negatively impact mental well-being, diet quality, and health-promoting behaviors. Interventions aimed at improving food security, and therefore diet quality, may have benefits for improving overall health and well-being. No funding was provided to conduct this research study. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Self-management in patients with adult spinal deformity: a best practice implementation project.

The prevalence of adult spinal deformity (ASD) has increased in recent years. Patients often have to live for a prolonged period from the onset of the condition, up until the need for surgical treatment. Self-management plays a crucial role in disease progression and prognosis. This project aimed to promote evidence-based practices for the self-management of patients with ASD. This project was guided by the JBI Evidence Implementation Framework project and was conducted in the orthopedic department of a tertiary care hospital in China. A baseline audit was conducted to evaluate current practice against best practice recommendations. Barriers were identified and, after the implementation of improvement strategies, a follow-up audit was conducted to assess project effectiveness. A comparison between the baseline and follow-up audits revealed a significant increase in nurses' compliance with best practices (rising from 0%-64% to 97.7%-100%) in the following areas: improved health promotion behaviors by nurses in self-management of ASD patients; acquisition and application of communication skills with patients; increased availability of educational materials in the ward; and establishment of conservative treatment follow-up instructions for patients. For patients, the Visual Analog Scale of pain decreased from (2.72 ± 1.67) to (1.90 ± 1.14), the Oswestry Disability Index decreased from (49.96 ± 16.49) to (39.83 ± 18.97), self-management behaviors improved from (10.84 ± 4.31) to (19.52 ± 6.31), and maximum isometric muscle strength in the standing position increased from (179.48 ± 91.18)N to (250.03 ± 91.50)N, all with statistically significant improvements (p <0.05). For nurses, the knowledge questionnaire score improved from (34.83 ± 24.16) to (82.00 ± 11.11) (p <0.05). This project helped ASD patients improve self-management, alleviated their clinical symptoms, and improved nurses' knowledge of best practices. Future audits will be conducted to review long-term project outcomes. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A193.

Evaluating a Future-Oriented Positive Youth Development Intervention to Reduce Sexual Risk Among Highly Mobile Youth: Results and Challenges

PurposeYouth experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness need tailored prevention programming to prevent unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. This study evaluated the efficacy of a small-group, future-oriented positive youth development (PYD) intervention to reduce sexual risk behaviors. MethodYouth aged 14–19 (n = 483) experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness were recruited at youth-serving agencies and in alternative schools. Each cohort enrolled was randomized either to a 10-session, 5-week group future-oriented intervention to support them in adopting health-promoting behaviors such as using contraception, including condom use (n = 244) or to a no-treatment condition where they received usual services/schooling (n = 239). We assessed at baseline and 3-month and 9-month follow-up (1) vaginal intercourse without consistent contraception use, (2) vaginal and anal intercourse without consistent condom use, and (3) sexual risk behaviors, including current (last 3 months) effective contraception use by females who did not report current use at baseline. ResultsThere was no significant difference between treatment and control conditions for most outcomes. However, among females not currently using contraception at baseline, 34% in the treatment condition compared to 12.9% in the control condition reported using contraception in the 3 months before the 9-month survey, a statistically significant difference. DiscussionThis sexual risk reduction intervention, grounded in PYD theory and tailored to address the needs of marginalized groups of youth, demonstrated efficacy at increasing contraceptive uptake among females. The need for PYD interventions that can be delivered in a variety of nontraditional school and service settings are discussed.

노인의 인터넷건강정보추구와 건강문해력이 건강증진행위에 미치는 영향

Objectives This study aimed to identify internet health information seeking behavior, health literacy and factors associated with health promotion behaviors in older adults. Methods Participants included 147 elderly people in community. Data were collected from July 20 to August 19, 2023 using self-reported questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, multiple regression. Results There are significant relationships between internet health information seeking behavior and health literacy( r=.40, p&lt;.001), health promotion behavior and health literacy(r=.23, p=.005). In regression analysis, female gender(β=.324, p&lt;.001) and health literacy(β=.241, p=.002) were significant factors affecting health promotion behavior. The regression model was significant(F=13.48, p&lt;.001) and the explanatory power of the model was 14.6%. Conclusions Tailored intervention programs which improve health literacy and adapt to information technology need to be developed for the elderly.

Nursing Care for Community Health Deficit in The Aggregate of Tuberculosis Patients with Health Behavior Promotion Interventions

Efforts to control Tuberculosis (TB) are carried out in various ways, including activities to increase public knowledge about TB. Health Behavior Promotion Efforts are expected to increase changes in patient or client behavior so that they have the will and ability that are conducive to improving overall health. The aim of this research is a case study of community nursing care by providing intervention and implementation in selected target villages. The intervention provided is Promotion of Health Effort Behavior. The sample size was 87 respondents from selected area using the Cluster Sampling technique. Data collection instruments for taking cases managed in this scientific work use clean and healthy living behavior instruments, knowledge instruments about healthy homes, Knowledge Instruments on the Role of the Family as PMO (Drug Dispensing Supervisor), TB Screening and Scoring Instruments, procedures of Hand Washing. The intervention was carried out with Simple Inhalation Therapy Using Eucalyptus Oil Steam accompanied by a physical examination and vital signs measurements. The results of the research show that there is an effect of education on public knowledge with a p value (p= 0.000), the results of implementing the hand washing demonstration show results (p = 0.000) which means there is an effect of hand washing demonstration on public knowledge, while from the implementation of simple inhalation therapy with eucalyptus oil vapor the results were (p = 0.017) which means there is an effect of simple inhalation therapy with eucalyptus oil vapor on the patient's RR and SPO2. From the existing results, effective nursing implementation is carried out for TB prevention is the identification of health behavior efforts that can be improved, screening and health education, as well as the implementation of simple inhalation of eucalyptus oil vapor in TB patients.

Structural equation models of health behaviour, psychological well-being, symptom severity and quality of life in abdominal bloating.

The objective of this study was to investigate the inter-relationship between psychosocial variables and their impact on symptom severity and quality of life (QoL) concerning abdominal bloating. The study adopted a cross-sectional design with purposive sampling. Participants who consented and met the criteria for bloating based on the Rome IV classification completed designated questionnaires. Independent variables comprised health beliefs, intentions, health-promoting behaviors, social support, depression, and anxiety, while dependent variables included bloating severity (general and within 24 h) and QoL. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted utilizing Mplus 8.0 to analyze the relationships between these factors. A total of 323 participants, with a mean age of 27.69 years (SD = 11.50), predominantly females (64.7%), volunteered to participate in the study. The final SEM model exhibited good fit based on various indices (CFI = 0.922, SRMR = 0.064, RMSEA (95% CI) = 0.048 (0.041-0.054), p-value = 0.714), with 15 significant path relationships identified. The model explained 12.0% of the variance in severity within 24 h, 6% in general severity, and 53.8% in QoL. The findings underscore the significant influence of health beliefs, intentions, behaviors, social support, depression, and anxiety on symptom severity and QoL in individuals experiencing abdominal bloating.

Nursing Process for a Patient with Infertility Using King's Goal Attainment Model: A Case Study

Introduction: Infertility, defined as a woman's inability to conceive and carry a pregnancy, is a significant health concern requiring careful attention and treatment. This study aims to describe the nursing process for a patient with infertility using King's goal attainment model. Case Presentation: The case involves a patient with infertility who has undergone six unsuccessful in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts and declined surrogate uterus transplantation. Following each IVF attempt, the patient experienced renal complications, resulting in three hospitalizations. Data were collected through observations, interviews with the patient and her family, and paraclinical tests and documents. The nursing process was customized according to the patient's preferences. Conclusions: The results of the study indicated that the patient was able to interact with nurses but did not adhere to health-promoting behaviors and treatments. The analysis led to eight nursing diagnoses and 25 care goals, with the patient managing to act according to her prioritized goals through the nursing process utilizing King's goal attainment model. These findings underscore the importance of a systematic and structured approach, such as King's goal attainment model, in providing effective nursing care for patients with infertility.

Mindful self-compassion program based on Watson's theory of human caring in nursing students: A randomized controlled study

Aims and backgroundThis study investigated the impact of the Mindful Self-Compassion Program, based on Watson's Theory of Human Caring Model, on the physical and mental health of nursing students. The essence of nursing is care and compassion. While there are studies on compassion in nursing care, nurses' self-compassion is an underrecognized concept in the literature. MethodsThe study employed a randomized controlled design and involved 80 seconds-grade nursing students from a university in Turkey between December 2021 and June 2022. The intervention group received an online program consisting of six weekly sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were collected using the Promotive and Protective Health Behaviors Scale, Watson Caritas Self-Rating Score, Brief Resilience Scale, and Self-Compassion Scale before, at the end of, and 5 months after the program. ResultsIn both the post-test and follow-up test, the intervention group exhibited an increase in health-promoting and protective behaviors, self-care perception, psychological resilience, and self-compassion compared to the control group. ConclusionTherefore, it is recommended to use the program to improve the physical and mental health of individuals in nursing practice areas. Additionally, it would be beneficial to include the program in the nursing education curriculum. Our findings provide evidence supporting the use of the program for nursing students and nurses.

The relationship between health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions in college freshmen: a cross-lagged analysis.

The prevalence of mental health issues has been gradually increasing among college students in recent years. Improvements in mental health can be achieved through changes in daily behavior and the use of psychological counseling. This study aims to investigate the relationship between health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions among college freshmen as they enter the university. It also examines the impact of various sub-dimensions of health-promoting behaviors and other factors on the negative emotions (stress, anxiety, and depression) experienced by college freshmen. Using the Negative Emotion and Health-Promoting Behavior scales, a 7-month longitudinal study was conducted on 4,252 college freshmen, with collection of data at two time points (T1: November 12, 2021; T2: June 17, 2022). Out of this longitudinal study, 3,632 valid samples were obtained. This research aimed to explore the association and impact between negative emotions and the level of health-promoting behaviors among college students during their time at the university. ① There were significant differences in the levels of health-promoting behaviors and negative emotions over the course of 7 months (P < 0.05). Health-promoting behaviors were found to have a significant negative correlation with negative emotions (P < 0.05). ② Negative emotions at T1 significantly negatively predicted health-promoting behaviors at T2 (β = -0.11, P < 0.01), while health-promoting behaviors at T1 significantly negatively predicted negative emotions at T2 (β = -0.12, P < 0.001). ③ Stress management (β = -0.104, P < 0.05; β = -0.087, P < 0.05), self-actualization (β = -0.282, P < 0.01; β = -0.260, P < 0.05), health responsibility (β = -0.057, P < 0.05; β = -0.088, P < 0.05), and interpersonal relations (β = 0.068, P < 0.01; β = 0.138, P < 0.05) were important components in improving stress and anxiety. Self-actualization (β = -0.437, P < 0.001), exercise (β = 0.048, P < 0.001), nutrition (β = 0.044, P < 0.001), and interpersonal relations (β = 0.065, P < 0.001) were important components in improving depression. ④ Gender, place of household registration, and whether the individual is the only child were significant factors affecting negative emotions in college freshmen. The level of health-promoting behaviors is an important indicator for assessing the negative emotional states of college freshmen. Enhancing health-promoting behaviors across various dimensions can help alleviate different types of negative emotions. Gender, place of household registration, and being the only child are significant factors that influence negative emotions.

Successful Aging of Korean Older Adults Engaging in Sports Regularly: Health Beliefs, Exercise Adherence Intention, and Health Promotion Behavior.

The population of older adults is increasing more rapidly in Korea than in any other country, making successful aging a salient need in Korean society. For successful aging, older adults must engage in sports activities regularly. This study determined the relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging among older adults who engage in sports activities regularly. The participants were 287 adults aged 65 years or older who live in Korea and exercise regularly. Data were collected through a survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. The integrated model lacked explanatory power in terms of goodness of fit, but the alternative model had sufficient explanatory power. The alternative model showed that health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, and health promotion behavior are significantly related and that health promotion behavior positively predicts successful aging. It also showed that health beliefs affect successful aging through the mediation of exercise adherence intention and health promotion behavior. This study is meaningful because it verifies the structural and theoretical relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging. As a result, it provides information that can improve the welfare of older adults in Korean society.

Participant perspectives on incentives for TB preventative therapy adherence and reduced alcohol use: A qualitative study.

Economic incentives to promote health behavior change are highly efficacious for substance use disorders as well as increased medication adherence. Knowledge about participants' experiences with and perceptions of incentives is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and optimize future incentive-based interventions. The Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) trial enrolled people with HIV (PWH) in Uganda with latent tuberculosis and unhealthy alcohol use in a 2x2 factorial trial that incentivized recent alcohol abstinence and isoniazid (INH) adherence on monthly urine testing while on INH preventive therapy. We interviewed 32 DIPT study participants across trial arms to explore their perspectives on this intervention. Participants described 1) satisfaction with incentives of sufficient size that allowed them to purchase items that improved their quality of life, 2) multiple ways in which incentives were motivating, from gamification of "winning" through support of pre-existing desire to improve health to suggesting variable effects of extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, and 3) finding value in learning results of increased clinical monitoring. To build effective incentive programs to support both reduced substance use and increased antimicrobial adherence, we recommend carefully selecting incentive magnitude as well as harnessing both intrinsic motivation to improve health and extrinsic reward of target behavior. In addition to these participant-described strengths, incorporating results of clinical monitoring related to the incentive program that provide participants more information about their health may also contribute to health-related empowerment.

Exploring the Threefold Viewpoint on Children's Oral Health in a Cross-Sectional Study.

Oral health is situated within the framework of the global health agenda, addressing facets pertaining to well-being and quality of life. The research is based on the need to address variables at the community level to improve schoolchildren's oral health and promote healthy behaviors and aims to carry out an in-depth analysis from the perspective of the factors that influence children's oral health. Step 1, designed by the World Health Organization, was utilized. An easy-to-use web interface was created for data collection. The statistical analysis consisted of using multinomial and binominal logistic regression models. The level of education of the adult has a high probability of influencing the consumption of unhealthy or healthy foods, it has a significant probability of exerting influence on social or medical problems and a correlation was found between the level of academic education and the pattern of dental visits. The development of health-promoting behaviors begins in childhood and involves parents, who have an essential role in the education of their children. Oral health promotion programs in schools need to target the child-adult-teacher-dentist relationships. Taking into consideration the aforementioned, a threefold viewpoint is necessary for the development of a national program aimed at promoting the oral health of schoolchildren in Romania.

P104 Exploring patient activation and self-management experiences in adults with fibromyalgia: A qualitative evidence synthesis

Abstract Background/Aims Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain condition that impacts daily functioning, including self-care and household responsibilities. Effective self-management strategies are essential for managing FMS; however, success depends on an individual’s readiness and capacity to adopt health-promoting behaviours. This qualitative evidence synthesis explored the experiences of adults in their self-management, focusing on understanding the barriers and facilitators influencing patient activation (PA) and effective self-management in the context of FMS. Methods A qualitative evidence synthesis was undertaken. An electronic search was conducted across several databases, including AMED, PubMed, CINAHL, Science Direct, and PsycINFO. Eligibility criteria were applied to screen studies for relevance. Quality assessment was conducted using established tools, including the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) questionnaire for qualitative studies and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Checklist (COREC). Findings from the selected papers underwent a three-stage thematic synthesis process to identify common themes. Results Nine studies, comprising a total of 130 participants, were included in the synthesis. Four analytical themes were identified: legitimising FMS, the value of medical support, receiving peer and social support, and learning to self-manage. These themes highlight the multifaceted nature of self-management in FMS. The first theme of legitimising FMS shows how people living with FMS validate their condition, seeking acknowledgement and understanding from healthcare providers and their social support network. The second theme of the value of medical support was important in FMS management, with empathy, education, and personalised guidance from clinicians playing a crucial role in empowering patients to self-manage effectively. The third theme of receiving peer and social support shows that people with FMS found relief and empowerment through interactions with peers and social networks. This shared experience and communal support served as a catalyst for adopting health-promoting behaviours. Finally, the theme of learning to self-manage shows that active involvement in their health is a key component to living well with FMS. People living with FMS embark on a self-management journey, navigating various strategies and interventions to identify what works for them. Conclusion This qualitative synthesis shows that the self-management of FMS requires active involvement from people living with FMS. It illuminates the pivotal role of healthcare providers, peer support, and social networks in enabling individuals to navigate the challenges of FMS. The findings encourage a holistic approach to FMS care, emphasising the need for healthcare professionals to provide medical expertise, empathy, education, and personalised support. Disclosure K. Yung: None. D. Jadhav: None. C. Ma: None. S. Majgaonkar: None. E. Manai: None. J. Pearson: None.

Perceptions and experiences of adult caregivers receiving mindfulness-based behavioural education: A qualitative study.

Adult caregivers (ACGs) are largely responsible for caring for their family members, which can increase their stress levels. This increased stress makes them more susceptible to chronic illnesses. The adoption of health-promoting behaviours, particularly through mindfulness-based behavioural education (MBBE), can significantly impact the daily habits of ACGs. However, there is limited research on this topic in the context of Thailand. Thus, this study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of ACGs receiving MBBE, focusing on physical, mental, social and other influential factors. A qualitative study was conducted among 19 ACGs living in the Bangkok Metropolitan Area. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and observations were conducted. The FGDs were digitally recorded, and their contents were analysed. The ACGs were found to perceive and experience improvements in their mental stability and habitual behaviour. These improvements manifested as increased calmness, relaxation, clear communication, empathy, reduced risky behaviour, decreased desire for excessive consumption and travel and reduced pain. Furthermore, mindful behaviour was influenced by both internal and external personal factors as well as the specific situational environment. MBBE could lead to an increase in promotional behaviour, especially when combined with awareness, self-recollection and a self-efficacy approach. This finding encourages health personnel to consider incorporating regular skill practice as a complement to health education.