The influence of current food and nutrition trends on dietitians’ perceptions of the healthiness of packaged food

AbstractObjective:To investigate the influence of current food and nutrition trends on dietitians’ perceptions of the healthiness of packaged foods.Design:This observational study used a cross-sectional survey. Participants rated (strongly disagree to strongly agree) the extent to which a range of factors, independent of the energy, nutrient and ingredient content, influenced their perceptions of the healthiness of packaged foods. Two open-ended questions allowed for participants to list additional items they considered important.Setting:Online survey.Participants:Australian dietitians (n 117).Results:The greatest consensus was a positive influence of the fit within the core food groups and presence of seasonal ingredients, and a negative influence of an increasing number of additives. Mixed opinions were obtained for GM ingredients, locally sourced ingredients, labelling of animal welfare and organic certification. Nutritional indicators received a split where almost half of participants disagreed/strongly disagreed that they positively influenced their perception of healthiness. Content analysis of open-ended responses (n 53, 45 %) revealed four broad categories as important in considering healthiness: ‘a whole food approach’, ‘marketing and labelling’, ‘product information’ and ‘context of diet’. A small number of responses (count of 6, 5 %) reported that packaging, advertising and features such as celebrity endorsement were a negative influence.Conclusions:Dietitians have a broad concept of the healthiness of packaged foods, which incorporates elements of food safety, wholeness of the ingredients and marketing. Providing unified messages to the consumer can help to build the public perception of dietitians as experts in nutrition advice and counselling.

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DETERMINANTS OF COVID-19 VACCINE ACCEPTANCE AMONG THE GENERAL ADULT POPULATION IN CHENNAI – A CROSS SECTIONAL SURVEY

10.36106/gjra/3908527 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 12-14

Author(s):

Monica Kalyanaraman ◽

Parameswari Srijayanth ◽

Srinivas Govindarajulu

Keyword(s):

Public Perception ◽

Online Survey ◽

Adult Population ◽

Vaccine Hesitancy ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Vaccine Acceptance ◽

Total N ◽

Study Objective ◽

The People

Background: Coronavirus outbreak was a highly unpredicted global burden that caused millions of deaths across the world. Vaccination against the infection declines the morbidity and mortality rates. This study objective aims to determine the reasons for the vaccine acceptance. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted through an online survey among the people living in chennai, Tamilnadu. An E-survey Google forms are circulated through the social platforms and email. Excluding the non-response all the data gained was descriptively analyzed. Results: Out of total (n =376 ≥ 18 years) participants majority of them showed High acceptance and got already vaccinated whereas some revealed the fear of vaccine safety and risk effects. Vaccine hesitancy is seen in terms of lack of trust and proper awareness, myths about adverse effects. In addition our ndings positively convey the knowledge of effective preventive measures for infection and proper following of government guidelines. Conclusion: The study outcomes even though shows willingness of the people in receiving the vaccine at some point still a notable interruption is seen. Prioritization should be given to those critical areas to inuence the public perception about vaccine benets because now vaccination is the only essential measure to suppress the healthcare pressure which halts the covid 19 infection.

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Social Distancing, Lockdown Obligatory, and Response Satisfaction During COVID-19 Pandemic: Perception of Nigerian Social Media Users

Advanced Journal of Social Science ◽

10.21467/ajss.7.1.44-53 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 44-53

Author(s):

Olalekan Seun Olagunju ◽

Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa ◽

Tesleem Kayode Babalola

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Perception ◽

Online Survey ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Effective Measure ◽

Social Distancing ◽

General Acceptance

Background: Pandemics are challenging for clinical and public health agencies and policymakers because of the scientific and medical uncertainty that accompanies novel viruses like COVID-19 makes an increase of morbidity and mortality prominent. Consequently, there is a need to evaluate the public perception of social distancing, lockdown obligatory, and response satisfactory during the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional survey used an anonymous online google based questionnaire to collect data from respondents via social media platforms. The online survey was conducted among social media users from 1st to 30th April 2020. A snowball sampling technique was employed to recruit respondents for the survey. A total of 1,131 respondents responded across the country. Results: Nine out of every ten respondents believed that social distancing is an effective measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Also, 8 out of every ten respondents agreed with the lockdown measures. However, just 36.8% think their government is doing enough to stop the outbreak, and only 25% of the respondents were satisfied with the country’s response to the worldwide epidemic. The age of respondents was found to be significantly associated with satisfaction with emergency response during pandemics. Conclusion: It could be concluded that Nigerian public accepted social distancing as an effective way of curbing the spread of COVID-19 and general acceptance on lockdown obligatory; however, more than half of respondents expressed non-satisfactory with government and other agencies responses during the pandemics.

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Testing the Strain Theory of Suicide – The Moderating Role of Social Support

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000604 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 82-88 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bob Lew ◽

Ksenia Chistopolskaya ◽

Yanzheng Liu ◽

Mansor Abu Talib ◽

Olga Mitina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Online Survey ◽

Perceived Social Support ◽

Strain Theory ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Strains ◽

Moderating Role

Abstract. Background: According to the strain theory of suicide, strains, resulting from conﬂicting and competing pressures in an individual's life, are hypothesized to precede suicide. But social support is an important factor that can mitigate strains and lessen their input in suicidal behavior. Aims: This study was designed to assess the moderating role of social support in the relation between strain and suicidality. Methods: A sample of 1,051 employees were recruited in Beijing, the capital of China, through an online survey. Moderation analysis was performed using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Social support was measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and strains were assessed with the Psychological Strains Scale. Results: Psychological strains are a good predictor of suicidality, and social support, a basic need for each human being, moderates and decreases the effects of psychological strains on suicidality. Limitations: The cross-sectional survey limited the extent to which conclusions about causal relationships can be drawn. Furthermore, the results may not be generalized to the whole of China because of its diversity. Conclusion: Social support has a tendency to mitigate the effects of psychological strains on suicidality.

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Psychological Impacts of COVID-19 During the First Nationwide Lockdown in Vietnam: Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Survey Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.24776 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khanh Ngoc Cong Duong ◽

Tien Nguyen Le Bao ◽

Phuong Thi Lan Nguyen ◽

Thanh Vo Van ◽

Toi Phung Lam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

General Population ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Survey Study ◽

Limited Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Event Scale ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. METHODS We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged <18 years, which increased their IES-R score (B=7.81, 95% CI 4.98 to 10.64) and DASS-21 stress score (B=1.75, 95% CI 0.27 to 3.24). The majority of respondents (n=1335, 96.4%) were confident about their doctor’s expertise in terms of COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment, which was positively associated with less distress caused by the outbreak (B=–7.84, 95% CI –14.58 to –1.11). CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts. CLINICALTRIAL

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Survey of young people in one region of the UK on accessing COVID-19 information (SOCIAL)

BMJ Paediatrics Open ◽

10.1136/bmjpo-2020-000942 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. e000942

Author(s):

Oliver G P Lawton ◽

Sarah A Lawton ◽

Lisa Dikomitis ◽

Joanne Protheroe ◽

Joanne Smith ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Young People ◽

Significant Role ◽

Online Survey ◽

Descriptive Statistics ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Education Gaps ◽

The Uk

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.

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Knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of Community pharmacists regarding COVID-19: A cross-sectional survey in two provinces of Pakistan

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.54 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Khayal Muhammad ◽

Muhammad Saqlain ◽

Gul Muhammad ◽

Ataullah Hamdard ◽

Muhammad Naveed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Good Practice ◽

Community Pharmacists ◽

Vital Role ◽

Good Knowledge ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Validated Questionnaire ◽

Knowledge Age ◽

Good Attitude

Abstract The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic having no therapy and pharmacists being a part of the healthcare system had a vital role in the management of COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of community pharmacists (CPs) regarding COVID-19. An online survey was conducted among 393 CPs in two provinces of Pakistan during the lockdown period. A validated questionnaire (Cronbach alpha, 0.745) was used for data collection. All statistical analysis was analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Among 393 participants, 71.5% (n=281) had good knowledge, 44% (n=175) positive attitude and 57.3% (n=225) had good practice regarding COVID-19. Social media (45.29%, n=178) was reported as the main source to seek information of COVID-19. Good knowledge, age ≥ 26 years and Ph.D. degree level were the substantial determinants (p= <0.05) of a good attitude. Similarly, community pharmacist who had an experience of >5 years, hold a Ph.D. degree, good knowledge and good attitude had higher odds of good practice as compared to reference categories (p= <0.05). In short, majority of CPs had good knowledge, but had a poor attitude and practice towards the COVID-19. Standard-structured educational and counselling programs for CPs regarding COVID-19 are needed for effective management.

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Public knowledge, preferences and experiences about medical substitute decision-making: a national cross-sectional survey

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care ◽

10.1136/bmjspcare-2020-002619 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. bmjspcare-2020-002619

Author(s):

Marcus Sellars ◽

Julien Tran ◽

Linda Nolte ◽

Ben White ◽

Craig Sinclair ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Online Survey ◽

Public Knowledge ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Medical Decisions ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Minimal Support ◽

Substitute Decision Maker ◽

Final Sample ◽

Advance Care

ObjectiveTo describe the Australian adult public’s knowledge and experiences regarding substitute decision-making for medical decisions and their preferences for obtaining information about the substitute decision-maker (SDM) role.MethodsThis is a national cross-sectional online survey of the Australian adult public. The survey examined participants’ advance care planning (ACP) awareness and experience, SDM experiences and preferences for obtaining more information about SDM, and participant knowledge about SDM.ResultsOf 1586 people who opened the survey, 1120 (70.6%) were included in the final sample. 13% (n=142) of participants indicated they had acted as an SDM. A median score of two correct responses out of five showed low to moderate knowledge about the SDM role among all participants, with only 33% reporting awareness of SDM laws existing in Australia. While most (59%) participants ranked a health professional as their preferred source of obtaining information about supporting SDMs, few participants who had been an SDM (n=64, 45%) reported obtaining any support in making medical decisions. The median SDM knowledge scores for people who had discussed ACP (3.0 vs 2.0, U=1 45 222, z=6.910, p<0.001), documented their ACP preferences (3.0 vs 2.0, U=71 984, z=4.087, p<0.001) or acted in the SDM role (3.0 vs 2.0, U=56 353, z=−3.694, p<0.001) were significantly higher compared with those who had not.ConclusionsThe Australian public may have low to moderate knowledge about the SDM role and access only minimal support when making challenging medical decisions.

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Examining Australian’s beliefs, misconceptions and sources of information for COVID-19: a national online survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043421 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. e043421

Author(s):

Rae Thomas ◽

Hannah Greenwood ◽

Zoe A Michaleff ◽

Eman Abukmail ◽

Tammy C Hoffmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Behaviours ◽

National Sample ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Commercial Television ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

And Gender ◽

Public Health Strategies

ObjectivePublic cooperation to practise preventive health behaviours is essential to manage the transmission of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. We aimed to investigate beliefs about COVID-19 diagnosis, transmission and prevention that have the potential to impact the uptake of recommended public health strategies.DesignAn online cross-sectional survey.ParticipantsA national sample of 1500 Australian adults with representative quotas for age and gender provided by an online panel provider.Main outcome measureProportion of participants with correct/incorrect knowledge of COVID-19 preventive behaviours and reasons for misconceptions.ResultsOf the 1802 potential participants contacted, 289 did not qualify, 13 declined and 1500 participated in the survey (response rate 83%). Most participants correctly identified ‘washing your hands regularly with soap and water’ (92%) and ‘staying at least 1.5 m away from others’ (90%) could help prevent COVID-19. Over 40% (incorrectly) considered wearing gloves outside of the home would prevent them from contracting COVID-19. Views about face masks were divided. Only 66% of participants correctly identified that ‘regular use of antibiotics’ would not prevent COVID-19.Most participants (90%) identified ‘fever, fatigue and cough’ as indicators of COVID-19. However, 42% of participants thought that being unable to ‘hold your breath for 10 s without coughing’ was an indicator of having the virus. The most frequently reported sources of COVID-19 information were commercial television channels (56%), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (43%) and the Australian Government COVID-19 information app (31%).ConclusionsPublic messaging about hand hygiene and physical distancing to prevent transmission appears to have been effective. However, there are clear, identified barriers for many individuals that have the potential to impede uptake or maintenance of these behaviours in the long term. We need to develop public health messages that harness these barriers to improve future cooperation. Ensuring adherence to these interventions is critical.

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Training interns in nutrition and dietetics: a cross-sectional study of the barriers and motivators to being a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist preceptor

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-021-02700-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Andrea M. Hutchins ◽

Donna M. Winham ◽

Jinette P. Fellows ◽

Michelle M. Heer

Keyword(s):

Experiential Learning ◽

Professional Training ◽

Online Survey ◽

Selection Process ◽

National Level ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Registered Dietitian ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Entry Level

Abstract Background As is common across the health professions, training of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) requires experiential learning for interns/students to gain skills and demonstrate entry-level competency. Preceptors are essential to the experiential learning component of health care professional training, providing supervision and mentoring as students and interns gain the skills required for entry-level practice competency. Over the past 27 years, 47–73% of applicants to dietetic internships have received a placement. Practitioners willing to volunteer as preceptors are needed to generate more internship or experiential learning opportunities for the profession to continue to meet workforce demands. Methods The objective of this national-level online cross-sectional survey was to identify perceptions and attitudes associated with the preceptor role and incentives that might encourage precepting by current RDNs. A random sample of RDN and Nutrition and Dietetic Technicians, Registered (NDTR) professionals from the Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialed practitioner database were eligible to participate in the online survey. The main outcome measures included perceptions, attitudes, and preferred incentives to precept compared by preceptor experience categories (current, former, never precepted). Comparisons of perceptions, attitudes, and preferred incentives were made between preceptor experience categories using Chi-square and ANOVA. Results Of 2464 invitations, 308 participants had complete variables for analysis. Top incentives were the opportunity to earn continuing education units (65.9%) and having expenses paid to attend a national conference (49.5%). Significantly more (P < 0.001) “former” and “never” preceptors reported the ability to choose when to take an intern, training on how to teach and communicate with interns, and access to an “on-call” specialist as incentives compared to “current” preceptors. Significantly more (P < 0.01) “never” preceptors reported training on internship expectations and the ability to provide input on intern selection process as incentives compared to “current” or “former” preceptors. Conclusions Incentives to serve as a preceptor differ based on “current”, “former”, or “never” precepted status. Promoting and strategizing solutions to the current imbalance between the greater number of dietetic internship applicants compared to preceptors should be targeted based on preceptor status to retain current preceptors, encourage former preceptors to return and recruit professionals who have never served.

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Intention to Vaccinate against COVID-19: a Social Marketing perspective using the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Health Belief Model

Journal of Social Marketing ◽

10.1108/jsocm-04-2021-0085 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Kojo Kakra Twum ◽

Daniel Ofori ◽

Gloria Kakrabah-Quarshie Agyapong ◽

Andrews Agya Yalley

Keyword(s):

Health Belief Model ◽

Social Marketing ◽

Online Survey ◽

Theory Of Planned Behaviour ◽

Health Belief ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Planned Behaviour ◽

Content Type ◽

Belief Model

Purpose This study examines the factors influencing intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 in a developing country context using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and health belief model (HBM). Design/methodology/approach Through a cross-sectional survey design, the study adopted a quantitative approach to data collection and analysis. The study used an online survey to collect data from 478 respondents eligible to take the COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana. Findings Attitude, social norm, perceived behavioural control, perceived susceptibility and cues to action were found to be predictors of COVID-19 vaccination intention. The results also showed that perceived severity, perceived benefits and perceived barriers did not predict COVID-19 vaccination intention. Practical implications To enhance the effectiveness of COVID-19 social marketing campaigns, social marketing theories such as the TPB and HBM can aid in assessing the intention of the target population to take the vaccines. An assessment of vaccination intention will help understand disease threat perception and behavioural evaluation. The consideration of the effect of demography on vaccination intention will aid in developing effective campaigns to satisfy the needs of segments. Originality/value This study adds to the limited research on understanding citizens’ intention to vaccinate against COVID-19 by combining the TPB and HBM to predict vaccination intention. The study contributes towards the use of social marketing practices to enhance the efficacy of vaccination campaigns.

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