Jacqueline Hoying

Relationships Among Perceived Wellness Culture, Healthy Lifestyle Beliefs, and Healthy Behaviors in University Faculty and Staff Implications for Practice and Future Research

Identifying key factors influencing healthy lifestyle behaviors in university faculty and staff is critical in designing interventions to improve health outcomes and reduce health care costs. A descriptive study was conducted with 3,959 faculty and staff at a Midwestern, U.S. University. Key measures included perceived worksite culture, healthy lifestyle beliefs, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Healthy lifestyle beliefs were strongly positively associated with healthy lifestyle behaviors. Regression analyses demonstrated positive healthy lifestyle behaviors based upon sex (female, Std. β = .068, p < .001) and role (faculty, Std. β = .059, p < .001) and a negative effect of race (African Americans, Std. β = −.059, p < .001). The positive effect of perceived wellness culture on healthy lifestyle behaviors was completely mediated by healthy lifestyle beliefs. Interventions to enhance perceived wellness culture and healthy lifestyle beliefs should result in healthier behaviors and improved health outcomes.

COPE A Pilot Study With Urban-Dwelling Minority Sixth-Grade Youth to Improve Physical Activity and Mental Health Outcomes

Approximately one in three preadolescents (34%) is obese/overweight and one in four (25%) experience a mental health issue. Urban youth suffer from higher rates of these problems, and at earlier ages than their peers. This studys purpose was to determine feasibility/acceptability and preliminary effects of the COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) Healthy Lifestyles TEEN (Thinking, Emotion, Exercise, and Nutrition) intervention on physical activity (PA) and mental health outcomes of 11- to 13-year-olds. A one group pre- and posttest design was used in a Midwest urban middle school. Preadolescents (n = 31) who received COPE reported significant decreases in anxiety and increases in healthy lifestyle beliefs and PA. Further, preadolescents at baseline with elevated anxiety, depression, suicide risk, and below average self-concept who received COPE reported significant increases in self-concept and decreases in anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. The COPE program is a promising intervention that can improve physical and mental health outcomes.

Physical health, lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health of entering graduate health professional students: Evidence to support screening and early intervention

Background and purpose:Little is known about the physical health, lifestyle beliefs and behaviors, and mental health among first‐year health professional graduate students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe these attributes as well as to explore the relationships among them. Methods:A descriptive correlational study was conducted on the baseline data from a wellness onboarding intervention study with 93 health sciences students from seven different colleges within a large public land grant university in the Midwest United States. Findings:Nearly 40% of the sample was overweight/obese, and 19% of students had elevated total cholesterol levels. Only 44% met the recommended 30 min of exercise 5 days per week. Forty‐one percent reported elevated depressive symptoms and 28% had elevated anxiety. Four students reported suicidal ideation. Inverse relationships existed among depression/anxiety and healthy lifestyle beliefs/behaviors. Conclusions:Students entering health professional schools are at high risk for depression, anxiety, and unhealthy behaviors, which could be averted through screening and early evidence‐based interventions. Implications for practice:Assessing the physical health, lifestyle behaviors, and mental health of first‐year health sciences professional students is important to identify health problems and modifiable at‐risk behaviors so that early interventions can be implemented to improve outcomes.

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of the COPE Online Cognitive‐Behavioral Skill‐Building Program on Mental Health Outcomes and Academic Performance in Freshmen College Students: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

PROBLEM Despite the increasing prevalence of mental health disorders in university students, few receive needed evidence-based treatment. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and preliminary effects of a seven-session online cognitive-behavioral skill-building intervention (i.e., COPE, Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) versus a comparison group on their anxiety, depressive symptoms, and grade performance. METHODS A randomized controlled pilot study was conducted from September 2012 to May 2013 with 121 college freshmen enrolled in a required one credit survey course. FINDINGS Although there were no significant differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between the groups, only COPE students with an elevated level of anxiety at baseline had a significant decline in symptoms. Grade point average was higher in COPE versus comparison students. Evaluations indicated that COPE was a positive experience for students. CONCLUSIONS COPE is a promising brief intervention that can be integrated effectively into a required freshman course.

A systematic review of mediators of physical activity, nutrition, and screen time in adolescents: Implications for future research and clinical practice

BACKGROUND Adolescents are not meeting current recommendations for daily physical activity, nutrition, and screentime which has been associated with overweight and obesity. Understanding the mediators that facilitate teens in improving their healthy lifestyle behaviors may be helpful in halting this crisis. PURPOSE The purpose of this systematic review was to assess published findings regarding mediators of adolescent energy balance behaviors. METHOD We followed the Institute of Medicine guidelines for completing a systematic review. DISCUSSION Fourteen analyses from 12 studies were included with mediating variables tested for nutrition, physical activity, and screen time. Mediators were identified for all three behaviors and were primarily on the individual level of the social ecological model. CONCLUSIONS Combining findings from this and other reviews of mediators can help guide researchers in choosing mediating factors for specific target behaviors.