Abstract

How social networks associate with body image concerns among college women

Meg Patterson, PhD¹, Allison Francis, MS¹, Tyler Prochnow, PhD¹, Mandy Spadine, PhD² (1)Texas A&M University, (2)Susan G. Komen

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

Introduction: College-aged women are often impacted by body image issues (e.g., body dissatisfaction, disordered exercise) more than other subgroups of the population. Body image concerns can result in severe mental health issues, body shape and weight changing behaviors (e.g., compulsive exercise), and low self-esteem. Because a person’s body image can be influenced by their social contacts, this study examined individual, dyadic, and network-level factors related to college women connecting with people who intensified feelings of exercise guilt and body dissatisfaction – two feelings known to exacerbate body image concerns.

Methods: Undergraduate women (i.e., egos, n=207) completed an online survey measuring physical activity, body dissatisfaction, compulsive exercise, and egocentric social networks. Participants indicated up to five people they felt closest to (i.e., alters) and reported their relationship to each alter, each alter’s gender and exercise behavior, and frequency of communication and length of relationship with each alter. Egos also reported the frequency (Never, Sometimes, Often, Always). to which each alter made them feel 1) good about her looks (body dissatisfaction) and 2) guilty about her exercise habits (exercise guilt). Two random coefficient multi-level models assessed how often alters make egos feel: 1) guilty about her exercise habits, and 2) good about her looks. All analyses were conducted in R.

Results: Egos who had higher body dissatisfaction scores reported more feelings of exercise guilt (β=.02, p<.001), and more body dissatisfaction (β=.02, p<.001) from alters. Alters who were male (β=-.19, p=.01) and communicated with ego more frequently (β=.07, p<.001) were more likely to make ego feel good about her looks. Alters who exercised more frequently were less likely to make ego feel guilty about her exercise habits (β=-0.18, p=.01), and having networks consistent of higher exercisers was related to ego feeling less exercise guilt (β=-.40, p<.001).

Conclusions: Identifying interpersonal factors associated with social connections that may yield body dissatisfaction and/or guilt among egos reveals opportunities for positive body image interventions. These findings align with and advance literature emphasizing the importance of someone’s immediate social network on body image and associated behaviors.

Abstract

Pilot Use of Participatory Grantmaking: An Equitable Method for Allocating Funds to Community-Based Organizations to Improve Women’s Health

Valentina Asiedu, Bachelor of Science¹, Ramona Danielson, PhD, MS², Alicia Belay, PhD, MPH³ (1)North Dakota State University/North Dakota Department of Health, (2)Department of Public Health, (3)Health Equity Office, North Dakota Department of Health

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

Background: The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Program identified the need to increase preventative health visits among economically/socially marginalized women of reproductive age. Community-based organizations were best suited to reach this population through culturally specific public health education media campaigns. However, the NDDoH recognized that community-based organizations may lack the experience to successfully navigate traditional grantmaking processes.
Methods: In 2020, the NDDoH piloted an innovative method for funding community organizations using a shared decision-making strategy across grantees, called participatory grantmaking. The NDDoH invited 14 organizations serving economically/socially marginalized women to apply for a one-year project, of which eight submitted a short proposal.
Results: All eight organizations were convened virtually to make funding allocation decisions together. Grantees reported appreciating the opportunity to equitably allocate funds among other community-based organizations. After contracts were issued, grantees met throughout the year to discuss their projects’ progress. Implemented educational approaches included webinars, training sessions, distribution of fliers, etc. Some grantees collaborated with other community organizations, such as local public health, to implement their projects.
Conclusions: Participatory grantmaking reflected the NDDoH’s commitment to equity and empowerment principles and resulted in a more diverse group of grantees than the NDDoH had reached through traditional grantmaking methods. Process evaluation resulted in amendment of the process for 2022: a streamlined grant application coupled with an in-person grantmaking session to improve interpersonal communication between grantees, and a more detailed tracking process for the NDDoH.

Abstract

HDPulse Interventions Portal: A resource providing access to effective interventions to improve minority health and reduce health disparities

Antoinette Percy-Laurry, DrPH, MSPH, Tilda Farhat, PhD, Aaron Ogletree, PhD National Institutes of Health

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

Background: The opportunity to access comprehensive and high-quality minority health and health disparities data and effective interventions can significantly improve the design, implementation, and evaluation of health disparities-related programs nationally and in local communities.

Methods: In December 2017, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities established HDPulse, a website designed to provide data, interventions and resources for researchers, public health professionals and policymakers to identify, prioritize, and mitigate health disparities. HDPulse Interventions Portal, one of two portals on the website, is a searchable database of research-tested interventions that have demonstrated a positive effect in improving minority health or reducing health disparities. The Interventions Portal can inform the design, implementation, evaluation, dissemination, and adaptation of interventions to improve minority health and reduce health disparities.

Results: The availability of these interventions and accompanying materials allows users to make an informed decision about the interventions’ appropriateness for use in a particular setting and for particular populations. Researchers are also able to submit their minority health and/or health disparities interventions to the portal revealing the impact of their interventions on behavioral and health outcomes and their innovative approaches to address health equity.

Conclusions: HDPulse Interventions Portal serves as a unique resource that provides and promotes evidence-based interventions to control health disparities and increase the movement of minority health and health disparities research into community or clinical practice.

Abstract

Observing Health Status and Educating Rural and Indigenous Populations of Zacapa and Morales, Guatemala

Oswald Attin, M.S.H.S; Ph.D, Grace Sibert, BSPHc Liberty University, Gineska Castillo, MPH, MD, CPH; Renata Yassa, MPH.

APHA 2022 Annual Meeting and Expo

Background: Obesity and diabetes are chronic health conditions no longer limited to high-income countries, non-communicable diseases are also affecting developing countries and there is limited data on the topics among rural and indigenous communities in Guatemala. The project can provide insight into the prevalence of these diseases in specific communities. The study aims to see if there was a statistically significant difference in data between Zacapa 2021 and Morales 2021.

Methods: Data collected from 2019 and 2021 were cleaned, coded, analyzed, and interpreted. The analysis focused on Body Mass Index (BMI), blood glucose, systolic pressure, and diastolic pressure, among adults within these communities. During this project, the following instruments were utilized to perform necessary data analysis: health screenings and questionnaires, Microsoft Excel 2019, and SPSS 21.

Results: Four t-tests assuming equal variance were computed to display a difference in means between Zacapa and Morales for blood glucose, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. The difference in means were statistically significant for blood glucose t(262) = 3.69, p= 0.00013; systolic blood pressure t(262) = -2.36, p= 0.0094; and diastolic blood pressure t(262) = 1.75, p= 0.041. There was no statistical significance for BMI, with p= 0.21.

Conclusion: This report will be used in subsequent trips to Guatemala to continue health outreach. Informational guides and programs will be developed to improve health outcomes through personal education for future trips. A recommendation for the future project would be to incorporate the communication, motivation, and facilitation (CMF) framework.