2007 Final Program - Society of Behavioral Medicine

SOCIETY of BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE
Rapid Communications Posters Friday, March 23, 2007 • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM • Poster Session C
education, being male, and less exposure to health-related print
information remained as significant correlates. Non-adherence with
PA recommendations in the logistic model was associated with
being older, female, not being born in the US, higher BMI, and less
exposure to health-related print information.Conclusions: These
results reveal distinct correlates of non-adherence with F/V and PA
recommendations. Consistent with previous research, this study
found that males and those with less education are more likely to be
non-adherent with F/V recommendations while females demonstrate
greater non-adherence with PA recommendations. For both F/V
and PA outcomes, low exposure to health-related information in
newspapers and magazines was related to non-adherence, even after
controlling for education. These results have implications for tailoring
the delivery of information.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Richard P. Moser, PhD, National
Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, 20892; moserr@mail.nih.gov
3444
PERCEPTIONS OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTION
(STI) RISK AMONG COLLEGE AGE AFRICAN AMERICAN
WOMEN
Shacara D. Johnson, BS, Malaika Pepper Washington, MSPH and
Lucy Annang, PhD, MPH, Health Behavior, University of Alabama
at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.
Nearly 20 million cases of STIs are reported annually, half of which
are among youth ages 15-24, with African American females at
particularly high risk. Studies have shown that youth estimate a
higher perceived risk of casual partners compared to main partners,
thus choosing to use condoms more consistently with these
partners. Study participants were recruited from an urban university
in the southern U.S. Eighty-nine African American female freshmen
residing in a campus dormitory completed self-administered surveys
designed to assess their sexual risk practices and perceptions. Nearly
80% (n=70) of the sample was sexually experienced with only 7.0%
estimating that their partner was at high or very high risk for getting
an STI. However, 21.9% of the sample thought that their partners
had an STI history. Of those who reported having a main partner
(75%, n=48), 70.8% (n=34) used a condom at last intercourse,
with 60.4% (n=29) indicating that they used condoms every time
they had sex. Seven participants reported having a casual partner, of
which 100% reported using a condom the last time they had sex,
and 100% using condoms on a consistent basis. Many of the college
women in this sample used condoms consistently (more so with
casual than main partners), even though they did not perceive their
sexual partners to be at risk for STIs. Intervention efforts should
continue to emphasize condoms as the best barrier method for STI
prevention and capitalize on perceptions of casual partner risk to
translate into increased use among main partners.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Malaika Pepper Washington,
MSPH, Health Behavior, University of Alabama at Birmingham,
Birmingham, AL, 35294-0022; malaika@uab.edu
3445
KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND RISK PERCEPTIONS
RELATED TO DIABETES, WEIGHT AND DIABETES
PREVENTION IN A SAMPLE OF LOW-INCOME LATINOS
Milagros C. Rosal, PhD, Amy Borg, MPH, Jamie S. Bodenlos,
Ph.D. and Ira S. Ockene, MD
Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester,
MA.
Objective: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is
increasing dramatically and Latinos are at greater risk to develop
this disease compared to Caucasians. This study assessed knowledge,
attitudes and risk perceptions related to type 2 diabetes, weight and
diabetes prevention among low-income Latinos with no known
diagnosis of diabetes.
Method: Qualitative research methods were used. Participants were
recruited from a predominantly low-income Latino community
in Massachusetts. Focus groups were conducted in Spanish by
bilingual, bicultural researchers. Analysis of transcripts were
analyzed as described by a method developed by LaPelle (2004), a
systematic process for tabulating and interpreting interview data.
Results: 41 individuals participated in 4 focus groups. The sample
was largely female (87%), middle age was 44 years (range 22-
76), 70.6% had a high school education or less, and 53.6% were
unemployed. Participants had some basic knowledge of diabetes and
its management but also lack of information and misconceptions
regarding its causes and potential complications. Few were aware of
age, ethnicity, hypertension, and gestational diabetes as risk factors
for diabetes. Only half were aware of family history as a risk factor.
Half believed that they could take action to decrease diabetes risk
but weight loss was cited by only a quarter of participants as a
preventive method. The U.S. culture and experiencing high levels
of emotions were cited by many as contributing to poor diet and
development of diabetes. Almost all of the participants reported
attempts at weight loss with dietary changes most frequently being
used and many endorsed frustration at lack of weight loss success.
Appearance was the most common motivator for losing weight.
Less than half of the participants reported concern about developing
diabetes
Applications/Conclusions: Public health interventions are needed
to educate Latinos about their risk of developing diabetes and
strategies for preventing or delaying T2DM onset.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Milagros C. Rosal, PhD,
Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester,
MA, 01655; milagros.rosal@umassmed.edu
3446
MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF
AND BARRIERS TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Lorraine B. Robbins, DNSc, RN, CFNP, 1 Tsu-Yin Wu, PhD, RN, 2
Alla Sikorskii, PhD 1 and Blair Morley, Baccalaureate Student 1
1
College of Nursing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI and
2
School of Nursing, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI.
~ 112 ~
A decline in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) begins
around the time of middle school. By 9th grade, less than 1/3 of
students meet national MVPA recommendations. Insufficient