Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Sleep attitudes in adolescents: demographic differences and associations with sleep health(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2023) Alvarado, Giovanni; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Cara A. PalmerAbout 70-90% of adolescents in the United States receive less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep on a nightly basis despite its importance in everyday functioning (Keyes et al., 2015). Health-related attitudes are modifiable and predict actual health behaviors and previous research suggests that there are differences in how people value sleep (Ruggiero et al., 2019). Although previous work has examined sleep attitudes in teenagers, this has yet to be examined quantitatively in relation to actual sleep behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine how adolescents prioritize sleep and how this relates to other sleep outcomes. Participants included 649 adolescents from the United States (ages 13-18, M = 16.2, SD = 1.08; female = 79.7%; white = 45.2%) and were recruited through advertisements distributed throughout Instagram. Participants completed a brief 15-minute online survey to assess sleep outcomes and sleep attitudes. Adolescents completed the Charlotte Attitudes Towards Sleep Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Sleep Timing Questionnaire, the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale, the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status - Youth Version, and sociodemographics. A series of regression models were conducted examining sleep outcomes predicted by adolescent sleep attitudes while adjusting for sociodemographics. An additional regression model was conducted examining adolescent sleep attitudes predicted by perceived socioeconomic status while adjusting for sociodemographics. Results suggested that teens who reported more positive attitudes towards sleep also reported longer sleep duration, better sleep quality, shorter sleep latency, earlier weekday and weekend bedtimes, and better sleep hygiene. There were also no significant differences in sleep atttitudes across sociodemographics. Follow-up exploratory analyses examined the two sleep attitudes subscales as independent predictors and outcomes and the pattern of findings remained unchanged. This study helps address the lack of research surrounding sleep attitudes in an adolescent sample. Results showed that sleep attitudes significantly predict sleep outcomes, but no significant differences were found across sociodemographic groups once accounting for covariates. Overall, findings from this study advance research on sleep attitudes by examining attitudes in a youth sample and suggest that sleep attitudes are a possible modifiable target to minimize sleep health difficulties.Item Impact of weight classifications on weight loss behavior: a regression discontinuity design(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Agriculture, 2020) Worley, Ronald Wayne, III (Trey); Co-Chairs, Graduate Committee: Andrew Hill and Mariana CarreraAround 70% of US adults are overweight or obese, conditions strongly associated with medical issues and lower worker productivity. Efforts to address this issue have largely failed to instill long-term healthy living habits in individuals, and a better understanding of how individuals respond to these weight classifications may aid in creating effective interventions. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, I exploit the quasi-random assignment of weight classifications through the body mass index in a regression discontinuity design (RD) to analyze the impacts of overweight and obese assignments on weight change behavior and attempts to lose weight. My results suggest that individuals do not respond to these classifications by altering their weight change behavior or their efforts to lose weight. Limitations to my study make it uncertain whether this is the true relationship between weight classifications and weight-related behaviors. However, these findings align with previous research utilizing similar natural experiments. Future studies could exploit additional sources of variation in weight information, utilize different techniques, and explore alternative samples to contribute to the small, yet growing, literature on this topic.Item Adolescent decision making and risk behavior(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 1996) Trombetta, Dolores JeanItem Dimensions of health and rural resident's health care resources(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 1993) Doede, Lorinda MarieItem Binge eating and bulimic behaviors in a select Native American adolescent population(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 1993) Auker, Luana MaeItem Stages of change of exercise behavior : relationships with other health behaviors(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1998) Costakis, Catherine ElaineThe Stages of Change Model has been useful in explaining how people change health behaviors. Although this model has been used in numerous investigations to examine how people change single health behaviors, few researchers have used this model to investigate the change process when multiple behaviors are involved. The purpose of this study was to determine if the stages of exercise adoption were associated with other health behaviors. The health behaviors included in this study were cigarette and smokeless tobacco use, seat belt nonuse, alcohol use, and nonregular use of stress management practices. The researcher hypothesized that respondents in the later stages of exercise adoption would practice more healthful behaviors than respondents in the earlier stages. Survey research was conducted, using a sample of 1,896 university employees, to obtain the demographic, socioeconomic and behavioral information used in this study. The survey response rate was 68%. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine if stage of exercise predicted the presence of each of the health behaviors while controlling for demographic, socioeconomic, and other health behavior variables. Respondents in the later stages of exercise adoption were less likely to be cigarette smokers, more likely to use their seat belt regularly, and more likely to use regular stress management practices than respondents in the earliest stage of exercise. Hence, encouraging individuals to become more involved in exercise could indirectly influence other lifestyle behaviors. Exercise has been found to have therapeutic effects in relation to a variety of chronic diseases and could be a possible "gateway" behavior towards healthier lifestyle choices.Item Psychosocial and behavioral factors affecting dietary intake in relation to federal dietary guidance(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2014) Haack, Sarah Alexis; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Carmen Byker; Dr. Carmen J. Byker was a co-author of the article, 'Recent population adherence to and knowledge of United States federal nutrition guides 1992-2013: a systematic review ' submitted to the journal 'Nutrition reviews' which is contained within this thesis.; Carmen J. Byker, Courtney A. Pinard, and Alison Harmon were co-authors of the article, 'The role of past US nutrition guides and related psychosocial factors on current consumption patterns and self-reported BMI' submitted to the journal 'Journal of nutrition education and behavior' which is contained within this thesis.; Carmen J. Byker, Courtney A. Pinard were co-authors of the article, 'Psychosocial factors and dietary habits affecting food and beverage choices of college students: a theory-based approach' which is contained within this thesis.The purpose of this research is to identify psychosocial and cognitive correlates of dietary intake patterns and weight status, and to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition guides and federal dietary guidance from an historical approach, identifying their long-term role in health attitudes and behaviors. Forty-seven college students completed a 24- hour dietary recall and Dietary Awareness Survey measuring demographic characteristics of participants, knowledge of the Food Guide Pyramid (FGP), support for federal dietary guidance, and self-efficacy for eating healthy. Adherence to FGP recommendations was low among participants, as were knowledge, support, and self-efficacy scores. No significant correlation was found between knowledge and intake. While there was no evidence of association between support, self-efficacy, and adherence, support was significantly correlated with increased fruit intake, and self-efficacy was associated with decreased intake of soft drinks. Lastly, those adhering to overall and dairy FGP recommendations had higher BMI scores than those not adhering. These results suggest limited retention of nutrition guide recommendations, as well as psychosocial determinants of adherence beyond intrapersonal factors. Limitations included, self-reported weight and dietary intake data, which may have introduced response bias, as well as a small, homogenous sample, limiting external validity. Future research should examine the role of interpersonal and environmental constructs in affecting dietary intake, as well as the association between dairy intake and weight status.Item Health beliefs and practices of 'regulars' at the rural bar(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2006) Jorgensen, Kathy Palm; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Jean Shreffler-GrantMontana has one of the highest per capita rates of alcohol consumption. While alcohol use in rural areas has not been documented to be higher than in urban areas, rural residents have been recognized as having unique perspectives on health. This study was designed to explore the health beliefs and practices of rural men who regularly frequent the local bar. Understanding the perspective of this group may add to the body of knowledge used by Advanced Practice Nurses to work effectively with these men. Interviews with ten men from four rural communities with no local health care facility were undertaken to explore the health beliefs and practices of this group. Bandura's Cognitive Social Theory was chosen as the theoretical framework to address how these men perceived health, health care, and health care providers as well as their own ability to control their wellness. The participants identified lack of pain and ability to function in daily tasks as being healthy. Most of the participants (90%) believed they had a great deal of control over their own well-being with physical activity being the most common self care activity. They avoided health care until unable to manage the illness or injury themselves then would choose a provider based on word of mouth, convenience, cost, and "knowing" the provider. Participants demonstrated an ability to change lifestyle patterns if they perceived the change to be important. Participants would avoid or not return to a provider who was rude, judgmental, or did not provide adequate pain control. Most named the bar as a place for socialization. Subjects were aware of the risks of smoking and excess alcohol but did not plan to change these activities in the absence of symptoms of disease. This study suggests that providers would be well served to a) assess the health care priorities of the 'regular' and tailor care to those perceived risks, b) make an effort to 'know' the patient by assessing social situation and lifestyle, c) portray an open, friendly, non-judgmental demeanor, and d) provide specific, clear information about personal risks/symptoms of disease with individualized suggestions about self-help measures.