scholarly journals Promoting Healthy Eating Habits for College Students Through Creating Dietary Diaries via a Smartphone App and Social Media Interaction: Online Survey Study

10.2196/17613 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e17613
Author(s):  
Masako Watanabe-Ito ◽  
Emiko Kishi ◽  
Yoko Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Self Evaluation

Background Youth in developed countries face the contradictory health problems of obesity and an excessive desire for weight loss. Developing a better health attitude for college students is essential as this period of life establishes future lifestyle and habits. Online interaction on social media can help to improve eating habits by creating dietary diaries through a smartphone app; however, the effects of such interactions for college students have not been examined to date. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effectiveness of social media interactions with the use of dietary diaries on a smartphone app to motivate college students in raising self-awareness of their eating habits. Methods Forty-two college students in the greater Tokyo area of Japan participated in the study by creating dietary diaries online through a smartphone app and then followed/interacted with each other using social media for 7 consecutive days in September to November 2017. Online surveys were administered at baseline, immediately after creating the dietary diaries, and at 1-month follow up. Participants rated their degree of interest and self-evaluation of eating habits using 7-point scales, and answered multiple choice questions related to their thoughts in choosing meals/drinks among 10 topics. Free descriptions about their overall experience throughout the project were also collected in the follow-up survey. Results Data from 38 participants who completed all processes were analyzed. Over time, the mean score for degree of interest in eating habits increased from 4.6 to 6.2 (P<.001), while the self-evaluation score decreased from 4.5 to 3.6 (P<.001); these significant differences remained after 1 month (5.3, P=.002; 4.1, P=0.04, respectively). A weak negative correlation (P=.009) was observed between scores for degree of interest and self-evaluation. Participants with lower scores for degree of interest at baseline tended to increase their interest level by more than 2 points above the average (P<.001). Participants gradually thought more about their eating habits from various perspectives when choosing a meal/drink, particularly with respect to maintaining well-balanced diets and introducing diverse ingredients. Participants evaluated their experiences as interesting/fun and reported familiarity with using the smartphone app and social media as the preferred method to keep track of their eating. All participants welcomed communication with fellow participants on social media and motivated each other, in addition to monitoring their eating habits through online dietary diaries. Some participants experienced difficulty, especially when they were busy or faced a lack of internet access. Conclusions Through interactions on social media, college students experienced encouragement and developed an interest and critical thinking with respect to their eating habits. This approach, which embraces peer education and peer support with social media, holds promise for the future of youth health promotion. Further examination will be needed to explore how to sustain this level of heightened awareness.

scholarly journals Promoting Healthy Eating Habits for College Students Through Creating Dietary Diaries via a Smartphone App and Social Media Interaction: Online Survey Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masako Watanabe-Ito ◽  
Emiko Kishi ◽  
Yoko Shimizu
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Smartphone App ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Self Evaluation

BACKGROUND Youth in developed countries face the contradictory health problems of obesity and an excessive desire for weight loss. Developing a better health attitude for college students is essential as this period of life establishes future lifestyle and habits. Online interaction on social media can help to improve eating habits by creating dietary diaries through a smartphone app; however, the effects of such interactions for college students have not been examined to date. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effectiveness of social media interactions with the use of dietary diaries on a smartphone app to motivate college students in raising self-awareness of their eating habits. METHODS Forty-two college students in the greater Tokyo area of Japan participated in the study by creating dietary diaries online through a smartphone app and then followed/interacted with each other using social media for 7 consecutive days in September to November 2017. Online surveys were administered at baseline, immediately after creating the dietary diaries, and at 1-month follow up. Participants rated their degree of interest and self-evaluation of eating habits using 7-point scales, and answered multiple choice questions related to their thoughts in choosing meals/drinks among 10 topics. Free descriptions about their overall experience throughout the project were also collected in the follow-up survey. RESULTS Data from 38 participants who completed all processes were analyzed. Over time, the mean score for degree of interest in eating habits increased from 4.6 to 6.2 (<i>P</i>&lt;.001), while the self-evaluation score decreased from 4.5 to 3.6 (<i>P</i>&lt;.001); these significant differences remained after 1 month (5.3, <i>P</i>=.002; 4.1, <i>P</i>=0.04, respectively). A weak negative correlation (<i>P</i>=.009) was observed between scores for degree of interest and self-evaluation. Participants with lower scores for degree of interest at baseline tended to increase their interest level by more than 2 points above the average (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Participants gradually thought more about their eating habits from various perspectives when choosing a meal/drink, particularly with respect to maintaining well-balanced diets and introducing diverse ingredients. Participants evaluated their experiences as interesting/fun and reported familiarity with using the smartphone app and social media as the preferred method to keep track of their eating. All participants welcomed communication with fellow participants on social media and motivated each other, in addition to monitoring their eating habits through online dietary diaries. Some participants experienced difficulty, especially when they were busy or faced a lack of internet access. CONCLUSIONS Through interactions on social media, college students experienced encouragement and developed an interest and critical thinking with respect to their eating habits. This approach, which embraces peer education and peer support with social media, holds promise for the future of youth health promotion. Further examination will be needed to explore how to sustain this level of heightened awareness.

scholarly journals The Influence of Friends on Teen Vaping: A Mixed-Methods Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6784
Author(s):  
Allison L. Groom ◽  
Thanh-Huyen T. Vu ◽  
Robyn L. Landry ◽  
Anshula Kesh ◽  
Joy L. Hart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Influence ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Sources Of Information

Vaping is popular among adolescents. Previous research has explored sources of information and influence on youth vaping, including marketing, ads, family, peers, social media, and the internet. This research endeavors to expand understanding of peer influence. Our hypothesis is that friends’ influence on teen vapers’ first electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use varies by demographic variables and awareness of ENDS advertising. In August–October 2017, youth (n = 3174) aged 13–18 completed an online survey to quantify ENDS behaviors and attitudes and were invited to participate in follow-up online research in November-December 2017 to probe qualitative context around perceptions and motivations (n = 76). This analysis focused on the ENDS users, defined as having ever tried any ENDS product, from the survey (n = 1549) and the follow-up research (n = 39). Among survey respondents, friends were the most common source of vapers’ first ENDS product (60%). Most survey respondents tried their first ENDS product while “hanging out with friends” (54%). Among follow-up research participants, the theme of socializing was also prominent. ENDS advertising and marketing through social media had a strong association with friend networks; in fact, the odds of friends as source of the first vaping experience were 2 times higher for those who had seen ENDS ads on social media compared with other types of media. The influence of friends is particularly evident among non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics/Latinos, those living in urban areas, those living in high-income households, those with higher self-esteem, and those who experiment with vaping. These findings support the premise that peer influence is a primary social influencer and reinforcer for vaping. Being included in a popular activity appears to be a strong driving force.

scholarly journals Influence of COVID-19 on lifestyle behaviors in the Middle East and North Africa Region: a survey of 5896 individuals

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Abouzid ◽  
◽  
Dina M. El-Sherif ◽  
Nael Kamel Eltewacy ◽  
Nesrine Ben Hadj Dahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Middle East ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
North Africa ◽  
Fast Food ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected health and lifestyle behaviors of people globally. This project aims to identify the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle behavior of individuals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during confinement. Methods We conducted an online survey in 17 countries (Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Iraq, and Sudan) from the MENA region on August and September 2020. The questionnaire included self-reported information on lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity, eating habits, smoking, watching television, social media use and sleep before and during the pandemic. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on lifestyle behaviors. Results A total of 5896 participants were included in the final analysis and 62.8% were females. The BMI of the participants was 25.4 ± 5.8 kg/m2. Around 38.4% of the participants stopped practicing any physical activities during the confinement (P < 0.001), and 57.1% reported spending more than 2 h on social media (P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in smoking habits. Also, 30.9% reported an improvement in their eating habits compared with 24.8% reported worsening of their eating habits. Fast-food consumption decreased significantly in 48.8% of the study population. This direct/indirect exposure to COVID-19 was associated with an increased consumption of carbohydrates (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.02–1.17; P = 0.01), egg (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.02–1.16; P = 0.01), sugar (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.02–1.16; P = 0.02), meat, and poultry (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.06–1.20; P < 0.01). There was also associated increase in hours spent on watching television (OR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.02–1.12; P < 0.01) and social media (OR = 1.09; 95% CI = 1.01–1.18; P = 0.03). However, our results showed a reduction in sleeping hours among those exposed to COVID-19 infection (OR = 0.85; 95% CI = 0.77–0.94; P < 0.01). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with an increase in food consumption and sedentary life. Being exposed to COVID-19 by direct infection or through an infected household is a significant predictor of amplifying these changes. Public health interventions are needed to address healthy lifestyle behaviors during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

No consensus exists for use of anticoagulation for calf vein thrombosis

Vascular ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Anstadt ◽  
T Calloway Robertson ◽  
Ross Milner
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Practice Patterns ◽  
Low Molecular Weight ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Single Institution ◽  
Vein Thrombosis ◽  
Ivc Filters ◽  
Calf Vein ◽  
The Ideal

The ideal treatment of calf vein thrombosis (CVT) remains undefined. We assessed practice patterns at a single institution for CVT. Physicians were sent an online survey with 8 multiple choice questions about management of CVT. A total of 99 physicians of varying specialties participated in the survey. A total of 48.5% anticoagulate patients with CVT and 51.5% do not. Of those who anticoagulate, 62.3% use low molecular weight heparin and 11% use IV heparin. Treatment duration is 3 months for 58% and 6 months for 30% of responders. Of those who do not anticoagulate, 71.2% reassess for clot propagation or resolution with a duplex exam. IVC filters are used by 46% when there is a contraindication to anticoagulation and 13.7% when clot propagation is noted on follow-up scan. These results suggest that there is no consensus treatment of CVT. There is a higher than expected rate of IVC filters placed for CVT.

scholarly journals Analgesia in pet rabbits: a survey study on how pain is assessed and ameliorated by veterinary surgeons

2020 ◽  
Vol 186 (18) ◽  
pp. 603-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Livia Benato ◽  
Joanna C Murrell ◽  
Emily Jayne Blackwell ◽  
Richard Saunders ◽  
Nicola Rooney
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Multimodal Analgesia ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Analgesic Drugs ◽  
Perioperative Analgesia ◽  
Veterinary Surgeons ◽  
Pain Scales ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs

BackgroundIn the last 20 years, two studies on the veterinary use of perioperative analgesia in small mammals reported a limited use of analgesics in rabbits but suggested an increasing use over the years. The aim of this study was to better understand how pain is treated and ameliorated in rabbits while under veterinary care.MethodsAn online survey of 60 questions was developed and advertised at national and international veterinary conferences, in veterinary publications and on social media.ResultsIn total 94.3 per cent of the respondents routinely administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to rabbits undergoing surgical procedures such as neutering, 71.4 per cent administered an opioid and 70.3 per cent routinely administered multimodal analgesia, although dosages do not always match current consensus opinion. Buprenorphine and meloxicam were the most common analgesic drugs prescribed by the respondents. The dosage of meloxicam administered both parenterally and orally varied widely.ConclusionRabbit analgesia has improved over recent years similarly to the trend seen in other companion animals. However, overall it seems that pain assessment is still limited in rabbits. The lack of multimodal composite pain scales specific for rabbits makes this task even more challenging.

scholarly journals Prenatal care perception of Saudi females of childbearing age: an epidemiological study

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1246
Author(s):  
Saleh F. Alqifari ◽  
Fahad A. Alharbi ◽  
Abdulrahman Algeffari
Keyword(s):  
Prenatal Care ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Childbearing Age ◽  
Previous Pregnancy ◽  
Saudi Women ◽  
Healthy Pregnancy ◽  
Prenatal Vitamins ◽  
Care Perception

Background: The purpose of this study is to assess perception of Saudi women of childbearing age regarding prenatal care.Methods: Participants were invited to participate in a voluntary online survey. The brief survey consisted of 15 basic multiple choice questions administered in Arabic, and delivered as a secure link through private social media messaging services. The survey permitted only 1 attempt per user. In order to reach and capture non-respondents, 2 follow-up reminders 10 days apart were sent through the same channels of communication. The survey data was collected and analyzed using the survey software platform, Qualtrics by Qualtrics © LLC 2017.Results: Approximately 9% of participants reported previous pregnancy without use of prenatal care. Nearly 12% of respondents thought that prenatal care is only indicated for malnourished pregnant females, and 7% reported not knowing who prenatal care is specifically indicated for. Nearly 21% reported prenatal care should start after confirmation of pregnancy, 14% thought proper start is anytime within the first 3 months, 8% reported proper start should be after confirmation of healthy pregnancy and 8% reported not sure when to initiate prenatal care. Approximately 12% thought taking prenatal vitamins should be once weekly or some days of the week, while 5% do not advice women to take prenatal vitamins during pregnancy at all.Conclusions: The majority of Saudi women are well educated on prenatal care. However, women in early and late twenties are less aware of proper usage of prenatal care.

scholarly journals Understanding user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Yang ◽  
◽  
Shan Zhao ◽  
Wenyong Li ◽  
Richard Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Government

Introduction. The purpose of this paper is to understand government social media from the perspective of user satisfaction and to evaluate it in the context of presentation, content and utility of the government affairs' microblogs in China. Method. Based on the comprehensive information theory, this study will generalise descriptions about the factors affecting the user satisfaction in the existing research. Analysis. Taking Chinese government affairs microblogs as examples, the paper utilises structural equation modelling to analyse an online survey study. Results. Its result indicates that presentation, content and utility have a positive influence on user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms. Conclusions. This study gets rid of the oversimplified description of the application of government social media, and could provide policy reference for subsequent adoption strategies of government social media.

scholarly journals Using Facebook Advertisements and Online Resources to Recruit Tattoo Artists for a Web-based Survey (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica LC Sapp ◽  
Robert L Vogel ◽  
Joseph Telfair ◽  
Julie K Reagan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The United States ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
Recruitment Methods ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Online Advertisement ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
Research Studies

BACKGROUND Almost one-third of U.S. adults (29%) have a tattoo, and almost half (47%) of millennials reported having a tattoo. With more people getting tattoos, there is an increased risk for infectious diseases, skin infections, and allergic reactions. Tattoo artists can influence these health risks with their standards of practice, tattoo inks, and sterilization techniques. Although tattoos are becoming mainstream, it was unclear if tattoo artists would be a hard-to-reach population. Using social media sites represent a promising method for recruiting tattoo artists for online survey research studies. OBJECTIVE To evaluate various online platforms and traditional methods for recruiting tattoo artists into a descriptive, online survey study. METHODS From September 2015 to February 2016, tattoo artists who primarily tattooed in the United States were recruited using both online and traditional methods. Recruitment occurred via Facebook advertisements, Instagram, Twitter, website, online advertisement, emails, and postcards mailed to tattoo shops. RESULTS Recruitment methods resulted in 2332 respondents, of which 1845 answered question one, “Are you a tattoo artist?” Only 1571 were tattoo artists. Facebook advertisements recruited the most study participants. Facebook accounted for 1228 (78.17%) respondents who were tattoo artists. This number surpassed the next leading category of HTTP referer unknown, which had 268 (17.06%). The [removed for blinded manuscript] website recruited 45 (2.86%) tattoo artists while other online sources contributed to 28 (1.78%). Twitter and email had the lowest response rate with only 0.06% (n=1) each. CONCLUSIONS Social media sites enhanced survey participation, making it easier to reach tattoo artists nationwide. Of the recruitment methods used, Facebook advertisements were the most effective option, both for cost and recruitment rates. This study’s findings extend previous research studies that demonstrated the timeliness, ease, and effectiveness of using Facebook advertisements for recruitment.

scholarly journals Survey for molecular reports in practicing oncologists in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 117-120
Author(s):  
Vikas Talreja ◽  
Purvish Parikh ◽  
Mukesh Nagar ◽  
Satyapal Kataria
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Tumor Board ◽  
Molecular Oncology ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Accreditation Agency ◽  
Descriptive Survey ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

Objectives: Molecular oncology (GO) is a discipline that focuses on the diagnosis, staging, prognosis, and management of cancer with the help of molecular genetics. Increasing understanding of the molecular changes that drive tumor progression has transformed the treatment of this disease. The main goal of this study was to describe the current situation in India regarding the knowledge, attitude, and practice of molecular oncology through an online survey of oncologists. Material and Methods: A descriptive survey was sent to several hospitals by means of E-mails and social media. Results: Between December 2019 and February 2020, 74 responses were collected. All of the respondents were interested in the accreditation of the reports and authorizing agency accrediting them. About 68.9% of the practicing oncologist did not have any provision of molecular oncology tumor board. 82.4% of the oncologists reviewed with the molecular pathologist for discussion of the molecular reports. On the contrary, 58.1% of the oncologist never received any information from the reporting team about the patient clinical details, follow-up, or changes in the reports ever. About 79.7% of the prescribing oncologist were interested in remuneration in any form for prescribing such tests. About 27% of the oncologist were not aware of any accreditation agency available in India for molecular oncology reports. Conclusion: From the nationwide survey, we conclude that there is an increasing perception of the need for training in molecular oncology. This survey reflects a reality, in which specific needs are perceived.

scholarly journals Clinical Trial Recruitment and Retention of College Students with Type 1 Diabetes via Social Media: An Implementation Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E. Wisk ◽  
Eliza B. Nelson ◽  
Kara M. Magane ◽  
Elissa R. Weitzman
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Decision Rules ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Trial Implementation

Background: We sought to quantify the efficiency and acceptability of Internet-based recruitment for engaging an especially hard-to-reach cohort (college-students with type 1 diabetes, T1D) and to describe the approach used for implementing a health-related trial entirely online using off-the-shelf tools inclusive of participant safety and validity concerns. Method: We recruited youth (ages 17-25 years) with T1D via a variety of social media platforms and other outreach channels. We quantified response rate and participant characteristics across channels with engagement metrics tracked via Google Analytics and participant survey data. We developed decision rules to identify invalid (duplicative/false) records (N = 89) and compared them to valid cases (N = 138). Results: Facebook was the highest yield recruitment source; demographics differed by platform. Invalid records were prevalent; invalid records were more likely to be recruited from Twitter or Instagram and differed from valid cases across most demographics. Valid cases closely resembled characteristics obtained from Google Analytics and from prior data on platform user-base. Retention was high, with complete follow-up for 88.4%. There were no safety concerns and participants reported high acceptability for future recruitment via social media. Conclusions: We demonstrate that recruitment of college students with T1D into a longitudinal intervention trial via social media is feasible, efficient, acceptable, and yields a sample representative of the user-base from which they were drawn. Given observed differences in characteristics across recruitment channels, recruiting across multiple platforms is recommended to optimize sample diversity. Trial implementation, engagement tracking, and retention are feasible with off-the-shelf tools using preexisting platforms.

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