Evaluating determinants of employees’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions

Purpose – The aim of this study was to identify and quantitatively assess the importance of psychosocial and organizational factors that influence employees’ intentions to engage in pro-environmental behaviors at the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire based on the theory of planned behavior was completed by 318 employees. To validate three suggested hypotheses, a series of path analysis models were constructed using AMOS software. Findings – The theory of planned behavior explained 79 percent and 37.7 percent of variance in predicting intentions of employees to travel to work using alternative transportation and to make eco-suggestions directed toward the workplace, respectively. While organizational barriers did not play a significant role in predicting intentions to use alternative transportation, some organizational obstacles (opinion of colleagues, required paperwork) influenced workers’ intention to make eco-suggestions. Originality/value – This is one of the first articles in the field of pro-environmental workplace behaviors in which the theory of planned behavior is implemented in a systematic manner (qualitative exploration of beliefs followed by their quantitative evaluation). This article contributes to the existing literature by shedding light on the disproportionate influence of organizational and psychosocial factors on pro-environmental workplace behavior

Perceptions des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec de la prise en compte de l’alimentation durable dans leur pratique clinique : une étude qualitative

Introduction: A sustainable diet is a diet that is respectful of ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible and healthy. It is considered as a promising avenue for optimizing health and reducing the impacts of food on the environment. Several nursing associations have demonstrated a growing concern for nurses’ involvement in environmental and climate change issues, including in promoting sustainable diet. However, the literature reveals a lack of data on why and how nurses could address sustainable diet in their clinical practice. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore clinical nurses’ perceptions of their role in the promotion of sustainable diet. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted based on 6 focus groups involving 20 nurses from 7 regions of the province of Quebec, Canada. Computer-assisted thematic analysis was conducted on verbatim transcripts. Results: The discussions revealed 3 major themes. First, some dimensions of sustainable eating are already implicitly addressed and nurses were theoretically open to make further. However, it was difficult to see how nurses could translate this interest into concrete action due to a lack of time and their other clinical priorities. Lastly, in order to do this, nurses need support from health organizations as well as clear guidelines, training and tools. Discussion and conclusion: Despite experts’ recommendations, many barriers and inadequacies between experts’ recommendations and nurses’ reality prevent the implementation of concrete initiatives toward the promotion of sustainable diet among nurses. Nurses are invited to get involved and contribute to the promotion of sustainable diet with a “bottom-up” approach.Introduction : L’alimentation durable désigne une alimentation saine, solidaire et juste, présentant un faible impact environnemental et contribuant à la souveraineté, à la sécurité et à la santé alimentaires. Plusieurs associations infirmières ont manifesté un intérêt croissant pour favoriser la contribution infirmière en regard des enjeux climatiques, notamment en matière d’alimentation durable. Cependant, peu de données sont disponibles sur les rôles et les actions attendues des infirmières et infirmiers. Objectif : L’objectif de cette étude était d’explorer les perceptions infirmières de la prise en compte de l’alimentation durable dans leur pratique clinique. Méthodes : Une étude qualitative descriptive a été menée auprès de 6 groupes de discussion impliquant 20 infirmières et infirmiers de 7 régions de la province de Québec, au Canada. Les transcriptions intégrales des rencontres ont été analysées selon une analyse thématique assistée par ordinateur. Résultats : Les discussions ont révélé 3 thèmes principaux. Premièrement, les infirmières et infirmiers abordent déjà implicitement certaines dimensions de l’alimentation durable et ont une ouverture « théorique » pour l’intégrer davantage. Deuxièmement, les infirmières et infirmiers perçoivent difficilement comment cet intérêt peut se traduire par des actions concrètes en raison du manque de temps et de leurs autres priorités cliniques. Troisièmement, les infirmières et infirmiers ont besoin de soutien de la part des organisations de santé ainsi que des lignes directrices claires, des formations et des outils. Discussion et conclusion : Plusieurs barrières et inadéquations entre les recommandations émises par les experts et la réalité de la pratique infirmière empêchent la mise en place concrète d’initiatives chez les infirmières et infirmiers qui sont invités à s’engager et à contribuer à la promotion de l’alimentation durable avec une approche dite bottom-up

Créer la Préhistoire : le roman préhistorique de J.-H. Rosny aîné

La fiction n’explique pas le monde, ne le raconte, ni ne le reflète : elle le crée. Presque en même temps que les savants bâtissaient laborieusement une science nouvelle (la préhistoire, apparue vers 1860), Rosny créait un univers fictionnel méticuleusement cohérent, ouvrant des perspectives sur toutes les autres directions de l’espace et du temps, qu’il explorait alors : fins du monde, autres formes de vie, luttes des humbles pour leur survie, dévouements révolutionnaires, spiritisme… Habillant de science extrapolée et de pseudo-darwinisme des scénarios qui relèvent en fait à la fois de la mode, des peurs archaïques et des mythes universels, transposant le mépris social, le racisme et le sexisme de son époque en créant des personnages préhistoriques improbables, le romancier réussit avec un talent admirable à passer pour un vulgarisateur scrupuleux et pour un philosophe des sciences, à en imposer même aux préhistoriens d’aujourd’hui, et à imprimer sa marque indélébile au « grand récit » de notre espèce, sans cesse renouvelé.Fiction does not explain the world, nor does it recount nor reflect it; fiction creates it. Almost at the same time as the new science of prehistory, painstakingly constructed by scholars, appeared around 1860, Rosny was creating a fictional world which opened up perspectives on all the other directions in space and time that he was exploring at the time: the end of the world, other forms of life, ordinary people struggling to survive, revolutionary commitments, spiritism… Rosny created his scenarios with details, borrowed from science and pseudo-Darwinism, which in fact were derived from contemporary fashion, old fears and universal myths, transposing the social contempt, racism and sexism which were prevalent at the time. By creating unlikely prehistoric characters, the novelist succeeded admirably in giving the impression of being a scrupulous and accessible popularizer, and philosopher, of science, to the extent of even influencing prehistorians today and of leaving his indelible mark on the constantly revised “great story” of our species

Psychosocial determinants of physical activity at school among Lebanese children : an application of the planned behavior theory

Introduction: Based on an extended version the theory of planned behavior, this survey, aimed to identify the psychosocial determinants of children’s physical activity at school and intention to engage in it. Methods: 276 fifth- and sixth-grade students from two schools in Lebanon completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing psychosocial and physical activity variables. Data were collected also on sociodemographic, anthropometric variables. Results: Determinants of physical activity at school were intention, perceived behavior control, selfidentity, perceived barriers and gender. Children’s beliefs associated with a positive intention were the following: to feel able to engage in physical activity at school when sport equipment is provided, despite an inclement weather, despite school restrictions on the use of physical activity facilities and equipment, and despite an inappropriate playground for some kinds of play. These should be targeted in physical activity interventions. Conclusions: These findings inform the design of culturally relevant school-based interventions in Arabic countries. Interventions should specifically support girls in recognition of the negative influence of gender on physical activity. They should also promote children’s self-identification as a sporty child and enhance children’s confidence in their capacity to engage in physical activity at school and to overcome barriers associated with i

Développement, implantation et évaluation d'une intervention de promotion de la consommation de fruits et de légumes dans la population adulte française

Ce projet a consisté en le développement, l'implantation et l'évaluation d'interventions visant la consommation d'au moins cinq portions de fruits et de légumes par jour chez des personnes ayant l'intention d'adopter ce comportement mais ne le faisant pas. Tout d'abord, une revue systématique de la littérature a été réalisée afin d'identifier les déterminants de la consommation de fruits et de légumes (CFL). Un total de 23 études a été identifié. Les déterminants les plus fréquents étaient l'habitude, l'intention, le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle et la connaissance. La régulation du comportement est aussi apparue comme un déterminant mais n'a été testée que dans une étude. Prenant en considération ces résultats et le degré élevé de motivation de la population visée, le sentiment d'efficacité personnelle ainsi que la planification de l'action et de la gestion de l'action ont été les cibles principales des interventions. Ensuite, 319 participants âgés de 20 à 65 ans ont été aléatoirement distribués dans quatre groupes : 1) une intervention basée sur la planification de l'action et de la gestion de l'action (PA); 2) une intervention basée sur le développement du sentiment d'efficacité personnelle (DEP); 3) une intervention combinant ces deux approches (IC); et 4) un groupe témoin. Un total de 163 participants a retourné les questionnaires avant et après l'intervention et à trois mois de suivi. À trois mois de suivi, comparée au groupe témoin, la CFL a augmenté de façon significative dans les groupes PA et IC (respectivement, 1,5 et 1,9 portion par jour). La plupart des variables psychosociales ont significativement augmenté, à l'exception du sentiment d'efficacité personnelle associé à la consommation de légumes. De plus, le changement de CFL est apparu médié par le changement d'intention de consommer des fruits et le changement dans la planification de l'action de consommer des légumes. En conclusion, les interventions basées sur la planification de l'action et de la gestion de l'action sont apparues efficaces pour augmenter la CFL, qu'elles soient associées ou non au DEP. Les interventions futures devraient privilégier cette approche pour favoriser le passage de l'intention à l'action de consommer des fruits et des légumes

Psychosocial determinants of fruit and vegetable intake in adult population: a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accumulating evidence suggests that fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) plays a protective role against major diseases. Despite this protective role and the obesity pandemic context, populations in Western countries usually eat far less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. In order to increase the efficiency of interventions, they should be tailored to the most important determinants or mediators of FVI. The objective was to systematically review social cognitive theory-based studies of FVI and to identify its main psychosocial determinants.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Published papers were systematically sought using Current Contents (2007-2009) and Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, Proquest and Thesis, as well as Cinhal (1980-2009). Additional studies were identified by a manual search in the bibliographies. Search terms included fruit, vegetable, behaviour, intention, as well as names of specific theories. Only studies predicting FVI or intention to eat fruits and vegetables in the general population and using a social cognitive theory were included. Independent extraction of information was carried out by two persons using predefined data fields, including study quality criteria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 23 studies were identified and included, 15 studying only the determinants of FVI, seven studying the determinants of FVI and intention and one studying only the determinants of intention. All pooled analyses were based on random-effects models. The random-effect R²observed for the prediction of FVI was 0.23 and it was 0.34 for the prediction of intention. Multicomponent theoretical frameworks and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) were most often used. A number of methodological moderators influenced the efficacy of prediction of FVI. The most consistent variables predicting behaviour were habit, motivation and goals, beliefs about capabilities, knowledge and taste; those explaining intention were beliefs about capabilities, beliefs about consequences and perceived social influences.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that the TPB and social cognitive theory (SCT) are the preferable social cognitive theories to predict behaviour and TPB to explain intention. Efficacy of prediction was nonetheless negatively affected by methodological factors such as the study design and the quality of psychosocial and behavioural measures.</p

Effectiveness and Content Analysis of Interventions to Enhance Oral Antidiabetic Drug Adherence in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes : Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We thank Frederic Bergeron, information scientist, for assistance in search strategies. We thank American Journal Experts for editing the text. Source of financial support: This study was funded by the Laval University Chair on Adherence to Treatments. This Chair is supported by nonrestricted grants from AstraZeneca Canada, Merck Canada, Sanofi Canada, and Pfizer Canada and from the Prends soin de toi program (a Quebec provincial program for the improvement of public health).Peer reviewedPostprin

Adoption and outcomes of ISO 14001 : a systematic review

The objective of this paper is to analyze the adoption and outcomes of the ISO 14001 standard through a systematic review of the main studies on this issue published in peer-reviewed journals between 1996 and 2015. The 94 papers analyzed make it possible to paint a comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of ISO 14001 in environmental management practices, performance in this area and social aspects such as employee awareness. The systematic review also sheds more light on the main pitfalls and success factors of the standard. Nevertheless, the similarities and even redundancies of the literature in terms of objectives, approaches and methods used tend to produce quite predictable and optimistic results, which do not reflect the complexity of the impact of ISO 14001. The paper highlights the importance of more diverse and critical approaches that might challenge the successful rhetoric of the dominant literature, which tends to focus on positive aspects and be limited to a few countries that are not representative of the wide international distribution of certification. The findings of this systematic review can also help managers in making decisions on the adoption and renewal of certification

Revisiting the internal consistency and factorial validity of the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale

Objective: To assess the internal consistency and factorial validity of the adapted French 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale in assessing adherence to noninsulin antidiabetic drug treatment.Study Design and Setting: In a cross-sectional web survey of individuals with type 2 diabetes of the Canadian province of Quebec, self-reported adherence to the antidiabetes drug treatment was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8. We assessed the internal consistency of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 with Cronbach’s alpha, and factorial validity was assessed by identifying the underlying factors using exploratory factor analyses.Results: A total of 901 individuals completed the survey. Cronbach’s alpha was 0.60. Two factors were identified. One factor comprised five items: stopping medication when diabetes is under control, stopping when feeling worse, feeling hassled about sticking to the prescription, reasons other than forgetting and a cross-loading item (i.e. taking drugs the day before). The second factor comprised three other items that were all related to forgetfulness in addition to the cross-loading item.Conclusion: Cronbach’s alpha of the adapted French Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 was below the acceptable value of 0.70. This observed low internal consistency of the scale is probably related to the causal nature of the items of the scale but not necessarily a lack of reliability. The results suggest that the adapted French Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 is a two-factor scale assessing intentional (first factor) and unintentional (second factor) non-adherence to the noninsulin antidiabetes drug treatment. The scale could be used to separately identify these outcomes using scores obtained on each of the sub-scale

Correlates of sugar-sweetened beverages consumption among adolescents

Objective: To identify correlates and underlying beliefs regarding the adolescents’ intention to abstain from consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and the consumption of ≤1 daily portion of SSB. Design: Correlational study. Setting: Region of Chaudière-Appalaches in the province of Quebec, Canada. Participants: 311 adolescents aged 13–18 years completed a self-administrated online questionnaire based on the Reasoned Action Approach. Frequency and quantity of different types of SSB within the past month were measured. Results: Total mean SSB intake was 882·6 ml/d (654·0 kJ/d ). Only 11·3 % abstained from SSB within the last month. Intention to abstain from SSB was explained by identification as SSB abstainers ( β = 0·47), perceived norm ( β = 0·32), attitude ( β = 0·30), age 13–14 years ( β = –0·27) and perception of the school environment ( β = 0·14), which explained 66 % of the variance. Consumption of ≤1 daily portion of SSB was explained by the intention to abstain (OR = 1·55; 95 % CI 1·14, 2·11), perceived behavioural control to abstain (OR = 1·80; 95 % CI 1·29, 2·52), sex (girls v. boys: OR = 2·34; 95 % CI 1·37, 3·98) and socio-economic status (advantaged v. disadvantaged school: OR = 2·08; 95 % CI 1·21, 3·56). Underlying beliefs (i.e. more energy, decreased risk of addiction and friends’ approval) associated with intention as well as perceived barriers (e.g. access to SSB, after an activity that makes you thirsty), and facilitating factors (e.g. access to water) linked to SSB consumption were identified. Conclusions: The results can inform public health interventions to decrease SSB consumption and their associated health problems among adolescents