The Association Between Health Literacy and Diet Adherence Among Primary Care Patients with Hypertension

This study examines the association between health literacy and adherence to low-salt diet practices among individuals with hypertension. Health literacy is the ability of individuals to understand and utilize health information. We surveyed 238 patients with hypertension from a primary care clinic in Charlotte, NC. We assessed health literacy and self-reported low-salt diet. Logistic regression was used to model the relationship between health literacy and low-salt diet adherence. Respondents were primarily female (67.3%) and black (80%). Black Americans were less likely to have adequate health literacy as compared to white Americans (21.8% vs. 55.8%). The study found no association between adequate health literacy and adherence to a low-salt diet (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.36-3.10) after adjusting for confounders. This study addresses the conflicting findings for health literacy in two related areas: chronic illness self-care, and nutrition/diet skills. Additional research is warranted among black Americans given their increased risk of hypertension, low rates of diet adherence and previous findings of positive associations between health literacy and nutrition skills

The association between client type and condom use with steady and unsteady partners among persons seeking HIV testing and counseling services in Kenya

Background: Approximately 70% of global HIV infections are located in sub-Saharan Africa, and the prevalence of HIV infection in Kenya remains high. Objectives: This study examined the association between client type (general population, commercial sex worker [CSW], or truck driver) and consistent condom use with steady and unsteady partners. Methods: Self-reported data included in the Kenyan Ministry of Health 2010-2011 National HIV Testing and Counseling Registry were used (n=11,567). Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained using logistic regression. Results: After adjustment, CSWs and truck drivers had decreased odds of consistent condom use with steady partners compared to the general population (OR=0.52; 95% CI: 0.41-0.67 and OR=0.29; 95% CI: 0.13-0.63; respectively). CSWs had 1.95 times the odds of consistent condom use (95% CI: 1.58-2.42) and truck drivers had 0.64 times the odds of consistent condom use with unsteady partners (95% CI: 0.45-0.91) compared to the general population. Conclusion: Although CSWs consistently use condoms with their unsteady partners, truck drivers do not consistently use condoms with any partners. Future HIV prevention efforts should target CSWs and truck drivers to increase consistent condom use with all partners. Such efforts may decrease the prevalence of HIV in Kenya

Yoga is for every (able) body: A content analysis of disability themes within mainstream yoga media

Yoga is increasingly being recommended as a health self-management strategy for people with a range of disabilities. Mainstream yoga media have been criticized for limited representation of racial/ethnic, gender, age, and body size diversity within their publications; however, it is not known how these media outlets include visual representations of or textual information relevant for people with disabilities (PWDs). The purpose of this research was to understand if and how mainstream yoga media visually represent and include information for PWDs. We conducted a content analysis of the “Yogapedia” section of each Yoga Journal magazine published in 2015 and 2016 (n = 17). Two independent coders rated all of the images and text in these sections. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach informed by a prominent theoretical model of disablement. Results suggest that images contained no representation of disability. In contrast, magazine text included an abundance of references to disability; however, these mentions predominately aligned with constructs found early in the disablement process and strongly focused on physical and mobility limitations. These findings expand upon previous research examining the underrepresentation of marginalized groups within yoga media and illuminate a paucity of relevant information for individuals with disabilities who are interested in and may benefit from yoga practice

Primary Care Providers\u27 Sources And Preferences For Cognitive Health Information In The United States

In most countries, physicians and other health-care providers play key roles in promoting health. Accumulating scientific evidence suggests that providers may soon want to include cognitive health among the areas they promote. Cognitive health is the maintenance of cognitive abilities that enable social connectedness, foster a sense of purpose, promote independent living, allow recovery from illness or injury and promote effective coping with functional deficits. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established health promotion about cognitive health as a policy priority, with health providers included as one key group to participate in this effort. This study presents results from focus groups and interviews with primary care physicians (n = 28) and midlevel health-care providers (physician assistants and nurse practitioners, n = 21) in three states of the US. Providers were asked about their sources of information on cognitive health and for their ideas on how best to communicate with primary care providers about research on cognitive health. In results, providers cited online sources, popular media and continuing medical education as their most common sources of information about cognitive health. Popular media sources were used both proactively and reactively to respond to patient inquiries. Differences in sources of information were noted for physicians as compared with midlevel providers, and for rural and urban providers. Several potential ways to disseminate information about cognitive health were identified. Effective messaging is likely to require multiple strategies to reach diverse groups of primary care providers, and to include continuing medical education