Development and testing of a model for risk and protective factors for eating disorders and higher weight among emerging adults: A study protocol.

Research has demonstrated that eating disorders (ED) and higher weight have lifetime co-occurrence suggesting that they may be best considered within a common etiological model. Although we know that body dissatisfaction is likely to be a risk factor for both outcomes, other proposed risk and protective factors for each condition have not been adequately explored. The current paper tests a conceptual model that is based on a review of the existing literature from both areas of scholarship.

Appearance comparison and other appearance-related influences on body dissatisfaction in everyday life.

Although appearance comparisons, self-monitoring, and appearance-related comments have been linked to body dissatisfaction in prior studies, the combined and unique influences of these variables on state body dissatisfaction in daily life has yet to be explored. The present study addressed this gap, and also evaluated whether these state-based effects were stronger for individuals with trait-level body image disturbances (internalization and body dissatisfaction). Eighty-four women completed baseline measures of trait internalization and body dissatisfaction, and then reported momentary experiences of body dissatisfaction, appearance self-monitoring, appearance-related comments, and appearance-based comparisons at up to 10 random times daily for seven days.

Experiences and health care preferences of women with ovarian cancer during the diagnosis phase.

Objective: An ovarian cancer diagnosis presents physical and psychological challenges. Usually identified at an advanced stage, the disease involves invasive treatment and has a high mortality rate. The diagnosis phase is generally a time of heightened distress.

Psychosocial factors associated with posttraumatic stress and growth in Australian women with ovarian cancer.

The study examined psychosocial factors (quality of life, depression, anxiety, optimism, coping, and social support) in relation to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in 108 women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Canonical correlational analysis showed that both PTSD and PTG were related to poorer quality of life, lack of social supports, and avoidant coping styles. However, higher PTG was also associated with the use of meaning and social support to cope with their experience.

Measuring cancer caregiver health literacy: Validation of the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale-Cancer (HLCS-C) in an Australian population.

Caregivers have been largely neglected in health literacy measurement. We assess the construct validity, and internal consistency of the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale-Cancer (HLCS-C), and present a revised, psychometrically robust scale. Using data from 297 cancer caregivers (12.

Toward an Understanding of the Poor Health Status of Indigenous Australian Men.

The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of health and health behaviors among Indigenous Australian men. Using a participatory action research (PAR) framework, we conducted two focus groups and 40 individual semi-structured interviews with men between the ages of 18 and 35 years in each of three locations across Australia. We used the health beliefs model to provide a framework for the analyses.

Health literacy of caregivers of adult care recipients: A systematic scoping review.

Caregivers play a vital role in providing support to adults with a chronic condition, or cognitive or physical impairment. Low health literacy in caregivers has the potential to impact adequate care provision, and consequently, care recipient health outcomes. The aim of the study was to systematically review literature related to health literacy of caregivers of adult care recipients, and examine its relationship with care recipient, and caregiver, health outcomes.

Children's body image and social comparisons with peers and the media.

Social comparisons are related to the development of body dissatisfaction among adolescents and adults, yet this relationship remains relatively unexamined among children. This study examines children's peer and media-related social comparisons, and how this impacts on their body image. Children aged 8-10 years completed interviews (17 girls and 19 boys in individual interviews, and 16 girls and 16 boys in focus groups).

A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of intuitive eating among adult women.

Intuitive eating has been proposed as an eating style that fosters a positive attitude towards food, the body, and physical activity. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to examine intuitive eating in relation to disordered eating, body image, emotional functioning, and other psychosocial correlates in adult women. Articles were identified through Academic Search Complete, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Health Source (Nursing and Academic Edition), Medline Complete, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, PubMed and Scopus.

Internalization as a mediator of the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and body image attitudes and behaviors among young men in Sweden, US, UK, and Australia.

We examined whether internalization of sociocultural body ideals mediated the relationship between conformity to masculine norms and drive for muscularity, leanness, and thinness in a sample of males from Sweden, US, UK, and Australia. Over six hundred young men [n=142 (Sweden); n=192 (US); n=141 (UK); n=160 (Australia)] completed an online survey that included assessments of masculine role norms, body image, and internalization of sociocultural body ideals. Path analyses confirmed internalization as a mediator between greater conformity to masculine norms and body image measures (drive for thinness, desire for leanness, and desire for muscularity) across the sample.

Media internalization and conformity to traditional masculine norms in relation to body image concerns among men.

Previous studies have separately examined conformity to masculine norms and internalization of body ideals in the media in relation to the drive for muscularity (DM). This study was designed to examine these factors together in relation to DM, and further examine how they may differ in relation to drive for thinness (DT) and drive for leanness (DL). Participants were 284 Australian males between ages 18 and 42.

A systematic review of adherence to restricted diets in people with functional bowel disorders.

Functional bowel disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome are commonly experienced within the population, and have an adverse impact on emotions, physical well-being, social activity, and occupational output. Adherence to a restricted diet can reduce symptoms, which in turn leads to increased quality of life and well-being. The aim of this review was to assess the extent to which predictors of dietary adherence have been considered in studies relating to functional bowel disorders and following a restricted diet.

Sociocultural influences on strategies to lose weight, gain weight, and increase muscles among ten cultural groups.

This study determined how sociocultural messages to change one's body are perceived by adolescents from different cultural groups. In total, 4904 adolescents, including Australian, Chilean, Chinese, Indo-Fijian, Indigenous Fijian, Greek, Malaysian, Chinese Malaysian, Tongans in New Zealand, and Tongans in Tonga, were surveyed about messages from family, peers, and the media to lose weight, gain weight, and increase muscles. Groups were best differentiated by family pressure to gain weight.

Development of the Health Literacy of Caregivers Scale - Cancer (HLCS-C): item generation and content validity testing.

Background: Health literacy refers to an individual's ability to engage with health information and services. Cancer caregivers play a vital role in the care of people with cancer, and their capacity to find, understand, appraise and use health information and services influences how effectively they are able to undertake this role. The aim of this study was to develop an instrument to measure health literacy of cancer caregivers.

Correlates of post-traumatic stress symptoms and growth in cancer patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the relationships among demographic, medical, and psychosocial factors and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG) in oncology populations.

Method: A systematic search identified k = 116 relevant studies published between 1990 and 2012. Meta-analyses synthesized results from studies that reported data on correlates of PTSS (k = 26) or PTG (k = 48).

Anxiety in the management of localised prostate cancer by active surveillance.

Objectives: To describe a range of anxieties in men on active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer and determine which of these anxieties predicted health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Patients And Methods: In all, 260 men with prostate cancer on AS were invited to complete psychological measures including the Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Scale; the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer; and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-Prostate. Overall, 86 men with a mean (sd, range) age of 65.

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress in Australian women with ovarian cancer.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and nature of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in women with ovarian cancer. A further aim was to examine the demographic, medical and psychosocial factors associated with PTSD symptoms.

Method: One hundred and eight women with ovarian cancer were assessed for PTSD, quality of life, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic growth, optimism, coping and social support.

A cross-cultural study investigating body features associated with male adolescents' body dissatisfaction in Australia, China, and Malaysia.

This study investigated how dissatisfaction with particular aspects of the body was associated with overall body dissatisfaction among male adolescents in Western and Asian cultures. One hundred and six Malaysian Malays, 55 Malaysian Chinese, 195 Chinese from China, and 45 non-Asian Australians aged 12 to 19 years completed a questionnaire assessing dissatisfaction with their overall body and dissatisfaction with varying aspects of their body. Dissatisfaction with the face, height, and hair was positively correlated with overall body dissatisfaction among Malaysian Malays after body mass index, age and dissatisfaction with body areas typically included in measures (weight/shape, upper, middle, and lower body, and muscles) had been controlled for.

Binge eating partially mediates the relationship between body image dissatisfaction and psychological distress in obese treatment seeking individuals.

Introduction: We compared the binge eating pathway linking body image dissatisfaction (BID) and psychological distress of obese adults entering and not entering psychological treatment for their weight problems.

Method: 90 obese participants seeking an integrated treatment (OB-IT) and 87 obese participants seeking only medical treatment (OB-MT) for their weight problems completed questionnaires on BID, binge eating and psychological well-being.

Results: Only in the OB-IT group, binge eating behaviors mediated the relationship between BID and psychological distress.

Home-based palliative care: a systematic literature review of the self-reported unmet needs of patients and carers.

Background: There have been many studies on the unmet needs of palliative care patients and carers from the perspective of bereaved caregivers. However, the unmet needs of palliative care patients and carers from the perspective of current patients and their carers have received little research attention.

Aim: As home-based services have become one of the main delivery models of palliative care, the aim of this review was to describe, evaluate and summarise the literature on the unmet needs of palliative home care patients and carers.

A test of the resource security and the body mass index reference point hypotheses of body dissatisfaction amongst adolescents in eight countries.

Objective: This study aimed to identify cultural-level variables that may influence the extent to which adolescents from different cultural groups are dissatisfied with their bodies.

Design: A sample of 1730 male and 2000 female adolescents from Australia, Fiji, Malaysia, Tonga, Tongans in New Zealand, China, Chile, and Greece completed measures of body satisfaction, and the sociocultural influences on body image and body change questionnaire, and self-reported height and weight. Country gross domestic product and national obesity were recorded using global databases.

A qualitative study of preadolescent boys' and girls' body image: gendered ideals and sociocultural influences.

This qualitative study examined preadolescent boys' and girls' body ideals, and peer and media factors that shape these ideals. Sixty-eight children aged 8-10 participated in semi-structured interviews: 19 boys and 17 girls in individual interviews and 16 boys and 16 girls in eight group interviews. Techniques from grounded theory were used to analyze the data.

Training and experience of nurses in responding to alcohol misuse in rural communities.

Objective: Alcohol misuse by farmers continues to challenge rural nurses. This article reports on the experiences of Australian nurses participating in the Alcohol Intervention Training Program (AITP).

Design And Sample: Qualitative interviews of 15 rural and remote nurses.

What works in secondary schools? A systematic review of classroom-based body image programs.

Governments, schools, and curriculum authorities are increasingly recognizing that body image during adolescence is a public health issue that warrants attention in the school setting. After 30 years of eating disorder prevention research, and given the current interest in this area, it seems timely to review the research on interventions to improve body image in schools. We reviewed universal-selective, classroom-based programs that have been conducted since the year 2000, among adolescents, and found 16 eligible intervention programs.