International Journal of Behavioral Medicine

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to explore whether patients' perception of procedural fairness in physicians' communication was associated with willingness to follow doctor's recommendations, self-efficacy beliefs, dietary behaviors, and body mass index. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of baseline data from 489 primary care patients with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (43.6% Black, 40.7% Hispanic/Latino, 55.8% female, mean age = 50 years), who enrolled in a weight management study in two New York City healthcare institutions...

BACKGROUND: Many policy decisions about tobacco control are predicated on rational choice models, which posit (1) that smokers are aware of the risks of cigarettes and (2) that perceived risks have a consistent influence on continued smoking behavior. However, research shows that beliefs about smoking may be vulnerable to changes in internal and external contexts. METHODS: Using ecological momentary assessment, we tested this by measuring how smokers' (N = 52) beliefs about smoking varied over time...

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence highlights the importance of interventions tackling physical inactivity and unhealthy eating in lower-income countries. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Canadian ACCELERATION lifestyle program adapted to Brazilians. The main outcomes of the study were changes in the engagement in weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and in the daily consumption of fruits/vegetables. METHODS: The adapted intervention consisted of a 12-week quasi-randomized controlled trial delivered through email...

BACKGROUND: Previous research has demonstrated that both sleep and physical activity (PA) are independently associated with various indicators of mental health among adults. However, their joint contribution to mental health has received limited attention. The present study used cross-sectional data from the Mental Health Million Project to examine the independent and joint effects of sleep and PA on mental health among a global sample of adults, and whether these effects differ among individuals receiving mental health treatment...

BACKGROUND: Randomized behavioral clinical trials are the gold standard for evaluating efficacy of a behavioral treatment. However, because participants are generally unblinded to treatment, preference for a specific treatment option can lead to biased results and/or reduced treatment efficacy. The purpose was to describe the relative frequency and correlates of existence of a preference and patient preference for either an in-person group-based or a remote self-directed, lifestyle treatment prior to randomization to one of these treatments...

BACKGROUND: HIV prevention advocacy empowers persons living with HIV (PLWH) to act as advocates and encourage members of their social networks to engage in protective behaviors such as HIV testing, condom use, and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. We examined correlates of HIV prevention advocacy among PLWH in Uganda. METHOD: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted with baseline data from 210 PLWH (70% female; mean age = 40 years) who enrolled in a trial of an HIV prevention advocacy training program in Kampala, Uganda...

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have shown that engaging in physical activity can elevate daily life satisfaction, few studies have identified the specific aspects that can result in this. This study examined whether enjoying moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercises with others for a longer time, but not any aspects of non-exercise physical activity, was associated with higher daily life satisfaction among older adults. METHOD: We conducted an intensive longitudinal diary survey of 182 individuals for 1 week and obtained valid data for 853 person-days...

BACKGROUND: Black sexual minority men (BSMM) are disproportionately vulnerable to HIV acquisition; the MPowerment model is one community-based framework for preventing HIV in this population. It focuses on developing a supportive network of peers to promote health messaging, reduce stigma, and improve resilience. While these interventions have demonstrated general success, there are important challenges related to race, sexuality, and internalized stigma. Our study aimed to explore these experiences among BSMM in MPowerment models focused on HIV prevention...

BACKGROUND: Knowledge is limited on associations between social disconnectedness (i.e. loneliness and social isolation), health literacy and perceived treatment burden in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, understanding these associations may be important for clinical practice. METHODS: This study used cross-sectional self-reported data from the 2017 Danish health and morbidity survey entitled 'How are you?', investigating the associations of loneliness and social isolation with low health literacy and high treatment burden in individuals with CVD (n = 2521; mean age = 65...

BACKGROUND: Improving quality of life (QOL) in advanced and metastatic cancer is a priority with increasing survivorship. This systematic review synthesizes psychosocial and behavioral interventions incorporating culture with the goal of examining their benefit for understudied and medically underserved populations with advanced and metastatic cancer. METHOD: Reports were systematically screened for (1) a focus on advanced and metastatic cancer survivors, (2) psychosocial or behavioral intervention intended to improve QOL, (3) evidence of incorporating the culture(s) of understudied/underserved populations, and (4) availability in English...

BACKGROUND: Multiple systematic reviews have found that type 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive decrements. However, these reviews are heterogeneous in terms of methodology, quality and results, making it difficult for researchers and clinicians to build an informed overall picture. We therefore conducted a review of systematic reviews on the association between type 2 diabetes and cognitive decrements in relation to healthy controls. METHODS: Following a pre-registered research protocol, we searched four major databases...

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and pain are highly prevalent and comorbid, particularly in veterans, but mechanisms explaining their linkage remain unclear. The aims of this study were to determine: (1) whether sleep impairment and physical activity (PA) mediate relations between PTSD symptoms and pain interference (assessed both longitudinally and as residual change) and (2) the unique roles of each PTSD symptom cluster in those relationships. METHODS: The present study is a secondary analysis of a longitudinal observational investigation of 673 post-9/11 veterans (45...

BACKGROUND: The co-occurrence of physical inactivity and poor mental health in the college student population can lead to chronic health issues that have negative short-term effects (e.g., academic success). Poor mental health is associated with long-term conditions (e.g., obesity, serious mental illness) that are linked to premature mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine the information-motivation-behavioral (IMB) skills model and evaluate its ability to explain the variance in the use of exercise prescription in mental health treatment...

BACKGROUND: Knowledge gaps remain on stroke risk and disparities between sexual minority (SM) subgroups. In this study, stroke risk between SM subgroups, specifically gay/bisexual men and lesbian/bisexual women (G/BM and L/BW), was assessed. METHOD: Data were collected in June 2022 using a bilingual (English and Spanish) cross-sectional paper-and-pen survey distributed among 183 SM individuals attending the 2022 Houston Pride Parade and Festival, as well as across Texas via phone call or online format...

OBJECTIVE: While evidence suggests that the mental health symptoms of COVID-19 can persist for several months following infection, little is known about the longer-term mental health effects and whether certain sociodemographic groups may be particularly impacted. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the longer-term mental health consequences of COVID-19 infection and examine whether such consequences are more pronounced in Black people and people with lower socioeconomic status...

BACKGROUND: Behavioral health services (BHS) can help improve and treat mental and emotional health problems. Yet, attitudinal and/or structural barriers often prevent individuals from accessing and benefiting from these services. Positive provider-patient interactions in healthcare, encompassing patient comfort with a primary care provider (PCP), which is often enhanced by shared decision-making, may mitigate the stigma associated with seeing a mental health professional; this may improve BHS utilization among patients who need these services...

BACKGROUND: Social well-being impacts cancer patients' health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and coping style. This secondary analysis was conducted to examine whether advanced prostate cancer survivors who had experienced low social well-being would benefit from a web-based cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention. METHOD: APC survivors (N = 192) who had received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were randomized to a 10-week CBSM or a health promotion (HP) control condition...

BACKGROUND: The global COVID-19 pandemic has impaired the health and living conditions of millions of people. For governments to formulate policies promoting vaccination behavior, it is important to understand individuals' intentions to vaccinate. This study explores the effectiveness of a brief online intervention based on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) in improving individuals' COVID-19 vaccination intention, as well as considering the reasons for their unwillingness to get vaccinated...

BACKGROUND: Skin cancer incidence and prognosis vary by ethnicity and gender, and previous studies demonstrate ethnic and gender differences in sun-related cognitions and behaviors that contribute to this disease. The current study sought to inform skin cancer interventions tailored to specific demographic groups of college students. The study applied the prototype willingness model (PWM) to examine how unique combinations of ethnic and gender identities influence sun-related cognitions...

BACKGROUND: Israel was the first nation to establish a vaccination program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, its citizens could look to no other country to help them judge its influence. People's predictions of their safety should depend on whether they were vaccinated, whereas their predictions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic should be based on the degree of progress of the vaccination program. We expected people to understand that the program would improve their safety by reducing the number of infected people around them...