Associations between positive body image and indicators of men's and women's mental and physical health.

Happiness has been associated with a range of favourable health outcomes through two pathways: its relationship with favourable biological responses to stress and with healthy lifestyles and prudent health behaviours. There are a substantial number of cross-cultural studies about happiness, but none of them has studied the association of happiness with perceived stress and health behaviours in Latin American samples. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the association between general happiness and these variables in a Latin American sample. We conducted a survey to examine the status of 3461 students aged between 17 and 24 years old (mean age = 19.89; SD = 1.73) who attended University of Santiago de Chile during 2009. The healthy behaviours indexes assessed were the frequency of daily physical exercise, fruits/vegetables intake, breakfast and lunch intake, smoking, alcohol and other drugs consumption. We also included the assessment of perceived stress and Body Mass Index. All of them were evaluated using a self-report questionnaire. The univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses showed that being female and younger was related to a higher happiness, as well as that people self-reporting daily physical activity, having lunch and fruits and vegetables each day had a higher likelihood (OR between 1.33 and 1.40) of being classified as "very happy". Those who informed felt stressed in normal circumstances and during tests situations showed a lower likelihood (0.73 and 0.82, respectively) of being considered "very happy". Regarding drug consumption, taking tranquilizers under prescription was negative related to "subjective happiness" (OR = 0.62), whereas smoking was positive associated (OR = 1.20). The findings of this study mainly support the relationship between happiness and health outcomes through the two pathways previously mentioned. They also underscore the importance of that some healthy behaviours and person's cognitive appraisal of stress are integrated into their lifestyle for college students. Additionally, highlight the importance of taking into account these variables in the design of strategies to promote health education in university setting.

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Happiness and health behaviours in Chilean college students: A cross-sectional survey

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in preventive behaviors of COVID-19 between urban and rural residents, as well as identify the factors that might contribute to such differences Methods: Our online survey included 1591 participants from 31 provinces of China with 87% urban and 13% rural residents We performed multiple linear regressions and path analysis to examine the relationship between rural status and behavioral intention, attitude, subjective norms, information appraisal, knowledge, variety of information source use, and preventive behaviors against COVID-19 Findings: Compared with urban residents, rural residents were less likely to perform preventive behaviors, more likely to hold a negative attitude toward the effectiveness of performing preventive behaviors, and more likely to have lower levels of information appraisal skills We identified information appraisal as a significant factor that might contribute to the rural/urban differences in preventive behaviors against COVID-19 through attitude, subjective norms, and intention We found no rural/urban differences in behavioral intention, subjective norms, knowledge about preventive behaviors, or the variety of interpersonal/media source use Conclusions: As the first wave of the pandemic inundated urban areas, the current media coverage about COVID-19 prevention may not fully satisfy the specific needs of rural populations Thus, rural residents were less likely to engage in a thoughtful process of information appraisal and adopt the appropriate preventive measures Tailoring health messages to meet rural populations' unique needs can be an effective strategy to promote preventive health behaviors against COVID-19

Differences in Preventive Behaviors of COVID-19 between Urban and Rural Residents: Lessons Learned from A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

Resumen pt: Objetivo: Conhecer as expectativas das puerperas e profissionais de saude para a atencao a saude bucal do recem - nascido (RN), no âmbito da Maternidade....

http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/637/Resumenes/Resumo_63731452003_5.pdf

Pesquisa Brasileira em Odontopediatria e Clínica Integrada

Despite the theoretical and empirical accounts of trait procrastination as reflecting avoidance of aversive tasks as a means of mood repair, research documenting its links to coping is scarce and i...

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Less Adaptive or More Maladaptive? A Meta–analytic Investigation of Procrastination and Coping:

The aim of this study was to test the efficiency of an extended model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in predicting intention to improve oral health behaviors. The participants in this cross-sectional study were 153 first-year medical students (mean age 20.16, 50 males and 103 females) who completed a questionnaire assessing intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, oral health knowledge, and current oral hygiene behaviors. Attitudes toward oral health behaviors and perceived behavioral control contrib- uted to the model for predicting intention, whereas subjective norms did not. Attitudes toward oral health behaviors were slightly more important than perceived behavioral control in predicting intention. Oral health knowledge significantly affected affective and cognitive attitudes, while current behavior was not a significant predictor of intention to improve oral health behavior. The model had a slightly better fit among females than among males, but was similar for home and professional dental health care. Our findings revealed that attitude, perceived behavioral control, and oral health knowledge are predictors of intention to improve oral health behaviors. These findings may help both dentists and dental hygienists in educating patients in oral health and changing patients' oral hygiene habits. (J Oral Sci 53, 369-377,

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Modeling the theory of planned behavior for intention to improve oral health behaviors: the impact of attitudes, knowledge, and current behavior

Purpose The objective of the present study was to investigate whether achievement motives, satisfaction with life and happiness are associated with oral health behaviour and perceived gingival status. Methods The present study sample consisted of 178 first-year medical students. The questionnaire included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural variables, perceived oral health status, achievement motives (hope of success and fear of failure), satisfaction with life and subjective happiness scales. Results It was observed that individuals who presented higher values of satisfaction with life and happiness rated their gingival status as being very good/excellent and that individuals who presented higher values of hope of success reported to brush frequently. When the oral health behaviour was analysed, it was revealed that persons who brushed their teeth more than twice a day reported higher values of hope of success when compared with individuals who reported their toothbrushing frequency to be once a day or less. It was also revealed that persons who visited their clinician for check-ups reported higher values of subjective happiness. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that stress in everyday life and hope of success were positively associated with the toothbrushing frequency and that satisfaction with life was positively associated with the gingival health status. Conclusions Hope of success and satisfaction with life should be considered as predictors of good oral health behaviour/status.

Relation of achievement motives, satisfaction with life, happiness and oral health in Romanian university students.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between self-control and self-confidence, and students' self-rated oral health and oral-health-related behaviours. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study sample consisted of 178 first-year medical students. The questionnaire that was used in this study included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural factors, self-reported oral health status, self-control and self-confidence. RESULTS The results showed that mean levels of self-confidence in individuals with current extracted teeth and with poor/very poor perceived gingival condition were statistically significant and lower than those with no current extracted teeth and with self-rated excellent gingival health (P < 0.05). Also participants with self-reported gingival bleeding showed lower values of self-control compared with those with healthy non-bleeding gingiva (P < 0.05). When oral health behaviour was evaluated, it was shown that students with higher scores of self-control were more likely to use everyday mouthrinses (P < 0.05). The multiple linear regression analyses showed, for self-rated oral and gingival health status as dependent variable, a strong association with students' self-confidence level (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results support the view that self-confidence is related with oral health status, and individuals with impaired oral and gingival health have a low self-confidence level.

Self-control and self-confidence: their relationship to self-rated oral health status and behaviours

Purpose To test the ability of several social-cognitive models to explain current behaviour and to predict intentions to engage in three different health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing and mouthrinsing). Materials and methods Constructs from the health belief model (HBM), theory of reasoned action (TRA), theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and the motivational process of the health action process approach (HAPA) were measured simultaneously in an undergraduate student sample of 172 first-year medical students. Results Regarding toothbrushing, the TRA, TPB, HBM (without the inclusion of self-efficacy SE), HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 7.4%, 22.7%, 10%, 10.2% and 10.1%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 7.5%, 25.6%, 12.1%, 17.5% and 17.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding dental flossing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 39%, 50.6, 24.1%, 25.4% and 27.7%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 39.4%, 52.7%, 33.7%, 35.9% and 43.2%, respectively, in intention. Regarding mouthrinsing, the TRA, TPB, HBM, HBM+SE and HAPA predictor models explained 43.9%, 45.1%, 20%, 29% and 36%, respectively, of the variance in behaviour and 58%, 59.3%, 49.2%, 59.8% and 66.2%, respectively, in intention. The individual significant predictors for current behaviour were attitudes, barriers and outcome expectancy. Conclusion Our findings revealed that the theory of planned behaviours and the health action process approach were the best predictor of intentions to engage in both behaviours.

Testing five social-cognitive models to explain predictors of personal oral health behaviours and intention to improve them.

PURPOSE The aim of the present study was to investigate whether resilience, hope, perceived oral health status and oral health-related behaviours were associated. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study sample consisted of 198 first-year medical students in Romania. The questionnaire included information about sociodemographic factors, behavioural variables, perceived oral health status, resilience and hope. RESULTS Women had more resilience and 'personal competence' than men (P < 0.05). Resilience and hope were correlated with perceived dental health (P < 0.01). Perceived dental health was related to current non-treated caries, satisfaction with the appearance of one's own teeth, toothache last time and resilience (P < 0.001). Age, gender, current extracted teeth, perceived gingival bleeding and hope were not independent distinguishing variables after adjustment for internal heterogeneity. When oral health behaviours (toothbrushing, flossing, mouthrinse frequency and pattern of dental visit) were evaluated, it was demonstrated that flossing frequency was correlated with resilience and hope (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The results suggested that resilience and hope might be a psychosocial risk marker that influences perceived oral health status and behaviours.

Beatrice C Dogaru

Papers

Modeling the theory of planned behavior for intention to improve oral health behaviors: the impact of attitudes, knowledge, and current behavior

Relation of achievement motives, satisfaction with life, happiness and oral health in Romanian university students.

Self-control and self-confidence: their relationship to self-rated oral health status and behaviours

Testing five social-cognitive models to explain predictors of personal oral health behaviours and intention to improve them.

Self-reported oral health status, oral health-related behaviours, resilience and hope in Romania.