Theory and Practice
Wits School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand (Onsite)
Prioritizing Wholeness: Opportunities in Wellness Programming View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Patrick Burden
What does wellness look like for a student of color in medical education? When an institution provides formal wellness programming, yet the support still relies heavily on mainstream wellness trends, what does that imply about the values of wellness? Some institutions are beginning to incorporate wellness resources into their curricula and employ interdisciplinary experts and consultants. Would there be a benefit for students to engage with sundry wellness practices? For students of color in America specifically, how might racial affinity groups, as an example, be useful as a source of support? They can reveal viewpoints on mezzo- and macro-level reconstruction that come directly from those most affected. As new ideas of equity come to the fore, there are finally acknowledgements of the extreme ‘othering’ that takes place in medical education. However, like many areas of our broader culture, systemic change tends to fall behind or only marginally addresses the issues. Having a (future) workforce that has been trained to integrate wellness into their practice can have several positive benefits. The suicide rate remains high amongst medical professionals and the ongoing global pandemic exacerbates the strain. The medical field has a continued need for diversity, equity, and inclusion that extends past recruitment and works on retention. Sustaining and championing wellness for students entering the medical field can have wide-reaching effects. Undeniably, nothing would support the holistic wellness of students of color more than a system that is reshaped and reorganized.
Direct and Indirect Determinants of Body Mass Index in Both Major Ethnic Groups Experiencing the Nutritional Transition in Cameroon View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Emmanuel Cohen
In the context of rapid nutritional transitions in Africa, few studies have analyzed the etiology of obesity by considering the driver pathways that predict body mass index (BMI). The aim of this interdisciplinary study is to innovatively identify these driver pathways, including the main sociodemographic and socioecological drivers of BMI. We conducted a rural–urban quantitative study in Cameroon (n = 1106; balanced sex ratio) to explore this issue. We recruited participants and reported several sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., marital status, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity). We then assessed three main socioecological drivers of BMI (body weight perception, dietary intake, and physical activity) and conducted bioanthropometric measurements. We identified several driver pathways predicting BMI. In Cameroon, Bamiléké ethnicity, higher SES, being married, and older age had positive effects on BMI through overweight valorization and/or dietary intake. Accordingly, we found that being Bamiléké, married, and middle-aged, as well as having a higher SES, were factors that constituted at-risk subgroups overexposed to drivers of obesity. As such, this interdisciplinary study highlights the necessity of investigating the complex driver pathways that lead to obesity. Therefore, better identification of the subgroups at risk for obesity will help in developing more targeted population health policies in countries where this burden is a major public health issue.
Featured Gender Differences and Mental Health: A Theory of Planned Behavior Approach to Understand Help-Seeking Among Gen Z College Students
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sarah A. Geegan, Bobi Ivanov, Kimberly A. Parker
Generation Z, born between 1995-2012, exhibits troubling trends in mental health outcomes, such that scholars have declared a "mental health crisis" in America, noting a broad swath of studies pre-dating and persisting through the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the rates at which current Gen Z college students pursue treatment remains stubbornly low. In response, experts are calling for data-informed interventions that would encourage help-seeking for mental health issues. Communication and persuasion literature demonstrate that messaging campaigns are most effective when rooted in nuanced audience insight. Moreover, the health communication literature broadly and mental health literature specifically indicate that males and females approach health decisions in distinct ways. As such, nuanced audience insight specific to the two genders should guide interventions. The current investigation employed a series of focus groups to understand gender differences in college students’ perceptions and experiences related to mental health and help-seeking. Framed through the theory of planned behavior, results reveal key gender differences in attitudes impacted by faculty interactions, such that males formed negative attitudes via interactions with faculty, and females viewed faculty interactions as either positive or neutral. The study also highlights subjective norms associated with either avoiding (males) or fully embracing (females) discussions of anxiety and depression with peers. Finally, results demonstrate distinct perceptions of behavioral control by gender, such that males believed recommending help-seeking would end a relationship, and females only expressed mild discomfort. These findings offer promise for future interventions encouraging help-seeking behavior.
