The Influence of Organizational Culture on School‐Based Obesity Prevention Interventions: A Systematic Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND

Although the influence of organizational culture has been examined on a variety of student outcomes, few studies consider the influence that culture may have on school‐based obesity prevention interventions. We present a systematic review of the literature to examine how elements of organizational culture may affect the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of school‐based obesity prevention interventions.

METHODS

Fourteen studies examining the impact of organizational‐level characteristics on school‐based obesity prevention interventions were identified through the online databases EBSCO (CINAHL, ERIC, Agricola), Web of Science, Medline (PubMed), and Scopus.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified as elements of organizational culture that influence the adoption, implementation, and sustainability of school‐based obesity prevention interventions: organizational response to limited resources, value placed on staff training and professional development, internal support, organizational values, and school climate.

CONCLUSIONS

Organizational culture can greatly influence the success of school‐based obesity interventions. The collection of data related to organizational‐level factors may be used to identify strategies for creating and sustaining a supportive environment for obesity prevention interventions in the school setting.

     

Using the bioecological model to predict risk perception of marijuana use and reported marijuana use in adolescence

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to investigate the ability of the Bioecological Model (BEM) to predict adolescents' risk perception (RP) of marijuana use and reported marijuana use. The secondary aim of the study was to investigate the extent to which the BEM influenced adolescents' decision-making regarding marijuana use by exploring the BEM's ability to moderate the relationship between adolescents' RP of marijuana use and reported use.

Methods

Systems in the proposed BEM included variables from the literature proven to influence adolescents' health risk behaviors. Hierarchical linear regression was used to predict RP from BEM variables. Hierarchical logistic regressions were used to predict marijuana use from BEM variables and to assess the ability of the BEM to moderate the relationship between RP and reported marijuana use.

Results

Three systems in the BEM, Adolescent, Microsystem, and Mesosystem, were predictive of RP and reported marijuana use. At least two variables in each system predicted RP and reported marijuana use. The Mesosystem moderated the relationship between RP and use.

Conclusion

The combination of the BEM and the HBM provides the unique opportunity to understand adolescents' decision to engage in marijuana use. Because the BEM is viewed as part of a generative process, results here can be used to produce a more integrated HBM specific to adolescence.     

Perceived risk of developing diabetes in early adulthood: beliefs about inherited and behavioral risk factors across the life course

This study aimed to determine how college students perceive their risk of developing diabetes over their life course, with specific emphasis on their beliefs about the influence of inherited versus behavioral risk factors. A bivariate ordered probit regression model was used to simultaneously predict perceived risk for 10-year absolute risk of diabetes and lifetime absolute risk of diabetes. Ten-year and lifetime absolute risk were both increased when the respondent self-identified with a race/ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white (β = 0.42, p < .001 and β = 0.33, p = .004, respectively), and when the respondent had an increasing number of family members with diabetes (β = 0.33, p < .001 and β = 0.45, p < .001, respectively). Beliefs linking behavioral risk factors to perceived risk of developing diabetes across the life course were not statistically significant. The absence of significant association between perceptions of behavioral risk as factors for developing diabetes and perceived risk for diabetes over the life course supports the need for educational interventions about behavioral and genetic causes of diabetes among the college-aged population.     

Correlates of Family Health History Discussions Between College Students and Physicians: Does Family Cancer History Make a Difference?

Effective communication between young adults and their healthcare providers can contribute to early detection of risk for developing cancer and establishment of lifelong habits for engagement in healthcare and health promotion behaviors. Our objectives were to examine factors influencing family health history discussions between college students and physicians and factors associated with perceptions about who is responsible for initiating such discussions. Data from an internet-based study of 632 college students were analyzed. Approximately 60% of college student participants reported they had discussed their family health history with a physician. The perception that physicians are responsible for initiating family health history discussions was associated with being non-White and less than completely knowledgeable about cancer. Having a discussion with a physician was associated with being female, having a regular physician, perceiving genetics as a risk for developing cancer, and having a family member diagnosed with cancer. Understanding variation among college students' perceptions about their role in initiating health-history-related discussions and characteristics of those who have or have not discussed family health issues with physicians can inform healthcare practice to foster optimal healthcare interactions in early adulthood.