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Lifestyle changes such as adopting a heart-healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight are critical interventions for managing cholesterol levels. However, many individuals face significant barriers to implementing these changes. The objective of IPEC was to understand better peoples’ experiences with high cholesterol, including factors outside of healthcare that can impact a person’s ability to make lifestyle changes. Between November 2023 and March 2024, people from Brazil, Australia, and the United States who had a physician-confirmed high LDL-C diagnosis at least two years before the interview participated in 60-minute interviews. [1] Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti. 50 people were interviewed, with a mean age (SD) of 54.7 (10.4) years. Half (50%) were female, 14% currently smoked, 66% reported being overweight or obese, 40% had diabetes, 66% had high blood pressure, and 44% experienced a prior ASCVD-related hospitalization. Two-thirds of participants described trying to make lifestyle changes following diagnosis. Participants described the following factors as important facilitators (or barriers) to making lifestyle changes: 1) Time constraints: Work schedules and family responsibilities, such as caring for a partner or children, can impact participants’ ability to focus on their own health. Building behaviors into existing routines helped navigate this barrier. 2) Supportive relationships: A supportive relationship in which a family member, partner, or friend either encourages the person to make healthier choices or makes the changes with the person helps people initiate and remain adherent to their care plan. Participants described how emotional support from family and friends, as well as formal mental health therapy, may make lifestyle changes more sustainable in the long term. 3) Personal Motivation: Participants who worked towards specific goals or milestones (e.g., living a long life, being there for family) appeared to be more motivated to make lifestyle changes. 4) Access to affordable and healthy food options: Access to affordable, healthy food options is necessary for managing cholesterol. 5) Belief that change is needed: Some participants did not feel they needed to make any changes, particularly those related to diet and exercise, since they felt they already led a healthy lifestyle. To improve care, education and awareness should be supplemented with additional interventions to promote care plan adherence. These interventions may require coordination within the healthcare environment, such as embedding multidisciplinary teams into care and personalizing care, including thorough emotional support. Continued research is needed to explore opportunities for coordinating novel approaches outside of what would traditionally be considered healthcare, such as ensuring affordable resources to support healthy living.
Families are under increasing stress from the rising cost of raising children, especially single-parent households and those where both parents work. Lack of paid family leave and dependable child care are issues receiving increased attention. A panel of experts explores different options for addressing these problems, including the issue of where funds may come from if added government spending is seen as part of the solution, as well as potential remedies that do not require government programs.
“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”—Goethe Introduction People and the communities they are a part of—defined as “groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity . . . or similar situations to address issues affecting the well-being of those people”—are deeply impacted by the systems that […]
This qualitative study examines how the “Strong Black Woman” (SBW) label can have potentially negative health effects for African American/Black women that contribute to eating disorders. This study addresses the gap in literature on racial disparities that are present in understanding eating disorders that contribute to obesity and obesityrelated issues. Through semi-structured individual interviews conducted with ( N = 11) Black female higher education students, participants were able to discuss how disorganized overeating patterns were associated with the emotional stress of being labeled a Strong Black Woman. Findings provide implications to clinicians, educators, and researchers by identifying stress inducing factors heightened by racist and sexist microaggressions that contribute to the mental and physical health of Black women. This study also adds to the limited literature on the intersection of racism and sexism that contribute to poor health outcomes in Black women.
BACKGROUNDThe World Health Organization's recent recommendations on intrapartum care regard women's experience of care as an essential aspect of high-quality maternity care. A better understanding of women's perspectives on their childbirth experiences in the United States is needed to place women in the center of care and optimize their experience of childbirth.METHODSThis study analyzed data from the Listening to Mothers in California survey completed by a representative sample of women who gave birth in 2016 in California hospitals. Responses to one or both open-ended questions about the best and worst part of respondent's hospital stay for childbirth were subject to a content analysis.RESULTSFindings from 2539 participants included 2336 best and 1410 worst part responses. References to the attitudes and behaviors of health care practitioners were the most commonly reported (47% best and 29.1% worst part). Nurses were the most frequently mentioned practitioner type. Additional best part categories in rank order included the quality of physical care of the mom and feelings about the care experience. Additional worst part categories in rank order included the quality of the facility and food, delays in care, infant feeding, the quality of physical care of the mom, and lack of privacy.DISCUSSIONWomen's hospital experiences during childbirth, while multidimensional in nature, are primarily shaped by their relationships with health care practitioners, the care provided, and the facility in which childbirth occurs. Women's feedback provides actionable information to promote a positive birth experience.
