Factors affecting safe and healthy diet in older adults in Italy: results of a preliminary study performed in a community-dwelling sample

Risk perceptions and risk-averse attitude influenced older patients' first-diagnosis-seeking behaviour at tertiary hospitals

OBJECTIVE

This qualitative study aimed to investigate the associations of older patients' inappropriate healthcare-seeking behaviour at tertiary hospitals in China with their risk perceptions and attitude.

METHODS

The study was based on nine focus group interviews (involving 41 older patients, with three to six per group) and involved the grounded theory method. The participants were recruited at tertiary hospitals.

RESULTS

The results of this study showed that older patients' inappropriate first-diagnosis-seeking behaviour at tertiary hospitals was impacted by their risk perceptions and risk-averse attitude. Both external factors (family/friends and the Internet) and internal factors (preferences and habits) had played important roles in related processes.

CONCLUSION

Thus, to guide older patients' healthcare-seeking behaviour, changing the thoughts and behaviour of the older patients themselves, their spouses, adult children, other relatives, and friends are all important. More attention should be paid on guiding appropriate risk perceptions and attitude regarding lower-level medical institutions, increasing their preferences and habit formation regarding lower-level medical institutions, enhancing older patients' social support and improving and standardising online health information. These are important for the future development of the hierarchical medical system in China.

A survey of PM2.5 preventive behavioral intention and related factors among community elderly in Northern Taiwan

Population aging and air pollution are global concerns. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship among particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) knowledge, PM2.5 preventive attitude, and PM2.5 preventive behavioral intention in the elderly.A cross-sectional survey design was applied in this study, including usage intention and snowball sampling. A total of 617 elderly people aged over 65 participated, and the collected data were quantitatively analyzed.The results showed that the mean score of PM2.5 knowledge of the elderly was 10.34 (79.53%) with the standard deviation (SD) of 3.42, the mean score of PM2.5 preventive attitude was 4.58 (91.60%) with SD of 0.49, and the mean score of PM2.5 preventive behavioral intention was 4.72 (94.40%) with SD of 0.40. Elderly people's characteristics regarding PM2.5 knowledge and PM2.5 preventive attitude explained 22% (adjusted R2 = 0.22, F = 30.44, P < .001) of the variance in PM2.5 preventive behavioral intention.It is concluded that we found no difference in PM2.5 knowledge, PM2.5 preventive attitude, or PM2.5 preventive behavioral intention among the elderly with or without chronic diseases. In our opinion, health education regarding the threat of PM2.5 to the health of the elderly should be strengthened, to enhance their knowledge, preventive attitude, and preventive behavioral intention of PM2.5.