Master Theses & Projects (FHSCI)
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Browsing Master Theses & Projects (FHSCI) by Author "Arcand, JoAnne"
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Item Developing and validating a survey to assess physician-implementation of dietary guidelines for patients with hypertension in primary care(2017-11-01) Alsaeed, Sadeem M.; Arcand, JoAnneDietary modifications are a key component for the health behaviour management of hypertension. Primary care physicians are key facilitators in encouraging patients with hypertension to adopt healthy diets; however, barriers related to nutrition knowledge, attitudes and behaviours may influence their provision of diet to hypertensive patients. Such barriers have not been well described in the literature. The study objective was to develop and validate a survey to identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of dietary guidelines for hypertensive patients. A MEDLINE search was conducted to identify physician-related barriers, and facilitators related to dietary advice in clinical practice. Content and face validity were assessed by consulting primary care physicians, experts on hypertension, and experts on survey development. Finally, a feasibility study was conducted among primary care physicians and medical residents in the Durham region, Ontario. The final web-based survey included 33 questions. The survey takes 8 minutes to complete.Item The development and evaluation of a mHealth nutrition education intervention(2019-08-01) Brown, Jacqueline M.; Arcand, JoAnneAn environmental scan of the app marketplace evaluated publicly available mHealth nutrition apps targeted to children and found that there were few high-quality evidence-based apps available to educate children on healthy eating. To fill this gap in the availability of mHealth child nutrition apps, an iterative multi-method approach was taken to develop a novel app, Foodbot Factory, to help children aged 9-12 improve their food literacy skills and nutrition knowledge. Foodbot Factory was created by an interdisciplinary team with each prototype being informed by data collected in 5 iterative user testing sessions. The app educates users on foods and nutrients, integrating behaviour change and gamification techniques to enhance engagement. Data from the most recent testing session demonstrates that students are able to gain knowledge about nutrition from Foodbot Factory and that the app is an engaging, usable, and acceptable intervention for children to learn about healthy eating and nutrition.Item The effectiveness of the Foodbot Factory serious game on increasing nutrition knowledge in children(2021-02-12) Froome, Hannah M.; Arcand, JoAnneBackground: The interactive nature of serious games (i.e., video games designed for educational purposes) enable deeper learning and facilitate behavior change; however, there is limited data on their impact on child nutrition knowledge. The objective of this study was to determine if Foodbot Factory effectively improves children’s knowledge of 2019 Canada’s Food Guide. Methods: Study was a single-blinded, parallel randomized controlled trial conducted among children ages 8-10 years attending Ontario Tech University summer day camps. Results: Compared to the control group (n=34), children who used Foodbot Factory (n=39) had significant increases in overall nutrition knowledge (10.3 ± 2.9 to 13.5 ± 3.8 versus 10.2 ± 3.1 to 10.4 ± 3.2, p<0.001), and in Vegetables and Fruits (p<0.001), Protein Foods (p<0.001), and Whole Grain Food (p=0.040) sub-scores. No significant difference in knowledge was observed in Drinks sub-score. Conclusion: Foodbot Factory is an effective educational tool to support children learning about nutrition.Item An evaluation of a dietary sodium reduction research consortium of five low-and middle-income countries in Latin America(2023-04-01) Padilla-Moseley, Janice; Arcand, JoAnneBackground: Excess sodium consumption is a risk factor to cardiovascular disease (CVD). In Latin American countries (LAC), CVD rates are high. In LAC, policy development is complex and factors impacting research uptake into policies are largely unknown. The study objective is to determine if the short-term (e.g., research, capacity building), intermediary outcomes (e.g., policies) from a funded research consortium, involving Argentina, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru and Paraguay, was achieved and to describe factors related to research uptake into policies. Methods: A summative evaluation using a logic model and a qualitative case study was conducted with a document review, survey and semi-structured interviews. Results: The research consortium achieved all short-term and select intermediary outcomes. Partnerships with actors functioned as barriers and facilitators: while, human and financial resources supported evidence gathering and policy making. Conclusion: The consortium activities resulted in novel data which facilitated with research adoption into dietary sodium reduction policies.Item Examining the practice approaches used by registered dietitians in Canada when working with higher weight adults(2022-08-01) Lichtfuss, Kori; Arcand, JoAnneA cross-sectional, national, online survey of Canadian Registered Dietitians (RDs) was conducted to explore the various practice approaches used when working with higher weight adults. Specifically examined was the use of non-weight focused approaches (NWFAs), and the barriers and facilitators for implementation. NWFAs deemphasize the importance of body weight with respect to adults’ nutrition and health. A comprehensive literature search identified only one study, conducted in Australia, that examined the diverse approaches regarding weight used by RDs. Other studies have examined RDs’ use of single practice approaches. There were no studies that explored the implementation of NWFAs in Canada or nationally. Overall, this thesis presents research that demonstrates that NWFAs are the dominant practice approach being used by Canadian RDs when working with higher weight adults. It also identifies the key barriers and facilitators that RDs experience when implementing NWFAs into practice, across a spectrum of readiness to implement NWFAs.Item A feasibility study of an eHealth intervention for dietary sodium reduction in primary care(2019-08-01) Jefferson, Katherine; Arcand, JoAnneThis thesis assessed the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) protocol to implement a Sodium Calculator (SC) into primary care settings to determine if it improves quality of sodium reduction advice provided by physicians, with the results informing a fully powered RCT. Upon protocol implementation, the originally developed protocol was not initially feasible, but is expected to be with modifications, including: 1) employing a recruitment agency to recruit physicians and patients; 2) schedule recruited patients in consecutive blood pressure follow-up appointments to minimize study burden and increase recruitment and protocol adherence; 3) implement detailed procedures to minimize reporting bias. As part of this work, two questionnaires were developed and validated to evaluate quality of dietary sodium advice provided by physicians, and their self-efficacy in doing so. This research is the first phase of intervention implementation research related to the quality of care patients receive in hypertension prevention and management.Item A systematic review examining the effects of mHealth interventions on dietary adherence in patients with cardiovascular diseases(2022-04-01) Thom, Sarah; Arcand, JoAnneA systematic review was conducted to determine if diet-focused mHealth interventions are effective for supporting dietary adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), a population where nonadherence is common. A comprehensive literature search identified thirteen studies which met inclusion criteria: adults with a CVD diagnosis, use of an mHealth intervention, and measures of dietary adherence. Studies were excluded if interventions involved open dialogue or were qualitative studies or systematic reviews. Eight studies supported using mHealth interventions for improving dietary adherence, four showed mixed results, and one showed no improvements. Eight studies evaluated text and/or app-based mHealth interventions and found that their interactive features improved dietary adherence more compared to solely information delivering interventions. Overall, most mHealth interventions improved dietary adherence, however, nine studies had high risk of bias due to the outcome measurement, thus caution is advised when applying these findings to clinical settings for patients with CVD.