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Title: THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ON PSYCHO-SOCIAL BELIEFS AND FOOD SECURITY IN RURAL LOWER MISSISSIPPI DELTA RESIDENTS.

Author
item THORNTON, A - SOUTHERN UNIV AND A&M COL
item McGee, Bernestine
item PAERATAKUL, S - PENNINGTON BIOMED RES CTR
item Mellad, Kirkland
item EUBANKS, G - SOUTHERN UNIV AND A&M COL
item FOMBY, B - SOUTHERN UNIV AND A&M COL

Submitted to: Journal Of The American Dietetic Association
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/3/2001
Publication Date: 9/1/2001
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This study examined four major psycho-social variables: health belief, social influence, health locus of control, and self efficacy in rural Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD) residents. Socio-demographic variables, age, education, and income, were used to measure the differences in perception of attitudes of importance of others in shaping beliefs (normative beliefs), placement of primary responsibility for health outcome (locus of control), and beliefs about staying healthy and preventing diseases. Participants in households with telephones completed either the face-to-face or telephone interview. In households without telephones, respondents completed either the face-to- face or cellular telephone (provided by the field interviewer) interview. The sample included 409 children and adults living in the rural Delta region of AR, LA and MS. For this study, data from 258 adult delta resident surveys were analyzed. Food security was measured using the USDA's 18 item Core Food Security Module. Chi-square statistics were used to measure differences between groups being compared. Results showed differences in health belief, locus of control, social influence and self efficacy varied by race, education and income. Significant differences were found between (1)race (p=.003), income (p=.03) and health belief; (2)race (p=.01) and social influence; (3)race (p=.004), income (p=.003), education (p=.02) and health locus of control; and (4)race (p=.05), income (p=.000), education (p=.000) and self efficacy. With regard to food security, significant differences were found between food-secure households (p=.001) and self efficacy and food-secure households (p=.04) and locus of control.