Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to explore Thai Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Childhood Obesity

Setting: Data was collected from a public hospital in Thailand

Methods: Using Bronfebrenner's Ecological Systems Model, a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted with Thai nurses (N = 489) in Thailand. Participants completed the Thai version of the adapted Attitudes Toward Obese Persons Scale: Children's Version, a 26 item survey developed by Allison (1995).

Results: A majority of the participants (96%) were female, and were bachelor prepared (77%). When compared to children who were categorically normal weight, the majority of nurses perceived that overweight children eat more (89.4%), had poor eating habits (88.3%), and were embarrassed about their weight (75.8%). Thai nurses perceived overweight children as sociable (61%), confident (66.9%), and happy (70.1%) when compared to categorically normal weight children.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that Thai nurses perceive childhood obesity is related to unhealthy lifestyle practices. Nurses' responses suggested that overweight children suffer from psychosocial problems.

Implications: Recognizing Thai nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward childhood obesity is helpful for further developing programs and strategies for addressing childhood obesity in Thailand. Further studies are encouraged, to explore nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward childhood obesity from multiple cultural and country perspectives.

Reference:

Allison, D. B. (1995). Handbook of Assessment Methods for Eating Behaviors and Weight-Related Problems. Measures, Theory, and Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

Author Details

Moudi Albargawi, MSN, RN, Beta Delta-at-Large Chapter, Eta Nu Chapter; Julia Snethen, PhD, RN, Eta Nu Chapter; Sitah Alshutwi, PhD, MSN, RN; April Yerges, BSN, RN, CPN; Wirunpat Sakunsuntiporn, PhD, RN; Nuananong Seal, PhD, RN; Sheryl Kelber, MS.

Sigma Membership

Eta Nu

Type

Poster

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Cross-Sectional

Research Approach

Quantitative Research

Keywords:

Childhood Obesity, Nurses' Knowledge, Thai Nurses, Overweight Children, Pediatric Obesity, Attitude to Obesity, Nursing Knowledge, Nurse' Attitudes, Nurses' Attitudes--Thailand, Thailand

Conference Name

Southeastern Wisconsin Nursing Research Conference

Conference Host

Marquette University College of Nursing,Southeastern Wisconsin Nursing Research Consortium

Conference Location

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Conference Year

2015

Rights Holder

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All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

Peer-review: Single Blind

Acquisition

Self-submission

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Global perspectives of childhood obesity: Exploring Thai nurses' knowledge and attitudes

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to explore Thai Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Childhood Obesity

Setting: Data was collected from a public hospital in Thailand

Methods: Using Bronfebrenner's Ecological Systems Model, a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted with Thai nurses (N = 489) in Thailand. Participants completed the Thai version of the adapted Attitudes Toward Obese Persons Scale: Children's Version, a 26 item survey developed by Allison (1995).

Results: A majority of the participants (96%) were female, and were bachelor prepared (77%). When compared to children who were categorically normal weight, the majority of nurses perceived that overweight children eat more (89.4%), had poor eating habits (88.3%), and were embarrassed about their weight (75.8%). Thai nurses perceived overweight children as sociable (61%), confident (66.9%), and happy (70.1%) when compared to categorically normal weight children.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that Thai nurses perceive childhood obesity is related to unhealthy lifestyle practices. Nurses' responses suggested that overweight children suffer from psychosocial problems.

Implications: Recognizing Thai nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward childhood obesity is helpful for further developing programs and strategies for addressing childhood obesity in Thailand. Further studies are encouraged, to explore nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward childhood obesity from multiple cultural and country perspectives.

Reference:

Allison, D. B. (1995). Handbook of Assessment Methods for Eating Behaviors and Weight-Related Problems. Measures, Theory, and Research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications