Health Policy, Economics and Sociology

Attitude of students towards healthy eating and determining factors of their eating behavior

Tamar Papiashvili, Tengiz Verulava — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Introduction: A healthy nutrition, which implies balance between received proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and other nutrients, plays an important role in both physical and mental development of a person. On the contrary, an unhealthy diet, characterized with high calories, fat, lack of vitamins and healthy nutrients, in the long term, may become the cause of serious health issues.The diet of the majority of the population in Georgia is unsatisfactory, not balanced and high in calories. Therefore, providing the population with healthy nutrition remains an important task. The aim of the paper is to determine the attitude of students and various factors affecting their eating behavior. Methodology: in-depth interviews of 12 students and 1 expert of the Caucasus University were conducted within the qualitative research. Respondents were selected based on availability. Results: The results of the study showed that various social factors play an important role in determining an individual's eating behavior. Conclusion: Incorrect eating habits formed at an early age, limited financial and time resources are the factors that most prevent the provision of healthy food for students and at the same time significantly determine their eating behavior.

Exploring stigma associated with mental health services among college students

Lika Gabunia, Tengiz Verulava — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Introduction: Mental health problems are very common in the world today. Access to mental health services is important for people to overcome mental health problems, however, they often refuse or fail to seek professional help. One of the main factors that prevent people from seeking professional help is stigma in society. Social stigma refers to the negative attitude of society towards people who have mental health problems. The purpose of the research is to study the attitude of students in Georgia and the role of stigma in relation to receiving mental health services. Methods: Qualitative research methods are used in the research. In-depth interviews were conducted with students of Caucasus University. Results: Mental health is very important for students; they have a general idea about mental health. However, students lack the information about mental health services. Students believe that receiving mental health services is essential, but often this is not possible due to various barriers. According to the research, the main barriers to receiving mental health services among students are the stigma established in the society, self-stigma and the high cost of the services. Students believe that stigma related to mental health is less pronounced in their generation than in the older generation.

Prematurity as a Public Health Challenge

Maka Dakhundaridze — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0400

Premature birth affects more than 10,6% of live births globally, and this number is rising. The chances of survival for extremely premature babies are also improving. Prematurity poses a significant burden on public health, as it increases the risk of death and disability for children under 5 years old. The outcomes of prematurity depend on how early the baby is born. Premature babies are more likely to die or suffer from various health problems than full-term babies. These problems can affect their mental, emotional, sensory, and physical development. Many preterm babies need lifelong care, which challenges the health systems and society. Public health can play a key role in preventing preterm birth by providing reliable data to inform health policies and legislation, and by addressing the modifiable risk factors. The social factors that influence health can also have a strong impact on the outcomes of preterm birth.