UNDERSTANDING HOW HEALTHY WORKPLACES ARE CREATED: IMPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPING A NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HEALTHY WORKPLACE PROGRAM.

PubMed

Wyatt, Katrina M; Brand, Sarah; Ashby-Pepper, Julie; Abraham, Jane; Fleming, Lora E

2015-01-01

The workplace is an important setting for promoting health and well-being. We sought to understand how successful workplace health and well-being programs were developed and implemented to inform the development of a program for a National Health Service (NHS) hospital. Case studies of successful healthy workplace programs with 34 semi-structured employee interviews informed 12 interviews with NHS staff. Interviews were thematically analyzed using Nvivo. Themes were fed back to participants for further clarification and validation. Healthy workplace programs were characterized by senior management endorsement; collective sense of ownership; presence of visible "quick wins"; and a sense that participation was easy and fun, not mandated. Programs evolved organically, allowing trust to be built and activities to be developed with employees. Interviews with NHS staff suggested a lack of belief in the possibility of change in their workplace due to time and workload pressures, and a sense of an "us and them" relationship with management, as well as environmental barriers. A consistent pattern of how the conditions for a healthy workplace can be created, which map onto the results from the NHS ward staff, suggest that without creating an enabling environment for health-promoting behaviors, workplace programs will have poor uptake and retention.

Learning About Love: A Meta-Analytic Study of Individually-Oriented Relationship Education Programs for Adolescents and Emerging Adults.

PubMed

Simpson, David M; Leonhardt, Nathan D; Hawkins, Alan J

2018-03-01

Despite recent policy initiatives and substantial federal funding of individually oriented relationship education programs for youth, there have been no meta-analytic reviews of this growing field. This meta-analytic study draws on 17 control-group studies and 13 one-group/pre-post studies to evaluate the effectiveness of relationship education programs on adolescents' and emerging adults' relationship knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Overall, control-group studies produced a medium effect (d = .36); one-group/pre-post studies also produced a medium effect (d = .47). However, the lack of studies with long-term follow-ups of relationship behaviors in the young adult years is a serious weakness in the field, limiting what we can say about the value of these programs for helping youth achieve their aspirations for healthy romantic relationships and stable marriages.

Relationships among work stress, job satisfaction, mental health, and healthy lifestyle behaviors in new graduate nurses attending the nurse athlete program: a call to action for nursing leaders.

PubMed

Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek; Hrabe, David P; Szalacha, Laura A

2013-01-01

Although nurses are educated to take outstanding care of others, they themselves often have poor health outcomes, including high rates of depression and obesity, which are associated with stressful work environments. Furthermore, a high percentage of new graduate nurses leave their positions in the first year of employment, resulting in exorbitant costs to health care systems. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships among key variables that influence job satisfaction and healthy lifestyle behaviors of new graduate nurses, including workplace stress, work environment, lifestyle beliefs, and mental health. A descriptive correlational design was used with baseline data from 61 new graduate nurses attending the 2-day Nurse Athlete program, a workshop that focuses on nutrition, energy management, and physical activity. Higher levels of workplace stress were associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety as well as lower levels of resiliency, job satisfaction, and healthy lifestyle beliefs. Nurse leaders and managers must invest in creating healthy work environments for new and experienced nurses as well as provide mental health screening, resources, and intervention programs that focus on education and skills-building in health promoting behaviors, including emotional regulation of stress, anxiety, and depression.

Teen Dating Violence Prevention: Cluster-Randomized Trial of Teen Choices, an Online, Stage-Based Program for Healthy, Nonviolent Relationships

PubMed Central

Levesque, Deborah A.; Johnson, Janet L.; Welch, Carol A.; Prochaska, Janice M.; Paiva, Andrea L.

2016-01-01

Objective Teen dating violence is a serious public health problem. A cluster-randomized trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of Teen Choices, a 3-session online program that delivers assessments and individualized guidance matched to dating history, dating violence experiences, and stage of readiness for using healthy relationship skills. For high risk victims of dating violence, the program addresses readiness to keep oneself safe in relationships. Method Twenty high schools were randomly assigned to the Teen Choices condition (n=2,000) or a Comparison condition (n=1,901). Emotional and physical dating violence victimization and perpetration were assessed at 6 and 12 months in the subset of participants (total n=2,605) who reported a past-year history of dating violence at baseline, and/or who dated during the study. Results The Teen Choices program was associated with significantly reduced odds of all four types of dating violence (adjusted ORs ranging from .45 to .63 at 12 months follow-up). For three of the four violence outcomes, participants with a past-year history of that type of violence benefited significantly more from the intervention than students without a past-year history. Conclusions The Teen Choices program provides an effective and practicable strategy for intervention for teen dating violence prevention. PMID:27482470

Teen Dating Violence Prevention: Cluster-Randomized Trial of Teen Choices, an Online, Stage-Based Program for Healthy, Nonviolent Relationships.

PubMed

Levesque, Deborah A; Johnson, Janet L; Welch, Carol A; Prochaska, Janice M; Paiva, Andrea L

2016-07-01

Teen dating violence is a serious public health problem. A cluster-randomized trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of Teen Choices , a 3-session online program that delivers assessments and individualized guidance matched to dating history, dating violence experiences, and stage of readiness for using healthy relationship skills. For high risk victims of dating violence, the program addresses readiness to keep oneself safe in relationships. Twenty high schools were randomly assigned to the Teen Choices condition ( n =2,000) or a Comparison condition ( n =1,901). Emotional and physical dating violence victimization and perpetration were assessed at 6 and 12 months in the subset of participants (total n =2,605) who reported a past-year history of dating violence at baseline, and/or who dated during the study. The Teen Choices program was associated with significantly reduced odds of all four types of dating violence (adjusted ORs ranging from .45 to .63 at 12 months follow-up). For three of the four violence outcomes, participants with a past-year history of that type of violence benefited significantly more from the intervention than students without a past-year history. The Teen Choices program provides an effective and practicable strategy for intervention for teen dating violence prevention.

Effects of the Relationship Enhancement® Program on Social Skills, Empathy and Social Support for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Alexandra

2014-01-01

An important area of research is emerging for adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with respect to the challenges they face in their social relationships. Social relationships include those that are romantic in nature such as dating, cohabitation and marriage. Researchers suggest that engaging in a healthy and happy romantic…

"I Want a Second Chance": Experiences of African American Fathers in Reentry.

PubMed

Dill, LeConté J; Mahaffey, Carlos; Mosley, Tracey; Treadwell, Henrie; Barkwell, Fabeain; Barnhill, Sandra

2016-11-01

With over 700,000 people on average released from prison each year to communities, greater attention is warranted on the experiences and needs of those who are parents and seeking to develop healthy relationships with their children and families. This study seeks to explore the experiences of African American fathers in reentry. Qualitative data from 16 African American men enrolled in a fellowship program for fathers were collected from a focus group and analyzed for common themes and using standpoint theory. Four themes emerged that focused on fathers' commitment toward healthy and successful reintegration postincarceration: redemption, employment, health care, and social support. Focus group participants actively strive to develop and rebuild healthy relationships with their children through seeking gainful employment and through bonding with like-minded peers. Barriers in accessing health care are also discussed. Research findings may inform future programs and policies related to supporting fathers and their children in reentry. © The Author(s) 2015.

Assessing the Impact of a Multiyear Marriage Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Halloran, Mary Sean; Rizzolo, Sonja; Cohen, Marsha L.; Wacker, Robbyn

2013-01-01

This study measured marital satisfaction of low-income couples in a Western state following participation in the Building Healthy Marriages program, which aimed to educate couples and increase relationship satisfaction. The researchers' goals were the following: To determine the areas in which participants experienced the greatest number of…

Exploring the reach and program use of Hello World, an email-based health promotion program for pregnant women in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van Dongen, Johanna M; van Poppel, Mireille N M; Milder, Ivon E J; van Oers, Hans A M; Brug, Johannes

2012-09-22

In 2006, the Dutch government initiated Hello World, an email-based program promoting healthy lifestyles among pregnant women through quizzes with pregnancy-related questions. In 2008, an updated version was released.The present study aimed to (1) examine the reach of Hello World and the representativeness of its users for all pregnant women in the Netherlands, (2) explore the relationship between program engagement and lifestyle characteristics, and (3) explore the relationship between the program content participants accessed (content on smoking, physical activity, and nutrition) and their lifestyle characteristics. Data from 4,363 pregnant women were included. After registration, women received an online questionnaire with demographic and lifestyle questions. To evaluate their representativeness, their demographic characteristics were compared with existing data for Dutch (pregnant) women. Women were classified on the following lifestyle characteristics: smoking, nutrition, physical activity, and pre-pregnancy weight status. Program use was tracked and the relationships between lifestyle characteristics, program engagement, and the percentage of smoking, physical activity, and nutrition questions accessed after opening a quiz were explored using Mann-Whitney U tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Hello World reached ±4% of its target population. Ten percent of participants were low educated and 22% immigrants. On average, women received 6.1 (SD:2.8) quiz emails and opened 32% of the associated quizzes (2.0, SD:2.1). A significant positive association was found between the number of quizzes opened and the number of healthy lifestyle characteristics. After opening a quiz, women accessed most smoking, nutrition, and physical activity questions. Significant relationships were found between several lifestyle characteristics and the percentage of smoking, physical activity, and nutrition questions accessed. However, between-group differences were small, quiz topics were largely unrelated to their lifestyle characteristics, and inconsistencies were found regarding the directions of these associations. Hello World reached ±4% of its target population, which is lower than the reach of its previous version (±8%). Relatively few low educated and immigrant women registered for the program. Active participation in the program was positively associated with the number of healthy behaviours participants engaged in. The program content participants chose to access was largely unrelated to their lifestyle characteristics.

The Supporting Healthy Marriage Evaluation: Early Lessons from the Implementation of a Relationship and Marriage Skills Program for Low-Income Married Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaubert, Jennifer Miller; Knox, Virginia; Alderson, Desiree Principe; Dalton, Christopher; Fletcher, Kate; McCormick, Meghan

2010-01-01

This report presents early implementation and operational lessons from the Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM) evaluation. Funded by the Administration for Children and Families, SHM uses a rigorous research design to test the effectiveness of a new approach to improving outcomes for low-income children: strengthening the marriages and relationships…

Father Involvement in Urban Low-Income Fathers: Baseline Associations and Changes Resulting from Preventive Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rienks, Shauna L.; Wadsworth, Martha E.; Markman, Howard J.; Einhorn, Lindsey; Etter, Erica Moran

2011-01-01

This study investigates father involvement among a sample of ethnically diverse, low-income men participating in a randomized controlled trial of a 14-hour relationship education program that teaches skills and principles for healthy relationships. Utilizing data from 137 fathers, we examined contextual, individual, and coparental relationship…

Character Education: A Relationship with Building Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crider, Robert B.

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study is to investigate the relationship between the use of character education programming and school health. Measuring and improving school health is a process that supports social, emotional, ethical and civic education. Hoy, Tarter, and Kottkamp define this concept as a healthy school is one in which the institutional,…

Program Development from Start-to-Finish: A Case Study of the Healthy Relationship and Marriage Education Training Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Futris, Ted G.; Schramm, David G.

2015-01-01

What goes into designing and implementing a successful program? How do both research and practice inform program development? In this article, the process through which a federally funded training curriculum was developed and piloted tested is described. Using a logic model framework, important lessons learned are shared in defining the situation,…

Pilot Study of a Program to Increase Mothers' Understanding of Dads.

PubMed

Fagan, Jay; Cherson, Mollie; Brown, Christopher; Vecere, Eric

2015-12-01

The present study evaluated the effects of mothers' participation in an 8-week coparenting intervention program, Understanding Dad™, on mothers' awareness and attitudes regarding how their relationships with fathers influence paternal involvement with children, knowledge of healthy pro-relationship skills, and relationship self-efficacy. Thirty-four mothers were recruited from four sites to participate in a study that used a pretest/posttest one-group design. Over the course of this 8-week program, mothers demonstrated moderate to large gains in each of the outcome measures, after controlling for mothers' educational level. Moreover, there was one significant within-subjects interaction effect for time × location. That is, mothers made significantly greater gains in pro-relationship knowledge in one of the intervention sites. Implications for future research are discussed. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Financial incentives for healthy behavior: ethical safeguards for behavioral economics.

PubMed

Lunze, Karsten; Paasche-Orlow, Michael K

2013-06-01

Economic incentives to promote healthy behavior are becoming increasingly common and have been suggested as an approach to decreasing healthcare costs. Ethical concerns about programs with such incentives are that they may contribute to inequities, be coercive, interfere with therapeutic relationships, undermine personal responsibility for health, and decrease social solidarity. Additionally, they may be a source of stigma or discrimination, promote dependence, and be unfair for those already engaged in targeted health behaviors or those who cannot fulfill the incentivized behaviors. Incentive programs need to incorporate appropriate safeguards to monitor these risks and support fairness in offering economic incentives to promote healthy behavior. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

It's All about Relationships: An Exploration of a High School Advisory Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caldwell Templeton, Kyra Monet

2017-01-01

High school is a pivotal time in the development of an adolescent (Anfara & Caskey, 2014; Browne, 2014). Because of the varied experiences that high school students endure, in and outside of school, the development of a stable school community is important. Healthy student/adult relationships can be fostered through an effective advisory…

Participants' Voices From Within a Healthy Lifestyle Group.

PubMed

Park, Tanya; Foster, Kim; Usher, Kim

2017-02-01

Weight gain is a serious health concern. People with mental illnesses are at increased risk of weight gain. The primary treatment is lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and dietary changes. This qualitative study explored the experience of people with schizophrenia who participated in a healthy lifestyle program. Four themes were identified. The findings indicate that benefits of the program were more than physical health improvements and included regular access to a health professional, gaining social relationships, and a sense of belonging. Future recommendations include retaining a group structure in lifestyle interventions to facilitate these additional benefits.

Consumer perspectives on involving family and significant others in a healthy lifestyle intervention.

PubMed

Aschbrenner, Kelly; Bartels, Stephen; Mueser, Kim; Carpenter-Song, Elizabeth; Kinney, Allison

2012-11-01

This focus group study explored the potential benefits and challenges of involving family members and significant others in a healthy lifestyle program for people with serious mental illness (SMI). Six focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 30 people with SMI, who were participants in a healthy lifestyle intervention. Separate focus groups were conducted for high and low achievers in the program based on clinically significant weight loss or significant increase in fitness. Thematic analysis revealed that social support for diet and exercise was a perceived benefit to involving others in a healthy lifestyle program. Other perceived benefits were the potential to increase others' understanding of the challenges of living with mental illness and to enhance the quality of relationships. Participants identified practical and logistical concerns that could interfere with participation, including partner reliability and desirability, scheduling, and lack of financial resources. Participants in the high achiever group expressed a greater desire to involve others in exercise than did participants in the low achiever group. Programs aimed at helping people with SMI make lifestyle changes may increase their effectiveness by involving significant others. Mobilizing social support networks for health behavior change is an ideal role for social workers.

The Senior Mentor Program at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine: An Innovative Geriatric Longitudinal Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Ellen; Richeson, Nancy A.; Thornhill, Joshua T., IV; Corwin, Sara J.; Eleazer, G. Paul

2006-01-01

This paper describes development, implementation, and evaluation strategies of a longitudinal geriatric curriculum, the Senior Mentor Program (SMP). The rationale for exposing undergraduate medical students to healthy, community-dwelling older adults is to use the relationship and activities as vehicles for improving knowledge of aging and…

The impact of goal attainment on behavioral and mediating variables among low income women participating in an Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program intervention study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study examined the relationships between participant goal attainment, and changes in mediating variables, and food choice outcomes from a modified curriculum for the Texas Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), promoting healthy home food environments and parenting skills relate...

Solving Sleep Behavior Disorders in Infants and Toddlers: The Munich Research and Intervention Program for Fussy Babies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papousek, Mechthild

2009-01-01

Sleep behavior disorders do not only affect infants' well-being, they also challenge the parents' physical and emotional resources, promote risks for the growing parent-infant relationships, and burden the parents' co-parenting relationship. Sleep-onset and night waking problems are widely spread among otherwise healthy infants, and they tend to…

School Nurse-Delivered Adolescent Relationship Abuse Prevention.

PubMed

Raible, Claire A; Dick, Rebecca; Gilkerson, Fern; Mattern, Cheryl S; James, Lisa; Miller, Elizabeth

2017-07-01

Project Connect is a national program to build partnerships among public health agencies and domestic violence services to improve the health care sector response to partner and sexual violence. Pennsylvania piloted the first school nurse-delivered adolescent relationship abuse intervention in the certified school nurses' office setting. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing this prevention intervention. In 5 schools in Pennsylvania, school nurses completed a survey before and 1 year after receiving training on implementing the intervention as well as a phone interview. Students seeking care at the nurses' offices completed a brief anonymous feedback survey after their nurse visit. The school nurses adopted the intervention readily, finding ways to incorporate healthy relationship discussions into interactions with students. School nurses and students found the intervention to be acceptable. Students were positive in their feedback. Barriers included difficulty with school buy-in and finding time and private spaces to deliver the intervention. A school nurse healthy relationships intervention was feasible to implement and acceptable to the students as well as the implementing nurses. While challenges arose with the initial uptake of the program, school nurses identified strategies to achieve school and student support for this intervention. © 2017, American School Health Association.

Evaluation and lessons learned from an undergraduate service learning course providing youth-focused relationship education.

PubMed

McElwain, Alyssa; Finnegan, Vanessa; Whittaker, Angela; Kerpelman, Jennifer; Adler-Baeder, Francesca; Duke, Adrienne

2016-10-01

Adolescent romantic relationships are known to have a significant impact on individual well-being and development. However, few teens experience formal education about the knowledge and skills necessary for building healthy romantic relationships. In response, a statewide relationship education initiative was developed at a large university in a Southeastern state. Undergraduates who enrolled in a service learning course in Human Development and Family Studies partnered with this initiative and implemented a relationship education program targeting high school students. A service learning model is used in this initiative because it offers opportunities for students' professional development and experiential learning. The present article provides a formative and illustrative summative evaluation of the service learning program. Specifically, the primary aims of this paper are to 1) provide an overview of the service learning course components; 2) describe preparation of the service learning students and their implementation of the relationship education program; 3) discuss challenges and lessons learned; and 4) offer initial evidence of effectiveness by showing change in targeted outcomes for the high school student recipients of the relationship education program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of a cardiovascular disease prevention program on knowledge and adoption of a heart healthy lifestyle in Jordanian working adults.

PubMed

Eshah, Nidal F; Bond, A Elaine; Froelicher, Erika Sivarajan

2010-12-01

Improving cardiac related knowledge to further healthy lifestyles is the best preventive strategy against coronary heart diseases (CHD). Previous studies revealed a critical shortage in all-around cardiac related knowledge, plus an overall shortage in adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors. To evaluate the effectiveness of an education, counseling and behavioral skill-building program in Jordanian working adults' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about CHD and adoption of a healthy lifestyle. A non-equivalent quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention program that is based on Pender's Health Promotion Model. The Response Questionnaire and HPLP-II were used to measure subjects' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and adoption of healthy lifestyle. One hundred six subjects completed the posttest questionnaires. Experimental group showed significantly better cardiac related knowledge, better scores for attitudes, and better scores for the health responsibility, nutritional behaviors, interpersonal relationships and total HPLP-II score. Subject's beliefs, physical activity, spiritual growth and stress management were not improved significantly. Men had better scores in beliefs and women had better scores for health responsibility. Individual commitment to healthier lifestyles should be encouraged, and researchers have to design and apply more specific interventions that are directed toward improving factors that are not significantly improved through traditional programs. Copyright © 2010 European Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Marriage education for clinicians.

PubMed

Wetzler, Scott; Frame, Laura; Litzinger, Samantha

2011-01-01

The field of marriage education has come to be dominated by nonprofessionals with no clinical training because clinicians interested in relationships typically provide marital therapy to couples in distress rather than marriage education to healthy couples. In this paper, we encourage clinicians to participate in the development of marriage education programs, such as that described by our Supporting Healthy Marriage program, which serves a large number of low-income couples, and propose a psychological conceptual framework for delivering marriage education services. It makes sense for clinicians to consider using this novel approach given the opportunity to impact such a large segment of society that might not receive psychological services.

Promoting Policy and Environmental Change in Faith-Based Organizations: Description and Findings From a Mini-Grants Program.

PubMed

Arriola, Kimberly R Jacob; Hermstad, April; Flemming, Shauna St Clair; Honeycutt, Sally; Carvalho, Michelle L; Cherry, Sabrina T; Davis, Tamara; Frazier, Sheritta; Escoffery, Cam; Kegler, Michelle C

2017-05-01

The Emory Prevention Research Center's Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network mini-grant program funded faith-based organizations to implement policy and environmental change to promote healthy eating and physical activity in rural South Georgia. This study describes the existing health promotion environment and its relationship to church member behavior. Cross-sectional. Data were obtained from parishioners of six churches in predominantly rural South Georgia. Participants were 319 church members with average age of 48 years, of whom 80% were female and 84% were black/African-American. Questionnaires assessed perceptions of the existing church health promotion environment relative to nutrition and physical activity, eating behavior and intention to use physical activity facilities at church, and eating and physical activity behaviors outside of church. Multiple regression and ordinal logistic regression using generalized estimating equations were used to account for clustered data. Results indicate that delivering messages via sermons and church bulletins, having healthy eating programs, and serving healthy foods are associated with participants' self-reported consumption of healthy foods at church (all p values ≤ .001). Serving more healthy food and less unhealthy food was associated with healthier eating in general but not to physical activity in general (p values ≤ .001). The church environment may play an important role in supporting healthy eating in this setting and more generally.

Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Among Participants in a Workplace Obesity Intervention.

PubMed

Stankevitz, Kayla; Dement, John; Schoenfisch, Ashley; Joyner, Julie; Clancy, Shayna M; Stroo, Marissa; Østbye, Truls

2017-08-01

To characterize barriers to healthy eating (BHE) and physical activity (BPA) among participants in a workplace weight management intervention. Steps to health participants completed a questionnaire to ascertain barriers to physical activity and healthy eating faced. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the factor structure for BPA and BHE. The relationships of these factors with accelerometer data and dietary behaviors were assessed using linear regression. Barriers to physical activity included time constraints and lack of interest and motivation, and to healthy eating, lack of self-control and convenience, and lack of access to healthy foods. Higher BHE correlated with higher sugary beverage intake but not fruit and vegetable and fat intake. To improve their effectiveness, workplace weight management programs should consider addressing and reducing barriers to healthy eating and physical activity.

Relationship between healthy lifestyle behaviors and health locus of control and health-specific self-efficacy in university students.

PubMed

Açıkgöz Çepni, Serap; Kitiş, Yeter

2017-07-01

To investigate the relationship between the healthy lifestyle behaviors and the health locus of control and health-specific self-efficacy in university students. The study included 572 undergraduate students of a university in the central Anatolia region of Turkey. The data were collected with the General Characteristics Form, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, and the Perceived Health Competence Scale and investigated with the structural equation model. Health-specific self-efficacy was an important predictor of healthy lifestyle behaviors. The Internal health locus of control influenced the healthy lifestyle behaviors through health-specific self-efficacy. The other dimension was the Powerful Others health locus of control that affected healthy lifestyle behaviors, both directly and indirectly, through health-specific self-efficacy. There was a chance that the health locus of control had a negative effect on healthy lifestyle behaviors through self-efficacy. Health-specific self-efficacy is an important prerequisite for changes in healthy lifestyle behaviors, which supports Pender's model. The subscales of the health locus of control vary in their effects on healthy lifestyle behaviors, which partly supports Pender's model. Nurses, by using this model, can examine ways of improving these cognitive-perceptual factors and implement health education programs that are directed towards improving them in young persons. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Nurses' health promoting lifestyle behaviors in a community hospital.

PubMed

Kurnat-Thoma, Emma; El-Banna, Majeda; Oakcrum, Monica; Tyroler, Jill

2017-06-01

To examine nurses' health-promoting lifestyle behaviors, describe their self-reported engagement in employee wellness program benefit options, and explore relationships between nurse demographic factors, health characteristics and lifestyle behaviors. Nurses adopting unhealthy lifestyle behaviors are at significantly higher risk for developing a number of chronic diseases and are at increased susceptibility to exhaustion, job dissatisfaction and turnover. Strengthening professional nurses' abilities to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors could serve as a valuable tool in combating negative workplace stress, promote improved work-life balance and personal well-being, and help retain qualified health-care providers. In a 187-bed community hospital in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, we conducted an IRB-approved exploratory descriptive study. We examined 127 nurses' demographic characteristics, self-reported employer wellness program use, and measured their healthy lifestyle behaviors using the 52-item Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II) survey instrument. Nurse demographic and HPLP-II scores were analyzed in SPSS v20.0. Inferential univariate statistical testing examined relationships between nurse demographic factors, health and job characteristics, and HPLP-II score outcomes. Nurses over 40years old were more likely to report participation in hospital wellness program options. Statistically significant age differences were identified in total HPLP-II score (p=0.005), and two subscale scores-spiritual growth (p=0.002) and interpersonal relations (p=0.000). Post-hoc testing identified nurse participants 40-49years old and ≥50years old experienced slightly lower total HPLP-II score, subscale scores in comparison to younger colleagues. Nurses ≥40years old may benefit from additional employer support and guidance to promote and maintain healthy lifestyles, personal well-being, and positive interpersonal relationships. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of exercise in old age.

PubMed

Gorman, K M; Posner, J D

1988-02-01

Although exercise capacity declines with age, the decline appears to be slight when measured in healthy, physically active subjects. There is growing evidence that exercise has a positive influence on increasing healthy function and decreasing the impact of diseases common in the elderly. While the dose-response relationship between physical activity and health benefits continues to be studied, there is some evidence that even low- and moderate-intensity exercise programs in older people result in tangible improvements in many physical and psychologic parameters.

Does Positive Youth Development Predict Adolescent Attitudes about Sexuality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Erin N.; Werner-Wilson, Ronald Jay

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among individual factors, parental factors, involvement in activities, and adolescent attitudes regarding sex (the outcome variable). We suggest that Positive Youth Development (PYD) research and programming should include promoting healthy sexuality as an important developmental outcome…

Increased Oxidative Stress in Healthy Children Following an Exercise Program: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Nasca, Melita M.; Zhang, Renliang; Super, Dennis M.; Hazen, Stanley L.; Hall, Howard R.

2010-01-01

Exercise can induce oxidative stress or an imbalance between reactive oxygen species and cellular antioxidant defenses. Objective We investigated the effect of a real-life exercise program on systemic oxidative stress measured by urinary concentrations of 8-isoprostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α), a noninvasive index of lipid peroxidation, in a well-characterized pediatric group. Methods Healthy but primarily sedentary, 8- to 10-year-old children (n = 6, mean age 8.8 ± 0.9 years) of equally distributed healthy weight, overweight, and obese categories, participated in a 5-week exercise program (track and field summer camp, 2 hours/day, 1–2 days/week). Results By using high-performance liquid chromatography with online electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI/MS/MS), we found a significant (p = .028) increase in group mean urinary 8-iso-PGF2α concentration from 8.163 ± 6.919 ng/mg creatinine pre-exercise program to 32.320 ± 16.970 ng/mg creatinine post-exercise program. The increase was also measured at each individual level. We found preliminary evidence that pre- and post-exercise program urinary 8-iso-PGF2α concentrations selectively correlated with children’s cardiometabolic characteristics and mood. Conclusion Our results warrant further exploration of the relationships between pre/post-exercise oxidative stress marker 8-iso-PGF2α and cardiometabolic characteristics, exercise habits, eating habits, and mood to determine whether increased post-exercise oxidative stress in healthy children is part of their normal adaptation to exercise or mediator of oxidative injury. PMID:20495476

Engaging and Training Professionals to Implement Family Strengthening Programs: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarrow, Andrea; Fuhrman, Nicholas E.; Futris, Ted G.

2015-01-01

Child welfare professionals (CWPs) who attended the Healthy Relationship and Marriage Education Training delivered by Extension educators in Georgia participated in focus groups 6 months post-training to investigate what elements of the training influenced their implementation of the concepts and their recommendations for future trainings. The…

78 FR 13350 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request Healthy Communities Study: How Communities Shape Children's...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

... community programs and policies and their relationship to childhood obesity. The HCS is an observational... reduce childhood obesity. Furthermore, HCS results will be published in scientific journals and will be used for the development of future research initiatives targeting childhood obesity. Frequency of...

The Healthy Relationships Program: Preventing Sexual Assault of Youth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lutzer, Victoria D.; Day-Vines, Norma

2001-01-01

This article describes an innovative model for supporting high-risk teens, including those in special education, who need social skills to protect them from sexual assault. Suggestions are made for prevention activities and involvement of community agencies with expertise for providing critical transition services to at-risk adolescents. (Author)

The League of Peaceful Schools: A Dream Shared.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castonguay, Helen C.

2003-01-01

The League of Peaceful Schools was formed in Nova Scotia to support schools committed to building a culture of peace. Guided by League facilitators, member schools offer children models for building healthy relationships through service learning and elders programs. Member schools develop discipline policies that are proactive instead of punitive,…

"Like a family but better because you can actually trust each other": the Expect Respect dating violence prevention program for at-risk youth.

PubMed

Ball, Barbara; Kerig, Patricia K; Rosenbluth, Barri

2009-01-01

Expect Respect, a teen dating violence prevention program, was among four programs selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to participate in an empowerment evaluation project. As one aspect of this project, a qualitative study was designed to investigate the effects of Expect Respect support groups for at-risk youth. The goal was to understand the "how and why" of the program's impact on participants. Group interviews were conducted with five boys' and five girls' support groups after completion of the program. Settings included public middle and high schools and alternative schools in juvenile detention. Participants were asked to describe significant learning experiences in support groups as well as changes in their relationships resulting from program participation. Youths across all groups reported learning new skills including improved communication, anger control, and alternatives to violence. They reported increased knowledge about healthy relationships and warning signs of dating violence and expanded awareness of their own and others' abusive behaviors. Changed relationship norms were uniquely expressed by a boys' group in juvenile detention. Findings indicate that the experience of emotional safety in groups and positive relationships among group members were instrumental in the learning process.

Exercise volume and intensity: a dose-response relationship with health benefits.

PubMed

Foulds, Heather J A; Bredin, Shannon S D; Charlesworth, Sarah A; Ivey, Adam C; Warburton, Darren E R

2014-08-01

The health benefits of exercise are well established. However, the relationship between exercise volume and intensity and health benefits remains unclear, particularly the benefits of low-volume and intensity exercise. The primary purpose of this investigation was, therefore, to examine the dose-response relationship between exercise volume and intensity with derived health benefits including volumes and intensity of activity well below international recommendations. Generally healthy, active participants (n = 72; age = 44 ± 13 years) were assigned randomly to control (n = 10) or one of five 13-week exercise programs: (1) 10-min brisk walking 1×/week (n = 10), (2) 10-min brisk walking 3×/week (n = 10), (3) 30-min brisk walking 3×/week (n = 18), (4) 60-min brisk walking 3×/week (n = 10), and (5) 30-min running 3×/week (n = 14), in addition to their regular physical activity. Health measures evaluated pre- and post-training including blood pressure, body composition, fasting lipids and glucose, and maximal aerobic power (VO2max). Health improvements were observed among programs at least 30 min in duration, including body composition and VO2max: 30-min walking 28.8-34.5 mL kg(-1) min(-1), 60-min walking 25.1-28.9 mL kg(-1) min(-1), and 30-min running 32.4-36.4 mL kg(-1) min(-1). The greater intensity running program also demonstrated improvements in triglycerides. In healthy active individuals, a physical activity program of at least 30 min in duration for three sessions/per week is associated with consistent improvements in health status.

Beyond the 'safe sex' propaganda.

PubMed

Hadzic, Maja; Khajehei, Marjan

2010-01-01

In this paper, we discuss sexual relationships among teenagers, the related issues, and suggest addressing the issues through effective education programs for both teenagers and their parents. We also discuss the main issues resulting from initiation of sexual relationship during adolescence such as unwanted pregnancy, maternal mortality, abortion, sexually transmitted diseases and damaged mental health. In addition, we highlight the lack of adequate sex education in teenagers and emphasize on the negative influence of TV programs and the harmful effects of dysfunctional families. Moreover, this article proposes equipping teenagers with knowledge that will help them understand not only physical but also emotional, social, and mental dynamics of sexual relationships. We believe that this approach would intervene much earlier in their life, help teenagers make healthy decision and minimize negative consequences of their personal choices.

Association of school performance indicators with implementation of the Healthy Kids, Smart Kids program: case study

PubMed Central

Nansel, Tonja R.; Huang, Terry T.K.; Rovner, Alisha J.; Sanders-Butler, Yvonne

2009-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to examine secular trends in school performance indicators in relationship to the implementation of a program targeting the school food and physical activity environment. Design: Data on available school performance indicators were obtained; retrospective analyses were conducted to assess trends in indicators in association with program implementation; each outcome was regressed on year, beginning with the year prior to program implementation. Setting: The Healthy Kids, Smart Kids program was a grass-roots effort to enhance the school food and physical activity environment in the Browns Mill Elementary School in Georgia. Subjects: Data included publicly available school records from the years 1995 to 2006. Results: The number of nurse, counseling, and disciplinary referrals per 100 students demonstrated a downward trend, while standardized test scores demonstrated an upward trend beginning the year of program implementation. School year was a significant predictor of all indicators. Conclusions: Promoting nutrition and physical activity within the school environment may be a promising approach for enhancing both student health and educational outcomes. PMID:19454125

Identifying Strategies Programs Adopt to Meet Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards in Afterschool Programs.

PubMed

Weaver, Robert G; Moore, Justin B; Turner-McGrievy, Brie; Saunders, Ruth; Beighle, Aaron; Khan, M Mahmud; Chandler, Jessica; Brazendale, Keith; Randell, Allison; Webster, Collin; Beets, Michael W

2017-08-01

The YMCA of USA has adopted Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (HEPA) Standards for its afterschool programs (ASPs). Little is known about strategies YMCA ASPs are implementing to achieve Standards and these strategies' effectiveness. (1) Identify strategies implemented in YMCA ASPs and (2) evaluate the relationship between strategy implementation and meeting Standards. HEPA was measured via accelerometer (moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity [MVPA]) and direct observation (snacks served) in 20 ASPs. Strategies were identified and mapped onto a capacity building framework ( Strategies To Enhance Practice [STEPs]). Mixed-effects regression estimated increases in HEPA outcomes as implementation increased. Model-implied estimates were calculated for high (i.e., highest implementation score achieved), moderate (median implementation score across programs), and low (lowest implementation score achieved) implementation for both HEPA separately. Programs implemented a variety of strategies identified in STEPs. For every 1-point increase in implementation score 1.45% (95% confidence interval = 0.33% to 2.55%, p ≤ .001) more girls accumulated 30 min/day of MVPA and fruits and/or vegetables were served on 0.11 more days (95% confidence interval = 0.11-0.45, p ≤ .01). Relationships between implementation and other HEPA outcomes did not reach statistical significance. Still regression estimates indicated that desserts are served on 1.94 fewer days (i.e., 0.40 vs. 2.34) in the highest implementing program than the lowest implementing program and water is served 0.73 more days (i.e., 2.37 vs. 1.64). Adopting HEPA Standards at the national level does not lead to changes in routine practice in all programs. Practical strategies that programs could adopt to more fully comply with the HEPA Standards are identified.

Pilates for Better Sex: Changes in Sexual Functioning in Healthy Turkish Women After Pilates Exercise.

PubMed

Halis, Fikret; Yildirim, Pelin; Kocaaslan, Ramazan; Cecen, Kursat; Gokce, Ahmet

2016-05-18

Although a large number of studies report the impact of daily exercise on many aspects of women's health, none of them address the relationship between Pilates exercise and sexual function prospectively. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Pilates exercise on sexual function in healthy young women using a validated questionnaire. In total, 34 premenopausal healthy Turkish women aged between 20 and 50 years who had regular menstrual cycles and sexual relationships were included in the study. Women were asked to complete Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaires. Questionnaires were completed before and after 12 weeks of Pilates exercise. Primary endpoints were changes in total and individual domain scores on the FSFI and BDI. After the 12-week Pilates intervention, BDI scores were decreased and all domains of the FSFI were significantly improved with mean ± SD total FSFI scores increasing from 25.9 ± 7.4 to 32.2 ± 3.6 (p <.0001). This is the first prospective study that quantifies the improvement in sexual function of healthy women after a 12-week Pilates program. Our findings suggest that Pilates may improve sexual function in healthy women. However, further studies with a larger sample size are needed in this field.

Relationship Education Research: Current Status and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Markman, Howard J.; Rhoades, Galena K.

2011-01-01

The overarching aim of this paper is to review research on relationship education programs and approaches that have been published or accepted for publication since the last review article in 2002. This paper provides a critical overview of the relationship education field and sets an agenda for research and practice for the next decade. A theme weaved throughout the paper are the ways in which relationship education is similar and different from couples therapy and we conclude that there can be a synergistic, healthy marriage between the two. We then provide recommendations for future directions for research in the relationship education field. Finally, the co-authors comment on our experiences in both the relationship education field and couples therapy field as both researchers and interventionists. PMID:22283386

Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention in a Rural Native American Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagen, Janet W.; Skenandore, Alice H.; Scow, Beverly M.; Schanen, Jennifer G.; Clary, Frieda Hugo

2012-01-01

Nationally, the United States has a higher rate of teen pregnancy than any other industrialized nation. Native American youth have a higher birth rate than the national rate. A full-year healthy relationship program, based on Native American teachings, traditions, and cultural norms, was delivered to all eighth-grade students at a rural tribal…

Building Partnerships: The Role of Nonprofit Organizations in Supporting Education Diplomacy in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tilhou, Rebecca; Rose, Brittney; Eckhoff, Angela; Glasgow, Jane

2018-01-01

Nonprofit organizations providing early childhood services that support the healthy growth, development, and education of young children and their families have a unique relationship with communities. In order to have significant impact on quality of life, these programs must be sustainable and committed to meeting local needs. This article…

The Relationship between School-Level Characteristics and Implementation Fidelity of a Coordinated School Health Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lederer, Alyssa M.; King, Mindy H.; Sovinski, Danielle; Seo, Dong-Chul; Kim, Nayoung

2015-01-01

Background: Curtailing childhood obesity is a public health imperative. Although multicomponent school-based programs reduce obesity among children, less is known about the implementation fidelity of these interventions. This study examines process evaluation findings for the Healthy, Energetic Ready, Outstanding, Enthusiastic, Schools (HEROES)…

Policies and Programming for Safer Schools: Are "Anti-Bullying" Approaches Impeding Education for Peacebuilding?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bickmore, Kathy

2011-01-01

Prevailing anti-violence practices in public schools, especially in the context of recently increased emphasis on bullying, often allocate more resources to surveillance and control than to facilitation of healthy relationships or conflict/ peace learning. This policy emphasis increases the risks of marginalization and reduces opportunities for…

Lessons learned from small store programs to increase healthy food access.

PubMed

Gittelsohn, Joel; Laska, Melissa N; Karpyn, Allison; Klingler, Kristen; Ayala, Guadalupe X

2014-03-01

To document implementation challenges and opportunities associated with small store interventions. Case study analysis of small store interventions conducted in 4 regions of the US. We systematically generated matrices to compare and contrast lessons learned to advance implementation science. Seven thematic areas were identified including: establishing relationships with stores, store owner and customer relationships, selection of intervention approaches, stocking healthier foods, evaluation, maintenance of changes, and dissemination. This information provides guidance to researchers and practitioners wishing to design, implement, and evaluate small store interventions.

Committed dating relationships and mental health among college students.

PubMed

Whitton, Sarah W; Weitbrecht, Eliza M; Kuryluk, Amanda D; Bruner, Michael R

2013-01-01

To examine whether involvement in committed dating relationships is associated with university students' mental health (depressive symptoms and problem alcohol use, including binge drinking), and whether these associations differ by gender. A sample of 889 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25. Self-report measures of dating relationship status, depression, and problematic alcohol use were collected via an online survey from August to December 2010. Involvement in a committed relationship, compared with being single, was associated with fewer depressive symptoms for college women but not for men. Committed relationship involvement was also associated with less problematic alcohol use for both genders. Findings suggest that involvement in committed relationships may be protective to college student mental health, and highlight the potential of healthy relationship programming to benefit student well-being.

Measuring self-management of patients' and employees' health: further validation of the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) based on its relation to employee characteristics.

PubMed

Fowles, Jinnet Briggs; Terry, Paul; Xi, Min; Hibbard, Judith; Bloom, Christine Taddy; Harvey, Lisa

2009-10-01

Evaluate the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) in relation to personal characteristics in employed populations. Further validate the PAM for use in improving clinical or employer-based health-intervention programs. Data for analysis were taken from baseline survey information and health screenings collected during a randomized, controlled trial testing two different health promotion programs. Study population included 625 employees (predominantly white collar) from two companies in the northern Midwest of the United States: a large, integrated health care system and a national airline. PAM's psychometric properties are robust in two employed populations. Activation is directly related not only to health status, but also to job performance measures. The strong positive relationship of PAM to measures of healthy behavior, health information-seeking and readiness-to-change further validate the measure. Commonly, a difference of 5 points on the PAM separated healthy from less healthy behaviors. Activation can be understood in a broader population health context and need not be restricted to people with chronic illnesses. The study provides guidance on how to interpret PAM scores. The PAM can be used as part of any health-intervention program designed to improve patients' or employees' self-management skills, whether the program is clinic-based or employer-based. 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Can typical US home visits affect infant attachment? Preliminary findings from a randomized trial of Healthy Families Durham.

PubMed

Berlin, Lisa J; Martoccio, Tiffany L; Appleyard Carmody, Karen; Goodman, W Benjamin; O'Donnell, Karen; Williams, Janis; Murphy, Robert A; Dodge, Kenneth A

2017-12-01

US government-funded early home visiting services are expanding significantly. The most widely implemented home visiting models target at-risk new mothers and their infants. Such home visiting programs typically aim to support infant-parent relationships; yet, such programs' effects on infant attachment quality per se are as yet untested. Given these programs' aims, and the crucial role of early attachments in human development, it is important to understand attachment processes in home visited families. The current, preliminary study examined 94 high-risk mother-infant dyads participating in a randomized evaluation of the Healthy Families Durham (HFD) home visiting program. We tested (a) infant attachment security and disorganization as predictors of toddler behavior problems and (b) program effects on attachment security and disorganization. We found that (a) infant attachment disorganization (but not security) predicted toddler behavior problems and (b) participation in HFD did not significantly affect infant attachment security or disorganization. Findings are discussed in terms of the potential for attachment-specific interventions to enhance the typical array of home visiting services.

INTEGRATING HEALTH INTO BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE.

PubMed

Heidari, Leila; Younger, Margalit; Chandler, George; Gooch, James; Schramm, Paul

2016-01-01

The health and wellbeing of building occupants should be a key priority in the design, building, and operation of new and existing buildings. Buildings can be designed, renovated, and constructed to promote healthy environments and behaviors and mitigate adverse health outcomes. This paper highlights health in terms of the relationship between occupants and buildings, as well as the relationship of buildings to the community. In the context of larger systems, smart buildings and green infrastructure strategies serve to support public health goals. At the level of the individual building, interventions that promote health can also enhance indoor environmental quality and provide opportunities for physical activity. Navigating the various programs that use metrics to measure a building's health impacts reveals that there are multiple co-benefits of a "healthy building," including those related to the economy, environment, society, transportation, planning, and energy efficiency.

Developmental Stages and Work Capacities of Community Coalitions: How Extension Educators Address and Evaluate Changing Coalition Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Allison; Riffe, Jane; Peck, Terrill; Kaczor, Cheryl; Nix, Kelly; Faulkner-Van Deysen, Angela

2014-01-01

Extension educators provide resources to community coalitions. The study reported here adds to what is known about community coalitions and applies an assessment framework to a state-level coalition-based Extension program on healthy relationships and marriages. The study combines the Internal Coalition Outcome Hierarchy (ICOH) framework with four…

Can small changes in a summer camp program for the rural impoverished make a difference in healthy eating?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The current epidemic of obesity now affects children, impacting rural as well as urban areas. Nutrition education efforts in the rural Delta are a challenge due to the inability to work with children/families closely. The Delta Obesity Prevention Research Unit (DOPRU)has established a relationship w...

Sex and Relationships Education: Potential and Challenges Perceived by Teachers of the Deaf

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suter, Sarah; McCracken, Wendy; Calam, Rachel

2009-01-01

Providing children who are deaf with accessible, age-appropriate guidance and support in learning about growing up is of great importance for their healthy sexual development. This quantitative survey study is part of an exploratory research program with the goal of providing empirical data on the growth of sexual understanding in deaf children…

Acculturation and healthy lifestyle habits among Hispanics in United States-Mexico border communities.

PubMed

Ghaddar, Suad; Brown, Cynthia J; Pagán, José A; Díaz, Violeta

2010-09-01

To explore the relationship between acculturation and healthy lifestyle habits in the largely Hispanic populations living in underserved communities in the United States of America along the U.S.-Mexico border. A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2006 to June 2008 using survey data from the Alliance for a Healthy Border, a program designed to reduce health disparities in the U.S.-Mexico border region by funding nutrition and physical activity education programs at 12 federally qualified community health centers in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. The survey included questions on acculturation, diet, exercise, and demographic factors and was completed by 2,381 Alliance program participants, of whom 95.3% were Hispanic and 45.4% were under the U.S. poverty level for 2007. Chi-square (χ2) and Student's t tests were used for bivariate comparisons between acculturation and dietary and physical activity measures. Linear regression and binary logistic regression were used to control for factors associated with nutrition and exercise. Based on univariate tests and confirmed by regression analysis controlling for sociodemographic and health variables, less acculturated survey respondents reported a significantly higher frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and healthier dietary habits than those who were more acculturated. Adjusted binary logistic regression confirmed that individuals with low language acculturation were less likely to engage in physical activity than those with moderate to high acculturation (odds ratio 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.59-0.95). Findings confirmed an association between acculturation and healthy lifestyle habits and supported the hypothesis that acculturation in border community populations tends to decrease the practice of some healthy dietary habits while increasing exposure to and awareness of the importance of other healthy behaviors.

The relation between insulin-like growth factor I levels and cognition in healthy elderly: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Arwert, L I; Deijen, J B; Drent, M L

2005-12-01

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) levels and cognitive functioning decrease with aging. Several studies report positive correlations between IGF-I levels and cognitive functioning in healthy elderly. However, because of controversial data no definitive conclusions can be drawn concerning the relation between IGF-I and cognition. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analysis on studies that report on the relation between IGF-I and cognition in healthy elderly. We searched the electronic databases for articles about IGF-I and cognition. Studies from 1985 to January 2005 are included. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design and cognitive outcomes. Thirteen studies on IGF-I and cognition in elderly, with a total number of 1981 subjects, met the inclusion criteria. On the data from these studies meta-analyses were carried out by means of the program Comprehensive Meta-analysis using a random effects model. Pooled effects show that IGF-I levels in healthy elderly have a positive correlation with cognitive functioning, which appeared to be mainly measured with the mini mental state examination (MMSE). The effect size is 0.6, which indicates the presence of a large positive relationship between IGF and cognition in healthy elderly. These meta-analyses showed an overall relationship between IGF-I levels and cognitive functioning in healthy elderly. Further studies should be performed to clarify the role of IGF-I substitution in preserving cognitive functions with aging.

Participation in Heart-Healthy Behaviors: A Secondary Analysis of the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match Data.

PubMed

Arslanian-Engoren, Cynthia; Eastwood, Jo-Ann; De Jong, Marla J; Berra, Kathy

2015-01-01

The American Heart Association created Go Red Heart Match, a free and secure online program that enables women to connect with each other to fight heart disease either personally or as a caregiver for someone with heart disease. Through these connections, participants have an opportunity to develop a personal, private, and supportive relationship with other women; share common experiences; and motivate and encourage each other to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle. The aims of this study were to describe the demographic characteristics of the Go Red Heart Match responders and to determine whether participation in the program prompted participants to engage in heart-healthy behaviors. A secondary analysis of data collected as part of a needs assessment survey from the American Heart Association Go Red Heart Match was conducted. A total of 117 (35%) of the 334 invited women completed the survey. Most responders were female, married, and college educated. A total of 105 (90%) responders were diagnosed with a type of heart disease or stroke and 77 (73%) responders had undergone treatment. As a result of participating in the program, 75% of the responders reported the following improvements in heart-healthy behaviors: eating a more heart-healthy diet (54%), exercising more frequently (53%), losing weight (47%), and quitting smoking (10%). Responders who had a diagnosis of heart attack (n = 48) were more likely (P = .003) to quit smoking than were those with other diagnoses (n = 69). Notably, 48% of responders reported encouraging someone else in their life to speak to their doctor about their risk for heart disease. Most women who participated in Heart Match reported engaging in new heart-healthy behaviors. The findings support expanding the existing program in a more diverse population as a potentially important way to reach women and encourage cardiovascular disease risk reduction for those with heart disease and stroke.

The impact of the within my reach relationship training on relationship skills and outcomes for low-income individuals.

PubMed

Antle, Becky; Sar, Bibhuti; Christensen, Dana; Karam, Eli; Ellers, Fran; Barbee, Anita; van Zyl, Michel

2013-07-01

A federal grant was awarded to provide the Within My Reach healthy relationships curriculum to low-income, at-risk individuals involved with various social service agencies. The effectiveness of this curriculum was evaluated for 202 participants through measures of training and relationship outcomes pre-, immediately post- and 6 months posttraining. Participants experienced high levels of training satisfaction; significant increases in knowledge, communication/conflict resolution skills, and relationship quality; as well as a trend in the reduction of relationship violence. An important implication of this research is that MFTs may broaden their service delivery to at-risk individuals by collaborating with community agencies to adapt established relationship enhancement programs, evidence-based tools, and principles that complement traditional couples therapy. © 2012 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

An Exploratory Analysis of Unhealthy and Abusive Relationships for Adults with Serious Mental Illnesses Living in Supportive Housing.

PubMed

Forenza, Brad; Bermea, Autumn M

2017-08-01

Individuals living with serious mental illness are at high risk of chronic homelessness, victimization, and intimate partner violence. In recent years, supportive housing programs have emerged as one way to prevent homelessness and victimization for this population, while also expanding social interactions and social networks. In concert with a focal supportive housing program, this research conducted two focus groups with 18 individuals who have a serious mental illness diagnosis. The authors sought to answer the research question, "What are perceptions of healthy and unhealthy relationships among formerly homeless people with serious mental illness?" To this end, the eight-item questionnaire was created around dimensions of power and control, as well as relationship equality. Findings from an inductive thematic analysis reveal three broad families of themes (relationship ideals, lived experiences, and risk/resources in supportive housing), around which smaller themes and subthemes are organized. Implications for policy, practice, and future research are also discussed.

Lessons Learned From Small Store Programs to Increase Healthy Food Access

PubMed Central

Gittelsohn, Joel; Laska, Melissa N.; Karpyn, Allison; Klingler, Kristen; Ayala, Guadalupe X.

2013-01-01

Objectives To document implementation challenges and opportunities associated with small store interventions. Methods Case study analysis of small store interventions conducted in 4 regions of the US. We systematically generated matrices to compare and contrast lessons learned to advance implementation science. Results Seven thematic areas were identified including: establishing relationships with stores, store owner and customer relationships, selection of intervention approaches, stocking healthier foods, evaluation, maintenance of changes, and dissemination. Conclusions This information provides guidance to researchers and practitioners wishing to design, implement, and evaluate small store interventions. PMID:24629559

The Overrepresentation of African Americans in Special Education Programs: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Clarence H.; Wilson, Carolyn H.

2006-01-01

Opportunities to interact with their school-aged peers gives young people an avenue for learning the social skills necessary to build healthy relationships, to interact at an acceptable level in a group structure and respect for the individual differences of others around them. These skills take on a greater importance after high school due to …

INTEGRATING HEALTH INTO BUILDINGS OF THE FUTURE

PubMed Central

Heidari, Leila; Younger, Margalit; Chandler, George; Gooch, James; Schramm, Paul

2018-01-01

The health and wellbeing of building occupants should be a key priority in the design, building, and operation of new and existing buildings. Buildings can be designed, renovated, and constructed to promote healthy environments and behaviors and mitigate adverse health outcomes. This paper highlights health in terms of the relationship between occupants and buildings, as well as the relationship of buildings to the community. In the context of larger systems, smart buildings and green infrastructure strategies serve to support public health goals. At the level of the individual building, interventions that promote health can also enhance indoor environmental quality and provide opportunities for physical activity. Navigating the various programs that use metrics to measure a building’s health impacts reveals that there are multiple co-benefits of a “healthy building,” including those related to the economy, environment, society, transportation, planning, and energy efficiency. PMID:29375173

Advancing adolescent sexual and reproductive health by promoting healthy relationships.

PubMed

Tharp, Andra Teten; Carter, Marion; Fasula, Amy M; Hatfield-Timajchy, Kendra; Jayne, Paula E; Latzman, Natasha E; Kinsey, Jennine

2013-11-01

The field of public health faces a challenge in preventing adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes such as sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, and dating and sexual violence among adolescents. Innovative approaches are needed to better address these issues. Focusing on healthy relationships is an emerging approach that may be used to promote adolescent sexual and reproductive health. In this report, we discuss the need for innovative and efficient strategies for adolescent sexual and reproductive health, the benefits of a healthy relationships approach, describe the need for a science-based conceptual framework on healthy relationships, and provide some considerations for developing a conceptual framework of healthy relationships in order to move the field of public health forward.

EXAMINING LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF AN INFANT MENTAL HEALTH HOME-BASED EARLY HEAD START PROGRAM ON FAMILY STRENGTHS AND RESILIENCE.

PubMed

Mckelvey, Lorraine; Schiffman, Rachel F; Brophy-Herb, Holly E; Bocknek, Erika London; Fitzgerald, Hiram E; Reischl, Thomas M; Hawver, Shelley; Cunningham Deluca, Mary

2015-01-01

Infant Mental Health based interventions aim to promote the healthy development of infants and toddlers through promoting healthy family functioning to foster supportive relationships between the young child and his or her important caregivers. This study examined impacts of an Infant Mental Health home-based Early Head Start (IMH-HB EHS) program on family functioning. The sample includes 152 low-income families in the Midwestern United States, expectant or parenting a child younger than 1 year of age, who were randomly assigned to receive IMH-HB EHS services (n = 75) or to a comparison condition (n = 77). Mothers who received IMH-HB EHS services reported healthier psychological and family functioning, outcomes that are consistent with the IMH focus, when their children were between the ages of 3 and 7 years of age. Specifically, mothers in the IMH-HB EHS group reported healthier family functioning and relationships, better coping skills needed to advocate for their families, and less stress in the parenting role versus those in the comparison condition. The study also examined support seeking coping, some of which changed differently over time based on program group assignment. Overall, findings suggest that the gains families achieve from participating in IMH-HB EHS services are maintained after services cease. © 2015 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

The Committed Intimate Partnerships of Incarcerated African-American Men: Implications for Sexual HIV Transmission Risk and Prevention Opportunities.

PubMed

Khan, Maria R; El-Bassel, Nabila; Golin, Carol E; Scheidell, Joy D; Adimora, Adaora A; Coatsworth, Ashley M; Hu, Hui; Judon-Monk, Selena; Medina, Katie P; Wohl, David A

2017-10-01

Incarceration is thought to influence HIV transmission by disrupting partnerships that provide support and protect against sex risk-taking. Current correctional facility-based family-strengthening programs focus on marital partnerships, a minority of inmates' partnerships. Research on the sex partnerships of incarcerated African-American men and the types of partnerships most likely to protect against HIV-related sex risk is limited. Improved understanding can inform expansion of correctional facility-based family-strengthening programs to a greater proportion of protective partnerships and HIV risk reduction programs to partnerships vulnerable to sex risk. Project DISRUPT is a cohort study of African-American men being released from prison in North Carolina who were in committed heterosexual partnerships at prison entry. Using baseline survey data (N = 189), we conducted latent class analysis (LCA) to identify subgroups of participants with distinct relationship profiles and measured associations between relationship characteristics and multiple partnerships of inmates and their partners in the six months before incarceration. LCA indicated a two-class solution, with relationships distinguished by satisfaction/stability (satisfied/stable class: 58.0%; dissatisfied/unstable class: 42.0%); each class had comparable relationship length and levels of marriage and cohabitation. Dissatisfied/unstable relationships were associated with multiple partnerships among participants (AOR 2.93, 95% CI 1.50, 5.72) and partners (AOR 4.95, 95% CI 1.68, 14.58). Satisfaction indicators-versus length, marriage, or cohabitation-were the strongest independent correlates of inmates' and partners' multiple partnerships. Pre-incarceration economic deprivation, mental disorder symptoms, substance use, and violence in relationships were associated with dissatisfaction/instability. Prison-based programs designed to maintain healthy partnerships, strengthen relationship skills, and reduce HIV risk-taking and violence in relationships are warranted and should be targeted to both marital and nonmarital partnerships. Programming also should address the poverty, mental illness, and substance use factors that threaten relationship satisfaction/stability and increase HIV risk.

Environmental exposures and health impacts of PFAS ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Environmental exposures and health impacts of PFAS The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Bringing a Network-Oriented Approach to Domestic Violence Services: A Focus Group Exploration of Promising Practices.

PubMed

Goodman, Lisa A; Banyard, Victoria; Woulfe, Julie; Ash, Sarah; Mattern, Grace

2016-01-01

Despite powerful evidence that informal social support contributes to survivors' safety and well-being, mainstream domestic violence (DV) programs have not developed comprehensive models for helping isolated survivors re-engage with these networks. Although many advocates use network-oriented strategies informally, they often do so without resources, funding, or training. This qualitative focus group study explored advocates' use and perceptions of network-oriented strategies. Advocates working in a range of DV programs across one state described the importance of network-oriented work and articulated its five dimensions, including helping survivors build their capacity to form healthy relationships, identify helpful and harmful network members, re-engage with existing networks, develop new relationships, and respond more effectively to network members. © The Author(s) 2015.

Determinants of eating behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background College or university is a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in eating behaviours in students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore which factors influence Belgian (European) university students’ eating behaviour, using a qualitative research design. Furthermore, we aimed to collect ideas and recommendations in order to facilitate the development of effective and tailored intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students. Methods Using a semi-structured question guide, five focus group discussions have been conducted consisting of 14 male and 21 female university students from a variety of study disciplines, with a mean age of 20.6 ± 1.7 yrs. Using Nvivo9, an inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. Results After the transition from secondary school to university, when independency increases, students are continuously challenged to make healthful food choices. Students reported to be influenced by individual factors (e.g. taste preferences, self-discipline, time and convenience), their social networks (e.g. (lack of) parental control, friends and peers), physical environment (e.g. availability and accessibility, appeal and prices of food products), and macro environment (e.g. media and advertising). Furthermore, the relationships between determinants and university students’ eating behaviour seemed to be moderated by university characteristics, such as residency, student societies, university lifestyle and exams. Recommendations for university administrators and researchers include providing information and advice to enhance healthy food choices and preparation (e.g. via social media), enhancing self-discipline and self-control, developing time management skills, enhancing social support, and modifying the subjective as well as the objective campus food environment by e.g. making healthy foods price-beneficial and by providing vending machines with more healthy products. Conclusions This is the first European study examining perceived determinants of eating behaviour in university students and collecting ideas and recommendations for healthy eating interventions in a university specific setting. University characteristics (residency, exams, etc.) influence the relationships between individual as well as social environmental determinants and university students’ eating behaviour, and should therefore be taken into account when designing effective and tailored multilevel intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students. PMID:24438555

Determinants of eating behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions.

PubMed

Deliens, Tom; Clarys, Peter; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Deforche, Benedicte

2014-01-18

College or university is a critical period regarding unhealthy changes in eating behaviours in students. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore which factors influence Belgian (European) university students' eating behaviour, using a qualitative research design. Furthermore, we aimed to collect ideas and recommendations in order to facilitate the development of effective and tailored intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students. Using a semi-structured question guide, five focus group discussions have been conducted consisting of 14 male and 21 female university students from a variety of study disciplines, with a mean age of 20.6 ± 1.7 yrs. Using Nvivo9, an inductive thematic approach was used for data analysis. After the transition from secondary school to university, when independency increases, students are continuously challenged to make healthful food choices. Students reported to be influenced by individual factors (e.g. taste preferences, self-discipline, time and convenience), their social networks (e.g. (lack of) parental control, friends and peers), physical environment (e.g. availability and accessibility, appeal and prices of food products), and macro environment (e.g. media and advertising). Furthermore, the relationships between determinants and university students' eating behaviour seemed to be moderated by university characteristics, such as residency, student societies, university lifestyle and exams. Recommendations for university administrators and researchers include providing information and advice to enhance healthy food choices and preparation (e.g. via social media), enhancing self-discipline and self-control, developing time management skills, enhancing social support, and modifying the subjective as well as the objective campus food environment by e.g. making healthy foods price-beneficial and by providing vending machines with more healthy products. This is the first European study examining perceived determinants of eating behaviour in university students and collecting ideas and recommendations for healthy eating interventions in a university specific setting. University characteristics (residency, exams, etc.) influence the relationships between individual as well as social environmental determinants and university students' eating behaviour, and should therefore be taken into account when designing effective and tailored multilevel intervention programs aiming to improve healthy eating behaviours in university students.

Modeling the relationship between physical activity and quality of life in menopausal-aged women: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Javadivala, Zeinab; Kousha, Ahmad; Allahverdipour, Hamid; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Tallebian, Hossein

2013-09-17

The purpose of the present study was (a) to assess the relationship between physical activity and the intensity and duration of menopausal symptoms, (b) to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the four domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and (c) to assess the relationship between physical activity and chronic diseases. This descriptive-analytical study that was conducted in Tabriz City, Iran. Data were collected in 2012 by personal home-based interviews, using structured questionnaires. All participants (n= 273), who were middle-aged (age range of 40-60 yr) were recruited from two of the 25 urban health service centers' clients, by clustered random sampling allocation. There was a positive significant relationship between Psychological, Social, and Environmental domains of HRQOL with physical activity (P<0.001). In addition, a negative significant relation was found between somatic complaints including sexual problems (P< 0.017) and vaginal dryness (P<0.030) as well as joint-muscular discomfort (P<0.018), and the level of physical activity. Diabetic (P<0.047) and women with history of heart disease (P<0.040) performed 2.670 and 3.548 hours more than who were not. Regular physical activity would be effective in decreasing menopausal symptoms as well as improving healthy aging and also physical activity promotion as a part of healthy life style promotion programs needs to be improved in communities where women are physically inactive. In addition, women need to be informed about importance of physical activity on their life which it leads to feel healthy aging and pre and post- menopausal stages.

Effects of relationship education on couple communication and satisfaction: A randomized controlled trial with low-income couples.

PubMed

Williamson, Hannah C; Altman, Noemi; Hsueh, JoAnn; Bradbury, Thomas N

2016-02-01

Although preventive educational interventions for couples have been examined in more than 100 experimental studies, the value of this work is limited by reliance on economically advantaged populations and by an absence of data on proposed mediators and moderators. Data from the Supporting Healthy Marriage Project-a randomized, controlled trial of relationship education for couples living with low incomes-were therefore analyzed to test whether intervention effects on relationship satisfaction would be mediated by observational assessments of relationship communication and whether any such effects would be moderated by couples' pretreatment risk. Within the larger sample of Supporting Healthy Marriage Project couples randomized to a relationship education or no-treatment control condition, the present analyses focus on the 1,034 couples who provided (a) data on sociodemographic risk at baseline, (b) observational data on couple communication 12 months after randomization, and (c) reports of relationship satisfaction 30 months after randomization. Intervention couples reported higher satisfaction at 30 months than control couples, regardless of their level of pretreatment risk. Among higher risk couples, the intervention improved observed communication as well. Contrary to prediction, treatment effects on satisfaction were not mediated by improvements in communication, and improvements in communication did not translate into greater satisfaction. Relationship education programs produce small improvements in relationship satisfaction and communication, particularly for couples at elevated sociodemographic risk. The absence of behavioral effects on satisfaction indicates, however, that the mechanisms by which couples may benefit from relationship education are not yet well understood. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Observations of adolescent peer resistance skills following a classroom-based healthy relationship program: a post-intervention comparison.

PubMed

Wolfe, David A; Crooks, Claire V; Chiodo, Debbie; Hughes, Raymond; Ellis, Wendy

2012-04-01

This study examines peer resistance skills following a 21-lesson classroom-based intervention to build healthy relationships and decrease abusive and health-risk behaviors among adolescents. The Fourth R instructs students in positive relationship skills, such as negotiation and delay, for navigating challenging peer and dating scenarios. Observational data from 196 grade 9 students participating in a larger cluster randomized controlled trial were used to evaluate post-intervention acquisition of peer resistance skills. Pairs of students engaged in a role play paradigm with older student actors, where they were subjected to increasing pressure to comply with peer requests related to drugs and alcohol, bullying, and sexual behavior. Specific and global measures of change in peer resistance responses were obtained from two independent sets of observers, blinded to condition. Specific peer resistance responses (negotiation, delay, yielding to pressure, refusal, and compliance) were coded by research assistants; global peer resistance responses were rated by teachers from other schools (thinking / inquiry, application, communication, and perceived efficacy). Students who received the intervention were more likely to demonstrate negotiation skills and less likely to yield to negative pressure relative to controls. Intervention students were also more likely to use delay than controls; control girls were more likely to use refusal responses; the number of times students complied with peer requests did not differ. Teacher ratings demonstrated significant main effects favoring intervention youth on all measures. Program and research implications are highlighted.

Promoting Early Brain and Child Development: Perceived Barriers and the Utilization of Resources to Address Them.

PubMed

Garner, Andrew S; Storfer-Isser, Amy; Szilagyi, Moira; Stein, Ruth E K; Green, Cori M; Kerker, Bonnie D; O'Connor, Karen G; Hoagwood, Kimberly E; McCue Horwitz, Sarah

Efforts to promote early brain and child development (EBCD) include initiatives to support healthy parent-child relationships, tools to identify family social-emotional risk factors, and referrals to community programs to address family risk factors. We sought to examine if pediatricians perceive barriers to implementing these activities, and if they utilize resources to address those barriers. Data were analyzed from 304 nontrainee pediatricians who practice general pediatrics and completed a 2013 American Academy of Pediatrics Periodic Survey. Sample weights were used to decrease nonresponse bias. Bivariate comparisons and multivariable regression analyses were conducted. At least half of the pediatricians agreed that barriers to promoting EBCD include: a lack of tools to promote healthy parent-child relationships, a lack of tools to assess the family environment for social-emotional risk factors, and a lack of local resources to address family risks. Endorsing a lack of tools to assess the family environment as a barrier was associated with using fewer screening tools and community resources. Endorsing a lack of local resources as a barrier was associated with using fewer community resources and fewer initiatives to promote parent-child relationships. Interest in pediatric mental health was associated with using more initiatives to promote healthy parent-child relationships, screening tools, and community resources. Although the majority of pediatricians perceive barriers to promoting EBCD, few are routinely using available resources to address these barriers. Addressing pediatricians' perceived barriers and encouraging interest in pediatric mental health may increase resource utilization and enhance efforts to promote EBCD. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relationships between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oswald, Frank; Wahl, Hans-Werner; Schilling, Oliver; Nygren, Carita; Fange, Agneta; Sixsmith, Andrew; Sixsmith, Judith; Szeman, Zsuzsa; Tomsone, Signe; Iwarsson, Susanne

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective well-being. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries.…

The Capacity to Balance Intimacy and Conflict: Differences in Romantic Relationships Between Healthy and Diabetic Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiffge-Krenke, Inge

1997-01-01

Examined the developmental changes in romantic relationships of both healthy and diabetic adolescents. Found that, whereas healthy adolescents were increasingly able to balance both intimacy and conflict in their relationships with romantic partners, diabetic adolescents were unable to experience both positive and negative romantic qualities.…

"If you don't have honesty in a relationship, then there is no relationship": African American girls' characterization of healthy dating relationships, a qualitative study.

PubMed

Debnam, Katrina J; Howard, Donna E; Garza, Mary A

2014-12-01

The quality of dating relationships in adolescence can have long lasting effects on identity development, self-esteem, and interpersonal skills, and can shape values and behaviors related to future intimate relationships. The aims of this study were to: (1) investigate how African American adolescent girls characterize healthy relationships; and (2) describe the meanings of these characteristics in the context of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) 12 healthy dating relationship qualities. We conducted semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews with 33 African American high school girls in the mid-Atlantic region. Trained staff transcribed interviews verbatim and entered the data into ATLAS.ti for coding and analysis. Participants' specified and vividly described eight healthy relationship characteristics: good communication, honesty, trust, respect, compromise, understanding, individuality, and self-confidence. Of these characteristics, three (good communication, compromise, and respect) were described in ways discordant with CDC's definitions. Findings highlight a need to better understand how girls develop values and ascribe characteristics of healthy relationships in order to reduce their risk for teen dating violence.

A Safe and Healthful Work Environment: Development and Testing of an Undergraduate Occupational Health Nursing Curriculum.

PubMed

McCullagh, Marjorie C; Berry, Peggy

2015-08-01

Occupational health nursing focuses on promotion and restoration of health, prevention of illness and injury, protection from work-related and environmental hazards, and corporate profitability. Quality education about the relationship between work and health is critical for nurses' success regardless of work setting, and is consistent with Healthy People 2020 goals, but is lacking or limited in some programs. This report introduces an innovative occupational health nursing curriculum for students enrolled in baccalaureate nursing programs. The process of designing and pilot testing this novel curriculum, its alignment with nursing competencies, and its format and learning activities are described. Preparing professional nurses to understand the role of the occupational health nurse and the relationship between work and health is an essential curricular consideration for contemporary nursing education. © 2015 The Author(s).

We Don’t Dance Well: Government and Industry Defense Materiel Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

tive prototyping prior to Milestone B and rigorous system engineering. Those activities are extremely important and critical to successful...for the warfighter and is a critical member of the materiel acquisition team. That point seems to be forgotten by some acquisition workforce members...A healthy and engaging relationship with industry partners is a critical component of any program and will surely impact—posi- tively or negatively

How Analysis Informs Regulation:Success and Failure of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

How Analysis Informs Regulation:Success and Failure of Evolving Approaches to Polyfluoroalkyl Acid Contamination The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Developing Decontamination Tools and Approaches to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Developing Decontamination Tools and Approaches to Address Indoor Pesticide Contamination from Improper Bed Bug Treatments The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

A Method for Improved Interpretation of "Spot" Biomarker Data ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A Method for Improved Interpretation of "Spot" Biomarker Data The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Associations between Poor Sleep Quality and Stages of Change of Multiple Health Behaviors among Participants of Employee Wellness Program.

PubMed

Hui, Siu-Kuen Azor; Grandner, Michael A

2015-01-01

Using the Transtheoretical Model of behavioral change, this study evaluates the relationship between sleep quality and the motivation and maintenance processes of healthy behavior change. The current study is an analysis of data collected in 2008 from an online health risk assessment (HRA) survey completed by participants of the Kansas State employee wellness program (N=13,322). Using multinomial logistic regression, associations between self-reported sleep quality and stages of change (i.e. precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) in five health behaviors (stress management, weight management, physical activities, alcohol use, and smoking) were analyzed. Adjusted for covariates, poor sleep quality was associated with an increased likelihood of contemplation, preparation, and in some cases action stage when engaging in the health behavior change process, but generally a lower likelihood of maintenance of the healthy behavior. The present study demonstrated that poor sleep quality was associated with an elevated likelihood of contemplating or initiating behavior change, but a decreased likelihood of maintaining healthy behavior change. It is important to include sleep improvement as one of the lifestyle management interventions offered in EWP to comprehensively reduce health risks and promote the health of a large employee population.

77 FR 75441 - Healthy Home and Lead Hazard Control Grant Programs Data Collection; Progress Reporting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-20

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5603-N-93] Healthy Home and Lead Hazard... collection is designed to provide HUD timely information on progress of Healthy Homes Demonstration Program, Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program, Lead Base paint Hazard Control program, Lead Hazard Reduction...

The Effectiveness of the Within Our Reach Relationship Education Program for Couples: Findings from a Federal Randomized Trial.

PubMed

Rhoades, Galena K

2015-12-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a couple-based relationship education program, Within Our Reach. Secondary data (n = 3,609) were analyzed from the federal Supporting Healthy Marriage project. Couples were randomly assigned to receive Within Our Reach and associated services or to a no-treatment (treatment-as-usual) control group. Those assigned to Within Our Reach reported better couple and individual outcomes on 8 of 12 outcomes measured (M ES = .15) at the 12-month follow-up and 6 of 10 outcomes measured at the 30-month follow-up (M ES = .14), including higher relationship happiness, more warmth and support, more positive communication, less negative behavior and emotion, less psychological abuse, less physical assault (for men), lower psychological distress (for women), and less infidelity. They were also less likely to report that their marriage was in trouble. These effects were generally small in size and many were replicated across the two follow-ups. There were no significant differences between those assigned to Within Our Reach versus control on cooperative parenting, severe psychological assault, or percent married. Implications for future research, programming, and policy are discussed. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

“If you don’t have honesty in a relationship, then there is no relationship”: African American Girls’ Characterization of Healthy Dating Relationships, A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Garza, Mary A.

2014-01-01

The quality of dating relationships in adolescence can have long lasting effects on identity development, self-esteem, and interpersonal skills, and can shape values and behaviors related to future intimate relationships. The aims of this study were to: 1) investigate how African American adolescent girls characterize healthy relationships; and 2) describe the meanings of these characteristics in the context of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 12 healthy dating relationship qualities. We conducted semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews with 33 African American high school girls in the mid-Atlantic region. Trained staff transcribed interviews verbatim and entered the data into ATLAS.ti for coding and analysis. Participants’ specified and vividly described eight healthy relationship characteristics: good communication, honesty, trust, respect, compromise, understanding, individuality, and self-confidence. Of these characteristics, three (good communication, compromise, and respect) were described in ways discordant with CDC’s definitions. Findings highlight a need to better understand how girls develop values and ascribe characteristics of healthy relationships in order to reduce their risk for teen dating violence. PMID:25168629

Peer-relationship difficulties in children with brain injuries: comparisons with children in mental health services and healthy controls.

PubMed

Tonks, James; Yates, Phil; Williams, W Huw; Frampton, Ian; Slater, Alan

2010-12-01

Positive peer relationships are essential in healthy development. The prevalence of peer-relationship problems in children after acquired brain injury (ABI) has yet to be explored, although ABI does inevitably impact upon peer interactions. We aimed to explore how peer-relationships and emotional distress after ABI may differ from the levels reported by healthy children or mental health controls. Parents of 214 children (137 "healthy" children, 27 children using mental health services and 40 children with ABI) aged 9-15 years participated. A questionnaire measure of peer-relationship functioning and emotional distress was completed. Children with ABI experienced a greater degree of peer-relationship difficulties and emotional distress than healthy controls. No difference was found in reported peer relationship difficulties or emotional distress between ABI children and the children accessing mental health services. We conclude that emotional distress and co-occurring peer-relationship difficulties are as prevalent in a population of children after ABI as may be expected in a population of children under the care of mental health services, yet, unlike the latter group, appropriate intervention services are not commonly available. Interventions that aim to enhance peer relationships after childhood ABI may provide an essential resource to the benefit of outcome.

Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies: Academic Program Year 2013-2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

healthy relationships, active bystander intervention, social courage, and core values that support the establishment of mutual respect. In addition ... values that support the establishment of mutual respect. In addition , describe your efforts to review policies that influence culture and behavior at...and core values that support the establishment of mutual respect. In addition , describe your efforts to review policies that influence culture and

Effect of the Healthy Schools Program on Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in California Schools, 2006–2012

PubMed Central

Cotterman, Carolyn; Crawford, Pat; Stevelos, JoAnn; Archibald, Abbie

2015-01-01

Introduction The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program (HSP) is a national evidence-based obesity-prevention initiative aimed at providing the schools in greatest need with onsite training and technical assistance (TTA) and consultation with national experts (HSP national advisors) to create sustainable healthy change in schools’ nutrition and physical activity environments. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of HSP on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in California schools, from HSP’s inception in 2006 through 2012. Methods We used statewide body mass index (BMI) data collected annually from 5th-, 7th-, and 9th-grade students to determine whether enrolling in the HSP’s onsite intervention reduced the prevalence of overweight and obesity in intervention schools (n = 281) versus propensity-score matched control schools (n = 709) and whether increasing exposure to the program (TTA and contact with HSP national advisors) was associated with reductions in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Results Analyses showed no difference between HSP schools and control schools in overweight or obesity prevalence. However, program exposure varied widely among participating schools, and each additional contact with TTA or HSP national advisors was associated with a 0.3% decline in overweight and obesity prevalence (P < .05). Conclusion HSP appears to be an important means of supporting schools in reducing obesity. Although participation in HSP alone was not sufficient to improve weight status in California schools, there was a clear dose–response relationship to the program. HSP serves as an effective model for addressing childhood obesity among engaged schools. PMID:25996984

"Cooking and Active Leisure" TAS Program, Spain: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Roura, Elena; Pareja, Sara Lucía; Milá, Raimon; Cinca, Núria

2014-09-01

The "Cooking and Active Leisure" Tu y Alícia por la Salud (CAL-TAS) Program is a school-based pilot that addresses healthy lifestyle needs of Spanish secondary school students with initiatives that research has proven to improve dietary and physical activity behaviors. The objectives were to perform a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis to describe key activities and processes of the CAL-TAS Program, identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs), and identify a suite of common indicators of healthy lifestyles to be applied across participant schools. The CAL-TAS Program designers and implementation team developed this PIP analysis through an iterative process and presented the results for feedback at the seven-country Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The team identified three PIP CCPs: teachers' motivation and training, changes in students' knowledge of healthy lifestyles, and changes in students' healthy lifestyle behavior. The selected indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles are adequacy of food intake, level of knowledge of healthy lifestyles gained, and adequacy of physical activity level according to World Health Organization recommendations. A clear definition of impact indicators, as well as collection of accurate data on healthy lifestyle behaviors and knowledge, is essential to understanding the effectiveness of this program before it can be scaled up. CAL-TAS is an effective secondary school-based program encouraging healthy lifestyles. The PIP analysis was instrumental in identifying CCPs to sustain and improve the quality of the program. The team hopes to sustain and improve the program through these program evaluation recommendations.

Healthy me: A gender-specific program to address body image concerns and risk factors among preadolescents.

PubMed

McCabe, Marita P; Connaughton, Catherine; Tatangelo, Gemma; Mellor, David; Busija, Lucy

2017-03-01

This study evaluated a gender-specific, school-based program to promote positive body image and address risk factors for body dissatisfaction. In total, 652 children aged 8-10 years participated (335 intervention, 317 wait-list control). Children participated in four 60min sessions and a recap session at three months post-intervention. The broad content areas were body image, peer relationships, media awareness, healthy diet, and exercise. The activities and examples for each session were gender specific. The recap session was an overview of the four sessions. Assessment measures were completed at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and after the recap. Boys and girls in the intervention demonstrated higher muscle esteem and vegetable intake at post-intervention, compared to children in the control condition. Boys and girls demonstrated higher body esteem, muscle esteem and fruit and vegetable intake at the recap. Boys in the intervention demonstrated less investment in masculine gender norms at post-intervention and at recap. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting the health of young adults in urban public universities: a case study from City University of New York.

PubMed

Freudenberg, Nicholas; Manzo, Luis; Mongiello, Lorraine; Jones, Hollie; Boeri, Natascia; Lamberson, Patricia

2013-01-01

Changing demographics of college students and new insights into the developmental trajectory of chronic diseases present universities with opportunities to improve population health and reduce health inequalities. The reciprocal relationships between better health and improved educational achievement also offer university health programs a chance to improve retention and graduation rates, a key objective for higher education. In 2007, City University of New York (CUNY), the nation's largest urban public university, launched Healthy CUNY, an initiative designed to offer life-time protection against chronic diseases and reduce health-related barriers to educational achievement. In its first 5 years, Healthy CUNY has shown that universities can mobilize students, faculty, and other constituencies to modify environments and policies that influence health. New policies on tobacco and campus food, enrollment of needy students in public food and housing assistance programs, and a dialogue on the role of health in academic achievement are first steps towards healthier universities.

Growing Healthy Kids: A School Enrichment Nutrition Education Program to Promote Healthy Behaviors for Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vierregger, Alyssa; Hall, Johnna; Sehi, Natalie; Abbott, Mary; Wobig, Karen; Albrecht, Julie A.; Anderson-Knott, Mindy; Koszewski, Wanda

2015-01-01

The Growing Healthy Kids Program is a school-based nutrition education program that teaches students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade about healthy eating, physical activity, and how their body uses food. Pre- and post-knowledge data is collected from the students to measure changes in nutrition knowledge. In the first 2 years of the program,…

The effect of a healthy school tuck shop program on the access of students to healthy foods.

PubMed

Kim, Kirang; Hong, Seo Ah; Yun, Sung Ha; Ryou, Hyun Joo; Lee, Sang Sun; Kim, Mi Kyung

2012-04-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a healthy school tuck shop program, developed as a way of creating a healthy and nutritional school environment, on students' access to healthy foods. Five middle schools and four high schools (775 students) participated in the healthy school tuck shop program, and nine schools (1,282 students) were selected as the control group. The intervention program included restriction of unhealthy foods sold in tuck shops, provision of various fruits, and indirect nutritional education with promotion of healthy food products. The program evaluation involved the examination of students' purchase and intake patterns of healthy foods, satisfaction with the available foodstuffs, and utilization of and satisfaction with nutritional educational resources. Our results indicated that among of the students who utilized the tuck shop, about 40% purchased fruit products, showing that availability of healthy foods in the tuck shop increased the accessibility of healthy foods for students. Overall food purchase and intake patterns did not significantly change during the intervention period. However, students from the intervention schools reported higher satisfaction with the healthy food products sold in the tuck shop than did those from the control schools (all P < 0.001), and they were highly satisfied with the educational resources provided to them. In conclusion, the healthy school tuck shop program had a positive effect on the accessibility of healthy food. The findings suggest that a healthy school tuck shop may be an effective environmental strategy for promoting students' access to healthy foods.

The effect of a healthy school tuck shop program on the access of students to healthy foods

PubMed Central

Kim, Kirang; Hong, Seo Ah; Yun, Sung Ha; Ryou, Hyun Joo; Lee, Sang Sun

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a healthy school tuck shop program, developed as a way of creating a healthy and nutritional school environment, on students' access to healthy foods. Five middle schools and four high schools (775 students) participated in the healthy school tuck shop program, and nine schools (1,282 students) were selected as the control group. The intervention program included restriction of unhealthy foods sold in tuck shops, provision of various fruits, and indirect nutritional education with promotion of healthy food products. The program evaluation involved the examination of students' purchase and intake patterns of healthy foods, satisfaction with the available foodstuffs, and utilization of and satisfaction with nutritional educational resources. Our results indicated that among of the students who utilized the tuck shop, about 40% purchased fruit products, showing that availability of healthy foods in the tuck shop increased the accessibility of healthy foods for students. Overall food purchase and intake patterns did not significantly change during the intervention period. However, students from the intervention schools reported higher satisfaction with the healthy food products sold in the tuck shop than did those from the control schools (all P < 0.001), and they were highly satisfied with the educational resources provided to them. In conclusion, the healthy school tuck shop program had a positive effect on the accessibility of healthy food. The findings suggest that a healthy school tuck shop may be an effective environmental strategy for promoting students' access to healthy foods. PMID:22586503

Differences in food intake and exercise by smoking status in adolescents.

PubMed

Wilson, Diane B; Smith, Brian N; Speizer, Ilene S; Bean, Melanie K; Mitchell, Karen S; Uguy, L Samy; Fries, Elizabeth A

2005-06-01

Smoking, diet, and lack of exercise are the top preventable causes of death in the United States. Some 23% of high school students currently smoke and many teens do not meet Healthy People 2010 standards for healthy eating or physical activity. This study examined the relationship between smoking and the consumption of fruit, vegetables, milk/dairy products and the frequency of exercise in 10,635 Virginia youth. Survey data were collected from middle school (MS; n = 8022) and high school (HS; n = 2613) adolescents participating in youth tobacco prevention/cessation programs. Data were analyzed using chi-square bivariate tests and multivariate regression models. Smokers were significantly less likely than nonsmokers to exercise > or = 3x week and to consume > or = 1 serving/day of vegetables or milk/dairy products. This was more evident in high school than middle school students and in females compared to males. In both HS and MS, a dose-response relationship was detected with higher level smoking associated with lower frequency of eating specified food and exercise. Smoking is associated with compromised intake of healthy food and exercise. To decrease incident cases of chronic disease later in life, new tailored, innovative interventions are needed that address multiple health behaviors in youth.

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Agricultural use of municipal wastewater treatment plant sewage sludge as a source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination in the environment The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

What practices do parents perceive as effective or ineffective in promoting a healthy diet, physical activity, and less sitting in children: parent focus groups

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To support parents in improving the health of their young children, examples of effective parenting practices for a healthy diet, physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) are needed. This study explores perceived effective and ineffective parenting practices in difficult situations concerning raising healthy children and investigates their relationship with Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). The current study is formative work to inform the content of a randomized controlled trial. Methods Four focus groups were conducted between June and October 2012 at worksites during lunch break. A total of 21 unrelated parents of primary schoolchildren (6 fathers, 15 mothers) participated. A short written questionnaire introduced typical difficult situations derived from parental anecdotal reports, concerning healthy diet, PA and SB. These situations formed the backbone for the subsequent focus group discussion. In October 2012, discussions were audio-recorded and analyzed in Nvivo to identify key response items using thematic analysis. Results Parents experienced explaining why the child should behave healthily, monitoring, being consistent, offering alternatives, reacting empathetically, modeling, motivating, increasing intrinsic value and availability, and using time-out as effective practices, whereas anger was considered ineffective. Opinions were mixed about the effectiveness of giving as much freedom as possible, obliging, rewarding and punishing, and setting rules and agreements. Parenting practices were consistent with principles from both SDT and SCT. Conclusions Parents identified numerous perceived effective practices to respond to their child’s health-related behavior. Since many of them coincide with the evidence base and the success of a parenting program depends upon the degree to which parents’ concerns and motivations are integrated into the program design, important opportunities are created for future intervention programs. PMID:24219513

Perceptions of adolescents, parents, and school personnel from a predominantly Cuban American community regarding dating and teen dating violence prevention.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Guarda, Rosa M; Cummings, Amanda M; Pino, Karen; Malhotra, Krithika; Becerra, Maria M; Lopez, Jessica E

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of dating relationships and teen dating violence prevention within a predominantly Cuban American community in Miami-Dade County. Eight focus groups (n = 74 participants) with adolescents of Hispanic origin (n = 29), their parents (n = 29), and school personnel (n = 16) were conducted and analyzed using content analysis. Four themes characterized the nature and context of dating relationships among adolescents of Hispanic origin: YOLO -You Only Live Once, cultural unity but social division, dating is not going out, and the social environment challenges healthy relationships. The information generated from this study can be used to develop culturally tailored teen dating violence prevention programs targeting youth of Hispanic origin. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

BeHealthy Charities Aid Foundation Program, Russia: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Mukhina, Marina; Novikova, Irina

2014-09-01

In 2007, the Charities Aid Foundation Branch in Russia, under the initiative of and with financial support from the Mondelēz International Foundation and Mondelēz International, launched the charitable BeHealthy Program. The program's main focus is the implementation of four interrelated activities: conducting lessons for schoolchildren on healthy nutrition, with an emphasis on breakfast; healthy cooking lessons with children; cultivating nutritional plants; and providing conditions to encourage children to engage in more physical activity. The program serves more than 13,000 children attending public schools in the Leningrad (Lomonosovskii District), Vladimir, and Novgorod regions. BeHealthy provides funding for schools and comprehensive educational materials to help schoolchildren develop habits of healthy nutrition and physical activity, as well as consulting and expert support for school staff and other key stakeholders. The program brings in experts on program implementation and training for teachers. Curriculum support also includes printed and Web-based healthy lifestyle educational materials on best practices and positive experience, as well as meetings and conferences with school representatives and local authorities. One of the biggest challenges for program managers is to fully understand the complexities of the program, and why and how it is expected to induce changes in healthy lifestyle behaviors of the schoolchildren. For more comprehensive understanding, we performed a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a suite of core indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles. The findings were presented at the Healthy Life-styles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. First, we developed an updated logic model based on how the program was executed. We then translated the logic model into a PIP diagram, where pathways that lead from one activity to the next were defined as the program processes. The PIP diagram is a road map to help ensure that the program inputs and activities lead to expected outcomes. Based on this road map, the program identifies and tracks its CCPs. Ensuring implementation of program activities and evaluating pre-post knowledge and behavior of participants were identified as CCPs. The PIP analysis was very useful for understanding realistic expectations for the potential of BeHealthy and its inputs. As a result, we now plan to evaluate the impact of the program and, on this basis, further improve the program's implementation and dissemination to other locations.

Driving social impact with common global indicators for healthy lifestyle programs: lessons learned.

PubMed

Robinson, Nicole R; Gin, Julia; Kamath-Jha, Shilpa; Infantes, Michel; Hernandez, Ricardo; Alberg-Seberich, Michael; Suri, Devika; Pérez-Escamilla, Rafael

2014-09-01

Partnerships between corporate entities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) involved in delivering community focused health and well-being programs are becoming increasingly valuable especially in the context of promoting healthy lifestyles around the globe. The Mondelēz International Foundation (MIF) has funded healthy lifestyles community based programs targeting children and youth through partnership with seven global NGOs. To assess collective impact of these programs, it is crucial to identify best practices and common impact indicators that can be measured across programs. MIF therefore organized the Healthy Lifestyles Evaluation Workshop to explore these pertinent questions. Share best practices and identify common impact indicators to measure the success of current and future MIF funded healthy lifestyles programs. Analysis of the Program Impact Pathways (PIPs) and measured output of each of the seven programs. Individual and combined analysis of PIPs of the seven NGO programs led to identification of three critical impact indicators: nutrition knowledge, physical activity, and healthier eating, and also enabled NGOs to identify pathways to improve program delivery among the target population. This workshop enabled MIF and partner NGOs to came together to align on metrics and future engagement approaches for promoting and evaluating community based healthy lifestyles programs.

[Positive effects of physical exercise on reducing the relationship between subcutaneous abdominal fat and morbility risk].

PubMed

González Calvo, G; Hernández Sánchez, S; Pozo Rosado, P; García López, D

2011-01-01

The consequences related to the accumulation of abdominal fat above healthy levels create a considerable organic damage. Among the physiological consequences we can highlight heart diseases, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome, which drastically reduce life expectancy and quality. Evidence shows that health improvement is correlated to greater levels of physical activity. However, physical exercise can create oxidative damage on organs and muscular tissue, more relevant in subjects with a high percentage of abdominal fat. This piece of work determines which are the fundamental variables of the exercise program in order to optimize its advantages while minimizing oxidative stress. To know the key variables in the accumulation of abdominal fat above healthy levels, and the role of exercise in prevention and improvement of such issue. SPECIFIC PURPOSES: 1) to identify the key variables in an exercise program aimed at reducing abdominal fat; 2) to understand the relationship between abdominal fat, health and exercise; 3) to review the latest research related to physical exercise and its effect on abdominal adipose tissue. A search and identification of original and reviewed articles will be carried out in indexed impact journals within the main databases. Regular physical exercise, most notably aerobic one, reduces body adipose tissue deposits in general, and abdominal ones in particular, both in obese and overweight subjects.

A Healthy Eating Identity is Associated with Healthier Food Choice Behaviors Among U.S. Army Soldiers.

PubMed

Jayne, Julianna M; Frongillo, Edward A; Torres-McGehee, Toni M; Emerson, Dawn M; Glover, Saundra H; Blake, Christine E

2018-04-04

Promoting healthy eating among Soldiers is a priority to the Army due to the link between nutrition and performance. The Army typically uses nutrition education to encourage Soldiers to make healthier food choices with low emphasis on other psychosocial determinants of food choice behaviors. Drill Sergeant Candidates (n = 575) completed surveys assessing nutrition knowledge, eating identity type, and food choice behaviors including fruit and vegetable intake, skipping meals, and eating out frequency. In multiple linear regression models using full-information maximum likelihood estimation while controlling for race/ethnicity, education, and marital status, we examined relationships between nutrition knowledge, a healthy eating identity, and Soldiers' food choice behaviors. The study was approved by the Department of Defense and University of South Carolina's Institutional Review Boards. A healthy eating identity was positively associated with greater fruit and vegetable consumption (p < 0.05), and negatively associated with skipping meals and eating out frequency (p < 0.05). Nutrition knowledge was negatively associated with skipping meals (p < 0.05). Findings suggest that fostering a healthy eating identity may be more effective for promoting healthy food choice behaviors than nutrition education alone. Determining if various points in a Soldier's career could be leveraged to influence a healthy eating identity and behaviors could be an important strategy to improve compliance with health promotion programs.

Empowerment for Healthy Cities and communities in Korea.

PubMed

Moon, Ji Young; Nam, Eun Woo; Dhakal, Sarita

2014-10-01

The Healthy Cities project started in 1998 in Korea. Around the world, public health and healthy cities are becoming bigger and bigger priorities. Capacity mapping is an important tool for improving a country's health status. This study aims to review the initiation of the Korean "Healthy City" project. Korea follows a bottom-up approach for the development of Healthy City policies and has implemented plans accordingly. Korea has created a unique program through Healthy Cities; it has developed a Healthy City act, indicators for evaluating the program, a health impact assessment program, an award system, and a domestic networking system.

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies: A Compendium of Program Ideas for Serving Low-Income Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, Washington, DC.

The Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies survey conducted in spring 1985 drew responses from over 1,500 programs active in maternal and child health efforts directed toward low-income women and their families. The executive summary of this report identifies the major goals, common strategies, and needs of program respondents. Chapter 1 summarizes a…

Associations between poor sleep quality and stages of change of multiple health behaviors among participants of employee wellness program

PubMed Central

Hui, Siu-kuen Azor; Grandner, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Objective Using the Transtheoretical Model of behavioral change, this study evaluates the relationship between sleep quality and the motivation and maintenance processes of healthy behavior change. Methods The current study is an analysis of data collected in 2008 from an online health risk assessment (HRA) survey completed by participants of the Kansas State employee wellness program (N = 13,322). Using multinomial logistic regression, associations between self-reported sleep quality and stages of change (i.e. precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) in five health behaviors (stress management, weight management, physical activities, alcohol use, and smoking) were analyzed. Results Adjusted for covariates, poor sleep quality was associated with an increased likelihood of contemplation, preparation, and in some cases action stage when engaging in the health behavior change process, but generally a lower likelihood of maintenance of the healthy behavior. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that poor sleep quality was associated with an elevated likelihood of contemplating or initiating behavior change, but a decreased likelihood of maintaining healthy behavior change. It is important to include sleep improvement as one of the lifestyle management interventions offered in EWP to comprehensively reduce health risks and promote the health of a large employee population. PMID:26046013

From healthy start to hurricane Katrina: using GIS to eliminate disparities in perinatal health.

PubMed

Curtis, Andrew

2008-09-10

This paper provides a summary of the invited talk at the 2007 CDC & ATSDR 11th Biennial Symposium on Statistical Methods conference in which a university-non-profit collaboration targeted the elimination of racial disparities in perinatal health with the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS). This program will be described in four temporal stages; the pre-program early years (1999--2001) where the health burden is defined, leading to the Healthy Start years (2001--2005), in which spatial analyses, methods to effectively disseminate GIS results, the creation of the Baton Rouge Healthy Start database, and a move toward a conceptual goal of creating a holistic neighborhood GIS-health model are all described. The Katrina years (September 2005--early 2006) portrays the impact of the disaster and how the collaboration changed as resources from both were directed toward both response and recovery. The final section of the paper, the Post-Katrina years (early 2006 and ongoing) describes how the health landscape of Louisiana, including Baton Rouge as well as New Orleans, has worsened after the storms. An argument is made that the relationships and GIS structure developed during the collaboration's pre-Katrina years, even though stretched, provide the flexibility to analyze and cope with a Katrina-type shock to the system.

Exploring the Relationship of Religiosity, Religious Support, and Social Support Among African American Women in a Physical Activity Intervention Program

PubMed Central

Story, Chandra R.; Knutson, Douglas; Whitt-Glover, Melicia C.

2016-01-01

Religious belief has been linked to a variety of positive mental and physical health outcomes. This exploratory study will address the relationship between religious involvement and social connectedness among African American women. Results from a physical activity intervention research project (N = 465) found that total religious support and social support were significantly negatively correlated with total religiosity, while total general social support was significantly positively correlated with total religious support. Overall, the study indicates that more research is needed on ways to encourage interaction between the positive dimensions of both religiosity and social support to bring about healthy behaviors. PMID:25673181

Personal health promotion at US medical schools: a quantitative study and qualitative description of deans' and students' perceptions

PubMed Central

Frank, Erica; Hedgecock, Joan; Elon, Lisa K

2004-01-01

Background Prior literature has shown that physicians with healthy personal habits are more likely to encourage patients to adopt similar habits. However, despite the possibility that promoting medical student health might therefore efficiently improve patient outcomes, no one has studied whether such promotion happens in medical school. We therefore wished to describe both typical and outstanding personal health promotion environments experienced by students in U.S. medical schools. Methods We collected information through four different modalities: a literature review, written surveys of medical school deans and students, student and dean focus groups, and site visits at and interviews with medical schools with reportedly outstanding student health promotion programs. Results We found strong correlations between deans' and students' perceptions of their schools' health promotion environments, including consistent support of the idea of schools' encouraging healthy student behaviors, with less consistent follow-through by schools on this concept. Though students seemed to have thought little about the relationships between their own personal and clinical health promotion practices, deans felt strongly that faculty members should model healthy behaviors. Conclusions Deans' support of the relationship between physicians' personal and clinical health practices, and concern about their institutions' acting on this relationship augurs well for the role of student health promotion in the future of medical education. Deans seem to understand their students' health environment, and believe it could and should be improved; if this is acted on, it could create important positive changes in medical education and in disease prevention. PMID:15581424

How to Make Our Schools Healthy: Healthy Schools Program. Program Results Progress Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Michael H.

2012-01-01

The Healthy Schools Program provides technical assistance to help schools engage administrators, teachers, parents and vendors in increasing access to physical activity and healthier foods for students and staff. Current grants run to September 2013. The program addresses two policy priorities of the Childhood Obesity team: (1) Ensure that all…

Designing the Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls Church-Based Diabetes Prevention Program through a Participatory Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summers, Amber; Confair, Amy R.; Flamm, Laura; Goheer, Attia; Graham, Karlene; Muindi, Mwende; Gittelsohn, Joel

2013-01-01

Background: The Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls (HBHS) program aims to reduce diabetes risk among urban African Americans by creating healthy food and physical activity environments within churches. Participant engagement supports the development of applicable intervention strategies by identifying priority concerns, resources, and opportunities.…

The Parent's Toolshop: The Universal Blueprint for Building a Healthy Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pawel, Jody Johnston

Noting that building and maintaining healthy family relationships is analogous to building a house, this book guides parents through a self-paced parenting workshop to help build healthy relationships, prevent problems, and respond effectively to situations that occur. With the exception of Chapters 1 and 3, the chapters are designed to be…

The USDA's Healthy Eating on a Budget Program: Making Better Eating Decisions on a Budget

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franklin, Alexandra M.; Hongu, Nobuko

2016-01-01

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a new interactive online program titled Healthy Eating on a Budget. It is an addition to the popular ChooseMyPlate.gov programs, such as the SuperTracker program. The Healthy Eating on a Budget program helps consumers plan, purchase, and prepare healthful meals. This article discusses materials and…

The respiration pattern as an indicator of the anaerobic threshold.

PubMed

Mirmohamadsadeghi, Leila; Vesin, Jean-Marc; Lemay, Mathieu; Deriaz, Olivier

2015-08-01

The anaerobic threshold (AT) is a good index of personal endurance but needs a laboratory setting to be determined. It is important to develop easy AT field measurements techniques in order to rapidly adapt training programs. In the present study, it is postulated that the variability of the respiratory parameters decreases with exercise intensity (especially at the AT level). The aim of this work was to assess, on healthy trained subjects, the putative relationships between the variability of some respiration parameters and the AT. The heart rate and respiratory variables (volume, rate) were measured during an incremental exercise performed on a treadmill by healthy moderately trained subjects. Results show a decrease in the variance of 1/tidal volume with the intensity of exercise. Consequently, the cumulated variance (sum of the variance measured at each level of the exercise) follows an exponential relationship with respect to the intensity to reach eventually a plateau. The amplitude of this plateau is closely related to the AT (r=-0.8). It is concluded that the AT is related to the variability of the respiration.

Translational MRI volumetry with NeuroQuant: Effects of version and normative data on relationships with memory performance in healthy older adults and patients with mild cognitive impairment

PubMed Central

Stelmokas, Julija; Yassay, Lance; Giordani, Bruno; Dodge, Hiroko H.; Dinov, Ivo D.; Bhaumik, Arijit; Sathian, K.; Hampstead, Benjamin M.

2018-01-01

NeuroQuant (NQ) is a fully-automated program that overcomes several existing limitations in the clinical translation of MRI-derived volumetry. The current study characterized differences between the original (NQ1) and an updated NQ version (NQ2) by (i) replicating previously identified relationships between neuropsychological test performance and medial temporal lobe volumes, (ii) evaluating the level of agreement between NQ versions, and (iii) determining if the addition of NQ2 age-/sex-based z-scores hold greater clinical utility for prediction of memory impairment than standard percent of intracranial volume (%ICV) values. Sixty-seven healthy older adults and 65 MCI patients underwent structural MRI and completed cognitive testing, including the Immediate and Delayed Memory indices from the RBANS. Results generally replicated previous relationships between key medial temporal lobe regions and memory test performance, though comparison of NQ regions revealed statistically different values that were biased toward one version or the other depending on the region. NQ2 hippocampal z-scores explained additional variance in memory performance relative to %ICV values. Findings indicate that NQ1/2 medial temporal lobe volumes, especially age- and sex-based z-scores, hold clinical value, though caution is warranted when directly comparing volumes across NQ versions. PMID:29060939

Promoting Healthy Behaviors among Egyptian Mothers: A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Health Communication Package Delivered by Community Organizations.

PubMed

Brasington, Angela; Abdelmegeid, Ali; Dwivedi, Vikas; Kols, Adrienne; Kim, Young-Mi; Khadka, Neena; Rawlins, Barbara; Gibson, Anita

2016-01-01

Decisions made at the household level, for example, to seek antenatal care or breastfeed, can have a direct impact on the health of mothers and newborns. The SMART Community-based Initiatives program in Egypt worked with community development associations to encourage better household decision-making by training community health workers to disseminate information and encourage healthy practices during home visits, group sessions, and community activities with pregnant women, mothers of young children, and their families. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the program, with household surveys conducted before and after the intervention in intervention and comparison areas. Survey questions asked about women's knowledge and behaviors related to maternal and newborn care and child nutrition and, at the endline, exposure to SMART activities. Exposure to program activities was high in intervention areas of Upper Egypt: 91% of respondents reported receiving home visits and 84% attended group sessions. In Lower Egypt, these figures were 58% and 48%, respectively. Knowledge of danger signs related to pregnancy, delivery, and newborn illness increased significantly more in intervention than comparison areas in both regions (with one exception in Lower Egypt), after controlling for child's age and woman's education; this pattern also occurred for two of five behaviors (antenatal care visits and consumption of iron-folate tablets). Findings suggest that there may have been a significant dose-response relationship between exposure to SMART activities and certain knowledge and behavioral indicators, especially in Upper Egypt. The findings demonstrate the ability of civil society organizations with minimal health programming experience to increase knowledge and promote healthy behaviors among pregnant women and new mothers. The SMART approach offers a promising strategy to fill gaps in health education and counseling and strengthen community support for behavior change.

Global lessons on healthy adolescent sexual development.

PubMed

Koyama, Atsuko; Corliss, Heather L; Santelli, John S

2009-08-01

Examining global trends of adolescent sexual behavior is essential to inform clinical practice as well as for developing interventions and educational strategies to ensure healthy sexual development in young people. Most young people begin sexual activity in their teenage years. Extensive research has been conducted to elucidate risk and protective factors for sexual activity in adolescence and to evaluate the success of different sex education programs in influencing these factors. Some risk and protective factors were similar globally, whereas others differed by sex and community. Research findings suggest that comprehensive sex education, which includes skills-based interventions, is effective in changing youth behavior. In addition, research points towards the importance of addressing larger structural and contextual issues such as gender equality, poverty, and education in improving the sexual health of adolescents. Adolescents begin their sexual lives in their teen years; therefore, clinicians need to focus on positive ways to help teenagers develop healthy relationships while providing guidance around reducing risky sexual behaviors.

Strong and healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program, Germany: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Dokter, Andrea; Horst, Brigitte

2014-09-01

Developing a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) diagram helps identify and clarify the key objectives, processes, activities, and evaluation indicators of school-based nutrition programs. The Mondelēz International Foundation has recently supported the development of PIP analyses for programs in seven countries around the world. The results were shared with other project organizers at a Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The objectives were to develop the PIP assessment of the Strong and Healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program in order to refine the primary, secondary, and tertiary objectives of the program; identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs); and identify core indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles. The PIP report was developed based on detailed instructions provided prior to the workshop, taking into account the Klasse2000 Program evaluation reports. The following CCPs were identified: monitoring the qualifications and motivation of teaching staff (external health promoters and schoolteachers); assessing involvement of the students' environmental influences, including families, schools, and sponsors; and assessing the children's healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after program exposure. The healthy lifestyle indicators identified were children's knowledge of healthy diets and health-enhancing physical activities; the availability of healthy breakfast and snacks; the frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweetened and unsweetened drinks,fast food, and sweets, as well as attitudes toward physical activity; and the frequency and extent of physical activity in school and during free time. Body mass index (BMI) was identified as the final outcome indicator. Developing a PIP report helped to focus the objectives of the program. Identifying CCPs helped draw attention to the processes linking critical program activities. As a result, plans for the upcoming school year include conducting a PIP-informed survey of participating parents and children to gauge their satisfaction with the program.

Relationships between psychosocial outcomes in adolescents who are obese and their parents during a multi-disciplinary family-based healthy lifestyle intervention: One-year follow-up of a waitlist controlled trial (Curtin University's Activity, Food and Attitudes Program).

PubMed

Fenner, Ashley A; Howie, Erin K; Davis, Melissa C; Straker, Leon M

2016-07-07

Limited studies have investigated relationships in psychosocial outcomes between adolescents who are obese and their parents and how psychosocial outcomes change during participation in a physical activity and healthy eating intervention. This study examined both adolescent and parent psychosocial outcomes while participating in a one - year multi-disciplinary family-based intervention: Curtin University's Activity, Food, and Attitudes Program (CAFAP). Following a waitlist control period, the intervention was delivered to adolescent (n = 56, ages 11-16) and parent participants over 8 weeks, with one-year maintenance follow-up. Adolescent depression and quality of life, family functioning, and parent depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed at six time points: baseline and prior to intervention (e.g., waitlist control period), immediately following intervention, and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Relationships between adolescent and parent psychosocial outcomes were assessed using Spearman correlations and changes in both adolescent and parent outcomes were assessed using linear mixed models. Changes in adolescent psychosocial outcomes were compared to changes in behavioural (physical activity and healthy eating) and physical (weight) outcomes using independent samples t-tests. The majority of psychosocial outcomes were significantly correlated between adolescents and parents across the one-year follow-up. Adolescent depression, psychosocial and physical quality of life outcomes significantly improved before or following intervention and were maintained at 6-months or one-year follow-up. Parent symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were reduced during waitlist and primarily remained improved. Changes in adolescent psychosocial outcomes were shown to be partially associated with behavioural changes and independent of physical changes. Adolescents in CAFAP improved psychosocial and physical quality of life and reversed the typical trajectory of depressive symptoms in adolescents who are obese during a one-year maintenance period. CAFAP was also effective at maintaining reductions in parent symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress demonstrated during the waitlist period. The trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (No. 12611001187932 ).

Health in the urban environment: a qualitative review of the Brighton and Hove WHO Healthy City Program.

PubMed

Hall, Caroline; Davies, John Kenneth; Sherriff, Nigel

2010-01-01

Phase IV of the WHO European Region's Healthy Cities Program ended in December 2008. This article presents the findings from a recently completed review of Brighton and Hove's Healthy City Program which aimed to scope whether added value had accrued from the city's role as a WHO Healthy City during phase IV. In contrast to most other evaluations of healthy cities, this review adopted a qualitative approach representing an appraisal of the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Program from the internal viewpoint of its local stakeholders. In addition to documentary analysis and a facilitated workshop, a series of in-depth interviews (N = 27) were conducted with stakeholders from the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Partnership representing each of the sectors reflected in the Local Strategic Partnership (public, statutory, elected, community and voluntary, neighborhood and communities, business). The key findings of the review are presented in a way which reflects the three key areas of the review including (1) the healthy cities approach, (2) participation in phase IV of the WHO Healthy Cities Program, and (3) the Brighton and Hove Healthy City Partnership. These findings are discussed, and recommendations for action at local, national, and European levels are proposed. In particular, we argue that there is an urgent need to develop a suitable monitoring and evaluation system for the WHO Healthy Cities Program with appropriate indicators that are meaningful and relevant to local stakeholders. Moreover, it would be important for any such system to capitalize on the benefits that qualitative methodologies can offer alongside more traditional quantitative indicators.

Healthy start program participation: the consumers' perspective.

PubMed

Ley, Christine E; Copeland, Valire Carr; Flint, Cheryl Squire

2011-01-01

In 1991, the federal Maternal and Child Health Bureau developed the Healthy Start Initiative as a comprehensive community-based program to eliminate the high rates of poor pregnancy outcomes among women of color. To date, few studies of the programmatic outcomes of this Initiative have examined the views of Healthy Start consumers. To understand the benefits of Healthy Start from their consumers' perspective, the Pittsburgh Allegheny County Healthy Start project conducted a survey of 202 of their Healthy Start participants in 2003. The participants completing the survey reported benefits of participating in the program including stress reduction, receiving resources and referrals, and consistent social support of program staff. According to the project's annual statistics, Healthy Start has improved pregnancy outcomes among African American women participants in the Pittsburgh community. However, and according to these participants, the quality of staff and consumer connectedness, availability and consistency of material resources, and social support are as critical as more traditional health interventions to their satisfaction, motivation to participate, and willingness to refer others to the program. Women of color will often forego health services perceived as intimidating and/or culturally insensitive, but programs such as the Healthy Start Initiative offer a critical link that encourages participation and, as a result, improves maternal and child health status.

Physical activity and healthy diet: determinants and implicit relationship.

PubMed

Tavares, Aida Isabel

2014-06-01

People who decide to lose weight by dieting often do so without participating in any associated physical activity. Although some people who participate in sports are unconcerned about their diet, it is generally believed that people who exercise tend to eat a healthy diet and those who do not exercise eat a less healthy diet. There is no clear relationship between the decisions regarding participation in physical activity and eating a healthy diet when choices are taken freely and not influenced by policy factors promoting healthy behaviour. However, these decisions may reveal some common explanatory factors and an implicit link. As such the aim of this study was to identify the common explanatory factors and investigate the existence of an implicit relationship. Econometric estimate - bivariate probit estimation. Using data from the Portuguese National Health Survey, a bivariate probit was undertaken for decisions regarding participation in physical activity and eating a healthy diet. The correlation between the residuals gives information on the implicit relationship between the healthy choices. Common explanatory factors were found between the decisions to eat healthy snacks and participate in physical activity, such as being married. However, holding voluntary private health insurance, smoking, getting older, living alone and unemployment were found to dissuade people from making healthy choices. Positive correlation was found between the residuals of the probit estimations, indicating that other unmeasurable variables have a similar influence on both decisions, such as peer pressure, cultural values, fashion, advertising and risk aversion. Further research is needed to improve understanding of decision making related to participation in physical activity and eating a healthy diet. This will facilitate the design of policies that will make a greater contribution to healthy lifestyles. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small-grants programs: lessons from community-based approaches to changing nutrition environments.

PubMed

Johnson, Donna B; Smith, Lynne T; Bruemmer, Barbara

2007-02-01

Providing small grants to community organizations can be an effective way to encourage changes in the environment that support better nutrition. This is effective because these organizations can provide insights into their communities, ready-made relationships with community members, and the trust of the community. Small-grants programs are more likely to be successful when they are tailored to the needs of individual communities, led by organizations that have established reputations with the community, fully supported by the lead community organization, and engage local partners that complement the skills and resources of the lead organization. An evaluation of a small-grants program, Grants for Healthy Youth, found that grantees developed unique approaches to improving their community nutrition environments, gained experience and skills in program development, built partnerships, and received recognition for their project work. Grantees faced some common barriers, especially with program evaluation. Small-grants programs can be an effective way to improve community nutrition environments, but granting agencies need to provide effective technical assistance to communities throughout the process.

Healthy Eating Exploratory Program for the Elderly: Low Salt Intake in Congregate Meal Service.

PubMed

Seo, S; Kim, O Y; Ahn, J

2016-03-01

This study reported on an exploratory program to help the low income elderly improve healthy eating behavior, specifically by reducing salt intake. We conducted an exploratory program for 4 weeks for this study. The exploratory program involved offering menus with reduced salt and providing education on healthy eating. After the exploratory program, a survey of the elderly and in-depth interviews allowed us to evaluate the program for foodservice providers (dietitian, social workers, and volunteer workers). This study included both foodservice workers and elderly who actually used the foodservice in a congregate meal service system. This is a unique approach. A congregate meal service center in Seoul, Korea. Seventy four elderly in a congregate meal service center. Demographics were collected, and the healthy eating program and healthy eating education for elderly respondents were evaluated. The elderly showed high satisfaction with the exploratory program for healthy eating. We found no significant differences in satisfaction with the program between the elderly who attended education sessions and those who did not, but more of the elderly from the education sessions showed positive behavioral change intentions. The exploratory program influenced to reduce the salt intake of the elderly in congregate meal service. This study suggests cooperation of foodservice providers and the support of administrators is critical to the success of such programs.

Selecting a Weight-Loss Program

MedlinePlus

... 3700, April 2008. Healthy Weight Tip Choose weight-loss programs that encourage healthy behaviors that help you lose weight gradually and maintain your weight over time. Looking for easy-to-use information for eating healthy on the go? The Maintaining a Healthy Weight On the Go pocket guide ...

Child Poverty and the Promise of Human Capacity: Childhood as a Foundation for Healthy Aging.

PubMed

Wise, Paul H

2016-04-01

The effect of child poverty and related early life experiences on adult health outcomes and patterns of aging has become a central focus of child health research and advocacy. In this article a critical review of this proliferating literature and its relevance to child health programs and policy are presented. This literature review focused on evidence of the influence of child poverty on the major contributors to adult morbidity and mortality in the United States, the mechanisms by which these associations operate, and the implications for reforming child health programs and policies. Strong and varied evidence base documents the effect of child poverty and related early life experiences and exposures on the major threats to adult health and healthy aging. Studies using a variety of methodologies, including longitudinal and cross-sectional strategies, have reported significant findings regarding cardiovascular disorders, obesity and diabetes, certain cancers, mental health conditions, osteoporosis and fractures, and possibly dementia. These relationships can operate through alterations in fetal and infant development, stress reactivity and inflammation, the development of adverse health behaviors, the conveyance of child chronic illness into adulthood, and inadequate access to effective interventions in childhood. Although the reviewed studies document meaningful relationships between child poverty and adult outcomes, they also reveal that poverty, experiences, and behaviors in adulthood make important contributions to adult health and aging. There is strong evidence that poverty in childhood contributes significantly to adult health. Changes in the content, financing, and advocacy of current child health programs will be required to address the childhood influences on adult health and disease. Policy reforms that reduce child poverty and mitigate its developmental effects must be integrated into broader initiatives and advocacy that also attend to the health and well-being of adults. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Diversity in Romantic Relations of Adolescents with Varying Health Status: Links to Intimacy in Close Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiffge-Krenke, Inge

2000-01-01

Investigated similarities and differences between close friendships and romantic relationships among 95 adolescents, who were either diabetic or healthy. Among healthy adolescents, found demonstrated time-dependent links between intimacy in both relationship types. Among diabetic adolescents, found a preference for romantic partners who offered…

Nurturing Adult-Youth Relationships in the Family and School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whisler, Jo Sue

Noting that healthy adult-youth relationships are more critical today than in the past because of the complexity of the times and the diminished availability of parents and family networks of support, this paper focuses on those dimensions of the adult-youth relationship that foster healthy development and academic success in all youth, including…

The Voices of Youth in Out-of-Home Care regarding Developing Healthy Dating Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duppong Hurley, Kristin; Trout, Alexandra; Wheaton, Nikki; Buddenberg, Laura; Howard, Brigid; Weigel, Megan

2013-01-01

Minimal attention has been focused on difficulties for youth in residential care regarding building healthy dating relationships, despite the significant risks to this group of adolescents. This study provided a unique opportunity to conduct focus groups with youth in residential care on issues surrounding dating relationships. The majority of…

The Impact on Clients of a Community-Based Infant Mortality Reduction Program: The National Healthy Start Program Survey of Postpartum Women

PubMed Central

McCormick, Marie C.; Deal, Lisa W.; Devaney, Barbara L.; Chu, Dexter; Moreno, Lorenzo; Raykovich, Karen T.

2001-01-01

Objectives. This study assessed the effect of the national Healthy Start Program on its clients. Methods. We used a cross-sectional survey of a sample from Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) rosters of women less than 6 months postpartum who were residents of Healthy Start Program areas. Results. Healthy Start clients revealed higher sociodemographic risk, but not behavioral risk, for adverse pregnancy outcome than other area residents. They did not differ from other residents in receipt of services except for a greater likelihood of receiving case management, using birth control at the time of the interview, and rating their prenatal care more highly. Conclusions. The Healthy Start Program succeeded in enrolling women at high risk. It had little effect on the immediately concluded pregnancy, but it might influence future outcomes. PMID:11726379

Self-efficacy for healthy eating and peer support for unhealthy eating are associated with adolescents' food intake patterns.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Amanda; Heary, Caroline; Kelly, Colette; Nixon, Elizabeth; Shevlin, Mark

2013-04-01

Adolescence, with its change in dietary habits, is likely to be a vulnerable period in the onset of obesity. It is considered that peers have an important role to play on adolescents' diet, however, limited research has examined the role of peers in this context. This study examined the relationship between self-efficacy for healthy eating, parent and peer support for healthy and unhealthy eating and food intake patterns. Participants were 264 boys and 219 girls (N=483), aged 13-18years, recruited from post-primary schools in Ireland. Self-report measures assessed self-efficacy, parent and peer support for healthy eating, and for unhealthy eating. Dietary pattern analysis, a popular alternative to traditional methods used in nutritional research, was conducted on a FFQ to derive food intake patterns. Two patterns were identified labelled 'healthy food intake' and 'unhealthy food intake'. Multi-group modelling was used to evaluate whether the hypothesized model of factors related to dietary patterns differed by gender. The multi-group model fit the data well, with only one path shown to differ by gender. Lower self-efficacy for healthy eating and higher peer support for unhealthy eating were associated with 'unhealthy food intake'. Higher self-efficacy was associated with 'healthy food intake'. Prevention programs that target self-efficacy for eating and peer support for unhealthy eating may be beneficial in improving dietary choices among adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Am I in a Healthy Relationship? (For Teens)

MedlinePlus

... and would never challenge — the other person's boundaries. Trust. You're talking with a guy from French ... have a healthy relationship if you don't trust each other. Honesty. This one goes hand-in- ...

Relationship between Scanning Laser Polarimetry with Enhanced Corneal Compensation and with Variable Corneal Compensation

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyung Hoon; Choi, Jaewan; Lee, Chang Hwan; Cho, Beom-Jin; Kook, Michael S.

2008-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the structure-function relationships between retinal sensitivity measured by Humphrey visual field analyzer (HVFA) and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) with variable corneal compensation (VCC) and enhanced corneal compensation (ECC) in glaucomatous and healthy eyes. Methods Fifty-three eyes with an atypical birefringence pattern (ABP) based on SLP-VCC (28 glaucomatous eyes and 25 normal healthy eyes) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. RNFL thickness was measured by both VCC and ECC techniques, and the visual field was examined by HVFA with 24-2 full-threshold program. The relationships between RNFL measurements in superior and inferior sectors and corresponding retinal mean sensitivity were sought globally and regionally with linear regression analysis in each group. Coefficients of the determination were calculated and compared between VCC and ECC techniques. Results In eyes with ABP, R2 values for the association between SLP parameters and retinal sensitivity were 0.06-0.16 with VCC, whereas they were 0.21-0.48 with ECC. The association of RNFL thickness with retinal sensitivity was significantly better with ECC than with VCC in 5 out of 8 regression models between SLP parameters and HVF parameters (P<0.05). Conclusions The strength of the structure-function association was higher with ECC than with VCC in eyes with ABP, which suggests that the ECC algorithm is a better approach for evaluating the structure-function relationship in eyes with ABP. PMID:18323701

Universal prevention efforts should address eating disorder pathology across the weight spectrum: Implications for screening and intervention on college campuses.

PubMed

Kass, Andrea E; Jones, Megan; Kolko, Rachel P; Altman, Myra; Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E; Eichen, Dawn M; Balantekin, Katherine N; Trockel, Mickey; Taylor, C Barr; Wilfley, Denise E

2017-04-01

Given shared risk and maintaining factors between eating disorders and obesity, it may be important to include both eating disorder intervention and healthy weight management within a universal eating disorder care delivery program. This study evaluated differential eating disorder screening responses by initial weight status among university students, to assess eating disorder risk and pathology among individuals with overweight/obesity versus normal weight or underweight. 1529 individuals were screened and analyzed. Screening was conducted via pilot implementation of the Internet-based Healthy Body Image program on two university campuses. Fifteen percent of the sample had overweight/obesity. Over half (58%) of individuals with overweight/obesity screened as high risk for an eating disorder or warranting clinical referral, and 58% of individuals with overweight/obesity endorsed a ≥10-pound weight change over the past year. Compared to individuals with normal weight or underweight, individuals with overweight/obesity were more likely to identify as Black, endorse objective binge eating and fasting, endorse that eating disorder-related concerns impaired their relationships/social life and made them feel badly, and endorse higher weight/shape concerns. Results suggest rates of eating disorder pathology and clinical impairment are highest among students with overweight/obesity, and targeted intervention across weight categories and diverse races/ethnicities is warranted within universal eating disorder intervention efforts. Integrating eating disorder intervention and healthy weight management into universal prevention programs could reduce the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders, unhealthy weight control practices, and obesity among university students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Universal prevention efforts should address eating disorder pathology across the weight spectrum: Implications for screening and intervention on college campuses

PubMed Central

Kass, Andrea E.; Jones, Megan; Kolko, Rachel P.; Altman, Myra; Fitzsimmons-Craft, Ellen E.; Eichen, Dawn M.; Balantekin, Katherine N.; Trockel, Mickey; Taylor, C. Barr; Wilfley, Denise E.

2016-01-01

Purpose Given shared risk and maintaining factors between eating disorders and obesity, it may be important to include both eating disorder intervention and healthy weight management within a universal eating disorder care delivery program. This study evaluated differential eating disorder screening responses by initial weight status among university students, to assess eating disorder risk and pathology among individuals with overweight/obesity versus normal weight or underweight. Methods 1529 individuals were screened and analyzed. Screening was conducted via pilot implementation of the Internet-based Healthy Body Image program on two university campuses. Results Fifteen percent of the sample had overweight/obesity. Over half (58%) of individuals with overweight/obesity screened as high risk for an eating disorder or warranting clinical referral, and 58% of individuals with overweight/obesity endorsed a ≥10-pound weight change over the past year. Compared to individuals with normal weight or underweight, individuals with overweight/obesity were more likely to identify as Black, endorse objective binge eating and fasting, endorse that eating disorder-related concerns impaired their relationships/social life and made them feel badly, and endorse higher weight/shape concerns. Conclusions Results suggest rates of eating disorder pathology and clinical impairment are highest among students with overweight/obesity, and targeted intervention across weight categories and diverse races/ethnicities is warranted within universal eating disorder intervention efforts. Integrating eating disorder intervention and healthy weight management into universal prevention programs could reduce the incidence and prevalence of eating disorders, unhealthy weight control practices, and obesity among university students. PMID:27090854

Health concern, food choice motives, and attitudes toward healthy eating: the mediating role of food choice motives.

PubMed

Sun, Yu-Hua Christine

2008-07-01

This study addresses how various health concerns might influence not only consumers' food choice motives but also consumers' subsequent attitudes toward healthy eating. This study expects that those consumers with greater health concerns would have different food choice motives and better attitudes toward healthy eating. A self-completion questionnaire was used to gather information. Participants, a random sample of 500 undergraduate students from a national university in Taipei, Taiwan, provided a total of 456 usable questionnaires, representing a valid response rate of 91%. The average age of the respondents at the time of the survey was 21 years and 63% of respondents were females. The relationship between health concern and healthy eating attitudes was confirmed. The relationship between health concern of developing diseases and attitudes toward healthy eating was fully mediated by food choice motives. However, the relationship between calorie consumption health concern and healthy eating attitudes was only partially mediated by food choice motives. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Afterschool and Healthy Youth. Afterschool Alert. Issue Brief No. 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2004

2004-01-01

Afterschool programs often play an important role in promoting healthy lifestyles for youth. Many programs offer youth opportunities to engage in an array of organized physical activities such as softball, martial arts or ballet. Most programs also serve healthy afternoon snacks while emphasizing the value of a nutritious diet. Physical fitness…

Usage of an online healthy lifestyle program by pregnant women attending midwifery practices in Amsterdam.

PubMed

van Zutphen, Moniek; Milder, Ivon E; Bemelmans, Wanda J

2008-06-01

To determine reach, attrition and program engagement and their associations with user characteristics for an online healthy lifestyle program for pregnant women. From March to August 2006, 1382 pregnant women visiting 20 midwifery practices in Amsterdam were invited to enroll in a healthy lifestyle program through registration on the program website (at home). User characteristics were self-reported upon enrollment, while program use was objectively monitored until January 2007. Seventeen percent (n=238) of the women who received information from their midwife enrolled. Most women were highly educated (68%) and already had a healthy lifestyle. About half of them (52%) continued to use the program throughout their pregnancy. Less lower than higher educated women continued using the program (45% vs. 63%, p=0.02). When e-mails were opened almost all lifestyle topics were accessed (85%), but links to related websites were used less often (12%). The healthy lifestyle program did not reach a substantial proportion of the target population. Only 9% of those invited continued to use the program throughout their pregnancies. In addition to that there was selective enrollment and selective attrition. This research confirms that disadvantaged women, who need the intervention most, are least easily reached.

[Physical activity and healthy diet, weight perception and stress in adult population in Chile: analysis of the second quality of life and health survey 2006].

PubMed

Pablo Zavala, Juan; Leraç, Lydia; Vio, Fernando

2010-12-01

Chile had a rapid epidemiological and nutritional transition with an increase in risk factors for chronic diseases and obesity. Dietary changes have occurred, mostly an increase in consumption of foods high in fat, sugar and salt, as well as a decrease in physical activity. This has led to a marked increase in obesity rates. To learn more on these risk factors for chronic diseases, obesity and physical activity, the First Quality of Life and Health Survey (ECVS) was carried out in 2000, with a second version in 2006. The objective of this paper is to analyze, from data collected by the 2006 survey, the relationship of physical activity with the consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products, weight perception and stress. The 2006 survey included 6.210 subjects with a 10.8% of active population and 89.2% of sedentary people. The relationship of activity was determined with the consumption of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, weight perception and stress, by sex and socioeconomic levels. Results show that more than 50% of the active subjects consume fruits and vegetables, and 50% consume dairy products every day, with a higher probability of active persons of consuming healthy foods than the sedentary ones. Besides, sedentary people perceive themselves with more overweight and obesity than the active subjects. There was no relationship between physical activity and stress. People with a higher socioeconomic level are more active and consume more healthy products. These results permit to elaborate targeted policies and programs to improve diet and physical activity in the Chilean population.

Social and Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement in Portuguese Schools: A Bibliometric Study.

PubMed

Cristóvão, Ana M; Candeias, Adelinda A; Verdasca, José

2017-01-01

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational movement that is gaining ground throughout the world. We can define SEL as the capacity to recognize and manage emotions, solve problems effectively, and establish positive relationships with others. Research has demonstrated the significant role of SEL in promoting healthy student development and academic achievement. Extensive research confirms that SEL competencies: can be taught, that they promote positive development and reduce problem behaviors, and that they improve students' academic achievement and citizenship. At the international level, several rigorous studies have identified programs and practices that promote SEL. In Portugal, however, no review has yet been published regarding the implementation of SEL programs. Such a study would elucidate the current panorama of SEL programs in Portugal. This study aims to identify research on SEL programs implemented in Portuguese schools and the relationship of those programs with academic achievement. To this end, we have consulted the following databases: Scientific Repository of Open Access of Portugal (RCAAP), Online Knowledge Library (b-on), and Web of Science (WoS). The criteria were: (a) all time frames; (b) publications in either Portuguese or English; (c) programs that developed socio-emotional competencies in Portuguese schools; (d) academic levels including elementary, middle, and high school and (e) students of regular education. Few publications on SEL programs implemented in Portugal were found, although the recent decade has witnessed an upsurge of interest in the topic, principally that arising from academic research.

Social and Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement in Portuguese Schools: A Bibliometric Study

PubMed Central

Cristóvão, Ana M.; Candeias, Adelinda A.; Verdasca, José

2017-01-01

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is an educational movement that is gaining ground throughout the world. We can define SEL as the capacity to recognize and manage emotions, solve problems effectively, and establish positive relationships with others. Research has demonstrated the significant role of SEL in promoting healthy student development and academic achievement. Extensive research confirms that SEL competencies: can be taught, that they promote positive development and reduce problem behaviors, and that they improve students' academic achievement and citizenship. At the international level, several rigorous studies have identified programs and practices that promote SEL. In Portugal, however, no review has yet been published regarding the implementation of SEL programs. Such a study would elucidate the current panorama of SEL programs in Portugal. This study aims to identify research on SEL programs implemented in Portuguese schools and the relationship of those programs with academic achievement. To this end, we have consulted the following databases: Scientific Repository of Open Access of Portugal (RCAAP), Online Knowledge Library (b-on), and Web of Science (WoS). The criteria were: (a) all time frames; (b) publications in either Portuguese or English; (c) programs that developed socio-emotional competencies in Portuguese schools; (d) academic levels including elementary, middle, and high school and (e) students of regular education. Few publications on SEL programs implemented in Portugal were found, although the recent decade has witnessed an upsurge of interest in the topic, principally that arising from academic research. PMID:29167650

Cardiovascular disease prevention and lifestyle interventions: effectiveness and efficacy.

PubMed

Haskell, William L

2003-01-01

Over the past half century scientific data support the strong relationship between the way a person or population lives and their risk for developing or dying from cardiovascular disease (CVD). While heredity can be a major factor for some people, their personal health habits and environmental/cultural exposure are more important factors. CVD is a multifactor process that is contributed to by a variety of biological and behavioral characteristics of the person including a number of well-established and emerging risk factors. Not smoking, being physically active, eating a heart healthy diet, staying reasonably lean, and avoiding major stress and depression are the major components of an effective CVD prevention program. For people at high risk of CVD, medications frequently need to be added to a healthy lifestyle to minimize their risk of a heart attack or stroke, particularly in persons with conditions such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or hyperglycemia. Maintaining an effective CVD prevention program in technologically advanced societies cannot be achieved by many high-risk persons without effective and sustained support from a well-organized health care system. Nurse-provided or nurse-coordinated care management programs using an integrated or multifactor approach have been highly effective in reducing CVD morbidity and mortality of high-risk persons.

Mediation of social cognitive theory variables in the relationship of exercise and improved eating in sedentary adults with severe obesity.

PubMed

Annesi, James J; Tennant, Gisèle A

2013-01-01

Results from behavioral treatments for obesity have been disappointing due to an inability to sustain healthy eating. The concurrent use of theory, research, and practical application has the potential of reducing overeating through innovative treatments. When overweight individuals begin an exercise program their eating tends to improve, however, the basis of this relationship is not determined. If the psychosocial mediators of the relationship between exercise and improved eating are better understood, supported exercise may be a key component for improving the efficacy of behavioral weight management treatments. In Phase 1 of this research, psychosocial variables derived from social cognitive theory were tested as possible mediators of the relationship of exercise participation with increased fruit and vegetable intake in severely obese adults initiating a 26-week treatment of supported exercise and standard nutrition education (n = 161). Change in self-regulation for healthy eating and self-regulation at treatment end was a strong mediator; with the addition of mood and self-efficacy for healthy eating being additional mediators that notably increased effect ratios. In Phase 2, participants in a cognitive-behavioral nutrition treatment tailored to improve the identified mediators (n = 163) were contrasted with the original group. The cognitive-behavioral nutrition treatment was associated with significantly greater increases than standard nutrition education in self-regulation, p = 0.023, CIs [4.69, 6.48], and [3.19, 5.02], respectively; self-efficacy, p = 0.013, CIs [19.72, 29.41], and [11.70, 20.71], respectively; and a marginally significant decrease in negative mood, p = 0.062, CIs [-14.26, -9.36], and [-10.90, -6.45], respectively. Findings served to inform treatment designs concerning the use of supported exercise and cognitive-behavioral means to derive better outcomes related to nutrition and weight loss in individuals with severe obesity.

[Sense of coherence and ways of coping in the relationship with brother or sister in healthy siblings of mentally ill persons].

PubMed

Osuchowska-Kościjańska, Anna; Charzyńska, Katarzyna; Chadzyńska, Małgorzata; Drozdzyńska, Anna; Kasperek-Zimowska, Beata; Bednarek, Agata; Sawicka, Maryla

2014-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate sense of coherence in healthy siblings of persons suffering from schizophrenia as well as their ways of coping in the relationship with ill brother or sister. 40 healthy brothers and sisters of persons with ICD- 10 diagnosis of F20 to F29 participated in the present study. Orientation to Life Scale (SOC- 29) was used to assess sense of coherence and Ways of Coping with Stress questionnaire (SRSS) was used to examine stress coping strategies. Mean global score of siblings of persons with schizophrenia was 111 points. Subjects used coping strategies focused on problem significantly more often than those focused on emotions. Therapeutic work with healthy siblings should focus on strengthening sense of personal competence, development of personal resources and different ways of coping with stress, investigation of emotions that healthy siblings experience in the relationship with ill brother or sister as well as supporting the process of accepting changes in the relationship with the ill sibling.

Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Physical Activity for a ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Language: English Español (Spanish) ...

Short and long-term effectiveness of couple counselling: a study protocol

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Healthy couple relationships are fundamental to a healthy society, whereas relationship breakdown and discord are linked to a wide range of negative health and wellbeing outcomes. Two types of relationship services (couple counselling and relationship education) have demonstrated efficacy in many controlled studies but evidence of the effectiveness of community-based relationship services has lagged behind. This study protocol describes an effectiveness evaluation of the two types of community-based relationship services. The aims of the Evaluation of Couple Counselling study are to: map the profiles of clients seeking agency-based couple counselling and relationship enhancement programs in terms of socio-demographic, relationship, health, and health service use indicators; to determine 3 and 12-month outcomes for relationship satisfaction, commitment, and depression; and determine relative contributions of client and therapy factors to outcomes. Methods/Design A quasi-experimental pre-post-post evaluation design is used to assess outcomes for couples presenting for the two types of community-based relationship services. The longitudinal design involves a pre-treatment survey and two follow-up surveys at 3- and 12-months post-intervention. The study is set in eight Relationships Australia Victoria centres, across metropolitan, outer suburbs, and regional/rural sites. Relationships Australia, a non-government organisation, is the largest provider of couple counselling and relationship services in Australia. The key outcomes are couple satisfaction, relationship commitment, and depression measured by the CESD-10. Multi-level modelling will be used to account for the dyadic nature of couple data. Discussion The study protocol describes the first large scale investigation of the effectiveness of two types of relationship services to be conducted in Australia. Its significance lies in providing more detailed profiles of couples who seek relationship services, in evaluating both 3 and 12-month relationship and health outcomes, and in determining factors that best predict improvements. It builds on prior research by using a naturalistic sample, an effectiveness research design, a more robust measure of relationship satisfaction, robust health indicators, a 12-month follow-up period, and a more rigorous statistical procedure suitable for dyadic data. Findings will provide a more precise description of those seeking relationship services and factors associated with improved relationship and health outcomes. PMID:22943742

Walking on an Oscillating Treadmill: Two Paths to Functional Adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brady, Rachel A.; Peters, Brian T.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

2010-01-01

We mounted a treadmill on top of a six degree-of-freedom motion base platform to investigate and characterize locomotor responses produced by healthy adults when introduced to a novel walking condition. Subjects were classified into two groups according to how their stride times were affected by the perturbation. Our data suggest that a person's choice of adaptation strategy is influenced by the relationship between his unique, natural stride frequency and the external frequency imposed by the motion base. Our data suggest that a person's stride time response while walking on a laterally oscillating treadmill is influenced by the relationship between his unique, natural stride frequency and the imposed external frequency of the motion base. This relationship may be useful for checking the efficacy of gait training and rehabilitation programs. Preselecting and manipulating a person's EST could be one way to draw him out of his preferred "entrainment well" during therapy or training.

Relationships among employees' working conditions, mental health, and intention to leave in nursing homes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Gore, Rebecca

2014-02-01

Employee turnover is a large and expensive problem in the long-term care environment. Stated intention to leave is a reliable indicator of likely turnover, but actual predictors, especially for nursing assistants, have been incompletely investigated. This quantitative study identifies the relationships among employees' working conditions, mental health, and intention to leave. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,589 employees in 18 for-profit nursing homes. A working condition index for the number of beneficial job features was constructed. Poisson regression modeling found that employees who reported four positive features were 77% less likely to state strong intention to leave (PR = 0.23, p < .001). The strength of relationship between working conditions and intention to leave was slightly mediated by employee mental health. Effective workplace intervention programs must address work organization features to reduce employee intention to leave. Healthy workplaces should build better interpersonal relationships, show respect for employee work, and involve employees in decision-making processes.

77 FR 65574 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Programs Data...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-29

... Information Collection: Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control Programs Data Collection--Progress Reporting AGENCY: Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The revised... of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street...

Integrating Behavioral Health Support into a Pediatric Setting: What Happens in the Exam Room?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuno, Kate; Krug, Laura M.; Umylny, Polina

2015-01-01

This article presents an overview of the Healthy Steps for Young Children (Healthy Steps) program at Montefiore Medical Center, in the Bronx, NY. The authors review the theoretical underpinnings of this national program for the promotion of early childhood mental health. The Healthy Steps program at Montefiore is integrated into outpatient…

Twelve-Month Effects of the COPE Healthy Lifestyles TEEN Program on Overweight and Depressive Symptoms in High School Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melnyk, Bernadette M.; Jacobson, Diana; Kelly, Stephanie A.; Belyea, Michael J.; Shaibi, Gabriel Q.; Small, Leigh; O'Haver, Judith A.; Marsiglia, Flavio F.

2015-01-01

Background: We evaluated the 12-month effects of the COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) Healthy Lifestyles TEEN (Thinking, Emotions, Exercise, Nutrition) program versus an attention control program (Healthy Teens) on overweight/obesity and depressive symptoms in high school adolescents. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled…

Planning and development of the Better Bites program: a pricing manipulation strategy to improve healthy eating in a hospital cafeteria.

PubMed

Liebert, Mina L; Patsch, Amy J; Smith, Jennifer Howard; Behrens, Timothy K; Charles, Tami; Bailey, Taryn R

2013-07-01

The Better Bites program, a hospital cafeteria nutrition intervention strategy, was developed by combining evidence-based practices with hospital-specific formative research, including key informant interviews, the Nutrition Environment Measures Study in Restaurants, hospital employee surveys, and nutrition services staff surveys. The primary program components are pricing manipulation and marketing to promote delicious, affordable, and healthy foods to hospital employees and other cafeteria patrons. The pricing manipulation component includes decreasing the price of the healthy items and increasing the price of the unhealthy items using a 35% price differential. Point-of-purchase marketing highlights taste, cost, and health benefits of the healthy items. The program aims to increase purchases of healthy foods and decrease purchases of unhealthy foods, while maintaining revenue neutrality. This article addresses the formative research, planning, and development that informed the Better Bites program.

Relationship between scapular muscle and core endurance in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Hazar Kanik, Zeynep; Pala, Omer Osman; Gunaydin, Gurkan; Sozlu, Ugur; Alkan, Zeynep Beyza; Basar, Selda; Citaker, Seyit

2017-01-01

Scapular muscle endurance and core endurance reportedly influence shoulder injury risk. The exact relationship between scapular muscle endurance and core endurance, and how they impact one another in the healthy subjects remain unclear. To investigate the relationship between scapular muscle endurance and core endurance in healthy subjects. Fifty healthy volunteers (23 males, 27 females; mean age 20.42 ± 1.04 years) were participated in this study. Endurance of the serratus anterior and trapezius muscles was assessed using the scapular muscle endurance test. Sorensen test (endurance of trunk extensor muscles), trunk flexor endurance test, and side bridge test (endurance of lateral core muscles) were conducted to assess the core endurance. Pearson's product moment correlations examined relationships between scapular muscle endurance and each of the core endurance tests scores. Scapular muscle endurance test scores showed a positive correlation with the side bridge test scores (r = 0.414; p = 0.003). No significant correlation was found between scapular muscle endurance test scores and the other core endurance tests scores (p > 0.05). There appears to be a link between the scapular muscle endurance and lateral core muscles in healthy subjects; however, more research is needed to provide a definitive answer on the nature of this relationship. Further studies involving patients with shoulder pathology are warranted.

Autism-spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood: focus on sexuality.

PubMed

Turner, Daniel; Briken, Peer; Schöttle, Daniel

2017-11-01

The combination of the core symptoms, characterizing individuals with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), can lead to problems in romantic relationships and sexual functioning. The purpose of this article is to review studies on sexuality in individuals with ASD published since January 2016. Individuals with ASD and especially women show a higher diversity in sexual orientation in comparison with the non-ASD population. Furthermore, ASD women are more frequently in a relationship and usually report more previous sexual experiences. Up to now, sexual education programs specifically addressing the needs of the ASD population were scarce, which was criticized by patients, their parents, and caregivers. With the development of the Tackling Teenage Training program, a psychoeducational intervention designed specifically for ASD individuals was introduced, leading to significant improvements in psychosexual functioning and knowledge. Such programs are needed because a considerable rate of problematic sexual behaviors, including public masturbation and paraphilic sexual interests were found in the ASD population. Just like their typically developing counterparts, individuals with ASD show the whole range of normal-to-problematic sexual behaviors. Improving sexual knowledge could lead to less inappropriate sexual behaviors and could improve sexual health as part of a healthy and satisfying life.

Association between frequency of telephonic contact and clinical testing for a large, geographically diverse diabetes disease management population.

PubMed

Coberley, Carter R; McGinnis, Matthew; Orr, Patty M; Coberley, Sadie S; Hobgood, Adam; Hamar, Brent; Gandy, Bill; Pope, James; Hudson, Laurel; Hara, Pam; Shurney, Dexter; Clarke, Janice L; Crawford, Albert; Goldfarb, Neil I

2007-04-01

Diabetes disease management (DM) programs strive to promote healthy behaviors, including obtaining hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) tests as part of standards of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between frequency of telephonic contact and A1c and LDL testing rates. A total of 245,668 members continuously enrolled in diabetes DM programs were evaluated for performance of an A1c or LDL test during their first 12 months in the programs. The association between the number of calls a member received and clinical testing rates was examined. Members who received four calls demonstrated a 24.1% and 21.5% relative increase in A1c and LDL testing rates, respectively, compared to members who received DM mailings alone. Response to the telephonic intervention as part of the diabetes DM programs was influenced by member characteristics including gender, age, and disease burden. For example, females who received four calls achieved a 27.7% and 23.6% increase in A1c and LDL testing, respectively, compared to females who received mailings alone; by comparison, males who were called achieved 21.2% and 19.9% relative increase in A1c and LDL testing, respectively, compared to those who received mailings alone. This study demonstrates a positive association between frequency of telephonic contact and increased performance of an A1c or LDL test in a large, diverse diabetes population participating in DM programs. The impact of member characteristics on the responsiveness to these programs provides DM program designers with knowledge for developing strategies to promote healthy behaviors and improve diabetes outcomes.

Translational MRI Volumetry with NeuroQuant: Effects of Version and Normative Data on Relationships with Memory Performance in Healthy Older Adults and Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

PubMed

Stelmokas, Julija; Yassay, Lance; Giordani, Bruno; Dodge, Hiroko H; Dinov, Ivo D; Bhaumik, Arijit; Sathian, K; Hampstead, Benjamin M

2017-01-01

NeuroQuant (NQ) is a fully-automated program that overcomes several existing limitations in the clinical translation of MRI-derived volumetry. The current study characterized differences between the original (NQ1) and an updated NQ version (NQ2) by 1) replicating previously identified relationships between neuropsychological test performance and medial temporal lobe volumes, 2) evaluating the level of agreement between NQ versions, and 3) determining if the addition of NQ2 age-/sex-based z-scores hold greater clinical utility for prediction of memory impairment than standard percent of intracranial volume (% ICV) values. Sixty-seven healthy older adults and 65 mild cognitive impairment patients underwent structural MRI and completed cognitive testing, including the Immediate and Delayed Memory indices from the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status. Results generally replicated previous relationships between key medial temporal lobe regions and memory test performance, though comparison of NQ regions revealed statistically different values that were biased toward one version or the other depending on the region. NQ2 hippocampal z-scores explained additional variance in memory performance relative to % ICV values. Findings indicate that NQ1/2 medial temporal lobe volumes, especially age- and sex-based z-scores, hold clinical value, though caution is warranted when directly comparing volumes across NQ versions.

Vitamin D and its relationship with markers of bone metabolism in healthy Asian women.

PubMed

Tan, Karen M L; Saw, Sharon; Sethi, Sunil K

2013-07-01

In this study, we aimed to determine the normal ranges of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D(3) (25-OHD(3)), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and the markers of bone turnover, procollagen type 1 N propeptide (P1NP) and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX), in normal healthy women in Singapore, and to explore the relationship between vitamin D, PTH, and these markers of bone turnover in the women. One hundred and ninety-seven healthy women, aged 25 to 60, were selected from a hospital staff health screening program; 68% were Chinese, 18% Malay, and 14% Indian. P1NP, CTX, and 25-OHD(3) were measured using the Roche Cobas® electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Serum PTH was measured using the Siemens ADVIA Centaur® immunoassay. Sixty-five percent had 25-OHD(3) concentrations <50 nmol/l. Vitamin D insufficiency (25-OHD(3) < 50 nmol/l) was more prevalent in Malays (89%) and Indians (82%) compared to Chinese (56%). There was no correlation between vitamin D and age. PTH positively correlated with age, and Malays and Indians had higher PTH concentrations than Chinese. There was an inverse correlation between PTH and 25-OHD(3), but no threshold of 25-OHD(3) concentrations at which PTH plateaued. The bone turnover markers P1NP and CTX inversely correlated with age but were not different between ethnic groups. CTX and P1NP exhibited good correlation, however, there was no significant correlation between 25-OHD(3) or PTH concentrations and the bone turnover markers P1NP and CTX. Healthy women in Singapore have a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency. Vitamin D insufficiency was more prevalent in Malays and Indians compared to Chinese. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Religion and adolescent sexuality.

PubMed

Stayton, W R

1985-06-01

The health professional can be helpful to the adolescent, the adolescent's family, and the community through participating in and initiating local sex education programs. Religious settings provide a great potential for sexuality education within a value framework. A helpful curriculum will include the meaning of sexuality; developing a positive concept of sexuality, and a healthy sexual identity; present the issues of adolescent sexuality, including the various health issues; and an understanding of quality relationships within the family and among peers. If health professions and the community religious institutions can joint together, they can reach the goals of most programs in human sexuality, namely, "learning to appreciate our sexuality as a positive potential for self-expression, fulfillment and intimacy; respect for the personhood and well-being of others; and responsible decision-making."

A Formative Evaluation of Healthy Habits, Healthy U: A Collaborative School-Based Cancer Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Alicia; Spear, Caile; Pritchard, Mary; George, Kayla; Young, Kyle; Smith, Carrie

2017-01-01

Purpose: Healthy Habits, Healthy U (HHHU) is a two-day school-based primary prevention cancer education program that uses interactive classroom presentations designed to help students learn how to reduce their cancer risks. HHHU is a collaboration between a local cancer hospital, school district and university. HHHU incorporates real cancerous and…

Three Independent Evaluations of Healthy Kids Programs Find Substantial Gains in Children's Dental Health Care. In Brief, September 2008, Number 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Dana; Howell, Embry; Trenholm, Christopher; Hill, Ian; Dubay, Lisa

2008-01-01

This brief presents highlights from rigorous, independent evaluations of the Healthy Kids programs in three California counties: Los Angeles, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Launched by Children's Health Initiatives (CHIs) in these counties between 2001 and 2003, the three Healthy Kids programs provide children with comprehensive health insurance…

Iowa's Medicaid Expansion Promoted Healthy Behaviors But Was Challenging To Implement And Attracted Few Participants.

PubMed

Askelson, Natoshia M; Wright, Brad; Bentler, Suzanne; Momany, Elizabeth T; Damiano, Peter

2017-05-01

As part of Iowa's Medicaid expansion, the Healthy Behaviors Program was designed to provide members with incentives to complete specified healthy activities in return for waiving monthly premiums. We used claims data and interviews to document the first year (2014) of the program's implementation. Healthy activities completion rates did not exceed 17 percent. Interviews with members and clinic managers revealed low levels of awareness of the program's existence, deficits in knowledge about how the program works, and a variety of barriers to activity completion. Our findings suggest that the lack of knowledge hindered the state's ability to incentivize activities and that it subjected beneficiaries to premium expenses and potential disenrollment. These results should guide federal and state policy makers in devising more effective ways of educating Medicaid beneficiaries and providers about programs that incentivize responsibility for healthy behaviors. The results suggest that efforts by federal and state governments to reform Medicaid by shifting responsibility onto program members for healthy behaviors are unlikely to succeed, especially without careful thought and design of premiums, penalties, and incentives for participants. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Claim More™: Empowering African American Women to Make Healthy Choices.

PubMed

Tkatch, Rifky; Musich, Shirley; Draklellis, Jennifer; Hetzel, Marla; Banks, Jo; Dugan, Jessica; Thompson, Kaylene; Hawkins, Kevin

2018-03-01

Diabetes is a serious issue for African American women. The purpose of this project was to develop and test the feasibility of a culturally appropriate and faith-based healthy eating program for African American women at risk for developing diabetes. At total of 30 women from two churches completed a 12-week, faith-based program using a community-based approach with lay health educators in the church setting. Participants set healthy eating goals, attended weekly education classes, and received daily text messaging reminders related to their goals. Outcomes included high levels of social support, frequent engagement with the program, and improved healthy eating. This program demonstrated the ability to target African American women at risk for diabetes and engage them in a health-related program.

Differences in adolescent relationship abuse perpetration and gender-inequitable attitudes by sport among male high school athletes.

PubMed

McCauley, Heather L; Jaime, Maria Catrina D; Tancredi, Daniel J; Silverman, Jay G; Decker, Michele R; Austin, S Bryn; Jones, Kelley; Miller, Elizabeth

2014-06-01

School-based athletic programs remain an important context for violence prevention efforts although a better understanding of how gender attitudes and abuse perpetration differ among athletes is needed. We analyzed baseline survey data from the "Coaching Boys into Men" study-a school-based cluster-randomized trial in 16 high schools in Northern California. We describe relationships among gender-inequitable attitudes, sport type, and recent adolescent relationship abuse perpetration among a sample of male athletes (n = 1,648). Gender-inequitable attitudes (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 3.26; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.56, 4.15), participation in both high school football and basketball (AOR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.37, 3.18), and participation in football only (AOR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.02, 2.22) emerged as independently associated with recent ARA perpetration. Findings warrant targeted violence prevention efforts among male high school athletes that incorporate discussions of gender attitudes and healthy relationships, especially among sports teams at greater risk of adolescent relationship abuse perpetration. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sexual Knowledge Acquisition and Retention for Individuals with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pask, Liza; Hughes, Tammy L.; Sutton, Lawrence R.

2016-01-01

"Healthy Relationships & Autism" is a developmentally sequenced, manualized intervention intended for children and adolescents with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The curriculum is designed to facilitate healthy interpersonal relationships; three modules cover personal hygiene, sexual knowledge, and a variety of productive…

Healthy Communities Grant Program | Urban Environmental ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

2018-03-06

The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life.

Prospective memory in schizophrenia: relationship to medication management skills, neurocognition, and symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia.

PubMed

Raskin, Sarah A; Maye, Jacqueline; Rogers, Alexandra; Correll, David; Zamroziewicz, Marta; Kurtz, Matthew

2014-05-01

Impaired adherence to medication regimens is a serious concern for individuals with schizophrenia linked to relapse and poorer outcomes. One possible reason for poor adherence to medication is poor ability to remember future intentions, labeled prospective memory skills. It has been demonstrated in several studies that individuals with schizophrenia have impairments in prospective memory that are linked to everyday life skills. However, there have been no studies, to our knowledge, examining the relationship of a clinical measure of prospective memory to medication management skills, a key element of successful adherence. In this Study 41 individuals with schizophrenia and 25 healthy adults were administered a standardized test battery that included measures of prospective memory, medication management skills, neurocognition, and symptoms. Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated impairments in prospective memory (both time and event-based) relative to healthy controls. Performance on the test of prospective memory was correlated with the standardized measure of medication management in individuals with schizophrenia. Moreover, the test of prospective memory predicted skills in medication adherence even after measures of neurocognition were accounted for. This suggests that prospective memory may play a key role in medication management skills and thus should be a target of cognitive remediation programs.

SOCIAL CORRELATES OF FEMALE INFERTILITY IN UZBEKISTAN

PubMed Central

JUMAYEV, IZATULLA; HARUN-OR-RASHID, MD.; RUSTAMOV, OYBEK; ZAKIROVA, NODIRA; KASUYA, HIDEKI; SAKAMOTO, JUNICHI

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT The purpose of this matched case-control study was to investigate the social correlates of primary infertility among females aged 35 years or less. The study was conducted in the Clinics of Samarkand Medical Institute, Uzbekistan, among 120 infertile and 120 healthy women matched by age, residential area, and occupation from January to June 2009. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Median duration of infertility was 10.0 months (interquartile range = 6.0–13.0). The rate of remarriage was 3.5 times higher among infertile women compared with healthy subjects. Insufficient family income, poor quality of life, life stress, and discontentment with daily routines as well as ‘bad’ relationships with family members (husband, mother- and father-in-law) were significant correlates of female infertility. Infertile women were more likely to underestimate the importance of sexual intimacy, and a negative attitude to sex. Female infertility is associated with various social correlates leading to higher remarriage rates and to further complicating the problem of infertility. Thus, a correction of women’s basic attitudes and their relationships to their surrounding social habitat should be an essential component of any program of infertility management. PMID:23092100

Community Design Impacts on Health Habits in Low-income Southern Nevadans.

PubMed

Coughenour, Courtney; Burns, Mackenzie S

2016-07-01

The purposes of this exploratory study were to: (1) characterize selected community design features; and (2) determine the relationship between select features and physical activity (PA) levels and nutrition habits for a small sample of low-income southern Nevadans. Secondary analysis was conducted on data from selected participants of the Nevada Healthy Homes Partnership program; self-report data on PA and diet habits were compared to national guidelines. Community design features were identified via GIS within a one-mile radius of participants' homes. Descriptive statistics characterized these features and chi-square analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between select features and habits. Data from 71 participants were analyzed; the majority failed to reach either PA or fruit and vegetable guidelines (81.7% and 93.0%, respectively). Many neighborhoods were absent of parks (71.8%), trailheads (36.6%), or pay-for-use PA facilities (47.9%). The mean number of grocery stores was 3.4 ± 2.3 per neighborhood. Chi-square analyses were not statistically significant. Findings were insufficient to make meaningful conclusions, but support the need for health promotion to meet guidelines. More research is needed to assess the impact of health-promoting community design and healthy behaviors, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Social correlates of female infertility in Uzbekistan.

PubMed

Jumayev, Izatulla; Harun-Or-Rashid, Md; Rustamov, Oybek; Zakirova, Nodira; Kasuya, Hideki; Sakamoto, Junichi

2012-08-01

The purpose of this matched case-control study was to investigate the social correlates of primary infertility among females aged 35 years or less. The study was conducted in the Clinics of Samarkand Medical Institute, Uzbekistan, among 120 infertile and 120 healthy women matched by age, residential area, and occupation from January to June 2009. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Median duration of infertility was 10.0 months (interquartile range = 6.0-13.0). The rate of remarriage was 3.5 times higher among infertile women compared with healthy subjects. Insufficient family income, poor quality of life, life stress, and discontentment with daily routines as well as 'bad' relationships with family members (husband, mother- and father-in-law) were significant correlates of female infertility. Infertile women were more likely to underestimate the importance of sexual intimacy, and a negative attitude to sex. Female infertility is associated with various social correlates leading to higher remarriage rates and to further complicating the problem of infertility. Thus, a correction of women's basic attitudes and their relationships to their surrounding social habitat should be an essential component of any program of infertility management.

Structure-function relationship between the octopus perimeter cluster mean sensitivity and sector retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured with the RTVue optical coherence tomography and scanning laser polarimetry.

PubMed

Naghizadeh, Farzaneh; Garas, Anita; Vargha, Péter; Holló, Gábor

2014-01-01

To determine structure-function relationship between each of 16 Octopus perimeter G2 program clusters and the corresponding 16 peripapillary sector retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) values measured with the RTVue-100 Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (RTVue OCT) and scanning laser polarimetry with variable corneal compensation (GDx-VCC) and enhanced corneal compensation (GDx-ECC) corneal compensation. One eye of 110 white patients (15 healthy, 20 ocular hypertensive, and 75 glaucoma eyes) were investigated. The Akaike information criterion and the F test were used to identify the best fitting model. Parabolic relationship with logarithmic cluster mean sensitivity and linear sector RNFLT values provided the best fit. For RTVue OCT, significant (P<0.0001) coefficients of determination (R) were found for all 16 RNFLT sectors. The R values were highest for the temporal, superotemporal, and inferotemporal RNFLT sectors (0.4483 to 0.5186). For GDx-VCC/ECC, significant (P<0.01) parabolic relationship was seen for all but the temporal and nasal RNFLT sectors. The overall highest R value (0.6943) was found for a superotemporal RNFLT sector with GDx-ECC. For some RNFLT sectors, the goodness of fit differed significantly between the imaging methods. Structure-function relationship was similar for the total population and the glaucoma subgroup, whereas no relationship (P>0.05) was found for the control eyes. Mean sensitivity of the Octopus visual field clusters showed significant parabolic relationship with the corresponding peripapillary RNFLT sectors. The relationship was more general with the RTVue OCT than GDx-VCC or GDx-ECC. The results show that visual field clusters of the Octopus G program can be applied for detailed structure-function research.

An assessment of burnout in undergraduate athletic training education program directors.

PubMed

Walter, Jessica M; Van Lunen, Bonnie L; Walker, Stacy E; Ismaeli, Zahra C; Oñate, James A

2009-01-01

Athletic training education program directors (ATEPDs) often manage their time among students, program administration, and patient care. To assess the level of burnout in ATEPDs and to determine the relationship between burnout and various demographics of ATEPDs. Cross-sectional study. Public and private colleges and universities nationwide. Two hundred forty-nine ATEPDs of undergraduate athletic training education programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. We administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to all participants. The MBI consisted of 21 items assessing 3 characteristics of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Another component of the survey requested demographic information about the ATEPDs. We used univariate, multivariate, and factorial analyses of variance with the alpha level set a priori at .05. We also calculated Pearson product moment correlation coefficients. Women had greater emotional exhaustion than men (20.67 +/- 9.43 and 16.47 +/- 9.64, respectively) (P = .001). The difference between tenure-status groups for emotional exhaustion was significant (P = .014), with tenure-track ATEPDs scoring higher on emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients revealed a weak negative relationship among emotional exhaustion and age (r = -0.263, P < .001), years of program director experience (r = -0.157, P = .013), and years at current job (r = -0.162, P = .010), indicating that as ATEPDs aged, gained more experience, and stayed in their current jobs, their emotional exhaustion scores decreased. There was also a weak negative relationship between age and depersonalization (r = -0.171, P = .007). There was a weak positive relationship between years at current job and personal accomplishment (r = 0.197, P = .002). We found that ATEPDs experienced a moderate form of emotional exhaustion burnout and low depersonalization and personal accomplishment burnout, with women experiencing greater emotional exhaustion than males. Additionally, ATEPDs in tenure-track positions experienced greater emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. The ATEPDs need to obtain healthy coping strategies early within their directorships to manage components related to burnout.

Father-daughter relationship and the severity of eating disorders.

PubMed

Horesh, N; Sommerfeld, E; Wolf, M; Zubery, E; Zalsman, G

2015-01-01

Mother-daughter relationship was the focus of studies on the development of eating disorders (ED) for many years. This study aimed to examine the association between the father-daughter relationship and ED and depressive symptoms. Fifty-three women diagnosed with ED were compared to a psychiatric control group (n=26) and to healthy participants (n=60) regarding their perception of their fathers and the relationship with them. Assessments were done using the Parental Bonding Instrument, the Eating Disorders Questionnaire, the Body Shape Questionnaire, the Eating Attitude Test, and the Beck Depression Inventory as well as narrative-based methods. Fathers' negative attributes were significantly associated with ED and depressive symptom. Two profiles of father-daughter relationship were found, the "caring and benevolent" relationship and the "overprotective and avoidant" one. In the latter, patients displayed significantly higher levels of food-restraint, more concerns about eating and about their body shape and appearance, and higher levels of depression. Negative perception of the father's parenting style as well as the quality of the relationship with him are crucial for the understanding of the development and persistence of ED. Therapeutic programs for ED should focus not only on the relationship with the mother but must also address the relationship with the father. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Healthy Places for Healthy People

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Describes the Healthy Places for Healthy People technical assistance program that helps communities create walkable, healthy, economically vibrant places by engaging with local health care facility partners

Daily stress, presleep arousal, and sleep in healthy young women: a daily life computerized sleep diary and actigraphy study.

PubMed

Winzeler, Katja; Voellmin, Annette; Schäfer, Valérie; Meyer, Andrea H; Cajochen, Christian; Wilhelm, Frank H; Bader, Klaus

2014-03-01

Our study aimed to further elucidate the mediating role of presleep arousal in the relationship between daily stress and sleep by investigating subjective sleep quality and actigraphy-assessed sleep efficiency (SE) on both within- and between-participant levels in a sample of healthy young women. Multilevel modeling was applied on electronically assessed data comprising 14 consecutive nights in 145 healthy young women to assess the relationship between daily stress, presleep (somatic and cognitive) arousal, and sleep on both levels between participants and within participants across days. Higher levels of daily stress were consistently and significantly associated with higher levels of somatic and cognitive arousal. Somatic arousal mediated the relationship between daily stress and worsened subjective sleep quality on the between-participant level, while cognitive arousal mediated the relationship between daily stress and worsened subjective sleep quality on the within-participants level. Unexpectedly, healthy young women showed higher SE following days with above-average stress with somatic arousal mediating this relationship. Our data corroborate the role of presleep arousal mediating the relationship between daily stress and subjective sleep quality. Interestingly this effect was restricted to somatic arousal being relevant on interindividual levels and cognitive arousal on intraindividual levels. For young and healthy individuals who experience high stress and arousal, well-established cognitive-behavioral techniques could be useful to regulate arousal and prevent worse subjective sleep quality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making the transition from lead poisoning prevention to healthy homes: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Maring, Elisabeth F; Singer, Barbara Jones; Shenassa, Edmond D

2010-01-01

The goal of this study was to create a guide for programs considering transition from Lead Poisoning Prevention to Healthy Homes. Healthy Homes programs are comprehensive, focusing on multiple residential housing hazards. This study focused on the Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division, which was selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to pilot the transition process. For this qualitative study, data were collected through interviews with program staff from the Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division and followed up by focus groups with community members who received its services. Grounded theory procedures were used for data analysis. Interviews and focus groups were conducted in Baltimore City near the Health Department. Seventeen interviews were conducted with Baltimore City Healthy Homes Division staff. Three focus groups were held with 3 to 6 community participants in each group. Findings for the study are arranged around an organizational framework for which transition from Lead Poisoning Prevention to Healthy Homes is the central phenomenon. Three general themes emerged: (1) programmatic changes; (2) policy changes; and (3) partnerships. Quotations from participating staff and community members provide supporting evidence for the results. Findings provide insight into the strengths and challenges of transition for 1 program. The study has implications for change on a national level as programs around the country transition to provide families with comprehensive Healthy Homes services.

Claim More™: Empowering African American Women to Make Healthy Choices

PubMed Central

Tkatch, Rifky; Musich, Shirley; Draklellis, Jennifer; Hetzel, Marla; Banks, Jo; Dugan, Jessica; Thompson, Kaylene; Hawkins, Kevin

2017-01-01

Diabetes is a serious issue for African American women. The purpose of this project was to develop and test the feasibility of a culturally appropriate and faith-based healthy eating program for African American women at risk for developing diabetes. At total of 30 women from two churches completed a 12-week, faith-based program using a community-based approach with lay health educators in the church setting. Participants set healthy eating goals, attended weekly education classes, and received daily text messaging reminders related to their goals. Outcomes included high levels of social support, frequent engagement with the program, and improved healthy eating. This program demonstrated the ability to target African American women at risk for diabetes and engage them in a health-related program. PMID:29172987

Using mediation techniques to manage conflict and create healthy work environments.

PubMed

Gerardi, Debra

2004-01-01

Healthcare organizations must find ways for managing conflict and developing effective working relationships to create healthy work environments. The effects of unresolved conflict on clinical outcomes, staff retention, and the financial health of the organization lead to many unnecessary costs that divert resources from clinical care. The complexity of delivering critical care services makes conflict resolution difficult. Developing collaborative working relationships helps to manage conflict in complex environments. Working relationships are based on the ability to deal with differences. Dealing with differences requires skill development and techniques for balancing interests and communicating effectively. Techniques used by mediators are effective for resolving disputes and developing working relationships. With practice, these techniques are easily transferable to the clinical setting. Listening for understanding, reframing, elevating the definition of the problem, and forming clear agreements can foster working relationships, decrease the level of conflict, and create healthy work environments that benefit patients and professionals.

The relationship between self-efficacy for behaviors that promote healthy weight and clinical indicators of adiposity in a sample of early adolescents.

PubMed

Steele, Michael M; Daratha, Kenn B; Bindler, Ruth C; Power, Thomas G

2011-12-01

Examine the relationship between self-efficacy and various measures of adiposity in a sample of teens. A total of 132 teens were selected from schools participating in an existing research study titled Teen Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS). Teens completed demographic questionnaires and healthy eating-specific and physical activity-specific measures of self-efficacy. Waist circumference (WC), triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), and body mass index (BMI) percentile scores were also obtained. Regression analyses indicated that healthy eating-specific and physical activity-specific measures of self-efficacy predicted WC and TSF. ANOVA revealed significant differences in healthy eating-specific self-efficacy levels between students of recommended weight and overweight/obese status. Supplemental analyses showed significant negative relationships between a student's ideal BMI ratio and self-efficacy. Because self-efficacy may be amenable to change, these findings could inform future efforts aimed at increasing behaviors that promote healthy weight status among early adolescents.

Conscientiousness and (un)healthy eating: the role of impulsive eating and age in the consumption of daily main meals.

PubMed

Olsen, Svein Ottar; Tuu, Ho Huy; Honkanen, Pirjo; Verplanken, Bas

2015-08-01

The present study aims to explore the relationship between conscientiousness and the consumption of healthy versus unhealthy main meals. Impulsive eating was tested as a mediator in this relationship, as well as direct effects of age on those constructs. A nationwide representative sample of 1,006 Norwegian adults (18-70 years) within a prospective design was used to test a theoretical model. The structural equation model (SEM), in combination with bootstrapping procedures in AMOS, was the principal analytical method. Conscientiousness was negatively associated with unhealthy and impulsive eating. Impulsive eating was a partial mediator between conscientiousness and unhealthy eating and a full mediator between conscientiousness and healthy eating. Age was positively correlated with conscientiousness and this relationship had an inverted U-shape form. Finally, age was negatively associated with unhealthy and impulsive eating, and positively associated with healthy eating. This study confirmed the relevance of conscientiousness for healthy, unhealthy, and impulsive eating. © 2015 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

77 FR 64524 - Advisory Committee on Infant Mortality; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-22

... the Healthy Start Program and Healthy People 2020 infant mortality objectives. Agenda: Topics that will be discussed include the following: HRSA Update; Maternal and Child Health Bureau Update; Healthy Start Program Update; Updates from Partnering Agencies and Organizations; and ACIM's recommendations for...

Eating patterns and leisure-time exercise among active duty military personnel: comparison to the Healthy People objectives.

PubMed

Smith, Tracey J; Dotson, Laura E; Young, Andrew J; White, Alan; Hadden, Louise; Bathalon, Gaston P; Funderburk, LesLee; Marriott, Bernadette P

2013-07-01

To assess whether active duty military personnel meet Healthy People 2010 objectives for physical activity and fruit, vegetable, and whole-grain intake; the relationship of select demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors (eg, smoking), and eating patterns (eg, frequency and location of meals) on achieving diet and exercise-related Healthy People 2010 objectives; and the relationship of eating patterns to self-reported weight gain. Secondary data from 15,747 participants in the 2005 Department of Defense Health Related Behaviors Survey was analyzed. More than 57% of respondents met the Healthy People 2010 guidelines for moderate or vigorous leisure exercise but only 3% reported eating fruit (once), vegetables (3 times), and whole grains (3 times) daily. Individuals who reported gaining weight during the previous year were more likely to skip breakfast and eat at, or from, a restaurant ≥2 times per week compared with those who did not gain weight (P<0.001). Regression analysis indicated that women were more likely to eat fruits (odds ratio [OR] 1.25) and vegetables (OR 1.20) and less likely than men to eat whole grains (OR 0.76) or engage in moderate or vigorous exercise (OR 0.71). Military personnel who skipped breakfast ≥2 times per week (OR 0.45) or ate at a restaurant/takeout food (OR 0.54) ≥2 times per week were significantly less likely to meet Healthy People 2010 guidelines for food intake (defined as achieving a daily intake of one or more fruits, three or more vegetables, and three or more servings of whole grains) and exercise (OR 0.88 and 0.82, respectively). Although the majority of military personnel met guidelines for physical activity, their intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains was suboptimal. Skipping breakfast and eating at, or from, restaurants were risk factors for poor nutrient intake and associated with weight gain. These data suggest that skipping breakfast and eating out deter achieving Healthy People 2010 objectives and provide targets for military programs to promote achieving these objectives. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing self-esteem and school connectedness through a multidimensional mentoring program.

PubMed

King, Keith A; Vidourek, Rebecca A; Davis, Beth; McClellan, Warren

2002-09-01

High levels of self-esteem and positive school, peer, and family connections represent protective factors against youth involvement in risky behavior. This paper reports findings from year one of the Healthy Kids Mentoring Program, a multidisciplinary mentoring program for fourth-grade students in a Midwestern public school. In October 2000, 28 fourth-grade students were admitted into the program, based on findings from a 55-item survey distributed to all fourth-grade students (N = 283) regarding overall self-esteem, school, peer, and family connectedness and involvement in risky behavior. The program, which ran from January 2000 to May 2000, consisted of four components: 1) relationship building, 2) self-esteem enhancement, 3) goal setting, 4) academic assistance. Pretest-Posttest data showed significant improvements at posttest in mentored students' self-esteem levels and positive connections to school, peers, and family. Mentored students also were significantly less likely to be depressed or involved in bullying and fighting at posttest than at pretest. Compared to nonmentored students, mentored students reported significantly higher school and family connectedness scores at posttest. Recommendations for effective mentoring program design are offered.

Operational fidelity to an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention for people living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Kalichman, Seth C; Hudd, Katie; Diberto, Giorgio

2010-08-01

Evidence-based interventions are often disseminated in public health education with little known about their operational fidelity. This study examined the delivery of intervention components (operational fidelity) of a widely disseminated HIV prevention program designed for people living with HIV/AIDS named Healthy Relationships. Two hundred ninety-nine agencies that had been trained in the intervention by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were contacted, and 122 (41%) completed confidential interviews. Among the 93 agencies that implemented the program, 39 (40%) adapted at least one core element activity, and 21 (23%) dropped an activity. Most adaptations were intended to improve the community fit of the intervention. Agencies believed that funders demand that they implement the intervention with fidelity. Models of technology transfer that emphasize behavior change processes rather than specific curriculum content may advance prevention program dissemination.

#2 - An Empirical Assessment of Exposure Measurement Error ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background• Differing degrees of exposure error acrosspollutants• Previous focus on quantifying and accounting forexposure error in single-pollutant models• Examine exposure errors for multiple pollutantsand provide insights on the potential for bias andattenuation of effect estimates in single and bipollutantepidemiological models The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

#2) EPA Perspective - Exposure and Effects Prediction and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Outline •Biomarkers as a risk assessment tool–exposure assessment & risk characterization•CDC’s NHANES as a source of biomarker data–history, goals & available data•Review of NHANES publications (1999-2013)–chemicals, uses, trends & challenges•NHANES biomarker case study–recommendations for future research The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

'Sticking to a healthy diet is easier for me when I exercise regularly': cognitive transfer between physical exercise and healthy nutrition.

PubMed

Fleig, Lena; Kerschreiter, Rudolf; Schwarzer, Ralf; Pomp, Sarah; Lippke, Sonia

2014-01-01

Long-term rehabilitation success depends on regular exercise and healthy nutrition. The present study introduces a new framework to explain this association on a psychosocial level. The exercise-nutrition relationship was investigated by exploring the sequential mediation of habit strength and transfer cognitions. Analyses were performed at two measurement points in time (at 12 and 18 months after rehabilitation), involving 470 medical rehabilitation patients who participated in an exercise intervention. Patients filled in paper-pencil questionnaires assessing exercise (t1) and habit strength, transfer cognitions and healthy nutrition at follow-up (t2). Habit strength and transfer cognitions mediated the relationship between exercise and nutrition. Findings suggest that habit strength and transfer cognitions are important factors underlying the relationship between exercise and nutrition.

Making Healthy Choices Easier: Regulation versus Nudging.

PubMed

Hansen, Pelle Guldborg; Skov, Laurits Rohden; Skov, Katrine Lund

2016-01-01

In recent years, the nudge approach to behavior change has emerged from the behavioral sciences to challenge the traditional use of regulation in public health strategies to address modifiable individual-level behaviors related to the rise of noncommunicable diseases and their treatment. However, integration and testing of the nudge approach as part of more comprehensive public health strategies aimed at making healthy choices easier are being threatened by inadequate understandings of its scientific character, its relationship with regulation, and its ethical implications. This article reviews this character and its ethical implication with a special emphasis on the compatibility of nudging with traditional regulation, special domains of experience, and the need for a more nuanced approach to the ethical debate. The aim is to advance readers' understanding and give guidance to those who have considered working with or incorporating the nudge approach into programs or policies aimed at making healthful choices easier.

A School Based Intervention for Combating Food Insecurity and Promoting Healthy Nutrition in a Developed Country Undergoing Economic Crisis: A Qualitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalma, A.; Veloudaki, A.; Petralias, A.; Mitraka, K.; Zota, D.; Kastorini, C.-M.; Yannakoulia, M.; Linos, A.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Aiming at reducing the rates of food insecurity and promoting healthy diet for children and adolescents, we designed and implemented the Program on Food Aid and Promotion of Healthy Nutrition-DIATROFI, a school-based intervention program including the daily provision of a free healthy mid-day meal in disadvantaged areas across…

Weight Measurements and Standards for Soldiers

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

Army National Guard (LANG) called Healthy Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle Training Headquarters (H.E.A.L.T.H.) (1). This program was designed to...program aims to empower Soldiers in healthy and safe lifestyle change to sustain healthy weight and performance on a year-round basis. The...mobile and is now able to be accessed and utilized via Smartphone devices, e.g. Droid, iphone, Blackberry. The launch of the program on 7 Smartphones

The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' community effectiveness trial: study protocol of a community-based healthy lifestyle program for fathers and their children

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The 'Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids' program was designed to help overweight fathers lose weight and positively influence the health behaviors of their children. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the previously established program in a community setting, in a large effectiveness trial. Methods/Design The Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids community trial consists of three stages: (i) Stage 1 - program refinement and resource development (ii) Stage 2 - community randomized controlled trial (iii) Stage 3 - community effectiveness trial. The program will be evaluated in five Local Government Areas in the Hunter Valley Region of NSW, Australia. For the community randomized controlled trial, 50 overweight/obese men (aged 18-65 years) from one Local Government Area with a child aged between 5-12 years of age will be recruited. Families will be randomized to either the program or a 6-month wait-list control group. Fathers and their children will be assessed at baseline, post-intervention (3-months) and 6-months. Inclusion criteria are: body mass index 25-40 kg/m2; no participation in other weight loss programs during the study; pass a health-screening questionnaire; and access to a computer with Internet facilities. In the community trial, the program will be evaluated using a non-randomized, prospective design in five Local Government Areas. The exclusion criteria is body mass index < 25 kg/m2 or lack of doctor's approval. Measures will be collected at baseline, 3-, 6- and 12-months. The program involves fathers attending seven face-to-face group sessions (three with children) over 3-months. Measures: The primary outcome is fathers' weight. Secondary outcomes for both fathers and children include: waist circumference, blood pressure, resting heart rate, physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary intake. Father-only measures include portion size, alcohol consumption, parenting for physical activity and nutrition and parental engagement. Process evaluation will determine the fidelity, dose (delivered and received), reach, recruitment and context of the program. Discussion As a unique approach to reducing obesity prevalence in men and improving lifestyle behaviours in children, our findings will provide important evidence relating to the translation of Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids, which will enable it to be delivered on a larger scale. Trial registration Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12610000608066 PMID:22099889

Healthy Relationships and Building Developmental Assets in Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlisle, Mariko

2011-01-01

This action research project was designed to have the majority of middle school students engage in healthy relationships with their peers and teachers as the data suggested the need for improved interactions with others. Students contributed to team building lessons; implemented school community service learning projects; participated in an…

Using Genograms Creatively to Promote Healthy Lifestyles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casado-Kehoe, Montserrat; Kehoe, Michael P.

2007-01-01

Family therapists have used genograms as an assessment tool for years to examine the interactions and relationships of family members across generations. This article discusses how a therapist can use a genogram creatively to help clients examine the impact of family relationships on healthy and unhealthy lifestyle patterns and how those…

Real-time detection of dental calculus by blue-LED-induced fluorescence spectroscopy.

PubMed

Qin, Y L; Luan, X L; Bi, L J; Lü, Z; Sheng, Y Q; Somesfalean, G; Zhou, C N; Zhang, Z G

2007-05-25

Successful periodontal therapy requires sensitive techniques to discriminate dental calculus from healthy teeth. The aim of the present study was to develop a fluorescence-based procedure to enable real-time detection and quantification of dental calculus. Thirty human teeth--15 teeth with sub- and supragingival calculus and 15 healthy teeth--covered with a layer of physiological saline solution or blood were illuminated by a focused blue LED light source of 405 nm. Autofluorescence spectra recorded along a randomly selected line stretching over the crown-neck-root area of each tooth were utilized to evaluate a so called calculus parameter R, which was selected to define a relationship between the integrated intensities specific for healthy teeth and for calculus in the 477-497 nm (S(A)) and 628-685 nm (S(B)) wavelength regions, respectively. Statistical analysis was performed and a cut-off threshold of R=0.2 was found to distinguish dental calculus from healthy teeth with 100% sensitivity and specificity under various experimental conditions. The results of the spectral evaluation were confirmed by clinical and histological findings. Automated real-time detection and diagnostics for clinical use were implemented by a corresponding software program written in Visual Basic language. The method enables cost-effective and reliable calculus detection, and can be further developed for imaging applications.

A community-based healthy living promotion program improved self-esteem among minority children

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improving self-esteem, dietary habits, and physical activity is essential for long-term success in childhood obesity prevention. The aim is to evaluate the effects of a healthy living promotion program, Healthy Kids-Houston, on BMI, dietary habits, self-esteem, and physical activity among minority c...

75 FR 74067 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

..., evidence-based, brief health messages. An educational program led by the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies coalition (HMHB), text4baby is intended to help women in having safe and healthy pregnancies by... institutions, professional associations, and non-profit organizations. The goal of this program evaluation is...

A strategy for weight loss based on healthy dietary habits and control of emotional response to food.

PubMed

Pontes Torrado, Yolanda; García-Villaraco Velasco, Ana; Hernández Galiot, Ana; Goñi Cambrodón, Isabel

2015-06-01

A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating habits are major causes of a negative energy balance and excess body weight. The lifestyle of the Mediterranean diet eating pattern significantly reduces risk factors for non communicable diseases. Moreover, emotions have a powerful effect on feeding behavior. There is a direct relationship between food choices (type and amount), emotions and increased energy intake. To know the emotional behavior of individuals as a function of the relation between food intake and emotions to facilitate the establishment of personalized dietary guidelines based on healthy eating habits and increase the patient fidelity until the desired weight. 99 overweight adult people (81 women and 18 men) were subjected to a weight-reduction program based on the establishment of lifestyle and healthy eating habits. The adherence to Mediterranean dietary pattern and the effect of emotions on the choice of food and eating habits were determined using Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and Emotional- Eater Questionnaire (EEQ) respectively. The studied population was sedentary, consumed an unhealthy diet and eating behavior was highly affected by emotions. The majority of participants, (66% of women and 71% of men) were classified as emotional eater. During the treatment program eating habits and lifestyle subjects were modified and reduced at least 10% of their body weight. Know the relation between food intake and emotions allows to personalize the dietary strategy for weight loss in overweight and obesity. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Engendering healthy masculinities to prevent sexual violence: Rationale for and design of the Manhood 2.0 trial.

PubMed

Abebe, Kaleab Z; Jones, Kelley A; Culyba, Alison J; Feliz, Nayck B; Anderson, Heather; Torres, Irving; Zelazny, Sarah; Bamwine, Patricia; Boateng, Adwoa; Cirba, Benjamin; Detchon, Autumn; Devine, Danielle; Feinstein, Zoe; Macak, Justin; Massof, Michael; Miller-Walfish, Summer; Morrow, Sarah Elizabeth; Mulbah, Paul; Mulwa, Zabi; Paglisotti, Taylor; Ripper, Lisa; Ports, Katie A; Matjasko, Jennifer L; Garg, Aapta; Kato-Wallace, Jane; Pulerwitz, Julie; Miller, Elizabeth

2018-05-23

Violence against women and girls is an important global health concern. Numerous health organizations highlight engaging men and boys in preventing violence against women as a potentially impactful public health prevention strategy. Adapted from an international setting for use in the US, "Manhood 2.0" is a "gender transformative" program that involves challenging harmful gender and sexuality norms that foster violence against women while promoting bystander intervention (i.e., giving boys skills to interrupt abusive behaviors they witness among peers) to reduce the perpetration of sexual violence (SV) and adolescent relationship abuse (ARA). Manhood 2.0 is being rigorously evaluated in a community-based cluster-randomized trial in 21 lower resource Pittsburgh neighborhoods with 866 adolescent males ages 13-19. The comparison intervention is a job readiness training program which focuses on the skills needed to prepare youth for entering the workforce, including goal setting, accountability, resume building, and interview preparation. This study will provide urgently needed information about the effectiveness of a gender transformative program, which combines healthy sexuality education, gender norms change, and bystander skills to interrupt peers' disrespectful and harmful behaviors to reduce SV/ARA perpetration among adolescent males. In this manuscript, we outline the rationale for and evaluation design of Manhood 2.0. Clinical Trials #: NCT02427061. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-Rumination of Fat Talk and Weight Control Practices: An Application of Confirmation Theory.

PubMed

Arroyo, Analisa; Segrin, Chris; Harwood, Jake; Bonito, Joseph A

2017-04-01

Grounded in confirmation theory, the current research sought to explore the relationship between co-rumination of fat talk and weight control practices (i.e., binging and purging, exercising, and healthy eating behaviors), with a particular interest in whether perceptions of friends' responses during these interactions exacerbate or mitigate this relationship. Female friendship dyads completed online questionnaires at three time points across 2 weeks. Multilevel modeling analyses revealed that (a) co-rumination was positively associated with binging and purging and exercising, (b) women who perceived their friends as accepting reported less binging and purging, more exercising, and more healthy eating behaviors, (c) acceptance and challenge interacted to predict binging and purging, (d) acceptance moderated the relationships between co-rumination and binging and purging, and (e) challenge moderated the relationship between co-rumination and healthy eating behaviors.

Evaluating a food bank recipe-tasting program.

PubMed

Keller-Olaman, Susan J; Edwards, Vicki; Elliott, Susan J

2005-01-01

Food banks mitigate immediate food insecurity, but their ability to promote healthy nutrition is constrained by how often recipients may visit and the range of foods available. In a descriptive study, a formative evaluation was completed of a combined heart-healthy recipe-tasting and education program that aims to promote healthy eating knowledge and skills in a group of food bank recipients in Hamilton, Ontario. Fifty-five adults were surveyed about food bank attendance, program awareness, perceived enhancement of knowledge and skills, and suggestions for program improvement. Most participants (73%) were positive about the program, and 91% wanted the program to continue. In addition, 78% would prepare the recipes sampled. In contrast, program awareness and planning food bank visits to coincide with the program were generally low. Food banks are potential sites for effective nutrition promotion programs. To reach more recipients, more frequent implementation and seeking the use of a designated room are suggested for the current program. The findings also suggest that the sampling approach to promoting healthy eating to food bank recipients deserves further study. For example, monitoring the selection of featured recipe ingredients would be a useful indicator of behaviour.

A Healthy Lifestyle Program for Latino Daughters and Mothers: The BOUNCE Overview and Process Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olvera, Norma N.; Knox, Brook; Scherer, Rhonda; Maldonado, Gabriela; Sharma, Shreela V.; Alastuey, Lisa; Bush, Jill A.

2008-01-01

Background: Few family-based healthy lifestyle programs for Latinos have been conducted, especially family programs targeting mother-daughter dyads. Purpose: To assess the acceptability and feasibility of the Behavior Opportunities Uniting Nutrition Counseling and Exercise (BOUNCE) program designed for Latino mother-daughter pairs. Methods: 92…

Healthy Water Healthy People Water Quality Educators Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Project WET Foundation, 2003

2003-01-01

This 200-page activity guide for educators of students in grades six through university level raises the awareness and understanding of water quality issues and their relationship to personal, public and environmental health. "Healthy Water Healthy People Water Quality Educators Guide" will help educators address science standards through 25…

Career Self-Efficacy and Personality: Linking Career Confidence and the Healthy Personality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgen, Fred H.; Betz, Nancy E.

2008-01-01

This article extends recent work on the relationship between personality and career self-efficacy by examining relationships across two new inventories with scales for identifying human strengths. The Healthy Personality Inventory (HPI) has 17 content scales tapping an array of positive personality measures. The CAPA Confidence Inventory (CCI) has…

Birth-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Implications for Early Intervention Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizur-Barnekow, Kris; Doering, Jennifer J.; Willett, Marjorie; Ruminski, Christine; Spring, Molly

2014-01-01

The positive impact of healthy relationships on child development is widely accepted. A healthy relationship between mother and child is at risk when a mother experiences symptoms of birth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mothers of children with special needs are at high risk for this disorder and early intervention (EI)…

Selections from Unequal Partners: Teaching about Power, Consent, and Healthy Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

deFur, Kirsten

2016-01-01

The Center for Sex Education recently published the fourth edition of "Unequal Partners: Teaching about Power, Consent, and Healthy Relationships, Volumes 1 and 2." Included here are two lesson plans about sexual consent selected from each volume. "What does it take … to give sexual consent?" [Sue Montfort and Peggy Brick] is…

Empowering the Parent-Child Relationship in Homeless and Other High-Risk Parents and Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swick, Kevin J.

2008-01-01

High quality parent-child relations are essential to healthy development and learning in children. Homeless families experience many barriers to realizing the needed bonding and nurturance for having healthy relationships. This article explores the obstacles to the development of nurturing parent-child relations and offers strategies for…

Alternatives to Violence: Empowering Youth To Develop Healthy Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolfe, David A.; And Others

Practical ways are presented to promote healthy and nonviolent relationships for youth, guided by the belief that prevention is cheaper and more effective than deterrence or punishment. Equality and balance are the basis of prevention efforts. It must be acknowledged that violence is ingrained in cultural expressions of power and inequality, and…

Theraplay: Helping Parents and Children Build Better Relationships through Attachment-Based Play. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Phyllis B.; Jernberg, Ann M.

Theraplay, modeled on the natural, playful patterns of healthy interaction between parent and child, produces remarkable change in a short time for troubled families. It achieves its success by aggressively addressing four serious problems that prevent the development of the secure attachment relationship essential to healthy development: (1)…

Religiosity and Impulsivity in Mental Health: Is There a Relationship?

PubMed

Caribé, André C; Rocha, Marlos Fernando Vasconcelos; Junior, Davi Félix Martins; Studart, Paula; Quarantini, Lucas C; Guerreiro, Nicolau; Miranda-Scippa, Ângela

2015-07-01

Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between religiosity and impulsivity in patients with mental illness who had attempted suicide and in healthy individuals. This is a cross-sectional study that included 61 healthy individuals and 93 patients. The instruments used were a sociodemographic data questionnaire, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and the Duke University Religion Index. The healthy individuals presented higher scores in the religiosity domains (organizational, p = 0.028; non-organizational, p = 0.000; intrinsic, p = 0.000). The patients presented higher scores in the impulsivity dimensions (attentional, p = 0.000; motor, p = 0.000; absence of planning, p = 0.000). In the patient group, intrinsic religiosity had a significant inverse relationship with total impulsivity (p = 0.023), attentional (p = 0.010), and absence of planning (p = 0.007), even after controlling for sociodemographic variables. Healthy individuals were more religious and less impulsive than patients. The relationship between religiosity, impulsiveness, and mental illness could be bidirectional; that is, just as mental illness might impair religious involvement, religiosity could diminish the expression of mental illness and impulsive behaviors.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Community Exercise and Nutrition Program for Older Adults: Texercise Select

PubMed Central

Akanni, Olufolake (Odufuwa); Smith, Matthew Lee; Ory, Marcia G.

2017-01-01

The wide-spread dissemination of evidence-based programs that can improve health outcomes among older populations often requires an understanding of factors influencing community adoption of such programs. One such program is Texercise Select, a community-based health promotion program previously shown to improve functional health, physical activity, nutritional habits and quality of the life among older adults. This paper assesses the cost-effectiveness of Texercise Select in the context of supportive environments to facilitate its delivery and statewide sustainability. Participants were surveyed using self-reported instruments distributed at program baseline and conclusion. Program costs were based on actual direct costs of program implementation and included costs of recruitment and outreach, personnel costs and participant incentives. Program effectiveness was measured using quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained, as well as health outcomes, such as healthy days, weekly physical activity and Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test scores. Preference-based EuroQol (EQ-5D) scores were estimated from the number of healthy days reported by participants and converted into QALYs. There was a significant increase in the number of healthy days (p < 0.05) over the 12-week program. Cost-effectiveness ratios ranged from $1374 to $1452 per QALY gained. The reported cost-effective ratios are well within the common cost-effectiveness threshold of $50,000 for a gained QALY. Some sociodemographic differences were also observed in program impact and cost. Non-Hispanic whites experienced significant improvements in healthy days from baseline to the follow-up period and had higher cost-effectiveness ratios. Results indicate that the Texercise Select program is a cost-effective strategy for increasing physical activity and improving healthy dietary practices among older adults as compared to similar health promotion interventions. In line with the significant improvement in healthy days, physical activity and nutrition-related outcomes among participants, this study supports the use of Texercise Select as an intervention with substantial health and cost benefits. PMID:28531094

The Effects of Acculturation on Healthy Lifestyle Characteristics among Hispanic 4th Grade Children in Texas Public Schools, 2004-2005

PubMed Central

Mirchandani, Gita G.; Castrucci, Brian C.; Chávez, Noel; Handler, Arden; Hoelscher, Deanna M.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity is a national epidemic that disproportionately affects Hispanic children. Evidence suggests that increased acculturation among this population adversely affects diet and other healthy lifestyle characteristics, leading to higher rates of overweight and obesity. Healthy lifestyle characteristics must be understood in order to prevent or decrease overweight and obesity among Hispanic children. METHODS Using the School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) study, we examined cross-sectional data on healthy lifestyle characteristics collected in Texas public schools from Hispanic 4th grade children in 2004-2005. We calculated adjusted odds ratios and associated confidence intervals using multivariate logistic regression analyses to analyze the association between acculturation and healthy lifestyle characteristics among Spanish-speaking Hispanic children compared to English-speaking Hispanic children. RESULTS Spanish-speaking Hispanic boys consumed more milk and fruit than English-speaking Hispanic boys (milk: AOR: 1.7, p = 0.02; fruit: AOR: 2.5, p = .0001). The likelihood that Spanish-speaking Hispanic boys and girls did not know that there is a relationship between overweight and health problems were two times greater (boys: AOR: 1.7, p = .03; girls: AOR: 2.2, p = .006) than their English-speaking Hispanic counterparts. Likelihood of weight loss attempts was greater among Spanish-speaking Hispanic boys than English-speaking Hispanic boys (AOR: 1.9, p = .04). CONCLUSIONS Results are mixed. Lower levels of acculturation appear to be associated with both positive and negative healthy lifestyle characteristics, depending on sex. These findings have important implications for school health policies and programs and should be distributed to school administrators. PMID:22385089

Weight Measurements and Standards for Soldiers, Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG) called Healthy Eating, Activity, and Lifestyle Training Headquarters (H.E.A.L.T.H.) (1). This program was...H.E.A.L.T.H. program aims to empower Soldiers in healthy and safe lifestyle change to sustain healthy weight and performance on a year-round basis...recently made mobile and is now able to be accessed and utilized via Smartphone devices, e.g. Droid, iphone, Blackberry. The launch of the program on

Reciprocal relationship between acute stress and acute fatigue in everyday life in a sample of university students.

PubMed

Doerr, Johanna M; Ditzen, Beate; Strahler, Jana; Linnemann, Alexandra; Ziemek, Jannis; Skoluda, Nadine; Hoppmann, Christiane A; Nater, Urs M

2015-09-01

We investigated whether stress may influence fatigue, or vice versa, as well as factors mediating this relationship. Fifty healthy participants (31 females, 23.6±3.2 years) completed up to 5 momentary assessments of stress and fatigue during 5 days of preparation for their final examinations (exam condition) and 5 days of a regular semester week (control condition). Sleep quality was measured by self-report at awakening. A sub-group of participants (n=25) also collected saliva samples. Fatigue was associated with concurrent stress, stress reported at the previous measurement point, and previous-day stress. However, momentary stress was also predicted by concurrent fatigue, fatigue at the previous time point, and previous-day fatigue. Sleep quality mediated the association between stress and next-day fatigue. Cortisol and alpha-amylase did not mediate the stress-fatigue relationship. In conclusion, there is a reciprocal stress-fatigue relationship. Both prevention and intervention programs should comprehensively cover how stress and fatigue might influence one another. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The social image of food: Associations between popularity and eating behavior.

PubMed

König, Laura M; Giese, Helge; Stok, F Marijn; Renner, Britta

2017-07-01

One factor that determines what we eat and why we eat is our social environment. In the present research, two online studies examined the relationship between food intake and social images. Specifically, the present research assessed the relationship between the food intake university students ascribed to peers who varied in popularity and own self-reported food intake, and whether this relationship was moderated by identification with the peer group. Participants (N = 97 in Study 1; N = 402 in Study 2) were randomly presented with one of four (Study 1) or two of eight (Study 2) vignettes describing a popular or unpopular student (male or female) from their university without receiving any information about the peer's eating behavior. Subsequently, healthy and unhealthy eating ascribed to the peers and own self-reported eating behavior were assessed. Results indicated that popular peers were perceived to eat more healthily than unpopular peers. Moreover, eating behavior ascribed to popular peers were associated with own healthy and unhealthy eating. Importantly, the relationship between healthy eating behavior ascribed to popular peers and own healthy eating behavior was moderated by identification with the student group - the more participants identified with their peers, the more their own eating was aligned with the healthy eating ascribed to a popular peer. Hence, the popularity of others seems to shape perceptions of the food they eat and may facilitate healthy eating via social influence. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nurse Managers Speak Out About Disruptive Nurse-to-Nurse Relationships.

PubMed

Moore, Linda Weaver; Sublett, Cynthia; Leahy, Cathy

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore nurse managers' (NMs') perceptions regarding disruptive nurse-to-nurse relationships. Nurse managers play a pivotal role in creating and sustaining healthy practice environments. They must understand how to recognize and confront disruptive nurse relationships that can threaten the health of their units. A qualitative study design using researcher-participant interviews of 13 NMs from 5 institutions provided data regarding NMs' views on nurse relationships. Nurse managers reported how they became aware of disruptive nurse relationships, their strategies for dealing with those relationships, and the impact that confronting disruptive relationships had on them personally. Findings can be helpful to NMs who are faced with addressing disruptive nurse-to-nurse relationships as they endeavor to create and sustain healthy work environments.

Strengthening community leadership: evaluation findings from the california healthy cities and communities program.

PubMed

Kegler, Michelle C; Norton, Barbara L; Aronson, Robert E

2008-04-01

Collaborative approaches to community health improvement such as healthy cities and communities have the potential to strengthen community capacity through leadership development. The healthy cities and communities process orients existing local leadership to new community problem-solving strategies and draws out leadership abilities among residents not previously engaged in civic life. In an evaluation of the California Healthy Cities and Communities (CHCC) Program, leadership development was one of several outcomes assessed at the civic-participation level of the social ecology. Data collection methods included focus groups and surveys, semistructured interviews with coordinators and community leaders, and review of program documents. Findings suggest that the CHCC program enhanced capacity by expanding new leadership opportunities through coalition participation, program implementation, and civic leadership roles related to spin-off organizations and broader collaborative structures. Communities in rural regions were particularly successful in achieving significant leadership outcomes.

Engaging Vulnerable Adolescents in a Pregnancy Prevention Program: Perspectives of Prime Time Staff

PubMed Central

Tanner, Amanda E.; Secor-Turner, Molly; Garwick, Ann; Sieving, Renee; Rush, Kayci

2011-01-01

Introduction Evaluating interventions for reducing unintended adolescent pregnancy is necessary to ensure quality and efficacy. The purpose of this study was to examine core case management practices and processes for engaging high-risk girls in Prime Time, an intensive multi-component intervention from the perspectives of intervention program staff. Method Structured individual interviews were conducted with the entire Prime Time program staff (N=7) to assess successes and challenges in engaging adolescent girls at high risk for early pregnancy recruited from school and community clinics. Results Program staff described different capacities of adolescents to engage with the program (easy, middle and difficult connecting adolescents) and provided specific recommendations for working with different connectors. Discussion Findings from this study support the notion that preventive interventions with vulnerable groups of adolescents must pay careful attention to strategies for establishing trusting youth-adult relationships. The ability of staff (e.g., case managers, nurses) to engage with adolescents is a crucial step in improving health outcomes. The identified strategies are useful in helping adolescents build skills, motivations and supports needed for healthy behavior change. PMID:22726710

School feeding programs' role in forming eating habits

PubMed Central

Cervato-Mancuso, Ana Maria; Westphal, Marcia Faria; Araki, Erica Lie; Bógus, Claudia Maria

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE To identify teaching managers' perceptions regarding the relationship of school feeding and the promotion of healthy eating habits among students. METHODS A descriptive study with a qualitative approach was developed in the city of Guarulhos (Southeast Brazil). Key informants from municipal public schools were interviewed. Public schools were selected (n=13) and classified as to the level of social exclusion, size and economic activity of the region where the school was located. Pedagogic coordinators and school principals were individually interviewed with semi-structured questions. RESULTS From school principals and pedagogical coordinators' perceptions, three categories were identified: Food in the school context; School feeding program's role and the Concept of food and nutrition security, which indicate that they considered meals as part of school routine in order to attain physiological needs of energy and nutrients. Their answers also indicated that they did not consider school meals as a pedagogical action related to their specific responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between the school feeding and the formation of eating habits is not a topic usually discussed between the different professionals involved with health and education. The implementation of health promoting policies will only be possible after a debate about how schools and their pedagogical team adopt the program guidelines and how the professionals decode these strategies in daily activities. PMID:24142314

School feeding programs' role in forming eating habits.

PubMed

Cervato-Mancuso, Ana Maria; Westphal, Marcia Faria; Araki, Erica Lie; Bógus, Claudia Maria

2013-09-01

OBJECTIVE To identify teaching managers' perceptions regarding the relationship of school feeding and the promotion of healthy eating habits among students. METHODS A descriptive study with a qualitative approach was developed in the city of Guarulhos (Southeast Brazil). Key informants from municipal public schools were interviewed. Public schools were selected (n=13) and classified as to the level of social exclusion, size and economic activity of the region where the school was located. Pedagogic coordinators and school principals were individually interviewed with semi-structured questions. RESULTS From school principals and pedagogical coordinators' perceptions, three categories were identified: Food in the school context; School feeding program's role and the Concept of food and nutrition security, which indicate that they considered meals as part of school routine in order to attain physiological needs of energy and nutrients. Their answers also indicated that they did not consider school meals as a pedagogical action related to their specific responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between the school feeding and the formation of eating habits is not a topic usually discussed between the different professionals involved with health and education. The implementation of health promoting policies will only be possible after a debate about how schools and their pedagogical team adopt the program guidelines and how the professionals decode these strategies in daily activities.

78 FR 79567 - National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-31

... Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids... All Foods Sold in Schools as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 was published on...

[Healthy eating: implementation of a practice-oriented training program].

PubMed

Kulakova, E N; Nastausheva, T L; Usacheva, E A

2016-01-01

Health professionals need to have current knowledge and skills in nutrition. The knowledge and skills have to be acquired in programs of continuing medical education, but also in undergraduate medical education. The main purpose of this work was to develop and implement a practice-oriented training program in nutrition and healthy eating for medical students. The subject named "Nutrition" was implemented into second-year medical curriculum. We defined a theoretical framework and terms such as nutrition, healthy eating, and evidence-based nutrition. In order to get learning outcomes we constructed a method of patients counseling and training "Individual food pyramid". The making of "Individual food pyramid" is a key integrate element of the program. It helps to memorize, understand and apply the basic principles of healthy eating in real life contexts. The final program consists of two sections: "General Nutrition" and "Special Nutrition". The most important intended learning outcome is student's lifestyle improvement. The program is practice-oriented and outcome-based.

Urban Adolescent Girls’ Perspectives on Multiple Partners in the Context of the Sexual Double Standard and Intimate Partner Violence

PubMed Central

Teitelman, Anne M.; Tennille, Julie; Bohinski, Julia; Jemmott, Loretta S.; Jemmott, John B.

2013-01-01

This article describes the influence of abusive and non-abusive relationship dynamics on the number of sex partners among urban adolescent girls. Focus groups were conducted with 64 sexually active adolescent girls ages 14 to 17 years. General coding and content analyses identified patterns, themes, and salient beliefs. More than one third (37.5%) reported having experienced physical, intimate partner violence; 32.8% had 2 or more recent sex partners, and 37.5% had ever had a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or HIV. Although some girls in abusive relationships feared retribution if they had more than one partner, others sought additional partners for solace or as an act of resistance. Adolescent HIV/STI prevention programs need to address the influence of gender norms such as the sexual double standard as well as partner pressure and partner abuse on adolescent decision-making about safer sex, and also promote healthy relationships as integral to advancing HIV/STI risk reduction. PMID:23790274

Employee wellness program evaluation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

Well-designed wellness programs can keep healthy employees healthy, support employees with : health risks to improve their health behaviors, and facilitate organizational efforts to achieve : workforce performance goals. : Productivity lost through a...

Health for Life in Primary Schools Program, United Kingdom: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Passmore, Sandra; Donovan, Martin

2014-09-01

The Health for Life in Primary Schools Program helps schools promote healthy, active lifestyles through curriculum support related to healthy eating and cooking, growing food, physical activity, and family involvement. These interrelated strands are shown to have the greatest impact on healthy lifestyles, and the Health for Life in Primary Schools Program seeks to make these not one-off lessons, but a sustainable part of a school's culture. Each school involved with the program develops its own Action Plan in order to achieve program goals. Each school is assessed by an audit of facilities, skills, and curriculum at baseline and follow-up, and the pupils complete an on-line questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. Other impact measures are individual to the school and relate to its own Action Plan. Health for Life in Primary Schools sought to assess the cohesiveness and strength of the program using the Program Impact Pathways (PIP) model. The program was deconstructed to its individual parts, with each part assessed in terms of its contribution to the overall program and constraints upon its effectiveness. The PIP analysis helped clarify the logic and structure of the program, whether its objectives can be achieved, the Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs), and the impact measures required to demonstrate success. The core indicators identified for impact evaluation were knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of pupils around healthy eating cooking, growing food, and physical activity. The PIP model confirmed that the Health for Life in Primary Schools Program is well structured and is well suited to achieve its goals. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation.

Universal Prevention Program Outcomes: Safe Schools Healthy Students in a Rural, Multicultural Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Elizabeth; McFarland, Joyce; Siebold, Wendi; Aguilar, Rafael; Sarmiento, Ana

2007-01-01

The Idaho Consortium for Safe Schools Healthy Students consists of three school districts in rural North Central Idaho and the Nez Perce Tribe's Students for Success Program. Universal prevention programs implemented in the elementary schools include Second Step and the middle schools implemented the Life Skills program. Each of the three…

School-based intervention to promote eating daily and healthy breakfast: a survey and a case-control study.

PubMed

Eilat-Adar, S; Koren-Morag, N; Siman-Tov, M; Livne, I; Altmen, H

2011-02-01

The recent rapid increase in childhood obesity rates suggests that a consideration of the role of the schools in addressing this problem is necessary. 'Fits me' program functions to promote eating daily and healthy breakfast among elementary school children. Separate children groups were sampled each year by clusters from seven regions around Israel. They filled a self-administered questionnaire at the beginning of 2003, before the program started, and in 2003-2005, after the program. A separate sample was collected in 2006 in a case-control structure. The answer to the question: 'what do you eat for breakfast?' considered as a healthy breakfast if it included one of the following food items: A sandwich (not including chocolate, jam or butter), cereals, vegetable, fruit, egg and dairy product. As compared with 2003 before the program, more children reported eating daily breakfast over the years (51-65% before and until 2005, respectively, P for trend<0.01). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for eating a healthy breakfast, in 2006 in the intervention (n=417) vs controls (n=572), adjusted for sex and age were OR=1.53 (95% CI: 1.15-2.04). However, only a third of 75% of the children who ate a healthy breakfast in the intervention group estimated that they were eating a healthy breakfast. After implementation an educational program to promote daily and healthy breakfast eating, the goal of a healthier breakfast was achieved. However, one should strive to define an exact definition of a healthy breakfast.

Vitamin G: effects of green space on health, well-being, and social safety

PubMed Central

Groenewegen, Peter P; van den Berg, Agnes E; de Vries, Sjerp; Verheij, Robert A

2006-01-01

Background Looking out on and being in the green elements of the landscape around us seem to affect health, well-being and feelings of social safety. This article discusses the design of a research program on the effects of green space in the living environment on health, well-being and social safety. Methods/design The program consists of three projects at three different scales: at a macro scale using data on the Netherlands as a whole, at an intermediate scale looking into the specific effect of green space in the urban environment, and at micro scale investigating the effects of allotment gardens. The projects are observational studies, combining existing data on land use and health interview survey data, and collecting new data through questionnaires and interviews. Multilevel analysis and GIS techniques will be used to analyze the data. Discussion Previous (experimental) research in environmental psychology has shown that a natural environment has a positive effect on well-being through restoration of stress and attentional fatigue. Descriptive epidemiological research has shown a positive relationship between the amount of green space in the living environment and physical and mental health and longevity. The program has three aims. First, to document the relationship between the amount and type of green space in people's living environment and their health, well-being, and feelings of safety. Second, to investigate the mechanisms behind this relationship. Mechanisms relate to exposure (leading to stress reduction and attention restoration), healthy behavior and social integration, and selection. Third, to translate the results into policy on the crossroads of spatial planning, public health, and safety. Strong points of our program are: we study several interrelated dependent variables, in different ordinary settings (as opposed to experimental or extreme settings), focusing on different target groups, using appropriate multilevel methods. PMID:16759375

76 FR 12719 - Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Safe Schools/Healthy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug- Free... telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339...

Healthy and maladaptive dependency and its relationship to pain management and perceptions in physical therapy patients.

PubMed

Huprich, Steven K; Hoban, Patrick; Boys, Ashley; Rosen, Alexandra

2013-12-01

This study examined the association among healthy and maladaptive aspects of interpersonal dependency and the management of pain in physical therapy outpatients. Ninety-eight patients were administered the Relationship Profile Test, West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Results indicated that Destructive Overdependence was positively associated with an increased number of office visits, pain interference in one's daily life, pain severity, affective distress, and receiving positive partner responses. Dysfunctional Detachment was associated with affective distress, pain interference in one's daily life, and rumination about pain. Healthy Dependency was only associated with receiving distracting responses from others. Believing that a spouse/partner is supportive and caring about one's pain partially mediated the relationship between overdependency and pain interfering in one's life. These results support the clinical utility of assessing interpersonal dependency for its relationship to managing one's pain and health care utilization.

A Study of the Relationships and Acknowledgement of Non-Disabled Children with Disabled Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aksoy, Ayse B.; Bercin Yildirim, Gonca

2008-01-01

This study investigated the relationships of healthy children with their handicapped siblings and analyzed their acceptance of the siblings. The study was conducted in 16 different special education and rehabilitation centers in Ankara. Two hundred twenty-eight healthy children between the ages of 10 to 17 years voluntarily participated in the…

Investigation of the Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Healthy Life-Style Behaviors of Academic Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turkmen, Mutlu; Ozkan, Ali; Kul, Murat; Bozkus, Taner

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship of physical activity (PA) level and healthy life-style behaviors in academic staff in Bartin University, Turkey. The short form of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was administered for the determination of physical activity level of academic staff. Their PA levels were…

The Relationship between Physical Activity Level and Healthy Life-Style Behaviors of Distance Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özkan, Ali

2015-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between physical activity levels and healthy life-style behaviors in distance education students in Hoca Ahmet Yesevi University. In total, 526 distance education students in Hoca Ahmet Yesevi University participated in this study voluntarily. The short form of International Physical…

The Relationship between Relative Fundamental Frequency and a Kinematic Estimate of Laryngeal Stiffness in Healthy Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenna, Victoria S.; Heller Murray, Elizabeth S.; Lien, Yu-An S.; Stepp, Cara E.

2016-01-01

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between the acoustic measure relative fundamental frequency (RFF) and a kinematic estimate of laryngeal stiffness. Method: Twelve healthy adults (mean age = 22.7 years, SD = 4.4; 10 women, 2 men) produced repetitions of /ifi/ while varying their vocal effort during simultaneous acoustic and video…

Advancing coalition theory: the effect of coalition factors on community capacity mediated by member engagement

PubMed Central

Kegler, Michelle C.; Swan, Deanne W.

2012-01-01

Community coalitions have the potential to enhance a community’s capacity to engage in effective problem solving for a range of community concerns. Although numerous studies have documented correlations between member engagement and coalition processes and structural characteristics, fewer have examined associations between coalition factors and community capacity outcomes. The current study uses data from an evaluation of the California Healthy Cities and Communities program to examine pathways between coalition factors (i.e. membership, processes), member engagement (i.e. participation, satisfaction) and community capacity as hypothesized by the Community Coalition Action Theory (CCAT). Surveys were completed by 231 members of 19 healthy cities and communities coalitions. Multilevel mediation analyses were used to examine possible mediating effects of member engagement on three community capacity indicators: new skills, sense of community and social capital. Results generally supported CCAT. Member engagement mediated the effects of leadership and staffing on community capacity outcomes. Results also showed that member engagement mediated several relationships between process variables (i.e. task focus, cohesion) and community capacity, but several unmediated direct effects were also observed. This suggests that although member engagement does explain some relationships, it alone is not sufficient to explain how coalition processes influence indicators of community capacity. PMID:21911845

Prospective memory in schizophrenia: Relationship to medication management skills, neurocognition and symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Raskin, S.; Maye, J.; Rogers, A.; Correll, D.; Zamroziewicz, M.; Kurtz, M.

2014-01-01

Objective Impaired adherence to medication regimens is a serious concern for individuals with schizophrenia linked to relapse and poorer outcomes. One possible reason for poor adherence to medication is poor ability to remember future intentions, labeled prospective memory skills. It has been demonstrated in several studies that individuals with schizophrenia have impairments in prospective memory that are linked to everyday life skills. However, there have been no studies, to our knowledge, examining the relationship of a clinical measure of prospective memory to medication management skills, a key element of successful adherence. Methods In this study 41 individuals with schizophrenia and 25 healthy adults were administered a standardized test battery that included measures of prospective memory, medication management skills, neurocognition and symptoms. Results Individuals with schizophrenia demonstrated impairments in prospective memory (both time and event-based) relative to healthy controls. Performance on the test of prospective memory was correlated with the standardized measure of medication management in individuals with schizophrenia. Moreover, the test of prospective memory predicted skills in medication adherence even after measures of neurocognition were accounted for. Conclusions This suggests that prospective memory may play a key role in medication management skills and thus should be a target of cognitive remediation programs. PMID:24188118

In a randomized case-control trial with 10-years olds suffering from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sleep and psychological functioning improved during a 12-week sleep-training program.

PubMed

Keshavarzi, Zahra; Bajoghli, Hafez; Mohamadi, Mohammad Reza; Salmanian, Maryam; Kirov, Roumen; Gerber, Markus; Holsboer-Trachsler, Edith; Brand, Serge

2014-12-01

We tested the hypothesis that sleep training would improve emotional, social and behavioural functioning in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to children with ADHD without such intervention and to healthy controls. Forty children with ADHD were randomly assigned to intervention and control conditions. Parents of 20 children with ADHD were instructed and thoroughly supervised in improving their children's sleep schedules and sleep behaviour. Parents of the other 20 children with ADHD and parents of 20 healthy children received general information about sleep hygiene. At baseline and 12 weeks later, parents and children completed questionnaires related to children's sleep and psychological functioning. Relative to the control groups, children in the intervention group improved sleep quantitatively and qualitatively (F values < 3.33, P values < 0.05). The intervention group children reported improvements in mood, emotions, and relationships (F values < 2.99, P values < 0.05). Parents reported that their children improved in physical and psychological wellbeing, mood, emotions, relationships, and social acceptance (F values < 3.02, P values < 0.05). Training and monitoring parents of children with ADHD in regulating and supervising children's sleep schedules leads to positive changes in the emotions, behaviour and social lives of these children.

Defining Overweight and Obesity

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Defining Adult Overweight and ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs File Formats Help: How ...

Facts about Physical Activity

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Facts about Physical Activity ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs File Formats Help: How ...

The Healthy Migrant Families Initiative: development of a culturally competent obesity prevention intervention for African migrants.

PubMed

Renzaho, Andre M N; Halliday, Jennifer A; Mellor, David; Green, Julie

2015-03-19

Although obesity among immigrants remains an important area of study given the increasing migrant population in Australia and other developed countries, research on factors amenable to intervention is sparse. The aim of the study was to develop a culturally-competent obesity prevention program for sub-Saharan African (SSA) families with children aged 12-17 years using a community-partnered participatory approach. A community-partnered participatory approach that allowed the intervention to be developed in collaborative partnership with communities was used. Three pilot studies were carried out in 2008 and 2009 which included focus groups, interviews, and workshops with SSA parents, teenagers and health professionals, and emerging themes were used to inform the intervention content. A cultural competence framework containing 10 strategies was developed to inform the development of the program. Using findings from our scoping research, together with community consultations through the African Review Panel, a draft program outline (skeleton) was developed and presented in two separate community forums with SSA community members and health professionals working with SSA communities in Melbourne. The 'Healthy Migrant Families Initiative (HMFI): Challenges and Choices' program was developed and designed to assist African families in their transition to life in a new country. The program consists of nine sessions, each approximately 1 1/2 hours in length, which are divided into two modules based on the topic. The first module 'Healthy lifestyles in a new culture' (5 sessions) focuses on healthy eating, active living and healthy body weight. The second module 'Healthy families in a new culture' (4 sessions) focuses on parenting, communication and problem solving. The sessions are designed for a group setting (6-12 people per group), as many of the program activities are discussion-based, supported by session materials and program resources. Strong partnerships and participation by SSA migrant communities enabled the design of a culturally competent and evidence-based intervention that addresses obesity prevention through a focus on healthy lifestyles and healthy families. Program implementation and evaluation will further inform obesity prevention interventions for ethnic minorities and disadvantaged communities.

Developing an award program for children's settings to support healthy eating and physical activity and reduce the risk of overweight and obesity

PubMed Central

Honisett, Suzy; Woolcock, Suzi; Porter, Creina; Hughes, Ian

2009-01-01

Background This paper aimed to identify the best way to engage, motivate and support early childhood services (ECS) and primary schools (PS) to create policy and practise changes to promote healthy eating and physical activity. This information would be used to develop a suitable program to implement within these children's settings to reduce the risk of childhood overweight and obesity. Methods The Medical Research Council's (UK) framework for the design and evaluation of complex interventions was used to guide the development of the healthy eating and physical activity program suitable for ECS and PS. Within this framework a range of evaluation methods, including stakeholder planning, in-depth interviews with ECS and PS staff and acceptability and feasibility trials in one local government area, were used to ascertain the best way to engage and support positive changes in these children's settings. Results Both ECS and PS identified that they had a role to play to improve children's healthy eating and physical activity. ECS identified their role in promoting healthy eating and physical activity as important for children's health, and instilling healthy habits for life. PS felt that these were health issues, rather than educational issues; however, schools saw the link between healthy eating and physical activity and student learning outcomes. These settings identified that a program that provides a simple guide that recognises good practise in these settings, such as an award scheme using a health promoting schools approach, as a feasible and acceptable way for them to support children's healthy eating and physical activity. Conclusion Through the process of design and evaluation a program - Kids - 'Go for your life', was developed to promote and support children's healthy eating and physical activity and reduce the risk of childhood overweight and obesity. Kids - 'Go for your life' used an award program, based on a health promoting schools approach, which was demonstrated to be a suitable model to engage ECS and PS and was acceptable and feasible to create policy and practise changes to support healthy eating and physical activity for children. PMID:19761619

Preparing the workforce for healthy aging programs: the Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP) model.

PubMed

Frank, Janet C; Altpeter, Mary; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Driggers, Joann; Lachenmayr, Susan; Manning, Colleen; Martinez, Dana M; Price, Rachel M; Robinson, Patricia

2014-10-01

Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a model community college career technical education program, Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP), for undergraduate college students, current personnel in aging service and community organizations, and others interested in retraining. A multidisciplinary cross-sector team from disciplines of public health, sociology, gerontology and nursing developed four competency-based courses that focus on healthy aging, behavior change strategies, program management, an internship, and an option for leader training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. To enhance implementation and fidelity, intensive faculty development training was provided to all instructors and community agency partners. Baseline and postprogram evaluation of competencies for faculty and students was conducted. Process evaluation for both groups focused on satisfaction with the curricula and suggestions for program improvement. SHARP has been piloted five times at two community colleges. Trainees (n = 113) were primarily community college students (n = 108) and current aging service personnel (n = 5). Statistically significant improvements in all competencies were found for both faculty and students. Process evaluation outcomes identified the needed logical and component adaptations to enhance the feasibility of program implementation, dissemination, and student satisfaction. The SHARP program provides a well-tested, evidence-based effective model for addressing workforce preparation in support of healthy aging service program expansion and delivery. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Healthy School Meals: Promotion Ideas That Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Children, Families, and Learning, Roseville. Food and Nutrition Service.

"Healthy School Meals: Promotion Ideas That Work" is a Minnesota program based on the USDA's Team Nutrition program. The program's goal is to improve the health of children through school meals and nutrition education. This is accomplished by empowering schools to serve meals meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and motivating…

Dissonance and Healthy Weight Eating Disorder Prevention Programs: A Randomized Efficacy Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Eric; Shaw, Heather; Burton, Emily; Wade, Emily

2006-01-01

In this trial, adolescent girls with body dissatisfaction (N = 481, M age = 17 years) were randomized to an eating disorder prevention program involving dissonance-inducing activities that reduce thin-ideal internalization, a prevention program promoting healthy weight management, an expressive writing control condition, or an assessment-only…

Preparing the Workforce for Healthy Aging Programs: The Skills for Healthy Aging Resources and Programs (SHARP) Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank, Janet C.; Altpeter, Mary; Damron-Rodriguez, JoAnn; Driggers, Joann; Lachenmayr, Susan; Manning, Colleen; Martinez, Dana M.; Price, Rachel M.; Robinson, Patricia

2014-01-01

Current public health and aging service agency personnel have little training in gerontology, and virtually no training in evidence-based health promotion and disease management programs for older adults. These programs are rapidly becoming the future of our community-based long-term care support system. The purpose of this project was to develop…

Motor excitability measurements: the influence of gender, body mass index, age and temperature in healthy controls.

PubMed

Casanova, I; Diaz, A; Pinto, S; de Carvalho, M

2014-04-01

The technique of threshold tracking to test axonal excitability gives information about nodal and internodal ion channel function. We aimed to investigate variability of the motor excitability measurements in healthy controls, taking into account age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and small changes in skin temperature. We examined the left median nerve of 47 healthy controls using the automated threshold-tacking program, QTRAC. Statistical multiple regression analysis was applied to test relationship between nerve excitability measurements and subject variables. Comparisons between genders did not find any significant difference (P>0.2 for all comparisons). Multiple regression analysis showed that motor amplitude decreases with age and temperature, stimulus-response slope decreases with age and BMI, and that accommodation half-time decrease with age and temperature. The changes related to demographic features on TRONDE protocol parameters are small and less important than in conventional nerve conduction studies. Nonetheless, our results underscore the relevance of careful temperature control, and indicate that interpretation of stimulus-response slope and accommodation half-time should take into account age and BMI. In contrast, gender is not of major relevance to axonal threshold findings in motor nerves. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

'You need a support. When you don't have that . . . chocolate looks real good'. Barriers to and facilitators of behavioural changes among participants of a Healthy Living Program.

PubMed

Russell, Holly Ann; Rufus, Cheryl; Fogarty, Colleen T; Fiscella, Kevin; Carroll, Jennifer

2013-08-01

Health behavioural change is complex, especially for underserved patients who have higher rates of obesity and physical inactivity. Behavioural change interventions that show high efficacy in clinical trials may be difficult to disseminate and may not be effective in the office. We sought to identify factors that facilitate or hinder behavioural change among past participants of a healthy lifestyle intervention in an urban underserved health centre. Between March and October 2011, we conducted five focus group sessions with a total of 23 past participants. The focus group transcripts were analysed with a framework approach using the Social Ecological Model as a coding structure. We found four interconnected levels of social contexts: individual, interpersonal, programmatic and community levels. Themes of social support and the importance of relationships for making and maintaining behavioural changes were found at all levels. Social support and relatedness were key facilitators of healthy lifestyle changes and influenced individual motivation and perseverance. Harnessing the power of social support and motivation may be a way for future behavioural change interventions to bridge the gap between efficacy and effectiveness.

Get the Facts: Drinking Water and Intake

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Related Links CDC Food ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Related Links CDC Food ...

How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need?

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs How much physical activity ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs File Formats Help: How ...

Eat More, Weigh Less?

MedlinePlus

... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Eat More, Weigh Less? ... Physical Activity Overweight & Obesity Healthy Weight Breastfeeding Micronutrient Malnutrition State and Local Programs Language: English Español (Spanish) ...

Facebook for Supporting a Lifestyle Intervention for People with Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia: an Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Naslund, John A; Aschbrenner, Kelly A; Marsch, Lisa A; McHugo, Gregory J; Bartels, Stephen J

2018-03-01

To examine whether Facebook could support a community-based group lifestyle intervention for adults with serious mental illness. Participants with serious mental illness and obesity enrolled in a 6-month group lifestyle program were invited to join a secret Facebook group to support their weight loss and physical activity goals. Two peer co-facilitators moderated the Facebook group. The proportion of participants who achieved ≥5% weight loss or improved fitness was measured at follow-up. The relationship between this outcome and participants' interactions in the Facebook group was examined. Interactions were defined as active contributions including posts, comments, or likes. Content of participants' Facebook posts was also explored. Participants (n = 25) had major depression (44%), bipolar disorder (36%), and schizophrenia (20%). Nineteen (76%) participants joined the Facebook group, and contributed 208 interactions (70 posts; 81 comments; 57 likes). Participants who achieved ≥5% weight loss or improved fitness contributed more interactions in the Facebook group (mean = 19.1; SD = 20.5) compared to participants who did not (mean = 3.9; SD = 6.7), though this relationship approached statistical significance (t = -2.1; Welch's df = 13.1; p = 0.06). Participants' posts containing personal sharing of successes or challenges to adopting healthy behaviors generated more interaction compared to posts containing program reminders (p < 0.01), motivational messages (p < 0.01), and healthy eating content (p < 0.01). Facebook appears promising for supporting health behavior change among people with serious mental illness. These findings can inform social media initiatives to scale up health promotion efforts targeting this at-risk group.

Evaluation of a Coordinated School-Based Obesity Prevention Program in a Hispanic Community: Choosing Healthy and Active Lifestyles for Kids/healthy Schools Healthy Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berger-Jenkins, Evelyn; Rausch, John; Okah, Ebiere; Tsao, Daisy; Nieto, Andres; Lyda, Elizabeth; Meyer, Dodi; McCord, Mary

2014-01-01

Background: Obesity is a public health concern that disproportionately affects underserved and minority communities. Purpose: To evaluate whether a comprehensive obesity prevention program that targets children and school staff in an underserved Hispanic community affects obesity related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among both students and…

Supporting At-Risk Youth and Their Families to Manage and Prevent Diabetes: Developing a National Partnership of Medical Residency Programs and High Schools.

PubMed

Gefter, Liana; Morioka-Douglas, Nancy; Srivastava, Ashini; Rodriguez, Eunice

2016-01-01

The Stanford Youth Diabetes Coaches Program (SYDCP) is a school based health program in which Family Medicine residents train healthy at-risk adolescents to become diabetes self-management coaches for family members with diabetes. This study evaluates the impact of the SYDCP when disseminated to remote sites. Additionally, this study aims to assess perceived benefit of enhanced curriculum. From 2012-2015, 10 high schools and one summer camp in the US and Canada and five residency programs were selected to participate. Physicians and other health providers implemented the SYDCP with racial/ethnic-minority students from low-income communities. Student coaches completed pre- and posttest surveys which included knowledge, health behavior, and psychosocial asset questions (i.e., worth and resilience), as well as open-ended feedback questions. T-test pre-post comparisons were used to determine differences in knowledge and psychosocial assets, and open and axial coding methods were used to analyze qualitative data. A total of 216 participating high school students completed both pre-and posttests, and 96 nonparticipating students also completed pre- and posttests. Student coaches improved from pre- to posttest significantly on knowledge (p<0.005 in 2012-13, 2014 camp, and 2014-15); worth (p<0.1 in 2014-15); problem solving (p<0.005 in 2014 camp and p<0.1 in 2014-15); and self-efficacy (p<0.05 in 2014 camp). Eighty-two percent of student coaches reported that they considered making a behavior change to improve their own health as a result of program participation. Qualitative feedback themes included acknowledgment of usefulness and relevance of the program, appreciation for physician instructors, knowledge gain, pride in helping family members, improved relationships and connectedness with family members, and lifestyle improvements. Overall, when disseminated, this program can increase health knowledge and some psychosocial assets of at-risk youth and holds promise to empower these youth with health literacy and encourage them to adopt healthy behaviors.

Food-related behavior and intake of adult main meal preparers of 9-10 year-old children participating in iCook 4-H: A five-state childhood obesity prevention pilot study.

PubMed

Miller, Ashley; Franzen-Castle, Lisa; Aguirre, Trina; Krehbiel, Michelle; Colby, Sarah; Kattelmann, Kendra; Olfert, Melissa D; Mathews, Douglas; White, Adrienne

2016-06-01

It is important to understand adult outcomes in childhood obesity prevention programs as parents and caregivers have a significant influence on the eating and physical activity habits of youth. Grounded in the social cognitive theory, the iCook 4-H study was centered on a dyad model (9-10 year-olds and their primary meal preparers) to teach healthy cooking skills, shopping and meal habits, and being active as a family. The program took place in five states and dyads (n = 54) were recruited through flyers, e-mails, and in-person contact. The focus of this article is to provide findings from adult program participants. Demographics and self-reported food intake, procurement, preparation and safety practices, feeding relationships, mealtime routines, and height and weight were collected through surveys at baseline and program completion, which spanned 3 months. Descriptive statistics including two-related samples tests and paired samples t tests were used to assess pre- and post-program survey data responses at p < 0.05 significance level. Most had a bachelor's degree (31%) or some college (29%), about half were white, 66% were married, about 30% of households participated in assistance programs, and 82% were female. At program conclusion, participants significantly improved meal planning, prioritizing healthy meal choices, shopping with a grocery list, and reading Nutrition Facts Labels. There were also significant, positive differences noted in cooking skill confidence (p = 0.015), desire to cook more meals at home, and fewer fast food meals. Adult-youth feeding interactions also significantly improved. There were also significant increases in fruit juice (100%), vegetable soup, and whole grain consumption. Based on results, adults reported improvements in meal planning, cooking, and purchasing skills that were taught in classes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning about Domestic Violence: Young People's Responses to a Healthy Relationships Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Jo; Stanley, Nicky

2006-01-01

This paper reports on an evaluation of a drama-based Healthy Relationships programme on domestic violence delivered on a pilot basis to Year 8 pupils. The programme included a play delivered by a local theatre-in-education company followed by a series of weekly workshops. Eighty-five pupils in a secondary school located in an area with high rates…

Effects of Supervised vs. Unsupervised Training Programs on Balance and Muscle Strength in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Lacroix, André; Hortobágyi, Tibor; Beurskens, Rainer; Granacher, Urs

2017-11-01

Balance and resistance training can improve healthy older adults' balance and muscle strength. Delivering such exercise programs at home without supervision may facilitate participation for older adults because they do not have to leave their homes. To date, no systematic literature analysis has been conducted to determine if supervision affects the effectiveness of these programs to improve healthy older adults' balance and muscle strength/power. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to quantify the effectiveness of supervised vs. unsupervised balance and/or resistance training programs on measures of balance and muscle strength/power in healthy older adults. In addition, the impact of supervision on training-induced adaptive processes was evaluated in the form of dose-response relationships by analyzing randomized controlled trials that compared supervised with unsupervised trials. A computerized systematic literature search was performed in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and SportDiscus to detect articles examining the role of supervision in balance and/or resistance training in older adults. The initially identified 6041 articles were systematically screened. Studies were included if they examined balance and/or resistance training in adults aged ≥65 years with no relevant diseases and registered at least one behavioral balance (e.g., time during single leg stance) and/or muscle strength/power outcome (e.g., time for 5-Times-Chair-Rise-Test). Finally, 11 studies were eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis. Weighted mean standardized mean differences between subjects (SMD bs ) of supervised vs. unsupervised balance/resistance training studies were calculated. The included studies were coded for the following variables: number of participants, sex, age, number and type of interventions, type of balance/strength tests, and change (%) from pre- to post-intervention values. Additionally, we coded training according to the following modalities: period, frequency, volume, modalities of supervision (i.e., number of supervised/unsupervised sessions within the supervised or unsupervised training groups, respectively). Heterogeneity was computed using I 2 and χ 2 statistics. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Our analyses revealed that in older adults, supervised balance/resistance training was superior compared with unsupervised balance/resistance training in improving measures of static steady-state balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.28, p = 0.39), dynamic steady-state balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.35, p = 0.02), proactive balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.24, p = 0.05), balance test batteries (mean SMD bs  = 0.53, p = 0.02), and measures of muscle strength/power (mean SMD bs  = 0.51, p = 0.04). Regarding the examined dose-response relationships, our analyses showed that a number of 10-29 additional supervised sessions in the supervised training groups compared with the unsupervised training groups resulted in the largest effects for static steady-state balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.35), dynamic steady-state balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.37), and muscle strength/power (mean SMD bs  = 1.12). Further, ≥30 additional supervised sessions in the supervised training groups were needed to produce the largest effects on proactive balance (mean SMD bs  = 0.30) and balance test batteries (mean SMD bs  = 0.77). Effects in favor of supervised programs were larger for studies that did not include any supervised sessions in their unsupervised programs (mean SMD bs : 0.28-1.24) compared with studies that implemented a few supervised sessions in their unsupervised programs (e.g., three supervised sessions throughout the entire intervention program; SMD bs : -0.06 to 0.41). The present findings have to be interpreted with caution because of the low number of eligible studies and the moderate methodological quality of the included studies, which is indicated by a median Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale score of 5. Furthermore, we indirectly compared dose-response relationships across studies and not from single controlled studies. Our analyses suggest that supervised balance and/or resistance training improved measures of balance and muscle strength/power to a greater extent than unsupervised programs in older adults. Owing to the small number of available studies, we were unable to establish a clear dose-response relationship with regard to the impact of supervision. However, the positive effects of supervised training are particularly prominent when compared with completely unsupervised training programs. It is therefore recommended to include supervised sessions (i.e., two out of three sessions/week) in balance/resistance training programs to effectively improve balance and muscle strength/power in older adults.

Facilitating change in health-related behaviors and intentions: a randomized controlled trial of a multidimensional memory program for older adults.

PubMed

Wiegand, Melanie A; Troyer, Angela K; Gojmerac, Christina; Murphy, Kelly J

2013-01-01

Many older adults are concerned about memory changes with age and consequently seek ways to optimize their memory function. Memory programs are known to be variably effective in improving memory knowledge, other aspects of metamemory, and/or objective memory, but little is known about their impact on implementing and sustaining lifestyle and healthcare-seeking intentions and behaviors. We evaluated a multidimensional, evidence-based intervention, the Memory and Aging Program, that provides education about memory and memory change, training in the use of practical memory strategies, and support for implementation of healthy lifestyle behavior changes. In a randomized controlled trial, 42 healthy older adults participated in a program (n = 21) or a waitlist control (n = 21) group. Relative to the control group, participants in the program implemented more healthy lifestyle behaviors by the end of the program and maintained these changes 1 month later. Similarly, program participants reported a decreased intention to seek unnecessary medical attention for their memory immediately after the program and 1 month later. Findings support the use of multidimensional memory programs to promote healthy lifestyles and influence healthcare-seeking behaviors. Discussion focuses on implications of these changes for maximizing cognitive health and minimizing impact on healthcare resources.

Does Mindfulness Improve After Heart Coherence Training in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Healthy Subjects? A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Soer, Remko; de Jong, Annemieke B; Hofstra, Bert L; Preuper, Henrica R Schiphorst; Reneman, Michiel F

2015-07-01

Mindfulness and heart coherence training (HCT) training are applied increasingly in the treatment of patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). Questionnaires have been developed to assess changes in mindfulness but no gold standard is available. Explore the relationship between changes in mindfulness scores and changes in heart coherence after 3 sessions of HCT in patients with CMP and in healthy subjects. Ten patients with CMP and 15 healthy subjects were trained in self-regulation with the use of HCT following a standardized stress relief program developed by the HeartMath Institute. A heart coherence-score (HC-score) was constructed with scores ranging from 0-100 with higher scores reflecting more heart rate variability (HRV) coherency. Change scores, Spearman correlation coefficients, and Wilcoxon Signed Rank test were calculated to test relationships and differences between HC-score, the Mindfulness Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). A new questionnaire was constructed to explore on which mindfulness-related domains patients with CMP report changes after HCT. Increases were present on HC-score in healthy subjects (P<.01) and in patients (P<.01) between baseline and follow-up. Effect sizes on change on the MAAS and FFMQ were low. Weak (r<0.25) and non-significant correlations were observed in change scores between HC-score and MAAS or FFMQ. Patients reported significant favorable differences on 6 mindfulness related domains in the new questionnaire: breathing rhythm, physical awareness, positive or negative emotions, recognition of stressful situations, thoughts, and tendency to actively self-regulate. In this pilot study, mindfulness as assessed by the MAAS and FFMQ does not appear to improve after HCT. HRV coherency, MAAS, and FFMQ measure different constructs and are weakly related. It is of great importance to choose and develop valid measures that reflect patients' states of mindfulness. Content and face validity of measures of mindfulness may be considered in the light of performance-based measures.

A Study on the Effect of a Program Teaching Healthy Sexuality Values on Adolescent Sexual Awareness and Sexual Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moon, Sang Huy

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of a program teaching healthy sexuality values on adolescent sexual awareness and sexual behavior. For this study, the present researcher, along with two other professors, developed a 4-h program on 4 different subjects, and conducted the full education program through four different 4-h…

Dissonance and Healthy Weight Eating Disorder Prevention Programs: Long-Term Effects from a Randomized Efficacy Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stice, Eric; Marti, C. Nathan; Spoor, Sonja; Presnell, Katherine; Shaw, Heather

2008-01-01

Adolescent girls with body dissatisfaction (N = 481, SD = 1.4) were randomized to a dissonance-based thin-ideal internalization reduction program, healthy weight control program, expressive writing control condition, or assessment-only control condition. Dissonance participants showed significantly greater decreases in thin-ideal internalization,…

The California Endowment's Healthy Eating, Active Communities Program: A Midpoint Review

PubMed Central

Craypo, Lisa; Boyle, Maria; Crawford, Patricia B.; Yancey, Antronette; Flores, George

2010-01-01

Objectives. We conducted a midpoint review of The California Endowment's Healthy Eating, Active Communities (HEAC) program, which works in 6 low-income California communities to prevent childhood obesity by changing children's environments. The HEAC program conducts interventions in 5 key childhood environments: schools, after-school programs, neighborhoods, health care, and marketing and advertising. Methods. We measured changes in foods and beverages sold at schools and in neighborhoods in HEAC sites; changes in school and after-school physical activity programming and equipment; individual-level changes in children's attitudes and behaviors related to food and physical activity; and HEAC-related awareness and engagement on the part of community members, stakeholders, and policymakers. Results. Children's environments changed to promote healthier lifestyles across a wide range of domains in all 5 key childhood environments for all 6 HEAC communities. Children in HEAC communities are also engaging in more healthy behaviors than they were before the program's implementation. Conclusions. HEAC sites successfully changed children's food and physical activity environments, making a healthy lifestyle a more viable option for low-income children and their families. PMID:20864700

Evaluation of Healthy Living Wellness Program With Minority Underserved Economically Disadvantaged Older Adults.

PubMed

Tallier, Peggy C; Reineke, Patricia R; Frederickson, Keville

2017-04-01

The purpose of this Roy adaptation model-guided study was to test the effectiveness of a student registered nurse intern-led nursing intervention entitled the Healthy Living Wellness Program. A one-group pretest/posttest preexperimental design was used. The intervention was imparted to minority, underserved, economically disadvantaged older adults ( N = 30). Significant findings pre- and postintervention were reported for body mass index, waist circumference, self-reported blood glucose, and weight. The findings supported the effectiveness of the nursing intervention, the Healthy Living Wellness Program, guided by the Roy adaptation model.

BloodSpot: a database of gene expression profiles and transcriptional programs for healthy and malignant haematopoiesis

PubMed Central

Bagger, Frederik Otzen; Sasivarevic, Damir; Sohi, Sina Hadi; Laursen, Linea Gøricke; Pundhir, Sachin; Sønderby, Casper Kaae; Winther, Ole; Rapin, Nicolas; Porse, Bo T.

2016-01-01

Research on human and murine haematopoiesis has resulted in a vast number of gene-expression data sets that can potentially answer questions regarding normal and aberrant blood formation. To researchers and clinicians with limited bioinformatics experience, these data have remained available, yet largely inaccessible. Current databases provide information about gene-expression but fail to answer key questions regarding co-regulation, genetic programs or effect on patient survival. To address these shortcomings, we present BloodSpot (www.bloodspot.eu), which includes and greatly extends our previously released database HemaExplorer, a database of gene expression profiles from FACS sorted healthy and malignant haematopoietic cells. A revised interactive interface simultaneously provides a plot of gene expression along with a Kaplan–Meier analysis and a hierarchical tree depicting the relationship between different cell types in the database. The database now includes 23 high-quality curated data sets relevant to normal and malignant blood formation and, in addition, we have assembled and built a unique integrated data set, BloodPool. Bloodpool contains more than 2000 samples assembled from six independent studies on acute myeloid leukemia. Furthermore, we have devised a robust sample integration procedure that allows for sensitive comparison of user-supplied patient samples in a well-defined haematopoietic cellular space. PMID:26507857

Health Promoting Lifestyle and its Determinants Among University Students in Sabzevar, Iran

PubMed Central

Mehri, Ali; Solhi, Mahnaz; Garmaroudi, Gholamreza; Nadrian, Haidar; Sighaldeh, Shirin Shahbazi

2016-01-01

Background: Healthy lifestyle is a major strategy to promote current and subsequent health status. The aim of this study was to assess the status of health-promoting the lifestyle and its determinants among students. Methods: A stratified random sample of 500 students in a university in the city of Sabzevar, Iran participated in this cross-sectional study. Health-promoting lifestyle was measured using Walker's health-promoting lifestyle profile II. Results: There was a significant correlation between all domains of health-promoting the lifestyle. The highest score among the domains was for an interpersonal relationship (70.8%), and the lowest score was for nutrition (53.6%), and physical activity (53.4%). Significant differences were found in physical activity by gender (P ≤ 0.05). There were significant differences in health responsibility, spiritual growth and body mass index by marital status (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Since one out of five students in this study were overweight/obese, health program planning to promote lifestyle, especially physical activity and nutrition among students is recommended. Our findings may be helpful for faculty administrators, curriculum planners, and health educators in designing guidelines to structuralize a healthier campus and to develop health promotion programs supporting healthy choices among students. PMID:27141284

Peer mentoring is associated with positive change in physical activity and aerobic fitness of grades 4, 5, and 6 students in the heart healthy kids program.

PubMed

Spencer, Rebecca A; Bower, Jenna; Kirk, Sara F L; Hancock Friesen, Camille

2014-11-01

Only 7% of Canadian children achieve activity recommendations, contributing to obesity and preventable disease. The Heart Healthy Kids (H2K) program was designed to test the relationship between peer mentoring, physical activity, and cardiovascular fitness. Participants from 10 schools (5 control, 5 intervention) were enrolled in the program. In control schools, H2K included a physical activity challenge and education sessions. Intervention schools included the addition of a peer-mentoring component. Physical activity was measured through daily pedometer recording. Cardiovascular fitness was evaluated using the PACER (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run) protocol to calculate maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max). Participants included 808 children (average age 9.9 ± 1.0 years). Although control and intervention schools did not differ at baseline, participants with peer mentoring logged significantly more steps per school day, on average, than those in control schools (6,785 ± 3,011 vs. 5,630 ± 2,586; p < .001). Male participants logged significantly more steps per school day than female participants. A significant improvement in VO2 max was also noted in intervention schools, with an average increase of 1.72 ml/mg/min. H2K was associated with positive change in physical activity and cardiovascular fitness, suggesting that peer mentoring shows promise for application in health promotion interventions. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Children's Health Initiatives in California: the experiences of local coalitions pursuing universal coverage for children.

PubMed

Stevens, Gregory D; Rice, Kyoko; Cousineau, Michael R

2007-04-01

Many county coalitions throughout California have created local health insurance programs known as Healthy Kids to cover uninsured children ineligible for public programs as a result of family income level or undocumented immigrant status. We sought to gain an understanding of the experiences of these coalitions as they pursue the goal of universal coverage for children. We conducted semistructured telephone-based or in-person interviews with coalition leaders from 28 counties or regions engaged in expansion activities. Children's Health Initiative coalitions have emerged in 31 counties (17 are operational and 14 are planned) and have enrolled more than 85000 children in their health insurance program, Healthy Kids. Respondents attributed the success of these programs to strong leadership, diverse coalitions of stakeholders, and the generosity of local and statewide contributors. Because Healthy Kids programs face major sustainability challenges and difficulties with provider capacity, most are cautiously looking toward statewide legislative solutions. The expansion of Healthy Kids programs demonstrates the ability of local coalitions to reduce the number of uninsured children through local health reform. Such local programs may become important models as other states struggle with declines in employer-based coverage and increasing immigration and poverty rates.

Developing smoking cessation programs for chronically ill teens: lessons learned from research with healthy adolescent smokers.

PubMed

Robinson, Leslie A; Emmons, Karen M; Moolchan, Eric T; Ostroff, Jamie S

2008-03-01

Medically fragile teens who smoke need access to smoking cessation programs, because they are at even higher risk than their healthy peers for smoking-related complications. To date, no studies on the outcome of smoking cessation programs for medically ill teens have been conducted. To suggest directions for future research, we turn to the literature on smoking cessation in the general population of teens and occasionally to the literature on adult smokers. Four areas are explored: (a) the prevalence of unaided cessation in healthy teens; (b) the outcomes of various treatments for smoking cessation in healthy adolescents; (c) special issues that should be considered when designing programs for medically ill teens; and (d) lessons learned from previous research. Medically ill teens face a number of medical, emotional, social, and developmental challenges that can affect the quitting process. Research is sorely needed to address the unique needs of this population.

Globalization, localization and food culture: perceived roles of social and cultural capitals in healthy child feeding practices in Japan.

PubMed

Goto, Keiko; Ominami, Chihiro; Song, Chunyan; Murayama, Nobuko; Wolff, Cindy

2014-03-01

The current study examined parental perceptions of sociocultural factors associated with healthy child feeding practices among parents of preschool-age children in rural Japan. Fifteen Japanese mothers of preschool-age children participated in this qualitative study. These participants were aged 22-39 years and resided in a rural town in western Japan. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to assess parental perceptions of healthy child feeding practices and their relationships with globalization and localization. These interviews were transcribed, translated into English and coded, based on the principles of grounded theory. A codebook was developed and pre-identified, and the newly-identified themes from this codebook were examined and compared. Overall, local and seasonal foods, along with traditional Japanese foods and simple foods (soshoku), were considered to be beneficial for children. Participants also noted that children were expected to be mindful and exhibit good table manners that reflect cultural values related to meal-time socializing or family bonding, and food appreciation. On the other hand, the majority of the participants stated that foods containing food additives and imported foods were unsuitable for children. Participants noted that strong social capital, especially social support from their mothers or mothers-in-law, as well as social networks for obtaining fresh local foods, contributed to healthy child feeding practices. Cultural capital (including the preservation of traditional Japanese dietary habits, eating rules and inter-generational commensality), was also identified as being key to healthy feeding practices. Identifying and promoting the social and cultural capital that positively support healthy child feeding practices may be an important component of nutrition education programs.

Salt intake belief, knowledge, and behavior: a cross-sectional study of older rural Chinese adults.

PubMed

Zhang, Jing; Wu, Tao; Chu, Hongling; Feng, Xiangxian; Shi, Jingpu; Zhang, Ruijuan; Zhang, Yuhong; Zhang, Jianxin; Li, Nicole; Yan, Lijing; Niu, Wenyi; Wu, Yangfeng

2016-08-01

Excess sodium consumption is a major cause of high blood pressure and subsequent vascular disease. However, the factors driving people's salt intake behavior remains largely unknown. This study aims to assess the relationship of salt intake behaviors with knowledge and belief on salt and health among older adults in rural China.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4693 older participants (men ≥50 and women ≥60 years old) randomly selected from 120 rural villages in 5 northern provinces in China. Healthy salt intake behavior was defined as either not eating pickled foods or not adding pickles/soy sauce/salt when food was not salty enough in prior 3 months.There were 81% participants having healthy salt intake behavior. Healthy salt intake behavior was more common among women (P < 0.01) and was positively associated with age (P < 0.01) and poorer health status (P < 0.01), but negatively associated with years in school (P < 0.05). After adjusting for age, sex, years in school, and health status, participants who believed in the harm of high salt intake were more likely to have healthy salt intake behavior, compared with those who did not believe (Odds Ratio = 1.6, P < 0.001). Knowledge of salt intake was not significantly related to healthy salt intake behavior.Our study demonstrated that belief in the harm of high salt intake rather than knowledge about salt and health was associated with healthy salt intake behavior, independent of age, sex, years in school, and health status. Future population salt reduction programs should place more emphasis on establishing health beliefs rather than only delivering salt-related knowledge.Clinical trial registration number of the study is NCT01259700.

Comparing biomarker measurements to a normal range: when ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This commentary is the second of a series outlining one specific concept in interpreting biomarkers data. In the first, an observational method was presented for assessing the distribution of measurements before making parametric calculations. Here, the discussion revolves around the next step, the choice of using standard error of the mean or the calculated standard deviation to compare or predict measurement results. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts research in support of EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment. HEASD’s research program supports Goal 1 (Clean Air) and Goal 4 (Healthy People) of EPA’s strategic plan. More specifically, our division conducts research to characterize the movement of pollutants from the source to contact with humans. Our multidisciplinary research program produces Methods, Measurements, and Models to identify relationships between and characterize processes that link source emissions, environmental concentrations, human exposures, and target-tissue dose. The impact of these tools is improved regulatory programs and policies for EPA.

Eating Better for Less: A National Discount Program for Healthy Food Purchases in South Africa

PubMed Central

An, Ruopeng; Patel, Deepak; Segal, Darren; Sturm, Roland

2012-01-01

Background Improving diet quality is a key health promotion strategy. The HealthyFood program provides up to a 25% discount on selected food items to about 260,000 households across South Africa. Objectives Examine whether reducing prices for healthy food purchases leads to changes in self-reported measures of food consumption and weight status. Methods Repeated surveys of about 350,000 HealthyFood participants and nonparticipants. Results Program participation is associated with more consumption of fruits/vegetables and wholegrain foods, and less consumption of high sugar/salt foods, fried foods, processed meats, and fast-food. There is no strong evidence that participation reduces obesity. Conclusions A substantial price intervention might be effective in improving diets. PMID:22943101

Garrison Institute on Aging: A New Hope for Elderly Individuals and Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Reddy, P Hemachandra; Blackmon, Joan; Molinar-Lopez, Veronica; Ament, Clay; Manczak, Maria; Kandimalla, Ramesh; Yin, Xianglin; Pandey, Akhilesh; Kuruva, Chandra Sekhar; Wang, Rui; Fry, David; Osborn, Carrah; Stonum, Kathleen; Quesada, Kandi; Gonzales, Ruben; Boles, Annette

2015-01-01

The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is an established institute within Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, whose mission is to promote healthy aging through cutting-edge research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other diseases of aging through innovative educational opportunities for students, clinicians, researchers, health care professionals, and the public. The GIA has multiple programs, including both research and education on healthy aging and AD, community outreach, caregiving, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Healthy Lubbock, the GIA Brain Bank, healthy aging seminars, research seminars, and collaborations and scholarships. The GIA programs connect basic and clinical researchers and health care professionals, and provide a unique environment to help our growing elderly population and patients with AD and their families.

Be Healthy as a Fish Educational Program at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Poland.

PubMed

Goś, Daria; Szymańska, Ewelina; Białek-Wyrzykowska, Urszula; Wiweger, Małgorzata; Kuźnicki, Jacek

2016-08-01

The purpose of the Be Healthy as a Fish educational program that is organized by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) in Warsaw, Poland, is to educate children about the ways in which zebrafish can be used as a model organism to help scientists understand the way the human body works. We introduce Be Healthy as a Fish workshops to children in fourth to sixth grades of primary school (9-11 years old), together with two kinds of materials under the same title: a book and a movie. We focus on the field of biology in a way that complements the children's classroom curriculum and encourages them to broaden their interests in biology in the future. The Be Healthy as a Fish educational program was inaugurated in 2014 at the Warsaw Science Festival. As of October 31, 2015, 526 primary school students participated in 27 workshops. Approximately 2000 people have received the book and nearly 1700 people have watched the movie. Be Healthy as a Fish: Origin of the Title There is a popular saying in Poland that someone is "healthy as a fish" meaning that one enjoys good health. Does this imply that fish are really that healthy? Obviously, some fish may not be healthy. Just like other animals and humans, they can and do get sick. However, this common and deceptive impression of "healthy fish" results from the fact that people hardly ever have an opportunity to observe a fish that is sick. Why does our educational program have such a possibly misleading title that may not always be true? We took advantage of this provocative title and commonly known expression and assigned to it a completely new meaning: fish can get sick, but they are important for human health. Notably, this catchy sentence intrinsically combines two keywords-health and fish-which, in our opinion, makes it a good title for a successful educational program.

Interorganizational Relationships in the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Spark Together for Healthy Kids™: Insights from Using Network Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yessis, Jennifer; Riley, Barbara; Stockton, Lisa; Brodovsky, Sharon; Von Sychowski, Shirley

2013-01-01

The Heart and Stroke Foundation's Spark Together for Healthy Kids™ (Spark) is a multiyear initiative in Ontario, Canada, that takes a population approach to obesity prevention. It focuses on creating healthy environments by improving access to healthy foods and physical activity, with an emphasis on strengthening the advocacy capacity of…

Examining the Promotion of Healthy Eating among Exercise Specialists: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Johnson, Steven T; Cornish, Stephen M; Lytvyak, Ellina; Taylor, Lorian M; Bell, Gordon; Vallance, Jeff; Fraser, Shawn; Murray, Terra

2015-06-01

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to survey exercise specialists about nutrition counselling practices, their own dietary practices, and to identify potential relationships. An electronic survey was used to examine characteristics and strategies used for assessing and promoting healthy eating to clients. Exercise specialists (n = 94) were recruited through a public registry and through targeted advertising on 2 professional websites in Alberta, Canada. Eighty-five percent of respondents promoted healthy eating to clients. Confidence in assessing and promoting healthy eating was moderate to low. Those with more than 6 years of professional experience reported higher confidence compared with those with less than 1 year of experience in assessing healthy eating (P < 0.05) and promoting healthy eating (P < 0.01). Confidence was higher among those with more professional experience but who did not meet Canada's Food Guide recommendations (P < 0.05). Professional experience, personal dietary practices, and confidence are important characteristics when considering the assessment and promotion of healthy eating by exercise specialists. Promoting collaborative relationships between registered dietitians and exercise specialists would likely benefit exercise specialists when they are assessing and promoting healthy eating among their clients.

Blossoming Behind Bars: Relationships Between Eco-Education, Ethics and Personal Empowerment in Gardening and Mindfulness Programming Within San Quentin Prison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benham, L.; O'Malley, R.; Todd, A. M.; Fassett, D.; Waitkus, B.

2014-12-01

Parallels exist between American environmental practice and those of our criminal justice system. Common among these are "throw-away" approaches, often yielding more complex problems then those attempted to solve. Personal change can be expressed via deepening sense of context and purpose, extending beyond concerns for self. Incarceration often exacerbates a thirst for new meaning-making, highly relevant to both criminal and ecological rehabilitation. Primary field data was gathered from incarcerated men, with a focus on the Insight Garden Program in San Quentin State Prison. A mixed method was used, with open-ended qualitative interviews and three established multiple-choice survey instruments: an environmental literacy quiz; a Locus of Control test (a psychological survey measuring one's sense of self-agency); and the "Six Americas" survey instrument, which stratifies responses of climate change opinion. Two control groups in the same unit were included in the study: inmates taking other programs but not gardening, and inmates in no programming at all. This research explores patterns in the ways people come to terms with personal moral obligation, as well as how restorative ecological engagement may be transformational for humans in personal crisis. Participants described prison programming in general as contributing profoundly to personal transformation. Beyond that, programming with a strong ecological focus offered vocational, intellectual, emotional and even spiritual change, which in turn has been shown to aid in reducing recidivism rates. Given a sample size of 58 participants total, the 174 surveys conducted were not primarily intended to achieve statistical significances but augment the overall perspective, for individuals, or for groups. Some correlations of significance were observed, however, between control groups, survey data, and with general US population data. Most intriguing, analysis of the qualitative interview data yielded patterns of progressive change in personal and/or ecological relationship. These survey results and compelling dialogues illustrate the degree to which prison programming experiences have profoundly expanded and nurtured participants' healthy relationships to self, fellow humans, and our communities, including our larger shared ecosystems.

Caregiver mental health and HIV-infected child wellness: perspectives from Ugandan caregivers.

PubMed

Murray, S M; Familiar, I; Nakasujja, N; Winch, P J; Gallo, J J; Opoka, R; Caesar, J O; Boivin, M J; Bass, J K

2017-06-01

Prior studies indicate a substantial link between maternal depression and early child health but give limited consideration to the direction of this relationship or the context in which it occurs. We sought to create a contextually informed conceptual framework of this relationship through semi-structured interviews with women that had lived experience of caring for an HIV-infected child while coping with depression and anxiety symptoms. Caregivers explained their role in raising healthy children as complex and complicated by poverty, stigma, and isolation. Caregivers discussed the effects of their own mental health on child well-being as primarily emotional and behavioral, and explained how looking after a child could bring distress, particularly when unable to provide desired care for sick children. Our findings suggest the need for investigation of the reciprocal effects of child sickness on caregiver wellness and for integrated programs that holistically address the needs of HIV-affected families.

Caregiver mental health and HIV-infected child wellness: perspectives from Ugandan caregivers

PubMed Central

Murray, S.M.; Familiar, I.; Nakasujja, N.; Winch, P.; Gallo, J.; Opoka, R.; Caesar, J.O.; Boivin, M.J.; Bass, J.K.

2017-01-01

Prior studies indicate a substantial link between maternal depression and early child health but give limited consideration to the direction of this relationship or the context in which it occurs. We sought to create a contextually informed conceptual framework of this relationship through semi-structured interviews with women that had lived experience of caring for an HIV-infected child while coping with depression and anxiety symptoms. Caregivers explained their role in raising healthy children as complex and complicated by poverty, stigma, and isolation. Caregivers discussed the effects of their own mental health on child well-being as primarily emotional and behavioral, and explained how looking after a child could bring distress, particularly when unable to provide desired care for sick children. Our findings suggest the need for investigation of the reciprocal effects of child sickness on caregiver wellness and for integrated programs that holistically address the needs of HIV-affected families. PMID:27951734

Mechanism of erosion of nanostructured porous silicon drug carriers in neoplastic tissues

PubMed Central

Tzur-Balter, Adi; Shatsberg, Zohar; Beckerman, Margarita; Segal, Ester; Artzi, Natalie

2015-01-01

Nanostructured porous silicon (PSi) is emerging as a promising platform for drug delivery owing to its biocompatibility, degradability and high surface area available for drug loading. The ability to control PSi structure, size and porosity enables programming its in vivo retention, providing tight control over embedded drug release kinetics. In this work, the relationship between the in vitro and in vivo degradation of PSi under (pre)clinically relevant conditions, using breast cancer mouse model, is defined. We show that PSi undergoes enhanced degradation in diseased environment compared with healthy state, owing to the upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tumour vicinity that oxidize the silicon scaffold and catalyse its degradation. We further show that PSi degradation in vitro and in vivo correlates in healthy and diseased states when ROS-free or ROS-containing media are used, respectively. Our work demonstrates that understanding the governing mechanisms associated with specific tissue microenvironment permits predictive material performance. PMID:25670235

The Relationship between Self-Efficacy for Behaviors that Promote Healthy Weight and Clinical Indicators of Adiposity in a Sample of Early Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, Michael M.; Daratha, Kenn B.; Bindler, Ruth C.; Power, Thomas G.

2011-01-01

Objective: Examine the relationship between self-efficacy and various measures of adiposity in a sample of teens. Methods: A total of 132 teens were selected from schools participating in an existing research study titled Teen Eating and Activity Mentoring in Schools (TEAMS). Teens completed demographic questionnaires and healthy eating-specific…

Relationships Between Tibiofemoral Contact Forces and Cartilage Morphology at 2 to 3 Years After Single-Bundle Hamstring Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and in Healthy Knees.

PubMed

Saxby, David John; Bryant, Adam L; Wang, Xinyang; Modenese, Luca; Gerus, Pauline; Konrath, Jason M; Bennell, Kim L; Fortin, Karine; Wrigley, Tim; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Vertullo, Christopher J; Feller, Julian A; Whitehead, Tim; Gallie, Price; Lloyd, David G

2017-08-01

Prevention of knee osteoarthritis (OA) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and reconstruction is vital. Risk of postreconstruction knee OA is markedly increased by concurrent meniscal injury. It is unclear whether reconstruction results in normal relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology and whether meniscal injury modulates these relationships. Since patients with isolated reconstructions (ie, without meniscal injury) are at lower risk for knee OA, we predicted that relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology would be similar to those of normal, healthy knees 2 to 3 years postreconstruction. In knees with meniscal injuries, these relationships would be similar to those reported in patients with knee OA, reflecting early degenerative changes. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Three groups were examined: (1) 62 patients who received single-bundle hamstring reconstruction with an intact, uninjured meniscus (mean age, 29.8 ± 6.4 years; mean weight, 74.9 ± 13.3 kg); (2) 38 patients with similar reconstruction with additional meniscal injury (ie, tear, repair) or partial resection (mean age, 30.6 ± 6.6 years; mean weight, 83.3 ± 14.3 kg); and (3) 30 ligament-normal, healthy individuals (mean age, 28.3 ± 5.2 years; mean weight, 74.9 ± 14.9 kg) serving as controls. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging to measure the medial and lateral tibial articular cartilage morphology (volumes and thicknesses). An electromyography-driven neuromusculoskeletal model determined medial and lateral tibiofemoral contact forces during walking. General linear models were used to assess relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology. In control knees, cartilage was thicker compared with that of isolated and meniscal-injured ACL-reconstructed knees, while greater contact forces were related to both greater tibial cartilage volumes (medial: R 2 = 0.43, β = 0.62, P = .000; lateral: R 2 = 0.19, β = 0.46, P = .03) and medial thicknesses ( R 2 = 0.24, β = 0.48, P = .01). In the overall group of ACL-reconstructed knees, greater contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes ( R 2 = 0.08, β = 0.28, P = .01). In ACL-reconstructed knees with lateral meniscal injury, greater lateral contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes ( R 2 = 0.41, β = 0.64, P = .001) and thicknesses ( R 2 = 0.20, β = 0.46, P = .04). At 2 to 3 years postsurgery, ACL-reconstructed knees had thinner cartilage compared with healthy knees, and there were no positive relationships between medial contact forces and cartilage morphology. In lateral meniscal-injured reconstructed knees, greater contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes and thicknesses, although it was unclear whether this was an adaptive response or associated with degeneration. Future clinical studies may seek to establish whether cartilage morphology can be modified through rehabilitation programs targeting contact forces directly in addition to the current rehabilitation foci of restoring passive and dynamic knee range of motion, knee strength, and functional performance.

Relationships Between Tibiofemoral Contact Forces and Cartilage Morphology at 2 to 3 Years After Single-Bundle Hamstring Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and in Healthy Knees

PubMed Central

Saxby, David John; Bryant, Adam L.; Wang, Xinyang; Modenese, Luca; Gerus, Pauline; Konrath, Jason M.; Bennell, Kim L.; Fortin, Karine; Wrigley, Tim; Cicuttini, Flavia M.; Vertullo, Christopher J.; Feller, Julian A.; Whitehead, Tim; Gallie, Price; Lloyd, David G.

2017-01-01

Background: Prevention of knee osteoarthritis (OA) following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture and reconstruction is vital. Risk of postreconstruction knee OA is markedly increased by concurrent meniscal injury. It is unclear whether reconstruction results in normal relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology and whether meniscal injury modulates these relationships. Hypotheses: Since patients with isolated reconstructions (ie, without meniscal injury) are at lower risk for knee OA, we predicted that relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology would be similar to those of normal, healthy knees 2 to 3 years postreconstruction. In knees with meniscal injuries, these relationships would be similar to those reported in patients with knee OA, reflecting early degenerative changes. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Three groups were examined: (1) 62 patients who received single-bundle hamstring reconstruction with an intact, uninjured meniscus (mean age, 29.8 ± 6.4 years; mean weight, 74.9 ± 13.3 kg); (2) 38 patients with similar reconstruction with additional meniscal injury (ie, tear, repair) or partial resection (mean age, 30.6 ± 6.6 years; mean weight, 83.3 ± 14.3 kg); and (3) 30 ligament-normal, healthy individuals (mean age, 28.3 ± 5.2 years; mean weight, 74.9 ± 14.9 kg) serving as controls. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging to measure the medial and lateral tibial articular cartilage morphology (volumes and thicknesses). An electromyography-driven neuromusculoskeletal model determined medial and lateral tibiofemoral contact forces during walking. General linear models were used to assess relationships between tibiofemoral contact forces and cartilage morphology. Results: In control knees, cartilage was thicker compared with that of isolated and meniscal-injured ACL-reconstructed knees, while greater contact forces were related to both greater tibial cartilage volumes (medial: R 2 = 0.43, β = 0.62, P = .000; lateral: R 2 = 0.19, β = 0.46, P = .03) and medial thicknesses (R 2 = 0.24, β = 0.48, P = .01). In the overall group of ACL-reconstructed knees, greater contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes (R 2 = 0.08, β = 0.28, P = .01). In ACL-reconstructed knees with lateral meniscal injury, greater lateral contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes (R 2 = 0.41, β = 0.64, P = .001) and thicknesses (R 2 = 0.20, β = 0.46, P = .04). Conclusion: At 2 to 3 years postsurgery, ACL-reconstructed knees had thinner cartilage compared with healthy knees, and there were no positive relationships between medial contact forces and cartilage morphology. In lateral meniscal-injured reconstructed knees, greater contact forces were related to greater lateral cartilage volumes and thicknesses, although it was unclear whether this was an adaptive response or associated with degeneration. Future clinical studies may seek to establish whether cartilage morphology can be modified through rehabilitation programs targeting contact forces directly in addition to the current rehabilitation foci of restoring passive and dynamic knee range of motion, knee strength, and functional performance. PMID:28894756

Shifting Perceptions of Consequences of IPV Among Beneficiaries of Indashyikirwa: An IPV Prevention Program in Rwanda.

PubMed

Stern, Erin; Niyibizi, Lea Liliane

2018-06-01

Indashyikirwa is a Rwandan program that seeks to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) and support healthy, equitable relationships. A fundamental program aspect is a 5-month curriculum among heterosexual couples designed to identify the causes and consequences of economic, emotional, physical, and sexual IPV, and build skills to manage triggers of IPV. The program also trained opinion leaders to more effectively prevent and respond to IPV, and established women's safe spaces to educate women about their rights, refer or accompany women who wish to report abuse or seek services. Drawing on 30 interviews with couples and 9 interviews with opinion leaders before and after completing the Indashyikirwa trainings, this article highlights beneficiaries' perceived consequences of IPV, and how such perceptions were influenced through the Indashyikirwa program. Interviews were conducted in Kinyarwanda, recorded, translated, and transcribed into English and analyzed thematically. The data reveal a depth of understanding of consequences of various forms of IPV. Although several participants justified more minor forms of men's physical IPV, such as slapping, severe consequences of physical IPV were most readily identified and sanctioned. Various harms of emotional and economic IPV were reported, yet these forms of IPV were typically less socially sanctioned or identified as IPV. Conceptions of sexual IPV were influenced by inequitable gender norms, and not typically recognized as a violation under the law. Although the data do not yet demonstrate the long-term impact, collectively identifying the overlapping consequences and underlying power inequalities for all forms of IPV, the legal rights protecting against various forms of IPV, and the benefits of nonviolent, equitable relationships, appeared to be helpful to shift perceptions of consequences of IPV. Implications of the findings for the program and broader IPV prevention are identified.

Combining health promotion classroom lessons with health fair activities.

PubMed

Eliason, Kathy; True, Alexandra

2004-02-01

This article focuses on the important role of the school nurse in promoting healthy lifestyle choices through networking, resource identification, and working with community partners. "Everyone Is Healthy at Northeast" was a health promotion program designed and presented in two ways: classroom lessons and a health fair. There were interactive health promotion classroom lessons on topics such as proper hand washing, the effects of tobacco, and keeping one's heart healthy. These lessons were enhanced by community partners in delivering the healthy lifestyle message through a variety of teaching methods: music, interactive games, and hands-on visuals. The health promotion education program culminated in a schoolwide health fair that showcased the healthy lifestyle choice information at various stations. "Everyone Is Healthy at Northeast" was a success and promoted healthy lifestyle choices through creativity, collaboration, and support from the entire school community.

78 FR 39163 - Certification of Compliance With Meal Requirements for the National School Lunch Program Under...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-01

..., Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Approval of Information Collection Request AGENCY: Food and Nutrition... Requirements for the National School Lunch Program under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010'' on April... Lunch Program regulations to conform to requirements contained in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of...

Pilot-Testing CATCH Early Childhood: A Preschool-Based Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharma, Shreela; Chuang, Ru-Jye; Hedberg, Ann Marie

2011-01-01

Background: The literature on theoretically-based programs targeting healthy nutrition and physical activity in preschools is scarce. Purpose: To pilot test CATCH Early Childhood (CEC), a preschool-based nutrition and physical activity program among children ages three to five in Head Start. Methods: The study was conducted in two Head Start…

Smart School Snacks: A Comprehensive Preschool Nutrition Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernath, Penny; Masi, Wendy

2006-01-01

By adopting the Smart School Snacks program, administrators and teachers at the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) preschool center have prompted a healthy change in attitude about snacks. Simple healthy snacks have become the norm at the center and are welcomed by children and families alike. Family involvement is a critical part of the program.…

Promoting healthy computer use among middle school students: a pilot school-based health promotion program.

PubMed

Ciccarelli, Marina; Portsmouth, Linda; Harris, Courtenay; Jacobs, Karen

2012-01-01

Introduction of notebook computers in many schools has become integral to learning. This has increased students' screen-based exposure and the potential risks to physical and visual health. Unhealthy computing behaviours include frequent and long durations of exposure; awkward postures due to inappropriate furniture and workstation layout, and ignoring computer-related discomfort. Describe the framework for a planned school-based health promotion program to encourage healthy computing behaviours among middle school students. This planned program uses a community- based participatory research approach. Students in Year 7 in 2011 at a co-educational middle school, their parents, and teachers have been recruited. Baseline data was collected on students' knowledge of computer ergonomics, current notebook exposure, and attitudes towards healthy computing behaviours; and teachers' and self-perceived competence to promote healthy notebook use among students, and what education they wanted. The health promotion program is being developed by an inter-professional team in collaboration with students, teachers and parents to embed concepts of ergonomics education in relevant school activities and school culture. End of year changes in reported and observed student computing behaviours will be used to determine the effectiveness of the program. Building a body of evidence regarding physical health benefits to students from this school-based ergonomics program can guide policy development on the healthy use of computers within children's educational environments.

School Nurses' Experiences and Perceptions of Healthy Eating School Environments.

PubMed

Muckian, Jean; Snethen, Julia; Buseh, Aaron

School nurses provide health promotion and health services within schools, as healthy children have a greater potential for optimal learning. One of the school nurses' role is in encouraging healthy eating and increasing the availability of fruits and vegetables in the school. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe school nurses' perceptions of their role in promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. One avenue to increased availability of fruits and vegetables in schools is Farm to School programs mandated by the Federal government to improve the health of school children. School nurses are optimally positioned to work with Farm to School programs to promote healthy eating. A secondary aim was to explore school nurses' knowledge, experiences and/or perceptions of the Farm to School program to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in the school setting. Three themes emerged from the focus groups: If There Were More of Me, I Could Do More; Food Environment in Schools; School Nurses Promote Health. School nurses reported that they addressed health issues more broadly in their roles as educator, collaborator, advocate and modeling healthy behaviors. Most of the participants knew of Farm to School programs, but only two school nurses worked in schools that participated in the program. Consequently, the participants reported having little or no experiences with the Farm to School programs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reported Motivations for and Locations of Healthy Eating Among Georgia High School Students.

PubMed

Kumar, Gayathri S; Bryan, Michael; Bayakly, Rana; Drenzek, Cherie; Merlo, Caitlin; Perry, Geraldine S

2017-05-01

Understanding how youth perceive eating healthy foods can inform programs and policies that aim to improve healthy eating. We assessed the reasons for and the most common locations of eating healthy foods among Georgia's (GA) high school (HS) students. Using the 2013 GA HS Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we examined motivations for and locations of eating healthy foods by sociodemographic characteristics and daily fruit and vegetable intake. Weighted chi-square tests were used to examine differences in responses for each perception. Nineteen percent of GA HS students consumed fruit ≥3 times/day and 11% consumed vegetables ≥3 times/day. The most frequently chosen response to motivations for eating healthy foods was the desire to be healthy (42%), followed by enjoying their taste (18%). The most likely location to eat healthy foods was at home (80%), followed by at school (13%). GA HS students are most motivated to eat healthy foods by the desire to be healthy and their enjoyment of the taste of healthy foods. Incorporating messages that align with students' motivations to eat healthy foods could be considered when developing promotional programs/policies targeting healthy eating. © 2017, American School Health Association.

The relationship between healthy hygiene behavior and dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) incidence in Semarang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mubarok, M. A.; Wahyuningsih, N. E.; Riani, D. A.; Putri, R.; Budiharjo, A.

2018-05-01

Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is an infectious disease caused by one of 4 different Dengue viruses and transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. Incidence Rate (IR) of DHF in Semarang District from 2006 to 2016 are always much higher than IR DHF of Central Java and IR DHF of National Indonesia. Human sweat contains components that plays an important role in the attractiveness of anthropophilic mosquito species. Human need to reduce their sweat components by applying healthy hygiene behavior. This study aims to analyze the relationship between healthy hygiene behavior through the habit of taking bath and the habit of hanging clothes with the-incidence of DHF in Semarang. We used a case control study with DHF sample cases from three hospitals in Semarang city (n=48) from the period of March to May 2017 and the control groups from healthy respondents with matched age, sex, and district location (n=48). The data was processed by Chi-Square test and calculation of Odds Ratio with 95% confidence interval. The result of the research shows that there was relationship between the habit of taking bath with DHF (p=0.038 and OR=2.391) and the habit of hanging clothes with DHF (p=0.009 and OR=3.839). In conclusion, there were relationship between healthy hygiene behavior through the habit of taking bath and the habit of hanging clothes with Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever cases in Semarang.

[Relationship between reference values of fibrinogen and geographical factors based on neural network analysis].

PubMed

Li, Meng-Jiao; Ge, Miao; Wang, Cong-Xia; Cen, Min-Yi; Jiang, Ji-Lin; He, Jin-Wei; Lin, Qian-Yi; Liu, Xin

2016-08-20

To analyze the relationship between the reference values of fibrinogen (FIB) in healthy Chinese adults and geographical factors to provide scientific evidences for establishing the uniform standard. The reference values of FIB of 10701 Chinese healthy adults from 103 cities were collected to investigate their relationship with 18 geographical factors including spatial index, terrain index, climate index, and soil index. Geographical factors that significantly correlated with the reference values were selected for constructing the BP neural network model. The spatial distribution map of the reference value of FIB of healthy Chinese adults was fitted by disjunctive kriging interpolation. We used the 5-layer neural network and selected 2000 times of training covering 11 hidden layers to build the simulation rule for simulating the relationship between FIB and geographical environmental factors using the MATLAB software. s The reference value of FIB in healthy Chinese adults was significantly correlated with the latitude, sunshine duration, annual average temperature, annual average relative humidity, annual precipitation, annual range of air temperature, average annual soil gravel content, and soil cation exchange capacity (silt). The artificial neural networks were created to analyze the simulation of the selected indicators of geographical factors. The spatial distribution map of the reference values of FIB in healthy Chinese adults showed a distribution pattern that FIB levels were higher in the South and lower in the North, and higher in the East and lower in the West. When the geographical factors of a certain area are known, the reference values of FIB in healthy Chinese adults can be obtained by establishing the neural network mode or plotting the spatial distribution map.

Relationships between consumption of alcoholic beverages and healthy foods: the French supermarket cohort of 196,000 subjects.

PubMed

Hansel, Boris; Roussel, Ronan; Diguet, Vincent; Deplaude, Amandine; Chapman, M John; Bruckert, Eric

2015-02-01

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Related dietary habits and lifestyle may bias assessment of the relationship between alcohol intake and health status. We examined the relationship between key features relating to the consumption of alcoholic beverages and individual profiles of objective food purchases. Data were collected on regular clients of a large supermarket chain implanted across France (n = 196,604). Food items purchased were classified into three categories: (1) healthy foods; (2) unhealthy foods; and (3) others. Wine consumers favoured purchase of healthy foods more often than others, whereas the lowest level of healthy food purchasers was associated with consumption of beer and aniseed-based beverages. Bordeaux wine purchasers spent less in their average budget than the whole population for nine out of the 11 unhealthy food categories. Conversely, the budget was markedly higher in non-alcohol purchasers as compared to the whole population for seven out of the 11 unhealthy foods. The ratio of the budget for healthy to that for unhealthy foods was also distinct between the groups, being highest for wine and lowest for beer. In the subgroup of non-alcohol consumers, this ratio was intermediate but significantly lower relative to values in the five subcategories of wine purchasers. Marked differences in the profile of the purchase of healthy versus unhealthy food products as a function of the subcategory of alcoholic beverage consumed were documented, revealing a critical unidentified confounding feature in analyses of the potential relationship between alcohol consumption and protection against cardiovascular disease. © The European Society of Cardiology 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Attitudes toward healthy eating: a mediator of the educational level-diet relationship.

PubMed

Lê, J; Dallongeville, J; Wagner, A; Arveiler, D; Haas, B; Cottel, D; Simon, C; Dauchet, L

2013-08-01

A higher educational level is associated with a healthier diet. The goal of this study was to establish whether this association is mediated by attitudes toward healthy eating. The cross-sectional MONA LISA-NUT study was performed in 2005-2007 on adults aged 35-64 years from northern and north-eastern France. Diet quality was assessed on the basis of a 3-day food record and a validated score based on French national dietary guidelines. Specific questions investigated attitudes toward healthy eating. Multivariate analyses were used to quantify the proportion of the educational level-diet relationship that was mediated by attitudes toward healthy eating. Among the 1631 subjects, favourable attitudes toward healthy eating were associated with both higher educational level and diet quality. In the mediation analysis, 'organic food consumption' explained 14% (95% confidence interval (8;24)) of the educational level-diet relationship and 'attention paid to health when buying food' explained 9% (3;16). In contrast, 'attention to food choice', 'searching for information about food' and 'perceived role of eating' were not mediators of the association between educational level and diet. In a multivariate model, the attitude items together accounted for 25% (10;45) of the relationship. The mediation was more pronounced in women than in men (37% (15;54) vs 16% (1;27), respectively) and was significant for consumption of fruits and vegetables (23% (13;37)), whole-grain food (32% (15;58)) and seafood (22% (9;55)). Our results suggest that poor attitudes toward healthy eating in groups with low socioeconomic status constitute an additional factor (along with cost constraints) in the choice of unhealthy foods.

Radiotracer Imaging Allows for Noninvasive Detection and Quantification of Abnormalities in Angiosome Foot Perfusion in Diabetic Patients With Critical Limb Ischemia and Nonhealing Wounds

PubMed Central

Alvelo, Jessica L.; Papademetris, Xenophon; Mena-Hurtado, Carlos; Jeon, Sangchoon; Sumpio, Bauer E.; Sinusas, Albert J.

2018-01-01

Background: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) imaging allows for assessment of skeletal muscle microvascular perfusion but has not been quantitatively assessed in angiosomes, or 3-dimensional vascular territories, of the foot. This study assessed and compared resting angiosome foot perfusion between healthy subjects and diabetic patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI). Additionally, the relationship between SPECT/CT imaging and the ankle–brachial index—a standard tool for evaluating peripheral artery disease—was assessed. Methods and Results: Healthy subjects (n=9) and diabetic patients with CLI and nonhealing ulcers (n=42) underwent SPECT/CT perfusion imaging of the feet. CT images were segmented into angiosomes for quantification of relative radiotracer uptake, expressed as standardized uptake values. Standardized uptake values were assessed in ulcerated angiosomes of patients with CLI and compared with whole-foot standardized uptake values in healthy subjects. Serial SPECT/CT imaging was performed to assess uptake kinetics of technetium-99m-tetrofosmin. The relationship between angiosome perfusion and ankle–brachial index was assessed via correlational analysis. Resting perfusion was significantly lower in CLI versus healthy subjects (P=0.0007). Intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.95 (healthy) and 0.93 (CLI) demonstrated excellent agreement between serial perfusion measurements. Correlational analysis, including healthy and CLI subjects, demonstrated a significant relationship between ankle–brachial index and SPECT/CT (P=0.01); however, this relationship was not significant for diabetic CLI patients only (P=0.2). Conclusions: SPECT/CT imaging assesses regional foot perfusion and detects abnormalities in microvascular perfusion that may be undetectable by conventional ankle–brachial index in patients with diabetes mellitus. SPECT/CT may provide a novel approach for evaluating responses to targeted therapies. PMID:29748311

Relationship between sleep duration and self-reported health-related quality of life among US adults with or without major chronic diseases, 2014.

PubMed

Liu, Yong; Wheaton, Anne G; Croft, Janet B; Xu, Fang; Cunningham, Timothy J; Greenlund, Kurt J

2018-06-01

To assess the association between sleep duration and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among adults with or without chronic conditions. Using the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we analyzed self-reported data from adult respondents aged ≥18 years with (n=277,757, unhealthy group) and without (n=172,052. healthy group) reported history of any of nine chronic conditions (coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, depression, chronic kidney disease). Multivariable logistic regressions were separately constructed to assess the associations between sleep duration and four self-reported HRQOL measures after adjustment for sociodemographics, leisure-time physical activity, body mass index, and smoking status among unhealthy and healthy adults. The prevalence of poor/fair health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, frequent activity limitation, and short sleep duration was 27.9%, 19.3%, 17.0%, 13.6%, and 38.3% in the unhealthy group and 6.9%, 4.0%, 5.3%, 2.1%, and 31.0% in the healthy group, respectively. U-shaped relationships of sleep duration to all four HRQOL indicators were observed among the unhealthy group and to poor/fair health, frequent mental distress, and frequent activity limitation among the healthy group. The relationships further varied by sex, age, race/ethnicity, and BMI category among the healthy group. Relationships between extreme sleep duration and HRQOLs were observed among both healthy and unhealthy groups. These results can help inform public awareness campaigns and physician-counseling regarding the importance of sleep for mental health and well-being. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Associations among school characteristics and foodservice practices in a nationally representative sample of United States schools.

PubMed

Thomson, Jessica L; Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa M; Martin, Corby K; LeBlanc, Monique M; Onufrak, Stephen J

2012-01-01

Determine school characteristics associated with healthy/unhealthy food service offerings or healthy food preparation practices. Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data. Nationally representative sample of public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. Data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Practices Study Food Service School Questionnaire, n = 526 for Healthy and Unhealthy Offerings analysis; n = 520 for Healthy Preparation analysis. Scores for healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings and healthy food preparation practices. Multivariable regression to determine significant associations among school characteristics and offerings/preparation practices. Public schools and schools participating in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Team Nutrition reported more healthy offerings and preparation than private or nonparticipating schools, respectively. Elementary schools reported fewer unhealthy offerings than middle or high schools; middle schools reported fewer unhealthy offerings than high schools. Schools requiring foodservice managers to have a college education reported more healthy preparation, whereas those requiring completion of a foodservice training program reported fewer unhealthy offerings and more healthy preparation than schools without these requirements. Results suggest the school nutrition environment may be improved by requiring foodservice managers to hold a nutrition-related college degree and/or successfully pass a foodservice training program, and by participating in a school-based nutrition program, such as USDA Team Nutrition. Copyright © 2012 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. All rights reserved.

Eat Smart! Ontario's Healthy Restaurant Program: a survey of participating restaurant operators.

PubMed

Macaskill, Lesley A; Dwyer, John J M; Uetrecht, Connie L; Dombrow, Carol

2003-01-01

Eat Smart! Ontario's Healthy Restaurant Program is a standard provincial health promotion program. Public health units grant an award of excellence to restaurants that meet designated standards in nutrition, food safety, and non-smoking seating. The purpose of this study was to assess whether program objectives for participating restaurant operators were achieved during the first year of program implementation, and to obtain operators' recommendations for improving the program. Dillman's tailored design method was used to design a mail survey and implement it among participating operators (n = 434). The design method, which consisted of four mail-outs, yielded a 74% response rate. Fifty percent of respondents operated family-style or quick-service restaurants, and 82% of respondents learned about the program from public health inspectors. Almost all respondents (98%) participated in the program mainly to have their establishments known as clean and healthy restaurants, 65% received and used either point-of-purchase table stands or postcards to promote the program, and 98% planned to continue participating. The respondents' suggestions for improving the program were related to the award ceremony and program materials, media promotion, communication, education, and program standards. Program staff can use the findings to enhance the program.

[Study on the relationship among lifestyle, self-esteem and life satisfaction in Chinese adolescents].

PubMed

Li, Xiao-miao; Zhang, Fang-fang; Sun, Xin-ying; Gao, Wen-bin

2010-06-18

To explore the relationship between lifestyle, self-esteem and life satisfaction among Chinese adolescents. 10 899 adolescents in middle schools and colleges from 9 provinces in China were investigated by using Chinese Adolescent Lifestyle Scale (CALS), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES). The distribution of adolescents in the four groups divided by lifestyle and life satisfaction scores were different regarding the area and grade of these students(chi(2)=248.93, P<0.01;chi(2)=568.53, P<0.01). A high percentage of adolescents in cities (58.9%) reported a healthy life style with high life satisfaction while most adolescents in rural areas (58.9%) reported poor life styles with little satisfaction. A high percentage of junior high school students (61.8%) reported a healthy life style with high life satisfaction, but this percentage among senior high school and college students was down to 48.5% and 21.3% respectively. About 7.6% of senior high school students reported a healthy life style but poor satisfaction, a little higher than that of junior high school students (4.1%) and college students (3.6%). Moreover, there were 71.6% college students reported that they lead a poor life style with little satisfaction. The lifestyle is significantly correlated with self-esteem (r=0.472, P<0.01) and life satisfaction(r=0.636, P<0.01), and self-esteem is also significantly correlated with life satisfaction (r=0.450, P<0.01). self-esteem was the mediator of the other two parameters. The lifestyle predicts life satisfaction through self-esteem. Area and grade differences have to be taken into consideration when introducing programs on health promotion, and attention should be attached to the influence of psychological factors.

Healthy Post-Play Snacks

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing Your Child's ...

Measuring Success in Obesity Prevention: A Synthesis of Health Promotion Switzerland's Long-Term Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy

PubMed Central

Ackermann, Günter; Kirschner, Michael; Guggenbühl, Lisa; Abel, Bettina; Klohn, Axel; Mattig, Thomas

2015-01-01

Aims Since 2007, Health Promotion Switzerland has implemented a national priority program for a healthy body weight. This article provides insight into the methodological challenges and results of the program evaluation. Methods Evaluation of the long-term program required targeted monitoring and evaluation projects addressing different outcome levels. The evaluation was carried out according to the Swiss Model for Outcome Classification (SMOC), a model designed to classify the effects of health promotion and prevention efforts. Results The results presented in this article emphasize both content and methods. The national program successfully achieved outcomes on many different levels within complex societal structures. The evaluation system built around the SMOC enabled assessment of program progress and the development of key indicators. However, it is not possible to determine definitively to what extent the national program helped stabilize the prevalence of obesity in Switzerland. Conclusion The model has shown its utility in providing a basis for evaluation and monitoring of the national program. Continuous analysis of data from evaluation and monitoring has made it possible to check the plausibility of suspected causal relationships as well as to establish an overall perspective and assessment of effectiveness supported by a growing body of evidence. PMID:25765161

A practical, cost-effective method for recruiting people into healthy eating behavior programs.

PubMed

McDonald, Paul W

2007-04-01

The population impact of programs designed to develop healthy eating behaviors is limited by the number of people who use them. Most public health providers and researchers rely on purchased mass media, which can be expensive, on public service announcements, or clinic-based recruitment, which can have limited reach. Few studies offer assistance for selecting high-outreach and low-cost strategies to promote healthy eating programs. The purpose of this study was 1) to determine whether classified newspaper advertising is an effective and efficient method of recruiting participants into a healthy eating program and 2) to determine whether segmenting messages by transtheoretical stage of change would help engage individuals at all levels of motivation to change their eating behavior. For 5 days in 1997, three advertisements corresponding to different stages of change were placed in a Canadian newspaper with a daily circulation of 75,000. There were 282 eligible people who responded to newspaper advertisements, and the cost was Can $1.11 (U.S. $0.72) per recruit. This cost compares favorably with the cost efficiency of mass media, direct mail, and other common promotional methods. Message type was correlated with respondent's stage of change, and this correlation suggested that attempts to send different messages to different audience segments were successful. Classified advertisements appear to be a highly cost-efficient method for recruiting a diverse range of participants into healthy eating programs and research about healthy eating.

Attachment and eating: A meta-analytic review of the relevance of attachment for unhealthy and healthy eating behaviors in the general population.

PubMed

Faber, Aida; Dubé, Laurette; Knäuper, Bärbel

2018-04-01

Attachment relationships play an important role in people's wellbeing and affliction with physical and mental illnesses, including eating disorders. Seven reviews from the clinical field have consistently shown that higher attachment insecurity-failure to form trusting and reliable relationships with others-systematically characterized individuals with eating disorders. Nevertheless, to date, it is unclear whether (and if so how) these findings apply to the population at large. Consequently, the objective of the present meta-analysis is to quantify the relationship between attachment and unhealthy and healthy eating in the general population. Data from 70 studies and 19,470 participants were converted into r effect sizes and analysed. Results showed that higher attachment insecurity (r = 0.266), anxiety (r = 0.271), avoidance (r = 0.119), and fearfulness (r = 0.184) was significantly associated with more unhealthy eating behaviors, ps = 0.000; conversely, higher attachment security correlated with lower unhealthy eating behaviors (r = -0.184, p = 0.000). This relationship did not vary across type of unhealthy eating behavior (i.e., binge eating, bulimic symptoms, dieting, emotional eating, and unhealthy food consumption). The little exploratory evidence concerning healthy eating and attachment was inconclusive with one exception-healthy eating was associated with lower attachment avoidance (r = -0.211, p = 0.000). Our results extend previous meta-analytic findings to show that lack of trusting and reliable relationships does not only set apart eating disordered individuals from controls, but also characterizes unhealthy eating behaviors in the general population. More evidence is needed to determine how attachment and healthy eating are linked and assess potential mechanisms influencing the attachment-eating relationship. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Worksite health promotion program participation: a study to examine the determinants of participation.

PubMed

Hall, Michael Edward; Bergman, Randall J; Nivens, Samantha

2014-09-01

This study explores the relationship between organizational health climate and worksite health promotion program participation, specifically engaging individuals who are unlikely to make positive health behavior choices on their own. Participants consisted of employees at three separate furniture-manufacturing facilities completing a voluntary survey. Using responses (n = 349) from the health climate instrument, which is a measure of the collective attitudes, beliefs, and readiness to change a health behavior, this study identified two factors that were significant contributors to worksite health promotion program participation. Health norms, the collective attitudes regarding healthy lifestyle, as measured by the subscales-health scale and intention to make a behavior change-and "optimistic bias," the overassessment of one's personal health, were found to be predictors of participation. Additionally, significant (p < .05) predictors of self-assessed health, included perceived control to initiate, competence to carry out, and the organizational support of the health behavior change. The findings suggest that the organization's health norms and self-assessed health are associated with the worker's motivation to become involved with health promotion interventions. Offering worksite health screenings and advanced programming and creating a culture of health at work can help address program participation. © 2013 Society for Public Health Education.

Development of a Teen-Friendly Health Education Program on Facebook: Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Park, Bu Kyung; Nahm, Eun-Shim; Rogers, Valerie E

2016-01-01

Facebook is the most popular online platform among adolescents and can be an effective medium to deliver health education. Although Korean American (KA) adolescents are at risk of obesity, a culturally tailored health education program is not available for them. Thus, our research team developed a health education program for KA adolescents on Facebook called "Healthy Teens." The aim of this study was to discuss important lessons learned through the program development process. This program includes culturally tailored learning modules about healthy eating and physical activity. The program was developed on the basis of the social cognitive theory, and the online program was developed by applying Web usability principles for adolescents. Upon completion, the usability of the program was assessed using heuristic evaluation. The findings from the heuristic evaluation showed that the Healthy Teens program was usable for KA adolescents. The findings from this study will assist researchers who are planning to build similar Facebook-based health education programs. Copyright © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sleep health education in pediatric community settings: rationale and practical suggestions for incorporating healthy sleep education into pediatric practice.

PubMed

Gruber, Reut; Cassoff, Jamie; Knäuper, Bärbel

2011-06-01

This article offers practical ways to incorporate healthy sleep education into pediatric practice and discusses key questions, barriers, and strategies associated with such efforts. The rationale for incorporating healthy sleep education in pediatric practice settings is presented, and desirable features of sleep education programs that may be implemented in pediatric practice are identified. Potential barriers are reviewed and strategies offered to overcome these barriers, such as developing resources applicable to healthy sleep education and practical information for pediatricians. Key factors regarding effectiveness of such interventional programs and key points relevant to successful healthy sleep education in pediatric practice are highlighted. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Garrison Institute on Aging: A New Hope for Elderly Individuals and Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Reddy, P. Hemachandra; Blackmon, Joan; Molinar-Lopez, Veronica; Ament, Clay; Manczak, Maria; Kandimalla, Ramesh; Yin, Xianglin; Pandey, Akhilesh; Kuruva, Chandra Sekhar; Wang, Rui; Fry, David; Osborn, Carrah; Stonum, Kathleen; Quesada, Kandi; Gonzales, Ruben; Boles, Annette

2016-01-01

The Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA) is an established institute within Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, whose mission is to promote healthy aging through cutting-edge research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other diseases of aging through innovative educational opportunities for students, clinicians, researchers, health care professionals, and the public. The GIA has multiple programs, including both research and education on healthy aging and AD, community outreach, caregiving, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Healthy Lubbock, the GIA Brain Bank, healthy aging seminars, research seminars, and collaborations and scholarships. The GIA programs connect basic and clinical researchers and health care professionals, and provide a unique environment to help our growing elderly population and patients with AD and their families. PMID:26402018

[Physical activity and healthy eating in Brazilian students: a review of intervention programs].

PubMed

Souza, Evanice Avelino de; Barbosa Filho, Valter Cordeiro; Nogueira, Júlia Aparecida Devidé; Azevedo Júnior, Mario Renato de

2011-08-01

This article provides a systematic literature review on physical activity and/or healthy eating interventions among Brazilian students. Complete articles published from 2004 to 2009 were searched in the SciELO, MEDLINE, and CAPES electronic databases, in the articles' references, and through contacts with authors. Six studies covered nutritional interventions, another six analyzed nutrition and physical activity, and one discussed changes in body composition. Interventions produced different results according to their objectives: increase in weekly physical activity; improvement in eating habits and knowledge on nutrition; and decrease in overweight and obesity. School health promotion programs are essential for raising awareness on the relevance of health promotion and the adoption of healthy habits. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to produce evidence on sustainability of programs and healthy habits.

Cell-free DNA and telomere length among women undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment.

PubMed

Czamanski-Cohen, J; Sarid, O; Cwikel, J; Douvdevani, A; Levitas, E; Lunenfeld, E; Har-Vardi, I

2015-11-01

The current research is aimed at finding potential non-invasive bio-markers that will help us learn more about the mechanisms at play in failed assisted reproduction treatment. This exploratory pilot study examined the relationship between cell-free DNA (CFD) in plasma and telomere length in lymphocytes among women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and compared telomere length and CFD levels to a healthy control group. Blood of 20 women undergoing IVF was collected at three time points during the IVF cycle. We assessed the relationship between CFD and telomere length as well as controlling for morning cortisol levels. We also collected blood of 10 healthy controls at two time points (luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle) and compared mean telomere length, CFD, and cortisol levels between the IVF patients and healthy controls. The results revealed an inverse relationship between CFD levels and telomere lengths at several time points that remained significant even after controlling for cortisol levels. Women undergoing IVF had statistically significant higher levels of CFD and shorter telomeres compared to healthy controls. The relationship between telomere length and CFD should be further explored in larger studies in order to uncover potential mechanisms that cause both shortened telomere length and elevated CFD in women undergoing IVF.

It's Your Game-Tech: Toward Sexual Health in the Digital Age.

PubMed

Shegog, Ross; Peskin, Melissa F; Markham, Christine; Thiel, Melanie; Karny, Efrat; Addy, Robert C; Johnson, Kimberly A; Tortolero, Susan

2014-08-01

Adolescent sexually transmitted infection (STI) and birth rates indicate a need for effective middle school HIV/STI, and pregnancy prevention curricula to delay, or mitigate consequences of, early sexual activity. Individual and organizational barriers to adoption, implementation, and maintenance, however, can hamper dissemination of evidence-based sexual health curricula, adversely impacting fidelity and reach. Internet-based approaches may help mitigate these barriers. This paper describes the development and feasibility testing of It's Your Game ( IYG )-Tech, a stand-alone 13-lesson Internet-based sexual health life-skills curriculum adapted from an existing effective sexual health curriculum-It's Your Game… Keep it Real ( IYG ). IYG -Tech development adaptation steps were to: 1) Select a suitable effective program and gather the original program materials; 2) Develop "proof of concept" lessons and test usability and impact; 3) Develop the program design document describing the core content, scope, and methods and strategies; and 4) produce the new program. Lab- and school-based tests with middle school students demonstrated high ratings on usability parameters and immediate impact on selected psychosocial factors related to sexual behavior-perceptions of friends' beliefs, reasons for not having sex, condom use self-efficacy, abstinence intentions, negotiating with others to protect personal rules, and improved knowledge about what constitutes healthy relationships (all p < .05). Youth rated IYG -Tech is favorably compared to other learning channels (>76.2% agreement) and rated the lessons as helpful in making healthy choices, selecting personal rules, detecting challenges to those rules, and protecting personal rules through negotiation and refusal skills (89.5% - 100%). Further efficacy testing is indicated for IYG -Tech as a potential strategy to deliver effective HIV/STI, and pregnancy prevention to middle school youth.

Effect of Nutrition Changes on Foods Selected by Students in a Middle School-Based Diabetes Prevention Intervention Program: The HEALTHY Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mobley, Connie C.; Stadler, Diane D.; Staten, Myrlene A.; El Ghormli, Laure; Gillis, Bonnie; Hartstein, Jill; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Virus, Amy

2012-01-01

Background: The HEALTHY primary prevention trial developed an integrated multicomponent intervention program to moderate risk factors for type 2 diabetes in middle schools. The nutrition component aimed to improve the quality of foods and beverages served to students. Changes in the School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program…

Cultural and Linguistic Adaptation of a Healthy Diet Text Message Intervention for Hispanic Adults

PubMed Central

Cameron, Linda D.; Durazo, Arturo; Ramirez, A. Susana; Corona, Roberto; Ultreras, Mayra; Piva, Sonia

2017-01-01

Hispanics represent a critical target for culturally-adapted diet interventions. In this formative research, we translated HealthyYouTXT, an mHealth program developed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, into HealthyYouTXT en Español, a linguistically and culturally appropriate version for Spanish speakers. We report a three-stage, mixed-methods process through which we culturally adapted the text messages, evaluated their acceptability, and revised the program based on the findings. In Stage 1, we conducted initial translations and adaptations of the text libraries using an iterative, principle-guided process. In Stage 2, we used mixed methods including focus groups and surveys with 109 Hispanic adults to evaluate the acceptability and cultural appropriateness of the program. Further, we used survey data to evaluate whether Self-Determination Theory factors (used to develop HealthyYouTXT) of autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation and Hispanic cultural beliefs about familism, fatalism, and destiny predict program interest and its perceived efficacy. Mixed-methods analyses revealed substantial interest in HealthyYouTXT, with most participants expressing substantial interest in using it and viewing it as highly efficacious. Both cultural beliefs (i.e., beliefs in destiny and, for men, high familism) and SDT motivations (i.e., autonomy) predicted HealthyYouTXT evaluations, suggesting utility in emphasizing them in messages. Higher destiny beliefs predicted lower interest and perceived efficacy, suggesting they could impede program use. In Stage 3, we implemented the mixed-methods findings to generate a revised HealthyYouTXT en Español. The emergent linguistic principles and multi-stage, multi-methods process can be applied beneficially in health communication adaptations. PMID:28248628

Cultural and Linguistic Adaptation of a Healthy Diet Text Message Intervention for Hispanic Adults Living in the United States.

PubMed

Cameron, Linda D; Durazo, Arturo; Ramírez, A Susana; Corona, Roberto; Ultreras, Mayra; Piva, Sonia

2017-03-01

Hispanics represent a critical target for culturally adapted diet interventions. In this formative research, we translated HealthyYouTXT, an mHealth program developed by the U.S. National Cancer Institute, into HealthyYouTXT en Español, a linguistically and culturally appropriate version for Spanish speakers in the United States. We report a three-stage, mixed-methods process through which we culturally adapted the text messages, evaluated their acceptability, and revised the program based on the findings. In Stage 1, we conducted initial translations and adaptations of the text libraries using an iterative, principle-guided process. In Stage 2, we used mixed methods including focus groups and surveys with 109 Hispanic adults to evaluate the acceptability and cultural appropriateness of the program. We used survey data to evaluate whether self-determination theory (SDT) factors (used to develop HealthyYouTXT) of autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and amotivation and Hispanic cultural beliefs about familism, fatalism, and destiny predict program interest and its perceived efficacy. Mixed-methods analyses revealed substantial interest in HealthyYouTXT, with most participants desiring to use it and viewing it as highly efficacious. Both cultural beliefs (i.e., beliefs in destiny and, for men, high familism) and SDT motivations (i.e., autonomy) predicted HealthyYouTXT evaluations, suggesting utility in emphasizing them in messages. Higher destiny beliefs predicted lower interest, suggesting that they could impede program use. In Stage 3, we implemented the mixed-methods findings to finalize HealthyYouTXT en Español. The emergent linguistic principles and multistage, multimethods process can be applied in health communication adaptations.

Healthy Foods under $1 Per Serving

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity? Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing your Child's ...

78 FR 32183 - Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Implementation of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

..., incorporating the provisions set forth in the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) related to... EBT in the WIC Program included in Public Law 111-296, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010...

Healthy Families America state systems development: an emerging practice to ensure program growth and sustainability.

PubMed

Friedman, Lori; Schreiber, Lisa

2007-01-01

In an era of fiscal constraints and increased accountability for social service programs, having a centralized and efficient infrastructure is critical. A well-functioning infrastructure helps a state reduce duplication of services, creates economies of scale, coordinates resources, supports high-quality site development and promotes the self-sufficiency and growth of community-based programs. Throughout the Healthy Families America home visitation network, both program growth and contraction have been managed by in-state collaborations, referred to as "state systems." This article explores the research base that supports the rationale for implementing state systems, describes the evolution of state systems for Healthy Families America, and discusses the benefits, challenges and lessons learned of utilizing a systems approach.

Evaluation of the Start Strong initiative: preventing teen dating violence and promoting healthy relationships among middle school students.

PubMed

Miller, Shari; Williams, Jason; Cutbush, Stacey; Gibbs, Deborah; Clinton-Sherrod, Monique; Jones, Sarah

2015-02-01

This study reports on an independent evaluation of Start Strong: Building Healthy Teen Relationships, a multicomponent initiative targeting 11- to 14-year-olds. "Start Strong" was designed to focus on the developmental needs of middle school students and to enhance skills and attitudes consistent with promotion of healthy relationships and reduction of teen dating violence (TDV). The quasi-experimental evaluation design included data collection from four Start Strong schools and four comparison schools. Student surveys were collected at four waves of data at the beginning and the end of grades 7 and 8. Multilevel models used repeated observations nested within students who were, in turn, nested within schools to determine whether participation in Start Strong enhanced healthy skills and relationships and decreased TDV-related attitudes and behaviors. Short-term effects from waves 1 to 2 were statistically significant for increased parent-child communication and boy/girlfriend relationship satisfaction and support and decreased gender stereotypes and attitudes supporting TDV. Findings for acceptance of TDV and gender stereotypes persisted longitudinally. Results are promising and illustrate that a multicomponent, community-based initiative reduced risk factors predictive of TDV. Start Strong is innovative in its focus on early adolescence, which is a critical period in the transition to dating. The results inform future intervention efforts and underscore the need for further study of middle school students. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Program Design for Healthy Weight in Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Ten-City Prevention Initiative.

PubMed

Fogel, Sarah C; McElroy, Jane A; Garbers, Samantha; McDonnell, Cheryl; Brooks, Jacquetta; Eliason, Michele J; Ingraham, Natalie; Osborn, Ann; Rayyes, Nada; Redman, Sarah Davis; Wood, Susan F; Haynes, Suzanne G

2016-07-07

Adult lesbian and bisexual (LB) women are more likely to be obese than adult heterosexual women. To address weight- and fitness-related health disparities among older LB women using culturally appropriate interventions, the Office on Women's Health (OWH) provided funding for the program, Healthy Weight in Lesbian and Bisexual Women (HWLB): Striving for a Healthy Community. This paper provides a description of the interventions that were implemented. Five research organizations partnered with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community organizations to implement healthy weight interventions addressing the needs of LB women 40 years and older. The interventions incorporated evidence-based recommendations related to physical activity and nutrition. Each group intervention developed site-specific primary objectives related to the overall goal of improving the health of LB women and included weight and waist circumference reduction as secondary objectives. A 57-item core health survey was administered across the five sites. At a minimum, each program obtained pre- and post-program assessments. Each program included the OWH-required common elements of exercise, social support, and education on nutrition and physical activity, but adopted a unique approach to deliver intervention content. This is the first time a multisite intervention has been conducted to promote healthy weight in older LB women. Core measurements across the HWLB programs will allow for pooled analyses, and differences in study design will permit analysis of site-specific elements. The documentation and analysis of the effectiveness of these five projects will provide guidance for model programs and future research on LB populations. Copyright © 2015 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. All rights reserved.

Making Healthy Decisions About Sex

MedlinePlus

... For Teens: How to Make Healthy Decisions About Sex Page Content Article Body Before you decide to ... alcohol or use drugs. Are You Ready for Sex? Sex can change your life and relationships. Having ...

Design of a website on nutrition and physical activity for adolescents: results from formative research.

PubMed

Thompson, Debbe; Cullen, Karen Weber; Boushey, Carol; Konzelmann, Karen

2012-04-26

Teens do not meet guidelines for healthy eating and physical activity. The Internet may be an effective method for delivering programs that help them adopt healthy behaviors. To collect information to design content and structure for a teen-friendly website promoting healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. Qualitative research, encompassing both focus group and interview techniques, were used to design the website. Participants were 12-17 year olds in Houston, Texas, and West Lafayette, Indiana. A total of 133 participants took part in 26 focus groups while 15 participated in one-on-one interviews to provide guidance for the development of teen-friendly content and structure for an online behavior change program promoting healthy eating and physical activity to 12-17 year olds. The youth made suggestions to overcome common barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. Their feedback was used to develop "Teen Choice: Food & Fitness," a 12-week online behavior change program, populated by 4 cartoon character role models. It is critical that members of the target audience be included in formative research to develop behavior change programs that are relevant, appealing, and address their needs and interests.

Healthy Schools, Healthy Kids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Satcher, David; Bradford, Margie Tudor

2003-01-01

Discusses how schools can improve student achievement through the adoption of comprehensive school health programs that include regular exercise and better nutrition. Describes successful student health program at McComb Separate School System in McComb, Mississippi. Provides examples of how districts have obtained state support in developing…

76 FR 29769 - Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-23

... Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of a Noncompetitive Replacement Award to the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Department... University of Nevada School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, in order to continue Healthy Tomorrows...

From Entry to Practice to Advanced Nurse Practitioner - The Progression of Competencies and How They Assist in Delivery of eHealth Programs for Healthy Ageing.

PubMed

Rodger, Daragh; Hussey, Pamela

2017-01-01

Most of the health issues encountered in persons of older age are the result of one or more chronic diseases. The evidence base reports that chronic diseases can be prevented or delayed by engaging in healthy behaviors. Education provides a cost effective intervention on both economic grounds in addition to delivery of optimal patient outcomes. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) increasingly is viewed as a critical utility in eHealth delivery, providing scope for expanding online education facilities for older persons. Developing nursing competencies in the delivery of eHealth solutions to deliver user education programs therefore makes sense. This chapter discusses nursing competencies on the development of targeted eHealth programs for healthy ageing. The role of Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Ireland and its associated competency set identifies how a strong action learning model can be designed to deliver eHealth educational programs for effective delivery of healthy ageing in place.

Healthy Start Programa Madrina: A Promotora Home Visiting Outreach and Education Program to Improve Perinatal Health among Latina Pregnant Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bill, Debra E.; Hock-Long, Linda; Mesure, Maryann; Bryer, Pamela; Zambrano, Neydary

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of Healthy Start Programa Madrina (HSPM), a home visiting promotora outreach and education program for Latina pregnant women and to present the 10-year findings of the program (1996-2005). Perinatal health disparities continue to persist among low-income…

The Effectiveness of Healthy Physical Fitness Programs on People with Intellectual Disabilities Living in a Disability Institution: Six-Month Short-Term Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Chia-Ling; Lin, Jin-Ding; Hu, Jung; Yen, Chia-Feng; Yen, Cheng-Tung; Chou, Yu-Lan; Wu, Po-Hsun

2010-01-01

Little information is available on the provision of physical fitness and intervention program among people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study is to provide information of examining the effectiveness of healthy physical fitness programs on people with intellectual disabilities living in a disability institution. There were 146…

Kids on the Move: Afterschool Programs Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. America After 3PM Special Report. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Afterschool Alliance, 2015

2015-01-01

Afterschool programs continue to make advances when it comes to providing students with nutritious foods, keeping them physically fit and promoting health. Such programs have great potential to help prevent obesity and instill lifelong healthy habits, serving more than 10 million children and youth across America, with more than 19 million more…

The effects of prospective mate quality on investments in healthy body weight among single women.

PubMed

Harris, Matthew C; Cronin, Christopher J

2017-02-01

This paper examines how a single female's investment in healthy body weight is affected by the quality of single males in her marriage market. A principle concern in estimation is the presence of market-level unobserved heterogeneity that may be correlated with changes in single male quality, measured as earning potential. To address this concern, we employ a differencing strategy that normalizes the exercise behaviors of single women to those of their married counterparts. Our main results suggest that when potential mate quality in a marriage market decreases, single black women invest less in healthy body weight. For example, we find that a 10 percentage point increase in the proportion of low quality single black males leads to a 5-10% decrease in vigorous exercise taken by single black females. Results for single white women are qualitatively similar, but not consistent across specifications. These results highlight the relationship between male and female human capital acquisition that is driven by participation in the marriage market. Our results suggest that programs designed to improve the economic prospects of single males may yield positive externalities in the form of improved health behaviors, such as more exercise, particularly for single black females. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A linguistic investigation of mediators between religious commitment and health behaviors in older adolescents.

PubMed

Rew, Lynn; Wong, Y Joel; Torres, Rosamar; Howell, Elizabeth

2007-01-01

Social scientists are beginning to take an interest in the role that religiosity plays in the development of health behaviors throughout adolescence. Although there is mounting evidence of a relationship between these constructs, how and why such relationships exist is not well understood. In this exploratory study of 28 racially diverse university students, we examined whether the relationship between religious commitment and health behaviors could be detected through written language. The results indicated that religious commitment and various indices of healthy lifestyle practices were strongly correlated, that healthy lifestyle practices were related to use of causal words (representing cognitive attempts at understanding causes and effects) and first person plural words (representing social connectedness). The results were consistent with a model in which participants' use of causal words partially or fully mediated the relations between religious commitment and healthy lifestyle practices. Implications of findings and directions for future research are discussed.

Physical health correlates of pathological and healthy dependency in urban women.

PubMed

Porcerelli, John H; Bornstein, Robert F; Markova, Tsveti; Huprich, Steven K

2009-10-01

This study assessed the relationship between dependency and indicators of health/illness, healthcare costs, and utilization. Dependency ratings were obtained using the Relationship Profile Test (Bornstein and Languirand, 2003), a questionnaire that assesses healthy and pathological dependency: destructive overdependence (DO), dysfunctional detachment (DD), and healthy dependency (HD). The sample consisted of primarily low-income, African-American, and female primary care patients (N = 110). DO and DD were significantly associated with indices of increased illness, with DO evidencing slightly larger effect sizes than DD. HD was significantly (negatively) associated with 1 health/illness variable. DD and DO were associated with higher total outpatient costs with DD also being associated with average costs per visit. DO and HD were associated with utilization (increased hospital days and fewer emergency room visits, respectively). Further research is recommended to inform researchers and clinicians about the dependency-illness relationship and to develop interventions that maximize HD and minimize pathological dependency.

Handedness and hemispheric language dominance in healthy humans.

PubMed

Knecht, S; Dräger, B; Deppe, M; Bobe, L; Lohmann, H; Flöel, A; Ringelstein, E B; Henningsen, H

2000-12-01

In most people the left hemisphere of the brain is dominant for language. Because of the increased incidence of atypical right-hemispheric language in left-handed neurological patients, a systematic association between handedness and dominance has long been suspected. To clarify the relationship between handedness and language dominance in healthy subjects, we measured lateralization directly by functional transcranial Doppler sonography in 326 healthy individuals using a word-generation task. The incidence of right-hemisphere language dominance was found to increase linearly with the degree of left-handedness, from 4% in strong right-handers (handedness = 100) to 15% in ambidextrous individuals and 27% in strong left-handers (handedness = -100). The relationship could be approximated by the formula: f1.gif" BORDER="0">. These results clearly demonstrate that the relationship between handedness and language dominance is not an artefact of cerebral pathology but a natural phenomenon.

Walk, Don't Run, Your Way to a Healthy Heart

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity? Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing your Child's ...

Early Impacts of a Healthy Food Distribution Program on the Availability and Price of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables in Small Retail Venues in Los Angeles.

PubMed

DeFosset, Amelia R; Gase, Lauren N; Webber, Eliza; Kuo, Tony

2017-10-01

Healthy food distribution programs that allow small retailers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at wholesale prices may increase the profitability of selling produce. While promising, little is known about how these programs affect the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved communities. This study examined the impacts of a healthy food distribution program in Los Angeles County over its first year of operation (August 2015-2016). Assessment methods included: (1) a brief survey examining the characteristics, purchasing habits, and attitudes of stores entering the program; (2) longitudinal tracking of sales data examining changes in the volume and variety of fruits and vegetables distributed through the program; and (3) the collection of comparison price data from wholesale market databases and local grocery stores. Seventeen stores participated in the program over the study period. One-fourth of survey respondents reported no recent experience selling produce. Analysis of sales data showed that, on average, the total volume of produce distributed through the program increased by six pounds per week over the study period (95% confidence limit: 4.50, 7.50); trends varied by store and produce type. Produce prices offered through the program approximated those at wholesale markets, and were lower than prices at full-service grocers. Results suggest that healthy food distribution programs may reduce certain supply-side barriers to offering fresh produce in small retail venues. While promising, more work is needed to understand the impacts of such programs on in-store environments and consumer behaviors.

Healthy Steps: a systematic review of a preventive practice-based model of pediatric care.

PubMed

Piotrowski, Caroline C; Talavera, Gregory A; Mayer, Joni A

2009-02-01

The preventive role of anticipatory guidance in pediatric practice has gained increasing importance over the last two decades, resulting in the development of competing models of practice-based care. Our goal was to systematically evaluate and summarize the literature pertaining to the Healthy Steps Program for Young Children, a widely cited and utilized preventive model of care and anticipatory guidance, Medline and the bibliographies of review articles for relevant studies were searched using the keywords: Healthy Steps, preventive care, pediatric practice and others. Other sources included references of retrieved publications, review articles, and books; government documents; and Internet sources. Relevant sources were selected on the basis of their empirical evaluation of some component of care (e.g., child outcomes, parent outcomes, quality of care). From 21 identified articles, 13 met the inclusion criteria of empirical evaluation. These evaluations were summarized and compared. Results indicated that the Healthy Steps program has been rigorously evaluated and shown to be effective in preventing negative child and parent outcomes and enhancing positive outcomes. Despite limited information concerning cost effectiveness, the Healthy Steps Program provides clear benefit through early screening, family-centered care, and evidence-based anticipatory guidance. It is recommended that the Healthy Steps program be more widely disseminated to relevant stakeholders, and further enhanced by improved linguistic and cultural sensitivity and long term evaluation of cost effectiveness.

Be Healthy as a Fish Educational Program at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Poland

PubMed Central

Szymańska, Ewelina; Białek-Wyrzykowska, Urszula; Wiweger, Małgorzata; Kuźnicki, Jacek

2016-01-01

Abstract The purpose of the Be Healthy as a Fish educational program that is organized by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB) in Warsaw, Poland, is to educate children about the ways in which zebrafish can be used as a model organism to help scientists understand the way the human body works. We introduce Be Healthy as a Fish workshops to children in fourth to sixth grades of primary school (9–11 years old), together with two kinds of materials under the same title: a book and a movie. We focus on the field of biology in a way that complements the children's classroom curriculum and encourages them to broaden their interests in biology in the future. The Be Healthy as a Fish educational program was inaugurated in 2014 at the Warsaw Science Festival. As of October 31, 2015, 526 primary school students participated in 27 workshops. Approximately 2000 people have received the book and nearly 1700 people have watched the movie. Be Healthy as a Fish: Origin of the Title There is a popular saying in Poland that someone is “healthy as a fish” meaning that one enjoys good health. Does this imply that fish are really that healthy? Obviously, some fish may not be healthy. Just like other animals and humans, they can and do get sick. However, this common and deceptive impression of “healthy fish” results from the fact that people hardly ever have an opportunity to observe a fish that is sick. Why does our educational program have such a possibly misleading title that may not always be true? We took advantage of this provocative title and commonly known expression and assigned to it a completely new meaning: fish can get sick, but they are important for human health. Notably, this catchy sentence intrinsically combines two keywords—health and fish—which, in our opinion, makes it a good title for a successful educational program. PMID:27028803

Do universal media literacy programs have an effect on weight and shape concern by influencing media internalization?

PubMed

Wade, Tracey D; Wilksch, Simon M; Paxton, Susan J; Byrne, Susan M; Austin, S Bryn

2017-07-01

The current study examined whether media internalization, found to mediate the relationship between selected prevention programs and outcomes, mediated the impact of two universal prevention programs that targeted risk factors for eating disorders and obesity, namely weight concern, and shape concern. Students randomized to a media literacy (Media Smart) program (N = 269, 65% females, mean age 12.97 years) and a healthy lifestyle (Life Smart) program (N = 347, 69% females, mean age 13.07 years) were included in the analyses. There were four waves of data (baseline, end of intervention, 6- and 12-month follow-up). Latent growth curve modeling was used to explore whether group assignment influenced levels of media internalization, and whether that in turn influenced change over time of our two outcome variables. Being randomly allocated to Media Smart as opposed to Life Smart resulted in less growth of both outcome variables through the influence on decreasing levels of media internalization. Findings provided support for the suggestion that media literacy programs exert an impact on outcomes related to eating disorder risk through changes to media internalization. Future research should examine whether these mechanisms of change differ between girls and boys. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Associations among School Characteristics and Foodservice Practices in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Schools

PubMed Central

Thomson, Jessica L.; Tussing-Humphreys, Lisa M.; Martin, Corby K.; LeBlanc, Monique M.; Onufrak, Stephen J.

2012-01-01

Objective Determine school characteristics associated with healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings or healthy food preparation practices. Design Retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data. Setting Nationally representative sample of public and private elementary, middle and high schools. Participants 526 and 520 schools with valid data from the 2006 School Health Policies and Practices Study (SHPPS) Food Service School Questionnaire. Main Outcome Measure(s) Scores for healthy/unhealthy foodservice offerings and healthy food preparation practices. Analysis Multivariable regression to determine significant associations among school characteristics and offerings/preparation practices. Results Public schools and schools participating in USDA Team Nutrition reported more healthy offerings and preparation than private or non-participating schools, respectively. Elementary schools reported less unhealthy offerings than middle or high schools; middle schools reported less unhealthy offerings than high schools. Schools requiring foodservice managers to have a college education reported more healthy preparation while those requiring completion of a foodservice training program reported less unhealthy offerings and more healthy preparation than schools without these requirements. Conclusions and Implications Results suggest the school nutrition environment may be improved by requiring foodservice managers to hold a nutrition-related college degree and/or successfully pass a foodservice training program, and by participating in a school-based nutrition program, such as USDA Team Nutrition. PMID:22963956

Food and eating environments: in Canadian schools.

PubMed

Browning, H Frances; Laxer, Rachel E; Janssen, Ian

2013-01-01

This national study was conducted to examine healthy eating programs, healthy eating education, and the food retail environments of schools. A total of 436 Canadian schools were studied. Administrators completed a questionnaire designed to assess school healthy eating programs, healthy eating education, and food retail environment. The number of chain fast food restaurants, chain cafés/coffee shops, and convenience stores within 1 km of schools was measured using geographic information systems food retailer measures from DMTI Spatial Inc. and the Yellow Pages. During the preceding year, 67% of schools had initiated healthy eating lunch programs while 18% had junk food-free days. The majority of schools offered cooking classes (59%) and healthy eating media literacy education (67%), while a minority offered gardening activities (15%) and field trips to farmers' markets (27%) and grocery stores (36%). Fifty-three percent had a school cafeteria, and most had a school tuck shop (75%) and pop/juice vending machines (76%). Fifty percent had a chain fast food restaurant, 33% had a chain café/coffee shop, and 41% had a convenience store within 1 km. An important aspect of addressing childhood obesity will be improving the food environments of schools and their surrounding neighbourhoods, and providing healthy eating education for all students.

Twelve-month effects of the COPE Healthy Lifestyles TEEN Program on Overweight and Depressive Symptoms in high school adolescents

PubMed Central

Jacobson, Diana; Kelly, Stephanie A.; Belyea, Michael J.; Shaibi, Gabriel Q.; Small, Leigh; O’Haver, Judith A.; Marsiglia, Flavio Francisco

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND We evaluated the 12-month effects of the COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) Healthy Lifestyles TEEN (Thinking, Emotions, Exercise, Nutrition) program versus an attention control program (Healthy Teens) on overweight/obesity and depressive symptoms in high school adolescents. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted. Participants were 779 culturally diverse adolescents in the US Southwest. COPE is a cognitive-behavioral skills-building intervention with 20 minutes of physical activity integrated into a health course and taught by teachers once a week for 15 weeks. Outcome measures included body mass index (BMI) and depressive symptoms. RESULTS COPE teens had a significantly lower BMI at 12 months (F1, 698 = 11.22, p = .001) than Healthy Teens (24.95 versus 25.48). There was a significant decrease in the proportion of overweight and obese COPE teens from baseline to 12 months (χ2= 5.40, p = .02) as compared to Healthy Teens. For youth who began the study with extremely elevated depressive symptoms, COPE teens had significantly lower depression at 12 months compared to Healthy Teens (COPE M=42.39; Healthy Teens M=57.90); (F1, 12 = 5.78, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS COPE can improve long-term physical and mental health outcomes in teens. PMID:26522175

Healthy ageing and home: the perspectives of very old people in five European countries.

PubMed

Sixsmith, J; Sixsmith, A; Fänge, A Malmgren; Naumann, D; Kucsera, C; Tomsone, S; Haak, M; Dahlin-Ivanoff, S; Woolrych, R

2014-04-01

This paper reports on in-depth research, using a grounded theory approach, to examine the ways in which very old people perceive healthy ageing in the context of living alone at home within urban settings in five European countries. This qualitative study was part of a cross-national project entitled ENABLE-AGE which examined the relationship between home and healthy ageing. Interviews explored the notion of healthy ageing, the meaning and importance of home, conceptualisations of independence and autonomy and links between healthy ageing and home. Data analysis identified five ways in which older people constructed healthy ageing: home and keeping active; managing lifestyles, health and illness; balancing social life; and balancing material and financial circumstances. Older people reflected on their everyday lives at home in terms of being engaged in purposeful, meaningful action and evaluated healthy ageing in relation to the symbolic and practical affordances of the home, contextualised within constructions of their national context. The research suggests that older people perceive healthy ageing as an active achievement, created through individual, personal effort and supported through social ties despite the health, financial and social decline associated with growing older. The physicality and spatiality of home provided the context for establishing and evaluating the notion of healthy ageing, whilst the experienced relationship between home, life history and identity created a meaningful space within which healthy ageing was negotiated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The evaluation of a culturally appropriate, community-based lifestyle intervention program for elderly Chinese immigrants with chronic diseases: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lu, Yifan; Dipierro, Moneika; Chen, Lingjun; Chin, Richard; Fava, Maurizio; Yeung, Albert

2014-03-01

The 'Healthy Habits Program' is a 6-month community-based program, which offers exercise facilities, training and weekly health education group to underserved elderly Chinese Americans with chronic medical diseases in their native languages. This pilot study evaluates the acceptability and the health effects of the 'Healthy Habits Program'. Ninety-nine subjects participated in the 'Healthy Habits Program' in 2011. Before and after the program, the participants were assessed in their physical and mental health using various fitness tests as well as measures of disability and psychological functioning. Participants provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on the program, which was associated with significant improvements in physical and mental health including a significant decrease in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and increase in stamina. The participants reported lower mean scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item Scale (PHQ-9), indicating improved psychological well-being. These promising pilot study results from this lifestyle intervention program for elderly Chinese American immigrants with chronic diseases inform the design of a more definitive trial using a randomized design and larger sample size.

Fresh, Frozen or Canned Fruits and Vegetables: All Can Be Healthy Choices!

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing Your Child's ...

Process Evaluation of Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls: A Church-Based Health Intervention Program in Baltimore City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, H. Echo; Lee, Matthew; Hart, Adante; Summers, Amber C.; Steeves, Elizabeth Anderson; Gittelsohn, Joel

2013-01-01

Soaring obesity rates in the United States demand comprehensive health intervention strategies that simultaneously address dietary patterns, physical activity, psychosocial factors and the food environment. Healthy Bodies, Healthy Souls (HBHS) is a church-based, community-participatory, cluster-randomized health intervention trial conducted in…

Healthy Children, Healthy Lives: The Wellness Guide for Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergen, Sharon; Robertson, Rachel

2013-01-01

Early childhood is a critical time in human development. Understanding and supporting children's wellness early on can make the greatest impact on physical, social and emotional, and cognitive health throughout childhood and adulthood. "Healthy Children, Healthy Lives" provides a comprehensive collection of checklists and research ­based…

Obesity Prevention among Latino Youth: School Counselors' Role in Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Amy L.; Hayden, Laura A.

2012-01-01

Given the burgeoning obesity problem among Latino youth and concomitant health problems (Spiotta & Luma, 2008), school counselors have begun to recognize the need for culturally sensitive programming to promote healthy lifestyles. More theoretical, evidence-based programs are needed, however, to ensure Latino youth receive appropriate…

The Impact of a Nutritional Intervention Program on Academics in Selected Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rich, Stacy

2011-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study is to examine the effectiveness of the "Healthy Kids, Smart Kids" intervention program on academics. Extant data will be used to determine if a statistically significant difference in academics exist between experimental schools implementing the "Healthy Kids, Smart…

An Introduction to the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Modzeleski, William; Mathews-Younes, Anne; Arroyo, Carmen G.; Mannix, Danyelle; Wells, Michael E.; Hill, Gary; Yu, Ping; Murray, Stephen

2012-01-01

The Safe Schools/Healthy Students (SS/HS) Initiative offers a unique opportunity to conduct large-scale, multisite, multilevel program evaluation in the context of a federal environment that places many requirements and constraints on how the grants are conducted and managed. Federal programs stress performance-based outcomes, valid and reliable…

Indicators of healthy work environments--a systematic review.

PubMed

Lindberg, Per; Vingård, Eva

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the scientific literature and search for indicators of healthy work environments. A number of major national and international databases for scientific publication were searched for research addressing indicators of healthy work environments. Altogether 19,768 publications were found. After excluding duplicates, non-relevant publications, or publications that did not comply with the inclusion criteria 24 peer-reviewed publications remained to be included in this systematic review. Only one study explicitly addressing indicators of healthy work environments was found. That study suggested that the presence of stress management programs in an organization might serve as indicator of a 'good place to work', as these organizations were more likely to offer programs that encouraged employee well-being, safety and skill development than those without stress management programs. The other 23 studies either investigated employee's views of what constitute a healthy workplace or were guidelines for how to create such a workplace. Summarizing, the nine most pronounced factors considered as important for a healthy workplace that emerged from these studies were, in descending order: collaboration/teamwork: growth and development of the individual; recognition; employee involvement; positive, accessible and fair leader; autonomy and empowerment; appropriate staffing; skilled communication; and safe physical work.

[Relationships between the enrichment of ETBF, Fn, Hp in intestinal and colorectal cancer].

PubMed

Zhang, J; Lu, X L; Zhao, G; Shi, H T; Geng, Y; Zhong, W T; Dong, L

2018-02-23

Objective: To explore relationships between the enrichment of ETBF, Fn, Hp in feces, tissues and colorectal cancer. Methods: Feces, lesion tissue and adjacent tissue from 24 patients with colorectal cancer and 31 patients with adenomas were collected, and we collected Feces and tissue of 20 healthy control persons. Then the copy numbers of enterotoxigenic B. fragilis (ETBF), Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. Immunohistochemical method was used to examine the expression intensity of EGFR and p53, and the relationships between different expression intensity of EGFR, p53 and the numbers of three bacterias. Results: In the feces, copy numbers of ETBF and Fn were as follous: colorectal cancer group>adenomas group>healthy control group ( P <0.05). Copy numbers of Hp were as follous: colorectal cancer group>healthy control group ( P <0.01); adenomas group>healthy control group ( P <0.01). In the tissue, copy numbers of ETBF, Fn were as follows: colorectal cancer group>adenomas group>healthy control group ( P <0.05). Copy numbers of Hp were as follows: colorectal cancer group>healthy control group ( P <0.01); adenomas group>healthy control group ( P <0.01). Copy numbers of those three bacteria in the lesion tissue and the adjacent tissue had no significant difference. This happened both in colorectal cancer group and adenomas group. The different expression intensity of EGFR, p53 and the number of three bacteria showed no obviously statistical correlation( P >0.05). Conclusion: Adenomatous polyp and colorectal cancer patients show high enrichment of ETBF, Fn and Hp in both feces and tissues. ETBF, Fn and Hp probably contribute to the development of adenomatous polyp and colorectal cancer. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-BOC-17012509.

Understanding the relationship between stress, distress and healthy lifestyle behaviour: a qualitative study of patients and general practitioners.

PubMed

McKenzie, Suzanne H; Harris, Mark F

2013-11-01

The process of initiating and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours is complex, includes a number of distinct phases and is not static. Theoretical models of behaviour change consider psychological constructs such as intention and self efficacy but do not clearly consider the role of stress or psychological distress. General practice based interventions addressing lifestyle behaviours have been demonstrated to be feasible and effective however it is not clear whether general practitioners (GPs) take psychological health into consideration when discussing lifestyle behaviours. This qualitative study explores GPs' and patients' perspectives about the relationship between external stressors, psychological distress and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 16 patients and 5 GPs. Transcripts from the interviews were thematically analysed and a conceptual model developed to explain the relationship between external stressors, psychological distress and healthly lifestyle behaviours. Participants were motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle however they described a range of external factors that impacted on behaviour in both positive and negative ways, either directly or via their impact on psychological distress. The impact of external factors was moderated by coping strategies, beliefs, habits and social support. In some cases the process of changing or maintaining healthy behaviour also caused distress. The concept of a threshold level of distress was evident in the data with patients and GPs describing a certain level of distress required before it negatively influenced behaviour. Maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours is complex and constantly under challenge from external stressors. Practitioners can assist patients with maintaining healthy behaviour by providing targeted support to moderate the impact of external stressors.

Orthorexia nervosa and self-attitudinal aspects of body image in female and male university students.

PubMed

Brytek-Matera, Anna; Donini, Lorenzo Maria; Krupa, Magdalena; Poggiogalle, Eleonora; Hay, Phillipa

2015-01-01

The present study was designed to investigate orthorexia nervosa, or the phenomenon of being preoccupied with consuming healthy food. Specific aims were to explore relationships between orthorexia features and attitudes towards body image, fitness and health in normal weight female and male university students with high levels of healthy food preoccupation, i.e. orthorexia nervosa. Participants were 327 female (N = 283) and male (N = 44) students aged 18 to 25 years. All participants completed the Polish adaptation of the 15-item questionnaire assessing orthorexia eating behaviours (the ORTHO-15) and the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (the MBSRQ). Relationships between scores on the ORTHO-15 and MBSRQ were explored in the 213 students who had high levels of preoccupation with a healthy food intake (68.55% women and 43.18% men, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of orthorexia behaviours between females and males. In female students with orthorexia nervosa, preoccupation with consuming healthy food was significantly correlated with the MBSRQ subscale scores for overweight preoccupation, appearance orientation, fitness orientation, health orientation, body areas satisfaction and appearance evaluation. Conversely, in male students with orthorexia nervosa there were no correlations between orthorexic behaviours and the MBSRQ subscales. In female students with orthorexia nervosa multivariable linear regression analysis found high body areas (parts) satisfaction, low fitness orientation, low overweight preoccupation and low appearance orientation were independent predictors of greater fixation on eating healthy food. In male students, we found that aspects of body image were not associated with preoccupation with healthy eating. A strong preoccupation with healthy and proper food was not associated with an unhealthy body-self relationship among Polish female student with orthorexia nervosa.

Who Let the Dogs Out? Communicating First Nations Perspectives on a Canine Veterinary Intervention Through Digital Storytelling.

PubMed

Schurer, Janna M; McKenzie, Christina; Okemow, Crystal; Viveros-Guzmán, Arcadio; Beatch, Heather; Jenkins, Emily J

2015-12-01

Dog-related human injuries affect public safety and animal welfare, and occur more frequently in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities than in urban centres in Canada. Little work has been done to identify the perspectives of those people most heavily affected by this issue or to report successful dog management programs. This project was undertaken by veterinarians and public health workers with the goal of documenting First Nations perspectives on dogs, and educating other rural health workers about introducing animal management services to Indigenous communities. We recruited 10-14 residents and healthcare workers from three First Nations to take dog-related photos in their communities and participate in group interviews during the summer of 2014. Audiovisual data were synthesised into four digital stories exploring the following aspects of participant relationships with community dogs: (1) Spay/neuter clinics; (2) Role of the dog (past and present); (3) Human-animal bond; and (4) Healthy dogs as a part of healthy communities. These videos document changes in dog husbandry behaviour, new acceptance of spay/neuter, three-way knowledge transfer between residents, researchers, and policy makers, and an overall desire to sustain the positive outcomes of the pilot dog management project. This work highlights cultural beliefs and success strategies that might guide other programs providing veterinary services in First Nations communities.

BloodSpot: a database of gene expression profiles and transcriptional programs for healthy and malignant haematopoiesis.

PubMed

Bagger, Frederik Otzen; Sasivarevic, Damir; Sohi, Sina Hadi; Laursen, Linea Gøricke; Pundhir, Sachin; Sønderby, Casper Kaae; Winther, Ole; Rapin, Nicolas; Porse, Bo T

2016-01-04

Research on human and murine haematopoiesis has resulted in a vast number of gene-expression data sets that can potentially answer questions regarding normal and aberrant blood formation. To researchers and clinicians with limited bioinformatics experience, these data have remained available, yet largely inaccessible. Current databases provide information about gene-expression but fail to answer key questions regarding co-regulation, genetic programs or effect on patient survival. To address these shortcomings, we present BloodSpot (www.bloodspot.eu), which includes and greatly extends our previously released database HemaExplorer, a database of gene expression profiles from FACS sorted healthy and malignant haematopoietic cells. A revised interactive interface simultaneously provides a plot of gene expression along with a Kaplan-Meier analysis and a hierarchical tree depicting the relationship between different cell types in the database. The database now includes 23 high-quality curated data sets relevant to normal and malignant blood formation and, in addition, we have assembled and built a unique integrated data set, BloodPool. Bloodpool contains more than 2000 samples assembled from six independent studies on acute myeloid leukemia. Furthermore, we have devised a robust sample integration procedure that allows for sensitive comparison of user-supplied patient samples in a well-defined haematopoietic cellular space. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

[Self-efficacy and self management of healthy habits in fibromyalgia].

PubMed

Pérez-Velasco, María; Peñacoba-Puente, Cecilia

2015-01-01

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by general chronic pain, together with other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disorders, anxiety and depression. To analyze, in FM patients, the effects of a multi-component intervention program (nursing+cognitive-behavioural therapy, focused on improving resting habits, physical exercise, and family relationships, working simultaneously on empowerment and patient self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental design was used following-up 5 women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. An analysis was performed on their daily habits, self-efficacy for chronic pain, pain perception, functional limitation, and affect. The intervention was composed by 8 group sessions: Six of them aimed at health education and self-management of healthy habits (nursing), and two sessions dedicated to increasing self-efficacy (cognitive-behavioural therapy). Follow-up consisted of five individual sessions (nursing) so as to consolidate the newly acquired habits, maintain self-management and self-efficacy based on observing compliance. Statistically significant improvements were observed (pre-, pos-) in habit modification and in self-efficacy, as well as for positive and negative affect. Also, statistically significant differences were found pre-follow up for functional limitation. The role of nursing has to be considered within multi-component programs, in particular during follow-up, for changing habits and for self-efficacy, in response to some of the current limitations of interventions with these patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Barriers and Facilitators of a Healthy Lifestyle Among Persons with Serious and Persistent Mental Illness: Perspectives of Community Mental Health Providers

PubMed Central

McKibbin, Christine L.; Kitchen, Katherine A.; Wykes, Thomas L.; Lee, Aaron A.

2014-01-01

The investigators used qualitative methods to examine perspectives of community mental health professionals on obesity management in adults with serious mental illness. Data from 5 focus groups were subjected to constant comparison analysis and grounded theory. Results showed that influences at individual, social, community, and societal levels impact development and maintenance of obesity. Mental health providers desired a collaborative relationship with providers of health promotion program staff. They also believed that frequent, group-based health promotion should include participation incentives for adults with SMI and should occur over durations of at least 6-months to achieve improved health outcomes for this population. PMID:24129587

Patterns of Food Consumption are Associated with Obesity, Self-Reported Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease in Five American Indian Communities.

PubMed

Trude, Angela C B; Kharmats, Anna; Jock, Brittany; Liu, Debra; Lee, Katherine; Martins, Paula Andrea; Pardilla, Marla; Swartz, Jaqueline; Gittelsohn, Joel

2015-01-01

The relationship between dietary patterns and chronic disease is underexplored in indigenous populations. We assessed diets of 424 American Indian (AI) adults living in 5 rural AI communities. We identified four food patterns. Increased prevalence for cardiovascular disease was highly associated with the consumption of unhealthy snacks and high fat-food patterns (OR 3.6, CI=1.06, 12.3; and OR 6.0, CI=1.63, 22.1), respectively. Moreover, the food-consumption pattern appeared to be different by community setting (p<.05). We recommend culturally appropriate community-intervention programs to promote healthy behavior and to prevent diet-related chronic diseases in this high-risk population.

NIRPS - Solutions Facilitator Team Overview and Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Thomas M., III; Childress, Rhonda

2013-01-01

National Institute for Rocket Propulsion Systems (NIRPS) purpose is to help preserve and align government and private rocket propulsion capabilities to meet present and future US commercial, civil, and defense needs, while providing authoritative insight and recommendations to National decisional authorities. Stewardship: Monitor and analyze the state of the industry in order to formulate and recommend National Policy options and strategies that promote a healthy industrial base and ensure best-value for the American taxpayer. Technology: Identify technology needs and recommend technology insertions by leading roadmap assessments and actively participating in program formulation activities. Solutions Facilitator/Provider: Maintain relationships and awareness across the Government, industry and academia, to align available capacity with emerging demand.

Outcomes of an enhancement study with additional psychoeducational sessions for healthy siblings of a child with cancer during inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation.

PubMed

Niemitz, Mandy; Goldbeck, Lutz

2018-03-01

Chronic illness of a child puts healthy children of the family at risk of distress. Previous studies have demonstrated that healthy children's psychological symptoms can be reduced when the child knows more about the disease. So far, there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of psychoeducational interventions for healthy children. To compare the effectiveness of an inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation program with vs without additional psychoeducational sessions for healthy children of families with children with cancer. We performed a controlled study in 4 German family-oriented rehabilitation clinics. The outcomes of n = 73 healthy children (mean age: M = 9.55; SD = 3.14; range: 4-18), who participated in 5 additional psychoeducational sessions, were compared with the outcomes of n = 111 healthy children (mean age: M = 8.85; SD = 3.28; range: 4-17), who underwent the usual inpatient rehabilitation program. Primary outcomes were the healthy children's cancer-specific knowledge and their emotional symptoms. Secondary outcomes were family satisfaction and quality of life. Intention-to-treat analyses showed that both groups improved significantly from preintervention to postintervention. Improvements comprised knowledge about cancer (F(1,174) = 11.03, p < 0.001), self-reported emotional symptoms (F(1,135) = 31.68, p < 0.001), and parent-proxy-reported emotional symptoms (F(1,179) = 37.07, p < 0.001). The additional psycho-educational program did not significantly enhance the outcomes. The same pattern of significant improvement in both conditions emerged for all secondary outcomes. The immediate effects of the intervention persisted until 2 months after discharge from the rehabilitation program. Inpatient family-oriented rehabilitation is effective in improving multiple psychosocial outcomes of healthy children in families which have a child with cancer. Additional psycho-educational sessions did not show any substantial additional improvement. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Healthy Buddies: a novel, peer-led health promotion program for the prevention of obesity and eating disorders in children in elementary school.

PubMed

Stock, Suzanne; Miranda, Charmaine; Evans, Stacey; Plessis, Suzanne; Ridley, Julia; Yeh, Sophia; Chanoine, Jean-Pierre

2007-10-01

We designed and tested a novel health promotion program for elementary schools that was based on peer teaching from older to younger schoolchildren ("Healthy Buddies"). This prospective pilot study compared the effect of our program (2-3 hours/week, 21 weeks) in 2 Canadian elementary schools (intervention: n = 232 children, the whole school implementing the program; control: n = 151). Older students (4th through 7th grade) were given direct instruction from 1 intervention teacher and were paired with younger students (kindergarten through 3rd grade) for the whole school year. Students in 4th through 7th grade then acted as teachers for their younger "buddies." All lessons included 3 components of healthy living: nutrition, physical activity, and healthy body image. The students first learned how to be positive buddies and learned the 3 components of a healthy life. Thereafter, they learned how to overcome challenges to living a healthy life. Outcome measures (intervention and control schools at the beginning and end of the school year) included validated questionnaires that assessed healthy-living knowledge, behavior and attitude, a 9-minute fitness run, self-competence, body satisfaction, disordered eating symptoms, and anthropometry (BMI, blood pressure, and heart rate). Compared with control students, both older and younger intervention students showed an increase in healthy-living knowledge, behavior, and attitude scores and a smaller increase in systolic blood pressure. BMI and weight increased less in the intervention students in 4th through 7th grade and height more in the intervention students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Our student-led curriculum improved knowledge not only in older schoolchildren but also in their younger buddies. It also decreased weight velocity in the older students. Student-led teaching may be an efficient, easy-to-implement way of promoting a healthy lifestyle from kindergarten to 7th grade.

Subclinical cardiovascular disease assessment and its relationship with cardiovascular risk SCORE in a healthy adult population: A cross-sectional community-based study.

PubMed

Mitu, Ovidiu; Roca, Mihai; Floria, Mariana; Petris, Antoniu Octavian; Graur, Mariana; Mitu, Florin

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship and the accuracy of SCORE (Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation Project) risk correlated to multiple methods for determining subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a healthy population. This cross-sectional study included 120 completely asymptomatic subjects, with an age range 35-75 years, and randomly selected from the general population. The individuals were evaluated clinically and biochemical, and the SCORE risk was computed. Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by various methods: carotid ultrasound for intima-media thickness (cIMT) and plaque detection; aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV); echocardiography - left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and aortic atheromatosis (AA); ankle-brachial index (ABI). SCORE mean value was 2.95±2.71, with 76% of subjects having SCORE <5. Sixty-four percent of all subjects have had increased subclinical CVD changes, and SCORE risk score was correlated positively with all markers, except for ABI. In the multivariate analysis, increased cIMT and aPWV were significantly associated with high value of SCORE risk (OR 4.14, 95% CI: 1.42-12.15, p=0.009; respectively OR 1.41, 95% CI: 1.01-1.96, p=0.039). A positive linear relationship was observed between 3 territories of subclinical CVD (cIMT, LVMI, aPWV) and SCORE risk (p<0.0001). There was evidence of subclinical CVD in 60% of subjects with a SCORE value <5. As most subjects with a SCORE value <5 have subclinical CVD abnormalities, a more tailored subclinical CVD primary prevention program should be encouraged. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Sense of School Belonging and Implementation of a Prevention Program: Toward Healthier Interpersonal Relationships Among Early Adolescents.

PubMed

Drolet, Marie; Arcand, Isabelle; Ducharme, Daphne; Leblanc, Raymond

2013-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study is to pave the way for the establishment of healthy interpersonal relations by facilitating an understanding of the impacts of Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence as perceived by adolescents and teachers who took part in it. Lions Quest has become recognized as an evidence-based program for preventing alcohol and drug use through the development of social skills and the promotion of meaningful engagement in the school community (Lions Clubs International, Overview of Skills for Adolescence 2013). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 7th and 8th grade Francophone and Anglophone adolescents from three schools in Eastern Ontario who had participated in Lions Quest . Deductive and inductive analysis of interview transcripts clearly underscored that the positive perceptions of those early adolescents on the quality of their relationships with friends outweigh the negative impression that can be created by peer pressures at this age. It is through such a filter that these adolescents came to appreciate the impact of Lions Quest. Their need to be part of a circle of friends also comes to the fore as a crucial component of a sense of school belonging (Faircloth and Hamm (2005) J Youth Adolesc 34:293-309), highlighting the need to incorporate more of this form of positive social norm into interventions and prevention geared toward early adolescents. The data also underline the complementary importance attributed to having positive relationships with supportive adults.

Communication skills in pediatric training program: National-based survey of residents' perspectives in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alofisan, Tariq; Al-Alaiyan, Saleh; Al-Abdulsalam, Moath; Siddiqui, Khawar; Hussain, Ibrahim Bin; Al-Qahtani, Mohammad H

2016-01-01

Good communication skills and rapport building are considered the cardinal tools for developing a patient-doctor relationship. A positive, healthy competition among different health care organizations in Saudi Arabia underlines an ever increasing emphasis on effective patient-doctor relationship. Despite the numerous guidelines provided and programs available, there is a significant variation in the acceptance and approach to the use of this important tool among pediatric residents in this part of the world. To determine pediatric residents' attitude toward communication skills, their perception of important communication skills, and their confidence in the use of their communication skills in the performance of their primary duties. A cross-sectional study was conducted among all pediatrics trainee residents working in 13 different hospitals in Saudi Arabia. A standardized self-administered questionnaire developed by the Harvard Medical School was used. A total of 297 residents out of all trainees in these centers participated in the data collection. The 283 (95%) residents considered learning communication skills a priority in establishing a good patient-doctor relationship. Thirty four percent reported being very confident with regard to their communication skills. Few residents had the skills, and the confidence to communicate with children with serious diseases, discuss end-of-life issues, and deal with difficult patients and parents. Pediatric residents perceive the importance of communication skills and competencies as crucial components in their training. A proper comprehensive communication skills training should be incorporated into the pediatric resident training curriculum.

Towards an Effective Health Interventions Design: An Extension of the Health Belief Model

PubMed Central

Orji, Rita; Vassileva, Julita; Mandryk, Regan

2012-01-01

Introduction The recent years have witnessed a continuous increase in lifestyle related health challenges around the world. As a result, researchers and health practitioners have focused on promoting healthy behavior using various behavior change interventions. The designs of most of these interventions are informed by health behavior models and theories adapted from various disciplines. Several health behavior theories have been used to inform health intervention designs, such as the Theory of Planned Behavior, the Transtheoretical Model, and the Health Belief Model (HBM). However, the Health Belief Model (HBM), developed in the 1950s to investigate why people fail to undertake preventive health measures, remains one of the most widely employed theories of health behavior. However, the effectiveness of this model is limited. The first limitation is the low predictive capacity (R2 < 0.21 on average) of existing HBM’s variables coupled with the small effect size of individual variables. The second is lack of clear rules of combination and relationship between the individual variables. In this paper, we propose a solution that aims at addressing these limitations as follows: (1) we extended the Health Belief Model by introducing four new variables: Self-identity, Perceived Importance, Consideration of Future Consequences, and Concern for Appearance as possible determinants of healthy behavior. (2) We exhaustively explored the relationships/interactions between the HBM variables and their effect size. (3) We tested the validity of both our proposed extended model and the original HBM on healthy eating behavior. Finally, we compared the predictive capacity of the original HBM model and our extended model. Methods: To achieve the objective of this paper, we conducted a quantitative study of 576 participants’ eating behavior. Data for this study were collected over a period of one year (from August 2011 to August 2012). The questionnaire consisted of validated scales assessing the HBM determinants – perceived benefit, barrier, susceptibility, severity, cue to action, and self-efficacy – using 7-point Likert scale. We also assessed other health determinants such as consideration of future consequences, self-identity, concern for appearance and perceived importance. To analyses our data, we employed factor analysis and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to exhaustively explore the interaction/relationship between the determinants and healthy eating behavior. We tested for the validity of both our proposed extended model and the original HBM on healthy eating behavior. Finally, we compared the predictive capacity of the original HBM model and our extended model and investigated possible mediating effects. Results: The results show that the three newly added determinants are better predictors of healthy behavior. Our extended HBM model lead to approximately 78% increase (from 40 to 71%) in predictive capacity compared to the old model. This shows the suitability of our extended HBM for use in predicting healthy behavior and in informing health intervention design. The results from examining possible relationships between the determinants in our model lead to an interesting discovery of some mediating relationships between the HBM’s determinants, therefore, shedding light on some possible combinations of determinants that could be employed by intervention designers to increase the effectiveness of their design. Conclusion: Consideration of future consequences, self-identity, concern for appearance, perceived importance, self-efficacy, perceived susceptibility are significant determinants of healthy eating behavior that can be manipulated by healthy eating intervention design. Most importantly, the result from our model established the existence of some mediating relationships among the determinants. The knowledge of both the direct and indirect relationships sheds some light on the possible combination rules. PMID:23569653

An Assessment of Burnout in Undergraduate Athletic Training Education Program Directors

PubMed Central

Walter, Jessica M; Van Lunen, Bonnie L; Walker, Stacy E; Ismaeli, Zahra C; Oñate, James A

2009-01-01

Context: Athletic training education program directors (ATEPDs) often manage their time among students, program administration, and patient care. Objective: To assess the level of burnout in ATEPDs and to determine the relationship between burnout and various demographics of ATEPDs. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Public and private colleges and universities nationwide. Patients or Other Participants: Two hundred forty-nine ATEPDs of undergraduate athletic training education programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Intervention(s): We administered the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to all participants. Main Outcome Measure(s): The MBI consisted of 21 items assessing 3 characteristics of burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Another component of the survey requested demographic information about the ATEPDs. We used univariate, multivariate, and factorial analyses of variance with the α level set a priori at .05. We also calculated Pearson product moment correlation coefficients. Results: Women had greater emotional exhaustion than men (20.67 ± 9.43 and 16.47 ± 9.64, respectively) (P  =  .001). The difference between tenure-status groups for emotional exhaustion was significant (P  =  .014), with tenure-track ATEPDs scoring higher on emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients revealed a weak negative relationship among emotional exhaustion and age (r  =  −0.263, P < .001), years of program director experience (r  =  −0.157, P  =  .013), and years at current job (r  =  −0.162, P  =  .010), indicating that as ATEPDs aged, gained more experience, and stayed in their current jobs, their emotional exhaustion scores decreased. There was also a weak negative relationship between age and depersonalization (r  =  −0.171, P  =  .007). There was a weak positive relationship between years at current job and personal accomplishment (r  =  0.197, P  =  .002). Conclusions: We found that ATEPDs experienced a moderate form of emotional exhaustion burnout and low depersonalization and personal accomplishment burnout, with women experiencing greater emotional exhaustion than males. Additionally, ATEPDs in tenure-track positions experienced greater emotional exhaustion than tenured ATEPDs. The ATEPDs need to obtain healthy coping strategies early within their directorships to manage components related to burnout. PMID:19295965

A randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of the Tackling Teenage psychosexual training program for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Visser, Kirsten; Greaves-Lord, Kirstin; Tick, Nouchka T; Verhulst, Frank C; Maras, Athanasios; van der Vegt, Esther J M

2017-07-01

Previous research underscores the importance of psychosexual guidance for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Such guidance is provided in the Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program, in which adolescents with ASD receive psycho-education and practice communicative skills regarding topics related to puberty, sexuality, and intimate relationships. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of the TTT program on (a) cognitive outcomes (i.e. psychosexual knowledge, and insight in interpersonal boundaries) and (b) behavioral outcomes (i.e. skills needed for romantic relationships and problematic sexual behavior). A total of 189 cognitively able adolescents with ASD, aged 12-18 years old, were randomized to an intervention condition (n = 95) or a waiting-list control condition (n = 94). We assessed outcomes using self-reported as well as parent-reported questionnaires at baseline (T1), posttreatment (T2; after 6 months), and follow-up (T3; after 12 months). Linear mixed model analyses showed significant treatment effects for psychosexual knowledge and adequate insight in boundaries, both posttreatment and at follow-up. All adolescents increased significantly over time in their social responsiveness and decreased their problematic sexual behavior, irrespectively of condition. The TTT program was most effective for younger adolescents with ASD; following the TTT program resulted in higher psychosexual knowledge, and higher social functioning for these adolescents. The results of this study indicate that the TTT program is effective as a psycho-educational program to provide adolescents with ASD with the knowledge and insight they need to prepare themselves for a healthy psychosexual development. Further research is needed to investigate how this increased knowledge and insight can subsequently ameliorate improvements in romantic skills and prevent the development of problematic sexual behavior and victimization. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Cardiovascular Disease Self-Management: Pilot Testing of an mHealth Healthy Eating Program

PubMed Central

Pfaeffli Dale, Leila; Whittaker, Robyn; Eyles, Helen; Ni Mhurchu, Cliona; Ball, Kylie; Smith, Natasha; Maddison, Ralph

2014-01-01

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is crucial in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD), yet attendance is poor. Mobile technology (mHealth) offers a potential solution to increase reach of CR. This paper presents two development studies to determine mobile phone usage in adults with CVD and to evaluate the acceptability of an mHealth healthy eating CR program. Methods: CR attendees were surveyed to determine mobile phone usage rates. A second single-subject pilot study investigated perceptions of a 4-week theory-based healthy eating mHealth program and explored pre-post changes in self-efficacy. Results: 74 adults with CVD completed the survey (50/74 male; mean age 63 ± 10). Nearly all had mobile phones (70/74; 95%) and used the Internet (69/74; 93%), and most were interested in receiving CR by text message (57/74; 77%). 20 participants took part in the healthy eating pilot study. Participants read all/most of the text messages, and most (19/20) thought using mobile technology was a good way to deliver the program. The website was not widely used as visiting the website was reported to be time consuming. Exploratory t-tests revealed an increase in heart healthy eating self-efficacy post program, in particular the environmental self-efficacy subset (Mean = 0.62, SD = 0.74, p = 0.001). Conclusions: Text messaging was seen as a simple and acceptable way to deliver nutrition information and behavior change strategies; however, future research is needed to determine the effectiveness of such programs. PMID:25562145

Intergenerational Family Characteristics of Counselor Trainees.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, David M.; Gaushell, Harper

1991-01-01

Compared intergenerational relationships of counselor trainees (n=125-232) and nonclinical sample (n=312-525). Counselor trainees reported healthier relationships with their parents and spouses concerning intergenerational triangulation, intergenerational intimidation and spousal fusion and less healthy relationships with spouses and children on…

Governing & Foundation Boards: Fostering Successful Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Legon, Richard D.

1996-01-01

Public colleges and universities increasingly raise private funds through institutional foundations. A healthy relationship between governing and foundation boards requires open communication, regular interaction, and shared information. The fulcrum of this relationship is the college's president, who has specific responsibilities toward each…

Ketamine has distinct electrophysiological and behavioral effects in depressed and healthy subjects.

PubMed

Nugent, Allison C; Ballard, Elizabeth D; Gould, Todd D; Park, Lawrence T; Moaddel, Ruin; Brutsche, Nancy E; Zarate, Carlos A

2018-02-27

Ketamine's mechanism of action was assessed using gamma power from magnetoencephalography (MEG) as a proxy measure for homeostatic balance in 35 unmedicated subjects with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 25 healthy controls enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized cross-over trial of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine. MDD subjects showed significant improvements in depressive symptoms, and healthy control subjects exhibited modest but significant increases in depressive symptoms for up to 1 day after ketamine administration. Both groups showed increased resting gamma power following ketamine. In MDD subjects, gamma power was not associated with the magnitude of the antidepressant effect. However, baseline gamma power was found to moderate the relationship between post-ketamine gamma power and antidepressant response; specifically, higher post-ketamine gamma power was associated with better response in MDD subjects with lower baseline gamma, with an inverted relationship in MDD subjects with higher baseline gamma. This relationship was observed in multiple regions involved in networks hypothesized to be involved in the pathophysiology of MDD. This finding suggests biological subtypes based on the direction of homeostatic dysregulation and has important implications for inferring ketamine's mechanism of action from studies of healthy controls alone.

Supporting At-Risk Youth and Their Families to Manage and Prevent Diabetes: Developing a National Partnership of Medical Residency Programs and High Schools

PubMed Central

Gefter, Liana; Morioka-Douglas, Nancy; Srivastava, Ashini; Rodriguez, Eunice

2016-01-01

Background The Stanford Youth Diabetes Coaches Program (SYDCP) is a school based health program in which Family Medicine residents train healthy at-risk adolescents to become diabetes self-management coaches for family members with diabetes. This study evaluates the impact of the SYDCP when disseminated to remote sites. Additionally, this study aims to assess perceived benefit of enhanced curriculum. Methods From 2012–2015, 10 high schools and one summer camp in the US and Canada and five residency programs were selected to participate. Physicians and other health providers implemented the SYDCP with racial/ethnic-minority students from low-income communities. Student coaches completed pre- and posttest surveys which included knowledge, health behavior, and psychosocial asset questions (i.e., worth and resilience), as well as open-ended feedback questions. T-test pre-post comparisons were used to determine differences in knowledge and psychosocial assets, and open and axial coding methods were used to analyze qualitative data. Results A total of 216 participating high school students completed both pre-and posttests, and 96 nonparticipating students also completed pre- and posttests. Student coaches improved from pre- to posttest significantly on knowledge (p<0.005 in 2012–13, 2014 camp, and 2014–15); worth (p<0.1 in 2014–15); problem solving (p<0.005 in 2014 camp and p<0.1 in 2014–15); and self-efficacy (p<0.05 in 2014 camp). Eighty-two percent of student coaches reported that they considered making a behavior change to improve their own health as a result of program participation. Qualitative feedback themes included acknowledgment of usefulness and relevance of the program, appreciation for physician instructors, knowledge gain, pride in helping family members, improved relationships and connectedness with family members, and lifestyle improvements. Conclusion Overall, when disseminated, this program can increase health knowledge and some psychosocial assets of at-risk youth and holds promise to empower these youth with health literacy and encourage them to adopt healthy behaviors. PMID:27383902

Evaluating the social and economic impact of community-based prenatal care.

PubMed

Cramer, Mary E; Chen, Li-Wu; Roberts, Sara; Clute, Dorothea

2007-01-01

This article describes the evaluation and findings of a community-based prenatal care program, Omaha Healthy Start (OHS), designed to reduce local racial disparities in birth outcomes. This evaluative study used a comparative descriptive design, and Targeting Outcomes of Programs was the conceptual framework for evaluation. The evaluation followed 3 groups for 2 years: OHS birth mothers (N=79; N=157); non-OHS participant birth mothers (N=746; N=774); and Douglas County birth mothers (N=7,962; N=7,987). OHS provided case management, home visits, screening, referral, transportation, and health education to participants. Program outcome measures included low birth weight, infant mortality, adequacy of care, trimester of care, and costs of care. OHS birth outcomes improved during year 2, and there was a 31% cost saving in the average hospital expenditure compared with the nonparticipant groups. Preliminary evaluative analysis indicates that prenatal case management and community outreach can improve birth outcomes for minority women, while producing cost savings. Further prospective study is needed to document trends over a longer period of time regarding the relationship between community-based case management programs for minority populations, birth outcomes, and costs of care.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Nutrition Education and Obesity Prevention Grant Program. Final rule.

PubMed

2016-03-31

This rule adopts the interim rule implementing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) nutrition education and obesity prevention grant program with changes as provided in this rule. This rule also amends SNAP regulations to implement section 28 of the Food and Nutrition Act (FNA) of 2008, as added by section 241 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, to award grants to States for provision of nutrition education and obesity prevention programs. These programs provide services for eligible individuals that promote healthy food choices consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). The rule provides State agencies with requirements for implementing section 28, including the grant award process and describes the process for allocating the Federal grant funding for each State's approved SNAP-Ed plan authorized under the FNA to carry out nutrition education and obesity prevention services each fiscal year. This final rule also implements section 4028 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Farm Bill of 2014), which authorizes physical activity promotion in addition to promotion of healthy food choices as part of this nutrition education and obesity prevention program.

Aβ amyloid, cognition, and APOE genotype in healthy older adults.

PubMed

Lim, Yen Ying; Ellis, Kathryn A; Ames, David; Darby, David; Harrington, Karra; Martins, Ralph N; Masters, Colin L; Rowe, Christopher; Savage, Greg; Szoeke, Cassandra; Villemagne, Victor L; Maruff, Paul

2013-09-01

Only one study has investigated the relationship between cerebral β-amyloid (Aβ), apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype, and cognition. Although significant relationships between cerebral Aβ and cognition were observed in ε4 carriers but not noncarriers, the magnitude of this relationship was not reported. Further, when demographic variables were controlled, the influence of APOE ε4 on the relationship between cerebral Aβ and cognition dissipated. In 144 healthy older adults who had undergone amyloid scanning and APOE ε4 genotyping in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle (AIBL) Flagship Study of Ageing, correlations were conducted to determine the magnitude of relationship between cerebral Aβ and cognition in ε4 carriers and noncarriers. Fisher's Z was used to compare these correlations and Cohen's q determined the magnitude of difference between correlations. Cerebral Aβ was significantly associated with tasks of visual and verbal episodic memory in APOE ε4 carriers. This association was not observed in ε4 noncarriers. The relationship between cerebral Aβ and episodic memory in ε4 carriers was significantly different from that in ε4 noncarriers, and the magnitude of this difference was small to moderate. In APOE ε 4 carriers, there is a moderate negative relationship between cerebral Aβ and episodic memory. This suggests that increased cerebral Aβ may signify the onset of preclinical AD, especially in healthy older adults who are genetically at risk for AD. Copyright © 2013 The Alzheimer's Association. All rights reserved.

77 FR 69861 - Proposed Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-21

... Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Marriage grant programs that were authorized under the 2010 Claims... employed separately with (1) Responsible Fatherhood and (2) Healthy Marriage grantees. Specifically, we... (2) Healthy Marriage grantee evaluation. (b) Implementation evaluation: (1) Responsible Fatherhood...

Engaging Stakeholders From Volunteer-Led Out-of-School Time Programs in the Dissemination of Guiding Principles for Healthy Snacking and Physical Activity.

PubMed

Folta, Sara C; Koomas, Alyssa; Metayer, Nesly; Fullerton, Karen J; Hubbard, Kristie L; Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie; Hofer, Teresa; Nelson, Miriam; Newman, Molly; Sacheck, Jennifer; Economos, Christina

2015-12-24

Little effort has focused on the role of volunteer-led out-of-school time (OST) programs (ie, enrichment and sports programs) as key environments for the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity habits among school-aged children. The Healthy Kids Out of School (HKOS) initiative developed evidence-based, practical guiding principles for healthy snacks, beverages, and physical activity. The goal of this case study was to describe the methods used to engage regional partners to understand how successful implementation and dissemination of these principles could be accomplished. HKOS partnered with volunteer-led programs from 5 OST organizations in Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire to create a regional "learning laboratory." We engaged partners in phases. In the first phase, we conducted focus groups with local volunteer program leaders; during the second phase, we held roundtable meetings with regional and state program administrators; and in the final phase, we conducted additional outreach to refine and finalize implementation strategies. Implementation strategies were developed based on themes and information that emerged. For enrichment programs, strategies included new patch and pin programs that were consistent with the organizations' infrastructure and usual practices. For sports programs, the main strategy was integration with online trainings for coaches. Through the engagement process, we learned that dissemination of the guiding principles in these large and complex OST organizations was best accomplished by using implementation strategies that were customized, integrated, and aligned with goals and usual practices. The lessons learned can benefit future efforts to prevent obesity in complex environments.

The relationship between mentoring on healthy behaviors and well-being among Israeli youth in boarding schools: a mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Agmon, Maayan; Zlotnick, Cheryl; Finkelstein, Anat

2015-02-15

Although 10% of Israeli youth live in boarding schools, few studies, except for those focusing on mental health, have examined the well-being of this population subgroup. Thus, the aims of this study were to explore: (1) the prevalence rates of five aspects of well-being (i.e., healthy habits, avoidance of risky behaviors, peer relationships, adult relationships, and school environment) in youth residing at Israeli boarding schools; (2) the relationships between youth well-being and youth perception of their mentor; and (3) the different subgroups of youth with higher rates of risky and healthy behaviors. This study used a mixed-methods approach including a quantitative survey of youth (n = 158) to examine the association between youth behaviors and perception of their mentor; and a qualitative study consisting of interviews (n = 15) with boarding school staff to better understand the context of these findings. Greater proportions of boarding school youth, who had positive perceptions of their mentor (the significant adult or parent surrogate), believed both that their teachers thought they were good students (p < 0.01), and that they themselves were good students (p < 0.01). This finding is supported by the qualitative interviews with mentors. Youth living in a boarding school had very similar healthy habits compared to other youth living in Israel; however, youth in the general population, compared to those in the boarding schools, were eating more sweets (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.02-1.90) and engaging in higher levels of television use (OR = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.97-3.54). Mentors, the significant adult for youth living in residential education environments, have a major influence on school performance, the major focus of their work; mentors had no impact on healthy behaviors. Overall, there were many similarities in healthy behaviors between youth at boarding schools and youth in the general population; however, the differences in healthy habits seemed related to policies governing the boarding schools as well as its structural elements.

The effects of reality-based television programming on diet and exercise motivation and self-efficacy in young adults.

PubMed

Nabi, Robin L; Thomas, Jenna

2013-01-01

Grounded in social cognitive theory, this research examines the effects of reality entertainment programming and embedded commercials on viewers' perceived motivations and efficacy to exercise and consume a healthy diet as well as on food preference. In a 3 (program type) × 2 (advertisement type) study design, 253 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to watch an episode of a health-oriented reality program, a non-heath-oriented reality program, or a health-themed sitcom in which commercials for either healthy or unhealthy foods were embedded. Results indicated that perceived realism of the health-oriented reality program generated greater confidence to eat more healthily and exercise, as well as greater motivation to exercise. Additionally, program viewing differentially affected motivations to eat healthily and to exercise, but only when type of advertisement (high vs. low calorie food ads) was taken into consideration. Finally, women who watched the health-oriented reality program were more likely to choose a healthy snack at the conclusion of the experiment than those exposed to other programs, thus supporting the assertion that reality programming may potentiate positive health behaviors. The role of the embedded advertisements in altering the interpretation and health impact of the programming is also discussed.

Healthy Pokes: After-School Education and Mentoring to Enhance Child Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaudreault, Karen Lux; Shiver, Victoria; Kinder, Christopher; Guseman, Emily

2016-01-01

Childhood obesity and related health consequences are currently considered some of the most important health challenges in our nation today. Early intervention programs designed to teach healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors are imperative to addressing this issue. Evidence suggests that intervention programs offered at an earlier age may reduce…

The Healthy Homes Partnership: A Cooperative Extension Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Laura B.; Peek, Gina G.

2013-01-01

This article highlights the accomplishments of the Healthy Homes Partnership, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Since the program began in 1999, funds totaling $2.7 million have been distributed to 34 states and Virgin Islands Extension programs through a competitive process. Extension professionals have used the funds as seed grants…

Creating Healthy Active Minds for Personal Success (CHAMPS) in Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shawley, Jessica

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide support for middle school physical education programs that meet the developmental needs of students while providing for student choice. With its health and physical education program called Creating Healthy Active Minds for Personal Success (CHAMPS), Moscow Middle School is striving to cultivate student…

Florida Healthy Beaches Program | Florida Department of Health

Science.gov Websites

Phone Numbers WIC Income Guidelines How WIC Works WIC Foods Food Vendors Health Care Providers Nutrition Materials What is WIC? WIC is a federally funded nutrition program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC provides the following at no cost: healthy foods, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding support

78 FR 40625 - National School Lunch Program: Direct Certification Continuous Improvement Plans Required by the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-08

..., Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010; Approval of Information Collection Request AGENCY: Food and Nutrition... Continuous Improvement Plans Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010'' on February 22, 2013... Program (NSLP) regulations to incorporate provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 designed...

Project Healthy Bones: An Osteoporosis Prevention Program for Older Adults.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klotzbach-Shimomura, Kathleen

2001-01-01

Project Healthy Bones is a 24-week exercise and education program for older women and men at risk for or who have osteoporosis. The exercise component is designed to improve strength, balance, and flexibility. The education curriculum stresses the importance of exercise, nutrition, safety, drug therapy, and lifestyle factors. (SK)

Interdisciplinary Research Education in Communication and Social Interaction Among Healthy Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scialfa, Charles T.; Pichora-Fuller, Kathleen; Spadafora, Pat

2004-01-01

An innovative gerontology education program was developed to advance research on aging that is interdisciplinary and promotes the translation of knowledge from lab to life. The program focuses on communication and social interaction in healthy aging. It brings together faculty mentors, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows from six…

Interdisciplinary Research Education in Communication and Social Interaction among Healthy Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scialfa, Charles; Pichora-Fuller, Kathleen; Spadafora, Pat

2004-01-01

An innovative gerontology education program was developed to advance research on aging that is interdisciplinary and promotes the translation of knowledge from lab to life. The program focuses on communication and social interaction in healthy aging. It brings together faculty mentors, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows from six…

Get Connected: an HIV prevention case management program for men and women leaving California prisons.

PubMed

Myers, Janet; Zack, Barry; Kramer, Katie; Gardner, Mick; Rucobo, Gonzalo; Costa-Taylor, Stacy

2005-10-01

Individuals leaving prison face challenges to establishing healthy lives in the community, including opportunities to engage in behavior that puts them at risk for HIV transmission. HIV prevention case management (PCM) can facilitate linkages to services, which in turn can help remove barriers to healthy behavior. As part of a federally funded demonstration project, the community-based organization Centerforce provided 5 months of PCM to individuals leaving 3 state prisons in California. Program effects were measured by assessing changes in risk behavior, access to services, reincarnation, and program completion. Although response rates preclude definitive conclusions, HIV risk behavior did decrease. Regardless of race, age, or gender, those receiving comprehensive health services were significantly more likely to complete the program. PCM appears to facilitate healthy behavior for individuals leaving prison.

Trait Self-Control, Identified-Introjected Religiosity and Health-Related-Feelings in Healthy Muslims: A Structural Equation Model Analysis

PubMed Central

Briki, Walid; Chaouachi, Anis; Patrick, Thomas; Chamari, Karim

2015-01-01

Aim The present study attempted to test McCullough and Willoughby’s hypothesis that self-control mediates the relationships between religiosity and psychosocial outcomes. Specifically, this study examined whether trait self-control (TSC) mediates the relationship of identified-introjected religiosity with positive and negative health-related-feelings (HRF) in healthy Muslims. Methods Two hundred eleven French-speaking participants (116 females, 95 males; Mage = 28.15, SDage = 6.90) answered questionnaires. One hundred ninety participants were retained for the analyses because they reported to be healthy (105 females, 85 males; Mage = 27.72, SDage = 6.80). To examine the relationships between religiosity, TSC and HRF, two competing mediation models were tested using structural equation model analysis: While a starting model used TSC as mediator of the religiosity-HRF relationship, an alternative model used religiosity as mediator of the TSC-HRF relationship. Results The findings revealed that TSC mediated the relationship between identified religiosity and positive HRF, and that identified religiosity mediated the relationship between TSC and positive and negative HRF, thereby validating both models. Moreover, the comparison of both models showed that the starting model explained 13.211% of the variance (goodness of fit = 1.000), whereas the alternative model explained 6.877% of the variance (goodness of fit = 0.987). Conclusion These results show that the starting model is the most effective model to account for the relationships between religiosity, TSC, and HRF. Therefore, this study provides initial insights into how religiosity influences psychological health through TSC. Important practical implications for the religious education are suggested. PMID:25962179

Trait self-control, identified-introjected religiosity and health-related-feelings in healthy muslims: a structural equation model analysis.

PubMed

Briki, Walid; Aloui, Asma; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Chaouachi, Anis; Patrick, Thomas; Chamari, Karim

2015-01-01

The present study attempted to test McCullough and Willoughby's hypothesis that self-control mediates the relationships between religiosity and psychosocial outcomes. Specifically, this study examined whether trait self-control (TSC) mediates the relationship of identified-introjected religiosity with positive and negative health-related-feelings (HRF) in healthy Muslims. Two hundred eleven French-speaking participants (116 females, 95 males; Mage = 28.15, SDage = 6.90) answered questionnaires. One hundred ninety participants were retained for the analyses because they reported to be healthy (105 females, 85 males; Mage = 27.72, SDage = 6.80). To examine the relationships between religiosity, TSC and HRF, two competing mediation models were tested using structural equation model analysis: While a starting model used TSC as mediator of the religiosity-HRF relationship, an alternative model used religiosity as mediator of the TSC-HRF relationship. The findings revealed that TSC mediated the relationship between identified religiosity and positive HRF, and that identified religiosity mediated the relationship between TSC and positive and negative HRF, thereby validating both models. Moreover, the comparison of both models showed that the starting model explained 13.211% of the variance (goodness of fit = 1.000), whereas the alternative model explained 6.877% of the variance (goodness of fit = 0.987). These results show that the starting model is the most effective model to account for the relationships between religiosity, TSC, and HRF. Therefore, this study provides initial insights into how religiosity influences psychological health through TSC. Important practical implications for the religious education are suggested.

Theory-of-mind-related neural activity for one’s romantic partner predicts partner well-being

PubMed Central

Felix, Steven; Yung, Matthew G.; Hooker, Christine I.

2016-01-01

Healthy social relationships are linked to myriad positive physical and mental health outcomes, raising the question of how to enhance relationship formation and quality. Behavioral data suggest that theory of mind (ToM) may be one such process. ToM is supported by a network of brain regions including the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ), medial prefrontal cortex and precuneus (PC). However, little research has investigated how the ToM network supports healthy social relationships. Here, we investigate whether recruitment of the ToM network when thinking about the mental states of one’s romantic partner predicts the partner’s well-being. We find that selectivity in left TPJ (LTPJ) and PC for beliefs vs physical attributes of one’s partner is positively associated with partner well-being the day of and day after a meaningful encounter. Furthermore, LTPJ and PC selectivity moderated how the partner’s perception of being understood during the encounter affected their later well-being. Finally, we find the association between ToM-related neural selectivity and well-being robust to other factors related to the relationship and the encounter. Together, these data suggest that selective engagement of the neural network supporting ToM may be a key ingredient for the development and maintenance of healthy romantic relationships. PMID:26609107

HMO marketing and selection bias: are TEFRA HMOs skimming?

PubMed

Lichtenstein, R; Thomas, J W; Watkins, B; Puto, C; Lepkowski, J; Adams-Watson, J; Simone, B; Vest, D

1992-04-01

The research evidence indicates that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) participating in the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA) At-Risk Program tend to experience favorable selection. Although favorable selection might result from patient decisions, a common conjecture is that it can be induced by HMOs through their marketing activities. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between HMO marketing strategies and selection bias in TEFRA At-Risk HMOs. A purposive sample of 22 HMOs that were actively marketing their TEFRA programs was selected and data on organizational characteristics, market area characteristics, and HMO marketing decisions were collected. To measure selection bias in these HMOs, the functional health status of approximately 300 enrollees in each HMO was compared to that of 300 non-enrolling beneficiaries in the same area. Three dependent variables, reflecting selection bias at the mean, the low health tail, and the high health tail of the health status distribution were created. Weighted least squares regressions were then used to identify relationships between marketing elements and selection bias. Subject to the statistical limitations of the study, our conclusion is that it is doubtful that HMO marketing decisions are responsible for the prevalence of favorable selection in HMO enrollment. It also appears unlikely that HMOs were differentially targeting healthy and unhealthy segments of the Medicare market.

The relationship between school-level characteristics and implementation fidelity of a coordinated school health childhood obesity prevention intervention.

PubMed

Lederer, Alyssa M; King, Mindy H; Sovinski, Danielle; Seo, Dong-Chul; Kim, Nayoung

2015-01-01

Curtailing childhood obesity is a public health imperative. Although multicomponent school-based programs reduce obesity among children, less is known about the implementation fidelity of these interventions. This study examines process evaluation findings for the Healthy, Energetic Ready, Outstanding, Enthusiastic, Schools (HEROES) Initiative, a tri-state school-based childhood obesity prevention intervention based on the coordinated school health (CSH) model. Site visits were conducted that included key stakeholder interviews, observation, and document review. Scores were given for 8 domains, and a total implementation score was calculated. Two-way analyses of variance were conducted to examine the relationship of 4 school-level characteristics: elementary vs. middle/high schools, public vs. private schools, district vs. building level implementation, and socioeconomic status on each implementation area. Overall, schools had high fidelity scores, although some domains were implemented more successfully than others. Three school-level characteristics were associated with 1 or more domains, with elementary schools and schools implementing at the building level consistently having higher implementation scores than their counterparts. Process evaluation findings provide insight into successes and challenges schools implementing the CSH approach may encounter. Although preliminary, these findings on school-level characteristics establish a new area of research related to school-based childhood obesity prevention programs' implementation fidelity. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Relationship between Cariogenic Bacteria and pH of Dental Plaque at Margin of Fixed Prostheses

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Junko; Mukai, Norio; Tanaka, Muto; Tanaka, Masahiro

2012-01-01

Objective. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether teeth that have undergone prosthetic restoration are under conditions that promote caries recurrence. Methods. The subjects were 20 dentate adults with both a healthy tooth and an affected tooth entirely covered with a complete cast crown in the molar regions of the same arch. The pH was measured in plaque adhering to the margin of the tooth covered with a complete cast crown and adhering to the cervicobuccal area of the natural tooth. In addition, the numbers of cariogenic bacteria (mutans streptococci and lactobacilli) were measured employing the saliva test. The relationships between the number of cariogenic bacteria and plaque pH of the natural tooth and between the number of cariogenic bacteria and plaque pH of the tooth covered with a complete cast crown were investigated. Results. The plaque pH of the tooth covered with a complete cast crown decreased as the numbers of SM and LB increased. The natural tooth were also influenced by the number of SM. Conclusion. Secondary caries are likely to develop from the marginal region of the crown in the oral cavity with a high caries risk unless a preventive program is prepared and the oral environment is improved following the program. PMID:22287964

Impact of a program to promote health and quality of life of elderly.

PubMed

Tamai, Silvia Affini Borsoi; Paschoal, Sergio Márcio Pacheco; Litvoc, Julio; Machado, Adriana Nunes; Curiati, Pedro Kallas; Prada, Luis Felipe; Jacob-Filho, Wilson

2011-03-01

To evaluate the effect on quality of life of elderly people enrolled in GAMIA - Multidisciplinary Care Group to Outpatient Elderly Subjects (Grupo de Assistência Multidisciplinar ao Idoso Ambulatorial) of the Geriatric Department, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo. Between 2000 and 2002, 83 elderly participants of GAMIA were assessed by the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-bref) at the beginning and the end of the program. Functionality was assessed by Katz and Lawton scales and sociodemographic data were obtained from medical charts. Females predominated (79.5%) and overall mean age was 69.30 years. Data analysis showed a reduction in the physical domain of WHOQOL-bref (p = 0.014) and increased psychological health and environment domains (p = 0.029 and p = 0.007, respectively), detecting a trend of increase in social relationships and in general domains (p = 0.062 and p = 0.052, respectively). The clinical evaluation of the elderly detected previously unknown diseases and determination of the use of new drugs, which might have been the predominant factor for the deterioration of their perception in the physical domain. Improvement in psychological health and the environment can be related to psychological and social support that the elderly received from peers and professionals and the benefits of group activities, as well as the upward trend observed in social relationships and general domains. Participation in a program to promote healthy aging was effective in improving the quality of life of the elderly.

Tree-ring δ13C and δ18O, leaf δ13C and wood and leaf N status demonstrate tree growth strategies and predict susceptibility to disturbance

PubMed Central

Billings, S.A.; Boone, A.S.; Stephen, F.M.

2016-01-01

Understanding how tree growth strategies may influence tree susceptibility to disturbance is an important goal, especially given projected increases in diverse ecological disturbances this century. We use growth responses of tree rings to climate, relationships between tree-ring stable isotopic signatures of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O), wood nitrogen concentration [N], and contemporary leaf [N] and δ13C values to assess potential historic drivers of tree photosynthesis in dying and apparently healthy co-occurring northern red oak (Quercus rubra L. (Fagaceae)) during a region-wide oak decline event in Arkansas, USA. Bole growth of both healthy and dying trees responded negatively to drought severity (Palmer Drought Severity Index) and temperature; healthy trees exhibited a positive, but small, response to growing season precipitation. Contrary to expectations, tree-ring δ13C did not increase with drought severity. A significantly positive relationship between tree-ring δ13C and δ18O was evident in dying trees (P < 0.05) but not in healthy trees. Healthy trees’ wood exhibited lower [N] than that of dying trees throughout most of their lives (P < 0.05), and we observed a significant, positive relationship (P < 0.05) in healthy trees between contemporary leaf δ13C and leaf N (by mass), but not in dying trees. Our work provides evidence that for plants in which strong relationships between δ13C and δ18O are not evident, δ13C may be governed by plant N status. The data further imply that historic photosynthesis in healthy trees was linked to N status and, perhaps, C sink strength to a greater extent than in dying trees, in which tree-ring stable isotopes suggest that historic photosynthesis was governed primarily by stomatal regulation. This, in turn, suggests that assessing the relative dominance of photosynthetic capacity vs stomatal regulation as drivers of trees’ C accrual may be a feasible means of predicting tree responses to some disturbance events. Our work demonstrates that a dual isotope, tree-ring approach can be integrated with tree N status to begin to unravel a fundamental question in forest ecology: why do some trees die during a disturbance, while other conspecifics with apparently similar access to resources remain healthy? PMID:26960389

Mexican American female adolescents' perceptions of relationships and dating violence.

PubMed

Haglund, Kristin; Belknap, Ruth Ann; Garcia, Juanita Terrie

2012-09-01

This study fills a gap regarding the perspectives of Mexican American female adolescents on dating relationships and dating violence (DV). This was a qualitative descriptive study. Focus groups included 20 Mexican American young women, primarily first and second generation, mean age 14.5 years (SD= 2.5). Data were analyzed with categorical analysis. Participants described key components of DV and identified cultural aspects that may serve to promote healthy dating relationships. Family-based interventions to promote exploration of gender roles and parent-child communication may foster biculturalism as well as promote healthy dating relationships and prevent violence within this cultural group. In the United States, 10% to 40% of teens experience DV. Hispanic females experience more physical DV than their White peers. © 2012 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The role of colleges and schools of pharmacy in the advent of Healthy People 2020.

PubMed

Offiong, Charlene Y; Oji, Valerie U; Bunyan, Wendell; Lewis, Jacqueline A; Moore, Clarence; Olusanya, Olu A

2011-04-11

As the need for more experiential sites increases, colleges and schools of pharmacy should consider innovative and strategic approaches to expansion including adding programs that would address the target areas emphasized by Healthy People 2020. Healthy People 2020 encompasses the following areas: adolescent health, early and middle childhood, genomics, global health, health information technology, healthcare-associated infections, hearing and other sensory or communicating disorders (ear, nose, throat-voice, speech and language), weight status, older adults, quality of life and well-being, and social determinants of health. Academic leaders should consider what role exists for pharmacy practice in these areas and focus future program and curriculum development on Healthy People 2020 topic areas.

Putting Youth Relationship Education on the Child Welfare Agenda: Findings from a Research and Evaluation Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Mindy E.; Moore, Kristin Anderson; Hawkins, Alan J.; Malm, Karin; Beltz, Martha

2012-01-01

Relationships are important in helping youth, including vulnerable youth, achieve their goals and a transition into adulthood. Having the skills to manage healthy intimate partner relationships can make a difference as youth make decisions related to school, employment, pregnancy prevention, and establishing strong relationships. These skills may…

The Mediator Role of Need Satisfaction between Subjective Well-Being and Romantic Relationships Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eryilmaz, Ali; Dogan, Tayfun

2013-01-01

Problem Statement: The most important part of identity exploration for emerging adults is love. Establishing healthy intimate relationships support the process of identity exploration. In addition to the positive and negative factors that affect romantic relationships, the concept of quality is also very important in these romantic relationships.…

The relationship of family characteristics and bipolar disorder using causal-pie models.

PubMed

Chen, Y-C; Kao, C-F; Lu, M-K; Yang, Y-K; Liao, S-C; Jang, F-L; Chen, W J; Lu, R-B; Kuo, P-H

2014-01-01

Many family characteristics were reported to increase the risk of bipolar disorder (BPD). The development of BPD may be mediated through different pathways, involving diverse risk factor profiles. We evaluated the associations of family characteristics to build influential causal-pie models to estimate their contributions on the risk of developing BPD at the population level. We recruited 329 clinically diagnosed BPD patients and 202 healthy controls to collect information in parental psychopathology, parent-child relationship, and conflict within family. Other than logistic regression models, we applied causal-pie models to identify pathways involved with different family factors for BPD. The risk of BPD was significantly increased with parental depression, neurosis, anxiety, paternal substance use problems, and poor relationship with parents. Having a depressed mother further predicted early onset of BPD. Additionally, a greater risk for BPD was observed with higher numbers of paternal/maternal psychopathologies. Three significant risk profiles were identified for BPD, including paternal substance use problems (73.0%), maternal depression (17.6%), and through poor relationship with parents and conflict within the family (6.3%). Our findings demonstrate that different aspects of family characteristics elicit negative impacts on bipolar illness, which can be utilized to target specific factors to design and employ efficient intervention programs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Pediatric Integrative Medicine in Residency Program: Relationship between Lifestyle Behaviors and Burnout and Wellbeing Measures in First-Year Residents.

PubMed

McClafferty, Hilary; Brooks, Audrey J; Chen, Mei-Kuang; Brenner, Michelle; Brown, Melanie; Esparham, Anna; Gerstbacher, Dana; Golianu, Brenda; Mark, John; Weydert, Joy; Yeh, Ann Ming; Maizes, Victoria

2018-04-23

It is widely recognized that burnout is prevalent in medical culture and begins early in training. Studies show pediatricians and pediatric trainees experience burnout rates comparable to other specialties. Newly developed Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies in professionalism and personal development recognize the unacceptably high resident burnout rates and present an important opportunity for programs to improve residents experience throughout training. These competencies encourage healthy lifestyle practices and cultivation of self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, mindfulness, and compassion—a paradigm shift from traditional medical training underpinned by a culture of unrealistic endurance and self-sacrifice. To date, few successful and sustainable programs in resident burnout prevention and wellness promotion have been described. The University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine Pediatric Integrative Medicine in Residency (PIMR) curriculum, developed in 2011, was designed in part to help pediatric programs meet new resident wellbeing requirements. The purpose of this paper is to detail levels of lifestyle behaviors, burnout, and wellbeing for the PIMR program’s first-year residents ( N = 203), and to examine the impact of lifestyle behaviors on burnout and wellbeing. The potential of the PIMR to provide interventions addressing gaps in lifestyle behaviors with recognized association to burnout is discussed.

Female sexual dysfunction in young adult women - Impact of age and lifestyle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoian, Dana; PAter, Liana; Pater, Flavius; Craciunescu, Mihaela

2014-12-01

Female sexual function is a difficult entity to be assessed. Subjective factors and interview biases can change the perception of it. Using validated questionnaires can improve the scientific approach to this matter. There is a huge difference of severity and incidence among young, apparent healthy women, which are in a harmonious relationship. We evaluated 320 healthy women, with stable sexual active relationship, with no know depressive disease, endocrinological and metabolic pathology, no premature menopause, no malignancy. We compose a mathematic model to study the impact of age, and body weight on the sexual function, with FSFI total score as surrogate marker. We observed that even in healthy women, increase in age and/or weight/body mass significantly impair general sexual function.

Community health navigators for breast- and cervical-cancer screening among Cambodian and Laotian women: intervention strategies and relationship-building processes.

PubMed

Ngoc Nguyen, Tu-Uyen; Tanjasiri, Sora Park; Kagawa-Singer, Marjorie; Tran, Jacqueline H; Foo, Mary Anne

2008-10-01

In recent years, there has been a growing number of programs employing health navigators to assist underserved individuals in overcoming barriers to obtaining regular and quality health care. This article describes the perspectives and experiences of community-based health navigators in the Cambodian and Laotian communities involved in a REACH 2010 project to reduce health disparities in breast and cervical cancer among Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian communities in California. These community health navigators, who have extensive training and knowledge about the cultural, historical, and structural needs and resources of their communities, are well equipped to build trusting relationships with community members traditionally ignored by the mainstream medical system. By comparing the different social support roles and intervention strategies employed by community health navigators in diverse communities, we can better understand how these valuable change agents of the health workforce are effective in improving health access and healthy behaviors for underserved communities.

Relationship Between Negative Mood and Health Behaviors in an Immigrant and Refugee Population.

PubMed

Morrison, Eleshia J; Clark, Matthew M; Wieland, Mark L; Weis, Jennifer A; Hanza, Marcelo M K; Meiers, Sonja J; Patten, Christi A; Sloan, Jeff A; Novotny, Paul J; Sim, Leslie A; Nigon, Julie A; Sia, Irene G

2017-06-01

Immigrants experience an escalation of negative health behaviors after arrival to the United States. Negative mood is associated with poorer health behaviors in the general population; however, this relationship is understudied in immigrant populations. Adolescent (n = 81) and adult (n = 70) participants completed a health behavior survey for immigrant families using a community-based participatory research approach. Data was collected for mood, nutrition, and physical activity. Adolescents with positive mood drank less regular soda, and demonstrated more minutes, higher levels, and greater social support for physical activity (all ps < .05). Adults with positive mood reported more snacking on fruits/vegetables, greater self-efficacy for physical activity, and better physical well-being (all ps < .05). Negative mood was associated with low physical activity level and poor nutritional habits in adolescent and adult immigrants. Designing community-based programs offering strategies for mood management and healthy lifestyle change may be efficacious for immigrant populations.

Health assessments of brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) nestlings from colonies in South Carolina and Georgia, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferguson, L.M.; Norton, Terry M.; Cray, Carolyn; Oliva, M.; Jodice, Patrick G.R.

2014-01-01

Health evaluations of brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) nestlings from three colonies along the Atlantic coast of the southeastern United States were performed in 2005, 2007, and 2008. The primary objective of this study was to establish baseline data for hematologic, biochemical, and serologic values from a relatively healthy population of free-living pelicans during early chick development. Relationships among health variables and colony site, ectoparasite infestation, sex, and body condition index were also evaluated. Reference intervals are presented for health variables, including novel analytes for the species, as well as a comparison of these results with previously published values for wild pelicans. No significant relationships were found between health variables and nestling sex or body condition; however, differences between colony sites and the presence of ectoparasites were detected. The inclusion of health assessments as a regular component of management programs for seabirds can provide data to better understand the effect to species of concern when drastic changes occur to the population and its environment.

Reported Motivations for and Locations of Healthy Eating among Georgia High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumar, Gayathri S.; Bryan, Michael; Bayakly, Rana; Drenzek, Cherie; Merlo, Caitlin; Perry, Geraldine S.

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding how youth perceive eating healthy foods can inform programs and policies that aim to improve healthy eating. We assessed the reasons for and the most common locations of eating healthy foods among Georgia's (GA) high school (HS) students. Methods: Using the 2013 GA HS Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we examined motivations…

Physiologic Responses of Able-Bodied and Paraplegic Males to Maximal Arm Ergometry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Israel, Richard G.; And Others

A study compared physiologic responses of healthy paraplegic males to those of healthy, able-bodied males during maximal arm ergometry. Fifteen able-bodied, healthy adult males and 13 healthy adult male paraplegics followed an exercise program involving heart rate, increased exercise loads, and oxygen uptake. Results from an analysis of the data…

A Healthy Eating Education Program for Midwives to Investigate and Explore Their Knowledge, Understanding, and Confidence to Support Pregnant Women to Eat Healthily: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study

PubMed Central

Steen, Mary P; Jayasekara, Rasika; Fleet, Julie-Anne

2018-01-01

Background Nutrition and healthy eating behaviors during pregnancy are vitally important for the health of a mother and her developing baby. However, some midwives have reported a lack of evidence-based nutrition knowledge for providing information about healthy eating to women during pregnancy. Objective In this study, the aim is to design and evaluate a healthy eating education program to enhance midwives’ knowledge, understanding, and confidence to support pregnant women in South Australia to make healthy eating choices. Methods This mixed-methods study consists of two phases. The first phase, Phase 1, consists of an education program for midwives, “Healthy Eating in Pregnancy,” to be delivered through a workshop or webinar. Each midwife will attend one workshop or webinar, which will be approximately two hours in length. This program will be evaluated through pre-, immediate-, and post-educational questionnaires utilizing a website specifically designed for this study. The participants will be midwives who are members of the Australian College of Midwives and the Australian Nursing and Midwives Federation, and users of social media (eg, Facebook and Twitter) residing and employed in South Australia. Phase 2 will consist of semistructured interviews with a purposive sample of midwives. These interviews will be undertaken to gain an in-depth understanding of midwives’ views and how confident they feel educating pregnant women after receiving the healthy eating education. Interviews will be face-to-face or conducted by telephone with midwives who have participated in the healthy eating educational program. Results A systematic review has previously been undertaken to inform this study protocol. This paper describes and discusses the protocol for this mixed-methods study, which will be completed in April 2019. Conclusions The results from the systematic review suggest that there is clear justification to undertake this mixed-methods study to investigate and explore midwives’ knowledge, understanding and confidence to support healthy eating in pregnant women. The results and conclusions from the systematic review provided some guidance for the design and development of this study protocol. This mixed-methods study will address a gap in the literature. The results from quantitative and qualitative data sources in this proposed study will help to draw conclusions to address the research topic. Registered Report Identifier RR1-10.2196/9861 PMID:29802092

Time perspectives and convenience food consumption among teenagers in Vietnam: The dual role of hedonic and healthy eating values.

PubMed

Olsen, Svein Ottar; Tuu, Ho Huy

2017-09-01

This study uses the subscales of Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) to explore the effects of future (CFC-future) and immediate (CFC-immediate) on convenience food consumption among teenagers in Vietnam. Furthermore, we investigate the mediating and dual role of hedonic and healthy eating values in the relationships between CFCs and convenience food consumption. Survey data from 451 teenagers in Central Vietnam and structural equation modelling were used to test the relationships in a proposed theoretical model. The results indicate that while CFC-immediate and hedonic eating value has a positive direct effect, CFC-future and healthy eating value has a negative direct effect on convenience food consumption. The findings also reveal that both CFC-immediate and CFC-future have positive effects on hedonic and healthy eating values. However, this study argues and tests the relative importance of the direct (asymmetric) effects of time perspectives on eating values, and finds that while CFC-future dominate in explaining healthy eating values, CFC-immediate dominate in explaining hedonic eating values. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Eating better for less: a national discount program for healthy food purchases in South Africa.

PubMed

An, Ruopeng; Patel, Deepak; Segal, Darren; Sturm, Roland

2013-01-01

To examine whether reducing prices for healthy food purchases leads to changes in self-reported measures of food consumption and weight status. Repeated surveys of about 350,000 HealthyFood participants and nonparticipants. Program participation is associated with more consumption of fruits/vegetables and whole-grain foods and less consumption of high sugar/salt foods, fried foods, processed meats, and fast food. There is no strong evidence that participation reduces obesity. A substantial price intervention might be effective in improving diets.

Pilot testing of the "First You Should Get Stronger" program among caregivers of older adults with dementia.

PubMed

Lök, Neslihan; Bademli, Kerime

In this study, randomized controlled interventional study pattern was used to examine the effects of the "First You Should Get Stronger" program on the caregiving burden and healthy life style behavior of caregivers of dementia patients. "Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale" and "Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale" were used. The study was completed with 40 caregivers in total with 20 in the intervention group and 20 in the control group. A statistically significant difference was determined between the "Zarit Caregiving Burden Scale" and "Healthy Life Style Behavior Scale" score averages of the intervention group that participated in the "First You Should Get Stronger" program in comparison with those of the control group. It is important for the healths of caregivers to include similar programs for the caregivers of dementia patients in continuous and regular applications. The results highlight the importance of the "First You Should Get Stronger" program significantly decreased the caregiving burden and significantly developed the healthy lifestyle behaviors of caregivers in the intervention group. Since dementia is a difficult neurological syndrome with patients cared at home, it generally wears out the caregivers significantly. It is suggested that the nurses and healthcare professionals working with dementia patients are evaluated separately and that they carry out caregiving applications within the scope of the "First You Should Get Stronger" program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship of Temporal Lobe Volumes to Neuropsychological Test Performance in Healthy Children

PubMed Central

Wells, Carolyn T.; Matson, Melissa A.; Kates, Wendy R.; Hay, Trisha; Horska, Alena

2008-01-01

Ecological validity of neuropsychological assessment includes the ability of tests to predict real-world functioning and/or covary with brain structures. Studies have examined the relationship between adaptive skills and test performance, with less focus on the association between regional brain volumes and neurobehavioral function in healthy children. The present study examined the relationship between temporal lobe gray matter volumes and performance on two neuropsychological tests hypothesized to measure temporal lobe functioning (Visual Perception-VP; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third Edition-PPVT-III) in 48 healthy children ages 5-18 years. After controlling for age and gender, left and right temporal and left occipital volumes were significant predictors of VP. Left and right frontal and temporal volumes were significant predictors of PPVT-III. Temporal volume emerged as the strongest lobar correlate with both tests. These results provide convergent and discriminant validity supporting VP as a measure of the “what” system; but suggest the PPVT-III as a complex measure of receptive vocabulary, potentially involving executive function demands. PMID:18513844

Healthy cooking classes at a children’s cancer hospital and patient/survivor summer camp: initial reactions and feasibility

PubMed Central

Raber, Margaret; Crawford, Karla; Chandra, Joya

2018-01-01

Objective Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) have been shown to practice sub-optimal dietary intake and may benefit from nutrition interventions during and after treatment. Cooking classes have become popular for encouraging healthy eating behaviors in community-based programming and academic research, however, literature on teaching cooking classes in CCS is limited. The purpose of this study is to address the development and implementation of classes for CCS based on a recently developed framework of healthy cooking behavior. Design A conceptual framework was developed from a systematic literature review and used to guide healthy cooking classes for CCS in different settings. Setting One pediatric cancer hospital inpatient unit, one pediatric cancer in-hospital camp program and two off-site pediatric cancer summer camp programs. Subjects One hundred and eighty nine CCS of varying ages and thirteen parents of CCS. Results Seventeen classes were taught at camps and seven classes in the hospital inpatient unit. Healthy cooking classes based on the conceptual framework are feasible and were well received by CCS. Conclusions Cooking classes for CCS, both at the hospital and at camp, reinforced the principles of the conceptual framework. Future trials should assess the dietary and anthropometric impact of evidence-based healthy cooking classes in CCS. PMID:28463101

Friend Flips: A Story Activity about Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szucs, Leigh; Reyes, Jovanni V.; Farmer, Jennifer; Wilson, Kelly L.; McNeill, Elisa Beth

2015-01-01

Adolescents are influenced by the type, length and quality of the connections shared with different people throughout their lifespan. Relationships with peers, friends, and adults help to shape knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to health. Recognizing healthy or unhealthy characteristics allow youth to strengthen relationships and…

Cataplexy in anxious patients: is subclinical narcolepsy underrecognized in anxiety disorders?

PubMed

Flosnik, Dawn L; Cortese, Bernadette M; Uhde, Thomas W

2009-06-01

Excessive daytime sleepiness, hypnagogic-hypnopompic hallucinations, sleep paralysis, and cataplexy are symptoms associated with narcolepsy. Recent findings indicate that anxiety disorders also are associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, hypnagogic-hypnopompic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. These observations suggest a possible relationship between anxiety disorders and narcolepsy. Cataplexy is considered the most specific symptom of narcolepsy, but its association with anxiety disorders is unknown. This preliminary investigation examined the prevalence and types of cataplexy in patients with primary anxiety disorders. Sex- and age-matched patients with anxiety disorders (N = 33) and healthy volunteers (N = 33) were assessed on standardized and validated measures of subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and subclinical narcoleptic events in the form of cataplexy (Stanford Center for Narcolepsy Revised Sleep Inventory). Patients were recruited from October 2006 to January 2007 from 2 programs of the Penn State Behavioral Health Clinic. Anxiety disorder patients as a group reported poorer sleep quality and endorsed a larger number of different types of situations (e.g., surprise, embarrassment) associated with cataplectic events. Among anxious patients, 33.3% (11 of 33) endorsed events specific for classic cataplexy, as opposed to 9.1% (3 of 33) of healthy volunteers (chi(2) = 5.80, p = .016). Our preliminary findings suggest that anxiety disorders are associated with increased rates of cataplexy. Future research is indicated to elucidate the relationship between anxiety and narcolepsy, with a particular focus on panic and generalized anxiety disorders. Copyright 2009 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

The repeatability of mean defect with size III and size V standard automated perimetry.

PubMed

Wall, Michael; Doyle, Carrie K; Zamba, K D; Artes, Paul; Johnson, Chris A

2013-02-15

The mean defect (MD) of the visual field is a global statistical index used to monitor overall visual field change over time. Our goal was to investigate the relationship of MD and its variability for two clinically used strategies (Swedish Interactive Threshold Algorithm [SITA] standard size III and full threshold size V) in glaucoma patients and controls. We tested one eye, at random, for 46 glaucoma patients and 28 ocularly healthy subjects with Humphrey program 24-2 SITA standard for size III and full threshold for size V each five times over a 5-week period. The standard deviation of MD was regressed against the MD for the five repeated tests, and quantile regression was used to show the relationship of variability and MD. A Wilcoxon test was used to compare the standard deviations of the two testing methods following quantile regression. Both types of regression analysis showed increasing variability with increasing visual field damage. Quantile regression showed modestly smaller MD confidence limits. There was a 15% decrease in SD with size V in glaucoma patients (P = 0.10) and a 12% decrease in ocularly healthy subjects (P = 0.08). The repeatability of size V MD appears to be slightly better than size III SITA testing. When using MD to determine visual field progression, a change of 1.5 to 4 decibels (dB) is needed to be outside the normal 95% confidence limits, depending on the size of the stimulus and the amount of visual field damage.

Randomized Trial of Healthy Families Arizona: Quantitative and Qualitative Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeCroy, Craig Winston; Davis, Melinda F.

2017-01-01

Home visitation has the potential to improve parent, child, and maternal outcomes and has become a widely implemented prevention program across the United States. The purpose of this research was to use a randomized controlled trial to assess the short-term effectiveness of the Arizona Healthy Families program across a range of outcomes. Two…

A Mixed-Methods Study: Self-Efficacy and Barriers to Participation in Workplace Wellness Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez-Calhoon, Massiel

2017-01-01

America needs a healthy workforce to sustain the country. The scourge of obesity continues to plague Americans despite government initiatives such as the Affordable Care Act and wellness programs in the workplace to combat this epidemic. However, despite initiatives to make America healthy, barriers continued to impede the nation's health. Lack of…

Embedding Physical Activity and Nutrition in Early Care and Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deiner, Penny Low; Qiu, Wei

2007-01-01

The infant and toddler years provide a window of opportunity to establish healthy habits as part of daily routines and activities that prevent childhood obesity. Early care and education programs have the opportunity to make a significant impact on physical development when they promote healthy eating and physical activity in their daily routines.…

Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Healthy Exercise, Eating, and Lifestyle Program for Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochrane, Thomas; Davey, Rachel C.

2017-01-01

BAckground: Reversing decline in physical fitness and increase in excess body weight in school children are considered major public health challenges. We evaluated a proposed model to integrate a screening and healthy exercise, eating, and lifestyle program (HEELP) into primary schools in Canberra, Australia. Objectives were: (1) to establish body…

Evaluating Form and Function of Regional Partnerships: Applying Social Network Analysis to the "Network for a Healthy California", 2001-2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregson, Jennifer; Sowa, Marcy; Flynn, Heather Kohler

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the partnership structure of the "Network for a Healthy California" ("Network"), a social marketing program, from 2001-2007, to determine if California's program was able to establish and maintain partnerships that (1) provided access to a local audience, (2) facilitated regional collaboration, (3)…

Nutrition Education and Training Program. State Plan for Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas State Board of Education, Topeka.

The Nutrition Education and Training Program (NETP) promotes healthy eating habits to improve the health and well-being of children. It integrates mealtime and learning experiences to help children make informed food choices part of a healthy lifestyle. Kansas NETP has adopted the national NETP philosophy and strategic direction, with goals…

Using skin carotenoids to assess dietary changes in students after one academic year of participating in the shaping healthy choices program

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: To determine whether 4th-grade students participating in the Shaping Healthy Choices Program (SHCP), a school-based nutrition intervention, change vegetable intake Design: quasi-experimental single group pre-test, post-test with a self-selected, convenience sample of students recruited at...

Creating Healthier Afterschool Environments in the Healthy Eating Active Communities Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hinkle, Arnell J.; Yoshida, Sallie

2014-01-01

Afterschool programs in California have the potential to play a major role in obesity prevention given that they serve close to a million low-income children. A five-year initiative called the Healthy Eating Active Communities (HEAC) was funded in 2005 by the California Endowment to demonstrate that disparities related to childhood obesity and…

4-H Healthy Living Programs with Impact: A National Environmental Scan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downey, Laura H.; Peterson, Donna J.; LeMenestrel, Suzanne; Leatherman, JoAnne; Lang, James

2014-01-01

The 4-H youth development program of the nation's 109 land-grant universities and the Cooperative Extension System is one of the largest youth development organization in the United States serving approximately six million youth. The 4-H Healthy Living initiative began in 2008 to promote achievement of optimal physical, social, and emotional…

Making Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Policy Practice: Process Evaluation of a Group Randomized Controlled Intervention in Afterschool Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, R. Glenn; Beets, Michael W.; Hutto, Brent; Saunders, Ruth P.; Moore, Justin B.; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Huberty, Jennifer L.; Ward, Dianne S.; Pate, Russell R.; Beighle, Aaron; Freedman, Darcy

2015-01-01

This study describes the link between level of implementation and outcomes from an intervention to increase afterschool programs' (ASPs) achievement of healthy eating and physical activity (HE-PA) Standards. Ten intervention ASPs implemented the Strategies-To-Enhance-Practice (STEPs), a multi-component, adaptive intervention framework identifying…

A gender-specific approach to improving substance abuse treatment for women: The Healthy Steps to Freedom program.

PubMed

Lindsay, Anne R; Warren, Cortney S; Velasquez, Sara C; Lu, Minggen

2012-07-01

Given that women increasingly report using drugs to lose weight, substance abuse treatment programs must include body image, weight, eating pathology, and health knowledge as core intervention targets. This study tested the efficacy of a supplemental health and body image curriculum designed for women in substance abuse treatment who report weight concerns called Healthy Steps to Freedom (HSF). Data from 124 adult women recruited from substance abuse treatment facilities in southern Nevada completed measures of drug use, body dissatisfaction, eating pathology, thin-ideal internalization, and health knowledge/behaviors before and after participation in the 12-week HSF program. Results revealed that thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorder symptoms significantly decreased after HSF program participation, whereas health-related behaviors (e.g., increased healthy food consumption) and knowledge (e.g., understanding of basic nutrition, exercise) increased. These results suggest that the inclusion of the HSF program in substance abuse treatment improves weight-related issues in substance-abusing women. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The StrongWomen-Healthy Hearts program in Pennsylvania: RE-AIM analysis.

PubMed

Folta, Sara C; Lichtenstein, Alice H; Seguin, Rebecca A; Goldberg, Jeanne P; Corbin, Marilyn A; Wiker, Nancy; Gauker, Jodi; Chui, Kenneth; Nelson, Miriam E

2015-03-01

Dissemination of evidence-based programs is needed to reduce CVD risk among midlife and older women. The aim of this study is to examine the public health impact of StrongWomen-Healthy Hearts in Pennsylvania using the RE-AIM framework. Reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance were assessed using qualitative and quantitative measures; effectiveness was assessed using a pretest-posttest within-participants design. Reach into the target population was 5 in 100,000. Compared to the target population, a greater percentage of participants were white, married, middle-class, and had a graduate degree. Effectiveness was demonstrated (weight loss -2.0 kg, p < 0.001). Adoption among trained leaders was high (83.3 %), as was fidelity in implementation (average score 9.3 of 10). No leaders maintained the program. To increase impact of the StrongWomen-Healthy Hearts Program, it will be important to lower the costs and modify the recruitment and training strategies to better reach low-income and minority women. Such strategies may also improve program maintenance.

Perceived benefits and barriers and self-efficacy affecting the attendance of health education programs among uninsured primary care patients.

PubMed

Kamimura, Akiko; Nourian, Maziar M; Jess, Allison; Chernenko, Alla; Assasnik, Nushean; Ashby, Jeanie

2016-12-01

Lifestyle interventions have shown to be effective in improving health status, health behaviors, and self-efficacy. However, recruiting participants to health education programs and ensuring the continuity of health education for underserved populations is often challenging. The goals of this study are: to describe the attendance of health education programs; to identify stages of change to a healthy lifestyle; to determine cues to action; and to specify factors affecting perceived benefits and barriers to healthy food choices and physical activity among uninsured primary care patients. Uninsured primary care patients utilizing a free clinic (N=621) completed a self-administered survey from September to December of 2015. US born English speakers, non-US born English speakers, and Spanish speakers reported different kinds of cues to action in attending health education programs. While self-efficacy increases perceived benefits and decreases perceived barriers for physical activity, it increases both perceived benefits and perceived barriers for healthy food choices. The participants who had attended health education programs did not believe that there were benefits for healthy food choices and physical activity. This study adds to the body of literature on health education for underserved populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cash-back rebate program for healthy food purchases in South Africa: results from scanner data.

PubMed

Sturm, Roland; An, Ruopeng; Segal, Darren; Patel, Deepak

2013-06-01

Improving diet quality is a key health promotion strategy. There is much interest in the role of prices and financial incentives to encourage healthy diet, but no data from large population interventions. This study examines the effect of a price reduction for healthy food items on household grocery shopping behavior among members of South Africa's largest health plan. The HealthyFood program provides a cash-back rebate of up to 25% for healthy food purchases in over 400 designated supermarkets across all provinces in South Africa. Monthly household supermarket food purchase scanner data between 2009 and 2012 are linked to 170,000 households (60% eligible for the rebate) with Visa credit cards. Two approaches were used to control for selective participation using these panel data: a household fixed-effect model and a case-control differences-in-differences model. Rebates of 10% and 25% for healthy foods are associated with an increase in the ratio of healthy to total food expenditure by 6.0% (95% CI=5.3, 6.8) and 9.3% (95% CI=8.5, 10.0); an increase in the ratio of fruit and vegetables to total food expenditure by 5.7% (95% CI=4.5, 6.9) and 8.5% (95% CI=7.3, 9.7); and a decrease in the ratio of less desirable to total food expenditure by 5.6% (95% CI=4.7, 6.5) and 7.2% (95% CI=6.3, 8.1). Participation in a rebate program for healthy foods led to increases in purchases of healthy foods and to decreases in purchases of less-desirable foods, with magnitudes similar to estimates from U.S. time-series data. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Police as contributors to Healthy Communities: Aiken, South Carolina.

PubMed

Frommer, P; Papouchado, K

2000-01-01

In Aiken, South Carolina, community policing has led to numerous innovative programs that have contributed to a healthy community. The MOMS and COPS (Managing Our Maternity System with Community Oriented Policing System) program has played a significant part in the county's 50% decrease in infant mortality since 1989 and contributed to Aiken's designation as an All-America City in 1997. Other programs include a mentoring program for at-risk teen girls; instant crime reporting with donated cellular phones; seminars for seniors to alert them to scams and common crimes; demolition of unsafe homes; free installation of smoke detectors; a child ID program; and parental education on child brain development.

The relations between conscientiousness and mental health in a North-European and a West-Asian culture.

PubMed

Farahani, Mohammad-Naghy; Kormi-Nouri, Reza; De Raad, Boele

2017-07-04

The relationship between conscientiousness, mental health and mental illness has been an issue for the last two decades. By using a dual model of mental health, the present study examined a non-linear relationship between conscientiousness and healthy or non-healthy symptoms in two different cultures. Participants in this study were 296 Iranian and 310 Swedish university students (18-24 years of age). We used two different conscientiousness scales; the 12-item conscientiousness subscale of the NEO/FFI as an imported (etic) scale, and a 10-item Iranian conscientiousness scale as an indigenous (emic) and culture-dependent scale. In both conscientiousness scales, multivariate analysis of variance showed that conscientiousness differentiated among four mental health groups (languishing, troubled, symptomatic and flourishing), although languishing and troubled individuals were less conscientious than flourishing and symptomatic individuals. Furthermore, the non-healthy symptomatic individuals were more conscientiousness than flourishing individuals. The results showed no significant differences between the two cultures in terms of the four mental health categories. It was concluded that the relationship between conscientiousness and mental health/mental illness is more a non-linear relationship than a linear one.

Examining the relationships between resources and online health information seeking among patients with chronic diseases and healthy people.

PubMed

Oh, Young Sam; Cho, Youngmin

2015-01-01

The Internet is increasingly used as an important source of health and medical-related information for people with chronic diseases. It is recognized that online health information seeking (OHIS) is influenced by individuals' multi-dimensional factors, such as demographics, socio-economic factors, perceptions of the Internet, and health conditions. This study applies the conservation of resource theory to examine relationships between various multi-dimensional factors, daily challenges, and OHIS depending on individuals' health conditions. The data used in this study was taken from the U.S. Health Tracking Survey (2012). In this study, Internet users aged 18 and older were classified into patients (N = 518) and healthy people (N = 677) based on their health status related to chronic diseases. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationships between multi-dimensional factors (resources), self-rated health, and OHIS. Patients' various resources (e.g., age, income, education, having a smartphone, and health tracking) significantly predicted their self-rated health and OHIS; in addition, self-rated health significantly mediated the relationships between focal resources and OHIS. However, the mediating effects of self-rated health were not found in healthy people.

Incentives for healthy behaviors: experience from Florida Medicaid's Enhanced Benefit Rewards program.

PubMed

Hall, Allyson G; Lemak, Christy Harris; Landry, Amy Yarbrough; Duncan, R Paul

2013-04-01

Engaging individuals in their own health care proves challenging for policy makers, health plans, and providers. Florida Medicaid introduced the Enhanced Benefits Rewards (EBR) program in 2006, providing financial incentives as rewards to beneficiaries who engage in health care seeking and healthy behaviors. This study analyzed beneficiary survey data from 2009 to determine predictors associated with awareness of and participation in the EBR program. Non-English speakers, those in a racial and ethnic minority group, those with less than a high school education, and those with limited or no connection to a health care provider were associated with lower awareness of the program. Among those aware of the program, these factors were also associated with reduced likelihood of engaging in the program. Individuals in fair or poor health were also less likely to engage in an approved behavior. Individuals who speak Spanish at home and those without a high school diploma were more likely than other groups to spend their earned program credits. Findings underscore the fact that initial engagement in such a program can prove challenging as different groups are not equally likely to be aware of or participate in an approved activity or redeem a credit. Physicians may play important roles in encouraging participation in programs to incentivize healthy behaviors.

Social Relationships in Young Adults at Ultra High Risk For Psychosis

PubMed Central

Robustelli, Briana L.; Newberry, Raeana E.; Whisman, Mark A.; Mittal, Vijay A.

2016-01-01

Studies suggest that individuals with schizophrenia have smaller social networks and less satisfying relationships. However, much is still unknown about the typical quantity and quality of social relationships in young adults during the ultra high-risk (UHR) period. Investigating these relationships holds significant importance for improving understanding of etiological processes, mapping the social environment, and highlighting treatment targets in a critical period. A total of 85 participants (44 UHR and 41 healthy controls) completed measures examining the participants’ social relationships, social support, and loneliness. Mean differences between the UHR and healthy control participants and associations between social relationships and symptoms and functioning were examined. Results indicated significant differences between groups on several indices. Specifically, the UHR youth reported fewer close friends, less diverse social networks, less perceived social support, poorer relationship quality with family and friends, and more loneliness. Notably, within the UHR group, being lonely and having fewer and worse quality relationships was associated with greater symptom severity and lower overall functioning. This study suggests that youth at high-risk of developing psychosis have fewer and poorer quality social relationships. Interventions that focus on increasing the quantity and quality of young adults’ social networks may be beneficial for this population. PMID:27987484

Paternal Lifestyle-Related Parenting Practices Mediate Changes in Children's Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors: Findings From the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids Community Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Lloyd, Adam B; Lubans, David R; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Morgan, Philip J

2015-09-01

This study examined potential parenting-related mediators of children's physical activity and dietary behavior change in the Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids (HDHK) community program. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 45 overweight/obese (mean [SD] age = 39.8 [5.4] years; BMI = 32.4 [3.8]) fathers and their children (n = 77; 58% boys; mean [SD] age = 7.7 [2.5] years). Families were randomized to either the HDHK program or wait-list control group. The program involved 7 sessions. Fathers and their children were assessed at baseline and at 14 weeks for physical activity (pedometery) and core food intake (Questionnaire). Fathers' lifestyle-related parenting practices included; self-efficacy, beliefs, modeling, logistic support, rules, cophysical activity, shared mealtime frequency and intentions. Significant intervention effects were found for cophysical activity and modeling physical activity. Cophysical activity mediated children's physical activity in the intervention ('mediated effect,' AB = 653, 95% CI = 4-2050) and was responsible for 59.5% of the intervention effect. Fathers' beliefs mediated children's percent energy from core foods (AB = 1.51, 95% CI = 0.05-5.55) and accounted for 72.9% of the intervention effect. Participation in the HDHK program positively impacted on fathers' cophysical activity with their child and beliefs about healthy eating which mediated changes in children's diet and physical activity behaviors.

Social Competence in Infants and Toddlers with Special Health Care Needs: The Roles of Parental Knowledge, Expectations, Attunement, and Attitudes toward Child Independence

PubMed Central

Zand, Debra; Pierce, Katherine; Thomson, Nicole; Baig, M. Waseem; Teodorescu, Cristiana; Nibras, Sohail; Maxim, Rolanda

2014-01-01

Little research has empirically addressed the relationships among parental knowledge of child development, parental attunement, parental expectations, and child independence in predicting the social competence of infants and toddlers with special health care needs. We used baseline data from the Strengthening Families Project, a prevention intervention study that tested Bavolek’s Nurturing Program for Parents and Their Children with Health Challenges to explore the roles of these variables in predicting social competence in infants and toddlers with special health care needs. Bivariate relationships among the study variables were explored and used to develop and test a model for predicting social competence among these children. Study findings pointed to a combination of indirect and direct influences of parent variables in predicting social competence. Results indicated that parents who encouraged healthy behaviors for developing a sense of power/independence were more likely to have children with social competence developing on schedule. Elements related to parental expectations, however, did not have the hypothesized relationships to social competence. The present study provides preliminary data to support the development of knowledge based interventions. Within medical settings, such interventions may indeed maximize benefit while minimizing cost. PMID:27417463

Healthy conversation skills: increasing competence and confidence in front-line staff.

PubMed

Black, Christina; Lawrence, Wendy; Cradock, Sue; Ntani, Georgia; Tinati, Tannaze; Jarman, Megan; Begum, Rufia; Inskip, Hazel; Cooper, Cyrus; Barker, Mary; Baird, Janis

2014-03-01

(i) To assess change in confidence in having conversations that support parents with healthy eating and physical activity post-training. (ii) To assess change in staff competence in using 'open discovery' questions (those generally beginning with 'how' and 'what' that help individuals reflect and identify barriers and solutions) post-training. (iii) To examine the relationship between confidence and competence post-training. A pre-post evaluation of 'Healthy Conversation Skills', a staff training intervention. Sure Start Children's Centres in Southampton, England. A total of 145 staff working in Sure Start Children's Centres completed the training, including play workers (43%) and community development or family support workers (35%). We observed an increase in median confidence rating for having conversations about healthy eating and physical activity (both P < 0·001), and in using 'open discovery' questions (P < 0·001), after staff attended the 'Healthy Conversation Skills' training. We also found a positive relationship between the use of 'open discovery' questions and confidence in having conversations about healthy eating post-training (r = 0·21, P = 0·01), but a non-significant trend was observed for having conversations about physical activity (r = 0·15, P = 0·06). The 'Healthy Conversation Skills' training proved effective at increasing the confidence of staff working at Sure Start Children's Centres to have more productive conversations with parents about healthy eating. Wider implementation of these skills may be a useful public health nutrition capacity building strategy to help community workers support families with young children to eat more healthy foods.

Healthy Conversation Skills: increasing competence and confidence in front-line staff

PubMed Central

Black, Christina; Lawrence, Wendy; Cradock, Sue; Ntani, Georgia; Tinati, Tannaze; Jarman, Megan; Begum, Rufia; Inskip, Hazel; Cooper, Cyrus; Barker, Mary; Baird, Janis

2013-01-01

Objectives 1) To assess change in confidence in having conversations that support parents with healthy eating and physical activity post-training. 2) To assess change in staff competence in using ‘open discovery’ questions (those generally beginning with “how” and “what” that help individuals reflect and identify barriers and solutions) post-training. 3) To examine the relationship between confidence and competence post-training. Design A pre-post evaluation of ‘Healthy Conversation Skills’, a staff training intervention. Setting Sure Start Children’s Centres in Southampton, England. Participants A total of 145 staff working in Sure Start Children’s Centres completed the training, including playworkers (45%) and community development or family support workers (31%). Results We observed an increase in median confidence rating for having conversations about healthy eating and physical activity (both p<0.001), and in using ‘open discovery’ questions (p<0.001) after staff attended the ‘Healthy Conversation Skills’ training. We also found a positive relationship between use of ‘open discovery’ questions and confidence in having conversations about healthy eating post-training (r=0.21, p=0.01), but a non-significant trend was observed for having conversations about physical activity (r=0.15, p=0.06). Conclusions The ‘Healthy Conversation Skills’ training has proved effective at increasing the confidence of staff working at Sure Start Children’s Centres to have more productive conversations with parents about healthy eating. Wider implementation of these skills may be a useful public health nutrition capacity building strategy to help community workers support families with young children to eat more healthy foods. PMID:22989477

Similar verbal memory impairments in schizophrenia and healthy aging. Implications for understanding of neural mechanisms.

PubMed

Silver, Henry; Bilker, Warren B

2015-03-30

Memory is impaired in schizophrenia patients but it is not clear whether this is specific to the illness and whether different types of memory (verbal and nonverbal) or memories in different cognitive domains (executive, object recognition) are similarly affected. To study relationships between memory impairments and schizophrenia we compared memory functions in 77 schizophrenia patients, 58 elderly healthy individuals and 41 young healthy individuals. Tests included verbal associative and logical memory and memory in executive and object recognition domains. We compared relationships of memory functions to each other and to other cognitive functions including psychomotor speed and verbal and spatial working memory. Compared to the young healthy group, schizophrenia patients and elderly healthy individuals showed similar severe impairment in logical memory and in the ability to learn new associations (NAL), and similar but less severe impairment in spatial working memory and executive and object memory. Verbal working memory was significantly more impaired in schizophrenia patients than in the healthy elderly. Verbal episodic memory impairment in schizophrenia may share common mechanisms with similar impairment in healthy aging. Impairment in verbal working memory in contrast may reflect mechanisms specific to schizophrenia. Study of verbal explicit memory impairment tapped by the NAL index may advance understanding of abnormal hippocampus dependent mechanisms common to schizophrenia and aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two Years of Relationship-Focused Mentoring for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Adolescents: Promoting Positive Mental Health.

PubMed

Crooks, Claire V; Exner-Cortens, Deinera; Burm, Sarah; Lapointe, Alicia; Chiodo, Debbie

2017-04-01

First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) youth are disproportionately affected by a range of negative health outcomes including poor emotional and psychosocial well-being. At the same time, there is increasing awareness of culturally-specific protective factors for these youth, such as cultural connectedness and identity. This article reports the findings of a mixed-methods, exploratory longitudinal study on the effects of a culturally-relevant school-based mentoring program for FNMI youth that focuses on promoting mental well-being and the development of cultural identity. Participants included a cohort of FNMI adolescents whom we tracked across the transition from elementary to secondary school. We utilized data from annual surveys (n = 105) and a subset of youth whom we interviewed (n = 28). Quantitative analyses compared youth who participated in 1 or 2 years of mentoring programs with those who did not participate. At Wave 3, the 2-year mentoring group demonstrated better mental health and improved cultural identity, accounting for Wave 1 functioning. These results were maintained when sex and school climate were accounted for in the models. Sex did not emerge as a significant moderator; however, post hoc analyses with simple slopes indicated that the mentoring program benefited girls more than boys for both outcomes. Interview data were coded and themed through a multi-phase process, and revealed that the mentoring program helped participants develop their intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, and enhanced their cultural and healthy relationships knowledge base. Collectively, the quantitative and qualitative components of this study identify multiple years of culturally-relevant mentoring as a promising approach for promoting well-being among FNMI youth.

Effect of an eccentrically biased hamstring strengthening home program on knee flexor strength and the length-tension relationship.

PubMed

Orishimo, Karl F; McHugh, Malachy P

2015-03-01

The purposes of this study were to document relative activation intensities of the hamstrings and gluteus maximus during 4 eccentric hamstring strengthening exercises and to assess the effects of a short-term strengthening program comprised of these exercises on knee flexor strength and the length-tension relationship. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. Electromyographic (EMG) activities from the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and gluteus maximus were recorded as subjects performed (a) standing hip extension with elastic resistance, (b) trunk flexion in single limb stance (diver), (c) standing split (glider), and (d) supine sliding bridge (slider). Baseline isometric knee flexor strength was measured at 90, 70, 50, and 30° of flexion at the knee with the subject seated and the hip flexed to 50° from horizontal. After completing the 4-week training program, strength tests were repeated. Repeated-measures analysis of variance were used to compare EMG activity between muscles and to assess angle-specific strength improvements. Hamstring activity exceeded gluteus maximus activity for resisted hip extension, glider, and slider exercises (p < 0.001) but not for the diver (p = 0.087). Hamstring activation was greatest during the slider and resisted hip extension and lowest during the glider and the diver. Knee flexor strength improved by 9.0% (p = 0.005) but was not angle specific (training by angle p = 0.874). The short-term home training program effectively targeted the hamstrings and resulted in strength gains that were similar at short and long muscle lengths. These data demonstrate that hamstring strength can be improved using eccentrically biased unilateral exercises without the use of weights or other equipments.

Impact of healthy work environments and multistage nurse residency programs on retention of newly licensed RNs.

PubMed

Kramer, Marlene; Halfer, Diana; Maguire, Pat; Schmalenberg, Claudia

2012-03-01

The objective of the study was to examine effects of nurse-confirmed healthy unit work environments and multistage nurse residency programs (NRPs) on retention rates of newly licensed RNs (NLRNs). Establishing a culture of retention and healthy clinical nurse practice environments are two major challenges confronting nurse leaders today. Nurse residency programs are a major component of NLRN work environments and have been shown to be effective in abating nurse turnover. Sample for this study consisted of 5,316 new graduates in initial RN roles in 28 Magnet® hospitals. There were no differences in retention rates by education or patient population on clinical unit. NLRN retention rate was higher in community than in academic hospitals. More than half of NLRNs were placed on units with very healthy work environments. Newly licensed RNs on units with work environments needing improvement resigned at a significantly higher rate than did other NLRNs. The quality of clinical unit work environments is the most important factor in NLRN retention.

To have sex or not to have sex? An online focus group study of sexual decision making among sexually experienced and inexperienced gay and bisexual adolescent men.

PubMed

DuBois, L Zachary; Macapagal, Kathryn R; Rivera, Zenaida; Prescott, Tonya L; Ybarra, Michele L; Mustanski, Brian

2015-10-01

Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, yet healthy sexuality and HIV prevention programs grounded in experiences unique to AGBM (e.g., coming out) are lacking, as is the formative work necessary to inform such programs. A richer understanding of factors informing AGBM's decisions to have or not have sex is needed. To fill this gap in the literature, we conducted qualitative and mixed-methods analyses of data collected in online focus groups with 75 ethnically diverse 14-18-year-old AGBM across the United States. Findings suggest that many reasons why AGBM choose to have or abstain from sex mirror those noted in the previous literature as influential for heterosexual adolescents (e.g., temptation, "horniness"). AGBM conveyed additional experiences/concerns that appeared unique to their sexual identity, particularly fears about pain during anal sex, and difficulties safely and accurately identifying same-sex partners. Both sexually experienced and inexperienced youth voiced reasons to wait or stop having sex. Sexually inexperienced youth said their motivations centered on wanting to avoid STIs and HIV, a desire to wait for the right partner, and the specialness of sex. On the other hand, sexually experienced AGBM said they stopped having sex if there was not an available partner they had interest in, or to improve their romantic relationship. Thus, while our findings suggest that there may be common factors across sexual identities that impact youth's sexual decision making, healthy sexuality programs for AGBM also need to address issues specific to being gay and bisexual.

International Youth Justice Systems: Promoting Youth Development and Alternative Approaches: A Position Paper of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.

PubMed

2016-10-01

Youth incarceration is an international public health concern among developed and developing countries. Worldwide, youth are held in incarceration, detention, and other secure settings that are inappropriate for their age and developmental stages, jeopardizing their prosocial development, and reintegration into society. Youth incarceration lacks evidence and cost-effectiveness. The well-being of youth is a key indicator of the welfare of families, communities, and society at large; therefore, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine (SAHM) supports a paradigm shift in the role of the justice system as it relates to treatment of youth. SAHM recommends justice systems focus greater attention and resources on identifying and reducing the antecedents of high-risk and criminal behaviors, recognizing the rights and freedom of young persons, and prioritizing the well-being of youth over punitive measures that may harm and disrupt healthy adolescent development. SAHM supports the following positions: (1) incarceration is a last option for selected offenders who have committed the most serious violent crimes and are unable to remain safely in the community; (2) youth justice policies, programs, and practices affecting youth be evidence based and trauma informed; (3) youth justice policies, programs, and practices must incorporate research and ongoing program evaluation; (4) youth justice policies shall protect the privacy and dignity of children younger than 18 years; and (5) health care professionals and media will promote positive portrayals of youth in healthy relationships within their communities and reduce representations and images of youth that are negative, violent, deviant, and threatening. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

To have sex or not to have sex? An online focus group study of sexual decision making among sexually experienced and inexperienced gay and bisexual adolescent men

PubMed Central

DuBois, L. Zachary; Macapagal, Kathryn R; Rivera, Zenaida; Prescott, Tonya; Ybarra, Michele; Mustanski, Brian

2015-01-01

Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, yet healthy sexuality and HIV prevention programs grounded in experiences unique to AGBM (e.g., coming out) are lacking, as is the formative work necessary to inform such programs. A richer understanding of factors informing AGBM’s decisions to have or not have sex is needed. To fill this gap in the literature, we conducted qualitative and mixed methods analyses of data collected in online focus groups with 75 ethnically-diverse 14–18 year old AGBM across the United States. Findings suggest that many reasons why AGBM choose to have or abstain from sex mirror those noted in previous literature as influential for heterosexual adolescents (e.g., temptation, “horniness”). AGBM conveyed additional experiences/concerns that appeared unique to their sexual identity, particularly fears about pain during anal sex, and difficulties safely and accurately identifying same-sex partners. Both groups voiced reasons to wait or stop having sex. Sexually inexperienced youth said their motivations centered on wanting to avoid STIs and HIV, a desire to wait for the right partner, and the specialness of sex. On the other hand, sexually experienced AGBM said they stopped having sex if there was not an available partner they had interest in, or to improve their romantic relationship. Thus, while our findings suggest that there may be common factors across sexual identity that impact youth’s sexual decision making, healthy sexuality programs for AGBM also need to address issues specific to being gay and bisexual. PMID:25925896

Putting Children's Sleep Problems to Bed: Using Behavior Change Theory to Increase the Success of Children's Sleep Education Programs and Contribute to Healthy Development.

PubMed

Blunden, Sarah; Benveniste, Tessa; Thompson, Kirrilly

2016-07-01

Sleep is critical for the healthy development of children, yet most children simply don't get enough. Whilst school based sleep education programs have been developed for parents and their children, they have had mixed success. We consider how use of behavior change theory in existing school-based sleep education programs can be improved by applying and apply a broader model to these programs. We find that the mixed success of school-based sleep education programs may be due to a plausible but misleading assumption that simply increasing information about the importance of sleep and the risks of insufficient and/or inefficient sleep will necessarily result in improved sleep behaviors. We identify the potential benefits of using behavior change theory in the development of sleep education programs but in particular, there is a need for theories incorporate the multiple biological, environmental and social impacts on children's sleep. Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological model is presented to illustrate how one such behavior change theory could significantly improve the success of sleep education programs and ultimately support the healthy development of children.

Healthy work environments and staff nurse retention: the relationship between communication, collaboration, and leadership in the pediatric intensive care unit.

PubMed

Blake, Nancy; Leach, Linda Searle; Robbins, Wendy; Pike, Nancy; Needleman, Jack

2013-01-01

A healthy work environment can improve patient outcomes and registered nurse (RN) turnover. Creating cultures of retention and fostering healthy work environments are 2 major challenges facing nurse leaders today. Examine the effects of the healthy work environment (communication, collaboration, and leadership) on RN turnover from data collected from a research study. Descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational design. Pediatric critical care RNs from 10 pediatric intensive care units (PICU) completed the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index Revised and a subscale of the Intensive Care Unit Nurse-Physician Communication Questionnaire. These staff nurses were asked whether they intend to leave their current job in the next 6 months. Statistical analysis included correlations, multiple linear regression, t tests (2-tailed), and 1-way analysis of variance. A total of 415 RNs completed the survey. There was a statistically significant relationship between leadership and the intent to leave (P < .05). There was also an inverse relationship between years of experience and intent to leave. None of the communication variables between RNs and among RNs and MDs or collaboration were significantly associated with PICU nurses' intention to leave. Effective leadership in the PICU is important to PICU RNs and significantly influences their decisions about staying in their current job.

From Diapers to Dating. A Parent's Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haffner, Debra W.

This step-by-step program for raising sexually healthy children helps parents provide accurate information and communicate their own values to their children. Chapter 1, "The Basics"; includes "Sexually Healthy Families"; "The Key: Finding Teachable Moments"; and "Guidelines for Communication." Chapter 2,…

Healthy Homes Tools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peek, Gina; Lyon, Melinda; Russ, Randall

2012-01-01

Extension is focusing on healthy homes programming. Extension educators are not qualified to diagnose consumers' medical problems as they relate to housing. We cannot give medical advice. Instead, we can help educate consumers about home conditions that may affect their well-being. Extension educators need appropriate healthy homes tools to…

Working to make the Clean Air Act and prescribed burning compatible

Treesearch

Trent Procter

1995-01-01

The Federal Clean Air Act of 1963 offers a challenge to the future of prescribed and natural fire programs in the United States. One aspect of maintaining healthy ecosystems for humans and natural resources is clean air. In addition, prescribed and natural fire programs are an important tool in maintaining healthy ecosystems, as well as satisfying the requirements of...

A Formative Evaluation of Healthy Heroes: A Photo Comic Book-Social Cognitive Theory Based Obesity Prevention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branscum, Paul; Housley, Alexandra; Bhochhibhoya, Amir; Hayes, Logan

2016-01-01

Purpose: Low consumption of fruits and vegetables is often associated with poor diet quality, and childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility, and conduct a formative evaluation, of Healthy Heroes, an innovative, social cognitive theory-based program that uses child created photo-comic books to promote fruit and…

76 FR 35301 - National School Lunch Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-17

... Program: School Food Service Account Revenue Amendments Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of... Kids Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-296) regarding equity in school lunch pricing and revenue from nonprogram... promulgates the provisions from sections 205 and 206 of Public Law 111-296, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act...

A comment on Scherr et al. "A multicomponent, school-based intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, improves nutrition-related outcomes"

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We write in response to the article by Scherr et al. entitled "A multicomponent, school-based intervention, the Shaping Healthy Choices Program, improves nutrition-related outcomes." We admire Scherr et al. for undertaking such a challenging study on so important a topic, and for wisely using a rand...

Collaborative evaluation of the healthy habits program: an effective community intervention to improve mobility and cognition of Chinese older adults living in the U.S

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objectives: There is a growing demand to reduce ethnic health disparities. The Healthy Habits Program (HHP) was implemented to provide a community-based physical activity and education intervention for Chinese older adults living in Boston, Massachusetts. This study evaluated the HHP by assessing ou...

Parent weight change predicts child weight change in family-based weight control program for pre-school children (Buffalo healthy tots)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Title: PARENT WEIGHT CHANGE PREDICTS CHILD WEIGHT CHANGE IN FAMILY-BASED WEIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM FOR PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN (BUFFALO HEALTHY TOTS), Teresa Quattrin, MOl, James N Roemmich, PhDI, Rocco Paluch, MAl, Jihnhee Yu, PhD2, Leonard H Epstein, PhDI and Michelle A Ecker, RD, CDEI . lpediatrics, Uni...

Healthy and Safe School Environment, Part I: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Sherry Everett; Fisher, Carolyn J.; Greene, Brenda Z.; Hertz, Marci F.; Pritzl, Jane

2007-01-01

Background: Policies set at the state, district, and school levels can support and enhance a healthy and safe school environment. Methods: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006, computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires were…

Mediterranean Diet

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity? Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing your Child's ...

Administrator self-ratings of organization capacity and performance of healthy community development projects in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chen, Ching-Min; Hong, Mei-Chu; Hsu, Yu-Hsien

2007-01-01

To examine the relationship between the capacities of various community organizations and their performance scores for healthy community development. This cross-sectional study was conducted by examining all community organizations involved in the Taiwan national healthy community development project. Of 213 administrators contacted, 195 (a return rate of 91.6%) completed a self-administered questionnaire between October and November 2003. The research instrument was self-developed and based on the Donabedian model. It examined the capacity of the community organizations and their performance in developing a healthy community. The average overall healthy community development performance score was 5.0 on a 7-point semantic differential scale, with the structure variable rated as the lowest among the 3 subscales. Community organization capacities in the areas of funding, resources committed, citizen participation, and certain aspects of organizational leadership were found to be significantly related to healthy community development performance. Each of the regression models showed a different set of capacities for the community organization domains and explained between 25% and 33% of the variance in performance. The study validates the theoretical relationships among the concepts identified in the Donabedian model. Nursing interventions tailored to enhance resident citizen participation in order to promote community coalitions are strongly supported.

Working with Teachers to Develop Healthy Relationships with Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein-Yamashiro, Beth; Noam, Gil G.

2013-01-01

This article describes activities that can be used with multiple audiences of teachers, administrators, or other caregivers regarding setting boundaries in personal relationships with students. First, participants must think about and discuss relationships that they experienced with their own teachers in the past and determine what aspects of…

Commuter Family Relationships: Alive and Thriving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Sharon Ervin

This study examined the impact that commuting, as part of a professional career lifestyle, has on family relationships. One hundred commuting couples participated in a paper and pencil survey. They responded to questions about coping as a family; dealing with the complications of children; keeping their relationship healthy; and commuting as a…

Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pepler, Debra; Craig, Wendy

2011-01-01

The Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet) involves Canadian researchers and national organizations working to promote healthy relationships and prevent bullying. In this paper, we provide the rationale for establishing PREVNet, a description of the work of the network, and an assessment of the success of PREVNet.…

A Phenomenological Investigation of Adolescent Dating Relationships and Dating Violence Counseling Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hays, Danica G.; Michel, Rebecca E.; Cole, Rebekah F.; Emelianchik, Kelly; Forman, Julia; Lorelle, Sonya; McBride, Rebecca; Sikes, April

2011-01-01

Despite the prevalence of dating violence, incidences often go unreported due to a lack of awareness among students as to appropriate dating behaviors. This phenomenology investigated how adolescents conceptualize and experience dating relationships. We explored adolescent females' definitions of healthy and abusive relationships, experiences with…

The Silicon Concentration in Cat Urine and Its Relationship with Other Elements

PubMed Central

TAKAHASHI, Fumihito; MOCHIZUKI, Mariko; YOGO, Takuya; ISHIOKA, Katsumi; YUMOTO, Norio; SAKO, Toshinori; UEDA, Fukiko; TAGAWA, Masahiro; TAZAKI, Hiroyuki

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT To understand the effects of silicon (Si) in the urine with respect to the formation of urinary stones, the distribution of Si in urine was observed. Urine samples from cats with urolithiasis (n=10) and healthy cats (n=15) were used. The concentration of Si in the cats with urolithiasis was significantly higher (P<0.001). A significant correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the concentration of Si and those of other elements, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and iron, only in the urine of the healthy cats. The distribution of elements in the urine differed between the cats with urolithiasis and the healthy cats. The Si concentration and its relationship with other elements were suggested to be useful biomarkers for urolithiasis in cats. PMID:24334829

Sleep, Hormones, and Circadian Rhythms throughout the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Women and Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

PubMed

Shechter, Ari; Boivin, Diane B

2010-01-01

A relationship exists between the sleep-wake cycle and hormone secretion, which, in women, is further modulated by the menstrual cycle. This interaction can influence sleep across the menstrual cycle in healthy women and in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), who experience specific alterations of circadian rhythms during their symptomatic luteal phase along with sleep disturbances during this time. This review will address the variation of sleep at different menstrual phases in healthy and PMDD women, as well as changes in circadian rhythms, with an emphasis on their relationship with female sex hormones. It will conclude with a brief discussion on nonpharmacological treatments of PMDD which use chronotherapeutic methods to realign circadian rhythms as a means of improving sleep and mood in these women.

Attention and Off-Topic Speech in the Recounts of Middle-Age and Elderly Adults: A Pilot Investigation

PubMed Central

Wills, Courtney L.; Capilouto, Gilson J.; Wright, Heather Harris

2013-01-01

Purpose The discourse of healthy older adults is commonly described as being lengthy and off-topic and is thought to be associated with a general cognitive decline that accompanies healthy aging. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the overall decline in attention associated with healthy aging and its relationship to instances of off-topic speech (OTS). Method Thirty cognitively healthy adults divided into 5 age cohorts (40–80) completed cognitive measures of attention and several discourse tasks that included recounting personal events. Results Cohorts differed significantly with respect to the measures of attention. However, no significant differences in the incidence of OTS were detected between the cohorts. Attention and the incidence of OTS were not significantly correlated within any of the cohorts. Conclusion No significant differences in the incidence of OTS and its relation to attention measures were found. However, the relationship between age-related declines in attention and increased OTS approached significance, suggesting the need for further study. PMID:23420319

Slow cortical potentials in migraine families are associated with psychosocial factors.

PubMed

Gerber, Wolf-Dieter; Stephani, Ulrich; Kirsch, Ellen; Kropp, Peter; Siniatchkin, Michael

2002-04-01

The aim of the study was the determination of the relationships between neurophysiological and psychosocial factors within the pathogenesis of migraine. The contingent negative variation (CNV), parent-child interactions and theirs relationship were investigated in 30 families with a migraine child and 20 healthy families. (1) None of the groups of children, independent of diagnosis, differed according to amplitude or habituation of the CNV. (2) Parents from migraine families exerted significantly more control over migraine children compared with interactions with healthy brothers/sisters. (3) The strong relation between CNV habituation/amplitude and abnormal pattern of parent-child interactions (especially overwhelming dominance and control) was found only for young migraineurs. This relation was not seen in healthy families or for healthy siblings of migraine children. This study provides significant evidence for a strong influence of family interactions on the development and maintenance of neurophysiological abnormalities in the migraineous headache. The role of psychosocial factors in the etiopathogenesis of migraine has to be investigated in further studies in more detail.

Sprouting Healthy Kids Promotes Local Produce and Healthy Eating Behavior in Austin, Texas, Middle Schools: Promoting the Use of Local Produce and Healthy Eating Behavior in Austin City Schools. Program Results Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feiden, Karyn

2010-01-01

The Sustainable Food Center, which promotes healthy food choices, partnered with six middle schools in Austin, Texas, to implement Sprouting Healthy Kids. The pilot project was designed to increase children's knowledge of the food system, their consumption of fruits and vegetables and their access to local farm produce. Most students at these…

The impact of the healthy schools program on reading, mathematics, and science achievement of 5th grade students: A causal-comparative inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrera, Christina Lynn

The obesity rate for children has become a national epidemic in America, resulting in the need to incorporate physical fitness and nutrition into the curriculum in an effort to improve health and academic achievement. The Healthy Schools Program (HSP) is an initiative that assists schools in establishing and sustaining healthy environments, which can be instrumental in making students perform better in school. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to examine the impact of the HSP on academic achievement. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Understanding school-age obesity: through participatory action research.

PubMed

DiNapoli, Pamela P; Lewis, James B

2008-01-01

This study aimed to assess current levels of overweight (obesity) and fitness among school students using objective data. School-based action research teams were recruited statewide by the New Hampshire Healthy Schools Coalition, the state team of the National Action for Healthy Kids Coalition. Action teams consisted of a physical education teacher, a school nurse, and a school administrator. Data were collected from 6,511 student participants aged 6 to 14 years, which was a representative cross-section from New Hampshire school districts. Key variables of interest in the study were body mass index, and ability to pass five fitness tests using FITNESSGRAM. Pearson's correlation was used to assess the relationships among body mass index, age, gender, and the percent of students that passed FITNESSGRAM tests. The ability of participants to pass the FITNESSGRAM tests declined markedly with age and differed between boys and girls, although the healthy fitness zones for any particular test was lower for girls. Body mass index was significantly negatively correlated with performance on all tests. Age was also statistically negatively correlated with performance on all tests; the relationship between gender and performance on the tests was less striking. Results reflected an increase in the prevalence of overweight school children, even in New Hampshire, which is purported to be one of the healthiest states in the nation. Results offered evidence that body mass index is a valid proxy measure for fitness levels and that fitness programs are necessary to effectively combat the obesity epidemic. Evidence-based changes need to be implemented to address obesity-related factors in schools, because children spend many of their waking hours in that setting. Physical activity during recess and physical education classes could help to increase energy expenditure and develop sound minds and bodies. Schools should consider the development of school-based wellness teams to advise and advocate improved school-based wellness policies. School nurses can take an active part in these initiatives.

Target Heart Rates

MedlinePlus

... a Healthy Heart Healthy Kids Our Kids Programs Childhood Obesity What is childhood obesity Overweight in Children BMI in Children Is Childhood Obesity an Issue in Your Home? Addressing Your Child's ...

76 FR 19683 - Conservation Program Recipient Reporting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-08

... regulation that has application or plan due dates after October 1, 2010. The Watershed Operations and Flood Prevention Program, Emergency Watersheds Protection Program, Healthy Forests Reserve Program, Agricultural Management Assistance Program, and the Conservation Stewardship Program have application or plan due dates...

Predicting healthy eating intention and adherence to dietary recommendations during pregnancy in Australia using the Theory of Planned Behaviour.

PubMed

Malek, Lenka; Umberger, Wendy J; Makrides, Maria; ShaoJia, Zhou

2017-09-01

This study aims to aid in the development of more effective healthy eating intervention strategies for pregnant women by understanding the relationship between healthy eating intention and actual eating behaviour. Specifically, the study explored whether Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs [attitude, subjective-norm, perceived-behavioural-control (PBC)] and additional psychosocial variables (perceived stress, health value and self-identity as a healthy eater) are useful in explaining variance in women's 1) intentions to consume a healthy diet during pregnancy and 2) food consumption behaviour (e.g. adherence to food group recommendations) during pregnancy. A cross-sectional sample of 455 Australian pregnant women completed a TPB questionnaire as part of a larger comprehensive web-based nutrition questionnaire. Women's perceived stress, health value and self-identity as a healthy eater were also measured. Dietary intake was assessed using six-items based on the 2013 Australian Dietary Guidelines. Hierarchical multiple linear regression models were estimated (significance level <0.05), which explained 70% of the variance in healthy eating intention scores and 12% of the variance in adherence to food group recommendations. TPB constructs explained 66% of the total variance in healthy eating intention. Significant predictors of stronger healthy eating intention were greater PBC and subjective norm, followed by positive attitude and stronger self-identity as a healthy eater. Conversely, TPB constructs collectively explained only 3.4% of total variance in adherence to food group recommendations. These findings reveal that the TPB framework explains considerable variance in healthy eating intention during pregnancy, but explains little variance in actual food consumption behaviour. Further research is required to understand this weak relationship between healthy eating intention and behaviour during pregnancy. Alternative behavioural frameworks, particularly those that account for the automatic nature of most dietary choices, should also be considered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Building Social Bonds: Connections That Promote Well-Being

MedlinePlus

... bonds help children and teens develop trust and self-esteem. They can then venture out of the family ... Kids Mental Health and Relationships (HHS) Parents:Healthy Communication and Relationships (HHS) Talking with Teens About Peer ...

Talk to Your Kids about Sex

MedlinePlus

... Topic En español Talk to Your Kids about Sex Browse Sections The Basics Overview Bodies and Puberty ... healthy expectations for their relationships. Talk about opposite-sex and same-sex relationships. When you talk about ...

Implementation of Policy, Systems, and Environmental Community-Based Interventions for Cardiovascular Health Through a National Not-for-Profit: A Multiple Case Study.

PubMed

Garney, Whitney R; Szucs, Leigh E; Primm, Kristin; King Hahn, Laura; Garcia, Kristen M; Martin, Emily; McLeroy, Kenneth

2018-05-01

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the American Heart Association to implement policy, systems, and environment-focused strategies targeting access to healthy food and beverages, physical activity, and smoke-free environments. To understand factors affecting implementation and variations in success across sites, evaluators conducted a multiple case study. Based on past literature, community sites were categorized as capacity-building or implementation-ready, for comparison. A sample of six communities were selected using a systematic selection tool. Through site visits, evaluators conducted interviews with program staff and community partners and assessed action plans. Evaluators identified important implications for nationally coordinated community-based prevention programming. Differences in implementation varied by the communities' readiness, with the most notable differences in how they planned activities and defined success. Existing partner relationships (or lack thereof) played a significant role, regardless of the American Heart Association's existing presence within the communities, in the progression of initiatives and the differences observed among phases. Last, goals in capacity-building sites were tied to organizational goals while goals in implementation-ready sites were more incremental with increased community influence and buy-in. Using national organizations as a mechanism to carry out large-scale community-based prevention work is a viable option that provides coordinated, wide-scale implementation without sacrificing a community's priorities or input. In funding future initiatives, the presence of relationships and the time needed to cultivate such relationships should be accounted for in the planning and implementation processes, as well as both local and national expectations.

Stress and child development.

PubMed

Thompson, Ross A

2014-01-01

Children's early social experiences shape their developing neurological and biological systems for good or for ill, writes Ross Thompson, and the kinds of stressful experiences that are endemic to families living in poverty can alter children's neurobiology in ways that undermine their health, their social competence, and their ability to succeed in school and in life. For example, when children are born into a world where resources are scarce and violence is a constant possibility, neurobiological changes may make them wary and vigilant, and they are likely to have a hard time controlling their emotions, focusing on tasks, and forming healthy relationships. Unfortunately, these adaptive responses to chronic stress serve them poorly in situations, such as school and work, where they must concentrate and cooperate to do well. But thanks to the plasticity of the developing brain and other biological systems, the neurobiological response to chronic stress can be buffered and even reversed, Thompson writes, especially when we intervene early in children's lives. In particular, warm and nurturing relationships between children and adults can serve as a powerful bulwark against the neurobiological changes that accompany stress, and interventions that help build such relationships have shown particular promise. These programs have targeted biological parents, of course, but also foster parents, teachers and other caregivers, and more distant relatives, such as grandparents. For this reason, Thompson suggests that the concept of two-generation programs may need to be expanded, and that we should consider a "multigenerational" approach to helping children living in poverty cope and thrive in the face of chronic stress.

Changes in brain-behavior relationships following a 3-month pilot cognitive intervention program for adults with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Porter, S; Torres, I J; Panenka, W; Rajwani, Z; Fawcett, D; Hyder, A; Virji-Babul, N

2017-08-01

Facilitating functional recovery following brain injury is a key goal of neurorehabilitation. Direct, objective measures of changes in the brain are critical to understanding how and when meaningful changes occur, however, assessing neuroplasticity using brain based results remains a significant challenge. Little is known about the underlying changes in functional brain networks that correlate with cognitive outcomes in traumatic brain injury (TBI). The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of an intensive three month cognitive intervention program in individuals with chronic TBI and to evaluate the effects of this intervention on brain-behavioral relationships. We used tools from graph theory to evaluate changes in global and local brain network features prior to and following cognitive intervention. Network metrics were calculated from resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings from 10 adult participants with mild to severe brain injury and 11 age and gender matched healthy controls. Local graph metrics showed hyper-connectivity in the right inferior frontal gyrus and hypo-connectivity in the left inferior frontal gyrus in the TBI group at baseline in comparison with the control group. Following the intervention, there was a statistically significant increase in the composite cognitive score in the TBI participants and a statistically significant decrease in functional connectivity in the right inferior frontal gyrus. In addition, there was evidence of changes in the brain-behavior relationships following intervention. The results from this pilot study provide preliminary evidence for functional network reorganization that parallels cognitive improvements after cognitive rehabilitation in individuals with chronic TBI.

Healthy Beyond Pregnancy, a Web-Based Intervention to Improve Adherence to Postpartum Care: Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial

PubMed Central

Donovan, Heidi; Wang, Stephanie; Weaver, Carrie; Grove, Jillian Rae; Facco, Francesca Lucia

2017-01-01

Background During the postpartum visit, health care providers address issues with short- and long-term implications for maternal and child health. Women with Medicaid insurance are less likely to return for a postpartum visit compared with women with private insurance. Behavioral economics acknowledges that people do not make exclusively rational choices, rather immediate gratification, cognitive and psychological biases, and social norms influence decision making. Drawing on insights from decision science, behavioral economists have examined how these biases can be modulated through carefully designed interventions. We have developed a Web-based tool, Healthy Beyond Pregnancy, that incorporates empirically derived concepts of behavioral economics to improve adherence rates to the postpartum visit. Objectives The primary objectives of this pilot study were to (1) refine and assess the usability of Healthy Beyond Pregnancy and (2) assess the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention. Methods We used a multistep process and multidisciplinary team of maternal-fetal medicine physicians, a behavioral economist, and researchers with expertise in behavioral interventions to design Healthy Beyond Pregnancy. We assessed the usability of the program with the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ), a validated 7-point scale, and semistructured interviews with postpartum women. We then conducted a feasibility trial to determine the proportion of eligible women who were willing to participate in an RCT of Healthy Beyond Pregnancy and the proportion of women willing to complete the Web-based program. Exploratory outcomes of the pilot trial included attendance at the postpartum visit, uptake of long-acting reversible contraception, and uptake of any contraception. Results The median PSSUQ score for Healthy Beyond Pregnancy was 6.5 (interquartile range: 6.1-7) demonstrating high usability. Semistructured interviews (n=10) provided in-depth comments about users’ experience and further improved the program. A total of 34 postpartum women with Medicaid insurance were approached for the pilot trial, and 30 (88%) were consented and randomized. All women randomized to Healthy Beyond Pregnancy completed the Web-based program, had text-enabled cell phones, and were willing to receive text messages from the study team. Women in the Healthy Beyond Pregnancy arm were more likely to return for a postpartum visit compared with women in the control arm with 85% of women in Healthy Beyond Pregnancy returning versus 53% in the control arm (odds ratio in the Healthy Beyond Pregnancy group: 5.3; 95% CI 0.9-32.0; P=.06). Conclusions We have developed a highly usable and acceptable Web-based program designed to increase attendance at the postpartum visit. Our pilot trial demonstrates that women are willing and able to participate in a randomized trial of a Web-based program and text messaging system. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03296774; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03296774 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6tpgXFzyk) PMID:29017990

Healthy cities: overview of a WHO international program.

PubMed

Goldstein, G

2000-01-01

Health is the outcome of all the factors and activities impinging upon the lives of individuals and communities. The last decade has seen an emerging understanding within development circles that living conditions are greatly affected by local action, by the work of local government, and by community groups and organizations. In addressing health and environmental issues and making interventions, an integrated approach, based on 'settings', exemplified in the Healthy Cities approach, has proved most effective. A Healthy City project can involve people and organizations in the programs and activities that are needed for better health, and enables a city or neighborhood to mobilize the human and financial resources required to address many health and quality of life issues. The WHO program involves implementating city projects and networks in all regions of the world and serves as a vehicle for many health programs, including major disease control initiatives. Healthy City projects allow Ministries of Health to develop stronger partnerships with local government organizations (such as the Union of Local Authorities and its members, "Local Agenda 21" initiatives, and others). One focus for the program is the development of 'multi-'multi-city action plans' for major global priority issues, including AIDS, sanitation, women's health, and violence, to ensure that major public health programs are strengthened by wider community participation. It is recognized that city networking--at national, regional, and international levels--now must be better exploited by individual cities and municipalities to solve local health problems.

Active and Healthy Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Stephen; Kovarik, Jessica; Leidy, Heather

2015-01-01

The Active and Healthy School Program (AHS) can be used to alter the culture and environment of a school to help children make healthier choices. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of AHS to increase physical activity while decreasing total screen time, increase healthy food choices, and improve knowledge about physical…

Multi-domain computerized cognitive training program improves performance of bookkeeping tasks: a matched-sampling active-controlled trial.

PubMed

Lampit, Amit; Ebster, Claus; Valenzuela, Michael

2014-01-01

Cognitive skills are important predictors of job performance, but the extent to which computerized cognitive training (CCT) can improve job performance in healthy adults is unclear. We report, for the first time, that a CCT program aimed at attention, memory, reasoning and visuo-spatial abilities can enhance productivity in healthy younger adults on bookkeeping tasks with high relevance to real-world job performance. 44 business students (77.3% female, mean age 21.4 ± 2.6 years) were assigned to either (a) 20 h of CCT, or (b) 20 h of computerized arithmetic training (active control) by a matched sampling procedure. Both interventions were conducted over a period of 6 weeks, 3-4 1-h sessions per week. Transfer of skills to performance on a 60-min paper-based bookkeeping task was measured at three time points-baseline, after 10 h and after 20 h of training. Repeated measures ANOVA found a significant Group X Time effect on productivity (F = 7.033, df = 1.745; 73.273, p = 0.003) with a significant interaction at both the 10-h (Relative Cohen's effect size = 0.38, p = 0.014) and 20-h time points (Relative Cohen's effect size = 0.40, p = 0.003). No significant effects were found on accuracy or on Conners' Continuous Performance Test, a measure of sustained attention. The results are discussed in reference to previous findings on the relationship between brain plasticity and job performance. Generalization of results requires further study.

Active Living Logan Square: joining together to create opportunities for physical activity.

PubMed

Gomez-Feliciano, Lucy; McCreary, Linda L; Sadowsky, Rob; Peterson, Serena; Hernandez, Adolfo; McElmurry, Beverly J; Park, Chang Gi

2009-12-01

The Active Living Logan Square target audience is the community of the southwest corner of Logan Square, an urban Chicago community of 84,466 residents, mostly Latinos. Through the Active Living by Design (ALbD) initiative, the Logan Square Neighborhood Association leveraged its 48 years of existence in the neighborhood to create opportunities and build partnerships. Activities addressed three primary goals: (1) enhance school environments and practices to support physical activity before, during, and after the school day; (2) encourage individuals and families to enjoy outdoor activities in their own communities; and (3) create safe, inviting places for activity that connect to surrounding communities. The partnership's participatory approach involved a variety of community stakeholders in developing and implementing affordable, accessible, culturally acceptable, and sustainable physical activities for children and their families. The partnership successfully piloted Open Streets (temporary street closures) and advocated for development of the Bloomingdale Trail, an elevated rails-to-trails project. In schools, the partnership changed the culture at McAuliffe Elementary to support healthy behaviors through new policies, physical projects, and programs. Vital components of the project's success included a full-time coordinator with strong community ties; time to build healthy relationships within the partnership and community; the use of culturally relevant strategies; and flexibility to welcome complementary opportunities. The partnership intentionally did not produce a single community-recognized campaign; instead, it chose to use limited resources to promote tangible programs and projects that led to sustainable and replicable changes that promote physical activity.

Prevalence of health promotion programs in primary health care units in Brazil

PubMed Central

Ramos, Luiz Roberto; Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Gomes, Grace Angélica de Oliveira; Bracco, Mário M; Florindo, Alex Antonio; Mielke, Gregore Iven; Parra, Diana C; Lobelo, Felipe; Simoes, Eduardo J; Hallal, Pedro Curi

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE Assessment of prevalence of health promotion programs in primary health care units within Brazil’s health system. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study based on telephone interviews with managers of primary care units. Of a total 42,486 primary health care units listed in the Brazilian Unified Health System directory, 1,600 were randomly selected. Care units from all five Brazilian macroregions were selected proportionally to the number of units in each region. We examined whether any of the following five different types of health promotion programs was available: physical activity; smoking cessation; cessation of alcohol and illicit drug use; healthy eating; and healthy environment. Information was collected on the kinds of activities offered and the status of implementation of the Family Health Strategy at the units. RESULTS Most units (62.0%) reported having in place three health promotion programs or more and only 3.0% reported having none. Healthy environment (77.0%) and healthy eating (72.0%) programs were the most widely available; smoking and alcohol use cessation were reported in 54.0% and 42.0% of the units. Physical activity programs were offered in less than 40.0% of the units and their availability varied greatly nationwide, from 51.0% in the Southeast to as low as 21.0% in the North. The Family Health Strategy was implemented in most units (61.0%); however, they did not offer more health promotion programs than others did. CONCLUSIONS Our study showed that most primary care units have in place health promotion programs. Public policies are needed to strengthen primary care services and improve training of health providers to meet the goals of the agenda for health promotion in Brazil. PMID:25372175