Isometric strength of the upper extremities in Czech men older than 18 years

The aim of this study was to compare isometric strength of the upper extremities in a sample of men from the Czech republic (n=638). Only the dominant upper limb was tested. The examined subjects were 18 years old or older. The measured values (in kilograms) were obtained via hand-held dynamometry testing (a digital hand-held dynamometer). The results of the hand-held dynamometry testing were compared across six age categories (18-29, 30-39, 40-49.... 70+ years). It was found that isometric strength of the dominant upper limb in men increases up to the age group 30-39 years and then declines. The highest average value (55.6 kg) was found in the age group 30-39 years, and expectably, the lowest values (34.4 kg) were documented in the age category 70+ years. The largest decline in isometric strength (-8.8 kg) was found between the age groups 60-69 years and 70+ years.

Trainee teachers' habits of healthy physical activity

Introduction: This study analyses the habits of physical activity of a group of students at the University of Vigo (Spain). Methods: It uses the SRHI (Self-Report Habits Index) scale, which was used for the first time in Spain. It starts from the premise that future educators should have good physical activity habits if they want to convey this attitude to their students due to its importance for health and quality of life. Results: Physical activity habits are well-established in future Secondary Education Physical Education teachers but not in future Infant and Primary Education teachers. In addition, there are greater physical activity habits in men, in students who previously participated in sport at school and at younger ages. The most common difficulties for creating physical activity habits are lack of time, sport facilities and companionship for carrying out the activity. Discussion: In this section our results, which broadly coincide with the results of other studies regarding the same subject, are contrasted with the results of those other studies.

What do older people understand by mobility-related difficulties?

Despite the centrality of the difficulty concept in the study of disability, there has been little research on its significance from the point of view of people with functional limitations. The main objective of this study was to describe what older people understand when asked about difficulty in undertaking mobility activities. As a secondary objective, we considered whether there are any differences depending on the type of activities, according to the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) mobility domains. Methods: Seventeen community-dwelling men and women aged 70 years old or over were interviewed by means of a questionnaire containing 55 items covering the ICF mobility domains. The participants responded to the items while thinking aloud, saying what led them to give a specific answer about their level of difficulty. Inductive content analysis was conducted and categories, subthemes and themes were identified. Results: Causes of difficulty (pathologies, impairments, symptoms) and accommodations (task modifications and use of aids) were the two themes identified; and their importance (and that of the subthemes included) varied across the types of activity. All the participants said that they had no difficulty in at least one task, despite mentioning changes in the way they performed them. Conclusions: Older people's opinions were consistent with theoretical models of disability and with the standard practice of measuring functional limitations by asking about the degree of difficulty; however, the design of these measures needs to be improved in order to detect perceptions of no difficulty in the presence of task modification.

Health inequality between immigrants and natives in Spain: the loss of the healthy immigrant effect in times of economic crisis

Background: The immigrant population living in Spain grew exponentially in the early 2000s but has been particularly affected by the economic crisis. This study aims to analyse health inequalities between immigrants born in middle- or low-income countries and natives in Spain, in 2006 and 2012, taking into account gender, year of arrival and socioeconomic exposures. Methods: Study of trends using two cross-sections, the 2006 and 2012 editions of the Spanish National Health Survey, including residents in Spain aged 15–64 years (20 810 natives and 2950 immigrants in 2006, 14 291 natives and 2448 immigrants in 2012). Fair/poor self-rated health, poor mental health (GHQ-12 > 2), chronic activity limitation and use of psychotropic drugs were compared between natives and immigrants who arrived in Spain before 2006, adjusting robust Poisson regression models for age and socioeconomic variables to obtain prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Inequalities in poor self-rated health between immigrants and natives tend to increase among women (age-adjusted PR2006 = 1.39; 95% CI: 1.24–1.56, PR2012 = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.33–1.82). Among men, there is a new onset of inequalities in poor mental health (PR2006 = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.86–1.40, PR2012 = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.06–1.69) and an equalization of the previously lower use of psychotropic drugs (PR2006 = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.11–0.43, PR2012 = 1.20; 95% CI: 0.73–2.01). Conclusions: Between 2006 and 2012, immigrants who arrived in Spain before 2006 appeared to worsen their health status when compared with natives. The loss of the healthy immigrant effect in the context of a worse impact of the economic crisis on immigrants appears as potential explanation. Employment, social protection and re-universalization of healthcare would prevent further deterioration of immigrants’ health status.