Assessing positive mental health in people with chronic physical health problems: correlations with socio-demographic variables and physical health status

Background: A holistic perspective on health implies giving careful consideration to the relationship between physical and mental health. In this regard the present study sought to determine the level of Positive Mental Health (PMH) among people with chronic physical health problems, and to examine the relationship between the observed levels of PMH and both physical health status and socio-demographic variables. Methods: The study was based on the Multifactor Model of Positive Mental Health (Lluch, 1999), which comprises six factors: Personal Satisfaction (F1), Prosocial Attitude (F2), Self-control (F3), Autonomy (F4), Problem-solving and Self-actualization (F5), and Interpersonal Relationship Skills (F6). The sample comprised 259 adults with chronic physical health problems who were recruited through a primary care center in the province of Barcelona (Spain). Positive mental health was assessed by means of the Positive Mental Health Questionnaire (Lluch, 1999). Results: Levels of PMH differed, either on the global scale or on specific factors, in relation to the following variables: age: global PMH scores decreased with age (r=-0.129; p=0.038); b) gender: men scored higher on F1 (t=2.203; p=0.028) and F4 (t=3.182; p=0.002), while women scored higher on F2 (t -3.086; p=0.002) and F6 (t=-2.744; p=0.007); c) number of health conditions: the fewer the number of health problems the higher the PMH score on F5 (r=-0.146; p=0.019); d) daily medication: polymedication patients had lower PMH scores, both globally and on various factors; e) use of analgesics: occasional use of painkillers was associated with higher PMH scores on F1 (t=-2.811; p=0.006). There were no significant differences in global PMH scores according to the type of chronic health condition. The only significant difference in the analysis by factors was that patients with hypertension obtained lower PMH scores on the factor Autonomy (t=2.165; p=0.032). Conclusions: Most people with chronic physical health problems have medium or high levels of PMH. The variables that adversely affect PMH are old age, polypharmacy and frequent consumption of analgesics. The type of health problem does not influence the levels of PMH. Much more extensive studies with samples without chronic pathology are now required in order to be able to draw more robust conclusions.

Self reported physical activity, public health, and perceived environment: results from a comparative European study

The focus of physical activity promotion is moving from methods for increasing health enhancing physical activity on the individual level to higher level strategies including environmental and policy approaches. Scientific inquiry, traditionally related to individual-based strategies, requires adaptation and refinement when environmental and policy changes become more relevant. The objective of this study is to investigate the significance for behaviour and health of community-based environments that encourage physical activity. DESIGN AND SETTING The article presents data and results from a cross sectional comparative survey of the general population in six European countries (Belgium, Finland, Germany (East and West), Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland). Specifically, the relation between perceived community-based opportunities for physical activity, self reported physical activity, and self rated health status is investigated. PARTICIPANTS Representative samples of general populations (adults 18 years or older). Overall response rate: 53.5%. Sample sizes realised: Belgium: n=389; Finland: n=400; Germany (East): n = 913; Germany (West): n=489; Netherlands: n=366; Spain: n=380; Switzerland: n=406. MAIN RESULTS Analyses show that best opportunities are reported by people who are lightly to moderately physically active. People's self rated health is moderately, but significantly associated with both perceived opportunities, and physical activity itself. These predictors interact in that especially for women, the health impact of physical activity is more pronounced in case of good opportunities. CONCLUSIONS The paper shows the potential of opportunities within residential and community environments with regard to physical activity, both for behaviour and health. Opportunities may enable the population, especially women, to develop an active lifestyle, and thus improve their health. Future studies with objective indicators for physical activity related environments should test the findings that are based on perceptions.

Testing of stair climbing point-of-choice prompts in Barcelona at an outdoor set of stairs and scalators on the Montjuïc site

Regular stair climbing has well-documented health dividends, such as increased fitness and strength, weight loss and reduced body fat, improved lipid profiles and reduced risk of osteoporosis. The general absence of barriers to participation makes stair climbing an ideal physical activity (PA) for health promotion. Studies in the US and the UK have consistently shown that interventions to increase the accumulation of lifestyle PA by climbing stairs rather than using the escalators are effective. However, there are no previous in Catalonia. This project tested one message for their ability to prompt travelers on the Montjuïc site to choose the stairs rather than the escalator when climbing up the Monjuïc hill. One standard message, " Take the stairs! 7 minutes of stair climbing a day protects your heart" provided a comparison with previous research done in the UK. Translated into Catalan and Spanish, it was presented on a poster positioned at the point of choice between the stairs and the escalator. The study used a quasi-experimental, interrupted time series design. Travelers, during several and specific hours on two days of the week, were coded for stair or escalator use, gender, age, ethnic status, presence of accompanying children or bags by one observer. Overall, the intervention resulted in a 81% increase in stair climbing. In the follow-up period without messages, stair climbing dropped out to baseline levels. This preliminary study showed a significant effect on stair use. However, caution is needed since results are based on a small sample and, only a low percentage of the sample took the stairs at baseline or the intervention phase . Future research on stair use in Catalonia should focus on using bigger samples, different sites (metro stations, airports, shopping centers, etc) , different messages and techniques to promote stair climbing.

Estratègies comunicatives de promoció de l'activitat física saludable a les xarxes socials

En aquest article s'ha realitzat un anàlisi de la promoció de l'activitat física que es fa emprant les xarxes social. Per dur-lo a terme s'han seleccionat catorze dels millors hospitals dels EEUU i s'ha realitzat un exhaustiu examen de la interacció així com un registre de les diferents formes que han adoptat les propostes relacionades amb la promoció directe de l'activitat física. A partir dels resultats i les categories escollides s'ha detectat un marc cognitiu que ens permet fer-nos una idea del tipus de regal que permet crear una comunitat, quines estratègies han estat les més vàlides alhora de crear un veritable sentiment d'afiliació a la promoció de l'activitat física saludable.

Educación física y promoción de la salud: estrategias de intervención en la escuela

Este trabajo pretende profundizar, desde una perspectiva multidisciplinar, en las posibilidades de estrategias e intervenciones que ofrece la Educación Física en el contexto educativo, concretamente en la educación primaria, y que contribuyen al establecimiento de hábitos saludables en el alumnado y que pueden extenderse más allá del propio alumnado. La identificación de tales intervenciones se ha realizado a partir de una revisión profunda de las bases de datos que recogen las publicaciones de más impacto internacional a través de la Web of Knowledge. Asimismo, se presenta la potencial aplicabilidad de estas prácticas, por compartir algunas de las características que las definen o por ser propuestas ya compartidas, en centros educativos que se han transformado en Comunidades de Aprendizaje

Calidad de vida y sus factores determinantes en universitarios españoles de Ciencias de la Salud

La calidad de vida en la población universitaria adquiere una especial importancia ya que permite obtener información sobre las condiciones de vida de los universitarios y, sobre todo, de cómo éstos las perciben. Objetivo: Evaluar la calidad de vida de los universitarios que cursan estudios en ciencias de la salud y su relación con diferentes factores tales como: hábitos de vida, parámetros antropométricos y la influencia de las distintas variables sobre su percepción. Material y Método: Estudio transversal de una muestra de 1.753 estudiantes de ciencias de la salud de nueve universidades españolas con diseño muestral aleatorio y estatrificado según curso y facultad al que se le aplicó un cuestionaro ad hoc que recogía todas las variables a estudio. Resultados: La calidad de vida percibida por los participantes fue Me = 75. Los factores explorados de la calidad de vida se co-relacionaron significativamente con la percepción global de calidad de vida de los estudiantes (p<0,001). Se establecieron 3 dimensiones y el impacto de cada una de ellas sobre la percepción de calidad de vida global fue p<0,001. Los varones percibieron mejor calidad de vida que las mujeres y también los estudiantes con menor Índice de Masa Corporal (IMC). Conclusión: Los universitarios son una población clave para realizar actividades de promoción y prevención de la salud por lo que resulta necesario crear mejores infraestucturas y recursos educativos para mejorar la CV y fomentar hábitos y estilos de vida saludable con especial atención en la alimentación y la realización de una adecuada actividad física.

A systematic review of Twitter’s hashtags in public health: an example of a globally adopted standard

The objective is to find evidence and make recommendations on the use of Twitter in public health,particularly through the study of hashtags(#). This systematic review shows the use of Twitter in different areas of public health: epidemiological surveillance, health promotion, health protection and disease prevention. Articles on this subject published in indexed journals with impact factor show the importance of conversations to engage the attention of Twitter users by using citations (@ user) and retweets(RT); however, not much importance seems to be given to the use of hashtags(#), which are often assimilated to the concept of keywords. Although tracking recurring hashtagsshould be less expensive than computing Twitter content, the potential of hashtaggeddata has not been properly exploited or recognized over the past years, probably due to the lack of efficient tools.