Antecedents to postoperative pulmonary dysfunction in adults after cardiac surgery

The previously unexplored trajectory of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction was mapped in adults having cardiac surgery. Factors including hypoxaemia, positive fluid balance, severe pain and impaired functional status were associated with the development of pulmonary dysfunction and pneumonia. These antecedents are amenable to treatment in the form of prompt preventative nursing intervention that has a fundamental influence on patient outcome.

Perceived control and subjective wellbeing in older adults

Across age, the ability to accept what cannot be changed increases while feelings of control remain stable. The growth of acceptance preserves, rather than compensates for, older adults' sense of being in control. In later life, acceptance and control appear to operate together to maintain wellbeing. The professional portfolio uses four case studies to illustrate how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) programs can be reinterpreted through and Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT) framework and elements of both employed within a single therapeutic program.

Training divided attention and memory skills of older adults

The study examined whether divided attention and memory skills of older adults could be improved through video game training. The findings show that limited training with the games cannot enhance these skills. However, greater amounts of training could improve these vital skills amongst older adults.

Tolerance of larger body sizes by young adults living in Australia and Hawaii

Identifying the barriers to achieving an appropriate body size is important for health. This study investigated young adults' tolerance of excess weight in other adults. Participants were 172 students (65 male, 107 female) with a mean age of 22.24 years (SD = 1.61). Half the participants resided in Australia, and half in Hawaii. Students from both countries were found to be tolerant of body sizes larger than those recommended for good health. These results help inform our understanding of the factors that may influence weight gain, and have important implications for the worldwide obesity problem and related health issues.

Associations between intrapersonal and neighborhood environmental characteristics and cycling for transport and recreation in adults : baseline results from the RESIDE study

Background: This study investigated the relationship between individual and neighborhood environmental factors and cycling for transport and for recreation among adults living in Perth, Western Australia.
Methods: Baseline cross-sectional data from 1813 participants (40.5% male; age range 18 to 78 years) in the Residential Environment (RESIDE) project were analyzed. The questionnaire included information on cycling behavior and on cycling-specific individual, social environmental, and neighborhood environmental attributes. Cycling for transport and recreation were dichotomized as whether or not individuals cycled in a usual week.
Results: Among the individual factors, positive attitudes toward cycling and perceived behavioral control increased the odds of cycling for transport and for recreation. Among the neighborhood environmental attributes, leafy and attractive neighborhoods, access to bicycle/walking paths, the presence of traffic slowing devices and having many 4-way street intersections were positively associated with cycling for transport. Many alternative routes in the local area increased the odds of cycling for recreation.
Conclusions: Effective strategies for increasing cycling (particularly cycling for transport) may include incorporating supportive environments such as creating leafy and attractive neighborhood surroundings, low traffic speed, and increased street connectivity, in addition to campaigns aimed at strengthening positive attitudes and confidence to cycle.

Are barriers to physical activity similar for adults with and without abnormal glucose Metabolism?

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine perceived barriers to physical activity among adults with and without abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM), and whether barriers varied according to physical activity status.
Methods The 1999 to 2000 Australian Diabetes, Obesity, and Lifestyle Study (AusDiab) was a population-based cross-sectional study among adults aged ≥25 years. AGM was identified through an oral glucose tolerance test. The previous week’s physical activity and individual, social, and environmental barriers to physical activity were self-reported. Logistic regression analyses examined differences in barriers to physical activity between those with and without AGM, and for those with and without AGM who did and did not meet the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.
Results Of the 7088 participants (47.5 ± 12.7 years; 46% male), 18.5% had AGM. Approximately 47.5% of those with AGM met the physical activity recommendation, compared to 54.7% of those without AGM (P < .001). Key barriers to physical activity included lack of time, other priorities, and being tired. Following adjustment for sociodemographic and behavioral factors, there were few differences in barriers to physical activity between those with and without AGM, even after stratifying according to physical activity.
Conclusions Adults with AGM report similar barriers to physical activity, as do those without AGM. Programs for those with AGM can therefore focus on the known generic adult-reported barriers to physical activity.

Sedentary behavior and depression among adults : a review

Background Physically inactive lifestyles and sedentary behaviors (SB) are key contributors to ill health. Although the association between SB (e.g., watching TV/using the computer) and physical health has been well documented, increasing research has focused on the possible link between SB and mental health (e.g., depression).

Purpose This review aims to investigate the effect of SB on the risk of depression in adults.

Method A systematic search for original research articles investigating associations between SB and depression in adults was performed using the several electronic data bases.

Results A total of seven observational and four intervention studies were included in this review. All observational studies found positive associations between SB and risk of depression, while intervention studies showed contradictory results.

Conclusion Evidence for the relationship between SB and risk of depression in adults is limited by methodological weaknesses. However, on balance, this review suggests that SB is associated with an increased risk of depression. Further studies are needed assessing different types of SB and depression; the interrelationship between physical activity, SB, and depression; causal links between SB and depression; and intervention strategies aimed at reducing SB and their effects on risk of depression.