Different Immersion Temperature\u27s Impact Upon Blood Pressure of Individuals With Varied Sex and Age

Warm water immersion is known to have an effect on human cardiovascular function. This study examines how age (young = 18-30 years and older = 31-65 years) and sex influence changes in blood pressure due to submersion in different water temperatures. Fifty-eight individuals sat immersed to the neck in three different water temperature tanks. Blood pressure measurements (systolic/diastolic blood pressure [SBP/DBP], pulse pressure [PP] and heart rate [HR]) were collected every 6 minutes throughout the duration of the test. We observed significant between-group, within-group, and interaction effects for SBP, DBP, and HR. For PP, significant between-group, within-in group and interaction effects for SBP, DBP, and HR. For PP, significant between-group and within-group effects were found. Additional post hoc analyses found that from baseline to cool immersion, older females (OF) had less change in SBP values compared to younger males (YM) and younger females (YF) and less change in DBP values compared to YM. From warm immersion to recovery, older males (OM) had less change in heart rate compared to YM, and in both the warm and cool immersions, YF lower pulse pressure than YM. Understanding changes to BP during resting water immersion across different ages and both sexes could have clinical applications relevant to both physicians and those responsible for rehabilitation of cardiovascularly-compromised patients

Stakeholder Perspectives about Developing and Implementing an Online Alternative to Out-of-School Suspension for First Time Substance Use Policy Violators

The purpose of this study was to explore statewide stakeholder perspectives about developing and implementing an online alternative to suspension (ATS) program in the Northwestern United States for youth who have violated school substance use policies. Out-of-school suspension has been linked to negative outcomes and alternatives to keep youth in school are desperately needed. Qualitative description methodology with content analysis was used to analyze data gathered from 201 stakeholders (principals & vice principals). Three themes were identified that described stakeholders’ perspectives about the development and implementation of an online ATS program: 1) the program must be impactful, 2) have a high degree of usability, and 3) additional support may be necessary. Themes identified can guide the development and implementation of an online ATS program. In collaboration with stakeholders, the initiation of an online ATS program could reduce out of school suspensions for middle and high school age youth

The Impact of an Aquatic Exercise Protocol on Physiologic Measures Within an Asthmatic Population

Individuals suffering from asthma typically have subnormal exercise tolerance and poor physical fitness. The purpose of this case series study was to examine the impact of a new aquatic exercise protocol on physiological variables in a group of asthmatics. Participants were medically diagnosed and managed asthmatics in a rural community. A total of 8 males and 12 females were accepted into the study with 7 males and 9 females completing the 12-week study. Physiological measures were taken pre- and posttreatment with paired t-tests used for analyses. Increases in VO2max (pre-treatment mean (M) = 31.244 SD = 9.772; post-treatment M = 33.431, SD = 10.387; partial ç²= .257, p \u3c 0.038); lean body muscle mass (pre-treatment M = 119.606, SD = 28.210; post-treatment M = 122.012, SD = 30.475; partial ç²= .237, p \u3c 0.047); and blood glucose (pre-treatment M = 83.937, SD = 7.584; post-treatment M = 89.812, SD = 7.799; partial ç²= .603, p \u3c 0.000), were seen from pre- to posttreatment. The protocol was well tolerated and enjoyed by the participants suggesting it is useful in the asthmatic population. Our results predicted a need for larger sample size in future research ranging from 8 to 218 participants depending upon the dependent measure

Psychometric properties of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) for US mothers

Objective: The aims of this study were to continue the scale development process of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) by refining the scale to make it culturally relevant for US participants, examining the factor structure of the BSS-R, and describing the level of birth satisfaction in a sample of US mothers. Background: The Birth Satisfaction Scale (BSS) was developed in the UK to assess satisfaction of the childbearing women’s experiences of labour and its outcomes. One of the goals of the development of the BSS was to make comparisons across cultures. Methods: One hundred and eighty-one first-time US mothers participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine a one-factor higher-order model containing three lower-order factors. The higher-order factor was hypothesised to be Experience of childbearing; the lower-order factors were hypothesised as Stress, Quality of Care and Women’s attributes. Results: The results of the higher-order factor model indicated good fit, χ2 = 37.72, p = .22; comparative fit index (CFI) = .99; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = .03; standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) = .04. Cronbach’s α indicated the subscales and total scale were reliable for the US sample (α ranged from .74 to .89). The BSS-R total score was 15.52 (SD = 8.35), and the stress, quality of care, and women’s attributes subscales were 7.15 (SD = 3.80), 4.61 (SD = 3.83) and 3.79 (SD = 2.26), respectively. Conclusion: The BSS-R can provide maternal health professionals and researchers with an instrument to quantify childbearing women’s birthing satisfaction, which in turn can assist in heightening the overall patient care experience

Cross-cultural invariance of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R): comparing UK and US samples

Objective: This research sought to test the measurement invariance of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) across United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) samples. Multiple-group measurement was tested and latent means analysis compared levels of birth satisfaction across the samples. Method: Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), data previously collected from 409 mothers (181 US mothers; 228 UK mothers) were used to examine the multiple-group measurement invariance of the BSS-R across US and UK samples. Results: A correlated factors BSS-R model demonstrated partial measurement invariance. US mothers had significantly lower birth satisfaction levels on the three BSS-R subscales. Conclusions: This research demonstrates that the BSS-R is a robust tool that can be used to reliably measure women's birth satisfaction within and across the US and UK

Association between Depressive Symptoms and Metabolic Syndrome in Police Officers: Results from Two Cross-Sectional Studies

Policing is one of the most dangerous and stressful occupations and such stress can have deleterious effects on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between depressive symptoms and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in male and female police officers from two study populations, Buffalo, NY and Spokane, WA. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. MetSyn was defined using the 2005 AHA/NHBLI guidelines. Analysis of covariance was used to describe differences in number of MetSyn components across depressive symptom categories. The number of MetSyn components increased significantly across categories of CES-D for Spokane men only (p-trend = 0.003). For each 5-unit increase in CES-D score, odds increased by 47.6% for having hypertriglyceridemia, by 51.8% for having hypertension, and by 56.7% for having glucose intolerance. Exploring this association is important since both are predictors of future chronic health problems and the results could be helpful in developing future gender-specific prevention and intervention efforts among police officers

The Birth Satisfaction Scale – Revised (BSS-R): should the subscale scores or the total score be used?

Objective and background: The 10-item Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) is increasingly being used internationally as the instrument of choice for the assessment of birth satisfaction. There remains conjecture over the most appropriate way to score the instrument, the choices being, sub-scale score totals, the overall total score, or adopting both approaches. The current study sought to clarify this issue by examining the measurement characteristics of the United States version of the BSS-R from a large dataset. Methods: A secondary analysis of a data matrix derived from a large sample United States BSS-R validation study (N=2116) using structural equation modelling and bi-factor model evaluation.Results: The bi-factor model revealed an excellent fit to data (?2(df=25) = 208.21,

Measurement and structural invariance of the US version of the Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) in a large sample

Background: The 10-item Birth Satisfaction Scale-Revised (BSS-R) is being increasingly used internationally. The use of the measure and the concept has gathered traction in the United States following the development of a US version of the tool. A limitation of previous studies of the measurement characteristics of the BSS-R is modest sample size. Unplanned pregnancy is recognised as being associated with a range of negative birth outcomes, but the relationship to birth satisfaction has received little attention, despite the importance of birth satisfaction to a range of postnatal outcomes. Aim: The current investigation sought to evaluate the measurement characteristics of the BSS-R in a large postpartum sample. Methods: Multiple Groups Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) was used to evaluate a series of measurement and structural models of the BSS-R to evaluate fundamental invariance characteristics using planned/unplanned pregnancy status to differentiate groups.Findings: Complete data from N=2116 women revealed that the US version of the BSS-R offers an excellent fit to data and demonstrates full measurement and structural invariance. Little difference was observed between women on the basis of planned/unplanned pregnancy stratification on measures of birth satisfaction. Discussion: The established relationship between unplanned pregnancy and negative perinatal outcomes was not found to extend to birth satisfaction in the current study. The BSS-R demonstrated exemplary measurement and structural invariance characteristics. Conclusion: The current study strongly supports the use of the US version of the BSS-R to compare birth satisfaction across different groups of women with theoretical and measurement confidence

Toward a theory of transformative entrepreneuring: Poverty reduction and conflict resolution in Rwanda's entrepreneurial coffee sector

This study illustrates how entrepreneurship may catalyze prosperity as well as peace in entrenched poverty-conflict zones. We bring to life a conceptualization of transformative entrepreneuring by assessing interrelationships between poverty and conflict indicators from the perspective of rural dwellers in Rwanda's entrepreneurial coffee sector. Our findings suggest that individuals' perceptions of poverty alleviation and conflict reduction are sequentially linked, notably via increased quality of life. This enables us to advance theory on entrepreneuring by unpacking the mechanisms through which entrepreneurial processes may transform the lives of such ‘ordinary' entrepreneurs in settings where economic and social value creation are desperately needed