Physical Activity and Obesity in Canadian Women

Health Issue: Overweight and obesity have been recognized as major public health concern in Canada and throughout the world. Lack of physical activity, through its impact on energy balance, has been identified as an important modifiable risk factor for obesity. Physical activity and obesity are also important risk factors for a variety of chronic diseases. This chapter provides an overview of the current state of physical activity and overweight/obesity among Canadian women. Key Findings: For all ages combined more women (57%) than men (50%) are physically inactive (energy expenditure <1.5 KKD). Physical activity increases as income adequacy and educational level decrease. Physical inactivity also varies by ethnicity. The prevalence of both overweight (BMI 25.0 – 29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) Canadian women has increased 7 % since 1985. Obesity increases with age and is highest among women reporting low and lower middle incomes and lower levels of education. The prevalence of obesity is highest among Aboriginal women and men (28 % and 22 % respectively). Data Gaps and Recommendations: There is currently no surveillance system in Canada t

Accreditation of Florida\u27s Child Welfare Services: An Idea Whose Time has Come

One has only to look in the yellow pages of any metropolitan area telephone book under social services to be faced with a bewildering selection of agencies, public and voluntary, non-profit and proprietary

Analysis of Gamma-Band Auditory Responses in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental illness that affects 1% of the general population. One characteristic symptom is auditory hallucinations, which is experienced by almost all patients sometime in their lifetime. To investigate differences in auditory response in general, 50 schizophrenic patients and 50 age and sex-matched healthy controls were presented with auditory click trains at 40 Hz. Responses are recorded using electroencephalography (EEG). Magnitude and phase of responses at 40 Hz are computed using Gabor filters. Supporting previous literature, a significant difference in inter-trial phase coherence (ITC) and overall power is found between patients and controls, in particular near stimulus onset. Additionally, this study also investigated inter-subject phase coherence (ISC). This study finds that ISC is in fact higher for patients, in particular near stimulus onset. One possible explanation is that while healthy controls develop a preferred phase for perception, schizophrenic patients exhibit phase that is primarily stimulus-driven

Local Stressors Reduce Coral Resilience to Bleaching

Coral bleaching, during which corals lose their symbiotic dinoflagellates, typically corresponds with periods of intense heat stress, and appears to be increasing in frequency and geographic extent as the climate warms. A fundamental question in coral reef ecology is whether chronic local stress reduces coral resistance and resilience from episodic stress such as bleaching, or alternatively promotes acclimatization, potentially increasing resistance and resilience. Here we show that following a major bleaching event, Montastraea faveolata coral growth rates at sites with higher local anthropogenic stressors remained suppressed for at least 8 years, while coral growth rates at sites with lower stress recovered in 2–3 years. Instead of promoting acclimatization, our data indicate that background stress reduces coral fitness and resilience to episodic events. We also suggest that reducing chronic stress through local coral reef management efforts may increase coral resilience to global climate change

Reliability and responsiveness of measures of pain in people with osteoarthritis of the knee: a psychometric evaluation

PURPOSE: To examine the fit between data from the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ-2) and the Rasch model, and to explore the reliability and internal responsiveness of measures of pain in people with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Participants with knee osteoarthritis completed the SF-MPQ-2, Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain questionnaire (ICOAP) and painDETECT. Participants were sent the same questionnaires 3 and 6 months later. RESULTS: Fit to the Rasch model was not achieved for the SF-MPQ-2 Total scale. The Continuous subscale yielded adequate fit statistics after splitting item 10 on uniform DIF for gender, and removing item 9. The Intermittent subscale fit the Rasch model after rescoring items. The Neuropathic subscale had relatively good fit to the model. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory for most scales using both original and Rasch scoring ranging from fair to substantial. Effect sizes ranged from 0.13 to 1.79 indicating good internal responsiveness for most scales. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the use of ICOAP subscales as reliable and responsive measure of pain in people with knee osteoarthritis. The MPQ-SF-2 subscales found to be acceptable alternatives. Implications for Rehabilitation The McGill Pain Questionnaire short version 2 is not a unidimensional scale in people with knee osteoarthritis, whereas three of the subscales are unidimensional. The McGill Pain Questionnaire short version 2 Affective subscale does not have good measurement properties for people with knee osteoarthritis. The McGill Pain Questionnaire short version 2 and the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain scales can be used to assess change over time. The painDETECT performs better as a screening measure than as an outcome measure

The measurement of psychological constructs in people with osteoarthritis of the knee: a psychometric evaluation

Purpose: To examine the measurement properties of measures of psychological constructs in people with knee osteoarthritis. Method: Participants with osteoarthritis of the knee completed the beck depression inventory (BDI-II), state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), arthritis helplessness index (AHI), fatigue severity scale (FSS), coping strategies questionnaire (CSQ), beliefs about pain control questionnaire (BPCQ), illness perceptions questionnaire-revised (IPQ-R), pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ) at home as part of a set of measures covering different aspects of osteoarthritis pain. The questionnaires were returned by pre-paid envelope. Rasch analysis was used to check the psychometric properties of the scales in people with osteoarthritis. Results: The STAI-SF was an acceptable measure of anxiety and the revised FSS an acceptable measure of fatigue, with removal of items 1 and 2. The BDI subscales were acceptable for measuring negative thoughts and behaviours related to depressive symptomatology with some modifications to the scale. The helplessness scale of the AHI was acceptable as a measure of helplessness. The PSEQ was an acceptable measure of self-efficacy and the CSQ as a measure of cognitive coping strategies. The BPCQ and IPQ-R did not fit the Rasch model. Conclusions: These findings indicate that questionnaires need to be checked for their ability to measure psychological constructs in the clinical groups to which they will be applied

Evaluation of a group acceptance commitment therapy intervention for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Objectives: The aim was to evaluate an Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis; a related aim was to compare treatment effects from Rasch-transformed and standard scales. Methods: Participants were recruited from a research database and outpatient rheumatology and orthopaedic clinics at two hospitals. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either intervention or usual care. Intervention comprised six-sessions of group ACT. Outcomes were assessed two and four months after randomisation. Rasch-transformed and standard self-report measures were compared. Qualitative interviews also explored the acceptability of the intervention. Results: Of 8 people assessed for eligibility, 31 (36%) were randomised. The main reason for non-randomisation was that participants received surgery. Of the 16 participants randomised to intervention, 64% completed ≥50% of the scheduled group sessions. Follow-up data was complete for 84% participants at two months and 68% at four months. Outcome analysis demonstrated important differences between the Rasch-transformed and standard scales. There were significant differences between the groups in pain. Qualitative interviews with 7 participants suggested the intervention was acceptable. Conclusions: ACT for osteoarthritis is likely to be an acceptable treatment option for people with osteoarthritis. Progress to a definitive trial is warranted. Rasch-transformed outcome scales are preferable in clinical trials where possible