Health Literacy Levels Among Adult Support Group Members and the General Adult Public : A Focus Group Approach

Health literacy has been identified as lacking in 47% of Americans (The National Academies, 2004). While health literacy reports of studies conducted in the southern section of the United States are available (DeWalt et al., 2004; Kennen et al. 2005), this research team found limited research that provides health literacy levels of the southeast, rural Georgia population. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine and compare health literacy of health-related support group members and non group members in southeast Georgia utilizing a focus group methodology developed by Kreuger (1994). After Institutional Review Board approval at a local university, the research team utilized 5-10 established Health-related Support Groups of 6-10 individuals in the southeastern part of the United States. An additional four focus groups composed of persons not associated with a health-related support group were also used for comparative purposes. Participants were recruited with the assistance of local health care providers. The initial open-ended questions consisted of items such as: “Describe your experience reading health resources.” What makes a health resource difficult to read, as well as easy to read? The moderator utilized additional probing questions and reframing comments as necessary (Kreuger, 1994). The data were analyzed by the qualitative content analysis method described by Berg (1989). The themes that emerged across groups reflected confusion about medication directions, health terms, and communication from health care providers and doubt about the integrity of and inability to read the small print of health information. Prevention and faith in God were identified as important to self-care. Rationales for themes and future research ideas are discussed

A Comparison of Optimism Levels and Life Stress Levels among NCAA Division I Athletes and Non Athletes

Researchers suggest that optimistic individuals approach life situations with the belief that outcomes will be favorable, and are more likely to exhibit better coping mechanisms when dealing with adversity and stress (Carver, & Scheier, 1987; Karadeaus, Karvelis, Argyropoulou, 2007). Moreover, the cognitive adaptation theory suggests that optimistic individuals are more likely to make appropriate cognitive adaptations to stressful situations (Lightsey, 1994; Alloy & Clements, 1992). Results concerning collegiate athletic status, gender, optimism, and stress are mixed. The purpose of this study was to compare collegiate athletes and non athletes and gender on optimism and life stress. The present study utilized the Life Orientation Test-Revised to optimism and the Undergraduate Stress Questionnaire to measure life stress. Results from this study support the hypotheses that 1) high-level optimistic athletes would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than low-level optimistic athletes; 2) high-level optimistic athletes would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than high-level optimistic non-athletes; and 3) high-level optimistic men would experience significantly lower levels of life stress than high-level optimistic women within the sample Future research about optimism and stress levels, athletic status, and gender is included within the discussion

Improvements in fitness are not obligatory for exercise training-induced improvements in CV risk factors.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether changes in physical fitness relate to changes in cardiovascular risk factors following standardized, center-based and supervised exercise training programs in subjects with increased cardiovascular risk. We pooled data from exercise training studies of subjects with increased cardiovascular risk (n = 166) who underwent 8-52 weeks endurance training. We determined fitness (i.e., peak oxygen uptake) and traditional cardiovascular risk factors (body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol), before and after training. We divided subjects into quartiles based on improvement in fitness, and examined whether these groups differed in terms of risk factors. Associations between changes in fitness and in cardiovascular risk factors were further tested using Pearson correlations. Significant heterogeneity was apparent in the improvement of fitness and individual risk factors, with nonresponder rates of 17% for fitness, 44% for body mass index, 33% for mean arterial pressure, 49% for total cholesterol, and 49% for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Neither the number, nor the magnitude, of change in cardiovascular risk factors differed significantly between quartiles of fitness change. Changes in fitness were not correlated with changes in cardiovascular risk factors (all P > 0.05). Our data suggest that significant heterogeneity exists in changes in peak oxygen uptake after training, while improvement in fitness did not relate to improvement in cardiovascular risk factors. In subjects with increased cardiovascular risk, improvements in fitness are not obligatory for training-induced improvements in cardiovascular risk factors

Changes in Swim Performance and Perceived Stress and Recovery in Female Collegiate Swimmers Across a Competitive Season

Optimal sport performance involves balancing the accumulation of training stress with adequate recovery (Budgett, 2000; Hollander & Meyers, 1995). Continuous evaluation of an athlete\u27s performance levels, stress levels, and recovery states during a competitive season is important in determining an athlete\u27s readiness for competition. Limited examination of these three factors appears for collegiate athletes; thus this study\u27s purpose was to examine effects of training load on psychological and performance variables among collegiate female athletes across a competitive season. Nineteen NCAA Division I female swimmers completed monthly testing including six tethered swim tests and seven Recovery-Stress Questionnaires (RESTQ-76), yielding mean force (Fmean) and Total Recovery-Stress Score (TRSS). Individual session Rated Perceived Exertion scales (RPE) were used to categorize participants into Training Load Groups (TLG). Analysis revealed no significant interaction between TLG, and either TRSS or Fmean. There were significant time effects on Fmean (p=0.004): between T1 and T2 (p=0.004), and T3 and T4 (p=0.01). There were significant changes in meters completed with differences between T1 and T2 (p\u3c.001), between T4 and T5 (p\u3c.001), and between T5 and T6 (p\u3c.001). TRSS and meters completed had an inverse relationship where an increase in meters occurred concurrently with decreases in TRSS and vice versa. This study\u27s results indicate that, while there was no difference between groups for performance, perceived stress, and recovery, there were significant changes across a season that could have practical implications for athletes, coaches, and researcher

Coaches Perspective: Changes in Swim Performance and Perceived Stress and Recovery in Female Collegiate Swimmers Across a Competitive Season

Optimal sport performance involves balancing the accumulation of training stress with adequate recovery (Budgett, 2000; Hollander & Meyers, 1995). Continuous evaluation of an athlete\u27s performance levels, stress levels, and recovery states during a competitive season is important in determining an athlete\u27s readiness for competition. This study\u27s purpose was to examine effects of training load on performance, perceived stress, and recovery among collegiate female athletes across a competitive season. Nineteen NCAA Division I female swimmers completed monthly testing including six tethered swim tests and seven Recovery-Stress Questionnaires (RESTQ-76), yielding mean force (Fmean) and Total Recovery-Stress Score (TRSS). This study\u27s results indicate that, while there was no difference between groups for performance, perceived stress, and recovery, there were significant changes across a season that could have practical implications for coaches working with these athletes

Changes in Perception of Body Image for Female Athletes During the Menstrual Cycle

This presentation was given during the Association for Advancement of Sport Psychology Annual Conference

Who Will Keep the Public Healthy in Georgia?

This article was published in the Georgia Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Journal