Community Design for Healthy Eating: How Land Use and Transportation Solutions Can Help

Examines how the built environment -- land use and lack of grocery stores, poor transportation systems, and sprawling development -- limits access to healthy foods in low-income, inner-city neighborhoods. Profiles efforts to improve food access

Active Living Research: Designing for Active Transportation

Summarizes research on environmental factors that determine whether residents drive, take public transit, walk, or bike. Explores issues of proximity, connectivity, and density, as well as the impact of walkable communities on residents' health

Active Living Research: Designing for Active Recreation

Summarizes research on environmental factors that encourage recreational physical activity, including access to facilities; safe, pleasant surroundings; and walkable neighborhoods. Explores the importance of activity-friendly environments for seniors

Looked after children & young people: we can and must do better. Training materials DVD-ROM

The target audience includes teachers, carers, social work staff, health professionals, housing professionals and othrs involved in the lives of Scotland's looked after children and care leavers. The DVD-ROM is designed to be used flexibly. It is both a self-supporting course and also a resource for trainers

The Regional Response to Federal Funding for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects

Examines the efficacy of federal funding for non-motorized modes of transportation based on funding patterns across metropolitan regions, case studies of policies and projects, and an analysis of the funding's impact on bicycling and walking behavior

Measuring the Health Effects of Sprawl: A National Analysis of Physical Activity, Obesity and Chronic Disease

The findings presented here are from the article, Relationship Between Urban Sprawl and Physical Activity, Obesity and Morbidity, by Reid Ewing, Tom Schmid, Richard Killingsworth, Amy Zlot, and Stephen Raudenbush, published in the September 2003 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion. This report is intended to make this important piece of research more accessible to the general public. In addition to presenting research findings, this report summarizes recent research done by others on the links between the way we’ve built our communities, physical activity, and health. It also includes recommendations for change and resources for those interested in further exploration of this topic

The effects of a multiple treatment program and maintenance procedures on smoking cessation

This study evaluated the efficacy of a multiple treatment smoking cessation program and three maintenance strategies. Phase I of the study involved 51 subjects who participated in a 5-day smoking cessation project. The program consisted of lectures, demonstrations, practice exercises, aversive smoking, and the teaching of self-control procedures. In Phase II, all subjects were randomly assigned to one of three maintenance conditions: a 4-week support group which offered an opportunity to discuss feelings and thoughts, a 4-week telephone contact system which enabled group members to call one another, and a no-contact control group. To evaluate efficacy, extensive follow-up data were collected at the end of treatment and at 2, 4, 6, and 12 months post-treatment. The treatment program was extremely effective; 100% of the subjects were abstinent at the end of treatment, and at 1 year post-treatment, 63% of the subjects reported total abstinence. As to sex differences, at the 1-year period 66% of the women and 59% of the men were ex-smokers. Recidivists reported a smoking rate that was 52% of baseline at the 6-month follow-up. At 2 months post-treatment, 40% of the abstainers reported that the quitting experience was easy, and subjects reported an average weight gain of only 4.69 lb. The authors offer suggestions for future smoking cessation research based upon the promising findings of this study.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24506/1/0000783.pd

Relationship and attachment to digital health technology during cancer treatment

Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationship that people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with symptom management technology during chemotherapy. Data Sources A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Data were collected using one-to-one in-depth interviews with people with colorectal cancer using supportive digital health symptom management technology (n=3) and their family caregivers (n=4) at two time points during chemotherapy treatment. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis and followed COREQ guidelines. Conclusion People with cancer and their family caregivers can develop emotional bonds with supportive symptom management technology during cancer treatment. Digital health technology can be experienced as a person guiding them during their cancer treatment. Participants felt vulnerable after the technology was returned to the research team. Participants recognized that it was not the technology that successfully facilitated them through their initial chemotherapy cycles; rather, the technology helped them learn to manage their symptoms and promoted their self-efficacy, as well as how to emotionally respond. Implications for Nursing Practice: The relationship and psychological bonds people with cancer and their family caregivers develop with technology during treatment may be critically important for oncology nurses to be aware of should digital health be prescribed within the outpatient model of cancer care. This study indicates that technology may not be needed for a full treatment experience, as digital health can promote confidence and self-efficacy regarding symptom management and prepare people with cancer to be independent after the digital health technology is returned to the research team. However, further research is needed regarding individual preferences for digital health provision

A bridge from uncertainty to understanding : the meaning of symptom management digital health technology during cancer treatment

Objective: Digital health technology is valued as a tool to provide person-centred care and improve health outcomes amongst people with cancer and their family caregivers. Although the evidence to date shows encouraging effectiveness, there is limited knowledge regarding the lived experience and personal meaning of using supportive technology during cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of people with colorectal cancer receiving chemotherapy using digital health symptom management technology and their family caregivers. Methods: A longitudinal and multi-perspective interpretative phenomenological analytical approach was adopted including three people with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer and four family caregivers. Findings: Three superordinate themes and related subthemes were identified. The first theme (The 3 Cs of symptom management technology) centred on the continuity of care that participants felt while using the technology. The second theme (Digital health technology as a psychosocial support) offered insights into the psychological benefits using technology incurred as they navigated their cancer diagnosis including sense of control and psychological safety. The final theme (Impact of digital health technology on family caregivers) details the supportive effect the technology had on family caregivers’ role, responsibilities and well-being during the cancer experience. Conclusion: Digital health technology can act as a bridge from uncertainty to an understanding regarding a cancer diagnosis and its treatment. Digital health technology can support peoples' understanding of cancer and enhance self-management practices, while being a psychological support in navigating the uncertain and often worrying period of receiving cancer treatment