Development and evaluation of a physical activity intervention for older adults

The present knowledge of factors associated with older adults’ physical activity behaviour is limited. Therefore, this study trialled an innovative physical activity program for older adults, investigating effective recruitment and retention strategies, and exploring the adults’ perceptions of physical activity. A total of 573 subjects were recruited into the quasi-randomised controlled trial, located in 30 intervention and 30 control neighbourhoods in the Perth metropolitan area. The initial response rate was 74% (260/352) in the intervention group and 82% (313/382) in the control group. Self-reported questionnaires administered at three time points (baseline, 3-months, 6-months) measured physical activity levels, personal and demographic information, including perception of financial struggle, proximity to friends, and other psychosocial data. Descriptive statistics, repeated measure analysis of variance, logistic regression and generalised estimating equations were used in the analysis. Qualitative data on the participants’ perceptions of physical activity were collected through one-on-one interviews (n=16). The results showed that: 1. This cost-effective recruitment procedure facilitated the selection of a reasonably representative sample of 65 to 74 year olds from the Perth metropolitan area. Names of 7378 older adults were obtained from the Federal Electoral Roll, then 6401 potential subjects were matched to telephone numbers and phoned with subjects meeting the screening criteria invited to join the program (n = 4209). From this sample, 573 subjects were recruited. More females (63%) than males (37%) were recruited.The study attracted a greater proportion of ‘obese’ older adults (27%) relative to state averages. 2. Over the intervention period there was a significant increase in participants’ total physical activity of 2.25 hours per week (p >.001). The General Estimating Equation analysis confirmed significant increase in physical activity from baseline to midpoint (p=.002) and to post intervention (p=.0031). Perceptions of financial struggle (p=.020) were positively correlated with physical activity time spent by participants, whereas having friends or acquaintances living nearby (p=.037) had a significant negative correlation with physical activity time. 3. At the end of the intervention, 32% of the intervention group and 25% of the control group had dropped out, resulting in an overall drop out rate of 28%. Most of the attrition occurred in the first 3 months (77%). Characteristics of individuals lost to attrition (n=86, 35%) were compared with program completers (n=162, 65%). Logistic regression analysis showed that those lost to attrition came from areas of lower socio-economic status, were overweight, were less physically active, and had a lower walking self-efficacy score and a higher loneliness score. The results suggest that to improve retention and to avoid potential bias, early assessment of these characteristics should be undertaken to identify individuals at risk of attrition. 4. Based on the finding of this research, future intervention studies should consider: the role of tertiary students as a skilled resource; the use of volunteers to contain costs; the importance of a tailored program; the appropriateness of walking as a form of physical activity for this age group; the enjoyment associated with a walking group; and the usefulness of social support.This practical program is potentially effective and sustainable for mobilizing physically inactive older people. 5. Qualitative research highlighted the need for older adults to receive more specific information on: the benefits of physical activity; the role of pain management in physical activity; and the concept that involvement in physical activity in younger years leads to involvement when older. The older adults also expressed a desire to engage in less age appropriate activities. These results suggest that the intervention was successful in recruiting older adults into and retaining them in the intervention, documenting a need for early identification of individuals at risk of attrition. The program significantly increased the participants’ weekly mean time for physical activity and identified factors that affect their commitment to physical activity programs. This program was practical and could be used as a model for physical activity programs aimed at older adults

Institutional factors and the postgraduate student experience

Purpose – Few studies have evaluated the satisfaction of mature-aged postgraduate students. The purpose of this paper is to determine postgraduate coursework students' service expectations in regard to academic course quality, university services and industry links. Design/methodology/approach – A case study of 51 taught postgraduate students enrolled in the School of Public Health nested postgraduate courses was conducted. Students completed an online self-complete survey (response rate of 58 per cent). Descriptive statistics and unilabiate analysis (chi-square) were used to explore associations between variables. Findings – Postgraduate taught students come from a variety of career backgrounds. They place a great deal of importance on their educational experience, especially in regard to academic factors: reputable degree; skilled engaging teachers; access to online resources; ready contact with academics; and supportive enrolment processes. Practical implications – A greater awareness of student expectations equips universities to provide a more meaningful pedagogical experience and to better address the unique needs of postgraduate students. This is likely to enhance lifelong learning and support retention and progression rates. Originality/value – This research provides a case study of a specific group of postgraduate students and helps understand some of the unique requirements of this postgraduate group, which is largely older, female, domestic students

A journal for and with health promotion practitioners and researchers

editorialRepresentatives of the Journal’s editorial team enjoyed meeting practitioners and researchers during a workshop at the recent Australian Health Promotion Association National Conference in Sydney. We appreciated this opportunity to discuss how things look from ‘the editors’ desk’, and to hear the perspectives of authors, potential authors and reviewers. Workshop participants were keen to know what we look for as editors. The best manuscripts are those that have a clear focus and tell a coherent story, answering specific questions using appropriate research methods. Good manuscripts have a title and abstract that accurately represent their contents, and are so interesting that they make us want to read on! Manuscripts based on quantitative studies need to report sample sizes sufficient to support the conclusions, should explicitly discuss potential biases or other limitations, and should provide enough information about methods so that the study could be replicated. Authors of qualitative studies should explain how their sampling strategies, data collection methods and analysis strategies were appropriate to answer their research questions, provide enough detail about methods to enable readers to evaluate quality, and demonstrate that the analyst has sought out variation and tried to prove themselves wrong (rather than looking only for favourable, expected or straightforward answers). The editorial team is especially keen to publish well-designed intervention studies. However, we also agree on the importance of qualitative research in health promotion, particularly for understanding how health promotion works and investigating the perspectives of research participants. We will consider theoretical pieces and essays, but these need to be well argued with reference to the relevant evidence base. Authors may consider writing a brief report rather than a full-length article: brief reports are an excellent forum for a single, interesting finding, a key idea or description of an innovative program or project

Taking the Stairs instead: The impact of workplace design standards on health promotion strategies

Background: Comprehensive health promotion in Western Australia has been conducted from the point of views of policy development, promotion, education and service delivery. Much of this recent work has been focused on supporting workplaces – but there has yet to be any real focus on the design of the actual physical workplace environment from a health promotion perspective. Aims: This paper is aimed at highlighting the gap in health promotion knowledge by addressing how the disciplines of architecture and health promotion can work together to challenge the regulations that dictate design practice and ultimately bridge that gap for long-term change. The overarching aim is to undertake further evidenced-based research that will inform best practice in the planning and design of workplaces to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase opportunities for physical activity. Method: Within this wide objective this paper focuses in particular on the idea of stairs-versus-lift movement strategies within office buildings. By examining building design guidelines from a health promotion perspective we expose a central dichotomy, where health promotion posters say “Take the stairs instead” whereas the language of building design suggests that the lift is best.Results: From a design point of view, the National Codes of Construction (NCC), formally known as the Building Codes of Australia (BCA), the essential technical regulation for all building design and construction, primarily addresses the concepts of ‘egress’ and ‘travel distance’ for escape in the event of fire, and building access in terms of universal access. Additionally, The Property Council of Australia’s Guide to Office Building Quality prioritises lift performance criteria along with the quality and experience of lift use as a major grading factor. There is no provision in either set of standards for staircase quality and experience. Conclusion: The stairs, despite being promoted as better life choice for better health, is not promoted through these building codes nor, consequently, through the building design in actuality. It is proposed that health promotion strategies could be coupled with design-led movement strategies in workplace design so that the promotional language, such as “take the stairs instead”, is balanced by the design language of the building

The messages presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions: a scoping review protocol

Introduction: Electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular over the last 10 years. These devices represent a new paradigm for tobacco control offering smokers an opportunity to inhale nicotine without inhaling tobacco smoke. To date there are no definite conclusions regarding the safety and long-term health effects of electronic cigarettes; however, there is evidence that they are being marketed online as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. This scoping review aims to identify and describe the breadth of messages (eg, health, smoking-cessation and price related claims) presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions. Methods and analysis: A scoping review will be undertaken adhering to the methodology outlined in The Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Scoping Reviews. Six key electronic databases will be searched to identify eligible studies. Studies must be published in English between 2007 and 2017, examine and/or analyse content captured from online electronic cigarette promotions or discussions and report results for electronic cigarettes separately to other forms of tobacco delivery. Studies will be screened initially by title and abstract, followed by full-text review. Results of the search strategy will be reported in a PRISMA flow diagram and presented in tabular form with accompanying narrative summary. Ethics and dissemination: The methodology consists of reviewing and collecting data from publicly available studies, and therefore does not require ethics approval. Results will be published in a peer reviewed journal and be presented at national/international conferences. Additionally, findings will be disseminated via social media and online platforms. Advocacy will be key to informing policy makers of regulatory and health issues that need to be addressed. Registration details: The review was registered prospectively with The Joanna Briggs Institute Systematic Reviews database

Physical Activity and Nutrition Intervention for Mothers of Young Children: Process Evaluation

Introduction: Process evaluation of community based projects is integral to understanding the success or failure of health promotion interventions. Process evaluation was used to assess the intervention strategies and resources in a playgroup setting aimed at mothers of young children. Methods: Process evaluation data were collected from participants (n = 249) and staff (n = 25) involved in the intervention. Data included staff perspectives on use of the playgroup as a setting, participants’ views on the feasibility and acceptability of the program strategies and resources, and program reach. Results: Responding participants reported that the intervention was useful (98%) and relevant for their age group (92%), encouraged them to think about making changes to their physical activity (95%) and dietary (98%) behaviors, and helped them to make changes to their physical activity (66%) and dietary (79%) behaviors. Participants reported that the most useful intervention strategies included the program booklet (85%), workshops (86%), newsletters (73%) and SMS (57%).Conclusion: This research provides valuable information on participants’ perspectives of the program strategies, content and overall implementation. It provides insight into the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and identifies areas for improvement when conducting programs in playgroup settings. The process evaluation indicated that playgroups are a suitable setting for health promotion targeting mothers of young children

Health promotion practice, research ethics and publishing in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia

Article > Contents Vol 26(3) Health promotion practice, research ethics and publishing in the Health Promotion Journal of Australia Stacy M. Carter A D, Annette Braunack-Mayer B and Jonine Jancey C A Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine, Sydney School of Public Health, Medical Foundation Building K25, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. B School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Mail Drop DX 650207, SA 5005, Australia. C School of Public Health, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. D Corresponding author. Email: [email protected] Abstract PDF (58.8 KB) Export Citation Print ShareThis Health Promotion Journal of Australia 26(3) 167-169 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/HEv26n3_ED2 Published: 21 December 2015 This special issue of the HPJA focuses on ethics in the context of health promotion practice. This editorial takes a narrower focus: the issue of Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) approval for health promotion research, evaluation and quality assurance (QA). We will focus on three papers in the special issue: each argue that those working in health promotion should consider ethics from the very beginning of their research, evaluation and/or QA activities. The first paper, by Ainsley Newson and Wendy Lipworth, is entitled ‘Why should ethics approval be required before publication of health promotion research?’ In it they argue that ‘journals should not, in general, publish articles with no ethics approval’, even if the findings are interesting or apparently important.1 The second paper, by Peter Sainsbury, is entitled ‘Development and oversight of ethical health promotion quality assurance and evaluation activities involving human participants’. In it he argues that the boundaries between research, evaluation and QA are not clear, and that all of these activities should be underpinned by research ethics principles and focus on the central issue of potential risk to participants.2 The final paper, a commentary by Judy Allen, reflects on the ethical dimensions of health promotion research and evaluation from the inside of an HREC.3SMC is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Fellowship (1032963)

Prevalence, Prevention and Treatment of Saddle Sores among Female Competitive Cyclists: A Scoping Review Protocol.

Female cyclists are prone to a variety of injuries and illnesses that occur as a result of prolonged contact with a bicycle saddle. Saddle sores are a range of skin ailments on the buttocks, genitals and inner thigh that result from a combination of friction, heat, pressure, moisture and bacteria in the saddle area. Whilst saddle sores are reportedly common, for some cyclists, the condition may cause only mild discomfort. However, for female competitive cyclists, the condition can be an ongoing source of pain and illness affecting participation and performance in the sport. Despite many online sources for health information and products for saddle sores, it is unknown what empirical evidence exists for the prevalence and severity of saddle sores, and for the effectiveness of prevention and treatment methods. This paper outlines the protocol for a scoping review, which aims to describe the empirical evidence for the prevalence, prevention and treatment of saddle sores among female competitive cyclists. Ethics approval has been obtained for this study from Curtin University's Human Research Ethics Committee no: HRE2019-0120. The findings from this study will contribute to the literature for injury in female sport

The Messages Presented in Electronic Cigarette-Related Social Media Promotions and Discussion: Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: There has been a rapid rise in the popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) over the last decade, with growth predicted to continue. The uptake of these devices has escalated despite inconclusive evidence of their efficacy as a smoking cessation device and unknown long-term health consequences. As smoking rates continue to drop or plateau in many well-developed countries, transnational tobacco companies have transitioned into the vaping industry and are now using social media to promote their products. Evidence indicates e-cigarettes are being marketed on social media as a harm reduction alternative, with retailers and manufacturers utilizing marketing techniques historically used by the tobacco industry. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify and describe the messages presented in e-cigarette-related social media (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest) promotions and discussions and identify future directions for research, surveillance, and regulation. METHODS: Data sources included MEDLINE, Scopus, ProQuest, Informit, the Journal of Medical Internet Research, and Google Scholar. Included studies were published in English between 2007 and 2017, analyzed content captured from e-cigarette-related social media promotions or discussions, and reported results for e-cigarettes separately from other forms of tobacco and nicotine delivery. Database search ceased in October 2017. Initial searches identified 536 studies. Two reviewers screened studies by title and abstract. One reviewer examined 71 full-text articles to determine eligibility and identified 25 studies for inclusion. This process was undertaken with the assistance of the Web-based screening and data extraction tool-Covidence. The review was registered with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Systematic Reviews database and followed the methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews. RESULTS: Several key messages are being used to promote e-cigarettes including as a safer alternative to cigarettes, efficacy as a smoking cessation aid, and for use where smoking is prohibited. Other major marketing efforts aimed at capturing a larger market involve promotion of innovative flavoring and highlighting the public performance of vaping. Discussion and promotion of these devices appear to be predominantly occurring among the general public and those with vested interests such as retailers and manufacturers. There is a noticeable silence from the public health and government sector in these discussions on social media. CONCLUSIONS: The social media landscape is dominated by pro-vaping messages disseminated by the vaping industry and vaping proponents. The uncertainty surrounding e-cigarette regulation expressed within the public health field appears not to be reflected in ongoing social media dialogues and highlights the need for public health professionals to interact with the public to actively influence social media conversations and create a more balanced discussion. With the vaping industry changing so rapidly, real-time monitoring and surveillance of how these devices are discussed, promoted, and used on social media is necessary in conjunction with evidence published in academic journals

Recreational centres’ facilities and activities to support healthy ageing in Singapore

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Objective: This study examined the physical and social environment (facilities and activities) of Singapore’s Recreational Centres (RCs) and female patrons’ (>50 years) perception of the RC facilities and activities. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 RCs were audited, and 22 faceto- face interviews were undertaken. Results: Physical activity classes were the main activity offered (mean = eight classes per month), with walking (29.8%) and aerobics sessions (17.5%) being the most frequent. Nutrition classes and social activities were offered less often (mean = one class per month). The activities were well received by patrons, offering opportunities to interact while participating in physical activity and nutrition classes. However, the need for staff training, consideration of patron’s abilities and the desire to engage in alternative activities were expressed. Conclusion: Overall, RCs’ facilities and activities were well liked by the patrons but opportunities for improvements were identified. Regular reviews of facilities and activities through consultation with the RC patrons and managers are needed to ensure that the facilities and activities remain relevant and practical to the patrons. This will help to support active lifestyles and healthy eating practices among older adults residing within the community