Aktiv på dagtid: Fra å overleve til å leve igjen

En betydelig andel av befolkningen står utenfor arbeidslivet, noe som kan gi omfattende sosiale konsekvenser for den enkelte og store omkostninger for samfunnet. Aktiv På Dagtid (APD) tilbyr aktiviteter for personer som mottar trygdeytelser fra NAV og er et ubeskyttet mosjonskonsept som driftes i mange kommuner og av ulike aktører rundt om i landet. I Agderfylkene driftes APD av Aust-Agder idrettskrets, i samarbeid med Arendal, Grimstad, Lillesand og Risør kommuner der man har tilbudet for personer mellom 16-70 år som står helt eller delvis utenfor arbeidslivet og er som sådan et lokalt folkehelseprosjekt. Opplevelse av bedret helse og tilfredshet i hverdagen er et vesentlig mål i APD. Målet i dette prosjektet var å undersøke hvordan APD i de nevnte Agderkommunene kan bidra til livskvalitet og arbeidsdeltakelse hos personer som står utenfor eller delvis utenfor arbeidslivet. Dette prosjektet benyttet seg av salutogenese som et teoretisk konsept. Denne rapporten legger vekt på endringer i mental og fysisk helse, mestringsstrategier og livskvalitet. Tilnærming er basert på metodetriangulering. Den kvantitative delen består av spørreskjemaer bestående av egendefinerte spørsmål og standardiserte instrumenter. Til tross for langvarig sykdom og dårlig helsestatus bidrar aktivitetene på Aktiv på Dagtid til å øke mestringsevnen og livskvaliteten til deltakerne. Ikke alle deltakerne har som et mål å komme tilbake til arbeidslivet, men deltakelse i seg selv har stor nytte både for personene det gjelder, for familien deres og økonomisk for samfunnet.Aktiv på dagtid: Fra å overleve til å leve igjenpublishedVersio

Understanding the relationship between subjective health complaints and satisfaction with life for people in prevocational training in Norway

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Understanding the relationship between subjective health complaints and satisfaction with life for people in prevocational training in Norway

Background and aim: In Norway, a large part of the population is dependent on disability benefits. The main reasons for this are related to long-term musculoskeletal pain and psychological complaints. Prevocational rehabilitation, aimed at increasing participation in working life, targets people in need of a sheltered vocational environment. This group has been found to report a very high level of health complaints. Therefore, a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms affecting satisfaction with life for people who experience subjective health complaints could be important for tailoring more optimal vocational rehabilitation initiatives for these individuals. This study aimed to investigate the possible mediator role of basic psychological need satisfaction, described in self-determination theory, in the relationship between subjective health complaints and satisfaction with life. Methods: A total of 201 adult participants attending prevocational training on care farms in Norway answered a questionnaire, including demographic questions and standardised instruments on subjective health complaints, basic psychological need satisfaction and satisfaction with life. Analyses were conducted using a structural equation model. Results: Most of the participants had been out of work for more than one year, had a high prevalence of subjective health complaints and a low level of satisfaction with life. The structural equation model showed that basic psychological need satisfaction mediated the negative association between psychological health complaints and satisfaction with life. Conclusion: The results indicate that even though health complaints remain, prevocational programs can counteract some of the negative associations between subjective health complaints and satisfaction with life by creating contexts that support basic psychological needs that are important for well-being and functioning. Providing clients with understanding, guidance, positive feedback, meaningful tasks and a close, supportive social community, has been found to facilitate satisfaction of basic psychological needs in prevocational training on care farmspublishedVersio

Oxytocin levels and self-reported anxiety during interactions between humans and cows

Introduction: Positive social interactions with farm animals may have therapeutic benefits on humans by increasing brain oxytocin secretion, as inferred from circulating oxytocin levels. The aim of this observational study was to investigate acute changes in human plasma oxytocin levels and state anxiety associated with interactions with dairy cows. Methods: Data were collected from 18 healthy female nursing students who performed stroking and brushing of an unfamiliar cow for 15 min. Blood samples were drawn before entering the cowshed (T1, baseline), and after 5 (T2) and 15 (T3) min of interaction with a cow. At T1 and T3, the students filled out the Norwegian version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Subscale (STAI-SS). Results: Across participants, no significant changes in average plasma oxytocin concentration were detected between time points (p>0.05). There was, however, a modest decline in the STAI-SS scores between T1 and T3 (p=0.015) and a positive correlation between the change in individual level of state anxiety between T1 and T3 and the change in OT concentration of the same individual between T2 and T3 (p = 0.045). Discussion: The results suggest that friendly social interactions with cows are beneficial in lowering state anxiety, but any relationship with release of OT into the circulation was complex and variable across individuals. The acute reduction in state anxiety lends support to the value of interacting with farm animals in the context of Green Care for people with mental health challenges

Gården som arena for tilpasset opplæring: Erfaringer med gård–skole-tilbud i et inkluderingsperspektiv

Tilpasset opplæring på gårdsbruk én eller flere dager i uken er et tilbud til enkelte elever på ungdomstrinnet som har vansker med å nyttiggjøre seg ordinær opplæring i klassen. I lys av teori om inkludering har vi undersøkt erfaringer til ansatte ved skoler og gårdbrukere som samarbeider om opplæringstilbud på gård. Det ble gjennomført 17 semistrukturerte intervju med gårdbrukere og kontaktlærere, rådgiver og skoleledere i kommunal oppvekstenhet ved fem ulike gård–skole-tilbud fra Østlandet, Vestlandet og Midt-Norge. Informantenes erfaringer ble sett i lys av Haugs (2014) teori om inkludering og Lave og Wengers (2003) teori om situerte praksisfellesskap. Informantenes erfaringer viste at relasjonsarbeid og fellesskapsbygging foregår parallelt med samarbeid om meningsfulle og nyttige arbeidsoppgaver på gården, som ble tilpasset den enkelte elevs forutsetninger og interesser. Informantene erfarte også at opplæringstilbud på gård skapte muligheter for nye vennskap for elevene. Tilbudene kan oppleves både inkluderende og segregerende. Vår studie viser at inklusjon i små fellesskap på gården kan være et viktig supplement til inkludering i basisklassen, som en utvidelse av tiltak om tilpasset opplæring i fellesskolen.publishedVersio

Levels of nitrate, nitrite and nitrosamines in model sausages during heat treatment and in vitro digestion – The impact of adding nitrite and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.)

publishedVersio

Oxytocin levels and self-reported anxiety during interactions between humans and cows

IntroductionPositive social interactions with farm animals may have therapeutic benefits on humans by increasing brain oxytocin secretion, as inferred from circulating oxytocin levels. The aim of this observational study was to investigate acute changes in human plasma oxytocin levels and state anxiety associated with interactions with dairy cows.MethodsData were collected from 18 healthy female nursing students who performed stroking and brushing of an unfamiliar cow for 15 min. Blood samples were drawn before entering the cowshed (T1, baseline), and after 5 (T2) and 15 (T3) min of interaction with a cow. At T1 and T3, the students filled out the Norwegian version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State Subscale (STAI-SS).ResultsAcross participants, no significant changes in average plasma oxytocin concentration were detected between time points (p>0.05). There was, however, a modest decline in the STAI-SS scores between T1 and T3 (p=0.015) and a positive correlation between the change in individual level of state anxiety between T1 and T3 and the change in OT concentration of the same individual between T2 and T3 (p = 0.045).DiscussionThe results suggest that friendly social interactions with cows are beneficial in lowering state anxiety, but any relationship with release of OT into the circulation was complex and variable across individuals. The acute reduction in state anxiety lends support to the value of interacting with farm animals in the context of Green Care for people with mental health challenges