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Health Education Research - current issue
A cluster-analytical approach towards physical activity and eating habits among 10-year-old children
Sabbe, D., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., Legiest, E., Maes, L. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
The purpose was to investigate whether clusters—based on physical activity (PA) and eating habits—can be found among children, and to explore subgroups' characteristics. A total of 1725 10-year olds completed a self-administered questionnaire. K-means cluster analysis was based on the weekly quantity of vigorous and moderate PA, the excess index (weekly consumption of sugar and/or fat) and the daily diversity index. Chi-squares tested gender differences in clusters and associations with socio-economic status (SES), overweight, controlling for gender. Following distribution was reliable: Sporty Healthy Eaters (n = 242; high vigorous PA, average moderate PA, low excess, higher diversity), Sporty Mixed Eaters (n = 288; high overall PA, very high excess, high diversity), Moderate Active Healthy Eaters (n = 221; average vigorous PA, highest moderate PA, lower excess, higher diversity), Unsporting Unhealthy Eaters (n = 276; below average on all indexes, diversity extremely low) and Sedentary Healthy Eaters (n = 318; lowest overall PA, higher excess, highest diversity). The Sporty Healthy Eaters and Sporty Mixed Eaters comprised more males, Sedentary Healthy Eaters more females. No associations with SES or overweight were found for the clusters. Co-occurrence of healthy and unhealthy behaviour exists. Only Sporty Healthy Eaters combine high levels of PA with low excess index and higher dietary diversity index. Effective ways of directing children to selective, individual relevant recommendations should be developed.
The impact of an appearance-based educational intervention on adolescent intention to use sunscreen
Olson, A. L., Gaffney, C. A., Starr, P., Dietrich, A. J. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
During adolescence, there is a steady decline in the use of sun protection and increased use of indoor tanning lights. Previous health education efforts have changed knowledge but not these behaviors. Middle school students (n = 113) received a single educational class that included personal viewing of skin changes visible under ultraviolet (UV) filtered light. Pre-/post-surveys assessed past, current and future intent to use sunscreen, as well as sun benefit and sun risk attitudes. Prior to the session, 42% were sunscreen non-users and 21% were consistent users. At post-test, one-third of students who had not previously intended to use sunscreen in the next month now intended to use it. Among students who had seen skin damage, 59% reported intention to use sunscreen in the next month versus 35% who did not see skin changes (P = 0.04). Viewing sun damage was an independent predictor of intent to use sunscreen in the next month (OR 2.9, P = 0.04), as was older age (OR 2.6, P = 0.04) and previous consistent sunscreen use (OR 6.1, P = 0.004). A brief educational intervention that emphasizes risk-to-appearance and personalizes the risks of UV exposure has the potential to influence early adolescent sun protection. Long-term studies of this approach are needed.
Young people and mental health: novel methods for systematic review of research on barriers and facilitators
Oliver, S., Harden, A., Rees, R., Shepherd, J., Brunton, G., Oakley, A. Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0000
This paper describes how barriers to, and facilitators of, good mental health amongst young people (11–21 years) were elucidated from a systematic review of studies of young people's views and how these barriers and facilitators were compared with effectiveness studies to identify effective and appropriate interventions, promising interventions needing further evaluation and the need for further intervention. All studies were published before 2000. No clear pattern for effectiveness emerged in terms of mental health promotion focus, the type of intervention, intervention provider or young people. Well-evaluated interventions neither always target what we know young people themselves see as important barriers to their mental health (for instance, loss of friends and family, violence and bullying) nor always build on what they see as key facilitators, particularly their preferred coping strategies. In particular, while young people see material and physical resources as major influences on their mental health, few evaluated interventions targeted these. Rigorously evaluated interventions more often addressed priorities not raised by young people themselves and populations at low risk for mental health problems. These innovative review methods can inform intervention development and evaluation in a new way based on the strengths and needs identified by the target population.
Public Health News From Medical News Today
More US Adults Living With High Blood Pressure
Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:00:00 -0700
Two new national health studies show that more adults in the US are living with hypertension than ever before; while this is bad news in that the proportion of the population with high blood pressure has gone up, it is also good news in that more people are living with rather than dying from high blood pressure. The investigators also concluded that obesity is the main reason so many adult Americans have high blood pressure.
Launch Of The World's Largest Household Longitudinal Study
Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700
One thing that all western nations have in common is our ever evolving societies. In order to understand the impact of such changes on our communities, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) launched Understanding Society, the world's largest ever household longitudinal study on Monday 13th October 2008. Understanding Society will provide valuable new evidence to inform research on the vital issues facing our communities. Initial funding for the project is £15.
Do The Presidential Candidates Know What Healthcare Professionals Think?
Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700
Senator McCain believes it to be a responsibility; Senator Obama, a right. While both candidates believe that healthcare reform is a high priority, they disagree on the methods necessary to fix this problem. But do they know which plan physicians support? A new study from DoctorDirectory of more than 900 physicians of all specialties was designed to assess attitudes on universal healthcare as it relates to the upcoming election.
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