Exercise Physiology: Health Indicators and Cardiovascular Risk Factors during Childhood and Adolescence

Low risk strategies use favourable levels of different behavioural and physiological parameters, which may be accepted as health indicators. High risk strategies are oriented to protect people from the potential risk levels of the same behavioural and physiological parameters. Both strategies are first applied to adults; but the established levels of risk in adults cannot be explained only by their living conditions, these factors must have some genetic and educational roots in childhood and adolescence. Based on several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies of 1652 subjects it was shown that trained and untrained adolescents did not differ in family history of CHD but clearly had different behavioural risk factors. The early identification of children and adolescents with a high risk of developing CHD should be intensified using integrated risk indicators. Thus collaboration between exercise physiology and preventive cardiology should be centered more on studies of children and adolescents.     

Help at Home and Perceived Health Status: Gender Differences in a Community-Dwelling Population

ABSTRACT

Understanding the factors that impact perceived health status of older adults will help to identify the factors associated with aging well and to develop occupational and physical therapy interventions. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between life circumstances related to living with a helper and perceived health status. Methods: Questionnaire responses from a sample (n = 243) of community-dwelling older adults (ages 60–90+) were analyzed for relationships between demographic information, living with a helper, and SF-36 scores. Results: In a sample with high socioeconomic status, there were no differences between men and women in reported health status, but women were significantly less likely to have a helper at home. Ceiling effects were noted in several subscales of the SF-36. Discussion: Consideration must be given to gender differences in help at home during therapy, and when recommending outside services to help with daily living tasks.     

睡眠卫生意识和习惯对精神障碍患者睡眠的影响

目的:探讨睡眠卫生意识和习惯对精神障碍患者睡眠方面的影响。方法:采用睡眠卫生意识和习惯量表对91例住院治疗的恢复期患者进行问卷调查。结果:46.2%的患者认为“入睡前饥饿”对睡眠有“轻微干扰”,40.7%的患者认为“入睡前口渴”对睡眠有“中等干扰”,35.2%的患者认为“每天抽烟一包”对睡眠有“非常大的干扰”,60.5%的患者认为“睡前咖啡因物质摄入”对睡眠有“中等或非常大的干扰”,27.5%的患者认为“睡前2小时剧烈运动”对睡眠有“轻微帮助”。87.9%的患者每周吸烟不超过一包,84.6%的患者睡前无咖啡因物质摄入,68.1%的患者不会在睡前从事剧烈运动,50.5%的患者会选择每日服用安眠药。结论:研究对象在安排良好的睡眠环境和使用药物保持睡眠方面采取积极方式,对有害于睡眠的物质使用比较谨慎,对运动和睡眠的关系比较模糊,基本采取消极的应对行为,对睡眠限制的认识非常不足。     

Contributions of Graduate Students to Nursing Knowledge in Women's Health

An essential goal of advanced nursing education is creation and dissemination of nursing knowledge; nurses with master's or higher degrees are expected to participate in research activities and publication (McCloskey & Grace, 1990; National League for Nursing, 1992; Yonge, Skillen, & Henderson, 1996). Knowledge based on empiric findings is a major force in nursing today and is changing practice, education, and health policy. Consequently, publication of research findings is vital to the advancement of the nursing profession (Oddi, Whitley, & Pool, 1994;Styles, 1981; Whitley, Oddi, & Terrell, 1998).     

Self‐Regulation of Sleep,Emotion, and Weight during Adolescence: Implications for Translational Research and Practice

Self‐regulation—the ability to manage motivations, emotions, physiological sensations, and behavior to meet internal and external demands of the environment—is critical to health and development. Adolescence represents a dynamic period of change in both the demand and capacity for self‐regulation. As teens mature and become more autonomous, they are confronted with decisions in determining where they spend their time, what they eat, when they go to bed, and how they prioritize and pursue various social, academic, and recreational goals. We highlight opportunities to improve self‐regulatory capacities and related health outcomes during this important developmental window. In particular, we focus on emotion regulation, sleep regulation, and weight regulation as three separate but synergistic self‐regulatory systems that may provide unique opportunities for intervention to optimize health outcomes. To this end, we begin by describing developmental changes that occur in emotion, sleep and weight regulatory systems during the transitional period of adolescence, as well as how these changes can lead to profound and enduring health consequences. Next, we describe emerging evidence that indicates complex and synergistic interactions among these regulatory systems during adolescence. Last, we end with possible prevention and intervention efforts that capitalize on the interactions among these three regulatory domains.     

基层部队新兵集训期间健康状况及短期干预的效果

目的 了解新兵集训期间的健康状况,并探讨短期综合健康干预对提高集训期间新兵健商指数的效果.方法 将113名参加集训的新兵随机分为研究组(N=58)和对照组(N=55),对照组采取常规训练,研究组在此基础上进行为期1个月的综合健康干预,比较两组研究对象干预前后的健商指数.结果 两组新兵干预前及对照组干预前后,健商指数各维...     

The Impact of Migraine on Health Status

Problems.-What is the effect of migraine on health status, defined as the patient's physical, psychological, and social functioning? And, suppose that the health status of migraine sufferers appears to be impaired, to what extent is this a consequence of migraine-associated comorbidity rather than of migraine itself? Methods.-A group of 846 migraineurs, selected from the general population following IHS criteria, and a control group were surveyed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, Nottingham Health Profile, EuroQol instrument, end the COOP/WONCA charts. Questions on demographic characteristics and comorbidity were included. Results.-The health status of migraineurs appeared to be significantly impaired in comparison to the control group. Because statistical significance is distinct from relevance, effect size estimators were employed. Although the direction of the differences indicated consistently a worse health status of the migraineurs, regardless of the instrument used, the sizes of the differences were small to medium. Self-reported comorbidity, especially depression, was more prevalent in the migraine group. However, this offered only a partial explanation for the impaired health status of the migraine group. Conclusions.-Migraine has an independent moderately deteriorating effect on the daily functioning of individuals.     

护理人员睡眠状况调查以及夜班工作对睡眠的影响

目的调查护理人员的睡眠状况,以及夜班工作对睡眠的影响.方法对348名护理人员、50名通讯值班员,100名夜勤人员进行匹兹堡睡眠质量指数测查和睡眠特征分析,采用DSM-Ⅳ标准进行失眠症诊断.结果护理人员中睡眠状况差者占71.86%,符合DSM-Ⅳ中原发性失眠诊断者占38.22%;通讯值班员该两项比例分别为74%和48%;夜勤人员分别为26.76%和7%.护理人员睡眠状况差与年龄、从事夜班年限有关;护理人员与通讯值班员的睡眠状况相似（ P〉0.05）,与夜勤人员的睡眠状况有非常显著性差异（ P＜0.01）.结论轮班工作方式对护理人员的睡眠状况影响较大,使其在入睡时间、睡眠时间、睡眠效率、日间功能等方面普遍存在一定障碍,但对此不倾向于使用药物治疗,可采用非药物疗法如穴位按摩、自我保健等.     

The Nurse's Role in School-Based Mental Health Promotion: Easing the Transition Into Adolescence

The developmental phase of adolescence is a critical transition that can be influenced by many factors. The author identifies some of the significant mental health problems for the "high-risk" adolescent. The importance of the Student Assistance Program and the role that the psychiatric/mental health nurse specialist plays in the context of this program are reviewed.     

Distinctiveness of Perceived Health in Panic Disorder and Relation to Panic Disorder Severity

The aims of this study were to investigate to what extent perceived health in panic disorder (PD) is distinct from related constructs and to examine the relationship between perceived health and various domains of PD severity. Seventy-five PD outpatients were administered instruments measuring perceived health, anxiety sensitivity, hypochondriacal fears and beliefs, catastrophic appraisals of the consequences of physical symptoms of anxiety and panic, various aspects of psychopathology, and PD severity. Results of the correlation, partial correlation, and multiple regression analyses suggest the following: (1) among PD patients there is much overlap between negatively perceived health, catastrophic appraisals of the consequences of physical symptoms of anxiety and panic, and hypochondriacal beliefs; (2) negatively perceived health is not significantly related to PD severity nor to any aspect of PD severity, whereas anxiety sensitivity and hypochondriacal beliefs have a significant relationship with the severity of anticipatory anxiety, and in that regard may be more clinically useful than perceived health before the beginning of treatment.     

睡眠环境学与睡眠用具的人体工效学——我们需要什么样的健康床垫?

正改善睡眠环境是治疗睡眠障碍的重要手段之一,随着城市化的进展,人们对新的睡眠环境产生了很多的不适应现象,由此而产生了睡眠环境学。本文仅从睡眠环境学的睡眠用具——床垫的健康要求角度,探讨改善睡眠环境的重要性。1睡眠环境学概述睡眠环境学是睡眠学的重要分支科学。它的主要研究内容包括睡眠环境对睡眠的影响、生物     

The Prevalence and Perceived Health Consequences of Hunger in Emergency Department Patient Populations

Objectives: Hunger is associated with chronic poor health and may force patients to make choices that acutely impact their health. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of hunger, some of the choices it forces, and its perceived health effects among emergency department (ED) patients. Methods: A validated survey about hunger, choosing between food and medicine, and perceived adverse health outcomes was administered in English, Spanish, and Somali to non-critically ill ED patients or their parents. Demographics, rates of hunger, numbers of yearly ED visits, and decisions between buying commodities or medications were assessed. Relationships between variables were summarized with odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals, and logistic regression. Results: Of 930 respondents, 23.7% screened positive for hunger and 17.6% bought food instead of medications. Among the hunger-positive respondents, 44% believed this choice caused illness, and of these, 69% sought ED assessment and 35% believed they were hospitalized because of this choice. Predictors of hunger were low income (OR = 3.3), illicit drug use (OR = 5.5), chronic illness (OR = 2.1), Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 1.9), and lack of insurance (OR = 1.8). Buying food instead of medicine was predicted by low income (OR = 2.5), chronic illness (OR = 2.4), and lack of insurance (OR = 3.4). Predictors of illness were chronic illness (OR = 1.8), lack of insurance (OR = 2.8), African American race (OR = 2.0), and "poor" health (OR = 1.9). Conclusions: These ED patients have high rates of hunger and often choose to buy food instead of medications. Many believe that this choice results in ED visits and hospitalizations. Socioeconomic factors may predict hunger and subsequent ill health.     

Family Acceptance in Adolescence and the Health of LGBT Young Adults

ISSUE: The role of family acceptance as a protective factor for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adolescents and young adults has not been established. METHODS: A quantitative measure with items derived from prior qualitative work retrospectively assessed family accepting behaviors in response to LGBT adolescents' sexual orientation and gender expression and their relationship to mental health, substance abuse, and sexual risk in young adults (N= 245). FINDINGS: Family acceptance predicts greater self-esteem, social support, and general health status; it also protects against depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation and behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Family acceptance of LGBT adolescents is associated with positive young adult mental and physical health. Interventions that promote parental and caregiver acceptance of LGBT adolescents are needed to reduce health disparities.