Self‐management program for obesity control among middle‐aged women in Korea: A pilot study

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 12 week self‐management intervention program, as compared to a structured exercise intervention, for obesity control among middle‐aged women in Korea. Methods: A quasi‐experimental study was conducted with 27 women in a self‐management group and 24 in a structured exercise group for 12 weeks. The self‐management group received interventions that included walking at a convenient time and place, keeping healthy dietary habits, group workshops, phone counseling, and mobile phone short message services. The structured exercise group received a structured exercise intervention, which involved three 1 h walking classes per week at the health center. Both groups received baseline assessments before starting the interventions and at 12 weeks. The data were analyzed by using two sample t‐tests, a paired t‐test, and the χ²‐test. Results: After 12 weeks, there were significant changes in the health behavior, amount of body fat, and blood pressure of the participants in both intervention groups, but there was no significant difference in their body composition, blood profile, or blood pressure. Conclusion: Both the self‐management and the structured exercise programs were effective in controlling obesity in middle‐aged obese women in Korea. However, considering the chronic nature of obesity, the self‐management program would be more beneficial, compared to the structured exercise program, as it allows people to exercise at a convenient time and place and to learn how to cope with their lifestyle barriers.     

Health promotion behavior in middle‐aged Koreans: A cross sectional survey

This cross‐sectional study was conducted to verify self‐efficacy, self‐esteem, and social support as characteristics of health promotion behavior in middle‐aged Koreans, and the influence of social support on self‐efficacy and self‐esteem with respect to health promotion behavior. Data were collected from 310 subjects in South Korea using a self‐administered questionnaire. We found a significant finding that self‐efficacy positively influences health promotion behavior, focusing on the moderating effect of social support. Self‐efficacy affected health promotion behavior (P < 0.01) as did social support. Mean self‐efficacy, self‐esteem, health promotion behavior, and social support scores were 50.27, 29.35, 124.39, and 76.51, respectively. This finding provides strong evidence that social support can be used as a model to understand health promotion behavior. Individualized nursing interventions based on social support and self‐efficacy theory should be utilized in high‐risk middle‐aged patients so as to assist and improve health promotion behavior. Also, in community practice settings, nurses should consider that increased social support and self‐efficacy are required to improve health promotion behaviors.     

Six month outcomes of an innovative weekly intergenerational day program with older adults and school‐aged children in a Japanese urban community

Aim: To describe the nature of the progression of intergenerational interactions among and between older people and children in a weekly intergenerational day program (IDP) in an urban community and to evaluate the older people's health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) and depressive symptoms, compared to the program volunteers, as well as the children's perspectives of older people, during the first 6 months of the program's implementation. Methods: This longitudinal study, with a convenience sample of older people (n = 14), program volunteers (n = 8), and school‐aged children (n = 7), used mixed methods to analyze the results. Participant observations and interviews were used to describe the interactions between the generations over the 6 months. An ANOVA with repeated measures was used to determine the statistical effects over time (initially and at 3 months and 6 months) for HRQOL (Medical Outcomes Study 8‐Item Short‐Form Health Survey) and depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS‐15). Semantic differential scales identified the children's perspectives of older people. Results: The intergenerational interactions were grouped into thirteen categories; for example, “The IDP provided a meaningful sense of place.” The quality of life in relation to the mental health of the older people's group improved significantly between the first involvement and after 6 months, while the GDS‐15 scores significantly decreased at the three time points in the more depressed older people's subgroup. The children's initial generally positive perspectives of older people showed no statistically significant change over time. Conclusion: The intergenerational interactions in the IDP yielded a meaningful place for both generations, improved the HRQOL of the older people's group, and decreased the depressive symptoms in the more depressed older people's subgroup.     

Randomized,controlled trial of a brief family‐centred care programme for hospitalized patients with bipolar disorder and their family caregivers

Family interventions have been emphasized in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BPD) due to the bidirectional and entangled relationships between patients and the family system, and have benefits for patients’ symptoms and health; however, the effects of family interventions on family function and caregivers’ health‐related outcomes have not been well investigated. This randomized, controlled trial with 47 hospitalized patients with BPD/family caregiver dyads at a medical centre in northern Taiwan compared the effects of a brief family‐centred care (BFCC) programme with treatment as usual (TAU). All of the family caregivers in two groups were invited to attend a routine 60‐min family discussion group about violence and suicide prevention. The TAU group without specific family interview for patient and family caregiver dyad. In the BFCC group, four 90‐min BFCC programme sessions were additionally provided twice a week for each hospitalized family dyad. We hypothesized that, first, family caregivers in the BFCC group could increase their family function, and second, improve perceived health status and reduce caregiver's burdens compared to the TAU. The results showed that family caregivers in the BFCC group significant interaction effects in overall family function (P = 0.03) and subscale conflict (P = 0.04), communication (P = 0.01), and problem‐solving (P = 0.04), but there were no significant interaction effects on the caregivers’ perceived health status and caregivers’ burdens. Our findings support both the feasibility of using the BFCC programme for inpatients and its specific benefits for family function. An intensive family intervention during hospitalization has been suggested in psychiatric practice to support patients with BPD and family caregivers.     

The association between substance use and risky sexual behaviors among middle school children

Objective: The objective of the study was to determine if there was a significant association between substance use and risky sexual behaviors among middle school children.

Methods: Data were collected in May 2002 using a questionnaire. A chi-square test was used for data analysis.

Results: The results showed that alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and tobacco use are strong predictors of risky sexual behaviors.

Conclusions: These findings will be of use to healthcare practitioners and health educators seeking to reduce the risk of infection with HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases among the middle school children.