Continued development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS): preliminary evidence for validity among American Indians.

Introduction: Much of the US adult population does not engage in regular physical activity or meet the recommended guidelines for exercise. Moreover, many rural Americans disproportionately experience lower health status and life expectancy attributed to obesity, poor diet, and lack of physical activity. Evidence supports the role of perceived physical and social-environmental factors as potential influencers of exercise.

Factors Associated with the Presence of Strong Social Supports in Bhutanese Refugee Women During Pregnancy.

Social support may mitigate stress related to the refugee experience, including during resettlement. For refugee women, social support can play an important role during pregnancy. In-depth interviews were conducted within a sample of 45 Bhutanese refugee women.

Hand hygiene among healthcare workers: A qualitative meta summary using the GRADE-CERQual process.

Background: Hand hygiene is considered an effective and potentially modifiable infection control behaviour among healthcare workers (HCW). Several meta-studies have been published that compare quantitatively expressed findings, but limited efforts have been made to synthesise qualitative research.

Objectives: This paper provides the first report of integrated findings from qualitative research reports on hand hygiene compliance among HCW worldwide that employs the GRADE-CERQual process of quality assessment.

Acute care nurses' responses and recommendations for improvement of hand hygiene compliance: A cross-sectional factorial survey research study.

Background: Hand hygiene is promoted as an effective practice to counter health care-acquired infections; however, compliance is less than optimal. Nurses have many patient contact opportunities and therefore are frequent participants in intervention research. The optimal combination of efficient and effective intervention components has not been conclusively identified.

Not Enough Time in the Day: A Qualitative Assessment of In-School Physical Activity Policy as Viewed by Administrators, Teachers, and Students.

Background: In recent decades, the alignment of health and education has been at the forefront of school reform. Whereas the establishment of national in-school physical activity (ISPA) recommendations and state-level mandates demonstrates success, there has been less achievement in areas that address health disparities. The purpose of this investigation was to explore barriers and facilitators to implementing state-mandated ISPA policies in the Mississippi Delta.

Experiences of hand hygiene among acute care nurses: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Objective: Occurrences of healthcare-associated infections are associated with substantial direct and indirect costs. Improvement in hand hygiene among acute care nurses has potential to reduce incidence of healthcare-associated infections. Findings from reviews of intervention research have not conclusively identified components that are more or less efficient or effective.

Men's Preferences for Physical Activity Interventions: An Exploratory Study Using a Factorial Survey Design Created With R Software.

Effective exercise interventions are needed to improve quality of life and decrease the impact of chronic disease. Researchers suggest males have been underrepresented in exercise intervention studies, resulting in less understanding of their exercise practices. Findings from preference survey methods suggest reasonable association between preference and behavior.

Impact of Preexisting Mental Illnesses on Receipt of Guideline-Consistent Breast Cancer Treatment and Health Care Utilization.

This study determined the impact of preexisting mental illnesses on guideline-consistent breast cancer treatment and breast cancer-related health care utilization. This was a retrospective, longitudinal, cohort study conducted using data from the 2006-2008 Medicaid Analytic Extract files. The target population for the study consisted of female Medicaid enrollees who were aged 18-64 years and were newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.

Predictors of bone mineral density in african-american and caucasian college-aged women.

Background: Research regarding risk factors and prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) among African-American and Caucasian college-aged women are limited. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine if selected predictors of BMD in African-American and Caucasian college-aged women differ by race.

Methods: A total of 101 local African-American (n=50) and Caucasian (n=51) females, ages 18 to 30 years, were in this study.

Sociodemographic and Psychological Correlates of Sun Protection Behaviors among Outdoor Workers: A Review.

Outdoor workers are at a higher risk for developing skin cancer due to their increased sun exposure. The primary objective of this review was to synthesize the current research literature that addresses sociodemographic and psychological factors related to sun protection behaviors in outdoor workers. Two additional purposes were to provide an overview of sun exposure and describe sun protection behaviors of outdoor workers.

Skin Cancer Knowledge, Beliefs, Self-Efficacy, and Preventative Behaviors among North Mississippi Landscapers.

There are slightly over one million workers in the landscape service industry in the US. These workers have potential for high levels of solar ultraviolet radiation exposure, increasing their risk of skin cancer. A cross-sectional sample of 109 landscapers completed a self-administered questionnaire based on Health Belief Model (HBM).

Pre-test data and lessons learned from a group research project examining changes in physical activity behavior following construction of a rails-to-trails facility.

Built environments in rural settings may provide greater challenges than those in urban settings due to physical characteristics inherent to low-density population areas. Multiuse recreational trails, such as those that repurpose abandoned railroad lines, may provide a physical activity resource that is well suited to rural areas. However, the direct impact of trail availability on physical activity behavior is not generally known because it is unclear whether activity reported in most trail research represents increases in physical activity or displacement of activity in individuals who previously exercised in other locations.

Use of analgesics for exercise-associated pain: prevalence and predictors of use in recreationally trained college-aged students.

The objectives of this study were to examine the use of the analgesics for the relief of exercise-associated pain (EAP) and to examine personal and/or exercise characteristics that might potentially predict such use in recreationally trained college-aged individuals. Recreationally trained college-aged students (N = 263) were invited to complete a self-administered 16-item questionnaire concerning personal exercise habits and analgesic use for EAP. The primary dependent variable was analgesic use for EAP, and additional items sought to characterize patterns and behaviors related to the use.

Obesity and health risk of children in the Mississippi Delta.

Background: Mississippi (MS) Delta adults and youth report obesity rates far exceeding those of the state and nation. State law requires in-school physical activity and nutrition practices to address childhood obesity but does not require evaluation of outcomes, specifically the impact on weight-related outcomes. This paper offers 3 things: (1) describes the weight status of elementary school-age children in the MS Delta; (2) explains the importance of including waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) values when reporting body mass index (BMI); and (3) provides impetus for policy that requires weight-related health risk, as measured by WHtR, to be assessed regularly as a means to evaluate school health policy.

Drinking norms: predictors of misperceptions among college students.

Objectives: To explore misperceptions and predictors of misperceptions of celebration and general drinking norms. Participants were traditional college students (N=214).

Methods: An online questionnaire was developed to assess personal drinking behavior and perceived drinking norms.

Spirituality and substance use in a sample of Russian adolescents.

Aim: The aim was to examine the effects of spirituality on recent cigarette and alcohol use, intentions to use cigarette and alcohol, and perceived risks of cigarette/alcohol use in a sample of Russian adolescents.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from 362 10th graders from Ufa, Russia.

Results: Adolescents scoring higher on spirituality were significantly more likely to report lower levels of intentions to use cigarettes or alcohol.

Evaluation of a social cognitive theory-based email intervention designed to influence the physical activity of survivors of breast cancer.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate a 12-week social cognitive theory (SCT)-based email intervention designed to influence the physical activity of survivors of breast cancer.

Methods: Seventy-four volunteers (intervention group, n = 36; control group, n = 38) were recruited by mass email and written letter solicitation. Participants completed a series of online questionnaires measuring demographic characteristics, physical activity readiness, level of physical activity and selected SCT variables at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks.

Development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS).

Background: Evidence supports the role of physical and social environments in active living, including perception of environment. However, measurement of perceived environments in rural settings is lacking. This study describes the development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS).

The worksite supportive environments for active living survey: development and psychometric properties.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report instrument to measure perceived physical and social environmental factors in the worksite setting that are shown to influence physical activity.

Design: Initial items were generated from a review of the literature and were sent out for peer and expert panel review. A revised questionnaire was sent to 1250 participants to determine and test the emerging factor structure.

Differences in college student typical drinking and celebration drinking.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to determine whether students consume alcohol in greater quantities when drinking in celebration of an event or holiday versus typical drinking use. Celebratory occasions include tailgating during football games, holidays, and the beginning and ending of academic semesters.

Participants: Traditional undergraduates, ages 18 to 24, who attended the university full time in the Fall 2007 and the Spring 2008.

Development of the Rural Active Living Assessment Tools: measuring rural environments.

Objective: Develop rural-specific assessment tools to be used by researchers and practitioners to measure the activity-friendliness of rural communities.

Method: The tools were created through a mixed-methods investigation into the determinants of physical activity among rural populations. This informed the development of a conceptual framework defining activity-friendly rural environments.

Effect of a web site intervention on physical activity of college females.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a social cognitive theory (SCT) Web site intervention on college female physical activity and to determine if SCT variables mediated physical activity.

Methods: Ninety-one sedentary volunteers (intervention n = 45; control n = 46) completed questionnaires measuring self-regulation, outcome expectancy value, self-efficacy, and physical activity at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months.

Results: The intervention increased days of moderate physical activity at 6 weeks, and self-regulation mediated this effect.

Integrating multiple health behavior theories into program planning: the PER worksheet.

The foundation of a logic model or any theory-based planning model is the identification of the behavioral antecedents and the relationship of these variables to the target behavior. Applying theoretical concepts to specific behaviors and populations is often challenging for practitioners and program planning students. The challenge comes from the abstract definition of theoretical constructs, the duplication of similar constructs in multiple theories, and the need to combine multiple theories.

Perceptions of antiobesity medications among personal trainers.

The purpose of this research was to develop a baseline understanding of the knowledge and perceptions that certified personal trainers have of both prescription and nonprescription weight loss drugs. A 16-item qualitative survey instrument was used to interview certified personal trainers. Interviews were conducted via telephone to assess trainers' current level of knowledge and perceptions of weight loss drugs.

Intention to quit tobacco use among clients in substance use disorder treatment settings.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of age, gender, tobacco-related knowledge, treatment modality, and changes in smoking patterns on intention to quit tobacco use among individuals participating in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in Ohio. Of the 791 SUD program attendees, 91.7% currently used tobacco, with cigarette smoking being the most prevalent form of use.