Leisure Activities Research Articles

Higher recreation specialisation is related to higher media engagement but not to reduced outdoor activity in birders

ABSTRACT The significant role of social media in our daily lives is undeniable. Here, we study the relationship between outcomes from the uses and gratifications theory of social media in relation to a growing outdoor-related leisure activity: birding (or birdwatching). The conceptualisation of birding specialisation is addressed, thus drawing on two well-established psychological constructs, birding specialisation and the uses and gratifications theory. A total of 444 Australian birders (217 men, 227 women) participated in an online questionnaire survey. Results indicate that higher values of social media for information use, socialising and status seeking are positively related to higher birding specialisation. Thus, birders with higher knowledge and a more committed lifestyle (where birding is highly central to a person’s lifestyle) also score higher on the dimensions of information, socialising and status seeking, which seems somewhat contradictory. Media usage, therefore, does not go on the cost of outdoor leisure. Findings suggest that social media play an important role even in outdoor leisure activities and that birding is an overarching lifestyle.

The relationship between leisure time activities and chronic musculoskeletal pain in schoolteachers.

The relationship between leisure time activities and chronic musculoskeletal pain in schoolteachers.

Estimation of the proportion of skin cancers attributable to occupational sun exposure in Reunion Island.

Estimation of the proportion of skin cancers attributable to occupational sun exposure in Reunion Island.

Cognitive reserve in young-onset cognitive impairment.

Cognitive reserve in young-onset cognitive impairment.

La filosofía del juego y el origen de las instituciones políticas en el pensamiento de José Ortega y Gasset

Our paper deals with the essays by José Ortega y Gasset entitled El origen deportivo del Estado (1924), La caza y los toros (1929) and Idea del teatro (1946), among other texts that are sources of reference for working on the concepts of the philosophy of play and the formation of political institutions. Sport and leisure activities are the reflection of technology applied to the constitution of civilisation and to ‘happy occupations’, where human beings find fun, joy and spontaneous enjoyment in the face of unavoidable work tasks. According to Ortega, dialectics is the ‘vital reason’ manifested in the creation of techniques to be expressed through social and institutional systems. Likewise, the human being is represented as a lacking being thrown into the world to confront the ‘dramas’ arising within his circumstance. From this crisis, Ortega elaborates a ‘first philosophy’ based on play and sport to explain the integration of culture, politics and the position of the human being mythologised in the figure of an ‘ontological centaur’, situated between the natural and the artificial, obliged to make decisions and destined to satisfy his basic and superfluous needs.

Navigating healthcare costs and family support: Coping strategies adopted by breast cancer patients in a tertiary cancer care center—A qualitative phenomenological analysis.

e21022 Background: Economic distress caused by high costs of cancer treatment poses a significant challenge to patients and their caregivers. It affects treatment adherence, quality of life, and emotional well-being, often necessitating adoption of coping strategies that vary based on sociocultural contexts. Existing literature highlights that up to 22% of cancer patients delay or forgo necessary treatment due to financial constraints, and 51% resort to depleting personal savings. However, there is a paucity of research exploring coping strategies used by patients to navigate these costs within diverse cultural and economic contexts, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like India. Methods: This qualitative study employs a phenomenological design to explore experiences of breast cancer patients navigating financial toxicity. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 breast cancer patients receiving treatment at PSG Institute of Oncology, Coimbatore, India. Eligible participants included patients aged 18 years or older who are undergoing active treatment for at least three months. Patients in terminal stages or palliative care, or those who completed treatment over six months ago, were excluded. Interviews were conducted using an open-ended guide, transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was performed to identify recurring patterns and unique strategies employed to address financial burdens. Results: Patients and their families adopt various coping strategies including relying on government schemes for medical and non-medical expenses, depleting savings, and seeking financial aid through scholarships, grants or philanthropic contributions. To avoid debt, many families adhere to tight budgets, while others take loans from friends, family, or use gold loans. Sacrifices are made, with families prioritizing treatment expenses over leisure, travel, and social activities. Relocation closer to treatment centers or cutting back on ration expenses, reducing clothing purchases, along with taking on extra jobs are common measures to navigate costs. In some instances, families move to more affordable housing or benefit from rent flexibility provided by landlords. Emotional and spiritual coping also play an important role, with some individuals turning to new religious practices for support. Government programs like the Chief Minister’s scheme, life insurance benefits, and free lab services provide additional financial relief. Conclusions: Oncology patients employ diverse, personalized coping strategies to navigate these challenges. This study highlights the complexity of financial toxicity in cancer care, with findings aimed at strengthening patient support systems, and influencing policies to address these economic barriers.

What Is a “Healthy” Balance Between Students' Involvement in Curricular and Extracurricular Activities? Evidence From a Highly Selective Russian University

ABSTRACTAlthough many researchers and policy‐makers emphasise the benefits of extracurricular involvement, others state that intense extracurricular involvement might be harmful to students' achievements and development. This paper aims to estimate the “healthy” time proportion between curricular and extracurricular activities at university and what patterns of their combination with students' activities outside of campus can positively affect students' academic performance and mental health. Data from an undergraduate survey conducted at a highly selective Russian university and matched with administrative records about students' GPA (N = 2753) were utilised. The study revealed that there are cut‐off points for student participation in research activities and applied projects at university, as well as volunteering and organising activities. After these cut‐off points are reached, the positive effects of extracurricular involvement disappear. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining a balance between both curricular and extracurricular activities as well as making time for sleeping, socialising and leisure activities. This study provides valuable insights into optimising student involvement in activities, offering actionable recommendations for educational policy‐makers and university administrators to increase student well‐being and academic performance.

Sheltering in place: unveiling how urban park characteristics shaped visiting patterns during the pandemic using machine learning

During the pandemic, urban parks have played an increasingly important role in promoting urban sustainability by providing outdoor leisure activities. While some parks have served as havens from social isolation, promoting outdoor activity and physical and mental health, others have experienced a decline in visitors. This study aims to classify urban parks based on their visiting patterns during the pandemic and identify the locational factors and design elements that contribute to their typology. By analyzing location-based big data from 425 parks in Seoul, South Korea, we utilized a multinomial logit model and K-shape clustering to explore how park characteristics are linked to clusters with different visiting patterns. The findings reveal that Children's Parks, District Parks, and parks with sports facilities and appropriate sizes tend to be classified as a type with significantly increased visits during the pandemic era.

Соотношение объективных жизненных условий молодежи Москвы с показателями субъективной удовлетворенности жизненными возможностями и депривациями

Life chances are a complex phenomenon that includes a heterogeneous ratio of opportunities and deprivations within several domains of public life, capable of determining an individual’s position in social stratification. The article presents the results of an empirical testing of hypotheses aimed at establishing the significance of the quality of objective living conditions of young Russians aged 25–30, living and working in Moscow, in the for-mation of subjective satisfaction with existing realities in the areas of employment, financial situation, health status and maintenance, educational and leisure activities. The object is the youth of Moscow including New Moscow, the subject is the peculiarities of life chances of Moscow residents as a heterotopic metropolis. The results of the study showed that young people, like many other representative groups of Russian society, value care, support and provided favorable conditions to the extent that it allows them to feel satisfied with life oppor-tunities and patiently withstand existing deprivations. The mass nature of the phenomenon, which provides for dissatisfaction with one’s life even under conditions of maximum objective material security and diversity of hedonistic practices, as well as the opposite situation implying maximum possible deprivation while maintain-ing hope for positive changes and a high degree of satisfaction with current life circumstances, has not been confirmed.

Football Fandom and European Practices of Social Cohesion: How Football Fandom Shapes and Structures Cross-Border Communication and Travel in Europe

Abstract This paper investigates how football fandom as a highly popular and socially diverse leisure activity contributes to practices of social cohesion within Europe and interacts with underlying socio-demographic and socio-economic inequalities. Behaviours such as cross-border communication and travel across the continent are concrete contributors to social cohesion in the European Union and broader Europe, as they induce inter-cultural and inter-personal contacts and promote exchanges and collaboration between otherwise unconnected European citizens. However, engaging in these interactions is often influenced by socio-demographic and socio-economic factors, since more well-off, more highly educated, more physically able individuals, as well as those more strongly socialised with international exchanges have a higher propensity for cross-border engagement. Football fandom provides a unique setting to explore whether these inequalities can be overcome. This paper addresses two key questions: (1) Does football fandom increase the likelihood of cross-border communication and travel? (2) Does football fandom mitigate socio-demographic and socio-economic inequalities in these practices? Based on Schiefer and van der Noll’s (2017) framework of social cohesion and using representative population data, the study examines the effects of football fandom and socio-demographic and socio-economic factors, as well as their interaction, on cross-border engagement in fans and non-fans. The results indicate that football fandom significantly enhances cross-border communication and travel, supporting the view that fandom can strengthen European social cohesion. However, football fandom partially amplifies underlying disparities regarding age and education status. These mixed results suggest that while football fandom can induce social interactions that strengthen social cohesion across Europe, it does not serve as a strong equaliser of social inequalities in cross-border engagement.

Cut out: collaging against the invisibility of women in print climbing magazines

ABSTRACT Climbing magazines from the 1970s to the 2000s, originating as a product of male-dominated climbing cultures, provide a rich illustrative source for embracing visual methodology. Working as a multidisciplinary collective of four across history, art, sociology, we are using photomontage methods to interrogate the photographic representations, absences and stark invisibility of women and women climbers held within our climbing magazine collection. We engage collage as our means of working with the magazine imagery and representations therein. Situating art making at the kitchen table, Dada artist Hannah Höch (1889-1978) invites us to trespass towards a collective, resistant leisure activity. We do so by workshopping to deconstruct, disassemble and reassemble our visual artefacts to speak back and through the ways women’s bodies are objectified, and materially and discursively play out against exclusive leisure. Identifiable representations of women appear in the magazines, which chime with the complexities of absence, sexualization, and conditional inclusion. We chat and discuss and unobtrusively transcribe our emergent commentaries. Our visual methodology therefore invigorates the examination of women’s status within climbing culture past and present, across climbing and non-climbing audiences, revealing resonances between past and present attitudes to women, suggesting that representational strategies continue to impact discriminated groups.

How funnel chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis) became an urban forager favorite in Scandinavia

BackgroundPeasants in preindustrial Norway and Sweden refused to touch edible macrofungi even during times of scarcity or famines, although this free food resource was abundantly available and authorities encouraged gathering mushrooms to enrich the diet since the eighteenth century. Urbanization and gradual changes of attitudes have turned mushroom gathering in forests and meadows into an important leisure activity. In recent decades, city foragers have discovered the funnel chanterelle, Craterellus tubaeformis (Fr.) Quél. This delicious edible mushroom has quickly become one of the most popular species for hobby gatherers. Our article follows the journey of the funnel chanterelle from an ignored food resource to a popular seasonal delicacy served also in luxury restaurants, discussing how, when and why attitudes and habits have changed.MethodologyFor the historical background, this qualitative ethnomycological study uses a rich corpus of newspapers in the Swedish and Norwegian newspaper databases at the Swedish and Norwegian National Libraries. Data on contemporary mushroom hunter knowledge of C. tubaeformis have been obtained from responses to a questionnaire from 2017 with a hundred respondents. The study has also benefited from the authors’ participatory observations, own experiences as mushroom gatherers, and conversations with mushroom pickers in Norway and Sweden. Cookery books, mushroom identification guides and other printed works have also been utilized.ResultsUrbanization caused a change in the relationship with nature: urban foragers are a fairly new phenomenon in Sweden and Norway but they have significant impact on food habits. City foragers discovered and have focused extensively on the funnel chanterelle ever since the end of the 1970s. It is now one of the most popular edible mushrooms in Sweden and Norway, widely publicized in newspapers, discussed in evening classes for novice mushroom gatherers, and presented in books and TV and internet food shows. Media and in recent decades also internet can be identified as the main information sources for urban gatherers. Attitudes have changed among others due to transformations in lifestyle, internationalization, and the fashion of consuming more local foods, as well as a strong need for leisure and perceiving nature as the best place for it, and gathering as a meaningful activity in nature.ConclusionsThe funnel chanterelle is easy to identify, harvest and prepare. It is regarded as wild food with a wide range of uses, harvested for both personal consumption and commercial purposes, and now well-integrated in the Nordic cuisine. The urban population perceives mushrooms and various other wild foods as a normal part of the diet and modern food, in contrast to their peasant ancestors who thought fungi were animal food only. Contemporary human-fungi relations in Scandinavia have multiple meanings, not only as a food source but also as a recreational activity, maintaining emotional ties to the forests and nature among a highly urbanized population.

Latent profile analysis of participation in organised leisure activities across urban neighbourhoods: implications for educational equity

Class-based parenting approaches assume that children in working-class environments participate less in extracurricular activities than those in affluent areas. However, there is a mediating role played by parents navigating out-of-school educational opportunities and neighbourhood risks, also shaped by families’ ethnic and migration ties. This article explores the diverse patterns of participation in organised leisure activities among primary school children in disadvantaged areas. We use latent profile analysis on survey data from three Barcelona neighbourhoods (N = 731). To identify patterns, we measure the intensity and breadth of children’s participation across public, private, community, and home settings, both at school and outside it. The analysis reveals seven participation profiles in organised leisure activities, with migration status shaping the differentiated use of educational spaces. These patterns indicate disparities in access to the breadth and quality of activities and help to identify the challenges of school-based programmes in mitigating segregation during children’s free time.

Involvement of rural women to different types of motor activity

The article presents the results of a survey of women in rural areas. It was found that women rated their own motor activity during the day as high (25.4% of women of the first mature age, 33.0% of women of the second mature age and 18.8% of elderly women) and average (36.2%, 30.7%, 40.4% of women of the first mature, second mature and elderly age respectively). The high and medium level of motor activity of rural women is achieved mostly due to performing various household chores, i.e., household motor activity. 16.2% of women of the first mature age, 12.4% of women of the second mature age and 6.4% of elderly women were involved in specially organized motor activity. Women prefer walking (21.1%), sports games (table tennis, badminton) (17.1%), cycling (17.9%), fitness programs (11.9%). The insufficient level of involvement of rural women in specially organized motor activity is related to their lack of free time, fatigue after work, insufficient financial capabilities, lack of opportunity to choose an activity of interest and insufficient knowledge of organizing independent physical exercises. The prerequisites for involving rural women in various types of motor activity are determined, namely: formation of knowledge in order to use physical exercises to improve health; formation of women's motivation to exercise; providing information and methodological support for women's self-education on independen t physical education and health activities; introduction of effective forms and methods of physical education and health activities with taking into account women's motives and interests; introducing active recreation into women's working hours and leisure activities.

More Than Academics: Time Use and Friendship Stress Also Covary with Canadian University Students’ Mental Health Symptoms Across the Academic Year

ABSTRACT University students are faced with unique challenges that put them at risk for mental health problems. The purpose of the current study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of mental health in this context by examining associations of life stressors in addition to academic stress with mental health symptoms across the academic year. Undergraduate students (n = 1,030, 62% women), aged 18–65 (M = 22.52, SD = 4.80) completed monthly and biweekly surveys over the academic year. A range of stressors were reported, with academics, time use, and friendship stress being the most frequently reported stressors. The total number of stressors reported for a given month was positively correlated with both depressive and anxiety symptoms reported in that month. When students reported elevated academic and friendship stress, and engaged in fewer leisure activities, they reported more mental health symptoms. Findings indicate that students experience a wide range of stressors, including those not related to academics, and that these life stressors covary with mental health and contribute to role strain.

THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AMONG TEACHERS.

This qualitative study investigates the complex relationship between occupational stress and physical health among teachers, focusing on stressors, coping mechanisms, and overall well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten educators and their responses were analyzed using thematic analysis. From the analysis nine primary themes emerged which included: perception of stress, impact on physical health, coping mechanisms, support systems, work environment challenges, educational policy changes, passion for teaching, psychosomatic symptoms, and suggestions for improvement. Participants reported physical manifestations of stress such as fatigue, headaches, and sleep disturbances, along with long-term effects like weight gain and thyroid issues. Coping strategies included seeking social support, effective time management, and engaging in leisure activities. While intrinsic motivation sustained many teachers in their roles, challenges like workload imbalance and rapid policy changes significantly contributed to stress levels. The study underscores the necessity for institutional support systems, including wellness programs and policy reforms, to enhance teacher health and effectiveness. These findings highlight that occupational stress not only affects physical health but also influences teachers' emotional resilience and professional identity, emphasizing the need for comprehensive intervention strategies within educational settings.

Walkability indices and travel behavior: Insights from Montréal, Canada

Walkability indices are developed to evaluate the quality of the built environment and its suitability for walking. Over the past decade, several walkability indices were developed and promoted by public and private entities around the world. Comparing and validating these indices are essential to ensuring their reliability for adoption in practice. One method to validate such indices is to examine their predictive power for utilitarian and discretionary walking behavior. This study uses data from a large-scale travel survey (N=4,715), conducted in Montréal, Canada, to examine the predictive power of six region-specific walkability indices on weekly walking mode share for various purposes, namely work, school, shopping, leisure, and healthcare. We find that the Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) index and its extended version, Can-ALE/Transit, are the best predictors of overall weekly walking mode share for all purposes combined, shopping, and leisure activities. Walk Score® had the highest predictive power on walking behavior for healthcare purposes. While the cumulative opportunities measure (30-minute travel time) was the most effective for predicting commute walking behavior. This research provides valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers, guiding them in selecting the most suitable walkability indices to promote walking behavior in the Canadian context.

A RE-AIM evaluation of a co-designed child-friendly outdoor space in 'the middle of nowhere'.

Involving children in the co-design of outdoor spaces has been suggested as a viable approach to engagement and use. However, an in-depth evaluation of such spaces is necessary to establish their full potential. The evaluation framework RE-AIM was used to examine the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of a Danish outdoor space that was co-designed with fifth graders from the local school. Fifth to eighth graders participated in the evaluation via a questionnaire (n= 143) and fifth and eighth graders participated in focus group discussions (n= 23). Questionnaire responses suggested that high levels of reach and adoption do not result in frequent use. Findings from focus groups highlighted seven key constraints of implementation and maintenance: (i) limited perceived accessibility, (ii) lack of possibilities for spontaneous social interactions, (iii) lack of age-appropriate activity opportunities, and (iv) competing outdoor spaces and leisure activities constrain use in the implementation phase. Furthermore, (v) insufficient upkeep, (vi) an unpleasant social atmosphere, and (vii) lack of novelty in activity opportunities limit sustained use in the maintenance phase. In conclusion, the study suggests that although co-design with children seems a viable and valuable strategy in developing child-friendly outdoor spaces, local socio-spatial factors may counteract frequent use.

Public Toilet Deficiencies Contribute to Social Isolation for Persons Living With Dementia and Their Caregivers.

Most people living with dementia (PLWD) live at home with assistance provided by an unpaid family caregiver. Many PLWD require toileting assistance, thus leaving the home is stressful due to lack of public toilets that are accessible by PLWD and their caregivers. Many choose to stay home instead of seeking needed social interaction or schedule their activities around usable public toilet locations, which can leave PLWD and their caregivers feeling isolated, depressed, and excluded. Dementia-friendly toilets, which are unisex, large enough to accommodate assistive devices and a caregiver, and contain simple fixtures/signage, are needed. PLWD and their caregivers deserve to have the same accessibility as others, including enjoyment of leisure activities, which has been shown to improve quality of life and confidence. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, xx(x), xx-xx.].

Role of Social Media in Promoting Tourism: A Study on Selected Tourist Locations in Telangana

Tourism is one of the most promising and dynamic industries in the world. The rapid advancement of digital technology and the widespread adoption of social media have significantly transformed the travel and tourism sector. This study explores the role of social media in promoting tourism in the Indian state of Telangana, focusing specifically on selected tourist destinations such as Ramappa Temple, Ramoji Film City, Charminar, Luknavaram, and Yadadri Temple. Social media platforms have changed how travelers discover, assess, and choose destinations, accommodations, transportation, dining, attractions, and leisure activities. The study employs a quantitative approach, using survey questionnaires to collect data from domestic and international tourists. Three key hypotheses were tested through multiple regression and ANOVA to analyze the influence of social media content on tourists' decision-making processes. Findings indicate that user-generated content, influencer promotions, and official tourism campaigns significantly impact tourist preferences and behaviors. The study offers insights for tourism marketers, policymakers, and destination management organizations on strategically leveraging social media for destination branding and visitor engagement.