Non-active Participants Research Articles

Tinjauan Penyebab Peserta Non Aktif Bpjs di Puskesmas Kecamatan Cengkareng

Abstract: The Social Security Administering Body (BPJS) is an organizing body whose membership is mandatory. Every company is required to register its workers for a minimum of 6 months, while those who do not work for a company are required to register themselves and their family members with BPJS. Each BPJS participant will be charged a contribution, the amount of which will be determined later. Inactive BPJS membership is a participant whose registration process is hampered and services become payable independently. The aim of the research is to review the causes of Non-active BPJS participants in Cengkareng sub-district. The research method is a quantitative approach. The technique uses saturated sample observations. The research results showed that there were 75 Non-active participants. Of the 75 samples, there were 34 participants who were inactive due to premiums (45.33%), 13 participants because they left of their own accord (17.33%), 7 participants because their children were PPU> 21 years (9.33%), 10 participants were not covered (13 .33%), 11 participants with double data (14.66%). Follow-up of Inactive BPJS membership at the Cengkareng Community Health Center, there were 65 participants (86.67%) taking care of returning BPJS participants and 10 participants (13.33%) continuing at their own expense. Of the number of BPJS participants who registered for treatment at the Cengkareng sub-district health center, their membership status was inactive due to premiums being one of the highest. The follow-up is to pay all arrears and take care of returning the membership to the nearest BPJS. Suggestions In accordance with the vision and mission of BPJS Health to be able to improve the quality of service to participants, BPJS Health must be able to improve the quality of service, especially in the field of information technology which can be made to remind BPJS Health participants, especially those whose membership status is inactive, by using E-mail and Whatsapp.

Time measurement validity and reliability of the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test in adult population: The ADULT-FIT project

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to analyze the time measurement validity and reliability (between raters and test–retest) of the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test to assess motor fitness in adults, according to gender, age, and physical activity levels. DesignCross-sectional. A total of 230 adults (86 women) aged 18–64 years participated in the study. MethodsThe time taken to complete the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test was recorded simultaneously by a trained and an untrained rater (inter-rater reliability) and by photoelectric cells (time measurement validity). 48–72 h later, the test was repeated under the same conditions (test–retest reliability). ResultsThe systematic error for trained rater vs. photocell was close to zero (0.0125, p < 0.01), with an effect size of 0.006; and for both, untrained rater vs. photocell and trained rater vs. untrained rater was ∼0.2 s (p < 0.001) with an effect size of 0.09. For the test–retest reliability, the systematic error was 0.05 s (p < 0.001), with an effect size of 0.26, the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.998 and the coefficient of variation reported a variability of 0.73 %. Results were not influenced by gender and age, while these improved for active vs. non-active participants. ConclusionsFindings indicate that measurements with trained raters are a valid and reliable method for assessing the 4 × 10-m shuttle run test in adults. It is highly recommended that raters be trained to minimize the measurement error.

Involvement in bullying and sleep disorders in Chinese early adolescents.

School bullying may cause sleep disorders in early adolescents. Here, we determined the relationship between school bullying (considering all the features of bullying involvement) and sleep disorders, which are the common problems in Chinese early adolescents. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 5,724 middle school students from Xuancheng, Hefei, and Huaibei cities in Anhui province, China. The self-report questionnaires included the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We used latent class analysis to identify the potential subgroups of bullying behavior. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between school bullying and sleep disorders. Active participants in bullying interactions, including the bullies and victims, reported higher levels of sleep disorders compared with the non-active participants [Bully: physical (aOR = 2.62), verbal (aOR = 1.73), relational (aOR = 1.80), and cyber (aOR = 2.08); Victim: physical (aOR = 2.42), verbal (aOR = 2.59), relational (aOR = 2.61), and cyber (aOR = 2.81)]. A dose-response relationship was observed between the number of school bullying types and sleep disorders. In the context of bullying roles, bully-victims had the highest risk of reporting sleep disorders (aOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 2.55-3.69). We identified four potential categories of school bullying behaviors: low involvement in bullying, verbal and relational victims, medium bully-victims, and high bully-victims, and the highest frequency of sleep disorders was observed in the high bully-victims group (aOR = 4.12, 95% CI: 2.94-5.76). Our findings indicate a positive correlation between bullying roles and sleep disorders in early adolescents. Therefore, targeted intervention for sleep disorders should include an evaluation of bullying experiences.

INADEQUATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURES AMONG MIDDLE AGE AND OLDER WORKING ADULTS IN THAILAND

Abstract Physical inactivity is a significant risk factor for developing non-communicable diseases. This study estimates the additional health costs due to physical inactivity in Thai middle age and older working adults. We included participants aged 40 years and above from the Physical Activity at Work study, who had valid physical activity data from ActiGraph. Health costs were collected using the Health and Welfare Survey and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire in Thailand. Direct and indirect costs (absenteeism and presenteeism) of the most recent illness in the previous month were collected. Active participants were defined as having at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity equivalent activity per week. Two-part models were used to compare health costs between active and non-active participants. Data from 105 participants aged 40 to 63 were included in the analysis, where 42% of participants were active. Inadequate physical activity was significantly associated with increased direct health costs of 160.5THB (95%CI: 31.3 to 289.7THB) (~7.8 times higher in inactive). Further adjustment for sex, age, education, obesity, and cardiovascular condition yielded similar findings. After incorporating these indirect costs, the societal cost of having inadequate physical activity was 791.22THB (95%CI: 115.6 to 1466.8THB) (~1.3 times higher in inactive), even after adjusting for the covariates. Obesity and the female were also associated with higher societal costs (551.9THB and 342.9THB, respectively), although these results were not significant. Increasing physical activity in middle age and older working adults to meet the current guidelines may reduce Thailand’s health costs.

Physical Activity Patterns of Women with a Twin Pregnancy—A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: No specific physical activity guidelines are available for women in multiple pregnancy. Aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and experience of women regarding physical activity during their latest twin pregnancy. Methods: A cross-sectional study including women after a twin delivery was conducted in Poland. A questionnaire was distributed in 2018 via web pages and Facebook groups designed for pregnant women. Results: 652 women filled out the questionnaire completely. Only 25% of women performed any physical exercises during twin gestation. The frequency of preterm delivery was similar in physically active and non-active participants. 35% of the respondents claimed to have gained information on proper activity from obstetricians during antenatal counselling while 11% claimed to be unable to identify the reliable sources of information. 7% of women admitted to feel discriminated by social opinion on exercising during a twin pregnancy. Conclusions: The population of women with a twin gestation is not sufficiently physically active and is often discouraged from performing exercises during gestation. Therefore, it is crucial to inform obstetricians to recommend active lifestyle during a twin gestation and to provide reliable information on physical activity to pregnant women. Further research on this topic is necessary in order for obstetric providers to counsel women on appropriate exercise with a twin pregnancy.

Motivation for Physical Activity: Validation of the Dutch Version of the Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS).

Understanding motivation for exercise can be helpful in improving levels of physical activity. The Physical Activity and Leisure Motivation Scale (PALMS) measures distinct goal-oriented motivations. In this study selected measurement properties of the Dutch version (PALMS-D) are determined. Forward-backward translation was used for cross-cultural adaptation. Construct validity of the PALMS-D was assessed in five subsamples completing the PALMS-D and the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3). The study population consisted of five samples recruited from different populations; samples consisted of runners, hockey players, soccer players, participants in medical fitness, and a sedentary group of young adults with low activity. A total of 733 participants completed the questionnaire: 562 athletes and 171 non-athletes. Exploratory for Analysis confirmed the original eight factors. Internal consistency of the subscales was high, except for Others’ expectations. The a priori determined hypotheses related to differences between athletes participating in different sports were confirmed, as well as the hypothesis related to differences between amateur athletes, patients in medical fitness, and non-active participants. It was concluded that the Dutch version of the PALMS is an acceptable questionnaire with which to evaluate the individual motivation of athletes in the Netherlands, and discriminates between different leisure athletes, patients in medical fitness, and non-active youths.

Effect of Physical Activity on the Association Between Dietary Fiber and Constipation: Evidence From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010.

Background/AimsThe effect of physical activity on the relationship between dietary fiber intake and constipation has not been comprehensively studied. This study aims to explore the impact of physical activity.MethodsData were obtained from 3 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010 and included a total of 13 941 participants aged ≥ 20 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent association between dietary fiber and constipation. Interaction analysis was also performed to analyze the relationship between dietary fiber and constipation in different physical activity groups.ResultsAmong non-active participants, dietary fiber intake did not associate with stool consistency (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.98-1.05; P = 0.407). For physically active participants, 1-gram unit increase in dietary fiber intake reduced the risk of stool consistency by 3% (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99; P = 0.020). Moreover, the relationship between dietary fiber intake and stool consistency was significantly different for groups with different levels of physical activity (P interaction = 0.044). However, dietary fiber intake was not related to stool frequency among non-active participants (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.05; P = 0.767) nor physically active participants (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.97-1.04; P = 0.751).ConclusionsIncreasing dietary fiber intake was associated with stool consistency-related constipation among physically active participants, but not among non-active participants. However, increasing dietary fiber intake is not significantly associated with stool frequency in different physical activity groups.

A Novel Method to Measure Self-Regulated Learning Based on Social Media

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) draws many scholars' attention because of the fast proliferation of the quantity of information available to students and the advancements in educational technologies. This paper targets introducing a new approach to measure higher education students' adoption of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) strategies. The most common way to measure SRL is using very large or limited questionnaires, usually at the beginning of the term. The proposed approach is based on the administration of questions in small chunks over the term taking advantage of social media platforms (particularly Facebook). The paper describes the contents and procedures of the novel approach and compares it against the well-known Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Firstly, the MSLQ was applied for initial data gathering (number of participants=344). Secondly, the new approach was administered via two Facebook groups voluntarily (number of participants=170). The study included students from diverse disciplines in different academic years. The findings show some differences between both instruments and reveal that the administration of questions in small chunks along the term leads to more reliable and internally consistent results (according to Cronbach's coefficient values) and less affected by gender difference. Furthermore, SRL measurement in the novel approach takes place over an extended period, introducing some variations in the students' answers. The results of a satisfaction questionnaire and interviews with non-active participants indicate the positive role of social media in enhancing students' participation and emphasize the need for timely feedback to enhance the participation of students.

Active lifestyle enhances protein expression profile in subjects with Lewy body pathology.

ABSTRACT.Clinical trials of the effects of physical activity have reported improvements in symptoms and quality of life in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Additionally, morphological brain changes after exercising were reported in PD animal models. However, these lifestyle-related changes were not evaluated in postmortem brain tissue.Objective:We aimed to evaluate, by immunohistochemistry, astrocytes, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and structural proteins expression (neurofilaments and microtubules — MAP2) changes in postmortem brain samples of individuals with Lewy body pathology.Methods:Braak PD stage≥III samples, classified by neuropathology analysis, from The Biobank for Aging Studies were classified into active (n=12) and non-active (n=12) groups, according to physical activity lifestyle, and paired by age, sex and Braak staging. Substantia nigra and basal ganglia were evaluated.Results:Groups were not different in terms of age or gender and had similar PD neuropathological burden (p=1.00). We observed higher TH expression in the active group in the substantia nigra and the basal ganglia (p=0.04). Astrocytes was greater in the non-active subjects in the midbrain (p=0.03) and basal ganglia (p=0.0004). MAP2 levels were higher for non-active participants in the basal ganglia (p=0.003) and similar between groups in the substantia nigra (p=0.46). Neurofilament levels for non-active participants were higher in the substantia nigra (p=0.006) but not in the basal ganglia (p=0.24).Conclusion:Active lifestyle seems to promote positive effects on brain by maintaining dopamine synthesis and structural protein expression in the nigrostriatal system and decrease astrogliosis in subjects with the same PD neuropathology burden.

Maternal physical activity significantly alters the placental transcriptome

IntroductionMaternal lifestyle, in particular physical activity (PA), influences many of the physiological adaptations during pregnancy associated with feto-placental development and growth. There is limited to no information on the link between PA during pregnancy and the molecular mechanisms governing placental function. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms through which maternal PA may influence placental function. MethodsThe level of PA was measured by accelerometry and gene expression was measured in term placenta with custom polymerase chain reaction (PCR) arrays and microarray analysis followed by a pathway analyses on significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs). ResultsMicroarray analysis showed 43 significantly DEGs between active and non-active participants. RT-qPCR validation of a sub-sample of DEGs revealed significant changes in the level of expression between active and non-active moms (student's t-test, p < 0.05, n = 11). Genes involved in transport of water (p = 0.00236) and uptake of glycerol (p = 0.00219) were enriched in active moms. PA was also associated with the alteration of alternative splicing patters. The most consistent splicing changes were observed for AQP9 where active moms lacked exon 2. DiscussionVariations in maternal PA influences placental gene. We show significant expression changes of genes that are involved in transport and localization between active and non-active women. Most notably, the expression of the aquaporin family of genes (e.g. AQP1 and AQP9) were found to be significantly higher in the placentas of active women suggesting an adaptive response for the transport of water and glycerol in this population.

Cognitive Impairment and Physical Activity in Old Age: The Impact on All-Cause Mortality in a 15-Year Follow-Up of the Bambuí Cohort Study of Aging

Background: Cognitive impairment increases while physical activity decreases the mortality risk in the elderly. In this study, hypothesize that physical activity among the elderly with cognitive impairment is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality. Methods: We included a total of 147 community‐dwelling older adults with cognitive impairment from the baseline of the Bambui Cohort Study of Aging and followed‐up for a median of 9.6 years. We evaluated the physical activity by a self-reported question, which considers how many times participants either walk to exercise, or do gymnastics, or practice sports for at least 20-30 min in the previous 90 days. The date of death was computed by reviewing death certificates. We used Cox's proportional hazards models to evaluate the risk of mortality in those participants. Findings: Participants with cognitive impairment and non-physical activity had a higher risk for mortality in the unadjusted analysis (HR: 2.34; 95% CI: 1.02– 5.39), and the association remained in the final model (HR: 3.21; 95% CI: 1.29-7.99). Interpretation: This study found lower mortality risk among subjects with cognitive impairment but physically active as compared to non-active participants. Funding Statement: The funding is provided by Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologicos (CNPq), and Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG). Prof. Blay, Prof. Firmo, Prof. Lima‐Costa, and Prof. Laks received grants from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico—305274/2014‐ 7). Prof. Castro-Costa currently receives research support from the Medical Research Council (MR/T037423/1). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The project was approved by the Ethical Committee of the Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil.

Gendering Resistance to Right-Wing Populism: Black Protest and a New Wave of Feminist Activism in Poland?

The rise to power of the populist Law and Justice Party (PiS) in 2015, and its growing authoritarianism, has politicized thousands of Poles and brought large-scale protests back to Polish streets. Women have been at the forefront of these struggles, aligning the previously unpopular quest for reproductive rights and bodily autonomy with the larger resistance to the ruling party. In particular, the proposal to restrict the abortion law sparked mass mobilization in 2016, with Black Protests turning into a formative experience for many of the previously nonactive participants. This article sheds light on this most recent wave of feminist activism in Poland and its forms of action, from a generational perspective. It scrutinizes in detail the narrative of a “new generation of activists,” who claim to change the contours of Polish feminism, making it more inclusive, more creative and bolder. It reports on the shift, unfolding slowly since the 2000s, from the institutionalized feminism of nongovernmental organizations to less formal, grassroots forms of engagement that combine online activism with organizing on the ground. However, while the latter is often assumed to be skeptical toward the European Union’s “gender equality” framework, the article reveals how, within the context of growing authoritarianism, the youngest cohorts in particular return to the liberal strand of feminism, characterized by the language of human rights and an uncritical gaze toward the European Union. The article ends with a reflection on the proclaimed ‘newness’ of feminism in Poland, as articulated by the new generation of activists. The absence of intergenerational dialogue and transmission of knowledge, it is argued, render past feminist struggles in Poland invisible and forgotten and strikingly leaves unquestioned the legacy of previous neoliberal and patriarchal governments that led to the erosion of women’s rights in postsocialist Poland.

Testing The Effects Of Message Framing On Physical Activity Motivation

PURPOSE: Understanding how to best “sell” physical activity (PA) is a critical goal. This study investigated the effects of message framing on motivation to participate in a PA program, and tested whether the effectiveness of messages framed to promote either affective benefits, physical health benefits, or a combination benefits varied based on one’s current PA status. METHODS: Adult participants (N=188) from a Midwestern university, who were recruited via email, completed an online survey assessing demographic information and current stage of change. They then viewed one of four randomly assigned promotional flyers for a PA program offered on campus. The flyers mentioned either the: (a) affective benefits of program participation (e.g., improved mood), (b) physical health benefits (e.g., improved fitness), (c) a combination of affective and physical health benefits, or (d) a control message noting some generic aspects of the program (e.g., clean facilities). After viewing the flyer, participants responded to a series of questions about the content of the flyers (manipulation checks) and their perceived behavioral control for participating in the program, followed by their interest in the program, intention to participate, the likelihood of participating, and whether they wanted to sign-up. RESULTS: A series of 2 (PA status: active, non-active) x 4 (message: affective, physical health, combination, control) ANOVAs found that, after accounting for perceived control, the effectiveness of the different promotional messages on intention and likelihood of participating varied based on the respondents’ PA status. The major finding was the message promoting affective benefits led to significantly greater intention and likelihood of participation than the other messages for those who were active, but the opposite occurred for non-active participants. No group or message differences were found with regard to interest in the program. Further, a chi-square analysis found no differences in participants’ yes or no response to wanting to schedule a session in the program at that time. CONCLUSIONS: Using message framing to sell PA may help increase intention to participate. However, the type of message that effectively promotes PA appears to vary depending on the message receiver’s current physical activity.

Acute Salivary Steroid Hormone Responses in Juvenile Boys and Girls to Non-physical Team Competition

Little psychoneuroendocrine research has focused on steroid hormone responses to non-physical competition in middle childhood. This study sought to observe testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, and cortisol responses in children during a mixed-sex, team, academic competition. Salivary steroid hormones were collected, along with measures of performance, Body Mass Index, and pubertal development in ethnically Chinese boys (n = 18) and girls (n = 27), aged 9–10 years, during a math competition (N = 45). Testosterone and estradiol levels were generally low and unmeasurable. Nearly every competitor experienced decreases in cortisol and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio. Pre- and post-match DHEA and androstenedione did not significantly change. Exploratory analyses revealed a positive correlation between DHEA change and team performance among non-active participants (i.e. did not attempt to answer a question). ANCOVAs revealed differences in percentage change in androstenedione between active (n = 20) and non-active participants (n = 25) and among winners (n = 7) and losers (n = 38), and positive associations with age. Percentage change in cortisol was significantly lower among losers compared to winners. Performance measures were positively correlated with DHEA change and percentage change in androstenedione. Despite girls having higher pre-match androstenedione, both sexes exhibited similar patterned hormone responses. Only cortisol and cortisol/DHEA molar ratio decreased during the competition. However, DHEA, androstenedione, and cortisol match changes were partially related to psychosocial variables (e.g., performance, outcome, participation). These findings provide new insight into factors which may underpin steroid hormone responses during middle childhood non-athletic competition.

How do online communities matter? Comparison between active and non-active participants in an online behavioral weight loss program

This paper contributes to the discussion on the potential of different social media platforms in health behavior change programs. More specifically, it compares the outcomes of participation in different online community platforms in an online behavioral weight loss program. Results show that active participants on online community platforms perceive their service experience more positively, follow instructions more precisely, have a more positive perception of achieving their goals, and also feel that they receive more social support than do those who do not actively participate in online community channels, although no differences were found related to weight loss itself. Furthermore, interesting differences were found in the perceptions of participants on different types of social media platforms. For example, those who actively participated in a Facebook-based online community reported receiving more emotional support than did those who participated in a discussion forum-based online community. The results shed light on what types of outcomes active participation in different kinds of online communities might have for individuals. A description is provided of possible strategies for service providers in terms of facilitating the service experience that they provide.

Reference values for hemoglobin A1cin males living in Khartoum State: Pilot study 2016

Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the normal values of hemoglobin A 1c in Sudanese healthy adult males living in Khartoum State and compare the result with the international values. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2016 in Khartoum State on adult males of ages between 35 and 45 years and not known to be diabetic or suffering from any chronic illness. Twenty participants were assessed by a questionnaire covering age, family history of diabetes mellitus (DM), physical activity, daily caloric intake and smoking history, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated by measuring weight and height by weight and height measuring devices (scale). A sample of 3 ml venous blood was taken for fasting blood glucose to exclude DM and measurement of HbA 1c using modified ELISA reader known as Nycocard © machine. Correlations between the variables were estimated and P Results: The mean of HbA 1c was 3.8% ± 1.17 with a range of 1.2-5.4%. There was no correlation between Hb level, daily caloric intake, and the level of HbA 1c ( r = 0). There was intermediate correlation between body mass index and Hb A 1c - ( r = 0.32). All the participants in this study had normal body mass index (18.5-25) with mean (23.6). There was weak statistical correlation between age and HbA 1c ( r = 0.07), but the family history, smoking, and physical activity were found to be positive statistically significant to HbA 1c ( P 1c in smokers was 3.8% (±1.4%) and in nonsmokers was 3.1% (±1.0). The mean HbA 1c of those with positive family history of DM 4% (±0.8%) was significantly higher than those with negative family history 3.5% (±1.3%). The mean of HbA 1c in physically active participants was 3.9% (±0.9) and in the nonactive participants was 3.1% (±1.3). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that there is a difference in values of HbA 1c between the international values and Sudan, so the normal values for HbA 1c in Sudanese need to be established from a large sample.

Agency-Based Empowerment Training Enhances Sales Capacity of Female Energy Entrepreneurs in Kenya

Globally, women's involvement in clean cooking value chains has been minimal. This is partly because of the multiple challenges faced by women that impede their capacity to effectively engage in the energy sector. To better discern gender-specific differences in involvement in the energy sector, the authors conducted a randomized trial in Kenya to compare sales performance of newly trained male and female improved cookstove entrepreneurs and to test the effects of an agency-based empowerment training on business activity. A total of 257 entrepreneurs completed either a 4-day entrepreneurial training (control) or a 4-day empowerment training (intervention) and were followed for nearly 8 months documenting business activity and sales. The empowerment training led to more than doubling of sales for both genders. In addition, participants in the intervention group were significantly more likely to demonstrate business commitment over time and nearly three times more likely to be higher sellers (relative risk = 2.7, 95% CI [1.4, 5.4]), controlling for gender and rural/urban locale. Women outsold men by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 and were more likely to continue to pursue leads despite limited sales. Nonactive participants (those selling 1 improved cookstove or less) were a larger percentage of the control group (72%) than the intervention group (50%), and more men were nonactive participants (65% of men) compared with women (56% of women).These data show that women can serve as active improved cookstove entrepreneurs in both urban and rural settings and that targeted agency-based empowerment training can significantly increase women's capacity to engage effectively within the improved cookstove value chain.

Online Support for Employed Informal Caregivers

The overall objectives of this project were to evaluate whether psychosocial outcomes in employed family caregivers of people with chronic disease, who participate in online support, differ from nonactive participants and whether psychosocial outcomes differ based on the format of online group support. A randomized longitudinal design comparing two types of online support groups and nonactive participants, on the basis of three principal measures, was utilized. Eighty-six self-reported family caregivers of people with chronic disease, who spoke English and had Internet access, took part in the study. Subjects were randomly assigned to professionally facilitated/psychoeducational or moderated/peer-directed online support groups for a period of 12 weeks. The setting was a password-protected Web page housed on a university server. Independent variables were type of online support groups and level of participation; the dependent variables were depressive symptoms, caregiver burden, and caregiver quality of life. There were significant differences in depressive symptoms and quality of life among nonactive participants and either of the two intervention groups, but not between the two intervention groups. Results suggest that professionally facilitated/psychoeducational and moderated/peer-directed online support groups help reduce depressive symptoms and improve quality of life for those who actively participate and that both types of online support groups provided similar benefits. Men and minorities should be targeted in future caregiver research.

Impact of Cardiac Rehabilitation on Renal Function in Patients With and Without Chronic Kidney Disease After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Although there is a general fear that exercise training might deteriorate renal function in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on renal function in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with CKD remains unknown. We sought to determine whether CR is associated with amelioration or deterioration of renal function in such patients. We enrolled 528 AMI patients who participated in a 3-month CR program. Clinical data before and after CR were compared according to participation in CR and comorbidities. In patients without CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] ≥60ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), n=348), peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) improved without a change in eGFR. In contrast, in patients with CKD (eGFR <60ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), n=180), eGFR improved (48±12 to 53±15ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), P<0.001), together with improvements in peak VO2 and BNP. When patients with CKD were divided into non-active (≤1time/week, n=70) and active participants (≥1.1time/week, n=110) according to attendance in CR, active participants showed an improvement in eGFR (50±10 to 53±13ml·min(-1)·1.73m(-2), P<0.001), whereas eGFR did not change in non-active participants. Similar results were obtained in each subgroup of patients with hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes mellitus. In AMI patients with CKD, active participation in CR was associated with improved peak VO2, BNP, and eGFR.

Acute Physical Activity on Cognitive Function: A Heart Rate Variability Examination

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of physical activity and cognitive function (as determined by reaction time and the trail-making test) in active versus non-active participants. Participants were divided into one of four groups: active experimental, active control, non-active experimental and non-active control. All groups completed a complex cognitive task (the trail-making test) as well as a set of reaction time tasks both before and after the experimental session. The experimental groups completed a 30-min exercise session while the control groups monitored the physical activity of the experimental group. In addition to the measures of cognitive function, heart rate variability was recorded during the pre- and post-tests. There was significant cognitive performance improvement in tasks with a higher cognitive and perceptual component. Heart rate variability data indicated that a moderate level of arousal based on sympathetic nervous system activity post exercise was associated with an increase in cognitive performance. The findings are discussed in light of the inverted-U hypothesis.