Promotion Of Well-being Research Articles

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Nature Walk as an Intervention for Anxiety and Depression.

Scientific research has widely examined the therapeutic and health benefits of being in contact with natural environments. Nature walk have been proposed as a cost-effective and inclusive method for successfully exploiting nature for the promotion of health and well-being. Depression and anxiety symptoms have been shown to benefit from nature walk. Despite recent empirical findings published in the scientific literature, a summary quantitative work on the effect of nature walk on depression and anxiety does not yet exist. The present systematic review and meta-analysis quantitatively analyze and qualitatively discuss the studies published on the effect of nature walk on depression and anxiety published during the past decade. A database search as well as snowballing methods were used to retrieve eligible articles. The research question and literature search were based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Based on screening and retrieval processes, seven studies met the eligibility criteria and were then included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Risk of bias (RoB) analysis was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. After a qualitative evaluation of the studies, data from six experiments were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis show that nature walk effectively improve mental health. The findings were confirmed for the experiments reporting the quantitative data within groups (pre- and post-test) and between groups (experimental vs. control group).

Well-being in the Irish secondary school: Reflections on a curricular approach

Abstract Schools and centres for education are increasingly positioned as playing a vital role in the promotion of young people's mental health and well-being. Drawing on the example of Ireland's reformed Junior Cycle curriculum (ages 12-15), we ask if the curriculum is the best means of nurturing positive mental health and well-being in schools.

Enhanced Resting-State Functional Connectivity With Decreased Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations of the Salience Network in Mindfulness Novices.

Mindfulness and accordant interventions are often used as complementary treatments to psychological or psychosomatic problems. This has also been gradually integrated into daily lives for the promotion of psychological well-being in non-clinical populations. The experience of mindful acceptance in a non-judgmental way brought about the state, which was less interfered by a negative effect. Mindfulness practice often begins with focused attention (FA) meditation restricted to an inner experience. We postulate that the brain areas related to an interoceptive function would demonstrate an intrinsic functional change after mindfulness training for the mindful novices along with paying more attention to internal processes. To further explore the influence of mindfulness on the organization of the brain regions, both functional connectivity (FC) in the voxel and the region of interest (ROI) level were calculated. In the current study, 32 healthy volunteers, without any meditation experiences, were enrolled and randomly assigned to a mindfulness-based stress reduction group (MBSR) or control group (CON). Participants in the MBSR group completed 8 weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and rated their mindfulness skills before and after MBSR. All subjects were evaluated via resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in both baselines and after 8 weeks. They also completed a self-report measure of their state and trait anxiety as well as a positive and negative affect. Pre- and post-MBSR assessments revealed a decreased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in the right anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC.R), left anterior and posterior insula (aIC.L, pIC.L), as well as left superior medial frontal gyrus (SFGmed.L) in MBSR practitioners. Strengthened FC between right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC.R) and aIC.R was observed. The mean ALFF values of those regions were inversely and positively linked to newly acquired mindful abilities. Along with a decreased negative affect score, our results suggest that the brain regions related to attention and interoceptive function were involved at the beginning of mindfulness. This study provides new clues in elucidating the time of evaluating the brain mechanisms of mindfulness novices.

Relationship between spiritual well-being and Health-Related Quality of Life and some related factors in patients with AIDS/HIV

Abstract Objective The study of effective factors on the quality of life (QoL), as an important criterion, in the outcome of new therapeutic and preventive strategies in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been considered by researchers. To study the relationship between spiritual well-being and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and some related factors in patients with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ([AIDS]/HIV). Methods In this cross-sectional study, 224 people were selected as the study population (112 were male and 112 were female) from patients with AIDS/HIV at the Behavioral Counseling Center of Shiraz with available sampling method. The research tool was Palutzian & Ellison well-being scale and QoL Questionnaire (SF-36). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation test. Results There was a significant direct relationship between physical function dimensions (P = 0.003). There was a significant relationship between general well-being, mental well-being, and total spiritual well-being (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant relationship between the dimensions of QoL and spiritual well-being with some age section of the patients, and their occupation and education (P < 0.001). Conclusions Spirituality has an impact on the QoL dimensions. Therefore, HIV positive people's quality of life could be improved by the possibility of the spiritual well-being promotion as a method of adaptation with the disease.

Grandparent-grandchild relationships, generativity, subjective well-being and self-rated health of older people in Chile

With increasing life expectancy, grandparents and grandchildren have more years available to share. Furthermore, with lower fertility rates and fewer grandchildren, relationships can be more frequent and profound. Intergenerational relationships are expected to be associated with older people's quality of life, especially in Latin American countries such as Chile, with high intergenerational co-residence and contact between generations. This research aims to analyze the associations between the characteristics of intergenerational relationships and grandparents' subjective well-being (Diener Scale and Satisfaction) and self-rated health. The novelty stems from including the structural characteristics of relationships with grandchildren (frequency of contact, closeness, and care), the activities they share (generativity), and the quality of relationships (ambivalence). This study is based on data from a specific face-to-face grandparenting survey conducted on a sample of 464 grandparents in January 2020. It is representative of older Chilean grandparents living in private dwellings. Multiple logistic and ordinary regression models were estimated using the Diener Scale, unique satisfaction question, and health self-perception. The results demonstrated that subjective well-being, but not self-rated health, was highly associated with the characteristics of intergenerational relationships, especially with the quality of relationships and with generative activities such as recreational activities and family identity. In conclusion, intergenerational relationships' quality and content are strongly associated with subjective well-being in old age, but not with health self-perception. Even in a Latin American country like Chile, with high co-residence and intergenerational contact, the variations in quality and generativity activities significantly explain the variations in subjective well-being. For this reason, policies for the promotion of well-being in older people must consider the family environment in which older people live, encompassing wider family networks, including grandchildren.

Research Questions and Priorities for Pediatric Tuberculosis: A Survey of Published Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

Background Advancing a research agenda designed to meet the specific needs of children is critical to ending pediatric TB epidemic. Systematic reviews are increasingly informing policies in pediatric tuberculosis (TB) care and control. However, there is a paucity of information on pediatric TB research priorities. Methodology. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on any aspect related to pediatric TB published between 2015 and 2021. We used the UK Health Research Classification System (HRCS) to help us classify the research questions and priorities. Findings. In total, 29 systematic reviews, with 84 research questions, were included in this review. The four most common research topics in the area of detection were 43.33% screening and diagnosis of TB, 23.33% evaluation of treatments and therapeutic interventions, 13.34% TB etiology and risk factors, and 13.34% prevention of disease and conditions and promotion of well-being. The research priorities focused mainly on evaluating TB diagnosis by improving yield through enhanced in specimen collection or preparation and evaluating of bacteriological TB diagnostic tests. Other topics of future research were developing a treatment for TB in children, assessing the use of IPT in reducing TB-associated morbidity, evaluating the prioritization of an IPT-friendly healthcare environment, and providing additional guidance for the use of isoniazid in the prevention of TB in HIV-infected children. Conclusion There is a need for more systematic reviews on pediatric TB. The review identified several key priorities for future pediatric TB research mainly in the domain of (1) “Detection, screening and diagnosis,” “Development of Treatments and Therapeutic Interventions,” and “Prevention of Disease and Conditions, and Promotion of Well-Being.” These domains are very relevant in the research component of the roadmap towards ending TB in children. It also will serve as an additional action in the WHO End TB strategy.

Defining a new perspective in Environmental Health: the healing environment.

With pollution-related health problems on the rise, the focus of modern Environmental Health (EH) has mostly been placed on toxicology and exposure science. Despite the importance of toxicological aspects, the environment should be studied not only to identify pollution-related hazards, but also to investigate potentially therapeutic and health-enhancing effects of its elements. Generally speaking, it is possible to benefit from a natural environment with a full-immersion experience or with a single-element interaction. Recently, scientific evidence is accumulating on the beneficial effects of natural settings for well-being promotion and psycho-physical health, especially for stress reduction and prevention of stress-related conditions. In light of these considerations, the paradigm of EH can change: the environment we live in should be considered not only as a precious resource to be protected against pollution (thus preventing the consequent health hazards), but, in a proactive vision, also as a potential source of elements capable of actively maintaining and promoting health and well-being.

Developing a health and well-being program for college students: An online intervention

Managing health and well-being issues can be challenging for college students. Alternative supports, such as online programs, have been identified as cost-effective and efficient methods of providing inclusive support to college students, removing numerous barriers to health and well-being promotion. The article summarized a novel, evidence-based approach to developing an online health and well-being program. The program is based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), the positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments (PERMA) construct, and the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model. It discusses future directions in the evaluation, assessment, and documentation of the fitness-for-purpose process.
 
 Keywords: well-being, online health, physical health, college students, PERMA, CBT, ADDIE

Microclimates Potentially Shape Spatial Distribution of Facial Expressions for Urban Forest Visitors: A Regional Study of 30 Parks in North China

Promotion of mental well-being is a desired goal of service in sustainable urban forest management. Microclimate is impacted by forest settings which makes ecosystem services perceived by users. Changes of regional meteorological factors drive responses of emotional perceptions as spatial distribution pattern in accordance with regional urban forest landscapes. In this study, we collected a total of 1422 pairs of happy and sad scores for visitors in 30 urban parks around Shanxi province in North China, where local meteorological were obtained specially for each location as daily matched records. Happy expression scores increased along a latitudinal gradient from south to north. Microclimate did not have any relationship with emotional expressions, but factors of rainfall, wind velocity, average temperature, and relative humidity all had potential contributions to shape distributions of happy and sad scores. The relationship between meteorological records of wind velocity and average temperature and their potential contributions to happy scores can be described by quadratic polynomial functions. Overall, we recommend an environment of urban parks that can optimize emotional well-being with environments of wind velocity of 5.36 m s−1 and average temperature of 6.05 °C in cities around Shanxi in North China. Therefore, microclimates can shape the regional distributions of urban forest ecosystem services of promoting mental well-being, in a way as implicit drivers instead of explicit forces.

Profiguration, Active Ageing, and Creativity: Keys for Quality of Life and Overcoming Ageism.

This article is based on qualitative analysis of interviews and focus groups conducted with participants enrolled in the Senior Programme of the University of Lleida, the City Council of Lleida, and care homes, as well as professional workers in the field of gerontology and related areas. It presents the analysis of interviews focused on the participants’ life trajectories, ageing, creativity, self-perception, and quality of life. The study aimed to examine how creativity influences the maintenance and improvement of a sense of wellbeing in older adults, and to reflect on how the perception of old age and of oneself changes through creative activity and active engagement across the life span. The article is framed within a new concept in sociology and the social sciences—‘profiguration’, which is the key element in the promotion and strengthening of intergenerational interdependence, education, wellbeing, social participation, and active ageing.

Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Cognitive Function with Psychological Well-Being in School-Aged Children.

Background: Promotion of psychological well-being (PWB) is an emerging social, educational, and health objective, especially for school-aged children. Few studies have examined key correlates and determinants of PWB in school-aged children. This study aimed to examine associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function with psychological well-being in school-aged children. Methods: The study participants were 752 fourth-grade students (mean age = 9.61 years, SD = 0.608) recruited from six elementary schools. Students took the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run® test to assess their cardiorespiratory fitness, and the d2 Test of Attention to assess concentration performance, attention span, and attention accuracy. They also completed the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale to assess their psychological well-being (PWB). After removing missing values and outliers from the original data set, the final data set, consisting of 689 cases (370 boys vs. 319 girls), was used for data analysis. Data were analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation, multiple linear regression models, and independent sample t-tests. Results: The results indicated that cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function are significant correlates of PWB (r = −0.069, r = 0.161). Further, the results found that cardiorespiratory fitness, concentration performance, attention span, and attention accuracy were significantly collective predictors of psychological well-being (F = 13.299, p = 0.000), accounting for 12% of the total variance. Cardiorespiratory fitness was the most significantly individual predictor of PWB (β = 0.174, p = 0.000), followed by the attention accuracy (β = −0.090, p = 0.031). The Welch’s tests revealed that the high-PWB group scored significantly higher than the low-PWB group in cardiorespiratory fitness, concentration performance, and attention accuracy (t = 4.093, p = 0.000, Cohen’s d = 0.310; t = 3.340, p = 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.256; t = −2.958, p = 0.003, Cohen’s d = 0.130). Conclusions: Cardiorespiratory fitness and cognitive function are significant correlates and predictors of PWB among school-aged children. The students with a higher level of psychological well-being showed a higher cardiorespiratory fitness, concentration performance, and attention accuracy compared to the lower level of PWB group.

Impact of personality traits on financial planning: an empirical evidence from Pakistan

PurposeThis study examines the role of the big five personality traits: conscientiousness, openness, extroversion, neuroticism and agreeableness in financial planning.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is a quantitative approach. The study has used structured questionnaires to collect data from 403 business students. The hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling using AMOS.FindingsThe findings revealed that extroversion of personality traits have a significant negative influence on financial planning, neuroticism and conscious personalities have a significant positive effect on financial planning. However, two personality traits, namely openness and agreeableness, have no significant influence on financial planning. The study confirmed that out of five, three personality traits have significant impact on financial planning.Research limitations/implicationsThe results suggest that all personality traits do not influence financial planning among students. Financial planning is deemed an essential decision in life. Although some people are very conscious about their future expenditures, others are not much concerned. Based on the findings, this study recommends that policymakers may conduct workshops and arrange seminars and conferences for the promotion of financial planning and individual's financial well-being. The government needs to promote financial education that can directly and indirectly enhance the saving planning capabilities of the people.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that not all personality traits facilitate financial planning. Financial planning is deemed as a crucial decision in life. Some students are very conscious about their future expenditures, while others are not much concerned. This study recommends that policymakers conduct workshops and arrange seminars and conferences to promote financial planning and individuals' financial well-being. The government of Pakistan needs to promote financial education that can, directly and indirectly, enhance the savings and planning capabilities of the students.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the personality literature, the theory of planned behavior and the life cycle theory by testing the model based on empirical evidence. The current study is the first to focus on the role of the big five personality traits in financial planning among students in Pakistan, an emerging economy.

A school-based program to prevent depressive symptoms and strengthen well-being among pre-vocational students (Happy Lessons): protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial and implementation study

BackgroundDepression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among young people. In the Netherlands, one in twelve Dutch adolescents has experienced depression in the last 12 months. Pre-vocational students are at higher risk for elevated depressive symptoms. Effective interventions, especially for this risk group, are therefore needed to prevent the onset of depression or mitigate the adverse long-term effects of depression. The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness and implementation of a school-based program Happy Lessons (HL), that aims to prevent depression and promote well-being among pre-vocational students.MethodsA cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) with students randomized to HL or to care as usual will be conducted. Pre-vocational students in their first or second year (aged 12 to 14) will participate in the study. Subjects in both conditions will complete assessments at baseline and at 3- and 6-months follow-up. The primary outcome will be depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) at 6-months follow-up. Secondary outcomes are well-being using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) and life satisfaction (Cantril Ladder) measured at 6-months follow-up. Alongside the trial, an implementation study will be conducted to evaluate the implementation of HL, using both quantitative and qualitative methods (interviews, survey, and classroom observations).DiscussionThe results from both the RCT and implementation study will contribute to the limited evidence base on effective school-based interventions for the prevention of depression and promotion of well-being among pre-vocational adolescents. In addition, insights from the implementation study will aid identifying factors relevant for optimizing the future implementation and scale-up of HL to other schools and contexts.Trial registrationThis study was registered on 20 September 2021 in the Dutch Trial Register (NL9732).

Promoting Health in a Rural Community in the Basque Country by Leveraging Health Assets Identified through a Community Health Diagnosis.

Salutogenesis focuses on factors that generate health and is a useful construct for identifying factors that promote health and for guiding activities to this end. This article describes health assets identified in a community diagnosis and how to leverage them with actions for improvement to deepen the understanding of this concept and its impact on health promotion. An intervention strategy was designed following the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The study was carried out in Mañaria (Basque Country, Spain) using semi-structured and in-depth interviews, participant observation, desk review, and photographs, alongside different participatory strategies. Twenty-six women were interviewed, 21 of whom were community inhabitants, and five were key informants who worked in public or private institutions. Participant recruitment stopped when data saturation was reached. Data were analysed through discourse analysis, progressive coding, and categorisation. Six meta-categories emerged, and for each of these categories, health assets were identified together with actions to improve the community’s health. The latter were presented by the community to the authorities to trigger specific actions towards improving the health of the community. Identification of health assets led to different actions to improve the health of the community including improving the existing physical and social environments, personal and group skills, and the promotion of physical, social, emotional and cultural well-being.

A Pre-Experimental Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation Technique on the Promotion of Subjective Well-Being among Elderly in Bhai Ghanayia Charitable Trust District Patiala, Punjab

Introduction: Mindfulness Meditation means that a person pays attention to thoughts and feelings withoutjudging them and without believing on them. It can be the key to deal with stress, emotional issues andeven health problems. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation technique on thepromotion of subjective well-being among elderly. Pre- test evaluation of subjective well being was doneby using subjective well being inventory (SUBI) before demonstrating mindfulness meditation technique.Methodology: The study was conducted on 30 elderly. Mindfulness meditation technique was demonstratedfor one month for 20 minutes daily. Results: It revealed that the pre test mean score was 61.63 with SD 10.82and post test mean score was 86.76 with SD 6.56. Mean difference between pre test and post test subjectivewell being score was 25.13. Conclusion: The pre-test revealed that there was low well being score amongelderly. After demonstration of mindfulness meditation technique there was a highly significant increase inthe well being score among elderly. Mindfulness meditation technique was more effective in increasing wellbeing score.

Well-being and Pregnancy

Well-being is a complex construct on the optimal functioning in one's life. Well-being is basically having two perspectives: hedonic approach (i.e., pain avoidance and pleasure attainment) and eudaimonic approach (i.e., living up to one's fullest potential). Over the years, researchers have explored various stages of one's life based on these approaches. Pregnancy is an important milestone of women's life. Pregnancy is a period of hope and growth. This concept paper has been drafted with the aim of having an understanding regarding well-being and its short-term as well as long-term impact on pregnant women and their unborn children. The objectives of the study were to get an overview on well-being and to understand its effect on pregnant women as well as their fetuses. The electronic literature search engines used were Google Scholar and PubMed for selecting papers related to the theme well-being and pregnancy. Again, these selected articles were further screened for more relevant literature. For the present paper, a total of 35 articles were reviewed which were published online. Assessment of well-being during pregnancy helps in the assurance of better future for both the mother and the child. In this paper, the researcher has looked into a comprehensive view of well-being, and this has an influence on the pregnant women. This understanding will help in the promotion of well-being and maternal health, which in turn will have a positive effect on the baby.

Using Virtual Reality in the Development of an Index-Engine of Physical and Emotional Sustainability

Nowadays, there is a growing need for rehabilitation associated with demographic changes and health trends, with an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and an aging population. Although well-being is classically associated with a set of physical activities, the reality of today’s society often shows that there is a lack of time available to develop activities that promote well-being. This fact is aggravated in aging populations by less mobility and greater isolation. In this domain, information and communication technologies have greatly contributed to helping healthcare providers to develop new understanding, measurement and action strategies that promote the physical and emotional well-being of their patients. Accordingly, the role of Virtual Reality has been shown to be promising for the generation of well-being. This article, as part of a broader funding project, reviews the state of the art of the role that Virtual Reality has played in the promotion of well-being, being an exercise of conceptualization that converges in the proposal of a conceptual model - an Index-Engine of Physical and Emotional Sustainability, which will be prototyped and field tested in the future.

Statelessness, Trauma and Mental Wellbeing: Implications for Practice, Research, and Advocacy

In 2016, the UNHCR estimated that about 10 million people, globally, were stateless. The issue of statelessness is inextricably linked to the psychosocial wellness and is a crucial mental health factor to consider in the holistic care, protection of stateless persons. There is a dearth of research examining the mental health implications for stateless persons and their exposure to multiple and ongoing rights violations. In addition, there is limited literature on the mental health impacts of statelessness. This paper describes the systematic human rights violations as linked to statelessness and how these contribute to individual trauma and stress – subsequently affecting wellbeing. The paper utilises a trauma-focused approach in understanding statelessness and presents a novel contribution to the research, advocacy and practice interventions addressing statelessness especially when drawing on the link between trauma and systemic rights violations. Findings from the document study reveal statelessness-linked stressors. Historic systematic human rights violations, traumatic events and situations, and previous and daily stressors become mental health burdens and challenges for those experiencing statelessness. Service providers working with stateless persons should be aware of the impact of statelessness on mental health and should refer cases to mental health practitioners who can provide services that reduce socio-emotional distress whilst strengthening resilience and coping strategies. The findings emphasize the promotion of stateless persons psychosocial wellbeing – looking at both curative and preventative strategies, towards the establishment of just and inclusive societies.

Mogućnosti primene organizacionih wellness programa

Globalization, industrialization, and information technology, along with extended sitting periods, have caused many health problems for employees, from lifestyle-related diseases to musculoskeletal disorders and mental health problems. For most people, work is an important determinant of life that is necessary for the survival and well-being of an individual. On the other hand, a high degree of productivity, motivation and commitment of employees is important to the employer. Workplace health promotion plays an important role in achieving good employee health. The World Health Organization emphasizes that the workplace is a primary environment for the promotion of health and well-being, including the provision of a safe and healthy physical and psychosocial work environment. In developed countries, various approaches to health promotion have been implemented through organizational wellness programs for many years. However, there are a number of limiting factors for the implementation, efficiency and effectiveness of a wellness program in the workplace. This is especially true for countries that do not have a long tradition of implementing wellness programs. In accordance with the growing needs of our society for workplace wellness programs to be more represented, the aim of this paper is to point out the importance and need for the planning, implementation and evaluation of wellness programs.

Mindfulness as a prevention tool in addiction

The development of psychosocial skills in children is considered an important element in the promotion of health and well-being. Mindfulness meditation in schools is a promising start in managing emotions and preventing addictions. A report from an addiction nurse on the experience of children inthe fourth and fifth grades.