Tool For Health Improvement Research Articles

Impact of Aquafitness Training on Physical Condition of Early Adulthood Women

Background. The physical benefits of fitness for middle-aged women are well-known. Unlike the usual training sessions, aquafitness occupies a special place among the types of health-related exercise training. Its health-enhancing effect results from the activation of the body's functional systems, the gravitational unloading of the musculoskeletal system, high energy expenditures, and overall body hardening effect. 
 The objective of this study was to evaluate the health-enhancing effects of an aquafitness program on the functional indicators and physical fitness of early adulthood women. 
 Materials and methods. Theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature, anthropometric techniques, pedagogical methods, and methods of mathematical statistics were used. The functional status of the body was assessed with the indices characterizing the function of the cardiorespiratory system, which are commonly used. The study was conducted at the Sport Life fitness club, Chernivtsi. The study involved 48 women aged 21-31 with an average age of 26.3 years. The subjects took part in a six-month aquafitness program consisting of 60-min sessions, three times a week. The program was developed by the authors and included aquatic stretching, body shaping and bodybuilding exercise, aquadance, aquatic gymnastics, and aqua tae-bo. 
 Results. After participation in the exercise program: vital capacity increased from 45.96±4.69 to 48.88±0.68; strength index increased from 35.80±1.07 to 43.26±0.71; Robinson's index increased from 85.72±12.34 to 89.63±10.11; Shtange test increased from 30.28±10.32 to 37.78±12.34; Hench test changed from 16.48±4.24 to 25.19±4.58; Kerdo index decreased from 5.23±0.74 to 0.88±0.38; and Rufier's test decreased from 12.21±4.26 to 8.03±2.14. The assessment of somatic health of the women showed a significant improvement (p<0.05). Positive changes in the autonomic system were detected.
 Conclusion. The developed aquafitness program can be an effective tool for health improvement and body weight management in early adulthood women.

Geographic Information System as a health improvement tool: a resettlement camp in Mozambique

Abstract Cyclone Idai have devastated and displaced an estimated 1.85 million individuals across Mozambique. Around 90,000 cyclone survivors have been relocated to 66 resettlement camps. Doctors of the World Portuguese Delegation team is supporting the Sanitary Post of a resettlement camp, located in a remote rural area with limited resources. The first intervention was to build an epidemiological surveillance system in order to prevent and control communicable and non-communicable diseases and to improve access to health care. The health status in the resettlement camp using conventional and geographic information system techniques were attempted as a community-based census-type cross-sectional study. Location of tents, water holes and latrines were mapped. There were 2,170 people living in the 402 households interviewed. The reported age range of population was 1 day to 99 years, with a mean 19.3 years and a median of 15 years. Among residents, 4% (n = 90) reported a non-communicable disease: hypertension (75.5%), respiratory disease (22.2%), and a range of conditions (2.3%). The prevalence of mental and physical disabilities was 1.8% (n = 39). Regarding individual behavioral risk factors, 6.7% and 5.6% of the residents over 15 years, were currently using tobacco and alcohol, respectively. The distance from any household to the nearest waterpoint is less than 500 meters and almost all households (98.5%) distance more than 50 meters from the nearest toilet, as the standard recommended. The average number of people in the camp are in the standard recommended of 20 people per toilet facility with a ratio 15.8 person per latrine. Geographic information system technology was helpful for the improvement of strategies on surveillance, prevention and control regarding communicable and non-communicable diseases, in the resettlement camp. Also made it possible to set up a home health care system, promoting access to health care for the disabled residents. Key messages Geographic information systems proved to be very useful in the implementation and organization of the epidemic surveillance system of resettlement camp. The epidemic surveillance system allowed us to implement a home care system for patients with disabilities, to respond to acute illnesses and chronic diseases agudizations, and to identify outbreaks.

Exercise with blood flow restriction as a new tool for health improvement in hypertensive elderly women: the role of purinergic enzymes.

Purinergic signaling has been considered one of the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its antihypertensive effects; and research on the effects of blow flow restriction (BFR) exercise has increased as an alternative for elderly hypertensive patients. We analyzed the acute responses of NTPDase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities to low intensity aerobic exercise (LIAE) with BFR in lymphocytes of hypertensive elderly women. Sixteen hypertensive elderly women performed three exercise protocols: LIAE; high intensity aerobic exercise (HIAE) and LIAE+BFR. Blood pressure, heart rate and blood collection were carried out before exercise, immediately after exercise and 30 min after exercise. NTPDase and ADA activities were measured in lymphocytes. Our results showed that LIAE+BFR triggered the same stimuli when compared to HIAE exercise regarding to NTPDases activities, suggesting that both protocols trigger an augment of these enzyme activities in response to: 1) increase in ATP release during exercise; and 2) need of adenosine generation to promotes anti-inflammatory responses in the recovery period. HIAE protocol was more effective than the others to trigger combined hypotensive and anti-inflammatory effects in the recovery period. This study showed that BFR is a good tool to promote anti-inflammatory effects similar (not equal) to HIAE. Moreover, LIAE+BFR promotes much more stimuli and adaptations related to immune functions than low intensity protocols, bringing more benefits for the hypertensive elderly population.

Trends Over Time and Jurisdiction Variability in Supplemental Security Income and State Supplementary Payment Programs for Children With Disabilities.

Nearly 1.2 million children with disabilities received federally administered Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in 2017. Based on a robust review of research and evaluation evidence and microsimulations, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee identified modifications to SSI (ie, increasing the federal SSI benefit maximum by one-third or two-thirds) as 1 of 10 strategies that could reduce the US child poverty rate, improving child health and well-being on a population level. Describing the availability and amount of SSI and State Supplementary Payment (SSP) program benefits to support families of children with disabilities may be a first step toward evaluating The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine-proposed modification to SSI as a potential poverty alleviation and health improvement tool for children with disabilities and their families. We used public health law research methods to characterize the laws (statutes and state agency regulations) governing the federal SSI program and SSP programs in the 50 states and District of Columbia from January 1, 1996, through November 1, 2018. The number of jurisdictions offering supplementary payments (SSP) was relatively stable between 1996 and 2018. In 2018, 23 US jurisdictions legally mandated that SSP programs were available for children. Among the states with SSP payment amounts in their codified laws, SSP monthly benefit amounts ranged from $8 to $64.35 in 1996 and $3.13 to $60.43 in 2018. Our initial exploration of SSI-related policies as a tool for improving the economic stability of children with disabilities and their families suggests that current SSPs, in combination with SSI, would not rise to the level of SSI increases proposed by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Understanding more about how SSI and SSP reach children and work in combination with other federal and state income security programs may help identify policies and strategies that better support children with disabilities in low-income households.

Sleeve Gastrectomy for Youth With Cognitive Impairment or Developmental Disability.

Youth with cognitive impairment or developmental disability (CI/DD) face higher rates of obesity and secondary medical issues. Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for health improvement because it has been shown efficacious for adolescents. We aim to contribute to literature regarding bariatric surgery for adolescents with CI/DD and explore the association between cognitive functioning and weight loss outcomes. Adolescents (N = 64) received a preoperative psychological evaluation, including cognitive assessment, and bariatric surgery at 1 weight loss program between 2010 and 2017. For these adolescents with measured cognitive performance, CI/DD was defined by an IQ <80 or previous diagnosis. In analyses, we compared adolescents with and without CI/DD. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the impact of cognitive functioning on weight loss 3 to 24 months postsurgery. There were no significant differences between adolescents with or without CI/DD in terms of preoperative BMI, age, and sex. Having CI/DD did not significantly impact weight loss or weight loss trajectory in the 2 years after surgery, although modeling revealed a trend toward individuals with CI/DD losing more weight over time. Similarly, intelligence scores did not predict weight loss after surgery. Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for adolescents with severe obesity and CI/DD. They could benefit from the surgery as much as those with typical development, and having CI/DD should not be used as a criterion to deny surgery. Continuing research with this population can be used to determine long-term outcomes in addition to defining best practices.

Social Capital, Community Capacity, and Health.

The capacity to practice health behavior is different for each individual. Community capacity and social capital deal with understanding the relationship between community members and with the factors that promote or delay collective activities. This study examines existing literature in relation to social capital, health, and community capacity. Bonding social capital shows the average value of the extent to which individuals trust each other and participate in groups, whereas bridging social capital shows the average value of the extent to which individuals participate in different formal groups. Community capacity seeks mutual cooperation based on trust, and cohesion minimizes community problems, and it has become evident that such capacity is a useful tool for health improvement.

Unlocking the Value of Literature in Health Co-Design: Transforming Patient Experience Publications into a Creative and Accessible Card Tool.

A wealth of peer-reviewed data exists regarding people's health experience, yet practical ways of using the data to understand patients' experiences and to inform health co-design are needed. This study aims to develop an applied and pragmatic method for using patient experience literature in co-design by transforming it into an accessible and creative co-design tool. A scoping literature review of the CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and PubMed electronic databases was conducted from January 2011 through August 2016. Qualitative publications regarding the experience of living with diabetes in Australia were selected. The Results section of each paper was extracted and affinity analysis was applied to identify insights into the health experience. These insights were developed into a card tool for use in health co-design activities. Thirteen relevant papers were identified from the review, and affinity analysis of the Results sections of these papers lead to the identification of 85 insights, from 'Shock of diagnosis' (Insight 1), to 'Delay seeking care' (Insight 9), to 'Assess the quality of care' (Insight 28), to 'Avoid or adapt habits' (Insight 78). Each insight was developed into an individual card, which included a high-level theme, insight, quote and a link back to the literature, together making up the Health Experience Insight Cards, Living with Diabetes Edition. This was the first study to develop a method for transforming existing patient experience literature into a creative tool for health improvement. The Health Experience Insight Cards collate the diverse experiences of over 300 people living with diabetes in Australia, from 13 studies. Health improvement teams can use the 'Living with Diabetes Edition' cards or they can follow this pragmatic method to create their own cards focused on other health experiences to facilitate person-focused health improvements.

Getting past the dual logic: findings from a pilot asset mapping exercise in Sheffield, UK.

Asset-based approaches seek to identify and mobilise the personal, social and organisational resources available to communities. Asset mapping is a recognised method of gathering an inventory of neighbourhood assets and is underpinned by a fundamentally different logic to traditional needs assessments. The aim of this paper is to explore how asset mapping might be used as a tool for health improvement. It reports on a qualitative evaluation of a pilot asset mapping project carried out in two economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Sheffield, UK. The project involved community health champions working with two community organisations to identify assets linked to the health and wellbeing of their neighbourhoods. The evaluation was undertaken in 2012 after mapping activities had been completed. A qualitative design, using theory of change methodology, was used to explore assumptions between activities, mechanisms and outcomes. Semi structured interviews were undertaken with a purposive sample of 11 stakeholders including champions, community staff and strategic partners. Thematic analysis was used and themes were identified on the process of asset mapping, the role of champions and the early outcomes for neighbourhoods and services. Findings showed that asset mapping was developmental and understandings grew as participatory activities were planned and implemented. The role of the champions was limited by numbers involved, nonetheless meaningful engagement occurred with residents which led to personal and social resources being identified. Most early outcomes were focused on the lead community organisations. There was less evidence of results feeding into wider planning processes because of the requirements for more quantifiable information. The paper discusses the importance of relational aspects of asset mapping both within communities and between communities and services. The conclusions are that it is insufficient to switch from the logic of needs to assets without building asset mapping as part of a broader planning process.

Law, Public Health, and the Diabetes Epidemic

The prevalence of new cases of diabetes continues to increase, and the health burden for those with diabetes remains high. This is attributable, in part, to low adoption of evidence-based interventions for diabetes prevention and control. Law is a critical tool for health improvement, yet assessments reported in this paper indicate that federal, state, and local laws give only partial support to guidelines and evidence-based interventions relevant to diabetes prevention and control. Public health practitioners and policymakers who are concerned with the human, fiscal, and economic costs of the epidemic can explore new ways to translate the evidence base for diabetes prevention and control into effective laws and policies.

PP-095 EFFECTS OF 5-YEAR INTERVENTIONS ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS OF FACTORIES AND OFFICES EMPLOYEES OF ISFAHAN AND NAJAFABAD: WORKSITE INTERVENTION PROJECT-ISFAHAN HEALTHY HEART PROGRAM

BACKGROUND: Effects of 5-year interventions of Worksite Intervention Project from Isfahan Healthy Heart Program on cardiovascular risk factors of factories and offices employees were studied in Isfahan and Najafabad (intervention area) compared to Arak (control area). METHODS: We had especial interventions for nutrition, physical activity and smoking as well as hypertension and obesity screening systems in all offices and factories, and other risk factors screening systems whenever possible. Before and after the interventions, questionnaires containing demographic and other required data were completed for the two populations; height, weight and blood pressure (BP) were measured and a fasting and 2h blood sample was taken for the measurement of blood sugar (BS) and lipid levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity decreased, but low HDL increased in office staff (P < 0.01). Waist circumference, HDL and total cholesterol mean values decreased, and diastolic BP and fasting and 2h BS increased among the intervention group. In factory workers, the prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia and central obesity decreased, while low HDL prevalence increased in intervention group (P < 0.001). Mean values of waist circumference, HDL and total cholesterol, and triglyceride decreased significantly (P < 0.001), while diastolic BP and fasting BS increased. CONCLUSION: It seems that Worksite Intervention Project has a protective effect on CVD risk factors in factories and offices employees. So, the modifiable project can be used as an applicable tool for health improvement in worksites which creates tangible changes in employees’ lifestyle.

Developing the MAPP Community Health Improvement Tool

From 1997 to 2001, the National Association of County and City Health Officials, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Practice Program Office, developed a new community strategic planning tool, titled Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships (MAPP). This article provides a chronological description of the development of MAPP, devoting significant attention to pivotal decisions, development milestones, and distinguishing features of this new public health planning tool. All phases of the development ensured a practice-driven process, ongoing substantive input from the field, careful attention to research and literature, and intentional linkage with related efforts. This deliberate process laid the foundation for a tool that is not only well grounded in research and concepts but also relevant for practical use in communities. The process also demonstrates how practice-based research can be conducted in a way that effectively balances the need for applied relevance with intellectual integrity.

Achieving utility with family history: Colorectal cancer risk

Family history of chronic disease is rapidly becoming a research tool for targeting participants at increased risk. Its current usefulness in clinical practice remains unknown. This paper details the possible utility and complications in using family history in a primary care setting, using colorectal cancer risk as the health issue. Where available, we cite data to support the issues that could arise. Where there are no studies, we invite further research. The potential of family history as a health improvement tool is still under review.