Touch screen technology is rapidly increasing, and at the same time there is a shifting, aging population. As the percentage of the population over the age of 65 increases, adults of the age group are adopting smartphones and tablets more now than ever before. Although older adults are adopting touch screen devices, they face many challenges when interacting with said devices, such as not knowing how to navigate between pages, not knowing where to click for an action to occur, and the touch screen interface is often too sensitive or the buttons are not big enough. Furthermore, the challenges of aging, specifically sensory and cognitive decline resulting from aging affect comprehension and spacial processing, which are critical when navigating through an interface. The purpose of this thesis was to better understand redundancy effect applied to females and males between the ages of 65 and 84. There were two tasks of different lengths, and for each task there were two designs. The first design included text only buttons, and the second included symbol + text buttons, the latter being the redundant interface. Quantitative results yielded no significant results for time for either task. Qualitative results included ratings for ease of navigation, general satisfaction, overall understanding, and button design preference. Preferences between text only buttons were statistically significant; for the task of online grocery shopping and booking a cruise, females prefer text only buttons and males prefer symbol + text buttons (p = 0.0068 and p = 0.0024). Although button design had no significance in completing a task, significant preference results indicate likelihood to return to a given website. Furthermore, although quantitative results were not significant, gender did influence average times per task and average ratings across categories. Further research could be conducted with larger sample sizes, other forms of redundancy, and larger tasks, however it is evident through this experiment that gender has an impact on how adults between 65 and 84 perceive and navigate through touch screen interfaces given the constraints of the symbols used, ages, and task designs. Therefore, concluding recommendations based on the qualitative data suggest that designers should create gender specific interfaces based on gender favored websites, or design based on the ability to customize the interface upon entering a website.

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Our current LTC system is burdensome to state and federal governments, to family members, and to individuals’ pocket books; it is not expected to endure the weight of the baby boom generation. Total national spending for long-term care in 2005 was $207 billion and is only expected to rise. This study examined the LTC planning behavior of individuals of baby boom birth years (1946 to 1964), focusing on the influence of individuals’ views about whose responsibility is the provision of LTC on planning behavior. Specifically, the study has three aims: to 1) to describe the LTC planning behavior among baby boom aged adults; 2) examine baby-boom aged adults’ views on whose responsibility is the planning/provision/cost of LTC (location of responsibility); and 3) examine the influence of potential predictors of individuals’ LTC planning with specific focus on the influence of location of responsibility (LOR). Data was collected between May and August of 2009 using a mixed modes self-administered 80-item original survey via the internet and regular mail (study sample = 1,066; 1,166 responding; response rate 58%). The study population consists of benefit-eligible Black, Hispanic/Latino, and Non-Hispanic White faculty/staff born in or between the years of 1946 and 1964 from a large southwestern university. This study found overall low levels of LTC planning; however, with regard to LTCI purchase, the participation rate is good relative to the national coverage rate. The study informs us that baby-boom aged individuals as a whole believe themselves (individuals) to have a high level of responsibility for their own potential LTC needs, but also that responsibility lies with the government, employers, and adult children as well. Consistent with hypotheses, LTC awareness/avoidance predicted a higher level of extent of planning (gathering, deciding, and concretizing); worthwhileness and self-efficacy predicted LTCI purchase; and awareness, subjective norm, worthwhileness, and self-efficacy predicted LTC specific savings. Additionally, individual responsibility (negatively), female (positively), income (positively), experience (self and other; positively), LTC knowledge (positively), and Hispanic (negatively) all predicted extent of planning. Employer responsibility (positively), faculty (negatively), marital status (married; negatively), Black (positively), and medical diagnoses all predicted LTCI purchase. And, employer responsibility (positively), government responsibility (negatively), income (positively), experience-other (positively), and knowledge (positively) all predicted LTC-specific savings. Implications for practitioners, employers, program planners, and policy-makers are presented. / text

Activity and fitness levels decline through the years from 30 to 60 years of age. Minimal research is available regarding functional assessment tools in this population. Reliable functional tools are needed to reintroduce individuals to appropriate physical activity levels following an injury and to maintain high levels of participation through their lifespan. The purposes of this study were multiple: 1) determine if three functional tests correspond with neuromotor fitness levels, 2) establish a model of functional tests, activity levels and descriptive data that distinguishes the most from the least fit, 3) describe expected mean functional test performances, and 4) demonstrate the reliability of the three functional tests in a sample of 30-60 year olds. 63 females and 38 males completed activity surveys, a neuromotor fitness test, the star excursion balance test (SEBT), the four square step test (FSST), and the Biering-Sorensen test of trunk extensor muscle endurance. Moderate to high reliability of the functional tests was determined with 29 subjects. The SEBT (r=.97), FSST (r=.88) and the Biering-Sorensen test (r=.64) were reliable. All functional tests were able to distinguish between the most fit and least fit with regards to the fitness tests. A model of the body mass index and the FSST predicted 25% of the variance in fitness level. Functional test means are reported by 10-year age groups and represent expected performance values.Health care professionals can use this information to compare their patients to this group of healthy individuals. This will allow them to have some idea of how well a person with an injury is performing relative to a healthy individual. Additionally the combination of a persons BMI plus their FSST gives the health care professional some information about an individual level of neuromuscular fitness so that the health care professional can guide their patients toward an appropriate level of physical activity after their injury or illness.

Two studies based on one online randomized controlled trial examined the effects of sport gain-framed messages (Rothman & Salovey, 1997) and a sport possible self (Murru & Martin Ginis, 2010) protocol on indices of possible self activation and elaboration, sport intention, and sport activity. 244 non-sporting adults (M = 50.59, 40-59 yrs) completed baseline/screening measures (T1), a gain-framed experimental/control intervention one week later (T2), and follow-up measures (T3) four weeks after T2. Study 1 showed gain-framed participants most frequently attended to a health and fitness message, more frequently described a possible self, and elaborated more on their possible selves (especially about delaying aging and developing friendships through sport). Study 2 indicated that gain-framed individuals requested more sport newsletters and registered for more sport programs. From T1 to T2, gain-framed conditions facilitated increased intentions for those with low approach motivation, whereas control conditions improved intentions for individuals with high approach motivation.

Two studies based on one online randomized controlled trial examined the effects of sport gain-framed messages (Rothman & Salovey, 1997) and a sport possible self (Murru & Martin Ginis, 2010) protocol on indices of possible self activation and elaboration, sport intention, and sport activity. 244 non-sporting adults (M = 50.59, 40-59 yrs) completed baseline/screening measures (T1), a gain-framed experimental/control intervention one week later (T2), and follow-up measures (T3) four weeks after T2. Study 1 showed gain-framed participants most frequently attended to a health and fitness message, more frequently described a possible self, and elaborated more on their possible selves (especially about delaying aging and developing friendships through sport). Study 2 indicated that gain-framed individuals requested more sport newsletters and registered for more sport programs. From T1 to T2, gain-framed conditions facilitated increased intentions for those with low approach motivation, whereas control conditions improved intentions for individuals with high approach motivation.

Introduction: Resistance training improves muscle strength and induces myofiber hypertrophy in young males and females with blunted responses occurring in older adults. These adaptations are partially due to the function of muscle stem cells (MuSCs) and fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs). It remains unknown whether middle-aged males and females respond similarly to resistance training with protein supplementation, specifically at the cellular level. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential sex-specific responses of middle-aged males and females to whole-body resistance training. Methods: Middle-aged adults (N=28), 40-64 years, participated in a 10-week progressive, whole-body resistance training intervention coupled with protein supplementation. Muscle biopsies were collected from the vastus lateralis and stained for fibre morphology, MuSCs, and FAPs. Results: Both sexes increased type II fibre cross-sectional area with training. Myonuclear content, myonuclear domain size, and MuSC content were not altered with training in either sex. Both males and females altered FAP content with training. Interestingly, the change in MuSCs and both FAPs were correlated in males but not females (both P<0.05). It was concluded that there were no sex-specific responses to resistance training in middle-aged males and females; however, MuSCs and FAPs appear to be correlated in males but not females.

This study was a follow-up of the Christiansen study which was completed in 1967. Dr. Christiansen's 26 subjects ranged in age from 33 to 60 years. Ten were designated as controls and the other 16 were placed on a high polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) diet for a period of 26 weeks . The purpose of doing a follow-up was to determine what effect the study had on present dietary patterns, serum lipid levels and rate of erythrocyte hemolysis. Eighteen of the original subjects participated in this study. Of these 18, nine were from the control group and nine were from the experimental group. There were nine women and nine men. The serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, rate of erythrocyte hemolysis and blood pressure reading were determined. General health status and dietary pattern were determined through the use of a questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire indicate that the experimental diet of the original study had influenced the present diet of the study's subjects. The use of vegetable oils was increased and the consumption of eggs and whole milk was decreased. The study had little effect on the consumption of beef, pork, fish and chicken. The rate of erythrocyte hemolysis was greater for the control group (non-instructed) than for the experimental group (instructed). The mean values were 12. 65 and 9. 49 percent, respectively. The results indicate that there was no depletion of tocopherol levels due to continued use of PUFA. Serum triglyceride levels varied from 60 to 72 mg percent. Mean values for men were slightly higher than for the women. The means for the instructed and non-instructed groups were almost the same (6 7. 2 and 6 7. 0 mg percent, respectively). The cholesterol values ranged from 139 to 252 mg percent. The mean values were close to those at the end of the previous study (192 and 188 mg percent, respectively). There was no correlation between cholesterol values and the rate of erythrocyte hemolysis or triglyceride values.

Bakgrund: Sömnens påverkan på viktkontroll har större betydelse än vad forskarna tidigare trott. God sömn innebär återhämtning av livsnödvändiga funktioner och är en grund för god hälsa. Studier visar att människor sover mindre idag jämfört med tidigare. Sömnens påverkan på viktkontrollen behöver lyftas fram i sjuksköterskans hälsopreventiva arbete för att främja hälsa. Syfte: Att belysa sömnens relevans för viktkontroll hos medelålders vuxna. Metod: En allmän litteraturstudie gjordes där elva kvantitativa vetenskapliga artiklar ligger till grund för resultatet. Resultat: Kort sömnlängd ger ökad sannolikhet för fetma vilket kan ge rubbad hormonbalans med förändrad aptitreglering och viktökning som följd. Osammanhängande sömn är förenat med högre body mass index och ökad risk för fetma. Mest gynnsam sömnlängd för optimal viktkontroll är sju till åtta timmar. Slutsats: Fler studier behövs för att förstå sambandet mellan sömn och viktkontroll. Kvalitativa studier där patienternas upplevelser belyses är önskvärda. Sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i att försöka skapa ett bra möte och samtal om sömnens betydelse för viktkontroll. Ett förtroendefullt samtal där öppenhet och lyhördhet är grundpelare. Under samtalet kan sjuksköterskan inta en stödjande och rådgivande roll där ett gemensamt beslut kan resultera i en förståelse för sambandet mellan sömn och viktkontroll. / Background: The effects of sleep on weight control is more important than researchers previously believed. Good sleep means recovery of essential life functions and is a foundation for good health. Studies show that less time is spent sleeping today than before. Therefore the importance of sleep needs to be raised in the health preventive work of the nurse to promote health. Aim: To illuminate the relevance of sleep in weight control in middle-aged adults. Method: A literature review was done where eleven quantitative scholarly articles form the foundation for the result. Result: Short sleep duration will lead to an increased likelihood of obesity which can lead to disorder in the hormone balance with changed appetite regulation and an increase in body weight as a result. Fragmented sleep is related to increased body mass index and a higher risk of obesity. The most favourable sleep duration for optimal weight control is seven to eight hours. Conclusion: More studies are needed to understand the relationship between sleep and weight control. Qualitative studies where the patients ́ own experiences are illuminated. The nurse has an important role to create a good meeting and a dialogue where openness and sensitivity are essential pillars. The nurse can take a supportive and advisory role, where a common decision can result in an understanding in the association between sleep and weight control.

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