Yes / Wellbeing declines during adolescence, for which the reasons are unclear. This analysis explored associations between wellbeing and multiple lifestyle, socioeconomic and school-level factors in young people. Data were collected as part of the Wellbeing in School (WiSe) survey of adolescent school children in Northern Ireland at age 13-14 years (N=1618; 49% female) and 15-16 years (N=1558; 50.5% female). Wellbeing was assessed using the short-form Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (sWEMWBS), where scores declined between time one (13-14 years) and time two (15-16 years) in both sexes and were significantly lower in females at both timepoints. Multilevel, multivariate modelling was therefore undertaken separately for males and females with sWEMWBS scores as the dependent variable. Physical activity, family affluence, fruit and vegetable intake, social media use, sleep duration, school factors (size and type) and religion were independent variables. More frequent physical activity in both sexes at both timepoints was associated with higher sWEMWBS scores. In females, higher sWEMWBS scores were associated with less social media use at time one (and marginally at time two), greater family affluence at time two, and being Catholic at both timepoints. In males, higher sWEMWBS scores were associated with more frequent fruit and vegetable intake at time one. Mental wellbeing was unrelated to sleep duration or school factors in either sex, at both time points. Efforts to maximize mental wellbeing in adolescents should promote engagement in physical activity and implement sex-specific interventions. / This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. This material is based upon work conducted as part of the Wellbeing in Schools (WiSe) study which was financially supported by the Centre of Excellence for Public Health (Northern Ireland), and the Centre of Evidence and Social Innovation, at Queens University Belfast.

Background: Depression is considered the worldwide leading cause of illness and disability in young people and an urgent public health issue. Within the field of public health it is of interest to deepen the understanding of determinants of depressive symptoms (DS) that are possible to address on a political or an organizational level. Also, it is of great importance to find methods to prevent depression in adolescents. To address these issues, the present thesis had two Aims: I) To study determinants of DS in adolescents, and II) to, by means of a non-randomized pragmatic trial evaluation, investigate the effectiveness a cognitive-behavioral intervention (DISA) in a real-world setting in relation to determinants of DS in adolescent girls. This was addressed by asking a) Which determinants on individual, psychosocial and structural levels are associated with DS in adolescents? (Paper I); b) What are the directional pathways between sexual harassment (SH) and DS? (Paper II); c) Which features characterize students who were assigned to a cognitive-behavioral intervention regarding levels of DS, psychosocial aspects and socioeconomic status of the respondents as well as of schools? (Paper III); d) Does DISA have an effect on DS in girls aged 14-16? (Paper IV); and e) Are there differences between the DISA participants and non-participants in the effects of psychosocial and structural determinants on DS? (Paper IV). Method: Data was collected in January 2010, 2011, and 2012, by means of a self-administered, electronic questionnaire in school. Students aged 14-16 in all nine public and one independent high school in a municipality in northern Sweden participated in the study (~1,000-1,200 students depending on the wave). All studies had DS as the single outcome variable. Individual level determinants were self-esteem and self-efficacy. Psychosocial determinants were parental/peer/teacher support; school demands; sexual harassment; and bullying. Structural determinants were family material affluence; parental foreign background, parental employment status; disrupted family, and personal relative affluence. Logistic regression was employed for research question a) (Paper I). Structural equation (SEM) cross-lag models were modeled for research question b) (Paper II). The Mann-Whitney U statistic was employed for research question c) (Paper III). SEM was used for research questions d-e) (Paper IV). Results: Determinants on individual, psychosocial and structural levels were independently associated with depressive symptoms in both genders. Self-efficacy, low teacher support, bullying victimization, and low personal relative affluence was associated with elevated levels of DS in both genders (Paper I). In girls, low parental support, high school demands, and sexual harassment victimization (SH) were also associated with elevated levels of DS. Among boys, parental migrant background was also associated with DS. Among girls, both the targeting of girls with elevated DS, and the consequence of SH explained the relationship between DS and SH victimization over time. In boys, only the predating of DS explained the association between DS and SH (Paper II). Only girls were assigned to DISA during 2011 and DISA participants reported higher levels of DS and lower levels of self-esteem than the non-participants at pre-intervention, which indicates that DISA was used as a targeted intervention for girls with elevated symptoms. Also, DISA participants reported higher levels of SH victimization, less peer support, and lower personal relative affluence (Paper III). In contrast to the non-participants, DISA participants did not increase their mean scoring on DS at an eight months follow-up. However, SEM analyses showed that the effect of DISA participation on DS at follow-up was negligible (Paper IV). Conclusions: This study showed that SH victimization was an important determinant for DS in girls followed by personal relative affluence. Among boys, personal relative affluence and parental migrant background were the most important factors. SH victimization had mental health consequences in girls only. DISA was implemented as a targeted intervention rather than as selective or universal one, and did not have an effect on DS in this group of girls. Implications for further research and health promotion practice in the school setting are discussed. / Bakgrund: Depression anses vara den världsledande orsaken till sjukdom och funktionsnedsättning hos unga människor och en av de viktigaste folkhälsofrågorna gällande ungdomar. Inom folkhälsoområdet är det viktigt att fördjupa förståelsen av bestämningsfaktorer för depressiva symtom (DS) som är möjliga att ta itu med på en politisk eller organisatorisk nivå. Det är också av stort intresse att finna metoder för att förebygga depression hos ungdomar. För att adressera detta hade denna avhandling två Syften: I) Att studera bestämningsfaktorer för DS hos ungdomar 14-16 år, och II) Att genom en icke-randomiserad pragmatisk utvärderingsstudie undersöka effekten av en kognitiv beteendemodifierande intervention (DISA) så som den implementerats i praktiken i skolan i förhållande till bestämningsfaktorer för DS hos flickor. Följande frågeställningar formulerades: a) Vilka bestämningsfaktorer på individ, psykosocial och strukturell nivå är förknippade med DS hos ungdomar? (Paper I); b) I vilken riktning går sambandet mellan sexuella trakasserier (ST) och DS? (Paper II); c) Vad karaktäriserar elever som gått en kognitiv beteendemodifierande metod (DISA) avseende nivåer av DS, psykosociala aspekter och respondenternas och skolornas socioekonomiska status? (Paper III); d) Har DISA en effekt på DS hos flickor i åldern 14-16? (Paper IV); och e) Fanns det skillnader mellan DISA-deltagare och icke-deltagare avseende effekterna av psykosociala och strukturella faktorer på DS? (Paper IV). Metod: Data samlades in i januari 2010, 2011 och 2012 med hjälp av en självadministrerad, elektronisk enkät i skolan. Elever i åldrarna 14-16 i samtliga nio kommunala skolor och i en friskola i en kommun i norra Sverige deltog i studien (~1000-1200 elever beroende på datainsamlingsår). Samtliga studier hade DS som enda hälsoutfall. Individfaktorer som antogs ha samband med DS var självkänsla och upplevd förmåga att hantera problem i livet. Psykosociala faktorer var föräldra-, kamrat-, och lärarstöd; krav i skolan; sexuella trakasserier och mobbning. Strukturella faktorer var materiellt välstånd i familjen; föräldrar med utländsk bakgrund, föräldrars arbetslöshet; splittrad biologisk familj och personligt relativt välstånd. Logistisk regression användes för forskningsfråga a) (Paper I). Strukturell ekvationsmodellering (SEM) med en cross-lag design användes för forskningsfråga b) (Paper II). Mann-Whitney U test användes för forskningsfråga c) (Paper III). SEM användes för forskningsfrågorna d-e) (Paper IV). Resultat: Bestämningsfaktorer på individ-, psykosocial och strukturell nivå var associerade med DS hos båda könen. Upplevd förmåga att hantera problem i livet, lågt lärarstöd, utsatthet för mobbning, och lågt personligt relativt välstånd var associerat med förhöjda nivåer av DS för både pojkar och flickor (Paper I). Bland flickor var dessutom lågt föräldrastöd, höga krav i skolan, och utsatthet för sexuella trakasserier (ST) också associerade med förhöjda nivåer av DS och hos pojkar var även föräldrars invandrarbakgrund associerat med DS. Bland flickor förklarades sambandet mellan DS och ST både av att flickor med förhöjda DS blev utsatta för ST, och av att ST ledde till senare DS. Hos pojkar var det endast att pojkar med DS blev utsatta för ST som förklarade sambandet (Paper II). Endast flickor deltog i DISA och de rapporterade högre nivåer av DS och lägre självkänsla än de som inte deltog, vilket tyder på att DISA användes som en riktad intervention för flickor med förhöjda symtom. DISA-deltagare rapporterade även högre nivåer av utsatthet för ST, lägre kamratstöd och lägre personligt relativt välstånd (Paper III). DISA-deltagarnas genomsnittliga nivå av DS hade inte försämrats vid åttamånadersuppföljningen vilket icke-deltagarnas nivåer hade. SEM-analysen visade dock att effekten av DISA-deltagande på DS vid uppföljning var försumbar (Paper IV). Slutsatser: Denna studie visade att utsatthet för SH var en viktig faktor för DS hos flickor, följt av lågt personligt relativt välstånd. Hos pojkar var lågt personligt relativt välstånd den viktigaste bestämningsfaktorn följt av föräldrarnas invandrarbakgrund. Utsatthet för ST hade konsekvenser för psykisk ohälsa för flickor men inte för pojkar. DISA genomfördes som en riktad intervention snarare än som en selektiv eller universell intervention och hade inte en effekt på DS i denna grupp av flickor. Implikationer för fortsatt forskning samt för hälsofrämjande arbete i skolan diskuteras. / <p>Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbeten opublicerade: delarbete 4 manuskript.</p><p>At the time of the doctoral defence the following papers were unpublished: paper 4 manuscript.</p>

This study examines the ideologies of gender, race, and class present in Martha Stewart's unprecedented popularity, beginning with the publication of Stewart's first magazine in 1990 and ending in September 2004, after Stewart's conviction for her involvement in the ImClone scandal. My approach is built on the intersection of American mass communication research, British cultural studies, and feminist theory, and utilizes Hall's Encoding/Decoding model to examine how social, cultural and political discourses circulate in and through a mediated text and how those meanings are interpreted by those who receive them. Drawing from textual and ideological analysis of over thirteen years of Martha Stewart Living magazine and twelve weeks of Stewart's four television programs, I investigate the ways in which the mode of address in Stewart's media texts positions her simultaneously as a close friend and respected teacher. As the model for "living" in her media texts, Stewart uses these modes of address as the foundation of her messages about women's roles, racial and ethnic traditions, and social mobility. To understand how readers and viewers make sense of these messages, I conducted focus group interviews with thirty-eight fans of Martha Stewart Living between October 2002 and July 2004. Two distinct types of fans emerged as my interviews progressed, and the participants, who have a range of different gender, race, sexuality and class identifications, expressed a variety of positions on the messages about gender roles, racial representations, and class aspiration they observed in Stewart's texts. I was uniquely positioned to examine how fans' feelings about Martha Stewart and Martha Stewart Living changed when Stewart was indicted, convicted and sentenced to prison because of her sale of ImClone stock; as a result of my observations, I argue that scholars should take a closer look at how fan practices and beliefs function in fans' lives and in the larger culture. In total, this examination of Martha Stewart's media texts and audience members offers a rich account of the ways in which discourses of gender, race, and class influenced American culture at the turn of the twenty-first century.

This thesis deals with the topic of "Physical Activity of Seniors with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus". The theoretical part characterizes terms relating to old age, its symptoms and health problems associated with it; type 2 diabetes mellitus; physical activity playing an essential role in the prevention; and non-pharmacological treatment of this disease. The practical part focuses on monitoring physical activities of seniors with type 2 diabetes mellitus. To collect the data for the research a standardized IPAQ long questionnaire was used. A selected group was monitored using Yamax Digiwalker SW 700 pedometers as regards to the number of steps they made. The obtained results were analyzed and compared with the recommendations for physical activities.

Diseases of affluence are those that accompany any given society at any given time. The best "treatment" for diseases of affluence is prevention, which in nursing practice can be achieved by using appropriate teaching methods. One of the diseases of affluence is tooth decay. Recent studies have shown a significant decrease in oral hygiene amongst children. The result is an increase in tooth decay which has a negative impact on the secondary dentition. Prevention should include increasing children?s awareness of their own health and learning effective teeth cleaning with the help of their parents. The role of nurses in primary prevention of oral health of children is indispensable and includes various educational activities. This thesis is focused on the use of appropriate teaching methods of tooth decay prevention in nursing practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a prevention programme called ?A Healthy Tooth?. This programme was aimed at children in kindergarten and pupils in the first four years of primary schools. Its aim was to increase their skills and knowledge of preventing tooth decay. It was also aimed at parents of the children who were trained in this programme. To achieve the purposes of this thesis we used a methodological triangulation technique which enabled us to examine the impact of the programme by applying several different methods. The following methods were used: a questionnaire for parents and children, interviews with children and direct observation of children while they were cleaning their teeth. The questionnaire for parents and children consisted of six closed questions about the issue of tooth decay prevention. The questionnaires were anonymous and were compiled for the purposea of this thesis. The questionnaires were distributed to the children with a written consent from their parents. The research sample for the quantitative survey of parents included parents of children from kindergartens and primary schools in Jindřichův Hradec. 130 questionnaires were distributed, 128 (98 %) of completed questionnaires were returned and none of them were discarded. The research sample for the quantitative investigation of children included children from kindergartens and the first four years of primary schools in Jindřichův Hradec. With the consent of the parents, 24 children from kindergartens and 108 children from primary schools were interviewed. 132 (100%) questionnaires were classified for further evaluation. The data were evaluated using Microsoft Excel charts. To verify the hypotheses, we used a test of independence ? chi-square ? using a PivotTable. For the semi-structured interviews with children, we created a schedule of questions. The central topic of the interview was tooth decay and its prevention. Interviews with children were conducted with the written consent of their parents and were anonymised. Direct observation of children during toothbrushing was conducted to explore the method and sequence of cleaning their teeth. It was noted in the answer sheet and photographs were taken with the consent of the parents of the respondents. The research sample for the qualitative survey consisted of ten children ? five children from kindergartens in Jindřichův Hradec and five children from primary schools in Jindřichův Hradec. The data were processed in the SmartArt diagrams and tables using Microsoft Office Word 2007. The results of the survey helped determine the depth of knowledge and skills in the tooth decay prevention of children. It showed some positive effects of the use of appropriate teaching methods in the effectiveness of the prevention programme in nursing practice. It also contributed to the improvement of dental health in the child population.

In this ethnographic study, I explore the ways, in which the engagement of Polish Catholics with Swedish society generates both adaptation and resistance. The thesis begins with an overview of the history of the Swedish Catholic Church and notes how Poles became one of the most numerous immigrant groups in Sweden during past decades. I then make use of fifteen in-depth interviews along with more than twenty sessions of observation in a Polish milieu in the Mälaren Valley. Polish Catholics often consider themselves, as one put it, as "weird creatures" in Sweden, not only for being a religious minority, but also due to conflicts between Catholic moral teachings and prevailing modern liberal views in Swedish society. Also, interviewees tend to blame Sweden for weakening the religiosity of their compatriots. Catholicism often presents particular challenges for the adaptation and integration of Poles, especially teenagers, who are, as one out it, seen "like freaks here". Also notable is the controversial stance of parishioners and the clergy on gender questions. While many laity see feminism as a threat, some priests assert that "feminism and Catholicism have so much in common". Among other challenges for the religious life of Poles in Sweden are consumerism, which leads to the formulation "prosperity destroys people" and is seen as a competitor to the church; and the Swedish language, which divides first and second generations. Interviewees also express shared interests with Muslims and solidarity with Orthodox Christians.

Cette thèse met en avant les dynamiques de réussite des stratégies d'influence entre organisations. La conceptualisation : une conversation sur le concept d'influence. Plusieurs théoriciens proposent des approches originales de recherche sur l'influence. Notre approche théorique s’appuie sur des discussions conceptuelles avec James G. March, Jeffrey Pfeffer, ainsi que Ruth Zimmerling. Chacun partage une approche originale de la réalité recouverte par les phénomènes d'influence. Certaines questions soulevées pendant nos discussions sont tranchées au cours de la problématisation ; d'autres lors de la confrontation au terrain. L’approche empirique : une abduction à l’aide de huit casHuit études de cas sont choisies de manière à maximiser la variation des interactions entre organisations. Les nombreuses catégories sont regroupées par thèmes au fur et à mesure de l'apparition de changements sur le terrain. Les regroupements, les éliminations et les mises en relation suivent un processus d'abduction. Le regroupement des codes par thèmes aide à repérer les régularités au sein des cas, et les recoupements d'une étude de cas à l'autre lors d'analyses comparées. L’apport pratique : le processus dynamique mis en évidence par une chaîne de preuvesNotre conception de l’influence comme un couplage la reliant à ses résultats comportementaux permet la mise en exergue de trois phases régulièrement observées : la mise en relation avec un référent, son consentement et, enfin, le relais de son activation.Ce processus d'influence nous permet de qualifier et de souligner les leviers de la gestion des relations entre organisations dans la pratique de la stratégie et dans l'étude des organisations. / X

This thesis describes a pilot study for a new cultural anthropology initiative at Team One, a US-based premium and luxury brand advertising agency. In this study, I explore the role and meaning of technology among a population of affluent individuals in Southern California through diaries and ethnographic interviews conducted in their homes. Using schema theory and design anthropology to inform my theoretical approach, I discuss socioeconomic and cultural factors that shape these participants' notions of affluence and influence their presentation of self through an examination of their technology and proudest possessions. I put forward a theory of conspicuous achievement as a way to describe how the affluent use technology to espouse a merit-based model of affluence. Through this model of affluence, participants strive to align themselves to the virtuous middle-class while ascribing moral value to their consumption practices. Lastly, I provide a typology of meaningful technology artifacts in the affluent home that describes the roles of their most used tech devices and how each type supports conspicuous achievement.

The thesis "Determinants of environmental concern" is a quantitative analysis that deals with determinants of environmental concern, the scale of new ecological paradigm, environmental behavior and ecological activism. It uses data from an international survey "International Social Survey Project Environment III" from year 2010. Strong predictors came out from the analysis, mainly cultural differences of the respondents and education. The inhabitants of Western Europe and English speaking countries have the strongest environmental concern, in contrast, in post communist countries of Eastern Europe is this concern the smallest. Post materialists and inhabitants of the richer countries have stronger environmental concern and they believe more in science and progress solving ecological problems. The perception of consequences of ecological problems on everyday life is also a strong determinant from which suffers mostly localities out of Europe. The recycling waste is most often carried away in Western Europe and English speaking countries. A strong correlation is between finished education and environmental concern as well as ecological activism, there is a weaker connection to saving natural resources.

In most developing countries, the problem of inefficient municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is endemic. The problem is manifested by heaps of uncollected solid waste found on open areas and by the street sides. This dissertation examines the relationship between land pollution and population density resulting from solid waste generation in the City of Kwekwe in Zimbabwe. Questionnaires and interviews were conducted to 375 randomly selected households in low, medium and high density residential suburbs. The household survey was triangulated with field observations, key informant interviews and secondary data sources. The average household size in high, medium and low density residential areas was 11, 8 and 5 people respectively. The study revealed that the amount and composition of solid waste generated varied according to household size, income and education levels of residents. The higher the population density, the more the solid waste produced. However, waste generated was not carried to the dumpsites for disposal. Also the higher the income, the higher the amount of solid waste produced, although residents with high income were able to ferry their wastes to the dumpsites hence less land pollution. The solid waste generation rate in high density areas was 0.04 kg/capita day, in medium density areas was 0.35 kg/capita/day and in low density areas were 0.84 kg/capita/day. It was also observed that among high income earners, the educated people produced more waste than low income earners. However, the low income earners and the less educated people could not take care of their environment to limit roadside and open space littering. However, lack of public awareness coupled with inefficient and ad hoc waste management system continue make provision of effective solid waste management services illusive. Based on the research findings, it is suggested sound environmental stewardship amongst residents will limit land pollution in the city of Kwekwe. / Environmental Sciences / M.A. (Environmental Management)