In Canada, parental acceptance and uptake of the HPV vaccine has been low. There is a need for more effective HPV vaccination health messages for parents. Whether a message is framed in terms of the benefits of engaging in the behaviour (gain frame), the costs of failing to engage in the behaviour (loss frame) or both the benefits and the costs (mixed frame) has potential to impact parents’ decision making. The appropriate frame of a message may depend on the recipient’s sex and involvement with the health issue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the persuasiveness of gain-, loss- and mixed-framed messages on mothers’ and fathers’ intentions to have their young son or daughter vaccinated against HPV. The study used a 3 Frame x 2 Sex of Parent x 2 Sex of Child design. We randomly assigned participants (n=367) to read a framed message and then complete a 29-item questionnaire assessing theoretical determinants of parental consent for vaccination. ANCOVAs revealed a three-way interaction for intentions to speak to a doctor about the HPV vaccine, F(2, 342)=3.66, p =.03, perceived severity of HPV, F(2, 347) = 3.10, p = .05, and for anxiety about their child contracting HPV, F(2, 342)=3.58, p=.02. Effect size comparisons revealed that gain-framed messages seem to persuade parents who are the opposite sex to the child for whom they are considering the vaccine. In turn, loss- and mixed-framed messages may persuade parents who are the same sex as the child for whom they are considering the vaccine. Perceived severity of HPV and anxiety about HPV mediated the relationship between message frame and intentions for some parent-child dyads. Findings have implications for constructing effective messages encouraging parents to consider having their child vaccinated against HPV. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-07-07 23:06:25.757

Physical inactivity is a national issue affecting more than half of all Canadian adults (Colley et al., 2011). Health messaging, including message framing, has been a popular medium for encouraging individuals to adopt recommended health behaviours such as physical activity. Previous research has demonstrated that gain-framed messages, which emphasize the benefits of a behaviour, are more effective at promoting physical activity (PA) than loss-framed messages which emphasize the costs. However, the mechanism through which this facilitating effect occurs is unclear. The current study examined the effects of message framing on attention, attitudes, recall, decision to be active and behaviour as well as the mediating effects of these variables on the frame-behaviour relationship in accordance with the communication behaviour change (CBC) model (McGuire, 1989). Sixty moderately active women, aged 18-35 viewed 20 gain- or loss- framed ads and 5 control ads while their eye movements were recorded via eye tracking. Attitudes towards PA, message recall, decision to become active and PA behaviour during an acute bout of exercise were measured immediately following ad exposure. Self-reported PA was measured one week later. Univariate ANOVAs, ANCOVAs and logistic regressions were conducted to examine the effects of message framing on each level of the CBC model. The gain-framed ads attracted greater attention, ps<0.05, produced more positive attitudes, p = .06, were better recalled, p < .001, influenced decisions to be active, p = .07, and had an immediate and delayed impact on behaviour, ps < .05, compared to the loss-framed messages. However, mediation analyses failed to reveal any significant effects suggesting that alternate mechanisms may be influencing framing effects on behaviour. This study demonstrates the effects of framed messages on several novel outcomes; however the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-08 16:50:51.877

Studies have shown that workplace wellness is associated with increases in employee productivity and job satisfaction and reductions in employee absenteeism and turnover rates (Kruger, Yore, Bauer, & Kohl, 2007). To help organizations improve and design workplace wellness programs in New Brunswick, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick published the Wellness at Heart Toolkit in January 2009. The toolkit provides health promotion information, policy templates, and a program planning model for workplace wellness. The purpose of this study was to conduct the first formal evaluation of the Wellness at Heart toolkit. The framework for the evaluation was guided by the RE-AIM model (Caperchione & Coulson, 2010), which stands for reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The model has been used to evaluate public health interventions, policies, and health promotion resources. In association with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, contacts for New Brunswick workplaces were provided. Open-ended semi-structured phone survey interviews were used to collect data. Twenty participants provided information on their workplace wellness programs. Each of the participants interviewed are workplace wellness programmers. Eleven participants who used the toolkit provided their perceptions and attitudes toward it and nine non-users’ shared their views on workplace wellness. For the data analysis, NVivo 8 was used to help organize themes found in participants’ responses. All 11 participants that used the toolkit stated that it is effective for enhancing and implementing workplace wellness. They used the toolkit as intended by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Most participants stated that they would continue to use the toolkit for wellness purposes. Non-users’ (9) reasons for not utilizing the toolkit include: they had an existing program, they did not have enough time or they only organize wellness initiatives and do not have a structured program. This research provides valuable information to the Heart and Stroke Foundation on the utility of the toolkit and adds to the literature on the evaluation of workplace wellness resources.

No description available.

<p>Chronic diseases pose public health concerns globally with an increasing trend in developing countries. The development of interventions to minimize or prevent the burden associated with chronic diseases has therefore become a necessity. In 2002 the School of Public Health of the University of the Western Cape developed a health club intervention in Khayelitsha. This intervention focused on promoting healthy lifestyles, particularly improved diet and physical activity. The objectives of this study was to determine whether members were more physically active than non-members and to determine whether members made healthier dietary choices than non-members.</p>

No description available.

Utsatta befolkningsgrupper som bland annat omfattar individer med låg utbildning, låg inkomst, arbetslösa är inom folkhälsovetenskapen prioriterade målgrupper att arbeta med eftersom de generellt har en sämre hälsa. Genom att bedriva olika interventioner för att hjälpa och stödja dessa individer är det övergripande syftet att reducera ojämlikheter i befolknings hälsa. Studien tar sin utgångspunkt i en intervention för individer med en komplex problematik gällande bland annat långtidsarbetslöshet och sjukskrivning som är i behov av samordnade rehabiliteringsinsatser. Interventionens syfte är att stödja individerna för att komma ut i arbetslivet. Studiens syfte var att undersöka deltagares upplevelser av ett lokalt Samordningsteams rehabiliteringsinsatser. Studien hade en kvalitativ inriktning där enskilda intervjuer genomfördes. En kvalitativ innehållsanalys användes för att analysera det insamlade materialet från intervjuerna. Resultatet visar individuella och omgivande faktorer som upplevts varit till möjlighet för deltagandet, exempelvis personlig vilja samt stöd från Samordningsteamets teoretiska och praktiska aktiviteter. Upplevda hinder av deltagandet omfattade likaså individuella och omgivande faktorer. Det innefattade ospecificerad målbild, sociala svårigheter samt svårigheter med praktisk planering av deltagandet och upplevelser av orimliga krav från en aktör i samverkan. Slutsatserna av studien lyfter att deltagarna upplevt både möjligheter respektive hinder av sitt deltagande i Samordningsteamet för att komma ut i arbetslivet. / Vulnerable population groups, which include individuals with low education, low income and unemployment, are prioritized target groups in public health science. They are prioritized because they generally have poorer health. Interventions have been conducted to help and support individuals in the vulnerable population groups, with the aim of reducing inequalities in population health. The study focused on an intervention, conducted by the political project called Samordningsteamet, which targeted individuals in need of coordinated rehabilitation efforts in the areas of long-term unemployment and sick leave. The intervention aims to offer support for the individuals to enter the labor market. The purpose of the study was to explore the participant’s experiences with Samordningsteamets rehabilitation efforts. The study takes a qualitative approach with individual interviews. A qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data collected from the interviews. The results shows individual and environmental factors that seem to have a positive impact on the participation, such as personal will and external support from theoretical and practical activities. Individual and environmental factors was also perceived as obstacles in the participation, such as unspecified targets, social difficulties, difficulties with practical planning and perceiving unreasonable demands. The conclusion of the study highlights that participants experienced both opportunities and obstacles in their participation with Samordningsteamets rehabilitation program in order to be able to enter the labor market.

The objective of the present study was to examine the perceptions of employees who have participated in workplace health promotion (WHP) initiatives, more specifically, whether the employees perceived the WHP initiatives to have an impact on their well-being, general health or work. Furthermore, the effect of WHP initiatives on the relationship between job demands-resources and positive work outcomes, namely employee resilience, engagement, well-being and affective organisational commitment, was investigated. This study collected perceptions from 107 employees, all of whom were employed in organisations which had engaged in WHP initiatives. MultipleThe objective of the present study was to examine the perceptions of employees who have participated in workplace health promotion (WHP) initiatives, more specifically, whether the employees perceived the WHP initiatives to have an impact on their well-being, general health or work. Furthermore, the effect of WHP initiatives on the relationship between job demands-resources and positive work outcomes, namely employee resilience, engagement, well-being and affective organisational commitment, was investigated. This study collected perceptions from 107 employees, all of whom were employed in organisations which had engaged in WHP initiatives. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Two significant interactions were found – the perception the WHP initiative had an impact on well-being and work had a moderating effect on the relationship between work overload and employee resilience. These findings have implications for organisations developing WHP initiatives targeted at improving the health and well-being. Further investigation of a wider span of perceived impacts and a more targeted examination, such as the type of WHP initiative completed, or the time that the employee spent doing the initiative is warranted. hierarchical regression analyses were performed. Two significant interactions were found – the perception the WHP initiative had an impact on well-being and work had a moderating effect on the relationship between work overload and employee resilience. These findings have implications for organisations developing WHP initiatives targeted at improving the health and well-being. Further investigation of a wider span of perceived impacts and a more targeted examination, such as the type of WHP initiative completed, or the time that the employee spent doing the initiative is warranted.

The primary purpose of this study was to design an instrument, the Professional Support Survey (PSS), to assess one's extent of world view thinking relating to wellness programming. The secondary purpose was to use the Perceived Wellness Survey (PWS) and the PSS to determine if a relationship exists between HR professionals' personal wellness and their support for wellness programs in the work place. Face and content validity was established for the PSS, test-retest analysis confirmed significant reliability («T, = 0.9239 and «T2 = 0.9464), and a significance test found - = 0.846 and adjusted - = 0.8662. The study found that HR professionals' levels of personal wellness are reflected in their decisions to support wellness programs. Further, the more exposure HR professionals have to wellness management issues (i.e., the company having a formal program, the number of activities, and budget allocations for programming), the more likely they are to support wellness programs from a programmatic standpoint. / Fisher Institute for Wellness

Universities are challenged by the goal of providing opportunities for student development in residence halls. One popular approach is based on wellness and, to date, no formal assessment of this approach had been completed.This study assessed the current status of wellness residence halls (WRHs) to summarize trends. A self-designed questionnaire was sent to residence life departments who were identified as having WRHs. The survey focused on program size, budget size/source, programming model, and staffing. Participants were asked to indicate departments which supported WRHs, what made WRHs unique, the relative success of their WRHs and what inhibited or contributed to that success.This instrument collected useful demographic data related to WRH programs; however, there were no discernible patterns indicative of a homogenous WRH movement (as special interest halls) taking place in this country. It is seemingly the commitment of staff and students which guarantees the success of wellness residence halls. / Fisher Institute for Wellness