This thesis explores parental health behaviours in order to develop a questionnaire which will measure the health behaviours of parents. It does so in a triangulated study by using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The aims of the qualitative study were to explore parents’ concepts of health and the health behaviours they initiate for their preschool aged children and examine the relationship between parents’ health concepts and the health behaviours they undertake for their children. The aims of the quantitative study were that the health concepts of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention, identified by these parents, were measured. In line with the major research aims of the second quantitative study the emerging theory from the inductive exploration of parents’ health and their health behaviour and the health literature formed the basis for the construction of a questionnaire which contained health domains of wellness, health promotion and illness prevention and their clusters / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Queensland. / Includes bibliographical references.

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

Although promotion of health and healthy lifestyles are accepted tasks of registered nurses, the assessment of nurses' own health and health behaviours has rarely been assessed. In this study questionnaire responses from 59 female registered nurses and interviews with ten nurses employed full-time in south-west Alberta were analyzed. The questionnaire consisted of items taken and adapted from the Canada Health Survey (Health & Welfare Canada, 1981) on subjective well-being (Affect Balance Scale and Health Opinion Survey) and certain lifestyle practices (pap test, breast examination, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and seat belt use). A question on leisure time physical activity was take from Godin, Jobin and Bouillon (1986). Questions assessing self-reported immune status and perception of self as a health role model for others were designed by the researcher. Data from the questionnaires were described in narrative, frequency counts and percentages. Comparisons were made among responses in various parts of the questionnaire as well as with the results of the Canada Health Survey. Interview questions designed by the researcher assessed the ways in which the nurse participants thought about health and their goals for health; transcribed interview responses were categorized according to themes; further interpretation was done on three main themes (maintenance of health as a goal, perceived lack of nurses' self-care and nurses' expectations of themselves). The nurses' scores on the Affect Balance Scale and the Health Opinion Survey place them toward the positive end of a positive-negative continuum of subjective well-being (Okun, Stock, Haring & Witter, 1984). Comparison of the participants' responses regarding lifestyle and preventive practices with the Canada Health Survey suggests that these nurses had relatively adequate health practices with the possible exception of participation in vigorous physical activity. A majority of the participants perceived themselves as role models of health, particularly non-smokers and those with post-RN education. The ten interviewed nurses generally gave maintenance of health as their primary present and future goal for health. Lack of self-care was associated by participants with nurses' and women's traditional concern for others before themselves. The participants seemed to have generally high expectations for themselves and other nurses. This descriptive and exploratory study may provide a baseline for future study of nurses' health, an indication of areas for health promotion programs for nurses and a discussion point for nurses to continue to assess their own health and the factors affecting their own health and goals for health. / x, 149 p. ; 28 cm

This study was concerned with the impact of telephone and letter follow-up on the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAlc) levels and quality of life of adult patients who completed the recognized diabetes education program at Ball Memorial Hospital's Diabetes Care Center between March 2002 and October 2002. The study was a quasi-experimental design, randomly assigning subjects by clusters to one of three treatment groups: telephone follow-up only, letter follow-up only, or telephone and letter follow-up. All follow-up attempts were made by certified diabetes educators employed by Ball Memorial Hospital for twelve weeks following the completion of the program. Reviewing patient records prior to and twelve weeks following the completion of the recognized diabetes education program determined HbAlc levels. Quality of life was measured, using a pre-existing instrument, prior to and twelve weeks after the completion of the program. A two-way design analysis of variance for repeated measures was used to determine if pretest/posttest differences in HbA 1 c and quality of life were different among treatment groups. There was a lack of statistical significance in mean HbAlc levels and quality of life values from pretest to posttest among subjects of the three treatment groups. However, a test of within-groups effects showed a statistically significant difference in the pretest and posttest quality of life values and HbAlc levels for all subjects included in the study. / Department of Physiology and Health Science