The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence why students attend or do not attend the fitness and recreation centers provided to them on campus. With the obesity epidemic growing substantially over the past several decades, it has consequentially affected a vast majority of the nation, including the college-age population. In response to this, the use of fitness and recreation centers on college campuses and universities has become a focal point for administrators and recreation center managers as a focus on student recruitment and retention. The study utilized an online questionnaire which was adapted and revised from a prior survey and corresponding research that assessed fitness and recreation center usage within the college population (Zizzi, Ayers, Watson & Keeler, 2004). The survey used for collection of data in this study assessed factors related to college students’ usage or non-usage of campus recreational facilities by college students. It was distributed to a random sample of 1,100 undergraduate students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania through their student e-mail account. Results from the data collected in this study revealed that users were more likely to be male, Caucasian, non-smokers, and have no health concerns, which is representative of prior research on fitness and recreation center participation. Factors related to usage of the recreational facilities included maintaining one’s current weight as well as weight loss. Factors that influenced occasional non-usage in the user group were lack of time and energy, too much schoolwork, and inadequate facility operational hours. A factor related to non-usage included proximity of the recreational facility in relation to the students’ living arrangements. University administrators and fitness and recreation center managers need to be conscious of the factors that influence usage for the purpose of encouraging student recruitment and retention. Higher levels of usage will increase physical activity and influence health and wellness in the college population. / Dr. Robert Kostelnik Dr. Robert Alman Dr. Joshua Castle

The problem of this investigation was to determine whether knowledge of student personality, subculture, or place of residence could predict university student recreation participation for men and women. Factors of age, marital status, class in college, and Greek affiliation were also examined for any relationship to recreation participation of university men and women.

HIV/AIDS is a growing pandemic -not only in South Africa, but also globally. Worldwide there are currently more than 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2006:8). The increasing number of HIV-infections also leads to an increase in the number of deaths related to HIV/AIDS. A result of the mortality rate is the increasing number of children who are orphaned. It is projected by Dorrington et al. (2006:25) that, in South Africa, nearly 2.2 million children will be orphaned as a result of AIDS by 2015. The death of a parent, especially due to AIDS, is a very traumatic and stressful event. Exposure to such an event is a main factor leading to risk behaviour (Anon, 2002:2). AIDS is endangering the future of youth in South Africa. Recreation programmes can playa changing role in managing the effects the AIDS pandemic has on AIDS orphans (Brown & Lourie, 2000:86). Recreation programmes can help improve the health of these youths and assist in solving the emotional, social and psychological problems they face. Numerous research findings supported this notion that recreation participation can be beneficial on a personal, social, environmental and economic level (Tesnear, 2004:78; Bloemhoff, 2006:1-11; Meyer, 2007:97; Louw, 2008: 138). The purpose of this study was firstly, to determine the necessity for recreation programmes for AIDS orphans based on the perspectives of the staff working with these youths and those of the youths themselves. Secondly, to determine the benefits associated with recreation participation for AIDS orphans according to the perspectives of the staff working with these youths and the youths themselves. A qualitative research design was used for the collection of the data in this study. Thanda After-School Programme was use as a case study. The participants were recruited purposively to form a non-probability sample. The sample size (n=17) was determined through data saturation. The sample was divided into two groups, staff at Thanda ASP (n=9) and students at Thanda ASP (n=8). Data gathering was done by means of a semi-structure interview with each of the participants as well as analysis of personal documents written by the participants. Data analysis was done by means of the following steps: planning for recording data; data collection and preliminary analysis; organising the data; reading and writing memos; generating categories, themes and patterns; coding the data; testing; and representing. Through the process of data analysis two main categories were identified, namely the necessity for recreation programmes for AIDS orphans and the benefits of recreation programmes for AIDS orphans. The necessity was accentuated by both the staff and the students of Thanda ASP. Both highlighted this through their responses to the question as to why they are involved in Thanda ASP as well as the reason for the students' risk behaviour before their involvement in the programme. Health, emotional, social and psychological improvement were the key themes that emerged with regard to the benefits to ADIS orphans as a result of recreation participation. These benefits were stated by the majority of staff members as well as students at Thanda ASP and it was also echoed in the journals written by the students. The participants, staff and students alike, strongly emphasised the improvement of the youths' future perspectives and improvement of life skills. The results from this study compare positively with what is stated in the literature and with previous research. Based on these results, recreation programmes for AIDS orphans can be regarded as beneficial to and thus essential for the improvement of quality of life. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

HIV/AIDS is a growing pandemic -not only in South Africa, but also globally. Worldwide there are currently more than 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2006:8). The increasing number of HIV-infections also leads to an increase in the number of deaths related to HIV/AIDS. A result of the mortality rate is the increasing number of children who are orphaned. It is projected by Dorrington et al. (2006:25) that, in South Africa, nearly 2.2 million children will be orphaned as a result of AIDS by 2015. The death of a parent, especially due to AIDS, is a very traumatic and stressful event. Exposure to such an event is a main factor leading to risk behaviour (Anon, 2002:2). AIDS is endangering the future of youth in South Africa. Recreation programmes can playa changing role in managing the effects the AIDS pandemic has on AIDS orphans (Brown & Lourie, 2000:86). Recreation programmes can help improve the health of these youths and assist in solving the emotional, social and psychological problems they face. Numerous research findings supported this notion that recreation participation can be beneficial on a personal, social, environmental and economic level (Tesnear, 2004:78; Bloemhoff, 2006:1-11; Meyer, 2007:97; Louw, 2008: 138). The purpose of this study was firstly, to determine the necessity for recreation programmes for AIDS orphans based on the perspectives of the staff working with these youths and those of the youths themselves. Secondly, to determine the benefits associated with recreation participation for AIDS orphans according to the perspectives of the staff working with these youths and the youths themselves. A qualitative research design was used for the collection of the data in this study. Thanda After-School Programme was use as a case study. The participants were recruited purposively to form a non-probability sample. The sample size (n=17) was determined through data saturation. The sample was divided into two groups, staff at Thanda ASP (n=9) and students at Thanda ASP (n=8). Data gathering was done by means of a semi-structure interview with each of the participants as well as analysis of personal documents written by the participants. Data analysis was done by means of the following steps: planning for recording data; data collection and preliminary analysis; organising the data; reading and writing memos; generating categories, themes and patterns; coding the data; testing; and representing. Through the process of data analysis two main categories were identified, namely the necessity for recreation programmes for AIDS orphans and the benefits of recreation programmes for AIDS orphans. The necessity was accentuated by both the staff and the students of Thanda ASP. Both highlighted this through their responses to the question as to why they are involved in Thanda ASP as well as the reason for the students' risk behaviour before their involvement in the programme. Health, emotional, social and psychological improvement were the key themes that emerged with regard to the benefits to ADIS orphans as a result of recreation participation. These benefits were stated by the majority of staff members as well as students at Thanda ASP and it was also echoed in the journals written by the students. The participants, staff and students alike, strongly emphasised the improvement of the youths' future perspectives and improvement of life skills. The results from this study compare positively with what is stated in the literature and with previous research. Based on these results, recreation programmes for AIDS orphans can be regarded as beneficial to and thus essential for the improvement of quality of life. / Thesis (M.A. (Recreation Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.