Introduction: The mass print media are a widely-distributed, and often primary, source of health information for the public. Health information in newspapers can amplify or attenuate readers’ perceptions of risk depending on how it is presented. This thesis examines how health information related to wind energy was communicated in Ontario newspapers and includes separate analyses for the presence of fright factors, readability, emergent themes, and emotional tone and sensationalism. As an emerging technology, public understanding of and response to associated health risks and uncertainties towards wind energy can be influenced by media coverage. Methods: Five geographically discontinuous wind energy installations in Ontario and their surrounding communities were selected based on 2006 Canadian Census data. Newspapers serving each community were identified and searched for articles from May 2007-April 2011 on the topic of health effects from wind energy developments. A total of 421 articles from 13 community and 4 national/provincial newspapers were retrieved. In Study #1, a directed content analysis was used to develop a coding instrument based on fright factors known to affect the public’s perception of risk. In Study #2, each newspaper article was analyzed for text readability using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) readability formula. In Study #3, and as a qualitative component, a semi-directed content analysis was used to find emerging themes and subthemes. Finally, in Study #4, a list of loaded and positive words, informed from previous studies on sensationalism in media reporting and a random sample of newspaper articles included in this study, and the frequency of their appearance was used as a quantitative measure of sensationalism. Results: Study #1: The most commonly reported fright factors were ‘dread’, ‘poorly understood by science’, ‘involuntary exposure’, and ‘inequitable distribution’, occurring in 94% (n=394), 58% (n=242), 45% (n=188), and 42% (n=177) of articles, respectively. The fright factors of ‘dread’, ‘poorly understood by science’, ‘inequitable distribution’, and ‘inescapable exposure’ occurred more frequently in community newspaper articles than in national/provincial ones (p<0.001). Although the total number of occurrences of each fright factor increased following the Green Energy Act, only ‘dread’ (p<0.05) and ‘poorly understood by science’ (p<0.01) increased significantly. Study #2: The mean reading grade level (RGL) of 421 articles on wind turbines and health was at the post-secondary education level (X±SEM; 13.3±0.1). Articles from community and provincial newspapers were written at almost a full RGL lower (13.2±0.2 and 13.1±0.2) than those from national newspapers (13.9±0.2) (p<0.05). Additionally, opinion pieces such as editorial columns were written at a lower RGL than fact-based news articles (13.0±0.2 and 13.5±0.1, respectively; p<0.01). Study #3: The majority of newspaper articles described health effects of wind turbines in general, rather than specific, terms. The most commonly cited causes of health complaints were inadequate setbacks (27%, n=114), noise (21%, n=90), shadow flicker and vibrations (12%, n=49), and electrical exposure (6%, n=27). Other, non-health concerns such as environmental damage (28%, n=117), property values (20%, n=86), aesthetic concerns (18%, n=77), financial burden (18%, n=74), were prevalent and juxtaposed with health issues in 28% of articles (n=118). Concerns with the quality and availability of scientific evidence were frequent in the newspaper articles (34%, n=143), with many articles promoting a moratorium on wind energy developments until further research is conducted (25%, n=103). Study #4: Newspaper articles emphasized negative rather than positive/neutral tone, with community newspapers publishing a higher proportion of negative articles than provincial or national newspapers (X2=6.11, df=1, p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the health information related to wind turbines in Ontario newspapers contains a large quantity of fright factors that may produce fear and anxiety in readers, is written at a reading grade level that is too complex for the majority of the Ontario population to fully understand, contains inconsistent information on health effects that often links health concerns with non-health concerns, and is often negative in tone. The influence of the Ontario newspaper media on reader’s risk perceptions of wind energy in Ontario will be important to determine empirically.

Aim of the study is to evaluate the correlation between life style factors and sleep quality in the group of villagers aged from 35 to 64. Methods: The object of the research was the villagers aged from 35 to 64. The reaserch was carried out by the anonymous dossier survey and data analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0 for Windows. Results: 125 citizens from Endriejavas township, Klaipeda district took part in the research, 74 women (59.2 %) and 51 men (40.8%). The results revealed that the sleep quality of men is much better than those of women (p=0.018): the worst sleep quality is in the age range of women from 45 to 54 (p<0.001), whereas the age range of men with the worst sleep quality is 55-64 (p>0.05). The evaluation of the correlation between life style factors and sleep quality revealed that the respondents who smoke (45.8%) had difficulties falling asleep (p>0.05), those who drink alcohol every day (33.3%) when they wake up at night they can not fall back to sleep (p=0.028). Bad quality of sleep was also determined by drinking coffee and other caffeinated drinks (p=0.006) as well as eating before going to bed (p<0.05). The correlation between sleep quality and respondents’ psychoemotional state was established: those who have many stressful situations (66.7%) (p=0.001) and those who have low self esteem (80%) have bad sleep quality. Physical activity or daily activity, related with motion or heavy physical work, had better effect on sleep quality (p<0.01). It was... [to full text]

Optimising outcomes for children with hearing impairment (HI) requires a family centred approach that prioritises parent involvement. Families must be provided with information to encourage participation; and meet their need for emotional support and knowledge. Diagnostic audiology reports can help provide this information, but their delivery alone is insufficient. If these reports are not readable and comprehendible they cannot meet national and international legal standards, nor can they support the health literacy of parents. The majority of New Zealand adults have insufficient health literacy skills, a concerning fact given the strong association between poor health literacy and negative health outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate a paediatric diagnostic audiology report, revise it and verify the revision. A mock audiology report was evaluated via a readability analysis and semi-structured interviews with parent participants. Results confirmed that the report was difficult to read and understand. Next, the report was revised using best practice guidelines and parental recommendations. Verification of the revision process with 32 participants revealed that parents who read the revised report had significantly greater comprehension, self-efficacy and perception ratings than parents who read the unrevised report. Additionally, the report’s readability was markedly improved. These results may have critical implications for parents and their children with HI. Incomprehensible audiology reports fail to support parental health literacy, promote understanding, encourage participation or offer emotional support. Because knowledge is power for these families, it is hoped that the findings of this study will be recognised and implemented into clinical practice.

Health numeracy is a necessary skill for accessing health services. Immigrants have lower levels of health numeracy compared to host populations which constrains their access to health information necessary to make quality health decisions. Factors contributing to immigrants??? low health numeracy skills include language and mathematics self-efficacy. Language is associated with how people acquire and process numeric information. Some languages have more numeric concepts than others. Speakers of languages that lack one or more numeric concepts may be constrained in the comprehension of health information that contains such concepts. Moreover, they may lack the self-efficacy to engage in numeric tasks containing such concepts. Therefore, the overall objectives of this study were: 1) to investigate the effect of primary language and 2) mathematics self-efficacy on its speakers??? comprehension of numeric health information presented in a different language; and also 3) to investigate how speakers of low and high numeric concept languages process numeric health information when the information is presented in a language which is not their primary or first language. The study involved sixty Kikuyu (a low numeric concept language) and sixty Mandarin (a high numeric concept language) speaking immigrants to Canada. Demographic data was collected from the 120 participants using a general information questionnaire. Numeracy was assessed using a context-free numeracy tool (French Kit). Short test of functional literacy in adults (S-TOFHLA) and the newest vital signs (NVS) were used to assess health numeracy and literacy, and self-efficacy was measured with the Mathematics Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) and the Subjective Numeracy Scale (SNS). Processing of numeric health information was assessed qualitatively using the think-aloud method. Descriptive statistics were generated for performance in numeracy, health numeracy and literacy, and in mathematics self-efficacy. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of numeracy and health numeracy. Protocol analysis was conducted for the verbal information obtained from the think-aloud process. Results, interpretations and implications for public health practice and research are discussed.

New immigrants to Canada are identified as a vulnerable population in mental health and, as a result, organizations are signaling the need to enhance their mental health supports. The research uses focus groups and questions based on the messaging of a Canadian school mental health program to understand how new immigrant mothers interpret and develop key aspects of their mental health literacy and how they attain parent empowerment. A thematic assessment of the knowledge, interpretation, action and decision-making of the study participants (n=7), all recent immigrants to Canada and mothers of high school students, shows that new immigrant mothers are prepared to follow a path towards mental health literacy. At the same time, however, there are barriers that can block progression towards mental health literacy for this audience. These findings are supported by three umbrella themes: the first main theme “home as haven” espouses maternal roles in mental health maintenance such as protector and communicator, the second main theme “knowledge versus suspicions of mental health and mental illness” represents informed views and support of mental illness and myths and illusions of mental illness, and the third main theme, “additional barriers to mental health literacy” includes the hardships of immigration and fear of knowledge. The study concludes that new immigrant mothers appreciate the importance of fostering mental health understanding and discussion with their children at the same time that they encounter obstacles to the advancement of their mental health literacy. This study is relevant to the field of communication in that it demonstrates the experience of new immigrant mothers as a secondary audience in mental health programming. As the caregivers of their children, they are in position to enforce the messages and health maintenance behaviours of a school-based mental health program aimed at adolescents.

The focus of this research relates to physical activity (PA) among populations at risk for inactivity. Two studies were completed. Study 1 was an exploratory study examining the relationship between health literacy (HL) and PA as they relate to the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) constructs. Study 2 was an action research-based project in partnership with the staff and students of an alternative school. In Study 1 participants (N=65) completed measurements including the REALM to assess HL, and accelerometers to establish PA levels. The results of this study showed that even after controlling for covariates HL and PA are significantly linked (r = 0.37, p < 0.01), however, the TPB constructs were not found to mediate this relationship. However, Perceived Behavioural Control (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) and Intention to Exercise (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) were significantly linked to HL. Of particular interest, Difficulty Reading was cited as a significant barrier to PA for those with lower levels of HL (r = 0.37, p < 0.01). Finally, HL was found to be a significant moderator of the Education-PA relationship. Study 2 contained two components. First, focus groups with community partner organization (CPO) members to establish issues of relevance to them related to PA, to gather suggestions for incorporating PA into CPO programs, to gain an understanding of the barriers experienced by the community members, and to receive input regarding their current feelings and knowledge surrounding PA. Second, a process evaluation was conducted with administration to gauge how the CPO had progressed over the first academic year, using the TRACE process evaluation tool. The findings from the focus groups were organized by socio ecological level into PA facilitators and inhibitors, and were used to plan a new PA program for the school year. A repeated measures survey and process evaluation tool were used to assess these program objectives for the initial year. Perceived HL scores increased from baseline (M = 20.71,SD = 4.29) to follow-up (M = 22.58, SD = 5.15 ); t(-2.44), p < 0.05, as did perceived understanding of the importance of PA from September (M = 4.46 , SD = 1.60) to June (M = 5.54 , SD = 1.67); t(-3.06), p < 0.01. There was an increase in total minutes of MVPA among students as well, although this trend merely approached significance, from September (M = 526.60, SD = 557.63) to June (M=817.0, SD = 674.69), t(-1.97), p = 0.06. The evaluation tool revealed that the community was “Half Way There”, and identified areas where improvements could be made. These findings are relevant to creating equitable and comprehensive promotion and education of physical activity in the future and to understanding the mechanisms involved in PA disparities. These findings also support the need for health promoters and researchers to work with communities known to be at risk for low HL, and using action research methods to create locally relevant program development and research. / Graduate

Objectives: To determine access to dental care among preschool children of Arabic-speaking immigrant families; to investigate the influence of social and cultural factors on access to dental care; and to measure preschool children’s oral health as reported by their parents. Methods: This survey used a semi-structured questionnaire to interview 100 Arabic-speaking parents of children under the age of 5 who were identified from community centres. Five scales were used to measure acculturation, social capital, oral health literacy, oral health knowledge, and health literacy. Results: Only 34% of families had visited the dentist to obtain dental care for their preschool children. Nineteen-percent of Arabic parents in our sample rated their children’s oral health as being fair or poor. None of the scales used in this study had a significant impact on access to dental care; however, higher scores on these scales tended to be associated with better access to dental care.

Objectives: To determine access to dental care among preschool children of Arabic-speaking immigrant families; to investigate the influence of social and cultural factors on access to dental care; and to measure preschool children’s oral health as reported by their parents. Methods: This survey used a semi-structured questionnaire to interview 100 Arabic-speaking parents of children under the age of 5 who were identified from community centres. Five scales were used to measure acculturation, social capital, oral health literacy, oral health knowledge, and health literacy. Results: Only 34% of families had visited the dentist to obtain dental care for their preschool children. Nineteen-percent of Arabic parents in our sample rated their children’s oral health as being fair or poor. None of the scales used in this study had a significant impact on access to dental care; however, higher scores on these scales tended to be associated with better access to dental care.

O conceito de saúde usado na sociedade tem mudado constantemente durante a história. Atualmente, deixou-se de associar o processo saúde-doença como opostos, dando lugar a conceitos que abrangem o bem-estar físico, social e ambiental do indivíduo. A partir disso, desenvolveram-se conceitos que organizaram o ensino da temática saúde: a Promoção em Saúde, que abrange a estruturação social de acesso a saúde; a Educação em Saúde (EeS) que se preocupa com um enfoque escolar que vise a emancipação dos estudantes a tomar decisões acerca da sua saúde e do ambiente onde vive; e a Alfabetização em Saúde, uma ferramenta para a implementação da EeS. Para que essas tendências sejam aplicadas é preciso que a formação dos profissionais esteja em acordo. Assim, um dos objetivos deste trabalho foi analisar como a formação de professores em cursos de Licenciatura em Ciências Naturais e Ciências Biológicas de instituições de ensino superior na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre está desenvolvendo temáticas relacionadas à saúde. Para isso realizamos uma pesquisa de caráter quali-quantitativo que utilizou como método a análise de conteúdo de Bardin (2014). Os documentos analisados foram os Planos Pedagógicos (PPC), os currículos dos cursos e a Base Nacional Comum Curricular – BNCC. Utilizamos também as respostas de um questionário por estudantes em final de curso, além de realizarmos uma revisão bibliográfica utilizando o termo em inglês Health Literacy (HL) usado no Brasil. Os resultados da pesquisa possibilitaram a elaboração de quatro produções textuais científicas. A primeira, artigo apresentado no XI Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa e Ensino de Ciências (XI ENPEC), investigou os PPCs e os currículos dos cursos de Licenciatura. A segunda, analisou as concepções dos estudantes concluintes dos cursos de Licenciatura em Ciências Naturais e de Ciências Biológicas sobre saúde, assim como suas dificuldades em trabalhar o tema. A terceira, analisou a BNCC quanto a forma como a saúde é apresentada nas três versões do documento, se de acordo com a EeS ou ligada ao higienismo e sanitarismo. A quarta, apresentada no II Encontro Regional de Ensino de Ciências (II EREC), fez uma revisão do termo HL nas pesquisas desenvolvidos no Brasil, tentando elucidar como e por quem está sendo feita a pesquisa sobre o tema no país. Observamos que os concluintes dos cursos se sentem inseguros, principalmente para abordar temas como a sexualidade, que transcendem o campo da biologia, e também conceitos relacionados a doenças. Infelizmente, a BNCC, documento que orienta a organização curricular da Educação Básica no país, também não tem uma visão única esclarecedora sobre a saúde. Em seu texto as abordagens se misturam e vários aspectos importantes não são trabalhados. Muito disso se deve a EeS ainda não constituir um campo de pesquisa concreto no Brasil, o que podemos observar quando analisamos que os estudos sobre HL são predominantemente realizados em áreas como a enfermagem, e não a educação. Concluímos que a formação dos profissionais docentes apresenta algumas lacunas, principalmente relacionadas aos contextos sociais e ambientais da saúde e ainda está bastante ligada a concepções biologicistas. / The concept of health used in societies has constantly changed throughout history. Nowadays, the processes of health and sickness are no longer associated in opposition. There are now concepts which encompass the physical, social, and environmental well-being of an individual. From this, other concepts have been developed which organize the education of the health theme: the Promotion of Health, which encompasses the social structure of access to health; Health Education (HE), which concerns itself with a schools focus that aims at the students’ independence in decision making regarding their own health and the environment they live in; and Health Literacy, a tool for implementing HE. For these health education tendencies to be applied, it is necessary for the education of the professionals to be in accordance. Thus, the objective of this work is to analyze how the teachers’ traning in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre has been developing these themes. In order to do that, a quali-quantitative survey was carried out, which used as a method the contente analysis of bardin (2014). The documents analized were the Couse Pedagogics Plan (PPC), the BNCC (Brazil’s National Curriculum Basis). Mixed questionnaires developed from the courses’ pedagogical plans were applied to students in the final stages of these courses, besides performins a bibliografic reviem using the English term Health Literacy (HL) used in Brazil. This resulted in the elaboration of four articles. The first, presented in the XI Encontro Nacional de Pesquisa e Ensino de Ciências, investigated the PPCs and the courses’ curriculum. The second, analyses the conceptions of graduating students of the teaching courses of natural sciences and biology on health, as well as their difficulties in working with this topic. The third, analyses the BNCC regarding on the manner of the presentation of the health topic; whether it is according to the HE, or linked to the social hygiene movement and sanitarism. The fourth, presented in the II Encontro Regional de Ensino de Ciências, revises the term“health literacy” in researches developed in Brazil, and attempts to clarify how and by whom the research on this theme is being made in Brazil. We perceive that The recently graduated students feel insecure, especially regarding themes such as sexuality, which transcend the field of biology, but also regarding human physiology and diseases. Unfortunately, the BNCC, document that guides the curricular organization of Basic Education inthe country, also does now present a singular clear view on health. In its text, the approaches are puzzling, and several aspects are not presented. A lot of this is a consequence of the fact that the EeS still is not a concrete field of research in Brazil, which can be observed when a study on health literacy comes from an area such as nursing, areas connected to health, and not education.We have concluded that the formation of these professionals still has some gaps, especially in social and environmental contexts of health, and still strongly connected to biologic models and conceptions.

This diploma thesis deals with the problem of fastfoods in conjunction with eating habits of grammar school students. The theoretical part summarizes basic informations about factors influencing dietary habits, healthy nutrition, nutrition specifics of juvenile and drinking regime. Furthermore there is outlined the problems of fastfood restaurants, quality of fastfood meals and nutritional value of fastfood meals in two of the largest fastfood chain in the Czech Republic. In practical part are the grafs and charts presenting results of the research. For the research was used a quantitative method.