Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Feb. 14, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 97-100).

Brain injury (i.e., traumatic brain injury, stroke) is a considerable public health issue due to complicated outcomes of the injury, increasing incidence, and high costs linked with medical treatment. Rehabilitation centers are challenged to help individuals manage the resultant associated conditions and prevent secondary and chronic conditions. Research has shown that health promotion programs (HPP) that incorporate education about physical activity (PA) are one mode of rehabilitation that can improve the health of individuals with disabilities. However, PA is not included in the rehabilitation program for individuals with a brain injury, indicating a gap in the services provided. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to create and implement a physical activity centered education (PACE) program within an outpatient rehabilitation program. PACE consisted of an 8-week (16 session) program which aimed to (1) increase PA self-efficacy, (2) increase intention to change PA behaviors, (3) increase amount of PA completed regularly, and (4) promote positive rehabilitation outcomes. Based on previous research it was hypothesized that participation in PACE would result in (1) increased PA self-efficacy, (2) forward progression in intention to change PA behaviors, (3) increased amount of PA completed, and (4) improved rehabilitation outcomes (i.e., abilities, adjustment, participation). The PACE program resulted in an average increase of 16.1% in participants’ PA self-efficacy (effect size [ES] = 0.41), an increase from three of nine participants at pre-test to six of nine participants at post-test reporting to be in a stage of change in which they are most likely to be successful in regular PA participation (i.e., action or maintenance), and a comparable improvement in MPAI-4 scores (rehabilitation outcomes) after discharge to a rehabilitation program without a PA education component. In conclusion, the PACE program can improve PA self-efficacy, intention to change PA behaviors, and short-term rehabilitation outcomes.

Rates of adult obesity in the United States continue to rise, especially among the college-age population who typically practice poor dietary choices, contributing to weight gain. College-age students experience a transitional phase called ‘emerging adulthood’ where they learn autonomy in many areas that influence long-term health status. The purpose of the online health promotion program BUCS: Live Well was to promote self-efficacy in ability to incorporate positive dietary changes, assess incidences of positive dietary habits after completing the program, and determine if weight status, residence, and health perceptions influence dietary behaviors. BUCS: Live Well was successful in assessing current dietary intake, facilitating positive dietary changes, and improving self-efficacy about incorporating positive dietary changes, although it did not promote weight loss. Online health promotion programs for college students are effective in initiating lifestyle modification and need to be available in hopes of reducing the obesity rate in this population.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2006. / Härtill 7 uppsatser.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:34:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MARIA APARECIDA BASILIO.pdf: 357376 bytes, checksum: e7664596484c9e27159877b28330e1d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-09-02 / Presently, the keynote in the scientific field is the search for a better understanding of wellbeing at work; it gathers researchers of different fields, who have demonstrated interest in the subject. In a corporate context, programs that promote health and quality of life acquire an important role when employee productivity and well-being are to be improved, whereas it is essential for the company to obtain growing results in order to have permanent improvements of the work conditions, organization and relationships. In other words, companies understand that by investing in these programs productivity should increase, generating resources that would encourage them to continue investing in employee well-being. This study s goal was to analyze the relationship between well-being at work - represented by job satisfaction, job involvement and affective commitment to the organization and participation in organizational health promotion programs. The sample size was of 117 workers (53 males and 64 females) of a multinational chemical and pharmaceutical company in the Greater São Paulo region, aged on average 30.28 years, 63 of which were single, 46 married and eight reported another marital status. The instrument used to develop this study was a survey consisting of four scales that measured job satisfaction, job involvement, affective commitment to the organization and frequency of participation in health promotion programs conducted by the company. All data collected by this instrument was numeric in nature, which allowed it to be analyzed through SPSS, version 13.0 for Windows. This data category includes information on sample description, well-being at work and participation in health promotion programs. A database was created in order to conduct descriptive analysis (frequencies, percentage distribution, means and standard deviations) and bivariate correlation (Pearson s correlation coefficient r). The data that allowed describing the health promotion programs carried out by the company were obtained by interviewing the social responsibility manager, analyzing the company report and brochures made to disclose and register these programs. A total of five program categories were identified: benefits, physical activities, health, cultural/leisure activities and community actions. The highest program adherence rate occurred in the benefits category due to the constant presence of the restaurant on the company s premises. This study revealed that, to a large extent, well-being at work - especially as far as job involvement, affective commitment to the organization, as well as satisfaction regarding co-workers, superiors and the job itself are concerned is practically not affected by health promotion programs implemented by the company. On the other hand, the participation in health promotion programs, which include the benefits, health and community actions categories, was related to promotion and salary satisfaction / No campo científico, a busca por uma maior compreensão acerca de bem-estar no âmbito do trabalho é a tônica do momento, reunindo estudiosos das mais diferentes áreas que demonstram interesse pelo tema. No contexto empresarial, o papel dos programas de promoção da saúde e qualidade de vida torna-se marcante quando se deseja o crescimento da produtividade e do bem-estar dos trabalhadores, considerando a obtenção de resultados crescentes, pela empresa, como fundamentais para que as melhorias nas condições, organização e relações de trabalho ocorram permanentemente. Ou seja, as empresas entendem que com o investimento nesses programas a produtividade deve aumentar, gerando recursos, para que esta se sinta estimulada a continuar investindo no bem-estar dos empregados. Este estudo teve como objetivo promover uma análise sobre as relações entre bem-estar no trabalho, representado por satisfação com o trabalho, envolvimento com o trabalho e comprometimento organizacional afetivo; e freqüência a programas organizacionais de promoção da saúde. A amostra foi constituída por 117 trabalhadores de uma indústria multinacional química e farmacêutica, situada na Grande São Paulo, sendo 53 do sexo masculino e 64 do sexo feminino, com idade média de 30,28 anos, dos quais 63 eram solteiros, 46 casados e oito registram outro estado civil. Para desenvolvimento deste estudo, utilizou-se como instrumento um questionário composto por quatro escalas que mediram satisfação no trabalho, envolvimento com o trabalho, comprometimento organizacional afetivo e freqüência de participação em programas de promoção da saúde, realizados na empresa. Todos os dados recolhidos por meio do instrumento eram numéricos, o que permitiu sua análise eletrônica pelo SPSS, versão 13.0 para Windows. Nessa categoria de dados incluem-se os de descrição da amostra, os referentes a bem-estar no trabalho e freqüência aos programas de promoção da saúde. Foi criado um banco de dados para realização das análises descritivas (freqüências, percentuais, médias e desvios-padrão) e de correlação bivariada (r de Pearson). Os dados que permitiram descrever os programas de promoção da saúde promovidos pela empresa foram obtidos por meio de entrevista com a gerente de responsabilidade social, análise do relatório da empresa e de folhetos elaborados para divulgação e registro desses programas. Um total de cinco categorias de programas foi identificado: benefícios, atividades físicas, saúde, atividades culturais/lazer e ações comunitárias. A maior freqüência aos programas ocorreu na categoria benefícios, pela presença constante no restaurante da empresa. Os resultados deste estudo revelaram que grande parcela do bem-estar no trabalho especialmente no que tange o envolvimento com o trabalho, comprometimento afetivo com a organização, bem como satisfações com os colegas, com a chefia e com o próprio trabalho praticamente independe dos programas de promoção da saúde promovidos pela empresa. Por outro lado, participação em programas de promoção da saúde que incluem as categorias de benefícios, saúde e ações comunitárias, relacionou-se a satisfações com promoções e com salário

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