Bakgrund: Sambandet mellan fysisk aktivitet och psykisk hälsa har under senare åren studerats allt oftare.  Fysisk aktivitet kan förebygga olika sjukdomstillstånd och många rapporter stöder att motion är bra för människan. För att kroppen ska fungera optimalt behövs fysisk aktivitet. Stillasittande yrken och dålig motion är vardag för många. Folk verkar bli ohälsosammare tidigare och fysisk aktivitet skulle kunna vara en del av en lösning i en hälsosammare livsstil. Det finns ett samband med träning och bättre hälsa och förmåga . Enligt min frågeställning tror jag att en regelbunden träning ger en friskare individ i sin vardagliga sysselsättning (arbete/studier). Fler studier på området behövs för att upplysa människor om de förbättringar man själv kan göra för sin hälsa och sitt inre välmående. Syfte: Studiens syfte var att undersöka om den självupplevda effekten av fysisk aktivitet är positiv i form av konkreta hälsoförbättringar.  Metod: Jag har använt en kvalitativ metod med semistrutkurerade intervjuer. Innehålls analys har använts för att analysera det manifesta innehållet i texten. Resultat: Samtliga av testpersonerna beskriver konkreta hälsoförbättringar i både den fysiska vardagen och den psykiska vardagen. Stressnivåerna hade minskat, ryggont hade minimerats och välmåendet hade förbättrats hos samtliga. Glädjen att arbeta och umgås hade höjts och flera av testpersonerna nämnde blodsockernivåerna som en viktig faktor som hade förbättrats. Diskussion: För att behålla en bra hälsa i arbetslivet och på fritiden behövs regelbunden fysisk aktivitet. Konklusion: Fysisk aktivitet borde lyftas fram ännu mer och användas mer i preventionssyfte än vad man gör idag. En bättre fysisk förmåga ger helt enkelt en friskare vardag. / Background: The relationship between physical activity and mental health has in recent years been studied more frequently. Physical activity can help prevent various diseases and many reports supports that exercise is good. For the body to function optimally physical activity is needed. Sedentary occupations and poor exercise is for many a lifestyle. People seem to be more unhealthy . Physical activity could be part of the solution to a healthier lifestyle. There is an connection between exercise and better health and ability. In my question, I think that a regular exercise provides a healthier individual in their everyday jobs (work / studies). More studies in this area is needed to enlighten people about the improvements you can do yourself to their health and inner wellbeing. Objective: Purpose of the study was to investigate whether the self-perceived effect of physical activity is positive in terms of concrete improvements in health. Method: The content analysis was used to analyze the manifest content of the text. Results: All of the participants describe specific health improvements in both the physical and mental everyday everyday life. Stress levels had decreased pain, back pain was minimized and well-being had improved. The joy of working and socializing had been increased and several of the participants mentioned their blood sugar levels was key factor that had improved. Discussion: In order to maintain a good health at work and during leisure regular physical activity is needed. Conclusions: Physical activity should be promoted more and used more in prevention purposes than they do today. A better physical ability simply provides a healthier living. / <p>2013-06-04</p>

The Health Promoting School (HPS) is s a model that advances both the health and learning needs of students. Yet there is a lack of consensus on student indicators that reflect a HPS or a coherent understanding of what a HPS represents amongst various stakeholders. The goal of this research was to establish indicators of student health and wellbeing associated with policies and practices in schools, and to further our understanding of health promoting schools. The research proceeded in three phases. The first phase established a relationship between student health and academic achievement. The second phase examined the associations amongst student health and wellbeing and student and school-level factors. The third phase involved case studies of two schools in Ontario to examine the organisational and structural elements associated with achieving a HPS, and the mechanisms by which these elements support student health and wellbeing. The association between students’ self-rated health and their academic achievement found in the first phase provides a platform for advancing the health promoting school agenda in Canada at the research and policy levels. Subsequent findings established an association between the environment and disciplinary climate in schools, and the school’s academic and socioeconomic standing to student health and wellbeing outcomes. These findings also suggest overlapping effects of schools and neighbourhoods on students’ health and wellbeing, implying that school health promoting efforts will be more successful when partnered with efforts within neighbourhoods and communities. Finally, the case studies suggest that embracing a HPS philosophy that addresses students’ emotional and physical wellbeing may help support students’ overall learning. Findings, presented in an implementation model of a HPS, emphasise key action areas that need to be addressed when implementing HPS initiatives and enhancing the capability of the education system to improve the health and learning of students. / Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2009-10-05 13:45:06.342

At the present time, the young adult transition into adulthood has been extended, which has also extended the launching stage. One result of the extended launching stage is that parents are now involved in active parenting longer than before. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the extended launching stage in key areas (the parent- child relationship and parent support) on parental emotional wellbeing. The contribution of this research is that it adds to the limited body of knowledge about normative launching stage parenting practices and outcomes. This dissertation is a three chapter manuscript that uses data from the Longitudinal Study of Generations. Chapter one provides the background for the dissertation. Chapter two, using cross-sectional analyses, examines the effect of parent support and the parent-child relationship on parental emotional wellbeing between two parent cohorts—1985 and 2005. Chapters three and four are longitudinal studies that use cross-sectional regressions and fixed effect models to estimate parent role changes involving parental role evaluation and wellbeing at four time waves—1994, 1997, 2000, and 2005. Chapter three focuses on the effect of changes in parent support on parents’ emotional wellbeing. Chapter four investigates the impact of the parent-child relationship on parent role evaluation. The results of the analyses show that compared to their parents at the same point in their life course, contemporary parents have a lower quality of life. Results also find that over time, wellbeing is impacted by the quality of the parent-child relationship, but supporting young adult offspring does not impact self-esteem.

The present thesis is an investigation into the impact and role of formal peer mentoring programmes as retention and enrichment strategies within UK Higher Education. Reviews of the literature highlighted several limitations within the empirical evidence for benefits of mentoring schemes. This thesis systematically evaluated the availability and impact of peer mentoring schemes within UK Higher Education. Firstly, a new measure of wellbeing was constructed and validated in student samples. A UK wide survey of 94 Universities supported the notion of increasing popularity of formal peer mentoring schemes and demonstrated the perceived benefits of peer mentoring as a retention strategy. Employing a theoretically driven longitudinal methodology a controlled comparison between first year students’ attending a UK university with a peer mentoring scheme versus a university without a peer mentoring scheme further substantiated the benefits of peer mentoring. Those within the peer mentoring university were three times less likely to think of dropping out of university, were coping better with the transition to university and were better adapted to university life: an important predictor in intention to leave. The relationship between peer mentoring and intention to leave was mediated by integration in university as proposed by Jacobi (1991). In support of the ‘buffering’ hypothesis existence of peer mentors moderated the relationship between predicted changes in social support, affect and self esteem during the transition to university. Within the fourth research study of first year students at a Scottish university; attitudes towards the introduction of a peer mentoring scheme within a university without such a scheme was investigated. Results indicated a positive perception of mentoring, with no student stating that they would not seek advice from a peer mentor if one was available. Although individuals who were experiencing greater levels of stress and homesickness were more likely to indicate they would use a peer mentor demographic variables did not differentiate between individuals who wanted peer mentors and those who felt less need. The most important attributes of a peer mentor for this sample of 158 first year students were commitment to the scheme and listening skills. Finally the impact of formal peer mentoring schemes within Higher Education was assessed from the perspective of the mentor, employing a qualitative (focus group) methodology at a university with an established peer mentoring scheme. Multiple benefits were indicated including personal, emotional, and academic advantages of becoming a mentor. All of the mentors within this study highlighted numerous motives for becoming a mentor although most important was their own previous experience (negative and positive) of the peer mentoring scheme. The results of each study are discussed in line with previous literature, limitations of the research and suggestions for future research. This thesis concludes that formal peer mentoring schemes can have a positive impact on the mentees, mentors and institutions involved and specifies nine recommendations for policy and practice.

Bakgrund: Dagens ungdomar utgör den första generation som växer upp med den nya digitala tekniken och den kan ses som integrerad del av deras liv. Studier har visat att ungdomar uppskattar tillgång till hälsoinformation via Internet som annars kan kännas pinsamt att fråga efter personligen. De uppskattar även möjligheter att möta och utveckla relationer med andra människor via Internet. Ungdomar ställs inför olika utmaningar i övergången från barndom till vuxen ålder och psykiska och psykosociala problem ökar bland åldersgruppen i Sverige liksom i andra europeiska länder. För att utveckla Internet som en möjlig källa till hälsoinformation och socialtstöd är det viktigt att få information om ungdomars egna synpunkter och önskemål. Syftet med studien är att fördjupa kunskapen om ungdomars inställning till Internets roll i främjandet av hälsa och välbefinnande. Metod: Fokusgruppdiskussioner genomfördes i sex grupper om totalt 26 ungdomar, 16-20 år och datamaterialet analyserades enligt modifierad grounded theory. Resultaten av studien visar att ungdomar är ambivalenta i sin inställning till Internets roll i främjandet av hälsa och välbefinnande. De beskriver en positiv syn och erfarenhet av internet, men är samtidigt väl medvetna om de negativa aspekterna och gör ansträngningar för att hitta strategier för att minimera dem. Resultaten belyser att trots denna ambivalens, betraktar ungdomar Internet som en naturlig del av sina liv, en viktig källa till hälsoinformation och socialt stöd, vilket leder till kärnkategori Ambivalent, men en naturlig del av våra liv. Konklusion: Insatser bör fokusera på att minimera de negativa aspekterna av Internet för att öka ungdomars tillgång till socialt stöd och hälsoinformation av hög kvalité. / Background: Adolescents and young people of the 21st century represent the first generation togrow up with the new digital technology and view it as an integrated part of their lives. Previousstudies show that young people value the potential of the Internet for acquiring information thatotherwise might be difficult to obtain. They also recognize the potential of the Internet for meetingand developing relationships with other people. Young people face diverse challenges during theirtransition from childhood to adulthood and need to have easy access to health information and socialsupport. Developing the potential of the Internet as a source of health information and social supportrequires increased information about young people's own views and preferences. The aim of thestudy was to deepen the knowledge about young people’s views on the role of the Internet inpromoting health and wellbeing. Method: Focusgroupdiscussions were conducted and included 26youths between 16 and 20 years of age, divided into six groups. Collected data was analyzed usingmodified grounded theory. The results show ambivalence among young people regarding the role ofthe Internet in promoting health and well-being. Although young people report a positive view of theInternet and their experience with it, they were very aware of its negative aspects and tried to findstrategies to minimize those aspects. Despite this ambivalence, the young people in this studyconsidered the Internet as an essential part of their lives and a natural source of health informationand social interaction. Conclusions: Efforts should be made to minimize the negative aspects of theInternet in order offer young people access to health information and social support in ways that suitsthem. / <p>ISBN 978-91-85721-80-1</p>

By its nature, building maintenance requires an ability to respond to a demand that is random in time, random in nature and random in location. This in turn creates complex operational and logistical problems for management, specially if the property complex is large. The objective of this research is to assess the scope for and effectiveness of quantitative modelling, and the prediction of the outcome of alternative management action (policy), to assist in the management of building maintenance complexes of the size of a hospital. Both building and engineering equipments are encompassed within the study as appropriate. The research issues are split into three related phases; a demand study; a defect reduction study; and a maintenance management model. 1- The maintenance demand study: Based upon general statistics obtained, attempts have been made to identify and quantify both the major problems areas (in terms of cost and frequency of maintenance activities), and the nature and cause of the demand for maintenance. They have revealed no coherent picture in that the demand from wards and buildings seems independent of the patient throughput and the age of buildings. The demand for maintenance, for the main trades involved, has been estimated and used in the simulation models mentioned in below. 2- Demand reduction model: Accepting the current demand situation for maintenance, it was proposed to identify what is the cause of the demand and what possible actions could reduce the demand: Possibly through design modification, changes in materials used, change in practice of service/building user, development of Preventive Maintenance 'PM' or inspection system for component. Despite considerable effort, it proved not possible to progress this aspect of the study and the reasons are discussed. 3- Maintenance management models: Simulation models to the maintenance activities within the hospital has been developed using, Extended Control and Simulation Language, ECSLPLUS, to model the maintenance policies, and assessing any changes in operating procedures. The advantage of modelling is that the magnitude and nature of changes can be assessed and contemplated prior to any actual change in operating procedures. This is generally recognised as being most valuable. For specific problems and areas of operation identified, development of specific methods of deployments have been attempted. For instance, 'recieving one job at a time'; 'recieving a batch of jobs at a time'; and 'delaying non-urgent jobs and grouping them in time'. A number of maintenance management policies have been assessed using the above models, these are: 'Previewing' and 'not previewing' most of the defects before repair to identify the required resources; 'employing extra part-time tradesmen during the busy days'; 'working 7 days instead of 5 days a week'; 'no sickness policy'; and 'employing multi-skilled tradesmen option'. These models should be capable of indicating to management the gains and consequances, in terms of measures of interest to them such as the workforce and manhours required to meet the demand for maintenance per trade, changing operating practice, customs and timescales. That is, their decision variables.

This aim of this study was to explore the importance of natural surroundings to human health from a health psychology perspective. The increase in built environments have replaced green spaces in the urban areas and the effects of this has been explored by several disciplines ranging from environmental psychology, leisure studies, urban planning, public health to name a few. Findings from these studies have shown that natural environments do play a significant role in human health. However, it was deemed that exploring the influence of nature on human health from a health psychology viewpoint would provide a different dimension to this established link between nature and humans to press for preserving and providing more green spaces in the cities. Urban green areas offer several benefits such as space for exercise, leisure, psychological space for rejuvenating, healing and social connections that are all crucial for our wellbeing. This study explores the many ways natural settings contribute to health and well-being from a health psychology angle. A qualitative design was employed using a phenomenological approach to understand the everyday experience of being in nature/natural environments. Cornwall Park/One Tree Hill in Auckland was chosen as the site for this study. Nine women and men between the ages of 30 and 70 were chosen from this site to take part in the study. Methods of data collection were mainly in-depth interviews and photo-discussion. The data was analysed using a phenomenological approach based on the guidelines developed by Moustakas (1994) and van Manen (1990). The findings revealed that natural surroundings influenced people positively in many ways that contributed to their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Natural environments satisfied a wide-range of needs, such as providing a place/space to exercise, to be alone and reflect, connect with nature, recreate, heal and socialise to name a few, in green, quiet, pollution-free, aesthetically pleasing settings. The essence of the phenomenon that is estimated to have been captured in the study is, “human experience in nature from the point of view of health psychology, or human experience of wellness, being in nature”.

Research has highlighted the significant implications of spirituality for mental health and therapy. However, a key facet of spirituality yet to receive adequate research attention is people’s experience of their relationship with God. One useful theoretical framework recently applied to this relationship is attachment theory. Research suggests that many people experience their relationship with God as an attachment bond, and that styles of attachment to God (ATG) may have implications for mental health similar to human attachment. However, few studies have directly investigated the relationship between ATG and mental health, and limitations of these studies make it difficult to draw conclusions. The present study provides a more rigorous exploration of this relationship through the use of a cross-lagged research design, advanced statistical modelling, and investigation of potential moderators (gender and negative events). A convenience sample of 531 Christian adults was surveyed at two time points approximately four months apart. ATG was measured on two dimensions: ATG-avoidance (avoidance of intimacy with/dependence on God) and ATG-anxiety (preoccupations and fears regarding God’s rejection). Higher levels of baseline ATG-anxiety predicted poorer emotional wellbeing at Time 2, after controlling for baseline emotional wellbeing. This effect was stronger amongst participants experiencing a high level of negative events. Findings also indicate a potential mechanism for this effect. Specifically, ATG-anxiety was associated with a tendency to appraise negative events as indicating God’s abandonment/punishment. These appraisals mediated the relationship between ATG-anxiety and emotional wellbeing. In contrast, low levels of ATG-anxiety buffered the effects of negative events. The effects of ATG-anxiety were significant only amongst males, contrary to hypotheses. ATG-avoidance did not show hypothesised effects on emotional wellbeing in either gender. Possible limitations of the ATG-avoidance measure were noted, and may have influenced findings. Suggestions were made as to how future studies might address this potential measurement issue and other limitations of the study. Findings indicate that ATG theory may have useful therapeutic applications, as proposed by previous researchers. Specifically, the ATG framework may be useful for conceptualising clients’ relationship with God and its effects on mental health, although establishing this will ultimately require testing in clinical samples.

Ngā Kairaranga Oranga – The Weavers of Health and Wellbeing is a theory about the health and wellbeing of Māori women. Health data about Māori women indicate that their health status is less than that of the non-Māori population despite the right to experience equality in health outcomes. Māori women’s health and wellbeing influences the nature of their health outcomes, varies across their lifetime. ‘What is happening for Māori women, their health and interactions with ‘mainstream’ health services?’ is the question that guided the research with Māori women. A grounded theory informed by a Māori centred approach was developed that utilised Mason Durie’s Māori-centred concepts of mana Māori (control), whakapiki tangata (enablement) and whakatuia (integration), and integrated Glaserian grounded theory to guide the collection and analysis of the data. Twenty-three women who identified as Māori within the Te Arawa rohe, and who were between the ages of 18 and 80 years were formally interviewed as either a group, pairs or individuals, with a further 15 informally interviewed during the process of theoretical sampling. Semi-structured interviews and field notes were used to collect the data, and the processes of constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and saturation were used to generate a middle-range substantive Māori centred grounded theory. Three core categories were identified relating to the health and wellbeing of Māori women: (a) Mana Māori, which describes what is important for their health and wellbeing; (b) The Way It Is, which outlines the resigned acceptance they have of their reality and life circumstances, and the barriers and challenges that are encountered; and (c) Engaging with Health Services, which describes what they require from ‘mainstream’ health services to improve the access and use of these services. The basic social psychological process of ‘weaving health and wellbeing’ integrates these core categories. The interpretations Māori women have of health and wellbeing, and health-related actions are explained by the theory generated. This substantive grounded theory provides a model to guide the education and practice of health care providers working within ‘mainstream’ health services.

Doctor of philosophy (PhD) / Abstract As one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, Australia has a high proportion of minority communities. However, its ageing population, particularly within these ethnic minorities, faces a range of barriers or difficulties in gaining access to and using health and aged care services. This study aims to identify the acculturation factors that affect the health status of Iranian-born elderly immigrants to Australia and their utilisation of health and community aged care services. The results of this study will be of value to Iranian elders, their families, and Australian aged health care service providers. The findings could also contribute towards enriched multicultural policy and improved social fairness, access to services, and equity for the aged from different ethnic backgrounds. 302 Iranian migrants aged 65 years who had lived in the Sydney Metropolitan area for at least six months were surveyed via a written questionnaire, face-to-face interviews, and telephone interviews. The results were analysed using SPSS and then compared to the findings from a 1999 survey of NSW elderly. The results indicate that Iranian migrants suffer higher levels of psychological distress and are more limited in their physical functioning than the general population of older Australians. They are in greater need of assistance with activities of daily living, have a lower sense of wellbeing, and are far less likely to utilise aged care services. Iranian migrant who do not speak English at home experience these disadvantages to an even greater extent English language proficiency was the only acculturation factor found to affect whether Iranian elderly utilised health and community aged care services, while ability to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) was the only health variable associated with their utilisation of community supportive aged care services. This variable did not predict the use of community aged care services in the broader sample of NSW respondents. Since limited proficiency in English placed elderly Iranian migrants at greater health risk and impeded their access to necessary assistance, the findings suggest that they would clearly benefit from English classes and from access to health and community care services and information regarding these services in the Farsi language.