The purpose of this study was to determine if wellness benefits led to any changes in exercise habits among employed postmen. The study was a cross-sectional study carried out by a quantitative method. The collection of data took the form of a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 30 postmen employed at a post office in northern Sweden. The results show that of the postman who use health care benefits, there has been a relatively small change in exercise habits. The results also show that consistently for all respondents was health the main motivation factor for exercise. Time aspect was a factor for not using the wellness benefits. The study showed a state of health is the primary motivational factor to exercise both for those using health care benefits and for those who do not use them.

ABSTRACT: Madwaleni Hospital is situated in a deeply rural area of the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, serving a catchment population of approximately 262,300 within a 35 kilometer radius. An HIV programme was started in mid-2005 to try and address some of the HIV burden faced by the community. The pillars to the Madwaleni HIV programme comprise VCT (voluntary counselling and testing) and the HIV Wellness programme – a group of family-oriented services (including provision of antiretrovirals) offered to HIV positive individuals within the framework of local support groups meeting at the local hospital, community health center and primary health clinics. As at end August 2009, there are 3760 Wellness programmes members, of whom 1700 are on antiretrovirals. RESEARCH AIM: The purpose of this research was to obtain an in-depth understanding of individual’s perception of the success of the Madwaleni HIV Wellness Programme in the context of the individual needs in living with HIV.

This narrative study of schoolteachers’ experiences of yogic meditation employs the theoretical framework of yoga. It poses the research question: How do teachers story their life experiences following their adoption of a regular meditation practice? Narrative research methods are used to reveal the participants’ own perceptions of their experiences of meditation. The narratives presented include that of an educator and meditation teacher who has been practising yogic meditation for over 40 years, as well as three schoolteachers who more recently came to the practice of meditation and were experienced classroom teachers before and after taking up this practice. The findings reveal that (1) the teachers perceive their meditation practice to have a beneficial impact on their lives, and by extension their work as teachers; (2) the impact their meditation practice has on their classroom teaching may not be obvious to an outside observer. Instead it is experienced by the participants to be an internal enrichment: a transformation of their thought patterns and perceptions of feelings and events; and (3) the longer the participant has been practising meditation, and the more they have immersed themselves in the philosophical study that traditionally accompanies yogic practice, the more complex may be their understandings of their meditation experience. This research also highlights the problems with imposing Western knowledge frameworks on practices that have traditionally been accompanied by an existent theoretical framework. The researcher argues for further study of classical yogic meditation practices in light of their potential benefits for educators, with the caveat that such research should be undertaken by researchers who have experienced authentic immersion in the study of yoga and its classical philosophies.

abstract: Sedentary behavior has recently been recognized as a widespread, independent risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality from chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Midlife women (age 40-64) are known to have high levels of sedentary behavior and corresponding cardiovascular disease risk. Currently, little is known about mechanisms involved in reducing and maintaining reductions to sedentary behavior in midlife women. Theory-based nursing interventions are needed which reflect process, personal meaning, person-environment interaction, and incorporate a strength-based perspective. Wellness Motivation Theory guided the research, conceptualizing behavioral change processes within culturally and environmentally relevant contexts, while recognizing bidirectional influences of personal and environmental factors on behavioral patterns. The Wellness Motivation Theory addresses social support and norms, community and material resources that influence behavioral choices, individual motivation and goals, and the behavioral change processes of self-knowledge, motivational appraisal, and self-regulation. A qualitative descriptive approach was used to explore social contextual resources and behavior change processes leading to action as decreasing sedentary time in midlife women. The maximum variation sample included 31 midlife women, employees of Arizona State University. Participants attended a one-hour focus group to discuss their experiences with sedentary behavior, and their efforts to sit less and move more. Midlife women characterized social support as: Raising Me Up, Timing Time and Walking and Talking. Support from contextual resources reflected themes of Seeking Place, Stepping Up, and Walking the Talk. Women experienced self-knowledge as Envisioning the Future, Taking Inventory, and Considering Possibles. Motivational appraisal was characterized as Reevaluating Priorities, Wayfinding, and Going All In. Self-regulation was reflected as Recounting Benefits, Keeping On Track, and Creating New Ways. A deeper understanding of motivational processes central to reducing sedentary behavior in midlife women fosters identification of leverage points for future theory-based intervention research which provides primary prevention opportunities to lower cardiovascular disease risk, and promote successful aging. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Nursing and Healthcare Innovation 2018

M.Phil. (Industrial Psychology) / Orientation: Positive experiences in the workplace, such as support and work engagement, are essential for enhancing subjective wellbeing (happiness and satisfaction with life). Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between social support, supervisor support, work engagement, happiness, and satisfaction with life, as well as investigate whether work engagement mediates support on subjective wellbeing (happiness and satisfaction with life). Motivation: The presence of support (social and supervisor) and work engagement can spill over and affect non-work; specifically, subjective wellbeing (happiness and satisfaction with life). Individuals with high subjective wellbeing are successful across multiple life domains. Method: A cross-sectional survey was used with participants spanning across diverse organisations, ages, racial groups and occupational levels (N=789). The Work Engagement Scale (May, Harter, & Gilson, 2004), Job Demands-Resources Scale (Jackson & Rothmann, 2005), Satisfaction with Life Scale (Diener, Emmons, Larsen, & Griffin, 1985 ) and Subjective Happiness Scale (Lyubomirsky & Lepper, 1999) were used to determine the objectives of this study. Results: The results show significant relationships between happiness, satisfaction with life, social support, organisational support, and work engagement. Additionally, work engagement predicted happiness and satisfaction with life; social support predicted work engagement and satisfaction with life. Supervisor supports predicted subjective wellbeing (happiness and satisfaction with life) but not work engagement. There is therefore partial mediation, as supervisor support did not predict work engagement. Contribution: This study seeks to highlight the concept of support (social and supervisor) and work engagement as constructs that are significant in enhancing subjective wellbeing (happiness and satisfaction with life). Through organisations promoting these positive outcomes at work, enhances productivity.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Human Nutrition / Sara Rosenkranz / This dissertation examined the impact of wellness-promotion interventions on health-related behaviors in youth, including dietary intake and physical activity (PA) levels. Additionally, the impact of wellness-promotion interventions on health-promoting opportunities for youth in an out-of-school setting was investigated. In study 1 (Chapter 2), the feasibility and preliminary impact of a 12-week, home-based wellness coaching intervention for changes in behavioral, psychosocial, and biomedical outcomes in normal-weight female children was evaluated. The two intervention conditions included a general health education condition, and one that implemented skills-building components in the areas of PA and healthy eating. Results showed that both intervention conditions were feasible and well-accepted by participants. There were no changes in the behavioral outcomes of PA levels or fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, but girls who received the skills-building coaching condition showed an increase in emotional quality of life and a reduction in body fat percentage. Findings suggested that a home-based wellness coaching intervention was feasible and was potentially effective for impacting psychosocial and biomedical outcomes in normal-weight female children. Study 2 (Chapter 3) examined the impact of Girl Scout leader wellness training on implementation of wellness-promoting practices and opportunities for girls during troop meetings. This study compared the effectiveness of in-person versus online leader wellness training, specifically assessing opportunities for wellness-promoting behaviors, including FV consumption and PA during meetings. Study results indicated that leaders who received the wellness training in person increased their implementation of wellness-promoting practices significantly more than those who received the wellness training in an online format. Analyses regarding dissemination revealed that adoption of wellness-training principles occurred in approximately 43% of troop leaders, and that lower-income leaders were more interested in receiving the wellness training, as compared to higher-income leaders. Overall, results indicated that in-person wellness training was effective for improving wellness-promoting opportunities for girls, but a more cost-effective and further-reaching training method was needed for a larger public health impact. Therefore, study 3 (Chapter 4) evaluated the impact of online, video-based wellness training on Girl Scout leaders’ wellness-promotion self-efficacy, intention, and knowledge. These factors are established determinants of behavior change, including offering opportunities in the areas of PA and FV consumption. Results showed that leaders who received the video-based wellness training had a significant increase in self-efficacy for overcoming barriers related to PA and FV practices, as well as increased self-efficacy for offering vegetables during troop meetings. Both groups showed increased intention for offering both fruit and vegetable opportunities during upcoming meetings. These results showed that online, video-based wellness training was effective for impacting determinants of behavior change in Girl Scout troop leaders, which may improve the wellness opportunities for girls during troop meetings. Overall, the findings from this dissertation collectively contribute to the existing literature by providing evidence regarding effective interventions for improving wellness-promoting opportunities and experiences for youth. If disseminated and implemented widely, evidence-based interventions and practices similar to those discussed within this dissertation may lead to improvements in health-related behaviors among youth, increased wellness-promoting opportunities, and ultimately have a positive impact on population health.

This dissertation focuses on the positive and negative influences on wellness in the South African working environment, as well as three of the aspects that constitute today’s modern definition of wellness, namely: psychological, social, and physical wellness, as perceived by HR consultants in the target organisation. The results of the study determine what the main positive and negative influences on the wellness of HR Consultants were as perceived by the study’s participants. Nature of the Job, State of Mind, and Relationships are some of the most significant identified categories because they best reflect what is perceived to affect each aspect of HR Consultant wellness in the working environment. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Research into wellness literature identified the existence of various wellness models consisting of multiple dimensions, and found different relationships between these dimensions. In an attempt to expand on the theory of wellness, this study determined the wellness behaviour and health risk profile of managers at two South African higher education institutions. A sample of 89 managers from two South African universities, a traditional academic university and a technology university, was used in the study. The sample comprised 40.45% respondents from the academic university and 59.55% from the technology university. Females accounted for 31.5% of the sample, while males accounted for 68.5%. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the wellness behaviour levels and the health risk scores of managers. The results suggested that there were no significant correlations between the mean physical fitness and nutrition, medical self-care, safety, environmental wellness, social awareness, intellectual wellness, spirituality and values subdimensions and the health risk scores of managers. However, there was a significant negative relationship between sexuality and emotional awareness and the health risk scores. The negative correlation indicated that, with an increase in the sexuality and emotional awareness level, there would be a decrease in the health risk. There was a small negative relationship between emotional management and the health risk score. The low negative correlation indicated that with an increase in the emotional management level, there would be a decrease in the health risk. There was also a negative relationship between occupational wellness and the health risk score. The low negative correlation indicated that with an increase in the occupational wellness levels, there would be a decrease in the health risk. T-tests were used to determine the relationship between the mean wellness behaviour levels and mean health risk scores of managers at the academic university and technology university, heads of academic departments and directors of support services, female and male managers, post-graduate and PhD graduate managers.The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the mean wellness behaviour levels and mean health risk scores of managers at the academic university and technology university, heads of academic departments and directors of support services, female and male managers, post-graduate and PhD graduate managers. Thus, the null hypotheses postulating that there is no significant difference between the mean wellness behaviour levels and mean health risk scores of managers at the academic university and technology university, heads of academic departments and directors of support services, female and male managers, post-graduate and PhD graduate managers, could not be rejected. A one-way analysis (ANOVA) was conducted to determine the difference between the wellness behaviour levels and the mean health risk scores of the three age groups used in this study. The results indicated that the means of the three age groups did not differ significantly. A wellness prediction model could not be used to measure wellness against the eleven independent variables. The data was of such a nature that a linear regression model could not be used, as the variables were not normally distributed. Therefore, the null hypothesis postulating that it is not possible to use a wellness prediction model as a holistic dependent variable, to measure wellness against all possible variables, could not be rejected. The combined average wellness behaviour levels of managers at the academic university and technology university were 76.8% and the risk scores were 19.36%. These indicated high wellness behaviour levels and low health risk levels. The wellness behaviour and health risk model proposed in this study, may serve as a theoretical framework for future scientific wellness behaviour and health promotion surveys and data analysis to devise tailor-made interventions. The model postulates that wellness, as a dependent variable, is determined by eleven independent variables. These eleven independent variables are physical fitness and nutrition, medical self-care, safety, environmental wellness, social awareness, sexuality and emotional awareness, emotional management, intellectual wellness, occupational wellness, spirituality and values and the health risk score. This study identified the physical fitness and nutrition, and medical self-care wellness behaviour levels as weaknesses in managers at the two sample universities that necessitate interventions. / Thesis (PhD (Organizational Behaviour))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Human Resource Management / PhD / unrestricted

The present study examined client perspectives on recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It aimed to investigate recovery meant to people diagnosed with BPD, whether people at the advanced stages of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) considered themselves to be in recovery and what are the specific elements of therapeutic treatment that facilitate or hinder recovery from BPD, from a client perspective.

This master thesis aims to provide a complex up-to-date overview of the spa industry in the Czech Republic and to analyze the position of Spa Luhačovice. Having shown the growing global importance of wellness tourism, the focus moves onto the spa industry which plays a major role in wellness. Nevertheless,the medical significance of spas can't be overlooked, especially in the Czech Republic where spas are known for the quality of medical care. While statistical reports from the Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic and from the Czech Statistical Office are being examined and analyzed in the country's perspective, Global Wellness Institute provides the majority of the global wellness and spa data. The thesis shows the current state of the industry in the country with its strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, the practical part is focused on Spa Luhačovice, the biggest spa in Moravia region. Various information and data are compared to overall development of the spa industry in the country. Finally, an interview with the spa representative is conducted to further clarify the findings of this thesis.