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PubMed1995

Physical performance and physical self-efficacy in the elderly. A pilot study.

This study examined the relationship between physical performance and physical self-efficacy beliefs in older adults. It was hypothesized that subjects who perform better on physical tasks would show more positive beliefs of physical self-efficacy. Information was obtained from 124 subjects (61 men and 63 women) aged 55 to 85 years. Tests of mobility, strength, and dexterity were administered, as well as a self-report questionnaire of physical self-efficacy. Although most physical performance indexes were observed to be at lower levels after 75 years of age, physical self-efficacy beliefs in women did not show this pattern if the drop in physical performance was relatively small. Male subjects in the age group of 75 years and older however, showed substantial lower levels of performance in most of the tests, which was associated with more negative beliefs of physical self-efficacy. This was corroborated by multiple regression analyses, showing that sex was a significant predictor of physical self-efficacy beliefs in most performance tests. This prediction was moderated by age such that older men had more negative beliefs of physical self-efficacy than older women.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

["Unfair" effect of physical activity. Physically inactive individuals must exercise for a longer period to achieve the preventive targets].

The capacity to turnover energy during exercise is regulated by the maximal aerobic capacity. Advices regarding physical activity must therefore be modified and individualised based on the maximal aerobic capacity of the patient. Initially, physical training of patients with low capacity to turn over energy will make it more difficult for the patient to achieve goals of disease prevention and weight reduction. In addition, physical inactive subjects are more negative to physical exercise than physically active subjects. However, physically inactive subjects must be informed that they can increase their maximal aerobic capacity by physical training rapidly. In addition, they must be informed that it takes 10-20 weeks of regular physical endurance training to achieve increased vitality and a more positive attitude towards physical activity, and furthermore, that it is necessary with physical endurance training 2-4 times on a weekly basis to maintain positive effects of physical training.

Anaerobic Threshold↗
PubMed1994

[Relationship between physical activity and health examination variables in male workers--new methods to assess physical activity and their applications to epidemiologic research].

Few epidemiological studies investigating the relationship between physical activity and cardiovascular diseases have been performed in Japan. To quantify the physical activity of individuals, a 24-hour activity record was developed to calculate 24-hour energy expenditure for use in an epidemiologic survey. Major physical activity was recorded every 15 minutes during a day and the relative metabolic rate for each physical activity was adopted from data of the Labor Science Institute in Japan. The 24-hour energy expenditure per body surface area was used as an index of physical activity. Reproducibility of this index was examined by retesting subsamples 3 months apart, and good results were confirmed. The association between physical activity and health examination variables was analyzed for the 319 male workers aged 40-49 in Osaka, Kochi, and Akita Prefecture. Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure per body surface area was positively correlated with maximal oxygen uptake and negatively correlated with skinfold thickness, resting heart rate, logarithm of triglyceride, hemoglobin and uric acid. In addition, a newly developed questionnaire on physical activity with 11 questions was administered in Osaka on 1819 male factory workers aged 40-49. From multiple regression analysis, three questions were shown to be significant predictors of 24-hour energy expenditure per body surface area--1. "What percentage of work time is spent on your feet?" 2. "When climbing three floors, which do you usually choose, the stairs or the escalator?", 3. "How long are you involved in heavy physical labor each day?" The daily physical activity score estimated using the regression equation showed good reproducibility in retesting a year apart. Controlling for age, body mass index, alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking, the score was negatively correlated to skinfold thickness, diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, total cholesterol, logarithm of triglyceride, hemoglobin, and uric acid; and was positively correlated to HDL-cholesterol. This cross-sectional study shows that in Japanese there is a significant relationship between physical activity and some health examination variables, and also that the survey methods to estimate physical activity can be useful for further epidemiologic studies in Japan.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Homing in on the homeless: assessing the physical health of homeless adults in Los Angeles County using an original method to obtain physical examination data in a survey.

OBJECTIVE: Public policy that decreases the finding for social services may combine with the ascendancy of corporate managed care to increase the health care deficit. Assessing the health impact of these policy changes on various populations is a fundamental challenge for health services research. Disadvantaged populations, such as the homeless, are likely to be affected disproportionately. Research quality data on the physical health of such populations are difficult and expensive to obtain. In particular, physical examination data have not been available and self-reports are insufficient. Our objective: to develop and utilize a structured physical exam system enabling lay survey researchers to report reliably physical findings related to six tracer conditions in a disadvantaged population. STUDY SETTING: A field survey of homeless adults in Los Angeles County, California. Respondents were 363 homeless adults representing a subsample of a probability sample of the county's homeless adult population. STUDY DESIGN: We integrated existing measures with expert clinical opinion and original means of data collection into a structured physical exam enabling lay interviewers to identify the prevalence of vision problems, significant skin disorders, peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities, selected podiatric disorders, hypertension, and tuberculosis in a sample of homeless adults. PRINCIPAL MEASURES: We describe lay interviewer performance in terms of mastery of the necessary material based on written and practical exams and in terms of the number of respondents successfully followed. We base our description of the instrument on the time necessary to complete it, and on the proportion of each component successfully completed during the field survey, as well as on interrater reliability. We report the prevalence of the various clinical conditions according to self-report and according to the structured limited physical exam, as well as the marginal proportion of respondents who were identified by the physical exam and not by self-report. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Interviewers performed the exam successfully under field conditions. Respondent acceptance of the instrument was high. Interrater agreement was 100 percent regarding the need for referral on the basis of blood pressure and vision. Kappa statistics for skin, foot, and edema findings were .67,.71, and .81, respectively. Adjusted for sampling weights, 60 percent of this population required referral for at least one of the specified conditions. For those portions of the survey for which both self-report and physical exam data were available, lay interviewers made significant percentages of referrals on the basis of physical findings alone. CONCLUSIONS: High blood pressure, poor vision, peripheral vascular diseases of the feet and legs, and significant skin conditions are prevalent among the homeless in Los Angeles County. Without physical exam data, estimates of the prevalence of these conditions will be incorrect. Researchers can use laypersons to collect reliable and valid physical exam data on disadvantaged populations. This represents a new tool for assessing and monitoring the health of these populations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Physical activity and breast cancer: evaluation of physical activity assessment methods.

Studies of the association between physical activity and breast cancer have yielded inconsistent findings. These findings may be related to a true null association or an inability to measure physical activity with enough precision to measure a protective relation. The authors reviewed and critiqued physical activity measurement methods used in published studies of the association between physical activity and breast cancer. The authors examined the quality of physical activity measures in 20 published studies. A summary score was created to rank the quality of the activity score. Studies with higher scores had a more precise measure of physical activity. Physical activity measurement methods were different in each study. Activity was measured by job classification, occupational tasks, participation in competitive athletics, and recreational and leisure-time pursuits. The recall period for physical activity ranged from a lifetime to the past year. Comparison of quality scores showed no associations between the precision of activity measures and the study results. Future studies of physical activity and breast cancer should utilize standardized methods to measure physical activity. Researchers should be encouraged to choose a measure based on hypotheses regarding physical activity and breast cancer mechanisms. Studies also should extend to subgroups of women with differences in other breast cancer risk factors, such as body mass, menopausal status, and hormone replacement status.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1982

Physical work capacity and daily physical activities of handicapped and non-handicapped children.

In this study physical work capacity, mechanical efficiency on the bicycle ergometer and daily physical activities were compared between 24 physically handicapped and 24 non-handicapped children. As a measure of mechanical efficiency and physical work capacity, the oxygen uptake per kg body weight at 0.5 watt . kg-1 and oxygen uptake per kg body weight at a heart rate of 150 beats . min-1 were used. The daily physical activities were recorded during a 24-h period by means of a scoring list. The load imposed by the daily physical activities was investigated by registration of heart rate. The mean value of the physical work capacity of the group of handicapped children was found to be lower compared with the non-handicapped children. The mechanical efficiency of 7 of the 24 handicapped children was lower when compared with the mechanical efficiency of 23 of the 24 non-handicapped children. A significant correlation between mechanical efficiency and nature of the handicap (spastic hemi-, di-, tetraplegic) was found (p less than 0.05). During light daily physical activities the handicapped children showed the same mean heart rate as the non-handicapped children, but the mean heart rate during heavy daily physical activities was lower for the handicapped group than for the non-handicapped group. The non-handicapped children spent more time in physical activities with relatively high heart rates. From the results obtained of oxygen uptake and heart rate measurements it is to be expected that non-handicapped children are able to maintain a higher state of training by means of their daily physical activities than are handicapped children.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2006

Social desirability is associated with some physical activity, psychosocial variables and sedentary behavior but not self-reported physical activity among adolescent males.

This study examined whether controlling for social desirability improved the association between self-reported and objectively measured physical activity among adolescent males and the extent that psychosocial variables predict physical activity after controlling for social desirability. Participants (n=447) were 10- to 14-year old Houston Boy Scouts. Participants completed self-reports of physical activity, sedentary behavior, preferences, self-efficacy and social desirability and wore an MTI accelerometer for 3 days. Correlations were conducted among variables. Regression models were performed to examine the relationships between objectively measured (accelerometer) and self-reported physical activity, objectively measured physical activity and psychosocial variables and self-reports of physical activity and psychosocial variables. All models controlled for social desirability. There were weak associations between self-reported and objectively measured physical activity measures that were slightly improved after controlling for social desirability. Psychosocial variables were strongly associated with self-reports of physical activity, but weakly associated with accelerometer physical activity. Social desirability was positively associated with physical activity preferences (r=0.169) and self-efficacy (r=0.118) and negatively associated (r=-0.158) with self-reported sedentary behavior. Differences in the strength of relationships between self-reported and objectively measured physical activity and psychosocial variables were not a function of social desirability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Motivation for physical activity of psychiatric patients when physical activity was offered as part of treatment.

This study examined motivation variables, self-determination and self-schema, in relation to physical activity, among psychiatric patients with experience with physical activity as part of their treatment. Participants were patients (N=109) from 15 psychiatric hospitals or day-care institutions. Data were collected by questionnaires. A positive relationship between physical activity level, positive experiences of the activity and higher degree of self-determination and exercise self-schema was expected. Intrinsically regulated motives (motivated by the experience of the activity in itself) were positively and significantly related to physical activity level and the experience of decrease in symptoms during physical activity, and extrinsically regulated motives were negatively correlated with physical activity level. Intrinsically regulated motives gave an odds ratio of 20.0 for being physically active rather than inactive. Holding an exercise self-schema gave an odds ratio of 6.1 for being physically active. The majority of the patients (57.4%) reported that physical activity decreased their illness symptoms, but a few (11.9%) reported negative effects. The findings demonstrated that psychiatric patients do not differ from the normal population in relation to motivational mechanisms, even if they may experience more barriers to physical activities because of their illness. Therefore, in trying to motivate psychiatric patients, it is important to make physical activity as intrinsically motivating as possible by focusing on the positive experiences of the activity itself, as well as helping to develop an exercise self-schema.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Non-physical violence: a risk factor for physical violence in health care settings.

This research study assessed the extent to which non-physical violence is a risk factor for physical violence against workers in health care settings. More than 600 nursing staff, other clinical providers, and non-clinical staff in two health care settings completed a cross-sectional survey. For the preceding 12-month period, 72.8% of workers reported at least one incident of non-physical violence and 21.3% reported at least one incident of physical violence. Workers who had experienced non-physical violence were 7.17 times more likely to experience physical violence than those who had not. Both patients and employees were perpetrators of non-physical and physical violence. These results indicate efforts to prevent or reduce physical violence against health care workers need to focus on non-physical as well as physical violence and employee as well as patient perpetrators.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The place of physical activity in the WHO Global Strategy on Diet and Physical Activity.

In an effort to reduce the global burden of non-communicable disease, the World Health Organization released a Global Strategy for Diet and Physical Activity in May 2004. This commentary reports on the development of the strategy and its importance specifically for physical activity-related work of NGOs and researchers interested in increasing global physical activity participation. Sparked by its work on global efforts to target non-communicable disease prevention in 2000, the World Health Organization commissioned a global strategy on diet and physical activity. The physical activity interest followed efforts that had led to the initial global "Move for Health Day" in 2002. WHO assembled a reference group for the global strategy, and a regional consultation process with countries was undertaken. Underpinning the responses was the need for more physical activity advocacy; partnerships outside of health including urban planning; development of national activity guidelines; and monitoring of the implementation of the strategy. The consultation process was an important mechanism to confirm the importance and elevate the profile of physical activity within the global strategy. It is suggested that separate implementation strategies for diet and physical activity may be needed to work with partner agencies in disparate sectors (e.g. urban planning for physical activity, agriculture for diet). International professional societies are well situated to make an important contribution to global public health by advocating for the importance of physical activity among risk factors; developing international measures of physical activity and global impacts of inactivity; and developing a global research and intervention agenda.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Do attributes in the physical environment influence children's physical activity? A review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Many youth today are physically inactive. Recent attention linking the physical or built environment to physical activity in adults suggests an investigation into the relationship between the built environment and physical activity in children could guide appropriate intervention strategies. METHOD: Thirty three quantitative studies that assessed associations between the physical environment (perceived or objectively measured) and physical activity among children (ages 3 to 18-years) and fulfilled selection criteria were reviewed. Findings were categorized and discussed according to three dimensions of the physical environment including recreational infrastructure, transport infrastructure, and local conditions. RESULTS: Results across the various studies showed that children's participation in physical activity is positively associated with publicly provided recreational infrastructure (access to recreational facilities and schools) and transport infrastructure (presence of sidewalks and controlled intersections, access to destinations and public transportation). At the same time, transport infrastructure (number of roads to cross and traffic density/speed) and local conditions (crime, area deprivation) are negatively associated with children's participation in physical activity. CONCLUSION: Results highlight links between the physical environment and children's physical activity. Additional research using a transdisciplinary approach and assessing moderating and mediating variables is necessary to appropriately inform policy efforts.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Past physical activity, current physical activity, and risk of coronary heart disease.

PURPOSE: Middle-aged and older women who are physically active have decreased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD); however, little is known about how physical activity during young adulthood influences activity during middle age and older, and CHD risk. We examined the relationship between 1) physical activity during young adulthood and middle age, and 2) physical activity during each time period and CHD occurring in middle age or older. METHODS: Cohort study of 39,876 healthy U.S. female health professionals, age > or = 45 yr, in the Women's Health Study. Physical activity was reported at baseline. Additionally, physical activity in high school and age 18-22 yr was reported on the 24-month follow-up survey. Women were followed for an average of 9 yr, after the 24-month survey, for CHD occurrence (N = 477). RESULTS: Among 37,169 eligible participants at baseline, the most active women (vigorous physical activity 10-12 months x yr) during high school and age 18-22 yr were more than twice as likely to meet physical activity recommendations at baseline than the least active women (no vigorous activity) during high school and age 18-22 yr (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio = 2.43; 95% C.I. 2.24, 2.63). At baseline, the most active women (> or = 1500 kcal x wk(-1)) had a 39% lower risk of CHD during follow-up than the least active (<200 kcal x wk(-1)) (multivariate-adjusted relative risk = 0.61; 95% C.I. 0.46, 0.81). However, physical activity during young adulthood was not associated with risk of CHD occurring during middle age and older. CONCLUSION: Women who are physically active during young adulthood are more likely to be active when middle-aged and older, when rates of CHD increase, and physical activity during middle-age predicts lower risk of CHD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Risk assessment of physical activity and physical fitness in the Canada Health Survey mortality follow-up study.

The effect of physical fitness and physical activity on all-cause mortality and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer and other causes was examined using a population-based representative sample of the Canadian population. A total of 691 deaths occurred among persons age 30-69 during the 7-year follow-up period. Of these, 37, 33 and 30% died of CVD, cancer and other causes, respectively. The effect of each risk factor on mortality was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Adjustment was made for age, sex, smoking and body mass index in the case of mortality due to CVD, all causes and causes other than CVD and cancer. Models for mortality due to cancer included adjustment for age, sex, smoking and alcohol consumption. For all cause mortality, those individuals who did not pass the physical fitness tests had significantly higher risks of death than those that passed. For CVD mortality, subjects whose physical activity was moderate were protected, and those who did not pass the physical fitness tests had substantially higher risks of death due to CVD. The risk of death due to cancer was not significantly related to physical activity or physical fitness. Persons who failed the physical fitness tests had significantly elevated risks of death due to causes other than CVD or cancer. Our findings support the conclusion that persons who are physically fit have an overall reduced risk of death independent of other major risk factors. Moderate levels of physical activity appear to be protective against cardiovascular disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Perceptions of acute care physical therapy practice: issues for physical therapist preparation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute care physical therapists have experienced the effects of dramatic changes in health care reimbursement systems and population demographics. Acute care hospitals now serve a patient population of much older, chronically ill patients who are hospitalized for shorter periods of time in a practice environment in which physical therapy staffing resources are often inadequate. The purposes of this study were to document common experiences in the practice of acute care physical therapy and to identify differences in the perceptions of physical therapists with varying levels of experience and in various sizes of acute care facilities. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A survey questionnaire was mailed to 500 randomly selected physical therapists employed in acute care facilities. The therapists answered questions regarding the frequency of various physical therapy evaluation and treatment practices, problems encountered in delivering physical therapy services, coordination of the discharge planning process, and perceptions of staffing trends in the acute care setting. The responses of 188 physical therapists who completed the survey were compared by their experience levels and the size of the institutions in which they practiced. RESULTS: Subjects reported that patient factors, such as medical complications and cooperation; organizational factors, such as staffing shortages and large caseloads; and health care system constraints, such as difficulty changing orders and limited time in which to work with the patient interfered with patients reaching physical therapy goals. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Inadequate skills for successful acute care practice and maladaptive therapist beliefs about acute care career possibilities may adversely affect physical therapist career longevity in the acute care setting.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1981

Physical activity and physical fitness levels of Belgian males aged 40-55 years.

Physical activity during leisure time and on the job have been measured with standardized interview techniques in 1,513 normal men, aged 40-55 years, who were regularly employed in different industries. Physical fitness was simultaneously estimated by measuring the work load at which a heart rate of 150 bpm was reached on a standardized exercise test. The median energy expenditure from leisure time activities above the basal metabolic rate was 195 kcal/day; 19% of these activities were classified as heavy, 37% as moderate and 43% as light intensity. The median energy expenditure from job physical activity was 1,676 kcal/day including basal metabolic rate. The median physical fitness level was 125 W. The leisure time activity score was significantly related to physical fitness through the light and the heavy intensity subscores. Independently, job physical activity was also significantly related to physical fitness. However, both activity scores accounted for only 2% of the variance in physical fitness. The data illustrate an overall low energy expenditure profile of middle-aged normal men and a low order relationship between physical activity pattern and physical fitness.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Childhood physical fitness tests: predictor of adult physical activity levels?

Regular physical activity has both short- and long-term health benefits in adults. No study has investigated childhood determinants of adult physical activity patterns, however. In a nonconcurrent prospective study, the physical activity levels of 453 young men, 23 to 25 years of age, were compared with their physical fitness test scores as children (10 to 11 years of age and 15 to 18 years of age). The physically active adults had significantly better childhood physical fitness test scores than did the inactive adults. In 224 children, 2 years of fitness test results were available. The risk of physical inactivity in young adulthood was linearly related to the number of low scores on the 548.6-m (600-yd) run and sit-ups tests as children (P less than .001). In stepwise multivariate discriminant analysis, the childhood 548.6-m run score was the best discriminator between currently physically active and inactive adults. Reported parental encouragement of exercise, level of education, participation in organized sports after high school, and reported spousal encouragement of exercise also contributed significantly to the discriminant function. These results demonstrate that physical fitness testing in boys facilitates the identification of those at increased risk of becoming physically inactive young adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Physical agents used in the management of chronic pain by physical therapists.

Evidence supporting the use of specific physical agents in the management of chronic pain conditions is not definitive; it is largely incomplete and sometimes contradictory. However, the use of agents in chronic pain management programs is common. Within the broad use of physical agents, they are rarely the sole modality of treatment. A 1995 American Physical Therapy Association position statement asserts that "Without documentation which justifies the necessity of the exclusive use of physical agents/modalities, the use of physical agents/modalities, in the absence of other skilled therapeutic or educational intervention, should not be considered physical therapy". Physical agents may serve as useful adjunctive modalities of pain relief or to enhance the effectiveness of other elements in therapy geared toward resolution of movement impairments and restoration of physical function. Given that a conclusive aggregate of findings is unlikely to exist for all permutations of patient conditions, combined with interacting therapeutic modalities, an evidence-based approach to pain management is not always possible or beneficial to the patient. In the face of inconclusive evidence, a theory-based approach may help determine if the therapeutic effect ofa given physical agent has the possibility of being a useful clinical tool in the context of treating a particular patient's mechanism of pain generation. Until controlled efficacy findings are definitive, careful individual patient response monitoring of thoughtful theoretical application of adjunctive physical agents may be a prudent approach to the management of chronic pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Physical activity, physical fitness, and all-cause mortality in women: do women need to be active?

Physical inactivity is associated with higher mortality rates in most studies in men, but studies in women are more equivocal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of sedentary living habits to all-cause mortality in women. A group of 3,120 adult women completed a preventive medical examination, and were followed for approximately 8 years for mortality. There were 43 deaths and a total of 25,433 person-years observed during follow-up. Physical fitness was assessed at baseline by a maximal exercise test on a treadmill, and physical activity was estimated by a self-administered questionnaire. Age-adjusted all-cause mortality rates were significantly inversely associated with physical fitness. Death rates were 40, 16, and 7 per 10,000 person-years of follow-up across low, moderate, and high categories of physical fitness, respectively. However, death rates did not differ across low, moderate, and high categories of physical activity. These findings are different than for men in the same study, where both physical activity and physical fitness were inversely associated with mortality risk. We attribute the lack of association between physical activity and mortality in women to be due to inadequate assessment of activity, and that this also is the likely explanation for the difference in results between women and men in published studies of physical activity and mortality.

Adult↗