Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Housing, The Neighborhood Environment, And Physical Activity Among Older African Americans, Lonnie Hannon Iii, Patricia Sawyer, Richard M. Allman

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Abstract

This study examines the association of neighborhood environment, as measured by housing factors, with physical activity among older African Americans. Context is provided on the effects of structural inequality as an inhibitor of health enhancing neighborhood environments. The study population included African Americans participating in the UAB Study of Aging (n=433). Participants demonstrated the ability to walk during a baseline in-home assessment. The strength and independence of housing factors were assessed using neighborhood walking for exercise as the outcome variable. Sociodemographic data, co-morbid medical conditions, and rural/urban residence were included as independent control factors. Homeownership, occupancy, and length of …

Effects Of Exercise On Ampk Signaling And Downstream Components To Pi3k In Rat With Type 2 Diabetes, Shicheng Cao, Bowen Li, Xuejie Yi, Bo Chang, Beibei Zhu, Zhenzhen Lian, Zhaoran Zhang, Gang Zhao, Huili Liu, He Zhang

Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center Faculty Publications

Exercise can increase skeletal muscle sensitivity to insulin, improve insulin resistance and regulate glucose homeostasis in rat models of type 2 diabetes. However, the potential mechanism remains poorly understood. In this study, we established a male Sprague-Dawley rat model of type 2 diabetes, with insulin resistance and β cell dysfunction, which was induced by a high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin to replicate the pathogenesis and metabolic characteristics of type 2 diabetes in humans. We also investigated the possible mechanism by which chronic and acute exercise improves metabolism, and the phosphorylation and expression of components of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and …

Exploring The Differences Between Adult Cancer Survivors And Their Caregivers' Social Support, Self-Efficacy For Physical Activity, Physical Activity Behavior, And Quality Of Life, Fedricker Diane Barber

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Less than 20% of cancer survivors meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Research reporting positive impact of social support on PA in cancer survivors has not included their caregivers' PA. A review of the literature examining social support and PA in cancer survivors supported including caregivers in developing strategies to increase PA in cancer survivors. The purposes of this study were: (1) to explore the differences and relationships between adult cancer survivors' and caregivers' social support, self-efficacy for physical activity (SEPA), PA, and quality of life (QOL), and (2) understand cancer survivors and caregivers' perception of social support in PA …

Effect Of Telephone Counseling On Physical Activity Among Older Adult Cancer Survivors, Ellen C. Mullen

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

The elderly population, especially those with cancer coupled with low health literacy, is at high risk for poor health outcomes. Telephone counseling has been shown to be effective in improving health behaviors among other populations, but it has not been studied for older adult cancer survivors. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the effectiveness of telephone counseling on physical activity among older adult cancer survivors (n=50). The relationship between health literacy level and perceived changes in physical activity was assessed. Based on existing literature and Orem's Theory of Self-care, the following hypotheses were tested: H1: Telephone …

The Estimation Of Caloric Expenditure Using Three Triaxial Accelerometers, Tyrone Gene Ceaser

Doctoral Dissertations

Accelerometer-based activity monitors are commonly used to measure physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE). Newly designed wrist and hip-worn triaxial accelerometers claim to accurately predict PAEE across a range of activities. Purpose: To determine if the Nike FuelBand (NFB), Fitbit (FB) and ActiGraph GT3X+ (AG) estimate PAEE in various activities. Methods: 21 healthy, college-aged adults wore a NFB on the right wrist, a FB on the left hip, and AG on the right hip, while performing 17 activities. AG data were analyzed using Freedson’s kcal regression equation. PAEE was measured using the Cosmed K4b² (K4). Repeated measures ANOVAs were used …

Effects Of Obesity On Thermoregulation And Cardiovascular Function During Exercise In Females, Jon David Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shown that obese individuals are at greater risk for heat illnesses because of impaired thermoregulation. However, laboratory studies investigating cardiovascular and thermoregulatory function in obese individuals are difficult to interpret because of low sample sizes and methodological concerns. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in thermoregulatory and cardiovascular function between obese and non-obese females. Twenty-four females, 13 obese (43.3 ± 4 .3 % fat, 77.2 ± 13.7 kg) and 11 non-obese (27.8 ± 6.0 % fat, 55.7±6.7 kg), cycled for 60 min in a warm environment (~40°C, 30% humidity) at a …

Behavioral Changes For African Americans To Improve Health, Embrace Culture, And Minimize Disparities, Dashiel J. Geyen Ed.D., M.P.H.

The Bridge: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Legal & Social Policy

In spite of significant advances in the prevention, diagnoses, and treatment of most chronic diseases, there is evidence that racial and ethnic people of color tend to receive lower quality of care and less preventive interventions than the majority members of a community. While our health system should improve its efforts at addressing and reducing disproportionality in health care, African Americans can make behavioral changes through diet and exercise that will reduce their susceptibility to chronic illnesses. This article first reviews the prevalence, disparities, and characteristics of chronic diseases impacting the African American population. Second, it discusses culturally connected practices …

Joint Effect Of Genetic And Lifestyle Risk Factors On Type 2 Diabetes Risk Among Chinese Men And Women, Raquel Villegas, Ryan Delahanty, Yu-Tang Gao, Jirong Long, Scott M. Williams, Yong-Bing Xiang, Hui Cai, Hong-Lan Li, Frank Hu, Qiuyin Cai, Wei Zheng, Xiao-Ou Shu

Dartmouth Scholarship

More than 40 genetic susceptibility loci have been reported for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Recently, the combined effect of genetic variants has been investigated by calculating a genetic risk score. We evaluated 36 genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified SNPs in 2,679 T2D cases and 3322 controls in middle-age Han Chinese. Fourteen SNPs were significantly associated with T2D in analysis adjusted for age, sex and BMI. We calculated two genetic risk scores (GRS) (GRS1 with all the 36 SNPs and GRS2 with the 14 SNPs significantly associated with T2D). The odds ratio for T2D with each GRS point (per risk allele) …

Antenatal Physical Activity Counseling Among Healthcare Providers, Jenn Leiferman, Margaret Gutilla, James Paulson, Jim Pivarnik

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Pregnant women often report a lack of knowledge concerning the safety of exercising during pregnancy. Healthcare providers play an integral role in providing pregnant women with the necessary knowledge to promote antenatal physical activity. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess healthcare providers’ beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and practices related to antenatal physical activity counseling.

Study Design: 188 Providers (i.e. obstetricians, midwives, and family medicine physicians) completed a 39 closed-item survey. Characteristics among healthcare providers’ physical activity counseling practices as well as belief, attitudes and knowledge were explored.

Results: The majority of all providers agreed that physical activity …

Comparison Of Glucose Monitoring Methods During Steady-State Exercise In Women, Stefanie J. Herrington, David L. Gee, Shireen D. Dow, Keith A. Monosky, Erika Davis, Kelly Pritchett

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Data from Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems may help improve overall daily glycemia; however, the accuracy of CGM during exercise remains questionable. The objective of this single group experimental study was to compare CGM-estimated values to venous plasma glucose (VPG) and capillary plasma glucose (CPG) during steady-state exercise. Twelve recreationally active females without diabetes (aged 21.8 ± 2.4 years), from Central Washington University completed the study. CGM is used by individuals with diabetes, however the purpose of this study was to first validate the use of this device during exercise for anyone. Data were collected between November 2009 and April …

Body Composition, Physical Fitness, Functional Performance, Quality Of Life, And Fatigue Benefits Of Exercise For Prostate Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review, Justin W. L. Keogh, Roderick D. Macleod

Justin Keogh

Context: Prostate cancer patients, especially those on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), experience many symptoms that make it difficult to maintain their independence and quality of life. Because ADT acts by means of reducing testosterone production, exercise may offset many of the ADT side effects and those of the cancer itself.Objectives: This systematic review of the literature evaluates whether exercise could reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for prostate cancer patients.Methods: Using relevant databases and key words, 12 training studies were found meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results: Grade A level evidence was observed for the benefits of exercise in …

How Prostate Cancer Patients Cope With The Effects Of Diagnosis And Treatment: Development Of The Effects Of Prostate Cancer Coping Strategies Scale, Christopher Sharpley, Vicki Bitsika, David Christie

Vicki Bitsika

Background: The elevated anxiety and depression experienced by prostate cancer (PCa) patients can impair their decision-making as well as decrease their psychological well-being and weaken relationships with partner and family. Although standardised assessment models exist for identifying the symptoms of anxiety or depression, relatively little attention has been given to identifying the causal antecedents that PCa patients encounter and that may lead to anxiety or depression, nor their own attempts to cope with those antecedents. This study investigated the coping strategies used by a sample of PCa patients in response to the specific stressors and lifestyle changes that arose from …

Motivation, Psychological Distress And Exercise Adherence Following Myocardial Infarction, Angela Ljubic, Frank P. Deane, Robert Zecchin, Richard Denniss

Frank Deane

Fifty patients with myocardial infarction were recruited from a hospital based Cardiac Education and Assessment Program (CEAP) in Sydney, Australia. The Exercise Motivation Inventory-2 (EMI-2) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) were administered prior to commencement in the program and re-administered by telephone interview at 5-month followup. Four exercise adherence measures were completed: attendance, exercise stress test, self-report ratings and a 7-day activity recall interview. There was a 46% adherence rate for MI patients during the hospital based CEAP. Of those individuals who completed CEAP, 91% obtained functional improvement on the exercise stress test. For the 38 patients …

Effects Of A Home-Based Exercise Program On Perception Of Illness And Adaptation In Heart Failure Patients, Robin Faust Harris

Doctoral Dissertations

Patients experience decreased functional capacity from chronic symptoms associated with heart failure. Exercise increases activity tolerance and quality of life in heart failure patients. Physiologic responses to exercise in heart failure patients have been well-documented. In contrast, the effects of exercise on an individual’s perception of degree of disability due to chronic illness and their adaptive responses to heart failure have not been studied. The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effects of a 12-week home-based combined aerobic and resistance training exercise intervention on an individual’s perception of degree of disability and adaptive responses to chronic …

Predicting Exercise Adherence In College Students Using A Self-Determination Theory Framework, Megan M. Clarke

Master's Theses

College is a pivotal time for weight gain and unhealthy behavior changes in many young adults. Decreases in physical activity are common in this age group and likely contribute to the 1.6 to 1.8 kg weight gain that is often observed in the first year of college. Identifying groups of students who are at high-risk for decreasing or discontinuing physical activity may help develop more targeted interventions. The present study explored physical activity patterns in the first semester of college and examined predictors of exercise decreases to levels below recommended daily values within a Self-Determination Theory framework. Incoming freshman (n=174; …

The Effect Of Ad Libitum Hydration On Cognitive Function Following Exercise In The Heat, Matthew Wittbrodt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effect of different hydration strategies on physiological and cognitive variables after an exercise bout in the heat. On three occasions, twelve males performed three heat stress tests of 50min at 60%VO_2peak in a hot environment (32°C; 65%RH). The heat stress tests differed in hydration strategy to be implemented during exercise (NF: no fluid, AL: ad libitum, FR: full fluid replacement). A cognitive battery was administered pre-­ and post-­exercise to examine alterations in cognition. Fluid loss during NF was greater than the AL and FR (NF: 1.54 %; AL: 0.29 …

Influence Of A Short-Term, Multicomponent Intervention On Balance And Strength Among The Elderly, Pamela C. Webert

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Background: Few studies have combined strength and balance training to assess improvement of activities of daily living among subjects over the age of 65. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how an eight-week balance and strength training program can lead to improvements in activities of daily living among elderly individuals.

Methods: The subjects consisted of 14 elderly women and 3 elderly men who were all residents of an independent living community. There were 10 subjects in the intervention group and 7 subjects in the control group. The intervention group participated in a supervised balance and strength …

Food Deserts And Their Association With Obesity And Diabetes In Ohio, Alexis Holmes, Detra Thompson

Master of Public Health Program Student Publications

Objective- The purpose of this study was to explore the association of food access, and availability, on prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Ohio census tracts designated as food deserts.

Methods- County and census tract-level data were combined from the USDA Food Environment Atlas and USDA Food Desert Locator respectively. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Non-normally distributed variables were assessed using the Mann-Whitney nonparametric U-test and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Significance was considered at the p

Results- The mean rate of obesity and diabetes in Ohio in food deserts are 29.5% and 10.7%, when …

Review And Critique Of The Quality Of Exercise Recommendations For Cancer Patients And Survivors, Nancy Humpel, Donald Iverson

Don C. Iverson

The benefit of exercise for cancer patients is starting to become recognized. The purposes of this paper were to review the literature to examine whether research findings are being converted into guidelines for patients and survivors and to examine the quality of evidence on which they were based. A computer search of major health databases was conducted for peer-reviewed literature and books on exercise and cancer, and an Internet search was conducted for cancer websites reporting any exercise guidelines/recommendations for cancer patients. Seven peer-reviewed articles, eight books and eight cancer websites were identified that suggested exercise guidelines for cancer patients …

Mechanomyography; Lasers For Non-Invasive Quantification Of Muscle Recovery From Exercise Induced Fatigue, Nicholas Rosser, Darryl Mcandrew, Donald Iverson

Don C. Iverson

Muscle fatigue is a common clinical sign and possible precursor to musculoskeletal injury. Existing methods of detecting muscle fatigue qualify changes within muscle or across joints, but are expensive, invasive or difficult to use. A technique of mechanomyography utilising maximal percutaneous stimulation (known as the Muscle Displacement Laser {MDL}) is an easy non-invasive assessment tool, which may have considerable application in measuring muscle fatigue and determining recovery. Specifically, this study attempted to validate the MDL as a tool to measure muscle fatigue and determine the time-course of recovery from Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness in human biceps brachii muscle. Methods: …

Health Education Research: Accomplishment Or Exercise, Donald Iverson, M Hosakawa

Don C. Iverson

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of The Environment On Play Participation In Children With Disabilities, Marcia Hamilton

Occupational Therapy Collection

Children with disabilities face challenges with accessing opportunities to play and physical activity (Owen, 2010). Statistical evidence supports the concern for the growing issue of secondary health problems related to lack of physical activity (Cooper, 1999; Council on Disabilities, 2008; Heath, 1997; National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2008; Spencer-Cavalier and Watkinson, 2010, US Department of Education, 2005). This is of further concern because of a rising incidence of disability in children (US Department of Education, 2005). This research was conducted to help provide an understanding of how children with disabilities can access play. Eleven children with moderate to …

Examining The Effects Of Exercise On Stressed Individuals Alcohol Expectancies, Maria Magavern

Honors Theses

The current study examined the effect of exercise habits on alcohol expectancies and drinking behaviors. Previous research has suggested that under times of stress, individuals, especially without alternative effective coping mechanisms, often turn to alcohol (Cooper, Russell, Skinner, Frone, & Mudar, 1992). Exercise and alcohol produce many of the same psychological effects and both serve as stress reducers (Brown, Read, Marcus, Jakicic, Strong, Oakley, Ramsey, Kahler, Stuart, Dubreuil, & Gordon, 2010). The Discounting Principal reveals a tendency to discount all other causes when there is support that a given cause is already known to be responsible for a given event …

Cybercycling For Cognitive Health: Comparing Physical Mental And Combined Exercise, Anna Scribner

Honors Theses

Several meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCT) have shown exercise to improve cognitive function in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia (Colcombe & Kramer, 2003, O’ Leary et al., 2011). Cognitive benefit from mental exercise alone is less definitive. A recent RCT (Anderson-Hanley et al., 2012) found greater benefit from three months of virtual-reality enhanced exercise than physical exercise alone among 79 independent living older adults. The current study aimed to replicate this work. In this study, six seniors that either lived or worked at Schaffer Heights were enrolled in the study. Participants were randomized into one of …

Cardiorespiratory Fitness Reduces The Risk Of Incident Hypertension Associated With A Parental History Of Hypertension, Robin P. Shook, Duck-Chul Lee, Xuemei Sui, Vivek Prasad, Steven P. Hooker, Timothy S. Church, Steven N. Blair

Faculty Publications

Family history of hypertension increases the risk of an individual to develop hypertension, whereas moderate-to-high cardiorespiratory fitness has the opposite effect. However, the joint association of each on the development of hypertension is not well understood. We studied fitness and incident hypertension in 6278 participants who were given a preventative medical examination. Thirty-three percent reported a parent with hypertension, and there were 1545 cases of incident hypertension after a mean of 4.7 years. The presence of parental hypertension was associated with a 28% higher risk of developing hypertension after adjustments for age, sex, and examination year. After further adjustments for …

Promoting Physical Activity In Low Income African Americans: Project Laps, Dorothy W. Pekmezi, Brooke L. Barbera, Jamie S. Bodenlos, Glenn N. Jones, Phillip J. Brantley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Low income African Americans are at increased risk for physical inactivity and related chronic illnesses. Thus, effective interventions are needed to address these health disparities. The current study examined the efficacy of a home-based physical activity intervention among a low income African American sample with high rates of chronic illnesses (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol). Participants (n=214) were randomly assigned to either the home-based physical activity intervention (self-help print materials, five monthly newsletters, two telephone counseling sessions) or an attention control condition, which promoted healthy diet. Results indicated that the intervention did not produce significantly greater increases in physical activity …

The Effects Of Music Genre On Rate Of Perceived Exertion In Aerobics Classes, Hannah Hogue

Honors Theses

Upon entering an exercise facility it would be inconceivable not to hear some form of music playing while people are exercising. Whether music is playing over the loudspeakers, or individuals are listening to their iPods, music is a vital part of exercise for many individuals. With so much emphasis on listening to music during physical activity the question arises, “What makes music such a popular component of exercise?” Many studies have assessed the effects of music on exercise (Elliott, 2007; Karageorghis, 1999; Karageorghis & Priest, 2008; Kravitz, 1994; Matesic & Cromartie, 2002). These studies indicate that music has positive effects …

The Benefits Of Exercise During Pregnancy, Nikelle Holbrook Hunsaker

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

People are often confused about the effects and recommendations of exercise during pregnancy. A review of the literature demonstrates that regular physical activity provides benefits to both mother and fetus during pregnancy. These benefits range from decreasing the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus to improving the mother's psychological well-being and can be obtained without causing harm to the fetus. The recommendations for physical activity during pregnancy include thirty minutes of physical activity on most, if not all, days of the week. These recommendations are the same as those for non-pregnant individuals. Contrary to popular opinion, a sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy …

An Analysis Of Functional Status In Multiple Sclerosis Patients After Progressive Non-Aerobic High-Intensity Maximal Effort Exercise (Mee), Hilda Lai, Michael L. Kuchera, R T. Dombroski, T Vardy, F Thomas, S O’Brien, P Yagnik, K Wenzel, S Stoll, Bruce C. Stouch, M. T. Wallin, I. Vargas,, Olufolake Odutola

Research Day

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease with a wide-ranging impact on functional status. MS patient function has been assessed using Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite Score (MSFCS). The MSFCS includes the standardized scores (Z-score) of three functional tests: the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT-3”) for cognitive function, 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) for upper extremity function, and timed 25-foot walk (25-TW) for lower extremity function. One of the most common symptoms experienced by MS patients is severe fatigue, often brought on suddenly by aerobic exercise. Non-aerobic maximal effort exercise (MEE) is thought to increase strength without increasing fatigue. The …

The Effect Of Progressive Non-Aerobic High-Intensity Maximal Effort Exercise (Mee) On The Health-Related Quality Of Life In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Olufolake Odutola, Michael L. Kuchera, R T. Dombroski, T Vardy, F Thomas, S O’Brien, P Yagnik, K Wenzel, S Stoll, Bruce C. Stouch, M T. W, I Vargas, Hilda Lai

Research Day

Background: Studies indicate that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients are less satisfied with the quality of their lives than healthy individuals in similar circumstances. Common symptoms experienced include fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, pain, spasticity, depression, bladder/bowel dysfunction and sexual dysfunction. Several pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods have been employed for such symptoms to try to increase quality of life and reduce the mortality rate. Non-pharmacological methods recommended for MS patients include lifestyle modifications, exercise programs and physical therapy. MS patients easily fatigue during aerobic exercise but a non-aerobic progressive maximal effort exercise (MEE) protocol consisting of a few short, duration isometric and eccentric …