Public Health Commons^™

Which Activities Count? Gender And Socioeconomic Differences In The Conceptualization Of Physical Activity: The Role Of Leisure, Housework And Dependent Care, And Paid Work, Rachel N. Cusatis

Theses and Dissertations

Survey research on the overall health and physical activity of the United States has relied on self-reports from questions that ask about leisure-only activity. Leisure activity patterns are known to be plagued by social forces that inhibit access and opportunity for women, compared to men, and for lower-socioeconomic individuals, compared to higher-socioeconomic individuals, making the further unpacking of leisure and other time use patterns imperative. To address this, the objective of this dissertation is to assess the different pathways individuals take to engage in health-benefiting physical activity and investigate the reliability and validity of physical activity survey questions as they …

Exploring Factors Influencing Health Promoting Behaviors Among Latino Immigrants, Martin Joseph Mikell

Theses and Dissertations

Latinos immigrants may experience stress during acculturation to the U. S., which can influence their ability to engage in health-promoting behaviors, such as dietary intake and physical activity. Dietary intake and physical activity influence the prevention or development of pre-diabetes/Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). The immigrant’s ability to perform health-promoting behaviors can also be influenced by their perceptions of self-efficacy to engage in health-promoting behaviors. Limited information is available in the literature on effective strategies for decreasing stress during the acculturation process of Latino immigrants, while also increasing self-efficacy on health-promoting behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the …

Using Omaha System Documentation To Understand Physical Activity Among Rural Women, Jeanette Melissa Olsen

Theses and Dissertations

Rural women are more inactive and have different barriers to physical activity than those who live in more urban settings, yet few studies have specifically examined physical activity and associated factors in this population. Clinical data documented with standardized terminology by nurses caring for rural women may provide an opportunity to generate evidence that informs and improves nursing care. However, the knowledge to be gained and utility of nurses' clinical documentation in regard to physical activity have not been explored. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to increase understanding of physical activity and associated factors among rural women by …

Examining Mediators To Physical Activity As A Link To Interventional Efforts Aimed At Increasing Activity Levels And Improving Physical Functioning In Older Adults, Christopher Dondzila

Theses and Dissertations

The number of older adults living in the United States is growing at an increasingly rapid rate, and is host to a high prevalence of chronic diseases and physical impairments. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to be beneficial in impacting such conditions, yet the majority of older adults remain inactive. The purpose of this dissertation was to employ a sequence of studies to investigate mediators to physical activity, leading to an intervention to increase activity and promote health.

The purpose of Project VOICE was to examine whether awareness and utilization of community resources to promote physical activity and …