Search Results (69)

Introduction: Longevity is increasingly recognized as the result of modifiable lifestyle, environmental, and social factors rather than genetics alone. While global interest in healthy aging is growing, public awareness of these determinants remains understudied in the Middle East. This study aimed to assess public awareness and perceptions of longevity-related factors among adults in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 targeting residents of Saudi Arabia aged 18 and above. A researcher-validated questionnaire explored awareness across various domains, including lifestyle, environment, genetics, sleep, and religious beliefs. Perceptions were assessed using a series of items measuring beliefs about the influence of lifestyle, environmental, technological, and cultural factors on health and longevity. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze responses from 395 participants. Results: The sample included 395 participants, with 67.8% females and more than half (51.4%) aged 18–25 years. The participants exhibited high awareness of key lifestyle factors; greater than 88% acknowledged the role of sleep, and more than 90% recognized the importance of exercise and nutrition. However, fewer were aware of environmental (72.2%) or social determinants, and nearly half believed that genetic factors exert a primary influence on longevity. Higher awareness was significantly associated with behaviors like regular exercise (p = 0.004), dietary supplement use (p = 0.002), and recognition of the importance of sleep (p < 0.001). Younger adults showed higher awareness than older adults, while there were no significant differences in regards to gender, education, and income. Support for incorporating religious themes into health campaigns was also linked to greater awareness. Insurance status and chronic illness were not associated with awareness levels. Conclusions: While awareness of lifestyle-related longevity factors is strong, gaps remain in understanding broader influences such as environmental and social determinants. Culturally grounded public health strategies that integrate religious framing and emphasize actionable, evidence-based behaviors may enhance community engagement and support healthy aging across Saudi Arabia. Full article

Background: Vast spatial mobility changes happened globally during the COVID-19 pandemic, profoundly affecting older adults’ well-being and active aging experience. This study aims to examine how the virtual environment and cyberspace, in conjunction with the physical and social neighbourhood environments, influence outdoor activities and spatial mobility for older immigrants. Methods: Four online focus groups were conducted with 25 older Chinese immigrants aged 65 and over in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. The focus groups explored coping strategies during the pandemic and spatial mobility patterns related to different activity types such as grocery shopping, leisure activities and physical exercises, social and familial activities, and healthcare. Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted guided by the neighbourhood and health theoretical framework. Results: The overall engagement of older Chinese immigrants in various types of outdoor activities declined drastically and the spatial mobility pattern was complex. This change was shaped largely by the intersecting physical/built (e.g., residential conditions, access to public spaces), social (e.g., social support, interpersonal cohesion) and virtual (e.g., online communities and internet-based resources) environmental factors, as well as individual risk perceptions towards COVID-19 and public health interventions during the pandemic. Conclusions: Virtual environment emerged as an important domain that compensates for the heavily reduced spatial mobility of the group during the pandemic. It functioned as a vital channel for older Chinese immigrants to sustain the necessary leisure, social, and healthcare-related activities and maintain well-being during the pandemic. The study provides implications for addressing neighbourhood-level factors in policymaking and implementing initiatives to enhance active ageing experience of older Chinese immigrants. Full article

As online health and wellness programs become more ubiquitous post-pandemic, there is a need to better understand how people with physical disabilities respond to different types of program offerings. Online health promotion programs have become popular in the disability community, and programs offer a range of activities across various wellness domains (e.g., exercise, nutrition). This study examined factors predicting adherence to three different types of online health promotion programs tailored for people with physical disabilities. A survey was developed to examine factors associated with high, moderate, and low adherence to three different types of health promotion programs. Participants who completed an online wellness program were sent a survey that asked questions related to adherence to a range of wellness activities. The three programs included the MENTOR (Mindfulness, Exercise, and Nutrition to Optimize Resilience), GROWTH (Growing Resilience Out of Wellness and Thoughtful Habits), and SOSE (State of Slim Everybody) programs, all of which focus on different self-care strategies. MENTOR focused on educating participants about mindfulness, exercise, and nutrition; GROWTH aimed to deliver mental and emotional health techniques, while SOSE’s purpose was to teach participants how to implement healthy weight loss, weight management, and daily exercise practices. Results indicated that participant perceptions of program delivery, specifically programs being disability friendly, virtual environment enjoyment, having positive instructor relationships, adaptable content, the instructor’s knowledge about disability, the instructor’s use of appropriate language, and program satisfaction, affected the likelihood of high adherence among people with physical disabilities enrolled in the health and wellness programs. Full article

Today, cardiovascular diseases contribute to approximately 17.9 million deaths annually worldwide. With reference to Europe, coronary artery disease (CAD) causes about 3.9 million deaths annually. Considering the positive physical and psychological outcomes of on-site exercise for CAD patients, this study aimed to expand the literature by examining the effects of a 6-month online exercise training program using wearable devices on CAD patients’ perceived well-being, measured with the PERMA profiler. Individual well-being is considered today as an important prerequisite for healthy societies. Thirty patients with a recent myocardial infarction (i.e., <4 weeks) were randomly assigned to either the online home-based or the community-based exercise group. Both groups followed the same 24-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program three times per week. Each session consisted of a 30-min aerobic, followed by a 15-min strength workout, and then a 15-min balance and flexibility training. The results of the Mann–Whitney U tests and the z scores indicated that the Meaning of Life, Health, Accomplishment, Engagement, and Positive Relationship dimensions of the PERMA were statistically improved, and Negative Emotions were decreased. These findings support the importance of cardiac telerehabilitation for patients’ psychological health, demonstrating that online exercise using wearable devices can be a meaningful alternative to on-site exercise for patients with recent myocardial infarction. These results have policy implications as they provide arguments for providing online exercise for CAD patients as an alternative means for improving their psychological health. Full article

Background/Objectives: Dementia leads to cognitive decline, affecting memory, reasoning, and daily activities, often requiring full-time care. Multisensory stimulation (MSS), combined with cognitive tasks, can slow this decline, improving mood, communication, and overall quality of life. This systematic review aims to explore methods that utilize MSS in the rehabilitation of patients with dementia. Its clinical value is rooted in its ability to offer a deep comprehension of how MSS can be successfully incorporated into rehabilitation treatments. Methods: Studies were identified from an online search of PubMed, EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases with a search time frame from 2014 to 2024. This review has been registered on Open OSF (n) 3KUQX. Results: Pilot studies investigating MSS interventions, encompassing Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST), Sonas therapy, and combined physical–cognitive exercise programs, have yielded mixed findings in individuals with dementia. CST has demonstrated significant improvements in general cognitive function, particularly in language skills, offering a promising approach for cognitive enhancement. Sonas therapy, while showing positive trends in some studies, does not consistently achieve statistically significant outcomes across all cognitive domains. Conversely, combined exercise programs have shown efficacy in improving dual-task performance, suggesting benefits for motor–cognitive integration. MSS delivered within specialized environments like Snoezelen rooms consistently produces positive effects on mood, reducing agitation and promoting relaxation. Conclusions: This review emphasizes how MSS can enhance cognitive, emotional, and behavioral results for individuals with dementia. It is essential for future research to standardize protocols, incorporate advanced technologies such as virtual reality, and rectify diversity gaps. Collaboration between different fields will improve the effectiveness and usefulness of MSS in caring for individuals with dementia. Full article

Background: The Beat It program is a clinician-led, community-based group exercise intervention for adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). While previous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in improving physical and mental health outcomes, this study explores the perspectives of Beat It Trainers to identify key factors contributing to the program’s success and areas for improvement. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 Accredited Exercise Physiologists who had delivered both in-person and online versions of the program. Interviews were thematically analyzed using inductive approaches. Results: Eight main themes emerged: customization to individual needs, capability building, outcome improvement, affordability, accessibility, sustainability, and a holistic approach delivered in a group setting. Challenges identified included managing group dynamics, maintaining participant commitment in a fully subsidized program, and providing nutrition advice within the trainers’ scope of practice. The program’s adaptability to both in-person and online delivery modes was highlighted as enhancing its accessibility and resilience. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the factors contributing to the success of the Beat It program from the implementers’ perspective. The findings suggest that investing in comprehensive training for facilitators, particularly in group dynamics management, could benefit similar programs. While the program’s fully subsidized structure reduces financial barriers to entry, innovative strategies to enhance participant engagement and perceived value should be explored. The success of the online delivery mode indicates that hybrid models offering both in-person and virtual options could increase accessibility in future supervised, community-based exercise programs for T2DM management. Full article

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant stay-at-home mandates, local governments in some cities in the United States implemented programs in response to the pandemic. This article focuses on Slow Streets, which were several programs implemented in eleven cities (Los Angeles, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Denver, Chicago, Minneapolis, Detroit, Boston, and New York) in the United States. The programs were intended to keep people healthy by providing temporary public spaces on residential roads where residents were allowed to exercise and socialize. Some practitioners characterized the programs as tactical urbanism or tactical placemaking and as agile responses to the public health crisis. The programs deserve a critical reflection, considering their potential impact on community health and the limited amount of the literature on the program in terms of design justice, which is an approach to design that prioritizes marginalized communities and challenges their structural inequality. This reflective study attempts to fill that gap in the literature of architecture and urban design. This article aims to examine whether the Slow Streets programs promoted design justice. To address that aim, we propose a social justice framework to evaluate the program, because social justice is essential to design justice. Data from publicly available information online about the eleven cities’ Slow Streets programs, interviews, surveys, focus groups, and the interdisciplinary literature support the qualitative research. The study outcomes suggest that the Slow Streets program had limited success because their attention to the priorities of underserved populations was ineffective. We argue that while the programs provided a timely response to the pandemic, the programs did not adequately address the vulnerability of low-income communities of color due to the limited consideration of design justice. Building on the lessons from social justice and human geography, the article concludes with recommendations for future practices including place-cultivating and human geography-informed design to better serve vulnerable communities of color. Full article

Background/Objective: Frailty is a growing public health challenge in Japan’s rapidly aging population, where 28.8% are aged ≥ 65. While multicomponent interventions have shown potential in preventing frailty, traditional face-to-face programs face accessibility challenges. This study evaluated the feasibility and short-term changes of an online multicomponent intervention on frailty-related factors among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: In this single-arm feasibility study, 132 participants (mean age 75.7; standard deviation 4.8 years, 65.2% women) completed a six-week online intervention combining exercise, nutrition education, cognitive activities, and the Coimagination Method to foster social connections, meeting weekly for 75 min sessions in groups of up to 10 participants. Results: The intervention demonstrated feasibility with a 96.4% retention rate and a 94.0% average participation rate. While no significant changes were observed in physical activity levels, autonomic nervous system indicators, or cognitive function, carotenoid scores and hemoglobin concentration improved significantly, with more pronounced improvements among women than men. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the high feasibility of online multicomponent interventions for older adults and suggests potential benefits for nutritional status markers, particularly among women. These findings indicate a promising and accessible approach to frailty prevention, though randomized controlled trials with longer intervention periods and direct frailty assessments are required to establish effectiveness conclusively. Study Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000053089). Full article

Background: In Korea, substantial disparities exist in physical environments across regions, exacerbating the polarization between metropolitan and provincial areas and urban and rural regions. Objectives: This study examines the differences in the physical activity and self-rated health of local communities in relation to satisfaction with the physical environment. By identifying and addressing these underlying causes of health disparities, the study provides foundational data to inform policy efforts. Methods: The study utilized data from the 2023 Community Health Survey conducted by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. It included 231,752 individuals aged 19 and older (105,754 men and 125,998 women) selected through a two-stage probability proportional systematic sampling method. One-on-one online interviews were conducted from 16 May to 31 July 2023. The physical environment was assessed based on public satisfaction with safety, natural and living environments, public transportation, and medical services. Study variables included subjective health status and physical activity, with subvariables for physical activity encompassing the duration of vigorous and moderate physical activity, walking, and flexibility exercises. For data analysis, MANOVA and ANOVA were conducted, with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Results: Considerable variations in physical activity were observed based on satisfaction with the local community environment. Regarding self-rated health, significant differences were found in safety levels, living environment, and medical services. Satisfaction with the physical environment positively influenced physical activity and self-rated health. Conclusion: Therefore, it is imperative to reduce disparities in the physical environment between regions and enhance residents’ satisfaction. Full article

In August 2022, the Free State Provincial Health Research Committee used the online nominal group technique (NGT) for Health Research Priority Setting (HRPS) for the Free State Department of Health (FSDoH) and the research community, considering various stakeholders’ perspectives. This paper explores and describes the identified health research priorities. It also assesses their alignment with the National Health Research Strategy. Additionally, it provides an opinion on the feasibility of using the online NGT for collaborative co-creation of provincial-level health research priorities. Most of the identified health research priorities resonate with the national health research priorities identified by the National Health Research Committee. However, research to “strengthen surveillance” was uniquely perceived to be a priority by the participants in the Free State HRPS exercise. A plausible reason for this might be their heightened awareness of the vital role optimal surveillance systems play in coordinating intersectoral responses to pandemics, particularly considering the serious challenges emerging during the initial stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Full article

Adolescents often experience insufficient sleep and have unhealthy sleep habits. Our aim was to investigate the sleep patterns of secondary education students in Heraklion, Crete, Greece and their association with school performance and health habits. We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study with 831 students aged 13–19 years who completed an online self-reported questionnaire related to sleep and health habits. The data are mostly numerical or categorical, and an analysis was performed using t-tests, chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression. During weekdays, the students slept for an average of 7 ± 1.1 h, which is significantly lower than the 7.8 ± 1.5 h average on weekends (p < 0.001). Nearly 79% reported difficulty waking up and having insufficient sleep time, while 73.8% felt sleepy at school at least once a week. Having sufficient sleep time ≥ 8 h) was positively correlated with better academic performance (OR: 1.48, CI: 1.06–2.07, p = 0.022) and frequent physical exercise (never/rarely: 13.5%, sometimes: 21.2%, often: 65.3%; p = 0.002). Conversely, there was a negative correlation between adequate sleep and both smoking (OR: 0.29, CI: 0.13–0.63) and alcohol consumption (OR: 0.51, CI: 0.36–0.71, p = 0.001). In conclusion, this study shows that students in Heraklion, Crete frequently experience sleep deprivation, which is associated with compromised academic performance, reduced physical activity and an increased likelihood of engaging in unhealthy behaviors like smoking and alcohol consumption. Full article

The purpose of this study was to analyze the mediating role of digital health literacy and the moderating effect of parasocial relationships on the relationship between the viewing experience of health exercise-related YouTube content and the intention for health exercise behavior. Based on the health action process approach, this study established a foundational theoretical model to analyze how digital health literacy mediates the impact of media viewing experience on health exercise behavior intention. Additionally, this study examined the moderating effect of parasocial relationships with YouTube creators. For empirical analysis, variables were measured using a self-administration method among 409 randomly sampled consumers of YouTube health exercise content. The collected data were analyzed using a structural equation model incorporating mediation parameters, and a multigroup model analysis was conducted to understand differences based on parasocial relationships. The results revealed that increased YouTube viewing experience enhanced cognitive, skill, and evaluative components of digital health literacy, which were significant factors in increasing health exercise behavior intention. Notably, the mediating effect of cognition played a crucial role, and the strengthening effect of parasocial relationships on this relationship was confirmed. These findings can be utilized as practical foundational data for designing digital health communication strategies, particularly in developing motivational mechanisms that encourage consumers to engage voluntarily and consistently in health behaviors based on online health information. Full article

The use of technology, especially among young people, is providing new possibilities, including in the academic field, and requires teacher training through the development of skills and competences. At this point, Social Science Didactics plays a fundamental role, as it prepares future teachers to teach social knowledge in order to achieve useful and meaningful learning for students and society. Using an online questionnaire, structured with the Likert scale, which had previously been validated and published by Professors Peart, Gutiérrez-Esteban, and Cubo-Delgado, 156 students of the Degree in Primary Education of the subject Didactics of Social Sciences at the University of Granada (Spain) participated (academic year 2023–2024), with the aim of investigating the digital and socio-civic competences of trainee teachers in order to seek ways to improve their training. The results were processed in the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 programme, carrying out a descriptive statistical analysis, considering the mode and the variance ratio. The participating students mainly use digital environments to communicate with acquaintances and, although they know and value a democratic society, they do not exercise their citizenship on the Internet. This makes it even more necessary to train future teachers in digital competences, based on digital and socio-civic skills, as only in this way will they be able to train citizens capable of facing the challenges of the knowledge society. Full article

The Supporting MumS library of text messages was developed with extensive personal and public involvement (PPI) to help with postpartum weight management and was successfully tested in a feasibility study in Northern Ireland. Before conducting an effectiveness trial, further PPI work was needed to ensure that the dietary and lifestyle advice offered within the SMS text message library was acceptable and culturally relevant for a wide range of women across the United Kingdom (UK). Recruitment was facilitated by existing community networks that helped capture a culturally diverse group of postpartum women who have struggled with their weight. Nineteen women took part in the PPI exercise: n = 4 African–Caribbean (living in London), n = 8 Asian (Bradford), n = 7 white (Scotland). The PPI work followed an iterative process with initial online group discussions, where selected text messages were reviewed and feedback was sought on their language, tone and cultural relevance. This was followed by message adaptation and re-review. Following initial group discussions to understand the main areas for adaptation, PPI work was carried out with individual mums who reviewed the entire library of text messages and provided feedback on all adaptations. Mums liked the humour and the supportive tone of the messages and approximately 15% of the messages were left unchanged. Suggested edits to ensure the messages were acceptable and relevant to women from a range of cultural backgrounds were minor in nature. Suggestions provided by PPI representatives were mainly in relation to broadening the relevance of snack ideas, recipes, food preparation advice, shopping habits (e.g., click and collect services) and workout ideas. Additional feedback included removing colloquialisms and idioms, the meaning of which may be confusing for somebody not familiar with them or a non-native English speaker (e.g., ‘run out of steam’). Personal and Public Involvement provided helpful suggestions for the cultural and regional adaptation of a lifestyle text message intervention in the postpartum period. The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the Supporting MumS study will be tested in a UK-wide trial. Full article

When communicating their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities many companies predominantly release positive information. However, relying solely on positive information holds potential risks. Brands are consequently confronted with the dilemma of whether to exclusively disclose positive details about their environmental CSR activities (i.e., one-sided messages) or opt for voluntary disclosure of positive and negative information (i.e., two-sided messages). Existing literature distinguishes moderately and highly relevant types of negative information. However, prior research has predominantly overlooked the investigation of highly relevant negative CSR information. Therefore, our primary objective is to explore the impact of two-sided messages encompassing highly relevant negative CSR information in comparison to one-sided messages. We conducted four online experiments in two countries with different brands (study 1 (Germany, Mercedes-Benz, n = 457); study 2 (Germany, Porsche, n = 431); study 3 (USA, Mercedes-Benz, n = 468) and study 4 (USA, Tesla, n = 465)). The results reveal that two-sided messages with the disclosure of highly relevant negative CSR information lead to negative effects in comparison to one-sided messages with only positive information. Consequently, brands should exercise caution in communicating highly relevant negative CSR aspects. Our findings offer notable theoretical insights and practical implications. Full article