scholarly journals ‘Just because I’m old it doesn’t mean I have to be fat’: a qualitative study exploring older adults’ views and experiences of weight management

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e025680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E Jackson ◽  
Linn Holter ◽  
Rebecca J Beeken
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore older adults’ beliefs about the appropriateness of weight management, and how their experiences and expectations of weight management have changed as they have got older.DesignQualitative semistructured interview study.SettingUK.ParticipantsOlder adults (≥65 years) in the UK who had recent (<5 years) experience of trying to manage their weight (n=15; 12 women; 73% white British).ResultsData were analysed using thematic analysis. Emergent themes highlighted that weight remained a concern for many older adults, although having a high body weight was seen to be more acceptable at older than younger ages. Excess weight was reported to have negative consequences for health and well-being which participants felt could be alleviated by losing weight. Participants were motivated to lose weight for appearance and health reasons, but mentioned finding it harder to lose weight as they had got older and generally felt they had received limited guidance on weight management from health professionals.ConclusionsThe views of our participants highlight the need for further research into safe and effective methods of weight loss for older people and indicate that advice and support from health professionals would be welcomed.

scholarly journals A Scoping Review of Psychological Sense of Community among Community Dwelling Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 965-965
Author(s):  
Thomas Buckley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Psychological Sense Of Community ◽  
Psychological Sense ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Psychological sense of community (PSOC) is an important construct for health and well-being outcomes for older adults. Drawing on the Ecological Theory of Aging and the Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) framework, this scoping review explored how PSOC has been used in research with community dwelling older adults. I followed Arksey and O’Malley's (2005) scoping review guidelines. Initial database searches yielded 860 articles. I included 33 in the final sample. I grouped articles based on study populations and conceptualization and operationalization of PSOC. I used thematic analysis to explore topic areas and main findings. The AFC framework guided development of themes and others emerged during analysis. Results show most studies used Asian or White samples and focused on geographic community or neighborhoods. Among the several measures of PSOC, the Brief Sense of Community Scale performed best with older adults. Topical research areas in the thematic analysis were built (1) built environment and neighborhoods, (2) social participation and connection, (3) civic participation, (4) PSOC as a protective factor, (5) health and well-being, (6) relocation, and (7) scale development. PSOC was a consistent predictor of health and well-being and served as a mediator to link neighborhood or environmental characteristics with health and well-being. Future research needs to examine PSOC in geographically and culturally diverse samples and conduct further psychometric testing of PSOC scales with older adults. PSOC is conceptually related to the AFC framework and serves as a mechanism that links AFC features and well-being outcomes. These results can inform practice and refine theory.

scholarly journals Health professionals’ perceptions of weight loss programmes and recommendations for future implementation: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e039667
Author(s):  
Christina Jessen-Winge ◽  
Pia Marie Ilvig ◽  
Trine Thilsing ◽  
Kim Lee ◽  
Heather Fritz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Holistic Approaches ◽  
Weight Loss Programme ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Health And Well Being

ObjectiveObesity is an increasing public health challenge and most weight loss programmes are still inadequate to support sustainable weight loss. One reason for the continued lack of success might be the dominant biomedical, individualised approach to weight loss. Holistic approaches that focus on overall health and well-being in addition to weight loss are increasingly recommended. In Denmark, health professionals in the municipalities are responsible for developing and conducting weight loss programmes. The objective of this study was to explore what health professional’s perceived as an ideal, holistic weight loss programme that could be feasibly implemented in the municipalities.DesignA phenomenological-hermeneutical qualitative study was performed using semistructured interviews.SettingThirty-two Danish municipalities were weight loss programmes are developed and conducted.ParticipantsThirty-five health professionals with experience conducting weight loss programmes.ResultsThree themes emerged from the analysis: Support from the social network are important both during and after a weight loss, Changing the self-belief by positive discussions and doing activities, Maintaining changes through daily life.ConclusionFuture municipal weight loss programmes should emphasise overall health and well-being instead of weight loss and adopt a holistic approach including a focus on social relationships, meaningful activities and successes as part of a balanced daily life.

The moralization of healthy living: Burke’s rhetoric of rebirth and older adults’ accounts of healthy eating

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 619-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippa Spoel ◽  
Roma Harris ◽  
Flis Henwood
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Lived Experience ◽  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Rhetorical Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Healthy Living ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Health And Well Being

This article develops a rhetorical analysis of how older adults in Canada and the UK engage with civic-moral imperatives of healthy living. The analysis draws on Burke’s concepts of ‘symbolic hierarchies’ and the ‘rhetoric of rebirth’ to explore how participants discursively negotiate the moralizing framework of self-regulation and self-improvement central to healthy eating discourse, in particular. Working from the premise that healthy eating is a ‘principle of perfection’ that citizens are encouraged to strive to achieve, the article traces the vocabularies and logical distinctions of ‘guilt’, ‘purification’ and ‘redemption’ in participants’ accounts of what healthy eating means to them. This analysis reveals some of the complex, situated and often strategic ways in which they rearticulate and reconfigure the normative imperatives of healthy eating in ways suited to their lived experience and their priorities for health and well-being in older age.

scholarly journals Taking charge of eczema self-management: a qualitative interview study with young people with eczema

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. e044005
Author(s):  
Kate Greenwell ◽  
Daniela Ghio ◽  
Ingrid Muller ◽  
Amanda Roberts ◽  
Abigail McNiven ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Qualitative Interview Study ◽  
The Uk

ObjectivesTo explore young people’s experiences of eczema self-management and interacting with health professionals.DesignSecondary qualitative data analysis of data sets from two semistructured interview studies. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.SettingParticipants were recruited from the UK primary care, dermatology departments and a community-based sample (eg, patient representative groups, social media).ParticipantsData included 28 interviews with young people with eczema aged 13–25 years (mean age=19.5 years; 20 female).ResultsAlthough topical treatments were generally perceived as effective, young people expressed doubts about their long-term effectiveness, and concerns around the safety and an over-reliance on topical corticosteroids. Participants welcomed the opportunity to take an active role in their eczema management, but new roles and responsibilities also came with initial apprehension and challenges, including communicating their treatment concerns and preferences with health professionals, feeling unprepared for transition to an adult clinic and obtaining treatments. Decisions regarding whether to engage in behaviours that would exacerbate their eczema (eg, irritants/triggers, scratching) were influenced by young people’s beliefs regarding negative consequences of these behaviours, and perceived control over the behaviour and its negative consequences.ConclusionsBehavioural change interventions must address the treatment concerns of young people and equip them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to take an active role in their own eczema management.

A positive psychology study and intervention on the well-being of French PhD students in biology

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Marais ◽  
Rebecca Shankland ◽  
Pascale Haag ◽  
Robin Fiault ◽  
Bridget Juniper
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Positive Psychology ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Reference Sample ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Human Costs ◽  
The Uk ◽  
And Control ◽  
Health And Well Being

In France, little data are available on mental health and well-being in academia, and nothing has been published about PhD students. From studies abroad, we know that doing a PhD is a difficult experience resulting in high attrition rates with significant financial and human costs. Here we focused on PhD students in biology at university Lyon 1. A first study aimed at measuring the mental health and well-being of PhD students using several generalist and PhD-specific tools. Our results on 136 participants showed that a large fraction of the PhD students experience abnormal levels of stress, depression and anxiety, and their mean well-being score is significantly lower than that of a British reference sample. French PhD student well-being is specifically affected by career uncertainty, perceived lack of progress in the PhD and perceived lack of competence, which points towards possible cultural differences of experiencing a PhD in France and the UK. In a second study, we carried out a positive psychology intervention. Comparing the scores of the test and control groups showed a clear effect of the intervention on reducing anxiety. We discuss our results and the possible future steps to improve French PhD students’ well-being.

Lighting and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Spotlight on sleep and depression

2021 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 405-422
Author(s):  
MG Figueiro ◽  
HC Kales
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disease ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Pharmacological Intervention ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Positive Results

Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is the collective term for a progressive neurodegenerative disease for which there is presently no cure. This paper focuses on two symptoms of the disease, sleep disturbances and depression, and discusses how light can be used as a non-pharmacological intervention to mitigate their negative effects. Bright days and dark nights are needed for health and well-being, but the present components of the built environment, especially those places where older adults spend most of their days, are too dimly illuminated during the day and too bright at night. To be effective light needs to be correctly specified, implemented and measured. Yet, without the appropriate specification and measurement of the stimulus, researchers will not be able to successfully demonstrate positive results in the field, nor will lighting designers and specifiers have the confidence to implement lighting solutions for promoting better sleep and mood in this population.

scholarly journals The Health and Well-Being of African-American Older Adults With a History of Incarceration

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 506-506
Author(s):  
Rodlescia Sneed
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Formerly Incarcerated ◽  
Older Prisoners ◽  
Health Related ◽  
History Of ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
African American Older Adults

Abstract African-Americans are overrepresented in the criminal justice system. Longer prison stays and release programs for older prisoners may result in an increased number of community-dwelling older adults with a history of incarceration. In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in research on health-related outcomes for currently incarcerated older adults; however, there has been little inquiry into outcomes for formerly incarcerated African-American older adults following community re-entry. In this study, we used secondary data from the Health and Retirement Study to describe employment, economic, and health-related outcomes in this population. Twelve percent of the 2238 African-Americans in our sample had been previously incarcerated. Those who had been previously incarcerated had higher rates of lung disease, arthritis, back problems, mobility problems, and mental health issues than their counterparts. They also had higher rates of hospitalization and lower use of dental health services. Further, while they did not experience lower employment rates than those with no criminal history, those who had been incarcerated had more physically demanding jobs and reported greater economic strain. Given the disproportionate incarceration rates among African-Americans, the aging of the prison population, and the increase in community re-entry for older prisoners, research that explores factors that impact the health and well-being of formerly incarcerated individuals has broad impact. Future work should focus on addressing the needs of this vulnerable population of African-American older adults.

scholarly journals Capitalizing on Virtual Delivery of Community Programs to Support Health and Well-Being of Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L Vincenzo ◽  
Colleen Hergott ◽  
Lori Schrodt ◽  
Beth Rohrer ◽  
Jennifer Brach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Programs ◽  
Health And Well Being
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