scholarly journals Bridging the Gap Between Health Psychology and Philosophy: An Existential Approach to Promoting Physical Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Tom St Quinton ◽  
Ben Morris

AbstractParticipation rates in a number of health-related behaviors, such as physical activity, have shown recent declines. To promote participation, psychological health behavior change theories have been developed to understand and help identify relevant psychological processes. Such processes can then be targeted within interventions utilizing specific behavior change techniques (BCTs). Although the use of these theories and BCTs is useful in facilitating change, such work could be enhanced through the inclusion and consideration of philosophical positions. Existentialism suggests that the absurdity and meaningless of human life allows the individual to create their own meaning within a behavior. This philosophical position thus places meaning and individual purpose at the center of human behavior. The purpose of this article is to connect the theoretical insights and BCTs outlined within health psychological behavior change theories with the philosophical position of existentialism. The integration of this philosophical position, and potentially many others, with psychological ideas may provide useful insights into the promotion of health-related behaviors.

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Patha ◽  
Cerissa Hayhurst ◽  
Nicole Ray ◽  
Helen Hilton ◽  
Cassidy Hine ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liliana Laranjo ◽  
Amaël Arguel ◽  
Ana L Neves ◽  
Aideen M Gallagher ◽  
Ruth Kaplan ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Our aim was to evaluate the use and effectiveness of interventions using social networking sites (SNSs) to change health behaviors. Materials and methods Five databases were scanned using a predefined search strategy. Studies were included if they focused on patients/consumers, involved an SNS intervention, had an outcome related to health behavior change, and were prospective. Studies were screened by independent investigators, and assessed using Cochrane's ‘risk of bias’ tool. Randomized controlled trials were pooled in a meta-analysis. Results The database search retrieved 4656 citations; 12 studies (7411 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Facebook was the most utilized SNS, followed by health-specific SNSs, and Twitter. Eight randomized controlled trials were combined in a meta-analysis. A positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior outcomes was found (Hedges’ g 0.24; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.43). There was considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84.0%; T2 = 0.058) and no evidence of publication bias. Discussion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of SNS interventions in changing health-related behaviors. Most studies evaluated multi-component interventions, posing problems in isolating the specific effect of the SNS. Health behavior change theories were seldom mentioned in the included articles, but two particularly innovative studies used ‘network alteration’, showing a positive effect. Overall, SNS interventions appeared to be effective in promoting changes in health-related behaviors, and further research regarding the application of these promising tools is warranted. Conclusions Our study showed a positive effect of SNS interventions on health behavior-related outcomes, but there was considerable heterogeneity. Protocol registration The protocol for this systematic review is registered at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO with the number CRD42013004140.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 205510291775157 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Michler Bishop

Millions of people change risky, health-related behaviors and maintain those changes. However, they often take years to change, and their unhealthy behaviors may harm themselves and others and constitute a significant cost to society. A review—similar in nature to a scoping review—was done of the literature related to long-term health behavior change in six areas: alcohol, cocaine and heroin misuse, gambling, smoking, and overeating. Based on the limited research available, reasons for change and strategies for changing and for maintaining change were also reviewed. Fifty years of research clearly indicate that as people age, in the case of alcohol, heroin and cocaine misuse, smoking, and gambling, 80–90 percent moderate or stop their unhealthy behaviors. The one exception is overeating; only 20 percent maintain their weight loss. Most of these changes, when they occur, appear to be the result of self-guided change. More ways to accelerate self-guided, health-related behavior change need to be developed and disseminated.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maira Tristao Parra ◽  
Meredith A Pung ◽  
Kathleen Wilson ◽  
Christopher Pruitt ◽  
Barry H Greenberg ◽  
...  

Hypothesis: insufficiently active heart failure patients will report poorer QoL, more fatigue and depressive mood compared to active patients. Aims: To characterize clinical characteristics and health-related behaviors according to physical activity (PA). Also, to explore predicting factors of quality of life (QoL). Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a cohort of Stage B HF patients. PA classification was set as active, moderately active or insufficiently active, according to the LTEQ questionnaire. For QoL, the SF-36 questionnaire was used. ANOVAS, Chi-Square tests or likelihood ratios and unadjusted multiple regression models were calculated. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: In this cohort, 277 HF patients completed the PA questionnaire. The prevalence of active patients was higher than moderately active and insufficiently active (53.3% vs 15.2% and 29.6%), respectively. Younger age (p = 0.044), lower waist circumference (WC) (p = 0.002), and lower waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.046) were associated with being active. The prevalence of Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the active groups was significantly lower (p = 0.001). Physically active groups had cases of mild LV enlargement (1.4% and 7.5%, respectively), while no cases were observed among insufficiently active patients (p = 0.017). PA was positively associated with less fatigue (p= 0.002), more vigor (p = 0.001), more self-efficacy (p < 0.001), and better quality of life (p = 0.002). Patients who were less physically active had more inflammation (CRP, p = 0.015; IL-6, p <0.001; TNF-α: p = 0.033, and IL-1ra, p = 0.001). WC (β =-0.16, p = 0.008), glucose (β =-0.12, p < 0.001) and fatigue (β = - 0.39, p < 0.001) predicted general health perception (R 2 = 0.449). For physical functioning (high scores reflects performing PA without limitations due to health), WC (β = - 0.28, p = 0.001), sleep (β = - 1.50, p = 0.003) and fatigue (β = - 0.32, p = 0.018) were significant predictors (R 2 = 0.422); while age (β = 0.36, p <0.001) physical activity (β = 0.051, p = 0.055), sleep (β = 0.50, p =0.046), fatigue (β = -0.37, p <0.001) and depression (β = -1.12, p <0.001) predicted emotional well-being (R 2 = 0.696). Conclusion: Physically active heart failure patients had a better anthropometric profile and lower prevalence of T2DM. In this cohort, PA was not a significant predictor for general and physical functioning, but it remained relevant for predicting emotional well-being.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (9) ◽  
pp. e787-e797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel L. Hall ◽  
Rachel B. Jimenez ◽  
Giselle K. Perez ◽  
Julia Rabin ◽  
Katharine Quain ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: Fear of cancer recurrence is highly prevalent among adult survivors of cancer. The role of fear of recurrence in the emotional distress of survivors of cancer, as well as health behaviors that may directly affect their health, remains unclear. To advance oncology practice, this study sought to examine the extent to which fear of recurrence stemming from physical symptoms accounts for emotional distress in a large sample of adult survivors of cancer and to extend the model to explain postdiagnosis self-reported health behavior change. METHODS: In 2016, 258 survivors of cancer at an academic hospital completed a survey of psychosocial needs. Items assessed physical symptoms (checklist), fear of cancer recurrence (Assessment of Survivor Concerns), emotional distress (anxiety and depressed mood), and health behaviors (current alcohol use, physical activity, diet, and sunscreen use, as well as changes after cancer diagnosis) informed by National Comprehensive Cancer Network survivorship guidelines. Indirect effects regression models accounting for relevant covariates (age and treatment history) used 5,000-iteration bootstrapping. RESULTS: Higher fear of cancer recurrence was associated with greater number of physical symptoms ( P < .001), greater emotional distress ( P < .05), lower moderate or vigorous physical activity ( P < .05), higher sunscreen use ( P < .05), and postdiagnosis increases in alcohol use ( P < .01) and reductions in physical activity ( P < .01). Fear of cancer recurrence models accounted for almost half of the variance in distress of survivors of cancer ( R2 = 0.44, P < .001) and, to a lesser yet significant extent, changes in alcohol consumption ( R2 = 0.09, P < .001) and physical activity ( R2 = 0.06, P = .003). CONCLUSION: Fear of cancer recurrence plays a central role in the emotional distress and key health behaviors of survivors of cancer. These findings support fear of cancer recurrence as a potential target for emotional health and health behavior change interventions.


2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Wilcox ◽  
Cheryl Der Ananian ◽  
Patricia A. Sharpe ◽  
Jennifer Robbins ◽  
Theresa Brady

Background:Physical activity (PA) is important for arthritis self-management. A better understanding of the PA correlates in persons with arthritis will help inform interventions.Methods:Computer searches were conducted on PubMed, PsychInfo, Current Contents, and Cinahl databases. Reference lists of extracted articles were also searched. Thirty-six studies published between 1976 and February 2004 met inclusion criteria.Results:PA correlates are presented for sociodemographic, psychological, health-related, social, and environmental categories. Self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers, mental well-being, prior PA, and pain received the most consistent support as PA correlates, whereas sociodemographic, social, and environmental variables were the least studied. Too few studies were conducted to allow comparisons across arthritis type or study design.Conclusions:We recommend that additional qualitative research be conducted to understand factors influencing PA in persons with arthritis. Prospective studies, particularly in the context of a PA program or intervention, would also be useful to better understand how barriers and enablers change over time.


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