The Effects of Sport Activities and Environmentally Sustainable Behaviors on Subjective Well-Being: A Comparison Before and During COVID-19

This study examined the effects of sport activities and environmentally sustainable behaviors on the subjective well-being of working-age adults (18–64). Specifically, it analyzes the effects of different types of sport activities, including nature-based, natural resource-using, and nature-neutral sport activities and different types of environmentally sustainable behaviors such as recycling, ecological consumption, energy-saving, and mobility on subjective well-being. The study conducts comparisons between the period before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the first lockdown in Germany. Quantitative survey data were collected using a convenience sampling approach (n = 412). Sport activities were captured with the number of hours spent on nature-based, natural resource-using, and nature-neutral activities. Environmentally sustainable behaviors were measured across four areas, including recycling, ecological consumption, energy-saving, and mobility. Subjective well-being was measured using the scale of the World Health Organization (WHO-5). Differences between the periods before and during COVID-19 were analyzed using t-tests. A set of multivariate regression models were estimated with subjective well-being as the dependent variable and sport activities, environmentally sustainable behaviors, and socio-demographics as independent variables. The results show that nature-based and nature-neutral sport activities significantly decreased during the first COVID-19 lockdown, while environmentally sustainable behaviors increased. The regression analyses reveal that nature-based and nature-neutral sport activities as well as ecological consumption significantly added to individuals' subjective well-being in the pre- and during-COVID-19-period. A decrease in nature-based and nature-neutral sport activities significantly predicted a decrease in individuals' subjective well-being. The findings of this study might help people understand the role and importance of active living for psychosocial outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Hindi Translation and Validation of Scales for Subjective Well-being, Locus of Control and Spiritual Well-being

Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1177/0253717620956443 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 025371762095644

Author(s):

Sandeep Grover ◽

Devakshi Dua

Keyword(s):

Locus Of Control ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Limited Information ◽

English Version ◽

Spiritual Well Being ◽

Health Organization ◽

Cross Language ◽

Language Equivalence

Background: Well-being and locus of control have been important areas of research over the last few years. However, limited information is available about the same from India, due to the lack of validated instruments in regional languages for the same.This research aimed to translate, adapt, and validate the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), Spiritual Well-being Scale (SWBS), and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scale in Hindi. Methods: The scales were translated into Hindi by following the translation–back-translation methodology as specified by the World Health Organization. Next, the Hindi versions of the scales were completed by 102 participants, and then, the participants completed either the Hindi or the English version of the scales after 3–7 days. Results: The Hindi versions of WEMWBS, MHLC, and SWBS have high cross-language equivalence with the English version of the scale, both at the level of the individual items and the various dimensions in all three scales, which was significant (P < 0.001). Cronbach’s alpha for the Hindi version of WEMWBS, SWBS, and MHLC scales was 0.92, 0.83, and 0.77, respectively. The Spearman–Brown coefficient was 0.82, 0.63, and 0.63 for WEMWBS, SWBS, and MHLC, respectively. As measured on the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS), higher religiosity was associated with greater religious and existential well-being. Conclusion: The Hindi versions of WEMWBS, SWBS, and MHLC have good cross-language equivalence, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. It is expected that these validated scales will stimulate more research in this area, focusing on evaluating the association of clinical parameters along with well-being and locus of control.

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Η σχέση της oικονομικής κρίσης με την υποκειμενική ψυχολογική ευεξία των φοιτητών στα ελληνικά ΑΕΙ

Psychology: the Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society ◽

10.12681/psy_hps.25592 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (2) ◽

pp. 127

Author(s):

Ευαγγελία-Άννα Λουμάκου ◽

Λίσσυ Κανελλοπούλου

Keyword(s):

Economic Crisis ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Group Discussion ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Institutions Of Higher Education ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Perceived Effects ◽

Health Organization ◽

The Relationship

In this study, we examine the relationship between the perceived effects of the economic crisis on the subjective well-being of Greek University students. The sample consisted of 203 students in five institutions of higher education across the country (mean age: 21,7 years). Participants were administered two questionnaires. The first tool explored the perceived consequences of the economic crisis. Its construction was based on thematic analysis of a focus group discussion. The discussion explored the perceptions of a group of eight students on how and to what extent they were affected by the economic crisis. The second tool was the psychological well-being questionnaire of the World Health Organization (Bradley, 2013). Demographic data regarding sex, age, and SES were also collected. Findings suggested a negative association between the perceived effects of the economic crisis and the subjective well-being of students. Furthermore, participants seemed to realize the significant impact of the economic crisis in their lives. Specifically, they reported that they had to reduce daily expenses and to adjust their studies taking into account the economic crisis. They also declared pessimism regarding future employment. Findings are discussed in light of the literature on the effects of the economic crisis on young people.

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Physical Activity, Sedentariness, Eating Behaviour and Well-Being during a COVID-19 Lockdown Period in Greek Adolescents

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13051449 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 1449

Author(s):

Ioannis D. Morres ◽

Evangelos Galanis ◽

Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis ◽

Odysseas Androutsos ◽

Yannis Theodorakis

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Eating Behavior ◽

Eating Behaviors ◽

Eating Behaviour ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Hierarchical Regression ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Sport Activities ◽

Health Organization

Adolescents’ daily life has dramatically changed during the COVID-19 era due to the social restrictions that have been imposed, including closures of schools, leisure centers and sport facilities. The purpose of this study was to examine levels of well-being and mood and their relations with physical (in)activity and eating behaviors in adolescents during a lockdown period in Greece. A total of 950 adolescents (Mean Age = 14.41 years ± 1.63) participated in a web-based survey while education was conducted online and organized sport activities were interrupted. Participants showed poor well-being, insufficient physical activity levels and moderate scores of healthy eating behavior. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that, after controlling for the effect of gender and body mass index, increased physical activity and healthier eating behavior predicted better well-being (b = 0.24, p < 0.01 and b = 0.19, p < 0.01, respectively), whereas sedentariness predicted worse well-being (b = −0.16, p < 0.01). Furthermore, it was revealed that days of physical activity per week was a stronger predictor of well-being than minutes of physical activity per week, and that both in-house and out-of-house physical activity were beneficial. Considering that well-being in our study was below the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization as indicative of possible depressive symptoms, measures to increase physical activity, decrease sedentariness and improve eating behavior should become a priority for communities and policy makers.

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Measuring subjective well-being for policy purposes: The example of well-being indicators in the WHO “Health 2020” framework

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494817724952 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 279-286 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mari Hagtvedt Vik ◽

Erik Carlquist

Keyword(s):

Subjective Experience ◽

Well Being ◽

Academic Disciplines ◽

World Health ◽

Objective Measures ◽

Intergovernmental Organizations ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Subjective Indicators ◽

Societal Progress ◽

Health Organization

Aims: This article discusses the rationale for measuring national well-being, and examines the use of subjectively oriented well-being measures in the context of public policy. Recent years have witnessed growing attention towards the concept and measurement of well-being, both within academic disciplines, intergovernmental organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as in many governments across Europe, including the Nordic countries. Economic indicators have commonly been regarded as proxies of societal progress of nations, but indicators of well-being have increasingly been applied in order to complement or replace these measures. Methods: Well-being indicators of the WHO “Health 2020” framework are critically examined with particular attention given to the subjective aspects of well-being. Literature discussing the rationale for subjective indicators is reviewed. As a background, central theoretical and measurement perspectives on well-being are outlined, including hedonic, eudaimonic and objective list approaches. Results: The WHO refers to well-being in definitions of health and mental health, but has primarily reported on disease. The “Health 2020” framework marked a shift in this concern. One of the main targets of “Health 2020” concerns well-being, involving six core indicators. Only one indicator refers to well-being as subjective experience. Literature supports more extensive use of subjective indicators in combination with objective measures. Conclusions: Although consensus on definitions and instruments is lacking, subjective and objective measures of national well-being may jointly contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of societal progress, as well as a broader conception of health. Further research is required, particularly with regard to eudaimonic indicators.

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Gender and Age Factors in Subjective Wellbeing and Quality of Life Among College Students

Jurnal Psikologi ◽

10.14710/jp.20.1.95-102 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 95-102

Author(s):

Ayu Kurnia ◽

Dian Veronika Sakti Kaloeti ◽

Kwartarini Wahyu Yuniarti ◽

Ahmad Gimmy Prathama Siswandi ◽

Josetta Maria Remila

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

College Students ◽

Age Factors ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Health Organization

Quality of life (QOL) and subjective well-being (SWB) among college students have been deemed as importantissues in studies. The present study aims to explore any influential elements of gender and age to their QOL andSWB, and to know if the QOL is influential to the SWB. Participants amounted to 651 respondents totally fromthree Indonesian universities (Diponegoro University, Padjajaran University, North Sumatra University) wereinvolved in a purposive sampling using two instruments, i.e., the Personal Wellbeing Index-Adult (PWI-A) tomeasure SWO and The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) to measure QOL.Ordinal Logistic Regression (OLR) test was used in the analysis. The results showed that age and gender had asignificant effect on SWB (respectively .11 & .040, with p < .05) but had no effect on QOL of students(respectively .510 & .751, with p < .05). In addition, QOL was shown to affect SWB (p < .05). As a result,counselors and stakeholders on campus are encouraged to consider age and sex factors in their attempts ofincreasing college students’ SWB. However, further research is still suggestible to explore more complex factorsin college students’ QOL, which can include social, individual, and other demographic factors.

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Study the Anatomy and Physiology of Body's Urinary System and Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) for the Design an Intelligent Alarm System for Monitoring of FMS

Journal of Clinical and Translational Urology ◽

10.33702/jctu.2019.1.1.4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 72-81

Author(s):

Hamidreza Shirzadfar ◽

Narsis Gordoghli

Keyword(s):

Chronic Pain ◽

International Association ◽

Continuous Process ◽

Well Being ◽

Chronic Illnesses ◽

World Health ◽

Definitive Treatment ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Medical Problems ◽

Health Organization

In recent years, chronic medical problems have become increasingly prevalent. Chronic ‎illnesses challenge the view of life as a regular and continuous process, a challenge that has ‎important psychological consequences. The long duration of people suffering from these ‎diseases, the long process of treatment and the fact that there is no proper and definitive ‎treatment for most of these diseases and their associated complications have made chronic ‎diseases a detrimental factor in public health. According to the World Health Organization ‎‎(2006), the prevalence of chronic and non-communicable diseases is increasing in all countries, ‎especially developing countries, so that the major challenge for the health system in the present ‎century, is not living people, but better adapted to chronic illnesses and maintaining their ‎mental and social health and well-being Ed's life-threatening chronic physical illness.‎ Chronic pain is a pain that lasts longer than usual, and according to the criteria of the ‎International Association of Pain, this time is defined as at least 3 months to 6 months. Chronic ‎pain is such that not only faced the sick person whit the pressure of the pain but also with many ‎other pressure that affect different parts of her life. Fibromyalgia is one of the most rheumatologic disorders and one of the most resistant chronic ‎pain syndromes. Fibromyalgia is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in adults ‎and chronic pain is one of the most common complaints in this group of patients.

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How Loud and Clear Rung the Alarm Bell: The Communication Efforts of WHO on the Beginning of COVID-19 Outbreak

International Journal of Health Services ◽

10.1177/00207314211024902 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002073142110249

Author(s):

Huriye Toker

Keyword(s):

Risk Communication ◽

International Development ◽

International Health ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

The Public ◽

News Releases ◽

The Media ◽

Credible Information ◽

Health Organization

As seen clearly from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, health is an important foreign policy and diplomatic issue connected with security, economic well-being, and international development. According to risk communication researchers, effective, transparent, and timely information sharing is the most important tool after vaccines for responding to pandemics. This study aims to start a scholarly discussion on the risk communication efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO) during the COVID-19 outbreak. We analyzed WHO’s communication efforts during the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the leading international health organization, WHO was responsible for providing rapid, up-to-date, and credible information for the public and the media. The selected research items were 42 news releases and statements provided by WHO between December 31, 2019, and March 30, 2020. These were subjected to qualitative and quantitative content analyses using the NVivo 12 qualitative analysis software program for coding. The data were coded under 6 variables (date of publication, topics, frequency, wording of the COVID-19 outbreak, sourcing, and themes of the releases). While 54.7% of WHO's communications were devoted to the COVID-19 outbreak, more than half were not issued until March. That is, instead of early risk communication and clear warnings about the outbreak, WHO acted overcautiously, preferring messages related to solidarity and cooperation during the most devastating pandemic of the 21st century.

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Online Training in Specific Meditation Practices Improves Gratitude, Well-Being, Self-Compassion, and Confidence in Providing Compassionate Care Among Health Professionals

Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine ◽

10.1177/2156587216642102 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 237-241 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Nisha Rao ◽

Kathi J. Kemper

Keyword(s):

Health Professionals ◽

Online Training ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

Compassionate Care ◽

Clinician Training ◽

Loving Kindness ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Compassion Meditation ◽

Health Organization

Mind-body practices that intentionally generate positive emotion could improve health professionals’ well-being and compassion. However, the feasibility and impact of clinician training in these practices is unknown. Data were analyzed from 3 online modules offered to health professionals: ( a) Gratitude, ( b) Positive Word, and ( c) Loving-kindness/Compassion meditation. Paired t tests were used to assess pre- to posttraining changes in gratitude (Gratitude Questionnaire), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index), self-compassion (Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale), and confidence in providing compassionate care (Confidence in Providing Calm, Compassionate Care Scale). The 177 enrollees included diverse practitioners (nurses, physicians, social workers, and others). Training was associated with statistically significant improvements in gratitude (38.3 ± 4.6 to 39.5 ± 3.3), well-being (16.4 ± 4.0 to 17.9 ± 4.2), self-compassion (39.5 ± 8.1 to 43.1 ± 7.6), and confidence in providing compassionate care (73.3 ± 16.4 to 80.9 ± 13.8; P < .001 for all comparisons). Brief, online training appeals to diverse health professionals and improves their gratitude, well-being, self-compassion, and confidence in providing compassionate care.

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Has the COVID 19 Virus Changed Adherence to Hand Washing among Healthcare Workers?

Behavioral Sciences ◽

10.3390/bs11040053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Rosalia Ragusa ◽

Marina Marranzano ◽

Alessandro Lombardo ◽

Rosalba Quattrocchi ◽

Maria Alessandra Bellia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hand Hygiene ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Hand Washing ◽

World Health ◽

Patient Contact ◽

Who Guidelines ◽

Descriptive Data ◽

Different Types ◽

Health Organization ◽

Hospital Wards

The aim of the study was to assess adherence to hand washing by healthcare workers (HCWs) and its variations over time in hospital wards. We wanted to check whether the pandemic had changed the behavior of HCWs. The study was conducted between 1 January 2015, and 31 December 2020. The HCWs were observed to assess their compliance with the Five Moments for Hand Hygiene. We described the percentage of adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines stratified per year, per specialty areas, per different types of HCWs. We also observed the use of gloves. Descriptive data were reported as frequencies and percentages. We observed 13,494 hand hygiene opportunities. The majority of observations concerned nurses who were confirmed as the category most frequently involved with patients. Hospital’s global adherence to WHO guidelines did not change in the last six years. During the pandemic, the rate of adherence to the procedure increased significantly only in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In 2020, the use of gloves increased in pre-patient contact. The hand-washing permanent monitoring confirmed that it is very difficult to obtain the respect of correct hand hygiene in all opportunities, despite the ongoing pandemic and the fear of contagion.

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