scholarly journals Classroom Movement Breaks Reduce Sedentary Behavior and Increase Concentration, Alertness and Enjoyment during University Classes: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5589
Author(s):  
Casey L. Peiris ◽  
Gráinne O’Donoghue ◽  
Lewis Rippon ◽  
Dominic Meyers ◽  
Andrew Hahne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Sedentary Time ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Physical Activity Monitoring ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Comparison Data

This mixed-methods study aimed to determine the feasibility of incorporating movement breaks into university classes in terms of acceptability (disruption, engagement, satisfaction), practicality (ease of scheduling and conducting breaks) and efficacy (sedentary time, concentration, alertness, enjoyment). Movement breaks of five to 10 min duration were scheduled after 20 min of sedentary time during 2-h classes. Classes without movement breaks were used as a comparison. Data were collected using surveys, objective physical activity monitoring and focus group interviews of students (n = 85) and tutors (n = 6). Descriptive statistics (quantitative data) and independent coding and thematic analysis (qualitative data) were completed. Students (mean age 23 ± 2 years, 69% female) actively engaged in movement breaks with no adverse events. Movement breaks were perceived to be beneficial for concentration, engagement and productivity. Timing of the break was perceived to be important to enhance the benefit and reduce disruption. Students preferred outdoor or competitive movement breaks. Students spent 13 min less time sitting (95%CI 10 to 17), took 834 more steps (95%CI 675 to 994) and had higher levels of concentration, alertness and enjoyment (p < 0.001) in classes with movement breaks compared to classes without. Classroom movement breaks are feasible and may be considered for incorporation into university classes to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity, alertness, concentration and enjoyment.

scholarly journals Investigating dementia literacy among community-dwelling adults and older adults in Macau: A mixed methods study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela YM Leung ◽  
Cindy S. U Leong ◽  
Pak Leng Cheong ◽  
Alice S. M. Tsang ◽  
Bernice O. C. Lam Nogueira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Attitude Scale ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Group Interviews

Abstract Background: As population ageing and dementia incidence continue to increase worldwide, health systems are urged to empower the public to address factors related to dementia. This study aims to assess Macau citizens’ knowledge of dementia, attitudes towards persons with dementia, and help-seeking behaviours and intention toward dementia.Methods: This is a mixed-methods study with both quantitative (cross-sectional survey) and qualitative components (focus group interviews). The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS) were utilized in the quantitative data collection, whereas focus group interviews were employed to gather context-specific understanding of dementia in the local setting. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to analyze quantitative data, while content analysis was used for qualitative data.Results: The overall level of knowledge on dementia was low (ADKS mean total score = 17.38, SD = 3.31), with the least amount of knowledge in the caregiving domain. Meanwhile, attitudes toward persons with dementia was generally positive (mean [SD] = 89.07 [11.99]). Many of the focus group participants were also uncertain regarding the availability of dementia services in the region. The general public was interested to obtain dementia information through social media.Conclusions: Efforts should be made to build up dementia literacy in Macau, especially in terms of caregiving. Information about dementia could be disseminated in social media and by healthcare professionals.

scholarly journals Development of a physical activity monitoring tool for Thai medical schools: a protocol for a mixed methods study

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e017297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apichai Wattanapisit ◽  
Surasak Vijitpongjinda ◽  
Udomsak Saengow ◽  
Waluka Amaek ◽  
Sanhapan Thanamee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
General Information ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Physical Activity Monitoring

IntroductionPhysical activity (PA) is important in promoting health, as well as in the treatment and prevention of diseases. However, insufficient PA is still a global health problem and it is also a problem in medical schools. PA training in medical curricula is still sparse or non-existent. There is a need for a comprehensive understanding of the extent of PA in medical schools through several indicators, including people, places and policies. This study includes a survey of the PA prevalence in a medical school and development of a tool, the Medical School Physical Activity Report Card (MSPARC), which will contain concise and understandable infographics and information for exploring, monitoring and reporting information relating to PA prevalence.Methods and analysisThis mixed methods study will run from January to September 2017. We will involve the School of Medicine, Walailak University, Thailand, and its medical students (n=285). Data collection will consist of both primary and secondary data, divided into four parts: general information, people, places and policies. We will investigate the PA metrics about (1) people: the prevalence of PA and sedentary behaviours; (2) place: the quality and accessibility of walkable neighbourhoods, bicycle facilities and recreational areas; and (3) policy: PA promotion programmes for medical students, education metrics and investments related to PA. The MSPARC will be developed using simple symbols, infographics and short texts to evaluate the PA metrics of the medical school.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of Walailak University (protocol number: WUEC-16-005-01). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national or international conferences. The MSPARC and full report will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders, policymakers, staff and clients.

scholarly journals Mixed-Methods Analysis of Supports and Barriers for Rural College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Flynn ◽  
Eric Laflamme ◽  
Danica Hays
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Initial Sample ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Convergence And Divergence ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Rural College

This article outlines an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study on the environmental supports and barriers for students attending a rural college. Data collected through six focus group interviews (N = 19) indicated 20 themes associated with student success; faculty practices with students; administrative issues; or president, cabinet, and board of trustee vision. An 86-item survey, grounded in qualitative themes, yielded evidence of convergence and divergence for an initial sample of 256 students.

scholarly journals Clinicians and Older Adults’ Perceptions of the Utility of Patient-Generated Health Data in Caring for Older Adults: Exploratory Mixed Methods Study

JMIR Aging ◽  
10.2196/29788 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. e29788
Author(s):  
Ben Kim ◽  
Peyman Ghasemi ◽  
Paul Stolee ◽  
Joon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Perceived Usefulness ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Group Interviews

Background Many people are motivated to self-track their health and optimize their well-being through mobile health apps and wearable devices. The diversity and complexity of these systems have evolved over time, resulting in a large amount of data referred to as patient-generated health data (PGHD), which has recently emerged as a useful set of data elements in health care systems around the world. Despite the increased interest in PGHD, clinicians and older adults’ perceptions of PGHD are poorly understood. In particular, although some clinician barriers to using PGHD have been identified, such as concerns about data quality, ease of use, reliability, privacy, and regulatory issues, little is known from the perspectives of older adults. Objective This study aims to explore the similarities and differences in the perceptions of older adults and clinicians with regard to how various types of PGHD can be used to care for older adults. Methods A mixed methods study was conducted to explore clinicians and older adults’ perceptions of PGHD. Focus groups were conducted with older adults and health care providers from the Greater Toronto area and the Kitchener-Waterloo region. The participants were asked to discuss their perceptions of PGHD, including facilitators and barriers. A questionnaire aimed at exploring the perceived usefulness of a range of different PGHD was also embedded in the study design. Focus group interviews were transcribed for thematic analysis, whereas the questionnaire results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of the 9 participants, 4 (44%) were clinicians (average age 38.3 years, SD 7 years), and 5 (56%) were older adults (average age 81.0 years, SD 9.1 years). Four main themes were identified from the focus group interviews: influence of PGHD on patient-provider trust, reliability of PGHD, meaningful use of PGHD and PGHD-based decision support systems, and perceived clinical benefits and intrusiveness of PGHD. The questionnaire results were significantly correlated with the frequency of PGHD mentioned in the focus group interviews (r=0.42; P=.03) and demonstrated that older adults and clinicians perceived blood glucose, step count, physical activity, sleep, blood pressure, and stress level as the most useful data for managing health and delivering high-quality care. Conclusions This embedded mixed methods study generated several important findings about older adults and clinicians’ perceptions and perceived usefulness of a range of PGHD. Owing to the exploratory nature of this study, further research is needed to understand the concerns about data privacy, potential negative impact on the trust between older adults and clinicians, data quality and quantity, and usability of PGHD-related technologies for older adults.

scholarly journals Public spaces and physical activity in adults: insights from a mixed-methods study

2021 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ietza Bojorquez ◽  
Maria de Lourdes Romo-Aguilar ◽  
Lina Ojeda-Revah ◽  
Fernando Tena ◽  
Francisco Lara-Valencia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Potential Health

Abstract: Public spaces could promote health equity by providing a place for people to engage in physical activity. Whereas most studies show a positive association between public spaces and physical activity, there are still mixed results, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The objectives of this mixed-methods study were: (i) to assess the quantitative association between access to public spaces and physical activity; (ii) to assess the modification of the association by public spaces quality, area-level walkability, and social stratifiers; (iii) to explain the quantitative results using qualitative data. Quantitative data were obtained with a household survey in two arid-climate Mexican cities in 2017-2018. physical activity was measured with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Access to public spaces was measured in buffers centered on survey blocks, walkability with area-level indicators, and public spaces quality with the Physical Activity Resources Assessment. Qualitative data were obtained with semi-structured interviews and neighborhood observation. No quantitative association between access to public spaces and physical activity was found, as well as no interactions between access to public spaces and other variables. Walkability was positively associated with physical activity. Qualitative analysis showed that local public spaces were rarely used by adults because they were perceived as small, unequipped, unattractive, and unsafe. The results shed light on the relationship between public spaces and physical activity, highlighting the improvements in design and upkeep of public spaces that are necessary to achieve their potential health benefit.

scholarly journals Inter-organisational collaboration in palliative care trajectories for nursing home residents: A nation-wide mixed methods study among key persons

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofie Hermans ◽  
Aline Sevenants ◽  
Anja Declercq ◽  
Nady V Broeck ◽  
Luc Deliens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Nursing Home ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Residential Care ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Group Interviews

Introduction Multiple care organisations, such as home care services, nursing homes and hospitals, are responsible for providing an appropriate response to the palliative care needs of older people admitted into long-term care facilities. Integrated palliative care aims to provide seamless and continuous care. A possible organisational strategy to help realise integrated palliative care for this population is to create a network in which these organisations collaborate. The aim is to analyse the collaboration processes of the various organisations involved in providing palliative care to nursing home residents. Method A sequential mixed-methods study, including a survey sent to 502 participants to evaluate the collaboration between home and residential care, and between hospital and residential care, and additionally three focus group interviews involving a purposive selection among the survey participants. Participants are key persons from the nursing homes, hospitals and home care organisations that are part of the 15 Flemish palliative care networks dispersed throughout the region of Flanders, Belgium. Results Survey data were gathered from 308 key persons (response rate: 61%), and 16 people participated in three focus group interviews. Interpersonal dimensions of collaboration are rated higher than structural dimensions. This effect is statistically significant. Qualitative analyses identified guidelines, education, and information-transfer as structural challenges. Additionally, for further development, members should become acquainted and the network should prioritise the establishment of a communication infrastructure, shared leadership support and formalisation. Discussion The insights of key persons suggest the need for further structuration and can serve as a guideline for interventions directed at improving inter-organisational collaboration in palliative care trajectories for nursing home residents.

scholarly journals A mixed methods study on early childhood services' touchscreen tablet use and non-use in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Luke Santamaria
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Te Whāriki

<p>With the ongoing debate on young children’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) use in early childhood education (ECE), empirical studies have reported that the increase in young children’s access to and use of touchscreen tablets, hereafter referred to as tablets, could positively and negatively impact their learning and development. According to the New Zealand ECE curriculum, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 2017), children growing up in the context of a changing society could benefit from using technology. This research, which explored tablet use in New Zealand’s four major early childhood service types: education and care centres, home-based services, kindergartens, and playcentres, provides useful information on the reasons why services used and did not use tablets as well as how teachers/educators used tablets to support children’s learning.  The two phases to this sequential explanatory mixed methods study were underpinned by two research paradigms, the postpositivist paradigm for the quantitative phase and the constructivist paradigm for the qualitative phase. First, a national survey that was sent to all early childhood providers from the four major service types and then a collective case study was conducted in two sub-phases. Phase 2A consisted of focus group interviews with a tablet non-user service from each of the four service types and a tablet user service from each of the four service types. Phase 2B consisted of stimulated recall (SR) focus group interviews with the same tablet users who participated in Phase 2A.  The survey responses revealed considerable variation in the use of tablets and the purposes for which tablets were used. More education and care services and kindergartens used tablets than home-based services and playcentres. Both quantitative and qualitative phases revealed complexities involving tablet use such as the types of scaffolding used and issues surrounding screen time and policies on tablet use including the use of personally-owned tablets and cybsersafety concerns. Particularly, the findings from Phase 2 confirmed that the socialized nature involving tablet use aligned with Te Whāriki. Thus, tablet use is not necessarily limited to a dichotomy of use and non-use but is spread across a spectrum ranging from limited, to specialised, and to comprehensive use.</p>

scholarly journals A mixed methods study on early childhood services' touchscreen tablet use and non-use in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Luke Santamaria
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Te Whāriki

<p>With the ongoing debate on young children’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) use in early childhood education (ECE), empirical studies have reported that the increase in young children’s access to and use of touchscreen tablets, hereafter referred to as tablets, could positively and negatively impact their learning and development. According to the New Zealand ECE curriculum, Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education, 2017), children growing up in the context of a changing society could benefit from using technology. This research, which explored tablet use in New Zealand’s four major early childhood service types: education and care centres, home-based services, kindergartens, and playcentres, provides useful information on the reasons why services used and did not use tablets as well as how teachers/educators used tablets to support children’s learning.  The two phases to this sequential explanatory mixed methods study were underpinned by two research paradigms, the postpositivist paradigm for the quantitative phase and the constructivist paradigm for the qualitative phase. First, a national survey that was sent to all early childhood providers from the four major service types and then a collective case study was conducted in two sub-phases. Phase 2A consisted of focus group interviews with a tablet non-user service from each of the four service types and a tablet user service from each of the four service types. Phase 2B consisted of stimulated recall (SR) focus group interviews with the same tablet users who participated in Phase 2A.  The survey responses revealed considerable variation in the use of tablets and the purposes for which tablets were used. More education and care services and kindergartens used tablets than home-based services and playcentres. Both quantitative and qualitative phases revealed complexities involving tablet use such as the types of scaffolding used and issues surrounding screen time and policies on tablet use including the use of personally-owned tablets and cybsersafety concerns. Particularly, the findings from Phase 2 confirmed that the socialized nature involving tablet use aligned with Te Whāriki. Thus, tablet use is not necessarily limited to a dichotomy of use and non-use but is spread across a spectrum ranging from limited, to specialised, and to comprehensive use.</p>

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