Investigating student nurses' constructions of health promotion in nursing education

This article describes student nurses' constructions of health promotion and the change of these constructions during their nursing education in two Finnish polytechnics. The data consisted of essays written by the 19 student nurses before they began their nursing education in 1997 and of stimulated recall interviews with the same students during the second year of their education in 1998. The data were analyzed by using thematic analysis. During the first study year, 13 students' constructions of health promotion changed. Six students had initially broad constructions of health promotion and their constructions remained unchanged. Four basic changes were found in the students' construction…

Public health nurses' approaches to early childhood physical activity in Finland.

This study was conducted using five focus groups with 24 public health nurses from regional child health clinics in order to explore health professionals' perceptions concerning physical activity. Participants were professionally experienced (mean 13.9 years), female (mean 46.2 years) nurses with some training in health-enhancing physical activity. Frame analysis of verbatim transcripts resulted in four frames: the environmental frame, the family frame, the natural frame and the wellbeing and health frame. The importance of physical and social environment, especially the role of parents, was highlighted as determinants of physical activity. Furthermore, the natural characteristics of physi…

Patients' readiness for dietary change at the beginning of counselling: a transtheoretical model-based assessment.

Background  The purpose of this study was to explore patients' readiness for dietary change within a theoretical framework of the transtheoretical model. The patients were recently diagnosed to have type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance. We discuss the theoretical aspects of appropriate dietary counselling strategies from a standpoint of patient-specific stages of change. Methods  The data included 32 audiotaped diabetes counselling sessions with 16 patients conducted by two nurses. The transcribed data was analysed by using deductive content analysis. Results  The patients were at different stages of change of diabetes-affected dietary behaviour. Their stages of change varied in di…

Community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents in Finland--developing an assessment tool.

Objectives To develop an assessment tool for evaluating oral health promotion practices and to evaluate community-based oral health promotion practices targeted at children and adolescents with this tool. Methods A theoretical framework about health promotion planning, implementation and evaluation was made on the basis of a literature review. Then, information about Finnish community-based oral health promotion practices (n = 12) targeted at children and adolescents was collected using semi-structured interviews. Also, related documents, for example action plans and reports, were collected when available. Next, an assessment tool based on the theoretical framework was developed, and the re…

Reflective questions in health counseling.

This study explores questions that nurses ask patients in order to awaken reflection on their health behavior in health counseling. Thirty-eight counseling situations were videotaped in a hospital. The data were analyzed using conversation analysis which was adapted for the purpose of this study. Nonverbal communication supported speech and was interpreted alongside it. This study found that nurses used only a few reflective questions, most of which were future-oriented or introduced hypotheses. In a nonreflective discussion, nurses used only check-up and alternative questions to get information about patients' illnesses and health care measures. Findings indicated that reflective conversa…

Activity of the Elderly in an Eight-Week Case Study

This study explores the engagement of the elderly with a new health-enhancing mobile-optimised web-service: An eight-week case study was carried out. Participants of the study were elderly people: 45 females and 19 males with the average age of 72.3 (SD 5.2) years. Their baseline information and communication technology experiences were evaluated, the data of using each service component was saved to a server and the usability of the service was evaluated. The majority of the users remained active throughout the study. The most frequently used components in the study were memory puzzles and physical exercise. The usability of the components was correlated with the age of the participants. T…

High-risk individuals’ perspective on risk of Type 2 Diabetes and physical activity in the prevention of diabetes. A qualitative study

Communicator styles of hospital patients during nurse-patient counseling.

Abstract This article describes nurse–patient communication during counseling sessions. It focuses on the patient as a participant in a discussion and aims at a description of patients’ communicator styles, which were observed on videotape based on 38 counseling sessions transcribed word by word. Interviews of the participating nurses and patients were used for partial support of the interpretations. The analytic method chosen was typology, and it has been used for achieving a multifaceted qualitative description of patient communication. The research material yielded seven types of communicator styles: Quietly Assenting, Emotionally Expressive, Storyteller, Stoic Observer, Inquisitive of D…

Relationship between Fundamental Motor Skills and Physical Activity in 4-Year-Old Preschool Children

This study evaluated the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and fundamental motor skills in 4-year-old children. Physical activity was monitored in 20 girls and 17 boys over 5 consecutive days (3 days at preschool and 2 days at home) and their fundamental motor skills measured. Multiple linear regressions controlled for sex, age, and body mass index indicated that the total skill score was significantly associated with physical activity, explaining 13%, 16%, and 16% of the variance in total, moderate-to-vigorous, and light-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. Sliding and galloping were significantly associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, a…

Readiness for health behavior changes among low fitness men in a Finnish health promotion campaign.

Men have been a hard-to-reach population in health behavior programs and it has been claimed that they are less interested in health issues than women. However, less is known about that how ready men are to adopt new health behaviors. This study examined readiness for change in physical activity (PA) and eating behavior (EB) among low fitness and overweight working-aged Finnish men who participated in a PA campaign. Associations among perceived health knowledge, health behaviors, psychosocial factors and readiness for change were studied. Data comprised 362 men aged 18–64. Physical fitness was assessed with a body fitness index constructed on the basis of the Polar OwnIndex Test, a hand gri…

Speech practices that facilitate patient participation in health counselling - A way to empowerment?

Objective This study described nurse-patient communication during health counselling and focused on the linguistic realisations of empowering speech practices that emphasised patient participation. It aimed at a description of nurses' speech practices that facilitated the inclusion of patients' perspectives and preferences and encouraged patients to express themselves. Design and setting Thirty-eight videotaped nurse-patient health- counselling sessions that were conducted in a hospital were transcribed verbatim. Method The analysis of the videotaped data was based on the adaptation of Conversation Analysis (CA) and was carried out on a turn-by-turn basis. Results The research material rev…

A comparison of physical activity levels in childcare contexts among Finnish and Dutch three-year-olds

The aim of the current study was to determine Finnish and Dutch three-year-old preschool children's physical activity (PA) levels and how levels vary across gender, location, time of day and social contexts in both countries. A modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool (OSRAC-P) was used to measure children's PA levels and contextual variables (e.g. group composition, prompts) of children attending childcare centres in Finland and the Netherlands. In total, 90 Finnish children (46 boys and 44 girls) and 97 Dutch children (46 boys and 51 girls) were observed. Three-level linear regression analyses with cross level interactions were use…

Psychometric Properties of a Short Measure for Psychosocial Factors and Associations With Phase of Physical Activity Change Among Finnish Working-Aged Men

Insufficient physical activity (PA) and poor physical fitness are risks for several noncommunicable diseases among working-aged men. PA programs have been launched to increase activity levels in the population but working-aged men have been underrepresented in these programs. The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to evaluate validity of a short scale for psychosocial factors among Finnish working-aged men who participated in a PA campaign. The study examined also the associations between psychosocial factors and phase of PA change across fitness groups. Physical fitness was assessed with a body fitness index constructed on the basis of a handgrip test, the Polar OwnIndex Test, a…

Variation in assessing the need for change of snacking habits in schoolchildren's oral health counselling

Objectives.  This study examined counselling communication activities that were used for assessing schoolchildren's need for change of snacking habits. In addition, the schoolchildren's assessment of their need for change was explored after a follow-up year (2002–2003). Material and methods.  The follow-up research data included 66 counselling sessions in 2002 and 31 counselling sessions in 2003, with 31 schoolchildren. The sessions were conducted by four dental hygienists. The audio-taped data were analysed qualitatively by using content analysis. Results.  In 2002, the needs assessment was realized in three ways. Infrequently, the schoolchildren either disclosed their need for change or t…

Comparing the physical activity patterns of 3-year-old Finnish and Australian children during childcare and homecare days

AbstractLimited previous research has contrasted physical activity (PA) patterns in preschool children across different hourly patterns or segments of day, or adopted similar methodologies to compare the PA behaviors of children from different countries. The purpose of this study was to examine how the PA levels and patterns differed between 3- year-olds within and between childcare and homecare days in Finland and Australia.ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers were used to monitor 121 (80 Finnish, 41 Australian) children’s PA for five consecutive days.No significant country differences were observed in children’s daily total PA (light-tovigorous PA [LMVPA]), except that during childcare days Finn…

Perceived sufficiency of physical activity levels among adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes. The FIN-D2D study

Purpose. This study assessed the determinants of perceived physical activity levels (PALs) among adults at high risk of diabetes, and the associations with self-reported physical activity. Methods. In total, 10,149 adults participated in the FIN-D2D lifestyle intervention at baseline. Opportunistic screening was used in identifying high risk individuals. Physical activity and perceived PAL sufficiency were assessed and compared. Key risk factors for diabetes and psychosocial and demographic characteristics were analyzed as determinants using logistic regression. Results. PAL sufficiency was rated realistically by 73% of men and 75% of women. Perception of sufficient PAL was more likely amon…

Taciturn patients in health counseling at a hospital: passive recipients or active participators?

This study explored patients’ taciturnity as observed on videotape during hospital health counseling situations with a nurse. Health counseling sessions, 38 in number, were videotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by using an adaptation of conversation analysis. The data analysis included information on 18 selected patients who spoke little and did not introduce new topics, but rather supported the discussion on the theme chosen by the nurse. When we examined nurses’ and patients’ speech word by word, we discovered four participation frames that produced taciturnity: in the hands of professionals, compliant, guilty, and polite. These could fluctuate during interaction. The findings i…

Dietary and physical activity counselling on Type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance by physicians and nurses in primary healthcare in Finland

To investigate the initiation of dietary and physical activity counselling and the arguments used when discussing physical activity and the type and consumption of dietary fats, during nurse-patient and physician-patient diabetic lifestyle counselling.This study is a part of a larger follow-up research project focusing on diabetes counselling. The data include 129 videotaped counselling sessions between 17 patients and their physicians and nurses. Content analysis was carried out by identifying the verbal comments and reactions of participants concerning both physical activity and the type and consumption of dietary fats.The physicians and nurses spent little time on dietary and physical ac…

A Comparison of Physical Activity Levels in Childcare Contexts among Finnish and Dutch 3-Year-Olds

The aim of the current study was to determine Finnish and Dutch three-year-old preschool children’s physical activity (PA) levels and how levels vary across gender, location, time of day and social contexts in both countries. A modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool (OSRAC-P) was used to measure children’s PA levels and contextual variables (e.g. group composition, prompts) of children attending childcare centres in Finland and the Netherlands. In total, 90 Finnish children (46 boys and 44 girls) and 97 Dutch children (46 boys and 51 girls) were observed. Three-level linear regression analyses with cross level interactions were use…

'I saw what the future direction would be...' : Experiences of diabetes risk and physical activity after diabetes screening

Objectives To improve understanding of how individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes experience the risk of diabetes and how these experiences relate to the adoption of physical activity as a protective behaviour. Design A qualitative study using semi-structured interview with individuals identified by screening as at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Methods Fourteen individuals, aged 40–64, were interviewed twice, with a 2-year interval between. Participants' experiences of their risk of diabetes and physical activity were assessed. The transcribed interview data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results Two themes emerged from the data: a threatening risk percepti…

Seasonal and daily variation in physical activity among three-year-old Finnish preschool children

The purposes of this study were to assess seasonal, daily, and gender variations in children’s physical activity (PA). ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers were used to record the three-year-old children’s PA levels for five consecutive days in autumn and winter. Complete data for both seasons were obtained for 47 children. Despite a significant difference in seasonal temperatures (p < .001), differences were only found for weekdays light PA (p = .021). No difference in PA was observed between weekdays and weekend days. Only 20% of the sample had ≥120 minutes light-to-vigorous PA (LMVPA), and 46% of children had ≥60 minutes moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Boys spent more minutes in LMVPA (p = .001…

The reporting of previous lifestyle counseling by persons at high risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Objective To assess (i) whether the reporting of counseling previously received is associated with high-risk individuals' agreement to participate in lifestyle intervention, (ii) whether the reporting of previous counseling differed within such a high-risk group, and (iii) the associations between lifestyles and previous lifestyle counseling. Methods Cross-sectional data were drawn from 10149 adults at high risk of Type 2 diabetes, who were participating in a Finnish national diabetes prevention project (FIN-D2D). Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used. Results In relation to the reporting of previous counseling, no difference was found between persons wh…

3-4 -vuotiaiden lasten fyysinen aktiivisuus päiväkodissa eri vuodenaikoina sekä varhaiskasvattajan kannustuksen yhteys lasten fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää 3-4-vuotiaiden lasten fyysisen aktiivisuuden intensiteetin eroja päiväkodissa eri vuodenaikoina sekä varhaiskasvattajan kannustuksen yhteyttä lasten fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen. Tutkimusjoukko muodostui päiväkotien vuonna 2007 syntyneistä vapaaehtoisista lapsista. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin havainnoimalla OSRAC-P -havainnointimenetelmän avulla 14 päiväkodissa tammi-helmikuussa (N 94) sekä elo-syyskuussa (N 118) vuonna 2011. Lasten fyysinen aktiivisuus oli pääosan ajasta (noin 60 %) intensiteetiltään erittäin kevyttä. Intensiteetiltään vähintään keskiraskaan fyysisen aktiivisuuden esiintyvyys oli noin 10 %. Vuodenajalla oli erittäin merkitsevä yhtey…

Changes in Psychosocial Factors and Physical Activity Among Finnish Working-Age Men in the Adventures of Joe Finn Campaign

This study evaluated changes in psychosocial factors and self-reported physical activity (PA) among the sample of Finnish men who underwent the fitness tests during the national health campaign. Another aim was to examine whether the fitness test feedback was a meaningful experience for PA change. Baseline data were collected in 2011 by fitness test and questionnaire. Men who had low/moderate fitness along with overweight ( n = 361) were recruited to the postcampaign study in 2014. Data were analyzed with nonparametric tests, logistic regression analysis, and content analysis. The postcampaign survey was completed by 102 men. Positive PA change was associated with high goals, planning skil…

Teachers’ views on curriculum development in health promotion in two Finnish polytechnics

This study describes teachers' views on how to improve the health promotion element in the curricula of two health care polytechnics in Finland. The theoretical background of this study draws on curriculum development in nursing education and how to promote a human- or resource-centred approach in health promotion. The research data were collected by interviewing 10 teachers from both the schools involved in nursing or public health nursing education since August 1997. The data were analysed using content analysis. The findings showed that most of the teachers interviewed were involved in local curriculum development. This work was impeded by lack of time and real commitment, as well as the…

Negotiation in Type 2 Diabetes Counseling: From Problem Recognition to Mutual Acceptance During Lifestyle Counseling

Negotiation, an essential communication activity in lifestyle counseling, has rarely been studied at the micro level of interaction. Furthermore, the evidence for interpersonal negotiation to occur in counseling practice is inconclusive. In this study, the authors describe how negotiation focused on lifestyle changes was produced in nurse-patient interaction. The research data, 73 videotaped diabetes counseling situations, were analyzed using conversation analysis. The process of negotiation consisted of recognizing the problems in the patients' health behavior, offering proposals as solutions to the problems, and reaching an agreement on them. Negotiation had characteristics similar to th…

Questioning and advising in health counselling: results from a study of Finnish nurse counsellors

The purpose of this study is to describe the main ways in which nurse coun sellors' questions and advice are initiated, received, accepted or refused during health counselling. Thirty-eight health counselling situations were videotaped in a Finnish hospital and the data were examined using adapted conversation analysis. We found two types of health counselling models, which fluctuated during the encounters. Empowerment, 'reciprocal' health counselling began with the nurse counsellors' reflective questioning which took the form of check up questions about the patient's condition, followed by questions about the patient's feelings. The patients' answers guided the conversation. 'Non-recipro c…

Cultural and communicational traits of oral health care: results of a Finnish case study.

This paper aims to describe the cultural and communicational traits of Finnish oral health care. First, employees' views and experiences regarding their organization and their position within it are investigated and, second, relations between different individual and organizational factors are analyzed. Finally, a conceptual framework of organizational coherence is constructed.The paper shows that data collection (n = 58, 84 percent response rate) was carried out in 2002 at a Finnish dental clinic by using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed statistically by using, among other things, non-parametric tests and a structural equation model (LISREL) and qualitatively by usin…

Oral health counselling in changing schoolchildren's oral hygiene habits: a qualitative study.

Abstract –  Objective:  This study explored oral health counselling concerning changes of oral hygiene habits in 11- to 13-year-old schoolchildren within a theoretical framework of the transtheoretical model and the motivational interview. Methods:  The follow-up data (2002–2003) formed two sequential parts: the first part comprised 66 counselling sessions in 2002; the second part included 31 counselling sessions in 2003. Thirty-one (n = 31) schoolchildren were included in the counselling sessions that were conducted by four dental hygienists. The audiotaped and transcribed data were analysed qualitatively by using content analysis. Results:  In 2002, nearly every schoolchild needed to esta…

Perceived need to increase physical activity levels among adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes. A cross-sectional analysis within a community-based diabetes prevention project FIN-D2D

Abstract Background Increased physical activity is a cornerstone of type 2 diabetes prevention. The perception of a need to change is considered essential in behaviour change processes. However, the existing literature on individuals’ perceived need to change health behaviour is limited. In order to improve understanding of diabetes prevention through increased physical activity levels (PAL), we assessed factors associated with perceiving a need to increase PAL among adults at high risk of diabetes. Methods Opportunistic screening was used within a primary-care based lifestyle intervention covering 10 149 men and women at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Data were obtained at baseline visits. …

Transtheoretical model-based dietary interventions in primary care: a review of the evidence in diabetes

The objective of this study was to review the evidence concerning stage-based dietary interventions in primary care among persons with diabetes or an elevated diabetes risk. Search strategies were electronic databases and manual search. Selection criteria were randomized controlled studies with stage-based dietary intervention, conducted in primary care with at least 6 months of follow-up, and participants with either type 2 diabetes or with an elevated risk. The researchers evaluated trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed study quality. Seven articles, based on five data sets, were included. These studies concentrated on cardiovascular diseases and being overweight, not diabetes…

Directly Observed Physical Activity and Fundamental Motor Skills in Four-Year-Old Children in Day Care

Physical activity (PA), its location, social interactions and fundamental motor skills (FMS) were investigated in four-year-old Finnish children in day care. Six skills in the stability, locomotor and manipulative domains were assessed in 53 children (24 boys, 29 girls, normal anthropometry) with the APM-Inventory manual for assessing children’s perceptual and FMS and Total Motor Scores (TMS; 0–6 points) calculated. PA intensity, location, group composition and activity type − sitting, squatting, kneeling − were directly observed with a modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children – Preschool Version (OSRAC – P) during three consecutive days in 14…

Health promotion in the curricula and teaching of two polytechnics in Finland

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the manifestation of health promotion in two Finnish health care and nursing polytechnic curricula for students starting their studies in August 1997. Another goal was to explore students’ and their teachers’ perceptions of which modules contained health promotion, as well as to find out which modules contained integrated health promotion. In this study, data and investigator triangulation were used. The data consisted of the curricula of two polytechnics of health care and of interviews with 20 student nurses and their teachers. The data were analysed using content analysis. Health promotion studies were integrated with other studies in the…

Organisational culture: pursuing a theoretical foundation within the Finnish public oral health-care context.

At the moment, Finnish oral health care is undergoing many changes. Little attention has been paid to issues of organisational culture and communication in Finnish oral health care. Yet the question of culture is of primary importance for changes in an organisation and for planning and reconstructing the rational functioning of an organisation. The purpose of this paper is to examine Finnish public oral health care within a theoretical framework of organisational culture and to identify the various cultural traits that appear to characterise Finnish oral health care. Using a cultural point of view, we develop an orientation for understanding more profoundly and specifically the processes co…

Students' and teachers' experiences of a problem-based learning method in health promotion in a Finnish polytechnic

Objective This study explored students' and their teachers' experiences of a problem-based learning method (PBL) and its manifestation in health promotion education. Design The study was based on a more extensive follow-up research project that investigated the teaching and learning of health promotion in two polytechnics of health care from 1997 to 2000. Settings A Finnish polytechnic of health care and nursing within a larger multidisciplinary educational institution. Method The data consisted of interviews with nine student nurses and ten teachers, conducted in 1999 and 2000. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Results During the first year when the polytechnic star…

A socio-ecological approach to physical activity interventions in childcare: a systematic review

The promotion of physical activity (PA) in young children requires effective interventions. This article reviews the evidence on PA interventions in childcare by applying a socio-ecological approach. A computer-based literature search for intervention studies aimed at increasing children's PA levels was run across four databases: SPORTDiscus, ISI Web of Science, PsycINFO and ERIC. The participants had to be in childcare, aged 2-6-year-old, and their pre- and post- intervention PA levels measured. Selection was restricted to peer-reviewed publications and to studies conducted in childcare settings. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and their methodological quality was assessed.…

Kolmevuotiaiden päiväkotilasten mitattu fyysinen aktiivisuus

Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää kolmevuotiaiden lasten fyysisen aktiivisuuden määrä ja intensiteetti sekä selvittää täyttyvätkö alle kouluikäisten Varhaiskasvatuksen liikunnan suositukset (2005) kahden tunnin reippaasta päivittäisestä liikunnasta tutkimukseen osallistuvilla lapsilla. Tutkimuksessa vertailtiin myös poikien ja tyttöjen sekä arki- ja viikonlopun päivien välisiä eroja. Aineisto kerättiin 14 vapaaehtoisesta päiväkodista elokuusta lokakuuhun 2010. Lasten fyysinen aktiivisuus mitattiin ActiGraph GT3Xkiihtyvyysmittareilla viiden peräkkäisen päivän ajan. Hyväksyttävä aineisto, vähintään kahdeksan tuntia mittausta kolmena arkipäivänä ja yhtenä viikonlopun päivänä, saati…

Empowering counseling--a case study: nurse-patient encounter in a hospital

This study illustrates practices that a nurse uses in order to empower patients. The emphasis is on speech formulae that encourage patients to discuss their concerns and to solicit information about impending surgery. The study is a part of a larger research project and a single case was selected for presentation in this article because it differed from the rest of the data by manifesting empowering practice. A videotaped nurse-patient health counseling session was conducted in a hospital and transcribed verbatim. The investigator interviewed the nurse and the patient after the conversation, and these interviews were transcribed as well. The encounter that is presented here as a case study …

Nurse-patient power relationship: preliminary evidence of patients' power messages.

The interactive relationship that is based on sharing power and control is the goal of health counseling practice. This research examined the nurse-patient power relationship and emphasized the patient's perspective. Health counseling sessions, 38 in number, were videotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by using an adaptation of conversation analysis (CA). The purpose of this research was to describe in detail how patients' minimized power asymmetry during hospital counseling. The results indicate that power is a complex and polysemic phenomenon that can be created jointly. Nurses' power is associated with their medical knowledge, which also patients construct. However, patients have …

Physical activity promotion in public health nursing practice with children

Background: Physical activity has become a major public health concern even in early childhood. This article exemplifies physical activity promotion in practice as described by public health nurses from Finnish primary health care. Method: We gathered the data by purposive sampling in five regional focus groups with 24 informants working in child health clinics provided for all families with children below school age. Statements associated with physical activity promotion were extracted out of verbatim transcripts. Frequency counting complemented qualitative analysis of the content of statements. Findings: Child-centred evaluation provided by public health nurses focused on motor developmen…

A cross-sectional study of low physical fitness, self-rated fitness and psychosocial factors in a sample of Finnish 18- to 64-year-old men

Background. The biological risk factors of inactivity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness are well established. However, risk groups are hard to reach and they may have misperceptions of their need for change. This study explored self-ratings of physical fitness (PF) and the relationship between objectively estimated physical fitness (PFI) and psychosocial factors among Finnish men of working-age. Methods. Cross-sectional data on 899 Finnish men (aged 18–64) were collected in 2011. Health- related physical fitness was evaluated with a physical fitness index calculated from the results of selected fitness tests. The men were subsequently classified into three groups: low, moderate and high PF…

Behaviour-change interventions in primary care: Influence on nutrition and on the metabolic syndrome definers

The purpose of this paper was to examine whether interventions influenced patients' (i) consumption of fish; whole grain products; fruits and vegetables; (ii) overall nutrition, that is, the three former as an index; and (iii) clinical outcomes in terms of metabolic syndrome definers. A questionnaire was delivered to adult patients entering the nine health centres on November 2006 (n = 1211). During the year the ward personnel conducted intervention on patients with unhealthy habits. The 12-month follow up was conducted by mailings. Also clinical data of pre- and post-intervention values of metabolic syndrome definers were collected. For the analyses, intervention was divided into brief (≤ …

Perceiving Need for Lifestyle Counseling

OBJECTIVE To investigate the proportion of individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes who perceive the need for lifestyle counseling, factors associated with this perception, and whether the perceived need is associated with subsequent attendance in lifestyle intervention. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Baseline and intervention data were obtained from 10,149 participants in a Finnish National Diabetes Prevention Project. RESULTS In total, 36% of men and 52% of women perceived the need for counseling. Most of the risk factors did not increase the perceived need for counseling. Those agreeing to attend supervised lifestyle intervention were more likely to report a perceived need than those wh…

The effect of the cluster randomized HIPPA intervention on childcare children’s overall physical activity

Background The effect of the cluster randomized Home- and childcare-based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity (HIPPA) intervention on the everyday physical activity (PA) of children between the ages of 4 to 5 years was evaluated. Material/Methods Fourteen childcare centers with 102 children born in 2007 and their families participated in the study. HIPPA was implemented over a single preschool year in seven childcare centers while seven other centers continued their normal care (control group, CG). The PA levels of children were assessed by accelerometers six times every six months during two and a half years of research. Valid PA data were obtained from 69 children at baseline and an…

From nurse-centered health counseling to empowermental health counseling.

The main goals of this study were to examine aspects of the delivery and reception of advice and questions in interaction between nurses and patients and to describe linguistic features that constructed nurse-centered and empowermental health counseling. The research data, 38 health counseling sessions, were videotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed by using an adaptation of conversational analysis. During nurse-centered discussions, the nurses' advice did not correspond to the patients' need for information. These counseling sessions began with check-up questions about the patients' condition and continued with factual questions about their illnesses and health care measures. During e…

Directly Observed Physical Activity among 3-Year-Olds in Finnish Childcare

The main purpose of the study was to determine 3-year-olds’ physical activity levels and how these vary across season, gender, time of day, location, and the physical and social environment in childcare settings in Finland. A modified version of the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children-Preschool (OSRAC-P) was used to measure physical activity levels and contextual variables (e.g., group composition, prompts) of children attending childcare centres. In total, 81 children (42 boys and 39 girls) were observed in autumn and in winter. Three-level linear regression analyses were used to assess differences between the seasons in the association between the context vari…

The effectiveness of the HIPPA intervention in the sociocultural environment of ECEC physical activity

Studies have shown that, on average, children’s physical activity (PA) levels in early childhood education and care (ECEC) environments are low, thus opening up the possibility of interventions. We examined the effect of the teacher-implemented one-year long ‘home-and-childcare-based intervention to promote physical activity’ (HIPPA) study on children’s PA in ECEC settings in Finland. Participating four-year-old children (N = 128) were cluster-randomised into two groups, intervention (seven childcare centres) and control (seven childcare centres), in autumn 2011. The children were observed directly during their ECEC times. Multilevel linear analysis was used to test the PA differences betwe…

Yhteisöt terveyden edistäjinä : miten toimintaa voitaisiin edistää arvioida ja tehostaa?

Tässä artikkelissa esitellään suomenkielinen versio yhteisölähtöisen terveyden edistämisen arviointimittarista (Blomqvist ym. 2014). Yhteisölähtöisellä terveyden edistämisellä tarkoitetaan yhteisöjen (mm. päiväkoti, koulu, harrasteryhmä, työpaikka, koti, kylä, kunta/kaupunki) kanssa työskentelyä, jonka tavoitteena on yhteisöjen kehittyminen, voimaantuminen ja sitoutuminen hyvinvointia ja terveyttä edistävään toimintaan (Green & Tones 2010, 401-2). Toiminta on kokonaisvaltaista ja monialaista ihmisten elinpiiriin vaikuttamista. Yhteisölähtöinen terveyden edistäminen kiteytyy ajatukseen ”Terveyttä luodaan ja ylläpidetään siellä, missä ihmiset viettävät jokapäiväistä elämäänsä, eli siellä miss…

Lifestyle counseling in type 2 diabetes prevention: a case study of a nurse's communication activity to produce change talk.

As a case study, this article describes a nurse's communication activity, focusing on change talk during lifestyle counseling in primary healthcare. All videotaped counseling sessions with a single patient within a period of two years were transcribed verbatim. In the analysis, an emphasis was placed on the nurse's communication activity that produced change talk, how the nurse initiated change talk, and how the patient received it. The observations provide evidence that the dilemma of simultaneously maintaining professional authority and patient perspective leads to sensitivity in lifestyle counseling. Three categories of change talk were identified: rejected, restrictive, and expansive ch…

Involving the elderly in the content development of a health enhancing tablet-based service

The aim of the present study was to specify the needs of elderly for a health-enhancing tablet-based service. An interview study was performed with voluntary elderly (N=19, female 15, male 4, aged 76.2 years (SD 8.3)). The attitudes towards improving health behaviours and technology utilisation were explored. The content illustrations were developed for the interviews, and evaluated by participants using a numerical scale (1 very poor − 5 very good) and verbal feedback. Content analysis was used in the analysis of qualitative data. Taking care of one's own well-being comprehensively was the most important incentive to maintain one's activity. Content illustrations were evaluated as high (av…

The development of reflective learning in the context of health counselling and health promotion during nurse education.

The development of reflective learning in the context of health counselling and health promotion during nurse education Aims and background. The purpose of this follow-up study was to describe the development of reflective learning of 16 student nurses in the context of health counselling and promotion during clinical training of a 3-year nursing education programme in two Finnish polytechnics. The first aim was to analyse the levels of reflectivity in the student nurses’ reflections on their videotaped counselling situations. The second aim was to explore the qualitative features of the reflective health counselling learning process in the context of health promotion. The theoretical backg…

Terveysliikunnan lukutaidon yhteys vapaa-ajan liikunta-aktiivisuuteen ja fyysiseen kuntoon työikäisillä miehillä

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää, onko työikäisten (25–64-vuotiaiden) miesten terveysliikunnan lukutaito yhteydessä vapaa-ajan liikunta-aktiivisuuteen ja fyysiseen kuntoon. Aineisto oli osa Jyväskylän yliopiston Terveyden edistämisen tutkimuskeskuksen ja LIKES-tutkimuskeskuksen yhteistyössä toteuttamaa ”Sisältääkö suomalaisen miehen liikunnan terveyden lukutaito tajua ja toimintaa?” -tutkimusta (2008–2009). Aineisto kerättiin kolmelta paikkakunnalta terveyskäyttäytymiskyselyillä, Polar OwnIndex-kuntomittauksilla ja Inbody 720-kehon koostumusmittauksilla. Tutkimukseen osallistui vuoden 2009 keväällä 104 työikäistä miestä. Tilastollisissa analyyseissa käytettiin ristiintaulukointeja ja…