0000000000135608
AUTHOR
Tarja Javanainen-levonen
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…
Terveydenhoitajat liikunnanedistäjinä lastenneuvolatyössä
This qualitative research, based on public health nurses’ experiences and views, explores physical activity promotion as part of primary health care for children below school age. The aims of the original publications (II-IV) underlying this thesis were, firstly, to explore how public health nurses working in child health clinics approach physical activity, secondly, to describe physical activity promotion in child health clinic practice, and thirdly, to specify determinants of physical activity promotion.The main data were gathered in spring 2003 by a purposive sample of 24 nurses in five regional focus groups, providing lively interaction between nurses. In all, 92.3% of the invited nurse…
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…