Raising Health Literacy and Promoting Empowerment to Meet the Challenges of Aging in Hong Kong

This study aimed to determine the educational needs of members of the public and related professional disciplines in order to improve health literacy in elderly issues. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2007; 2,694 subjects were recruited from the noninstitutional Hong Kong population aged 16 years and over. Undergraduate students of health care professions, professionals working at the hospitals, and the seniors were purposefully over-sampled. Results showed significant knowledge gaps and misconceptions. The gaps were more prevalent with increasing age in general, although they also existed among health care professionals. Public education should target the revealed areas of knowledge gaps and misconceptions.     

Pervasive,lifestyle‐integrated mobile learning for distance learners: an analysis and unexpected results from a podcasting study

This article opens with a discussion of how and why mobile learning (m‐learning) is purported to be the next step in the evolution of distance education, before looking at various perspectives on what m‐learning constitutes. It critically examines the degree to which ‘true’ m‐learning has been achieved, by offering pedagogical value beyond the mere use of mobile devices to deliver e‐learning content. The authors argue that podcasting, in combination with a variety of portable MPEG Layer 3 (MP3)‐capable devices that are increasingly ubiquitous, can be used to deliver a form of m‐learning that offers a higher degree of lifestyle integration than many current ‘state of the art’ m‐learning applications, despite not being as technically complex. They present an example of a study in which podcasting was used to deliver supplementary listening material to distance learners undertaking an information technology subject. An end‐of‐semester survey yielded extremely positive feedback about uptake levels and the perceived effectiveness of the podcasts in aiding the students’ learning of the subject matter. However, it also produced interesting results on the ways the students made use of the podcasts, which deviated from the researchers’ original intentions for ‘anytime, anywhere, any device’ learning. The results are discussed in the light of possible influencing factors, supported by follow‐up interview data. The study may have broader implications for the still nascent field of m‐learning.     

Narrative understandings of a school policy: intersecting student,teacher, parent and administrator perspectives

In this article, we examine one school’s experience with policy, as a means of shedding light on the intersection of factors contributing to challenges of implementing policies to support the academic achievement and social adaptation of immigrant and minority students in their school context. We begin with the presentation of a ‘big fight’ between two students of different ethnic and racial backgrounds, and consider multiple perspectives of how the disagreement was addressed by teachers and administrators, to offer insight into how issues of race and policy might have been understood by members of the school community. We use a narrative inquiry approach to examine ways in which a policy designed to enhance student participation was interpreted by various members of this school community. This study reveals nuances of the intersection between culture and (hidden) curriculum as it relates to the implementation of policies aimed at creating and maintaining safe school communities.     

我国健身俱乐部顾客满意度影响因素和测评体系的设计

采用文献资料和逻辑分析等研究方法,利用顾客满意度理论和健身健美理论,提出了健身俱乐部顾客满意度概念,识别和分析影响健身俱乐部顾客满意度的主要因素,包括健身产品和教练员专业技术水平、健身环境、服务质量、健身费用、健身安全、健身效果;尝试构建了适合我国健身俱乐部顾客满意度的模型;根据测评模型建立了相应的测评指标体系,指出权重确定与分配(运用优序图来评定各因素权重)是测评指标体系设计中的关键步骤,确定了满意度指标测量法(加权平均的方法)来计算各指标的测评方法。     

The biomechanics of soccer: A review

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether combining two mental preparation strategies would be more effective in enhancing performances than a single strategy. Subjects (n = 40) practiced on a basketball free throw task (20 shots) using one of the following mental preparation strategies: (a) imagery, (b) relaxation, (c) relaxation plus imagery, (d) placebo control. To simulate game conditions, subjects were allowed only 10 s in which to use their mental preparation strategy. After the practice session, subjects shot 20 test free throws using their designated technique. Results indicated a significant main effect with the imagery group performing significantly better than the placebo control group although there were no specific differences between the three experimental groups. The results are discussed in terms of potential variables mediating the effectiveness of imagery in enhancing sport performance, and future directions for research are offered.     

Maximum oxygen uptake and body composition of healthy Hong Kong Chinese adult men and women aged 20 – 64 years

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to assess the maximal oxygen uptake and body composition of adult Chinese men and women, and to determine how these variables relate to age. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 196 men and 221 women aged 20 – 64 years. Maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O_2max) was determined by indirect calorimetry during a maximal exercise test on an electrically braked cycle ergometer. The correlations between [Vdot]O_2max and fat mass were ?0.52 in men and ?0.58 in women. Linear regression defined the cross-sectional age-related decline in [Vdot]O_2max as 0.35 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 · year^?1 in men and 0.30 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 · year^?1 in women. Multiple regression analysis showed that more than 50% of this cross-sectional decline in [Vdot]O_2max was due to fat mass, lean mass, and age. Adding fat mass and lean mass to the multiple regression models reduced the age regression mass from 0.35 to 0.24 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 · year^?1 in men and from 0.30 to 0.15 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 · year^?1 in women. We conclude that age, fat mass, and lean mass are independent determinants of maximal oxygen uptake in Chinese adults.     

The biomechanical difference between running with traditional and 3D printed orthoses

ABSTRACT

Running-related injuries have been associated with excessive foot pronation and high vertical loading rates. Traditional plaster-molded (TPM) foot orthoses are commonly prescribed to minimize these atypical biomechanical patterns. Recently, 3D printed (3DP) orthoses have become popular, yet the functional difference between these two types of orthoses remains unknown. Therefore, this study compared running biomechanics and perceived comfort during treadmill running in three orthotic conditions: 3DP orthoses, TPM orthoses, and a no-orthoses control condition (CON). Thirteen female asymptomatic runners with excessive foot pronation were recruited. Rearfoot eversion angle and velocity (at initial contact and peak) during stance, vertical loading rates, and perceived comfort were compared. Results showed lower peak rearfoot eversion angles during running with TPM (p=0.001, d=0.38) or 3DP orthoses (p=0.002, d=0.24) than CON. No differences were observed in other biomechanical parameters among the three conditions (p>0.05). Running with TPM (p≤0.001, d=1.74–1.82) and 3DP orthoses (p<0.003, d=1.06–1.34) resulted in better perceived comfort in “medial-lateral control” and “heel cushioning” than CON. There were no statistical differences in all parameters between TPM and 3DP orthoses. The present findings indicate improved comfort during running with TPM or 3DP orthoses, which hinted 3DP orthoses could be a viable alternative to TPM orthoses for clinical practice.     

Assessing College Student-Athletes' Life Stress: Initial Measurement Development and Validation

College student-athletes have unique life stress that warrants close attention. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid measurement assessing college student-athletes' life stress. In Study 1, a focus group discussion and Delphi method produced a questionnaire draft, termed the College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale. In Study 2 and Study 3, the properties of the items and the underlying structure of the College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale were confirmed through item analysis, factor analysis, and reliability examination. A 24-item College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale with eight factors was established. In addition, examining concurrent and discriminant validity via correlations among College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale, positive state of mind, and burnout experiences provided further evidences of criterion validity. Across these phases, results showed adequate factorial structure, criterion validity, and reliability of the College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale. The investigators suggest that College Student-Athletes' Life Stress Scale could be used as a tool for researchers and practitioners to assess college student-athletes' life stress.     

Understanding teachers’ will and capacity to accomplish physical education curriculum reform: the implications for teacher development

Drawing on data generated by a two-year ethnographic study in a high security Spanish prison, this article explores the multiple meanings given to the social practices of sport and physical activity. We provide details of the following key themes that emerged from the analysis: (a) escaping time; (b) perceived therapeutic benefits; (c) social control; (d) gendered dimensions; and (e) performing masculinity. The findings suggest that a diverse and contradictory set of meanings are associated with sport and physical activity within this particular prison culture, and that the performance of specific kinds of masculinity is both a process and product that shapes the construction of experience in powerful ways.