Perceptions of Barriers to Healthy Physical Activity among Asian Communities

There is clear evidence of inequalities in the health status of minority ethnic groups in Britain. This includes a number of conditions which may be alleviated or prevented through increased levels of physical exercise. Other research has shown lower levels of activity and raised body mass among Asian groups. There remains some scope for argument about the reasons for these differences. It is, for example, suggested that health education materials are poorly targeted at South Asian communities, or that certain cultures discourage involvement in recreational physical activities. It is known that both motivation and self-image are important to physical activity behaviour, from school age upwards. A lifestyle survey sponsored by the Health Education Authority, and qualitative research, provide an opportunity to examine the degree to which there are distinctive 'ethnic' barriers to exercise or other healthy physical activity amongst communities of South Asian origin living in England. While there are many similarities with the reasons given by members of the white population for 'not exercising', there are some subtle differences between communities, and a number of issues which appear to be specific to the minority populations. Some are particular to a religion, gender or generation. Attention to these, including questions of modesty, gender segregation, and safety, would improve the accessibility of recreational activities to this target group. At the same time, it is clear that individuals from these communities are well informed and well motivated, and do take advantage of local facilities when they can. The question of both institutional and personal racism cannot be excluded from a strategy for promoting healthy physical activity; equally, it is important to pay attention to the characteristics of particular communities to gain their confidence. A 'colour-blind' or homogenous approach may be counterproductive.     

Contesting contained bodily coaching experiences

Through critical readings of several images and texts, including photographs and artifacts in this collected montage, my aim here is to use multiple interactional analyses (visual culture techniques and deconstructive techniques) to assist in the critique of these presented visual images that represent current coaching policies in the USA.     

Changes in Self-Concepts during a Physical Development Program

Abstract

Three measures of self-concept were administered to children referred to a physical developmental clinic both before and after the six-week clinic program. The 74 children studied were referred primarily because of emotional disturbances, brain damage, and mental retardation. A comparison of preclinic and postclinic scores indicated the following significant changes: (a) decrease in self—self-ideal discrepancy on height, (b) increase in willingness to be with larger groups of children, (c) increase in willingness to be near the clinician, and (d) increase in desire (self-ideal) to be near the father. No significant changes occurred with respect to weight, arm length, leg length, or activity orientation.     

Effects of Varied Techniques in Organizing Class Competition upon Changes in Sociometric Status

Abstract

The effects of different methods of class organization and different competitive situations upon social status change in college men was investigated. After initial testing, 88 male subjects were randomly assigned to four experimental groups and participated three days per wk. for six weeks in badminton activity classes. A control group of 22 subjects did not participate in any activity. The subjects engaged in their respective programs for three weeks in anticohesive pairs and three weeks in cohesive pairs. A social distance rating card was used to obtain scores at the beginning and end of each three-week period.

The findings in this study would appear to warrant the conclusions that (a) positive shifts in social acceptance can be brought about through a conscious effort on the part of the teacher to organize class activity and direct student interaction in light of measured sociometric status; and (b) that changes in sociometric ratings are not likely to occur automatically as a result of the normal social forces present in a class situation, with or without physical activity.     

Exploring trust in online health information: a study of user experiences of patients.co.uk

This feature has been co‐authored by Anna Cunningham and her supervisor Frances Johnson. It is based on the research Anna conducted for her dissertation, which she completed as part of her MA in Library and Information Management at Manchester Metropolitan University. The study explored how people assess the trustworthiness of online health information, and the participants were asked to talk aloud whilst viewing information on the consumer health information website patients.co.uk. The study confirmed that their assessment was based on the information usefulness and credibility as well as identifying the factors relating to information quality and website design that helped to form these judgements. A. M.