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Biomedical subjects

A Colantonio

Publications and source records attributed to A Colantonio.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Prediction of leisure time exercise behavior among a group of lower-limb disabled adults.

The aim of this study was to predict leisure time exercise behavior among a group of 62 lower-limb disabled adults. The theory of reasoned action proposed by Fishbein (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975) provided a framework for the study. Variables measured included the Fishbein model variables, habit, education, disability type, fitness level, and a 7-day follow-up of exercise behavior. Some 35% of the variance in exercise behavior could be explained; intention was the strongest predictor (.31, p less than .05). In comparison, the ability to predict intentions to exercise by using the other variables was quite poor, with only 7% of the variance explained by habit. None of the Fishbein model variables contributed to this prediction. These results indicated the importance of specific factors, such as the strength of the exercise habit and the cause of disability, on exercise behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Children's perception of parental exercise: influence of sex and age.

The purpose of the study was to document children's perception of parental exercise, relating these perceptions to (1) the self-reported parents' habits of exercise, and (2) the children's own activity patterns. The subjects were 198 students of both sexes, aged 12 to 14 yr. and enrolled in school Grades 7 to 9. A standard questionnaire assessed their perceptions of parental and personal physical activity. Both parents of each subject also reported their respective levels of habitual physical activity. Congruence between the children's perceptions and the self-reported exercise habits of the opposite-sex parent differed for boys and girls, increasing for boys and decreasing for girls between Grades 7 and 9. No significant associations were observed between the children's perception of parental exercise patterns and their own like habits. This suggests that during adolescence parental influences are minimized by other factors, personal or environmental.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

What support do caregivers of elderly want? Results from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging.

The aim of this paper is to document interest in support strategies among caregivers of elderly persons. We used data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging caregiver questionnaire which included 43 informal caregivers of elderly persons living with dementia and 145 informal caregivers of elderly persons not living with dementia. While the study assessed interest in attending support groups (10.4%), receiving telephone support from either a professional (44.9%) or a fellow caregiver (41.0%), receiving a newsletter (40.5%), receiving volunteer support (24.2%), and interest in support via computer (14.8%), there were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to interest in any of the support services. Implications for program delivery are discussed. Planners may want to consider adding telephone support and newsletters to other supports already available for caregivers.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessing the effects of employee assistance programs: a review of employee assistance program evaluations.

Employee assistance programs have grown at a dramatic rate, yet the effectiveness of these programs has been called into question. The purpose of this paper was to assess the effectiveness of employee assistance programs (EAPs) by reviewing recently published EAP evaluations. All studies evaluating EAPs published since 1975 from peer-reviewed journals in the English language were included in this analysis. Each of the articles was assessed in the following areas: (a) program description (subjects, setting, type of intervention, format), (b) evaluation design (research design, variables measured, operational methods), and (c) program outcomes. Results indicate numerous methodological and conceptual weaknesses and issues. These weaknesses included lack of controlled research designs and short time lags between pre- and post-test measures. Other problems identified are missing information regarding subjects, type of intervention, how variables are measured (operational methods), and reliability and validity of evaluation instruments. Due to the aforementioned weaknesses, positive outcomes could not be supported. Recommendations are made for future EAP evaluations.

Alcoholism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The cognitive profile of those who intend to exercise but do not.

The purpose of this study was to identify the cognitive profile of people who intend to exercise but fail to carry out this intention. A theoretical framework was adopted to study the attitudinal beliefs of these persons about exercise, their evaluation of the associated consequences, and their normative beliefs and motivation to comply with these norms. Subjects were classified according to the congruence between stated intention and self-reported exercise behavior 2 months later in this way: positive intention and congruent behavior (CONG+, N = 74). positive intention and incongruent behavior (INCONG-, N = 45). negative intention and congruent behavior (CONG-, N = 42). negative intention and incongruent behavior (N = 2, not analyzed). MANOVA analysis indicated little difference between the cognitive profiles of inactive and active positive intenders. Relative to the CONG+ group, the INCONG- group perceived that regular exercise would be "tiring" (P less than 0.001) and "time consuming" (P less than 0.001); they also placed less value on the consequence of "being healthy" (P less than 0.05). Both groups differed from the CONG- group. As would be expected, those with positive intentions to exercise identified more advantages to being physically active. It appears that sedentary positive intenders perceived the exercise behavior as physically demanding and had difficulty in reconciling the time demands of an exercise program with their weekly schedules. This observation suggests that these two beliefs should be considered for the promotion of physical activity as well as the investigation of influential social and environmental variables.

Adult↗