ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between subjective usefulness of pedometer and step count, exercise adherence, and the possibility of a pedometer helping exercise adherence.<BR>The subjects were 106 community-dwelling citizens (mean age±SD, 66±5) who were put on an individual exercise program in addition to walking. The targeted step count was 8000 steps/day. Every subject wore a pedometer that registers 7 days of physical activity.<BR>The rate of adherence was 98.1%, and about 73% of subjects answered that using a pedometer is useful for physical activity. There was no difference in exercise habit at baseline between subjects answering useful or not useful.<BR>Only in the case of females, was step count and prevalence of targeted 8000 steps significantly higher in the group who felt a pedometer was useful than in the group who didn't feel it useful. However, in the group of males who felt the usefulness of a pedometer, step count significantly increased during the 3 months. In addition, the females who reached their targeted step count performed better in the 10 m hurdle walk and 6 min walk than those who could not reach the targeted step count.<BR>The awareness of self-health wellness, without the anxiety of physical fitness and adherence to exercise was higher in the subjects who felt a pedometer was useful than in the subjects who didn't.<BR>The subjects who felt a pedometer was useful achieved their targeted number of steps and increased walking ability and tended to adhere better to physical activity.<BR>It is suggested that a pedometer motivates adherence to physical activity and is useful for helping exercise adherence in the future. However, we need a randomized control trial for determining the relationship between exercise adherence and using a pedometer.
ABSTRACT
As part of an occupational health curriculum, 3rd-year medical students were taught about sexual harassment so that they can treat victims in an appropriate way. A lecture presented basic information: the definition of sexual harassment, its history, legal aspects, specific features, effects on victims' physical and psychological health, and appropriate approaches of doctors to victims. Students then played roles of both a patient and an occupational health doctor. A patient profile was created on the basis of a legal case.<BR>Students were extremely interested in the course and judged it highly. Role play helped students develop a sincere interest in the problem of sexual harassment and an empathic understanding of its victims. The relevance of sexual harassment to medical education is discussed.
ABSTRACT
Occupational health was taught to 3rd-year medical students using simulated patients and role playing. Patient profiles were created to enable students to consider psychosocial aspects, such as work environment and lifestyles, involved in occupational health. Simulated patients were used, later, students acted as patients and each student played the role of an occupational health doctor. The aim of the exercise was for students, through their own actions and observations, to learn communication skills and approaches to occupational health, such as prevention, health promotion, and the importance of health education, which are based on a biopsychosocial model.<BR>Students were extremely interested and found the course valuable. This result shows the effectiveness and current shortage of active learning methods as well as the need for acquiring communication skills.<BR>Although learning communication skills is most relevant to clinical medicine, active learning and communication training is also important for occupational health education because the latter should be based not on the traditional doctor-patient relationship but on the biopsychosocial model.