Benchmarking the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University: towards a culture of health.

Health professional entry-to-practice programmes are intense, competitive and prolonged. The aims of this study were to benchmark the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University, thereby informing student health services, and to establish a base for individual student's health assessments throughout the programmes. We used a convenience sample of 176 students. Assessment included a health/wellness questionnaire (smoking, nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress) and objective measures (resting heart rate, blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio and random blood glucose). Students had suboptimal activity, diet, stress and sleep. Health was suboptimal based on significant proportions of students in unhealthy categories for resting heart rate, blood pressure and body composition. Health status of health sciences students at Kuwait University is not consistent with healthy health professionals in training, who should serve as role models for the public. A culture of health on campus is recommended to maximize the health of students and their capacity as health role models.

Benchmarking the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University: towards a culture of health

Health professional entry-to-practice programmes are intense, competitive and prolonged. The aims of this study were to benchmark the health of health sciences students at Kuwait University, thereby informing student health services, and to establish a base for individual student's health assessments throughout the programmes. We used a convenience sample of 176 students. Assessment included a health/wellness questionnaire [smoking, nutrition, physical activity, sleep and stress] and objective measures [resting heart rate, blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio and random blood glucose]. Students had suboptimal activity, diet, stress and sleep. Health was suboptimal based on significant proportions of students in unhealthy categories for resting heart rate, blood pressure and body composition. Health status of health sciences students at Kuwait University is not consistent with healthy health professionals in training, who should serve as role models for the public. A culture of health on campus is recommended to maximize the health of students and their capacity as health role models

Les programmes de formation des professionnels de la santé sont intenses, compétitifs et longs. La présente étude visait à mesurer la santé des étudiants dans les facultés du Centre de Sciences médicales de l'Université du Koweit, permettant ainsi d'orienter les services de santé étudiante et d'établir des données de référence pour l'évaluation de la santé des étudiants dans l'ensemble des programmes. Nous avons recouru à un échantillon de commodité de 176 étudiants. L'évaluation incluait un questionnaire sur la santé/le bien-être [tabagisme, nutrition, activité physique, sommeil et stress] et des mesures objectives [rythme cardiaque au repos, tension artérielle, rapport taille-hanche, et glycémie aléatoire]. Les résultats ont montré que les étudiants avaient des niveaux d'activité, des régimes alimentaires, un niveau de stress et un sommeil suboptimaux. L'état de santé n'était pas optimal pour une proportion importante des étudiants ayant des mauvais résultats pour la composition corporelle, la fréquence cardiaque et la pression artérielle. L'état de santé des étudiants en sciences médicales de l'Université du Koweit ne correspond pas à ce que l'on attend de professionnels de la santé en formation, qui devraient servir de modèle pour le grand public. Une " culture de la santé " sur le campus est recommandée pour améliorer la santé des étudiants et leur capacité à servir de modèle pour les modes de vie sain

Cardiovascular responses to repetitive McKenzie lumbar spine exercises.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Repetitive exercises of the type recommended by McKenzie for the lumbar spine, such as flexion and extension exercises in standing (FIS and EIS) and lying positions (FIL and EIL), have been used in the management of low back pain for over 20 years. The cardiovascular effects of exercises that involve postural stabilization and the arms and of exercises performed in a lying position are well known. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the cardiovascular effects of 4 exercises used in the McKenzie system. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One hundred subjects without cardiovascular or cardiopulmonary disease (mean age=31 years, SD=6.1, range=22-44) and who were representative of people susceptible to low back pain were studied. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 exercise groups (ie, FIS, EIS, FIL, and EIL). Subjects performed sets of 10, 15, and 20 repetitions of the assigned exercise, with a 15-minute rest between sets. Heart rate, blood pressure, and rate-pressure product (an index of myocardial work) were recorded before and after each set of repetitions. RESULTS: After 10 repetitions, flexion and extension in lying were more hemodynamically demanding than in standing. This trend persisted for 15 and 20 repetitions; however, at 20 repetitions, the hemodynamic demands were different across exercise groups (ie, FIL>EIL>FIS>EIS). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Repetitive exercises of the type suggested by McKenzie for the lumbar spine can have cardiovascular effects in people with no cardiovascular or cardiopulmonary conditions. These effects may be important with respect to cardiac work, and patients for whom these exercises are indicated should have a cardiac and pulmonary risk factor assessment to determine whether heart rate and blood pressure should be monitored.