ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The Health Promoting Universities (HPU) concept is undertheorized, with no African university belonging to the International Network of Health Promoting Universities (IHPU). AIM: The study aimed to investigate the status of the HPU concept globally to inform emerging HPUs, more specifically in Africa, regarding its implementation. METHODS: An integrative literature review of studies conducted between 1 January 2013 and 5 November 2023 was conducted from online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, CINAHL and Medline). A VOS bibliometric analysis viewer was used to extract and analyze further relevant information that could have been missed in the review. RESULTS: From 1128 records, 22 (N = 22) articles including two reports met the inclusion criteria. The main findings were that: (1) the HPU network is growing as a global network though undertheorized and less reported on, (2) the implementation of the HPU depends on a plethora of underpinning philosophies such as salutogenic and whole systems approach, and diverse programs and initiatives, 3) the terms HPU and healthy universities are often used interchangeably but the whole systems approach appears to be consistent in many HPU interventions. However, five contextual challenges that emanated from this review were discussed, including the definition of the HPU concept, theories for the HPU concept, measurement of the HPU concept, coordination and methods for measuring the HPU concept status. These challenges present obstacles to measuring the status of the HPU concept beyond the number of affiliated universities and HPU initiatives. CONCLUSION: Despite the challenges, the HPU concept is gaining momentum globally, as evidenced by the growing list of universities (HPU network) involved and the proliferation of interventions/initiatives targeting university students.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Longevity is increasing, accompanied by a rise in disability and chronic diseases with physical activity (PA) delaying disability, ensuring successful ageing (SA) and independent living in older adults. AIM: This study aimed to determine objectively measure PA levels, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), life-space mobility and SA of older adults as well as their mutual associations. SETTING: KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. METHODS: A total of 210 older adults aged 65-92 years were purposively sampled and completed the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, the Life-Space Mobility, and Successful Ageing questionnaires. Physical activity levels were measured using an Omron Pedometer, which the participants wore for seven consecutive days. RESULTS: The average number of steps taken per day for the 7 days was 2025, with 98.6% of the entire study population classified as sedentary. The Vitality domain (one of 8 categorised) reflected the best health status (M = 59.9, s.d. ± 18.8) with a significant 93% of the participants indicating that they had not visited places outside their immediate neighbourhood (p < 0.0005). A significant, negative association between the average number of steps taken in 7 days and all three SA variables, namely, the physical (r = -0.152, p = 0.027), sociological (r = -0.148, p = 0.032) and psychological (r = -0.176, p = 0.010), and a significant, positive association with life-space mobility (r = 0.224, p = 0.001) was noted. CONCLUSION: The majority of the older adults were sedentary, affecting their HRQoL, life-space mobility, and SA negatively. CONTRIBUTION: It is imperative to develop effective physical activity programmes to ensure successful ageing by improving older adults' quality of life and physical activity levels.
ABSTRACT
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has infected > 60 million people since its discovery and 30 million people have died since the pandemic began. Antiretroviral therapy has transformed HIV infection from an acute to a chronic disease, increasing life expectancy but also adding to the potential side effects associated with drug therapy and the comorbidity accompanying longevity. Exercise can play a valuable role in the management of HIV/AIDS patients by addressing various symptoms and improving their quality of life, but the optimum mode, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise that take the different clinical stages of the disease into consideration are inadequately known. Searches of Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index, CINAHL database, HealthSTAR, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and SPORTDiscus were conducted between 2000 and January 2014. Searches of published and unpublished abstracts were conducted, as well as a hand search of reference lists and tables of contents of relevant journals and books. Identified studies were reviewed for methodological quality. A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies failed to indicate the optimum type (mode), intensity, frequency, and duration of aerobic and progressive resistive exercise prescribed to HIV-infected individuals in relation to the different clinical stages of the disease. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence-based recommendations after revision of exercise guidelines for HIV patients, by highlighting practical guidelines that clinical exercise therapists should consider when prescribing exercise for patients in different stages of the disease.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 36 session COREPOWER machine training intervention and those of a 36 session home-based core training intervention programme on golfers' physical fitness and sport specific performance. It was hypothesised that both modalities will improve on golf related fitness aspects. Subjects comprised of experienced golfers and were randomly divided into a machine group (M: n = 51) and a home group (H: n = 50). The following variables were measured both pre- and post-intervention: lower back flexibility (sit & reach), muscle endurance (sit-ups and push-ups), muscle strength (wall-squats and back dynamometer), cardio-respiratory fitness (3 minute step-test), balance (Biodex Balance System), club head speed and carry distance (Flightscope). The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney signed-rank test was used to compare pre and post-intervention measurements within each group with significance set at p < 0.05. An ANCOVA analyses was also run as well as Pearson Product Moment correlations. Results portrayed that with the exception of cardiorespiratory fitness, all variables in both groups showed significant (p<0.05) improvement post intervention. Push-ups (p = 0.000; ↑17.03%; d = 0.92) and driver carry distance (p = 0.000; ↑30.30%; d = 0.40) showed the greatest percentage improvement post intervention within group M, while sit-ups (p = 0.000; ↑14.41%; d = 0.77) and push-ups (p = 0.000; ↑12.52%; d = 0.90) showed the greatest percentage improvement within group H. Lower back strength holds significant correlation to golf performance. Thus both modalities, the COREPOWER machine training and the home-based manual core training were equally effective in improving selected fitness components; however the machine was more effective in improving golf performance parameters. These observations can be applied to golfers in addition to their usual golfing activities as well as to other sport populations as this study formed an evidence base for core training.
