Smoking and physical activity: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To better understand the co-occurrence of smoking and physical inactivity. METHODS: A review of 5 databases identified 50 articles reporting empirical relationships between smoking and physical activity (PA). RESULTS: Almost 60% of the articles reported a definitely negative association, but this relationship was often attenuated or reversed among adolescents and males and for moderate (vs vigorous) exercise. Stages of change for smoking and PA were relatively unrelated. CONCLUSION: Smoking and PA are largely incongruent behaviors. Potential explanations for the observed relationships are described. These ranged from physiological (eg, lung function) to psychological (eg, depression) to socio-demographic (eg, education) factors.

Perspectives of public health and leisure studies on determinants of physically active leisure.

Public health has historically been concerned with eliminating factors associated with disease, disability, and early mortality, whereas leisure studies has emerged from the need to create and manage recreational opportunities and promote leisure activities and experiences. Coincidently, both fields have progressed toward an appreciation of the role of active leisure in enhancing a population's health and well-being. Factors associated with making choices to be physically active in leisure time are complex and multidimensional. This paper provides historical perspectives from public health and leisure studies (i.e., parks and recreation), describes models used to understand physically active leisure from both fields, and suggests direction for future collaborative research between public health and parks, recreation, and leisure researchers.

Involving the community elderly in the planning and provision of health services: predictors of volunteerism and leadership.

A rapidly growing older population has led to changes in health care, including a community health movement with an emphasis on community collaboration, self-help, and capacity building. This study examined factors in the lives of older individuals that influenced their ability and willingness to participate in a health-related community-capacity-building project to help their frail, older neighbours. Using cross-sectional survey methodology, 107 volunteers who lived in a high density seniors' apartment complex known for its high health service utilization were compared with a random sample of 74 non-volunteers from the same community. Factors associated with volunteer involvement included age, activity level, functional ability, life satisfaction and certain personality characteristics. The study suggests that, within a community, the ''younger-old'' may be able to support their frail, older neighbours so that they can remain living in the community.

Beacon in the storm: an exploration of the spirituality and faith of parents whose children have cancer.

The purpose of this article is to describe the role of spirituality as a coping mechanism in the lives of parents of children with cancer. This exploratory study was conducted using a dominant-less dominant research design with phenomenology as the guiding theoretical orientation. Twelve parents (eight women and four men) were interviewed. Spirituality was described as playing a key role in the coping repertoire of these parents. In particular, spirituality's influence was described in both a religious and secularized manner with both aspects having a positive influence on coping behaviors among these parents. Health care professionals and nurses in particular have a role to play in facilitating access to spiritual resources as well as acknowledging and accepting the spiritual practices of the families they serve.

Contributions of leisure participation in predicting stress coping and health among police and emergency response services workers.

This study examined the extent to which frequency and enjoyment measures of leisure participation predict adaptational outcomes, over and above the contributions of general coping. Police and emergency response services workers (N = 132) participated in the study, and a repeated measures design was used. The study provides evidence that the type of leisure activity matters in predicting immediate adaptational outcomes (coping effectiveness, coping satisfaction and stress reduction) and mental and physical health. Relaxing leisure was found to be the strongest positive predictor of coping with stress, while social leisure and cultural leisure significantly predicted greater mental or physical health.