Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a PRECEDE model-based educational program in enhancing awareness, attitudes and preventive behaviors against diabetes complications among rural patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Design/methodology/approach: This quasi-experimental study included 160 T2DM patients from rural health centers in…

Background: Knowing which theoretical constructs work best to design effective interventions is essential for populations with increased disease burden. African American women (AAW) experience a greater prevalence of chronic diseases and fewer benefits from weight loss interventions compared to White women. Purpose: To examine how theoretical…

High prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes has emerged as a concern in China. The Pathway to Health Program was designed to prevent type 2 diabetes onset in prediabetic women in a north China urban community. This process evaluation of a randomized controlled trial analysed participant surveys at the 6- and 12-month assessment times, participant…

Purpose: The quality of voluntary sector-led community health programmes is an important concern for service users, providers and commissioners. Research on the fidelity of programme implementation offers a basis for assessing and further enhancing practice. The purpose of this paper is to report on the fidelity assessment of Living Well Taking…

The Western Australian (WA) "LiveLighter" (LL) mass media campaign ran during June-August and September-October 2012. The principal campaign ad graphically depicts visceral fat of an overweight individual ("why" change message), whereas supporting ads demonstrate simple changes to increase activity and eat healthier…

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare outcomes of two voluntary workplace health management methods: an adapted worksite self-management (WSM) approach and an intensive health monitoring (IM) approach. Research participants were randomly assigned to either the WSM group or the IM group by a computer-generated list (n = 180; 92 WSM…

Health risk appraisals (HRA) are a common type of workplace health promotion programme offered by American employers. In the United Kingdom, evidence of their effectiveness for promoting health behaviour change remains inconclusive. This randomized controlled trial examined the effects of two HRA interventions on lifestyle parameters, mental…

By promoting physical activities and incorporating them into their community-based programs, Extension professionals are improving the health of individuals, particularly those with limited resources. This article is the second in a three-part series describing the benefits of physical activity for human health: (1) biological health benefits of…

Little is known about the effective dose of motivational interviewing for maintaining intervention-induced health outcome improvements. The purpose of this study was to compare effects of two doses of motivational interviewing for maintaining blood pressure improvements in a community-engaged lifestyle intervention conducted with…

Part 1 of this article, which appeared in the April 2013 of JOPERD, presented the theoretical foundation and evidence-based needs for a main-theme curriculum model called Health Optimizing Physical Education (HOPE) for schools. It also described eight strands that could be used to plan, implement, and assess this version of a comprehensive school…

By envisioning adolescence as an ideal time to promote good physical health, it is possible to save lives and set in motion a lifetime of good health outcomes. To identify programs that promote health, this brief summarizes experimental studies of health-related behaviors, and reviews more than 230 research studies to identify factors associated…

This paper is concerned with the application of market research techniques to segment large populations into homogeneous units in order to improve the reach, utilization, and effectiveness of health programs. The paper identifies seven distinctive patterns of health attitudes, social influences, and behaviors using cluster analytic techniques in a…

In 1985, the 32 European Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office published 38 "targets of health for all." The new (1991) and revised targets incorporated in this book reflect changes that have taken place in the region since 1984 and provide an up-to-date understanding of the problems involved in target…

The overall aim of the two school-based pilot studies was to evaluate whether an approach to prevention that focused on changing child impulse control, decision making, and social competence can be effective in changing attitudes toward food intake and physical activity as risk factors for obesity. The strategy used was to translate specific…

Through an effective wellness program, one can improve his/her lifestyle to achieve a healthy, long life. The concept of wellness is defined in the beginning of this booklet. Next, the benefits of a wellness program are noted. A section is devoted to a "healthstyle" self-test developed by the U.S. Public Health Service. Once the…