1.
Pagels, Peter, et al.
(författare)
A repeated measurement study investigating the impact of school outdoor environment upon physical activity across ages and seasons in Swedish second, fifth and eighth graders
2014
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 14
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: School children are confined to and exposed to outdoor environment that happens to be at their disposal during compulsory school time. The health-promoting potential of outdoor environment, and the use of it, is therefore important. We have studied the impact of school outdoor environment in terms of playground features, space, topography and vegetation upon the patterns of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) across ages and seasons in Swedish pupils at compulsory school. Methods: Four schools in the Middle and Southern parts of Sweden, with outdoor environments differing in playground features, space, topography and vegetation were analyzed during one school year. A sample of 196 children was drawn from eligible pupils in grades 2, 5 and 8, aged 7-14 years. PA was monitored with time-stamped Actigraph accelerometers GT3X+, measuring different intensity levels during outdoor time. Maps were used to mark places where the children stayed and what they did during outdoor time. Results: Mean MVPA during outdoor stay was 39 minutes for the entire school year, time in MVPA correlated positively with outdoor time, as did MVPA with used outdoor play area (p < 0.001). Outdoor MVPA declined with age, boys accumulated more MVPA than girls at all ages (p < 0.001). Ball play areas increased MVPA in 5th graders in September and May (p < 0.001). Overall, ball play areas increased 5th graders' relative MVPA, and helped maintaining it with increasing age in boys but not in girls, whereas woodland stimulated and contributed to maintaining girls' MVPA with increasing age. Outdoor temperature significantly impacted (p < 0.01) MVPA throughout all seasons. Conclusion: We conclude that school outdoor environment design and outdoor play time impact physical activity on a daily basis and may contribute to increasing girls' physical activity and moderate the sharp decline in physical activity by age. The school outdoor environment may thus be a potential health promoter during school time.
2.
Dantoft, Thomas M., et al.
(författare)
Gene expression profiling in persons with multiple chemical sensitivity before and after a controlled n-butanol exposure session
2017
Ingår i: BMJ Open. - : BMJ. - 2044-6055. ; 7:2
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the pathophysiological pathways leading to symptoms elicitation in multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) by comparing gene expression in MCS participants and healthy controls before and after a chemical exposure optimised to cause symptoms among MCS participants.The first hypothesis was that unexposed and symptom-free MCS participants have similar gene expression patterns to controls and a second hypothesis that MCS participants can be separated from controls based on differential gene expression upon a controlled n-butanol exposure.DESIGN: Participants were exposed to 3.7 ppm n-butanol while seated in a windowed exposure chamber for 60 min. A total of 26 genes involved in biochemical pathways found in the literature have been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of MCS and other functional somatic syndromes were selected. Expression levels were compared between MCS and controls before, within 15 min after being exposed to and 4 hours after the exposure.SETTINGS: Participants suffering from MCS and healthy controls were recruited through advertisement at public places and in a local newspaper.PARTICIPANTS: 36 participants who considered themselves sensitive were prescreened for eligibility. 18 sensitive persons fulfilling the criteria for MCS were enrolled together with 18 healthy controls.OUTCOME MEASURES: 17 genes showed sufficient transcriptional level for analysis. Group comparisons were conducted for each gene at the 3 times points and for the computed area under the curve (AUC) expression levels.RESULTS: MCS participants and controls displayed similar gene expression levels both at baseline and after the exposure and the computed AUC values were likewise comparable between the 2 groups. The intragroup variation in expression levels among MCS participants was noticeably greater than the controls.CONCLUSIONS: MCS participants and controls have similar gene expression levels at baseline and it was not possible to separate MCS participants from controls based on gene expression measured after the exposure.
3.
Pagels, Peter, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
Pupils' use of school outdoor play settings across seasons and its relation to sun exposure and physical activity
2020
Ingår i: Photodermatology Photoimmunology & Photomedicine. - : Wiley. - 0905-4383 .- 1600-0781. ; 36:5, s. 365-372
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background Long outdoor stay may cause hazardous exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun even at high latitudes as in Sweden (Spring to Autumn). On the other hand, long outdoor stay is a strong predictor of primary school children ' s free mobility involving moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). UV-protective outdoor environments enable long outdoor stay. We investigated the concurrent impact of different school outdoor play settings upon pupils ' sun exposure and levels of physical activity across different ages, genders, and seasons. Method During 1 week each in September, March, and May, UVR exposure and MVPA were measured in pupils aged 7-11 years. Erythemally effective UVR exposure was measured by polysulphone film dosimeters and MVPA by accelerometers. Schoolyard play was recorded on maps, and used areas defined as four play settings (fixed play equipment, paved surfaces, sport fields, and green settings), categorized by season and gender. Results During the academic year, sport fields yielded the highest UVR exposures and generated most time in MVPA. In March, time outdoors and minutes in MVPA dropped and UVR exposures were suberythemal at all play settings. In May, green settings and fixed play equipment close to greenery promoted MVPA and protected from solar overexposure during long outdoor stays. Conclusion More outdoor activities in early spring are recommended. In May, greenery attractive for play could protect against overexposure to UVR and stimulate both girls and boys to vigorous play.
4.
Söderström, Margareta, et al.
(författare)
The quality of the outdoor environment influences children's health. -A cross-sectional study of preschools.
2013
Ingår i: Acta paediatrica. - : Wiley. - 1651-2227 .- 0803-5253. ; 102:1, s. 83-91
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
AIM: To test how the quality of the outdoor environment of child day care centers (DCCs) influences children's health. METHODS: The environment was assessed using the Outdoor Play Environmental Categories (OPEC) tool; time spent outdoors, and physical activity as measured by pedometer. 172/253 (68%) of children aged 3.0-5.9 from nine DCCs participated in Southern Sweden. Health data collected were body mass index, waist circumference, saliva cortisol, length of night sleep during study, and symptoms and wellbeing which were scored (one-week diary- 121 parent responders). Also, parent-rated wellbeing and health of their child were scored (questionnaire, 132 parent responders). MANOVA, ANOVA and principal component analyses were performed to identify impacts of the outdoor environment on health. RESULTS: High quality outdoor environment at DCCs is associated with several health aspects in children such as leaner body, longer night sleep, better wellbeing and higher mid-morning saliva cortisol levels. CONCLUSION: The quality of the outdoor environment at DCCs influenced the health and wellbeing of preschool children and should be given more attention among health care professionals and community planners. © 2012 The Author(s)/Acta Paediatrica © 2012 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.
5.
van den Bosch, Matilda
(författare)
Natur som Terapi
2013
Ingår i: Psykosomatik i teori och praktik. - 9789144069814 ; , s. 323-339
Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
6.
Raustorp, Anders, et al.
(författare)
Accelerometer measured level of physical activity indoors and outdoors during preschool time in Sweden and the United States
2012
Ingår i: Journal of Physical Activity and Health. - : Human Kinetics. - 1543-3080 .- 1543-5474. ; 9:6, s. 801-808
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: It is important to understand the correlates of physical activity (PA) to influence policy and create environments that promote PA among preschool children. We compared preschoolers' PA in Swedish and in US settings and objectively examined differences boys' and girls' indoor and outdoor PA regarding different intensity levels and sedentary behavior. Methods: Accelerometer determined PA in 50 children with mean age 52 months, (range 40-67) was recorded during preschool time for 5 consecutive weekdays at 4 sites. The children wore an Actigraph GTIM Monitor. Results: Raleigh preschool children, opposite to Malmo preschoolers spent significantly more time indoors than outdoors (P < .001). Significantly more moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) was observed outdoors (P < .001) in both settings. Malmo children accumulated significantly more counts/min indoors (P < .001). The percent of MVPA during outdoor time did not differ between children at Raleigh and Malmo. Conclusion: Physical activity counts/minutes was significantly higher outdoors vs. indoors in both Malmo and Raleigh. Malmo preschoolers spent 47% of attendance time outdoors compared with 18% for Raleigh preschoolers which could have influenced the difference in preschool activity between the 2 countries. Time spent in MVPA at preschool was very limited and predominantly adopted outdoors.
7.
8.
Lindahl, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in elderly care employees in Sweden
2020
Ingår i: Infection Ecology & Epidemiology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2000-8686. ; 10:1
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic is growing and spread in the Swedish elderly care system during April 2020. The increasing number of employees on sick-leave due to COVID-19 created severe logistic problems. Some elderly care homes therefore started to screen their personnel to secure the safety of the elderly and to avoid unnecessary quarantine of potentially immune employees.Secondary data from a screening with a COVID-19 rapid test for detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG of 1,005 employees in 22 elderly care homes in Stockholm, Sweden, were analyzed. Seropositive employees were found in 21 out of the 22 care homes. In total, 23% (231/1,005) of the employees tested positive for antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, and 14.3% (144/1,005) were found positive for IgM (either alone or combined with IgG), indicating recent or present infection. Of those that tested seropositive, 46.5% did not report any clinical symptoms, indicating pre- or asymptomatic infections. Reported symptoms with the highest correlation with seropositivity were fever and loss of smell and taste.These results suggest that antibody testing of employees in elderly care homes is valuable for surveillance of disease development and a crucial screening tool in the effort to decrease the death toll in this pandemic.
9.
Goldkuhl, Lisa, 1983, et al.
(författare)
Room4Birth – The effect of giving birth in a hospital birthing room designed with person-centred considerations: A Swedish randomised controlled trial
2022
Ingår i: Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. - : Elsevier BV. - 1877-5764 .- 1877-5756. ; 32
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Objective: To evaluate if a birthing room designed with person-centred considerations improves labour and birth outcomes for nulliparous women when compared to regular birthing rooms. Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted at a Swedish labour ward between January 2019 and October 2020. Nulliparous women in spontaneous labour were randomised either to a birthing room designed with person-centred considerations (New room) or a Regular room. The primary outcome was a composite of four variables: vaginal non-instrumental birth; no oxytocin augmentation; postpartum blood loss < 1000 ml; and a positive childbirth experience. To detect a difference of 8% between the groups, 1274 study participants were needed, but the trial was terminated early due to consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 406 women were randomised; 204 to the New room and 202 to the Regular room. There was no significant difference in the primary outcome between the groups (42.2% versus 35.1%; odds ratio: 1.35, 95% Confidence Interval 0.90–2.01; p = 0.18). Participants in the New room used epidural analgesia to a lower extent (54.4% versus 65.3%, relative risk: 0.83, 95% Confidence Interval 0.71–0.98; p = 0.03) and reported to a higher degree that the room contributed to a sense of safety, control, and integrity (p=<0.001). Conclusions: The hypothesis that the New room would improve the primary outcome could not be verified. Considering the early discontinuation of the study, results should be interpreted with caution. Nevertheless, analyses of our secondary outcomes emphasise the experiential value of the built birth environment in improving care for labouring women.
10.
