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| 2. |
- Backlund, Per, 1964-, et al.
(författare)
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Teaching cardiovascular health through a purposeful game
- 2022
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Ingår i: Collection of materials: II International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference "Innovative Solutions in Economy, Business, Public Communications and International Relationships", April 21, 2022, Dnipro. - Dnipro : Університет митної справи та фінансів / Universytet mytnoyi spravy ta finansiv. ; , s. 391-396
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Games for health is one of the most prominent areas for serious games, i.e. games with a purpose beyond only entertainment. The purpose of a health game may be to inform about health related issues; promote healthy lifestyles and even to drive behavioral change. This paper outlines the initial game design considerations and some future research directions for a game focusing on cardiovascular health. As the overall aim of the project is to promote a healthy lifestyle through diet and physical activity to prevent future cardiovascular disease, we focused on “taking care of your heart” as the basis for the game. Hence we call the game Happy Heart and use a heart symbol as a non-playable character (NPC) that the player needs to take care of. To some extent we are inspired by the electronic Tamagochi toys (Bandai) where players need to take care of a digital pet. The heart symbol is universal and is also an ideograph that expresses the concept of love and as such it transcends language barriers.The burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) is rapidly increasing across the world. Today they are the main drivers of morbidity, disability, and mortality in low- and middle income countries (LMICs), and are expected to increase due to unhealthy lifestyles in the wake of ongoing societal changes [1]. Among the major risk factors in many LMICs are poor diet, insufficient physical activity, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and exposure to hazardous substances, e.g. from air pollution. LMICs currently contribute three quarters of the deaths from NCD.Among the NCD, cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of hospitalization in Nepal [1]. Digitalization and collaboration with the education sector (e.g. community schools) in health promotion interventions could further improve children’s behavior by targeting factors that affect their lifestyle outside the family environment [4]. Hence, the Digital Game Based Learning approach.
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| 3. |
- Kholmatova, K., et al.
(författare)
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Obesity Prevalence and Associated Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Health Behaviors in Russia and Norway
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601 .- 1661-7827. ; 19:15
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Associations between obesity and socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics vary between populations. Exploring such differences should throw light on factors related to obesity. We examined associations between general obesity (GO, defined by body mass index) and abdominal obesity (AO, defined by waist-to-hip ratio) and sex, age, socio-economic characteristics (education, financial situation, marital status), smoking and alcohol consumption in women and men aged 40-69 years from the Know Your Heart study (KYH, Russia, N = 4121, 2015-2018) and the seventh Tromso Study (Tromso7, Norway, N = 17,646, 2015-2016). Age-standardized prevalence of GO and AO was higher in KYH compared to Tromso7 women (36.7 vs. 22.0% and 44.2 vs. 18.4%, respectively) and similar among men (26.0 vs. 25.7% and 74.8 vs. 72.2%, respectively). The positive association of age with GO and AO was stronger in KYH vs. Tromso7 women and for AO it was stronger in men in Tromso7 vs. KYH. Associations between GO and socio-economic characteristics were similar in KYH and Tromso7, except for a stronger association with living with spouse/partner in KYH men. Smoking had a positive association with AO in men in Tromso7 and in women in both studies. Frequent drinking was negatively associated with GO and AO in Tromso7 participants and positively associated with GO in KYH men. We found similar obesity prevalence in Russian and Norwegian men but higher obesity prevalence in Russian compared to Norwegian women. Other results suggest that the stronger association of obesity with age in Russian women is the major driver of the higher obesity prevalence among them compared to women in Norway.
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| 4. |
- Lindholm, Heléne, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic risk-factors for anxiety in healthy individuals: polymorphisms in genes important for the HPA axis
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2350. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Two important aspects for the development of anxiety disorders are genetic predisposition and alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In order to identify genetic risk-factors for anxiety, the aim of this exploratory study was to investigate possible relationships between genetic polymorphisms in genes important for the regulation and activity of the HPA axis and self-assessed anxiety in healthy individuals. Methods DNA from 72 healthy participants, 37 women and 35 men, were included in the analyses. Their DNA was extracted and analysed for the following Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP)s: rs41423247 in theNR3C1gene, rs1360780 in theFKBP5gene, rs53576 in theOXTRgene, 5-HTTLPR inSLC6A4gene and rs6295 in theHTR1Agene. Self-assessed anxiety was measured by the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. Results Self-assessed measure of both STAI-S and STAI-T were significantly higher in female than in male participants (p = 0.030 andp = 0.036, respectively). For SNP rs41423247 in theNR3C1gene, there was a significant difference in females in the score for STAI-S, where carriers of the G allele had higher scores compared to the females that were homozygous for the C allele (p < 0.01). For the SNP rs53576 in theOXTRgene, there was a significant difference in males, where carriers of the A allele had higher scores in STAI-T compared to the males that were homozygous for the G allele (p < 0.01). Conclusion This study shows that SNP rs41423247 in theNR3C1gene and SNP rs53576 in theOXTRgene are associated with self-assessed anxiety in healthy individuals in a gender-specific manner. This suggests that these SNP candidates are possible genetic risk-factors for anxiety.
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| 6. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj
(författare)
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A health-promotive approach to maintain and sustain health in women-dominated work in Nepal and Sweden
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: The characteristics of women-dominated work differ in Nepal compared to Sweden. Women in Nepal perform household and other low-income work, including nursing, which is a women-dominated occupation in both Nepal and Sweden. Work-related adverse health outcomes, such as burnout, fatigue, depression, sleep disturbances, and long-term sickness absence, are evident in women-dominated work, especially within nursing. These challenges are accompanied by an increasing elderly population and a shortage of nursing personnel. Good health and well-being for all, improvingworking conditions and working environment, and providing adequate health and safety at work are the targets of sustainable development goals. Healthpromotive actions and interventions are needed to maintain and sustain health in women-dominated work.Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to identify means for promoting and sustaining health in women-dominated work in Nepal and Sweden through the evaluation and exploration of sense of coherence (SOC), work-related health, job demands, job resources, and health outcomes.Methods: This thesis includes five individual papers. Paper I is a community-based intervention study with a quantitative design conducted in Nepal. The participants were 857 women before and 1268 women after health educationintervention in Nepal, who responded to a translated version of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali. Papers II and III have a qualitative design and are based on 19 individual interviews with nurses in Nepal. Paper IV is also a qualitative study, based on 13 individual interviews with midwives and nurses in Sweden. Paper V is derived from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). Data were collected in 2016–2019 for all papers. The quantitative studies were analyzed through descriptive statistics, chisquared tests, one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs), multivariable oneway ANOVAs, and logistic regression analyses. The qualitative studies werebased on individual interviews, and the data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis.Results: Women in semi-urban Nepal exhibited total SOC mean values between 51.1 and 57.4, which are comparable to India within a similar context. Qualitative validation of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali was found to be general and not specific, and some translations were confusing. The SOC-13 items needed to undergo further editing in translation to increase theircomprehensions. Nurses in Nepal and nurses and midwives in Sweden described their work experience as meaningful, and several experiences were partially similar; their work and health were reported to be strengthened through collegial support, teamwork, and opportunities for skills and competence development. Shift work, lack of rewards and appreciation from managers, low staff-patient ratios, and high workload affected their work-related health negatively. In particular, nurses in Nepal experienced a lack of a safe physical work environment and insufficient managerial support. Results from SLOSH-data showed that the nursing professionals’ job demands were associated with lower self-rated health, higher burnout, and higher sickness absence. Job resources were associated with higher self-rated health and lower burnout.Conclusion: This thesis shows that the SOC-13 questionnaire is useful and qualitatively validated for future use in the Nepalese context, to explore individuals’ overall life orientation and abilities to cope with various life events. Health education can be useful in strengthening SOC among women. To maintain, promote, and sustain health in women-dominated work, a health-promotive approach should be fostered. Nursing professionals’ health can be strengthened and sustained through the development of a positive work environment through good collegial, organizational, and managerial support, offering skills and competence development opportunities, and creating a safe physical and psychosocial work environment. Increasing job resources and minimizing job demands are important to increase positive health outcomes and decrease adverse health outcomes. Nursing professionals in Nepal and Sweden can also adopt strategies that support recovery and stress-management at work
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| 7. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj, et al.
(författare)
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A Qualitative Evaluation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Short Form of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) in Nepali
- 2023
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Ingår i: Kathmandu University Medical Journal. - : Kathmandu University. - 1812-2027 .- 1812-2078. ; 21:82, s. 112-117
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Sense of Coherence (SOC) relates to an individual’s overall life orientation, and stronger SOC is associated with better health, quality of life, and coping strategies. When our research group used the SOC-13 questionnaire for the first time in Nepal, we identified difficulties in response patterns. The findings necessitated further evaluation of the Nepali version of the SOC-13 questionnaire.Objective To qualitatively evaluate the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali for cross-cultural adaptation.Method Nineteen nurses were interviewed. We used the methodological approach of “think aloud” to obtain a deeper understanding of the interferences of the scales. Transcribed materials were analyzed using a deductive approach through qualitative content analysis. The original translated version of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali was modified by replacing words that were easier to understand.Result Participants found the questionnaire content general and non-specific but easy to complete. The nurses experienced that the meanings and sentences in some of the items and response alternatives were difficult to understand. However, the overall comprehensiveness of most items and response alternatives was perceived as good. Nurses’ interpretation of the SOC-items in the translated version of the SOC-13 questionnaire in Nepali matched the original English version. Items that were experienced as difficult in the Nepali language were modified to increase their comprehensiveness. Modified items and response alternatives had the same content as before, but some words and meanings were substituted with easier language.Conclusion The current revised version of SOC-13 in Nepali is valid and useful to explore individuals’ overall life orientation and their abilities to deal and cope with various life events in the Nepalese context.
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| 8. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj, et al.
(författare)
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Determination and evaluation of sense of coherence in women in semi-urban nepal: A part of the heart-health associated research, dissemination, and intervention in the community (hardic) trial
- 2021
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Ingår i: Kathmandu University Medical Journal. - : Kathmandu University. - 1812-2027 .- 1812-2078. ; 19:73, s. 69-75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Sense of coherence (SOC) is a core concept of salutogenesis which relates to individuals’ overall life orientation. Stronger SOC associates with better coping strategies, better health, and better quality of life. Although the SOC-questionnaire is validated in many cultures and languages, it has not, to date, been applied in Nepal. Objective To determine and evaluate women’s SOC before and after a health education intervention. Method This study was conducted as a part of the Heart-health Associated Research, Dissemination, and Intervention in the Community in the semi-urban Jhaukhel-Duwakot Health Demographic Surveillance Site in Nepal. Jhaukhel and Duwakot were selected as the control and intervention areas, respectively. Participants were women with children aged 1-7 years. Eight hundred and fifty-seven women before and 1,268 women after the health education intervention participated in the study. The statistical analysis was carried out with chi-square tests and one-way uni-variate ANOVA. Result Women’s total SOC mean values at baseline were 51.1-57.4 and at follow up 54.4-54.9 in the intervention and control area, respectively. At baseline, SOC was significantly weaker in the intervention area compared to the control area (p < 0.001). At follow-up three months later, SOC was significantly stronger in the intervention area than in the control area (p < 0.001). Conclusion Nepalese women had weaker SOC than women in high-income countries, but comparable to neighboring country India with similar cultural features. Empowerment of women through community participation and health education strengthened SOC. The SOC-13-questionnaire in its Nepali version is recommended to be further evaluated. © 2021, Kathmandu University. All rights reserved.
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| 9. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj, et al.
(författare)
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Facilitators for and barriers to nurses’ work-related health : a qualitative study
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Nursing. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1472-6955. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Work-related health problems, such as work stress, fatigue, and burnout constitute a global challenge within the nursing profession. Work-related health among nurses is not yet a prioritized phenomenon in Nepal. Health-promoting approaches to maintaining and sustaining nurses’ health are therefore essential. The aim of this study was to explore and thereby gain a deeper understanding of how nurses in Nepal’s hospitals experience their everyday work, with a focus on promoting and sustaining their work-related health.Methods: A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews were used. Nineteen registered nurses working at hospitals in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, were individually interviewed between October 6 and December 5, 2018. Transcribed interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis.Results: Four main themes with belonging eight subthemes were constructed from the analysis: (1) “Sense of meaningfulness and belongingness in work culture” with subthemes; “Open environment” and “Sharing attitude and cooperating for the entire team” (2) “Support and rewards from the management team” with subthemes; “Lacking managerial support” and “Fair evaluation and job promotion opportunities”(3) “Workload and protection against work-related hazards” with subthemes; “Stressful and multitasking in workload” and “Lacking equipment for own health and caring”, and (4) “Motivation through opportunities and activities” with subthemes; “Employment benefits that motivate work”, and “Activities outside of work needed to recover”. These main themes and subthemes described nurses’ facilitators for and barriers to their work environment and health.Conclusion: Our study highlighted nurses’ experiences with facilitators and barriers to their work-related health. Nurses’ work-related health was positively affected by support from colleagues, managers, and the organization. Conversely, less support from managers, lack of equipment, and unfair judgment were barriers to nurses’ work-related health. This study adds new knowledge about nurses’ work-related health from the context of Nepal. Hospital organizations and nursing managers in similar cultural and healthcare settings can apply the results of our study to develop strategies to promote and sustain nurses’ health and prevent work-related illness.
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| 10. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj, et al.
(författare)
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Job demands, job resources, and health outcomes among nursing professionals in private and public healthcare sectors in Sweden - a prospective study
- 2022
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Ingår i: Bmc Nursing. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6955. ; 21:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Nursing professionals exhibit high prevalence of stress-related health problems. Job demands and job resources are parallel drivers of health and well-being among employees. Better job resources associate with better job satisfaction, job motivation and engagement even when job demands are high. To date, there is limited research which explores the association between job demands, job resources and health outcomes among nursing professionals in the Swedish context. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate Swedish nursing professionals' job demands and job resources in relation to health outcomes, with comparisons between the private and public healthcare sectors. The specific research questions were as follows: (1) Are there differences between private and public healthcare regarding job demands, job resources, and health outcomes? and (2) Are there prospective associations between job demands and job resources in relation to health outcomes? Methods Data were drawn from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH) 2016 and 2018, including 520 nurses and 544 assistant nurses working in the private and public healthcare sectors from 2016 (baseline). Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Results Nursing professionals reported higher threats, lower bullying, lower control, lower social support, and lower cohesion in the public healthcare units compared to the private healthcare units. The prospective analyses showed that job resources in terms of social support and rewards were associated with higher self-rated health and lower burnout. Cohesion was associated with higher self-rated health. Job demands in terms of psychological demands and job efforts were associated with lower self-rated health, higher burnout, and higher sickness absence, while emotional demands were associated with higher burnout. Conclusions Nursing professionals' job resources are deficient in public healthcare units. Job resources are associated with positive health outcomes, whereas job demands are associated with negative health outcomes, among nursing professionals. Strengthening job resources among nursing professionals in the private and public healthcare sectors can promote and sustain their work-related health.
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| 11. |
- Thapa, Dip Raj, et al.
(författare)
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Support and resources to promote and sustain health among nurses and midwives in the workplace : A qualitative study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Nordic journal of nursing research. - : Sage Publications. - 2057-1585 .- 2057-1593. ; 41:3, s. 166-174
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Registered nurses and midwives are in short supply and have among the highest rates of sick leave in the global workforce. The aim of this study was therefore to explore and gain a deeper understanding of how nurses and midwives experience their everyday work, with a view toward promoting and sustaining their work-related health. Nine registered nurses and four registered midwives working in hospitals and community healthcare facilities in Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis. This study is reported in accordance with COREQ. One main category emerged: ‘Quality of organizational and collegial support and opportunities to facilitate recovery, health, and patient care’. From this category, four generic categories describing the overall experiences of registered nurses and midwives could be discerned. Based on these results, it is recommended that employers adopt a systematic health-promotive approach to foster and maintain the workplace health of registered nurses and midwives.
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