Health-Promoting Behaviours of University Nursing Students in Jordan

The purpose of this study was to determine health-promoting behaviours of university nursing students in Jordan. This descriptive cross-sectional study used convenient sampling technique to recruit 167 undergraduate nursing students in Jordan. Data were collected by using an Arabic version of Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. The study results revealed that the mean item score for total Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was (127.24 ± 21.03). The students obtained highest scores in spiritual growth (25.04 ± 4.70) and lowest in physical activity subscales (16.27 ± 5.21). Significant difference was found between Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II subscales (stress management, health responsibility, and interpersonal relations) and students’ age and gender.

Factors Affecting Health-Promoting Behaviors of University Students in Jordan

Objectives: To determine health promoting behaviors of university students in Jordan and factors influencing them. Design and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to recruit convenience sample (n = 525) of university students receiving education from two governmental and one private universities in Jordan. Data were collected between September 2013 and January 2014 by using Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. Pender Model provided conceptual framework to guide the study. Results: The mean score of Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile of the student was at (127.87 ± 19.91). Significant differences were found between Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile mean score and the mean score of its subscales and student’s age, gender, employment status, family income, university type, and faculty type. Conclusions: These findings suggest that interventions are needed to enhance the practice of health promoting behaviours. These interventions should focus on demographic variations among university students.

Determinants of Health-Promoting Behaviors among Type 2 Diabetic Patients: Voice of Iran

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine Health-Promoting Behaviors among type 2 diabetic mellitus patients. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 440 diabetic patients referred to selected teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) during six months in 2013. A two section 40-items self-report Questionnaire with demographic variables (12 items) and Health-Promoting Behaviors scale (28 items) included exercise (7 items), risk reducing (7 items), life enjoyment (3 items), stress management (5 items), responsibility (3 items) and healthy eating (3 items) domains. Data was analyzed using SPSS software version 11.5. Level of significance was set at p 0.05 level. Results: Mean scores of total health promoting behaviors in participants were (55.88 ± 18.09) and in domains of exercise, risk reducing, life?enjoyment, stress management, responsibility and healthy eating were (8.2 ± 6.5), (12.2 ± 6.1), (7.8 ± 2.6), (12.3 ± 3.8), (3.3 ± 3.1) and (6.9 ± 2.8) respectively. Life enjoyment was emphasized as the most significant domain in health promoting behaviors scale (65 percent). Study results revealed that there was a significant association among total health promoting behavior and age (p = 0.01), occupation (p = 0.01), family income (p p = 0.01) and HbA1C(p < 0.001). Conclusion: Study findings revealed the necessity of tailoring specific intervention programs to promote exercise and responsibility domains posit.

Health-promoting behavior is positively associated with diabetic control among type 2 diabetes patients

Background: The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a major public health challenge throughout the world. It is a major healthcare issue among the elderly. This study was to identify the association between the health promoting behaviors and the diabetic control of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods: Cross sectional and descriptive research designs were used in this study. Participants were enrolled from three medical centers in northern, central and southern Taiwan during August, 2010 and June, 2011. The instruments encompassed biochemical indicators, and the preliminary developed scale of diabetes mellitus and health promotion (DMHP). Results: A total of 323 participants with T2DM were included in this study. The results showed 1) a high percentage of the participants used cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and betel nut chewing, which were not conducive to adopting health promoting behaviors;2) a high percentage of patients showed abnormal blood glucose, dyslipidemia, and elevated blood pressure;3) few of the participants practiced ideally health promoting behaviors;and 4) practicing health-promoting behavior was positively associated with fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c levels. Conclusions: Patients with higher health promotion scores had better diabetic control. Less physical activity was found among those addicted to cigarette, alcohol and betel nut consumption. The findings suggest that health care providers should assess health promoting behaviors first for each diabetic patient.

Health-promoting behaviors among hypertensive adult patients with and without comorbidities in Indonesia:a cross-sectional study

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate health-promoting behaviors among hypertensive patients with and without comorbidities.Methods:A cross-sectional study using multistage cluster sampling in Indonesia was applied.The health-promoting behaviors were assessed using Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile 2 and analyzed using independent t-test,point-biserial correlation,and logistic regression.Results:A total of 116 participants joined this study.The score of health-promoting behaviors in adults with and without hypertension was 2.90 and 2.79,respectively.Hypertensive patients with comorbidities had significantly higher results than those without comorbidities,with the following results for the considered subscales:total score(t=-2.00,P=0.047);health responsibility(t=-3.46,P=0.001);and nutrition(t=-2.82,P=0.006).Positive correlations were found between health responsibility(r_(pb)=0.260,P<0.01),nutrition(r_(pb)=0.255,P<0.01),and health-promoting behaviors(r_(pb)=0.185,P<0.05)and the existing comorbidity.Only gender indicated a significant outcome for the existing comorbidity in hypertensive patients(odds ratio=4.314,P=0.027,95%confidence interval=1.185-15.706).Conclusions:Hypertensive patients with comorbidities showed higher engagement in health-promoting behaviors and the male gender was a significant predictor for existing comorbidity among patients with hypertension.

Physical Activity and Health-Promoting Lifestyle of Student Nurses in Malaysia

Studies have indicated that lack of regular physical exercise and not adhering to a health-promot- ing lifestyle among student nurses are barriers to their encouraging patients to exercise. On the other hand, nurses who personally embrace physical activity are more likely to encourage their patients to improve their health through physical activity or diet. As a result, promoting an active and healthy lifestyle among student nurses is important because this has a crucial role in their subsequently encouraging healthy lifestyles among their patients. The aims of this study were to determine the physical activity levels and health-promoting lifestyles among student nurses in Malaysia, and to investigate whether there was a correlation between the physical activity levels of student nurses and their lifestyle habits. Further investigation was also carried out to correlate lifestyle habits with physical activity during weekdays and at the weekends. This study involved 189 student nurses who were pursuing Diplomas and Bachelor Degrees in local government universities. The Yamax Digi-Walker pedometer was used to measure physical activity, while the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) II questionnaire was used to assess the health-pro- moting lifestyles of the participants. The HPLP II consisted of six sub-scales which included health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management. According to the results on physical activity, the student nurses had a mean of 8275.97 ± 2210.174 steps per day and were thus categorised as somewhat active. Additionally, the student nurses were found to be more active during weekends (M = 8389.75, SD = 2689.12) as compared to weekdays (M = 8230.46, SD = 2353.97). According to previous studies, both step counts are classified in the “somewhat active” category. Overall, the results for HPLP II showed that student nurses students in Malaysia had a positive health-promoting lifestyle with a score of 2.58 ± 0.34 on a 4-point Likert scale. The highest score was reported in spiritual growth, with a score of 2.92 ± 0.43. Meanwhile, physical activity was observed to be the lowest, with a score of 1.74 ± 0.39. The results found no correlation between physical activity and overall health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses in Malaysia (r = 0.06, n = 189, p < 0.37). However, there was a significant relationship between physical activity (measured by the pedometer) and physical activity habit (measured through the questionnaire) among the student nurses (r = 0.24, n = 189, p < 0.01). According to the findings, when the participants indicated in the questionnaire that they were active physically, the pedometer readings also showed a corresponding similarity in terms of their daily physical activities.

Supplemental blue light increases growth and quality of greenhouse pak choi depending on cultivar and supplemental light intensity

To evaluate the supplementary blue light intensity on growth and health-promoting compounds in pak choi（Brassica campestris ssp.chinensis var.communis）,four blue light intensity treatments（T0,T50,T100 and T150 indicate 0,50,100,and 150μmol m^（-2） s^（-1）,respectively）were applied 10 days before harvest under greenhouse conditions.Both of cultivars（greenand red-leaf pak choi）under T50 had the highest yield,content of chlorophyll and sugars.With light intensity increasing,antioxidant compounds（vitamin C and carotenoids）significantly increased,while nitrate content showed an opposite trend.The health-promoting compounds（phenolics,flavonoids,anthocyanins,and glucosinolates）were significantly higher under supplementary light treatment than T0,so as the antioxidant capacity（2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric-reducing antioxidant power）.The species-specific differences in photosynthetic pigment and health-promoting compounds was found in green-and red-leaf pak choi.T50 treatment could be used for yield improvement,whereas T100 treatment could be applied for quality improvement.Results showed that blue light intensity can regulate the accumulation of biomass,morphology and health-promoting compounds in pak choi under greenhouse conditions.

Health Related Lifestyle Behaviors among Undergraduate Medical Students in Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal

Objectives: This descriptive study of 219 undergraduate medical students at Patan Academy of Health Sciences in Nepal was conducted to evaluate the relationships of their demographic variables with a health-promoting lifestyle profile. Methods: The Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) questionnaire was used to study students’ lifestyles. We compared the HPLP scores according to gender, residence type, school background and year of study. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison test were conducted to identify significant differences among university year (first, second, third and fourth) groups. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of various demographics on the overall HPLP score and the six health-promoting lifestyle subscales. Results: The overall HPLP mean score of participants was 2.60 ± 0.29, with the highest mean scores being for spiritual growth (2.99 ± 0.42) and interpersonal relations (2.90 ± 0.35), and the lowest mean scores being for health responsibility (2.39 ± 0.39) and physical activity (2.25 ± 0.54), respectively. The overall HPLP score of the students was the highest for the first year students at 2.65 ± 0.26. The male students had a better overall HPLP score, although female students obtained better score in some subscales such as health responsibility, interpersonal relations and nutrition. The students from a public school background had significantly higher scores for health responsibility, physical activity and stress management than those who graduated school level education from a private school. Conclusions: The results of this study reveal that the status of health promoting behaviors among the students was acceptable with ample room for improvement. Implementation of health education and promotion programs with an emphasis on the different dimensions of health lifestyle behaviors is recommended.

Edible Bird's Nest:Food or Medicine?

Edible bird＇s nest （EBN） is derived from the saliva of certain types of swiflets. It is consumed in many parts of the world for its nutritional and medicinal values. Although many claims have been made on the therapeutic and health- promoting effects of EBN, scientific documentations regarding these effects are very limited in published literature. It is not until recently that the biological effects of EBN are being investigated and evidence-based studies are being conducted. Several studies have found that EBN may enhance cell proliferation and differentiation and various beneficial effects have been reported in vitro as well as in vivo. While these studies point towards the potential use of EBN in the treatment or even prevention of several diseases, the mechanisms of action of EBN remain largely unknown and more explorations are needed. This review is one of the very few scientific reviews onEBN which focuses on recent evidence-based discoveries.