199,613 research outputs found
Usability and acceptability of a website that provides tailored advice on falls prevention activities for older people
No full textThis article presents the usability and acceptability of a website that provides older people with tailored advice to help motivate them to undertake physical activities that prevent falls. Views on the website from interviews with 16 older people and 26 sheltered housing wardens were analysed thematically. The website was well received with only one usability difficulty with the action plan calendar. The older people selected balance training activities out of interest or enjoyment, and appeared to carefully add them into their current routine. The wardens were motivated to promote the website to their residents, particularly those who owned a computer, had balance problems, or were physically active. However, the participants noted that currently a minority of older people use the Internet. Also, some older people underestimated how much activity was enough to improve balance, and others perceived themselves as too old for the activities
Characteristics of outdoor falls among older people: A qualitative study
No full textBackground Falls are a major threat to older people’s health and wellbeing. Approximately half of falls occur in outdoor environments but little is known about the circumstances in which they occur. We conducted a qualitative study to explore older people’s experiences of outdoor falls to develop understanding of how they may be prevented. Methods We conducted nine focus groups across the UK (England, Wales, and Scotland). Our sample was from urban and rural settings and different environmental landscapes. Participants were aged 65+ and had at least one outdoor fall in the past year. We analysed the data using framework and content analyses. Results Forty-four adults aged 65 – 92 took part and reported their experience of 88 outdoor falls. Outdoor falls occurred in a variety of contexts, though reports suggested the following scenarios may have been more frequent: when crossing a road, in a familiar area, when bystanders were around, and with an unreported or unknown attribution. Most frequently, falls resulted in either minor or moderate injury, feeling embarrassed at the time of the fall, and anxiety about falling again. Ten falls resulted in fracture, but no strong pattern emerged in regard to the contexts of these falls. Anxiety about falling again appeared more prevalent among those that fell in urban settings and who made more visits into their neighbourhood in a typical week. Conclusions This exploratory study has highlighted several aspects of the outdoor environment that may represent risk factors for outdoor falls and associated fear of falling. Health professionals are recommended to consider outdoor environments as well as the home setting when working to prevent falls and increase mobility among older people
Website-based tailored advice to promote strength and balance training: an experimental evaluation
No full textThis study evaluated a Web site providing tailored advice to encourage older people to undertake strength and balance training (SBT). Adults age 60–88 (N = 302) were randomized to read either generic advice or advice tailored to their self-perceived balance problems and activity preferences. Between-groups differences in attitudes toward SBT after reading the advice did not quite reach significance (p = .059), but the tailored group reported higher ratings than the generic group that the advice was personally relevant (p = .017) and that the activities would be good for them (p = .047). Within-groups differences in the tailored group showed that completing an action plan increased confidence in undertaking SBT (p = .006). These findings were supported by a meta-analysis that pooled the effect sizes with those of a previous study. Thus, a tailored Web site might be a cost-effective way of encouraging some older people to undertake SBT
What influences athletes' dropout? : An analysis of motivation, need support, and intention to quit
No full textSyftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka om självbestämmande motivation, kontrollerande motivation och behovsstöd predicerar intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. Studien tillämpade en kvantitativ tvärsnittsdesign, där deltagarna rekryterades via ett tillgänglighetsurval. Datainsamlingen genomfördes via en digital enkät och antalet deltagare var 101 lagidrottare i åldrarna 15-20 år (M=2.65, SD=1.42). Resultatet av den multipla regressionsanalysen visade att såväl självbestämmande motivation samt behovsstöd hade ett negativt samband med intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. Däremot fann studien att kontrollerad motivation inte hade ett positivt samband med intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether self-determined motivation, controlled motivation, and need support predict the intention to drop out among team sport athletes. The study applied a quantitative cross-sectional design, with participants recruited through a convenience sampling method. Data collection was conducted via a digital survey, and the number of participants was 101 team sport athletes aged 15–20 years (M = 2.65, SD = 1.42). The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that both self-determined motivation and need support had a negative association with the intention to drop out among team sport athletes. However, the study found that controlled motivation did not have a positive association with the intention to drop out among team sport athletes
What influences athletes' dropout? : An analysis of motivation, need support, and intention to quit
No full textSyftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka om självbestämmande motivation, kontrollerande motivation och behovsstöd predicerar intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. Studien tillämpade en kvantitativ tvärsnittsdesign, där deltagarna rekryterades via ett tillgänglighetsurval. Datainsamlingen genomfördes via en digital enkät och antalet deltagare var 101 lagidrottare i åldrarna 15-20 år (M=2.65, SD=1.42). Resultatet av den multipla regressionsanalysen visade att såväl självbestämmande motivation samt behovsstöd hade ett negativt samband med intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. Däremot fann studien att kontrollerad motivation inte hade ett positivt samband med intention till avhopp hos lagidrottare. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether self-determined motivation, controlled motivation, and need support predict the intention to drop out among team sport athletes. The study applied a quantitative cross-sectional design, with participants recruited through a convenience sampling method. Data collection was conducted via a digital survey, and the number of participants was 101 team sport athletes aged 15–20 years (M = 2.65, SD = 1.42). The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that both self-determined motivation and need support had a negative association with the intention to drop out among team sport athletes. However, the study found that controlled motivation did not have a positive association with the intention to drop out among team sport athletes
Internet provision of tailored advice on falls prevention activities for older people: a randomized controlled evaluation
No full textFalls are very common in older persons and can result in substantial disability and distress. By undertaking strength and balance training (SBT) exercises, older people can reduce their risk of falling. The Internet offers a potentially cost-effective means of disseminating information about SBT to older people and their carers. A particular advantage of using the Internet for this purpose is that the advice given can be 'tailored' to the needs of the individual. This study used a randomized controlled design to evaluate an interactive web-based program that tailored advice about undertaking SBT activities. The participants were 280 people with an age range of 65-97 years recruited by advertising the website by email and the Internet. Those randomized to the tailored advice were presented with advice tailored to their personal self-rated balance capabilities, health problems and activity preferences. Those in the control group were presented with all the advice from which the tailored advice was selected. After reading the advice, those in the tailored advice group (n = 144) had more positive attitudes (p < 0.01) than those in the control group (n = 136), reporting greater perceived relevance of the SBT activities, greater confidence in the ability to carry them out, and hence stronger intentions to undertake the activities. This study provides an initial indication that an interactive website might offer a cost-effective way to provide personalized advice to some older people. Further research is required to determine whether website-based advice on falls prevention changes behavior as well as intentions and whether the advice needs to be supplemented by other forms of support
Static and lattice vibrational energy differences between polymorphs
No full textA computational study of 1061 experimentally determined crystal structures of 508 polymorphic organic molecules has been performed with state-of-the-art lattice energy minimisation methods, using a hybrid method that combines density functional theory intramolecular energies with an anisotropic atom–atom intermolecular model. Rigid molecule lattice dynamical calculations have also been performed to estimate the vibrational contributions to lattice free energies. Distributions of the differences in lattice energy, free energy, zero point energy, entropy and heat capacity between polymorphs are presented. Polymorphic lattice energy differences are typically very small: over half of polymorph pairs are separated by less than 2 kJ mol?1 and lattice energy differences exceed 7.2 kJ mol?1 in only 5% of cases. Unsurprisingly, vibrational contributions to polymorph free energy differences at ambient conditions are dominated by entropy differences. The distribution of vibrational energy differences is narrower than lattice energy differences, rarely exceeding 2 kJ mol?1. However, these relatively small vibrational free energy contributions are large enough to cause a re-ranking of polymorph stability below, or at, room temperature in 9% of the polymorph pair
Computational predictions of structures, inclusion behaviour and properties of organic molecular crystals
No full textThis thesis is about the computational prediction of crystal structures and their properties. Polymorphism, where the same molecule crystallizes in more than one structure is investigated. Several structures of polymorphs and clathrates, porous crystals that adsorb gases, are predicted without prior experimental data. Rigid-molecule lattice dynamics in an anisotropic force field is used to calculate temperature-dependent properties of large sets of crystals. Using the lattice-vibrational free energy as scoring function incrystal structure prediction is discussed. Brillouin zone sampling and convergence difficulties of lattice dynamics calculations are addressed, with a kernel density estimationmethod offered as a solution. The advantage of computationally affordable force field methods over electronic structure methods will be described. I demonstrate that multipole-based force fields canbe comparable in accuracy to dispersion-corrected generalized gradient approximation density functional theory and that such force fields are very suitable for crystal structure prediction as they allow the calculation of realistic free energies for hundreds ofstructures at a relatively small computational cost. For the prediction of clathrate structures, I show that a combination of the free energy and the guest-to-cavity volume ratio can be a suitable scoring function. I suggest thatporous structures in predicted crystal energy landscapes should be interpreted as possible solvates, clathrates and hydrates, and that these should be carefully considered in theanalysis of prediction results
- …
