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BACKGROUND: Research on physical activity in relation to obesity gradually becomes more focused on environmental determinants, which can potentially influence people's health choices. The present article addresses the topic of physical activity from a wider sociological perspective. Our pilot study was designed with the objective of testing the applicability of a method included in the EC 6th Framework Programme EURO-PREVOB, in the Czech context. The method examines specific determinants of the built environment that can have an impact on physical activity at the population level. In addition, the study aims to analyze possible differences in built environment indicators and their relation to the physical activity of people living in neighbourhoods with areas of varying socioeconomic status. METHODS: The field study was carried out in the city of Brno, Czech Republic, in 5 neighbourhood quintiles, i.e. areas divided according to the socioeconomic status of local residents. In each quintile, we evaluated the quality of the built environment according to the quality, aesthetics and safety of segregated cycle facilities, playgrounds/playing areas, public open spaces, marked road crossings and pavements as well as signs of incivilities and devastation. RESULTS: Between the five quintiles, significant differences were found in the quality of parks and playgrounds/playing areas, pavements, marking of pedestrian crossings, and in general aesthetics, i.e. signs of incivilities and devastation of the built environment. No differences were found in the quality and use of cycle facilities. CONCLUSIONS: The method we used for the evaluation of the built environment proved highly applicable in Czech populated areas. Monitoring of built environment indicators in the Czech Republic should provide a basis for health maps, showing potential associations between the prevalence of high-incidence, non-infectious diseases and various social determinants of physical activity. This information might help in achieving an improvement in these determinants at a community level and promoting an increase in physical activity at the population level.

Článek online

Monitoring a evaluace programů podpory zdraví
[Monitoring and evaluation of health promotion programmes]

Brázdová, Zuzana, 1957-
Autor Autorita ORCID Masarykova univerzita, Lékařská fakulta, Ústav preventivního lékařství, Brno

Hygiena (Státní zdravotní ústav, Print). 2014 ; 59 (1) : 47-49.

Hygiena (Státní zdr. úst. Print)
ISSN 1802-6281
Medvik
Zdroj

Programy podpory zdraví vyžadují při korektním zpracování nejen popis samotného prvku intervence, který je nástrojem projektu, ale také korektní vyhodnocení, tj. monitoring a evaluaci programu. Monitoring a evaluace jsou součástí sofistikovaného procesu, který má své nepodkročitelné standardy a podmínky, jež je nutno respektovat. Před hodnocením projektu je důležité stanovit konkrétní kritéria hodnocení – podmínkou správně vybraných kritérií jsou vhodně zvolené indikátory hodnocení. Nevhodně stanovené indikátory, které nereflektují cíle projektu a nejsou k nim relevantní, jsou nejčastější chybou většiny programů podpory zdraví. Je záhodno plánovat evaluaci projektu vnější i vnitřní a vyjmenovat její předem předpokládané překážky. Zároveň je dobré navrhnout vnímání obsahu termínu "efektivita projektu" u každého konkrétního programu, případně predikovat zamýšlený poměr ceny projektu k jeho účinnosti. Návrhy programů podpory zdraví by v rámci plánovaného monitoringu a evaluace měly obsahovat jasně stanovený způsob prezentace průběhu a výsledků, včetně závěrečných informací plynoucích z výsledků monitoringu a evaluace. Problematika monitoringu a evaluace programů podpory zdraví, jejich proces a metody by se měly stát předmětem zkoumání a dalšího vývoje v oborech zabývajících se prevencí a podporou zdraví.

For correct processing, health promotion programmes require not only the key element of intervention as a project instrument, but also proper assessment, which means programme monitoring and evaluation. Monitoring and evaluation should follow a sophisticated procedure with specific standards and conditions that need to be respected. Prior to evaluation of the project, it is important to determine specific evaluation criteria; amongst basic conditions of properly selected criteria are correctly selected indicators of such an evaluation. Improperly set indicators, that do not reflect the objectives of the project and are not relevant to them represent the most commonly enacted mistake in the majority of health promotion programmes. It is advisable to plan both internal and external evaluation and to list anticipated obstacles and barriers in advance, in order to define the concept of "project effectiveness" for each specific programme, and attempt to predict a project "cost/effect" ratio. Proposals of health promotion programmes, as part of planned monitoring and evaluation, should include clearly defined methods for presenting the process, course and results of the programme, including the final information derived from the results of monitoring and evaluation. The issue of monitoring and evaluation of health promotion programmes, their procedure and methods should be addressed by further studies and development as part of the agenda of fields dealing with prevention and health promotion.

MeSH
hodnocení programu * metody MeSH
hodnocení vlivů na zdraví metody MeSH
lidé MeSH
programy Healthy People * metody normy organizace a řízení MeSH
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lidé MeSH

Článek online

Food preference for milk and dairy products

Acta veterinaria Brno. 2014 ; 83 (Supplementum 10) : 41-44.

ISSN 0001-7213
Medvik
Zdroj

Milk and dairy products constitute an important source of energy and nutrients for humans. Food preferences may significantly influence the actual consumption (and thus nutrition) of people at the population level. The objective of the present large-scale survey was to specify current preferences for milk and dairy products with regard to age and sex. The study was conducted across the Moravia region, Czech Republic, on a sample of 451 individuals divided into 4 age groups: children, adolescents, young adults, and elderly people. A graphic scale questionnaire was administered, with respondents rating their degree of preference for each food item by drawing a mark on a 35 mm line. Out of the 115 items in the questionnaire, 11 items represented dairy products. Data was analysed by means of a general linear model using IBM SPSS Statistics software. Preference for milk was lower in the elderly group than the other groups (P < 0.01). In children, the most preferred dairy product was cream, which was in contrast with the elderly group. Significant sex differences were only found with low-fat yoghurt (P < 0.01). The overall preference for dairy products (21.6) was lower than the average preference for all foods on the list (22.5). The cross-sectional study revealed intergenerational differences in preferences for specific dairy products, which were most marked in case of cream, processed cheese, blue cheese, and buttermilk. The knowledge of these differences might help promote more focused action at the community level directed at increasing the overall consumption of dairy products in the population.

Článek online

Heavy metals in hair samples: a pilot study of anaemic children in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

Central European Journal of Public Health. 2014 ; 22 (4) : 273-276.

Cent. Eur. J. Public Health
ISSN 1210-7778
Medvik
Zdroj

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals with their potential haematotoxic effect can contribute to the risks of anaemia in children in the Central Asian Republics (CAR), where burden and exposure to these metals is still not sufficiently known and reported. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was performed in Central Asian countries in hospitals in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with the aim to investigate the potential contribution of heavy metals to anaemia in children. In each country, 20 children were recruited, all were hospitalised with diagnosed anaemia. A sample of hair was taken from each child to assess the hair concentration of lead, cadmium and mercury. RESULTS: Relatively high levels of hair lead were observed, particularly in Kyrgyzstan. While lead and cadmium concentrations did not differ significantly among countries, mercury was lower in Kazakhstan than in Kyrgyzstan (p < 0.05) and Uzbekistan (p < 0.001). Hair lead and cadmium levels were significantly positively correlated (correlation coefficient = 0.51, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed higher than expected levels of hair lead, cadmium and mercury in anaemic children. Because iron deficiency anaemia is a major public health problem in CAR, further investigation of the extent of exposure to heavy metal and its contribution in iron deficiency anaemia in the region would be recommended.