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Barriers and facilitators influencing the physical activity of Arabic adults: A literature review
Physical inactivity is a global health concern. Evidence suggests low levels of physical activity among Arabic adults living in Middle Eastern countries. To help ensure the success of strategies to promote physical activity a better understanding of the barriers and facilitators to physical activity is needed. The objective of this article is to present a review of the literature that focuses on the barriers and facilitators to physical activity among Arabic adults. A socio-ecological framework was used to guide this review. Following a database search (2002–2013) a total of 15 studies were included in this review. The findings revealed that barriers (i.e. factors that impede physical activity) occurred at the individual level (e.g. lack of time health status) social/cultural/policy level (e.g. traditional roles for women lack of social support use of housemaids) and the environmental level (e.g. hot weather lack of exercise facilities). Some of the facilitators (i.e. factors that enable/promote physical activity) were: Muslim religion desire to have slimmer bodies and having good social support systems. Future intervention studies aimed at promoting physical activity among Arabic adults need to address these multiple influencing factors.
The Transitional Experience of Post-Diploma Nurses Returning to Study for an Undergraduate Nursing Degree in Qatar
The Supreme Council of Health in Qatar aims to improve its health care system by strengthening the capabilities of its health care workforce. A university in Qatar supports this national objective by offering a 2 year Bachelor of Nursing program to post-diploma nurses. The attributes gained through baccalaureate level study particularly clinical reasoning skills and critical analysis are important for nurses to effectively participate in health care delivery improve patient experiences and outcomes (Aiken et. al. 2014) and advance into leadership roles.
The primary purpose of this funded study was to explore the experience of post-diploma nurses returning to Bachelor level study in Qatar. A secondary purpose was to develop the research skills and capacity of undergraduate nursing students through a collaborative research approach under the mentorship of an experienced research team from the university nursing faculty and a research active health care industry partner. Enhancement of attitudes and beliefs toward the value of research may occur as team members work toward the common goal of completing this research. Participating in a funded research project that is relevant to nursing education and health care institutions in Qatar will undoubtedly increase mentors and student researchers personal investment and commitment to the Qatari research culture and community.
This descriptive qualitative study used a Focus Group approach to explore the experience of post-diploma nurses returning to study for a degree in nursing. A volunteer sample of 19 post-diploma nurses participated in this study.
A brief demographic survey was completed and to stimulate the participants’ thoughts related to their own personal experience about returning to school they completed a ‘Reflective Tool’ prior to focus group participation. Five focus groups were conducted co-facilitated by student and faculty research team members. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were analyzed using the Framework Approach (Gale Heath Cameron Rashid & Redwood 2013).
A collaborative approach was embedded in analysis. Initially all members read and re-read the transcripts to become familiar with the data set. One interview was initially coded reaching line-by-line agreement of the whole research team. This produced a working analytical framework with tentative codes and descriptions. These were used by analysis teams (two students and a faculty mentor) to undertake initial coding of remaining transcripts; another researcher coded one transcript independently. Any additional codes generated with descriptions were added to the analytical framework. Emergent thematic categories were used to clarify and collapse codes. Subsequently all data was charted against emergent categories to generate understanding of the post- diploma nurses’ experience. Data amenable to descriptive quantitative analysis were derived from the demographic information and reflective tool.
Preliminary findings from this study provide understanding of the motivations and challenges of post-diploma nurses returning to study. For example the significance of support from the university and sponsoring health care institution is emerging as vital to academic performance and success. The contribution of this work is the insights it offers to nurse educators working with international post-diploma nurses returning to study and organizations seeking to manage part-time study of its employees. This project will contribute to the international knowledge about this topic by adding a unique Qatar context. Dissemination of research results to the international nursing community will help raise Qatar's international research profile.
References
Aiken L.H. Sloane D.M. Bruyneel L. Van den Heede K. Griffiths P.… Sermeus. W. (2014). Nurse staffing and education and hospital mortality in nine European countries: a retrospective observational study. The Lancet 1362631-8 p. 1824-1830. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62631-8.
Gale N. Heath G. Cameron E Rashid S. and Redwood S. (2013). Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Medical Research Methodology 13:117. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-13-117