An Observational Assessment of Park-based Physical Activity in Older Adults in Nanchang, China.

Objectives: Parks are more widely used by older adults in East Asia than in the United States. Parks are an important community asset for healthy aging; yet, little is known about park usage and features among older adults in China. Methods: The Community Park Audit Tool and the System for Observing Play and Recreation (SOPARC) were used to assess park features, PA levels and primary activities among 40,469 older adults in Nanchang, China. Results: None of the 8 parks observed had basketball courts or baseball fields and only one had a playground. Results indicated that about half of older adults were active in parks, with women, cooler temperatures, weekdays, and morning hours being related to higher levels of activity. Conclusions: Lessons from the construction of parks in China may be useful in increasing park use in older adults in western countries. Features such as exercise equipment, water features, and small exercise areas were common where western parks are often designed with features for teens and youth including basketball courts, baseball fields, and playgrounds.

Physical activity and park use of youth in Nanchang, China.

Physical inactivity is a growing issue in Chinese youth, but parks can facilitate traditional and non-traditional forms of physical activity for little to no cost. Despite this opportunity, very little is known regarding park use among Chinese youth. The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional observational study of park usage and physical activity of youth in municipal parks in Nanchang, China. Data were collected in June of 2014 in eight parks across Nanchang, Jiangxi a large city in southeast China. Physical activity was measured by a modified version of System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities. Ordered hierarchic generalized linear models were estimated using a logit link function. The influence of the park was estimated using random effects, with fixed effects and park, environmental, and park user characteristics. Youth were most often seen active in the afternoon, on weekends, and during cooler times (≤ 29 °C). Paradoxically, more children were active when air quality was poorer. Older boys were more active than younger boys, but no differences were observed in girls. More children were seen active in unstructured play compared to structured activities. The results suggest parks are an important setting for physical activity among Chinese youth, and that unstructured activities can play an important role in promoting greater youth physical activity.

Social Capital and Quality of Life Among People Living With HIV/AIDS in Southeast China.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 261 people living with HIV (PLWH) in Southeast China. A social capital questionnaire was used to measure social capital dimensions (trust, social connection, and social participation). A Chinese version of the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) was used to assess Quality of Life (QoL); Physical Health Summary Scores (PHS) and Mental Health Summary Scores (MHS) were calculated. Multiple regression assessed whether social capital and its dimensions were associated with PHS and MHS. After controlling for sociodemographics and HIV-related factors, lower PHS scores were found among participants with low overall social capital (P < .01) and low trust (P < .001). Lower MHS scores were found among participants with low overall social capital (P < .001), low trust (P < .001) and low social connection (P < .01). Our findings identify potential intervention targets to improve QoL among PLWH in Southeast China, including the promotion of social capital.

Alcohol and substance use prevention programs for youth in Hawaii and Pacific Islands: A literature review.

This article provides a literature review of recent programs to prevent alcohol and substance use in Hawaii and Pacific Islander youths. Five programs for alcohol and substance use prevention among Hawaii and Pacific Islander youths were found in peer-reviewed literature. Of these, two focused on Native Hawaiians and/or other Pacific Islanders and three focused on overall youths in Hawaii. The main themes of these programs were increasing cultural pride, character development through personal efficacy and integrity, connecting youth to family and community, and being school- or community-centered. Two studies showed a decrease in substance use, one showed a change in knowledge, and two did not published outcomes. This review highlights a lack of evidence-based culturally appropriate options for preventing substance use by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander youth. Dialogue about best practices is needed and should be supported through publication of program evaluations.

The relationships among social support and quality of life in persons living with HIV/AIDS in Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, China.

Several empirical studies, particularly those conducted in developed countries, have linked social support to quality of life among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWA). However, few studies have been conducted in developing countries, such as China; therefore, the question of any association being present between social support and quality of life in PLWA in China remains unanswered. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationships between social support and quality of life among PLWA in the Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces of China. A total of 377 PLWA participated in this study, and questionnaires used included demographics, the Chinese Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36, and a Social Support Rating Scale, all of which were collected through face-to-face interviews between 1 March and 15 April 2013 in six different County Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces, and one hospital in the Jiangxi. The health-related quality of life score was 64.7±13.5 (out of a total score of 100), which was significantly lower than the national norm level of 78.2±15.9. The total score of social support was 29.4±7.8 (full score 66). The canonical correlation between social support and quality of participants' lives was shown to be statistically significant (p<0.0001). The relationship between subjective support and quality of life among PLWA was also significant (p=0.004). Subjective support and the use of social support showed a positive correlation with vitality, role-physical, and role-emotional, and a negative correlation with body pain. The current study suggests that PLWA with lower social support have diminished quality of life.

Insights from an observational assessment of park-based physical activity in Nanchang, China.

Internationally, parks have been shown to be an important community asset for physical activity (PA), but little is known about the relationship between park usage and physical activity in China. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between park user characteristics and PA in Nanchang, China. In June 2014, 75,678 people were observed in eight parks over 12 days using SOPARC, a validated systematic observation tool. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between PA and park user characteristics. Most park users were older adults (53.5%) or adults (34.6%). Overall, 55% of park users engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Fewer women were observed in parks than men, but were 66% more likely to be engaged in MVPA than men. Park users were more likely to be observed in MVPA between 6-9 am and when the temperature was below 30 °C. Chinese park users were more active (55%) than US studies in Tampa (30%), Chicago (49%), and Los Angeles (34%). More research is necessary to identify features of parks that are associated with greater PA so that effective interventions can be developed to promote active park use in Chinese citizens.