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Physical activity is an important component of treatment for people living with mental illness, and exercise practitioners are well placed to deliver these interventions. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated lock-down regulations, exercise professionals have rapidly adapted to the online delivery of services to continue care for their clients. To date, the research surrounding the delivery of exercise sessions via telehealth for this population has been scarce. Therefore, this study aims to explore how exercise professionals working in mental health have adapted to telehealth, the barriers and facilitators they have experienced and the implications for the future.

A qualitative study using semi-structure interviews was conducted. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Nine exercise physiologists working in mental health settings in Australia participated in the interviews. Two main themes were explored. The first related to the implementation of telehealth and was divided into four sub-themes: service delivery, accessibility and suitability, technology barriers and facilitators, adaptations to exercise prescription. The second theme related to attitudes and was categorised into two sub-themes: attitudes towards telehealth and future recommendations.

Telehealth appears to be a feasible and well accepted platform to deliver exercise sessions for people with mental illness, and this study provides guidance for clinicians including service and training recommendations.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the experiences of exercise physiologists working in mental health and using telehealth.

The Police Training Institute at the University of Illinois designed a fitness training programme which allowed the participants to choose the intensity and mode of their exercise. Between June 1993 and March 1995, the incoming recruits’ fitness level was assessed before and after the training programme in order to measure the improvement induced by the training and to compare the recruits’ fitness level to the general population. The recruits significantly improved their flexibility (19.10 vs 15.13 degrees) and abdominal strength (4.91 vs 4.98 Lovett score). The male recruits improved their aerobic capacity (recovery heart rate: 86.27 vs 81.32 bpm) and the female recruits improved their back strength (4.86 vs 4.97 Lovett score). No significant changes were observed for grip strength (54.62 vs 54.21 kg), relative body fat (19.5 vs 18.5 per cent body fat), blood pressure (diastolic: 77.99 vs 77.52 mm Hg; systolic: 125.47 vs 125.10 mm Hg), and resting heart rate (74.89 vs 74.23 bpm). Compared to population norms, the majority of the recruits were within the normal range for blood pressure, resting heart rate, abdominal and back muscle strength. A large proportion of the recruits had good flexibility, average grip strength, and fair to excellent per cent body fat. Still, 33.4 per cent of the males and 25 per cent of the females were low to very low in aerobic capacity. As a result, the fitness programme has been modified in order to further improve recruits’ fitness.

Physical activity is increasingly recognised as critical to improving physical and mental health (MH). Understanding the education and training requirements of exercise professionals will support better integration of these emerging MH professionals within the multidisciplinary MH team. The purpose of this study was to determine the exposure to, knowledge and attitudes of final year exercise physiology students towards people with mental illness (MI).

Student exposure to and knowledge and attitudes of people living with MH were assessed via a 24-item online questionnaire.

In total, n = 63 out of 78 eligible students participated (81%). Of the participants, 81% (n = 51) showed a favourable attitude towards people with MI and 68% (n = 43) of participants had good knowledge of topics relating to MI. Significant correlations existed between the total score for attitude and any exposure to MH issues and having undertaken placement as part of university training and knowledge and total scores. Further training and education are needed to better equip exercise physiology graduates to work with people with MI.

This is the first study to examine the attitudes and knowledge of exercise physiology students towards people living with MI and their association with exposure to MI. Given the growing number of exercise professionals being integrated into multidisciplinary MH teams, this study may help to direct the delivery of associated training and education services.

The purpose of this paper was to assess the knowledge on sport and exercise science held by a sample of Brazilian physiotherapists, nutritionists and physical educators.

A cross-sectional research design was used. The answers given by 1,147 professionals (300 physiotherapists, 705 physical educators and 142 nutritionists) who participated in a qualifying process for a specialization course on exercise physiology were analyzed. Questions were analyzed on maximal oxygen uptake (four questions), physical fitness assessment (three questions), physical training (two questions), bioenergetics (one question) and exercise in extreme environments (one question).

The results revealed misconceptions held by Brazilian health professionals on a number of concepts related to sport and exercise science, such as maximal oxygen uptake.

These results reinforce the need for continuing education programs to maximize the quality of the service provided by sport and exercise science professionals in Brazil. Improvements in the undergraduate courses curriculum are also recommended.

This is the first study to assess misconceptions about sport and exercise science among Brazilian health professionals.

This paper aims to examine student exercise physiologists (EPs) and student dietitians’ confidence regarding working with people with severe mental illness (SMI) pre- and post-practicum in a mental health service.

This single-arm, quality improvement project included students completing practicum within a lifestyle programme embedded in mental health services. Student EPs completed 100 h of practicum across 15 weeks as part requirement for their Bachelor of Exercise Physiology degree and student dietitians completed six weeks full-time (40 h/week) for the part requirement of their Master of Nutrition and Dietetics. Students completed the Dietetic Confidence Scale (terminology was adapted for student EPs) pre- and post-practicum.

In total, 27 student EPs and 13 student dietitians completed placement and returned pre- and post-practicum questionnaires. Pre-practicum confidence scores were 90.8 ± 17.1 and 86.9 ± 18.9 out of a possible 140 points for student EPs and student dietitians, respectively. Confidence scores increased substantially post-practicum for both student EPs [mean difference (MD) = 29.3 ± 18.8, p < 0.001, d = 1.56] and dietitian students (MD = 26.1 ± 15.9, p = 0.002, d = 1.64). There were significant improvements in confidence across all domains of the confidence questionnaire for both EPs and dietitian students.

There is a research gap in understanding the confidence levels of student EPs’ and student dietitians’ when working with people with mental illness and the impact that undertaking a practicum in a mental health setting may play. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore student EP and student dietitian confidence in working with people with SMI pre- and post-practicum in a mental health setting.

Introductory anatomy and physiology provide a core knowledge base to students within clinical health science courses. Increased student numbers, as well as reduced access to laboratory-based cadaveric resources, have created a need for enhanced learning approaches to support learning. The streamlining of courses has also resulted in the need to effectively engage course sub-groups within large units. The purpose of this paper is to utilize the eLearning activities to investigate engagement and satisfaction levels within students undertaking an anatomy and physiology unit.

A total of 19 formative quizzes were made available to students. Online practical anatomy laboratories covered anatomical content, and physiology quizzes covered physiological content. Student engagement was compared using frequency analysis across students studying varying courses. Satisfaction was determined by analyzing student’s feedback using frequency analysis.

Students accessed the learning activities 29,898 times over semester, with the peak access (37 percent) prior to the closed book exams. The resources were utilized primarily as an exam preparation tool rather than consistently throughout semester. Out of the various courses, the Paramedicine, Physiotherapy and Podiatry students were the most engaged, with the highest percent of “engaged/highly engaged” students. Students from various courses shared very similar views of the perceived benefit of the eLearning activities.

These results indicated a difference in engagement levels between the students of various course sub-groups, and therefore suggests that the development of course-specific eLearning activities is necessary in large, streamlined units to achieve a more focused approach to support students’ learning, engagement and success, so that positive and beneficial learning experiences are ensured for all students.

These results suggest that in the future, development of eLearning activities is necessary to achieve a more focused approach to support students’ learning, engagement and success, so that positive and beneficial learning experiences are ensured for all.

Workplace exercise programmes have been shown to increase employee participation in physical activities and improve health and fitness in the short-term. However, the limited breadth of employee engagement across organisations combined with declining exercise adherence within individual studies indicates a need for better-informed programmes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate relationships between employee moderate-vigorous physical activity (exercise) participation and their perceived barriers and facilitators to engagement in onsite exercise, to inform the design and implementation of future workplace exercise interventions.

An online survey identified employee demographics, exercise (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), perceived barriers (Corporate Exercise Barriers Scale) and facilitators to exercise at an Australian university.

Of the 252 full-time employees who responded, most reported meeting (43.7 per cent) or exceeding (42.9 per cent) exercise guidelines over the previous week. A lack of time or reduced motivation (p<0.001), exercise attitude (p<0.05), internal (p<0.01) and external (p<0.01) barriers towards workplace exercise participation were all associated with failure to attain government-recommended volumes of weekly exercise. Personal training (particularly for insufficiently active employees) and group exercise classes were identified as potential exercise facilitators. Walking, gym (fitness centre), swimming and cycling were identified as the preferred modes of exercise training.

Employees not meeting recommended volumes of exercise might require additional support such as individualised gym and cycling programmes with personal supervision to overcome reported exercise barriers to improve exercise participation, health and fitness.

This study identifies specific barriers and facilitators to workplace exercise participation perceived by university employees. These findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of workplace exercise programmes aiming to achieve wider workplace engagement and greater exercise adherence, particularly of less active employees.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and adult demographic profiles in the workplace.

This cross-cultural study used a self-reported demographic and a 20-item CQ scale. The demographic and CQ level of 287 adults working in Oman from different countries was evaluated.

The mean total CQ score of adults working in Oman was 4.77 + 1.53. Out of the four dimensions, this study founds higher values relating to motivational CQ followed by metacognitive and behavioral CQ with mean scores 5.22 + 1.53, 5.13 + 1.57 and 4.59 + 1.54, respectively. Significance, between-group differences (gender, age, job level, sector type, education level, nationality and study abroad), were observed in metacognitive and motivational dimensions of CQ (p < 0.001). All the regression models are significant, indicating that they express a meaningful relationship between each of the dependent variables and the variables in the model. The total CQ model explains 10.7% of the variance.

The results of this study provide additional insight to researchers in identifying the demographic profiles which predict the level of total CQ. The use of a longitudinal design to further confirm the results of this study is proposed.

The study helps practicing managers to understand the implications of cultural Intelligence and how it influences employee behavior from the perspectives of demographic perspectives.

The CQ levels of adults working in Oman vary according to their demographic profiles and the demographic profiles predict the CQ levels.

Most long-haul truck drivers are physically inactive. Despite being identified as a source of health information, online physical activity and exercise information has not been evaluated for this population. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the accessibility, accuracy, technical and theoretical quality, and readability of online physical activity, exercise, and sport information for long-haul truck drivers.

A standardized protocol was followed to identify and evaluate web sites. Web sites were included in the review if they met the following criteria: first, presented information on physical activity, exercise, or sport; second, provided information for long-haul truck drivers; and finally, provided information in English. Each web site was evaluated independently by the two study authors. After evaluating the web sites independently, the authors then met to discuss each construct for each web site.

Overall, 44 web sites were reviewed. Nine web sites provided information based on physical activity guidelines. Most web sites scored poorly on technical and theoretical quality. In total, 28 web sites provided information that was written above the recommended grade 8 reading level.

Research has shown that theoretically designed physical activity and exercise interventions are more successful than those with no theoretical underpinnings. Creating web sites or online applications using behavioral theory and improving the readability of online health information may help increase levels of physical activity and improve overall health for this population.

No previous research has examined the quality of online physical activity, exercise, or sport information for long-haul truck drivers. This is the first study to examine how online health information for this population can be improved.

The mid-1990s marked a paradigm shift in the way physical activity is promoted, and walking is now considered the most suitable type of physical activity for widespread promotion. Accurate measurement underpins public health practice, hence the aims of this chapter are to: (1) provide a typology for the measurement of walking; (2) review methods to assess walking; (3) present challenges in defining walking measures; (4) identify issues in selecting instruments for the evaluation of walking and (5) discuss current efforts to overcome measurement challenges and methodological limitations. The taxonomy of walking indicates that secondary purpose walking is a more complex set of behaviours than primary purpose walks. It has many purposes and no specific domain or intensity, may lack regularity, and therefore poses greater measurement challenges. Objective measurement methods, such as accelerometers, pedometers, smartphones and other electronic devices, have shown good approximation for walking energy expenditure, but are indirect methods of walking assessment. Global Positioning System technology, the ‘Smartmat’ and radio-frequency identification tags are potential objective methods that can distinguish walkers, but also require complex analysis, are costly, and still need their measurement properties corroborated. Subjective direct methods, such as questionnaires, diaries and direct observation, provide the richest information on walking, especially short-term diaries, such as trip records and time use records, and are particularly useful for assessing secondary purpose walking. A unifying measure for health research, surveillance and health promotion would strongly advance the understanding of the impact of walking on health.