Objective The aim of the present review was to examine epidemiological evidence to determine if there is strong evidence of a positive gradient of increasing physical activity across the socio-economic strata, and how relationships are affected by socio-economic measurement. Design Systematic review. Method A search of major databases was conducted to identify published studies that reported physical activity in relation to socio-economic position (SEP) in adults. Results Twenty-eight cross-sectional and five longitudinal studies met the inclusion criteria. Approximately half of these were American. Consequently education and income were most commonly used to represent SEP. The majority of studies were secondary analyses of existing health survey data, which could explain the generally large sample sizes and methodological weaknesses in physical activity and SEP measurement. There was consistent evidence of a higher prevalence or higher levels of leisure-time or moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity in those at the top of the socio-economic strata compared with those at the bottom. Evidence for positive gradients across the socio-economic strata was less consistent. Education produced the most stable relationships, less susceptible to confounding effects of ethnicity and the environment. Conclusion Those at the top of the socio-economic scale appear to perform more leisure-time activity than those at the bottom. Diverse and often crude physical activity and socio-economic measurement made it difficult to distinguish between artefact and true effect in a relationship with so many potential confounding influences. Further studies using up-to-date methods of socio-economic and physical activity measurement are necessary to further explore this relationship and its confounders.

The increase in violent incidents on an acute psychiatric ward over a 15-month period was found to be strongly associated with the increase in use of temporary nursing staff (r = 0.63; P = 0.0005). The change in staffing patterns accounted for 39% of the variance in violence. An examination of the characteristics of all patients admitted to the ward revealed that the violent patients were significantly younger, more likely to have been admitted compulsorily and less likely to be depressed than non-violent ones.

A greater awareness of the link between delusional fixations on public figures and subsequent attacks could aid prevention. Equally importantly, recognition would encourage earlier intervention in people who, irrespective of whether they eventually attack, have delusional preoccupations which ruin their lives.

The present study examined the neuromuscular activation characteristics of the hamstrings during the ?Nordic? hamstrings exercise (NHE) and changes in the eccentric strength of the knee flexors with NHE training. Initially, the normalised root mean square electromyographic (EMG) activity of the hamstrings of both limbs during various phases (90?61?, 60?31? and 30?0? of knee extension) of the NHE were determined in 18 soccer players. Subsequently participants were randomly allocated to either a training (n=10) or control group. The isokinetic eccentric peak torques of the dominant and non-dominant limbs were recorded at 60, 120 and 240?/s pre- and post-training. The EMG values of both limbs were comparable (P=0.184) and greater EMG activity was recorded at more extended knee positions of the NHE (P=0.001). 4 weeks of NHE training significantly improved peak torque by up to 21% in all assessment conditions. Data indicate the hamstrings of both limbs are engaged identically during the NHE and training results in gains in the eccentric peak torque of the hamstrings of both limbs; these gains may augment the force that the hamstrings can withstand when forcefully stretched, attenuating injury risk.

Factors associated with physical activity referral uptake and participation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 26 (2). pp. 217-224. ISSN 0264-0414Official URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17943595 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640410701468863 EPrint URI: http://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/374 DisclaimerThe University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT.This is a peer-reviewed, post-print ( DisclaimerThe University of Gloucestershire has obtained warranties from all depositors as to their title in the material deposited and as to their right to deposit such material.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation or warranties of commercial utility, title, or fitness for a particular purpose or any other warranty, express or implied in respect of any material deposited.The University of Gloucestershire makes no representation that the use of the materials will not infringe any patent, copyright, trademark or other property or proprietary rights.The University of Gloucestershire accepts no liability for any infringement of intellectual property rights in any material deposited but will remove such material from public view pending investigation in the event of an allegation of any such infringement. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR TEXT.Title:Factors associated with physical activity referral uptake and participation Running title:Physical activity referral outcomes Key words:Exercise referral -uptake -attendance -completion -health professional 1 ABSTRACTWe investigated participant and scheme characteristics in relation to access, uptake and participation in a Physical Activity Referral Scheme (PARS) using a prospective population-based longitudinal design. Participants (n=3762) were recruited over a three-year period. Logistic regression analyses identified the factors associated with the outcomes of referral uptake, participation and completion (≥ 80% attendance). Participant age, gender, referral reason, referring health professional and type of leisure provider were the independent variables. Based on binary logistic regression analysis (n=2631), only primary referral reason was associated with the PARS co-ordinator making contact with the participants. In addition to the influence of referral reason, females were als...