Journal of American College Health
ISSN: 0744-8481 (Print) 1940-3208 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vach20
A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course Cheryl McClary PhD, JD , Eric Pyeritz MD , William Bruce PhD & Elise Henshaw BA To cite this article: Cheryl McClary PhD, JD , Eric Pyeritz MD , William Bruce PhD & Elise Henshaw BA (1992) A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course, Journal of American College Health, 41:2, 71-72, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.1992.10392821 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.1992.10392821
Published online: 07 Apr 2011.
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Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=vach20 Download by: [Deakin University Library]
Date: 11 November 2015, At: 09:39
A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course
Downloaded by [Deakin University Library] at 09:39 11 November 2015
Cheryl McClary, PhD, JD; Eric Pyeritz, MD; William Bruce, PhD; and Elise Henshaw, BA
Abstract. With a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the University of North Carolina at Asheville and the Mountain Area Health Education Center established a campus health promotion program that also trained family practice residents in health promotion skills. The heart of the program was a 3-credit course that emphasized stress management, aerobic conditioning, interpersonal relationship skills, and nutrition. Follow-ups after 2 years revealed that 90% of the students who responded said the course had had some lasting effect on their lives. Key Words. family practice, health promotion, wellness
W
ith health concerns at the forefront of the American agenda, it is not surprising that college health promotion has increased at a remarkable rate during the past decade. An academic course in a university curriculum is an ideal vehicle to introduce students to the idea that they are responsible and in control of their own health. In 1982, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation awarded funds to the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) to establish a health promotion program on the UNCA campus and to train MAHEC family practice residents in health promotion skills. The core of UNCA’s health promotion program was a 3-credit semester-long course called “Health Promotion and Wellness.” The course design highlighted four areas: stress management, aerobic conditioning, interpersonal relationship skills, and nutrition. Drug and alcohol abuse, AIDS education, and other timely health issues also were addressed. The course designers wanted students
The authors are all with the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Cheryl McCIary is chair of the Department of Health and Fitness, Eric Pyeritz b director of the Student Health Service, W i l l h Bruce is an associate professor of psychology, and Elise Henshaw is an editorial consultant with the Department of Health and Fitness. VOL 41, SEPTEMBER 1992
to understand that they could take charge of their lives as far as wellness was concerned and that, no matter what their age, they could make decisions that would have a profound impact on both performance and health. Students were given the knowledge and techniques to make educated choices concerning their values and lifestyles, to initiate lasting behavioral changes, and to carry the concepts taught in the classroom into their everyday lives. Pre- and posttesting, an integral component of the course, included assessments to obtain measurements in the areas of stress and use of stress management methods, interpersonal support, sense of self-control, and aerobic fitness. Course Elements Lectures. The course was taught by a team of three UNCA faculty members: an expert in stress management and aerobic fitness, a psychologist with expertise in interpersonal relationship skills, and the university aerobics instructor. They provided information about body systems closely related to personal fitness, individual choices, and health risks, that is, the cardiovascular, immunological, and endocrine systems, and the human brain. Students learned about coronary artery disease and the influence on the cardiovascular system of aerobic fitness, stress, and dietary practices. Guest lecturers addressed specific areas: A registered nutritionist talked about diet, and a MAHEC physician with extensive experience in alcohol and drug abuse lectured on those topics. Laboratory groups. Each student participated in a small-group experience designed to provide a setting for exploring and developing interpersonal relationships. Students were taught skills and then could practice and apply the communication arts presented in the course lectures, such as active listening, assertiveness and selfexpression, and conflict resolution. The labs also taught 71
COLLEGE HEALTH
methods for behavior change and encouraged students to recognize the importance of developing and main-, taining their own personal social support systems.
Downloaded by [Deakin University Library] at 09:39 11 November 2015
Aerobic exercise. Unless they were prohibited for medical reasons, students were expected to participate in an individual aerobic conditioning program. For 20 to 30 minutes three times a week, students exercised at target heart rate in whatever aerobic exercise and at whatever time they chose. By comparing the pre- and post-aerobic fitness test results, students could get an indication of their progress. A brief activity period was held during each class to motivate students and instruct them in proper warmup and stretching techniques. Twice a month, the class met in the gym for a half-hour aerobic session. Wellness visit. A 30-minute, confidential “wellness visit” with a resident family physician gave each student an opportunity to discuss confidential personal concerns. During these visits, the students and physician discussed the Fantastic Questionnaire, a lifestyle-assessment form the students had previously completed. The physicians’ training was a cooperative effort between UNCA ’faculty and medical faculty of the family practice residency program. With the student’s permission, we videotaped the visits for teaching purposes and used them in seminars that featured discussion of these student/physician encounters. Health contract. The students completed a contract covering personal health and lifestyle issues and projecting short- and long-term (5-year) goals for behavior change. At the end of 5 years, we returned the contracts, giving the students an opportunity to see how successful they had been in achieving their goals. The MAHEC laboratory tested cholesterol levels at the beginning and end of each semester. Most students took advantage of this opportunity, although it was not a requirement. Sixteen weeks is not enough time to ex-. pect a major change in cholesterol levels, but the students, most of whom had embarked on an aerobic conditioning program for the first time, were eager to see whether there was any variance in their cholesterol levels. Discussion
After 2 years of prograh activity, we mailed a followup questionnaire to 233 graduates of the health promotion course. On a single mailing, 56% of the participants returned the questionnaire. Of these, 90% replied, “Yes, the course has had some lasting effects on my
72
life.” These data are not conclusive evidence of persisting effects, but they are encouraging. Another follow-up study, which should provide an indication of the lasting effects the course may have had, is planned in the near future. Even without the benefit of statistical data, we can confidently say that, at least while the course was going on, it had a profound effect on many of the students. This was evident from their enthusiastic and regular attendance at classes and labs; their comments and voluntary involvement in the program as a whole; and the camaraderie that developed within a class. Students became a “close knit” group and were very supportive of each other. Although they were scheduled to run at different times, students often would appear at the track to cheer on classmates who were doing their post-aerobic fitness tests. Many course graduates participated in follow-up sessions that met in the group room of the university counseling center and were offered for no credit. After the first semester that Health Promotion and Wellness was taught, course designers and instructors were convinced more strongly than ever of the validity and value of such a course. The participants, who ranged in age from 18 to 60 and over, responded to a course that gave them a sense of self-worth and self-control over their own health and well-being. They were guided to understand the importance and value of each individual and the accompanying responsibility to take control of their personal health in order to live the most productive and rewarding life possible. The course continues as a requirement for a health promotion minor and as an option to the Physical Self, a 1-credit-hour course that is part of the university’s core curriculum. Each semester, Health Promotion and Wellness fills to capacity and has a waiting list. That many students select the 3-credit-hour course when the 1-hour offering would fulfill the all-university requirement is evidence that the concept of self-responsibility and self-control for one’s own health is pervading the students’ thinking. Those involved in designing and implementing these health promotion courses feel that including the courses in a university curriculum heightens students’ awareness of the lifetime implications of a healthy lifestyle. The benefits are obvious for those students who choose to take the course described here. But when a health promotion course becomes part of a university’s general education requirements, the possibility of influencing many more lives is exciting and challenging and conf m s our conviction that such university health promotion courses can have a positive impact on the lives of students of all ages.
JACH
ISSN: 0744-8481 (Print) 1940-3208 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vach20
A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course Cheryl McClary PhD, JD , Eric Pyeritz MD , William Bruce PhD & Elise Henshaw BA To cite this article: Cheryl McClary PhD, JD , Eric Pyeritz MD , William Bruce PhD & Elise Henshaw BA (1992) A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course, Journal of American College Health, 41:2, 71-72, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.1992.10392821 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.1992.10392821
Published online: 07 Apr 2011.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 6
View related articles
Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=vach20 Download by: [Deakin University Library]
Date: 11 November 2015, At: 09:39
A Liberal Arts Health Promotion Course
Downloaded by [Deakin University Library] at 09:39 11 November 2015
Cheryl McClary, PhD, JD; Eric Pyeritz, MD; William Bruce, PhD; and Elise Henshaw, BA
Abstract. With a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the University of North Carolina at Asheville and the Mountain Area Health Education Center established a campus health promotion program that also trained family practice residents in health promotion skills. The heart of the program was a 3-credit course that emphasized stress management, aerobic conditioning, interpersonal relationship skills, and nutrition. Follow-ups after 2 years revealed that 90% of the students who responded said the course had had some lasting effect on their lives. Key Words. family practice, health promotion, wellness
W
ith health concerns at the forefront of the American agenda, it is not surprising that college health promotion has increased at a remarkable rate during the past decade. An academic course in a university curriculum is an ideal vehicle to introduce students to the idea that they are responsible and in control of their own health. In 1982, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation awarded funds to the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) and the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) to establish a health promotion program on the UNCA campus and to train MAHEC family practice residents in health promotion skills. The core of UNCA’s health promotion program was a 3-credit semester-long course called “Health Promotion and Wellness.” The course design highlighted four areas: stress management, aerobic conditioning, interpersonal relationship skills, and nutrition. Drug and alcohol abuse, AIDS education, and other timely health issues also were addressed. The course designers wanted students
The authors are all with the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Cheryl McCIary is chair of the Department of Health and Fitness, Eric Pyeritz b director of the Student Health Service, W i l l h Bruce is an associate professor of psychology, and Elise Henshaw is an editorial consultant with the Department of Health and Fitness. VOL 41, SEPTEMBER 1992
to understand that they could take charge of their lives as far as wellness was concerned and that, no matter what their age, they could make decisions that would have a profound impact on both performance and health. Students were given the knowledge and techniques to make educated choices concerning their values and lifestyles, to initiate lasting behavioral changes, and to carry the concepts taught in the classroom into their everyday lives. Pre- and posttesting, an integral component of the course, included assessments to obtain measurements in the areas of stress and use of stress management methods, interpersonal support, sense of self-control, and aerobic fitness. Course Elements Lectures. The course was taught by a team of three UNCA faculty members: an expert in stress management and aerobic fitness, a psychologist with expertise in interpersonal relationship skills, and the university aerobics instructor. They provided information about body systems closely related to personal fitness, individual choices, and health risks, that is, the cardiovascular, immunological, and endocrine systems, and the human brain. Students learned about coronary artery disease and the influence on the cardiovascular system of aerobic fitness, stress, and dietary practices. Guest lecturers addressed specific areas: A registered nutritionist talked about diet, and a MAHEC physician with extensive experience in alcohol and drug abuse lectured on those topics. Laboratory groups. Each student participated in a small-group experience designed to provide a setting for exploring and developing interpersonal relationships. Students were taught skills and then could practice and apply the communication arts presented in the course lectures, such as active listening, assertiveness and selfexpression, and conflict resolution. The labs also taught 71
COLLEGE HEALTH
methods for behavior change and encouraged students to recognize the importance of developing and main-, taining their own personal social support systems.
Downloaded by [Deakin University Library] at 09:39 11 November 2015
Aerobic exercise. Unless they were prohibited for medical reasons, students were expected to participate in an individual aerobic conditioning program. For 20 to 30 minutes three times a week, students exercised at target heart rate in whatever aerobic exercise and at whatever time they chose. By comparing the pre- and post-aerobic fitness test results, students could get an indication of their progress. A brief activity period was held during each class to motivate students and instruct them in proper warmup and stretching techniques. Twice a month, the class met in the gym for a half-hour aerobic session. Wellness visit. A 30-minute, confidential “wellness visit” with a resident family physician gave each student an opportunity to discuss confidential personal concerns. During these visits, the students and physician discussed the Fantastic Questionnaire, a lifestyle-assessment form the students had previously completed. The physicians’ training was a cooperative effort between UNCA ’faculty and medical faculty of the family practice residency program. With the student’s permission, we videotaped the visits for teaching purposes and used them in seminars that featured discussion of these student/physician encounters. Health contract. The students completed a contract covering personal health and lifestyle issues and projecting short- and long-term (5-year) goals for behavior change. At the end of 5 years, we returned the contracts, giving the students an opportunity to see how successful they had been in achieving their goals. The MAHEC laboratory tested cholesterol levels at the beginning and end of each semester. Most students took advantage of this opportunity, although it was not a requirement. Sixteen weeks is not enough time to ex-. pect a major change in cholesterol levels, but the students, most of whom had embarked on an aerobic conditioning program for the first time, were eager to see whether there was any variance in their cholesterol levels. Discussion
After 2 years of prograh activity, we mailed a followup questionnaire to 233 graduates of the health promotion course. On a single mailing, 56% of the participants returned the questionnaire. Of these, 90% replied, “Yes, the course has had some lasting effects on my
72
life.” These data are not conclusive evidence of persisting effects, but they are encouraging. Another follow-up study, which should provide an indication of the lasting effects the course may have had, is planned in the near future. Even without the benefit of statistical data, we can confidently say that, at least while the course was going on, it had a profound effect on many of the students. This was evident from their enthusiastic and regular attendance at classes and labs; their comments and voluntary involvement in the program as a whole; and the camaraderie that developed within a class. Students became a “close knit” group and were very supportive of each other. Although they were scheduled to run at different times, students often would appear at the track to cheer on classmates who were doing their post-aerobic fitness tests. Many course graduates participated in follow-up sessions that met in the group room of the university counseling center and were offered for no credit. After the first semester that Health Promotion and Wellness was taught, course designers and instructors were convinced more strongly than ever of the validity and value of such a course. The participants, who ranged in age from 18 to 60 and over, responded to a course that gave them a sense of self-worth and self-control over their own health and well-being. They were guided to understand the importance and value of each individual and the accompanying responsibility to take control of their personal health in order to live the most productive and rewarding life possible. The course continues as a requirement for a health promotion minor and as an option to the Physical Self, a 1-credit-hour course that is part of the university’s core curriculum. Each semester, Health Promotion and Wellness fills to capacity and has a waiting list. That many students select the 3-credit-hour course when the 1-hour offering would fulfill the all-university requirement is evidence that the concept of self-responsibility and self-control for one’s own health is pervading the students’ thinking. Those involved in designing and implementing these health promotion courses feel that including the courses in a university curriculum heightens students’ awareness of the lifetime implications of a healthy lifestyle. The benefits are obvious for those students who choose to take the course described here. But when a health promotion course becomes part of a university’s general education requirements, the possibility of influencing many more lives is exciting and challenging and conf m s our conviction that such university health promotion courses can have a positive impact on the lives of students of all ages.
JACH
