The other area of high risk for pregnancy is youth from Aboriginal communities in northern Ontario.

鈥淎s we read and summarized and synthesized research literature, and talked to youth workers, we realized there were these specific groups,鈥� says Connolly, director of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence & Conflict Resolution. 鈥淲ith that kind of feedback our research becomes focused and we can shift the lens to these three groups, for instance.鈥�

That is the value of knowledge mobilization 鈥撀爐he ability to see the gaps in the research and to more accurately zoom in where there is a need.

Right: Jennifer Connolly

The initial goal of Connolly鈥檚 KMb project, 鈥淭een Pregnancy and Teen Mothers: Meeting the Needs in 91亚色 Region鈥�, was to examine the prevalence of pregnant teens and teen mothers in 91亚色 Region and聽how their mental health needs were being met, 聽and it identify聽service gaps. The project also reviewed聽those girls receiving protective service intervention from 91亚色 Region Children鈥檚 Aid Society to evaluate their risk for pregnancy and initiated community-based opportunities for feedback and knowledge exchange. In addition, the project was designed to help determine how research on risk and resilience can inform clinical care, maximize positive outcomes and point the way for areas of further research.

鈥淚t led us to recognize that teen pregnancy was in the low to moderate range in Canada; about three to four per cent of live births are to women 19 and younger," says Connolly, a psychology professor in the Faculty of Health.聽It used to be higher. In the United States, it鈥檚 up around 18 per cent and in Italy it鈥檚 down around one per cent. "Teen pregnancy has certainly dropped in Canada, but when we look at the data, it ignores the fact that there are huge disparities in that information. In some communities the risk of teen pregnancy and motherhood is much higher.鈥�

For teen girls in the three highest risk categories, the rate of pregnancy soars to 30 to 50 per cent, and the teen pregnancy and motherhood outcomes in these groups聽are not good.

The research team 鈥撀燙onnolly, 91亚色 Professor Hala Tamim of the School of Kinesiology & Health Science in the Faculty of Health, psychology Professor Yvonne Bohr also of the Faculty of Health, Sandra Cunning of Kinark Child & Family Services and聽Bonita Majonis of 91亚色 Region Children鈥檚 Aid Society 鈥� realized the value of getting the results from research and knowledge synthesization out to community members聽who could make use of them.

One such community would be the youth workers and service agencies that work directly with these teens. This summer, Connolly, along with colleagues and students, will post plain language research summaries on 11 different topics聽using the聽Orion 03 platform, thanks to a Canadian Institutes of Health Research supplement grant. This is part of a research mobilization project headed by David Phipps, director of the Office of Research Services, to get clear, concise summaries of research out to communities.

For Connolly鈥檚 research, youth workers from Kinark Child & Family Services and the 91亚色 Region Children鈥檚 Aid Society will comment on the summaries and bring forth any questions.

The topics that will be tackled for the summaries will include homelessness and teen pregnancy and mothers; the risk and resilience of teen mothers; the risk and resilience of the mothers of teen mothers; teen pregnancy and teen motherhood in Canada; and the availability of services for teen mothers in 91亚色 Region.

It will allow Connolly and Phipps to take a closer look at how synthesized research can help those using the information in the community. It鈥檚 a way to evaluate how well knowledge mobilization works, Conolly聽says. She is hoping the project will point to specific areas where more research is needed. 鈥淭he kind of questions we will ask in future research will be shaped by the real world.鈥�

More information about聽Connolly's research is available on the .

By Sandra McLean, YFile writer

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Tai chi can help mitigate musculoskeletal disorders caused by extended computer use and provide a lift in mood, says a study led by 91亚色 researchers.

The study looked at female computer users at the University, measuring levels of physical fitness and psychological well-being in more than 50 staff members who participated in a twice-weekly lunch-hour tai chi program.

Above: Tai chi is a popular martial art that originated in China. A 91亚色 study has found that regular participation in tai chi classes offers great physical and psychological benefits for聽workers in desk jobs. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Researchers found that participants improved their musculoskeletal and back fitness, achieved lower resting heart rates and聽a smaller waist circumference, and experienced an emotional boost.

"Overall, the program was effective in improving both musculoskeletal fitness and psychological well-being," says study lead author Hala Tamim,聽professor in 91亚色鈥檚 School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health. "We鈥檙e excited about these results, especially given the difficulty in treating musculoskeletal disorders using traditional methods," she says.

Left: Hala Tamim

Musculoskeletal disorders, such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, are painful disorders of muscles, nerves and tendons, often caused by work activities that are repetitive or involve awkward postures. Women suffer from these complications at a higher rate than men, which makes early intervention for women particularly important, according to Tamim.

The exercise program consisted of two 50-minute classes per week for 12 consecutive weeks from May to August 2007. Classes were conducted by a professional tai chi practitioner, using fitness facilities at the University.

Study participants averaged 5.8 hours a day on computers at work. The majority (79 per cent) perceived their physical fitness as average or above, yet 34.6 per cent reported that they rarely or never engaged in weekly physical activity. Of the 52 participants, 42 had never formally practised tai chi prior to the study.

Pre- and post-program assessments included resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, anthropometric measures (height, weight, waist circumference) and musculoskeletal and back fitness (including grip strength, sit and reach, and vertical jump tests), employing the Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness聽& Lifestyle Approach.

Psychological well-being of study participants was also assessed pre- and post-program, using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). They reported feeling less stress and more control over their lives and personal problems.

Tamim says the simplicity of tai chi makes it especially beneficial for office workers. "It鈥檚 something that can easily fit into a working day. You don鈥檛 need any specialized equipment, and you鈥檙e not perspiring heavily, so there鈥檚 no need to shower before going back to work," she says.

The study, "Tai chi workplace program for improving musculoskeletal fitness among female computer users", is published in the Dec. 23 issue WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation.

It is co-authored by kinesiology & health science graduate student Evan聽Castel, 91亚色 Professors Veronica Jamnik, Sherry聽Grace, Norman Gledhill and Alison聽Macpherson, and McMaster University Professor Peter Keir.

Republished courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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