PhD, Associate Professor I.A. Koretskaya¹
PhD N.P. Dedov²
Dr.Sc.Techn., Professor S.A. Polevoy²
PhD, Associate Professor N.V. Dneprovskaya^2
1Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
²Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Moscow

Keywords: Health Week, physical activity, well-being, activity, health, health management system.

Background. Intensive style of the modern life requires determination, confidence and, last but not least, health. One of the key health criteria is the individual adaptability to a variety of stressors and external living conditions including climate, water, local electromagnetic fields, flora and fauna, human community, working and living conditions etc. In addition, an individual health is largely dependent on the level of personal physical culture [1, 2, 6]. One of the ways to adapt to the modern social environment is via own multilevel mental resource being mobilised including the psycho-physiological activity, socio-psychological control skills, personal and semantic transformations etc. [4, 7]. These mental components act as an integrated system largely responsible for stress-control activity, self-control, negative mental condition correction and individual life management processes [3, 5].

The Health Week was designed to promote healthy lifestyles, sports and physical culture in the academic communities. A key objective of the initiative was to help build up a conscientious attitude to personal health protection and improvement, due motivations for healthy lifestyle and improve the communication culture of the University faculty.

Objective of the study was to analyse a variety of psychological aspects of the academic health management system design.

Methods and structure of the study. The study within the frame of the Health Week at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE) was designed to obtain the well-being, activity and mood (WAM) test rates. In addition, a research survey method was applied to test and analyse the interpersonal relations of the subjects and their attitudes to the event. Subject to the study were the academic staff members (n = 89) who joined the Health Week events at PRUE. The WAM questionnaire makes it possible to rate the general functionality and forecast its effects on a specific activity of the respondent. The study data on the whole gave the means to rate the individual mobility, speed and pace of each body function (activity), strength, health, fatigue (well-being) and emotional background (mood) of the subjects. The respondents were requested to rate their own statuses at the moment using a set of 30 opposite criteria listed in tables (e.g. passive vs. active, merry vs. dreary etc.)

Study results and discussion. It was found by the survey that well-being, activity and mood were rated by 5.4, 5.0 and 4.9 points on average, respectively. These scores ranked most of the respondents with the second (average) group. Ranked with the high-, average- and low-score group were 23 (26%), 50 (56%) and 16 (18%) people, respectively. It should be noted that most of the participants to the event self-rated their physiological and psychological status as comfortable. They reported having high working capacity, feeling full of powers and cheerful. They also reported being happy with their lifestyles, active and enthusiastic; and described their own mood as merry, positive and optimistic (82%). On the other hand, the low-score group (16%) reported feeling depressed, pessimistic in their attitudes to the reality, absent-minded, sleepy and inclined to relaxation, with the status being rated as drained, worn and sluggish.

 Subject to the second WAM questionnaire survey upon completion of the Health Week were 35 people. The survey rated the respondents’ well-being, activity and mood by 5.8, 5.4 and 5.9 points on average, respectively, with most of the respondents being ranked with the second (average) group based on the survey data. It should be noted that subject to the second survey were 20 of 23 first-group people; 15 of 50 second-group people; and none of the third-group people. Rated high and average were 59% and 41% of the sample, respectively. A survey data correlation analysis failed to find any significant statistical differences between the first and second survey data arrays (p>0.05).

It should be noted that a qualitative data analysis showed some changes in the mood and activity rates. There are reasons to assume that these variations may be due to the personal/ situational factors or the improved vitality of the Health Week participants.

Conclusion. Our monitoring of the Health Week participants found them being highly active in the interpersonal contacts, interested in the Health Week agenda, optimistic as to the outcomes of the events and their potential further physical progress.

It should be noted that the University faculty actively contributed to the Health Week, with the managers encouraging the staff to follow their example. It is a common knowledge that the teamwork efficiency depends both on how well the team mission is fulfilled and how good the interpersonal relations in the team are. A special contribution to the teamwork may be made by the team leader’s management style that ideally must facilitate the professional and personal interactions. A successful leader is expected not only to produce directives but also contribute to the teamwork demonstrating high commitment to the team mission.

References

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Corresponding  author: ikoretskay@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyse a variety of psychological aspects of the academic health management system design, with Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (PRUE) taken for the case study. Subject to the study were the academic staff members (n = 89) who joined the Health Week events at PRUE. The study was designed to test the subjects’ health in the first and final days of the Health Week and obtain the well-being, activity and mood (WAM) test rates. In addition, a research survey method was applied to test and analyse the interpersonal relations of the subjects. The outcome study data were used to classify the subjects into three groups with the high, average and low test rates. Most of the subjects were classified with the average-WAM-rate group, with their functionality being self-rated as the physically and mentally comfortable and the mood as calm and optimistic. Subject to the repeat test were the subjects classified with the high- and average-rate groups. The data correlation analysis failed to find any statistically significant differences between the first- and last-day test data arrays (p>0.05). However, the qualitative data analysis showed some growth of the test points on the well-being, activity and mood test scales; plus many Health Week activists reported establishing new social contacts.