QUALITY OF LIFE

Author: YUSTE LUCAS JUAN LUIS.
Year: 2004.
University: MURCIA [www.um.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN.

Summary: The promotion of the practice of activity físico-deportiva has become one of the key objectives in the education policy of most developed countries. Many research highlights that the suitable exercise, regular and systematic improvement contributes to the health and quality of life. Most research on this phenomenon, the focus point of interest in analyzing the interests and motivations of subjects to practice sports. However, we believe that this dimension, partially analyzed, resulting conclusions reductionist and insignificant, taking into account the reality of the concept "active life". That circumstance, and as a focal point of our investigation, starting from the initial idea that the orientation of analysis is clearly biased and did not reflect all the processes that determine the life or not an active subject. The activity físico-deportiva chosen as a voluntary option in the life of an individual is nothing more than a party, while being important, not defined in its full length all aspects of daily life. Therefore, in this study, we tried to evaluate the physical activity of adolescents usual, trying to cover key moments of their daily lives, without focusing exclusively on sports. Beside that will be an essential part of our analysis, to determine the effect of various factors that may significantly increase the activity físico-deportiva made by the subjects. In light of such considerations, the main objectives of this research focused on validating a measuring instrument of habitual physical activity among adolescents, observe the usual level of physical activity among adolescents as a whole, as well as in the practice of sports voluntary, during school and leisure time, compare the level of physical activity among adolescents as usual sex and different ages analyzed, analyze and compare the influence that the main variables of this research have on the various moments they have given the usual physical activity of adolescents. To assess the level of habitual physical activity among adolescents was created a scale we have called Inventory Common Physical Activity for Teens (IAFHA). This inventory provides an approximation to the normal level of physical activity performed by teenagers between 14 and 17 years during their daily lives. This scale was submitted to the relevant psychometric exploratory and confirmatory tests, as well as validation through structural analysis. The results confirm a valuable and useful instrument for the assessment of the levels of physical activity normal adolescents enrolled in the Murcia region. The scale was constructed supplemented by the inclusion of several items that reflect the valuation of adolescents on various factors likely impact on the levels of physical activity that are usual and the status of being federated, self-driving competition and the valuation of classes of Physical Education. After due analysis of results by univariate analysis of variance and multivariate logistic regression testing and binary, as well as related discussion with the national and international literature relating to this line of research, we came to the following key findings: Low levels of activity físico-deportiva voluntary respect to the school and physical activity during leisure time indicate that the promotion of sport in our country is managed inappropriately, and that responds to motivational guidelines focused on competition and for people with high levels of competition driving . This fact is confirmed to check reduced rate sports associations former 8 istente c56 in our country, where the sport as a mode of practice, is no longer appealing to teenagers without, so far, offering an effective response to the emerging and diverse needs of young people. The competition comes as a driving variable significant effect on levels of physical activity overall usual, as well as the various subscales. However, their effect can be seen with greater intensity in practice voluntary sports and during leisure time, likely due to the subjects possess adequate levels of competition are driving embedded in the practice of sports federated, which enables increased participation in the físico-deportiva. However, the average found in the activity during school are quite low, which reflects the inadequacy of the tasks in Physical Education raised the level of competition among schoolchildren. The results suggest the need to orient the promotion of the practice físico-deportiva towards the needs of adolescents, addressed in previous periods of training (at school) development of competency levels driving enabling autonomous participation of the people in physical activities - sports. The Physical Education curriculum is a matter that raises a significant level of physical activity among adolescents usual, getting higher values of the variables that self-perception of competence and driving condition to be federated. This is due, probably, to the mandatory nature of the same, which requires the need to increase its presence within the curriculum time. Low levels of participation in activities físico-deportivas conducted in the school environment point to a low effect of Physical Education in promoting físico-deportiva extramural, probably due to the sharp guidance deportivizada and climates motivational focusing on the ego that characterize Physical Education today. This guidance deportivizada is confirmed by the participation set out clear differences between males and females, a fact that demonstrates the prevalence of stereotypes sporting masculizados. Our research points to the need for a reorientation of the advocacy físico-deportivas in the adolescent stage by all the social partners responsible

Author: BREEDE EYZAGUIRRE CLAUDIA.
Year: 2005.
University: LAS PALMAS DE GRAN CANARIA [www.ulpgc.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE GEOGRAFÍA E HISTORIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE GOEGRAFÍA E HISTORIA.

Summary: The central theme proposed by the thesis is an analysis of the concept of quality of life applied to the resident population of a local community dependent on tourism as is San Fernando de Maspalomas. Starting from a multidimensional perspective and approach towards the resident population-taken from an inferential perspective rather than doctrinaire. The research provides a theoretical contribution to the academic literature as well as a methodology and experience that could be developed in other jurisdictions. In the first case through the development of a cohesive theoretical framework that provides various perspectives and approaches on quality of life confirmed that, despite having an important consensus in concept, there is some disparity for their measurement. Secondly, it should be noted that the construct quality of life is revealed as a category of analysis useful not only in theory but also in the field of applied research. This work test its usefulness as a dependent variable of empirical models that seek to evaluate the impacts generated by tourism development in the communities closest to it. It also confirms the multidimensional nature usually attributed to the social perception of the quality of life. More specifically revalida is the notion that quality of life can be expressed from the weighted combination of satisfaction experienced in the four major areas in which runs human life: economic, socio-cultural, environmental built and the natural environment. The quality of life and expressed can be used as a dependent variable models of sustainable development. This bridge between the theoretical and empirical concepts of quality of life and sustainability, can be made the basic objective of sustainable tourism development in terms of maximizing the long-term contribution of tourism to the quality of life of the population. Finally, we propose a model that helps to explain and assess the various aspects of the quality of life of the resident population, tourism planning, to provide the population information on the actual extent of the impact, both positive and negative and positive tourism activity, improve the social image of tourism and tourists, as part of a strategy that seeks to enhance the tourist experience, increase competitiveness and long-term sustainability of tourism in the area.

Author: MOLINA GARCIA JAVIER.
Year: 2006.
University: VALENCIA [www.uv.es].
Place of defense: FAC. DE CIEN. DE LA ACTI. FISI.Y DEL DEPOR..
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA ACTIVIDAD FISICA Y DEL DEPORTE.

Summary: This study discusses the various levels of practice of physical activity in college. This has created an index to catalog demonstration at five levels of practice: very high, high, moderate, low and sedentary. It examines the body adiposity by the estimation of body mass index (BMI) and percentage of fat mass (PMG), as well as psychological wellbeing of the university through self-esteem, life satisfaction and vitality subjective. Different variables and adiposity indicators of psychological well-being depending on the level of practice of physical activity. It examines how physical activity relates to the body adiposity and psychological wellbeing. Finally, it was put to the test a model of structural equations used to analyze the relationships between various determinants personal, social and environmental aspects of the practice of physical activity and the practice of it with the intention of future practice. The sample consists of 639 university students (321 men and 318 women) representing the degrees of first and second cycle of the University of Valencia and at the Catholic University of Valencia with a mean age of 21.43 years (DT = 2.78). The results show that the university Valencian are less physically active than academics. Moreover men of this study have a BMI greater than women, whereas they have a greater PMG. As for the analysis carried out taking into account the practice of physical activity and body adiposity variables that BMI does not depend on the practice of physical activity in men but in women. At the same time, the PMG depends on the practice of physical activity, both men and women, so as to show that the practice of physical activity promotes percentages of fat mass in healthy people more physically active. Moreover, the practice of physical activity correlates negatively with BMI in women, and the PMG for both men and women. Considering these results are not demonstrate a possible match between the two variables in the body adiposity group of men physically active, being exposed the limitations of BMI as an indicator of adiposity body due primarily to the adipose tissue is not unlike the muscle . With respect to the variables of psychological well-being analyzed, the results show that men feel more self-esteem and vitality than women. Moreover, the practice of physical activity can promote some indicators of psychological well-being, as is the case for the vitality, for both men and women. The structural equation models show that the perceived physical form, the history of prior physical activity and morale entrenador-monitor they determine the current practice of physical activity, and that the future intention of practice, in men and in women. Also, the environmental variable participation in sports competitions is a predictor of the practice of physical activity in men, whereas in women it is the variable belonging to a sports club.