Tiltai

Wherewith actualisation of health promotion as an important aspect in the context of public health maintenance, the questions which are connected to public joint responsibility in their health maintenance and improvement attain even greater importance. Taking into consideration the insufficient health quality of Latvian population which ranks Latvia in one of the last places among the European countries, actualisation and implementation of individual responsibility dimension in the health care financing model, is viewed as a possibility of improvement of the current situation. The research overlooked the approaches of individual responsibility integration in health care models employed by the developed countries, classifying those several parameters, established the insufficient Latvian population involvement level which is characterised by large health influencing harmful habit prevalence and low involvement level in illness prevention measures, as well as marked the main challenges and possibilities, introducing individual responsibility dimension in Latvian health care financing model which are referred to both increasing the payment solidarity and lifestyle and behaviour changes.

Quality of life characterizes the conditions of human existence, the level of satisfaction of needs. Children with disability restrict ability of the families to meet their needs. Parents of these children quite often are limited in their employment and education opportunities, and their resources, they meet with restrictions in all areas if life. Such a situation has developed not only because of the socio-economic situation in the country, but also due to the lack of interest and inadequate support. The aim of the paper is to analyse the family quality of life of the families with disabled children with in regions of Latvia. Empirical data were obtained by structured interviews with 272 families. The research shows that the situation of the families with disabled children differs in different regions of Latvia. Families are supported by the state and municipalities, bet the support in the areas of emotional, physical and social wellbeing does not recompense the influence of special needs of the disabled children on the family quality of life.

The very first scientific data gathered in exploratory research of canine therapy in Lithuania is presented in the article. One case qualitative study is presented. Qualitative one case study was applied using different research methods: narrative and content analyses. Narrative analysis was used to analyze data gathered from educators, psychologist and mother of the child after each canine therapy session. Narrative interpretation was applied for canine therapy observation report, when each five minutes the changes of child were described. Report of canine therapy observation divulged that sessions were important for child’s greater social development, verbal expression and cognitive development. Scale of emotional evaluation showed that canine therapy sessions have great importance in developing positive emotions.

The study analyzes the healthy nutrition education in younger school-age children. The focus is on healthy eating habits education at primary school level, emphasizing the importance of healthy eating habits and its education at primary school. The research studies conducted over recent years revealed that children nutrition nowadays is incomplete, insufficient or intemperate. It enforces to analyze the assumptions of healthy eating habits education in children and to investigate the effective methods of education. The qualitative empirical study was accomplished, and primary school teachers were interviewed. The study revealed the opinion of teachers about children eating habits, parents care of children nutrition, healthy eating habits education at primary school, and the possibilities of improvements in educational process.

The aim of the research is to evaluate the change in the psychomotor reactions of six and seven-year-old children when applying physical therapy. The research involved children at the age of six and seven years. It aimed at evaluating both the change in the speed of the psychomotor reactions of these children’s free upper limbs to light while applying physical therapy, and the change in the speed of the psychomotor reactions of free upper limbs to sound while applying physical therapy. The research sample consisted of 270 children. Methods. The research data was collected by employing a method of testing using a reactiometer. The surveyed were divided into two research groups, which underwent different programmes in physical therapy exercises twice a week for the duration of six weeks. Group 1 underwent a physical therapy exercise programme comprising introductory, main and final parts (warm-up exercises, exercises developing coordination, and relaxation exercises); Group 2 also underwent a physical therapy programme comprising introductory, main and final parts (warm-up exercises, exercises developing the coordination, and exercises developing the psychomotor reactions to light and sound as well as relaxation exercises). The research data (testing) was collected before starting applying the physical therapy programme, and six weeks later. Results. The research results revealed that the results between the groups differed. The average reaction time was shorter in Group 2, which means that the tasks were completed faster. In Group 1, the shortest reaction time was 283 ms, and the longest was 650 ms. In Group 2, the shortest reaction time was 284 ms, and the longest was 456 ms. Conclusions. When applying physical therapy jointly with purposive exercises that develop the speed of psychomotor reactions, results can be achieved over the shortest period of time substantiated in scientific papers, i.e. six weeks.