Universal Journal of Public Health Vol. 5(2), pp. 76 - 84
DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050203
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Examining the Effectiveness of Physical Activity on Mental Health among Bosnian Refugees: A Pilot Study

Huaibo Xin ^1,*, Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic ², Nicole Aydt Klein ^1
1 Department of Applied Health, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, United States
² Department of Anthropology and Sociology, St. Louis University, United States

ABSTRACT

This pilot study aimed to reduce Bosnian refugees' vulnerability to and severity of mental disorders and sustain their mental health through adopting culturally appropriate and tailored physical activity. The study used the Community-Based Participatory Research approach and the quasi-experimental study design. A total of 35 participants in the intervention group received 12-week regular physical activity while 35 participants in the control group received 12-week educational materials concerning mental health. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured by the validated and culturally and linguistically competent instrument, Mental Health Inventory (MHI)-38. At the end of the study, both intervention and control groups demonstrated statistically significant improvement on the scales of MHI-38 either within or between groups. The study served as a non-clinical example to sustain, replicate, and expand the current intervention activities among the rest of the Bosnian community and other refugee/immigrant populations in the U.S. regarding their mental health well-being.

KEYWORDS
Physical Activity, Mental Health, Bosnian Refugees

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Huaibo Xin , Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic , Nicole Aydt Klein , "Examining the Effectiveness of Physical Activity on Mental Health among Bosnian Refugees: A Pilot Study," Universal Journal of Public Health, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 76 - 84, 2017. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050203.

(b). APA Format:
Huaibo Xin , Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic , Nicole Aydt Klein (2017). Examining the Effectiveness of Physical Activity on Mental Health among Bosnian Refugees: A Pilot Study. Universal Journal of Public Health, 5(2), 76 - 84. DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2017.050203.