I den här rapporten redogör vi för ett samverkansprojekt där Hälsa-, vård och omsorgsförvaltningen. Enheten för Hälsofrämjande insatser i Malmö stad arbetat tillsammans med Malmö universitet för att undersöka hur mindfulnessbaserade interventioner (MBI) kan främja hälsa och välbefinnande bland seniorer. Tidigare studier har visat att mindfulnessträning har positiva effekter på stress, ångest, sömn, smärta och livskvalitet hos olika grupper, inklusive seniorer. Studier har även understrukit vikten av att förstå hur mindfulness upplevs i praktiken. 

I projektet ingick fyra åtta-veckors mindfulnesskurser, baserade på Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) och Ola Schenströms program ”Här & Nu” samt en forskningsstudie som syftade till att undersöka kursernas effekter. Kurserna leddes av en äldrepedagog på Malmö stads mötesplatser för seniorer. Sammanlagt deltog 12 seniorer per kurs. Effekterna undersöktes av forskare från Malmö universitet genom en enkät som besvarades före och efter kursen (FFMQ, n=43) samt 22 semistrukturerade intervjuer. 

Enkätresultaten visar förbättringar i deltagarnas medvetna närvaro, med statistiskt signifikanta förändringar för skalorna observerande förmåga, medveten handling och icke-reaktivitet. Intervjuerna visar att deltagarna sökte sig till kursen för att hantera oro, stress, sömnsvårigheter och livsomställningar, och bekräftar enkätresultaten genom att visa genomgående positiva effekter av mindfulnessträningen. Träningen upplevdes som ett bra verktyg för att skapa lugn, minska ältande, stärka självomsorg och förbättra vardagligt välbefinnande. De intervjuade menade vidare att gruppträningen fungerade väl och att gruppen bidrog till känslor av trygghet, samhörighet och socialt stöd. 

Slutsatsen är att mindfulnessprogram för seniorer kan fungera som en både uppskattad och verkningsfull hälsofrämjande insats, med potential att komplettera befintligt arbete inom äldreomsorg och förebyggande folkhälsa. 

Under de senaste åren har allt fler fått upp ögonen för hur viktig den psykiska hälsan är på jobbet. I detta projekt, Mindfulness som främjare av hälsa inom näringslivet, har effekterna och erfarenheterna av samt uppfattningar om mindfulnessaktiviteter undersökts på tre olika företag. Projektet bestod av tre delar: utbildning, träning och undersökning. Mindfulnessprogrammet hade en tydligt positiv effekt för många deltagare. De började praktisera mindfulness mer regelbundet, utvecklade starkare färdigheter och fick bättre självmedvetenhet. Många upplevde minskad stress, ökat fokus och större närvaro både i arbete och privat. Effekterna påverkades starkt av de organisatoriska förutsättningarna: stöd från ledningen, en kultur som tillåter pauser och tillgång till ostörda miljöer var avgörande. Deltagarna betonade även behovet av flexibilitet i hur mindfulness kan utövas. Resultaten visar att mindfulness kan stärka både välbefinnande och arbetsförmåga, men att långsiktig framgång kräver att metoden ges tid, utrymme och legitimitet i organisationen.

Equestrian sport is inherently high-risk, and falling off the horse constitutes the most common mechanism of injury and long-term impairment. While previous research has examined the physical causes and consequences of falls, less is known about how young equestrians make sense of risk and attribute meaning to falling. This study therefore explores how equestrians construct, negotiate, and normalise risk in contemporary digital environments. Using online ethnography, 61 posts and 6723 comments associated with the hashtag #ridingfails on TikTok were analysed. Field notes were thematically synthesised into composite narratives and interpreted drawing on Goffman's frame analysis in conjunction with concepts of social media logic. The findings indicate that falling off is framed as an expected and routine aspect of equestrian practice, shaped by cultural ideals of resilience and toughness. At the same time, these experiences are keyed as 'failures' through #ridingfails, while more serious injuries are largely absent. Rather than being solely negative, falls are also framed as markers of progression and are frequently accompanied by comics. Moreover, through processes of fabrication, falls are sometimes transformed into entertainment, illustrating how visibility, popularity, and connectivity shape platformed risk cultures and equestrians' understandings of failure and inherent risk. These keyings are, however, contested by 'TikTok trainers', who offer unsolicited advice on riders' performance, technique, and competence, and in some cases raise concerns regarding horse welfare. Overall, the study demonstrates that risk in contemporary equestrianism is shaped through deeply mediatized framings in which platform logics intersect with cultural ideals. These findings highlight the importance of developing safety interventions that resonate with young riders' lived and digitally embedded risk cultures.

Sexual harassment and abuse (SHA) are recognized problems in sport contexts, yet little is known about their occurrence in the equine sector. This study examined reported experiences of SHA among participants in the Swedish and Norwegian equine sector. An intersectional framework was applied to analyze the interplay of social characteristics and culturally informed inequalities associated with SHA. A retrospective, cross-sectional survey (N = 653) using the Interpersonal Violence Against Children in Sport Questionnaire (IVACS-Q) measured lifetime self-reported experiences of SHA in a self-selected sample, the majority of whom were women. Over half (54.9%) of respondents reported lifetime experiences of SHA in equine environments, including contact and noncontact forms. The vast majority of those reporting SHA were women, often in subordinate roles such as grooms or stable staff, who spent extensive time in equine environments. Reported perpetrators were most often older men in positions of authority linked to equine-centered power, such as riding instructors, stable owners, and horse owners. The findings highlight structural and organizational vulnerabilities in equine culture, where gender, age, and equine-centered power intersect to shape conditions associated with SHA. Therefore, preventing SHA in the equine sector requires context-sensitive, culturally and intersectionally informed safeguarding efforts.

This chapter provides an overview of youth sport in Sweden, mainly from the mid-nineteenth century onwards. We begin with a historical account of young people’s physical education in the school system from the nineteenth century to modern times. This is followed by an account of the emergence and expansion of children’s and youth sports within the framework of the voluntarily organised sports movement. Against this historical background, contemporary youth sport in Sweden is analysed. An important theme is policy efforts to promote safe sport among youth. We also discuss current trends and challenges. In step with major structural challenges in Swedish society, such as increased inequality and segregation, the levels of activity in youth sport have declined, and the socio-economic disparities have increased. These trends were reinforced during the coronavirus pandemic. An important question for the future is whether youth sport in Sweden will maintain its current strong anchoring and roots in a popular movement based on the values of non-profit and “sports for all.”

Sport plays a significant role in promoting sustainable development at both local and global levels. However, many sports struggle to meet sustainability demands. To foster change and make sport more sustainable, it is essential to understand the factors that promote or hinder sustainability within specific activities. This study aims to explore how different stakeholders in Norwegian equestrian sports perceive and interpret sustainable development. The discussion is informed by the three dimensions of sustainability—social, ecological, and economic. The study is based on qualitative data collected through eighteen in—depth interviews with representatives from ten riding schools in Norway. Additionally, observations were conducted at three riding schools, and steering documents from the Norwegian Equestrian Federation were analyzed. Institutional theory provided the analytical framework for interpreting how established practices and norms influence sustainability efforts. Findings indicate that the social dimension of sustainable development is strongly emphasized in steering documents, interviews, and everyday practices at Norwegian riding schools. Elements of the economic and ecological dimensions are present but less prominent. Notably, ecological sustainability is not prioritized in the sector's agenda. The results suggest that the resilience of social structures and the pursuit of legitimacy within the equestrian sector create friction that hinders sustainability—related change. To advance sustainability in equestrian sports, it is necessary to address institutional change—examining how entrenched practices can be challenged and transformed over time.

Background: In recent years, the traditional age limit for starting to learn horse riding has dropped from seven years to the ages of 4-6 years and, just like other sports, several riding schools offer activities for younger children. Riding school activities for younger children constitute an established practice today. This practice has gained popularity, yet there is a lack of knowledge about teaching younger children in many sports. The primary focus of these activities is safety.

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore, using frame factor theory, the possibilities, and limitations of riding teachers in planning and conducting riding lessons for younger children at riding schools in Sweden and Norway.

Methods: A total of 11 interviews were conducted, 6 in Sweden and 5 in Norway. The interviews lasted between 30 and 60 minutes and were recorded and transcribed. The method was interviews analyzed through content analysis (Graneheim and Lundman 2004). The codes were filtered and categorised under four descriptive headings: Content of the activities, Purpose and goals, Prerequisites for the activities, and Challenges and solutions. The result was analysed using Imsen's (1999) five frame factors.

Results: The findings indicated that younger children require a different form of pedagogy than what is traditionally provided in riding schools. The teachers express that there are several challenges involved in conducting activities with young children. Lessons with the young children can be eventful and require patience, creativity, and flexibility, according to the teachers. The teaching must be fun and playful, which is not really what a traditional riding lesson is based on, and variation is needed to prevent the children from being bored. Although there must always be a plan, teachers underline that it is necessary to adjust lessons based on how the children react. The teachers use their imagination to make riding lessons more interesting. The temperament of the horse is especially important in these activities as young children have difficulties controlling their needs and emotions.

Discussion and conclusions: With the help of frame factors, it became evident that there is a lack of knowledge about and guidelines for how this pedagogy should be carried out. This study demonstrates that riding teachers, within the framework of traditional riding instruction, have transformed exercises into a more playful approach through creativity and imagination. Riding teachers have also adjusted their teaching, making use of outdoor environments and available facilities. To further advance riding school activities for younger children, more knowledge based on adapted pedagogy is needed. The voices of the children themselves should also be given more space to facilitate learning through communication and exploration without compromising safety aspects.

This special issue of Sport in Society, Challenges, tensions and opportunities: Sport and climate change, invited sport science scholars to submit papers from various theoretical perspectives, geographical areas, and methodologies. We welcomed submissions from various research themes regarding sports and climate change, especially empirical examples or cases of work with environmental sustainability in sports. In the call, we urged researchers to submit research-based options for sports to address climate change. In the call, we urged researchers to submit research-based proposals on how sports can proactively address climate change through informed management, combining innovation and tradition on a global scale. Several researchers from different countries answered the call. The special issue covers several continents: Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. The papers cover various dimensions of sports, climate change, and environmental perspectives at the organizational, stakeholder, and individual (athlete) levels, as well as school education and the intersection of recreation, physical activity, and landscapes. Specific sports and activities such as football, alpine skiing, endurance running, cricket, and Physical Education are represented. The issue contains commentary papers, integrative reviews, and empirical studies. Consequently, the complexity of sports, climate change, and environmental sustainability is presented in multiple ways. As one of the defining issues of our time, climate change affects athletes, supporters, coaches, and other sports stakeholders at all levels. Due to the personal and emotional connection that many people around the world have with sports, losing the ability to continue participating in them is an existential threat. Harnessing these emotional connections can transform sports into a vehicle for positive change, including in relation to climate change and environmental degradation.

This study aimed to explore school nurses' experience of using physical activity on prescription with children in Swedish compulsory school. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 school nurses who had the educational qualification to prescribe physical activity. The analysis resulted in one overarching theme, "A delicate process of tailoring physical activity on prescription to a child's social context," and two categories: "Promoting joyful physical activity through individualization and support" and "Dealing with dilemmas and challenges," with related subcategories. The results demonstrate the importance of tailoring prescribed physical activity to each individual child, their living conditions, and the school context. In addition, they highlight the nurses' working conditions and collaborations as important prerequisites when initiating physical activity on prescription. In conclusion, the results suggest that school nurses perceive physical activity on prescription as a useful tool in the school context, but it needs to be tailored to each individual child.

Awareness of horse welfare is increasing worldwide. Understanding of how lay people and riders, and especially young adults, perceive interactions with horses is important for maintaining the social licence to operate of equestrian sports and to be anticipative. This study examined the views of young lay people and equestrians in Sweden towards dressage, show-jumping and three-day eventing. The hypothesis was that views would differ between groups of lay people and equestrians, but that most would describe equestrian sports in positive or neutral terms. In a cross-sectional study design, 18 focus group interviews were conducted with three categories of participants (age 18-25 years): six groups of competition riders, six groups of leisure riders, and six groups of lay people (5-8 people/group). Open-ended questions were used, and each group was interviewed for 40-60 minutes. Qualitative content analysis was performed on the responses, and codes were developed using both a deductive and an inductive approach. Procedure GLIMMIX was used to analyse differences in the number of times a code was mentioned. Forty-two codes were identified. The most commonly raised codes, irrespective of category, were mental well-being of humans (54), lack of time in life (49), mental distress (47), hard workers (45), lack of knowledge (43), responsibility (42) and horse welfare issues related to the rider (39). Groups of lay people talked less about the codes ‘mental distress’ (P=0.018) and ‘horse welfare related to the rider’ (P=0.028) than leisure riders. Groups of leisure riders talked more about ‘shortcomings in turnout’ than competition riders (P<0.047), while no difference between groups of lay people and competition riders was found for this code. We conclude that there were only minor differences in views between lay people and riders and that all groups described equestrian sports mainly in positive terms.