Evaluation of effect of self-examination and physical examination on breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Lotfi Mohammad; Mahmoud, Noori; Miller, Anthony B; Iraj, Harrirchi; Mohsen, Mirzaei; Majid, Jafarizadea; Reza, Sadeghian Mohammad; Mojgan, Minosepehr

2015-08-01

Breast cancer is the number one cancer of women in the world. More than 90% of breast cancers can be cured with early diagnosis followed by effective multimodality treatment. The efficacy of screening by breast self-examination (BSE) and breast physical examination (BPx) is best evaluated using randomized screening trials. A total of 12,660 women aged 35-64 years, 6330 in the intervention group and 6330 in the control group, were randomly selected from four areas of Yazd city, I.R. of Iran. The number of detected cancers along with kind of cancer, staging of cancer, the route of detected cancer and the number of deaths during the first 5 years of the study were collected and analyzed. No significance difference between the two groups was seen in respect to socio-demographic and socio-economic variables (P > 0.05). Subjects in the intervention group had a response rate of 83.5% for attending the health center and 80.2% for visiting the assigned surgeon. A total of 31 and 13 new cases of breast cancer were identified in the intervention and control groups, respectively, of which 48.5% of cases in the intervention group were breast cancer in the two groups with a ratio of 2.4 was observed. BSE & BPx have a significant effect in detecting breast cancers at early stages (<3) suggesting they are effective screening tests with high availability and low costs that can be applied at the community level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Telephone interventions for adherence to colpocytological examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Thais Marques; Nicolau, Ana Izabel Oliveira; Carvalho, Francisco Herlânio Costa; Vasconcelos, Camila Teixeira Moreira; Aquino, Priscila de Souza; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra

2017-02-06

to test the effects of behavioral and educational intervention by telephone on adherence of women with inappropriate periodicity to colpocytological examination. quasi-experimental study with a sample of 524 women, selected with the following inclusion criteria: be aged between 25 and 64 years, have initiated sexual activity, have inappropriate periodicity of examination and have mobile or landline phone. The women were divided into two groups for application of behavioral and educational intervention by telephone. It was used an intervention script according to the principles of Motivational Interviewing. on comparing the results before and after the behavioral and educational interventions, it was found that there was a statistically significant change (p = 0.0283) with increase of knowledge of women who participated in the educational intervention. There was no change in the attitude of women of any of the groups and there was an increase of adherence to colpocytological examination in both groups (p grupos para aplicação da intervenção comportamental e educativa por telefone. Utilizou-se um roteiro de intervenção segundo os preceitos da Entrevista Motivacional. ao comparar antes e depois das intervenções comportamental e educativa constatou-se que houve uma mudança estatisticamente significativa (p = 0,0283) no aumento do conhecimento das mulheres que participaram da intervenção educativa; não houve mudança comprovada na atitude das mulheres de nenhum dos grupos e houve um aumento da adesão ao exame colpocitológico nos dois grupos (p grupo comportamental (66,8%). as intervenções comportamentais e educativas por telefone foram eficazes na adesão das mulheres ao exame colpocitológico, representando estratégias importantes para educação permanente em saúde, promovendo a atenção para a prevenção do câncer cérvico-uterino. comprobar los efectos de intervención comportamental y educativa por teléfono en la adhesión de las mujeres, con

Effectiveness of knowledge translation interventions to improve cancer pain management.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Greta G; Olivo, Susan Armijo; Biondo, Patricia D; Stiles, Carla R; Yurtseven, Ozden; Fainsinger, Robin L; Hagen, Neil A

2011-05-01

Cancer pain is prevalent, yet patients do not receive best care despite widely available evidence. Although national cancer control policies call for education, effectiveness of such programs is unclear and best practices are not well defined. To examine existing evidence on whether knowledge translation (KT) interventions targeting health care providers, patients, and caregivers improve cancer pain outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken to evaluate primary studies that examined effects of KT interventions on providers and patients. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Five studies reported interventions targeting health care providers, four focused on patients or their families, one study examined patients and their significant others, and 16 studies examined patients only. Seven quantitative comparisons measured the statistical effects of interventions. A significant difference favoring the treatment group in least pain intensity (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44, 1.42) and in usual pain/average pain (95% CI: 0.13, 0.74) was observed. No other statistical differences were observed. However, most studies were assessed as having high risk of bias and failed to report sufficient information about the intervention dose, quality of educational material, fidelity, and other key factors required to evaluate effectiveness of intervention design. Trials that used a higher dose of KT intervention (characterized by extensive follow-up, comprehensive educational program, and higher resource allocation) were significantly more likely to have positive results than trials that did not use this approach. Further attention to methodological issues to improve educational interventions and research to clarify factors that lead to better pain control are urgently needed. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying effective components of child maltreatment interventions: A meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Put, C.E.; Assink, M.; Gubbels, J.; Boekhout van Solinge, N.F.

There is a lack of knowledge about specific components that make interventions effective in preventing or reducing child maltreatment. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to increase this knowledge by summarizing findings on effects of interventions for child maltreatment and by examining

Effects of an Educational Intervention on Breast Self-Examination, Breast Cancer Prevention-Related Knowledge, and Healthy Lifestyles in Scholars from a Low-Income Area in Bogota, Colombia.

Science.gov (United States)

Masso-Calderón, A M; Meneses-Echávez, J F; Correa-Bautista, J E; Tovar-Cifuentes, A; Alba-Ramírez, P A; Charry-Ángel, C E

2016-11-04

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an educational intervention on breast self-examination, cancer prevention-related knowledge, practices, and behavior change in scholars from a low-income area in Bogota, Colombia. Uncontrolled trial was conducted in 155 scholars. Two educational sessions, 90 min each, were carried out in March 2015 according to the Colombian guidelines for educational communication in the framework of cancer control. All participants completed a self-reported questionnaire at pre- and post-intervention, as well as 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. Breast self-examination was practiced by 78.1% of the scholars, and the overall knowledge of breast cancer risk factors was poor. The educational intervention resulted in significant improvements on breast self-examination practice, the knowledge of the technique, and the knowledge of the main risk factors for breast cancer as well as the practice of physical activity and vegetable intake at 6 months follow-up. An educational intervention according to the Colombian guidelines for educational communication in the framework of cancer control improved the practice of breast self-examination, cancer prevention-related knowledge, as well as the practice of physical activity and vegetable consumption in scholars from a low-income area in Bogota, Colombia. Further randomized controlled studies are warranted.

Reduction of radiation exposure for patient and examiner in interventional angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pecher, G.; Pecher, S.; Gosch, D.; Schulz, H.G.; Koenig, H.; Voigt, P.

1998-01-01

Purpose: In a retrospective analysis of vascular interventional procedures, relations between parameters of the examination and radiation exposure of patient and medical personnel are examined. Material and Method: 1208 vascular interventional procedures are evaluated. Interventional procedures are divided into three groups: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, implantation of a stent, thrombolysis. Results: Mean values of the radiation dose of patient and radiology personnel are reported for these examinations. The mean value of the radiation dose of the physician was 7 μSv (maximum 24 μSv), that of the patient 1548 cGy.cm 2 (maximum 8485 cGy.cm 2 ). Conclusion: The quantity of X-rays to the patient may be lowered by using pulsed fluoroscopy and by reducing the number of radiographs. Reduction of the number of radiographs may be achieved by using the last-image hold and the road mapping mode. The operator's dose can be decreased by using additional radiation protection systems like a MAVIG trademark -radiation protection wall. The radiation dose reduction was 61% for the physician and 17% for the patient. (orig.) [de

Examining the impact of differential cultural adaptation with Latina/o immigrants exposed to adapted parent training interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Parra-Cardona, J Rubén; Bybee, Deborah; Sullivan, Cris M; Rodríguez, Melanie M Domenech; Dates, Brian; Tams, Lisa; Bernal, Guillermo

2017-01-01

There is a dearth of empirical studies aimed at examining the impact of differential cultural adaptation of evidence-based clinical and prevention interventions. This prevention study consisted of a randomized controlled trial aimed at comparing the impact of 2 differentially culturally adapted versions of the evidence-based parenting intervention known as Parent Management Training, the Oregon Model (PMTOR). The sample consisted of 103 Latina/o immigrant families (190 individual parents). Each family was allocated to 1 of 3 conditions: (a) a culturally adapted PMTO (CA), (b) culturally adapted and enhanced PMTO (CE), and (c) a wait-list control. Measurements were implemented at baseline (T1), treatment completion (T2) and 6-month follow up (T3). Multilevel growth modeling analyses indicated statistically significant improvements on parenting skills for fathers and mothers (main effect) at 6-month follow-up in both adapted interventions, when compared with the control condition. With regard to parent-reported child behaviors, child internalizing behaviors were significantly lower for both parents in the CE intervention (main effect), compared with control at 6-month follow-up. No main effect was found for child externalizing behaviors. However, a Parent × Condition effect was found indicating a significant reduction of child externalizing behaviors for CE fathers compared with CA and control fathers at posttest and 6-month follow-up. Present findings indicate the value of differential cultural adaptation research designs and the importance of examining effects for both mothers and fathers, particularly when culturally focused and gender variables are considered for intervention design and implementation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

A randomized controlled trial examining the effectiveness of a STOMA psychosocial intervention programme on the outcomes of colorectal patients with a stoma: study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Siew Hoon; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Lai, Jiunn Herng; He, Hong-Gu

2015-06-01

To report a study protocol that evaluates the effects of a psychosocial intervention on patients with a newly formed stoma. With the loss of a significant body function and distorted body image, stoma patients experience physical, psychological and social challenges. Nurses have an important role in helping patients' make a smooth transition to living with their stoma. Limited studies have examined the effects of psychosocial interventions on improving stoma-related health outcomes. A randomized controlled trial is planned. Eighty-four patients with newly formed stoma in a tertiary hospital in Singapore (Research Ethics Committee approval obtained in January 2013) will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group who receive routine care or an intervention group who receive STOMA psychosocial intervention besides routine care. Outcome variables include stoma care self-efficacy, days to stoma proficiency, length of hospital stay, acceptance of stoma, anxiety and depression and quality of life. Data will be collected at four time points: before randomization and intervention (baseline), on the day of discharge (mid-intervention), at 4 weeks after discharge (postintervention 1) and at 4 months after discharge (postintervention 2). This study will develop a psychosocial intervention programme, which may improve patients' stoma-related outcomes. The findings will provide direction to health professionals about education and the type of support that could be offered to patients concerning stoma care in the hospital setting, which will eventually improve their quality of life. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intervention Effectiveness in Reducing Prejudice against Transsexuals

Science.gov (United States)

Case, Kim A.; Stewart, Briana

2013-01-01

The transgender community encounters pervasive prejudice, discrimination, and violence, yet social science literature lacks research that focuses on reduction of antitransgender prejudice. This experimental study examined the effectiveness of three interventions aimed at decreasing negative attitudes toward transsexuals, correcting participants'…

Variations of Patient Doses in Interventional Examinations at Different Angiographic Units

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bor, Dogan; Toklu, Tuerkay; Olgar, Turan; Sancak, Tanzer; Cekirge, Saruhan; Onal, Baran; Bilgic, Sadik

2006-01-01

Purpose. We analyzed doses for various angiographic procedures using different X-ray systems in order to assess dose variations. Methods. Dose-area product (DAP), skin doses from thermoluminescent dosimeters and air kerma measurements of 308 patients (239 diagnostic and 69 interventional) were assessed for five different angiographic units. All fluoroscopic and radiographic exposure parameters were recorded online for single and multiprojection studies. Radiation outputs of each X-ray system were also measured for all the modes of exposure using standard protocols for such measurements. Results. In general, the complexity of the angiographic procedure was found to be the most important reason for high radiation doses. Skill of the radiologist, management of the exposure parameters and calibration of the system are the other factors to be considered. Lateral cerebral interventional studies carry the highest risk for deterministic effects on the lens of the eye. Effective doses were calculated from DAP measurements and maximum fatal cancer risk factors were found for carotid studies. Conclusions. Interventional radiologists should measure patient doses for their examinations. If there is a lack of necessary instrumentation for this purpose, then published dose reports should be used in order to predict the dose levels from some of the exposure parameters. Patient dose information should include not only the measured quantity but also the measured radiation output of the X-ray unit and exposure parameters used during radiographic and fluoroscopic exposures

Response to Intervention for Middle School Students with Reading Difficulties: Effects of a Primary and Secondary Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughn, Sharon; Cirino, Paul T.; Wanzek, Jeanne; Wexler, Jade; Fletcher, Jack M.; Denton, Carolyn D.; Barth, Amy; Romain, Melissa; Francis, David J.

2010-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a yearlong, researcher-provided, Tier 2 (secondary) intervention with a group of sixth-graders. The intervention emphasized word recognition, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. Participants scored below a proficiency level on their state accountability test and were compared to a similar group of…

A longitudinal examination of dyadic distress patterns following a skills intervention for carers of adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Salerno, Laura; Rhind, Charlotte; Hibbs, Rebecca; Micali, Nadia; Schmidt, Ulrike; Gowers, Simon; Macdonald, Pamela; Goddard, Elizabeth; Todd, Gillian; Tchanturia, Kate; Lo Coco, Gianluca; Treasure, Janet

2016-12-01

Family interventions in anorexia nervosa (AN) have been developed to ameliorate maladaptive patterns of patient-carer interaction that can play a role in illness maintenance. The primary aim of this study is to examine the inter-relationship between baseline and post-treatment distress in dyads of carers and patients with AN to examine the interdependence between carers and patients. The secondary aim is to examine whether a carer skills intervention [Experienced Carer Helping Others (ECHO)] impacts on this inter-relationship. Dyads consisting of treatment-seeking adolescents with AN and their primary carer (n = 149; mostly mothers) were randomised to receive a carer skills intervention (ECHO) in addition to treatment as usual (TAU), or TAU alone, as part of a larger clinical trial. Carers and patients completed a standardised measure of psychological distress (The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) at baseline and 12 months post-treatment. The Actor Partner Interdependence Model was used to examine longitudinal changes in interdependence by treatment group. As expected, post-treatment levels of distress were related to baseline levels in both groups (actor effects). Moreover, carer distress at 12 months was related to patient distress at baseline for the TAU (partner effects), but not for the ECHO group. Finally, carers' distress change was not a significant predictor of patients' body mass index (BMI) change in the two treatment conditions. These findings are limited to predominantly mother-offspring dyads and may not generalise to other relationships. The ECHO intervention which is designed to teach carers skills in illness management and emotion regulation may be an effective addition to TAU for ameliorating interdependence of distress in patients and their primary carers over time.

Examining the premises supporting the empirically supported intervention approach to social work practice.

Science.gov (United States)

McBeath, Bowen; Briggs, Harold E; Aisenberg, Eugene

2010-10-01

Federal, state, and local policymakers and funders have increasingly organized human service delivery functions around the selection and implementation of empirically supported interventions (ESIs), under the expectation that service delivery through such intervention frameworks results in improvements in cost-effectiveness and system performance. This article examines the validity of four premises undergirding the ESI approach: ESIs are effective, relevant to common client problems and needs, culturally appropriate, and replicable and sustainable in community-based settings. In reviewing available literature, the authors found insufficient support for the uniform application of an ESI approach to social work practice in the human service sector, particularly as applied within agency contexts serving ethnic minority clients. The authors recommend that greater attention be devoted to the development and dissemination of social work interventions that respond to needs that are broadly understood and shared across diverse cultural groups, have proven clinical efficacy, and can be translated successfully for use across different agency and cultural environments. Such attention to the research and development function of the social work profession is increasingly necessary as policymakers and human service system architects require reduced costs and improved performance for programs serving historically oppressed client populations.

Empirically Examining the Performance of Approaches to Multi-Level Matching to Study the Effect of School-Level Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Hallberg, Kelly; Cook, Thomas D.; Figlio, David

2013-01-01

The goal of this paper is to provide guidance for applied education researchers in using multi-level data to study the effects of interventions implemented at the school level. Two primary approaches are currently employed in observational studies of the effect of school-level interventions. One approach employs intact school matching: matching…

The effect of organisational context on organisational development (OD) interventions

OpenAIRE

Sanjana Brijball Parumasur

2012-01-01

Orientation: Systematic and congruent organisational structures, systems, strategies and designs are necessary for the successful implementation of organisational development (OD) interventions. Research purpose: This article examines national and international OD practices. It assesses the effect of diverse cultures and cultural values for determining the effectiveness of OD interventions. Motivation for the study: Most organisational change and development programmes fail and only a ...

An examination of the factors affecting people's participation in future health examinations based on community health exam interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tu, Shih-Kai; Liao, Hung-En

2014-01-01

Community-based intervention health examinations were implemented at a health care facility to comply with the government's primary health care promotion policy. The theory of planned behavior model was applied to examine the effect that community-based health examinations had on people's health concepts regarding seeking future health examinations. The research participants were individuals who had received a health examination provided at two branches of a hospital in central Taiwan in 2012. The hospital's two branches held a total of 14 free community-based health examination sessions. The hospital provided health examination equipment and staff to perform health examinations during public holidays. We conducted an exploratory questionnaire survey to collect data and implemented cross-sectional research based on anonymous self-ratings to examine the public's intention to receive future community-based or hospital-based health examinations. Including of 807 valid questionnaires, accounting for 89.4% of the total number of questionnaires distributed. The correlation coefficients of the second-order structural model indicate that attitudes positively predict behavioral intentions (γ = .66, p intentions (γ = .66, p intentions (γ = -.71, p > .05). The results of the first-order structural model indicated that the second-order constructs had a high explanatory power for the first-order constructs. People's health concepts regarding health examinations and their desire to continue receiving health examinations must be considered when promoting health examinations in the community. Regarding hospital management and the government's implementation of primary health care, health examination services should address people's medical needs to increase coverage and participation rates and reduce the waste of medical resources.

Effects of Critical Thinking Intervention for Early Childhood Teacher Candidates

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Heejeong Sophia; Brown, E. Todd

2013-01-01

This study is based on an intervention designed to enhance early childhood teacher candidates' critical thinking abilities. The concept, elements, standards, and traits of critical thinking were integrated into the main course contents, and the effects of the intervention were examined. The results indicated that early childhood teacher…

Effectiveness of Occupational Therapy Interventions for Lower-Extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dorsey, Julie; Bradshaw, Michelle

Lower-extremity (LE) musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can have a major impact on the ability to carry out daily activities. The effectiveness of interventions must be examined to enable occupational therapy practitioners to deliver the most appropriate services. This systematic review examined the literature published between 1995 and July 2014 that investigated the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for LE MSDs. Forty-three articles met the criteria and were reviewed. Occupational therapy interventions varied on the basis of population subgroup: hip fracture, LE joint replacement, LE amputation or limb loss, and nonsurgical osteoarthritis and pain. The results indicate an overall strong role for occupational therapy in treating clients with LE MSDs. Activity pacing is an effective intervention for nonsurgical LE MSDs, and multidisciplinary rehabilitation is effective for LE joint replacement and amputation. Further research on specific occupational therapy interventions in this important area is needed. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Comparing Single Case Design Overlap-Based Effect Size Metrics from Studies Examining Speech Generating Device Interventions

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mo; Hyppa-Martin, Jolene K.; Reichle, Joe E.; Symons, Frank J.

2016-01-01

Meaningfully synthesizing single case experimental data from intervention studies comprised of individuals with low incidence conditions and generating effect size estimates remains challenging. Seven effect size metrics were compared for single case design (SCD) data focused on teaching speech generating device use to individuals with…

HRD Interventions, Employee Competencies and Organizational Effectiveness: An Empirical Study

Science.gov (United States)

Potnuru, Rama Krishna Gupta; Sahoo, Chandan Kumar

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of human resource development (HRD) interventions on organizational effectiveness by means of employee competencies which are built by some of the selected HRD interventions. Design/methodology/approach: An integrated research model has been developed by combining the principal factors…

Effects of a Sedentary Intervention on Cognitive Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Meghan K; Loprinzi, Paul D

2018-03-01

To examine the effects of a free-living, sedentary-inducing intervention on cognitive function. Randomized controlled, parallel group intervention. University campus. Thirty-three young adults (n = 23 intervention; n = 10 control). The intervention group was asked to eliminate all exercise and minimize steps to ≤5000 steps/day for 1 week, whereas the control group was asked to continue normal physical activity (PA) levels for 1 week. Both groups completed a series of 8 cognitive function assessments (assessing multiple parameters of cognition) preintervention and immediately postintervention. The intervention group was asked to resume normal PA levels for 1 week postintervention and completed the cognitive assessments for a third time at 2 weeks postintervention. Split-plot repeated-measures analysis of variance. The results of our statistical analyses showed that the group × time interaction effect was not significant ( P > .05) for any of the evaluated cognitive parameters. These findings demonstrate the need for future experimental investigations of sedentary behavior to better understand its effects on cognitive function. However, although previous work has demonstrated favorable effects of acute and chronic PA on cognitive function, our findings suggest that a 1-week period of reduced PA does not detrimentally affect cognitive function, which may have encouraging implications for individuals going through a temporary relapse in PA.

Dynamic simulation of crime perpetration and reporting to examine community intervention strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yonas, Michael A; Burke, Jessica G; Brown, Shawn T; Borrebach, Jeffrey D; Garland, Richard; Burke, Donald S; Grefenstette, John J

2013-10-01

To develop a conceptual computational agent-based model (ABM) to explore community-wide versus spatially focused crime reporting interventions to reduce community crime perpetrated by youth. Agents within the model represent individual residents and interact on a two-dimensional grid representing an abstract nonempirically grounded community setting. Juvenile agents are assigned initial random probabilities of perpetrating a crime and adults are assigned random probabilities of witnessing and reporting crimes. The agents' behavioral probabilities modify depending on the individual's experience with criminal behavior and punishment, and exposure to community crime interventions. Cost-effectiveness analyses assessed the impact of activating different percentages of adults to increase reporting and reduce community crime activity. Community-wide interventions were compared with spatially focused interventions, in which activated adults were focused in areas of highest crime prevalence. The ABM suggests that both community-wide and spatially focused interventions can be effective in reducing overall offenses, but their relative effectiveness may depend on the intensity and cost of the interventions. Although spatially focused intervention yielded localized reductions in crimes, such interventions were shown to move crime to nearby communities. Community-wide interventions can achieve larger reductions in overall community crime offenses than spatially focused interventions, as long as sufficient resources are available. The ABM demonstrates that community-wide and spatially focused crime strategies produce unique intervention dynamics influencing juvenile crime behaviors through the decisions and actions of community adults. It shows how such models might be used to investigate community-supported crime intervention programs by integrating community input and expertise and provides a simulated setting for assessing dimensions of cost comparison and intervention effect

Effects of Career Choice Intervention on Components of Career Preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Koivisto, Petri; Vinokur, Amiram D.; Vuori, Jukka

2011-01-01

This randomized experimental study (N = 1,034) examines both the direct and the indirect effects of the Towards Working Life intervention on 2 components of adolescents' career preparation: preparedness for career choice and attitude toward career planning. The intervention comprised a 1-week workshop program, the proximal goals of which were to…

Effect of music intervention on apathy in nursing home residents with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Qiubi; Zhou, Ying; Yang, Shuixian; Thomas, Wong Kwok Shing; Smith, Graeme D; Yang, Zhi; Yuan, Lexin; Chung, Joanne Wai-Yee

2018-03-15

This study examined the effectiveness of group music intervention in the treatment of nursing home residents with apathy. Apathy can clinically defined with a score of 40 or above on the apathy evaluation scale (AES). Seventy-seven residents were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group was given a music intervention programme, which included listening to traditional music, including nostalgic songs, and playing musical instruments three times a week, for a total of twelve weeks. Results demonstrated a decrease in apathy scores in the intervention group (z = 4.667, P  0.05). Cognitive function, as assessed by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score, was stable in the intervention group (t = 1.720, P > 0.05), but declined in the control group (t = -1.973, P <0.05). We conclude that music intervention has the potential to be an effective therapy for the treatment of apathy in the early stages of dementia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a Workplace Disability Prevention Intervention in Canada: Examining Differing Perceptions of Stakeholders

OpenAIRE

Maiwald, Karin; de Rijk, Angelique; Guzman, Jaime; Schonstein, Eva; Yassi, Annalee

2010-01-01

Introduction Workplace disability prevention is important, but stakeholders can differ in their appreciation of such interventions. We present a responsive evaluation of a workplace disability prevention intervention in a Canadian healthcare organization. Three groups of stakeholders were included: designers of the intervention, deliverers, and workers. The aim was to examine the appreciation of this intervention by analyzing the discrepancies with respect to what these various stakeholders s...

Effect of a ball skill intervention on children's ball skills and cognitive functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Westendorp, Marieke; Houwen, Suzanne; Hartman, Esther; Mombarg, Remo; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

2014-02-01

This study examined the effect of a 16-wk ball skill intervention on the ball skills, executive functioning (in terms of problem solving and cognitive flexibility), and in how far improved executive functioning leads to improved reading and mathematics performance of children with learning disorders. Ninety-one children with learning disorders (age 7-11 yr old) were recruited from six classes in a Dutch special-needs primary school. The six classes were assigned randomly either to the intervention or to the control group. The control group received the school's regular physical education lessons. In the intervention group, ball skills were practiced in relative static, simple settings as well as in more dynamic and cognitive demanding settings. Both groups received two 40-min lessons per week. Children's scores on the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (ball skills), Tower of London (problem solving), Trail Making Test (cognitive flexibility), Dutch Analysis of Individual Word Forms (reading), and the Dutch World in Numbers test (mathematics) at pretest, posttest, and retention test were used to examine intervention effects. The results showed that the intervention group significantly improved their ball skills, whereas the control group did not. No intervention effects were found on the cognitive parameters. However, within the intervention group, a positive relationship (r = 0.41, P = 0.007) was found between the change in ball skill performance and the change in problem solving: the larger children's improvement in ball skills, the larger their improvement in problem solving. The present ball skill intervention is an effective instrument to improve the ball skills of children with learning disorders. Further research is needed to examine the effect of the ball skill intervention on the cognitive parameters in this population.

Estimation of the collective effective dose to the population from medical X-ray examinations in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tenkanen-Rautakoskia, Petra; Jaervinen, Hannu; Bly, Ritva

2008-01-01

The collective effective dose to the population from all X-ray examinations in Finland in 2005 was estimated. The numbers of X-ray examinations were collected by a questionnaire to the health care units (response rate 100 %). The effective doses in plain radiography were calculated using a Monte Carlo based program (PCXMC), as average values for selected health care units. For computed tomography (CT), weighted dose length product (DLP w ) in a standard phantom was measured for routine CT protocols of four body regions, for 80 % of CT scanners including all types. The effective doses were calculated from DPL w values using published conversion factors. For contrast-enhanced radiology and interventional radiology, the effective dose was estimated mainly by using published DAP values and conversion factors for given body regions. About 733 examinations per 1000 inhabitants (excluding dental) were made in 2005, slightly less than in 2000. The proportions of plain radiography, computed tomography, contrast-enhanced radiography and interventional procedures were about 92, 7, 1 and 1 %, respectively. From 2000, the frequencies (number of examinations per 1000 inhabitants) of plain radiography and contrast-enhanced radiography have decreased about 8 and 33 %, respectively, while the frequencies of CT and interventional radiology have increased about 28 and 38 %, respectively. The population dose from all X-ray examinations is about 0.43 mSv per person (in 1997 0.5 mSv). About half of this is caused by CT (in 1997 only 20 %) although the relative number of CT examinations is only 7 %. The contribution by plain radiography is 19 %, interventional radiology 17 %, and contrast-enhanced radiology 14 %. It is concluded that CT examinations are the major source of the population dose, while interventional radiology gives about the same population dose as plain radiography. For plain radiography, body examinations cause the highest effective dose. (author)

Effectiveness of pads and enclosures as safety interventions on consumer trampolines

Science.gov (United States)

Eager, David; Scarrott, Carl; Sushinsky, George

2010-01-01

Background Trampolines continue to be a major source of childhood injury. Objective To examine available data on trampoline injuries in order to determine the effectiveness of padding and enclosures. Design Trampoline injuries from the NEISS database from 2002 to 2007 were reclassified into five cause-categories, to examine evidence for injury trends. Setting The ASTM trampoline standard recommendations for safety padding were upgraded in 1999 and enclosures were introduced in 1997. This is the first study to examine the impact of these changes. Patients The sampling frame comprises patients with NEISS product code ‘consumer trampolines’ (1233). A systematic sample of 360 patients each year is taken. Interventions The prominent interventions recommended by the ASTM are netting enclosures to prevent falling off and safety padding to cover frames and springs. Main outcome measures Proportion of injuries within each cause-category and trend estimates. Results There was no evidence for a decline within the injury cause-categories that should be prevented by these interventions from 2002 to 2007. Conclusions If these interventions were effective the associated injury causes would be in decline. Instead they remain close to half of all trampoline injuries with no significant change over the period of the study. Follow-up studies are proposed to determine the reasons. Given the number of injuries involved it is recommended that steps be taken to ensure these safety interventions or their equivalents are in place, work properly and remain effective for the life of consumer trampolines. PMID:20570986

Brief Report: Does Gender Matter in Intervention for ASD? Examining the Impact of the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention on Social Behavior Among Females with ASD.

Science.gov (United States)

McVey, Alana J; Schiltz, Hillary; Haendel, Angela; Dolan, Bridget K; Willar, Kirsten S; Pleiss, Sheryl; Karst, Jeffrey S; Carson, Audrey M; Caiozzo, Christina; Vogt, Elisabeth; Van Hecke, Amy Vaughan

2017-07-01

A paucity of research has been conducted to examine the effect of social skills intervention on females with ASD. Females with ASD may have more difficulty developing meaningful friendships than males, as the social climate can be more complex (Archer, Coyne, Personality and Social Psychology Review 9(3):212-230, 2005). This study examined whether treatment response among females differed from males. One hundred and seventy-seven adolescents and young adults with ASD (N = 177) participated in this study. When analyzed by group, no significant differences by gender emerged: PEERS ® knowledge (TASSK/TYASSK, p = .494), direct interactions (QSQ, p = .762), or social responsiveness (SRS, p = .689; SSIS-RS, p = .482). Thus, females and males with ASD respond similarly to the PEERS ® intervention.

Examining School-Based Bullying Interventions Using Multilevel Discrete Time Hazard Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Wagaman, M. Alex; Geiger, Jennifer Mullins; Bermudez-Parsai, Monica; Hedberg, E. C.

2014-01-01

Although schools have been trying to address bulling by utilizing different approaches that stop or reduce the incidence of bullying, little remains known about what specific intervention strategies are most successful in reducing bullying in the school setting. Using the social-ecological framework, this paper examines school-based disciplinary interventions often used to deliver consequences to deter the reoccurrence of bullying and aggressive behaviors among school-aged children. Data for this study are drawn from the School-Wide Information System (SWIS) with the final analytic sample consisting of 1,221 students in grades K – 12 who received an office disciplinary referral for bullying during the first semester. Using Kaplan-Meier Failure Functions and Multi-level discrete time hazard models, determinants of the probability of a student receiving a second referral over time were examined. Of the seven interventions tested, only Parent-Teacher Conference (AOR=0.65, pbullying and aggressive behaviors. By using a social-ecological framework, schools can develop strategies that deter the reoccurrence of bullying by identifying key factors that enhance a sense of connection between the students’ mesosystems as well as utilizing disciplinary strategies that take into consideration student’s microsystem roles. PMID:22878779

Brief Report: Does Gender Matter in Intervention for ASD? Examining the Impact of the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention on Social Behavior among Females with ASD

Science.gov (United States)

McVey, Alana J.; Schiltz, Hillary; Haendel, Angela; Dolan, Bridget K.; Willar, Kirsten S.; Pleiss, Sheryl; Karst, Jeffrey S.; Carson, Audrey M.; Caiozzo, Christina; Vogt, Elisabeth; Van Hecke, Amy Vaughan

2017-01-01

A paucity of research has been conducted to examine the effect of social skills intervention on females with ASD. Females with ASD may have more difficulty developing meaningful friendships than males, as the social climate can be more complex (Archer, Coyne, "Personality and Social Psychology Review" 9(3):212-230, 2005). This study…

Does Working Memory Moderate the Effects of Fraction Intervention? An Aptitude-Treatment Interaction

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Fuchs, Lynn S.; Schumacher, Robin F.; Sterba, Sonya K.; Long, Jessica; Namkung, Jessica; Malone, Amelia; Hamlett, Carol L.; Jordan, Nancy C.; Gersten, Russell; Siegler, Robert S.; Changas, Paul

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether individual differences in working memory (WM) moderate effects of 2 variations of intervention designed to improve at-risk 4th graders' fraction knowledge. We also examined the effects of each intervention condition against a business-as-usual control group and assessed whether children's measurement interpretation…

Examination of mid-intervention mediating effects on objectively assessed sedentary time among children in the Transform-Us! cluster-randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carson, V.; Salmon, J.; Arundell, L.; Ridgers, N.D.; Cerin, E.; Brown, H.; Hesketh, K.D.; Ball, K.; Chin A Paw, M.J.M.; Yildirim, M.; Daly, R.M.; Dunstan, D.W.; Crawford, D.

2013-01-01

Background: The optimal targets and strategies for effectively reducing sedentary behavior among young people are unknown. Intervention research that explores changes in mediated effects as well as in outcome behaviors is needed to help inform more effective interventions. Therefore, the purpose of

The effects on student health of interventions modifying the school environment: systematic review.

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Bonell, C; Wells, H; Harden, A; Jamal, F; Fletcher, A; Thomas, J; Campbell, R; Petticrew, M; Whitehead, M; Murphy, S; Moore, L

2013-08-01

Owing to the limited effectiveness of traditional health education curricula in schools, there is increasing interest in interventions aiming to promote young people's health by modifying the school environment. Existing systematic reviews cannot determine whether environmental intervention is effective because they examine interventions combining environmental modifications and traditional health education. This gap is significant because school-environment interventions are complex to implement and may be sidelined in underfunded and attainment-focused school systems without evidence to support such an approach. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of school-environment interventions without health-education components on student health and inequalities. This was a systematic review of experimental/quasi-experimental studies of school-environment interventions. Sixteen databases were searched, eliciting 62 329 references which were screened, with included studies quality assessed, data extracted and narratively synthesised. Sixteen reports of 10 studies were included, all from the USA and the UK. Five evaluations of interventions aiming to develop a stronger sense of community and/or improve relationships between staff and students suggested potential benefits particularly regarding violence and aggression. Two trials of interventions enabling students to advocate for changes in school catering and physical activity reported benefits for physical activity but not diet. Three evaluations of improvements to school playgrounds offered weak evidence of effects on physical activity. School environment interventions show the potential to improve young people's health particularly regarding violence, aggression and physical activity. Further trials are required to provide a stronger and more generalisable evidence base.

Physician-based activity counseling: intervention effects on mediators of motivational readiness for physical activity.

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Pinto, B M; Lynn, H; Marcus, B H; DePue, J; Goldstein, M G

2001-01-01

In theory-based interventions for behavior change, there is a need to examine the effects of interventions on the underlying theoretical constructs and the mediating role of such constructs. These two questions are addressed in the Physically Active for Life study, a randomized trial of physician-based exercise counseling for older adults. Three hundred fifty-five patients participated (intervention n = 181, control n = 174; mean age = 65.6 years). The underlying theories used were the Transtheoretical Model, Social Cognitive Theory and the constructs of decisional balance (benefits and barriers), self-efficacy, and behavioral and cognitive processes of change. Motivational readiness for physical activity and related constructs were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 8 months. Linear or logistic mixed effects models were used to examine intervention effects on the constructs, and logistic mixed effects models were used for mediator analyses. At 6 weeks, the intervention had significant effects on decisional balance, self-efficacy, and behavioral processes, but these effects were not maintained at 8 months. At 6 weeks, only decisional balance and behavioral processes were identified as mediators of motivational readiness outcomes. Results suggest that interventions of greater intensity and duration may be needed for sustained changes in mediators and motivational readiness for physical activity among older adults.

Examination of a Social Problem-Solving Intervention to Treat Selective Mutism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

O'Reilly, M.F.; McNally, D.; Sigafoos, J.; Lancioni, G.E.; Green, V.A.; Edrisinha, C.; Machalicek, W.A.; Sorrells, A.; Didden, H.C.M.

2008-01-01

The authors examined the use of a social problem-solving intervention to treat selective mutism with 2 sisters in an elementary school setting. Both girls were taught to answer teacher questions in front of their classroom peers during regular classroom instruction. Each girl received individualized

Enhanced fidelity of an educational intervention on skin self-examination through surveillance and standardization.

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Gaber, Rikki; Mallett, Kimberly A; Hultgren, Brittney; Turrisi, Rob; Gilbertsen, Margaret L; Martini, Mary C; Robinson, June K

2014-01-01

Melanoma can metastasize but is often successfully treated when discovered in an early stage. Melanoma patients and their skin check partners can learn skin self-examination (SSE) skills and these skills can be improved by practice. The purpose of this study is to determine the degree of fidelity with which educational in-person SSE intervention can be delivered by trained research coordinators to patients at risk of developing another melanoma and their skin check partners. The in-person intervention was performed in two iterations. In phase 1 (2006-2008), the research coordinators were trained to perform the intervention using a written script. In phase 2 (2011-2013), the research coordinators were trained to perform the intervention with a PowerPoint aid. Each research coordinator was individually counseled by one of the authors (KM) to insure standardization and enhance fidelity of intervention delivery. Phase 1 and Phase 2 were compared on 16 fidelity components. Further, Phase 2 fidelity was assessed by comparing mean scores of fidelity across the five research coordinators who delivered the intervention. Phase 2, which utilized a PowerPoint aid, was delivered with a higher degree of fidelity compared to phase 1with four fidelity components with significantly higher fidelity than Phase 1: 1) Explained details of melanoma, χ 2 (1, n = 199)= 96.31, p 14) and there were no mean differences in fidelity across research coordinators, indicating consistency in fidelity. This can be attributed to the standardization and cueing that the PowerPoint program offered. Supervision was also a key component in establishing and maintaining fidelity of the patient educational process. This method of intervention delivery enables trained healthcare professionals to deliver an educational intervention in an effective, consistent manner.

Interventional radiology and undesirable effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benderitter, M.

2009-01-01

As some procedures of interventional radiology are complex and long, doses received by patients can be high and cause undesired effects, notably on the skin or in underlying tissues (particularly in the brain as far as interventional neuroradiology is concerned and in lungs in the case of interventional cardiology). The author briefly discusses some deterministic effects in interventional radiology (influence of dose level, delay of appearance of effects, number of accidents). He briefly comments the diagnosis and treatment of severe radiological burns

Examining a Stage-Based Intervention and Predictors of Exercise Behavior among Iranian Sedentary Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeinab Ghiami

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of an intervention based on Transtheoretical Model on exercise behavior and examined TTM constructs as predictors of stages of change among Iranian adolescents. Fifty-six sedentary adolescents completed an assessment at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months. Repeated measures ANOVA and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. The analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the mean scores on stages of change for the experimental group. Thus, students in the experiment group significantly improved their stages compared to the baseline. Furthermore, stages of change were found to correlate with TTM constructs, and self-efficacy was shown to be a strong predictor of stages of change. This study indicated that a stage-based intervention using TTM constructs could effectively improve adolescents’ intention to engage in physical activity. Moreover, the level of physical activity in adolescent can be improved by increasing their self-efficacy to exercise. Keywords: Physical Activity; Stage of Change; Processes of Change; Decisional Balance; Self-efficacy; Transtheoretical Model

Effects of an Intervention on Math Achievement for Students with Learning Disabilities

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Kitchens, Vivian D.; Deris, Aaron R.; Simon, Marilyn K.

2016-01-01

Students with learning disabilities score lower than other at-risk groups on state standardized assessment tests. Educators are searching for intervention strategies to improve math achievement for students with learning disabilities. The study examined the effects of a mathematics intervention known as Cover, Copy, and Compare for learning basic…

Effect of preoperative smoking cessation interventions on postoperative complications and smoking cessation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, T; Tønnesen, H; Møller, A M

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of preoperative smoking cessation interventions on postoperative complications and smoking cessation itself. METHODS: Relevant databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of preoperative smoking cessation interventions....... Trial inclusion, risk of bias assessment and data extraction were performed by two authors. Risk ratios for the above outcomes were calculated and pooled effects estimated using the fixed-effect method. RESULTS: Eleven RCTs were included containing 1194 patients. Smoking interventions were intensive......, medium intensity and less intensive. Follow-up for postoperative complications was 30 days. For smoking cessation it was from the day of surgery to 12 months thereafter. Overall, the interventions significantly reduced the occurrence of complications (pooled risk ratio 0.56 (95 per cent confidence...

Effects of Individualized Word Retrieval in Kindergarten Vocabulary Intervention

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Damhuis, Carmen M. P.; Segers, Eliane; Scheltinga, Femke; Verhoeven, Ludo

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of adaptive word retrieval intervention on a classroom vocabulary program on children's vocabulary acquisition in kindergarten. In the experimental condition, word retrieval was provided in a classroom vocabulary program, combining implicit and explicit vocabulary instructions. Children performed extra word retrieval…

A field intervention examining the impact of an office ergonomics training and a highly adjustable chair on visual symptoms in a public sector organization

Science.gov (United States)

Amick, Benjamin C.; Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Bazzani, Lianna; Robertson, Michelle; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

2016-01-01

Objective Examine the effect of a multi-component office ergonomics intervention on visual symptom reductions. Methods Office workers were assigned to either a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training (CWT), a training-only group (TO) or a control group (C). A work environment and health questionnaire was administered 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Multi-level statistical models tested hypotheses. Results The CWT intervention lowered daily visual symptoms (p ergonomics training had reduced visual symptoms and the effect was maintained through twelve months post-intervention. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with the highly adjustable chair to reduce visual symptoms. PMID:21963250

Effectiveness of a Handwriting Intervention With At-Risk Kindergarteners.

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Zylstra, Sheryl Eckberg; Pfeiffer, Beth

2016-01-01

We examined the effectiveness of an occupational therapist-led handwriting intervention for special education and at-risk kindergarteners. We incorporated a two-group, pretest-posttest design. Both groups consisted of kindergarteners receiving individualized education program (IEP) or Response to Intervention (RtI) support. An occupational therapist provided biweekly group handwriting instruction using the Size Matters Handwriting Program to students in the intervention group (n = 23). The control group (n = 12) received the standard handwriting instruction. Students in the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater gains in handwriting legibility than students in the control group. Students in the intervention group also demonstrated significantly greater gains in the prereading skills of uppercase letter recognition, lowercase letter recognition, and letter sound recognition. This study provides preliminary support for an occupational therapist-led handwriting intervention to improve writing legibility and letter recognition in kindergarteners receiving RtI and IEP supports. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Feasibility and effectiveness of a cosmetic intervention program for institutionalized older women in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yohko Hayakawa

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We examined the feasibility and effectiveness of a cosmetic intervention program for frail older women. Thirty-nine older adults (83.0 ± 8.65 years from two nursing homes in Tokyo were allocated to a cosmetic (intervention: n = 27 or a light-exercise (control: n = 12 group according to their nursing home residence. Both groups attended weekly classes over a 5-week period from May to June 2009. The program feasibility was examined using class participation, class attendance, and program adherence rates, while the effectiveness of the program was examined using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS and participants' engagement in positive activities (i.e., engaging in social activities and going outside. The intervention group showed significantly higher rates on all feasibility measures than did the control group (class participation: 24.1% vs. 13.3%, class attendance: 75.5% vs. 32.6%, program adherence: 70.8% vs. 10.0%. Furthermore, the GDS scores decreased significantly in the intervention group, but not the control group. Although the change in GDS score was larger in the intervention group (−1.30 ± 2.36 than in the control group (−0.75 ± 3.53, the inter-group difference in this change was not significant. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-intervention positive activity rates in either group, or in the inter-group comparisons of changes in these rates. Overall, the cosmetic program was highly feasible and effective for improving the mental health of frail older women. However, further studies using longer intervention periods and larger samples would be needed to identify the program effectiveness.

Are Social Networking Sites Making Health Behavior Change Interventions More Effective? A Meta-Analytic Review.

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Yang, Qinghua

2017-03-01

The increasing popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) has drawn scholarly attention in recent years, and a large amount of efforts have been made in applying SNSs to health behavior change interventions. However, these interventions showed mixed results, with a large variance of effect sizes in Cohen's d ranging from -1.17 to 1.28. To provide a better understanding of SNS-based interventions' effectiveness, a meta-analysis of 21 studies examining the effects of health interventions using SNS was conducted. Results indicated that health behavior change interventions using SNS are effective in general, but the effects were moderated by health topic, methodological features, and participant features. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.

Examination of a Social Problem-Solving Intervention to Treat Selective Mutism

Science.gov (United States)

O'Reilly, Mark; McNally, Deirdre; Sigafoos, Jeff; Lancioni, Giulio E.; Green, Vanessa; Edrisinha, Chaturi; Machalicek, Wendy; Sorrells, Audrey; Lang, Russell; Didden, Robert

2008-01-01

The authors examined the use of a social problem-solving intervention to treat selective mutism with 2 sisters in an elementary school setting. Both girls were taught to answer teacher questions in front of their classroom peers during regular classroom instruction. Each girl received individualized instruction from a therapist and was taught to…

Cost-effectiveness of nutritional intervention on healing of pressure ulcers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hisashige, Akinori; Ohura, Takehiko

2012-12-01

Pressure ulcers not only affect quality of life among the elderly, but also bring a large economic burden. There is limited evidence available for the effectiveness of nutritional interventions for treatment of pressure ulcers. In Japan, recently, a 60-patient randomized controlled trial of nutritional intervention on pressure ulcers demonstrated improvement in healing of pressure ulcers, compared with conventional management. To evaluate value for money of nutritional intervention on healing of pressure ulcers, cost-effective analysis was carried out using these trial results. The analysis was carried out from a societal perspective. As effectiveness measures, pressure ulcer days (PUDs) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated. Prevalence of pressure ulcers was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Utility score for pressure ulcers is derived from a cross-sectional survey among health professionals related to pressure ulcers. Costs (e.g., nutritional interventions and management of pressure ulcers) were estimated from trial data during observation and follow-up. Stochastic and qualitative sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the robustness of results. For observation (12 weeks) and follow-up (12-week observation plus 4-week follow-up), nutritional intervention reduced PUDs by 9.6 and 16.2 per person, and gained 0.226 × 10(-2) QALYs and 0.382 × 10(-2) QALYs per person, respectively. In addition, costs were reduced by $542 and $881 per person, respectively. This means nutritional intervention is dominant (cost savings and greater effectiveness). The sensitivity analyses showed the robustness of these results. Economic evaluation of nutritional intervention on healing pressure ulcers from a small randomized controlled trial showed that this intervention is cost saving with health improvement. Further studies are required to determine whether this is a cost-effective intervention for widespread use. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and

A field intervention examining the impact of an office ergonomics training and a highly adjustable chair on visual symptoms in a public sector organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Amick, Benjamin C; Menéndez, Cammie Chaumont; Bazzani, Lianna; Robertson, Michelle; DeRango, Kelly; Rooney, Ted; Moore, Anne

2012-05-01

Examine the effect of a multi-component office ergonomics intervention on visual symptom reductions. Office workers were assigned to either a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training (CWT), a training-only group (TO) or a control group (C). A work environment and health questionnaire was administered 2 and 1 month(s) pre-intervention and 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. Multi-level statistical models tested hypotheses. The CWT intervention lowered daily visual symptoms (p office ergonomics training had reduced visual symptoms and the effect was maintained through twelve months post-intervention. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with the highly adjustable chair to reduce visual symptoms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Sustained Intervention Effects on Older Adults' Attitudes toward Alcohol and Medication Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Zanjani, Faika; Allen, Hannah; Schoenberg, Nancy; Martin, Catherine; Clayton, Richard

2018-01-01

Background: Older adults are at risk for experiencing alcohol and medication interactions (AMIs) given their concomitant alcohol and medication use. However, there have been limited efforts to develop and evaluate AMI prevention interventions. Purpose: The current study examined sustained intervention effects on older adults' attitudes, awareness,…

What Limits the Encoding Effect of Note-Taking? A Meta-Analytic Examination

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Kobayashi, K.

2005-01-01

Previous meta-analyses indicate that the overall encoding effect of note-taking is positive but modest. This meta-analysis of 57 note-taking versus no note-taking comparison studies explored what limits the encoding effect by examining the moderating influence of seven variables: intervention, schooling level, presentation mode and length, test…

Effects of Interventions Based in Behavior Analysis on Motor Skill Acquisition: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Alstot, Andrew E.; Kang, Minsoo; Alstot, Crystal D.

2013-01-01

Techniques based in applied behavior analysis (ABA) have been shown to be useful across a variety of settings to improve numerous behaviors. Specifically within physical activity settings, several studies have examined the effect of interventions based in ABA on a variety of motor skills, but the overall effects of these interventions are unknown.…

Technology-Based Interventions for Substance Use and Comorbid Disorders: An Examination of the Emerging Literature.

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Sugarman, Dawn E; Campbell, Aimee N C; Iles, Brittany R; Greenfield, Shelly F

Among individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders is common and often noted as the rule rather than the exception. Standard care that provides integrated treatment for comorbid diagnoses simultaneously has been shown to be effective. Technology-based interventions (TBIs) have the potential to provide a cost-effective platform for, and greater accessibility to, integrated treatments. For the purposes of this review, we defined TBIs as interventions in which the primary targeted aim was delivered by automated computer, Internet, or mobile system with minimal to no live therapist involvement. A search of the literature identified nine distinct TBIs for SUDs and comorbid disorders. An examination of this limited research showed promise, particularly for TBIs that address problematic alcohol use, depression, or anxiety. Additional randomized, controlled trials of TBIs for comorbid SUDs and for anxiety and depression are needed, as is future research developing TBIs that address SUDs and comorbid eating disorders and psychotic disorders. Ways of leveraging the full capabilities of what technology can offer should also be further explored.

Long-Term Effects of Bereavement and Caregiver Intervention on Dementia Caregiver Depressive Symptoms

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Haley, William E.; Bergman, Elizabeth J.; Roth, David L.; McVie, Theresa; Gaugler, Joseph E.; Mittelman, Mary S.

2008-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the joint effects of bereavement and caregiver intervention on caregiver depressive symptoms. Design and Methods: Alzheimer's caregivers from a randomized trial of an enhanced caregiver support intervention versus usual care who had experienced the death of their spouse (n = 254) were repeatedly…

The effect of organisational context on organisational development (OD interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjana Brijball Parumasur

2012-05-01

Research purpose: This article examines national and international OD practices. It assesses the effect of diverse cultures and cultural values for determining the effectiveness of OD interventions. Motivation for the study: Most organisational change and development programmes fail and only a few result in increased competitiveness, improvements and profitability. This emphasises the need for change interventions to give sufficient attention to leadership, cultures, managing change and adopting context-based OD interventions. Research design, approach and method: This article is a literature review of the current trends and research in the area of OD interventions. It synthesises the influence that cultures and cultural orientations have on determining which OD intervention strategies organisations should adopt in different cultures. Main findings: The analysis emphasises how important it is to achieve congruence between the OD interventions organisations select and their local cultures. Practical/managerial implications: It is important to note the evolving nature of the political and economic climates that influence national cultures and that they emphasise that interventions that reflect OD values, which are tailor-made and shaped to the needs of local cultures, are necessary. Contribution/value-add: This study links various OD interventions to Hofstede’s dimensions for differentiating national cultures. It provides guidelines for aligning the practices and techniques of OD to the values and cultures of the organisations and societies in which they are to be implemented.

Effects of Video Modeling on Treatment Integrity of Behavioral Interventions

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DiGennaro-Reed, Florence D.; Codding, Robin; Catania, Cynthia N.; Maguire, Helena

2010-01-01

We examined the effects of individualized video modeling on the accurate implementation of behavioral interventions using a multiple baseline design across 3 teachers. During video modeling, treatment integrity improved above baseline levels; however, teacher performance remained variable. The addition of verbal performance feedback increased…

Assessment of scapular positioning and function as future effect measure of shoulder interventions – an inter-examiner reliability study of the clinical assessment methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Camilla Marie; Eshøj, Henrik; Ingwersen, Kim Gordon

2015-01-01

Assessment of scapular positioning and function as future effect measure of shoulder interventions – an inter-examiner reliability study of the clinical assessment methods Eshøj H1, Ingwersen KG1, Larsen CM1, 2, Søgaard K1, Juul-Kristensen B1, 3 1 University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Sports...... only been tested for intra-examiner reliability. The objective was to investigate the inter-examiner reliability of an extended battery of clinical tests for assessing scapular positioning and function. Methods A standardized three-phase protocol for clinical reliability studies was conducted...... coefficients (ICC) and kappa values were interpreted as: 0.0-0.40 (poor); 0.40-0.75 (fair to good); and 0.75-1.00 (good to excellent). Results A total of 41 subjects (23 males, yrs 25±9), were recruited among adult overhead athletes from the municipality of Odense, DK. Prevalence of the index condition was 54...

Use and Effectiveness of a Video- and Text-Driven Web-Based Computer-Tailored Intervention: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Walthouwer, Michel Jean Louis; Oenema, Anke; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein

2015-09-25

Many Web-based computer-tailored interventions are characterized by high dropout rates, which limit their potential impact. This study had 4 aims: (1) examining if the use of a Web-based computer-tailored obesity prevention intervention can be increased by using videos as the delivery format, (2) examining if the delivery of intervention content via participants' preferred delivery format can increase intervention use, (3) examining if intervention effects are moderated by intervention use and matching or mismatching intervention delivery format preference, (4) and identifying which sociodemographic factors and intervention appreciation variables predict intervention use. Data were used from a randomized controlled study into the efficacy of a video and text version of a Web-based computer-tailored obesity prevention intervention consisting of a baseline measurement and a 6-month follow-up measurement. The intervention consisted of 6 weekly sessions and could be used for 3 months. ANCOVAs were conducted to assess differences in use between the video and text version and between participants allocated to a matching and mismatching intervention delivery format. Potential moderation by intervention use and matching/mismatching delivery format on self-reported body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and energy intake was examined using regression analyses with interaction terms. Finally, regression analysis was performed to assess determinants of intervention use. In total, 1419 participants completed the baseline questionnaire (follow-up response=71.53%, 1015/1419). Intervention use declined rapidly over time; the first 2 intervention sessions were completed by approximately half of the participants and only 10.9% (104/956) of the study population completed all 6 sessions of the intervention. There were no significant differences in use between the video and text version. Intervention use was significantly higher among participants who were allocated to an

Empirical evidence of bias in treatment effect estimates in controlled trials with different interventions and outcomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wood, Lesley; Egger, Matthias; Gluud, Lise Lotte

2008-01-01

To examine whether the association of inadequate or unclear allocation concealment and lack of blinding with biased estimates of intervention effects varies with the nature of the intervention or outcome....

Effects of Preschool Intervention Strategies on School Readiness in Kindergarten

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xin; Nelson, Regena F.; Shen, Jianping; Krenn, Huilan Y.

2015-01-01

Using hierarchical linear modeling, the present study aimed to examine whether targeted intervention strategies implemented individually during a preschool program exhibited any short-term and long-term effects on children's school readiness in kindergarten, utilizing data gathered through the Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK)…

The Effects of the Mystery Motivator Intervention in an Urban Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Beeks, Amirah; Graves, Scott, Jr.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this project was to examine the effect of the implementation of the Mystery Motivator intervention as an interdependent group contingency to decrease disruptive behavior in an urban eighth-grade general education science classroom. The study was conducted using an A-B changing criterion design. The effectiveness of the intervention…

Evaluating Cost-Effectiveness of Interventions that Affect Fertility and Childbearing: How Health Effects are Measured Matters

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Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy D.; Brandeau, Margaret L.

2015-01-01

Background Current guidelines for economic evaluations of health interventions define relevant outcomes as those accruing to individuals receiving interventions. Little consensus exists on counting health impacts on current and future fertility and childbearing. Objective To characterize current practices for counting such health outcomes. Design We developed a framework characterizing health interventions with direct and/or indirect effects on fertility and childbearing and how such outcomes are reported. We identified interventions spanning the framework and performed a targeted literature review for economic evaluations of these interventions. For each article, we characterized how the potential health outcomes from each intervention were considered, focusing on QALYs associated with fertility and childbearing. Results We reviewed 108 studies, identifying seven themes: 1) Studies were heterogeneous in reporting outcomes. 2) Studies often selected outcomes for inclusion that tend to bias toward finding the intervention to be cost-effective. 3) Studies often avoided the challenges of assigning QALYs for pregnancy and fertility by instead considering cost per intermediate outcome. 4) Even for the same intervention, studies took heterogeneous approaches to outcome evaluation. 5) Studies employed multiple, competing rationales for whether and how to include fertility-related QALYs and whose QALYs to include. 6) Studies examining interventions with indirect effects on fertility typically ignored such QALYs. 7) Even recent studies had these shortcomings. Limitations The review was targeted rather than systematic. Conclusions Economic evaluations inconsistently consider QALYs from current and future fertility and childbearing in ways that frequently appear biased towards the interventions considered. As the Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine updates its guidelines, making the practice of cost-effectiveness analysis more consistent is a priority. Our

Effectiveness of a Brief Health Education Intervention for Breast Cancer Prevention in Greece Under Economic Crisis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyriakoula Merakou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Prevalence rates in breast cancer have now reached epidemic levels. One of the main reasons behind onset of breast cancer is poor preventive beliefs and behavior of women towards cancer prevention. We examined the effectiveness of health education intervention in two communities of South Greece.Objective: The study investigates the effectiveness of a brief health education intervention on women’s beliefs and behaviour changes concerning breast cancer prevention.Methodology: A 90-minute, one-off encounter, health education study was designed for 300 women from Peloponissos, South Greece. A Health Belief Model questionnaire, was used before the intervention, immediately after and 6-months after the intervention.Results: Despite certain perception-related barriers (embarrassment, anxiety, ect women’s overall beliefs towards breast cancer prevention (perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and perceived barriers changed positively after the health education intervention and this change was sustained at 6-month follow up. However, specific barriers (embarrassment, fear of pain, anxiety when anticipating tests’ results were not maintained at the same level of post-intervention during the same follow up. During the follow up period, women performed breast self-examination every month (73% and 55.10% had breast examination by a clinician and underwent a mammography.Conclusions: Short, low cost, health education interventions for breast cancer prevention to women can be effective in changing beliefs and behaviour. Tailored interventions are necessary to overcome relapsing of specific barriers. Emphasis should be given on the importance of doctor/nurse role in breast screening.

Parent-based adolescent sexual health interventions and effect on communication outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analyses.

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Santa Maria, Diane; Markham, Christine; Bluethmann, Shirley; Mullen, Patricia Dolan

2015-03-01

Parent-based adolescent sexual health interventions aim to reduce sexual risk behaviors by bolstering parental protective behaviors. Few studies of theory use, methods, applications, delivery and outcomes of parent-based interventions have been conducted. A systematic search of databases for the period 1998-2013 identified 28 published trials of U.S. parent-based interventions to examine theory use, setting, reach, delivery mode, dose and effects on parent-child communication. Established coding schemes were used to assess use of theory and describe methods employed to achieve behavioral change; intervention effects were explored in meta-analyses. Most interventions were conducted with minority parents in group sessions or via self-paced activities; interventions averaged seven hours, and most used theory extensively. Meta-analyses found improvements in sexual health communication: Analysis of 11 controlled trials indicated a medium effect on increasing communication (Cohen's d, 0.5), and analysis of nine trials found a large effect on increasing parental comfort with communication (0.7); effects were positive regardless of delivery mode or intervention dose. Intervention participants were 68% more likely than controls to report increased communication and 75% more likely to report increased comfort. These findings point to gaps in the range of programs examined in published trials-for example, interventions for parents of sexual minority youth, programs for custodial grandparents and faith-based services. Yet they provide support for the effectiveness of parent-based interventions in improving communication. Innovative delivery approaches could extend programs' reach, and further research on sexual health outcomes would facilitate the meta-analysis of intervention effectiveness in improving adolescent sexual health behaviors. Copyright © 2015 by the Guttmacher Institute.

Age differences in workplace intervention effects on employees' nighttime and daytime sleep.

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Lee, Soomi; Almeida, David M; Berkman, Lisa; Olson, Ryan; Moen, Phyllis; Buxton, Orfeu M

2016-12-01

To examine the effects of a workplace flexibility/support intervention on employees' sleep quantity and quality during nights and days and whether the effects differ by employee age. Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Information technology industry workplaces. US employees ( M age = 46.9 years) at an information technology firm who provided actigraphy at baseline and a 12-month follow-up (N = 396; n = 195 intervention, n = 201 control). The Work, Family, and Health Study intervention aimed to increase workplace flexibility and support. The intervention consisted of facilitated discussions to help employees increase control over when and where they work as well as manager-specific training sessions to increase manager support for employees' work-family issues. Nighttime sleep duration, wake after sleep onset (WASO), and nap duration were measured with wrist actigraphy. Day-to-day variability in these variables (min 2 ) was also estimated. Intervention employees increased nighttime sleep duration at 12 months, by 9 minutes per day, relative to control employees. There were interaction effects between the intervention and age on daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO. Older employees (56-70 years) in the intervention condition decreased nap duration at 12 months relative to older employees in the control condition. Older employees in the intervention condition also exhibited a greater decrease in day-to-day variability of WASO at 12 months compared with their baseline. The workplace flexibility/support intervention was effective in enhancing employees' sleep health by increasing nighttime sleep duration. Furthermore, the intervention was particularly effective for older employees in decreasing their daytime nap duration and day-to-day variability in WASO.

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials examining the effectiveness of breast and cervical cancer screening interventions for ethnic minority women.

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Chan, Dorothy N S; So, Winnie K W

2015-10-01

To examine the effect that breast and/or cervical cancer screening programmes for ethnic minority women have on their knowledge of and beliefs about breast or cervical cancer and screening, and on their screening intentions and uptake rates. Recommendations are also made for the format and content of such programmes, based on existing evidence. A comprehensive literature search was carried out both manually and by means of five electronic databases. The findings are summarised and synthesised in narrative fashion. The ten RCTs included here were conducted among ethnic minority women in the United States or Canada, where breast or cervical cancer screening programmes have led to improvements in screening intentions, knowledge of cervical cancer and pap test uptake. The Breast Cancer Screening Belief Scale and self-reporting were the methods commonly used to measure outcomes. The shared characteristics of both countries' programmes were that they were theory- and language-based, the instruction took place in a community setting, the materials were culturally relevant, the content highlighted key messages about breast or cervical cancer and screening measures, and there were multiple intervention strategies. Breast or cervical cancer screening programmes in Western countries have demonstrated improvements in knowledge of the disease, screening intentions and pap test uptake, although evidence on the effectiveness of the interventions has been limited. The common characteristics of programmes are identified, but a comprehensive model is still needed to link these characteristics with other factors and mediators influencing outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Bias Modification Interventions for Substance Addictions: A Meta-Analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cristea, Ioana; Kok, Robin; Cuijpers, Pim

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Cognitive bias modification (CBM) interventions, presumably targeting automatic processes, are considered particularly promising for addictions. We conducted a meta-analysis examining randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CBM for substance addiction outcomes. Methods Studies...... were identified through systematic searches in bibliographical databases. We included RCTs of CBM interventions, alone or in combination with other treatments, for any type of addiction. We examined trial risk of bias, publication bias and possible moderators. Effects sizes were computed for post......-test and follow-up, using a random-effects model. We grouped outcome measures and reported results for addiction (all related measures), craving and cognitive bias. Results We identified 25 trials, 18 for alcohol problems, and 7 for smoking. At post-test, there was no significant effect of CBM for addiction, g...

Train the Trainer Effectiveness Trials of Behavioral Intervention for Individuals with Autism: A Systematic Review

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Shire, Stephanie Yoshiko; Kasari, Connie

2014-01-01

This systematic review examines train the trainer (TTT) effectiveness trials of behavioral interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Published methodological quality scales were used to assess studies including participant description, research design, intervention, outcomes, and analysis. Twelve studies including 9 weak…

Effects of a multi-component camp-based intervention on inflammatory markers and adipokines in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, T.; Larsen, K. T.; Moller, N. C.

2015-01-01

Objective. To examine the effects of a multi-component camp-based intervention on inflammatory markers and adipokines in children. Methods. One hundred and fifteen children were recruited in Odense, Denmark (2012-2014). The participants were randomly allocated to either the day camp intervention ...

A School-Based Mindfulness Intervention for Urban Youth: Exploring Moderators of Intervention Effects

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Gould, Laura Feagans; Dariotis, Jacinda K.; Mendelson, Tamar; Greenberg, Mark. T.

2012-01-01

This study examines gender, grade-level, and baseline depressive symptoms as potential moderators of a school-based mindfulness intervention's impact on the self-regulatory outcomes of urban youth. Ninety-seven participants from four urban public schools were randomly assigned to an intervention or wait-list control condition. Fourth and fifth…

Assessing handwriting intervention effectiveness in elementary school students: a two-group controlled study.

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Howe, Tsu-Hsin; Roston, Karen Laurie; Sheu, Ching-Fan; Hinojosa, Jim

2013-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of two approaches used in elementary schools to improve children's handwriting. Participants were 72 New York City public school students from the first and second grades. A nonequivalent pretest-posttest group design was used in which students engaged in handwriting activities using two approaches: intensive handwriting practice and visual-perceptual-motor activities. Handwriting speed, legibility, and visual-motor skills were examined after a 12-wk Handwriting Club using multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed that students in the intensive handwriting practice group demonstrated significant improvements in handwriting legibility compared with students in the visual-perceptual-motor activity group. No significant effects in handwriting speed and visual-motor skills were found between the students in intensive handwriting practice group and the students in visual-perceptual-motor activities group. The Handwriting Club model is a natural intervention that fits easily into existing school curriculums and can be an effective short-term intervention (response to intervention Tier II). Copyright © 2013 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Shifting effects in randomised controlled trials of complex interventions: a new kind of performance bias?

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Gold, C; Erkkilä, J; Crawford, M J

2012-11-01

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) aim to provide unbiased estimates of treatment effects. However, the process of implementing trial procedures may have an impact on the performance of complex interventions that rely strongly on the intuition and confidence of therapists. We aimed to examine whether shifting effects over the recruitment period can be observed that might indicate such impact. Three RCTs investigating music therapy vs. standard care were included. The intervention was performed by experienced therapists and based on established methods. We examined outcomes of participants graphically, analysed cumulative effects and tested for differences between first vs. later participants. We tested for potential confounding population shifts through multiple regression models. Cumulative differences suggested trends over the recruitment period. Effect sizes tended to be less favourable among the first participants than later participants. In one study, effects even changed direction. Age, gender and baseline severity did not account for these shifting effects. Some trials of complex interventions have shifting effects over the recruitment period that cannot be explained by therapist experience or shifting demographics. Replication and further research should aim to find out which interventions and trial designs are most vulnerable to this new kind of performance bias. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

An Evaluation of the Relative Effectiveness of Function-Based Consequent and Antecedent Interventions in a Preschool Setting

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von Schulz, Jonna H.; Dufrene, Brad A.; LaBrot, Zachary C.; Tingstrom, Daniel H.; Olmi, D. Joe; Radley, Keith; Mitchell, Rachel; Maldonado, Aimee

2018-01-01

Although there is substantial functional behavioral assessment (FBA) literature suggesting that function-based interventions are effective for improving problem behavior, only a limited number of studies have examined the effectiveness of function-based antecedent versus consequent interventions. Additionally, although there has been a recent…

The effect of a school physical activity intervention on physical self-perception and enjoyment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Lars Breum Skov; Lund-Cramer, Pernille; Smedegaard, Søren

Background Physical activity at school can improve mental health of all children – especially if it is tailored to children’s needs and conducted in a positive social climate. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of a multicomponent school-based physical activity intervention......) physical activity in recess. Using a cluster-randomized design, 24 Danish schools were randomized to either intervention or control. Study population included 3.136 children aged 10-13 years at baseline. Student survey was carried out prior to intervention and after 9 months. Physical self...... in May 2016 and the study examines the difference at follow-up controlled for baseline values. Discussion There is compelling evidence that physical activity can have a positive effect on emotional well‐being, but unfortunately many children and young people engage insufficiently to reap such positive...

Comparative effectiveness of instructional methods: oral and pharyngeal cancer examination.

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Clark, Nereyda P; Marks, John G; Sandow, Pamela R; Seleski, Christine E; Logan, Henrietta L

2014-04-01

This study compared the effectiveness of different methods of instruction for the oral and pharyngeal cancer examination. A group of thirty sophomore students at the University of Florida College of Dentistry were randomly assigned to three training groups: video instruction, a faculty-led hands-on instruction, or both video and hands-on instruction. The training intervention involved attending two sessions spaced two weeks apart. The first session used a pretest to assess students' baseline didactic knowledge and clinical examination technique. The second session utilized two posttests to assess the comparative effectiveness of the training methods on didactic knowledge and clinical technique. The key findings were that students performed the clinical examination significantly better with the combination of video and faculty-led hands-on instruction (p<0.01). All students improved their clinical exam skills, knowledge, and confidence in performing the oral and pharyngeal cancer examination independent of which training group they were assigned. Utilizing both video and interactive practice promoted greater performance of the clinical technique on the oral and pharyngeal cancer examination.

Identification of Indirect Effects in a Cognitive Patient Education (COPE) Intervention for Low Back Pain.

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Mansell, Gemma; Storheim, Kjersti; Løchting, Ida; Werner, Erik L; Grotle, Margreth

2017-12-01

Many interventions for the treatment of low back pain exist, but the mechanisms through which such treatments work are not always clear. This situation is especially true for biopsychosocial interventions that incorporate several different components and methods of delivery. The study objective was to examine the indirect effects of the Cognitive Patient Education (COPE) intervention via illness perceptions, back pain myths, and pain catastrophizing on disability outcome. This study was a secondary analysis of the COPE randomized controlled trial. Mediation analysis techniques were employed to examine the indirect effects of the COPE intervention via residualized change (baseline - posttreatment) in the 3 variables hypothesized to be targeted by the COPE intervention on posttreatment disability outcome. Pain intensity at baseline, pain duration, clinician type, and a treatment-mediator interaction term were controlled for in the analysis. Preliminary analyses confirmed that changes in pain catastrophizing and illness perceptions (not back pain myths) were related to both allocation to the intervention arm and posttreatment disability score. The treatment exerted statistically significant indirect effects via changes in illness perceptions and pain catastrophizing on posttreatment disability score (illness perceptions standardized indirect effect = 0.09 [95% CI = 0.03 to 0.16]; pain catastrophizing standardized indirect effect = 0.05 [95% CI = 0.01 to 0.12]). However, the inclusion of an interaction term led to the indirect effects being significantly reduced, with the effects no longer being statistically significant. This study presents a secondary analysis of variables not identified a priori as being potentially important treatment targets; other, unmeasured factors could also be important in explaining treatment effects. The finding that small indirect effects of the COPE intervention via changes in illness perceptions and pain catastrophizing on posttreatment

Effectiveness of a Combined Tutoring and Mentoring Intervention with Ninth-Grade, Urban Black Adolescents

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Somers, Cheryl L.; Wang, Dan; Piliawsky, Monte

2016-01-01

This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a combined tutoring and mentoring intervention for urban, low-income Black youth during the transition to high school. Participants were 118 ninth-grade students (experimental n = 69; comparison n = 49). After 7 months in the intervention program, students in the experimental group showed…

Effects of a preventive intervention program for improving self-complexityon depression among college students

OpenAIRE

Kawahito, Junko; Hori, Masashi; Otsuka, Yasumasa

2010-01-01

The present study developed an intervention program for self-complexity (SC; Linville, 1987), and examined the effects of this program on college students. Participants (N=40) were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received one session of psycho-education about SC, and kept daily records of self-aspects (social roles, interpersonal relationships, specific events/behaviors, traits, abilities, etc.) for one week. All participants were asked to...

A Pilot Examination of a Mosque-Based Physical Activity Intervention for South Asian Muslim Women in Ontario, Canada.

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Banerjee, Ananya Tina; Landry, Mireille; Zawi, Maha; Childerhose, Debbie; Stephens, Neil; Shafique, Ammara; Price, Jennifer

2017-04-01

Low levels of physical activity have been reported in South Asian Muslim women. Mosques could be beneficial in providing physical activity opportunities for Muslim women. This study examined the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a mosque-based physical activity program for South Asian Muslim women in Canada. Sixty-two South Asian Muslim women participated in a 24-week mosque-based exercise intervention. Feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the program was evaluated by pre-post survey questions from the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire among 28 women who consented to the research data collection. Nineteen women were assessed pre-and post-intervention. The women demonstrated increase in median scores of self-efficacy (90 pre vs. 100 post; p = 0.004) and the importance of engaging in regular physical activity (90 pre vs. 100 post; p = 0.01). Fewer participants were classified as inactive at the end of the intervention (42 % pre vs. 10 % post; p = 0.006). There was a mean increase in DASI scores (39.2 pre vs. 44.6 post; p = 0.06) reflecting an improvement in peak aerobic capacity and functional quality of life. Culturally relevant structured networks such as mosques are important assets when designing healthy lifestyle interventions for South Asian Muslim women.

Effects of a Savoring Intervention on Resilience and Well-Being of Older Adults.

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Smith, Jennifer L; Hanni, Agnieszka A

2017-02-01

Savoring is the ability to be mindful of positive experiences and to be aware of and regulate positive feelings about these experiences. Previous research has found that savoring interventions can be effective at improving well-being of younger adults, but findings have not been extended to older populations. This pilot study examined the effects of a 1-week savoring intervention on older adults' psychological resilience and well-being (i.e., depressive symptoms and happiness). Participants, 111 adults ages 60 or over, completed measures of resilience, depressive symptoms, and happiness pre- and postintervention as well as 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Analyses revealed that participants who completed the savoring intervention with high fidelity also reported improvements in resilience, depressive symptoms, and happiness over time. These findings suggest that the savoring intervention has the potential to enhance older adults' resilience and psychological well-being.

Effects of a Parenting Intervention on Features of Psychopathy in Children

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McDonald, Renee; Dodson, Mary Catherine; Rosenfield, David; Jouriles, Ernest N.

2011-01-01

This study examined whether Project Support, a parenting intervention shown to reduce child conduct problems, also exerts positive effects on features of psychopathy in children. Participants were 66 families (mothers and children) recruited from domestic violence shelters who participated in a randomized controlled trial evaluating Project…

Long-term effects of a home-visiting intervention for depressed mothers and their infants

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kersten-Alvarez, L.E.; Hosman, C.M.H.; Riksen-Walraven, J.M.A.; Doesum, K.T.M. van; Hoefnagels, C.C.J.

2010-01-01

Background - Whereas preventive interventions for depressed mothers and their infants have yielded positive short-term outcomes, few studies have examined their long-term effectiveness. The present follow-up of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) is one of the first to examine the longer-term

Estimation of effective dose for children in interventional cardiology

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S. S. Sarycheva

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study is devoted to the estimation of effective dose for children undergoing interventional cardiology examinations. The conversion coefficients (CC from directly measured dose area product (DAP value to effective dose (ED were calculated within the approved effective dose assessment methodology (Guidelines 2.6.1. 2944-11. The CC, Ed K , [mSv / (Gy • cm2] for newborn infants and children of 1, 5, 10 and 15 years old (main(range were calculated as 2.5 (1.8-3.2; 1.1 (0.8-1.3; 0.6 (0.4-0.7; 0.4 (0.3-0.5; and 0,22 (0,18-0,30 respectively. A special Finnish computer program PCXMC 2.0 was used for calculating the dose CC. The series of calculations were made for different values of the physical and geometrical parameters based on their real-existing range of values. The value of CC from DAP to ED were calculated for all pediatric age groups. This work included 153 pediatric interventional studies carried out in two hospitals of the city of St. Petersburg for the period of one year from the summer of 2015. The dose CC dependency from the patient’s age and parameters of the examinations were under the study. The dependence from the beam quality (filtration and tube voltage and age of the patient were found. The younger is the patient, stronger is the filtration and higher is the voltage, the higher is the CC value. The CC in the younger (newborn and older (15 years age groups are different by the factor of 10. It was shown that the changes of the geometric parameters (in the scope of their real existing range have small effect on the value of the effective dose, not exceed 30-50% allowable for radiation protection purpose. The real values of effective doses of children undergoing cardiac interventions were estimated. In severe cases, the values of ED can reach several tens of mSv.

Examination of program exposure across intervention delivery modes: face-to-face versus internet

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Mummery W Kerry

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There has been increasing interest in the ability of the internet to produce behaviour change. The focus of this study was to describe program exposure across three intervention groups from a randomised trial (RT comparing traditional face-to-face, internet-mediated (combined internet plus face-to-face, and internet-only program delivery. Methods Baseline and immediately post-intervention survey data, and exposure rates from participants that commenced the RT were included (n = 192. Exposure was defined as either face-to-face attendance, website usage, or a combination of both for the internet-mediated group. Characteristics of participants who were exposed to at least 75% of the program material were explored. Descriptive analysis and logistical regression were used to examine differences between groups for program exposure. Results All groups showed decrease in program exposure over time. Differences were also observed (χ2 = 10.37, p Conclusion These results suggest that the internet groups were as effective as the face-to-face delivery mode in engaging participants in the program material. However, different delivery methods may be more useful to different sub-populations. It is important to explore which target groups that internet-based programs are best suited, in order to increase their impact.

Early Intervention Services: Effectively Supporting Maori Children and their Families

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Berryman, Mere; Woller, Paul

2011-01-01

This paper examines Early Intervention (EI) service provision from within one Ministry of Education region in New Zealand. It does this in order to better understand what works well and what needs to change if children from Maori families, of Early Childhood age, are to be provided with the most effective EI services. By engaging with Maori…

Explaining the effects of a 1-year intervention promoting a low fat diet in adolescent girls: a mediation analysis

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Maes Lea

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although it is important to investigate how interventions work, no formal mediation analyses have been conducted to explain behavioral outcomes in school-based fat intake interventions in adolescents. The aim of the present study was to examine mediation effects of changes in psychosocial determinants of dietary fat intake (attitude, social support, self-efficacy, perceived benefits and barriers on changes in fat intake in adolescent girls. Methods Data from a 1-year prospective intervention study were used. A random sample of 804 adolescent girls was included in the study. Girls in the intervention group (n = 415 were exposed to a multi-component school-based intervention program, combining environmental changes with a computer tailored fat intake intervention and parental support. Fat intake and psychosocial determinants of fat intake were measured with validated self-administered questionnaires. To assess mediating effects, a product-of-coefficient test, appropriate for cluster randomized controlled trials, was used. Results None of the examined psychosocial factors showed a reliable mediating effect on changes in fat intake. The single-mediator model revealed a statistically significant suppression effect of perceived barriers on changes in fat intake (p = 0.011. In the multiple-mediator model, this effect was no longer significant, which was most likely due to changes in perceived barriers being moderately related to changes in self-efficacy (-0.30 and attitude (-0.25. The overall mediated-suppressed effect of the examined psychosocial factors was virtually zero (total mediated effect = 0.001; SE = 7.22; p = 0.992. Conclusion Given the lack of intervention effects on attitudes, social support, self-efficacy and perceived benefits and barriers, it is suggested that future interventions should focus on the identification of effective strategies for changing these theoretical mediators in the desired direction

Effectiveness of self-help psychological interventions for treating and preventing postpartum depression: a meta-analysis.

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Lin, Ping-Zhen; Xue, Jiao-Mei; Yang, Bei; Li, Meng; Cao, Feng-Lin

2018-04-04

Previous studies have reported different effect sizes for self-help interventions designed to reduce postpartum depression symptoms; therefore, a comprehensive quantitative review of the research was required. A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effectiveness of self-help interventions designed to treat and prevent postpartum depression, and identified nine relevant randomized controlled trials. Differences in depressive symptoms between self-help interventions and control conditions, changes in depressive symptoms following self-help interventions, and differences in postintervention recovery and improvement rates between self-help interventions and control conditions were assessed in separate analyses. In treatment trials, depression scores continued to decrease from baseline to posttreatment and follow-up assessment in treatment subgroups. Changes in treatment subgroups' depression scores from baseline to postintervention assessment were greater relative to those observed in prevention subgroups. Self-help interventions produced larger overall effects on postpartum depression, relative to those observed in control conditions, in posttreatment (Hedges' g = 0.51) and follow-up (Hedges' g = 0.32) assessments; and self-help interventions were significantly more effective, relative to control conditions, in promoting recovery from postpartum depression. Effectiveness in preventing depression did not differ significantly between self-help interventions and control conditions.The findings suggested that self-help interventions designed to treat postpartum depression reduced levels of depressive symptoms effectively and decreased the risk of postpartum depression.

Systematic review of sex work interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: examining combination prevention approaches.

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Awungafac, George; Delvaux, Therese; Vuylsteke, Bea

2017-08-01

The incidence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections is disproportionately high among sex workers (SW). We aimed to update the evidence on the effectiveness of SW interventions in sub-Saharan Africa and to provide more insights into combination prevention. The Systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines in a search of PUBMED and POPLINE for peer-reviewed literature published between 1 January 2000 and 22 July 2016 (registration number on PROSPERO: CRD42016042529). We considered cohort interventions, randomised controlled trials and cross-sectional surveys of SW programmes. A framework was used in the description and mapping of intervention to desired outcomes. Twenty-six papers(reporting on 25 studies) were included. A strategy that empowered peer educator leaders to steer community activities showed a twofold increase in coverage of behaviour change communication and utilisation of health facility among SW. Brief alcohol harm reduction effort demonstrated a significant effect on sexual violence and engagement in sex trading. A risk reduction counselling intervention among drug-injecting SW showed an effect on alcohol, substance use and engagement in sex work. No study on a promising intervention like PrEP among SWs was found. We observed that interventions that combined some structural components, biomedical and behavioural strategies tend to accumulate more desired outcomes. The evidence base that can be considered in intervention designs to prevent HIV in SW in SSA is vast. The health sector should consider interventions to reduce binge alcohol intake and intravenous drug use among sex workers. Programmes should staunchly consider multicomponent approaches that explore community-based structural approaches. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of a Culture-Adaptive Forgiveness Intervention for Chinese College Students

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Ji, Mingxia; Hui, Eadaoin; Fu, Hong; Watkins, David; Tao, Linjin; Lo, Sing Kai

2016-01-01

The understanding and application of forgiveness varies across cultures. The current study aimed to examine the effect of a culture-adaptive Forgiveness Intervention on forgiveness attitude, self-esteem, empathy and anxiety of Mainland Chinese college students. Thirty-six participants were randomly allocated to either experimental groups or a…

Effects of a Self-Monitoring Intervention on Children with Traumatic Brain Injury

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Davies, Susan C.; Jones, Kevin M.; Rafoth, Mary A.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a self-monitoring intervention on teachers' direct behavior ratings of 3 students with traumatic brain injury. The authors used a multiple-baseline-across-participants design to evaluate the effect of the strategy on each child's classwork and classroom behavior. The self-monitoring strategy…

The Effect of a Social-Emotional Intervention on the Development of Preterm Infants in Institutions

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Chernego, Daria I.; McCall, Robert B.; Wanless, Shannon B.; Groark, Christina J.; Vasilyeva, Marina J.; Palmov, Oleg I.; Nikiforova, Natalia V.; Muhamedrahimov, Rifkat J.

2018-01-01

This study examined the effect of a social-emotional intervention implemented in one St. Petersburg (Russian Federation) institution (called a Baby Home, BH) on the general behavioral development of preterm children (gestational ages of 30-36 weeks) during their first 2 years of life. The intervention consisted of training caregivers and…

The Effect of Psychological Intervention on Mother-Infant Bonding and Breastfeeding

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Mamak Shariat

2017-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: The emotional bond that a mother feels towards her infant is critical to their social, emotional, and cognitive development. This concept has a major influence on an infant’s future health, and growth, so the assessment of parental-fetal attachment and related factors is of great importance. This study aimed to examine the effect of psychological intervention on attachment and persistency of lactation.Methods: This clinical trial was carried out on 71 pregnant women who visited Milad and Vali-Asr hospitals in Tehran, Iran. The subjects were selected by convenience sampling method and randomly divided into control (n=36 and intervention (n=35 groups. In the intervention group, the subjects received three sessions of supportive group psychotherapy supplemented by training packages. Avant’s mother-infant attachment behavior questionnaire, Maternal Attachment Inventory, 28-item General Health Questionnaire, and the short form of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory were used to evaluate attachment behaviors and related factors. Attachment of mothers was examined at six different times. Statistical data was analyzed using independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test.Results: The findings indicated that the intervention group had increased attachment and breastfeeding persistency (P˂0.001. Regression test also showed that maternal attachment was significantly influenced by psychological interventions, self-esteem, and depression (P˂0.001.Conclusion: According to the results, psychological interventions are suggested during pregnancy to increase attachment and breastfeeding persistency, and thereby, improve mental health of both mother and newborn.

Effectiveness of implementing a dyadic psychoeducational intervention for cancer patients and family caregivers.

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Titler, Marita G; Visovatti, Moira A; Shuman, Clayton; Ellis, Katrina R; Banerjee, Tanima; Dockham, Bonnie; Yakusheva, Olga; Northouse, Laurel

2017-11-01

This study examined the effectiveness, feasibility, and satisfaction with implementation of the FOCUS program in two US Cancer Support Community affiliates in Ohio and California as well as the cost to deliver the program. FOCUS is an evidence-based psychoeducational intervention for dyads (cancer patients and caregivers). A pre-post-intervention design was employed. Eleven, five-session Focus programs were delivered by licensed professionals in a small group format (three-four dyads/group) to 36 patient-caregiver dyads. An Implementation Training Manual, a FOCUS Intervention Protocol Manual, and weekly conference calls were used to foster implementation. Participants completed questionnaires prior to and following completion of each five-session FOCUS program to measure primary (emotional distress, quality of life) and secondary outcomes (benefits of illness, self-efficacy, and dyadic communication). Enrollment and retention rates and fidelity to FOCUS were used to measure feasibility. Cost estimates were based on time and median hourly wages. Repeated analysis of variance was used to analyze the effect of FOCUS on outcomes for dyads. Descriptive statistics were used to examine feasibility, satisfaction, and cost estimates. FOCUS had positive effects on QOL (p = .014), emotional (p = .012), and functional (p = .049) well-being, emotional distress (p = .002), benefits of illness (p = .013), and self-efficacy (p = .001). Intervention fidelity was 85% with enrollment and retention rates of 71.4 and 90%, respectively. Participants were highly satisfied. Cost for oversight and delivery of the five-session FOCUS program was $168.00 per dyad. FOCUS is an economic and effective intervention to decrease distress and improve the quality of life for dyads.

The effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for sacroiliac joint dysfunction: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Subahi, Moayad; Alayat, Mohamed; Alshehri, Mansour Abdullah; Helal, Omar; Alhasan, Hammad; Alalawi, Ahmed; Takrouni, Abdullah; Alfaqeh, Ali

2017-09-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of physical therapy interventions in the treatment of sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD). [Subjects and Methods] MEDLINE, PUBMED, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, and CIRRIE databases were searched and only relevant data from studies that matched the inclusion criteria were included. CASP tools for critical appraisal were used to assess the quality of studies included. [Results] Nine articles met the inclusion criteria, of which, three examined the effect of exercise on SIJD, three used kinesio tape and four studies examined the effect of manipulation. Various outcomes were used including the visual analogue pain scale (VAS), Oswestry disability questionnaire (ODQ), numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and pelvic position measurement (PALM, pelvimeter and photogrammetry). The quality of included studies ranged from low to average as the CASP tools revealed several limitations that affect the validity of the studies. The results showed that physiotherapy interventions are effective in reducing pain and disability associated with SIJD, with manipulation being the most effective approach and most commonly used within physical therapy clinics. [Conclusion] Manipulation, exercise and kinesio tape are effective in the treatment of pain, disability and pelvic asymmetry in SIJD.

"Effects of a Web-Based Intervention on Family Functioning Following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury"

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Minich, Nori; Taylor, H. Gerry; Kirkwood, Michael; Brown, Tanya Maines; Stancin, Terry; Wade, Shari L

2015-01-01

Objective Investigate effectiveness of an online Counselor-Assisted Problem-Solving (CAPS) intervention on family functioning after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Participants were randomized to CAPS (n = 65) or internet resource comparison (IRC; n = 67). CAPS is a counselor-assisted web-based program. IRC was given access to online resources. Outcomes were examined 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months after baseline. Injury severity, age, and SES were examined as moderators. Results A main effect of time was noted for teen-reported conflict and parent-reported problem solving. CAPS had decreased parent-reported conflict and a reduction in parental effective communication. Effects were specific to subsets of the sample. Conclusions CAPS, a family-based problem-solving intervention designed to address problem behaviors, had modest effects on some aspects of family functioning, when compared to IRC. Effects were generally limited to subsets of the families and were not evident across all follow-up assessments. PMID:26461100

Cost-effectiveness of interventions to control Campylobacter in the New Zealand poultry meat food supply.

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Lake, Robin J; Horn, Beverley J; Dunn, Alex H; Parris, Ruth; Green, F Terri; McNickle, Don C

2013-07-01

An analysis of the cost-effectiveness of interventions to control Campylobacter in the New Zealand poultry supply examined a series of interventions. Effectiveness was evaluated in terms of reduced health burden measured by disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Costs of implementation were estimated from the value of cost elements, determined by discussions with industry. Benefits were estimated by changing the inputs to a poultry food chain quantitative risk model. Proportional reductions in the number of predicted Campylobacter infections were converted into reductions in the burden of disease measured in DALYs. Cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated for each intervention, as cost per DALY reduction and the ratios compared. The results suggest that the most cost-effective interventions (lowest ratios) are at the primary processing stage. Potential phage-based controls in broiler houses were also highly cost-effective. This study is limited by the ability to quantify costs of implementation and assumptions required to estimate health benefits, but it supports the implementation of interventions at the primary processing stage as providing the greatest quantum of benefit and lowest cost-effectiveness ratios.

Long-Term Effects of a Universal Family Intervention: Mediation Through Parent-Adolescent Conflict

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, M.; Wong, J.J.; Gonzales, N.A.; Dumka, L.E.; Millsap, R.; Coxe, S.

2014-01-01

Objective This randomized trial of a family-focused preventive intervention for Mexican American middle schoolers examined internalizing, externalizing, and substance use outcomes in late adolescence, five years after completing the intervention. Parent-adolescent conflict was tested as a mediator of these effects. The role of parent and adolescent acculturation in these pathways was also examined. Method 498 7th grade adolescents and their primary female caregivers were randomized to receive either a 9-week, multi-component intervention or a brief workshop control group. Assessments were conducted at pre-test, two year follow-up (9th grade), and five year follow-up (when most participants were in the 12th grade). Results The Bridges program significantly reduced mother-adolescent conflict measured in the 9th grade, with conflict mediating program effects on internalizing and externalizing symptoms, adolescent substance use, and diagnosed internalizing disorder in late adolescence. Mother and child acculturation were both significantly predictive of late adolescence outcomes. Contrary to hypotheses, neither mother nor child acculturation emerged as a significant predictor of mother-adolescent conflict, and the interaction of mother and adolescent acculturation was similarly not related to mother-adolescent conflict. Intervention effects were largely consistent across different levels of acculturation. Conclusions These findings provide support for the efficacy of family-focused intervention during early adolescence, both in reducing mental health problems and substance use in the long term, as well as in impacting parent-adolescent conflict processes that appear to play an important role in the development of later adjustment problems. PMID:24730357

Evaluation of a workplace disability prevention intervention in Canada: examining differing perceptions of stakeholders.

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Maiwald, Karin; de Rijk, Angelique; Guzman, Jaime; Schonstein, Eva; Yassi, Annalee

2011-06-01

INTRODUCTION Workplace disability prevention is important, but stakeholders can differ in their appreciation of such interventions. We present a responsive evaluation of a workplace disability prevention intervention in a Canadian healthcare organization. Three groups of stakeholders were included: designers of the intervention, deliverers, and workers. The aim was to examine the appreciation of this intervention by analyzing the discrepancies with respect to what these various stakeholders see as the causes of work disability, what the intervention should aim at to address this problem, and to what extent the intervention works in practice. METHODS A qualitative research method was used, including data-triangulation: (a) documentary materials; (b) semi-structured interviews with the deliverers and workers (n = 14); (c) participatory observations of group meetings (n = 6); (d) member-checking meetings (n = 3); (e) focus-group meetings (n = 2). A grounded theory approach, including some ethnographic methodology, was used for the data-analysis. RESULTS Stakeholders' perceptions of causes for work disability differ, as do preferred strategies for prevention. Designers proposed work-directed measures to change the workplace and work organizations, and individual-directed measures to change workers' behaviour. Deliverers targeted individual-directed measures, however, workers were mostly seeking work-directed measures. To assess how the intervention was working, designers sought a wide range of outcome measures. Deliverers focused on measurable outcomes targeted at reducing work time-loss. Workers perceived that this intervention offered short-term benefits yet fell short in ensuring sustainable return-to-work. CONCLUSION This study provides understanding of where discrepancies between stakeholders' perceptions about interventions come from. Our findings have implications for workplace disability prevention intervention development, implementation and evaluation

The preventive effects of lifestyle intervention on the occurrence of diabetes mellitus and acute myocardial infarction in metabolic syndrome.

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Kim, D; Yoon, S-J; Lim, D-S; Gong, Y-H; Ko, S; Lee, Y-H; Lee, H S; Park, M-S; Kim, K-H; Kim, Y A

2016-10-01

Metabolic syndrome (MS), as a precursor of diabetes mellitus (DM) and cardiovascular disease, is increasing steadily worldwide. We examined the preventive effects of lifestyle intervention on the occurrence of DM and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in MS. Observational study on disease occurrence after lifestyle intervention. The lifestyle intervention was administered to subjects with MS participating in a metropolitan lifestyle intervention program for 1 year. The same numbers of non-participating age- and sex-matched subjects with MS were randomly extracted from national health examination data. After intervention or examination, new occurrences of hypertension, DM, and AMI were identified through the national health insurance claims data during 1 year. For DM and AMI, multivariate logistic regression analysis for the factors affecting each disease was performed. In the intervention group and the control group (14,918 in each group), the occurrence of hypertension was 555 (6.07%) and 751 (8.33%), the occurrence of DM was 324 (2.55%) and 488 (3.89%), the occurrence of dyslipidemia was 321 (2.59%) and 373 (2.72%), and the occurrence of AMI was 13 (0.09%) and 26 (0.17%), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted odds ratios for intervention were 0.752 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.644-0.879) and 0.499 (95% CI: 0.251-0.992) for DM and AMI, respectively, indicating that lifestyle intervention has a preventive effect. Lifestyle intervention in MS has preventive effects on the occurrence of DM and AMI, and long-term follow-up is needed to evaluate these preventive effects in more detail. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of narrator empathy in a computer delivered brief intervention for alcohol use.

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Ellis, Jennifer D; Grekin, Emily R; Beatty, Jessica R; McGoron, Lucy; LaLiberte, Benjamin V; Pop, Damaris E; Kostecki, Anthony P; Ondersma, Steven J

2017-10-01

Computer-delivered, brief interventions (CDBIs) have been an increasingly popular way to treat alcohol use disorders; however, very few studies have examined which characteristics of CDBIs maximize intervention effectiveness. The literature has consistently demonstrated that therapist empathy is associated with reduced substance use in in-person therapy; however, it is unclear whether this principle applies to CDBIs. Therefore, the study aimed to examine whether the presence of an empathic narrator increased intentions to reduce heavy drinking in a CDBI. Results suggest that the presence of empathy increases motivation to reduce drinking, and makes participants feel more supported and less criticized. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of a Video-Feedback Intervention on Teachers' Use of Praise

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Pinter, Erika Blood; East, Allison; Thrush, Nicole

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a video-feedback intervention on the frequency of teachers' use of (a) general group praise, (b) general individual praise, (c) specific group praise, (d) specific individual praise, (e) negative comments directed toward the entire class, and (f) negative comments directed toward an…

Examining Factors of Engagement With Digital Interventions for Weight Management: Rapid Review.

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Sharpe, Emma Elizabeth; Karasouli, Eleni; Meyer, Caroline

2017-10-23

Digital interventions for weight management provide a unique opportunity to target daily lifestyle choices and eating behaviors over a sustained period of time. However, recent evidence has demonstrated a lack of user engagement with digital health interventions, impacting on the levels of intervention effectiveness. Thus, it is critical to identify the factors that may facilitate user engagement with digital health interventions to encourage behavior change and weight management. The aim of this study was to identify and synthesize the available evidence to gain insights about users' perspectives on factors that affect engagement with digital interventions for weight management. A rapid review methodology was adopted. The search strategy was executed in the following databases: Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they investigated users' engagement with a digital weight management intervention and were published from 2000 onwards. A narrative synthesis of data was performed on all included studies. A total of 11 studies were included in the review. The studies were qualitative, mixed-methods, or randomized controlled trials. Some of the studies explored features influencing engagement when using a Web-based digital intervention, others specifically explored engagement when accessing a mobile phone app, and some looked at engagement after text message (short message service, SMS) reminders. Factors influencing engagement with digital weight management interventions were found to be both user-related (eg, perceived health benefits) and digital intervention-related (eg, ease of use and the provision of personalized information). The findings highlight the importance of incorporating user perspectives during the digital intervention development process to encourage engagement. The review contributes to our understanding of what facilitates user engagement and points toward a coproduction approach for developing digital

The Difficulty of Maintaining Positive Intervention Effects: A Look at Disruptive Behavior, Deviant Peer Relations, and Social Skills During the Middle School Years

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

This paper examines the effects of the Fast Track preventive intervention on youths’ functioning in three domains: disruptive behavior problems, involvement with deviant peers, and social skills during the middle school years. Eight hundred ninety-one children had been randomly assigned by sets of schools within four sites to intervention (n = 445) or to control (n = 446) conditions. In contrast to prior findings of the effectiveness of the Fast Track intervention during the elementary school years, the current findings indicate that Fast Track had little overall impact on children’s functioning in these domains during this age period. There were positive intervention effects on only 2 of 17 outcomes examined. Although the intervention had positive impact on children’s hyperactive and self-reported delinquent behaviors in seventh grade, there were no intervention effects on other externalizing behavior problems or on social skills, and there was a negative intervention effect on children’s involvement with deviant peers during this age period. PMID:24319308

Intervention effects on dietary intake among children by maternal education level: results of the Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study (CoSCIS).

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Jensen, Britt W; von Kappelgaard, Lene M; Nielsen, Birgit M; Husby, Ida; Bugge, Anna; El-Naaman, Bianca; Andersen, Lars B; Trolle, Ellen; Heitmann, Berit L

2015-03-28

Dietary intake among Danish children, in general, does not comply with the official recommendations. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the 3-year effect of a multi-component school-based intervention on nutrient intake in children, and to examine whether an intervention effect depended on maternal education level. A total of 307 children (intervention group: n 184; comparison group: n 123) were included in the present study. All had information on dietary intake pre- and post-intervention (mean age 6·8 and 9·5 years for intervention and comparison groups, respectively) assessed by a 7-d food record. Analyses were conducted based on the daily intake of macronutrients (energy percentage (E%)), fatty acids (E%), added sugar (E%) and dietary fibre (g/d and g/MJ). Analyses were stratified by maternal education level into three categories. Changes in nutrient intake were observed in the intervention group, mainly among children of mothers with a short education ( education (β = -0·8, 95 % CI -1·5, -0·03, P= 0·04). This multi-component school-based intervention resulted in changes in the dietary intake, particularly among children of mothers with a short education. As the dietary intake of this subgroup generally differs most from the recommendations, the results of the present study are particularly encouraging.

Cost-effectiveness of environmental-structural communication interventions for HIV prevention in the female sex industry in the Dominican Republic.

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Sweat, Michael; Kerrigan, Deanna; Moreno, Luis; Rosario, Santo; Gomez, Bayardo; Jerez, Hector; Weiss, Ellen; Barrington, Clare

2006-01-01

Behavior change communication often focuses on individual-level variables such as knowledge, perceived risk, self-efficacy, and behavior. A growing body of evidence suggests, however, that structural interventions to change the policy environment and environmental interventions designed to modify the physical and social environment further bolster impact. Little is known about the cost-effectiveness of such comprehensive intervention programs. In this study we use standard cost analysis methods to examine the incremental cost-effectiveness of two such interventions conducted in the Dominican Republic in sex establishments. In Santo Domingo the intervention was environmental; in Puerto Plata it was both environmental and structural (levying financial sanctions on sex establishment owners who failed to follow the intervention). The interventions in both sites included elements found in more conventional behavior change communication (BCC) programs (e.g., community mobilization, peer education, educational materials, promotional stickers). One key aim was to examine whether the addition of policy regulation was cost-effective. Data for the analysis were gleaned from structured behavioral questionnaires administered to female sex workers and their male regular paying partners in 41 sex establishments conducted pre- and post-intervention (1 year follow-up); data from HIV sentinel surveillance, STI screening results conducted for the intervention; and detailed cost data we collected. We estimated the number of HIV infections averted from each of the two intervention models and converted these estimates to the number of disability life years saved as compared with no intervention. One-way, two-way, three-way, and multivariate sensitivity analysis were conducted on model parameters. We examine a discount rate of 0%, 3% (base case), and 6% for future costs and benefits. The intervention conducted in Santo Domingo (community mobilization, promotional media, and interpersonal

The Effects of an Intervention in Writing with Digital Interactive Books

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Curcic, Svjetlana; Johnstone, Robin S.

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of an intervention in writing with digital interactive books. To improve the writing skills of seventh- and eighth-grade students with a learning disability in reading, we conducted a quasi-experimental study in which the students read interactive digital books (i-books), took notes, wrote summaries, and acted as…

Effects of healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions on feeding practices and dietary intake: A systematic review.

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Matvienko-Sikar, Karen; Toomey, Elaine; Delaney, Lisa; Harrington, Janas; Byrne, Molly; Kearney, Patricia M

2018-04-01

Childhood obesity is a global public health challenge. Parental feeding practices, such as responsive feeding, are implicated in the etiology of childhood obesity. This systematic review aimed to examine of effects of healthcare professional-delivered early feeding interventions, on parental feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes for children up to 2 years. The role of responsive feeding interventions was also specifically examined. Databases searched included: CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Maternity and Infant Care. participants are parents of children ≤2 years; intervention includes focus on early child feeding to prevent overweight and obesity; intervention delivered by healthcare professionals. Sixteen papers, representing 10 trials, met inclusion criteria for review. Six interventions included responsive feeding components. Interventions demonstrated inconsistent effects on feeding practices, dietary intake, and weight outcomes. Findings suggest some reductions in pressure to eat and infant consumption of non-core beverages. Responsive feeding based interventions demonstrate greater improvements in feeding approaches, and weight outcomes. The findings of this review highlight the importance of incorporating responsive feeding in healthcare professional delivered early feeding interventions to prevent childhood obesity. Observed inconsistencies across trials may be explained by methodological limitations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Coaching on the Implementation of Functional Assessment-Based Parent Intervention in Reducing Challenging Behaviors

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Fettig, Angel; Schultz, Tia R.; Sreckovic, Melissa A.

2015-01-01

This study examined the effects of coaching on the implementation of functional assessment--based parent intervention in reducing children's challenging behaviors. A multiple baseline across participants design was used with three parent-child dyads with children between the ages of 2 and 5 years. The intervention consisted of training and delayed…

Improvements in musculoskeletal health and computing behaviors: Effects of a macroergonomics office workplace and training intervention.

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Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng Hsiang; Lee, Jin

2017-07-01

Computer use and its association with musculoskeletal and visual symptoms is an escalating concern. Organizations are shifting to a more proactive injury prevention perspective. Accordingly, a macroergonomics intervention consisting of flexible workplace design and office ergonomics training was designed to examine the effects on worker's computing behaviors, postures, and musculoskeletal discomfort, and their relationship to psychosocial factors. Participants were assigned to either group: 1) no-intervention control 2) flexible Workplace-only (WP-only), and 3) flexible Workplace + Training (WP+T). Observational findings indicate both intervention groups experienced positive, significant changes in improved workstation arrangements and computing postures, with the WP+T intervention group exhibiting a higher, significant change of behavioral translation. Also, significant, positive relationships between observed postures and musculoskeletal discomfort/pain were found. The intervention effect was stronger when management was responsive to workers' ergonomics needs. This study suggests that a macroergonomics intervention can produce beneficial effects for office and computer workers and organizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Parent Engagement on Early Language and Literacy: The Getting Ready Intervention

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Knoche, Lisa L.; Kupzyk, Kevin A.; Edwards, Carolyn Pope; Marvin, Christine A.

2011-01-01

Language and literacy skills established during early childhood are critical for later school success. Parental engagement with children has been linked to a number of adaptive characteristics in preschoolers including language and literacy development, and family-school collaboration is an important contributor to school readiness. This study reports the results of a randomized trial of a parent engagement intervention designed to facilitate school readiness among disadvantaged preschool children, with a particular focus on language and literacy development. Participants included 217 children, 211 parents, and 29 Head Start teachers in 21 schools. Statistically significant differences in favor of the treatment group were observed between treatment and control participants in the rate of change over 2 academic years on teacher reports of children’s language use (d = 1.11), reading (d = 1.25), and writing skills (d = .93). Significant intervention effects on children’s direct measures of expressive language were identified for a subgroup of cases where there were concerns about a child’s development upon entry into preschool. Additionally, other child and family moderators revealed specific variables that influenced the treatment’s effects. PMID:21640249

Inducing a health-promoting change process within an organization: the effectiveness of a large-scale intervention on social capital, openness, and autonomous motivation toward health.

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van Scheppingen, Arjella R; de Vroome, Ernest M M; Ten Have, Kristin C J M; Bos, Ellen H; Zwetsloot, Gerard I J M; van Mechelen, W

2014-11-01

To examine the effectiveness of an organizational large-scale intervention applied to induce a health-promoting organizational change process. A quasi-experimental, "as-treated" design was used. Regression analyses on data of employees of a Dutch dairy company (n = 324) were used to examine the effects on bonding social capital, openness, and autonomous motivation toward health and on employees' lifestyle, health, vitality, and sustainable employability. Also, the sensitivity of the intervention components was examined. Intervention effects were found for bonding social capital, openness toward health, smoking, healthy eating, and sustainable employability. The effects were primarily attributable to the intervention's dialogue component. The change process initiated by the large-scale intervention contributed to a social climate in the workplace that promoted health and ownership toward health. The study confirms the relevance of collective change processes for health promotion.

Life Skills in Educational Contexts: Testing the Effects of an Intervention Programme

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Gomes, A. Rui; Marques, Brazelina

2013-01-01

This study examined the effects of a training programme on students' acquisition of life skills, life satisfaction, life orientation and expectations about academic achievement. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group ("n"?=?41) that took part in a life skills programme, or a control group ("n"?=?43).…

A brief mindfulness intervention reduces unhealthy eating when hungry, but not the portion size effect

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marchiori, D.R.; Papies, E.K.

2014-01-01

Objective: The present research examined the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention to foster healthy eating. Specifically, we tested whether a brief mindfulness manipulation can prevent the portion size effect, and reduce overeating on unhealthy snacks when hungry. Methods: 110 undergraduate

Effect of office ergonomics intervention on reducing musculoskeletal symptoms.

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Amick, Benjamin C; Robertson, Michelle M; DeRango, Kelly; Bazzani, Lianna; Moore, Anne; Rooney, Ted; Harrist, Ron

2003-12-15

Office workers invited and agreeing to participate were assigned to one of three study groups: a group receiving a highly adjustable chair with office ergonomics training, a training-only group, and a control group receiving the training at the end of the study. To examine the effect of office ergonomics intervention in reducing musculoskeletal symptom growth over the workday and, secondarily, pain levels throughout the day. Data collection occurred 2 months and 1 month before the intervention and 2, 6, and 12 months postintervention. During each round, a short daily symptom survey was completed at the beginning, middle, and end of the workday for 5 days during a workweek to measure total bodily pain growth over the workday. Multilevel statistical models were used to test hypotheses. The chair-with-training intervention lowered symptom growth over the workday (P = 0.012) after 12 months of follow-up. No evidence suggested that training alone lowered symptom growth over the workday (P = 0.461); however, average pain levels in both intervention groups were reduced over the workday. Workers who received a highly adjustable chair and office ergonomics training had reduced symptom growth over the workday. The lack of a training-only group effect supports implementing training in conjunction with highly adjustable office furniture and equipment to reduce symptom growth. The ability to reduce symptom growth has implications for understanding how to prevent musculoskeletal injuries in knowledge workers.

Effectiveness of a workplace-based intervention program to promote mental health among employees in privately owned enterprises in China.

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Sun, Jing; Buys, Nicholas; Wang, Xinchao

2013-12-01

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a workplace-based intervention program to improve mental health, work ability, and work productivity in privately owned enterprises in China. A prospective cohort intervention study design was employed in which the intervention program was implemented for 30 months (from July 2009 to December 2012). Nine privately owned retail enterprises in China participated in the intervention study. Researchers administered a self-report survey to 2768 employees. The research team measured participants' job stress, resilience, work ability, absenteeism, depression, and work performance. A comprehensive Health Promotion Enterprise Program was implemented that entailed the following components: policies to support a healthy work environment, psychosocial interventions to promote mental health, provision of health services to people with mental illness, and professional skills training to deal with stress and build resilience. Analysis of variance was used to examine preintervention versus postintervention differences in stress, resilience, and work ability. Logistic regression was used to examine absenteeism related to depression. The results suggest that the intervention program was effective at improving participants' ability to work, their sense of control over their jobs, and, in particular, their ability to meet the mental demands of work. The intervention program also reduced participants' job stress levels and reduced the probability of absenteeism related to depression. The intervention programs incorporating both individual-level and organizational-level factors to promote mental health were effective and have implications for both practice and policy regarding enterprises taking more responsibility for the provision of mental health services to their employees.

Sensory-Based Intervention for Children with Behavioral Problems: A Systematic Review

Science.gov (United States)

Wan Yunus, Farahiyah; Liu, Karen P.; Bissett, Michelle; Penkala, Stefania

2015-01-01

Sensory-based intervention is a common approach used to address behavioral problems in children. Types of sensory-based intervention for children and details of the intervention effectiveness have not been systematically examined. This review examined the effectiveness and ideal types of sensory-based interventions for children with behavioral…

Effects of physical exercise interventions in frail older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

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de Labra, Carmen; Guimaraes-Pinheiro, Christyanne; Maseda, Ana; Lorenzo, Trinidad; Millán-Calenti, José C

2015-12-02

Low physical activity has been shown to be one of the most common components of frailty, and interventions have been considered to prevent or reverse this syndrome. The purpose of this systematic review of randomized, controlled trials is to examine the exercise interventions to manage frailty in older people. The PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched using specific keywords and Medical Subject Headings for randomized, controlled trials published during the period of 2003-2015, which enrolled frail older adults in an exercise intervention program. Studies where frailty had been defined were included in the review. A narrative synthesis approach was performed to examine the results. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro scale) was used to assess the methodological quality of the selected studies. Of 507 articles, nine papers met the inclusion criteria. Of these, six included multi-component exercise interventions (aerobic and resistance training not coexisting in the intervention), one included physical comprehensive training, and two included exercises based on strength training. All nine of these trials included a control group receiving no treatment, maintaining their habitual lifestyle or using a home-based low level exercise program. Five investigated the effects of exercise on falls, and among them, three found a positive impact of exercise interventions on this parameter. Six trials reported the effects of exercise training on several aspects of mobility, and among them, four showed enhancements in several measurements of this outcome. Three trials focused on the effects of exercise intervention on balance performance, and one demonstrated enhanced balance. Four trials investigated functional ability, and two showed positive results after the intervention. Seven trials investigated the effects of exercise intervention on muscle strength, and five of them reported increases; three trials

A season-long team-building intervention: examining the effect of team goal setting on cohesion.

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Senécal, Julie; Loughead, Todd M; Bloom, Gordon A

2008-04-01

The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the implementation of a season-long team-building intervention program using team goal setting increased perceptions of cohesion. The participants were 86 female high school basketball players from 8 teams. The teams were randomly assigned to either an experimental team goal-setting or control condition. Each participant completed the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ; Carron, Brawley, & Widmeyer, 2002; Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), which assessed cohesion at both the beginning and end of the season. Overall, the results revealed a significant multivariate effect, Pillai's trace F(12, 438) = 2.68, p = .002. Post hoc analyses showed that at the beginning of the season, athletes from both conditions did not differ in their perceptions of cohesion. However, at the end of the season, athletes in the team goal-setting condition held higher perceptions of cohesion than athletes in the control condition. Overall, the results indicated that team goal setting was an effective team-building tool for influencing cohesiveness in sport teams.

Cost effectiveness of medication adherence-enhancing interventions: a systematic review of trial-based economic evaluations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oberje, E.J.M.; Kinderen, de R.J.A.; Evers, S.M.A.A.; Woerkum, van C.M.J.; Bruin, de M.

2013-01-01

Background In light of the pressure to reduce unnecessary healthcare expenditure in the current economic climate, a systematic review that assesses evidence of cost effectiveness of adherence-enhancing interventions would be timely. Objective Our objective was to examine the cost effectiveness of

Relationship between Therapists' Knowledge about Divorce Effects and Marital Therapy Intervention Preferences.

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Levengood, Jan; And Others

The effects of divorce on children have been greatly disputed among therapists. Since the perceived harmfulness of divorce may affect how marital counseling is done, this study examined how therapists' beliefs about divorce consequences are related to their intervention preferences. A two-part questionnaire was devised to be administered to…

Outcomes of the Smoker's Health Project: A Pragmatic Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Tobacco-Dependence Interventions Based on Self-Determination Theory

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Williams, Geoffrey C.; Niemiec, Christopher P.; Patrick, Heather; Ryan, Richard M.; Deci, Edward L.

2016-01-01

A pragmatic comparative effectiveness trial examined whether extending the duration of a cost-effective, intensive tobacco-dependence intervention designed to support autonomy will facilitate long-term tobacco abstinence. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three tobacco-dependence interventions based on self-determination theory,…

Feasibility and Effectiveness of a Web-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Working Mothers.

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Mailey, Emily L; Huberty, Jennifer; Irwin, Brandon C

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based intervention to promote physical activity and self-worth among working mothers. Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to receive a standard web-based intervention or an enhanced intervention that included group dynamics strategies to promote engagement. The 8-week intervention was guided by self-determination theory. Each week, participants were instructed to complete 3 tasks: listen to a podcast related to well-being, complete a workbook assignment, and communicate with other participants on a discussion board. Participants in the enhanced condition received an additional weekly task to enhance group cohesion. Data were collected at baseline, week 8, and week 16. Physical activity (P working mothers. Group dynamics strategies only minimally enhanced user engagement, and future studies are needed to optimize web-based intervention designs.

Effectiveness of medical interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Stegenga, Jacob

2015-12-01

To be effective, a medical intervention must improve one's health by targeting a disease. The concept of disease, though, is controversial. Among the leading accounts of disease-naturalism, normativism, hybridism, and eliminativism-I defend a version of hybridism. A hybrid account of disease holds that for a state to be a disease that state must both (i) have a constitutive causal basis and (ii) cause harm. The dual requirement of hybridism entails that a medical intervention, to be deemed effective, must target either the constitutive causal basis of a disease or the harms caused by the disease (or ideally both). This provides a theoretical underpinning to the two principle aims of medical treatment: care and cure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a Brief Intervention Using Process-Based Mental Simulations in Promoting Muscular Strength in Physical Education

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Koka, Andre

2017-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a brief theory-based intervention on muscular strength among adolescents in a physical education setting. The intervention adopted a process-based mental simulation technique. The self-reported frequency of practising for and actual levels of abdominal muscular strength/endurance as one component of…

Explaining the effects of a multifaceted intervention to improve inpatient care in rural Kenyan hospitals -- interpretation based on retrospective examination of data from participant observation, quantitative and qualitative studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

English Mike

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We have reported the results of a cluster randomized trial of rural Kenyan hospitals evaluating the effects of an intervention to introduce care based on best-practice guidelines. In parallel work we described the context of the study, explored the process and perceptions of the intervention, and undertook a discrete study on health worker motivation because this was felt likely to be an important contributor to poor performance in Kenyan public sector hospitals. Here, we use data from these multiple studies and insights gained from being participants in and observers of the intervention process to provide our explanation of how intervention effects were achieved as part of an effort to better understand implementation in low-income hospital settings. Methods Initial hypotheses were generated to explain the variation in intervention effects across place, time, and effect measure (indicator based on our understanding of theory and informed by our implementation experience and participant observations. All data sources available for hospitals considered as cases for study were then examined to determine if hypotheses were supported, rejected, or required modification. Data included transcriptions of interviews and group discussions, field notes and that from the detailed longitudinal quantitative investigation. Potentially useful explanatory themes were identified, discussed by the implementing and research team, revised, and merged as part of an iterative process aimed at building more generic explanatory theory. At the end of this process, findings were mapped against a recently reported comprehensive framework for implementation research. Results A normative re-educative intervention approach evolved that sought to reset norms and values concerning good practice and promote 'grass-roots' participation to improve delivery of correct care. Maximal effects were achieved when this strategy and external support supervision helped

Explaining the effects of a multifaceted intervention to improve inpatient care in rural Kenyan hospitals--interpretation based on retrospective examination of data from participant observation, quantitative and qualitative studies.

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English, Mike; Nzinga, Jacinta; Mbindyo, Patrick; Ayieko, Philip; Irimu, Grace; Mbaabu, Lairumbi

2011-12-02

We have reported the results of a cluster randomized trial of rural Kenyan hospitals evaluating the effects of an intervention to introduce care based on best-practice guidelines. In parallel work we described the context of the study, explored the process and perceptions of the intervention, and undertook a discrete study on health worker motivation because this was felt likely to be an important contributor to poor performance in Kenyan public sector hospitals. Here, we use data from these multiple studies and insights gained from being participants in and observers of the intervention process to provide our explanation of how intervention effects were achieved as part of an effort to better understand implementation in low-income hospital settings. Initial hypotheses were generated to explain the variation in intervention effects across place, time, and effect measure (indicator) based on our understanding of theory and informed by our implementation experience and participant observations. All data sources available for hospitals considered as cases for study were then examined to determine if hypotheses were supported, rejected, or required modification. Data included transcriptions of interviews and group discussions, field notes and that from the detailed longitudinal quantitative investigation. Potentially useful explanatory themes were identified, discussed by the implementing and research team, revised, and merged as part of an iterative process aimed at building more generic explanatory theory. At the end of this process, findings were mapped against a recently reported comprehensive framework for implementation research. A normative re-educative intervention approach evolved that sought to reset norms and values concerning good practice and promote 'grass-roots' participation to improve delivery of correct care. Maximal effects were achieved when this strategy and external support supervision helped create a soft-contract with senior managers clarifying

Effect of local cultural context on the success of community-based conservation interventions.

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Waylen, Kerry A; Fischer, Anke; McGowan, Philip J K; Thirgood, Simon J; Milner-Gulland, E J

2010-08-01

Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict success or failure. To date, there has been little systematic investigation of the effect of social and cultural context on conservation success, although a large body of literature argues it is important. We investigated whether local cultural context, particularly local institutions and the efforts of interventions to engage with this culture significantly influence conservation outcomes. We also tested the effects of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration. We systematically reviewed the literature on community-based conservation and identified 68 interventions suitable for inclusion. We used a protocol to extract and code information and evaluated a range of measures of outcome success (attitudinal, behavioral, ecological, and economic). We also examined the association of each predictor with each outcome measure and the structure of predictor covariance. Local institutional context influenced intervention outcomes, and interventions that engaged with local institutions were more likely to succeed. Nevertheless, there was limited support for the role of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration on intervention success. We recommend that conservation interventions seek to understand the societies they work with and tailor their activities accordingly. Systematic reviews are a valuable approach for assessing conservation evidence, although sensitive to the continuing lack of high-quality reporting on conservation interventions.

Short-term effects of the "Together at School" intervention program on children's socio-emotional skills: a cluster randomized controlled trial.

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Kiviruusu, Olli; Björklund, Katja; Koskinen, Hanna-Leena; Liski, Antti; Lindblom, Jallu; Kuoppamäki, Heini; Alasuvanto, Paula; Ojala, Tiina; Samposalo, Hanna; Harmes, Nina; Hemminki, Elina; Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Sund, Reijo; Santalahti, Päivi

2016-05-26

Together at School is a universal intervention program designed to promote socio-emotional skills among primary-school children. It is based on a whole school approach, and implemented in school classes by teachers. The aim of the present study is to examine the short-term effects of the intervention program in improving socio-emotional skills and reducing psychological problems among boys and girls. We also examine whether these effects depend on grade level (Grades 1 to 3) and intervention dosage. This cluster randomized controlled trial design included 79 Finnish primary schools (40 intervention and 39 control) with 3 704 children. The outcome measures were the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Multisource Assessment of Social Competence Scale (MASCS) with teachers as raters. The intervention dosage was indicated by the frequencies six central tools were used by the teachers. The data was collected at baseline and 6 months later. Intervention effects were analyzed using multilevel modeling. When analyzed across all grades no intervention effect was observed in improving children's socio-emotional skills or in reducing their psychological problems at 6-month follow-up. Among third (compared to first) graders the intervention decreased psychological problems. Stratified analyses by gender showed that this effect was significant only among boys and that among them the intervention also improved third graders' cooperation skills. Among girls the intervention effects were not moderated by grade. Implementing the intervention with intended intensity (i.e. a high enough dosage) had a significant positive effect on cooperation skills. When analyzed separately among genders, this effect was significant only in girls. These first, short-term results of the Together at School intervention program did not show any main effects on children's socio-emotional skills or psychological problems. This lack of effects may be due to the relatively short follow

Effect of a ball skill intervention on children's ball skills and cognitive functions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westendorp-Haverdings, Marieke; Houwen, Suzanne; Hartman, Esther; Mombarg, Remo; Smith, Joanne; Visscher, Chris

Purpose: This study examined the effect of a 16-wk ball skill intervention on the ball skills, executive functioning (in terms of problem solving and cognitive flexibility), and in how far improved executive functioning leads to improved reading and mathematics performance of children with learning

EFFECTS OF A SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTION ON BMI AND MOTOR ABILITIES IN CHILDHOOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Graf

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Obesity in childhood is increasing worldwide. To combat overweight and obesity in childhood, the school-based Children's Health InterventionaL Trial (CHILT project combines health education and physical activity. This paper examines the effect of intervention on the body mass index (BMI and motor abilities after 20.8 ± 1.0 months in 12 randomly selected primary schools compared with 5 randomly selected control schools. The anthropometric data were assessed, BMI was calculated. Coordination was determined by lateral jumping and endurance performance by a 6-minute run. No difference in the prevalence of overweight and obesity was found between the intervention (IS and control schools (CS either at baseline or following intervention (each p > 0.05. The increase in the number of lateral jumps was significantly higher in the IS than in the CS (p < 0.001. For the 6-minute run the increase in distance run was significantly improved in IS (p = 0.020. All variables were controlled for gender and age. Overweight and obese children in both IS and CS produced significantly lower scores in coordination and endurance tasks than normal and underweight children during both examinations (each p < 0.001, adjusted for gender and age. Preventive intervention in primary schools offers an effective means to improve motor skills in childhood and to break through the vicious circle of physical inactivity - motor deficits - frustration - increasing inactivity possibly combined with an excess energy intake and weight gain. To prevent overweight and obesity these measures have to be intensified

Support to Military or Humanitarian Counterterrorism Interventions: The Effect of Interpersonal and Intergroup Attitudes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefano Passini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Recently, new interest in terrorism and psychological factors related to supporting the war on terrorism has been growing in the field of psychology. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of various socio-political attitudes on the level of agreement with military and humanitarian counterterrorism interventions. 270 Italian participants responded to a news article concerning measures against terrorism. Half of the participants read an article regarding a military intervention while the other half read about a humanitarian intervention. They then evaluated the other type of intervention. Results showed that military intervention was supported by people with high authoritarian, dominant, ethnocentric attitudes and by people who attach importance to both positive and negative reciprocity norms. Instead, none of these variables was correlated with humanitarian intervention. Finally, there was a considerable influence of media on the acceptance of both interventions.

Protocol for a systematic review of the effects of schools and school-environment interventions on health: evidence mapping and syntheses.

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Bonell, Chris; Harden, Angela; Wells, Helene; Jamal, Farah; Fletcher, Adam; Petticrew, Mark; Thomas, James; Whitehead, Margaret; Campbell, Rona; Murphy, Simon; Moore, Laurence

2011-06-09

Schools may have important effects on students' and staff's health. Rather than treating schools merely as sites for health education, 'school-environment' interventions treat schools as settings which influence health. Evidence concerning the effects of such interventions has not been recently synthesised. Systematic review aiming to map and synthesise evidence on what theories and conceptual frameworks are most commonly used to inform school-environment interventions or explain school-level influences on health; what effects school-environment interventions have on health/health inequalities; how feasible and acceptable are school-environment interventions; what effects other school-level factors have on health; and through what processes school-level influences affect health.We will examine interventions aiming to promote health by modifying schools' physical, social or cultural environment via actions focused on school policies and practices relating to education, pastoral care and other aspects of schools beyond merely providing health education. Participants are staff and students age 4-18 years.We will review published research unrestricted by language, year or source. Searching will involve electronic databases including Embase, ERIC, PubMed, PsycInfo and Social Science Citation Index using natural-language phrases plus reference/citation checking.Stage 1 will map studies descriptively by focus and methods. Stage 2 will involve additional inclusion criteria, quality assessment and data extraction undertaken by two reviewers in parallel. Evidence will be synthesised narratively and statistically where appropriate (undertaking subgroup analyses and meta-regression and where no significant heterogeneity of effect sizes is found, pooling these to calculate a final effect size). We anticipate: finding a large number of studies missed by previous reviews; that non-intervention studies of school effects examine a greater breadth of determinants than are addressed

Exercise habituation is effective for improvement of periodontal disease status: a prospective intervention study.

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Omori, Shoei; Uchida, Fumihiko; Oh, Sechang; So, Rina; Tsujimoto, Takehiko; Yanagawa, Toru; Sakai, Satoshi; Shoda, Junichi; Tanaka, Kiyoji; Bukawa, Hiroki

2018-01-01

Periodontal disease is closely related to lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. It is widely known that moderate exercise habits lead to improvement in lifestyle-related diseases and obesity. However, little research has been undertaken into how exercise habits affect periodontal disease. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of exercise habits on periodontal diseases and metabolic pathology. We conducted a prospective intervention research for 12 weeks. The subjects were 71 obese men who participated in an exercise and/or dietary intervention program. Fifty subjects were assigned to exercise interventions (exercise intervention group) and 21 subjects were assigned to dietary interventions (dietary intervention group). This research was conducted before and after each intervention program. In the exercise intervention group, the number of teeth with a probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥4 mm significantly decreased from 14.4% to 5.6% ( P periodontal disease-causing bacteria and PPD and BOP. Our results are the first to show that exercise might contribute to improvements in periodontal disease.

Contrasting Causal Effects of Workplace Interventions.

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Izano, Monika A; Brown, Daniel M; Neophytou, Andreas M; Garcia, Erika; Eisen, Ellen A

2018-07-01

Occupational exposure guidelines are ideally based on estimated effects of static interventions that assign constant exposure over a working lifetime. Static effects are difficult to estimate when follow-up extends beyond employment because their identifiability requires additional assumptions. Effects of dynamic interventions that assign exposure while at work, allowing subjects to leave and become unexposed thereafter, are more easily identifiable but result in different estimates. Given the practical implications of exposure limits, we explored the drivers of the differences between static and dynamic interventions in a simulation study where workers could terminate employment because of an intermediate adverse health event that functions as a time-varying confounder. The two effect estimates became more similar with increasing strength of the health event and outcome relationship and with increasing time between health event and employment termination. Estimates were most dissimilar when the intermediate health event occurred early in employment, providing an effective screening mechanism.

Cost effectiveness of tobacco control policies in Vietnam: the case of population-level interventions.

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Higashi, Hideki; Truong, Khoa D; Barendregt, Jan J; Nguyen, Phuong K; Vuong, Mai L; Nguyen, Thuy T; Hoang, Phuong T; Wallace, Angela L; Tran, Tien V; Le, Cuong Q; Doran, Christopher M

2011-05-01

Tobacco smoking is one of the leading public health problems in the world. It is also possible to prevent and/or reduce the harm from tobacco use through the use of cost-effective tobacco control measures. However, most of this evidence comes from developed countries and little research has been conducted on this issue in developing countries. The objective of this study was to analyse the cost effectiveness of four population-level tobacco control interventions in Vietnam. Four tobacco control interventions were evaluated: excise tax increase; graphic warning labels on cigarette packs; mass media campaigns; and smoking bans (in public or in work places). A multi-state life table model was constructed in Microsoft® Excel to examine the cost effectiveness of the tobacco control intervention options. A government perspective was adopted, with costing conducted using a bottom-up approach. Health improvement was considered in terms of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted. All assumptions were subject to sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. All the interventions fell within the definition of being very cost effective according to the threshold level suggested by the WHO (i.e. place smoking bans. If the cost offset was included in the analysis, all interventions would provide cost savings to the government health sector. All four interventions to reduce the harm from tobacco use appear to be highly cost effective and should be considered as priorities in the context of Vietnam. The government may initially consider graphic warning labels and tax increase, followed by other interventions.

Examining diffusion to understand the how of SASA!, a violence against women and HIV prevention intervention in Uganda.

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Starmann, Elizabeth; Heise, Lori; Kyegombe, Nambusi; Devries, Karen; Abramsky, Tanya; Michau, Lori; Musuya, Tina; Watts, Charlotte; Collumbien, Martine

2018-05-11

A growing number of complex public health interventions combine mass media with community-based "change agents" and/or mobilisation efforts acting at multiple levels. While impact evaluations are important, there is a paucity of research into the more nuanced roles intervention and social network factors may play in achieving intervention outcomes, making it difficult to understand how different aspects of the intervention worked (or did not). This study applied aspects of diffusion of innovations theory to explore how SASA!, a community mobilisation approach for preventing HIV and violence against women, diffused within intervention communities and the factors that influenced the uptake of new ideas and behaviours around intimate partner relationships and violence. This paper is based on a qualitative study of couples living in SASA communities and secondary analysis of endline quantitative data collected as part of a cluster randomised control trial designed to evaluate the impact of the SASA! The primary trial was conducted in eight communities in Kampala, Uganda between 2007 and 2012. The secondary analysis of follow up survey data used multivariate logistic regression to examine associations between intervention exposure and interpersonal communication, and relationship change (n = 928). The qualitative study used in-depth interviews (n = 20) and framework analysis methods to explore the intervention attributes that facilitated engagement with the intervention and uptake of new ideas and behaviours in intimate relationships. We found communication materials and mid media channels generated awareness and knowledge, while the concurrent influence from interpersonal communication with community-based change agents and social network members more frequently facilitated changes in behaviour. The results indicate combining community mobilisation components, programme content that reflects peoples' lives and direct support through local change agents can

Evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention program to influence attitudes of students towards peers with disabilities.

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de Boer, Anke; Pijl, Sip Jan; Minnaert, Alexander; Post, Wendy

2014-03-01

In this study we examine the effectiveness of an intervention program to influence attitudes of elementary school students towards peers with intellectual, physical and severe physical and intellectual disabilities. A quasi-experimental longitudinal study was designed with an experimental group and a control group, both comprising two rural schools. An intervention program was developed for kindergarten (n(experimental) = 22, n(control) = 31) and elementary school students without disabilities (n(experimental) = 91, n(control) = 127) (age range 4-12 years old). This intervention consisted of a 3 weeks education project comprising six lessons about disabilities. The Acceptance Scale for Kindergarten-revised and the Attitude Survey to Inclusive Education were used to measure attitudes at three moments: prior to the start of the intervention, after the intervention and 1 year later. The outcomes of the multilevel analysis showed positive, immediate effects on attitudes of kindergarten students, but limited effects on elementary school students' attitudes.

Overweight and obesity: effectiveness of interventions in adults.

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Gómez Puente, Juana María; Martínez-Marcos, Mercedes

To identify the most effective interventions in overweight and obese adults. A narrative review through a search of the literature in databases PubMed, Cochrane, Joanna Briggs Institute, EMBASE, Cuiden y Cinahl with free and controlled language (MeSH terms) using Boolean operators AND and NOT. The research was limited to articles published between 2007 and 2015. Eighteen articles were selected based on the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Different types of interventions were identified based on the modification of lifestyles, mainly diet, physical activity and behavior. Major differences were found in specific content, degree of intensity of interventions, time tracking and elements evaluated. Most of studies found statistically significant weight loss but this was limited in terms of weight and number of people. Web-based interventions have no uniform effect on weight loss but achieve similar levels to face-to-face interventions in maintaining weight loss. The combination of personalised diet, exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy is the most effective form of intervention in overweight and obesity. There is insufficient data to indicate whether group or individual interventions are more effective. Online intervention allows greater accessibility and lower cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The effect of distal utility value intervention for students’ learning

OpenAIRE

KERA, Masaki; NAKAYA, Motoyuki

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a utility value intervention influenced students’motivation and performance. Specifically, we examined the effect of distal utility value (i.e., the recognition of content usefulness for skill development that can improve daily and future endeavors) instruction in this study.Fifty-one Japanese undergraduate students completed an experimental session in the laboratory, in which they performed a series of logical reasoning problem-solving tasks...

Influence on working hours among shift workers and effects on sleep quality - An intervention study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Garde, Anne Helene; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Aust, Birgit

2011-01-01

in the high intensity group (p effects of interventions on sleep quality were observed. Thus, sleep quality was not improved by increasing work time influence in the present group of Danish elder care workers. This was partly due to program failure (failed intervention), but may also be due......The aim of the present intervention study was to examine if increased influence on working hours among shift workers led to better sleep quality. 391 employees were categorized into groups based on the performed activities: High (self-rostering), moderate (education and/or policy for working hours...

Examining the Efficacy of a Time Management Intervention for High School Students. Research Report. ETS RR-13-25

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Burrus, Jeremy; Jackson, Teresa; Holtzman, Steven; Roberts, Richard D.; Mandigo, Terri

2013-01-01

The current paper reports the results of 2 quasiexperimental studies conducted to examine the efficacy of a new time management intervention designed for high school students. In both studies, there was no difference between the treatment and control groups in improvement in self-reported time management skills as a result of the intervention.…

The Effectiveness of Psychoeducational Interventions Focused on Sexuality in Cancer.

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Kim, Jung-Hee; Yang, Younghee; Hwang, Eun-Suk

2015-01-01

Although sexual health is a common concern for oncology patients, no practical guidelines to sexual intervention exist, perhaps because of a lack of systematic reviews or meta-analyses. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect size for psychoeducational intervention focused on sexuality and to compare effect sizes according to intervention outcomes and characteristic. We explored quantitative evidence for the effects of sexual intervention for cancer patients or partners by using the electronic databases. Among them, we considered 15 eligible articles. The meta-analysis provided 133 effect sizes from 15 primary studies. The analysis revealed significant improvements after intervention, with a random-effects standardized mean difference of 0.75. Psychoeducational interventions focused on sexuality after cancer diagnosis were effective for compliance (2.40), cognitive aspect (1.29), and psychological aspect (0.83). Individual-based interventions (0.85) were more effective in improving outcomes than group approach and group combined with individual intervention. With regard to intervention providers, registered nurse only (2.22) and team approach including the registered nurse (2.38) had the highest effect size. Face-to-face intervention combined with telephone or the Internet (1.04) demonstrated a higher effect size than face-to-face (0.62) and telephone (0.58) independently. We conducted an analysis of data from various subgroups of preexisting studies, obtained an overall estimate of the effectiveness of the intervention, and compared its effectiveness across variables that affect intervention outcomes. These results provide empirical data for evidence-based practice and inform the development of useful intervention programs through a comprehensive review and meta-analysis of the results.

Consumer Acceptance of Population-Level Intervention Strategies for Healthy Food Choices: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness and Perceived Fairness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Colin Bos

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The present study investigates acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie snack choices that vary regarding the effect they have on consumers’ freedom of choice (providing information, guiding choice through (disincentives, and restricting choice. We examine the mediating effects of perceived effectiveness and perceived fairness, and the moderating effects of barriers to choose low-calorie snacks and perceived responsibility for food choice. Data was collected through an online survey, involving three waves that were completed over a seven week timespan. Information was collected on barriers and perceived responsibility, and evaluations of a total of 128 intervention strategies with varying levels of intrusiveness that were further systematically varied in terms of source, location, approach/avoidance, type, and severity. A total of 1173 respondents completed all three waves. We found that the effect of intervention intrusiveness on acceptance was mediated by the perceived personal- and societal effectiveness, and the perceived fairness of interventions. For barriers and perceived responsibility, only main effects on intervention-specific beliefs were found. Government interventions were accepted less than interventions by food manufacturers. In conclusion, the present study shows that acceptance of interventions depends on perceptions of personal- and societal effectiveness and fairness, thereby providing novel starting points for increasing acceptance of both existing and new food choice interventions.

Consumer Acceptance of Population-Level Intervention Strategies for Healthy Food Choices: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness and Perceived Fairness

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Bos, Colin; Van Der Lans, Ivo; Van Rijnsoever, Frank; Van Trijp, Hans

2015-01-01

The present study investigates acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie snack choices that vary regarding the effect they have on consumers’ freedom of choice (providing information, guiding choice through (dis)incentives, and restricting choice). We examine the mediating effects of perceived effectiveness and perceived fairness, and the moderating effects of barriers to choose low-calorie snacks and perceived responsibility for food choice. Data was collected through an online survey, involving three waves that were completed over a seven week timespan. Information was collected on barriers and perceived responsibility, and evaluations of a total of 128 intervention strategies with varying levels of intrusiveness that were further systematically varied in terms of source, location, approach/avoidance, type, and severity. A total of 1173 respondents completed all three waves. We found that the effect of intervention intrusiveness on acceptance was mediated by the perceived personal- and societal effectiveness, and the perceived fairness of interventions. For barriers and perceived responsibility, only main effects on intervention-specific beliefs were found. Government interventions were accepted less than interventions by food manufacturers. In conclusion, the present study shows that acceptance of interventions depends on perceptions of personal- and societal effectiveness and fairness, thereby providing novel starting points for increasing acceptance of both existing and new food choice interventions. PMID:26389949

Consumer Acceptance of Population-Level Intervention Strategies for Healthy Food Choices: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness and Perceived Fairness.

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Bos, Colin; Lans, Ivo Van Der; Van Rijnsoever, Frank; Van Trijp, Hans

2015-09-15

The present study investigates acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie snack choices that vary regarding the effect they have on consumers' freedom of choice (providing information, guiding choice through (dis)incentives, and restricting choice). We examine the mediating effects of perceived effectiveness and perceived fairness, and the moderating effects of barriers to choose low-calorie snacks and perceived responsibility for food choice. Data was collected through an online survey, involving three waves that were completed over a seven week timespan. Information was collected on barriers and perceived responsibility, and evaluations of a total of 128 intervention strategies with varying levels of intrusiveness that were further systematically varied in terms of source, location, approach/avoidance, type, and severity. A total of 1173 respondents completed all three waves. We found that the effect of intervention intrusiveness on acceptance was mediated by the perceived personal- and societal effectiveness, and the perceived fairness of interventions. For barriers and perceived responsibility, only main effects on intervention-specific beliefs were found. Government interventions were accepted less than interventions by food manufacturers. In conclusion, the present study shows that acceptance of interventions depends on perceptions of personal- and societal effectiveness and fairness, thereby providing novel starting points for increasing acceptance of both existing and new food choice interventions.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Health Promotion Intervention Program Among Physiotherapy Undergraduate Students

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Korn, Liat; Ben-Ami, Noa; Azmon, Michal; Einstein, Ofira; Lotan, Meir

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a health promotion (HP) intervention program among physiotherapy undergraduate students in an academic institution by examining pre- and post-intervention health perceptions and behaviors compared to a control group (non-physiotherapy students). Participants completed questionnaires on their health perceptions and behaviors at T1 (April 2009–May 2009) before the intervention program was initiated, and at T2 (April 2015–May 2015) after the intervention program was implemented for several years. At T1, 1,087 undergraduate students, including 124 physiotherapy students, participated. At T2, 810 undergraduate students, including 133 physiotherapy students participated. Self-reported health-related perceptions and behaviors were compared in the study group (physiotherapy students) over time (T1 versus T2), and between the study group and the control group (non-physiotherapy students) pre-intervention (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Findings showed more positive perceptions and behaviors at T2 compared to T1 in the study group (51.0% at T2 versus 35.2% at T1; p<0.05). There was no significant difference at T2 compared to T1 in health perceptions reported by the control group (37.8% at T2 versus 32.8% at T1; non-significant difference). Our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention program. PMID:28735335

Evaluating the Effects of Function-Based Interventions With Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing Students.

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Gann, Candace J; Gaines, Sarah E; Antia, Shirin D; Umbreit, John; Liaupsin, Carl J

2015-07-01

This study examined the effectiveness of function-based interventions with students who are deaf or hard of hearing (D/HH). The participants were 3 elementary-aged males attending a center school for the deaf who exhibited chronic off-task behaviors throughout the school day. This study was conducted across 2 phases: (a) a descriptive functional behavior assessment (FBA) was conducted for each participant and (b) individualized function-based interventions were developed based on the results of the FBAs, followed by the implementation of the interventions in each classroom using a single-subject, ABAB reversal design. The function-based interventions significantly improved each participant's on-task behavior in his classroom environment. Furthermore, social validity ratings by each teacher revealed that the interventions were effective, easy to implement, and appropriate for each participant. Implications for application of the procedures used in this study with the D/HH population, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-based interventions on physiological and psychological complications in adults with diabetes: A systematic review.

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Noordali, Farhan; Cumming, Jennifer; Thompson, Janice L

2017-07-01

This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness of Mindfulness-based interventions in reducing diabetes-related physiological and psychological symptoms in adults with types 1 and 2 diabetes. Five databases were systematically searched. A total of 11 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. Mindfulness-based intervention effectiveness for physiological outcomes (glycaemic control and blood pressure) was mixed. Mindfulness-based interventions appear to have psychological benefits reducing depression, anxiety and distress symptoms across several studies. Studies' short-term follow-up periods may not allow sufficient time to observe physiological changes or illustrate Mindfulness-based interventions' potential long-term efficacy. More long-term studies that include a consistent, standardised set of outcome measures are required.

Effects of a Classroom-Based Pre-Literacy Intervention for Preschoolers with Communication Disorders

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Currier, Alyssa R.

2013-01-01

Children with communication disorders are often at risk of literacy difficulties, especially students that present with autism and/or speech sound disorders. This quasi-experimental study was designed to examine the effects of a 10-week "hybrid" intervention for preschool students with and without communication disorders in an integrated…

Effectiveness of interventions to improve the health and housing status of homeless people: a rapid systematic review.

OpenAIRE

Fitzpatrick-Lewis, D; Ganann, R; Krishnaratne, S; Ciliska, D; Kouyoumdjian, F; Hwang, SW

2011-01-01

Abstract Background Research on interventions to positively impact health and housing status of people who are homeless has received substantially increased attention over the past 5 years. This rapid review examines recent evidence regarding interventions that have been shown to improve the health of homeless people, with particular focus on the effect of these interventions on housing status. Methods A total of 1,546 articles were identified by a structured search of five electronic databas...

Effectiveness of information and communication technologies interventions to increase mental health literacy: A systematic review.

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Tay, Jing Ling; Tay, Yi Fen; Klainin-Yobas, Piyanee

2018-06-13

Most mental health conditions affect adolescent and young adults. The onset of many mental disorders occurs in the young age. This is a critical period to implement interventions to enhance mental health literacy (MHL) and to prevent the occurrence of mental health problems. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of information and communication technologies interventions on MHL (recognition of conditions, stigma and help-seeking). The authors searched for both published and unpublished studies. Nineteen studies were included with 9 randomized controlled trials and 10 quasi-experimental studies. Informational interventions were useful to enhance MHL of less-known disorders such as anxiety disorder and anorexia, but not depression. Interventions that were effective in enhancing depression MHL comprised active component such as videos or quizzes. Interventions that successfully elevated MHL also reduced stigma. Elevated MHL levels did not improve help-seeking, and reduction in stigma levels did not enhance help-seeking behaviours. Future good quality, large-scale, multi-sites randomized controlled trials are necessary to evaluate MHL interventions. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effects of a 3-year intervention: The Copenhagen School Child Intervention Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bugge, Anna; El-Naaman, Bianca; Dencker, Magnus

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION: This study assessed short and long term effects of a 3-year controlled school-based physical activity (PA) intervention on fatness, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in children. METHODS: The study involved 18 schools (10 intervention...

Well-Being on Campus: Testing the Effectiveness of an Online Strengths-Based Intervention for First Year College Students

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Koydemir, Selda; Sun-Selisik, Z. Eda

2016-01-01

The present research examined the effectiveness of an 8-week online strengths-based intervention in promoting subjective and psychological well-being of first year university students. The intervention was composed of five modules pertaining to (a) finding and cultivating on character strengths, (b) regulation of emotions and increasing positive…

Empirical evidence of bias in treatment effect estimates in controlled trials with different interventions and outcomes: meta-epidemiological study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wood, L.; Egger, M.; Gluud, L.L.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the association of inadequate or unclear allocation concealment and lack of blinding with biased estimates of intervention effects varies with the nature of the intervention or outcome. DESIGN: Combined analysis of data from three meta-epidemiological studies based o...

Early intervention in panic: randomized controlled trial and cost-effectiveness analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

van Balkom Anton

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Panic disorder (PD is a common, severe and persistent mental disorder, associated with a high degree of distress and occupational and social disability. A substantial proportion of the population experiences subthreshold and mild PD and is at risk of developing a chronic PD. A promising intervention, aimed at preventing panic disorder onset and reducing panic symptoms, is the 'Don't Panic' course. It consists of eight sessions of two hours each. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of this early intervention – based on cognitive behavioural principles – on the reduction of panic disorder symptomatology. We predict that the experimental condition show superior clinical and economic outcomes relative to a waitlisted control group. Methods/design A pragmatic, pre-post, two-group, multi-site, randomized controlled trial of the intervention will be conducted with a naturalistic follow-up at six months in the intervention group. The participants are recruited from the general population and are randomized to the intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention is offered by community mental health centres. Included are people over 18 years of age with subthreshold or mild panic disorder, defined as having symptoms of PD falling below the cut-off of 13 on the Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR. Primary outcomes are panic disorder and panic symptoms. Secondary outcomes are symptoms of agoraphobia, anxiety, cognitive aspects of panic disorder, depressive symptoms, mastery, health-related quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. We will examine the following variables as potential mediators: cognitive aspects of panic disorder, symptoms of agoraphobia, anxiety and mastery. Potential moderating variables are: socio-demographic characteristics, panic disorder, agoraphobia, treatment credibility and mastery. Discussion This study was designed to evaluate the (cost effectiveness of an

When life gives you lemons: The effectiveness of culinary group intervention among cancer patients.

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Barak-Nahum, Ayelet; Haim, Limor Ben; Ginzburg, Karni

2016-10-01

Previous studies have shown that the dietary habits of cancer patients and survivors have significant implications for their recovery and quality of life. The current study examined the effectiveness of an innovative culinary group intervention on cancer patients' quality of life through changes in their eating behaviors, as manifested by an increase in their tendency towards intuitive eating and healthy food choices. In total, 190 cancer patients participated in this study, and were allocated to an intervention or a wait-list control group. A battery of self-report questionnaires assessing food choices, intuitive eating, health-related quality of life, and subjective well-being was administered at two time points: Before the intervention (T1) and at the end of the three month intervention (T2). Analyses revealed an increase in health-related quality of life and well-being among the intervention group. Intuitive eating and healthy food choices also increased among the intervention but not wait-list control group. Finally, results indicated that participation in the culinary group intervention and improvements in health-related quality of life and well-being were mediated by changes in eating behaviors. Our findings demonstrate that nutrition and eating behaviors have a significant effect on cancer patients' physical and emotional adjustment. A culinary group intervention seems to target patients' physical and emotional needs and promote their adjustment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of interventions to promote help-seeking for mental health problems: systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Xu, Ziyan; Huang, Fangfang; Kösters, Markus; Staiger, Tobias; Becker, Thomas; Thornicroft, Graham; Rüsch, Nicolas

2018-06-01

Help-seeking is important to access appropriate care and improve mental health. However, individuals often delay or avoid seeking help for mental health problems. Interventions to improve help-seeking have been developed, but their effectiveness is unclear. A systematic review and meta-analysis were therefore conducted to examine the effectiveness of mental health related help-seeking interventions. Nine databases in English, German and Chinese were searched for randomised and non-randomised controlled trials. Effect sizes were calculated for attitudes, intentions and behaviours to seek formal, informal and self-help. Ninety-eight studies with 69 208 participants were included. Interventions yielded significant short-term benefits in terms of formal help-seeking, self-help, as well as mental health literacy and personal stigma. There were also positive long-term effects on formal help-seeking behaviours. The most common intervention types were strategies to increase mental health literacy, destigmatisation (both had positive short-term effects on formal help-seeking behaviours) as well as motivational enhancement (with positive long-term effects on formal help-seeking behaviours). Interventions improved formal help-seeking behaviours if delivered to people with or at risk of mental health problems, but not among children, adolescents or the general public. There was no evidence that interventions increased the use of informal help. Few studies were conducted in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of help-seeking interventions in terms of improving attitudes, intentions and behaviours to seek formal help for mental health problems among adults. Future research should develop effective interventions to improve informal help-seeking, for specific target groups and in LMICs settings.

Examination of an antecedent communication intervention to reduce tangibly maintained challenging behavior: A controlled analog analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

O'Reilly, M.F.; Fragale, C.; Gainey, S.; Kang, S.Y.; Koch, H.; Shubert, J.; El Zein, F.; Longino, D.; Chung, M.; Xu, Z.W.; White, P.J.; Lang, R.B.; Davis, T.; Rispoli, M.; Lancioni, G.E.; Didden, H.C.M.; Healy, O.; Kagohara, D.; Meer, L. van der; Sigafoos, J.

2012-01-01

We examined the influence of an antecedent communication intervention on challenging behavior for three students with developmental disorders. Students were taught to request tangible items that were identified as reinforcers for challenging behavior in a prior functional analysis. individual

The effects of perioperative music interventions in pediatric surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.J.E. Van Der Heijden (Marianne J. E.); S.O. Araghi (Sadaf Oliai); M. Van Dijk (Monique); J. Jeekel (Johannes); M.G.M. Hunink (Myriam)

2015-01-01

textabstractObjective: Music interventions are widely used, but have not yet gained a place in guidelines for pediatric surgery or pediatric anesthesia. In this systematic review and meta-analysis we examined the effects of music interventions on pain, anxiety and distress in children undergoing

Reasons for Testing Mediation in the Absence of an Intervention Effect: A Research Imperative in Prevention and Intervention Research.

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O'Rourke, Holly P; MacKinnon, David P

2018-03-01

Mediation models are used in prevention and intervention research to assess the mechanisms by which interventions influence outcomes. However, researchers may not investigate mediators in the absence of intervention effects on the primary outcome variable. There is emerging evidence that in some situations, tests of mediated effects can be statistically significant when the total intervention effect is not statistically significant. In addition, there are important conceptual and practical reasons for investigating mediation when the intervention effect is nonsignificant. This article discusses the conditions under which mediation may be present when an intervention effect does not have a statistically significant effect and why mediation should always be considered important. Mediation may be present in the following conditions: when the total and mediated effects are equal in value, when the mediated and direct effects have opposing signs, when mediated effects are equal across single and multiple-mediator models, and when specific mediated effects have opposing signs. Mediation should be conducted in every study because it provides the opportunity to test known and replicable mediators, to use mediators as an intervention manipulation check, and to address action and conceptual theory in intervention models. Mediators are central to intervention programs, and mediators should be investigated for the valuable information they provide about the success or failure of interventions.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Clinical Childhood Obesity Intervention.

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Sharifi, Mona; Franz, Calvin; Horan, Christine M; Giles, Catherine M; Long, Michael W; Ward, Zachary J; Resch, Stephen C; Marshall, Richard; Gortmaker, Steven L; Taveras, Elsie M

2017-11-01

To estimate the cost-effectiveness and population impact of the national implementation of the Study of Technology to Accelerate Research (STAR) intervention for childhood obesity. In the STAR cluster-randomized trial, 6- to 12-year-old children with obesity seen at pediatric practices with electronic health record (EHR)-based decision support for primary care providers and self-guided behavior-change support for parents had significantly smaller increases in BMI than children who received usual care. We used a microsimulation model of a national implementation of STAR from 2015 to 2025 among all pediatric primary care providers in the United States with fully functional EHRs to estimate cost, impact on obesity prevalence, and cost-effectiveness. The expected population reach of a 10-year national implementation is ∼2 million children, with intervention costs of $119 per child and $237 per BMI unit reduced. At 10 years, assuming maintenance of effect, the intervention is expected to avert 43 000 cases and 226 000 life-years with obesity at a net cost of $4085 per case and $774 per life-year with obesity averted. Limiting implementation to large practices and using higher estimates of EHR adoption improved both cost-effectiveness and reach, whereas decreasing the maintenance of the intervention's effect worsened the former. A childhood obesity intervention with electronic decision support for clinicians and self-guided behavior-change support for parents may be more cost-effective than previous clinical interventions. Effective and efficient interventions that target children with obesity are necessary and could work in synergy with population-level prevention strategies to accelerate progress in reducing obesity prevalence. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The effect of mere measurement from a cardiovascular examination program on physical activity and sedentary time in an adult population.

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Voigt, Lisa; Baumann, Sophie; Ullrich, Antje; Weymar, Franziska; John, Ulrich; Ulbricht, Sabina

2018-01-01

Measuring physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) by self-report or device as well as assessing related health factors may alter those behaviors. Thus, in intervention trials assessments may bias intervention effects. The aim of our study was to examine whether leisure-time PA, transport-related PA, and overall ST measured via self-report vary after assessments and whether a brief tailored letter intervention has an additional effect. Among a sample of subjects with no history of myocardial infarction, stroke, or vascular intervention, a number of 175 individuals participated in a study comprising multiple repeated assessments. Of those, 153 were analyzed (mean age 54.5 years, standard deviation = 6.2; 64% women). At baseline, participants attended a cardiovascular examination (standardized measurement of blood pressure and waist circumference, blood sample taking) and wore an accelerometer for seven days. At baseline and after 1, 6, and 12 months, participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. A random subsample received a tailored counseling letter intervention at month 1, 3, and 4. Changes in PA and ST from baseline to 12-month follow-up were analyzed using random-effects modelling. From baseline to 1-month assessment, leisure-time PA did not change (Incidence rate ratio = 1.13, p  = .432), transport-related PA increased (Incidence rate ratio = 1.45, p  = .023), and overall ST tended to decrease (b = - 1.96, p  = .060). Further, overall ST decreased from month 6 to month 12 (b = - 0.52, p  = .037). Time trends of the intervention group did not differ significantly from those of the assessment-only group. Results suggest an effect of measurements on PA and ST. Data of random-effects modelling results revealed an increase of transport-related PA after baseline to 1-month assessment. Decreases in overall ST may result from repeated assessments. A brief tailored letter intervention seemed to

Effects of the KEEP Foster Parent Intervention on Child and Sibling Behavior Problems and Parental Stress During a Randomized Implementation Trial.

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Price, Joseph M; Roesch, Scott; Walsh, Natalia E; Landsverk, John

2015-07-01

Children in foster care are at risk for externalizing behavior problems, which can in turn increase the risk of changes in foster care placement. The KEEP (Keeping Foster Parents Trained and Supported) foster parent training intervention was designed to equip foster parents with strategies for managing externalizing behavior problems. The primary goals of this investigation were to (a) examine the effectiveness of the KEEP intervention in reducing child behavior problems, as delivered by a community agency; (b) determine if the effects of the KEEP intervention generalize to more than one child in the same home; and (c) examine the effectiveness of the KEEP intervention in reducing parental stress associated with child behavior problems. The data from 335 foster and kinship families with children between the ages of 5 and 12 years were analyzed to address these objectives. Families were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition. The results indicated that the KEEP intervention was effective in reducing child behavior problems when delivered by a community agency. These results expanded prior research on the KEEP intervention, revealing that the intervention was effective in reducing the behavior problems of more than one child in the same household and in reducing parental stress levels associated with the behavioral issues of the focal child. Thus, the KEEP intervention model holds promise for reducing the behavior problems of children in foster care and reducing stress levels of foster and kinship caregivers as it is disseminated and implemented within similar child welfare settings.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a multifactorial fall prevention intervention in older home care clients at risk for falling.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaranuwatchai, Wanrudee; Perdrizet, Johnna; Markle-Reid, Maureen; Hoch, Jeffrey S

2017-09-01

Falls among older adults can cause serious morbidity and pose economic burdens on society. Older age is a known risk factor for falls and age has been shown to influence the effectiveness of fall prevention programs. To our knowledge, no studies have explicitly investigated whether cost-effectiveness of a multifactorial fall prevention intervention (the intervention) is influenced by age. This economic evaluation explores: 1) the cost-effectiveness of a multifactorial fall prevention intervention compared to usual care for community-dwelling adults ≥ 75 years at risk of falling in Canada; and 2) the influence of age on the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Net benefit regression was used to examine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention with willingness-to-pay values ranging from $0-$50,000. Effects were measured as change in the number of falls, from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Costs were measured using a societal perspective. The cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted for both the total sample and by age subgroups (75-84 and 85+ years). For the total sample, the intervention was not economically attractive. However, the intervention was cost-effective at higher willingness-to-pay (WTP) (≥ $25,000) for adults 75-84 years and at lower WTP (cost-effectiveness of the intervention depends on age and decision makers' WTP to prevent falls. Understanding the influence of age on the cost-effectiveness of an intervention may help to target resources to those who benefit most. Retrospectively registered. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00463658 (18 April 2007).

Lives Saved Tool (LiST) costing: a module to examine costs and prioritize interventions.

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Bollinger, Lori A; Sanders, Rachel; Winfrey, William; Adesina, Adebiyi

2017-11-07

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require careful allocation of resources in order to achieve the highest impact. The Lives Saved Tool (LiST) has been used widely to calculate the impact of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) interventions for program planning and multi-country estimation in several Lancet Series commissions. As use of the LiST model increases, many have expressed a desire to cost interventions within the model, in order to support budgeting and prioritization of interventions by countries. A limited LiST costing module was introduced several years ago, but with gaps in cost types. Updates to inputs have now been added to make the module fully functional for a range of uses. This paper builds on previous work that developed an initial version of the LiST costing module to provide costs for MNCH interventions using an ingredients-based costing approach. Here, we update in 2016 the previous econometric estimates from 2013 with newly-available data and also include above-facility level costs such as program management. The updated econometric estimates inform percentages of intervention-level costs for some direct costs and indirect costs. These estimates add to existing values for direct cost requirements for items such as drugs and supplies and required provider time which were already available in LiST Costing. Results generated by the LiST costing module include costs for each intervention, as well as disaggregated costs by intervention including drug and supply costs, labor costs, other recurrent costs, capital costs, and above-service delivery costs. These results can be combined with mortality estimates to support prioritization of interventions by countries. The LiST costing module provides an option for countries to identify resource requirements for scaling up a maternal, neonatal, and child health program, and to examine the financial impact of different resource allocation strategies. It can be a useful tool for

Lives Saved Tool (LiST costing: a module to examine costs and prioritize interventions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lori A. Bollinger

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will require careful allocation of resources in order to achieve the highest impact. The Lives Saved Tool (LiST has been used widely to calculate the impact of maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH interventions for program planning and multi-country estimation in several Lancet Series commissions. As use of the LiST model increases, many have expressed a desire to cost interventions within the model, in order to support budgeting and prioritization of interventions by countries. A limited LiST costing module was introduced several years ago, but with gaps in cost types. Updates to inputs have now been added to make the module fully functional for a range of uses. Methods This paper builds on previous work that developed an initial version of the LiST costing module to provide costs for MNCH interventions using an ingredients-based costing approach. Here, we update in 2016 the previous econometric estimates from 2013 with newly-available data and also include above-facility level costs such as program management. The updated econometric estimates inform percentages of intervention-level costs for some direct costs and indirect costs. These estimates add to existing values for direct cost requirements for items such as drugs and supplies and required provider time which were already available in LiST Costing. Results Results generated by the LiST costing module include costs for each intervention, as well as disaggregated costs by intervention including drug and supply costs, labor costs, other recurrent costs, capital costs, and above-service delivery costs. These results can be combined with mortality estimates to support prioritization of interventions by countries. Conclusions The LiST costing module provides an option for countries to identify resource requirements for scaling up a maternal, neonatal, and child health program, and to examine the financial impact of different

The effect of faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay smokers.

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Ismail, Suriani; Abdul Rahman, Hejar; Abidin, Emelia Zainal; Isha, Ahmad Sharul Nizam; Abu Bakar, Sallehuddin; Zulkifley, Nur Aishah; Fuad, Ahmad Farhan Ahmad

2016-01-01

Objectives: To study the effects of a faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay male smokers working in public offices. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted during Ramadan 2015. The intervention was developed based on the constructs within the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The intervention intended to increase the intention and the perceived behaviour control to stop smoking among Muslim smokers during Ramadan. The outcomes measured were changes in the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence score and saliva cotinine levels. Data were collected at baseline (5 days before Ramadan), during Ramadan (21st day of Ramadan) and post-Ramadan (21 days after Ramadan). Statistical tests to examine changes within and between groups were carried out and the significance level was set at p  Ramadan, the saliva cotinine level decreased significantly in both groups ( p  = 0.001 in the control group and p  = Ramadan, it remained significant only in the intervention group ( p  = 0.025). A significant change between the groups was only noticed during Ramadan ( p  = 0.049). Conclusion: The reduction in the saliva cotinine level was found to be more sustainable post-Ramadan in the intervention group. This finding could indicate the positive effect of using this culturally-competent intervention to encourage smoking cessation during Ramadan.

Follow-Up Study of the Effects of a Supplemental Early Reading Intervention on the Reading/Disability Risk of Urban Primary Learners

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Cartledge, Gwendolyn; Yurick, Amanda; Singh, Angella Harjani; Keyes, Starr E.; Kourea, Lefki

2011-01-01

Early intervention to mitigate special education and reading risk is especially critical for low socioeconomic and minority learners. This study examined the lasting effects of an early reading intervention package of phonemic awareness on the reading skills of 38 second-grade students one and two years after intervention ended. The participants…

Adolescents' Communication with Parents, Other Adult Family Members and Teachers on Sexuality: Effects of School-Based Interventions in South Africa and Tanzania.

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Namisi, Francis; Aarø, Leif Edvard; Kaaya, Sylvia; Kajula, Lusajo J; Kilonzo, Gad P; Onya, Hans; Wubs, Annegreet; Mathews, Catherine

2015-12-01

Cluster-randomized controlled trials were carried out to examine effects on sexual practices of school-based interventions among adolescents in three sites in sub-Saharan Africa. In this publication, effects on communication about sexuality with significant adults (including parents) and such communication as a mediator of other outcomes were examined. Belonging to the intervention group was significantly associated with fewer reported sexual debuts in Dar es Salaam only (OR 0.648). Effects on communication with adults about sexuality issues were stronger for Dar es Salaam than for the other sites. In Dar, increase in communication with adults proved to partially mediate associations between intervention and a number of social cognition outcomes. The hypothesized mediational effect of communication on sexual debut was not confirmed. Promoting intergenerational communication on sexuality issues is associated with several positive outcomes and therefore important. Future research should search for mediating factors influencing behavior beyond those examined in the present study.

[Evidence-based effectiveness of road safety interventions: a literature review].

Science.gov (United States)

Novoa, Ana M; Pérez, Katherine; Borrell, Carme

2009-01-01

Only road safety interventions with scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness should be implemented. The objective of this study was to identify and summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of road safety interventions in reducing road traffic collisions, injuries and deaths. All literature reviews published in scientific journals that assessed the effectiveness of one or more road safety interventions and whose outcome measure was road traffic crashes, injuries or fatalities were included. An exhaustive search was performed in scientific literature databases. The interventions were classified according to the evidence of their effectiveness in reducing road traffic injuries (effective interventions, insufficient evidence of effectiveness, ineffective interventions) following the structure of the Haddon matrix. Fifty-four reviews were included. Effective interventions were found before, during and after the collision, and across all factors: a) the individual: the graduated licensing system (31% road traffic injury reduction); b) the vehicle: electronic stability control system (2 to 41% reduction); c) the infrastructure: area-wide traffic calming (0 to 20%), and d) the social environment: speed cameras (7 to 30%). Certain road safety interventions are ineffective, mostly road safety education, and others require further investigation. The most successful interventions are those that reduce or eliminate the hazard and do not depend on changes in road users' behavior or on their knowledge of road safety issues. Interventions based exclusively on education are ineffective in reducing road traffic injuries.

Lessons learned: the effect of prior technology use on Web-based interventions.

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Carey, Joanne C; Wade, Shari L; Wolfe, Christopher R

2008-04-01

This study examined the role of regular prior technology use in treatment response to an online family problem-solving (OFPS) intervention and an Internet resource intervention (IRI) for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Participants were 150 individuals in 40 families of children with TBI randomly assigned to OFPS intervention or an IRI. All families received free computers and Internet access to TBI resources. OFPS families received Web-based sessions and therapist-guided synchronous videoconferences focusing on problem solving, communication skills, and behavior management. All participants completed measures of depression, anxiety, and computer usage. OFPS participants rated treatment satisfaction, therapeutic alliance, and Web site and technology comfort. With the OFPS intervention, depression and anxiety improved significantly more among technology using parents (n = 14) than nontechnology users (n = 6). Technology users reported increasing comfort with technology over time, and this change was predictive of depression at followup. Satisfaction and ease-of-use ratings did not differ by technology usage. Lack of regular prior home computer usage and nonadherence were predictive of anxiety at followup. The IRI was not globally effective. However, controlling for prior depression, age, and technology at work, there was a significant effect of technology at home for depression. Families with technology experience at home (n = 11) reported significantly greater improvements in depression than families without prior technology experience at home (n = 8). Although Web-based OFPS was effective in improving caregiver functioning, individuals with limited computer experience may benefit less from an online intervention due to increased nonadherence.

Effectiveness of two interventions in preventing traffic accidents: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Porchia, B R; Baldasseroni, A; Dellisanti, C; Lorini, C; Bonaccorsi, G

2014-01-01

materials, lamps, flashing lights and retroreflective materials) have the potential to increase visibility and enable drivers to detect pedestrians and cyclists earlier. The two interventions seem to be effective, but further examinations are needed to measure long-term effects. It is necessary to provide feasible studies in local context to estimate the impact of introduction of GDL programs or of some of their components and to improve interventions to increase visibility of pedestrians and cyclists.

The job crafting intervention: effects on job resources, self-efficacy, and affective well-being

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Heuvel, M.; Demerouti, E.; Peeters, M.C.W.

2015-01-01

This quasi-experimental field study examines the effects of an intervention designed to boost job resources, affective well-being, and self-efficacy via job crafting behaviour. Employees (n = 39) in a Dutch police district received a 1-day training, after which they worked towards self-set crafting

The job crafting intervention : Effects on job resources, self-efficacy, and affective well-being

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Heuvel, Machteld; Demerouti, Evangelia; Peeters, Maria|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/07487893X

2015-01-01

This quasi-experimental field study examines the effects of an intervention designed to boost job resources, affective well-being, and self-efficacy via job crafting behaviour. Employees (n = 39) in a Dutch police district received a 1-day training, after which they worked towards self-set crafting

The effectiveness of interventions targeting the stigma of mental illness at the workplace: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanisch, Sabine E; Twomey, Conal D; Szeto, Andrew C H; Birner, Ulrich W; Nowak, Dennis; Sabariego, Carla

2016-01-06

The majority of people experiencing mental-health problems do not seek help, and the stigma of mental illness is considered a major barrier to seeking appropriate treatment. More targeted interventions (e.g. at the workplace) seem to be a promising and necessary supplement to public campaigns, but little is known about their effectiveness. The aim of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the evidence on the effectiveness of interventions targeting the stigma of mental illness at the workplace. Sixteen studies were included after the literature review. The effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions at the workplace was assessed by examining changes in: (1) knowledge of mental disorders and their treatment and recognition of signs/symptoms of mental illness, (2) attitudes towards people with mental-health problems, and (3) supportive behavior. The results indicate that anti-stigma interventions at the workplace can lead to improved employee knowledge and supportive behavior towards people with mental-health problems. The effects of interventions on employees' attitudes were mixed, but generally positive. The quality of evidence varied across studies. This highlights the need for more rigorous, higher-quality evaluations conducted with more diverse samples of the working population. Future research should explore to what extent changes in employees' knowledge, attitudes, and supportive behavior lead to affected individuals seeking help earlier. Such investigations are likely to inform important stakeholders about the potential benefits of current workplace anti-stigma interventions and provide guidance for the development and implementation of effective future interventions.

The Effect of the Extinction Procedure in Function-Based Intervention

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Janney, Donna M.; Umbreit, John; Ferro, Jolenea B.; Liaupsin, Carl J.; Lane, Kathleen L.

2013-01-01

In this study, we examined the contribution of the extinction procedure in function-based interventions implemented in the general education classrooms of three at-risk elementary-aged students. Function-based interventions included antecedent adjustments, reinforcement procedures, and function-matched extinction procedures. Using a combined ABC…

Cost-effectiveness of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Information on cost-effectiveness of interventions to treat schizophrenia can assist health policy decision making, particularly given the lack of health resources in developing countries like Thailand. This study aims to determine the optimal treatment package, including drug and non-drug interventions, for schizophrenia in Thailand. Methods A Markov model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of typical antipsychotics, generic risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine and family interventions. Health outcomes were measured in disability adjusted life years. We evaluated intervention benefit by estimating a change in disease severity, taking into account potential side effects. Intervention costs included outpatient treatment costs, hospitalization costs as well as time and travel costs of patients and families. Uncertainty was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation. A sensitivity analysis of the expected range cost of generic risperidone was undertaken. Results Generic risperidone is more cost-effective than typicals if it can be produced for less than 10 baht per 2 mg tablet. Risperidone was the cheapest treatment with higher drug costs offset by lower hospital costs in comparison to typicals. The most cost-effective combination of treatments was a combination of risperidone (dominant intervention). Adding family intervention has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 1,900 baht/DALY with a 100% probability of a result less than a threshold for very cost-effective interventions of one times GDP or 110,000 baht per DALY. Treating the most severe one third of patients with clozapine instead of risperidone had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 320,000 baht/DALY with just over 50% probability of a result below three times GDP per capita. Conclusions There are good economic arguments to recommend generic risperidone as first line treatment in combination with family intervention. As the uncertainty interval indicates the addition of clozapine

Cost-effectiveness of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vos Theo

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Information on cost-effectiveness of interventions to treat schizophrenia can assist health policy decision making, particularly given the lack of health resources in developing countries like Thailand. This study aims to determine the optimal treatment package, including drug and non-drug interventions, for schizophrenia in Thailand. Methods A Markov model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of typical antipsychotics, generic risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine and family interventions. Health outcomes were measured in disability adjusted life years. We evaluated intervention benefit by estimating a change in disease severity, taking into account potential side effects. Intervention costs included outpatient treatment costs, hospitalization costs as well as time and travel costs of patients and families. Uncertainty was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation. A sensitivity analysis of the expected range cost of generic risperidone was undertaken. Results Generic risperidone is more cost-effective than typicals if it can be produced for less than 10 baht per 2 mg tablet. Risperidone was the cheapest treatment with higher drug costs offset by lower hospital costs in comparison to typicals. The most cost-effective combination of treatments was a combination of risperidone (dominant intervention. Adding family intervention has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 1,900 baht/DALY with a 100% probability of a result less than a threshold for very cost-effective interventions of one times GDP or 110,000 baht per DALY. Treating the most severe one third of patients with clozapine instead of risperidone had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 320,000 baht/DALY with just over 50% probability of a result below three times GDP per capita. Conclusions There are good economic arguments to recommend generic risperidone as first line treatment in combination with family intervention. As the uncertainty interval indicates

Cost-effectiveness of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Phanthunane, Pudtan; Vos, Theo; Whiteford, Harvey; Bertram, Melanie

2011-05-13

Information on cost-effectiveness of interventions to treat schizophrenia can assist health policy decision making, particularly given the lack of health resources in developing countries like Thailand. This study aims to determine the optimal treatment package, including drug and non-drug interventions, for schizophrenia in Thailand. A Markov model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of typical antipsychotics, generic risperidone, olanzapine, clozapine and family interventions. Health outcomes were measured in disability adjusted life years. We evaluated intervention benefit by estimating a change in disease severity, taking into account potential side effects. Intervention costs included outpatient treatment costs, hospitalization costs as well as time and travel costs of patients and families. Uncertainty was evaluated using Monte Carlo simulation. A sensitivity analysis of the expected range cost of generic risperidone was undertaken. Generic risperidone is more cost-effective than typicals if it can be produced for less than 10 baht per 2 mg tablet. Risperidone was the cheapest treatment with higher drug costs offset by lower hospital costs in comparison to typicals. The most cost-effective combination of treatments was a combination of risperidone (dominant intervention). Adding family intervention has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 1,900 baht/DALY with a 100% probability of a result less than a threshold for very cost-effective interventions of one times GDP or 110,000 baht per DALY. Treating the most severe one third of patients with clozapine instead of risperidone had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of 320,000 baht/DALY with just over 50% probability of a result below three times GDP per capita. There are good economic arguments to recommend generic risperidone as first line treatment in combination with family intervention. As the uncertainty interval indicates the addition of clozapine may be dominated and there are serious

Reductions in Negative Parenting Practices Mediate the Effect of a Family-School Intervention for Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Booster, Genery D.; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Nissley-Tsiopinis, Jenelle; Van Dyke, Devin; Power, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

Accumulating research has identified family behavioral interventions as an empirically supported psychosocial treatment for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The mechanisms behind the effectiveness of these interventions, however, have been less well studied. The current study examined possible mediators of improvement…

A randomized multifactorial intervention study for prevention of ischaemic heart disease (Inter99): the long-term effect on physical activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

von Huth Smith, Lisa; Ladelund, Steen; Borch-Johnsen, Knut

2008-01-01

, group B, n=1,308) were invited for a health examination, an assessment of absolute risk of developing IHD, and an individualized lifestyle intervention. The participation rate was 52.5%. High-risk persons in group A were also offered diet/physical activity and/or smoking cessation group counselling....... High-risk persons in group B were referred to their GP. High-risk persons were re-counselled after 12 and 36 months. The control group (group C, n=5,264, response rate=61.3%) answered a mailed questionnaire. Data were analysed using longitudinal linear regression models with random effects. MAIN......AIM: To examine the effect of a randomized multiple risk factor intervention study for prevention of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) on the development in physical activity over a 36-month period. METHODS: Two random samples (high intensity intervention, group A, n=11,708; low intensity intervention...

A randomized multifactorial intervention study for prevention of ischaemic heart disease (Inter99): The long-term effect on physical activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smith, L.V.H.; Ladelund, S.; Borch-Johnsen, K.

2008-01-01

, group B, n=1,308) were invited for a health examination, an assessment of absolute risk of developing IHD, and an individualized lifestyle intervention. The participation rate was 52.5%. High-risk persons in group A were also offered diet/physical activity and/or smoking cessation group counselling....... High-risk persons in group B were referred to their GP. High-risk persons were re-counselled after 12 and 36 months. The control group (group C, n=5,264, response rate=61.3%) answered a mailed questionnaire. Data were analysed using longitudinal linear regression models with random effects. MAIN......AIM: To examine the effect of a randomized multiple risk factor intervention study for prevention of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) on the development in physical activity over a 36-month period. METHODS: Two random samples (high intensity intervention, group A, n=11,708; low intensity intervention...

FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model, Version 1.1-Report for FY 2014 Interventions - Analysis Brief

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-01

The Carrier Intervention Effectiveness Model (CIEM) provides the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) with a tool for measuring the safety benefits of carrier interventions conducted under the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) e...

Perceived Effectiveness of Elder Abuse Interventions in Psychological Distress and the Design of Culturally Adapted Interventions: A Qualitative Study in the Chinese Community in Chicago

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XinQi Dong

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This qualitative study examines US Chinese older adults’ views on the perceived effectiveness, challenges, and cultural adaptations of elder abuse interventions to psychological distress in the Chinese community in Chicago. A community-based participatory research approach was implemented to partner with the Chinese community. A total of 37 community-dwelling Chinese older adults (age 60+ participated in focus group discussions. Data analysis was based on grounded theory framework. Our findings suggest that older adults perceived social support, empowerment, and community-based interventions design as most effective to promote psychological well-being of victims. The perceived preferences were similar between elder abuse victims and non-victims. Strategies to culturally adapt evidence-based interventions were proposed with respect to nurturing filial piety values, familial integrations, and increased independence. Research and educational outreach initiatives were also discussed. This study has wide policy and practice implications for designing and deploying interventions to reduce psychological distress with respect to elder abuse outcome. Cultural relevancy of health interventions is important in the context of the Chinese communities. Collective federal, state, and community efforts are needed to support the culturally appropriate design and implementation of interventions suitable for the needs of the Chinese older adults.

Examining behavioral processes through which lifestyle interventions promote weight loss: results from PREMIER.

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Fitzpatrick, Stephanie L; Bandeen-Roche, Karen; Stevens, Victor J; Coughlin, Janelle W; Rubin, Richard R; Brantley, Phillip J; Funk, Kristine L; Svetkey, Laura P; Jerome, Gerald J; Dalcin, Arlene; Charleston, Jeanne; Appel, Lawrence J

2014-04-01

To examine the behavioral processes through which lifestyle interventions impacted weight loss. The analyses were limited to overweight and obese Black and White adults randomized to a PREMIER lifestyle intervention (N = 501). Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the direct and indirect relationships of session attendance, days of self-monitoring diet and exercise, change in diet composition and exercise, and 6-month weight change. Greater session attendance was associated with increased self-monitoring, which was in turn significantly related to reduction in percent energy from total fat consumed. Change in percent energy from fat and self-monitoring was associated with 6-month percent change in weight. Both a decrease in fat intake and increase in self-monitoring are potential mediators of the relationship between attendance and weight change. The findings provide a reasonable model that suggests regular session attendance and use of behavioral strategies like self-monitoring are associated with improved behavioral outcomes that are associated with weight loss. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

The Effects of College Students' Positive Thinking, Learning Motivation and Self-Regulation through a Self-Reflection Intervention in Taiwan

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Wang, Hsin-Hui; Chen, Hsiang-Ting; Lin, Huann-Shyang; Hong, Zuway-R

2017-01-01

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of a self-reflection intervention on college (college in this article refers to university-level education) students' positive thinking, learning motivation and self-regulation in Taiwan. One hundred and two college students were selected to participate in an 18-week intervention forming the…

Examination of an Antecedent Communication Intervention to Reduce Tangibly Maintained Challenging Behavior: A Controlled Analog Analysis

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O'Reilly, Mark; Fragale, Christina; Gainey, Summer; Kang, Soyeon; Koch, Heather; Shubert, Jennifer; El Zein, Farah; Longino, Deanna; Chung, Moon; Xu, Ziwei; White, Pamela; Lang, Russell; Davis, Tonya; Rispoli, Mandy; Lancioni, Giulio; Didden, Robert; Healy, Olive; Kagohara, Deborah; van der Meer, Larah; Sigafoos, Jeff

2012-01-01

We examined the influence of an antecedent communication intervention on challenging behavior for three students with developmental disorders. Students were taught to request tangible items that were identified as reinforcers for challenging behavior in a prior functional analysis. Individual participant multielement and reversal designs were used…

Systematic review of reviews of intervention components associated with increased effectiveness in dietary and physical activity interventions

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Evans Philip H

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To develop more efficient programmes for promoting dietary and/or physical activity change (in order to prevent type 2 diabetes it is critical to ensure that the intervention components and characteristics most strongly associated with effectiveness are included. The aim of this systematic review of reviews was to identify intervention components that are associated with increased change in diet and/or physical activity in individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched for systematic reviews of interventions targeting diet and/or physical activity in adults at risk of developing type 2 diabetes from 1998 to 2008. Two reviewers independently selected reviews and rated methodological quality. Individual analyses from reviews relating effectiveness to intervention components were extracted, graded for evidence quality and summarised. Results Of 3856 identified articles, 30 met the inclusion criteria and 129 analyses related intervention components to effectiveness. These included causal analyses (based on randomisation of participants to different intervention conditions and associative analyses (e.g. meta-regression. Overall, interventions produced clinically meaningful weight loss (3-5 kg at 12 months; 2-3 kg at 36 months and increased physical activity (30-60 mins/week of moderate activity at 12-18 months. Based on causal analyses, intervention effectiveness was increased by engaging social support, targeting both diet and physical activity, and using well-defined/established behaviour change techniques. Increased effectiveness was also associated with increased contact frequency and using a specific cluster of "self-regulatory" behaviour change techniques (e.g. goal-setting, self-monitoring. No clear relationships were found between effectiveness and intervention setting, delivery mode, study population or delivery provider. Evidence on long

Psychological interventions used to reduce sports injuries: a systematic review of real-world effectiveness.

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Gledhill, Adam; Forsdyke, Dale; Murray, Eliot

2018-02-20

To systematically review studies examining the role of psychological interventions in injury prevention. The primary research question was: What is the real-world effectiveness of psychological intervention in preventing sports injuries? Mixed methods systematic review with best evidence synthesis. CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Science Direct and PubMed. Randomised controlled trials (RCT), non-RCTs that included a comparison group, before and after study designs and qualitative methods. Studies were required to outline specific unimodal or multimodal psychological interventions used in relation to injury prevention in the real-world setting. Studies were independently appraised with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Thirteen papers (incorporating 14 studies) met the eligibility criteria, of which 93% (13/14) reported a decrease in injury rates (effect size range=0.2-1.21). There was an overall moderate risk of bias in reporting (52%). There is a dominance of stress management-based interventions in literature due to the prominence of the model of stress and athletic injury within the area. Psychological interventions demonstrate small (0.2) to large (1.21) effects on sports injury rates. The research area demonstrates a cumulative moderate risk in reporting bias (52%). CRD42016035879. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Assessment of medical staff radiation doses received in some interventional examination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oenal, E.

2006-03-01

The aim of this work is to suggest a simple method for the estimation of cardiologist extremity doses. The extremity and effective doses The extremity and effective doses of nine cardiologists working at five different angiographic units were measured for 157 interventional examinations. Simultaneous measurement of patient doses were also carried out using a DAP meter separately for each projection. Fluoroscopy time (T f l), number of radiographic frames (N) were recorded on-line during these measurements. A Rando phantom was exposed at similar projections with patient studies and one minute of fluoroscopic exposure (D 1 50 n T f l n ) and one frame of radiographic exposure (D 1 50 n N n ) were determined for each projection. Scatter radiations from these exposures were also measured at 50, 100 and 150 cm above the floor level at the cardiologist positions for the estimation of legs, wrists and thyroid (or eye) doses. Weighting of projections were determined for the patient group of each cardiologist using the recorded values of T f l and N r f. Extremity doses, D x were calculated with the following formula: D 1 50=Σ n D 1 50 n T f l n (T f l n )+Σ n D 1 50 n N n (N n ), n=4, 5, 6, 7, 10. n gives the projection numbert and x is the distance from the floor level. Measured and calculated extremity doses for each cardiologist were in good agreement. The calculated doses for 50cm and 100cm were found within the measured values of left and right legs and wrists. The use of dominant projection data alone still provided comparable results

Effectiveness of centre-based childcare interventions in increasing child physical activity: a systematic review and meta-analysis for policymakers and practitioners.

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Finch, M; Jones, J; Yoong, S; Wiggers, J; Wolfenden, L

2016-05-01

The review describes the effectiveness of physical activity interventions implemented in centre-based childcare services and (i) examines characteristics of interventions that may influence intervention effects; (ii) describes the effects of pragmatic interventions and non-pragmatic interventions; (iii) assesses adverse effects; and (iv) describes cost-effectiveness of interventions Data sources were Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, SCOPUS and SPORTDISCUS. Studies selected included randomized controlled trials conducted in centre-based childcare including an intervention to increase objectively measured physical activity in children aged less than 6 years. Data were converted into standardized mean difference (SMD) and analysed using a random effects model. Overall interventions significantly improved child physical activity (SMD 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12-0.76). Significant effects were found for interventions that included structured activity (SMD 0.53; 95% CI: 0.12-0.94), delivery by experts (SMD 1.26; 95% CI: 0.20-2.32) and used theory (SMD 0.76; 95% CI: 0.08-1.44). Non-pragmatic (SMD 0.80; 95% CI: 0.12-1.48) but not pragmatic interventions (SMD 0.10; 95% CI:-0.13-0.33) improved child physical activity. One trial reported adverse events, and no trials reported cost data. Intervention effectiveness varied according to intervention and trial design characteristics. Pragmatic trials were not effective, and information on cost and adverse effects was lacking. Evidence gaps remain for policymakers and practitioners regarding the effectiveness and feasibility of childcare-based physical activity interventions. © 2016 World Obesity.

ADHD in the Classroom: Effective Intervention Strategies

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DuPaul, George J.; Weyandt, Lisa L.; Janusis, Grace M.

2011-01-01

School-related difficulties are commonly associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This article describes effective school-based intervention strategies including behavioral interventions, modifications to academic instruction, and home-school communication programs. One overlooked aspect of treatment of children with ADHD…

A pilot study to examine the effects of a nutrition intervention on nutrition knowledge, behaviors, and efficacy expectations in middle school children.

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Fahlman, Mariane M; Dake, Joseph A; McCaughtry, Nate; Martin, Jeffrey

2008-04-01

This was a pilot study to determine the impact of the Michigan Model (MM) Nutrition Curriculum on nutrition knowledge, efficacy expectations, and eating behaviors in middle school students. The study was conducted in a large metropolitan setting and approved by the Institutional Review Board. The participants for this study were divided into an intervention group (n = 407) and a control group (n = 169). An MM instructor trained health teachers in the use of the curriculum, and the teacher subsequently taught the curriculum to students in the intervention group. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to determine pre-post differences. It consisted of 3 subscales assessing eating habits, nutrition knowledge, and efficacy expectations toward healthy eating. Subscale scores were analyzed using a 2 groups (intervention vs control) x 2 times (pre vs post) analysis of variance. The intervention group increased their nutrition knowledge at post. There was also a significant main effect for groups in the subscales "Eating Behaviors" and "Efficacy Expectations Regarding Healthy Eating." Subsequent post hoc analysis revealed that the intervention group was significantly more likely to eat fruits and vegetables and less likely to eat junk food than the control group. Students in the intervention group also felt more confident that they could eat healthy. The results of this pilot study suggest that the MM Nutrition Curriculum delivered by trained professionals resulted in significant positive changes in both nutrition knowledge and behaviors in middle school children. Further research needs to be conducted to determine the long-term impact.

Who Benefits From Humor-Based Positive Psychology Interventions? The Moderating Effects of Personality Traits and Sense of Humor.

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Wellenzohn, Sara; Proyer, René T; Ruch, Willibald

2018-01-01

The evidence for the effectiveness of humor-based positive psychology interventions (PPIs; i.e., interventions aimed at enhancing happiness and lowering depressive symptoms) is steadily increasing. However, little is known about who benefits most from them. We aim at narrowing this gap by examining whether personality traits and sense of humor moderate the long-term effects of humor-based interventions on happiness and depressive symptoms. We conducted two placebo-controlled online-intervention studies testing for moderation effects. In Study 1 ( N = 104) we tested for moderation effects of basic personality traits (i.e., psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism) in the three funny things intervention, a humor-based PPI. In Study 2 ( N = 632) we tested for moderation effects of the sense of humor in five different humor-based interventions. Happiness and depressive symptoms were assessed before and after the intervention, as well as after 1, 3, and 6 months. In Study 2, we assessed sense of humor before and 1 month after the intervention to investigate if changes in sense of humor go along with changes in happiness and depressive symptoms. We found moderating effects only for extraversion. Extraverts benefitted more from the three funny things intervention than introverts. For neuroticism and psychoticism no moderation effects were found. For sense of humor, no moderating effects were found for the effectiveness of the five humor-based interventions tested in Study 2. However, changes in sense of humor from pretest to the 1-month follow-up predicted changes in happiness and depressive symptoms. Taking a closer look, the playful attitude- and sense of humor-subscales predicted changes in happiness and depression for up to 6 months. Overall, moderating effects for personality (i.e., extraversion) were found, but none for sense of humor at baseline. However, increases in sense of humor during and after the intervention were associated with the interventions

Maternally Administered Interventions for Preterm Infants in the NICU: Effects on Maternal Psychological Distress and Mother-Infant Relationship

Science.gov (United States)

Holditch-Davis, Diane; White-Traut, Rosemary C.; Levy, Janet A.; O’Shea, T. Michael; Geraldo, Victoria; David, Richard J.

2014-01-01

Although studies have examined the effects of interventions focused on preterm infants, few studies have examined the effects on maternal distress (anxiety, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress symptoms, parenting stress) or parenting. This study examined the effects of the auditory-tactile-visual-vestibular (ATVV) intervention and kangaroo care (KC) on maternal distress and the mother-infant relationship compared to an attention control group. 240 mothers from four hospitals were randomly assigned to the three groups. Maternal characteristics in the three groups were similar: 64.1% of ATVV mothers, 64.2% of KC mothers, and 76.5% of control mothers were African American; maternal age averaged 26.3 years for ATVV mothers, 28.1 for KC mothers, and 26.6 for control mothers; and years of education averaged 13.6 for ATVV and KC mothers, and 13.1 for control mothers. Mothers only differed on parity: 68.4% of ATVV and 54.7% of KC mothers were first-time mothers as compared to 43.6% of control mothers. Their infants had a similar mean gestational ages (27.0 weeks for ATVV, 27.2 for KC, and 27.4 for control) and mean birthweights (993 grams for ATVV, 1022 for KC, and 1023 for control). Mothers completed questionnaires during hospitalization, and at 2, 6 and 12 months corrected age on demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, state anxiety, post-traumatic stress symptoms, parenting stress, worry about child health, and child vulnerability (only at 12 months). At 2 and 6 months, 45-minute videotapes of mother-infant interactions were made, and the HOME Inventory was scored. Behaviors coded from the videotapes and a HOME subscale were combined into five interactive dimensions: maternal positive involvement and developmental stimulation and child social behaviors, developmental maturity, and irritability. Intervention effects were examined using general linear mixed models controlling for parity and recruitment site. The groups did not differ on any maternal

A Systematised Review of Primary School Whole Class Child Obesity Interventions: Effectiveness, Characteristics, and Strategies

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Elise C. Brown

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. A systematised review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of school-based interventions that focus on changing dietary intake and physical activity levels to reduce childhood obesity. Methods. Multiple databases were searched for randomised and nonrandomised interventions from 2007 to 2016 in full-time elementary schools, which were delivered to the whole class, included dietary and physical activity components, involved both sexes, were written in English, and used body mass index (BMI as an outcome. Results. The database search produced 8,866 titles from which 78 were deemed relevant and assessed for inclusion resulting in 15 studies meeting all inclusion criteria. From these 15 studies, 9 yielded a reduction or stabilisation in BMI or BMI z-score in the entire intervention group and/or subgroups. Programmes lasting between 6 and 12 months that involve multiple environmental, educational, and physical strategies appear to be most likely to result in BMI or BMI z-score improvement. Moderators most likely influencing an improvement in BMI included increased physical activity, decreased sugar sweetened beverages intake, and increased fruit intake. Conclusions. School-based interventions may be an effective means for child obesity prevention. The identification of consistent elements used in school-based interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness may aid in preventing child obesity.

Effects of the X:IT smoking intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Anette; Krølner, Rikke; Bast, Lotus Sofie

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Uptake of smoking in adolescence is still of major public health concern. Evaluations of school-based programmes for smoking prevention show mixed results. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of X:IT, a multi-component school-based programme to prevent adolescent smoking....... METHODS: Data from a Danish cluster randomized trial included 4041 year-7 students (mean age: 12.5) from 51 intervention and 43 control schools. Outcome measure 'current smoking' was dichotomized into smoking daily, weekly, monthly or more seldom vs do not smoke. Analyses were adjusted for baseline...... covariates: sex, family socioeconomic position (SEP), best friend's smoking and parental smoking. We performed multilevel, logistic regression analyses of available cases and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses, replacing missing outcome values by multiple imputation. RESULTS: At baseline, 4.7% and 6...

Mediators of compassionate goal intervention effects on human neuroendocrine responses to the Trier Social Stress Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Erickson, Thane M; Mayer, Stefanie E; Lopez-Duran, Nestor L; Scarsella, Gina M; McGuire, Adam P; Crocker, Jennifer; Abelson, James L

2017-11-01

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is thought to mediate the effects of stress on illness. Research has identified a limited number of psychological variables that modulate human HPA responses to stressors (e.g. perceived control and social support). Prosocial goals can reduce subjective stress, but have not been carefully examined in experimental settings where pathways of impact on biological stress markers may be traced. Recent work demonstrated that coaching individuals to strive to help others reduced HPA responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) relative to other cognitive interventions. However, identification of mediational pathways, which were not examined in the original study, is necessary to determine whether the HPA buffering effects were due to helping motivations (compassionate goals; CGs) rather than via previously identified variables such as control or support. In this new analysis, we combined the original cortisol data with novel observer ratings of interpersonal behavior and psychological variables during the stress task, and conducted new, theory-driven analyses to determine psychological mediators for the intervention's effect on cortisol responses (N = 54; 21 females, 33 males; 486 cortisol samples). Control, support, and task ego-threat failed to account for the effects of the intervention. As hypothesized, self and observer-rated CGs, as well as observer-rated perceptions of participants' interpersonal behavior as morally desirable (but not as dominant or affiliative) were significant mediators of neuroendocrine responses. The findings suggest that stress-reduction interventions based on prosocial behavior should target particular motivational and interpersonal features.

Are suppression and deterrence mechanisms enough? Examining the "pulling levers" drug market intervention strategy in Peoria, Illinois, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Corsaro, Nicholas; Brunson, Rod K

2013-03-01

Police agencies across the globe enforce laws that prohibit drug transportation, distribution, and use with varying degrees of effectiveness. Within the United States, law enforcement strategies that rely on partnerships between criminal justice officials, neighbourhood residents, and social service providers (i.e., collaborative implementation) have shown considerable promise for reducing crime and disorder associated with open-air drug markets. The current study examines a comprehensive police enforcement strategy conducted in Peoria, Illinois (USA) designed to reduce patterns of crime and violence associated with an open-air drug market in a specific neighbourhood. Change in neighbourhood crime was assessed using Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) interrupted time series analysis. Further, target area residents were surveyed to gauge their awareness of the police intervention as well as perceived changes in local crime patterns. Analyses indicate that the intervention did not produce significant changes in neighbourhood crime offense rates between pre- and post-intervention periods. In addition, the majority of surveyed residents within the target area did not demonstrate an awareness of the intervention nor did they report perceived changes in local crime patterns. Study findings suggest that police-led approaches in the absence of high levels of community awareness and involvement may have less capacity to generate crime-control when focusing on open-air drug markets. We propose that police agencies adopting this strategy invest considerable resources toward achieving community awareness and participation in order to increase the potential for attaining significant and substantive programmatic impact. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Educational Intervention on Promoting Healthy Eating Behaviors among Primary School Students in Kermanshah City, Iran

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Somayeh Ebrahimi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Nutrition is important during childhood for growth and to help prevent infections and other diseases and educational interventions will be effective. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of educational intervention on promoting healthy eating behaviors among primary school students of Kermanshah City, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 135 primary school students were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire before and after the intervention in the areas of knowledge, attitude, practice and demographic variables. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, and paired t test with the SPSS-13 software. Results: Results showed that after the educational intervention the mean scores of knowledge, attitudes and practice were increased significantly in the experimental group (P0.05. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the educational intervention was effective in creating positive changes in knowledge, attitude and especially behaviors of the students about healthy eating. According to the appropriate education in schools and low-cost and effective nutritional education, the need to extend this type of training programs seems necessary.

Testing a dissonance body image intervention among young girls.

Science.gov (United States)

Halliwell, Emma; Diedrichs, Phillippa C

2014-02-01

Body image and eating disorder interventions based on cognitive dissonance have been shown to be effective among girls and women aged 14 and above. This article reports a preliminary examination of whether a dissonance intervention is also effective when delivered in a school setting to 12- and 13-year-old girls in the United Kingdom. Girls (N = 106, mean age = 12.07 years, SD = .27) were allocated to the intervention condition or a waitlist control. In contrast to the control group, girls in the intervention condition reported significant reductions in body dissatisfaction and internalization of a thin body ideal post-intervention. There was no significant change in self-reported dietary restraint for either condition. In addition, compared with the control group, girls in the intervention condition showed increased resilience to negative media effects 1-month post-intervention. Results suggests that dissonance based programs can reduce body dissatisfaction, internalization and negative media effects among a younger group of girls than previously examined and in a United Kingdom school setting. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Development of Speech Fluency over a Short Period of Time: Effects of Pedagogic Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Tavakoli, Parvaneh; Campbell, Colin; McCormack, Joan

2016-01-01

This study investigates the effects of a short-term pedagogic intervention on development of second language (L2) fluency among learners studying English for academic purposes at a UK university. It also examines the interaction between development of fluency and complexity and accuracy. Through a pretest and posttest design, data were collected…

School-based HPV immunization of young adolescents: effects of two brief health interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rickert, Vaughn I; Auslander, Beth A; Cox, Dena S; Rosenthal, Susan L; Rupp, Richard E; Zimet, Gregory D

2015-01-01

Adolescent immunization rates for human papillomavirus (HPV) are low and interventions within school-based health centers (SBHCs) may increase HPV uptake and series completion. We examined the effect of a parent health message intervention on HPV vaccination intent, first dose uptake and series completion among adolescents who received care at SBHCs. Via computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI), 445 parents of young adolescents were randomly assigned to 2 two-level interventions using a 2 × 2 design (rhetorical question (RQ) or no-RQ and one-sided or two-sided message). The RQ intervention involved asking the parent a question they were likely to endorse (e.g., "Do you want to protect your daughter from cervical cancer?") with the expectation that they would then behave in a manner consistent with their endorsement (i.e., agree to vaccinate). For the one-sided message, parents were given information that emphasized the safety and effectiveness of HPV vaccine, whereas the two-sided message acknowledged that some parents might have concerns about the vaccine, followed by reassurance regarding the safety and effectiveness. At CATI conclusion, parents indicated intentions to have their adolescents vaccinated. Parents who endorsed any intent were sent a consent form to return and all adolescents with signed returned consents were vaccinated at SBHCs. Medical records were reviewed for uptake/completion. Parents were 87% female; adolescents were 66% male and racially/ethnically diverse. 42.5% of parents indicated some intention to immunize, 51.4% were unsure, and 6.1% were not interested. 34% (n = 151) of adolescents received their first dose with series completion rates of 67% (n = 101). The RQ component of the intervention increased intention to vaccinate (RR = 1.45; 95%CI 1.16,1.81), but not first dose uptake or series completion. The 1-sided and 2-sided messages had no effect. This brief, RQ health intervention enhanced intent, but did not impact vaccination

The effect of a multidisciplinary intervention program on hepatic adiposity in overweight-obese children: Protocol of the EFIGRO study

OpenAIRE

Medrano, M.; Maiz, E.; Maldonado-Martin, Sara; Arenaza, L.; Rodríguez-Vigil, B.; Ortega, F.B.; Ruiz, J.R.; Larrarte, E.; Diez-López, I.; Sarasúa-Miranda, A.; Tobalina, I.; Barrenechea, L.; Pérez-Asenjo, J.; Kannengiesser, S.; Manhães-Savio, A.

2015-01-01

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most frequent liver abnormality observed in overweight or obese children and is strongly associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Objectives: (i) To evaluate the effect of a 22-week multidisciplinary intervention program on hepatic fat fraction in overweight or obese children and (ii) to examine the effect of the intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors, self-esteem and well-being. Methods: A total of 160 chi...

The Effectiveness of Cognitive Bias Modification Interventions for Substance Addictions: A Meta-Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ioana A Cristea

Full Text Available Cognitive bias modification (CBM interventions, presumably targeting automatic processes, are considered particularly promising for addictions. We conducted a meta-analysis examining randomized controlled trials (RCTs of CBM for substance addiction outcomes.Studies were identified through systematic searches in bibliographical databases. We included RCTs of CBM interventions, alone or in combination with other treatments, for any type of addiction. We examined trial risk of bias, publication bias and possible moderators. Effects sizes were computed for post-test and follow-up, using a random-effects model. We grouped outcome measures and reported results for addiction (all related measures, craving and cognitive bias.We identified 25 trials, 18 for alcohol problems, and 7 for smoking. At post-test, there was no significant effect of CBM for addiction, g = 0.08 (95% CI -0.02 to 0.18 or craving, g = 0.05 (95% CI -0.06 to 0.16, but there was a significant, moderate effect on cognitive bias, g = 0.60 (95% CI 0.39 to 0.79. Results were similar for alcohol and smoking outcomes taken separately. Follow-up addiction outcomes were reported in 7 trials, resulting in a small but significant effect of CBM, g = 0.18 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.32. Results for addiction and craving did not differ by substance type, sample type, delivery setting, bias targeted or number of sessions. Risk of bias was high or uncertain in most trials, for most criteria considered. Meta-regression analyses revealed significant inverse relationships between risk of bias and effect sizes for addiction outcomes and craving. The relationship between cognitive bias and respectively addiction ESs was not significant. There was consistent evidence of publication bias in the form of funnel plot asymmetry.Our results cast serious doubts on the clinical utility of CBM interventions for addiction problems, but sounder methodological trials are necessary before this issue can be settled. We found no

Evaluating the effectiveness of an intervention program to influence attitudes of students towards peers with disabilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Boer, Anke; Pijl, Sip Jan; Minnaert, Alexander; Post, Wendy

In this study we examine the effectiveness of an intervention program to influence attitudes of elementary school students towards peers with intellectual, physical and severe physical and intellectual disabilities. A quasi-experimental longitudinal study was designed with an experimental group and

Skin self-examination education for early detection of melanoma: a randomized controlled trial of Internet, workbook, and in-person interventions.

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Robinson, June K; Gaber, Rikki; Hultgren, Brittney; Eilers, Steven; Blatt, Hanz; Stapleton, Jerod; Mallett, Kimberly; Turrisi, Rob; Duffecy, Jenna; Begale, Mark; Martini, Mary; Bilimoria, Karl; Wayne, Jeffrey

2014-01-13

Early detection of melanoma improves survival. Since many melanoma patients and their spouses seek the care of a physician after discovering their melanoma, an ongoing study will determine the efficacy of teaching at-risk melanoma patients and their skin check partner how to conduct skin self-examinations (SSEs). Internet-based health behavior interventions have proven efficacious in creating behavior change in patients to better prevent, detect, or cope with their health issues. The efficacy of electronic interactive SSE educational intervention provided on a tablet device has not previously been determined. The electronic interactive educational intervention was created to develop a scalable, effective intervention to enhance performance and accuracy of SSE among those at-risk to develop melanoma. The intervention in the office was conducted using one of the following three methods: (1) in-person through a facilitator, (2) with a paper workbook, or (3) with a tablet device used in the clinical office. Differences related to method of delivery were elucidated by having the melanoma patient and their skin check partner provide a self-report of their confidence in performing SSE and take a knowledge-based test immediately after receiving the intervention. The three interventions used 9 of the 26 behavioral change techniques defined by Abraham and Michie to promote planning of monthly SSE, encourage performing SSE, and reinforce self-efficacy by praising correct responses to knowledge-based decision making and offering helpful suggestions to improve performance. In creating the electronic interactive SSE educational intervention, the educational content was taken directly from both the scripted in-person presentation delivered with Microsoft PowerPoint by a trained facilitator and the paper workbook training arms of the study. Enrollment totaled 500 pairs (melanoma patient and their SSE partner) with randomization of 165 pairs to the in-person, 165 pairs to the

The measurement and effect of implementation fidelity in the multi component smoking intervention: The X:IT study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bast, Lotus Sofie

2016-01-01

-based smoking prevention programs have been launched over the past three decades, and generally multi component initiatives are recommended. The effects have been inconclusive, though, which may partly be due to lack of implementation, but little evidence exists on the implementation of school-based smoking....... Methods: My three papers were based on the school-randomized X:IT study, which tested a multi component intervention to prevent smoking among adolescents in 94 Danish elementary schools (51 intervention and 43 control schools). Participants were grade 7 pupils (mean age: 12.5 years). We collected data......Title: The measurement and effect of implementation fidelity in the multi component smoking intervention: The X:IT study Background: Careful measurement of implementation fidelity is crucial in the examination of whether an intervention worked as intended or not. A large number of school...

THE EFFECT OF A CULTURALLY TAILORED SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION INTERVENTION WITH PLAINS INDIAN ADOLESCENTS.

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Patchell, Beverly A; Robbins, Leslie K; Lowe, John A; Hoke, Mary M

2015-01-01

To examine the effects of incorporating tribal specific cultural beliefs into a tailored substance abuse prevention intervention for at risk rural Oklahoma Native American Indian (NAI) Plains adolescents. The 10 hour Native American Talking Circle Intervention, a school-based, group substance abuse prevention program, was implemented over a 8.5 week period and evaluated using a one group, pretest-posttest design. Measurements were from the Native Self-Reliance Questionnaire and the Substance Problems Scale from Global Appraisal of Individual Needs-Quick (GAIN-Q). One-tailed, paired sample t-tests demonstrated significant increase in self-reliance, from 86.227 to 92.204 (t (43) = -2.580, p = .007) and a decrease in substance abuse/use, from 2.265 to 1.265 (t (33) = 1.844, p = .007). The Native Talking Circle Intervention based on tribal-specific values and beliefs was shown to be effective with substance abuse/use at-risk NAI Plains tribal adolescents.

Effects of early childhood intervention on fertility and maternal employment: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial

OpenAIRE

Sandner, Malte

2015-01-01

This paper presents the results of a randomized study of a home visiting program implemented in Germany for low-income, first-time mothers. A major goal of the program is to improve the participants' economic self-sufficiency and family planning. I use administrative data from the German social security system and detailed telephone surveys to examine the effects of the intervention on maternal employment, welfare benefits, and household composition. The study reveals that the intervention un...

Identifying determinants of effective complementary feeding behaviour change interventions in developing countries

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Fabrizio, Cecilia S; van Liere, Marti; Pelto, Gretel

2014-01-01

As stunting moves to the forefront of the global agenda, there is substantial evidence that behaviour change interventions (BCI) can improve infant feeding practices and growth. However, this evidence has not been translated into improved outcomes on a national level because we do not know enough about what makes these interventions work, for whom, when, why, at what cost and for how long. Our objective was to examine the design and implementation of complementary feeding BCI, from the peer-reviewed literature, to identify generalisable key determinants. We identified 29 studies that evaluated BCI efficacy or effectiveness, were conducted in developing countries, and reported outcomes on infant and young children aged 6–24 months. Two potential determinants emerged: (1) effective studies used formative research to identify cultural barriers and enablers to optimal feeding practices, to shape the intervention strategy, and to formulate appropriate messages and mediums for delivery; (2) effective studies delineated the programme impact pathway to the target behaviour change and assessed intermediary behaviour changes to learn what worked. We found that BCI that used these developmental and implementation processes could be effective despite heterogeneous approaches and design components. Our analysis was constrained, however, by the limited published data on how design and implementation were carried out, perhaps because of publishing space limits. Information on cost-effectiveness, sustainability and scalability was also very limited. We suggest a more comprehensive reporting process and a more strategic research agenda to enable generalisable evidence to accumulate. PMID:24798264

Dosimetry in Interventional Radiology - Effective Dose Estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miljanic, S.; Buls, N.; Clerinx, P.; Jarvinen, H.; Nikodemova, D.; Ranogajec-Komor, M; D'Errico, F.

2008-01-01

Interventional radiological procedures can lead to significant radiation doses to patients and to staff members. In order to evaluate the personal doses with respect to the regulatory dose limits, doses measured by dosimeters have to be converted to effective doses (E). Measurement of personal dose equivalent Hp(10) using a single unshielded dosimeter above the lead apron can lead to significant overestimation of the effective dose, while the measurement with dosimeter under the apron can lead to underestimation. To improve the accuracy, measurements with two dosimeters, one above and the other under the apron have been suggested ( d ouble dosimetry ) . The ICRP has recommended that interventional radiology departments develop a policy that staff should wear two dosimeters. The aim of this study was to review the double dosimetry algorithms for the calculation of effective dose in high dose interventional radiology procedures. The results will be used to develop general guidelines for personal dosimetry in interventional radiology procedures. This work has been carried out by Working Group 9 (Radiation protection dosimetry of medical staff) of the CONRAD project, which is a Coordination Action supported by the European Commission within its 6th Framework Program.(author)

Identifying configurations of behavior change techniques in effective medication adherence interventions: a qualitative comparative analysis.

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Kahwati, Leila; Viswanathan, Meera; Golin, Carol E; Kane, Heather; Lewis, Megan; Jacobs, Sara

2016-05-04

Interventions to improve medication adherence are diverse and complex. Consequently, synthesizing this evidence is challenging. We aimed to extend the results from an existing systematic review of interventions to improve medication adherence by using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to identify necessary or sufficient configurations of behavior change techniques among effective interventions. We used data from 60 studies in a completed systematic review to examine the combinations of nine behavior change techniques (increasing knowledge, increasing awareness, changing attitude, increasing self-efficacy, increasing intention formation, increasing action control, facilitation, increasing maintenance support, and motivational interviewing) among studies demonstrating improvements in adherence. Among the 60 studies, 34 demonstrated improved medication adherence. Among effective studies, increasing patient knowledge was a necessary but not sufficient technique. We identified seven configurations of behavior change techniques sufficient for improving adherence, which together accounted for 26 (76 %) of the effective studies. The intervention configuration that included increasing knowledge and self-efficacy was the most empirically relevant, accounting for 17 studies (50 %) and uniquely accounting for 15 (44 %). This analysis extends the completed review findings by identifying multiple combinations of behavior change techniques that improve adherence. Our findings offer direction for policy makers, practitioners, and future comparative effectiveness research on improving adherence.

Mind-body interventions during pregnancy.

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Beddoe, Amy E; Lee, Kathryn A

2008-01-01

To examine published evidence on the effectiveness of mind-body interventions during pregnancy on perceived stress, mood, and perinatal outcomes. Computerized searches of PubMed, Cinahl, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. Twelve out of 64 published intervention studies between 1980 and February 2007 of healthy, adult pregnant women met criteria for review. Studies were categorized by type of mind-body modality used. Progressive muscle relaxation was the most common intervention. Other studies used a multimodal psychoeducation approach or a yoga and meditation intervention. The research contained methodological problems, primarily absence of a randomized control group or failure to adequately control confounding variables. Nonetheless, there was modest evidence for the efficacy of mind-body modalities during pregnancy. Treatment group outcomes included higher birthweight, shorter length of labor, fewer instrument-assisted births, and reduced perceived stress and anxiety. There is evidence that pregnant women have health benefits from mind-body therapies used in conjunction with conventional prenatal care. Further research is necessary to build on these studies in order to predict characteristics of subgroups that might benefit from mind-body practices and examine cost effectiveness of these interventions on perinatal outcomes.

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of a brief cognitive-behavioral intervention on dental fear

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spindler, Helle; Staugaard, Søren Risløv; Nicolaisen, Camilla

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a brief cognitive-behavioral intervention for patients with dental fear in a private dental clinic. Patients presenting with subjectively reported dental fear were randomly assigned to either an immediate intervention (n = 53) or a waiting...... list (n = 51) group. Both groups received an identical intervention, but delayed by 4-6 weeks in the waiting list group. Participants were asked to fill out two self-report questionnaires of dental fear at pre- and post-intervention, and again at a 2-year follow-up assessment. Analysis of variance...... showed that dental fear was significantly reduced in the immediate intervention group (d = 1.5-2.2), compared with the waiting list group (d = 0.3-0.4). Additionally, all participants showed a significant reduction of dental fear following the brief intervention, and in the subgroup available for follow...

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on quality of life and positive reappraisal coping among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

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Rayan, Ahmad; Ahmad, Muayyad

2016-08-01

Previous research has supported mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) to enhance quality of life (QOL) in different populations, but no studies have been found to examine the effectiveness of MBIs on QOL among parents of children with ASD. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of brief MBI on perceived QOL and positive stress reappraisal (PSR) among parents of children with ASD. A quasi-experimental, with nonequivalent control group design was used. One hundred and four parents of children with ASD were equally assigned to the intervention and control groups. The study groups were matched on measures of their gender and age, and level of severity of ASD in children. The intervention group participated in MBI program for 5 weeks, while the control group had not attended the program. After the intervention program, results of paired samples t-test indicated that parents in the intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in measures of psychological health domain of QOL, social health domain of QOL, mindfulness, and positive stress reappraisal with medium to large effect size (P<0.01). The control group demonstrated improvement in measures of the dependent variables with small effect size. MBI is culturally adaptable, acceptable, and effective method to improve QOL and PSR in parents of children with ASD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of a short-term group music therapy intervention for parents who have a child with a disability.

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Williams, Kate E; Berthelsen, Donna; Nicholson, Jan M; Walker, Sue; Abad, Vicky

2012-01-01

The positive relationship between parent-child interactions and optimal child development is well established. Families of children with disabilities may face unique challenges in establishing positive parent-child relationships; yet, there are few studies examining the effectiveness of music therapy interventions to address these issues. In particular, these studies have been limited by small sample size and the use of measures of limited reliability and validity. This study examined the effectiveness of a short-term group music therapy intervention for parents of children with disabilities and explored factors associated with better outcomes for participating families. Participants were 201 mother-child dyads, where the child had a disability. Pre- and post-intervention parental questionnaires and clinician observation measures were completed to examine outcomes of parental wellbeing, parenting behaviors, and child development. Descriptive data, t-tests for repeated measures and a predictive model tested via logistic regression are presented. Significant improvements pre to post intervention were found for parent mental health, child communication and social skills, parenting sensitivity, parental engagement with child and acceptance of child, child responsiveness to parent, and child interest and participation in program activities. There was also evidence for high parental satisfaction and that the program brought social benefits to families. Reliable change on six or more indicators of parent or child functioning was predicted by attendance and parent education. This study provides positive evidence for the effectiveness of group music therapy in promoting improved parental mental health, positive parenting and key child developmental areas.

Effect of Objective Structured Clinical Examination on Nursing Students' Clinical Skills

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Seyedeh Narjes Mousavizadeh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Considering the daily increasing changes in clinical training approaches, the necessity of using new evaluation methods in proportion with these approaches is also becoming more and more obvious for measuring all of the cognitive, emotional and psychomotor dimensions of students. The present study was designed and conducted for reviewing the effect of objective structured clinical examination method on the clinical skills of nursing students. In this quasi-experimental study, 48 nursing students have participated that were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention and control. The intervention group students were evaluated at the end of educational period of their clinical skills and principles course using objective structured clinical examination (OSCE. The OSCE included five core skills in this course: assessing and fulfilling patients’ basic needs, dressing up, injectable drug therapy, noninjectable drug therapy, infection control. The control group students were evaluated using the routine method. Both groups of students were followed up in the next semester and were compared in terms of learning enhancement in these five skills. Evaluation of procedures was based on valid and reliable check-lists made by the researcher. Results were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Chi-square, independent and paired T tests. The mean score of the final evaluation in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P= 0.000. Final evaluation scores of the intervention group students showed a better performance than their previous semester (P= 0.000, while the final evaluation scores of the control group students showed a lack of progress in their skills (P<0.05. It seems that this evaluation method also is a support for students' learning and resulted in improvement of clinical skills among them. Accordingly, it is recommended that nursing education centers apply this method to assess students�

Cost-effectiveness of preventive interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in Denmark.

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Astrid Ledgaard Holm

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of many diseases and injuries, and the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study estimated that 6% of the burden of disease in Denmark is due to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption thus places a considerable economic burden on society. METHODS: We analysed the cost-effectiveness of six interventions aimed at preventing alcohol abuse in the adult Danish population: 30% increased taxation, increased minimum legal drinking age, advertisement bans, limited hours of retail sales, and brief and longer individual interventions. Potential health effects were evaluated as changes in incidence, prevalence and mortality of alcohol-related diseases and injuries. Net costs were calculated as the sum of intervention costs and cost offsets related to treatment of alcohol-related outcomes, based on health care costs from Danish national registers. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated by calculating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs for each intervention. We also created an intervention pathway to determine the optimal sequence of interventions and their combined effects. RESULTS: Three of the analysed interventions (advertising bans, limited hours of retail sales and taxation were cost-saving, and the remaining three interventions were all cost-effective. Net costs varied from € -17 million per year for advertisement ban to € 8 million for longer individual intervention. Effectiveness varied from 115 disability-adjusted life years (DALY per year for minimum legal drinking age to 2,900 DALY for advertisement ban. The total annual effect if all interventions were implemented would be 7,300 DALY, with a net cost of € -30 million. CONCLUSION: Our results show that interventions targeting the whole population were more effective than individual-focused interventions. A ban on alcohol advertising, limited hours of retail sale and increased taxation had the highest probability of being cost

Cost-effectiveness of preventive interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in Denmark.

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Holm, Astrid Ledgaard; Veerman, Lennert; Cobiac, Linda; Ekholm, Ola; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-01-01

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of many diseases and injuries, and the Global Burden of Disease 2010 study estimated that 6% of the burden of disease in Denmark is due to alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption thus places a considerable economic burden on society. We analysed the cost-effectiveness of six interventions aimed at preventing alcohol abuse in the adult Danish population: 30% increased taxation, increased minimum legal drinking age, advertisement bans, limited hours of retail sales, and brief and longer individual interventions. Potential health effects were evaluated as changes in incidence, prevalence and mortality of alcohol-related diseases and injuries. Net costs were calculated as the sum of intervention costs and cost offsets related to treatment of alcohol-related outcomes, based on health care costs from Danish national registers. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated by calculating incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for each intervention. We also created an intervention pathway to determine the optimal sequence of interventions and their combined effects. Three of the analysed interventions (advertising bans, limited hours of retail sales and taxation) were cost-saving, and the remaining three interventions were all cost-effective. Net costs varied from € -17 million per year for advertisement ban to € 8 million for longer individual intervention. Effectiveness varied from 115 disability-adjusted life years (DALY) per year for minimum legal drinking age to 2,900 DALY for advertisement ban. The total annual effect if all interventions were implemented would be 7,300 DALY, with a net cost of € -30 million. Our results show that interventions targeting the whole population were more effective than individual-focused interventions. A ban on alcohol advertising, limited hours of retail sale and increased taxation had the highest probability of being cost-saving and should thus be first priority for implementation.

Effects of the SAFE Children preventive intervention on developmental trajectories of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

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Fowler, Patrick J; Henry, David B; Schoeny, Michael; Gorman-Smith, Deborah; Tolan, Patrick H

2014-11-01

This study examined whether a family-based preventive intervention for inner-city children entering the first grade could alter the developmental course of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Participants were 424 families randomly selected and randomly assigned to a control condition (n = 192) or Schools and Families Educating Children (SAFE) Children (n = 232). SAFE Children combined family-focused prevention with academic tutoring to address multiple developmental-ecological needs. A booster intervention provided in the 4th grade to randomly assigned children in the initial intervention (n =101) evaluated the potential of increasing preventive effects. Follow-up occurred over 5 years with parents and teachers reporting on attention problems. Growth mixture models identified multiple developmental trajectories of ADHD symptoms. The initial phase of intervention placed children on more positive developmental trajectories for impulsivity and hyperactivity, demonstrating the potential for ADHD prevention in at-risk youth, but the SAFE Children booster had no additional effect on trajectory or change in ADHD indicators.

Advances in psychological interventions for lifestyle disorders: overview of interventions in cardiovascular disorder and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Sudhir, Paulomi M

2017-09-01

The present review examines the recent advances in psychological interventions for two major lifestyle disorders in adults namely, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disorders. The review summarizes findings from studies carried out between the years 2015 and 2017. The effectiveness of psychological interventions in the management of lifestyle disorders has been examined with respect to adaptation, self-care, adherence, negative emotions and improving quality of life. There is an increasing recognition that psychological interventions are important for prevention of lifestyle disorders and promotion of health. Key psychological interventions include self-management and educational interventions based on learning and motivational principles, patient empowerment, cognitive behaviour therapy, behavioural skills and coaching. Recent developments also include the use of information technology to deliver these interventions through internet, mobile applications and text messages. Another significant development is that of mindfulness-based interventions within the third-generation behaviour therapy approaches to reduce distress and increase acceptance. In addition, family and couples interventions have also been emphasised as necessary in maintenance of healthy behaviours. Studies examining psychological interventions in cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes mellitus support the efficacy of these interventions in bringing about changes in biochemical / physiological parameters and in psychological outcomes such as self-efficacy, knowledge, quality of life and a sense of empowerment.

The Effect of “Insufficient Milk Supply” Concept Intervention on Mother's Perception of Breast Milk Production

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Mekar Dwi Anggraeni

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: World Health Organisation (WHO recommends every mother to provide exclusive breastfeeding for their infants because of its benefits. However the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Indonesia was only 35%in 2013. One of the main factors affecting low exclusive breastfeeding rate was maternal perception of having low breastmilk supply. There were no previous studies examining the effect of "Insufficient Milk Supply" concept intervention on mother’s perception of low breastmilk production. This research was an innovation in nursing. Aim: To investigate the effect of intervention program based on “Insufficient Milk Supply” concept on mother’s perception of low breastmilk supply. Methods: This study was a quasy experiment pretest-posttest. Postpartum mothers were provided an intervention using a module based on the concept of "Insufficient Milk Supply". The perception of breastmilk production was measured using the Nine-items of Lactation Scale. Data were analyzed using independent t test and paired t test. Results: The t test assumptions were examined and yielded that the data were normally distributed and the variances were homogeneous. The results showed there were significant differences between the scores of pre- and post-test in the intervention group (t = -9,03, p < 0.001. Conclusion: This study offers evidence that Insufficient Milk Supply can be used in nursing practice as a concept to improve the perception of the mother's breastmilk supply.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Nonpharmacological Intervention in Pediatric Burn Care.

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Brown, Nadia J; David, Michael; Cuttle, Leila; Kimble, Roy M; Rodger, Sylvia; Higashi, Hideki

2015-07-01

To report the cost-effectiveness of a tailored handheld computerized procedural preparation and distraction intervention (Ditto) used during pediatric burn wound care in comparison to standard practice. An economic evaluation was performed alongside a randomized controlled trial of 75 children aged 4 to 13 years who presented with a burn to the Royal Children's Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Participants were randomized to either the Ditto intervention (n = 35) or standard practice (n = 40) to measure the effect of the intervention on days taken for burns to re-epithelialize. Direct medical, direct nonmedical, and indirect cost data during burn re-epithelialization were extracted from the randomized controlled trial data and combined with scar management cost data obtained retrospectively from medical charts. Nonparametric bootstrapping was used to estimate statistical uncertainty in cost and effect differences and cost-effectiveness ratios. On average, the Ditto intervention reduced the time to re-epithelialize by 3 days at AU$194 less cost for each patient compared with standard practice. The incremental cost-effectiveness plane showed that 78% of the simulated results were within the more effective and less costly quadrant and 22% were in the more effective and more costly quadrant, suggesting a 78% probability that the Ditto intervention dominates standard practice (i.e., cost-saving). At a willingness-to-pay threshold of AU$120, there is a 95% probability that the Ditto intervention is cost-effective (or cost-saving) against standard care. This economic evaluation showed the Ditto intervention to be highly cost-effective against standard practice at a minimal cost for the significant benefits gained, supporting the implementation of the Ditto intervention during burn wound care. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Life style interventions study on the effects of impaired glucose regulations in Shanghai urban communities].

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Zhou, Jianjun

2011-05-01

To access the effects of life style interventions on impaired glucose regulation (IGR) in Shanghai urban communities, China. Two communities were randomly cluster-sampled to be carried out epidemiological intervention trial. Totally, 232 subjects with IGR were randomly allocated into 4 groups: control group,sports intervention group, diet intervention group, and sports and diet intervention group with the physical examinations in the baseline and end of this study respectively. Tests for fasting blood glucose, OGTT, HbA1c, total cholesterol,etc. were done. Data statistical analysis was occupied in SPSS 16.0. Compared to subjects of control group,fasting blood glucose, OGTT, HbAlc,total cholesterol,BMI,waist hip ratio and blood pressures were significantly decreased among subjects with three interventions (P intervention and sports and diet intervention (P intervention (P interventions groups (8.6% vs. 0, Fisher' s exact P = 0.002), and the rate of transferring into normal blood glucose levels (fasting blood glucose interventions group (3.4% vs. 8.6%, 14.0% and 16.9%, respectively) but only significant difference was observed between control group and sports and diet intervention group (OR = 5.74, 95% CI 1. 19-27. 64, P = 0.029). The life style interventions could decrease the risk of diabetes mellitus, help their transferring into normal blood glucose, and improve diabetic measures for the IGR population in Shanghai urban communities.

A Pilot Study Examining the Effectiveness of the PEERS Program on Social Skills and Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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Hill, Trenesha L; Gray, Sarah A O; Baker, Courtney N; Boggs, Koren; Carey, Elizabeth; Johnson, Corinn; Kamps, Jodi L; Varela, R Enrique

2017-10-01

The Program for the Evaluation of the Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS), a social skills intervention for high functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), has been proven efficacious in randomized control trials. However, the effectiveness of the PEERS program in community settings has not been studied. The present small-scale pilot study examined the effectiveness of the PEERS program in a community setting. Five adolescents and their caregivers participated in the PEERS intervention. Results indicated that the adolescents showed significant improvement in their social engagement, social cognition, social communication, social motivation, and knowledge of PEERS skills and concepts from pre- to post-intervention. Furthermore, adolescents showed significant reductions in their internalizing and autistic symptoms from pre- to post-intervention. The findings from this small-scale pilot study support the effectiveness of the PEERS program in community-based settings.

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Asthma Interventions.

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Kennedy, Suzanne; Bailey, Ryan; Jaffee, Katy; Markus, Anne; Gerstein, Maya; Stevens, David M; Lesch, Julie Kennedy; Malveaux, Floyd J; Mitchell, Herman

2017-06-01

Researchers often struggle with the gap between efficacy and effectiveness in clinical research. To bridge this gap, the Community Healthcare for Asthma Management and Prevention of Symptoms (CHAMPS) study adapted an efficacious, randomized controlled trial that resulted in evidence-based asthma interventions in community health centers. Children (aged 5-12 years; N = 590) with moderate to severe asthma were enrolled from 3 intervention and 3 geographically/capacity-matched control sites in high-risk, low-income communities located in Arizona, Michigan, and Puerto Rico. The asthma intervention was tailored to the participant's allergen sensitivity and exposure, and it comprised 4 visits over the course of 1 year. Study visits were documented and monitored prospectively via electronic data capture. Asthma symptoms and health care utilization were evaluated at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months. A total of 314 intervention children and 276 control children were enrolled in the study. Allergen sensitivity testing (96%) and home environmental assessments (89%) were performed on the majority of intervention children. Overall study activity completion (eg, intervention visits, clinical assessments) was 70%. Overall and individual site participant symptom days in the previous 4 weeks were significantly reduced compared with control findings (control, change of -2.28; intervention, change of -3.27; difference, -0.99; P asthma in these high-need populations. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Risk Premium and Central Bank Intervention

OpenAIRE

Pinar Ozlu

2006-01-01

This study examines the relation between the risk premium and central bank intervention. Forward rates are calculated for the Turkish Lira-USD exchange market and then the effect of central bank intervention on the risk premium is estimated. Using high quality daily intervention data from the Central Bank of Turkey as well as implied forward rates, an MA (21)-GARCH (1,1) model is estimated. Both purchases and sales of US dollars by the Central Bank of Turkey appear to have no effect on the si...

Longitudinal effects of adaptive interventions with a speech-generating devicein minimally verbal children with ASD

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Almirall, Daniel; DiStefano, Charlotte; Chang, Ya-Chih; Shire, Stephanie; Kaiser, Ann; Lu, Xi; Nahum-Shani, Inbal; Landa, Rebecca; Mathy, Pamela; Kasari, Connie

2016-01-01

Objective There are limited data on the effects of adaptive social communication interventions with a speech-generating device in autism. This study is the first to compare growth in communications outcomes among three adaptive interventions in school-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are minimally verbal. Methods Sixty-one children, aged 5–8 years participated in a sequential, multiple-assignment randomized trial (SMART). All children received a developmental communication intervention: joint attention, symbolic play, engagement and regulation (JASP) with enhanced milieu teaching (EMT). The SMART included three two-stage, 24-week adaptive interventions with different provisions of a speech-generating device (SGD) in the context of JASP+EMT. The first adaptive intervention, with no SGD, initially assigned JASP+EMT alone; then intensified JASP+EMT for slow responders. In the second adaptive intervention, slow responders to JASP+EMT were assigned JASP+EMT+SGD. The third adaptive intervention initially assigned JASP+EMT+SGD; then intensified JASP+EMT+SGD for slow responders. Analyses examined between-group differences in change in outcomes from baseline to week 36. Verbal outcomes included spontaneous communicative utterances and novel words. Non-linguistic communication outcomes included initiating joint attention and behavior regulation, and play. Results The adaptive intervention beginning with JASP+EMT+SGD was estimated as superior. There were significant (Pcommunicative utterances and initiating joint attention. Conclusions School-aged children with ASD who are minimally verbal make significant gains in communication outcomes with an adaptive intervention beginning with JASP+EMT+SGD. Future research should explore mediators and moderators of the adaptive intervention effects and second-stage intervention options that further capitalize on early gains in treatment. PMID:26954267

Do Pre-Existing Diabetes Social Support or Depressive Symptoms Influence the Effectiveness of a Diabetes Management Intervention?

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Rosland, Ann-Marie; Kieffer, Edith; Spencer, Michael; Sinco, Brandy; Palmisano, Gloria; Valerio, Melissa; Nicklett, Emily; Heisler, Michele

2015-01-01

Objective Examine influences of diabetes-specific social support (D-SS) and depressive symptoms on glycemic control over time, among adults randomized to a diabetes self-management education and support (DSME/S) intervention or usual care. Methods Data were from 108 African-American and Latino participants in a six-month intervention trial. Multivariable linear regression models assessed associations between baseline D-SS from family and friends and depressive symptoms with changes in HbA1c. We then examined whether baseline D-SS or depression moderated intervention-associated effects on HbA1c. Results Higher baseline D-SS was associated with larger improvements in HbA1c (adjusted ΔHbA1c -0.39% for each +1-point D-SS, p=0.02), independent of intervention-associated HbA1c decreases. Baseline depressive symptoms had no significant association with subsequent HbA1c change. Neither D-SS nor depression moderated intervention-associated effects on HbA1c. Conclusions and Practice Implications Diabetes self-management education and support programs have potential to improve glycemic control for participants starting with varying levels of social support and depressive symptoms. Participants starting with more support for diabetes management from family and friends improved HbA1c significantly more over six months than those with less support, independent of additional significant DSME/S intervention-associated HbA1c improvements. Social support from family and friends may improve glycemic control in ways additive to DSME/S. PMID:26234800

Population tobacco control interventions and their effects on social inequalities in smoking: placing an equity lens on existing systematic reviews

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Petticrew Mark

2008-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With smoking increasingly confined to lower socio-economic groups, the tobacco control community has been urged to identify which population-level tobacco control interventions work in order to help tackle smoking-related health inequalities. Systematic reviews have a crucial role to play in this task. This overview was therefore carried out in order to (i summarise the evidence from existing systematic reviews of population-level tobacco control interventions, and (ii assess the need for a new systematic review of primary studies, with the aim of assessing the differential effects of such interventions. Methods Systematic review methods were used to evaluate existing systematic reviews that assessed a population-level tobacco control intervention and which reported characteristics of included participants in terms of at least one socio-demographic or socio-economic factor. Results Nineteen systematic reviews were included. Four reviews assessed interventions aimed at the population level alone, whilst fifteen included at least one primary study that examined this type of intervention. Four reviews assessed youth access restrictions, one assessed the effects of increasing the unit price of tobacco, and six assessed smoking bans or restrictions. Of the eight remaining reviews, six assessed multi-component community based interventions, in which the population-level interventions were part of a wider tobacco control programme, and two assessed the impact of smoking bans or restrictions in reducing exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. We found tentative evidence that the effect of increasing the unit price of tobacco products may vary between ethnic and socio-economic groups, and between males and females. However, differences in the context and the results of different reviews made it difficult to draw any firm conclusions. Few identified reviews explicitly attempted to examine differences in intervention effects between

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Practice: Interventions to Improve High School Completion

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Hollands, Fiona; Bowden, A. Brooks; Belfield, Clive; Levin, Henry M.; Cheng, Henan; Shand, Robert; Pan, Yilin; Hanisch-Cerda, Barbara

2014-01-01

In this article, we perform cost-effectiveness analysis on interventions that improve the rate of high school completion. Using the What Works Clearinghouse to select effective interventions, we calculate cost-effectiveness ratios for five youth interventions. We document wide variation in cost-effectiveness ratios between programs and between…

Modifying alcohol expectancies of Hispanic children: examining the effects of expectancy-targeted, developmentally congruous prevention videos.

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Weinstein, Allison; Lisman, Stephen A; Johnson, Matthew D

2015-03-01

Children's expectations about the effects of alcohol consumption are known to predict the amount of alcohol they consume as adults. Previous research has used videotaped interventions to modify children's alcohol expectancies and found that puppet actors had the expected effect of decreasing children's positive alcohol expectancies, whereas adult actors did not. The current study sought to enhance the methods and outcomes of previous research by developing brief prevention videos that focus on pre-selected negative and sedating alcohol expectancies and include youth actors and age-relevant scenarios. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design (actor's age [youth or adult] × scenario relevance [youth or adult]), we examined the alcohol expectancies of 183 Hispanic third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students (50% girls) in a public school setting. Expectancies were assessed before, immediately following the intervention, and 1 month later. The intervention consisted of four 8-minute videos based on beliefs associated with expectancies related to low alcohol consumption and a control group video about school bus safety. Positive alcohol expectancies were significantly lower directly after the intervention than at baseline. At 1-month follow-up, this effect decreased but was still significant. The current study adds to existing findings that expectancies can be modified in children, using interventions that are extremely brief, low-cost, and linked to research in children's cognitive and social development. In addition, it appears that children of different ages and genders respond differently to varying components of prevention media.

Exchange rate rebounds after foreign exchange market interventions

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Hoshikawa, Takeshi

2017-03-01

This study examined the rebounds in the exchange rate after foreign exchange intervention. When intervention is strongly effective, the exchange rate rebounds at next day. The effect of intervention is reduced slightly by the rebound after the intervention. The exchange rate might have been 67.12-77.47 yen to a US dollar without yen-selling/dollar-purchasing intervention of 74,691,100 million yen implemented by the Japanese government since 1991, in comparison to the actual exchange rate was 103.19 yen to the US dollar at the end of March 2014.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of lifestyle intervention in obese infertile women.

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van Oers, A M; Mutsaerts, M A Q; Burggraaff, J M; Kuchenbecker, W K H; Perquin, D A M; Koks, C A M; van Golde, R; Kaaijk, E M; Schierbeek, J M; Klijn, N F; van Kasteren, Y M; Land, J A; Mol, B W J; Hoek, A; Groen, H

2017-07-01

What is the cost-effectiveness of lifestyle intervention preceding infertility treatment in obese infertile women? Lifestyle intervention preceding infertility treatment as compared to prompt infertility treatment in obese infertile women is not a cost-effective strategy in terms of healthy live birth rate within 24 months after randomization, but is more likely to be cost-effective using a longer follow-up period and live birth rate as endpoint. In infertile couples, obesity decreases conception chances. We previously showed that lifestyle intervention prior to infertility treatment in obese infertile women did not increase the healthy singleton vaginal live birth rate at term, but increased natural conceptions, especially in anovulatory women. Cost-effectiveness analyses could provide relevant additional information to guide decisions regarding offering a lifestyle intervention to obese infertile women. The cost-effectiveness of lifestyle intervention preceding infertility treatment compared to prompt infertility treatment was evaluated based on data of a previous RCT, the LIFEstyle study. The primary outcome for effectiveness was the vaginal birth of a healthy singleton at term within 24 months after randomization (the healthy live birth rate). The economic evaluation was performed from a hospital perspective and included direct medical costs of the lifestyle intervention, infertility treatments, medication and pregnancy in the intervention and control group. In addition, we performed exploratory cost-effectiveness analyses of scenarios with additional effectiveness outcomes (overall live birth within 24 months and overall live birth conceived within 24 months) and of subgroups, i.e. of ovulatory and anovulatory women, women birth rates were 27 and 35% in the intervention group and the control group, respectively (effect difference of -8.1%, P birth rate. Mean costs per healthy live birth event were €15 932 in the intervention group and €15 912 in the

Consumer Acceptance of Population-Level Intervention Strategies for Healthy Food Choices: The Role of Perceived Effectiveness and Perceived Fairness

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Bos, C.; Lans, van der I.A.; Rijnsoever, F.J.; Trijp, van J.C.M.

2015-01-01

The present study investigates acceptance of intervention strategies for low-calorie snack choices that vary regarding the effect they have on consumers’ freedom of choice (providing information, guiding choice through (dis)incentives, and restricting choice). We examine the mediating effects of

Effectiveness of the Language Intervention Programme for Preschool Children.

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Lousada, Marisa; Ramalho, Margarida; Marques, Carolina

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the effectiveness of the Language Intervention Programme for the treatment of 14 preschool-aged children with primary language impairment. We used a waiting list control design, in which half the sample (7 children) received immediate intervention with the Language Intervention Programme, whereas the remaining children received treatment after a 4-week delay. The intervention consisted of 8 individual biweekly sessions. Outcome measures of language ability (receptive semantic and morphosyntactic, expressive semantic and morphosyntactic, and metalinguistic) were taken before and after intervention. After 4 weeks of intervention, the experimental group showed significant improvements in language (receptive, expressive and metalinguistic skills), but no differences were found for those in the waiting control group. After 4 weeks of intervention for the control group, significant progress in language was also observed. The Language Intervention Programme was found to be effective in treating language skills of children with language impairment, providing clinical evidence for speech and language therapists to employ this programme for the treatment of preschool children with language disorders. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Effects of individual resilience intervention on indigenous people who experienced Typhoon Morkot in Taiwan

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Su-Fen Cheng

2012-02-01

Full Text Available In 2009, Typhoon Morakot struck Taiwan and caused serious harm to the indigenous peoples living in the southern mountainous regions. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of and the factors involved in individual resilience intervention of typhoon victims. Quantitative research was performed from October 2009 through September 2010. Purposive sampling yielded 77 indigenous persons who were willing to serve as participants in this study. These participants all maintained legal or actual residence in the areas of Kaohsiung that were affected by the typhoon. An individual resilience intervention program was implemented. The findings show the following: (1 after completing the individual resilience intervention program, the participants had higher individual resilience scores than before participating in the intervention program; and (2 individual resilience scores were significantly affected by residency after the typhoon. These findings suggest that an individual resilience intervention program is a useful approach that can be used to enhance the individual resilience of a victim and that professionals should pay more attention to victims who have to leave their hometowns after disasters.

Brief Alcohol Intervention by Newly Trained Workers Versus Leaflets: Comparison of Effect in Older Heavy Drinkers Identified in a Population Health Examination Survey: A Randomized Controlled Trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anders Blædel Gottlieb; Becker, Ulrik; Nielsen, Anette Søgaard

2011-01-01

Aims: To test if a brief motivational intervention (BMI) in a non-treatment seeking population of heavy drinkers results in a reduced alcohol intake. Methods: Screening of 12,364 participants in a Danish health examination survey led to 1026 heavy drinkers of whom 772 were included and randomized...

Beyond Sex: Likelihood and Predictors of Effective and Ineffective Intervention in Intimate Partner Violence in Bystanders Perceiving an Emergency.

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Chabot, Heather Frasier; Gray, Melissa L; Makande, Tariro B; Hoyt, Robert L

2016-01-06

Within the framework of the bystander model of intervention, we examined specific correlates and the likelihood of effective and ineffective intervention strategies of bystanders to an instance of intimate partner violence (IPV) identified as an emergency. We measured psychological variables associated with general prosocial behavior (including sex, instrumentality, expressiveness, empathy, personal distress, dispositional anger, and perceived barriers) as influential predictors in four IPV intervention behaviors (i.e., calling 911, talking to the victim, talking to the perpetrator, and physically interacting with the perpetrator). One hundred seventeen college community members completed preintervention measures, watched a film clip of IPV which they identified as an emergency, reported their likelihood of becoming involved and utilizing intervention behaviors, and identified perceived barriers to intervention. Participants were more likely to indicate using effective over ineffective intervention tactics. Lower perceived barriers to intervention predicted greater intervention likelihood. Hierarchical regression indicated that men and individuals higher in anger and instrumental traits were more likely to report that they would engage in riskier ineffective forms of intervention. Implications regarding bystander training and associations to intervention in related forms of violence including sexual assault are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Effects of Current Forward Market Intervention in the Korean Currency Crisis

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Woosik Moon

2001-06-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the effect of the exchange market interventions of the Bank of Korea on the exchange rate of Korean won vis-a-vis US dollar during the 1997 currency crisis. In particular, this paper tests the effects of spot and forward market interventions, using daily intervention data of the Bank of Korea. During the 1997 period, Korea faced two series of crisis in January-March and September-November. It turns out that the spot market intervention was effective in stabilizing the spot market exchange rate at least during the first crisis period. In contrast, there seemed no effect of the forward market intervention. Forward market intervention was rather destabilizing through forward exchange rate during the second crisis period. This implies that even though the forward and sterilized spot market interventions are equivalent in their effect on exchange rate, these two instruments can widely diverge from each other under the circumstances of exchange rate volatility and speculation.

Examining the Process of Change in an Evidence-Based Parent Training Intervention: A Qualitative Study Grounded in the Experiences of Parents

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Holtrop, Kendal N.

2011-01-01

The evidence-based parent training intervention known as Parent Management Training-the Oregon Model (PMTO) is one particularly well-supported treatment approach for addressing child behavioral problems. Yet, there remains a need to further examine how this intervention promotes change. The purpose of this study was to develop a grounded theory…

Effectiveness and specificity of a classroom-based group intervention in children and adolescents exposed to war in Lebanon.

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Karam, Elie G; Fayyad, John; Nasser Karam, Aimee; Cordahi Tabet, Caroline; Melhem, Nadine; Mneimneh, Zeina; Dimassi, Hani

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and specificity of a classroom-based psychosocial intervention after war. All students (n=2500) of six villages in Southern Lebanon designated as most heavily exposed to war received a classroom-based intervention delivered by teachers, consisting of cognitive-behavioural and stress inoculation training strategies. A random sample of treated students (n=101) and a matched control group (n=93) were assessed one month post-war and one year later. Mental disorders and psychosocial stressors were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents - Revised with children and parents. War exposure was measured using the War Events Questionnaire. The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined pre-war, one month post-war (pre-intervention), and one year post-war. Specificity of treatment was determined by rating teachers' therapy diaries. The rates of disorders peaked one month post-war and decreased over one year. There was no significant effect of the intervention on the rates of MDD, SAD or PTSD. Post-war MDD, SAD and PTSD were associated with pre-war SAD and PTSD, family violence parameters, financial problems and witnessing war events. These findings have significant policy and public health implications, given current practices of delivering universal interventions immediately post-war.

Effects of preventive online mindfulness interventions on stress and mindfulness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

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Wasantha P. Jayawardene, MD, PhD

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Empirical evidence suggested that mind-body interventions can be effectively delivered online. This study aimed to examine whether preventive online mindfulness interventions (POMI for non-clinical populations improve short- and long-term outcomes for perceived-stress (primary and mindfulness (secondary. Systematic search of four electronic databases, manuscript reference lists, and journal content lists was conducted in 2016, using 21 search-terms. Eight randomized controlled trials (RCTs evaluating effects of POMI in non-clinical populations with adequately reported perceived-stress and mindfulness measures pre- and post-intervention were included. Random-effects models utilized for all effect-size estimations with meta-regression performed for mean age and %females. Participants were volunteers (adults; predominantly female from academic, workplace, or community settings. Most interventions utilized simplified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction protocols over 2–12 week periods. Post-intervention, significant medium effect found for perceived-stress (g = 0.432, with moderate heterogeneity and significant, but small, effect size for mindfulness (g = 0.275 with low heterogeneity; highest effects were for middle-aged individuals. At follow-up, significant large effect found for perceived-stress (g = 0.699 with low heterogeneity and significant medium effect (g = 0.466 for mindfulness with high heterogeneity. No publication bias was found for perceived-stress; publication bias found for mindfulness outcomes led to underestimation of effects, not overestimation. Number of eligible RCTs was low with inadequate data reporting in some studies. POMI had substantial stress reduction effects and some mindfulness improvement effects. POMI can be a more convenient and cost-effective strategy, compared to traditional face-to-face interventions, especially in the context of busy, hard-to-reach, but digitally-accessible populations.

The effect of a multifaceted educational intervention on medication preparation and administration errors in neonatal intensive care

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Chedoe, Indra; Molendijk, Harry; Hospes, Wobbe; Van den Heuvel, Edwin B.; Taxis, Katja

Objective To examine the effect of a multifaceted educational intervention on the incidence of medication preparation and administration errors in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Design Prospective study with a preintervention and postintervention measurement using direct observation. Setting

Pedagogical Approaches to and Effects of Fundamental Movement Skill Interventions on Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

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Tompsett, Claire; Sanders, Ross; Taylor, Caitlin; Cobley, Stephen

2017-09-01

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) are assumed to be the basic prerequisite motor movements underpinning coordination of more integrated and advanced movement capabilities. FMS development and interventions have been associated with several beneficial health outcomes in individual studies. The primary aim of this review was to identify FMS intervention characteristics that could be optimised to attain beneficial outcomes in children and adolescents, while the secondary aim was to update the evidence as to the efficacy of FMS interventions on physiological, psychological and behavioural health outcomes. A systematic search [adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines] was conducted in seven databases. Studies were included if they conducted an FMS intervention and targeted at least one physiological, behavioural or psychological outcome in school-aged children (5-18 years). Twenty-nine studies examining the effect of FMS interventions relative to controls were identified. Specialist-led interventions, taught in conjunction with at-home practice and parent involvement, appeared more efficacious in enhancing FMS proficiency than school physical education alone. Intervention environments encouraging psychological autonomy were likely to enhance perceived and actual competence in FMS alongside physical activity. FMS interventions had little influence on overweight/obesity reduction, strength or flexibility. In 93% of studies, evidence indicated interventions improved FMS motor proficiency. Favourable specific physiological, psychological and behavioural outcomes were also identified across a variety of interventions. With reference to clinical and normative school-age populations, future studies should be directed toward determining validated standard FMS assessments to enable accurate effect estimates, permit intervention comparisons and improve the efficacy of FMS development.

Intervention effects from a social marketing campaign to promote HPV vaccination in preteen boys.

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Cates, Joan R; Diehl, Sandra J; Crandell, Jamie L; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera

2014-07-16

Adoption of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in the US has been slow. In 2011, HPV vaccination of boys was recommended by CDC for routine use at ages 11-12. We conducted and evaluated a social marketing intervention with parents and providers to stimulate HPV vaccination among preteen boys. We targeted parents and providers of 9-13 year old boys in a 13 county NC region. The 3-month intervention included distribution of HPV vaccination posters and brochures to all county health departments plus 194 enrolled providers; two radio PSAs; and an online CME training. A Cox proportional hazards model was fit using NC immunization registry data to examine whether vaccination rates in 9-13 year old boys increased during the intervention period in targeted counties compared to control counties (n=15) with similar demographics. To compare with other adolescent vaccines, similar models were fit for HPV vaccination in girls and meningococcal and Tdap vaccination of boys in the same age range. Moderating effects of age, race, and Vaccines for Children (VFC) eligibility on the intervention were considered. The Cox model showed an intervention effect (β=0.29, HR=1.34, p=.0024), indicating that during the intervention the probability of vaccination increased by 34% in the intervention counties relative to the control counties. Comparisons with HPV vaccination in girls and Tdap and meningococcal vaccination in boys suggest a unique boost for HPV vaccination in boys during the intervention. Model covariates of age, race and VFC eligibility were all significantly associated with vaccination rates (pmarketing techniques can encourage parents and health care providers to vaccinate preteen boys against HPV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Teacher Impression Journals to Improve Intervention Effectiveness

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Yu, SeonYeong; Ostrosky, Michaelene M.; Meyer, Lori E.; Favazza, Paddy C.; Mouzourou, Chryso; van Luling, Lisa

2016-01-01

This article describes the use of "Teacher Impression Journals" during a larger study that examined the efficacy of an intervention program designed to promote kindergarteners' positive attitudes toward peers with disabilities (i.e., the "Special Friends" program). The journals were designed to gather information about…

Comparative effectiveness of asthma interventions within a practice based research network

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Hebert Lisa

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects more than 23 million people in the United States, including 7 million children. Asthma is a difficult to manage chronic condition associated with disparities in health outcomes, poor medical compliance, and high healthcare costs. The research network coordinating this project includes hospitals, urgent care centers, and outpatient clinics within Carolinas Healthcare System that share a common electronic medical record and billing system allowing for rapid collection of clinical and demographic data. This study investigates the impact of three interventions on clinical outcomes for patients with asthma. Interventions are: an integrated approach to care that incorporates asthma management based on the chronic care model; a shared decision making intervention for asthma patients in underserved or disadvantaged populations; and a school based care approach that examines the efficacy of school-based programs to impact asthma outcomes including effectiveness of linkages between schools and the healthcare providers. Methods/Design This study will include 95 Practices, 171 schools, and over 30,000 asthmatic patients. Five groups (A-E will be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of three interventions. Group A is the usual care control group without electronic medical record (EMR. Group B practices are a second control group that has an EMR with decision support, asthma action plans, and population reports at baseline. A time delay design during year one converts practices in Group B to group C after receiving the integrated approach to care intervention. Four practices within Group C will receive the shared decision making intervention (and become group D. Group E will receive a school based care intervention through case management within the schools. A centralized database will be created with the goal of facilitating comparative effectiveness research on asthma outcomes

Follow-up study of female delinquent adolescents in a detention centre: effectiveness of psychiatric intervention as a mental health service.

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Ariga, Michio; Uehara, Toru; Takeuchi, Kazuo; Ishige, Yoko; Nakano, Reiko; Mikuni, Masahiko

2010-01-01

of previous studies suggest that many female offenders have co-morbid psychiatric disorders, which require mental health services. However, few longitudinal studies examined subjects during incarceration or detention. This study compares depressive symptoms, abnormal eating behaviour and impulsivity before release from a detention centre and after incarceration, thereby indicating the effectiveness of psychiatric intervention in a Japanese detention centre. Of 64 young women, 36 were followed up. Self-report measures were used to assess depression, eating behaviour and impulsivity after incarceration and one month before release. s: Of the 36 participants, nine were diagnosed using the MINI-kids as needing mental health services. Those who received psychiatric intervention were diagnosed as having major depression and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. Significant main effects of intervention and effects of time were shown in the DSD. The EAT-26 score demonstrated the significance of the effects of time and interaction. In the BIS-11 scores, neither intervention nor time showed significant effects. Results of this study showed that the time course and psychiatric intervention contributed to recovery of depression and therapeutic intervention. The time course might reduce eating problems. Psychiatric intervention might be necessary for female juvenile detainees, which presents an important issue for future studies.

Robin Hood effects on motivation in math: Family interest moderates the effects of relevance interventions.

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Häfner, Isabelle; Flunger, Barbara; Dicke, Anna-Lena; Gaspard, Hanna; Brisson, Brigitte M; Nagengast, Benjamin; Trautwein, Ulrich

2017-08-01

Using a cluster randomized field trial, the present study tested whether 2 relevance interventions affected students' value beliefs, self-concept, and effort in math differently depending on family background (socioeconomic status, family interest (FI), and parental utility value). Eighty-two classrooms were randomly assigned to either 1 of 2 intervention conditions or a control group. Data from 1,916 students (M age = 14.62, SD age = 0.47) and their predominantly Caucasian middle-class parents were obtained via separate questionnaires. Multilevel regression analyses with cross-level interactions were used to investigate differential intervention effects on students' motivational beliefs 6 weeks and 5 months after the intervention. Socioeconomic status, FI, and parental utility values were investigated as moderators of the intervention effects. The intervention conditions were especially effective in promoting students' utility, attainment, intrinsic value beliefs, and effort 5 months after the intervention for students whose parents reported lower levels of math interest. Furthermore, students whose parents reported low math utility values especially profited in terms of their utility and attainment math values 5 months after the intervention. No systematic differential intervention effects were found for socioeconomic status. These results highlight the effectiveness of relevance interventions in decreasing motivational gaps between students from families with fewer or more motivational resources. Findings point to the substantial importance of motivational family resources, which have been neglected in previous research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Insights into workplace bullying: psychosocial drivers and effective interventions

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Escartín, Jordi

2016-01-01

Research on effectiveness of workplace bullying interventions has lagged behind descriptive studies on this topic. The literature on bullying intervention research has only recently expanded to a point that allows for synthesis of findings across empirical studies. This study addresses the question of whether workplace bullying can be reduced in prevalence and consequences, if so to what extent and by which strategies and interventions. It opens with a brief overview of the nature of bullying at work and discussion of some precursors and existing interventions. However, its principal focus is on the findings obtained from selected (quasi-) experimental longitudinal studies on antibullying interventions, drawing together the results of studies conducted in Europe, USA, and Australia, including several economic sectors, and concerned about primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs and strategies. Additional emphasis is considered from the psychosocial drivers highlighted both from prescriptive and cross-sectional studies and factual empirical studies. One randomized control study and seven quasiexperimental longitudinal studies were identified by searching electronic databases and bibliographies and via contact with experts. The majority of outcomes evidenced some level of change, mostly positive, suggesting that workplace bullying interventions are more likely to affect knowledge, attitudes, and self-perceptions, but actual bullying behaviors showed much more mixed results. In general, growing effectiveness was stated as the level of intervention increased from primary to tertiary prevention. However, methodological problems relating to the evaluation designs in most studies do not allow direct attribution of these findings to the interventions. Overall, the evaluation of antibullying interventions must flourish and be improved, requiring close cooperation between practitioners and academics to design, implement, and evaluate effective interventions based

Interventions to promote cycling: systematic review.

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Yang, Lin; Sahlqvist, Shannon; McMinn, Alison; Griffin, Simon J; Ogilvie, David

2010-10-18

To determine what interventions are effective in promoting cycling, the size of the effects of interventions, and evidence of any associated benefits on overall physical activity or anthropometric measures. Systematic review. Published and unpublished reports in any language identified by searching 13 electronic databases, websites, reference lists, and existing systematic reviews, and papers identified by experts in the field. Review methods Controlled "before and after" experimental or observational studies of the effect of any type of intervention on cycling behaviour measured at either individual or population level. Twenty five studies (of which two were randomised controlled trials) from seven countries were included. Six studies examined interventions aimed specifically at promoting cycling, of which four (an intensive individual intervention in obese women, high quality improvements to a cycle route network, and two multifaceted cycle promotion initiatives at town or city level) were found to be associated with increases in cycling. Those studies that evaluated interventions at population level reported net increases of up to 3.4 percentage points in the population prevalence of cycling or the proportion of trips made by bicycle. Sixteen studies assessing individualised marketing of "environmentally friendly" modes of transport to interested households reported modest but consistent net effects equating to an average of eight additional cycling trips per person per year in the local population. Other interventions that targeted travel behaviour in general were not associated with a clear increase in cycling. Only two studies assessed effects of interventions on physical activity; one reported a positive shift in the population distribution of overall physical activity during the intervention. Community-wide promotional activities and improving infrastructure for cycling have the potential to increase cycling by modest amounts, but further controlled

Three-Dimensions vs. Two-Dimensions Intervention Programs: The Effect on the Mediation Level and Behavioural Aspects of Children with Intellectual Disability

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Eden, S.; Bezer, M.

2011-01-01

The research examined the effect of an intervention program employing 3D immersive virtual reality (IVR), which focused on the perception of sequential time, on the mediation level and behavioural aspects of children with intellectual disability (ID). The intervention is based on the mediated learning experience (MLE) theory, which refers the…

The Protective Effects of Family Support on the Relationship between Official Intervention and General Delinquency across the Life Course.

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Dong, Beidi; Krohn, Marvin D

2017-03-01

Previous research on the labeling perspective has identified mediational processes and the long-term effects of official intervention in the life course. However, it is not yet clear what factors may moderate the relationship between labeling and subsequent offending. The current study integrates Cullen's (1994) social support theory to examine how family social support conditions the criminogenic, stigmatizing effects of official intervention on delinquency and whether such protective effects vary by developmental stage. Using longitudinal data from the Rochester Youth Development Study, we estimated negative binomial regression models to investigate the relationships between police arrest, family social support, and criminal offending during both adolescence and young adulthood. Police arrest is a significant predictor of self-reported delinquency in both the adolescent and adult models. Expressive family support exhibits main effects in the adolescent models; instrumental family support exhibits main effects at both developmental stages. Additionally, instrumental family support diminishes some of the predicted adverse effects of official intervention in adulthood. Perception of family support can be critical in reducing general delinquency as well as buffering against the adverse effects of official intervention on subsequent offending. Policies and programs that work with families subsequent to a criminal justice intervention should emphasize the importance of providing a supportive environment for those who are labeled.

Effectiveness of psychosocial intervention enhancing resilience among war-affected children and the moderating role of family factors.

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Diab, Marwan; Peltonen, Kirsi; Qouta, Samir R; Palosaari, Esa; Punamäki, Raija-Leena

2015-02-01

The study examines, first, the effectiveness of a psychosocial intervention based on Teaching Recovery Techniques (TRT) to increase resiliency among Palestinian children, exposed to a major trauma of war. Second, it analyses the role of family factors (maternal attachment and family atmosphere) as moderating the intervention impacts on resilience. School classes in Gaza were randomized into intervention (N=242) and control (N=240) groups. The percentage of girls (49.4%) and boys (50.6%) were equal, and the child age was 10-13 years in both groups. Children reported positive indicators of their mental health (prosocial behaviour and psychosocial well-being) at baseline (T1), post-intervention (T2) and at a six-month follow-up (T3). At T1 they accounted their exposure to war trauma. Mothers reported about their willingness to serve as an attachment figure, and the child reported about the family atmosphere. Resilience was conceptualized as a presence of positive indications of mental health despite trauma exposure. Against our hypothesis, the intervention did not increase the level of resilience statistically significantly, nor was the effect of the intervention moderated by maternal attachment responses or family atmosphere. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early marriage in Africa--trends, harmful effects and interventions.

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Walker, Judith-Ann

2012-06-01

This article explores the pattern of early marriage in Africa. It focuses on the sub-Saharan region as an area with the highest rates of early marriage in the world. The harmful effects of early marriage are explored in terms of impact on the health, education and economic well-being of young girls. The paper outlines a framework for analyzing global, regional and local initiatives to curb early marriage and examines the application of these interventions in sub-Saharan countries. Regional patterns are then examined and countries which have made progress in reducing age of marriage are compared to countries in which age of marriage amongst girls has reminded low. The paper concludes on the note that countries with the highest rates of early marriage are also the countries with the highest rates of poverty and highest population growth rates. The paper argues for a sub-regional strategy to address the problem of early marriage in the zone with the highest incidence.

Reducing obesity stigma: the effectiveness of cognitive dissonance and social consensus interventions.

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Ciao, Anna C; Latner, Janet D

2011-09-01

Obese individuals experience pervasive stigmatization. Interventions attempting to reduce obesity stigma by targeting its origins have yielded mixed results. This randomized, controlled study examined the effectiveness of two interventions to reduce obesity stigma: cognitive dissonance and social consensus. Participants were college undergraduate students (N = 64, 78% women, mean age = 21.2 years, mean BMI = 23.1 kg/m2) of diverse ethnicities. Obesity stigma (assessed with the Antifat Attitudes Test (AFAT)) was assessed at baseline (Visit 1) and 1 week later, immediately following the intervention (Visit 2). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups where they received standardized written feedback on their obesity stigma levels. Cognitive dissonance participants (N = 21) were told that their AFAT scores were discrepant from their values (high core values of kindness and equality and high stigma), social consensus participants (N = 22) were told their scores were discrepant from their peers' scores (stigma much higher than their peers), and control participants (N = 21) were told their scores were consistent with both their peers' scores and their own values. Following the intervention, omnibus analyses revealed significant group differences on the AFAT Physical/Romantic Unattractiveness subscale (PRU; F (2, 59) = 4.43, P cognitive dissonance group means were significantly lower than control means for AFAT total, AFAT PRU subscale, and AFAT social/character disparagement subscale (all P cognitive dissonance interventions may be a successful way to reduce obesity stigma, particularly by changing attitudes about the appearance and attractiveness of obese individuals.

Effective behavioral intervention strategies using mobile health applications for chronic disease management: a systematic review.

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Lee, Jung-Ah; Choi, Mona; Lee, Sang A; Jiang, Natalie

2018-02-20

Mobile health (mHealth) has continuously been used as a method in behavioral research to improve self-management in patients with chronic diseases. However, the evidence of its effectiveness in chronic disease management in the adult population is still lacking. We conducted a systematic review to examine the effectiveness of mHealth interventions on process measures as well as health outcomes in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to improve chronic disease management. Relevant randomized controlled studies that were published between January 2005 and March 2016 were searched in six databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were RCTs that conducted an intervention using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets for adult patients with chronic diseases to examine disease management or health promotion. Of the 12 RCTs reviewed, 10 of the mHealth interventions demonstrated statistically significant improvement in some health outcomes. The most common features of mHealth systems used in the reviewed RCTs were real-time or regular basis symptom assessments, pre-programed reminders, or feedbacks tailored specifically to the data provided by participants via mHealth devices. Most studies developed their own mHealth systems including mobile apps. Training of mHealth systems was provided to participants in person or through paper-based instructions. None of the studies reported the relationship between health outcomes and patient engagement levels on the mHealth system. Findings from mHealth intervention studies for chronic disease management have shown promising aspects, particularly in improving self-management and some health outcomes.

[Effects of Lifestyle Intervention on Fatigue, Nutritional Status and Quality of Life in Patients with Gynecologic Cancer].

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An, Hyunjin; Nho, Ju Hee; Yoo, Sunyoung; Kim, Hyunmin; Nho, Minji; Yoo, Hojeong

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of lifestyle intervention on the development of fatigue, nutritional status and quality of life of patients with gynecologic cancer. A nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used. Participants were 49 patients with gynecologic cancer. They were assigned to the experiment group (n=24) or the control group (n=25). The lifestyle intervention for this study consisted of physical activity, nutritional education, telephone call counseling, health counseling, monitoring for lifestyle, and affective support based on Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior and was implemented for six weeks. Significant group differences were found for fatigue (p =.037), nutritional status (p =.034) and social/family well-being (p =.035) in these patients with gynecologic cancer. Results indicate that this lifestyle intervention is effective in lessening fatigue, and improving nutritional status and social/family well-being. Therefore, nurses in hospitals should develop strategies to expand and provide lifestyle interventions for patients with cancer.

"Are cognitive interventions effective in Alzheimer's disease? A controlled meta- analysis of the effects of bias": Correction to Oltra-Cucarella et al. (2016).

Science.gov (United States)

2016-07-01

Reports an error in "Are Cognitive Interventions Effective in Alzheimer's Disease? A Controlled Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Bias" by Javier Oltra-Cucarella, Rubén Pérez-Elvira, Raul Espert and Anita Sohn McCormick (Neuropsychology, Advanced Online Publication, Apr 7, 2016, np). In the article the first sentence of the third paragraph of the Source of bias subsection in the Statistical Analysis subsection of the Correlational Meta-Analysis section should read "For the control condition bias, three comparison groups were differentiated: (a) a structured cognitive intervention, (b) a placebo control condition, and (c) a pharma control condition without cognitive intervention or no treatment at all." (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2016-16656-001.) There is limited evidence about the efficacy of cognitive interventions for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, aside from the methodological quality of the studies analyzed, the methodology used in previous meta-analyses is itself a risk of bias as different types of effect sizes (ESs) were calculated and combined. This study aimed at examining the results of nonpharmacological interventions for AD with an adequate control of statistical methods and to demonstrate a different approach to meta-analysis. ESs were calculated with the independent groups pre/post design. Average ESs for separate outcomes were calculated and moderator analyses were performed so as to offer an overview of the effects of bias. Eighty-seven outcomes from 19 studies (n = 812) were meta-analyzed. ESs were small on average for cognitive and functional outcomes after intervention. Moderator analyses showed no effect of control of bias, although ESs were different from zero only in some circumstances (e.g., memory outcomes in randomized studies). Cognitive interventions showed no more efficacy than placebo interventions, and functional ESs were consistently low across conditions. cognitive interventions delivered

Assessing the Effects of a School-Wide Data-Based Decision-Making Intervention on Student Achievement Growth in Primary Schools

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Geel, Marieke Johanna Maria; Keuning, Trynke; Visscher, Arend J.; Fox, Gerardus J.A.

2016-01-01

Despite growing international interest in the use of data to improve education, few studies examining the effects on student achievement are yet available. In the present study, the effects of a two-year data-based decision-making intervention on student achievement growth were investigated.

Causes and Results of Exchange Rate Intervention Under Inflation Targeting

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Bora Suslu

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Under inflation targeting, central banks exchange rate interventions are discussed frequently in the economic literature recently. Effectiveness of intervention in exchange rate under inflation targeting are examined from three perspectives. These are expectations of the actors and the impact on the variance, reserve accumulation and the cost of sterilization. Since 2003 the Central Bank of Turkey has intervened exchange rate with both direct and indirect methods. The purpose of this study is to examine the results of these three aspects of the CBRT and the foreign exchange interventions. We found that by logit analysis under the inflation targeting of CBRT as a result of the intervention of exchange rate is effect expectations of economic unit and reduce of exchange rate the variance; after thes intervention the variance of exchange rate and cost of sterilization are increased. In this respect, the effectiveness of the intervention of the Central Bank exchange rate market is only reserve accumulation

Unanticipated Effect of a Randomized Peer Network Intervention on Depressive Symptoms among Young Methamphetamine Users in Thailand

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German, D.; Sutcliffe, C. G.; Sirirojn, B.; Sherman, S. G.; Latkin, C. A.; Aramrattana, A.; Celentano, D. D.

2012-01-01

We examined the effect on depressive symptoms of a peer network-oriented intervention effective in reducing sexual risk behavior and methamphetamine (MA) use. Current Thai MA users aged 18-25 years and their drug and/or sex network members enrolled in a randomized controlled trial with 4 follow-ups over 12 months. A total of 415 index participants…

Long-Term Effectiveness of a Brief Restorative Justice Intervention.

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Kennedy, Joseph L D; Tuliao, Antover P; Flower, KayLee N; Tibbs, Jessie J; McChargue, Dennis E

2018-06-01

This research investigated the effectiveness of a brief Restorative Justice Intervention. Probationers who attended a Restorative Justice Intervention ( n = 383) were compared with probationers receiving treatment as usual ( n = 130) over a 2- to 6-year follow-up period. The proportion of individuals who recidivated in the control condition ( n = 89, 68.46%) were higher compared with those who recidivated in the intervention condition ( n = 127, 33.16%; z = 7.04, p restorative justice. Implications of these effects are discussed.

Responsiveness to Intervention in Children with Dyslexia.

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Tilanus, Elisabeth A T; Segers, Eliane; Verhoeven, Ludo

2016-08-01

We examined the responsiveness to a 12-week phonics intervention in 54 s-grade Dutch children with dyslexia, and compared their reading and spelling gains to a control group of 61 typical readers. The intervention aimed to train grapheme-phoneme correspondences (GPCs), and word reading and spelling by using phonics instruction. We examined the accuracy and efficiency of grapheme-phoneme correspondences, decoding words and pseudowords, as well as the accuracy of spelling words before and after the intervention. Moreover, responsiveness to intervention was examined by studying to what extent scores at posttest could directly or indirectly be predicted from precursor measures. Results showed that the children with dyslexia were significantly behind in all reading and spelling measures at pretest. During the intervention, the children with dyslexia made more progress on GPC, (pseudo)word decoding accuracy and efficiency, and spelling accuracy than the typical reading group. Furthermore, we found a direct effect of the precursor measures rapid automatized naming, verbal working memory and phoneme deletion on the dyslexic children's progress in GPC speed, and indirect effects of rapid automatized naming and phoneme deletion on word and pseudoword efficiency and word decoding accuracy via the scores at pretest. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of Oral Stimulation Intervention in Newborn Babies with Cri du Chat Syndrome: Single-Subject Research Design

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Mi Kyung Kim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to treat dysphagia in a newborn baby with cri du chat syndrome using an oral stimulation intervention and to examine its effects. The subject of this study was a baby born 2 weeks prematurely. Since birth, his oxygen saturation (SaO2 decreased while feeding, and he had difficulty with mouth feeding. Thus, an NG feeding tube was inserted, and dysphagia treatment was initiated on the sixth day after birth. A baseline phase and an intervention phase were performed using an AB design. The oral stimulation intervention was not performed in the baseline phase, as only nonnutritive sucking training using a rubber pacifier was used during the baseline phase. During the intervention phase, nonnutritive sucking training and oral stimulation intervention were simultaneously conducted. After the intervention period, daily oral milk intake and intake per feeding of the subject noticeably increased. The oxygen saturation while feeding rose over 90% on average, and the baby did not present with hypoxia. The oral stimulation intervention provided prior to feeding resulted in highly positive effects, including induced normal development of the baby, stimulation of his transition from the NG feeding tube to bottle feeding, increased oxygen saturation, and a shortened hospital stay.

Insights into workplace bullying: psychosocial drivers and effective interventions

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Escartín J

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Jordi Escartín Department of Social Psychology, Facultad de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebrón, Barcelona, Spain Abstract: Research on effectiveness of workplace bullying interventions has lagged behind descriptive studies on this topic. The literature on bullying intervention research has only recently expanded to a point that allows for synthesis of findings across empirical studies. This study addresses the question of whether workplace bullying can be reduced in prevalence and consequences, if so to what extent and by which strategies and interventions. It opens with a brief overview of the nature of bullying at work and discussion of some precursors and existing interventions. However, its principal focus is on the findings obtained from selected (quasi- experimental longitudinal studies on antibullying interventions, drawing together the results of studies conducted in Europe, USA, and Australia, including several economic sectors, and concerned about primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs and strategies. Additional emphasis is considered from the psychosocial drivers highlighted both from prescriptive and cross-sectional studies and factual empirical studies. One randomized control study and seven quasiexperimental longitudinal studies were identified by searching electronic databases and bibliographies and via contact with experts. The majority of outcomes evidenced some level of change, mostly positive, suggesting that workplace bullying interventions are more likely to affect knowledge, attitudes, and self-perceptions, but actual bullying behaviors showed much more mixed results. In general, growing effectiveness was stated as the level of intervention increased from primary to tertiary prevention. However, methodological problems relating to the evaluation designs in most studies do not allow direct attribution of these findings to the interventions. Overall, the evaluation of

Examining the efficacy of a brief group protective behavioral strategies skills training alcohol intervention with college women.

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Kenney, Shannon R; Napper, Lucy E; LaBrie, Joseph W; Martens, Matthew P

2014-12-01

College students' use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS; e.g., determining not to exceed a set number of drinks, avoiding drinking games) is related to lower levels of alcohol consumption and problems. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a novel brief, single-session group PBS skills training intervention aimed at increasing college students' use of PBS and reducing risky drinking and consequences. Participants (N = 226) were heavy-drinking incoming first-year college women randomized to either a PBS skills training intervention or study skills control condition. Participants attended a 45-min group session and completed online surveys pre- and postintervention (1 month and 6 months). We conducted a series of 2 × 2 × 3 repeated-measures ANCOVAs with condition and baseline mental health (anxiety/depression) as the between-subjects factors and time as the within-subjects factor. Intervention participants, relative to controls, reported significantly greater increases in PBS use and reductions in both heavy episodic drinking and alcohol consequences. The intervention was particularly effective in increasing PBS use at 1 month among participants with high anxiety. Further, tests of moderated mediation showed a significant conditional indirect effect of condition on 1-month consequences through PBS use among participants with high levels of anxiety. Findings provide preliminary support for a brief PBS-specific group intervention to reduce alcohol risk among college women, particularly anxious women. Future research is needed to strengthen the long-term effectiveness of the present approach and further explore the moderating effects of mental health.

Effectiveness of a Grief Intervention for Caregivers of People With Dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

MacCourt, Penny; McLennan, Marianne; Somers, Sandie; Krawczyk, Marian

2017-08-01

In this article, we report on the structure and effectiveness of a grief management coaching intervention with caregivers of individuals with dementia. The intervention was informed by Marwit and Meuser's Caregiver Grief Model and considered levels of grief, sense of empowerment, coping, and resilience using five methods of delivery. Results indicate that the intervention had significant positive effects on caregivers' levels of grief and increased their levels of empowerment, coping, and resilience. The intervention was found to be effective across caregivers' characteristics as well as across five delivery modalities. Through description of this intervention, as well as outcome, this research contributes to the body of knowledge about caregivers' disenfranchised grief and ways to effectively address it.

Cost-effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity: a modelling study.

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Linda J Cobiac

2009-07-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a key risk factor for chronic disease, but a growing number of people are not achieving the recommended levels of physical activity necessary for good health. Australians are no exception; despite Australia's image as a sporting nation, with success at the elite level, the majority of Australians do not get enough physical activity. There are many options for intervention, from individually tailored advice, such as counselling from a general practitioner, to population-wide approaches, such as mass media campaigns, but the most cost-effective mix of interventions is unknown. In this study we evaluate the cost-effectiveness of interventions to promote physical activity. METHODS AND FINDINGS: From evidence of intervention efficacy in the physical activity literature and evaluation of the health sector costs of intervention and disease treatment, we model the cost impacts and health outcomes of six physical activity interventions, over the lifetime of the Australian population. We then determine cost-effectiveness of each intervention against current practice for physical activity intervention in Australia and derive the optimal pathway for implementation. Based on current evidence of intervention effectiveness, the intervention programs that encourage use of pedometers (Dominant and mass media-based community campaigns (Dominant are the most cost-effective strategies to implement and are very likely to be cost-saving. The internet-based intervention program (AUS$3,000/DALY, the GP physical activity prescription program (AUS$12,000/DALY, and the program to encourage more active transport (AUS$20,000/DALY, although less likely to be cost-saving, have a high probability of being under a AUS$50,000 per DALY threshold. GP referral to an exercise physiologist (AUS$79,000/DALY is the least cost-effective option if high time and travel costs for patients in screening and consulting an exercise physiologist are considered

Effects of a randomized intervention to improve workplace social capital in community health centers in China.

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Sun, Xiaojie; Zhang, Nan; Liu, Kun; Li, Wen; Oksanen, Tuula; Shi, Lizheng

2014-01-01

To examine whether workplace social capital improved after implementing a workplace social capital intervention in community health centers in China. This study was conducted in 20 community health centers of similar size in Jinan of China during 2012-2013. Using the stratified site randomization, 10 centers were randomized into the intervention group; one center was excluded due to leadership change in final analyses. The baseline survey including 447 staff (response rate: 93.1%) was conducted in 2012, and followed by a six-month workplace social capital intervention, including team building courses for directors of community health centers, voluntarily public services, group psychological consultation, and outdoor training. The follow-up survey in July 2013 was responded to by 390 staff members (response rate: 86.9%). Workplace social capital was assessed with the translated and culturally adapted scale, divided into vertical and horizontal dimensions. The facility-level intervention effects were based on all baseline (n = 427) and follow-up (n = 377) respondents, except for Weibei respondents. We conducted a bivariate Difference-in-Difference analysis to estimate the facility-level intervention effects. No statistically significant intervention effects were observed at the center level; the intervention increased the facility-level workplace social capital, and its horizontal and vertical dimensions by 1.0 (p = 0.24), 0.4 (p = 0.46) and 0.8 (p = 0.16), respectively. The comprehensive intervention seemed to slightly improve workplace social capital in community health centers of urban China at the center level. High attrition rate limits any causal interpretation of the results. Further studies are warranted to test these findings.

Cost-effectiveness of a motivational intervention for alcohol-involved youth in a hospital emergency department.

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Neighbors, Charles J; Barnett, Nancy P; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Colby, Suzanne M; Monti, Peter M

2010-05-01

Brief interventions in the emergency department targeting risk-taking youth show promise to reduce alcohol-related injury. This study models the cost-effectiveness of a motivational interviewing-based intervention relative to brief advice to stop alcohol-related risk behaviors (standard care). Average cost-effectiveness ratios were compared between conditions. In addition, a cost-utility analysis examined the incremental cost of motivational interviewing per quality-adjusted life year gained. Microcosting methods were used to estimate marginal costs of motivational interviewing and standard care as well as two methods of patient screening: standard emergency-department staff questioning and proactive outreach by counseling staff. Average cost-effectiveness ratios were computed for drinking and driving, injuries, vehicular citations, and negative social consequences. Using estimates of the marginal effect of motivational interviewing in reducing drinking and driving, estimates of traffic fatality risk from drinking-and-driving youth, and national life tables, the societal costs per quality-adjusted life year saved by motivational interviewing relative to standard care were also estimated. Alcohol-attributable traffic fatality risks were estimated using national databases. Intervention costs per participant were $81 for standard care, $170 for motivational interviewing with standard screening, and $173 for motivational interviewing with proactive screening. The cost-effectiveness ratios for motivational interviewing were more favorable than standard care across all study outcomes and better for men than women. The societal cost per quality-adjusted life year of motivational interviewing was $8,795. Sensitivity analyses indicated that results were robust in terms of variability in parameter estimates. This brief intervention represents a good societal investment compared with other commonly adopted medical interventions.

An examination of cross-cultural systems implementing evidence-based assessment and intervention approaches

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Murray Laura K

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Implementation of evidence-based assessment and intervention approaches for youth with behavioral and/or emotional problems is rising to recognition worldwide. Feasibility research is critical to examine what characteristics of systems allow for success or barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practices into real-world settings, especially when working cross-culturally. This paper briefly reviews the experience of 4 international sites to understand how the overall structure and specific site variables directed the implementation of the World Health Organization and the World Psychiatry Association project. Discussion includes a thematic summary of the successes and challenges experienced by the sites, and future directions of feasibility studies.

The relationship between persuasive technology principles, adherence and effect of web-Based interventions for mental health: A meta-analysis.

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Wildeboer, Gina; Kelders, Saskia M; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E W C

2016-12-01

Research has shown that web-based interventions concerning mental health can be effective, although there is a broad range in effect sizes. Why some interventions are more effective than others is not clear. Persuasive technology is one of the aspects which has a positive influence on changing attitude and/or behavior, and can contribute to better outcomes. According to the Persuasive Systems Design Model there are various principles that can be deployed. It is unknown whether the number and combinations of principles used in a web-based intervention affect the effectiveness. Another issue in web-based interventions is adherence. Little is known about the relationship of adherence on the effectiveness of web-based interventions. This study examines whether there is a relationship between the number and combinations of persuasive technology principles used in web-based interventions and the effectiveness. Also the influence of adherence on effectiveness of web-based interventions is investigated. This study elaborates on the systematic review by [37] and therefore the articles were derived from that study. Only web-based interventions were included that were intended to be used on more than one occasion and studies were excluded when no information on adherence was provided. 48 interventions targeted at mental health were selected for the current study. A within-group (WG) and between-group (BG) meta-analysis were performed and subsequently subgroup analyses regarding the relationship between the number and combinations of persuasive technology principles and effectiveness. The influence of adherence on the effectiveness was examined through a meta-regression analysis. For the WG meta-analysis 40 treatment groups were included. The BG meta-analysis included 19 studies. The mean pooled effect size in the WG meta-analysis was large and significant (Hedges' g=0.94), while for the BG meta-analysis this was moderate to large and significant (Hedges' g=0.78) in favor of

The preventive effect of statin therapy on new-onset and recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients not undergoing invasive cardiac interventions ☆

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bang, Casper Niels Furbo; Greve, Anders M; Abdulla, Jawdat

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previous meta-analyses suggest that pre-procedural use of statin therapy may reduce atrial fibrillation (AF) following invasive cardiac interventions (coronary artery by-pass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention). However, the current evidence on the benefit of statins...... unrelated to invasive cardiac interventions has not been clarified systematically. METHODS: Through a systematic literature search, trials examining the effect of statin therapy on AF were selected. Trials using statins before any percutaneous or surgical cardiac interventions were excluded. RESULTS......: The search identified 11 randomized and 16 observational eligible studies, totaling 106,640 patients receiving statin therapy and 129,305 serving as controls. Fourteen studies investigated the effect of statins on new-onset AF, 13 studies investigated the effect of statins on recurrent AF and one in both new...

Cost-effectiveness of peer-delivered interventions for cocaine and alcohol abuse among women: a randomized controlled trial.

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Jennifer Prah Ruger

Full Text Available To determine whether the additional interventions to standard care are cost-effective in addressing cocaine and alcohol abuse at 4 months (4 M and 12 months (12 M from baseline.We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of a randomized controlled trial with three arms: (1 NIDA's Standard intervention (SI; (2 SI plus a Well Woman Exam (WWE; and, (3 SI, WWE, plus four Educational Sessions (4ES.To obtain an additional cocaine abstainer, WWE compared to SI cost $7,223 at 4 M and $3,611 at 12 M. Per additional alcohol abstainer, WWE compared to SI cost $3,611 and $7,223 at 4 M and 12 M, respectively. At 12 M, 4ES was dominated (more costly and less effective by WWE for abstinence outcomes.To our knowledge, this is the first cost-effectiveness analysis simultaneously examining cocaine and alcohol abuse in women. Depending on primary outcomes sought and priorities of policy makers, peer-delivered interventions can be a cost-effective way to address the needs of this growing, underserved population.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01235091.

Positive Education for Young Children: Effects of a Positive Psychology Intervention for Preschool Children on Subjective Well Being and Learning Behaviors

OpenAIRE

Anat Shoshani; Michelle Slone

2017-01-01

Despite the flourishing in recent years in applications of positive psychology in the field of education, there is a paucity of research investigating positive psychology interventions for preschool children. The present study examined the effects of a positive psychology-based intervention conducted in Israel on children’s subjective well-being, mental health and learning behaviors. Twelve preschool classrooms of 3–6.5 year-olds were randomly assigned to a positive psychology intervention co...

Effect of a participatory organizational-level occupational health intervention on job satisfaction, exhaustion and sleep disturbances

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Framke, Elisabeth; Sørensen, Ole Henning; Pedersen, Jacob

2016-01-01

Background: We examined whether the implementation of a participatory organizational-level intervention aiming to improve the working environment with a focus on the core task at work, increased job satisfaction and reduced exhaustion and sleep disturbances among pre-school employees. Methods...... statement to account for the clustering effect of workplaces. Results: Within-group analyses showed that exhaustion decreased statistically significantly in both the intervention and the control group. There were no statistically significantly changes in job satisfaction and sleep disturbances. Between...... aiming to improve the working environment with a focus on the core task at work has an effect on pre-school employees’ job satisfaction, exhaustion and sleep disturbances. Trial registration: ISRCTN16271504, November 15, 2016....

A brief mindfulness intervention reduces unhealthy eating when hungry, but not the portion size effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Marchiori, David; Papies, Esther K

2014-04-01

The present research examined the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention to foster healthy eating. Specifically, we tested whether a brief mindfulness manipulation can prevent the portion size effect, and reduce overeating on unhealthy snacks when hungry. 110 undergraduate participants (MAge=20.9±2.3; MBMI=22.3±2.5) were served a small or a large portion of chocolate chip cookies after listening to an audio book or performing a mindfulness exercise (i.e., body scan). Current level of hunger was assessed unobtrusively on a visual analog scale before the eating situation. Calorie intake from chocolate chip cookies. When presented with a large compared to a small portion, participants consumed more cookies (+83kcal). This was not affected by the mindfulness intervention or by hunger. However, while control participants ate more unhealthy food when hungry than when not hungry (+67kcal), participants in the mindfulness condition did not (+1kcal). Findings confirm the prevalence and robustness of the portion size effect and suggest that it may be independent from awareness of internal cues. Prevention strategies may benefit more from targeting awareness of the external environment. However, mindfulness-based interventions may be effective to reduce effects of hunger on unhealthy food consumption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intervention-engagement and its role in the effectiveness of stage-matched interventions promoting physical exercise.

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Richert, Jana; Lippke, Sonia; Ziegelmann, Jochen P

2011-01-01

Intervention-engagement has received little attention in sports medicine as well as research and promotion of physical exercise. The construct is important, however, in the understanding of why interventions work. This study aimed at shedding more light on the interplay of engagement and the subsequent effectiveness of physical exercise interventions. A three-stage model differentiating among nonintenders, intenders, and actors informed the intervention design in this study. In an Internet-based randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two measurement points, N = 326 participants received a stage-matched, stage-mismatched, or control treatment. Assessed variables were goal setting, planning, behavior, and intervention-engagement. It was found that regarding goal setting, nonintenders in the stage-matched intervention and those who engaged highly in the stage-matched intervention improved significantly over time. Regarding planning, intenders in the matched condition as well as all actors increased their levels over time. Regarding behavior, nonintenders and intenders having engaged highly in the intervention improved more than those having engaged little. In order to help nonintenders progress on their way toward goal behavior, it is necessary that they engage highly in a stage-matched intervention. Implications for exercise promotion are that interventions should also aim at increasing participants' intervention-engagement.

Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for the promotion of physical activity in older adults: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Muellmann, Saskia; Forberger, Sarah; Möllers, Tobias; Zeeb, Hajo; Pischke, Claudia R

2016-03-16

It is known that regular physical activity (PA) is associated with improvements in physical, psychological, cognitive, and functional health outcomes. The World Health Organization recommends 150 min of moderate exercise per week for older adults to achieve these health benefits. However, only 20-60 % of adults aged 60 years and above currently meet these recommendations for exercise. The widespread use of the internet and mobile phones among older adults may open new opportunities to promote PA in this population. Findings of previous reviews suggest that eHealth interventions are effective in promoting PA in adults of various ages. However, to date, none of these reviews have provided a differentiated picture of engagement in such interventions and effects on PA among older adults. Also, we are unaware of any studies comparing effects of participation in eHealth vs. traditional paper-and-pencil interventions on PA in this population. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the effectiveness of eHealth interventions promoting PA in older adults aged 55 years and above with either a non-eHealth PA intervention or a group that is not exposed to any intervention. Eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, CENTRAL, PEI, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and OpenGrey) will be searched to identify experimental and quasi-experimental studies examining the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for PA promotion in adults aged 55 years and above. Two authors will independently select and review references, extract data, and assess the quality of the included studies by using the Cochrane Collaboration's risk of bias tool. Disagreements between authors will be resolved by discussion involving a third author. If feasible, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Narrative synthesis using harvest plots will be performed, should a meta-analysis not be feasible. The proposed systematic review will be the first review that compares the effectiveness of e

Effect of a Specialized Classroom Counseling Intervention on Increasing Self-Efficacy among First-Grade Rural Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bardhoshi, Gerta; Duncan, Kelly; Erford, Bradley T.

2018-01-01

This preliminary research examined the effectiveness of a classroom counseling intervention on student self-efficacy development. Five first-grade classrooms in a rural school with high rates of economic disparity were randomly assigned to either a set of 12 specialized lessons emphasizing self-efficacy or lessons from the existing core…

Effects of feedback in an online algebra intervention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bokhove, C.; Drijvers, P.H.M.

2012-01-01

The design and arrangement of appropriate automatic feedback in digital learning environment is a widely recognized issue. In this article, we investigate the effect of feedback on the design and the results of a digital intervention for algebra. Three feedback principles guided the intervention:

Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention to Improve the Patient Safety Attitudes of Intern Pharmacists.

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Walpola, Ramesh L; Fois, Romano A; McLachlan, Andrew J; Chen, Timothy F

2017-02-25

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a face-to-face educational intervention in improving the patient safety attitudes of intern pharmacists. Methods. A patient safety education program was delivered to intern pharmacists undertaking The University of Sydney Intern Training Program in 2014. Their patient safety attitudes were evaluated immediately prior to, immediately after, and three-months post-intervention. Underlying attitudinal factors were identified using exploratory factor analysis. Changes in factor scores were examined using analysis of variance. Results. Of the 120 interns enrolled, 95 (78.7%) completed all three surveys. Four underlying attitudinal factors were identified: attitudes towards addressing errors, questioning behaviors, blaming individuals, and reporting errors. Improvements in all attitudinal factors were evident immediately after the intervention. However, only improvements in attitudes towards blaming individuals involved in errors were sustained at three months post-intervention. Conclusion. The educational intervention was associated with short-term improvements in pharmacist interns' patient safety attitudes. However, other factors likely influenced their attitudes in the longer term.

Examining Parent Perceptions Regarding the Use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Felita

2017-01-01

Purpose. This quantitative study examined parent perceptions regarding augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for their children with autism to determine if, according to parent perceptions, a relationship existed between AAC and functional communication. Those faced with cognitive and developmental delays like autism face…

Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in abused children and their families.

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Derakhshanpour, Firoozeh; Hajebi, Ahmad; Panaghi, Leili; Ahmadabadi, Zohre

2017-01-01

Background: Child abuse is a significant public health and social problem worldwide. It can be described as a failure to provide care and protection for children by the parents or other caregivers. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in abused children and their families. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in the psychosocial support unit of a pediatric hospital in Bandar Abbas, Iran, from 2012 to 2013. The participants consisted of child abuse cases and their parents who referred to the psychosocial support unit to receive services. Services delivered in this unit included parenting skills training, psychiatric treatments, and supportive services. The effectiveness of the interventions was assessed with Child Abuse Questionnaire, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ). Participants were assessed at baseline, at 3, and 6 months follow-ups. ANOVA with repeated measures and Friedman test were used to evaluate the effect of the interventions. Results: A total of 68 children and their parents enrolled in this study, of whom 53% were males. Post-intervention follow-ups revealed significant changes in mothers' general health questionnaire (pchildren's conduct problem (pabuses significantly decreased (p<0.001). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that psychosocial interventions effectively improved child-parents interaction and mental health of parents. The effectiveness of interventions based on subgroup analysis and implications of the results have been discussed for further development of psychosocial interventions in the health system.

The effectiveness of workplace interventions to increase physical activity and decrease sedentary behaviour in adults: protocol for a systematic review.

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Loitz, Christina C; Potter, Robert J; Walker, Jessica L; McLeod, Nicole C; Johnston, Nora J

2015-12-12

A physically active lifestyle plays a preventative role in the development of various chronic diseases and mental health conditions. Unfortunately, few adults achieve the minimum amount of physical activity and spend excessive time sitting. Developing targeted interventions to increase active living among adults is an important endeavour for public health. One plausible context to reach adults is the workplace. This systematic review aims to review the effectiveness of workplace interventions on increasing physical activity and decreasing sedentary behaviour in the workplace. An advisory group of practitioners will work in collaboration with the research team to inform the systematic review and knowledge mobilization. Fifteen electronic databases will be searched to identify studies examining the effectiveness of workplace interventions on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. All experimental designs and observational studies (non-experimental intervention studies) meeting the study criteria will be included. Studies examining generally healthy, employed, adult participants will be included for the review. Interventions will focus on increasing physical activity and/or decreasing sedentary behaviour from the individual to policy level. The primary outcome variables will be reported or observed physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour in the workplace. Secondary outcomes will include variables ranging from return on investment to quality of life. Study quality will be assessed for risk of bias following the protocol identified in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions and supplemented by the guidelines developed by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care group, using RevMan. The quality of the evidence will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. Meta-analyses, forest plots, and harvest plots will be used where appropriate to assess the direction, size, and

Effects of formative assessments to develop self-regulation among sixth grade students: Results from a randomized controlled intervention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meusen-Beekman, Kelly; Joosten-ten Brinke, Desirée; Boshuizen, Els

2018-01-01

This article presents the results of a formative assessment intervention in writing assignments in sixth grade. We examined whether formative assessments would improve self-regulation, motivation and self-efficacy among sixth graders, and whether differential effects exist between formative

The effect of a brief social intervention on the examination results of UK medical students: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dacre Jane

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ethnic minority (EM medical students and doctors underperform academically, but little evidence exists on how to ameliorate the problem. Psychologists Cohen et al. recently demonstrated that a written self-affirmation intervention substantially improved EM adolescents' school grades several months later. Cohen et al.'s methods were replicated in the different setting of UK undergraduate medical education. Methods All 348 Year 3 white (W and EM students at one UK medical school were randomly allocated to an intervention condition (writing about one's own values or a control condition (writing about another's values, via their tutor group. Students and assessors were blind to the existence of the study. Group comparisons on post-intervention written and OSCE (clinical assessment scores adjusted for baseline written assessment scores were made using two-way analysis of covariance. All assessment scores were transformed to z-scores (mean = 0 standard deviation = 1 for ease of comparison. Comparisons between types of words used in essays were calculated using t-tests. The study was covered by University Ethics Committee guidelines. Results Groups were statistically identical at baseline on demographic and psychological factors, and analysis was by intention to treat [intervention group EM n = 95, W n = 79; control group EM n = 77; W n = 84]. As predicted, there was a significant ethnicity by intervention interaction [F(4,334 = 5.74; p = 0.017] on the written assessment. Unexpectedly, this was due to decreased scores in the W intervention group [mean difference = 0.283; (95% CI = 0.093 to 0.474] not improved EM intervention group scores [mean difference = -0.060 (95% CI = -0.268 to 0.148]. On the OSCE, both W and EM intervention groups outperformed controls [mean difference = 0.261; (95%CI = -0.047 to -0.476; p = 0.013]. The intervention group used more optimistic words (p Discussion Cohen et al.'s finding that a brief self

Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Coronary Heart Disease Risk

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of coronary heart disease risk reduction interventions. Methods: The effects of lipid lowering interventions as well as dietary and lifestyle modifications on some risk factors of CHD were studied retrospectively in 47 males and 53 female patients [aged 33 to 61 years; mean age 47.20 ...

Effectiveness of a Lifestyle Intervention on Social Support, Self-Efficacy, and Physical Activity among Older Adults: Evaluation of Texercise Select

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcia G. Ory

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the well-recognized benefits of physical activity across the life course, older adults are more inactive than other age groups. The current study examines the effects of Texercise Select participation on self-reported sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. Secondarily, this study examined intervention effects on two potential facilitators of physical activity: (1 self-efficacy for being more physically active and (2 social support received for physical activity. This study used a non-equivalent group design with self-reported surveys administered at baseline, three-month (immediate post for cases and six-month follow-ups for the intervention (n = 163 and a comparison group (n = 267. Multivariable mixed model analyses were conducted controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, comorbid conditions, and site. Among the intervention group, the program had significant immediate effects on most primary outcomes (p < 0.05 at three months. Furthermore, significant improvements were observed for all physical activity intensity levels at six months (p < 0.05. The reduction in sedentary behavior and increases in all physical activity intensity levels were significantly greater from baseline to three-month and baseline to six-month follow-ups among intervention group participants relative to those in the comparison group. This study confirms the effectiveness of Texercise Select to reduce sedentary behavior and improve physicality, supporting the intervention’s robustness as a scalable and sustainable evidence-based program. It also counters negative stereotypes that older adults are not interested in attending multi-modal lifestyle intervention programs nor able to make health behavior changes that can improve health and overall functioning.

Evaluating the parent-adolescent communication toolkit: Usability and preliminary content effectiveness of an online intervention.

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Toombs, Elaine; Unruh, Anita; McGrath, Patrick

2018-01-01

This study aimed to assess the Parent-Adolescent Communication Toolkit, an online intervention designed to help improve parent communication with their adolescents. Participant preferences for two module delivery systems (sequential and unrestricted module access) were identified. Usability assessment of the PACT intervention was completed using pre-test and posttest comparisons. Usability data, including participant completion and satisfaction ratings were examined. Parents ( N  =   18) of adolescents were randomized to a sequential or unrestricted chapter access group. Parent participants completed pre-test measures, the PACT intervention and posttest measures. Participants provided feedback for the intervention to improve modules and provided usability ratings. Adolescent pre- and posttest ratings were evaluated. Usability ratings were high and parent feedback was positive. The sequential module access groups rated the intervention content higher and completed more content than the unrestricted chapter access group, indicating support for the sequential access design. Parent mean posttest communication scores were significantly higher ( p  Communication Toolkit has potential to improve parent-adolescent communication but further effectiveness assessment is required.

[Effects of a preventive intervention program for improving self-complexity on depression among college students].

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Kawahito, Junko; Hori, Masashi; Otsuka, Yasumasa

2010-06-01

The present study developed an intervention program for self-complexity (SC; Linville, 1987), and examined the effects of this program on college students. Participants (N = 40) were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received one session of psycho-education about SC, and kept daily records of self-aspects (social roles, interpersonal relationships, specific events/behaviors, traits, abilities, etc.) for one week. All participants were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire three times (pre, post, and follow-up). The questionnaire was comprised of items evaluating depression (The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), SC, positive self-complexity (P-SC), and negative self-complexity (N-SC). The results indicated that P-SC at the post-test was significantly increased and P-SC at the follow-up test was marginally increased in the intervention group, compared with the control group. Furthermore, structured equation modeling revealed that in the intervention group, high P-SC was related to low level of depressed mood after the program.

Effects of a Culturally Informed Intervention on Abused, Suicidal African American Women

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Taha, Farah; Zhang, Huaiyu; Snead, Kara; Jones, Ashley D.; Blackmon, Brittane; Bryant, Rachel J.; Siegelman, Asher E.; Kaslow, Nadine J.

2014-01-01

Background This study examined 1) the relative efficacy of a culturally-sensitive empowerment group intervention (Nia) aimed at increasing three protective factors—self-esteem, hopefulness, and effectiveness of obtaining resources—versus treatment as usual (TAU) for low-income, abused African American women who recently had attempted suicide and 2) the impact of participants’ readiness to change with regard to their abusive relationship and suicidal behavior on their levels of each protective factor in the two conditions. Methods The sample included 89 African American women who reported intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure and a recent suicide attempt. Results Multivariate general linear modeling revealed that those in Nia showed greater improvements in self-esteem, but not in hopefulness or effectiveness of obtaining resources. However, significant interactions emerged in which participants that were “less ready to change” (i.e., earlier in the stages of change process) their IPV situation and suicidal behavior endorsed greater levels of hopefulness and perceived effectiveness of obtaining resources, respectively, following Nia. Conclusion Findings suggest that abused, suicidal African American women who are more reluctant initially to changing their abusive situation and suicidal behavior may benefit from even a brief, culturally-informed intervention. PMID:25403027

Effects of a culturally informed intervention on abused, suicidal African American women.

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Taha, Farah; Zhang, Huaiyu; Snead, Kara; Jones, Ashley D; Blackmon, Brittane; Bryant, Rachel J; Siegelman, Asher E; Kaslow, Nadine J

2015-10-01

This study examined (a) the relative efficacy of a culturally sensitive empowerment group intervention (Nia) aimed at increasing 3 protective factors-self-esteem, hopefulness, and effectiveness of obtaining resources-versus treatment as usual (TAU) for low-income, abused African American women who recently had attempted suicide and (b) the impact of participants' readiness to change with regard to their abusive relationship and suicidal behavior on their levels of each protective factor in the 2 conditions. The sample included 89 African American women who reported intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure and a recent suicide attempt. Multivariate general linear modeling revealed that those in Nia showed greater improvements in self-esteem, but not in hopefulness or effectiveness of obtaining resources. However, significant interactions emerged in which participants who were "less ready to change" (i.e., earlier in the stages of change process) their IPV situation and suicidal behavior endorsed greater levels of hopefulness and perceived effectiveness of obtaining resources, respectively, following Nia. Findings suggest that abused, suicidal African American women who are more reluctant initially to changing their abusive situation and suicidal behavior may benefit from even a brief, culturally informed intervention. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Use of a simulation intervention to examine differences in nursing students' hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors.

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Konicki, Tara; Miller, Elaine

2016-10-01

Although hand hygiene remains an essential aspect of quality care, adherence to best patient safety practices continues to pose major challenges. The objectives of this study are to examine hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs, practices, perceived importance and behaviors using Social Cognitive Theory and simulation-based intervention. Participants were taken from a convenience sample of 131 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a nursing fundamentals course at an urban university in the midwestern United States, and then randomly assigned to their respective groups. Using an experimental pretest-posttest design, control and intervention groups received the same lecture pertaining to hand hygiene and 3 data collection points where van de Mortel's Hand Hygiene Questionnaire (HHQ) was administered. In addition, the intervention group viewed a 6.5min video related to healthcare acquired infection and participated in 4 simulated situations requiring hand hygiene, based on World Health Organization guidelines. For all students, the hand hygiene technique was assessed through the use of Glo Germ, followed by handwashing and photography under ultraviolet light (posttest only). Image illumination was analyzed using image processing software. Microbiological sampling plates (pretest-posttest) were assessed quantitatively by colony counting. Study findings did not support differences in the intervention group for the 5 hypothesized relationships. Social desirability responding and negative item confusion were found to occur with the HHQ in the student population. There was a significant difference in the UV hand photographs, with students in the afternoon having lower values than students in the morning. Given the study results, there were no definitive educational recommendations to teach hand hygiene to nursing students. Future research should continue to further examine multi-focal modalities to enhance adherence to hand hygiene practices, as well as control for

Developing complex interventions: lessons learned from a pilot study examining strategy training in acute stroke rehabilitation.

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Skidmore, Elizabeth R; Dawson, Deirdre R; Whyte, Ellen M; Butters, Meryl A; Dew, Mary Amanda; Grattan, Emily S; Becker, James T; Holm, Margo B

2014-04-01

To examine the feasibility of a strategy training clinical trial in a small group of adults with stroke-related cognitive impairments in inpatient rehabilitation, and to explore the impact of strategy training on disability. Non-randomized two-group intervention pilot study. Two inpatient rehabilitation units within an academic health centre. Individuals with a primary diagnosis of acute stroke, who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation and demonstrated cognitive impairments were included. Individuals with severe aphasia; dementia; major depressive disorder, bipolar, or psychotic disorder; recent drug or alcohol abuse; and anticipated length of stay less than five days were excluded. Participants received strategy training or an attention control session in addition to usual rehabilitation care. Sessions in both groups were 30-40 minutes daily, five days per week, for the duration of inpatient rehabilitation. We assessed feasibility through participants' recruitment and retention; research intervention session number and duration; participants' comprehension and engagement; intervention fidelity; and participants' satisfaction. We assessed disability at study admission, inpatient rehabilitation discharge, 3 and 6 months using the Functional Independence Measure. Participants in both groups (5 per group) received the assigned intervention (>92% planned sessions; >94% fidelity) and completed follow-up testing. Strategy training participants in this small sample demonstrated significantly less disability at six months (M (SE) = 117 (3)) than attention control participants (M(SE) = 96 (14); t 8 = 7.87, P = 0.02). It is feasible and acceptable to administer both intervention protocols as an adjunct to acute inpatient rehabilitation, and strategy training shows promise for reducing disability.

Evaluating Intervention Effects in a Diagnostic Classification Model Framework

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Madison, Matthew J.; Bradshaw, Laine

2018-01-01

The evaluation of intervention effects is an important objective of educational research. One way to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention is to conduct an experiment that assigns individuals to control and treatment groups. In the context of pretest/posttest designed studies, this is referred to as a control-group pretest/posttest design.…

Does a booster intervention augment the preventive effects of an abbreviated version of the coping power program for aggressive children?

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Lochman, John E; Baden, Rachel E; Boxmeyer, Caroline L; Powell, Nicole P; Qu, Lixin; Salekin, Karen L; Windle, Michel

2014-01-01

Booster interventions have been presumed to be important methods for maintaining the effects of evidence-based programs for children with behavioral problems, but there has been remarkably little empirical attention to this assumption. The present study examines the effect of a child-oriented booster preventive intervention with children who had previously received an abbreviated version (24 child sessions, 10 parent sessions) of the Coping Power targeted prevention program. Two hundred and forty-one children (152 boys, 89 girls) were screened as having moderate to high levels of aggressive behavior in 4th grade, then half were randomly assigned to receive the abbreviated Coping Power program in 5th grade, and half of the preventive intervention children were then randomly assigned to a Booster condition in 6th grade. The Booster sessions consisted of brief monthly individual contacts, and were primarily with the children. Five assessments across 4 years were collected from teachers, providing a three-year follow-up for all children who participated in the project. Results indicated that the abbreviated Coping Power program (one-third shorter than the full intervention) had long-term effects in reducing children's externalizing problem behaviors, proactive and reactive aggression, impulsivity traits and callous-unemotional traits. The Booster intervention did not augment these prevention effects. These findings indicate that a briefer and more readily disseminated form of an evidence-based targeted preventive intervention was effective. The findings have potential implications for policy and guidelines about possible intervention length and booster interventions.

Simulation training for breast and pelvic physical examination: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Dilaveri, C A; Szostek, J H; Wang, A T; Cook, D A

2013-09-01

Breast and pelvic examinations are challenging intimate examinations. Technology-based simulation may help to overcome these challenges. To synthesise the evidence regarding the effectiveness of technology-based simulation training for breast and pelvic examination. Our systematic search included MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Scopus, and key journals and review articles; the date of the last search was January 2012. Original research studies evaluating technology-enhanced simulation of breast and pelvic examination to teach learners, compared with no intervention or with other educational activities. The reviewers evaluated study eligibility and abstracted data on methodological quality, learners, instructional design, and outcomes, and used random-effects models to pool weighted effect sizes. In total, 11 272 articles were identified for screening, and 22 studies were eligible, enrolling 2036 trainees. In eight studies comparing simulation for breast examination training with no intervention, simulation was associated with a significant improvement in skill, with a pooled effect size of 0.86 (95% CI 0.52-1.19; P < 0.001). Four studies comparing simulation training for pelvic examination with no intervention had a large and significant benefit, with a pooled effect size of 1.18 (95% CI 0.40-1.96; P = 0.003). Among breast examination simulation studies, dynamic models providing feedback were associated with improved outcomes. In pelvic examination simulation studies, the addition of a standardised patient to the simulation model and the use of an electronic model with enhanced feedback improved outcomes. In comparison with no intervention, breast and pelvic examination simulation training is associated with moderate to large effects for skills outcomes. Enhanced feedback appears to improve learning. © 2013 RCOG.

Effects of a sexual rehabilitation intervention program on stroke patients and their spouses.

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Song, HoSook; Oh, HyunSoo; Kim, HwaSoon; Seo, WhaSook

2011-01-01

The present study was conducted to examine whether a sexual rehabilitation intervention program, which was developed during the present study and designed for stroke patients and their spouses, was effective in terms of sexual knowledge and satisfaction and frequency of sexual activity at 1 month after intervention. The study subjects were conveniently selected from stroke patients admitted to the neurology department at a university hospital located in Incheon, South Korea. A total of 46 subjects (12 couples for the experimental group and 11 couples for the control group) were included. Sexual knowledge, sexual satisfaction, frequency of sexual activity, level of cognitive function, and performance with respect to daily living activities were measured. The results obtained demonstrated that the devised sexual rehabilitation intervention program significantly increased sexual satisfaction and frequency of sexual activity, but that it did not promote sexual knowledge. The present study has meaning because the intervention program could be used as a practical guideline for post-stroke sexual rehabilitation. In addition, the findings of this study provide evidence regarding the usefulness of sexual education and counseling on the sexual health of post-stroke patients and their spouses.

Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects on School Attendance among Chronic Truant Students. Campbell Systematic Reviews. 2012:10

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Maynard, Brandy R.; McCrea, Katherine Tyson; Pigott, Terri D.; Kelly, Michael S.

2012-01-01

The main objective of this systematic review was to examine the effects of interventions on school attendance to inform policy, practice, and research. The questions guiding this study were: (1) Do truancy programs with a goal of increasing student attendance for truant youth affect school attendance behaviors of elementary and secondary students…

Examining racial and ethnic minority differences among YMSM during recruitment for an online HIV prevention intervention study.

Science.gov (United States)

Du Bois, Steve N; Johnson, Sarah E; Mustanski, Brian

2012-08-01

HIV disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minority young men who have sex with men (YMSM). HIV prevention research does not include these YMSM commensurate to their HIV burden. We examined racial and ethnic differences during a unique three-step recruitment process for an online, YMSM HIV prevention intervention study (N = 660). Step one was completed in-person; steps two and three online. Fewer Black and Latino YMSM completed step two-initiating online participation-than White YMSM. Internet use frequency accounted for the Latino versus White difference in initiating online participation, but not the Black versus White difference. Future online HIV prevention interventions recruiting diverse YMSM should focus on initiating online engagement among Black participants.

Effectiveness evaluation of the Positive Family Support intervention: A three-tiered public health delivery model for middle schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolkowski, Keith; Seeley, John R; Gau, Jeffery M; Dishion, Tom J; Stormshak, Elizabeth A; Moore, Kevin J; Falkenstein, Corrina A; Fosco, Gregory M; Garbacz, S Andrew

2017-06-01

This article presents the results of an evaluation of Positive Family Support, an ecological family intervention and treatment approach to parent supports and family management training developed from a history of basic and translational research. This effectiveness trial, with 41 public middle schools randomly assigned to intervention or control, examined student-, teacher-, and parent-reported outcomes, as well as math and reading scores and school attendance. Multilevel analyses suggested that for students at risk for behavior problems, immediate-intervention schools outperformed control schools on parent-reported negative school contacts for students at risk for behavior problems. Implementation, however, was hampered by several challenges, including school funding cuts, lack of staff time to provide parenting supports, and staff turnover. Given that preventive interventions are generally cost effective, it is critical that researchers continue their efforts to refine these interventions and find ways to support schools' implementation of evidence-based programs that can reduce problem behavior. This article is part of a special issue "Parental Engagement in School-Based Interventions". Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of an obesity intervention program on cognitive function in children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Huang, T.; Larsen, K. T.; Møllegaard Jepsen, Jens Richardt

2015-01-01

.02). At 52 weeks, the improvements in emotional control (standardized mean difference, -0.42, 95% CI, -0.68 to -0.16, P=0.002) and monitoring (standardized mean difference, -0.32, 95% CI, -0.63 to -0.02, P=0.04) were larger in the DCIA than the SIA. No group differences were observed in changes in other......ObjectiveAdiposity may be associated with poorer cognitive function in children. The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of an obesity intervention on cognitive function in children. MethodsOne hundred and fifteen children were randomly allocated to either the Day Camp Intervention Arm...... for 6 weeks and one educational meeting. Anthropometrics and cognitive function were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, and 52 weeks. ResultsAt 6 weeks, the improvement in visuospatial construction skills was larger in the DCIA than the SIA (standardized mean difference, 0.47, 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.86, P=0...

Effectiveness of a multi-country workplace intervention in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Richter, Kerry; Phillips, Steven C; McInnis, Amy M; Rice, Debora A

2012-01-01

This paper examines whether a multi-country workplace peer education HIV prevention program is effective in influencing knowledge, attitudes and behavior in a highly educated and technically skilled workforce. Self-administered surveys were used to measure change among N=993 male and female workers exposed to a comprehensive and culturally-appropriate program. Most knowledge indicators and all attitude indicators showed significant improvement between baseline and post-intervention. The odds ratio was 2.48 for reporting confidence in using condoms correctly after exposure to the program compared with the baseline survey. The results on changes in practice were mixed; while respondents were more likely to report being tested for HIV post-intervention, they were also more likely to self-report risky behavior. The findings suggest that peer education prevention programs in the workplace may create a climate of open discussion about sexual issues that increases self-reporting of risk behavior. Reinforcement of the messages contained in the program is therefore extremely important for influencing future behavior change.

Causal Client Models in Selecting Effective Interventions: A Cognitive Mapping Study

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de Kwaadsteniet, Leontien; Hagmayer, York; Krol, Nicole P. C. M.; Witteman, Cilia L. M.

2010-01-01

An important reason to choose an intervention to treat psychological problems of clients is the expectation that the intervention will be effective in alleviating the problems. The authors investigated whether clinicians base their ratings of the effectiveness of interventions on models that they construct representing the factors causing and…

Frailty Intervention Trial (FIT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lockwood Keri

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Frailty is a term commonly used to describe the condition of an older person who has chronic health problems, has lost functional abilities and is likely to deteriorate further. However, despite its common use, only a small number of studies have attempted to define the syndrome of frailty and measure its prevalence. The criteria Fried and colleagues used to define the frailty syndrome will be used in this study (i.e. weight loss, fatigue, decreased grip strength, slow gait speed, and low physical activity. Previous studies have shown that clinical outcomes for frail older people can be improved using multi-factorial interventions such as comprehensive geriatric assessment, and single interventions such as exercise programs or nutritional supplementation, but no interventions have been developed to specifically reverse the syndrome of frailty. We have developed a multidisciplinary intervention that specifically targets frailty as defined by Fried et al. We aim to establish the effects of this intervention on frailty, mobility, hospitalisation and institutionalisation in frail older people. Methods and Design A single centre randomised controlled trial comparing a multidisciplinary intervention with usual care. The intervention will target identified characteristics of frailty, functional limitations, nutritional status, falls risk, psychological issues and management of chronic health conditions. Two hundred and thirty people aged 70 and over who meet the Fried definition of frailty will be recruited from clients of the aged care service of a metropolitan hospital. Participants will be followed for a 12-month period. Discussion This research is an important step in the examination of specifically targeted frailty interventions. This project will assess whether an intervention specifically targeting frailty can be implemented, and whether it is effective when compared to usual care. If successful, the study will establish a

Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing mental health conditions in employees: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Stratton

Full Text Available Many organisations promote eHealth applications as a feasible, low-cost method of addressing mental ill-health and stress amongst their employees. However, there are good reasons why the efficacy identified in clinical or other samples may not generalize to employees, and many Apps are being developed specifically for this group. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the evidence for the effectiveness and examine the relative efficacy of different types of eHealth interventions for employees.Systematic searches were conducted for relevant articles published from 1975 until November 17, 2016, of trials of eHealth mental health interventions (App or web-based focused on the mental health of employees. The quality and bias of all identified studies was assessed. We extracted means and standard deviations from published reports, comparing the difference in effect sizes (Hedge's g in standardized mental health outcomes. We meta-analysed these using a random effects model, stratified by length of follow up, intervention type, and whether the intervention was universal (unselected or targeted to selected groups e.g. "stressed".23 controlled trials of eHealth interventions were identified which overall suggested a small positive effect at both post intervention (g = 0.24, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35 and follow up (g = 0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.42. There were differential short term effects seen between the intervention types whereby Mindfulness based interventions (g = 0.60, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85, n = 6 showed larger effects than the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT based (g = 0.15, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.29, n = 11 and Stress Management based (g = 0.17, 95%CI -0.01 to 0.34, n = 6 interventions. The Stress Management interventions however differed by whether delivered to universal or targeted groups with a moderately large effect size at both post-intervention (g = 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.85 and follow

Effectiveness of eHealth interventions for reducing mental health conditions in employees: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Stratton, Elizabeth; Lampit, Amit; Choi, Isabella; Calvo, Rafael A; Harvey, Samuel B; Glozier, Nicholas

2017-01-01

Many organisations promote eHealth applications as a feasible, low-cost method of addressing mental ill-health and stress amongst their employees. However, there are good reasons why the efficacy identified in clinical or other samples may not generalize to employees, and many Apps are being developed specifically for this group. The aim of this paper is to conduct the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the evidence for the effectiveness and examine the relative efficacy of different types of eHealth interventions for employees. Systematic searches were conducted for relevant articles published from 1975 until November 17, 2016, of trials of eHealth mental health interventions (App or web-based) focused on the mental health of employees. The quality and bias of all identified studies was assessed. We extracted means and standard deviations from published reports, comparing the difference in effect sizes (Hedge's g) in standardized mental health outcomes. We meta-analysed these using a random effects model, stratified by length of follow up, intervention type, and whether the intervention was universal (unselected) or targeted to selected groups e.g. "stressed". 23 controlled trials of eHealth interventions were identified which overall suggested a small positive effect at both post intervention (g = 0.24, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35) and follow up (g = 0.23, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.42). There were differential short term effects seen between the intervention types whereby Mindfulness based interventions (g = 0.60, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.85, n = 6) showed larger effects than the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) based (g = 0.15, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.29, n = 11) and Stress Management based (g = 0.17, 95%CI -0.01 to 0.34, n = 6) interventions. The Stress Management interventions however differed by whether delivered to universal or targeted groups with a moderately large effect size at both post-intervention (g = 0.64, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.85) and follow-up (g = 0

A randomized clinical trial of the effectiveness of premarital intervention: moderators of divorce outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Markman, Howard J; Rhoades, Galena K; Stanley, Scott M; Peterson, Kristina M

2013-02-01

This study examined the effects of premarital relationship intervention on divorce during the first 8 years of first marriage. Religious organizations were randomly assigned to have couples marrying through them complete the Prevention and Relationship Education Program (PREP) or their naturally occurring premarital services. Results indicated no differences in overall divorce rates between naturally occurring services (n = 44), PREP delivered by clergy at religious organizations (n = 66), or PREP delivered by professionals at a university (n = 83). Three moderators were also tested. Measured premaritally and before intervention, the level of negativity of couples' interactions moderated effects. Specifically, couples observed to have higher levels of negative communication in a video task were more likely to divorce if they received PREP than if they received naturally occurring services; couples with lower levels of premarital negative communication were more likely to remain married if they received PREP. A history of physical aggression in the current relationship before marriage and before intervention showed a similar pattern as a moderator, but the effect was only marginally significant. Family-of-origin background (parental divorce and/or aggression) was not a significant moderator of prevention effects across the two kinds of services. Implications for defining risk, considering divorce as a positive versus negative outcome, the practice of premarital relationship education, and social policy are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Literacy Access: An Examination of the Picture Plus Discussion (PPD) Intervention Using Typical and Age Appropriate Texts

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Shurr, Jordan C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the picture plus discussion (PPD) intervention on the comprehension abilities of high school students with moderate intellectual disability when read a variety of expository texts aloud. A multiple probe single subject design was employed to measure the effect of the intervention across three…

How Not to Do a Mindset Intervention: Learning from a Mindset Intervention among Students with Good Grades

OpenAIRE

Orosz, Gábor; Péter-Szarka, Szilvia; Bőthe, Beáta; Tóth-Király, István; Berger, Rony

2017-01-01

The present study examined the effectiveness of a Growth Mindset intervention based on Dweck et al.'s (1995) theory in the Hungarian educational context. A cluster randomized controlled trial classroom experiment was carried out within the framework of a train-the-trainer intervention among 55 Hungarian 10th grade students with high Grade Point Average (GPA). The results suggest that students' IQ and personality mindset beliefs were more incremental in the intervention group than in the contr...

The community-based participatory intervention effect of "HIV-RAAP".

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Yancey, Elleen M; Mayberry, Robert; Armstrong-Mensah, Elizabeth; Collins, David; Goodin, Lisa; Cureton, Shava; Trammell, Ella H; Yuan, Keming

2012-07-01

To design and test HIV-RAAP (HIV/AIDS Risk Reduction Among Heterosexually Active African American Men and Women: A Risk Reduction Prevention Intervention) a coeducational, culture- and gender-sensitive community-based participatory HIV risk reduction intervention. A community-based participatory research process included intervention development and implementation of a 7-session coeducational curriculum conducted over 7 consecutive weeks. The results indicated a significant intervention effect on reducing sexual behavior risk (P=0.02), improving HIV risk knowledge (P=0.006), and increasing sexual partner conversations about HIV risk reduction (P= 0.001). The HIV-RAAP intervention impacts key domains of heterosexual HIV transmission.

Effects of a Community-Based Lifestyle Intervention on Change in Physical Activity among Economically Disadvantaged Adults with Prediabetes

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Hays, Laura M.; Hoen, Helena M.; Slaven, James E.; Finch, Emily A.; Marrero, David G.; Saha, Chandan; Ackermann, Ronald T.

2016-01-01

Background: Moderate weight loss and physical activity (PA) can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes however there is a need for innovative, effective programs to promote PA in high-risk individuals. Purpose: We examined the effect of a group-based adaption of the DPP lifestyle intervention implemented in partnership with the YMCA (YDPP) on changes in…

Effects of an intervention program for female victims of intimate partner violence on psychological symptoms and perceived social support

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Nina B. Hansen

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Research has documented severe mental health problems in female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV. Therefore, providing effective treatment is pivotal. Few studies have investigated the effects of intervention programs on reducing the harmful consequences of IPV. Objective: The present study examined the effects of a specific three-phase intervention program for female victims of IPV on psychological symptoms (PTSD, anxiety, and depression and perceived social support. Given that many of the women dropped out before and during the intervention program, potential differences in initial levels of psychological symptoms, perceived social support, as well as descriptive variables were explored between the women who completed the whole program and the groups of women who dropped out prematurely. Method: The initial sample consisted of 212 female victims of IPV. Symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and level of perceived social support were measured with validated scales before the start of the intervention and after completion of each treatment phase. Results: Results showed a significant effect of the intervention program on reducing psychological symptoms and increasing levels of perceived social support. Effect sizes ranged from medium to very high. Significant positive effects were found for each of the treatment phases. There were no significant differences between the women who completed the whole program and those women who dropped out prematurely in terms of initial level of symptoms and perceived social support as well as descriptive characteristics. Conclusions: Specifically developed intervention programs for female victims of IPV are effective in reducing the harmful personal consequences of IPV. Future studies should consider employing controlled study designs and address the issue of high drop out rates found in intervention studies.

Effects of a mutual recovery intervention on mental health in depressed elderly community-dwelling adults: a pilot study.

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Wang, Chao; Hua, Yujie; Fu, Hua; Cheng, Longfeng; Qian, Wen; Liu, Junyang; Crawford, Paul; Dai, Junming

2017-01-03

The prevalence of depression in the elderly is growing worldwide, and the population aging in China makes depression a major health problem for the elderly adults and a tremendous burden to the society. Effective interventions should be determined to provide an approach solving the problem and improving the situation. This study examined the effectiveness of a mutual recovery program intervention on depressive symptom, sleep quality, and well-being in community-dwelling elderly adults with depressive symptom in Shanghai. Recruitment was performed between July 2012 and August 2012. Using a cluster randomized wait-list controlled design, we randomized 6 communities (n = 237) into either the intervention group (3 communities, n = 105) or to a wait-list control group (3 communities, n = 132). All participants met the inclusion criteria for depression, which were defined by The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). From March to May of 2013, participants in the intervention group underwent a 2-month mutual recovery program intervention. The intervention included seven 90-min, weekly sessions that were based on a standardized self-designed schedule. Depression was used as primary outcome at three measurement moments: baseline (T1), before intervention at 24 weeks (T2), and immediately after intervention at 32 weeks (T3). Well-being and sleep quality were used as the secondary outcomes, and were evaluated based on the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5) and the Self-administered Sleep Questionnaire (SSQ). Finally, a total of 225 participants who completed all the sessions and the three measurements entered the final analysis. Mixed-model repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to estimate the intervention effects. There was no significant difference in gender, marriage, age structure, post-work type, and education background between the intervention and control group at baseline. Multivariate ANOVAs showed that there was no significant difference within the groups

Effectiveness and Application of an Online Leadership Intervention to Promote Mental Health and Reduce Depression-Related Stigma in Organizations.

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Shann, Clare; Martin, Angela; Chester, Andrea; Ruddock, Scott

2018-01-04

Addressing the stigma of mental illness and its effect in the workplace is a contemporary issue in occupational health. The role of leaders is a vital but relatively unexplored dimension of this phenomenon. This study examined the effectiveness and application of an online intervention to reduce depression-related stigma in organizational leaders. A randomized controlled, "in the field" study was conducted with 196 leaders. Participants completed an online survey and were randomly assigned to either the experimental or wait-list control group. One week later, participants in the experimental group were given access to a brief online workplace mental health intervention and asked to complete a postsurvey, whereas the control group had to only complete the online postsurvey. Six months later, participants completed a follow-up online survey. Results revealed significant reductions in behavioral and affective depression-related stigma scores among leaders who completed the intervention, compared with the control group. These reductions were similar at 6 months. The factors that enabled or hindered training transfer from the intervention were examined through semistructured interviews with 16 of the participating leaders. Results showed that positive attitudes and high levels of knowledge are not sufficient to ensure leaders apply intervention learning in their work environments. Factors including the nature of the work environment, the collective readiness and capability of the organization to address these issues, the attitudes of others at work, and the broader political context affected the application of learning from the intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Effectiveness of interventions to improve the health and housing status of homeless people: a rapid systematic review.

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Fitzpatrick-Lewis, Donna; Ganann, Rebecca; Krishnaratne, Shari; Ciliska, Donna; Kouyoumdjian, Fiona; Hwang, Stephen W

2011-08-10

Research on interventions to positively impact health and housing status of people who are homeless has received substantially increased attention over the past 5 years. This rapid review examines recent evidence regarding interventions that have been shown to improve the health of homeless people, with particular focus on the effect of these interventions on housing status. A total of 1,546 articles were identified by a structured search of five electronic databases, a hand search of grey literature and relevant journals, and contact with experts. Two reviewers independently screened the first 10% of titles and abstracts for relevance. Inter-rater reliability was high and as a result only one reviewer screened the remaining titles and abstracts. Articles were included if they were published between January 2004 and December 2009 and examined the effectiveness of an intervention to improve the health or healthcare utilization of people who were homeless, marginally housed, or at risk of homelessness. Two reviewers independently scored all relevant articles for quality. Eighty-four relevant studies were identified; none were of strong quality while ten were rated of moderate quality. For homeless people with mental illness, provision of housing upon hospital discharge was effective in improving sustained housing. For homeless people with substance abuse issues or concurrent disorders, provision of housing was associated with decreased substance use, relapses from periods of substance abstinence, and health services utilization, and increased housing tenure. Abstinent dependent housing was more effective in supporting housing status, substance abstinence, and improved psychiatric outcomes than non-abstinence dependent housing or no housing. Provision of housing also improved health outcomes among homeless populations with HIV. Health promotion programs can decrease risk behaviours among homeless populations. These studies provide important new evidence regarding

Effectiveness of interventions to improve the health and housing status of homeless people: a rapid systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kouyoumdjian Fiona

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research on interventions to positively impact health and housing status of people who are homeless has received substantially increased attention over the past 5 years. This rapid review examines recent evidence regarding interventions that have been shown to improve the health of homeless people, with particular focus on the effect of these interventions on housing status. Methods A total of 1,546 articles were identified by a structured search of five electronic databases, a hand search of grey literature and relevant journals, and contact with experts. Two reviewers independently screened the first 10% of titles and abstracts for relevance. Inter-rater reliability was high and as a result only one reviewer screened the remaining titles and abstracts. Articles were included if they were published between January 2004 and December 2009 and examined the effectiveness of an intervention to improve the health or healthcare utilization of people who were homeless, marginally housed, or at risk of homelessness. Two reviewers independently scored all relevant articles for quality. Results Eighty-four relevant studies were identified; none were of strong quality while ten were rated of moderate quality. For homeless people with mental illness, provision of housing upon hospital discharge was effective in improving sustained housing. For homeless people with substance abuse issues or concurrent disorders, provision of housing was associated with decreased substance use, relapses from periods of substance abstinence, and health services utilization, and increased housing tenure. Abstinent dependent housing was more effective in supporting housing status, substance abstinence, and improved psychiatric outcomes than non-abstinence dependent housing or no housing. Provision of housing also improved health outcomes among homeless populations with HIV. Health promotion programs can decrease risk behaviours among homeless populations

Effectiveness of interventions to improve the health and housing status of homeless people: a rapid systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Research on interventions to positively impact health and housing status of people who are homeless has received substantially increased attention over the past 5 years. This rapid review examines recent evidence regarding interventions that have been shown to improve the health of homeless people, with particular focus on the effect of these interventions on housing status. Methods A total of 1,546 articles were identified by a structured search of five electronic databases, a hand search of grey literature and relevant journals, and contact with experts. Two reviewers independently screened the first 10% of titles and abstracts for relevance. Inter-rater reliability was high and as a result only one reviewer screened the remaining titles and abstracts. Articles were included if they were published between January 2004 and December 2009 and examined the effectiveness of an intervention to improve the health or healthcare utilization of people who were homeless, marginally housed, or at risk of homelessness. Two reviewers independently scored all relevant articles for quality. Results Eighty-four relevant studies were identified; none were of strong quality while ten were rated of moderate quality. For homeless people with mental illness, provision of housing upon hospital discharge was effective in improving sustained housing. For homeless people with substance abuse issues or concurrent disorders, provision of housing was associated with decreased substance use, relapses from periods of substance abstinence, and health services utilization, and increased housing tenure. Abstinent dependent housing was more effective in supporting housing status, substance abstinence, and improved psychiatric outcomes than non-abstinence dependent housing or no housing. Provision of housing also improved health outcomes among homeless populations with HIV. Health promotion programs can decrease risk behaviours among homeless populations. Conclusions These studies

Brief Behavioral Sleep Intervention for Adolescents: An Effectiveness Study.

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Paavonen, E Juulia; Huurre, Taina; Tilli, Maija; Kiviruusu, Olli; Partonen, Timo

2016-01-01

Sleep disturbances are common among adolescents, but there are no brief interventions to treat them. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief semistructured, individually delivered sleep intervention to ameliorate adolescents' sleeping difficulties and lengthen sleep duration. All students aged 16-18 years in a high school were screened for sleeping difficulties and 36 students with the highest sleep problem scores were invited to the intervention. Postintervention improvements were observed on self-reported and actiwatch-registered sleep duration, self-reported sleep quality and sleep latency, perceived stress and anxiety (all p values sleep efficiency and sleep latency did not change (p > 0.05). A brief individual sleep intervention can be effective in lengthening sleep duration and improving subjective sleep quality and well-being among adolescents.

Anaemia, its determinants and effect of different interventions amongst tea tribe adolescent girls living in Dibrugarh district of Assam

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Tulika Goswami Mahanta

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Nutritional anaemia, one of the major public health problems in India is associated with lower productivity, higher sickness rate and absenteeism having inter-generational effect. Morbidity during adolescent has implication on future safe motherhood, optimum growth and development of foetus and children. Aims and Objective: To assess, prevalence and determinants of anaemia and effect of different interventions amongst tea tribe adolescent girls. Materials & Methods: A community based intervention study was conducted covering 16 tea estates of Dibrugarh District, Assam. Variables includes socio-demographic, environmental, anthropometry, history of present and past illness, clinical examination and laboratory investigation including haemoglobin, serum ferritin, haemoglobin typing and routine stool examination. Interventions given were weekly IFA supplementation, dietary diversification, health promotion by monthly NHED, cooking demonstration, cooking competition and kitchen garden promotion and counselling to improve IFA compliance and remove barriers was done. SPSS and EpiInfo software, used to calculate of rates, ratios, chi-square test, Fisher Exact test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Enrolments were 802, with mean age, 14.8 years. Anaemia prevalence was 96.3% with median serum ferritin, 22.9 ng/ml. Prevalence of Sickle cell anaemia was,12% and helminthiasis 84.20%.  History of passage of worms (9.1%, night blindness (5.6%, weakness (62.1%, loss of appetite (37.5%, gum bleeding (23.6%, loose motion (13%, loss of weight (9.9%, menstrual problem (19.3% was common. Following intervention mean haemoglobin difference was 1.48 gm/dl with 13.5% difference in prevalence. Associated morbidities showed significant reduction following active intervention. Conclusions: High anaemia prevalence requires urgent attention to avoid preventable morbidities. Implementation of different intervention in an integrated manner

Anaemia, its determinants and effect of different interventions amongst tea tribe adolescent girls living in Dibrugarh district of Assam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tulika Goswami Mahanta

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Nutritional anaemia, one of the major public health problems in India is associated with lower productivity, higher sickness rate and absenteeism having inter-generational effect. Morbidity during adolescent has implication on future safe motherhood, optimum growth and development of foetus and children. Aims and Objective: To assess, prevalence and determinants of anaemia and effect of different interventions amongst tea tribe adolescent girls. Materials & Methods: A community based intervention study was conducted covering 16 tea estates of Dibrugarh District, Assam. Variables includes socio-demographic, environmental, anthropometry, history of present and past illness, clinical examination and laboratory investigation including haemoglobin, serum ferritin, haemoglobin typing and routine stool examination. Interventions given were weekly IFA supplementation, dietary diversification, health promotion by monthly NHED, cooking demonstration, cooking competition and kitchen garden promotion and counselling to improve IFA compliance and remove barriers was done. SPSS and EpiInfo software, used to calculate of rates, ratios, chi-square test, Fisher Exact test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: Enrolments were 802, with mean age, 14.8 years. Anaemia prevalence was 96.3% with median serum ferritin, 22.9 ng/ml. Prevalence of Sickle cell anaemia was,12% and helminthiasis 84.20%.  History of passage of worms (9.1%, night blindness (5.6%, weakness (62.1%, loss of appetite (37.5%, gum bleeding (23.6%, loose motion (13%, loss of weight (9.9%, menstrual problem (19.3% was common. Following intervention mean haemoglobin difference was 1.48 gm/dl with 13.5% difference in prevalence. Associated morbidities showed significant reduction following active intervention. Conclusions: High anaemia prevalence requires urgent attention to avoid preventable morbidities. Implementation of different intervention in an integrated manner was

Effects of a Randomized Reading Intervention Study Aimed at 9-Year-Olds: A 5-Year Follow-up.

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Wolff, Ulrika

2016-05-01

The present paper reports on a 5-year follow-up of a randomized reading intervention in grade 3 in Sweden. An intervention group (n = 57) received daily training for 12 weeks in phoneme/grapheme mapping, reading comprehension and reading speed, whereas a control group (n = 55) participated in ordinary classroom activities. The main aim was to investigate if there were remaining effects of the intervention on reading-related skills. Previous analyses showed that the intervention group performed significantly better than the control group on spelling, reading speed, reading comprehension and phoneme awareness at the immediate post-test with sustained effects 1 year later. Results from the 5-year follow-up show that the only significant difference between the intervention (n = 47) and the control group (n = 37) was on word decoding. There was also a significant interaction effect of group assignment and initial word decoding, in the way that the lowest-performing students benefitted the most from the intervention. Another aim was to examine if the children identified in a screening (n = 2212) as poor readers in grade 2 still performed worse than typical readers. The analyses showed that the typically developing students (n = 66) outperformed the students identified as poor readers in grade 2 on working memory, spelling, reading comprehension and word decoding. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effective return-to-work interventions after acquired brain injury: A systematic review.

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Donker-Cools, Birgit H P M; Daams, Joost G; Wind, Haije; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2016-01-01

To gather knowledge about effective return-to-work (RTW) interventions for patients with acquired brain injury (ABI). A database search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library using keywords and Medical Subject Headings. Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria: adult patients with non-progressive ABI, working pre-injury and an intervention principally designed to improve RTW as an outcome. The methodological quality of included studies was determined and evidence was assessed qualitatively. Twelve studies were included, of which five were randomized controlled trials and seven were cohort studies. Nine studies had sufficient methodological quality. There is strong evidence that work-directed interventions in combination with education/coaching are effective regarding RTW and there are indicative findings for the effectiveness of work-directed interventions in combination with skills training and education/coaching. Reported components of the most effective interventions were tailored approach, early intervention, involvement of patient and employer, work or workplace accommodations, work practice and training of social and work-related skills, including coping and emotional support. Effective RTW interventions for patients with ABI are a combination of work-directed interventions, coaching/education and/or skills training. These interventions have the potential to facilitate sustained RTW for patients with ABI.

The role of technical assistance in the replication of effective HIV interventions.

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O'Donnell, L; Scattergood, P; Adler, M; Doval, A S; Barker, M; Kelly, J A; Kegeles, S M; Rebchook, G M; Adams, J; Terry, M A; Neumann, M S

2000-01-01

This article examines the role of technical assistance (TA) in supporting the replication of proven HIV interventions. A case study of the replication of the VOICES/VOCES intervention elucidates the level and types of TA provided to support new users through the adoption process. TA included help in garnering administrative support, identifying target audiences, recruiting groups for sessions, maintaining fidelity to the intervention's core elements, tailoring the intervention to meet clients' needs, strengthening staff members' facilitation skills, troubleshooting challenges, and devising strategies to sustain the intervention. Two to four hours per month of TA were provided to each agency adopting the intervention, at an estimated monthly cost of $206 to $412. Findings illustrate how TA supports replication by establishing a conversation between the researcher TA providers experienced with the intervention and new users. This communication helps preserve key program elements and contributes to ongoing refinement of the intervention.

Ironic effects of antiprejudice messages: how motivational interventions can reduce (but also increase) prejudice.

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Legault, Lisa; Gutsell, Jennifer N; Inzlicht, Michael

2011-12-01

Although prejudice-reduction policies and interventions abound, is it possible that some of them result in the precise opposite of their intended effect--an increase in prejudice? We examined this question by exploring the impact of motivation-based prejudice-reduction interventions and assessing whether certain popular practices might in fact increase prejudice. In two experiments, participants received detailed information on, or were primed with, the goal of prejudice reduction; the information and primes either encouraged autonomous motivation to regulate prejudice or emphasized the societal requirement to control prejudice. Ironically, motivating people to reduce prejudice by emphasizing external control produced more explicit and implicit prejudice than did not intervening at all. Conversely, participants in whom autonomous motivation to regulate prejudice was induced displayed less explicit and implicit prejudice compared with no-treatment control participants. We outline strategies for effectively reducing prejudice and discuss the detrimental consequences of enforcing antiprejudice standards.

Technology strategy for cost-effective drilling and intervention; Technology Target Areas; TTA4 - Cost effective drilling and intervention

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2007-07-01

The main goals of the OG21 initiative are to (1) develop new technology and knowledge to increase the value creation of Norwegian oil and gas resources and (2) enhance the export of Norwegian oil and gas technology. The OG21 Cost-effective Drilling and Intervention (CEDI) Technology Target Area (TTA) has identified some key strategic drilling and well intervention needs to help meet the goals of OG21. These key strategic drilling and well intervention needs are based on a review of present and anticipated future offshore-Norway drilling and well intervention conditions and the Norwegian drilling and well intervention industry. A gap analysis has been performed to assess the extent to which current drilling and well intervention research and development and other activities will meet the key strategic needs. Based on the identified strategic drilling and well intervention needs and the current industry res each and development and other activities, the most important technology areas for meeting the OG21 goals are: environment-friendly and low-cost exploration wells; low-cost methods for well intervention/sidetracks; faster and extended-reach drilling; deep water drilling, completion and intervention; offshore automated drilling; subsea and sub-ice drilling; drilling through basalt and tight carbonates; drilling and completion in salt formation. More specific goals for each area: reduce cost of exploration wells by 50%; reduce cost for well intervention/sidetracks by 50%; increase drilling efficiency by 40%; reduce drilling cost in deep water by 40 %; enable offshore automated drilling before 2012; enable automated drilling from seabed in 2020. Particular focus should be placed on developing new technology for low-cost exploration wells to stem the downward trends in the number of exploration wells drilled and the volume of discovered resources. The CEDI TTA has the following additional recommendations: The perceived gaps in addressing the key strategic drilling and

Effects of Triple P parenting intervention on child health outcomes for childhood asthma and eczema: Randomised controlled trial.

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Morawska, Alina; Mitchell, Amy E; Burgess, Scott; Fraser, Jennifer

2016-08-01

Childhood chronic health conditions have considerable impact on children. We aimed to test the efficacy of a brief, group-based parenting intervention for improving illness-related child behaviour problems, parents' self-efficacy, quality of life, parents' competence with treatment, and symptom severity. A 2 (intervention vs. care as usual) by 3 (baseline, post-intervention, 6-month follow-up) design was used, with random group assignment. Participants were 107 parents of 2- to 10-year-old children with asthma and/or eczema. Parents completed self-report questionnaires, symptom diaries, and home observations were completed. The intervention comprised two 2-h group discussions based on Triple P. Parents in the intervention group reported (i) fewer eczema-related, but not asthma-related, child behaviour problems; (ii) improved self-efficacy for managing eczema, but not asthma; (iii) better quality of life for parent and family, but not child; (iv) no change in parental treatment competence; (v) reduced symptom severity, particularly for children prescribed corticosteroid-based treatments. Results demonstrate the potential for brief parenting interventions to improve childhood chronic illness management, child health outcomes, and family wellbeing. Effects were stronger for eczema-specific outcomes compared to asthma-specific outcomes. Effects on symptom severity are very promising, and further research examining effects on objective disease severity and treatment adherence is warranted. ACTRN12611000558921. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

E-health interventions for suicide prevention.

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Christensen, Helen; Batterham, Philip J; O'Dea, Bridianne

2014-08-12

Many people at risk of suicide do not seek help before an attempt, and do not remain connected to health services following an attempt. E-health interventions are now being considered as a means to identify at-risk individuals, offer self-help through web interventions or to deliver proactive interventions in response to individuals' posts on social media. In this article, we examine research studies which focus on these three aspects of suicide and the internet: the use of online screening for suicide, the effectiveness of e-health interventions aimed to manage suicidal thoughts, and newer studies which aim to proactively intervene when individuals at risk of suicide are identified by their social media postings. We conclude that online screening may have a role, although there is a need for additional robust controlled research to establish whether suicide screening can effectively reduce suicide-related outcomes, and in what settings online screening might be most effective. The effectiveness of Internet interventions may be increased if these interventions are designed to specifically target suicidal thoughts, rather than associated conditions such as depression. The evidence for the use of intervention practices using social media is possible, although validity, feasibility and implementation remains highly uncertain.

Effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by Australian primary schools: a non-randomized controlled trial.

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Nathan, Nicole; Wolfenden, Luke; Bell, Andrew C; Wyse, Rebecca; Morgan, Philip J; Butler, Michelle; Sutherland, Rachel; Milat, Andrew J; Hector, Debra; Wiggers, John

2012-08-13

Limited evidence exists describing the effectiveness of strategies in facilitating the implementation of vegetable and fruit programs by schools on a population wide basis. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a multi-strategy intervention in increasing the population-wide implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by primary schools and to determine if intervention effectiveness varied by school characteristics. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in primary schools in the state of New South Wales, Australia. All primary schools in one region of the state (n = 422) received a multi-strategy intervention. A random sample of schools (n = 406) in the remainder of the state served as comparison schools. The multi-strategy intervention to increase vegetable and fruit breaks involved the development and provision of: program consensus and leadership; staff training; program materials; incentives; follow-up support; and implementation feedback. Comparison schools had access to routine information-based Government support. Data to assess the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks were collected by telephone from Principals of the intervention and comparison schools at baseline (2006-2007) and 11 to 15 months following the commencement of the intervention (2009-2010). GEE analysis was used to examine the change in the prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks in intervention schools compared to comparison schools. At follow-up, prevalence of vegetable and fruit breaks increased significantly in both intervention (50.3% to 82.0%, p strategy intervention can significantly increase the implementation of vegetable and fruit breaks by a large number of Australian primary schools.

Effect of Behavioral Intervention on Dilated Fundus Examination Rates in Older African American Individuals With Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

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Weiss, David M; Casten, Robin J; Leiby, Benjamin E; Hark, Lisa A; Murchison, Ann P; Johnson, Deiana; Stratford, Shayla; Henderer, Jeffrey; Rovner, Barry W; Haller, Julia A

2015-09-01

African American individuals are at high risk of diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy but have suboptimal rates of dilated fundus examinations (DFEs). Early intervention is crucial for the prevention of diabetic retinopathy in this high-risk population. To test the efficacy of behavioral activation for diabetic retinopathy prevention on rates of DFEs in older African American individuals with diabetes mellitus. Masked randomized clinical trial at 2 urban medical centers from October 1, 2010, to May 31, 2014. Participants included 206 African American individuals 65 years and older with diabetes mellitus who had not obtained a DFE in the preceding 12 months. Participants were randomized to either behavioral activation for diabetic retinopathy prevention, a behavioral intervention designed to provide education, facilitate identifying and addressing health care barriers, and promote goal setting to improve rates of DFEs, or supportive therapy, a control condition. The primary outcome was medical documentation of a DFE at 6 months' follow-up. Secondary outcomes included the Risk Perceptions and Risk Knowledge Survey of Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Self-Care Inventory, Patient Health Questionnaire 9, and National Eye Institute Vision Function Questionnaire 25 scores and hemoglobin A1c levels. More participants in the behavioral activation for diabetic retinopathy prevention group (87.9%) obtained a DFE compared with those in the supportive therapy group (34.1%) by the 6-month follow-up assessment (P diabetic retinopathy prevention group were 2.5 times more likely to obtain a DFE compared with those in the supportive therapy group (risk ratio = 2.58; 95% CI, 1.91-3.48; P Knowledge Survey of Diabetes Mellitus or National Eye Institute Vision Function Questionnaire 25 composite scores; however, both groups had improved adherence to diabetes mellitus self-care behaviors from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Behavioral activation for diabetic retinopathy

Clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted podiatry intervention for falls prevention in older people: a multicentre cohort randomised controlled trial (the REducing Falls with ORthoses and a Multifaceted podiatry intervention trial).

Science.gov (United States)

Cockayne, Sarah; Rodgers, Sara; Green, Lorraine; Fairhurst, Caroline; Adamson, Joy; Scantlebury, Arabella; Corbacho, Belen; Hewitt, Catherine E; Hicks, Kate; Hull, Robin; Keenan, Anne-Maree; Lamb, Sarah E; McIntosh, Caroline; Menz, Hylton B; Redmond, Anthony; Richardson, Zoe; Vernon, Wesley; Watson, Judith; Torgerson, David J

2017-04-01

intervention costs £252.17 more per participant (95% CI -£69.48 to £589.38) than usual care, was marginally more beneficial in terms of HRQoL measured via the EuroQoL-5 Dimensions [mean quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) difference 0.0129, 95% CI -0.0050 to 0.0314 QALYs] and had a 65% probability of being cost-effective at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence threshold of £30,000 per QALY gained. The intervention was generally acceptable to podiatrists and trial participants. Owing to the difficulty in calculating a sample size for a count outcome, the sample size was based on detecting a difference in the proportion of participants experiencing at least one fall, and not the primary outcome. We are therefore unable to confirm if the trial was sufficiently powered for the primary outcome. The findings are not generalisable to patients who are not receiving podiatry care. The intervention was safe and potentially effective. Although the primary outcome measure did not reach significance, a lower fall rate was observed in the intervention group. The reduction in the proportion of older adults who experienced a fall was of borderline statistical significance. The economic evaluation suggests that the intervention could be cost-effective. Further research could examine whether or not the intervention could be delivered in group sessions, by physiotherapists, or in high-risk patients. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68240461. This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment ; Vol. 21, No. 24. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Effectiveness of telephone-assisted parent-administered behavioural family intervention for preschool children with externalizing problem behaviour: a randomized controlled trial.

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Kierfeld, Frauke; Ise, Elena; Hanisch, Charlotte; Görtz-Dorten, Anja; Döpfner, Manfred

2013-09-01

Externalizing problem behaviour is one of the most common childhood disorders. Parent training is an effective treatment for these children and there is growing interest in the effects of parent-administered interventions with minimal therapist contact. This randomized controlled study examined the efficacy of a telephone-assisted parent-administered behavioural intervention (bibliotherapy) in families with preschool children with externalizing problem behaviour. Families were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 26) and an untreated waitlist control group (n = 22). The intervention comprised the reading of an 11 chapter self-help book and 11 weekly telephone consultations. Compared to the control group, the treatment group demonstrated significant decreases in parent-reported externalizing and internalizing child problem behaviour and dysfunctional parenting practices. Moreover, treated parents reported less parenting-related strains and decreases in parental depression, anxiety, and stress. The results suggest that telephone-assisted self-administered parent training is an effective alternative to more intensive forms of behavioural family intervention for preschool children with externalizing problem behaviour.

Effects of the X:IT smoking intervention: a school-based cluster randomized trial.

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Andersen, Anette; Krølner, Rikker; Bast, Lotus Sofie; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Due, Pernille

2015-12-01

Uptake of smoking in adolescence is still of major public health concern. Evaluations of school-based programmes for smoking prevention show mixed results. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of X:IT, a multi-component school-based programme to prevent adolescent smoking. Data from a Danish cluster randomized trial included 4041 year-7 students (mean age: 12.5) from 51 intervention and 43 control schools. Outcome measure 'current smoking' was dichotomized into smoking daily, weekly, monthly or more seldom vs do not smoke. Analyses were adjusted for baseline covariates: sex, family socioeconomic position (SEP), best friend's smoking and parental smoking. We performed multilevel, logistic regression analyses of available cases and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses, replacing missing outcome values by multiple imputation. At baseline, 4.7% and 6.8% of the students at the intervention and the control schools smoked, respectively. After 1 year of the intervention, the prevalence was 7.9% and 10.7%, respectively. At follow-up, 553 students (13.7%) did not answer the question on smoking. Available case analyses: crude odds ratios (OR) for smoking at intervention schools compared with control schools: 0.65 (0.48-0.88) and adjusted: 0.70 (0.47-1.04). ITT analyses: crude OR for smoking at intervention schools compared with control schools: 0.67 (0.50-0.89) and adjusted: 0.61 (0.45-0.82). Students at intervention schools had a lower risk of smoking after a year of intervention in year 7. This multi-component intervention involving educational, parental and context-related intervention components seems to be efficient in lowering or postponing smoking uptake in Danish adolescents. © The Author 2015; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Examining the cost effectiveness of interventions to promote the physical health of people with mental health problems: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Recently attention has begun to focus not only on assessing the effectiveness of interventions to tackle mental health problems, but also on measures to prevent physical co-morbidity. Individuals with mental health problems are at significantly increased risk of chronic physical health problems, such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes, as well as reduced life expectancy. The excess costs of co-morbid physical and mental health problems are substantial. Potentially, measures to reduce the risk of co-morbid physical health problems may represent excellent value for money. Methods To conduct a systematic review to determine what is known about economic evaluations of actions to promote better physical health in individuals identified as having a clinically diagnosed mental disorder, but no physical co-morbidity. Systematic searches of databases were supplemented by hand searches of relevant journals and websites. Results Of 1970 studies originally assessed, 11 met our inclusion criteria. In addition, five protocols for other studies were also identified. Studies looked at exercise programmes, nutritional advice, smoking, alcohol and drug cessation, and reducing the risk of blood borne infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. All of the lifestyle and smoking cessation studies focused on people with depression and anxiety disorders. Substance abuse and infectious disease prevention studies focused on people with psychoses and bipolar disorder. Conclusions There is a very small, albeit growing, literature on the cost effectiveness of interventions to promote the physical health of people with mental health problems. Most studies suggest that value for money actions in specific contexts and settings are available. Given that the success or failure of health promoting interventions can be very context specific, more studies are needed in more settings, focused on different population groups with different mental health problems and reporting

Effectiveness of interventions to prevent pre-frailty and frailty progression in older adults: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Apóstolo, João; Cooke, Richard; Bobrowicz-Campos, Elzbieta; Santana, Silvina; Marcucci, Maura; Cano, Antonio; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam; Germini, Federico; D’Avanzo, Barbara; Gwyther, Holly; Holland, Carol

2018-01-01

the criteria for inclusion. Economic analyses were conducted in two studies. Physical exercise programs were shown to be generally effective for reducing or postponing frailty but only when conducted in groups. Favorable effects on frailty indicators were also observed after the interventions, based on physical exercise with supplementation, supplementation alone, cognitive training and combined treatment. Group meetings and home visits were not found to be universally effective. Lack of efficacy was evidenced for physical exercise performed individually or delivered one-to-one, hormone supplementation and problem solving therapy. Individually tailored management programs for clinical conditions had inconsistent effects on frailty prevalence. Economic studies demonstrated that this type of intervention, as compared to usual care, provided better value for money, particularly for very frail community-dwelling participants, and had favorable effects in some of the frailty-related outcomes in inpatient and outpatient management, without increasing costs. Conclusions: This review found mixed results regarding the effectiveness of frailty interventions. However, there is clear evidence on the usefulness of such interventions in carefully chosen evidence-based circumstances, both for frailty itself and for secondary outcomes, supporting clinical investment of resources in frailty intervention. Further research is required to reinforce current evidence and examine the impact of the initial level of frailty on the benefits of different interventions. There is also a need for economic evaluation of frailty interventions. PMID:29324562

Incredible Years parenting interventions: current effectiveness research and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Frances; Leijten, Patty

2017-06-01

The Incredible Years parenting intervention is a social learning theory-based programme for reducing children's conduct problems. Dozens of randomized trials, many by independent investigators, find consistent effects of Incredible Years on children's conduct problems across multiple countries and settings. However, in common with other interventions, these average effects hide much variability in the responses of individual children and families. Innovative moderator research is needed to enhance scientific understanding of why individual children and parents respond differently to intervention. Additionally, research is needed to test whether there are ways to make Incredible Years more effective and accessible for families and service providers, especially in low resource settings, by developing innovative delivery systems using new media, and by systematically testing for essential components of parenting interventions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Examining the effects of rational emotive behavior therapy on performance outcomes in elite paralympic athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, A G; Barker, J B; Turner, M J; Sheffield, D

2018-01-01

Traditionally a psychotherapeutic intervention, rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is receiving increasing attention within the extant literature as an intervention to enhance the athletic performance and psychological well-being of competitive athletes. Whilst the benefits of REBT on psychological health are established, less is understood about the effects on athletic performance. This study aimed to examine the immediate and maintained effects of REBT on physiological, psychological, and performance outcomes with elite Paralympic athletes. Using a single-case research design, eight athletes recruited from the same Paralympic sport (M=40.12, SD=12.99) received five, one-to-one REBT sessions. Measures of irrational beliefs were collected weekly, whereas the remaining psychological and physiological measures were collected at a pre-, post-, and at a 9-month follow-up time point. Visual and statistical analyzes of the data indicates reductions in irrational beliefs were coupled with reductions in systolic blood pressure indicative of an adaptive physiological response, improved athletic performance during competition simulations, and reductions in avoidance goals. Furthermore, social validation data indicated greater self-awareness, emotional control, and enhanced focus during competition as a result of the REBT intervention. This study contributes to growing literature supporting the efficacy of REBT as an intervention that not only facilitates psychological health but also enhances athletic performance. Results are discussed with reference to theory, limitations, and future recommendations. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of the Odense Overweight Intervention Study