Effectiveness Of Interventions Research Articles

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions on the well-being of healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundGrowing evidence attests to the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), but their effectiveness for healthcare workers remains uncertain.AimsTo evaluate the evidence for MBIs in improving healthcare workers’ psychological well-being.MethodsA systematic...

ELUCIDATE Trial: A Single-Center Randomized Controlled Study.

Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, is an epochal oral antidiabetic drug that improves cardiorenal outcomes. However, the effect of early dapagliflozin intervention on left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with type 2 diabetes free from cardiovascular disease remains unclear. The ELUCIDATE trial was a prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled study that enrolled 76 patients with asymptomatic type 2 diabetes with LV ejection fraction ≥50%, randomized to the dapagliflozin 10 mg/day add-on or standard-of-care group. Speckle-tracking echocardiography-based measurements of the cardiac global longitudinal strain were performed at baseline and 24 weeks after treatment initiation. Patients who received dapagliflozin had a greater reduction in LV dimension (1.68 mm [95% CI, 0.53-2.84]; P=0.005), LV end-systolic volume (5.51 mL [95% CI, 0.86-10.17]; P=0.021), and LV mass index (4.25 g/m2.7 [95% CI, 2.42-6.09]; P<0.0001) compared with standard of care in absolute mean differences. Dapagliflozin add-on therapy led to a significant LV global longitudinal strain increment (0.74% [95% CI, 1.00-0.49]; P<0.0001) and improved LV systolic and early diastolic strain rates (0.27/s [95% CI, 0.17-0.60]; and 0.11/s [95% CI, 0.06-0.16], respectively; both P<0.0001) but not in global circumferential strain. No significant changes were found in insulin resistance, NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) levels, or other biomarkers at 6 months after the dapagliflozin administration. Dapagliflozin add-on therapy could lead to more favorable cardiac remodeling accompanied by enhanced cardiac mechanical function among patients with asymptomatic type 2 diabetes. Our findings provide evidence of the efficacy of dapagliflozin use for the primary prevention of diabetic cardiomyopathy. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT03871621.

Effect of interventions to improve safety culture on healthcare workers in hospital settings: a systematic review of the international literature

BackgroundIn an era of safety systems, hospital interventions to build a culture of safety deliver organisational learning methodologies for staff. Their benefits to hospital staff are unknown. We examined the...

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of different exercise patterns for reducing cardiovascular events in pre-diabetes: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

IntroductionExercise has been used to reverse dysglycaemic states in patients with pre-diabetes. Systematic reviews show that exercise is an effective way to reduce the incidence of diabetes, but there is...

Sex Differences Between Female and Male Individuals in Antipsychotic Efficacy and Adverse Effects in the Treatment of Schizophrenia.

Antipsychotics are core treatments for people living with psychotic disorders. Understanding individualised factors that influence both efficacy and adverse responses will improve outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine sex differences in antipsychotic-related efficacy and tolerability. This was a secondary analysis of data from phase 1 and 1a of Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE); participants with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to double-blinded treatment with oral olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone or perphenazine. Measures included Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale and Calgary Depression Rating Scale, as well as self-reported side effects, medication compliance, dosage, weight measurements and various blood parameters. There were 1460 participants including 380 female and 1080 male individuals. Very few differences existed between male and female participants in response, adverse reactions, compliance or antipsychotic dosage. However, significantly more female participants than male participants reported constipation (28% vs 16%), dry mouth (50% vs 38%), gynecomastia/galactorrhea (11% vs 3%), incontinence/nocturia (16% vs 8%) and self reportedweight gain (37% vs 24%) [all p < 0.001]. Within the risperidone treatment group, there was a significantly greater increase in prolactin levels (p < 0.001) among female participants (n = 61) than male participants (n = 159). No overall differences in clinician-rated measures, weight gain or otherlaboratory indicators were found. While overall sex differences were limited across efficacy and tolerability for antipsychotic treatment, there were some specific findings with risperidone. Further examination of sex differences within antipsychotic trials will be important to improve efficacy and reduce adverse responses across as well as individualising care for people with schizophrenia.

Effectiveness of dietetic care for cancer survivors in the primary care setting: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Nutrition plays an important role in cancer survivorship. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to critically assess and quantify the effectiveness of nutrition care interventions provided by dietitians to survivors who have completed treatment for cancer. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2004 to November 2023 reporting the effectiveness of primary care dietetic interventions with adult cancer survivors was conducted. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, ProQuest and PsycINFO databases were searched for key terms. Meta-analyses were conducted where there were sufficient studies of the same cancer type and outcomes. Twelve RCTs representing 1138 cancer survivors (519 breast cancer; 75 prostate cancer; 544 colorectal cancer) were included. Primary outcome measures included weight loss (n = 6), quality of life (n = 2), reducing lymphedema-related arm volume (n = 2), nutritional status (n = 1) and increasing fruit and vegetable intake (n = 1). Weight loss was observed in studies where this was the primary outcome. Results for quality of life varied.Meta-analyses of RCTs with breast cancer survivors showed that dietitian intervention achieved a mean of 3.7kg greater intentional weight loss and 2.3% greater body fat decrease than control (p < 0.0001). This study provides evidence for the effectiveness of primary care dietetic interventions by dietitians with cancer survivors, particularly with respect to intentional weight and fat loss in breast cancer survivors. Dietitians can play a key role in managing weight and improving long term health outcomes and prognosis for cancer survivors beyond the acute care setting.

Effectiveness of a self-determination theory-based smoking cessation intervention plus instant messaging via mobile application for smokers with cancer: Protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

Despite evidence that patients living with cancer who continue to smoke after diagnosis are at higher risk for all-cause mortality and reduced treatment efficacy, many cancer patients continue to smoke. This protocol is for a study to test the effectiveness of a self-determination theory-based intervention (quit immediately or progressively) plus instant messaging (WhatsApp or WeChat) to help smokers with cancer to quit smoking. This will be a multi-centre, two-arm (1:1), single-blind, pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial. Taking part will be specialist outpatient clinics in five major hospitals in different location-based clusters in Hong Kong. The sample will include 1448 Chinese smokers living with cancer attending medical follow-ups at outpatient clinics. The intervention group will receive brief advice (approximately 5-8 minutes) from research nurses in the outpatient clinics and then be invited to choose their own quit schedules (immediate or progressive). During the first 6-month follow-up period they will receive instant messaging with smoking cessation advice once per week for the first 3months, and thereafter approximately once per month. They will also receive four videos, and those opting to quit progressively will receive a smoking reduction leaflet. The control group will also receive brief advice but be advised to quit immediately, and instant messaging with general health advice during the first 6-month follow-up period using the same schedule as the intervention group. Participants in both groups will receive smoking cessation leaflets. The primary outcome is biochemically validated smoking abstinence at 6months, as confirmed by saliva cotinine level and carbon monoxide level in expired air. Secondary outcomes include biochemically validated smoking abstinence at 12 months, self-reported 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence at 6 and 12 months, self-reported ≥ 50% reduction of cigarette consumption at 6 and 12 months and quality of life at 6 and 12 months. All time-points for outcomes measures are set after randomization. The results could inform research, policymaking and health-care professionals regarding smoking cessation for patients living with cancer, and therefore have important implications for clinical practice and health enhancement.

Effects of work-directed interventions on return-to-work in people on sick-leave for to common mental disorders-a systematic review.

To evaluate the body of evidence of the effects of work-directed interventions on return-to-work for people on sick leave due to common mental disorders (i.e., mild to moderate depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders and reactions to severe stress). The systematic review was conducted in accordance with an a priori developed and registered protocol (Prospero CRD42021235586). The certainty of evidence was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. We reviewed 14,794 records published between 2015 and 2021. Of these, eight RCTs published in eleven articles were included in the analysis. Working age adults (18 to 64years), on sick leave due to mild to moderate depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders or reactions to severe stress. Work-directed interventions. No comparator, Standard care, or other measures. return to work, number of days on sick leave, income. Overall, the effects of work-focused CBT and work-focused team-based support on RTW resulted in increased or faster return-to-work compared with standard care or no intervention (low certainty of evidence). The effects of Individual Placement and Support showed no difference in RTW compared with standard care (very low certainty of evidence). Interventions involving the workplace could increase the probability of RTW. Areas in need of improvement in the included studies, for example methodological issues, are discussed. Further, suggestions are made for improving methodological rigor when conducting large scale trials.

COS-PPA: protocol to develop a core outcome set for primary progressive aphasia

IntroductionThe term primary progressive aphasia (PPA) describes a group of language-led dementias. Disease-modifying treatments that delay, slow or reverse progression of PPA are currently lacking, though a number of interventions...

Promoting a thriving school community: Investigating the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for improved teacher-student and staff relationships: A critical review

Promoting a thriving school community: Investigating the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for improved teacher-student and staff relationships: A critical review

Nonjudgment Mediates the Effect of a Brief Smartphone-Delivered Mindfulness Intervention on Rumination in a Randomized Controlled Trial with Adolescents

Nonjudgment Mediates the Effect of a Brief Smartphone-Delivered Mindfulness Intervention on Rumination in a Randomized Controlled Trial with Adolescents

Digital Interventions to Understand and Mitigate Stress Response: Protocol for Process and Content Evaluation of a Cohort Study.

Staffing and resource shortages, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, have increased stress levels among health care workers. Many health care workers have reported feeling unable to maintain the quality of care expected within their profession, which, at times, may lead to moral distress and moral injury. Currently, interventions for moral distress and moral injury are limited. This study has the following aims: (1) to characterize and reduce stress and moral distress related to decision-making in morally complex situations using a virtual reality (VR) scenario and a didactic intervention; (2) to identify features contributing to mental health outcomes using wearable, physiological, and self-reported questionnaire data; and (3) to create a personal digital phenotype profile that characterizes stress and moral distress at the individual level. This will be a single cohort, pre- and posttest study of 100 nursing professionals in Ontario, Canada. Participants will undergo a VR simulation that requires them to make morally complex decisions related to patient care, which will be administered before and after an educational video on techniques to mitigate distress. During the VR session, participants will complete questionnaires measuring their distress and moral distress, and physiological data (electrocardiogram, electrodermal activity, plethysmography, and respiration) will be collected to assess their stress response. In a subsequent 12-week follow-up period, participants will complete regular assessments measuring clinical outcomes, including distress, moral distress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. A wearable device will also be used to collect continuous data for 2 weeks before, throughout, and for 12 weeks after the VR session. A pre-post comparison will be conducted to analyze the effects of the VR intervention, and machine learning will be used to create a personal digital phenotype profile for each participant using the physiological, wearable, and self-reported data. Finally, thematic analysis of post-VR debriefing sessions and exit interviews will examine reoccurring codes and overarching themes expressed across participants' experiences. The study was funded in 2022 and received research ethics board approval in April 2023. The study is ongoing. It is expected that the VR scenario will elicit stress and moral distress. Additionally, the didactic intervention is anticipated to improve understanding of and decrease feelings of stress and moral distress. Models of digital phenotypes developed and integrated with wearables could allow for the prediction of risk and the assessment of treatment responses in individuals experiencing moral distress in real-time and naturalistic contexts. This paradigm could also be used in other populations prone to moral distress and injury, such as military and public safety personnel. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05923398; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05923398. DERR1-10.2196/54180.

[Effects of a Motivational Intervention on the Effectiveness and Sustainability of Sports and Exercise Therapy in Inpatient Psychiatric Care].

Reinforcement and sustainability of sports and exercise therapy in inpatient depression treatment. Randomized controlled study with 3 measurement times: t0 admission to the study, t1 after four weeks, t2 two months after discharge. 96 inpatients with depressive disorders (ICD-10 F32, F33) were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG) or a control group (KG). In addition to sports and exercise therapy (KG), the IG received an educational and motivational session on the importance of sports and exercise, as well as a motivational final discussion. Endurance performance and physical fitness improved more significantly in the IG than in the CG over the 3 measurement times. The motivational final discussion was rated as more helpful. The intervention was well accepted by the patients and partially increased the effects of sports and exercise therapy. Not only psychological aspects of depression treatment were influenced, but also measurable physical effects. The practical and time-efficient motivational intervention in inpatient psychiatric care can complement sports and exercise therapy for depressive patients.

Effectiveness of waste management interventions at the new District General Hospital, Hambantota

Effectiveness of waste management interventions at the new District General Hospital, Hambantota

Promoting a thriving school community: Investigating the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for improved teacher-student and staff relationships: A critical review

Promoting a thriving school community: Investigating the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions for improved teacher-student and staff relationships: A critical review

Combining anchoring with financial incentives to increase physical activity: a randomized controlled trial among college students.

The purpose of this study was to: (1) compare the relative efficacy of different combinations of three behavioral intervention strategies (i.e., personalized reminders, financial incentives, and anchoring) for establishing physical activity habits using an mHealth app and (2) to examine the effects of these different combined interventions on intrinsic motivation for physical activity and daily walking habit strength. A four-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted in a sample of college students (N = 161) who had a self-reported personal wellness goal of increasing their physical activity. Receiving cue-contingent financial incentives (i.e., incentives conditional on performing physical activity within ± one hour of a prespecified physical activity cue) combined with anchoring resulted in the highest daily step counts and greatest odds of temporally consistent walking during both the four-week intervention and the full eight-week study period. Cue-contingent financial incentives were also more successful at increasing physical activity and maintaining these effects post-intervention than traditional non-cue-contingent incentives. There were no differences in intrinsic motivation or habit strength between study groups at any time point. Financial incentives, particularly cue-contingent incentives, can be effectively used to support the anchoring intervention strategy for establishing physical activity habits. Moreover, mHealth apps are a feasible method for delivering the combined intervention technique of financial incentives with anchoring.

Emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) intervention: medium-term impact on pupils’ emotional literacy in one local authority in Wales

ABSTRACT The medium-term impact of emotional literacy support assistant (ELSA) intervention is unknown. Therefore, emotional literacy (EL) data were collected through intervention assessment records (IAR) and social and emotional support assessment (SESA) questionnaires from 18 children and young people (CYP) and 18 ELSAs and class teachers (CTs) jointly measuring the effect of a six-week intervention, employing a within-subjects design. Twelve primary schools, four secondary schools, one special school and one pupil referral unit (PRU) participated. A series of t-tests (95% CI) showed a significant positive impact on CYP’s EL following six weeks of ELSA intervention with CYP, p < .001 (g = 0.57) and CT and ELSA perspective, p < .001, (g = 0.45), with no improvements for the control group. EL gains were maintained 10 weeks post intervention with CYP p < .001 (g = 0.57) and CT and ELSA perspective p < .001, (g = 0.35), thus providing tentative evidence for the impact of ELSA intervention in supporting CYP’s EL that extends beyond a six-week interval time phase. Further research is suggested to build on the evidence base.

The Effect of Self-identity and Positive Emotion Intervention on College Students' English Reading Study on the Correlation between Test Scores

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of self-identification and positive emotion intervention on college students' English reading comprehension. In the context of globalization, proficiency in English reading is crucial for effective cross-cultural communication and career advancement. However, previous research has primarily focused on the influence of self-efficacy on long-term learning, neglecting the examination-specific utilization of psychological adjustment strategies (such as positive emotional intervention) and its correlation with test performance and scores among students. Therefore, this study posits that through psychological adjustment and alleviation of test anxiety, positive emotional intervention and self-identification can facilitate improvements in English reading comprehension skills as well as enhance test coping abilities. A total of 61 non-English major college students were randomly selected and divided into two groups: “moderate self-identification group” and “high self-identification group”. Each group was further subdivided into an intervention group and a control group. The statistical software SPSS was employed to conduct descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, cluster analysis, and difference analysis in order to elucidate the relationship between positive emotions, self-identification, and English reading scores. These findings aim to provide novel insights for both the education industry and the psychological field. The results revealed that positive emotion intervention significantly influenced students' English reading test scores across different levels of self-identification. Specifically, students with a moderate level of self-identification exhibited improved performance after receiving positive emotion intervention, whereas those with a high level of self-identification maintained better performance without additional situational motivation. Furthermore, it was observed that reading materials of varying difficulty levels also impacted reading comprehension at an intermediate level of English proficiency. Overall, this study confirms the efficacy of positive emotion intervention in assisting students in effectively coping with challenges and enhancing their accuracy.

The Efficacy of Restorative Justice Programs in Reducing Recidivism Rates

Purpose: This study sought to assess the efficacy of restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism rates.  Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism rates. Preliminary empirical review revealed that restorative justice interventions were effective in reducing reoffending and promoting positive outcomes for both offenders and victims. Through processes such as victim-offender mediation and family group conferencing, restorative justice provided opportunities for offenders to take responsibility, repair harm, and engage in rehabilitation. While acknowledging variations in effectiveness based on offender characteristics and program implementation, the study highlighted the importance of continued investment in restorative justice initiatives to create a more just and equitable criminal justice system. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Labeling theory, Social Learning theory and Routine Activities theory may be used to anchor future studies on restorative justice programs in reducing recidivism rates. The study offered recommendations that contributed to theoretical advancements, practical improvements, and policy developments in the field. It emphasized the importance of exploring underlying mechanisms, standardized training for practitioners, and integration of restorative principles into mainstream criminal justice policies. These recommendations were aimed at enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of restorative justice interventions in promoting positive outcomes for victims, offenders, and communities.

A Review of the Effects of Integrated Language, Science and Technology Interventions in Elementary Education on Student Achievement

This systematic literature review presents a review of the effects of integrated language arts, science and technology (ILS&amp;amp;T) instruction, with an inquiry- or design-based pedagogy, in elementary schools on student achievement. To this end, an overview of the characteristics of the 19 included studies and their interventions is first presented. Second, the effects of interventions in relation to the study characteristics and outcome variables were examined, by comparing the mean effect sizes. The findings demonstrate positive effects of ILS&amp;amp;T instruction for all reported student learning outcome variables. Third, the relation between characteristics of the intervention and effect sizes was analysed. Interventions with higher levels of integration, a short duration, and teacher professional development activities produce higher effect sizes. These findings are relevant for the design of ILS&amp;amp;T interventions. The analysis was challenged by a lack of detailed information in study and intervention descriptions, which prompts a call for scholars to provide more comprehensive information in their intervention studies.