Active Engagement Research Articles

Implementation and Evaluation Strategies for Pharmacogenetic Testing in Hospital Settings: A Scoping Review.

Pharmacogenetic testing in clinical settings has improved the safety and efficacy of drug treatment. There is a growing number of studies evaluating pharmacogenetic implementation and identifying barriers and facilitators. However, no review has focused on bridging the gap between identifying barriers and facilitators of testing and the clinical strategies adopted in response. This review was conducted to understand the implementation and evaluation strategies of pharmacogenetic testing programs. A PRISMA-compliant scoping review was conducted. The included studies discussed pharmacogenetic testing programs implemented in a hospital setting. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed design methods were included. A total of 232 of the 7043 articles that described clinical pharmacogenetic programs were included. The most common specialties that described pharmacogenetic implementation were psychiatry (26%) and oncology (16%), although many studies described institutional programs implemented across multiple specialties (19%). Different specialties reported different clinical outcomes, but all reported similar program performance indicators, such as test uptake and the number of times the test recommendations were followed. There were benefits and drawbacks to delivering test results through research personnel, pharmacists, and electronic alerts, but active engagement of physicians was necessary for the incorporation of pharmacogenetic results into clinical decision making. Further research is required on the maintenance and sustainability of pharmacogenetic testing initiatives. These findings provide an overview of the implementation and evaluation strategies of different specialties that can be used to improve pharmacogenetic testing.

Rebuilding human-nature connections in children and adolescents: insights from a meta-analysis

Beyond correlational studies exploring the benefits of nature exposure, there have been studies assessing interventions that aim to improve nature connection in children and adolescents. A feeling of connection with nature or ‘nature connectedness’ describes our attitude towards nature, primarily reflecting the emotional, cognitive, and experiential aspects. This meta-analysis of 29 studies explored the impact of experimental manipulations on nature connection in young people (less than 18 years old). The results showed that such interventions had a significant positive effect on nature connections in children and adolescents. The presence of environmental education programmes, the quality of engagement with nature (passive or active), and the duration and frequency of intervention (one-off, repeated, or residential) were predictors of effect size. The quality of engagement, such as active participation in environmental education programmes or an intensive residential experience, may be more important than the type of natural setting. Several important implications for future research and practice are suggested by the results, including the need to understand the factors that contribute to improved nature connection, to examine different nature engagement activities, and to develop interventions with regular nature engagement.

Impact of psychological entitlement on engagement in learning activities and psychological anxiety: the mediating role of envy

Psychological entitlement has appeared as a significant topic for research in the field of management and Psychology. From the perspective of social comparison theory, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of psychological entitlement on engagement in learning activities and psychological anxiety in the hotel industry. Furthermore, benign and malign envy were examined as an explanatory mechanism between psychological entitlement and its outcomes. Based on a three-wave time-lagged design, data were obtained from 242 employees working in the different hotels in Pakistan. We found that psychological entitlement’s has no direct influence on hotel employees engagement in learning activities, and psychological anxiety. In addition, the indirect effect of psychological entitlement on both outcomes (engagement in learning activities and psychological anxiety) was found significant through the mediating effect of benign and malign envy. The implications for research theory and practice are discussed.

Resiliency amid the COVID-19 pandemic: engagement in meaningful activities as a mediator between coping ability and depressive symptoms among older adults

Objectives This study investigated the longitudinal association between coping ability and depressive symptoms from before to during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and whether engagement in meaningful activities plays a mediating role in this association. Method Individuals aged 75, 80, and 85 years (n = 1021) were interviewed in 2017–2018 (T1, pre-pandemic). Of these persons, 608 were interviewed in 2020 (T2, first wave) and 2021–2022 (T3, partly post-pandemic). Coping ability, depressive symptoms, and engagement in meaningful activities were assessed using the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and 17-item activity subscore of the University of Jyväskylä Active Aging Scale, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used for the mediation analyses. Results Higher coping ability was associated with decreased depressive symptoms, partly mediated by higher activity scores between T1 and T2. From T2 to T3, higher coping ability reduced the depressive symptoms, but the activity scores did not mediate the changes during this period. Conclusion Good coping ability may help older people sustain good mental well-being. With good coping ability, active engagement in meaningful activities contributed to the low level of depressiveness during the early phases of the pandemic, when many social activities were restricted.

How I Learned to Stabilize Rice Prices, and Why: A Retrospective Essay

This paper for the 20th anniversary special issue of the Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development traces the evolution of my thinking on what to do about food price instability. Now that feeding the world is again front-page news, I am trying to figure out what pieces of my own thinking over the past half century might provide guidance on how to proceed. The world food system is under great stress as I write (early 2024), but this is probably a good time for some historical perspective as well as active engagement from people with knowledge of on-the-ground realities. I apologize in advance for the extensive listing of my own publications, but their story is my story.

Active Engagement: The Impact of Group-Based Physical Activities on the Resilience of Israeli Adolescents with ADHD.

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a pressing concern in pediatric public health, with its prevalence rising among children and teenagers. This study explored the relationship between group-based physical activity and the well-being, resilience, and distress levels of Israeli youth, with a specific focus on those with ADHD symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional study surveyed 699 Israeli teenagers, assessing their participation in three types of physical activities: unorganized, structured, and the "Five Fingers" program. Data were collected through an online platform and analyzed using ANOVA, t-tests, and multivariable regression models to identify predictors of resilience. Results: Structured, group-based sport activities are associated with higher resilience (p < 0.01) and lower distress (p < 0.01) in adolescents. Adolescents with ADHD symptoms exhibited lower resilience (p < 0.001) and well-being (p < 0.001), and higher distress (p < 0.001). However, those with ADHD symptoms who participated in group-based activities fared better in terms of distress (p < 0.01) and well-being (p = 0.018) than those who did not. Participation in any sport activity, older age, male gender, and a higher socio-economic status predicted greater resilience in youth, generally. Conclusions: This study presents the potential of structured physical activities that involve psychosocial and group integration training to improve the mental health of adolescents, especially in the context of ADHD symptoms.

Leisure-time activities and disability among Chinese community-dwelling oldest old: evidence from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study.

With the acceleration of population aging, disability in older adults is a growing public health problem; however, little is known about the role of specific leisure-time activities in affecting disability. This study prospectively examined the association of leisure-time activities with disability among the Chinese oldest old. A total of 14039 adults aged 80 years or older (median age of 89.8 years) were enrolled from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey from 1998 to 2014. Disability was defined as the presence of concurrent impairment in activities of daily living and physical performance. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the associations between leisure-time activities and disability. During a mean of 4.2 years (2.7 years) of follow-up, 4487 participants developed disability. Compared with participants who never engaged in leisure-time activities, participants who engaged in almost daily activities, including gardening, keeping domestic animals or pets, playing cards or mahjong, reading books or newspapers, and watching TV or listening to the radio had a lower risk of disability, with HRs of 0.78 (0.69-0.88), 0.64 (0.58-0.70), 0.74 (0.63-0.86), 0.74 (0.65-0.84), and 0.84 (0.77-0.90), respectively. Moreover, the risk of disability gradually decreased with participation in an increasing number of those leisure-time activities (P for trend <0.001). Frequent engagement in leisure-time activities was associated with a lower risk of disability among the Chinese oldest old. This study highlights the importance of incorporating a broad range of leisure-time activities into the daily lives of older adults.

Posting Holistic Health and Fitness Reels on Social Media Platforms to Improve Soldier Health in the Brigade.

As of 2020 Holistic health and fitness (H2F) teams have been embedded into brigades to engage Soldiers in Preventative Mental, Physical, Nutritional, Spiritual, and Sleep Readiness services. This represents a change in Army culture from a focus on testing to one of wellness because of increasing sleep concerns, mental health concerns, and injury rates. Soldier awareness of H2F services, where to find them, how to use them, and command endorsement of H2F professional's services has been limited and not well studied. Most soldiers fall into the Generations Y and Z categories, and this population tends to access information primarily from social media sources. Social media platforms therefore represent potentially effective ways to reach these individuals to increase their awareness of H2F services. This quality improvement project used therapist produced brief interactive videos covering the topics of sleep hygiene and consequences of sleep supplement use and sleep deprivation, mental readiness, and journaling as a form of mindfulness. Video reels were posted to one brigade H2F's social media (Facebook and Instagram) platforms to improve Soldier awareness and engagement in wellness activities in these areas. Data were tracked before and after the initiation of the reel series via Facebook and Instagram MetaBusiness Suite, and via utilization tracking for H2F occupational therapy group and 1:1 visits. Data tracked before and after the initiation of the video series revealed an 898.2% increase in Facebook access, including reel reach, and increases in 1:1 and group sleep and mental readiness visits to the H2F occupational therapist. The use of social media to facilitate soldier awareness and use of H2F mental and sleep readiness services is a viable option for H2F units seeking to enhance their reach in these areas. The project created very little demand on the local therapist's time or to brigade resources and may help increase Soldier accessing of H2F resources online and directly.

Improving access to tuberculosis preventive treatment for children in Ethiopia: designing a home-based contact management intervention for the CHIP-TB trial through formative research

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment (TPT) is a long-standing recommendation for children exposed to TB but remains poorly implemented. Home-based contact management may increase access and coverage of TPT among children exposed to TB in their households.MethodsSixty in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants including program managers, TB providers (known as TB focal persons), health extension workers and caregivers whose children had recently engaged with TB prevention services in Oromia, Ethiopia in 2021 to understand the barriers and facilitators to providing home-based TB prevention services for children aged < 15 years. Thematic content analysis was conducted including systematically coding each interview.ResultsHome-based services were considered a family-centered intervention, addressing the time and financial constraints of clients. Stakeholders proposed a task-shared intervention between health extension workers and facility-based TB focal persons. They recommended that TB services be integrated into other home-based services, including HIV, nutrition, and vaccination services to reduce workload on the already overstretched health extension workers. Community awareness was considered essential to improve acceptability of home-based services and TPT in general among community members.ConclusionsDecentralization of TPT should be supported by task-sharing initiation and follow up between health extension workers and facility-based TB focal persons and integration of home-based services. Active community engagement through several existing mechanisms can help improve acceptability for both home-based interventions and TPT promotion overall for children.Trial registrationThe results presented here were from formative research related to the CHIP-TB Trial (Identifier NCT04369326) registered on April 30, 2020. This qualitative study was separately registered at NCT04494516 on 27 July 2020.

Towards standardised cross-sectoral agreements for data depositing and data access in Trusted Research Environments: streamlined contracting to advance public benefit research.

Objective Trusted Research Environments (TREs) rely on Data Contributor Agreements (DCAs) and Data Access Agreements (DAAs) to bind organisations to terms and conditions in place to protect data. Our objective is to develop and drive adoption of DCA and DAA standardised templates which are optimised for data science in TREs. This is intended to reduce delays arising from the legal review process yet must not compromise on the safeguards needed for trustworthy data science. ApproachA template DAA and DCA have been developed by the Pan-UK Data Governance Steering Group of the UK Health Data Research Alliance, underpinned by a core set of principles, and informed by a benchmarking exercise of existing DCAs/DAAs and meaningful involvement of public members and stakeholders. ResultsPrinciples for TRE data contribution and data access in TREs have been mapped to core DCA and DAA terms for UK-based TREs and assigned to Five Safes’ categories. Flexibility will be ensured by including terms specific to TREs or specific data/data owners in customisable annexes to the agreements. Public views obtained through public involvement and engagement (PIE) activities have been formative in the development of the outputs. Conclusions By providing a familiar structure and terms, the templates should build trust among data owners and the UK public and provide clarity to all parties on their data protection obligations. ImplicationsThis familiar structure and terms are intended to accelerate data research by enabling faster ingress of data into TREs and approval of projects, enabling more timely research.

The sustainability of exercise following colorectal surgery: A qualitative study of participants in the PREPARE-ABC trial

Objective This study aimed to explore perceptions regarding the sustainability of exercise following participation in a pre- and post-colorectal surgery exercise intervention trial (PREPARE-ABC). Design Qualitative interview study. Data were analysed using framework analysis and independently coded by two researchers. Setting Six United Kingdom National Health Service Trusts. Participants Eighteen interviews (hospital-based exercise n = 9, home-based exercise n = 3, standard care n = 6) were conducted with patients 12–15 months after being randomised in the trial, after their 12 month appointment. Intervention Individuals who participated in one of two exercise intervention groups (hospital-supervised or home-supported exercise) or a standard care control group of the PREPARE-ABC trial were invited to interview. Results The exercise interventions were reported to influence participants’ recovery and future sustainability of exercise behaviour change. Several participants continued to engage in exercise over a year after their surgery. Reasons for this included being engaged with exercise prior to diagnosis, psychological benefits of exercise and wanting to be engaged with something to help recovery. Perceptions about the sustainability of active lifestyles were influenced by confidence to engage in structured exercise or physical activity and beliefs about its potential to promote future wellness. Conclusions Sustainability varies among individuals and early assessment of physical activity engagement could be beneficial. Physical activity interventions immediately following surgery may be important for future engagement.

Self-appreciation is not enough: exercise identity mediates body appreciation and physical activity and the role of perceived stress.

This study explores the relationship between body appreciation and physical activity, focusing on the mediating role of exercise identity and the moderating effect of perceived stress. While individuals with positive body image are generally thought to engage in proactive physical activity, it remains unclear whether this positive attitude necessarily promotes exercise. We conducted a short-term longitudinal survey, recruiting 345 college students 28 (100 females, 245 males; M age = 22.94, SD = 5.99) who completed questionnaires at two-week intervals for a total of three times within four weeks. Body appreciation, exercise identity, perceived stress, and physical activity were measured for the participants separately. The results demonstrated that body appreciation positively predicted physical activity, exercise identity partially mediated the positive effect of body appreciation on physical activity, and perceived stress played a moderating role in body appreciation and exercise identity. These results highlight the significant role of body appreciation in influencing physical activity through exercise identity, with perceived stress further moderating this relationship. The study underscores the importance of promoting body appreciation and regulating stress to enhance physical activity engagement among college students.

Community participation and subjective perception of recovery and quality of life among people with serious mental illnesses: the mediating role of self-stigma.

Community participation is believed to be positively associated with recovery experiences and quality of life for people with serious mental illnesses (PSMIs). However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study examined the mediating effect of self-stigma on the relationship between community participation and personal recovery experiences and quality of life among PSMIs. Structural equation modeling and mediation analyses were conducted based on a community sample of 315 PSMIs in Beijing, China, who were surveyed using the Community Participation Domains Measure, Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness, Recovery Assessment Scale, Quality of Life Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Most were in their middle age. About half were married, and half were females. Most participants got disability certificates. The results indicate that community participation is directly associated with personal recovery of PSMIs (P < 0.01) and indirectly associated with personal recovery through the mediation of self-stigma (P < 0.01). Additionally, community participation does not have a direct effect on the quality of life of PSMIs but shows an indirect effect through the mediation of self-stigma (P < 0.01). The findings suggest that self-stigma mediates the relationship between community participation and both the subjective perception of recovery and quality of life. The findings indicate that community participation for PSMIs should be enhanced. Tailored individual intervention services should be implemented to boost positive self-awareness and reduce self-stigma through active engagement in activities. Such participation has the potential to improve subjective experiences of recovery and overall quality of life.

Nurse Counseling versus IEC Material on Maintenance of Healthy Lifestyle for Outpatients Receiving Antipsychotics: A Randomized Control Trial

Background: A healthy lifestyle is important for recovery, coping with life’s stresses, minimizing the occurrence and impact of health issues, and improving quality of life. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help in preventing or delaying the onset of many health problems. Methods: A quantitative research approach with a randomized control trial (RCT) was adopted. 130 outpatients were randomized to experimental and control groups. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 28.8 and R software. Results: Waist circumference (WC) significantly differed between the experimental group and the control group (F = 14.87, P &lt; .001). There was a decreasing trend in weight in the experimental group across the three time points (baseline to the second assessment), as compared to the control group (F = 4.29, P = .01). Quality of health of the subjects as measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) of the Euro Quality Of Life (EQ5D) significantly differed (F = 87.47, P &lt; .001). Post-intervention, the percentage showed marked improvement in the experimental group. Conclusion: The results of this study support that counseling about a healthy lifestyle is effective as long-term strategies to avoid weight gain, engagement in adequate physical activity, taking nutritious food and maintaining healthy sleep can, in the long run, prevent metabolic syndrome. These interventions can be delivered at a low cost, are safer and practically feasible and may have a long-term impact on the quality of life.

Reliability and Validity Testing of the Modified Quality of Interaction Scale.

Background and Purpose: Limited care interaction measurements capture important interaction characteristics that occur during staff-resident care interactions. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of Modified Quality of Interaction Scale (MQuIS). Methods: Data from an observational study in four assisted living facilities was used. Results: A total of 152 staff-resident care interactions were observed. There was some evidence of reliability based on the Rasch analysis (item reliability of .98). There was some support for validity based on the item fit and hypothesis testing as active resident engagement was significantly associated with positive social and positive care interactions. Conclusions: This study provides some support for the use of the MQuIS to evaluate the quality of care interactions in assisted living settings.

Evaluation of an E-Learning Training Package by Nurses of Various Designations for Developing Clinical Skills and Knowledge

Education helps nurses maintain, improve and broaden their professional knowledge to meet their obligations to provide ethical, safe and competent care. Globally, electronic learning (e-learning) has emerged in the last decade as a flexible mechanism to provide education for nurses. However, not enough is known about how nurses view e-learning as continuing education and whether the skills and knowledge gained are transferable to daily practice. A descriptive correlational design applying a non-experimental quantitative approach was employed to evaluate an e-learning training package used by nurses of various designations for developing clinical skills and knowledge at a private hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Data were collected via a survey method over 3 years. Findings suggest an e-learning training package effectiveness is mainly dependent on the implementation process, the way learning is packaged and sequenced, and the instructional design of the package. When the e-learning training package uses materials participants can apply with patients in the clinical setting, there is higher active engagement and application of content to practice. This study’s findings reveal more flexible implementation approaches might be considered in the future, including blended learning.

Importance of Lifestyle Activities for Older Adults' Psychosomatic Functions After Driving Cessation: Interpretation by a Mixed-Methods Study.

Older adults who cease driving are more likely to experience psychosomatic decline than those who continue driving. This mixed-methods study was intended to examine differences in psychosomatic functions depending on driving status and lifestyle activities, and factors affecting engagement in additional lifestyle activities after driving cessation. The quantitative analysis included individuals aged 60 and above. Driving status, lifestyle activities, and psychosomatic functions were assessed. For qualitative analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the driving-cessation group to determine the factors affecting involvement in various lifestyle activities after driving cessation. Analysis of covariance was used for quantitative data, while text mining and qualitative inductive analysis were used for qualitative data. Older adults who engaged in more lifestyle activities walked faster than those who engaged in fewer lifestyle activities, even after driving cessation. Actively using local and personal resources may increase engagement in lifestyle activities after driving cessation.

Interests, Plans, and Hopes for Life After High School From Autistic Young Adults’ Perspectives

Obtaining the perspectives of autistic young adults is critical for planning educational and service delivery systems focused on the preparation for a high life quality after high school. The perspective and voice of autistic young adults who participated in the Center on Secondary Education for Students with Autism (CSESA) multi-site follow-up study conducted across three states (North Carolina, Wisconsin, and California) are described. Participants who exited high school or were enrolled in a district transition program responded to short-answer items on a Young Adult Questionnaire and Interview ( n = 148) and completed the Adolescent and Young Adult Activity Card Sort (Berg, 2015; n = 150) to address research questions about their current interests, future plans, and perceived barriers to fulfilling future plans using descriptive statistics and coding of interview responses. The young adults report current engagement in leisure activities, and 79% seek a job change and the opportunity to date and engage in a long-term relationship.

Mental Resilience in Crisis: Examining the Mental Health and Well‐Being of Iranian Athletes During the COVID‐19 Pandemic

ABSTRACTThe pervasive impact of COVID‐19 and economic sanctions has significantly influenced the well‐being of Iranian athletes, leaving lasting imprints on both their physical and mental health. During this challenging time, this comprehensive study delves into the nuanced disparities among various cohorts of Iranian athletes across multiple dimensions, including insomnia severity, psychological distress, anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts, life satisfaction, and hope. Stratifying the participants based on their professionalism level, age, education, sports activity engagement, and COVID‐19 infection status, our survey‐based findings from a cohort of 280 athletes reveal compelling insights: Male athletes exhibit higher levels of distress, anxiety, and depression compared to their female counterparts. Professional athletes manifest elevated psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in contrast to semi‐professional and amateur athletes. Insomnia severity is more prevalent among professional athletes, concurrently accompanied by higher levels of hope within this group. Young athletes and those with higher educational attainment report increased intrusive thoughts. Local and national athletes demonstrate higher levels of life satisfaction and hope compared to their international counterparts. Athletes not infected with Coronavirus experience heightened psychological distress compared to their COVID‐19‐infected counterparts. This nuanced exploration underscores the intricate interplay between various factors and their profound implications for the mental well‐being of Iranian athletes in the face of global health challenges and economic constraints. By recognizing the vulnerabilities exposed during the pandemic and sanctions, policymakers can work toward a more resilient and robust sports sector, ensuring that the mental health and psychosocial well‐being of athletes remain at the forefront of policy considerations.

Differentiated Instruction in Physical Education and Students’ Engagement in Dance Activities

This study aimed to assess and explore the students’ engagement in performing dance activities in a differentiated instruction of physical education among senior high school learners. Employing descriptive correlational research design, 51 STEM students from grade 12 responded to a survey questionnaire, which served as the main instrument in this study. The data gathered were subjected to descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, and inferential statistical analysis, such as Pearson Correlation. This study revealed that Differentiated Instruction in Physical Education and the students’ engagement in dance activities were effective in teaching Physical education including well-ventilated environment, employing variety of strategies for learner’s development and progress. The engagement of the respondents in dance activities were determined in their learning styles, physical, emotional, and cognitive was practiced. The respondents observed strict compliance and attentiveness with their tasks. It was found out that Differentiated Instruction in Physical Education and the students’ engagement in dance activities among senior high school students is practically effective especially in employing leadership strategies and collaborative attitude, it plays a vital role in developing work engagement among the learners for a good output. Though. still need to improve the use of differentiated instruction to make students fully engaged in physical education in dance activities.