German-speaking Part Of Switzerland Research Articles

Person Profile Dementia Intervention in Long-Term Care: A Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Trial

ObjectivesWe aimed to assess the efficacy of a person-centered care intervention in improving quality of life (QoL) for people with dementia in long-term care facilities. DesignThis study was a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized clinical trial of monthly person-centered outcome measurements, followed by collaborative nurse-led person profile interventions involving nursing staff and family members, compared with monthly person-centered outcome measurements alone. Setting and ParticipantsWe included people with a medical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia or with clinical symptoms of dementia from 23 long-term care facilities in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. MethodsThe primary outcome was QoL, as assessed using the QUALIDEM. Secondary outcomes were the QUALIDEM subscales and the Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale for People with Dementia subscales. The study duration was 15 months, and linear mixed-effect models were used for the analysis. ResultsWe recruited 240 people with dementia from 23 long-term care facilities. Modeling 1143 observations, we found a statistically significant positive intervention effect of 2.6 points according to the QUALIDEM (95% CI, 1.34–3.86; P < .001; total QUALIDEM intervention: 67; 95% CI, 64.8–69.1 vs 64.4; 95% CI, 62.3–66.4 for the control). We also found positive effects of the intervention on all secondary outcomes. Conclusions and ImplicationsOnce-a-month person profile interventions based on person-centered outcome measurements provided a small but significant improvement in QoL. Thus, our findings suggest a potential benefit to the broader implementation of person profiles involving nursing staff and family members in long-term care facilities.

Undoing the knots. A gender-historical perspective on debates about kindergarten in German-speaking Switzerland (1950–1980)

ABSTRACT This article discusses how a gender-historical perspective may still be productive in today’s historiography of education. In doing so, it relies on theoretical approaches developed in feminist and gender-historical debates and in debates about the ontological turn in historiography. Categories are thus understood as “world-giving” and changing entities which cannot just be analysed in their varying historical contexts but must be examined and historicised themselves in order to capture their fuzziness and fluidity. Against this theoretical background and on the basis of professional journals of kindergarten teachers and published speeches of seminar teachers, this article analyses debates about kindergarten in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, focusing on the years 1950–1980. In these debates, it examines what “productive work” (Scott) the categories “child” and “mother” did with regard to social and gender order and how they emerged from various knowledges becoming entangled in specific places and times. The allegedly clear “inside-outside boundaries” and “dichotomies” (Haraway) between the categories are questioned by turning to conflicts, to the unresolved, to the paradoxical. Furthermore, the paper reflects on the tasks assigned to kindergarten and the arguments which were put forward to legitimise it within the category-related “meshwork” (Ingold) of knowledges and power. Finally, it is shown how powerfully the categories “child” and “mother” acted in the debates about kindergarten in German-speaking Switzerland when stabilising and perpetuating a strongly gendered social order.

Self-directed learning among general practitioners in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

This research aimed to investigate the self-directed learning (SDL) habits of Swiss general practitioners from the German-speaking part of Switzerland, understanding how they acquire new knowledge, exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these habits and identifying optimisation strategies for their future self-directed learning. We employed a qualitative study design, conducting semi-structured interviews with 16 general practitioners from 30 May 2022 to 06 July 2022. Thematic analysis based on a mixed deductive/inductive approach was used to gain insight into the learning activities and self-directed learning practices of the practitioners. The interviewed general practitioners demonstrated a versatile approach to self-directed learning, where peer communication emerged as the most predominant learning method. It is noteworthy that the younger generation in particular showed a strong inclination for peer learning and is well prepared for the integration of advanced digital solutions for peer communication. Furthermore, a significant shift was observed in media-based self-directed learning, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital platforms and repositories for practical learning were mentioned as educational mainstays by many interviewees, reflecting a profound technological shift observed over the past 25 years and especially since the pandemic. The primary motivation for pursuing new knowledge remains patient care, although personal development and staying up-to-date with medical and technological advancements are also key motivators. Although the pandemic has undeniably accelerated the transition towards digital learning, it has also brought with it challenges such as information overload and technical difficulties. There was an evident decline in formal learning venues and physical presence during the pandemic, yet the reported value of in-person interactions remains high. Suggestions for optimising self-directed learning included enhancing digital offerings, fostering stronger peer networks and integrating more practical content. The COVID-19 pandemic has catalysed a transformation in the self-directed learning practices of general practitioners in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, underlining the importance of a balanced approach between digital and traditional learning methods. As the digital realm of self-directed learning grows, it is essential to address existing challenges and capitalise on potential advantages. Both individual networking efforts like general practitioner quality circles and initiatives from official authorities like informal self-test opportunities can play pivotal roles in refining self-directed learning practices. The findings from this study offer valuable insights for enhancing learning resources and environments that align with general practitioners' needs and preferences. Future research should investigate the ongoing impact of advanced digital technologies on self-directed learning to understand the evolving landscape in a post-pandemic world.

The emotional aftermath of choices: Examining how value-congruent behavior and paradox mindset support confident decision making

This article explores the emotional aftermath of public managers’ decision making in contradictory situations involving conflicting values. Drawing on contingency and paradox theory, the article investigates the impact of two processing modes – value-congruent behavior and paradox mindset – on decision-making confidence. The study surveyed 400 public school managers from the German-speaking part of Switzerland and conducted Spearman Rho correlations to test the hypotheses. According to the results of the study and its replication, about thirty percent of the public managers made decisions that were congruent with their individual hierarchy of values, but value-congruent behavior does not significantly support confident decision making. Conversely, paradox mindset appears to be more effective in supporting confident decision making, especially in the value conflict between ‘justice’ and ‘critique’.

Speed and Accuracy Training Affects Young Children’s Cognitive Control

ABSTRACT Young children tend to rely on reactive cognitive control (e.g. strongly slow down after an error), even when task accuracy would benefit from proactive cognitive control (taking a slower task approach up front). We investigated if giving young primary school children opportunities to repeatedly experience tasks where success rates depend on balancing speed and accuracy by using proactive and reactive cognitive control promotes their selective use of proactive cognitive control strategies. Participants were children from the German-speaking part of Switzerland (N = 105; mean age 7.5 yrs). They were allocated to a “training with feedback,” “training without feedback,” or control condition. They completed a pre- and posttest (Hearts and Flower task), separated by six computerized training tasks over three weeks. We analyzed time-by-condition effects on reaction time, rate-correct, and post-error slowing. In line with our hypotheses, both training groups outperformed the control group on reaction time and rate-correct in the incongruent block. Contrary to expectation, feedback did not enhance the intervention effect and the training group without feedback additionally outperformed control participants on rate-correct in the mixed block and improved their post-error slowing. Thus, our short intervention triggered accelerated development of proactive control in a cognitive conflict task requiring accuracy-speed trade-offs. This shows that during the developmental period in which children are assumed ready for developing proactive cognitive control strategies, repeated experiences over a short time-period can lead to acute improvements. More research is needed to check for long-term benefits and generalizability beyond our sample and the tasks employed.

Which are the most promising protein sources for meat alternatives?

Meat alternatives have the potential to shift people’s diets into a more sustainable direction. To improve consumers’ attitudes to meat alternatives and increase the likelihood of their consumption, it is important to identify the most promising protein sources from a consumer perspective. This study investigated expectations toward 17 specific protein sources applied in meat alternatives and four conventional animal-based protein sources across six rating dimensions in an online survey with 916 participants from the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Additionally, several relevant consumer characteristics, namely food neophobia, health consciousness, preference for naturalness, environmental identity, and consumers’ attitudes to meat and meat alternatives, were assessed. Meat alternatives containing potato, lentil, chickpea, and pea achieved the highest acceptance scores. Other protein sources, such as algae, insects, and different types of cultured meat, did not achieve high acceptance. Multiple regressions were used to investigate further the influence of consumer characteristics. For different types of protein sources, different consumer characteristics were identified as barriers, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing groups of consumers and types of protein sources. The study also showed that people’s commitment to meat has no influence on their acceptance of alternative proteins; rather, negative attitudes to meat alternatives are the problem. Future efforts should therefore focus on optimizing the properties of meat alternatives, instead of demonizing the consumption of meat. One way to optimize the acceptance of meat alternatives is to use ingredients that consumers already have positive expectations toward, such as potato, lentil, chickpea, and pea.

Development and validation of a test instrument for the assessment of perceived basic motor competencies in first and second graders: the SEMOK-1-2 instrument.

Both actual motor competencies (AMC) and perceived motor competencies (PMC) play an important role in motor development research and children's physical and psychological development. PMC refer to children's perceptions of their motor competencies. To assess the PMC of first and second grade children (aged 6-9 years), the SEMOK-1-2 instrument was developed. The instrument is aligned to the validated MOBAK-1-2 instrument which assesses AMC in the competence areas "object movement" and "self-movement" Accounting for possible reading difficulties in younger children, the motor tasks and answer options were illustrated and explained verbally. The purpose of this study was to test and validate the SEMOK-1-2 instrument and investigate the associations between the constructs AMC, PMC and physical activity (PA), whereby PA was measured by the participation in team and individual sports. Data from N = 404 pupils in the German-speaking part of Switzerland from first and second grades (M = 7.8 years, SD = 0.69, 49% boys) were analyzed. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test the factorial validity of the SEMOK-1-2 instrument. Structural equation models were used to investigate the association between the constructs. The analyses confirmed a two-factor structure with the factors PMC "object movement" and PMC "self-movement", corresponding to the factors existing in the MOBAK-1-2 instrument. Latent correlations between AMC factors and the corresponding PMC factors were r = 0.79 for "object movement" and r = 0.76 for "self-movement". Associations with external criteria and covariates, such as sex, were associated with both AMC and PMC. Analyses also revealed that children who participated more often in individual and team sports showed higher levels in both AMC and PMC. The confirmation of the two-factorial structure of the SEMOK-1-2 instrument and the associations between AMC and PMC as well as external criteria indicate construct and criterion validity. The SEMOK-1-2 instrument can be economically utilized for assessing PMC and is also suitable for the monitoring of PMC in the context of Physical Education.

Perceived dilemma between protective measures and social isolation in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study among Swiss nursing home directors.

Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) particularly affected older adults, with the highest risks for nursing home residents. Stringent governmental protective measures for nursing homes unintendedly led to social isolation of residents. Nursing home directors (NDs) found themselves in a dilemma between implementing protective measures and preventing the social isolation of nursing home residents. The objectives of this study were to describe protective measures implemented, to investigate NDs' perception of social isolation and its burden for nursing home residents due to these measures, and to explore experiences of NDs in the context of the dilemma. Cross-sectional embedded mixed-method study carried out by an online survey between April 27 and June 09, 2022, among NDs in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The survey consisted of 84 closed-ended and nine open-ended questions. Quantitative findings were analyzed with descriptive statistics and qualitative data were evaluated using content analysis. The survey was completed by 398 NDs (62.8% female, mean age 55 [48-58] years) out of 1'044 NDs invited.NDs were highly aware of the dilemma. The measures perceived as the most troublesome were restrictions to leave rooms, wards or the home, restrictions for visitors, and reduced group activities. NDs and their teams developed a variety of strategies to cope with the dilemma, but were burdened themselves by the dilemma. As NDs were burdened themselves by the responsibility of how to deal best with the dilemma between protective measures and social isolation, supportive strategies for NDs are needed.

Investigating the impact of temporary nurses on permanent nurses' commitment via perceptions of illegitimate tasks: Across-sectional study.

To explore illegitimate tasks as a potential mechanism that links permanent nurses' perceived exposure to temporary nurses to lower levels of affective organizational commitment. A time-lagged cross-sectional survey study. Survey data from N = 239 permanent nurses in the German-speaking part of Switzerland were analysed via Structural Equation Models. The study revealed a negative relationship between permanent nurses' perceived exposure to temporary nurses and their level of organizational commitment that was mediated by perceptions of unreasonable and unnecessary tasks. Healthcare institutions increasingly depend on temporary nurses to fill staffing vacancies. Our data suggest that the deployment of temporary nurses may have adverse effects on permanent nurses' affective organizational commitment via perceptions of illegitimate tasks. Our quantitative survey study provides a novel, theory-driven understanding of how perceived exposure to temporary nurses may impact work-related attitudes of permanent nurses. Our findings suggest that the clinical community should limit permanent nurses' exposure to temporary nursing staff to protect their commitment. If this is not possible, we encourage strategies to counteract associated feelings of illegitimacy, for example, by showing appreciation for permanent nurses' willingness to take over responsibility for temporary nurses. The study adheres to the STROBE reporting guidelines for cross-sectional studies. No patient or public contribution.

Older Adults' Engagement and Mood During Robot-Assisted Group Activities in Nursing Homes: Development and Observational Pilot Study.

Promoting the well-being of older adults in an aging society requires new solutions. One resource might be the use of social robots for group activities that promote physical and cognitive stimulation. Engaging in a robot-assisted group activity may help in the slowdown of physical and cognitive decline in older adults. Currently, our knowledge is limited on whether older adults engage in group activities with humanlike social robots and whether they experience a positive affect while doing so. Both are necessary preconditions to achieve the intended effects of a group activity. Our pilot study has 2 aims. First, we aimed to develop and pilot an observational coding scheme for robot-assisted group activities because self-report data on engagement and mood of nursing home residents are often difficult to obtain, and the existing observation instruments do have limitations. Second, we aimed to investigate older adults' engagement and mood during robot-assisted group activities in 4 different nursing care homes in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. We developed an observation system, inspired by existing tools, for a structured observation of engagement and mood of older adults during a robot-assisted group activity. In this study, 85 older adult residents from 4 different care homes in Switzerland participated in 5 robot-assisted group activity sessions, and they were observed using our developed system. The data were collected in the form of video clips that were assessed by 2 raters regarding engagement (direction of gaze, posture as well as body expression, and activity) and mood (positive and negative affects). Both variables were rated on a 5-point rating scale. Our pilot study findings show that the engagement and mood of older adults can be assessed reliably by using the proposed observational coding scheme. Most participants actively engaged in robot-assisted group activities (mean 4.19, SD 0.47; median 4.0). The variables used to measure engagement were direction of gaze (mean 4.65, SD 0.49; median 5.0), posture and body expression (mean 4.03, SD 0.71; median 4.0), and activity (mean 3.90, SD 0.65; median 4.0). Further, we observed mainly positive affects in this group. Almost no negative affect was observed (mean 1.13, SD 0.20; median 1.0), while the positive affect (mean 3.22, SD 0.55; median 3.2) was high. The developed observational coding system can be used and further developed in future studies on robot-assisted group activities in the nursing home context and potentially in other settings. Additionally, our pilot study indicates that cognitive and physical stimulation of older adults can be promoted by social robots in a group setting. This finding encourages future technological development and improvement of social robots and points to the potential of observational research to systematically evaluate such developments.

Public acceptance and sustainability perceptions of food produced with chemical, digital and mechanical weed control measures

This study investigated public acceptance and perceptions of the sustainability of food produced with different weed control measures. An online survey with a within-subject design was conducted with 485 respondents from the French- and German-speaking parts of Switzerland. Acceptance of food produced using the investigated measures and social, economic and environmental sustainability perceptions were assessed for full-surface herbicide spraying, herbicide reduction (spot spraying, precise spraying) and herbicide-free mechanical technology (hoeing machine). The importance of food’s naturalness, chemophobia, perceptions of farmers and sociodemographic variables were also recorded. The results revealed changes in social, economic and environmental sustainability perceptions based on the weed control measures, indicating that laypeople assess the impacts of these measures based on their type (chemical, digital, mechanical). The amount of herbicide sprayed is relevant for people’s judgements, as well as the precise spraying that keeps crops intact. The use of hoeing machine is perceived to be the most sustainable, natural and acceptable compared to the other investigated measures. Overall, the findings suggest that communicating information on weed control measures, the quantity of herbicide applied and the precision of the spraying might help increase public acceptance of plant protection measures applied by farmers, promoting sustainability.

There’s No Riot Going on – Social Changes from Inside Out. Discourses Surrounding Pop Culture, Authenticity, and Forms of Life in the School Context in the German-speaking Part of Switzerland around 1968

This article shows that social change at the end of the 1960s cannot be understood only in terms of large protest movements, but also on a small scale, as in the case studies analysed here, where the mostly unspoken “moral force of the ideal of authenticity” (Taylor, 1991, p. 17) is expressed by a wide variety of actors. Using two case studies from the school context and with pop culture references, the paper examines how the rebellious practices often described as typical of teenagers around 1968 were present not only among adolescents, but also among young adults – and among young teachers. The boundaries and transitions between young and old, between rejection and acceptance of different practices and forms of life (Jaeggi, 2014) seem to be fluid. Practices in the school context and the forms of life of young people are not always clearly distinguishable from the forms of life of young adults. Forms of life and everyday practices – based on insignia from music, from the world of comics, from fashion – were just as influential for the individual as loud protest movements against the “establishment”.

Post Intensive Care Syndrome in Swiss Paediatric survivors and their Families (PICSS-PF): a national, multicentre, longitudinal study protocol

IntroductionPaediatric intensive care units (PICUs) survivors and their families often experience widespread morbidity and psychosocial consequences after discharge, known as post-intensive care syndrome in paediatrics (PICS-p). In Switzerland, more than...

Prescribing Patterns in Pediatric General Wards and Their Association with Prescribing Errors: A Retrospective Observational Study.

There are only limited data on drug utilization patterns in pediatric inpatients, especially on general wards. The aim of the study was to describe prescribing patterns and their associations with prescribing errors in a university children's hospital in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. This was a subanalysis of a retrospective single-center observational study. Patient characteristics and drug use of 489 patients with 2693 drug prescriptions were associated with prescribing errors. Drugs were categorized by the Anatomic Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC), patients were categorized by age group according to European Medicines Agency guidelines, and prescribing errors were analyzed by type [Pharmaceutical Care Network Europe (PCNE) classification] and severity of error [adapted National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting (NCC MERP) index]. The most frequently prescribed ATC classes were nervous system (N) (42.6%), alimentary system (A) (15.6%), and anti-infective drugs (J) (10.7%). Eighty-two percent of patients were prescribed an analgesic. Most drugs were prescribed for oral (47%) or intravenous (32%) administration, but the rectal route was also frequent (10%). The most frequently prescribed drugs were paracetamol, metamizole, and ibuprofen. The high number of metamizole prescriptions (37% of patients were prescribed metamizole) is typical for German-speaking countries. Older pediatric patients were prescribed more drugs than younger patients. A statistically significant difference was found in the rate of potentially harmful errors across age groups and for gender; children between 2 and 11years had a higher rate of potentially harmful errors than infants under 2years (p=0.029) and female patients had a higher rate of potentially harmful errors than male patients (p=0.023). Recurring errors were encountered with certain drugs (nalbuphine, cefazolin). Our study provides insight into prescribing patterns on pediatric general wards in a university children's hospital in Switzerland and highlights some areas for future research. Especially, the higher risk for prescribing errors among female pediatric patients needs further investigation.

Competencies and beliefs of Swiss teachers with regard to the modular curriculum ‘Media and ICT’

Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour emphasises that a person's beliefs and competencies are crucial in terms of their behavioural intentions. When transferred to the implementation of a new curriculum, it can thus be hypothesised that teachers’ competencies and beliefs would be the core antecedents of a successful implementation. The context of this study is the new module curriculum ‘Media and ICT (M&I)’ that was introduced in the German-speaking part of Switzerland in 2017. It requires teachers to possess media didactics and technological competencies. This study investigates the current state of teachers’ competencies as well as their beliefs about the new module curriculum M&I. In addition, the relationship between these competencies and beliefs and the teachers’ intention to implement this new curriculum in the classroom is tested. An online survey was administered to 203 teachers. The results show that teachers' competencies only have an indirect effect on their intention to teach M&I when it is mediated by their beliefs (i.e., their readiness to innovate and self-efficacy). Direct effects were found between teachers' readiness and their M&I-related self-efficacy and their intention to implement the new curriculum in their classrooms. The current study contributes to the promotion of digitalisation in the educational field by highlighting the effects of teachers' beliefs and their competencies. Regarding practical relevance, the findings of this study can guide and support the professionalisation of teachers and their initial and further training pertaining to M&I.

Implementation of a multicomponent family support intervention in adult intensive care units: study protocol for an embedded mixed-methods multiple case study (FICUS implementation study)

BackgroundThe implementation of complex interventions is considered challenging, particularly in multi-site clinical trials and dynamic clinical settings. This study protocol is part of the family intensive care units (FICUS) hybrid...

Predictors of Youth Accessibility for a Mobile Phone-Based Life Skills Training Program for Addiction Prevention.

Digital interventions are an emerging and promising avenue for addiction prevention and mental health promotion, but their reach and use are often limited, and little is known about the factors associated with youth accessibility. SmartCoach is a life skills training program for addiction prevention where adolescents are proactively invited for program participation in secondary school classes. The mobile phone-based program provides individualized coaching for a period of 4 months and addresses self-management skills, social skills, and substance use resistance skills. This study examined sociodemographic and other predictors of program participation and program use. A total of 476 adolescents in 28 secondary and upper secondary school classes in the German-speaking part of Switzerland were proactively invited for participation in the SmartCoach program. Using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), we examined predictors of both program participation and program use at the individual and school class levels. In total, 315 (66.2%) of the present 476 adolescents gave their active consent and provided the necessary information to be included in the program. None of the individual sociodemographic characteristics significantly predicted program participation, however, the participation rate was significantly higher in upper secondary school classes (84%) than secondary school classes (59%). The mean number of interactions with the program was 15.9, i.e., participants took part in almost half of the 34 possible interactions with the SmartCoach program. None of the baseline characteristics on the level of the school class significantly predicted program use. On the level of the individual, the univariate models showed that, compared to the reference category of 14-year-old students, program use was significantly lower for students who were 16 or older. Furthermore, participants with a migration background or an origin from a non-German-speaking country showed significantly lower program use. Finally, students with a medium level of perceived stress showed higher program use compared to those with a low level of stress. Within the final multivariate model for program use, only the variable "origin from a non-German-speaking country" remained significant. SmartCoach is an attractive offer for young people, in which two out of three young people who are invited in the classroom to participate do so. Among the program participants, the use of the program is acceptable, with an average of almost half of the content being worked on. There is potential for improvement in terms of recruitment, especially in school classes with a lower level of education. The most important starting point for improving program use lies in taking greater account of needs and wishes of students with non-German-speaking countries of origin.

Intervention-related demands: Criteria for an operating room-specific patient classification. A qualitative focus group study

Intervention-related demands: Criteria for an operating room-specific patient classification. A qualitative focus group study Abstract: Background: Optimal workforce deployment in the operating room-setting has gained high priority in the context of an economized health care system and the development of skill-grade mix. Therefore, mapping intervention-related demands on perioperative nurses as precisely as possible is a frequently discussed need. A surgery-specific patient classification might be helpful. Aim: This paper aims to present core elements of perioperative nursing care in the Swiss-German context and to establish a link to the Perioperative Nursing Data Set (PNDS). Methods: Three focus group interviews with perioperative nurses took place at a university hospital in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Data analysis was performed in analogy to qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. The content structuring of the categories was based on the relevant PNDS taxonomies. Results: Intervention-related requirements can be divided into three areas: "patient safety", "nursing and caring", and "environmental factors". The conjunction with the PNDS taxonomy serves as a theoretical foundation. Conclusions: Elements of the PNDS taxonomies can describe the demands on perioperative nurses in the Swiss-German context. The identified definition of intervention-related demands can contribute to the visibility of perioperative nursing and promote professionalization as well as practice development in the operating room-setting.

Subjective experiences in retirement adjustment : Qualitative results from Switzerland

Previous research on retirement adjustment has been dominated by quantitative studies on the development of different indicators for adjustment success. In contrast, there is alack of qualitative studies examining the subjective experiences of retirees in their adjustment process to the new life phase. The article deals with the subjective adjustment experiences of persons whose regular retirement was about 1 year ago. It focuses on experienced habituation requirements and subjectively relevant factors of life satisfaction. The findings are based on qualitative interview data from amore comprehensive mixed methods study conducted between 2019 and 2022 in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. In the course of the study, 25 semi-structured interviews were carried out and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Entering the new life phase was predominately experienced positively, which was mainly associated with again in freedom and opportunities for regeneration; however, the time after retirement also entailed habituation requirements in different areas of life. Life satisfaction increased compared to the initial survey before retirement and was associated with various beneficial and critical factors, ranging from personal characteristics to social developments. Retirement itself is not necessarily acritical experience but can be accompanied by other critical events. Asatisfactory life 1 year after retirement is linked to multiple factors. Among these, resources play an essential role.

Helmet use in skiing and snowboarding in Switzerland during the past 20 years

The aim of this study was to quantify helmet use in skiing and snowboarding in Switzerland. Regular cross-sectional surveys of skiers and snowboarders were conducted on Swiss slopes from the 2002/2003 to the 2021/2022 seasons. Surveys included information on helmet use, sport, gender, age, skill level, and country of residence. Data from 15 single surveys were used to trace the evolution of helmet use in Switzerland. A logistic regression on data from the most recent survey was conducted to detect differences in helmet use among demographic groups. In the 2002/2003 season, 14% of skiers (95% confidence interval [CI] ​= ​12%–18%) and 20% of snowboarders (CI 16%–26%) used a helmet. By the most recent season (2021/2022), wearing rates for both skiers and snowboarders had increased significantly (skiers: 95% [CI 93%–97%]; snowboarders: 92% [CI 89%–95%]). The regression results showed that skiers, females, younger people, and people in the German-speaking part of Switzerland were more likely to wear a helmet. The results show an impressive evolution of helmet use rates among skiers and snowboarders since the 2002/2003 season. Steep differences detected in earlier seasons have leveled out, and most people on the slopes today wear helmets. Nevertheless, the ongoing efforts for promoting helmet use should be maintained.