Group-based Education Sessions Research Articles

Effects of a structured Tai Chi program on improving physical activity levels, exercise self-efficacy and health outcomes among pregnant women: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionTai Chi is a traditional Chinese martial art developed over 300 years ago. Although studies report that Tai Chi benefits practitioners’ cardiovascular health, respiratory system and psychological outcomes, only limited...

Facilitating transition into a high-performance environment: The effect of a stressor-coping intervention program on elite youth rugby league players

ObjectivesTo facilitate elite youth Rugby League (RL) player transition into a high-performance environment, study objectives were to (i) identify environmental transition demands appraised by players as stressors; (ii) to develop and implement an RL contextualised stressor-coping intervention program; and (iii) evaluate intervention effectiveness in dealing with stressors during transitions experienced by the Under 20's (U20) players. DesignA quasi-experimental design with field-based complimentary multiple-methods. MethodA combination of background literature, ‘stressor audit’ (N = 8) and club stakeholder perspective (N = 6) data were integrated to inform intervention content. U20's youth RL players (N = 41) at two professional RL clubs then participated in intervention (n = 21) or control (n = 20) groups. The intervention group participated in six group-based education sessions, with follow-up focus-groups social validation. Three psychometric questionnaires implemented at three time-points (pre, post & follow-up), examined changes in coping strategy use, coping efficacy and psychological well-being. ResultsThe stressor audit identified team selection, injury, balancing work/study, and new high-performance environment adjustment as key stressors. Statistical analyses identified significant intervention group (versus controls) interaction effects for enhanced frequency of task-based coping strategy use; disengagement-based coping strategy reductions; and increased efficacy for using problem and emotion-focused coping strategies. No effect for distraction orientated coping, social-support efficacy, or in terms of psychological well-being was apparent. Focus-group data corroborated quantitative findings. ConclusionsThe RL context stressor-coping intervention led to specific favourable coping responses, suggesting similar interventions may be beneficial for practitioners/organisations wanting to assist transition into high-performance environments.

Implementing Hypertension Management Interventions in Immigrant Communities in the U.S.: a Narrative Review of Recent Developments and Suggestions for Programmatic Efforts.

Purpose of ReviewTo outline intervention efforts focused on reducing hypertension disparities in immigrant communities in the U.S. and to identify areas in the design, implementation, and evaluation of these interventions that warrant further exploration guided by an implementation science framework.Recent FindingsStudies examined (n = 11) included immigrant populations of African, Hispanic, and Asian origin. Men were underrepresented in most studies. Culturally tailored group-based educational sessions in religious or community spaces were common. Intervention agents included research assistants, registered nurses, community health workers, and faith-based organization volunteers. Community stakeholders were engaged in most studies, although most commonly for recruitment efforts. Surveys/interviews were used for intervention evaluation, and documentation of intervention activities and trainings was used to assess fidelity.SummaryIdentified pathways for further intervention innovation included gender or migration-status–based targeting, diversifying intervention agents, enhancing mixed-method process evaluations, and tailoring to emerging needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Intervention to Change Illness Representations and Self-Care of Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Suboptimal self-care by individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant public health concern. The common-sense model (CSM) proposes that illness representations are associated with coping and health outcomes across various conditions. The present study examined the efficacy of a CSM-based intervention in improving illness representations, self-care, self-care self-efficacy, use of adaptive coping strategies, and glycated hemoglobin among individuals with type 2 DM (T2DM). A two-arm randomized controlled trial was used. A total of 455 T2DM patients were recruited from an outpatient DM clinic and randomized to an intervention group that consisted of five weekly group-based education sessions or a control group that received five weekly educational booklets. Evaluation was conducted at baseline and at 1- and 6-month follow-up. The 2 × 3 linear mixed-model analysis using a modified intention to treat revealed a significant time by condition interaction effect on level of self-care (F(2,840) = 7.78, p < .001), self-care self-efficacy (F(1.89,794.57) = 14.40, p < .001), and use of adaptive coping strategies (F(1.94,812.93) = 4.75, p = .010) in which participants in the intervention group reported greater improvement in such aspects compared with those in the control group. A significant time effect was observed in some dimensions of illness representations. No significant effect was found in glycated hemoglobin. Participants reported positive feedback to the intervention and perceived improvement in various domains. The CSM-based intervention was effective in improving self-care and coping among DM patients. The intervention also demonstrated high feasibility and acceptability. Findings provided important insights in improving health-related outcomes for patients with T2DM using the CSM framework.

Effect of a nurse-led individualized self-management program for Chinese patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

The study of the development and evaluation of self-management intervention among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is lacking, especially in China. To examine the effects of a nurse-led individualized self-management program (NISMP) on health behaviors, control of cardiac risk factors, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with AMI undergoing PCI. The quasi-experimental design included a convenience sample of 112 participants recruited from a tertiary hospital in China. The participants were assigned to the control group (n = 56) or the intervention group (n = 56). The intervention group underwent the NISMP, which includes six group-based education sessions, a face-to-face individual consultation, and 12-month telephone follow-ups. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the 12-month program using the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile, the Risk Factors Assessment Form, and the Short Form 36-item Health Survey. The baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups were comparable (p > 0.05). After the 12-month intervention, the health behaviors and HRQoL of the participants in the intervention group had significantly improved (p < 0.05 for both) compared to those of the control group. Compared to the control group, the participants in the intervention group also reported significantly better control of cardiac risk factors including smoking (χ2 = 4.709, p = 0.030), low-density lipoprotein (χ2 = 4.160, p = 0.041), body mass index (χ2 = 3.886, p = 0.049) and exercise (χ2 = 10.096, p = 0.001). The NISMP demonstrated positive effects on health behaviors, control of cardiac risk factors, and HRQoL among Chinese patients with AMI undergoing PCI.

Engagement in HIV Care Among New York City Transgender Women of Color: Findings from the Peer-Led, TWEET Intervention, a SPNS Trans Women of Color Initiative.

Transgender women (TW) have higher HIV prevalence rates than cisgender (i.e., non-transgender) women. However, utilization of healthcare for transgender people in the U.S. is low. As part of a multisite initiative to facilitate entry and retention in HIV care for TW of color, we compared health outcomes between participants who became Peer Leaders and those who did not. From 2013 to 2016, 163 New York City, mostly Latina, TW enrolled in the Transgender Women Engagement and Entry to Care Project (TWEET). The TWEET intervention included peer-led, group-based educational sessions called Transgender Leader-Teach Back; 39% completed Peer Leadership requirements. Comparing pre-post change by Peer Leader status, Peer Leaders had a significant decrease in viral load and significant increase in CD4 at the last HIV care visit compared to the first. In multivariable logistic regression, predictors associated with Peer Leadership included having at least some college education, being in a relationship, stable housing, receiving legal assistance for political asylum, and having two or more HIV care visits during the intervention. Findings suggest that, for trans women who have completed at least secondary school education, participating in a peer-led intervention can lead to improved HIV care engagement. Understanding which program components lead to becoming a Peer Leader, and how to better engage non-Peer Leaders, are important next steps.

A Culturally Tailored Community Health Worker Intervention Leads to Improvement in Patient-Centered Outcomes for Immigrant Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

IN BRIEF This article reports results from a patient-centered intervention to improve management of type 2 diabetes in the New York City Bangladeshi community. The DREAM (Diabetes Research, Education, and Action for Minorities) intervention is a randomized trial among Bangladeshi immigrants with type 2 diabetes comparing those enrolled in a community health worker (CHW) intervention to those in usual care. Participants in the intervention group received five group-based educational sessions and two one-on-one visits delivered by a trained CHW, whereas those in the control group received only the first group educational session. Main outcomes include changes in A1C, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, weight, BMI, and patient-centered outcomes such as knowledge and behavior related to type 2 diabetes management.

Feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of integrated care for COPD patients: a mixed methods evaluation of a pilot community-based programme.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a pilot COPD integrated care programme implemented in Valais, Switzerland. The programme was adapted from the self-management programme Living Well with COPD, and included the following elements: self-management patient-education group sessions, telephone and medical follow-ups, multidisciplinary teams, training of healthcare professionals, and evidence-based COPD care. A process and outcome evaluation of the pilot phase of the programme was conducted by means of qualitative and quantitative methods. Reach (coverage, participation rates), dosage (interventions carried out), fidelity (delivered as intended) and stakeholders' acceptance of the programme were evaluated through data monitoring and conduct of focus groups with patients and healthcare professionals. Effectiveness was assessed with pre-post analyses (before and after the intervention). The primary outcome measures were; (1) generic and disease-specific quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire); and (2) hospitalisations (all-cause and for acute exacerbations) in the past 12 months. Secondary outcomes included self-efficacy, number of exacerbations and exercise capacity. Finally, controlled pre-post comparisons were also made with patients from the Swiss COPD Cohort for three common outcome measures (dyspnoea [mMRC score], number of exacerbations and smoking status). During the first 2 years of the programme, eight series of group-based education sessions were delivered to 57 patients with COPD in three different locations of the canton of Valais. Coverage objectives were achieved and attendance rate at the education sessions was high (83.6%). Patients' and healthcare professionals' reported a high degree of satisfaction, except for multidisciplinarity and transfer of information. Exploration of the effectiveness of this pilot programme suggested positive pre-post results at 12 months, with improvements in terms of health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, exercise capacity, immunisation coverage and Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care score. No other outcome, including the number of hospital admissions, differed significantly after 12 months. We observed no differences from the control group. The evaluation demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the programme and confirmed the relevance of mixed method process evaluation to adjust and improve programme implementation. The introduction of multidisciplinary teams in a context characterised by fragmentation of care was identified as the main challenge in the programme implementation and could not be achieved as expected. Despite this area for improvement, patients' feedback and early effectiveness results confirmed the benefits of COPD integrated care programmes emphasising self-management education.

Atopic dermatitis: therapeutic care delivery: therapeutic education, shared decision-making, and access to care.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic skin condition affecting children and adults, with a significant negative impact on patient and caregiver quality of life (QOL). Although effective treatments for AD are available, outcomes are often limited by poor adherence to treatment plans. Effective patient and caregiver education about the disease and its management is a necessary and important component of AD care. Therapeutic patient education (TPE) is a patient-centered process that aims to transfer information and skills necessary to manage and cope with a disease from health care professionals to patients and caregivers. Shared decision making between the health care provider and the patient/caregiver is an integral component of the TPE process and recognizes the importance of both the medical provider's clinical expertise, as well as the patient/caregiver's preferences and experiences regarding their own medical condition and its treatment. TPE programs for patients with AD and their caregivers are typically provided by multidisciplinary teams and utilize a number of different methods and tools to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and skills through both individual care and group-based educational sessions. TPE has been demonstrated to improve outcomes such as AD disease severity, treatment adherence, QOL, and coping with itch. It is important to consider strategies to reduce barriers to cost-effective accessible AD education and treatment.

The use of dialogue tools to promote dialogue-based and person-centred patient education for people with type 2 diabetes.

To explore educator experiences of implementing dialogue tools in practice to engender participatory patient education. Data were collected through qualitative interviews with 31 educators and 20 ethnographic observations of group-based education sessions at eight education sites. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation and the theoretical concepts of script and de-script. Three dialogue tools including 'My Illness and Me', 'Goals and Plan's and 'Wheel of Change' were selected for analysis because they were used most frequently. The tools are intended to support educators in facilitating participatory patient education. Consistent with the intended purpose of the dialogue tools, educators reported that the dialogue tools helped engender participatory education in the form of reflection and dialogue among participants regarding living with diabetes. However, educators also reported instances of discrepancies between the tools' intended purpose and their actual use because some participants found it difficult to relate to the tools. The application of dialogue tools to engender participatory patient education is highly dependent on educators' and participants' understanding and use of dialogue tools in practice. This implies that substantial educator skills are needed to facilitate dialogue and participation in patient education.

Evaluation of a Community Health Worker Intervention to Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma and Increase HIV Testing Among Underserved Latinos in the Southwestern U.S.

Latinos are at an elevated risk for HIV infection. Continued HIV/AIDS stigma presents barriers to HIV testing and affects the quality of life of HIV-positive individuals, yet few interventions addressing HIV/AIDS stigma have been developed for Latinos. An intervention led by community health workers (promotores de salud, or promotores) targeting underserved Latinos in three southwestern U.S. communities was developed to decrease HIV/AIDS stigma and increase HIV knowledge and perception of risk. The intervention was led by HIV-positive and HIV-affected (i.e., those who have, or have had, a close family member or friend with HIV/AIDS) promotores, who delivered interactive group-based educational sessions to groups of Latinos in Spanish and English. To decrease stigma and motivate behavioral and attitudinal change, the educational sessions emphasized positive Latino cultural values and community assets. The participant pool comprised 579 Latino adults recruited in El Paso, Texas (n=204); San Ysidro, California (n=175); and Los Angeles, California (n=200). From pretest to posttest, HIV/AIDS stigma scores decreased significantly (p<0.001). Significant increases were observed in HIV/AIDS knowledge (p<0.001), willingness to discuss HIV/AIDS with one's sexual partner (p<0.001), and HIV risk perception (p=0.006). Willingness to test for HIV in the three months following the intervention did not increase. Women demonstrated a greater reduction in HIV/AIDS stigma scores when compared with their male counterparts, which may have been related to a greater increase in HIV/AIDS knowledge scores (p=0.016 and p=0.007, respectively). Promotores interventions to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma and increase HIV-related knowledge, perception of risk, and willingness to discuss sexual risk with partners show promise in reaching underserved Latino communities.

How Group-Based Cardiovascular Health Education Affects Treatment Adherence and Blood Pressure Control among Insured Hypertensive Nigerians: A Pre-Test, Post-Test Study

In sub Saharan Africa (SSA), access to affordable hypertension care through health insurance is increasing. But due to poor adherence, hypertension treatment outcomes often remain poor. Patient-centered educational interventions may reverse this trend. Using a pre-test/post-test design, in this study we investigated the effects of a structured cardiovascular health education program (CHEP) on treatment adherence, blood pressure (BP) control and body mass index (BMI) among Nigerian hypertensive patients who received guideline-based care in a rural primary care facility, in the context of a community based health insurance program. Study participants included 149 insured patients with uncontrolled BP and/or poor self-reported medication adherence after 12 months of guideline-based care. All patients received three group-based educational sessions and usual primary care over 6 months. We evaluated changes in self-reported adherence to prescribed medications and behavioral advice (primary outcomes); systolic BP (SBP) and/or diastolic BP (DBP) and BMI (secondary outcomes); and beliefs about hypertension and medications (explora- tory outcomes). Outcomes were analyzed with descriptive statistics and regression analysis. 140 patients completed the study (94%). At 6 months, more participants reported high adherence to medications and behavioral advice than at baseline: respectively, 101 (72%) versus 70 (50%), (p < 0.001) and 126 (90%) versus 106 (76%), (p < 0.001). Participants with controlled BP doubled from 34 (24%) to 65 (46%), (p = 0.001). The median SBP and DBP decreased from 129.0 to 122.0 mmHg, (p = 0.002) and from 80.0 to 73.5 mmHg, (p < 0.001), respectively. BMI did not change (p = 0.444). Improved medication adherence was associated with a decrease in medication concerns (p = 0.045) and improved medication self-efficacy (p < 0.001). By positively influencing patient perceptions of medications, CHEP strengthened medication adherence and, consequently, BP reduction among insured hypertensive Nigerians. This educational approach can support cardiovascular disease prevention programs for Africa’s growing hypertensive population.

A Church-Based Pilot Study Designed to Improve Dietary Quality for Rural, Lower Mississippi Delta, African American Adults

We piloted a 6-month, church-based, behavioral intervention, Delta Body and Soul (DBS), for African American (AA) adults in the Lower Mississippi Delta (LMD). DBS was designed to improve overall dietary quality in LMD AA adults. The intervention included six once monthly group-based educational sessions implemented by trained church members. Program implementation, session attendance, congregational feedback, and baseline and post-intervention, demographic, health, behavioral, and clinical parameters were assessed. Participants were predominately AA, female, and overweight or obese. Retention rate was 79 %. High adherence, defined as attendance at four or more educational sessions, was associated with dietary quality improvement and reduced blood glucose. Implementation of the DBS pilot intervention was feasible and may result in dietary quality and clinical improvements.

Children's Residential Weight-Loss Programs Can Work: A Prospective Cohort Study of Short-Term Outcomes for Overweight and Obese Children

The evidence base for child obesity treatment is weak. Children's weight-loss camps, despite their popularity, have not been properly evaluated. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a residential weight-loss camp program for overweight and obese children. A total of 185 overweight children (mean age: 13.9 years) enrolled in 1 of 4 consecutive programs between 1999 and 2002 (intervention group) were compared with 94 children of similar ages who were not camp attendees, ie, 38 overweight children and 56 normal-weight children. The intervention group attended a 6-week (maximum) summer residential weight-loss camp. The program included a daily schedule of six 1-hour, skill-based, fun, physical activity sessions, moderate dietary restriction, and group-based educational sessions. All children were assessed for body weight, height, and other anthropometric measures, blood pressure, aerobic fitness, self-esteem, and selected sports skills. Campers, who stayed for a mean of 29 days, lost 6.0 kg, reduced their BMI by 2.4 units, and reduced their BMI SD scores by 0.28. Fat mass decreased significantly (from 42.7 to 37.1 kg), whereas fat-free mass did not change. In contrast, both comparison groups gained weight during this period. Camp attendees also showed significant improvements in blood pressure, aerobic fitness, and self-esteem. Longer durations of stay were associated with greater improvements in outcomes. In the short term at least, this weight-loss program was effective across a range of health outcomes. Ongoing research is examining the maintenance of these improvements. Future research should investigate whether benefits can be generalized across weight-loss camps and how the intervention can be adapted to nonresidential, term-time settings.

Can medication education improve the drug compliance of the elderly? Evaluation of an in hospital program

We report the evaluation of a pharmacistled medication education program for the elderly. The program consisted of a single group-based education session followed by individual pre-discharge counseling. Patients also received an individual medication record card. The study design was a nonrandomised trial. Patients in the control group received a “dummy” intervention conducted on alternate months to the medication program. Drug compliance was assessed by interviewer-administered questionnaire in the patients' homes at 1 and 3 months post-discharge. The main outcome factor of interest was severe noncompliance with essential medications. This meant taking 80% or less or conversely 120% or more of those medications prescribed for the control of the patient's medical condition. At 1 and 3 months post-discharge, no effect of the program was detected. However, among the sub-group of patients taking four drugs or more the effect of the program was evident at 3 months postdischarge. Among this group at 3 months post-discharge, 55% of control group patients were severely noncompliant with essential medications as compared to 32% of the education group (a difference of 23%, 95% confidence interval 4–42%). This effect was not accounted for by possible confounding factors such as age, sex, number of medications and the patient's living arrangements.