Risk Reduction Programs Research Articles

The Maintain Your Brain online multidomain intervention for dementia risk reduction: end‐user evaluations of what did and did not work and why

AbstractBackgroundDementia prevalence is increasing, and risk reduction is a priority. Online interventions that are useable and acceptable to people seeking to reduce their dementia risk are needed. We aimed to assess and explore end‐user perceptions of a large‐scale multidomain online intervention targeting modifiable lifestyle risk factors for dementia.MethodMixed methods evaluation involving Maintain Your Brain (MYB) randomised controlled trial participants 55‐77 years of age at baseline who engaged in assessments, brain training, nutrition and physical activity, and mental health modules across three years. Of 5,260 participants invited, 2,386 completed online surveys at trial conclusion of whom 1,589 offered free‐text comments. Of survey respondents, 248 agreed to be contacted for interviews, 70 were invited and 40 were interviewed. Survey respondents rated ease of use and overall experience with MYB, endorsed whether they would recommend MYB, and provided comments. Interview completers further rated satisfaction with support, expressed online or face‐to‐face setting preference, answered open‐ended questions about participation, activities and modules, and provided further comments. Data were summarised using descriptive statistics and explored using multiple qualitative methods.ResultRespondents found computer‐based activities easy to use (92.2%), were satisfied with their overall experience (87.4%) and would recommend MYB (82.7%). Survey free‐text and interview comments addressed topics including computer literacy, health literacy, resource access, motivations, expectations, social relationships, and significant events. Perspectives on activities and information varied. Many enjoyed and/or appreciated the challenge of completing activities and assessments and the potential for health benefits from these activities. Others were disappointed by their own performance in activities and assessments, found testing and reporting repetitious, stressful and/or time‐consuming, and found educational information unhelpful. Many respondents would have preferred to access applications on phones or tablet devices and suggested that interventions should be available across platforms. Respondents wanted researchers to know that flexible and adaptive individually tailored goals and activities and timely feedback are important.ConclusionThe MYB online multidomain dementia risk reduction program was useable and acceptable. Similar programs should be accessible, well‐supported, cross‐IT platforms, and incorporate adaptive, individually tailored activities and feedback that is responsive to the varied and changing needs of older adults.

Importance of background threshold value development within risk‐based corrective action programs

AbstractRisk‐based corrective action (RBCA) programs employ conservative models to develop default values for soil screening, which simplify the risk assessment process. However, for several naturally occurring metals (e.g., arsenic and lead), these published screening values are often unrealistic and well below the documented background levels in soil. This can lead to confusion among the regulated community and inexperienced regulators, as it will inappropriately identify naturally occurring conditions as a release (false positive or Type I error). An effective RBCA program requires the incorporation of defensible background threshold values (BTVs) in the screening process. Recent datasets and BTV development methods are available to enhance existing RBCA programs and reduce the occurrence of Type I errors. This review evaluated the role “background” currently plays in the Texas Risk Reduction Program (TRRP) and offers defensible approaches in minimizing Type I errors estimated by one Texas municipality to directly result in an unnecessary expenditure of over $250,000 annually to address this confusion in the form of additional assessment, remediation, soil management, and even disposal requirements. The same BTV development process demonstrated in this Texas case study can also inform risk assessment efforts in other areas where BTVs can supplement existing RBCA programs.

Evaluation of a Coach-Centered Youth ACL Injury Risk Reduction Workshop Using RE-AIM Sports Setting Framework

ABSTRACT Introduction/Purpose Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and short-term effectiveness of a community-based anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk reduction program (IRP) live workshop using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework modified for sports settings. Methods We conducted a prospective longitudinal study. Custom surveys were administered before and after the workshop and 1 month later to capture contextual variables needed to evaluate the program using four of the five RE-AIM domains. Live workshops were conducted at community centers throughout the northeastern US, and coaches were trained on risk factors for ACL injuries and how to identify and correct musculoskeletal movements known to increase ACL injury risk. Results Three hundred and seventy-three coaches attended the workshop, but 171 (46.4%; mean age, 33 ± 10 yr; 58% male) completed pre- and post-workshop surveys demonstrating significant improvements (P < 0.0001) in measures of program effectiveness, including knowledge (8.1%), attitudes/beliefs (18.0%), and confidence (39.6%). Overall, 98% of coaches were satisfied with the workshop delivery quality and content. Fifty-three coaches completed a 1-month follow-up survey, 75.5% of whom reported adoption of the ACL IRP. Of these, 100% reported implementing the ACL IRP before practice/training sessions, and 97.5% reported implementing it before games/competitions. Conclusions Overall, the results of this evaluation demonstrate the ACL IRP workshop feasibility and provide guidance for enhancement of the workshop. Our ACL IRP workshop was effective at increasing coaches’ knowledge and perspectives about injury risk reduction principles. Although the behavioral strategies incorporated in the program design promoted high ACL IRP workshop satisfaction, further improvements are needed to increase survey response rates during post-workshop follow-up.

Volunteer altruistic behaviour in terms of disaster threat type.

The results of this study can be considered as supporting information in developing programmes by supporting the altruistic behaviour of community-based disaster volunteers. The sincerity of community-based disaster volunteers in the form of altruistic behaviour is not influenced by the type of disaster threat. One form of collective altruistic behaviour that is important and prominent in Indonesian culture is gotong royong. Gotong royong is a joint activity of helping each other without being paid, which is local wisdom in Indonesia. It is therefore important for policymakers to preserve local wisdom values such as gotong royong in disaster risk reduction programmes across different types of disaster threats.

The Effect of Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program Applied to Women With High Breast Cancer Risk on Participation in Screening, Health Beliefs, and Behavior

Background Women with a family history of breast cancer at an early age (≤50 years) have an increased risk of breast cancer themselves. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program (BrCaRRP) on increasing risk reduction behaviors, developing health beliefs, and screening participation in high-risk women with a family history of breast cancer. Methods This is a single-center, single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. First-degree biological relatives of breast cancer patients (aged ≤50 years) were divided into intervention (n = 38) and control (n = 39) groups. The intervention (BrCaRRP) group received multiple interventions including education, counseling, case management, and surveillance via face-to-face and telephone interviews throughout a 12-week period, within the framework of the Health Belief Model and Health Promotion Model. The control group was given an information note, and the routine practice of the clinic was performed. Results were measured at baseline and at week 12 when the interventions were finished. Results The probability of participation in breast cancer screenings in the BrCaRRP group was 5.11 times higher. Health motivation was found to have increased in the intervention group. There was no difference in susceptibility and nutritional behavior between the groups. Health responsibility and physical activity increased in the intervention group. The frequency of consulting genetic counseling increased in the BrCaRRP group. Conclusions Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program increased participation in screening in women and positively affected their health beliefs and behaviors. Implications for Practice Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Program could alter screening and health-promoting behaviors. However, other interventions are still needed to reduce the high level of fear.

Surgical Safety Does Not Happen By Accident: Learning From Perioperative Near Miss Case Studies

Adverse surgical events cause negative patient health outcomes and harm that can often overshadow the safe and effective patient care provided daily by nurses as members of interprofessional healthcare teams. Near misses occur far more frequently than adverse events and are less visible to nurse leaders because patient harm is avoided due to chance, prevention, or mitigation. However, near misses have comparable root causes to adverse events and exhibit the same underlying patterns of failure. Reviewing near misses provides nurses with learning opportunities to identify patient care weaknesses and build appropriate solutions to enhance care. As the operating room is one of the most complex work settings in healthcare, identifying potential weaknesses or sources for errors is vital to reduce healthcare-associated risks for patients and staff. The purpose of this manuscript is to educate, inform, and stimulate critical thinking by discussing perioperative near miss case studies and the underlying factors that lead to errors. Our authors discuss 15 near miss case studies occurring across the perioperative patient experience of care and discuss barriers to near miss reporting. Nurse leaders can use our case studies to stimulate discussion among perioperative and perianesthesia nurses in their hospitals to inform comprehensive risk reduction programs.

Special Issue on ICoE Taipei Integrated Research on Disaster Risk

Established in 2010 as an integrated research program for disaster risk reduction, the IRDR ICoE Taipei is co-sponsored by the International Science Council (ISC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). In the past decade, the IRDR ICoE Taipei has received hundreds of participants around the world to the more than a dozen international training workshops (AI, Advanced Institute) it has organized. These workshops focused mostly on the capacity building program for disaster risk reduction. Bearing this in mind, one important motivation for this Special Issue was to encourage the participants of each Advanced Institute, in particular those who were awarded Seed Grants to conduct one-year projects following each workshop, to publish the results of their studies on the topics related to disaster risk reduction. In this Special Issue, the first paper provides a brief review of the capacity building program of the IRDR ICoE Taipei, followed by three research articles. Viola van Onselen and her co-workers in Taiwan present a methodology of strategies of ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, with several case studies in coastal environments of Taiwan. Shyamli Singh of India proposes an integrated system for sustainable rice economics linking from farm to market, a case study on one of the largest rice production fields on the Indo-Gangetic plain. From the engineering perspective, Wen-Yi Huang and his colleagues in Taiwan and Australia present a paper dealing with the reinforcement of soil walls to prevent geohazards on the roads. This is the first special issue produced as a collaboration between the IRDR ICoE Taipei and the JDR, with great support from the National Science and Technology Center for Disaster Reduction (NCDR) and Academia Sinica of Taiwan. We hope there will be more Special Issues to come in the next few years.

MyCOACH (COnnected Advice for Cognitive Health): a digitally delivered multidomain intervention for cognitive decline and risk of dementia in adults with mild cognitive impairment or subjective cognitive decline–study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionDigital health interventions are cost-effective and easily accessible, but there is currently a lack of effective online options for dementia prevention especially for people at risk due to mild cognitive...

Improvements in dietary intake, behaviors, and psychosocial measures in a community-randomized cardiovascular disease risk reduction intervention: Strong Hearts, Healthy Communities 2.0

BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence has disproportionately risen among midlife and older female adults of rural communities, partly due to poor diet and diet-related behaviors and psychosocial factors that impede healthy eating. ObjectivesThis study aimed to evaluate the impact of Strong Hearts Healthy Communities 2.0 (SHHC-2.0) on secondary diet-related outcomes between intervention and control participants that align with the dietary goal and behavioral aims of the SHHC-2.0, a CVD risk reduction program. MethodsA community-randomized controlled trial was conducted in rural, medically underserved communities. Participants were female adults ≥40 y who were classified as obese or both overweight and sedentary. Communities were randomized to SHHC-2.0 intervention (n = 5 communities; n = 87 participants) or control (with delayed intervention) (n = 6 communities; n = 95 participants). SHHC-2.0 consisted of 24 wk of twice-weekly experiential nutrition education and group-based physical activity classes led by local health educators. Changes between baseline and end point (24 wk) in dietary intake (24-h recalls), dietary behaviors (e.g., Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants-Short Version [REAP-S] scores) and diet-related psychosocial measures (e.g., Three Factor Eating questionnaire) between groups were analyzed using linear mixed-effects multilevel models. ResultsAt 24 wk, participants from the 5 intervention communities, compared with controls, consumed fewer calories (mean difference [MD]= −211 kcal, 95% CI: −412, −110, P = 0.039), improved overall dietary patterns measured by REAP-S scores (MD: 3.9; 95% CI: 2.26, 5.6; P < 0.001), and improved psychosocial measures (healthy eating attitudes, uncontrolled eating, cognitive restraint, and emotional eating). ConclusionsSHHC-2.0 has strong potential to improve diet patterns and diet-related psychosocial wellbeing consistent with improved cardiovascular health.This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03059472.

Australia’s Black Summer wildfires recovery: A difference-in-differences analysis using nightlights

This study examines how communities of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, recovered from the extreme wildfire event of 2019–2020 (i.e., the Black Summer fires). Using monthly night-time radiance as an indicator of economic activity in a geographic area (i.e., a mesh block) from January 2017 to June 2021, I conducted a spatio-temporal and socio-economic analysis of economic recovery after the 2019–2020 wildfires using the difference-in-differences method. This is the first study to examine the intersectional role of space with time and socio-economic characteristics for extreme wildfire recovery. The findings reveal that wildfire-affected locations had about 0.038σ and 0.026σ lower night-time radiance in major cities and rural hinterlands (i.e., inner regions), respectively, than the unaffected areas. These numbers translate to approximately 30% reduction in economic activities in both areas. The findings remain consistent when using Facebook’s movement range data. The pace of recovery varied spatially across time and socio-economic groups. In rural hinterlands of NSW, wildfire-affected communities, both poor and non-poor, followed a slower recovery trajectory than wildfire-affected city dwellers. In major cities, the economic recovery of poor communities lagged behind non-poor communities. Accounting for such spatial, temporal and socio-economic heterogeneity in the natural hazard recovery process can support the design of equitable wildfire risk reduction and management strategies and programs. If unaddressed, gaps in wildfire recovery can increase location and economic group specific vulnerabilities to future wildfires. Note that nightlights are not a good proxy for economic activity in heavily forested remote and rural areas; thus limiting the application of the use of high frequency satellite data for wildfire recovery analysis only in major cities and rural hinterlands.

Community Preparedness Education and Training Program in Facing Earthquake Disasters: literatur review

Disasters due to earthquake natural events can have an impact on the community so that people who live in disaster-prone areas are the most disadvantaged parties. The community as a disadvantaged party must be equipped with disaster preparedness, one of which is a disaster risk reduction program. The purpose of this scooping review is to determine the description of the implementation of the earthquake disaster preparedness education and training program in the community. This research is a scooping review using Prisma flow chart in its implementation. The results of this study showed significant results in all articles (n=10) in improving community preparedness in earthquake disaster risk reduction. The methods used were the latest methods (virtual reality, animated videos, and games) and manual methods (lectures, discussions, and reading) with material on disaster concepts, management, and first aid. This research concludes that the role of the community and the importance of disaster preparedness education for the community is very important to be provided by conducting the latest or modern methods for more effective results.

Groundwater Contamination and Risk Assessment in Greater Palm Springs

Groundwater is an essential resource for drinking water, but its contamination with potentially toxic elements and arsenic (As) is a global issue. To evaluate As and its levels in the Coachella Valley, the US Geological Survey (USGS) collected 17 groundwater samples. This study looked into the arsenic distribution, enrichment, hydrogeochemical behavior, and health risks associated with the samples. The comparative analysis between groundwater contamination in Greater Palm Springs and similar regions, could provide valuable insights into regional differences and common challenges. The hydrogeochemical facies showed the dominance of calcium and magnesium-bicarbonate-carbonate, indicating permanent hardness and salt deposits of residual carbonate. The Gibbs plot demonstrated that chemical weathering of rock-forming minerals and evaporation are the primary forces impacting groundwater chemistry. Geochemical modeling revealed saturation for calcite and dolomite, and under-saturation for halite. Principal component analysis identified the potential contributory sources for contamination of groundwater. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic potentials of the toxic elements arsenic, cadmium, chromium (VI), and lead were calculated using a human health risk assessment model. For both adults and children, the highest non-carcinogenic mean value was observed for arsenic (8.52 × 10−1), with the lowest for cadmium (1.32 × 10−3). Children had the highest cumulative non-carcinogenic risk from potentially toxic elements. Our research offers crucial baseline data for assessing arsenic in groundwater at the regional level, which is important for health risk reduction and remediation programs. The data show that preventative action must be taken to reduce the potential health risks in the study area from drinking groundwater, particularly for children.

Implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Program in Japan as an Effort for Disaster Risk Reduction in Indonesia

The natural disasters that occurred in Japan have caused losses both financially and in terms of casualties. Based on data from the Japanese government, the total losses experienced by the country from 1980 to 2010 amounted to US$ 208,230,800. Meanwhile, the number of recorded fatalities was 8,568 people, with an average of 276 fatalities per year due to natural disasters in Japan. This study aims to focus on the development of a disaster information system to reduce disaster risk in Japan which can also be implemented in Indonesia. The research method used in this study is a qualitative approach. In this approach, researchers use descriptive methods to collect data. This approach was chosen because this research was conducted during an Overseas Work Lecture through a Video Conference from Japan on May 30, 2023. The conclusions from this study indicate that the Japanese government has changed its approach to natural disasters and prioritized disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs. They focus on better regional planning, building earthquake-resistant buildings, and raising community awareness. In addition, the disaster management system in Japan involves various government ministries and agencies working together in planning, implementing, and supervising disaster management operations. The Japanese government has a strong commitment to the DRR program and regards investment in disaster risk reduction as an important measure to protect the country's life and economy. Through improving urban planning, strict construction regulations, disaster education, and active community participation, Japan is trying to live side by side with disasters and has strong resilience against these threats.

Empowerment and Development of Kajhu Village as a Disaster Resilient Village Based on Fasterization and Ecotourism

Kajhu Village is a coastal area within the Baitussalam District of Aceh Besar. In 2004, the village suffered significant damage due to an earthquake and ensuing tsunami, resulting in loss of life and damage to infrastructure. Despite the inherent disaster risk, Kajhu Village possesses great potential, including the scenic beauty of its coastline and the abundance of mangrove ecosystems. These natural resources can be harnessed to develop environmental and disaster-based tourism opportunities. In recognition of this potential, the Fasilitator Tangguh Bencana (FASTANA) - Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center at Universitas Syiah Kuala (TDMRC USK), an organization dedicated to community service and disaster mitigation, launched a disaster risk reduction program aimed at empowering the community and reducing the risk of disaster in Kajhu Village. Data collection involved observation and interviews with local residents. Community service activities focused on education and empowerment, including disaster preparedness education for the community and schools, promotion of the importance of protecting coastal ecosystems, and training and empowering the creative economy. Additionally, disaster literacy corners were established in schools within Kajhu Village. Through these programs, the goal was to create a community that is resilient to disaster and economically self-sufficient. By providing support and empowerment to the community, it is hoped that a new mindset can be fostered, resulting in greater independence and resilience. The disaster education provided aims to help individuals and families understand and implement effective disaster prevention strategies. The implications of the community service program in Kajhu Village are increasing community resilience and preparedness in dealing with natural disasters and developing the potential of coastal ecosystems to become sustainable ecotourism attractions, providing inspiration for communities in other areas to adopt a participatory and structured approach in an effort to increase resilience and disaster preparedness and developing the potential of coastal ecosystems.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Reduces 2-Year Mortality After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

BackgroundCardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a supervised outpatient exercise and risk reduction program offered to patients who have undergone coronary revascularization procedures. Multiple professional societal guidelines support the use of CR after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) based on studies in combined percutaneous coronary intervention and CABG populations with surrogate outcomes. This statewide analysis of patients undergoing CABG evaluated the relationship between CR use and long-term mortality. MethodsMedicare fee-for-service claims were linked to surgical data for patients discharged alive after isolated CABG from January 1, 2015, through September 30, 2019. Outpatient facility claims were used to identify any CR use within 1 year of discharge. Death within 2 years of discharge was the primary outcome. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to predict CR use, adjusting for a variety of comorbidities. Unadjusted and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) were used to compare 2-year mortality among CR users vs nonusers. ResultsA total of 3848 of 6412 patients (60.0%) were enrolled in CR for an average of 23.2 (SD, 12.0) sessions, with 770 of 6412 (12.0%) completing all recommended 36 sessions. Logistic regression identified increasing age, discharge to home (vs extended care facility), and shorter length of stay as predictors of postdischarge CR use (P < .05). Unadjusted and IPTW analyses showed significant reduction in 2-year mortality in CR users compared with CR nonusers (unadjusted: 9.4% reduction; 95% CI, 10.8%-7.9%; P < .001; IPTW: −4.8% reduction; 95% CI, 6.0%-3.5%; P < .001). ConclusionsThese data suggest that CR use is associated with lower 2-year mortality. Future quality initiatives should consider identifying and addressing root causes of poor CR enrollment and completion.

Foot and Ankle Injuries in Elite South African Cricketers: A Descriptive Analysis of Injury Surveillance Data

IntroductionInjury surveillance is an important part of injury risk reduction in the sporting population. This study describes the type, side (dominant or non-dominant), occurrence, impact, activity of onset, and severity of foot and ankle injuries in elite South African male and female cricketers.MethodsFoot and ankle injuries sustained by elite cricket players between 2018 and 2021, obtained from the records of Cricket South Africa, were descriptively analysed.ResultsA total of 104 foot and ankle injuries in 82 players were recorded. The majority (n = 100; 96%) of injuries were on the non-dominant side. Bowling (n = 31; 30%) and fielding (n = 20; 19%) contributed to most injuries. The majority were first-time (n = 83; 80%) and non-impact injuries (n = 62; 60%). Fifty percent (n = 52) of injuries rendered players unable to participate in at least one match or practice session. Lateral ankle ligament injury was the most common injury sustained (n = 36; 35%).ConclusionThe findings from this study can inform future researchers and assist healthcare service needs relating to injury risk reduction and management programmes. Effective rehabilitation programmes may reduce the risk of reinjury. Ideally, these programmes need to be role specific.

A randomized controlled trial of a brief motivational interviewing-based group intervention for emerging adults experiencing homelessness: 12-Month effects on substance use and sexual risk behavior

IntroductionFew brief evidence-based risk reduction programs for emerging adults experiencing homelessness focus on the interrelated problems of substance use and sexual risk behavior. This study examines outcomes from a 12-month evaluation of AWARE, a brief Motivational Interviewing (MI)–based group risk reduction intervention for this population. MethodsIn a cluster randomized crossover trial, N = 276 18–25-year-olds received AWARE or usual care at drop-in centers serving homeless youth in Los Angeles County. We evaluated intervention effects on substance use and condomless sex (primary outcomes), as well as drinking consequences and protective strategies, number of casual partners, self-efficacy, and motivation for change (secondary outcomes). ResultsAWARE participants self-reported reductions in their alcohol use and negative consequences from drinking, and an increase in use of drinking protective strategies. AWARE participants also reported an initial decrease in drug use other than marijuana, followed by a slight uptake later on, as well as an initial increase in importance of cutting down on other drug use followed by a decrease. Control group participants did not show change in these outcomes. Among those who reported casual sex partners at both baseline and 12-month surveys, exploratory analyses indicated that AWARE participants had a 29 % decline in condomless sex with casual partners compared to a 6 % decline for control group participants. ConclusionsFindings build on our pilot work by demonstrating that AWARE has long-term benefits on drinking among emerging adults experiencing homelessness. Further work should seek to strengthen its long-term effectiveness in reducing drug use in this population.

Quantitative impact assessment of the 2019 tropical cyclone Kammuri lahars: Mayon volcano, Philippines

Lahars (volcanic mudflows) are frequent occurrences in communities near active Philippine volcanoes due to intense and prolonged rainfall. Mayon Volcano is the most active volcano in the Philippines, ejecting pyroclastic deposits that serve as erodible materials for lahars. Damaging lahars have occurred in the past, with the more recent ones in 2006, 2015, 2019 and 2020 posing impacts such as erosion, burial, and flash flooding in low-lying areas. This paper presents the results of an interdisciplinary case study on lahar impact assessment for a selected pilot community at Mayon Volcano. Lahar hazard modeling, an exposure database, and a Filipinized lahar damage state table were combined to estimate potential lahar impacts to buildings for the study area using a lahar impact assessment software tool called REDAS Quick Lahar Impact Simulation Tool (REDAS-QLIST). The tool can estimate lahar losses such as physical damage, economic loss, and total population affected including age-sex distribution. Being able to accurately quantify impact and damage is one of the added values provided by REDAS-QLIST. The damage and loss estimates produced for our case study area were tested using an actual lahar event scenario from Tropical Cyclone (TC) Kammuri in 2019. Stakeholders, especially from local government units, can utilize the methods and results presented to plan and apply adaptable and sustainable disaster risk reduction programs in their communities. Importantly, the methodology can be used with additional lahar modeling results and exposure data through the REDAS QLIST to assess hazard and loss for other volcanic regions in the Philippines.

Evaluation of feasibility and acceptability of a web-based diabetes prevention program (DPP) for diabetes risk reduction in Chinese Americans in New York City.

Intensive lifestyle intervention remains an effective modality to reduce diabetes incidence and delay the progression to type 2 diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to pilot-test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally and linguistically tailored web-based DPP intervention among Chinese Americans with prediabetes living in New York City. Thirteen Chinese American participants with prediabetes were recruited to complete a 1-year web-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention. Quantitative and qualitative measures such as retention rate and data collected from web-based questionnaires and focus groups were collected and analyzed to assess study feasibility and acceptability. Participants were receptive to the program through high engagement, retention and satisfaction. Retention rate was 85%. 92% of participants completed at least 16 sessions out of 22 sessions. Post-trial surveys indicated high satisfaction of 27.2/32 based on Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) score. Participants expressed the program increased their knowledge and methods to prevent onset of type 2 diabetes such as incorporating healthy eating habits and increasing physical activities. Although not a primary outcome, there was a significant weight reduction of 2.3% at the end of month 8 of the program (p < 0.05). The culturally and linguistically adapted DPP via online platform successfully demonstrated feasibility and acceptability among Chinese Americans with prediabetes. Further evaluation of the web-based Chinese Diabetes Prevention Program in a larger trial is warranted.

Injury-Reduction Programs Containing Neuromuscular Neck Exercises and the Incidence of Soccer-Related Head and Neck Injuries.

Concern is growing among soccer players, coaches, and parents regarding head and neck injuries, including concussion, particularly from heading a ball. Thus, we need to explore soccer-specific head injury risk-reduction initiatives. One such initiative is to condition the neck musculature of young players by adding neuromuscular neck exercises to existing injury-reduction exercise programs. To investigate the effect of neuromuscular neck exercises completed as part of an injury risk-reduction exercise program on the incidence of soccer-related head and neck injuries in adolescent soccer players. Prospective cohort study. Two sports high schools and 6 soccer clubs during the 2021 soccer season. A total of 364 male and female soccer players, aged 12 to 18 years. Members of 1 sports high school and 2 soccer clubs performed neuromuscular neck exercises as part of an injury-reduction program during training (neck training group). Members of another sports high school and 4 soccer clubs performed an injury-reduction program but without neck exercises (comparison group). Self-reported injury data were collected from each player at the end of the season and used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% CIs. In total, 364 players completed the study, including 146 players in the neck training group and 218 players in the comparison group. Despite players in the neck training group being less likely to self-report a concussion (IRR = 0.23; 95% CI = 0.03, 1.04) and pain on heading a ball (IRR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.34, 1.07), only a lower incidence of possible concussive events (IRR = 0.38; 95% CI = 0.14, 0.90; P < .05) was significant. Integrating neuromuscular neck exercises into injury-reduction exercise programs has the potential to reduce the risk of adolescent soccer players sustaining a possible concussive event, concussion, or pain on heading a ball.