Improving Struggling Readers' Early Literacy Skills through a Tier 2 Professional Development Program for Rural Classroom Teachers: The Targeted Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Bratsch-Hines, Mary; Varghese, Cheryl; Cutrer, Elizabeth A.; Garwood, Justin D.

2018-01-01

This article reports the results of a randomized controlled trial that replicated and extended research on the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI), a professional development program for kindergarten and first-grade teachers in low-wealth rural schools that helps enhance literacy skills of struggling readers. In weekly webcam coaching sessions,…

Three Student Case Examples of Response to Intervention Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunn, Michael; Browning, Ruth

2012-01-01

Many schools across the United States and Canada are now implementing response-to-intervention (RTI) as a means to address the needs of students who struggle with reading, writing, or math by using dual discrepancy (i.e., low ability and little to no progress over time with targeted intervention programming) as a means to classify for learning…

An Inexpensive School/Home Intervention Program To Raise Student Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Thomas; And Others

A comprehensive strategy targeted to raise student achievement is arguably one of the most important components of any school's vision for improvement. This paper describes a comprehensive intervention program at The San Alejo American School, Honduras (student enrollment: <100). This program was aimed toward raising students' achievement…

Embedding Intervention Targets into Caregiving Routines and Other Activities of the Families Choice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingshead, Lorie; Harris, Kristy; Stremel, Kathleen

This training module on embedding intervention targets into caregiving routines and other activities of the families' choice is from the Mississippi Early Education Program for Children with Multiple Disabilities, a program designed to train Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Part H service coordinators and service providers to use family…

A review of programs that targeted environmental determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.

PubMed

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-08-09

Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller's Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge.

A Review of Programs That Targeted Environmental Determinants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health

PubMed Central

Johnston, Leah; Doyle, Joyce; Morgan, Bec; Atkinson-Briggs, Sharon; Firebrace, Bradley; Marika, Mayatili; Reilly, Rachel; Cargo, Margaret; Riley, Therese; Rowley, Kevin

2013-01-01

Objective: Effective interventions to improve population and individual health require environmental change as well as strategies that target individual behaviours and clinical factors. This is the basis of implementing an ecological approach to health programs and health promotion. For Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islanders, colonisation has made the physical and social environment particularly detrimental for health. Methods and Results: We conducted a literature review to identify Aboriginal health interventions that targeted environmental determinants of health, identifying 21 different health programs. Program activities that targeted environmental determinants of health included: Caring for Country; changes to food supply and/or policy; infrastructure for physical activity; housing construction and maintenance; anti-smoking policies; increased workforce capacity; continuous quality improvement of clinical systems; petrol substitution; and income management. Targets were categorised according to Miller’s Living Systems Theory. Researchers using an Indigenous community based perspective more often identified interpersonal and community-level targets than were identified using a Western academic perspective. Conclusions: Although there are relatively few papers describing interventions that target environmental determinants of health, many of these addressed such determinants at multiple levels, consistent to some degree with an ecological approach. Interpretation of program targets sometimes differed between academic and community-based perspectives, and was limited by the type of data reported in the journal articles, highlighting the need for local Indigenous knowledge for accurate program evaluation. Implications: While an ecological approach to Indigenous health is increasingly evident in the health research literature, the design and evaluation of such programs requires a wide breadth of expertise, including local Indigenous knowledge. PMID

A Meta-Analysis: School-Based Intervention Programs Targeting Psychosocial Factors for Gifted Racial/Ethnic Minority Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woo, Hongryun; Bang, Na Mi; Cauley, Bridget; Choi, Namok

2017-01-01

This meta-analysis of five studies examined the effect of school-based intervention programs on psychosocial well-being of gifted racial/ethnic minority students in K-12 school settings. Analyses determined the overall effect sizes for various intervention programs and compared the effect sizes for subgroups by grade (i.e., elementary vs.…

Economic evaluation of targeted cancer interventions: critical review and recommendations.

PubMed

Elkin, Elena B; Marshall, Deborah A; Kulin, Nathalie A; Ferrusi, Ilia L; Hassett, Michael J; Ladabaum, Uri; Phillips, Kathryn A

2011-10-01

Scientific advances have improved our ability to target cancer interventions to individuals who will benefit most and spare the risks and costs to those who will derive little benefit or even be harmed. Several approaches are currently used for targeting interventions for cancer risk reduction, screening, and treatment, including risk prediction algorithms for identifying high-risk subgroups and diagnostic tests for tumor markers and germline genetic mutations. Economic evaluation can inform decisions about the use of targeted interventions, which may be more costly than traditional strategies. However, assessing the impact of a targeted intervention on costs and health outcomes requires explicit consideration of the method of targeting. In this study, we describe the importance of this principle by reviewing published cost-effectiveness analyses of targeted interventions in breast cancer. Few studies we identified explicitly evaluated the relationships among the method of targeting, the accuracy of the targeting test, and outcomes of the targeted intervention. Those that did found that characteristics of targeting tests had a substantial impact on outcomes. We posit that the method of targeting and the outcomes of a targeted intervention are inextricably linked and recommend that cost-effectiveness analyses of targeted interventions explicitly consider costs and outcomes of the method of targeting.

Foodservice employees benefit from interventions targeting barriers to food safety.

PubMed

York, Valerie K; Brannon, Laura A; Shanklin, Carol W; Roberts, Kevin R; Howells, Amber D; Barrett, Elizabeth B

2009-09-01

The number of foodborne illnesses traced to improper food handling in restaurants indicates a need for research to improve food safety in these establishments. Therefore, this 2-year longitudinal study investigated the effectiveness of traditional ServSafe (National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, Chicago, IL) food-safety training and a Theory of Planned Behavior intervention program targeting employees' perceived barriers and attitudes toward important food-safety behaviors. The effectiveness of the training and intervention was measured by knowledge scores and observed behavioral compliance rates related to food-safety practices. Employees were observed for handwashing, thermometer usage, and proper handling of work surfaces at baseline, after receiving ServSafe training, and again after exposure to the intervention targeting barriers and negative attitudes about food-safety practices. Repeated-measures analyses of variance indicated training improved handwashing knowledge, but the intervention was necessary to improve overall behavioral compliance and handwashing compliance. Results suggest that registered dietitians; dietetic technicians, registered; and foodservice managers should implement a combination of training and intervention to improve knowledge and compliance with food-safety behaviors, rather than relying on training alone. Challenges encountered while conducting this research are discussed, and recommendations are provided for researchers interested in conducting this type of research in the future.

Relative Effectiveness of Reading Intervention Programs for Adults with Low Literacy.

PubMed

Sabatini, John P; Shore, Jane; Holtzman, Steven; Scarborough, Hollis S

2011-01-01

To compare the efficacy of instructional programs for adult learners with basic reading skills below the seventh grade level, 300 adults were randomly assigned to one of three supplementary tutoring programs designed to strengthen decoding and fluency skills, and gains were examined for the 148 adult students who completed the program. The three intervention programs were based on or adapted from instructional programs that have been shown to benefit children with reading levels similar to those of the adult sample. Each program varied in its relative emphasis on basic decoding versus reading fluency instruction. A repeated measures MANOVA confirmed small to moderate reading gains from pre- to post-testing across a battery of targeted reading measures, but no significant relative differences across interventions. An additional 152 participants who failed to complete the intervention differed initially from those who persisted. Implications for future research and adult literacy instruction are discussed.

Training needs assessment of service providers: targeted intervention for HIV/AIDS in Jharkhand, India.

PubMed

Kumar, Anant; Kumar, Prakash

2013-01-01

Training needs assessments are pivotal for any capacity building program. Building capacity of service providers and staff involved in HIV/AIDS intervention programs is crucial because of the distinct nature of such programs. It requires specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are of utmost importance, influencing the reach of the program and its impact in halting and reversing the epidemic. This study was conducted to identify the training needs assessment of personnel involved in targeted intervention for high risk populations vulnerable to HIV infection in Jharkhand, India. Through the study the authors critically examine the existing training needs and gaps and suggest strategies to address them.

Strategic targeting of advance care planning interventions: the Goldilocks phenomenon.

PubMed

Billings, J Andrew; Bernacki, Rachelle

2014-04-01

Strategically selecting patients for discussions and documentation about limiting life-sustaining treatments-choosing the right time along the end-of-life trajectory for such an intervention and identifying patients at high risk of facing end-of-life decisions-can have a profound impact on the value of advance care planning (ACP) efforts. Timing is important because the completion of an advance directive (AD) too far from or too close to the time of death can lead to end-of-life decisions that do not optimally reflect the patient's values, goals, and preferences: a poorly chosen target patient population that is unlikely to need an AD in the near future may lead to patients making unrealistic, hypothetical choices, while assessing preferences in the emergency department or hospital in the face of a calamity is notoriously inadequate. Because much of the currently studied ACP efforts have led to a disappointingly small proportion of patients eventually benefitting from an AD, careful targeting of the intervention should also improve the efficacy of such projects. A key to optimal timing and strategic selection of target patients for an ACP program is prognostication, and we briefly highlight prognostication tools and studies that may point us toward high-value AD interventions.

Adapting an Evidence-Based Intervention Targeting HIV-Infected Prisoners in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Copenhaver, Michael M.; Tunku, Noor; Ezeabogu, Ifeoma; Potrepka, Jessica; Zahari, Muhammad Muhsin A.; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L.

2011-01-01

HIV-infected prisoners in Malaysia represent a critical target population for secondary HIV risk reduction interventions and care. We report on the process and outcome of our formative research aimed at systematically selecting and adapting an EBI designed to reduce secondary HIV risk and improve adherence to antiretroviral therapy among soon-to-be-released HIV-infected prisoners. Our formative work involved a critical examination of established EBIs and associated published reports complemented by data elicited through structured interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders, members of the target population, and their family members. Based on all information, we adapted the Holistic Health Recovery Program targeting people living with HIV (HHRP+), an EBI, to consist of eight 2-hour sessions that cover a range of specified topics so that participants may individually apply intervention content as needed to accommodate their particular substance abuse, HIV risk, and antiretroviral adherence issues. This study provides a complete example of the process of selecting and adapting an EBI—taking into account both empirical evidence and input from target organization stakeholders and target population members and their families—for use in real world prison settings where high-risk populations are concentrated. PMID:21860786

Intervention targeted at nurses to improve venous thromboprophylaxis.

PubMed

Labarere, Jose; Bosson, Jean-Luc; Sevestre, Marie-Antoinette; Sellier, Elodie; Richaud, Cecile; Legagneux, Annie

2007-10-01

To assess the effectiveness of an intervention targeting both physicians and nurses vs. physicians only in improving venous thromboprophylaxis for older patients. Cluster randomized trial. Fifty hospital-based post-acute care departments in France. Patients aged 65 years or older. A multifaceted intervention to implement a clinical practice guideline addressing venous thromboprophylaxis. The effectiveness outcomes were elastic stocking use, ambulation or mobilization under the supervision of a physical therapist and anticoagulant-based prophylaxis. Patient outcomes included deep vein thrombosis and anticoagulant-related adverse events. One department allocated to the intervention targeted at physicians only and seven departments allocated to the intervention targeted at both physicians and nurses dropped out of the study. Compared with the intervention targeted at physicians only (n = 497 patients), the intervention targeted at both physicians and nurses (n = 315 patients) was associated with a higher rate of mobilization (62 vs. 37%, P < 0.001) and comparable levels of elastic stocking (32 vs. 39%, P = 0.74) and anticoagulant (55 vs. 48%, P = 0.36) use. The rates of deep vein thrombosis (15 vs. 13%, P = 0.50), bleeding (1 vs. 1%, P = 0.99) and thrombocytopaenia (0 vs. 0.2%, P = 0.99) did not differ between the two groups. A multifaceted intervention targeting nurses in addition to physicians can increase the frequency of mobilization of older patients to prevent venous thromboembolism but does not alter the use of elastic stockings and anticoagulant. A differential drop-out of departments might have contributed to creating imbalances in baseline characteristics and outcomes in this study.

Improving medication adherence with a targeted, technology-driven disease management intervention.

PubMed

Lawrence, David B; Allison, Wanda; Chen, Joyce C; Demand, Michael

2008-06-01

Treatment adherence is critical in managing chronic disease, but achieving it remains an elusive goal across many prevalent conditions. As part of its care management strategy, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina (BCBSSC) implemented the Longitudinal Adherence Treatment Evaluation program, a behavioral intervention to improve medication adherence among members with cardiovascular disease and/or diabetes. The objectives of this study were to 1) assess the effectiveness of telephonic intervention in influencing reinitiation of medication therapy, and 2) evaluate the rate and timing of medication reinitiation. BCBSSC applied algorithms against pharmacy claims data to identify patients prescribed targeted medications who were 60 or more days overdue for refills. This information was provided to care managers to address during their next patient contact. Care managers received focused training on techniques for medication behavior change, readiness to change, motivational interviewing, and active listening. Training also addressed common barriers to adherence and available resources, including side effect management, mail order benefits, drug assistance programs, medication organizers, and reminder systems. Overdue refills were tracked for 12 months, with medication reinitiation followed for an additional 3 months. In the intervention group, 94 patients were identified with 123 instances of late medication refills. In the age- and gender-matched comparison group, 61 patients were identified with 76 late refills. The intervention group had a significantly higher rate of medication reinitiation (59.3%) than the control group (42.1%; P < 0.05). Time to reinitiation was significantly shorter in the intervention group, 59.5 (+/- 69.0) days vs. 107.4 (+/- 109) days for the control group (P < 0.05). This initiative demonstrated that a targeted disease management intervention promoting patient behavior change increased the number of patients who reinitiated therapy after a

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Pre-diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-Targeted Intervention with Ontario's Autism Intervention Program.

PubMed

Penner, Melanie; Rayar, Meera; Bashir, Naazish; Roberts, S Wendy; Hancock-Howard, Rebecca L; Coyte, Peter C

2015-09-01

Novel management strategies for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) propose providing interventions before diagnosis. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the costs and dependency-free life years (DFLYs) generated by pre-diagnosis intensive Early Start Denver Model (ESDM-I); pre-diagnosis parent-delivered ESDM (ESDM-PD); and the Ontario Status Quo (SQ). The analyses took government and societal perspectives to age 65. We assigned probabilities of Independent, Semi-dependent or Dependent living based on projected IQ. Costs per person (in Canadian dollars) were ascribed to each living setting. From a government perspective, the ESDM-PD produced an additional 0.17 DFLYs for $8600 less than SQ. From a societal perspective, the ESDM-I produced an additional 0.53 DFLYs for $45,000 less than SQ. Pre-diagnosis interventions targeting ASD symptoms warrant further investigation.

Early Childhood Language-Centered Intervention Program. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1980-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobias, Robert; Lavin, Claire

This report evaluates the Early Childhood Language-Centered Intervention Program in New York City Public Schools. The program was designed to promote the development of preschool handicapped students in a variety of areas. The program objective proposed that the target students would show statistically significant improvement at the .05 level in…

Implementing a Tier 2 Behavioral Intervention in a Therapeutic Alternative High School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fallon, Lindsay M.; Feinberg, Adam B.

2017-01-01

The research base for Check-in, Check-out (CICO), a targeted behavioral intervention within a schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports framework, is growing. However, little has been written about its application in therapeutic alternative programs. To extend the literature base, the current article describes a study conducted…

75 FR 3746 - Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-22

... HIV/AIDS Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) Program AGENCY: Health Resources and Services... Department, Orlando, Florida, that will ensure continuity of Part C, Early Intervention Services (EIS), HIV...: Critical funding for HIV/AIDS care and treatment to the target populations in Orange County, Orlando...

34 CFR 303.11 - Early intervention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Early intervention program. 303.11 Section 303.11... AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND... intervention program. As used in this part, early intervention program means the total effort in a State that...

34 CFR 303.11 - Early intervention program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Early intervention program. 303.11 Section 303.11... AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND... intervention program. As used in this part, early intervention program means the total effort in a State that...

The effect of workers' visibility on effectiveness of intervention programs: supervisory-based safety interventions.

PubMed

Luria, Gil; Zohar, Dov; Erev, Ido

2008-01-01

This paper discusses an organizational change intervention program targeting safety behaviors and addresses important considerations concerning the planning of organizational change. Using layout of the plant as a proxy for ease of daily leader-member interaction, the effect of workers' visibility on the effectiveness of supervisory-based safety (SBS) interventions is examined. Through a reinforcement-learning framework, it is suggested that visibility can affect supervisors' incentive to interact with subordinates regarding safety-related issues. Data were collected during SBS intervention studies in five manufacturing companies. Results suggest a reinforcement cycle model whereby increased visibility generates more frequent exchanges between supervisors and employees, resulting in improved safety behavior among employees. In turn, employees' safer behavior reinforces continued supervisory safety-related interaction. CONCLUSION AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Visibility is an important moderator in supervisory based safety interventions, and can serve to increase workplace safety. Implications of these findings for safety are discussed.

Motivational Factors for Youth Recruitment in Voluntary Interventions: The Case of a Community Sport Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plante, Catherine; Moreau, Nicolas; Jaimes, Annie; Turbide, Carole

2016-01-01

Recruitment is known to be a challenge for intervention programs targeting youths, including sports programs. Following the popularity of the "Alter-Action" program of the Montreal-based organization "DesÉquilibres", we wanted to understand the motivations and barriers to youths' recruitment in this voluntary sports community…

The Targeted Reading Intervention: Face-to-Face vs. Webcam Literacy Coaching of Classroom Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, L.; Bratsch-Hines, M.; Varghese, C.; Bean, A.; Hedrick, A.

2015-01-01

The targeted reading intervention (TRI) is a professional development program for rural kindergarten and first grade classroom teachers to help them provide effective reading strategies with struggling readers. In two randomized controlled trials, the TRI was delivered two ways: (1) literacy coaches provided support for classroom teachers through…

[Implementation of intervention programs on AIDS-related sexual transmission in China].

PubMed

Dong, Wei; Zhou, Chu; Ge, Lin; Li, Dongmin; Wu, Zunyou; Rou, Keming

2015-12-01

To analyze the implementation of intervention programs targeted on AIDS high risk sexual transmission groups since 2008, when the relative prevention and control information systems on HIV/AIDS were developed. Data from both aggregated interventions and sentinel surveillance programs from 2008 to the end of 2014 were used. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze the trends of implementation on high risk groups including men who have sex with men, female sex workers (FSW) and migrant workers. From 2008 to 2012, the monthly average numbers receiving intervention programs and the average monthly coverage rate on intervention for MSM, increased from 49 000 to 252 000, and from 8.6% to 78.5% respectively. The FSW related indicators increased from 329 000 to 625 000, and from 30.9% to 87.0% respectively. Above indexes on the two populations had dropped slightly in 2013 and 2014. Sentinel surveillance data showed that knowledge and behavior indicators observed from the MSM and FSW populations increased annually. The coverage of intervention programs on migrant workers increased from 4.7% to almost 10.0%, but the surveillance data on migrant men showed that the knowledge and behavior indicators were still lower than the other high-risk groups. Intervention related to sexual transmission on HIV/AIDS among high-risk populations were effectively implemented, with some achievements seen. However, as sexual contact currently became the main route of AIDS epidemic, new challenges called for serious attention.

Web-based intervention programs for depression: a scoping review and evaluation.

PubMed

Renton, Tian; Tang, Herman; Ennis, Naomi; Cusimano, Michael D; Bhalerao, Shree; Schweizer, Tom A; Topolovec-Vranic, Jane

2014-09-23

Although depression is known to affect millions of people worldwide, individuals seeking aid from qualified health care professionals are faced with a number of barriers to treatment including a lack of treatment resources, limited number of qualified service providers, stigma associated with diagnosis and treatment, prolonged wait times, cost, and barriers to accessibility such as transportation and clinic locations. The delivery of depression interventions through the Internet may provide a practical solution to addressing some of these barriers. The purpose of this scoping review was to answer the following questions: (1) What Web-delivered programs are currently available that offer an interactive treatment component for depression?, (2) What are the contents, accessibility, and usability of each identified program?, and (3) What tools, supports, and research evidence are available for each identified program? Using the popular search engines Google, Yahoo, and Bing (Canadian platforms), two reviewers independently searched for interactive Web-based interventions targeting the treatment of depression. The Beacon website, an information portal for online health applications, was also consulted. For each identified program, accessibility, usability, tools, support, and research evidence were evaluated and programs were categorized as evidence-based versus non-evidence-based if they had been the subject of at least one randomized controlled trial. Programs were scored using a 28-point rating system, and evidence- versus non-evidence-based programs were compared and contrasted. Although this review included all programs meeting exclusion and inclusion criteria found using the described search method, only English language Web-delivered depression programs were awarded an evaluation score. The review identified 32 programs meeting inclusion criteria. There was a great deal of variability among the programs captured in this evaluation. Many of the programs were

Intervention program efficacy for spelling difficulties.

PubMed

Sampaio, Maria Nobre; Capellini, Simone Aparecida

2014-01-01

To develop an intervention procedure for spelling difficulties and to verify the effectiveness of the intervention program in students with lower spelling performance. We developed an intervention program for spelling difficulties, according to the semiology of the errors. The program consisted of three modules totaling 16 sessions. The study included 40 students of the third to fifth grade of public elementary education of the city of Marilia (SP), of both genders, in aged of eight to 12 years old, being distributed in the following groups: GI (20 students with lower spelling performance) and GII (20 students with higher spelling performance). In situation of pre and post-testing, all groups were submitted to the Pro-Orthography. The results statistically analyzed showed that, in general, all groups had average of right that has higher in post-testing, reducing the types of errors second semiologycal classification, mainly related to natural spelling errors. However, the results also showed that the groups submitted to the intervention program showed better performance on spelling tests in relation to not submitted. The intervention program developed was effective once the groups submitted showed better performance on spelling tests in relation to not submitted. Therefore, the intervention program can help professionals in the Health and Education to minimize the problems related to spelling, giving students an intervention that is effective for the development of the spelling knowledge.

Targeting Vulnerabilities to Risky Behavior: An Intervention for Promoting Adaptive Emotion Regulation in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Claro, Anthony; Boulanger, Marie-Michelle; Shaw, Steven R.

2015-01-01

The paper examined the effectiveness of an in-school intervention for adolescents designed to target emotional regulation skills related to risky behaviors. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Intended for Youth (CERTIFY) program was delivered to at-risk adolescents in Montreal, Canada. Participants were drawn from an alternative high school and a…

Community-Based Intervention to Improve Cardiometabolic Targets in Patients With Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Olaiya, Muideen T; Cadilhac, Dominique A; Kim, Joosup; Nelson, Mark R; Srikanth, Velandai K; Gerraty, Richard P; Bladin, Christopher F; Fitzgerald, Sharyn M; Phan, Thanh; Frayne, Judith; Thrift, Amanda G

2017-09-01

Many guidelines for secondary prevention of stroke focus on controlling cardiometabolic risk factors. We investigated the effectiveness of a management program for attaining cardiometabolic targets in survivors of stroke/transient ischemic attack. Randomized controlled trial of survivors of stroke/transient ischemic attack aged ≥18 years. General practices were randomized to usual care (control) or an intervention comprising specialist review of care plans and nurse education in addition to usual care. The outcome is attainment of pre-defined cardiometabolic targets based on Australian guidelines. Multivariable regression was undertaken to determine efficacy and identify factors associated with attaining targets. Overall, 283 subjects were randomized to the intervention and 280 to controls. Although we found no between-group difference in overall cardiometabolic targets achieved at 12 months, the intervention group more often achieved control of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-3.29) than controls. At 24 months, no between-group differences were observed. Medication adherence was ≥80% at follow-up, but uptake of lifestyle/behavioral habits was poor. Older age, being male, being married/living with partner, and having greater functional ability or a history of diabetes mellitus were associated with attaining targets. The intervention in this largely negative trial only had a detectable effect on attaining target for lipids but not for other factors at 12 months or any factor at 24 months. This limited effect may be attributable to inadequate uptake of behavioral/lifestyle interventions, highlighting the need for new or better approaches to achieve meaningful behavioral change. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: ACTRN12608000166370. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Targeted interventions for improved equity in maternal and child health in low- and middle-income settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Målqvist, Mats; Yuan, Beibei; Trygg, Nadja; Selling, Katarina; Thomsen, Sarah

2013-01-01

Targeted interventions to improve maternal and child health is suggested as a feasible and sometimes even necessary strategy to reduce inequity. The objective of this systematic review was to gather the evidence of the effectiveness of targeted interventions to improve equity in MDG 4 and 5 outcomes. We identified primary studies in all languages by searching nine health and social databases, including grey literature and dissertations. Studies evaluating the effect of an intervention tailored to address a structural determinant of inequity in maternal and child health were included. Thus general interventions targeting disadvantaged populations were excluded. Outcome measures were limited to indicators proposed for Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. We identified 18 articles, whereof 15 evaluated various incentive programs, two evaluated a targeted policy intervention, and only one study evaluated an intervention addressing a cultural custom. Meta-analyses of the effectiveness of incentives programs showed a pooled effect size of RR 1.66 (95% CI 1.43-1.93) for antenatal care attendance (four studies with 2,476 participants) and RR 2.37 (95% CI 1.38-4.07) for health facility delivery (five studies with 25,625 participants). Meta-analyses were not performed for any of the other outcomes due to scarcity of studies. The targeted interventions aiming to improve maternal and child health are mainly limited to addressing economic disparities through various incentive schemes like conditional cash transfers and voucher schemes. This is a feasible strategy to reduce inequity based on income. More innovative action-oriented research is needed to speed up progress in maternal and child survival among the most disadvantaged populations through interventions targeting the underlying structural determinants of inequity.

Web-Based Intervention Programs for Depression: A Scoping Review and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Renton, Tian; Tang, Herman; Ennis, Naomi; Cusimano, Michael D; Bhalerao, Shree; Schweizer, Tom A

2014-01-01

Background Although depression is known to affect millions of people worldwide, individuals seeking aid from qualified health care professionals are faced with a number of barriers to treatment including a lack of treatment resources, limited number of qualified service providers, stigma associated with diagnosis and treatment, prolonged wait times, cost, and barriers to accessibility such as transportation and clinic locations. The delivery of depression interventions through the Internet may provide a practical solution to addressing some of these barriers. Objective The purpose of this scoping review was to answer the following questions: (1) What Web-delivered programs are currently available that offer an interactive treatment component for depression?, (2) What are the contents, accessibility, and usability of each identified program?, and (3) What tools, supports, and research evidence are available for each identified program? Methods Using the popular search engines Google, Yahoo, and Bing (Canadian platforms), two reviewers independently searched for interactive Web-based interventions targeting the treatment of depression. The Beacon website, an information portal for online health applications, was also consulted. For each identified program, accessibility, usability, tools, support, and research evidence were evaluated and programs were categorized as evidence-based versus non-evidence-based if they had been the subject of at least one randomized controlled trial. Programs were scored using a 28-point rating system, and evidence- versus non-evidence-based programs were compared and contrasted. Although this review included all programs meeting exclusion and inclusion criteria found using the described search method, only English language Web-delivered depression programs were awarded an evaluation score. Results The review identified 32 programs meeting inclusion criteria. There was a great deal of variability among the programs captured in this

Interventions aimed at reducing obesity in early childhood: a meta-analysis of programs that involve parents.

PubMed

Yavuz, H Melis; van Ijzendoorn, Marinus H; Mesman, Judi; van der Veek, Shelley

2015-06-01

Obesity is a growing problem even in very young childhood, resulting in high costs for individuals and society. As a response, numerous obesity prevention and intervention programs have been developed. Previous research has shown that early intervention programs are more effective when parents are involved, but the effectiveness of specific aspects of programs with parental involvement has not been investigated. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the features related to the effectiveness of different types of obesity intervention programs involving parents and targeting young children (0-6-year-olds). The Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL, and ERIC databases were searched for childhood obesity prevention and intervention programs involving parents. Data were analyzed using the Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA) software. Fifty studies with effect sizes measured at short-term follow-up (within 3 months from the end of the intervention) and 26 studies with effect sizes measured at long-term follow-up (all reported in a total of 49 publications) were identified. The combined effect size of interventions was small but significant at short-term follow-up (d = .08, p < .01). The results suggested the presence of a potential publication bias in studies providing results at long-term follow-up, with a nonsignificant adjusted effect size (d = .02), which indicated that obesity interventions were not effective at long-term follow-up. Multivariate meta-regression analyses showed that interventions were more effective when including either interactive sessions or educational materials as opposed to those including both interactive sessions and noninteractive educational materials. No other moderators regarding sample characteristics, study design, or methodological quality were significant. Interventions targeting young children that require parental involvement are effective at short-term follow-up, specifically when interventions include one mode of

Clinician-targeted intervention and patient-reported counseling on physical activity.

PubMed

Carroll, Jennifer K; Winters, Paul C; Sanders, Mechelle R; Decker, Francesca; Ngo, Thanh; Sciamanna, Christopher N

2014-05-29

Limited time and lack of knowledge are barriers to physical activity counseling in primary care. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a clinician-targeted intervention that used the 5As (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) approach to physical activity counseling in a medically underserved patient population. Family medicine clinicians at 2 community health centers were randomized to Group 1 or Group 2 intervention. Both clinician groups participated in 4 training sessions on the 5As for physical activity counseling; Group 2 training took place 8 months after Group 1 training. Both groups were trained to refer patients to a community exercise program. We used a pre-post analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on clinician use of 5As. Eligible patients (n = 319) rated their clinicians' counseling skills by using a modified Physical Activity Exit Interview (PAEI) survey. Clinicians (n = 10) self-assessed their use of the 5As through a survey and interviews. Both patient and clinician groups had similar sociodemographic characteristics. The PAEI score for both groups combined increased from 6.9 to 8.6 (on a scale of 0-15) from baseline to immediately postintervention (P = .01) and was 8.2 (P = .09) at 6-month follow-up; most of the improvement in PAEI score was due to increased use of 5As skills by Group 2 clinicians. Group 1 reported difficulty with problem solving, whereas Group 2 reported ease of referral to the community exercise program. A clinician training intervention showed mixed results for 5As physical activity counseling.

Cost-effectiveness of targeted versus tailored interventions to promote mammography screening among women military veterans in the United States.

PubMed

Lairson, David R; Chan, Wen; Chang, Yu-Chia; del Junco, Deborah J; Vernon, Sally W

2011-05-01

We conducted an economic evaluation of mammography promotion interventions in a population-based, nationally representative sample of 5500 women veterans. Women 52 years and older were randomly selected from the National Registry of Women Veterans and randomly assigned to a survey-only control group and two intervention groups that varied in the extent of personalization (tailored vs. targeted). Effectiveness measures were the prevalence of at least one self-reported post-intervention mammogram and two post-intervention mammograms 6-15 months apart. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were the incremental cost per additional person screened. Uncertainty was examined with sensitivity analysis and bootstrap simulation. The targeted intervention cost $25 per person compared to $52 per person for the tailored intervention. About 27% of the cost was incurred in identifying and recruiting the eligible population. The percent of women reporting at least one mammogram were .447 in the control group, .469 in the targeted group, and .460 in the tailored group. The ICER was $1116 comparing the targeted group to the control group (95% confidence interval (CI)=$493 to dominated). The tailored intervention was dominated (more costly and less effective) by the targeted intervention. Decision-makers should consider effectiveness evidence and the full recruitment and patient time costs associated with the implementation of screening interventions when making investments in mammography screening promotion programs. Identification and recruitment of eligible participants add substantial costs to outreach screening promotion interventions. Tailoring adds substantial cost to the targeted mammography promotion strategy without a commensurate increase in effectiveness. Although cost-effectiveness has been reported to be higher for some in-reach screening promotion interventions, a recent meta-analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in the effect sizes of published health

Head-and-Neck Target Delineation Among Radiation Oncology Residents After a Teaching Intervention: A Prospective, Blinded Pilot Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bekelman, Justin E.; Wolden, Suzanne; Lee, Nancy

Purpose: We conducted this study to determine the feasibility of incorporating a teaching intervention on target delineation into the educational curriculum of a radiation oncology residency program and to assess the short-term effects on resident skills. Methods and Materials: The study schema consisted of a baseline evaluation, the teaching intervention, and a follow-up evaluation. At the baseline evaluation, the participants contoured three clinical tumor volumes (CTVs) (70 Gy, 59.4 Gy, and 54 Gy) on six contrast-enhanced axial computed tomography images of a de-identified patient with Stage T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma of the right base of the tongue. The participants attendedmore » a series of head-and-neck oncology and anatomy seminars. The teaching intervention consisted of a didactic lecture and an interactive hands-on practical session designed to improve the knowledge and skills for target delineation in the head and neck. At the follow-up evaluation, the residents again contoured the CTVs. Results: Of the 14 eligible residents, 11 (79%) actually participated in the study. For all participants, but especially for those who had not had previous experience with head-and-neck target delineation, the teaching intervention was associated with improvement in the delineation of the node-negative neck (CTV 54 Gy contour). Regardless of clinical experience, participants had difficulty determining what should be included in the CTV 59.4 Gy contour to ensure adequate coverage of potential microscopic disease. Conclusion: Incorporating a teaching intervention into the education curriculum of a radiation oncology residency program is feasible and was associated with short-term improvements in target delineation skills. Subsequent interventions will require content refinement, additional validation, longer term follow-up, and multi-institutional collaboration.« less

Early Childhood Education Intervention Programs in the Netherlands: Still Searching for Empirical Evidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driessen, Geert

2018-01-01

Early childhood education (ECE) intervention programs nowadays are the core of the educational disadvantage policy in the Netherlands. They offer institutional compensatory activities to young children who lack educational stimulation in the home environment. Target groups mainly comprise children from deprived socioeconomic backgrounds and of…

Infection of the Invisible: Impressions of a Tuberculosis Intervention Program for Migrants in Istanbul.

PubMed

Yasin, Yesim; Biehl, Kristen; Erol, Maral

2015-10-01

This paper reviews the experience of the Istanbul Tuberculosis Aid Program, which targeted tuberculosis (TB) disease in the growing irregular migrant populations of Istanbul. This experience illustrated the importance of community-based public health interventions when dealing with an infectious disease like TB among vulnerable groups. Our data is derived primarily from a qualitative study carried out with program stakeholders. We summarize lessons for success of ITAP as: (1) Strengthening impact and outreach of TB intervention among irregular migrant communities through involvement of multiple stakeholders (2) Increasing TB awareness through a community targeted approach (3) Increasing TB contact tracing and treatment success among infected irregular migrants, and, (4) Improving overall health seeking behavior of irregular migrants through empowerment and trust. Given these particularities we list our policy suggestions for revision of regulations regarding TB control and healthcare needs of irregular migrant populations.

Target concentration intervention: beyond Y2K

PubMed Central

Holford, Nicholas H G

1999-01-01

Target concentration intervention (TCI) is proposed as an alternative conceptual strategy to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). It is argued that the idea of a therapeutic range has limited the interpretation of measured drug concentrations and diminished the anticipated clinical benefit to patients by use of an oversimplified pharmacodynamic model. TCI on the other hand embraces pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic concepts and uses the idea of a target effect and associated target concentration to make rational individual dose decisions. PMID:10383553

Target concentration intervention: beyond Y2K.

PubMed

Holford, N H

2001-01-01

Target concentration intervention (TCI) is proposed as an alternative conceptual strategy to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). It is argued that the idea of a therapeutic range has limited the interpretation of measured drug concentrations and diminished the anticipated clinical benefit to patients by use of an oversimplified pharmacodynamic model. TCI on the other hand embraces pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic concepts and uses the idea of a target effect and associated target concentration to make rational individual dose decisions.

Target concentration intervention: beyond Y2K

PubMed Central

Holford, Nicholas H G

2001-01-01

Target concentration intervention (TCI) is proposed as an alternative conceptual strategy to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). It is argued that the idea of a therapeutic range has limited the interpretation of measured drug concentrations and diminished the anticipated clinical benefit to patients by use of an oversimplified pharmacodynamic model. TCI on the other hand embraces pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic concepts and uses the idea of a target effect and associated target concentration to make rational individual dose decisions. PMID:11564053

Using Targeting Outcomes of Programs as a Framework to Target Photographic Events in Nonformal Educational Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rockwell, S. Kay; Albrecht, Julie A.; Nugent, Gwen C.; Kunz, Gina M.

2012-01-01

Targeting Outcomes of Programs (TOP) is a seven-step hierarchical programming model in which the program development and performance sides are mirror images of each other. It served as a framework to identify a simple method for targeting photographic events in nonformal education programs, indicating why, when, and how photographs would be useful…

Heart disease education and prevention program targeting immigrant Latinos: using focus group responses to develop effective interventions.

PubMed

Moreno, C; Alvarado, M; Balcazar, H; Lane, C; Newman, E; Ortiz, G; Forrest, M

1997-12-01

Although research has provided considerable knowledge concerning the positive effects of behavioral change on morbidity and mortality from heart disease and related risk factors, some segments of the population have not benefited equitably from this information. In April 1995, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) conducted seven focus groups to determine knowledge and attitudes about heart disease and associated risk factors, identify media usage and preferences, and assess publications usage and preferences among Spanish-speaking Latino immigrants residing in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. This information was gathered to assist in the development of key messages and strategies for the NHLBI Latino Community Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Outreach Initiative, Salud para su Corazón--a heart disease prevention and education campaign. Findings from these focus groups indicate that Latinos may not benefit from heart disease prevention messages developed for the general population because of language and cultural differences. The researchers concluded that health education and disease prevention programs targeting the Latino community should develop educational materials and interventions that address language preferences and cultural values. Furthermore, to be effective, these programs should show people how to make positive behavioral changes based on their current circumstances, while remaining sensitive to the fact that Latino immigrants face major life adjustments and many are still greatly influenced by their country of origin.

Clinician-Targeted Intervention and Patient-Reported Counseling on Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Winters, Paul C.; Sanders, Mechelle R.; Decker, Francesca; Ngo, Thanh; Sciamanna, Christopher N.

2014-01-01

Introduction Limited time and lack of knowledge are barriers to physical activity counseling in primary care. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a clinician-targeted intervention that used the 5As (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) approach to physical activity counseling in a medically underserved patient population. Methods Family medicine clinicians at 2 community health centers were randomized to Group 1 or Group 2 intervention. Both clinician groups participated in 4 training sessions on the 5As for physical activity counseling; Group 2 training took place 8 months after Group 1 training. Both groups were trained to refer patients to a community exercise program. We used a pre–post analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention on clinician use of 5As. Eligible patients (n = 319) rated their clinicians’ counseling skills by using a modified Physical Activity Exit Interview (PAEI) survey. Clinicians (n = 10) self-assessed their use of the 5As through a survey and interviews. Results Both patient and clinician groups had similar sociodemographic characteristics. The PAEI score for both groups combined increased from 6.9 to 8.6 (on a scale of 0–15) from baseline to immediately postintervention (P = .01) and was 8.2 (P = .09) at 6-month follow-up; most of the improvement in PAEI score was due to increased use of 5As skills by Group 2 clinicians. Group 1 reported difficulty with problem solving, whereas Group 2 reported ease of referral to the community exercise program. Conclusion A clinician training intervention showed mixed results for 5As physical activity counseling. PMID:24874781

Exploring Environment-Intervention Fit: A Study of a Work Environment Intervention Program for the Care Sector.

PubMed

Smith, Louise Hardman; Aust, Birgit; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2015-01-01

Targeting occupational health and safety interventions to different groups of employees and sectors is important. The aim of this study was to explore the environment-intervention fit of a Danish psychosocial work environment intervention program for the residential and home care sector. Focus group interviews with employees and interviews with mangers were conducted at 12 selected workplaces and a questionnaire survey was conducted with managers at all 115 workplaces. The interventions enhanced the probability of employees experiencing more "good" work days, where they could make a difference to the lives of clients. The interventions may therefore be characterized as culturally compelling and having a good fit with the immediate work environment of employees. The interventions furthermore seemed to fit well with the wider organizational environment and with recent changes in the societal and economic context of workplaces. However, some workplaces had difficulties with involving all employees and adapting the interventions to the organization of work. The findings suggest that flexibility and a variety of strategies to involve all employees are important aspects, if interventions are to fit well with the care sector. The focus on employees' conceptualization of a "good" work day may be useful for intervention research in other sectors.

Exploring Environment-Intervention Fit: A Study of a Work Environment Intervention Program for the Care Sector

PubMed Central

Aust, Birgit; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann

2015-01-01

Targeting occupational health and safety interventions to different groups of employees and sectors is important. The aim of this study was to explore the environment-intervention fit of a Danish psychosocial work environment intervention program for the residential and home care sector. Focus group interviews with employees and interviews with mangers were conducted at 12 selected workplaces and a questionnaire survey was conducted with managers at all 115 workplaces. The interventions enhanced the probability of employees experiencing more “good” work days, where they could make a difference to the lives of clients. The interventions may therefore be characterized as culturally compelling and having a good fit with the immediate work environment of employees. The interventions furthermore seemed to fit well with the wider organizational environment and with recent changes in the societal and economic context of workplaces. However, some workplaces had difficulties with involving all employees and adapting the interventions to the organization of work. The findings suggest that flexibility and a variety of strategies to involve all employees are important aspects, if interventions are to fit well with the care sector. The focus on employees' conceptualization of a “good” work day may be useful for intervention research in other sectors. PMID:26380356

Interventions That Target Criminogenic Needs for Justice-Involved Persons With Serious Mental Illnesses: A Targeted Service Delivery Approach.

PubMed

Wilson, Amy Blank; Farkas, Kathleen; Bonfine, Natalie; Duda-Banwar, Janelle

2018-05-01

This research describes the development of a targeted service delivery approach that tailors the delivery of interventions that target criminogenic needs to the specific learning and treatment needs of justice-involved people with serious mental illnesses (SMIs). This targeted service delivery approach includes five service delivery strategies: repetition and summarizing, amplification, active coaching, low-demand practice, and maximizing participation. Examples of how to apply each strategy in session are provided, as well as recommendations on when to use each strategy during the delivery of interventions that target criminogenic needs. This targeted service delivery approach makes an important contribution to the development of interventions for justice-involved people with SMI by increasing the chances that people with SMI can participate fully in and benefit from these interventions that target criminogenic needs. These developments come at a critical time in the field as the next generation of services for justice-involved people with SMI are being developed.

Program design features that can improve participation in health education interventions

PubMed Central

Gucciardi, Enza; Cameron, Jill I; Liao, Chen Di; Palmer, Alison; Stewart, Donna E

2007-01-01

Background Although there have been reported benefits of health education interventions across various health issues, the key to program effectiveness is participation and retention. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to participate in health interventions upon invitation. In fact, health education interventions are vulnerable to low participation rates. The objective of this study was to identify design features that may increase participation in health education interventions and evaluation surveys, and to maximize recruitment and retention efforts in a general ambulatory population. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to 175 individuals in waiting rooms of two hospitals diagnostic centres in Toronto, Canada. Subjects were asked about their willingness to participate, in principle, and the extent of their participation (frequency and duration) in health education interventions under various settings and in intervention evaluation surveys using various survey methods. Results The majority of respondents preferred to participate in one 30–60 minutes education intervention session a year, in hospital either with a group or one-on-one with an educator. Also, the majority of respondents preferred to spend 20–30 minutes each time, completing one to two evaluation surveys per year in hospital or by mail. Conclusion When designing interventions and their evaluation surveys, it is important to consider the preferences for setting, length of participation and survey method of your target population, in order to maximize recruitment and retention efforts. Study respondents preferred short and convenient health education interventions and surveys. Therefore, brevity, convenience and choice appear to be important when designing education interventions and evaluation surveys from the perspective of our target population. PMID:17996089

The Weekend Intervention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siegal, Harvey A.

The Weekend Intervention Program (WIP) at the Wright State University School of Medicine is described in this report. Designed to address severe health and social problems while supporting the university's academic mission, the program began with the goal of addressing the health and social problems of alcohol abusers. WIP is a 72-hour intensive…

Substance abuse prevention program content: systematizing the classification of what programs target for change.

PubMed

Hansen, William B; Dusenbury, Linda; Bishop, Dana; Derzon, James H

2007-06-01

We conducted an analysis of programs listed on the National Registry of Effective Programs and Practices as of 2003. This analysis focused on programs that addressed substance abuse prevention from among those on the effective or model program lists and that had manuals. A total of 48 programs met these inclusion criteria. We coded program manuals for content that was covered based on how much time was devoted to changing targeted mediating variables. The value of this approach is that program content can be judged using an impartial standard that can be applied to a wide range of intervention approaches. On average, programs addressed eight of 23 possible content areas. Our analyses suggested there were seven distinguishable approaches that have been used in substance abuse prevention programs. These include (i) changing access within the environment, (ii) promoting the development of personal and social skills, (iii) promoting positive affiliation, (iv) addressing social influences, (v) providing social support and helping participants develop goals and alternatives, (vi) developing positive schools and (vii) enhancing motivation to avoid substance use. We propose that the field use such analyses as the basis of future theory development.

Prevention of Targeted School Violence by Responding to Students' Psychosocial Crises: The NETWASS Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leuschner, Vincenz; Fiedler, Nora; Schultze, Martin; Ahlig, Nadine; Göbel, Kristin; Sommer, Friederike; Scholl, Johanna; Cornell, Dewey; Scheithauer, Herbert

2017-01-01

The standardized, indicated school-based prevention program "Networks Against School Shootings" combines a threat assessment approach with a general model of prevention of emergency situations in schools through early intervention in student psychosocial crises and training teachers to recognize warning signs of targeted school violence.…

Does a booster intervention augment the preventive effects of an abbreviated version of the coping power program for aggressive children?

PubMed

Lochman, John E; Baden, Rachel E; Boxmeyer, Caroline L; Powell, Nicole P; Qu, Lixin; Salekin, Karen L; Windle, Michel

2014-01-01

Booster interventions have been presumed to be important methods for maintaining the effects of evidence-based programs for children with behavioral problems, but there has been remarkably little empirical attention to this assumption. The present study examines the effect of a child-oriented booster preventive intervention with children who had previously received an abbreviated version (24 child sessions, 10 parent sessions) of the Coping Power targeted prevention program. Two hundred and forty-one children (152 boys, 89 girls) were screened as having moderate to high levels of aggressive behavior in 4th grade, then half were randomly assigned to receive the abbreviated Coping Power program in 5th grade, and half of the preventive intervention children were then randomly assigned to a Booster condition in 6th grade. The Booster sessions consisted of brief monthly individual contacts, and were primarily with the children. Five assessments across 4 years were collected from teachers, providing a three-year follow-up for all children who participated in the project. Results indicated that the abbreviated Coping Power program (one-third shorter than the full intervention) had long-term effects in reducing children's externalizing problem behaviors, proactive and reactive aggression, impulsivity traits and callous-unemotional traits. The Booster intervention did not augment these prevention effects. These findings indicate that a briefer and more readily disseminated form of an evidence-based targeted preventive intervention was effective. The findings have potential implications for policy and guidelines about possible intervention length and booster interventions.

Development of an intervention program to increase effective behaviours by patients and clinicians in psychiatric services: Intervention Mapping study.

PubMed

Koekkoek, Bauke; van Meijel, Berno; Schene, Aart; Hutschemaekers, Giel

2010-10-25

Health clinicians perceive certain patients as 'difficult' across all settings, including mental health care. In this area, patients with non-psychotic disorders that become long-term care users may be perceived as obstructing their own recovery or seeking secondary gain. This negative perception of patients results in ineffective responses and low-quality care by health clinicians. Using the concept of illness behaviour, this paper describes the development, implementation, and planned evaluation of a structured intervention aimed at prevention and management of ineffective behaviours by long-term non-psychotic patients and their treating clinicians. The principles of Intervention Mapping were applied to guide the development, implementation, and planned evaluation of the intervention. Qualitative (individual and group interviews), quantitative (survey), and mixed methods (Delphi-procedure) research was used to gain a broad perspective of the problem. Empirical findings, theoretical models, and existing evidence were combined to construct a program tailored to the needs of the target groups. A structured program to increase effective illness behaviour in long-term non-psychotic patients and effective professional behaviour in their treating clinicians was developed, consisting of three subsequent stages and four substantial components, that is described in detail. Implementation took place and evaluation of the intervention is being carried out. Intervention Mapping proved to be a suitable method to develop a structured intervention for a multi-faceted problem in mental health care.

TARPARE: a method for selecting target audiences for public health interventions.

PubMed

Donovan, R J; Egger, G; Francas, M

1999-06-01

This paper presents a model to assist the health promotion practitioner systematically compare and select what might be appropriate target groups when there are a number of segments competing for attention and resources. TARPARE assesses previously identified segments on the following criteria: T: The Total number of persons in the segment; AR: The proportion of At Risk persons in the segment; P: The Persuability of the target audience; A: The Accessibility of the target audience; R: Resources required to meet the needs of the target audience; and E: Equity, social justice considerations. The assessment can be applied qualitatively or can be applied such that scores can be assigned to each segment. Two examples are presented. TARPARE is a useful and flexible model for understanding the various segments in a population of interest and for assessing the potential viability of interventions directed at each segment. The model is particularly useful when there is a need to prioritise segments in terms of available budgets. The model provides a disciplined approach to target selection and forces consideration of what weights should be applied to the different criteria, and how these might vary for different issues or for different objectives. TARPARE also assesses segments in terms of an overall likelihood of optimal impact for each segment. Targeting high scoring segments is likely to lead to greater program success than targeting low scoring segments.

Translating Genetic Research into Preventive Intervention: The Baseline Target Moderated Mediator Design.

PubMed

Howe, George W; Beach, Steven R H; Brody, Gene H; Wyman, Peter A

2015-01-01

In this paper we present and discuss a novel research approach, the baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) design, that holds substantial promise for advancing our understanding of how genetic research can inform prevention research. We first discuss how genetically informed research on developmental psychopathology can be used to identify potential intervention targets. We then describe the BTMM design, which employs moderated mediation within a longitudinal study to test whether baseline levels of intervention targets moderate the impact of the intervention on change in that target, and whether change in those targets mediates causal impact of preventive or treatment interventions on distal health outcomes. We next discuss how genetically informed BTMM designs can be applied to both microtrials and full-scale prevention trials. We use simulated data to illustrate a BTMM, and end with a discussion of some of the advantages and limitations of this approach.

Translating Genetic Research into Preventive Intervention: The Baseline Target Moderated Mediator Design

PubMed Central

Howe, George W.; Beach, Steven R. H.; Brody, Gene H.; Wyman, Peter A.

2016-01-01

In this paper we present and discuss a novel research approach, the baseline target moderated mediation (BTMM) design, that holds substantial promise for advancing our understanding of how genetic research can inform prevention research. We first discuss how genetically informed research on developmental psychopathology can be used to identify potential intervention targets. We then describe the BTMM design, which employs moderated mediation within a longitudinal study to test whether baseline levels of intervention targets moderate the impact of the intervention on change in that target, and whether change in those targets mediates causal impact of preventive or treatment interventions on distal health outcomes. We next discuss how genetically informed BTMM designs can be applied to both microtrials and full-scale prevention trials. We use simulated data to illustrate a BTMM, and end with a discussion of some of the advantages and limitations of this approach. PMID:26779062

A systematic review of suicide prevention interventions targeting indigenous peoples in Australia, United States, Canada and New Zealand

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Indigenous peoples of Australia, Canada, United States and New Zealand experience disproportionately high rates of suicide. As such, the methodological quality of evaluations of suicide prevention interventions targeting these Indigenous populations should be rigorously examined, in order to determine the extent to which they are effective for reducing rates of Indigenous suicide and suicidal behaviours. This systematic review aims to: 1) identify published evaluations of suicide prevention interventions targeting Indigenous peoples in Australia, Canada, United States and New Zealand; 2) critique their methodological quality; and 3) describe their main characteristics. Methods A systematic search of 17 electronic databases and 13 websites for the period 1981–2012 (inclusive) was undertaken. The reference lists of reviews of suicide prevention interventions were hand-searched for additional relevant studies not identified by the electronic and web search. The methodological quality of evaluations of suicide prevention interventions was assessed using a standardised assessment tool. Results Nine evaluations of suicide prevention interventions were identified: five targeting Native Americans; three targeting Aboriginal Australians; and one First Nation Canadians. The main intervention strategies employed included: Community Prevention, Gatekeeper Training, and Education. Only three of the nine evaluations measured changes in rates of suicide or suicidal behaviour, all of which reported significant improvements. The methodological quality of evaluations was variable. Particular problems included weak study designs, reliance on self-report measures, highly variable consent and follow-up rates, and the absence of economic or cost analyses. Conclusions There is an urgent need for an increase in the number of evaluations of preventive interventions targeting reductions in Indigenous suicide using methodologically rigorous study designs across geographically

A systematic review of suicide prevention interventions targeting indigenous peoples in Australia, United States, Canada and New Zealand.

PubMed

Clifford, Anton C; Doran, Christopher M; Tsey, Komla

2013-05-13

Indigenous peoples of Australia, Canada, United States and New Zealand experience disproportionately high rates of suicide. As such, the methodological quality of evaluations of suicide prevention interventions targeting these Indigenous populations should be rigorously examined, in order to determine the extent to which they are effective for reducing rates of Indigenous suicide and suicidal behaviours. This systematic review aims to: 1) identify published evaluations of suicide prevention interventions targeting Indigenous peoples in Australia, Canada, United States and New Zealand; 2) critique their methodological quality; and 3) describe their main characteristics. A systematic search of 17 electronic databases and 13 websites for the period 1981-2012 (inclusive) was undertaken. The reference lists of reviews of suicide prevention interventions were hand-searched for additional relevant studies not identified by the electronic and web search. The methodological quality of evaluations of suicide prevention interventions was assessed using a standardised assessment tool. Nine evaluations of suicide prevention interventions were identified: five targeting Native Americans; three targeting Aboriginal Australians; and one First Nation Canadians. The main intervention strategies employed included: Community Prevention, Gatekeeper Training, and Education. Only three of the nine evaluations measured changes in rates of suicide or suicidal behaviour, all of which reported significant improvements. The methodological quality of evaluations was variable. Particular problems included weak study designs, reliance on self-report measures, highly variable consent and follow-up rates, and the absence of economic or cost analyses. There is an urgent need for an increase in the number of evaluations of preventive interventions targeting reductions in Indigenous suicide using methodologically rigorous study designs across geographically and culturally diverse Indigenous

Tuning in to Kids: an effectiveness trial of a parenting program targeting emotion socialization of preschoolers.

PubMed

Wilson, Katherine R; Havighurst, Sophie S; Harley, Ann E

2012-02-01

This article reports on an effectiveness trial of the Tuning in to Kids (TIK) parenting program. TIK aims to improve emotion socialization practices in parents of preschool children; it is a universal prevention program that teaches parents the skills of emotion coaching and also targets parents' own emotion awareness and regulation. The present study followed a 2 × 2 (Treatment Condition × Time) design. One hundred twenty-eight parents of children ages 4.0-5.11 years were recruited from preschools and randomized into intervention and waitlist conditions. Parents in the intervention condition (n = 62) attended a six-session group parenting program delivered by community practitioners who followed intervention fidelity protocols. Parents and preschool teachers completed questionnaires twice during the preschool year: at preintervention and at follow-up (approximately 7 months later). Parents reported on their emotion socialization beliefs and practices, other parenting practices, and on child behavior. Teachers reported on child behavior (Social Competence and Anger-Aggression). Data were analyzed using multilevel modeling. At follow-up, compared to the control group, intervention parents were significantly less emotionally dismissive in their beliefs, less dismissive and more coaching in their practices in response to children's negative emotions, and more positively involved. Although there were improvements in both conditions over time for parent-reported child behavior and teacher-reported social competence, compared to the waitlist group, intervention parents reported a significantly greater reduction in number of behavior problems. This trial demonstrates the potential for community agencies and practitioners in real-world settings to deliver a new parenting program that targets emotional communication in parent-child relationships.

Policies and Programs to Facilitate Access to Targeted Cancer Therapies in Thailand

PubMed Central

Sruamsiri, Rosarin; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Lu, Christine Y.; Chaiyakunapruk, Nathorn; Wagner, Anita K.

2015-01-01

Background Increasing access to clinically beneficial targeted cancer medicines is a challenge in every country due to their high cost. We describe the interplay of innovative policies and programs involving multiple stakeholders to facilitate access to these medicines in Thailand, as well as the utilization of selected targeted therapies over time. Methods We selected two medicines on the 2013 Thai national list of essential medicines (NLEM) [letrozole and imatinib] and three unlisted medicines for the same indications [trastuzumab, nilotinib and dasatinib]. We created timelines of access policies and programs for these products based on scientific and grey literature. Using IMS Health sales data, we described the trajectories of sales volumes of the study medicines between January 2001 and December 2012. We compared estimated average numbers of patients treated before and after the implementation of policies and programs for each product. Results Different stakeholders implemented multiple interventions to increase access to the study medicines for different patient populations. During 2007–2009, the Thai Government created a special NLEM category with different coverage requirements for payers and issued compulsory licenses; payers negotiated prices with manufacturers and engaged in pooled procurement; pharmaceutical companies expanded patient assistance programs and lowered prices in different ways. Compared to before the interventions, estimated numbers of patients treated with each medicine increased significantly afterwards: for letrozole from 645 (95% CI 366–923) to 3683 (95% CI 2,748–4,618); for imatinib from 103 (95% CI 72–174) to 350 (95% CI 307–398); and for trastuzumab from 68 (95% CI 45–118) to 412 (95% CI 344–563). Conclusions Government, payers, and manufacturers implemented multi-pronged approaches to facilitate access to targeted cancer therapies for the Thai population, which differed by medicine. Routine monitoring is needed to

STEM Intervention Programs: Funding Practices and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rincon, Blanca E.; George-Jackson, Casey E.

2016-01-01

This study examines the funding practices and challenges of diversity initiatives found in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Interviews with 55 intervention program administrators, representing 48 unique STEM intervention programs, were conducted at nine large research-intensive universities. The interviews,…

34 CFR 303.11 - Early intervention service program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Early intervention service program. 303.11 Section 303... EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 303.11 Early intervention service...

34 CFR 303.11 - Early intervention service program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Early intervention service program. 303.11 Section 303... EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 303.11 Early intervention service...

34 CFR 303.11 - Early intervention service program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Early intervention service program. 303.11 Section 303... EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Definitions Used in This Part § 303.11 Early intervention service...

Antimicrobial stewardship programs: interventions and associated outcomes.

PubMed

Patel, Dimple; Lawson, Wendy; Guglielmo, B Joseph

2008-04-01

Guidelines regarding antimicrobial stewardship programs recommend an infectious diseases-trained physician and an infectious diseases-trained pharmacist as core members. Inclusion of clinical microbiologists, infection-control practitioners, information systems experts and hospital epidemiologists is considered optimal. Recommended stewardship interventions include prospective audit and intervention, formulary restriction, education, guideline development, clinical pathway development, antimicrobial order forms and the de-escalation of therapy. The primary outcome associated with these interventions has been the associated cost savings; however, few published investigations have taken into account the overall cost of the intervention. Over the past 5 years, there has been an increased focus upon interventions intended to decrease bacterial resistance or reduce superinfection, including infections associated with Clostridium difficile colitis. Few programs have been associated with a reduction in antimicrobial drug adverse events. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are becoming increasingly associated with clear benefits and will be integral in the in-patient healthcare setting.

An ARC-Informed Family Centered Care Intervention for Children’s Community Based Mental Health Programs

PubMed Central

Madenwald, Kappy; Hoagwood, Kimberly E.

2017-01-01

The experience of parents in helping their children access and use mental health services is linked to service outcomes. Parent peer support service, based on the principles of family-centered care, is one model to improve parent experience and engagement in services. Yet, little is known about how best to integrate this service into the existing array of mental health services. Integration is challenged by philosophical differences between family-centered services and traditional children’s treatment services, and is influenced by the organizational social contexts in which these services are embedded. We describe an organizational and frontline team intervention that draws on research in behavior change, technology transfer, and organizational social context for youth with serious emotional disturbance. The two-pronged intervention, called FAMILY (FCC and ARC Model to Improve the Lives of Youth) is guided by the evidence-based Availability, Responsiveness, and Continuity (ARC) organizational intervention, targeted primarily at program and upper management leadership and includes a family-centered care (FCC) intervention, targeted at frontline providers. The approach employs multilevel implementation strategies to promote the uptake, implementation and sustainability of new practices. We include examples of exercises and tools, and highlight implementation challenges and lessons learned in facilitating program and staff level changes in family-centered service delivery. PMID:28781510

Translation of an Effective Tai Chi Intervention Into a Community-Based Falls-Prevention Program

PubMed Central

Li, Fuzhong; Harmer, Peter; Glasgow, Russell; Mack, Karin A.; Sleet, David; Fisher, K. John; Kohn, Melvin A.; Millet, Lisa M.; Mead, Jennifer; Xu, Junheng; Lin, Mei-Li; Yang, Tingzhong; Sutton, Beth; Tompkins, Yvaughn

2008-01-01

Tai Chi—Moving for Better Balance, a falls-prevention program developed from a randomized controlled trial for community-based use, was evaluated with the RE-AIM framework in 6 community centers. The program had a 100% adoption rate and 87% reach into the target older adult population. All centers implemented the intervention with good fidelity, and participants showed significant improvements in health-related outcome measures. This evidence-based tai chi program is practical to disseminate and can be effectively implemented and maintained in community settings. PMID:18511723

Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of an Intervention Targeting Schema Development for Caregivers of Newly Admitted Hospice Patients

PubMed Central

Mazurek Melnyk, Bernadette

2013-01-01

Abstract Background The transition to hospice care is a stressful experience for caregivers, who report high anxiety, unpreparedness, and lack of confidence. These sequelae are likely explained by the lack of an accurate cognitive schema, not knowing what to expect or how to help their loved one. Few interventions exist for this population and most do not measure preparedness, confidence, and anxiety using a schema building a conceptual framework for a new experience. Objective The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and preliminary effects of an intervention program, Education and Skill building Intervention for Caregivers of Hospice patients (ESI-CH), using an innovative conceptual design that targets cognitive schema development and basic skill building for caregivers of loved ones newly admitted to hospice services. Design A pre-experimental one-group pre- and post-test study design was used. Eighteen caregivers caring for loved ones in their homes were recruited and twelve completed the pilot study. Depression, anxiety, activity restriction, preparedness, and beliefs/confidence were measured. Results Caregivers reported increased preparedness, more helpful beliefs, and more confidence about their ability to care for their loved one. Preliminary trends suggested decreased anxiety levels for the intervention group. Caregivers who completed the intervention program rated the program very good or excellent, thought the information was helpful and timely, and would recommend it to friends. Conclusions Results show promise that the ESI-CH program may assist as an evidence-based program to support caregivers in their role as a caregiver to a newly admitted hospice patient. PMID:23384244

Does a Booster Intervention Augment the Preventive Effects of an Abbreviated Version of the Coping Power Program for Aggressive Children?

PubMed Central

Lochman, John E.; Baden, Rachel E.; Boxmeyer, Caroline L.; Powell, Nicole P.; Qu, Lixin; Salekin, Karen L.; Windle, Michel

2013-01-01

Booster interventions have been presumed to be important methods for maintaining the effects of evidence-based programs for children with behavioral problems, but there has been remarkably little empirical attention to this assumption. The present study examines the effect of a child-oriented booster preventive intervention with children who had previously received an abbreviated version (24 child sessions, 10 parent sessions) of the Coping Power targeted prevention program. Two hundred and forty-one children (152 boys, 89 girls) were screened as having moderate to high levels of aggressive behavior in 4th grade, then half were randomly assigned to receive the abbreviated Coping Power program in 5th grade, and half of the preventive intervention children were then randomly assigned to a Booster condition in 6th grade. The Booster sessions consisted of brief monthly individual contacts, and were primarily with the children. Five assessments across four years were collected from teachers, providing a three-year follow-up for all children who participated in the project. Results indicated that the abbreviated Coping Power program (one-third shorter than the full intervention) had long-term effects in reducing children’s externalizing problem behaviors, proactive and reactive aggression, impulsivity traits and callous-unemotional traits. The Booster intervention did not augment these prevention effects. These findings indicate that a briefer and more readily disseminated form of an evidence-based targeted preventive intervention was effective. The findings have potential implications for policy and guidelines about possible intervention length and booster interventions. PMID:23417235

Network Interventions on Physical Activity in an Afterschool Program: An Agent-Based Social Network Study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jun; Shoham, David A.; Tesdahl, Eric

2015-01-01

Objectives. We studied simulated interventions that leveraged social networks to increase physical activity in children. Methods. We studied a real-world social network of 81 children (average age = 7.96 years) who lived in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods, and attended public schools and 1 of 2 structured afterschool programs. The sample was ethnically diverse, and 44% were overweight or obese. We used social network analysis and agent-based modeling simulations to test whether implementing a network intervention would increase children’s physical activity. We tested 3 intervention strategies. Results. The intervention that targeted opinion leaders was effective in increasing the average level of physical activity across the entire network. However, the intervention that targeted the most sedentary children was the best at increasing their physical activity levels. Conclusions. Which network intervention to implement depends on whether the goal is to shift the entire distribution of physical activity or to influence those most adversely affected by low physical activity. Agent-based modeling could be an important complement to traditional project planning tools, analogous to sample size and power analyses, to help researchers design more effective interventions for increasing children’s physical activity. PMID:25689202

Spatial targeting of interventions against malaria.

PubMed Central

Carter, R.; Mendis, K. N.; Roberts, D.

2000-01-01

Malaria transmission is strongly associated with location. This association has two main features. First, the disease is focused around specific mosquito breeding sites and can normally be transmitted only within certain distances from them: in Africa these are typically between a few hundred metres and a kilometre and rarely exceed 2-3 kilometres. Second, there is a marked clustering of persons with malaria parasites and clinical symptoms at particular sites, usually households. In localities of low endemicity the level of malaria risk or case incidence may vary widely between households because the specific characteristics of houses and their locations affect contact between humans and vectors. Where endemicity is high, differences in human/vector contact rates between different households may have less effect on malaria case incidences. This is because superinfection and exposure-acquired immunity blur the proportional relationship between inoculation rates and case incidences. Accurate information on the distribution of malaria on the ground permits interventions to be targeted towards the foci of transmission and the locations and households of high malaria risk within them. Such targeting greatly increases the effectiveness of control measures. On the other hand, the inadvertent exclusion of these locations causes potentially effective control measures to fail. The computerized mapping and management of location data in geographical information systems should greatly assist the targeting of interventions against malaria at the focal and household levels, leading to improved effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of control. PMID:11196487

Spatial targeting of interventions against malaria.

PubMed

Carter, R; Mendis, K N; Roberts, D

2000-01-01

Malaria transmission is strongly associated with location. This association has two main features. First, the disease is focused around specific mosquito breeding sites and can normally be transmitted only within certain distances from them: in Africa these are typically between a few hundred metres and a kilometre and rarely exceed 2-3 kilometres. Second, there is a marked clustering of persons with malaria parasites and clinical symptoms at particular sites, usually households. In localities of low endemicity the level of malaria risk or case incidence may vary widely between households because the specific characteristics of houses and their locations affect contact between humans and vectors. Where endemicity is high, differences in human/vector contact rates between different households may have less effect on malaria case incidences. This is because superinfection and exposure-acquired immunity blur the proportional relationship between inoculation rates and case incidences. Accurate information on the distribution of malaria on the ground permits interventions to be targeted towards the foci of transmission and the locations and households of high malaria risk within them. Such targeting greatly increases the effectiveness of control measures. On the other hand, the inadvertent exclusion of these locations causes potentially effective control measures to fail. The computerized mapping and management of location data in geographical information systems should greatly assist the targeting of interventions against malaria at the focal and household levels, leading to improved effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of control.

Early life programming as a target for prevention of child and adolescent mental disorders

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

This paper concerns future policy development and programs of research for the prevention of mental disorders based on research emerging from fetal and early life programming. The current review offers an overview of findings on pregnancy exposures such as maternal mental health, lifestyle factors, and potential teratogenic and neurotoxic exposures on child outcomes. Outcomes of interest are common child and adolescent mental disorders including hyperactive, behavioral and emotional disorders. This literature suggests that the preconception and perinatal periods offer important opportunities for the prevention of deleterious fetal exposures. As such, the perinatal period is a critical period where future mental health prevention efforts should be focused and prevention models developed. Interventions grounded in evidence-based recommendations for the perinatal period could take the form of public health, universal and more targeted interventions. If successful, such interventions are likely to have lifelong effects on (mental) health. PMID:24559477

Cost effectiveness of targeted HIV prevention interventions for female sex workers in India.

PubMed

Prinja, Shankar; Bahuguna, Pankaj; Rudra, Shalini; Gupta, Indrani; Kaur, Manmeet; Mehendale, S M; Chatterjee, Susmita; Panda, Samiran; Kumar, Rajesh

2011-06-01

To ascertain the cost effectiveness of targeted interventions for female sex workers (FSW) under the National AIDS Control Programme in India. A compartmental mathematical Markov state model was used over a 20-year time horizon (1995-2015) to estimate the cost effectiveness of FSW targeted interventions, with a health system perspective. The incremental costs and effects of FSW targeted interventions were compared against a baseline scenario of mass media for the general population alone. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was computed at a 3% discount rate using HIV infections averted and disability-adjusted life-years (DALY) as benefit measures. It was assumed that the transmission of the HIV virus moves from a high-risk group (FSW) to the client population and finally to the general population (partners of clients). Targeted interventions for FSW result in a reduction of 47% (1.6 million) prevalent and 36% (2.7 million) cumulative HIV cases, respectively, in 2015. Adult HIV prevalence in India, with and without (mass media only) FSW interventions, would be 0.25% and 0.48% in 2015. Indian government and development partners spend an average US $104 (INR4680) per HIV infection averted and US $10.7 (INR483) per DALY averted. Discounting at 3%, FSW targeted interventions cost US $105.5 (INR4748) and US $10.9 (INR490) per HIV case and DALY averted, respectively. At the current gross domestic product in India, targeted intervention is a cost-effective strategy for HIV prevention in India.

Intervention mapping protocol for developing a theory-based diabetes self-management education program.

PubMed

Song, Misoon; Choi, Suyoung; Kim, Se-An; Seo, Kyoungsan; Lee, Soo Jin

2015-01-01

Development of behavior theory-based health promotion programs is encouraged with the paradigm shift from contents to behavior outcomes. This article describes the development process of the diabetes self-management program for older Koreans (DSME-OK) using intervention mapping (IM) protocol. The IM protocol includes needs assessment, defining goals and objectives, identifying theory and determinants, developing a matrix to form change objectives, selecting strategies and methods, structuring the program, and planning for evaluation and pilot testing. The DSME-OK adopted seven behavior objectives developed by the American Association of Diabetes Educators as behavioral outcomes. The program applied an information-motivation-behavioral skills model, and interventions were targeted to 3 determinants to change health behaviors. Specific methods were selected to achieve each objective guided by IM protocol. As the final step, program evaluation was planned including a pilot test. The DSME-OK was structured as the 3 determinants of the IMB model were intervened to achieve behavior objectives in each session. The program has 12 weekly 90-min sessions tailored for older adults. Using the IM protocol in developing a theory-based self-management program was beneficial in terms of providing a systematic guide to developing theory-based and behavior outcome-focused health education programs.

The Effectiveness of a Technologically Facilitated Classroom-Based Early Reading Intervention: The Targeted Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amendum, Steven J.; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Ginsberg, Marnie C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a classroom-teacher-delivered reading intervention for struggling readers called the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI), designed particularly for kindergarten and first-grade teachers and their struggling students in rural, low-wealth communities. The TRI was delivered via an innovative…

An AIDS risk reduction program for Dutch drug users: an intervention mapping approach to planning.

PubMed

van Empelen, Pepijn; Kok, Gerjo; Schaalma, Herman P; Bartholomew, L Kay

2003-10-01

This article presents the development of a theory- and evidence-based AIDS prevention program targeting Dutch drug users and aimed at promoting condom use. The emphasis is on the development of the program using a five-step intervention development protocol called intervention mapping (IM). Preceding Step 1 of the IM process, an assessment of the HIV problem among drug users was conducted. The product of IM Step 1 was a series of program objectives specifying what drug users should learn in order to use condoms consistently. In Step 2, theoretical methods for influencing the most important determinants were chosen and translated into practical strategies that fit the program objectives. The main strategy chosen was behavioral journalism. In Step 3, leaflets with role-model stories based on authentic interviews with drug users were developed and pilot tested. Finally, the need for cooperation with program users is discussed in IM Steps 4 and 5.

Lifestyle interventions targeting body weight changes during the menopause transition: a systematic review.

PubMed

Jull, Janet; Stacey, Dawn; Beach, Sarah; Dumas, Alex; Strychar, Irene; Ufholz, Lee-Anne; Prince, Stephanie; Abdulnour, Joseph; Prud'homme, Denis

2014-01-01

To determine the effectiveness of exercise and/or nutrition interventions and to address body weight changes during the menopause transition. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using electronic databases, grey literature, and hand searching. Two independent researchers screened for studies using experimental designs to evaluate the impact of exercise and/or nutrition interventions on body weight and/or central weight gain performed during the menopausal transition. Studies were quality appraised using Cochrane risk of bias. Included studies were analyzed descriptively. Of 3,564 unique citations screened, 3 studies were eligible (2 randomized controlled trials, and 1 pre/post study). Study quality ranged from low to high risk of bias. One randomized controlled trial with lower risk of bias concluded that participation in an exercise program combined with dietary interventions might mitigate body adiposity increases, which is normally observed during the menopause transition. The other two studies with higher risk of bias suggested that exercise might attenuate weight loss or weight gain and change abdominal adiposity patterns. High quality studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions targeting body weight changes in women during their menopause transition are needed. Evidence from one higher quality study indicates an effective multifaceted intervention for women to minimize changes in body adiposity.

Lifestyle Interventions Targeting Body Weight Changes during the Menopause Transition: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Jull, Janet; Stacey, Dawn; Beach, Sarah; Dumas, Alex; Strychar, Irene; Ufholz, Lee-Anne; Prince, Stephanie; Abdulnour, Joseph; Prud'homme, Denis

2014-01-01

Objective. To determine the effectiveness of exercise and/or nutrition interventions and to address body weight changes during the menopause transition. Methods. A systematic review of the literature was conducted using electronic databases, grey literature, and hand searching. Two independent researchers screened for studies using experimental designs to evaluate the impact of exercise and/or nutrition interventions on body weight and/or central weight gain performed during the menopausal transition. Studies were quality appraised using Cochrane risk of bias. Included studies were analyzed descriptively. Results. Of 3,564 unique citations screened, 3 studies were eligible (2 randomized controlled trials, and 1 pre/post study). Study quality ranged from low to high risk of bias. One randomized controlled trial with lower risk of bias concluded that participation in an exercise program combined with dietary interventions might mitigate body adiposity increases, which is normally observed during the menopause transition. The other two studies with higher risk of bias suggested that exercise might attenuate weight loss or weight gain and change abdominal adiposity patterns. Conclusions. High quality studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions targeting body weight changes in women during their menopause transition are needed. Evidence from one higher quality study indicates an effective multifaceted intervention for women to minimize changes in body adiposity. PMID:24971172

Middle School Teachers' Perceptions of Computer-Assisted Reading Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bippert, Kelli; Harmon, Janis

2017-01-01

Middle schools often turn to computer-assisted reading intervention programs to improve student reading. The questions guiding this study are (a) in what ways are computer-assisted reading intervention programs utilized, and (b) what are teachers' perceptions about these intervention programs? Nineteen secondary reading teachers were interviewed…

Randomized Pilot of an Anxiety Sensitivity-Based Intervention for Individuals in a Substance Use Day Program.

PubMed

Worden, Blaise L; Genova, Marla; Tolin, David F

2017-01-01

Anxiety sensitivity (AS), or the tendency to appraise physical symptoms as intolerable or dangerous, may maintain the cycle between co-occurring anxiety and substance use disorders. This study examined preliminary efficacy of a brief intervention targeting AS for individuals with heterogeneous substance use disorders. Forty-one patients with high AS entering an addictions day program were randomized to treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU plus a nine-hour AS-focused intervention that consisted of interoceptive exposures, psychoeducation about the cycle of problematic substance use and anxiety, and a single session of cognitive challenging (e.g., reviewing common cognitive distortions and decatastrophizing anxiety symptoms). Mixed-effects intent-to-treat models suggested that participants in the AS condition showed greater decreases in AS at post-treatment, but this effect was lost at follow-up three months later. Intervention conditions did not differ in change in percent days abstinent or self-reported anxiety, with both conditions showing significant improvement at post-treatment. Results suggest that the nine-hour AS-focused intervention led to a short-term benefit over TAU alone, but this benefit was not sustained at three months' follow-up. Future AS interventions may need to target specific subconstructs of AS for selected populations, or target emotional distress tolerance more broadly.

Live Webcam Coaching to Help Early Elementary Classroom Teachers Provide Effective Literacy Instruction for Struggling Readers: The Targeted Reading Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Kainz, Kirsten; Hedrick, Amy; Ginsberg, Marnie; Amendum, Steve

2013-01-01

This study evaluated whether the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI), a classroom teacher professional development program delivered through webcam technology literacy coaching, could provide rural classroom teachers with the instructional skills to help struggling readers progress rapidly in early reading. Fifteen rural schools were randomly…

Using intervention mapping to develop a breast and cervical cancer screening program for Hispanic farmworkers: Cultivando La Salud.

PubMed

Fernández, Maria E; Gonzales, Alicia; Tortolero-Luna, Guillermo; Partida, Sylvia; Bartholomew, L Kay

2005-10-01

This article describes the development of the Cultivando La Salud program, an intervention to increase breast and cervical cancer screening for Hispanic farmworker women. Processes and findings of intervention mapping (IM), a planning process for development of theory and evidence-informed program are discussed. The six IM steps are presented: needs assessment, preparation of planning matrices, election of theoretic methods and practical strategies, program design, implementation planning, and evaluation. The article also describes how qualitative and quantitative findings informed intervention development. IM helped ensure that theory and evidence guided (a) the identification of behavioral and environmental factors related to a target health problem and (b) the selection of the most appropriate methods and strategies to address the identified determinants. IM also guided the development of program materials and implementation by lay health workers. Also reported are findings of the pilot study and effectiveness trial.

Evaluating the Impact of Six Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Interventions on Children's At-Home Diets

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Pamela A.; Cates, Sheryl C.; Blitstein, Jonathan L.; Hersey, James C.; Kosa, Katherine M.; Long, Valerie A.; Singh, Anita; Berman, Danielle

2015-01-01

Background: Nutrition education in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is designed to promote healthy eating behaviors in a low-income target population. Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of six SNAP-Ed interventions delivered in child care centers or elementary school settings in increasing participating…

Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Assault: A Training Program for Racial Minority Service Providers. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Specktor, Peggy; Stafford, Rick, Ed.

The Minnesota Program for Victims of Sexual Assault conducted a 9-month training program for racial minority human service professionals from September 1983 through May 1984. The objectives of the project were to improve the identification, intervention, and treatment of sexual assault victims and their families. The project targeted Blacks,…

Parenting programs during adolescence: Outcomes from universal and targeted interventions offered in real-world settings.

PubMed

Alfredsson, Elin K; Thorvaldsson, Valgeir; Axberg, Ulf; Broberg, Anders G

2018-04-26

The aim of this naturalistic study was to explore short and long-term outcomes of five different group-based parenting programs offered to parents of 10 to 17-year-olds. Three hundred and fifteen parents (277 mothers and 38 fathers) who had enrolled in a parenting program (universal: Active Parenting, COPE; Connect; targeted: COMET; Leadership training for parents of teenagers [LFT]) answered questionnaires at three measurement waves (baseline, post-measurement, and one-year follow-up). The questions concerned parenting style, parental mental health, family climate and adolescent mental health. Results revealed small to moderate changes in almost all outcome variables and in all parenting programs. Overall, parents in COMET reported the largest short and long-term changes. No substantial differences in change were seen between the other programs. The results support the general effectiveness of parenting programs for parents of adolescents. © 2018 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Helpers program: A pilot test of brief tobacco intervention training in three corporations.

PubMed

Muramoto, Myra L; Wassum, Ken; Connolly, Tim; Matthews, Eva; Floden, Lysbeth

2010-03-01

Quitlines and worksite-sponsored cessation programs are effective and highly accessible, but limited by low utilization. Efforts to encourage use of cessation aids have focused almost exclusively on the smoker, overlooking the potential for friends, family, co-workers, and others in a tobacco user's social network to influence quitting and use of effective treatment. Longitudinal, observational pilot feasibility study with 6-week follow-up survey. Employees of three national corporations, with a combined target audience of 102,100 employees. The Helpers Program offers web-based, brief intervention training to activate social networks of tobacco users to encourage quitting and use of effective treatment. Helpers was offered from January 10 to March 31, 2008, as a treatment engagement strategy, together with Free & Clear's telephone/web-based cessation services. Website utilization, training completion, post-training changes in knowledge and self-efficacy with delivery of brief interventions, referrals to Free & Clear, and use of brief intervention training. There were 19,109 unique visitors to the Helpers website. Of these, 4727 created user accounts; 1427 registered for Helpers Training; 766 completed training. There were 445 visits to the referral page and 201 e-mail or letter referrals generated. There were 67 requests for technical support. Of follow-up survey respondents (n=289), 78.9% reported offering a brief intervention. Offering the Helpers Program website to a large, diverse audience as part of an employer-sponsored worksite health promotion program is both feasible and well accepted by employees. Website users will participate in training, encourage quitting, and refer smokers to quitline services. 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Voyager Reading Programs. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

2010-01-01

"Voyager Passport"[TM] is a supplemental reading intervention system for students in grades K-5. "Voyager Passport Reading Journeys"[TM] is a reading intervention program designed for adolescents who struggle with reading. The "Voyager Universal Literacy System"[R] is a K-3 reading program that includes a core reading…

Readability of Early Intervention Program Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizur-Barnekow, Kris; Patrick, Timothy; Rhyner, Paula M.; Cashin, Susan; Rentmeester, Angela

2011-01-01

Accessibility of early intervention program literature was examined through readability analysis of documents given to families who have a child served by the Birth to 3 program. Nine agencies that serve families in Birth to 3 programs located in a county in the Midwest provided the (n = 94) documents. Documents were included in the analysis if…

Effect of a Targeted Early Literacy Intervention for English Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arellano, Elizabeth Michelle

2013-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of a targeted early literacy intervention among Spanish-speaking kindergarten English Learners (ELs). Using a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework, participants were screened in English to ensure a need for additional literacy support. Selected students were then screened in Spanish, and students with…

An Iceberg Model for Improving Mathematical Understanding and Mindset or Disposition: An Individualized Summer Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westensko, Arla; Moyer-Packenham, Patricia S.; Child, Barbara

2017-01-01

This study describes 3 years of mathematics intervention research examining the effectiveness of a summer individualized tutoring program for rising fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students with low mathematics achievement. Based on an iceberg model of learning, an instructional framework was developed that identified and targeted students'…

Molecular Targeted Intervention for Pancreatic Cancer

PubMed Central

Mohammed, Altaf; Janakiram, Naveena B.; Pant, Shubham; Rao, Chinthalapally V.

2015-01-01

Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the worst cancers, with almost uniform lethality. PC risk is associated with westernized diet, tobacco, alcohol, obesity, chronic pancreatitis, and family history of pancreatic cancer. New targeted agents and the use of various therapeutic combinations have yet to provide adequate treatments for patients with advanced cancer. To design better preventive and/or treatment strategies against PC, knowledge of PC pathogenesis at the molecular level is vital. With the advent of genetically modified animals, significant advances have been made in understanding the molecular biology and pathogenesis of PC. Currently, several clinical trials and preclinical evaluations are underway to investigate novel agents that target signaling defects in PC. An important consideration in evaluating novel drugs is determining whether an agent can reach the target in concentrations effective to treat the disease. Recently, we have reported evidence for chemoprevention of PC. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of current updates on molecularly targeted interventions, as well as dietary, phytochemical, immunoregulatory, and microenvironment-based approaches for the development of novel therapeutic and preventive regimens. Special attention is given to prevention and treatment in preclinical genetically engineered mouse studies and human clinical studies. PMID:26266422

Be Positive Be Healthe: Development and Implementation of a Targeted e-Health Weight Loss Program for Young Women.

PubMed

Hutchesson, Melinda J; Morgan, Philip J; Callister, Robin; Pranata, Ilung; Skinner, Geoff; Collins, Clare E

2016-06-01

Greater numbers of women are entering young adulthood overweight, but traditional weight loss programs do not appeal to them. This article describes the development and evaluation of an e-health weight loss intervention for young women (18-30 years of age). Young women's preferences for a targeted weight loss program were investigated via a cross-sectional online survey. A 3-month targeted weight loss program for young women was developed based on the formative research. A single-arm pre-post study was conducted to evaluate the acceptability of the intervention (process evaluation survey and objective usage data) and to estimate the treatments' effects on weight-related outcomes from baseline to 3 months. Online survey respondents (n = 274) indicated preferences for various technologies (Web site, online quizzes with e-mail feedback and goal setting, an online discussion forum, smartphone application, e-mail newsletters, and text messages). Eighteen (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age, 22.8 ± 3.2 years; body mass index, 27.3 ± 1.6 kg/m(2)) women entered the pre-post study. Mean satisfaction was 3.4 ± 1.0 (maximum of 5), and 66.7% of participants completed the study. Significant reductions in mean ± SD weight (-1.5 ± 2.4 kg; p = 0.02) and waist circumference (-0.7 ± 1.4 cm; p = 0.04) were observed. Due to lower than anticipated participant satisfaction, modifications to the program content and modes of delivery are required to ensure a higher proportion of young women complete and actively engage with the program. The positive effects of treatment on weight-related outcomes supports further refinement and evaluation of targeted, e-health weight loss interventions for young women.

A theory-based dual-focus alcohol intervention for preadolescents: the Strong African American Families Program.

PubMed

Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X; Brody, Gene H; Murry, Velma McBride; Cleveland, Michael J; Wills, Thomas A

2006-06-01

This study examined mediators of the Strong African American Families Program, a randomized, dual-focus prevention trial intended to delay the onset of alcohol use and reduce alcohol consumption among rural African American youths. More specifically, it demonstrated that changes in consumption 2 yrs after the intervention were mediated through 2 different paths, a social reaction path and a reasoned/intention path. The social reaction path provided evidence that relative to the control condition, the intervention decreased children's willingness to drink by making their images of drinkers less favorable. The reasoned/intention path provided evidence that the intervention influenced the children's intentions to drink by increasing targeted parenting behaviors related to alcohol. Furthermore, the data demonstrate that these changes in willingness and intentions were independently associated with alcohol consumption at the follow-up, and they suggest that a dual-process model approach that targets both intentions and willingness can be more successful than either approach alone.

Adolescent women as a key target population for community nutrition education programs in Indonesia.

PubMed

Savage, Amy; Februhartanty, Judhiastuty; Worsley, Anthony

2017-05-01

Adolescence is a critical life-stage that sets the foundation for health in adulthood. Adolescent women are a unique population and should be targeted as such for nutrition promotion activities. Using Indonesia as a case study, this qualitative study aimed to identify existing nutrition promotion programs aimed at adolescent girls, how best to target this population and effective recommendations to inform nutrition education program design for this important group. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted with ten key informants working in public health in Indonesia. Interview transcripts were analysed and coded to identify key themes. No existing nutrition education programs targeting adolescent women in Indonesia were identified. Several strategies apply to nutrition programs for adolescent girls: 1) nutrition promotion messages that are relevant to the lifestyles and interests of adolescent women; 2) technology-based interventions show promise, however, they need to be appropriately targeted to sub-groups; 3) school remains an important setting; and 4) early marriage is an important issue affecting nutritional status and engagement of adolescent girls. The informants recommended that: 1) more research is needed about the underlying motivations for behaviour change among adolescent women and ways to effectively implement the identified engagement strategies; 2) adolescent girls should be included in program design to improve its suitability and uptake; and 3) government budget and policy support is crucial to success. Adolescent women are an important population group and more research is required to identify the optimal forms of engagement to improve nutrition programs for them.

Dating Violence Prevention Programming: Directions for Future Interventions

PubMed Central

Shorey, Ryan C.; Zucosky, Heather; Brasfield, Hope; Febres, Jeniimarie; Cornelius, Tara L.; Sage, Chelsea; Stuart, Gregory L.

2012-01-01

Dating violence among college students is a widespread and destructive problem. The field of dating violence has seen a substantial rise in research over the past several years, which has improved our understanding of factors that increase risk for perpetration. Unfortunately, there has been less attention paid to dating violence prevention programming, and existing programs have been marred with methodological weaknesses and a lack of demonstrated effectiveness in reducing aggression. In hopes of sparking new research on dating violence prevention programs, the current review examines possible new avenues for dating violence prevention programming among college students. We discuss clinical interventions that have shown to be effective in reducing a number of problematic behaviors, including motivational interventions, dialectical behavior therapy, mindfulness, and bystander interventions, and how they could be applied to dating violence prevention. We also discuss methodological issues to consider when implementing dating violence prevention programs. PMID:22773916

Systematic review of universal and targeted workplace interventions for depression.

PubMed

Wan Mohd Yunus, Wan Mohd Azam; Musiat, Peter; Brown, June S L

2018-01-01

Depression is increasingly being recognised as a significant mental health problem in the workplace contributing to productivity loss and economic burden to organisations. This paper reviews recently published randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of universal and targeted interventions to reduce depression in the workplace. Studies were identified through searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES Full Text, and Global Health and Social Policy and Practice databases. Studies were included if they included an RCT of a workplace intervention for employees targeting depression as the primary outcome. Twenty-two published RCTs investigating interventions utilising various therapeutic approaches were identified. The cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) approach is the most frequently used in the workplace, while interventions that combine different therapeutic approaches showed the most promising results. A universal intervention in the workplace that combines CBT and coping flexibility recorded the highest effect size (d=1.45 at 4 months' follow-up). Most interventions were delivered in group format and showed low attrition rates compared with other delivery formats. Although all studies reviewed were RCTs, the quality of reporting is low. Interventions using different therapeutic approaches with different modes of delivery have been used. Most of these interventions were shown to reduce depression levels among employees in the workplace, particularly those that combine more than one therapeutic approaches. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Seoul Metropolitan Lifestyle Intervention Program and Metabolic Syndrome Risk: A Retrospective Database Study

PubMed Central

Choo, Jina; Yoon, Seok-Jun; Ryu, Hosihn; Park, Mi-Suk; Lee, Hyang Sook; Park, Yoo Mi; Lim, Do-Sun

2016-01-01

Since 2011, the Seoul Metabolic Syndrome Management (SMESY) program has been employed as a community-wide, lifestyle modification intervention in Seoul, Korea. We aimed to determine if the SMESY intervention would be significantly associated with improvements in metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors. This retrospective database study included data from 25,449 participants aged 30–64 years between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2013. In the SMESY program, 3 risk-stratified groups by the number of MetS factors were followed for 12 months with different intensity and timeframe of intervention. Among the high-(n = 7116) and moderate-risk groups (n = 14,762), all MetS factors (except triglycerides among the moderate-risk group) as well as MetS z-scores significantly improved over 12 months (all p < 0.05). Among the low-risk group (n = 3571), all factors aggravated significantly over 12 months (all p < 0.05). We observed temporal associations between the implementation of the SMESY program and improvements in MetS risk factors. However, such improvements differed by risk-stratified group, being most robust for the high-risk group, modest for the moderate-risk group, and aggravated for the low-risk group. Thus, more intensive interventions targeting different risk-stratified groups are needed, given a better understanding of the increase in risk factors observed in the low-risk group. PMID:27384576

Effects of a retention intervention program for associate degree nursing students.

PubMed

Fontaine, Karen

2014-01-01

To evaluate the effects of a retention intervention program on nursing students' persistence in obtaining an associate's degree. An associate degree nursing program at a large community college used a three-year grant from the US Department of Labor to create a program to improve retention of nursing students. Seven retention interventions (stipends, learning communities, comprehensive orientation, individualized academic planning, counseling, peer tutoring, and community nurse mentoring) were provided to participants. Correlational analyses were conducted between demographic variables and degree completion and between individual intervention program participation and degree completion. The program produced a statistically significant improvement in retention, but no specific intervention or mixture of interventions was significantly correlated with retention. Retention programs must be comprehensive, integrated efforts in order to increase the degree completion rate.

Does Targeting Higher Health Risk Employees or Increasing Intervention Intensity Yield Savings in a Workplace Wellness Program?

PubMed

Kapinos, Kandice A; Caloyeras, John P; Liu, Hangsheng; Mattke, Soeren

2015-12-01

This article aims to test whether a workplace wellness program reduces health care cost for higher risk employees or employees with greater participation. The program effect on costs was estimated using a generalized linear model with a log-link function using a difference-in-difference framework with a propensity score matched sample of employees using claims and program data from a large US firm from 2003 to 2011. The program targeting higher risk employees did not yield cost savings. Employees participating in five or more sessions aimed at encouraging more healthful living had about $20 lower per member per month costs relative to matched comparisons (P = 0.002). Our results add to the growing evidence base that workplace wellness programs aimed at primary prevention do not reduce health care cost, with the exception of those employees who choose to participate more actively.

A review of the Fermilab fixed-target program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rameika, R.

1994-12-01

All eyes are now on the Fermilab collider program as the intense search for the top quark continues. Nevertheless, Fermilab`s long tradition of operating a strong, diverse physics program depends not only on collider physics but also on effective use of the facilities the Laboratory was founded on, the fixed-target beamlines. In this talk the author presents highlights of the Fermilab fixed-target program from its (not too distant) past, (soon to be) present, and (hopefully, not too distant) future program. The author concentrates on those experiments which are unique to the fixed-target program, in particular hadron structure measurements which usemore » the varied beams and targets available in this mode and the physics results from kaon, hyperon and high statistics charm experiments which are not easily accessible in high p{sub T} hadron collider detectors.« less

A weight-loss intervention program designed for Mexican-American women: cultural adaptations and results.

PubMed

Lindberg, Nangel M; Stevens, Victor J; Vega-López, Sonia; Kauffman, Tia L; Calderón, Mariana Rosales; Cervantes, María Antonieta

2012-12-01

This study assessed the feasibility of a culturally-appropriate weight-loss intervention targeting obese Spanish-speaking Mexican women. This 12-month weight-loss program was based on behavioral interventions previously used successfully with English-speaking participants. Cultural adaptations included: female interventionists, minimal written materials, emphasis on group activities, focus on Mexican traditions and beliefs, and skill-building approach to food measurement. All sessions were conducted in Spanish. The study had few exclusionary criteria, which allowed participation of women with a wide range of literacy levels. Recruitment exceeded expectations, with 47 participants enrolling in the program. Not counting participants who became pregnant during the study, attendance at 6 and 12 months was 62 and 50 % respectively. Mean weight loss at 6 and 12 months was 5.3 and 7.2 kg, respectively, with a mean reduction in BMI of 4.0 and 5.5 kg/m(2) from baseline to 6 and 12 months, respectively. This pilot study shows that it is feasible to develop and implement culturally-appropriate behavioral lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment in Mexican-American women.

The Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program (ECHO): an ecologically-based intervention delivered by home visitors for newborns and their mothers.

PubMed

Cloutier, Michelle M; Wiley, James; Wang, Zhu; Grant, Autherene; Gorin, Amy A

2015-06-24

Obesity is a major problem in the United States, particularly among socio-economically disadvantaged Latino and Black children. Effective interventions that can be disseminated to large numbers of at-risk children and their families are needed. The goals of the Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Program (ECHO) are to examine the 12-month efficacy of a primary obesity prevention program targeting the first year of life that is delivered by home visitors and that engages mothers as agents of change to modify their own behavior and their infant's behavior through education and skill-building around nutrition, physical activity, and wellness, and then "echoes" her training with linkages to neighborhood programs and resources. Six family centers located in low-income neighborhoods in Hartford, CT were randomized into control and intervention neighborhoods. Fifty-seven mothers were recruited either prenatally or shortly after delivery into the Nurturing Families Network home visitation program; 27 lived in a control neighborhood and received the standard home visitation program and 30 lived in an intervention neighborhood and received both the standard home visitation program and the ECHO intervention. The intervention increases maternal skills in goal-setting, stimulus control and problem-solving, engages family members to support changes, links mothers to neighborhood resources and is embedded in the standard home visitation program. ECHO targets include breastfeeding, solids, juice and sugar-sweetened beverages, routines for sleep and responding to infant cues, television/screen time, and maternal diet and physical activity. We hypothesize that infants in ECHO will have been breastfed longer and exclusively, will have delayed introduction of solids and juice, have longer sleep duration, decreased television/screen time and a lower weight for length z-score at 12 months, and their mothers will have greater fruit and vegetable consumption and higher levels of physical

Real-time non-rigid target tracking for ultrasound-guided clinical interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zachiu, C.; Ries, M.; Ramaekers, P.; Guey, J.-L.; Moonen, C. T. W.; de Senneville, B. Denis

2017-10-01

Biological motion is a problem for non- or mini-invasive interventions when conducted in mobile/deformable organs due to the targeted pathology moving/deforming with the organ. This may lead to high miss rates and/or incomplete treatment of the pathology. Therefore, real-time tracking of the target anatomy during the intervention would be beneficial for such applications. Since the aforementioned interventions are often conducted under B-mode ultrasound (US) guidance, target tracking can be achieved via image registration, by comparing the acquired US images to a separate image established as positional reference. However, such US images are intrinsically altered by speckle noise, introducing incoherent gray-level intensity variations. This may prove problematic for existing intensity-based registration methods. In the current study we address US-based target tracking by employing the recently proposed EVolution registration algorithm. The method is, by construction, robust to transient gray-level intensities. Instead of directly matching image intensities, EVolution aligns similar contrast patterns in the images. Moreover, the displacement is computed by evaluating a matching criterion for image sub-regions rather than on a point-by-point basis, which typically provides more robust motion estimates. However, unlike similar previously published approaches, which assume rigid displacements in the image sub-regions, the EVolution algorithm integrates the matching criterion in a global functional, allowing the estimation of an elastic dense deformation. The approach was validated for soft tissue tracking under free-breathing conditions on the abdomen of seven healthy volunteers. Contact echography was performed on all volunteers, while three of the volunteers also underwent standoff echography. Each of the two modalities is predominantly specific to a particular type of non- or mini-invasive clinical intervention. The method demonstrated on average an accuracy of�

Real-time non-rigid target tracking for ultrasound-guided clinical interventions.

PubMed

Zachiu, C; Ries, M; Ramaekers, P; Guey, J-L; Moonen, C T W; de Senneville, B Denis

2017-10-04

Biological motion is a problem for non- or mini-invasive interventions when conducted in mobile/deformable organs due to the targeted pathology moving/deforming with the organ. This may lead to high miss rates and/or incomplete treatment of the pathology. Therefore, real-time tracking of the target anatomy during the intervention would be beneficial for such applications. Since the aforementioned interventions are often conducted under B-mode ultrasound (US) guidance, target tracking can be achieved via image registration, by comparing the acquired US images to a separate image established as positional reference. However, such US images are intrinsically altered by speckle noise, introducing incoherent gray-level intensity variations. This may prove problematic for existing intensity-based registration methods. In the current study we address US-based target tracking by employing the recently proposed EVolution registration algorithm. The method is, by construction, robust to transient gray-level intensities. Instead of directly matching image intensities, EVolution aligns similar contrast patterns in the images. Moreover, the displacement is computed by evaluating a matching criterion for image sub-regions rather than on a point-by-point basis, which typically provides more robust motion estimates. However, unlike similar previously published approaches, which assume rigid displacements in the image sub-regions, the EVolution algorithm integrates the matching criterion in a global functional, allowing the estimation of an elastic dense deformation. The approach was validated for soft tissue tracking under free-breathing conditions on the abdomen of seven healthy volunteers. Contact echography was performed on all volunteers, while three of the volunteers also underwent standoff echography. Each of the two modalities is predominantly specific to a particular type of non- or mini-invasive clinical intervention. The method demonstrated on average an accuracy of�

Deprescribing Benzodiazepines in Older Patients: Impact of Interventions Targeting Physicians, Pharmacists, and Patients.

PubMed

Ng, Brendan J; Le Couteur, David G; Hilmer, Sarah N

2018-04-28

Benzodiazepines (BZDs; including the related Z-drugs) are frequently targets for deprescribing; long-term use in older people is harmful and often not beneficial. BZDs can result in significant harms, including falls, fractures, cognitive impairment, car crashes and a significant financial and legal burden to society. Deprescribing BZDs is problematic due to a complex interaction of drug, patient, physician and systematic barriers, including concern about a potentially distressing but rarely fatal withdrawal syndrome. Multiple studies have trialled interventions to deprescribe BZDs in older people and are discussed in this narrative review. Reported success rates of deprescribing BZD interventions range between 27 and 80%, and this variability can be attributed to heterogeneity of methodological approaches and limited generalisability to cognitively impaired patients. Interventions targeting the patient and/or carer include raising awareness (direct-to-consumer education, minimal interventions, and 'one-off' geriatrician counselling) and resourcing the patient (gradual dose reduction [GDR] with or without cognitive behavioural therapy, teaching relaxation techniques, and sleep hygiene). These are effective if the patient is motivated to cease and is not significantly cognitively impaired. Interventions targeted to physicians include prescribing interventions by audit, algorithm or medication review, and providing supervised GDR in combination with medication substitution. Pharmacists have less frequently been the targets for studies, but have key roles in several multifaceted interventions. Interventions are evaluated according to the Behaviour Change Wheel. Research supports trialling a stepwise approach in the cognitively intact older person, but having a low threshold to use less-consultative methods in patients with dementia. Several resources are available to support deprescribing of BZDs in clinical practice, including online protocols.

Validity of Teacher Ratings in Selecting Influential Aggressive Adolescents for a Targeted Preventive Intervention

PubMed Central

Henry, David B.; Miller-Johnson, Shari; Simon, Thomas R.; Schoeny, Michael E.

2009-01-01

This study describes a method for using teacher nominations and ratings to identify socially influential, aggressive middle school students for participation in a targeted violence prevention intervention. The teacher nomination method is compared with peer nominations of aggression and influence to obtain validity evidence. Participants were urban, predominantly African American and Latino sixth-grade students who were involved in a pilot study for a large multi-site violence prevention project. Convergent validity was suggested by the high correlation of teacher ratings of peer influence and peer nominations of social influence. The teacher ratings of influence demonstrated acceptable sensitivity and specificity when predicting peer nominations of influence among the most aggressive children. Results are discussed m terms of the application of teacher nominations and ratings in large trials and full implementation of targeted prevention programs. PMID:16378226

Integrating the Principles of Effective Intervention into Batterer Intervention Programming: The Case for Moving Toward More Evidence-Based Programming.

PubMed

Radatz, Dana L; Wright, Emily M

2016-01-01

The majority of batterer intervention program (BIP) evaluations have indicated they are marginally effective in reducing domestic violence recidivism. Meanwhile, correctional programs used to treat a variety of offenders (e.g., substance users, violent offenders, and so forth) that adhere to the "principles of effective intervention" (PEI) have reported significant reductions in recidivism. This article introduces the PEI-the principles on which evidence-based practices in correctional rehabilitation are based-and identifies the degree to which they are currently integrated into BIPs. The case is made that batterer programs could be more effective if they incorporate the PEI. Recommendations for further integration of the principles into BIPs are also provided. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI): A Classroom Teacher Tier 2 Intervention to Help Struggling Readers in Early Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Amendum, Steve; Kainz, Kirsten; Ginsburg, Marnie

2009-01-01

The two studies presented in this report were designed to test the effectiveness of a new diagnostic-based reading intervention for classroom teachers, called the Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI). This TRI Tier 2 intervention stressed diagnostic teaching as the key to helping struggling readers make rapid progress in reading in the regular…

Implementing Intervention Movement Programs for Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deli, Eleni; Bakle, Iliana; Zachopoulou, Evridiki

2006-01-01

The reported study aimed to identify the effects of two 10-week intervention programs on fundamental locomotor skill performance in kindergarten children. Seventy-five children with mean age 5.4 plus or minus 0.5 years participated. Experimental Group A followed a movement program, experimental Group B followed a music and movement program, and…

Targeted Mentoring: Evaluation of a Program

PubMed Central

McAllister, Carolyn A.; Harold, Rena D.; Ahmedani, Brian K.; Cramer, Elizabeth P.

2009-01-01

Targeted mentoring refers to mentoring aimed at a particular population. This article presents the evaluation of a mentoring program for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in social work education. Forty-three mentors and protégés responded to a survey regarding their program experiences. The results highlight the need for targeted mentoring, although some disparities of experience for mentors and protégés in this program are apparent. In general, mentors felt positive about participating, giving back to the LGBT community, and were more satisfied with their experiences than were the protégés, who were looking for more specific types of instrumental and psychosocial support. PMID:20046917

Using the Instructional Level as a Criterion to Target Reading Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, David C.; Burns, Matthew K.

2014-01-01

The instructional hierarchy offers a useful framework for targeting academic interventions. Within this framework, the accuracy with which a student reads might function as an indicator that the student should receive an intervention that focuses either on accuracy or on fluency. The current study examined whether the instructional level for…

Mitochondrial Targets for Pharmacological Intervention in Human Disease

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Over the past several years, mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to an increasing number of human illnesses, making mitochondrial proteins (MPs) an ever more appealing target for therapeutic intervention. With 20% of the mitochondrial proteome (312 of an estimated 1500 MPs) having known interactions with small molecules, MPs appear to be highly targetable. Yet, despite these targeted proteins functioning in a range of biological processes (including induction of apoptosis, calcium homeostasis, and metabolism), very few of the compounds targeting MPs find clinical use. Recent work has greatly expanded the number of proteins known to localize to the mitochondria and has generated a considerable increase in MP 3D structures available in public databases, allowing experimental screening and in silico prediction of mitochondrial drug targets on an unprecedented scale. Here, we summarize the current literature on clinically active drugs that target MPs, with a focus on how existing drug targets are distributed across biochemical pathways and organelle substructures. Also, we examine current strategies for mitochondrial drug discovery, focusing on genetic, proteomic, and chemogenomic assays, and relevant model systems. As cell models and screening techniques improve, MPs appear poised to emerge as relevant targets for a wide range of complex human diseases, an eventuality that can be expedited through systematic analysis of MP function. PMID:25367773

Evidence-based intervention against bullying and cyberbullying: Evaluation of the NoTrap! program in two independent trials.

PubMed

Palladino, Benedetta E; Nocentini, Annalaura; Menesini, Ersilia

2016-01-01

The NoTrap! (Noncadiamointrappola!) program is a school-based intervention, which utilizes a peer-led approach to prevent and combat both traditional bullying and cyberbullying. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of the third Edition of the program in accordance with the recent criteria for evidence-based interventions. Towards this aim, two quasi-experimental trials involving adolescents (age M = 14.91, SD = .98) attending their first year at different high schools were conducted. In Trial 1 (control group, n = 171; experimental group, n = 451), latent growth curve models for data from pre-, middle- and post-tests showed that intervention significantly predicted change over time in all the target variables (victimization, bullying, cybervictimization, and cyberbullying). Specifically, target variables were stable for the control group but decreased significantly over time for the experimental group. Long-term effects at the follow up 6 months later were also found. In Trial 2 (control group, n = 227; experimental group, n = 234), the moderating effect of gender was examined and there was a reported decrease in bullying and cyberbullying over time (pre- and post-test) in the experimental group but not the control group, and this decrease was similar for boys and girls. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The drug resistance strategies intervention: program effects on substance use.

PubMed

Hecht, Michael L; Graham, John W; Elek, Elvira

2006-01-01

This study evaluates the Drug Resistance Strategies (DRS) project, a culturally grounded, communication-based substance use prevention program implemented in 35 middle schools in Phoenix, Arizona. The intervention consisted of 10 lessons taught by the classroom teacher that imparted the knowledge, motivation, and skills needed to resist drug offers. The evaluation used growth modeling to analyze significant differences in average postintervention substance use (alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) and growth of use over the course of the study. The study involved 6,298 seventh graders (65% Mexican/Mexican American) who responded to at least 1 of 4 questionnaires (1 pretest and 3 follow-up measures). When compared to a control group, the DRS intervention appeared to significantly limit the increase in the number of students reporting recent substance use, especially alcohol and marijuana use. The multicultural version of the curriculum proved most broadly effective, followed by the version targeting Mexican American youth. The development of a culturally grounded prevention curriculum for Mexican American youth expands the population being served by interventions. Moreover, the success of the multicultural curriculum version, which has the broadest application, provides particular promise, and the article demonstrates how a growth modeling approach can be used to evaluate a communication-based intervention by analyzing changes over time rather than differences between the pretest and posttest scores.

The effect of an enhanced employee assistance program (EAP) intervention on EAP utilization.

PubMed

Zarkin, G A; Bray, J W; Karuntzos, G T; Demiralp, B

2001-05-01

An enhanced employee assistance program (EAP) intervention was developed that delivers comprehensive EAP outreach services to all employees who may have alcohol-related and other workplace problems; standard EAP materials traditionally targeted at white men were enhanced to include women and minorities. This study evaluates whether the enhanced EAP intervention increased EAP utilization. The enhanced EAP intervention was developed at a large community-based not-for-profit EAP located in Rockford, Illinois. Two primary worksites and 16 other newly contracted worksites received the enhanced EAP intervention and served as intervention sites; the 107 other worksites serviced by the EAP were used as comparison sites. We used time series data from 1991 to 1998 and included repeated measures on each firm's quarterly EAP utilization. The enhanced EAP intervention increased the mean number of women and minority cases per worksite by 58%, white male cases by 45% and total EAP cases by 53%. This study shows that, for a modest cost, the enhanced EAP intervention successfully increased utilization of EAP by all employees, especially utilization by women and minority employees. It also shows that traditional EAP services and outreach materials can be made more appealing to women and minorities without adversely affecting their utilization by white men.

A Structured Career Intervention Program for Academically Challenged Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salleh, Amla; Abdullah, Syed Mohamad; Mahmud, Zuria; Ghavifekr, Simin; Ishak, Noriah

2013-01-01

A study was carried out to test the effects of a 2-week structured intervention program on academically challenged students' career development. A quasi-experimental study was designed using pre-tests, post-tests, and a control group approach to examine the effects of the intervention program. Data were collected from both the experimental and…

Complement therapeutics in inflammatory diseases: promising drug candidates for C3-targeted intervention.

PubMed

Mastellos, D C; Ricklin, D; Hajishengallis, E; Hajishengallis, G; Lambris, J D

2016-02-01

There is increasing appreciation that complement dysregulation lies at the heart of numerous immune-mediated and inflammatory disorders. Complement inhibitors are therefore being evaluated as new therapeutic options in various clinical translation programs and the first clinically approved complement-targeted drugs have profoundly impacted the management of certain complement-mediated diseases. Among the many members of the intricate protein network of complement, the central component C3 represents a 'hot-spot' for complement-targeted therapeutic intervention. C3 modulates both innate and adaptive immune responses and is linked to diverse immunomodulatory systems and biological processes that affect human pathophysiology. Compelling evidence from preclinical disease models has shown that C3 interception may offer multiple benefits over existing therapies or even reveal novel therapeutic avenues in disorders that are not commonly regarded as complement-driven, such as periodontal disease. Using the clinically developed compstatin family of C3 inhibitors and periodontitis as illustrative examples, this review highlights emerging therapeutic concepts and developments in the design of C3-targeted drug candidates as novel immunotherapeutics for oral and systemic inflammatory diseases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effective intervention programming: improving maternal adjustment through parent education.

PubMed

Farris, Jaelyn R; Bert, Shannon S Carothers; Nicholson, Jody S; Glass, Kerrie; Borkowski, John G

2013-05-01

This study assessed the secondary effects of a parent training intervention program on maternal adjustment, with a focus on understanding ways in which program efficacy differed for participants as a function of whether or not their children had behavior problems. Mothers (N = 99) of toddlers (2-3 years of age) were randomly assigned to receive one of three levels of intervention: (1) informational booklet (2) booklet + face-to-face parent training sessions, or (3) booklet + web-based parent training sessions. Findings indicated that all levels of intervention were associated with increases in maternal well-being for participants with typically developing children. Mothers of toddlers with behavior problems, however, did not benefit from receiving only the booklet but significantly benefitted from receiving either the face-to-face or web-based interventions. Findings are discussed in terms of efficient and efficacious program dissemination and the resulting implications for public policy.

Targeting Nicotine Addiction in a Substance Abuse Program

PubMed Central

Sharp, James R.; Schwartz, Steven; Nightingale, Thomas; Novak, Steven

2003-01-01

The potential benefits of addressing nicotine addiction as part of substance dependency treatment may include improved response to interventions for other addictions and, over the long term, reduced tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. The authors recount the experiences of three inpatient programs that instituted nicotine addiction interventions and a tobacco-free policy for both facilities and patients. After making adjustments to counter temporary adverse effects of the policy, two of the programs are achieving higher overall treatment completion rates than prior to implementation. Outstanding research issues include quantifying the costs and benefits of the antinicotine interventions, determining the long-term impact of tobacco-free treatment, and tailoring treatment to various patient groups. PMID:18552720

Who Benefits from Which Reading Intervention in the Primary Years? Match the Intervention with the Reading Profile

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munro, John

2017-01-01

Reading difficulties may have multiple causes. Effective approaches to reading intervention need to target the specific causes for individual readers. The Early Reading Intervention Knowledge program comprises three intervention pathways: a phonological-phonemic pathway, a phonic-orthographic pathway, and an oral language pathway. This study…

OSTA program: A French follow up intervention program for suicide prevention.

PubMed

Mouaffak, Fayçal; Marchand, Arnaud; Castaigne, Emmanuelle; Arnoux, Armelle; Hardy, Patrick

2015-12-30

Attempted suicide is a strong risk factor for subsequent suicidal behavior. In recent years, a particular interest has been given to follow-up interventions as a potential effective strategy in preventing recurrent suicidal behavior. We developed a follow-up intervention program called OSTA (organization of a suitable monitoring for suicide attempters) aimed at addressing this issue and tested its effectiveness in a 1-year randomized controlled trial. Individuals who attempted suicide and were admitted to the emergency department (ED) of Bicêtre Hospital (n=320) were randomly allocated to receive either the OSTA program or a control treatment. On an intention to treat basis, the proportion of patients who reattempted suicide did not differ significantly between the interventional group (IG) 14.5% (22/152) and the control group (CG) 14% (21/150). There were also no significant differences, between the two arms, in the number of suicide attempts. Although no significant difference has been found between the OSTA program and the control treatment concerning the rate of suicide reattempts, we believe that further studies should be conducted to test the effectiveness of more standardized follow-up studies in suicide prevention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Profile of Children Having Participated in an Intervention Program for Their Sexual Behavior Problems: The Predictor Role of Maltreatment.

PubMed

Tougas, Anne-Marie; Boisvert, Isabelle; Tourigny, Marc; Lemieux, Annie; Tremblay, Claudia; Gagnon, Mélanie M

2016-01-01

This study sought to verify if a history of maltreatment may predict the psychosocial profile of children who participated in an intervention program aiming at reducing sexual behavior problems. Data were collected at both the beginning and the end of the intervention program using a clinical protocol and standardized tests selected on the basis of the intervention targets. In general, the results indicate that children who had experienced maltreatment display a psychosocial profile that is similar to that of children who had not experienced maltreatment. However, children who had experienced psychological abuse or neglect may display greater externalized or sexualized behaviors, whereas children who have a parent who had been a victim of sexual abuse may display fewer sexualized behaviors.

Developmental programming of the metabolic syndrome - critical windows for intervention

PubMed Central

Vickers, Mark H

2011-01-01

Metabolic disease results from a complex interaction of many factors, including genetic, physiological, behavioral and environmental influences. The recent rate at which these diseases have increased suggests that environmental and behavioral influences, rather than genetic causes, are fuelling the present epidemic. In this context, the developmental origins of health and disease hypothesis has highlighted the link between the periconceptual, fetal and early infant phases of life and the subsequent development of adult obesity and the metabolic syndrome. Although the mechanisms are yet to be fully elucidated, this programming was generally considered an irreversible change in developmental trajectory. Recent work in animal models suggests that developmental programming of metabolic disorders is potentially reversible by nutritional or targeted therapeutic interventions during the period of developmental plasticity. This review will discuss critical windows of developmental plasticity and possible avenues to ameliorate the development of postnatal metabolic disorders following an adverse early life environment. PMID:21954418

Optima Nutrition: an allocative efficiency tool to reduce childhood stunting by better targeting of nutrition-related interventions.

PubMed

Pearson, Ruth; Killedar, Madhura; Petravic, Janka; Kakietek, Jakub J; Scott, Nick; Grantham, Kelsey L; Stuart, Robyn M; Kedziora, David J; Kerr, Cliff C; Skordis-Worrall, Jolene; Shekar, Meera; Wilson, David P

2018-03-20

Child stunting due to chronic malnutrition is a major problem in low- and middle-income countries due, in part, to inadequate nutrition-related practices and insufficient access to services. Limited budgets for nutritional interventions mean that available resources must be targeted in the most cost-effective manner to have the greatest impact. Quantitative tools can help guide budget allocation decisions. The Optima approach is an established framework to conduct resource allocation optimization analyses. We applied this approach to develop a new tool, 'Optima Nutrition', for conducting allocative efficiency analyses that address childhood stunting. At the core of the Optima approach is an epidemiological model for assessing the burden of disease; we use an adapted version of the Lives Saved Tool (LiST). Six nutritional interventions have been included in the first release of the tool: antenatal micronutrient supplementation, balanced energy-protein supplementation, exclusive breastfeeding promotion, promotion of improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, public provision of complementary foods, and vitamin A supplementation. To demonstrate the use of this tool, we applied it to evaluate the optimal allocation of resources in 7 districts in Bangladesh, using both publicly available data (such as through DHS) and data from a complementary costing study. Optima Nutrition can be used to estimate how to target resources to improve nutrition outcomes. Specifically, for the Bangladesh example, despite only limited nutrition-related funding available (an estimated $0.75 per person in need per year), even without any extra resources, better targeting of investments in nutrition programming could increase the cumulative number of children living without stunting by 1.3 million (an extra 5%) by 2030 compared to the current resource allocation. To minimize stunting, priority interventions should include promotion of improved IYCF practices as well as vitamin A

Preventing the Onset of Child Sexual Abuse by Targeting Young Adolescents With Universal Prevention Programming

PubMed Central

Letourneau, Elizabeth J.; Schaeffer, Cindy M.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Feder, Kenneth A.

2017-01-01

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a serious public health problem that increases risk for physical and mental health problems across the life course. Young adolescents are responsible for a substantial portion of CSA offending, yet to our knowledge, no validated prevention programs that target CSA perpetration by youth exist. Most existing efforts to address CSA rely on reactive criminal justice policies or programs that teach children to protect themselves; neither approach is well validated. Given the high rates of desistance from sexual offending following a youth’s first CSA-related adjudication, it seems plausible that many youth could be prevented from engaging in their first offense. The goal of this article is to examine how school-based universal prevention programs might be used to prevent CSA perpetrated by adolescents. We review the literature on risk and protective factors for CSA perpetration and identify several promising factors to target in an intervention. We also summarize the literature on programs that have been effective at preventing adolescent dating violence and other serious problem behaviors. Finally, we describe a new CSA prevention program under development and early evaluation and make recommendations for program design characteristics, including unambiguous messaging, parental involvement, multisession dosage, skills practice, and bystander considerations. PMID:28413921

Work, Weight, and Wellness: the 3W Program: a worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial.

PubMed

Williams, Andrew E; Vogt, Thomas M; Stevens, Victor J; Albright, Cheryl A; Nigg, Claudio R; Meenan, Richard T; Finucane, Melissa L

2007-11-01

In this paper, we describe the aims, intervention, and design of the Work, Weight, and Wellness program, a group-randomized worksite obesity prevention and intervention trial being conducted at 31 hotels with 11,559 employees on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. We report baseline prevalence of overweight and obesity, and the distribution of BMI (kilograms per meter squared) across sex, race, and job categories. We also describe factors that have influenced intervention adoption and employee participation. The study's primary outcome is change in BMI among hotel employees over a 2-year intervention period. The intervention includes environmental and group components that target diet, physical activity, and weight management. Men, Pacific Islanders, and individuals employed in managerial or facility maintenance roles had higher prevalence of obesity and higher mean BMI than women and individuals from other races or in other occupational categories. These results may be helpful in guiding choices about the adoption or design of future worksite and community interventions addressing at-risk ethnically diverse populations and are especially relevant to the hotel industry and similar industries.

Obesity intervention during a work health promotion: the Obesity Intervention Program of the German military forces.

PubMed

Sammito, Stefan

2013-07-01

The aim of the Obesity Intervention Program of the German Army was to enhance physical activity levels, to adjust diet behavior, and to reduce risk factors in outpatients over a period of 24 months. The data of the participants in the outpatient intervention from 2003 till 2011 were analyzed. In total, 665 participants took part. All examined parameters were improved by the intervention, already in the second follow-up, significant for all parameters. A total of 12.2% of all patients reduced their body weight by 5%, and 8.4% by 10%. A significant improvement in all examined parameters was found. With respect to the fact that the participants of this Obesity Intervention Program were only military servicemen and servicewomen, it should be tested if the program can be transferred on work health promotions outside the military.

Cyberbullying Prevention and Intervention Programs in Schools: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanrikulu, Ibrahim

2018-01-01

This article presents a systematic review of school-based cyberbullying prevention and intervention programs. Research presenting empirical evidence about the effectiveness of a school-based cyberbullying prevention or intervention program published before August 2016 was searched. Seventeen studies were obtained and reviewed. The findings showed…

Systematic review of public-targeted communication interventions to improve antibiotic use.

PubMed

Cross, Elizabeth Louise Anne; Tolfree, Robert; Kipping, Ruth

2017-04-01

Excessive use of antibiotics accelerates the acquisition/spread of antimicrobial resistance. A systematic review was conducted to identify the components of successful communication interventions targeted at the general public to improve antibiotic use. The databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Library were searched. Search terms were related to the population (public, community), intervention (campaign, mass media) and outcomes (antibiotic, antimicrobial resistance). References were screened for inclusion by one author with a random subset of 10% screened by a second author. No date restrictions were applied and only articles in the English language were considered. Studies had to have a control group or be an interrupted time-series. Outcomes had to measure change in antibiotic-related prescribing/consumption and/or the public's knowledge, attitudes or behaviour. Two reviewers assessed the quality of studies. Narrative synthesis was performed. Fourteen studies were included with an estimated 74-75 million participants. Most studies were conducted in the United States or Europe and targeted both the general public and clinicians. Twelve of the studies measured changes in antibiotic prescribing. There was quite strong ( P  < 0·05 to ≥ 0·01) to very strong ( P  < 0·001) evidence that interventions that targeted prescribing for RTIs were associated with decreases in antibiotic prescribing; the majority of these studies reported reductions of greater than -14% with the largest effect size reaching -30%. Multi-faceted communication interventions that target both the general public and clinicians can reduce antibiotic prescribing in high-income countries but the sustainability of reductions in antibiotic prescribing is unclear. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A preliminary investigation of a school-based musical theater intervention program for children with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Zyga, Olena; Russ, Sandra W; Meeker, Heather; Kirk, Jodi

2017-01-01

The presence of an intellectual disability may cause a child to have significant deficits in social skills and emotion regulation abilities across development. A vital next step is to find interventions that can be delivered in the school environment and across disability categories that target socioemotional factors. The current study investigated the feasibility of delivering a school-based musical theater program to students with intellectual disability across a range of school settings. A within-group repeated-measures design was used to analyze pre- and post-video recordings of the intervention program, which were coded for six domains of socioemotional ability across all participants ( n = 47). Results showed that significant gains across all domains were observed. However, these gains related to school- and individual-level student factors, such as grade level, severity of disability, and baseline social skill ability.

HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Program Implementation Using Intervention Mapping.

PubMed

Flash, Charlene A; Frost, Elizabeth L T; Giordano, Thomas P; Amico, K Rivet; Cully, Jeffrey A; Markham, Christine M

2018-04-01

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis has been proven to be an effective tool in HIV prevention. However, numerous barriers still exist in pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation. The framework of Intervention Mapping was used from August 2016 to October 2017 to describe the process of adoption, implementation, and maintenance of an HIV prevention program from 2012 through 2017 in Houston, Texas, that is nested within a county health system HIV clinic. Using the tasks outlined in the Intervention Mapping framework, potential program implementers were identified, outcomes and performance objectives established, matrices of change objectives created, and methods and practical applications formed. Results include the formation of three matrices that document program outcomes, change agents involved in the process, and the determinants needed to facilitate program adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Key features that facilitated successful program adoption and implementation were obtaining leadership buy-in, leveraging existing resources, systematic evaluation of operations, ongoing education for both clinical and nonclinical staff, and attention to emergent issues during launch. The utilization of Intervention Mapping to delineate the program planning steps can provide a model for pre-exposure prophylaxis implementation in other settings. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Targets of opportunity : community based alcohol programs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-04-01

Targets of Opportunity (TOP), were comprehensive community based programs addressing the drinking and driving concerns within a particular community. The program incorporated six elements: 1) General deterrence - public information,leducation and enf...

Renaissance of the ~1 TeV Fixed-Target Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, T.; Appel, J. A.; Arms, K. E.; Balantekin, A. B.; Conrad, J. M.; Cooper, P. S.; Djurcic, Z.; Dunwoodie, W.; Engelfried, J.; Fisher, P. H.; Gottschalk, E.; de Gouvea, A.; Heller, K.; Ignarra, C. M.; Karagiorgi, G.; Kwan, S.; Loinaz, W. A.; Meadows, B.; Moore, R.; Morfín, J. G.; Naples, D.; Nienaber, P.; Pate, S. F.; Papavassiliou, V.; Petrov, A. A.; Purohit, M. V.; Ray, H.; Russ, J.; Schwartz, A. J.; Seligman, W. G.; Shaevitz, M. H.; Schellman, H.; Spitz, J.; Syphers, M. J.; Tait, T. M. P.; Vannucci, F.

This document describes the physics potential of a new fixed-target program based on a ~1 TeV proton source. Two proton sources are potentially available in the future: the existing Tevatron at Fermilab, which can provide 800 GeV protons for fixed-target physics, and a possible upgrade to the SPS at CERN, called SPS+, which would produce 1 TeV protons on target. In this paper we use an example Tevatron fixed-target program to illustrate the high discovery potential possible in the charm and neutrino sectors. We highlight examples which are either unique to the program or difficult to accomplish at other venues.

Renaissance of the ~ 1-TeV Fixed-Target Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Adams, T.; /Florida State U.; Appel, J.A.

2011-12-02

This document describes the physics potential of a new fixed-target program based on a {approx}1 TeV proton source. Two proton sources are potentially available in the future: the existing Tevatron at Fermilab, which can provide 800 GeV protons for fixed-target physics, and a possible upgrade to the SPS at CERN, called SPS+, which would produce 1 TeV protons on target. In this paper we use an example Tevatron fixed-target program to illustrate the high discovery potential possible in the charm and neutrino sectors. We highlight examples which are either unique to the program or difficult to accomplish at other venues.

Targetting and guidance program documentation. [a user's manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrold, E. F.; Neyhard, J. F.

1974-01-01

A FORTRAN computer program was developed which automatically targets two and three burn rendezvous missions and performs feedback guidance using the GUIDE algorithm. The program was designed to accept a large class of orbit specifications and to automatically choose a two or three burn mission depending upon the time alignment of the vehicle and target. The orbits may be specified as any combination of circular and elliptical orbits and may be coplanar or inclined, but must be aligned coaxially with their perigees in the same direction. The program accomplishes the required targeting by repeatedly converging successively more complex missions. It solves the coplanar impulsive version of the mission, then the finite burn coplanar mission, and finally, the full plane change mission. The GUIDE algorithm is exercised in a feedback guidance mode by taking the targeted solution and moving the vehicle state step by step ahead in time, adding acceleration and navigational errors, and reconverging from the perturbed states at fixed guidance update intervals. A program overview is presented, along with a user's guide which details input, output, and the various subroutines.

A cluster randomized pilot trial of a tailored worksite smoking cessation intervention targeting Hispanic/Latino construction workers: Intervention development and research design.

PubMed

Asfar, Taghrid; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J; McClure, Laura A; Ruano-Herreria, Estefania C; Sierra, Danielle; Gilford Clark, G; Samano, Daniel; Dietz, Noella A; Ward, Kenneth D; Arheart, Kristopher L; Lee, David J

2018-04-01

Construction workers have the highest smoking rate among all occupations (39%). Hispanic/Latino workers constitute a large and increasing group in the US construction industry (over 2.6 million; 23% of all workers). These minority workers have lower cessation rates compared to other groups due to their limited access to cessation services, and lack of smoking cessation interventions adapted to their culture and work/life circumstances. Formative research was conducted to create an intervention targeting Hispanic/Latino construction workers. This paper describes the intervention development and the design, methods, and data analysis plans for an ongoing cluster pilot two-arm randomized controlled trial comparing an Enhanced Care worksite cessation program to Standard Care. Fourteen construction sites will be randomized to either Enhanced Care or Standard Care and 126 participants (63/arm) will be recruited. In both arms, recruitment and intervention delivery occur around "food trucks" that regularly visit the construction sites. Participants at Enhanced Care sites will receive the developed intervention consisting of a single face-to-face group counseling session, 2 phone calls, and a fax referral to Florida tobacco quitline (QL). Participants at Standard Care sites will receive a fax referral to the QL. Both groups will receive eight weeks of nicotine replacement treatment and two follow-up assessments at three and six months. Feasibility outcomes are estimated recruitment yield, barriers to delivering the intervention onsite, and rates of adherence/compliance to the intervention, follow-ups, and QL enrollment. Efficacy outcomes are point-prevalence and prolonged abstinence rates at six month follow-up confirmed by saliva cotinine <15 ng/ml. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluation of a Community-Based Aging Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Hui-Chuan; Wang, Chun-Hou; Chen, Yi-Chun; Chang, Ming-Chen; Wang, Jean

2010-01-01

This study evaluated the outcome and process of a community-based aging intervention program for the elderly in Taiwan. The program included education on nutrition and dietary behavior and on physical activities. Outcome and process evaluations were conducted. The program may have had some effects on decreasing some dietary behavioral problems and…

Dyslexia Training Program. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

2010-01-01

The "Dyslexia Training Program," developed at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, is a Tier III reading intervention program that provides intensive phonics instruction to children with dyslexia, primarily in grades two through five. It is a comprehensive two-year program that bridges the gap for school districts in which a…

Effects of Explicit and Non-Explicit Versions of an Early Intervention Program Incorporating Indigenous Culture into Kindergarten Literacy Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKay, Leslie D.; McIntosh, Kent

2012-01-01

Low literacy is a challenge facing Indigenous communities across North America and is an identified barrier to school success. Early literacy intervention is an important target to reduce the discrepancies in literacy outcomes. The Moe the Mouse® Speech and Language Development Program (Gardner & Chesterman, 2006) is a cultural curriculum…

Targeting Premalignant Lesions - Implications for Early Breast Cancer Detection and Intervention

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-01

lesions. Peptide conjugated AgNP were injected intravenously in mice and mammary glands were isolated and analyzed for nanoparticle accumulation by silver ...Furthermore, these probes will be used to develop targeted therapeutic nanoparticles for early intervention in breast cancer. 2. KEYWORDS...cancer (Months 18-24) (To be done) Specific Aim 3: Target premalignant lesions utilizing peptide-conjugated nanoparticles to prevent/delay

Can Targeted Intervention Mitigate Early Emotional and Behavioral Problems?: Generating Robust Evidence within Randomized Controlled Trials

PubMed Central

Doyle, Orla; McGlanaghy, Edel; O’Farrelly, Christine; Tremblay, Richard E.

2016-01-01

This study examined the impact of a targeted Irish early intervention program on children’s emotional and behavioral development using multiple methods to test the robustness of the results. Data on 164 Preparing for Life participants who were randomly assigned into an intervention group, involving home visits from pregnancy onwards, or a control group, was used to test the impact of the intervention on Child Behavior Checklist scores at 24-months. Using inverse probability weighting to account for differential attrition, permutation testing to address small sample size, and quantile regression to characterize the distributional impact of the intervention, we found that the few treatment effects were largely concentrated among boys most at risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems. The average treatment effect identified a 13% reduction in the likelihood of falling into the borderline clinical threshold for Total Problems. The interaction and subgroup analysis found that this main effect was driven by boys. The distributional analysis identified a 10-point reduction in the Externalizing Problems score for boys at the 90th percentile. No effects were observed for girls or for the continuous measures of Total, Internalizing, and Externalizing problems. These findings suggest that the impact of this prenatally commencing home visiting program may be limited to boys experiencing the most difficulties. Further adoption of the statistical methods applied here may help to improve the internal validity of randomized controlled trials and contribute to the field of evaluation science more generally. Trial Registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN04631728 PMID:27253184

76 FR 34953 - Funding Opportunity Title: Risk Management Education in Targeted States (Targeted States Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-15

... Corporation Funding Opportunity Title: Risk Management Education in Targeted States (Targeted States Program... Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk Management Agency (RMA), announces its intent to award... same time as funding availability for similar but separate program, the Risk Management Education and...

Psychological interventions that target sleep reduce pain catastrophizing in knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Lerman, Sheera F; Finan, Patrick H; Smith, Michael T; Haythornthwaite, Jennifer A

2017-11-01

Pain catastrophizing is a significant risk factor for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and thus is a target for many psychological interventions for pain. This study examined if interventions targeting sleep found to be effective in improving sleep in KOA also reduce pain catastrophizing measured as a trait through the pain catastrophizing scale and measured as a daytime and nocturnal state through daily diaries. Secondary analyses were conducted on data collected as part of a randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in patients with KOA at 5 different time points: pretreatment, midtreatment and posttreatment and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. One hundred patients diagnosed with KOA and insomnia were randomized to receive either 8 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia or a placebo intervention of behavioral desensitization. Multilevel modeling revealed that both intervention groups showed a significant reduction pretreatment to posttreatment in all 3 measures of pain catastrophizing and maintained stable levels through the 6-month follow-up. Increased sleep continuity early in treatment (pretreatment to midtreatment), but not reductions in pain, was associated with a reduction in trait and nocturnal catastrophizing later in treatment (midtreatment to posttreatment). These results suggest that short interventions focusing on sleep can significantly reduce pain catastrophizing even in a clinical population with low baseline levels of catastrophizing, possibly through improving sleep continuity.

A pilot-study of a worksite based participatory intervention program: Its acceptability and short-term effects on work climate and attitudes in human service employees.

PubMed

Nylén, Eva Charlotta; Lindfors, Petra; Ishäll, Lars; Göransson, Sara; Aronsson, Gunnar; Kylin, Camilla; Sverke, Magnus

2017-01-01

Psychosocial factors, including job demands and poor resources, have been linked to stress, health problems, and negative job attitudes. However, worksite based interventions and programs targeting psychosocial factors may change employees' perceptions of their work climate and work attitudes. This pilot study describes a newly developed worksite based participatory organizational intervention program that was tested in the social service sector. It is evaluated using participants' perceptions of the intervention to investigate its acceptability as a feature of feasibility and its short-term effects on work climate factors (job demands and resources) and work-related attitudes. Forty employees of a Swedish social service unit provided self-reports before, during, and after the intervention. As for effects, quantitative role overload and social support decreased while turnover intention increased. Responses to an open-ended question showed that participants considered the intervention program valuable for addressing issues relating to the psychosocial work climate. Although the findings are preliminary, it was possible to carry out this worksite based participatory organizational program in this particular setting. Also, the preliminary findings underscore the challenges associated with designing and implementing this type of intervention program, thus adding to the methodological discussion on implementation and evaluation.

Pilot Evaluation of a Web-Based Intervention Targeting Sexual Health Service Access

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, K. E.; Newby, K.; Caley, M.; Danahay, A.; Kehal, I.

2016-01-01

Sexual health service access is fundamental to good sexual health, yet interventions designed to address this have rarely been implemented or evaluated. In this article, pilot evaluation findings for a targeted public health behavior change intervention, delivered via a website and web-app, aiming to increase uptake of sexual health services among…

The River Street Autism Program: A Case Study of a Regional Service Center Behavioral Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, Kathleen; Martino, Gayle M.; Parvenski, Tom

2006-01-01

An urgent demand from Connecticut parents for behavioral intervention resulted in the development of the River Street Autism Program (RSAP). This research-to-practice program implements intervention service based on empirical research findings conducted with children diagnosed with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. RSAP is provided…

Targeting interventions for ethnic minority and low-income populations.

PubMed

Kumanyika, Shiriki; Grier, Sonya

2006-01-01

Although rates of childhood obesity among the general population are alarmingly high, they are higher still in ethnic minority and low-income communities. The disparities pose a major challenge for policymakers and practitioners planning strategies for obesity prevention. In this article Shiriki Kumanyika and Sonya Grier summarize differences in childhood obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity and by socioeconomic status. They show how various environmental factors can have larger effects on disadvantaged and minority children than on their advantaged white peers-and thus contribute to disparities in obesity rates. The authors show, for example, that low-income and minority children watch more television than white, non-poor children and are potentially exposed to more commercials advertising high-calorie, low-nutrient food during an average hour of TV programming. They note that neighborhoods where low-income and minority children live typically have more fast-food restaurants and fewer vendors of healthful foods than do wealthier or predominantly white neighborhoods. They cite such obstacles to physical activity as unsafe streets, dilapidated parks, and lack of facilities. In the schools that low-income and minority children attend, however, they see opportunities to lead the way to effective obesity prevention. Finally, the authors examine several aspects of the home environment-breast-feeding, television viewing, and parental behaviors-that may contribute to childhood obesity but be amenable to change through targeted intervention. Kumanyika and Grier point out that policymakers aiming to prevent obesity can use many existing policy levers to reach ethnic minority and low-income children and families: Medicaid, the State Child Health Insurance Program, and federal nutrition "safety net" programs. Ultimately, winning the fight against childhood obesity in minority and low-income communities will depend on the nation's will to change the social and physical

Effectiveness of School-Based Bullying Intervention Programs in Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dogini, Eric U.

2012-01-01

Bullying behavior has reached pandemic proportions and is a growing concern in primary school. Most intervention programs in primary school are focused on bullying prevention or principally on the behavior of the bully. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a school-based bullying intervention program is an effective method for reducing…

The Use and Effectiveness of a Targeted Math Intervention for Third Graders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pool, Juli L.; Carter, Gabriel M.; Johnson, Evelyn S.; Carter, Deborah R.

2013-01-01

Students who fail to develop proficiency in math skills in the primary grades are more likely to experience difficulties in the math curriculum later on. These students may be in need of a more targeted intervention, or Tier 2 supports, in mathematic instruction. Although the instructional principles of an effective math intervention are becoming…

Lifestyle interventions targeting dietary habits and exercise in bipolar disorder: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bauer, Isabelle E; Gálvez, Juan F; Hamilton, Jane E; Balanzá-Martínez, Vicent; Zunta-Soares, Giovana B; Soares, Jair C; Meyer, Thomas D

2016-03-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a serious mental illness associated with a high risk of medical comorbidities, long-term disability and premature death. This systematic review examined the current literature on therapeutic interventions targeting nutrition, physical activity and wellness in BD and collecting health-related measures such as mood and course of illness. Scopus (all databases), Pubmed and Ovid Medline were systematically searched with no language or year restrictions, up to June 2015, for studies focusing on lifestyle interventions in BD. Search terms were related to bipolar disorder, nutrition, physical activity, wellbeing, psychosocial interventions and course of illness. We hand searched content pages of Bipolar Disorders and Journal of Affective Disorders and checked references of relevant reviews and dissertations to identify additional papers. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria to identified hits, this literature search retrieved six papers. Overall findings point towards a beneficial role of lifestyle interventions on mood, weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, physical activity and overall wellbeing. Methodological limitations include small sample size, gender ratio imbalance, inconsistencies in terms of laboratory measures, and lack of randomized controlled trials and absence of follow-up and longitudinal studies to determine the benefits of these factors on clinical and functional outcomes over time Lifestyle interventions in BD targeting nutrition, exercise, wellbeing alongside beliefs, coping strategies and attitudes towards health show promise in reducing the risk of comorbid ailments in BD. There is still a strong need for studies a) developing interventions which are informed by the patient's input and b) examining the effectiveness of such interventions targeting general wellness using well-controlled trials. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Lifestyle interventions targeting dietary habits and exercise in bipolar disorder: a systematic review

PubMed Central

BAUER, ISABELLE E.; GÁLVEZ, JUAN F.; HAMILTON, JANE E.; BALANZÁ-MARTÍNEZ, VICENT; ZUNTA-SOARES, GIOVANA; SOARES, JAIR C.; MEYER, THOMAS D.

2015-01-01

Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is a serious mental illness associated with a high risk of medical comorbidities, long-term disability and premature death. This systematic review examined the current literature on therapeutic interventions targeting nutrition and physical activity in BD and collecting health-related measures such as mood and course of illness. Methods Scopus (all databases), Pubmed and Ovid Medline were systematically searched with no language or year restrictions, up to June 2015, for studies focusing on lifestyle interventions in BD. Search terms were related to bipolar disorder, nutrition, physical activity, wellbeing, psychosocial interventions and course of illness. We hand searched content pages of Bipolar Disorders and Journal of Affective Disorders and checked references of relevant reviews and dissertations to identify additional papers. Results After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria to identified hits, this literature search retrieved six papers. Overall findings point towards a beneficial role of lifestyle interventions on mood, weight, blood pressure, lipid profile, physical activity and overall wellbeing. Methodological limitations include small sample size, gender ratio imbalance, inconsistencies in terms of laboratory measures, and lack of randomized control trials and absence of follow-up and longitudinal studies to determine the benefits of these factors on clinical and functional outcomes over time Conclusions Lifestyle interventions in BD targeting nutrition, exercise, wellbeing alongside beliefs, coping strategies and attitudes towards health show promise in reducing the risk of comorbid ailments in BD. There is still a strong need for studies a) developing interventions which are informed by the patient’s input and b) examining the effectiveness of such interventions targeting general wellness using well-controlled trials. PMID:26724541

A Review of Culturally Targeted/Tailored Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Interventions for Minority Adolescents

PubMed Central

Singh, Nisha; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra

2012-01-01

Aim: Emerging racial/ethnic disparities in tobacco use behaviors and resulting long-term health outcomes highlight the importance of developing culturally tailored/targeted tobacco prevention and cessation interventions. This manuscript describes the efficacy and the components of prevention and cessation interventions developed for minority adolescents. Methods: Thirteen studies focused on culturally tailoring and targeting tobacco prevention/cessation interventions were selected and information on intervention design (type, number of sessions), setting (school or community), theoretical constructs, culture-specific components (surface/deep structures), and treatment outcomes were extracted. Results: Of the 13 studies, 5 focused on prevention, 4 on cessation, and 4 combined prevention and cessation, and most of the studies were primarily school-based, while a few used community locations. Although diverse minority groups were targeted, a majority of the studies (n = 6) worked with Hispanic adolescents. The most common theoretical construct examined was the Social Influence Model (n = 5). The overall findings indicated that culturally tailoring cessation interventions did not appear to improve tobacco quit rates among minority adolescents, but culturally tailored prevention interventions appeared to produce lower tobacco initiation rates among minority adolescents than control conditions. Conclusions: The results of review suggest that there is a critical need to develop better interventions to reduce tobacco use among minority adolescents and that developing a better understanding of cultural issues related to both cessation and initiation of tobacco use among minority populations is a key component of this endeavor. PMID:22614548

[CT-guided intervention by means of a laser marking and targeting aid].

PubMed

Klöppel, R; Wilke, W; Weisse, T; Steinecke, R

1997-08-01

The present study evaluates the use of a laser guidance system for CT-guided intervention. 94 cases of diagnostic biopsies and lumbar sympathectomies (54 cases with laser guidance system and 40 without) were compared. Using the laser guidance system, the number of control scans decreased by 30 to 50%, and necessary corrections of needle location were reduced by a maximum of 30%. The average target deviation of the needle decreased to less than 5 mm in 50% of cases. The laser guidance system is strongly recommended in CT-guided interventions for quality assurance and higher efficiency. The advantage is especially marked if the target area is small.

Early Intervention Preservice Preparation: Program Evaluation and Reflections. Master's Personnel Prep Program. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bricker, Diane; Squires, Jane

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of the early intervention interdisciplinary preservice program at the University of Oregon. This master's degree program used both "measurement of" and "reflection about" preservice efforts to address important questions regarding program effectiveness and identify…

A Community-Based Early Intervention Program for Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Pamela Rosenthal; Campbell, Michelle; Hoffman, Renee Thibodeau; Self, Kayli

2016-01-01

This study examined Pathways Early Autism Intervention, a community-based, parent-mediated, intensive behavioral and developmental intervention program for children with autism spectrum disorders that could be used as a model for state-funded early intervention programs. A single-subject, multiple-baseline, across-participants design was used.…

A complex culturally targeted intervention to reduce Hispanic disparities in living kidney donor transplantation: an effectiveness-implementation hybrid study protocol.

PubMed

Gordon, Elisa J; Lee, Jungwha; Kang, Raymond H; Caicedo, Juan Carlos; Holl, Jane L; Ladner, Daniela P; Shumate, Michelle D

2018-05-16

The shortage of organs for kidney transplantation for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is magnified in Hispanics/Latin Americans in the United States. Living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) is the treatment of choice for ESRD. However, compared to their representation on the transplant waitlist, fewer Hispanics receive a LDKT than non-Hispanic whites. Barriers to LDKT for Hispanics include: lack of knowledge, cultural concerns, and language barriers. Few interventions have been designed to reduce LDKT disparities. This study aims to reduce Hispanic disparities in LDKT through a culturally targeted intervention. Using a prospective effectiveness-implementation hybrid design involving pre-post intervention evaluation with matched controls, we will implement a complex culturally targeted intervention at two transplant centers in Dallas, TX and Phoenix, AZ. The goal of the study is to evaluate the effect of Northwestern Medicine's® Hispanic Kidney Transplant Program's (HKTP) key culturally targeted components (outreach, communication, education) on Hispanic LDKT rates over five years. The main hypothesis is that exposure to the HKTP will reduce disparities by increasing the ratio of Hispanic to non-Hispanic white LDKTs and the number of Hispanic LDKTs. We will also examine other process and outcome measures including: dialysis patient outreach, education session attendance, marketing efforts, Hispanic patients added to the waitlist, Hispanic potential donors per potential recipient, and satisfaction with culturally competent care. We will use mixed methods based on the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (revised PARIHS) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) frameworks to formatively evaluate the fidelity and innovative adaptations to HKTP's components at both study sites, to identify moderating factors that most affect implementation fidelity, and to identify adaptations that positively and

Dementia caregivers' responses to 2 Internet-based intervention programs.

PubMed

Marziali, Elsa; Garcia, Linda J

2011-02-01

The aim of this study was to examine the impact on dementia caregivers' experienced stress and health status of 2 Internet-based intervention programs. Ninety-one dementia caregivers were given the choice of being involved in either an Internet-based chat support group or an Internet-based video conferencing support group. Pre-post outcome measures focused on distress, health status, social support, and service utilization. In contrast to the Chat Group, the Video Group showed significantly greater improvement in mental health status. Also, for the Video Group, improvements in self-efficacy, neuroticism, and social support were associated with lower stress response to coping with the care recipient's cognitive impairment and decline in function. The results show that, of 2 Internet-based intervention programs for dementia caregivers, the video conferencing intervention program was more effective in improving mental health status and improvement in personal characteristics were associated with lower caregiver stress response.

Jump start: a targeted substance abuse prevention program.

PubMed

Harrington, N G; Donohew, L

1997-10-01

A substance abuse prevention and life skills program for economically disadvantaged, high sensation seeking African American teens was developed and tested in Cincinnati, Ohio. Formative research was conducted to determine program content and format. Over two implementations, 289 individuals in the target population were recruited as participants for the field test of the program. For the first implementation, participants were randomly selected from the city's summer youth employment program. For the second, a media campaign was designed to recruit participants. Process evaluation indicated that participants evaluated the program extremely positively. Outcome evaluation indicated that significant pretest differences between high and low sensation seekers were neutralized for liquor and marijuana in both years of the program and for attitude toward drugs in the first year of the program. These results suggest that sensation seeking is a useful message design and audience-targeting variable for substance abuse prevention program design. Implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Intervention mapping: a process for developing theory- and evidence-based health education programs.

PubMed

Bartholomew, L K; Parcel, G S; Kok, G

1998-10-01

The practice of health education involves three major program-planning activities: needs assessment, program development, and evaluation. Over the past 20 years, significant enhancements have been made to the conceptual base and practice of health education. Models that outline explicit procedures and detailed conceptualization of community assessment and evaluation have been developed. Other advancements include the application of theory to health education and promotion program development and implementation. However, there remains a need for more explicit specification of the processes by which one uses theory and empirical findings to develop interventions. This article presents the origins, purpose, and description of Intervention Mapping, a framework for health education intervention development. Intervention Mapping is composed of five steps: (1) creating a matrix of proximal program objectives, (2) selecting theory-based intervention methods and practical strategies, (3) designing and organizing a program, (4) specifying adoption and implementation plans, and (5) generating program evaluation plans.

Teen Suicide in Nevada: The Problem, Effective Intervention & Prevention Programs, Status of Programs in Nevada Schools, Exemplary Programs, [and] Guidelines for Nevada School Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smaby, Marlow H.; Downing, Jerry

The purpose of this paper is twofold: it reviews current national research on adolescent suicide and successful intervention/prevention programs and it surveys the 17 Nevada school districts to determine the presence of successful suicide intervention/prevention programs in the state. Findings include the following: (1) the popular…

Targeting cancer metabolism: dietary and pharmacological interventions

PubMed Central

Vernieri, Claudio; Casola, Stefano; Foiani, Marco; Pietrantonio, Filippo; de Braud, Filippo; Longo, Valter

2016-01-01

Most tumors display oncogene-driven reprogramming of several metabolic pathways, which are crucial to sustain their growth and proliferation. In recent years, both dietary and pharmacological approaches that target deregulated tumor metabolism are beginning to be considered for clinical applications. Dietary interventions exploit the ability of nutrient-restricted conditions to exert broad biological effects, protecting normal cells, organs and systems, while sensitizing a wide variety of cancer cells to cytotoxic therapies. On the other hand, drugs targeting enzymes or metabolites of crucial metabolic pathways can be highly specific and effective, but must be matched with a responsive tumor, which might rapidly adapt. In this Review, we illustrate how dietary and pharmacological therapies differ in their effect on tumor growth, proliferation and metabolism, and discuss the available preclinical and clinical evidence in favor or against each of them. We also indicate, when appropriate, how to optimize future investigations on metabolic therapies on the basis of tumor- and patient-related characteristics. PMID:27872127

Development of a tobacco cessation intervention for Alaska Native youth

PubMed Central

Patten, Christi A.; Fadahunsi, Oluwole; Hanza, Marcelo; Smith, Christina M.; Hughes, Christine A.; Brockman, Tabetha A.; Boyer, Rahnia; Decker, Paul A.; Luger, Elizabeth; Sinicrope, Pamela S.; Offord, Kenneth P.

2013-01-01

Tobacco cessation treatments have not been evaluated among Alaska Native (AN) adolescents. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a targeted cessation intervention developed for AN youth. Intervention components were informed by prior focus groups assessing treatment preferences among AN youth, a social cognitive theoretical framework and feedback obtained from a teen advisory group. The intervention consisted of a weekend program where youth traveled by small airplane from their villages to stay overnight with other adolescents who quit tobacco use together. The program included recreational activities, talking circles, personal stories from elders and teen advisors, and cognitive behavioral counseling. Two intervention pilots were conducted from October 2010 to January 2011 using a non-randomized, uncontrolled study design with assessments at baseline and six-week follow-up. One village in Western Alaska was selected for each pilot with a targeted enrollment of 10 adolescents each. Participants were recruited for each pilot within five days, but recruitment challenges and ‘‘lessons learned’’ are described. The first pilot enrolled nine adolescents (all female) aged 13–16 years; all nine attended the intervention program and 78% (7/9) completed follow-up. The second pilot enrolled 12 adolescents (eight females, four males) aged 12–17 years, of which seven attended the intervention program. Six of these seven participants (86%) completed follow-up. In both pilots, participants rated the intervention as highly acceptable. A targeted cessation intervention was feasible and acceptable to AN youth. The intervention will be tested for efficacy in a subsequent randomized controlled trial. PMID:24058327

The Targeted Reading Intervention: A Classroom Teacher Professional Development Program to Promote Effective Teaching for Struggling Readers in Kindergarten and First Grade

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernon-Feagans, Lynne; Kainz, Kirsten; Hedrick, Amy; Ginsberg, Marnie; Amendum, Steve

2010-01-01

The main objective of the overall Targeted Reading Intervention (TRI) was to help the classroom teacher acquire the key reading diagnostic strategies (e.g., Cooter, 2003; Desimone, 2009; Garet et al., 2001; Timperley & Phillips, 2003) relevant to K-1 struggling readers (e.g., Desimone, 2009; Garet et al., 2001; Guskey, 2002; Joyce &…

"What Should We Tell the Children About Relationships and Sex?"©: development of a program for parents using intervention mapping.

PubMed

Newby, Katie; Bayley, Julie; Wallace, L M

2011-03-01

This article describes the development of an intervention that aims to increase the quantity and quality of parent-child communication about sex and relationships. The intervention has been designed as part of a local strategic approach to teenage pregnancy and sexual health. The process and findings of Intervention Mapping (IM), a tool for the development of theory-and evidence-based interventions, are presented. The process involves a detailed assessment of the difficulties parents experience in communicating with their children about sex and relationships. The findings are translated into program and change objectives that specify what parents need to do to improve their communication. Theory-based practical strategies most likely to bring about the desired behavioral change are then identified and pretested. The intervention developed consists of a six-session facilitator-led program that targets parents' attitudes, knowledge, communication skills, and self-efficacy. Following on from Bartholomew's seminal work on IM, this article develops and extends the application of this process by presenting explicit detail on the behavioral change techniques used and their theoretical underpinnings. The strengths and weaknesses of IM as a process for the development of health behavior interventions are discussed.

Program Development and Effectiveness of Workplace Health Promotion Program for Preventing Metabolic Syndrome among Office Workers

PubMed Central

Ryu, Hosihn; Jung, Jiyeon; Cho, Jeonghyun; Chin, Dal Lae

2017-01-01

This paper aims to develop and analyze the effects of a socio-ecological model-based intervention program for preventing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among office workers. The intervention program was developed using regular health examinations, a “health behavior and need” assessment survey among workers, and a focus group study. According to the type of intervention, subjects took part in three groups: health education via an intranet-based web magazine (Group 1), self-monitoring with the U-health system (Group 2), and the target population who received intensive intervention (Group 3). The intervention programs of Group 1 and Group 2, which relied on voluntary participation, did not show significant effects. In Group 3, which relied on targeted and proactive programs, showed a decrease in waist circumference and in fasting glucose (p < 0.001). The MetS score in both males (−0.61 ± 3.35 versus −2.32 ± 2.55, p = 0.001) and females (−3.99 ± 2.05 versus −5.50 ± 2.19, p = 0.028) also showed a statistically significant decrease. In light of the effectiveness of the intensive intervention strategy for metabolic syndrome prevention among workers used in this study, companies should establish targeted and proactive health care programs rather than providing a healthcare system that is dependent on an individual’s voluntary participation. PMID:28777320

Program Development and Effectiveness of Workplace Health Promotion Program for Preventing Metabolic Syndrome among Office Workers.

PubMed

Ryu, Hosihn; Jung, Jiyeon; Cho, Jeonghyun; Chin, Dal Lae

2017-08-04

This paper aims to develop and analyze the effects of a socio-ecological model-based intervention program for preventing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among office workers. The intervention program was developed using regular health examinations, a "health behavior and need" assessment survey among workers, and a focus group study. According to the type of intervention, subjects took part in three groups: health education via an intranet-based web magazine (Group 1), self-monitoring with the U-health system (Group 2), and the target population who received intensive intervention (Group 3). The intervention programs of Group 1 and Group 2, which relied on voluntary participation, did not show significant effects. In Group 3, which relied on targeted and proactive programs, showed a decrease in waist circumference and in fasting glucose ( p < 0.001). The MetS score in both males (-0.61 ± 3.35 versus -2.32 ± 2.55, p = 0.001) and females (-3.99 ± 2.05 versus -5.50 ± 2.19, p = 0.028) also showed a statistically significant decrease. In light of the effectiveness of the intensive intervention strategy for metabolic syndrome prevention among workers used in this study, companies should establish targeted and proactive health care programs rather than providing a healthcare system that is dependent on an individual's voluntary participation.

A conative educational model for an intervention program in obese youth.

PubMed

Vanhelst, Jérémy; Béghin, Laurent; Fardy, Paul Stephen; Bui-Xuan, Gilles; Mikulovic, Jacques

2012-06-07

Obesity in children has increased in recent years throughout the world and is associated with adverse health consequences. Early interventions, including appropriate pedagogy strategies, are important for a successful intervention program. The aim of this study was to assess changes in body mass index, the ability to perform sport activities, behavior in the classroom and academic performance following one year of a health-wellness intervention program in obese youth. The CEMHaVi program included 37 obese children (19 girls and 18 boys). Participants received an intervention program consisting of physical activity and health education. Assessment included body mass index, academic performance, classroom performance and ability to perform sport activities. Paired t tests were used to assess the effects of intervention, and chi square was used to assess inter-action between measures. Findings of the study suggest significant decrease in Z scores of Body Mass Index and an improvement of academic performance, classroom behavior and the ability to perform sport activities (p < 0.05). Chi square testing showed significant positive inter-actions between body mass index, classroom behavior and academic performance. Results following year one of CEMHaVi showed that a program of physical activity and health education had positive effects on obesity, behavior in the classroom and the ability to perform sport activities in obese adolescents. Significant inter-action in changes between variables was observed. Findings are important for designing intervention models to improve health in obese youth.

Predictors of treatment use among foster mothers in an attachment-based intervention program.

PubMed

Bick, Johanna; Dozier, Mary; Moore, Shannon

2012-01-01

The current study examined predictors of treatment use among 56 foster mothers who participated in an attachment-based intervention program for foster infants. Foster mothers' levels of treatment use were coded at early, middle, and late phases of the intervention program. Foster mothers' states of mind with regard to attachment predicted their understanding of the intervention session concepts. Specifically, autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of understanding at the start of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. State of mind with regard to attachment also predicted foster mothers' levels of reflective functioning during the intervention sessions. Autonomous foster mothers showed higher levels of reflective functioning at early, middle, and late stages of the intervention program, when compared with non-autonomous foster mothers. The relevance of these findings for both treatment effectiveness and treatment delivery is discussed.

The effect of interventions targeting screen time reduction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wu, Lei; Sun, Samio; He, Yao; Jiang, Bin

2016-07-01

Previous studies have evaluated the effectiveness of interventions aimed at screen time reduction, but the results have been inconsistent. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to summarize the accumulating evidence of the impact of interventions targeting screen time reduction on body mass index (BMI) reduction and screen time reduction. The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were searched for RCTs on the effect of interventions targeting screen time reduction. The primary and secondary outcomes were the mean difference between the treatment and control groups in the changes in BMI and changes in screen viewing time. A random effects model was used to calculate the pooled mean differences. Fourteen trials including 2238 participants were assessed. The pooled analysis suggested that interventions targeting screen time reduction had a significant effect on BMI reduction (-0.15 kg/m, P < 0.001, I = 0) and on screen time reduction (-4.63 h/w, P = 0.003, I = 94.6%). Subgroup analysis showed that a significant effect of screen time reduction was observed in studies in which the duration of intervention was <7 months and that the types of interventions in those studies were health promotion curricula or counseling. Interventions for screen time reduction might be effective in reducing screen time and preventing excess weight. Further rigorous investigations with larger samples and longer follow-up periods are still needed to evaluate the efficacy of screen time reduction both in children and in adults.

A community intervention trial of multimodal suicide prevention program in Japan: a novel multimodal community intervention program to prevent suicide and suicide attempt in Japan, NOCOMIT-J.

PubMed

Ono, Yutaka; Awata, Shuichi; Iida, Hideharu; Ishida, Yasushi; Ishizuka, Naoki; Iwasa, Hiroto; Kamei, Yuichi; Motohashi, Yutaka; Nakagawa, Atsuo; Nakamura, Jun; Nishi, Nobuyuki; Otsuka, Kotaro; Oyama, Hirofumi; Sakai, Akio; Sakai, Hironori; Suzuki, Yuriko; Tajima, Miyuki; Tanaka, Eriko; Uda, Hidenori; Yonemoto, Naohiro; Yotsumoto, Toshihiko; Watanabe, Naoki

2008-09-15

To respond to the rapid surge in the incidence of suicide in Japan, which appears to be an ongoing trend, the Japanese Multimodal Intervention Trials for Suicide Prevention (J-MISP) have launched a multimodal community-based suicide prevention program, NOCOMIT-J. The primary aim of this study is to examine whether NOCOMIT-J is effective in reducing suicidal behavior in the community. This study is a community intervention trial involving seven intervention regions with accompanying control regions, all with populations of statistically sufficient size. The program focuses on building social support networks in the public health system for suicide prevention and mental health promotion, intending to reinforce human relationships in the community. The intervention program components includes a primary prevention measures of awareness campaign for the public and key personnel, secondary prevention measures for screening of, and assisting, high-risk individuals, after-care for individuals bereaved by suicide, and other measures. The intervention started in July 2006, and will continue for 3.5 years. Participants are Japanese and foreign residents living in the intervention and control regions (a total of population of 2,120,000 individuals). The present study is designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the community-based suicide prevention program in the seven participating areas. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) UMIN000000460.

Translation of tobacco control programs in schools: findings from a rapid review of systematic reviews of implementation and dissemination interventions.

PubMed

Wolfenden, L; Carruthers, J; Wyse, R; Yoong, S

2014-08-01

School-based programs targeting the prevention of tobacco use are a key strategy for reducing the overall tobacco-related mortality and morbidity in the community. While substantial research investment has resulted in the identification of various effective tobacco prevention interventions in schools, this research investment will not result in public health benefits, unless effectively disseminated and implemented. This rapid review aimed to identify effective implementation or dissemination interventions, targeting the adoption of school-based tobacco prevention programs. A systematic search was conducted to identify published systematic reviews that examined the effectiveness of implementation and dissemination strategies for facilitating the adoption of tobacco policies or programs in schools from 1992 to 2012. The search yielded 1028 results, with one relevant systematic review being identified. The review included two controlled studies examining the implementation and dissemination of tobacco prevention programs and guidelines. The two randomised trials examined the delivery of active face-to-face training to implement a school-based curriculum compared with video-delivered or mail-based training. Improvements in the implementation of the programs were reported for the face-to-face training arm in both trials. Little rigorous evidence exists to guide the implementation and dissemination of tobacco prevention programs in schools. SO WHAT? Few systematic reviews exist to inform the implementation of evidence-based tobacco prevention programs in schools. In the absence of a strong evidence base, health care policymakers and practitioners may need to draw on setting-based frameworks or parallel evidence from other settings to design strategies to facilitate the adoption of tobacco prevention initiatives.

Stepfamily Enrichment Program: A Preventive Intervention for Remarried Couples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michaels, Marcia L.

2006-01-01

The Stepfamily Enrichment Program is a multi-couple group intervention intended to help stepfamilies successfully negotiate the early stages of family formation. Theory, research, and clinical findings were integrated in this intervention designed specifically for remarried couples. Emphasis is placed on strengthening and improving family…

Qualitative methods to ensure acceptability of behavioral and social interventions to the target population

PubMed Central

Ayala, Guadalupe X.; Elder, John P.

2013-01-01

This paper introduces qualitative methods for assessing the acceptability of an intervention. Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its components might meet the needs of the target population and organizational setting. In this paper, we focus on two common qualitative methods for conducting acceptability research and their advantages and disadvantages: focus groups and interviews. We provide examples from our own research and other studies to demonstrate the use of these methods for conducting acceptability research and how one might adapt this approach for oral health research. Finally, we present emerging methods for conducting acceptability research, including the use of community-based participatory research, as well as the utility of conducting acceptability research for assessing the appropriateness of measures in intervention research. PMID:21656958

Fidelity in After-School Program Intervention Research: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynard, Brandy R.; Peters, Kristen E.; Vaughn, Michael G.; Sarteschi, Christine M.

2014-01-01

Over the past 2 decades, the number of after-school programs (ASP) and the number of students attending ASPs has markedly increased. Although several reviews and meta-analyses have examined the outcomes of ASPs, ASP intervention study reviews have not specifically examined intervention fidelity. Establishing intervention fidelity is critically…

Exploring Burnout in Batterer Intervention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahner, Angela D.; Berkel, LaVerne A.

2007-01-01

This study used the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to explore burnout in a sample of 115 batterer intervention program (BIP) workers (56% female, 44% male) from four midwestern states. The purpose of this study was to explore the role that demographic variables, job-setting variables, supervisor support, and personality characteristics played in…

Mediators of improved child diet quality following a health promotion intervention: the Melbourne InFANT Program.

PubMed

Spence, Alison C; Campbell, Karen J; Crawford, David A; McNaughton, Sarah A; Hesketh, Kylie D

2014-11-04

Young children's diets are currently suboptimal. Given that mothers have a critical influence on children' diets, they are typically a target of interventions to improve early childhood nutrition. Understanding the maternal factors which mediate an intervention's effect on young children's diets is important, but has not been well investigated. This research aimed to test whether maternal feeding knowledge, maternal feeding practices, maternal self-efficacy, and maternal dietary intakes acted as mediators of the effect of an intervention to improve child diet quality. The Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial (InFANT) Program was a cluster-randomized controlled trial, conducted from 2008-2010. This novel, low-dose, health promotion intervention was delivered quarterly over 15 months and involved educational activities, promotion of peer discussion, a DVD and written materials. Post-intervention, when children were approximately 18 months of age, child diets were assessed using multiple 24-hour recalls and a purpose-developed index of diet quality, the Obesity Protective Dietary Index. Maternal mediators were assessed using a combination of previously validated and purpose-deigned tools. Mediation analysis was conducted using the test of joint significance and difference of coefficients methods. Across 62 parents' groups in Melbourne, Australia, 542 parents were recruited. Post- intervention, higher maternal feeding knowledge and lower use of foods as rewards was found to mediate the direct intervention effect on child diet quality. While other aspects of maternal feeding practices, self-efficacy and dietary intakes did not act as mediators, they were associated with child diet quality. Mediation analysis of this novel health promotion intervention showed the importance of maternal feeding knowledge and use of foods as rewards in impacting child diet quality. The other maternal factors assessed were appropriate targets but further research on how to

Adaptive bi-level programming for optimal gene knockouts for targeted overproduction under phenotypic constraints

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Optimization procedures to identify gene knockouts for targeted biochemical overproduction have been widely in use in modern metabolic engineering. Flux balance analysis (FBA) framework has provided conceptual simplifications for genome-scale dynamic analysis at steady states. Based on FBA, many current optimization methods for targeted bio-productions have been developed under the maximum cell growth assumption. The optimization problem to derive gene knockout strategies recently has been formulated as a bi-level programming problem in OptKnock for maximum targeted bio-productions with maximum growth rates. However, it has been shown that knockout mutants in fact reach the steady states with the minimization of metabolic adjustment (MOMA) from the corresponding wild-type strains instead of having maximal growth rates after genetic or metabolic intervention. In this work, we propose a new bi-level computational framework--MOMAKnock--which can derive robust knockout strategies under the MOMA flux distribution approximation. Methods In this new bi-level optimization framework, we aim to maximize the production of targeted chemicals by identifying candidate knockout genes or reactions under phenotypic constraints approximated by the MOMA assumption. Hence, the targeted chemical production is the primary objective of MOMAKnock while the MOMA assumption is formulated as the inner problem of constraining the knockout metabolic flux to be as close as possible to the steady-state phenotypes of wide-type strains. As this new inner problem becomes a quadratic programming problem, a novel adaptive piecewise linearization algorithm is developed in this paper to obtain the exact optimal solution to this new bi-level integer quadratic programming problem for MOMAKnock. Results Our new MOMAKnock model and the adaptive piecewise linearization solution algorithm are tested with a small E. coli core metabolic network and a large-scale iAF1260 E. coli metabolic network

Adaptive bi-level programming for optimal gene knockouts for targeted overproduction under phenotypic constraints.

PubMed

Ren, Shaogang; Zeng, Bo; Qian, Xiaoning

2013-01-01

Optimization procedures to identify gene knockouts for targeted biochemical overproduction have been widely in use in modern metabolic engineering. Flux balance analysis (FBA) framework has provided conceptual simplifications for genome-scale dynamic analysis at steady states. Based on FBA, many current optimization methods for targeted bio-productions have been developed under the maximum cell growth assumption. The optimization problem to derive gene knockout strategies recently has been formulated as a bi-level programming problem in OptKnock for maximum targeted bio-productions with maximum growth rates. However, it has been shown that knockout mutants in fact reach the steady states with the minimization of metabolic adjustment (MOMA) from the corresponding wild-type strains instead of having maximal growth rates after genetic or metabolic intervention. In this work, we propose a new bi-level computational framework--MOMAKnock--which can derive robust knockout strategies under the MOMA flux distribution approximation. In this new bi-level optimization framework, we aim to maximize the production of targeted chemicals by identifying candidate knockout genes or reactions under phenotypic constraints approximated by the MOMA assumption. Hence, the targeted chemical production is the primary objective of MOMAKnock while the MOMA assumption is formulated as the inner problem of constraining the knockout metabolic flux to be as close as possible to the steady-state phenotypes of wide-type strains. As this new inner problem becomes a quadratic programming problem, a novel adaptive piecewise linearization algorithm is developed in this paper to obtain the exact optimal solution to this new bi-level integer quadratic programming problem for MOMAKnock. Our new MOMAKnock model and the adaptive piecewise linearization solution algorithm are tested with a small E. coli core metabolic network and a large-scale iAF1260 E. coli metabolic network. The derived knockout

The impact of hotspot-targeted interventions on malaria transmission: study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Malaria transmission is highly heterogeneous in most settings, resulting in the formation of recognizable malaria hotspots. Targeting these hotspots might represent a highly efficacious way of controlling or eliminating malaria if the hotspots fuel malaria transmission to the wider community. Methods/design Hotspots of malaria will be determined based on spatial patterns in age-adjusted prevalence and density of antibodies against malaria antigens apical membrane antigen-1 and merozoite surface protein-1. The community effect of interventions targeted at these hotspots will be determined. The intervention will comprise larviciding, focal screening and treatment of the human population, distribution of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying. The impact of the intervention will be determined inside and up to 500 m outside the targeted hotspots by PCR-based parasite prevalence in cross-sectional surveys, malaria morbidity by passive case detection in selected facilities and entomological monitoring of larval and adult Anopheles populations. Discussion This study aims to provide direct evidence for a community effect of hotspot-targeted interventions. The trial is powered to detect large effects on malaria transmission in the context of ongoing malaria interventions. Follow-up studies will be needed to determine the effect of individual components of the interventions and the cost-effectiveness of a hotspot-targeted approach, where savings made by reducing the number of compounds that need to receive interventions should outweigh the costs of hotspot-detection. Trial registration NCT01575613. The protocol was registered online on 20 March 2012; the first community was randomized on 26 March 2012. PMID:23374910

Multimodel Substance Use Intervention Program for Male Delinquents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Alfred S.; Terras, Arlene; Glassman, Kimberly

2002-01-01

In this prevention-early intervention project, court-adjudicated male adolescents were randomly assigned to either a program participant group, or to a control group. Results showed that the program group reported a significantly greater degree of reduction in drug use/abuse, and in the selling of drugs, but not in alcohol use, or in illegal…

A systematic review of school-based eHealth interventions targeting alcohol use, smoking, physical inactivity, diet, sedentary behaviour and sleep among adolescents: a review protocol.

PubMed

Champion, Katrina E; Newton, Nicola C; Spring, Bonnie; Wafford, Q Eileen; Parmenter, Belinda J; Teesson, Maree

2017-12-06

Six key behavioural risk factors (risky alcohol use, smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and unhealthy sleep patterns) have been identified as strong determinants of chronic disease, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancers. School-based interventions targeting these multiple health risk behaviours among adolescents have the potential to halt the trajectory towards later disease, whilst online and mobile technology interventions offer advantages in terms of student engagement, reach and scalability. Despite this, the efficacy of eHealth school-based interventions targeting these six health risk behaviours among adolescents has not been evaluated. The proposed systematic review aims to address this by determining the nature and efficacy of existing eHealth school-based interventions targeting multiple health risk behaviours among adolescents. A systematic search of the MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library databases will be conducted to identify eligible published papers. Eligible studies will be randomised controlled trials, including cluster randomised controlled trials, of interventions targeting two or more of the following lifestyle risk behaviours: alcohol use, smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and sleep. Eligible studies will be those evaluating interventions delivered in a secondary school setting among participants 11-18 years of age, via an eHealth platform (Internet, computers of mobile technology). Two reviewers will independently screen studies for eligibility, extract data and assess the risk of bias. Study outcomes will be summarised in a narrative synthesis, and meta-analyses will be conducted where it is appropriate to combine studies. It is anticipated that the results from this review will serve to inform the development of future eHealth multiple health behaviour interventions for adolescents by identifying common characteristics of effective programs and highlighting

An intervention program to promote health-related physical fitness in nurses.

PubMed

Yuan, Su-Chuan; Chou, Ming-Chih; Hwu, Lien-Jen; Chang, Yin-O; Hsu, Wen-Hsin; Kuo, Hsien-Wen

2009-05-01

To assess the effects of exercise intervention on nurses' health-related physical fitness. Regular exercise that includes gymnastics or aerobics has a positive effect on fitness. In Taiwan, there are not much data which assess the effects of exercise intervention on nurses' health-related physical fitness. Many studies have reported the high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in nurses However, there has been limited research on intervention programs that are designed to improve the general physical fitness of nurses. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at a medical centre in central Taiwan. Ninety nurses from five different units of a hospital volunteered to participate in this study and participated in an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group engaged in a three-month intervention program consisting of treadmill exercise. Indicators of the health-related physical fitness of both groups were established and assessed before and after the intervention. Before intervention, the control group had significantly better grasp strength, flexibility and durability of abdominal muscles than the experimental group (p < 0.05). After the intervention, logistic regression was used to adjust for marital status, work duration, regular exercise and workload and found that the experimental group performed significantly better (p < 0.05) on body mass index, grasp strength, flexibility, durability of abdominal and back muscles and cardiopulmonary function. This study demonstrates that the development and implementation of an intervention program can promote and improve the health-related physical fitness of nurses. It is suggested that nurses engage in an exercise program while in the workplace to lower the risk of MSDs and to promote working efficiency.

Early Interventions: Keys to Successful Readers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jeffreys, JoAnn; Spang, Joan

This action research outlines an early reading intervention project for improving students' reading skills and promoting the implementation of early reading intervention programs. The targeted population includes first and second grade students in one school located in the suburbs of a major city in Illinois. The problem of early reading…

Comparison of injection drug users accessing syringes from pharmacies, syringe exchange programs, and other syringe sources to inform targeted HIV prevention and intervention strategies

PubMed Central

Rudolph, Abby E.; Crawford, Natalie D.; Ompad, Danielle C.; Benjamin, Ebele O.; Stern, Rachel J.; Fuller, Crystal M.

2011-01-01

Objective In New York, syringe exchange programs (SEPs) and pharmacies provide syringe access for IDUs but may be unable to meet the needs of all IDUs. This analysis aims to describe IDUs who access syringes through different outlets to help inform the prevention needs of IDUs who under-utilize safe syringe sources in a city where syringe availability is high relative to other U.S. cities. Design Cross-sectional study Setting New York City (2005–2007) Participants 285 IDUs recruited using street-intercept sampling Intervention(s) Not Applicable Main outcome measure(s) IDUs using SEPs, pharmacies, or other outlets as a primary syringe source were compared by sociodemographic characteristics, injection practices and medical service utilization. Results Chi-square tests and polytomous logistic regression were used to compare IDUs with different self-reported primary syringe sources used 6 months prior to study entry. Compared with IDUs using other syringe sources, those using primarily SEPs were less likely to be Black (AOR:0.26 95%CI:0.11–0.57), more likely to inject daily (AOR:3.32; 95%CI:1.58–6.98), and more likely to inject with a new syringe (AOR:2.68; 95%CI:1.30–5.54). Compared with IDUs using other syringe sources, those using primarily pharmacies were less likely to be Black (AOR:0.39; 95%CI0.17–0.90). Conclusion These data suggest that pharmacies and SEPs may be reaching different populations of IDUs and highlight a sub-population of highly marginalized IDUs (Black and infrequent injectors) who are under-utilizing safe syringe sources in New York City. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce racial disparities and increase utilization of safe syringe outlets. PMID:20199954

The Early Risers Preventive Intervention: Testing for Six-year Outcomes and Mediational Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernat, Debra H.; August, Gerald J.; Hektner, Joel M.; Bloomquist, Michael L.

2007-01-01

We examined effects of the Early Risers "Skills for Success" early-age-targeted prevention program on serious conduct problems following 5 years of continuous intervention and one year of follow-up. We also examined if intervention effects on proximally-targeted variables found after 3 years mediated intervention effects on conduct…

A successful intervention program for high ability minority students

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coleman, Winson R.

1989-01-01

Among professional occupations in the United States, non-Asian minorities are least represented in science and engineering fields. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that over the next decade, civilian employment of scientists and engineers has the potential to grow by 40 percent. Furthermore, projections for the year 2000 indicate that 100,000 fewer B.S. and B.A. degrees will be awarded than were awarded in 1984. The latter projection takes into consideration the overall declining proportion of all 18 year old college students. Within this shrinking pool of 18 year old potential college students will be an increasing proportion of Blacks and Hispanics. In order to change the educational patterns for minority youth, an intense look at the factors that affect the science and mathematics performance of minorities. Furthermore, the work of programs that are successful at producing minority scientists and engineers must be examined and documented with the intent of replicating these programs. The fundamental concern at this time appears to be the quality of precollege experience because research has shown that lack of precollege preparation is the single most important cause of underrepresentation of minorities in science and engineering careers. For many years, intervention programs have attempted to improve the quality of the minority precollege experience by latter year intervention in grades eleven and twelve. Later efforts, such as this one, have concentrated on earlier years. The effectiveness of intervention programs is widely accepted but not rigorously documented. The mechanisms these programs have developed need to be identified and their potential for broader use evaluated. The ultimate goal of such studies would be to provide the different educational communities with a set of proven cost-effective state of the art mechanisms designed to increase participation and success of minority students in science and mathematics-related courses. One such

A training program for nurse scientists to promote intervention translation.

PubMed

Santacroce, Sheila Judge; Leeman, Jennifer; Song, Mi-Kyung

To reduce the burden of chronic illness, prevention and management interventions must be efficacious, adopted and implemented with fidelity, and reach those at greatest risk. Yet, many research-tested interventions are slow to translate into practice. This paper describes how The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing's NINR-funded institutional pre- and postdoctoral research-training program is addressing the imperative to speed knowledge translation across the research cycle. The training emphasizes six research methods ("catalysts") to speed translation: stakeholder engagement, patient-centered outcomes, intervention optimization and sequential multiple randomized trials (SMART), pragmatic trials, mixed methods approaches, and dissemination and implementation science strategies. Catalysts are integrated into required coursework, biweekly scientific and integrative seminars, and experiential research training. Trainee and program success is evaluated based on benchmarks applicable to all PhD program students, supplemented by indicators specific to the catalysts. Trainees must also demonstrate proficiency in at least two of the six catalysts in their scholarly products. Proficiency is assessed through their works in progress presentations and peer reviews at T32 integrative seminars. While maintaining the emphasis on theory-based interventions, we have integrated six catalysts into our ongoing research training to expedite the dynamic process of intervention development, testing, dissemination and implementation. Through a variety of training activities, our research training focused on theory-based interventions and the six catalysts will generate future nurse scientists who speed translation of theory-based interventions into practice to maximize health outcomes for patients, families, communities and populations affected by chronic illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adherence to the obesity-related lifestyle intervention targets in the IDEFICS study.

PubMed

Kovács, E; Siani, A; Konstabel, K; Hadjigeorgiou, C; de Bourdeaudhuij, I; Eiben, G; Lissner, L; Gwozdz, W; Reisch, L; Pala, V; Moreno, L A; Pigeot, I; Pohlabeln, H; Ahrens, W; Molnár, D

2014-09-01

To address behaviours associated with childhood obesity, certain target values are recommended that should be met to improve children's health. In the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health Effects in Children and infantS) study such lifestyle recommendations were conveyed as six key messages. Here, we investigate the adherence of European children to these messages. The IDEFICS intervention was based on the intervention mapping approach with the following six targets: increase water consumption (to replace sugar-containing beverages), increase fruit/vegetable consumption, reduce daily screen time, increase daily physical activity, improve the quality of family life and ensure adequate sleep duration. Internationally recommended target values were applied to determine the prevalence of children meeting these targets. In a cohort of 18,745 children participating in the IDEFICS baseline survey or newly recruited during follow-up, data on the above lifestyle behaviours were collected for a varying number of 8302 to 17,212 children. Information on all six behaviours was available for 5140 children. Although 52.5% of the cohort was classified in the highest category of water consumption, only 8.8% met the target of an intake of fruits/vegetables five times a day. The prevalence of children adhering to the recommendation regarding total screen time-below 1 h for pre-school children and 2 h for school children-was 51.1%. The recommended amount of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day was fulfilled by 15.2%. Family life of the child measured by various indicators was considered as satisfactory in 22.8%. Nocturnal sleep duration of 11 (10) hours or more in pre-school (school) children was achieved by 37.9%. In general, children in northern countries and younger children showed better adherence to the recommendations. Only 1.1% of the children adhered to at least five of these recommendations. Current

Effect of Nutrition Changes on Foods Selected by Students in a Middle School-based Diabetes Prevention Intervention Program; the HEALTHY Experience

PubMed Central

Mobley, Connie C.; Stadler, Diane D.; Staten, Myrlene A; ghormli, Laure El; Gillis, Bonnie; Hartstein, Jill; Siega-Riz, Anna Maria; Virus, Amy

2011-01-01

BACKGOUND The HEALTHY primary prevention trial developed an integrated multi-component intervention program to moderate risk factors for type 2 diabetes in middle schools. The nutrition component aimed to improve the quality of foods and beverages served to students. Changes in the School Breakfast Program (SBP), National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and a la carte venues are compared to the experience of control schools. METHODS The intervention was implemented in 21 middle schools from winter 2007 through spring 2009 (following a cohort of students from sixth through eighth grades); 21 schools acted as observed controls. The nutrition component targeted school food service environmental change. Data identifying foods and nutrients served (selected by students for consumption) were collected over a 20-day period at baseline and end of study. Analysis compared end of study values for intervention versus control schools. RESULTS Intervention schools more successfully limited dessert and snack food portion size in NSLP and a la carte and lowered fat content of foods served. Servings of high fiber grain-based foods and/or legumes were improved in SBP but not NSLP. Intervention and control schools eliminated >1% fat milk and sugar added beverages in SBP, but intervention schools were more successful in NSLP and a la carte. CONCLUSION The HEALTHY program demonstrated significant changes in the nutritional quality of foods and beverages served in the SBP, NSLP, and a la carte venues, as part of an effort to decrease childhood obesity and support beneficial effects in some secondary HEALTHY study outcomes. PMID:22239133

The Early Impact Program: An Early Intervention and Prevention Program for Children and Families At-Risk of Conduct Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larmar, Stephen; Gatfield, Terry

2007-01-01

The Early Impact (EI) program is an early intervention and prevention program for reducing the incidence of conduct problems in pre-school aged children. The EI intervention framework is ecological in design and includes universal and indicated components. This paper delineates key principles and associated strategies that underpin the EI program.…

Targeted Ovarian Cancer Education for Hispanic Women: A Pilot Program in Arizona.

PubMed

Schlumbrecht, Matthew; Yarian, Ranay; Salmon, Kristine; Niven, Christine; Singh, Diljeet

2016-06-01

In disadvantaged populations, including Hispanics, there is a deficit in understanding of cancer risk factors, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. The objective of this study was to assess ovarian cancer knowledge in a population of Hispanic women in Arizona, identify deficiencies, and to evaluate the utility of an educational program developed specifically for this community's needs. A de novo questionnaire about ovarian cancer was distributed to Hispanic women enrolled in family literacy programs at Mesa Public Schools. Following this assessment, a video educational program was developed, with emphasis on areas of greatest knowledge deficits, and post-intervention assessment administered. Chi square, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for analysis. 167 questionnaires were completed in the pretest group and 102 in the post-intervention group. Between groups, there were no differences in age (p = 0.49), education (p = 0.68), or annual income (p = 0.26). In the pretest group, 45 % of questions were answered correctly versus 84 % in the post-test group (p < 0.01). 24.2 % of the initial respondents correctly identified ovarian cancer symptoms versus 85.6 of post-test respondents (p < 0.01). With the program, there was an increase in the number of correct post-test responses for each question and symptom (p < 0.01), except those about hereditary risk of ovarian cancer (p = 0.62) and pelvic anatomy (p = 0.16). Following identification of an ovarian cancer knowledge deficit in this cohort of Hispanic women, an educational tool targeting specific deficiencies successfully increased cancer knowledge and awareness of symptoms. Similar efforts in this and other minority populations should be continued.

Improvements in Empathy and Cognitive Flexibility after Court-Mandated Intervention Program in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators: The Role of Alcohol Abuse

PubMed Central

Romero-Martínez, Ángel; Lila, Marisol; Martínez, Manuela; Pedrón-Rico, Vicente; Moya-Albiol, Luis

2016-01-01

Research assessing the effectiveness of intervention programs for intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators has increased considerably in recent years. However, most of it has been focused on the analysis of psychological domains, neglecting neuropsychological variables and the effects of alcohol consumption on these variables. This study evaluated potential neuropsychological changes (emotional decoding, perspective taking, emotional empathy and cognitive flexibility) and their relationship with alcohol consumption in a mandatory intervention program for IPV perpetrators, as well as how these variables affect the risk of IPV recidivism. The sample was composed of 116 individuals with high alcohol (n = 55; HA) and low alcohol (n = 61; LA) consumption according to self-report screening measures who received treatment in a IPV perpetrator intervention program developed in Valencia (Spain). IPV perpetrators with HA consumption were less accurate in decoding emotional facial signals and adopting others’ perspective, and less cognitively flexible than those with LA consumption before the IPV intervention. Further, the effectiveness of the intervention program was demonstrated, with increases being observed in cognitive empathy (emotional decoding and perspective taking) and in cognitive flexibility. Nevertheless, the HA group showed a smaller improvement in these skills and higher risk of IPV recidivism than the LA group. Moreover, improvement in these skills was related to a lower risk of IPV recidivism. The study provides guidance on the targeting of cognitive domains, which are key factors for reducing IPV recidivism. PMID:27043602

A feasibility study of a psychoeducational intervention program for gynecological cancer patients.

PubMed

Chow, Ka Ming; Chan, Carmen W H; Chan, Joanne C Y; Choi, Kai K C; Siu, K Y

2014-08-01

This study aimed to test the feasibility of implementing a psychoeducational intervention program for gynecological cancer patients. A single-blinded randomized controlled trial and mixed-method design were used. Study subjects were newly diagnosed gynecological cancer patients with surgery as the first-line treatment. They were randomly assigned to the intervention group, in which a psychoeducational intervention program based on a thematic counseling model was offered, or to the attention control group. Quantitative data on sexual functioning, quality of life, uncertainty, anxiety, depression and social support were collected at recruitment, post-operative and during the in-hospital period, and eight weeks after the operation. Participants in the intervention group and three nurses working in the clinical setting were invited to have semi-structured interviews. Of the 30 eligible subjects, 26 were successfully recruited into the study. Following the psychoeducational intervention program, there was significant improvement in the level of inconsistent information about the illness within the category of uncertainty among participants in the intervention group. In addition, trends towards improvement were demonstrated in quality of life, uncertainty, depression and perceived social support with the provision of the interventions. Qualitative data indicated the interventions were desired and appreciated by the participants, as well as being feasible and practical to implement in Hong Kong clinical settings. The findings suggest that it is feasible to deliver the psychoeducational intervention program and it may have beneficial effects in gynecological cancer patients. A full-scale study is warranted to confirm the results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: An Analysis of Targeted Interventions for Aspiring School Leaders in Texas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kearney, W. Sean; Kelsey, Cheryl; Sinkfield, Carolin

2014-01-01

This study measures the impact of targeted interventions on the emotional intelligence of aspiring principals. The interventions utilized were designed by Nelson and Low (2011) to increase emotionally intelligent leadership skills in the following six areas: social awareness/active listening; anxiety management; decision making; appropriate use of…

An Evaluation of Six Brief Interventions that Target Drug-Related Problems in Correctional Populations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joe, George W.; Knight, Kevin; Simpson, D. Dwayne; Flynn, Patrick M.; Morey, Janis T.; Bartholomew, Norma G.; Tindall, Michele Staton; Burdon, William M.; Hall, Elizabeth A.; Martin, Steve S.; O'Connell, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

Finding brief effective treatments for criminal justice populations is a major public need. The CJ-DATS Targeted Intervention for Corrections (TIC), which consists of six brief interventions (communication, anger, motivation, criminal thinking, social networks, and HIV/sexual health), was tested in separate federally-funded randomized control…

Impact of Implementing Antibiotic Stewardship Programs in 15 Small Hospitals: A Cluster-Randomized Intervention.

PubMed

Stenehjem, Edward; Hersh, Adam L; Buckel, Whitney R; Jones, Peter; Sheng, Xiaoming; Evans, R Scott; Burke, John P; Lopansri, Bert K; Srivastava, Rajendu; Greene, Tom; Pavia, Andrew T

2018-02-23

Studies on the implementation of antibiotic stewardship programs (ASPs) in small hospitals are limited. Accreditation organizations now require all hospitals to have ASPs. The objective of this cluster-randomized intervention was to assess the effectiveness of implementing ASPs in Intermountain Healthcare's 15 small hospitals. Each hospital was randomized to 1 of 3 ASPs of escalating intensity. Program 1 hospitals were provided basic antibiotic stewardship education and tools, access to an infectious disease hotline, and antibiotic utilization data. Program 2 hospitals received those interventions plus advanced education, audit and feedback for select antibiotics, and locally controlled antibiotic restrictions. Program 3 hospitals received program 2 interventions plus audit and feedback on the majority of antibiotics, and an infectious diseases-trained clinician approved restricted antibiotics and reviewed microbiology results. Changes in total and broad-spectrum antibiotic use within programs (intervention versus baseline) and the difference between programs in the magnitude of change in antibiotic use (eg, program 3 vs 1) were evaluated with mixed models. Program 3 hospitals showed reductions in total (rate ratio, 0.89; confidence interval, .80-.99) and broad-spectrum (0.76; .63-.91) antibiotic use when the intervention period was compared with the baseline period. Program 1 and 2 hospitals did not experience a reduction in antibiotic use. Comparison of the magnitude of effects between programs showed a similar trend favoring program 3, but this was not statistically significant. Only the most intensive ASP intervention was associated with reduction in total and broad-spectrum antibiotic use when compared with baseline. NCT03245879.

Design and methodology of the LA Sprouts nutrition, cooking and gardening program for Latino youth: A randomized controlled intervention.

PubMed

Martinez, Lauren C; Gatto, Nicole M; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Davis, Jaimie N

2015-05-01

The LA Sprouts 12-week nutrition, cooking and gardening intervention targets obesity reduction in Latino children. While other gardening and nutrition programs are shown to improve dietary intake, LA Sprouts is unique in that it utilized a curriculum demonstrated to decrease obesity. This methodology paper outlines the design and processes of the LA Sprouts study, and discusses key strategies employed to foster successful implementation of the program. After-school program in four Los Angeles elementary schools. 3rd-5th grade students. Randomized controlled trial. Gardens were built on two of four school campuses, and the 90-minute weekly lessons focused on strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, gardening at school and home, and cooking healthy meals/snacks. Data collection was conducted pre- and post-intervention and included basic clinical and anthropometric measures, dietary intake and psychosocial constructs measured by questionnaire, and an optional fasting blood draw. Baseline data was collected from 364 children, and 320 (88%) completed follow-up. No participants withdrew from the program (data were missing for other reasons). Intervention students attended 9.7 ± 2.3 lessons. Fasting blood samples were collected on 169 children at baseline, and 113 (67%) at follow-up. Questionnaire scales had good internal consistency (IC) and intra-rater reliability (IRR; in child scales: 88% items with IC > 0.7 and 70% items with IRR > 0.50; in parent scales: 75% items with IC > 0.7). The intervention was successfully implemented in the schools and scales appear appropriate to evaluate psychosocial constructs relevant to a gardening intervention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and methodology of the LA Sprouts nutrition, cooking and gardening program for Latino youth: a randomized controlled intervention

PubMed Central

Martinez, Lauren C.; Gatto, Nicole M.; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Davis, Jaimie N.

2015-01-01

Objective The LA Sprouts 12-week nutrition, cooking and gardening intervention targets obesity reduction in Latino children. While other gardening and nutrition programs are shown to improve dietary intake, LA Sprouts is unique in that it utilized a curriculum demonstrated to decrease obesity. This methodology paper outlines the design and processes of the LA Sprouts study, and discusses key strategies employed to foster successful implementation of the program. Setting After-school program in four Los Angeles elementary schools. Subjects 3rd–5th grade students. Design Randomized controlled trial. Gardens were built on two of four school campuses, and the 90-minute weekly lessons focused on strategies to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, gardening at school and home, and cooking healthy meals/snacks. Data collection was conducted pre- and post-intervention and included basic clinical and anthropometric measures, dietary intake and psychosocial constructs measured by questionnaire, and an optional fasting blood draw. Results Baseline data was collected from 364 children, and 320 (88%) completed follow-up. No participants withdrew from the program (data were missing for other reasons). Intervention students attended 9.7 ± 2.3 lessons. Fasting blood samples were collected on 169 children at baseline, and 113 (67%) at follow-up. Questionnaire scales had good internal consistency (IC) and intra-rater reliability (IRR; in child scales: 88% items with IC >0.7 and 70% items with IRR > 0.50; in parent scales: 75% items with IC > 0.7). Conclusions The intervention was successfully implemented in the schools and scales appear appropriate to evaluate psychosocial constructs relevant to a gardening intervention. PMID:25896115

Program, Policy, and Price Interventions for Tobacco Control: Quantifying the Return on Investment of a State Tobacco Control Program

PubMed Central

Harris, Jeffrey R.; Boysun, Michael J.; Reid, Terry R.

2012-01-01

Objectives. We examined health effects associated with 3 tobacco control interventions in Washington State: a comprehensive state program, a state policy banning smoking in public places, and price increases. Methods. We used linear regression models to predict changes in smoking prevalence and specific tobacco-related health conditions associated with the interventions. We estimated dollars saved over 10 years (2000–2009) by the value of hospitalizations prevented, discounting for national trends. Results. Smoking declines in the state exceeded declines in the nation. Of the interventions, the state program had the most consistent and largest effect on trends for heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Over 10 years, implementation of the program was associated with prevention of nearly 36 000 hospitalizations, at a value of about $1.5 billion. The return on investment for the state program was more than $5 to $1. Conclusions. The combined program, policy, and price interventions resulted in reductions in smoking and related health effects, while saving money. Public health and other leaders should continue to invest in tobacco control, including comprehensive programs. PMID:22390458

Program, policy, and price interventions for tobacco control: quantifying the return on investment of a state tobacco control program.

PubMed

Dilley, Julia A; Harris, Jeffrey R; Boysun, Michael J; Reid, Terry R

2012-02-01

We examined health effects associated with 3 tobacco control interventions in Washington State: a comprehensive state program, a state policy banning smoking in public places, and price increases. We used linear regression models to predict changes in smoking prevalence and specific tobacco-related health conditions associated with the interventions. We estimated dollars saved over 10 years (2000-2009) by the value of hospitalizations prevented, discounting for national trends. Smoking declines in the state exceeded declines in the nation. Of the interventions, the state program had the most consistent and largest effect on trends for heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. Over 10 years, implementation of the program was associated with prevention of nearly 36,000 hospitalizations, at a value of about $1.5 billion. The return on investment for the state program was more than $5 to $1. The combined program, policy, and price interventions resulted in reductions in smoking and related health effects, while saving money. Public health and other leaders should continue to invest in tobacco control, including comprehensive programs.

Cancer caregiver quality of life: need for targeted intervention.

PubMed

Lapid, Maria I; Atherton, Pamela J; Kung, Simon; Sloan, Jeff A; Shahi, Varun; Clark, Matthew M; Rummans, Teresa A

2016-12-01

Caregiving can negatively impact well-being. Cancer caregivers face unique challenges given the intense nature of cancer and treatment, which increases their risk for burden, poor quality of life (QOL), and burnout. Studies to reduce caregiver burden demonstrate QOL improvement and distress reduction in the short term. However, few studies exist to address long-term benefits. We assessed changes in various QOL domains after participation in a QOL intervention for caregivers of patients having newly diagnosed advanced cancer. Our institutional review board-approved study randomized patient-caregiver dyads to either usual care or an in-person group intervention composed of six 90-min sessions of structured multidisciplinary QOL components delivered over 4 weeks, with 10 follow-up phone calls within 20 weeks. Caregivers attended four of the six sessions attended by patients. Sessions included physical therapy, coping and communication strategies, mental health education, spirituality, and social needs. Caregiver QOL (Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer Scale [CQOLC] and Linear Analogue Self-Assessment [LASA]) and mood (Profile of Mood States-Brief [POMS-B]) were measured at baseline and 4, 27, and 52 weeks. Wilcoxon tests and effect sizes were used to compare the caregiver groups. Of the 131 caregivers (65 intervention and 66 usual care), 116 completed the study. Caregivers post-intervention (at 4 weeks) had improved scores on LASA Spiritual Well-being; POMS-B total score, Vigor/Activity, and Fatigue/Inertia; and CQOLC Adaptation. At long term (at 27 weeks), caregivers retained improvement in POMS-B Fatigue/Inertia and gained improvements in CQOLC Disruptiveness and Financial Concerns. Caregivers who received the intervention had higher QOL ratings for specific QOL domains but not for overall QOL. Although a comprehensive intervention was helpful, more specific, targeted interventions tailored for individual needs are recommended. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley

Description and immediate impacts of a preventive intervention for conduct problems.

PubMed

Reid, J B; Eddy, J M; Fetrow, R A; Stoolmiller, M

1999-08-01

A population-based randomized intervention trial for the prevention of conduct problems (i.e., oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder) is described. The LIFT (Linking the Interests of Families and Teachers) intervention was designed for all first- and fifth-grade elementary school boys and girls and their families living in at-risk neighborhoods characterized by high rates of juvenile delinquency. The 10-week intervention strategy was carefully targeted at proximal and malleable antecedents in three social domains that were identified by a developmental model of conduct problems. From 12 elementary schools, 671 first and fifth graders and their families participated either in the theory-based universal preventive intervention or in a control condition. The intervention consisted of parent training, a classroom-based social skills program, a playground behavioral program, and systematic communication between teachers and parents. A multiple measure assessment strategy was used to evaluate participant satisfaction and participation, fidelity of implementation, and the immediate impacts of the program on targeted antecedents.

Parent Couples' Coping Resources and Involvement in their Children's Intervention Program.

PubMed

Brand, Devora; Zaidman-Zait, Anat; Most, Tova

2018-07-01

Parental involvement is vital to the implementation of intervention programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children. The current study examined the dyadic relationships between mothers' and fathers' coping resources and their involvement in their child's intervention program. In addition, the moderating roles of parent's gender and family religiosity on the associations between coping resources and involvement were examined. Seventy Jewish couples of parents of DHH children, representing various levels of religiosity, completed questionnaires regarding involvement in their child's intervention program, child acceptance, parental self-efficacy, and perceived social support. Multilevel modeling analyses were used to test actor-partner interdependence. The findings indicated significant actor effects for child acceptance, parental self-efficacy, and social support. All were positively associated with parental involvement. Gender was found to moderate the actor effect of child acceptance. Partner effects were found only for mothers, for child acceptance, and social support. Fathers' child acceptance and social support were negatively associated with mothers' involvement. Religiosity did not moderate neither actor nor partner effects. These results have important implications for planning intervention programs that are sensitive to each of the parent's needs.

Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaycox, Lisa H.; Kataoka, Sheryl H.; Stein, Bradley D.; Langley, Audra K.; Wong, Marleen

2012-01-01

Developed out a community participatory research partnership with schools, the Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools Program is a targeted intervention for school children who have experienced a traumatic or violent event and have symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This article describes the original development of the…

Social marketing and public health intervention.

PubMed

Lefebvre, R C; Flora, J A

1988-01-01

The rapid proliferation of community-based health education programs has out-paced the knowledge base of behavior change strategies that are appropriate and effective for public health interventions. However, experiences from a variety of large-scale studies suggest that principles and techniques of social marketing may help bridge this gap. This article discusses eight essential aspects of the social marketing process: the use of a consumer orientation to develop and market intervention techniques, exchange theory as a model from which to conceptualize service delivery and program participation, audience analysis and segmentation strategies, the use of formative research in program design and pretesting of intervention materials, channel analysis for devising distribution systems and promotional campaigns, employment of the "marketing mix" concept in intervention planning and implementation, development of a process tracking system, and a management process of problem analysis, planning, implementation, feedback and control functions. Attention to such variables could result in more cost-effective programs that reach larger numbers of the target audience.

Targeted mass media interventions promoting healthy behaviours to reduce risk of non-communicable diseases in adult, ethnic minorities.

PubMed

Mosdøl, Annhild; Lidal, Ingeborg B; Straumann, Gyri H; Vist, Gunn E

2017-02-17

Physical activity, a balanced diet, avoidance of tobacco exposure, and limited alcohol consumption may reduce morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Mass media interventions are commonly used to encourage healthier behaviours in population groups. It is unclear whether targeted mass media interventions for ethnic minority groups are more or less effective in changing behaviours than those developed for the general population. To determine the effects of mass media interventions targeting adult ethnic minorities with messages about physical activity, dietary patterns, tobacco use or alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of NCDs. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, SweMed+, and ISI Web of Science until August 2016. We also searched for grey literature in OpenGrey, Grey Literature Report, Eldis, and two relevant websites until October 2016. The searches were not restricted by language. We searched for individual and cluster-randomised controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies (CBA) and interrupted time series studies (ITS). Relevant interventions promoted healthier behaviours related to physical activity, dietary patterns, tobacco use or alcohol consumption; were disseminated via mass media channels; and targeted ethnic minority groups. The population of interest comprised adults (≥ 18 years) from ethnic minority groups in the focal countries. Primary outcomes included indicators of behavioural change, self-reported behavioural change and knowledge and attitudes towards change. Secondary outcomes were the use of health promotion services and costs related to the project. Two authors independently reviewed the references to identify studies for inclusion. We extracted data and assessed the risk of bias in all included studies. We did not pool the results due to heterogeneity in comparisons made, outcomes, and study designs. We describe the results narratively and present them in 'Summary of findings

Helpers Program: A Pilot Test of Brief Tobacco Intervention Training in Three Corporations

PubMed Central

Muramoto, Myra L.; Wassum, Ken; Connolly, Tim; Matthews, Eva; Floden, Lysbeth

2014-01-01

Background Quitlines and worksite-sponsored cessation programs are effective and highly accessible, but limited by low utilization. Efforts to encourage use of cessation aids have focused almost exclusively on the smoker, overlooking the potential for friends, family, coworkers and others in a tobacco user’s social network to influence quitting and use of effective treatment. Methods Longitudinal, observational pilot feasibility study with six-week follow-up survey. Setting/Participants Employees of three national corporations, with a combined target audience of 102,100 employees. Intervention The Helpers Program offers Web-based brief intervention (BI) training to activate social networks of tobacco users to encourage quitting and use of effective treatment. Helpers was offered from 1/10/08 to 3/31/08, as a treatment engagement strategy, together with Free and Clear’s (F&C) telephone/Web-based cessation services. Main outcome measures web-site utilization, training completion, post-training changes in knowledge and self-efficacy with delivery of BIs, referrals to F&C, and use of BI training. Results There were 19,109 unique visitors to the Helpers Web-site. Of these, 4727 created user accounts; 1427 registered for Helpers Training; 766 completed training. There were 445 visits to the referral page and 201 e-mail or letter referrals generated. There were 67 requests for technical support. Of follow-up survey respondents (n=289), 78.9% reported offering a BI. Conclusions Offering the Helpers Program Web-site to a large, diverse audience as part of an employer-sponsored worksite health promotion program is both feasible and well accepted by employees. Website users will participate in training, encourage quitting, and refer smokers to quitline services. PMID:20176303

The Effect of Four Intervention Programs on Standardized Test Scores by Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cryder, Rebecca E.

2012-01-01

This quantitative correlational study involved the analysis, by gender, of the effect of four intervention programs at an Arizona middle school as seen on Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test scores. These four intervention programs included: Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), a planner stamping system, a World…

Evaluating the Impact of Six Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education Interventions on Children's At-Home Diets.

PubMed

Williams, Pamela A; Cates, Sheryl C; Blitstein, Jonathan L; Hersey, James C; Kosa, Katherine M; Long, Valerie A; Singh, Anita; Berman, Danielle

2015-06-01

Nutrition education in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) is designed to promote healthy eating behaviors in a low-income target population. To evaluate the effectiveness of six SNAP-Ed interventions delivered in child care centers or elementary school settings in increasing participating children's at-home fruit and vegetable (F/V) consumption by 0.3 cups per day and use of fat-free or low-fat milk instead of whole or reduced-fat milk during the prior week. Clustered randomized or quasi-experimental clustered trials took place in child care centers or elementary schools between 2010 and 2012. Parents of children at intervention and control sites completed baseline and follow-up surveys about their child's at home F/V consumption and other dietary behaviors. One of the six interventions was successful in meeting the objective of increasing children's F/V consumption by 0.3 cups per day. For three of the six interventions, there was a small but statistically significant increase in F/V consumption and/or use of low-fat or fat-free milk. Although not all interventions were effective, these findings suggest that it is possible for some SNAP-Ed interventions to improve dietary habits among low-income children among some families. The effective interventions appear to have benefited from implementation experience and sustained efforts at intervention refinement and improvement. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

An eHealth Intervention to Promote Physical Activity and Social Network of Single, Chronically Impaired Older Adults: Adaptation of an Existing Intervention Using Intervention Mapping

PubMed Central

Peels, Denise A; Berendsen, Brenda AJ; Bolman, Catherine AW; Lechner, Lilian

2017-01-01

Background Especially for single older adults with chronic diseases, physical inactivity and a poor social network are regarded as serious threats to their health and independence. The Active Plus intervention is an automated computer-tailored eHealth intervention that has been proven effective to promote physical activity (PA) in the general population of adults older than 50 years. Objective The aim of this study was to report on the methods and results of the systematic adaptation of Active Plus to the wishes and needs of the subgroup of single people older than 65 years who have one or more chronic diseases, as this specific target population may encounter specific challenges regarding PA and social network. Methods The Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol was used to systematically adapt the existing intervention to optimally suit this specific target population. A literature study was performed, and quantitative as well as qualitative data were derived from health care professionals (by questionnaires, n=10) and the target population (by focus group interviews, n=14), which were then systematically integrated into the adapted intervention. Results As the health problems and the targeted behavior are largely the same in the original and adapted intervention, the outcome of the needs assessment was that the performance objectives remained the same. As found in the literature study and in data derived from health professionals and focus groups, the relative importance and operationalization of the relevant psychosocial determinants related to these objectives are different from the original intervention, resulting in a refinement of the change objectives to optimally fit the specific target population. This refinement also resulted in changes in the practical applications, program components, intervention materials, and the evaluation and implementation strategy for the subgroup of single, chronically impaired older adults. Conclusions This study demonstrates that

Effectiveness of a selective alcohol prevention program targeting personality risk factors: Results of interaction analyses.

PubMed

Lammers, Jeroen; Goossens, Ferry; Conrod, Patricia; Engels, Rutger; Wiers, Reinout W; Kleinjan, Marloes

2017-08-01

To explore whether specific groups of adolescents (i.e., scoring high on personality risk traits, having a lower education level, or being male) benefit more from the Preventure intervention with regard to curbing their drinking behaviour. A clustered randomized controlled trial, with participants randomly assigned to a 2-session coping skills intervention or a control no-intervention condition. Fifteen secondary schools throughout The Netherlands; 7 schools in the intervention and 8 schools in the control condition. 699 adolescents aged 13-15; 343 allocated to the intervention and 356 to the control condition; with drinking experience and elevated scores in either negative thinking, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity or sensation seeking. Differential effectiveness of the Preventure program was examined for the personality traits group, education level and gender on past-month binge drinking (main outcome), binge frequency, alcohol use, alcohol frequency and problem drinking, at 12months post-intervention. Preventure is a selective school-based alcohol prevention programme targeting personality risk factors. The comparator was a no-intervention control. Intervention effects were moderated by the personality traits group and by education level. More specifically, significant intervention effects were found on reducing alcohol use within the anxiety sensitivity group (OR=2.14, CI=1.40, 3.29) and reducing binge drinking (OR=1.76, CI=1.38, 2.24) and binge drinking frequency (β=0.24, p=0.04) within the sensation seeking group at 12months post-intervention. Also, lower educated young adolescents reduced binge drinking (OR=1.47, CI=1.14, 1.88), binge drinking frequency (β=0.25, p=0.04), alcohol use (OR=1.32, CI=1.06, 1.65) and alcohol use frequency (β=0.47, p=0.01), but not those in the higher education group. Post hoc latent-growth analyses revealed significant effects on the development of binge drinking (β=-0.19, p=0.02) and binge drinking frequency (β=-0.10, p=0

Suicide Intervention Training for College Staff: Program Evaluation and Intervention Skill Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shannonhouse, Laura; Lin, Yung-Wei Dennis; Shaw, Kelly; Wanna, Reema; Porter, Michael

2017-01-01

Objective: Suicide remains a pressing issue for college communities. Consequently, gatekeeper trainings are often provided for staff. This study examines the effect of one such program, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). Participants: 51 college employees received ASIST in August of 2014 and were compared to 30 wait-list control…

Ethnic Stereotypic Attitudes among Israeli Children: Two Intervention Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slone, Michelle; Tarrasch, Ricardo; Hallis, Dana

2000-01-01

Examined stereotypic attitudes of Israeli children toward Arab and Jewish children and their alteration with two 6-week classroom intervention programs. Found that Jewish children held more negative stereotypes toward Arab than toward Jewish children. Found that both textual and audiovisual programs reduced negative Arab stereotypes in comparison…

Measuring participant rurality in Web-based interventions.

PubMed

Danaher, Brian G; Hart, L Gary; McKay, H Garth; Severson, Herbert H

2007-08-31

Web-based health behavior change programs can reach large groups of disparate participants and thus they provide promise of becoming important public health tools. Data on participant rurality can complement other demographic measures to deepen our understanding of the success of these programs. Specifically, analysis of participant rurality can inform recruitment and social marketing efforts, and facilitate the targeting and tailoring of program content. Rurality analysis can also help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions across population groupings. We describe how the RUCAs (Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes) methodology can be used to examine results from two Randomized Controlled Trials of Web-based tobacco cessation programs: the ChewFree.com project for smokeless tobacco cessation and the Smokers' Health Improvement Program (SHIP) project for smoking cessation. Using RUCAs methodology helped to highlight the extent to which both Web-based interventions reached a substantial percentage of rural participants. The ChewFree program was found to have more rural participation which is consistent with the greater prevalence of smokeless tobacco use in rural settings as well as ChewFree's multifaceted recruitment program that specifically targeted rural settings. Researchers of Web-based health behavior change programs targeted to the US should routinely include RUCAs as a part of analyzing participant demographics. Researchers in other countries should examine rurality indices germane to their country.

A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of an Adolescent HIV Prevention Program among Bahamian Youth: Effect at 12 Months Post-Intervention

PubMed Central

Chen, Xinguang; Lunn, Sonya; Deveaux, Lynette; Li, Xioaming; Brathwaite, Nanika; Cottrell, Lesley; Stanton, Bonita

2014-01-01

Background Behavioral interventions based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) have been demonstrated to reduce HIV risk behavior among mid- and older adolescents in different settings across the globe but have not been evaluated among Caribbean nations and have received limited evaluation among pre-adolescents. Objective To determine 1) the effectiveness among pre-adolescents in The Bahamas of a PMT-based HIV prevention program “Focus on Youth in the Caribbean” (FOYC) and 2) the role of the targeted PMT constructs in intervention effect. Methods 1,360 sixth grade youth (10-11 years of age) from 15 urban schools in New Providence, The Bahamas were randomized by school to receive either FOYC or a control condition. Data collected at baseline, six and 12 months post intervention were analyzed. A five-step scheme was used to assess sexual behavior progression, ranging from “1” = “a virgin without intention to have sex” to” 5″ = “having sex without a condom”. Group-based trajectory analysis was utilized in assessing the program effect. Results Two sexual behavior progression patterns were detected: slow progressors and quick progressors. Receiving FOYC reduced the likelihood for adolescents to become quick progressors (adjusted OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64-1.00). The observed effectiveness was especially impacted by a subset of the targeted PMT constructs. Conclusion FOYC effectively delays sexual risk among Bahamian pre-adolescents. The group-based trajectory analysis provides an analytical approach for assessing interventions among adolescents with low rates and diverse progression patterns of sexual activity. PMID:19116781

Targeted outreach hepatitis B vaccination program in high-risk adults: The fundamental challenge of the last mile.

PubMed

Mangen, M-J J; Stibbe, H; Urbanus, A; Siedenburg, E C; Waldhober, Q; de Wit, G A; van Steenbergen, J E

2017-05-31

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the on-going decentralised targeted hepatitis B vaccination program for behavioural high-risk groups operated by regional public health services in the Netherlands since 1-November-2002. Target groups for free vaccination are men having sex with men (MSM), commercial sex workers (CSW) and hard drug users (HDU). Heterosexuals with a high partner change rate (HRP) were included until 1-November-2007. Based on participant, vaccination and serology data collected up to 31-December-2012, the number of participants and program costs were estimated. Observed anti-HBc prevalence was used to estimate the probability of susceptible individuals per risk-group to become infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) in their remaining life. We distinguished two time-periods: 2002-2006 and 2007-2012, representing different recruitment strategies and target groups. Correcting for observed vaccination compliance, the number of future HBV-infections avoided was estimated per risk-group. By combining these numbers with estimates of life-years lost, quality-of-life losses and healthcare costs of HBV-infections - as obtained from a Markov model-, the benefit of the program was estimated for each risk-group separately. The overall incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the program was €30,400/QALY gained, with effects and costs discounted at 1.5% and 4%, respectively. The program was more cost-effective in the first period (€24,200/QALY) than in the second period (€42,400/QALY). In particular, the cost-effectiveness for MSM decreased from €20,700/QALY to €47,700/QALY. This decentralised targeted HBV-vaccination program is a cost-effective intervention in certain unvaccinated high-risk adults. Saturation within the risk-groups, participation of individuals with less risky behaviour, and increased recruitment investments in the second period made the program less cost-effective over time. The project should therefore

Implementing demand side targeting mechanisms for maternal and child health-experiences from national health insurance fund program in Rungwe District, Tanzania.

PubMed

Kuwawenaruwa, August; Mtei, Gemini; Baraka, Jitihada; Tani, Kassimu

2016-08-02

Low and middle income countries have adopted targeting mechanisms as a means of increasing program efficiency in reaching marginalized people in the community given the available resources. Design of targeting mechanisms has been changing over time and it is important to understand implementers' experience with such targeting mechanisms since such mechanisms impact equity in access and use of maternal health care services. The case study approach was considered as appropriate method for exploring implementers' and decision-makers' experiences with the two targeting mechanisms. In-depth interviews in order to explore implementer experience with the two targeting mechanisms. A total of 10 in-depth interviews (IDI) and 4 group discussions (GDs) were conducted with implementers at national level, regional, district and health care facility level. A thematic analysis approach was adopted during data analysis. The whole process of screening and identifying poor pregnant women resulted in delay in implementation of the intervention. Individual targeting was perceived to have some form of stigmatization; hence beneficiaries did not like to be termed as poor. Geographical targeting had a few cons as health care providers experienced an increase in workload while staff remained the same and poor quality of information in the claim forms. However geographical targeting increase in the number of women going to higher level of care (district/regional referral hospital), increase in facility revenue and insurance coverage. Interventions which are using targeting mechanisms to reach poor people are useful in increasing access and use of health care services for marginalized communities so long as they are well designed and beneficiaries as well as all implementers and decision makers are involved from the very beginning. Implementation of demand side financing strategies using targeting mechanisms should go together with supply side interventions in order to achieve project

A Description and Evaluation of an Educational Intervention Program in a Pediatric Clinic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Anne G.; Glick, Joseph

This study of a parent education program associated with a medical facility investigated two questions: (1) Was the medical facility a valid site for recruiting and training parents for an educational intervention program to be carried out at home? (2) Would a short term intervention program have an impact on the performance of preschool children…

Increasing adolescent mothers' knowledge of child development: an intervention program.

PubMed

Fulton, A M; Murphy, K R; Anderson, S L

1991-01-01

This study focused upon an intervention program that allowed adolescent mothers to have major input in identifying knowledge they needed concerning their children's growth and their own parenting skills. Seventy-six females participated in the 4-month program. A pretest-posttest design was used to measure changes in self-esteem, knowledge of child development, and tendencies toward inappropriate interactions with children. Analysis of effectiveness of this program indicated that it had been effective. Results revealed significant differences between pre- and posttest measures of child development knowledge in the areas of infant and toddler development. Further analysis indicated a significant change in the subjects' child abuse potential at the end of the program. No significant difference could be found in measures of self-esteem between the beginning and end of the program. A 10-month follow-up study coordinated between two public agencies found that none of the adolescent parents who had completed the program had been reported for child abuse or neglect. The results support the importance of short-term intervention programs for adolescent parents.

Promoting Parent and Child Physical Activity Together: Elicitation of Potential Intervention Targets and Preferences.

PubMed

Rhodes, Ryan E; Lim, Clarise

2018-02-01

Promoting physical activities that involve both parents and their children would be very useful to the improved health and well-being of families, yet coactivity interventions have been particularly unsuccessful in past research. The purpose of this study was to elicit the salient parental beliefs about coactivity framed through theory of planned behavior in order to inform future intervention content. A representative sample of Canadian parents ( N = 483) with children aged 6 to 14 years completed belief elicitation measures of theory of planned behavior, as well as coactivity and program preferences. Analyses included content theming by physical activity belief and preference through tallies of the percentages of parents endorsing each belief. Exploratory analyses of differences in endorsed themes were conducted by parent (mother, father), age of child (6-10 years, 11-14 years), and sex of the child. The results showed that behavioral beliefs about health, interpersonal and educational/learning opportunities and control beliefs about lack of time, various incompatible parent/child factors, parental health, and bad weather were dominant themes. Most of these themes did not vary in endorsement by parent and child characteristics. By contrast, preferences for various activities varied by parent and child characteristics, yet parents overwhelmingly desired the activities to be outdoors, close to home, after work, and originally delivered from community health professionals via Internet or face-to face means. Overall, the findings provide several considerations for specific targets to improve future physical activity intervention approaches among parents and their children.

Increasing Fathers' Participation in Therapeutic Intervention Programs for Exceptional Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Revelj, Elizabeth O.

In response to a research review indicating that few programs address the father's role in early intervention and preschool programs for the young exceptional child, a three-month practicum was designed which included fathers in physical therapy sessions and in daily home exercise programming for their developmentally disabled children. Practicum…

Program-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in Rural Preschools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steed, Elizabeth A.; Pomerleau, Tina; Muscott, Howard; Rohde, Leigh

2013-01-01

This article describes the quantitative findings from an evaluation of program-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) in three rural preschool programs. Each rural preschool program included children 3 through 5 years of age with and without disabilities. Following 3 years of on-site training, technical assistance, and coaching…

Self-deception among men who are mandated to attend a batterer intervention program.

PubMed

Smith, Marilyn E; Randall, Elizabeth J

2007-10-01

Intimate partner violence continues to be a confounding national health problem, especially for women and children. Certified batterers' intervention programs are one means currently being used to combat intimate partner violence. Existential phenomenology was utilized in this qualitative study to gain an understanding of the perceptions of the perpetrator prior to beginning a batterer intervention program. The batterer's experience is divided into two major themes: lack of justification of behaviors toward him and minimization and justification of his behaviors toward the victim and others. It is hoped that obtaining this understanding will encourage program personnel working in the area of batterers' intervention programs to include more emotional skills training within such programs, thus improving the quality of life for victims, perpetrators, and their families.

Assessment, Target Selection, and Intervention: Dynamic Interactions within a Systemic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, A. Lynn

2005-01-01

There are a number of clinical options available for speech-language pathologists to choose from to analyze a child's phonological system, select treatment targets, and design intervention. Frequently, each of these areas of clinical options is viewed independently of one another or approached within an eclectic framework. In this article, an…

Early impact of a national multi-faceted road safety intervention program in Mexico: results of a time-series analysis.

PubMed

Chandran, Aruna; Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Bachani, Abdulgafoor M; Híjar, Martha; Salinas-Rodríguez, Aarón; Hyder, Adnan A

2014-01-01

In January 2008, a national multifaceted road safety intervention program (IMESEVI) funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies was launched in Mexico. Two years later in 2010, IMESEVI was refocused as part of a 10-country international consortium demonstration project (IMESEVI/RS10). We evaluate the initial effects of each phase of the road safety intervention project on numbers of RT crashes, injuries and deaths in Mexico and in the two main target cities of Guadalajara-Zapopan and León. An interrupted time series analysis using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling was performed using monthly data of rates of RT crashes and injuries (police data), as well as deaths (mortality system data) from 1999-2011 with dummy variables representing each intervention phase. In the period following the first intervention phase at the country level and in the city of León, the rate of RT crashes decreased significantly (p<0.05). Notably, following the second intervention phase although there was no reduction at the country level, there has been a decrease in the RT crash rate in both Guadalajara-Zapopan (p = 0.029) and in León (p = 0.029). There were no significant differences in the RT injury or death rates following either intervention phase in either city. These initial results suggest that a multi-faceted road safety intervention program appears to be effective in reducing road crashes in a middle-income country setting. Further analysis is needed to differentiate the effects of various interventions, and to determine what other economic and political factors might have affected this change.

College Preparation Intervention Program. FY 2003 Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2004

2004-01-01

The College Preparation Intervention Program (CPIP) was re-established by the 1999 Maryland General Assembly to improve the academic preparation of economically and environmentally disadvantaged students for college. The State CPIP appropriation and additional grant funding were used as part of the match required for the Maryland State Department …

Adherence to the obesity-related lifestyle intervention targets in the IDEFICS study

PubMed Central

Kovács, E; Siani, A; Konstabel, K; Hadjigeorgiou, C; de Bourdeaudhuij, I; Eiben, G; Lissner, L; Gwozdz, W; Reisch, L; Pala, V; Moreno, L A; Pigeot, I; Pohlabeln, H; Ahrens, W; Molnár, D

2014-01-01

Background/objectives: To address behaviours associated with childhood obesity, certain target values are recommended that should be met to improve children's health. In the IDEFICS (Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health Effects in Children and infantS) study such lifestyle recommendations were conveyed as six key messages. Here, we investigate the adherence of European children to these messages. Methods: The IDEFICS intervention was based on the intervention mapping approach with the following six targets: increase water consumption (to replace sugar-containing beverages), increase fruit/vegetable consumption, reduce daily screen time, increase daily physical activity, improve the quality of family life and ensure adequate sleep duration. Internationally recommended target values were applied to determine the prevalence of children meeting these targets. Results: In a cohort of 18 745 children participating in the IDEFICS baseline survey or newly recruited during follow-up, data on the above lifestyle behaviours were collected for a varying number of 8302 to 17 212 children. Information on all six behaviours was available for 5140 children. Although 52.5% of the cohort was classified in the highest category of water consumption, only 8.8% met the target of an intake of fruits/vegetables five times a day. The prevalence of children adhering to the recommendation regarding total screen time—below 1 h for pre-school children and 2 h for school children—was 51.1%. The recommended amount of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day was fulfilled by 15.2%. Family life of the child measured by various indicators was considered as satisfactory in 22.8%. Nocturnal sleep duration of 11 (10) hours or more in pre-school (school) children was achieved by 37.9%. In general, children in northern countries and younger children showed better adherence to the recommendations. Only 1.1% of the children adhered

Benefits of a hospital-based peer intervention program for violently injured youth.

PubMed

Shibru, Daniel; Zahnd, Elaine; Becker, Marla; Bekaert, Nic; Calhoun, Deane; Victorino, Gregory P

2007-11-01

Exposure to violence predisposes youths to future violent behavior. Breaking the cycle of violence in inner cities is the primary objective of hospital-based violence intervention and prevention programs. An evaluation was undertaken to determine if a hospital-based, peer intervention program, "Caught in the Crossfire," reduces the risk of criminal justice involvement, decreases hospitalizations from traumatic reinjury, diminishes death from intentional violent trauma, and is cost effective. We designed a retrospective cohort study conducted between January 1998 and June 2003 at a university-based urban trauma center. The duration of followup was 18 months. Patients were 12 to 20 years of age and were hospitalized for intentional violent trauma. The "enrolled" group had a minimum of five interactions with an intervention specialist. The control group was selected from the hospital database by matching age, gender, race or ethnicity, type of injury, and year of admission. All patients came from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. The total sample size was 154 patients. Participation in the hospital-based peer intervention program lowered the risk of criminal justice involvement (relative risk=0.67; 95% CI, 0.45, 0.99; p=0.04). There was no effect on risks of reinjury and death. Subsequent violent criminal behavior was reduced by 7% (p=0.15). Logistic regression analysis showed age had a confounding effect on the association between program participation and criminal justice involvement (relative risk=0.71; p=0.043). When compared with juvenile detention center costs, the total cost reduction derived from the intervention program annually was $750,000 to $1.5 million. This hospital-based peer intervention program reduces the risk of criminal justice system involvement, is more effective with younger patients, and is cost effective. Any effect on reinjury and death will require a larger sample size and longer followup.

The Limerick Reading Initiative: A Reading Intervention Targeted at Struggling Readers in Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Rourke, Diarmuid; Olshtroon, Aoife; O'Halloran, Claire

2016-01-01

In this study we examined the effectiveness of a reading intervention targeting a group of 24 struggling readers in ten primary schools in Ireland. The intervention consisted of two components; component one consisted of 15-20 minutes delivery of the Toe-by-Toe programme (a well established systematic synthetic phonics programme) and the second…

Educational Interventions Targeted at Minors in Situations of Grave Social Vulnerability and Their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de la Caba Collado, Mariangeles; Rojas, Isabel Bartau

2010-01-01

The aim of this article is to outline and assess an educational intervention programme targeted at improving the skills of families and the personal and social development of children living in situations of grave social vulnerability. The sample comprised 10 families during the first phase of the intervention and six during the second. The…

An Analysis of Two Reading Intervention Programs: How Do the Words, Texts, and Programs Compare?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Maria S.; Munger, Kristen A.; Hiebert, Elfrieda H.

2014-01-01

In this study, the student texts and teacher guides of two reading intervention programs for at-risk, first-grade students were analyzed and compared: Fountas and Pinnell's "Leveled Literacy Intervention" (LLI) and Scott Foresman's "My Sidewalks" (MS). The analyses drew on the framework of available theory and…

Efficacy of an indicated intervention program for Indian adolescents with subclinical depression.

PubMed

Singhal, Meghna; Munivenkatappa, Manjula; Kommu, John Vijay Sagar; Philip, Mariamma

2018-03-01

Subclinical depressive symptoms in adolescents are associated with a host of impairments and constitute a risk factor for future depression. The aim of the present study was to study the efficacy of a school-based group coping skills program for Indian adolescents with subclinical depression. Adolescents (n = 120) across two schools comprised the intervention and control groups and were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 months no-contact follow-up. The intervention group adolescents received the 8-weekly Coping Skills program in same-gender groups of 4-8 adolescents each, and the control group adolescents received one interactive psycho-educatory session. The intervention group evidenced clinically significant reductions in depressive symptoms, negative cognitions, and academic stress, and increased social problem solving and coping skills, at both post-intervention and follow-up. With regard to moderators, initial levels of depressive symptoms and homework compliance were found to partially moderate the effect of intervention. No effects were found for parental depression, gender, and age. The present study calls for future development and implementation of programs to address subclinical psychopathology among adolescents in Indian schools. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Promoting Early Intervention Referral through a Randomized Controlled Home-Visiting Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwarz, Donald F.; O'Sullivan, Ann L.; Guinn, Judith; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Carlson, Elyse C.; Zhao, Huaqing; Zhang, Xuemei; Esposito, Tara L.; Askew, Megan; Radcliffe, Jerilynn

2012-01-01

The MOM Program is a randomized, controlled trial of an intervention to promote mothers' care for the health and development of their children, including accessing early intervention (EI) services. Study aims were to determine whether, relative to controls, this intervention increased receipt of and referral to EI services. Mothers (N = 302)…

Estimating the Economic Value of Information for Screening in Disseminating and Targeting Effective School-based Preventive Interventions: An Illustrative Example.

PubMed

Johnston, Stephen S; Salkever, David S; Ialongo, Nicholas S; Slade, Eric P; Stuart, Elizabeth A

2017-11-01

When candidates for school-based preventive interventions are heterogeneous in their risk of poor outcomes, an intervention's expected economic net benefits may be maximized by targeting candidates for whom the intervention is most likely to yield benefits, such as those at high risk of poor outcomes. Although increasing amounts of information about candidates may facilitate more accurate targeting, collecting information can be costly. We present an illustrative example to show how cost-benefit analysis results from effective intervention demonstrations can help us to assess whether improved targeting accuracy justifies the cost of collecting additional information needed to make this improvement.

Missouri School Improvement Program: Support and Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2016

2016-01-01

The Missouri State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education are dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to good schools that prepare them for college and career success. The Missouri School Improvement Program: Support and Intervention Plan takes a differentiated approach to state support based on…

Fidelity in After-School Program Intervention Research: A Systematic Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maynard, Brandy R.; Peters, Kristen E.; Vaughn, Michael G.; Sarteschi, Christine M.

2013-01-01

Objective: This study examined whether and to what extent researchers addressed intervention fidelity in research of after-school programs serving at-risk students. Method: Systematic review procedures were used to search, retrieve, select, and analyze studies for this review. Fifty-five intervention studies were assessed on the following…

The Business of Bronchoscopy: How to Set up an Interventional Pulmonology Program.

PubMed

Kessler, Edward; Wahidi, Momen M

2018-03-01

Interventional pulmonology has advanced rapidly over the last decade and continues to evolve with new medical advances and changes in the health care landscape. Establishing and developing a new interventional pulmonology program entails careful planning, including a needs assessment, a business plan with financial and marketing considerations, and outcomes monitoring. Addressing these aspects will provide a framework to ensure the success of a new interventional pulmonology program that can provide valuable services to the local practice and community. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Health Promotion Intervention Program Among Physiotherapy Undergraduate Students

PubMed Central

Korn, Liat; Ben-Ami, Noa; Azmon, Michal; Einstein, Ofira; Lotan, Meir

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a health promotion (HP) intervention program among physiotherapy undergraduate students in an academic institution by examining pre- and post-intervention health perceptions and behaviors compared to a control group (non-physiotherapy students). Participants completed questionnaires on their health perceptions and behaviors at T1 (April 2009–May 2009) before the intervention program was initiated, and at T2 (April 2015–May 2015) after the intervention program was implemented for several years. At T1, 1,087 undergraduate students, including 124 physiotherapy students, participated. At T2, 810 undergraduate students, including 133 physiotherapy students participated. Self-reported health-related perceptions and behaviors were compared in the study group (physiotherapy students) over time (T1 versus T2), and between the study group and the control group (non-physiotherapy students) pre-intervention (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Findings showed more positive perceptions and behaviors at T2 compared to T1 in the study group (51.0% at T2 versus 35.2% at T1; p<0.05). There was no significant difference at T2 compared to T1 in health perceptions reported by the control group (37.8% at T2 versus 32.8% at T1; non-significant difference). Our findings demonstrated the effectiveness of the intervention program. PMID:28735335

Is Stacking Intervention Components Cost-Effective? An Analysis of the Incredible Years Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, E. Michael; Olchowski, Allison E.; Webster-Stratton, Carolyn H.

2007-01-01

The cost-effectiveness of delivering stacked multiple intervention components for children is compared to implementing single intervention by analyzing the Incredible Years Series program. The result suggests multiple intervention components are more cost-effective than single intervention components.

Evaluation of Community-Based Policy, Systems, and Environment Interventions Targeting the Vending Machines.

PubMed

Garcia, Kristen M; Garney, Whitney R; Primm, Kristin M; McLeroy, Kenneth R

The American Heart Association conducted policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) focused interventions to increase healthy vending in 8 communities. PSE interventions were assessed using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey Vending Assessment to see changes in the food environment. Baseline and follow-up assessments were conducted with 3 settings and a total of 19 machines. PSE changes resulted in increased availability of healthy options and decreased unhealthy options. Implementation of PSE interventions targeting the food environment can be an effective method of providing increased access to healthy foods and beverages with the goal of increasing consumption to decrease chronic diseases.

First Step to Success--A School/Home Intervention Program for Preventing Problem Behaviors in Young Children: Examining the Effectiveness and Social Validity in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diken, Ibrahim H.; Cavkaytar, Atilla; Batu, E. Sema; Bozkurt, Funda; Kurtyilmaz, Yildiz

2010-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the First Step to Success (FSS) early intervention program for preventing antisocial behavior in Turkey. Participants included 24 students, their teachers and parents from four K-8 elementary schools. The experimental group included 12 targeted students (four kindergarten, four first-grade and four…

Maximizing Young Learners' Input: An Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tragant, Elsa; Muñoz, Carmen; Spada, Nina

2016-01-01

This study reports on a year-long intervention based on comprehension practice of input-rich materials. It was inspired by an innovative program in Canada in which primary school francophone children learned English as a second language (ESL) through simultaneous reading and listening. In our study the participants are a class of 10- to…

Review of interventions to reduce ultraviolet tanning: Need for treatments targeting excessive tanning, an emerging addictive behavior.

PubMed

Stapleton, Jerod L; Hillhouse, Joel; Levonyan-Radloff, Kristine; Manne, Sharon L

2017-12-01

Millions of Americans engage in tanning each year, defined as intentional ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure in the form of sunbathing or the use of indoor tanning beds. An emerging body of research suggests that UVR has addictive properties and some tanners engage in excessive tanning. This article provides an overview of the evidence of tanning addiction and a systematic review of existing tanning interventions with the goal of evaluating their potential to impact addicted tanners. Our search identified 24 intervention studies that were summarized and discussed according to 3 primary themes. First, there is a dearth of tanning interventions that target excessive tanning or are designed as treatments for tanning addiction. Second, tanning interventions are primarily educational interventions designed to increase knowledge of the risks of tanning. Third, there are notable aspects of existing tanning interventions that are relevant to addiction science, including the use of brief motivational and cognitive-behavioral-based interventions. Future directions are considered including recommendations for utilizing the existing evidence base to formulate interventions targeting excessive tanners. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Methods for evaluating a mature substance abuse prevention/early intervention program.

PubMed

Becker, L R; Hall, M; Fisher, D A; Miller, T R

2000-05-01

The authors describe methods for work in progress to evaluate four workplace prevention and/or early intervention programs designed to change occupational norms and reduce substance abuse at a major U.S. transportation company. The four programs are an employee assistance program, random drug testing, managed behavioral health care, and a peer-led intervention program. An elaborate mixed-methods evaluation combines data collection and analysis techniques from several traditions. A process-improvement evaluation focuses on the peer-led component to describe its evolution, document the implementation process for those interested in replicating it, and provide information for program improvement. An outcome-assessment evaluation examines impacts of the four programs on job performance measures (e.g., absenteeism, turnover, injury, and disability rates) and includes a cost-offset and employer cost-savings analysis. Issues related to using archival data, combining qualitative and quantitative designs, and working in a corporate environment are discussed.

34 CFR 303.1 - Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Purpose of the early intervention program for infants... EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Purpose and Applicable Regulations § 303.1 Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with...

34 CFR 303.1 - Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Purpose of the early intervention program for infants... EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Purpose, Eligibility, and Other General Provisions § 303.1 Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and...

34 CFR 303.1 - Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Purpose of the early intervention program for infants... EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Purpose and Applicable Regulations § 303.1 Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with...

34 CFR 303.1 - Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Purpose of the early intervention program for infants... EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Purpose, Eligibility, and Other General Provisions § 303.1 Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and...

34 CFR 303.1 - Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 2 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Purpose of the early intervention program for infants... EDUCATION EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES General Purpose and Applicable Regulations § 303.1 Purpose of the early intervention program for infants and toddlers with...

Effectiveness of a selective intervention program targeting personality risk factors for alcohol misuse among young adolescents: results of a cluster randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Lammers, Jeroen; Goossens, Ferry; Conrod, Patricia; Engels, Rutger; Wiers, Reinout W; Kleinjan, Marloes

2015-07-01

The effectiveness of Preventure was tested on drinking behaviour of young adolescents in secondary education in the Netherlands. A cluster randomized controlled trial was carried out, with participants assigned randomly to a two-session coping skills intervention or a control no-intervention condition. Fifteen secondary schools throughout the Netherlands; seven schools in the intervention and eight schools in the control condition. A total of 699 adolescents aged 13-15 years participated, 343 allocated to the intervention and 356 to the control condition, with drinking experience and elevated scores in either negative thinking, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity or sensation-seeking. Preventure is a selective school-based alcohol prevention programme targeting personality risk factors. The comparator was a no-intervention control. The effects of the intervention on the primary outcome past-month binge drinking, and the secondary outcomes binge drinking frequency, alcohol use, alcohol frequency and problem drinking, were examined. The primary analyses of interest were intervention main effects at 12 months post-intervention. In addition, intervention effects on the linear development of binge drinking using a latent-growth curve approach were examined. Binge drinking rates were not significantly different between the intervention (42.9%) and control group (49.2%) at 12 months follow-up [odds ratio (OR) = 1.05, confidence interval (CI) = 0.99, 1.11]. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed no significant intervention effects on alcohol use (53.9 versus 61.5%; OR = 0.99, CI = 0.86, 1.14) and problem drinking (37.0 versus 44.7%; OR = 1.03, CI = 0.92, 1.10) at 12 months follow-up. The post-hoc latent-growth analyses revealed significant effects on the development of binge drinking (β = -0.16, P = 0.05), and binge drinking frequency (β = -0.14, P = 0.05). The alcohol prevention programme, Preventure, appears to have little or no effect on overall prevalence of binge

The influence of a behavior modification interventional program on body mass index in obese adolescents.

PubMed

Toulabi, Tahereh; Khosh Niyat Nikoo, Mohsen; Amini, Fariba; Nazari, Hedayat; Mardani, Mahnaz

2012-03-01

The prevalence of obesity and overweight among children and adolescents is increasing rapidly. The present research was performed to determine the influence of a ''behavior modification'' program on body mass index (BMI) in obese public high school students in Iran. In this study, 152 adolescence and their parents were selected from 12 high schools of Khorram Abad from 2004 to 2006, and they were randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control groups. The "behavior modification" interventional program consisted of nutritional education, modifying dietary habits, teaching exercise programs, teaching nutritional facts to the parents, and performing exercises 3 days a week. The height and weight as well as waist, hip, and wrist circumferences of the participants were measured before and after implementing the interventional program. BMI and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were calculated. The adolescents and parents completed a nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Adolescents also completed the Beck's Depression Questionnaire. Adolescent's mean weight, BMI, and waist and hip circumferences decreased significantly after implementing the interventional program, in the intervention group (p≤0.001). In addition, the students' and parents' nutrition knowledge increased in the intervention group after implementing the interventional program (p<0.046). The symptoms of depression decreased and the frequency of students without symptoms of depression increased in the case group, but it did not reveal a statistically significant difference between case and control groups. The ''behavior modification'' interventional program is effective in reducing BMI in obese students, and therefore, school principals and planners can play an important role in controlling obesity by implementing this program via the students, their parents, and the school staff. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The frailty in elderly patients receiving cardiac interventional procedures (FRASER) program: rational and design of a multicenter prospective study.

PubMed

Campo, Gianluca; Pavasini, Rita; Maietti, Elisa; Tonet, Elisabetta; Cimaglia, Paolo; Scillitani, Giulia; Bugani, Giulia; Serenelli, Matteo; Zaraket, Fatima; Balla, Cristina; Trevisan, Filippo; Biscaglia, Simone; Sassone, Biagio; Galvani, Marcello; Ferrari, Roberto; Volpato, Stefano

2017-10-01

Frailty has become a high-priority issue in cardiovascular medicine because of the aging of cardiovascular patients. Simple and reproducible tools to assess frailty in elderly patients are clearly on demand. Their application may help physicians in the selection of invasive and medical treatments and in the timing and modality of the follow-up. The frailty in elderly patients receiving cardiac interventional procedures (FRASER) program is designed with the aim to validate the use of the short physical performance battery (SPPB) as prognostic tools in patients admitted to hospital for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The FRASER program is a multicenter prospective study involving 4 Italian cardiology units. The FRASER program enrolls only patients aged ≥70 years. The core of the FRASER program includes patients admitted to hospital for ACS. The aims are (1) to describe SPPB distribution before hospital discharge and (2) to investigate the prognostic role of SPPB score. The primary outcome is a composite of 1-year all-cause mortality and hospital readmission for any cause. Ancillary analyses will be focused on different study populations (patients hospitalized for arrhythmias or acute heart failure or symptomatic severe aortic stenosis) and on different tools to assess frailty (multidimensional prognostic index, clinical frailty score, grip strength). The FRASER program will fill critical gaps in the knowledge regarding the link between frailty, cardiovascular disease, interventional procedures and outcome and will help physicians in the generation of a more personalized risk assessment and in the identification of potential targets for interventions.

Interventions that involve parents to improve children's weight-related nutrition intake and activity patterns - what nutrition and activity targets and behaviour change techniques are associated with intervention effectiveness?

PubMed

Golley, R K; Hendrie, G A; Slater, A; Corsini, N

2011-02-01

Parent involvement is an important component of obesity prevention interventions. However, the best way to support parents remains unclear. This review identifies interventions targeting parents to improve children's weight status, dietary and/or activity patterns, examines whether intervention content and behaviour change techniques employed are associated with effectiveness. Seventeen studies, in English, 1998-2008, were included. Studies were evaluated by two reviewers for study quality, nutrition/activity content and behaviour change techniques using a validated quality assessment tool and behaviour change technique taxonomy. Study findings favoured intervention effectiveness in 11 of 17 studies. Interventions that were considered effective had similar features: better study quality, parents responsible for participation and implementation, greater parental involvement and inclusion of prompt barrier identification, restructure the home environment, prompt self-monitoring, prompt specific goal setting behaviour change techniques. Energy intake/density and food choices were more likely to be targeted in effective interventions. The number of lifestyle behaviours targeted did not appear to be associated with effectiveness. Intervention effectiveness was favoured when behaviour change techniques spanned the spectrum of behaviour change process. The review provides guidance for researchers to make informed decisions on how best to utilize resources in interventions to support and engage parents, and highlights a need for improvement in intervention content reporting practices. © 2010 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2010 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

The Unintended Consequences of Targeting: Young People's Lived Experiences of Social and Emotional Learning Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Rhiannon; Scourfield, Jonathan; Murphy, Simon

2015-01-01

In the past twenty years there has been a proliferation of targeted school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions. However, the lived experience of young peoples' participation is often elided, while the potential for interventions to confer unintended and even adverse effects remains under-theorised and empirically…

Program Interruptions and Short-Stay Transfers Represent Potential Targets for Inpatient Rehabilitation Care-Improvement Efforts.

PubMed

Middleton, Addie; Graham, James E; Krishnan, Shilpa; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J

2016-11-01

The objective of this work was to present comprehensive descriptive summaries of program interruptions and short-stay transfers among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries receiving inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with any of the 3 conditions of interest who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation directly from an acute hospital between July 1, 2012, and November 15, 2013. In the final sample (stroke, n = 71 769; TBI, n = 7109; SCI, n = 659), program interruption rates were 0.9% (stroke), 0.8% (TBI), and 1.4% (SCI). Short-stay transfer rates were 22.3% (stroke), 21.8% (TBI), and 31.6% (SCI); 14.7% of short-stay transfers and 12.3% of interruptions resulting in a return to acute care were identified as potentially preventable among those with stroke; 10.2% of transfers and 11.7% of interruptions among those with TBI, and 3.8% of transfers and 11.1% of interruptions among those with SCI. Broad health care policies aimed at improving quality and reducing costs are currently being implemented. Reducing program interruptions and short-stay transfers during inpatient rehabilitative care represents a potential target for care-improvement efforts. Future research focused on identifying modifiable risk factors for potentially undesirable outcomes will allow for targeted preventative interventions.

Program interruptions and short-stay transfers represent potential targets for inpatient rehabilitation care-improvement efforts

PubMed Central

Middleton, Addie; Graham, James E.; Krishnan, Shilpa; Ottenbacher, Kenneth J.

2016-01-01

Objective To present comprehensive descriptive summaries of program interruptions and short-stay transfers among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries receiving inpatient rehabilitation following stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with any of the three conditions of interest who were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation directly from an acute hospital between July 1, 2012 and November 15, 2013. Results In the final sample (stroke: n=71 769; TBI: n=7109; SCI: n=659), program interruption rates were 0.9% (stroke), 0.8% (TBI), and 1.4% (SCI). Short-stay transfer rates were 22.3% (stroke), 21.8% (TBI), and 31.6% (SCI). 14.7% of short-stay transfers and 12.3% of interruptions resulting in a return to acute care were identified as potentially preventable among those with stroke, 10.2% of transfers and 11.7% of interruptions among those with TBI, and 3.8% of transfers and 11.1% of interruptions among those with SCI. Conclusions Broad healthcare policies aimed at improving quality and reducing costs are currently being implemented. Reducing program interruptions and short-stay transfers during inpatient rehabilitative care represents a potential target for care-improvement efforts. Future research focused on identifying modifiable risk factors for potentially undesirable outcomes will allow for targeted preventative interventions. PMID:27631389

An eHealth Intervention to Promote Physical Activity and Social Network of Single, Chronically Impaired Older Adults: Adaptation of an Existing Intervention Using Intervention Mapping.

PubMed

Boekhout, Janet M; Peels, Denise A; Berendsen, Brenda Aj; Bolman, Catherine Aw; Lechner, Lilian

2017-11-23

Especially for single older adults with chronic diseases, physical inactivity and a poor social network are regarded as serious threats to their health and independence. The Active Plus intervention is an automated computer-tailored eHealth intervention that has been proven effective to promote physical activity (PA) in the general population of adults older than 50 years. The aim of this study was to report on the methods and results of the systematic adaptation of Active Plus to the wishes and needs of the subgroup of single people older than 65 years who have one or more chronic diseases, as this specific target population may encounter specific challenges regarding PA and social network. The Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol was used to systematically adapt the existing intervention to optimally suit this specific target population. A literature study was performed, and quantitative as well as qualitative data were derived from health care professionals (by questionnaires, n=10) and the target population (by focus group interviews, n=14), which were then systematically integrated into the adapted intervention. As the health problems and the targeted behavior are largely the same in the original and adapted intervention, the outcome of the needs assessment was that the performance objectives remained the same. As found in the literature study and in data derived from health professionals and focus groups, the relative importance and operationalization of the relevant psychosocial determinants related to these objectives are different from the original intervention, resulting in a refinement of the change objectives to optimally fit the specific target population. This refinement also resulted in changes in the practical applications, program components, intervention materials, and the evaluation and implementation strategy for the subgroup of single, chronically impaired older adults. This study demonstrates that the adaptation of an existing intervention is an

Suicide intervention training for college staff: Program evaluation and intervention skill measurement.

PubMed

Shannonhouse, Laura; Lin, Yung-Wei Dennis; Shaw, Kelly; Wanna, Reema; Porter, Michael

2017-10-01

Suicide remains a pressing issue for college communities. Consequently, gatekeeper trainings are often provided for staff. This study examines the effect of one such program, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). 51 college employees received ASIST in August of 2014 and were compared to 30 wait-list control participants. Repeated Measures ANOVA were used to analyze pre- and post-training: (a) skills at responding to students-at-risk; (b) attitudes toward suicide; (c) knowledge about suicide; and (d) comfort/competence/confidence at helping a student-at-risk. Significant positive training effects were observed for ASIST on self-report measures and also for objectively assessed skill at responding, after adjusting for a potential scoring limitation of the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory, Revised (SIRI-2). ASIST improved the self-perception of college staff at working with students-at-risk of suicide and also their skills at performing an intervention. Further, analysis of SIRI-2 data provides support for a potential instrument revision.

Characteristics of Interventions Targeting Multiple Lifestyle Risk Behaviours in Adult Populations: A Systematic Scoping Review

PubMed Central

King, Kristel; Meader, Nick; Wright, Kath; Graham, Hilary; Power, Christine; Petticrew, Mark; White, Martin; Sowden, Amanda J.

2015-01-01

Background Modifiable lifestyle risk behaviours such as smoking, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and alcohol misuse are the leading causes of major, non-communicable diseases worldwide. It is increasingly being recognised that interventions which target more than one risk behaviour may be an effective and efficient way of improving people’s lifestyles. To date, there has been no attempt to summarise the global evidence base for interventions targeting multiple risk behaviours. Objective To identify and map the characteristics of studies evaluating multiple risk behaviour change interventions targeted at adult populations in any country. Methods Seven bibliographic databases were searched between January, 1990, and January/ May, 2013. Authors of protocols, conference abstracts, and other relevant articles were contacted. Study characteristics were extracted and inputted into Eppi-Reviewer 4. Results In total, 220 studies were included in the scoping review. Most were randomised controlled trials (62%) conducted in the United States (49%), and targeted diet and physical activity (56%) in people from general populations (14%) or subgroups of general populations (45%). Very few studies had been conducted in the Middle East (2%), Africa (0.5%), or South America (0.5%). There was also a scarcity of studies conducted among young adults (1%), or racial and minority ethnic populations (4%) worldwide. Conclusions Research is required to investigate the interrelationships of lifestyle risk behaviours in varying cultural contexts around the world. Cross-cultural development and evaluation of multiple risk behaviour change interventions is also needed, particularly in populations of young adults and racial and minority ethnic populations. PMID:25617783

In Search of Culturally Appropriate Autism Interventions: Perspectives of Latino Caregivers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuBay, Michaela; Watson, Linda R.; Zhang, Wanqing

2018-01-01

Most evidence-based autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions are tested with primarily White, mid-upper class, English-speaking populations, despite the increase in Latino children with ASD in early intervention programs throughout the United States. Unfortunately, interventions that are incongruent with a target population's culture may be…

Serving the dually diagnosed homeless: program development and interventions.

PubMed

Blankertz, L E; Cnaan, R A

1993-01-01

In this paper the authors present the specific characteristics of the dually diagnosed (severely mentally ill and substance abusers) population and describe a hybridized program and interventions which have been empirically shown to be effective in working with these multiply impaired individuals. The article is based upon a three-year federally funded demonstration project. The following interventions were found to be effective: engagement, care and nurturing, structure, limit setting and the development of responsibility, positive reinforcement, and self esteem. The authors describe these interventions and highlight their impact in both staff management and working with funding sources.

Screen-time Weight-loss Intervention Targeting Children at Home (SWITCH): A randomized controlled trial study protocol

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Approximately one third of New Zealand children and young people are overweight or obese. A similar proportion (33%) do not meet recommendations for physical activity, and 70% do not meet recommendations for screen time. Increased time being sedentary is positively associated with being overweight. There are few family-based interventions aimed at reducing sedentary behavior in children. The aim of this trial is to determine the effects of a 24 week home-based, family oriented intervention to reduce sedentary screen time on children's body composition, sedentary behavior, physical activity, and diet. Methods/Design The study design is a pragmatic two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Two hundred and seventy overweight children aged 9-12 years and primary caregivers are being recruited. Participants are randomized to intervention (family-based screen time intervention) or control (no change). At the end of the study, the control group is offered the intervention content. Data collection is undertaken at baseline and 24 weeks. The primary trial outcome is child body mass index (BMI) and standardized body mass index (zBMI). Secondary outcomes are change from baseline to 24 weeks in child percentage body fat; waist circumference; self-reported average daily time spent in physical and sedentary activities; dietary intake; and enjoyment of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Secondary outcomes for the primary caregiver include change in BMI and self-reported physical activity. Discussion This study provides an excellent example of a theory-based, pragmatic, community-based trial targeting sedentary behavior in overweight children. The study has been specifically designed to allow for estimation of the consistency of effects on body composition for Māori (indigenous), Pacific and non-Māori/non-Pacific ethnic groups. If effective, this intervention is imminently scalable and could be integrated within existing weight management programs. Trial

Early Impact of a National Multi-Faceted Road Safety Intervention Program in Mexico: Results of a Time-Series Analysis

PubMed Central

Chandran, Aruna; Pérez-Núñez, Ricardo; Bachani, Abdulgafoor M.; Híjar, Martha; Salinas-Rodríguez, Aarón; Hyder, Adnan A.

2014-01-01

Background In January 2008, a national multifaceted road safety intervention program (IMESEVI) funded by the Bloomberg Philanthropies was launched in Mexico. Two years later in 2010, IMESEVI was refocused as part of a 10-country international consortium demonstration project (IMESEVI/RS10). We evaluate the initial effects of each phase of the road safety intervention project on numbers of RT crashes, injuries and deaths in Mexico and in the two main target cities of Guadalajara-Zapopan and León. Methods An interrupted time series analysis using autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modeling was performed using monthly data of rates of RT crashes and injuries (police data), as well as deaths (mortality system data) from 1999–2011 with dummy variables representing each intervention phase. Results In the period following the first intervention phase at the country level and in the city of León, the rate of RT crashes decreased significantly (p<0.05). Notably, following the second intervention phase although there was no reduction at the country level, there has been a decrease in the RT crash rate in both Guadalajara-Zapopan (p = 0.029) and in León (p = 0.029). There were no significant differences in the RT injury or death rates following either intervention phase in either city. Conclusion These initial results suggest that a multi-faceted road safety intervention program appears to be effective in reducing road crashes in a middle-income country setting. Further analysis is needed to differentiate the effects of various interventions, and to determine what other economic and political factors might have affected this change. PMID:24498114

Outcomes of an early intervention program for children with disruptive behaviour.

PubMed

Hayes, Louise; Giallo, Rebecca; Richardson, Kate

2010-12-01

Outcomes are presented from a public mental health early intervention program for children aged 5-9 years with disruptive behaviours. This was a school-based intervention initiative, delivered within a psychiatric child and adolescent mental health service and includes child, parent and teacher components. Participants were 235 children selected via school-based population assessments. A baseline period was used as a form of control that would demonstrate the stability of problem behaviours. Results showed that during a 26-week baseline period, teachers reported increasing levels of problem behaviour, and that the behaviour was creating increased difficulty in the classroom. The shorter 7-week baseline also showed the difficult behaviours were ongoing. Following the intervention, significant improvements in children's behaviour were seen on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire reported by parents (η(2) = 0.30) and teachers (η(2) = 0.23), and on the parent Eyberg Child Behaviour Inventory (η(2) = 0.35), and teacher Sutter-Eyberg Student Behaviour Inventory (η(2) = 0.22). The outcomes show promising results from an early intervention program delivered in schools by a public mental health service and are discussed within the context of dissemination of evidence-based programs though mental health services.

The Computer-Assisted Brief Intervention for Tobacco (CABIT) program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Boudreaux, Edwin D; Bedek, Kristyna L; Byrne, Nelson J; Baumann, Brigitte M; Lord, Sherrill A; Grissom, Grant

2012-12-03

Health care providers do not routinely carry out brief counseling for tobacco cessation despite the evidence for its effectiveness. For this intervention to be routinely used, it must be brief, be convenient, require little investment of resources, require little specialized training, and be perceived as efficacious by providers. Technological advances hold much potential for addressing the barriers preventing the integration of brief interventions for tobacco cessation into the health care setting. This paper describes the development and initial evaluation of the Computer-Assisted Brief Intervention for Tobacco (CABIT) program, a web-based, multimedia tobacco intervention for use in opportunistic settings. The CABIT uses a self-administered, computerized assessment to produce personalized health care provider and patient reports, and cue a stage-matched video intervention. Respondents interested in changing their tobacco use are offered a faxed referral to a "best matched" tobacco treatment provider (ie, dynamic referral). During 2008, the CABIT program was evaluated in an emergency department, an employee assistance program, and a tobacco dependence program in New Jersey. Participants and health care providers completed semistructured interviews and satisfaction ratings of the assessment, reports, video intervention, and referrals using a 5-point scale. Mean patient satisfaction scores (n = 67) for all domains ranged from 4.00 (Good) to 5.00 (Excellent; Mean = 4.48). Health care providers completed satisfaction forms for 39 patients. Of these 39 patients, 34 (87%) received tobacco resources and referrals they would not have received under standard care. Of the 45 participants offered a dynamic referral, 28 (62%) accepted. The CABIT program provided a user-friendly, desirable service for tobacco users and their health care providers. Further development and clinical trial testing is warranted to establish its effectiveness in promoting treatment engagement and

The Computer-Assisted Brief Intervention for Tobacco (CABIT) Program: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Bedek, Kristyna L; Byrne, Nelson J; Baumann, Brigitte M; Lord, Sherrill A; Grissom, Grant

2012-01-01

Background Health care providers do not routinely carry out brief counseling for tobacco cessation despite the evidence for its effectiveness. For this intervention to be routinely used, it must be brief, be convenient, require little investment of resources, require little specialized training, and be perceived as efficacious by providers. Technological advances hold much potential for addressing the barriers preventing the integration of brief interventions for tobacco cessation into the health care setting. Objective This paper describes the development and initial evaluation of the Computer-Assisted Brief Intervention for Tobacco (CABIT) program, a web-based, multimedia tobacco intervention for use in opportunistic settings. Methods The CABIT uses a self-administered, computerized assessment to produce personalized health care provider and patient reports, and cue a stage-matched video intervention. Respondents interested in changing their tobacco use are offered a faxed referral to a “best matched” tobacco treatment provider (ie, dynamic referral). During 2008, the CABIT program was evaluated in an emergency department, an employee assistance program, and a tobacco dependence program in New Jersey. Participants and health care providers completed semistructured interviews and satisfaction ratings of the assessment, reports, video intervention, and referrals using a 5-point scale. Results Mean patient satisfaction scores (n = 67) for all domains ranged from 4.00 (Good) to 5.00 (Excellent; Mean = 4.48). Health care providers completed satisfaction forms for 39 patients. Of these 39 patients, 34 (87%) received tobacco resources and referrals they would not have received under standard care. Of the 45 participants offered a dynamic referral, 28 (62%) accepted. Conclusions The CABIT program provided a user-friendly, desirable service for tobacco users and their health care providers. Further development and clinical trial testing is warranted to establish its

Children and Mothers in War: An Outcome Study of a Psychosocial Intervention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dybdahl, Ragnhild

2001-01-01

Evaluated effects on children in Bosnia and Herzegovina of a 5-month psychosocial intervention program of weekly group meetings for mothers. Found that although all participants were exposed to severe trauma, their distress varied considerably. The intervention program had a positive effect on mothers' mental health, children's weight gain, and…

Sustainable Transportation Attitudes and Health Behavior Change: Evaluation of a Brief Stage-Targeted Video Intervention

PubMed Central

Mundorf, Norbert; Redding, Colleen A.; Paiva, Andrea L.

2018-01-01

Promoting physical activity and sustainable transportation is essential in the face of rising health care costs, obesity rates, and other public health threats resulting from lack of physical activity. Targeted communications can encourage distinct population segments to adopt active and sustainable transportation modes. Our work is designed to promote the health, social, and environmental benefits of sustainable/active transportation (ST) using the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), which has been successfully applied to a range of health, and more recently, sustainability behaviors. Earlier, measurement development confirmed both the structure of ST pros and cons and efficacy measures as well as the relationship between these constructs and ST stages of change, replicating results found for many other behaviors. The present paper discusses a brief pre-post video pilot intervention study designed for precontemplators and contemplators (N = 604) that was well received, effective in moving respondents towards increased readiness for ST behavior change, and improving some ST attitudes, significantly reducing the cons of ST. This research program shows that a brief stage-targeted behavior change video can increase readiness and reduce the cons for healthy transportation choices. PMID:29346314

Sustainable Transportation Attitudes and Health Behavior Change: Evaluation of a Brief Stage-Targeted Video Intervention.

PubMed

Mundorf, Norbert; Redding, Colleen A; Paiva, Andrea L

2018-01-18

Promoting physical activity and sustainable transportation is essential in the face of rising health care costs, obesity rates, and other public health threats resulting from lack of physical activity. Targeted communications can encourage distinct population segments to adopt active and sustainable transportation modes. Our work is designed to promote the health, social, and environmental benefits of sustainable/active transportation (ST) using the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM), which has been successfully applied to a range of health, and more recently, sustainability behaviors. Earlier, measurement development confirmed both the structure of ST pros and cons and efficacy measures as well as the relationship between these constructs and ST stages of change, replicating results found for many other behaviors. The present paper discusses a brief pre-post video pilot intervention study designed for precontemplators and contemplators (N = 604) that was well received, effective in moving respondents towards increased readiness for ST behavior change, and improving some ST attitudes, significantly reducing the cons of ST. This research program shows that a brief stage-targeted behavior change video can increase readiness and reduce the cons for healthy transportation choices.

Effects of a mass media intervention on HIV-related stigma: 'Radio Diaries' program in Malawi.

PubMed

Creel, A H; Rimal, R N; Mkandawire, G; Böse, K; Brown, J W

2011-06-01

HIV-related stigma has been recognized as a significant public health issue, yet gaps remain in development and evaluation of mass media interventions to reduce stigma. The Malawi 'Radio Diaries' (RD) program features people with HIV telling stories about their everyday lives. This study evaluates the program's effects on stigma and the additional effects of group discussion. Thirty villages with 10 participants each were randomized to listen to RD only, to the program followed by group discussion or to a control program. Post-intervention surveys assessed four stigma outcomes: fear of casual contact, shame, blame and judgment and willingness to disclose HIV status. Regression analyses indicated that fear of casual contact was reduced by the intervention. Shame was reduced by the radio program, but only for those reporting prior exposure to the radio program and for those who did not have a close friend or relative with HIV. Shame was not reduced when the radio program was followed by discussion. The intervention reduced blame for men and not women and for younger participants but not older participants. Including people with HIV/AIDS in mass media interventions has potential to reduce stigma.

Social Tools And Rules for Teens (The START Program): Program Description and Preliminary Outcomes of an Experiential Socialization Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Vernon, Ty W; Miller, Amber R; Ko, Jordan A; Wu, Victoria L

2016-05-01

Experiential learning is an essential process in the development of core social competencies. Unfortunately, adolescents with autism spectrum disorders often do not possess the prerequisite skillset and motivation to sustain the level of social immersion needed to benefit from this learning process. These persisting social vulnerabilities can limit their long-term relational success and associated quality of life, creating a need for comprehensive social programming. This paper describes a multi-component socialization intervention that simultaneously targets motivational, conceptual, and skill deficits using a hybrid experiential/didactic treatment approach. Evidence of social competence improvements was noted in survey and live conversational measures, indicating that the START program may hold promise as a method for improving the social success of participating adolescents with ASD.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Comparing Pre-Diagnosis Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)-Targeted Intervention with Ontario's Autism Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penner, Melanie; Rayar, Meera; Bashir, Naazish; Roberts, S. Wendy; Hancock-Howard, Rebecca L.; Coyte, Peter C.

2015-01-01

Novel management strategies for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) propose providing interventions before diagnosis. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the costs and dependency-free life years (DFLYs) generated by pre-diagnosis intensive Early Start Denver Model (ESDM-I); pre-diagnosis parent-delivered ESDM (ESDM-PD); and the Ontario…

Early detection and intervention for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J S; Koerting, Johanna; Smith, Elizabeth; McCann, Donna C; Thompson, Margaret

2011-04-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a high-cost/high-burden disorder. Early detection and intervention may prevent or ameliorate the development of the disorder and reduce its long-term impact. In this article, we set out a rationale for an early detection and intervention program. First, we highlight the costs of the condition and second, we discuss the limitations of the current treatments. We then outline the potential value of an early detection and intervention program. We review evidence on predictors of poor outcomes for early ADHD signs and discuss how these might allow us to target early intervention more cost-effectively. We then examine potential barriers to engagement with at-risk samples. This leads to a discussion of possible intervention approaches and how these could be improved. Finally, we describe the Program for Early Detection and Intervention for ADHD (PEDIA), a 5-year program of research supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research and conducted at the University of Southampton (Southampton, UK), which aims to develop and evaluate a strategy for early intervention.

Building evidence for sustainability of food and nutrition intervention programs in developing countries.

PubMed

Kim, Sunny S; Rogers, Beatrice L; Coates, Jennifer; Gilligan, Daniel O; Sarriot, Eric

2013-09-01

After making large investments to put in place effective health and nutrition interventions, researchers, program implementers, policy makers, and donors all expect lasting effects. However, it is uncertain whether this is the case, and there is less certainty on how to approach the study of program sustainability. This symposium, "Building Evidence for Sustainability of Food and Nutrition Intervention Programs in Developing Countries," provided not only frameworks for conceptualizing sustainability but concrete evidence about the approaches and methods used as well as lessons on how they do or do not work in particular contexts. We presented the following findings: 1) sustainability of activities and impacts of Title II food aid programs in Bolivia and Kenya, 2) sustainability of impact in terms of adoption and consumption of a biofortified orange sweet potato in Uganda, and 3) lessons from incorporating pro-sustainability investment strategies in child survival programs in Guinea. Our symposium introduced a new important body of research on program sustainability to provide insights and stimulate innovative thinking in the design and planning of further applied research and future prosustainability intervention programs.

Formative research and stakeholder participation in intervention development.

PubMed

Vastine, Amy; Gittelsohn, Joel; Ethelbah, Becky; Anliker, Jean; Caballero, Benjamin

2005-01-01

To present a model for using formative research and stakeholder participation to develop a community-based dietary intervention targeting American Indians. Formative research included interviews, assessment of food- purchasing frequency and preparation methods, and dietary recalls. Stakeholders contributed to intervention development through formative research, a program planning workshop, group feedback, and implementation training. Foods high in fat and sugar are commonly consumed. Barriers to healthy eating include low availability, perceived high cost, and poor flavor. Stakeholder participation contributed to the development of a culturally appropriate intervention. This approach resulted in project acceptance, stakeholder collaboration, and a culturally appropriate program.

Personality-Targeted Interventions Delay the Growth of Adolescent Drinking and Binge Drinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conrod, Patricia J.; Castellanos, Natalie; Mackie, Clare

2008-01-01

Background: Personality factors are implicated in the vulnerability to adolescent alcohol misuse. This study examined whether providing personality-targeted interventions in early adolescence can delay drinking and binge drinking in high-risk youth. Methods: A randomised control trial was carried out with 368 adolescents recruited from years 9 and…

Sustainability of a Targeted Intervention Package: First Step to Success in Oregon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loman, Sheldon L.; Rodriguez, Billie Jo; Horner, Robert H.

2010-01-01

Variables affecting the sustained implementation of evidence-based practices are receiving increased attention. A descriptive analysis of the variables associated with sustained implementation of First Step to Success (FSS), a targeted intervention for young students at risk for behavior disorders, is provided. Measures based on a conceptual model…

Evaluating Intervention Programs with a Pretest-Posttest Design: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

PubMed Central

Alessandri, Guido; Zuffianò, Antonio; Perinelli, Enrico

2017-01-01

A common situation in the evaluation of intervention programs is the researcher's possibility to rely on two waves of data only (i.e., pretest and posttest), which profoundly impacts on his/her choice about the possible statistical analyses to be conducted. Indeed, the evaluation of intervention programs based on a pretest-posttest design has been usually carried out by using classic statistical tests, such as family-wise ANOVA analyses, which are strongly limited by exclusively analyzing the intervention effects at the group level. In this article, we showed how second order multiple group latent curve modeling (SO-MG-LCM) could represent a useful methodological tool to have a more realistic and informative assessment of intervention programs with two waves of data. We offered a practical step-by-step guide to properly implement this methodology, and we outlined the advantages of the LCM approach over classic ANOVA analyses. Furthermore, we also provided a real-data example by re-analyzing the implementation of the Young Prosocial Animation, a universal intervention program aimed at promoting prosociality among youth. In conclusion, albeit there are previous studies that pointed to the usefulness of MG-LCM to evaluate intervention programs (Muthén and Curran, 1997; Curran and Muthén, 1999), no previous study showed that it is possible to use this approach even in pretest-posttest (i.e., with only two time points) designs. Given the advantages of latent variable analyses in examining differences in interindividual and intraindividual changes (McArdle, 2009), the methodological and substantive implications of our proposed approach are discussed. PMID:28303110

Evaluating Intervention Programs with a Pretest-Posttest Design: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

PubMed

Alessandri, Guido; Zuffianò, Antonio; Perinelli, Enrico

2017-01-01

A common situation in the evaluation of intervention programs is the researcher's possibility to rely on two waves of data only (i.e., pretest and posttest), which profoundly impacts on his/her choice about the possible statistical analyses to be conducted. Indeed, the evaluation of intervention programs based on a pretest-posttest design has been usually carried out by using classic statistical tests, such as family-wise ANOVA analyses, which are strongly limited by exclusively analyzing the intervention effects at the group level. In this article, we showed how second order multiple group latent curve modeling (SO-MG-LCM) could represent a useful methodological tool to have a more realistic and informative assessment of intervention programs with two waves of data. We offered a practical step-by-step guide to properly implement this methodology, and we outlined the advantages of the LCM approach over classic ANOVA analyses. Furthermore, we also provided a real-data example by re-analyzing the implementation of the Young Prosocial Animation, a universal intervention program aimed at promoting prosociality among youth. In conclusion, albeit there are previous studies that pointed to the usefulness of MG-LCM to evaluate intervention programs (Muthén and Curran, 1997; Curran and Muthén, 1999), no previous study showed that it is possible to use this approach even in pretest-posttest (i.e., with only two time points) designs. Given the advantages of latent variable analyses in examining differences in interindividual and intraindividual changes (McArdle, 2009), the methodological and substantive implications of our proposed approach are discussed.

Findings From the National Machine Guarding Program-A Small Business Intervention: Machine Safety.

PubMed

Parker, David L; Yamin, Samuel C; Xi, Min; Brosseau, Lisa M; Gordon, Robert; Most, Ivan G; Stanley, Rodney

2016-09-01

The purpose of this nationwide intervention was to improve machine safety in small metal fabrication businesses (3 to 150 employees). The failure to implement machine safety programs related to guarding and lockout/tagout (LOTO) are frequent causes of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) citations and may result in serious traumatic injury. Insurance safety consultants conducted a standardized evaluation of machine guarding, safety programs, and LOTO. Businesses received a baseline evaluation, two intervention visits, and a 12-month follow-up evaluation. The intervention was completed by 160 businesses. Adding a safety committee was associated with a 10% point increase in business-level machine scores (P < 0.0001) and a 33% point increase in LOTO program scores (P < 0.0001). Insurance safety consultants proved effective at disseminating a machine safety and LOTO intervention via management-employee safety committees.

Impact of Safety Training and Interventions on Training-Transfer: Targeting Migrant Construction Workers.

PubMed

Hussain, Rahat; Pedro, Akeem; Lee, Do Yeop; Pham, Hai Chien; Park, Chan Sik

2018-05-01

Despite substantial efforts to improve construction safety training, the accident rate of migrant workers is still high. One of the primary factors contributing to the inefficacy of training includes information delivery gaps during training sessions (knowledge-transfer). In addition, there is insufficient evidence that these training programs alone are effective enough to enable migrant workers to transfer their skills to jobsite (training-transfer). This research attempts to identify and evaluate additional interventions to improve the transfer of acquired knowledge to workplace. For this purpose, this study presents the first known experimental effort to assess the effect of interventions on migrant work groups in a multinational construction project in Qatar. Data analysis reveals that the adoption of training programs with the inclusion of interventions significantly improves training-transfer. Construction safety experts can leverage the findings of this study to enhance training-transfer by increasing worker's safety performance and hazard identification ability.

Mississippi's DUI Offender Intervention: 40 Years of Programming and Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Angela A.; Gardner, Sheena; Xu, Xiaohe; Chi, Guangqing; McCluskey, D. Lee

2013-01-01

The Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP) is a court-mandated driving under the influence (DUI) intervention for persons convicted of DUI. This study describes the evolution of the curriculum, evaluates the effectiveness of MASEP in reducing recidivism, and examines whether recent program revisions have led to improvements in…

Kindergarten Program for Four-Year-OIds: An Early intervention Strategy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klentschy, Michael P.; Hoge, Suzi

The Pasadena Unified School District, in northwest Los Angeles County, recognized that an early intervention program for economically disadvantaged children should be part of its comprehensive district revitalizing and restructuring plan. Consequently, staff developed the Kindergarten Program for Four-Year-Olds, which was designed to provide: (1)…

AsthmaWise - a field of dreams? The results of an online education program targeting older adults with asthma.

PubMed

Burns, Pippa; Jones, Sandra C; Iverson, Don; Caputi, Peter

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to establish the feasibility and acceptability of an online asthma self-management program developed for older Australians with asthma. AsthmaWise, an internet education self-management program, was piloted for a 3-month period at the beginning of 2012. Participants were recruited using both online and offline strategies and were required to complete surveys, both pre- and post-intervention, in a repeated measures design. Matched data were collected from 51 participants; the results showed AsthmaWise to be a feasible and acceptable method of delivering asthma education to the target population. Self-reported measures showed an increase in participants' asthma knowledge, asthma control and quality of life. Results from the Perceived Health Web Site Usability Questionnaire (PHWSUQ) showed improvements between usability testing and implementation. The need for asthma self-management education will continue to increase as the population ages and a greater number of older adults are living with asthma. This small pilot study indicates that an online asthma self-management education program can result in improved outcome measures in a target group not normally considered technologically literate.

A Narrative Review of Social Media and Game-Based Nutrition Interventions Targeted at Young Adults.

PubMed

Nour, Monica; Yeung, Sin Hang; Partridge, Stephanie; Allman-Farinelli, Margaret

2017-05-01

The increased popularity of social media and mobile gaming among young adults provides an opportunity for innovative nutrition programs. This review evaluated the efficacy of these strategies in interventions targeted at 18- to 35-year-olds. The protocol was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Ten scientific databases, information technology conference proceedings, and gray literature were searched. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction, and quality assessments. Interventions were included if they used social media or electronic games. Comparisons were made pre- to post-intervention, or between intervention and control arms. Outcomes of interest included change in nutrition knowledge, attitudes, behavior, or weight and/or body composition. Eleven social media-based (randomized controlled trials [RCT] n=7) and six game-based [RCT n=1]) interventions were included. Overall quality of studies was low. Social media-based strategies included forum/blogs (n=5), Facebook (n=5), Twitter (n=1), YouTube (n=1), and chat rooms (n=1). Eight (RCT n=6) of 11 social media-based studies demonstrated improvements in outcomes. Findings suggested that social media may be more effective when combined with other strategies. Virtual reality games (n=3), web-based games (n=2), and a mobile application (n=1) were used in the gaming interventions. While a significant increase in knowledge was reported by three gaming studies (RCT=1), two used nonvalidated tools and longer-term measures of weight and behavioral outcomes were limited. The use of social media and gaming for nutrition promotion is in its infancy. Preliminary evidence suggests that these strategies have some utility for intervening with young adults. Further research using high-quality study designs is required, with measurement of outcomes over longer time periods. The systematic review protocol is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42015025427

Laser ``M'egajoule'' cryogenic target program: from target fabrication to conformation of the deuterium-tritium ice layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, Rémy; Durut, Frédéric; Reneaume, Benoît; Chicane, Cédric; Théobald, Marc; Breton, Olivier; Martin, Michel; Fleury, Emmanuel; Vincent-Viry, Olivier; Bachelet, Franck; Jeannot, Laurent; Geoffray, Isabelle; Botrel, Ronan; Dauteuil, Christophe; Hermerel, Cyril; Choux, Alexandre; Bednarczyk, Sophie; Legaie, Olivier

2008-11-01

For the French inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, cryogenic target assemblies (CTAs) for the LMJ program are manufactured and filled at CEA Valduc (Dijon) in the cryogenic targets filling station (IRCC). They will be moved at about 20 K into a transport cryostat for cryogenic targets and will be driven from CEA/Valduc to CEA/CESTA (Bordeaux). Cryogenic targets will then be transferred by several cryogenic grippers on the cryogenic target positioner before shots. The CTA has to meet severe specifications and involves a lot of challenging tasks for its manufacture. To fill CTAs by permeation with deuterium-tritium (DT), the IRCC need to meet strict thermal, mechanical and dimensional specifications. To obtain a good combustion yield, a very homogenous DT ice layer and very smooth roughness at 1.5 K below the DT triple point are also required. This paper deals with the up to date main issues in the different fields of the LMJ cryogenic target program.

The 'robustness' of vocabulary intervention in the public schools: targets and techniques employed in speech-language therapy.

PubMed

Justice, Laura M; Schmitt, Mary Beth; Murphy, Kimberly A; Pratt, Amy; Biancone, Tricia

2014-01-01

This study examined vocabulary intervention-in terms of targets and techniques-for children with language impairment receiving speech-language therapy in public schools (i.e., non-fee-paying schools) in the United States. Vocabulary treatments and targets were examined with respect to their alignment with the empirically validated practice of rich vocabulary intervention. Participants were forty-eight 5-7-year-old children participating in kindergarten or the first-grade year of school, all of whom had vocabulary-specific goals on their individualized education programmes. Two therapy sessions per child were coded to determine what vocabulary words were being directly targeted and what techniques were used for each. Study findings showed that the majority of words directly targeted during therapy were lower-level basic vocabulary words (87%) and very few (1%) were academically relevant. On average, three techniques were used per word to promote deep understanding. Interpreting findings against empirical descriptions of rich vocabulary intervention indicates that children were exposed to some but not all aspects of this empirically supported practice. © 2013 Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

A Targeted Infection Prevention Intervention in Nursing Home Residents With Indwelling Devices

PubMed Central

Mody, Lona; Krein, Sarah L.; Saint, Sanjay K.; Min, Lillian C.; Montoya, Ana; Lansing, Bonnie; McNamara, Sara E.; Symons, Kathleen; Fisch, Jay; Koo, Evonne; Rye, Ruth Anne; Galecki, Andrzej; Kabeto, Mohammed U.; Fitzgerald, James T.; Olmsted, Russell N.; Kauffman, Carol A.; Bradley, Suzanne F.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Indwelling devices (eg, urinary catheters and feeding tubes) are often used in nursing homes (NHs). Inadequate care of residents with these devices contributes to high rates of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and device-related infections in NHs. OBJECTIVE To test whether a multimodal targeted infection program (TIP) reduces the prevalence of MDROs and incident device-related infections. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Randomized clinical trial at 12 community-based NHs from May 2010 to April 2013. Participants were high-risk NH residents with urinary catheters, feeding tubes, or both. INTERVENTIONS Multimodal, including preemptive barrier precautions, active surveillance for MDROs and infections, and NH staff education. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was the prevalence density rate of MDROs, defined as the total number of MDROs isolated per visit averaged over the duration of a resident's participation. Secondary outcomes included new MDRO acquisitions and new clinically defined device-associated infections. Data were analyzed using a mixed-effects multilevel Poisson regression model (primary outcome) and a Cox proportional hazards model (secondary outcome), adjusting for facility-level clustering and resident-level variables. RESULTS In total, 418 NH residents with indwelling devices were enrolled, with 34 174 device-days and 6557 anatomic sites sampled. Intervention NHs had a decrease in the overall MDRO prevalence density (rate ratio, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.62–0.94). The rate of new methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus acquisitions was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (rate ratio, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64–0.96). Hazard ratios for the first and all (including recurrent) clinically defined catheter-associated urinary tract infections were 0.54 (95% CI, 0.30–0.97) and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.49–0.99), respectively, in the intervention group and the control group. There were no reductions in new vancomycin

Adolescent Weight Control: An Intervention Targeting Parent Communication and Modeling Compared With Minimal Parental Involvement

PubMed Central

Hadley, Wendy; Sato, Amy; Kuhl, Elizabeth; Rancourt, Diana; Oster, Danielle; Lloyd-Richardson, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Objective Adolescent weight control interventions demonstrate variable findings, with inconsistent data regarding the appropriate role for parents. The current study examined the efficacy of a standard adolescent behavioral weight control (BWC) intervention that also targeted parent–adolescent communication and parental modeling of healthy behaviors (Standard Behavioral Treatment + Enhanced Parenting; SBT + EP) compared with a standard BWC intervention (SBT). Methods 49 obese adolescents (M age = 15.10; SD = 1.33; 76% female; 67.3% non-Hispanic White) and a caregiver were randomly assigned to SBT or SBT + EP. Adolescent and caregiver weight and height, parental modeling, and weight-related communication were obtained at baseline and end of the 16-week intervention. Results Significant decreases in adolescent weight and increases in parental self-monitoring were observed across both conditions. Analyses of covariance revealed a trend for greater reduction in weight and negative maternal commentary among SBT condition participants. Conclusions Contrary to hypotheses, targeting parent–adolescent communication and parental modeling did not lead to better outcomes in adolescent weight control. PMID:25294840

Targeting strategies of mHealth interventions for maternal health in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol

PubMed Central

Abejirinde, Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade; Dieleman, Marjolein; Bardají, Azucena; Broerse, Jacqueline E W; Van Belle, Sara

2018-01-01

Introduction Recently, there has been a steady increase in mobile health (mHealth) interventions aimed at improving maternal health of women in low-income and middle-income countries. While there is evidence indicating that these interventions contribute to improvements in maternal health outcomes, other studies indicate inconclusive results. This uncertainty has raised additional questions, one of which pertains to the role of targeting strategies in implementing mHealth interventions and the focus on pregnant women and health workers as target groups. This review aims to assess who is targeted in different mHealth interventions and the importance of targeting strategies in maternal mHealth interventions. Methods and analysis We will search for peer-reviewed, English-language literature published between 1999 and July 2017 in PubMed, Web of Knowledge (Science Direct, EMBASE) and Cochrane Central Registers of Controlled Trials. The study scope is defined by the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes framework: P, community members with maternal or reproductive needs; I, electronic health or mHealth programmes geared at improving maternal or reproductive health; C, other non-electronic health or mHealth-based interventions; O, maternal health measures including family planning, antenatal care attendance, health facility delivery and postnatal care attendance. Ethics and dissemination This study is a review of already published or publicly available data and needs no ethical approval. Review results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international conferences. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017072280. PMID:29478019

Targeted surveillance for postnatal hearing loss: a program evaluation.

PubMed

Beswick, Rachael; Driscoll, Carlie; Kei, Joseph; Glennon, Shirley

2012-07-01

The importance of monitoring hearing throughout early childhood cannot be understated. However, there is a lack of evidence available regarding the most effective method of monitoring hearing following the newborn screen. The goal of this study was to describe a targeted surveillance program using a risk factor registry to identify children with a postnatal hearing loss. All children who were born in Queensland, Australia between September 2004 and December 2009, received a bilateral 'pass' on newborn hearing screening, and had at least one risk factor, were referred for targeted surveillance and were included in this study. The cohort was assessed throughout early childhood in accordance with Queensland's diagnostic assessment protocols. During the study period, 7320 (2.8% of 261,328) children were referred for targeted surveillance, of which 56 were identified with a postnatal hearing loss (0.77%). Of these, half (50.0%) were identified with a mild hearing loss, and 64.3% were identified with a sensorineural hearing loss. In regards to risk factors, syndrome, craniofacial anomalies, and severe asphyxia had the highest yield of positive cases of postnatal hearing loss for children referred for targeted surveillance, whereas, low birth weight, bacterial meningitis, and professional concern had a particularly low yield. Limitations of the targeted surveillance program were noted and include: (1) a lost contact rate of 32.4%; (2) delays in first surveillance assessment; (3) a large number of children who required on-going monitoring; and (4) extensive diagnostic assessments were completed on children with normal hearing. Examination of the lost contact rate revealed indigenous children were more likely to be documented as lost contact. In addition, children with one risk factor only were significantly more likely to not attend a surveillance appointment. Positive cases of postnatal hearing loss were detected through the targeted surveillance program. However, the

Healthy weight regulation and eating disorder prevention in high school students: a universal and targeted Web-based intervention.

PubMed

Jones, Megan; Taylor Lynch, Katherine; Kass, Andrea E; Burrows, Amanda; Williams, Joanne; Wilfley, Denise E; Taylor, C Barr

2014-02-27

Given the rising rates of obesity in children and adolescents, developing evidence-based weight loss or weight maintenance interventions that can be widely disseminated, well implemented, and are highly scalable is a public health necessity. Such interventions should ensure that adolescents establish healthy weight regulation practices while also reducing eating disorder risk. This study describes an online program, StayingFit, which has two tracks for universal and targeted delivery and was designed to enhance healthy living skills, encourage healthy weight regulation, and improve weight/shape concerns among high school adolescents. Ninth grade students in two high schools in the San Francisco Bay area and in St Louis were invited to participate. Students who were overweight (body mass index [BMI] >85th percentile) were offered the weight management track of StayingFit; students who were normal weight were offered the healthy habits track. The 12-session program included a monitored discussion group and interactive self-monitoring logs. Measures completed pre- and post-intervention included self-report height and weight, used to calculate BMI percentile for age and sex and standardized BMI (zBMI), Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) nutrition data, the Weight Concerns Scale, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. A total of 336 students provided informed consent and were included in the analyses. The racial breakdown of the sample was as follows: 46.7% (157/336) multiracial/other, 31.0% (104/336) Caucasian, 16.7% (56/336) African American, and 5.7% (19/336) did not specify; 43.5% (146/336) of students identified as Hispanic/Latino. BMI percentile and zBMI significantly decreased among students in the weight management track. BMI percentile and zBMI did not significantly change among students in the healthy habits track, demonstrating that these students maintained their weight. Weight/shape concerns significantly decreased among participants in

Using the Intervention Mapping and Behavioral Intervention Technology Frameworks: Development of an mHealth Intervention for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Change.

PubMed

Direito, Artur; Walsh, Deirdre; Hinbarji, Moohamad; Albatal, Rami; Tooley, Mark; Whittaker, Robyn; Maddison, Ralph

2018-06-01

Few interventions to promote physical activity (PA) adapt dynamically to changes in individuals' behavior. Interventions targeting determinants of behavior are linked with increased effectiveness and should reflect changes in behavior over time. This article describes the application of two frameworks to assist the development of an adaptive evidence-based smartphone-delivered intervention aimed at influencing PA and sedentary behaviors (SB). Intervention mapping was used to identify the determinants influencing uptake of PA and optimal behavior change techniques (BCTs). Behavioral intervention technology was used to translate and operationalize the BCTs and its modes of delivery. The intervention was based on the integrated behavior change model, focused on nine determinants, consisted of 33 BCTs, and included three main components: (1) automated capture of daily PA and SB via an existing smartphone application, (2) classification of the individual into an activity profile according to their PA and SB, and (3) behavior change content delivery in a dynamic fashion via a proof-of-concept application. This article illustrates how two complementary frameworks can be used to guide the development of a mobile health behavior change program. This approach can guide the development of future mHealth programs.

Program Completion and Re-Arrest in a Batterer Intervention System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Larry W.; Stoops, Charles; Call, Christine; Flett, Heather

2007-01-01

Objective: The authors examine the effects of batterer intervention program (BIP) completion on domestic violence re-arrest in an urban system of 30 BIPs with a common set of state standards, common program completion criteria, and centralized criminal justice supervision. Method: 899 men arrested for domestic violence were assessed and completed…

A research model--forecasting incident rates from optimized safety program intervention strategies.

PubMed

Iyer, P S; Haight, J M; Del Castillo, E; Tink, B W; Hawkins, P W

2005-01-01

INTRODUCTION/PROBLEM: Property damage incidents, workplace injuries, and safety programs designed to prevent them, are expensive aspects of doing business in contemporary industry. The National Safety Council (2002) estimated that workplace injuries cost $146.6 billion per year. Because companies are resource limited, optimizing intervention strategies to decrease incidents with less costly programs can contribute to improved productivity. Systematic data collection methods were employed and the forecasting ability of a time-lag relationship between interventions and incident rates was studied using various statistical methods (an intervention is not expected to have an immediate nor infinitely lasting effect on the incident rate). As a follow up to the initial work, researchers developed two models designed to forecast incident rates. One is based on past incident rate performance and the other on the configuration and level of effort applied to the safety and health program. Researchers compared actual incident performance to the prediction capability of each model over 18 months in the forestry operations at an electricity distribution company and found the models to allow accurate prediction of incident rates. These models potentially have powerful implications as a business-planning tool for human resource allocation and for designing an optimized safety and health intervention program to minimize incidents. Depending on the mathematical relationship, one can determine what interventions, where and how much to apply them, and when to increase or reduce human resource input as determined by the forecasted performance.

Targeted neural network interventions for auditory hallucinations: Can TMS inform DBS?

PubMed

Taylor, Joseph J; Krystal, John H; D'Souza, Deepak C; Gerrard, Jason Lee; Corlett, Philip R

2018-05-01

The debilitating and refractory nature of auditory hallucinations (AH) in schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders has stimulated investigations into neuromodulatory interventions that target the aberrant neural networks associated with them. Internal or invasive forms of brain stimulation such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) are currently being explored for treatment-refractory schizophrenia. The process of developing and implementing DBS is limited by symptom clustering within psychiatric constructs as well as a scarcity of causal tools with which to predict response, refine targeting or guide clinical decisions. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), an external or non-invasive form of brain stimulation, has shown some promise as a therapeutic intervention for AH but remains relatively underutilized as an investigational probe of clinically relevant neural networks. In this editorial, we propose that TMS has the potential to inform DBS by adding individualized causal evidence to an evaluation processes otherwise devoid of it in patients. Although there are significant limitations and safety concerns regarding DBS, the combination of TMS with computational modeling of neuroimaging and neurophysiological data could provide critical insights into more robust and adaptable network modulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Racial-Ethnic Protective Factors and Mechanisms in Psychosocial Prevention and Intervention Programs for Black Youth.

PubMed

Jones, Shawn C T; Neblett, Enrique W

2016-06-01

Extending previous reviews related to cultural responsiveness in the treatment of ethnic minority youth, the current review provides a critical assessment and synthesis of both basic and applied research on the integration of three racial-ethnic protective factors (racial identity, racial socialization, Africentric worldview) in psychosocial prevention and intervention programs for Black children and adolescents. Seventeen programs meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were evaluated for the extent to which racial-ethnic protective factors and related mechanisms were integrated, applied, and tested in such programs. A systematic assessment of these programs revealed that several prevention and intervention programs drew upon the three factors, particularly Africentric worldview. In addition, a number of studies hypothesized and assessed mechanisms, both those previously identified in conceptual literature and those that emerged from the interventions themselves. A set of recommendations encouraging the implementation of these factors into future prevention and intervention programs, examples of how clinicians can infuse these factors into psychotherapy, and areas for future research are discussed.

Predictors of Program Use and Child and Parent Outcomes of A Brief Online Parenting Intervention.

PubMed

Baker, Sabine; Sanders, Matthew R

2017-10-01

Web-based parenting interventions have the potential to increase the currently low reach of parenting programs, but few evidence-based online programs are available, and little is known about who benefits from this delivery format. This study investigated if improvements in child behavior and parenting, following participation in a brief online parenting program (Triple P Online Brief), can be predicted by family and program-related factors. Participants were 100 parents of 2-9-year-old children displaying disruptive behavior problems. Regression analyses showed that higher baseline levels of child behavior problems, older parental age and more intense conflict over parenting pre-intervention predicted greater improvement in child behavior at 9-month follow-up. Improvement in parenting was predicted by higher pre-intervention levels of ineffective parenting. Family demographics, parental adjustment and program related factors did not predict treatment outcomes. Younger child age and lower disagreement over parenting pre-intervention predicted completion of the recommended minimum dose of the program.

Characteristics and effectiveness of diabetes self-management educational programs targeted to racial/ethnic minority groups: a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression.

PubMed

Ricci-Cabello, Ignacio; Ruiz-Pérez, Isabel; Rojas-García, Antonio; Pastor, Guadalupe; Rodríguez-Barranco, Miguel; Gonçalves, Daniela C

2014-07-19

It is not clear to what extent educational programs aimed at promoting diabetes self-management in ethnic minority groups are effective. The aim of this work was to systematically review the effectiveness of educational programs to promote the self-management of racial/ethnic minority groups with type 2 diabetes, and to identify programs' characteristics associated with greater success. We undertook a systematic literature review. Specific searches were designed and implemented for Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, ISI Web of Knowledge, Scirus, Current Contents and nine additional sources (from inception to October 2012). We included experimental and quasi-experimental studies assessing the impact of educational programs targeted to racial/ethnic minority groups with type 2 diabetes. We only included interventions conducted in countries members of the OECD. Two reviewers independently screened citations. Structured forms were used to extract information on intervention characteristics, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness. When possible, we conducted random-effects meta-analyses using standardized mean differences to obtain aggregate estimates of effect size with 95% confidence intervals. Two reviewers independently extracted all the information and critically appraised the studies. We identified thirty-seven studies reporting on thirty-nine educational programs. Most of them were conducted in the US, with African American or Latino participants. Most programs obtained some benefits over standard care in improving diabetes knowledge, self-management behaviors and clinical outcomes. A meta-analysis of 20 randomized controlled trials (3,094 patients) indicated that the programs produced a reduction in glycated hemoglobin of -0.31% (95% CI -0.48% to -0.14%). Diabetes knowledge and self-management measures were too heterogeneous to pool. Meta-regressions showed larger reduction in glycated hemoglobin in individual and face to face delivered interventions, as well as in those

The influence of newborn early literacy intervention programs in three canadian provinces.

PubMed

Letourneau, Nicole; Whitty, Pam; Watson, Barry; Phillips, Jennifer; Joschko, Justin; Gillis, Doris

2015-01-01

Low levels of literacy in early childhood can have lasting effects on children's educational and intellectual development. Many countries have implemented newborn literacy programs designed to teach parents pre-literacy promoting activities to share with their children. We conducted 2 quasi-experimental studies using 1) a pre-test/post-test design and 2) a non-equivalent control group design to examine the effect of newborn literacy programs on parents' self-reported literacy intentions/behaviors, values toward literacy, and parent-child interactions. Parents were recruited from 3 provinces, 2 with newborn literacy programs (intervention) and 1 without (control). Parents in the intervention group completed prenatal and postnatal (after participation in program) questionnaires. Parents in the control group completed 1 questionnaire. Questionnaires were designed to capture parents' literacy intentions (prenatal), behaviors (postnatal), values, and parent-child interactions (postnatal). A total of 98 parents were included in study one and 174 were included in study two. Parents' self-reported prenatal intentions and values were higher than their postnatal behaviors and values. Parents in the intervention group exhibited higher literacy behaviors and values and greater enjoyment reading to their children than parents in the control group, though they also reported reading to their children less frequently. Parents in the intervention group had significantly higher Positive Interactive scores than controls. Overall, we found participation in newborn literacy programs positively impacted parenting behaviors and attitudes. Lower postnatal within-group scores (intentions and values versus behaviors and values) may have been the result of participants' high expectations. Given our findings, we recommend that these programs continue.

Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen Program: a randomized controlled intervention to promote cooking skills and healthy eating in university students - study protocol.

PubMed

Bernardo, Greyce Luci; Jomori, Manuela Mika; Fernandes, Ana Carolina; Colussi, Claudia Flemming; Condrasky, Margaret D; Proença, Rossana Pacheco da Costa

2017-12-20

Community-based intervention studies that aim at developing cooking skills have increased in the scientific literature and are related to healthier food practices. However, methodological limitations are observed and only a few studies have university students as the target. The university entrance period has been related to negative changes in eating habits among young people and it represents an important period for developing interventions for health promotion. This study describes the study protocol and the evaluation framework for the Nutrition and Culinary in the Kitchen program. This program aims to develop cooking skills in university students, and is based on the Cooking with a Chef program in the United States. This ongoing, randomized controlled intervention was designed with a six month follow-up study. The intervention consisted of three-hour weekly classes during a six week period with printed materials provided. Five of the classes were hands-on cooking and one was a tour to a popular food market. There were eight primary outcome measures: changes in relation to i) accessibility and availability of fruits and vegetables; ii) cooking attitudes; iii) cooking behaviors at home; iv) cooking behaviors away from home; v) produce consumption self-efficacy; vi) self-efficacy for using basic cooking techniques; vii) self-efficacy for using fruits, vegetables, and seasonings (while cooking); and viii) knowledge of cooking terms and techniques. Secondary outcomes included changes in body mass index and in personal characteristics related to cooking. Repeated measures were collected through the application of an online self-completed survey, at baseline, after intervention and six months after intervention. A sample of 80 university students (40: intervention group; 40: control group) was estimated to detect a mean change of 1.5 points in cooking knowledge, with study power of 80%, and 95% level of confidence, plus 20% for random losses and 10% for confounding

Communicating with nonindustrial private forest-land owners: Getting programs on target

Treesearch

Thomas W. Birch; Nancy A. Pywell; Nancy A. Pywell

1986-01-01

Nonindustrial private forest-land owners can be motivated 1, by programs directed to their needs and objectives. Seven target audiences in Pennsylvania were defined and outlets for information programs identified for each target I audience. The primary objectives of each group and the benefits they expect from owning forest land were considered in the preparation of...

Suicide intervention training evaluation: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Tierney, R J

1994-01-01

To date, very little work has been done on evaluating training in suicide intervention. This study developed and piloted a comprehensive method for evaluating suicide intervention training by applying three studies of immediate training effects on (a) suicide intervention abilities, (b) attitudes to suicide and suicide intervention, and (c) knowledge about suicide. The focus of the evaluation was a broadly used 2-day suicide intervention training program. Changes in suicide intervention abilities were measured by the Suicide Intervention Response Inventory (SIRI) and by performance in simulated suicide intervention situations, scored with the Suicide Intervention Protocol (SIP). Subjects consisted of 19 workshop participants in a pre-post condition and 17 participants in a post-test only condition. Results indicated significant increases in skills in suicide intervention situations. No significant effects were noted on the SIRI. Results from the attitudes and knowledge studies were very preliminary. They are reported here so that others may become aware of the methodology being used and the status of evaluation of the target program. Implications for further research are discussed.

Effects of a bereavement intervention program on depression and life satisfaction in middle aged widows in Korea.

PubMed

Yoo, Yang Sook; Kang, Hee Young

2006-12-01

This study was designed to examine the effects of a bereavement intervention program on levels of depression and life satisfaction in middle aged widows in Korea. A quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest was used. The subjects (control group, n = 10; intervention group, n = 17) were bereaved less than 6 months in G City and J Province, Korea. The bereavement intervention program consisted of Dan-jeon breathing, self-help group activities and a health examination. The experimental group attended 10 sessions of a bereavement intervention program. The control group had a health examination without the intervention program. For both groups, the level of depression and life satisfaction levels were measured before and after the experiment. The decrement of depression level in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). The increment in life satisfaction in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). The results suggested that the bereavement intervention program was effective in decreasing level of depression and in increasing the life satisfaction of widows. Accordingly, a bereavement intervention program can be applied as an intervention to help widows.

Technological Innovations and Intervention Practices for Children with Cochlear Implants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertmer, David J.

2002-01-01

This epilogue to a forum on children with hearing impairments who have cochlear implants discusses innovation in implant technology and considers intervention issues. Key factors influencing outcomes are discussed, including educational programming, amount and length of communication intervention, and the targeting of both developmental and…

Speech-language pathologists' practices regarding assessment, analysis, target selection, intervention, and service delivery for children with speech sound disorders.

PubMed

Mcleod, Sharynne; Baker, Elise

2014-01-01

A survey of 231 Australian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) was undertaken to describe practices regarding assessment, analysis, target selection, intervention, and service delivery for children with speech sound disorders (SSD). The participants typically worked in private practice, education, or community health settings and 67.6% had a waiting list for services. For each child, most of the SLPs spent 10-40 min in pre-assessment activities, 30-60 min undertaking face-to-face assessments, and 30-60 min completing paperwork after assessments. During an assessment SLPs typically conducted a parent interview, single-word speech sampling, collected a connected speech sample, and used informal tests. They also determined children's stimulability and estimated intelligibility. With multilingual children, informal assessment procedures and English-only tests were commonly used and SLPs relied on family members or interpreters to assist. Common analysis techniques included determination of phonological processes, substitutions-omissions-distortions-additions (SODA), and phonetic inventory. Participants placed high priority on selecting target sounds that were stimulable, early developing, and in error across all word positions and 60.3% felt very confident or confident selecting an appropriate intervention approach. Eight intervention approaches were frequently used: auditory discrimination, minimal pairs, cued articulation, phonological awareness, traditional articulation therapy, auditory bombardment, Nuffield Centre Dyspraxia Programme, and core vocabulary. Children typically received individual therapy with an SLP in a clinic setting. Parents often observed and participated in sessions and SLPs typically included siblings and grandparents in intervention sessions. Parent training and home programs were more frequently used than the group therapy. Two-thirds kept up-to-date by reading journal articles monthly or every 6 months. There were many similarities with

Matching Interventions to Children's Mental Health Needs: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Pilot School-Based Trauma Intervention Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Elissa J.; McQuaid, Jennifer; Farina, Lana; Ali, Rehana; Winnick-Gelles, Amy

2006-01-01

The primary goal was to develop and implement a school-based, trauma-specific intervention program for inner-city children exposed to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11th, 2001. The feasibility and acceptability of the program, and its research component, were examined. The efficacy of the program was evaluated in a pilot study.…

Galvanizing action: conclusions and next steps for mainstreaming zinc interventions in public health programs.

PubMed

Brown, Kenneth H; Baker, Shawn K

2009-03-01

This paper summarizes the results of the foregoing reviews of the impact of different intervention strategies designed to enhance zinc nutrition, including supplementation, fortification, and dietary diversification or modification. Current evidence indicates a beneficial impact of such interventions on zinc status and zinc-related functional outcomes. Preventive zinc supplementation reduces the incidence of diarrhea and acute lower respiratory tract infection among young children, decreases mortality of children over 12 months of age, and increases growth velocity. Therapeutic zinc supplementation during episodes of diarrhea reduces the duration and severity of illness. Zinc fortification increases zinc intake and total absorbed zinc, and recent studies are beginning to confirm a positive impact of zinc fortification on indicators of population zinc status. To assist with the development of zinc intervention programs, more information is needed on the prevalence of zinc deficiency in different countries, and rigorous evaluations of the effectiveness of large-scale zinc intervention programs should be planned. Recommended steps for scaling up zinc intervention programs, with or without other micronutrients, are described. In summary, there is now clear evidence of the benefit of selected interventions to reduce the risk of zinc deficiency, and a global commitment is urgently needed to conduct systematic assessments of population zinc status and to develop interventions to control zinc deficiency in the context of existing public health and nutrition programs.

Program Completion of a Web-Based Tailored Lifestyle Intervention for Adults: Differences between a Sequential and a Simultaneous Approach

PubMed Central

Schneider, Francine; de Vries, Hein; van Osch, Liesbeth ADM; van Nierop, Peter WM; Kremers, Stef PJ

2012-01-01

Background Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors often co-occur and are related to chronic diseases. One effective method to change multiple lifestyle behaviors is web-based computer tailoring. Dropout from Internet interventions, however, is rather high, and it is challenging to retain participants in web-based tailored programs, especially programs targeting multiple behaviors. To date, it is unknown how much information people can handle in one session while taking part in a multiple behavior change intervention, which could be presented either sequentially (one behavior at a time) or simultaneously (all behaviors at once). Objectives The first objective was to compare dropout rates of 2 computer-tailored interventions: a sequential and a simultaneous strategy. The second objective was to assess which personal characteristics are associated with completion rates of the 2 interventions. Methods Using an RCT design, demographics, health status, physical activity, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption, alcohol intake, and smoking were self-assessed through web-based questionnaires among 3473 adults, recruited through Regional Health Authorities in the Netherlands in the autumn of 2009. First, a health risk appraisal was offered, indicating whether respondents were meeting the 5 national health guidelines. Second, psychosocial determinants of the lifestyle behaviors were assessed and personal advice was provided, about one or more lifestyle behaviors. Results Our findings indicate a high non-completion rate for both types of intervention (71.0%; n = 2167), with more incompletes in the simultaneous intervention (77.1%; n = 1169) than in the sequential intervention (65.0%; n = 998). In both conditions, discontinuation was predicted by a lower age (sequential condition: OR = 1.04; P < .001; CI = 1.02-1.05; simultaneous condition: OR = 1.04; P < .001; CI = 1.02-1.05) and an unhealthy lifestyle (sequential condition: OR = 0.86; P = .01; CI = 0.76-0.97; simultaneous condition

Program completion of a web-based tailored lifestyle intervention for adults: differences between a sequential and a simultaneous approach.

PubMed

Schulz, Daniela N; Schneider, Francine; de Vries, Hein; van Osch, Liesbeth A D M; van Nierop, Peter W M; Kremers, Stef P J

2012-03-08

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors often co-occur and are related to chronic diseases. One effective method to change multiple lifestyle behaviors is web-based computer tailoring. Dropout from Internet interventions, however, is rather high, and it is challenging to retain participants in web-based tailored programs, especially programs targeting multiple behaviors. To date, it is unknown how much information people can handle in one session while taking part in a multiple behavior change intervention, which could be presented either sequentially (one behavior at a time) or simultaneously (all behaviors at once). The first objective was to compare dropout rates of 2 computer-tailored interventions: a sequential and a simultaneous strategy. The second objective was to assess which personal characteristics are associated with completion rates of the 2 interventions. Using an RCT design, demographics, health status, physical activity, vegetable consumption, fruit consumption, alcohol intake, and smoking were self-assessed through web-based questionnaires among 3473 adults, recruited through Regional Health Authorities in the Netherlands in the autumn of 2009. First, a health risk appraisal was offered, indicating whether respondents were meeting the 5 national health guidelines. Second, psychosocial determinants of the lifestyle behaviors were assessed and personal advice was provided, about one or more lifestyle behaviors. Our findings indicate a high non-completion rate for both types of intervention (71.0%; n = 2167), with more incompletes in the simultaneous intervention (77.1%; n = 1169) than in the sequential intervention (65.0%; n = 998). In both conditions, discontinuation was predicted by a lower age (sequential condition: OR = 1.04; P < .001; CI = 1.02-1.05; simultaneous condition: OR = 1.04; P < .001; CI = 1.02-1.05) and an unhealthy lifestyle (sequential condition: OR = 0.86; P = .01; CI = 0.76-0.97; simultaneous condition: OR = 0.49; P < .001; CI = 0

The Stoplight Program: A Proactive Physical Therapy Intervention for Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PubMed

Tanner, Lynn; Sencer, Susan; Hooke, Mary C

Chemotherapy may cause neuromuscular impairments that can have life-long effects. The Stoplight Program (SLP) was developed as a proactive physical therapy (PT) intervention directed at impairments in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this program evaluation, we assessed the feasibility of the SLP delivered as part of standard care and identified body function and activity patterns in patients who received the intervention. Children ages 1 to 22 years, diagnosed with ALL, received an assessment by a physical therapist as part of usual care. The SLP intervention used 3 levels to categorize the impairment levels and intensity of PT. Of the children (n = 135) screened, 46% completed 5 intervention visits and 32% completed the program and met discharge criteria. At initial assessment, 46% of children ages 1 to 5 years and 67% of children ages 6 to 22 years had abnormal motor function. Those completing the program tested within the healthy norms. Research is needed on variables that influence adherence to a PT program and the range of functional impairment and activity limitations in this population.

Targeting and managing behavioral symptoms in individuals with dementia: a randomized trial of a nonpharmacological intervention.

PubMed

Gitlin, Laura N; Winter, Laraine; Dennis, Marie P; Hodgson, Nancy; Hauck, Walter W

2010-08-01

To test the effects of an intervention that helps families manage distressing behaviors in family members with dementia. Two-group randomized trial. In home. Two hundred seventy-two caregivers and people with dementia. Up to 11 home and telephone contacts over 16 weeks by health professionals who identified potential triggers of patient behaviors, including communication and environmental factors and patient undiagnosed medical conditions (by obtaining blood and urine samples) and trained caregivers in strategies to modify triggers and reduce their upset. Between 16 and 24 weeks, three telephone contacts reinforced strategy use. Primary outcomes were frequency of targeted problem behavior and caregiver upset with and confidence managing it at 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes were caregiver well-being and management skills at 16 and 24 weeks and caregiver perceived benefits. Prevalence of medical conditions for intervention patients were also examined. At 16 weeks, 67.5% of intervention caregivers reported improvement in targeted problem behavior, compared with 45.8% of caregivers in a no-treatment control group (P=.002), and reduced upset with (P=.03) and enhanced confidence managing (P=.01) the behavior. Additionally, intervention caregivers reported less upset with all problem behaviors (P=.001), less negative communication (P=.02), less burden (P=.05), and better well-being (P=.001) than controls. Fewer intervention caregivers had depressive symptoms (53.0%) than control group caregivers (67.8%, P=.02). Similar caregiver outcomes occurred at 24 weeks. Intervention caregivers perceived more study benefits (P<.05), including ability to keep family members home, than controls. Blood and urine samples of intervention patients with dementia showed that 40 (34.1%) had undiagnosed illnesses requiring physician follow-up. Targeting behaviors upsetting to caregivers and modifying potential triggers improves symptomatology in people with dementia and caregiver well-being and

A rural, community-based suicide awareness and intervention program.

PubMed

Jones, Sharon; Walker, Coralanne; Miles, Alison C J; De Silva, Eve; Zimitat, Craig

2015-01-01

Suicide is a prominent public health issue in rural Australia and specifically in Tasmania, which has one of the highest suicide rates in the country. The Community Response to Eliminating Suicide (CORES) program was developed in rural Tasmania in response to a significant number of suicides over a short period of time. CORES is unique in that it is both a community-based and gatekeeper education model. CORES aims to build and empower communities to take ownership of suicide prevention strategies. It also aims to increase the individual community member's interpersonal skills and awareness of suicide risks, while building peer support and awareness of suicide prevention support services within the community itself. Pre- and post-test surveys after the CORES 1-day suicide awareness and intervention program (SAIP) showed significant increases in levels of comfort and confidence in discussing suicide with those who may be contemplating that action. CORES builds community capital through establishing new connections within communities. Establishment of local executive groups, funding and SAIP are key activities of successful CORES programs in communities around Australia. Over half of the initial leaders are still actively involved after a decade, which reflects positively on the quality and outcomes of the program. This study supports CORES as a beneficial and feasible community-based suicide intervention program for rural communities.

Dengue vector management using insecticide treated materials and targeted interventions on productive breeding-sites in Guatemala.

PubMed

Rizzo, Nidia; Gramajo, Rodrigo; Escobar, Maria Cabrera; Arana, Byron; Kroeger, Axel; Manrique-Saide, Pablo; Petzold, Max

2012-10-30

In view of the epidemiological expansion of dengue worldwide and the availability of new tools and strategies particularly for controlling the primary dengue vector Aedes aegypti, an intervention study was set up to test the efficacy, cost and feasibility of a combined approach of insecticide treated materials (ITMs) alone and in combination with appropriate targeted interventions of the most productive vector breeding-sites. The study was conducted as a cluster randomized community trial using "reduction of the vector population" as the main outcome variable. The trial had two arms: 10 intervention clusters (neighborhoods) and 10 control clusters in the town of Poptun Guatemala. Activities included entomological assessments (characteristics of breeding-sites, pupal productivity, Stegomyia indices) at baseline, 6 weeks after the first intervention (coverage of window and exterior doorways made of PermaNet 2.0 netting, factory treated with deltamethrin at 55 mg/m2, and of 200 L drums with similar treated material) and 6 weeks after the second intervention (combination of treated materials and other suitable interventions targeting productive breeding-sites i.e larviciding with Temephos, elimination etc.). The second intervention took place 17 months after the first intervention. The insecticide residual activity and the insecticidal content were also studied at different intervals. Additionally, information about demographic characteristics, cost of the intervention, coverage of houses protected and satisfaction in the population with the interventions was collected. At baseline (during the dry season) a variety of productive container types for Aedes pupae were identified: various container types holding >20 L, 200 L drums, washbasins and buckets (producing 83.7% of all pupae). After covering 100% of windows and exterior doorways and a small number of drums (where the commercial cover could be fixed) in 970 study households, tropical rains occurred in the area and

Dengue vector management using insecticide treated materials and targeted interventions on productive breeding-sites in Guatemala

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In view of the epidemiological expansion of dengue worldwide and the availability of new tools and strategies particularly for controlling the primary dengue vector Aedes aegypti, an intervention study was set up to test the efficacy, cost and feasibility of a combined approach of insecticide treated materials (ITMs) alone and in combination with appropriate targeted interventions of the most productive vector breeding-sites. Methods The study was conducted as a cluster randomized community trial using “reduction of the vector population” as the main outcome variable. The trial had two arms: 10 intervention clusters (neighborhoods) and 10 control clusters in the town of Poptun Guatemala. Activities included entomological assessments (characteristics of breeding-sites, pupal productivity, Stegomyia indices) at baseline, 6 weeks after the first intervention (coverage of window and exterior doorways made of PermaNet 2.0 netting, factory treated with deltamethrin at 55 mg/m2, and of 200 L drums with similar treated material) and 6 weeks after the second intervention (combination of treated materials and other suitable interventions targeting productive breeding-sites i.e larviciding with Temephos, elimination etc.). The second intervention took place 17 months after the first intervention. The insecticide residual activity and the insecticidal content were also studied at different intervals. Additionally, information about demographic characteristics, cost of the intervention, coverage of houses protected and satisfaction in the population with the interventions was collected. Results At baseline (during the dry season) a variety of productive container types for Aedes pupae were identified: various container types holding >20 L, 200 L drums, washbasins and buckets (producing 83.7% of all pupae). After covering 100% of windows and exterior doorways and a small number of drums (where the commercial cover could be fixed) in 970 study households, tropical

Linking implementation of evidence-based parenting programs to outcomes in early intervention.

PubMed

Kilburn, Janice E; Shapiro, Cheri J; Hardin, James W

2017-11-01

In the field of early intervention, only a few studies of parenting interventions include both participant and facilitator behaviors. Fidelity and supervision (facilitator characteristics) and dosage and satisfaction (participant characteristics) were tested on the outcome of improved parenting style in a sample of 36 parents of young children with disabilities. Results indicated that the facilitator behavior of fidelity was significantly and negatively related to the program outcome of parenting style; no effect was found for the facilitator behavior of supervision. For the participant behaviors, both dosage and satisfaction had non-significant relationships with the program outcome of parenting style at follow-up. The surprising negative relationship between content fidelity and parenting style was discussed.Two possible explanations were: (1) process or quality of intervention delivery is more influential than content fidelity, which considers only adherence to the intervention manual, and (2) the developmental stage of early intervention families calls for more focus on relationships between facilitators and parents and less on content of the specific intervention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of a multicomponent primary care program targeting frail elderly people.

PubMed

Ruikes, Franca G H; Adang, Eddy M; Assendelft, Willem J J; Schers, Henk J; Koopmans, Raymond T C M; Zuidema, Sytse U

2018-05-16

Over the last 20 years, integrated care programs for frail elderly people aimed to prevent functional dependence and reduce hospitalization and institutionalization. However, results have been inconsistent and merely modest. To date, evidence on the cost-effectiveness of these programs is scarce. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the CareWell program, a multicomponent integrated care program for frail elderly people. Economic evaluation from a healthcare perspective embedded in a cluster controlled trial of 12 months in 12 general practices in (the region of) Nijmegen. Two hundred and four frail elderly from 6 general practices in the intervention group received care according to the CareWell program, consisting of multidisciplinary team meetings, proactive care planning, case management, and medication reviews; 165 frail elderly from 6 general practices in the control group received usual care. In cost-effectiveness analyses, we related costs to daily functioning (Katz-15 change score i.e. follow up score minus baseline score) and quality adjusted life years (EQ-5D-3 L). Adjusted mean costs directly related to the intervention were €456 per person. Adjusted mean total costs, i.e. intervention costs plus healthcare utilization costs, were €1583 (95% CI -4647 to 1481) higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Incremental Net Monetary Benefits did not show significant differences between groups, but on average tended to favour usual care. The CareWell primary program was not cost-effective after 12 months. From a cost-effectiveness perspective, widespread implementation of the program in its current form cannot be recommended. The study was registered in the ClinicalTrials.govProtocol Registration System: ( NCT01499797 ; December 26, 2011). Retrospectively registered.

Psychostimulant and Sensory Stimulation Interventions That Target the Reading and Math Deficits of Students with ADHD

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zentall, Sydney S.; Tom-Wright, Kinsey; Lee, Jiyeon

2013-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this review of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was to summarize the following: (1) academic deficits in math and reading, (2) possible theoretical contributors to these deficits, and (3) psychostimulant interventions that target math and reading, as well as, parallel interventions involving…

Target Salt 2025: A Global Overview of National Programs to Encourage the Food Industry to Reduce Salt in Foods

PubMed Central

Webster, Jacqui; Trieu, Kathy; Dunford, Elizabeth; Hawkes, Corinna

2014-01-01

Reducing population salt intake has been identified as a priority intervention to reduce non-communicable diseases. Member States of the World Health Organization have agreed to a global target of a 30% reduction in salt intake by 2025. In countries where most salt consumed is from processed foods, programs to engage the food industry to reduce salt in products are being developed. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of national initiatives to encourage the food industry to reduce salt. A systematic review of the literature was supplemented by key informant questionnaires to inform categorization of the initiatives. Fifty nine food industry salt reduction programs were identified. Thirty eight countries had targets for salt levels in foods and nine countries had introduced legislation for some products. South Africa and Argentina have both introduced legislation limiting salt levels across a broad range of foods. Seventeen countries reported reductions in salt levels in foods—the majority in bread. While these trends represent progress, many countries have yet to initiate work in this area, others are at early stages of implementation and further monitoring is required to assess progress towards achieving the global target. PMID:25195640

Target salt 2025: a global overview of national programs to encourage the food industry to reduce salt in foods.

PubMed

Webster, Jacqui; Trieu, Kathy; Dunford, Elizabeth; Hawkes, Corinna

2014-08-21

Reducing population salt intake has been identified as a priority intervention to reduce non-communicable diseases. Member States of the World Health Organization have agreed to a global target of a 30% reduction in salt intake by 2025. In countries where most salt consumed is from processed foods, programs to engage the food industry to reduce salt in products are being developed. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of national initiatives to encourage the food industry to reduce salt. A systematic review of the literature was supplemented by key informant questionnaires to inform categorization of the initiatives. Fifty nine food industry salt reduction programs were identified. Thirty eight countries had targets for salt levels in foods and nine countries had introduced legislation for some products. South Africa and Argentina have both introduced legislation limiting salt levels across a broad range of foods. Seventeen countries reported reductions in salt levels in foods-the majority in bread. While these trends represent progress, many countries have yet to initiate work in this area, others are at early stages of implementation and further monitoring is required to assess progress towards achieving the global target.

Impact of a driver intervention program on DWI recidivism and problem drinking

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-12-01

This was a natural history study comparing the effects of a brief jail sentence, suspended sentence/fine, or a therapeutic intervention known as The Weekend Intervention Program (WIP) on drunk driving recidivism and alcohol-related crashes, Offenders...

Designing a workplace return-to-work program for occupational low back pain: an intervention mapping approach.

PubMed

Ammendolia, Carlo; Cassidy, David; Steensta, Ivan; Soklaridis, Sophie; Boyle, Eleanor; Eng, Stephanie; Howard, Hamer; Bhupinder, Bains; Côté, Pierre

2009-06-09

Despite over 2 decades of research, the ability to prevent work-related low back pain (LBP) and disability remains elusive. Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work (RTW) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury. Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved, each with their own unique circumstances. Intervention mapping provides a framework for designing and implementing complex interventions or programs. The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach. We used a qualitative synthesis based on the intervention mapping methodology. Best evidence from systematic reviews, practice guidelines and key articles on the prognosis and management of LBP and improving RTW was combined with theoretical models for managing LBP and changing behaviour. This was then systematically operationalized into a RTW program using consensus among experts and stakeholders. The RTW Program was further refined following feedback from nine focus groups with various stakeholders. A detailed five step RTW program was developed. The key features of the program include; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process, identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders, mediating practical solutions at the workplace and, empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making. Intervention mapping provided a useful framework to develop a comprehensive RTW program tailored to the Ontario setting.

Impact of a community-based lifestyle intervention program on health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Eaglehouse, Yvonne L; Schafer, Gerald L; Arena, Vincent C; Kramer, M Kaye; Miller, Rachel G; Kriska, Andrea M

2016-08-01

The presence of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, or the conditions themselves, contributes to lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adults. Although community-based lifestyle intervention programs have been shown to be effective for improving risk factors for these diseases, the impact of these interventions on HRQoL has rarely been described. To examine changes in HRQoL following participation in the Group Lifestyle Balance program, a community translation of the Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle intervention for adults with prediabetes and/or the metabolic syndrome. Participants enrolled in the 12-month, 22-session intervention program (N = 223) completed the EuroQol Health Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Linear mixed-effects regression models determined change in EQ-5D-visual analog scale (VAS) and Index scores post-intervention. Mean EQ-5D-VAS was improved by +7.38 (SE = 1.03) at 6 months and by +6.73 (SE = 1.06) at 12 months post-intervention (both; p < 0.0001). Mean changes in EQ-5D index values were +0.00 (SE = 0.01; NS) and +0.01 (SE = 0.01; p < 0.05), respectively. Adjusted for age, baseline score, and achieving intervention goals, mean change in EQ-5D-VAS was +11.83 (SE = 1.61) at 6 months and +11.23 (SE = 1.54) at 12 months (both; p < 0.0001). Adjusted mean change in EQ-5D index value was +0.04 (SE = 0.01) at 6 months and +0.05 (SE = 0.01) at 12 months (both; p < 0.01). Participation in a community lifestyle intervention program resulted in improved HRQoL among adults with prediabetes and/or the metabolic syndrome. These benefits to HRQoL, together with improved clinical and behavioral outcomes, should increase the appeal of such programs for improving health.

The Japanese national health screening and intervention program aimed at preventing worsening of the metabolic syndrome.

PubMed

Kohro, Takahide; Furui, Yuji; Mitsutake, Naohiro; Fujii, Ryo; Morita, Hiroyuki; Oku, Shinya; Ohe, Kazuhiko; Nagai, Ryozo

2008-03-01

Similar to the healthcare systems in other industrialized countries, the Japanese healthcare system is facing the problem of increasing medical expenditure. In Japan, this situation may be primarily attributed to advanced technological developments, an aging population, and increasing patient demand. Japan also faces the problem of a declining youth population due to a low birth rate. Taken together, these problems present the healthcare system with a very difficult financial situation. Several reforms have been undertaken to contain medical expenditure, such as increasing employee copayment for health insurance from 10% to 20% in 1997 and from 20% to 30% in 2003 in order to curb unnecessary visits to medical institutions. Since the aging of the Japanese population is inevitable, a suitable method to contain medical expenditure may be to screen individuals who are likely to develop lifestyle-related diseases and conduct early intervention programs for them to prevent the development of diseases such as myocardial infarction or stroke that are costly to treat. If this goal is attained, it may contribute to the containment of medical expenditure as well as to improving the quality of life of the elderly. Therefore, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to introduce a nationwide health screening and intervention program specifically targeting the metabolic syndrome commencing April 2008. Here, we discuss (1) the background of the Japanese healthcare system and the problems facing it, (2) the underlying objective and details of the new screening program, and (3) the expected impact of the program.

Targeting strategies of mHealth interventions for maternal health in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Ilozumba, Onaedo; Abejirinde, Ibukun-Oluwa Omolade; Dieleman, Marjolein; Bardají, Azucena; Broerse, Jacqueline E W; Van Belle, Sara

2018-02-24

Recently, there has been a steady increase in mobile health (mHealth) interventions aimed at improving maternal health of women in low-income and middle-income countries. While there is evidence indicating that these interventions contribute to improvements in maternal health outcomes, other studies indicate inconclusive results. This uncertainty has raised additional questions, one of which pertains to the role of targeting strategies in implementing mHealth interventions and the focus on pregnant women and health workers as target groups. This review aims to assess who is targeted in different mHealth interventions and the importance of targeting strategies in maternal mHealth interventions. We will search for peer-reviewed, English-language literature published between 1999 and July 2017 in PubMed, Web of Knowledge (Science Direct, EMBASE) and Cochrane Central Registers of Controlled Trials. The study scope is defined by the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcomes framework: P, community members with maternal or reproductive needs; I, electronic health or mHealth programmes geared at improving maternal or reproductive health; C, other non-electronic health or mHealth-based interventions; O, maternal health measures including family planning, antenatal care attendance, health facility delivery and postnatal care attendance. This study is a review of already published or publicly available data and needs no ethical approval. Review results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international conferences. CRD42017072280. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Development of a cognitive-behavioral intervention program to treat anxiety and social deficits in teens with high-functioning autism.

PubMed

White, Susan W; Albano, Anne Marie; Johnson, Cynthia R; Kasari, Connie; Ollendick, Thomas; Klin, Ami; Oswald, Donald; Scahill, Lawrence

2010-03-01

Anxiety is a common co-occurring problem among young people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Characterized by deficits in social interaction, communication problems, and stereotyped behavior and restricted interests, this group of disorders is more prevalent than previously realized. When present, anxiety may compound the social deficits of young people with ASD. Given the additional disability and common co-occurrence of anxiety in ASD, we developed a manual-based cognitive-behavioral treatment program to target anxiety symptoms as well as social skill deficits in adolescents with ASD [Multimodal Anxiety and Social Skills Intervention: MASSI]. In this paper, we describe the foundation, content, and development of MASSI. We also summarize data on treatment feasibility based on a pilot study that implemented the intervention.

Body image and self-esteem among adolescents undergoing an intervention targeting dietary and physical activity behaviors.

PubMed

Huang, Jeannie S; Norman, Gregory J; Zabinski, Marion F; Calfas, Karen; Patrick, Kevin

2007-03-01

To determine the effect of a one-year intervention targeting physical activity, sedentary, and diet behaviors among adolescents on self-reported body image and self-esteem. Health promotion interventions can lead to awareness of health risk and subsequent adoption of beneficial changes in behavior. However, it is possible that interventions targeting behaviors associated with childhood obesity may also increase the likelihood of unhealthy eating and physical activity obsessions and behaviors. Body image and self-esteem were assessed for adolescents participating in the PACE+ study, a randomized controlled trial of a 1-year behavioral intervention targeting physical activity, sedentary, and dietary behaviors. The Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale were used to assess body image and self-esteem, respectively, and measurements were performed at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months. Demographic characteristics and weight status of participants were also ascertained. Analysis of responses was performed via both between-group and within-group repeated measure analyses. There were 657 adolescents who completed all measurements. Body image differences were found for age, gender, and weight status at baseline, whereas self-esteem differences were demonstrated for gender, ethnicity, and weight status. There were no intervention effects on body image or self-esteem for either girls or boys. Self-esteem and body satisfaction did not worsen as a result of participating in the PACE+ intervention for either boys or girls whether or not they lost or maintained their weight or gained weight. Girls assigned to the PACE intervention who experienced weight reduction or weight maintenance at either 6 or 12 months reported improvements in body image satisfaction (p = .02) over time compared with subjects who had experienced weight gain during the 12-month study period. Adverse effects on body satisfaction and self-esteem were not

Body Image and Self-Esteem among Adolescents undergoing an Intervention Targeting Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors

PubMed Central

Huang, Jeannie S.; Norman, Gregory J.; Zabinski, Marion F.; Calfas, Karen; Patrick, Kevin

2007-01-01

Background Health promotion interventions can lead to awareness of health risk and subsequent adoption of beneficial changes in behavior. However, it is possible that interventions targeting behaviors associated with childhood obesity may also increase the likelihood of unhealthy eating and physical activity obsessions and behaviors. Objective To determine the effect of a one-year intervention targeting physical activity, sedentary and diet behaviors among adolescents on self-reported body image and self-esteem. Methods Body image and self-esteem were assessed for adolescents participating in the PACE+ study, a randomized controlled trial of a one-year behavioral intervention targeting physical activity, sedentary, and dietary behaviors. The Body Dissatisfaction subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale were used to assess body image and self-esteem respectively, and measurements were performed at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Demographic characteristics and weight status of participants were also ascertained. Analysis of responses was performed via both between-group and within-group repeated measure analyses. Results 657 adolescents completed all measurements. Body image differences were found for age, sex and weight status at baseline, while self-esteem differences were demonstrated for sex, ethnicity and weight status. There were no intervention effects on body image or self-esteem for either girls or boys. Self-esteem and body satisfaction did not worsen as a result of participating in the PACE+ intervention for either boys or girls whether or not they lost or maintained their weight or gained weight. Girls assigned to the PACE intervention who experienced weight reduction or weight maintenance at either 6 or 12-months reported improvements in body image satisfaction (p=0.02) over time compared to subjects who had experienced weight gain during the 12-month study period. Conclusions Adverse effects on body satisfaction and self

The cell's nucleolus: an emerging target for chemotherapeutic intervention.

PubMed

Pickard, Amanda J; Bierbach, Ulrich

2013-09-01

The transient nucleolus plays a central role in the up-regulated synthesis of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) to sustain ribosome biogenesis, a hallmark of aberrant cell growth. This function, in conjunction with its unique pathohistological features in malignant cells and its ability to mediate apoptosis, renders this sub-nuclear structure a potential target for chemotherapeutic agents. In this Minireview, structurally and functionally diverse small molecules are discussed that have been reported to either interact with the nucleolus directly or perturb its function indirectly by acting on its dynamic components. These molecules include all major classes of nucleic-acid-targeted agents, antimetabolites, kinase inhibitors, anti-inflammatory drugs, natural product antibiotics, oligopeptides, as well as nanoparticles. Together, these molecules are invaluable probes of structure and function of the nucleolus. They also provide a unique opportunity to develop novel strategies for more selective and therefore better-tolerated chemotherapeutic intervention. In this regard, inhibition of RNA polymerase-I-mediated rRNA synthesis appears to be a promising mechanism for killing cancer cells. The recent development of molecules targeted at G-quadruplex-forming rRNA gene sequences, which are currently undergoing clinical trials, seems to attest to the success of this approach. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The need for a culturally-tailored gatekeeper training intervention program in preventing suicide among Indigenous peoples: a systematic review.

PubMed

Nasir, Bushra Farah; Hides, Leanne; Kisely, Steve; Ranmuthugala, Geetha; Nicholson, Geoffrey C; Black, Emma; Gill, Neeraj; Kondalsamy-Chennakesavan, Srinivas; Toombs, Maree

2016-10-21

Suicide is a leading cause of death among Indigenous youth worldwide. The aim of this literature review was to determine the cultural appropriateness and identify evidence for the effectiveness of current gatekeeper suicide prevention training programs within the international Indigenous community. Using a systematic strategy, relevant databases and targeted resources were searched using the following terms: 'suicide', 'gatekeeper', 'training', 'suicide prevention training', 'suicide intervention training' and 'Indigenous'. Other internationally relevant descriptors for the keyword "Indigenous" (e.g. "Maori", "First Nations", "Native American", "Inuit", "Metis" and "Aboriginal") were also used. Six articles, comprising five studies, met criteria for inclusion; two Australian, two from USA and one Canadian. While pre and post follow up studies reported positive outcomes, this was not confirmed in the single randomised controlled trial identified. However, the randomised controlled trial may have been underpowered and contained participants who were at higher risk of suicide pre-training. Uncontrolled evidence suggests that gatekeeper training may be a promising suicide intervention in Indigenous communities but needs to be culturally tailored to the target population. Further RCT evidence is required.

Psychosocial interventions for pregnant women in outpatient illicit drug treatment programs compared to other interventions.

PubMed

Terplan, M; Lui, S

2007-10-17

Illicit drug use in pregnancy is a complex social and public health problem. It is important to develop and evaluate effective treatments. There is evidence for the effectiveness of psychosocial in this population; however, to our knowledge, no systematic review on the subject has been undertaken. To evaluate the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in pregnant women enrolled in illicit drug treatment programs on birth and neonatal outcomes, on attendance and retention in treatment, as well as on maternal and neonatal drug abstinence. In short, do psychosocial interventions translate into less illicit drug use, greater abstinence, better birth outcomes, or greater clinic attendance.? We searched the Cochrane Drugs and Alcohol Group's trial register (May 2006), the Cochrane Central Register of Trials (Central- The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2005); MEDLINE (1.1996-8.2006); EMBASE (1.1996-8.2006); CINAHL (1.1982-8.2006), and reference lists of articles. Randomised studies comparing any psychosocial intervention versus pharmacological interventions or placebo or non-intervention or another psychosocial intervention for treating illicit drug use in pregnancy. Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Nine trials involving 546 pregnant women were included. Five studies considered contingency management (CM), and four studies considered manual based interventions such as motivational interviewing (MI). The main finding was that contingency management led to better study retention. There was only minimal effect of CM on illicit drug abstinence. In contrast, motivational interviewing led towards poorer study retention, although this did not approach statistical significance. For both, no difference in birth or neonatal outcomes was found, but this was an outcome rarely captured in the studies. The present evidence suggests that CM strategies are effective in improving retention of pregnant women in illicit drug treatment programs as well

Targeting students, teachers and parents in a wellness-based prevention program in schools.

PubMed

Russell-Mayhew, Shelly; Arthur, Nancy; Ewashen, Carol

2007-01-01

This study examines the effectiveness of a wellness-based prevention program on elementary and junior high students' body image, personal attitudes, and eating behaviors. Group differences in measures of student attitudes and eating behaviors are examined to determine the effect of targeting different participant combinations (students, parents, and teachers) in 10 groups. For elementary schools, student participants consisted of control (no intervention) (n = 36), student only (n = 81), student/parent (n = 124), student/parent/teacher (n = 103), and parent/teacher (n = 149). For junior high schools, student participants consisted of control (n = 143), student only (n=215), student/parent (n=65), student/parent/teacher (n = 14), and parent/teacher (n = 177). Overall, complete data was available for 1,095 students, 114 parents and 92 teachers. Results indicate that self-concept and eating attitudes and behaviors were positively affected by participation in the program. For example, in elementary schools posttest scores on the behavior subscale of the self-concept measure are significantly higher for the student/parent/teacher group than for the control group. Results indicate that a one-time wellness-based eating disorder prevention program with students, which have in the past shown to be minimally effective, may be more effective in changing attitudes and behaviors when teachers and parents are involved.

Development of a cervical cancer educational program for Chinese women using intervention mapping.

PubMed

Hou, Su-I; Fernandez, Maria E; Parcel, Guy S

2004-01-01

This article describes the development of a program to increase Pap screening behavior among women in Taiwan. Intervention mapping, an innovative process of intervention design, guided the development of this program. The development process included a needs assessment identifying factors influencing Pap screening behavior relevant to Chinese women. The program used methods such as information transmission, modeling, persuasion, and facilitation. Strategies included direct mail communication, role-model stories and testimonials, and a telephone-counseling component. The delineation of specific plans for implementation and evaluation are also described.

Evaluating Different Dimensions of Programme Effectiveness for Private Medicine Retailer Malaria Control Interventions in Kenya

PubMed Central

Abuya, Timothy O.; Fegan, Greg; Amin, Abdinasir A.; Akhwale, Willis S.; Noor, Abdisalan M.; Snow, Robert W.; Marsh, Vicki

2010-01-01

Background Private medicine retailers (PMRs) are key partners in the home management of fevers in many settings. Current evidence on effectiveness for PMR interventions at scale is limited. This study presents evaluation findings of two different programs implemented at moderate scale targeting PMRs for malaria control in the Kisii and Kwale districts of Kenya. Key components of this evaluation were measurement of program performance, including coverage, PMR knowledge, practices, and utilization based on spatial analysis. Methodology/Principal Findings The study utilized mixed quantitative methods including retail audits and surrogate client surveys based on post-intervention cross-sectional surveys in intervention and control areas and mapping of intervention outlets. There was a large and significant impact on PMR knowledge and practices of the program in Kisii, with 60.5% of trained PMRs selling amodiaquine medicines in adequate doses compared to 2.8% of untrained ones (OR; 53.5: 95% CI 6.7, 428.3), a program coverage of 69.7% targeted outlets, and a potential utilization of about 30,000 children under five. The evaluation in Kwale also indicates a significant impact with 18.8% and 2.3% intervention and control PMRs selling amodiaquine with correct advice, respectively (OR; 9.4: 95% CI 1.1, 83.7), a program coverage of 25.3% targeted outlets, and a potential utilization of about 48,000 children under five. A provisional benchmark of 7.5 km was a reasonable threshold distance for households to access PMR services. Conclusions/Significance This evaluation show that PMR interventions operationalized in the district level settings are likely to impact PMR knowledge and practices and lead to increased coverage of appropriate treatment to target populations. There is value of evaluating different dimensions of public health programs, including quality, spatial access, and implementation practice. This approach strengthens the potential contribution of pragmatic study

Hip Hop HEALS: Pilot Study of a Culturally Targeted Calorie Label Intervention to Improve Food Purchases of Children.

PubMed

Williams, Olajide; DeSorbo, Alexandra; Sawyer, Vanessa; Apakama, Donald; Shaffer, Michele; Gerin, William; Noble, James

2016-02-01

We explored the effect of a culturally targeted calorie label intervention on food purchasing behavior of elementary school students. We used a quasi-experimental design with two intervention schools and one control school to assess food purchases of third through fifth graders at standardized school food sales before and after the intervention (immediate and delayed) in schools. The intervention comprised three 1-hour assembly-style hip-hop-themed multimedia classes. A mean total of 225 children participated in two baseline preintervention sales with and without calorie labels; 149 children participated in immediate postintervention food sales, while 133 children participated in the delayed sales. No significant change in purchased calories was observed in response to labels alone before the intervention. However, a mean decline in purchased calories of 20% (p < .01) and unhealthy foods (p < .01) was seen in immediately following the intervention compared to baseline purchases, and this persisted without significant decay after 7 days and 12 days. A 3-hour culturally targeted calorie label intervention may improve food-purchasing behavior of children. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

The Use of a Reading Intervention Program with Students at Risk of Reading Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Angela Dixon

2010-01-01

A gap remains in the literature addressing reading intervention programs that have been successful for students identified as at risk of reading failure in grades kindergarten through second. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how the Scott Foresman Early Reading Intervention Program supported the improvement of literacy…

A community based intervention program to enhance neighborhood cohesion: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shen, Chen; Wan, Alice; Kwok, Lit Tung; Pang, Sally; Wang, Xin; Stewart, Sunita M; Lam, Tai Hing; Chan, Sophia S

2017-01-01

Neighborhood cohesion, which refers to the extent of the connectedness and solidarity among residents in a community or neighborhood, is an important determinant of human health. To enhance neighborhood cohesion, the "Learning Families Project" was developed with a series of intervention programs in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with low neighborhood cohesion. This project, based on the social ecological model, provided a platform for neighbors to learn, communicate and interact with each other. This quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low rent housing estates separated by busy main roads. One served as the intervention (Tsui Ping (South) Estate) and one as the control (Shun Tin Estate) estate. The intervention included promotion, resident training and learning programs, embodied by a series of community activities such as talks, day camp, thematic activities and horticulture class. Baseline (before the programs) and follow-up (one year after the programs) surveys were conducted both in the intervention and control estate to assess the impact of the programs on neighborhood cohesion. The number of residents who completed both the baseline and follow-up surveys was 502 in the intervention estate and 476 in the control estate. Neighborhood cohesion significantly improved in the intervention group after the programs (Cohen effect size d: 0.15). Compared with the control group, the improvements in closeness of the neighborhood and trust in neighbors were significantly greater in the intervention group (Cohen effect size d: 0.13 and 0.14, respectively). This brief intervention program using a quasi-experimental study design increased neighborhood cohesion in a low rent housing estate. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02851667.

A community based intervention program to enhance neighborhood cohesion: The Learning Families Project in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Wan, Alice; Kwok, Lit Tung; Pang, Sally; Wang, Xin; Stewart, Sunita M.; Lam, Tai Hing; Chan, Sophia S.

2017-01-01

Background Neighborhood cohesion, which refers to the extent of the connectedness and solidarity among residents in a community or neighborhood, is an important determinant of human health. To enhance neighborhood cohesion, the “Learning Families Project” was developed with a series of intervention programs in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong, a district with low neighborhood cohesion. This project, based on the social ecological model, provided a platform for neighbors to learn, communicate and interact with each other. Methods This quasi-experimental study included two nearby government subsidized low rent housing estates separated by busy main roads. One served as the intervention (Tsui Ping (South) Estate) and one as the control (Shun Tin Estate) estate. The intervention included promotion, resident training and learning programs, embodied by a series of community activities such as talks, day camp, thematic activities and horticulture class. Baseline (before the programs) and follow-up (one year after the programs) surveys were conducted both in the intervention and control estate to assess the impact of the programs on neighborhood cohesion. Results The number of residents who completed both the baseline and follow-up surveys was 502 in the intervention estate and 476 in the control estate. Neighborhood cohesion significantly improved in the intervention group after the programs (Cohen effect size d: 0.15). Compared with the control group, the improvements in closeness of the neighborhood and trust in neighbors were significantly greater in the intervention group (Cohen effect size d: 0.13 and 0.14, respectively). Conclusion This brief intervention program using a quasi-experimental study design increased neighborhood cohesion in a low rent housing estate. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02851667 PMID:28827798

Comparing Universal and Targeted Pre-Kindergarten Programs. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotterer, Aryn M.; Burchinal, Margaret; Bryant, Donna; Early, Diane; Pianta, Robert C.

2012-01-01

This study compared universal (available to all children) and targeted (offered only to children with specific risk factors) Pre-Kindergarten programs. Results showed that two aspects of structural quality (e.g., hours per day and teacher education) were higher in universal programs, but process quality (e.g., child interactions and feedback) was…

Use of intervention mapping to adapt a health behavior change intervention for endometrial cancer survivors: the shape-up following cancer treatment program.

PubMed

Koutoukidis, Dimitrios A; Lopes, Sonia; Atkins, Lou; Croker, Helen; Knobf, M Tish; Lanceley, Anne; Beeken, Rebecca J

2018-03-27

About 80% of endometrial cancer survivors (ECS) are overweight or obese and have sedentary behaviors. Lifestyle behavior interventions are promising for improving dietary and physical activity behaviors, but the constructs associated with their effectiveness are often inadequately reported. The aim of this study was to systematically adapt an evidence-based behavior change program to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors in ECS. Following a review of the literature, focus groups and interviews were conducted with ECS (n = 16). An intervention mapping protocol was used for the program adaptation, which consisted of six steps: a needs assessment, formulation of matrices of change objectives, selection of theoretical methods and practical applications, program production, adoption and implementation planning, and evaluation planning. Social Cognitive Theory and Control Theory guided the adaptation of the intervention. The process consisted of eight 90-min group sessions focusing on shaping outcome expectations, knowledge, self-efficacy, and goals about healthy eating and physical activity. The adapted performance objectives included establishment of regular eating, balanced diet, and portion sizes, reduction in sedentary behaviors, increase in lifestyle and organized activities, formulation of a discrepancy-reducing feedback loop for all above behaviors, and trigger management. Information on managing fatigue and bowel issues unique to ECS were added. Systematic intervention mapping provided a framework to design a cancer survivor-centered lifestyle intervention. ECS welcomed the intervention and provided essential feedback for its adaptation. The program has been evaluated through a randomized controlled trial.

A brief randomized controlled intervention targeting parents improves grades during middle school.

PubMed

Destin, Mesmin; Svoboda, Ryan C

2017-04-01

Despite a growing number of brief, psychosocial interventions that improve academic achievement, little research investigates how to leverage parents during such efforts. We designed and tested a randomized controlled intervention targeting parents to influence important discussions about the future and responses to academic difficulty experienced by their adolescent during eighth grade in the United States. We recruited experienced parents to convey the main messages of the intervention in a parent panel format. As expected, current parents who were randomly assigned to observe the parent panel subsequently planned to talk with their adolescents sooner about future opportunities and to respond more positively to experiences of academic difficulty than parents who were randomly assigned to a control group. The intervention also led to a significant increase in student grades, which was mediated by parents' responses to academic difficulty. We suggest an increase in experimental research that utilizes parents to influence student achievement. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Computer Based Education (CBE) Program for Middle School Mathematics Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gulley, Bill

2009-01-01

A Computer Based Education (CBE) program for intervention mathematics was developed, used, and modified over a period of three years in a computer lab at an Arizona Title I middle school. The program is described along with a rationale for the need, design, and use of such a program. Data was collected in the third year and results of the program…

Novel incentives and messaging in an online college smoking intervention.

PubMed

Berg, Carla J; Stratton, Erin; Sokol, Michael; Santamaria, Andrew; Bryant, Lawrence; Rodriguez, Rolando

2014-09-01

To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and potential effectiveness of an online intervention targeting college smokers. The incentives involved discounted or free goods and services from businesses proximal to each campus. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 122 current smokers recruited from 2 Southeastern US universities. The intervention involved health behavior monitoring, targeted messaging, and incentives for healthy goods and services versus the American Cancer Society's Guide to Quitting Smoking online. The intervention achieved greater adherence and utilization (p's < .001). Overall, 55.6% learned about a local business through this program. At end-of-treatment, intervention participants less frequently attempted to quit (p = .02) but smoked fewer cigarettes/day (p = .05). Both groups demonstrated significant end-of-treatment cessation rates. This intervention demonstrated feasibility and acceptability.

Designing a workplace return-to-work program for occupational low back pain: an intervention mapping approach

PubMed Central

Ammendolia, Carlo; Cassidy, David; Steensta, Ivan; Soklaridis, Sophie; Boyle, Eleanor; Eng, Stephanie; Howard, Hamer; Bhupinder, Bains; Côté, Pierre

2009-01-01

Background Despite over 2 decades of research, the ability to prevent work-related low back pain (LBP) and disability remains elusive. Recent research suggests that interventions that are focused at the workplace and incorporate the principals of participatory ergonomics and return-to-work (RTW) coordination can improve RTW and reduce disability following a work-related back injury. Workplace interventions or programs to improve RTW are difficult to design and implement given the various individuals and environments involved, each with their own unique circumstances. Intervention mapping provides a framework for designing and implementing complex interventions or programs. The objective of this study is to design a best evidence RTW program for occupational LBP tailored to the Ontario setting using an intervention mapping approach. Methods We used a qualitative synthesis based on the intervention mapping methodology. Best evidence from systematic reviews, practice guidelines and key articles on the prognosis and management of LBP and improving RTW was combined with theoretical models for managing LBP and changing behaviour. This was then systematically operationalized into a RTW program using consensus among experts and stakeholders. The RTW Program was further refined following feedback from nine focus groups with various stakeholders. Results A detailed five step RTW program was developed. The key features of the program include; having trained personnel coordinate the RTW process, identifying and ranking barriers and solutions to RTW from the perspective of all important stakeholders, mediating practical solutions at the workplace and, empowering the injured worker in RTW decision-making. Conclusion Intervention mapping provided a useful framework to develop a comprehensive RTW program tailored to the Ontario setting. PMID:19508728

2016 Targeted AirShed Grant Program - Closed Announcement FY 2016

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Targeted Air Shed Grant Program proposal for FY 2016. The overall goal of the program is to reduce air pollution in the Nation’s areas with the highest levels of ozone and PM2.5 ambient air concentrations.

Gut microbiota: A player in aging and a target for anti-aging intervention.

PubMed

Vaiserman, Alexander M; Koliada, Alexander K; Marotta, Francesco

2017-05-01

Aging-associated alterations in composition, diversity and functional features of intestinal microbiota are well-described in the modern literature. They are suggested to be caused by an age-related decline in immune system functioning (immunosenescence) and a low-grade chronic inflammation (inflammaging), which accompany many aging-associated pathologies. The microbiota-targeted dietary and probiotic interventions have been shown to favorably affect the host health and aging by an enhancement of antioxidant activity, improving immune homeostasis, suppression of chronic inflammation, regulation of fat deposition and metabolism and prevention of insulin resistance. Recently, a high effectiveness and safety of novel therapeutic application such as fecal microbiota transplantation in the prevention and treatment of age-related pathological conditions including atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's disease has been demonstrated. In this review, recent research findings are summarized on the role of gut micribiota in aging processes with emphasis on therapeutic potential of microbiome-targeted interventions in anti-aging medicine. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams: Effects of Group Contingency Programs in Urban Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamps, Debra; Wills, Howard P.; Heitzman-Powell, Linda; Laylin, Jeff; Szoke, Carolyn; Petrillo, Tai; Culey, Amy

2011-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the Class-Wide Function-related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) program, a group contingency intervention for whole classes, and for students with disruptive behaviors who are at risk for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). The CW-FIT program includes four elements designed from…

The Effectiveness of SRA Corrective Reading and SRA Connecting Math Programs as Reading and Math Intervention Programs for Students with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guinn, Toby Ready

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the SRA Corrective Reading and SRA Connecting Math Intervention Programs when used as a scripted intervention program with identified students with disabilities and was evaluated to determine whether the effectiveness was affected by the student's gender or academic skill proficiency.…

In Search of Culturally Appropriate Autism Interventions: Perspectives of Latino Caregivers.

PubMed

DuBay, Michaela; Watson, Linda R; Zhang, Wanqing

2018-05-01

Most evidence-based autism spectrum disorder (ASD) interventions are tested with primarily White, mid-upper class, English-speaking populations, despite the increase in Latino children with ASD in early intervention programs throughout the United States. Unfortunately, interventions that are incongruent with a target population's culture may be relatively ineffective. This mixed-methods study explored how culturally appropriate, feasible, and acceptable Latino caregivers perceived intervention models, strategies, and targets. Survey data were compared for 28 Latino and 27 non-Latino White parents of young children with ASD. Further, 20 Latino caregivers participated in focus groups to describe their challenges, perspectives and preferences for intervention strategies and models, and unmet needs from providers. These findings underscore the need for culturally modified interventions for Latino children and families.

An Evaluation of Six Brief Interventions that Target Drug-Related Problems in Correctional Populations

PubMed Central

JOE, GEORGE W.; KNIGHT, KEVIN; SIMPSON, D. DWAYNE; FLYNN, PATRICK M.; MOREY, JANIS T.; BARTHOLOMEW, NORMA G.; TINDALL, MICHELE STATON; BURDON, WILLIAM M.; HALL, ELIZABETH A.; MARTIN, STEVE S.; O’CONNELL, DANIEL J.

2012-01-01

Finding brief effective treatments for criminal justice populations is a major public need. The CJ-DATS Targeted Intervention for Corrections (TIC), which consists of six brief interventions (Communication, Anger, Motivation, Criminal Thinking, Social Networks, and HIV/Sexual Health), were tested in separate federally-funded randomized control studies. In total, 1,573 criminal justice-involved individuals from 20 correction facilities participated (78% males; 54% white). Multi-level repeated measures analyses found significant gains in knowledge, attitudes, and psychosocial functioning (criteria basic to Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices (KAP) and TCU Treatment Process Models). While improvements were less consistent in criminal thinking, overall evidence supported efficacy for the TIC interventions. PMID:22547911

Let them experience a ride under the influence of alcohol; a successful intervention program?

PubMed

Brookhuis, K A; de Waard, D; Steyvers, F J J M; Bijsterveld, H

2011-05-01

A considerable amount of all traffic accidents can be attributed to driving under the influence of alcohol. In particular the group of drivers aged 18-24 years is involved in many serious traffic accidents where alcohol turns out to be a major factor. In fact this age group shows about three times as many alcohol related traffic fatalities as all other categories of road users. The intervention program "Alcohol-free on the road" (Dutch: "Alcoholvrij op weg") aims to enhance young people's awareness of the effects of alcohol by letting them personally experience the effect of alcohol on their driving abilities. To this end, young drivers were invited to a closed circuit and allowed to drive first sober and then intoxicated, guided and guarded by driving instructors. Based on several other studies it was thought that a realistic experience of the effects of alcohol on driving abilities may contribute to a better understanding of the impact of alcohol and may stimulate attitudes that are needed to support the conscious decision not to drive while intoxicated. After more than ten years of running and data collection, 1200 young drivers have participated in the intervention program. In a quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent group design, the program is evaluated in order to assess its effectiveness both with respect to the attitudes of the participants and the actual relevant behaviour in the years after the alcohol experience intervention program they attended, i.e. the incidence of actually driving under the influence of alcohol. To do this, a questionnaire was sent to a subset (415) of the participants who have completed the program, along with a control group (450), to compare attitudes and actual behaviour. In addition, the Public Prosecutor checked the files of those who responded, for the occurrence of driving under the influence of alcohol. The group that participated in the alcohol intervention program showed more awareness about the dangers of

Development of a program logic model and evaluation plan for a participatory ergonomics intervention in construction.

PubMed

Jaegers, Lisa; Dale, Ann Marie; Weaver, Nancy; Buchholz, Bryan; Welch, Laura; Evanoff, Bradley

2014-03-01

Intervention studies in participatory ergonomics (PE) are often difficult to interpret due to limited descriptions of program planning and evaluation. In an ongoing PE program with floor layers, we developed a logic model to describe our program plan, and process and summative evaluations designed to describe the efficacy of the program. The logic model was a useful tool for describing the program elements and subsequent modifications. The process evaluation measured how well the program was delivered as intended, and revealed the need for program modifications. The summative evaluation provided early measures of the efficacy of the program as delivered. Inadequate information on program delivery may lead to erroneous conclusions about intervention efficacy due to Type III error. A logic model guided the delivery and evaluation of our intervention and provides useful information to aid interpretation of results. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of a Program Logic Model and Evaluation Plan for a Participatory Ergonomics Intervention in Construction

PubMed Central

Jaegers, Lisa; Dale, Ann Marie; Weaver, Nancy; Buchholz, Bryan; Welch, Laura; Evanoff, Bradley

2013-01-01

Background Intervention studies in participatory ergonomics (PE) are often difficult to interpret due to limited descriptions of program planning and evaluation. Methods In an ongoing PE program with floor layers, we developed a logic model to describe our program plan, and process and summative evaluations designed to describe the efficacy of the program. Results The logic model was a useful tool for describing the program elements and subsequent modifications. The process evaluation measured how well the program was delivered as intended, and revealed the need for program modifications. The summative evaluation provided early measures of the efficacy of the program as delivered. Conclusions Inadequate information on program delivery may lead to erroneous conclusions about intervention efficacy due to Type III error. A logic model guided the delivery and evaluation of our intervention and provides useful information to aid interpretation of results. PMID:24006097

Early Childhood Intervention Programs: Opportunities and Challenges for Preventing Child Maltreatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Asawa, Lindsay E.; Hansen, David J.; Flood, Mary Fran

2008-01-01

Due to the destructive impact of child maltreatment and limited available funding to address its consequences, the value of preventive measures is evident. Early Childhood Intervention Programs (ECIPs) provide excellent opportunities to prevent and identify cases of child maltreatment, among other varied objectives. These programs are typically…

A Description of the Hawthorn Center Early Intervention Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glovinsky, Ira; Keller, Jackie

An early intervention project for preschool handicapped children is described. Specific program goals (including improved functioning in social, emotional, communication, and preacademic areas) are listed, and roles of the interdisciplinary staff members are considered. Among evaluation approaches discussed are psychological measures, family…

Gun Possession among Massachusetts Batterer Intervention Program Enrollees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothman, Emily F.; Johnson, Renee M.; Hemenway, David

2006-01-01

Batterers with access to firearms present a serious lethal threat to their partners. The purpose of this exploratory study is to estimate the prevalence of and risk markers for gun possession among Massachusetts men enrolled in batterer intervention programs. The authors found that 1.8% of the men reported having a gun in or around their home.…

Public Education and Targeted Outreach to Underserved Women Through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

PubMed Central

Levano, Whitney; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Leonard, Banning; Bellick, Linda; Crane, Barbara E.; Kennedy, Stephenie K.; Haslage, Natalie M.; Hammond, Whitney; Tharpe, Felicia S.

2015-01-01

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was established to provide low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women access to cancer screening and diagnostic services with the goal of increasing the early detection and prevention of breast and cervical cancer. Although this is a valuable resource for women who might not have the means to get screened otherwise, providing services at no cost, by itself, does not guarantee uptake of screening services. Public education and targeted outreach facilitate the critical link between public service programs and the communities they serve. The purpose of public education and outreach in the NBCCEDP is to increase the number of women who use breast and cervical cancer screening services by raising awareness, providing education, addressing barriers, and motivating women to complete screening exams and follow-up. Effective strategies focus on helping to remove structural, physical, interpersonal, financial, and cultural barriers; educate women about the importance of screening and inform women about the services available to them. This article provides an overview of the importance of public education and targeted outreach activities for cancer screening through community-based programs including examples from NBCCEDP grantees that highlight successes, challenges, and solutions, encountered when conducting these types of interventions. PMID:25099902

Development of a Targeted Smoking Relapse-Prevention Intervention for Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Meltzer, Lauren R; Meade, Cathy D; Diaz, Diana B; Carrington, Monica S; Brandon, Thomas H; Jacobsen, Paul B; McCaffrey, Judith C; Haura, Eric B; Simmons, Vani N

2018-04-01

We describe the series of iterative steps used to develop a smoking relapse-prevention intervention customized to the needs of cancer patients. Informed by relevant literature and a series of preliminary studies, an educational tool (DVD) was developed to target the unique smoking relapse risk factors among cancer patients. Learner verification interviews were conducted with 10 cancer patients who recently quit smoking to elicit feedback and inform the development of the DVD. The DVD was then refined using iterative processes and feedback from the learner verification interviews. Major changes focused on visual appeal, and the inclusion of additional testimonials and graphics to increase comprehension of key points and further emphasize the message that the patient is in control of their ability to maintain their smoking abstinence. Together, these steps resulted in the creation of a DVD titled Surviving Smokefree®, which represents the first smoking relapse-prevention intervention for cancer patients. If found effective, the Surviving Smokefree® DVD is an easily disseminable and low-cost portable intervention which can assist cancer patients in maintaining smoking abstinence.

Examining Learning Rates in the Evaluation of Academic Interventions That Target Reading Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Solomon, Benjamin G.; Poncy, Brian C.; Caravello, Devin J.; Schweiger, Emily M.

2018-01-01

The purpose of the current study is to determine whether single-case intervention studies targeting reading fluency, ranked by traditional outcome metrics (i.e., effect sizes derived from phase differences), were discrepant with rankings based on instructional efficiency, including growth per session and minutes of instruction. Converging with…

Effectiveness of a community-based multidomain cognitive intervention program in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Kim, Hee-Jin; Yang, YoungSoon; Oh, Jeong-Gun; Oh, Seongil; Choi, Hojin; Kim, Kyoung Hee; Kim, Seung Hyun

2016-02-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multidomain program in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 53 patients with probable AD participated in the present study. The participants were classified to a cognitive programming group (n = 32) and control group (n = 21). Participants in the cognitive intervention program received multidomain cognitive stimulation including art, music, recollection and horticultural therapy, each period of intervention lasting 1 h. This program was repeated five times per week over a period of 6 months at the Seongdong-gu Center for Dementia. The Mini-Mental State Examination, the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease, Clinical dementia rating scales, and the Korean version of the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease were used to evaluate cognitive ability at baseline and after intervention. After 6 months, cognitive abilities were compared between patients actively participating in cognitive intervention and the pharmacotherapy only group. Patients receiving cognitive intervention showed significant cognitive improvement in the word-list recognition and recall test scores versus the control. There was no change in the overall Clinical dementia rating score, but the domain of community affairs showed a significant improvement in the cognitive intervention group. Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease of caregivers was slightly improved in the cognitive intervention group after 6 months. Multidomain cognitive intervention by regional dementia centers has great potential in helping to maintain cognitive function in patients with dementia, increase their social activity and reduce depression, while enhancing the quality of life of caregivers. © 2015 Japan Geriatrics Society.

A multilevel health promotion intervention in minority-owned workplaces

PubMed Central

Bowen, Deborah J.; Briant, Katherine J.; Harris, Jeffrey; Hannon, Peggy; Buchwald, Dedra

2015-01-01

Introduction Changing health behaviors and health-related environments is important in reducing chronic disease. Minority workplaces are potential venues to provide regular, effective health promotion opportunities to underserved individuals. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of changing workplace policy, programs, and practices in minority-owned workplaces. Methods Four minority Native American-owned businesses were recruited to participate in this study. The intervention was a set of recommended standards and guidelines gleaned from the US Preventive Task Force and The Community Guide relevant to workplaces. Each workplace selected between 4 and 6 target areas to improve over the year-long intervention period. The evaluation tool was a semi-structured survey conducted at baseline and at one-year follow-up, with workplace staff responsible for benefits and services to employees. Feasibility was evaluated by assessing the likelihood that the workplaces implemented health promotion activities in the year-long intervention. Results Several practices and policies changed significantly during the intervention in the four workplaces, including coverage for nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), elimination of out of pocket costs for screening and tobacco cessation, accountability systems for providers, posted stair use, cessation line availability that included NRT, offering weight loss programs, offering physical activity programs, and conducting targeted communication programs about health promotion. Other practices and polices changed in the expected direction, but were not significant. Conclusion Changing workplace programs, practices, and policies is feasible in minority workplaces, with support and tools provided by outside organizations. These findings could drive a full-scale test of the intervention in minority businesses in order to improve the health of disadvantaged workers. PMID:26693135

Patient Characteristics Associated With a Successful Response to Nurse-Led Care Programs Targeting the Oldest-Old: A Comparison of Two RCTs.

PubMed

Bleijenberg, Nienke; Imhof, Lorenz; Mahrer-Imhof, Romy; Wallhagen, Margaret I; de Wit, Niek J; Schuurmans, Marieke J

2017-06-01

To improve the effectiveness of community-based care programs, especially those targeting the oldest-old population (80+), data are needed that elucidate those factors associated with a successful response to the intervention. Two comparable nurse-led care programs have been evaluated in two large randomized controlled trials (RCTs), one in Switzerland and one in the Netherlands. To identify common patient characteristics that are related to a successful response to proactive nurse-led care, we explored if and to what extent, identical factors were present in both study populations. A secondary data analysis using trial data from the intervention group of both RCTs was conducted. The study sample consisted 461 older adults, 230 from the U-PROFIT trial (the Netherlands) and 231 from the HPC trial (Switzerland). The mean age of the total sample was 85.1 years (SD 3.7). The UPROFIT intervention, delivered by registered nurses, included a frailty assessment and a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) at home followed by an individualized evidence-based care plan, care coordination, and follow-up. The HCP intervention was delivered by advanced practice nurses consisting of four home visits and three phone calls, and was guided by the principles of health promotion, empowerment, partnership, and family-centeredness. A successful response was defined as "stable" or "no decline" in daily functioning at follow-up. Daily functioning was measured with 13 items of activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to calculate the association between individual characteristics and a successful response. Almost half of the participants in the U-PROFIT trial (50.9%), and two-thirds (65.7%) of the participants in the HCP trial had a successful response at follow-up. Fewer comorbidities and a better self-rated health had the strongest predictive value for benefiting from the intervention (OR = 0.83 [95

A systematic review of evidence for end-of-life communication interventions: Who do they target, how are they structured and do they work?

PubMed

Walczak, Adam; Butow, Phyllis N; Bu, Stella; Clayton, Josephine M

2016-01-01

To identify and synthesise evidence for interventions targeting end-of-life communication. Database, reference list and author searches were conducted to identify evaluations of end-of-life communication-focussed interventions. Data were extracted, synthesised and QUALSYST quality analyses were performed. Forty-five studies met inclusion criteria. Interventions targeted patients (n=6), caregivers (n=3), healthcare professionals (HCPs n=24) and multiple stakeholders (n=12). Interventions took various forms including communication skills training, education, advance care planning and structured practice changes. Substantial heterogeneity in study designs, outcomes, settings and measures was apparent and study quality was variable. A substantial number of end-of-life communication interventions have been evaluated. Interventions have particularly targeted HCPs in cancer settings, though patient, caregiver and multi-focal interventions have also been evaluated. While some interventions were efficacious in well-designed RCTs, most evidence was from less robust studies. While additional interventions targeting patients and caregivers are needed, multi-focal interventions may more effectively remove barriers to end-of-life communication. Despite the limitations evident in the existing literature, healthcare professionals may still derive useful insights into effective approaches to end-of-life communication if appropriate caution is exercised. However, additional RCTs, implementation studies and cost-benefit analyses are required to bolster arguments for implementing and resourcing communication interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social cognition intervention in schizophrenia: Description of the training of affect recognition program - Indian version.

PubMed

Thonse, Umesh; Behere, Rishikesh V; Frommann, Nicole; Sharma, Psvn

2018-01-01

Social cognition refers to mental operations involved in processing of social cues and includes the domains of emotion processing, Theory of Mind (ToM), social perception, social knowledge and attributional bias. Significant deficits in ToM, emotion perception and social perception have been demonstrated in schizophrenia which can have an impact on socio-occupational functioning. Intervention modules for social cognition have demonstrated moderate effect sizes for improving emotion identification and discrimination. We describe the Indian version of the Training of Affect Recognition (TAR) program and a pilot study to demonstrate the feasibility of administering this intervention program in the Indian population. We also discuss the cultural sensibilities in adopting an intervention program for the Indian setting. To the best of our knowledge this is the first intervention program for social cognition for use in persons with schizophrenia in India. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of interventions targeting the stigma of mental illness at the workplace: a systematic review.

PubMed