scholarly journals An Evaluation of Suicide Prevention Education for People Working With Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Procter ◽  
Miriam Posselt ◽  
Monika Ferguson ◽  
Heather McIntyre ◽  
Mary-Anne Kenny ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Attitudes Toward Suicide ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract. Background: There are concerning rates of suicidality among asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, and tailored suicide prevention initiatives are needed. Aims: We aimed to evaluate the impact of a tailored suicide prevention education program for people working with asylum seekers and refugees. Method: Attendees of the education program completed self-report questionnaires at pretraining, posttraining, and 4–6 months follow-up. Results: Over 400 workers, volunteers, and students across Australia took part in the education program. A series of linear mixed-effects models revealed significant improvements in outcome measures from pretraining ( n = 247) to posttraining ( n = 231). Improvements were maintained at follow-up ( n = 75). Limitations: Limitations of this research were the lack of a control group and a low follow-up response rate. Conclusion: Findings suggest that a 2 days tailored suicide prevention education program contributes to significant improvements in workers’ attitudes toward suicide prevention, and their confidence and competence in assessing and responding to suicidal distress.

scholarly journals Suicide Prevention Training – Improving the Attitudes and Confidence of Rural Australian Health and Human Service Professionals

Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Ferguson ◽  
James Dollman ◽  
Martin Jones ◽  
Kathryn Cronin ◽  
Lynne James ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Prevention Education ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Repeated Measures Design ◽  
Suicide Prevention Training ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Background: Suicide rates are higher in rural and remote areas of Australia compared with major cities. Aim: To evaluate the impact of a brief, community-based suicide prevention educational intervention on the attitudes and confidence of rural South Australian health and human service professionals. Method: Participants attended a 1-day suicide prevention education program, and completed a survey at four time points: baseline (T1), immediately pretraining (T2), immediately posttraining (T3), and 4-month follow-up (T4). Main outcome measures were self-reported attitudes and confidence when working with people vulnerable to suicide. Results: A total of 248 people attended the training, with 213 participants completing the survey at T1, 236 at T2, 215 at T3, and 172 at T4. There were significant improvements in 11 of the 14 attitude items between T2 and T3 (immediate change), and between T1 and T4 (maintained change). Further, there were significant improvements in all four confidence items between T2 and T3, and T1 and T4. Limitations: Despite the repeated-measures design, findings are limited by the lack of a control group. Conclusion: Findings extend the international evidence by indicating the value of brief suicide prevention education for improving health and human service professionals' attitudes and confidence in rural Australia.

scholarly journals Efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention programme with and without virtual reality support to reduce stress in university students: protocol for a randomized controlled pragmatic trial

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Modrego-Alarcón ◽  
María Teresa Navarro-Gil ◽  
María Beltrán-Ruiz ◽  
Alicia Monreal-Bartolomé ◽  
Santiago Gascón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: There is growing concern about mental health problems in university students. For this reason, mindfulness training is becoming increasingly popular in university settings. However, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) usually present high attrition rates. This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a MBI to reduce perceived stress and to improve the psychological well-being of university students, as well as to explore the capacity of virtual reality (VR) to enhance adherence to the intervention. Methods: This study protocol presents a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving assessment time points of baseline, posttreatment and 6-month follow-up. A total of 280 students from the Spanish National Distance Education University (UNED) or the University of Zaragoza will be randomly assigned to a mindfulness condition, a mindfulness condition complemented by VR, and a relaxation condition to serve as a control group. Stress will be the main outcome and will be measured using the 10-item self-report Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Other well-being and academic functioning outcomes will be assessed, as well as variables that explore the impact of VR. Multilevel mixed-effects models will be calculated to estimate the efficacy of the programme, and effect size estimations will be carried out. Effects of VR in adherence to programme will be evaluated. Discussion: Some strengths of this study are the RCT design, which includes a suitable active control group and a 6-month follow-up assessment; a large sample size of university students at different stages of their courses and a variety of degrees; and the incorporation of the VR support to facilitate completion of the MBI programme. Potential limitations are the voluntary participation of the students and the utilization of self-report measures.Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03771300.

scholarly journals Efficacy of a mindfulness-based intervention programme with and without virtual reality support to reduce stress in university students: protocol for a randomized controlled pragmatic trial

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Modrego-Alarcón ◽  
María Teresa Navarro-Gil ◽  
María Beltrán-Ruiz ◽  
Alicia Monreal-Bartolomé ◽  
Santiago Gascón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
University Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background There is growing concern about mental health problems in university students. For this reason, mindfulness training is becoming increasingly popular in university settings. However, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) usually present high attrition rates. This trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of a MBI to reduce perceived stress and to improve the psychological well-being of university students, as well as to explore the capacity of virtual reality (VR) to enhance adherence to the intervention. Methods This study protocol presents a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving assessment time points of baseline, posttreatment and 6-month follow-up. A total of 280 students from the Spanish National Distance Education University (UNED) or the University of Zaragoza will be randomly assigned to a mindfulness condition, a mindfulness condition complemented by VR, and a relaxation condition to serve as a control group. Stress will be the main outcome and will be measured using the 10-item self-report Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Other well-being and academic functioning outcomes will be assessed, as well as variables that explore the impact of VR. Multilevel mixed-effects models will be calculated to estimate the efficacy of the programme, and effect size estimations will be carried out. Effects of VR in adherence to programme will be evaluated. Discussion Some strengths of this study are the RCT design, which includes a suitable active control group and a 6-month follow-up assessment; a large sample size of university students at different stages of their courses and a variety of degrees; and the incorporation of the VR support to facilitate completion of the MBI programme. Potential limitations are the voluntary participation of the students and the utilization of self-report measures. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03771300.

Research Participation Experiences of Informants of Suicide and Control Cases

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 238-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul W. C. Wong ◽  
Wincy S. C. Chan ◽  
Philip S. L. Beh ◽  
Fiona W. S. Yau ◽  
Paul S. F. Yip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Research Participation ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Initial Contact ◽  
Psychological Autopsy ◽  
Autopsy Study ◽  
The People ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

Background: Ethical issues have been raised about using the psychological autopsy approach in the study of suicide. The impact on informants of control cases who participated in case-control psychological autopsy studies has not been investigated. Aims: (1) To investigate whether informants of suicide cases recruited by two approaches (coroners’ court and public mortuaries) respond differently to the initial contact by the research team. (2) To explore the reactions, reasons for participation, and comments of both the informants of suicide and control cases to psychological autopsy interviews. (3) To investigate the impact of the interviews on informants of suicide cases about a month after the interviews. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used for the informants of both suicide and control cases. Telephone follow-up interviews were conducted with the informants of suicide cases. Results: The majority of the informants of suicide cases, regardless of the initial route of contact, as well as the control cases were positive about being approached to take part in the study. A minority of informants of suicide and control cases found the experience of talking about their family member to be more upsetting than expected. The telephone follow-up interviews showed that none of the informants of suicide cases reported being distressed by the psychological autopsy interviews. Limitations: The acceptance rate for our original psychological autopsy study was modest. Conclusions: The findings of this study are useful for future participants and researchers in measuring the potential benefits and risks of participating in similar sensitive research. Psychological autopsy interviews may be utilized as an active engagement approach to reach out to the people bereaved by suicide, especially in places where the postvention work is underdeveloped.

Promoting the Community's Ability to Detect and Respond to Suicide Risk Through an Online Bystander Intervention Model-Informed Tool

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Karien Hill ◽  
Shawn Somerset ◽  
Ralf Schwarzer ◽  
Carina Chan
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Bystander Intervention ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Intervention Model ◽  
Standard Material

Abstract. Background: The public health sector has advocated for more innovative, technology-based, suicide prevention education for the community, to improve their ability to detect and respond to suicide risk. Emerging evidence suggests addressing the bystander effect through the Bystander Intervention Model (BIM) in education material may have potential for suicide prevention. Aims: The current study aimed to assess whether BIM-informed tools can lead to improved readiness, confidence and intent in the community to detect and respond to suicide risk in others. Method: A sample of 281 adults recruited from the community participated in a randomized controlled trial comprising a factsheet designed according to the BIM (intervention group) and a standard factsheet about suicide and mental health (control group). Participants' self-reported detecting and responding to suicide risk readiness, confidence, and intent when presented with a suicidal peer was tested pre- and postintervention and compared across time and between groups. Results: The intervention group had significantly higher levels of detecting and responding to suicide risk readiness, confidence, and intent than the control group at postintervention (all p < .001) with moderate-to-large effect sizes. Limitations: The study was limited by a homogenous sample, too low numbers at follow-up to report, and self-report data only. Conclusion: This study demonstrates BIM-informed suicide prevention training may enhance the community's intervention readiness, confidence, and intent better than current standard material. Further testing in this area is recommended. While results were statistically significant, clinical significance requires further exploration.

scholarly journals The Effect of Javanese Language Videos with a Community Based Interactive Approach Method as an Educational Instrument for Knowledge, Perception, and Adherence amongst Tuberculosis Patients

Pharmacy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 86
Author(s):  
Fauna Herawati ◽  
Yuni Megawati ◽  
Aslichah ◽  
Retnosari Andrajati ◽  
Rika Yulia
Keyword(s):  
Intervention Group ◽  
Personal Control ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Interactive Approach ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Tuberculosis Patients ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

The long period of tuberculosis treatment causes patients to have a high risk of forgetting or stopping the medication altogether, which increases the risk of oral anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. The patient’s knowledge and perception of the disease affect the patient’s adherence to treatment. This research objective was to determine the impact of educational videos in the local language on the level of knowledge, perception, and adherence of tuberculosis patients in the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Bangil. This quasi-experimental study design with a one-month follow-up allocated 62 respondents in the intervention group and 60 in the control group. The pre- and post-experiment levels of knowledge and perception were measured with a validated set of questions. Adherence was measured by pill counts. The results showed that the intervention increases the level of knowledge of the intervention group higher than that of the control group (p-value < 0.05) and remained high after one month of follow-up. The perceptions domains that changed after education using Javanese (Ngoko) language videos with the Community Based Interactive Approach (CBIA) method were the timeline, personal control, illness coherence, and emotional representations (p-value < 0.05). More than 95% of respondents in the intervention group take 95% of their pill compared to 58% of respondents in the control group (p-value < 0.05). Utilization of the local languages for design a community-based interactive approach to educate and communicate is important and effective.

Regression of cardiac amyloid deposits with novel therapeutics: reaching new frontiers in cardiac ATTR amyloidosis

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
L Chacko ◽  
A Martinez-Naharro ◽  
T Kotecha ◽  
R Martone ◽  
D Hutt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Cardiac Amyloidosis ◽  
T1 Mapping ◽  
Group Versus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cardiac Amyloid ◽  
Attr Amyloidosis ◽  
Amyloid Load ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Cardiac involvement is the main driver of outcome in ATTR amyloidosis. Advances in therapeutics hold potential in transforming the course of the disease but the impact on cardiac amyloid load is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of patisiran, a new double stranded RNA based gene silencing therapy and a stabilizer, diflunisal, on cardiac amyloid load as measured by CMR and T1 mapping, in patients with ATTR amyloidosis. Methods and results Thirty-two patients with hereditary cardiac amyloidosis were studied. Sixteen patients received treatment with patisiran, and sixteen control subjects did not receive any disease modifying treatment. Patients were assessed with echocardiogram, CMR, NT-proBNP and six-minute walk time measurements at baseline and at 1 year (Mean interval 11.45±3.08 months in treatment group, mean interval 12.82±5.06 months in the control group). CMR analysis comprised LV volumes, T1 mapping to measure the extracellular volume (ECV) occupied by amyloid, T2 mapping and late gadolinium enhancement imaging. At 1-year follow-up, there was a substantial reduction in cardiac amyloid burden, in keeping with cardiac amyloid regression in 45% of patients on treatment. Overall the treatment group showed a reduction in ECV at 1 year follow up compared to an increase in ECV at 1 year in the control group (−1.37%, 95% CI: −3.43 to 0.68% versus 5.02%, 95% CI: 2.86% to 7.18% respectively, p&lt;0.001). The treatment group also showed an improvement in change in 6MWT at 1 year follow up compared to 6MWT at 1 year in the control group (−8.12 meters, 95% CI: −50.8 to 34.6 meters in the treatment group versus −132.27 meters, 95% CI: −216 to −48.6 meters in the control group, p=0.002). The treatment group showed a reduction in BNP at 1 year follow up compared to an increase in the control group (−567.87, 95% CI: −1288.90 to 153.15 in the treatment group versus 2004, 95% CI: 12.82 to 3995.45 in the control group, p&lt;0.001). There was no significant difference from baseline and 1-year data between the control and treatment groups for the difference in echocardiographic parameters, native T1, T2. There was a significant reduction in the percentage of injected dose by 99Tc-DPD scintigraphy in treated patients at 1 year compared to baseline. Conclusions These findings provide the first compelling evidence of substantial cardiac amyloid regression in ATTR amyloidosis, as well as the potential for CMR to be used to track response in treated patients with ATTR cardiac amyloidosis. Combination therapy with transthyretin knock down and stabilizing agents may well be synergistic given enhanced stoichiometry of stabilizers in the face of much reduced plasma transthyretin concentration. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

The impact of a music education program on meta-musical awareness, logical-mathematical, and notational skills in preschoolers

2021 ◽  
pp. 025576142110272
Author(s):  
Oriana Incognito ◽  
Laura Scaccioni ◽  
Giuliana Pinto
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Musical Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Transfer Of Knowledge ◽  
General Domain ◽  
Music Program ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Impact

A number of studies suggest a link between musical training and both specific and general cognitive abilities, but despite some positive results, there is disagreement about which abilities are improved. This study aims to investigate the effects of a music education program both on a domain-specific competence (meta-musical awareness), and on general domain competences, that is, cognitive abilities (logical-mathematical) and symbolic-linguistic abilities (notational). Twenty 4- to 6-year-old children participated in the research, divided into two groups (experimental and control) and the measures were administered at two different times, before and after a 6-month music program (for the experimental group) and after a sports training program (for the control group). Children performed meta-musical awareness tasks, logical-mathematical tasks, and emergent-alphabetization tasks. Non-parametric statistics show that a music program significantly improves the development of notational skills and meta-musical awareness while not the development of logical-mathematical skills. These results show that a musical program increases children’s meta-musical awareness, and their ability to acquire the notational ability involved in the invented writing of words and numbers. On the contrary, it does not affect the development of logical skills. The results are discussed in terms of transfer of knowledge processes and of specific versus general domain effects of a musical program.

scholarly journals Positive and Negative Affect Changes during Gender-Affirming Hormonal Treatment: Results from the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI)

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 296
Author(s):  
Imke Matthys ◽  
Justine Defreyne ◽  
Els Elaut ◽  
Alessandra Daphne Fisher ◽  
Baudewijntje P. C. Kreukels ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Affect ◽  
Sex Steroids ◽  
Hormonal Treatment ◽  
Control Group ◽  
First Year ◽  
Positive And Negative Affect ◽  
European Network ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
The Impact

Improving transgender people’s quality of life (QoL) is the most important goal of gender-affirming care. Prospective changes in affect can influence QoL. We aim to assess the impact of initiating gender-affirming hormonal treatment (HT) on affect. In the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence (ENIGI) study, we prospectively collected data of 873 participants (451 transwomen (TW) and 422 transmen (TM)). At baseline, psychological questionnaires including the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were administered. The PANAS, levels of sex steroids and physical changes were registered at each follow-up visit during a 3-year follow-up period, starting at the initiation of hormonal therapy. Data were analyzed cross-sectionally and prospectively. Over the first three months, we observed a decline in positive affect (PA) in both TM and TW. Thereafter, PA reached a steady state in TW, whereas in TM there was also a second decline at 18 months. In both TM and TW there was no persisting difference comparing baseline to the 36-months results. Concerning negative affect (NA), we observed a decline during the first year in TM, which sustained during the second year and was not different anymore at 36 months compared to baseline. In TW though, we did not find any change of NA during the entire follow-up. Even if some of these results show significant differences, they should be considered with caution, since there was no control group and the absolute differences are small. No association between affect and the level of sex steroids was observed. Baseline QoL and psychological burden are related to affect independently from gender but are not necessarily good predictors of the evolution of one’s affect during the gender-affirming process. Further research is necessary to investigate these preliminary results.

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