scholarly journals Effects of a large-scale social media advertising campaign on holiday travel and COVID-19 infections: a cluster randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1622-1628
Author(s):  
Emily Breza ◽  
Fatima Cody Stanford ◽  
Marcella Alsan ◽  
Burak Alsan ◽  
Abhijit Banerjee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
The United States ◽  
Advertising Campaign ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type

AbstractDuring the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, many health professionals used social media to promote preventative health behaviors. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of the effect of a Facebook advertising campaign consisting of short videos recorded by doctors and nurses to encourage users to stay at home for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays (NCT04644328 and AEARCTR-0006821). We randomly assigned counties to high intensity (n = 410 (386) at Thanksgiving (Christmas)) or low intensity (n = 410 (381)). The intervention was delivered to a large fraction of Facebook subscribers in 75% and 25% of randomly assigned zip codes in high- and low-intensity counties, respectively. In total, 6,998 (6,716) zip codes were included, and 11,954,109 (23,302,290) users were reached at Thanksgiving (Christmas). The first two primary outcomes were holiday travel and fraction leaving home, both measured using mobile phone location data of Facebook users. Average distance traveled in high-intensity counties decreased by −0.993 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI): –1.616, −0.371; P = 0.002) for the 3 days before each holiday compared to low-intensity counties. The fraction of people who left home on the holiday was not significantly affected (adjusted difference: 0.030; 95% CI: −0.361, 0.420; P = 0.881). The third primary outcome was COVID-19 infections recorded at the zip code level in the 2-week period starting 5 days after the holiday. Infections declined by 3.5% (adjusted 95% CI: −6.2%, −0.7%; P = 0.013) in intervention compared to control zip codes. Social media messages recorded by health professionals before the winter holidays in the United States led to a significant reduction in holiday travel and subsequent COVID-19 infections.

scholarly journals Early High-Intensity Versus Low-Intensity Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (9) ◽  
pp. 1360-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bade ◽  
Tamara Struessel ◽  
Michael Dayton ◽  
Jared Foran ◽  
Raymond H. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Total Knee Arthroplasty ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Knee Arthroplasty ◽  
High Intensity ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Total Knee

scholarly journals Study protocol: developing and evaluating an interactive web platform to teach children hunting, shooting and firearms safety: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Schwebel ◽  
D. Leann Long ◽  
Marissa Gowey ◽  
Joan Severson ◽  
Yefei He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Study Protocol ◽  
Impulse Control ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
The United States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type

Abstract Background Firearms injuries present a major pediatric public health challenge in the United States. This study protocol describes research to develop and then conduct a randomized clinical trial to evaluate ShootSafe, an interactive, engaging, educational website to teach children firearms safety. ShootSafe has three primary goals: (a) teach children basic knowledge and skills needed to hunt, shoot, and use firearms safely; (b) help children learn and hone critical cognitive skills of impulse control and hypothetical thinking needed to use firearms safely; and (c) alter children’s perceptions about their own vulnerability and susceptibility to firearms-related injuries, the severity of those injuries, and their perceived norms about peer behavior surrounding firearms use. ShootSafe will accomplish these goals through a combination of interactive games plus short, impactful testimonial videos and short expert-led educational videos. Methods Following website development, ShootSafe will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial with 162 children ages 10–12, randomly assigning children to engage in ShootSafe or an active control website. Multiple self-report, computer-based, and behavioral measures will assess functioning at baseline, immediately following training, and at 4-month follow-up. Four sets of outcomes will be considered: firearms safety knowledge; cognitive skills in impulse control and hypothetical thinking; perceptions about firearms safety; and simulated behavior when handling, storing and transporting firearms. Training in both conditions will comprise two 45-min sessions. Discussion If results are as hypothesized, ShootSafe offers potential as a theory-based program to teach children firearms safety in an accessible, engaging and educational manner. Translation into practice is highly feasible. Trial registration The study protocol was registered on 11/10/20 at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04622943).

scholarly journals A community-engaged mHealth intervention to increase uptake of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in China: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunyan Li ◽  
Yuan Xiong ◽  
Kathryn E. Muessig ◽  
Weiming Tang ◽  
Haojie Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
System Capacity ◽  
Study Phase ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Exposure Prophylaxis

ABSTRACTIntroductionEmtricitabine-Tenofovir was officially approved as the first medicine for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in China on August 11, 2020. The large number of key populations who would benefit from PrEP in the context of limited health system capacity and public awareness will pose challenges for timely PrEP scale-up. This suggests an urgent need for innovative and accessible intervention tools for promoting PrEP. Our overall goal is to develop and pilot test a theory-informed, tailored mobile phone intervention to increase engagement in PrEP education and initiation among Chinese gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). We also aim to generate hypotheses of potential behavioral pathways to PrEP uptake among Chinese GBMSM.Methods and analysisThis two-phase study includes a formative assessment (Phase 1) using in-depth interviews (N=30) and a 12-week experimental pilot study (Phase 2) using a two-arm randomized controlled trial design (N=60). The primary intervention is delivered through a WeChat-based mini-app (a program built into a Chinese multipurpose social media application) developed by young GBMSM from a 2019 crowdsourcing hackathon. This participatory event brought together GBMSM, tech experts, health professionals, and other key stakeholders. This study will further investigate the specific needs and concerns among GBMSM in terms of using PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy, how their concerns and PrEP use behaviors may change with exposure to the mini-app intervention at 8-week and 12-week follow-up, and how we can further refine this intervention tool to better meet GBMSM ‘s needs for broader implementation.Ethics and disseminationThis study and its protocols have been reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Boards of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA (IRB#19-3481), the Guangdong Provincial Dermatology Hospital, China (IRB#2020031), and the Guangzhou Eighth People ‘s Hospital, China (IRB#202022155). Study staff will work with local GBMSM community-based organizations to disseminate the study results to participants and the community via social media, offline workshops, and journal publication. This research addresses a critical need as GBMSM bear a disproportionate burden of HIV infections in China and remain underserved in the healthcare system.Trial RegistrationThe study was registered on clinicaltrials.gov (Trial#: NCT04426656) on June 11, 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04426656. Prospectively registered.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of interactive augmented reality-based telerehabilitation in patients with adhesive capsulitis: protocol for a multi-center randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seung Mi Yeo ◽  
Ji Young Lim ◽  
Jong Geol Do ◽  
Jae-Young Lim ◽  
Jong In Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Physical Therapy ◽  
Augmented Reality ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Adhesive Capsulitis ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Home Exercise ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Home Based

Abstract Background As the primary treatment for adhesive capsulitis, intensive and accurate home exercise is as important as physical therapy in hospitals. Augmented reality (AR)-based telerehabilitation has been implemented recently in various musculoskeletal conditions to increase patient compliance and enable patients to exercise with the correct posture. The objective of this study is to present a protocol for investigating the additive effect of interactive AR-based telerehabilitation in comparison with the usual care for patients with adhesive capsulitis. Methods This study presents the protocol of a prospective, multi-center, single-blinded, two-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT). One hundred patients with stage I or II adhesive capsulitis will be recruited at the physical medicine and rehabilitation clinic. Patients will be randomly divided into two groups with 1:1 allocation. The intervention group will receive 3 months of hospital-based physical therapy in conjunction with home-based telerehabilitation. The control group will receive 3 months of hospital-based physical therapy in conjunction with a home-based exercise described in a brochure provided by the hospital. The primary outcome will be the change in passive range of motion (ROM) of the affected shoulder joint from baseline to 12 weeks after baseline assessment. The secondary outcomes will be active ROM, pain measured with the numeric rating scale, shoulder pain and disability index, 36-Item Short Form Survey, EuroQoL-5D-5L, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Discussion This will be the first RCT study protocol to investigate the effect of telerehabilitation in patients with adhesive capsulitis. The result of this RCT will determine whether AR-based telerehabilitation is more effective than a brochure-based home exercise program and will provide evidence of the usefulness of “telerehabilitation” using hardware (IoT) and software (monitoring platform) technologies to develop “digital therapeutics” for the future. Trial registration This trial was retrospectively registered at the Clinicaltrials.gov website on 20 March 2020, with the identifier NCT04316130.

scholarly journals The ACTyourCHANGE study protocol: promoting a healthy lifestyle in patients with obesity with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy—a randomized controlled trial

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Guerrini Usubini ◽  
Roberto Cattivelli ◽  
Emanuele Maria Giusti ◽  
Francesco Vailati Riboni ◽  
Giorgia Varallo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Psychological Flexibility ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

Abstract Background As treatment of choice in promoting psychological flexibility, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was found to be effective in several conditions, and among different populations, including weight management in individuals with obesity. However, the mechanism of action of psychological flexibility is less known. The aim of the present study is, within the context of a brief ACT intervention for behavioral change and behavioral maintenance of a healthy lifestyle in a sample of inpatients with obesity, to explore the effect of each subcomponent of the psychological flexibility model on treatment processes and outcomes. Methods A randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Ninety Italian adult inpatients with obesity attending a rehabilitation program for weight loss will be randomly allocated into three experimental conditions targeting respectively each subcomponent of the psychological flexibility model: group Engage focused on values-oriented behaviors, group Openness focused on acceptance and cognitive defusion, and group Awareness focused on being present and aware of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors at every moment. Weight, BMI (kg/m2), the Psychological General Well-Being Inventory (PGWBI), the Outcome Questionnaire-45.2 (OQ-45.2), the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the Dutch Eating Behaviors Questionnaire (DEBQ), the Brief Values Inventory (BVI), the Committed Action Questionnaire (CAQ), the Italian-Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (I-CFQ), the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II) will be assessed at the beginning (time 0), at the end of psychological intervention (time 1), and after 3 (time 2) and 6 months (time 3) and 9 months (time 4) from discharge. During the following month after discharge, outpatients will be monitored in their adherence to a healthy lifestyle, using a wearable device. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention, mixed between-within 3 (conditions) × 4 (times) repeated measure ANOVAs will be conducted to examine changes from time 0 to time 1, 2, 3, and 4 in means of weight, BMI, and means of scores PGWBI, OQ-45.2, DASS, DERS, DEBQ, AAQ-II, BVI, CAQ, I-CFQ, and FFMQ, between three groups. Discussion This study will contribute to clarify the mechanism of action of each subcomponent of the psychological flexibility model and understand its impact on the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.govNCT04474509. Registered on July 4, 2020

scholarly journals Frequency of repositioning for preventing pressure ulcers in patients hospitalized in ICU: protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga L. Cortés ◽  
Mauricio Herrera-Galindo ◽  
Juan Carlos Villar ◽  
Yudi A. Rojas ◽  
María del Pilar Paipa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Critical Care ◽  
Pressure Ulcers ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Link Type ◽  
Cluster Randomized ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Despite being considered preventable, ulcers due to pressure affect between 30 and 50% of patients at high and very high risk and susceptibility, especially those hospitalized under critical care. Despite a lack of evidence over the efficacy in prevention against ulcers due to pressure, hourly repositioning in critical care as an intervention is used with more or less frequency to alleviate pressure on patients’ tissues. This brings up the objective of our study, which is to evaluate the efficacy in prevention of ulcers due to pressure acquired during hospitalization, specifically regarding two frequency levels of repositioning or manual posture switching in adults hospitalized in different intensive care units in different Colombian hospitals. Methods A nurse-applied cluster randomized controlled trial of parallel groups (two branches), in which 22 eligible ICUs (each consisting of 150 patients), will be randomized to a high-frequency level repositioning intervention or to a conventional care (control group). Patients will be followed until their exit from each cluster. The primary result of this study is originated by regarding pressure ulcers using clusters (number of first ulcers per patient, at the early stage of progression, first one acquired after admission for 1000 days). The secondary results include evaluating the risk index on the patients’ level (Hazard ratio, 95% IC) and a description of repositioning complications. Two interim analyses will be performed through the course of this study. A statistical difference between the groups < 0.05 in the main outcome, the progression of ulcers due to pressure (best or worst outcome in the experimental group), will determine whether the study should be put to a halt/determine the termination of the study. Conclusion This study is innovative in its use of clusters to advance knowledge of the impact of repositioning as a prevention strategy against the appearance of ulcers caused by pressure in critical care patients. The resulting recommendations of this study can be used for future clinical practice guidelines in prevention and safety for patients at risk. Trial registration PENFUP phase-2 was Registered in Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04604665) in October 2020.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document