scholarly journals Behavioural insights (BI) for childhood development and effective public policies in Latin America: a survey and a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e047925
Author(s):  
Andrea A Tomio ◽  
Martin Dottori ◽  
Eugenia Hesse ◽  
Fernando Torrente ◽  
Daniel Flichtentrei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Childhood Health ◽  
Behavioural Insights ◽  
Randomised Controlled

ObjectivesWe developed (a) a survey to investigate the knowledge of childhood health experts on public policies and behavioural insights (BI), as well as its use in Latin American and the Caribbean countries (LACs), and (b) an intervention (randomised controlled trial) to test the influence of nudges on the effect of a simulated public health programme communication.Participants and settingsA total of 2003 LACs childhood health professionals participated in the study through a Hispanic online platform.Primary and secondary outcomesWe used regression models analysing expertise-related information, individual differences and location. We extracted several outcome variables related to (a) ‘Public Policy Knowledge Index’ based on the participants’ degree of knowledge on childhood health public policies and (b) BI knowledge, perceived effectiveness and usefulness of a simulated public programme communication. We also analysed a ‘Behavioural Insights Knowledge Index’ (BIKI) based on participants’ performance in BI questions.ResultsIn general, health professionals showed low BI knowledge (knowledge of the term BI: χ2=210.29, df=1 and p<0.001; BIKI: χ2=160.5, df=1 and p<0.001), and results were modulated by different factors (age, academic formation, public policy knowledge and location). The use of BI principles for the communication of the public programme revealed higher impact and clarity ratings from professionals than control messages.ConclusionsOur findings provide relevant knowledge about BI in health professionals to inform governmental and non-governmental organisations’ decision-making processes related with childhood public policies and BI designs.

scholarly journals Addressing multiple modifiable risks through structured community-based Learning Clubs to improve maternal and infant health and infant development in rural Vietnam: protocol for a parallel group cluster randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. e023539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Fisher ◽  
Tuan Tran ◽  
Stanley Luchters ◽  
Thach D Tran ◽  
David B Hipgrave ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Parallel Group ◽  
Randomised Controlled

IntroductionOptimal early childhood development is an international priority. Risks during pregnancy and early childhood have lasting effects because growth is rapid. We will test whether a complex intervention addressing multiple modifiable risks: maternal nutrition, mental health, parenting capabilities, infant health and development and gender-based violence, is effective in reducing deficient cognitive development among children aged two in rural Vietnam.Methods and analysisThe Learning Clubs intervention is a structured programme combining perinatal stage-specific information, learning activities and social support. It comprises 20 modules, in 19 accessible, facilitated groups for women at a community centre and one home visit. Evidence-informed content is from interventions to address each risk tested in randomised controlled trials in other resource-constrained settings. Content has been translated and culturally adapted for Vietnam and acceptability and feasibility established in pilot testing.We will conduct a two-arm parallel-group cluster-randomised controlled trial, with the commune as clustering unit. An independent statistician will select 84/112 communes in Ha Nam Province and randomly assign 42 to the control arm providing usual care and 42 to the intervention arm. In total, 1008 pregnant women (12 per commune) from 84 clusters are needed to detect a difference in the primary outcome (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Cognitive Score <1 SD below standardised norm for 2 years of age) of 15% in the control and 8% in the intervention arms, with 80% power, significance 0.05 and intracluster correlation coefficient 0.03.Ethics and disseminationMonash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Certificate Number 20160683), Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and the Institutional Review Board of the Hanoi School of Public Health (Certificate Number 017-377IDD- YTCC), Hanoi, Vietnam have approved the trial. Results will be disseminated through a comprehensive multistranded dissemination strategy including peer-reviewed publications, national and international conference presentations, seminars and technical and lay language reports.Trial registration numberACTRN12617000442303; Pre-results.

Working in collaboration with young people and health professionals. A staged approach to the implementation of a randomised controlled trial

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 561-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Aldiss ◽  
R.M. Taylor ◽  
L. Soanes ◽  
R. Maguire ◽  
M. Sage ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Young People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Self Care ◽  
Alert System ◽  
Symptom Report ◽  
Mobile Phone Technology ◽  
Randomised Controlled

ASyMS© is an Advanced Symptom Management System utilising mobile phone technology to monitor chemotherapy-related symptoms and promote self-care. It was first developed with an adult cancer population and is now being evaluated with young people through an iterative development process. ASyMS© involves patients recording and sending symptom reports to the hospital and receiving tailored self-care advice. Health professionals are alerted when severe symptoms are reported. Three phases of the ASyMS©-YG (young people) study are complete. Phase 1 involved young people identifying the symptoms to be assessed. Phase 2 involved young people testing the symptom report system, and ascertaining young people’s, parents’ and professionals’ perceptions of ASyMS©-YG. This paper reports on Phase 3, in which the system was developed further in preparation for a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Health professionals devised an alert system based on risk modelling side-effect severity, and young people and professionals developed self-care advice. A pilot study was conducted to test the alert system and study design in readiness for a definitive RCT. The contribution young people and professionals have made to this project is invaluable in evaluating the practical effectiveness of ASyMS©-YG and ensuring the intervention is acceptable and works in everyday practice.

scholarly journals A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Effect of E-learning, with a Taught Workshop, on the Knowledge and Search Skills of Health Professionals

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Pearce-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Sample Size ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Objective - The aim of the trial was to establish whether there is a significant difference in terms of knowledge and skills, between self-directed learning using a web-based resource, compared with a classroom based interactive workshop, for teaching health professionals how to search. The outcomes measured were knowledge of databases and study designs, and search skills. Methods - The study design was a randomised controlled trial (RCT). 17 health professionals were randomised into one of two groups – one group (EG) received access to a search-skills web resource, and the other group received a search workshop (WG) taught by a librarian. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention tests involving multiple choice questions and practical searching using clinical scenarios.. Results - 9 WG and 6 EG participants completed both pre-and post-intervention tests. The test results were blindly marked using a score chart developed with two other librarians. For question formulation and devising a search strategy, all participants obtained a score that was the same or better after receiving the intervention (both WG and EG), but statistical analysis showed that the only significant outcomes were for the WG devising a search strategy (p=0.01) and preferring to search using MeSH after receiving the taught workshop (p=0.02). The Mann-Whitney test showed there were no significant differences in any of the outcomes (p>0.05), between the WG and the EG. The statistical analyses must be viewed with caution due to the small sample size. Conclusions - There were no significant differences in knowledge of databases and study design, or search skills, when the WG and the EG were compared. Although many participants obtained a score that was higher post-intervention, only devising a search strategy and preferring to search using MeSH were significant for the WG. The question of whether a taught workshop and an e-learning module are of equal effectiveness in teaching search skills, is an important one for health librarians involved in user education, and was a justifiable topic to propose and conduct research. The fact that the results are mainly inconclusive due to the small sample size is disappointing, but does not diminish the importance of conducting the study.

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