Effects of Long-Term Use of Insoles with a Toe-Grip Bar on the Balance, Walking, and Running of Preschool Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomized controlled study is aimed at investigating the effects of long-term use of insoles with a toe-grip bar on the balance, walking, and running of preschool children. Fifty-two preschool children were randomly assigned to an intervention group or control group. Children included in the intervention group wore shoes with insoles that had a toe-grip bar, and those in the control group wore shoes with regular insoles without a toe-grip bar for 4 weeks while they were at school. The center of gravity sway (total trajectory length and envelope area), walking parameters (walking speed, cadence, stride length, step length, stance time, and swing time), and time to run 25 m were measured before and after the intervention. The 25 m running time of the intervention group was significantly improved after the intervention (F=5.66; p<0.05). This study suggests that insoles with a toe-grip bar may contribute to improvements in the running of preschool children.

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The effectiveness of emotional freedom techniques (EFT) on depression of postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled trial

Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1515/jcim-2020-0245 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Asieh Mehdipour ◽

Parvin Abedi ◽

Somayeh Ansari ◽

Maryam Dastoorpoor

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Postmenopausal Women ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Moderate Depression ◽

Before And After ◽

The Mean ◽

And Control

Abstract Objectives Postmenopausal women are at greater risk of depression. Depression may negatively affect the quality of life of women. An emotional freedom technique (EFT) is an evidence-based therapy combining cognitive and exposure components with acupressure. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of EFT on depression in postmenopausal women. Methods This was a randomized controlled trial in which 88 women with mild to moderate depression recruited from a menopausal clinic in Ahvaz, Iran, and randomly assigned into two groups of EFT (n=44) and control for sham therapy (n=44). Women in the EFT group received two sessions of training and asked to continue EFT for 8 weeks, one time per day. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI2) completed by women before and after the intervention. The control group received training on sham acupressure points similar to the intervention group. Data collected using a demographic and BDI2. Women requested to complete the BDI2 before and after the intervention. The independent t-test, chi-square, and ANCOVA were used to analyze data. Results The mean depression score in the intervention group reduced from 20.93 ± 4.6 to 10.96 ± 4.38 in comparison to the control group that reduced from 19.18 ± 2.79 to 17.01 ± 6.05 after intervention (p=0.001). After the 8 week intervention, the frequency of moderate depression decreased from 56.8 to 9.35% in the intervention and from 50 to 29.5% in the control group. In total, 63.4 and 34.15% in the intervention and control groups were free of depression respectively after the intervention (p<0.001). Conclusions The results of this study showed that using EFT for 8 weeks could significantly reduce the mean score of depression in postmenopausal women. Using this method in public health centers for postmenopausal women is recommended.

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EVALUATION OF EFFECTIVENESS OF AROGYA KASHAYAM-20 IN COVID-19 CASES - A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

10.31219/osf.io/au3ct ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Umesh Shukla ◽

Nitin Ujjaliya

Keyword(s):

Controlled Trial ◽

Care Center ◽

Large Population ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Group A ◽

Negative Conversion

Introduction: The characteristic clinical features of Covid-19 disease range between asymptomatic to mild-moderate symptoms. Studies suggest that a large population (80%) presents its asymptomatic or milder form. Remaining 20 percent, owing to severity of the diseases, need hospital-based care. Many treatment protocols and strategies have been promoted and recommended by authorities including WHO, but nothing has actually been finalized till date. The present study was planned to evaluate the effectiveness of an Ayurvedic formulation viz. Arogya Kashayam-20 in the hospitalized cases of Covid-19.Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of Arogya Kashayam-20 in the cases of COVID-19 particularly the negative conversion of RTPCR in 10 days duration.Material and Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at COVID-19 Care Center, Pt. Khushilal Sharma Government Ayurveda College & Institute, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh with a sample size of 112 participants, aged between 16 to 60 years of either sex. Participants were divided in two groups viz. group A and B. Both the groups received Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), vitamin C and Zinc as per the prevailing ICMR guidelines and group 'A' received additionally Arogya Kashayam-20 for 10 days. Outcome measure of the study was to see the negative conversion RT-PCR test after intervention period of 10 days. CTRI Registration: CTRI/2020/06/026221. Results: Among the 60 cases registered in study group (group A), 51 cases (85.00%) were reported with negative RTPCR on 10th day. Out of 52 cases registered in control group (group B); 39 cases (75.00%) were tested negative RTPCR on 10th day. In both the groups all the cases were discharged asymptomatically on 10th day as per the prevailing ICMR guidelines. No ADR/AE observed during the intervention period.Conclusion: The study observes that the add on intervention group has a better outcome in terms of RT-PCR negative reports after 10 days comparing to the control group.

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Efficacy of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination Training Approach for Training Pharmacy Students in Diabetes Mellitus Counseling: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy8040229 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 229

Author(s):

Imaneh Farahani ◽

Samieh Farahani ◽

Maira A. Deters ◽

Holger Schwender ◽

Stephanie Laeer

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Objective Assessment ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Training Approach

Pharmacists’ tasks are multifaceted and include, for example, vital counseling and communication skills. Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) could be used to train pharmacy students in these skills. Our study sought to determine the efficacy of our OSCE training approach for training pharmacy students’ counseling and communication skills on diabetes mellitus compared to a control group. This randomized controlled study was conducted with pharmacy students using a pre-post-design. The intervention group completed diabetes OSCE training, while the control group solved diabetes patient cases using subjective, objective, assessment, and plan notes. Before and after the respective training, both groups completed OSCEs evaluating counseling and communication skills. Before each OSCE encounter, the participants completed a self-assessment questionnaire and, upon completion of the seminar, filled out a satisfaction survey. The OSCE-trained group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in counseling and communication skills and self-confidence than the control group. Both groups were generally satisfied with the seminar. These results demonstrate that our OSCE training approach allows for the effective training of pharmacy students’ diabetes counseling and communication skills and suggests the inclusion of such a skill-based approach more widely in pharmacy students’ education.

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Long-term efficacy of indicated prevention of depression in non-professional caregivers: randomized controlled trial

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291714002505 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 45 (7) ◽

pp. 1401-1412 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

P. Otero ◽

F. Smit ◽

P. Cuijpers ◽

A. Torres ◽

V. Blanco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Caregiver Burden ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Indicated Prevention ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Term Efficacy

BackgroundAlthough depression is a common problem among non-professional caregivers, only one trial has evaluated the efficacy of indicated prevention targeting this population and the long-term efficacy is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a brief intervention for the indicated prevention of depression in a sample of female caregivers.MethodA randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 173 participants (mean age 53.9 years) who were allocated to the intervention (n = 89) or the usual-care control group (n = 84). Blinded interviewers conducted assessments at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up. The main outcome measure was the incidence of major depression and the secondary outcomes were compliance with treatment, depressive symptoms, emotional distress and caregiver burden.ResultsAt the 12-month follow-up, a lower incidence of depression as evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I Disorders of the DSM-IV was found in the intervention group compared with the control group (10.1%v.25.0%). The relative risk was 0.40 and statistically significant [χ2 = 6.68, degrees of freedom = 1,p = 0.010, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.20–0.81], and the number needed to treat was 7 (95% CI 4–27). There was a significant delay in the onset of depression in the intervention group (p = 0.008). The good complier caregivers had a lower incidence of depression. The intervention effect on depressive symptoms, emotional distress and caregiver burden were maintained for 12 months.ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate that a brief problem-solving intervention can prevent the onset of depression among non-professional caregivers over the longer term.

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A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Passive Accessory Joint Mobilization on Acute Ankle Inversion Sprains

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/81.4.984 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 81 (4) ◽

pp. 984-994 ◽

Cited By ~ 144

Author(s):

Toni Green ◽

Kathryn Refshauge ◽

Jack Crosbie ◽

Roger Adams

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Step Length ◽

Control Group ◽

Joint Mobilization ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Ankle Inversion ◽

Before And After ◽

Experimental Group ◽

Support Time

Abstract Background and Purpose. Passive joint mobilization is commonly used by physical therapists as an intervention for acute ankle inversion sprains. A randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors was conducted to investigate the effect of a specific joint mobilization, the anteroposterior glide on the talus, on increasing pain-free dorsiflexion and 3 gait variables: stride speed (gait speed), step length, and single support time. Subjects. Forty-one subjects with acute ankle inversion sprains (<72 hours) and no other injury to the lower limb entered the trial. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups. The control group received a protocol of rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). The experimental group received the anteroposterior mobilization, using a force that avoided incurring any increase in pain, in addition to the RICE protocol. Subjects in both groups were treated every second day for a maximum of 2 weeks or until the discharge criteria were met, and all subjects were given a home program of continued RICE application. Outcomes were measured before and after each treatment. Results. The results showed that the experimental group required fewer treatment sessions than the control group to achieve full pain-free dorsiflexion. The experimental group had greater improvement in range of movement before and after each of the first 3 treatment sessions. The experimental group also had greater increases in stride speed during the first and third treatment sessions. Discussion and Conclusion. Addition of a talocrural mobilization to the RICE protocol in the management of ankle inversion injuries necessitated fewer treatments to achieve pain-free dorsiflexion and to improve stride speed more than RICE alone. Improvement in step length symmetry and single support time was similar in both groups.

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Evaluation of the Efficacy of Psychological Interventions in Promoting Preparedness to Armed Conflicts – A Randomized Controlled Study

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2018.119 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 713-723

Author(s):

Moran Bodas ◽

Maya Siman-Tov ◽

Shulamith Kreitler ◽

Kobi Peleg

Keyword(s):

Psychological Intervention ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Civil Defense ◽

Armed Conflicts ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Psychological Interventions ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

External Reward

ABSTRACTObjectiveDespite efforts by civil defense authorities, levels of households’ preparedness to emergencies remain insufficient in many countries. Engaging the public in preparedness behavior is a challenge worldwide. The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of psychological intervention in promoting preparedness behavior to armed conflicts in Israel.MethodsA randomized controlled trial (N = 381) with two control groups and three intervention groups was used. The psychological interventions studied were elevated threat perception, external reward, and manipulation of a cognitive cluster related to preparedness.ResultsThe results of the analysis suggest a significant effect of intervention on the increase of reported preparedness (F4,375 = 4.511, P = 0.001). The effect is attributed to the intervention group in which external reward was offered. Participants in this group were about two times more likely to report greater levels of preparedness compared to the control group (RR = 1.855; 95% CI: 1.065, 3.233).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that preparedness behavior can be promoted through external incentives. These are presumably effective motivators because they encourage preparedness while allowing subjects to retain their denial as an adaptive coping mechanism. Innovative thinking is required to overcome the psychological barriers associated with public reluctance to engage in preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;13:713–723)

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The Effect of the Web-Based Communication between a Nurse and a Family Member on the Perceived Stress of the Family Member of Patients with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19: A Parallel Randomized Clinical Trial

Clinical Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/10547738211017688 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105477382110176

Author(s):

Esmail Shariati ◽

Ali Dadgari ◽

Seyedeh Solmaz Talebi ◽

Gholam Reza Mahmoodi Shan ◽

Hossein Ebrahimi

Keyword(s):

Family Member ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Web Based ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

The Family ◽

Before And After ◽

The Mean

The aim of this study was to identify the effect of web-based communication between a nurse and a family member of a patient with COVID-19 on his/her perceived stress. In this multicenter parallel randomized controlled trial, 67 family members of COVID-19 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were investigated. In the intervention group, web-based communication was performed for four consecutive days for 10 to 15 minutes. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) were completed in both groups before and after the intervention. Mean and standard deviation of perceived stress scores in the two groups were not significantly different ( p = 0.26) before the intervention; however, after the intervention, the mean PSS-14 in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group ( p < 0.001). Due to the need to follow the physical and social distancing to protect against Coronavirus disease, the use of web-based communication recommended in future studies.

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The effect on length of sickness absence by recognition of undetected psychiatric disorder in long-term sickness absence. A randomized controlled trial

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494809347551 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 37 (8) ◽

pp. 864-871 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Hans Jørgen Søgaard ◽

Per Bech

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Mental Disorders ◽

Return To Work ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Rate Of Return ◽

Control Group ◽

Randomized Controlled

Background: The burden caused by psychiatric disorders on the individual and society has resulted in more studies examining interventions aimed at reducing sickness absence. Aims: To examine if detection of undetected psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence (LSA) would improve the rate of return to work. Methods: Over one year all 2,414 incident persons on LSA in a well-defined population were within one week after eight weeks of continuous sickness absence posted the Common Mental Disorders Screening Questionnaire (CMD-SQ) to screen for mental disorders. In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), of 1,121 responding participants, persons with a minimum level of psychiatric symptoms 420 were allocated to the intervention group and 416 to the control group. The intervention was a psychiatric examination including diagnostics with Present State Examination and feedback regarding treatment and rehabilitation to the participants themselves, general practitioners and the social service taking care of the participants’ rehabilitation back to work. Of the 420 in the intervention group 329 (78.3%) participated in the intervention. The outcomes measure was in an intention treat analysis the rate of return to work. Results: The rate of return to work was non-significantly lower for the intervention group than for the control group, except for persons without a psychiatric sick-leave diagnosis who were sick-listed from full time work, who showed a significantly higher rate of return to work in the intervention group. Conclusions: The effect of interventions for return to work depends on socio-demographic characteristics. Further studies are needed regarding interventions to improve return to work.

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Universal Screening and Decolonization for Control of MRSA in Nursing Homes: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Study

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2014.74 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 401-408 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Cristina Bellini ◽

Christiane Petignat ◽

Eric Masserey ◽

Christophe Büla ◽

Bernard Burnand ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Universal Screening ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Standard Precautions ◽

Carriage Rate ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Cluster Randomized ◽

The Impact

OBJECTIVEThe risk of carrying methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is higher among nursing home (NH) residents than in the general population. However, control strategies are not clearly defined in this setting. In this study, we compared the impact of standard precautions either alone (control) or combined with screening of residents and decolonization of carriers (intervention) to control MRSA in NHs.DESIGNCluster randomized controlled trialSETTINGNHs of the state of Vaud, SwitzerlandPARTICIPANTSOf 157 total NHs in Vaud, 104 (67%) participated in the study.INTERVENTIONStandard precautions were enforced in all participating NHs, and residents underwent MRSA screening at baseline and 12 months thereafter. All carriers identified in intervention NHs, either at study entry or among newly admitted residents, underwent topical decolonization combined with environmental disinfection, except in cases of MRSA infection, MRSA bacteriuria, or deep skin ulcers.RESULTSNHs were randomly allocated to a control group (51 NHs, 2,412 residents) or an intervention group (53 NHs, 2,338 residents). Characteristics of NHs and residents were similar in both groups. The mean screening rates were 86% (range, 27%–100%) in control NHs and 87% (20%–100%) in intervention NHs. Prevalence of MRSA carriage averaged 8.9% in both control NHs (range, 0%–43%) and intervention NHs (range, 0%–38%) at baseline, and this rate significantly declined to 6.6% in control NHs and to 5.8% in intervention NHs after 12 months. However, the decline did not differ between groups (P=.66).CONCLUSIONUniversal screening followed by decolonization of carriers did not significantly reduce the prevalence of the MRSA carriage rate at 1 year compared with standard precautions.Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–8

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Effect of intensive handwashing in the prevention of diarrhoeal illness among patients with AIDS: a randomized controlled study

Journal of Medical Microbiology ◽

10.1099/jmm.0.46867-0 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 56 (5) ◽

pp. 659-663 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

David B. Huang ◽

Jing Zhou

Keyword(s):

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Shigella Flexneri ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Randomized Controlled Study ◽

Controlled Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Therapy Regimen ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Highly Active ◽

Before And After

Patients with AIDS frequently develop diarrhoeal illness. In this randomized, controlled study, 260 patients were screened for those who had not had diarrhoea in the preceding 3 months and who had received a stable highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen for at least 6 weeks prior to the study enrolment. A total of 148 patients met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled: 75 patients were randomly assigned to an intensive handwashing intervention (i.e. handwashing after defecation, after cleaning infants who had defecated, before preparing food, before eating, and before and after sex) and 73 patients were randomly assigned to the control group. Patients in both groups were called weekly by telephone to determine compliance with handwashing and to determine the number of diarrhoeal episodes for the preceding week. Patients were observed for 1 year. Patients assigned to the intensive handwashing intervention group washed their hands more frequently compared with the control group (seven vs four times a day, respectively; P <0.05) and developed fewer episodes of diarrhoeal illness (1.24±0.9 vs 2.92±0.6 new episodes of diarrhoea, respectively; P <0.001) during the 1 year observation. The most common pathogens identified in both groups in patients who developed diarrhoeal illness were Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba histolytica and Shigella flexneri. These data suggest that intensive handwashing reduces diarrhoeal illness in patients with AIDS.

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